Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or the world(s) that may appear in the story: all rights belong to SEGA.

The winters on Earth are so cold, I complain inwardly as I make my way through the snow, dragging a sled toward home. When do they melt again? Summer? Spring? Sometimes the seasons blend together. Maria would have never expected this.

The callous winds blow from behind me, the red streaks of my hair to blow into my eyes. The black strands act as a blindfold. I force them back and hold them in place behind my ears. The wind changes directions blowing the hair into my eyes again. Giving up I let them go and move my hand over my nose and mouth, hoping to warm them.

I finally get to the house and prop the sled near the door like I've done for years. I glance down at the mat. Why do I do this again? It's a familiar thing to do, I've done it since I've been on the Space Colony ARK. But I can't remember why I used to check the mats. Did I ever have a mat in front of my door?

Shaking my head I remind myself those questions are useless. I stare at the mat for a few more seconds. "It's moved thirty-eight degrees to the right," I tell myself. "Why? Maybe it was me." I walk inside. "But that doesn't make any sense," and turn on the light, "I always check my mat. It was forty-eight degrees to the left." A disinterest forces itself in my head, forces my being to become uncaring and nonchalant and…broken…it's familiar and safe.

"And it still hasn't changed in six years."

I jump at the familiar voice on my couch. A hedgehog, black and red, his eyes full of hate but love is lying underneath just waiting to come from the dam. "Except maybe your hair. It was blond when I met you. Did you dye it like mine on purpose?" He isn't interested in why I dyed my hair the way I did.

Still, I smile at the attempt at politeness. It's not his weakness but also not his strength. I half tackle the anthropomorphic, pressing him between me and the couch. I don't expect him to laugh or hug back, as always I just expect him to sit there. We pull away.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Uncle Robotnik and Maria?"

Shadow doesn't answer. He stares at me with blank eyes. The half evil aura still surrounds him. Finally, he stands and crosses his arms.

I kneel. "Shadow, talk to me."

"I don't need a therapist, Yuna." He snaps. "I need your ability."

I frown and stand and walk to the kitchen. The stove smells of gas when I turn it on. "I moved out to the country to avoid auras. I hate seeing color all the time. I hate feeling the emotions of other people and anthropomorphic. I can't feel or see animal aura. I love that."

It doesn't give me comfort even as I say it. Shadow can see it in my emerald eyes. Isolation sucks, especially ordered isolation by your own family. I close my eyes and sigh deeply. Uncle Gerald Robotnik, laughing at Maria and enjoying her presence. But as soon as I catch his attention he scolds me for asking stupid questions I should have already hypothesized. Was I nothing but an experiment for him? But I also can see him forcing me to promise to stay away from anything and anyone related to G.U.N including himself and everyone on ARK.

I open my eyes and stare down at shadow. "I can't go."

"He's dead, Yuna."

"I promised him I'd stay here…in isolation, away from G.U.N and the U.F. I promised him, Shadow the Hedgehog! And it'll stay that way like it has been for six years!" I don't know why I'm yelling at him but I still do. A passion and type of anger ignites within me, burning in my lungs, heart and stomach, engulfing my entire being.

"Things change Yuna!"

His aura changes from grey to red but disappears as fast as it came. Does my aura look like that when I get frustrated?

"Not in my life. Not anymore." The kettle whistles. I take it off the stove, turn it off and pour myself tea. "I'm not coming with you quietly."

Shadow shrugs nonchalantly. "I didn't expect you to."

I open my mouth to ask him something but suddenly I'm hit with something. Hard. And I like a rock, I go down.