Chapter Text
"Mama, look!"
"I know, honey. Don't stare."
"But it's..."
"Yes, I know. Let's not bother him, okay?"
Shadow was so used to people talking about him as though he were a celebrity, it no longer registered with him. Their words slipped by like a passing breeze.
He stood at the bus stop, waiting at the end of the line, looking through his invitation for the hundredth time and ignoring the little boy porcupine next to him.
He had nothing to do today, so he thought, why not? The letter informed him that the charity he donated to every now and then would be opening up a new thrift store today. Everyone and their mother knew Shadow the Hedgehog was not the type to attend public ceremonies unless they were brief or incredibly important. The letter specified he did not have to stay long or make a speech or anything like that. He simply had to sit on stage with the four other top contributors and clap with everyone else when they cut the ribbon.
He could have just teleported there when the time came, but his schedule was freed up of anything else. He didn't want to laze about at home in his small cottage and waste the fresh air and sunshine, so he decided to travel the long, slow way, like most people.
The young Mobian porcupine who pointed him out to his mother kept glancing his way with a big grin, but said nothing more.
A mechanical roar sounded around the corner, and the bus pulled into view. Its brakes sighed as it stopped near the sign and the doors squeaked open.
Humans and Mobians filed neatly inside, Shadow bringing up the rear.
To his relief, there was still plenty of room left. He found an unoccupied seat across from the porcupine mother and child and read through his letter again. His stop wouldn't be for a while.
Now and then, he looked out the window. The streets were busy and many civilians crowded the sidewalks that were lined with shops. There was the muffled babble of a typical city's afternoon.
The bus arrived at its first stop. A digital sign hanging from the ceiling next to the driver flashed red. It displayed the current destination's name, followed by the name of the next stop, and then the current time: 1:05 p.m.
The bus moved again, and Shadow looked down at the letter. He had to present it to the security guard in front of the stage no later than 2:00. He was making good time.
Out of the corner of his eye, he detected movement. Not like the shifting of cloth or a limb, but like something popping into existence.
He blinked, wondering if the sun had gotten brighter. His letter seemed illuminated.
He peered to the empty space next to him, only to find that he was no longer sitting alone in his seat.
A girl sat there, her hands folded in her lap. Her legs swung slightly, gently, to and fro. She had golden hair, shimmering blue eyes, and light pink lips. She wore a white, thin-strapped dress with a yellow waistband. Shadow stared at her, not only because she quite literally appeared out of nowhere, but also because she had a halo and wings. Oh, and she glowed.
His mouth hung open silently. He recognized her.
She was looking straight ahead and blinking innocently.
The bus drove over a bump in the road. She shifted in her seat and casually turned her head toward him.
An expression of bewilderment crossed her face. She cocked an eyebrow at him, then, following his line of sight, slowly turned her head back to look at the seat across from them, where the porcupines sat. Neither mother nor child acted any different from a minute ago.
The girl took her time bringing her head back to him, still perplexed.
Shadow was glued to the spot, trying to think of a way to prove this was all a dream.
He locked eyes with the glowing girl who looked like Maria but couldn't be. He watched her slowly lean forward until her hair grazed the back of the seat in front of them.
They stayed like that, staring at each other, all the way to the second stop. Her eyes narrowed at him.
The bus moved again, and she gradually returned upright. She still seemed confused. She blinked at him a few times and parted her lips. A sound came out. "Uh." She closed her mouth, swallowed, and opened it again. More coherent sounds came out this time. "Can you see me?" she asked doubtfully.
He knew that voice. It had a soothing effect on him, melting away his rigidity. His shoulders slumped.
He stole a quick glance at the porcupines, who were looking out their window. He gave a quick sweep throughout the bus. No one else took notice of the glowing girl who'd appeared out of thin air.
Shadow took a chance and nodded his head once, inconspicuously.
Maria startled and quietly gasped, "You can... hear me?"
Again, he nodded.
She brought her hand to her face, covering her mouth, her blue eyes wide.
"Next stop! Make sure you have all your personal belongings with you!" the bus driver called out in a loud voice. A couple of people stood up.
Shadow did the same. Maria looked at him in alarm. "Wait, this isn't where you're supposed to get off!"
The hedgehog shook his head and inched toward her. He made a shooing motion with his hand to get her to move out of the way.
She stood up and his heart skipped a beat.
She'd gotten up right as a tall man walked down the aisle on his way to the front. The passenger went right through her! Maria didn't faze a bit. She kept watching the hedgehog as she cleared a path for him. Not that it would have mattered, he realized.
