A Horrifying, Yet Miraculous, Absolution
Ch. 33
[×]
Mistakes were something accomplished often in the pursuit of methodical wonders or advancements. They were dealt with so often that certain versions of 'mistakes' were labeled 'the scientific theory' or 'thesis' or a whole host of other names to make the users feel better about themselves; to distinguish as not human beings capable of error, but just… You know. Normal logical and technical experiments off towards advancement.
Such was life.
… Such was life…?
Damned tears. Damned mistake. This- This was not what Shadow needed to see – to observe. Gerald rubbed his eyes as fast as he could before the boy could reach out. [His heart was breaking – all sides of it – all sides…] It was a carving knife into his epidermis; the edge that ripped into his bowels, and cleaved him from toe to skull. Failure. He had failed to a level he had no idea. Just like with Maria the first time around – what would have been the only time if not for Shadow's sacrifice. The boy had just proven he would listen – obey – to the man called Gerald Robotnik with the most extreme of the order. What a terrible realization: he had told his child to erase a discussion as a meaning of care and compassion, not-! Not to be taken so literal that Shadow had broken himself over it!
"Fath…?" came that tone of worry.
Unknowing! Unaware!
THE SCIENTIST COULD ASK OF ANYTHING FROM HIS GOOD SON, AND THE BOY WOULD DO IT. Was it a mix of a desire to please his creator? Was the need to follow Gerald's command from a corrupted Oneness that was more than happy to rip away memories of the soul of Shadow?! Like an hourglass losing quartz grains as time slipped!? Think: when was the last occasion his child truly denied anything from him so overtly?
Answer: when he told Shadow to… kill him. The rejection was so fast, so sharp; so visceral.
But that was it.
THIS WAS DANGEROUS.
ESPECIALLY FOR AN UNSTABLE MAN LIKE HIM.
To have… such CONTROL over his own son!?
DISGUSTING!
HE HAD PROMISED TO NEVER REPROGRAM HIM AGAIN! DOESN'T MATTER THIS WAS SOMETHING ELSE BY ONLY MERE TECHNICALITY!
B-But this was an… AN ACCIDENT!
DOESN'T MATTER!
Suck it in. Pull himself out of this death spiral. He was GERALD ROBOTNIK, the smartest man in the universe, and no TEMPORARY SETBACK was going to deny him the chance to SAVE his MARIA and SHADOW!
LOCK IT AWAY.
REGAIN SOME CONTROL!
The scientist waved his hand. "Just… a lot of steps." His heaving, haggard breath was not a lie – there was a lot of movement and cardio to reach the destination he had been searching for in TWO LIVES – but he was all too aware it was not actuality, either.
There was a grasp on a scientist's upper arm. "I could carry you…?"
[It was loud in his mind. For a VALID reason!]
He steadied himself on his knees. "No. I need to clear my head and this is a good avenue. I do, however, appreciate the… offer." Gerald flashed a small smile, aware that the boy would be able to pick up at the undertones of concern and grief. It was the best he could offer.
Shadow knew. Could tell something was wrong, but that faithful loyalty prevented the question of 'why?' So deep did the boy believe that Gerald would tell him when the moment was correct…
[How could he!? How could he!? How could he!?]
There were the sound of birds; the heat of the tropical sun on his body reflecting off the semi-refined angel ore underneath their feet. "We're going to need to pick up a chunk of the material these ruins are made of before we go back towards the hotel, my boy," he warned. "Your Inhibitors need an upgrade."
Red eyes shifted towards Gerald. "Upgrade?"
[CONTROL! Nothing is wrong, my child!]
A nod from a tired man – if he felt like this, how exhausted was Shadow in his own mind? Ahh... "A Chaos Emerald would… be bad for you. I need to create something that will give you… wiggle room."
