Well, hello there again!

Here is another Shadow and Tikal request from UltimateCCC. I read on tumblr that apparently there is a Shadow canon that when he lived on the ARK with Maria, he would play the piano for her. One thing led to another and here we are! Enjoy!

Peace Out! xx

As the late afternoon dawned on the planet of Mobius, the gang were returning from a long and exhausting voyage battling Eggman out of the stratosphere. They had to admit, taking the battle outside of the entire planet was a nice change of pace, but it was certainly tiring. They were running off minimal sleep over the past few days, plus they were all starving.

As soon as Tails drove the Tornado into the garage, the boys rushed upstairs to the kitchen, the girls following behind lazily before Cream and Cosmo got to making dinner for the gang while everyone else face planted any soft surface in the living room. Tikal couldn't help but notice Shadow take a seat on his lonesome on a bean bag on the edge of the room. He wasn't the most spritely of people, but even he looked somewhat off this evening.

'I suddenly can't tell the difference between tomato sauce and mustard?' Cosmo said to herself tiredly as Cream drifted off to sleep on the table.

'Girls, don't worry about dinner. We'll just make some toasted sandwiches.' Tails insisted as he walked over to the kitchen island to help the two sleepy girls.

'We have to eat, though?' Cream said in a dreamy trance.

'We will, just not a feast tonight. Come on, Tails, Manic and I'll help you out.' Sonia smiled as she pulled her brother to his feet.

As Sonia moved away from the peach echidna, and everyone else's eyes gently closed, Tikal took this as the opportunity to scoot over to where Shadow was siting and strike up a friendly conversation. She took a seat in the bean bag next to him, to which he seemed to notice but merely ignore, before simply looking at him with a friendly smile.

'You look exhausted.' Tikal smiled.

'Ditto.' Shadow huffed.

'I'm fine really, how are you doing?'

'Fine.'

'Are you sure? You look like something is on-'

'I said I'm fine.' Shadow cut her off as he stood up and walked out to the balcony.

It wasn't long after that a huge tray of an array of toasted sandwiches was brought to the living room table, allowing everyone to dig in and fill themselves up. The gang got a little of their energy back, enough to make conversation and talk about their recent adventure. Tikal couldn't stop thinking about Shadow, and took a glance at him every now and then if she could. She was seated next to Rouge and thought maybe she would have noticed his off mood?

'Rouge, have you noticed Shadow seems a little, well, off?' Tikal whispered.

'Hun, he's always 'off'.' Rouge smirked.

'You know what I mean.' Tikal rolled her eyes. 'It just seems like something's wrong?'

Rouge cocked a brow at the female echidna before taking a look at her partner in crime. She looked at him for a little longer than she would normally examine someone, but maybe that was because she just didn't want to believe the inevitable verdict. She knew what was wrong, she should have worked it out while they were out in space these past few days. She couldn't say anything though, not yet at least…

'He just seems like Shadow to me.' Rouge lied through a shrug.

'If you say so.' Tikal agreed.

As evening turned into night and night turned into day, Tikal made her way along the dirt paths of Knothole around midday, soaking up the summer sun and listening the world around her. It wasn't working, she still couldn't shake Shadow from her mind. She had been walking around for at least two hours now trying to clear her thoughts but nothing helped.

She took in a deep breath of fresh air as the wind wafted by her and decided she was going to get to the bottom of it. She knew the mysterious, ebony hedgehog didn't like unannounced visitors, but she hoped he'd make an exception for her. She walked another five minutes towards his shack only to hear the sweet symphony of a piano. She continued to walk closer and closer, the sound grows louder and louder… it was coming from inside! She knocked gently only for the beautiful to stop abruptly and be replaced by loud thumping footsteps drawing closer.

'Tikal? What are you doing here?' Shadow questioned firmly.

'Uh, hello, Shadow. I was just wondering if I could talk to you?' Tikal smiled a little.

'What about?' The ebony hedgehog cocked a brow.

'Well, I had just been thinking about when we got back yesterday and you just didn't seem yourself. I just wanted to know if anything was-'

'Tikal, I told you yesterday and I'll tell you again now. I am fine, understand? Now, if you don't mind, I'm quite busy.' Shadow cut her off before slamming the door in her face.

The sound of the wooden door slamming rang in her ears for a few seconds before the reality of what had happened set in. She couldn't help but feel a little hurt by him, yet she still wanted to help him. She knew she'd regret what she was about to do later on, but she wasn't exactly stopping herself from crawling around the side of Shadow's shack to a window where he was sitting.

