Project Maria screamed as she slammed her fist into Shadow's chest, her fist sparking with golden energy as she actually punched him through a wall.

Shadow let out a cry of pain as he flew through the air and then crashed right back onto the ground.

"Eclipse told me all about you, Shadow..." Maria hissed, her once cheerful voice poisoned with anger and hatred. "My grandfather's little pet...that made G.U.N so afraid that they took everything from me!!!"

Shadow slowly pushed himself back to his feet, his eyes wide as he stared at the yellow hedgehog across from him. He was still processing it all, but quickly ran out of time when Maria lunged forward at him.

The Ultimate Lifeform quickly teleported behind her, causing her to punch the wall instead. Then, he heard Eclipse and his allies suddenly cackle in sadistic glee. Shadow slowly turned around as he looked at them, his anger quickly returning. "YOU...WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!?!"

Mephiles just shifted forward, his arms dangling as if he were a lifeless zombie. "We improved her, Shadow...and now she gets justice. Isn't that what she deserves?"

Shadow's eyes glowed completely red as he shot forward at the three. "CHAOS-!"

Maria then suddenly appeared in front of Shadow and roundhouse kicked him across the face, sending him crashing back to the ground.

Shadow groaned as he got up, only for his eyes to widen as he swiftly dodged another punch from Maria. He then backflipped as he dodged another kick, before having to duck just in time from a...Doom Spear?

Had Eclipse somehow given her the Doom Powers that Black Doom implanted in him? And how was he here? He destroyed The Black Arms for good...didn't he?

Maria growled and then allowed the thrusters on her shoes to suddenly push her into the air. She then launched an entire barrage of Doom Spears down at her former friend with an almost primal scream.

Shadow quickly began skating around the testing chamber, dodging as many as he could and even having to use Chaos Snap to get further and further away.

"What kind of weapon are you?!" Maria hissed as she landed and then suddenly shot her foot forward, shooting out a Doom Blast.

Shadow then quickly countered with a Chaos Spear, the two blasts of pure energy colliding and causing a small explosion that filled the center of the chamber with smoke...before Maria came dashing through it, headbutting Shadow into a wall.

"STOP RUNNING AWAY AND FIGHT BACK!!!" Maria demanded, her eyes glowing an even brighter red. She was seething with anger.

Eclipse's grin was practically from ear to ear. "I should've brought popcorn..."

Infinite cackled and then called out. "Shadow won't fight back against you. Maria! He is weak...show him what we'll do to weaklings!!!"

Maria focused and closed her eyes for a moment as a familiar black aura began to wisp and float around her. Then, her blood red eyes snapped back open as she shot three Doom Blasts forward at Shadow.

Shadow quickly teleported out of all three, his eyes wide as he tried to think of what to do. Tried to think of some kind of plan...but nothing was coming up.

Maria screamed as she dashed forward, punching at Shadow again, only for The Ultimate Lifeform to catch her fist.

'I...I can't...I can't fight her!' Shadow thought, his eyes only becoming wider and his heart even starting to race with fear the longer he stared at Maria's new form. 'Not her...anyone but her!'

Maria then freed herself with another roundhouse kick. She then crossed her arms. "You're even more pathetic in person...why was G.U.N ever afraid of you?"

Shadow slowly got back to his feet, even holding his side. He was actually getting hurt...

Eclipse, Mephiles, and Infinite AKA Team Doom couldn't help but grin at the sight of their enemy in pain. Both physical and emotional.

"You're hurt?" Maria asked before she clenched her fists. "Good...you're the reason G.U.N took it all away from me..."

Shadow slowly looked into his sister's eyes yet again. "M...Maria..."

"I was dying...The Ark tried to cure me..." Maria said as her voice suddenly cracked. She then looked at her hands. "I was human once. I-I had a family...my mama...my papa...my baby sister...and my grandfather...all of them are gone...and I was taken along with them. I can still remember my heart slowly coming to a stop..."

The yellow hedgehog then began stepping forward, the black aura of the Doom Powers quickly returning as her anger grew. "Do you know what that's like?! To be hunted down for something you didn't do?! To wake up in a world where everyone you've ever loved is gone?!?"

"I know exactly what that's like." Shadow finally said, his voice soft. "...because I lost you."

Maria's eyes widened in confusion before the Doom Powers once again kicked in and she dashed forward with a primal scream. "DON'T PRETEND LIKE YOU KNOW WHO I AM!!!"

Shadow quickly started dodging every attack that Maria threw at him, whether it be hand to hand combat or her powers. "I do know who you are!!! You're Maria Robotnik!!! You're Professor Gerald's granddaughter!!! You're Julian Robotnik's daughter!!!"

