Chapter 27: A Timeless Friendship
With thunderous chorus, the station boomed with life. It shook and creaked, the metal-lined walls threatening to fall to pieces. It was inevitable. Within the next 20 minutes, the station would no longer be within its orbit. With every wavering second that passed the Ark crept ever closer to the Earth, to it and its peoples' antihalation. It hummed with the residual energy from the core, the very essence of the Chaos Emeralds feeding the Ark with periodic hums, like a steady heartbeat. As it looked, it was only a matter of time.
But that wouldn't stop them, would it?
"You better keep up, Rainbow!" Sonic yelled down the massive industrial-sized halls, leaning back to avoid the volley of gunfire, his shoes sparking from the friction against the floor.
As the volley passed, he spun into a spin dash, serpentining as he made his way into the badniks that blocked their way. He smashed into them, nuts, bolts and mechanical limbs flying in every direction as he tore them to shreds.
"You better save some for me!" Rainbow shot back at him, following suit as she dived hooves first into the swarm. Given that these were just the normal badniks, Rainbow didn't need her power to take them head-on. They were so slow and dimwitted as it was, she didn't want to make them look any worse. That didn't mean she was above dancing around their attacks as her hooves dented in their metal chassis.
Right from the get-go from leaving the control room, the group had already found themselves overwhelmed with the steel bucketheads. Eggman's words were true; they were doing their best to keep them away from the core. Pony feathers. This couldn't have been easy, could it?
With Rainbow and Sonic taking up the vanguard, Amy and Rouge followed close behind them, taking out any badniks that managed to push through the speedsters. Bringing up the rear behind them was Knuckles, running with every muscle fiber possible as he carried the Master Emerald on his back. As much as would've loved to be up in front, he knew that it was his duty to keep the Master Emerald safe. If they lost this again, this whole plan would go down the drain quickly. So, he would have to swallow his pride and do what he could, which was book it as fast as he could while the others cleared a path for him.
A single badnik with a lance pushed through past Sonic, aiming the steel tip right for the echidna in the back. Thankfully, Rouge had other plans. With the grace of a dancer, she twirled around in the air, tucking in her jet-black wings as she delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to the badnik's head. Within that split second its head had been taken clean off with deadly precision, leaving the still moving torso to fall and slide right past Knuckles.
"Thanks for that," Knuckles thanked the bat, but begrudgingly.
"Just keep that precious gem safe Knucky," she cooed teasingly. "After we're done here I may need to take it off your hands again."
"Try it, and you'll see why I was chosen as guardian, bat," he gave in to his inner rage a bit but held it in. They had bigger fish to fry, and he didn't need to go starting things with her.
Amy, meanwhile, continued to swing away at the group of bots, her hammer making short work of any that got too close. However, with each swing, she could feel droplets of sweat running off her face, her fatigue already beginning to set in. She knew that she didn't have the same amount of stamina as the rest of them. If this went on too much longer… "How are there this many of them?!" she yelled over the fighting, taking another swing as a badnik tried to go for her.
"Doesn't matter!" Sonic yelled, the blue blur seen sailing over the whole swarm before landing right in the middle. "No matter how many show up to the party, we'll take them apart all the same!" Within the same second, Rainbow landed right in the middle with him, her rump right against his as the badniks surrounded them. They gave each other knowing smirks, getting into their combat positions.
In the next moment, the badniks rushed the two. If even a few of them could make their way through and restrain them, it would be child's play for the others to start piling on top of them. If only they were able to take their first steps. In a single flash, the two speedsters sped into the horde on different sides, their blurs cutting straight through the ranks. Rainbow herself took to slamming her rear hooves into the front badnik, forcing it to slide back into its comrades as its body became dented contorted.
She might as well have been surfing as she grinned. Her momentum carried her and the bot through the entire line, badniks flying left and right as they screeched through. "Clear the way!" she yelled in glee, "The Rainbow Train is coming through!"
She pushed off the badnik, sending it flying further pasted the horde as she planted herself on the floor. Alright! Another score for the Rain—
Her excitement was quickly cut short, her cheek compressing inward from an unseen force slamming into her face. It took up her whole size, nearly flattening her as she was blown back the other way. Pain. That was all her mind was screaming at this moment. Pain and spinning nausea. She flared out her wings, using the air to slow herself to a somewhat gentle landing as she flipped back over. She found herself right back with the others, clutching her right side as the aches shot through her.
"Rainbow! You alright?!" Sonic questioned as he kicked another bot away.
"Yeah, I'm holding up!' she responded with a pained shiver. "But what the hay was that?!"
"Eeeeeee!" they heard Amy screech. They shot their eyes over to her, only to have wide eyes of their own.
"Heeelllppppp mmeeeeeee!" she screamed in sheer terror, all as she was frantically backing away from the forefront of the threat; a swarm of watery tentacles that continually struck the floor in her wake, the blade-like appendages piercing the metal floor like paper. Without a second to waste, Sonic rushed in an out in a flash, taking the pink hedgehog with him as the tentacles whiffed through the blur.
He flashed back next to Rainbow, settling Amy down as the girl breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "Uggghhhh…that was a close one," Amy calmed herself, clearly out of breath.
"What's going on!?" Knuckles questioned, him and Rouge stopping close behind the rest.
The whole group came to a stop, as did the badniks as many of them didn't push forward any further. There was a large gap between the two groups, and Team Sonic only looked on to the single figure that now stood in the space. "Ummm," Rainbow questioned, "guys, why am I getting a sudden sense of déjà vu?"
Rainbow watched the new combatant quizzically, its slender body sliding across the floor like a cloak. The only thing was, this cloak was completely transparent with a shimmering blue hue. It was malleable, flowing with each subtle movement it made as its head bobbed back and forth. Speaking of which, said head wasn't even made of the same watery substance, but metal with two long horn-like protrusions curving downward from the sides and a beady pair of yellow eyes.
"Hey," Knuckles spoke up, almost in disbelief. "Isn't that…?"
"Yeah," Sonic affirmed. Needless to say, he was taking this situation much more seriously now. "It's Chaos."
Rainbow immediately jerked at his words. "Chaos?! How is that thing supposed to be that big dragon jerk?! This guy is tiny!"
"Don't judge a book by its cover Rain," Sonic warned, which was almost off-putting for Sonic to sound serious. "He looks different, but that looks a lot like the Chaos I knew when we first met in Station Square."
"You sure about that Sonic?" Knuckles questioned. "I don't remember Chaos having a body like that. And what's with the head?"
He was about to answer, never taking his eyes off the creature in front of him, only stopped as his ear twitched to the sound of static.
"Sonic!" Tails came in thorough his communicator.
"I hear ya Tails. You seeing this thing?"
"We see it," this voice being Eggman to respond. "I recognize this creature. When I first discovered the Ark, these things swarmed me and my compatriots. Thankfully, they let us by. More than likely, due to Shadow being in the vicinity. They're artificial Chaos created by my grandfather to act as advanced security for the Ark in case of a breach. Watch yourselves. I'm not sure if these creatures hold a similar power to the real deal."
"Heh, he may look like the big guy, but if he's just some copy, I'll take him right to the storm drain," Sonic smirked.
He closed out of the communication, staring the Chaos creature directly in the eyes with newfound confidence. "Alright then," he started. "Looks like we got ourselves a poser. Whatever was going on here, this guy was made to be the bouncer."
"So what?" Rainbow questioned. "You mean he's going to be a cakewalk?"
"Never said that, Colors," he chuckled. "Just that I think this'll be a good time to see how far we improved!" With a powerful plant of his foot, Sonic shot off, his sonic boom radiating through the massive hall as he charged the Chaos.
The creature just seemed to narrow its mechanical eyes, as if it was homing in on the speedy hedgehog. Like lightning, it lashed out with many watery tentacles from its tall body, their ends like daggers as they sharpened to a point. Sonic sidestepped the first couple, ducking under another as he slid right in front of it. "Take this!" he roared, his fist colliding right with its torso. The liquid substance rippled with shock, many of the tentacles going into a spaz. Sonic smirked but tensed as he felt the liquid pushing back against him. The creature itself didn't even seem fazed in terms of reaction but was plenty furious as it looked down at him.