'Why? Why did I do that?' Shadow thought aloud. 'Tikal didn't deserve that, she's too beautiful of a person, both inside and out. She deserves so much better.'

'Oh my…' Tikal whispered.

'Oh, Maria. What am I to do? Not a day goes by that I don't think about you, how much I miss you. You always said I should share my talent with others, but if I did… what if I lost you in the midst of it?' The ebony hedgehog said as he traced a few piano keys.

'Maria? Talent?' Tikal thought aloud.

'Maria, please help me. What do I do?' Shadow whimpered.

She'd heard enough, and half of it she didn't even understand. She crawled back around to the front of the house and stood up, backing away slowly as she tried to catch her racing breath. Shadow was entitled to his privacy, but something was very wrong, and she had to help him. She knew who could fill in the blanks, despite the fact they brushed it off. The peach echidna wasn't going to stop until she got some answers…

.

'Rouge? Rouge, are you home?' Tikal called out as she knocked on the ivory bat's front door.

'Yeah, yeah I'm here!' Rouge exclaimed as she opened the door. 'What's all the hub-bub?'

'We need to talk.' Tikal stated as she walked through to the living room.

'Okie doke? What's up?' Rouge shrugged as she closed the door and followed behind.

'I know you know what's wrong with Shadow. Please tell me.'

'Sweetie? Nothing's wrong with-'

'I went to see him this morning and he literally shut me out. I heard him… he was playing a piano and calling out to a girl called Maria.' Tikal said firmly, watching Rouge's facial expression soften. 'I'm worried about him, Rouge, and I know you know what it's about.'

Rouge bowed her head and sighed before walking over to her lounge and taking a seat, gesturing for Tikal to follow. The ivory bat poured some tea that was already set up and passed a cup to her friend as she gathered her thoughts, hoping she would be as patient as she always was. She took in a deep breath before finally looking back up at Tikal with a hesitant smile.

'You know how you and Shadow aren't so different, right?' Rouge questioned.

'Right.' Tikal nodded.

'Well, let's put it this way. Maria was sort of the reason Shadow was created.'

'What do you mean?'

'We always mock him for being the Ultimate Lifeform, but in reality, it's because he's immortal.' Rouge began as Tikal watched her intently. 'Shadow was created on Space Colony Ark many years ago as a project to help cure terminal illnesses, such as Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome.'

'What?' Tikal questioned.

'It's an incurable disease among humans that completely destroy the nervous system. The head of the project, Gerald Robotnik, was her grandfather.'

'So that means…'

'Egghead is her cousin.' Rouge sighed. 'During the entire period of Shadow being, created, and living up there with them… they grew close, like brother and sister, I guess. They were to both one day go down to earth once Maria was cured, live among humans, cure all those who needed it, live in peace and all that kind of stuff.'

'What happened?' Tikal cocked a brow.

'G.U.N.'

'W-What? But he and you-'

'I know, I know, just listen. G.U.N heard about Shadow after he had finished being created and deemed him too dangerous, which is when they attacked the Ark with the intention to kill him and all those involved in his creation. The only one who survived… was him.'

'Oh my, Chaos.' Tikal whispered.

'Maria nearly got away, but she was too ill to continue running, continue fighting. She got Shadow in an escape pod and ejected him but… he watched her be killed before he made it out.'

'S-Shadow…' Tikal trembled. 'I guess being out in space reminded him of her.'

'Right.'

'Why on earth would he work for the people that tried to kill him? The people that killed her?' Tikal questioned.

'G.U.N aren't ones to admit when they're wrong, unless it means gaining a valuable asset. Which is exactly what Shadow was, and is. When they realised he would be of use, they wanted him.' Rouge explained.

'And he agreed?'

'His memory was shot when he was re-awoken. It eventually came back and he'll always resent them for what they did to Maria but… her wish was to help people, and that's what he intends to do.' Rouge smiled a little.

'Wow… That still doesn't explain the piano?'

'He used to play for her. A lot. Especially when she was really sick. I guess it's just another memory.'

Tikal slouched back in her seat, trying to steady her breathing as she took in all this new information. All she wanted to do was run all the way over to Shadow's, jump into his arms and squeeze him back to happiness, but even she knew that was out of the question. She took another sip of her tea before placing it back down on the coffee table and looking up at Rouge with a smile.

'Thanks for your help, you two be really good friends.' Tikal smiled.

'We get along.' Rouge shrugged, causing the echidna to giggle.

