Valley Of Shadows
by Androclez

Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog and all related characters are the property of Sega/Sonic Team.

Preface:

This story picks up months after the Second Series of Sonic X ended, and the Metarex have been defeated. I have included elements of the Sonic video games into the storyline and some SatAM terminology is also used. See my profile for more details.

Without further ado...

Chapter 1

Robotropolis...

Mist seeps through every corner of the cityscape on this stormy night. A meeting is being held in the central tower at the crux of the dark, mechanical city. A flash of lighting reveals the silhouette of a certain hedgehog and none other than Dr. Ivo Robotnik himself.

"I'm glad we could meet here like this tonight old friend," he began.
"We have much to discuss."

"I was never your friend," the hedgehog replied.
"And as far as I'm concerned there is very little to discuss between you and I. So give me one good reason not to tear this entire city apart, and make it fast."

"You wound me," said Robotnik.
"Was it not I who preserved your life on more than one occasion as we faced mutual foes? You are, after all, my grandfather's greatest legacy... Shadow."

"Your grandfather… A bitter old madman who sought to wreck havoc on the entire globe..." Shadow scoffed.
"It would seem the title of legacy is more fittingly bestowed upon you yourself Doctor," he muttered.

"Ho, ho, hooo!" Eggman bellowed.
"Very clever Shadow my boy! But I believe we have more affinity in that vein than you concede."

"What are you implying? That I am as hateful and destructive as you?" Shadow demanded.

"I recall your being fond of a certain cousin of mine." Ivo continued.
"And you hated the world that would snuff out one of such noble and pure benevolence. Is not such a world deserving of punishment and subjugation?"

"What I recall is that you used my feelings about what happened to Maria to further your own ambitions," Shadow retorted.
"And you preserved my life to the end of synthesizing a robot army based on my design. We're nothing alike! And I will not allow you to turn my grief into bloodlust in the pursuit of your mad schemes! I've moved beyond that now."

"You misjudge my intentions," Robotnik insisted.
"I call on you today not seeking aid of revenge, but rather offering an opportunity for restitution."

"All I can do is live in a way that will honor Maria's memory," said Shadow.
"Nothing in this world will ever bring her back."

"Ah! But I offer you a treasure not of this world," Robotnik exclaimed as he rose and walked toward a tarp in the back of the room.
"Behold!" he proclaimed as he withdrew the tarp, revealing a radiant set of gemstones.
"I present to you, the Timestones of Little Planet."

"Can these stones truly control time?" asked Shadow, skeptically.

"Indeed!" replied Robotnik.
"Normally their use is limited to their land of origin — the so-called Little Planet. But theoretically you might be able to harness their power using your Chaos Control technique."

"This seems rather far fetched," said Shadow.
"Even if I were able to channel such a power, I would still have no prior experience in wielding it. How could it be controlled to access a specific date and time?"

"I have prepared for this eventuality as well," said Robotnik.
"I constructed a time machine which can tune temporal waves in exactly the manner which you describe — to a specific date and time of our choosing. Does this final security measure quell your doubts as to the feasibility of my proposition?"

"I trust more in my own strength than that of any machine," said Shadow, haughtily.

"Then why the skeptical inquiries?" asked Robotnik.

"In truth, I would try anything that might possibly undo the harm vested upon Maria, no matter how unlikely its chances of success might be," Shadow admitted.
"I only inquired of you to this extent in order to judge how serious you were about this whole plan."

"You are a shrewd one, I see," observed Robotnik.
"So then, do we have a deal?"

"Very well, I accept your terms," said Shadow.
"But I have one last question."

"And what might that be?" asked Robotnik.

"What is your aim in all this?" asked Shadow.
"I trust you are not motivated by charity, simply to reunite Maria and I."

"She was my cousin after all," said Robotnik.

"Spare me your duplicitous sentiment," said Shadow.
"I know something deeper motivates you."

"Right you are, Shadow old boy," Robotnik admitted.
"I suppose it is the ambition of all truly great scientist to test the bounds of human ingenuity."

"So you want to manipulate the flow of time and space just to see if you can," Shadow restated.

"And to pay retribution to those who would dare lift hand in thwarting a Robotnik's endeavors," said Robotnik, with a snarl.

"So you are motivated by revenge," said Shadow.
"You cannot stand the idea of your grandfather's absolute and utter defeat. It motivates you even now, and likely has for all these years."

"And even if that's so, what of it?!" demanded Robotnik.

"It matters not to me," said Shadow.
"But I warn you that the tyranny of those motivated by selfish gain is short-lived. And I will not abide anything that would cause Maria unhappiness."

"Just meet me at the east end of Never Lake tomorrow morning as agreed, and I will have my time machine ready," said Robotnik, with a twinge of resentment in his voice.

"You bring your time machine," said Shadow, dismissively.
"And I shall bring my memories of Maria and the strength of my will, which should prove more than sufficient in bridging this temporal gap between our souls."

With that, Shadow flew off, leaving Robotnik behind somewhat miffed.

"Why that impudent, presumptuous little pincushion!" Robotnik fumed.
"Although the spiny rodent may be right to some extent," he sighed in resignation.

"But that is irrelevant now, for I seek neither the vindication of my grandfather Gerald nor the deliverance of my cousin Maria," thought Robotnik.

"The weak have fallen but I ―the greatest in my family line― shall reign supreme! I am not burdened with the weight of their failures, nor am I beholden to liberate them from it. My goal remains to reshape the world as I see fit. And with the very power of time on my side, none shall oppose me."

To Be Continued.