He retreated quickly, moving away just in time to avoid the tentacles that had come back. "Man, this guy is pretty sturdy!" he informed as he skids to a stop.
He felt his quills move wildly on his head as a prismatic streak rushed past him in a burst of speed. "We beat the real one; we can beat this one!" Rainbow yelled, circling right around the Chaos in a flank.
The creature, now homed in on her speedy form, flared up as its eyes glowed. While Rainbow had been expecting more of those tendrils like last time, she was not expecting part of the creature's lower head to completely disconnect itself and shoot out at a bullet's pace. She freaked, corkscrewing around the metal projectile as its cold surface sharply grazed her back. Thankfully, it only left her with lightly matted down fur and nothing more.
Amy, Rouge, and Knuckles all watched as the two flashed around the Artificial Chaos, the pink hedgehog herself becoming mesmerized twirling of colors and the twisting form of the water that shot out to protect itself from harm. With the fight taking up most of the hall, many of the badniks on the far side started falling back, not wishing to get caught in the crossfire. More than likely they were leaving only to wait in hiding for the rest in case the Chaos fell.
"I'm not sure we should be spending so much time fighting right now," Rouge recommended. "The longer we sit around the closer this place gets to the Earth."
"We what exactly are you saying we should do?" Knuckles questioned, watching as Rainbow and Sonic struggled to get in close. "That thing may not be Chaos, but it's a roadblock all the same. It's not trying to beat us; it's just trying to keep us here until it's too late for us to do anything."
"Well, you're the muscle here, aren't you Knucky?" she teased. "I'm sure you can figure out a way." She could see that Knuckles truly wanted to rebuke her, but he didn't. Instant, he stopped and looked to be sitting in thought. The sounds of battle just in front of them rung in his ears, but all the same, the gears in his head were starting to turn at her words.
He grumbled nervously, looking back at the smirking bat with a disgruntled expression that said it all. "Don't you go running off with this!" he roared. "You hear?!"
"It won't leave your sight this time, hun," Rouge winked.
He groaned again but sighed in acceptance. With great care he reluctantly sat the Master Emerald next to the woman, Rouge taking an elegant stance in front of the precious jewel in case the Chaos got any funny ideas.
"Knuckles?" Amy questioned; a bit confused as to why he was taking such liberties with his prized possession with this girl around.
He didn't answer her, at least not directly. Putting a few feet between him and them, he smashed his fists together in show of force. "You two may want to stand back," he stated firmly. While Amy expected many things from this, the one thing she didn't expect was to see the echidna let out a mighty yell as he slammed his fist at full force into the floor, his hand sinking deep into the crinkled metal.
Bolts from the panel flooring popped off their placements as it bent, the whole hallways shaking as the wave passed over, causing the combatants to stumble partially. With the force of an industrial jack, Knuckles ripped the floor panel straight off its constraints, roaring out as he threw it down the hall behind him. With cold breath, he looked down, seeing exactly where the bat was getting at. There were emergency ducts all over the place, including where he had just taken out the panel.
"You think this will lead straight to the core?" Knuckles questioned.
"Better chance getting there in time going down there than up here," Rouge answered.
Not letting her have another second with the Master Emerald he heaved it up onto his shoulder once again. "Then take it we shall." Without another thought he jumped in, letting the warm green glow of his precious emerald light the way as he rushed down the duct. Rouge followed suit, leaving only Amy at the entrance, left watching both the two of them and those fighting the Chaos. "Sonic! Rainbow Dash!" she called out. "This way! We've found a way around!"
"Courtesy of Knuckles looks like!" Sonic jested, spinning underneath another watery appendage. "Move it or lose it, Colors!" he yelled as he rushed back to the pink hedgehog.
"Not that easy!" Rainbow yelled back, yelping wide-eyed as she threw herself to the floor, several attacks missing over her by inches. Even from here she could see the newly formed hole they had made, Sonic already arriving at the scene. She pushed through the next few strikes, each appendage piercing threw the metal flooring with each near miss. Just a few more meters and—
Her line of sight was cut short, metal doors slamming together in her face. In her shock, she had just managed to catch herself on her hooves, pushing away from the newly formed wall. "What the hay?!" She swore at the barrier. Where had that come from?! And why?! Giving it a quick look over, it indeed was a massive steel blast door that had shut just between her and the others. They were completely separated.
"Rainbow!" she heard muffled on the other side, shouts of worry as periodic hits sounded against the other side.
Rainbow wanted to shout back, but she knew that there was no time. Not now. Almost instinctively she spun up and over the Chaos' next attack, letting it strike the door harmlessly. She looked back at the monstrosity, not letting the panic get to her as she weighed up her options. The Chaos was still very intent on keeping up its merciless fury, however. It struck and struck continuously, Rainbow escaping each attack just by the tips of her feathers.
"Oooh, this is just great!" she yelled in frustration.
If she could afford the time to take this thing apart, she gladly would given all the trouble it had given her, in the past especially. But at the sound of a steam release, she saw there was another issue far more pressing; another door on the opposite side, just starting its rush to trap her in with this thing. Ok, now was an appropriate time to panic. She wasted no time in charging up energy in her hind legs, her buccaneer blaze kicking in just at the right moment.
With one last attack by the Chaos, Rainbow shot past it all, leaving just a prismatic streak in her wake as she made for the opening. It was right there, the tiniest sliver of hope getting smaller and small by the second. She could feel the cold sliver of many arms looking to pull her back. It wasn't giving up, but neither was she.
She turned on her side, the cold steel of the blast doors leaving with barely enough room to breathe as they grazed her rear hooves. A sharp pain cracked through her flank; her cries only stifled by sheer willpower. Her tail must've gotten caught in the metal jaws. As she impacted the floor, the needle-like pain was finally catching up with her, quickly followed by the cool splash of water along her back and mane.
She was left there breathing heavily, a nervous twitch to her as she was brought back to the world. She looked back at the now sealed passageway, a huge steel wall that was yet another roadblock in her plans today. She spied the obvious coloration of her own hairs that were trapped in the center point of the door and looking back at her tail she could only let out what she could describe as an aggravated whine at the sight. Aside from her coat being completely soaked by what she assumed was what that Chaos was chasing her with, her amazing tail was now closer to a colorful stubble. Little hairs stuck out in every direction, barely even half of its original length left.
She fell back on the floor in a sigh. "Short tails are in this season,'" she muttered her friend's old saying.
As much as she wanted to complain, there were more worrisome matters. Whatever just happened, it had gotten her away from the group, leaving her alone with Celestia knows what in whichever direction she could pick. If she didn't know better, she'd say this was purposely done. Whether it was the Ark itself or not wasn't that important. If there were any more of those artificial Chaos, she sure didn't want to run into them, especially not alone. Minding her tail and that, she couldn't stop for a rest. She needed to find the group again and fast. Sure, they had Sonic and the others with them, but there was no telling what Zayn would have planned for them if he decided to rear his ugly grin.
Standing on all fours, she shook all the water off her coat, making sure not a drop was left on her precious wings. With the danger behind her, she made way deeper into the depths of the station. All the while she couldn't help but let her mind wander to the dark-eyed hedgehog. He was still here; she could always still feel the heavy pressure he exerted on her. She couldn't shake the feeling that he was toying with her at this point. Either that or he was testing her.
That guy. He made her skin crawl with how involved he's been in these events yet be completely unknown to everypony but herself. But then there was what happened back on the bridge. It only brought more questions than answers. He could've wiped out the whole earth out already, but he took it upon himself to stop the Eclipse whatever from doing just that. Does that mean he would stop the station from crashing too, or was he trying to mess with her head even now?
She shook her head in annoyance. Mind-boggling didn't do this situation justice. This was just downright messed up.
She didn't know how much time had passed has she navigated her way deeper into the Ark's labyrinthian halls. She couldn't afford to be held up by any badniks this time around, so she just avoided them where she could, blending with the shadows where they existed and following the path she knew…well, believed was the fasted way to the core. She just silently prayed that no more of those artificial Chaos showed up. She caught glimpses of a couple of them, so they were around.
