Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Everything feels light and warm as Shadow runs side-by-side with Maria through the lab hallways, smiling at how she snickers at the sound of the professors shouting after them. She beams down at him, her hair bouncing with every step. Her hand is warm and tight around his fingers, her pulse racing from the exertion. "Come on, Shadow!" her voice echoes, her laugh bubbling around them as they evade the professors chasing them down.

He can't quite remember why they're running. Maybe she snuck him out of the testing lab again - they've had to run from the professors plenty of times because of her. She was always adamant Shadow should be playing with her instead of undergoing some test or another.

Except when he looks over his shoulder, the lights around them start flashing, and panic rips through the warmth he had been soaking in. Soldiers chase after them, guns at the ready and aiming right at them. He looks up, finding Professor Gerald clutching Maria's other hand as he leads the way through the hallways.

"Kids, we have to go!" his voice echoes in Shadow's head. "They want to take Shadow away from us, Maria!"

"What are you doing?! Those are children!"

"We have our orders!"

Shadow feels his breathing cut short, feeling as if he's watching the scene from outside his body just as he did for fifty years in stasis. His chaos energy explodes and he watches Maria's body fly, the blast sending her crumbling into debris that pierces her fragile body. He tries to reach her but something holds tight to his wrist. Whirling around, he gasps when he comes face-to-face with a singular red eye, the flashing lights around them disappearing under black smoke.

"Shadow…" a hoarse, guttural voice pierces through his mind, the pupil from the eye narrowing into a tight slit, "the day of reckoning is coming. Your destiny will be fulfilled. Find them, Shadow. Find them."

"Find what?" Shadow questions. The eye blinks away in a wave of black smoke and the echoes of Maria's scream and Gerald's cries circle him as the new voice snarls at him.

Find them, Shadow! Find them!

Shadow shouts when he shoots up in bed, reality warping around him as he teleports in a panic. He reappears near the window before zapping away again to the corner of the attic, his heart pounding in his ears. He blinks through the haze of his nightmare and flinches when a warm hand rests on his back, looking over his shoulder to meet sleepy but worried green eyes.

"Shadow?" Sonic murmurs, ears twitching in concern. "Nightmare?"

Guilt hits him at realizing he must've disturbed Sonic's sleep. He peers past the hedgehog and is relieved to find their two other brothers are still sound asleep. "Yeah," he grimaces, rubbing his face. "Yeah, a nightmare…"

Sonic hums softly, reaching up to brush a few loose quills from Shadow's head. He purrs at the gesture, pressing close into his side as they sit against the wall. "Wanna talk about it?" Sonic asks, pressing his nose to his ear briefly before giving the fluff there a small lick. Shadow's ear twitches at the gesture. Sonic started doing this recently - a more instinctual grooming technique that oddly helped calm Shadow down when he was really upset.

"No," Shadow mumbles, pulling himself out of the other's embrace. "You should go back to bed. It's still dark out."

Sonic rolls his eyes playfully. "Only if you will as well." When Shadow grimaces at the idea, Sonic grins and stands up, holding out a hand to him. "Come on. Let's go on a run."

Shadow opens his mouth to object, ready to point out that their parents would kill them if they left the house so early in the morning, but the idea of a good race chases away the uneasiness he still feels from his nightmare. Huffing, he takes Sonic's hand and the two sneak out of the attic through the skylight, leaving their other brothers to sleep in peace.

For over an hour, the two race through the forests and mountains side-by-side and laugh as their competitive nature surges through their veins. They go into town and snag a couple of donuts from Mrs. Lewis' shop who bids them a good morning. Shadow pays his respect to the leader duck of the town and her ducklings before following Sonic back to their home where they sit together on the roof to watch the sunrise.

For a while, they sit in silence as they munch on their early breakfast. Shadow frowns to himself as the memories of his dream come back to him. He's used to reliving Maria's death, but that… thing at the end was new. The red eye looked nothing like a human eye would - more demonic, if anything. Not to mention it spoke to him.

Day of reckoning? What does that even mean? What is he supposed to find?

"I was dreaming about Longclaw," Sonic says suddenly, looking up at the sky with a small smile. "It was heading toward the not-so-fun part of my last moments with her, so I'm not really upset you woke me up."

Shadow makes a face while Sonic grins at him. "Well… you're welcome, I guess." Sonic chuckles and rests back against his elbows, his eyes falling shut. Shadow hugs his knees to his chest, resting his chin against them as he considers his next question. "What was she like? Longclaw, I mean. You and Tom always mention her, but I don't know much…"

Sonic looks at him and beams. "She was great. She was my mother, in a way. This great big gorgeous owl who…" he trails off, ears drooping a bit. "She did her best to keep me safe, but I was a reckless kid. I did the exact opposite she told me to do and used my powers constantly, and eventually…" he sighs, shaking his head. "The Echidna Tribe followed me home and tried to take me, but she sacrificed herself to save me."

"The Echidna Tribe?" Shadow frowns, tilting his head. "As in Knuckles' species?"

Sonic quickly waves his hand, a tight smile on his face. "Knuckles was just a kid when this all happened." His smile falls quickly and he sighs, rubbing his face. "Knuckles lost his family, too, that day."

Shadow's ears flatten, not aware of the close past the two of them shared. He can't imagine being so young and losing a parent like that, but then again, he was less than a year old when he lost Maria. Maybe he does know in some way or another the pain his brothers felt. "Do you ever wish you could go home?"

Sonic looks at him in surprise. "Well- yeah, sure, sometimes I wish I could go back," he starts, scratching his ear with a frown, "but I love it here too much to leave my family. Maybe I can take Tom and Maddie to see that world one day."

"Really?" Shadow looks up, curious. "What's it like?"

"Oh, it was an awesome island," Sonic beams, looking up at the sky with a dreamy look in his eyes. "Sandy beaches, cascading waterfalls, these huge race tracks with loop-de-loops and jumps - basically the best place to have a race and do whatever you want," Sonic chuckles, shaking his head. "I think you'd like it there, too."

Shadow frowns, unable to picture such a world. Did he come from there? If he did, how did he end up on Earth? Knuckles and Tails came from the same world and Shadow is a mobian just like them - logically, it makes sense, but he has no memory before the meteor crash.

"I want to know where I came from," he finally states, looking at the other guiltily. "Is that horrible of me?"

"No, of course not," Sonic answers easily, reaching over to squeeze his shoulder. "It must be hard not to know. No one can be upset with that." Shadow sags in relief, shooting the other a small but thankful smile. Sonic smiles back, looking up as a sliver of light touches their feet. Shadow follows his gaze and his smile widens as the sun begins to rise over the hills, basking in the low orange glow that sweeps over their bodies. "Besides," Sonic speaks up, making Shadow look at him again to find him grinning, "no matter where you came from, we're still brothers, yeah?"

Warmth blooms through his chest at Sonic's words, finding his smile widening as he nods in agreement. "Right."

Sonic's eyes sparkle and he opens his mouth to probably say something stupid and corny but his ears perk up and a frown replaces his grin quickly. Shadow looks at him in confusion only for his ears to perk as well, picking up the familiar sound of the rhythmic beating of blades heading right for them. Sonic stands up and Shadow follows suit, the two peering into the forest as the sound of tires screeching in town breaks the peaceful air of Green Hills. They share a wide-eyed look before darting back through the skylight into the attic. "Guys, wake up!" Sonic shouts, shaking the bed rapidly by running in fast circles on the mattress around the sleeping mobians.

Shadow zaps out of the room directly into Maddie and Tom's room, landing on top of the bed and quickly shaking them. "Tom, Maddie, we have to go!"

"What? What's happening?" Tom groans, sitting up quickly at the panicked look on Shadow's face. "What's wrong?"

"It's G.U.N. They're here," Shadow grits out. Their previous sleepy state is gone the moment G.U.N. leaves his mouth. Maddie shoots out of bed and snatches her phone while Tom picks Shadow up and rushes after her.

"Boys!" Maddie calls, shoving on her shoes and grabbing the car keys. Tails flies down the stairs right into her arms with Knuckles and Sonic right behind them. Sonic rushes ahead to the car and opens all the doors while Knuckles ushers Ozzie outside with them. The family makes quick work of loading into the car with Maddie taking up the driver's seat.

"Why is G.U.N. here?" Knuckles growls from the back seat, his arms wrapped around Ozzie's neck protectively.

"They must be after me," Shadow growls as well, allowing Tails to grab ahold of his hand tightly.

"But how do they know you're even here?" Tails points out, yelping when the car jerks as Maddie reverses and hits the gas. "Seatbelt, Shadow!"

Shadow grumbles as he moves to click the belt on but the car jerks to a sharp stop, making the four boys yell in surprise. Maddie curses under her breath and kicks the car into reverse just as two G.U.N. trucks swerve onto the road in front of them. "Oh no no no!" Sonic clutches onto the back of Tom's seat. "Maddie!"

"I'm trying!" she shouts.

"Look out!" Tom suddenly shrieks and Shadow only has a split second to react as a truck comes pelting for his door. With a quick zap, he finds him and Tails landing clumsily just outside the car as the truck rams the door they were sitting by, pushing the car right up against a tree.

"No!" Tails gasps in dismay, his tails kicking into gear as he flies toward the wrecked car. Shadow, however, zeros in on the three gunmen sweeping out of the truck with their weapons targeted at the car. Orange energy sparks from his hands and he teleports right into the pathway of the first two soldiers, delivering a swift kick and punch to each of them before teleporting to the third. The soldier shouts in surprise and Shadow slams his fist into his gut, shooting him back into another tree.

He turns to find Knuckles had broken the back window, allowing the group to climb out of the wreckage. Maddie clutched her shoulder tightly while Tom supported her, looking a little bruised but not too hurt. Ozzie barks as a helicopter flies over them, the clearing instantly becoming surrounded by trucks and gunmen training their weapons on the family.

"Get behind me," Maddie grits out, grabbing Shadow's arm and tugging him between her and Tom. The other three take on a defensive stance in front of them, red energy already coursing through Knuckles' fists. Shadow wants to protest. He's the Ultimate Lifeform after all - he can protect them, but they all know it's Shadow G.U.N. wants.

