Can Never Replace You

Kero Guardian: Been out of it in a looonng while, school's starting soon! (Bleah.) But-

Espio: She's been more distracted by Disgaea.

Kero Guardian: Sorry!! Hey! I give you a date with Maria and you go off and insult me?!

Espio: Pssshhh. (Rolls eyes.)

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Chapter 4: Angel Hands

"Water..." A young girl stared quietly down at a tranquil swimming pool.

-Flashback-

Sapphire pupils wavered in awe, staring at the figure within a bubbling capsule. For years, she felt pity for the creature; to her it was like being encased inside a watery prison. And the long wires attached to what seemed like a fragile body, did not make her less sympathetic.

Waiting patiently for the hedgehog to stir, she whispered, "Shadow?"

The child was told not to name him, by her grandfather, but she did not wish to treat him as an "it" or a serial code. A name with endless numbers did not suit a being with such beautiful eyes, which opened. Those crimson eyes blinked quietly down at her, its mouth quivering inside a mask, almost in pain.

Maria smiled, "Hi, remember me? I've visited you before."

A sigh escaped before she continued; she started pacing around the cold laboratory, trying to strike up a comforting conversation. "I kind of know how you feel. Grandfather...he worries too much. Even though I have several more privileges than you. I feel I'm trapped here to."

She chuckled forcefully, "Or...maybe I'm being selfish. I can't even compare the misery you suffer." Although Maria was young, she grew around several grown ups, and though lacking friends-gained wisdom instead and a sense of better English.

Shadow wanted to speak, to acknowledge her, but his voice only released a hurtful moan. He understood every word, but could only stare.

"I'm sorry." She placed her fingertips on the clean glass, her golden hair tumbling with the unnoticeable tilt of her head. "What I've been trying to say is...will you please be my friend?"

The adolescent gasped, when the hedgehog traced his fingers above hers, upon the clean glass. A gentler emotion settled inside her. "I see, then let's be friends."

"MARIA?!"

-End Flashback-

Maria blinked in surprise as a hand pulled her arm backwards. "Huh?!"

"You almost fell into that pool." The familiar chameleon frowned, eyes knitted in worry. "Are you sure you're all right?"

She gave an embarrassed blush, but smiled. "I'm all right!"

He watched her continue by his side, but a hint of her stumbling sent a hidden message of uneasiness through him. She did not seem well at all.

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Rouge scanned the area for a certain red echidna, hands clasped tightly to her purse. She had to admit that she was a bit nervous, but probably not as worried as her companion. Knowing him, she would've guessed he chickened out hours ago. "Darn...shouldn't have come so late. Maybe tough guy lost his courage...hope not."

Knuckles was sitting in the food area, staring intensely at a hot dog for about five minutes before growling and trying to steady his trembling arm, as the relish slipped everywhere except on his meal. "Where is she? Don't tell me she decided not to show up!!"

He gave the clock a quick glance, then back at his hopeless lunch, "Argh! I'm not hungry anyway!"

"Oh aren't you?" She whispered slyly slipping an arm around his. "Then what about our plans for dinner?"

"Rouge! I was afraid you wouldn't show..." Knuckles spluttered, quickly tossing the mess into the trashcan, then added a sheepish grin. "Uh! Anyway, I'm glad you're here!"

"That's so sweet."

He only continued his lop-sided grin, blushing in either pride, or embarrassment. "No sweat." He managed to squeak out, hoping she wouldn't notice the fear, which easily displayed behind his purple eyes. 'Oh boy, I must seem like such a dork to her.'

But she knew, and enjoyed every minute of it. 'Silly, that's why I like you so much. You try so hard to make me happy, or sometimes you play hard to get at. Fun and games, you'll never bore me out.' However Rouge merely wished for the courage to tell him.

"What's up?" He frowned, noticing the time tick away, with the batgirl just staring at him. Knuckles knew very well not to stare at her from past experiences, particularly because she'd hit him several times before. "Do I have ketchup on my face?"

"Ah?! Uh, no. Oh, saay...how are your friends doing?"

The echidna blinked, a bit surprised, it wasn't like her at all to ask about anything except for the Chaos Emeralds, "well...good question. I haven't really seen them lately, in fact, I really didn't talk to them much after our battle against Metal Sonic." That was strange, Sonic normally pesters him to a large degree, but now...

