Authors' Note: The stories that make up the background for this one can be found under the accounts Sonic Rose and Fortune. You're encouraged to check them out to get the most enjoyment out of this very special tale!
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Sonic the hedgehog is no stranger to parallel worlds or time travel. In many realities, Mobius and Earth are one, while in others, the two worlds exist side by side. Sometimes they are unaware of the other, while the barrier between yet other worlds is paper thin and the two manage to intersect and communicate freely. Yet, on most worlds, Shadow the hedgehog is relatively new to such things.
In most realities there are all but the slightest changes to places and people, while each gets further and further from the original. Some things remain constant through all worlds, though, as the setting of the stars in the sky, to the presence of the Chaos Emeralds. Perhaps these are the source of the problem that causes each world to act on another, or creates its own realities for a time. It's said the emeralds reflect the hearts of their users, though perhaps, sometimes…they act on their own will.
In a pair of parallel worlds where Mobius and Earth are tethered to one another, their Shadows are about to be called. As for why these things happen…it may be a matter of direction for the dark hedgehog who, in both worlds, has been trying to find his way for a very long time. Perhaps one takes for granted the peaceful path he has been on, while the other doesn't know what he's missing...
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Chapter 1 – Plans Derailed
There were few reasons Shadow had to be on Mobius; he hadn't lived there, really, and he didn't care to. Maybe his upbringing on the ARK had made it hard for him to relate to his own kind, being surrounded by humans and technology from the start. The half-blood alien felt like an outsider walking the streets of Knothole City and wished that his father-in-law would decide what side of the World Gate he wanted to live on once and for all. The black hedgehog just wanted to go home to Station Square, but that meant he had to go pick up his son from "Grandpa's house."
He and Charles the hedgehog didn't always get along, and even when there was relative peace between them, there was a lingering tension neither felt would ever go away. It wasn't like they were on bad terms, but they weren't essentially on good terms either. That was reason enough for him to want to keep any visits short. He approached the homestead of the aging light blue hedgehog with a slight swagger in his step. 'Next time Sara's picking the kid up...' he thought inwardly as he knocked at the door.
A moment later he heard footsteps, two pairs, heading for the door. One was quick and energetic; the other was steady and followed by a laugh. "Slow down!" Charles' voice issued from the other side before opening up.
"Papa!" a young boy hedgehog called eagerly, practically flying out of the door and wrapping his arms around Shadow. He was sky blue like his mother, but the placing of his black stripes and red eyes definitely hailed from his father.
The fond smile on Charles' face only ebbed a bit as he looked up at Shadow. "Ahh...leaving so soon, are we? I kind of wish you could bring him by more often."
"Yeah well...we gotta go," Shadow replied, idly stroking his son's head.
Chuck frowned a bit. "Could you bring him by more? Maria too?" He knew all too well that Shadow left little room for further conversation and if he wanted to make a point, he had to be direct about it.
"We'll see," Shadow replied and guided the four-year-old boy down the steps.
"Bye bye, Grandpa!" The kid beamed, waving a hand at him.
"...Shadow," Chuck said with a heavy sigh. Shadow gave him his attention and kept his face neutral, while the brown-eyed old man was much easier to read. "I really would like to see more of the little ones...and Sara too. You're all welcome over any time. I really want you to consider it...and tell Sara I love her, will you?"
"Yes," was his only response before turning away from the older hedgehog. "Come along, Ash," he spoke up softly to his child, gently guiding him down the steps. He was quite relieved to be going, though part of him felt guilty hearing Chuck sigh behind him as the door closed.
--
Shadow relaxed notably once he and Ash were on the train back through the World Gate. At least he could depend on his brown-eyed mate waiting for him at home. The only thing dampening his spirits was how Ash was going on about how "cool" Grandpa was. Call it bias, but the fact he was Sonic's uncle had never settled well with him. Just the thought of being related to him caused a sneer to form on his face.
"Papa?" The small questioning voice beckoned him out of his thought processes, and his eyes fixed on those of the boy looking up at him oh so innocently.
"...What?" In the end, Shadow was Shadow, meaning even his kids got short one-word responses most of the time.
"I'm hungry."