The truck directly in front of them opens up and out comes a woman Shadow doesn't recognize. Sonic, however, sneers at the sight of her. "Director Rockwell."

"Commander, actually," she corrects, leveling them with a cold stare. "Thanks to you aliens, actually."

"We never hurt Commander Walters," Knuckles growls, stepping forward bravely. "What do you want?"

Rockwell shoots him a fake smile. "We're here for Shadow. Kindly turn him over to our care and everything will be fine."

"Over our dead bodies," Sonic snaps, blue energy sprouting from his fists.

"That can be arranged," she states coldly. "This is officially a threat to all of humanity, so if you intend to stand in our way, we will use whatever means necessary to capture him."

"What threat? He hasn't done anything!" Tails insists.

"He's been with us for six months," Tom adds, looking just as frustrated as the boys feel. "He's been peaceful up until you rolled in."

Rockwell sneers at him. "I can sort of understand the soft spot you have for these creatures, but you don't know what he's brought to our planet."

"Then stop beating around the bush and tell us," Maddie snaps, one hand moving to settle on Shadow's spine. He leans into her touch, quiet as he listens to them argue.

Rockwell heaves a heavy sigh and nods curtly at one of the soldiers. He quickly opens up a laptop and angles it in their direction, showing a news broadcast jumping between multiple video feeds of various cities around the globe. Shadow's eyes widen as he spots black scaly creatures terrorizing the civilians. One feed shows them dropping from the clouds and causing as much destruction as possible. "As you can see," Rockwell says, her tone icy, "these creatures are destroying every major city around the globe and they came from the Black Comet."

"The what?" Sonic frowns.

"A comet that passes our solar system every fifty years," Rockwell explains. "The comet Shadow came from fifty years ago."

Shock hits Shadow like a tidal wave at those words. He came from this supposed Black Comet that these aliens are also from? They look nothing like him - more like lizards from the few clips they can see. This can't be right. This can't be.

"Shadow has nothing to do with this," Knuckles snaps, more energy sparking from his body as he moves closer to the commander. "You'll have to go through me if you wish to take him."

Rockwell, while her expression remains cold, shows a glimmer of unease in her eyes. She looks between all of them slowly, assessing the situation they're in. Finally, she nods curtly. "Very well."

An electric shock has Shadow's ears perking and his body warping through reality. When he reappears, Tom and Maddie fall beside him from the sudden teleportation, finding two men had come up behind where they were standing with electric rods in hand. Knuckles snarls and launches at the two men, punching them into the ground with ease. Sonic dashes forward, sweeping the legs out from multiple men before they can realize what's happening. Tails takes to the sky as a distraction, egging on the men to look at him.

Shadow growls and launches into action, moving through reality behind man after man, punching and kicking them and disarming them before they can shoot at Tails. He keeps close to Tom and Maddie, unwilling to leave them vulnerable to these scum. Anger fills his veins for the first time in months, leaving chaos energy sparking and powering his punches.

However, when he appears behind Rockwell to deliver his most damaging blow, a blue rod stabs into his side and leaves him crumbling to the ground with a cry of pain. Metal grabbers pin his arms and neck to the ground, leaving him vulnerable to hits from the electric rods. He can hear Knuckles shouting his name and the screams from his parents. Tilting his head as best as he can, he spots Tom and Maddie trying to get to him only to be held back by multiple men. One physically lifts Maddie by her waist screaming and kicking while two men have to hold Tom back.

"While we're at it," Rockwell speaks up, a smirk twisting her features, "capture the other three as well."

While Shadow can't see where the other three are, he can still hear Knuckles' rough shouts. Sonic's worried calls. Tails' shriek of pain. White hot rage shoots through his veins and Shadow snarls, his energy colliding with the electric rods and causing a small explosion that has everyone around him flying backward. Without thinking, Shadow warps behind the man pinning Tails down and tackles him to the ground, punching his head and ribs and gut and-

"Shadow!" Maddie's voice cuts through his rage-induced haze, whipping his head around to find her still fighting with the man holding her. She meets his gaze and he wants nothing more than to run right into her arms and hope this is just a bad dream. "Get out of here!" she orders, delivering a mean elbow to the man's jaw. "Get your brothers and go!"

Pain prickles at his heart at her order, looking around to find Knuckles surrounded by men with rods and Sonic struggling to evade the men closing in on him fast. Tails meets his gaze and Shadow realizes he has to act fast. Quickly, he grabs onto his arm and teleports away from the fight high in the mountains where he shoves Tails into a cave without thinking much of it. Back in the clearing, he barrels his way through Knuckles' barricade and snatches him, teleporting him not far from where he left Tails. He can't think clearly enough to remember where exactly he left Tails, but he trusts Knuckles to find him.

Sonic's eyes widen when Shadow appears in front of him, fear replacing his surprise when he looks back at their parents. Tom is still wrestling with the two men and Maddie is being shoved into one of the trucks. Sonic moves to rush forward but Shadow snatches his arm, his voice rough with pain and anger. "We have to leave. Now!"

"But-" Sonic protests, looking back at their parents. Shadow knows Sonic heard Maddie, and the forces around them are closing in. He has no choice but to hold tight and disappear from the clearing with Sonic in hand.

Tom's face breaks out into a relieved smile when he realizes the last of his boys are gone, not resisting as much as the men handcuff him. Rockwell furiously stomps over, grasping the front of his shirt with a growl. "Where did they go?"

Tom shrugs casually. "Beats me."

Rockwell shoves him roughly and stomps away. "They couldn't have gotten far. Search the area! I want the aliens found now!"

Tom glares at her retreating form as he's hauled into the truck with Maddie. Ozzie barks repeatedly as the men close the doors, ignoring the dog as he claws at the truck to get to his owners. Rockwell looks back at the sight and sneers at an officer. "Shoot the dog."

Maddie gasps at her command and quickly leans out of the window. "No! Ozzie, go!" Ozzie whines up at her and turns as a man approaches, gun in hand. Ozzie growls and rushes the man, barreling into his legs so he falls over. Without missing a beat, Ozzie takes off into the forest, his howl echoing through the trees as he disappears from sight.

Chapter Text

Rock explodes and rolls down the cliff from the force of Shadow's punch, his body vibrating with chaos energy as his anger spirals out of control. He can't think of anything except finding that Rockwell woman and smashing her face into the ground until not even her men can recognize her. He wants to find every base G.U.N. has ever created and destroy them from the inside, killing every agent and finally seeking the revenge he pushed down in order to save Maria's homeworld. How he ever thought he could continue living a normal life with G.U.N. still present is beyond him.

"Shadow," Knuckles' voice breaks through his red haze, a firm hand grabbing his arm before he can destroy another boulder. "Shadow, you must calm down. We need to plan."

"I have a plan," he snaps, yanking free from his grasp. "We're going to find that commander lady and show her why they should fear us."

"No," Knuckles states with finality in his tone, eyes narrowing dangerously. Shadow looks away sharply, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. "Believe me, we are just as angry as you," Knuckles says with a low tone, "but there is more at stake than our family."

He knows he's right, but it's hard to care about the rest of humanity when the only two humans he truly cares about are currently being held hostage by G.U.N. How can he possibly focus on anything when he's not sure what G.U.N. plans on doing to them? What if they torture them or even kill them? It would all be his fault.

Still, he forces himself to calm down enough for his energy to stop sparking and follows Knuckles back into the cave they've been hiding in for the last hour. Sonic stares furiously out of the cave overlooking Green Hills, ears high and listening to the distant screech of tires as trucks zoom through the town, practically terrorizing the civilians in the small town. When the other two return, he turns away from the view and rejoins Tails' side. "Okay, look, I want more than anybody here to just go down there and get Tom and Maddie, but…" he hesitates, face twisting, "but I think we should figure out what's going on with this invasion and why they think this has anything to do with Shadow."

"We can't just leave them," Shadow protests instantly.

"We aren't," Sonic grits out, clenching his fists. "We'll come back for them, but we have to see the bigger picture. This alien invasion affects all of us whether we like it or not."

"He's right," Tails sighs, looking heartbroken. "We should learn everything we can before we do anything else."

Shadow glares down at the ground, furious with this plan. Knuckles is just as tense next to him but neither voices any protests. Tails pulls a ring from his bag and waits until the others nod curtly in agreement before throwing the ring forward and opening a portal straight to the top of the World Trade Center. The four jump through and stop in shock at the chaos surrounding them.

From up above, dark red swirling clouds completely block the sky - a gateway for the aliens flying through to attack the city down below. Screams of terror echo throughout the city with cars crashing and explosions happening on nearly every block. Shadow spots police officers down the street trying to fight back against the creatures, but the sheer size of these scaly beasts gives them an advantage against these humans. He sees Sonic wince as a snarling beast backhands an officer's body straight through a store window.

"Okay, yeah, definitely an invasion," Sonic swallows, his ears flat against his head. "They're nothing like Shadow, though. I still don't get why G.U.N. thinks he's behind this." The other three murmur in agreement, horror etching onto their faces as they continue to watch the destruction of the city.

Shadow frowns and steps back to think, feeling the edges of his mind seemingly close in on him. He squeezes his eyes shut and groans in pain as he clutches his head. Screams echo louder in his mind, a mix of the civilians down below and Maria's. As if reliving his nightmare, Shadow opens his eyes to find the red eye staring back at him in the void, the deep voice pounding painfully at his skull. "The emeralds. Bring me the emeralds, Shadow. Bring them to me."

Shadow lets out a gasp as he's ripped from the vision, panting heavily as the other three come back into clear view. They're staring at him worriedly and he has no idea how to even begin to explain what he just saw, but words are already tumbling out of him. "The Master Emerald. I think this has something to do with the Master Emerald."

Knuckles bares his teeth, knocking his fists together threateningly. "Of course! A sudden invasion like this must be rooted toward the hunt of the Master Emerald."

