Still Here
Chapter 1: Start Anew
Shadow and Sonic were giving it their all against Biolizard, the prototype of the Ultimate Lifeform. It was attached to the Space Colony ARK, intending to finish the job its successor decided to abandon. It will fulfill its purpose and prove itself as the true Ultimate Lifeform.
Shadow and Sonic, both in their Super Forms, were giving their all, never relenting. Both giving their all to save the world and fulfill their promise to dear friends they had made. To Sonic it was the friends he still had, and to Shadow it was Maria and the boy, Chris, who reminded him of her.
"Shadow! With me!" Sonic called out to his fellow super-hog.
"Alright!" Shadow said as the two started charging up.
They both sped forward faster than light as they landed a hard blow upon the life support of the Biolizard, causing the prototype to screech in agony as it then perished via exploding from the overload of Chaos Energy.
The Biolizard was no more, but now all that was left was the Space Colony ARK. It had already entered Earth's atmosphere. If nothing was done, millions would lose their lives.
That only leaves one option.
"Sonic! With me now!" Shadow called out as he flew towards the ARK.
"Roger!" Sonic said as he quickly followed.
The two summoned as much of their power as they could as they generated a field of energy to encircle the tip of the ARK's Eclipse Cannon. The two gritted their teeth as they focused all their might. They heard the voices of their friends calling out to them from within the ARK. They could feel them thanks to their connection to the power of Chaos.
"You can do it, Sonic!" Tails' voice called out to his best friend.
"Give it all you got, Shadow!" Eggman's voice called out to his grandfather's greatest creation.
"If you fail the entire planet will be destroyed!" Rouge's voice exclaimed with worry.
"Tough it out, you guys!" Knuckles' voice shouted out to pump them up.
"You can do it!" Amy cheered them on.
"We know you can!" Somehow Cream's voice was heard to them despite her still being on Earth.
"Sonic!" Chris' voice called out to his hero with all his might.
"Shadow!" Shadow's eyes widened upon hearing Maria's voice echoing within his very heart. "Those people need you, Shadow."
Shadow's heart burst with a new fire as his energy started to rise even further and further.
"I am Shadow! Shadow the Hedgehog!" Shadow proclaimed proudly as he unlocked his Inhibitor Rings, causing his full power to be unleashed. "You ready?" Shadow asked Sonic.
"You bet! Here we go!" Sonic responded as his own power skyrocketed.
"CHAOS CONTROL!" Both Super Hedgehogs screamed out as they used their full power to bend time and space, and with their combined might, managed to put the Space Colony ARK back into its original orbit.
"We did it, Shadow!" Sonic said with a relieved smirk as he was now hanging onto the end of the Eclipse Cannon with his Super Form losing its luster. He turned only to find his fellow speedster was gone. He searched around only to find his Inhibitor Rings floating through space. "Oh no." Sonic said as he grabbed them. He looked around only to find a flickering light diving down towards the Earth. "Shadow!" Sonic shouted out with fear for his fellow hedgehog's life.
Shadow was careening down towards Earth, using up all his power to send the ARK back where it belonged. Unfortunately, while he was able to transport the ARK, he was unable to do the same for himself, as he was now caught up in Earth's gravity. Now he was limp, falling downward towards the Earth as his mind went back to the person whose wish he had fought to fulfill as promised.
'Maria… this is what you wanted, right? This is my promise I made to you.' Shadow mentally spoke as his eyes grew heavy.
Just then, a voice came to him.
"Shadow! Please don't give up! It's not over for you yet! The world needs you… and you need it too! Live, Shadow! Live your life. You deserve happiness as well. Please… live for me. For the both of us." Maria's voice echoed within Shadow's heart. "Shadow… please… live!"
Shadow's eyes snapped open as a new power erupted from within him. He roared as his very being exploded with new power.
'I promise, Maria!' Shadow swore as he concentrated all his remaining energy for one last move. "Chaos Control!"
Shadow vanished from sight with one last gleam of light.
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Back on the ARK, everyone was relieved for a job well done. The Earth was saved once more.
Dr. Eggman was already on his ship, not wanting to stick around as he knew the others would see to his arrest, so it was best to leave as early as possible. Though he contemplated his grandfather's final goal on destroying the planet, wondering if he truly did desire to destroy the planet, it didn't change that he would continue in his efforts to conquer it.
With one last 'until next time', he flew back towards the now rescued planet, intending to conquer it another day.
The others remained on the ARK, waiting for their heroes' return.
The doors to the room they were all in opened as everyone turned to see Sonic… with Shadow nowhere in sight.
Everyone (Tails, Amy, Rouge, Knuckles, Mr. Tanaka and Chris Thorndyke) all turned and greeted the blue blur, but they grew concerned upon noticing the other of the Super Duo had not returned.
Chris walked over towards Sonic with a confused and worried expression on his face.
"Where's Shadow?" Chris asked with concern.
Sonic remained silent for a moment before handing Chris Shadow's Inhibitor Rings.
The young boy stared at the rings with a saddened expression upon his face, holding them tightly into his hands.
"You know… maybe Professor Robotnik wanted Shadow to stop his crazy plan all along." Rouge theorized.
"We'll never know… but in the end, Shadow sacrificed everything to save us all." Sonic said with a frown, saddened over the brave hedgehog's sacrifice just the same as the rest.
Chris started to cry. After all the pain Shadow had gone through… he had hoped that maybe… he would come back with them. Maybe he could have been part of their group. That with them… they could all be like a family and work towards a better future. Just like the black and red hedgehog deserved.
"Come on, Chris. Let's head back." Sonic said, gently patting his friend on the back. "Let's go home. To the planet as cool and blue as me!" Sonic said, giving everyone a smile to help lift their spirits.
After earning smiles back, albeit ones that still held some pain, they all agreed and left the room, with Sonic turning towards the window giving a perfect view of the planet they had saved.
With one last look, Sonic gave a goodbye he hadn't wanted to say but had no other choice but to.
"Sayonara… Shadow the Hedgehog."
With that, Sonic left the room to join the others.
As he headed down the hall, he noticed Amy running past him, which was a surprise and something he never expected to see.
"Amy, where are you headed off to? The rocket's this way." Sonic called out to his non-girlfriend friend.
"I have to find the bathroom. It's going to be a long trip home, after all." Amy called back.
"Do you even know where it is?" Sonic asked.
"Rouge told me it was this way. Don't worry, Sonic, I'll be back before you know it!" Amy said as she hurried down the hall.
"Don't take too long!" Sonic called out.
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Shadow panted as he rested on the floor. The cold, cold floor. He groaned as he managed to lift his head up. He realized where he had ended up in.
It was Maria's room.
Shadow struggled but he managed to get to his feet. After having used up what little energy he had left, he was forced to use the wall for support. He eyes scanned the room where he then saw a trio of photos on the desk within the quarters. He slowly made his way over towards the desk and examined each framed photo.