The last two words were silently repeated on those 'Mobian' lips. "I see…" Black and red moved position to glance back towards the dais' height above them, not far at all. This was roughly the area he prevented from continuing onwards the last time – the tops of seven pillars could be seen; locations where the Chaos Emeralds were meant to rest before sentient life took notice and stole away. "Someone is… waiting for us." The grip tightened. "Seems to be a fighter, based on their Chaos signature."
"Let's say, 'Hello,' then, Shadow," he mustered up some encouragement in his hands and speech. In actuality, he was… scared.
Of himself. For the boy's sake.
[Finally. He was able to coherent sentences mostly together again from each side of his sanity…]
The sounds of two sets of shoes continued.
The altar was as he remembered, but with the closeness, the details were… amazing. Even he, a human without Chaos potential or control, could sense the energies coming out from the center point. It was as if this was the heartbeat of the entire world: illumination exploded in brightness, scents seemed to be enhanced, color popped with greater saturation than ever before; each archaic etching dug into the stonework a marvel. Yet, Gerald could also feel judgment and disgust. From where?
Ah, it must be the echidna. The last one to defend the Master Emerald – and what a solution to his problems it was. The sunlight gleamed from perfectly faceted edges; the transparent sheen that turned the world into green [the same hue of Shadow's warping ability, it seemed]; the way it just… hovered. Rotated. Spun about a vertical axis, as if it was sentient and wanted to display to all onlookers its glory, might, and beauty.
Legends. The head of Project: SHADOW recalled them – from his time traveling the world in search of something new and exciting. A jewel of authority so innate, so uncatalogued, so rumored, so jokingly thought of as false; so sacred that to steal away was the worst affront to Mobian religion – to their God of Chaos. Gerald was committing sacrilege of the highest degree. So was Shadow, but if the boy was of the stars, could he be blamed for stealing something of the Earth?
The voice that greeted them was not pleased. Filled with… despair – an emotion he knew about all too closely. Yet, the Mobian was held together by a sense of duty. "I did not expect the ones to attempt to steal this treasure was a singular hedgehog and a human. Tell me…" A head pointed to Gerald. "Are you being forcefully coerced? Manipulated? Or is this tainted Chaotic entity part of your underhanded plans?"
The scientist saw Shadow stiffen. "None of those. I would appreciate no false assumptions over our relationship. We're just here for the Master Emerald and then we're out."
There was a short pause as the boy interjected. "I didn't slaughter those in the village. You should go down there and see if your own family is emotionally alright. You won't be guarding anything anymore until Fath- deems otherwise. You will have more opportunities to hang out with those individuals. Enjoy your moments with them. You never know when they'll be taken away."
Blunt.
Honest.
His son was… trying to be reassuring.
Not threatening.
It… was the thought that counts.
[His child could be misunderstood as quite unapproachable to those not considered close, couldn't he? Others were just unable to comprehend Shadow like he or Maria were capable of… His little one was kindhearted. Was not a monster. Just… enthralled and mixed into a being that needs… help.]
A Mobian fist pulled back. "I cannot trust an entity with such perturbing Chaos Energy like yours-"
Gerald gave another tight squeeze on the boy. He wanted to be that anchor. Gravity. Something to lean on.
"-for anything other than malicious want."
Shadow sighed delicately. Rolled the insult off his back, just as he did the other ones. [Just as he was told to ignore.] Yet, the carbon and crimson form relaxed under the scientist's hand nevertheless.
"My son is not the enemy you think he is," Gerald added with gentle clarification – felt his rage aggravate underneath the surface.
"You both will not claim the Emerald. Your trip was in vain." With that, the fist swung.
Swung in an arc with power.
Speed.
Strength.
Not towards the boy, as Gerald had thought, but at… the floating gemstone-? Did this echidna… plan on breaking it so that he could not claim it!? RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM!? TO DRIVE HIM INTO DESPAIR [AGAIN!], TOO!?
