Kitty: This isn't technically hentai as it isn't centered around sex. There is sexual material in this, I do warn you. It isn't between Shadow and Maria, as you will see (Don't get me wrong I've already written Shadria Hentais but this one isn't). Anyway, we all came here to read a very special Shadria!

!Warning! : This contains sexual material. Read on only is you are of an appropriate age and knowledge of its contents.

Note : Neaira Taganagwa is in this fic. She is one of the character on the ARK 50 years ago that helped Shadow and Maria. If you want some more descriptive information about her read my other fic, 'Shadow the Hedgehog: The True Story.'

Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog and All Related Characters (c) SEGA and Sonic Team. All Other Characters (c) Lumorean Arts and/or Jonothan 'Ace.'

Protector

By: Kitty Hamagochy

The silence on the ARK was always unnerving no matter how long you've lived within its cold and barren confines. Little sound could penetrate foot thick steel walls bordering dorms and laboratories, covered with the stench of sulfur and peroxide. There was little fear from any within its dome covering. Besides from the worry of misused experiments and the occasional maddening rampage of a cracked mind none had anything to fear. Though the ARK was sealed and kept in-check with its vast advancements in security, some smarter rats could navigate its maze.

Night was the coldest of all times aboard it. The isolated wall protected against sound but did little against the temperatures of space. Since they were in space, time was determined by the position of the sun. Currently its warming amber glow lay snuggled behind the shimmering planet called Earth. Glittering brightly as if the orb was another universe altogether; equipped with brightly colored stars and blue, swirling nebula-seas. But there was something different about this night. Something that was not with the outside but the inside.

A figure was staring in a lustful hunger. His feet dragging across the frozen, tiled floor like he had done so many time before. His intentions, thickly set in him mind, pushed him onward towards his destination. No one else awake at this time -a rule for all workers to return to their quarters when the sun fully vanished from sight.- But, tonight, this rule does not apply to one soul individual. He walked in long strides, his body shuttering as his mind raced with what he was about to do.

He stopped at the door he was looking for. Nothing to out of the ordinary from the rest of them, except for a combination of numbers marked C127. A malevolent grin burned his pale face as his thin fingers types a hacked code into a keypad next to the door. The door lightly switched into the wall at tis left and the man stepped inside the darkened confines.

It was then as he entered the domain the door completely shut, ushering in a wave of darkness. Her heart began to pump excessively, bringing every inch of his body a mild adrenalin rush. He began to molt what little cloths he had obscured his form with: A long white laboratory coat, and nothing more.

His body was fully exposed to the world. Muscles packed tightly in every corner of his thin frame. Sweat ran down every length of his form, from his chest to his legs with plenty left over. It was then that that lustful hunger grew even more within him as his thoughts consumed his mind.

He slithered through the small, apartment-like complex searching for the one area where his desires would be quelled. He stopped at another door and opened it to find a sleeping beauty in her bed, soundless and innocent and tempting.

Maria was a beautiful young girl of twelve, with shoulder-strands of golden hair and startling blue eyes. But, that wasn't what attracted him to her. She was pure, a virgin life alone with no protection. A perfect target for his sadistic mind.

He climbed up the sheets of her white linen bed till he was in well reach of any part of her. She gave a light groan and shifted in her sleep till she found a comfortable position on her stomach. He licked his lips and slowly took hold of the top of her sheets flowing delicately over her shoulder. He gingerly took two fingers and pulled it across her back till it was just below her knees. He preformed the maneuver so silently that she never even stirred.

It was now that he had Maria well within his power. What was even better was that she was already in the nude as she slept, possibly from the heat of the room. For once, the man was glad the scientists overran their heating bill. He took his hands and began to massage her back, running his callused palms from her waist to her thymes and back, all in a tantalizing motion that made him hard.

Maria began to groan and shift in he sleep, trying to wake herself and find the cause of this feeling she was having.

“Shadow...” She tried to call to her protector, knowing something wasn't right; all that came out was a tight whisper.