One was Shadow himself. It was taken in the same room he and Maria would view the planet from. He remembered that moment. Maria had surprised him with that polaroid camera she had found. Despite being alarmed that day, he couldn't help but feel a warm feeling when recalling that memory.
One was of Maria and her grandfather, Gerald Robotnik. He took that after Maria surprised him with the first one taken. It was back when everything was alright between them all. Despite all that had happened, he could not blame the professor for what he did. Pain could make a man, or hedgehog, do some very unforgivable things. Especially when that pain robbed them of the much happier times that they had… and could have had.
'I'm sorry, professor. I wished… things turned out differently as well.' Shadow said, staring at his creator's photo with a somber gaze.
The most he could do for him now was pray that his soul would somehow find peace… somewhere… somehow.
Shadow's eyes then fell upon the final photo, of him and Maria. Though he was extremely tired, and it was even a chore to do so, Shadow raised his aching arm and managed to grab the photo. He brought it towards himself, staring at it with saddened eyes, welling up with tears.
"Maria… forgive me… I will… try to live… for you… for us both. I… would never… break a promise… that I made to you. My friend." Shadow said before his world grew dark and he fell towards the cold, cold floor once more.
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Amy sighed with a relief as she made her way down the hall. It was time to head to Earth.
However, as she did so, she couldn't help but frown with sadness. She too felt sadness for Shadow. She… wished things turned out differently… but at least he did the right thing. He saved everyone.
Amy just wished… that he could have been saved too.
Thinking back to the moment Chris confronted him with pleas to save the planet… Amy recalled the event.
.
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Shadow sent Chris flying away with an invisible blast of energy.
"Chris!" Amy ran over to help her friend, only for the hand of the boy's butler to stop her.
"Tanaka?" Amy looked at the spectacled help with surprise and worry, only to earn a shake of the man's head, gesturing for her to let things play out.
This was needed… but this wouldn't be easy to see.
Chris fought to get back to his feet, all while the dark and red hedgehog stared him down.
"All I'm going to do is carry out Maria's wish." Shadow said with absolute resolve.
"Maria doesn't want revenge." Chris tried to reason with him.
"What? How would you know?! You never met her!" Shadow argued.
"I didn't have to… I know… that no one wants their friend to do something horrible." Chris said as he walked over towards Shadow, placing his hands on his shoulders. "Live for revenge and then die afterwards? That's not right!"
"Shut Up!" Shadow sent Chris flying again with a blast of invisible energy, crashing him against the wall.
Amy couldn't take this any longer. She pulled away from Tanaka and raced forward, but not towards her friend.
"Miss. Amy, wait!" Tanaka called out to her.
"There's nothing in this world worth saving!" Shadow shouted with anger.
"How would you know?!" Amy shouted as she tried slapping Shadow, only for him to stop her by grabbing her hand. He glared at her with disdain as she had tears in her saddened eyes. "How would you ever know… if you never even bothered to find anything worth saving to begin with when you were there!" Amy shouted, actually surprising Shadow with her words.
Shadow stared at her with widened eyes as he then gritted his teeth.
"They took Maria away from me. Maria wasn't allowed to leave because her body was weak since birth." Shadow said with anger and pain hidden within his eyes. "But guess what the humans did! In order to protect their pathetic happiness…" Shadow couldn't even finish his sentence.
"It's not pathetic!" Amy shouted as she tried smacking him with her other hand, only for him to grab her other arm. "How could you even say that… the happiness of humans is pathetic… then what about hers?! Maria was human too, wasn't she?!"
"Her happiness was robbed from her from other humans!" Shadow argued.
"Don't ever say that! She was with you, wasn't she?! You were her friend! You're the reason for her happiness!" Amy retorted, causing Shadow to gasp in shock. She suddenly delivered a headbutt, causing Shadow to stumble backwards. The dark hedgehog growled as he held his face in pain. He glared at the pink hedgehog, only to see her in tears. "The reason you're here… is because of Maria, isn't it? How could the world rob her of happiness… when you're still alive. Knowing that the one you love most is still here… able to live… is worth more than the world itself." Amy said, causing Shadow's eyes to widen in shock.
"She… she's right." Chris said as he fought to get back to his feet. "I know… there's fighting every day on Earth. Everyone may be selfish, self-centered and foolish… but they're all living! They're doing their best to live so that they can all live together in happiness someday. Don't take that future away from them." Chris pleaded as he struggled to make it towards Shadow.
Shadow clenched his fist as something was coming back to him, but his anger was still fighting it out.
"Humans can fight over the most trivial of things… believe me, I know it. I've seen it with my own eyes." Amy confessed, earning Shadow's attention. "But the world isn't just made of bad people. The kind of people who have given up on one another, who value only their own wishes more than anything… but fighting for your wishes isn't always a bad thing… it can inspire the best good you could ever find in people… but only if they're given a chance to." Amy said, causing Shadow to blink his eyes in surprise and confusion. "Giving them that… the chance to find a reason to be happy… and to give that happiness back… that's worth it, isn't it? That's enough of a reason to help them." Amy looked Shadow in the eyes as she continued. "I won't lie… there are people like Eggman, who want nothing more than to take other's happiness away for their own… but even though there's someone like him… there's always someone like Maria too!" Amy exclaimed, causing Shadow's eyes to widen. "Shadow… I beg you!"
"Please, do it for them / Please, do it for them!" The voices of Amy and Maria echoed within Shadow's head as an image of his old friend appeared alongside Amy.
'Maria…' Shadow stared at Amy with widened eyes and a heavy heart as the image of Maria faded away, leaving only Amy.
"For everyone living on that planet… please give them a chance to be happy. Please, grant everyone's wish. That's what you were born to do." Maria's smiling face appeared within Shadow's mind. "You're like a shadow that always watches over us."
Shadow closed his eyes as he had then done something he hadn't done since the day he lost his closest friend. He shed a tear.
"Shadow?"
Shadow opened his eyes to see Amy staring at him with concern.
"Please…" Chris said as he then fell forward, unconscious.
"Chris!" Amy was about to rush over but Shadow caught him.
Tanaka walked over and picked up his charge with a soft smile on his face, proud that he, along with Amy, had finally managed to relight Shadow's darkened heart.
'Maria… that's what you wished for. That's what I promised. It's what I have to make real… for you.' Shadow thought to himself as he turned and hurried away.
"Shadow, wait! Where are you going?" Amy called out to the dark hog.
"I have to go. I have to keep my promise to Maria… and you." Shadow said to her as he hurried out of the room.
Amy stared at the open doorway with a bit of a confused look, but her eyes were filled with a new hope.
"Good luck…"
.
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'I can't believe that's the last time I'll ever see him.' Amy thought with a saddened expression. 'Even though I only knew you for a short time… and we only met twice… I really do wish you were here… Shadow.' Amy closed her eyes and shed a tear.
As she was walking by a room, she heard a thud from within, causing her to jump with a gasp. She turned towards the room with a confused expression. She got a little worried, but she mustered up the courage to investigate. Amy walked into the room, noticing it was a bedroom, and from the looks of some of the décor, it was likely a girl's room.
