Chapter Twelve – Eternity
With the power of the Chaos Emeralds now giving out, Silver immediately went unconscious, and was sent plummeting to the ground. As promised, Blaze went soaring across the skies and successfully caught him. She landed, desperately worried, but one examination later, and the Grey Hedgehog was declared fine. He just needed to sleep it off.
The Elementals, however, were also exhausted. Both Sonic and Shadow were still largely standing, but panting hard. They both look at each other. That was one of the most stubborn Boss Robot fights they had ever done in their lives. Not technically challenging, but the incredible design of the machine just made it extremely difficult to land a successful hit. Regardless, they both knew they had only survived that, because they were Elementals. They could potentially be successful in their old super forms, it was possible, but they both doubted they would have pushed as hard as they did, even in their golden yellow knights of armour.
But now they would never know, as they could never don the yellow suits again. Regardless, the both of them were seriously impressed with Silver, and now Sonic and Shadow felt very guilty for underestimating the Psychic. But the news that he was going to make it, as fantastic, but as Shadow wondered off in the direction of the Black Heart's crash site, he still had unfinished business. Soon, he is quickly followed by everyone. When he had landed the Double Back Spin, and broke it down, letting Sonic go, he had noticed the Human had successfully jumped free from the wreckage. But someone had beat him to it. Kintobor was getting arrested by G.U.N., who have regrouped and returned to Empire City, but he doesn't resist, still grieving his daughter.
Shadow stands behind them, and coughs, getting the attention of General Luther, the Rhino having returned with re-enforcements. He looks at Shadow, and was about to defy him, wanting the Human for himself. But the Fire Elemental growled, and puts up a singular hand, still breathing somewhat heavily from fight, he exploded his entire glove in deep yellow and orange flames, his eyes glowing hard. The Rhino squealed backing off, as did all of G.U.N.. Now, they knew the hunt for the Ultimate Lifeform was over. Shadow would never return to them, and to force him, especially now, would have them all, literally destroyed. The Fire Elemental was that powerful. The Rhino now realising he was beat, and General Luther knew that his superiors in G.U.N. and the Mobian Authorities wouldn't like this. He heaved. All he could do was warn them. Tell them that Project Shadow was finished, and that the Fire Elemental wasn't worth pursuing anymore. If they disagreed, then more fools them. They could send someone else after Shadow.
As the Rhino stood aside, giving the Fire Elemental the space he deserved, he could see in his eyes, that the Black Hedgehog had indeed changed. All General Luther could do, was hope it was for the better. But with Blue Blur actually alive and somehow still around, the Rhino knew Sonic wouldn't have stood by him, if it wasn't for the greater good. All the Rhino could do now, was hope. Finally, Kintobor came face-to-face with Shadow again. His powers as a Fire Elemental now known, by all. But the Human, now in handcuffs, just cried his heart out at the Ultimate Lifeform.
"You win, you monster." He breathed. But as Sonic ran up to him, and stood strong with him, as usual, Shadow just smirked and hard, as he walked right up to him.
"You underestimate me, Human." He hissed. "I am no monster. I never was. It was the evil around me that turned me into one. It was never of my choosing." He hissed. Then he stood to the side, revealing the Blue Blur behind him. Shadow indicated him with his head. His smirk broadened. "You see him. You don't know him, he's the resident Hero around here. Irritating as hell, but a good soul, none the less. He defeated your nephew, Dr. Ivo Robotnik, when he took his father's empire and tried to rule the world it." He sniggered. Kintobor gasped. He was well aware how vast his brother's obsession was, even sixty years ago, and the sheer power that would have been required that take that down. But Shadow heaved. "Do you honestly think, he'd stand by side, if I was true monster, a real 'bad guy'. Sparky, or to call him by his real name, Sonic, is no killer." He shrugged. The Blue Blur rapidly shook his head, as Kintobor just blinked in response, but Shadow just rounded on the Human. "Maria's not dead." He finally added, to gasps from everyone, except for those in the know.
