"Shadow ?" Echoed the sound of a young female, her voice both graceful yet ghastly as the young hedgehog shook in terror. His young ebony fur taking in the cold breeze her voice left on his infant body.

"W-w-where are you M-maria ?" He gulped nervously and with a quiver felt a heavy presence behind him. Afraid to turn and face his fear, the ebony hedgie closed his eyes, clenching his head with his hands as he began bawling more tears.

"Shadow why are you so scared ? Is it because of me ?" Her voice whispered from behind him, churned with sadness,almost sounding like the Maria he knew and loved.

"M-m-maria ?" The hedgie choked, slowly opening his eyes as he looked behind himself. All that stood out from the darkness was him and a mirror, yet this mirror didn't show his reflection but a young female with blonde dressed in blue, looking at him as if she was as good as new.. As if she never died...

"Shadow it's really me ? Your friend Maria" She spoke with a faint smile, the young hedgie trembling from the site of her form as he placed a hand over the mirror where her hand should be.

"... No... Your not real.. You can't be real.. Y-your dead.." The hedgie choked, struggling to look at her as he did so.

"You killed her" spoke a dark voice from Maria's lips, her image changing to the form of his older self.

"AHHHHHHH !" The younger Shadow screamed, stumbling backwards as the image of his olderself grinned darkly, his form mocking the younger form in his dark hour.

"Do you really think you deserve her after what you've done; what you are !" His reflection scolded maliciously, its mocking tone enjoying the pain it saw it's youngerself go through.

"Stop it !" The infant cried, getting back on his feet in a struggle.

"Give her back !" He yelled, his voice scared and sad as he feared for what could be next.

"The darkness is your home now. Forever alone Shadow the hedgehog !" The dark one crackled, as his image faded back to Maria.

"Maria !?" Shadow shouted in shock, reaching to place his hand on her reflection once more, his tiny fingers lightly touching the glass as it began to crack from the touch. There was nothing he could do by then as the mirror shattered and her reflection became no more.

"MARIA !?"

"Shadow !"

"-!" Snapping out of his nightmare the hedgie tumbled onto the floor, his bed a mess from the struggling he did in his sleep. That was strange he thought, In all his years of sleep never once did he have a dream, especially a nightmare like that one.

"Hey Shadow you in there ? I know your not one to sleep in but come on cut a blue hedgie a break" Chuckled the blue blur himself as he walked himself into the ebony's room.

"Dam you look like a mess Shadzy" He teased, offering to help his counter-part up who bluntly ignored him as he picked himself up.

"What the hell are you doing here Faker ! Haven't you heard of knocking !" His ebony highness as the blur puts it grunted in his normally hate mondays mood as do most people.

"I did but it seems yelling does better, and while I'm at it stop calling me Faker already. I'm 21 now Shadzy I'm pretty sure that nicknames getting old" He chuckled with a grin, Shadow of all people not in a mood to play games.

"How the hell did you get in my apartment anyway !" He snarled, aggravated at the hedgehogs cocky attitude.

"WEELLL~ the front door was locked so I went around, smashed a window and broke in" He smiled all cheery like he accomplished something, the ebony's lower eyelid twitching at the blue hedgies stupidity.

"You did what !" Shadow growled making a fist as he made sure the hedgie knew what was coming to him.

"Haha Shadzy I'm just kidding, I saw an unlocked window and snuck in. Dang you're a silly goose thinking I'd stoop that low" he chuckled a bit making the pissed hedgie calm down, lowering his fist yet still keeping his normal narrowed face.

"What do you want then.. Another race ? A fight ?" He huffed, arms crossed.

"Nah, actually I was sent to bring you to G.U.N.. Dunno why they sent me though, it's not my thing but from what I heard it was important that I come with when taking you there" The blur spoke scratching the back of his ear. This was odd, even for G.U.N Shadow thought. He knew even after the hate and putting up with them that they were a strange group but now this, the hero of Mobius escorting a soldier as himself to HQ ? No something wasn't right at the least and he knew it.

"Lets get this over with then.."

"Great ! Theres no time to lose !" The blur smiled taking the ebony's hand as before the other could react they spead off with a flash, the hedgie being so fast he both unlocked and locked the door on the way out leaving a trail of dust behind.

