Waking up for the first time was painful but Shadow would give anything to go back to it. It was a much simpler kind of pain. He woke up filled with the rage of unknown origin. Despite not knowing anything else about himself, he was sure of one thing. He lost something dear to him and that fueled his anger. How dare they take something away from him?
He wasn't worried that he was surrounded by soldiers with guns. It even felt familiar. The task was simple. Get away from them and figure out what he lost. Those soldiers weren't that much of a challenge to him but there was something frustrating happening. It should be much easier to defeat them. The hedgehog was missing his jumps and got winded after the first time he used chaos control. It was a little inconvenient but it still should be enough to get away.
Everything went wrong when Shadow saw her, a female soldier. She was going after him, determined to stop him and he froze. The rage in his muscles wanted him to move but it was quickly swallowed by the pain in his chest. And then it happened. His first memory. The memory of a young blond teenage girl standing next to a console looking weak.
There was a sadness in her eyes as Shadow was banging on the glass tube that he was trapped in. They were in some kind of facility where all the walls were made of metal with windows looking into the darkness.
"Maria!" Shadow was screaming for her.
"Please, promise me." She said weakly.
"I promise." He said with tears in his eyes.
She smiled. "Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog."
She pressed something on the console. He watched her fall and everything went black after that.
Shadow stood there as soldiers approached him. Nothing mattered anymore, there was just overwhelming grief and pain that held his body in place. The hedgehog was lucky that they just assumed that he came to his senses and gave up. He was silent as they put him in some room and left him there for hours.
During that time a few more memories came back to him. It was fuzzy but he could piece together that he lived with Maria on space colony ARK. He was an ultimate life form and he was experimented on. It wasn't a lot but it gave him an idea of who he was. He also remembered that they were attacked by the military and G.U.N. needed to pay for that. It was his promise to Maria.
Shadow was ready to jump the first person that walked through the door but life had different plans for him. Her blond locks had the same color as Maria's hair. Even with all the anger and frustration inside him, the hedgehog couldn't bring himself to attack her. It was a tough pill to swallow that he was in no condition to fight. He couldn't allow himself to freeze on a battlefield and he felt weaker. The lady with blond locks provided an explanation for that.
At first, he didn't believe her when she told him that he was asleep for 50 years and that he was on Earth. She easily proved it by just showing him a view outside. She wanted to have him tested and he agreed without much of a fight. Shadow needed to know how strong he was and if he was 50 years in the future, he was at a big disadvantage not knowing the current technology.
Just dying without avenging Maria was not an option, he needed a plan. Tests gave him plenty of time to think since they were weirdly simple, not the kind of tests that he was used to. Layla was there to watch it and her smile grew larger with each test result.
Apparently, all those tests were meant to assess his age. She explained to him that he is considered a teenager and that he needed an adult to take care of him, which was an obvious lie. Shadow didn't heed anyone and was perfectly fine on his own. She was explaining to him things about the foster care system and a plan formed in his mind. Being a foster child would provide a perfect opportunity to train and regain his strength away from the military. It was annoying that he would have to stay around an adult human but as an upside, he wouldn't have to worry about the food and shelter.
"""
"Shadow, what do you think it's like on Earth?" Maria asked as she looked through the window at the planet beneath them.
"I don't know. The professor said that his life's work was dedicated to all those who live down there. To make them happy through the power of science." Shadow answered.
"Maybe one day we'll be able to go there together." She smiled softly.
Shadow opened his eyes as a ray of sun hit his face waking him up to the sight of a forest passing them by. His eyes lingered on the trees for a moment before he turned his head to the inside of the car, not being able to look at the scenery. The hedgehog clenched his fist, it was another thing that was stolen from him. The guilt and pain gripped his heart but he tried not to show it to the lady sitting next to him.
Layla was very happy that she was able to find a place for him to stay. Shadow didn't understand what was so hard about finding a home but apparently, it was the only option and if not for that guy, the hedgehog would have to stay with G.U.N.
"You can still just drop me here in the woods and I'll be fine. I don't need that guy to take care of me." Shadow said slowly.
