A. F.O.R.G.O.T.T.E.N. H.E.R.O.

By MercuryTears


Disclaimer: I do not own Shadow the hedgehog, Amy Rose, Sonic the Hedgehog, or any realted characters. They are the property of SonicTeam(Sega).

C.H.A.P.T.E.R. O.N.E.

"Shadow the Hedgehog…" I muttered in awe, not sure just what this young stranger was talking about. An echo of the words bounced around in my brain, persuading me to recall them.

"Don't you…?" She paused, blinked and her head tilted to the side as she looked me over. What was she thinking? Staring into those bright, energetic eyes, fogged over with misery, I caught a shadow of uncertainty. "Aren't you…Aren't you Shadow?"

I didn't hear the question though…I was suddenly surrounded by hissing, faded words. And those eyes…

Happy, caring eyes…

"Grandfather says your name is…Shadow"

Yet, so haunted…

"We're going to be the best of friends, Shadow!"

So confused…

"Shadow!"

"Maybe I just mistook you for someone else…Sorry…" The words dragged me back into reality, and the hedgehog was there, staring deep into my eyes…my eyes, once crimson, now grey…my sorrowful eyes…

"Amy Rose…" The words slipped involuntarily from my tongue and into the open. I could feel myself slipping away into my daydreams again… "Amy…"

Her face suddenly lit up and the misery slinked back into the depths of her eyes. A brilliant smile blazed on her face. "So you do remember!" She squealed, delighted.

"You're…you're Amy?"

"The one and only!" She replied, brushing a strand of bright quills from her eyes, grin widening.

I stared at her blankly. I knew her name, and apparently mine was Shadow. But who was she? Who was I?

She noted my expression and hers became one of concern. "You don't remember much, do you?"

I shrugged, eyes settled on the ground.

"You don't remember Sonic? Rouge?"

Another simple shrug.

She seemed startled by this. Suddenly she noted something; her eyes shrank as she squinted at me, trying to decide what was wrong. And then she noticed them. Her eyes returned to their original size as she started at my withered, grey eyes.

"Your eyes…they seem so…"

"Dead." I grunted before she could finish. They were dying. Soon I would be blind, never able to see anything again. For now I had my grey vision, but it was only a matter of time until the last spark flickered out and all was lost…

"No, they just seem so peaceful…" She shook her head slowly, eyes still fixed on mine.

"Think what you wish," I replied solemnly. "But they are indeed dying. I'm losing the only thing I have left…"

She sighed, seemingly quite frustrated at my depression. "Oh come off it now, Shadow. Even if you do go blind, you still have what matters." She glanced down at my chest, my heart. "And that's something you'll never lose…"

I felt both ashamed that I'd been so dramatic, and hurt that she'd dared tell me how to feel like that. It didn't seem to fit her, in a way…She was too beautiful, too caring, to soft and fragile, to be acting so harsh…

"I'm sorry, I've just had a bad day and--"

Gently, I raised a finger to her face, pressing it gently to her lips. "No apologies, my dear Amy…I'm not worth it."

And with that I turned around, turned my back on this mysterious girl who had once known me so well, a girl who never expected to see me again, and walked away down the soft, sandy beach, confusion fogging the edges of my mind.

And as I walked a gentle sea breeze blew against my back. A gentle hand guiding me away from this poor, lonesome girl as she stared at my back as I left, leaving her behind…