Categories > Games > Sonic the Hedgehog > Shadow and Maria
Maria walked into the kitchen as Shadow poured himself a cup of coffee.
Shadow glanced over his shoulder. “Morning. I made breakfast.”
Maria laughed nervously. “G’morning. Is… uh… did you have any trouble?”
“I burned the cinnamon rolls, so I warmed up the bagels and made strawberry smoothies.”
“Thanks, Shadow.” Maria said. “I’m sure it’s great.”
Shadow pulled some plates and a few cups for Maria out of the cabinet.
Gerald walked in. “Oh, good morning, you two.”
“Good morning.” Shadow and Maria replied.
Shadow sipped coffee.
“Did either of you see that gold flash out in the woods last night?” Gerald asked. “It looked like the light you stepped out of, Shadow.”
Shadow spit his coffee out and started coughing.
Maria and Gerald looked at Shadow.
“Are you okay?” Maria asked.
Shadow cleared his throat. “Yeah. Are you sure that’s what it looked like?”
Gerald shrugged. “I saw it in the woods.” He said. “So it’s hard to say for sure, but I’m almost certain it was.”
Maria looked at Shadow. “Are your friends looking for you?”
Shadow shrugged. “Maybe.”
“If you want to, we can go on a search after breakfast.” Gerald said.
Maria grinned. “I’d love to go on a walk.”
“I suppose we should check it out.” Shadow said.
*
Shadow walked alongside Maria as Gerald led the way through the woods on the small trail.
Shadow noticed shoe prints on the ground. “How many people use this trail?”
“I’m not sure.” Gerald said. “It depends on the time of year, but this is the most crowded time of the year for the trail.”
Shadow stopped, causing Maria to stop too.
“Grandfather, Shadow saw something.” Maria said.
Gerald stopped and turned around. “What is it?”
“Air shoe prints.” Shadow said, motioning to a larger set of footprints with slight burn marks on the ground. “I haven’t been on this trail.”
“Then whose is it?” Maria asked.
Manic hovered down from a nearby tree with his air shoes. “Ah, made friends?”
Shadow, Maria, and Gerald turned around to face Manic.
Sonic and the rest of the team leaped out from behind the bushes.
Manic landed on the ground. “Or are you just keeping them around to serve your purposes too?”
Shadow grit his teeth.
“Manic, shut up.” Sonic snapped. “Not the time for that.”
Maria looked at Shadow. “What does he mean by that?”
“I can answer that.” Manic said.
“My mom, Queen Aleena of Mobotropolis, sent us to apprehend Shadow.” Sonic said, slapping his hand over Manic’s mouth. He motioned to Manic and Shadow’s gang. “And to reign my little brother and his… team in.”
Kit smiled. “We got a plea deal.”
Surge smacked Kit. “Shut up about the deal, Drippy.”
Kit flattened his ears against his head.
Gerald eased over to Maria and held her hand.
Shadow clenched his fists; his eyes glowing. “You sold me out?”
“Oh, don’t like betrayal when you’re on the receiving end of it, do you?” Manic sneered. “Now you know how we felt.”
“Shadow?” Maria and Sonia asked.
Sonia clasped her hands. “Please surrender, sweetie.”
Sonic’s eyes started glowing. “Shadow, you’ll have a better chance in our legal system than you do here.” He said. “You’ve been through too much. We all have.”
“What did you do?” Gerald and Maria asked.
Shadow looked at Maria.
“You’re just a kid.” Maria said.
Rouge laughed. “Honey, he’s a grown male.” She replied. “He’s a criminal with blood on his hands too.”
“I knew something was off with you.” Gerald said, glaring at Shadow.
Shadow looked away.
“You lied to me?” Maria asked. “Shadow, how could you?”
“I’m sorry.” Shadow replied.
Suddenly, drones surrounded them.
“Who called in Skynet?” Sonic asked.
“They’re Robotnik’s drones.” Tails said, eyes lighting up.