The man frowned and began to slowly pull her legs apart. Maria continued to groan and shift uneasily from his touch.

“Shadow... Shadow...” Her whispers became louder as she tried to yell for him.

The man brought one of his burly hands up towards her head and, in one fatal movement, he thrust his palm unto the side of her head to muffle her sounds. She immediately awoke and shivered at the weight that was now pressed on top of her body. Fear struck her like a feral lightning bolt down her spinal cord. The adrenalin struck her heart so fast it nearly stopped beating.

Maria couldn't see her assailant for her head was stuffed into her pillow by his strength but she could feel every move he made. She felt the intruder position himself between her legs and she grew unbelievably scared. She felt her eyes well up as he lifted her lower end up to him. She felt a startling pain strike her crotch and she knew her began to rape her.

Maria's head lifted with a jolt of strength. She screamed with the best of her lungs as tears streamed down her face, “Shadow!”

Her heartfelt cries resonated through her room but she was fearful that it would not penetrate the soundproof walls of the ARK. But, she was wrong. Though the sound never reach beyond her walls it was the feel of her distress that reached the heart of one a distance away from her. His dark eyelids flung open to reveal passionate crimson irises.

“Maria?” His head jolted upwards from the warm sheets of his bed. “Maria!” He forced his entire body do his door within a second and rushed out with out another thought, net even to dress himself in his shoes and gloves and rings.

As Shadow ran down the black hallways of the colony he could feel her pain and sadness, he could hear her cries as if he were right in front of her. His mind was racing with thoughts of her and what was wrong, he was deadly afraid for his friend's safety.

He arrived at her room in record time and wasted no time in typing her room number. Right when it opened he ran inside.

“Maria!” Shadow called through the apartment.

As he reached her bedroom he was horrified and enraged at what his eyes saw. There was a blond man hunched over her, doing something to her he couldn't bring himself to believe. Maria was beneath him shedding thick tears and trying to scream through her pillow. The hedgehog went berserk.

“Get Off Of Her You Bastard!” He leaped into the air and slammed a thick Charlie-kick into the stunned man's jaw, holding back just enough not to kill him, though it was very hard.

His naked body flung to the side with a yelp. The impact caused him to faint, a long trail of blood oozing from the corner of his open mouth.

Shadow waisted no time in getting to Maria. He lifted her head up gingerly from the pillow it had been rammed into and she immediately buried her face in his soft, white furred chest.

“Shadow, I was so scared. Oh, Shadow...” Her sobs were muffled by his fur as he held her naked form as close to him as he could.

He glided his paws up and down her shivering shoulders, comforting her, trying to calm her sweetly. “Shh, it's alright now. Every thing's going to be okay, Maria. I'm here, I won't let anyone touch you...” He whispered gently in her ear. While holding her with one arm he bent down and grabbed her milky sheets. He began manipulating her within them to cover her bare and shaking form. “Here, lets go now.”

He picked her up and cradled her weightless form softly. Maria looped her arms around her savior's neck for support. She quivering began to slow to short jolts, knowing she was in the safest place she could ever be, in the arms of Shadow the Hedgehog. As he began to exit her room she nuzzled into his quills to wipe the last of her tears and to give a silent thank you.

Shadow raced out of her room but as he exited he turned and slammed his bare foot into the control pad. The door slammed tightly shut so he knew the man wouldn't be able to escape before Shadow brought reinforcements, so he would be caught red-handed.

Farther along the ARK a young woman awoke with a start as a deep, male voice called to her frantically from her door's speaker. She got up lazily, not knowing what the urgency was and made her way to the door. Upon opening it she was met with a sight she though her hazy eyes were generating. The black hedgehog, Shadow, held a quivering girl who she knew well.

“Shadow? What's going on?” The woman removed one of her hands clutching her silk robe to toss away long strands of her ebony hair and rub her violet eyes.

“Neaira, something really bad happened. You need to get Maria down to the Hospital wing immediately.” Shadow's voice seemed ragged and worried as he spoke those words.

The woman bent down and took the bunched up girl from the hedgehog's arms and brought Maria to her chest.

