Shadow: Transcending Lifetimes

On a normal day, Sonic would be running the world while throwing all care to the wind.

On a normal day, Tails might be tinkering with a new invention, and Knuckles would be sitting on Angel Island, guarding the Master Emerald.

On a normal day, Amy would be on the prowl for Sonic, and Cream would more or less be tagging along with her.

On a normal day, Rouge would be doing top secret undercover work for GUN, or simply sneaking into museums and stealing their baubles.

Needless to say, it wasn't a normal day.

For Shadow, it was much worse.

. . .

"Why…did I ever…agree to this?"

"Oh Shadow," Rouge giggled, walking alongside her best friend. "You can't deny that you're having fun!"

Shadow cocked an eye ridge and let his red irises drift over to gaze at Rouge. "It's hard to have fun when there are two kids much too hyped up on sugar, an echidna who has no idea what anything is, a girl who managed to ring the bell on that hammer-slamming game way too many times, you wanting to win a bunch of stuffed animals, and Sonic-"

"Someone ring?" the blue hedgehog announced, suddenly at Shadow's side within a blink of an eye, devouring a rather large helping of equally blue cotton candy. Shadow growled and hung his head, refusing to say anything in response.

This whole outing had been Tails' idea, but a tag team of Rouge, Sonic, and even Amy somehow managed to force Shadow to come along too, albeit against his will.

Really, a day at an amusement park basically wasn't his style. Honestly.

So now here he was, on a blistering hot afternoon under the sun with black fur, paling around with hyperactive Sonic, overeager Tails (whom, in Shadow's opinion, didn't do very many childlike activities), utterly clueless Knuckles (although this was rather understandable in the echidna's case), Amy who either used her '"cute charm" or forceful demeanor to win things, a demanding Rouge who for some unseen reason wanted the fanciest stuffed animals to be won…

…and then Cream, who was easily the calmest out of the group.

"What's the matter, Mister Shadow?" Cream asked innocently, still visibly stirred up on sugar and clutching an oversized Chao doll that Tails had won for her. "Does nothing seem fun to you?"

"Not really, Cream," Shadow replied with little enthusiasm, rolling his gaze to the sky at the very thought of it. "I'm not as easily entertained by rides that churn up my insides, gigantic plush dolls, or foods so sugary or fattening that I feel sick after ingesting them."

"But that's part of the fun!" exclaimed Sonic, bounding forward with unbridled energy, a stark contrast to Shadow. His cotton candy remarkably still hadn't been finished- though that didn't surprise Shadow, as the candy cloud had been the size of Sonic's head to start with.

"I agree," stated Tails, and he was definitely buzzed on a little too much sweets, though he was doing an outstanding job of keeping it in check. "The point of an amusement park is for amusement!"

Sonic felt the need to throw in a one-man "Gasp" afterward.

"I mean, letting go and getting a little crazy is all included in the package!"

Rouge smirked and waved off the idea. "Ha, the day Mister Unsmiley loosens up is the day the moon becomes whole again."

Shadow fumed as Sonic, Amy, and Rouge initiated an intense snicker fest.

"Don't worry Shadow, these customs are far beyond me as well," stated Knuckles, and somehow that didn't make the ebony hedgehog feel much better. "How does one find enjoyment by spinning around in a tea cup or in animal-like toys?"

"Knux, you're overthinking it," Sonic sighed, slinging an arm over Knuckles' shoulders and causing Shadow to stumble after being bumped by Sonic's abruptness. "Look, we'll go on a rollercoaster, dunk a funnel cake into your digestive system, and then you can use that strength of yours to knock over a stack of three bottles. I'm sure you could pelt a ball through them despite all the glue-"

"What's the point in that?" Knuckles asked with genuine curiously, and everyone sighed, knowing that Knuckles was really going to have to get accustomed to the way things worked in the park.

Shadow didn't want to be there when it happened.

"So, where do we go next?" asked Amy, her trusty hammer perched casually over her shoulder and causing several other visitors in the park to balk and run upon witnessing the size of it. "I'm willing to go ring the bell again, but I was banned from there…oooh, I wonder if any of the booths have Sonic plushies that can be won!"

"Checked- there isn't," Sonic replied far too quickly, if only to cover up the fact that he and Rouge had teamed up to rid the park of all stuffed animals that resembled any of them…and there certainly were a lot of Sonic and Shadow.

