Spirits in Shadows:

By Kellie Fay

Spirits dwell within the home of Shadow the Hedgehog, but he needs his spirit housemate when Sonic's soul hangs between the world of the living and the dead.

Disclaimer: Sonic and Co belongs to SEGA, 4Kids and whoever else owns them not me.

Thanks to everyone over the last few weeks who sent reviews. I love to know what my readers are thinking. If you were waiting for the end to review, this is it!

Epilogue

Three months later

A sharp and persistent pain lanced through Shadow's mind causing him to drop the delicate mechanics of the music box he tried to assemble on the table. Maria's old turning Earth Music box resided in her special room within Shadow's home, but Shadow thought a matching one of Mobius would be nice, so with a few contacts of Tails and Sonic had he had acquired the parts to assemble a music box with a popular tune that Amy hummed, and a small crystal globe resembling the planet Mobius.

Long familiar with this particular pain Shadow went into Maria's room, and opened the window where Cosmo's little Star Trees grew. "What?" He demanded.

Cosmo still had difficulty speaking with words. Instead images came to Shadow of Sonic and Tails battling Egg-Pawns. Along with the image, Shadow sensed that this was about fifty miles away to the south east.

Egg-Pawns? Why in the world is Eggman attacking Sonic? Ever since Sonic and Shadow got themselves poisoned months ago Eggman had been very well behaved. Eventually when Shadow found them, he returned the two chaos emeralds to the doctor. Doctor Egg-man asked some questions about Sonic and the antitoxins then, but he didn't act very interested, other than his natural scientific curiosity. Since then nobody, not even Rouge or Knuckles, heard anything from the human.

Shadow raced through his front door off to Sonic's location. He found them in the Hilltop Zone with two hundred Egg-Pawns surrounding them, and the parts for at least three hundred more scattered about. Ten of the robots began to advance on Sonic and Tails. Sonic looked fine, if not a little winded. Logically Shadow knew that Sonic could take care of ten Egg-Pawns, but he still worried about him, so he put himself between Sonic, Tails, and the robots, and in a single move wiped out all ten of them. He paused in front of Sonic glaring a challenge at the remaining Egg-Pawns. "What did you do to tick the Doctor off this badly Sonic?" Shadow asked. Not that he cared why they started fighting again, he was merely curious.

"Hey I was just checking out a rumor that someone was drilling for minerals out here, and BAM! I'm surrounded by tinheads." Sonic shot back.

Possibly a reason for The Doctor to attack, but two hundred plus? Shadow sighed and chose his side. If Sonic was simply doing reconnaissance then The Doctor had no real reason to attack. "All right then," Shadow said all business. Let's take care of this.

Between Shadow and Sonic the pair easily took care of all the machines. Looking down at the wreckage and debris Sonic asked. "Do you think that's all of them?"

"I would certainly hope so," Shadow told him. Something didn't feel right about this. "Aside of the robots did you see any sign of Doctor Egg-man?"

"No not really," Sonic said puzzled, "didn't even find the mine." Then he saw Shadow's expression. "Uh oh, why do I get the feeling all those strategy wheels in your head are spinning?"

"It wouldn't make sense for him to attack if you didn't even see signs of him being here," Shadow told him. "He would have let you know he was present, his ego wouldn't allow him to simply hide, but even that would make more sense than to attack."

Just then Tails called out pointing up in the sky. "Shadow, Sonic, there's more of them!"

Both Hedgehogs looked up to see dozens of a new type of robot. They were tiny and swarmed both hedgehogs like insects. Shadow managed to chase the bunch off of him with a small controlled chaos blast. Then he helped Sonic pull the others off of him, but not before Sonic yelped out "Yeow! It bit me!" Shadow pulled off the remaining robots, but before he could destroy them, they all retreated. Shadow looked after the retreating robots worried. Egg man had something in mind when he sent out this attack, but Shadow couldn't figure out what.

"Sonic, your bleeding." Tails said worried.

"Yeah," Sonic grasped the fleshy part of his arm. "That last robot really took a chunk out of me."

Shadow couldn't shake the feeling that The Doctor just got what he wanted, but Sonic's injury took priority. He pulled out his current Chaos Emerald, not his favored red one, but the white one. The red had yet to be found. With a quick, "Chaos Control!" Shadow transported the three of them to his home. Tails instantly asked "Shadow where do you get water?"

