ARAAT4: Origins

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A Rose And A Thorn 4: Origins

Co-Written by Harley Quinn hyenaholic and Froggy22651

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Froggy: Not realistic? But that's exactly what happened in Sonic Adventure 2. Seriously, look at it from Shadow's perspective. Maria gets killed, he gets sent to Earth, and probably soon after he got captured and frozen for 50 years. And you know what's the very first thing he does when he steps out of the tube? He destroys a GUN mecha and then goes on an emerald-stealing spree, causing all sorts of trouble for the military and civil authorities, showing off Chaos Control to Sonic in the process. He’s always had an attitude, but it's not like he's going to be a jerk around Maria, now is he?

Harley: I daresay he was always a badass, Maria’s death just made it worse. Well, this chapter may be short, but it is intensely important. “What?” I hear you say, “No sex between Midnight and Mirage?” Well, this fanfic is more important than that. Yes, it is. Really.

Froggy: If you’re that desperate, just take our word for it that all you’re missing is lashings of steamy, gratuitous sex between Mirage and Midnight, who are now getting it on nightly. Just read the sex chapters repeatedly, you’ll get the idea.

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Chapter Fifteen: One Soul Born Twice

The observation deck of the ARK provided a spectacular view of the stars beyond the space station as well as the blue globe it was orbiting. It was a place for contemplation, for relaxing, to get away from the daily grind and have a glimpse of home. At least, for most people. For someone born on the ARK, looking down at Earth had an entirely different meaning. It was a mysterious place they had only heard about and could only dream about, a place very different from the artificial structure orbiting it. Shadow the Hedgehog was there on the deck, looking down at the Earth, wondering what it was like and why it was so important, along with many, many other existential thoughts. He was tired of the tests the scientists were putting him through, tired of the lack of satisfying answers, and for now, he just wanted to be alone.

"Why, hello there!" a young female voice rang out behind him. Shadow turned quickly to look at who had spoken to him. She had blonde hair and a blue dress, was pale and thin, and was possibly the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, "Who are you? What are you doing here?" she asked him.

"Me?" A stupid thing to ask, he realised, seeing as he was the only one there. For a moment, Shadow couldn't find words. Was this what an angel was? "Well... my name is Shadow,” he told the human female, looking at her curiously. She seemed different than the other humans he had met, "You're not a scientist, are you?"

"Oh, no!" the girl laughed, "My name is Maria! I live here! Gerald is my grandfather!" She looked out of the window at Earth, "I've lived up here for years - I hardly remember what it's like on Earth, but grandfather tells me it's still beautiful."

"Maria..." Shadow spoke softly, looking at the ground, trying the name out. For some reason he couldn’t place, it seemed to suit her, "Gerald was the one who created me, although I'm not sure why. I've never seen the Earth except from right here."

Maria came to stand next to him, "Grandfather told me he wanted to find a cure for NIDS," she said, "I think that might be why he made you."

"Yes... I think the doctor mentioned you to me. He said you were… sick,” said Shadow. The dark hedgehog frowned. He didn't know what it was like to be sick. And according to Gerald, Maria was terminally ill. She would die in a few years. In the short time he had existed, Shadow had never fallen ill, and judging from what Gerald had been telling him, he never would be.

Maria looked sad, but changed the subject, "I know it's no good asking you, Shadow," she said, "But I can at least tell you that... oh, I wish I remembered what Earth is like."

"I heard that it’s different there,” Shadow said, recalling the doctor's words, "It sounds disorganized and more dangerous and... alive. I don't know what to make of what I've heard, but I would like to see it, too. It can't be any worse than here,” he added, "I hardly ever have any time to myself. Nothing but constant questions and tests. I feel like I'm trapped in a glass cage with a dozen people looking in, poking me with sticks. It's maddening!" Shadow shook his head, wondering why he had said that. He barely knew Maria; they had just met. And yet, she somehow encouraged trust with her very presence.

