As soon as Rouge walked through the door leading out of the control room, Shadow was nowhere in sight. It's not surprising that someone of his speed can get around so quickly. It took the bat about two minutes to finally find where he was on such a massive aircraft. At the very front, just below the control center and a few rooms down from the armory (where spare robots are usually stored).
Shadow stands, arms crossed, in a spare, nearly vacant room that holds a couple of spare parts that all vary in size and design, but all share a veil of mystery as to what they're supposed to go to.
Knowing Eggman, it could be absolutely anything. Rouge passively thinks.
"What do you want, bat?" Shadow asks, not turning around to face her, but instead, looking out of a large window that shows a gorgeous sunset.
"Again, I have a name, and it's Rouge," the spy says, agitated. "I came to... well... how do I put this?"
Rouge's wings start flapping and she hovers in the air as she puts her brain to work. The reality that she's never had to thank anyone is starting to sink in the more she struggles to put her gratitude into two simple words.
"I appreciate you coming back for me," she finally gets out.
This gets Shadow's attention. He turns around and looks at Rouge, a blank expression on his face.
"I don't leave people behind," he says.
Of all things, Rouge didn't expect that one to come out of the hedgehog's mouth. When she first met him, she knew something was interesting about Shadow right out of the gate. Evidently, her instincts are as accurate as ever.
"Who are you, Shadow?" Rouge asks. "I don't know much about you, but you don't seem like a boot-licker like that Jackal back there. There has to be SOME reason you're here. If it's not for yourself, then what is it?"
Shadow's grip on his arms grows tighter. Something subtle about his demeanor changes. There is a sudden intensity in the room.
"Where were you during the Metal War?" Shadow asks, catching Rouge off guard.
"Me? Well, I was laying low in Starlight for the first four years. When things got REALLY bad, well, I went to the Mystic Jungle and hid there until everything blew over."
"Interesting," Shadow says. "I was in Westopolois."
Rouge's eyes widen. This just keeps getting more interesting.
"You mean that warzone?" Rouge asks to be sure she heard the right name. "That city was where a lot of the fighting took place!"
"Not always," Shadow corrects. "During the first four years, well..."
...
Nine years earlier*.
"Remarkable work, Shadow!" The Commander praises as the targets in front of him disintegrate one by one, much to his satisfaction.
In the small, rectangular underground room, Shadow and the Commander stand side by side as the former launches chaos spears at the Eggman-shaped plastic targets at the far end of the room. Behind the two, three GUN scientists are busy scribbling down any notable changes in the hedgehog's accuracy and ability. So far, they write down more of what they have already been for the past few months. Nothing but notes of neverending improvement and potential.
The Commander grins as he pictures each of the Eggman cutouts as the actual man they're based on, cowering in fear, before they're each destroyed by a swift and uncontested chaos spear.
At this rate, we will win this war in no time! The Commander thinks with a wide smile. I respect the President, I really do, but thank goodness I was able to steer him away from making the wrong call. That blue hedgehog has abilities, sure, but he's way too irresponsible to be leading a war effort, as well as incapable. Most of those Mobians are. Project Shadow on the other hand has given us our most obedient, loyal, and capable asset yet! He seems to not remember anything from his past life, which means the experiments were a success. He just needs a few more years to harness his full power before we introduce the world to the ultimate lifeform!
"That's enough for today, Shadow," The Commander says.
"How'd I do?" the eager hedgehog asks, lowering his arm.
"Fantastic." the Commander assures him. "For now, let's take a break. Later tonight, we'll see if you've made any progress balancing yourself with the air shoes."
As the nearby scientists unclick their pens and proceed to exit the secure room, the door in front of them opens, and from it pours a joyous, nine-year-old girl, right on schedule. The girl is Maria Angeline. She wears her usual navy blue top and cyan skirt and her short blonde hair dances wildly during her sprint toward her best friend. She and Shadow embrace in their usual tight hug.
"You were amazing, Shadow!" She tells him with a wide smile. "You're getting cooler and cooler each day!"
"I appreciate that, Maria," Shadow says with a smile of his own. "It's all thanks to your father."
"Don't sell yourself, short, Shadow!" The Commander says. "Remember that."
The Commander turns to his daughter.
"Isn't it past your bedtime, young lady?" he asks, knowing full well the answer.
Maria sighs.
"But, Dad, I just wanted to watch Shadow just this once!" She protests. "Most times I'm busy with schoolwork, even though there's no school."
"It's important to keep your brain active, school or not," The Commander says sternly. "You get five minutes and then it's off to bed."
"Fine..." Maria says, crossing her arms.
With one last glance at Shadow and Maria, the Commander walks to the exit. Personally, he's not too comfortable with how close his daughter and a developing war machine are getting. But for whatever reason, the two are inseparable, no matter how much schoolwork and early bedtimes he gives his daughter to keep her distracted. As he closes the door to the training room behind him, Maria groans.
"I can't believe I have to go to bed at 7:00 PM on a SATURDAY," she pouts. "I just want to go home already. All of my friends are at Station Square!"
"All of them?" Shadow asks, grinning.
Maria turns to him and rolls her eyes.
"I don't mean you, DUMMY," she teases, giving him a nudge on the arm. "Still, I hate it here. Some day, I want to take you back home with me. You'll get to meet all my friends, you can finally see what ice cream tastes like- OH, and you can stick it to Tommy!"
"Tommy?" Shadow questions. "Whose that?"
"A bully!" Maria says. "He always picked on me since I get good grades and he don't."
"Hmm," Shadow thinks, stroking his chin. "Well, this Tommy better prepare himself. I am sure my abilities far exceed his."