"I want to get some ice cream!" exclaimed Tails and Cream, and the others stared back at them with incredulous looks.

"Um…aren't you two functioning off enough sugar?" Knuckles questioned skeptically.

"I swear Tails' pupils have dilated- "Rouge started to say, but was abruptly cut off by Sonic.

"Aw, what's a few more scoops of ice cream? I'm sure that they're looking forward to a healthy dosage of mint chip, am I right?"

The eager nods of the younger members of the gang were more than enough of an answer.

"I'm quite confident that they've already consumed far beyond a 'healthy dosage'," Shadow intervened, and Amy burst out laughing.

"Hee, Shadow DOES have a sense of humor!"

"I'm not kidding," Shadow replied with the same tone, but it completely went over everyone's head.

"Ignore them- go get one more small cone of ice cream, and then no more for the rest of the day, got it?" Sonic ordered, and Tails and Cream replied eagerly and skipped off.

"You're a terrible guardian," Knuckles muttered. "And that's coming from a guardian."

"Maybe Sonic's right," Rouge pointed out, hands resting behind her head. "We're actually together and enjoying ourselves for once, so why not splurge a little?"

"At the risk of gaining excess body mass?" Shadow mumbled again, and Rouge frowned in response.

"Whatever. C'mon, Knuckles, you still have some acquainting with attractions to attend to," she sauntered, grabbing the echidna's wrist and dragging him off. "…and I'm one of those attractions!"

Knuckles winced as a deep blush was painted across his face, unable to whip up a reason as to why he shouldn't.

Except for the fact that he should've been up on Angel Island, but that had already been discussed and shot down when Tails produced a graph with colors, numbers, and big words that were beyond everyone, and Knuckles had just agreed because it was easier.

Sonic sneered jovially as Knuckles and Rouge flounced away, leaving him to spin around and face Shadow with a more excited look.

"All right, in that case, Shads and I will go find the biggest, fastest, and most lethal coaster in the park!" he announced, his hand throwing itself into the air unexpectedly and unintentionally. Shadow was a bit bemused by that, but just as he went to open his mouth to protest Sonic's proclamation, Amy swooped in and unknowingly saved him from having to go on a ride with Sonic.

"Sonic, you can't do that when you and I need to go on the Tunnel of Love!" she exclaimed, and Sonic took note that her massive mallet was still slung over her shoulder, ready to go at any time.

"Erm, Amy…I think it would be a better idea to go supervise Tails and Cream while I go drag- I mean, introduce Shadow to the joys of a rollercoaster."

"Tails is perfectly mature enough to handle himself and Cream," Amy deduced, not backing off. "I'll go check on them the very second we emerge from the Tunnel of Love and you agree to go on a date with me."

"Yeah, hmm, let me just check my watch," Sonic stated, holding up a finger and raising his watchless wrist to his face. "Ah yes. Time to run. Later, Amy! I've got rides to ride!"

"A ride like the Tunnel of Love!" Amy gave back, and she proceeded to hunt down Sonic with her mallet raised to the heavens…

…leaving Shadow alone.

He could've merely teleported to some place more desirable, but for the time being, he couldn't come up with a concrete destination, and he'd prefer it if the entire group wasn't peeved at him for ditching the trip, so Shadow sucked it up and strolled along the path that carved between the rides, booths, and vendors.

He was flagged down by desperate people trying to sell their merchandise, pushed around by zealous children screaming their heads off and prizes held high above their heads, and he swore that he'd stepped in three pieces of gum plus a sticky soda drink.

"Yeah, I'm having a real blast."

After being pelted in the back of the head by an unfinished bag of popcorn, Shadow was debating on whether or not to brutally sabotage one of the games when he suddenly sensed something. It was a lingering feeling that felt so familiar, and it was one that made his quills bristle ever so slightly.

"…where's this coming from?"

Knowing that the sensation wouldn't go away until he found the source, Shadow battled through the throng of visitors and tried to let his sixth sense guide him. A plethora of possibilities ran through his mind, some a little more abysmal than others, but it turns out none of them were correct when his instinct led him to a gaudy-looking striated purple and silver tent, with gold dressings hanging off of its corners.

"…Lordy."

