We see Maria, Preparing her own clothes, dresses, toys and putting them out in a drawer. Her mother comes barging in out of door, seemgly worried sick.
–Are you ready, dear? It's almost time.
Maria replies with a smile.– I'm coming mother. I'm just...I wanted it all cleaned up for when I get back.
Her mother frowns suddenly deepens even more.– You're going to be stay there for a long time. They might not fit you by the time you get back.
–Mom, don't you trust Uncle Gerald to find a cure to my illness?
Her mom now looks impantient.–Of course I do, dear. I just can't not be worried. I'm your mother, after all.
–And what about dad? Where is he?
–He's waiting for you at the post. You know how much he dislikes goodbyes.
Maria frowns at that, looking rather dissapointed.
–I'm so sorry, my dear. If It wasn't for my stubborness, you wouldn't be in this situation.
We are shown Maria, in a bed, in coma, with computers keeping her alive. Besides her, an old bearded man sits on a table, holding one of her hands.
–What I was thinking...how could I have been so stupid? I failed your parents.
He falls to the ground, still holding her hand, but crying.
In our original timeline, Dr Gerald Robotinik worked with black doom to create the ultimate life form, Shadow the hedgehog, who after many trials, after accepting the past, moved on to become one of the world's greatest protector. In this timeline, however, a medical procedure that was supposed to cure Maria of her illness early on, actually ended up speeding the process, making her fall into a coma. Feeling guilty, Gerald can only watch as his niece slowly dies. With only mere days to spare, he begins the plans to save the most important person in the world for him.
Suddenly, a shadowy hand holds his shoulders. Gerald turns back to see the figure. It's Black Doom, looking rather displeased.
–I won't stop you from doing this. Just know that you might be condeming her to a fate much worse than death.
We are seeing the scene from someone else's eyes. They are blurry, and we can barely make out the details, but we are inside a large, metallic tube. We see two scientists working in a computer, somehow attached to the tube. The person looks into their hands, noticing a black fur with a yellow stripe on it. They look intently, as if disturbed by it.
The tube vibrates, as if she is trying desperately to break free. Suddenly, the glass shatters, as she destroyes the tube.
We finally get a look at what she looks like as we get an top down scene of the whole room, with the two scientists looking scared at the creature. The creature looks like the Shadow we know, expect it now has more femine features, and yellow stripes instead of red. She looks at the scientists, bloodshot eyes looking down on them as she begins to glow red. Suddenly, the whole room explodes, the machinery are destroyed, and the scientist fall to the ground.
The shadowy girl feels the chaos signature around them. It draws her in. She is about to reach to one of the scientist, to capture It's life energy into her own, when suddenly a bearded figure appears on the room.
–Maria?
The shadow girl looks at the old scientist, as if this name was her own. Her eyes change from the bloodshot eyes of before, to one of guilt and sadness. Before anything else, she runs at a super speed, getting out of the scientist room, into the hallway, leaving only a gust of wind.
We are now inside someone's quarters, the doors to it completely destroyed. A broken mirror sits across the bed, broken in smaller pieces. The black hedgehog sits on the bed, holding on strongly to a pink heart shaped pillow, as some muffled cries can be heard. A hand touches her shoulder. She looks up at the figure, tears still coming down her face.
–What Am I?
The old scientist gives her a sad sympathetic look. He reaches for her as the two embrace. She holds on to him, as strongly as she was holding the pillow.
–You are my niece. Someone I love very much. The best person I know.
–I...I can't remember...I know who I am, but...
–The memories will come back. You just have to give it time. The procedure was too hard on your mind.
–Did...did you turned me into a monster? I... I fell like one.
Gerald holds her shoulder,a way that they can see each other face to face.
–No, my dear, no. I did the best I could do to help you. I'm sorry if all these powers and forms are different to comprehend, but it will soon pass, I promise you that.
–Okay...okay...I-I don't remember you...but I feel like I can trust you.
–Thank you. We are going to change the world. You and I. Together.
They hug again, this it time feeling much more personal.
