A Wishful Resurrection, a sonic the hedgehog fanfic

A/N: Hey, everyone, XJA is back on the track! I want to apologize for the long delay. This COVID-19 epidemic is really getting to not just me, but every individual throughout the entire globe. Being quarantined sucks, but it is also beneficial. My second semester in my college freshmen year is still going on, so like I said in It Ain't Easy Being Green, I won't be as present as I possibly can. Anyway, this fanfic was requested by Super Shadow 2018, so be sure to give him a HUGE shout-out. With that being said, let's move on to the story!

Sonic the Hedgehog is the rightful property of Sega.

Wishes Do Come True

Throughout his life, Shadow remembered all the memories he shared with a certain someone; sadly, those times were long gone since that fateful day. While watching a meteor shower, the dark hedgehog makes his one wish. Little did he realize that this will ultimately lead him to the greatest surprise he never thought possible.

Shadow the Hedgehog found himself sprinting through the ARK's numerous hallways. Along with the hedgehog was his best friend, Maria Robotnik, who was running as fast as her legs could carry her. The duo was being chased by a group of armed soldiers, each wielding a rifle in their hands.

As Shadow and Maria ran for their very lives, the halls were illuminated by flashing red lights, accompanied with the sound of an alarm.

Why did this happen?

You see, a law enforcement organization known as the Guardian Units of Nations, or GUN, was given a mission to extract the information out of Project Shadow. The title alone sounded sinister enough, but GUN thought there could be more to the research than they thought. To say the least, they considered this a threat. Sensing that their world might be in danger, they had no choice but to invade the ARK and destroy the project once and for all, which takes us back to where we started.

"They're gaining on us!" Maria panicked as she ran as fast as she could. She does not want the soldiers to catch neither her nor Shadow. If they did, who knows what could happen? It was clear that these guys want answers to everything they know, but they were not going to spill the beans that easily. Not on their watch.

Shadow looked at the young blonde and responded, "Don't worry, we'll make it out of here, I promise! Just stay with me and you'll be fine!" As the two headed down the hallway with the soldiers in hot pursuit, they spotted a door at the end. Seeing their chance to escape, Shadow and Maria used the remainder of their energy from their legs and sprinted to the door as quickly as possible.

"We're gonna make it!" Shadow said as he and Maria ran towards their only way of escape. Once they reached the entrance, the door automatically opens with lightning-fast speed as the hedgehog and blonde make their way through. The door shuts itself, giving Shadow the perfect opportunity to quickly type in the passcode.

BEEP!

The green light above the door turns red, meaning that the door is locked.

Shadow and Maria panted as they tried to catch their breath. They barely escaped the clutches of the armed soldiers, but were now safe.

"That door should hold them off for long," Shadow reassured. He knows the door was made of a very strong metal, which should prevent the soldiers from barging in on him and Maria.

They checked their surroundings and realized that this is the same room they always hung out in. The corridor contained a bunch of windows overlooking the Earth.

Maria let out a sigh of relief as she wiped a drop of sweat off her forehead. "Thank goodness! I thought we were goners for a moment there." She then sighs in sadness as a thought crossed her mind. "Too bad we never had the chance to save Grandpa."

Shadow and Maria could not bear the fact that the professor was not with them anymore. Not too long ago, Gerald was captured by the GUN soldiers because they wanted him to reveal the information involving his research of Project Shadow, but he refused by stating that it was none of their business. Before he knew it, the professor's life flashed before his eyes.

"It's my fault," Shadow lamented, as he looked down with despair and regret. "Had I been strong enough to save him from those guys, he would still be here today." If you look closely, you can see him shedding a lone tear.

Maria was heartbroken to see her best friend blaming himself for something he was not responsible for. She calmly approaches the hedgehog and wraps her arms around his shoulders, embracing him in a gentle, warm hug. "It was never your fault, Shadow," the blonde reassured in a soft tone of voice. "I agree that Grandpa didn't deserve this, but you did all you could to save him."

Upon hearing those words come out of Maria's lips, Shadow's guilt immediately diminished. He then returned the hug to Maria as they continued to comfort each other.

Their hug did not last long, however, as they were suddenly interrupted by the sound of metal banging. Shadow and Maria set their sights on the door and noticed a slight dent, which can only mean one thing…

The soldiers were attempting to break in, the door receiving more dents as the intruders behind it were trying to barge their way in. The dent increased in size as the armed men applied more force to the door. As the banging on the metal door became louder and louder, Maria was extremely terrified, while Shadow grew tense from all the anxiety clinging onto him. For all they knew, it wouldn't be long before the soldiers break their way in.