She sighed. "I told you that I can't. It's a law. You need to stay with an adult. If you try to run away from him, we would have to look for you and you know that commander Walters is just waiting for a reason to put you back in the G.U.N. facility."
Shadow nodded solemnly. "I can't do things against the law or I'll go back."
As much as the hedgehog hated the idea of staying with someone, he hated going back to the military even more. They spent the rest of the ride in silence as he tried his best to remember every detail of his last memory. After an initial flood of them, they had become less frequent. But that made him cherish the handful of memories that he had, especially if they were related to Maria.
"""
"Hello, my name is Wade. It's really nice to meet you, Shadow." The human said cheerfully.
There was something odd about that human. A few seconds ago he was a nervous mess but he relaxed as soon as he saw the hedgehog. Any other person that Shadow met so far was so careful around him, looking for any sign of danger. Even Layla with an optimistic attitude was a little hesitant when she came to visit him for the first time. Wade was uncomfortable with the whole situation but Shadow was providing a weird sense of comfort.
It was something new for the hedgehog but all things considered, that didn't say much. Ever since he was revived he was experiencing most the things for the first time. Most of his past was just a black void. Still, it was refreshing to have someone happy to see him despite it being unnatural to the hedgehog.
"Should we get inside before anyone sees us?" Layla asked.
"Of course! Please come in." He said to the social worker before turning back to Shadow. "Do you need any help getting your things inside?"
Shadow furrowed his brow and looked at his gloves with golden rings around his wrists and then at his shoes with another set of golden rings around his ankles. What was he talking about? Did he want Shadow to take them off?
They stared at each other when Layla came to the rescue. "He doesn't have any bags. You just get one alien hedgehog."
"That's fine. We'll change that in the near future." He said with a smile and motioned for Shadow to come inside.
It was a simple one-story house with a garage. In preparation for house inspection, Wade renovated it. It was painted recently and he fixed all the issues that accumulated over the years of him living there.
For Shadow, it was bizarre to be in a house. As far as he remembered he only read about them. It almost felt too soft compared to the ARK. A fluffy rug in the hallway, curtains in each window, and a soft comfortable couch in the living room. It was filled with the warm colors of the evening sun, making it look even cozier. Wade led them to the living room where Layla set her briefcase on a coffee table and sat on the couch while Shadow kept standing inspecting the room.
"You can sit down too." Wade encourages the boy. "It was probably a long trip to get here. Do you want something to drink or to eat? I made chicken soup."
Shadow just stared at the human, not sure what his deal was. The hedgehog was supposed to stay with him but he was acting so warm and fuzzy, just like his house. Shadow didn't need that. Wade's smile dimmed and he looked a little worried.
"Can you talk?" The male asked softly.
"He can, he's just being a moody teenager," Layla answered for the hedgehog. "Let him warm up to you."
"Ok! I totally understand. It has to be a very stressful day for you." The human smiled again and it was so painfully sincere. "You don't have to force yourself to do anything. You know what. I'll get a bowl of soup for you. So you don't have to ask for it. It's still hot. I finished cooking it a few minutes before you got here. I didn't get a chance to eat yet so if you are not hungry, I'll eat it."
Wade quickly moved around the kitchen and set a bowl of soup on the table. "You can sit at the dining table when we fill out the paperwork. If you need anything just tell me. The glasses are in that cupboard over there if you want to get a glass of water. After we are finished I will show you your new room."
And then Shadow finally decided, Wade annoyed him. He was an ultimate life form and the human acted as if the hedgehog needed his help. The only thing that he needed was to be left alone. With how soft the human was, it shouldn't be a problem. It wasn't like Wade could stop him if Shadow wanted to leave.
"I know your history but I have to admit that I'm still surprised how well you are taking it," Layla said as she pulled out documents from her briefcase.
Wade rubbed the back of his head. "I'm more used to them than human teenagers. I guess that happens when your best friend has three alien kids."
