A/N: hELLO HELLO FANFICTION ITS BEEN A WHILE HASN'T IT? Jesus, I haven't wrote for like 4 months already! But enough about me, let's get down to the info on this fic alright alright

[ skip from here if you don't want to hear me ramble ]

This is my first ever Sonic fanfiction, and surprise surprise its an AU because I literally suck at trying to make situations in actual canon. Also because this idea has been on my mind for a while now, I haven't gotten around to writing it since I now have no computer anymore ( typing this from my dads computer with some files from my flashdrive ) so updates might take a while if anyone has interest in this story.

There will be Sonadow in this fic, because I love Sonadow sO AYO Fuck you guy s.

Just kidding, but yes Sonadow will be in this.

I'll say this now, I like build up. That means there will be absolutely NO JUMPING TO ROMANCE AT THE FIRST CHANCE I GET OKAY. Shit like romance takes time, alright? I literally don't like it when people do that, it just kinda makes the fanfic boring instantly since theres literally no development on it and I LIKE DEVELOPMENT. I feel like it makes the story worthwhile.

Second, I will try my best to keep evERYONE IN HERE IN CHARACTER. Again, first Sonic fic? I'm aware of how these characters act and all but it's a totally different thing just trying to BE like them.

Third, im probably gonna continue this fic no matter what people say? just too many ideas for me to keep inside okay. whOOPS but hey if people like it then that just motivates me to update more often than I regularly do.

Also, I'm really bad at naming these things sue me

Anyways, on with the Prologue!

'Fly away little bird

Fly away to a better place
Where you will soar through the sky
In the wide open space
Fly away to live out all your hopes and dreams
Enter the real world
Of wondrous things
Through the dark clouds and over the rainbows
Fly away to destinations unknown
Fly away to discover yourself
And embrace what you find
Fly away to create
An otherworldly kind
A kind of yourself that you never knew
Until you left house and flew
Flew out with the air
As your old life tears
And reattaches itself
To form a new being
Fly away little bird
Fly away '

A young blonde hedgehog sped down the stairs, giggling sweetly as soft thuds erupted from the bottom of her shoes. A certain black hoglet around her age followed suit, his hand clung onto her own, his crimson eyes glimmered from the few lights left glowing down the hall. The girl had adopted a face full of excitement, a daring glint shone from her irises whilst the smaller boy seemed to have his face scrunched up in uncertainty. The girl came into a sudden halt and snuck a peek behind the wall she hid by, the boy right behind her, his grip becoming more tight by the second.

"Maria, you know you're sick! Besides, what if the headmaster catches us?" the ebony boy whispered with a tint of fear latched onto his voice. Maria had glanced over to the boy, giving off a soft smile to him, complete with shimmering blue eyes that the boy swore he could see bubbles through.

"We're just going to see the stars tonight. Don't worry, Shadow. If anything happens we'll run back to our rooms before they can bat an eyelash at us!"the girl, gently dragged him along as they stepped over to the door. She grabbed the knob and Shadow jumped a bit as he heard a small squeak come from the door as his friend opened it. It didn't make anymore noises after that and Shadow prayed that wasn't enough to wake everyone in the orphanage up. Maria smiled as she felt Shadow latch onto her more, she knew Shadow was a timid, jumpy little boy ever since they had met each other, that why she felt the need to always keep him by her side to reassure him that everything will be fine. Not that he'd stray away from her so easily, that is. He was always by her side no matter what. They were like two peas in a pod, in a nutshell-like way to put it. Every time he was left alone, he'd ask everyone where she was ( but not without some slight hesitation ) and when he couldn't find her he cried until she did come back to him. He was adorable and Maria loved him as a brother. She turned to face him, her smile still drawn onto her.

"Let's go."

Hand in hand, they ran onto the long grassy fields and up onto the hill they went up to when it was day time and the headmasters allowed them to play around on warm, sunny Tuesdays. Shadow seemed to have let go of their worry as they finally set foot on the base of the hill and chased Maria around. The girl squealed and giggled as Shadow tried to catch her. Right when she was near the top, Shadow suddenly launched himself towards her, earning another squeal from the both of them and casually rolled down to the edge of the hill before stopping completely, setting off laughter that seemed to echo to the cosmos. They laid together, side by side as they were in the bliss of the stars, staring up into the tiny but shiny specs scattered throughout the faded night sky. A small breeze had passed by and caused the grass to tickle them, and had carried dandelion seeds along with it.

Maria heaved in a sigh, her eyes starry just like the sky. "Isn't it wonderful, Shadow?" She began, her voice soft and genuine. "So many beautiful things around us, so many possibilities and different things we get to experience." She paused for a moment, then turned her head towards Shadow. "Don't you.. ever wonder what it'd be like to fly?"

"Huh?" Shadow's ear twitched and he titled his head against the grass, not daring to rip his eyes off the sky.

"Flying, Shadow. Have you ever just thought about soaring through the sky?" She spoke again, her smile seemed permanent.

