The pictures hadn't done it justice.
He sat on the edge of the Grand Canyon, gazing out over the gorge's abundant natural majesty. His palms rested on his legs, Air Shoes dangling off the East Rim's precipice. The gentle, whistling wind was soothing, and the warmth of the zephyr that rustled his fur refreshing, though he knew the desert air would soon become unbearably cold. He watched as, in the distance, the Earth's sun dipped closer to the horizon, sending shades of golds and purples and oranges streaming brilliantly across the cloudless sky. The rich hues reflected in and deepened the color of his own red irises as they regarded the extensive valley.
The wind momentarily died down, leaving him trapped in haunting quiet. He closed his eyes, trying unsuccessfully to ward off the fragmented recollection of his fall back to Earth. The muted void had enveloped him for what had felt like eons before his unexpected reentry into the planet's atmosphere. The painful plummet had stretched for millennia, and space's suffocating silence had followed him into his subconscious after blacking out. Even the occurrences of his final battle – against Super Sonic, against the deployed Gun Hunters, and finally against the Eclipse Cannon itself – were but still scenes that felt lifetimes old.
The icy silence of space's vacuum remained vivid, threatening his mind with overwhelming memories.
Shadow's reflections encompassed the ill-fated Dr. Ivo Robotnik, whose demise seemed almost certain. He had searched briefly – and in vain – for any hint of the man's survival. He himself had only survived because of his Super state – the doctor was no doubt gone after the destruction of the Eclipse Cannon. Professor Gerald, blinded as he was by his fury, had already been lost the day Maria was.
The wind returned after its short hiatus, and he gratefully trained his attention back on the peaceful landscape below. His breathing slowed back to normal, only then realizing how labored it had become in his rising panic.
He focused on the blue hedgehog's consolation, before what became Shadow's sacrifice: "That's what you need to hold on to, Shadow. Maria may be gone, but your love will always remain."
The evening's first star twinkled into existence, glimmering on the canvas of the darkening sky. His head tilted upward, admiring it with a soft frown. His palms turned in his lap and clasped together. With a deep, steadying breath, he patiently let his memories overtake him.
"Shadow!"
The lab's blinding surgical lights were as disconcerting as the array of humming machines he was connected to via electrodes and sensors. The beeps and whirs from the computers greedily analyzing his data had become an unpleasant but expected cacophony of noise. The scientists were as impersonal and detached as ever, their anxiety while near him blatant and insulting. He had given them everything, and they had the nerve to continue to fear him? What else did he have to sacrifice to ease their doubts, their suspicions?
His frustrated thoughts were interrupted again. "Shadow," Maria called a second time as she approached from down the hallway leading to the laboratory, "I have a surprise for you!"
He looked over his shoulder at the sound of his name, glimpsing a blur of tie-dyed coveralls and whipping blonde hair. One of the sensors popped off from where it had been stuck to his temple as he turned. A male scientist clicked his tongue in disapproval and reached to return the sensor to its place. A stern look from his 'patient' made him pause.
"What is it?" Shadow called back.
"Well, it wouldn't be a surprise if I told you!" she quipped. Maria burst into the sterile room like a ray of light, dashing forward and circling the scientist on her roller skates. "Please, please, can Shadow take a break?" she begged. A tiny smile lifted the edges of the hedgehog's mouth. Her enthusiasm was an immediate and immense reprieve.
"Maria," the man chastised, "We are still conducting a vitals analysis. You'll have to wait until—"
He gawked as Shadow hopped down from the medical gurney, ripping off the rest of the sensors and tossing them unceremoniously aside. He crossed his arms and lifted a brow, daring to be stopped. The scientist stammered helplessly.
Maria squealed in delight and raced out of the lab; Shadow followed closely, gliding elegantly as he built up speed. The scientist uttered a final, weak protest on their way out, but didn't take the creature up on his dare.
"Where are we going?" the black hedgehog asked, skating beside his excited friend.
"My room!" she cried.
They rounded a corner. Maria took the turn too fast. She wobbled on her skates, arms swinging in panicked circles as she drifted out of control, on a crash course with the far wall. Shadow slipped ahead and delicately guided her back on track, a protective hand on her arm as he stabilized her. She giggled and rushed ahead again. Shadow was never far behind.
They arrived outside her room. She screeched to a halt, bending over and chucking off her skates before sprinting to her pillow fort, precariously sliding on the waxed floor in her polka dot socks. Shadow paused at the entrance, holding the door jamb and watching her curiously.
She rummaged through a chest of belongings until she turned back towards him, brandishing a leather-bound book.
"Look!" she hollered, dropping down on a mountain of pillows and blankets and crossing her legs, beginning to flip earnestly through the pages. Shadow stepped forward, Air Shoes clicking against the galvanized steel deck.
