Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic Team, Sega, or Shadow the Hedgehog (but I wish I did) :) I DO own my original characters, though.

(A/N): This is my first fan fic, so please don't criticize it, unless its really that bad. I may have tweaked the storyline a little (ok, maybe A LOT), but this is just my version of the story. More chapters will follow if people like it. Trust me, it will get better than this first part. So, enjoy! And please review.

Note: Rated "T" for violence (not a lot, but still...).

"Where is he?" thought Dusk as she ran across the Space Station, "He's got to be here somewhere." Just when she was about to give up, she finally found him, as usual, looking out of the window down at Earth,"thought Dusk as she ran across the Space Station. Just when she was about to give up, she finally found him, as usual, looking out of the window down at Earth.

"Hi, Shadow," she said as she walked towards him, "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" the black hedgehog said still looking straight out through the glass.

"You're thinking about Maria again, aren't you?" said Dusk, trying to hold back her laughter, "You like her."

"If you mean as a friend, then yes," said Shadow, now glancing at her by his side.

"Can I sit with you?" asked the gold hedgehog, already starting to sit down.

"Whatever," Shadow said, his expression not changed since Dusk had started talking with him. She started copying Shadow's sitting position. Quite a few minutes passed before Maria came into the room.

"Hi, Shadow," she said smiling, "Grandfather didn't tell me he let you out already. Are you going to sit here all day looking at Earth again? "

"I can't help it," he replied, "Ever since I saw those pictures of it, I feel like I need to go there; as if it's my purpose in life."

"I know what you mean," Maria whispered as she sat down next to him, "I really want to go down there. I still hope one day we'll all get to go down there together."

"Why are you whispering?" asked Shadow as Maria pointed to Dusk, who was now sleeping with her head on Shadow's shoulder, "I forgot she was still here."

"She really likes you, Shadow," said Maria, "You're like a role model to her. She tries to be exactly like you."

"Why did Professor Gerald create her?" asked Shadow, "She can't do anything and is useless at fighting."

"Oh," said Maria, "I thought of the idea to create her."

"What?" said Shadow puzzled.

"I thought of the idea for her," the girl repeated, "Grandfather was devastated that he hadn't cured my disability and hadn't accomplished his mission yet for an "Ultimate Life Form". I was about nine and, being alone here by myself, had longed for a friend. I had designed an image over some time of someone I could be with. So, I gave Grandfather my idea of this friend I had made. I thought he would think of it as a silly little idea and throw it away. But he actually considered Dusk as a design for his experiment. A few months later, she was awakened at about the same time you were created. Grandfather thought Dusk was a success because of how small she was. But I guess something had happened that limited her abilities and powers… like how my NIDS limits me."

"She's like you in a way?" said Shadow looking down at the gold hedgehog again, still sleeping.

"Yes," replied Maria, "And I guess you can count her as your sister."

"I never thought of her that way before," said Shadow looking out the window once more. No one said anything for a while. "Maria," asked Shadow as he started turning his head toward her, "In case anything ever happened, I want you to know that I-" Their conversation was cut short as a loud alarm rang throughout the Space Colony.

"What is that?" asked Dusk as she started waking up.

"I don't know," said Maria with a worried look on her face. Just then she saw something out of the window. "Look!" she said pointing, "What are those?" Coming towards Space Colony ARK were five large ships with big letters spelling G.U.N. on each side. Suddenly, a T.V. came on in the room Shadow, Maria, and Dusk were in.

"Maria, can you hear this?" asked a voice that had a blurred picture on the T.V. screen. The picture cleared up to reveal Professor Gerald Robotnik.

"Grandfather?' said Maria looking up at the screen, "Why are these ships here? What's happening?"

"They've come, Maria," the Professor replied, "Those ships are from G.U.N., the government's secret army. They've come to take away and destroy Project Shadow. They think he is too dangerous and must be eliminated."

"No!" cried Maria, "What are we going to do?"

"Maria," said the Professor, "You have to get off the ship now. They'll take anyone they can get their hands on. I'll try and escape soon. I want you to be all right. Please, Maria. Go now!" The T.V. screen went blank.

"Shadow," Maria said as she helped Dusk up, "We have to escape."

"You do," replied Shadow, helping himself up, "You have to save yourself. Professor Gerald just said-"

"I don't care what Grandfather said," said Maria, "I'm going to get you to safety first." There was silence for a few moments.

"Fine," said Shadow as he walked toward the door, "Hurry, Dusk." The three made their way as quietly through the corridors towards the escape pods. Suddenly they heard a loud bang, followed by the sound of loud boots stomping on the metal floor. They saw a long line of soldiers in uniform running about the Space Colony.

"We have to be careful," Shadow said, studying the stream of soldiers making their way through the Space Station, "They will probably hear us if we make the slightest noi-"

"Freeze!" yelled a loud voice, "Just come quietly with your hands up!" Maria, Shadow, and Dusk looked around them to see a large group of G.U.N. operatives surrounding them on all sides. There was no escape.

