"What in the world!" Maya Eva exclaimed as the Space Colony started shaking rapidly. And as soon as it had begun, it stopped.
"…okay…" Lee muttered.
There was a moment of silence before Darkness said, "SH! Someone's coming!"
Everyone looked to see Rouge the Bat land in front of them. "It's all over for us…" she informed.
"…come again?" Shani asked.
"I just received word from my boss…the space colony, ARK, is falling at a great velocity…" the bat continued.
"What does velocity mean?" Shani whispered to Maya Eva.
The teal echidna shrugged, and continued to listen to what Rouge had to say.
"…it probably…will….impact earth!" she ended.
Everyone stared at the bat with unbelieving faces.
"You've GOT to be kidding me!" Shani blurted, exchanging glances with Maya Eva.
"I'm afraid I'm not…" Rouge stated sadly.
"Hey, what's that?" Amy exclaimed, pointing to the screen that was behind them.
Jet gasped. "….Gerald Robotnik…" she whispered, and the clip began.
"This is a death sentence to all you humans on earth. If my calculations are correct, the space colony ARK will collide with earth in 27 minutes and 53 seconds. All of you shall be destroyed, along with your beloved planet earth!" the professor stated.
"No…" MJ whispered. She couldn't believe it.
"…I plan to give you all a taste of my revenge, once all the seven chaos emeralds are collected. Once I initiate this program, it cannot be disabled. All of you ungrateful humans, who took everything away from me, will feel my loss and despair!"
"Is there anything else you want to say?" asked someone on the clip.
"No," Gerald Robotnik replied.
"READY!" and the clip ended.
"What's going on here? Who was that?" Amy asked.
Just then, the colony shook once more.
"The vibrations are getting worse!" Mira exclaimed.
"Professor Gerald Robotnik…" everyone turned to see the mad scientist's grandson. "…one of the greatest scientists of all time—and my grandfather!"
"What?" Knuckles asked, and then it struck him. "I knew it! You stop this right now, or else--!"
"I would've done this a long time ago if I had the chance," Eggman replied.
"What do you mean?"
Everyone turned to see Sonic and Jet step forward.
"Hmm…you're pretty persistent for a hedgehog, aren't you? And….you…thing. You're still alive, huh?" Eggman exclaimed.
Jet laughed. "Just letting Knuckles pilot the shuttle was more dangerous than you could EVER be!" she retorted.
Silence fell over everyone, until Eggman handed out an old book.
"What's this?" MJ asked, accepting it into her palm.
"It's my grandfather's diary," Eggman explained as the seal put it into the slot, and began reading what it said…
"I don't quite know what happened, or what went wrong. Was it a mistake to create the ultimate life form? I thought it would be something that would benefit mankind…but then the military guards landed on the space colony that day. They were sent to destroy the research project I had been working on. My colleagues at the research facility…my granddaughter, Maria…I hope you are all safe…"
At that moment, Gerald Robotnik's voice began to speak, along with MJ's.
"The colony was completely shut down, probably to prevent the prototype from falling into the wrong hands," they said together, and then MJ let the professor speak the rest.
"The ARK was shut down under the premise that there had been an accident. I found Maria's name among those who died when the ARK was shut down. She meant everything to me! And I couldn't bear the thought that she died because of my research! I lost everything! I had nothing more to live for! I went insane! All I could think about was to avenge her somehow, someway. I got scared as I no longer was able to control my thoughts. All I could think about was that I wanted it all to end. Based on my original projections, I was able to complete my project 'Shadow'. I designed its mind to be perfect, pure... I will leave everything, to him. If you wish, release and awaken it…"
"…if you wish to fill the world with destruction," MJ finished.
"So THAT'S why you released Shadow from the base!" Rouge concluded.
"The Canon's core is now highly reactive and explosive!" Eggman announced. Jet could sense that the scientist wanted to change the subject.
"That's because the energy of the chaos emeralds are overpowered!" Lee informed.
Eggman nodded, and said, "And now, the colony ARK will crash into earth, just like my grandfather predicted. That mad scientist!"