At that moment, Maria noticed a lever on one of the control panels, along with a big red button. She did not know whether or not if this will activate an escape hatch, but she was not taking any chances.

"Shadow!" the blonde shouted, getting the hedgehog's attention. She then pointed her index finger to the center to the room. "Go stand in that spot right there. Don't ask questions, just trust me!"

Shadow did not know what Maria was planning, but did what he was instructed. When he arrived at the exact spot, Maria immediately pressed the red button.

Without warning, Shadow was instantly contained in what appears to be a capsule, much to his surprise. "What the hell?!" he shouted. "Maria, what is this?!"

"One, two, THREE!"

CRASH!

The entrance was finally breached. The soldiers walked into the room with their guns drawn. They set their sights on Maria, whose hands were gripping tightly on the lever.

One of them aimed his weapon at the young blonde, implying that he will open fire should she resist. "Step away from the control panel!" he commanded.

Maria trembled with terror as the gun was pointed directly at her. If she thought getting captured by these guys was bad enough, the idea of being shot at point blank range was downright horrifying.

"Ma'am, I am not gonna tell you again!" the lead soldier warned. "Step away from the control panel, now!"

The blonde was not willing to comply, so she kept her grip on the lever.

The sight of Maria being held at gunpoint was something Shadow could not bear at all. In fact, it made his blood boil immensely. He was not going to let his best friend suffer in the hands of these punks. He had to act fast.

"Leave Maria alone!" Shadow yelled at the group of soldiers. "She is not a threat! Why would you bastards go through all this trouble just to harm someone as innocent as her?! She doesn't have to listen to a damn word from the likes of you!"

Much to the hedgehog's dismay, his pleas fell on deaf ears. Frustrated, he continued to lash out at the armed men.

"I'm DEAD serious! If you dare such as lay one finger on her, you'll regret it!"

The soldiers continued to ignore Shadow's warnings, causing him to reach his breaking point. In a last-ditch attempt to break himself out of the capsule, he unleashes a flurry of punches and kicks with all the strength he mustered, each blow becoming more violent as his anger rose.

No luck. The glass was so thick that he didn't make even a single crack on it.

"Damn it!" Shadow cursed under his breath, disappointed that he was not able to break his way out to save Maria. Just when he was about to give up hope...

"Shadow?"

That was Maria's voice. The aforementioned hedgehog set his sights on the young blonde, whose blue eyes were looking deeply into red.

"It's all right," Maria said with a smile on her face. "You have nothing to worry about."

Shadow gave the blonde an incredulous look. "Maria, listen to yourself! Can't you see these guys are trying to hurt you? There is no way I'm going to let that happen! Whatever it takes, I will make sure we can still go to Earth together!"

Maria could only look down to the floor as she pondered on the idea of going to the planet she always dreamed of visiting. After several seconds of being in her train of thought, she gave Shadow a comforting smile. "That sounds like a great idea."

Shadow looked at the blonde girl with a smile matching hers. Maybe there is still hope after all.

…

Or is there?

…

"But I'm afraid you will have to go on without me."

The hedgehog's eyes widened in shock. "WHAT?!"

And it gets worse.

"It's true that it has always been my dream to visit Earth, but I won't let you get hurt because of it. She turned to Shadow with another smile, albeit with a bit of sadness. "Besides, I never told you the reason why Grandpa created you in the first place. He wanted you to protect humanity from any kind of threat. He knows you have the power to bring peace to the world."

"Then tell me, Maria," Shadow demanded, clenching his eyes shut as he tried to fight back tears. "If that is the whole reason, then why didn't you tell me until now?"

Upon hearing that question, Maria knew she could no longer hide any more secrets from her best friend, so she had to tell the truth. "Because I figured this was the right time to tell you. I know I should've told you sooner, and for that, I am sorry."

"It doesn't matter!" Shadow retorted, pounding his fists on the glass. "I can still get us both out of here! I'm sure of it!" He was getting desperate. If only there was a way to save Maria from the intruders.

Said blonde somberly looked down at the floor, tears falling from her eyes. "I am sure you will make some new friends down there on Earth. If they get the chance to know you, I can guarantee they will accept you for who you are. You'll just have to move on."

