We see Maria sitting over the master emerald, looking at the ground thouhgtly. It's been a few years since she joined Sonic and his crew, but that same sadness persists. She looks at her hands, then turns to face the master emerald, as it still shows the reflection of the human Maria.
–You okay?– The red echidna makes his presence known as soon as he lands on the island. Maria manages to force a smile on her face.
–I'm fine. Just a little tired, is all.
–Yeah, thanks for looking out for the master emerald while I'm gone.
–And thank you for trusting me with it. It amazes just the mere existence of such a thing.
The both nod sollemly at each other, a look of understanding.–So, did you had any trouble?
–Oh, nothing I couldn't handle. There was this strange bat girl flying around the island, so I just decided to send her to the other side of the globe. Y'know, just in case.
Knuckles stares at her with a serious face, before it quickly breaks into laughter.
–Oh, man. I can't believe this!
–Did I do something wrong?–
–No, no, you just...reminded me of a joke, is all... but anyway...
Knuckles quickly recomposes himself, even though he still very noticable holding on to his laughter .–Hope you're not too tired. Sonic has been wanting to race you for weeks now.
Maria looks annoyed. –Uhg...do I have to?
Suddenly, a blue gush of wind appears in front of them. It's Sonic, smiling from ear to ear. – Aw, don't tell me you don't to race with little old me?
–Speak of the devil.
Maria gets up, looking at Sonic.
–I just don't think it's necessary. It's the same everytime. Sometimes I win, sometimes you win. It's not that funny anymore.
–C'mon, I can buy us some chilidog on the way.
Maria looks at him annoyed. Sonic smiles sheepshily.
–And Tails has some new... devlopments he wants to show you.
Maria's interest is peaked, and in a gush of black and yellow, she is gone. –See ya there!
Sonic looks at Knuckles, who is also confused. Sonic only shrugs it off, and races to her.
We see Tails on blackboard, explaining things, while Maria sits on a chair.
–It means that I'm almost close to finding a solution. I just a need little more time to deal with the chaos convertors, and then-
Maria gets up from a chair, looking sympathetic at him.
–Tails. You're doing the best you can, I'm not doubting that. But you've been working on that ever since I've arrived here. Do take a rest, okay?
Tails blushes slightly at her caring words, rubbing his head. –I'm sorry, you just...you're kind of all over the place these days. You don't seem...happy.
–You're right...I'm not. But I'm sure you're going to figure something out.
–Right! uhh...Amy came out here earlier today, said something about buying some clothes with you.
Maria looks extremely annoyed at such remark. –Not again...
Maria looks on with an blank face as Amy puts some bags of clothes over her head. –Oh, c'mon! Either you try something out, or I will make you carry some of my bags.
Maria stares silently, not saying as word as Amy frowns. She utters a frustrated sigh. –You can't just walk naked all day! It's uncivilized!
–So what? The boys do it all the time. And besides, it's not like I'm showing anything.
Amy looks sadly at Maria, her whole happy go lucky personality dissapearing in an instance.– I thought...after what you said about your planet, that you would like to do some shopping, y'know? To calm you down a bit.
Maria is slightly taken aback a bit, but quickly turns back to an blank expression, folding her arms into her body.– Look, Amy, I aprecciate what you're trying to do, but I'm just...like Sonic says it, not in the mood.
–We never see you around. You're our friend, but it's like you're somewhere else most of the time.– Amy holds Maria by the hand, looking at Maria hopefully, who herself just stares at Amy, puzzled.
–Everyone is worried about you.– Maria takes her hands off Amy, turning back slightly annoyed. –Oh? So they put you up to this?
–I'm just saying what they don't have the courage to say in person.– Maria shakes her head, looking annoyed at Amy.– Argh, I wish I could've stayed on earth.
–So, that's it, isn't? You regret destroying the portal.–Maria is now frowing, completely taken aback by the words. She feels guilty for saying what she did.–No, Amy, it's just...I...Maybe we could have found a way...but...
