11. What Memories Real?

Shadow went back to the observation room, not really knowing why. Alarms had started blaring shortly after he left the control room, and the ARK had lurched oddly, as if its stabilizing units had hiccuped. He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against the window. I've done it, what I had to do. I've known since I woke up in this time that this was what I had to do. So why does it feel like I've just made the biggest mistake in my life?

He jerked his head up as a very familiar voice came on the PA system, overriding the alarms. "Professor?" he barely breathed. As he turned he spotted the small monitor on one wall and felt an almost physical shock as he saw Professor Gerald Robotnik, chained to a chair, on the screen.

"This is a death sentence for every human being on Earth," said the man on the screen. "If my calculations are correct, the Space Colony ARK will impact the Earth in twenty-seven minutes, twenty-three seconds. All of you will be destroyed, along with your beloved planet Earth."

Shadow stared at the monitor. The Earth– the Professor plans to hit the planet with the ARK? I have to stop– But as soon as he tried to take a step back towards the control room, he was unable to. The plan had to be carried out to completion; he'd come too far to stop now.

"I plan to give you 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!"

Another voice from off-screen: "Is there anything else you want to say?"

"No..." was the professor's reply.

"Ready!!" the off-screen voice again. And then the recording looped back to the beginning, with Gerald announcing the death sentence again.

Shadow realized he wanted this to happen; shoving the anticipation away, he again tried to return to the control room, and again found himself unable to take a step. As Gerald announced the Earth's imminent destruction yet again, he shook his head, frustrated by his inability to act. It wasn't like a physical barrier he could push against, it was just...he lost interest in preventing the disaster and actually looked forward to it - until the recording reminded him what was going on. He changed tactics, reaching for the Chaos Emeralds - and flinched back. The power they were generating was incredible, he couldn't interrupt them. Why Professor? his mind cried. You always wanted to help people! Then he remembered a private chat, when he'd first asked Gerald about Maria's illness. 'Maria is my life,' the elderly researcher had said. He must have gone mad when she died. But why did he drag ME into this? But he knew, really. Because someone had to collect the Chaos Emeralds. Because GUN obviously made the recording, so they'd know what he was planning - that must be why they closed the ARK up. Because he needed to bait a trap so someone else would use the cannon.

What had Rouge said? Hypnotism was similar to flash-training, and both had darker purposes. He had come across that in his rather brief researches since then, as well. Certainly GUN had both flash-training units and deep-cover operatives, and the stasis capsules were commonly used to deliver such training. He must have done something to me after he put me back in stasis. He must have...told me I had to do this. The image of him running down the corridor with Maria flashed in his mind again - and this time he recognized the angle.

Shadow groaned aloud. It's the security camera in the hall, right there! He could have seen it if his eyes had been open. And the other scenes in the lab, those are from the lab security camera. But it DID happen, why couldn't he let my OWN memories remind me?

Because he couldn't access them? Because...he needed to link the images to the compulsion? Because... Shadows eyes flicked open, though he stared unseeing across the room. Because I promised Maria something else!

It was the right answer, he knew it - but what had he promised? Hypnotism can't make you act against your nature. You do things you wouldn't do, not things you can't do. I can't let all those people die! He tried again to return to the control room and made all of two steps before the compulsion locked down, stronger than ever. Revenge for Maria and everyone on the ARK was at hand; the people of Earth would know their own terror and grief. No! This isn't me!

And then the pink hedgehog ran into the room. "Shadow, we need you! Please help us!" she begged.

"It's all going according to plan," the black hedgehog replied smoothly, though internally he fought against every word. "There's no reason for me to help them. Besides, there's no way to save anyone." The last sentence - only the last sentence - did come from his heart. He couldn't even save himself from this compulsion, so how could he possibly help anyone else?

But she didn't give up. "There has to be! I know that people fight over the most trivial things. Some people may be selfish, like the professor said...but they're basically good, if they try their best and never give up on their wishes. They always have a reason to be happy; that's why you should help them out! Saving them is a good thing! Shadow, I beg you, please do it for them! Give them a chance!"

Shadow trembled slightly, as her words triggered the memory he'd struggled for.

He stared out through the capsule's clear side, desperately. The blonde girl sprawled on the floor - so close! - but out of reach. She shook her head slightly, gasping for breath. "Shadow...I beg of you... Please, do it for me...for a better future..."

"Maria!" He had to get out, he had to get the door open to help her!

"...for all the people who live on that planet..." Her voice was fading, but her eyes burned brighter than he could ever remember seeing them - this was that important to her, "...give them a chance to be happy. Let them live for their dreams. Shadow, I know you can do it. That's the reason that you were brought into this world. Sayonara, Shadow the hedgehog."

His eyes were stinging again. "That's what I've promised her... I must keep that promise... That's what Maria wished for..." His voice was barely audible, and a thin, hot line of moisture trickled down one cheek.

"Shadow?" The pink hedgehog looked concerned for him this time.

"I gotta go now. I have to keep my promise to Maria - and to you." He spun towards the door and felt the compulsion try to stop him again - but he pulled Maria's memory, his own memory of her, up like a shield... and... this time he felt the compulsion break. He took a step, and another and then he was into the corridor and picking up speed as he raced for the lift, not headed up to the cannon's control room this time, but down to the vast cavern that held the shrine - and the Biolizard.

Feeling a sudden surge of dread he reached and found the life support system; the Chaos drives that powered it were surging with energy. He opened his eyes as the lift reached him. "She's not in stasis anymore," he whispered.

The door slid open to reveal two dokan silhouetted against a plethora of Gerald's images all chanting in unison, "...will feel my loss, and despair!" Even as Shadow stepped out of the lift there was a surge in the Chaos energy above him and the Biolizard, awake and furious, dropped from her 'storage' site near the cave's ceiling. Swinging inexorably toward Sonic the Hedgehog and the red dokan who was with him, she bellowed out her rage.

Shadow moved to join the other two, overhearing the red one saying"...prototype of the Ultimate Life-form that was supposed to be encapsulated?"

There was no time for explanation, he could feel the shifts in the Chaos drives that signaled that Biolizard was preparing to strike. "Leave this one to me," he said shortly as he continued past the pair.

"Shadow, what're you doing!?" That had to be Sonic.

The black hedgehog stared at the prototype, who was still getting her bearings, and looked over his shoulder at the others. "I'll take care of this, while you run to get the Chaos Emeralds!!" There was no other reason for them to be down here, after all and he could feel that the red one was carrying... something that was related to the Chaos Emeralds, but different. He turned back to the Biolizard as the other two ran for the shrine.