Coincidentally, the Black Heart had crashed landed very close to the leftovers of the Black Comet, and the tiny water droplets of Maria's Elemental form was still scattered across the local area. They couldn't been seen, but Shadow could definitely smell them out there. The stench of the tears was extremely strong.
Suddenly, he heaved, and with an enormous flash of bright red light, and in full view of everyone, he turns into his living flames, no longer caring what anyone thought anymore. Sensing Maria's water droplets largely amassing to the side of him, Shadow turned his ball of fire towards her. He smirked.
"Maria, your not alone, especially in this strangeness. Your a Water Elemental, an immortal, like myself, now the Elemental of Fire. Don't be afraid. Reform yourself and prove that Gerald was actually right. He did cure you, just not in the way you expected." He sniggered. There was utter silence except for Sonic's intense but rather loud giggle. Suddenly, a quiet, but rather put out voice, sounded from the distant rubble.
"Shadow?" She wailed, much to the stunned horror of everyone, but Shadow smirk just broadened, as he turned to his fellow Electric Elemental.
"My apologies. A certain blue influence has rubbed off on me." He hissed. Sonic grinned even further, to the point of almost cheering.
"Yes, Shads, your still ace." He praised, much to the confusion of everyone, and more importantly, Maria's, as her curiosity got the better of her. Soon, the water droplets began slowly crawling across the ground, and over broken concrete and shattered glass, and then amass themselves into a rather large pool, just in front of Shadow's own living ball of flames. They were burning brightly, scorching the ground beneath him. Suddenly the water raises up out of the from the ground, and creating a beautifully palm-sized, spherical, but heavily dripping ball of pure water, it desperately stares at the living flames. Maria blinked, unable to believe what she was seeing.
"Shadow, is that you?" She stammered, but Shadow just smirked, nodding hard.
"Well, reform and see for yourself." He hinted, as with another flash of bright red light, the incredible Black Hedgehog was back. Maria gulped. Stunned but frightened, she does, and soon she is stood before everyone, very much alive, and perfectly fine, though still in her twelve year old self, with her light blue dress, shoes and headband, all heavily dripping with water, her long blonde hair heavily dampened. With the super liquid nature of her element, Maria couldn't instantaneously change with a flash of light. She had to slowly and methodically move her water, between her forms, though her range was equal to the other Elementals. Now eye level with Shadow, she smiled, though still not really understanding what exactly was going on.
Suddenly, Kintobor cried. He falls to his knees, despite still being handcuffed. The surrounding G.U.N. soldiers don't stop him. He bows his head, as the tears streamed, dripping onto the floor.
"Maria, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. I thought you were gone, and my grief and anger just overwhelmed me, as I wanted my revenge." He sniffed, suddenly, his own temper exploded. "My family are incredibly prone to this, I should have known better." He blasted, entirely at himself, but his confession just broke his daughter. Maria immediately runs in for a hug with her father, but her water quickly overwhelmed him, even threatening to very quickly drown Kintobor, leaving her forced to let go. She screamed, crying her heart out, as her father desperately tried to calm her, despite cough and sputtering. He held his handcuffed hands out to her, as he panted hard. "Maria, don't. You know we can't touch, unless you wish to specifically use the telepathy within your water." He heaved. But then he stared up, right at the Ultimate Lifeform. "You said 'Elemental'? Is that what she is?" He gasped, indicating his daughter. Shadow, suddenly, held out his hand and exploding it into flames again. Kintobor hadn't originally seen it, he'd still be consumed by grief. He stared, as the Fire Elemental smirked.
"Not just her." He admitted. "There are multiple elements. An incredibly coincidental collision of events must happen at the point of death for an Elemental to be born." He heaved, as he turned to his old best friend. "For Maria, the attack aboard the Ark, in combination with huge quantities of Chaos Energy there at the time lead to her transformation, and as for my own. I am that original Ultimate Lifeform that Maria saved board the Ark, sixty years ago. I survived, but an explosion, a decade ago, happened when we defeated your relative, Dr. Ivo Robotnik, when he tried to rule the world, leading to my and the resident Hero's change." He explained, indicating Sonic with his head. Everyone stared, as the suddenly, the Blue Blur, exploded into his bright blue spark, with a intense flash of light, and began wizzing at incredible speeds everywhere, until he landed on Shadow's shoulder, who rather absentmindedly stoked him, to much audible purring. His smirk broadened. "We are all one and the same. Elementals are creatures whom are made of pure Chaos Energy, having lost our original physically forms." He added, dying his flames down. But Kintobor blinked in astonishment.