Maria screamed as she threw another punch at Shadow, with The Ultimate Lifeform crossing his arms to block it.

"You were diagnosed with Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome when you were just a little girl! The Professor took you to The Ark to cure you!!!" Shadow cried before backing up, dodging more attacks. "You meant everything to him!!! You meant everything to your family!!! You meant everything to me!!! And I know this isn't who you are!!! You would never hurt innocents!!!"

Maria growled and kept throwing punch after punch, becoming more and more enraged by the second. "SHUT UP!!! YOU'RE TRYING TO TRICK ME!!!"

Shadow then ducked as Maria's fist just barely struck him. He then caught both of her wrists, struggling to keep them above her head as he looked into her infuriated gaze. "Remember who you are, Maria!!! Remember the life you had!!!"

"I DO!!! AND IT WAS TAKEN FROM ME!!!" Maria cried as she kicked Shadow, even using the thrusters on her shoes to send him flying.

Shadow just barely caught himself, sliding against the ground.

"YOU...YOU WORK FOR THEM...THOSE MONSTERS THAT TOOK ME!!! THAT TOOK AWAY MY GRANDFATHER!!!" Maria shrieked.

"Y...you're right! I do aid them...but things have changed! You always believed that even the worst person could change! That everyone at least has some good in their hearts!" Shadow cried. "Abraham! Do you remember him?! I know you do! You were his sister!!! He changed G.U.N in honor of you!!! He tries to make the world a better place because that's what you taught him!!!"

Suddenly, the glow in Maria's eyes...flickered. But she skated forward anyway, twirled around and then tried to kick The Ultimate Lifeform, only for him to backflip out of the way.

"The Professor did create me!!! But do you remember why?!" Shadow cried. "It was to cure you! To become the source of all medicine! To give you the life that you deserved! You deserved so much for everything you've done for me! For The Professor! For everyone on The Ark! Your love and hope are as endless as the stars of the universe!!! Even with your illness, even when life threw everything it had at you...you kept smiling! You kept hoping! You kept dreaming! You showed me what it was like to be happy, Maria!!! What it was like to have a family!!!"

"What on Earth is he doing...?" Infinite mumbled.

Mephiles just looked disgusted at the sights and sounds of a brother calling out to his sister. Familial love...it made his stomach (if he had one) churn.

Maria then teleported in front of Shadow and then, with all her might, she rammed Shadow into the wall of the testing chamber and several cracks followed the moment of impact. "YOU!!! KNOW!!! NOTHING!!!!"

Shadow grunted and gritted his teeth as dust and debris fell onto his shoulders all the while he struggled to hold Maria back. "B...but I do...! W...we knew everything about each other! You would tell me stories about your father's expeditions and the treasures he found! The treats and meals your mother would bake for you! The books you loved to read over and over! Your favorite games to play and things to draw in your journal!!!"

Maria just pushed Shadow even further into the wall, the red glow in her eyes flickering on and off like a light switch.

"I...I'll never forget when you woke me up one night...t-terrified...you were so scared that you would die! You found it hard to keep smiling when you couldn't see the world you loved!!!" The Ultimate Lifeform exclaimed as actual tears began to form in his eyes. "B...but you smiled again that night because I was somehow able to make you laugh! Your ability to see the good in everyone's hearts is what makes you strong!!! I know that because you were my strength!!!"

Maria's body suddenly began to tremble as her push against Shadow started to weaken.

Eclipse's eyes widened and he lifted his hand, his yellow eyes quickly switching to red.

The black aura around Maria returned and she screamed as anger once again filled her heart...but Shadow suddenly held her hands before she could throw another punch.

"...I couldn't save you..." Shadow said. "I wanted to...t-the pain of that horrible day never went away and it never will...do you remember why you named me Shadow? You said I was the darkness that led to the light....I-I'm sorry I couldn't be the hero your love deserved! I'm sorry that I failed in my purpose for existing! But for your own sake!!! For your own happiness!!! Remember who you are!!!"

Maria's eyes suddenly widened and for just a moment, the red glow turned...blue.

Suddenly, a memory began to consume her mind. A memory she had almost forgotten...

The young girl was in awe at the sight of the black hedgehog inside the test tube, his eyes closed while Maria's eyes were wide open.

Professor Gerald Robotnik just smiled wide at the sight of his granddaughter's reaction to his latest and greatest creation. "Well? What do you think, Maria?"

"I...I love him!!!" Maria cheered, her hands on the tube. "He looks so fluffy!!! Can he come out, Grandfather? Please?"

Gerald chuckled as he went over to his beloved granddaughter. "Not yet, Maria. Project Shadow isn't ready to wake up yet."

"Project Shadow...Shadow...Shadow!!!" Maria smiled. "That's gonna be his name!!!"