Amy looked around to find the source of the 'thud' but once she did, she gasped in shock, finding the one she had wished was still here not even a moment ago.
"Shadow!" Amy was in shock, but she quickly hurried to his side. He knelt beside him, checking upon his condition to find him all banged up and exhausted. She was now very worried about his safety. Praying that he was still breathing, he leaned her face closer and felt the light sensation of his breathing. He was still alive! The young hedgehog female gently shook Shadow, hoping to awaken him. "Shadow. Shadow! Please, wake up!" Amy begged.
Shadow groaned as he responded to her plea. He cracked open his eyes to see the image of his blonde human friend over him with a concerned look upon her face.
"Maria…" Shadow spoke as the visage soon dissolved and morphed into the form of the pink hedgehog from earlier.
"Shadow…" Amy spoke his name with concern. She then carefully picked him up, giving him support as she helped him to his feet. "Don't worry. We'll take you back home. We'll fix you right up and get you back to Earth. I promise." Amy said to the red streaked hedgehog.
"Maria… our promise… I…" Shadow was left unconscious again as he lost his hold on the photo, causing it to fall upon the floor.
Amy looked down at the framed photo of Maria and Shadow. She then looked up to find the other two photos on the desk. Amy looked back at Shadow, now knowing he had ended up here thanks to the strong love within his heart.
A heart that needed mending… and she'll help every step of the way.
She owed it to him for all he did for her, and everyone else.
It was what he deserved… at long last.
"Don't worry, Shadow. We'll be back on Earth soon… and then… you can finally live." Amy promised the hero within her arms.
.
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Okay, now Sonic was getting worried.
It had been half an hour since Amy had left for the bathroom. He knew she wasn't this slow, so the best he could think of was that she was lost.
"Sonic! The rocket is ready!" Tails called out from the cockpit of the rocket.
"Amy isn't back yet! I'm going to go look for her!" Sonic called out.
"Hold on, I see her!" Chris called out from the door of the spaceship. "Wait… she's carrying someone!"
"Huh?" Everyone looked over in confusion.
"Someone else was here?" Tail questioned.
"Don't tell me we had a stowaway all along." Rouge said with her arms crossed.
"They're getting closer." Chris said as he focused his gaze on the pair, only to gasp with a look of shock as he saw Amy carrying the same one that they never expected to see alive again. "It's Shadow!" Chris called out, shocking everyone.
"Shadow?!" Rouge questioned as she quickly took to the air and gasped upon finding said hedgehog was being carried by the pink one. "It is him!" Rouge confirmed in surprise.
"No way!" Knuckles said in shock.
"Shadow!" Chris hopped out of the rocket and hurried over towards Amy and the unconscious Shadow. "Amy! How-"
"Careful, Chris! He's still in bad shape." Amy told her human friend as she looked towards the tired hedgehog.
"Where did you find him?" Chris asked with concern.
"I found him… in Maria's room." Amy said with a small frown.
"He must have used Chaos Control to teleport himself there." Sonic deduced, surprised to see his fellow heroic hedgehog had made it back alive.
"Easy with him, Chris." Amy said as Chris helped her support Shadow.
"He's all banged up. We better get him home." Chris said with a worried frown.
Everyone got into the spacecraft with Amy and Chris resting Shadow down.
"I can't believe he made it." Rouge said with surprise, and hidden relief.
"Shadow…" Chris looked down at the unconscious hedgehog with a worried look.
"You better go take your seat, Chris. I'll stay with him." Amy offered.
"Alright." Chris agreed with a nod before heading away.
Amy stared down at Shadow's ruffed up face with a look of concern. As the shuttle took off, everyone was seated, awaiting their return to the Earth. Amy remained by Shadow's side, never taking her eyes off him. After a while, she noticed Shadow clinching up, causing her to worry.
Shadow was experiencing a nightmare. The same nightmare he had for so long. The day of the raid on the ARK. He gritted his teeth as he envisioned himself running with Maria. He had taken out as many soldiers as he could, but after a while, he was drained.
That was because the day of the raid was the day he first received his Inhibitor Rings. Because he wasn't used to them yet, he grew weak very quickly. It was then Maria took him to the escape pod, placing him inside before a G.U.N. soldier had arrived and ordered her to stop.
His heart raced as the horrid memory was playing out. The soldier threatened Maria with Shadow fighting to escape the pod to save his best friend. Time slowed down as he saw Maria's strong resolve as she slowly started to pull the lever that would eject his pod.
'No… No! Maria, don't!' Shadow screamed out within his dreams.
Amy gasped upon noticing Shadow starting to toss and turn. He must have been having one intense and horrid nightmare. Now wanting for him to bear this horror any longer, Amy quickly did what she thought was best.
Shadow tossed and turned, fighting for freedom, only to stop when he felt a warm sensation envelope his hand. It was the hand of another, wrapping around his own.
"Don't worry, Shadow. Everything is alright. You're not alone anymore."
'Maria…' Shadow's heart started to beat at a much calmer rhythm.
"I promise." Amy said, staring down at Shadow with a concerned expression as she held his hand.
Shadow finally eased up, now with a more relaxed demeanor as his heartbeat returned to normal.
Rouge noticed this interaction with new intrigue.
'Well, well… isn't that a sight.' Rouge thought with a smirk before facing forward.
She wasn't the only one to notice this. Sonic noticed this sight as well, and though he acted nonchalant over it, he had this odd, foreign feeling within himself.
Whatever it was, he wasn't a fan.
.
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The gang had returned home back at the Thorndyke residents. There they managed to get Shadow treated. He was resting within a bed where the others had stayed when they first came to Earth, with his form being bandaged up.
Right by his side was none other than Amy, who had decided to be by Shadow's side until he recovered from his injuries.
The pink hedgehog had a worried look on her face as she was afraid that Shadow might never wake up, but she kept hope that he would. Hopefully soon.
Everyone else was downstairs in the living room watching the news.
As expected, Scarlet Garcia was doing her report on the events within the ARK, but she was also divulging the information of Project Shadow, which had been covered up for so long by a sector of the government over fifty years ago.
She didn't leave a single thing out. Especially not the lives of the hardworking scientists and their families aboard the space colony that day.
"How awful! How could the government do that to everyone aboard the ARK?!" Chris said with outrage.
"A classic clean-up. It's usually what top secret projects receive. That's why I'm not a big fan of working for the government. Freelancing is more my speed." Chris' grandfather, Chuck Thorndyke, said with a frown and his arms crossed.
"All those innocent lives… the families… how could the people they trusted do such a thing to them, especially when they asked for their help in the first place?" Ella said with a horrified and saddened frown.
"It's no wonder Mister Shadow was so upset. I don't think I would forgive the people of the world if they had done that to all the innocent people aboard the ARK." Cream said with a heartbroken expression.
"Chao! Chao!" Cheese agreed with her having the same expression.
"I hate to dampen the mood even further, but despite the bad G.U.N. had done aboard the ARK fifty years ago, it doesn't change the fact that Shadow helped in trying to destroy the planet. The government will come looking for him sooner or later." Chuck brought up, causing everyone to frown further.