Against his better will and falling victim to the coursing sensation, Shadow pushed through the beaded ribbons that draped the doorway, daring to step inside.

Naturally, Shadow was filled with regret on the spot.

He hadn't even been in tent but three seconds before being assailed by an overbearing odor of essence, but the kaleidoscopic colors within also made him feel cross-eyed and dizzy. Pushing through his other senses, Shadow felt around, until his hands came across a table and chair.

"Welcome, stranger…my name is Beverly," an elderly female dove announced, spreading her robed arms over the table and wafting some of the scent away. Shadow was preparing up a speech about how she should lay off the perfume or whatever, but then a second glance at Beverly made him realize something of more importance.

"It's you…you're what I was sensing," he stated, literally surprised at this revelation. Beverly elicited a light and spirited laugh before leaning down toward the table and waving her hands over a rather small crystal ball.

"It seems child, that you have great power within you…Chaos Energy I presume?"

Shadow, who had been inching toward the door while she wasn't looking, quickly glanced over his shoulder and widened his eyes.

"…how'd you know that?"

"Small world," Beverly replied, causing a swirl of colors and sparkles to become agitated in her crystal ball, looking twice as kaleidoscopic as the room. "I am able to sense you as well, so to speak."

"…wait a minute," Shadow hummed, turning around completely and walking back toward the table. "Are you telling me that you have Chaos Abilities too?"

The amused smile plastered on Beverly's face turned out to be a suitable answer.

"If that's the case…" Shadow proceeded to lower himself into the chair. "…then, are you able to see the future? I mean, you appear to be a fortune teller, and most fortune tellers just grab your palm and tell you something about how long you'll live or your love life."

"Do you want me to read your palm and tell you how long you'll live or your love life?"

"No," was the flat response. "I'm going to live for a long time, if not forever, and I don't picture myself being romantically involved, which in itself disappoints many girls across the globe."

"Amusing…" Beverly murmured, adjusting the silky purple band that was tied around her head. "But, no. You see child-"

"Why do you keep calling me child?"

"-my ability allows me to use the past to make connections with the future," Beverly explained. "I'm led to believe it only works through using memories, because I've tried endlessly on inanimate objects, but it never manifests."

"Whoa, memories?" Shadow instantly went on the defensive and grabbed his head. "Stay away from mine! You have no idea what it takes to keep these."

"I can't take away memories- I can only see them," Beverly explained, her eyes beginning to glow a calming blue. Shadow had felt like she was reading his mind, but he felt as if his thoughts weren't being invaded. No, it was like he was in one place of his mind, and she was exploring another, as it were. Eventually she let out a gasp, and Shadow gave a grimacing frown in return.

"Bad, isn't it?" he murmured, straightening out his legs, leaning back, and folding his arms across his chest.

"You've certainly been through a lot, haven't you?" Beverly asked, and Shadow merely shrugged.

"I'm over it now…I don't let my past govern me anymore, and from the sounds of it, that's what your power seems to be. I should really take my leave now- my nose is about to disintegrate and there'll be a group of idiots starting a riot if they can't find me soon."

"If you truly wanted to leave, you would have done so already," pointed out Beverly, and the look on Shadow's face proved her right. "…but disregarding that, the 'idiots' you speak of…would they happen to be your friends?"

"Some people say that," Shadow uttered, his stare falling down to the floor and his gum-covered shoes. He then added quietly, "I don't think they'll ever replace her…"

"Replace who?" the dove cooed, and Shadow cursed himself for muttering it aloud, although he was pretty sure doves weren't supposed to have fantastic hearing.

"You looked into my memories," he protested, turning to face her again. "How could you have missed the girl with the guiltless blue eyes, sky blue dress, blindingly blonde hair, and such an innocent look on her face…"

"Mmm, of course I saw her; I just wanted to make sure I knew who you talking about."

Huffing and even pouting a bit, Shadow turned in his chair to not face Beverly any longer.

"So, why don't you think your friends will ever replace this little girl?" Beverly spoke up after a thick silence, and Shadow still wasn't too keen on spewing his life story to this complete stranger. After all, it had already been on the table so many times before, and if she really wanted to know, she could see for herself. "After all, there must be something you like about them if you chose to be in their company-"

"No, I was forced to come to this crazy carnival," Shadow seethed, his tone biting a bit sharper than he originally warranted. "And my so-called friends consist of a rabbit girl less than half my physical age, a two-tailed fox that idolizes a blue idiot, an echidna that spends his days on a floating island and rarely associates with me, a girl that obsesses with said blue idiot, a bat that has a terrible knack for double crossing, and aforementioned blue idiot. Need I say more?"

