Tsubasa Shadow Chronicles

Chapter 1: A New Journey Begins

The scent of burning incense broke through the darkness causing Shadow to start coming around. As his senses returned to him he felt himself not on cold metal of the capsule on the Doctor's ship, but the soft comforts of a bed. After struggling to open his eyes for a minute he finally managed to open them, though it took another moment for his vision to adjust once he did he could see he was in a large bed and around the bed were see through curtains with butterflies embroidered in them.

'Where am I' it took a moment to realize that something was grasping his left hand. He looked over to his left and was more than surprised at the sight he saw. A yellow female hedgehog wearing a jean skirt, a white shirt, blue shorts beneath the skirt and blue boots with a matching jacket, that appeared to be around his age was asleep leaning on the bedside holding his hand. 'What the!? Who is she?' Shadow could only stare in shock, he had no clue how to react to this. She must have sensed him wake up for she started to wake up as well, she opened her eyes half way but fully opened them when she saw that he was awake.

"Oh! You're awake, I was starting to wonder when you would wake. How are you feeling?" she quickly said, she realized she was holding his hand and quickly but gently let go. "Sorry about that." It took a second for Shadow to reply.

"No it's okay and to answer your question I still feel tired. Now you tell me who you are and where am I?" Shadow saw what appeared to be a hurt look on her face but it quickly disappeared as she smiled and answered. "It's not surprising you'll still weak after what you went through to get here and all and my name is Maria." Maria, he heard that name before but it could be a common name yet it felt like it should mean something. Shadow focused back on her.

"What is here?" before Maria could reply a new voice cut in.

"This is a store. A shop were wishes are granted." both Shadow and Maria looked back to see a young human woman with long black hair, reddish-brown eyes, and pale skin, wearing a red kimono with a flower pattern. She walked up behind Maria and placed her hand on her shoulder and said to her. "Thank you dear, I'll tell him what he needs to know. Why don't you get something to eat you've been here for quite sometime now." Maria nodded before standing up.

"Thank you." Maria looked back at Shadow and smiled before leaving him and this woman alone.

"Who are you?" Shadow asked.

"Quick to get to the point aren't you?" asked the woman with a smile that he didn't trust, before Shadow could say anything she continued on "My name is Yuko Ichihara, I'm the owner of this shop."

"You said this place grants wishes, what does that mean?"

"Its just as I said, we grant wishes here for a suitable price and you being able to be here means that you have wish." 'Being able to be here?' What does she mean by that? And a suitable price?' as those thoughts went through head a new thought came. He did have a wish and if what she was saying was true than maybe.

"You can really grant any wish?" he asked.

"If it's within this shop's power and for the right price, yes." came her reply. 'Hmmm, might as well ask.'

"Then can you have my memories restored?" Since he had first woken up on Eggman's ship he has been unable to remember anything from before, nothing about his past, where he came from, or if he knew anyone from before. This could finally be his chance to recover his past. Yuko was silent before saying what he had hoped not to hear.

"I can't grant you that wish." Shadow didn't realize that his hopes were up till she said that.

"But I thought you could grant any wish, that was what you were saying right?"

"I said if it was within my power and for the right price I could grant your wish. The reason I cannot grant this wish is because you're not suffering from amnesia, where you simple can't access your memories and in time would return, your memories have been taken from you. They are no longer part of you."

"WHAT?!" Taken from him! Someone had to nerve to steal his memories, his past from him without him knowing!? Shadow clutched his hands in anger as Yuko continued.

"I cannot get your memories back for the one who has them for that person is hidden somewhere in another world." Shadow looked back her when she said that."

"Another world? You mean another planet?" he didn't remember seeing a planet near the Planet Egg, but he did transport it far from the others so maybe he was near a planet when he lost consciousness.

"No, I mean another dimension entirely." 'Another dimension?! How will I ever get my memories back then?' he had no way travel dimensions, unless.

"Can you grant a different wish then?"

"To grant you the ability to cross dimension to find your memories?" she asked with a knowing smile. He couldn't help but wonder how she knew what he was going to ask. "I can grant that wish." Shadow almost let out a sigh of relief before he remember the other part of the deal.

