Shadow the Hedgehog 2: Part 2 - Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Confessions of a G.U.N. Spy

As the next few weeks flew by, the world became more under Eggman's thumb than ever before. Between capturing the Freedom Fighters, using Shadow as his prime energy source, and sending the Dark Hunters across the nations, concurring the planet became far easier. A large portion of the G.U.N. tried to settle the oncoming alienated invaders, but it didn't prevail.

Maria, it seemed, had the worst experience of them all. She was forced to send the horde out herself. And if she didn't, Eggman would extract more Chaos energy from Shadow and a few others. Knowing they were the only ones who could stop them, she had to do as told in order to keep them alive long enough for them to find a way to escape. And each night, she was so upset from all the wrong she had caused, she would almost always cry herself to sleep.

It was the morning before Christmas Day, and a very special one for a certain evil dictator… When he got to the door, he opened it laughing jubilantly. "The time has come, cousin!" It was Doctor Eggman. Then he saw Maria working with Cubot. "What the...? What happened to him?"

"Not sure," replied Maria. "We'll find out as soon as I'm done fixing him."

"When do you suppose that'll be?"

"Well, I had a bit of trouble before, especially with his voice chip, but I should be finished in just a few minutes."

"Very well, but that's not why I'm here. I'm here to give you this…" He handed a box to Maria.

The blonde hedgehog hesitantly opened it, and she was amazed. Inside the box was a rhinestone tiara with a sapphire gemstone. It sparkled from the light behind her.

"Today is the big day. Today, you shall assume the throne and become Empress Maria Robotnik. And just in time for us to take over the world!" The old doctor laughed loudly and crazily. It quickly became a cough and then a laugh again.

"Wow… has he always been this crazy?" Maria mumbled to herself.

"What was that?!"

"N-Nothing! Nothing important!" She laughed nervously.

"That's what I thought… Now, I'll be back with a camera crew in about half an hour! We wouldn't want the world to miss this momentous occasion." He left for the door.

Maria sat back down after he left. To think that she would be forced to such an awful position… she could only hope that the Sonic and the gang would break free in time. Then, she heard some knocking on her window. Outside, she saw a shadow moving. Carefully, the hedgehog girl approached the window, her senses at full alert.

Suddenly, a glove-covered hand touched the window. She gasped by the shock and watched how it removed some of the frost. Then she got direct eye-contact with a pair of sapphire blue eyes accompanied with bat wings.

"Rouge!" She opened the window, and the G.U.N. spy clambered in. She was the only one who still hadn't been captured by the Legion. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," replied the bat. "The rations have successfully been delivered. I was almost captured, but it was worth it."

Maria smiled. Throughout the time of Eggman's extended domination, the two girls have secretly been supplying food, water, clothing, and other special needs to the nations. It seemed to be the only thing that kept her at ease during the time. Although, something still bugged her only when she was around the bat girl.

She looked out the window. "I sure wish what we've supplied is enough for the planet's population. It seems to be getting harder to do this."

"Hey, if not for you, people would be starving, dehydrated and cold in the streets." She placed a hand on her shoulder. "You may be in the wrong place, but you're doing the right thing, Blondie. We're all grateful."

"But how much longer can we pull this off?" Maria asked as she looked at the Mobian before her. "At least someone is able to help me… even if it's someone I'm jealous of..."

The white bat was puzzled and surprised. "You? Jealous?"

"Yes... You and Omega are Shadow's closest friends. He would trust you with his life," Maria replied. "And all the adventures you had with him: the ARK incident, the Black Comet, Soleanna… you stood by his side when no one else could. I can't help but be envious."

"He– he told you that?"

"He told me a lot about you." Maria gave Rouge an ensuring smile.

The white bat looked the other way, ashamed of herself. "Then he has too high thoughts of me… I'm not a good person."

The golden girl giggled at her. "Oh, don't be ridiculous. Why would you think that?"

Rouge couldn't keep it in any longer. At that moment, she made the biggest confession of her life. "I did this, okay?! I told Eggman where you were! I ruined everything!"

Maria was surprised. She wasn't expecting this to occur.

"I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry!" the bat continued. "Shadow was right. I'm… I'm jealous! I mean, you're his best friend, right? He trusts and cares for you far more than he does for me." Tears began to emerge from her eyes. It was the first time in years she had actually cried. "Between us, I formed a crush on him. I was scared that I was gonna lose him to you. Eggman was my last resort, but I only wanted you away from him. I never wanted any of this!"

When she finished her rambling, she settled down but was still disgraced with herself. "I'm not asking you to forgive me. And I wouldn't blame you if you hated me… I just want you to understand."

When Rouge was finished, Maria was still surprised. But she smiled. Without any warning, she grabbed her in a hug and held her tight. "I forgive you…"

The bat woman hesitantly returned the gesture. Her feelings about Shadow were still a mess, but after her brief conversation with Maria, it kind of eased her frustrations. Maria was right. She did do good things in life, and she wasn't always as selfish as Sonic and the others had accused her to be.

