A Horrifying, Yet Miraculous, Absolution

Ch. 18

[×]

Shadow, for his part, was making things as easy as he could. Those red eyes maintained on the much taller woman sitting across from him, like the one being dissected was the Major General instead of himself, but everything else appeared like a stuffed doll one placed on a shelf to admire. The lights above played no harsh streaks of darkness; his white gloves were immaculate as always; even his scent was regulated due to Maria having had washed him in some special shampoo. Indeed, he looked the part of a successful 2-series prototype.

By now, dinner had been served: some sort of soup and salad, a fancy cut of beef, some wine that Gerald refused, and sides that normally would have fallen under the word 'delicious.' As expected, everything tasted like glue and copper. The weight of being studied for every movement was an action both adults were accomplishing at one another. Sadly, Maria was still not feeling well and only poked at her meal. He knew his dear well enough to see it – but after the initial freeze up, her fake demeanor had returned with some sort of fired up passion. Whenever there was anything directed to Shadow, she had taken over and recounted only the most sugary-sweet tale she could concoct. Her words were very… persuasive, but there was one dilemma.

She admitted Shadow was someone she knew longer than a few days. Or a singular week.

Gerald had felt his guts fight against the instinct to correct her. Was about to, perhaps – but…!

Maria had kicked him.

Under the table.

"Yes, I saw him more than a month ago, but he was still stuck in his little tube!" the girl added with a wave of her hands. "There were so many bubbles! It was a pretty neat experience, especially since Grandpa didn't realize I snuck into his lab again. Shadow was fast asleep, of course, but every day I hung around to talk to him. I mentioned Abe, the best places to hide on the ARK; the weird thing they serve at the cafeteria on Thursday nights. Did you know he recognized my voice when he woke up two-ish weeks ago?" She clapped in childish glee. "I was such a proud girl! Grandpa did say I might have imprinted on him before he crashed back into unconsciousness, though. Whoops?"

Granted, her admission didn't affect the plan, per say. It just was a girl saying that "2.018" was aware long enough for the two to have form a bond. It was as if she was trying to make the timeline of Shadow's official date of sentience move back a little over an extra week. Not much more. Still within a window where he could claim that the hedgehog was in testing. And on the newly forged papers, the boy was.

This confused him.

[It was as if Maria understood that the General understood Shadow had been alive for longer and was covering for something. Was this related to her face earlier in the hour? What had happened between the two? He wanted to talk to her and ask, but, obviously, that wasn't a possibility!]

The General sipped more red wine. Since it was only a singular serving over the past sixty minutes, she was not inebriated, which was a shame. Gerald wished he had time to pick up dirt on her vices to extract more advantages… Or at the very least she would need to excuse herself to the restroom so he had time to inquire his granddaughter…

[x]

Shadow's hand was quite large – bigger than his creator's and hinted at strength unparalleled. Nevertheless, the boy allowed Gerald to guide him towards the wooden platform as if the Ultimate Lifeform was nothing more than fragile glass. His head was staring down towards only Maria, as if she was his tether. The scientist had to change that opinion: his granddaughter was it.

Carefully, he kneeled and ignored the crowd behind him, staring right into the child's face. His finger brushed the microphone against the human's throat as he verified it was off before addressing the hedgehog. "It's alright if you need to take a deep breath before we begin. I can stall them out with a very grand and elaborate, technical speech that would leave most of them asleep. They are rather boring, as you know."

It was a paltry excuse of a joke, but that was not the intended effect. He wanted to prove to Shadow that there was more than just Maria – there was also Gerald he could lean on.

The boy's voice was still soft. "I never found our talks… dull."

He rubbed a singular thumb against Shadow's ear in reassurance before he stood and turned back around. The brass came back into sight; eyes opened and wine glasses held in their hands to celebrate a toast that they assumed would be happening. Gerald took another look at the SecFo in the background, who were perhaps the most tense they were all evening.

Fortune or woe?

Which would Professor Robotnik produce? they must have wondered.

He tapped his hand on the mic once again and rose the spare glass he had brought up here in the dress rehearsal. The liquid inside was just plain water dyed a deep red to mimic the brain-fog inducing beverage, but who was to know that little tidbit? "Ladies and gentlemen," he started, ensuring to look at the G.U.N. members as a whole – did his best to not stare down to one certain 'enemy.' "And Mobians," he ended with a chuckle, giving a pat on Shadow's head once more. This one was much more visual: no mistake that it was from somewhere of trust.

Maria gave two thumbs up.