"…something tells me that you're not looking at the right attributes," the dove murmured, but this completely missed Shadow. "Anyway, if they're so bad, then what was so great about the girl you speak of? I sense that she had a major impact in your life, even now…"

Shadow fell into silence after that, glancing up at the "ceiling" of the tent and noticing that it was decorated with stars that actually shimmered. Throw a planet up there, and he'd be having flashbacks of the ARK again.

Shaking his head, Shadow finally susurrated, "Everything."

"There must be some things that you remember specifically about her," Beverly urged, dangerously pushing Shadow to where he didn't want to go without knowing it. "I can see the memories, but I can never see how you've felt about it."

"Thank goodness," Shadow grunted, and the quickest of scowls flashed across Beverly's face. Having caught it, Shadow lightly coughed and tossed his head back. "Well, if you have to know, you nosy excuse for a bird, I remember…that she was very encouraging."

"There we go," the dove sighed in relief, the colors in the crystal ball beginning to spin again and gain a pinkish hue to them. "Elaborate."

Shadow was thoughtfully quiet for a few moments, trying to recall specific moments.

"Well. Back up on the ARK, I recall that Gerald always had to do these tests and experiments on me, and I would never want to do them…but Maria always managed to talk me into doing so. There were also times where I refused to try new things, but somehow Maria's presence convinced me otherwise. She always knew how to say the right things to make me realize what was right."

Beverly nodded, eyeing the crystal ball go on the fritz now. "And none of your friends have this quality to them?"

"Psh, no," Shadow suddenly sneered, a jarring change from the insightful mood he had previously. "Sure, when the world is on the verge of ending, they'll cheer on me and whoever else I'm with, but like the way Maria did? No."

"Take a look into my crystal ball…" she said mystically, and Shadow raised an eye ridge. "It reveals the truth!"

"You agreed with me that fortune telling was fake-"

"Look into the ball, boy."

…completely taken aback, Shadow leaned forward and gazed into the ball, watching as whatever magic was within started twirling around in indescribable patterns, until, to Shadow, they finally started to take shape into something recognizable.

"…Amy?" he asked, staring up at the dove. "How'd you get her to appear?"

"I did nothing," Beverly replied simply, holding out her arms. "You only see what you need to see. And like I said, I use the past to make connections with the future. In this case, Maria's encouragement of the past for you seems to have taken shape in this girl here today. Very interesting."

"But…wait…what?" Shadow mumbled incoherently, dumbstruck as he raked his brain for a palpable solution. "…Hmm. Maybe I can see the point in Amy. She is the one that helped me realize Maria's true final wish, a desire to see that the world's people were all happy, something that they both shared…and she harbors an awful lot of faith in me, just like Maria."

Beverly smiled, and the magic in the globe faded back to normal. "See? There's a similarity after all."

"Okay, there's one," Shadow replied curtly, folding his arms again. "…and maybe two, even though the second is rather obvious."

"Now we're getting somewhere," Beverly smirked, gesturing for more. Shadow just glanced back.

"Don't you have other customers outside or something? I've already been here far beyond the allotted time for these things."

"Do you see floods of people fighting to get in here?" Beverly asked with a droll sigh. "You're the first person to stroll in here today, and by far the most interesting, since you only wandered in here because I'm a Chaos user."

"Whatever. I'll only stick around because I don't want to have to teach Knuckles how to play ring toss or go on an extreme ride with Sonic."

"Fine with me," the dove replied with an entertained smirk, and Shadow nonchalantly rolled his eyes. "Now, what's this other similarity you were speaking of?"

Shadow had shifted himself so that his hands were laced behind his head and one leg was crossing over the other, rapidly bouncing his foot and thinking.

"Her kindness, easily," he stated at last, and Beverly sat a little straighter and paid attention. "Maria was so considerate to everyone, even that bratty kid also aboard the ARK who grew up to be the current GUN Commander. Even as we were running for our lives and our small, secluded world in space was coming down around us, Maria still stopped and helped out fallen researchers…but no one helped her in the end, and in the end there was nothing that I could do…"

Shadow's head tilted down to catch sight of the crystal ball again. It was now streaked with orange, but a few seconds later, it took shape of the person Shadow had been thinking of.

