A/N:

Be warned some chapters, like this one, are going to be relatively short. It's just the way this particular story is paced.

- Shadow

Chapter One -

He was surprised to see Sonic awake before him.

As he walked into the kitchen, he saw Sonic all dressed and wearing his G.U.N. jacket, sitting at the kitchen table and munching on a peach he must have taken from the tree outside. He was in the middle of reading a book from one of the shelves in the living room, flipping through the pages almost too fast to be really reading it.

"Do you actually read that fast?" Shadow asks, making Sonic look up at him with a confused frown. He gestures to the book, making Sonic's frown only deepen, the hedgehog signing;

"Of course I'm reading it."

Shadow was taken off guard. Well, at least the hedgehog seemed to have a quick mind, that was good. Still, it perplexed him how he was able to do it. Reading that fast was something he thought only he could do.

"Are you ready to go out?" he asks, changing the subject. Sonic nods, finishing off his peach and tossing the remains of it in the nearby trashcan. He closes the book and Shadow recognizes the cover as the story of King Arthur.

They leave the kitchen and out the front door, taking in the cool yet fresh morning air. There was supposed to be clear skies all day, but it smelled like rain, so Shadow only hoped for the best.

"Your files said you've had all the basic training and such," he spoke up as they walked away from the house, to a nearby open field that would be perfect for training. "I want to see for myself though what you're capable of. How fast you can run, how quick your reflexes are…" he trails off, seeing as Sonic got the point.

Sonic was nodding along, but seemed to be trying his hardest to hold back a smile. He supposed he would see why soon enough.

They stop at the top of a hill, and Shadow points to a tree cluster about eight hundred feet from them. "Run there and back," he says.

Sonic smiles, nods, and then something unexplainable happens.

A huge gush of wind and flash of blue practically knocks Shadow over, and as the black and red hedgehog is struggling to recover, he watches as that blue flash runs back from the trees and Sonic appears from it, dusting himself off with a big smile on his face.

What. The. Fuck even…?

He needed to see that again. His surprise must have been written all over his face, because with a guilty smile, Sonic signs a "sorry."

"Do that again," is all Shadow can get out, standing back a few feet. Sonic gives him a finger salute and runs again, and the Ultimate Lifeform watches in pure shock as the blue streak that was Sonic, runs to the trees and back so fast, he could barely register that it had happened.

So...that's why Towers said Sonic was different.

...that also explained the name.

Turning to look back at the hedgehog again, expression incredulous, he tries to regain his composure.

"What the hell are you?"

Sonic shrugs, smile fading. "Nothing special," he signs.

"How fast can you run, exactly?" Shadow practically demands to know. Sonic only gives a thoughtful frown, thinking it over himself.

"Not sure," he signs again. "I've broken the sound barrier, but I've never tried to see how fast I can run total."

Broken the sound…

No...goddamn way. There was no way that was even possible.

A powerful Chaos Born, with both Light and Dark energy, that could run faster than the speed of sound…

"What are you?" Shadow suddenly asks, making Sonic's eyes widen slightly. The blue hedgehog seems uncomfortable with this question, and shrugs it off.

"Just…" he starts signing, trying to think as he does. "Somebody, I guess. I don't really know."

"You said you were from Christmas Island," Shadow crosses his arms, one ear bending back. "...but no place exists on any map or radar."

Sonic flinches. "The island is gone."

Oh.

There's hurt in those emerald green eyes, and Shadow feels slightly bad. "...because of Robotnik?"

Sonic nods.

With a sigh, the striped male shakes his head. "How did you live before that? Did you have family?"

The blue male now looks highly uncomfortable. "No. I had a friend, but when the island was destroyed…" He doesn't continue signing after that. He only turns away, tapping one of his red shoes on the ground and putting his hands in his jacket's pockets.