"These past few years have been quite a struggle as science cares for no one to obtain it without sacrifice. Time. Effort. All of the many things required for the pursuit of perfection. As you may all know – or, at least, if you haven't, you passed the Top Secret clearances to be in this room at this moment in the first place – the ARK was blessed to be given the opportunity to create something not of normal comprehension."

A fancy place with fancy words filled with fancy ideas. He had casted a tale and was to send it crashing towards the ground. "Of course, the hunt for the Ultimate Lifeform was not without its… troubles-" How many inside this room were stationed here when the Biolizard ran amok? Perhaps the majority. "-but I can tell you now that we have made a major step forward!" His left hand moved in beckoning, and Shadow took the cue to take a few steps closer. The boy's careful movements maintained the holograms together as the processors within the device desperately crunched the 0s and 1s to create the image necessary. "May I introduce the ARK's second Prototype, the first to have claimed true sentience, and a medical marvel you will have the honor of witnessing before you."

There was some polite clapping and surely some rolled eyeballs; anger at deficit spendings to others. A hedgehog was not a gigantic lizard that towered over individuals that sent the fear of death up spines. Nor was it a water creature based on images of a God foretold to bring down destruction of all things it raged against. Rather, the little black and red individual was small. Charming. Endearing with his miniature red bow tie.

In short, Shadow didn't give that 'weapon' vibe.

Gerald continued his speech, which evolved into bringing slides and physically immense images of spliced genes. Each canvas was custom made and had taken Dr. Tower a plethora of time. The head of Project: SHADOW had a metal extending pole he used as a pointer, going by every aspect and critical detail. The name of the game was to be as overwhelming, as complex, as intricate; as incomprehensible as possible – and when Dr. Robotnik wanted to drown others in scientific notations, his lecturing skills had plenty of fresh practice.

[Even that Prussian Blue hedgehog in the background had eyes that were now as large as the dinner plates. Hah! A little piece of revenge was always nice.]

This was Gerald's element. Even though the audience was not a nest of college graduates eager to learn for the betterment of tomorrow, this entire charade did wonders on keeping him grounded for what was to come next.

"In short, for those whom I lost at slide three," he gave out a deep laugh, as he was [in]famous for, "PSUL2.018 is perfectly immune to all toxins, poisons, venoms, chemicals, and other dastardly words. He has accelerated healing as pictured in Figure 34.a.1. He is everything and anything you would want for your soldiers to ensure they reach their own homes in safety and security if given the chance to see how his compatibility can work on humanity. Most important: 2.018 is proof that we, at Project: SHADOW, are on the correct path. The only thing left is to find a way to merge the 'weapon' aspect of the 1-series into a future 3-series that will be using 2.018 here-" Cue waving at Shadow. "-as a base. A very solid one, I might add."

The crowd was still silent.

"I will address questions, now."

And they came. Explosions of volume bellowed out of mouths; hands waved in distrust, amazement, or both; bodies crushed upon each other as they squeezed into the dais. The scene almost took Gerald away from his current location – he was seeing an aspect of humanity that he was not certain he should be encouraging. Yet, he had to. That was his goal. Eventually, though, someone asked one of the harder, more critical subjects – one he couldn't wave away with the 'magic' of science.

The culprit was a Senator from the surface, one of the few non-military, non-researchers allowed. Someone whom rode up on a rocket just for this occasion; someone that had to report back to the others. A fool, but one that had the backings of political power. Perhaps the President's. "You have taken 5.5% of the United Federations' GDP every year for the past six years – ten, if we include pre-Project: SHADOW. Is this all you have to show for it? A walking version of one of your… Heal Units?"

Gerald rubbed his moustache. "I dare not compare 2.018 to one of those things. He doesn't need to use the low gravity of the ARK to function his recovery modes. As such, neither will 3-series."

"You speak as if you're positive you can use this creature to create serums for humanity," the Senator continued acidly. "All that money, and you haven't even proved that, yet."

Ah, yes. This was certainly the President's ally. "The hunt for immortality is not accomplished in a few years. If that was the case, I would have already been vacationing on a beach back on Earth." His tone had dropped a few levels of 'joy' – how dare that man assume he was not doing all he can, as fast as he can, to save Maria!?

The politician continued, as if he was playing an instigator. "Show it to us. This healing that you foolishly think you created and can learn to extract. I've been to enough fiscal-related lectures to not believe such curated results without proper evidence."

"Preposterous! I won't injury 2.018 on the whims of others."

