Chapter Text
Most of the days on the ark were not good ones. The company was well-meaning, and the mission was admirable, but it was difficult work. Each test, every experiment, a hurdle in the race to a cure. Today’s hurdle, thankfully, was a little bit smaller than usual.
Shadow stood awkwardly in the testing room. There was a desk to his left, on which sat a line of potted sunflowers, all looking worse for wear. Shadow looks through the room’s control window to see Professor Gerald and Maria calibrating the room’s many sensors. It isn’t too long until the professor leans forward, speaking into a mic on the desk. His voice sounds out on the testing room’s speakers, “According to my hypothesis, it is your large amount of inherent chaos energy that allows you to self-heal at an accelerated rate. So perhaps the transfer of chaos energy is the key to producing this healing effect in other life forms.” The professor gestures towards the table of wilting sunflowers, “So let’s start with a small amount of chaos energy. Pick one up and give it a go.”
Shadow picks up the sunflower closest to the window and brings a hand to the withered stem. He glances back up to the window to see Maria holding two thumbs up with an excited smile. At the sight, he gives a small smile back, before bringing his attention back to the sunflower in front of him.
For Shadow, tapping into his reservoir of chaos energy gets easier each time he tries. He summons only a drop of this energy. It travels in a current between his fingertips, and through the stem of the flower.
It only takes a few seconds for the stem to start smoking. Shadow stops the flow of energy and removes his hand. Glaring at the blackened stem. Maria’s voice comes through the speakers this time, “Hey, it's okay! This is only the first trial, and we have plenty of variables to change!” Maria’s excited voice makes his anger at the sunflower’s response lessen, just a little. Every time she is allowed to help on a test, her enthusiasm is tangible. It's not often, as Gerald wants to protect her, and not every test is as low stakes as this one.
He nods and moves to pick up another flower, as the professor takes back the mic, “Next let’s try the lowest possible amount of chaos energy, for the same amount of time, 3 seconds.” Shadow does as he says.
The flower burns, and so does the next.
Despite changing the amount of chaos energy and the time of exposure, each flower meets the same fate. By the end of the test, the table of mostly dead sunflowers has become a flower graveyard. He looks over the table, and it's stupid. It's a dumb feeling, but the sight of the dead flowers sparks a bit of guilt that mixes together with the usual feeling of failure. The flowers were already dying, him burning up that last bit of life didn’t really matter. But he looks at Maria through the window, and stalls that thought.
Maybe the guilt was okay.
He shuffles out of the testing room’s doors and to Maria’s side, immediately butting his head into the back of Maria’s shoulder. He lets out a tired huff and she laughs, “Dramatic today aren’t we?” He stands up straight and leans forward to give her a slight glare. But despite the teasing, she is smiling reassuringly. “We’ll get me fixed up someday. Even if today was a bust,” she pulls Shadow in for a hug, “there’s always tomorrow.”
Shadow pulls away from the hug feeling a little bit lighter, and looks to Professor Gerald for any input about the recent failure of a test. But Gerald is looking between the two of them with an odd look on his face. Shadow has never been the best at reading people… but it was something close to bittersweet.
Before Shadow can further decipher the facial expression, the lights go out, a red light flashes and a shrill alarm follows. Through the rhythmic red lights, Shadow can now see panic on Gerald’s face, ”No! I thought I’d have more time!” The shout stops Shadow in his tracks, a chill going down his spine. Maria looks to Gerald in alarm and confusion ”What do you mean Grandfather? What’s happening?” He doesn’t answer, suddenly trapped in deep consideration, hands gripping the edge of the control panel. “Professor…?” Shadow questions in concern.
The professor doesn’t respond, knuckles turning white. Maria looks from her grandfather to the alarms “One of the experimental weapons must have gone out of control again! Shadow you have to help!” Shadow nods and shifts his stance to bolt out the testing wing’s door. But Gerald quickly puts a hand on his shoulder, stopping Shadow in his tracks. ”No…no you two must follow me,” he starts to briskly walk out of the testing wing, looking behind him with urgency after a few steps, “Quickly!” At that, Shadow takes Maria's hand, following the professor’s pace.