"Well, we won't let them!" Chris exclaimed as he stood up from the couch. "We'll just keep Shadow here and explain the whole thing to the President."
"Master Chris, while I appreciate your heart being in the right place, it will not be that simple. While Shadow did decide to save the planet at the last minute, it does not erase the crimes he has committed in the past week. This is not something the world will easily forgive, nor forget. I'm afraid a peaceful result will not be possible." Tanaka voiced his opinion.
"Well what about the crimes the government had done to Shadow and Maria? They were innocent in all of this and because of what G.U.N. did on the ARK it led to these events in the first place. They killed Maria, drove the professor insane and put Shadow on the path of revenge. Shadow may have put the world in danger, but it's the world that needs to apologize to Shadow!" Chris argued.
"Even still, Shadow has some apologizing to do himself. No side is innocent in this matter." Chuck pointed it out.
"I guess there's still a lot of work to be done before we can actually move on from all of this." Chris said looking downtrodden.
"The ghosts of the past will not rest until then." Chuck said looking up with a frown. "Oh, speaking of which, Amy is still with Shadow?" Chuck asked, recalling the pink hedgehog's insistence in being by Shadow's side while he recovered.
"Yeah, she is." Tails answered.
"She said she wouldn't leave Shadow's side until he was all better." Cream said.
"Funny. Normally, you'd think that's the kind of honor she'd reserve for Sonic. I wonder what happened that got her to turn her attention like this." Chuck wondered aloud.
"What are you suggesting?" Ella asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, nothing. Just thinking out loud." Chuck said, deciding to hold his tongue over the subject.
"Poor girl, she hasn't eaten since she came back. I should fix something up for her." Ella said as she decided to head for the kitchen.
"Amy is really worried for Mister Shadow." Cream commented as she looked upward as on the floor above them was Shadow and Amy.
"So am I." Chris said with a frown as he looked up as well.
"Worrying won't do much. We can worry when he wakes up. By then, we'll have to decide on our next course of action before the government comes snooping around." Chuck said looking upward as well.
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Amy remained by Shadow's side, never taking her eyes off the dark hedgehog. She had a worried frown as a concerned gaze fell upon the male hog's face.
'Shadow…' Amy mind went back to the moment she saw the tear he shed back onto the ARK. 'I don't know what'll happen next after you wake up… but you won't be alone anymore. I'll make sure of it.' Amy silently promised.
Almost as if reacting to her thoughts, Shadow scrunched up his face, causing Amy to gasp. She watched as he slowly cracked open his eyes.
Shadow groaned a bit as he noticed a figure over him. As he fully opened his eyes, he found the pink hedgehog from before.
Emerald-green stared into crimson red.
The two hedgehogs remained silent as they stared at one another.
After a moment, Shadow sat up as he then rolled his shoulders to relieve himself of aches and soreness. Once done, he got out of bed and started walking away, only for Amy to suddenly grab his arm.
"Where are you going?" Amy demanded an answer.
"Away from here." Shadow answered.
"Not going to happen, Mister!" Amy said only for Shadow to yank his arm away. He continued forward only for Amy to get up and stand in his way. "I said, you're not going anywhere!"
"That's not for you to decide." Shadow said.
"You're hurt, you still need time to recover, and you have no place to stay. I've decided that I'm going to make sure you don't run away. Especially since you're not at a hundred percent!" Amy retorted.
"How would you know?" Shadow argued back.
His answer was Amy pressed her finger against Shadow bandaged chest, causing him to wince in pain.
"That's how!" Amy shot back.
"Hmph." Shadow responded as he moved Amy to the side. "Just try to stop me." Shadow said as he marched towards the stairs.
"Okay… you asked for it!" Amy said as she hopped onto Shadow.
"Ah! What are you doing?!" Shadow questioned with a surprised and annoyed look.
"Stopping you!" Amy answered as she held on tightly while Shadow struggled to get her off.
Shadow growled as he tried getting Amy off him, but she was clinging on tightly.
"I could throw you towards the other side of the room!" Shadow warned Amy.
"If you were at full strength, you already would have!" Amy shot back.
Shadow grunted with gritted teeth. He was very annoyed. Not just at Amy, but with how accurate her statement was. He knew he wasn't at full strength… but perhaps that was for the best.
"Just let me go." Shadow said as he quit struggling.
"No! You have to rest! If you go out there-"
"I'll pay for my crimes… as I should." Shadow stated, causing Amy to look up at him in surprise. He was looking down with a serious gaze that reflected a strong sense of regret within them.
"Shadow…"
"This needs to be done. I need to make amends… and handing myself over is the only way." Shadow said.
"… You know that's not true." Amy said causing Shadow glance to her, seeing a resolute expression on her face. "You said you made a promise to make everyone on this planet happy. You can't do that within a cell."
"If I was put away, that might make everyone happy." Shadow reasoned.
"It wouldn't make me happy." Amy said, surprising Shadow by her statement. "It wouldn't make anyone happy. So please, Shadow… don't go." Amy said as she no longer focused on restraining the black and red hedgehog but instead was giving him a hug.
Shadow stared at Amy with widened eyes. Her tone was as warm as the hug she was giving him. She was being genuine. A strong sensation was entering its way into Shadow's heart. A warm feeling he hadn't felt… since Maria was still alive.
After a moment of silence, Shadow looked downward, deciding on his next move.
"Alright. For you." Shadow conceded, causing Amy to smile with relief and joy.
The two hedgehogs remained in that position, never noticing they had a visitor.
"Oh my!" The two hedgehogs looked up to find Ella, holding a plate of food with a shocked expression. "I'm sorry. I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"Oh, no! Nothing at all! Just telling Shadow he should just rest is all!" Amy said with a flustered smile and blush as she leaped back with her hands up in defense.
"She's stubborn." Shadow said with a frown.
"Well, when a woman tells you to rest, they will fight tooth and nail to make sure you follow their instructions. To them, your health matters more than anything." Ella said, giving Shadow a smile as she fully entered the room. "I came to bring Amy something to eat, but with you already awake I should go prepare more for you."
"Oh, no, it's okay, Ella. Give it to Shadow. I'm sure he's hungry." Amy said.
"I don't eat." Shadow said.
"Quit being so stubborn." Amy reprimanded the dark hedgehog.
"I'm not. I was built without the need to eat or sleep." Shadow clarified.
"Seriously? That's just awful! Eating something delicious is one of the best things you can ever experience!" Amy said with surprise.
"Eating is a necessity. The professor designed me to not require any necessities." Shadow countered.
"Well then, that doesn't mean it can't be a pleasure." Amy said with a smile, causing Shadow to raise an eyebrow.
"Just try it. It's a nice beef and potato stew, with chopped carrots, string beans and corn. I even added some delicious spices to it. I also have a side of rice here for it. You can never go wrong with a little on the side." Ella offered with a welcoming smile.
Shadow stared at it for a moment, not sure what to do.