"Cream," he confirmed, continuing on. "She may be young, but I feel that her immeasurable kindness is something that will stay with her for a long time. She's nice to even someone like me, despite the fact that her cheeriness is a bit much sometimes…it's not too different from how Maria was, so I don't judge. She's a good kid."

"Maria sounds like she was a wonderful girl," Beverly commented cautiously, hoping to not nudge Shadow too far out of his comfort zone. To her surprise though, it seemed like he was already there.

"It's…almost kind of funny," Shadow said quietly, more to himself than to the white dove garbed in robes and ribbons. "At first, I barely ever talked to Maria. That was mostly because I had to be isolated in my first few weeks of life…but after slowly getting to know her, and being allowed to get to know her, we became best friends. I discovered there were a lot of things I admired about her."

Shadow had started to go on, but the following words got lost somewhere along the way out of his mouth when the crystal ball tripped out again. It was now red, and in Shadow's eyes he saw a picture of Knuckles.

"That echidna?" he breathed curiously, and Beverly looked decently perplexed.

"What's an echidna?" she asked, and Shadow blinked.

"It's…kind of like a hedgehog, like me, but with more dreadlock-like spines. Knuckles is the last of his kind, which might explain why you haven't heard of them."

"Ah, I see," Beverly nodded, glancing toward her ball. "So, what's the relation this time?"

"I…guess it's like what I was saying," Shadow explained, staring at it too. "I've only recently got to really know Knuckles, and even now there's still a lot I don't know about him. I supposed if we talk or something a little more, I might find something of interest about him. Maybe. I already believe he makes better company than Sonic, and he doesn't even know much about the surface world and its customs."

His eyes then widened, and Beverly looked on curiously.

"Maria…we both didn't know much about the planet below us, just like Knuckles I suppose…I think I fathom where he's coming from, when you're suddenly dragged into a world that you don't understand and is different from what you're used to. Maria tried learning as much as she could about the planet nonetheless, even though she never got to experience it like Knuckles and I did…"

Shadow's demeanor darkened a little, as if the realization had started to depress him. Beverly noticed the change cross his face and tried to redirect the subject.

"Well, focus on the more positive things," she offered, and she noticed Shadow's ears twitch on instinct. "What was something about Maria that was a good thing, but possibly went unnoticed by others?"

"Hmm," was Shadow's somewhat amused reply, drumming his fingers in thought. The tiniest trace of a grin crossed his face, but it didn't go unnoticed by Beverly, though she wisely chose not to speak out on it. "She was a Robotnik…which meant she was smart."

His arms lowered from behind his head and back to his torso, closing his eyes and looking rather smug at his reminiscing.

"She excelled at her studies and could whip out concepts and ideas that were beyond me at the time, and I'm sure had she been given the chance to come down here and grow up, she would've went into research for the greater good of humanity, just like her grandfather had originally intended to do…"

His smirk was now more of a sad smile, but once he cracked his eyes open to see what the now yellow crystal ball intended for him this time, his expression simply changed.

"Tails is a genius, isn't he?" he mused to himself, and Beverly's expression told him that she was still thirsty for the whole story. In all honesty, Shadow couldn't blame her for clamoring a little company, since he was the first one to step into her tent.

Maybe if she didn't scare people off with her intense fragrances…

"The fox I spoke of- he's quite intelligent as well, and now that I bring it to light, Maria was a watered down version of him. She didn't babble into using big words or strange terms, but her concepts, even in English, were so immensely impressive that it rivaled some of the researchers. In Tails' case, he's so smart that some days he makes Eggman look stupid…although with the way the doctor behaves sometimes, that's not very hard to do."

Inside the tent, the conversation came to a standstill, with the chaotic screams of people from the outside seeping into the tent. Shadow was feeling like he needed to go, but something was keeping him weighted in the chair, almost like it was telling Shadow that he needed to stay.

"Do you know how long it's been since I've arrived?" Shadow asked, and Beverly shook her head.

"It couldn't have been any more than half an hour- we haven't been chatting for over an hour if that's what you're thinking," she stated. "There's no one outside the door, is there?"