Shadow refused to believe what he just heard. Maria is the only one he has left, which does not help the fact that this will be the last time he will ever see her.

At this point, all hope was lost. There was nothing he could do to save her. NOTHING.

"Ma'am, this is your final warning! Hands off the lever, now!"

But Maria still refuses to listen.

"Shadow, listen to me. I know this sounds hard, but I am doing this just for you. Let's just say it is something I'm doing in return for all the wonderful things you've done for me. Just promise me one thing."

Shadow placed his hands on the glass as he looked at the blonde with a determined expression on his face. "Anything! Whatever it is, I will do it! Just please... for the love of God, don't pull that lever!"

"Promise me that no matter what happens, you will give those people a chance to be happy."

"I promise."

With a tearful smile, Maria solemnly uttered her final words, "Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog." before pulling the lever down, activating the capsule's launching sequence.

Time seemed to slow down for Shadow as he watched the lead soldier prepared to pull the trigger. In his mind, he could hear the sound of an intense heartbeat.

THUMP THUMP

And then, the moment that changed Shadow's life... FOREVER.

BANG!

"MARIA!"

Shadow shot up from his bed in a state of shock, breathing heavily while trying to recover from his outburst. Once he regained his breath and composure, he checked his surroundings to see that he was in his dimly lit bedroom. The hedgehog's relief was short-lived, however, once he figured out what caused his sudden awakening.

"Damn it, that dream again."

But it was no dream... it was a hellish nightmare.

What's worse was that it actually happened over 50 years ago.

Shadow groaned in frustration, tightly clutching his forehead with both hands as if he developed a severe migraine. He just couldn't take it anymore. To this day, the memories of what had played out continue to haunt him. Even after willing to put his past behind him, Shadow would never forget the horrific image of Maria's sacrifice. Though devastated, he admired the blonde for her selfless act of bravery. She was truly one of a kind.

Needless to say, it was undoubtedly the hardest thing he ever had to cope with.

"If... if only I had the chance to save her..."

Just then, Shadow was broken out of his train of thought when he heard a knock at his bedroom door. "Come in."

The door opens, revealing the visitor to be none other than GUN agent and Shadow's partner, Rouge the Bat. She was wearing a purple, short-sleeved nightgown with the bottom reaching to her knees. Judging by her expression, she appeared to be concerned for the hedgehog's well-being.

"Shadow, what happened? Are you feeling right?"

"I'm fine, Rouge," the hedgehog responded as he lied back down.

Said bat approached the side of the bed and sat down next to him. She took a moment to observe Shadow's current state. His eyes appeared to be slightly bloodshot, and his quills became messy during his not-so-peaceful slumber. Rouge didn't have to be a genius to figure out that Shadow hadn't slept so well.

"Are you sure? I heard you screaming from downstairs."

"Positive," Shadow answered monotonously, closing his eyes.

Obviously, Rouge wasn't buying it. Even though Shadow was trying to lie his way out of the conversation, the bat knew something was wrong with him, and she was determined to help him out in any means necessary, even if he didn't ask for it. As Rouge pondered on what to say, there is one particular question that came into mind... and she could already tell that it wasn't going to be pretty.

"It's that dream again, isn't it?"

Surprisingly, Shadow wasn't even fazed in the slightest; he knew exactly what the bat was talking about.

"I'm sorry."

…

"Don't worry about it."

Despite sounding indifferent, Rouge could sense the hollowness in the hedgehog's voice.

Unable to suppress the horrific memory of the blonde's untimely demise, Shadow hung his head in utter despair, gripping his bedsheets tightly. If you look closely, you could see tears dripping from his clenched eyelids. Feeling compassionate for her friend, Rouge wrapped him in a warm hug. For the next ten minutes, Shadow silently cried into the bat's arms as she rubbed his quills, all while whispering words of comfort to him. Although his sadness had not yet diminished completely, Shadow was appreciative of Rouge being there for him, even if he didn't ask for it.

After a short period of time, both Shadow and Rouge pulled away from each other, with the former wiping his tears off and the latter walking towards the door. Once the bat opens it, she turned to her partner and said, "Take all the time you need, OK?"

"Actually, I think I'll go outside, just to take a nice breather."

Rouge smiled at the hedgehog's confirmation. "That's fine. Looks like you won't be missing tonight's meteor shower."