"If you don't try it, I'll spoon feed it to you~." Amy chimed with a cheeky smirk.
"Tch." Shadow decided against being force fed and decided to give it a try just to get them off his back. He took the spoon and scooped up a spoonful. He stared at it for a moment before putting it in his mouth. The second he did, his eyes widened in surprise at how tasty it was. He pulled the spoon out of his mouth and stared at the stew with surprised eyes. 'So this… is stew.'
"Tasty, huh?" Amy asked with a knowing smile.
"Here. Have some more." Elle said with a brightened smile as she handed the platter to Shadow.
Shadow blinked his eyes before looking up at Ella.
"Thank you."
"My pleasure." Ella said with a warm smile. "After everything you had done to save the planet, this is the least I can do."
"I don't deserve this." Shadow said.
"Of course you do! After everything, you still chose to help us in the end! That shows strong character. Believe me. I can hold a grudge, so I know what I'm talking about when I say showing mercy can be an amazing strength, even towards those who have hurt you before." Ella said in response.
"You should have seen her when Bokkun blew her up while we were on a cruise ship. She learned to fly the X-Tornado in a snap just to catch him and teach him a lesson. She even took down Eggman while she was at it. Sent him flying across the horizon with just a kick from its X-Cyclone mode." Amy said, surprising Shadow upon this fact.
"That little brat deserved it! I showed him kindness and he blew me up with one of his awful surprises! He's just lucky I went easy on him!" Ella said, still angry over the whole ordeal.
"Word to the wise, never make Ella angry. Also, better put me on that list too." Amy said, gently nudging Shadow with a wink.
"Duly noted." Shadow said as he took another spoonful of stew.
"You should try it with the rice. Mixing certain foods together makes them even tastier." Ella suggested.
Shadow decided to listen to her and ate a spoonful of rice and stew, causing his eyes to widen again.
"I have a lot to learn." Shadow said, mainly to himself.
Just then he felt a hand on his shoulder, making him turn to see it was Amy.
"You have time." Amy said with a warm smile.
For some reason, Shadow couldn't turn away from her smiling face.
Ella noticed the interaction between the two. This was more than just an injured individual and caretaker. The housekeeper couldn't help but smile upon this sight.
"Well, I'll leave you be. If you need anything else, do not be afraid to ask." Ella said as she headed for the stairs.
"Thank you, Ella." Amy thanked the sweet housekeeper.
"Yes. Thank you." Shadow thanked the nice woman as well.
Ella gave them one last smile before heading down the stairs.
Amy gave one last wave as Shadow returned to his meal.
"You should sit down while you eat that." Amy suggested.
"My legs work just fine." Shadow said as he continued eating.
"And you say I'm stubborn." Amy said, smirking with her arms crossed.
.
.
Ella hummed as she made her way downstairs with a pleasant smile on her face.
As she came down, she was met by the young master of the house.
"How were things upstairs?" Chris asked, showing signs of worry.
"Oh, perfectly fine. Just give them a little more time, Master Chris." Ella said, giving the young Thorndyke a warm smile and a comforting hand on his shoulder.
Chris was still troubled, but he listened to Ella. She had never steered him wrong before, and for that he was grateful. With an understanding nod, Chris let things be.
Just then, a knock came at the door.
"Who could that be?" Chris wondered aloud as he decided to answer it. When he did, he was shocked to find members of the Guardian Units of Nations (G.U.N.) were at their front door. "What are you doing here?!" Chris shouted out in shock.
"We're here to retrieve Shadow the Hedgehog." One of the members, no doubt the leader, answered.
"How do you even know that he's here?" Chris countered back.
"Because I told them." A female voice spoke, causing Chris to look to see it was Rouge. "Don't worry, kid, we're not going to hurt him. We're just here to negotiate a deal."
"A deal?" Chris questioned with confusion.
.
.
Shadow let out an exhale as he put the now finished platter atop a nearby desk.
"Good, wasn't it? Ella knows how to cook an amazing dish." Amy said with a smile.
"And she's happy about it?" Shadow asked.
"She enjoys it, but what she enjoys more is the people enjoying what she makes."
'I wonder if Maria would have liked cooking.' Shadow wondered to himself.
"So, Shadow, when you're healed up… where do plan to stay?" Amy asked.
"Why does that concern you?" Shadow questioned, turning towards her.
"Because I want to know that'll you stay safe." Amy answered with genuine concern on her face.
Shadow blinked his eyes in response.
"Why do you suddenly care about my wellbeing so much?" Shadow asked.
"Why wouldn't I? You went through a lot, and you deserve some kindness. Besides… I know how it feels when it seems like nobody gives you a chance to prove yourself." Amy confessed as she looked towards the side with a somber expression. "Everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves… and you're no different, Shadow." Amy said showing a more resolute expression.
Despite the strong demeanor, Shadow could see the care reflected with her eyes. Care for him. The same care only one other person had for him.
"She's right you know." A female voice spoke, causing the two to jump in surprise to find Rouge the Bat had made her way into the room through the window. "You do deserve the chance to prove yourself. That's the least the world owes you." Rouge said as she sat against the windowsill.
"What are you doing here, Rouge?" Amy asked with surprise and a creeping sense of worry.
"Came to deliver a message straight from the President. He wants an audience with Shadow." Rouge answered, surprising the two.
"What for?" Amy asked, giving the bat a suspicious glare.
"Easy there, firecracker. No need to go off on me. I swear this isn't bad news." Rouge reassured, but the pair of hedgehogs were still on their toes. "The President just wants to extend an offer. Will you take it?"
"An offer?" Shadow questioned.
"This better not be a trap." Amy warned.
"Yee of little faith. Besides, this isn't your business, hot head." Rouge said with a dismissive wave.
"Shadow's a friend. What happens to him is my business." Amy retorted, surprising the black and red hedgehog.
"Well, aren't you the protective type." Rouge said with a teasing and knowing smirk.
Amy didn't like any of this, but once she felt Shadow's hand on her shoulder and turning towards him, she eased up upon seeing him nodding for her to calm down.
"I'll go… but this better not be a trick, Rouge." Shadow said, still weary like Amy.
"Cross my heart, hope to die." Rouge said with a smile as she made a cross sign over her heart, only to see the pair still having stern, hesitant expressions. "You both are one stubborn pair, aren't ya?" Rouge said with a frown. "Fine. I swear to my love of treasure itself that this isn't a trick. That's the highest guarantee I can ever give someone. Trust me."
The two hedgehogs looked at one another, silently agreeing that was the best that they were going to get out of Rouge.
"What deal are we talking about?" Shadow asked, keeping a reserved yet defensive front.
.
.
Shadow was being guided into the oval office where the President resided. Guiding him there were members of the G.U.N. with Rouge leading the pack alongside the troop leader and her partner, Topaz.
Shadow was far from comfortable with this situation. The last time he was surrounded by this many G.U.N. soldiers, things did not end well.
The group made it to the doors of the oval office and entered after being authorized.