True to his words, they did change the world. Since Gerald didn't have to worry about his niece anymore, he managed to focus a lot more on his research, as well as make experiments to test out her biology. Culmunating in all of this is the discovery of countless treatments for different diseases across the globe.
We see Maria, looking at the window into the density of space, out into earth. She closes her eyes, and for a moment, she could swore she was back in her old, human body again. The fantasy is quickly shreded by the approach of an worried doctor Gerald.
–How are you feeling, my dear?
Maria opens her eyes, too quickly to fake a small smile. one that is quickly caught on.
–It feels good to actually be able to help others who are going through the same things I was.
–But...
Maria flashes him a more serious look. –But what if that's not enough? What if this isn't enough for the people back at earth? It's naïve to think that they won't see me different. Not only I'm from a different especies biologically, but I'm also the source of all these cures that are coming up lately. I don't think I can handle this.
–You...certainly has grown up a lot since the first time I met you. Even I can't answer that for sure. But whatever happens, I will be there with you, every step of the way. Unless something happens to me, or-
–No. I don't even want to think about it.
–You're right. I'm sorry. Sometimes I forget you're still just a pre-teen.
–Is it because...I...look different?
Maria says, pointing at herself. Gerald looks a little embarassed at the question. –Your new...body certainly had some say in our more mature look, but no. I just...I can still see you.
Gerald looks at their reflections in the window of A.R.K, but instead of seeing Maria as a hedgehog, he sees her only as a human still.
–Am I even the real Maria? My memories are coming back but...everything feels so distant.
–You are the real Maria. The darkness couldn't corrupt you. You're still as kind as you ever were. I know it.
Maria gives him a smile. Such a happy moment wouldn't go on forever though. In this timeline, G.U.N still deemed the A.R.K too dangerous to keep working in. They decided to send a handfull of troops to exterminate any kind of experiments they had in store, despite how much good their research was doing for the rest of the world.
We are now inside an elevator, a troop of G.U.N soldiers inside. The elevator, stops opening up to the same hallway as before. But as soon as the soldiers steep foot inside, they immediately notice the female hedgehog in the hall. She is smiling as she holds a small flower up to them. She is emanating some sort of blue energy, as it emanates on the whole room, seemgly making some sort of effect on them.
–It's amazing, isn't? Even so far away from home, from her comfort, the flower still blossoms.
The soldiers look at each other, their faces one of guilt. The next thing we see, are guns being throw into the ground, as they seemly give up on their objective.
A ship flies over the sky, landing on a beatifull garden. The door opens, and Maria and Gerald come out of it. Maria stays silent, while Gerald looks expanctantly at her. This a place where she grown up in, in her short time at earth. She can even see the house she had lived in, barely changed. Her parents weren't here, though...a couple of years ago, they had fallen to the same illness that Maria had, right before Gerald had discovered a treatment for it.
–Well...what do you think? Isn't this what you wanted?
Maria looks at him, her face not quite easy to read.
Next thing we know, we see Maria, smiling ear to ear as she rolls around the grass, laughing at herself. Suddenly, she stops, noticing another person with her. She stops to look at him. An young boy, the most remarkable thing about are his eyes, each being a different color than. Maria smiles widely at him
–Hi! You must be my cousin.
We see the two sitting in the grass, talking to each other, watching the sunset.
–The view is so amazing! You must be out here all the time!
–No. I can't stay in here for too long. Sometimes it gets way too polluted.
–What do you mean? I...
Maria stops to look around. She notices that nothing everything is as green now. The water has this oily texture, as it leads to a huge waste company beside them.
–No...It can't...
Maria runs away, leaving only her blur. She reaches the top of a big mountain. And it's there that she founds a big city, with polluted clouds full of people, all walking around in unison, as if they were a swarm of ants. Her cousin looks at her from the ground, empathy in his eyes.
We see Maria enter her room, noticing it all almost empty, except for a drawer. She shyly opens it, revealing an awry of old female clothes. She touches one of them, feeling it in her skin. No sooner than that, she is desperately trying to put on one of the clothes. However, they are way too big for her new form, and she falls to the ground. Gerald comes out of the door, looking execited.
–Maria? The food is ready!
