Chapter 3:
Eggman looked around and began to get worried. He went over to the window and looked around, glad it was one-way, as he watched out the window. Sonic smirked as he snuck up on the doctor and pounced him.
Meanwhile, Shadow walked through the halls of the base until he saw Eggman walk into a room calling for the very hedgehog he was looking for. Shadow watched from the doorway until he noticed the blue hedgehog walk up to the doctor as if sneaking up on him.
'What's he doing?' Shadow wondered.
Sonic pounced and the doctor gasped as the blue hedgehog smiled, laughing. Shadow was shocked at the friendliness and was hesitant to approach them.
"Hah! I got you!" Sonic's voice said.
"Why you little-" Eggman started before stopping himself when he noticed the blue blur laughing.
He chuckled.
"I guess you did get me hedgehog. How about some lunch?"
"Chili dogs!?"
Shadow rolled his eyes and stood in the doorway, waiting for the two to notice him. Eggman laughed at the blue hedgehog's eagerness and nodded.
"Whatever you'd like"
Eggman felt Sonic pause and he looked over to where Shadow stood in the doorway.
"Oh. Shadow. Welcome" Eggman said awkwardly, avoiding looking the black hedgehog in the eye.
The entire room was silent until the sudden burst from Sonic made both Eggman and Shadow jump.
"This is Shadow?!" Sonic asked, then looked around as if about to offer something but gave up and took the black hedgehog's gloved hand in his own, shaking it with more power than someone would expect the blue hedgehog to have. "I-I'm Sonic Robotnik! I'm glad I get to finally meet you!"
Shadow flinched at the name, then glared at Eggman.
"You seem upset! Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry!" Sonic said, a little louder than he needed to.
He then ran over to Eggman and took refuge behind the human, peering at the black hedgehog from under Eggman's arm.
"Sonic, calm down. You haven't done anything wrong" Eggman said with a sweat drop.
Shadow crossed his arms.
"Go to the kitchen and have Orbot and Cubot help you make your lunch. I need to have a word with Shadow and I'll join you after." Eggman said, picking up the shy hedgehog.
"Can Shadow have lunch with us?" Sonic asked.
"I'm not sure. That's for him to decide"
Sonic nodded and his quills lowered slightly to show his mood.
"Ok" Sonic said as he left the room in a burst of energy.
As soon as he was gone, Shadow glared daggers at the doctor.
"What did you do Doctor?" Shadow demanded.
"His friends were killed several years ago so I took his memories away and I've been acting as his guardian since then"
"None of his friends were killed except Tails! He shouldn't be here! You tried to kill him countless times. How could you just have a change of heart?"
"The same way you did," Shadow's heart stopped. "You hated him too didn't you? Always blaming him for protecting the human race. Saying he was in your way."
Eggman crossed his arms.
"If you can fall in love with him than I can have the need to protect him. He's just like Maria" Eggman finished softly.
"He needs to at least see his friends so they know he's alive" Shadow said. "I am in love with him so I'll stay here and watch over him. What did you tell him about me anyway?"
"He sees you as the hero of mobius. All the things he did, I told him you did that"
"Why would you do that?" Shadow asked, crossing his arms.
"He needed to have someone to look up to. I know he's grown fond of me since I wiped his memory but a former evil genius isn't one to be attached to.
Plus if something were to happen to me, I knew you'd be able to take care of him"
Shadow nodded.
"I suppose. Did you tell him something else though that caused him to act like that? Sonic was known for his ego, I've never seen him act like that"
"He's spent what his knows in the base. He's not the hedgehog who was born on christmas island by himself and had to fight for survival anymore. He's strong and has his speed but he doesn't know how to fight or control chaos." Eggman sighed. "His beautiful form of fighting is now gone"
Shadow raised an eye ridge at the doctor, confused as to what the blue hedgehog meant to him. The two walked to the kitchen and walked through the door just as Sonic took a bite of his chili dog, taking the whole thing in his mouth and swallowing.
"Be careful Sonic! Remember to chew" Orbot scolded.
"Sorry Orbot, I wanted to try it" Sonic giggled, then noticed Shadow watching him and blushed. "Oh. H-Hi Shadow..."
"Hello Sonic," Shadow nodded. "I see you're enjoying your lunch"
Sonic nodded shyly, still blushing, as Shadow sat next to him.
"What would you like to eat?" Eggman asked.
"Nothing, I don't really need to eat" Shadow replied.
"Wow, that's so cool" Sonic awed. "How's that?"
"I was created like that"
"Created?"
"I never told you? Shadow was an experiment by Gerald Robotnik" Eggman smiled at the blue hedgehog.
"Great Grandfather?" Sonic asked, looking at Eggman. "How could you forget to tell me that Ivo?"
Eggman laughed slightly at the cute glare the blue hedgehog was giving him.
"Sorry Sonic, I've been busy" Eggman apologized.
The blue hedgie nodded and crossed his arms. His ears twitched as if something occurred to him and he looked at Shadow. His eyes serious and curious but he had a slight pout.
"Did you ever meet Maria? Ivo told me she was my adopted mother" Sonic asked.
Shadow shot Eggman a slight glare before nodding to Sonic.
"I was in charge of protecting her while we stayed on the Ark. She's dead now but she was a wonderful woman" Shadow smiled.
"You talk as if you love her" Sonic giggled but Shadow just rolled his eyes, glad the blue hedgehog was more comfortable with being around him.
"I saw her as my sister since none of the others really saw me as more than a project" Shadow explained. "The Ark only had old scientists besides Maria"
Sonic giggled.
"So you two were playmates? What kind of games did you play?"
"Well... Whatever Maria wanted to play. I enjoyed reading the books that were available at the Ark but Maria would read to me sometimes or we'd play small games she'd have to explain to me every once in awhile"
"That must've been fun... I only knew her when I was still a baby. She died on the Ark and I went to Ivo. I'm glad I met someone who probably knows my mother better than me" Sonic smiled sadly at him before yawning.
"Is it that late already? You've gotta get to bed Sonic. You've got a big day tomorrow" Eggman said.
"Big day?"
"Yes, I'm planning on taking you with me for some training tomorrow" Shadow said to the blue hedgehog.
"Really?!" Sonic asked, his eyes full of wonder.
"Yes Sonic, so you've gotta get plenty of sleep tonight so you can do your best tomorrow" Eggman explained as he picked the blue hedgehog up from his chair and set him in front of the door.
"Alright," Sonic smiled. "Good night Ivo! Goodnight Orbot! Goodnight Cubot! Goodnight Shadow!"
After Orbot and Cubot waved and Shadow nodded, the blue hedgehog had taken off down the halls of the base, to his room. Shadow stood and crossed his arms.
"I'll take him to meet his friends tomorrow so I'll tell them that he won't remember them tonight. I'll come back in the morning" Shadow explained. "I hope what you did was right Doctor."
In a second and a chaos control, the black hedgehog was gone, leaving Eggman alone with his robots. Eggman sighed slightly and began to walk down the hall towards his lab.
"Believe me Shadow. I've been asking myself that for 3 years." He muttered as the door closed behind him.