Project Shadow
"It's alive at least"
The small black creature on the floor looked up and stared around with incredulous ruby eyes. He rubbed at his face, rubbed the sticky green liquid from his quills, still looking around, sniffing the sterile air and trembling slightly.
"Well it hasn't died like all the others, that's a good sign"
The creature found his feet and took a few shuddering steps towards one of the warm bodies. The scientist baked away. Disappointed he stopped and stumbled to the floor. Laid there his face twisted into some semblance of a frown.
"Cold" He blurted.
"It speaks"
"Evidently"
"Cold!" He said again, with more urgency, in a surprisingly deep voice.
"Well done Gerald! Well done everybody"
"COLD!" The creature demanded more loudly "I am cold!"
Carefully Gerald bent to his knees and held his hand out to the black hedgehog. His creation looked at the outstretched hand and crawled towards it. When he was close Gerald reached out to touch him, his hands meeting the rapidly cooling green slime that covered him, feeling it ooze onto his fingers, but noticing the soft wet fur beneath. The small creature looked up at him, finding his eyes after a moment as he studied his first ever face.
"Cold…" He said again but softer now.
Gerald hastily picked the small thing up, wrapping him in his white lab coat, staining it green.
"Warmer…" He said softly, curling against him for warmth, making a low noise almost like a purr. "Warm now…"
"Project Shadow seems to be a success. We have a fully formed living specimen, at long last, after years of malformed freaks"
"Hungry!" Project Shadow said
"And a very demanding specimen at that!"
Project Shadow coughed a little dispelling the artificial amniotic fluid from his lungs, all down Gerald's clothing.
"Whoops… sorry" He said
"Never mind. Come along everyone; let's find Project Shadow something to eat"
"Hungry" He said again.
Project Shadow stared over the scientist's shoulder, watching the silver corridors move past. The convoy stopped at a door.
"Danger biohazard" He said
"What?"
"Danger, biohazard" He repeated
"He can read the signs!" One of the scientists exclaimed
"Hungry" Project Shadow whined.
Just then the door opened and they all crowded into a small lift. Once inside Project Shadow started squirming in Gerald's arms.
"No like it here, there are monsters" whimpering he hid his head inside Gerald's jacket.
"Oh great it's a wimp"
"He's just a baby" Gerald said "We have to remember that. He may look and sound like a teenager but he's approximately 5 minutes old. All this must seem pretty bizarre to him"
When the lift started to move Project Shadow yelped loudly, and froze stiff, clinging tightly to Gerald's body. Only when they left did he relax a little.
They took him to the ARK's experimental infirmary, where the animals were kept, treated and experimented upon. Gerald put Project Shadow down on the table.
"Ooh metal cold" He said as he moved to let his legs dangle off the side of the table.
One of the scientists disappeared and then reappeared carrying a baby's bottle.
"This should fulfil all his nutritional requirements" He said handing Project Shadow the bottle. He took it and stared at it.
"What is this?" he asked
"Food"
Promptly he tried to eat the entire bottle; though he quickly discovered what to do. Project Shadow sucked hungrily down on the bottle, watched by half a dozen scientists. Then there was a voice from outside, a young female voice. Project Shadow looked up, long before many of the scientists heard her, the bottle hanging from his mouth.
"Daddy, Alison said that Project Shadow had been born and was alive and…" She ran into Gerald's outstretched arms. "Oooh!"
"Shhh Maria… you'll frighten him"
Maria stared past her father at the black creature on the table staring back at her.
"…Angel?" Project Shadow said before going back to the bottle.
"Maria you can stay and look at him if you promise to be quiet"
She nodded. She walked up to him sat on the table.
"What do you call him daddy?"
"Well uh…"
"You can't keep calling him Project Shadow. He needs a real name"
Project Shadow looked around, sucking on the bottle still, spilling milk down his front.
"Umm…"
"Why not just call him Shadow, he's black after all?"
"Alright then Maria, if you like that"
"Yeah… he's so sweet" She smiled at him
"Sweet…" Shadow said taking the bottle out of his mouth. With his spare hand he reached up to Maria and touched her hazel hair "Pretty" Shadow said softly, stroking her hair between his damp fingers. After a moment he let it go again and returned to his bottle.
"I think he likes you Maria"
"Mawia" Shadow slurred, the bottle half out of his mouth. "Sleepy" he took the bottle out of his mouth and handed it back to the scientist that had given it to him. "Thank you"
"And polite too" The only female scientist chuckled. "I'm sure that'll pass"
"Wanna go sleep" Without the bottle Shadow sucked his thumb instead.
Gerald again picked Shadow up and carried him in his arms to the back of the room, here there was a small cage set up with a dog basket like bed in the centre. Gerald placed Shadow inside, but as soon as he closed the door and Shadow realised he was trapped he started to scream
"No leave me here!!" he put his hands on the bars and started to shake them "Let me out, please, no leave me here"
All the other animals in the room started to squawk and bark respectively, leaving the scientists no choice but to retrieve him. Gerald bent down to open the cage again
"Whoa!" He jumped back, away from Shadow who had stopped screaming hoping to be released. "The bars are hot"
"Please, no sleep here, let me out"
Recovering from his shock Gerald opened the bars and Shadow promptly jumped into his arms.
"Sleep with you" Shadow said, again curling into his chest.
Gerald raised an eyebrow but was left with no choice but to find him alternative accommodation. At length they settled him in the corner of one of the offices. Upon finally closing the door a long while later one scientist turned gravely to Gerald.
"Congratulations Professor Robotnic, Project Shadow is a success."
Shadow stopped. He looked around, for a moment seeming confused. He rubbed his face then his chest in turn.
"Knuckles… Where are the others?"
"They're all fine…"
"I thought as much, but where are they?"
