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Maria and the professor were fading away.
Shadow knew he had to get the chaos emerald to sonic, Maria’s words echoed in his mind, repeating on loop until it became incomprehensible.
She didn’t want to stay here with him… no, she didn’t want to stay in this moment of time. It was understandable, but still that is all that he had wanted.
He reached out to touch her, the chaos emerald fizzled in his quills, yet another reminder that he had to leave.
The fading increased to her torso, he couldn’t bear to look.
He turned away.
And ran.
———
He had been invited to a party not a few days after. A ‘make up’ party for sonic. Not that sonic actually wanted it, he said he was more then happy with his grand adventure with the time eater (not that shadow agreed in the slightest). But still Amy insisted.
Rouge, of course, made him go to this one too. He had hated that it made sense. Last party he had spent a whole lot of time reliving his worst memories, and only talked to sonic once or twice.
Just because it ‘made sense’ didn’t mean he wanted to go. He had thought about it too, it’s not like rouge could stop him, if he never showed up and didn’t answer any calls. But…
Maria would’ve gone.
A line of thinking that wasn’t unfamiliar to him, especially when he first arrived to earth. A few days ago he would’ve felt anger grow in his chest, and force his brain to push down the thought. Put his hands on his quills and pulled and squeezed until all blurry remnants of Maria had passed.
But this time he let himself simmer in the thought. Maria would’ve gone to the party. She would’ve greeted everyone there. She would’ve played party games. She would’ve made everyone laugh. She would’ve had the perfect words for every situation. She would’ve brought the best gift.
But shes not here.
Shadow looked down at his hands. If only they could’ve switched places, if only he had been faster, he could’ve been the one to push Maria in that escape pod, the one GUN got too.
The earth was most suited for Maria.
But there is no way to trade spaces, there’s no way to bring her back. Now he has to stumble over perfect words he’s never had.
And now he has to drag himself to some party that, no matter how hard he tried, he can’t seem to want to go too.
Should he buy a gift? Maria would’ve bought a gift.
Letting out a huff he had headed to his motorcycle, went to a store to buy a gift card to that place that has the chili dogs sonic likes. And then entered one of Amy’s vacation houses, where the party was taking place.
Because of how much they all traveled she had a house, a cabin, and an apartment spread out into areas they travel too frequently, it had been a gift for being a hero (so he was told).
They were in the cabin now, on the smaller side, it looked homely though, walls covered in cute decor and photos of Amy and her friends, the future was mostly green and brown.
Shadow stumbles to the wall, awkwardly holding the envelope for sonic in his hands, already regretting it all.
He watches the others move, people moving to and from sonic. Shadow keeps an eye on him, waiting for him to be alone before he can give him the card. Tails and knuckles are with him, then just tails. Eventually rouge comes by, but she quickly heads off. Then Amy is clung onto Sonic’s side for a while, now she moves to the kitchen. Sonic starts to walk away from tails. Though shadow turns his head away, he feels hesitant to approach.
“Are you gonna stay there and keep watching me like a creep” Sonic’s is closer then he had expected (yeah sonic is know for being fast, but just a second ago he was on the other side of the house).
Shadow turned to look at sonic. Sighing to himself, before giving him the envelope.
Sonic opens it with ease (he didn’t have anything sticky to keep the flap down, and like hell he was going to lick it).
He brings out the baby blue card shadow had picked out that says in simple font ‘happy birthday’. He opens it. Taking out the gift card with a smile
“Heh thanks man… though I think these cards are blank on the inside so that YOU can write something in there.” Sonic chuckles, showing shadow the blank inside of the card (as if shadow doesn’t know?)
“Don’t mention it.” Shadow crosses his arms and turns.
Sonic looks like he’s about to say something else, but then the doorbell rings. He gives a smile, and shrug “welp! Gotta get that!”
In a flash sonic was gone. And shadow turned away.
A pause.
Another gust of wind, then a tap at his shoulder “uh you’re gonna wanna see this dude” Sonic’s voice again.
Shadow turned around. Rolling his eyes. Sonic had JUST left, what could possibly be so important for him to return.
He looks at sonic for a moment, before his eyes drifted in the direction sonic was gesturing.
Then he saw it. He saw her. Standing afar in the doorway.
He didn’t move. It was a hallucination, or a realistic day dream (or maybe just a dream?). He’s had a few of them before.
