"What's going on?" (Name) demands, pulling Shadow and Maria into a control room and shutting the door. The human girl pants, sucking in as much air as possible to catch her breath. Shadow, the ebony hedgehog, gives (Name) a worried look. "Men are storming the ARK. I'm trying to get Maria somewhere safe, preferably off the ARK." He explains, and (Name) grits his teeth. "Shit," He hisses through his teeth. "Already? Those spineless bastards!" He looks between the new lifeform and the twelve-year-old girl. "I might know a way off the ARK. Follow me. And keep quiet."

He begins slinking through the ARK, taking shortcuts and paths he had found in the past five years aboard the Colony. Finally, the three almost make it into the room with escape pods before they hear what sounds like a warning shot. "You three! Halt!"

"Run!" (Name) shouts, legs working overtime to get away as fast as he can. Normally, he wouldn't even consider being near Shadow. After all, the ebony hedgehog was (Name)'s replacement, and Shadow had checked all the boxes the Professor wanted since he was released from his pod. The only thing he had yet to do was cure Maria, but neither had done that, so he supposed it was fair game. Perhaps he could cure her before Shadow could, and then the Professor would pay more attention to him. He had to.

Another warning shot snaps him out of his thoughts. He can care about this later. Glancing to the side, he sees the ebony hedgehog dragging Maria along. Usually, he moved much faster, skating along in the boots the Professor had made for him, but he was running like the rest. His boots clung loudly, and (Name) silently wished he would glide along the floor to keep the noise down.

The three finally make it to the escape pod room. "Okay, let me—-" (Name) begins as Maria moves forward, shoving the grey hedgehog away. He stumbles, falling into one of the open pods. It seals shut behind him, and as he looks to his side, he can see Shadow is also trapped in another. "(Name), live for me, please. Live the life you couldn't have as a human. You did this for me, so I want to save your life in return. Sayonara, (Name)." (Name) begins slamming into the side of the pod, willing for it to shatter. Maria offers a pained smile before the gunshot rings out. The man who shot her looked horrified, standing there in shock as he realised he had shot a young girl.

Maria coughs, initiating the escape pods as she turns her attention to the ebony hedgehog. "Shadow, I beg of you, please do it for me...for a better future! For all the people who live on that planet...give them a chance to be happy...Let them live for their dreams." Her pained smile grows weak as she slowly begins slipping down the machine, red pooling below her body. (Name) can feel himself dissociate as he yells for her to let him out and can tell Shadow is doing the same. "Shadow, I know you can do it. That's the reason why you were brought into this world. Sayonara, Shadow...the Hedgehog."

With her final words, the pods are ejected from the ARK and into space, beginning their descent to Earth. Tears well up in the grey hedgehog's eyes, the ARK getting further away. He sucks in a deep breath before crying out one final time;

"Maria!"