Chapter Text
He laid on artificial grass, looking up to see little lights. “Stars” she told him. Her blonde hair was sprawled out, her expression filled with excitement. She would always ramble to him stories about “Earth.”
To feel the warm sensation of the sun and look up to see a blue sky instead of a grey metal roof was her dream. But Maria was sick. Thats the whole reason she was up in space instead of that green and blue planet she longed to see. Her grandfather had conducted research for years now. But Shadow was that cure he needed, and found.
Until G.U.N succeeded in their attempt to capture Shadow and shut down the ark, and succeeded in destroying the one thing that gave meaning to his existence. Maria died from the explosion of Chaos Energy. His Chaos Energy. That realization lingered in his mind everyday, it’s his fault this happened.
Even 50 years later. When he was awakened by his creator, Gerald Robotnik, Marias Grandfather, the only he sought after was revenge. And 5 decades of pain and despair had taken an ugly form.
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Shadow liked helping Maddie with lunch and occasionally dinner a few weeks ago he found out he loved baking and cooking and made it a hobby. Maddie enjoyed the company and the help. She also found it endearing how he liked to cook but she didn’t say that out loud.
As Shadow added in a little more salt to his guacamole, Sonic and Knuckles had already made their way in the kitchen. “Im starving!” Sonic exaggerated. Maddie chuckled as she placed a plate on Sonic’s side of the table, “Call Tails first, then eat up.”
Sonic groaned as he turned and sped up upstairs, returning a few seconds later with the kit trailing behind him, he sat down eagerly as he looked at the food prepared.
As they all sat down to eat, the sky began to bleed into a blue as the sun set.
He laid on the roof of the suburban house, looking up to see thousands of constellations,
..
“My grandfather says it can take hundreds of years for the light of a star to reach Earth.. and by the time we see it the star might not even exist. Isnt that crazy?”
“The light shines even though the star is gone..” he said thoughtfully.
…
Shadow looked at the tiny stars surrounding the night sky, wondering if any of those stars even existed.
He hadn’t been able to get a good nights rest since he was first welcomed into the Wachowski household.
Maybe it was lingering guilt he felt he could never make up. Especially to Tom, he had spent 3 weeks in the hospital. Shadow had tried to make it up to him butTom insisted it was okay. “Everyone deserves second chances,” he said.
Even the rest of them said it was okay, that everyone deserves a second chance. Everyone seemed to forgive Shadow but himself.
Sonic didn’t seem to hold a-lot of grudges, sure he was hyper, but he could be serious when he needs to be. Knuckles, an Echidna Warrior who had everything taken away from him and was by himself a long time? Shadow knew what that was like. Knuckles was fierce and had a fighting spirit. That was admirable.
From what he heard, Tails only 8 years old. He’d be lying if he said his skills weren’t impressive for a child. He was the youngest, but his mind worked like a machine. What did he love beyond his inventions? Shadow’s mind raced. Had he ever asked? Had he ever taken the time to listen?
The way he was quiet and humble, but if asked, he would ramble on and on about a sole topic until your head spinned. That was painfully familiar.
He realizes that besides gadgets, he has no idea what Tails enjoys or what stories he had to tell about his life.
And that didn’t sit right with him.