In Cosmo's Shadow
By Kellie Fay
Disclaimer: Sonic, Shadow, Tails, Cosmo, and the others all belong to SEGA, Team Sonic, 4 Kids and other people not me
No comments for Shadow's experience? *sigh* Please Review!
Chapter 20
Reflection
Shadow must have fallen asleep because the next thing he knew stars littered the blue black sky, and the gentle rhythm of the waterfall was the only sound he heard. Somehow while he napped Peaches found a way to snuggle with him. Smiling in amusement Shadow made sure to cover the little chao with the blanket that covered his own shoulders. He rose to his feet and walked over to the chao pool, and washed his face.
Shadow tried to assess how he felt, but in truth he didn't know. He knew that some burden or internal pain had lifted from him. For the first time in a very long time he felt free. Following some internal compulsion Shadow left the chao garden, and climbed to the top of the abandoned building. The sky above him now held clouds and fumes, but this peculiar feeling of freedom did not leave him.
In fact he felt the reverse. Looking out to the distant horizon made him realize that this whole world lay before him. He could do anything, and go anywhere. Nothing held him back anymore.
So what do you want to do Shadow? He asked himself. Contemplating the question felt a little daunting. He felt rather small looking out at the wide open spaces of the world.
You are not alone. I am with you.
The early morning breeze laughed and played with his quills, somehow drawing a smile from him. His year of wandering taught him much, but at the moment Shadow felt the need to emulate Cosmo, and find a place to put down roots and feel secure.
He wanted to go home.
I treated the others horribly. They won't want me.
Nonsense, they will forgive you. They already have.
I'm still afraid.
They want you to come home.
For a split second the vast distance between him and Sonic didn't exist. He felt Sonic like a presence in the back of his mind. He closed his eyes, and could almost see Sonic lounging in a large oak tree, wide awake despite the early hour, watching Tails curled up for some strange reason under Cosmo's tree. Shadow felt Sonic's surprise. Somehow Shadow knew that Sonic could feel his presence just as he felt Sonic's. Then he heard a pleased mental chuckle. Any time you want to come home Shadow, the thought whispered directly into his mind, we'll wait for you.
Shadow's eyes snapped open causing the vision to fade. Did he imagine that, or did he have some kind of connection to Sonic for a few seconds?
"You felt something?" Shadow didn't expect the voice, and spun around prepared to attack only to see Pie, and Peaches climbing up to join him.
"How did I do that?" Shadow asked. "Did I just imagine hearing someone else's thoughts?"
Pie shook her head. "Sometimes that happens when grandmother sends someone on a vision quest, when they come back sometimes talents that were suppressed before wake up. What did you see?"
Shadow debated what to say. "I was thinking about where I wanted to go next, and I felt someone I know who's far away, but it felt like he stood here next to me. He told me I could come home."
"Were you afraid to go home before?" Pie asked. Shadow nodded. "Because you were mean to them?" Again Shadow nodded. "Yet you just heard him tell you to come home. All those horrible things you said and did obviously didn't matter that much. They forgave you."
Shadow didn't think he deserved to be forgiven, but he realized that when he made the conscious decision to forgive The Professor a stress he didn't understand faded away.
""What do you want Shadow? Where do you think you're going to be happy?" Pie asked.
Shadow saw a bright green flash on the horizon just before the fiery red rim of the sun began its assent into the sky. The Green Hill Zone lay about a two or three day run from here.
"I want to go home."
Coming Soon
Chapter 21
The Return
He went inside his private room. Someone not only kept this room clean, but on the table rested a beautiful little crystal vase with three star flowers inside. Not only that, but there appeared to be additions to the room. Shadow saw bright floral blue curtains on the window. A plush bear, and puppy lay on the bed, and under the vase, which did not belong to Shadow rested a little pink lace tablecloth.