"Not far…"
"Stop being so evasive, where are they?"
Knuckles sighed "Licking their wounds a little way off"
"Why aren't we with them?… You and Sonic aren't still in the middle of this silly feud… are you?"
"Sonic and I have never seen eye to eye"
"But you're such good friends! When Sonic talked about teamwork you three were an example to us all…"
"Sonic talks a lot of rubbish…"
"I know… but… I believed him… you three seemed unstoppable together… I really envied you… your friendship… I envied your friendship… as something I would never have… "
"We compliment each other, it's my job to stop Sonic floating away, to stop him going too far in his overconfidence… hell he's got enough confidence for the both of us. Tails serves to stop me and Sonic ripping each other apart, or at least that's what its felt like the last little while… Even among Team Sonic there is division… Sometimes I'd like nothing more than to wipe that inane smile off Sonic's face"
"We all have days like that… he is obnoxious, but… you've obviously been friends for years… Knuckles… I'm not for one minute trying to say this is what it's really about… but please; don't let me get in the way of your friendship. I don't care if Sonic despises me… I've done more than enough to deserve his hatred…"
"Sonic, like Metal, knows how to hold a grudge, but he is by nature lazy, holding a grudge takes a lot of energy, he'll give up when he finds something else to amuse him. Don't worry about it"
"Why aren't we with them?"
A painful expression crossed Knuckles face "We decided it would be better if I took you somewhere else"
"Who's we?"
"Me, Vector and Sonic"
"Why… don't they want me near them… are they afraid of me?"
"I won't deny it Shadow some of them are… but that wasn't the reason… In the battle the Shαdøws used a pair of Sticks on you… They made you… fit… you were scaring the younger ones… especially some to the things you were saying, when you came out of it enough to be able to speak… and they couldn't understand most of it… and we were afraid you might flame someone… you were occasionally… so we decided it would be safer if one of us took you away… of course I volunteered, as they were expecting me to. Rouge wanted to come with us… but I told her no."
"How did you get me here?"
"How'd you think silly? I carried you?"
"But weren't you afraid I'd burn you"
Knuckles shrugged "It was my gloves that burned last time, so I took them off and hoped for the best…" He chuckled "I got lucky… Now that your better we can go back! …If you feel up to it…"
Shadow shrugged and climbed to his feet.
The rest of the group had come of unscathed. Vector had a few impressive bruises but no more than that. The group decided to move on again now that Shadow was able, their best defence against the Thousand was to keep moving, and hope they wouldn't be found, but they were all increasingly becoming tired of running. Shadow tried to avoid Sonic as they walked; he kept mostly to himself, at the edges of the group. Knuckles was off talking to Tails in the middle of the group, Shadow hadn't followed him. Despite his best attempts Shadow suddenly felt Sonic at his side.
"Listen to me Faker, I'm watching you. Knuckles might be blind but I'm not. Don't think you'll be able to stab him in the back when he isn't looking, because I'm watching it even if he isn't."
"I mean him no harm" Shadow said earnestly
"Why would I believe you Faker, you're a liar and a quitter, and I'll make sure everyone knows you for the monster you are. That way everyone will know the Faker you are, the freak of nature! The acc-i-dent of science"
"When I was created I was wanted, I wasn't an accident!"
"Neither was I! I wasn't an accident" Sonic pointed at Knuckles who was running over having heard the raised voices "But he was. Why'd you think he was sent to be a Guardian?" Smirking Sonic walked off.
Shadow turned to Knuckles, his breath coming fast; he hadn't meant to hurt him.
"I'm sorry Knuckles I didn't mean…"
Knuckles sighed "Its ok Shadow… I don't mind… I'm just sad Sonic used that against me…" He smiled "But it's not exactly a secret. The Guardian School was little better than an orphanage. Come here…"
Shadow slowly approached. Knuckles gestured for him to walk by his side.
"What Sonic said is true, I was an accident, and my parents did give me up. But I don't resent them, at least, not anymore. It still hurts to think they didn't want me, but now that I'm older, and wiser I understand why they gave me up. The Echidna aren't born live, like hedgehogs, we come from eggs and then hatch and grow in pouches on our mother's stomachs, although you probably already knew that. When I was born my parents could have just gotten rid of the egg, not bothered waiting for me to grow, but they didn't. They gave me a chance to live. I was the last in a large family; there wasn't enough food to go around, if I'd have stayed with them I would have starved. For my desperate parents the Guardianship was the only option. It offered a bright future, food, housing, an education, training and a life worth living, even if it isn't the easiest life. But I've always believed no life worth living is easy, and no life is easy…
"I grew up among the Guardians. They were my family; the older ones took care of me; that was one of our duties. There were always a few babies around. The older ones took it in turns to care for them. Even I did my time" he grinned "secretly I rather enjoyed it. We were a community; one of the best things was that we knew we were never really alone, of course we felt it sometimes, but there was always someone who was willing to lend a hand. I never missed my parents. I didn't know what to miss, besides there were always a host of older Trainees, qualified Guardians who were there purely to guard us and Masters who would offer a shoulder to cry on and a soft touch for a wounded spirit or body…
"Our education was broad… we weren't only taught the Guardian legends but everything else besides; literature, philosophy, mathematics, about the human world and languages with which to communicate with them and other creatures along with our duties as Guardians. Echidna aren't the most intelligent creatures on the planet, but my education was easily as good as Sonic or Tails' if not a little better…