"Oh, that must be terrible!" Maria sighed, "Grandfather is always having me tested. He says it’s to check how far the NIDS has progressed. I've seen some of the other experiments around here being tested too, and they don’t look happy about it either."

"They always tell me that it’s just one more test, one more test, but there's always another after it,” spoke the hedgehog, glaring down at clenched fists, "And worst of all, they never tell me what the results mean, or if it’s making any sort of difference."

Maria took his hand gently, "I'm sure they wouldn't be doing it if they didn't have a good reason," she said, "It's probably for your own good or something."

Shadow looked down at her hand. The gesture was a simple one, but never one that he had seen before. Any physical contact he had with other beings had been for the purpose of tests or training. Cautiously, he returned it, curling his fingers around her hand, hoping that it was the correct response, "I hope so,” he told her, "I just... want some answers, that's all. It’s all so much, so fast. I know a great deal, but I have no experience to put it into context. My own creators won't give me a straight answer as to why they made me."

"My grandfather told me that you are supposed to be the Ultimate Life Form," Maria pointed out, "Maybe that's why there are so many tests? To find out if they’re right?"

"Ultimate... Life Form?" Shadow knew what ‘ultimate’ meant, and he knew what a ‘life form’ was, but when the two words were put together, he didn't understand, "What does that even mean?" he asked her, "What does it mean to be an ultimate life form?"

"I don't know, exactly," said Maria, "The most ultimate form that ever lived?" she suggested.

Shadow didn't know why, but the thought of that... excited him, somehow. Or at least, made him much more curious about himself. The exponential increase of questions made the hedgehog feel like his head was going to split apart. Maria wouldn't have the answers; she was just as lost as he was. And yet, that made him feel more comfortable with her than the others. They were standing on even ground, "They'll have to tell me eventually,” he spoke out loud, staring hard at the blue globe floating in space, "Maybe soon. They say I'm almost ready for their obstacle course."

"Oooh, do you know what’s in it?" Maria asked, excited, "It sounds like fun!"

"They said they'll go easy on me, at first, but it will get harder in time. They told me that I'm the only one who could go through it,” Shadow told Maria, "I've seen it under construction, and I'm not sure how I'm going to get through." His crimson eyes left the blue globe to gaze instead into her blue eyes, "It's on the underside on the ARK."

"Wow," Maria said simply, "I wish I could watch," she said, slightly wistfully, "It's not easy to make friends on the ARK."

"Friend,” said Shadow, frowning and testing the unfamiliar term, "Are we friends, Maria?"

"Sure we are!" Maria laughed, "I don't want to be enemies with anybody, here or anywhere."

'Enemy' was a term Shadow understood better. He thought about Maria's statement and concluded that she meant that someone could be only a friend or an enemy. Maria, he decided, had to be a friend. He liked her, "Then we are friends,” he said, a slight smile crossing his features, "I'll ask the doctor if it is alright for you to watch. You might enjoy it."

"Hello, Maria, Shadow," an elderly voice spoke behind them. Shadow turned again to see the instantly recognisable Professor Gerald Robotnik, "Getting to know each other?" he asked, his smile half-hidden under his huge moustache.

"Doctor,” Shadow said respectfully, bowing his head slightly towards the older human, "Yes, I was just relaxing in the observation deck when Maria walked in. We've been talking."

"Oh, Grandfather, can I watch Shadow take the obstacle course?" Maria asked eagerly.

"Hmmm? Oh, that?" Gerald hummed for a moment, "I see no reason why not. The best part of the ARK will be watching him and the other major projects take the course."

"I assume that these new shoes have something to do with it,” stated Shadow, who bumped his feet together, each one clad in a unique sneaker with a line of strange holes in the bottom.

"Oh, yes," Gerald smiled again, "You see, Shadow, these Hover Shoes will help to totally eliminate friction, so you'll be able to run faster without damaging yourself. They're powered by Power Rings."

