A/N: Hi guys! Well, this is kinda sad for me. I wrote this drabble as probably the last thing I'll ever write concerning the sonic world - it almost made me want to start another story! I hardly write fanfics any more, but this little drabble was a strange sentiment for me which I enjoyed. If ya read, drop me a note!

- DiamondTheHedgehog, formerly EmzEmz

Closure

Was it okay to move on?

The street lights below glowed quietly to illuminate a sleepy city. All of the lights hummed softly in large harmony, contributing to the magic of a late night gazing upon Central City. Shadow felt a flicker of regret somewhere within for the events concerning Black Doom and his Black Arms. They had once fractured the peace of this great city – well, as peaceful as you can get with Eggman around.

The Ex-Ultimate Lifeform had never foretold he'd end up here - and not that he'd ever admit it - friends with some half-witted blue hedgehog and the rest of the loony bunch. Yet, here he was, holding a chaos emerald that they'd entrusted to him to keep safe.

Many things had happened since he had been woken by Eggman, and the memories shone within his mind like beacons of light, twinkling from a far-off lighthouse past stormy seas. Hope. Sonic and himself, super formed and fighting off the ultimate lifeform prototype was perhaps his favourite. Probably because he'd thought it'd be the last memory he'd ever have – but those annoying bunch would never leave him alone. Shadow wasn't quite sure if he was grateful for them or not.

Nevertheless he couldn't help but brood up here, sitting over the city. Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, Rogue, Amy... Maria.

Perhaps it was right to move on now. Shadow had thought that with recent events, he'd be able to accept he wasn't a weapon and that it wasn't his fault Maria was dead, but… it was much harder to do so than it was to say it! The idea of forgetting Maria and moving on seemed like ultimate slander to her memory.

Staring at the backlights of a car halting before traffic lights somehow brought Shadow to a small epiphany he'd been verging on for days.

He wasn't really forgetting Maria – Shadow had the heart and soul of Maria. Really, brooding on the past was a slander to her. She had saved Shadow for a reason, and it was Shadow's job as the person Maria had died for to live life for the both of them; Maria would forever live on in the friends he made, the experiences he had.

Yes. It was okay to move on. Shadow felt better having admitted this to himself, but wasn't quite ready to move from his nostalgic spot.

"Hey buddy, why the long face?"

Of course, he rarely got a deserved moment of peace and quiet.

He barely looked over his shoulder before seeing vibrant blue and already felt the onslaught of a headache. Shadow didn't reply, making the blue hedgehog give a dramatic roll of his eyes with the 'grumpy Shadow' face, although no audience was around to laugh at his joke.

"Come on! Amy said she wanted both of us over at hers. I hear she's got some muffins and chilli dogs, aye, aye?" The blue blur's attempt at temptation seemed to fail, even when he tried the epic 'come on' elbow nudge. All he did with that was manage to make Shadow lean away from him a little - reluctant.

"Awww, Shadow. Amy really wants you to come over! Everyone's there!" And that was supposed to encourage him? As dim as he seemed, Sonic caught onto his mistake. "Well... not everyone... OH!"

The loud 'I just remembered!' sound actually made Shadow flinch. Make that headache a migraine, with some serious annoyance on the side. Sonic stood up proudly, puffing his chest out with a grin.

"I just remembered," Oh, really? "Ames said that if I found you with your sour face on I was to tell you from her that she bought that disgusting Kenyan coffee you like!"

Shadow felt a sudden amount of crushing shame; he was so easily bribed. He got to his feet, tucking the chaos emerald away safely while trying not to smack the snigger off of Sonic's face.

"Race ya!" The blue blur exclaimed, turning around and jumping onto the large red bridge's railing, grinding his way down. Shadow snorted and gave a very superior 'hmph' as he kicked his shoes into gear. Jumping onto his own railing, he caught up to Sonic within the second.

Yes. It was okay to move on.