With his invitation gripped tightly in one hand, Shadow clumsily made his way down the aisle and out the door. He stepped into an area unfamiliar to him, but he didn't care.
He scanned around for somewhere that could offer privacy. As luck would have it, an old phone booth stood not too far from the bus stop. He headed for it, Maria following.
He stepped inside. The door shut behind him. The winged girl passed through and stood very close beside him. He put the invitation away, picked up the receiver, and pretended to dial a number.
"Who are you calling, Shadow?"
"No one. I just don't want anyone to see me and think I'm talking to myself."
Keeping the phone pressed against his head, he stared hard at the dial pad. He feared if he turned to look at her, she'd vanish. Maybe if he moved slowly, she'd still be there, so he tried it.
She was.
He took in the sight of her, properly and fully. "It's really... you, right?"
She smiled shakily. "Yes, it's me. It's really me."
His free hand trembled, and he forced it still. He swallowed and asked, "Are you... an angel?"
"I... yes."
A pause. She seemed just as astonished as him.
"Have you always been here, with me, this whole time? All these years?"
"No, no! I don't follow you around every day like this! Only sometimes." She shifted the weight in her legs and fussed with her hands. "I, um, was there when you first woke up on Prison Island, but lately I try not to be around you too much."
His head swam. He was having a conversation with an angel, and not just any angel—his long lost friend. He found his voice growing stronger the more he accepted this phenomenon. "Why are you showing yourself to me now? I... I had a feeling you were watching over me, but deep down I knew I could never know for sure. I still hoped for it, but that's all it was—hope."
"To tell you the truth, I didn't choose to show myself. It just happened on its own. But I have heard that sometimes, when an angel has been keeping watch over a living being for a long time, then there's a chance that they get to appear visible to that person, but only for a short while."
Shadow straightened, his ears rapt with attention. "How long?"
"A day. A full twenty-four hours."
Shadow thought back to the bus. The sign at the front read a little after one o'clock when Maria appeared. That meant she would disappear by that time tomorrow.
Thoughts raced in his mind, so he took a moment to collect himself. Then he said, "I'm glad you're here. I'm glad that you're alright." He took a deep breath. "I have so many questions."
"I'm sorry, but I'm not at liberty to reveal the details of the afterlife." She hesitated, then added, "But I think it's okay for me to say that Grandfather says hi. I can't wait to tell him about this when I get back."
So Professor Gerald was doing well, too. It was a relief to know that his loved ones were safe, despite the fact they were no longer alive. They merely passed on into the next world. Their souls were at peace, and even looking after him.
He had Maria for company for the first time in over fifty years. He had to make their brief reunion count. "There's so much I want to tell you."
"We can catch up soon enough, but right now, you have an event to attend, remember?"
The grand opening ceremony was of no interest to him now, but he decided to ask if she wanted to go with him and watch.
"Of course! That's what I was doing anyway," she laughed.
So they went to the bus stop and waited for another bus to take them to the new thrift store. Shadow found an empty seat in the back and motioned for Maria to sit by the window. He sat close to her, pretending to look out at the city, but he was really just staring at her. She was the only angel he ever saw, but she must have been the most beautiful. And yet, he felt nothing of her presence. She gave off no holy aura. Even though he was right next to her, he couldn't smell the scent of her usual perfume. All he could do was see and hear her. There was no other trace of her existence.
They made it on time to the ceremony. It was a small one. The stage was in front of the new store, sealed off by a long, huge, red ribbon. Shadow sat on a folding chair along with the four other top donators. The man who would cut the ribbon gave a speech at the podium and everyone clapped when he named off the seated guests of honor. Maria stood in the little crowd and applauded and cheered extra loud when Shadow's name was mentioned. His chest felt light. Normally he didn't care when he was recognized for his accomplishments. They were just things he did for the good of others, because that's what his dear friend would have wanted. Seeing her praise his efforts now though, before his eyes, made him fill up with pride. He could finally see proof that all his hard work did indeed make her happy. It was all worth it just to see her smile.
When the ribbon was cut, the crowd made its way forward, ready to be the store's first customers. Maria floated in front of Shadow and asked if he was going inside, too. But he wanted to do something else with her. This was the first time they were spending time together on Earth—that he was aware of, at least.
"Let's go for a walk around the city."
He wanted to talk as they went, but remembered he was the only one who could see her. He decided to be discreet, so he kept his words low and short, focusing instead on being with her. They window-shopped, made quick stops at a music store and a bookshop, then rested at a large fountain. Maria saw children slapping the water and dropping Rings in it. Shadow explained in a quiet voice about wishing wells.