"Part of our Guardian training was learning to fight. I held my fist combat staff at three; of course it was promptly removed. I was initiated and got my gloves at five. From which point I on was firmly in the training program, from then on combat training began in earnest. By then I most of us read and write to a degree … from five our education was intensified. At five those who were born into Guardian families generally arrived, half of them didn't want to be there. Then over the next few years older ones who'd been called or chosen the Guardian path would be added to our classes. We learnt to fight, to survive, to care for our Charges, and all the moral codes that would govern our actions… I obviously didn't learn them well enough… during my training I made a terrible mistake, one I still haven't forgiven myself for, for that I was punished… Nevertheless I continued in my training. In the later years the education changes to lessons in how to establish the Bond, what links a Guardian to his Charge, what to expect, and how to read the signs, how to know who your Charge would be when the time came. I never paid much attention in those lessons; Guardian of the Master Emerald was all I was ever going to be." He grinned "I was nothing if not determined. Some never found Charges. They would go on to be Guardians of the Trainees, and eventually Masters, teachers. Different people graduated at different times… we fought for our ranks, that was what determined the status your Charge would be at… some say it's all predestined anyway. The Guardian of the Master Emerald always graduates at the top of his or her class. For them the signs are different, they have a path of character, an aura and… their final battles always coincide with the death of the previous Guardian. My predecessor was called Samba; he drowned on the night of my final battle…
"But it was only at the close of that final battle that I realised the extent of the curse I had fought for. The curse of the Master Emerald is reserved for the strongest warrior, too violent and too stupid to realise the mistake they're making. The Guardianship protects the masses from those who have no right to live among them…" Knuckles trailed off and looked away "I cried myself to sleep at the foot of the Master Emerald on the night I won my place, at a time I thought I would have been celebrating. I didn't realise my foolishness until it was just too late. If I had been a little smarter and less stubborn I would have yielded in time… and not come first in my class. Then my position would have gone to another" He sighed "Yes I lust after a freer life, more carefree, to live the a life of drifter, wandering wherever the wind takes me, but one thing the training to become a Guardian inspired was a sense of responsibility. Until the day I die I am Bound to the Master Emerald, destined to sit beneath it forever, alone, only in my death will I find release."
Knuckles looked up at Shadow and their eyes met. For the first time Shadow realised why Knuckles could be kind to him; they both understood what it was to be subjected to a burden too heavy to carry.
"I used to laugh at those in the first rounds of the tests who submitted to my fists without ever putting up a fight. I laughed at their stupidity for not wanting to be ranking Guardians. I wanted it so much…" Knuckles said desperately, shaking his head "I suppose I had a lot to prove. No-one wanted me, so I was sent to be raised by the Guardians. I was determined; I would be the best, the strongest, the fastest the most devoted… The most merciless. I would stop at nothing to protect the Master Emerald, if I was awarded the highest honour. I was determined I would be, to prove my worth to those who had rejected me." His face grew angry for a moment but then changed to a look of defeat "All I proved was that I was a monster, hardly worthy to exist. The trials of the Guardianship are a test of the heart and I failed, miserably, and received for my sins a lifetime's imprisonment."
They'd stopped to rest, the group sat scattered about beside a river, resting their aching limbs. Shadow sat alone, toying with a few fronds of long grass between his fingers. Knuckles and Rouge had disappeared…
Rouge giggled suddenly and put her foot out in front of him. Knuckles tripped and fell flat on his face. She roared with laughter.
"Hey!"
"You're cute when you're angry"
"Oh really" He grabbed her ankle and promptly pulled her to the floor. "You're not"
Rouge, laid on the floor began to pout.
Shadow stared at them through the trees, hidden from their view by the foliage. Knuckles was laughing in a way he'd never seen him laugh before, in a way Shadow had no hope of being able to make him laugh, Rouge was giggling too. Their bodies were close together, Rouge gave him a playful slap, which he took with mischievous offence. Shadow felt something strong; it burned up from within him like the rages that had left him locked in the Torture Room for hours at a time.
There was a low rumble, like distant thunder. Suddenly Knuckles felt as though all the breath was being sucked out of him. Then a black wave ripped through the trees. Knuckles was blasted onto his back with Rouge on top of him. He clung instinctively to her, fearful she would be carried away as they were both pushed along the ground. Above Knuckles could hear branches being torn off the trees. He wished he'd been the other side, that way his body would be between them and Rouge. Surely soon he would find out what it was like to die. Then the blast stopped. There was silence, aside from the alarm calls of the birds. Knuckles opened his eyes and looked at Rouge's face, very close to his own, where she lay on top of him. She drew back a little and he was able to focus on her eyes.
"What, was that?" Knuckles asked softly.
After a pause Rouge put into words what they were both thinking.
"Shadow"
Rouge fluttered to her feet and offered Knuckles a hand up. Together they ran out from the trees to where the others were. A scene of bewildered devastation met their eyes. Vector holding tightly to Charmy was the only one on his feet. Tails had been blown into a tree and was hanging by one of his tails. The others were scattered around, Knuckles found himself seeking Sonic, afraid he may have ended up in the water. Fortunately he was only buried head first in some dirt and was quickly scurrying free.
"Is everyone ok?" Vector shouted as Knuckles ran hastily to retrieve Tails from the tree. Assorted replies confirmed all present safe, if a little shaken, and Shadow missing. Promptly Knuckles returned with Tails. Sonic turned to Knuckles.
"What just happened?"
"Why are you asking me? What makes you think I'd know?"
"You always know!" Sonic said almost helplessly "Shadow did this right… y-you understand him"
Knuckles raised an eyebrow and shook his head "Actually, no, I don't. I have no idea what he just did, or why"
Rouge made a face "Do you think he saw us?"
"What?" Knuckles turned to her
"He could have got the wrong idea…" Rouge trailed off and went a little pink, after a pause she stammered on "Maybe I gave him the wrong idea… I like him but…"
Knuckles had buried his head in his enormous hands and was swearing to himself.
"Where was the last place anyone saw him?" he asked his voice muffled.