Once they leave the safety of the testing wing, Shadow’s ear twitches, picking up a faint sound. A repetitive banging, much deeper into the arc. It only takes a moment to identify.
“Gunshots.” Shadow lets the word escape under his breath. Then louder “There’s gunshots...a lot of them.” Maria looks at him shocked, “W-what?” Gerald tenses, but remains steadfast in his direction and pace, “How far?” Shadow takes a moment to listen once more, “The south end of the arc… around the docking bay.” He scrunches his face up in concentration, “the shots are getting closer.”
Gerald acknowledges the answer in the form of a grumble and increases his pace, the older man now leading at a run. “Grandfather? Grandfather!” Maria’s voice rang out raggedly as she stumbles forward and sways, breathing heavily. Shadow reaches forward to steady her, she can’t keep up at this pace he thinks, taking stock of her condition, but he can’t let her or the professor get caught up in whatever is happening. The thought is punctuated by another gunshot, this one much louder. Loud enough that he feels Maria jump. Shadow wastes no time in picking her up behind the knees and shoulders, “I’ve got you.” Maria looks at him, and takes a few deep breaths, “I know.” He then looks at the Professor and nods, “Let’s go.”
The three of them continue their path down through the bowels of the Ark, gunshots and screams following them not far behind. Gerald doesn’t slow down until they reach the arbor research wing. It’s near the center of the station, not too far from the main generator of the Ark. Seeing that they had slowed from their run, Maria begins to step out of Shadow’s arm, steady but shaking, “Grandfather! What is going on? What are we doing here???” her voice is bordering on frantic, and when Gerald does not immediately respond, she gets louder, “Please! We need to stop whatever is happening! T-the other scientists-they could be-” her eyes start to water, just thinking of the possibility. Shadow doesn't hesitate to put a hand on her back, steady as always in support. He wants to stay in order to keep both Robotniks safe, but if Maria needs him to leave and help, he will. He looks up at her, and he thinks she gets the message. She usually does.
Gerald falters at the sight of Maria so upset, but turns around, stealing himself. He moves towards the far wall of the wing, past a few projects. More sunflowers, these ones filled with tumors and being treated with chaos-drive watering bulbs. As well as a moss that produces four times the normal amount of oxygen. As he walked, he spoke, “G.U.N. has been planning a raid on the Ark for months, and it seems today is the lucky day.” He reaches the wall, digging through a thick layering of genetically modified non-poisonous ivy until a panel is visible, “they want to shut down Project Shadow.” He sighs, and Maria looks towards Shadow with a face full of fear, “and leave no evidence behind. No data, no files, no witnesses.” He then retrieves a screwdriver from his lab coat and starts to remove the metal panel. The screws drop to the floor one by one, then in a screech of metal, Gerald pushes the panel to the side. “But I won’t let that happen, I won’t let them get their hands on either of you,” he says with a note of finality.
He looks between the two of them then, and speaks softly, “Please. This is the only way you two get out of this.” As if to prove him right another gunshot rings out, deafeningly loud in the enclosed space. It hurls Shadow into action, taking Maria's hand and diving into the crawl space, Gerald following after to close the panel behind them.
Laying just a few feet past the wall was a small area, less cluttered with the many wires and pipes that lined the inner walls of the crawl space. Reaching this spot, Shadow found himself able to stand and immediately caught his own reflection. Out of surprise he flinches and steps backward, his leg bumping into Maria's head as she looks out from the crawl space.
“Ow!” Maria squeaks and rubs her head. Shadow looks away from the familiar glass shape in front of him, directing his attention back to her. “Maria! Are you okay? Here let me help you.” He helps her up, then does the same for the professor. It’s only after all three have reached the relative safety of the room, that they hear the sound of footsteps and shouting.
“Raid team B reporting, we have reached the arbor research wing.” A male voice rings out, not too far from the other side of the panel. The man waits a moment to continue, “No signs so far of the high-level targets.” He pauses once again, then shouts, “Sweep the lab then proceed to the next sector!”
