Hello, guys. Happy to start writing for you again! I really wanted to write this story because even though I love Sonadow (you suck if you don't) I also wanted to incorporate Maria into the story. The Sonadow part will come in later chapters, since Shadow as a child is completely oblivious. I hope you enjoy ~ ShadowRox.

In the faraway of space, all was calm.

Not like the atmosphere of Earth, this would have an enormous space colony entering it in only minutes.

The Space Colony, ARK, was on a crash course for Earth, a particularly large lizard leading it. This "lizard" was the prototype of the Ultimate Life. It was programmed to destroy Earth once all seven chaos emeralds had powered it up.

And now the real Ultimate Lifeform was fighting it, doing everything in his power to kill his prototype. His name is Shadow the hedgehog. His usually ebony –crimson streaked fur was now golden white with his original red markings. His ruby eyes burned with passion as he fought the monster.

The golden hedgehog next to him went by the name of Sonic the hedgehog. He was the cocky, sometimes dense, emerald eyed hero. He normally had a rich azure colored pelt, tan muzzle, stomach and arms. He was the chilidog loving hero who everybody adored... also known as "womanizer" by his red echidna friend, Knuckles.

At the moment, Sonic was on the bridge between panic and having fun. He was up here saving the world with his rival –the person who had just tried to destroy the world. And just having the dark hedgehog next to him, fighting with him... let's just say it made the hero want to laugh, smile...

"Sonic!"

The voice of said hedgehog snapped Sonic out of his thoughts as his head whipped around to look at Shadow.

"You're losing rings! I'll take over and you collect more!" he yelled as he threw himself at the final hazard. "Come and get some, you cretin!"

Shadow heaved his body into the large bulge on the lizard, the creature screaming in agony. Only one or two more hits should do it. He quickly traded places with Sonic as he dashed off to gather more rings.

Sonic heard Shadow softly praying to his long gone friend. "Maria, watch me..." Sonic was touched by this... but the look in Shadow's eyes showed that maybe he wouldn't come back, and he knew this. He was ready.

Sonic silently protested with the narrowing of his eyes, but Shadow was completely oblivious as to what Sonic was warning him not to do. Shadow liked to go by a few rules, and one of his favorites: ignorance is bliss.

Sonic took control once again, throwing all he had at the monster –literally. Shadow, once again headed down, delivering the final blow to his opponent.

The Finalhazard finally screams out in pain and dies, leaving the two hedgehogs and the space colony.

Shadow looked down at Sonic with a smirk. "There's just something left that we have to do. I won't bother you anymore, Sonic. Just help me do this."

Sonic wanted to protest but had no time. Shadow raced down to position himself in front of the colony. Without a second thought, Sonic joined him.

They surged forward, gathering all the strength they had stored up, ready to stop the colony from its course.

"No way that's getting through," Sonic declared.

Shadow looked up, a sudden voice nearly knocking him down. "Shadow..."

"Maria," he whispered.

"You ready Shads?"

Shadow nodded.

"Chaos Control!" the two yelled.

A burst of light was seen around the world as the Space Colony ARK was safely put back in space, where it would no longer be a threat to Earth.

A roar of cheers erupted both on the ARK and around the world. Sonic was grinning, literally glowing as he saw his friends, safe. He turned to congratulate Shadow, only to find his counterpart plummeting down to earth. Shadow's golden fur was returning to its natural ebony hue. Shadow was losing his Super Form.

"Shadow!" Sonic cried, hurling himself at his fallen (now considered) friend. He held a tight grip on Shadow's forearms, desperately trying to pull him back to the ARK.

"S- Sonic..." he croaked. "L- let me g-go. I want to be with Maria," he whispered. He smiled at the hero weakly before pulling away, giving a fierce kick to the hero in his efforts to save the teenager's life. The last words he thought he would ever speak ghosted out of his lips. "Maria... this is what you wanted, right? This is my promise... I made to you..."

With an eye searing light, Shadow disappeared.

...

One week later:

So this is how it went: Sonic came back onto the ARK, his eyes shining with tears. When Rouge had asked him where Shadow was, he could only shake his head, too choked up to give a real answer. Tails, once back at home, questioned Sonic about what had happened.

And after the confrontation, Sonic had the first glimmer of hope for the first time in a week. Reason being:

"Sonic, I don't think he's dead," Tails said.

Sonic nearly passed out. "B-but, that's not possible... He fell into the atmosphere!"

Tails nodded. "Yeah, but if you look at it, he had just enough energy to do a final Chaos Control."

"So... he could be alive? And we just have to find him?" asked Sonic hopefully.

Tails smiled, "Yeah, and I think I know how to do it! You know how all of the Chaos emeralds attract to one another?"

"... Not really, but go on."

"Well, Shadow sends off the same kind of energy. So all we have to do is let the chaos emerald lead us to him."

"That's great, Tails!" Sonic cheered, making Tails beam.

"Well... thanks, Sonic. Maybe you should do a Chaos Control," he suggested.

Sonic nodded happily, smiling for the first time in what he felt like was years. He wasn't entirely sure why he was so happy, but just seeing Shadow, alive... 'It's because I feel guilty,' he thought, blushing madly. 'I let him go out there, that's it. Nothing else.'