"What's the price for that wish?" Yuko smiled.

"You have a good memory, most people would have forgotten about the price by now. And normally to pay the price by one's self is too high, but paid together with others is enough to cover the price."

"Others?"

"Yes, your wish requires you to travel many worlds to find the one who has your memories and in order to be able to do that you'll have to travel with the others who also need to travel dimensions. Each will pay for their share of the price as well."

"So to travel to other worlds I have to travel with strangers and pay a price of my own?" Shadow asked to make sure he got it right.

"That is correct, keep in mind I can only grant you the means to travel worlds, finding your memories will be up to you," Yuko answered. Shadow thought it over. This could be his only chance to find his memories and discover his past and he wasn't about to pass it up.

"Alright, what is my price then?"

"Your price would be your inhibitor rings," Shadow looked down at his wrists to see his rings were back on, these rings kept his power in check and kept him from losing too much energy plus one of these rings were his only link from his past, could he really give them up? "The price to travel worlds is what you value most, nothing more and nothing less will work. You won't die if you give them up, though you will have to be more careful on how you use your energy to keep from exhaustion yourself. I won't take them now but when you leave if you choose to go on this journey." Shadow was silent for a moment trying to decide what to do. Finally he made his choice.

"Alright, I'll pay the price. I will find the one who took my memories and discover my past!"

"I like your attitude, you'll need it for the journey ahead. For now you should rest and regain your strength, they will arrive by the time you recovered." Yuko said as she turned to leave so he could rest. He started to close his eyes when he thought of something.

"This place, I'm not in the same dimension I was before am I? He asked. Yuko looked back him and answered.

"That is correct."

"How?"

"Try not to worry about too much, you're coming here was "hitsuzen." 'Hitsuzen? What does that mean? What does she know?' before Shadow could think more of it he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

A week has passed since Shadow woke up in Yuko's shop, by now he's managed to recover all of strength and met the others living there. The twins Maru and Moro who took the phase 'like a shade in a mirror' to the point were it was almost scary at times, Watanuki who said was tricked into working at Yuko's shop and thought Shadow was a spirit at first for some reason, and Maria was also staying at Yuko's shop for a certain time and helped around the shop as payment for being able to stay though how long her stay was she wouldn't tell him, even after she got over her embarrassment of being caught holding his hand while he was asleep when he first arrived even after he told her it was okay. Now he was waiting for the people he would be traveling with to arrive. Shadow had confirmed the fact that he was in another dimension and not in the one where Sonic and the others were or the world Chris is from. Maria had told him this planet had not seen life from other planets, humans were the dominant species here and no one had heard of the Metarex or Sonic the Hedgehog, but that left him with the question of not only how he got to this world but Maria as well. She was a hedgehog like him so she wasn't from this world either.

While trying to figure out how he got here he and everyone were outside the shop, he sat under a tree while the girls were being served tea made by Watanuki. His thoughts were broken when he heard Watanuki shout.

"THAT IS WHAT I CALL A HUGE ULTERIOR MOTIVE!" By now he had also learned more about Yuko. While she appeared to be serious and all knowing at times she also had a mischievous, wild and dare he say playful personality, this side was seen often when she ordered Watanuki to cook all kinds of meals, all with lots of sake, difficult chores and anything in general. He had to admit it was amusing to watch his reactions at times and he had the feeling Yuko thought the same thing which was why she continue to do what she did. She also gave cryptic answers not only to Watanuki, but to him as well, he felt that she knew how he got here but she wasn't saying anything. His thoughts were broken once more when he felt a rain drop hit his nose. He looked up to see it was sunny yet it was starting to rain. He wasn't the only one to notice for he heard Watanuki say

"How come all this rain is falling on a sunny day?" they both turned to to yuko when she spoke.

"The Fox Spirit, Kitsune, takes a bride.

"Fox Spirit?" asked Watanuki.

"It's a phrase for rain on a clear day. On a day like this one could do a "kyoochoo." Shadow watched Yuko explained it was a type of divination and instructed Watanuki how hear a omen on a day like this. Suddenly he heard a voice say

"Today I'll be there. Prepare and wait."

