Sonic Series ❯ Sonic Matrix 3 ❯ Don’t wake me ( Chapter 4 )

Shadow found himself in a small shack on Mobius beach. He did a double take when he noticed Sonia, wearing a long white dress and sitting on the little window seat in one of the bedrooms.

 He walked over to her. “Sonia?”

 Sonia looked up at him and smiled. 

 “I have to be dreaming.” Shadow said.

 Sonia looked away.

 “Unless your death was actually a nightmare.” Shadow said.

 Sonia sighed.

 Shadow sat down beside Sonia and held her. 

 Sonia nuzzled Shadow’s chest. “I’m sorry, Shadow.”

 Shadow let Sonia go. “This is a dream, isn’t it?” 

 Sonia shrugged.

 Shadow groaned. 

 “What’s wrong?” Sonia asked.

 “I’m sorry.” Shadow replied. “I must be cursed. Anything in my life that’s worth something is always taken from me. My parents, my adoptive family, you… gone. I’m sorry, I couldn’t do anything to save you.”

 Sonia eased away from Shadow and angled herself to face him. She held his hands. “That’s not your fault,” She said. “You still have our girls and my family, though I know you don’t always get along with Sonic.”

 Shadow smiled weakly.

  “I know you’re hurting and angry whether you admit it or not.” Sonia said. “Don’t let those feelings consume you, Shadow. Maria and Aleena need you. I want you all to be happy.”

 “I won’t.” Shadow replied.  

 “One day, we’ll be together again.” Sonia said. 

 Shadow nodded

 “Until then, I’ll always be in your heart.” Sonia said, placing her hand over Shadow’s chest. “I love you.”

 Shadow jolted awake to Maria screaming. He realized he had fallen asleep in the girls’ room while telling them stories again. He gently picked up Maria.

 Maria cried as she hugged Shadow. 

 Aleena scrambled back into the bed.

 Shadow stroked Maria’s spines. “It’s alright.” He said. “I’ll protect you. I promise.”

 “Didn’t you promise to protect Mama?” Aleena asked.

 Shadow stared off into space.

 “I’m not mad at you, Daddy.” Aleena said, hugging Shadow. “You would’ve saved her if you could’ve. You’re… you’re just not perfect, at least that’s what uncle Manic said.”

 “No, I’m not.” Shadow replied.

 “Why her though?” Maria asked.

 “I have no idea.” Shadow muttered. 

 Aleena slid back under her blanket.

 “What were you doing up, Aleena?” Shadow asked.

 “I was looking for a shooting star again.” Aleena replied. “I’ve been up for a while.”

 Shadow looked at the clock and saw that it was five in the morning. 

 Aleena yawned and laid her head on Shadow’s side,

 Shadow stroked Aleena’s head spines.

 Aleena and Maria finally fell asleep.

 Shadow kissed Aleena and Maria’s foreheads, then eased away from them. He got up and crept to the door.

 Shadow finished his cup of coffee and started the coffee maker again.

 He got himself a breakfast burrito out of the fridge and put it in the microwave for a couple of minutes.

 As he waited, he noticed a postcard from Green hill zone on the fridge.

 Shadow snapped his fingers. “Ivo could be hiding in Gerald’s old place.” He said to himself. “Why didn’t I think of this before?”

 Shadow quietly made his way to Maria and Aleena’s room.

 Maria sat up. “Dad?”

 Shadow closed the door.

 Maria and Aleena got up and climbed off of the bed.

 Shadow knelt down in front of Maria and Aleena. “Maria, you have to look after your sister since you’re the oldest.”

 Aleena crossed her arms. “By eight minutes.” She muttered.

 “Why?” Maria asked.

 “I’m going after the robots that killed your mom.” Shadow replied.

 Maria bit her lip.

 “I’ll be fine.” Shadow said. “I’m not going in unprepared. It’s nothing I haven’t done before.”

 Maria and Aleena hugged Shadow.

 Maria sniffled. “Please be careful, Dad.”