His granddaughter had lost her positive pose and was starting to look left and right to the people around her. She did not like how the crowd had gone, either. It was unfortunate Maria had to witness this, too. She could rest assured, however: Gerald was not going to hurt Shadow. He didn't need to impress the President anymore, anyways. No, he had to impress G.U.N….

"I think it's a good idea," came a voice from closer towards the ground. It was the Mobian, who had ventured to the hardwood platform. He must have squeezed between the human legs with ease. Gerald might have missed the hedgehog initially, but the scientist noticed the boy did not. "Real Mobians do not have the ability to simply 'heal' up in shortened timeframes. Just like humans, we can only patiently await natural cellular growth."

"I can show you the unedited video of the 1-series Prototype from the basement if you want to see such recovery skills in high definition," Gerald snapped back in a sickly humorous tone.

The crowd resumed silence for the most part. Security Forces members shuffled in place, still at parade rest in the background. Of all the individuals that understood the truth of that statement, it was them that took it to heart the most. This was also within the plan – Gerald had proven that he had all the capabilities of forging bioengineered armaments. He wanted the masses to be strung along with the promise of something dangerous, yet controllable – something that was within reach, but not quite just there. The scientist saw it on the faces of all the brass – that greed-

The Ultimate Lifeform cut into the air as he took forwards a few steps to squat down and reach to his granddaughter's level. "Please give me your lily, Maria."

[-What was he doing?]

Her hands reached towards her hair and pulled it out; the near hundred oculars stuck in confusion – whispers of It can talk? abounded. By now, the flower was limped and dull, no longer fresh. The white had started to turn a binged eggshell; the green stalk almost a noodle. Slowly, as if hesitant [but critically, not confused at all], his granddaughter placed the flora into Shadow's awaiting grasp. They slowly pulled apart.

Gerald did his best to look confident. [What was he doing? He knew how important tonight was!] "As you can… plainly see, 2.018 is indeed polite and kind."

Shadow – and his granddaughter – were on their own agendas.

He wasn't given the opportunity to stop them without it looking like he had lost control. That would have been terrible-

The words, directed to Gerald and not caught by the mic, floated dimly, like dust that hung in the light. "Storming the ARK can only be approved by a President. I will help you maintain both their good graces." He rose the lily up close to his chest and the gaze of all followed. In a much louder voice, Shadow continued, "What Professor will create with me are miracles for all humanity. I only ask you give him a chance."

That sounded like something Maria would say-

Or, in this case, did she- She told Shadow to-!

The boy's demeanor changed in a fraction of a second: ears furled complete back [in fear; in horror; in self-revulsion] as lips moved. Gerald couldn't hear the words. However, he could read them: Chaos… Control!?

-and then there was a Viridian, humming light. It wrapped around the boy and like a physical manifestation of a zephyr. It was circular in motion, like rings – the same shape that flared up in the boy's eyes, but different all the same. What was beige bleached white; limp to straight; a stalk grew longer until a root system appeared right in front of everyone's observation-

-the boy looked tired. Acted. Because that display of Chaos Energy was not nearly enough-

… What had Gerald just witnessed?[!]

In the background, a Prussian Blue Mobian passed out in shock.

[x]

The evening continued in a daze. Shadow had taken over with a proverbial iron fist.

Gold around ankles and wrists flashed. "They are Chaos Accelerators. Professor and Maria made them for me to tap into the ambient Energy from the Reactor's Drives and Chaos rail system. Without them, my native pool is too shallow to manipulate anything."

He had expected a trap from the Major General. Not his- the children.

"As a Prototype, I cannot maintain or use that ability without access to the ARK, and I do not have enough Chaos Energy to use it more than once a week. Another deterrent is the need to understand the makeup of the object being restored to completion." The lily, now in his granddaughter's cup of water, moved slightly as Shadow shifted. "This is capable of growing from a cutting in the first place, and was Maria's favorite species of plant, so not only was it compatible, I knew it very well."

Was? Knew? The boy was making grammar mistakes, but all Gerald could do was nod and hum in an 'agreeing' manner when anyone had the spare thought to leave Shadow and reach the creator's.

"I only know my own genome and the flower's. That's it. I'm only… How old am I, consciously?"

"Two weeks!" a young girl hissed. It would have been comedic at any other event with how much of a clash she was against his emotions.

"That."

The explanations continued. Gerald kept only aware for a few parts – too stunned. The scientist wasn't the only one: everyone was the same. Ghosts in human skins.