"So Maria is one of you?" He asked, as he looked between his daughter, and the Hedgehog Elementals. Suddenly, Sonic's cracky and snappy voice sounded.
"Yep. Water, Fire and Electricity, are three of a possible eight elements. There may be others, but we honestly don't know." He admitted. Suddenly, Kintobor's heart just leapt, as he rounded on Shadow.
"Then take her with you." He pleaded. But Maria squealed, desperate not to leave.
"But father?" She stammered, but Kintobor rounded on her, shutting her down.
"No, Maria. I have done wrong, and I know it. I must stand trial for my crimes. You and Shadow are now the same kind, Elementals." He heaved, as he desperately looked at Black Hedgehog. "Please look after her. Even after sixty years, she's still permanently trapped in the body of a child, who can't fully comprehend the world beyond her, no matter how much time passes." He begged. "If I cooperate with the authorities, we will see each other again." He added. But Shadow immediately nodded.
"You have my word." He hissed, but Kintobor wasn't convinced, giving the Fire Elemental a sideways look.
"Seriously?" He wondered. But Sonic's spark jumped off Shadow's shoulder, and with a other flash of light, he stood as a Blue Hedgehog again, among them. He places his elbow on the Fire Elemental's shoulder. He growled, somewhat proud.
"Oh, you'd better believe it. Shads's word is his bond." He leered, but then he paused, frowning hard. "Or, at least, it was, as the Ultimate Lifeform." He wondered, shrugging hard. But Kintobor stared directly at Shadow, and gave him a question that challenged everything he ever knew about himself.
"Are you still the Ultimate Lifeform, Fire Elemental?" He wondered. Shadow gasped and desperately blinked, as everyone silently looked at him, all them keen to hear his answer. It was one fundamental aspect of his life that he'd yet to decide. He 'was' the Ultimate Lifeform. He was 'now' the Fire Elemental. The same person, in body and soul, and yet so utterly different, that Shadow just wasn't convinced. For months, since his awaking as an Elemental, Shadow had tried to be both, and truthfully, he'd found it exhausting, and now with Maria back in his life, did he really want to dwell on the past, now that people were willing to accept him in his new form.
Was he ready to completely let go on that past, now that he had been reborn into something new, and to fully embrace it? He heaved and hard. Truthfully, he was scared. It was completely new territory, but as he looked between Maria and Sonic, he realised he wasn't taking this journey alone. It was still new for everyone.
Finally, he closed his eyes, and took a deep sigh.
"No." He hissed, to the utter shock of everyone. "The Ultimate Lifeform used to define me." He growled, but then heaved. "Heck, it ruled me, but then I changed, and I'm not talking about the explosion that turned me into a Fire Elemental. During the war, I fought both sides, desperately unsure where I belonged. Those two words, the 'Ultimate Lifeform', the only constant in my life. But then a certain irritating Blue Hero." He hissed, indicating a certain Blue Blur, now rather amusingly, and rather bouncy, pointing at himself. Shadow rolled his eyes, as he clipped Sonic around the ear and growled. "Stop it." To slight giggling, but then he heaved. "Regardless, he taught me, that a person's origins doesn't define them, but it's the choices they make." He hissed. "It was my choice to swap side, even though I wasn't exactly welcome, and fight for what was right, against the evil, which was what landed me in the position to be reborn as a Fire Elemental in the first place." He smirked. Everyone gasped, as the Black Hedgehog was exactly right. If Shadow had sided with Eggman, his fate at the end of the war would have been entirely different. But as a Fire Elemental, he was so much more then he used to be. A borderline god, but again, even now, it still came down to choice. He sighed. "The Ultimate Lifeform back then, made his judgement, and now I, Shadow The Hedgehog, the Fire Elemental, I'm making mine." He growled, as he knelt down in front of the Human, who was still on knees. "You have my word, reborn in this new from, that I will do everything in my power, to protect your daughter." He hissed, meaning every word of it.