Their embrace, however, was cut short when they suddenly heard a knock on the door. "Can I come in?" It was Orbot. He had come by to check on Cubot, but he didn't want to open the door to anything he shouldn't.

"Oh. Uh... just a second." As Maria was speaking, Rouge had zipped out the window. Maria then quickly came to the door and let the round one in. She was just about to give Orbot some good news if not for the uneasy expression on his face. "Are you worried about Cubot? Because..."

"It's not that," the robot replied. "I mean this in the nicest of ways, ma'am, but I fear that your desire to accomplish the most miniscule tasks causes Cubot and I to appear inferior by comparison."

"'Desire?' Orbot, I hate being the princess."

"You do?"

"If this is what being a princess is, then yes. So much negativity, and who wants to live a life filled with hate?"

"Then why are you doing this?" the round robot asked.

"It's the only way I can protect my friends and family."

"I don't think I'll ever understand you organic life forms."

"I assume you'd do the same for Cubot." She snapped her fingers. "Speaking of which..." Maria then returned to Cubot and quickly made some adjustments. Soon, the hedgehog girl reactivated the machine.

Cubot's optical processors slowly opened. Then, suddenly, he stood up. "Watch what you're grabbing there, Bozo!"

"Huzzah! He's fixed," the round one cheered. "Cubot, tell us what happened to you."

"It's Makuta! He dismantled me!" he answered. "And I liked being mantled."

Orbot spoke up afterwards. "That's why he didn't bother to help me... Why would he do that?"

"Lemme check my memory circuit..." the edged one stood silently for a moment. Then he replied. "...all I remember is... I found these video files on a flash drive on the floor, I asked Makuta what to do with then, and then he got mad at me. Next thing I know, here I am."

"Here. Let me see." Receiving the drive, she plugged it in her computer to reveal two video documents, one of which was under her name. "Hey. It's for me. This was recorded the day before the ARK attack." She clicked on the document, and there, in a hospital bed on the screen, her grandfather sat.

"Hello, Maria," he began and then let out a sickening cough. "Sorry. I'm a bit under the weather. They say I'll be fine, but I thought I'd record this just in case." He coughed again as he continued. "Anyway, I looked into the blueprints for the machine that was built to save you. In the process, I stumbled upon something that I find rather interesting… It says you want to become a Mobian Hedgehog so that you can be with Shadow."

The girl sighed and looked away, ashamed. 'Here it comes again…'

"I just want you to know that I have approved of your new body. I've approved your feelings for Shadow months ago, and I've already given you my blessings," said the late professor. This surprised her. "Yes, my dear. I've known for quite some time now. I'll admit it concerned me at first, but I couldn't help but feel like you two were meant for each other. So I've actually tried to find a way to make you a hedgehog for years. And this may be our only way. Supposing this is my death bed, that's all I want for when I die… for both of you to be happy."

"Professor, lights out!" shouted a voice in the background.

"Almost done!" he replied. Then he looked back at the camera. "I have to go now. Good luck with your new life, my granddaughter. I hope that you and Shadow will be happy, whatever happens from here on. Goodbye..." With his goodbye said, the screen displaying Gerald Robotnik's image faded, and the screen flickered out.

Maria was extremely puzzled. "But I-I-I don't–!" she stuttered. "If he approved of this, why did he scold me about my feelings the next day?!"

"Beats me. Antibiotic side effects?" Orbot replied.

"Antibiotics that change your mind about a decision? That doesn't make sense. I gotta get to the bottom of this..." She began to search the computer for more clues. But no matter where she searched... "It's no good. I can't access any information I don't already know."

Then, Orbot remembered something. "I got an idea! If we can access the ARK security surveillance archives, we can see what actually happened." He stepped over and tried to do so.

The computer showed images of the ARK during the attack. There were also pictures of her old form in a casket and Shadow and Gerald being lugged placed under arrest.

Another image showed the hall outside the chamber. A man stood outside pointing a gun through the door. A quick rewind to the night before, and they found a ring-shaped machine had been activated and the same man came out. "The Chrono-Tron?"

"What's a 'Chrono-Tron?'" asked Cubot.

"It was a prototype time machine made on the ARK, but the idea was abandoned long before it was finished." She paused the footage and zoomed in to get a better image. Though it was blurred the picture was good enough to get a decent profile.

Maria was frightened by the sight of her new found knowledge. She stepped back and almost fell on the floor. Her hands quickly grabbed her vanity from behind, and she held on as though she saw a ghost.

The one who killed her on the ARK… the person who separated her from Shadow for fifty years… who took her from her birth parents forever... It wasn't a G.U.N. soldier. It wasn't a Dark Hunter. It wasn't even Makuta. It was…