"S-Sonic !?" The ebony hedgie barked hating the feeling of being dragged, his feet not able to pick up pace as it seems he forgot to put on his rocket shoes waking up this morning. Finally upon reaching the base the blue hedgie smiled back only to be greeted with another one of Shadow's pissed faces, now seeing Shadow's feet and what remains of his ripped burned up socks.

"Whoops" Sonic laughed sweat dropping, just seeing him smile this much made Shadow sick.

"Hey hey, come on Shadzy be easy on me.. How was I suppose to know you'd sleep in today ? I would have been late if I waited any longer you know" He stated defensively, his pissed rival in counting walking passed him as they stepped inside to be greeted with a hall way and some guards.

"Ah ! Project Shadow Sir ! Commander requests of you to meet him in the conference room with Sonic, Sir !" they stated, leading the way. What struck Shadow more though was that they all were carrying guns by their side. Even Sonic felt highly uncomfortable about this and not at the least liked what was going on as both hedgies made their way into the conference room.

"Aw, Shadow it seems you've arrived" The Commander spoke from across the table, his voice stern and serious.

"You wanted to speak to me Commander.." Shadow stated with narrowed eyes, not taking a seat unlike Sonic who sat right down coming in.

"I know you don't like whats going on, I can read that from the look on your face you don't trust my intentions, seeing how I gone this far as to hire back up"

"... What do you want from me then, if you went through all this trouble.." Shadow said, turning to the door, ready to leave at any point.

"It's the Ark Shadow..."

"-!" Turning back around, the hedgie decided to give the man his attention.

"After closely thinking about it, we've decided it's best to destroy it.. I know this sounds harsh but nothing that your creator accomplished upon that Ark proves of its worth. Theres no use keeping it, especially if the eclipse cannon still works after all this time.. It's a danger and the last thing we need is to have people fear again.."

"..." Now the tables were turned for the hedgie. As much as he wanted to fulfill Maria's last wish, the Ark was the only thing left that reminded him of her, both good and bad. It was also his birth home where although he was created he could not trade that one place he called home for anything in the whole world.

"Commander you can't be serious !" Blinking the Commander expected that tone from Shadow but was taken aback hearing it from the cobalt hedgie instead. Even Shadow had his own look of mixed surprise seeing him like that.

"It's one thing to call me here for your back up but it's another thing to expect me to help you in any way with this ! Sure Shadow's Creator, wasn't a clean man with most of his projects but look at Shadow ! He's proof enough that we don't have to destroy Ark !"

"Sonic he was created to be the ultimate life form, a living weapon ! His creator was suppose to make a cure for his granddaughter and his result was this ! All he was ment for was to destroy more lifes !" The Commander remarked back at the hedgie who got up and slammed both hands into the table.

"WHAT IF HE WAS TO TAKE CARE OF ANOTHER LIFE !" Sonic shouted making everyone in the room go dead silent. Taking in another breath, the hedgie cracked his voice a bit never really shouting like that before. Gulping his sore throat he continued.

"What if Shadow where to take care of another life.. Do good for someone in need... Would you then see him as a monster... A killer..." Sonic panted trying to be easy on his throat.

"... Are you making a bet with me hedgehog ?..." The Commander questioned in interest.

"If you are you got my attention... But lets just say Shadow were to take care of another life, say someone as innocent as a child, do you seriously think he can handle it ? or even raise it right ?" The Commander layed his cards right, so now it was Sonic's turn to lay his.

"Yes... I believe Shadow is more than capable of raising a child not for one week, not even for a few months. I'm willing to bet he can raise a child for full years !" Looking at Sonic, Shadow's eyes widen in horror, not liking at the least at where this was going.

"Then we have a bet, if Shadow can raise a child by the age of 6-10 for at least one year, I'll let things with Ark slide so that no one, even myself won't bother with it. But if he is to screw up at least one time, neglect the child or mistreat it in any form, Not only will I destroy the Ark but I'll lock Shadow in frozen sleep depending on whether or not the child was badly off.. Got it !"

"Got it !" Sonic smirked, Shadow not believing half of what just happened.

"Then the bet is on !"