Peaking around another corner, she inspected the hallway before her. Coast looked clear, but you never know. Although just taking a look at it, she couldn't help but feel like she's been here before. Not saying much when everything looks the same, but she couldn't shake the feeling of déjà vu. She was just about to rush down the dimly lit room but suddenly stopped herself as she spotted an inkling of movement.
She peeked out again, making herself as scarce as possible as she spied a single figure in the dark. She had to squint to see it, but she couldn't make out any details. It was just standing there in the middle of the hallway, not even looking in her direction, but just at the wall. Well, whatever it was, it was costing her precious time. No better time than now to take it out while its back was turned. She ever so slightly stepped out, ready to pounce with just one more breath.
Then the wall next to the figure suddenly opened, revealing itself to be a door in the dark. But that's not what caused her to stop. It was from the light that shown through the door, right onto the figure's face. She froze, her blood running cold her breathing involuntarily stopped. Black fur, red-striped quills, crimson eyes… It was Shadow.
He didn't waste time once it opened, proceeding to walk purposefully through the opening as he disappeared on the other side. Once he was out of sight, Rainbow felt her ability to move return, deftly catching herself as so her hooves wouldn't clank against the floor. She dared not make a sound, lest he rushes back out here before she could blink.
"Just my luck," she swore under her breath. "I had to run down the hall with Mr. Explosive Temper at the end of it."
She weighed her options carefully. If she was quieter than a mouse, she could maybe sneak back around another way. She was already on a timetable. No reason to waste any dancing around with him for who knows how long. Yeah. That's a plan if she ever heard one.
She turned on her heels, crouching down as to make herself as scarce as ponily possible. But…she stopped. She was turning hesitant suddenly. Not out a sudden fear, but out of uncertainty. But why? What was she so uncertain of? She couldn't describe it as she wanted to. It was like her conscience was eating away at her every time she tried to move forward. Her mind was split. One side was focused on finding the others and getting this crazy adventure done with. But the other was focused on another, somepony she couldn't understand as to why. Shadow.
Despite how much she wanted to push him to the back of her mind, she could fight it. It was bothering her ever since her and Sonic's fight with him earlier. There was so much she didn't even know about him, how he was supposed to be friends with Sonic and the others in their future, how he was supposed to be one of the world's greatest savior's right alongside them. Then there was that girl, Maria. There was an obvious connect between her and the black hedgehog, but to think that somepony like this guy had a possible friend in his life…
She pressed her hoof hard against the floor, her uncertainty starting to drive her to the point of madness. She sat in deep thought. What would Sonic do in a situation like this?
…
She sighed out loud for all to hear. "I'm so gonna regret this…" she groaned, turning back on her heels as she marched straight for the door. Whatever was driving her forward here was completely out of her power. She needed answers, and the only way she was gonna get them was to get them from the source.
She rounded the corner, the room before her bringing back all too familiar memories. It was the observation room where she and the others got captured, the same room where Sonic was thought have died… The glass pod was no longer in the center, but everything else looked just the same as it did before. Just like back then it still gave way to the beautiful view of the earth in all its glory. However, she was uncomfortable with how the planet already looked much closer than it had before. They were running out of time. But what came next had to happen.
She spotted the hedgehog on the far end, simply staring out at the blue expanse with a ridged stance. She gulped, a single bead of sweet tortuously running down her cheek. If he didn't know she was here, he was sure about to.
She walked at a steady pace, each step bringing an echo right behind it. There was still no response from Shadow, almost as if he was giving her the cold shoulder. Ok, he knew she was there by now, but that didn't stop her, not until she was practically right behind him. With still no response, she hesitantly took a spot at the window, looking at the planet just below their feet as so she didn't have to look at him. The silence was still in dominance over the two. You could hear a pin drop a thousand miles away on the echo.
"Hey…what's up?" she spoke plainly. What else was she supposed to say to a guy like this? He was a monster in his own right, so she wasn't even sure if a conversation was even the right way to go about, maybe nothing short of a blow to the back of the head.
It was too late for that, however. "Come to watch your planet's demise?" he asked the slightest hint of pride on his tongue. He didn't even give her a passing glance.
Rainbow scrunched up her nose in response. Oh, how much she wanted to give another good blow to his face right now. Although, she felt that if she tried things wouldn't go the way she would prefer. She just had to keep this going, for how much good it would do.
"That's your planet too, bud," she shot back, keeping an eye on his unmoving face. "Don't you have at least some kind of plan to stop this before everything goes boom, or are you just gonna ignore it like you do everything else?"
Shadow chuckled lightly, a sound she still hadn't quite gotten used to. "Everything is going according to plan," he reached out to the window. "In a few minutes, the whole world will be nothing but flames, and my purpose will be complete. The humans are finally getting what's coming to them, after all these years."
"You'd die too, you idiot!" she raised her voice. "For a master plan, that part sure wasn't thought out pretty well."
"And why should that matter to me?" he calmly responded yet again, surprising Rainbow with his answer. "This was always the plan. Even if the Eclipse Cannon were to be taken out, the doctor made sure that one way or another, the earth would burn for everything these humans have done."
Rainbow contemplated his words, but what he said confirmed one thing. It really is all about revenge—nothing more and nothing less. "So, what all those soldier guys did to that professor…" she trailed off, thinking back to the video they had all seen back in the control room.
After all this time, Shadow finally turned to look at her with a sideways glance. "So, you saw it. Then you should finally understand why all they need to die."
Rainbow gritted her teeth, just hearing that sentence nearly pushing her to her breaking point. "No! I don't understand!" she yelled right in his face, him still unmoving. "I get that you were born here! I don't care how! I get that you knew all the people that stayed here, but what exactly happened all those years ago?! To want to take your little temper tantrum out on a whole planet?! That's what you think is reasonable?! I've never been the most levelheaded pony I know, but this is just crazy!"
Shadow's eyes narrowed, finally facing away from the window to look at his verbal aggressor. "And what would you know about who deserves anything?" he spoke in a dark tone, his red eyes becoming slightly brighter. "It's easy to be so optimistic about someone when they hadn't faced hardship as I have. I never had that luxury. I never got to see the earth as you do. Only it's true, raw self. A world full of self-righteous fools who would sooner turn on an ally for personal gain rather than lend them aid. So, you tell me, how would you know a thing about what should or shouldn't be done to bring justice?"
"I know that you can't just take out your anger on innocent people!" she got right up to his face. "I have two cents just to sock it to ya right here you arrogant jerk!"
"And your point about taking your anger out on those you hate?" Shadow caught her.
She suddenly stopped, her hoof inches away from being raised right to meet his cheek. She fell silent, realization kicking in. She slowly backed away, not even having the will to look at him right in the eyes; just at the floor. Was…was it really that easy to fall into? It was such a small thing, yet she was reacting in the same way he was. It was just all out of anger. She couldn't help but feel a bit shameful. It's not like she was anything close to him, but she wasn't trying to beat him this time, not like before. This was a fight of words; her one weakness, much to her realization and displeasure.
"That still doesn't make it right…" she looked away from him. "Look bud, I don't like saying this one bit, but you could help us out here. You know your way around this place way better than the rest of us. With you there to help, there'd be no way we would lose! There has to be something that you care about more than just some petty revenge."
"It's not like it matters anyway," Shadow closed his eyes in contempt, facing the window once again.
Rainbow looked back to him. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"You and that hedgehog are working to stop the Ark from colliding with the earth, aren't you?"
"So, what if we are?" Rainbow asked incredulously. "If anything, that's the sensible thing to be doing right now."
There was another moment of silence between the two before Shadow let the smallest of smiles creep onto his face. "They won't make it."
Rainbow looked at him with a mix of shock and confusion. "What are talking you about? In fact, I'm surprised you aren't trying to stop us right now. What's your game plan here?!"
"The only way to stop the station now is to head to the core," Shadow continued. "I'm sure that they'll make it there with little trouble. But that only means they'll have to face the one who came before me."
"One that came before you?"
"The prototype to the ultimate lifeform: me. Before the incident, the doctor programmed it to guard the core as a final line of defense. As soon as your friends enter that room…" he trailed off, leaving it all to Rainbow's imagination as to what he was getting at.
