A/N: I've waited so long to put this up. This has been in the works for years and now I've edited it enough that I feel it's finally ready for viewers. The main couples are Shadouge, SonAmy, and KnuxTikal. I'll see if I can work in Creails but now it seems doubtful. This will be told mainly in Shadow's POV but there will be moments where others may take over.

I do not in any way, shape, or form own Sonic or any other character

Ch 1: Life Sucks

It's really quite funny, how a life can change in the blink of an eye. What else, you never know when it will happen, what it will be about, even if you'll live or die. Such choices have shaped the very individual being of people around the world. No one can escape this, not even those we call heroes because deep down, they too are human…or as human as one can get. Voices can be heard through the crisp breeze of that late autumn night and what they say will turn the course of one such individual for as long as he lives. "I can't believe what I'm hearing…I thought……you…why?"

"I already told you three times already. I can't stay…I don't want to make this any more difficult than it should be so…"

"Then you shouldn't be even doing this!" Similar comments had been passed between them for the better part of an hour and only now had it moved outside the building behind them. "Why are you doing this to yourself? If you're not going to explain yourself then at least tell me what's wrong, I can help you."

"It's too late…"

"You hardly tried to fit in with us, how can you turn your back on your friends?!?!?!" The shout-ee turned around. As their eyes met in painful emotion he spoke up again. "None of that matters now…despite all I've done…the ones I call friends will always be the ones who pay." With that grim thought, he ran off into the dark-lit streets of night. Seconds later his ears picked up a distant sound. The air began to thicken and the sky turned a deep crimson as he slowly turned around. By the time he was looking back on where he was running from, everything around him had become a desolate wasteland.

All around he could hear an ominous, evil voice laughing in the deepest shadows. The voice scared him and soon he was running away once again. Fear clouded his judgment and vision as he scurried about the barren plain. His feet eventually ran him into something hard as his head smacked against the hard, rough material. Regaining his composure he knew he had run into some large rock…or at least that's what it felt like. Once his eyes cleared up he noticed the aforementioned stone had been shaped into a simple sculpture. On it was an engraving of a stranger's name, but that name made him freeze in fear.

Soon similar stones rose form the ground and he could here their screams of pain. Soon, the wails manifested themselves into a physical being whom echoed the voice from before. "This is what awaits you…no matter what you say…no matter who you try to protect it will be for naught! You are no more than a burden…you are weak…you are NOTHING!!! The whole world shall soon suffer…all because of YOU!" The spirits of the dead soon rose form the stones whispering of ultimate failure, of why he couldn't defend them, of how he let them down. The ground beneath him then opened up and he started falling down the never ending pit. The air grew cold, he could no longer breathe. He just wanted it all to stop and then…

OoOoOoOo

WHAM!!!!!

The next thing Shadow knew, he had fallen head first on the hardwood floor next to his bed. His monotone groan was his only audible response as he got to his knees. He opened his fiery red eyes a crack and took in his current surroundings. A draped window, some messed up blankets, and a tiny hammock where a chao was currently slumbering in. He concluded he was in his bedroom in his house, it was only a dream or maybe it was more of a nightmare.

Shadow POV

For the love of god THAT'S THE THIRD TIME THIS WEEK!!! What does that make for the total? One…four…10 times this month, why won't it leave me alone?!?!?! I suppose my attempts at getting rid of my nightmares are futile. I mean they've been going on ever since I……get a grip Shadow…that was three years ago, it's over.

I've lost count on how many times I've found myself saying that. I get up on my feet and quietly walk downstairs so I don't wake Tyke, my Chao. The little fella has been my only companion these past years…if he finds out I had that dream again he'll let me have it. Plus, him being a Chaos Dark Chao doesn't make it any better. He's been like this ever since I told him those stories when he was just an infant creature. I walk into my kitchen and immediately get a small glass from my cabinets.

I fill it with water and I quickly chug it down like I've been living in a desert. I walk back into my living room and open up one of the curtains. Still mostly dark outside, then again it is early winter according to most people. Seeing as how there was no way I was getting back to sleep now, I take my scarf, wrap it around my neck, and head out the door for my daily "stroll" through the city. The ice cold air pushed itself into every little nook on my body making my movements slightly harder to perform. I shrug it off and start walking out of the neighborhood, if you can call it that.

As I start winding down the empty streets of my cul-de-sac. I find my thoughts turning to a subject I had fought so hard to leave behind…my past. Though I may have learned the truth of my origins when I took down Black Doom, those facts haven't made things easier for me these past three years. To think this all started when that fool, Eggman, woke me from my stasis in the GUN base. My intentions were dark…I had lost the only one I ever cared for…Maria…thus I went down the road of the avenger because that was what I promised her, to avenge her death by destroying Earth. But, I should've expected someone would interfere and that came in the form of Sonic, that little blue faker.

I didn't think much of him or any of his friends at first, but it was thanks to them that I ended up remembering my true promise to Maria. In one final battle with the prototype…I sacrificed myself to save all of Earth. I thought it was the end for me, but no. Eggman had found me and once again put me in stasis while he cloned my DNA into his androids. The next thing I remembered was waking up in a strange room with all sorts of equipment, before it was blasted by Omega.

