Chapter 10
Border of Station Square
Time: 4:00 AM
It was the dawn of another day. Three robots were lurking near the entrance of Station Square, hidden away from the security of the city.
"Doctor," Metal Sonic said. "We are in position, what are your orders?"
"Just sit tight." It was Eggman. "Stand by until you have the Sonic Heroes on radar. Then you can resume to phase three."
Near the Station Square Hotel
Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Rouge were standing in front of the hotel, thinking of a plan of action. Sonic was walking back and forth impatiently, Tails was trying to calm him down, and both Knuckles and Rouge were staring at each other coldly.
"Let's split up." Sonic finally said. "We can kick more butt that way." The others simply nodded.
"Let's meet back here in thirty minutes." Tails said. "Sonic and I can check the eastside of the city, and Knuckles and Rouge can look on the westside."
Knuckles and Rouge looked at each other in disgust. They were still angry about what happened the night before.
"Don't you guys go at it again." Sonic warned the two. Knuckles snorted and Rouge was silent.
"Come on, Tails." Sonic ran at the speed of sound as Tails behind him. Knuckles and Rouge watched as they took off.
Rouge sighed. "Come on, let's get to work." She started walking towards south, and Knuckles followed. They kept quiet as they were walking through the city.
There wasn't a lot of activity on the streets of Station Square since it was still dawn. The sky was a beautiful golden- orange color. Knuckles never liked a large amount of sunlight; he didn't bother to show it.
"Hey," Knuckles called out. Rouge stopped and looked over her shoulder to him.
"You never answered my question."
"And what question was that?"
"Why are you trying to get so close to us?"
"So close?" Rouge wondered.
"All of a sudden you're helping us?"
"I do whatever it takes to get my mission done."
"Hmm..." Knuckles sounded like he was growling. He continued to stare at Rouge.
"What?" Rouge was get irritated.
"You're up to something." Knuckles said as he crossed his arms.
"Why are coming on to me like that?" Rouge started to raise her voice.
"Because I'm trying to find out if you're for real," Knuckles also raised his voice. "Or maybe you're trying to lure us into a false sense of security."
"That's for me to know and you to find out. Now can we keep moving?" Rouge started walking at a faster pace. Knuckles was right behind her.
Meanwhile in the Jungle
Amy woke up from the brightness and warmth of the sun. She slowly opened her eyes and gave a long yawn. As she was stretching, Amy noticed a little black squirrel near the tree that she was sleeping against.
"Hey little guy," Amy said to it. "Come here. I'm not gonna hurt you."
The squirrel quickly crawled to Amy's leg and stopped. Amy extended her arm to it and the squirrel crawled up her arm and on her head. Amy laughed.
(Fifteen Minutes Prior)
Shadow was sleeping in the same tree he was in the night before. Shadow was dreaming. In his dream, he could see himself sleeping restlessly in total darkness. He felt isolated by the voices that were surrounding him. When Shadow opened his eyes, he was stunned. He was seeing scenes that were unknown to him. He saw himself with different people.
Eggman, Rouge, Knuckles, Tails, Amy, and Sonic.
Shadow also saw himself talking with the other in different scenes. He looked in one corner and saw a pod where was standing on.
"Wait a minute, you're not Sonic. This is impossible!"
"Eggman," Shadow called out. He then turned to see the image of himself.
"My name is Shadow. Since you were so kind to release me, my master, I will grant you one wish."
'I said that?' Shadow thought. He then heard another voice from a different direction.
"Shadow, I beg of you, please do it for me..."Shadow turned to see himself in a capsule. Across from him was a young woman. She was blonde and she wore a blue and white uniform.
"Maria!" Shadow heard himself cry out.
"Give them a chance to be happy." She said. "That's the reason why you were brought into this world. Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog."
That scene then disappeared.
"Wait!" Shadow yelled. Then he saw himself in outer space, where he met up with a blue hedgehog, Sonic.
"You never seem to surprise me, blue hedgehog." He heard himself say. "I thought that capsule you were in exploded in space."
"What can I say? I die hard." Sonic said with a grin.
"So, there's more to you than just looking like me. What are you anyway?"
"What you see is what you get, just a guy who loves adventure. I'm Sonic the Hedgehog!"
That scene also had disappeared. Then Shadow saw himself reappear in the room he and Maria were in. He saw himself looking out the window in space. Walking behind him was a young pink hedgehog, Amy.
"Shadow, we need you. Please help us." She said to him. Shadow continued to look out the window.
"It's all going according to plan." He said. "There's no reason for me to help them. Besides, there's no way to save anyone."
"There has to be! I know that some people fight over the most trivial things; some people may be selfish, like the professor said. But they're basically good, that's why you should help them out. Saving them is a good thing. Shadow, I beg you, please do it for them. Give them a chance."
Shadow then had a flashback of him and Maria. It made him shed a tear.
"...That's what Maria wished for..." He said.
"Shadow?" Amy was confused.
"I gotta go now. I've got to keep my promise to Maria, and you."
'These people,' Shadow thought. 'These images, the events...'
Shadow finally woke up. He was stunned. His head was throbbing. Shadow had never felt so disturbed.
"I...I remember." He said in a low tone. "I remember everything."
Shadow took a few minutes to try to calm down. He looked at his hands. They were cold and shaking. Shadow then looked up at the sapphire sky, thinking of what he had dreamed about.
"...Maria..."