"The well is ten yards from the back of the house," Shadow said. He went through his First Aid supplies for bandages, and came back to Sonic. Tails returned with the water, and began to heat it. Only then did Shadow try to look at Sonic's wound.

"Ow! Shadow!"

"Hold still you big baby, let me see."

"Ow! That stings!"

"Sonic let me clean it out! Hold still!"

Fortunately Shadow, stronger than Sonic, could hold him still while he cleaned the wound. The moment Shadow saw the cleaned wound Shadow's blood ran cold. A perfect round hole, the size of a peanut, bled freely. Shadow knew he saw wounds like that before, only they were not wounds. When Professor Gerald would take DNA samples from his specimens, they had wounds like that.

Shadow felt his temper stirring, but he kept his outward manner calm. He cleaned the wound, and then used a salve to sooth the wound and act as an antibiotic, finally he bandaged it. Sonic looked at Shadow's handiwork, and smiled. "Thanks Shadow." Then Sonic paused and took a good look at Shadow. "I'm sorry you had to come rescue me-" Sonic began. Shadow didn't know what he was talking about at first, until he realized that his quills arched high over his head, a sure sign he was angry.

"I'm not mad at you," Shadow said trying to calm himself down. "It's something else that I have to take care of later."

Fortunately Shadow knew the best way to distract and calm Sonic he fed him, and then left the door to Maria's room open. Sonic, with a full stomach, got very comfortable, and drowsy. Both he and Tails fell asleep, allowing Shadow to go out to pay the Doctor a visit.

Considering what The Doctor did Shadow didn't waste time being nice. He blew open each door until he found The Doctor in the lab looking at the data from his analyzer. "Give it back." Shadow demanded.

"Are you going to pay for those doors, Shadow?" Doctor Eggman asked calmly.

"Give it back!" Shadow repeated, raising his voice.

"Why whatever are you talking about Shadow?" Eggman asked feigning innocence.

Shadow was not going to play this game. "The core sample you stole from Sonic! Give it back right now, and I might not tell Sonic what you stole from him."

Now Eggman gave up pretending to be innocent. "Just because he got a little scratched up, you think this is some diabolical plan to get Sonic's DNA?"

"Do you think I'm stupid? That I forgot about the Shadow Androids?" Shadow demanded. He began to seek out the chaos energy in the base hoping to gather enough to level the place. "I know what a core sample looks like. I've seen the Professor take them hundreds of times. Now you're going to give me Sonic's sample back, or so help me there is going to be a smoking crater where this base is."

"Don't you want to know why I took the sample?" Eggman asked.

Shadow glared at The Doctor. "No," he said flatly. Eggman didn't look worried enough; so Shadow removed one of his inhibitor rings.

Now Eggman looked worried. "Now wait let's be reasonable Shadow."

"Give me the sample," Shadow said still angry.

"Don't you want to know what I found out?" Eggman pleaded.

Shadow simply smiled and clicked off his second inhibitor ring.

"Hang on Shadow," A new voice said. Both Shadow and Eggman turned to see Sonic leaning against the doorway that Shadow had blown through a moment ago, grinning at both of them. "Did you really think your guardian angel was going to let you go off on your own here when she knew you were angry?"

Shadow glared at Eggman, "That last robot that bit you took a sample of your DNA. That was the whole reason for the attack."

Now Sonic looked at Doctor Eggman his own spines raised. "And why did you do that?" he asked.

Egg-man gave a glance at Shadow. Shadow folded his arms over his chest and simply stared back at the human. Shadow was more than willing to blow the place sky high right now, but he didn't want to hurt Sonic, and the sample belonged to Sonic. This was his game now.

"Well you do know that Shadow used his antitoxins on you to counteract the poison." Eggman began.

"Yeah," Sonic said. "Shadow told me. Don't understand half of it though."

Eggman grunted, not surprised that Sonic didn't understand. "Shadow's antitoxins protect you the same way a vaccine does, just after the fact, but Shadow's antitoxins only work on creatures who share DNA with him."

"That's old news Doc," Sonic said with a smirk. "Cobbler told Shadow long ago that he belonged here, and he told me about Specimen X. You thought he wouldn't?"

