Maria had always been sick. Shadow didn't worry but it was hard not to with constant reminders. Doctors talking, Gerald sitting in his room trying to find a cure and Maria's own coughs and ailments. Shadow hated seeing her at her worst moments. It was too hard to bear. Then G.U.N. came. Shut the project down and took Maria. He doesn't know what they did with her. But now he works for them, Ironic. Sometimes to do something you have to play by the rules. Even if you hate the people behind them. So Shadow works to make the world a better place. That's what he wants and feels his need to do and accomplish.
It doesn't seem to matter however. As soon as G.U.N. Attacked. Shadow never saw Maria again. He refuses to believe she's dead even if the evidence points otherwise. It's almost all he has left, the small hope that she is alive and well. He doesn't know where she is but he is determined to find her. Even if that costs him everything else. Shadow will save his sister. Everyone who is around him knows that, and no matter what they tell him, he won't stop till he finds her and cures the world of all problems. He'll live forever as far as he knows, so he has all the time in the world to accomplish his tasks.
But that day will always live in infamy for him. He doesn't even remember the exact day. He was too preoccupied with everything happening around him, he forgot the time. It's probably better off this way, one less day to cry on. All the way through. So he doesn't try to remember it, he avoids anything he can to think about it. Focus on the positive. Yet, it won't. Every single day. Every single moment. He remembers. Sometimes it stops. But that means he's enjoying himself too much. Of course he would stop that. He doesn't want to feel. Shadows knows he shouldn't be able to feel.
The day she was taken away from him started like every other day followed by the worst assault of his life. Nothing could've prepared him for this. It hurt so much, more than any experiment ever did or ever could. It hurt him inside, something that hadn't happened and something that hasn't happened since. It hurt so much that he couldn't feel anything besides that, and he still feels pain. It doesn't matter who he stops or how fast he runs, he can't escape it. Shadow hates it but still feels as if it is necessary. He can't regret who he is now, that would cause too much pain, he feels that he could never recover from it.
He remembers looking at the stars as soon as he escaped G.U.N. and thinking of her and crying. He missed her, Shadow wanted his big sister back. Shadow wanted to hug her and make sure she was okay. But he couldn't do that. So she cried, she wasn't there to stop him. He cried his eyes out, nothing stopped him. Even when he couldn't cry anymore he tried too. But eventually he stopped after what felt like moments but could be more accurately described as days. Then he was found again, then it went Black again. Of course it did, he could never be happy. Even when he woke up, he wasn't happy.
To call into question G.U.N. would call into question his job, so he kept his mouth shut. No matter how much he wanted to ask why. But who cares what he felt? Nobody did, that's what Shadow told himself. Again and again and again and again. Nobody cared and nobody will ever care. Why should they? Why would they? He doesn't matter. He should focus on his job and deal with it. He wasn't special. He needs to support the world, not the other way around. Of course he wouldn't burden the world with his problems. Shadow was here to save, not make things worse. He couldn't let that happen. Let Maria's dream die out.
But that didn't matter when he cried to himself alone in his room. Nobody cares. He misses her, all he does is want her back. He would trade the world for her. That's all he ever wanted. But she would hate him for that. So, like always, he would keep silent. Keep moving forward and attempt to never look back. Even if he was terrible at that last part. Really bad. But he keep going and going and going and going and going and going and going and going and going and going and going and going and going and going.
"Shadow?" Maria asks, as the two once again look out the window.
"Yes, Maria?" Shadow turns and questions.
"I wish I could see the world again." Maria confides in him.
"…" Shadow stays silent.
"It would be nice to be on ground level again." She says with a small laugh and a smile. Shadow can tell she's sad however.
"…"
"I miss it, Shadow. I always do."
"…"
"I don't think I'm going to make it." She says, a single tear goes off her face.
"…Yes you will. I'll make sure of it." Shadow says determined, Maria smiles, the tears stop. Shadow smiles, thinking he did something. Maria is happy now, he thinks. Even if she puts on a smile just because of him.
"Thanks, Shadow. That means a lot." That's the truth, Shadow and her go back to watching the window, watching the world turn.
The earth turns and turns and turns and turns and turns and turns and turns and turns and turns and turns and turns and turns and turns and turns. With the dirt and the water. Green grass and Brown Trees and Blue Water and Skies. The world keeps on going, with almost everyone on it. Not many get to see it from the outside constantly. The earth moves and moves, turning and turning and turning and turning. It doesn't stop, it keeps on going, changing positions and turning. All the earth does is it keeps on going.