"That should be you, right?" Amy inquired, half-joking.
"We have to stop the space colony NOW!" Krystal exclaimed.
"The ARK's position may have shifted due to the amount of energy the chaos emeralds are giving! We have to stop the energy!" Darkness announced.
"But…how?" Tails questioned. Everyone thought a moment.
"THAT'S IT!" Maya Eva exclaimed suddenly. "Knuckles, we have to use your emerald!"
"What--?"
"Don't you know? The master emerald has the power to stop the chaos emeralds!" the teal echidna informed.
"You're right…" Knuckles said, bringing the green jewel out for everyone to see. "If I can get the master emerald over there, I just might be able to stop the energy!"
"Guys…I think I have bad news…" Tails informed. Everyone turned to the yellow fox.
"Define 'bad news'," Lee gulped.
"I don't think saving OUR world is all that we are going to do…" Tails said slowly.
"What do you mean?" Darkness asked.
Eggman caught onto what Tails was saying. "I think he means….we're also saving YOUR guys' earth as well…"
"WHAT!" Shani yelled.
"How?" Maya Eva asked.
"Because you guys are here…there is a disturbance in the veil between our dimension and your dimension…it's the same earth, just different sides. And…if our side gets destroyed…"
"…then our earth will be destroyed as well," Jet finished. Tails nodded.
"SNAP!" Shani exclaimed.
"Now we REALLY have to stop the energy!" Krystal informed.
"The energy of the chaos emeralds is moving to the core! It may be too late!" Mira exclaimed, watching the screen.
"There may be some time left—IF we pull together!" Eggman said.
A moment of silence settled over everyone. Working…together? For some, it was a great idea. For others…
"No worries! Just leave it to me! I'm the world's fastest hedgehog!" Sonic announced, giving a thumbs-up.
"Then, let's get to work!" Eggman's reply made some feel uneasy.
"Count me in!" Jet announced, sticking her hand out.
"Me too!" Shani laid hers on top of the brown animal's.
"If Shani's in, I'm in," Maya Eva informed, joining the hand-stack.
"Me four!" Lee replied.
"Me five," Tails said.
"Six," Rouge.
"Seven," Knuckles.
"Eight," Mira.
"Nine," Darkness.
"Ten," Eggman.
"And I guess that makes me eleven!" Sonic announced, placing his hand over the rest.
MJ, Krystal and Amy exchanged glances. Looked like they didn't get to have a say in if they were in or out…
"All right, then here is what we do…" and the ten other heroes listened as Eggman revealed his plan….
……..
"You ready, Lee?" Tails asked the person behind him.
"Ready as I'll ever be!" the fox exclaimed, and the two burst through the first door.
Robots were waiting for them, and they easily shot them down.
"Take that, you evil…thingies!" Lee exclaimed, firing at them.
Tails made a strange face. "Thingies?"
"Oh, whatever! We don't have time to be making our normal jokes! We have a world to save!" Lee said, and with that, he shot down the next door.
Tails smiled. Those words were music to his ears. Saving the world…one would consider it a very difficult and heavy job, but to him…it was more like an exciting movie that had him in it.
They shot down more robots that came their way.
"Okay…this just feels weird, Lee. We HAVE to make some jokes!" Tails finally admitted, while shooting down a robot.
"Yeah…I guess you're right…" Lee smiled, and shot down a door. "Adios, amigos!"
Tails laughed. "THAT'S more like it!" he exclaimed, and continued firing.
They shot down the next door, and gawked at what was in front of them.
"Um…Lee? Any suggestions?" Tails asked.
"Yeah, I got one. Aim for the little black ball with yellow cords around it," Lee informed, and Tails did so. At that moment, the whole room froze, and the lasers were gone.
"Whoa…" the fox mumbled.
"MOVE IT! We don't have much time before it come back to normal again!" Lee exclaimed.
"Oh, okay!"
Tails then directed the TORNADO towards a side, and jumped up on top of the platform in front of them, just when time went back.
"Oh…snap…" Lee muttered as three robots jumped in front of them.