 “I will.” Shadow said, wiping Maria’s eyes with his fingerless glove.

 

 Shadow strapped on his body armor and put on his shoulder holsters over his armor.

 Sonic stepped into Shadow’s room. “The door was open.”

 Shadow strapped his combat boots and tucked his knife sheath into his sock.

 “We’re going to take down the robot system.” Sonic said, leaning against the door post. “But you probably need to sit this one out, take some time to heal and help your girls with their grief.” 

 Shadow quietly loaded his guns.

 “Did you hear me?” Sonic asked.

 Shadow finally looked at Sonic. “Aleena sat up half the night, waiting for a shooting star, so she could wish that her mom would come back.” He replied. “Maria has nightmares and wakes up screaming and crying. What do you say to help them?”

 Sonic angled himself away from Shadow. “I don’t know.”

 Shadow stuck his guns in the holsters. “I’m not entirely certain Robotnik is dead and I know you all don’t know where to look.” He said. “I’m going to find out. You can come along or stay out of my way.”

 Sonic glanced over his shoulder, at the hallway. “You’ll need backup.” He replied. “I can fight the metal Shadows and you can fight the metal Sonics.”

 “That won’t work.” Shadow said. “It may have a hive mind setup.”

 “What does that mean?” Sonic asked.

 “It means they’ll freely exchange info to each other.” Shadow replied. “Metal Shadows could have info on you, for example, and could pass info on me to the metal Sonics.”

 Sonic grimaced.

 Shadow walked over to Sonic. “Are you going with me or not?” 

 “I’ll go.” Sonic replied. “Just let me get my armor.”

 Shadow brushed past Sonic. “Hurry up.” He said over his shoulder.

 Shadow climbed onto his motorcycle.

 “You’re pretty fast.” Sonic said, stretching his legs. “Why do you need that?”

 “So I don’t risk wearing out while fighting.” Shadow replied. “Try to keep up, we’re heading to Green Hill zone.”

 “Why Green Hill zone?” Sonic asked.

 “Just a hunch.” Shadow said. He started his motorcycle and rode off.

 Sonic ran alongside the motorcycle.

 Shadow and Sonic approached a metal bunker, hidden in a cave in a grassy valley.

 “Great hunch.” Sonic said. “So what is this place?”

 “Gerald Robotnik’s lab.” Shadow replied. He checked his wallet for his keycard. “He’s Ivo Robotnik’s grandpa. Great. It’s at home. I hope he hasn’t changed the password.”

 “So how do you know this?” Sonic asked.

 Shadow typed in the entry code. “I used to live here.” He replied. “Gerald took me in after my parents were killed. Maria was his granddaughter and Ivo’s cousin.”

  The door slid open.

 Shadow pulled his gun out of the holster and headed inside.

 “I’ll go around and inspect the back.” Sonic said. He raced around the bunker.

  Shadow walked into the main hall.

 Gerald stood in the middle of the room. “I figured you’d catch on, Shadow.” He said. “Or should I call you Terios?”

 Shadow raised an eyebrow. “Gerald? How are you still alive?” 

 “Do you expect me to tell you?” Gerald asked. “What do I look like? Some stupid villain from the cartoons you and Maria used to watch?”

 “I wasn’t expecting to see you at all.” Shadow replied. “I thought you died some time between Maria’s death and Ivo’s takeover.”

 Two metal Shadows dragged in Sonic, who had a knot on his head and bruised spines.

 Shadow sighed. “If you think holding him hostage is going to persuade me to do anything for you, you’re sadly mistaken.”

 The metal Sonics dropped Sonic.

 Sonic rubbed his head. “What- nevermind.”

 “I anticipated that response.” Gerald said. “Maybe you’d be more inclined to make a deal if it was your daughters who were held hostage instead.”

 Shadow grit his teeth. “Leave them out of this.” He yelled. “What do you want?”

