Chapter Text
They hadn’t yet stopped by another of the Altars to deposit their treasure, the both of them having agreed to head straight back to their sanctuary upon return to Doom’s dimension.
Despite the “Dementor” tossing them back out in the open, his hope being that he could keep track of them long enough to draw out their hiding place, he frustratingly could do nothing about Shadow’s ability to teleport. Within the blink of an eye, or Doom’s three, the black hedgehog had grabbed up his orange-furred companion and vanished. Wherever in the vast landscape of the Ruins they had gone, the warlord would continue to struggle to discover. A thought had crossed his twisted mind to simply level the structures blocking his view of the land…
But then the hive would spiral into a frenzy. “Don’t poke the hornets’ nest”, as the humans had once put it. Doom knew well enough he hadn’t enough blood in his body to sacrifice for a whole new hive of minions. It had taken him thousands of years to build the number over which he currently ruled. He could only resign himself to the idea that his mindless creations would find that sanctuary on their own and demolish it.
Even his arsenal of floating eyes couldn’t be everywhere around the realm at one time–not if he needed them to spy on their human hostages on Earth. Once more, he chose to let them go.
This decision at least provided adequate time for the pair to recover from their ordeal in Westopolis. Shadow had sustained the worst of it, since Tonya had obediently followed his instructions to remain off ground-level. Streetlights and transformer posts were present in numerous quantities, giving the vixen plenty to latch her whip to and use to steer clear of the smoke. But her restriction to stay above ground meant the hedgehog had to endure the bulk of the invasion by himself. Whatever the smoke was, it didn’t seem to have any effect on him–or the Dra’Karms, for that matter. Ironically, the beating wings of Black Bull had driven most of the smoke from the battlefield, allowing the pair to take him down.
For the moment, they were enjoying the brief reprieve, aware they’d have to surrender the purple gemstone eventually. Shadow had once again seated himself in the living quarters, digging into canned rations with a spoon. Beside him was Maria, who had insisted upon tending to his wounds, even as minor as they were. Rouge had also gone to join them, enraptured by the stone she was temporarily allowed to hold onto. The both of them had convinced the hedgehog to tell them all about the last mission, of how he and Tonya managed to down the rampaging devil bull from outer space.
The vixen herself was not with them, having pardoned herself from the gathering to have a word with Gerald. She still had questions that required answers, but she didn’t see it fit to ask Shadow. Especially not while he was caught amidst “story time”.
Tonya’s wandering had halted in the midway in favor of her silent observation of the trio. Rouge sat with her back to the fox, equally enamored with Shadow’s tale as she was in the Emerald clutched in her palms. She seemed relieved to hear that her fellow agents’ lives were spared, thanks to Shadow’s efforts. Maria didn’t pay the fox any attention either, her focus divided between her best friend’s injuries and the story he told.
The fox’s blue eyes lingered on the dark hedgehog for a time. That light, fluttering sensation had riled up once more within the confines of her stomach. Something she only felt when it concerned Shadow. Maybe it was finally time to address that sensation. Just…not with Shadow. Not yet. She had questions, first. And who better to ask than the scientific mind that created him?
Booted feet continued to carry her across the expanse of the sanctuary, dark-furred hands rising to pull the hat from between her ears. The gentleman in particular had stationed himself by the monitors at the back of the chapel-like building. His back faced her, still lacking his trademark lab coat. Displayed on two of the screens before him were what appeared to be diagrams of two separate beings: one of Black Doom, the other of Shadow. Walls of text filled the spaces around the images, which was what the man was hyperfixated on.
“Uh…Professor?” came the fox’s meek voice.
The man emitted a sound of mixed disturbance and intrigue, turning to find the source of the interruption. “Oh, Miss Tonya. Please, just ‘Gerald’, if you will. Are you not partaking in lunch with the others? Maria had taken it upon herself to collect and ready it for you,” he began.
“Oh, uh…I will. I just had some questions I couldn’t ask you earlier. Figured now was probably best, while everyone’s occupied.”
The scientist politely gestured to a supply crate nearby. “I’d be happy to satiate your curiosity. Please, have a seat. Although regretfully, I don’t have better seating arrangements to offer, given our circumstances…”
Tonya did not complain as she hopped up on the crate and sat down. “It’s through no fault o’ your own, sir. Don’t worry ‘bout that,” she refused. Her eyes shifted to the screens. “But before the questions, I’m kinda curious as to what it is you’re researchin’, over here.”
Gerald patiently peered back at the monitors, his hands tucked at his back. “I was simply trying to understand the connections between the two, believing it to provide some insight into Doom’s plans. He’d provided my Project Shadow with samples of his own DNA, so I’m merely hoping to unravel the warlord’s motives. ‘Why does he require the Chaos Emeralds?’, for example. And ‘why is he providing Shadow special abilities in exchange?’. I’d thought I could better understand what the Dra’Karms’ DNA is capable of if I could digitally break it down.”
“But…?”
“I may as well be fiddling with an entanglement of wayward cables. Their DNA sequence is…ever-changing. Mutating. My previous hope was that the Inhibitor Rings Shadow wears might help stabilize his DNA, make it where I could easily decode it. But while they have helped significantly in regulating his otherworldly energy…I’m afraid they’ve done little to lock the DNA sequence in place.”
“What’s that mean in Shadow’s case?”