"Eliminate friction?” Shadow asked. He was capable of running at incredible speeds under his own power. Eliminating friction was unnecessary, but would admittedly make things easier for him, "That sounds much more efficient. I look forward to trying them out."

"They'll also help you to hover in the air and hold onto walls," Gerald said, "They should also help you to pick up Power Rings much more quickly, in a manoeuvre known as the Light Dash."

Shadow hummed quietly to himself and looked down at the shoes. They felt very comfortable to him, seeing as they were custom made, and now, he learned, they would increase his abilities, "Here's hoping I don't mess up. That course you've made looks... rather difficult."

"Oh, don't worry, it won't kill anybody," Gerald said, "You'll all be fitted with special devices that will stop you from falling out of the ARK's oxygen field."

Shadow nodded quietly and again glanced out at the field of stars, "Good,” he said, "As much as I would like to see the Earth up close, that would not be my preferred way of reaching it."

"I'm just going to tell your fellow experiments now," Gerald informed him, "You did quite a number on that lad Midnight! Although of course, he is an unenhanced clone, and I'd be most disappointed if you couldn't defeat him! Have fun, you two. And play nice!" Gerald told Maria and Shadow, before leaving.

Shadow couldn't quite look at Maria, worried about her thoughts on the fight that her grandfather had so casually mentioned.

Maria, though, spoke first, "Why were you fighting with Midnight, Shadow?" she asked him, "I met him once... he seemed very angry at everyone."

"He does have a lot of anger in him. A lot of aggression,” Shadow agreed, "He feels he has a lot to prove, mostly to himself. It was just a practice fight, nothing at stake. Except maybe our prides. He certainly had a lot of that."

Maria sighed, "I don't like it when people fight," she said unhappily, "It just feels really silly. I wish that nobody had to fight, ever. Nobody really wins."

"I sure won,” he joked with a smirk, but when he saw that it didn't help, he quickly changed his tone, "It wasn't a real fight,” he tried to explain, "It was just a test of our skill, our strength. No harm was meant by it."

"I know, it's not your fault," said Maria, "And it's probably not his either. But the greatest power is the ability to not use all the others."

Shadow frowned, trying to wrap his mind around that seemingly contradictory statement, "I... I don't understand,” he said helplessly, shaking his head.

"I mean that..." Maria concentrated, trying to put it simply, "Well, when you get angry, it's easy to hit someone, isn't it? So that means that you're stronger for not hurting someone when you're angry than you are for giving in and lashing out."

Shadow's face brightened as the hedgehog realised she was talking about mental rather than physical power, "I get it. It takes a stronger will to control yourself than to act on your impulses."

Maria's face brightened up, "That's exactly right, Shadow," she said, "And the stronger you are mentally, the harder it is for other people to control you - mentally or physically."

"Mental strength leads to physical strength..." the dark hedgehog muttered to himself. If he wanted to control the world around him better, if he wanted to be harder to control, he had to first learn to control himself. He nodded. That was what he was going to do. He would learn mental strength, and then, maybe those answers he sought would be open to him.

"Yes, that's right," Maria agreed, "Grandfather always says that it doesn't matter how powerful you are, if you haven't got power over yourself, then it's all for nothing."

"Thank you,” Shadow told Maria gratefully, "I think that will help me." Giving the girl a smile, he took her hand in his, repeating what she had done earlier.

Maria squeezed his hand gently, "I just saw you standing here, looking so worried and alone," she said, "I'm glad I could help."

"That you did,” said Shadow, a feeling of relief filling him. He didn't feel quite so alone. There was someone else on the ARK he could relate to, could talk to, could share thoughts with. He guessed that was what being a friend was really about, and he was glad to have Maria as a friend.

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Harley: Well? What happens next? It’s a big action scene, baby. No, not THE big action scene. But we spent a hell of a lot of cash on the set for this one, so you’d bloody well better like it.

Froggy: We? What are you talking about, ‘We’? You never bought SA2!