"Where is it?" Sonic asks quickly. When Knuckles looks at him, Sonic groans. "Please tell me you did not leave it with Wade again?"

"He is a strong warrior," Knuckles insists, pausing, "in training."

Sonic groans again and Shadow scrunches up his nose in distaste. "He's hardly a good cop."

"Don't be mean," Tails snips, turning to Knuckles with a frown. "We need to get the emerald from him before the aliens find out where it is."

"Agreed," Knuckles nods. "Once we get it, I will travel to another world for the time being to keep it away. Hopefully, the loss of chaos energy will drive the alien colony elsewhere and leave this planet be."

"But what about you?" Sonic frets.

"My first duty is to the Master Emerald," Knuckles states, looking away from the others. "While I must keep it safe, I must also keep our home safe." Tails' ears flatten, sadness creeping into his eyes. Knuckles sighs, shaking his head. "Once I escape with the Master Emerald, we will meet once again to plan the next move. For now, we must focus on the current invasion."

Shadow glances at the other two who, after a moment, nod in solemn agreement. Quickly, they travel back to Green Hills through the ring and dash for the town. However, before they can get too close, they realize just how much G.U.N. has taken over in the short time they've been gone. Helicopters circle the town and barricades are set up on the main street with gunmen standing at every corner, shouting at the poor citizens to stay in their homes. At the edge of town stands a large tent of sorts that seems to be acting as a temporary base given how many soldiers surround it.

The four mobians settle on their stomachs on the library rooftop to watch. Shadow squints as a truck barrels down the road, skidding to a stop in front of the huge base. To their shock, a rambling Wade is yanked out of the car and dragged toward the tent. "You know, this is totally illegal, by the way! Wait until my friend finds out y…" his voice trails away as they drag him inside. Right behind them, two men carry a glass case holding none other than the Master Emerald.

"Those bastards!" Knuckles snarls, red energy rippling through his fur. He stands and the other three quickly grab onto him, stopping him from launching an attack. Shadow's air shoes kick into gear to stop the body of pure muscle from giving away their location, and even then it's still a struggle.

"Don't let the anger control you!" Sonic hisses as they manage to back Knuckles away from the edge of the roof, panting from the effort. "We have to think carefully on this so no one gets hurt, okay?"

Knuckles grits his teeth and grumbles in response, quickly following after them to get off the roof and hide back under the trees away from any prying eyes. Tails grabs a stick and begins drawing in the dirt between them. "Okay, so we need to get inside of that base, and it looks like the only way in quietly is if Shadow teleports us in." Shadow grunts in agreement while Tails presses his lips together in an unhappy line. "The only problem is we don't know how many of those guys are in there, or even what's in there. So, we should…"

Shadow frowns as Tails' voice filters away, his vision darkening around the edges and making him squeeze his eyes shut in pain. When he opens them again, he's back in the void surrounded by whispers and faint screams he tries so hard to forget. He growls and turns sharply, shouting, "Show yourself! Who are you?!"

In a flash of smoke, the eye returns to his side. Now that he's looking, he can see the eye is in the center of what looks like an octopus' body with tentacles waving gently around it. He takes a step back as the eye draws closer, the pupil slitting into a dangerously thin line. "Shadow, my poor mobian. You seemed to suffer quite a lot in the last fifty years."

"How… How do you know me?" Shadow asks uneasily.

"I know everything about you, for we are the same," the beast growls, spinning in a slow circle around him. "You don't seem to remember, do you? I can help you."

"Help me with what?" Shadow clenches his fists, his heart pounding. "Who are you?"

The void shifts around them and suddenly Shadow is back in the lab, hand clutching Maria's as they bolt through the halls after Professor Gerald, gunfire quickly following them. Shadow cries out in pain, the memory melting away as he breaks free from stasis, seeing the men before him tremble in fear. His pain and grief squeeze his heart like an old friend and he's once again in space, back against rock as Sonic raises a glowing fist to finish him off once and for all.

Shadow gasps and falls to his knees when the void returns, trembling as the eye moves closer to him. "You wish to know why you're this way - of where you came from. I have the answers, but I need the emeralds. Bring them to me and I will reveal your true destiny."

"I don't-" Shadow groans, clutching his chest. He glares up at the eye, confusion and frustration swirling through and around him. He squeezes his eyes shut from the pain of it all. "Why do you need the emeralds? Why me?"

"You will know in time."

When Shadow's eyes snap open again, he's staring up at a dark gray sky with Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails hovering over him with worried expressions. Sonic's shoulders sag in relief and Shadow is yanked into a hug, realizing he had been lying on the ground previously. "W-What happened?" he groans, accepting the hug without much fuss.

"You started convulsing," Tails says quietly. "We didn't know what to do…"

"Do you feel alright?" Knuckles asks carefully.

"I think so," Shadow grunts, rubbing his head.

Sonic releases him finally, his eyes still glowing with worry. "Maybe you should sit this one out."

"No," Shadow snaps immediately, pushing himself to his feet and ignoring how shaky his legs feel. "This is all my fault we're in this situation."

"That's not true," Sonic shakes his head.

"Somehow, this is all connected to me," Shadow insists, meeting wide green eyes determinedly. "I can't sit by with all of this happening, and I have a hunch Tom and Maddie are in there with Wade." He turns and points in the direction of the temporary base, a growl rumbling in his throat. "We can rescue them and get them to safety while Knuckles gets the Master Emerald off this planet. Then we can deal with G.U.N."

Sonic and Tails look at one another worriedly. Knuckles, however, smirks as his eyes begin to glow red. "Then let's get going."

The tent base is heavily guarded from the outside, but after a quick check on his own, Shadow deduces they can sneak in without too much trouble. He teleports the mobians inside behind stacks of crates full of ammo. Tails' nose scrunches up at the sight and he sticks close to Sonic as they all peer out from their hiding spot. With the only two soldiers in the area facing the door, the four scuttle deeper into the base to find a stairwell going down into the ground.

"Oh, chaos," Sonic breathes, frozen in place as he stares down at the steps. "They had a base under the town this whole time?"

"Must've built it when you first appeared," Tails whispers, his body tense.

"They're been watching us all along," Shadow clenches his fists, shaking in anger. "That's how they knew where to find me when the invasion started."

Knuckles puffs out his chest and heads down the stairs first, keeping his own troubled thoughts to himself. Sonic hesitantly follows after him with Tails at his side and Shadow taking up the rear. They listen for any footsteps as they head deeper into the bunker, the stairs leading to an open area with three hallways heading in different directions. Shadow turns to the others when he can't spot any signs that could lead them where they need to go. "We should split up. We need to find the Master Emerald and our family as quickly and quietly as possible. Knuckles, did you hear me?"

Knuckles presses his fists together. "Quiet may not be possible, but I shall do my best."

Shadow accepts that answer. "I'll go left and Sonic can go right. Knuckles and Tails, you two go straight. If it becomes too dangerous, turn back around. We don't want to cause any gunfire down here."

"Got it," Sonic nods, eyes narrowing in determination. "You guys stay safe."

With that, the group splits up in the directions Shadow stated. He doesn't use his full speed as he runs down the hallway, ears straining for voices and footsteps. He skids to a halt as he reaches an opening in the middle of the hall, peering around the corner to find two men walking away from where he's standing. Glancing down at his shoes, he grits his teeth when he realizes using his air shoes or teleporting will cause noise. Carefully, he creeps past the opening and moves as quietly as possible down the hall.

He comes across a metal door with a heavy lock attached to the keypad in the wall. Shadow's ears perk for any sign of humans nearby and he quickly picks up the sound of approaching footsteps. Despite not knowing what could be behind the door, Shadow closes his eyes and feels the air warp around his fur before he pops back into existence, opening his eyes to find himself face-to-face with two guards staring down at him in shock.

His air shoes kick into action and he zips forward, barreling his body into one guard's legs while his fist slams into the other's gut, launching him into the wall. The one he knocked over scrambles for his gun and Shadow slams his knee into his head, knocking him out cold. Shadow glares down at him briefly before looking up, gasping softly when he realizes he found it.

The Master Emerald glitters as it spins slowly in the glass case, casting the room in a green glow. He hadn't seen the Master Emerald before - only the seven Chaos Emeralds that make up the green gem when he knocked them out of Sonic. After the explosion, Shadow lost complete contact with the emeralds and later learned Knuckles had hunted them down throughout Earth to bring them back together into the Master Emerald - and then left it with Wade of all people. Again.

An alarm blares overhead and he scowls, quickly smashing a fist through the glass and grabbing ahold of the emerald. Power vibrates through his hand and he turns to teleport back out of the room only to cry out in pain and fall to his knees, the Master Emerald clattering away. He digs his fingers into his pounding head, groaning as his mind is assaulted with so much noise.

He sees Gerald manipulating him, sees Maria's fearful gaze just as the explosion goes off, sees Sonic's grief as he cradles Tom, and sees that golden fist tighten as it rears back to finish him off. He slams his head forward against the ground, the pain causing the visions to fizzle away. When he opens his eyes, he scrambles back in surprise to find himself back in the void with the terrifying eye staring at him. "Why won't you leave me alone?!" he shouts, his hands shaking as orange sparks under his rings.

"Oh, Shadow…" the eye rumbles, almost sympathetic. "It seems as if you care for these creatures."

Images of Maddie smiling so softly as she tucks him into bed, of Tom giving him a reassuring smile after Shadow messed up one way or another - the trust and care they have given him over the last half year. Knuckles pats him on the arm when he does something good and Tails hugs him for some reason or another and Sonic has that competitive glint in his eyes as he distracts Shadow from his demons. Shadow nearly sobs as the emotions slam into him, his guilt and fear and joy and trust squeezing his heart like a vice. When he finally sees the eye again, he can almost feel its pity.

"And yet, you still wish to know who you are."

Shadow feels the air close in on him until he's unable to move, finding himself in the center of rock as he hurdles toward Earth. He blinks in and out of existence, only fully grasping his entire being as the rock disintegrates around him inside a test tube. He gasps as he's yanked from his first memories, scrambling back when he finds the eye much closer than before.