Shadow didn’t say anything, to not make a fool out of himself.
Still sonic puts his thumb up to point at the door. “Uh there’s someone… and don’t hit me! But she’s claiming to be…. Uh you know…. Maria” sonic had said her name like a curse. Clearly expecting some sort of reaction that shadow couldn’t give.
After a moment shadow ran up to her.
“Oh! Shadow! Thank goodness your here” he was immediately greeted with her arms wrapping around him. Her skin felt the same, her hair was just as soft, and she still smelled of oranges and cleaning chemicals. “I woke up in the forest and grandfather wasn’t there, and neither were you, and this was the only house around-“ she rambles on, for once letting her voice slightly crack in relief to her fear. But it was no doubt her voice.
“Maria.”
That’s all he could say. He knew it was her. It had to be, he could feel it, like a connection in his very being. It had helped he had just seen her in white space, every feature of her being burned into his brain. He’d never been so sure of something in his life.
“I’m sorry what.”
Sonic had said behind him. It had taken shadow out, to hear his voice and see Maria at the same time, though he supposes it was not that long ago they existed in the same space, it still felt unnatural.
“Oh!” Maria moved her head to look at sonic “that’s your friend isn’t it shadow?” Maria smiled, shadow didn’t know if he could tell her that they weren’t really friends. She had stood up “hello! What’s your name”
Everyone just stared, if not for the music you could hear a pen drop. A moment passed.
“It’s okay if you’re shy, shadow is too!” She said in a comforting manner, yet she chuckles under her breath.
Despite ‘shy’ being the least fitting word to fit sonic, sonic is still standing behind him, speechless. For a moment Maria’s face curves into a light frown, and shadows mind screams, for him to say something. Anything! To return the smile back to her face.
“Sonic.” He forced out “his name is sonic”
And In a second that frown was gone. “Nice to meet you sonic!”
“Oh! Uh… nice… to meet you toooo…..” Sonic’s voice was uneven, trailing off at the end.
“Maria!” Maria had said, assuming he hadn’t known her name.
Sonic nodded. Mouth shut tight. No one ever talked about Maria but shadow (and maybe eggman). And if they ever did it would be hushed. The start of the sentences always being deafening loud, saying stuff like ‘I THINK IT REMINDS HIM OF maria..’, or even ‘it’s because of you know who’. It hurt a bit. To have no one talk about the one person it felt like his whole life revolved around. To have them be scared to say her name because of what he may do. To know that after shadow was gone they’d probably continue the hushed tones until they eventually forget about her.
He supposed it was for him as well. In the past even the mention of her name would cause him to spiral…. On a bad day it still does.
Still it seems excessive to have her standing right in front of them, and still refuse to say her name.
“So.” Sonic speaks first this time “how do you think you got here?”
Maria puts her hand on her chin, thinking. “Well it definitely had to do with the white space…” she turns her head to the side, looking at the ground, brows furrowed. “When you reached out to me I felt some sort of spark, like being lightly shocked.” She perks up “and I felt similar energy leading me here, maybe by doing so you attached yourself to me? And brought me back…?”
“Maybe!” Sonic says with a shrug. Shadow didn’t feel like it was that easy.
“If so I need to go back” she said, stern as ever.
Shadow paused. How could be not. Even though he had ‘accepted’ Maria’s first fate, even if he had lived past her second. Here she was again. And he couldn’t just not try.
He opens his mouth. Before getting interrupted by tails “that may not be true!”
Suddenly everyone’s eyes turned on the young fox, including shadows.
tails recoils at the attention, but in a second prepares himself to speak again “this isn’t time travel, this is a direct response of time breaking. Meaning that it was more of an out of body experience than physically being there, which is why you could fade away! It was more like hitting pause than pressing play again, and if you ended up here, it would be more like the out of body you is here and the other one is back in the past!”
Maria nods. “And if that’s the case then it would be more dangerous to go back, because then there would be two me’s”
For once in his life shadow wanted to hug tails (not that he had any sort of grudge against the kid, they just never have that good of experiences). He couldn’t connect the dots on how tails could’ve figured that out, or even know how true it is. But he felt like he could breath. (Talking a glance back at the fox slitting nervously, it’s clear that a lot of it may have been more for shadows sake, to keep maria back here a little longer. For that shadow is thankful.)