 “I’m not thrilled with you two destroying mine and my grandson’s hard work.” Gerald said. “So what I want is-”

 “Let me guess: the Chaos Emeralds.” Sonic replied.

 “No, my robots are on the way to take them from your looney ally.” Gerald said. “I want you two out of the way if you won’t give up or join me, though I’m sure neither of you won’t take a deal. However, I suppose I’ll show you some mercy, Shadow. For Maria’s sake, I’ll spare your daughters.”

 “That would be comforting if I believed you were telling the truth.” Shadow replied. “You’re hoping your robots will finish me off? There’s always a way to circumvent their programming, even outside of Ivo’s matrix knockoff.”

 “We’ll see about that.” Gerald said, steepling his fingers. “Metals, kill them.”

 Shadow pulled his guns out.

 Sonic got to his feet and raised his spines.

 Shadow fired a few shots at the two metal Sonics in the room. “Sonic, we’ve been over this!”

 Sonic spin dashed a metal Shadow, sending it into a wall. 

 Another metal Shadow landed in the middle of the room… with the Chaos Emeralds.

 “No….” Sonic muttered.

 Shadow ran over and kicked the metal Shadow in the back.

 The metal Shadow fell over, dropping the Chaos Emeralds.

 Sonic ran over and grabbed all the Emeralds.

 Shadow ran over to Sonic as the latter’s spines turned to gold. He grabbed Sonic’s arm.

 Shadow’s spines turned a light gold.

 Shadow and Sonic quickly took out every metal Sonic and Shadow they saw.

 Gerald hurriedly tried to unlock a door hidden in the lab by its keypad.

 Sonic spin dashed the keypad.

 “I surrender.” Gerald said, raising his shaky hands.

 Shadow walked over. “You expect me to show you mercy?” He asked. “After what you’ve done? Sonia… she gave me some hope after losing my family, including your granddaughter. Now-”

 “Shadow, you still have Maria and Aleena.” Sonic said. “Killing him won't bring Sonia back. She wouldn’t have wanted this.”

 “Shut up, Sonic.” Shadow yelled. He narrowed his eyes. “You and Maria were the only family I had until I married Sonia. Your robots took her from me, her children. You-”

 “Shadow.” Sonic said, raising his voice. “Don’t do this.”

 Shadow raised the gun. “So what do you want to do, Sonic?”

 “There’s prison.” Sonic replied.

 Shadow scoffed. “Where he will live the rest of his life in a cell?” He asked. “Getting meals and watching tv? Maybe take a class? Does that sound like punishment for murdering your sister?”

 Sonic shook his head. “I don’t like that either.” He said softly. “But revenge isn’t going to change what happened or help you. I can’t tell you what to do, but I won’t take part in it.”

 Sonic walked away.

 Shadow cocked the gun, but hesitated. His super form, fading away. He sighed. “Sonic?”

 Sonic, his super form completely faded away, came back in. “What?”

 “Do whatever you think should be done.” Shadow said.

 Sonic took a step forward and was immediately tackled by a stray metal Shadow. 

 Shadow ran over and grabbed the metal Shadow by its arm and threw it over his shoulder.

 Sonic spin dashed the metal Shadow: then dusted himself off. “How’d you do that?” He asked. “Your super form is gone.”

 Shadow shrugged. He spotted Gerald trying to sneak out and ran over. 

 Sonic spin dashed Gerald. 

 Knuckles ran over and shackled Gerald with electronic shackles.

 Tails raised an eyebrow. “This isn’t Robotnik.”

 “It’s Ivo Robotnik’s grandpa.” Sonic said. 

 “How did you two know we were here?” Shadow asked.

 “Sonic.” Tails and Knuckles replied.

 “I sent them a message on the way here.” Sonic said.

 Shadow glanced at Gerald, then looked at Knuckles. “You can take care of things from here.”

 Knuckles patted Shadow on the back. “Get some rest, you need it.”

Sonia’s dress in that scene is inspired by the one in the video played during the live performance of “Awake and alive” by Skillet.