Amy pushes her head closer to Maria, waiting the answer. –But what?– Maria's aura turns slightly red, all the trauma she had gone slowly coming back at that moment.– Y'know what? Forget it, Amy. Thanks for the trip.– Maria turns to run, Amy looks guilt, trying to reach out to Maria with her hand, but she is long gone. As she goes to the exit door, she runs past a blue dress with white stripes, similiar to one of the clothes she used to wear back at the A.R.K. Before she became this...We see Maria's face, still enraged, with a hint of tears on her face. She never really had a home in her childhood. From her parent's old farmhouse, to A.R.K, then back to earth, and now in Mobius. She was finding harder and harder to rely on something in her life. Everything was always quickly took away from her.
Just as suddenly, she bumps into someone, making the same lose focus and fall on the ground. Maria looks slightly annoyed, but otherwise fine.– Watch where you're going, kid.
–I'm so sorry! Please, don't hurt me!– Maria's face turns into that of guilt, as she looks over the ground only to find an young rabbit, seemgly scared for her life as Maria tries to reach her hand.– Oh my, I'm so sorry dear. I was being rude. W-Where is your mother? Are you lost?–
Cream doesn't answer, still unsure of how to react. Maria turns her face to take a look at the area she found herself in, only to discover she doesn't know where she is. All she can see are large green fields as far as the eye can see. Maria rubs her head with a sheepish look.– Actually, I think I'm going to need a few directions too.
Cream rubs the tears off her eyes, trying to put up a brave face in front of the hedgehog.–My Village...t-they...they took my mother.– Maria face hardens, turning her head to focus on Cream.–Who?
–Some kind of strange robots...
–Show me where you saw them.
We see Maria and Cream looking over the pieces of debrees that was once the village. Cream keeps hugging herself, nothing even daring to look at it, as Maria is left to see the somehow familiar scene.–I need to act quickly. By what Sonic tolds me, if this is the work of the doctor, then he is probably taking them to an roboticization center.
–I want to come too!– Maria is shocked at the young girl's outbrust. She jumped from sadness to rage pretty quickly. –Cream, I can't. You need to get to safety. I promise I will save your mother, but I also need to save the others.
–No! It's not just my mom, it's the village, my friends! They're my home, not these piles of rock! Just please, let me help somehow.
Maria stops to look at Cream, taken aback once again by the emotion in her voice all too familiar. –Alright, just...do what I say, okay?
–Right!
One of the many eggman's base sits across a large crater. Inside, two small robots look over the security cameras. One of them runs from screen to screen, while the other stays still. However, they are barely able to react as a flash of black and yellow runs across the screens. The same blur now appears close to them, destroying them by just phasing through them. We see Maria holding on to Cream, who herself seems a little dizzy from the run, but Maria pays no mind. – Okay, I want you to keep an eye out on the cameras. If anything happens, I want you to contact me with the speaker, okay?–
–Okay...
–Great!– In another blur, Maria dissapears from the room, leaving a puzzled Cream looking over the computer screen. Her eyes falls on an strange red button.
We see all the Mobians that we presumably in the village, now stuck in some sort of metallic prison, hopeless, as they await their robotization. Suddenly, the doors to their captivity are slung open. However, most of Mobians don't dare get out of their places. An old rabbit woman appears in the middle, looking frustrated at them.–What are you all waiting for? The doors are open.
–And what are we going to do then, Vanilla? Outside's is full of robots that will just as easily put us back in here.– Before another word can be uttered, a badnik enters the room, cleary not caring if they in their cages or not. However, just as dangers comes, so to it dissapears as Maria jumps in front of it, destroying the smal metallic body and landing gracefully on the ground. She gives a simple smile to Vanilla, who's still looking in awe at her. –I think I know where Cream got her personality from.
–You know my daughter?!
–Yes, she is here as well. As for the others...either you come with us, or you stay here and get robotized. Are you really going to waste your life scared to act? Is the first moment you
The mobians all look at each other, feelings of guilt clearly on their faces.– O-Okay...we will come with.– As more and more people come out of the room they were trapped in, Maria looks slightly puzzled at the area.– That's weird...this place should be filled with bots...unless...