“But of course it would be safer to look into this, and also try to find the reason you returned”
Maria nodded, with a slight smile on her face. “Thank you!”
“Of course, and I’m miles, but you can call me tails!”
“It’s nice to meet you tails!” Maria held her hand out. And for a moment nothing happened.
Tails then stepped forward and shook it with a small smile.
“How about we end the party early” sonic then spoke.
“Oh am I interrupting something?”
“No no!” Sonic quickly says “this is my second party this week, it’s really nothing” he chuckles under his breath “why don’t you stay at our place, tails has a lab and a bunch of extra guest rooms”
With every word shadow felt that things were adding up too well. He gives a silent thanks for the suggestion, he’d hate to bring Maria back to his small lifeless place, payed for by G.U.N. It felt like a threat, they knew where he lived, for that he kept it empty, bare walls, ready to be abandoned at any moment. Maria would hate the decor, and he’d hate to put her in a place that G.U.N could easily find.
Tails nods, to confirm that it’s alright for Maria to stay. “Then I’m staying too”
———
Shadow felt somewhat uncomfortable, lingering in tails and sonics house. More so for the fact of his rival, who is certainly standing in the room with him, tails brought Maria off to his lab to do some simple tests.
Sonic was always outside, he ran outside, he went out to eat, and he slept outside. The house was more for tails than anything. So he has assumed (read: hoped) that sonic and him wouldn’t have time to cross paths. (Not that he hated sonic, he didn’t truly hate him, he more so just didn’t want him to rile him up with Maria around).
“So… she’s here huh?” Sonic says, still avoiding her name.
“Yep.”
“That’s uh… wild huh?…? Cool? Right?” Oh god sonic was being so weird about this.
“Cool. Sure.”
“Listen shadow are you holding up okay?”
Shadow thought about that for a minute. There was an answer, a very obvious one.
Yes.
He wanted to scream it, to smile, and never stop smiling, and plunge himself into the fantasy of finally being able to live on earth with Maria. A million things they had talked about coming to his brain, starting up a book store, or flower shop, or caring for cats.
Reading books while excitedly sharing the plots to each other, eating amazing tasting food together, living with Maria’s family, inventing like grandfather.
That’s where shadow had to, of course, cut himself off. Because it wasn’t like that. It was just a fantasy. And she had been taken away twice at this point. To hope was just asking for despair, yet every time he saw her face and heard her voice it broke him down layer by layer.
He had thought he was better, but if she couldn’t stay, if she had to go back, die again. He wouldn’t be able to take it. It was a scary thought. One he’s had before many times, the moment he losses control of himself, allows himself happiness for a moment, is the moment that spells out doom for him.
It had made him feel hallow, he remembered regretting not hanging out with her more in the white space, yet here he is, trying (and failing) to close himself off.
“Ah.” Sonic nods. Somehow, looking in his eyes, it seems sonic understands his exact point. “I’d trust tails, he wouldn’t lie about her probably not having to go back, not even to make you feel better.” A pause “and don’t worry, if anything does happen you can get hugs from me instead” sonic smiles.
Shadow rolled his eyes, sonic was clearly trying to tease him about being a ‘hugger’ (that’s at least how sonic would phrase it) to Maria. Still his heart jumps, just at the thought of it being okay, that even without her he’d be able to get that sort of comfort he craves.
if he had wanted that sort of comfort is one question, but from sonic from all people is a different question. It would be no match compared to Maria, but still in the moment it felt nice. (Even if it would never happen because sonic was kidding).
Giggles erupted from the doorway, Maria’s voice. It seems she heard their last exchange. And she let out a little ‘aw’. And shadow had to bite his tongue to not scream ‘WHATEVER YOU THOUGHT WAS GOING ON IS NOT GOING ON’ because he knows that will make a fool out of himself.
“If you say so” she giggles again “I was just talking to tails, we think we’ve cracked it!” She leans over, and reaches into his quills to pull out a chaos emerald (sonic looks at both of them in covering his mouth, in both fear, and laughter.) “this! Chaos emerald, they stabilize body’s really well, that’s how we made you! And that cute little lizard. But it must’ve somehow connected with me in the white space, the energy I was following to you was from this!” She looks at the emerald, before gently giving it back to shadow.