Suddenly, Sonic's jaw dropped, that it promptly hit the floor. He gulped.
"You do realise that a 'lot', by the way." He stammered, knowing exactly how powerful the Fire Elemental was nowadays. But Shadow just smirked.
"Yes." He droned, as he rolled his eyes again. Suddenly, the Blue Blur exploded in pure delight, yet again. He squealed and hard.
"Shads, your..." He bounced, and Shadow immediately glared him down, cutting right across him. He smirk broadened.
"Ace?" He hissed, rolling his eyes. "Yes, I know." He sniggered, with a definite swagger in his voice. Suddenly, further G.U.N. soldiers landed on them, as Kintobor was taken away. General Luther was stunned, just like everyone else. But he knew he'd made the right choice. Time to leave Shadow in peace. Sonic could keep an eyes on him, G.U.N. was no longer needed. As for the Human, yes, he could make arrangements. They had originally wanted Kintobor's knowledge on mechanics and robotics, but truthfully, he was no Eggman, even the Rhino could see that from the debris, and hopefully, soon, so will his superiors. Regardless, as for allowing the girl to occasionally see her father, in prison, he nodded. Yes, that could be arranged. She was of no threat, and again, in the care of the Blue Blur. It was a lot on Sonic, but if anyone could handle it, then the Blue Blur could. As Kintobor was loaded into a van, General Luther looked between the three Elementals, and nodded his leave. Soon, G.U.N. was gone. Suddenly, the Restoration landed on the area, as the clean up of Empire City began. Jewel gasped as the enormous mess.
"What happened here?" She wondered. But Sonic just giggled, as he bounced over to her.
"We won, so don't worry about it." He grinned, but Shadow just growled, as he wondered over.
"No, we didn't win, idiot, but events of the city have been resolved. There is no further threat to Empire, but a little girl has still lost her father." He hissed, through gritted teeth. They all looked back to Maria, who was still in tears, as she watched her father disappearing into the distance. Sonic gulped, as the colour drained from him.
"Oh, sorry." He apologised, to which Shadow nodded, as he wondered back toward the Water Elemental. It seemed the only thing Maria was good at, was crying, but her telepathy was incredible, but Shadow wasn't sure how much of that was Maria, or as he suspected, more likely, Kintobor forcing her, by breathing down her throat. Regardless, she now had her chance to develop it into something uniquely hers. Suddenly, Jewel rounded on Sonic.
"Go, we're got this." She smiled, as the Restoration exploded around them. The members, as always, doing their jobs with the clean up with ruthless efficiency. Jewel had overheard Shadow, and knew the three of them were Elementals and right now, they seriously needed each other. She rolled her eyes. Mobius could survive without their precious champion for a while.
Suddenly, the rest of the Resistance ran up to join her. Tails, Amy, Knuckles and Rouge, all looking worried. Knuckles gulped and hard.
"What? The Elementals are leaving?" He wondered. But Tails nodded.
"Yeah. I saw this one coming, back at the workshop, before the Black Comet landed. That Sonic and Shadow would move on, once the job was done." He admitted, as suddenly everyone looked rather somber, but Tails just giggled, as he rolled his eyes, as he held up his hands. "But hang on, guys. This time it's different. One, we now know where they are going. Shadow's apartment in Westopolis, we know where it is, and therefore we can find them, if we have to." He smiled. They all nodded, including Amy. Aside from the apartment being incredibly awkward to get to, it was really rather pleasant. But Tails grinned. "And two, Sonic. When the Blue Blur was asleep in my workshop, I noticed he was still wearing my old communicator, from before the war ended, and now as an Electric Elemental, he physically can't take it off. It's moulded to his wrist when he transformed. However, amazingly, it still works, as you saw, so I used an insulated stylus to touch program it, to have a permanently secure link to my handheld. So I now, don't need to sound the call-to-arms to call him. However, I think having the Elementals around at the moment, would just cause trouble. I'd suggest, we just let them go." He smiled. Finally, Knuckles nodded approvingly.