There within the room was the presidential cabinet, secret service, the President's aide, Christina Cooper, and finally the President, who was currently sitting behind his desk.
"Here he is, just as promised." Rouge said as she stepped away, allowing Shadow to step forward.
He saw the uneasy expressions on the Cabinet and could sense it from their very being. He expected this. Regardless, he didn't have much of a choice. Even if he said no or decided to run, he knew that path would have more troublesome results.
The President, Michael K., stood up from his seat, walked around his desk and over to Shadow.
"It's nice to meet you, Shadow the Hedgehog." The President greeted the dark hedgehog, extending his hand to him.
Shadow looked at the President's hand, never expecting such a gesture from him. Not after threatening the planet as he did. Shadow responded by shaking the Presidents hand, earning a smile from the man.
"I don't see why. I didn't do anything that deserves such pleasantries." Shadow said as he finished shaking the President's hand.
"Well, we've all done things that we're not proud of. Be it what happened in the present and what happened in the past. The best we can do is focus on a better future." The President said.
"Rouge said you were offering some sort of deal. I still don't see how I deserve an offer, but I'm all ears." Shadow said.
"Right. From what agent Rouge had explained, you are an exemplary individual. Your skills are on par with Sonic the Hedgehog. A feat not even Dr. Eggman has ever accomplished. Even with help, he always came up short." The President said with an impressed smile. "She has convinced my Cabinet and I that such a character is better to have as an ally than an enemy, so I propose a pact."
"A pact?" Shadow questioned with surprise and confusion.
"I know that this might rub you the wrong way, but I'd like to offer you a place within G.U.N." The President said, causing Shadow to narrow his eyes at the suggestion.
"Why?"
"We believe that with your skills we can finally bring down Eggman and do some good for our world. Some actual good. Nothing like what was in the past. G.U.N. has changed since then, but we believe it can take a turn for the better with someone like you within our organization." The President explained, earning silence from Shadow. "I understand if you have your reservations, or to even flat out deny the offer, but we genuinely believe the world would be better with you in it as an ally."
"The world might as well just see me as a monster. I have given them nothing to revere." Shadow said, glancing downward.
"And we as a species were guilty of the same crime fifty years ago." The President said with a remorseful frown. "All I'm asking Shadow… is for both you and our planet to finally give one another a chance to make things right. As they should be."
Shadow remained silent as he thought it over.
He made a promise to Maria to provide that chance. With that, he had come to his decision.
Shadow extended his hand to the President, earning a grateful smile as the elder man shook the dark quilled being's hand, signifying their newfound alliance.
.
.
Shadow ran from the white house all the way back to the Thorndyke residents. At first, there didn't seem to be a need, but he had someone to inform them of what happened. Otherwise, he knew he wouldn't hear the end of it.
"You joined G.U.N.?!" Amy exclaimed in shock as she had been in the living room with the others.
"I did." Shadow answered.
"I'm… shocked! I didn't think-"
"I don't blame you." Shadow said, causing Amy to give a sympathetic frown.
"Are you sure that this is what you want? No one forced you into this, did they?" Amy asked with concern.
"All voluntarily." Shadow answered.
"That's great, Shadow." Chris said with a smile.
"So, they forgave you for everything?" Tails asked.
"Not quite. I may have been pardoned, but I still have a debt to repay." Shadow answered.
"Well, don't worry! Whatever happens, we'll be with you every step of the way!" Chris said with a supportive smile.
"That won't be necessary." Shadow said as he turned away. "Thank you for housing me. Goodbye." Shadow started heading for the door, when a hand grabbed his arm, and surprise, surprise, it was from Rose.
"You don't have to leave, you know." Amy said, causing Shadow to turn to her. "You could stay here. With us." Amy offered.
Once again, the pink hedgehog surprised the dark one.
After a moment, he looked around to see welcoming smiles upon everyone's faces. Despite all he had put them, their friend Sonic, and the world through, they still gave him friendly smiles and a welcoming atmosphere. He couldn't make heads or tails of these people.
They should be furious and yet… they were so forgiving and welcoming.
The longer he stayed on this planet, the more he realized Amy's words were true.
There may be people like Eggman in the world… but there will also always be ones like Maria.
Shadow looked at the pink hedgehog, who smiled warmly at him.
He had given them all so many reasons to frown at him, and yet they didn't take a single one.
He was either being blessed or punished, but the fact remained, they indeed wanted him to stay.
After a moment, he relented and answered their pleas.
"Fine. I'll stay. For now." Shadow answered.
Everyone then cheered, which surprised Shadow even more. He didn't expect them to be this happy with his decision.
It honestly felt… nice.
Maybe things won't be so bad here after all. On this planet. In this room. In this life.
A life that might just be worth living after all.
"This calls for a celebration! I'll be making a feast tonight!" Ella said with a bright smile.
"Mister Shadow, since you will be staying, do you need a room of your own or are you okay with sharing one with the others?" Tanaka asked.
"I prefer my own space." Shadow answered. 'I don't feel like sharing a room with Sonic any time soon.'
"You know, Shadow, I am very curious. How did Professor Gerald manage to infuse Chaos energy within you? To accomplish something of that magnitude is groundbreaking!" Chuck inquired with heated excitement.
"Grandpa, maybe save that talk for another time. I'm sure Shadow doesn't want to talk about any of that right now." Chris said to his grandfather.
"It wasn't easy." Shadow said, earning the Thorndyke men's attention. "The truth is my powers were too much. I couldn't even control them properly no matter how much focus I had. The professor created my Inhibitor Rings to stabilize my constantly shifting genomes." Shadow shared.
"Inhibitor Rings?" Chris asked before remembering. "Oh, right!" Chris hurried off, only to return with a pair of golden rings. "Sonic gave me these back on the ARK. I was so wrapped up in the excitement of having you back that I forgot to return these to you." Chris said as he handed Shadow back his Inhibitor Rings.
"Thank you." Shadow thanked the spiky haired boy as he reattached the rings around his wrists. After putting them back on, Shadow stared down at his arm with a thinking gaze.
"What's wrong, Shadow?" Amy asked, curious on why he was just staring at the rest of his arm.
"The professor originally made these rings not just to keep my powers from fluctuating at an erratic pace, but also to have a chance to properly decode my DNA." Shadow said, looking at the pink hedgehog.
"Why would he want to do that?" Chris asked.
"Originally, the government did want me to become a weapon, but Professor Gerald instead intended for my creation to genuinely benefit humanity by curing many of the world's ailments. He originally intended to decode my DNA to develop a cure for Maria's sickness, but he put the rest of humanity into the equation as well. So, written within my coding is the key to cure all known diseases, as the professor had wanted a long time ago." Shadow informed, shocking everyone.
"Unbelievable!" Chuck shouted as he hopped to his feet. "This is earthshattering news! Shadow! You have the cure to the world's problems within yourself! Never has there been a greater honor!" Chuck said with an amazed and hopeful smile, causing Shadow to blink his eyes in surprise. "I hope you don't mind, but perhaps, if you're ever ready, that you'd allow me the honor to finish Professor Gerald's original goal in the hopes to help humanity."