"...speak of the devil." Rouge smirked.

"What devil?! Are there ghosts too??!?" Knuckles yelped, remembering his battle against King Boom Boo.

"No...there's Amy and Cream." The older teen pointed a few feet ahead of them, at two adorable animals racing towards them.

"Hey Rouge, hello Knuckles." A bit of resentment in Amy's voice towards the frowning echidna, "Have you seen Espio pass through here?"

"You mean Team Chaotix?" Knuckles easily dismissed the hedgehog's tone, "I'm sure we'd notice Charmy's voice from anywhere."

"Not to mention that annoying crocodile that called me fat." Rouge glowered, looking down at her feet, gently shuffling her boots. "No."

"No, no, no. Espio's by himself...well not quite." Amy smiled deeply. "I think he was with his girlfriend!" Her hands flew to her cheeks, which slightly burned her fingers.

The two stared, eyebrows cocked, then snickered, down to an out right burst of laughter.

"Hey! I mean it!!"

"Quit kidding around, Amy. Of all the years I've known Espio, he's one of the most least likely to quote "bother" with finding a female companion."

"Especially since all three of those boys are broke." The bat leaned lightly on "her" boyfriend?

Amy pouted angrily, "Well-"

"Ms. Amy!!" Cream cried, breathing heavily. She held the exhausted chao in her arms, while trying to blow her flopped ear away from her face. "They left awhile ago. I can't really blame them though...that pretty girl looked kinda sick."

"Got away? Well, come on! Let's try something else!!"

"What?" The rabbit tilted her head, "I think she didn't like roller coasters or something..."

"Try to find Sonic and Tails of course! Let's go!" Amy yanked Cream by the arm and sped away, leaving the two teenagers simply staring in disbelief.

"Espio has a girlfriend?!" The dumbfounded couple exclaimed.

Knuckles shook his head, "Cream isn't the type to lie..."

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Espio stood amongst all this watching and listening to the wind conduct the entire scene. Like a portrait, no artist could paint with the sun as its teacher. The trees danced, its leaves clinging desperately to its partner in fear of falling to the tittering grass below them.

"Now where did she-Gaah?!" He exclaimed, wiping the water from his scales.

Maria giggled, hands above her mouth, her eyes crystal, like the liquid that soaked at her knees. "You let your guard down!"

"I thought you were going to throw up back there." Espio gave another amused countenance before flinging a small handful of aqua pura into her hair, she gasped ducking aside. But when she turned back, he had disappeared.

The slightly wet girl pressed a finger beside her lips, a puzzled look on her child-like face. "?"

A wave threw Maria off her feet, and while she swept her drenched curls off her face, the sly chameleon reappeared. "Hey! That's cheating!"

"Hmm..." Espio crossed his arms. "No it isn't. It's an ability."

"Ability, huh?" Maria grinned, "This too!"

"Wha-?!"

Maria pounced at him and he easily dodged, quickly turning to escape. They raced through the grass and into a meadow of flowers. He stopped shortly just as a gasping voice wheezed behind him. Espio tilted his head back to see her holding her stomach, a hand outstretched towards him.

"Hold on...I can't run anymore." She laughed between each breath, trying to ensure that she was all right. "I...ha...I."

"You give up so soon?"

The reptile walked calmly back to her, and watched her lift her visage, her tresses tumbling behind her shoulders. "No." His eyes jolted wide in surprise, when she gave him an attractive smile just before springing onto him.

Maria laced her fingers firmly, but gingerly at his side, tickling him. Espio choked, his voice partly smothered through his laughter, and thrashing. Flower petals fluttered in a vertical manner, never touching the ground because of their movement. "I thought you could sense things!"

"Hahaha!!! Why, gasp! Do I-choke-have to be-haha-on guard around-cough-you?"

She bit back a snicker, this chameleon had reminded her a great deal of her dear friend. Shadow, always so incredible with an ability to sense, but so vulnerable around her. And so stubborn too, not willing to give up. But maybe it was sorrow that withdrew her. A memory; if only she had been faster, or stronger. He was obstinate, yes, but he simply wanted to protect her, right? But that's what she was afraid of...when the GUN had shown up, she would've rather have herself injured than Shadow harm them.