That was an interesting bit of information that piqued the hedgehog's interest. Shadow was supposed to be unique. He didn't remember meeting anyone like him but he was asleep for a long time. A lot more projects could be developed during that time. He needed to learn more to have a tactical advantage. The hedgehog sat at the table and the delicious scent of the chicken soup hit his nose. It has been a long time since he ate something and it was for him. Free food was free food no matter where it came from. He grabbed the spoon and tried the soup. It was amazing. It could have been the first time that Shadow had a home-cooked meal. Since he woke up he only got military rations to eat and he didn't have any memories of any meal. He eagerly went in for more.
Wade's eyes shined. "Slow down there buddy or you'll get sick. There is still a lot more left so you can have another bowl if you want."
Shadow glared at the human. It was his decision how fast he wanted to eat and no one would tell him what to do.
"Ok, do what you want." Wade chuckled which frustrated the hedgehog even more but he let it slide this time because he was hungry. The human turned to Layla. "To be honest I wasn't expecting that he would qualify as a foster kid."
"You can thank your friends for that. They wanted to adopt so they needed their aliens to be legally recognized as kids. That law was put in place for them when we found Shadow. As soon as we proved that he was a teenager, regular foster care procedures started. You can imagine that it was a little harder with him. If it wasn't for you, he would have to stay with the military." She glanced toward the hedgehog to make sure that he understood that point.
"Is there anything special that I should know about him?" Wade said as he sat down next to her.
"That is a loaded question when it comes to him." She glanced at the folder with Shadow's name in front of her. "Are you asking for anything specific?"
"Is he… special in any way?" The human tried really hard to avoid saying something and the look on Layla's face told him that it didn't narrow it down for her. "Does he have any powers?"
"Ah, that's what you meant. He's strong and fast but I'm not sure where he ranks among Wachowski kids because they were never recorded." She grinned. "And he teleports."
Wade's eyes went wide and he exhaled loudly. "That is going to be… interesting."
"Everyone before you thought that I was joking."
"I've seen a lot of unusual things since Sonic started living with Tom and Maddie." Wade had a thoughtful look on his face. "It isn't the craziest thing I heard."
She already had filled documents in front of her and she handed him Shadow's file. "You should read it before you start signing the documents. So you would know more about him and what you are getting yourself into."
The human was silent as he sat down and he read the file. The only sound in the room was the spoon hitting the ceramic bowl and the ticking of a clock. Shadow could see him glancing up from the folder with a growing worry. No, it wasn't a worry. It was something else. Was it a pity? A growl was building inside his chest. How dare he think so lowly of him? But before he could act on it, the human slammed the folder on the coffee table.
"Where should I sign?" Wade asked as he pulled documents towards himself.
"Shouldn't we wait for your social worker?" Layla asked with a slight smile.
"It's fine. I already decided. You can exchange all the documents when she gets here."
Wade grabbed the pen and signed all the dotted lines meant for him. Layla had to point out a few less obvious places meant for his signature but they were quickly working through them when they heard a doorbell.
"It's probably Wanda."
Wade stood up and a moment later came back with an older and shorter lady. She had short black hair and looked shocked to see the hedgehog. That was something that Shadow was familiar with. It even gave him a weird sense of pride but once again it was diluted by the annoying male standing next to her. The human had a soft smile on his face that didn't reach his eyes. The hedgehog didn't need that kind of feeling from the male. It scratched the dull pain that Shadow felt since he woke up, making it stronger. He didn't like it. He didn't like it at all so the hedgehog let the bubbling anger to the surface, growling softly, hiding his pain underneath it.
"His name is Shadow." Wade saw the growling teenager and looked at Layla with a raised eyebrow.
"Don't mind him. He doesn't do well with new people." She stood up and approached them. "My name is Layla. We talked on the phone. I'm his social worker. We already filled most of the documents so we shouldn't take too much of your time."
"What?" Wanda shook her head to get rid of her lingering shock and she narrowed her eyes. "Can I see them?"
"They're on the coffee table."
Without a word, the older lady went to the coffee table and quickly read through the documents and her concern grew. "Wade, did she explain everything to you?"
Wade furrowed his brow, that was an odd question. "I think so. I've read his file."