This was proof that Maria had read through his work book with all of his notes very meticulously. The 'Chaos Accelerators' excuse was something he had thought of in case anyone were to ask why Shadow required those golden bands to stay with him at all times. Unlike earlier, however, when the General caught her off guard, this was clearly executed per a strategy. The head of Project: SHADOW understood then and there that it didn't matter if the brass had not invited Maria – she was going to be at that party no matter what.

In a way, it was brilliant.

Shadow was now irresistible and tantalizing. Something to throw massive amounts of funding at to achieve whatever lied beyond. Like his namesake, what came next was right under the ignorants noses, judging them by his own standards.

But very much so 'shackled' to the ARK in a field clearly labeled: FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES ONLY.

If Gerald would have known that the boy could… could heal other objects like that-!

But then Maria caught his gaze and she slowly, solemnly, shook her head in a form of defeat. Sadness. As if she was saying: that's not a cure or a heal, Grandpa. It's a trick. Like she knew what she was doing in front of a rabid crowd.

Time slipped.

A calculative voice snapped into the haze. "Hah. Almost outplayed by a girl whom a week ago had no idea who I even really was."

The scientist turned towards the individual.

She was the only one left from the brass, having had excused everyone else by this time – to include all of the SecFo members. It was clear she wanted something inherently private; those green irises flickered back towards the boy and then returned to Gerald. A pale hand brushed platinum hair back, despite the fact nothing was out of place. "Congratulations, Doctor. I am positive that the President and the Commander of G.U.N. will be more than willing to fund you for the next fiscal year with that. Assuming it's not staged, of course, but…" She closed her eyes as her grin came back. "That's what my weak-willed specialist from the south is for."

"It's not fake," Gerald narrowed his eyes.

Her hand waved away the accusation. "Yes; yes. I hope after things settle you never enter politics. You might not have a knack for it."

Robotnik took the moment to be silent, instead.

"Come follow me, doctor. I got something you need to see." With that, General Kirkendall turned around towards a side hallway that led deeper into the military region of the ARK; specifically, her office. She paused by the doorframe and tilted her head to look at the trio left behind. "You are, of course, free to ignore me, being a civilian. However, do note this: the President will promise you a year, and then the election cycle will come for his carcass and leave you near empty and without allies. The Commander above me will gift you sixteen months, at best, before cancer will claim him from decades of smoking those death sticks – he's at Stage 4, didn't you know? By then, you will be considered a relic of the old guard and be disposed of. I can give you a all the time you need. Think wisely."

Her steps left the chamber and echoed no more.

[x]

"You two are in so much trouble," was the action that came too fast to stop; emotion only fractionally short of biting. "What were you thinking?" He paused and shook his head. He knew better than to speak here. Aloud. In the hub of G.U.N.'s heart. And his disappointment and anger weren't at the youths. Those two were just worried and took matters in their own hands, like Robotniks- "Look. Just… Just meet me back in the lab – and do be careful, Shadow. Maria: make absolute certain no one gets too close."

They both hesitated. Neither wanted to leave him.

"D-Don't-" his granddaughter started, aware of where he was going to go.

He didn't have a choice.

"Return. To. The. Lab."

"Understood, Professor."

"… Yes, Grandpa."

[x]

When underneath a stressful moment, sometimes time can feel like it lasts forever – stretched between each heartbeat and breath – a falsehood brought by adrenaline pumped straight into the brain as it attempts to understand parameters. An eye would dilate to absorb all the light and detail it possibly could; chest would stay as rapid as it might; hands became molten lead as the human had to wonder what to do with their own digits. Those were the exact feelings that Gerald could feel and understand – such high amounts of natural chemicals his body gave out in a desperate attempt to understand what was happening before him.

The only solace was that he – they – had guaranteed Maria another year's worth of attempts – to actually, finally, move on from the 'creation' of a shadow. This was fine. This was fine. This was-

Her back was at him. Arms crossed over by her spine. The moonlight played phantoms of imps – an imagery he honestly could have done without. If she had meant to scare him, well…

Gerald had faced off a Demon.

"We're on the same team, Doctor Robotnik."

He frowned at that. Lies.

The Major General didn't move. Her office was dark and strangely empty. The only thing was a picture frame that Gerald wasn't at an angle to see and something homemade stuffed by the wall near the door to get out. "The previous Commander Fortis wanted to kill your Project. Kill the researchers. Kill your granddaughter. After all, the Biolizard was a hazard and the Gizoid was just a piece of metal that couldn't be controlled. Dangerous. He was waiting for just that one valid excuse – that one reason to crack this station open and fry the humans within. You were deemed a flight and security risk; insanity coded with mental illnesses of egotism and a God complex, according to the foolish psychs on Earth. Nobody at G.U.N. wanted to take any more gambles on you with such paltry results. Except me."

