Apprehension. I was racked with the apprehension of one so close to his dream only to be rudely torn away. All trouble would soon be over, because I had gotten the Professor, and all would be well. I walked in on the Professor tinkering and toying with Maria's capsule.

"Any progress, Professor?"

"No, Shadow, I'm afraid not," Prof. Gerald said, "There is something wrong with the liquid nitrogen intake valve. It won't turn off, and I fear if I just unplug it, then she could die. The machines keeping her vital organs working are practically hard-wired into the valve. I fear we may not be able to save her."

"That is not an option, Professor," I said, "We must save her. Is there nothing you can do? Anything I can do?"

The Professor sat thinking for a while, weighing the options. I saw his face working; obviously this seriously concerned him. We sat for a while, him thinking, me hoping there was something that could be done. Finally, after what had seemed an eternity, he answered.

"I believe," he said soberly and haltingly, "if we melted her very quickly that there is a chance she could survive."

"But…?" I knew he was holding something back.

"But," he said, "there is a thirty percent chance that she won't make it. Besides, we have to find a way to quickly melt the ice."

"Couldn't we build a giant microwave?" I asked. "That would work, right?"

"I don't think it will. One, it will not melt the ice fast enough. Second, humans weren't built to take in microwaves in amounts that large. We need to think of a way to thaw her without hurting her. We could cover the ice in salt, have it start melting, and then bombard her with heat that would melt ice but just be hot only to the body, but how?"

The Professor started pacing back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, it seemed ages before he cried, "I think I've got it! All that's needed is—"

As if on cue, six GUN soldiers broke into the chamber, their guns trained on the Professor and me, while one of them was yelling to get down. The Professor yelled, "Get out of here, Shadow, go now!"

"I…I can't! Not without you!"

"Shadow, do as I say! Go now!"

With tears in my eyes, I fled for the first time in my life. I left the Professor to those monsters. What else could I do? I wasn't about to break the promise between Maria and myself, and the soldiers didn't look ready to talk, so I turned tail and ran. Faster than I would ever run before. I ran like a little sissy, away from danger. I Chaos Controlled to the ARK, and I went into my room and cried. How could I do this to Maria?

I know I promised not to harm another living being, but that was a promise that I couldn't keep right now. I had to save Maria and the Professor. I gathered the six Chaos Emeralds I had stowed upon the ARK and went in search of the last one.

To my misfortune, Sonic had it.

"Hey, Shadow, long time no see! What's up?"

"Nothing that concerns you. I need your Chaos Emerald."

"I dunno," Sonic said sarcastically, "I mean we are talking about a Chaos Emerald. Why would I give it to you?"

"Sonic, do not get on my nerves today. If you want to annoy someone go talk to Knuckles. Just give me the emerald!"

"Geez, what's got you so angry?"

I realized that I was overreacting a little. I took a deep breath and told Sonic what had happened so far, and he understood.

"Well," Sonic said, "what are you waiting for? Maria and the Professor need you!"

"I'm waiting for your Emerald." I patiently held out my hand.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot. Here, take it and go! Hurry!"

I took the last Chaos Emerald, completing my set making it a perfect seven. Seven jewels containing the ultimate power, and they were mine. Sort of fitting, I suppose. Seven ultimate gems for the Ultimate Life-Form. As I took that last emerald, I used the Chaos Control to teleport to the prison where the Professor was held.

As soon as I arrived, guards surrounded me, as if they expected me to show up. Fine. If it's a fight they want, it's a fight they'll get. I started punching, kicking, and spin dashing into the GUN soldiers until they were all gone. Sure, I had taken some hits, but they were nothing compared to the pain that I had felt losing Maria. Every cut, every bruise was worth it.

"Shadow…" I heard the Professor say, "what have you done?"

"Nothing they wouldn't have done to me. Come on, I may have found a way to free Maria."

… … …

"Alright, Shadow, go for it."

I prepared to change into my super form. I could transport her out as the regular me, but some of the surrounding ice would come with her. Only Hyper Shadow had the precision to get her out safely.

The Chaos Emeralds swirled around me, faster and faster in a beautiful swirl of color until I felt a power surge through me I had felt only a few times in my life. My quills turned to silver, the Chaos Emeralds disappeared, and I was ready. I held my hand forward, fingers pointing to Maria, and I uttered the one phrase that would solve this mess.

"Chaos Control!"

Yeah! How was that? Was it good? Did it suck? Let me know! See that little button down and to the left? It says 'GO', and that means that you can send me a message through the magic of technology! Anyway, I am kind of stuck. Is this where it should end or should I write one more chapter? If I write one more chapter, what should it contain? If you don't include this in your review, I'll reply to you and ask, and it would be just rude not to reply, and you wouldn't want to be rude, would you?

Happy Spelling,

Wizard Typist