"What the?" He looked around but didn't see anyone new but he did see that he wasn't the only one that heard it, for it seemed that the others heard it as well.

"I see. It's today." Yuko said as she got up. "We have to prepare. Prepare for their coming. Shadow. Maria. You both better prepare as well." Shadow was confused at first but than it hit him.

"You mean the others arrive today?" he asked.

"Yes, today you two will leave on your journey." Yuko said as she headed inside.

"Wait a minute, you're coming too Maria?" he asked as he moved from the tree towards her.

"Ah, yes I'll be going with you." she said with a sheepish smile.

"Why didn't you say anything?

"You asked when I was leaving and I didn't know till now, same as you."

'She has me there.'

"But why are you-" he then noticed that Maria had disappeared inside the shop. "Hey!"

In a short time both Shadow and Maria were ready, Shadow and Maria didn't have any material possessions so they were already to go. Finally Yuko came out of the shop wearing a dress of a foreign design.

"Yuko? What's with all the get up?" asked Watanuki. Yuko simply replied.

"I'm prepared for the children to come." before Watanuki could ask what she meant they all heard a sound coming from the sky. "Here they come."

They all looked up and Shadow was genuinely shocked to the sky stretch down towards them and lands right before Yuko, it suddenly burst and inside were a human boy, only a few years older than Chris appearance wise, holding on tightly to a human girl in his arms about the same age. The boy looked up Yuko and asked in a almost desperate tone.

"Are you the Space-Time Witch?"

"I have been called that."

"WOULD YOU PLEASE, I NEED YOU TO SAVE SAKURA!"

"This child's name is Sakura?" asked Yuko as she approached them.

"Yes!"

"And you?"

"I'm Syaoran."

Yuko knelt down next to the girl, which Shadow assumed was Sakura, and touched her forehead with a finger, after a moment she says that the girl has lost something very precious, the boy now known as Syaoran confirmed it, Yuko continued and said that is has been scattered throughout many different worlds and if nothing was done she would die. Syaoran looked heartbroken and hugged the girl tighter to him.

During this Shadow managed to get a better view of them. Syaoran had brown, face-length hair and eyes and olive-brown skin, wore a dark green cloak, a pair of goggles around his neck, black tank top, gloves, and boots and tan pants. Sakura on the other hand had strawberry blond hair that reached her chin though two strands of hair reached down to her shoulders, a white crop-top that hanged off her shoulders with a reddish-pink strip bouldering the top and thinner line the bottom and a large blue gem in the center with three smaller ones at the bottom of the larger gem, and split-opened white skirt that opens at the front to revile pants with a sash at the front with the same markings as her shirt, and Shadow could tell just by looking at her that something was serious wrong with her, she was hardly breathing and if he didn't know any better it looked as though her body was lack for a better term empty. Yuko then told Watanuki to get something from the treasure room. Yuko then turned her attention back to Syaoran and asked if he wished to save the girl he immediately said yes.

"There is a price. Are still willing?

"I will pay any price I can!"

Shadow noticed that since these two arrived Maria has moved closer to them to see if they were alright. In the time he had known her he knew she was the kind of person that worried about others when they were hurt whether she knew them or not, he assumed it was the same with himself. Syaoran must have only just now noticed her for a shocked expression appeared on his face from seeing her and realizing he was here as well. 'Must not have seen anyone like us before.'

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you," Maria quickly said as she bowed her head in apology.

"N- no I'm sorry," Syaoran said just as quickly. Before either one could say anything else a familiar sound ringed out.

"Here they come," said Yuko. Shadow, Maria, and Syaoran looked to their sides to see two bubbles, the same that Syaoran and Sakura came in, appear one from above and one from the ground opening up to reveal two human men. One of them was dressed in white, long, winter coat trimmed with fur, holding a staff with blue crystals, and though his hood was up Shadow could see he had short, wavy, blond hair and blue eyes.