"No...Shadow..." Maria abruptly whispered, pulling away from Espio. "No...no."

Espio propped up onto his elbows, trying hard to not seem too concerned. "...are you all right?"

"Oh no. Nothing at all, I'm fine."

"What did you say?" He glared strictly, standing up to dust the petals from him.

No answer.

"You're a poor liar." A feminine voice uttered quietly. "You said Shadow didn't you?"

Kero Guardian: Cue "Throw it all Away"!!!

Maria spun, there was Knuckles and Rouge, both frowning up at her. Rouge held a document in her hands, but what frightened the girl most was the picture she pointed at.

"This is a picture of Gerald Robotnik, the creator of Project Shadow. And this child...is you. Isn't it, Maria Robotnik?"

She gazed back at Espio, sweeping her fingers through her hair, suddenly nervous. The chameleon was studying the girl's face and realized tears that threatened to fall.

"At first I didn't believe it, thought the memories were all a fake, but tell me Maria. Did you ever get to meet him again? How did he respond to you?"

"I-I-!!"

Knuckles moved his hands lightly about his face, a nervous grin plastered, unchanging the entire time. "N-now Rouge!"

"If he rejected you, then tell me, what makes you think that he's the real Shadow?? The original?! How do you know he's not just a copy from this picture?!"

The spy holds up the picture of the Ultimate Life form, named Shadow from the data she found on Ark. "Not to mention...hey Knuckles, did you ever know that Shadow's a robot?"

"Wha-what?!" The echidna backed up, not wanting to be put under any predicament in which he knew he shouldn't be in.

"Clones created by Eggman."

Maria didn't know how to respond, she started to struggle for breath, it was the grief. She knew it, but she also knew she had to be strong. No, this bat wasn't trying to hurt her, she was just, just...what?! The girl couldn't even think, only listen to a voice , which coldly spoke. 'Is leaving paradise truly worth this?'

Espio was watching the entire time all right, analyzing carefully, knowing Rouge to be pretty blunt at times, but she couldn't detect the growing pain within Maria's psyche. 'I knew there was something wrong here... No, I mustn't be distracted, if I expect to gain any information from her then I've got to gain her trust.'

"Stop it, Rouge." Espio scoffed, "I'm dealing this case."

Knuckles and Rouge looked back at her at the same time as Espio.

"Excuse me?'

The lizard shook his head, "You aren't working for the president right? I know you're looking for answers because Shadow is your friend too, but this girl is also trying to find the truth."

"That's right, broad." An older voice chuckled. "Chaotix Detective Agency on the job, so I think you'd just better but out, hmm?"

Rouge opened her mouth to protest, but Knuckles placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's all right. I think you should cool down. They're Shadow's friends too and they'll make sure he isn't hurt right?"

"...I...hmm..." She pressed her lips together in a pout, then sighed. "Okay, echidna. You know them better than me. But you," Points at Vector. "Better make sure nothing happens!"

Kero Guardian: Next is Team Chaotix theme!!

"Phew!" Charmy piped. "Rouge went easy on us today!!"

Vector threw the boy an agitated glance, "Where were you the entire time?! You didn't even do anything to help!"

"Sure I did!" The bee snickered, "I didn't talk, that's what! Espio always said that when I talk I make things worse, so I chose not to say anything!"

"You!"

Espio exhaled in relief, sometimes Rouge could be pretty stubborn, but he had to admire her. He felt a tiny word behind him, and turned to see Maria smiling again, trying to hide the tears from before.

"I'm sorry." Her smile wavered. "I really didn't mean to cause so much trouble."

"It's fine...I kind of knew from the start that you weren't alive. The Halloween props were a bit of a give away, but also the way you blended so well with this environment. That's why I couldn't figure out where you were." He glanced away from her eyes.

"That's right lady, I mean come on. You could've just told us you were a ghost, or somethin'" Charmy suddenly cut in ruining the moment for Espio.

"Now that's just rude!" The crocodile and chameleon ejaculated at the same time, while Maria gave a small laugh.

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Kero Guardian: I think this chapter and the one after will be quite/fully similar to the old, but new chapters will be added to finish the story!! Are you sure I didn't make Rouge too cold hearted? (Freaked out look.)

Eggman: Bleah.

Shadow: When will it end?

Kero Guardian: Soon!!!! (Happy.)