Maria's POV

I cried into grandpas neck for a few minutes before I calmed down to sniffles and an occasional hiccup.

"Grandpa?" I whispered softly.

"Yes sweetheart?" he replied just as softly.

"What happened to Shadow?" I asked.

He sighed and said, "When I had created Shadow, I used a kind of... magical energy force, you could say. He only has so much of that energy to last on, so when we had him do those physical tests yesterday.. he used up too much of his energy supply and passed out. That's the reason for everything that is happening to him right now," he explained.

I let my mind process what he just told me and asked, "Will he be alright?"

"Yes he will. I put him in the hands of my most trusted people," he reassured.

I nodded my head and thought for a moment. "How long will he be resting?" I asked.

"I don't know. Right now we think he could be like this from a week to a year... We're not completely sure how long it will take," he said sadly.

I felt more tears swell up in my eyes at this new information. 'From a week to a year?' I hid my face into the crook of grandpas neck again. He hugged me tighter trying to comfort me. I felt like I was never going to see him again...

'So this is all because of those tests... Why can't they see him the way I do? He's not a experiment or creation or some project. He's a living, breathing being... a person like everyone else. But I also see him as more... I see him as family, as my little brother... the brother I never had... And the brother that I need to protect like the big sister I am...'

---Time Skip---

It's been three weeks since Shadow had gone to the labs to regain his energy. I hope it doesn't take as long as grandpa had said... If he does take up to a year, I don't know what i'd do...

Right now I'm walking down the hallway, my hands cupped and head down in saddened thought. Grandpa is always trying to cheer me up with little surprises and giving me attention when I need it. But the only attention and surprise I want is Shadow...

I sigh and keep walking down the hall to some unknown place on the ARK. I've been walking for about two hours or so. I need to get back to my room so grandpa doesn't worry. I look up to see where I am and notice that I'm by the lab that Shadow is in. I look at the door sadly and sigh. 'I want to see him so badly..'

Just as I thought that, a scientist walks up to the door to go in. I duck around the corner and peek my head out enough to see him punch in the code. '6479... If I remember that I could see him when no one else is in there watching him...'

I watch the man walk into the room and I turned around walking back to my room preparing myself to see Shadow tonight...