For those who do not know me, my name is Maya.

Sonic Adventure 2 is my favorite video game I have ever played. And though Sonic himself is my favorite character, Shadow is my second. I remember when I was 7, and I finally beat the game, I was happy because I'd beaten it, but I was sad, because of the way it ended; well, but bittersweet.

I hope you enjoy reading this one shot. Leave a review telling me feedback about my story, or about how you felt when you beat SA2.

Have a happy reading.

-Normal POV-

It was a dark day. It usually was on days like this. Sonic the Hedgehog, age 19, sat in the parlor of his middle class home, a newspaper article in hand. He sat there, re-reading the heading over and over again.

Project Shadow Saves the Day

Four years ago today, a true hero died. The last image Sonic could remember of his ebony counterpart, was of him, falling lifeless from the sky.

If I'd been a little quicker, a little faster... I could've saved him... He thought thoughts like this often around this time of year. A light rapping came from the door. Hesitant to get it, the cobalt hedgehog remained on the couch.

"Sonic... Open up," a feminine voice sounded. Reluctantly, Sonic stood up, knowing she wouldn't go away. He walked over to the door and opened it. He revealed Amy Rose, age 16, with her arm raised. As he predicted, she was ready to knock again. Sighing, he said,

"Good afternoon."

"Hi," she said. They stood there in an incredibly loud silence. "Well," she snapped, "are you going to invite me in, or make me stand out here all day?"

"Right," Sonic said, letting her in. She made her way past him and entered the living room.

"How are you?" she asked.

"Good. And you?" he asked.

"Not so good. I miss him," Amy said.

"Huh," Sonic murmured. The rosy hedgehog shot him a stern look.

"So do you."

"What are you talking about-"

"You do this every year, Sonic. You shut yourself up in your house, and you cut everyone off. We get worried. I... I know you miss him-"

"You know nothing," Sonic hissed. Amy raised an eyebrow at him.

"You can't deal with this on your own, Sonic." Her voice was still calm even after her love's outburst.

"You did." Sonic looked up into Amy's eyes.

"No, I didn't. I had friends to help me through it. You have friends who want to help you. Yeah, it hurts to cry, to reflect on it... But it feels even worse to burden his death; to pretend it never even happened."

And for the first time in her life, Amy Rose had seen Sonic cry. He cried for hours. Embracing Amy, wetting her shirt from his tears, crying so uncontrollably, it made the simple task of breathing hard.

"It's all my fault..." he'd repeat. When he pulled himself together, Amy whispered in his ear,

"Don't think for one second that it was your fault, Sonic the Hedgehog. You did everything you could to save Mobius. Shadow knew that he'd sacrifice his life for us, and he died proudly." Sonic nodded, feeling childish. And even though he felt childish, her words comforted him.

Kissing his forehead lightly, Amy pulled away from his grip.

"I'm going to make tea," she said. Disappearing room the room, she headed for the kitchen. As Sonic watched her disappear from sight, he thought of how lucky he was to have had someone like her in his life. Someone to look past his flaws, and be there for him. He smiled.

His thoughts soon led him back to Shadow.

He had sacrificed it all. And for what? To save the people who had killed his best friend? The very same people who had wanted the death of his creator who was trying to help the people of Mobius? The people who wanted to kill him and his family? Thoughts like that would corrupt a person.

But who had ever loved Shadow? Sure, Maria did, but who else? Rouge's true intentions of Shadow were unknown. Yeah, they were friends, but did she really, truly care about him? Sonic had hated him for most of their time together, but that last four minutes, they had been comrades. No, not friends, but partners; people who were striving for a good outcome for Mobius.

Sonic was going to go in for the final blow, when Shadow intervened.

"There will always be a bad guy," Shadow had said. "They need you. I'm not good enough to carry on in your place. Let me do Maria justice. I was created to help mankind, so let me do my job."

And before Sonic could even object, Shadow was flying, full speed, at the Final Hazard.

His flashback was interrupted by a clanking sound. Amy was setting down his tea on the coffee table.

"I sweetened it for you."

"Thank you, Amy. It's hard to believe that you've grown up so well," Sonic chuckled.

"Hah! What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"I don't know," Sonic said, his peridot eyes burning holes in her jade ones. She blushed slightly from the sudden eye contact.

"Well it better be a good thing," she 'hmphed'.

"Heh-heh. It is."

"Come on. Let's go to Tails' workshop. Everyone's there to celebrate Shadow's sacrifice," Amy said. Sonic frowned. Then, he smiled and nodded.

"Let me grab my shoes," he said.

As he followed Amy out the door, he let his feelings of guilt go. Not Amy, Tails, or Knuckles believed Shadow's sacrifical death was his fault. Shadow wanted it that way. His death left behind a legacy that was inspirational to the inhabitants of Mobius, and to Sonic himself.

"A man who was completely innocent, offered himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including his enemies, and became the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act." ~Mahatma Gandhi

I hope you enjoyed this short one-shot.

And though Sonic Adventure 2 is a video game, it does bring up real life issues.

Hate, revenge, and guilt are ways people cope.

Do not let any of those things consume you, ever.