"Are you going to make a wish, Shadow?"
"I don't need to," he answered softly, smiling at her. "I have everything I could want right now."
They walked around some more until they came to the city park. Shadow bought a newspaper and sat on a bench, using it to shield his entire upper body from view. They read it together and found an article about today's grand opening at the thrift store. Maria said she was proud of him. Shadow was glad that she approved of the work he'd been doing.
"I'm going to continue helping the people of this world and protecting them, just like you want. And now that I know you're watching me, I'll be even better at it."
They looked at other articles and talked about current events, then noticed one section of the paper that had a map of the city. He asked her where she wanted to go next. She pointed at a spot on the map: there was a beach nearby.
They went there and walked along the sand. Shadow wanted to buy lunch at a food stand, which prompted Maria to lament that she couldn't eat.
"I can't really interact with the world, even though I love visiting it. I wish I could taste food or feel the wind on my face, but all I can do is observe. The most I can do is sit down on stuff without going through it, if I want."
She turned her eyes downcast and it broke Shadow's heart. Even though they were finally together on Earth, it wasn't the same as he dreamed of. They could talk and look, but they couldn't do what other people on the beach were doing: playing volleyball or Frisbee, splashing in the water, holding hands, sharing an ice cream cone. Still, they both knew they had to make the most of it.
It was nearing sunset when their beach visit ended. Shadow wanted to explore somewhere away from the city, where there weren't a lot of people around. They headed out, the buildings shrinking from view until they were no more. Roads became grass and fields. They wandered deeper into more natural territory. Soon they found themselves within a forest.
The trees spread far and wide on either side. A glint of gold sparked among them. Closer inspection revealed a trail of Rings snaking between the trunks in a maze-like pattern. They made a dash for them.
"There's more over here!" Maria ran on ahead and waved to him whenever she found more hiding in various nooks and crannies.
During their hunt, a few forest animals skittered by, and the angel looked at them longingly. Shadow knew she wanted to hold them.
"Maria, stand still for me."
She did as he asked, confused.
He picked a single berry from a bush and approached a small chipmunk. He kneeled down and gently held his hand out. The chipmunk leaped for the treat and cooperated exactly how the Mobian hedgehog wanted.
"I know it's not the same, but..." He stood up, chipmunk munching in his palm, and went to her. "Hold out your hand."
She understood and put her hand right into Shadow's, mirroring his gesture, so that it looked as if they were both holding the little chipmunk together.
She smiled, sadly. They watched it finish eating the berry, jump to the ground, and scurry away.
They walked on until it started to rain. It rapidly turned into a downpour. By then, the sun had completely set. It was dark and the wind bellowed.
"Let's head back home!" Shadow called and got into a stance. "Chaos...!"
"Wait!"
Maria reached out a hand to stop him. It passed through his arm. He looked at her in surprise.
She bit her lip sheepishly, then raised her voice to be heard over the storm. "If you use Chaos Control, I won't be able to go with you. I can't teleport."
He frowned. She continued, "I've lost track of you many times before when you disappeared without mentioning where you were going."
A bolt of lightning flashed through the sky, soon followed by the roar of thunder.
The two pressed on, seeking shelter. Maria spotted a cave and they crept in, staying at the mouth. Shadow shook the rainwater from his fur. Maria, perfectly dry and unruffled, sat down, bringing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. Shadow kept standing and folded his arms across his chest.
They watched the storm in silence, glancing at one another now and then. After a while, the glowing girl suggested that Shadow get some sleep. It was late and the rain wasn't slowing down any time soon.
But he shook his head. "I can't waste time sleeping. I only get to be with you for so long; I'm not letting a single minute take me away from you."
"You need rest, Shadow. At least until it's light enough and the rain stops. Then we can go home together." She gave a small smile and hugged her knees tighter. "I've seen your cottage before. It's very lovely. You take such good care of it."
The thought of Maria already having been inside his house embarrassed him. He gave a nervous cough and decided to take her advice. "Tell me as soon as the weather clears up and not a second later."
"I will."
He lowered himself down, leaning against the wall of the cave. He stretched out his legs and shut his eyes, wondering how he could possibly sleep with such noise outside, but his consciousness left him nevertheless.
He awoke to her sweet voice saying his name. Judging from the sky's appearance, it was early morning. The ground outside was still wet.
His back ached, but he stood up right away. They had a long way to go to reach home.
He panicked when he burst through his front door, having no clue what time it was. He raced to the kitchen and looked at the clock on the wall.
His throat tightened. There were two hours left.