"I can help you learn," the eye nearly whispers, his words echoing in his head. "I can help you save your family, but I need the emeralds. Bring me the Chaos Emeralds, and all will be as it should be."

"Wait!" Shadow reaches out, but the void snatches the eye before he can get too close. His eyes shoot open, finding himself on the ground reaching up toward the ceiling. He pushes himself up onto his elbows, his head pounding and ears flattening as the alarm continues to ring around him. The Master Emerald pulses gently on the ground just a few feet away and Shadow quickly snatches it up, holding it close to his chest.

Before he can decide on his next course of action, the metal door caves in and nearly crushes him when it hits the ground, the loud bang drowning out the alarm briefly. On the other side of the door stands Knuckles - who clearly was the one to punch the door in - with Sonic and Tails right behind him. Tails' eyes brighten at the sight of Shadow. "Oh, you found it!"

"We must hurry," Knuckles states, approaching Shadow. "Soldiers are storming the base as we speak. We have little time." When he reaches out for the emerald, Shadow takes a step back. Knuckles pauses, his eyes narrowing. "I will take it now, Shadow."

When Shadow doesn't hand over the emerald, Sonic steps into the room with a frown. "Shadow?"

He opens his mouth but nothing comes out. He can't hand it over, can he? Knuckles will take it away and Shadow will never know of his life before he crash-landed on Earth. The beast told him he could save this planet if he brought the creature the Chaos Emeralds, and they're right here in the palm of his hand.

His eyes drift over to Tails only to widen when three more figures come into view. Tom, Maddie, and Wade linger behind the fox, seemingly unharmed aside from the wounds they received from the car crash. Tom steps into the room after Sonic, an odd look on his face as he regards Shadow carefully. "Hey, buddy, we have to go, okay? Give Knuckles the emerald."

Shadow wants to listen to Tom, he really does, but his limbs refuse to move. Tension fills the room instantly at his refusal and Knuckles' eyes begin to glow. "Shadow-"

"I'm sorry," Shadow interrupts him. Knuckles' eyes widen as Shadow lifts the emerald above his head and Sonic shouts a panicked "No!" as the Master Emerald explodes into a golden beam that breaks through the top of the bunker and out into the sky. The blast shoots everyone back away from Shadow. Knuckles crashes into the wall and Sonic collides with Tom outside the room. The Master Emerald breaks apart into the seven Chaos Emeralds that swirl around Shadow's body, curling close and seeping into his fur. Another blast knocks the others off their feet again and Shadow hovers in the middle of it all, his previously dark fur now glowing a bright golden color. Power surges through his veins and he forgot how good this felt when he first unlocked this form.

His family looks up at him in shock and horror and that good feeling dissipates a little. Tails and Sonic stare at him with wide fearful eyes and Knuckles glares up at him, fury clear in his sparking red eyes. Tom has that worried fatherly look on his face that he always had on whenever he and the boys got too rough, but what really gets Shadow is the look on Maddie's face. She doesn't look scared or horrified, just… disappointed. Shadow's heart clenches at the sight and he forces himself to look away.

"Shadow, what are you doing?!" Sonic speaks up first, approaching him with caution. "This wasn't part of the plan!"

"I have to do this," Shadow growls, forcing his guilt down.

"Do what?" Sonic snaps, eyes narrowing as his horror seeps into anger.

"I have to learn where I came from," he grits out, meeting his glare. "He said he'll stop the invasion if I bring him the emeralds."

"Who?!" Sonic practically snarls, eyes blazing blue. "Some alien friend you made?!"

"Sonic!" Tom snaps, shoving the hedgehog behind him. "Shadow, listen to us - this isn't a good idea."

"The emeralds cannot be taken to whoever this is," Knuckles states, bracing himself for a fight. "Your heart's desires cannot dictate the fate of this world."

Shadow bares his teeth at the echidna. "Do not dare tell me what I can and cannot do! I am the Ultimate Lifeform!"

"Shadow…" Maddie's voice is so soft but Shadow can pick it up with his enhanced senses. He meets her gaze once more and her silent plea shines heavily in her eyes. Shadow's glare falters, his heart aching for his mother's touch. Except… she's not his mother. Not his real mother.

None of them are your real family.

"I'm sorry," he mutters. Before anyone can rush and grab him, he turns and shoots through the hole in the ceiling, a sound wave exploding as he rockets through the air up toward the dark red-tinted sky.

Yes, Shadow. Bring them to the Black Comet. Bring them to me.

Chapter Text

The Black Comet looks just how Shadow thought it would - a giant comet-shaped ship made of the same rock he came from. It moves slowly just outside of Earth's atmosphere where meteors seem to pool from the sides and head straight for the planet. Shadow grits his teeth and moves faster, moving to where one of the meteors spilled out and slipping in through the opening. Aliens line the walls and snarl as Shadow zooms by, swiping at him but not quite reaching. He follows the whispers still echoing in his skull until he reaches a larger room with a grand view of space outside, finding a figure hovering in front of the windows.

Shadow floats several feet behind the figure, clenching his fists to hide his uneasiness. "Are you… the being who spoke with me?"

The creature turns slowly and Shadow reels back in surprise. The beast is quite large with broad shoulders and thick arms that end with three-fingered hands. His head is oddly shaped with long horns sprouting from his head in a horizontal line. Where his mouth should be has thick vines curling into a hole with three red eyes glaring down at him. He appears legless with a thick dark robe covering whatever body this beast has. To put it simply, he's horrifying to look at.

"Shadow," he rumbles, eyes glowing as he floats closer to Shadow. "My beloved creation - you have come home."

"This… This is my home?" Shadow asks hesitantly, looking around with a frown. The aliens in the room stare up at him with bright yellow eyes, their bodies a weird mixture of lizards and humanoid figures. They look nothing like him.

"Indeed," the beast chuckles, reaching out as if to touch him. Shadow floats away quickly, still uneasy. "No need to be that way. You have completed your mission as promised so long ago."

"Right," Shadow mutters, glancing past him through the windows where Earth stands. "You'll stop the invasion now, right? There's no need to search the planet for the emeralds now."

A rumble of laughter vibrates around the room and Shadow's frown deepens, looking up as the beast does the same. "Oh, who gave you that idea?"

Shadow's chest tightens painfully around his lungs, his eyes widening as the creatures around him continue to laugh. "We had a deal!" he snarls, fists glowing as chaos energy surges from his veins.

"There was never a deal to begin with," the beast sneers, raising a hand. "Your destiny, however, shall be fulfilled."

Shadow shoots forward to attack the beast only to find his body frozen in place inches from him. A scream rips from his throat as his limbs are spread, his back arching as his chest explodes with light. Snarls and hands pounding against metal surround him as the aliens cheer at his suffering. Shadow's body jerks harshly and in a flash of light, the seven Chaos Emeralds circle above his floating form, his fur back to its natural black color. He falls limp to the ground and groans, lifting his head as the emeralds move in a single line straight for the alien beast. They hover over his broad shoulders and the roar of aliens grows in volume at the sight. Shadow struggles to push himself up onto his elbows, his body weakened significantly. "Who… Who are you?"

The aliens snarl and pound against the metal walls and floors harder, their leader chuckling as he towers over Shadow. "Forgive me, for I am Black Doom - your creator."

"You said that before," Shadow grits out. "What do you mean?"

Black Doom raises a hand and Shadow gasps as his body lifts back into the air completely out of his control, hovering once more in front of the alien with his arms pinned to his sides. "Why not show you?"

Shadow shouts in pain as he's sucked into the void, this time accompanied by Black Doom's intimidating form. The void disappears quickly and they're back on the ship, except they're watching another Black Doom - the past Black Doom as he addresses his army. "My Black Arms, our time on Earth approaches for we have the gateway to salvation!" His followers cheer in response, jumping and causing as much ruckus as possible. Shadow's eyes widen as past Black Doom lifts a familiar body - his body. The uproar grows in volume at the sight of his unconscious form. "I present the one who will complete the Black Comet's journey! I present the one who will bring us the Chaos Emeralds!"

The vision warps around them and Shadow watches as his body is molded into rock and fired from the ship just as the comet passes Earth's atmosphere. Shadow's breath stutters, slowly looking up at Black Doom as the vision falls away and they're back in the present. "You created me… so I could bring you the emeralds? Why do you need them?"

Black Doom chuckles lowly. "For this."

The emeralds over his shoulders glow, spinning in place until the light becomes blinding. When Shadow can open his eyes again, his heart drops when he looks out and finds the Black Comet is no longer in space but on Earth's surface. Buildings collapse around the ship as it lands and Shadow recognizes the city layout of New York. He's yanked away from the window, facing Black Doom once more. "You tricked me," he grits out, hands struggling to move at his sides.

"Not true," Black Doom sneers, his three eyes narrowing. "You were created from my blood, Shadow. I can control you."

"W-What?" Shadow gasps. He shouts as pain pounds against his skull, squeezing his eyes shut desperately. "You're lying!"

"You can feel it," Black Doom hums, circling him slowly. "You always could, but you couldn't resist. Even now."

Shadow bares his teeth at him, feeling his chaos energy spark through his fur. "What about my family? You said you'd save them!"

"We are saving them," Black Doom rumbles. "We're saving them from their own demise." Shadow's eyes widen, ears flattening as the aliens below grow louder from their excitement. "Humans are such a self-destructive species and our order will allow them to live in peace. After all… humans are a great energy source," Black Doom laughs. "They will be well kept."

"You bastard!" Shadow snarls, struggling in his invisible bonds.

"Do not fret," Black Doom continues, lifting one clawed finger in front of the hedgehog. "In time, you will forget your false family and help keep this new order. Your home world shall thrive, dear Shadow - all thanks to you."

Anything Shadow could've said vanishes the moment that claw presses against his forehead. A cry of anguish escapes him as his mind is shot through every memory he's ever had, watching them vanish before his eyes. Sobs fall from his lips as Maddie and Tom's comforting smiles disappear - as Knuckles and Tails slip away - as Sonic's competitive glint turns to fury as he's pinned under him on the moon. He's clutching a key card as Sonic clutches the man he just attacked - Tom, he says his name is. No no, what was his name? He knows him, doesn't he?