His face turns into a frown as he sees Maria, half dressed, crying on the floor. He looks serious.
–I'm sorry...I thought they would fit...like they did years ago.
–(sighs)...Come here.
Next thing we know, Gerald is holding Maria by the shoulders on chair, trying to fix her dress. He cuts some pieces with his hands, and uses them as a belt to push the clothes unto Maria, making them fit better. Maria looks happy and sad at the same time, looking at Gerald with a look that wants to say thanks. Gerald looks at her, a look of apathy on his face.
–I love you, Maria. I dare say that...I always thought of you as my daughter.
–T-Thank you. For everything. It's stupid, but I really wanted to know how it felt like again.
–No, it's not stupid. You can't know where you're going, unless you know where you've been. Remember that for me, okay?
Maria nods, thinking about his words.
–Now, c'mon. I'm starving.
Maria laughs at that, following her uncle out of the door. As they are going to the dinner table, the young cousing stops to look at her, noticing that she was now wearing an cute blue and white dress.
–Wow.
Maria looks at him smiling, striking out a pose.–What do you think?
Her cousin gives a huge sarcastic smile before saying. –You are a girl?
Maria pats his head, looking more amused than annoyed.–Har har. Very funny.
They all start sitting at the table, getting comforted. Maria looks surprised at Gerald. –I didn't know you could cook, uncle.
A small smile appears across Gerald face. –There is a lot of things you don't know about the Robotinik family. Did you know that we were the first people to ever set foot in another planet?
Maria looks even more shocked now.– You got to tell me that story someday.
–I would surely love to.
Without warming, the wholesomeness of dinner leaves them as a huge missile approaches the house. Maria reacts just in time to grab and save her cousin away from danger. Now serious, she leads him to a room, and puts him there. The cousin looks scared.
–What is happening? Where is uncle Gerald?
–Stay here, okay? Hide, I will look after uncle.
The cousin nods at her, hiding in a large bed. She sees in one of the windows, a large squadron of G.U.N soldiers outside, and decides to fasten her pace. She bumps into her uncle, with only some scraps.
–Uncle! Are you okay?
–They found us...I thought I could keep you safe. But I can't.
Maria starts to glow a shade of red. Her rage fills her with power.
–I can take care of them.
–No, I don't want this for you. You will be forever hunted, never being free, sharing your burden with your cousin. That's why I always had a plan b.
–What?
Gerald picks up from his pocket an small golden ring, he hands it to her. –I just couldn't fathom my smart, kind niece in locked up in a cage like an animal. That's why I decided to invent this.
–A ring?
Gerald laughs, but sadness can't help it but reach his voice.
–It will take you to another world. Where there's people like you. Unfortunately, it's a one way trip.
–Like me?...But I am human!
–Yes...you were born human, but biologically, you are now a Mobian.
–A mobian? What's that?
–It's the name of the people that live in where you're going.
–But...my place is here! We fought so much...and now...
–This isn't a goodbye. I will find a way back.
–Promise?
–Promise.
Maria looks at Gerald, their faces one of goodbye.– We don't have time to lose, Maria. Go. Be free. That's I ever wanted for you.
Maria enters the ring, disappearing into another world.
Maria falls down pavement ground, into a strange city. Her clothes dirty and ragged, she slowly gets up, taking in her surrodings. She looks at rain running down her fur, feeling now more lost than ever. She didn't wanted to be here, there's nothing here for her. But from across the street, inside a small shop, an old Rabbit spots her in the could rain, mainly because of the strange blue and white dress she was wearing.
–Hey! What are you doing over there?
The old rabbit waited for her response, but nothing come out of it. He soon realizes the bad state the girl was in, and the sad expression on her face didn't help. The old emotional rabbit turned sympathetic at the girl.
–Here, get inside. You must be cold.
The girl simply looks at him, and follows through the store.
–You never did tell me how you got here.
We see Maria, picking a large metal box with incredible ease. The old rabbit doesn't look shocked. Maria eyes him gleefully. She no longer is wearing a dress, as she saw that most Mobians didn't wear it unless for especial ocassions. She wasn't trying to stand out.