The rest of Sonic and Manic’s teams’ eyes lit up.
Gerald turned his attention to one of the drones. “Ivo, what is the meaning of this?”
A speaker on the drone crackled on. “Oh, I’ll tell you what the meaning is.” Ivo said. “I’m just reclaiming stolen property and getting revenge for spending time in an animal prison.”
Manic gave Surge a ring. “I got this, Babe.”
Surge glared at Manic and opened her mouth to say something.
“He might be able to hack your cyborganics now.” Manic mouthed.
Surge sighed and took a ring. She tossed it in the air, then stepped through the portal as soon as it opened.
Bunnie walked through it at the same time Surge walked through it.
Sonic shoved Manic through the ring.
“Hey!” Manic protested.
“We got this, your babies need you.” Sonic said.
The portal disappeared.
Another ring portal appeared.
Manic stepped through the portal. “Nice try.”
Shadow shook his head. “Why am I not surprised, Manic?”
Manic narrowed his eyes.
“Shadow?” Maria asked.
Gerald eased Maria back.
“Truce until we defeat Ro-butt-nik, Shads.” Sonic said.
“Deal.” Shadow replied.
A drone fired a blast at Sonic.
Sonic easily missed the blast, then spin dashed the drone.
Shadow looked at Gerald. “Get her out of here.”
Laser blasts start firing from the drones.
Manic leaped up and kicked one to Knuckles, who punched it.
Sonic and Shadow spin dashed a drone as Gerald tried to carefully guide Maria to the safety of their home.
A laser hit Gerald.
“Grandpa!” Maria cried as Gerald collapsed.
Maria staggered, then slumped to her knees.
Shadow stopped fighting and ran over to Maria. He knelt down beside Maria. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Maria said weakly. “Really, I’m fine. Grandfather’s hurt.”
Shadow glanced at Gerald and could tell instantly that he was gone. “I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do.”
Maria started sobbing on Shadow’s shoulder.
Sonic spin dashed a robot. “Hey, we could use your help over here, Shads!”
“The girl’s hurt.” Tails said, running over to Shadow.
Shadow looked at Tails. “She has NIDS and her grandfather’s gone.” He said. “Get her to safety. I’ll finish Ivo off.”
Tails pulled a distraught Maria away from Gerald’s body. “Let’s get you inside.” He said, walking her to the house.
Ivo’s hovercraft arrived.
Ivo peered over the windshield of it. “You destroyed years of my hard work, you rats!” He cried. “I’ll do what I should’ve done years ago!”
Shadow ran over and leaped onto the hovercraft. He pressed the self-destruct button and smashed the console.
The hovercraft exploded as Shadow leaped off and landed on the ground.
Sonic caught his breath. “Guess we had no choice this time.”
Knuckles dusted his hands off. “We tried, Sonic. Chalk it off as unavoidable excessive force.”
Shadow took one wobbly step and collapsed.
Sonia gasped and ran over to Shadow. “Sonic, help us, he’s hurt.”
Knuckles ran over and picked up Shadow. He raced back to the house.
Rouge and Manic walked Sonia to the house.
Kit, Sonic, and Sally followed them.
“We can’t leave the girl alone.” Sally said, sliding her hand into Sonic’s hand.
“We’ll make sure she’s okay before we leave.” Sonic replied.
*
The team joined Maria and Tails in the living room.
“I called Tom and Maddie for help.” Maria said, wiping her eyes with a tissue. She noticed Knuckles laying Shadow on the table and gasped.
Shadow had shrapnel from the hovercraft stuck in his side, leg, and chest as well as his arm. His fur was darker from blood; the white patch of fur on his chest was now a dark crimson. He was unconscious.
Maria slid onto the floor next to Shadow’s head as Tails started examining him. She stroked Shadow’s spines as Sonia held Shadow’s hand.
“Stay with us, love.” Sonia said, gently squeezing Shadow’s hand.