Except he's in a city full of anger and confusion as soldiers surround him to take him back to the stasis tube. He cries out as he's submerged back into the liquid, choking as grief hits him and he's back in the lab surrounded by fire and guns with Maria in his arms. They're running so fast and he's clutching her hand, unable to figure out why the Professor is panicking. He's running with Maria and they're playing and coloring and watching movies and she's drawing on his glass tube and-

And…

What was her name?

He presses his hands against the glass tube as creatures walk around him in white clothes, their eyes focused solely on him. "We'll call him Shadow," one man with a fuzzy lip speaks up, beaming at him through the glass. "How's that sound, fella?"

Suddenly, Shadow's chaos energy explodes from his fists and the horrifying creature before him flies back. Lizard-like creatures smack into the walls from the blast, their snarls finally quiet and giving him a moment to think. Shadow whimpers softly as he pushes himself up onto his hands and knees, blinking slowly as he takes in his surroundings. He shrinks back as the terrifying beast before him snarls furiously, its form approaching him fast. Without thinking, Shadow turns and bolts, yelping as his body smashes through a transparent wall of sorts and he's falling from the craft he was in.

Hitting the ground hurts but nothing appears broken, so he takes off. His speed is enhanced by the air shoes he's wearing and he doesn't bother questioning it - he just needs to get away from whatever that is.

His body aches and is starting to lose stamina fast. Shadow's head hurts and he has no idea where he is. Lights blind him briefly and he cries out when something hard collides into his side. He rolls on the ground and can't find the strength to push himself up. On his stomach, he peers up as figures approach him, finding creatures pointing weapons right at him. The moment he lifts his head, something hard collides with his pounding head. Shadow's eyes roll and his vision fizzles away into nothing, leaving him at the mercy of whatever is standing over him.

Escaping from the bunker was much more of a hassle without Shadow's teleportation, but the small family made do with what they had - Knuckles and his fury. Now, they're deep in the forest in a small clearing, struggling to gather their thoughts on the situation at hand

"I can't believe he betrayed us," Sonic breathes as he slumps back against a tree, burying his head in his arms. "He left us…"

"He said this guy would stop the invasion if he brought him the emeralds," Tails mutters, his face twisting in a way that shows he's in deep thought. "It sounds like he was being manipulated - sort of like how Knuckles was tricked by Eggman when he first came here."

Knuckles growls lowly at the reminder, his fists still shaking with anger. Maddie sits down next to him, placing a comforting hand on his back. "That has to be it. I refuse to believe Shadow had any ill intentions."

"It doesn't matter," Knuckles snaps, shoving her hand away. "He broke our trust by stealing the Master Emerald. He will pay for this when I find him."

"Knuckles," Tom says sternly, narrowing his eyes at the echidna. Knuckles huffs and looks away. Tom paces in the middle of the clearing they're in, running a hand through his hair with a heavy sigh. "If Shadow's being manipulated, who would do this? And why?"

"Someone who's after the emeralds," Sonic mumbles, his nose scrunching up. "It has something to do with the invasion, I just know it."

Tails' face falls and he looks at the other two mobians. "Guys, remember when Shadow told us those aliens were after the Master Emerald? Or when he started convulsing? What if-"

"What if the alien leader was speaking with him?" Knuckles finishes, his previous anger replaced with shock. "G.U.N. said Shadow came from that Black Comet. Maybe he has a link with the leader?"

"I'm sorry, I'm stuck on the convulsing part," Maddie speaks up, brows pinched in worry.

Sonic jumps to his feet, shaking his head. "He said he wanted to know where he came from. If he really came from the Black Comet and the aliens are manipulating him, then that's how they're doing it." His eyes glisten with sadness, clenching his fists. "I just don't understand why they'd want the Master Emerald."

"All leaders out there want the emerald," Knuckles growls. "They want the power it brings. The question is if the invasion is only about that."

They fall quiet as they think over their speculations. Tom starts pacing again, a deep frown on his face. "It doesn't make sense… none of this does." He stops when his phone starts ringing, digs it out, and finds Wade is calling him. They had parted ways after escaping the bunker with Wade insisting he was going to get ahold of his sister who's apparently in the FBI. "What is it?" he asks, stepping closer to the edge of the clearing away from his kids.

"Dude, okay, so listen," Wade speaks fast, sounding out of breath. "So this whole invasion thing just got, like, a thousand times worse. The Black Comet thing just totally landed in New York City, and my sister says the military is struggling to move in due to how many freaky-looking aliens are pooling out of it."

"Christ," Tom groans, resting his forehead against the tree.

"That's not it," Wade continues, hesitating. "She says they have a black hedgehog in FBI custody after he fell from the ship. I'm maybe eighty percent sure it's your kid. Or maybe another alien. I don't know- Maybe ninety percent sure? You there?"

Tom's certain if he had super strength like his boys, his phone would be crushed under the tightening grip of his hand. He takes a deep breath and struggles to keep his voice level. "Black, you said? How did they catch him?"

"Man, I don't know. She was on the scene after they knocked him out. Says he looks real busted up though."

Tom knocks his forehead against the bark a few times, listening as Wade asks a few times if he's still there. He looks over his shoulder at his wife and kids, the loss of his latest child still a fresh wound in his heart. He refuses to believe Shadow would betray them after all this time, and if he no longer possesses the Chaos Emeralds and was easily taken down by the FBI of all people, then he's certain there's a bigger mastermind behind all of this. Someone took advantage of his son and his insecurities and discarded him the moment they got what they wanted.

Pressing the phone back to his ear, he mutters, "Where are they now?"

Chapter Text

Shadow groans softly as his eyes slide open, lying on his side inside a small metal cage with an electric force field vibrating between the bars. He lifts his head, ears twisting to follow the sound of voices. He's inside another box of sorts with seats ahead of him, but the voices are coming from outside the box. Peering through the transparent wall, he spots three of those beings from before standing there. He leans close to the bars, nose twitching when the force field rattles at his close proximity.

"-hand him over to the creatures," one creature says, voice thin and commanding. "He came from the comet fifty years ago - they must be after him."

"This isn't up to G.U.N." another snaps, voice full of authority. "We don't just hand alien creatures back to other aliens without getting the full story."

Shadow snaps his head around when the box shakes, finding one of those beings crawling into the very front of the box and sealing it shut once they're in. They look back at him and their face splits apart to show their teeth. "Easy there, fella. We're not gonna hurt you." He stares back at them curiously, wondering whether or not he can believe them. The horrifying alien he saw before was hurting him - what if these creatures plan on doing the same?

The outer box rattles and a whirring sound fills the air. Shadow jolts as the box starts to move and her peers back out to find the three figures slowly moving away - except they aren't moving. He is! Shadow looks around wildly, unsure of what to do or how to react. Where are they taking him? What are they going to do to him?

However, the box doesn't get very far before a hard force collides with the front of the object, causing the box to spin and tip over. Shadow cries out as the cage rolls, his body slamming into the force field and shocking him. The cage settles back down and he scrambles back onto his knees, finding the box on its side and the transparent wall cracked. The creature at the front groans softly, still alive at least.

He stiffens when the transparent wall shatters, scooting back when something small and red comes into view. He tilts his head, shocked to find a similar creature to himself standing before him. The red creature glares at him and then at the cage, growling as they reel back and slam their fist against the bars.

Instantly, the force field fizzles away and the door breaks open, freeing him. He crawls out of the cage and big box, standing up straight next to the creature. "Let's go," they say, grabbing Shadow's arm and yanking him toward another big box where the front of it is damaged. Is that what hit them?

He's shoved into the box and is shocked to find two other similar creatures there - one blue and one yellow. Two beings that look like the ones who captured him are in the front of the box and Shadow shrinks back at the sight of them. As the box screeches and takes off fast, the blue creature turns on him with a piercing green glare. Shadow realizes after a moment they look like Shadow in a way. "Shadow, where is the Master Emerald?"

"How do you know my name?" Shadow asks, not having the slightest idea what a Master Emerald even is.

"What?" the blue creature's ears flatten, glare faltering. "What do you mean?"

"Who are you?" Shadow demands. "Where are you taking me?"

Green eyes widen in horror and one of the beings up front turns in their seat, brown eyes equally as wide. "You don't remember us, do you?" When Shadow shakes his head, the creature seems to pale despite their dark skin. The yellow creature lets out a whimper and looks to be on the verge of tears.

"Okay…" the blue one finally says, anger completely gone. "Okay, that's… We'll figure this out, okay? It'll be okay Shadow." He nods slowly to show he understands, unable to explain why he trusts this creature's words so easily. They grasp his shoulder and their face twists in a weird way that almost comforts Shadow. "You can trust me, okay? We're brothers, man. We'll fix this."

Brothers…?

Shadow's ears twitch, his face scrunching up as pain blooms behind his eyes. He squeezes his eyes shut, echoing words vibrating through his eardrums.

"Besides," Sonic speaks up, making Shadow look at him again to find him grinning, "no matter where you came from, we're still brothers, yeah?"

Warmth blooms through his chest at Sonic's words, finding his smile widening as he nods in agreement. "Right."

When Shadow cries out, the car screeches to a halt, and the beings- the mobians- humans- his family surround him from all sides, their voices mingling together in concern and fear. Shadow clutches his head, his body nearly convulsing as he sees it all again. Crashing onto Earth, watching the little girl draw on his tank, befriending the one they call Maria, running hand-in-hand as they flee from G.U.N. He tackled the yellow fox - Tails - to the ground, kicked the red echidna - Knuckles - to the ground, snatched the blue hedgehog - Sonic - by the neck and took him to the air. He attacked Tom. He charged the Eclipse Cannon. He absorbed the Chaos Emeralds alongside Sonic. He accepted defeat under Sonic's raised glowing fist. He pushed the Eclipse Cannon far from Earth and waited for death to take him.