The minutes pass like hours as the three hold their breaths. The sound of soldiers ransacking the arbor lab a few feet away from them. Maria’s hand slowly clasps around Shadow’s, giving it a squeeze, and taking a deep measured breath. Her other arm reaches out towards her grandfather, hand open in the dim light. Guilt coats the professor’s features, but it only takes a moment for him to put her hand in his. The conjoined hands tense as a desk is thrown over, and boots scurry close to the Ivy wall. The vines flutter, tangling and catching on each other as they are moved. The investigator must look over any missing screws, as steel-toed steps move further away.
There's radio static and the voice speaks again, “Arbor wing clear, moving to the reactor.” the static stops, “Move!” he shouts, and the swarm of footsteps follows the man through the sliding door of the lab. Shadow listens to this closely, awaiting a few seconds, “They’re gone.”
He looks up at Maria, and at the declaration of moderate safety, she drops her companions' hands and brings them to cover her mouth as tears spring from her eyes. “This can’t be happening,” she whispers, “We were supposed to go home,” the words come out shaky “We would meet my baby sister… and see my parents and my friends! …and watch a real sunset,” she sobs, “I can’t die up here…” Shadow’s heart pains at the sight of her in distress, and he leans into her side. To comfort her, and maybe to comfort himself as well.
The professor moves forward gently taking Maria’s hands back into his, “You won’t. You won’t die here,” and looks down and brings a hand to Shadow’s head, “Neither of you. That I can promise you.”
Shadow can’t help but let his eyes move to the two glass pods. Letting himself finally acknowledge the proverbial elephant in the already claustrophobic room. Gerald, catching Shadow’s gaze, let out a sigh, “I’m sorry but this is the only way I can guarantee your safety.” He looks at the pods as well, “They are cryostasis chambers. I personally modified the bio pods used in Project: Shadow’s earlier days. They will freeze you both for at most…” He looks to Shadow with a look of guilt, “50 years.”
He clears his throat and continues, “Enough time for the rest of the world to develop a cure… and… for other matters to be addressed. I’m sorry Maria, I promised you a cure, and I was unable to find one in time.” He moves a hand to cradle her face, and his voice wobbles, “I am so sorry my dear. So, very, sorry.” He looks back to Shadow, “I know I don’t even have to ask, but please, keep her safe.” Shadow meets Gerald’s eyes and nods, “Of course professor, but… what about you?”
Gerald laughs wetly, “Well my boy, I suppose I’ll face the music. This has been a long time coming, and that’s all on me.”
“No! Grandfather, they'll kill you!” Maria cries out, “We’ll figure out something else!” Gerald shakes his head, “No, I’m much too useful for that. G.U.N. loves their weapons, and they know I can make them. Maybe one day they’ll get sick of me, but at least for a while, I’ll be okay.” Gerald moves past the two of them to start activating the pods. “Either way, this is… likely the last we will see of each other,” as the pods’ doors begin to open Gerald turns back to Shadow and Maria holding his arms open.
Maria dives into the hug, her tears haven’t stopped, “Please don’t go!” Gerald can’t hold back his tears any longer, “ I’m sorry, my dear, but I’m an old man… I’ll be gone by the time you wake up. But if somehow I walk free, and a cure is made. I will do anything to wake you up early.” Shadow looks up at the two a little bit at a loss with the situation, but Gerald takes one arm out from the hug and pulls Shadow in. “I’m so proud of you two, I know you’ll go on to do great things. You’re Robotniks…” Maria chuckles through the tears, “It comes with the territory, I know.”
Gerald pulls away, wiping his eyes, “Okay. Let’s get you both asleep before they come back. I’ll get them off the trail, once it's done.” He leads Maria into the first pod, and then Shadow walks himself up to the second. If it wasn’t for the professor’s reassurance and the now distant sound of gunshots he would stand in the pods’ entrance for longer than he does. The idea of sleeping for 50 years makes him want to stop and think about every implication, but they don’t have that kind of time. So he keeps moving, pressing his back into the metal of the pod he woke up in. Gerald moves to a small computer between the two pods, and the doors begin to shut.
He hears the last quiet word he’ll ever hear from his creator, “Goodbye.”
The seal clicks into place, and Shadow tries to force his body to relax as the temperature drops sharply. But any control over his body slips as his vision goes black, and in less than a minute. He’s asleep.