"...We'll stop by Vinnie's on the way home." Shadow sighed and looked out the window. The train was about to enter the gate.
Passing between those worlds was such a regular part of life that only people experiencing it for the first time really noticed the sensation of being transported from one reality to another. The transition was so smooth that it was almost as simple as walking from one part of a room to another, though it was far more complex than that. Still, Shadow noticed the transition this time, a slight tingling feeling as his molecules flew from one plane of existence to another.
He didn't think much of it after the train came to a stop and he and Ash were solidly on Station Square blacktop. Aside some overcast, the day was nice enough. Nothing out of the ordinary.
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Vinnie's Pizza was the stop of choice for Shadow and his family when they, quite frankly, couldn't think of anything better. Shadow was used to the zealous owner Tony, who seemed to have a way of getting into other peoples business, and who Shadow surprisingly found himself answering to half the time. The caramel-haired man peered over the counter when the hedgehogs entered, since they were too short to see otherwise, and greeted them with a smile.
"Vinnie's Pizza, we heat 'em, you eat em!" he recited cheerfully. "Now there's a face I haven't seen in a while," he commented. He tilted his head at the smaller hedgehog beside him curiously, however.
"Hi, Tony. We'll have two of the same from last time," Shadow said. He didn't note the human's curious look at his son, though there was something different about the counter. It had a picture of Tony and his family plastered in front of it, and one of Sonic's glam shots, but it was missing a family photo Shadow had given him not long ago. "Remodeling a bit?"
"Eh? Not really," the human replied with a shrug, though his curious look extended to Shadow as well. "Kind of ambitious order ya got there, though. Who else likes peanut butter and pepperoni pizza anyhow?"
"P-p...peanut butter and pepperoni?!" Shadow's crimson eyes went wide at saucers upon hearing that one. 'H-how...? I've never ordered that here! Not even Sara knows I like that….' Ash at least had the decency to make a face at such an odd topping choice.
"Yeah. You ordered it last time." Tony nodded firmly. "I don't see ya too often, but seemed like you enjoyed it well enough that we got in some crunchy PB just for you, pal."
Shadow's head reeled a moment from that tidbit. 'Have I been sleep walking or something?' he thought. "Well...not this time...I want two double cheese n' green peppers."
"All right, be about ten minutes. Make ya'self comfy while you wait," Tony said pleasantly and pointed to the chairs lined up by the window.
Shadow made a solemn nod and went over to the seating to mull things over. Ash followed and pulled himself onto the chair and half onto his dad's lap. He stroked the child's fur, the boy half asleep in his lap; at least he hadn't inherited his insomnia. As normal as this was, Shadow had the distinct feeling something was off. The missing picture, Tony knowing his favorite pizza topping...and for that matter, he even seemed a little distant compared to his normal demeanor. He hadn't even made any comments about Ash, which was really weird; the man swore he was a hair taller every time he saw the little "sprat," as he affectionately titled him.
Shadow leafed through his quills, drawing his cell phone out, then dialing Sara's number. "C'mon...pick up," he muttered until there was a sharp squeal at the other end. "We're sorry...the number you are trying to reach is not in service. If you misdialed, please hang up and try again... The number you--"
Shadow stared blankly at the phone sitting in his hands. 'Not in service?' Out of range he could understand, temporarily unavailable...but "not in service?" He couldn't imagine why he'd get that message and made a note to check with his service provider later. Out of his own growing curiosity he decided to give Sonic a call... It rang through.
Quite shocked to be receiving a call from Shadow of all people, Sonic did a double take at the caller ID. 'Wonder what's up' was the first thing that came to mind before he hit Okay. "Hey! Shadow...umm...wow...what's with the call? Somethin' up?"
"Yeah, you could say that." Shadow paused a minute. "I just tried calling Sara and it told me it wasn't a valid number..."
There was a slight pause at the other end. "Uh...who?"
"Sara," Shadow replied in an annoyed tone. "Don't play stupid, you know who she is."
On the other end of the line Sonic was trying to keep from snickering and took a while to collect himself. A smug grin crossed his face. 'Shadow has a girlfriend? This is rich!' "Heh, sorry, 'fraid I don't know who you're talkin' about."