Shadow glanced through the beaded ribbons and tried to see if there was a life form waiting on the other side. Other than all the passersby, no one was waiting.

"No, no one."

"Well, in any case, you can feel free to leave. You've supplied me with enough food for thought for a week," Beverly said with a pleasant smile, and although Shadow didn't return it, he was visibly content.

"I would, but…I feel like I'm not finished," he explained in a reticent fashion, sitting unnaturally still in his chair. "It's a little weird. You're not secretly using your Chaos Abilities on me, are you? Some sort of mind control or something?"

"Of course not," Beverly responded ardently. "I don't have access to as wide an array of skill as you do."

"Well, I can't read people's minds," Shadow scoffed, before closing back into a reserved state. Beverly noticed this and wondered how to coax him back out again, but he did it himself.

"The reason Maria had such a big impact in my life…" he began slowly, as if he was treading dangerous waters that he once vowed to never go near but felt the need to anyway. "…was because she was my best friend. She had my back, she was my go to person, she knew just what to do to make me feel better, and even knew how to push my buttons some days…she was the greatest person in my life, I'd do anything for her, and I always felt like I failed her in the end after witnessing her death…but I realize that I'm fulfilling her dreams by keeping people happy today. Like now- I can tell I'm simply making you happy by keeping you company."

Beverly was caught off guard, but then she smiled cheerfully and tilted her white feathered head. "Why, that's a kind thing to say."

"Doesn't come from me very often. Take a picture and treasure it."

The crystal ball began swirling again, and Shadow already knew who was going to crop up. The ball shimmered a magnificent shade of magenta, and eventually the image of Rouge popped up. Beverly noticed the colors change and asked Shadow what he saw this time.

"Rouge," he hummed in a single word, shaking his head. "A crazy, selfish thief that happens to work for the government as well…aside from that, I don't mind her, and she's not so bad. When I was first awakened from suspended animation, I was so focused on carrying out my revenge for Maria, mulling over her death, wanting to have her back…that I didn't realize someone with the same potential was standing next to me."

His eyes sank a bit, and Beverly remained silent.

"Rouge knew that, but with my conquest, my disappearance, and my amnesia, it took me a lot longer to see that she's my best friend now. And I'm okay with that."

"That's nice," Beverly said with a small smile, and Shadow huffed in return. "But you see, you said that your friends could never replace this girl Maria…'replace', maybe not, but you've shown that they have the qualities to recreate the friendship that you once had with Maria."

"Hmm."

Shadow became perceptibly withdrawn, his mind registering the revelation but still coming up with an unanswered question.

"What about Sonic?" he muttered under his breath, and Beverly perked up.

"Come again?"

"What quality does Sonic have?" Shadow repeated, quirking an eye ridge in dark amusement. "He's reckless, irresponsible, selfish with his freedom, things that Maria would never be. He's annoying, loud and obnoxious, hyperactive…he's not like Maria at all!"

"You're not looking in the right places," Beverly pointed out, eyes glowing again. "Remember; use the past to make connections with the future. You can't compare what hasn't happen to what already has, but you can take history and use it to help depict the imminent. Try looking at Maria again, and then maybe you'll see the connection she has with Sonic."

"I promise you there isn't one," he growled gruffly, closing his eyes and trying to imagine nonetheless.

. . .

Shadow slowly paced the halls of the ARK, arms folded behind his head and appearing rather innocent, compared to the men and women in lab coats sprinting around like the world was going to end tomorrow. Shadow was hardly a thought in their minds, the small black hedgehog barely having to weave between them to get to where he was going.

Actually, he didn't really know what his destination was going to be.

He didn't know where he was going until he saw the young girl in blue standing calmly in front of the ARK's many windows, her gaze travelling beyond the stars and down at the patently blue planet below. Shadow trotted next to her, joining her wordlessly and being welcomed silently.

"Hello, Maria," he greeted the girl, lowering his arms and taking in the view as well. "Something on your mind?"

"Isn't there always?" Maria replied lightly, a terse smirk on her face. "But it's nothing new. Just thinking about life on Earth again."

"I like hearing your thoughts on Earth though," Shadow stated, glancing up at the girl. "You paint such a vivid picture of what it must be like…I wish I could do that. I apparently lack imagination."