Gerald looked puzzled as he looked down at her. "Isn't...Shadow the name of a bad guy?"

"No, Grandfather! A shadow tells you which way to go to find the light! And that's what Shadow is going to do when he wakes up!" Maria smiled, looking down at the hedgehog again.

Gerald was quiet...before he smiled and set his own hand on the tube. "Shadow The Hedgehog...I think it sounds like a wonderful name, Maria."

"For a wonderful person." Maria said before gently leaning in closer to the hedgehog's face, even if the tube protected him from hugs. "I know you haven't met me yet, Shadow...but you are going to do amazing things when you're awake. I'll be like your big sister! I'll teach you everything I know, Shadow! I promise..."

Maria's pupils then went completely blue, the black in her eyes even starting to fade away as she slowly backed up.

Shadow's eyes widened. "M...Maria...?"

The yellow hedgehog didn't speak...until suddenly, the doors to the testing chamber burst open and three familiar figures rushed in.

Rouge's wings spread wide, Omega's gatling guns quickly began to spin around, and Commander Tower held up a pistol.

Eclipse snarled at the sudden arrival and then held his hand out towards Maria. "MARIA!!! DESTROY THEM ALL!!!"

Maria's eyes widened as she clutched her head, screaming at the top of her lungs as the black aura of her Doom Powers quickly returned.

"TAKE YOUR REVENGE!!!" Mephiles demanded.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!?!" Infinite cried.

Maria's breathing began to quicken as anger tried to literally dig itself into her brain...and then, she let out the loudest shriek she could muster as she looked into the air...and then?

Her Inhibitor Rings cracked off her wrists...and golden and blue Chaos Energy shot out from her body, mixing in with the sickening black energy of The Black Arms.

Rouge and Commander Tower's eyes widened before Omega suddenly pulled them into his arms and turned his back as he took the full power of the blast.

Team Doom cried out as they shielded themselves, the sheer power quickly filling the room in a blue, gold, and black field.

Shadow was sent flying against the wall all over again, but he gritted his teeth as his feet touched the ground. He then took a step forward...and then another...and then another.

Rouge peeked out as she saw her friend walking towards the source of Chaos Energy, the yellow hedgehog that had attacked them. "SHADOW!!!"

Shadow ignored his friend's pleas as he forced himself to take step after step. He almost fell to his knees, but kept himself standing as he looked ahead.

Maria was on her knees, clutching her quills and...crying...she looked terrified. She was in pain from the Doom Powers trying to influence her.

Shadow then dashed forward with his super speed and grabbed ahold of Maria's hand, not caring about the Chaos Energy surrounding them all.

Maria's eyes widened and she slowly looked at him.

"...you told me I would see you again...when fate draws us apart...you will always be in my heart." Shadow whispered.

"S...Shadow...?" Maria asked, tears beginning to fall down her fuzzy cheeks.

Shadow, with the strength he had left, pulled Maria into a tight hug. The yellow hedgehog was left speechless and confused for a moment...before she slowly wrapped her arms around her brother.

Then, the Chaos Energy slowly faded away alongside the icky black aura of The Black Arms. The testing chamber was back to normal, albeit severely damaged from the fight.

Infinite slowly uncovered his eyes and they almost bulged out of his skull as he took in the sight of their greatest weapon and greatest enemy embracing each other. "N...NO! THIS CANNOT BE!!!"

Mephiles' eyes narrowed as he suddenly began to fade into the shadows.

Omega then noticed them and pointed his gatling guns at the three villains, immediately starting to fire at them.

Infinite growled and conjured up a shield before using The Phantom Ruby to disappear right as Mephiles took his own leave. Eclipse dodged the bullets before eventually teleporting away himself.

Team Doom had retreated.

Omega slowly stopped firing, his eyes glowing red. "They have escaped."

"At ease, Omega." Commander Tower said before turning back to Shadow and the shaking yellow hedgehog in his arms.

Maria slowly looked around before eventually facing Shadow, her innocent blue eyes watery. "S...S-Shadow...I...I t-tried to...I...I-I'm so sorr-"

Shadow just held his best friend and family in his arms once again, letting his walls down because he knew that she needed him. "...I'm with you, Maria...you don't have to be strong this time."

Commander Tower's eyes widened as he slowly took a step forward. "...Maria?"

Rouge gasped, her own eyes wide as she covered her mouth.

Maria was quiet before she dug her face into Shadow's shoulder and began to softly cry into it, her sobs slowly filling the silence.

Shadow just closed his eyes, his own tears staring to slip down his face as he finally processed what this meant. What all of this chaos now meant.

Maria Robotnik was alive.

BOSS CLEARED