And imagine she did. She didn't know what this thing was that he was talking about, but he didn't seem like the type to lie. But if it was true…yikes! What if it was?! She had fallen silent to his words at this point, her thoughts racing with the worst. What was she doing here?! She should be with Sonic and the others right now saving the earth, not making chat with possibly her second most hated hedgehog that she's met thus far. Without speaking back, she did a sharp pivot before shooting straight for the exit in a blur. She had to warn them! She couldn't let her friends get caught off guard, not at this stage.
Just as she reached the door, she was just as quickly struck away back into the room, her cheek stinging. She skidded to a halt, furiously looking to see Shadow now standing in front of the doorway, his dark aura on full display once again. "Are we really doing this right now?!" she questioned.
"Whatever happens to them will be done without you," Shadow answered darkly.
"Hah! Yeah right!" she huffed. "You don't want to be on the receiving end of these wings again, Shades!" She blasted forward in a blur of colors. If he were gonna make this difficult, she would just have to blast right through him.
Shadow was ready for this, however. As she closed in, he quickly turned his body so that her strike flew right by him. To Rainbow though, this was the perfect opportunity to slip by him now that the path was clear. She flared her wings, only to suddenly stop as Shadow brought his knee up, her stomach feeling as if it had just imploded. She coughed up heavily, right up until she was flung backward. With a final spin-kick, Shadow sent her straight back into the room.
She skid across the glass floor, coming to a stop only as she dragged her front hooves to a standstill. She finished coughing, a hoof quickly going to her forehead as she stared at Shadow with tear-filled defiance.
Shadow resumed his cross-armed position. "Are you done?"
Rainbow remarked with a growl. "Not even close!" She took off once again, earning a scoff of pity from the hedgehog.
And so, it continued. She would strike, he would counter. She would dodge, and he would find his way back to her. She would escape, only to end up back where she started. This process continued for what surely must have taken hours, at least in her mind. Every hit came in like a truck, every punch was precise and deathly accurate, and his speed was unmatched, even by her. By now, she was just a disheveled mess, her messy mane hanging low in her eyes and bright purple bruises lining her blue coat, even a spot of blood on her forehead. And Shadow, not so much as a scratch.
Rainbow picked herself up once more, growing weaker every time she did so. Her legs shook, and her head hung limply as she breathed in the cold.
Shadow looked on expectantly with an impatient tapping on his arm. He barely had to do anything this time around. So, his theory was correct. Her power does derive from the Chaos Emeralds vicinity. And surely, whatever happened with that blue hedgehog was caused by her, or at least her presence. Curious, given how weak she was without them. Even so, Shadow couldn't help but be partially annoyed with the pegasus. Even in her current state, she just continued and continued to get back up. He knew she was determined, but what was the point if she was just going to be beaten to an even worse degree by the end? "You never change," Shadow said, a hint of commendation in his voice.
Rainbow looked up to him with glazed eyes. "Like I'm ever gonna…," she breathed, "give up when it comes to my friends." She stopped herself for a second, almost as if she was in great consideration. Then, she cockily smirked. "Even you, bud," she said as if it were a shot towards him.
Shadow's eyes narrowed. What was she trying to get at? "I don't know what you're trying to pull, but it won't work."
"Ughh…that's fine," Rainbow groaned, limply stepping towards him. "I have no idea if this will either."
With that, she trotted at him, her wings too tired from before and the constant beatings. She was slow and sluggish, so much so that Shadow nearly broke a smug smile at how pathetic it looked. He sighed. He let his arms fall to his side. "If that's how you want to go out, then I won't stop you," he said.
"Fine—fine by me!" Rainbow struggled, leaping forward with a punch readied. With a weakly yell, she struck his chest.
…
…
The two sat in silence, her hoof pressed firmly against his tuft of chest hair. But, it was nothing to him. Shadow stood there, unmoving, looking down in disappointment at the shameful display. That was all she had. Indeed, Rainbow still had on her determined glare; only the rest of her body didn't have it. The hoof she held up was still shaking, her muscles all but giving out, tightening and loosening in quick bursts without her consent.
Shadow huffed. "It's over," he stated. He took up a hand to grip onto her hoof. She could no longer resist, so caution was the least of his worries.
Even so, Rainbow widely grinned, albeit a bit nervously. 'Please…,' she pleaded to herself, closing her eyes tightly.
Shadow's grip grew tighter as he lifted her hoof away, and that was it. Before either of them could react, it happened. A flash of bright light that seemed to flash right into their eyes, blinding them.
Rainbow slowly opened her eyes, adrift in the cold but soothing feel she had become so accustomed to. It…it worked. No longer was she standing before Shadow in the observation deck. Now, she stood amongst the grey expanse of fog that washed smoothly past her hooves. She had used that time thing that those stones had given her. But…it was of her own accord this time. Her head was still throbbing like crazy, but she suppressed it as much as she could.
She could only breath a sigh of relief. She had been going off a pure gut instinct for that one. If it hadn't have worked when she wanted it to…well, better not to think about that.
But now came the question: what the hay was she going to do from here? She had no idea how long she could keep this up. Hay, she barely knew anything on how this all worked in the first place. "Ok, calm yourself rain-for-brains," she said to herself, washing her hooves down her muzzle. "You got this, girl."
She stared into the grey abyss, clearing her mind of everything that troubled her…to the best of her ability. If it was like last time, it should work like when she touched her mom's hoof. She saw her memories, and throughout many times on the Ark, she had seen Shadow's too. Now, this may be her one chance to get to the bottom of this.
"Alright," Rainbow started. "Uhhhhh…the start?" Take me to the start of all of this?" she questioned the void.
…
…
No response. No change in the scenery.
With an annoyed expression, she groaned, "Greeaaattttt…"
Of course, it wouldn't be that easy. Think, Rainbow, think. She knew of the events that took place to an extent, but never any of the specifics. There was…ugh…the Ark…Robotnik…Shadow…Shadow's…birth…?"
Within that second, the whole void shrunk in on itself. Rainbow was spooked, seeing the grey clouds suddenly begin swirling around her like a small typhoon. As soon as it started, however, it was over. The clouds were gone. Still startled, Rainbow could only look on in pure confusion and wonder. What replaced the once empty space was now a darkly lit room, illuminated by the thick plaster of green liquid that surrounded her body. She immediately started to freak out, looking to swim to the surface, looking to escape. Only, there was no escape. She soon found herself trapped in a tiny enclosed capsule; the interior filled to the top with this bubbly liquid. At first, she held her breath, not wanting to risk even a slight inhale in here. But it was odd. Even as she sat in here, she couldn't feel any of it. No cold sting, no sense of weightlessness. Just, nothing. Cautiously, she put this to the test, taking in a waft of air. To her great fortune, she could breathe, and she used it to sigh greatly.
'Just a memory. Right,' she relaxed.
Collecting her bearings, she pressed herself up to the crystal clear viewport of the pod, wishing to see what lied on the outside. It was quickly met with a shiver of terror rushing down her spine at the two faces she was met with. Well, one of them at least.
The first was one she immediately recognized. Gerald Robotnik. It was jarring to see him like this, knowing his fate and all. It was like staring at a ghost that had come back to haunt them. He held his hands calmly behind his back, the light of the pod shining off his specs.
But it was the other figure that had freaked her out to no end. It was hard even to describe it. In short...it was a monster...a leathery, black-skinned monster with three radiant red eyes. It had no mouth or nose to speak of, and its head was topped off with two long tendrils that extended to either side. While its arms were long and bulky, its legs—if it had any—were hidden beneath the baggy, tattered robes it wore, all accented by the golden amulets lining its body.
Its presence was dominant in the room, towering over the aging professor. Just the way it looked at her...it was chilling, all the way to the bone.
"I'm impressed, professor," the monster applauded, its voice deep and rough, almost like a bellow. "Your research has done you well."
"It was thanks to your blood that the process was a success," Gerald said looking to a nearby console. "All my other test subjects perished when exposed to the energy of the Chaos Emeralds. With this subject's completion, my research will have no bounds."
"Tread lightly, professor," the monster warned. "Do not forget his part in our deal."
"Of course. In fifty years, you'll have the rest of the Chaos Emeralds. Our creation will see to that."