The two kids look at each other before simultaneously erupting in laughter.
...
Three years later.*
A huge wave of happiness strikes Shadow as his feet, along with the rest of his body, hover effortlessly just inches off the shiny white floor. He circles around in the large, cylinder-shaped room constructed solely for him. More specifically, for his objective to master his air shoes to optimize speed. Like a roller skater, he skates just barely above the ground, speeding in every direction possible.
He remembers the day when he could barely stay in the air for more than ten seconds. And now here he is, moving around in them as if they were second nature.
If only the Commander could see me now. He thinks. Too bad he's needed somewhere right now. I guess I'll show him what I've learned whenever he returns. But for now...
Shadow continues running, even managing to do so horizontally on walls for periods at a time.
I might just do this all night at this rate! This is way more fun than weapon traini-
A giant rumbling stops the hedgehog in his tracks immediately. For a moment, it felt as if the entire facility itself shook. Then, immediately after, what will go on to be the scariest moment of Shadow's life occurs in red flashing lights, followed by a spine-chilling metallic wailing. The base's sirens. In all the time Shadow has lived here, he has NEVER heard that siren go off.
Following it is the scattering of GUN troops right outside and inaudible commands and yelling. However, one thing Shadow hears is unmistakable. He hears from a troop passing by:
"They've breached the main entrance!"
That was all Shadow needed to hear before he sped through the door of the training room and down the hall leading to Maria's bedroom. He reaches her door faster than he calculated and quickly slams it open. Inside, Maria is at her desk, a science textbook lying on top of it. She stands up, her expression filled with panic.
"Shadow, what's going on?!" She asks.
"I don't know!" Shadow says as he speeds over and grabs her arm. "But I know it's nothing good! Follow me, Maria!"
Before the girl can respond, Shadow runs her out of her room and tries his absolute best to keep at a pace she can keep up with. The two enter the hallway where GUN troops are gathered, each equipped with GUN-issued laser handguns. It doesn't take long before the troops notice the pair.
"What's going on?" Shadow asks. "How can I help!"
"Eggman has already won Westoplois!" The highest-ranking soldier tells the others. "You know the Commander's orders, we must eliminate Project Shadow before he falls into the wrong hands!"
"W- what..." Shadow mutters, his mind unable to process what just came out of the soldier's mouth. "Bu-"
"FIRE!"
Shadow turns around and speeds the way he came, carrying a bewildered Maria in his arms as an onslaught of lasers shoot down the hallway. Thinking fast, Shadow reels his arm back and launches a chaos spear at the dead-end ahead of him. The giant beam of energy creates a short, but sizable tunnel in the wall.
I'll just make my own entrance!
Once the two reach the hole, Shadow realizes it won't be long before the lasers find their target. Quickly, he channels all the energy he can possibly muster before he raises his fist in the air and screams:
"CHAOOOOOOOS... BLAAAAAAAAST!"
A giant wave of energy erupts from the hedgehog's fist and dematerializes the earth above him, creating a giant manhole leading to the surface. An unrecognizable, bright ball of light nearly blinds him. He doesn't have time for that. Shadow bends down and jumps as high as he can with Maria still in his arms. He quickly spares one, letting go of Maria's legs for a second to grab onto the top of the hole and pull both him and Maria to the surface.
The two find themselves on a hot road, though, Shadow doesn't know what it is. In fact, he doesn't know what ANYTHING around him is. Strange machinery with wheels, large compact buildings, none of it rung a bell. But nothing was as confusing as the havoc that had fallen upon the city. Buildings on fire, robots fill the sky by the dozens, and there's not a human in sight. Well, except for-
"MARIA!" Shadow screams.
Maria lies on her back, staring at the sun above her. She reaches for it, almost as if to make sure it's real. When she does, she reveals the wound in her abdomen. A charred wound created by the impact of a laser. Shadow rushes to her side, unsure of what to do. He looks around for someone- anyone.
"HELP!" He yells. "ANYONE! PLEASE!"
"Shadow..." Maria calls out softly.
Shadow grabs her hand and squeezes it.
"Maria, hang in there!" he says. "Help will arrive soon! After that, I'm taking you home! We'll get ice cream, go to the arcade- anything, just please don't go!"
Tears escape Shadow's eyes as he stares down at his friend who looks to be fading from reality before him. That's until their two eyes lock.
"Shadow... do you see it?" Maria whispers. "The sun! It's so bright, isn't it?"
Shadow stares up at the sky and has to adjust his eyes to the natural beauty above him.
"I never thought I'd see it again!" Maria whispers weakly, tears pouring from her eyes. "Shadow, no matter what happens, please be good."
"WE'LL be good!" Shadow cries. "We'll be good together, Maria!"
Maria doesn't respond. She just looks at the sky once more.
"Shadow... why is the sun getting brighter?"
"Maria?"
No response.
"Maria?!"
"MARIAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
...
Present.*
Shadow turns back to the window and watches as the sunset finishes, with the sun disappearing from the horizon completely to usher in a brief period of darkness before its inevitable return. Behind him, Rouge is lost for words.
"You wanted to know why I side with Eggman?" Shadow says. "Simple. I want to see GUN burn. I want the Commander to BURN. And if Eggman's reign guarantees that, then I will happily do as he asks."
"What about everyone else?" Rouge asks. "You do realize there will be a lot more who suffer under Eggman's rule than GUN, right?"
"I do," Shadow answers. "And I don't care. Feel free to judge, jewel thief, I gave you my honest answer."
Rouge looks at Shadow for a few moments.
"No," she says, making Shadow turn around. "I won't judge."
Shadow, after a moment of understanding, nods and turns back to his window.
...