A/N: Needless to say, I did not get this chapter uploaded as soon as I would have liked to... nevertheless, I've been waiting a long time to write this chapter... I hope you enjoy it!
Also: Marking the completion of the 20th chapter, a second edition of "Wishes Are Eternal: BLOOPERS!" has been posted on my site! Please go to .com/vulpix to read it and the previous one, if you haven't already.
A young girl's voice...
"You must be Shadow."
The black hedgehog jerked awake. The afternoon had passed to early evening, and the earth had cooled. Somehow, the entire garden was covered in a light fog, as if it were being concealed from the rest of the world...
Carefully, so as not to disturb the seven Chao resting by him, Shadow looked around for the voice...
His eyes fell on an Echidna, standing by the water's edge. Her blue eyes sparkled, like the pool behind her...
...like Maria's used to...
"Who... who are you?" Shadow asked quietly. "How did you know my name...?"
The girl smiled. "One question at a time. My name is Tikal. And I know your name from your friends."
"My friends...?"
"I've heard much about you from Rouge and Knuckles," Tikal explained. "It's a great honor to meet you in person."
Shadow hesitated, not sure what to say. "I... thank you..."
Tikal smiled, somehow putting Shadow at ease. "I understand that you are having difficulties in your life."
Shadow was quiet, not sure what to say. Finally, he asked, "How do you know this...?"
The Echidna gazed into Shadow's eyes. "I know of many things. I have lived upon this planet for many centuries..."
"Centuries?" Shadow repeated disbelievingly. The girl, Tikal, only looked to be about fourteen, maybe fifteen...
Tikal saw the confusion in Shadow's eyes. "I do not age... for I am but a spirit."
"A spirit... you mean..." Shadow stared at the girl before him. A spirit? Her?
Tikal's feet, clad in sandals, made little noise on the soft grass as she walked toward him. She kneeled down on the ground, just a few feet from where Shadow lay. She smiled as she watched the Chao, still sleeping soundly.
"A peaceful life they lead... Chao," she whispered. "Here, where all is wonderful..."
Shadow followed her gaze to the Chao spread around him. "I know... this must be like heaven on Earth..."
As he looked up, he suddenly noticed Tikal looking straight at him. But it wasn't as if she were looking at him...
...it was more like she was looking into his soul...
"You wish to find peace on this planet too, don't you?" she said calmly.
"..." Shadow was quiet.
"But it's difficult for you... because you contain the secret of Chaos."
"Who are you...?!" Shadow exclaimed, shocked. "How do you know these things...?!"
Hearing Shadow's outburst, one Chao squirmed, opening its eyes. Blinking, it looked back and forth from Tikal to Shadow.
Shadow's eyes softened. "I'm sorry... did I wake you?" He carefully picked the Chao up in his hands and settled it down on his lap.
Ignoring Shadow's previous questions, Tikal shifted her gaze to the Chao. Almost absentmindedly, she began to pet one gently. "Look at them... so small, but so perfect..." She looked at Shadow. "The ultimate life form."
Shadow stared at the Chao. "...I know you won't answer me, so it's pointless to ask... but what do you mean?"
"Hmm..." Tikal smiled. "I'm sorry. I've been rude, ignoring your questions. But let me say one thing. You have more in common with that child you're holding than you think... you could say that you're almost brothers."
'What? Me? A brother to this?' Shadow thought incredulously.
"From the expression on your face, you don't believe me," Tikal said, laughing. "But please, listen to what I have to say before you decide...
"The Chao are children of the Chaos. Just like you are."
"'Children of the Chaos'...?"
"Within your body, deep in your soul, the power of Chaos Energy flows. You are able to harness Chaos Energy in order to keep yourself alive. In the same way, these Chao, even though they are born weak and helpless, use the Chaos Energy to grow stronger."
"They can use Chaos Energy too...?"
Tikal smiled. "You were not born in the same way that most are. You were, as you say, 'created'. But you were created the same way that these Chao were born naturally. Despite your different bodies, you are all the same on the inside.
"Both of you hold the secret to eternity."
"Eternity..."
"Shadow.... wishes are eternal...."
"But what is eternity?" Shadow mused.
Tikal looked at the black hedgehog sympathetically. "Eternity can be a long time... especially if you are lonely. I know," she added.
"How can you know?" Shadow asked bitterly. "Why haven't you gone on to the afterlife? Is your eternity to be spent on this planet forever?"
"I have not gone to the afterlife... because I know there are still things that I must do," Tikal responded.
"Won't you be lonely too?"
"No... I have a friend," she smiled.
