Sonic Ultimate - Volume 2 - Shadows of the Past

Chapter 5 - Mr. Unsmiley

*January 27th 1980. 10 years after Project Shadow has begun, and is finally finished. Shadow is released from the test tube, wet, cold, and gasping for air. Gerald then gets a blanket for Shadow as he exits the pod.*

Gerald: "Easy! Breath..... Good. Hello, Shadow the Hedgehog. I am your creator! Gerald Robotnik! And I need your help."

Shadow: "Help? With what?"

Gerald: "Not what; Who. Come with me, Shadow."

*While Gerald takes Shadow to Maria's room, Shadow sees through a window, and gets wondrous about the big blue planet far off in the distance. Speeding towards the window and pressing his face on the glass*

Shadow: "Woah!!! What is *that*?!"

Gerald: "Ah. That is planet Earth. My home."

Shadow: "Your home? But, isn't this where you live? In space?"

Gerald: "No, this is just a Space Colony. We call it the ARK. It was modeled after the enormous space ships the Trezodians used on their pilgrimage to Earth."

Shadow: "Why did they come to Earth?"

Gerald: "Well their homes were destroyed! By an ancient terror known as Nazo. A terrible and powerful being, who wanted nothing more than to spread disorder and misery to everyone and everywhere."

Shadow: "But.... Why?"

Gerald: "No one knows. But we don't have to worry about them anymore. At least, not for a very very long time."

Shadow: "But, if the Trezodian's homes were destroyed, and they just *lived* on Earth... What is home?"

Gerald: "Home is an idea. Not a place. It's wherever you feel free, safe, and happy."

Shadow: "I... I see."

Gerald: "Now come on, Shadow. Let's go meet Maria."

*Gerald takes Shadow to finally meet Maria, and enters her room.*

Gerald: "Maria. This is Shadow. He's going to help cure you so we can live on Earth."

Shadow: "H-Hello?"

*Shadow approaches Maria in bed, as she gives him the biggest, warmest hug she can.*

Maria: "I'm so glad to finally meet you!!!"

Shadow: "T-Thanks!? Wait. What do you mean, "cure" her? Is she sick?"

Gerald: "Yes. Very. She suffers from Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Or, NIDS, if you will. It means her immune system is very weak. And She can get sick very easily. If she gets even slightly ill..... She could die...."

Shadow: "What?!?!"

Gerald: "But we're on the ARK! It's completely sterile and sickness free."

Shadow: "So, if I'm getting this right. She can't live on Earth, her home, because she could die, and so I have to cure her, so she can come home?"

Gerald: "Exactly, Shadow!"

*Shadow looks at Maria, the friendliest and brightest person he's known, and gets determined to cure her."

Shadow: "Where do we start?"

Gerald: "It all starts.... With this."

*Gerald shows Shadow an ancient looking textbook with the bold title, "CHAOS CONTROL: THE ULTIMATE POWER", and 7 decorative gems encased into the cover.*

*Gerald takes Shadow to a testing lab so he can harness his Chaos abilities*

Shadow: "So, what's one of the basic abilities of Chaos Control?"