Except… it didn't. He survived. He survived and was found by Tom who took him in even after everything he did to this family. His family.

His brothers… his parents… how could he forget them?

Black Doom.

Shadow's head lifts sharply, power rattling from his veins as anger overtakes everything else. Except his eyes find brown - her's - Maddie's. The last time he saw them, they were dull with disappointment. Now they're glowing with concern - not fear, not anger, but concern for him.

"Maddie…" he breathes, his energy vanishing with his anger. Her eyes light up and he wants nothing more than to fall right into her arms. A wave of dizziness hits him and he groans, slumping into Knuckles' arms. Everything hurts and it's so hard to focus, as if his mind is trying to kill him.

"Easy…" Knuckles murmurs, wrapping his arms around him. "Shadow, this is important. Where is the Master Emerald?"

It takes him a moment to remember what happened. He growls in anger as it comes back, his ears flat against his skull. "Black Doom. He took them."

"Who's Black Doom?" Tom asks from the driver's seat, turning to face him like Maddie.

"The leader of the Black Arms," Shadow explains, gritting his teeth in pain. "The aliens who invaded this planet. He needed the Chaos Emeralds in order to land the Black Comet." He shakes his head, guilt washing over him. "This is all my fault. I took the emeralds right to him. What have I done?"

"He manipulated you," Sonic says with certainty.

"No," Shadow shakes his head again. "He… he controlled my mind. His blood runs through me," he chokes out, horror dawning on him. "I'm his creation. He sent me here to bring him the emeralds, and I-"

"Hey," Tom interrupts him, reaching back to grasp his hand. "Shadow, it's not your fault, okay? We'll fix this." Shadow squeezes Tom's hand in return, letting himself feel small and vulnerable for a moment. He knows what he has to do, and he's not sure if he'll ever see his parents again. He soaks in the details of Tom's smile, of Maddie's warm gaze. He won't forget them again if he has anything to say about it, mind control be damned.

"We need to take you guys somewhere safe," Shadow finally declares, lifting himself out of Knuckles' hold. "Away from the fight."

"Agreed," Sonic states, halting their parents' protests. "We're coming with you, though."

"Yeah," Tails nods, his teary gaze turning determined. "As if we'll let you fight this guy alone again."

Shadow wants to protest, but he knows they're right. He can't do this alone even if he is the Ultimate Lifeform. If he's going to save this planet again, he'll need his brothers at his side.

Using the rings, they transport Tom and Maddie into the cave where they had escaped upon G.U.N.s first arrival. They all shuffle together into a tight hug and Maddie whispers into Shadow's ear, "Come home. All of you." When the portal closes and seals them away from danger, the four mobians turn to look at the dark red sky where various creatures continue to fly about. From here, they can see the top of the Black Comet where it sits in the city.

"I'm sorry," Shadow speaks up first, looking down at the ground. "I should have listened to you guys."

"He controlled you," Tails murmurs, reaching over to squeeze his hand.

"We won't let it happen again," Knuckles growls. "We'll crush that beast into dust."

"Sounds like a plan," Sonic smirks, his fur rippling with energy as he braces himself to run. Shadow smirks back and does the same, his air shoes kicking into gear and shooting him forward. Sonic is right at his side with Knuckles just behind them and Tails flying above. They make it back to the city with ease and come face-to-face with the true chaos of the invasion. The Black Comet rests just above the road with large tentacles burrowing themselves as anchors into the ground and buildings around it. Black Arms aliens continue to terrorize the streets, chasing poor civilians and fighting back against the military who are still attempting to work their way to the comet.

"Okay, here's the plan," Sonic starts, turning to the other three. "Tails, I need you to get as many people to safety as possible. Knuckles you cover him. Shadow and I will board the comet and get the Chaos Emeralds back from Black Doom."

Knuckles smirks, knocking his fists together. "Finally, I get to punch something."

"We're on it," Tails nods, his tails spinning and lifting him once again. The two take off down the road where they saw the civilians disappear.

"This isn't going to be easy," Shadow tells him, looking up at the comet. "He's nothing like what you've been up against before."

"Eh, we'll make it work," Sonic grins lopsidedly. "Besides, you got my back, yeah?"

Shadow's lips twitch into a half-smile, nodding curtly as the two brace themselves before taking off. They climb the comet at incredible speed, slipping through one of the side openings just as Shadow had done before. When he lands inside, his head thumps with brief pain that leaves him dizzy. Sonic steadies him and Shadow takes a moment to collect himself before they take off. The ship is a lot more empty than before, allowing them to zip through the halls without issue. When they draw close to the main deck, however, Black Arms pool from the walls and block their way.

Sonic spin-dashes right into the first hoard while Shadow teleports behind another few to kick their faces in. He warps in and out of reality, appearing here and there to deliver a punishing blow to whatever beast is closest. Sonic zips through the room at neck-breaking speeds, toppling aliens over and knocking the air out of them when he collides right into their guts. They meet in the middle surrounded by unconscious aliens and shoot one another a smirk before taking off down the hall.

The deck is just as Shadow remembers and he growls low in his throat when they find Black Doom there - staring out the window watching the invasion with the emeralds hovering over his shoulders. "Black Doom!" he snarls, skidding to a halt alongside Sonic in the middle of the deck. "We have unfinished business!"

Black Doom turns and glares down at the two, a scoff escaping him. "There's another, hm? How cute. You could be mistaken for brothers."

"Funny, 'cause we are," Sonic smirks, crossing his arms. "Who are you again?"

Black Doom's eyes narrow. "I am Black Doom, leader of the Black Arms and creator of Shadow. My DNA courses through his veins as my Ultimate Lifeform."

"Funny," Sonic says dryly. "I can't see the resemblance between you two."

Shadow elbows Sonic, earning a snicker in return. "We'll give you one chance to leave this planet forever," Shadow states, lifting his chin up at the beast. "Hand over the emeralds."

"You think you can command me?" Black Dooms snarls, pointing a claw right at Shadow. "You forget your place!"

That dizzy feeling comes back and Shadow doubles over as pain follows, grasping his head tightly. Sonic's voice drifts in and out, whispers filling his head as the singular red eye glares down at him. "Kill the hedgehog."

Shadow looks up to find a blue hedgehog hovering over him, big green eyes wide with concern. He bares his teeth and moves fast, slamming his fist into the hedgehog's jaw. His body flies across the room and slams into the opposite wall, a groan escaping him from the hit. "Foolish mobian," Black Doom laughs as Shadow marches for the hedgehog. "You think you can best me when my very own weapon is here within my grasp? Now you will die at the hand of my Ultimate Lifeform!"

"Shadow, wait!" the hedgehog calls out, barely managing to dodge the fast punch aimed at his head. He ducks under the next blow and quickly dashes behind Shadow. "Buddy, come on! You know me! Sonic!"

Shadow snarls and teleports behind the other, grasping him by the neck and pinning him to the ground. Sonic growls in pain and catches the punch coming for his face, their hands trembling as they push against one another. "Snap out of it!" With a kick, Sonic launches Shadow off of him. He flips through the air and kicks his air shoes on, sweeping Sonic from the ground and flying with him around the deck, landing a hit to his gut before Sonic snatches his wrists. "Fight him, Shadow!" Sonic shouts, his green eyes pleading. "You're stronger than him! Don't let him win again!"

Just before he can get slammed against the metal wall, their flight comes to a halt inches from the surface. Sonic gasps softly, watching Shadow closely as his face twists, red eyes glimmering with uncertainty. Shadow's mouth opens, confusion passing over his features before anger settles in once more. Except he's teleporting them back to solid ground and releasing Sonic, turning sharply to face Black Doom once more. "No more," he snarls, red eyes glowing with orange sparks as chaos energy ripples through his fur. "You can't control me, Doom. I am the Ultimate Lifeform, and I will destroy you!"

With speed that rivals Sonic's, Shadow launches into the air and slams his fist right into the center of Black Doom's body, sending him barreling into the opposing wall. He snarls furiously and scrambles back into the air, eyes widening when he realizes the emeralds previously hovering over him are now circling Shadow's body. The black hedgehog turns and holds out a hand to Sonic, a smirk playing on his face. "Shall we, brother?"

Sonic smirks and dashes across the floor, jumping up just high enough to reach Shadow and the Chaos Emeralds. The room explodes with light, causing Black Doom to shriek in pain and fury. As the light dies away, he comes face-to-face with the two hedgehogs who pulse with power from their now yellow fur. "You dare defy me?!" Black Doom screeches, his skin rippling as his body changes. "I gave you life, and this is how you repay me?!"

Sonic and Shadow watch in horror as Black Doom's body curls and shifts, his face splitting open and wings sprouting from his back. His robes shred as his body changes and he lets out a piercing roar as he faces the two. Shadow and Sonic exchange a quick look, equally red eyes glittering with determination as each hedgehog turns back to the problem at hand.

"Ready to cut contact with your bio-family?" Sonic teases, bracing himself.

"You have no idea," Shadow smirks, eyes blazing.

The ship rattles as they blast toward Black Doom, splitting down the middle and hitting each side of the beast. Black Doom shouts furiously and swipes at the two, managing to snatch Sonic by the waist. Shadow slams his body into his wrist, listening to the sickening crack that has the alien screeching. Sonic slams his fist into the side of his face, launching him to the ground. The ship trembles under the blow and the two hedgehogs give him no time to recover. Shadow slams his feet down into his gut and watches as the skin burns under the blast of his shoes. Sonic lands punch after punch into the alien's head, holding nothing back.

"You! Worthless! Creatures!" Black Doom snarls, claws snagging metal as he swipes after Sonic. "I am the ruler of this universe! You will fall before me!"

"In your dreams!" Sonic sneers, slamming his body full force into his neck. The crack that follows cuts off any response Black Doom could've uttered. He gasps from the pain and stumbles back, his breathing ragged and eyes blazing with fury. Shadow grabs Sonic's hand and the two don't even have to speak as they curl their bodies into a spin dash, shooting forward and crushing right through Black Doom's chest with a disgusting squelch. A shrill noise escapes the leader as he grasps at the hole in his body, black smoke pooling from the wound. The mist surrounds him and he yells to the high heavens as the smoke sinks back into his skin, sinking in the flesh before his body erupts into a blast of smoke, leaving nothing behind.

