Samantha Prower
So elated, he was with the sight.
Empire City: Under Attack! The monitor said, filling him with glee. He couldn't help but to stroke his mustache. The destruction! The mayhem! The chaos! They didn't know what hit them. And all he had to thank for this, was his brilliant cousin.
The door slid open. Speak of the devil.
"IVO!" she yelled, rage and embarrassment in her voice.
"Yes, Maria dear!" he said spinning around to meet her.
They stood in the heart of Scrap Brain Zone, surrounded by nothing but steel and Badniks. Oh yeah, and Maria was naked. Again.
"Stop looking at me!" she barked, covering herself.
"Ya'know, Maria dear," he responded, turning away, "You reeeeeeeeeeaaaaaly, need to stop doing that."
"Don't you think I know that!?" she retorted, "It's that damned Chaos Control! I can't control what it does to me, only where I go!"
Her hand found her face, as she huffed with displeasure. Still, her eyes opened up, to shoot her cousin a questioning glance.
"Did you get my clothes?"
"Yes, Maria." he pointed elsewhere, "Their in your room."
"Thank you," she said, near exhausted, "You don't know how good it is to here that."
"I also got that little robot you put inside."
"Jeeves! You got Jeeves?"
"Not exactly, Madame Maria!" his polite voice called.
He flew up moments later, though he looked different. His color scheme had shifted from blue and white, to black and white, and a smile laid upon his face. Maria had to cock her head at the sight, for he looked like a completely different robot now. That voice was the same, nonetheless, however.
"I'm called Orbot now!" he stated, his voice so happy.
"Or...bot?" she repeated, confused.
"I took the time out to... rebuild him." Ivo commented, "I hope that doesn't anger you."
"Why did you change Jeeves?" she instead asked, "He was perfectly fine the way he was!"
"And perfectly G.U.N." her cousin answered, "I had to change him, or else he'd give away our position."
Well that shut her up. Still, gazing up to the black and white robot now, felt odd. It was going to take her some time to get used to the new him.
"Ah!" he suddenly let out, "It's not smart to stand around naked, Madame Maria! Come! Let me bring you to your quarters."
Once again, he produced his hands of his. Laying them on her shoulders, he lead her out of the main room. Down the hall and passed the windows, was Maria's room. It wasn't much of a room, however. Since her cousin lacked the knowledge on house guests, the room was nothing but a small area, with a cot for a bed. The blonde agent was sure her cousin had a large, grandiose room for himself, but she had never seen it. Regardless, she sat down on her cot, dropping her pistol and the red Chaos Emerald as she did so.
"Exhausted, Madame Maria?" Orbot asked, his robotic hands massaging her back.
"Kinda, Jeeves..." she answered, gazing down.
"Nah, ah, ah! Its Orbot now," he stated, "Please refrain from calling me Jeeves anymore."
"I'll call you what I want to call you, Jeeves. Deal with it."
"So prudish! Madame Maria! Still," he suddenly hugged her, "I supposed that's why I love you!"
"Get off!" she ordered, wiggling free of his clasp, "And bring me some clothing."
"The usual?"
"The usual."
His blue eyes turned elsewhere, while he flew off in search for clothing. His quest didn't take him long, as he returned shortly, holding Maria's clothes in hand. A blue and white skirt, a white shirt, a blue vest, blue boots, lacy bra and panties and her beloved blue band. Let's be honest, she has like a million of them.
She didn't attempt to put on her clothing, as Jeeves did so for her. He snapped on her bra, he slid on the panties, he helped put the skirt around the waist, he slid on her socks, he slid on the boots after the socks, he placed the shirt on her torso, he slid the vest on after, and he delicately placed the band on his head. Normally, she would have fought him off, and done all those things herself, but right now, she felt lazy. Escaping G.U.N. last night took more out of her than she thought, and the walk to Scrap Brain Zone was killer. Chaos Control only brought her to outside the base, forcing her to trek the rest of the way herself. Right now, the most pleasant-sounding thing in her head was sleep.
"Maria..." her cousin's voice called, catching her eyes.
"Yes, Ivo..." she answered, unhappily.
"Are you done dressing in there? I have information you may enjoy."
"Not now, Ivo," she responded, "I'm too tired..."
"You won't be after this." he answered.
Though she didn't want to go, his last words did gain her interest. So, standing tall, she broke free from Orbot's massaging grasp, to walk to her door. Sliding it open, she found her cousin was standing right before her. He had this insidious smile, one that made Maria groan in displeasure.
"Okay, what is it this time?" she questioned, showing her annoyance.
"Follow me..." he said, finger wagging.