–It's simple, really. You brought me here, feed me, and gave me a job to work on.
–(sighs) That's what you always say...and I thought my days as a parent were over. But no, fate had to give me another kid to take care of!
–And I'm very gratefull for it.
–I never see you talking with anyone, unless it's a customer. And you almost never get out your apartment. I'm worried. I have some ideas on what happened to you, but I don't want to pry. All I know is that it's about time you start living again.
Maria puts the boxes in inside, lookin at her friend a sadly. She thinks about his words all the way to her apartment. He was right, Maria almost never gets out of her cave, never even tried to get out and explore this new world she found herself in. Still waiting for Gerald to bring her back.
Maria unlocks the door, entering her home. It's almost empty if you don't count the little bed in the corner and a big table in the middle. She puts the bag she was carrying inside dismissively, and turns to look at the window.
She looks over all the busy people down there, all with their own troubles. For a split second, Maria can almost her human body in the reflection of the window, making her feel even more isolated. She wasn't from this world. Suddenly, a knock can be heard outside her door, she quickly looks back at with it fear. She stays still hoping whoever it is to go away. But the knocking continues.
–I know you are there!
–Go away! I don't have any bussines with you.
–Oh! I think you do!
Before Maria can do anything else, the door explodes on itself, leaving a large hole on its place. The dustle seetles, and we finally see the figure. A very familiar figure. Doctor Eggman. Maria stays still, with an shocked expression on her face.
–Uncle?!
Eggman looks puzzled, scratching his head at that. –I don't think that's possible, little girl. Anyway, hand over this chaos emerald you have with you, and I will be on my way.
–I...I don't have any kind of emerald.
–Nonsense! This place has the biggest signature of chaos energy for miles. Unless...
Eggman takes out a small device, aiming it at Maria. We see his shocked expression as the device shows that she is the source of energy.
–Who did you say you were again?
–I didn't know Jason and Rebecca had a child. I must have been gone for a really long time.
We see Maria and Eggman running around the hallways of eggman's newly reconstructed base, with a bunch of projects in glasses.
–You...said you found a way to go back.
–That was exactly what I was doing when I found you. And, oh! What a great surprise it was! It's so good to be reunited with family again.
Maria smiles at him as Eggman gives a look of comfort. –Same with me. I thought I was going to be alone for a long time.
–And you didn't find any friends all this time, like say, another hedgehog?
–No...why?
–Oh...Uh...I was just curious. I at least had my robots to keep me company, I can't imagine the pain to live in a world where you aren't welcomed.
–Not exactly...there were mobians that actually took me in as their own.
–But do you think yourself as Mobian, or a human? I mean-
Maria looks saddned at him. –I don't think there's a big difference, but yeah. After all these years, I still don't feel like I belong in this place.
–Then fear not, my young niece. I just need one chaos emerald to finish my portal. It is rather unfortunate that your powers aren't enough to charge it.
–Do you really think they will accept me? The people back home?
–I will make them accept you.
Maria looks a little scared at him, making a small awakrd smile. –Don't worry uncle. I will find them for you.
–I will send one of my robots to help. There might some people that don't want you finding it.
–So...do you speak?
We see Maria walking down the hills with the metallic humoid blue robot, metal sonic. The robot simply looks at her, dismissive. Maria doesn't notice, however, as she continues the conversation.
–Anyway, the doctor said the emerald would be around here somewhere. Not even hidden. Makes you wonder if-
She suddenly sees, back in the ground. A blue hedgehog, an yellow fox, and a red echidna. Our Sonic heroes. There's a small silent as both teams see each other, that's until Sonic plants a big smirk on his face.
–Well, well, well...Don't tell me good ol' egghead got another lackey.
Maria looks at him defensively. –The doctor told me about you. You destroy his inventions. What did he ever do to you?
Sonic looks at his team, a little puzzled, then back at her. –Uhh...I think you're a little misinformed there, buddy.
Maria looks at him, now puzzled. Metal Sonic seems anxious, a little trigger happy. Tails appears in front of them, as he begins to explain. –Doctor eggman is an evil scientist that threatens to roboticize everyone of us. Whatever he said to you, I don't think it's true.