"I made a promise to Maria that I'd help the people of this planet to find happiness. So long as it benefits them, I will allow it." Shadow answered, causing Chuck's smile to widen with appreciation.
"Oh! I almost forgot!" Amy said as she hurried off only to soon come back with a few things in her hands. "I hope you don't mind but… I brought these along after I had found you." Amy said, extending a trio of framed photographs to Shadow.
Said hedgehog's eyes widened upon seeing the same pictures that he had seen within Maria's room. One of himself, one of Maria and her grandfather, and finally of himself and Maria. He reached over and took them from Amy's grasp. He stared down at them before closing his eyes and bringing them closer to his chest.
"Thank you." Shadow thanked the kind-hearted hedgehog before him.
"Anytime." Amy said, giving Shadow a warm smile.
Cream walked over and looked at the pictures within Shadow's hands.
"The girl in those pictures is really pretty. Was she your friend, Mister Shadow?" Cream asked with a smile.
"She was… and still is." Shadow answered, staring down at Maria's smiling face.
"Cream, don't just run over to disturb Shadow's privacy like that." Amy said to her friend with a gentle tone. "Actually, speaking of running over… where is Sonic?" Amy asked.
"As you'd guess, running off wherever the wind takes him." Chuck answered, causing Amy to sigh with a frown.
"You know how Sonic is, Amy." Tails said with a bit of a nervous smile.
"Yeah, I know. Always moving, never telling anyone where to." Amy said with her arms crossed.
"So, standing still is a challenge for him, is it?" Shadow said.
"I'd say you get used to it, but that would be a lie." Amy said with a disappointed frown and shrug.
"Hmph. And here I expected more out of him." Shadow said with a frown and his eyes closed.
"Hey, Sonic is still a great guy worth all the hype he's gotten. Just because he makes some annoying decisions doesn't change the fact that he is a guy worthy of his reputation and the respect he's given." Amy retorted.
"I suppose that's true." Shadow conceded.
"Mister Shadow, I have the perfect room for you. Allow me to escort you to it." Tanaka offered with a bow, earning a nod from said hedgehog, as he then guided him towards his new room.
Amy watched Shadow's retreating form, developing a smile. Shadow was finally being given the chance that was robbed from him fifty years ago. It took a while, but she was happy he finally got to experience it.
"You know Amy, I didn't expect you to show such level of hospitality to someone like this, especially to someone who was once Sonic's enemy." Chuck brought up.
"Why wouldn't I? Shadow's a great guy, and he proved it back on the ARK. Isn't that right, Chris?"
"Yeah. Shadow proved the kind of guy he really is, and I know that Maria is just as happy as we are that he finally gave the world and its people a chance." Chris said with a proud smile.
"Not to mention he finally gave himself a chance. That's what's important." Amy said with a warm smile and equally warm eyes.
"Why Amy, that's a big leap you're making. You haven't even known him that long and yet you-"
"What, Chuck?" Amy questioned with a frown and her fists pressed against her hips, not like what the elder Thorndyke was insinuating.
"Oh, nothing." Chuck said with a nervous and worried smile and his hands up in defense.
.
.
It had been a few hours. Shadow was resting within his new room, lying on the bed with a stoic expression on his face. However, he was surprised by the décor he was given.
He was given a king-sized bed that had elegant silk red drapes hanging upon the four wooden pillars at each corner of the bed, with dark colored sheets with white pillows. There was a long hand-crafted desk at the side of bedroom, which was where he kept his framed photos, a large balcony on the other side with a glass door leading into it with dark red colored drapes around the door frame. There was also a large painting within the room of a knight with dark armor and holding a golden sword with floral design crafted into the center of it. The room also had lovely red carpeting.
It was simple but displayed a lot.
He's starting to wonder if Tanaka thought this would suit him because of both his color palette and attitude.
He had just decided to rest there for the time being, alone with his thoughts.
He thought over what had happened over the pass day. It's still shocking that only yesterday did the events of the ARK take place, and now he was inducted into the same military faction that had helped put that nightmare into motion fifty years ago.
Life sure was… a bitch. Plain and simple.
Shadow wasn't going to mince his words, or thoughts. He experienced some serious stuff, and he'll reflect that here and there with his attitude.
He suddenly heard a tap on the glass door from the balcony making him turn to find that it was Rouge.
Shadow walked over and let her in.
"Nice digs. They sure are treating you right." Rouge said with a smirk.
"I still think it's a bit much." Shadow said. "So, why are you here bothering me again?"
"Just came to drop this off." Rouge said as she handed Shadow a G.U.N. badge and catalog full of vehicles.
"The badge is one thing, but what's with this?" Shadow questioned the purpose of the catalog.
"Protocol states that every G.U.N. troop is required to have one transport vehicle. I'm sure you like doing things on your own from time to time, so I figured you should have one of your own." Rouge said with a light shrug.
"I don't need a vehicle." Shadow answered.
"I know that, but it never hurts to look. Besides, who knows? You might like what you see." Rouge said.
Shadow skimmed through the catalog for a moment, until he stopped on a page displaying a motorcycle, looking similar to a 2003 Harley Davidson XL1200 Custom Anniversary Edition chopper.
"Hmm~."
"See something that you like?" Rouge asked as she looked over his shoulder.
"I still don't see the purpose for this. I am faster than any vehicle out there." Shadow said.
"I know, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't enjoy nice things. You might even like that bike and ride it from time to time." Rouge said.
Shadow blinked his eyes as he remained on that page for a moment.
"Fine. I'll take it." Shadow said as he handed Rouge back the catalog.
"A man with quite the eye." Rouge said with a smirk.
"If that's everything, you can go now." Shadow said as he headed back towards the bed.
"You sure seem right at home here." Rouge pointed out as the dark hog lay against the bed again. "Shadow." Rouge spoke his name, making him look towards her. "Are you happy here?" Rouge asked, showing sincere curiosity and concern for him.
Shadow blinked his eyes before looking ahead.
"I'm not unhappy." Shadow answered.
"That's what's important." Rouge said with a genuinely happy smile. "Well, I'll get out of your hair. I know when a bat is no longer wanted." Rouge said as she flew out towards the balcony. "See you later, agent." Rouge said with a smirk before flying away.
Shadow glanced towards where Rouge left before looking down towards the badge he was given. He stared at it for a moment. A badge he had so long for hated, now he just looked at it plain with a bit of indifference.
"Hmph." He put it away and closed his eyes, deciding to enjoy the silence he was given again.
He enjoyed some rest for a while before a knock came at his door. He let out a groan as he got off the bed and headed for the door. Upon opening the door, he found none other than Amy, who was smiling at him.
"What is it now?" Shadow questioned.
"Come on." Amy grabbed Shadow's arm and dragged him away.
Shadow just stared at Amy, having a hard time understanding this girl. She was developing a bad habit of grabbing him out of nowhere. While it brought mild annoyance, it wasn't something he was fighting against. Not like before.