Shadow snarled; he was about to tear into Sonic but for a pair of crimson eyes on him. "...Don't worry about it," he said softly to his son and hoped he'd go back to sleep. He tilted his head back and let out a sigh before responding to the blue prick. "Sara. Sara the hedgehog. Your cousin. Chuck's daughter," he listed in a pointed tone, "...You know? Brown bangs, brown eyes, sky blue body? My mate?"
For a minute, Shadow thought Sonic had hung up. There was a very long silence until Sonic broke it with tumultuous laughter. "I have nooooo idea what you're talkin' about!" He paused, unable to breathe from his laughter. "A mate?! You? Since when?? Ohh man...! Haha...I've gotta tell Amy about this!"
A deep-seated frown passed over Shadow's face. "Sonic..." he started in a dangerous tone, "if this is some kind of sick joke you're playing, it isn't funny!"
"Heh...I have to disagree...it's a hoot!" Sonic laughed.
Shadow snarled his reply, "You little blue shit...I don't know what you're playing at but tell Sara I'll be home in fifteen." Finally he hung up on the hedgehog, his mildly annoyed mood from earlier replaced with complete disgust.
"...Papa?" And a pang of guilt for losing his cool in front of his son.
"Shh...we'll be home soon," Shadow assured him, though…if Sonic wasn't joking….
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A subtle rumble of morning thunder settled into the dense tropical flora of Mobius' Mystic Ruins, its sentiments felt just past the clearing to the walls of the towering station housing the world's primary portal to Earth. Within them, another rumble announced the imminent arrival of a monorail train that had just crossed over from the neighboring planet. As the train began to hiss to a stop, a portion of its trailing shadow seemed to waver suddenly to life, picking up speed and thrusting itself atop the final car just as it emerged from the tunnel. In the brilliant station lighting, it was now obvious that the overhead passenger was none other than Shadow the hedgehog. He leaped again before the train came to a full stop, easily clearing the crowds waiting to board, and continued through customs on his way.
Outside, heavy raindrops weighed on the hedgehog's already grim visage. After a brief scan of the surrounding jungle, he set off down its well traveled dirt trail. Within minutes, however, he was treading pure mud. He managed to pull one foot free only to sink knee-deep with the other.
"Need some help?" a mustached man in ranger gear and a parka called from several feet behind him, using a large walking stick to navigate the messy terrain. He stopped in his tracks as his offer was met with a canine-bearing growl. Gripping a nearby tree, Shadow jerked his leg from the mud and kicked against the trunk, propelling himself into a crooked glide. With another kick on a tree opposite him, he had all the momentum he needed to continue forth unhindered.
Now if only he knew where to go.
His search eventually brought him to the quiet country homestead of a former friend with whom he'd shared three years of his life, until hers suddenly ended. Considering the significance it surely held for his son Mercury, it seemed like a logical place to check. To his disappointment, though, he found no evidence that the boy had recently been there. The dust on the hardwood floor inside remained undisturbed, as did the surrounding overgrowth. The ultimate life form could only heave a frustrated sigh as he gazed past the deteriorated property. There was no time left to look any farther; he was expected at work in five hours, and the trip back to Earth would take four.
By the time he reached the station again Shadow was actually tired enough to consider riding the train—but that didn't mean he was about to put up with any annoyances. Shortly after boarding, passengers on their way back to Station Square of Earth sat clustered at one end of their car, staring nervously at the lone hedgehog brooding at the other. As he rode into the tunnel and entered the portal, he suddenly became aware of an unusual tingling sensation in his body. His head snapped up, but as quickly as it had started, it was gone. Perhaps, he considered, he'd exerted himself more than he'd realized.
And yet, even on his way from the station to Diamond Mill Mall across town, something somehow seemed off. Was something wrong with him? The notion irked him all the more; coming down with some physical ailment would be just what he needed to top off his crappy week He entered the mall from a different side than he typically used, not up to the usual greetings from north end merchants. As he weaved around racks of products set out for the week-long sidewalk sale, a familiar pink hedgehog caught his eye amongst them. She glanced up and spotted him before he could steer clear.
"Hi, Shadow!" Amy called with particular perk. "Looking for Sara?"