The other was the opposite, dressed in black wearing some kind of armor on his torso, a cape, some kind of red headgear, holding an unsheathed sword on his shoulders. He had black, spiky hair and Shadow was surprise to see that he had red eyes like him, he also saw some blood on his cheek but didn't see a cut on his face.

Then at the same time but in different tones asked who Yuko was. The guy in white asked if she was the Dimension Witch while the guy in black simple asked who the hell she was. They looked at each other though the man in black mostly glared. Before giving them an answer Yuko said.

"Please give me your names first." The man in black answered,

"Me? I'm Kurogane. I mean what is this place?"

"It's called Japan."

Eh? My country's called Japan too."

"Yes. A different Japan.

"I'm not getting any of this! Not one bit."

Yuko then turned to the man in white. "And you?" the man bowed and said.

"The Wizard of Seresu. Fai D. Flowright

"Do you know where you are?"

"Yes, a place where any wish can be granted if a suitable price is paid."

'That's a first, someone came knowing exactly what this place was.' thought Shadow.

"That's exactly is. And so the reason why all of you are here is because each of you has a wish."

The men known as Fai and Kurogane both said their wishes at the same, both beginning the same but ending differently, Kurogane's wish was to go back to his home world while Fai's wish was not to return to his home world. Kurogane once more glared at Fai.

"That is a tall order for both of you. No. For all five of you. Perhaps even if you offered the most precious things you own. None of you has enough to pay. But if all five paid together, you may just able to afford it"

'This is want I've been waiting for.' thought Shadow.

"What kind of crap are you sprouting?" Shadow heard Kurogane said. Fai decided to be the first to speak up to him.

"Mr. Black can you keep your insults down?

"I'M NOT "MR. BLACK!" he yelled at Fai who merely covered his ears and turned his head the other way.

"Please don't yell," Maria said politely. The two man turned to her for the first time both with expressions similar to Syaoran when he saw her.

"What are you?" said Kurogane, before Maria could answer Shadow decided to make himself known.

"She and I are hedgehogs and her name is Maria," he said in a defensive tone.

'I'm going be traveling the worlds with these guys?' Shadow asked himself in disbelief. Before things could even start to get out of hand Yuko continued.

"All five of your wishes are the same." To each she restated their wishes

"You want to go to many worlds in order to restore the memory of this child."

"You want to return to your own world."

"You want to go to different worlds to avoid returning to your own."

"You want to go to other worlds to find what was taken from you."

"You want to travel the worlds to protect someone you have lost." Shadow look towards at Maria when he heard her wish and noticed she had a sad look on her face.

"You have different reasons, but the method is the same. Travel to different dimensions, that is what you need. Each of you individually cannot make that wish happen. However if the five of you combine payment for one wish, then you can afford it."

"Then what would my payment be?" asked Kurogane. He did not like her answer.

"Your sword."

"WHA!? I'd never sell away Ginryu!" Yuko just as quickly replied.

"Fine! Instead you will wander this world looking like a costume-contest loser, and get picked up by the police for carrying an unlawful sword, and get plastered all over the TV for being a freak! Is that what you want?" She said all that while poking him in the chest. The world Kurogane was from obviously didn't have these things back in his world for he was confused about what the police and TV were. "You realize that you are trapped here, and I am the only person in the world who can get you out? Shadow could tell she was having fun.

"THAT GOT TO BE A LIE!" shouted Kurogane.

"Sadly it isn't, if it was I wouldn't still be here," said Shadow. Kurogane looked at him with disbelief.

"You're kidding!"

"I wish."

"What will you do?" Yuko asked though she seemed to know what he'll do since she was holding her hand out.

"DAMMIT!" Kurogane furiously sheathed his sword and handed it to the Yuko. "When I am free from this curse. I'm coming back for it!" His sword starts to float as Yuko accepts it, she then turns to Fai and names his price.

"Your price is your marking." Fai looked surprised and reluctant to hand it over and tried to barter his staff instead but Yuko said it won't do, it had to be what he valued most. A worried look appeared on his face but was quickly replaced with a smile saying that he guessed he didn't have a choice. With that a large tattoo pattern appeared from his back and floated next to the sword. She turned to Shadow next.