"Lee! Our power is running low!" Tails shouted.
"Hurry! Let's shoot down these losers, and bust through the security door!" Lee replied, and the dynamic duo then worked together to shoot the robots down, before striking the door.
Once through, they could hear everyone cheering from their communicator.
"Great work, you two!" Eggman's voice came though.
Tails looked at Lee and smiled. "We really do make a great team, don't we?"
Lee smirked. "You bet."
…….
"All right, Mira. Now it's our turn!" Eggman announced to the half-robot, half-hedgehog beside him. The girl gave a thumbs-up before they set off.
"Okay, you bozos! It's time you learned your lesson!" Mira exclaimed, liking the blasters she had on her robotic arms.
Eggman only laughed.
The two shot some more robots, and continued.
"Mira, hang on to my walker!" Eggman announced, and the girl did so. Then, he jumped, and made his way slowly down to the platforms below.
"Die, die, die!" Mira said, firing at the explosives on the door in front.
They came through, and found more robots.
"I hate to ask…but will they give up?" Mira wondered.
"I'm afraid not…" Eggman replied, shooting the last one down.
As they made their way through, they came across new robots, and familiar robots, which only amazed Mira. They had so many weapons on the ARK…it was no wonder they shut it down! If it fell into the wrong hands (which it did), then it would cause complete havoc! …just like now.
"Mira, hurry!" Eggman cried, after shooting a familiar black ball with yellow cords.
The half-robot half-hedgehog shook her head out of her thoughts, and looked ahead. They were in what she considered one of the most difficult rooms. There was lava all around them, and the only way to get across was by jumping from black block to black block.
"HURRY!" Eggman cried, and jumped.
Mira nodded, and did the same, following a different route. She jumped, and jumped, listening to the beeping of the black ball. If it picked up pace, then the room would go back to normal, and there would be half-hedgehog half-robot stew tonight. But if she could make it over before then, then they could continue their mission!
Finally, she made it across, and looked behind her. "EGGMAN!" she called. As if in answer to her, the scientist just made it over when the room resumed.
"Phew, that was close!" he exclaimed, walking through the security door in front of them.
Mira chuckled. "You mind telling me!" She then said into their communicator, "Rouge! Darkness! Your turn!"
……….
"Now…where is that switch?" Rouge asked, after hearing the 'go' from Mira.
"Which switch? The big one in the middle? Or the one that opens the cage?" Darkness replied.
"The one that opens the cage…" the bat answered, looking around.
"Well…someone in this room might know," Darkness started, giving her own feminine charm.
"You sayin' something?" Rouge asked.
"Mmmm…maybe," the black hedgehog smiled.
Rouge narrowed her eyes. "You learned that from me, didn't you?"
"Mmmm…maybe," was all her partner said.
Rouge rolled her eyes. "Well, if that's the way you wanna be, then I guess we'll never find that switch…" she smiled, showing her charm.
Darkness sighed. "Fine…but you're going to have to stay right beside me, or else you might get squished!" With that, she burst off toward a waterfall of weird orange-red liquid.
"Hey, wait!" Rouge called, and flew after.
"Follow me!" Darkness exclaimed, and jumped through the waterfall.
Rouge rolled her eyes and did as told.
"Now…here is where you need to stay close to me…" Darkness said, and walked over to the side wall in front and began climbing.
Rouge followed with ease.
"Where's the switch?" the bat asked.
"You see that huge block?" Darkness dared to let go with one hand and pointed in the direction of the constant-moving box behind them.
Rouge nodded.
"It's behind there. We need to get the box to stop out here, so we can get inside. The only way to do that is to push a black ball, which will freeze time for a moment. Using that moment, we have to sneak inside," Darkness explained.
Rouge nodded, but then said, "Darkness…you might have to go in there alone."
"What do you mean?" the black hedgehog asked.
"When I push the ball, you rush inside. With your speed, you should zip in, push the switch, and zip out before I have to push it twice," Rouge informed.
Darkness thought a moment, and then nodded. "It's risky…but it would take less time. Let's do it!"