Neaira looked over the young girl and could almost feel her horror an unease. “What happened to her?” She asked with a deep concern.

Shadow was slow to answer, again he couldn't bring himself to remember what had happened. “She was... A guy entered her room, I didn't really look at him. He was... raping her...”

Neaira eyes narrows in disgust and complex questions raced in her head. It was so unheard of she almost didn't believe it, only the fact that Shadow's expression was of pure concern for Maria made it true. Who could of done such a thing? Everyone's background was checked before they were even considered to come aboard the ARK. But, nothing was perfect. Sadly, the imperfections that slipped through just ruined the dreams of an innocent child.

She nodded understandingly, “Don't worry. I'll take her right now.”

Shadow nodded and turned to run off.

“Shadow, don't leave me.” He turned to see Maria looking down at him from Neaira's arms, her tiny hand reaching for him.

Shadow turned to her and drew close. He lifted both his paws and enveloped her fragile hand in his soft grip.

“Don't worry, I'll be back as fast as I can. Every thing's okay now, Maria.” He gave her a reassuring smile and gingerly released her.

Shadow the hedgehog knew well that Maria was safe with Neaira. The Botanist might be crazy but she couldn't do anything as bad as what that man did. As the ebony hedgehog raced to Gerald's dorm he couldn't stop thinking of that image he say. A disgusting and impure deed that was unthinkable in Shadow's mind. As the image raced in his mind he felt the spines on his back prickle and a deep growl vibrate his lungs. His rage was building, an urge to strangle the man tensioned his nerves and made his adrenalin pulsate through his chest, arms, and legs. The sense to return to Maria's room and kill the man in cold blood was almost too much for him. It took all of his will power just to hold back on that Charlie-kick, and without his rings it was become harder and harder to control. Soon he found himself in front of the large, bolted doors of the Professor's space on the ARK in shorter time then he expected.

Gerald awoke with a start, much like Neaira had before him. He got up as best an old man could and placed on his long jacket over his undergarments as he went to answer Shadow's call. Upon opening the heavy door he was met with a calm form that resonated with urgency and anger just by the feel of the air around him. The hedgehog's quills were slightly perked and the Professor knew, just by this, that something was terribly wrong.

“Shadow, what's the matter? Did something happen?” Gerald Robotnik asked.

“It's Maria. I heard her calling me, somehow, and when I when to check on her there was one of the scientists... raping her. I knocked him out and got Maria out of there, locking him inside her room. I gave Maria to Neaira to take to the hospital Wing. Then I came to get you so that you could get him and...” Shadow spoke so quickly that Gerald was both stunned by his speed and the news that his creation just brought him.

“Maria, was raped by one of the scientists here?” The older man finally got the blunt of the impact. Shadow nodded and he asked another question, “And, you locked the one who did it in her room?” Shadow nodded again. Gerald asked another question, “She alright though?”

“Yes, I gave her to Neaira to take to the Hospital. I think I got to her just in time.” Shadow responded verbally.

Gerald sighed, “Right. I'll take a couple of other scientists with me and will catch him. Are you sure he's locked up tight?”

Shadow nodded, “yes. I broke the panel to her door so unless he hacks the wires of the backing i don't think he can get out.”

Gerald turned away from Shadow, ready to get going. But, he stopped, “I'll get a hacker to open the door then through the wiring. Aren't you going to come?”

Shadow's crimson eyes grew dark, “I shouldn't.” Gerald looked at him questioningly, “Unless... you want him dead.”

Gerald's eyes grew a bit wide at this reaction, he now noticed the hedgehog wasn't wearing his Power Suppressors, his rings. The Professor new his creation was enraged beyond what his calm disposition would show. But, he never truly understood to the extent. As well, he didn't judge his creation's truth, just from the tone of his speech he knew none of it was a lie.

Gerald quickly gathered five others to Maria's area of the ARK. When they arrived the room was still shut tight, meaning the hacker of the group had to gather some wires from the broken panel to activate the door. Right when it flung open the man, dressed in his only robe came bursting out and was immediately tackled by the four other scientists, besides from Gerald.