Maria is about to say something, wanting to ask another question. The doctor did seem a little...unstable. Maybe he was lying to her? Before she could finish her thought process however, metal jumps into action, not being able to hold himself any longer. Her face quickly turns into that of determination as she joins Metal's side in the fight.
–I assume your mission was unsucefull?
Maria looks at him, her face a little battle damaged. She looks annoyedd before her face slowly turns into a smile. From Metal's backside, she takes out a chaos emerald. Eggman applauds her.
–Well done my dear! I knew you could do it.
–They thought we didn't had it. But I hid it well.
–You must be very tired. I prepared a room for you.
–Thanks doc. I will be going then.
–And by the morning. I will already have the portal ready.
Maria smiles at him, before deciding to go to bed.
Maria sleeps soundly on her bed. Suddenly, a ringing sound can be heard, and Maria abruptly opens her eyes. Looking out at the window, she sees some sort a chaos signature, going somewhere. She opens the window, looking out at outside. She flies, following the signature. As she goes, she suddenly notices how much beautiful this place is compared to hers. The fully transparent water, where she can see even the furthest of the stars. She watches with wonder at the night sky as little birdies fly about. As she finally reaches the source of it, a floating island, she also sees Knuckles, who is watching her with awe as she lands closer to him.
–You...You're different. The master emerald, it draws you in.
But Maria says nothing, simply at her surrodings. –I-I never noticed. This place is beautiful, so unpolluted. Unlike my earth.
–Eggman wanted to turn this place into a roboticized nightmare.
Maria looks defensively at him. –The doctor only wants to bring me home.
–Any kind of relation you might have with the doctor, he is nothing but a deceiver. Trust me, I know from first hand. Nothing good can come out of him having a chaos emerald. But...I think you already know that.
Maria looks sadly at him. She did know.
A fight seems to be going on Robotiniks base. As Tails and Knuckles are destroying every robots that comes along, Sonic holds his own against Metal. Maria is simply looking over at the battle from a distance, watching the doctor working on the portal machine.
–Don't worry, Maria. I'm almost done. But in the meantime, could you help our guests feel at home, my dear?
Maria simply looks stoically at the fight, before jumping down. –Yes, doctor.
Metal Sonic is jammed on the other side of the wall by Sonic, who stops in that moment just enough to see Maria jumping down between the two of them. Sonic smirks. –Finally decided to show up, eh?
Maria draws a punch, as both of them engage in a speedy fight. As they run around the lab, being as destructive as ever, they are still arguing with each other.
–Why can't you understand? I'm only trying to get back home! I don't want to hurt you!
Sonic looks at her sympathetically. –You seem like a nice gal, I don't want to hurt you either. It's the not so nice guy that you are accompanied with that I'm worried about.
–The doctor has been helping me all this time! He's a good man.
–Robotinik is not a nice guy, Maria. Even if you want to think he is. Look around you, can't you seem what he's trying to do to our world? Just imagine what he can do to yours!
–I don't care, this is too important for me!
Maria blasts a red chaos energy at Sonic, who falls to the ground, knelling over, barely able to get back up.
–Important enough for you to look away at his atrocities?
Maria stops, as if becoming frozen in place, and glances at the two choices. On one hand, we have the woods and the terrain, their lighting dying because of the effects of the machine. Just like they did to her world. And on the other, we have Eggman, robots ready to enter into a portal of his creation, inside she can a glimmer of a familiar city. Maria looks down upon her, closes her eyes, and makes her choice.
–I'm sorry, uncle Gerald.
Maria discharges one of her chaos blasts into the portal, exploding it in bits and pieces, while also pushing eggman back at the terrain, as he falls unconscious, but not before he can shout words of discouragement to her.
–I knew you would betray me, you're just like all those insufferable brats!
A few moments later, we watch as Maria glances down upon the destroyed debree of the portal. She looks sadly at it, before a hands touches her shoulders. Sonic looks at her sympathetically.
–I know it was hard for you, but thank you just the same. And about that portal...I think I know an yellow fox who would love to help you with that.
