"...Yep, there is DEFINITELY something coming up on these scans. Some kind of self-replicating nanites..." Rouge said over the communicator on Shadow's wrist. "Can their origin be traced?" Shadow asked, bluntly. "Way ahead of you. I'm only barely able to view their systems from here, but it dates back to just before the Eggman War. Probably escaped from that facility we busted a bit back." Rouge responded, showing Shadow various scans and data that she'd received. "It seems to focus on causing aggression in organic lifeforms...Hold on..."

"What is it, Rouge?" Shadow asked. "There's some sort of outside force neutralizing their effects in the scans you took. Shadow, what's going on out there?"

"Tell you later. Shadow out." Shadow said as he hung up. He hadn't told Rouge about the developments with Daniel and the crowd outside, since she'd just insist on barging in and providing back-up. This was HIS problem, he wanted to deal with it on his own. "Feeling better?" He asked Justin.

"Um...Yeah, actually...I mean, yeah, those things bother me, but I just felt so...Angry for some reason. But Daniel talked me down, so it's fine!" Shadow scratched his chin for a moment. "And I'm guessing this isn't the first time he's had to do that, either."

"Well, yes, but how did you guess?" Daniel responded. Shadow cracked a slight grin before remembering to switch over to his usual grimace. "Because this village has been infected with a cybernetic plague, and Justin was patient zero. Probably picked it up when he rescued you from the river."

"So I'M the cause of this? Oh dear..." Daniel said, distraught. "Yes...But you're also the cure. Your more...Gentle nature seems to have kept his nanites in check. You've been protecting him this whole time without even realizing it." Justin got up from his bed with triumphant glee. "See, Daniel? That girl in your dreams was right! You CAN protect people! Make them happy!"

"Dreams?" Shadow asked. Daniel shifted, almost embarrassed. "Well, I don't really SLEEP per se, but whenever we did system resets, I would experience...Visions of a young girl in a blue dress. She's always hurt, but is selflessly asking me to help others...To protect their dreams, make them happy...I wish I knew who she was." Shadow put a hand on Daniel's shoulder, surprising the android somewhat. "Today, you can honor her request."

"I'm assuming you have a plan, then?" Daniel asked. Shadow nodded. "If my theory is right, your neutralization effect will only work at close range, and only for short periods. We need to spread that across the entire village, and make it stick."

"I can help with that!" Justin said, retrieving an old laptop from under his bed. "I managed to sneak this past my dad when he hid my other computers. I've used it to interface with Daniel before, so I think I can use it to spread the good vibes!" Shadow grinned again, impressed. "And how long will that take?"

"With this computer? I'm gonna need a solid ten minutes. fifteen tops." Justin responded, before seeming to notice a sound of some kind. Daniel noticed it too. "What's that noise? Sounds like-"

"The Wind." Shadow said, grim realization spreading across his face. "Hold the fort here. I have to go make sure this situation doesn't get worse."