"Put your hands up now!" the commander ordered again, "Don't make us shoot! We aren't playin' around!" Maria and Dusk started to do as the commander said. But Shadow didn't move. He was too focused on a small gap the operatives couldn't fill. If he was correct, it led right to where the escape pods were. It was just big enough to fit the three of them. If only they could get there quick enough for the G.U.N. operatives to not catch them….

"Look, buddy!" shouted the commander, "When we say you're under arrest, we mean you're under arrest!"

"Shadow," pleaded Maria, "Just do as they say." Shadow knew that's what she was saying, but he knew that inside, she was begging him to get them out of this place. He had to take this chance. He made a motion to Maria and Dusk to grab onto him.

"Hey!" said the G.U.N. commander once again, "Whaddaya think you're doin'!" The moment they grabbed on, Shadow started running. But he was running faster than normal. The operatives followed as fast as they could, shooting at them while trying to keep up.

"What's going on?" Shadow thought, "How am I running like this?" Before he had time to ponder that thought, the three of them were in the escape pods room.

"Wow, Shadow," said Dusk in awe, "I didn't know you could run that fast."

"Neither did I," replied Shadow.

"We have to get you two in those escape pods now," Maria said as she locked down the metal door to the room.

"The guards didn't see us come this way," thought Maria, "Hopefully, that door will hold them." She started helping Dusk into one of the pods. But Shadow wouldn't move.

"Please, Shadow," said Maria, "Get in the pod."

"I can not leave you here alone in this place with those people," he replied, "I don't want you to get hurt."

"Shadow," said Maria as she knelt down to his level, "We've been friends for a long time. I don't want you to get hurt either. But you have a bigger destiny for life than me. Please, Shadow. Trust me." Neither spoke for a while.

"Alright," he said giving in. He jumped in the pod as Maria started going to the control panel. The pods were sealed shut. They heard the guards coming towards the room. Then suddenly, there was silence.

"Wait here," said Maria quietly, "I'll check and see if they're gone." She went outside of the sanctity of the room and looked around. When she was about to go back, she heard the operatives in the experimentation room. All the scientists had their hands up. G.U.N. was placing all of them under arrest. Maria was petrified. Just then, one of the guards noticed her.

"Hey, you!" he said, "You're one of the ones who escaped earlier! Get her!" All the operatives stayed behind, except one who started going after her. By that time, Maria had started running back to the room Shadow and Dusk were in.

"I hope I know how to work this," she said as she started frantically working with the knobs and buttons on the control panel. Just when she was about to pull the lever that would start the engines for the pods release, the guard appeared in the entrance of the room. In her fret to save Shadow and Dusk, Maria had forgotten to close the door. It only took an instant for the guard to realize what was going on.

"Pull that lever and you're dead!" he shouted. Maria turned her head and looked at Shadow. She had a look of hope and fear on her face.

"No, Maria," Shadow said under his breath, "Don't pull it. You will get yourself killed. You haven't done anything. You don't deserve to die!" Although it only lasted a few moments, it felt like an eternity. Everyone knew someone was going to get hurt. After what felt like forever, Maria, with all her strength and full of determination, pulled the lever. At the same time, the operative fired multiple times.

"NOO!" yelled Shadow as Maria fell to the ground. She was still alive, but she wouldn't be for long. The metal door closed again, trapping the guard outside. The engines started firing up. It was only a matter of minutes before Shadow and Dusk would be thrown into space. Maria turned her head so it waslooking towards Shadow.The girlwas on the other side of the room, facing the pods that held the two experiments.

"Maria!" said Dusk, "Are you okay?" Even though she was quite young, thehedgehog already knew the answer.

"Shadow," said Maria in a very hoarse voice, "You were meant to help the world. Please, do as you were created to."

"Maria," Shadow said, choking in disbelief, "I can't leave you here alone! I have to get out of here!" He started trying to find a way to get out of the pod by banging on the glass.

"You can't leave us here alone!" cried Dusk.

"This is what was supposed to happen," the dying girl said, talking even softer.

"Maria!" said Shadow, hitting the glass harder, "I'm going to help you! Please, please, please, don't leave us." The last part he uttered softer as he stopped throwing himself against the glass. He knew there was nothing else he could do.

"Well, I'm happy part of my wish came true," Maria said to both of them, "At least you two will get to see Earth." The engines started getting louder.

"Maria," Shadow said, choking again in disbelief that resulted in sounding like a whisper.

"Sayonara, Shadow the hedgehog," Maria said as she used all her strength to put her hand up, trying to reach out to him, "Goodbye." She whispered the last word and then went lifeless.

"MARIA!" yelled Shadow as the pods were thrown out into space. He kept his eyes on Space Colony ARK, not believing what he had just witnessed. It was only when he couldn't see it anymore that Shadow crouched down and put his head between his knees. A single tear hit the floor.

And that is the end of the first chapter of my story (or novel, or fan fic, whatever you wanna call it). Is it worthy of review? Aw, what the heck, just review anyway. Good and bad reviews will all be looked over. But, I'd still prefer good ones :) Like I said before, I'll continue this if people like it enough. Well, my work here is done... for now...