"Near the trees" Tails said shyly
"Ugh… lets just hope he hasn't killed himself"
"Do you think he can?"
Knuckles shrugged "He's got more chance of killing himself than any one of us has of killing him. Did anyone see where the blast wave came from?"
Espio, Vector and one or two others pointed.
"Come on lets find him" Sonic said, taking the words right out of Knuckles' mouth. He frowned "We do need him… I'll help you look"
Knuckles sighed "Those of you who can fly take the sky, the rest of you, check on the ground… just look for a big black hole and you'll find him."
They all began to move off respectively
"Rouge… will you give me a lift?"
"Huh… oh sure"
Rouge lifted Knuckles into the sky.
Sonic looked up, he watched Rouge let go of Knuckles and him begin to glide along by her side, he'd forgotten that Knuckles could fly, though he usually described it more as falling with style.
"Ok I promise, but Maria, where are you going?"
"I'm not going anywhere…." She turned towards him "They're sending you to the surface, to Earth"
"But you… and father you're coming too right?"
"No Shadow. You have to go alone; you'll have new masters on Earth"
"But my training isn't finished yet!"
"Daddy has taught you as much as he can… and we've run out of time. The Earth Army wants you down there-"
"I don't want to go!" Shadow caught fire "I won't! They can't make me!!"
The fire coming from his body hit the ceiling and started to melt it. Maria screamed.
"Shadow stop it!"
He'd lost control, but for once he relished in the fire. Anger and hurt boiled up from within him and broke through his skin as black and purple flames. He watched Maria fumble with the Stick, not sure whether to use it, wanting to but not willing to go back on her promise. Soon she would be relieved of the choice, alarms were ringing. Shadow raised his arms and climbed into the air. He turned his back on Maria and flew towards the door. He used the fire to blast them open. He soared through, on the other side there was a group of scientists cowering on the ground. He knew it was coming. The power of several Sticks all activated at once turned the fire inwards and brought him crashing down. Shadow lay on the ground roaring in pain and anger. His vision seemed to run red. He pushed against the power of the Sticks, trying to summon more chaos than they could control. If he could just break free he would use his power to destroy the ARK, he no longer cared that Maria and his father were onboard. They obviously didn't care about him if they were willing to abandon him. Maria was nothing more than a stupid child and his father a scientist toying with things he didn't understand. They'd created a monster, now it was time to show them what a monster could do. A strong pair of hands lifted him up and pressed the Stick into his back. Unable to break its control he turned his anger to verbal abuse.
"I won't go! I'll burn them all to embers! I won't serve them! You can't force me, even with all the Sticks in the world! You're afraid of me!"
Shadow turned his teeth against the scientist carrying him, he found some part of his arm and bit down hard, until he tasted blood. The scientist didn't release him. It didn't matter anyway, there was more than one Stick trained upon him. Shadow let go.
"I am NOT your property!!"
He roared as he was thrown roughly into the Torture Room. As soon as the door closed the fire ripped out, then ice, then fire again, filling the room, melting the metal. Shadow bounced off the walls. Then he stopped, standing in the middle of the room. He drew together all his power and released it in one blast. The whole ARK seemed to shake, but the metre thick walls stood against him, though in places they burned red hot, and in others they were covered in sheets of ice. Shadow ran forward and started to bounce off the walls again. It went on like that for hours…
Gerald starred around the Training Room. There wasn't much left. They'd been lucky Shadow's strength had given way when it had, before the walls. He spotted him, curled up in a ball in the far corner of the room. Shaking his head he walked over and bent down beside him.
"Shadowkin can you hear me?"
No answer. Gently he stroked the back of his head, hoping to elicit some kind of response. His efforts went unrewarded.
"You made quite a mess, my Shadowkin; it appears you have broken my little girl's heart. She will miss you far more than you can comprehend… And so will I… You are right, you should not be our property, but government money went into making you, and they always ensure they get what they are owed."
Gerald gently picked him up, his body still hot from the flames and the rage.
"I promise Shadowkin, you are the last. I will make no more like you… no other creature will be made to suffer your fate by my hand… I am… sorry Shadow"
Gerald carried him quietly out of the room…
"Maria would you like to say goodbye?"
Maria took her head up from her pillow with an expression of glee. When she saw Shadow's unconscious form her smile faded. Nevertheless she got up and approached her father.
"Can he even hear me?" She asked reaching out to stroke his face
"Maybe…"
Maria started crying again. She buried her face in Shadow's fur.
"I don't want you to go" She kissed his face, damp with her tears "I love you Shadowkin. I will all my life… I promise"
Her voice was lost to sobbing.
"Come on Maria. The shuttle is here to take him to Earth"
Gerald walked slowly off and Maria followed
The robots accompanying Shadow to Earth had already been packed up and deactivated. The stasis pod was waiting for him. Gerald carried him up to it and with the help of another scientist strapped him in, tying metal bands around each of his limbs.
"Goodbye Shadow…" Maria said weakly, as though she breathed smoke.
"Yes…" Gerald mumbled "Take care Project Shadow" briefly he caressed Shadow's cheek before closing the door of the pod. He turned and took the Stick from the chain around his neck. He wouldn't need it anymore. He handed it to the waiting shuttle pilot. "Here, just in case he wakes up. He's likely to be pretty upset"
Maria stared at him sealed inside the stasis pod. He looked so different now to when he'd been developing in the artificial womb. Back then as his tiny body had grown to fill the space he'd looked so pure, so perfect, so… innocent. Now as he stood upright in the pod he seemed changed. His face was angry, his muscles tight and tense. Though Maria couldn't see them she knew his tiny hands were making fists. She walked up to the pod and pressed her fingers against the glass as it slowly filled with fluid, wishing she could caress his features just one last time. She stared into his face, his angry expression. For the first time Maria realised what he had been designed for, not her playmate… A weapon. She turned to her father.