Rouge smiled, and grabbed the hedgehog's hand as she glided over. Now on the opposite wall, Darkness climbed to the side of the hole where the black block slid in and out. Rouge climbed lower, and stayed below the hole and near the black ball, ready to push it at the right moment.
The bat's green eyes watched the box intently. In and….Rouge pushed the button.
"GO!" Rouge yelled, and in a flash of light, Darkness ran inside.
Rouge only had to wait for a few seconds, for then Darkness ran back, and made it safely on the wall.
"Did you do it?" Rouge asked. The hedgehog nodded.
"All right! Now let's get back!" she praised, and grabbed Darkness's hand once more as she glided out of the waterfall. To her surprise, the four cage's bars were now down, revealing the large switch.
"Together?" Darkness asked.
Rouge smiled. "Together."
Both of them then stood on top of the switch, and watched with pride as the orange-red liquid rose higher and higher…
……
"All right…Knuckles, Maya Eva, and Shani. See the security door? You need to open it. Find the switch to do so!" Eggman said over the communicator.
"Right…ready Knuckles?" Maya Eva asked the red echidna swimming in the liquid.
"You bet!" he replied.
"Ready, Shani?" Maya Eva asked.
The light blue hedgehog nodded.
"All right. With that said…DIVE, DIVE, DIVE!" Maya Eva exclaimed, and Knuckles instantly swam lower, searching for the black ball.
Where is it? he thought. He paused for a moment to see if it was nearby. He swam lower.
He smiled. Tricky, tricky, tricky… he then pushed the ball, and swam up for further instructions.
Once time stopped, Shani ran to the area behind the lasers, and did a homing-attack to get rid of the boxes below. Surprisingly, there was a bounce-pad below them, and pushed her up. There, she grabbed onto a lever, and was lifted up. She landed on the floor, and examined the area she was in.
Now where is that switch? Shani wondered. She smiled. Ah-ha! Thought you could hide, didn't you? She thought as she walked towards the white balloon. With a proud heart, she pushed it, and watched with interest as it glowed.
"All right, that's your cue, Eva! Go!" Knuckles said to the teal echidna, and she instantly swam below.
She swam over to the now-not-guarded-by-lasers tunnel, and swam through it.
Man, am I glad for Knuckles' air necklace! she thought, and continued her mission.
Once through, she saw a familiar black ball, but enemies were around. Snap! I can't attack them underwater! This is going to be harder than I thought… With that, she swiftly dodged their lasers, and pushed the black ball. Maya Eva smiled when she saw their frozen expressions, but then quickly swam through the next tunnel, using her time wisely.
Once in the next room, she dodged lasers again, and pushed the black ball. This time, it was going to be harder. She knew how the game went. The tunnel was too long to go in all at once. You'd have to quickly push the second black ball in the tunnel if you ever hoped of getting through.
She swam as fast as she could, and was able to push the second ball, but when she got passed the first set of cages, time resumed, and she was vacuumed out of the tunnel.
SNAP! she thought, realizing that every time she tried this, she was going to get more and more tired. Trying to be strong, she tried once more.
After pushing the second ball, she swam as fast as she could, and found that she barely made it into the next room. Just as she was about to celebrate, a laser struck the spot next to her. Enemies. She didn't have time to waste. She had to get out of here quick.
She quickly dodged them once more, and pushed the button. To her surprise, that was it. The security door was now open.
……….
"All right, you two! This is it! You are our last hope! We're depending on you!" Eggman said over the communicator.
"Why doesn't that give me a positive feeling?" Jet wondered as they slid down the pole.
"I dunno…doesn't give me a great feeling, either," Sonic admitted, jumping down to the platforms below.
"Snap!" Jet exclaimed, seeing the many enemies.
"No worries…" Sonic pushed the black ball in front, and the enemies froze.
"…cool!" Jet exclaimed.
"Yeah…not so cool….I'm going to have to grab you again…" Sonic said.
"…you do?" Jet looked ahead. Her friend was right. There was only one set of enemies, and in order to get both of them through, they had to do that same method.