The next day, as the sun began to set, Tikal set out again towards Shadow's home. She strolled peacefully along the dirt tracks, basket in hand as she let the wind waft through her quills. She thought it would be nice to bring the ebony hedgehog a dinner, plus she was looking after a chao egg for Cream while the young rabbit was out of town. If all went well, it would be something to do.

She walked up to his front doorstep and heard the sweet sound of the piano keys again. She got lost in the melody for a minute before bringing herself too, she didn't want that sound to stop again and she didn't want to be shut out. Again, she knew she might regret it later and she knew she shouldn't but she gently turned the knob and let herself inside.

She tip-toed into the main room where she found Shadow playing the most beautiful grand piano she had ever seen. He had his back to her, his quills swaying from side to side with his body as he moved around the keys. Tikal smiled at him, watching how lost he became in the music, in the instrument, in everything around them. Then it ended…

'That was beautiful, Shadow…' Tikal said after a second's silence.

'Tikal!' Shadow whirled around to face her. 'What are you doing here?!'

'I'm sorry to barge in, but I didn't want you to shut me out again.'

'There was a reason I shut you out!' Shadow snapped.

'So I wouldn't see you trying to hold onto Maria?' Tikal said boldly.

'Wh- How?' Shadow stammered.

Tikal sighed as she placed the basket on the living room table and walked up to him, taking his hand and leading him to the lounge where they sat down together. She had never seen the ebony man so… shocked? Scared? So full of emotion in general, she supposed. She tried to give him a hint of a smile, letting him know it was all ok, but to no avail.

'I had to know what was wrong, I knew it wasn't nothing. I knew Rouge knew, and I got it out of her.' Tikal explained.

'That damned-'

'Don't blame her! I forced her to tell me!' Tikal exclaimed over him.

'Well… what did she tell you?' Shadow sighed.

'Everything I needed to know.'

'She was my best friend.' Shadow said after a minute silence. 'I'm the reason she's dead.'

'She died because she was very sick, Shadow. She couldn't fight them off. She saved you and that's what made her happy. She wants you to help people, to be happy, to make others happy. Do you really think keeping this beautiful talent locked away is a good thing? Let people hear her, Shadow.'

'What if I lose her?' Shadow bowed his head.

'You'll never lose her.' Tikal insisted as she tilted his head towards her.

'You know something?' Shadow smiled after a minute silence. 'She would've loved you.'

'I know I would've loved her too.' Tikal smiled.

'I'm sorry for how horribly I treated you. You deserve so much better.'

'That's not true, and even if it was… I don't want better.'

Shadow looked at her in surprise before smiling blissfully, unable to believe this sweet girl was so willing to forgive and accept him. He cupped her face gently, caressing her cheek before slowly leaning closer and closer towards her lips, their eyes gradually closing before… the chao egg in the basket on the table began to rattle violently, snapping them both out of their love struck trance.

'What on Mobius is that?' Shadow cocked a brow.

'It's a chao egg I'm taking care of. It must be hatching early!' Tikal exclaimed.

Mere seconds later, the shell erupted into tiny pieces and exposed a little chao that floated above the basket and hovered towards the two. They couldn't help but stare on in shock and awe at the uncanny familiarity of the chao. It looked a freakish amount like, well… Shadow? If they weren't mistaken, it had similar traits to Tikal as well?

'Is it just me or is-'

'No, no I see it too.' Shadow cut Tikal off.

'Chao, chao!' The black and red chao exclaimed happily.

'Well, it's nice to meet you too?' Tikal chuckled.

Shadow smiled as the chao jumped and frolicked around Tikal before jumping off her and buzzing around the room, leaving her to watch it absent-mindedly and Shadow to watch her in all her beauty. She caught him staring at her, making her blush and bow her head into her lap with a giddy smile. She considered asking him to play something for her, but if he wasn't open t it she didn't want to ruin the moment.

'Well, I, uh… guess I should leave you to it then.' Tikal sighed as she went to stand up.

'No, wait.' Shadow insisted, pulling her back down.

'Yes?'

'There's something we need to finish first.'

Tikal cocked a brow at his cheeky smile before he swooped in quickly, closing the gap between them. The chao whimpered bashfully and covered it's eyes as the new couple began to kiss passionately on the lounge. Tikal let her eyes close, trying not to let her breath hitch as she felt his strong hands trace up and down her back. She smiled as she laced her fingers through his quills, happy that she had finally made him happy.

She hoped that if Maria was looking down on them, that she would approve. She hoped that Shadow's sisterly figure really would have loved her, given the chance for them to meet. Regardless of whether the blonde human would approve or not, she sensed that if Shadow was happy, Maria was happy… which, in turn, made her happy. Miracles really do happen?