Chapter Text
What is the “Aurora”? Well for most people like you and me you would think of the Aurora Borealis. And you are not wrong with that thought.
The Aurora is a phenomenon that has originated in ancient beliefs that whenever the energy of life is created, there is a counterpart to said energy is also created. These energies attract each other.
This explains the “soulmate” as these are intrinsically linked together. The Aurora of a singular person is invisible to others except their counterpart. This takes the form of a particular glow around them. This glow can have any perceivable color on the visual spectrum.
To bring it back to the Aurora Borealis. To each individual on the planet, the Aurora Borealis has their color. So, it can be a bright Purple for one and a vibrant Yellow for another.
Once a person finds their soulmate, their Aurora, the tradition is to go to a place where the northern lights can be perceived. There they must share a moment of vulnerability and bear their soul to the world. Once this has occurred, they must look to the sky and see if there is any difference in how they perceive the hue of the northern lights.
Unfortunately for some this doesn’t seem in the cards, as their perceived counterparts have either passed or seemingly are nonexistent.
Shadow sits there, looking out across the city, its faint amber glow contrasting the vibrant yellow off in the distance. It has been a few years since Rouge released him from stasis. Fifty years ago, he was put in there after his life went dark, Maria, his Aurora, passed away when trying to escape the ARK. She glowed a vibrant blue wherever she seemed to go. He saw her as a sister. As he was just a child and she was a teenager when Shadow was created. The Aurora did not discriminate upon life however, manufactured or natural. Everyone had one. But once Maria passed, nobody glowed for Shadow anymore.
When released from his stasis and being cared for by Rouge it seemed for a moment that she glowed for Shadow. She cared for him like he did for Maria. But Rouge only glowed a faint violet color. That seemed to fade the moment she mentioned finding Knuckles.
Not being surprised that there was nothing but friendship between him and Rouge nothing changed between them. Shadow however gave up on finding another. Taunted by the flickering color on the horizon he couldn’t hold back tears as he remembered the brilliant green he saw from the Ark with Maria.
It’s been hard on the hybrid as it just seemed like the darkness was eating at his own glow. The brilliant yellow now being a faint flicker around his own form. It contrasted his red and black fur, Shadow obviously questioned why it was not red like him. But Maria explained that its not based on anything.
It just exists in everyone. Some people match shades, some have colors that mix. The hedgehog has been locked in stasis so long that, if there was another that glowed like Maria, they would be easily over 60 years old. And while yes, he was in stasis for 50 years, his body and mind didn’t age since being placed into the pod. 15 years old when they put him in, and it has been around 5 years since he was out. Nobody glowed as brightly as Maria for the hedgehog.
Tears freely flowing now Shadow got up from his perch on the roof and headed back inside. Rouge had already gone to bed so he was on his own in the apartment they shared.
The quiet not helping much with muffling the sniffs as he walked to his own room and collapsed on the bed.
Shadow was conflicted inside. He stopped believing in the Aurora and had accepted the fact that he was determined to be alone for the rest of his life. But that same fact still stung like a knife through the heart.
Yes, he had Rouge and Omega. They were his best friends so he wouldn’t be alone for as long as they lived. But there’s something irreplaceable when he lost that shine Maria brought to his life.
Resolved on knowing that this feeling will not go away and will become bearable in the future, Shadow sighed and finally went to sleep. Dreaming about the good times he had with Maria.