Almost Dead

An Original Story by Writer's Blah

© Writer's Blah, 2008

WRITER'S NOTE/DISCLAIMER: This is my fourteenth story, yet this is my first fic that I do not intend to be humorous in any way possible. This story takes place in-between the Last Story of Sonic Adventure 2 and the Dark Story of Sonic Heroes. The entire story is told from Shadow's point of view. Now, I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog or any affiliated objects. They are trademarks of Sega, Sonic Team, and Yuji Naka.

As I finish my Chaos Control event with my newly-made acquaintance, Sonic, I can feel great power leaving me. Just minutes ago, my allies and I have discovered that the late Professor Gerald Robotnik had created me for the sole purpose of avenging the world for him. I had no problem with this, since it was always in my programming. I felt like I was fulfilling my purpose here. However, a certain pink hedgehog had reawakened the reason on why I pay such loyalty to my old friend, Maria. That reason is to forgive the world for what they did to my closest friends. Forgive and forget. Let bygones be bygones. Live and learn.

I then realized what she really wanted me to do. And right then, I needed to help my associates. I pushed onward to the Cannon's Core, the area indicated by Ivo Robotnik, also known as Dr. Eggman. There I saw two well-known faces, Sonic whom I had just lost a battle against when attempting to escape the ARK and Knuckles, who was one of his loyal friends. They darted to a shrine that held the seven Chaos Emeralds, only to be momentarily halted by the Biolizard, the intended version of myself. "Let me handle this," I said to them. I knew what they needed to do, and how Maria would have wanted me to assist them in order to accomplish their objective. I had to admit, the genetically created reptile was a challenge, but alas, no match for me. As I finished him off, I could oversee the red echidna reciting a group of sentences, believed to be able, when said while in possession of the Master Emerald, to cease the power of the Chaos Emeralds.

The large green emerald began to glow in a light green light, and it seemed to succeed in bringing to a standstill the power of the Chaos Emeralds. Nonetheless, the Space Colony ARK continued to fall to the blue planet below. We then found out that the atrocious artificial lizard had made use of Chaos Control and was towing the space colony towards the Earth! It seemed hopeless, but then we remembered about the positive energy that the emeralds contained. Sonic and I stood at the center of the shrine and we both harnessed the energy of the Chaos Emeralds. We both changed in physical appearance, and we exited the space colony to annihilate the enormous reptile. Both of us took turns dashing our bodies into the Biolizard's weak area, a pink swollen protuberance, while the other one went to collect rings in order to remain in our super form. Finally, we were able to weaken him enough to be able to get close enough to him in order to perform Chaos Control. With that final occurrence, I became exhausted and I began to descend into the planet's atmosphere. I smile to myself, knowing that this is exactly what Maria would have wanted.

Maria. With a single mention or thought of the name, I feel as if my stomach is being twisted. I remember the incident so well; it haunts me everyday of my life. I remember the gruesome day to the second. The G.U.N. troops had gained access to the Space Colony ARK. I immediately knew why they were here, and that reason was to slaughter every single person on the ARK. I remember that from afar, I watched in utter disgust as I saw the G.U.N. troops gun down many people that day. The scene was ghastly, so much innocent blood shed that day. I wish with all of my heart I could forget how much blood, gore, and painful yelling was involved that night. I wish not to remember too much, as if I did, my heart would give out, fear being the reason.

I have an unmoving, one-track, no-nonsense kind of heart, and yet as serious as my mind is, I care so much about the poor lives that were lost that day. But more than any of the other ones, I remember Maria's death the most. I remember running down a hallway, her hand firmly grasped to mine, and I was using all of my adrenalin to run faster than I physically could. Still, it was not enough. A small squad of G.U.N. troops entered the hallway, both Maria and I gasped, and then a gunshot was heard. I didn't have a doubt that my friend was shot, but I did not have enough time to tend to my friend, for if I did, she or I would be shot again, and then I would definitely not be able to help her. Still being able to run and hold herself up, both of us ran, avoiding any further shots. Then, a room came into view. We both entered and locked the door behind us. We could both hear loud pounding on the metal door, and gruff, loud voices commanding us to open the door. I put Maria on the floor gently, and attempted to tend to the wound that my friend had received, but as I was about to lay my hands on her upper chest, she pushed me away. The next thing I knew, I was in a capsule.