"Please take good care of Project Shadow… we're all very fond of him" he said. Gerald turned to look back at the pod "pleasant flight Shadowkin"
With that Gerald turned and walked away. Maria remained a little longer. On the side of the stasis pod was a panel describing its contents:
ID 178-28
PROJECT SHADOW
ARK ORGANIC WEAPONS DEVELOPMENT
And Maria finally understood what it was her father did.
A dark world swam into focus. Something compelled Shadow to breath. He gasped air into his lungs. He jumped forward into the room coming face to face with a strange man in a walker robot. He bowed.
"I am Project Shadow. As my new master I will serve you…
"Shadow? Come on buddy don't do this to me… you're still in one piece so there's no way you'll get me to believe you're gone… P-Please wake up?…" the voice choked.
"Knuckles maybe-"
"No! Come on Shadow! What you dreamin'? You dreaming about Maria? Come on wake up and you can tell me about it"
"H-home?" Shadow moaned
"Alright Shadow!" Knuckles cried "Come on wakey wakey!"
"Wanna home… Maria…"
"Come on Shadow, home is here now, with us!"
"Yeah Shadow, stay away from the light!"
"Please home… I hate Earth, I wanna go home…"
"You can't go back to the ARK Shadow… home is here on Earth with me… and Sonic, Tails, Espio, Rouge and all the rest, with all those who love you"
"You don't love me Echidna" He rumbled
"Yes I do"
Sonic snorted and was about to say something but Knuckles elbowed him sharply.
"No you don't"
"Don't argue with me Shadow. I'm very stubborn, even more so than you, I do love you and that's that"
"You love Rouge…"
"My heart may be a big old lump of ice but I can love more than one person and in different ways"
"You love her better than me"
Knuckles was again struck by how childish he sounded. He rolled him onto his back and forced him to look into his face.
"You promised to make people happy. If you don't get up now you will hurt all these people around you. I don't know if it makes any odds to you but you will hurt me. Now I've never admitted I love anyone before, Sonic can vouch for that, frankly you were the last person I imagined myself saying it to, but I don't see why it should matter to you. You seem determined to hate everyone"
Shadow looked away.
"I give up!" Knuckles grunted angrily, got up and walked away.
"Whoa…" Sonic muttered "You upset Knuckles, that's an achievement"
"Really Sonic you have all the diplomacy of an angry wasp"
"What? It takes a lot to upset Knux. He must really care about you, even Tails and I can't upset him easily"
"Why would you want to?"
"I don't think that was what Sonic meant…"
"If caring about me upsets him he shouldn't bother. I don't need him, I don't need anyone."
There was a pause
"You don't believe that" It was Amy who spoke.
"What makes you think you know what I believe little Amy"
"You're promise to Maria meant everything to you, you must have needed her, needed her to care about you, at least return some of what you felt. She obviously meant something to you if you were willing to do anything to fulfil what you thought was her promise… Revenge was your idea Shadow, all this hate, that's you. The only person here that hates you is you. Now someone is trying to help you and you just keep throwing that back in his face! I don't blame Knuckles for giving up. Sooner or later everyone will give up on you and then you really will be alone and hated."
Amy stopped, to be met by stares from the whole group, except Tails, who had disappeared.
"What? Someone had to knock some sense into him! You lot all seem too afraid to, but I know he's just as weak as any of you. I saw him crying for his precious Maria-"
"Shadow can cry?"
"Shut up Sonic" Shadow buried his head in the dead leaves.
"Get up hedgehog and go and fix the damage you've done!" Amy shouted.
Shadow remained utterly motionless.
"Alright then we'll all leave you to wallow in self-pity. When you're feeling better you can come back and join us again. But not before!!" Amy said sternly before walking off. Many of the others followed her, incredulous expressions on their faces. Sonic lingered for a moment, uncertain then slipped away embarrassed by Shadow's all too obvious pain.
Knuckles reached out with the Echidna's long distance language, it was simple, though the words were laced with many meanings; it generally got the message across.
"Guardians… Answer I"
He waited, then tried again
"Guardians, you hear I, please answer"
Again he waited, he was about to give up when he heard a response.
"I hear you"
Eagerly Knuckles responded.
"I Guardian of Master Emerald. Who you?"
The long distance language didn't have a word for his name. Knuckles couldn't help but feel his title was a bit of a lie.
"I here with for I human Charge, see shrines in trees"
"You leave, big danger here. Tell all."
"Go soon. Many walks no sleep"
"Good. How Angel Island?"
"Many walks. Many moons since I there. No hear"
"Pass on I ask… Tell all?"
"Yes, yes. Danger you in?"
"Pain, trouble, need hear Master"
"You young Guardian?"
"No, no, many moons many moons"
"Guardian of Master Emerald no at Angel Island?"
Knuckles had been dreading that question.
"Answered Call before broken moon. Many, many walks, many troubles, many walks home"
"Need home?"
"Yes… Heart mountains, need sky, need Guardians… Need Emerald…"
"Emerald no Guardian? Many danger!"
"Yes… I many danger, many troubles, no Emerald, other troubles"
"Other troubles… Heart?"
"Yes no… Lost Charge… lost path… many fights… many, many pains"
"Lost Emerald!!"
"Yes no… Need hear Angel Island. Master Emerald in Angel Island? Need hear. Need help. I lost…"
Tails found Knuckles standing on the brow of a hill where most of the trees had given away, allowing some semblance of a view. As he walked up behind him he heard a deep rumbling noise more through his feet than his ears.
"Knuckles?"
