(I don't own sonic and the gang. SEGA and Sonic Team do. Please don't any of my characters without my consent.)

(Fics are like my life so I'll update almost everyday.)

"Hey guys, come look!"

Cream had regained happiness and love for all living things.

We rushed to see what she was talking about.

On Tail's large computer monitor was a gigantic A.

"What is it?"

Several of us asked.

"The debris waves we have been experiencing here are happening through out the world.

They leave a large ditch in the ground; they seem to be spelling something."

He zoomed out revealing other letters.

"Alpha…"

We all whispered it as though one voice.

"What could that mean?"

Amy said putting her hand on Tail's shoulder.

"I don't know."

The two looked at Sonic.

Sonic looked at me.

I looked at Shadow.

Shadow looked down in despair.

"Me neither."

Shadow shrugged.

The screen suddenly went static.

"Ha, ha, ha!"

The computer boomed.

"Heroes and former heroes on earth, I have a challenge for you that I am sure you will not turn down. I have all those that were not heroes dwelling on your pathetic planet. Unless you come and save them, they will all be mind wiped and so will you. I will begin my creation of the new earth directly after your utter defeat! You will never defeat me! Bwahaha! Just to keep you motivated I will give you live updates of your loved ones. This is the only channel. Radio waves will do you no good! Bwahaha!"

He stopped talking and ran a slide show of imprisoned people.

"Darren!"

Amy shrieked.

"Darren?"

I raised an eyebrow at Sonic.

"Darren."

Sonic growled.

"Darren's my boyfriend."

Amy said with the most concerned look on her face.

"Figures."

I looked at Sonic once more.

I saw mom.

"Hi, kids!"

She waved at the camera.

"I'm not sure if I wanna save 'em."

I crossed my arms.

"Your mom's really not that bad."

Shadow gave me a sincere look.

"You'd know wouldn't you, alien spawn?"

"Why are you calling me alien spawn!"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Because my dad is Black Doom?"

"Heck, no! 'Cause it gets on your nerves, duh!"

I laughed.

Shadow sighed.

"If it makes you happy I'll try to sort things out. But right now, we'd better get to trying to stop Alpha."

I went and got my guns.

My plan was to examine them and see how much damage they would do.

But I'd probably use my weaker ones the first time around, so I can check out what kind of equipment he has.

"If it makes you happy" the words kept ringing in Sonic's ears.

The very thought of his sister wanting to please Shadow sickened him.

"Nice!"

Shadow picked one of my guns up out of my pile.

"Put it down! That's my favorite!"

I snatched it away from him.

"It's like a hands free sniper. Best used for more important missions."

I looked at it fondly before putting on my arm and aiming at Shadow.

"Ha, ha, very funny, Maria."

He started to sweat.

"Come on stop it."

He whined.

I took it off and set it next to me.

"What's that one?"

He pointed.

"Ray 02, any one besides my self who picks it up will be stunned. If it's picked up twice in a row not by me it will blow up destroying everything with in a 100 mile radius."

He quickly pulled his hand away from it.

I giggled.

Sonic resisted the urge to beat the heck out of Shadow for making me giggle.

'My sister doesn't giggle!'

He thought

'What has Shadow done to my sister!'

His fists clenched.

"So… use the shotguns much?"

Shadow picked one up and shot a vase.

"Shadow!"

Cream glared.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist."

He handed it back to me.

"All the time, their best in a pair, that way you cover more ground and there's more ammo."

Sonic wished I would put the sniper back on and actually shoot Shadow this time.

I turned and saw the look on my perturbed brother's face.

"Are you okay, Sonic?"

I asked.

'No.'

Sonic thought.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

He lied.

I sighed.

"You worry me sometimes. Come on sit next to me. Pick up a gun and shoot someone."

I smiled at Shadow.

"I'd love to."

He too looked at Shadow but he didn't smile.

"I think I'm gonna go to bed."

He sulked off.

"But it's only 3:00 p.m."

I whispered to myself.

"You want me to go make sure he's okay?"

Shadow said seeing the worry in my eyes.

"Would you?"

I watched Shadow leave.

I picked up my other shotgun and shot the vase right next to Cream.

"Maria!"

She squealed.

I smiled.

Shadow came back a few minutes later his ear cut a bit.

"So… what happened?"

I handed him a bandage.

"Oh, nothing, it's just that your brother's a total psycho!"

"What'd he do?"

"Well, I saw him sitting on his bed so I brought a chair over and sat down. I asked him if he was alright 'cause he didn't seem to be acting quite right lately. 'As long as every thing's peachy keen with you Shadow, honey', that was his answer. What the (BEEP) kinda answer is that!"

"Shadow, don't curse, it makes you seem so much more violent than you are."

The real reason I didn't want him swearing was because Cream was right behind us and she's already saying things I don't think an 11 year old should be saying, although I probably said the same things when I was her age.

"Well then I'm totally freaked out so I ask him, what he meant. 'Tell me! I don't even know who I am anymore! I don't have the same sister I started out with. I definitely don't have the same mom I started out with! I am left with nothing and it's your entire fault!' He had sat up now. I thought it might have been a bit of improvement. I asked him how it was my fault. 'You took her away!' he screamed. 'Your mom has been that way since I met her, okay?' was my reply. 'Maria!' he hollered. Then he tackled punched me. When I threw him off me he bit my ear! I barely made it out alive!"

I gave a small laugh.

"I think I know why he's being this way."

I brushed Shadow's bangs out of his eyes and kissed him on the cheek.

He turned scarlet.

I went to check up on Sonic.

He was waiting for Shadow with a bat.

No not Rouge.

"Oh, Maria, hey. I was sorta expecting…"

"Shadow? Yeah, I guessed so."

I took the bat away from Sonic and sat on the bed with him.

"Why do you hate Shadow?"

I pulled him closer to me.

He was reluctant to have this conversation again.

"He makes you giggle."

Sonic's eyes were full of misery.

"That's a good thing. It means I'm happy."

"I know, but, I don't want you to change."

"I won't, I'll always beat you into a fine pulp."

I said ruffling up his hair.

"Heh."

He, Sonic the Hedgehog, for the first time ever, hugged me.

"Thanks sis."

He buried his face in my shirt and cried.

Shadow stepped in quietly.

He smiled at me.

I smiled back.

"You're welcome lil' bro."