He knew she'd been here before, but he still wanted to give her a tour—after he showered. And after making brunch, since he hadn't eaten since visiting the beach yesterday.
Maria was happy to watch him eat, though she wished she could smell the food on his plate. "I haven't eaten anything in years. I do miss it. Tell me what it smells and tastes like."
Part of him felt jealous as he did. If only he was more like her, then he wouldn't have wasted so much time doing things like sleeping, cooking, eating, and bathing.
He gave her a tour and then led her to sit on the couch in the living room. Now that they were alone and not out in the open where anyone could eavesdrop, he felt ready to talk. They'd stuck to light topics up until now, talking about the city, the weather, the nice people he's helped.
Now was the time to talk about the Ark. To talk about what happened since the last time they saw each other.
But how was he supposed to talk about all the hurt, the challenges, the hopeful times, the new experiences, the regret, the constantly missing her and the Professor in less than two hours?
He didn't know, but he was going to try.
"I didn't appreciate life up there with you as much as I should have. I was always thinking about what things would be like on Earth. I had no idea I'd end up here the way I did."
Maria nodded slowly. "I thought I had saved you, but you ended up captured. I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault."
"Thank you, Shadow. That's what Grandfather says, too. And I hope you know nothing that happened that day was your fault, either."
"My head knows it, but my heart still has trouble believing it."
Not even five minutes in and he felt his eyes growing hot and moist. He paused to get a hold of himself, but Maria slid her arm around his shoulders and let it hover there. She looked at him directly and told him he didn't have to restrain himself.
He found that he couldn't cry and talk at the same time, so he covered his face with one hand and let his tears soak into the glove. He hated that he couldn't cry on her shoulder, that she was there but her comfort could only do so much when they couldn't touch. He hated that they were ending their one-day-only reunion on a sad note.
So why did this feel right? Why did he begin to feel relieved, even though his sorrow was wasting their time?
Minutes slipped by with her at his side, supporting him. At last, the tears slowed down and he found his voice again. He didn't know what he had until he lost it, but that was no excuse for trying to destroy the planet she loved.
"I forgive you for that, Shadow. You did everything you could to fix your mistakes. I know I can always count on you to do the right thing."
A few more tears slid down his face that he quickly wiped away. She forgave him! Part of him always wondered how she'd react to what he'd done. Perhaps he should never have doubted her. She was kind to everyone. If she believed he deserved a guiltless conscience, then he would believe it, too. He felt much better. It was like making peace with himself all over again.
He went on to tell her about everything that happened since her death. Some were parts that she knew and some were parts she had no clue about. She had a lot of questions that he tried to answer thoroughly.
There were still things left unsaid, like how he often hoped to die if it meant the faintest chance of seeing her again, or how he thought she was the most amazing, beautiful person who ever lived. But time wouldn't wait. She would disappear in just a few minutes.
"Shadow," she said, "can we say goodbye at that apple tree in the backyard?"
This was it. The end of the day. He wasn't ready, but that hardly surprised him. To steel his nerves, he focused on doing whatever she wanted. He took her to the apple tree thriving outside his cottage. The sun was high in the sky, warming the air around them, though only he could feel it.
They stood in front of the tree and faced each other, Shadow's back toward the trunk. Maria said, "I'm really glad I got to talk with you again. Today was the best and I'll never forget it. A day on Earth with you is worth more than an eternity in heaven."
Shadow flinched; she was becoming more transparent.
"Maria, I never thought I would get to see you again. But I still had hope. And now, I'm going to make you a promise. Someday, I'll make it so that you can taste and feel things again, like when you were alive. In fact..." He stood up straight, to his full height, for what he had to say was a tall order to fill. "...I'll find a way to bring you back for real. Even if it takes me forever."
"Shadow..." Maria's eyes grew wide, hands over her heart, then she smiled. "I'll be waiting."
Her voice started to sound further away. Shadow took a step toward her.
"Don't worry," she said. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay right by your side for the rest of the day. If you ever need me again later, just ask for me, and I'll hear you."
"Maria..."
"Goodbye, Shadow."
He wanted to plead with her to wait, but what came out instead was, "Goodbye!"
As unexpectedly as she came, she faded away. He subdued his panic by reminding himself she was still there, he just couldn't see or hear her.
He backed up until he hit the trunk of the apple tree. He slid down and saw a lone fruit near his leg. He picked it up, noted its weight and texture, and put it to his lips. He didn't taste it, just concentrated on the light, sweet scent.
He stood up, wrapping the apple in a firm grip. He made a promise, and he intended to keep it, like he always did. He had work to do.