Maria giggled where Shadow did not, though she stopped momentarily and turned back to the window.

"Oh Shadow, everyone has an imagination, you just have to know how to use it!" she laughed lightly, a sound that (in Shadow's opinion) could cure the deaf. "For a start, it helps to close your eyes."

"Okay."

Shadow's eyelids fell shut, as did Maria's.

"Now," Maria continued, conjuring up a picture in her mind. "Think about the picture books Grandpa got for us. Imagine being on a tall, frost-tipped mountain, or lying in the grassiest field with a gentle breeze blowing across our faces. Imagine picking a flower for the first time and taking that first whiff of its fragrance…"

Shadow tried his hardest to picture it, but whether he could or not, Maria just talking about it made it seem pretty.

"Think about what a city looks like at night, with a halo of light surrounding all the buildings and stars twinkling above. Or a sunny day with little fluffy white clouds streaking the sky, or the crystalline waters of a beach…" she then opened her eyes and excitedly clasped her hands together. "Think of the freedom we could have, roaming the earth and doing what we please!"

"I'm sure that might be pushing it a bit, Maria," Shadow stated pensively. "Not even the people of Earth can easily 'roam' as you point out. Most of them end of staying in one spot for their entire lives."

Maria frowned at this, placing her hands on the glass.

"Well, that's terribly boring. Why stay in one spot when there's the entirety of the world to see? So many different terrains, so many different people to meet…there's a lot to miss out on. Maybe when we go down there, we can show them how to live! Life is precious, after all, and we should do what we can when we can in the time that we have."

"Yes, Maria," Shadow agreed, eyes locked on the planet. "Live life…it's the most we can do…"

Especially since Maria herself had little time to begin with.

. . .

Shadow had risen out of his chair at some point during his personal flashback, his back turned to Beverly with his head hung. The crystal ball behind him was a fierce cobalt blue, a color so bright that even Beverly was able to take note of its significance.

"Maria had such a love for the planet, a desire to see the good in everyone and made sure that they all had a smile, and most importantly, she lived, even when faced with that certain disaster…" he mused, shaking his head. "Her love for life, her love for the planet, her love for the idea of freedom…it's all in Sonic."

He raised a hand to his face in a split second, lowering it with his glove stained by a single tear. Shadow spun back around and approached the globe, seeing Sonic's grinning face in the glass.

"His philosophy is among the same lines as Maria's…" Shadow stated with stark realization. "He does what she's always wanted…to roam the planet, meet new people, and see everything the world has to offer. Sonic might be insanely idiotic and unrealistically reckless, but I'm unable to deny that he would do anything for a friend and his greatest treasure is his freedom. Take that away…like it was taken from Maria…and what would you have?"

The crystal ball finally died down, and Beverly let out a whistle.

"That was mighty enticing," she exclaimed, adjusting the glasses that had been perched on her beak the entire time. "…it seems to me that some friendships are so strong that they can transcend lifetimes, huh?"

Shadow stepped away from the table and allowed himself a single nod.

"It certainly seems so…and speaking of; I guess I'd better get back to them. All of their rage combined just might be the one thing more ultimate than me."

He turned and trudged toward the door, but Beverly halted him with a few words.

"Thank you. It must've taken a lot for you simply walk in here and discuss all that."

"No," Shadow gave back, shaking his head. "Thank you. You've helped me realize things that I should have a long time ago."

"Well, we all determine our own fates, which is something I can tell you're already quite familiar with. I just use my powers to help people out when they're feeling a little lost," the dove responded with a smile. "But…before you go, there's one thing I'd like to know. I don't think I ever did catch your name."

"My name is Shadow…" the ebony and crimson hedgehog stated, pushing through the beaded ribbons and returned to the chaos that was the carnival. "…Shadow the Hedgehog."

. . .

Shadow got a much welcome gulp of fresh air, along with his pupils shrinking upon contact with the harsh sunlight. Said sunlight instantly took effect and beamed down on Shadow, his black fur absorbing it on the spot and making him sweaty all over again. It wasn't quite as crazy as it had been before, but the sense of entertainment still lingered all throughout the park.

Maria would've loved to come here, despite the messes and the mayhem.

"Shadow! There you are!" exclaimed Rouge, she and Knuckles jogging over to him. "No one knew where you were for like an hour! Where'd you go? …and why do you smell like burnt cinnamon?"