Doctor Eggman looked a bit surprised. "Perhaps he told you, but he kept me in the dark about several things. "I merely wanted to see if Shadow was correct in that he had three DNA bases rather than two. I was rather surprised when he told me the antitoxins worked."

"I wasn't," Shadow said firmly still glaring daggers at Doctor Eggman. "I had some reliable information that my Antitoxins would work fine. You didn't have to take Sonic's DNA!"

Eggman glared down at Shadow, and the dark Hedgehog had to wonder if he didn't just insult him. "Well I happened to be a scientist, and I don't rely on hearsay and hocus-pocus. I wanted to see exactly what was going on in your DNA Shadow."

"So what's that got to do with me?" Sonic asked. That much Shadow understood.

"Comparison," he said with a sigh. He couldn't fault The Doctor's motives, but he still didn't like his style. "With what he knew about my earth source DNA all he would he need is a sample of Mobian hedgehog to figure out exactly how much of me is Mobian, Earth, and...and Black Arms."

Eggman raised an eyebrow. "We'll if that's what's worrying you, it's slightly more than a third."

Only a third? Shadow thought. "You have the results?" Shadow asked wanting, but fearing to ask.

"Oh so you're interested now?" Egg-man said with a grin. He twisted his fiery red mustache like a perfect cliché villain.

"Hey don't play games," Sonic said sharply. He rubbed his bandaged arm. "You took a chunk out of me to find out this stuff, the least you could do is tell us."

Eggman simply chuckled. He moved over to a desk, and picked up a piece of paper. He tossed it to Shadow who almost feared to look at it. Sonic moved instantly to Shadow's side, and read over his shoulder. When Sonic began to chuckle, Shadow couldn't resist to glance at the paper in his hand. The top of the page had a bunch of data that Shadow knew he would have to read more carefully, but on the bottom he saw the title "DNA Percentage", and Shadow read.

22 % African Pygmy Hedgehog: Planet Earth

35% Unknown (Possibly Black Doom)

45% Sonic Match: Planet Möbius.

"Looks like you're mostly me," Sonic said stifling more laughter.

In a combination of elation and annoyance Shadow thwapped Sonic on the forehead with his finger. "That is not funny!" He said only letting the annoyance shine through.

So you say, but I hear you laughing, Shadow, or at least cheering. Sonic couldn't help but tease him using thought energy.

Even Eggman smiled at his reaction. "I trust you're satisfied with my research?"

Now Shadow looked back at the doctor, and remembered why he had grown angry in the first place. "Satisfied," Shadow said still with a slight edge to his voice, "but I still want the sample." When the doctor looked at him confused he said. "I know you, and I remember what you did when you had access to my DNA. I want the sample!"

Doctor Eggman sighed, and with only a slight grumble moved to the wall. He pressed a button, and a small panel opened showing a small vile with a mass of blood and flesh within. "Here," he said tossing the vial over to Shadow. Shadow easily caught it one handed. He handed Sonic his DNA report then using a tiny amount of Chaos energy disintegrated the sample vial and all.

Sonic jumped back a bit startled, but The Doctor didn't seem surprised. "So help you if either one of us sees an android or a clone that looks like either one of us." Shadow said. He must have been projecting again because Sonic gave him the oddest of looks, but he ignored his blue reflection in favor of giving his full attention to the Doctor making sure he understood the warning.

Doctor Eggman nodded once. Nodding himself Shadow picked up and put on his inhibitor rings. Then he turned around and ran out of the base the way he came in. Behind him, he still heard Sonic give the Doctor a parting shot. "Piece of advice Doc, don't tick off Shadow. He has a nasty temper." with that Sonic raced to shorten the lead Shadow had, and he slowed slightly to let Sonic catch up, then the two accelerated for an easy 300mph cruise.

You should have told me, I would have come with you, Sonic said into Shadow's mind. This was far easier than trying to talk at the speeds they were running.

I did not wish to concern you. I could have handled this fine on my own. Shadow sent back a little annoyed. Did Sonic think he couldn't handle Doctor Eggman?

Of course you could, Sonic answered. Shadow flushed a little. He still projected loud enough for Sonic to hear even if he didn't mean to. Sonic meanwhile continued sending, it's just that it was my DNA he stole, and I would have liked to come along.

Shadow gave the mental equivalent of a shrug. Sonic had been injured once already today. He would have told him after he destroyed the sample.