Once again, she groaned, but she followed nonetheless. Ivo led her down the hall, eventually bringing her back to the monitor he sat before. His hand stretched toward her as he did so, obviously showing he wanted the red Chaos Emerald. She sighed at his wanting nature, and awarded him the jewel he wanted so much. As he sat down in his master chair, he marveled at the sight of the red rock. It reflected off of his glasses, while at the same time calling out to him. Oh! The power it held!
"IVO!" she yelled, "What did you want to show me!?"
"Oh yes! Quite yes!" he said, realizing where he was, "Sorry, Maria! I just got enamored by the sight of it."
"Yeah, yeah..." she said, waving her hand to and fro.
"Okay, okay!" he said, looking back to the monitor, "Orbot, take this to the Chaos Emerald chamber!"
"Yes, Eggman sir."
"Eggman...?" Maria said, surprised, "I thought you hated that name, Ivo."
"What can I say," he said, smiling, "It's grown on me! Now! Back to what I've learned."
In unison, the cousin's looked up to the monitor. Many files were blazed through, as information was streamed about. Maria quickly grew bored, which made her eyes trek down to Ivo. He was grinning wildly.
"Yeeeesssss," he slurred, evilly, "Tell me, Maria dear, what do you remember?"
"Not much," she commented, "Especially since this whole mess started. I can't tell the difference between the real and the fake."
"So... tell me what you do, remember."
"I remember... living in many G.U.N. bases," she stated, eyes closing, "Abraham is like... my younger brother. He's been so for as long as I can remember. I'm a child by G.U.N., as I was taken from the Robotnik's thanks to one of our family members. They never said who, though. I've just been their little solider girl. They started training me when I was fifteen to be... a super soldier. Not only that... I've been plagued by these crazy visions for as long as I can remember."
Sighing, she waved away her words, finding them childish.
"But... that's all a lie, I suppose," she continued, "Now I learned that I was on the Ark. Where my grandfather, Professor Gerald Robotnik, a brilliant scientist, tried his hardest to cure me of a disease. But I'm not sure what that disease is. I was also best friends with a black and red hedgehog, who... protected me."
Looking up, she gazed into Ivo's face. He was grinning like the deranged bastard he is.
"HEY!" she barked, "What's up with you!?"
"Poor Maria," he commented, gazing at the screen before him, "You don't know the half of it."
"The half of what?" she questioned.
"The half of your life, Maria dear! Your meta-human powers! Your life on Ark! Your life on Prison Island! Your life in general!"
"I know that!" she retorted, "G.U.N.'s been lying to me, I've figured that now, Ivo. Why else would I join you?"
"Yes, yes, cousin, but listen. The depth of G.U.N.'s treachery stretches deeper than you could ever imagine."
"How so..."
"Like this..."
He played a video.
"This is, Maria Robotnik. Age 13." a voice called. Maria recognized that voice. It was Samantha Prower's voice, "Survivor of the Ark Incident, and human being stricken with the disease known as NIDS. This is blood extracted from Project Shadow. If my hypothesis is correct, giving this to Maria should remove the NIDS within her. Unfortunately, this is only a theory but... It's a theory in need of testing."
The blonde agent brought her eyes up to the screen. She watched the fox, hold this syringe in her hand, and bring it to a young blonde girl. Herself. Ivo leaned back in his chair, as his smile grew wild with deranged sadism. Maria's eyes widened however, as she watched the video play.
Evidence. Indisputable evidence. They... performed experiments on her. Glaring down to her arm, she saw a vein popping out of it. So red and full of life it was.
And the video's kept playing. There were a lot of them. Each video chronicling another day in these experiments. They showed her being poked and prodded with needles over and over again, Each day, something strange happened to her. She got angrier and angrier, with each passing day. And then it happened. It showed Samantha. And bodies. The fox went on about how Maria changed that day. How her eyes turned red, and she gained abilities.
Project Shadow's abilities.
"TURN IT OFF!" the blonde agent barked, jolting Eggman up.
He continued to smile, but he turned the video off regardless. It froze there showing Samantha.
"You see that, Maria?" he inquired.
"I... shut up!" she yelled, turning away.
"Are you... crying?" he asked.
"No I'm not..." she whispered, her voice holding a sob.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"How could they do this to me!?" she barked, turning to him, "What did I do to them! That caused them to make me into this!?" she looked to her hands, "Everyday! I learn something knew about myself! I wasn't always some soldier girl! I was... a child... I find it so hard to believe sometimes..."
"So... what next?" he asked.
"What next?" she repeated, finding his words hard to come by, "I'll tell you want next." she started off for the exit, her body filled with this lively vigor, "I'm going to talk to the one woman who knows more about me than myself!"
"And let me guess," he said, looking to her, "Samantha?"
"Samantha..."
…
Why didn't anyone think she was beautiful?
