Author's Note- This is my first fanfic, so pleace be gentle when (and if) you review. Like I said, this contains huge spoilers about Sonic Adventure 2, so leave if you don't like that kind of thing. Also know that I'm not 100% sure about the plots of Sonic games before Sonic Adventure, so I hope you'll forgive any possible plot holes.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters that this fic is based on. Sega does. And the people at Sega are too nice and kind and stuff like that to be petty enough to sue me or anything like that. I hope...

Chapter One
Prelude to Darkness

Shadow fell at an unimaginable pace toward the Earth. Flames danced around his silvery form, unaffected though he was.
Maria.. he thought, This is what you wanted, right? This is my promise I made to you...
Go back... whispered a voice in his mind, Maria's voice, To the beginning...
The... the beginning? Shadow wondered aloud, How am I supposed to do that? What do you mean?
Go back... the voice repeated, To the beginning...

Go back.... to the beginning...
Shadow was at a loss. He couldn't think of what to do. But he knew that he couldn't do it up here in the outer layers of the atmosphere.
Chaos Control! He cried, and the flames that surrounded him dissipated, and a green light replaced them.

Shadow reappeared in the forests of the Mystic Ruins. He fell forward, and the power of the Chaos Emeralds left him. He was unconscious before he hit the ground. He was out for three days.

**********

Tails ran his gloved hand across the side of the barely operational Cyclone.
This thing is a wreck... he said with a sigh, I'm not sure it's worth repairing... he shook his head, I should just leave it here.
Oh come now! It's not all that bad! encouraged Eggman from behind him.
You really think it's repairable? Tails asks him.
Of course! replied the round scientist, I've seen worse than this, and this can be fixed!
Thanks Eggman, Tails replied, But I can't get it to move, so I'll have to leave it here or repair it here..
Then get Knuckles to help you, Eggman replied, refusing to let the small fox give up, I would help, but I have to go make preparations for our trip back to Earth. With that Eggman left, and Tails left to go find Knuckles.

*********

This is a pretty rock, isn't it Foggy?
Foggy made no reply, he was, after all, a frog. He and his giant friend were walking around in the jungle surrounding their home.
And it's green, just like you!
Foggy, still a frog, failed to reply.
Uhh... Foggy? asked the huge, monotone fool known as Big the Cat, I think we're lost....


**********


Well, everything is ready! Eggman said happily, The walkers are in the cargo bay, and the shuttle is ready for launch.
Then let's get out of here! Amy said happily, heading toward Eggman, And go to the planet as cool and blue as Sonic!
Tails said as he fell in step next to her, Did you think that up yourself Amy?
You're overestimating her again little buddy! Sonic said, walking up to Tails' side, I thought that up!
Amy said, That's not nice! And I could have thought that up, you just beat me to it!
But you didn't think it up did you? Sonic replied, You just stole it!
replied the pink hedgehog, I'm publicizing it!
Yeah, right! Sonic said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
Tails just laughed.

**********


Tails shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Amy had stolen the seat next to Sonic, which really didn't surprise any of them, Knuckles and Rouge were talking in the back, and Eggman was piloting the space craft. That left Tails alone in the 2-person seating rows. He leaned his head against the window and sighed. This was gonna take a while. Maybe he could sleep the entire way down. Yeah, he was tired anyway. He closed his eyes, and tried to forget all that had happened. Riding in a space ship was a lot like riding in a car, Tails noticed, as it was seemingly hypnotic and made one more tired than they already were. Tails' thoughts were soon interrupted by a female voice.
Go back... it pleaded, To the beginning...
 Tails' eyes snapped open and he sat straight up.
What was that? he wondered aloud. He waited for a few minutes, but when the voice refused to come again, he shrugged, and leaned his head against the window again and closed his eyes. Sleep soon followed for the two tailed fox, but in his dreams he heard something he couldn't understand, and searched for things he knew didn't exist....


**********


Tails' eyes snapped open, and he reentered the real world from the haze of his dreams. His breath had covered the window with a small fog, and he could only see a light blueness outside of it.
About time you woke up! Rouge said to the young fox.
agreed Sonic, We've been trying to wake you up for hours!
Knuckles said with a sigh, It's only been ten seconds.
There's a difference? Sonic asked.
Tails said, getting to his feet, Let's go home!
Well, see, Rouge said, That's the problem...

Look outside. Knuckles said, motioning to Tail's window.
Tails did look outside. He didn't exactly like what he saw. He saw water. Lots and Lots of water. And buildings too. Ruined, destroyed, collapsing buildings.
He saw the ruins of Station Square.
Eggman had landed them on top of one of the ruined buildings in Station Square.