A human brain could not comprehend what he had witnessed effectively: his child seemed to flicker positions – from being underneath his hands to still standing there, but with a slightly different place; human fingers right on the shoulder now an inch from it instead; the fist that was sent flying from the hardened warrior on course to shatter his HOPE run into nothing but air; the humming noise from a mass of Chaos Energy that had once existed before him was now behind the scientist's body.
Robotnik took in a deep, sharp breath.
This was the true might of Chaos Control, wasn't it? The ability that Shadow had whispered about before; a skill Gerald had only technically seen; something no longer only theoretical. To place the controller – a user of skill and talent lore would be written about – into a state drowned in so much Energy that time itself ceased to exist.
What… power…!
Gerald forced himself to see the boy's… expression instead, worried about the aftereffects upon the delicate mind. [The absolute confirmation of the miracle that he witnessed wasn't important right now! He could witness and process the awe he held at a later date; a later time!] There were those golden stars in his irises – burning, burning; burning his poor child away, further into the illusion – that, luckily, were still capable of fading. No. The abnormal thing was more… emotional: various ones written on those normally controlled brows – the fact that he wasn't hiding them away just yet meant that the Emerald was something more than just an item of legend.
His son wasn't there. For a little bit.
The scientist softly shook Shadow out of his… stupor. Those glass eyes had been blankly looking, as if past, the elaborate altar – fortunately, not the look Gerald had observed during the scuffle [not that clench against a skull with a soundless cry; the face of his child trying to resist whatever that Oneness was telling him to do, only to fail and not realize it]. He had to reduce as much as possible the chances, or prevent it altogether, of his boy from fighting ever again. The risk was too… high. Especially against organic materials. [That one echidna's body that was consumed and eaten away – arm, shoulder, left lung, torso, and heart all melted into black tar that seeped into the grass until it vanished – was a scene he would never forget.] "I think it's time to find some ore, my son."
In the background, the Mobian begun to shout. Was stupefied himself. Filled with aghast. "T-That w-was… The m-mural! It can't b-be! The L-Legend was supposed to b-be an a-avatar of G-GOOD-!"
"Yes, Fath..."
White gloves reached towards the Master Emerald and Gerald. Once again, the world vanished into shades of verdant, shattered crystal.
[x]
The scientist wondered if there would be a carving of an ebony and Alizarin Crimson hedgehog descending from the skies upon the echidna clan with golden lances. Something to scare the next generation of children with. Something to warn about how there were beings outside their sheltered Island that was now rumbling beneath them. His child had mentioned that, 'Without the Emerald, we are slowly descending onto the surface of the ocean.'
Would those stories say that it was a onetime deal?
Haaa…
Gerald would do it again if he had to.
He pointed to which pieces of ore looked the purest – the most capable to be used and expanded.
And again.
The two warped around; Shadow was aware that the Mobians were bound to follow at some point if they stayed in one place for too long.
And again.
His shattered child could carry quite a lot of weight. There was enough to fill one of the travel bags with plenty of ore. As for the Master Emerald itself…
"Are you… alright, my boy?"
The nod was hesitant. "Just… remembering."
A scientist hummed from deep within his throat. "You used the jewel to come back here…, didn't you?"
Black quills, and a boy's posture, sagged.
Gerald brushed back dark fur in affection. In care. In a calming manner. "You do not have to explain. I – no, we – appreciate beyond your comprehension what you did."
Now it was Robotnik's turn to fix everything.
He was NOT going to banish away his son.
[And if his precious, poor child… fell… into that dream too deeply, too far; too impossible to ever recover… Gerald would let Shadow raze worlds far away in the stars – because that would make his son happy. Wasn't that what all parents wanted for their children? To be loved; be joyful? But… that was only if there was NOTHING left. Nothing at all. Nothing but memories of whom the boy used to be…]
[He was a scientist, and scientists planned for all possible eventual outcomes. Even… the bad ones.]
BUT HE WASN'T GOING TO LET IT GET TO THAT POINT. IT WOULD BE LIKE ABANDONING MARIA.