She sighed. "Fine…"
With that said, Sonic wrapped his arm around her waist, and together they did homing-attacks one at a time until they reached the end.
"Now…continuing!" Sonic announced, and the two ran ahead, only to find some robots.
They easily knocked them down, and one door opened. They ran through, but found enemies there.
"SNAP!" it was Sonic's turn to say that.
The two waited until the robots with shields fired at them, and then knocked them down.
"All right, let me get him Jet!" Sonic was about to jump, when Jet grabbed his arm.
"WAIT!" she called.
"What? Why?" Sonic asked, having a puzzled expression.
"That enemy doesn't have a floor beneath him!" Jet pointed.
The blue hedgehog looked. She was right. There was no floor.
"Eh heh…now what?" Sonic asked.
Jet looked around, and then smiled. Omachao.
Sonic followed her gaze, and then smiled also. The two walked casually over.
"Hi! I'm Omachao! And I'm here to help you!" the robot chao greeted.
"Yes…help would be very much appreciated," Jet said, leaning over.
"Well, how can I help you?" Omachao asked.
"By this!" with that, Sonic picked the chao up, and threw it at the enemy—a perfect hit.
"I've been waiting so long to do that!" he said, and the two then continued their mission.
They knocked down more robots, and opened more doors, getting closer and closer to the core. Surprisingly, Knuckles, Maya Eva, and Shani joined them towards the end.
"What are you guys doing here?" Sonic asked, as the three accompanied them.
"I think you forgot that we have to use the Master Emerald in order to stop the chaos emeralds?" Maya Eva reminded, kicking down a robot.
Sonic didn't reply. He didn't want to admit he had forgotten, so he kept quiet.
The five continued, working together as a team. Jet and Sonic found it was a lot easier with them, and was enjoying their fun remarks as well as their own. All in all, they were doing great, and so far, it looked like both sides of earth might just live on…
………
"It isn't fair," MJ complained. "They get to go on the adventure, while we just walk around here and wait!"
"Join the club," Krystal said. "They've been doing this to me and Amy from the start!"
MJ smirked. "Well…you could say the same about me. I've had a sprained ankle from the beginning of this whole thing! They wouldn't let me in on anything they were doing."
"Yeah…but I've been through it a lot longer than you guys have! They always leave me behind while they get all the fun!" Amy announced.
They walked past an open doorway that led to the deck, and nobody but Krystal saw who was in it.
"Guys!" she called, and MJ and Amy walked back to the white hedgehog.
"What is it, Krys?" Amy asked.
"Look! It's Shadow!" Krystal pointed towards the black hedgehog.
MJ found herself staring in his direction.
"What should we do?" Amy asked.
MJ furrowed her eyebrows, gathered her strength and ran towards him.
"MJ! Wait!" Krystal called, and ran after.
Amy shrugged, and followed.
"Shadow, we need you, please help us!" MJ begged, stopping beside him.
"It's all going according to plan. There's no reason I should help them—besides, there's no way to save anyone," Shadow replied in a mono-tone.
Krystal was about to say, "Yes there is!" but, instead, she let MJ do the talking.
"Shadow…" MJ started, she looked down, then out towards earth. She sighed. "Shadow, I know some people are selfish…and some fight over the most trivial things…but deep down, they have a good heart."
"Everyone does," Krystal agreed.
Shadow said nothing.
MJ took a deep breath. "Shadow…you have to help them. If you don't….people on earth won't get a chance to fulfill their wishes. Don't you want them to be happy?"
No answer.
MJ tried once more. "Shadow…people have wishes, just like you do…"
No reaction.
MJ hesitated as she wondered if she should tell him. Finally, her mind made its decision.
"Shadow…Maria had a wish, a promise that she made to you," she said quietly.
The black hedgehog turned to look at her. "How do you know?"
"I…" MJ looked down in guilt. "I found her diary."
The seal braced herself for some yelling from him, but to her surprise, there was none. He was waiting for her to tell more.
"What was her promise?" Shadow asked.
