The Fall...and Back Again 2
by Jason de L'Epee
FOREWORD: After the success from the first one, a few other authors have wanted me to write a sequal. After considering it, I had decided to give it a try. Hopefully, it will be good enough to get by. Enjoy!
One night, about two months after Shadow's experience with amnesia, he was visited by a dream. It was about a girl and a hedgehog that resembled him. The two had some great times together: reading, playing. However, this girl seemed to have a problem. She was pretty much bedridden, due to a rare form of respiratory cancer that infected her frail body when she was not even two years old.
But this did not hamper the fun that she and the other had. Shadow lived in this dream as if like a bystander.
But soon, sooner than Shadow wanted, the dream changed to a tragic scene: fire was burning everywhere, the hedgehog was running around among the flames as if searching for something...or someone. Shadow looked around: soldiers were everywhere, but the most tragic of all of this is one small girl, shot through her chest, was dying. The hedgehog found her and let out a scream. The little girl spoke very softly, weakly to the hedgehog.
"Don't...hold this...against them...Forgive...them..."
"You can't leave me!" shouted the hegehog in grief.
"Sayonara." she breathed and that was her last.
"NOO!!"
At this, Shadow woke with a great sweat. Another dream. He looked around his cabin. This was starting to get serious. The last time he had dreams like this was after his fall, during his recovery. What did it mean?
- - - - -
The next day, which was a dull one, Shadow walked around Knothole, not really paying attention to where he was going, for he was thinking about his dream last night. It echoed throughout his mind.
"Hello!? Mobius to Shadow, Mobius to Shadow."
Shadow snapped to reality and found that Sonic the Hedgehog was getting his attention, or at least trying to.
"Oh, sorry, Sonic. I was...thinking."
"Are you okay? Ever since you got up this morning, you haven't been yourself."
"I'm fine." Shadow replied, even if it wasn't exactly true.
"Well, Tails and I were planning to go down to Sapphire City to pick up some supplies. We we're wondering if you wanted to come."
"I...don't see why not."
"Sweet! Well, we'll be leaving tomorrow. After we get up, we'll get an early breakfast, and we'll juice down south. Now, if you excuse me, I have a girl to talk to." Sonic said before he walked off.
Shadow snickered at what Sonic last said. He knew who this "girl" was. Maybe this trip will do some good. It might clear his head.
- - - - -
Unfortunately, that night, the nightmare returned. Slightly different, but still the same. The hedgehog was searching thorugh the flames for the girl, but it was accompanied by thudding noises as if some people were trying to break in.
The sad and horrible finding repeated itself and the thudding became louder as nearly shaking the foundation. Shadow slowly drifted to reality and the thudding became like someone knocking on the door.
"Hey, Shad, it's Sonic. Time to get up!"
He jolted awake. Sonic was knocking on his door.
"Shadow! C'mon, get up! You overslept!"
Shadow rose and opened the door. "Sorry, long night."
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine. Is breakfast ready?"
"Sure, cheese omelet. Let's go geab some grub and we're on the way!"
- - - - -
The transportation worked like this: Sonic being the fastest. ran on foot to Sapphire City, and Tails and Shadow rode on the Tornado 2.
"I'm getting some supplies for probably an updated version of the Tornado...the Tornado 3D." said Tails.
"Sounds kind of cheesy."
"You think so?"
Shadow nodded and Tails replied. "I guess you're right."
This ended that conversation and Shadow started again thinking of his nightmare.
- - - - -
The two in the plane landed near Mystic Ruins, usually quiet, but now there's a bit of a hubbub going on.
"What's up?"
One of the volunteers replied "There's been rumors of something strange near the pyramid. That area is off limits, so don't get any ideas, buddy."
"All right, geez, just curious. Pushy guy."
By the time they got to the city. Sonic had been there for two hours. They found him near a souvenir store.
"Where you turtles been? You guys are SLOW!"
"Nothing much."
"Well, why don't you get the supplies for your project and Shad and I will meet up with you later."
"Sounds cool. Catch ya later." Tails said and headed to the nearest machinery store.
"There's some neat stuff in this store Shad, wanta see?"
Shadow wasn't paying attention, some strange instinct was pointing him toward a distant cemetary several blocks away.
"Shadow?"
"Go ahead. I'll join you in a second."
Sonic only shrugged and went in, knowing if he asked, he'd get the same response.
Shadow, waited until Sonic was inside before going to the cemetary. He didn't know why he was there, just something inside told him to go there.
He entered the area and his eyes caught one stone that had a name that rang a bell.
Maria.
He thought he knew something about that name. Then, he heard another voice which he had heard before.
Remember.
"What? Is that you again?"
Remember.
"Does she have something to do with my past?"
This time the voice said something a little different.
Remember...Maria.
And the voice departed. That same voice came to him when he couldn't remember his past a few months before, and he's back, telling Shadow to do the same.
Maria. He knew that name, but from where? He rested against a tree and he didn't think he was that tired, but he past into sleep.
The nightmare returned, the same horror, sadness, but this time, names we're given.
Don't...hold this...against them...Shadow...Forgive...them..."
"You can't leave me, Maria!"
"Sayonara."
"NOO!!"
Normally, he would wake up with a sweat and the dream would end there, but there was more this time. The scene changed to the golden city. He seen it before, and Maria walked up to the gates, and they opened. But before she entered, she looked back...at him.
"Hello, Shadow. Do you remember me?"
Shadow's mind clicked. He DID know her. HE was the hedgehog in the dream. She had been murdered and he wanted vengence. But now, he forgave them.
"Thank you for forgiving them, Shadow. I hope to see you here when your time has come." She handed him a necklace. She had worn that bauble for a long time and she bestowed on to Shadow.
The dream ended when they hugged for the last time. Shadow jolted awake. He felt something in his hand. It was the necklace! The dream was partly real. It was amazing.
He ran full speed down the road and nearly ran into Sonic in front of the souvenir shop.
"Whoa! What's going on, Shad!?"
"You won't believe what happened."
- - - - -
Shadow shared everything: The dream, the necklace and his latest experience. He was grateful for the voice. He swore it was an angel. But the thing that he will always keep closest, and that was Maria. As Shadow and Sonic left to catch up with Tails, Shadow heard one more word, and he welcomed it.
Remember.