A/N: strange, I know, but you'll understand it soon.(p.s- the bit in intalics is what Shadow can see)
Ch2: The ghost of Chaos past
"Maria" Shadow whispered in awe.
"Yes Shadow, I have to show you something" Maria said in an echoing voice.
"Are, are, are you r-real?"
"Shadow" Maria looked at him. "I am the ghost of Chaos past"
"So you're not real"
"I am real, but now is not the time to talk about it; I have to show you something" Maria told him. She held out her hand and Shadow took it-still staring at her in disbelief. Maria walked forward, guiding Shadow as she went. There was a flash of bright white light and Shadow let go of Maria. He looked around and then realised.
"We're on the ark," Shadow stated.
"Yes we are, now watch Shadow" Maria said. Shadow watched as Professor Gerald Robotnik picked up a ball of fluff and put it into the enclosure that Maria and Shadow were stood next to.
"This was when Robotnik encased Signo's spirit" Shadow said as he walked into the enclosure without thinking. "Robotnik used to treat us like animals then" Shadow watched as his past self put Signo on a pile of leaves. "She would kill me for that now" Shadow laughed to himself. There was another flash of light and Shadow and Maria were on the deck of the ark that overlooked the earth.
"This was when you first introduced me to Signo" Maria told Shadow. Shadow watched himself take his little sister to the Maria that was sat looking at the earth.
"What has all this got to do with Chaos, Maria?" Shadow asked.
"It was all leading up to this" Maria said, as there was another flash of light. Shadow's eyes widened as he saw where he was.
"NO!" Shadow yelled then he turned to the ghost of Chaos past "Why do you have to show me this?" Shadow was getting angry. He knew this scene. It was the scene of Maria's death.
"Maria!" Shadow yelled through the glass capsule he was in. Maria smiled at him weakly.
"I hope you enjoy it down there Shadow" she said to him, trying to sound like it was a good thing.
"Maria don't do it!" Signo yelled from inside capsule that was next to Shadow's. She was trying to break through the glass with her iron trainers that she had transformed before, but the glass was too thick.
"Don't pull it lady, or, or, or I'll shoot!" the military official stammered. He obviously did not want to shoot Maria, but he also didn't want to fail his mission. Signo began to cry.
"I love you Shadow, you'll be ok-thanks for caring about me," she whimpered.
"Nothing's going to happen we're all going to be fine," Shadow said trying to remain calm, but he knew that everyone wasn't going to be fine.
"Goodbye Shadow" Maria said as she pulled the lever.
"MARIA!" Shadow and Signo yelled.
"I love you Shadow!" Signo cried as her capsule fell down the chute and she began to plummet through space. The last thing Shadow saw as his capsule fell down the chute was the official shooting Maria.
The present Shadow jumped infront of Maria as the bullet shot through the air. He obviously wasn't thinking what he was doing and the bullet went straight through him and hit Maria. Both the official and Maria acted like he was not there. The ghost of Chaos past scooped him up and dragged him away.
"Why did it go through me?" Shadow asked.
"You can't change history, Shadow" Maria explained, "No-one here can see or hear you"
Shadow fell silent. He thought for a minute, and then he spoke "Why are you showing me this then?"
"You will see soon enough Shadow, for tonight all of this will be explained; but now I must take you back" Maria told him. Shadow looked at her and tried to figure out what she had just said meant, but before he could think it out; there was a flash of white light and Shadow looked at his surroundings. He found himself sat up in bed with no sign of Maria.
