Chapter 2
Shadow
Shadow closed his eyes and opened them slowly. He was sitting at a dining room table with Sonic and his friends. The scene was way too normal. He was so used to science experiments, soldiers, and cataclysmic events that normal would take time to get used to.
Everyone looked at him intently. It was bizarre to go from enemies to friends.
"So, you want to know what to do next?" Sonic asked.
"Yes," Shadow said, nodding. "The Robotniks are dead, and I'm certainly not going back to GUN. I don't know what to do. Frankly, I don't even have any place to go to."
"I see," Maddie said. She looked at him with compassion. Shadow wasn't sure how that made him feel. He didn't want to be pitied.
"Yes. What do you do, Sonic?" Shadow asked. "You and your friends?"
Sonic smiled. "Well, that's easy. We go wherever we want, we run through forests, we watch movies and play games. It's great! And, oh yeah, sometimes we stop bad guys."
Sonic's explanation surprisingly didn't excite Shadow liked he hoped it would. He hoped that he'd feel something, but nothing was happening. He just felt empty.
"What's the matter?" Sonic asked when Shadow didn't say anything.
"I just, I'm not used to normal yet. I haven't experienced normal for fifty years."
"Since Maria?" Maddie asked quietly.
Shadow felt the sting in his heart. Hearing her name hadn't gotten any easier. "Yes."
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles considered him.
"Well, that's okay, Shadow. We can ease you back into normal," Sonic assured.
Shadow sighed. "How?"
"Well, uh, we can take you on our adventures around the world. It'll be great!" Sonic said.
"Yeah, we like to explore all kinds of places," Tails said.
"Sometimes we fight," Knuckles added, putting his fists together.
Shadow still wasn't feeling anything. Maybe he just needed to try it. "That sounds… nice, I suppose."
Maddie scratched her nose. "Um, were you hoping to stay here?"
Shadow hesitated. He knew enough about etiquette to know that asking someone he barely knew for a home was inappropriate, to say the least. He sighed again. "I-I don't want to impose. Really, I don't. But I don't have anywhere to go. I know I have no right to ask you for a place to stay, but I have no other options."
"Hm, I see," Maddie said. "I can understand that you're stuck between a rock and a hard place, Shadow. I have to talk to my husband about this when he gets home. In the meantime, you're welcome to stay for dinner."
Shadow gave a small smile. "Thank you, Maddie. I'm honored."
"Of course. Sonic, why don't you show Shadow around."
The attic was quaint.
It was made out of wood and decorated with strings of lights. Three cots for beds were spread out. So, the human male and female had pretty much adopted all three aliens. Tom and Maddie basically proved that there were more good people out there than just Maria. He was glad he chose to save Earth.
Shadow noticed that he started to feel something. A bit of warmth and longing. He wanted what Sonic and his friends had. Would Maddie and her mate also be able to accept him?
Sonic jumped onto his bed. "Here it is! This is home."
"Tom and Maddie are very hospitable," Tails said. "They decorated this place for us and let us live here."
"Tom and Maddie are honorable humans," Knuckles said, putting a fist over his chest.
"I have to agree," Shadow said. "Do you think they'll let me stay here?"
The trio looked at each other. "Uh, well, maybe? You did punch Tom in the gut at GUN headquarters," Sonic said.
Shadow's eyes widened. "Are you serious? That was him?"
"Yeah…" Tails said.
"But Tom is a mighty warrior. He survived!" Knuckles said, flexing his arms.
Shadow remembered attempting to kill the man who froze him for fifty years. He had no way of knowing that another human was using a hologram as a disguise. And what were the odds of that human being Sonic's adoptive father? Shadow inwardly groaned. He didn't know how this Tom individual survived his attack, but he was grateful for the miracle.
"Do you think that Tom will be able to forgive me?" Shadow asked.
"I think so, Shadow! Tom is a swell guy," Sonic said.
"Yeah, Tom is really understanding," Tails added.
"Kids, dinner is ready!" Maddie yelled up from the main floor. "And Tom's home."
Anxiety filled Shadow's stomach. He did not want to confront Tom, but he needed to do so sooner rather than later.
The second time around the dining room table was more awkward than the last. Shadow was feeling especially vulnerable.
The soft sounds of silverware hitting plates filled the room. Maddie brought Shadow a spare chair from the living room because there hadn't been enough kitchen table chairs. Everyone glanced at him periodically but otherwise focused on their dinner in silence.
Maddie had made a dish called spaghetti. It was a very common dish that Shadow had never gotten to try before. He took his fork and twisted the noodles around like he saw everyone else do, and then he put it in his mouth. It tasted… good. It reminded him of home even though he barely knew what that felt like. It was kind of an instinct.
Shadow avoided eye contact with Tom, but he knew that Tom was considering him with uncertainty. Shadow noticed that he limped when he walked to the table. At least he didn't look angry or vengeful, although it was difficult for Shadow to understand why people didn't always take revenge when someone did them wrong. If Maria had told him to avenge her, the entire planet would be gone, and he wouldn't be having dinner with anyone. Without Maria's desire for love and mercy, revenge would have been the only thing to make Shadow feel better.
Should he talk, or should he let the humans talk first?
"Shadow?" Tom started.
That answered that question. "Yes?" he asked.
"Maddie explained your situation to me."
Shadow nodded. "It's true. I have nowhere to go now that the Robotniks… are gone. I was hoping that Sonic and his friends could help guide me."
"I'm really sorry about what happened to Maria, Shadow," Tom said. Shadow could practically feel the empathy from the man, and it made him squirm. He didn't deserve it, and he didn't want to be pitied.
"We all are," Maddie added.
Shadow was surprised that Tom offered an apology before he could. "Thank you. And I'm sorry that I hurt you, Tom. I thought you were the man responsible for getting Maria killed and putting me into stasis for fifty years. And I'm also sorry for trying to destroy the planet. I… I thought I had nothing left."
Tom smiled. "I forgive you, Shadow. Thankfully, I'll make a full recovery, and the Earth is safe. You nearly got yourself killed to protect the planet."
"I'm glad that you're okay," Shadow said. He didn't know what else to say. He was waiting on an answer on whether he could stay or not.
"Maddie and I talked it over, and we decided to let you stay for a while," Tom said. "Until you can get back on your feet."
"Really?" Shadow asked. His heart fluttered.
"Yes. It would be irresponsible to leave you by yourself. You need friends," Maddie added.
Thank you for all the reviews and favorites I've gotten so far! I guess posting right after a movie release is the best time to do so. And Merry Christmas to you all!
Let me know if there are any scenes you'd like to see.