Knuckles nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Agh Tails don't creep up on me!" As he spoke the rumbling continued.
"You ok?"
"Hang on ok little buddy?"
"Repeat"
Knuckles rumbled back
"No Guardian lost. You path. Call Angel Island I. Help you. You many walks. I no come you. No Call you?"
"I no Call, I no need you help. Need hear Guardian voice. Many pleases"
"I tell all… Happy Guardian"
"Happy Guardian you. Many pleases many pleases. You many sleeps"
"Many moons many walks many, many, many sleeps"
Finally Knuckles turned to Tails.
"What were you doing?" Tails asked
"Talking to a Guardian. I just needed to hear a friendly voice, I wanted to find out how things were on Angel Island but it seems he's been gone even longer than I have"
"You have been rather waylaid"
"Like I said, this is more important, besides, you know how much I hate my job, just about anything is better than sitting around alone with only the Master Emerald for company"
"Then why are you so eager to go back?"
"Because it is my duty, terrible things could happen if something happened to the Maser Emerald, I don't want that on my conscience."
"Like what?"
"The end of the world"
Tails giggled "Isn't that being a little overdramatic?"
"No" The way Knuckles said it didn't fill Tails with confidence, and left him in no doubt that he wasn't joking. "Especially at the moment"
"Why, what's so different now?"
Knuckles looked up "Everything is fitting into place… in my mind at least…"
"Which things?"
Knuckles seemed to suddenly come back to himself as though from far away "Huh what… oh nothing I'm just thinking to much and letting the old Echidna fairy stories get to me" He started laughing at himself and seemed to mutter something about Chaos Control and find that very funny, but Tails couldn't help but notice there was a certain uncertainty in the way he laughed.
"You know Tails, I thing I need to go back to Angel Island, purely for my sanity… all this freedom's starting to go to my head! I'm going mad!" he pulled a face.
Tails laughed nervously, his behaviour was beginning to frighten him.
"No need to look like that Tails, I'm not going to turn into the Biolizard and eat you"
"Well Knux… you have been a bit… weird… recently"
"Since when" Knuckled growled. Tails wondered if he even noticed his hands were making fists.
"Errr… Just for a while…" Since the ARK "You've been out of character; Sonic and I weren't exactly sure what you were going to do… You're nightmares are worse than they ever are, even some of the others have commented. They're worse than Shadow's! And then when you nearly went over the edge at the Mystic Mansion, you scared the hell out of us!"
To Tails' relief Knuckles relaxed
"Sorry Tails… I've just… got a lot on this small Echidna mind of mine"
"I gathered that much… what's troubling you Knux… I promise it won't go from between us"
"I think I'm going crazy"
Tails frowned at him "Why?"
"Lots of reasons… I keep dreaming I'm on the ARK, as you know… and… I don't know…"
"Come on Knuckles… you can tell me, I promise I won't laugh…"
"I…"
"You dream you're on the ARK, so then what happens?"
"Its not the dreams… It's… I'm a Guardian… ever since I qualified I've always been able to feel the Master Emerald… right now… I can't"
"It's not near you now though is it? Should you be able to feel it at this distance?"
"Yeah… that's how I found the pieces, no matter where they were"
"So you can't feel the Master Emerald, that's what's worrying you?"
"Kind of…"
"Well what else?"
"Mmm…"
"Come on Knux, I've never know you to be tongue tied"
"It's Shadow…"
"Ahh"
"Ahh? What does that mean?"
"We all know Shadow means more to you than you're willing to admit to yourself. That last conversation… what you said you probably said without thinking right?"
"Yes… but I meant it all the same"
"Mmm. But you're having this conversation with me, and not Sonic because he sees it more clearly than any of us, and doesn't approve"
"What's there to approve of?"
"Despite what he says Sonic still believes that Shadow is on the other side, he'd rather ask Eggman for help than him, that might be because Sonic is too proud, or because Shadow has hurt him in the past, I don't know, I'm the last person he'd tell. Sonic thinks of you as one of his best friends, you're supposed to be loyal, the thought of you… caring for Shadow more than him… hurts"
Knuckles was silent for a moment then he looked up "What about you, what do you think?"
"I think who you choose as your friends is your business"
"Do you think I'm too close to him?"
"What I think doesn't matter"
"Please answer"
"Is this what you're worried about?"
"Just answer"
"I think what Shadow needs right now is a friend. Someone who is tolerant enough to put up with his faults, and strong enough to be able to resist him. You fit that picture better than any of us, if you can provide him with the friendship and guidance he needs, good."
Knuckles turned away "Do you think I care about him too much?"
"How can you care about someone too much?"
"Every time he comes near me I… You know what I think about Rouge… It's not like that… It's different… but every time he comes near me…I feel…" Knuckled stopped "I can't feel the Emerald anymore… Instead I feel something else… I know what I think is happening… but I don't want it to be… I'm scared of that… and it's impossible anyway… So what the hell's happening to me Tails? What am I becoming?" He cried desperately
Tails suddenly thought he didn't have a clue what Knuckles was talking about.
"I don't understand Knuckles…"
"Every time he comes near me I feel like I'm on fire!" He blurted
Tails was silent and stared at him for a moment "Err Knuckles… maybe this is something you should talk to one of the older ones about…"
"Why?"
"They'd probably understand better than I will-"
"Why…"
"Because I'm not very experienced in… this kind of thing"
Knuckles chewed on his lip for a moment "You think I'm gay don't you?"
"Err…"
"I already told you it's not like that! I love him, but not like that!"