“How did it manage to do all that?” Sonic asks.
“I think it’s from the blood transfusion me and shadow have been having, must’ve put more chaos in my body” Maria says in thought.
Tails (who has been behind her) adds “Because of the connection to the chaos emerald it could be dangerous for her to be further away from it. Her body’s only sustaining because of the chaos energy it admits!”
They all pause. That sort of makes sense
“Well that doesn’t seem too good because of-“ sonic tries to speak before roof crashes down, luckily none of the rubble hits them.
“HOHOHO!!!” A laugh, eggmans laugh. Above them. “Now I’ve got you all cornered! Robots attack!!”
Robots flood in from the hole in the roof.
“Ugh I’m going to have to fix that” tails rolls his eyes.
“Eggman!!” Sonic glares at him, rushing off to fight back the robots.
Shadow hits a few of them, his eyes dead set on Maria, who is kicking away a robot looking panicky.
He runs and scoops her up, and doesn’t stop running.
They rush through the forest, suddenly a blue blur pulls up next to them (with tails on his shoulders).
Maria smiles widely, but shadows frown deepens.
“Were we going?” Sonic smirks.
“Away from eggman.” He gives a sharp glare.
“Oh hey me too!”
Maria giggles.
“Shouldn’t you be fighting him?” Shadow hates that he even has to ask.
“It was just some bots, tails new invention will break them” sonic shrugs. Shadow didn’t care to ask what tails new invention was or anything else. He only has one goal in this moment, get Maria to safety.
Unfortunately it seems like sonic had other goals he was concerned with, the main one being ‘annoying shadow’.
So when shadow goes to full speed, and rushes off further into the forest, it comes as a bit of a surprise when sonic doesn’t follow.
It’s better for him this way, better for Maria too. Now shadow doesn’t have to risk sharing his home location with eggman (or sonic).
Shadow didn’t want to bring Maria back to his house. But right now Sonic’s and tails place was a no go, and he really would hate to ask anyone else for anything in this moment.
He has to trust everything will be alright, just for a little bit. Until something else comes along.
Gun had bought and given him the house. As a ‘I’m sorry (let’s not talk about what happened)’ type of gift. Though shadow never truly believed that. He was certain it was an unsaid threat. They had known where he lived back in the ark, and they knew now. And now Maria’s back, seemingly staying forever. He had something to lose.
But he tried to fight those thoughts out of his mind as he opened the door, and Maria walked in. Looking around.
“Oh” she takes off her shoes, then walks further in “this is your place?” She asks.
Shadow nods.
“Hmm” she glances around “anyone else home?”
Shadow tilted his head, then waited a moment “no. Only I live here”
“Oh” she nods to him, before thinking more “we’ll definitely have to decorate this place, it looks like the ark” she giggles.
He supposes it does. Grey plain walls, bare essentials. He never thought to much about it before, it had always felt less like home then the ark did. He never bothered getting decoration, in case he had to leave. In some sense the ark was the same way.
It did feel more like home that Maria was there.
“Yes” he says. She is right. His favorite room on the ark had been Maria’s, she had fun lights, and a pink blanket fort, with stuffed animals. All that stuff had gotten left behind. They’ll have to get somewhere better.
Maria looks around, beginning to lightly frown “Shadow?” Maria then says, after a moment of quiet. “It’s years into the future isn’t it?”
He nods. “A little over 50 years”
She nods “heh it was hard to tell because you still look like a kid, actually you should’ve grown by now, grandpa put an aging system in you. I wonder why it didn’t work” she doesn’t make eye contact with him. He also thinks he remembers them talking about that. He’ll age (slowly), he just won’t die from it.
“I was in status.” Shadow says. If he had truly lived through those 50 years he would’ve been an adult, though he truly doesn’t know how much of him would change.
It was a little strange, it was all back to normal. Here they are, shadow and Maria, the same age as on the ark, 50 years into the future, now in the same place, on earth. His dream for all his life, yet he feels like any moment he’ll wake.
“My family’s gone aren’t they” she looks at the ground.
Oh.
Oh…
“I’m not sure” shadow says. The professor is. But there’s no way Maria doesn’t know that. But truthfully he hadn’t thought of her mom and dad. Or little sister. “I don’t know where they live” it was a bad excuse, but still a part of the reason he didn’t go to them. He thinks he could find them, if he tried, but what would they say?