[x]
There was a silver cart loaded with all sorts of Gerald's favorite fresh meats and cheeses and foods that the ARK simply could not provide. The portion size was smaller than normal – he was a sick man lying in bed, after all [was a sick man after what he saw and heard that afternoon]. Even though the smells were tantalizing, his stomach was not willing. In fact, he would have eaten nothing at all if not for the fact the boy was ever watching.
A fork sunk into the last piece of A5 kobe beef.
Shadow had ordered this one specifically for Gerald – had recollected all of the scientist's specific enjoyment of flavors. It was… not cheap, but as he raised in the ladder of adulthood from decades of work, so did his cuisine options, it seemed.
Eyes behind spectacles watched the boy. "You said that you'll be going to the ARK with the Emerald shortly?"
"As well as your bag of rocks."
That was… a distance. "You shouldn't strain yourself," the scientist added, placing the now empty plate back onto the wheeled in cart. He patted his mouth and moustache cleared before continuing. "Why not rest after the day's adventures and do so later tomorrow?"
A white glove traced one of the edges of the gemstone that was larger than the boy by quite a few mathematical amounts. "I suppose I will chase away room service in the morning as well…"
The tone – the silence – the hesitation caught Gerald's ears. Nothing sad. Nothing in mope. Nothing in agony. Instead, it sounded almost as if…
… As if…
Rubies were reading back and forth the book from yesterday. Biological things – reports about diseases that attacked the neurons – tomes of scientific notation that Gerald had brought to reassure that his knowledge in matters of NIDS was still as fresh as it could be for the critical tasking upcoming on their return. However…, the boy had already read through the entirety of it…
The elder Robotnik coughed to gain his son's attention. "I think I might be feeling better come sunrise."
He had come to Earth to stimulate Shadow's individuality as a 'side goal,' had he not?
"We're not needed at the White House for a few more days. Why not spend the time, go shopping for Maria, and accomplish… some other tasks we never had the chance to do before?" A hand moved towards the covered-up windows – towards the wide world that resided beyond. "You never got to see our summer house in the great towering mountains a few hundred miles east of here. It's on a nice lake. Isolated. This time of year, there would still be snowfall."
There was a pause of confusion. "'Summer house?' Not just… a normal home?"
Gerald felt himself blink a few times at Shadow's own eyelid movement. Two people stared at one another. "My… My boy. You know that I am on paper not a member of G.U.N., correct? That I am but a mere civilian scientist working in a space station under their… 'protection,' as it may?"
"I do."
The scientist could tell Shadow… did not actually understand. "I will admit a majority of my personal funds went to starting up the ARK in general, and it wasn't enough to cover the entirety of the budget for the scope of my design, but…" He felt himself sigh deeply and motioned with his hand for the boy to come closer. There were the soft sounds of metal across the rugs as his son closed the distance; didn't leave when Gerald brushed back a few quills from the side. "Although some of the funding for the ARK were the Artificial Chaos and Chaos Drives for government use and government use 'only,' I have numerous other patents under my belt."
There was a hum of acknowledgement.
Ahh, the boy still hadn't gotten it. "Shadow, the Robotnik name gets royalties. Obviously, it's not enough to rival the United Federation's GDP, but…"
Those gemstones opened and shut once. Twice.
In silence.
Like the gears had grinded to a halt a little.
Eureka struck.
Yes, Gerald does, indeed, quite enjoy making the boy rattled – in the positive sense – to no ends. Must be why Maria enjoys doing it herself.
[x]
The distance, the ARK's current position around the moon; the encryption protocols to disallow any [disgusting military Generals] eavesdroppers from infiltrating private conversations – all those things did not allow the most… clear of voices. Nevertheless, this allowed him to connect to his precious granddaughter. "How was your trip so far, Grandpa? Shadow here says that it was successful! To be fair, I kinda guessed that when I saw just how big the jewel is!"