She sat alone on her chair, near her cup of burning brown coffee. The steam resonating from the cup fogged up her glasses, causing her to wipe them clean. Everyone passed her by without much than a second thought, finding her hard to notice.
Samantha Prower. Woman genius, and Head Scientist of G.U.N. As if anyone cared. Right now, she was just a random fox mobian, sitting outside at her local coffee shop. She wished someone would notice her for a change. When one works as hard and as often as she does, then its hard to find the time for such normal things. Things such as sitting outside and living. Things such as dates. Finding love.
Honestly, this was the only place she could have solitude at. The streets of Apatos is such a lovely place. The sunny skies, the crashing blue waves, the white roads that are always squeaky clean. There's no better place to get coffee than here. Sure, it was far away from her home, but the teleporter makes such troubles ever so short.
How silly it was to think about these things. She had work to do. Maria wouldn't be finding herself anytime soon. Glaring down, she made sure her lab coat wasn't stained or anything. That would look so unprofessional. After a quick readjustment of her glasses, she stood up, being sure to carry the folders in her hand. Another morning, another moment of going unnoticed.
Her silver blue eyes gazed down the sidewalk of this city. She saw blonde.
Maria glared back with this face that could kill. Samantha opened her mouth to scream, but the fear instead made her stand frozen. How did she know she was here? How did she get here? What the hell?
Maria stepped forward. Samantha stepped back. Maria stepped forward. Samantha stepped back.
The fox began running.
She pushed through people on the sidewalk, as she made her way down the streets. Everyone now and then, she'd turn back, only to make sure that, yes, Maria was behind her. The blonde agent was pushing past people with equal ferocity, clearing the distance between her and her prey quickly. The mere sight of this woman barreling toward her sent her blood into overdrive. Never before in her life was she more terrified.
She rushed under an archway, and spun around a corner. The shaded sight of an alleyway made her seek its comfort. She rushed toward it, while keeping her silver blue eyes trained backwards. Maria wasn't there, not yet at least. She needed to hide. Her search lead her to a dumpster. As stinky as it was, it would make the perfect cover. For now, anyway. She slipped open the top, braced for the bacteria, then leaped in.
Her hand pushed lightly on the top, allowing a glimmer of light to pour through. Gazing out, she stared at the street she entered from.
Maria ran up. Her blue eyes trekked left and right, while that face of her's showed anger. Samantha grew silent, as she prayed for Maria to leave. God must have listened, because she quickly disappeared. The genius fox let out a sigh of relief, as the moment of terror subsided. After another minute or two of waiting, she slipped open the dumpster's cover.
Maria's hand grabbed her around her collar.
Samantha screamed out in fear, as she looked up at the blonde agent. Her blue eyes were red. She held up the fox in one hand, before throwing her at the concrete wall. Sense she was not one for battle, Samantha snapped up against the throw, her body doubling over in pain. She remained conscious, however, much to her dismay. Maria lifted her, and slammed her up against the wall again, springing forth the fox's eyes.
"Are you listening to me!?" she barked, causing Samantha to turn away.
"P-p-p-please, M-M-M-Maria! C-c-c-calm, d-d-d-down." the fox pleaded.
"Calm down!?" the agent retorted, slamming her up against the wall again, "You're telling me to calm down!?"
"I-I-I'm s-s-s-sorry..." she repeated, growing frail.
"Listen, Samantha," the agent said, threateningly, "I'm not in a good mood today, as you can tell. If you even think about lying to me, I'll make the next few hours of your life very, very, miserable. Do you hear me?"
The fox did nothing.
"DO YOU!?"
She nodded.
"Good..."
Maria closed her eyes. When they opened back up again, the red orbs were blue once again.
"Now..." she whispered, her voice much calmer, "Let us talk... Samantha..."
She loosened her grip on her, and shifted her eyes to the alley's exit. Releasing her grasp on the fox's collar, she instead moved it to her hand. To show she meant business, and to show there was no escape, she clamped onto the mobian's hand powerfully. She led her out of the alley, and eventually to a small shop. Samantha remained silent, as she was sure any words would get her into hot water. Upon arriving at the shop, Maria sat Samantha down on a table, where the agent took to the other seat.
"Anything you do, Samantha," she whispered, "That causes any problems. I will shoot you, you understand?"
The fox nodded, while Maria pointed down to under the table. Slowly, the mobian gazed down. Her eyes met Maria's gun.
"Good..." she whispered, "Now let's talk, Samantha."
A waiter walked up moments later. Samantha ordered coffee, Maria water. Once he was gone, the air of seriousness returned.
"Why?" Maria asked, as if Samantha had said something first.
"Why, what?" the fox replied, her body beginning to tremble.
"Why did you do this to me." Maria said, making her words known, "Why did you make me into what I am!?"
Samantha locked up. The red eyes. The blood running through her veins. She knew now.
