CHAPTER 4

A hand rested on Shadow's shoulder. He turned his head to see who it was. It turned out to be the blond Master from the Council Chamber.

"Master Robitnick!" the black hedgehog exclaimed.

"Shadow, may I have a word with you in private?" the woman, Maria to her Padawans, requested.

"Oh, of course," Shadows agreed, letting go of Sonic's throat.

"Come with me then." she pointed toward her chambers.

Curious, Shadow followed.

Once they were inside Maria's sunlit room the black hedgehog had to ask. "What is it that you want to speak with me about, master Robotnick?"

"Please just call me Maria," the blond master requested.

Shadow hesitated. He'd often been told that refering to the Masters by their first name was disrespectful but then again she'd asked him to call her that so it must be okay. "All right," he agreed.

Maria poured herself a cut of tea then gave him her full attention. "Shadow," she began. "Do you remember a few years ago when you asked me how I became a Jedi master?"

He nodded. He could still remember that day. He'd just gotten his first real lightsaber and he'd gotten impatient about the rest of his training. He'd expected to become a Knight or a Master right away but he'd been told he'd have to wait a few years. He'd found Master Robotnick in the garden watering flowers awhile later and when he'd asked her how she'd become one what she'd told him made him realize it didn't come as easily as he thought it would.

"And do you remember what I told you I had to do to become one?"

He remembered her words. For some reason she'd explained it to him as if it was all a dream. He nodded again.

She smiled. "This is exactly what I ment."

He gave her a confused look. "Huh?"

"To become a Master you must go through a trial," Maria explained. "This is your trail as well as the other four's."

He asked a question that bothered him every once in awhile. "But what if I'm not ready?"

She set her tea down on a small table and walked over to him. She knelt down and put her hands on his shoulders. "You will be ready," she said gently. "Trust me. When the time comes you'll know what to do. You have the power right there inside of you."

He gave her a startled look. "What do you mean?" he wanted to know.

Maira didn't answer. She just stood up and headed over to the door. "I think you'd better go join your friends now," she adviced then added. "Oh and Shadow."

He'd already been heading toward the door but her voice stopped him. He looked back at the Master. "Yes, Maria?"

"Stop threatening the rest of the apprentises," she adviced with authority. "If you keep that up you know you'll fall to the dark side. Remember that."

He nodded slowly. "I'll remember and thanks," he agreed. "I promise to do my best."

She smled again. "I know you will, Shadow."

00000

"So what did she want to talk to you about?" Rouge asked when Shadow stepped out of Maria's chamber. She'd been leaning against the wall waiting for him to come out.

He looked at her and shook his head. "Like I'd tell you."

She stared at him. She remembered Shadow telling Espio Rio once that he had a deep affection for Master Robotnick. Maybe they'd spoken about something private and none of her business. If so, she had no right to pry. "Okay," she said backing away, "Sorry."

Shadow didn't want to discuss it anymore. "C'mon," he said grabbing her arm. "Let's get to the ship before Sonic can crack any stupid jokes about us being late."

The bat shook her head. Shadow and Sonic would never be friends. She wasn't going to comment thought even though she wanted to. She just let him lead her down the hall.

000

Knuckles was already waiting for them when they arrived. Immediately the black hedgehog noticed something. Only two other Padawans were there. Someone was missing and he knew right away who it was. "Where is Sonic?" he asked.

"He's probably with Rose," Knuckles said chuckling.

"Amy Rose!" Rougr gasped then slapped her forehead. "Oh no! Not Amy. I will never understand he. Jedi aren't suppost to be so passionate like that around each other even if they like someone." When she said this she glanced at Shadow who didn't notice.

"Look who's talking," Espio muttered as he walked past them.

"What is that suppost to mean?" the bat Jedi Padawan demanded the chameleon.

Espio looked over his shoulder at her. He looked like he wated to make some sort of remark then reigned himself. He shook his head. "Nevermind," was all she got from him.

Shadow folded his arms. "Amy has to learn to keep her emotions to herself," he commented.

Knuckled nodded with agreement. "We'll just have to wait a bit longer to leave then," he said knowing full well that with Amy it would take Sonic at least an hour to get way from her before he could leave.

Shadow was impatient. "We don't have time for this," he exclaimed totally annoyed at the delay. "I'm going to find him and tell him to get his butt over here!"

Then he stalked off muttering dark threats to himself.

00000000000

"Sonic, are you really going on a mission?" Jedi Padawan Amy Rose asked Sonic as she followed him down the hall.

"Yes," he told her, half ignoring and half paying attention to the pink hedgehog. "Shadow, Espio, Tikal, Rouge, and I are going to Macoo to check out some Sith activity that is rumored to be there."

"Really?" Amy asked, totally interested. "Why wasn't I chosen to come?"

"I don't know," the blue hedgehog replied. "You'll have to ask the Council."

"But the Council is full of old fussys," she protested. "They never answer any of my questions. You ask them something and they never tell you anything. It's real annoying at times."

"That's not my-"

"Sonic!"

Sonic turned his attention away from Amy. Someone was making their way toward them.

Shadow stormed down the hall toward them. "There you are!" he shouted putting his hands on his hips and glaring at the blue hedgehog. "We've been waiting for you at the ship."

"Well sorry," Sonic apologized. "I got distracted."

Shadow folded his arms. "You can tell your girlfriend all about it when we get back," he snarled, looking from one hedgehog to the other.

Sonic looked like he wanted to argue then changed his mind. "Fine." he shot back. He glanced at Amy who was clinging to his arm. "I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"I'll be waiting for you," she said all starry eyed.

Shadow rolled his eyes. 'Let's go," he urgued, eager to get going.

"All right! All right!"

He shook his arm and Amy let him go. "Bye Amy," he said.

"Bye, Sonikku," she cooed as she watched the two hedgehogs retreat down the hall.

000000

"So you found him after all," Rouge commented when she saw Shadow walking toward the ship with Sonic in toe.

"Yes, I did," Shadow replied glaring over his shoulder at Sonic. "Now we can leave."

The bat nodded with agreement. She ran inside the ship to let the others know.

One everyone was on the ship Knuckles turned around in the pilots chair and faced them all. He had a few things to say to these first time space travelers before they took off. Helpful and important advice. "I'm not sure if any of you have ever been on a star cruiser before," he began. He saw them shake their heads. "So I'll just inform you on a few things. Actually one thing. Stay away from the hatches. If you get too close to them they'll open and suck you out."

"Aye aye, C'pan," Sonic saluted grinning.

Knuckles rolled his eyes and turned his swivled his chair back to the controls. "And please sit down so we can take off," he ordered. "That means you, Kurmasue!"

"All right, I'll sit down," Sonic said taking a seat.

"Okay now that everyone is seated let's get out of here," the echidna said pressing some buttons. "Okay we are now launching."

The engines came to life and the ship rose into the air. The thrusters activated and the ship shot out of the atmosphere.

A/N

Sorry it takes so long to update I'm trying to finish other fics. :sweatdrop: I'll probably update this sooner from now on. I'll also try to come up with a sequal idea for the Sonic X fanfic you people liked so much. Anyway I recently got Shadow the Hedgehog for my birthday so maybe I'll add Black Doom in the story somehow. Maybe he can be Eggman's Master or something...