Gerald was lying down on the large, king-sized bed with a hot water bag stuffed on his back. A pillow was also satiated up the spine, and it added pressure where it was desperately needed. Muscles were certainly going to be screaming at him tomorrow, but his physical ailments were far from his mind.
A medicine bottle played in his hands above him.
"Fath- was, undeniably, effective."
Giggles from a young girl erupted. "You should see Shadow right now, Grandpa! He just yawned, and it's so cute~ Now he's acting like it never happened."
A small pause. "I just warped from Central City to the moon, and that's just one jump of many I accomplished today. You would have gotten a trace of lethargy as well." The words were standoffish, but carried no bite. Gerald could sense the small tug of a smile…
The plastic bottle rotated; pills rattled against each other as they tumbled.
"Glad to hear you are doing well, my dear."
"Yeah. P-1 has been keeping me busy. Although, right now its being mesmerized by the, ah. The Master Emerald."
Which meant Shadow was spell bounded as well.
Made sense. His little one must be going through memories of what caused him to come back in the first place right now.
His granddaughter would realize that face of pain and do everything in her power to remove it. Gerald trusted her to do that.
Maria's voice continued. "Did… Was there someone else waiting for you at the spaceport?" The cautious optimism was there, but the words carried a weight that already knew the answer.
"I… am afraid not, my dear. Your parents want to see you physically instead of just through screens and speakers." The reality was because neither of his two oldest offsprings wanted to greet him anymore. Gerald had sent down notification he was to come – the first time in a long while – but…
Another rotation of those pills.
… How easy his first born and second were replaced. Isn't that wrong? Had he not cared for them, too? Maybe he was nothing more than a bastard for being so standoffish when they claimed he 'stole' away Maria. A bastard for being angry and upset when they attempted to 'force' him to give her back- No! His other offspring were all too aware of the fact she would die if he had. Oh… but the sick irony: after all, she had not been able to return home. Dead, dead; perished on his manmade sanctuary. A prison. He had locked her up as G.U.N. would want to do to Shadow… It was NOT the same.
Rattle; rattle.
"They're… probably just busy and couldn't come on such short notice," Maria would have reached out to hug him if she could have.
Gerald moved his back to a new position – or that was the excuse he gave himself for the elongated pause. "Of course."
Ears caught the sound of movement. A brilliant mind could 'see' Maria give the boy a knowing nudge. "Shadow will come soon! It's 0639Z up here. I'm just about to head off with P-1 to the cafeteria. I got a routine to show One Suspicious General."
That got a soft laugh out of him.
"Anyhow, make sure to prepare the Earth for me, Grandpa! There's a list of things Shadow and I have written we wanted to do as the three of us."
A fist wrapped around the transparent, orange plastic container.
It clattered as it hit the wall.
Loud enough that the microphone picked it up, although there had been no context.
Fingers were now clear.
"Of course, my dear."
There was a hitch in his lost child's voice.
One his granddaughter didn't understand.
But that was alright.
"I don't think you've been to my summer house, either. It's… nestled in the mountains, right on the border of the trees and a lake. You can see the dormant volcanoes rise above. A perfect place for that picnic you… have been looking for."
[x]
4:38 A.M.
Something woke him up.
A twist of his head found out what it was.
Shadow was sprawled most uncomfortably upon a couch off towards the side. One leg was on plushed pillows whereas the other hung off the edge; the left hand had a hand curled in relaxation on the boy's own chest whereas the right was over the armrest. A neck was tilted at a 66-degree offset from centerline. Carbon black fur and deep crimson markings – each clumped quill – splayed out like a leaf upon fabric.
The noise Gerald made afterwards did not awaken the boy.
Slowly, the scientist pulled up his son and dragged him into the large bed. Brought the high thread count satin sheets to that thin neck. Combed hidden wings into a comfortable position. Tucked him in.
Guarded.
Protected overnight.