Maria jumps out just in time as a giant, metallic hand punches the ground below. Maria, after having escaped it, looks up to the owner of the hand, red eyes staring back at her. E-123 Omega gets up, ready to aim another punch at the hedgehog. Maria looks around to find herself in the middle of the horde of Mobians, not knowing what to do at the new monstrous robot before them.– Get away from here, guys. Let me deal with him!
As the villagers quickly make their escape, with Vanilla looking back slightly looking back before joining the others. Maria stares at the robot in front of her. A moment of silence is shared between both of them. Maria looka slightly puzzled.– Are you just going to stand there or...?
Omega suddenly stares at her intently, slightly taken startled at what she said.–Oh, you aren't...okay then, prepare to be eviscerated.– Suddenly, the robot opens his internals, shotting billions of misseles at Maria, who simply runs at it, dodging and jumping all around them, aiming at the robot behind them all, a blue aura covering her whole body. But, as soon as she's about to reach for him, she is suddenly met with a punch. Maria falls to the ground, looking over the same robot who was just now a few miles away, looking over with a mix of frustration.
–How did yo-
–Hey! Didn't I told you this was my fight?! What gives?!– Suddenly, another Omega appears running up to them. To which the other Omega non-chalantly answers.–She was going to beat you up, bro.– The other Omega just on the ground in a childlike manner, clearly frustrated.– No she wasn't!–
–Yes, she was.– The bickering goes on longer and longer as Maria can only look with an disturbed expression. Just then, she feels someone touching her shoulder, turning her head only to find an smiling rabbit.– Cream! What are y-
–Shh...everyone got away, and I got the base to explode on a timer.– Cream says all of this with an excited expression, as Maria can only look at her in disbelief.– You what?!
–Well...at least I think it had a timer.– At this, Maria wastes no time to run out of building, holding on to Cream and leaving the bickering robots behind, and manages to get out just before they can see the base explode into pieces.
–What were you thinking?!– Maria's frustrated face turns comes into view. Cream responds with an excited expression, moving her arms around. – I was trying to be like you! Running into danger, doing the brave thing when nobody else does. I mean, mom always told me only boys could do that, and then you come around and just...boom!
Maria rubs her head, indecisive. She wanted to scowl at her for putting herself in desnecessary danger, but there was also this proud feeling she was having for serving as some kind of role model for the young girl.
–So that's basically what happened.– We see Maria talking to someone on an small screen. Inside, Tails looks pensative for a moment. –That's...certainly curious. These new robots you were talking about, if they are as strong as you said, we need to keep an eye out.
–So...that's all? I'm going to stay on the village, these people need help rebuilding.
–Basically. Well...Amy says she's sorry, said you'd understand what she means, and...I have new devlopments on the portal I want to show you.
Maria's face turns into a caring smile.– Tell Amy she doesn't have to apologize, and...I don't want anything with the portal right now. I'm fine where I'm right now. Just tell me when it's ready, okay? Take your time.
–Of course! Oh, uh...I'm going to have to turn off now...something came up.
–Sure! Bye Tails!
–Bye.– As the screen turns to off, Maria turns her head to find Vanilla and Cream in front of her, a huge smile on their faces. Since their houses are destroyed, everyone is sleeping on tents for the time being.–So...the others are already thinking of gifting you something for...for saving our lives. So me and Cream decided to beat them to it.
Vanilla holds an small dress. White in color, with blue stripes.–If you don't like it I can jus– Maria takes the dress, looking rather fondly at it.– No...it's okay, it...it reminds me of home. Whitch, to be honest...it's an strange thing to say. I never really had a fixed home when I was younger.– Vanilla looks slightly distressed at the information, like a caring mother.
–Oh, dear. I'm so sorry. You're welcome to stay here as much as you like. With the rebuildings going on, it would be nice to have a helping hand and...Cream seemed to take a liking of you. It would be nice to have someone for her to talk to. – Cream looks slightly embarassed at the words. Deciding to hide behind her mother.– Mom!
–Whaaat?– Vanilla giggles out loud, and Maria can't help but join in. This place, this world, was starting to finally feel like home.