"Meteor shower?" Shadow questioned in confusion. What exactly does a meteor shower have to do with him?

"Aw, don't tell me the Ultimate Life-Form wants to miss out on all the fun," Rouge teased, much to her teammate's annoyance. "And get this: they say if you were to make a wish during a meteor shower, it'll come true."

This urged Shadow to glance at the jewel-obsessed bat with a blank expression. "Rouge, you know very well I don't believe in wishes.

"Not with that attitude!" Rouge retorted smugly, then switched to her caring mode. "Still, you should at least give it a try. After all, this is your chance to witness a meteor shower right before your eyes. It'd be a shame if you weren't there to see it."

Shadow took a moment to process what Rouge told him. He couldn't exactly recall if he ever made a wish or not, and even if he did, it wouldn't really matter. As far as he was concerned, wishes are just wishes. Nevertheless, he begrudgingly took the bat's words into consideration.

"Fine."

"Oh, thank you so much, Shadie!" Rouge cooed excitedly, glomping said hedgehog. "I knew you'd come around!" As she approached the doorway, she blew a kiss towards her partner before leaving the room.

Annoyed by the bat's antics, Shadow gave himself a facepalm. Why he still hangs out with Rouge is beyond him.

It was almost midnight, and Team Dark were preparing for the meteor shower to begin, with Rouge holding her phone up to the sky to catch the upcoming meteor shower on camera, Shadow sitting on the grass with his arms folded as usual, and Omega flashing his sensors to get a better view.

"All right, boys," Rouge called as she held her phone up to the sky. "Only one minute before the show starts!"

Shadow glanced at the bat girl with a rather annoyed expression. "Calm down, Rouge, it's just a meteor shower."

"Hey," the spy interjected, "you're the one who wanted to come out here to catch a view of one in the first place."

"Only because I let you talk me into it."

"Oh, hush up."

Shadow groaned as he gave himself a facepalm. Honestly, why even bother coming outside when something like this was going to occur? If anything, he would have just gone back to bed when he still had the chance. As much as he liked hanging out with Rouge, her sassiness can really drive him up the wall at times.

Now, he was starting to show compassion for a certain red echidna. How he managed to put up with the bat girl was beyond him.

The dark hedgehog was soon pulled out of his train of thought when he heard Rouge yell, "Here it comes!" Not long after, a group of comet-like objects flew across the atmosphere at blistering speeds, turning the night sky into a stunning light show.

The meteor shower has started.

All three members of Team Dark had different reactions: Rouge was cheering in elation as she captured the shower on camera, Omega uncharacteristically flashed his sensors rapidly as a way of expressing his supposed excitement, and Shadow calmly shifted his gaze into the beautiful cosmic display.

The hedgehog himself could not believe his eyes. If he thought viewing the Earth from the ARK was a sight to behold, it was nothing compared to what he was seeing right now. Never in his immortal life had he witnessed something so breathtaking. Oh, how he wished this moment would last forever.

"They say if you were to make a wish on a meteor shower, it'll come true."

Great, now she's stuck in his head, too. Wishes coming true? As if Shadow was foolish enough to believe in something so childish. It would ruin his cool nature.

Believe it or not, there was something that had been in the hedgehog's mind for so long. What if it was actually possible for such a thing to happen? Chances are it will highly unlikely provide some results, and even if something did occur, it still wouldn't change Shadow's perspective on how wishes are supposed to work. Would he actually bring himself to make a wish? And if so, then what?

Perhaps... he should make a wish on the meteor shower right before his very eyes. Whether it comes true or not, he will just have to wait and see.

As the old saying goes, you never know unless you try.

Shadow took a deep breath as he took a few steps forward. Closing his eyes, he prepared himself to make one long overdue wish.

"I don't know if you can hear me," Shadow thought, "but if I were to make a wish, it'd be that someone would come back. A special someone. Someone who was long gone. That person's name is… Maria Robotnik. She was my only friend at the time. Since the day of my creation, Maria and I had formed a bond like no other. We read each other bedtime stories, we played games, we cooked our own food, we even took baths together. Our relationship was truly remarkable. One fateful day, however, everything changed. I tried to protect Maria from those heartless humans, but I wasn't strong enough to save her. She had always dreamt of visiting Earth because of its glory, but a bullet took away took away that chance. Things weren't just the same without Maria. I tried so hard to move on, but her sacrifice is still fresh into my mind. I know it seems impossible, but... I wish she would have enjoyed the wonderful scenery here on this very planet. That's all I have to say."