It's just a little chunk out of my arm I'm fine, Sonic thought the after a moment of quiet thinking added, do you really think he would have tried to make a clone or android of me?

He made Metal Sonic, Shadow reminded him, and he did make all those Shadow androids during the Black Arms invasion. He may have saved me after the Biolizard, but I do not trust him with anyone's DNA especially ours.

But you trusted him enough to get the antitoxins from your blood, Sonic reminded him.

That was different; Shadow explained, your life was in danger. Once I knew my antitoxins would work, I knew I had to try.

They stopped short outside Shadow"s home. "And I appreciated it Shadow," Sonic said out loud. "You saved my life, and I'm not going to forget that." he pulled out the DNA report, and looked at it again not really reading it. "You know this piece of paper Eggman gave you doesn't mean anything really. I've always thought of you as one of us."

Maybe Sonic did, but Shadow never truly felt part of the group. He still didn't. "I know," Shadow said.

"So are we going to keep this between us, or are you going to tell the others?" Sonic asked.

Shadow shook his head. "I don't want to keep it a secret. Besides I've seen how hard it is to keep secrets from this group."

Sonic laughed. "You don't know the half of it pal. Hey I've got an idea your birthday is coming up next week right?"

"I was technically never born, Maria always called it my day of awakening." suddenly Shadow snapped around to stare at Sonic hard. "How did you know that?"

"I dunno," Sonic said with a shrug, then more confused. "I'm right though? Next week is your birth- uh whatever you called it?"

"Day of Awakening," Shadow repeated equally confused. "And yes it is. What was your idea?"

"We should hold a big party at Tails' place, he's got more room than me, that way you could tell everyone at once, and they'll think of it as a celebration, and not something to worry about."

"A small party," Shadow amended, "no loud music, no stupid games, just the bunch of us getting together to talk and eat." He would have preferred to say no party at all, but he knew Sonic well enough to know if he did say no, his blue reflection would just plan one anyway. At least by saying yes, I will have a say in what happens.

"Yeah yeah yeah," Sonic agreed not really listening. Shadow sighed wondering how much he was going to have to reign Sonic in on these plans. "Let me just grab Tails, and well figure it all out." Sonic opened the door to Shadow's home to find Tails just waking up.

"Where did you two run off to?" The little kitsune asked.

Sonic grinned. "Shadow had an errand to run," he said smoothly handing Shadow back the report from the Doctor. "Come on its getting late we should go."

Tails, nobody's fool, looked to Shadow for confirmation.

"Sonic will tell you about it later," Shadow said gently. "Just look after that idiot, I don't want to go saving his blue behind again this week."

Tails laughed. "Sure thing Shadow." with that the little fox kit, and Sonic ran off in the direction of the village."

Shadow breathed out a deep sigh, and went back to his new project. He knew he was going to have to allow the party to happen, and it was the most efficient way to tell everyone about the DNA report, but he knew he would have to tolerate a lot of pointless congratulations, stupid gifts, and slaps on the back.

And if Knuckles tries to give me birthday punches I'm going to launch him over that floating island of his.

And how did Sonic know about my Day of Awakening anyway?

Shadow shook his head, and slipped another gear into place. Sonic started doing stuff like that ever since he recovered from the poison. He just knew things about Shadow now that he knew he never told Sonic.

Did it matter? Shadow wondered. No, he decided. Sonic is loud, cocky, occasionally obnoxious, and way too much of a busy body, but oddly enough he is still a good friend. He would never betray a confidence, and he always seems to know what I need before I do.

Shadow finished putting together the mechanics for the music box, and wound it up to see if it worked. Amy's favorite tune tinkled out of the mechanics perfectly. I'm glad I was able to save Sonic's life. We're both connected in a way that neither one of us really understands yet. I'll bet that old witch Cobbler knows. It doesn't matter though. We have plenty of time to figure it out. For no reason at all Shadow found himself staring at the door to Maria's room. She would have loved the idea of a party for him. Shadow blinked, shook his head out, and bent back down to his work closing up the mechanics in a crystal box, and affixing the crystal globe of Möbius on top. You know when I go to that party of Sonic's I think I'll wear Maria's locket. She keeps telling me in my dreams to enjoy life; maybe I can help her enjoy her afterlife.

Well that's all folks feedback is appreciated and desired.