"Look," she repeated, beckoning him closer. He stooped and joined her in the fort, sitting beside her on an unoccupied pillow and waiting calmly for an explanation, head slightly cocked to the side as he scanned the tome. Maria continued:
"Grandpa gave me an illustration book about the Grand Canyon. He said he used to work at a military base in Arizona – that's where the national park is." Noting Shadow's puzzled reaction, she continued, "It's a part of the United States - that's one of Earth's countries. I bet Grandpa has an encyclopedia we can borrow later. But look at this!" She turned the page to a full spread of the South Rim. The canyon stretched endlessly, the epitome of desert beauty. What Shadow would later learn was the Colorado River wound lazily through the gorge, rare greenery spotting its banks. The juxtaposition of the towering red rocks surrounding the valley and the flat, desolate plateau at their peak was unlike anything Shadow had ever seen. Maria sighed wistfully.
"I've never been. I didn't really get to travel before coming here. I was too sick," she admitted, interrupting the short, comfortable silence that had fallen between the two. Shadow gazed up at his friend, listening intently.
"I can't wait until we leave," she murmured, lightly stroking the glossy page. Shadow's ears drooped involuntarily, assuming she was referring to only her and the Professor. Maria didn't notice. "I know we have fun here, but there's so much more to do out there."
She didn't stay glum for long. "We're going to have so many adventures!" she cheered, draping a thin arm around her friend's shoulders and hugging him close. He was accustomed to her displays of affection, though he seldom could bring himself to reciprocate.
"'We'?" he ventured cautiously.
"Of course! Once Grandpa's done studying you, all three of us are going to go back home."
Shadow's gloom lifted instantly. He regarded her hopefully, eyes reflecting her excitement.
"You're going to love it," Maria promised, her bright, infectious smile making him return the expression. Her blue eyes sparkled. "There's so much to show you – and it's all so beautiful, Shadow."
A flash of color broke him from his thoughts. As the sun finished descending below the canyon beyond, a fleeting spark of green materialized above the departing crescent of light, then dissipated as quickly as it appeared. His frown deepened.
Maria loved meteorology, Shadow thought morosely. She would have known about and been able to explain to him whatever phenomenon had just occurred.
"That's what you need to hold on to, Shadow. Maria may be gone, but your love will always remain," Sonic's words returned, offering a modicum of comfort.
He palmed the remaining Chaos Emerald, turning the glowing gem slowly to admire each of its facets. The other six Emeralds were long gone – lost either to deep space or to Earth, he couldn't recall – but this one inexplicably remained in his possession. He could feel the inherent power of the yellow jewel pulse in his grasp. The aptly named Chaos energy that fueled his own power seemed amplified by the Emerald, even with no effort on his part. It felt…natural.
No doubt the blue hedgehog would seek out the gem again. He didn't want to think about that encounter yet. But he couldn't sit here and continue to dwell on his past, either.
"I will keep your wish in my heart," Shadow assured the stars above, hoping whichever was Maria's could hear him. He rose, clenching his fists resolutely. "I promise."
With his unflappable devotion renewed, Shadow turned back to the empty plateau of the Grand Canyon's eastern Rim, contemplating his next move.
First things first – Earth may have escaped his wrath, but as far as he was concerned, G.U.N still had plenty to answer for. He considered his options. His lust for violence had been exhausted, and an all-out assault on their headquarters – especially after everything that had already transpired – didn't seem worthwhile. Commander Walters, for whatever part he did or didn't play, was dead.
Sonic's human friend, the one called Tom. Was he a part of G.U.N? Would he have the necessary access for Shadow to reach the acting Director? The man had been freely roaming G.U.N HQ when Shadow had last encountered him – he had to have some form of involvement with the government organization.
His back leg braced against the ground, body tensing. Chaos surged through his limbs, manifesting as glowing red energy rippling over his fur. Gripping the glowing Emerald, a dark thrill coursed through him at the prospect of testing the reach of this newfound strength. Nothing nearly as powerful as Super Shadow, but what new realm of capability could be achieved with even one of the Chaos Emeralds?
Only one way to find out.
"Chaos Contr—"
His left ear flicked back against his red-striped quills as a new sound startled him out of teleporting.
At first, it was a distant, low rumbling. Then, the earth began to shake. Shadow stumbled before catching himself, widening his stance to keep balanced as he swiftly searched for the source of the unexpected disturbance. An earthquake? No—
His eyes widened. There, in the twilight, the very atmosphere seemed to twist with a massive energy surge. The sky quivered like a mirage. A piercing whine began to build, warbling shrilly and engulfing the remainder of the night's tranquility.
Suddenly, all sounds ceased. The stars disappeared into what Shadow thought was the mystifying appearance of a black hole.
Then, a deafening boom shook the very foundation of the national park. Shadow's proximity to the soundwave sent him flying back. He tumbled through the dust, snarling until he eventually caught himself on the ground, fingers leaving deep gouges in the dirt. He managed to stop, quickly taking a knee while recovering. As he stood and looked at the sky once more, he glared up at the cause of the commotion in disbelief.
A Black Comet had appeared over the canyon.