SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME A Sonic the Hedgehog story featuring HOPE KINTOBOR Part 5 Page 1 Layout: top half of the page is a single panel; there are two half-width panels below that. Panel 1: EGGMAN, surrounded by the debris that was MECHA, backs away in terror to the left from SHADOW, standing mid-ground in the center of the panel. MINA and HOPE are against the wall to the right; they're also frightened. EGGMAN [burst balloon] SHADOW! What are you saying? SHADOW You must be stopped, Eggman. Panel 2: Close-up of SHADOW, his right hand in the foreground giving off a green flame-like glow. His hand partially obscures his face. Only his malevolent eyes can be seen. SHADOW And I must stop you! Panel 3: Close-up of HOPE, a horrified look on her face, her mouth open. SXF: NO! Page 2 Layout: 5 panels: two half-page panels on top, one page-wide panel in the center, and two half-page panels at the bottom. Panel 1: HOPE stretches her hand out toward SHADOW, who turns his face toward her and away from a cowering EGGMAN. HOPE Don't hurt him! SHADOW What? SHADOW Do you know what you're SAYING? Panel 2: Close up of SHADOW speaking, while over his shoulder we see line drawings of COLIN KINTOBOR and LADY AGNES. SHADOW Do you remember what he did to your father? SHADOW To your grandmother? Panel 3: HOPE at left of panel faces SHADOW at the right. Between them are line drawings of the roboticized forms of COLIN and AGNES. HOPE's expression is angry, yet there are the beginnings of tears in her eyes. HOPE YES, I remember! HOPE And I'll ALWAYS HATE him for it!! Panel 4: HOPE full-face toward the reader. The anger has subsided, and she clutches at the front of her sweatshirt with one hand as the tears start to come. HOPE But destroying him won't help them ... won't bring them back... Panel 5: SHADOW full-face toward the reader. His expression is one of shock. HOPE [off panel] It wouldn't be right.... SHADOW [thought balloon] NO! Page 3 Layout: splash page This is going to be a massive shojo manga production number. The following copy should be reproduced and pasted against the background like a watermark. They are the dying words of MARIA from Sonic Adventure 2: 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. Shadow, I know you can do it. That's the reason you were brought into this world. Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog. In front of the text in the upper left corner of the page is a line drawing of SHADOW's face from the previous panel. In the lower right corner is a line drawing of SHADOW's face in profile, head bowed and eyes shut. Cutting across the page diagonally from the upper right to the lower left is the figure of MARIA: and this can go one of two ways: 1. It can be an idealized rendering of MARIA, up to and including having her wear a robe and with angel-like wings sprouting from her back. 2. It can be a traumatic memory, showing MARIA dying after having been shot by G.U.N. I'll let Editorial make the call. The following text boxes are to be arranged across the page; they all represent SHADOW's thoughts. Text box: "Her compassion! So much like that of Maria!" Text box: "Maria...." Text box: "She could not bring herself to fear me, or to hate anyone." Text box: "Even as she lay DYING, she thought of their happiness, their dreams." Text box: "Their dreams. Page 4 Layout: Three rows of half-page panels. Panel 1: a recap of the drawing of SHADOW's face from the lower right corner of the previous page. SHADOW For the girl's sake, Eggman, you shall live. Panel 2: SHADOW's finger in the foreground (only his hand is visible) points to a cringing EGGMAN. SHADOW [off panel] But know that I'll be watching you. SHADOW And you'll never know where I am. Panel 3: SHADOW in profile, speaking. From the look on his face, he means business. SHADOW And if anything ever happens to the girl, there is no power that can stop your destruction. Panel 4: Close-up of one of SHADOW's shoes as he stands next to the upper half of MECHA's head, now a metallic half-skull lying on the floor amid the debris. SHADOW [off panel] I'll leave you to your family. Panel 5: HOPE and MINA, clinging to each other in fright, look at SHADOW. SHADOW [off panel] CHAOS CONTROL! Panel 6: a Chaos emerald green panel with an SFX word in red. SFX: CRACK! Note: I didn't realize it until after I'd written the story, but that's the sound that is made when witches and wizards apperate or disapperate in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter books. But I thought I'd keep it in anyway. Page 5 Layout: one page-wide panel at the top, with two rows of half- width panels beneath. Panel 1: The scene is the stage from S134's "Say You Will" where MINA did her concert. The only people in the mid-ground on-stage are ASH and four HAMSTERS who are smaller and rounder than ASH. One is orange and white, one if brown and white, one is beige and white, and the other is gray and white. ASH is reading from a clipboard. ASH So you're auditioning as dancers AND backup singers? HAMSTER Yeah, we.... ASH Lessee what you got. HAMSTER 1 ... 2 ... Panel 2: the four HAMSTERS wave their paws in the air. HAMSTERS Dee da DEE da dee di DO do Panel 3: the four HAMSTERS look and point stage left in the kind of move you'd expect from a boy band. HAMSTERS DEE da do dee DOH NOTE: Yes, this is an in-joke, which you would get instantly if you've ever had the "pleasure" of surfing over to hampsterdance.com. Knowing the connection won't take away from what's to come, but those who are in on the joke will appreciate it. Panel 5: same as Panel 6 on page 4. Panel 6: We see a pile-up as MINA and HOPE have landed on top of the HAMSTERS. This is comic relief, so don't make it look too serious. Page 6 Layout: three rows of two half-page panels. Panel 1: ASH is in the foreground, still looking at his clipboard, his back to the pile which is in the mid-ground. ASH OK, we'll be in touch. ASH Mina, NICE of you to SHOW UP for rehearsal! Note: I've read the description of ASH that accompanied the character model on Jonathan Gray's Web site. ASH never really got a chance to show anything like a softer side in S134's "Say You Will," and I honestly thought that Karl Bollers was reprising the Nice Girls And The Jerks They Fall For theme (see the Dulcy- Zan pairing in "Crouching Hedgehog, Hidden Dragon"). So until someone does a story about him showing him as a more rounded character, ASH comes off like a real butt in this story. Panel 2: HOPE, helping one of the HAMSTERS to its feel, reacts to ASH. ASH [off panel] Warm up your voice. ASH [off panel] Start by telling the KID to GET LOST! Panel 3: MINA approaches ASH. MINA Can you give us a MINUTE? ASH You got HALF. Panel 4: MINA smiles as she approaches HOPE. MINA Listen, Hope, you can stop by our house whenever you feel like it. HOPE Are you sure? Panel 5: Close-up of MINA taking HOPE's hands in her own. MINA [off panel] Of course! MINA [off panel] Think of it this way... Panel 6: Pull back to show more of MINA and HOPE as the continue holding onto one another's hands. MINA ...you've got a MONGOOSE for a BIG SISTER. HOPE Sure beats having a ROBOT COUSIN! Text box: End