"Shadow, what do you think life is like on Earth?"

"Well, the Professor once told me that our purpose here is to make people happy–as he puts it, 'through the power of science.' Maybe the people on Earth search for the same thing…Happiness."

"Shadow…"

"Maria, it feels like I don't know anything anymore. Maybe that blue planet below will have answers for me."

"What do you mean?"

"I wonder what purpose I have here. Why was I created? It seems all I am capable of is destruction."

"I don't believe that."

"What?"

"I believe you were brought into this universe to accomplish something great–something… amazing."

"Maria, why do you say that?"

"I just know it."

"…"

"But, Shadow…"

"Yes?"

"Remember that no matter what happens, you cannot sacrifice your own happiness."

"What do you me—?"

"Just promise me."

"I promise you…"

Below I can feel the Earth rotate on its axis, tilting just far enough to extract the sun's eternal radiance.

"Revenge."

My hands quiver; I can feel my body shaking with power.

""Is that all you are, Shadow? One of G.U.N.'s robots? No emotion, no compassion for the people you put in harms way? Just a cold-hearted automaton? You never gave a damn about Rouge at all! Yet, she followed you everywhere, without hesitation. She trusted you!"

I open my eyes, or at least, I try to. Light surrounds me. It's…too bright to see anything.

"She should have gone with me, the day you fell. The day you should have burned up in the atmosphere. No. Instead, you came back. She chose you. If you would have just stayed locked away, none of this would have happened!"

"Shadow?"

"Bah, Shadow. Forget about her. Meet up with me and we'll dig the emeralds up out of the ashes."

"Is he…alright?"

"What? No! Don't leave me here, please! I... I don't want to die."

"Shadow! Can you hear me? Answer me, please! Please, please let him be okay."

"Close your eyes, Maria. I've got you now."

I jolt upright, gasping for air. The light…it was gone. I could see again. I slowly shifted my eyes around, looking for any sign of where I was, and why my head was on fire.

"Shadow! Oh thank God! You're alright!"

Rouge's knees buckled as she crashed to the floor to reach me. Her hands briskly grabbed mine, squeezing my fingers with hers. I looked around frantically, trying to figure out what happened. I was in Hope's room, on the floor beside her bed. Both my inhibitor rings were missing, but Rouge was…alive. I mean, truly alive.

"Rouge! What happened to me? How…how did you—?"

"Shadow!" Sonic called, bursting into the room. "What the hell did you just do? Tails, Amy, everyone is okay! It's a freaking miracle, man!"

"Uhhh," I stuttered, "I don't really know.""

"Sonic! It was incredible!" Rouge exclaimed. "I was barely conscious, slowly drifting in and out of what seemed like death, when this ray of light burst through me! It felt like… as if I had just felt the sun for the first time! After that, I was alive! I mean, really alive! I feel…amazing!"

My head was still spinning. I took my hands away from Rouge to rub my wrists–a feeling entirely foreign to me. I felt weak, another sensation I rarely feel. Everyone around me was bursting with energy, but I felt 50 years older.

"Shadow, I..." Sonic knelt down beside me. "Whatever you did, whatever damn miracle you pulled, it was exactly what we needed. Thank you."

I shakily stood up. Seeing Sonic thank me like I was some kind of hero was enough sentiment for one lifetime. I unsteadily walked to the stairs, desperately grasping the railing for support. What the hell did I do?

"Shadow!" Amy squealed. "You are okay!"

"Yes. Hope, what's the status on the shield?"

Hope looked at me like I had lost my mind. Perhaps I had, for it felt like my head had been thrown into white-hot lava.

"Shadow, in case you have forgotten, three of my friends were literally just dying. The shield hasn't exactly improved since that pretty major incident."

"Shadow, hon, let me help you get down the stairs."

Rouge flew quickly beside me. I hadn't even noticed I only made it two steps. The ultimate life form, likely sealed away in the distant future forever, and I can't make it down a goddamn flight of stairs. Yet, that wasn't what struck me as the most odd. Rouge's nails, when she reached for my arm, dug deep into my skin. It was as if she was trying to pierce through my arm.

"Ow, Rouge. What the hell?"

"Oh, I'm sorry! I guess I don't know my own strength."

Her nails still scratched at my arm; little beads of blood began to race down my dark skin. They let up a bit, revealing a pretty large gash. Had I been cut with a knife earlier? There is no way Rouge's nail made that big of a mark.

"Hey, guys. I think Shadow needs some rest. Why don't you all… take a walk for a while? Get your strength back. I'll keep an eye on old grumpy pants here."

"Good idea," said Sonic. "Amy, Tails, I wanna make sure you guys are okay to work!"

Rouge picked up my shaking body and placed me on the couch. Again, her razors dug in, only this time in my ribcage. I winced, and began to grind my teeth in pain.

"Oh! I am so sorry again, Shadow! I need to watch these things."

I looked up into Rouge's eyes, trying to stop gritting my teeth. What did it matter if her nails scratched my skin? She was alive, and that's all I cared about. She was here, safe beside me forever. I kept my promise, my promise to always protect her. My hand began to intertwine with hers, as naturally as anything I had ever done in my life. Her eyes glowed bright under the fluorescent lights of the lab, her orange irises showing my reflection.

Orange. Orange Irises.

Rouge's eyes are green.

"Rouge, I need to ask you something," I say, trying not to let my voice shake. I can feel my strength returning slowly. I need to bide my time.

"Anything, darling, anything."

Her eyes burned with intensity, as if they were trying to pierce my mind–like her nails did into my skin.

"Do you remember that day, in Soleanna, when we watched the sunset, and talked about the future?"

I gently untangled my hand from her grasp, and slowly reached for the chaos emerald on the table.

"Of course I remember, silly. How could I ever forget?" She sat on the table across from me and leaned her head on my chest. My heart jumped, but I had to keep talking. I could feel the emerald's glassy surface.

"Rouge," I said as I slowly placed my other hand on her head, stroking her ear between my knuckles. "What did you promise me that day?"

"Even if all the world turns against you, know that I will always remain by your side. Remember that, Shadow."

I felt her lungs move faster, her breath increase with nerves. The emerald had fallen into my hand.

"I…I promised you…"

I could feel my strength returning. I didn't know how much longer I could hold back without my inhibitor rings.

"You promised me what?"

"I promised that I… would… never forget what you did to me."

I squeezed the emerald with all my might, warping to the other side of the room. My hands summoned a chaos spear, and I quickly whipped around to face the imposter.

"Who the hell are you, and what have you done with Rouge?"