The monster must've taken this as a satisfactory answer, as it simply looked at the pod with great ambition, right to Rainbow. It placed its leathery claw on the glass and said, "Wait for my return, my offspring. The day of reckoning will soon be here, Shadow."
...what?
Rainbow turned around, taking a long look to the back of the pod. There, sitting in an unconscious state, was Shadow.
The sight caused her vision to tunnel, as the sight of the pod left her. Disoriented, she stumbled as her hooves met solid surface again. She felt the need to barf every time it did that, but miraculously she held it in, for now at least.
Shaking the nausea away, she observed the new scene. She was in a similar room to the last one, only it was well lit, and she wasn't viewing it from the inside of a pod. Machines lined the walls while a single glass tube sat in the center. The doctor types punch furiously away at their terminals, all leading up to the black hedgehog standing inside the tube. He held a green Chaos Emerald in his hand.
A familiar voice spoke up, Rainbow turning to see Gerald walking in. "Is he holding?" he questioned.
"All readings are optimal, sir," spoke an assistant. "We're reading green all across the board."
With that, the professor seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear. Release him, please."
Without concern, the assistant punched some commands into his terminal, the steam jettisoning from the cylinder as it lifted, releasing Shadow from his confines.
He stepped down, moving to the professor with Chaos Emerald in hand. "Are you feeling well, Shadow?" Gerald asked with genuine interest.
"Controlling its powers are no trouble for me," Shadow assured, his cold exterior still as prevalent as ever. "I still don't understand the purpose of these experiments. I feel as if my abilities would be of better use elsewhere."
"All in due time, Shadow," Gerald said, placing his hands behind him in a sort of contemplative manner. "You were brought into this world with a purpose. What that purpose is, only you can decide when the time truly comes. But what you're doing here and now, it can help a great many people in the future."
Shadow looked to the doctor with curiosity, as did Rainbow, not that they could see her.
"There are far too many sick in the world, my friend," he continued. "Not all of them can be saved, while many of them deserve the lives they've been given. Our research here is meant to remedy that. With your power, I hope to synthesize a cure. One that can cure any illness, even if it's terminal, maybe even mental states."
"And what I'm doing here will help with that?" Shadow questioned.
Gerald nodded. "Yes." He stopped as the doors behind him opened, catching the attention of everypony in the room. "Ah!" He exclaimed, turning to the new visitor. "And speaking of which..."
He gestured for the new arrival to come forward, Shadow looking on with great curiosity and partial wonder. Hold his hand out, Gerald brought it around to reveal...
A young girl...
"This here will be your first patient. My granddaughter, Maria."
"Whoa..." Rainbow spoke, still not prompting a response from the images. "So, that's her, huh? She looks...uh...way younger than I thought she'd be."
She looked a lot like she remembered, however. Her golden hair and her bright blue eyes stuck out so much —still so much innocence behind them. While Rainbow wasn't really one for looks, it didn't take somepony like Rarity to know that she'd grow up to be a beauty. Heh, she was sure that she would be turning heads at that point.
"U-um..." Maria fidgeted nervously in front of Shadow. "H-hello. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Shadow seemed to actually be perplexed by the girl, almost as if he'd seen the sun for the first time. It was a strange sight to see, only knowing his scowl for the longest time.
Then, he did something that nopony expected him to do. Walking up to the girl, he got on one knee, and kneeled to her, bowing his head in a respectful manner. "I'm honored to meet the granddaughter of the great Gerald Robotnik," he proclaimed, Rainbow only sitting in shock at such a change in character. What the hay happened to turn this guy from this into the biggest jerk in the world?!
Before she could question it further, she felt her vision going dark again. It was transitioning again, only much smoother this time, much to her thankfulness. It stopped in front of a massive wall-sized window. It was a very familiar sight to her, as it was looking out over the luscious green and blue planet below. In front of the window stood two figures. Maria and Shadow.
"It's so pretty from up here," Maria admired, placing her hand gently on the glass. "To think that so many people all live down there. It must be so beautiful."
"I wouldn't know," Shadow spoke, his arms crossed. "I've never been allowed off the station, nor will I ever."
This seemed to shock Maria. "You mean, you've never gotten to see the earth for yourself?!"
Shadow didn't answer, nor did he look at the girl. It was almost as if he seemed disappointed. Whether it was in himself or Maria, Rainbow didn't know.
Maria looked sorrowfully at the hedgehog before looking back at the earth the same eyes. "I...," she stumbled, "I do have a confession to make. I've never been there either."
Rainbow's eyes went wide at this. This girl hadn't been to her own planet before?! It must've gotten to Shadow as well, as he looked back at her with a bit of shock. "What?"
Maria nodded with longing eyes. "I was born here on the Ark. My mom was so ill, and it was the only place she could safely give birth to me. But now..." she clutched her chest, "I have the same illness she did. And because of it...I'm not able to see the earth like I want to—staring up at the sky, rather than down the ground..."
Shadow hung on every word with an unbelievable intrigue. To think that there was someone other than himself that was born here. She new loneliness much longer than he did as well, going all these years with only the scientists and her grandfather to keep her company.
"I just...want to be a normal girl, just for one day..."
...
"Maria," Shadow stated, catching her attention. "I promise you, one day, I'll take you down to the earth."
A small gasp came from Maria, one of confusion, and excitement at the mere mention of the idea. "W-what do you mean?!"
"Once you're all better, and once our business here is finished, I'll do everything in my power to make sure you get to see your world with your own eyes," Shadow spoke, still authoritative, but gentle all at once. Not once did he look at her, however.
Even so, his words affected Maria more than he could imagine. She stared at him for so long, eventually tearing away quickly. In fact, she had to stifle her cries as she almost hiccuped. "You...would do that for me?"
Shadow finally looked at her, nodding. "Out of everyone on this station, you're the only one who never looked at me like I was just another experiment. I don't know how to look at it...but, I think I consider you my..." he seemed to stop himself, almost a grumble to his last words.
"A friend?" Maria finished for him.
It was a word that had oh so eluded him. A word that he never thought of using himself, nor being labeled as such. Looking at Maria, he could see it in her ocean blue eyes. She was truthful. She was genuine. All topped off with her angelic smile.
For the first time since he was born, Shadow smiled. "Friends."
Maria beamed with a tear-felt smile. "To see the earth together."
Rainbow just watched the scene play out, almost...in disbelief. It was like she was looking at a completely different hedgehog. There was no coldness around this girl, no hidden agenda, no threats. Just...joy...
The area shifted again, and she was expecting to move on to the next memory. Only...it didn't change. The scene stayed, much to her confusion, but it grew dark, eerie, and almost...evil. Maria's form fell apart, nothing but ash as Rainbow watched in horror. What was happening?! Why was this happening?!
The earth in the background became soaked in a blood-red, illuminating the silhouette of a new hunched over Shadow. He gripped his head, his body writhing in pain as a shadow hung over him.
Then, he turned to her. "Get...out..." He seethed, his eyes like blood and his teeth like razors. "I said...get out!"
With a thunderous roar, a great wind blew through the memory, nearly throwing Rainbow back. She held on with all her remaining strength, digging her hooves into the fading floor. "N-not until I understand what happened!" she shouted. "I'm going to see it whether you want me to or not!"
Shadow didn't even retort. He only grew more feral, more intent to kill than ever. Within that second, he rushed her.
Rainbow panicked, quickly shouting, "I need to see how Maria died!"
Shadow's form never reached her, his body simply...sliding away to the side. No. The whole room moved away, dragging Rainbow deeper and deeper into the depths of his mind. She gave out a sigh of relief, but only just. She was running out of time, she could tell. She needed to work fast if she was going to get to the bottom of this.
Finally, the scene shifted. Strangely enough, she found herself in one of the very hallways she had been through before. Come to think of it, it was the one she had taken to get to the observation room in the first place.
"Come on," she complained. "Can't I get like a map or something of this guy's head with all this? We're in Celestia's name am I now?!"