Sonic and Shadow hover there, watching as the last bit of smoke trickles away into thin air. Whatever form of blood and guts that coated their bodies wisps away into smoke as if it never happened. Sonic lets out a heavy sigh, his head lolling back and eyes slipping shut. "That… was a nightmare."

"Quite," Shadow rumbles, holding his head and letting his eyes slip shut as well. He ignores the dizziness in his head and lets out a soft grunt. "We need to get this comet off the planet."

Sonic grins, shooting him a dangerous look. "I have an idea."

They shoot outside of the ship and fly under the comet to press their hands against the rough surface. Golden mist surrounds them as they use all the power they can muster to lift the comet off the surface, watching as the anchors struggle against their surge. Sonic nods at Shadow and he closes his eyes, focusing all of his energy onto himself and allowing reality to warp around him and the entire comet.

When his eyes snap open, they're in space with the anchors thrashing wildly at the sudden departure. He and Sonic briefly put distance between themselves and the comet, assessing the situation. Sonic and Shadow exchange a glance before blasting toward the comet, bracing themselves as their bodies break through the outer shell of rock and come out on the other side. In a blinding line of light, the two repeat the action over and over again, destroying the comet with each blow. Aliens still aboard the comet screech in pain and horror as the vacuum of space snatches them with each new opening the hedgehogs create.

When Shadow barrels back out into space, he shakes his head rapidly to push the exhaustion away, eyes narrowing in anger as the fur around his wrists fades to black. Mustering up the last of his energy, he rolls into a spin dash and blasts right through the center of the comet from the front, appearing out of the back in a puff of golden light. The front of the comet erupts into a series of explosions that spread throughout the ship after Shadow's path. Sonic whoops from higher above only to yelp and fire away as the comet completely explodes. With Shadow's reaction time being much slower, he only gets far enough away for the blast to knock him off course instead of harming him.

Spinning through space, Shadow struggles to right himself as the golden hue fizzles off of his fur, leaving him free-falling straight for Earth. Heat singes the back of his fur and Shadow is reminded of when the Eclipse Cannon exploded. He has vague memories of falling into Earth's atmosphere and he can imagine it was the same as this. His head is spinning too much to think much more about it, his eyes drifting shut as he accepts his fate.

Except the motion halts just as quickly and he manages to look up and find himself in Sonic's arms. The yellow hedgehog shoots him a smirk, though his eyes glitter with worry. "I gotcha, buddy."

Shadow has no doubt about that as his vision blacks out into nothingness.

Knuckles watches in confusion as the Black Arms alien before him screeches in pain as it fizzles away into black smoke, leaving no trace behind. Looking around, he notices the other aliens are in a similar situation - even the corpses lying on the road are turning into smoke. He looks up as a helicopter roars overhead and quickly darts down the road where he last saw Tails disappear, locating his brother outside one of the more stable buildings where he had taken survivors.

"A rescue team is here," Knuckles informs the fox as he approaches, his eyes narrowed. "Something strange has occurred."

"Their life source is gone," Tails says almost matter-of-factly, looking up into the sky. "Shadow and Sonic took the comet away. They must've destroyed it 'cause I can't see it anymore."

Following his gaze, Knuckles notices not only are the dark red clouds dispersing, but he can see what looks to be the aftermath of an explosion fizzling away in the sky. He smirks, raising his fists in victory. "They did it!"

At this, the civilians around them come out of hiding to see the proof of this victory, their cheers and claps filling the air as rescue teams finally locate them. Tails' eyes widen when he spots a yellow dot in the sky moving west. "There's Sonic!"

"He must be heading home," Knuckles grunts, turning to Tails with a ring in hand. "We should get going before G.U.N. arrives."

The two mobians are quick through the portal and find themselves just a few cliffs under the cave they left their parents in for safety. Rushing up the face of rocks, they sag in relief at the sight of Tom and Maddie curled up right by the entrance, their faces lighting up the moment they notice the two boys. "Oh, thank God!" Maddie nearly sobs, stumbling to her feet only to fall to her knees and drag the two into a tight hug.

Tails happily buries his face into her shoulder while Knuckles squeezes her back carefully, mindful of his strength. Tom lingers behind Maddie, staring outside with a frown. "Where are Sonic and Shadow?"

Before Tails can assure him they'll be here soon, a blast of air behind him has the three pulling apart to find Sonic standing there with an unconscious Shadow in his arms. Knuckles reacts first and rushes to Sonic's side, eyes wide with worry. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Sonic swallows, his quills lowering as the yellow of his fur fades back to blue, his eyes blinking back to green. "When the comet exploded, he lost his powers and started falling. I caught him but he won't wake up. I don't… I don't know what to do…"

Tom quickly moves to take Shadow from Sonic, setting the black hedgehog on his lap and checking his pulse and breathing. He looks relieved and keeps checking the rest of his body. "He's alive. He must be hurt or tired or…"

Maddie sighs shakily and quickly yanks Sonic into a huge, pulling a surprised yelp from the blue hedgehog. He sinks into the hug immediately, a small noise rumbling from his throat at feeling his mother's touch once again. The moment she lets go, Knuckles and Tails wrap him up into a hug, ruffling the top of his head and praising him for another battle won. When his eyes fall back on Tom, his smile falters at the pained look on the man's face. Tom holds Shadow close to his chest, his cheek resting against the top of his head with his eyes on Sonic. The moment he reaches out, Sonic falls into his embrace with Shadow in between them, listening closely to the shallow breathing coming from the other.

The moment of peace is broken by helicopter blades approaching fast. Sonic steps out of the hug with a growl, his eyes blazing blue as he dashes out of the cave to find a helicopter rising in front of him, causing dirt to fly from the wind. Sonic glares at the two soldiers standing inside, their guns drawn and shouts going unheard as anger pools into his veins. With a crack of light, Sonic's form erupts into gold, his red eyes hardening as he braces himself for a fight.

Soldiers trickle into view from all sides, trapping the family where they hide inside the cave. Sonic watches as various red dots hit his body and he growls, turning in a slow circle and keeping his eyes on the men. "If you want my brother, you'll have to go through me first."

No one moves for many moments, the soldiers glancing at one another and practically trembling when Sonic's eyes move from one to another. There's no way they don't know he just took down the entire alien race that invaded this planet - G.U.N. is practically a cakewalk after that. He'll be damned if they lay one more hand on the other hedgehog.

When he comes face-to-face with Rockwell, it takes everything in him not to attack the woman before him. Her face is twisted with barely concealed anger, though she seems to realize how dire the situation is. "You don't have to make this difficult, hedgehog."

"Like you can talk," Sonic snaps, the grass frying under his feet as he approaches her, ignoring the jerk of guns on him. "In case you missed it, Shadow and I just defeated the Black Arms for you. You're welcome." He's a little smug with that last line, enjoying the way it makes her anger come out more. "Are you able to get it through your thick skull now that Shadow had nothing to do with this attack?"

"Frankly, you all overstayed your visit," Rockwell sneers, clenching her fists at her sides. "It's time you leave calmly or face the wrath of Earth."

Behind Sonic, Knuckles gets into a fighting stance while Tails places himself in front of their parents and Shadow, eyes narrowed in defiance. However, the moment is shattered when a man slides up next to Rockwell and mutters something into her ear. Her face morphs into a brief look of surprise before she schools her features, turning quickly to snatch the phone from his hand. Sonic glances back at the other two and shrugs, turning back to find her muttering angrily at first before her shoulders sag. She shoves the phone into the man's chest and turns back to Sonic with a glare. Sonic glares back, almost impatient to see where this is going. Finally, she raises her hand at the other men. "Stand down - by order of the United Nations."

Instantly, the guns trained on Sonic lowered to the ground, leaving the hedgehog standing there in shock. "Woah, what? United Nations?"

Rockwell's jaw clicks and she looks away. "According to the world leaders, your help with the invasion has proven where your loyalties lie, including his." She nods her head curtly and Sonic glances back at Shadow who's still tucked away in Tom's arms. Rockwell sighs heavily, looking rather annoyed with the whole situation. "Do not leave Green Hills. We will be in touch."

"Wait," Sonic stops her from turning away, the yellow hue of his fur dying away yet again. He gestures back to where Tom is kneeling, his ears still able to pick up on Shadow's labored breathing. "Shadow's hurt. He needs help."

Rockwell looks even more annoyed at this but after her eyes trail over the small family, she sighs and nods curtly. "We'll get you all looked at. Come with me."

Chapter Text

Shadow looks up as the doors to Maria's room burst open to find Professor Gerald there, his face twisted with fear. His heart drops, instantly recognizing the scene as if he's experiencing an out-of-body moment. Maria's hands pause in playing her guitar and Shadow wishes he could just live in the moment just a little longer.

"Shadow!" Professor Gerald gasps and Shadow blinks in confusion. That's not his line. He also never ran to them or slid to his knees and-

Shadow freezes when the professor wraps him up in a tight hug, his ears perking up at the sound of his soft cries. He hadn't heard that sound since the night Maria was killed. "Forgive me, son," he breathes, pulling back to cup Shadow's face with shaky hands. "Forgive me."

"For what?" Shadow frowns, reaching up to grasp his wrists.

"I shouldn't have hurt you," he continues, looking at Maria with grief shining in his eyes. "You were right. She never wanted that."

Shadow slowly looks at Maria, finding her watching them with a soft smile. His breath hitches, looking between them rapidly. "Is this a dream?"

"In a way," Maria murmurs, setting her guitar aside. "Sometimes it's easier to see it that way."

He swallows, looking at the professor as he finally pulls out of Shadow's space. "Am I… dead?"

"No, silly," Maria giggles and the sound is music to Shadow's ears. She pokes his cheek until a smile pulls at his lips, her eyes glittering with joy. "You're not like us. Fragile, easy to break… You'll pull through like always."