From that point on I vowed to learn the truth of who I was, eventually I was successful when the Black Arms arrived. When I learned my past, I vowed to put all the horrible crimes I may have committed behind me once and for all and for a while after that it was good. However, everyone kept nagging at me saying that I should quit being so…what did they call it…emo and relax a little. I just listened and gave no thought as I have done before and that's when it hit me. I had finally learned who I was…I had no greater purpose left to accomplish.

For days I wandered about Station Square wondering what the hell was out there for someone like me, and of course the answer once again hit me in the head like a speeding bus……the bat girl…Rouge. Come to think of it, she'd been looking over my shoulder since she snuck onto the Ark to "aid" me and the good doctor gather the Chaos Emeralds. I knew from the start she was a double agent…okay so I didn't but I had my suspicions. Plus, she was the one who woke me up in Eggman's lab after he recovered my body. I felt as though she had this evil habit of never leaving me alone…I had yet to figure out the half of it. She claims that she "saw" me rambling about and asked if I wanted somewhere to crash for the night. I knew she was actually trying to find me, and I knew she was talking about her place. An average sized apartment a block or so form that club she owned.

I think on her fifteenth attempt she stopped asking and made up my mind for me. She literally dragged me back to her apartment just to get me off the street (like I was ever in any danger). I knew I was in for it because my nose immediately picked up the scent of lavender emanating from every corner of the room. I would've tried to escape her clutches but I knew she'd drag me back. It was a lose-lose situation for me so I chose the lesser of two evils.

Of course I was stuck on the couch since there was only one bed (and it was made for one so don't get any ideas). I told myself and her that I would stay for one night…then she made me breakfast and from that point I rarely left. Don't ask me why because you won't get an answer. I told her many times that I wouldn't want her dragging me back here, but I think deep down…I needed it. Eventually, the idea of settling down and living the easy life was starting to sound appealing.

Looking back I'd have to say those were the best days of my life. True one would think I loathed it all, but come on; I'm the ultimate life form I have a reputation to maintain! Yet here I was actually enjoying the easy life. I started to think that things had finally turned around for me. Then…it happened…my past had caught up with me with one fleeting second…

OoOoOoOo

"Come on slowpoke, just warp us into the vault, grab the emerald, and bolt!"

"Hn…and you say I'm impatient, Chaos Control!" The pair vanished in a flash of green and reappeared inside Eggman's enormous vault. Luckily Sonic and the others were with them on yet another job to stop Eggman from ruling the world. While they dealt with his cronies, Shadow and Rouge infiltrated the base to grab what Chaos Emeralds he had collected which was about three at that point. They were not hard to miss as they glowed brilliantly in the center of the large room. Rouge removed them and put them in special containers Tails made to mask their energy signature.

In place, Shadow put three fake emeralds to fool Eggman's sensors. Soon they warped out and made their way to the nearest exit. Unfortunately, they forgot to put the green emerald, which was in Shadow's possession, back into its container. Neither of them heard the robot hovering behind them until it began charging its laser which was aimed right at Shadow's head. Rouge's sensitive ears picked up on it immediately, but it was too late to stop it from firing.

Shadow felt himself get pushed into the wall as the robot launched its attack. He whipped around and made quick work of the junk pile that dared to shoot him. Then, he realized he didn't know where it was there until Rouge had…Rouge…Shadow turned back around to face his batty partner, but was met with a gruesome sight. The look on his face was one not seen since over 50 years ago, since that fateful day on the Ark. Rouge was lying still on the cold metal floor as a small puddle of blood gathered next to her. The next moment, the base started crumbling around him meaning Sonic had done enough damage. Without thinking he picked her up and made a mad dash for the door about 50 meters to his left.

Thanks to his quick movements Rouge was quickly put back in stable condition when she had been brought to the emergency room. Everyone was by her side waiting for her to wake up that is, everyone but Shadow who had disappeared from the city and wasn't seen for the rest of the night.

OoOoOoOo

Shadow POV

I separated myself from the entire world for close to three days. I just sat on the couch, a place where I was able to make many new memories, all alone. Was this really the way I was meant to live? When I caught wind that she was back on her feet, for no apparent reason, I ran back as fast as I possibly could to see for myself and there she was waiting for me to take her home. I thought nothing of it and we walked back. It was a slow walk because she was still a little woozy. But pretty soon she was back to her usual…"forward" self, but I was far from myself.

A week later I gathered what little I had and in the quiet of the night I opened the door to leave. But, she was there once again to stop me, but this time no matter what she said I refused to stay. No matter what I tried to do, the ones I love would always pay the price. Those words, those angry, sad words, that's what has been haunting me all these years. I dare not think about what would've happened had I stayed, but if I made the right choice back then…why does it feel so wrong now?! I look at the rising winter sun as it appears over the freezing water of the ocean and the only thing I find myself thinking is this

My life sucks…

A/N: Yeah, anyone's life would suck if you lived like Shadow. I know this chapter is shorter than my usual length, but this is just the beginning. Will Shadow continue to be predicatble and continue his brooding days, or will something come by and change his outlook on life...wow, his life really does suck

Shadow: Thank you for that stunning observation Mr. Tact

Me: How long have you been standing there?!

Shadow: Long enough...

Me: uh-oh...