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By sun down, everyone was feeling down. Who knew what their friend was going through? They knew the jungle was dangerous during the day but at night, they didn't even want to know what came out. When Garin woke up and learned about what happened, he nearly took off to the jungle, he wanted to find her at once. It took half of the crew to keep him in his bed he was still far too weak to leave.
However, the ones who seemed to be taking it the hardest were Topaz and Shadow. Topaz stayed at the look out tower for hours, trying to find her. Shadow just couldn't stop pacing about, even with bandages on his leg. It wasn't until nearly midnight did the two finally fall, asleep. Topaz had fallen asleep with a pair of binoculars in her hands and being draped over the railing on the look out tower. Sonic had found Shadow passed out on the ground and put him on a cot so he could have a slightly decent place to sleep.
However, fate is a strange and funny thing and it some times sends you even stranger messages but perhaps the strangest thing about it is HOW they send the message, as Shadow was about to learn.
Sonic placed him on the cot, he knew he was worried about the blue hedgehog and Sonic couldn't blame him. For all they knew she was already burnt to a crisp. One couldn't help but worry. Sonic sighed as he walked out of the small hut. He, Sonia, and Manic planed to playa song in the morning in hopes that it would help lead her back to camp. But there was still a question on his and his siblings' minds:
Why would Mom have us come here when it's so dangerous or not give us any warning about how dangerous the island was?
As he pondered these thoughts, a figure hid in the shadows, looking at the hut he had just left. She waited for a minute until it was completely clear. Once it was, she moved in. She ran quickly and quietly until she was within Shadow's hut. She saw the young hedgehog and couldn't help but crack a sad smile. She slowly walked up to him and rubbed his cheek.
"I love you, my precious little Shadow. Remember, you and Shelby have something special and even death can't break it. As long as you hold her in your heart and thoughts, you'll never be apart." She said and began rubbing his spines.
Shadow smiled softly as the figure continued to smooth out his fur. As she did, a longing desire began call to her. She had been fighting for years and she decided to let it out, at long last. She began to sing the lullaby that she had done, years ago.
Female singer: "Hush now, my baby, be still now.
Don't cry.
Sleep like you're, rocked by a stream.
Sleep and remember, my lullaby, and I'll be with, when you dream.
Drift on a river that flows through my arms.
Drift, as I'm singing to you.
I see you smiling, so peaceful and calm and holding you I'm smiling too.
Here in my arms, safe from all harm, holding you I'm smiling too.
Hush now, my baby, be still now.
Don't cry.
Sleep like you're, rocked by a stream.
Sleep and remember, this river lullaby, and I'll be with you when you dream.
Here in my arms, safe from all harm holding you I'm smiling too.
Sleep and remember this river lullaby, I'll be with you when you dream.
Sleep and remember this river lullaby, I'll be with you when you dream.
I'll be with you when you dream."
After she was done singing, Shadow cracked a slightly bigger smile. After about a minute she pulled herself away, hurting her deeply. She looked over her shoulder, and sighed. She hadn't seen him since the day they were separated but she had to pass the song onto her other three children. As she left, Shadow's smile widened and he began to dream.
He seemed to be in some sort of totally white void.
"Where am I?" He asked quietly.
"Shadow."
He turned around fast.
"Shelby!" He said in surprise. Her back was to him. He forgot all else and ran as fast as he could to her but he didn't seem to get any closer. After a while, he did get closer but it was painfully slow. As he did get closer, she seemed to be changing but he barely noticed.
"Shelby, let's get out of here!" He said when he was about ten feet away.
"I can not." She said in a sad voice.
"What do you mean?" Shadow asked.
"I can not leave this place." She said, shaking her head.
"Why not?" Shadow demanded.
She slowly turned around and Shadow noticed her changes. She had a large pair of angel wings, she was now wearing long flowing white robes, a golden halo floating over her head but it wasn't until she fully turned around did the most drastic change make itself known. Her eyes were glowing white her pupils and iris were also missing. Shadow could feel his heart beating a million miles an hour. He griped it but he didn't feel a beat.
"She…Shelby?" He asked a little nervously.
"Yes, Shadow." She said in a sad voice.
"W…What happened?" He asked he could feel the blood drain from his cheeks.
"The flames happened." She said sadly.
"Then…you're-"
"No. Not yet." She said. "I am her spirit, the one that is still recovering from the past. I was broken long ago but I am now recovering. You must listen, Shadow. Shelby is in extreme danger. If you do not find her by midnight tomorrow night, she will be lost. There are dangerous forces on the island. You must be careful."
"But how do I find her? And what if I'm too late?" He asked.
"Even if that does happen, you must know that as long as you hold her in your heart and thoughts you will never be apart." The spirit said, softly rubbing his cheek. "It is the same with Maria."
Shadow closed his eyes and let a strange feeling sweep over him. A sort of rush, it wasn't the same rush he got when he ran or when he hugged Maria. It was completely new to him. And, in a way, he liked it.
"I have to go, Shadow." The spirit said.
"What?" He asked in shock.
"I am still trapped within Shelby, some of the wounds have yet to even start healing. She has sealed the door to her heart she will not let anyone come in too close, for something that happened after she met Topaz. She began to think that there, people in the world worth meeting, but her friend was then hurt badly, both mentally and physically. It scared her, that was what locked her heart but I believe that you can unlock it."
"How?" Shadow asked.
"When the time is right, you will know." The spirit said. "I have to go now, but remember what I said." And she began to fade away and Shadow did nothing to try and stop her.
"I will do whatever it takes to open her heart, I swear." He vowed.
And Shadow slowly opened is eyes. He blinked for a minute as it all came back to him. But as it did, he remembered something else…
"I love you, my precious little Shadow."
He let his mouth fall a little. That voice, it…was so pure. He knew it from somewhere, from very long ago. But the problem was he couldn't remember when and who it was. Only one thing made sense at that moment…
"M…Mother?" He asked in a voice so quiet that even he almost missed it.
He couldn't believe it, his birth mother was somewhere on the island! She had left him on Gerald's doorstep as a baby Gerald and Maria had told him so. He never thought that he'd ever get the chance to see her for real Maria had taken the mothering part into her own hands. Then the lullaby, he had heard it from the same person as well but it had been so long…he had nearly forgotten it. Maybe, there really was someone out there who cared about him. He looked out to the jungle.
He remembered the vow. When the morning came, he would go out and search for her, he promised inside of his heart that he would and no one, not even those flame creatures would get in his way. He had made a promise and intended on keeping it.
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Sorry if this chapter is a little short but if anyone has any idea about what's going on, don't be afraid to guess. Now, who wants to guess who Shadow's visitor was? Where Shelby is? And what else does Shadow have planned? R&R please.