This… was whom he created.
Children were always fragile.
[x]
"Hmmnnngh…," the boy murmured.
Gerald moved his position a little; placed the NIDS research book down towards the side. The gentle humming of a car's engine was absorbed into those black triangles that flicked around as Shadow tried to reorientate himself. Red eyes opened slowly to meet spectacled ones. "Good afternoon, son."
The little one realized he was curled besides Gerald. A face of bepuzzlement went out, something only Gerald could see in the vehicle. Instantly, the change from innocence to alert preparedness slipped on with expertise – something the scientist waved the boy down from.
"We're on our way to what the locals fondly call, 'Wine Country.' It's across the bay of Central City, up further along the mountains." Shadow watched his creator's face with oddness. "Since we have been informed that we must stay close to the city, per the President's organizational staff, our locations are, sadly, limited. Despite that, I felt this was the best initial option as both you and Maria have a habit on stealing some of my red wine." Realization of what Gerald was referencing burned bright. The boy tried to get up, but the scientist prevented movement. "Just rest and relax, Shadow. I'll wake you up when we reach our destination."
Rubies tried to fight and deny – as was per the norm – but lost the battle when Robotnik read him the book aloud and comforted him. Gerald had a vice grip on Shadow's emotions and was going to use that skill to his child's benefit.
The only way to make this more perfect was if his precious granddaughter was here as well.
[x]
Humanity was a cold, curious species. Homosapiens saw the two Robotniks out and about together, and while most were polite, a few were vicious in their appearances. The war with the rogue nations in the south was not helping in Mobian-Human [or human to human – cannot forget their tendency to despise each other] relationships, and in areas where many coagulated [so close to the capitol, at that], such tensions ran a little higher than normal. Idiots, all of them. He was not on his medication – those watching eyes and mouths better heed his glares of warning. He barely tolerated you all for the sake of Maria; Shadow.
It was hard to take children to see the morning sunrise if there was no horizon. Simple arithmetic.
[He shouldn't have thrown away the chlorpromazine so foolishly, however, so Gerald better tolerate the President as well. He's not above asking his son to jump to the ARK and get one last portion if required.] [Oh, the head of the United Federations deserves to choke on the Eclipse Cannon and he fully knew it. That politician is just fortunate that Robotnik had his hands tied.] [Any aggression against those deserving it in the capitol would bring attention to his child; would force Shadow to defend his creator. The scientist couldn't have that. Not at the severe debt slaughtering organic carbon-based life does to the psyche. His love for his children overruled his rage.]
The boy was carrying a few shopping bags stuffed to the brim. Gerald had tried to take most of them – all of the burden – but Shadow used facts and logic against the scientist, so… That was that. As such, the genius of the ARK was walking down with a small bag on his right arm: the fancy emblem of silver against the white background denoted a jewelry store. Something inside that hove of jewels and gemstones made him realize that his precious granddaughter lacked some sparkle. Nothing too over the top, of course. It was a very refined, but 'simple,' set of two blue diamonds he wanted to attach to her favorite headband. One on each end. Nothing too large – Gerald was not a jewel connoisseur despite having just stole one. Her blonde hair would hide some of the luster if she so desired…
[It would be a good gift if she had to run away from G.U.N. with Shadow in tow and needed to use gems to barter.]
More eyes watched in hatred at his child. They'll never learn, will they? Maybe instead of destroying the world, he'll lay claim to it…
Time to change that line of thought. [Better than killing everyone and everything, isn't it?] "What do you want to do next?"
Shadow rubbed the Inhibitor Ring around his left wrist, deep in thought. The boy had already been told – basically chastised – that using Maria's name or Maria's wants as an excuse was only allowed twice, and both turns have been accomplished. Try as his lost child might to resist, Shadow WILL use his mind for selfish desires. "An art store."
Gerald hummed. "Alright. We'll go there. And since that will take approximately two hours, we will need an agenda for afterwards."
