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Shadow walked down the quiet hall, careful not to spill the small tray of meticulously organized cups of medication, vitamins, and herbal tea.
His shoes clanked on the steel floors of the space station. The sharp sound echoed around him, like a bullet ricocheting around him in a small room. It made him grit his teeth and tighten his grip on the silver tray.
Dim lights and plane walls gave him a headache. The sterile smell of cleaning chemicals burned his throat with every breath. The cramped corridor felt like it stretched on forever. Sometimes the A.R.K. felt like a floating coffin he would never escape from.
Eventually, he reached his destination. Stepping inside and shutting the door behind him, he breathed a sigh of relief.
The warm wood furnishings clashed with the gray walls. A plush rug covered the cold floor. The thick quilt laid across an unmade bed. A veritable rainbow of books were spilling from the overstuffed shelves. Lively green plants with small purple flower buds stretched towards the fluorescent ceiling light.
An open notebook was left on the desk. Scribbles of stories yet to be written with doodles of trees and hedgehogs filled the pages.
Shadow’s mask of indifference cracked slightly, his eyes softened and the corner of his mouth curled up in a slight smile. This was his happy place, this was his home. Not the suffocating space station, but wherever his family resided.
What little joy he felt quickly faded into confusion. Maria was missing.
He checked the connected bathroom, maybe she felt ill?
The stark white bath was empty as well. The sink was left messy with pill bottles, the toothbrush sat dry in its cup. The room was completely untouched since that morning.
Maybe she stepped out to stretch her legs for a minute?
Shadow poked his head out the door to the main hallway. He glanced up and down the corridor, no sign of anyone else.
She left her cane by the door, she couldn’t have gone far. Wherever she wondered off to, she was probably on her way back soon, right?
He stepped back, shut the door, and breathed deep, resined to the fact he would have to wait until her return.
When he turned away from the door, what he saw stopped him in his tracks. In the once uninhabited room stood a girl with blonde hair and a blue dress. Shadow only saw her back as she faced away from the door, but he knew right away who it was.
How she silently appeared in a room with one entrance, he couldn’t explain. Assuming she was just hiding somewhere, he shook his head dismissing the strange appearance. It didn’t matter right now, he still had a job to complete.
“Maria,” He stated walking towards her.
Her dress swirled as the girl spun around, confusion written across her face. As her gaze landed on Shadow, her features melted into something sadder.
Shadow didn’t notice her reaction as he walked up to her, tray in hand, he continued to speak idly. “The professor wanted me to make sure you took your medicine and ask if you were well enough to join him-“
He didn’t get a chance to finish the sentence as his sister tackled him in a hug. The tray hit the ground with a clatter, pills scattered, and the tea cup shattered spilling its drink. The girl buried her face in the fur of his shoulder and weeped openly as she held him close.
Shadow was taken aback by the sudden reaction. It’s not that he’s never been held by Maria before, or that he’s never seen her cry. However, the seemingly unwarranted and extreme behavior was worrisome to say the least.
“M-Maria?” Shadow asked, anxiety flooding his mind. He gently held her in attempt to calm both his sister and himself. “Is something wrong?”
She heaved for air and shook with the effort to stop crying before she softly spoke. “You know that grandpa and I love you, right?”
“I- uh…” Shadow started to speak but he couldn’t find any words.
He never felt like he belonged on the A.R.K. Let alone deserved to exist at all. He was created in a tube with alien larvae. He had ability’s no human or mobian possessed, harnessing the power of Chaos in a way never seen before. He was a tool for G.U.N. A key to life for scientists, and a freak of nature to everyone else.
Except for Maria.
He knew Maria loved him like family, and he, in turn, would give his life for the girl without a second thought. She often expressed how much he meant to her.
But this time, it wasn’t just casual words of affirmation, something happened that brought up this concern in the girl. “Where is this coming from?”
Maria trembled in his hold as she tried to stop her tears. Shadow squeezed her in his arms, wishing if he could hold her tight enough it would stop all her worries.
“I don’t think I can talk about it.” She murmured. Was it that serious she couldn’t speak of it, Shadow wondered, or was it that horrifying she didn’t want to recount it.
Maria pulled back, gently cupping his cheeks to look in her eyes, as blue and glimmering as the sea. “I just…” Her voice wavered, she sniffled and swallowed the lump in her throat before continuing. “I need you to know that I love you, so much. In despite of whatever G.U.N. Wants you for, and regardless if you can cure me like what grandfather wants. You are a good person, Shadow, and I love you with my whole being. I know you’ll see the world one day and find lots of people that’ll take good care of you in the future.”