Maria smiles “we can find them!! Or at least my sister, it would be nice to see our family. Honestly it feels weird with no adults around”
“Yes” Shadow agreed. Honestly he was glad someone had finally said it. Vanilla was around, but not much. And everyone he knew had lived on their own, Amy owned multiple houses?? He owned one, but it had been gifted to him. (GUNS way to ‘make amends’)
He knows it’s started as a Mobian thing. Where at a younger age they send their kids out into the world, while in the past humans normally kept their kids until they reach 18 years. (That isn’t saying that’s what all humans or mobains do, as time went on more humans would send off their kids in the world younger, and mobians keep theirs til older. That’s just how it had started off).
Because it was a whole thing shadow never mentioned it, never wanting to seem weird, or uneducated. But growing up 50 years in the past with only humans made it a harsh switch.
————
The rest of the night went well, and soon they went off to bed.
In the morning shadow had contacted Amy, asking if she had wanted to go shopping with them for things for Maria. Sure he and Maria could’ve done it on their own, but Amy always asks him to go with her, and Maria could use some friends here (and from his experience Amy is the best one out of the group. Though knuckles isn’t bad, and he has nothing against tails. (He doesn’t want her only experience to be sonic.))
They arranged a time to meet up, and shadow told Maria about it. (And she was thrilled).
That’s when shadow got the dreaded text from Amy.
‘Do you mind if I bring sonic?’
Shadow absolutely DID mind. Yeah he’d never admit out loud his hatred for sonic is greatly exaggerated, but taking him out shopping? Most annoying thing in the world. Yeah shadow may enjoy a race or tussle. And sonic makes fighting eggman not the worst thing in the world. yeah sonic is annoying at least half the time. But sonic trapped in a small shop? just looking at clothes?! He gets so pouty and fidgety. Then whenever he leaves he’s like ‘ugh that sucks I hate shopping with Amy’.
When he could just not go? Shadow had moved to text back, when Maria appeared over his shoulder.
“Oh sonic! He’s your friend right? The funny one?”
It took shadow all of his self restraint not to make a sly comment. “Yes.” He forces himself to say. And it’s not like he’s lying!! He’d never lie to Maria! He doesn’t hate sonic, truthfully, it’s a friendly rivalry, and that has the word friend in it. But saying to anyone that sonic could be something even close to a friend to him feels the same as ripping both his eyeballs out and eating them.
So he text back.
‘I don’t mind’
And with that, they end up in the store with sonic.
Which was just as annoying as it always is.
Sonic tapped his foot impatiently, staring at Amy “we’ve been in this section for hours.” They had in fact, not. It’s most likely only been 10 minutes so far.
Maria and Amy had found a section full of cute clothing, looking in her size, and making a cart. Shadow stared daggers at sonic. Because Maria was having fun (and so was Amy), and he’d kill him if he dared ruin her fun.
“Aww but look at this one!” Maria holds up a blue shirt with a (non mobain) cat on it. The design was cartoonish, and she was right. It was pretty cute.
He gives her a nod of approval, and her smile widens. Little did he know that sonic was also looking at him. (And his smile also widened)
“Of course you’d like it shadow” he smiles.
Shadow has to pause for a moment, he knows Sonic’s mocking him on something but he can’t tell what just yet (it doesn’t make him want to punch sonic any less.)
“Blue would look good on you” oh that’s what it his.
Shadow almost growls at him. He’s luckily Amy and Maria are they’re (and they’re in a crowed shop) because if they weren’t he’d pummel sonic too the ground (that’s probably what the jerk wanted.)
“Yeah! Shadow loves the color blue” Maria says (very unhelpfully, but he can’t ever feel mad at her.) he watches Sonic’s smirk grow.
.
Shadows house is rather plain. Maria would want to decorate her room (the old guest room. Not that it ever gotten any use before.), and knowing her she’d probably want to decorate the rest of the house. He almost smiled at the thought. It would make it feel more like home.
So the shopping trip doesn’t stop at clothes. And regrettably sonic joins them for furniture shopping too.
Maria is stopped by a small section with soft plushies. She’s holding one up “the material is incredible” she says “it’s so soft, shadow!! Come feel” she holds it out to him.
