Chris and Gerald Robotnik walked down the halls of the ARK.
"And that's what happened." Chris looked up at the scientist, expecting a look of mocking shock. He was rather surprised when he saw the professor having a thoughtful look on his face.
"So…you traveled back in time…from fifty years into the future…" Chris nodded. Gerald continued, "I've always dreamed about time travel. What's the Earth like now?"
Chris replied, "It's great. There are televisions, telephones, microwaves, telescopes…"
A sigh escaped Gerald. "It sounds great. I wish Maria could go down there."
Chris looked at Gerald, turning his head sharply, "M-Maria?"
Gerald looked at him in question, "My grand-daughter. She has a disease so she can't go down there. Why do you look so pale?"
Chris laughed and said, "No reason." Beginning again, he asked quietly, "What's wrong with her?" Gerald sighed, "She has a blood clot, close to her lungs. She could barely breathe and she gets tired easily. Sometimes she passes out. I face a lot of terror when it comes to my grand-daughter."
Chris looked down and whispered, "I hope she gets better." He felt Gerald's hand rest on his shoulder. "Thanks son."
Both walked in silence for a little while. Chris looked out at the stars, feeling a sense of deja-vu. He remembered that Shadow the Hedgehog took him here a few months ago, rescuing him from Prison Island.
Shadow…
Suddenly footsteps came running toward them.
"Grandfather! Grandfather!" A young girl with long blonde hair and blue eyes ran toward them. She was wearing a sky-blue dress and white high heels. A blue headband was in her hair.
"I was playing with Shadow, but he used his Chaos Control and I can't find him. I…" Suddenly she stopped, noticing Chris who had edged behind her grandfather.
Her gaze still fixed on Chris, she asked, "Grandfather, who's this? Is he another one of your experiments?"
Chris narrowed his eyes on her and said, a little sternly, "I am not an experiment."
Gerald lightly chuckled and, wrapping an arm around Chris's shoulders, replied, "No. This is Chris Thorndyke. I found him in one of the halls."
Maria looked at Chris, and asked, "Are you okay?" Chris nodded. Maria continued, face a little shy, "Do you want to see Earth with me?"
Chris nodded again, feeling a little weird. Maria Robotnik was standing right in front of him!
Maria brightened, grasped Chris's wrist and dragged him into the main room.