(Play Run Away- Theme Of Blue Comets In A Night Sky)

(Play My Little Pony Main Theme, Instrumental)

"Ignorant foal―fools." Shadow said as he traversed down Ponyville's main thoroughfare, ignoring the stares he received, also straining against the instinct that demanded he say foals instead of fools. He kept his head high as he continued. A sudden growl caught him off guard, Shadow sighed as he realized it was his stomach. He looked around before spotting Sugar Cube Corner, a large sign displaying a new cookie flavor. The ebony and crimson zebra shook his head as he made his way towards the establishment. He almost jumped as a lanky yellow Earth stallion and his periwinkle blue mate came running terrified from the building. Shadow raised an eyebrow.

"Is there some sort of problem?" He asked the couple. The male approached him, shaking uncontrollably as his eye flicked between Shadow and the door of the establishment.

"I'm sorry if you were coming to Sugar Cube Corner for something, but currently our employee, Pinkie Pie is having a mental breakdown of sorts." Shadow raised his eyebrow again.

'Pinkie Pie? That's one of the Faker's little friends. Hmm. Seems I must correct this snafu.' Shadow started walking towards the front door of the bakery. The female stopped him.

"Don't go in there! We don't know what she'll do." Shadow smirked as he walked past her.

"Madam, I have slayed gods and other creatures that could rewrite reality itself... a psychotic pink equine holds no weight to me." This statement left the two Earth ponies in confusion as Shadow walked inside. The lights were off inside, Shadow rolled his eyes.

"... Typical." He said as he mentally recounted every slasher flick Rouge had roped him into watching.

(Play Sonic And the Black Knight: Sir Lancelot Appears! - Battle Theme 1: Pinkimenia vs Shadow)

Shadow dodged to the left as a meat cleaver smashed, blade first, into where he was once standing. He spun around to find himself face-to-face with none other than Pinkie Pie, however, the zebra noted, she looked different from when she was around Blue Comet and the Elements. Her coat was a darker shade of pink, her mane was even darker, and it was straight, the opposite of it's usual 'poofy' self.

"Who are you?" She asked, her voice sounding strained. Shadow stood tall, unafraid of the psychotic mare.

"I am Shadow. You are Pinkie Pie, correct?" He asked, jumping back to doge another attack with the cleaver.

"NO! I am Pinkimenia! Now, get out unless you wanna die!" She barked. Shadow smirked, dropping into a battle stance.

"Saa...ikuze!" Shadow said, smashing his front hooves into Pinkimenia's chest. The pony growled and threw her cleaver at Shadow. The ebony and crimson zebra slid under the large knife and kicked it, the blade imbedding itself into the ceiling. Pinkimenia swore silently as her vision was filled with Shadow's back hooves. The back wall cracked with the pink horse's impact. Shadow approached the dazed equine.

"Had enough yet? You can give―urk!" Shadow gagged as the paring knife slid easily between his ribs. Pinkimenia's crazed smile reminded the zebra of a character from one of Tails' favorite animes, Nui Harime of Kill La Kill. Specifically, when she threatened to kill Mako.

"Just DIE!" Pinkimenia screamed as she drove the entire blade into Shadow's rib cage. Blood exploded from the striped equine's mouth. Pinkimenia let the zebra drop as she went to go prepare a bag for the body, when she heard a blade being removed from flesh.

(Play Blumenkranz- Theme of Shadow the Hedgehog)

"Sorry. Death isn't on the menu today." Pinkimenia turned around in horror as she stared at the zebra she could have sworn she had just ended the life of. Shadow dropped the paring knife onto the floor.

"Such a weapon could not kill me." He slowly walked towards the psychotic equine.

(AN: Start the first chorus here) Pinkimenia fell to the ground and started to crawl away from Shadow until her back was pressed against the wall.

"No...no...how?!" She cried as she watched Shadow's wound close itself. Shadow walked ever closer, a bright black and crimson light emanating from behind him. (AN: Think the Kiryuin Clan) He stood before her and stomped his right fore-hoof into the floor leaving an imprint.

"I am Shadow, otherwise known as Project: Shadow, I am the Ultimate Lifeform, slayer of gods, destroyer of civilizations. I am a god among mortals! Now...be free of your personal demons!" Shadow placed a red Chaos Emerald against Pinkimenia's fore head.

"Chaos Heal: Ω" Green energy surrounded the entire building of Sugar Cube Corner, after a blinding light, it seemed as if all was normal. Shadow placed the Chaos Emerald back into the pocket dimension of Hammer Space.