"Now for your payment." Shadow sighed before twisting the rings off his wrists and handed them to Yuko. She turned to Maria but instead of taking anything she simply said.

"I've already received your payment." They all looked at Maria who had a sad expression on her face before replacing it with s small smile. Yuko finally turned to last to who had yet to pay, Syaoran and Sakura.

"What about you? Now is the time to hand over your item of highest value. And you will be able to travel the worlds."

"Fine!" Syaoran quickly said.

"You realize that I haven't name the price yet."

"Yes!"

"The only things I can do is send you to other words. Find the child's memories is something you will have to do." Syaoran didn't even hesitant to answer.

"Fine!"

"I like your attitude." Yuko said with a small smile as she looked back at the shop. Shadow turned to see Watanuki, followed by Maru and Moro, coming back carrying two small creatures in his arms, one black and the other white. Shadow didn't recognize any species they could be but if he had to guess they looked like some sort of rabbit. "Thank you Watanuki" she said to him as she took the white creature in her arms, to them she said.

"The name of this young one is Mokona Modoki. Mokona will lead you through the worlds." The black one in Watanuki's arms waved at them and Kurogane saw it.

"Hey, you got an extra. Give it to me. I'll go home with that."

"No, that's how we keep in contact. The only power this one has is to stay in communication with Mokona. See how useful." she said as she pointed to each Mokona. "Mokona will take you do different dimensions, but there is no way to control which dimension. For that reason, only fate will decide when your wishes will be granted. However, there is no coincidence in the world. What is there is "hitsuzen." And what brought you together was also "hitsuzen." Then she finally named Syaoran's price.

"Syaoran your price is your relationship. The thing you value the most is your relationship with her. So that is your price."

'His relationship?!' Shadow didn't even know that could be a price, let alone how he'll pay it. Syaoran must have been thinking the same thing for he spoke his thoughts out loud.

"My price? But how-" Yuko interrupted to explain.

"Even if this child's memories are completely restored your relationship with her will never be the same again. So what is she to you?" Syaoran looked down at Sakura, shut his eyes, tighten his grip even more and answered.

"A childhood friend, and the princess of a country, and a girl who is precious to me!" With a look of sympathy Yuko continued.

"I see. However if you want to accept Mokona. That relationship will end. Even if you retrieve all of her memories the one memory that you will never retrieve will be her memory of you. That is my price.

Will you still pay it?" They watched Syaoran waiting to hear what his choice will.

"Let's go." he looked back up with a look of pure determination. "I will not let Sakura die!" With his answer Yuko once more answered them with what they will need to know.

"Travel between worlds is more difficult than you imagine. There are wide variety of worlds. For example" She turned her head to Fai and Kurogane. "The worlds these two come from." then to Shadow and Maria. "And these two as well. You can tell just from clothes and appearance, can't you? They all came from different worlds than yours. People you know, people you've met on your world. They've developed under completely different conditions on other worlds. You may meet different versions of the same person time after time on different worlds. And just because that person is nice to you one world doesn't mean you will find an ally on the next. You'll find worlds where you can't communicate, where even common sense doesn't work. Scientific development, standards of living, laws... All change with the world. There are worlds full of criminals, worlds of liars, worlds locked in constant wars and you must live through them all. It will be a journey in which you won't know where you are nor how close are to collecting all the fractured pieces of memory. That said are you still determined to see it through?" She asked Syaoran for the final time though Shadow knew just as well as she did what his answer will be. He wasn't disappointed.

"Yes!"

"Sincerity and determination. No matter what a person wants to attempt, those are needed and it seems that you are well provided with both. And so." Suddenly the white Mokona floated up in the air and huge white feathered wings appeared from it's back, and magic circle appears below it and just as shocking it opened it's mouth to an impossible length and started to inhale them. "You may go!"

They all tense up but got sucked up anyway, colors once more surrounding them. Once everyone was inside Mokona closed it's mouth and disappeared into a mist up towards the sky. Once they were gone the rain stopped, Yuko looked up and said.

"I wish you five the best of fortune on your journey."