Maria softly prayed for Shadow.
Tails exhaled slowly. “I can’t do anything.” He said. “We can use-”
Tom and Maddie came in.
“Maria, what’s going- who are they?” Tom asked.
Maddie noticed Shadow and gasped. She ran over to Shadow.
Tom followed Maddie.
“Hovercraft explosion; long story.” Tails replied. “I don’t have the tools to treat him.”
“Maddie, please help him.” Maria cried.
“We can take him to my office.” Maddie said.
Sonic scooped up Shadow. “Where is it?” He asked. “I can take him faster than you can drive.”
“Green Hills veterinary clinic.” Maddie said. “Downtown.”
“Got it.” Sonic replied. He ran out.
Tom and Maddie watched Tails fly out behind Sonic.
“I can take you there fast as well.” Knuckles said, stepping up to Maddie. “Unlike them, I’m one thousand percent muscle.”
Maddie grinned nervously. “Uh… okay…?”
Knuckles scooped Maddie up and ran out.
Tom looked from the door to Maria. “Okay, what is going on?” He asked. “Where’s your grandfather?”
Sally hung her head. “I’m sorry to say he didn’t make it, Tom.”
The rest of the team hung their heads.
Kit pinned his ears back and whimpered.
Maria wiped her eyes.
Sonia cried on Manic’s shoulder.
Tom went over and knelt down beside Maria. He held her and let her cry on his shoulder. “Can one of you explain what is happening?”
Manic looked up. “I can explain, dude.”
Sonia pulled away from Manic and wiped her eyes. “Hey, uhm… Maria?”
Maria looked up. “Yes?”
“Can you take me to see Shadow?” Sonia asked.
“You can go with her if you want.” Tom said to Maria. “I know you want to be with Shadow too.”
Maria got up and left with Sonia.
Tom sighed. “I’ll call an ambulance, then you can start from the top, green guy.” He said, pulling his phone out.
Manic nodded. “Sure. I’m Manic, by the way.”
Tom got up and stepped into the kitchen.
Shadow glanced over his shoulder. “Morning. I made breakfast.”
Maria laughed nervously. “G’morning. Is… uh… did you have any trouble?”
“I burned the cinnamon rolls, so I warmed up the bagels and made strawberry smoothies.”
“Thanks, Shadow.” Maria said. “I’m sure it’s great.”
Shadow pulled some plates and a few cups for Maria out of the cabinet.
Gerald walked in. “Oh, good morning, you two.”
“Good morning.” Shadow and Maria replied.
Shadow sipped coffee.
“Did either of you see that gold flash out in the woods last night?” Gerald asked. “It looked like the light you stepped out of, Shadow.”
Shadow spit his coffee out and started coughing.
Maria and Gerald looked at Shadow.
“Are you okay?” Maria asked.
Shadow cleared his throat. “Yeah. Are you sure that’s what it looked like?”
Gerald shrugged. “I saw it in the woods.” He said. “So it’s hard to say for sure, but I’m almost certain it was.”
Maria looked at Shadow. “Are your friends looking for you?”
Shadow shrugged. “Maybe.”
“If you want to, we can go on a search after breakfast.” Gerald said.
Maria grinned. “I’d love to go on a walk.”
“I suppose we should check it out.” Shadow said.
*
Shadow walked alongside Maria as Gerald led the way through the woods on the small trail.
Shadow noticed shoe prints on the ground. “How many people use this trail?”
“I’m not sure.” Gerald said. “It depends on the time of year, but this is the most crowded time of the year for the trail.”
Shadow stopped, causing Maria to stop too.
“Grandfather, Shadow saw something.” Maria said.
Gerald stopped and turned around. “What is it?”
“Air shoe prints.” Shadow said, motioning to a larger set of footprints with slight burn marks on the ground. “I haven’t been on this trail.”
“Then whose is it?” Maria asked.