(Play Laughter by AcousticMandoBrony- Theme of Pinkie Pie)

"Omigosh!" came the bubbly voice of the one, the only, Pinkie Pie. Her coat and mane had returned to its normal bubble gum shade. She glomped onto Shadow, nuzzling her head into Shadow's broad chest.

"I'm sosososososososososo sorry!" Pinkie said, not noticing Shadow's switching eye.

'Damn this mare. She's so annoying!' Shadow grimaced and squirmed in her embrace, clearly uncomfortable, not that Pinkie noticed this either.

"It is of no consequence. You were not in your right of mind. Your personal demons were controlling you." Shadow did his best to escape from the mare's embrace. After a few moments he succeeded. Pinkie then quickly ran behind the counter and gave him a huge smile.

"I know! Anything you order for the rest of the day is free of charge! My treat!" Shadow was about to argue, but his stomach protested.

"Very well." Shadow sighed in defeat, knowing his hunger superseded his pride in this scenario.

"Yay! You said your name was Shadow right? That's an interesting name! You look cool, I thought Zebra's only came in black and white! What other colors do they come in? Are you black with red stripes or red with black stripes? Do you know Zecora? She's the only other zebra in the area! What was that cool light show? How did you do all the stuff you did?" Pinkie asked without taking a breath. Shadow blinked and gathered his wits as he formulated an answer.

"Yes, my name is Shadow. They are only black and white, I am a genetic mutation. I'm not quite sure myself. I am unaware of this Zecora, but I shall make an effort to meet her. Interesting. Chaos Heal, a healing skill. I used its highest level, Omega. Chaos Heal can heal physical as well as psychological wounds. Omega heals the highest of wounds mental and physical." Pinkie nodded, seemingly understanding all of it. Pinkie gestured to the menu with a hoof.

"See anything you like?" Shadow muttered his answer under his breath. Pinkie leaned closer.

"What was that?" Shadow gulped.

"The lemon...*mumble* *mumble*" Pinkie leaned in closer.

"The lemon Sunshine Cookies." Shadow sighed at normal volume. Pinkie smiled. She placed a plate of the cookies in front of the ebony and crimson stallion. Shadow took a bite out of one of the cookies and smiled softly, remembering a nice time. Back at his home. The door to Sugar Cube Corner swung open as a butterscotch yellow Pegasus mare flew in, seemingly panicked.

"P-pinkie? Are you okay? I came as soon as I heard you had a breakdown." She said in a demure voice. Shadow chocked on the cookie he was chewing on at the sound of the voice. It was the same voice that haunted his guilt-ridden nightmares.

"Hey Fluttershy! I'm fine thanks to Shads here!" Pinkie said, throwing a foreleg around Shadow, who slowly turned and paled under his fur as his eyes alighted on Fluttershy. It never occurred to him as he watched Blue Comet from afar, but the butterscotch color of her coat, the baby blue eyes, her voice. It was too much of a coincidence, and it terrified him. Shadow blinked twice as he realized the girls were still talking.

"He introduced himself with a ton of titles and then used one of those Chaos Emerald Thingies Blue Comet is looking for, by the way Shadow, are you friends with Blue?" Pinkie asked, looking to the stunned Zebra. Shadow shook himself before standing, and turning to face Pinkie, making sure to keep Fluttershy out of his line of sight.

"I am. Thank you for the food Miss Pie. I'll take my leave." Shadow said with a strained tone, that didn't fly under Fluttershy's maternal radar. Shadow quickly made his leave, only to find himself face to face with Fluttershy, who had followed him out.

"E-excuse me, but did I make you uncomfortable in some way?" She asked softly. Shadow grimaced, nearly tasting the self-deprecation in her voice. He sighed softly as he looked to the dirt road beneath his hooves.

(Play Throw It All Away Instrumental MIX- Everett Bradley)

"No, it's not your fault. You… you just remind me of someone who was very near and dear to my heart, who's death I blame myself." Shadow said, eliciting a gasp from Fluttershy.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry… what was her name?" She asked, trying to sympathize and be kind to a friend of a friend. Shadow sighed again, fighting back tears he hadn't felt in a while.

"Maria. Maria Robotnik." Shadow said, sighing softly. His ears perked up however as Fluttershy gasped. He looked up to see a strange look in her eyes.

"I… I know that name." She said softly. Before she could realize what was going on, Shadow was dangerously close within her personal space.