"You mean..." she whispered, "Project Shadow?"
Maria nodded, confirming her words.
"Oh no... you were never supposed to find out, Maria." she stated.
"But I did!" she remarked, growing angry, "I learned about it! The experiments you performed on me. My meta-human abilities. I just thought I was lucky, but no. You made me into a weapon." her gaze sharpened, "WHY!?"
Samantha's eyes started to quiver. Before she knew it, tears were streaming down her face.
"I kept it a secret for a long time." she answered, "Project Shadow's blood. He held the cure for NIDS, Maria. And you had NIDS. We wanted to test the effects of his blood on someone who has the ailment. Naturally, you were the choice."
"There were many other people!" Maria remarked, "Many other who had NIDS, but you singled me out. Why!?"
"Because you were there!" the fox answered, gazing away, "If we gave you the blood. Then the NIDS would be cured. You'd be allowed to live a happy life, finally. We just wanted to cure you, that's all."
"But you kept me in Prison Island for the first three years of my life on Earth! I wasn't allowed outside the walls at all! I can't even remember my first glimpse of sunlight!"
"That was all Coffee's doing," Samantha stated, "I tried getting you out, but he wouldn't let you. He hated everything about you, Maria, especially once the experiments started. It was simple, really. I would give the blood to you every other day, and the NIDS would go away. But they had an adverse affect on you."
"My abilities." Maria commented, knowing full well.
"Yes..." Samantha said, gazing away, "I didn't want to do. I wanted to study Project Shadow's blood more, find the cure in it, not administer all of his blood all at once."
"But you did... why?"
"It was Samson's idea," Samantha stated, "I don't know why but. He wanted the entirety of his blood placed into you. To this day I don't know why but... he just did..."
"So," Maria said, getting closer, "This is all Samson's fault, huh?"
"No, no, no!" Samantha said, "Its... its... my fault." she slumped down, "I knew what I was doing was wrong. So very wrong. But I did it anyway. I followed orders. I put the blood inside of you, Maria... it's all my fault."
Gazing into Samantha's eyes, it made Maria feel wrong. All of that vindicated rage she had before melted away, as she watched this fox mobian quietly sob in unhappiness. Unlike everyone else, she felt genuine remorse for what she did to Maria. She was actually sorry.
The blonde agent's rage was gone now. Instead, it was replaced by this pit in her heart. For what she did to Samantha, it made her feel like shit, honestly.
"I'm sorry, Samantha," she said, sliding her gun back into her gun belt, "I shouldn't have been so angry."
"No, no," the fox responded, "You have every right to be angry. We... G.U.N... we ruined your life, Maria. You were a good girl, for lack of a better word. A really good girl. An angel. We made you into... this... a soldier. A killer. A..."
"I get the point..." Maria said, cutting her off.
"So... what now?" Samantha inquired.
"I can't tell you that..." Maria stated, "You'd just tell Samson."
"I don't think... I'll be talking to Samson anymore."
"Why's that?" Maria asked.
"I can't take this anymore. Anymore of this G.U.N. business. This just isn't the organization I joined, Maria. I wanted to save people's lives, not ruin them. I've done some things in my service, that I'm not to happy about."
"Same here..." Maria answered, standing up from the table.
But before she left, however, she imparted some words of wisdom.
"I think your cute, Samantha."
The fox was, understandably, taken off guard by that statement.
"Yeah," Maria continued, "I know how self-conscious you can be so... if it helps, I think your cute. And nice. And smart. It's hard to come by those kind of attributes these days. Not all bundled into one, at least. Maybe if you focused on something other than work, you can find that right man. But until then..." her face grew a very threatening visage, "I recommend you don't go back to base. Something tells me it won't be there for very long."
The powerful glare made Samantha lock up. It wasn't until a minute or two later, that she could properly asses Maria's words. When she opened her mouth to question the blonde agent on them, she was already gone.
…
"Enjoyed your little talk, Maria dear?" her cousin bellowed.
"Ah, Madame Maria, you have returned!"
As usually, Jeeves, err, Orbot, flew up to massage her shoulders. She didn't fight him off, for his touches actually made her feel a bit better. So, instead, she walked up to her cousin, while her arms crossed over one another.
"I just needed that, Ivo," she said, "Don't prod to deeply into it."
"Well, Maria, while you were busy talking, I was busy looking for a Chaos Emerald."
"Great," the agent said, "And where's this one located at?"
"You'll love it, Maria!" he said, giggly, "I mean, you'll really, really, love it."
"Shut up and get to the point, Ivo!" she barked.
Once again, he spun around to the monitor. Finger's working at double the speed, he brought up an image. Maria gasped.
"Space Colony Ark, my dear." he whispered, "Space... Colony... Ark..."