Chapter 11

"Owww, my head," Maria groaned, her eyes slowly starting to flutter open, trying to get used to the dim lighting.

"Why is it so dark in here?" she thought pushing herself off the floor to get a better look at her surroundings, making out five other figures starting to get up with her.

"To whoever ran me over with a truck, that was rude man," Sonic groaned.

"That's one way to describe being tranquillized," Rouge chuckled softly.

"Why are you with us?" Maria asked. Rouge just rolled her eyes.

"I listened to Shadow the Hedgehog to find Maria Robotnik and look where it's gotten me," Rouge scoffed.

"Why are we not Earth anymore?" Tails asked. No one had noticed that he walked over the giant window. They all ran over and looked down to see the planet under them.

"Huh. So the Earth is blow us," Sonic stated.

"I forgot on how big it actually is," Amy said, admiring the planet.

"That would explain why it's so dark here," Tails murmured to himself.

"Tikal and Chaos are going to murder me," Knuckles groaned. Rouge smirked at him.

"It's not like you watch the Master Emerald often anyways."

"Watch your tongue bat."

Maria ignored the argument that was ensuing and turned her focus to the wall behind her. She walked over to it as if it was calling to her. It looked oddly familiar, like she had seen them before in foggy memories of old. She ran her hand across it, the smooth texture feeling like it was leading her somewhere.

To which it did.

Her hand stopped on a small hole in the wall. It would almost seem insignificant to most, but to Maria, it opened up a floodgate of memories. The sounds of screaming and shots being fired, the sight of blood being splattered on such surfaces like the wall in front of her or pooling on the floor around residents who had been gunned down.

Maria retracted her hand quickly away from the wall like it was vile. She covered her mouth, trying to smother whatever noise that came out of her mouth. Her eyes wide as dinner plates, tears spilling, rolling down her cheeks as the others came running to her to see what had happened.

"Are you okay?" Amy asked. All Maria could do was shake her head. Rouge walked over to the wall in question and felt the small hole in it. She looked back over at Maria, pieces of the puzzle clicking in.

"Maria," she said firmly. Maria looked at the bat, "the hole in the wall, was that made by a gunshot?"

Maria nodded.

"Maria. Do you know where we are?" Rouge asked. Maria just closed her eyes and nodded again.

"We're on the ARK," Sonic said out of realization.

It was at that point that Maria had reached her breaking point and sobbed uncontrollably. Amy held her shoulder, rubbing her back in an attempt to try to calm her down.

"Right," Rouge sighed, "I'm going to go and look if I can find a working computer in this place so I can give a piece of my mind."

"Grandpa's office had one," Maria mumbled out quietly. She had calmed enough to start talking, "I'll show you where it is."

Maria got up and started her trek out of the room with the others close behind her.

-XXX-

They had walked for a good 20 or so minutes when they ended up at a room. Maria punched in a code that she thought she had forgotten long ago and the door slid open. The room was small, crammed with all sorts of books, tools and equipment that the late professor would have needed. The computer was in a back corner of the office and Rouge went over and turned it on. It came to life groaning and whirling loudly.

"It sounds like it's seen better days, but I guess that's what happens when you haven't been turned on in 50 years," Rouge exclaimed. "I'm impressed it's still working and has a web camera. Now let's see if I can get on to the web here."

Maria smiled sadly. The room brought back so many memories of her grandfather working on all sorts of bits and bobbles in here. She over at Tails who was busy looking at the windows from an above wall.

"Is there a room up there?" He asked.

"Yeah. That was the audience room," Maria told the young fox, "It wasn't used much, and handful of times I think." She sighed.

"I remember the time he wanted everyone up there to see that he had finished the Ultimate Lifeform Project, or Project Shadow as it was called afterwards. No one knew he would be violent when he woke so everyone was in that room," she chuckled softly to herself.

"I didn't know and went into this room thinking that Grandpa was here and was greeted by alarmed and confused hedgehog. I said hello to him, told him my name and asked him if he had seen my Grandpa. I think he tried to speak but just ended up coughing out the fluid that was in was for so long. I grabbed his hand and told him we were going to the kitchen and we were going to get him a glass of water to get the fluid out. He didn't really have a choice with me. Grandpa was horrified at first but then saw the connection that we had and decided that it would be more of a benefit for him to experience human life for him to have better understanding. It wasn't until the end of the first week of him being out that he got his name. Salem, who was the chef up here should take all the credit for it. He watched us walk around and talk that entire week and told me that my shadow was following me around and it just stuck with him."

"Wait wait wait. Let me get this straight," Sonic stammered out, "the whole reason WHY he's called Shadow is because followed you around like a shadow?"

"Well when you put it in those terms, it sounds dumb," Maria giggled, "but yes, that's why he was named Shadow and why the Ultimate Lifeform Project was called Project Shadow."

"Lt. Saunders here. How can I-Agent Rouge?! How did you-?

"Looks like security isn't as good as it should be if this old dusty computer can handle hacking in," Rouge said, smirking the whole time, "you guys should looking into that instead of looking for someone."

"Rouge I don't have the time for this," Nokia snapped.

"Oh but yes you do, and first thing you're doing is apologizing to her," Rouge said, pointing over to Maria who had just came over after hearing the commotion. She sat down beside that bat.

"Maria, look I-"

"You knew," Maria started, her voice shaky, "You knew he was alive."

"Maria, please, we can talk about this-"

"NO! We are talking about this now!" She yelled, anger slowly starting to take over, and she had every right to be angry.

"Okay," Nokia sighed deeply, "Get it all out so I can talk."

"How long..."Maria started before taking deep breath in to try to calm her down, "How long did you know?"

"Longer than she should of," Rouge answered not giving Nokia the chance, "She's been our go to for every mission we've done since I got Shadow to join up."

"I've known since before you woke up," Nokia added in, her gaze looking down towards the ground, "As soon as you woke up and I became your caretaker, the commander ordered me to never bring up anything about your grandfather, the colony itself or Project Shadow. If I were to disobey, I would be let go of my position and you would have been taken away to who knows where. Rouge fell under my command so when she got the hedgehog to join, I started lying to the both of you," she sighed looking up to Maria.

"I never wanted to lie to you. I've always wanted to tell you the truth and I'm sorry I wasn't able to."

"You did though," Maria said, "The last phone call before you left to go the office..."

"...you listened in," Nokia said, pieces clicking together, "No wonder I haven't been able to find that phone." she sighed.

"Right, now for further detailing. In the kitchen area there is enough food that will last you guys 3 days..."

"1 if Sonic's cooking," Tails muttered to himself quietly so no one could hear him.

"...and some extra clothes for you Maria. Afterwards I'll have someone come back up to the ARK and most likely do a food restock," Nokia looked up again to see everyone's face staring back at her.

"But-"

"No buts Maria. I need to keep you in a safe place and there's no where safer than the ARK right now until I get my team to find the Ultimate Lifeform and bring him back without the commander knowing. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," Maria muttered.

"Don't give me attitude," Nokia sternly said glaring at Maria. She turned to Rouge.

"Keep an eye on her."

"Will do," the bat smirked.

"Right. I need to go get some stuff done. We'll talk later."

And with that, the called had ended. The 6 of the them all looked each other, all having the same question on their minds.

"So...what do we do now?" Sonic finally being the one to ask.

-XXX-

AN: When inspiration hits, it hits like a truck for me and I'm glad to have another chapter out so quick!

Thanks for reading!

-Darko's Moonlight