Shadow was in awe of her speech. She always talked about her hope for the future, but there was often an underlying sadness in her smile, as if it was only a dream that would never come true. This time, she seemed confident and desperate. Like she knew the future would be bright, yet she was also afraid a tragedy would surly happen.
He stared at her, gaping like a fish, unsure of what to make of her words. He felt small and helpless in her hold, hesitant as of what to say next.
She seemed to notice his confusion as she smiled, warm and gentle, before holding him close and whispering. “Whatever may happen to me, I want you to live a happy and full life, surrounded by the love you deserve.”
Shadow didn’t know what was happening. He thought she was getting better, now she acted like her life had a shortened expiration and these were her dying words. He felt a nauseating sickness deep in the pit of his stomach.
The only thing he could do was hold his sister tight as his vision began to blur and a new fear griped his heart.
•••
Shadow leaned his back against a tree as he stared out over the horizon.
The setting sun bathed the world in warm colors and cast long silhouettes across the ground. It wasn’t as striking as the aurora borealis further north, but it was still a beautiful sight he could only experience on the planet’s surface.
His thoughts drifted to what Maria would be doing if she were there. Probably a picnic, with baked sweets and floral tea.
Shadow was confident she would enjoy gardening, she’d probably grow her own tea garden. Maybe she would even live on her own farm, taking care of chickens and growing an orchard…
‘I know you’ll see the world one day…’
She would travel all across the world, from Shamar to Spogonia. She would love to study their unique cultures and taste all the new cuisine they had to offer. He wondered if she would prefer to travel by air or sea? Maybe she would prefer train?…
‘…and find lots of people that’ll take good care of you in the future.’
She would definitely befriend Silver, they’d share seeds and fresh produce from their gardens. She’d love learning to bake delicious desserts with Amy.
He dreads the thought of Rouge and Maria together, they would have girls nights and giggle at Shadows expense. He’s sure She’d make fast friends with the Chaotixs and join them on their mysteries. Maybe she’d use them as inspiration for a book series.
She would probably be awestruck as she took flight with Tails in the Tornado. And she would absolutely adore Cream…
‘Whatever may happen to me…’
He thinks she would be extremely disappointed in Dr. Ivo Robotnik, she’d say he was sullying her family name and complain about him wasting his intelligence by trying to hurt people instead of helping them. the thought of her telling the roboticist off like an angry mother was amusing to Shadow.
In addition, she would be completely heartbroken at what professor Gerald Robotnik did after her death…
‘…I want you to live a happy and full life, surrounded by the love you deserve.’
Shadow shut his eyes tight and bit his lip as a rush of emotions flowed through him. Joy, for what he gained. Grief, for what he could never achieve. And fear at what he could so easily lose again.
It all combined into a frustrating whirlpool that threatened to swallow him whole.
Before he could descend into a downward spiral, there was a rush of wind and the gentle jab of an elbow against his arm.
“Shads, you okay?”
Shadow opened his eyes to see the thinly valid concern in bright emerald irises.
“I’m fine.” He stated tartly. He saw the unimpressed face Sonic wore, knowing the hybrid wasn’t telling the truth. With a defeated sigh, Shadow relented and spoke at least a small part of what was on his mind. “I was just thinking of something that was said to me a long time ago, I couldn’t comprehend the meaning at the time, but after everything that happened today, I think I’m finally starting to understand.”
Sonic tilted his head as he examined his rival. Shadow could be complicated at times. It was hard to tell when something was wrong, especially since he frequently rejected any and all forms of help. Sometimes, Sonic thought he might be afraid to get close to people, afraid they might reject him, afraid he would lose them. He would use his tough exterior as a shield to keep people at a distance. The speedster knew the best way to break down that barrier wasn’t with a battering-ram, but with a light touch and patience.
And sometimes, a good distraction from one’s own overactive mind is best option.
Sonic gripped Shadows shoulder in a comfortable squeeze before nodding to the picnic bench where everyone else was gathered. “Come on, you deserve some chocolate cake after defeating Black Doom again!”
Shadow hummed, considering the offer. “I assume Amy baked it?”
“You bet!” Sonic chirped, glad that seemed to get the others mind off of his own concerns for a moment. “And, Cream helped.” He added, knowing Shadow’s soft spot for the young rabbit.
Shadow relaxed, as a small smirk slipped past the gruff exterior. “Well, I wouldn’t want to disappoint them.”
As the pair walked back towards the party. Shadow knew for a fact, out of everything that could have been, Maria would find a kindred spirit in the blue blur. In addition, he knows she would be grateful for Sonic’s persistent, obstinate, annoying, devotion to stay by Shadow’s side.