"Didja hit a perfume booth or something while we were gone?" Knuckles asked with a playful snicker, and Shadow merely folded his arms.

"I ran into a booth that definitely had its own scents," he replied indignantly, glancing away. "I spent a little too much time there and now it's on me as a result. Perhaps you could stand to sample some as well, Knuckles."

Knuckles' mouth fell agape as Rouge snickered.

"Well, I'd prefer something along the lines of man-stench cologne, but whatever floats your boat, Shadow," Rouge giggled, and Shadow sighed and shrugged it off.

"Oog…hey guys…" Tails trailed with a groggy tone, leaning on Cream and having his other arm held up by Cheese.

"He ate one bite too many," Cream explained. "Don't…go by the southwest garbage can. Or that area in general."

Shadow mutely balked while Rouge and Knuckles appropriately cringed. Also, as luck would have it, Amy and Sonic came back as well, with Amy skipping and spinning with overjoyed enthusiasm and Sonic looked as though he was trying to sort out greater dangers.

"Sonic and I went in the tunnel of love!" she completely gushed, and everyone turned to Sonic for his side of the story.

"I dunno what was worse…" he winced, grabbing his head. "The sickly love song, Amy smothering me, or how deep I found out the water was when I attempted an escape!"

"He came back into the boat because he loves me!"

"I came back because I fear water more than you."

"Ouch, Amy," Knuckles coughed. "I'd take that as an insult!"

Sonic glared at Knuckles and shook a fist. "Darn it Knuckles, don't give her an idea! …and I'm tired of rides. I want a chili dog."

"No more sugar!" Tails wailed, nearly fainting onto Cream as Sonic dashed off.

"Ah, by the looks of it, I think we just need to go home," hummed Rouge, scratching one of her ears. "I'm surprised you're not in more of a rush, Knuckie. Feel like winning me another prize? I saw a rather gorgeous necklace at the dunk tank."

"No," Knuckles stated instantly as Sonic returned just in time to hear the words 'dunk tank'. "I'm ready to go back home to a prize that I've already won- the Master Emerald!"

"I say let's book it too," Sonic proclaimed, swallowing his latest bite of chili dog. "When there's talk of dunking poor people into a tank, that's the time to cut and run."

"I'm happy," Amy stated with an oversized grin. "A straight forty-five minutes with my Sonic was all I needed!"

"…yeah, let's go," Sonic stated, beginning to march off. However, he stepped on a particularly large wad of gum, suctioning his shoe to the ground and causing him to trip in the most unlikely circumstance. His chili dog bounced out of his hand and not only landed on the ground, but was scooped up by a non-sentient seagull.

Everyone was astounded for a moment until Sonic wailed,

"UGH! Today is just not my day!"

Then, Knuckles burst out laughing, followed by Amy, Rouge, Tails, and then even Cream. Sonic, after recovering from his initial shock, started cracking up too.

Shadow, who had enough craziness for one day, knew his friends would catch up with him as he proceeded to walk away from the scene. They were strange, but he now knew that he always had Amy's encouragement, Cream's kindness, Knuckles' willingness to adapt, Tails' intelligence, Rouge's friendship...and as much as Shadow hated to admit it, Sonic's spirit.

Their laughs continued to echo in his ears, reminding him that they were all here, living and breathing, taking in what life had to offer...just like what Maria had always wished for everyone.

Eventually, he did something that was so terribly out of character for him, that if the others had known about it, they'd be speechless for a long time.

Shadow laughed too.

. . .

On an abnormal day, Sonic would be willing to stay in one place, dedicating said day to spending time with all his friends.

On an abnormal day, Tails might pull away from inventing and go outside, filling himself with sugar until he got sick, and Knuckles would come down from Angel Island and partake in the ways of the surface dwellers.

On an abnormal day, Amy would get some time with Sonic, and Cream would be with someone else for a change.

On an abnormal day, Rouge would renounce her selfish and calculating ways and enjoying having some cheerful company for once.

Needless to say, it was definitely an abnormal day.

And for Shadow, it was a pretty good one at that.

So yes, this idea's been bugging me for three days and I had to get it out of my system. xD

While this was more or less a character-concept story, it's also a more positive take on the point I wanted to make in my other Shadow one-shot. ^^