She was taken from her thoughts. Ears perked, gunfire rung throughout the halls. Alarms blared to life as the room suddenly got darker. She tried to make sense of why was going on. But soon, it was made evident. On one end of the hall, Shadow had shifting come skidding around the corner. Maria was with him as well, being drug by the hedgehog by the wrist. Both looked panicked, if in Shadow's own way as he frantically looked for a new passage.
"This way!" he ordered, dragging the girl along with him. Only for them to soon stop.
"There they are!" Rainbow perked up. Looking behind her, she saw several humans rushing towards them. They were all dressed in strange black and grey armor, the visors of their helmets blocking the view of their eyes. To Rainbow's horror, they had their firearms aimed right at them. "This is a Code Bravo! The target has been sighted!"
Shadow didn't seem to give them a chance at any more words. He let go of Maria, blasting past Rainbow as his knee impacted with the face of one of the soldiers. His helmet completely shattered as he went instantly unconscious. The group was in chaos from there, trying to put distance between all of them and Shadow while trying not to aim at their comrades. However, none of them even got a shot off. Shadow speed through the group, his red blur streaking into each soldier as they were sent flying into the walls. It was over before it even started, all ending with Shadow skidding to a halt in the center of the pile. He didn't even have to kill anyone.
He rushed back to Maria, the sound of more quickened footsteps approaching from the way they came. Wordlessly, he gripped her wrist, and they disappeared around the corner.
And for one last time, the scene changed.
Rainbow found herself standing in a too familiar place. She was standing on the observation deck, its only difference being the lowly dimmed lights. The doors immediately slid open, the two figures of Shadow and Maria moving in before it shut behind them.
"S-Shadow?!" Maria cried. "What are we doing here?!"
Shadow released her, moving over to fiddle with a console. "I'm getting out of here," he stated as a matter of factly.
This sent worry into Maria's eyes. "What do you mean? What about you?!"
"I'm the only one that they're after," said Shadow. "If I can get you down to earth, you should be able to find some way to escape."
Maria stood there in silence. The earth? He...he was going to send her down to earth? To think...the idea of standing on solid ground... Was it actually possible? She still wasn't cured of her illness...but if she could just be there for a little bit...to see the sea, to feel the wind...was there really any more that she wanted?
She looked to Shadow, who had not taken his eyes off the console. A loud banging could be heard on the other side of the door. "We know you're in there! Just surrender Shadow! We have the doctor and his colleagues already in custody. Open up, and they won't be hurt!"
Shadow didn't seem to care for his words. He just continued to hammer away with desperate efficiency. He only needed a few more seconds, and then it'd be ready. He had no idea what was on the earth, but if he could get Maria there, then he could deal with that later. He had already made her a promise. He wasn't about to—
Shadow's hands were pulled from the console, much to his shock. Looking back, he saw a tear-stained Maria gripping him by the shoulders. Before he could question her, she pushed him towards the center of the room.
An indecisive Rainbow Dash watched as Shadow was thrown into the center of the room. She almost felt the need to fly over and catch him. However, Shadow only stumbled as he reached that point, instantly recovering as he looked back. Just as he did, a glass tube shut over him, Rainbow's heart almost seemed to sink.
He slammed his hands on the glass, shaking the entire prison. "Maria?!" he shouted in panic.
This time, it was Maria who was at the console, punching away with more determination than even Shadow did. "I'm-I'm sorry, Shadow..." she held the tears in, forcing a smile all the way through. "But...I don't think I'll be able to see the earth with you..."
"Damn it!" Shadow cursed, punching the glass with all his strength, to no effect. "Why are you doing this?! You're the one who wanted to see the earth! Not me! I'm not about to let you stay up here!"
"I know!" she snapped. "I know I did... Even now, I still want to see the earth more than anything else in this universe. But..."
Shadow stopped his beating, Rainbow swearing she could see a quiver in his eyes.
"Shadow...getting to know you...getting to be with you in this past year..." her lip shook. "I wanted a life as a normal girl, living a normal life. And...while it was short-lived...in that time...you gave me that life." Maria wasn't holding back her tears anymore, the crystal streaks cascading down past her quivering smile. "You were the greatest friend I've ever had...you were always there for me. And right now...knowing that you'll have a life past all of this...it makes me happier than finally getting to see my home."
"Maria..." Shadow stuttered.
While she tried to fight off the feels in her chest, Rainbow couldn't help but feel...sorry. For the first time in ever, she saw genuine emotion in Shadow's eyes, true care for somepony else. To see two friends like this...it was heartbreaking, even to her hardened heart.
She watched the scene with a hurtful wonder. But, something was off. She could almost sense it. The room felt...dark. Not literally, but like a shadow was cast over them. She looked on, seeing once again the blood-red hue the walls started taking on.
Without warning, the doors were blown off their frame, sliding to a stop on the floor. Several soldiers rushed in immediately after, aiming at the girl and hedgehog. The red color took over the entire room, the eerie dark consuming the area, much to Rainbow's confusion.
"Maria!" Shadow screamed.
The girl wasn't deterred by the soldiers. Gritting her teeth, she reached for the console.
All the guns pointed for her.
Rainbow's eyes went wide. They wouldn't! Would they?! She didn't think twice. She jumped into the space between them and Maria, her mind on overdrive as she shut her eyes tight. Then, deafening gunfire.
Rainbow felt her side stroke the floor, it's cold sting throughout her hide. She couldn't feel the wounds. She didn't even know if they hit. She was just too worried to open her eyes.
"MAARRRIIIIAAAA!" a bloodied scream echoed into her ears.
Opening her eyes, she found no mark on herself. No wounds, no blood. At first, she was relieved, but that feeling didn't last. Of course...they wouldn't be able to hit her... So...that meant... She slowly turned, shaking at the sound of the screaming.
Horror...true...horror...
Several smoking guns...a wailing black hedgehog...and the slumped over body of a girl, draped over the console. Rainbow felt her breathing cease, her throat catching at the sight. The darkness was encompassing the room, so only her silhouette was visible...but...she could still see it all so clearly...her form...her tear-stained face...the button she had pressed...
With a roar throughout the room, Shadow's pod buckled, steam shooting out from the top. It locked up, decoupling from its restraints. And inside...Shadow...his tears finally let loose.
Then...nothing. The eerie shadow grew to cover everything. The room vanished, as did all the figures of people, replacing them with oily shadows. "You..." a deep, bellowing voice spoke.
Rainbow jumped. "W-who are you?! Show yourself, bub!"
"You don't belong here."
Flashing in front of her, the jagged lines of red zipped around her. The air grew cold, her hairs standing up on end. This sensation...the empty feeling...the deafening roar that bellowed when the red formed a headless face. Piecing, sharp red eyes and a similarly red mouth like broken glass.
Then, the figure that formed in its foreground, standing at her height. She watched it slink up, the face watching with an almost passive glee. "Get...OOOUUUTTTTTT!" it screamed.
She couldn't breathe. That was the first thing that came to mind as light returned to her eyes. Her windpipe was being crushed under great weight, her eyes opening due to them feeling as if they'd pop right out. Her vision cleared, and staring at her no more than an inch from her face was a disgruntled Shadow. Only now did she see what was happening. With an almost feral look in his eyes, he had both his hands wrapped tightly around her neck, cutting off any form of oxygen to her lungs. His teeth were bared like a mad pony and his breathing was shot, all while the dark aura engulfed him like fire.
"That..." he seethed uncontrollably, "That wasn't for you to see. I had thought I had forgotten about that completely."
He squeezed tighter, causing Rainbow to choke aloud. "And you...you went and caused me to remember...every grueling detail..."
Rainbow was in a panic. White was already edging around her eyes, and she was starting to lose consciousness. She tried beating at his arms, but she didn't have the strength to remove them, his rage being what pushed him through the hits.
Did her plan fail? Did she even learn anything from all of this? Right now, all it did was get her killed. She strained her eyes open. Looking deep into his own, she couldn't help but...no...she didn't hate him. Not anymore. He's not bad for bad's sake. He's...hurt... Rainbow never thought she could describe somepony like him like that, but she did. Not that it mattered. Not as her eyes slowly began to shut, not as her throat started to collapse, and not her heart got slower and slower.
'It...wasn't supposed to go this way...' she thought as her mind started to slip into darkness.
...
...
'Darkness...'