He knows already. The plushies on the ark may as well have been made with styrofoam compared to some more ‘modern day’ plushies in the stores. Still without complaint he squeezes the plush Maria shows off.
“You two should get it!” Amy says.
“Ahh it’s not really needed, I was just surprised” Maria says bashfully. But he knows she wants it.
Wordlessly shadow drops the plush in the shopping cart.
Maria smiles “you’re so sweet shadow”
Sonic laughs. And shadow shoots him a glare. “What?” He then says when he realizes everyone’s looking at him. he laughs harder “shadow is so sweet, and kind and smart, exactly how I’d describe him” it’s clear sarcasm is twisted in his annoying voice he does.
He sees Amy roll her eyes at him. And Maria puffs up “Oh please! Shadows is the kindest person I know, and of course he’s super smart!! Because he’s a robotnik! It runs in the family” she pats his head.
Everyone seems to die down. Shadow doesn’t say a word.
Unluckily sonic does not seem to have the same grace as them “don’t think you should be saying that out loud anymore” he chuckles “eggmans a ro-butt-stink too”
If looks could kill, Maria would’ve killed sonic on sight. She pouted looking down. Then back to him “well he doesn’t count!” She then says “robotniks are meant to be kind! And smart! Like me and grandfather, and of course shadow! If he’s not kind then he’s not my family.” She crosses her arms.
Shadow was glaring at sonic (he felt Amy glaring at sonic too) as to say ‘please don’t tell her’.
One day shadow will have to tell her about the professor. (But he doesn’t know what he’ll say. He’s honestly not really over it either. In white space he just tried not to think about it. A part of him resented the man for trying to end the world (for forcing shadow to be a weapon.) but another part of him wanted to remember the kind hearted professor that had called him his son. But he didn’t want to go into all of this in the aisle of a furniture store.) luckily sonic seemed to catch on, and just shrugged (unluckily Maria seemed to notice the silence, and frowned.)
.
It never stayed awkward long with Maria, just as quickly as that moment came, it had left. And she showed him a small wooden dresser, that had a cute flower design cut into the sides of it. Debating whether or not they should buy it. (If Sonic’s good for one thing it’s discounts. Being the hero of earth and all often gets him good deals.
(and luckily GUN gives them ‘rewards’ sometimes, for helping save the world. Though knowing them it’s probably just so they don’t go against them (or maybe towers is truly sorry. He brushes the thought off.)) (no wonder Amy could have so many houses-).
Eventually they decide to buy it. Walking onwards in the big department store. Then Maria pokes him in the shoulder.
He looks at her. And she’s smiling (so he smiles back) “you know” she says with a tone of voice that immediately makes him suspicious. “Sonic’s a lot like doctor jacobs” she says in a teasing voice.
He blinks. And it takes him a moment to figure out what she was talking about.
Then he remembers- it had been a doctor on the ark. He hadn’t remembered his name before know (he didn’t remember what he looked like.) but he was one of the scientists who had been assigned to run experiments on him.
His favorite scientist.
He remembers some of the others, lots of pain with mumbled apologies, or harsh words hissing out to him ‘it doesn’t hurt that bad’ ‘stay quiet.’
But doctor Jacob had always been his favorite because he was loud. And funny. When something hurt too bad he’d never mumble an apology like he was ashamed, instead he’d talk nonsense about what he had for breakfast (even though it was the same every day) to try to make him focus on the pain less.
Shadow can’t help but frown at the comparison to sonic. That man was one of the best scientists that the ark had to offer. (He frowns deeper knowing that Maria was right, and a lot of things he had always liked in that doctor was the same things he despised in sonic (is that why he always wanted to hang out with him?)).
“Sonic’s more annoying” he settled on. But she was right.
Then the thought hit him.
Doctor Jacobs is dead.
A man he had long since forgotten, he had meant so much to shadow once and he had forgotten him as if he was nothing, and there was almost no one left to remember him.
The ark tragedy hadn’t just taken away the professor and Maria. It took away the scientists he had seen everyday. His teacher. Commander towers parents. So much more people then shadow could ever remember.
Yet Maria still smiles. And shadow can’t bring himself to bring any of it up. Because she doesn’t need to think about that.
