I Am...All of Me

Shadows of the Past (Part 3)

Present Shadow is 60 years old. Here is how that works. He was on the Ark for 7 years, asleep on Prison Island for 50 years, and awake in the present time for 3 years. A year after he woke the second time is when the Black Arms invaded.

7 + 50 + 3 = 60

or

7 + 50 + 1 + 2 = 60

Now, on with the story!

       The scene faded and the team found themselves back in one of the Ark's many winding hallways. However, Gerald and Past Shadow were there as well. They were walking down the hall, the young hedgehog taking quicker steps to keep up with the human's strides. He was able to walk perfectly at this point, and the others assumed it was a new point in time.

    "Where are we going, professor?" Young Shadow asked, and Gerald chuckled.

     "We are going to see Maria. It's about time the two of you were properly introduced."

    The time travellers looked at each other excitedly. Maria was the only person Shadow had ever mentioned, and none of them knew what she was like or what happened to her. The lone agent, however, stared into space. He wasn't sure he could handle seeing her again.

                    "What's a Maria?"

    Everyone except Present Shadow laughed, while he grimaced. He had forgotten how childish he used to be.

      "She is not a 'what.' She's a 'who'," Gerald laughed. The kit tilted his head to the side.

      "What's she like? Is she like you? What's a 'she' anyways? And what's a 'who'?"

    The laughter only grew louder as they followed the pair, while Modern Shadow began to wish he had died from the Eclipse Cannon. Gerald only sighed and shook his head in amusement.

     "You'll find out soon enough, my dear boy," he answered, only a little exasperated. He was clearly not ready for the over-curious hedgehog.

   "I did it again, didn't I?" Young Shadow said as he lowered his head. The professor, along with the time travellers, looked at him with concern.

         "What do you mean, Shadow?"

    "I got on your nerves for asking too many questions," he answered with his ears folded, "I didn't mean to. I'm not sure what nerves are anyways, but they must be important, right?"

   Gerald smiled as he realized the problem, "Of course not, my dear Shadow! You could never get on my nerves for asking questions. You can always ask me anything."

    Young Shadow's ears instantly perked, "Thank you, professor! I was really worried. Some of the other scientists say I talk their ears off. But I think they must be lying. They always come back with their ears still attached," he rambled.

    "You were quite the chatterbox, eh Shads?" Sonic smirked at his modern double. Shadow rolled his eyes. He'd forgotten that little fact too.

   "As I said before, this was all a very long time ago."

   Before Sonic could reply, their attention was turned back to the two as Gerald spoke, "Well, they work very hard and get tired very easily, so sometimes they aren't functioning properly enough to answer all of your questions. But I would be careful, if I were you," he said as his voice dropped lower with a hint of playfulness, "I did see Dr. Jones taping his ear a few minutes after he left the lab you were in."

    The young kit squeaked in shock. He didn't realize that a human's ears would literally fall off if he talked too much. The time travellers laughed at his petrified expression.