Amy dragged Shadow all the way downstairs into the dining room, where the latter caught a surprising sight.
There before him was a banquet of all kinds of foods with everyone already there.
"Ta-dah~!" Amy said with a bright smile.
"That's a lot of food." Shadow said.
"We're having a celebratory feast in your honor." Chuck said with a smile.
"My honor?" Shadow questioned now being genuinely confused.
"It's a thank you for what you did back at the ARK." Tails said.
"Yes. After saving everyone, we figured this was the least we could do." Tanaka said with a smile.
Shadow blinked his eyes in surprise at this gesture.
"I don't deserve this." Shadow said.
"Why do I feel like you mean that literally?" Amy questioned with a frown as she now felt she had to remedy this. "Look, Shadow, I understand that you're upset and are having a hard time over what you were pulled into doing, but you showed your true colors in the end. Without you, the world really would have come to an end. There's no denying that. I know it'll take some time, especially since it's still fresh in your mind, but someday you have got to forgive yourself. If you don't, then you won't be able to fulfill the promise that you made." Amy reasoned with the dark hedgehog.
Shadow looked down, thinking it over with a complicated frown. Just then, he felt a hand on his shoulder making him turn to see none other than Sonic.
"She's right, you know." Sonic said with a smile.
"Hmph." Shadow turned his head away as he gently pushed Sonic's hand off his shoulder. "Fancy seeing you finally showing up." Shadow commented.
"I agree! Where have you been, Sonic?" Amy questioned with a frown.
"You know, anywhere my feet take me." Sonic answered rather nonchalantly. "Amy is right though. I understand the past for you is a sore subject, but you shouldn't let it rule your life in the present or it won't result in a good future. Believe me."
Shadow didn't say a word, since he didn't want to admit Sonic might have a point.
"I know it won't be easy for you, but for now, how about just relaxing for a bit." Chris suggested with a comforting smile.
"Yes, please come and eat. I made so many different meals for you to enjoy." Ella urged with a smile.
Shadow remained silent, unsure how to act, when he suddenly felt a hand grasp his own, making him look to see it was Amy.
"Please, Shadow." Amy pleaded with a hopeful smile.
Shadow blinked his eyes as he stared at her for a moment, before looking at Sonic, who gave him a smirk and a thumbs up. Upon closing his eyes, Shadow finally came to a decision.
"Fine." Shadow relented, causing everyone to smile with joy.
"Alright then. Let's dig in!" Sonic said as everyone cheered in response.
Shadow just remained silent, allowing everyone to cheer before being dragged away by Amy again.
"Is this going to be a habit for you?" Shadow questioned the pink hedgehog.
"Only until you finally get used to being more social." Amy said, giving the black and red hedgehog a smile.
"Hmph." Shadow looked away with his eyes closed, but he gained a faint smile.
For some reason, he didn't find the situation so bad.
Maybe… he could let himself experience a little bit of this.
At least, for now.
.
.
Eggman was busy making design plans for his latest and greatest idea. He was on his computer, mapping out the details.
"Here are the schematics you requested, doctor." Decoe informed as he and his partner, Bocoe, came with blueprints.
"Lay them there." Eggman ordered as he pointed towards the table beside him.
The two robots placed the schematics on the table as they then noticed a pair of digital schematics upon the computers beside the one Eggman was using.
"What are these, Dr. Eggman?" Decoe asked with curiosity.
"They're the blueprints for two other robots I had been working on." Eggman answered as he continued his work.
"They look rather familiar." Bocoe said as he took a closer look. "Hold on! Those look like Sonic and Gamma!" Bocoe realized.
"Not quite. In fact, you're only half right." Eggman said.
"What do you mean?" Decoe asked.
"And why does the one that looks like Gamma deemed a failure?" Bocoe asked with genuine curiosity.
"He seems even bigger and stronger than Gamma, or any of the other E-100 series robots." Decoe pointed out.
"After Gamma's success, I had decided to use his schematics to be the base to create a new, more powerful E-series robot. However, because he betrayed me, I did some more analysis and found that the E-100 series has a drastic flaw. Apparently, they can develop a will of their own, making them more susceptible to betraying me, their creator!" Eggman explained with a frown. "Such a shame too. This one looked to have been a winner. Without a doubt the strongest robot I had ever made, except for one."
"E-123 Omega?" Decoe read the name of the final E-100 series robot upon the digital blueprints.
"He sounds and looks terrifying." Bocoe said, feeling uneasy just staring at the literal killing machine and what it could do. "What ever happened to him?"
"I decided to keep him locked away in a safe place. He was too valuable for scrap metal, but I didn't want to take the chance and have him go rampant. So, locking him away was the best option I could think of." Eggman answered.
"And this other one?" Decoe asked.
"That is an old project of mine. I believe it's someday due for a comeback." Eggman said with a villainous grin, reading the name 'Metal Sonic' on it.
End of Chapter 1
Hi, and thank you for reading my first Sonic fanfic. Well, it is a Shadow fic, but still. Shadow is my favorite Sonic character and has been since his debut, and with the whole Fearless Year of Shadow leading up to the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024), which is a perfect early birthday present for me as it's scheduled for release December 20th, which is five days prior to it, I could help but jump on the band wagon as this whole year was my kind of year. I had this itch that only Sonic and Shadow content could itch which had led me into watching Sonic X to satisfy it the best it could. As you can guess, this story was inspired by watching the series with the question of "What would Shadow's life in the anime be like if he managed to save himself from the fall to Earth?"
Deciding to satisfy this inquiry and itch I wrote this. I already wrote the first five chapters, and I plan on posting them for the following months. The reason being is that chapter 3 is a Christmas chapter since the following arc in the anime is the Egg-Moon arc which starts on New Years Day, so I figured make a Christmas chapter then and seeing as StH3 is coming out for the Christmas season then might as well post it that month. Don't go thinking that I'll be posting chapters monthly now. I've been doing that for another story that I need to focus on and finish, and I don't need to put the same amount of stress for monthly releases for two stories. Especially since my time is being limited by constantly shifting work hours and night classes.
For those who know which story I am talking about and/or follow, please refrain from asking when the next update will be. I am a bit strained when it comes to time and patience, and I'd rather not have reviews of this story being "Where's the next chapter for (Insert Title Here). I made these chapters months ago while doing said story, so it's not like I sacrificed recent time for that story for this. I just want this story to have its own attention and not be overshadowed by another story, even though I'm overdo for any other updates.
Regardless, this is just a fun idea, and this story is just for fun that happens to honor my favorite character of the Sonic series, and as one could guess, my favorite ship in the series, which is ShadAmy. I can't help it. I love the idea of these two being together. I always look out for ShadAmy artwork and stories, especially ones made by Toonsite/Moontoonsy, who I recommend following if you love small, funny and/or wholesome Sonic and ShadAmy content.
Anyway, thank you for reading and I hope you'll enjoy what I put out for the next five months and whenever I have the time to make more afterwards.
Sayonara.
Takeshi1225, Out!