His guilt was written all over him. There was nothing he could come up with to explain why he had been in Maria's room late a night with nothing on except a long, white scientist's coat.

Right after speaking with Gerald, Shadow hurried over to the hospital wing to see Maria. At first the nurse wouldn't let him in to see her but with a little help from Neaira, who was standing watch for some reason outside the door, he was allowed into the long area.

The air smelt strongly of cleaning alcohol and sterilizing chemicals. The room she was in was long, able to lay ten patients on each side of it. As he walked in through the center one side had bright white walls while the other was a large glass plate revealing the wide expansion of space just beyond their grasp. He seen Maria on the fourth cot down on the side revealing the stars just behind her head. Her form was merely a light lump below her delicate, white seats, barely noticeable in the gray light. But to him, she was an emanating light in a pitch black room.

He walked up to her silently, if she was asleep he didn't want to wake her. When the hedgehog reached her her saw her eyes were shut tight, laying on her side to him. An arm lay out in from of her head quivered uneasily. She was having a dream, he suspected, about what had just happened. The traumatic scene ever haunter her awake or asleep.

Shadow pulled up a tall, white stool near her and sat as close as he could. He brought his paw up to lightly grip his friend's hand near her head. It shook inside of his and he began to rub her knuckles gingerly with his thumb.

“It's alright now Maria. I'm hear, I won't leave you. I'll always protect you.” The ebony hedgehog cooed softly to her.

Gradually he watched as her face loosened and her shivering subsided, her pink lips took on a subtle smile from his loving voice. Her aura now shined with a warm glow that calmed anyone close enough to feel its embrace.

Shadow rested his head on his arm like a sort of pillow to soften the semi-hard cushion of the mack-shift bed. His face was turned to Maria's to ensure she remained at ease. He listened to her delicate breathing and tempting heart beat as he continued to sooth her soft fingers. The melody slowly pushed him to sleep with her.

Just outside the room Neaira glanced in and watched the display between the two. She gave a warm smile to them, gripping her upper arms as she became slightly cold and tired. But she was startled briefly as a figure's footfalls silently resonated close behind her. She turned herself, her long hair flowing with her movements.

Gerald slowly walked to her side and looked in at what she had been viewing only seconds before. He sighed at the sight and the woman could feel that he was uneasy.

“So, every thing's alright then?” She asked, to start a conversation that might ease the tension she was feeling.

“Umm? Oh, yes everything has been made right.” Gerald responded as if he had been woken from a trance.

The pale woman took one of her long finger and pulled back a few strands of black hair behind her ear. “That's good. I think my heart stopped for a second there.” She tried to sound chipper to lighten the mood.

“Yes, apparently it was Professor Mandalas.” Gerald told her.

“Really? George? He didn't seem like the type. But, then again, what is a rapist's type?” Neaira responded, holding her chin in contemplation then turning back to the two sleepers. “It's a good thing Shadow came to her rescue. How did he do it? Was he in her room when it happened?”

Gerald thought for a moment as to what to respond with, “He just told me he somehow heard her calling to him.”

Neaira gave a glance to him and smiled, “Really now? Sounds like something from a romance. A man hears the distress of his lover despite the blocks between them, in this case soundproof walls.” The young woman gave a feminine giggle at the thought. All Gerald met her with was an uneasy groan. “As yet, something still isn't right is it?”

He bowed his head lowly, “It's not really what just happened but what has been happening.” The professor finally admitted.

“You mean between those two?” Neaira finished for him. Gerald gave another groan as if to say she was right on the money. She looked back to the two beyond the door She and Gerald were observing them from. Her mouth made another smile as a mother would give her dearest child. “You can see them there just as well as I do. I guess, love is one thing that no one can truly understand.” Gerald give no indentation that he was listening. She gave a long sigh and turned to leave. Before she was out of ear range she stopped, and turned back to the distraught professor. “Give them a chance, Gerald. It might not be as bad as you think.” The woman then slowly strolled away, back to her room.