Manic hovered down from a nearby tree with his air shoes. “Ah, made friends?”
Shadow, Maria, and Gerald turned around to face Manic.
Sonic and the rest of the team leaped out from behind the bushes.
Manic landed on the ground. “Or are you just keeping them around to serve your purposes too?”
Shadow grit his teeth.
“Manic, shut up.” Sonic snapped. “Not the time for that.”
Maria looked at Shadow. “What does he mean by that?”
“I can answer that.” Manic said.
“My mom, Queen Aleena of Mobotropolis, sent us to apprehend Shadow.” Sonic said, slapping his hand over Manic’s mouth. He motioned to Manic and Shadow’s gang. “And to reign my little brother and his… team in.”
Kit smiled. “We got a plea deal.”
Surge smacked Kit. “Shut up about the deal, Drippy.”
Kit flattened his ears against his head.
Gerald eased over to Maria and held her hand.
Shadow clenched his fists; his eyes glowing. “You sold me out?”
“Oh, don’t like betrayal when you’re on the receiving end of it, do you?” Manic sneered. “Now you know how we felt.”
“Shadow?” Maria and Sonia asked.
Sonia clasped her hands. “Please surrender, sweetie.”
Sonic’s eyes started glowing. “Shadow, you’ll have a better chance in our legal system than you do here.” He said. “You’ve been through too much. We all have.”
“What did you do?” Gerald and Maria asked.
Shadow looked at Maria.
“You’re just a kid.” Maria said.
Rouge laughed. “Honey, he’s a grown male.” She replied. “He’s a criminal with blood on his hands too.”
“I knew something was off with you.” Gerald said, glaring at Shadow.
Shadow looked away.
“You lied to me?” Maria asked. “Shadow, how could you?”
“I’m sorry.” Shadow replied.
Suddenly, drones surrounded them.
“Who called in Skynet?” Sonic asked.
“They’re Robotnik’s drones.” Tails said, eyes lighting up.
The rest of Sonic and Manic’s teams’ eyes lit up.
Gerald turned his attention to one of the drones. “Ivo, what is the meaning of this?”
A speaker on the drone crackled on. “Oh, I’ll tell you what the meaning is.” Ivo said. “I’m just reclaiming stolen property and getting revenge for spending time in an animal prison.”
Manic gave Surge a ring. “I got this, Babe.”
Surge glared at Manic and opened her mouth to say something.
“He might be able to hack your cyborganics now.” Manic mouthed.
Surge sighed and took a ring. She tossed it in the air, then stepped through the portal as soon as it opened.
Bunnie walked through it at the same time Surge walked through it.
Sonic shoved Manic through the ring.
“Hey!” Manic protested.
“We got this, your babies need you.” Sonic said.
The portal disappeared.
Another ring portal appeared.
Manic stepped through the portal. “Nice try.”
Shadow shook his head. “Why am I not surprised, Manic?”
Manic narrowed his eyes.
“Shadow?” Maria asked.
Gerald eased Maria back.
“Truce until we defeat Ro-butt-nik, Shads.” Sonic said.
“Deal.” Shadow replied.
A drone fired a blast at Sonic.
Sonic easily missed the blast, then spin dashed the drone.
Shadow looked at Gerald. “Get her out of here.”
Laser blasts start firing from the drones.
Manic leaped up and kicked one to Knuckles, who punched it.
Sonic and Shadow spin dashed a drone as Gerald tried to carefully guide Maria to the safety of their home.
A laser hit Gerald.
“Grandpa!” Maria cried as Gerald collapsed.
Maria staggered, then slumped to her knees.
Shadow stopped fighting and ran over to Maria. He knelt down beside Maria. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Maria said weakly. “Really, I’m fine. Grandfather’s hurt.”
Shadow glanced at Gerald and could tell instantly that he was gone. “I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do.”
Maria started sobbing on Shadow’s shoulder.
Sonic spin dashed a robot. “Hey, we could use your help over here, Shads!”