Another ouch, and another bit of guilt got to him. Maybe he was being too harsh, he thinks to himself. Maybe Sonic really didn't know much about himself. Maybe he had just lived a quiet life until Robotnik showed up and destroyed that peace, and now was a prime target just because of how unique he was. He shouldn't be sitting here berating him…

"I have to apologize for being so blunt," Shadow speaks up, voice softer.

Sonic looks up, signing immediately. "Don't worry about it. You're not the first one."

"You get why, though?" the striped hog asks. "Your abilities, your skills, aren't natural at all. I'm just perplexed."

The cobalt male nods, rocking on his feet. "That's why Towers wanted you to train me. You're the Ultimate Lifeform. You can help me."

"I see that now," the biohog sighs. "I wish he would have warned me. You really don't know what you are?"

Sonic shakes his head, and Shadow feels bad again.

"Alright," the Ultimate Lifeform sighs. "Whatever it is, I'm sure we'll figure it out over time. For now," he says, standing beside the hero and motioning forward, "I want to see how fast you really are."

Sonic's eyes widen, but a smile spreads across his face.

He's actually panting now as he ducks under a low branch, skating from side to side to dodge oncoming trees. A few feet in front of him is Sonic, the hedgehog running in a flurry of movement, somehow without even a shortage of breath.

They've been going all day. What started as a curious run ended in a very competitive race to see who could make it back to the house before the other. Shadow was not only impressed, but amazed. Bewildered. Completely puzzled, but dying to see what else Sonic was capable of.

It was just…stunning.

…and Sonic was so elegant about everything he did, every move he made. It was like watching a choreographed dancer who had memorized the steps and got them flawlessly every time. The way he jumped, twirled, spun, backflipped, and dodged was graceful as all hell. Not even Rouge could pull off stunts like that.

Sonic was not only practiced, but naturally skilled. There was no doubt in Shadow's mind that this hedgehog was something very unique, which was why Robotnik was so keen on capturing him.

...and there was still more to him that he has yet to see.

He couldn't deny his attraction to the hedgehog. Sonic was just so damn mysterious to him, and for the first time in his life, he felt like he wasn't alone.

...because being the Ultimate Lifeform, he was one of a kind. There was no one on this planet that could understand how it was for him. To have immense power like that, and to have to worry about people chasing after him for it. To have tragedy take everything from him because of what he was.

Sonic lost someone very dear to him because of this very reason. He was possibly the only person on the planet who could truly understand Shadow.

That made him invaluable.

He never thought he'd see the day where he would want to bond with another person. Losing Maria had destroyed what willingness he had to meet and become even remotely close with another living creature.

Sonic was different.

They're approaching the house fast, and it's only a matter of a few seconds before they're at the front door, breathing only slightly faster, sweat matting their fur, eyes sparkling with adrenaline in the late evening sun. They stand in the door to the small home, green locked onto red, and Sonic smiles brightly, his fur practically glowing with excitement as he holds up his hands.

"You're the only one that's been able to keep up with me," he signs almost too quickly for Shadow to catch. He seemed ecstatic because of this, and Shadow can't help but inwardly feel...something good from it.

He shrugs it off, looking away with a small smirk. "I am the Ultimate Lifeform," he says, not wanting to show any sign of the butterflies in his gut. "Although, I'm more than impressed with your abilities," he decides to add, looking back at the cobalt male, not wanting to sound too arrogant.

Sonic rolls his eyes, but smiles nonetheless. His bright fur is reflecting the light from the setting sun, and his emerald eyes are glowing brighter than a Chaos Emerald could. Shadow felt his face heat up. Why did Sonic look so…?

The cobalt yawns, turning to look at the darkening sky, before looking back at the striped hog and bashfully signing, "I'm hungry."

This kind of takes Shadow aback. "Even with all that Chaos Energy, you still eat?" he asks, not sure why Sonic would waste time eating if he didn't have to. The blue mobian blinks questioningly at him in return.

"Of course. Who doesn't love food?"

Shadow just stares blankly. Sonic raises a brow and smiles.