Shadow heard this before, and it made him flinch slightly.".. You're going to.. be up there soon. You're going to be flying up there, aren't you?"

Maria glanced toward her adopted baby brother, then continued looking back up into the sky. "Yes."

".. Are you scared?"

"Are you?"

"Yes.. because then I'll be all alone again."

Maria smiled softly, "Oh Shadow.." She turned to her side and gave him a hug, in which Shadow just held onto. A tiny sniffle was heard from the black hoglet and he looked up at her again with glossy eyes.

"I don't want to be alone."

"No one does." Maria caressed his head and brushed chopped pieces of grass off of his flattened ears, she spoke again. "-but you'll never truly be alone.."

Shadow whimpered and Maria just felt the need to hold him some more, continuing her actions and having an idea pop into her head. She pulled Shadow away just a tiny bit and looked him into his blood-red eyes.

"It's time for your bedtime story."

"But- we're not even in bed."

"We'll have to be asleep by the time we get back in bed, so we won't have time for it there, so I can tell you it here." Maria cleared her throat before going on. "You know how I always read the fairy tales to you when you're in bed?"

"I love the fairy tales." Shadow mumbled into her shoulder. "They're more.. magical." Shadow emphasized the word 'magical' and rose their head just in time to eye his sister, his eyes were big and sparkling with awe and innocence. Maria bite her lip to keep herself from cooing at him and let out a light giggle instead.

"Well, this one is a myth. I've been reading about it ever since father still alive and I found it so fascinating. I wanted to wait for the right time to tell you about it, and it seems like it could be the right time. But first, lets go on the hammock." Maria stood up and helped Shadow off the ground, instantly plopping down onto the hammock between the two trees holding it up. They were being shaded from the moon's luminescence, but still had a good view of the sky, so it was fine. Shadow curled up to Maria, his face still buried in her shoulder and his eyes locked up to her. Maria had prepared herself before and began her story.

"You know how I said 'I wonder what it'd be like to fly'? Well, some people can already fly, and with wings." Shadow's eyes seemed to twinkle some more, if that was even possible considering Maria thought he had maxed out on making his eyes seem starry, looks like she was wrong.

"They're called the Feathered, as in Feathered or Winged Mobians. Some Mobians already have wings because of their species, but the Feathered takes the species that don't have them and place celestial dove-like wings on their backs. They're represented as angels, and are high and mighty. They can talk with birds and have a connection with doves. They're also said to have control of the weather patterns, which makes them beneficial to us commoners though they can steal our crops when we're not looking." She giggled at the thought.

"Once upon a time, a man had seen their corn have been stolen or ruined. They suspected it was a crow, so they set a scarecrow nearby and waited to see if anything would happen. The next day, their cabbage was stolen and the scare crow was tipped over. The man had removed the scarecrow and set a bear trap thinking it was a rodent or some type of pest. The day after that, his watermelons were stolen and the man got fed up. They decided to set up another trap and wait to see what was coming, he fell asleep while watching and when he woke up, he couldn't believe his eyes. Before him was a Feathered Mobian, caught in his net trap. The man thought he could sell the Feathered Mobian and become rich, but the Feathered Mobian had spoken and said if he were to do anything with them then bad luck would be spread upon them. The man didn't listen and continued on with his day, leaving the Feathered inside the net. The Feathered had called out to their bird companions and told them to trick the man into thinking he had bad luck from capturing them. The birds had bursted into his house through the window and twirled around in his house, breaking everything they could until the man shut them all out. Then when the man went out, the birds kept pecking at him and even pooped on him, they followed him everywhere he went and the man couldn't stand it. They suddenly remembered the Feathered one's warning and raced down to their home to release the angelic creature, it was then that the Feathered one took away the birds and flew off into the sky, never to be seen again."

Shadow blinked, his mouth created a perfect 0 as he let out the longest 'wooooow..' Maria had ever heard come out of his mouth. He blinked once more before speaking again. "..Wait, will you become a Feathered soon?"

Maria chuckled softly, "No, Shadow.. The Feathered are people, just like us, except they can talk to birds and have extraordinary wings. They can be born into it just like I was born into being a commoner."

"..That's amazing, Maria. But, if they're just like us, then why are they treated so differently?"

Maria stayed silent for a second, probably thinking about what to say. Maria gave a small smile, not happy, but not sad either. Shadow couldn't tell, but their eyes seemed slightly dull as they responded: "Some people just wouldn't know how to feel about it. Seeing something different, something like a hedgehog with wings, it seems so out-of-place to them. Not normal. It may be scary." Maria laid her head on Shadow's, her expression dazed. "Though, I know that they have feelings. Just like me and you."

".How do you know?"

"Because you're just like them: different. But, just because you're diffenret, doesn't mean you're not capable of feeling too."

Shadow nodded silently. Maria was right, he was different. More different than people would like to think. He raised his hand and clutched his chest, feeling the harder mass of his own body. 'I have feelings, too.'

A/N: Eh, I don't really like how I ended this. Oh well.