Gerald was blindsided. What-? He had expected to be threatened-! Not-! What FOOLISHNESS was she speaking of!? K-KILL HIS…! KILL HIS-!?

"When that failure of a Commander stumbled, I took my opportunity. No one else was willing to take the reign of a doomed facility earmarked for eventual red-stained closure, but where men toss things away, I'll dig my nails and claw it back into importance. You do not become this high of a ranking without crushing weaklings without vision underneath your foot." One could hear a giggle. "You know what will get me promoted? The Ultimate Lifeform. My signature on Its documentation. My face associated with the eventual success. G.U.N. wouldn't be able to deny the person whom let it all possible. Presidents come and go, but the Commander of the entire military stays."

[SHE was a power-hungry warlord!]

He was… struggling to… breathe-!

[Fortis has wanted to- -to take his children away!?]

"So, yes. I will applaud your funding gain for the next year. That was smart. Well executed. I had thought I had you cornered, but I suppose that's the result when drive eventually runs into genius. Hah!" The blonde bun shook, but the General still refused to turn. "We both know it won't be enough time to save the one you'll do anything for – Maria."

His chest was screaming. "Y-You don't… You don't know that."

He- was- not- going- to- fall- into- her- noose-

"Facts are facts and logic is logic. If you had the ability to save her quickly, you would have left this place long ago and not attempt to prostrate yourself to anything or anyone willing to hear you. I mean, you came into my office willingly. You're that afraid. Unsure. Aware."

Maria.

Dying.

Was going to be… killed?!

No.

No; no-

"Give me what I want, though, and I would never bite the hand that fed me. I'm much too caring about my future and my name in the history books for that – to perish as a nobody would be a failure. For now, I'll play my part in your charade to say The Devil is as innocent as it appears because you covered your tracks quite well. A warning: don't think I won't try to make It show off Its true colors. I have only hunches and the whispers of clues to your Project's secrets, but whispers don't get one to rise above their peers. The Devil did give me the opportunity to get up here in the first place, however, so I'll submit defeat tonight. Besides, I'm certain you need to go home and sleep in the arms of your granddaughter, who is still with us. For now."

His mind cracked on him.

[Maria was lying on the floor in a puddle of her own blood-!]

[The boy pounding on glass-!]

No. Must get rid of that image. She's not-! She's NOT dead-!

He would…

He WILL save her!

"After your year ends in failure, but before the fiscal change, come back here if I hadn't already proved Its secrets to those who stand in my way of promotion. There'll be an obstacle course for The Devil in a training room awaiting It. Each mechanized armor It destroys will be an increase to your proposed budget, double if It can do it in one blow; ten times if It can do the task with Chaos Energy at Its whim, wielded as a weapon. There'll be hundreds awaiting Its precise and controlled violence. Feel free to stop by Training Lab 07-1b at any time before then. I'll be always watching."

The human legs were incapable of much.

He felt wrong.

Sick.

[-loss and despair-!]

He had to get out of here. He wasn't… going to give Shadow to her-

Maria was going to need more than a year-

The General was madness-

A year was not enough time to allow triple or double checks before introducing anything into her delicate system-

If a person with that mentality becomes the head of G.U.N., what would the boy be forced to-

A warlord who wanted a crown and promised Gerald all the time he could ask for-

"I love you, Grandpa." "Do the right thing." "You got this!"

Damn this snake. Damn himself. "I won't entertain or give you want you want," he growled from deep within. The quality of his voice was… off putting. Volatile. "I don't need more than a year. I've used up too many already before you shot me."

['Shot me?' Gerald was never shot-]

General Kirkendall felt fear at that and it pleased Robotnik: the way her hands squeezed together; body shivered; breath inhaled. "Maybe the psychologists weren't wrong about you...," a murmur dropped, one that she normally would have kept locked within.

His body had somehow turned around to leave. Yes. He needed to go. Something was wrong with him after their discussion. He needed to think about something else. Anything else. Thoughts about his living granddaughter; of the boy's careful smiles; of the three in a little tent reading books about the heavens. Eyes focused on the one thing ahead of him in order to avoid the psychopath: heart medication perfectly set aside; a dosage ready to enter his constricted throat; a large cup of clear, clean water. Everything was sitting upon a homemade lace doilie – the perfect shape, color, and design of the logo of Project: SHADOW.

A cracked mind broke.