A long pause followed. Shadow was about to say something when the water behind Tikal began to agitate. To his surprise, the water began to take on a form!
The creature was transparent with a blue tint, made entirely out of water. His long arms and legs dangled loosely, and his enormous, green eyes shone like emeralds.
"This is Chaos," Tikal explained.
"The Guardian of the Chao... just as I was once the Guardian of the Master Emerald."
"You were the...? Then... that must be how you knew so much about Chaos Energy," Shadow said, in awe, but not willing to show it.
"Chaos, just like you and the Chao, also holds the gift of immortality... or rather, is it a curse?" Tikal pondered out loud.
"Life is only worth it if you have something to live for," Shadow said. "Life is only worth it... if you have a purpose..."
"My purpose is to guard the Master Emerald... and the secret of Chaos," Tikal said, standing up. "And because Chaos will always carry Chaos Energy, 'eternity', inside him, he will also live forever. His mission is to forever protect the Chao... his friends.
"Shadow... running away is not going to help you."
Shadow looked up.
"Sometimes, things don't go the way we want them to. Sometimes things take a turn for the worst. But they will all come out fine eventually... if you continue to persevere. If you run, you will never see what might have happened."
"What if what happens... is only a tragedy?"
"Something good comes out of everything." Tikal's eyes were gentle as they looked into Shadow's bitter ones. "It may take you a long time to realize it... but even a little good comes out of the biggest tragedy. Even if it is only the appreciation of what you have now."
Tikal closed her eyes, and the fog began to disperse.
Sensing that she was about to leave, Shadow laid the Chao he was holding on the ground and stood up.
Tikal opened her eyes apologetically. "I am sorry that I cannot help you more... but there are some things that you will have to learn on your own.
"But... one last thing.
"You will not find your destiny, your purpose, by hiding away..."
The fog began to lift, and Chaos and Tikal disappeared.
The sun was in the sky already, and the Chao began to wake up.
As he went about, gathering Chao Nuts, Shadow pondered what to do...
~*~
"Excuse me, have you seen a black hedgehog...?!"
Sonic was dashing around downtown Station Square, asking people if they'd seen a black hedgehog.
Needless to say... they hadn't.
"Arrgh... I hate you Shadow!" Sonic yelled, startling the kids in the park. "Why did you run away like that?! Now I have to work my butt off trying to find you!"
'You don't have to, you know...' Sonic could imagine Shadow saying. 'Leave me alone!'
"Excuse me, Mr. Sonic--"
"WHAT?!" Sonic screamed, whipping around to find himself face-to-face with... Nina.
"..."
"I... uh... I'm sorry," Sonic laughed nervously. "I'm... a little worked up, you know, kind of... tense..."
"Are you... looking for your brother?" Nina asked.
"My what? Oh, uh, yeah, Shadow, that's right, you met him before," Sonic said, everything slowly coming back to him...
"My friend saw him, about two days ago--"
"Where?!" Sonic exclaimed, grabbing Nina by the shoulders.
"...my friend's right over there, do you want to talk to--"
"Yes!" Sonic ran in the direction that Nina was pointing.
"...wait! Not that way!" Nina yelled, following the blue hedgehog.
~*~
"I was trying to pick up this money I found in the street, when a car started coming," the little boy said. "Then a black hedgehog picked me up and dropped me on the sidewalk--"
"Which way did he run?" Sonic asked quickly.
"Towards the train station and the hotel," the boy said. "Why are you asking me--"
"Thanks, see ya' later!" Sonic yelled, dashing off that way.
"...he's in a hurry, huh?" the boy said, a bit dazzled by Sonic's speed.
"Of course he's in a hurry! He's Sonic the Hedgehog!" Nina declared.
~*~
"Oh, yeah, now that I think about it, a black hedgehog did run into the train station..."
"Mm-hm! Ran right past me, blew the ticket out of my hand..."
"Of course I saw it!! It didn't have a ticket, so I yelled 'Hey! You need a ticket!' but no, it just jumped onto the rails headed to the Mystic Ruins and kept on going..." the indignant worker sputtered.
"Thanks, sir! You've helped a lot!" Sonic grinned. After asking around, he had a fairly good idea where Shadow was going...
Not waiting for the next train, Sonic hopped onto the rails. "I'll see ya' around when I get back!" He took off running.
"...no one has a ticket anymore!" the worker yelled angrily.
~*~
When all of the Chao were eating their brunch, he knew.
He had to leave.
"Good-bye," Shadow whispered to his new friends, and slipped out the way he had come.
"Chao chao..." they chorused.
"Farewell... come back someday..."
From out of sight, floating in the sky...
...Tikal smiled.
"He made the right choice..."