“The girl’s hurt.” Tails said, running over to Shadow.
Shadow looked at Tails. “She has NIDS and her grandfather’s gone.” He said. “Get her to safety. I’ll finish Ivo off.”
Tails pulled a distraught Maria away from Gerald’s body. “Let’s get you inside.” He said, walking her to the house.
Ivo’s hovercraft arrived.
Ivo peered over the windshield of it. “You destroyed years of my hard work, you rats!” He cried. “I’ll do what I should’ve done years ago!”
Shadow ran over and leaped onto the hovercraft. He pressed the self-destruct button and smashed the console.
The hovercraft exploded as Shadow leaped off and landed on the ground.
Sonic caught his breath. “Guess we had no choice this time.”
Knuckles dusted his hands off. “We tried, Sonic. Chalk it off as unavoidable excessive force.”
Shadow took one wobbly step and collapsed.
Sonia gasped and ran over to Shadow. “Sonic, help us, he’s hurt.”
Knuckles ran over and picked up Shadow. He raced back to the house.
Rouge and Manic walked Sonia to the house.
Kit, Sonic, and Sally followed them.
“We can’t leave the girl alone.” Sally said, sliding her hand into Sonic’s hand.
“We’ll make sure she’s okay before we leave.” Sonic replied.
*
The team joined Maria and Tails in the living room.
“I called Tom and Maddie for help.” Maria said, wiping her eyes with a tissue. She noticed Knuckles laying Shadow on the table and gasped.
Shadow had shrapnel from the hovercraft stuck in his side, leg, and chest as well as his arm. His fur was darker from blood; the white patch of fur on his chest was now a dark crimson. He was unconscious.
Maria slid onto the floor next to Shadow’s head as Tails started examining him. She stroked Shadow’s spines as Sonia held Shadow’s hand.
“Stay with us, love.” Sonia said, gently squeezing Shadow’s hand.
Maria softly prayed for Shadow.
Tails exhaled slowly. “I can’t do anything.” He said. “We can use-”
Tom and Maddie came in.
“Maria, what’s going- who are they?” Tom asked.
Maddie noticed Shadow and gasped. She ran over to Shadow.
Tom followed Maddie.
“Hovercraft explosion; long story.” Tails replied. “I don’t have the tools to treat him.”
“Maddie, please help him.” Maria cried.
“We can take him to my office.” Maddie said.
Sonic scooped up Shadow. “Where is it?” He asked. “I can take him faster than you can drive.”
“Green Hills veterinary clinic.” Maddie said. “Downtown.”
“Got it.” Sonic replied. He ran out.
Tom and Maddie watched Tails fly out behind Sonic.
“I can take you there fast as well.” Knuckles said, stepping up to Maddie. “Unlike them, I’m one thousand percent muscle.”
Maddie grinned nervously. “Uh… okay…?”
Knuckles scooped Maddie up and ran out.
Tom looked from the door to Maria. “Okay, what is going on?” He asked. “Where’s your grandfather?”
Sally hung her head. “I’m sorry to say he didn’t make it, Tom.”
The rest of the team hung their heads.
Kit pinned his ears back and whimpered.
Maria wiped her eyes.
Sonia cried on Manic’s shoulder.
Tom went over and knelt down beside Maria. He held her and let her cry on his shoulder. “Can one of you explain what is happening?”
Manic looked up. “I can explain, dude.”
Sonia pulled away from Manic and wiped her eyes. “Hey, uhm… Maria?”
Maria looked up. “Yes?”
“Can you take me to see Shadow?” Sonia asked.
“You can go with her if you want.” Tom said to Maria. “I know you want to be with Shadow too.”
Maria got up and left with Sonia.
Tom sighed. “I’ll call an ambulance, then you can start from the top, green guy.” He said, pulling his phone out.
Manic nodded. “Sure. I’m Manic, by the way.”
Tom got up and stepped into the kitchen.
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