Sonic the Hedgehog: The Rise of Rapture

Chapter 30: Arcadia Garden

Sonic and Shadow made their way up some steps, they had finally gotten to their destination. The ebony looks at the blue hedgehog, who smirked and took out his handy-dandy wrench and broke the lock that was on the doors. The two hedgehogs push on the doors as it opens slowly, revealing what seems to be a tombstone. It was covered in luscious greenery, as the light from the city shines down through the thick windows. Shadow had seen this place before, it was the Arcadia Garden which brought oxygen throughout the city. But turning to his partner, he could see the childish wonder in his emerald eyes. It seemed that the blue hedgehog admired nature. The radio turns on, snapping Sonic back into reality as the two groan and roll their eyes. It was Andrew Ryan of course, coming back to belittle them.

" I came to this place to build the impossible. You came to rob what you could never build, a Hun gaping at the gates of Rome. Even the air you breathe is sponged from my account. So breathe deep... so might later you remember the taste. "

The ebony and azure look at each other with concern. They knew that Ryan was up to something really bad. The two explored, Shadow going off into an open door which probably led to more tombstones. Sonic however saw there was a vent, before going around and reading the people who had died here. There was one tombstone that had caught his eye however, and it had an audio diary right next to it.

Maria Robotnik

A wonderful 16 year old girl.

Born on XXXX XX, 19XX

Died on December 31st, 1959

" To Shadow, you are my beloved brother and friend. I hope you are safe and sound. "

Something didn't sit right with Sonic however, was she really gone? He didn't know. He picks up the audio diary and turns it on.

" Hello? It's working, okay. I'm Maria Robotnik, this is my first of my secret audio diaries. I'm working on these because Sophia Lamb is trying to keep my family under wraps. We know the secrets of Rapture, we know what's going on behind the scenes- "

The door creaks open as Maria seems to change her attitude.

" I love you, my dear Shadow and I will miss you when I am gone- "

The door is then heard shutting as Sonic could hear the girl sigh under her breath.

" I have to pretend that I'm going to be killed or else I will! Anyways, whoever finds this, I have multiple audio diaries throughout Arcadia and the neighboring parts of the city. To keep myself sane, and to reveal the dark truth of Rapture, I will make these audio diaries. And oh! If whoever finds this by my ' gravestone ' then I am most certainly alive. Don't fall for that foolish trickery. I have to go now but please... listener... my audio diaries are scattered in secret areas... so be on the watch out. Goodbye. "

The diary ends there, and Sonic's eyes are wide open. So she was alive, he will have to tell Shadow the exciting truth. The blue hedgehog groans as his radio turns on again, this time being Atlas.

" You get to the Bathysphere in the Rolling Hills. That'll take you to the devil himself. And then all the debts will be paid in full. "

Sonic sighs, sometimes he wondered how it was like to not crash land into the sea and actually be visiting his family right now. Shadow on the other hand, was searching through smuggler's crates as he made sure his guard was up. He smirked when he spotted some rivet gun's bullets. They were Proximity Mines, and that was great. Basically they can place it down on the ground and once the enemies stepped on it, they exploded. He saw a machine gun and decided to take the ammo from it. He made his way out, as that was a dead end. He spots his blue furred friend and smiles.

" Hey! I found tons of ammo. "

Sonic's ears perked up as he smirks at Shadow.

" Ah hell yeah! We bloody needed some. "

The blue hedgehog's face then contorts to that of realization.

" Oh yeah, Shadow, you may want to take a listen to this. "

Being handed an audio diary by peached hands. The ebony turns it on and listens. His face went from seriousness to shock in a second as he continued to listen. Emerald eyes watched as the ex-splicer face soon had tears falling from them. Sonic goes over and hugs him once the audio diary was over, as the ebony hugs the blue one back.

" She's alive... "

" I know Shadow. "

He let the ebony cry into his shoulder, as emerald eyes kept a lookout for splicers. Once Shadow had calmed down, he pulled away and held Sonic's hands ever so softly.

" Thank you. You are such a good person Sonic. "

Sonic blushes and chuckles.

" I try to be, even if we're in this hellhole together. "

The two stared into each other's eyes for a while, slowly leaning in until Shadow takes out the shotgun and shoots something behind Sonic. This snapped the blue hedgehog out of the trance and turned around to see that it was a splicer.

" How about we do those kinds of things when we are in a safer area. "

Shadow recommended as Sonic agreed.

" Yeah, agreed or else one of us is going to be injured by those bastards. "

The two just nodded, green and red blush making themselves apparent on each hedgehog. They made their way into an area where in front there was a glaring neon sign that read ' Tea Garden ' as the two turned left. Sonic loved how the plant life here seemed to be thriving even though the people weren't so much. Shadow didn't really care, he's probably seen this place a hundred times but seeing Sonic so awestruck made him smile. There was something definitely brewing between the two, but the ebony couldn't quite put a finger on it.

Anyways, the two split for a bit to find some useful items. Sonic found a shotgun and decided to take it's ammo and collect an electric buck he found by the shotgun. Looking around, he could see all the lightning bugs happily flying where they pleased. It just amazed the hedgehog. He crosses a bridge to catch up to Shadow, who was patiently waiting.

" This place looks like where romance would start. "

" It does, doesn't it? That's what it was beforehand. Maria loved this place, and we would visit quite often. There were so many couples here. "

Emerald eyes looked softly upon the ebony. It seemed that Rapture was a good place to live before everything collapsed. Shadow hands him an audio diary he had found on the other side of the room. The blue hedgehog turns it on, which was made by McDonagh.

" Seems like some poor blighters* have started seeing ghosts. Ghosts! Ryan tells me that it's a side effect of this plasmid business. One poor sod's* memories getting passed on to another through genetic sampling. Leaks. Lunatics. Rebellion. And now bleeding ghosts. Ain't life in Rapture grand? "

Sonic physically cringed, it was like that one time where he saw the lady in the bathroom. He knew now that it wasn't real but it still was quite uncanny. Just then, Sonic's vision goes static like, as he sees a white person again. He couldn't hear Shadow at all as he could only hear the white person's voice. He could only pick up the last few words.

" ...- and it's beautiful! "

Before the apparition disappears into the closed doors. The blue hedgehog groaned and held his head, Shadow holding him.

" Are you okay??? You went blank on me for a second. "

Sonic could only stare at the closed doors in front of him.

" Yeah... couldn't be better. "

//  Blighter- a person who is regarded with contempt, irritation, or pity.

Sod-  An idiot, a fool. Someone you dislike.