"Hell no," he snapped, assuming she'd meant Serrah, the muskrat who worked in the food court and had had a crush on him ever since he'd started his current position. His hostile edge softened a bit upon noticing how taken aback she was at his reply. "She's the last thing I need today."
Amy's eyes continued to grow. "W-why, what happened??"
"Nothing I haven't already told you." He snorted, mostly at the conversation. Even it was starting to irk him. "I'm running late. I need to go."
"Late for what?" she tried to ask, but he had already skated off. It was only seconds later that Sara the hedgehog joined her gaping friend's side. Following Amy's eyes, she blinked in comparable surprise at seeing her mate traversing the mall.
"Is that…Shadow…?"
"Yeah," Amy's voice was almost a squeak. "I was just talking to him and he suddenly took off!"
"What did he say?"
"He said he was running late for something…and he seemed kinda mad! I asked him if he was looking for you and he said 'hell no' and that you were the last person he wanted to see or something like that!"
Sara's brow sank. "Oh…I guess he's still mad about last night…." Meeting Amy's prodding eyes, she continued, "We got into a fight after you guys left and I made him sleep on the couch." She decided for Amy's sake to leave out the fact that he was angry because she had invited her and Sonic over without asking him first. After a tangled string of arguments, the last thing she'd finally shouted at him was "if you want to be alone so bad, you can sleep alone for a week!" But it still left some questions unanswered. "What about Ash? Was he with him?"
"Not that I saw…."
"He went to pick him up hours ago!"
"Maybe that's what he meant about being late…?"
An exasperated sigh left Sara, but her train of thought derailed with the sound of her daughter's voice.
"Daddy!" The eight year old wasted no time darting after her father, and Sara wasted no time pursuing her.
"Maria wa--matta ne kudasai!"
Little Maria had no trouble slipping through the crowds of shoppers, while her mother struggled to keep up. It wasn't long before Sara watched them both disappear around the corner.
"Dad! Dad!!" Maria called as she began to close the gap between herself and Shadow. Surely he was near enough to hear her; why wasn't he looking back? He merely continued on straight up to the mall's security office, then went inside. Maria frowned, unsure whether she should follow. She decided to wait outside and watch through the deeply tinted glass door.
A frumpy middle-aged woman with a bun in her dry orange hair greeted Shadow. "Can I help you?" Her voice reflected little intention of such, but considering the nature of their working relationship, it was certainly no surprise to him. He simply ignored the woman as he made his way past the front desk and into the adjoining room. "Excuse me!" she addressed him again, springing from her chair. "That area is for security personnel only!" Receiving only a glare in reply, she marched forth and grabbed hold of his arm. Shadow immediately swung about, prompting her quick release, but she stood her ground. "You're not allowed back here!"
His fiery eyes narrowed on her. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"It means you need to leave!" She flinched as he returned a sharp snort.
"I don't have time for your bullshit." He turned and headed for the lockers to retrieve his work effects. The woman shouted again, this time towards a nearby office.
"Randy!! Randy, get out here!" Soon thereafter a balding man in a button-up shirt and tie emerged.
"What's going on?"
A bony finger pointed at the hedgehog. "That creature just barged in here and refuses to leave!" As she spoke, Shadow reached for his locker handle. He paused upon finding there was no lock on it, then proceeded to open the door. There was nothing inside. He stared for a few moments as he arrived at the only logical conclusion, then shifted his angry eyes to the humans discussing him.
Randy addressed him this time. "Is there something you needed, Sir?" He instinctively reached for the can of mace on his belt as he found himself in the trespasser's knifing glare. But Shadow restrained his wrath; he merely slammed the locker door shut and exited the way he'd come in.
Waiting patiently outside the main office, Maria smiled sweetly at her father as he stepped out. She blinked in surprise to receive only a passing glance in return.
"Dad! Dad?!" Again her calls went unanswered. Finally she stomped the floor. "DADDY!! Stop ignoring me!!" She sprinted after him and took hold of his hand, giving it a sharp tug. "Hey!!"
At last she had his attention. Shadow immediately halted and whipped his head around to face the child, and as their equally blood-red eyes met, his breath stilled upon watching hers become an eerie crystalline void. What she said next, in an entirely different tone of voice, set his quills on edge.
"So you did come."