"It isn't what I'm talking about." She glanced at the hedgehog before returning her gaze to Wade. "You wanted younger kids and to be a temporary home for them. But with older teenagers that have special needs, it's very hard to find a permanent home for them. It'll be more like a long-term foster care, maybe even until he is an adult."
Wade gulped and looked between two social workers. "She didn't mention that."
Wanda glared at the younger woman. "If you have second thoughts I can say that I wasn't explained to you."
"No, it's fine." Wade exhaled and looked at Shadow. "He needs a home. I'll be happy to have him stay with me. We don't have any other option."
Shadow grunted annoyed. "Don't worry, human. I don't want to be here. I'll leave as soon as I can."
Shadow just needed to recover his strength and deal with his freezing episodes. It shouldn't take that long. In the worst-case scenario, he would only have to deal with that human for 3 years. There was a hint of joy in Wade's eyes after the hedgehog spoke for the first time.
"You don't have to do that, buddy. You can stay with me as long as you need to." Wade said with that sickening warm tone which touched that pain in Shadow's chest.
"I don't need to stay with you. I have to stay with you." Shadow's quills rose in frustration.
"Shadow, calm down," Layla said sharply.
"It's not illegal to say what I think." The hedgehog bit back. "I'm only here because I agreed to do the legal thing. I don't have to be happy about it."
The sweet relief of anger. Shadow was breathing heavily and his hands were shaking but the dull pain inside him was just an echo of what it was a few seconds before. He didn't have to think about it and only focused on those annoying humans.
An uncomfortable silence filled the room. All humans were staring at him and of course, the most annoying one regained his composure first. Wade took a deep breath to relax and put on the same fake smile that didn't reach his eyes. The one that had a deep sadness behind his eyes. The one that made Shadow want to smash the human's face with the empty bowl that was right next to him. But that was illegal, such a shame. Maybe the hedgehog would get to do that after he dealt with his freezing issue.
"Maybe I'll show you your room. You can rest there. It has to be a long day for you." Wade said with the same sweet warm tone.
"Sure," Shadow said as he wrapped his arms on his chest. He didn't want to look at them anymore.
"Ok, follow me."
Shadow got up from the table and followed Wade leaving two stunned ladies in the living room. It served them right for forcing him to do something that he didn't want to.
"Here is my bedroom." Wade pointed at one door. "If you need anything don't hesitate to get me. Just knock before you enter."
Shadow just huffed in response.
"Here is the bathroom." The human stopped and looked back at the hedgehog. "Do…"
"I know how to use a bathroom." Shadow glared at Wade.
"Ok, I was just making sure." Wade nodded and opened the last door in the hallway. "And this is your room."
It was such a boring room but at least it had a window which was an improvement over his last room. Shadow just walked in and slammed the door shut behind him. The human was standing there for a moment before he decided to join the other two in the living room. They were chatting about something but he couldn't hear it clearly. It was probably something related to him. But it didn't matter. He was not going to stay with Wade for long. He was going to get stronger so he could make those G.U.N. people pay for what they did to Maria.
As the adrenaline and anger were leaving his system, his heart rate slowed down and the dull pain of a loss became much more noticeable. He laid on the bed and closed his eyes, hoping to fall asleep and get away from this cruel reality.
"""
The sun set already when the two ladies left Wade's home with all the documents that they needed. Layla was smiling as she was going to the car with the agents waiting for her.
"I have to know." Wanda glared at the other social worker. "Did you arrive earlier on purpose so you could emotionally manipulate Wade without me being there to call you out on it?"
"I would never do something like that." The woman turned and looked at the older social worker with a smile. "I just told him the reality of the situation. Did I forget to mention that aliens are a government secret and I can't look for a family to adopt Shadow? It was such a nerve-wracking evening. I don't remember."
"It wasn't right what you did." Her voice was full of venom.
"I only did what was best for a child in my care. I don't regret anything." Layla sighed. "I was telling the truth. Wade was Shadow's only option. He had to take him in, I just made it possible. And you saw him. He already loves that kid. He'll do great and if he has any problems, he can always ask his friends for help."
"I hope that you are right."
"Me too." She said as she got into the black SUV.