The carbon and crimson individual had already picked up the roaring red flag that the scientist was… different. But kept his mouth shut in referencing it. Just tight fingers against the bags' grip as if his child hadn't believed what he was seeing. "… A coffee bean store…"
That caused a few blinks. "Hmmm?"
"I… like to chew. On them." Red eyes shifted up to see if Robotnik was… judging him? Why would he judge his son? "They're bitter. Tart. Tasty."
The scientist mused. He finally learned what the boy wants to snack on, and it was something completely left field. Was it chosen because of how… intense the flavors were? Was it something from… the Black Arms? Mobians didn't have that genetic predisposition.
Didn't matter.
"And then after that?"
"… A motorcycle parts business. For small things. Things that you wouldn't need to build."
See? He patted the boy, squatted down, and muttered, "That wasn't so hard, was it?"
There was neither a denial nor an affirmation – not until those soft, deep words came out. "No, Fath…"
"You're such a smart son."
A flinch. Not of pain. One of surprise; want.
"I love you," he whispered again.
Rubies looked up at him. Mouth slightly ajar. Shadow tried to form words but couldn't. The guilt was still too much but also far less. When Maria is cured… that would be it, wouldn't it? It was so close Gerald could TASTE IT.
The response was a tight squeeze. "It's alright. I'm slightly above an average user of Shadow-ese," he jested with a wave of his finger to maintain a light mood. He needed to get used to saying such words in common scenarios. They shouldn't be hoarded and only issued out in dire situations. All the regret he had for not saying anything earlier to the only ones that mattered… "Of course, Maria is the most fluent of us all, besides yourself, but I am not illiterate."
At that, the scientist turned to the men, some of the protection detail, behind him. As instructed, these two members of homosapiens kept a decent berth from Gerald and Shadow. Their help in preventing others from getting too close, physically, is why the two could even walk around in the first place. They had feelings of unease the scientist could read ride up their spines – eyes that flicked to one another as they understood something was… off. However, they were at least professionals. Didn't speak aloud what caused it: Robotnik himself? His unabashed adoration for his child and another one still stuck in space for the time being? The boy and the way those Air Shoes made soft, practiced noises upon concrete – purposefully light and quiet and impossible to hear in this crowd despite gazes observing them? The knowledge that when those glass eyes turned, there was no pupil to catch the light?
"Do you know where these stores are?" the scientist asked.
He preferred professionalism. They didn't drop a beat. "Yes, Professor Robotnik. Anywhere else you want to go?"
Gerald moved his hand underneath his chin. Hummed a little. "A dinner location that will allow the chef to serve a bowl of said beans to my son. Would be nice to have a view of the ARK, if that's alright and not too bothersome of a request, of course."
And that's where father and son ended the day.
Ended the next one on a common transportation ferry exploring the bay.
The following one at a museum where Shadow remarked 'security was bad before, but this…?' in an odd connotation; the two admiring the artifacts of various civilizations speaking of 'fabled lands mythos called Angel Island' with not nearly enough irony.
Both decided to keep the best spots for when his granddaughter could make it down. This was more… of an appetizer.
Because, unlike their final descent that was to come, the enemies were still watching with every breath. Every 'hello' and 'good morning, Professor Robotnik' from the Secret Services on Gerald's detail; they, no doubt, reported every action he and Shadow did.
Watching.
Waiting.
And when Gerald placed upon his feet socks of a rocket ascending into space, when he tied a little bowtie around Shadow once again for another false show, he knew the gig was about to begin in earnest.
"The President is going to ask you a lot of questions," he cautioned. "We'll be at the White House from this evening, the 24th, and then up to the 31st. He'll start slow. Lure you in. Try to use every advantage. Counter him. The General onboard the ARK is worse, but don't let that lull you into a sense of complacency."
The quest for immortality…
Gerald still didn't know why that was the goal.
"Yes, Fath-. I won't let you down."