"But they'll be back." He grinned, but Jewel giggled.
"Oh, almost certainly." She beamed, but then frowned, rounding on Tails. "Didn't you say they've only been in the Elemental forms for only a couple of months?" She wondered. The Fox nodded.
"Yeah, barely." He confirmed, but Jewel just heaved.
"Then they still need time. There are horrendous nerves on both Hedgehogs." She sighed, but Rouge nodded.
"Yeah, especially on Shadow. He's as strong as ever, but there is a subtle hesitation about him. Him, denouncing his 'Ultimate Lifeform' status was just jaw dropping but in hindsight, not that surprising. He's changed beyond anything we can imagine, and I don't think he's truly got his head around it all, yet. Sonic neither. I think we'll see them again, when the Elementals are finally at perfect ease within themselves." She sighed. But Amy frowned.
"So this isn't goodbye?" She wondered. But Knuckles smiled, shaking his head.
"Far from it." He grinned. But as Amy whimpered, he heaved. "Sorry, but Sonic's out of your league now. Your done with Zephyr. You now need to look elsewhere." He growled. Suddenly, everyone around her nodded in agreement. But Jewel just grabbed her arm, and she giggled.
"Oh, you'll be fine." She smiled. After a long pause, finally, Amy nodded. Waiting out for the Blue Blur was now no longer worth it. He could, literally, do nothing for her, aside from potentially kill her as the Electric Elemental. Soon, they all watched the Blue Hedgehog, meet up with the others of his kind. But one thing was for definite certain.
They would see the Elementals again.
As Blaze watched the everyone go their separate ways, she looked after Silver until he awoke. Aside from some cuts and bruises, he was alright. Unfortunately, with the battle at an end, the Psychic Hedgehog was all over the Princess, which with a heavy heart, Blaze had to turn him down, saying she had a husband and son back in the Sol Empire. Silver cried and hard, causing Blaze to shake him back to his senses. Just because she had married to someone else, didn't mean that they couldn't be friends. Regardless, there was talk of Silver being the new Guardian of the Chaos Emeralds, now that Sonic and Shadow were out of the picture. Blaze heaved. Potentially, but he still, ten years on from the war against Eggman, wasn't mature enough for the job. He didn't really understand what was required. His help in the defeat of the Black Heart, was essential, but as Blaze witness, largely fluke. Extreme luck on Silver's part, with the significantly more experienced Elementals playing the major roles.
But with the Chaos Emeralds now out in the wild again, so was the search for them, lead by Knuckles, the Guardian of the Master Emerald. Until the mighty gemstones were found, Silver just wasn't needed until then. But Blaze just looked at him, and how, even now, desperately lost he was. Soon, she'd called a meeting with the Resistance, and it was decided. Blaze was taking Silver back to the Sol Empire. There, he could grow, in his own time, into the powerful Psychic hero he always had the potential to be, without being constantly weighed down by time travel or wars. With a permanently link to the Sol Empire set up between Tails and Blaze, the Princess headed for home, waving a fond farewell. With the incredible Grey Hedgehog, whom would, one day, return to Mobius, hopefully, old and wise enough, to finally take on the mantel of Guardian of the seven Chaos Emeralds.
As Shadow approached Maria, she, suddenly, threw her arms around him for a hug, but they accidentally burned each other, which immediately forced them apart. Their elements were now opposites, and potentially enemies, even though the Elementals themselves weren't. They might never be able to physically embrace, but as they both heaved, and hard, they realised, they still had a lot to learn. Suddenly, Sonic lands on them, making Maria giggle, as she put her hand up, towards his head to stroke him, she immediately got zapped, by his electricity. She backs away slightly, as Sonic gulped again.