Her heart thumped.
'Wait...'
And another.
'That...that was it!'
She struggled to keep her eyes open. She couldn't have died, not yet. It wasn't supposed to be that way. It couldn't have. That thing she saw a second ago; it had to have been doing something in there to Shadow's head. There had to be something it didn't want her to see, or for Shadow to remember.
Rainbow planted her back hooves down, bringing out the last of her strength to pull against him. Shadow noticed this, and he only seethed at her refusal to die. "You're far too persistent for your own good! Just disappear! Disappear for good and let me be rid of you!"
Rainbow, only one eye open, stared right into his. "Yeah...right," she croaked. "B-but...I'm not done yet...and you're...you're not gonna...get rid of me that e-easily..."
Then, she made her move. Grabbing onto Shadow's arms, she used them as leverage to lift herself off the group, if only for a moment. Surprising Shadow, she had to act fast, or else this whole idea would end before it even started. Bring her hind legs up, she reared them back. Then, she swung herself, quickly and powerfully bucking forward.
He must've been in a horrible state of mind, as he didn't even know how to respond in time. She struck him right in the stomach. He released her, dropping her to the floor as he quickly clutched his abdomen, coughing profusely. But, he would stay like that long, not if Rainbow knew him.
Not even taking time to breathe in, she flipped herself over in a fumble of movements. Getting upright, she just jumped for him. Quickly breathing in, she yelled, "Remember, dang it!"
With wide eyes, Shadow released his stomach, sidestepping the pegasus. Rainbow kept her eye on him, seeing the glazed look in his eyes as she moved past him. That vision, it took more out of him than she had thought. He looked like he was partially losing it.
Then, in a shock to her, he didn't even counter. Instead, he jumped away. Moving away from the door, he jumped toward the back of the room, skidding down the rest of the way as he extended both his hands. "Stay away from me!" he screamed, a volley of Chaos Spears sailing right towards her.
Rainbow spun out of the way, her body still aching from the assault before, but his aim was thankfully sloppy. They were nothing more than wild blasts at this point.
She had to take this chance. Ducking under the last ones, she galloped at full sprint for the hedgehog. But he wasn't going to make it easy on her. More and more spears shot out, each volley intent on complete decimating her. The near-impenetrable glass at their feet cracked as each miss struck it and Rainbow silently prayed that it would hold.
Just as she neared him, he extended his arms out to either side. One flash of the wrist. One ring off. And with another flash, his other ring came off. "I'm going to destroy every last bit of you!" he threatened, his eyes almost showing that of madness. "There won't be anything left!"
"Not until I'm done with you!" Rainbow yelled back, still in full sprint.
Shadow grunted, both at her words and the immense power coursing with his darkness. His body glowed a bright red, and his muscles spasmed with on uncontrollable energy. Then, he rushed right for her, pure killer intent flashing right before her eyes.
The two closed in on one another, neither showing hesitation. And for once, Rainbow seemed to be the one without fear in her heart. Her purpose was just ahead of her, and by her element, she was going to see it through to the end, one way or another.
Just as the two neared, Shadow reared back his punch, the wild energy cascading across his fingers as he clutched them. Rainbow...she didn't do anything. She just looked on with an ever-present sense of confidence.
When it was thrown, she didn't even try and dodge it. It struck her deep into her stomach and chest, almost causing an intent in her body with the great force of the hit. She coughed up spit mixed with small traces of blood, wincing greatly at the immense pain shooting through her.
Then, it was her turn.
A single, swift, and powerful, headbutt.
Her head struck his as she leaned over to him, a blinding sear blanketing their minds. She was shocked that she could even think right now, with the pain in both her stomach and now her head, the fact that she was still conscious was nothing less of a miracle. But, this touch, this one touch was all she needed.
Shadow, in his pain, must've realized what she had done as well. "N-noooooo!"
And then, a flash.
Rainbow's headbutt struck the massive red face, a complete invisible barrier blocking her from the scene she wanted. Its scream was unbearable, the cascading cracks from her blow shooting over it like lightning. It rUng her ears and mind, like a banshee in the high winds as it screamed and screamed. Then, it all broke apart into many tiny shards, leaving her to land on the floor with a thud.
With the barrier gone, the scene shifted for her once again, the disappearing completely as she struggled to pick herself back up. She watched it all pass. The falling of the body, the gunfire, the screaming hedgehog, all were going in reverse from before. All up to the point that the door was still on its tracks. Then, time returned to normal.
"And right now...knowing that you'll have a life past all of this...it makes me happier than finally getting to see my home."
Just as Maria finished her heartfelt sentence, once again, the door was blasted off its tracks. Rainbow watched with wonder. Would things actually be different? Or...did she just waste more of their already precious time on a hutch that probably had no merit? She gulped audibly. It was now or never.
Just like before, she saw a soldier run in, pistol in hand. At first, Rainbow's heart sank. It was playing out just like last time. They would rush in, and soon after that...
But no more came in. Unlike the group that came in last time, this time there was only a single soldier taking his place at the entrance. "Hold it!" He ordered, aiming his gun right for Maria. "Don't go any farther!"
Shadow didn't seem to take kindly to this person aiming at his best friend, as he started beating on the pod with even greater fury than before.
As for Maria, she had her back to the console, sweating nervously as she shook to the core. "Don't move, Miss!" the soldier yelled, but a clear uncertainty in his voice. "Step away from the console and come quietly!"
The soldier took one step forward, but it was over-cautious and tantalizingly slow. Rainbow didn't know too much about human age, but she could easily assume that he was still fairly young. His hands shook with nervousness that only a rookie would still show and his teeth were grit tightly as if he was afraid they would pop out.
As the soldier inches closer, Maria shifted her weight, moving her eyes to look just behind her at the console. She knew that she was in danger, that if tried anything...she could die... She looked back at Shadow who watched with great fear in his eyes as the scene unfolded before him. Maria also knew that if she didn't do anything...
She closed her eyes in great contempt
"Ma'am!" The soldier yelled. "Surrender the hedgehog! Please, don't do anything either of us would regret!"
Deathly silence, one that rivaled the void of space, perforated the room. Breathing was all but forgotten between the three.
"I-I'm sorry...," Maria cried, but with a smile.
With the sudden turn of her body, Rainbow heard the soldier yell, "Nooo!" quickly followed by the sound of a gunshot. Rainbow horror was realized once again; only now, it was all in full. No...it happened anyway! Why?! Why did it still happen?! Maria's sky-blue dress was slowly turning a dark shade of red, just where her heart was. Her eyes, stained with tears and pain, were shrunk, the shock flowing through her all at once as she fell forward, right into the console.
"NOOOOOOOOO!" Shadow yelled, his piercing screams of anguish once again reaching Rainbow's ears, much to her fear.
Maria slumped down onto the console, the metallic smack radiating as she just barely caught herself, her arms weakly keeping her up, but only to a breaking, one that she was quickly reaching. The soldier stood there in a panic. Even he was shocked at what he had done, and his face said it all.
Steam and mechanical locks sounded in the room, Rainbow seeing once again that Shadow's capsule was soon to depart, much to his hurting heart and angered spirit. She could see him starting to glow a deep crimson, the energy of chaos coursing through him. He was looking to burst forth, to tear the young man apart limb from limb, and he very well could. The capsule glowed a crackling red, his eyes lying on the fallen Maria. As Rainbow looked to him, she could see hints of tears that formed, only to instantly evaporate the second they touched his skin.
"S...Shadow..."
The red glow dimmed, Shadow's rage subsided for if just a moment, the voice reaching to him deeply. It was but a quivering whimper, but both he and Rainbow heard it. Maria...
The young girl looked up from the console, her hand still weakly pressing against the launch button. Her eyes were stricken with tears. Only, they weren't tears of pain or anguish. They were sad, the nail on their hearts only turning more as they saw her sweet, comforting smile.
"Shadow..." she spoke, her voice weak and fading. "Please...go to earth...see it's people...make friends...and..." she coughed in vain, "don't hate them for what they did... Shadow...please, protect the earth... Protect the planet...so that you can see it..." once again, the tears came, only now they were let loose with no end, "and live there...for us both..."
