1 // the friend to all things arrives

[dreamsofworlds.livejournal.com]

[The arrival here had been... strange to Maria, to say the least. The last thing she had remembered was blacking out in the ARK after sending Shadow off to safety, and then suddenly waking up in this place, being tended to by nurses and in some sort of hospital. Thankfully, she was a bright girl, and it hadn't taken much to fill her in on what was going on. Once she had been released from the infirmary with a clean bill of health (or at least lacking bullet holes), she had gone straight to a computer.]




Hello, everyone! It seems I'm the newest student here at Garden. This place is so beautiful, and so much different from home -- I can't wait to see everything here!

My name is Maria -- Maria Robotnik. I hope to talk with everyone here that I can. I'd love to hear what your worlds are like too!

Comments

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

...Robotnik?

Huh. Interesting.

[dreamsofworlds.livejournal.com]

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

Just a name I'm familiar with, that's all. The name of a power hungry dictator, at that. Didn't think I'd find someone to share his surname.

[neutralchaotic]

[He arrived from a missing about a few hours ago, and the first thing he noticed was, indeed, a lot of new faces. The effects of the Time Compression were something else, alright.

Not bothering to scout around (that would just promote people to actually talk to him), he goes to check the BBS and get himself up to date on what was going on.

And then he sees it. A message with a name all too familiar to him.]

'...this must be a mistake.'

Any relation to Gerald Robotnik?

[dreamsofworlds.livejournal.com]

[dreamsofworlds.livejournal.com]

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

Didn't expect you to. It's not his real name, technically speaking, anyway.

[dreamsofworlds.livejournal.com]

[neutralchaotic]

'That confirms it...'

Yes.

I'm Shadow...

[dreamsofworlds.livejournal.com]

[There's a pause before the next post.]

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

Name's Espio. The Chameleon. I'm one of the off-worlders here - from a place called the Special Zone.

[neutralchaotic]

Of course.

Where are you? [Because he needs to see her to believe she's alive.]

[dreamsofworlds.livejournal.com]

[turnip-rage.livejournal.com]

Likewise.

Good luck with your classes.

[dreamsofworlds.livejournal.com]

[dreamsofworlds.livejournal.com]

[Going into ACTION!]

[neutralchaotic]

I'll be there.

[He signed off, but stares at the screen for a moment. He hopes he wasn't talking to some ghost or impersonator. Shadow walks out of the computer room, determined to see if this wasn't a joke.

The Quad seems like the usual hang out for most students, which thankfully hasn't changed. He looks around for her, since only one of them would blend in with everyone else.]

[ACTION]

[dreamsofworlds.livejournal.com]

[Maria doesn't hesitate, quickly signing off herself and rushing to the Quad. The black-furred hedgehog sticks out among the others, and she wastes no time in running over, dropping to her knees, and wrapping her arms around him tightly.]

Shadow!

[Action]

[neutralchaotic]

[Anyone else who tried to get the jump on him would have been on their rump by now, but since it's Maria, Shadow is a bit startled by her sudden presence and embrace. His weak spot.]

...Maria...

[Gently pulls her away to see her face. It takes a moment or two to accept that she's here. Alive.]

You're...alright. [Even he's not sure if it's a statement or a question. Leaning towards the former.]

[Action]

[dreamsofworlds.livejournal.com]

[Tears are in Maria's eyes as she looks at Shadow, but her smile is brilliant and relieved. While she lets Shadow pull away a bit, she refuses to relinquish her grip on him: the grip, however, isn't strong, especially from her shaking hands, but it's clear she doesn't want to let go.]

Yes... and you are, too. Thank god.

[Action]

[neutralchaotic]

[He gives her the faintest of smiles, feeling relieved that Maria hasn't changed.]

It would take a lot more than throwing me into space to harm me. [Places a hand over her shaking ones, hoping it's just her emotions responsible and not her illness.] How long have you been here? [He'd kick himself if she was here the entire time he was.]

[Action]

[dreamsofworlds.livejournal.com]

I just arrived -- [She pauses in thought.] -- not too long ago. They said I was unconscious in the infirmary for a while, but I'm all right now.

[The shaking calms with Shadow's hands on top of hers, and Maria wipes her eyes.]

What about you?

[Action]

[neutralchaotic]

About the same.

[Her being in the infirmary isn't surprising considering everything. The nurses and doctors would have never released her if she wasn't actually alright.]

Did they give you your class schedule yet? [Hopefully she has a positive answer, so he can remember it.]

[Action]

[dreamsofworlds.livejournal.com]

Not yet. [She laughs a little.] I can't really decide on what I want to do. There's so much!

[Action]

[neutralchaotic]

Just don't over do it. [He knows her all too well.]