"I'm so sorry, I hurt you." He stammered, heaving hard, his tail between his legs. But Maria sighed, shaking her head, holding up her hands.
"No, it's fine." She nodded. "I was the stupid one, and I understand why you did it. You were playing my father, as he held all the cards, including me. I fell for his manipulations, because I was so desperate to be loved, having gone through so much suffering. I was naive." She admitted, heaving hard. But Sonic just smiled.
"Hey, you were just a kid when all that trauma happened to you, and when you got turned into an Elemental. Your allowed to make mistakes." He grinned. "I'm, 'kind of', still a kid." He added, to an enormous eye roll from Shadow. He growled.
"A really big, utterly annoying, kid." He hissed, agreeing with the Blue Blur, but Sonic just giggled.
"Oh, come on, Shads. I'm not that bad." He grinned. But Shadow rounded on the Blue Blur, smirking extremely hard.
"Oh really. Sparky, it's because of your excruciating and horrendous child-like hyperactive, your the Electric Elemental." He blasted. But Sonic just growled.
"Hey, back off Shads. There's no need to rub it in." He hissed, but Shadow smirked in return.
"I'm not." He leered. "But you'll know, when I am." He added, to a rather huffed Blue Blur. But Maria who'd been watching Shadow intently, just downright giggled at him. Shadow glared at her. "What?" He spat, but Maria just beamed at him.
"I think I know how he got through to you." She smiled. "I take it he was the one to persuaded you to swap sides, during the war." She asked, remembering what was said earlier. Shadow frowned, nodding hard. But Maria grinned. "You see, during our time on the Ark, though I'm not entirely sure if you remember, but, from the point of the very first awakening, you heavily engrained yourself as my 'big brother'. It wasn't something you were programmed to do, you just did it, out of instinct. That was why grandfather Gerald, nurtured out friendship so much. It was because of you, not me. Yes, I was ill, but you would have done it, regardless, even if I wasn't. So when you left the Ark, after my 'death', I suspected you just moved on. However, when you found another youngster in need of help, I think it activated those 'big brother' instincts in you again, even if you didn't know it, as it eventually draw you towards, and then finally siding with, the youngster." She nodded, indicating the Blue Blur. Sonic gasped, realising what the girl had said had huge amounts of truth in it. But Shadow just frowned.
"But we're not related." He hissed. But Maria giggled.
"You don't have to be. We weren't and you still did it for me." She smiled, but then she shifted, looking rather sheepish. "And I..er...would like you to do it again." She stammered. Shadow immediately smirked, and then nodded, looking deep into her eyes.
"For you, Maria, anything." He added, to intense giggling from the Blue Blur.
"Alright, Big Bro, what's the plan?" He grinned, to immediately having the Fire Elemental of top of him growling hard, as Shadow grabbed the scruff of his chest, his temper flaring as fire erupted from the orangey-red stripes down his back.
"Shut up." He spat. "Don't you ever call me that again. Only she can." He hissed, indicating Maria. Sonic gulping, nodding hard. Seeing the Black Hedgehog's anger, immediately changed the Blue Blur's mind, and his put up both his hands, to apologise. But he heaved as Shadow finally let him go.
"But seriously though, Shads, what is the plan?" He asked again. The three Elementals had been walking through Empire City, and had now reached the outskirts, and the greater countryside and larger world, Mobius had to offer. Shadow smirked, as he quickly calmed himself down. He knew exactly what was to come next.
"Sixty years ago, I promised a certain little girl, that I would show her the planet, and it's a vow, I intend to keep." He hissed. Maria suddenly stared, and then squealed in pure joy, unable to quite believe it.
"Really?" She stammered, remembering that herself. Shadow nodded, but got immediately cut across by a certain Blue Blur, bouncing hard, sending sparks of electricity everywhere. Sonic just giggled, putting up his hand.
"I know the way." He declared. But Shadow just rolled his eyes. The Electric Elemental literally did, as he'd set foot on every inch of it. Soon, the three of them, now all immortal, left together, with an entire eternity of time to explore.