"You feeling okay, Sonic?" asked Tails, looking strangely at Sonic's blush.

"Y-yeah! C'mon, let's get going already!" yelled Sonic, rushing forward to grab the Chaos emerald.

"Sonic, wait!" Tails cried, rushing forward, also grasping the glowing emerald.

"Chaos Control!"

Everything went black.

...

"... –okay?"

Sonic's head hurt. His ears flattened against his head, tuning out all noise as he tried to block out the pain. But just then, he heard somebody talking to him. Slowly, his ears lifted up.

"Hello? Ah, you're alive. You never cease to surprise me, blue hedgehog."

Sonic's eyes snapped open once he heard the voice. He was desperate to hear it again, begging that this wasn't a dream.

"Shadow?" he whispered, the figure holding him suddenly stopped, his face in the shadows.

"Who are you and how do you know my name?" he asked.

Sonic was confused. "I-it's me, Shads. Don't you remember? It's Sonic."

A light was turned on as Shadow shifted. He tilted his head in confusion. "Sonic? I'm afraid I don't know a Sonic."

Sonic was about to ask him where they were, when he remembered Tails. "Tails? Where is he?"

Shadow arched an eyebrow. "Are you talking about the kit?" he asked.

"Wha? Yeah, Tails. Where is he?"

Shadow smirked. "My friend absolutely loves him. She is taking care of him."

"Where are they?"

"They are in the other room trying to figure out how to make their nuclear stabilizer work."

" ... Well, good luck to them."

Shadow snorted and began to laugh at that. "That's what I said, though I do understand what they are working on," he looked down at Sonic with a small smile. "You guys really gave us a heart attack, just appearing out of nowhere. I nearly tripped and killed myself over you two when I was doing the obstacle course."

Sonic laughed, too.

"If you don't mind me asking... where did you two come from?" asked Shadow.

Sonic was going to sit up when he noticed he was in Shadow's lap. "Um, why...?"

Shadow rolled his eyes. "Every time I tried to put you down you'd just throw your arm out and grab me again. I gave up," he gave a childish smirk. "What? Have a crush on me? Sorry, I don't date fakers."

"I-! You-! Faker-!" he nearly shrieked.

Shadow laughed at this. "Ah, calm down. It was a joke!"

"Very funny," Sonic muttered dryly, his cheeks resembling a tomato.

Shadow frowned. "I didn't mean it. Sorry."

Sonic was partly touched by Shadow's apologies. Last week he would have rather skinned himself alive rather than even glance at Sonic. There was something wrong here.

Just then the door opened; his fox friend and a little girl joining the group.

The girl was wearing a soft blue dress and headband. She had shimmering golden blonde hair with sparkling sapphire eyes. Her smile nearly blinded Sonic, and she had to be only twelve.

"Hello!" she said. "Oh, you're awake! I was so worried, but little Miles here told me not to," she said, beaming.

Tails blushed as he smiled. "What can I say? Sonic dies hard."

Shadow tried not to roll his eyes. "Talking about hard... like your skull, Sonic?"

Sonic pouted. "Hey, what did I ever do to you?"

"You have turned me, The Ultimate Lifeform, into the Ultimate Stuffed Animal."

Sonic blushed in rage and wouldn't meet Shadow's eyes.

"Oh, Shadow, do be kinder to our guests," the young girl advised, making Shadow scoff mockingly.

Sonic looked at the little girl as she noogied Shadow curiously. "Um, who are you?"

The little girl stopped her actions to look at Sonic. She grinned. "My name is Maria. Maria Robotnik."

Maria, this is my promise... I made to you...

That was the last thing Sonic hears before the darkness consumes him.

I'm back! HAHA!

Shadow: Will you calm down, Roxie? You are making a fool of yourself.

So what? Sonic does that on a regular basis.

Shadow: ... I agree...

Sonic: Uh, guys? Yeah, I'm standing right here!

Oh. Hey Sonic! What's up? *screams as shoe hits her head, falling over* Ouch...

Sonic: *grumbles*

Shadow: You are such a child.

Sonic: So what if I am? In this story, I'm older than you, you know. Since I'm back to when you were a kid.

Shadow: Yes, but no matter what, I will always act older than you. You let your ego take control of your actions and... Hey, where'd he go?

Sonic: *posing in front of mirror* Yeah, I look AWESOME today! Who's that handsome blue devil?

Shadow: Sonic... this is a low, even for you... and that's saying something...

Sonic: AH! I was- uh –mirror –MONKEY!

Shadow: ... Monkey?

Sonic: *glares accusingly at Roxie*

What? This makes the story way funnier. What's a story without random blurt outs? LAMP! FORK! TEAM JACOB! (I honestly do not care for Twilight, just a word, people.)

Sonic: Um, she's starting to scare me. Can we leave, now?

Shadow: ... Let's go.

A/N: Hi guys! Roxie here. So this is the first Chapter of my Story. It'll probably be longer then any other story I've written, so be nice about this short chapter. And yes, Shadow is completely out of character, but that's only because this is referring back to when he was happy. He will probably be acting a bit like Sonic. Sonadow will come later, so hold on to your underwear!

Shadow: Underwear?

Hey, this is my story.