Shadow's Past Chapter 1

"Professor Gerald Robotnik! It's a pleasure to accompany you today while you release the latest creation of yours!" The reporter woman spoke quickly into her mic while following the Professor down long corridors, her camera crew following quickly behind with boom mikes and other new reporter things of behind the workings of Westopolis.

"Can we ask why make such a project?" She asked trying to keep instep with the old man. Not answering and being quite annoyed he put in a code at the final door. It opened and everything immediately got quite. He turned blocking the entrance and looked very sternly through his shaded glasses.

"All answers can only become accurate when the Project has been fully completed. Nothing should be a set answer at this moment in time. If a question is not answerable of I feel the media and others shouldn't know, I will NOT give the slightest answer to. If all agrees and have no problem with my rules and conditions we may proceed." He slowly turned away switching on all lights and logged on to a computer.

"So, what was the reason for making such a life form?" The woman asked again.

"My grand-daughter, and others with her same problem. She has a case of NIDS. And being the idiotic so called "cure" should not be the answer for anyone. No one should have to walk around with metal limbs, and advertize what they had. Not my grand-daughter especially." He said with a smile thinking of how far he's gone in success.

"You're going to make the cure for NIDS??!!?" Everyone in the whole room shocked screamed at the same time.

The Professor chuckled, "Well, I'm going to try."

A capsule lit up from the far side of the room getting everyone's attention immediately.

"Let me show you my project." Gerald stood up from his chair and led them over to the capsule.

The reporter gasped and clung to a behind the scenes worker, "Oh god it's a giant rat! What is that thing!?"

Gerald glared taking his shades off to clean them exposing his cataracts . A habit he does when he is irritated and holding it back, "It's not a rat. He is of Mobian DNA so far. He is an Artificial Processed Transgenic African Pygmy Hedgehog. Which facts are hedgehogs are not rodents. And the African pygmy are the most comen hedgehog pet breed." He put his glasses back on as the reporter looked in at the not yet awakened hedgehog. He had left out the encounter with the Alien from the comet.

"Yeah he's African alright." the crew muttered in some disgust as they all leaned in to get a view.

"Will that be a problem? Should it matter his fur color if he can cure possibly the world?" The professor turned red with anger at the comment. It stood quite for a moment.

"So...Why a hedgehog, if it had to be an animal at all?" The woman looked up.

"Well if it was something else everyone would still question me on it. Why is the golden retriever the relied companion of a blind person? And also, my grand-daughter likes, soft and furry things. Which the reason for the white patch on his chest... pleases even me."

"So how exactly using this hedgehog as a lab rat cure the NIDS?"

Again the Professor's face was red, "I do not intent to have him as a "lab rat." Aside from his very high profession in medical assistance, he's like... a son to me."

"A son? So this thing will walk and even talk?"

"Yes he will. He will protect everyone the ones who can't protect them self's. The handicap, the sick, and even the dying. He's our miracle." Gerald watched his project with a smile.

"Insane Professor." The woman said quietly and shook her head.

"Grandpa are we going to-" Maria had entered the room unaware of the interview. "Oh, I'm sorry. Are you busy?"

"No they were just-" Gerald had been interrupted by everyone running over to Maria and crowded her with questions.

"Miss Robotnik how are you feeling? What is your NIDS condition how far bad are you? How are you handling being up in space!? Do you miss Earth!? Do you get along with other children of your age? Do you still have contact with friends from Earth? What is you opinion on this project your grandfather in making?! Do you feel comfortable with a black and over groan animal in your living environment!?"

Maria's eyes widened at all the questions and couldn't keep track of anything. She sputtered trying to answer at least one but was ran over with more questions and hit her nose on the mic being shoved in her face.

"Please back away from my grand-daughter! She will not answer any questions now or anytime soon! In fact your time is up here on my ARK please LEAVE!" Gerald's shouting had called G.U.N security solders to the room in curiosity what the yelling was all about. They pushed the reporter and crew back in a shuttle sending them back to Earth.

"I'm so sorry Maria." Gerald hugged Maria tightly.

"Oh no it's okay. I didn't know you were busy in here." She smiled hugging him back.

"How is your nose sweet heart?" He asked lifting her head and looked at her nose.

"It's fine grandpa. It was just a tap." She rubbed her nose, "Grandpa... why didn't they like Shadow?"

"...There are a lot of judging people out there." He said as they looked down at the hedgehog. "But now that they're gone, it's time we wake him up. Shall we?"

Maria's face lit up and she began to jump in place, "Yeah!"