A whimper builds up in his throat, reaching up to grasp her hand. She's not warm, but she's not cold either. He can't feel her, in a way. "I don't want to pull through," he breathes, ears flattening. "I want to stay with you. With the professor."

Professor Gerald's shoulders seem to sag, his face breaking out into a shaky smile. He did horrible things, Shadow knows this, but so did he. They were hurting and the man was driven crazy from the grief. Shadow can't be too harsh with him after his family managed to forgive him after everything.

Shadow jerks his head up, his heart dropping. "But- my family. I can't…"

Maria smiles sadly, squeezing his hand. "You can't leave them. I don't want you to."

"You don't?" Shadow whispers, relief and grief crushing him. "But who will protect you?"

Maria laughs softly, resting her cheek against his knuckles. "I don't need protection, Shadow. I'm a big girl. You have someone to protect you now."

"I do?" Shadow tilts his head. He frowns, thinking of how his brothers and parents were quick to his defense even if they were weaker than him. "I can handle myself, though," he murmurs, nose scrunching up.

"Maybe," Maria hums, reaching up to brush his quills back, "but a little help goes a long way."

Swallowing around the lump in his throat, Shadow looks up at the professor with sad eyes. "Will you be okay? Both of you?"

Professor Gerald smiles back, nodding slowly. "We'll take care of each other, son. You can go home now - we'll be right there with you." He holds up three fingers with a chuckle. "Scout's honor."

Shadow half-smiles in confusion, having no idea what that could possibly mean. When he turns back to Maria, he can't stop himself from launching forward to hug her. While he can feel her arms around him, it still doesn't quite feel real. He whimpers at this knowledge, realizing he must've forgotten what her touch felt like after all this time. "Take care, Shadow," Maria whispers into his ear. "Live for me…"

Waking up to the sound of beeping annoys Shadow more than anything and he tilts his head to find the noise. His task is halted though when his blurry vision clears to find two familiar faces across the room from him. Propping himself up on his elbows, he takes in the sight of Maddie and Tom asleep in uncomfortable-looking chairs against the opposite wall. Maddie rests her head against Tom's shoulder while his head is resting in an uncomfortable arch against the wall. He looks down, finding himself on a small bed with a thin white blanket and a tube in his arm. If his parents weren't here, he'd panic at the sight of something connected to his body like this, but if they're here then it must be safe.

The room is quite small with white walls and a gray tile floor. There's no window and only a single door to his left. To his right is another small bed with a pile of cluttered blankets and a few pillows. He's still sluggish and doesn't react much when the door squeaks open, eyes widening a bit when three familiar mobians quietly creep into the room with grins on their faces and a box of donuts in hand.

Tails is the first to notice him and he gasps, dropping the box of donuts and flying right into Shadow's arms. "Shadow!" His shout causes the two humans in the room to snap awake and Shadow can see over Tails' shoulder how they look around in confusion briefly before they too realize Shadow is awake.

Everyone circles him quickly, their words mingling together as they ask him how he's feeling and if he's okay. Shadow holds onto Tails tightly for a few moments, thinking back to his last hug with Maria. He couldn't feel her warmth like he could feel Tails' warm fur, feeling his heart pumping through his chest. He can feel Sonic's warm comforting hand and hear Knuckles' rough laugh of relief. They're alive and so is Shadow.

His heart aches for Maria, but he can't help the smile that breaks across his face as he sinks into his brothers' arms. Even though he has no idea where exactly they are, he knows he's home.

Only hours after Shadow woke up, they were escorted back home by G.U.N. who were apparently no longer hostile to the family which Shadow found bizarre but didn't complain. They had been kept in the bunker under Green Hills overnight while Shadow recovered from the strain of the previous day. Tom had made a few comments about the bunker being removed permanently and Rockwell wasn't too ecstatic about the idea.

As they exit the car, Knuckles suddenly breaks out into a run with a hearty laugh and Shadow watches as Ozzie darts out from under the house deck and barrels Knuckles to the ground, his tail wagging rapidly and his tongue lapping at the echidna's fur. Maddie starts crying and rushes to them, leaving Shadow wondering why she seems so upset. Or are those happy tears? Sometimes, he can't tell.

"I apologize for yesterday," the man - Director Herman - bows to the hedgehog. "The United Nations has agreed your presence here on Earth is for the good of mankind against extraterrestrial beings that may come in the future." Shadow exchanges a glance with Sonic who looks quite smug about the current situation. Director Herman clears his throat, reaching into his jacket pocket for a card to hand to Shadow. "G.U.N. has officially deemed you as an ally to mankind and wishes to welcome you to the ranks if you so please."

Shadow takes the card, finding this man and Rockwell's information on there. Shadow looks up at him in surprise, unable to wrap his head around the fact that yesterday, this organization wanted his head on a silver platter, and now they want him to join their ranks? Herman hands more cards to Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, directing the offer to them as well. Knuckles frowns down at the card while Tails and Sonic share a concerned glance. Shadow looks back at Tom and Maddie, finding them struggling to conceal their own concern and distrust.

Live for me…

Turning back to Herman, Shadow nods curtly in acknowledgment. "Thank you, but… I don't think we're ready. We're just kids…" he continues, looking at his brothers. Sonic beams at his words and the other two smile in support, allowing Shadow to get his point across. "I think we're all in agreement that we just wanna stay just kids for a little longer. Besides," he muses, "our bedtime is at ten. Can't go out on secret missions with a curfew."

Herman's face splits into an amused smile, nodding slowly as Shadow finishes speaking. "I understand." Looking up at Tom and Maddie, he gives them a quick half-bow. "You two have a lovely family. Take care."

The moment the man climbs back into the truck, Tom and Maddie wrap up the four of them into a group hug, laughs and tears passing around. Ozzie barks happily and circles the group, licking whoever he can reach much to Sonic's disgusted joy. Shadow holds onto Maddie's hand tightly and can't be bothered to fight the smile blooming across his face as they finally go home.

"It was weird," Shadow murmurs as he sits criss-crossed in the middle of their shared bed that night, flexing his hands over his lap as Sonic picks through his quills carefully. Knuckles and Tails sit to his left while Tom and Maddie sit more in front of him, all of them listening quietly as he recounts yesterday's events. "I felt like I was in complete control of my actions, but Black Doom admitted he was controlling me all along in some way or another. I was the only one who could get him the Chaos Emeralds which is why he created me fifty years ago."

"Seems excessive," Sonic grunts behind him, combing his fingers through his quills. His touch is much more soothing without his gloves on, his blunt claws scratching gently along the back of his head.

"Many will go to great lengths to get their hands on such power," Knuckles points out, rubbing the back of his hand where his sharp points poke out from his knuckles. Seeing Knuckles without gloves always jarred Shadow, but he's starting to get used to it.

Shadow sighs softly, tilting his head more into Sonic's touch. "He told me he would save you guys from the invasion, and I guess I was so blinded by his lies that I didn't even realize what was really going on. It's like… all logic left my brain."

"Well, sounds like he was controlling you in a way," Tails murmurs, lying on his stomach with his head propped up in his hands.

Shadow grimaces, recalling the moment Black Doom pressed his claw to his forehead to access his memories. "He tried to wipe my memory," he continues, feeling Sonic pause in his grooming. He refuses to look up and see any of their expressions, rubbing his thumb self-consciously against the palm of his hand. "He wanted me to help bring this so-called peace and control to Earth so that the Black Arms would thrive, and he knew my emotional connections would be a problem…" His breathing stutters for a moment, his eyes feeling warm. "I had forgotten everything…"

Maddie's hand rests over his, her thumb running along his palm gently as well. "He didn't, though," she assures him. "You were so brave and fought back against him."

Shadow's not sure why he feels warm from her words, a soft but short laugh escaping him. "It was Sonic that saved me," he admits. Sonic is quick to lean into view, his eyes wide and mouth twisted in a funny expression of surprise. Shadow's lips twitch into a half smile. "You said we were brothers… I don't know why, but it triggered everything."

Sonic beams, wrapping his arms around his shoulders. "I knew you loved me."

"Hardly," Shadow teases, shoving him away playfully. His smile falters after a moment and he sighs. "I'm still dizzy at times. Is that normal? I feel as if I'm not quite… here, sometimes."

His parents glance at one another before Maddie puts on a small smile to ease his anxiety. "You only just recovered from having your memories messed with. Realistically, it'll take time for you to go back to normal."

"We'll keep an eye on you, though," Tom hums, wrapping an arm around Maddie's shoulders to pull her close. "Maybe do some weekly check-ups to see how you recover from everything."

Shadow looks up at them. For six months, these two humans have done everything in their power to learn and understand Shadow despite his previous actions. They took him in when he was all alone and gave him a proper home, adamant that he was just as deserving as the three mobians that came before him. They taught him how he wasn't a weapon but a kid who just needed someone to be there for him - to care for him and teach him how to live.

That's what Maria wanted, right? For him to live? To protect his new family and allow them to do the same, even if he is the Ultimate Lifeform? She once told him he could do or be anything he wanted, and right now… he wants to be their kid. He wants to be these mobians' brother and enjoy the little things in life just as Maria had. For so long, he believed he was overstaying his welcome in this home, but after coming so close to losing this precious chance he was gifted, he'll do whatever it takes to protect it.

A tear slides down his muzzle but he's still smiling. "Thanks… mom and dad."

Maddie's face scrunches up in a way to prevent tears from falling while Tom's eyes grow wet and he ducks his face before pulling Shadow closer into a hug. Snuggled between the two, he feels the other three mobians join the hug behind him, listening as Tails laughs softly and Knuckles teases their parents for crying. Sonic presses his nose to Shadow's ear and gives the tuft of fur there a comforting lick. "You did good," he murmurs, a purr rumbling in his chest. "Proud of you, bro…"

Shadow preens at the praise, letting his eyes drift shut as he blocks out the horrors he endured, focusing only on the loved ones holding him so dearly. Maria will always have a special place in his heart until the end of time, but he will make room for this family she would have loved just as much as he does.