Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ Sonic Underground Reloaded ❯ Prologue ( Chapter 1 )

Fifteen year old Shadow didn't exactly know what to think of the strangers who just arrived on their planet.

Said strangers were humans, which Shadow had never even heard of before, from some planet called Earth (which, of course, Shadow never heard of either).

He wasn't exactly keen on the egg-shaped human male, Dr. Robotnik, but he did enjoy talking to Robotnik's ten year old niece, Maria.

Whenever Maria felt like hanging out, that is.

Maria had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and only had about a couple of years to live, give or take. Her last wish was to travel through space, which her respected uncle and guardian was more than happy to fulfill.

Today, Shadow and Maria were sitting on the palace balcony while her uncle and his parents (the king and queen of Mobius) talked. The two friends stared at the stars.

"So what's Earth like?" Shadow asked.

"Beautiful in some places, like here." Maria replied. "But heavily polluted and too many run down buildings cluttering the other places."

"Why?" Shadow asked.

Maria shrugged. "I don't know." She replied. "I love it here though. So peaceful and quiet. It's simpler. At home, technology made some things easier, but in other ways…."

"Complicated?" Shadow asked.

Maria nodded. "Needlessly complicated."

"I see." Shadow said.

"I'm glad I got to come here." Maria said.

"So am I." Shadow replied. "Your attitude in spite of your situation is inspiring."

"Thank you, Shadow." Maria said. "You're a great friend."

"So are you." Shadow replied.

The two friends continued staring at the night sky in silence for several minutes.

Well, Maria seemed to be wanting to ask Shadow something. He could see her smiling out of the corner of his eye.

"What is it?" Shadow asked.

Maria smiled. "So you and Aleena?" She asked. "I think you two are cute together."

Shadow smirked. "Would it make you happy to know she's accompanying me to the royal banquet?"

Maria hugged Shadow. "I'm happy for you."

Shadow was only halfway surprised that Maria had lived a year longer than the doctor said she would.

Though he wished she could've lived a whole lot longer.

Shadow halfway felt Maria held on just so she could be at his and Aleena's wedding. The poor girl even insisted that she would go, even though she didn't feel all that well the day of the ceremony.

When Maria passed, the whole planet seemed to have gathered at her funeral.

Now, the only two left at her graveside were Shadow and Aleena.

Shadow laid white roses in front of Maria's tombstone.

Aleena put her arms around Shadow's shoulders.

The newlywed couple stood there silently for about an hour.

"Why her?" Shadow asked.

"Even if you can't stand her uncle, you shouldn't wish death on anyone." Aleena replied.

"Still." Shadow said, turning to walk away.

Aleena walked alongside Shadow. "Why exactly don't you trust Dr. Robotnik?" She asked. "He hasn't done anything that makes me think he's not all he claims to be. I don't think your parents would make him an ambassador if he was truly up to something."

"There's something, I don't know how to describe it." Shadow replied. "But I don't trust him at all.