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Chapter Text

"Finally."

After so many long hours and sleepless nights, after experimenting and exploring all the possibilities of the long forgotten "Stones of Life", after a short time of assembling all the organs into a small body... Shadow had achieved the result. He didn't want to rush things, to make things work as they should. He'd dreamed of it, imagined how it would happen, and now: it would actually happen. And even if they weren't Chaos Emeralds, they still had a power he couldn't deny - and it was probably a power even more terrifying and unbridled.

Of course he was afraid. There was a chance it wouldn't work. But he couldn't help taking the risk.

"The stones of life". They had come to Earth thanks to an ancient race of magicians, the Vedayu, who had discovered them deep in the mountains and used them to bring back to life those who had not been forgotten. After so many months of searching, he still managed to find them - not without the help of a fellow thief named Rouge. She looked at him like he was mad, of course, but she didn't judge his desires at all - at least not out loud. She was the only one who knew of his intentions.

The still not breathing body of a beautiful creature of his species lay before him. It was beautiful. Shadow had spent far too much time creating this body, and it was not for nothing.

Without hesitation, he began to recite the ancient spells in his soft voice. He had managed to learn them by heart over the past few days. Vedayu's language resembled a mixture of Slavic languages, but with a dash of his own culture.

"Vspomni, vspomni, budi lasok, tvori, tvori, soziday yeyo. Kohanny moya... Vspomni, vspomni, blaukitni kwiti. Poverniti dusa Magia! Dyaku!"

The stones around the body glittered, remembering the old words. Shadow's voice grew louder. Memories of the mate who was more important than his life, for whom he was willing to do anything, whether it was to perish or to save the universe, flashed through his mind.

"Dyaku! Dyaku! Dyaku!"

His body gradually flew upwards, the stones continuing to react with each other, glowing bright blue and forming a bond with each other. This went on for about five minutes, until there was a deafening flash that knocked the hedgehog unconscious.

***

"Shadow? Are... Are you all right? What's happend to you? Wake up... please wake up!"

The painfully familiar voice echoed in his head. It had been so long since he had heard it that he wanted to cry and never let go of the source of that voice.

"Shadow? Don't leave me... Wake up..."

Slowly, he opened his eyes.

"You... you're okay! Jesus, you have no idea how scared I was!"

In front of him was a very beautiful hedgehog. Blue eyes the colour of the stones, yellow needle curls, and a pale pink dress he had once made.

But this was no ordinary hedgehog. This was Maria. The closest person in his life, the reason for his tears and nightmares, his meaning of life.

"Maria...?"

"Does something hurt? Why are you crying...?"

"Maria!"

He hugged her tightly, feeling something wet run from his eyes. After such a long separation, she was finally at his side! Just as bright and gentle and caring. His Maria. Only his Maria.

"I... I've missed you so much...! I haven't seen you for so many years. Don't ever leave me again, please, Maria, my dearest friend, my..."

He had never said so much before, but this time the emotion overwhelmed him. He didn't want to lose her again. And he would do anything to make sure she never disappeared again.

Chapter Text

Maria felt as if she had woken up after a very long sleep. Her head didn't hurt. But the strange feeling never went away. It was as if this body... wasn't hers. Her arms, legs, fingers and even her ears moved with a strange ease, even easier than they should have, which made the unnatural feeling a little unsettling.

"Shadow," she stroked his back gently. "Why do I look... like you?"

Maria looked at herself in the mirror. No doubt she was beautiful, but the question remained the same.

"Huh?"

That's right, Shadow thought. She had to explain her appearance somehow.

"You see... your original body didn't allow you to be on Earth. So I created a new one."

"A new one?"

"Yes. Your hedgehog body, similar to my kind. Now you are like me. I know you probably don't like it, but it's the only way you can be on this planet."

"So..." Maria closed her eyes melancholically. "Thank you."

"Are you glad? I mean, we're quite far away from the ARK colony now. We won't be able to see Grandpa anymore."

"Why not? I'm with you again and I can see the people, hear the birds singing and feel the cold of the river. But what has happened to Grandpa?" asked Maria. "Is he all right?"

Shadow remained silent.

"Shadow?"

"I... can't answer that question. I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"..."

"Okay. You don't have to answer."

Shadow breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn't lie to her, but he couldn't say that Gerald had been killed either.

"What are these stones?"

"They have supernatural powers. I was able to use them to transfer your mind into this body."

"What happened to my body?"

"I can't tell you that either. I don't know. Something happened to it that made it uninhabitable."

"It's like that."

"Are you all right?" he slowly pulled away from her and looked into the eyes that glowed with life.

"It's a bit strange."

"It's not surprising. You should get used to it."

***

"Phew... it turns out walking like this is... hard."

Maria never thought she'd have to learn to walk all over again.

"Taking a break?"

"No. I need to get out somehow and not fall down every time. Take my hand again."

Shadow tried to calm the trembling in his hands so he could hold her tighter. If he had been told a few days ago that he would be teaching her to walk peacefully, he would never have believed it, but this was the current reality.

"See? I can do it! Wait, let me try it myself..."

Boom! Maria fell. Again. But she wasn't the least bit upset, she just laughed.

"Looks like we have a lot of work to do..."Maria got up again, put her hand on the wall and took two steady steps.

Shadow smiled for the first time in a long while.

"Want to see the sunset?"

"Sunset?" she wagged her tail enthusiastically. She was startled when she noticed this, but laughed immediately afterwards. This body was very unusual, but she quickly liked it.

"It's already evening. Our house is located in the forest, but there's a clearing about a kilometre from here."

"I don't think with my speed we'll get there quickly."

"Hmm. I have an idea."

He gently lifted her in his arms bride-style.

"Remember when I used to take you in my arms like this?"

"I remember. Only now we've switched places."

They walked outside. The birds were still chirping and you could see them sitting on a branch together.

"They sing so pleasantly... I wonder what it's about?" wondered Maria aloud.

"Who knows?"

And Shadow just... Ran. Maria's weight was too light, so he didn't get in the way.

"I didn't think you could run that fast at all!"

"My acquaintance is even faster."

The riot of colours amazed her. The forest was full of fresh air, the branches of the trees swayed slowly, and Mary she was happy.
Soon, they reached a clearing.

"There are so many flowers here! These here are violets, and here are daisies, and over here..." The yellow hedgehog was listing all sorts of names she had only seen in dusty old books before.

Shadow gently lowered her down onto the soft grass, which gently cradled her feet.

"Look up!"

Maria froze, lifting her head before doing so. Sunset.

She had seen the sun in space, but never knew it could be red. The sky appeared to be in shades of pink as well.

"It's so... beautiful!"

The hedgehogs stayed looking at the colourful sky until it got too cold.

"Shall we go home? Your body is too fragile and I don't want you to get sick."

"Huh?" she looked at Shadow disappointedly. "Okay... let's go."

At home, warm tea and milk, old music on the tape recorder and a soft bed awaited them. It was a world made up of just two hedgehogs that was far brighter than anything else.

***

"Can I sleep with you?" asked Shadow.

"You don't need to ask permission."

"I know, but what if you don't want to?"

"Dummy. I always want to be near you. And I will do."

"Is that promise?"

"Yes."

Shadow grinned. He lay down on the spacious bed. He wanted to snuggle up to Maria like he used to, but now she was smaller than he was. It was unfamiliar.

"I'll be under your protection now, Shadow. Good night."

"Night."