“...Whatever Black Doom desires to grant him in terms of ability or power, he can effortlessly manipulate his genetic code. Like putty in his hands.” The elder turned again to the vixen. “But you leave that worry to me. It is but another puzzle I’m plagued to solve. Now, how about those questions of yours?”
Reluctance made its resurgence. Was this really a good idea? “Well…I don’t wanna come off as selfish. They’re just…some personal inquiries I haven’t been able to answer on my own. Not really important, but…I dunno how else to go ‘bout findin’ answers, myself.” Her large ears were held level on either side of her maned head.
“There’s nothing wrong with a personal question, Miss Tonya. But I take it that it’s upon a level not yet accessible between the two of you?”
“You could say that.”
“Well, you’ve my utmost attention. I will not judge.”
Her body shifted with the intake of a breath. Her shoulders remained dropped, but tense. “Has…” The words were suddenly hesitant to come forth. It was quite embarrassing, now that she actually had to ask her question. Probably because of the weight that her question carried with it. But if she didn’t get the words out, how would she ever know the answer? She dropped her hat to anxiously grip at her knees. “Has…Shadow ever…I guess, expressed interest in…courtship before?”
Words that instantaneously got her heart pounding. Why was this so awkward?
Gerald thankfully kept his word and took a serious approach to the question presented. He’d softly hummed to himself as he thought it over. “...I recall he’d touched upon the subject once before, but it was years prior to now. And since there were no other individuals akin to him, he simply let it go. It…really wasn’t something I could explain in words. All I could offer him was the statement that it was a feeling that blossomed between two who were compatible. Two that were, well, NOT in fact of sibling status. He’s harbored a curiosity to know what the concept of ‘love’ is, what it’s like. But he’s been unable to further explore it.”
“So…does that imply he COULDN’T…um…?”
A gentle smirk crossed the man’s face. “Am I to understand that you’ve taken interest in him, Miss Tonya?”
Fluff.
“Um…! Well…for lack o’ a better explanation…I’d say so. Kinda. Yes. BUT! I didn’t wanna go tryin’ anythin’ if it would just be lost on him. I’ve been…I guess experiencin’ feelin’s I hadn’t before, but I don’t wanna chance it all blowin’ up in my face. I DO wanna delve into it, but I also wanna be careful. Just…needed some insight, is all.”
Another thoughtful hum. “While it IS true he’s mentioned it in passing, it was never intended in his grand final design. Shadow was unfortunately created to meet the greedy needs of separate parties. I had meant for him to fill the ‘experimental studies’ role as a means of discovering a cure for Maria’s illness. An entity of sentience that could consent to experimentation. G.U.N., on the other hand, provided the funding with the intentions of having me design Shadow for combat. As for Doom…well…he originally requested access to the ultimate warrior to head the next invasion.”
That much was explained in the journal, so his truth was at least consistent. It didn’t sound promising to the fox’s ears.
“And yet,” Gerald resumed, “while he was never intended to harbor softer emotions, there is no guarantee that would forever be the case. He HAS, after all, formed a bond with my granddaughter. A kinship. I would go as far as to theorize she may have cracked his mental outer shell, as it were. Compromised his emotional defenses, so to speak. If one such as yourself WERE to show him genuine interest…there’s really no telling for certain whether or not he’d reject it.”
“Rouge DID tell me I’d have to make first moves, if I’m serious ‘bout it. An’ he DID blush at my earlier lil’ tease.”
“I will admit it, Shadow IS vastly inexperienced when it comes to the subject of romance–or ‘courtship’, as you’ve put it. But I’d also deem it true that it would take but a mere spark to ignite his curiosity, once more. Prove your interest to him, make certain it’s genuine. He may be enticed to engage.”
“Sooo…it’s like I’m conductin’ my own experiment, eh?”
“In a matter. But I implore you, don’t mistreat him. He upholds an elevated but fragile level of trust. Once shattered, he may turn his back on you indefinitely. He displays a coarse exterior, but within?”
“Tender-hearted. Got it. But it never has been–nor will be–my intention to harm him, sir. He’s–”
‘Been through enough.’
She had to stop herself.
THAT hadn’t yet happened to these versions of Gerald and Maria. They didn’t know. They COULDN’T know.
“...He’s already got a lot on his plate,” she finished.
Gerald thankfully remained unaware, offering her another gentle smile. “I needn’t worry about that when it comes to you, Miss Tonya. You were raised by good people; you’ve a good heart. I can determine that much about you. With or without unique powers of your own.”
She accepted the compliment rather shyly. Words of courtesy to be passed on to her adoptive family, when she next saw them.
“That directs a question of my own,” Gerald stated next. “You mentioned your original maternal figure had no choice but to surrender you to spare your life. Would you care to elabor–”
The brief disturbance that was Shadow’s rift of time and space interrupted the pair as the hedgehog teleported himself from one end of the sanctuary to the other. His barely-gauzed form appeared from thin air beside them, effectively startling the seated vixen and causing her to lose balance. She took a short tumble off the crate, left on her back to stare with annoyance at the ceiling above. Her face persisted in holding that annoyed glare as she practically dragged herself from around the crate, eyes quickly locking on the culprit.
“You did that on purpose.”
She noted the gauze around his upper right arm. Shadow returned a smug smirk.
“Your presence was insisted upon for the next Altar. We’re prepared for departure when you are,” he said.