Shadow was silent, his face contorting in a way he let few see. Rainbow herself looked at the young girl with disbelief. Even after all these guys had done...she still forgave them? Hay, even Rainbow was starting to feel like Shadow's anger was in the right place once she saw this. But...not Maria.
With white shining in her blue eyes, Maria smiled at her close friend one more time. Then, her eyes went still, her body starting to go limp.
And all this is what caused Shadow to break finally, his own tears streaming down his cheeks. "MAAARRRIIIIIAAAAAA!" He screamed, the pod finally launching and taking him away. And for Rainbow, the scenery went with him.
Rainbow held herself up on the floor, her breathing ragged and heavy as she acclimated back to her normal surroundings. Her head felt like it had split open, but she supposed that was to be expected when headbutting a hedgehog as stubborn as a wall. She looked up across from her. Before, Shadow's fist was in her gut, all while he was overwhelmed by his own energy. Now, he sat in a similar position to her. He was on his knees, his knuckles pressing firmly into the floor as his head hung low. A shadow was cast over his eyes, making it hard to get a good look at him. However, his aura was a different story. It was beyond controlled now as the shadowy cloud spilled out before rising to the ceiling.
The air around them grew cold, an evil presence that perforated throughout the entire room. Neither of them said anything, mainly neither of them knowing what to say. Rainbow still could hardly comprehend what had taken place before her eyes, and she could only imagine Shadow's condition after all that. Now that she thought about it, maybe showing him all that again was a big mistake on her part.
After nearly a minute of sitting in silence, Rainbow finally spoke up, gulping as she tried to form sensible words. "Hey...Shadow." If he heard her, he showed no response to it. "I...uh...I didn't know her like you did...like, at all. But...I could tell that you cared a ton for her," she awkwardly continued. "B-but what you're doing right now, do you think she would want all of this?!"
Even still, he never answered, nor looked up. Rainbow almost felt the need to move over and punch him upside the head just to get him to listen. Soon, however, he finally moved, causing her to flinch back a bit. He slowly picked himself up, his head still down in an almost...shameful manner, even behind his still stoic expression.
Then, he walked off. Leaving a confused Pegasus on the floor, he calmly walked to the door before finally disappearing around the corner. Rainbow sat there dumbfounded. Was he really just walking away?! After all of that?! Hay no!
Fighting through the aches and pains, she picked herself up and galloped through the door to see him walking away in a haunting silence.
"Hey, Shadow!" she yelled. "Where are you going?!"
"You're not about to go back to brooding, are you?! Aren't you going to help even a little?!"
Still, he walked.
"Aren't you supposed to save the planet, you idiot?! Isn't that the whole reason you were supposed to be here?! And what about Maria?! Are you gonna ignore her request too?!"
She could almost see a twitch in his form at the mention of her name. Normally, she'd expect him to lash out at that. But now, he didn't even turn to her. It was as if all the fight had just left him in a single moment of recourse.
She waited and waited for a response. But, his walking was enough of an answer for her, his echoing steps disappeared around the dimly lit corner of the hall, his dark aura trailing behind him. He was gone.
This left Rainbow alone, all in mixed states of disbelief, sorrow, and reluctance. After everything, he just left without so much as a word. Part of her wanted to keep after him, to do something other than let him leave. As much as she disliked the guy for how he's been, she can't say that she doesn't in some way get him. If what happened to him happened to her...she didn't even know how she'd be afterward.
As much as she wanted to, she knew that she had no time. Any minute now this whole place will be making the Sonic Rainboom look like just small-time fireworks. She had her opening; now she could take it.
She turned, giving his last location one last glance. "For what it's worth Shadow...you aren't that bad of a guy." And with that, she blasted off down the other hall. Her friends were in danger, and right now, she needed to be there for them.
The earth.
While he never admitted it, it did always look beautiful from up here. It's glowing blue hue—the passing masses of clouds. The sun's rays were shining over its horizon, forming a perfect corona. If only it weren't infested with so many vile beings. But...was it...?
After what had happened back with that pony, Shadow left for one of the few places he truly liked to visit during his time on the Ark. He looked out of the massive observation window, all the way down to the planet below. He could almost see himself and Maria standing at its edge, talking as if their dreams were still possible.
Dammit. He had blocked all images of Maria from his brain long ago, not wanting any memory of...that day. Of all the pain he's felt, no pain could even compare to losing his only...friend. But...after what that stupid pony did he can't get her out of his mind. Her bright face that made anyone smile, her caring personality, and her willingness for the greater good.
Now, Shadow found himself against a wall, opposite of the window as he buried his face into arms and knees. To think, he was left to wallow in his own sorrow like this... It was pathetic. Yet, he couldn't let it go. He could feel the heat of his tears soaking into his arms and the quivering of his lips.
'It's all her fault,' his inner voice told him. 'She did this to you.'
It was. That foolish, rotten Pegasus. He could still see that determined look in her eyes. It was sickening. It was unfathomable that she did that to help him. She's trying to keep him from interfering. To keep him from destroying earth once and for all.
'The people of this world can never be shown forgiveness, as they know none,' the voice spoke again, it's distant echo that was smooth but guttural. 'They know what they do, and they do it gladly.'
He clutched his knees tightly. Yes. They couldn't. He rose his head, looking at the planet. He still felt the sting of his tears, but they were overshadowed by his unending fury, his hatred for these people. Red perforated in his eyes, images of the pony flashing in and out. She needed to die.
And after that, the earth will—
"Shadow."
He froze, his heart stopping in its place. No, why is he...? His tears threatened him again, looking to his side to where the voice originated. And to his great shock, and sorrow, was Maria, sitting with him against the wall with the same smile that she so proudly carried. This...this couldn't be real...could it?
"Shadow," she spoke, her voice sounding so distant. "Please, go see the earth. Go there so you can see it, just like we promised."
'They want you gone,' the other voice spoke up.
"They don't know what they do."
'They will do it again.'
"Even when you feel alone, your friends will always be there for you."
'They will betray you.'
Shadow clutched his head tightly, his unseen aura rising to the ceiling and his head throbbed with an unending sea of hatred. Why? Why was this so difficult?!
'The earth must burn.'
Y-yes...
"Shadow..." Maria's voice came through once more, and despite the overwhelming volume of the much darker voice, her soft, gentle tone overshadowed it completely. "Please, protect the earth, and all the people who live there. Let them live happily. Let them live their dreams."
Shadow's eyes shrunk at her words, and for the first time, he felt genuine uncertainty for his entire life.
'She lies.'
Shadow's eyes narrowed, his aura skyrocketing in an instant as his eyes shot open with a blood-red light. He stood up, clutching his head as he fell back to his knees, screaming the entire time as the voice grew louder and louder. It was torture, like...it wasn't him that was thinking these things...but something else, something he couldn't see.
He buried his head into the floor, the immense pain from the evil presence bringing him down further and further into a dark void.
...
"No..." Shadow struggled.
"No..." he looked up.
"G-get..." he planted his hand down, his inhibitor rings snapping off his wrists.
"G-get..." then, chaos. "Get out of my HEEAADDDDD!"
He screamed with fury, releasing all his pent up energy in one massive burst. It hurt, but not as much as hearing any more of this crap! The whole room was engulfed in his rage, the red energy tearing the walls and flooring apart, all while the window started to crack like lightning across its entire form. Even so, his screaming just didn't stop, the deafening roar of the voice sounding in pain.
Then, silence.
His screaming ceased; his energy was slowly dimming until the room was left dark once more. Dropping to his knees again, he shakily held himself up as he breathed with a sharp intake. His rings flashed back onto his wrists, what energy he had expelled slowly returning to him, but only just.
His heavy breathing continued as he slowly gazed to the cracked window. The jagged lines of the tiny chasms splintered into several paths, all as they neared the centerpiece. The earth. Even now, he could still see it clearly.
Blue glow. But now, no more red. No more screams. No more voices. No more dark.
He extended his hand out, his palm facing outward as he slowly crept forward. Touching the cold glass, his hand rested on the planet below. Even miles away, the planet was within his grasp.
With heated eyes and a clenched fist, he finally spoke. "Maria, mark my words, you will get to see the earth for yourself."