Maria stood up, still clenching her injured chest with her hand. Then she said to me, "Shadow…please promise me you will carry out what needs to be done for all the people on that planet."

I tried to escape the capsule, but Maria willingly went to the control pad and then, more than anything, I remembered the final words she spoke to me. "Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog." With that, she pressed a button on the pad, and my capsule descended, and I abandoned the ARK.

I can't be certain, but while my capsule was floating in space, I believe I distinctly heard the breaking of metal, a gunshot, and then a shrill, agonizing screech. I closed my eyes.

She was dead.

It is almost ironic remembering that episode of me descending through space in a capsule, and my now current state, descending through space just the same, only this time I was not in a capsule and this time I was not secure. I look at myself. My white silvery fur reverts to its original shadowy black pigmenting. I am losing power, and at this rate, dangerously. I am uncertain if I shall die or not, but if I do, then what? I remember one day, while talking to Maria, she talked about this life not being all that there is. She said something about all humans being made in A Great Person's image, and humans being able to enjoy a paradise where there would be no lying, no pain, no stealing, no death, no suffering, and no crying. However, all that Maria mentioned was that humans would be able to enter this wonderful place. She mentioned nothing about robots. Though I have human-like qualities, am capable of logical thinking, and have actually been able to have feeling towards others, I do not know if robots such as me have a future after the permanent end of a session. Regardless, I am sure that there has to be something just waiting for me to arrive. I just do not know where or what.

Thinking about this makes me feel great weakness, and I absolutely loathe that. If I am the ultimate life form, then I cannot show weakness. Yet lately, I have been showing much weakness, once when I did not fight back and try to drive out the G.U.N. soldiers out of Space Colony ARK, another which just passed when I became unable to have enough power to pull myself back to the colony, and the most humiliating one of all, my defeat against an annoying yet somewhat likable blue hedgehog who has not even reached adulthood yet! If I cannot even defeat a measly creature with that kind of description, then my entire concept is a paradox. If I am the ultimate life form, I must be perfect, but I am not, so if I am not perfect, which I am not, I am not the ultimate life form, and so what am I? Just another artificial freak of nature, perhaps? However, though I have found many faults within myself, I have met countless others whom also contain flaws, and they all tell me the same thing, that flaws are just another part of life, and if I have learned anything since my creation, I have learned that life is not a malfunction. Life is a gift, if anything, and such a gift is priceless.

Now, I am feeling an intense pain. I look below me. I see the Earth's surface. I am being burned by the Earth's atmosphere! This overwhelming pain is more than I can handle. Right now, I can feel great heat all over my body. I smile to myself, knowing that regardless something else is awaiting me, or I am about to face a permanent shut-down, my work for these humans is done. Maria, my purpose for life is fulfilled. I hope that wherever you are, you are proud of me. I face reality again, knowing my body is being engulfed by flames. I close my eyes. Then, I see nothing but darkness.

…

I open my eyes. I look around. What I see is a young, female bat staring at me in awe. She walks backwards, accidentally activating a nearby robot. The robot's eyes glow, and it begins to fire bullets at an amazing pace. Concerned for the bat's safety, I hop over to where she is standing and pin her on the floor. "Stay here," I say.

I am not sure why I just said that, but I feel the need to protect anyone who is being assaulted. I hop to a metal wall, jump to a machine, jump again to the floor, and I launch myself, about to attack the robot, but as I am about to, the previously mentioned bat stands in-between us and says "STOP IT, YOU TWO!!"

I try to think about what happened before I opened my eyes, but barely anything shows up. I believe that my memory has been permanently lost! I look around the room, only to see the room in ruins, wires having electric shocks exert from themselves randomly. "Now I get it," says the bat as she faces the robot, "you're mad at Eggman for locking you up here…"

Eggman. The name seems familiar. I believe I've run into him before, but I have forgotten whether he is a friend or an enemy. "…and you! You can't remember a thing, can you?"

I say nothing, even though I knew the said statement is completely true. "Then it's settled!" the bat hops to where the robot and I are standing, pulls our hands in a pile, though I would have put my hand there if given the time, and she says, "Oh yeah, baby!! This makes us a team!"

I am not entirely sure whether these two really wish to help me, but if I wish to remember my past, I must follow them. However, not everything has left my mind.

I can still remember a vast array of vocabulary, but three particular words resonate more than the others.

Hedgehog.

Shadow.

Maria.

THE END