"Alright Knux! It wouldn't matter if you were"
Knuckles sighed "I'm talking to you because I trust you… other than Rouge, I've known you and Sonic longer than anyone else… I don't know what's wrong with me… I'm frightened… I had a nightmare… that Shadow had gone on a rampage and destroyed the Guardian School… then he stole the Master Emerald and somehow that was all my fault"
"You can't be responsible for his every move"
Knuckles frowned, still chewing on his lip, so hard he threatened to make it bleed. "I'm not so sure… Why do I feel like this Tails… Why do I feel like I need to protect him?..." he muttered almost to himself
"What Shadow chooses to do is up to him, you can't make his choices for him, you've said it yourself"
Knuckles licked his lip, he had made it bleed.
"I'm frightened Tails… I feel as though I'm standing on the edge of a cliff and the drop is so high I'd need to grow wings to survive, and I'm pretty sure I know who's going to give me that last shove over the edge."
Knuckles couldn't quite place the expression on Tails' face, and he knew he was at a loss for words.
"What I need is a Guardian, one who can answer my questions. I need to get back to Angel Island, it's not a wish anymore, but right now that isn't a possibility. This all seemed so simple to begin with. Now I've told a slightly mad fire spewing hedgehog that I love him and my best friend won't even look me in the eye! What has my life become Tails? I can't even tell you, Sonic and Rouge that I love you, no wonder Sonic hates me!"
"Sonic doesn't hate you; the three of us know how you feel, because we feel the same -please shut me up before I get soppy. We've known each other for years now, we know how each other think, to be honest with you I think Sonic is worried about you, worried that you're getting mixed up with the wrong person and you'll get hurt because of that"
"Maybe he's right, maybe I believe that too, and that's what's frightening me"
"I've never known you to be afraid Knuckles…"
"I've spent a large amount of my life being afraid of one thing or another. I'm afraid right now" he held up his hand, it was visibly shaking "And I want it to stop"
Tails didn't know how to answer, or what to do to comfort him, even if what Knuckles had said was true Tails had never perceived him to be afraid of anything; they hadn't been exaggerating when they'd said he'd take on anything to defend the Master Emerald. Tails was just going to stammer some remark about it all being alright in the end when Knuckles grabbed him and shoved him behind him.
"Wha-"
"Shh!" Knuckles' fur bristled, he was preparing for a conflict. As they watched something emerged from the trees. Something black.
"Who are you?" Knuckles growled
"It's me, Shadow…" The creature answered
"So? That doesn't mean anything to me"
The black hedgehog faltered "I thought you could look beyond my appearance and see me for who I am… obviously I was wrong, and naïve, like you said" He sighed "Charlton used to lock me in the Torture room for hours at a time. I'm terrified of small places" Shadow's face scowled "If I wanted to hurt you you'd both be dead by now"
"Stay here" Knuckles warned Tails. Cautiously he approached Shadow, as the hurt in his own heart receded he started to feel the tingling sensation again, and he knew this was the right one "Ok Tails its safe"
Knuckles turned round to see Tails scamper off into the trees. "Ahh great…" he mumbled to himself.
"I came to say I'm sorry… and that I don't hate you" Shadow turned away and began to walk off. Only after a moment could Knuckles make himself go after him. He grabbed Shadow's shoulder and pulled him round to face him.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm leaving. It's not right for me to draw the rest of you into this conflict. I'm going back to the Airbase, to fight Metal Sonic and the Thousand. Or die trying"
"No you're not" Knuckles said firmly
"Yes I am. Who's going to stop me Echidna? You?"
"If I have to"
"I think not" Shadow called up the flames, for the first time the colour didn't give him away, they burned yellow, not with any particular emotion at all. Shadow was learning control. The fire covered all his body except Knuckles' hand where it still rested on his shoulder.
"I'm not afraid of you Shadow"
"Then you're a fool"
"Maybe, but I'm not going to let you throw your weight around anymore. It's time you learnt some respect"
"I could teach you for a lifetime about respect Echidna, you know nothing of respect
until it's taught with a club"
The fire licked up Shadow's body towards his hand, but again Knuckles refused to yield, his grip on his shoulder only grew tighter. The flames paused inches from the ends of Knuckles' gloved fingers. Shadow looked him in the eye this time.
"Do you have a death wish?!"
Knuckles shrugged "Part of being a Guardian is protecting people from themselves, my Charge, or not"
Shadow looked away and tried to drag himself free. Knuckles' grip on his shoulder intensified still further to the point where it began to hurt.
"I'm not going to let you walk away from me!"
Shadow stared at him, but nevertheless the fire ebbed and he stopped trying to escape. Shadow's breathing was laboured, like he was holding in a sea of emotion he couldn't control and didn't understand.
"Sh-She's dead… isn't she?"
Knuckles had been expecting this for a long time, but it still hit him as somewhat of a surprise. Maybe Shadow had always known, but he hadn't accepted it. "Maria?... Yes I'm sorry Shad-"
He couldn't get any further because the black hedgehog broke down in front of him.
The Guardian could only watch. The fierce flames kept him from going close; he didn't want to push his luck again. After a long time Shadow finally brought himself to suppress the fire and speak
"What really happened to her Knuckles?"
Knuckles swallowed back the taste of bile in his mouth "It-It seems there really was an accident on the ARK… After you were sent to Earth and were released, and then sealed away again for… what you did, your father, Gerald Robotnic stayed on the ARK for a while. He promised you he wouldn't make another creature like you, he kept his word. He stayed in space working on other projects and campaigning for your release. He stayed on the ARK because it was yours and Maria's home, and one of the main pushes of his argument was that if you were returned there you wouldn't be a danger to many people… Then a few months after you were put back into stasis there was an accident, a major accident…" Knuckles tried to think of words to explain it that wouldn't result in nightmares but couldn't find any; he was tired of lying to Shadow, or being economical with the truth. He sighed and continued "After an explosion some kind of toxic gas was released into the atmosphere. The containment systems sealed the contaminated areas, with the people inside them. Your father escaped, Maria didn't."