After finishing his monologue, Shadow opened his eyes and redirected his attention to the sky, in

which the meteor shower is still traveling through the night.

Nothing happened.

The dark hedgehog cannot say he wasn't disappointed, but at least he made his long-awaited wish.

After several minutes, the meteor shower had finally come to an end. Team Dark made their way back to the house, with Shadow having to close the door. Taking one last glance up into the stars, the hedgehog gives off a slight grin. Maybe coming out here wasn't such a bad idea after all.

Shadow yawned before he tucked himself back into the covers, ready for a good night's sleep, and for real this time. Although not one to get tired so easily, even the Ultimate Life-Form needs his beauty sleep. Besides, one nightmare was bad enough, he doesn't want to go through another on the same night. Tomorrow was going to be a new day, and he is prepared to keep it that way.

Little does he realize that he has a rather unexpected surprise just waiting for him.

Before he could drift off to sleep, there was a soft, feminine voice.

"Shadow..."

Startled, the aforementioned hedgehog instinctively raised himself up, looking around his bedroom in search for the person who called out his name without warning. "Who's there?"

"I'm right here, silly."

Except there was no one in sight.

"Who are you, and how do you know my name?" Shadow asked, trying to pull himself together. Was his mind playing tricks on him?

"(giggle) You'll find out soon enough."

A slight grumble left Shadow's lips. Now, this was starting to get irritating. "This better be good."

"Trust me, it will. Just close your eyes."

In spite of his annoyance, Shadow obliged. He didn't know why, but there was something awfully odd about that voice. It sounded feminine... as if it belonged to someone he knew a long time ago. Who was this mysterious character, anyway?

There came the luxurious sound of sparkles, followed by a sudden flash of light. He could sense something, or rather someone, slowly crawling towards him. Not long after, he felt them place their hand on his shoulder, which felt quite comforting.

"You can open your eyes now."

Upon doing so, Shadow was shocked to the core in an instant.

"Surprise! Hee-hee!" Right in front of him was a young teenage girl, her sapphire blue eyes staring into crimson red orbs. She had shoulder-length blonde hair held back with a blue hairband. Her attire consisted that of a light blue short-sleeved shirt with a white trim in the middle, a light blue

skirt that reached all the way down to her mid-thighs, also trimmed white, a pair of white gloves with blue cuffs around her wrists, and a couple of blue knee-high boots with a white stripe in each center.

Interestingly enough, the most unique feature that caught the hedgehog's attention was the pointy ears sticking out of the girl's hair, along with a tiny black nose on her muzzle.

"Could it really be her?! A-and she's become a hedgehog!" Shadow thought, unable to process the sight before him. Judging by the blonde's appearance, albeit her change of form, he seemed to immediately recognize who this woman was.

"Maria?"

His hopes were confirmed when the girl nodded with a soft smile. Suddenly, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her. The now identified Maria shifted her gaze to see Shadow embracing her in a warm hug as he sobbed into her shoulder.

"It's you. Thank God it's really you."

Recovering from her shock, Maria returned the soft gesture. She rubbed her hand along Shadow's quills in an act of comfort, all while listening to him cry his heart out. "Shh, it's all right. Let it all out. I'm here for you."

Shadow just couldn't believe it. He thought this was all a dream, but fortunately for him, it was reality. The emotion of reuniting with his long-gone best friend in the most unexpected manner overwhelmed him.

It seemed like his wish had actually come true.

Unbeknownst to both hedgehogs, they were under the watchful eyes of Rouge and Omega from the doorway, the former shedding a tear of joy from the heartwarming view and the latter giving a thumbs-up.

They could not be more happy for their teammate.

A/N: Talk about a stunning surprise. Not only did Shadow wish Maria back to life, she's also a hedgehog now! I can guarantee that these two are planning to make up for lost time after 50+ years. For Rouge and Omega, they could not be more happy for their teammate. Wishes are something special, aren't they?

Before I go, I want to apologize for my really long absence. Between everything that is happening in the outside world and prioritizing my goals, the time it took me to write this was WAAAAY longer than I intended, so please understand that I put all of my time, thought, and effort into writing this. Just so you know, this is not the end of the story, as there will be more chapters coming soon. If you enjoyed reading this, feel free to share your thoughts in the reviews. Until next time...

PEACE!