"She promised that even if she died, that you would be able to see earth. She promised that she would make sure you could see it for yourself…and she kept it…" MJ replied sadly.
Shadow looked at earth. "Then that only confirms that I must keep my promise I made to her as well…"
MJ looked at the hedgehog in surprise. "Shadow…that's not what you promised Maria…"
"How do you know!" Shadow demanded. "You weren't there 50 years ago, so don't give me any of those excuses!"
MJ looked away. "I thought we already discussed this," she replied coldly.
Shadow looked back at earth. The seal was right. They HAD been through this talk before.
MJ slowly turned her head back around to face the ebony hedgehog. "Shadow…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound harsh…"
The hedgehog shook his head.
MJ turned 90 degrees to her right so then she could face him as she declared, "Shadow…please, I beg of you! Please help them! Give them a chance, Shadow! Please!"
In an instant, Shadow's mind went back. Back to what Maria had told him when she was about to die…
"Shadow, I beg of you…do it for me…for a better future. For all the people who live on that planet…give them a chance to be happy. Let them live their dreams, Shadow…I know you can do it. That's the reason why you were brought unto this world. Sayanora, Shadow the Hedgehog…" her melodic voice drifted through his mind.
Shadow could feel a tear escape. "That's my promise I made to her, and I have to keep it," he said.
MJ could feel a tear escape as well, and a smile spread on her face. But it wasn't one of sorrow. It was one of pride.
He shook his head, blinking away the tears. "I have to go now!" he turned to MJ. "I have to keep my promise I made to Maria—and you!" With that, he ran off.
Krystal smiled, watching him leave.
"Good job, MJ…" Amy turned around, but the seal wasn't there.
"Krystal!" Amy cried, looking around.
"What?" the white hedgehog questioned.
"Look! MJ's gone!" Amy pointed to the spot where the seal last was.
Krystal looked. Her friend was right. MJ wasn't there.
The two exchanged glances. Where did she go?
………
Sonic, Jet, Maya Eva, Knuckles and Shani ran down the path.
"Hey! Look!" Shani pointed.
"It looks like the shrine back on Angel Island!" Knuckles exclaimed.
Sonic shook his head. "They probably made it that way to harness the power of the chaos emeralds!"
They stopped running as they saw Gerald's picture once more, and his voice saying, "All of you ungrateful humans, who took everything away from me, will feel my loss and despair!" His voice echoed and bounced off the walls.
Suddenly, a bright light that almost blinded our heroes shined, enlightening the room greatly.
"Guys, here it comes!" Jet reminded, closing her eyes.
There was a roar, and then a thud, as the light dimmed.
The five looked at the giant dark red lizard in front of them with fear.
"Is this…the prototype of the ultimate life form that was supposed to be encapsulated?" Knuckles asked.
It was huge! Shani clung to Maya Eva's arm. Sure, the kids from earth had battled it many times in the video game…but this was different. This was reality. And in reality, this thing was probably more than one hundred times their size.
It roared at them, opening its mouth, and showing its teeth.
Shani and Maya Eva screamed in fear, and clung to each other.
Sonic narrowed his eyes, but then a low voice behind them said, "Leave this one to me."
They turned, and saw none other than Shadow walked past them and towards the lizard…or thing…whatever it was. The Biolizard eyed its prey with great interest.
"You mean 'us'," said another voice.
Everyone turned again. Their eyes opened wide, and even Shadow was surprised at who stepped forward.
"MJ…"
The seal took her place beside him. She gently wrapped her hand around his, and said, "Shadow, this is our fight. Our planet's life on the line. We do this together."
Shadow stared at MJ, amazed by her courage. And for the first time in a very, very long time…he smiled. He actually smiled.
"All right…" he said, and looked back at the others behind them. "We'll take care of this while you guys run to get the chaos emeralds!" With that said, Shadow and MJ turned back to face their enemy.
MJ didn't know what she had gotten herself into, but most of her didn't care. This was her fight along with Shadow's. She knew it, and she had to do it.
As the biolizard roared, though, she began to have second thoughts…