(He was going to die before sonic. It felt like a given, especially considering their first meeting. Shadow was okay with that, maybe even better than okay, he’d toss aside his inhibitor rings in an instant if it meant protecting the earth. But for once the thought of what would happen if he didn’t crosses his mind. Could he forget sonic? He didn’t want too. He couldn’t help but look at sonic, his eyes glued to him, as if he’d forget what he looks like the second he looks away.)
.
As it gets darker they return home.
.
.
.
He knew exactly what was going on.
He had returned ‘home’ to sleep. Giving Maria the guest room, for privacy. Then he awoke in the middle of the night, to commotion.
He felt dumb. No he was dumb. To bring Maria into a house that GUN had gifted him (it was an ‘apology’ gift. It should’ve been an obvious lie from the beginning.)
He had never felt safe in the house before, but it was the only place he had, and he thought Maria would appreciate some stability (he thought he would too.)
But no matter where he goes GUN will always break into his home and tear apart his family. He rushes out of the room, watching a man in a GUN uniform
——
Shadow couldn’t move.
It was right. It was designed that way.
Commander Abraham tower had made sure, as his first order, that they would have weapons to dispose of said ultimate life form. (That was before he had found out that shadow was not the cause of the incident on the ark, still GUN thought it best to keep those weapons).
Shadow had fallen on the ground. His legs may as well been jelly, still there was a snarl on his face, and he tried to approach them by crawling with his arm. “Stop-“ he had sounded like he was experiencing a great pain. Though the stun gun shouldn’t have done more than needed to neutralize him.
“Don’t be so dramatic. We’re just taking her for a few tests. Then she’ll be safe under GUN’s control.”
“AND SHE WOULDNT BE SAFE UNDER MINE?! RETURN HER” shadow seemed to realize crawling is pointless. Instead slamming his fist to the ground to try to emphasize his words.
Of course she wouldn’t. Shadow was difficult to handle, especially when it came to Maria. Towers wanted it to be true as well, of course he missed her, she was his friend. But if this was an eggman trick, or one of those damned phantom ruby hologram things, shadow wouldn’t the able to take her out.
There are too many factors. Even if it’s not a trick, GUN would watch her safely, much safer then shadow could dream of.
“GIVE HER BACK”
Shadow was shaking, slamming his hand onto the ground over and over again.
“This is the ultimate life form. He’s so childish.” a hush of a guard.
Yes.
Towers had looked upon shadow, small, almost laying on the floor, shaking, his eyes threatened tears as he screamed again, asking for her back.
Childish was the perfect word.
Towers body had relaxed. He lowered the gun.
Many years ago he had lied to Maria. He had found a letter his father had typed up and stamped, stating the discontinuing of the biolizard. He had spent hours on the typewriter rewriting it but replacing the biolizard with project shadow. He had even stolen one of his father’s official stamps to seal it. He was going to make Maria see the monster shadow truly was, convince her he was gone, and take the full day to make her want that to be true.
Truthly it was an idiotic plan, conjured up by a child. But at the time he was convened it’d get her to see the truth.
It had ended with her fallen to the floor, weak in her state of illness. Still slamming her fist to the floor, demanding Abe to tell his father to bring shadow back. Tears had left her eyes, but she was stubborn, she hadn’t stopped her stern tone, no matter what he had said in that moment it only upset her more and more.
That was the only time he had seen Maria mad. Sure she had rolled her eyes once or twice, or angrily shouted his name after calling shadow a freak. But she never gotten mad at him before that moment.
He was forced to confess his lies a little later, when shadow and Gerald had gotten out of testing, it took a day but she forgave him.
Shadow had looked like Maria in this moment. The way his face sneered, yelling demands and clearly trying not to cry. Crushing his fist on the floor in a way that had to hurt, yet still persisting to try and make his point across.
It was uncanny.
He let his gun face the ground. Shadow was a child. Despite being made in a lab, the alien genes, or the 50 years frozen in time. He was made to be around Maria’s age, then he hadn’t aged at all.
Towers had spent years, decades, of his life believing shadow was nothing but a weapon, a heartless monster. Even now he had brought an army to point guns at his head, a child’s head.
How could he believe himself any better than the commander for the ark raid.
A tear fell.
“Retreat. Leave the girl.”
Hesitation.
“DID YOU HEAR ME?!” He screamed. At that they made their exist.
———
Maria was safe. For now.
It was all okay for now.
For now.