Shadow stared at the ground "What a terrible way to die, sealed in a room gradually filling with poison… It was always my nightmare to be sealed anywhere… Maria died of my worst nightmare…"
"Shadow there was nothing you could have done… If you'd have been there… you'd have probably died too… even you have to breathe…"
"They choked my Angel and murdered my father… Is there no-one left?"
"There are some, but they'd be over eighty by now"
"Time, fate, and humanity have taken all I loved away from me; yes Knuckles, now I hate them" Shadow snarled darkly
Knuckles sighed "You mustn't hate them."
"But you do don't you?"
"You mustn't let my prejudices rub off on you." He put his hand under Shadow's chin and lifted his head so his tear stained eyes met his "The ones you loved were both human, that in itself should give you a reason not to despise them. You should do your best not to hate anyone, because when you do the only one you hurt is yourself."
"Why do you hate people Knuckles?"
He frowned "When I was young, humans invaded Angel Island, and accused the Guardians of many things we were innocent of… suffice to say many guiltless Trainees and Guardians alike died at their hands. Those of us who dared to stand against them and survived were left with many scars."
"Why would the humans do that?"
Knuckles shook his head "There have always been… differences between the Shremu and humans. Traditionally the Guardians form a bridge between the two worlds, in the past Guardians were the only contact humans had with any of the Shremu… When humans have a bugbear against us, the Guardians are always the first to feel the brunt of their anger… But that was how it was supposed to be, that was why we were there, to protect the rest of our races…" Knuckles looked away "But that didn't make watching my friends die any easier…"
"I'm sorry…" Shadow said sadly
"So am I"
"They aren't all cruel… are they?"
"No… I've lived almost all my life on Angel Island, so I haven't met many that didn't wish us ill… but I believe that when we stood on the ARK that day we were saving millions of souls that deserved a free existence. True there are many among the humans who are too arrogant for their own good, who look only to their own needs, but the same could be said of the Shremu. Good and evil are very much down to the interpreter… The greatest harm can result from the best intentions"
"Like me… I don't believe my father intended to create a monster when he toyed with the hedgehog genome…"
"Your father began creating you with the intention of creating a weapon, unfortunately he succeeded… those who laid the foundations of the Atom bomb didn't begin their work intending to destroy, but they looked back, and wished they could undo what they'd done" He sighed "But these fists were not given to me to look pretty… given the chance I would go back and undo many aspects of my past, but, I would not be here, with you, if I could do that…"
"My father opened Pandora's box…"
Knuckles smiled "But hope didn't escape, she always remains…" He reached out his hand to Shadow and lifted him to his feet "Hope remains…" He tapped his chest "In the sentient heart and spirit, human or Shremu, as long as there is life… there is hope…"
Shadow smiled, surprised Knuckles knew the story.
"I've always believed that the sentient spirit is able to choose…"
"But when I was made that choice was taken away. I'm a weapon, destined to deal out pain, and always be alone"
"No… you don't have to be alone any more-"
"I was made to destroy, to be evil!"
"It doesn't matter what you were made for! It's what you choose that counts, good or evil you have the capacity for both, which path you take now is up to you. I can't decide for you or lead you on your journey; I can only guide you for as long as we walk on parallel roads. You can choose to walk with me, or make your own way… but you will always be welcome by my side."
Shadow stared at him, then looked away.
"W-We should go back to the others…"
"Ok… whatever you say…"
The mood amongst the group was changing. It was becoming clear that running from the Thousand and hoping to avoid confrontations was no-longer going to work. They couldn't run forever… sooner or later they would have to face Metal and the Thousand. Even though the odds seemed impossible it had to be done. A general consensus was finally cast; the group would head to the Airbase… Shadow was pretty sure he could show them the way…
With their minds focused on the task ahead Sonic and Knuckles' dispute ebbed away. They sat side by side warming themselves by the fire, late that night, watching the others sleep.
"You know we haven't got a chance in hell of defeating the Thousand, Omega and Metal don't you…" Sonic sighed softly.
Knuckles was shocked by his pessimism "There's always hope Sonicu… there's always hope…"
"A snowflake's chance in hell"
"I'm tired of running Sonic" Knuckles sighed "We can't go on like this. We've beaten Metal before… we can again… Come on Sonic you're supposed to be the optimistic one!"
"And you're always telling me I'm foolish, taking stupid risks"
"Boundless courage has its place, Sonicu… we're going to need it more than ever the next few days… I'm going to need it… Metal and the Thousand could be the least of my worries"
"What'd ya mean Knux?"
He looked up at the sky, sadly, there was little to make him doubt now, he was only avoiding admitting it to himself out of shire bloody-mindedness.
"There is a legend that said that one day a life form would be created which would have the power of both Chaos and Control, and that he could reunite the Coreinth and bring either darkness or a golden age to the world. A Guardian would be important in choosing which, as he would help decide the choice he would make" Knuckles said quietly, hardly moving his lips, in almost one breath "Sound familiar?"
For a long time Sonic didn't say anything "You don't believe ancient legends have any basis in the real world though do you?"
Knuckles sighed "I don't know anymore… Guardian Legends have an annoying habit of coming true"
Sonic laughed softly "You worry too much Knuckles! Come on, when was the last time one of your legends came true? A hundred or so years ago? And when it did it was probably so generalised it was certain to come true sometime"
"I never looked at it like that…" Knuckles laughed softly "Yeah I guess your right" He yawned and lay down between Sonic and Shadow, who was again sucking his thumb "You should get some sleep… Shadow doesn't think the Airbase is far off… we could have a major battle to deal with tomorrow… we all need our strength"
"Yeah… Knuckles… wake us at dawn"