"Don't play games with me Fluttershy! You couldn't possibly know that name! She existed in another world! On a space station, which is a building that orbits the planet!" Shadow seethed at the Element of Kindness. Fluttershy flinched, but held no ill will towards the Zebra, she's sure that if Shadow and Maria were as close as it seemed, she would react that way as well.

"I-I know it sounds farfetched, but please hear me out." Fluttershy said, sighing with relief as Shadow took a step back, his face still filled with anger.

"I've been having a reoccurring nightmare recently. I find myself running down a corridor, made of metal, being dragged along by some strange, hedgehog like creature. He looks back to me and smiles softly as he turns back to looking ahead. I look back and see several bipedal creatures with strange weapons following us. I have no memories before the dream starts, but I know they aren't friendly. We enter a room filled with strange pods, leading outside into the night sky. I push the hedgehog into a tube and start pressing buttons as the bipeds bust in and draw one of their weapons. I press a button, which releases the claps on the tube, as they fire the weapon and the last thing I hear is a voice, which sounds just like yours yell out the name Maria…" Fluttershy explains, staring at the ground. When he hears no response, she looks up, shocked to see a flabbergasted look on Shadow's face.

"H-how… how could you know that?" He asked with solemn terror, tears streaking down his cheeks. Fluttershy walked closer, using her wingtip to wipe away his tears. The black and red Zebra looked up at the butterscotch Pegasus.

"That can't be possible… Does Twilight have any spells that can project dreams?" Shadow asked, standing. Fluttershy nodded as she nudged Shadow along as they made their way to Twilight's Library. Shadow was almost relived that the lights were on as Fluttershy opened the door, Twilight looked out with a smile.

"Oh! Hello Fluttershy! And… I don't believe I've seen you before? My name is—" Twilight went to introduce herself before Shadow interrupted, his eyes closed as he rattled off.

"Twilight Sparkle, Student of Princess Celestia, Element of Magic, Librarian of Oak Branches Library, Ponyville Chapter. I know who you are, my name is Shadow. I am an acquaintance of Blue Comet's. I am in need your assistance." Shadow said, said as he and Fluttershy entered the main foyer. Twilight shut the door behind them as she moved over to her desk.

"So, what did you two need my help with?" Twilight asked, noting the strange glances Fluttershy was giving Shadow. The ebony and crimson Zebra stepped forward, his eyes stony.

"Do you have any sort of spell that can 3D project dreams?" He asked, a strange lilt to his voice. Twilight cocked her head to the side and grabbed a spell book with her telekinesis, leafing through it.

"Actually yes, there is also a spell to merge similar dreams. I suppose that would be relevant?" The bookish unicorn asked, smiling as both Shadow and Fluttershy nodded. Twilight quickly gathered the spell components, instructing both other equines to stand apart, facing each other so the dreams can meld once projected. As she began casting the spell, she felt as Shadow and Fluttershy brought their dreams to the front of their mind, and all three gasped as the fused, perfect, third person perspective of the dream came to light. They all watched as an anthropomorphic Hedgehog lead a blonde biped down a hall from an armed group of bipeds, to a smaller room with some sort of capsules. The girls watched in abject horror as the girl was attacked and killed as the Hedgehog screamed out for her. The spell eneded, leaving both girls terrified, but, it left Shadow a sobbing mess. Tears streaking down his face, he turned to Fluttershy, his eyes painfully sorrowful.

"How…it is the same dream I've been reliving for the last fifty years. How do you have that memory?" He asked, barely above a whisper. Twilight flipped through the book some more before casting a spell upon Fluttershy. She could only gasp.

"Fluttershy… that girl… Maria… she's a past life of her. You are her reincarnation!" Twilight said, the spell she cast, allowing her to see the target's past life. Fluttershy gasped in shock as she turned to Shadow. His eyes were unreadable, his face was also expressionless.

"I… I need time to stomach this. Fluttershy, I'll be in touch. And Twilight, give this to Sonic, consider it a gift." Shadow says, softball tossing the red Chaos Emerald to the purple mare. She catches it with telekinesis and turned to say something, but in a flash of light and a muffled 'Chaos Control,' Shadow disappeared. Fluttershy walked up to Twilight as she placed the Chaos Emerald on the table.

"T-twilight… can I be honest with you?" The shy mare asked, Twilight smiled at her friend and nodded.

"Of course, Fluttershy! You can trust me with anything." Fluttershy blushed as she took a deep breath.

"I think I have a crush on Shadow." For the first time in her life, Twilight was speechless.