Gerald remained staring at the two. Love? He believed in true love but it wasn't suppose to be like this, between an experiment that wasn't even human and his granddaughter. He had been watched them closely since he first suspected something was going to happen. Thus, through the years he seen their relationship grow and strengthen to the point that they were just about inseparable. His head perked up as he witness slight rustling from Maria's cot.

It was true, the slumbering girl slowly shifted beneath her sheets. She gave an gentle sigh as her aquamarine eyes slowly fluttered open to view the sleeping face of her protector. She smiled and looked to his paw that gently griped her hand, close to her face. Her heart became tight as she held it and brought his soft fur to her cheek.

“Shadow.” She whispered into it. Shadow lightly twitched in her grip and from her voice. She seen this and bent her head down to his face still smiling. her nose gingerly touched to his nose, “Shadow?”

The hedgehog's eyelids slowly opened revealing startling, ruby irises. They widened seeing how close she was to him, a tiny blush warmed his cheeks from the contact. But, he calmed, his face fixed with a sense of relief.

“Maria, you're okay?” He asked, concernedly.

She closed her eyes and nodded, her humid breath caressing his smooth, peach cheeks. And for a while both were in a calming bliss.

Maria was hesitant to say what she was thinking, her face slightly embarrassed. “You don't have to sit on that hard stool. You could come up here, under the blankets with me.”

Shadow's eyes widened slightly as his ears perked at her words. His heart nearly skipped a beat, another blush cascaded across his muzzle.

His words stuttered slightly, “Well, I wouldn't want to invade your privacy or anything, I mean... If you don't mind I don't, I mean...”

She giggled from his shyness. She lifted her frail head to place it back on the flat pillow, as she left Shadow missed the tiny speck of warmth her nose gave his. She brought up the thin white sheet with one of her arms inviting him up with her. That blush still remain, luckily they had given her a long dress to cover her bare form so he relaxed a bit.

Shadow took her invitation, climbing up as she covered him. The hedgehog rested his head on the pillow only inches from Maria's. She closed her eyes and he could almost feel her muscles relax as if she had be uneasy the entire time. Then, she did something he didn't expect.

She brought her head down to his chest and buried her nose in his white patch of fur, her hands resting on his stomach. “Please, hold me.” Her voice became so longing and Shadow knew she still felt scared and unsure of herself.

Her obliged her and wrapped his shielding arms around her, pulling her weak form closer to him. He sighed in her golden hair, closing his eyes and breathing her scent. She began to drift back into sleep. Her nose tickled with the softness of his fur and the faint musk he gave off. His heart beat was deep and rhythmical, singing her straight into peaceful slumber. Again, she felt the safest she had ever been all her life.

Gerald didn't know what to do as he watched their display of affection. Should he find a way to stop them, separate them perhaps? Or would it be best to heed Neaira's advice, fore he had been listening to her every word, and let them be? He didn't know. He was torn between the right thing, in his heart, and the politically correct one, the one society would better accept. Would he let his granddaughter be ridiculed for loving loving a hedgehog instead of another human? Only time would tell.

So, the Professor gave a long sigh from deep in his lungs and slowly turned away from them. He began to walk to his private dorm, never giving another look to them. Perhaps he would have better thinking capacity in the morning.

After conviction on the ARK George Mandalas was immediately sent down to Earth to await his true punishment. Maria still felt unsure about sleeping alone but Shadow promised her that he would always come to her if something was wrong. Since then they remained closer then ever. It wasn't until GUN invaded that ARK that... Well, that's another story...

(End)

Kitty: So yea, that's it. This was finished just to write something other then my book, getting out of my writer's rut. I feel batter now, I've been wanting to finished this for a while now. The style i wrote this in is a combination of my new style that I'm using for my book with my style for fanfics. I don't think it turned out so bad, lots of Shadria -. There is a few mistakes but I don't really care to fix then right now. This is just to write something other then my book. Now that I feel refreshed I will get back to work on it. See you!