Misconception: Realization
Ch.6
Fang stood before the four guarding Sonic, one pistol pointed at the blue blur, the other by his side, a triumphant look on his face. Sonic glared at Fang from behind his friends and grimaced at the pain shooting up his leg. Fang didn’t notice that Shadow now stood behind him until he heard him say “hey, drop the guns.” Fang spun around to find himself face-to-face with Shadow, who, in one swift motion, grabbed both of Fang’s guns and pointed them at the assassin, who nervously grinned at the barrels of his weapons. With his eyes on his guns, Amy, Knuckles, Tails and Rouge moved around to better position themselves. Shadow glanced behind him and tossed the pistols towards the entrance, where Rouge now stood. She caught the guns and held them at her sides. Shadow glared at Fang “leave.” He nodded and slowly walked past Shadow. When he reached the entrance, Rouge handed him back his guns. “I’ve taken out the bullets,” she told him, “so you’re weaponless. Now go.”
As Fang left the store, Shadow’s eyes fell on Sonic lying on the bench with a wounded leg. The black hedgehog quickly advanced. Rouge began to say something, but a look from Shadow shut her up. As he continued to advance, Knuckles ran up but was sent flying into a wall where he fell unconscious. Rouge immediately ran to see if he was ok. As Shadow came closer and closer to Sonic, Amy ran towards him swinging her hammer. Too fast to see, Shadow grabbed the hammer by the handle and ripped it out of her hands. Amy’s eyes grew wide with fear and she backed up onto the bench with Sonic and hugged him. He hugged her back as Shadow came to a stop right in front of the bench…
“I’m sorry.”
Nothing but silence. He continued, “I’m sorry. For all that I’ve done. For hurting you, for falsely blaming you, for everything. My past has revealed itself, and I now realize I was wrong. I now know who was responsible for my past, and it’s none of you. I again apologize, and understand if you’ll never forgive me. I realize I’m probably not welcomed here anymore. I’ll leave here and you’ll never see me again. Farewell.” He took out his chaos emerald, and was about to activate it, when a small voice spoke up “I forgive you.” Shadow looked around the room and noticed Tails. “Everyone deserves a second chance,” the fox continued, “and so do you.” “I’m not one to hold a grudge; it makes a woman look ugly. So, I guess I’ll forgive you, too.” Rouge added, “although Knucks here probably won’t ever forgive you.” “Heh, shows what you know,” the echidna replied, “I forgive Shadow too.” “You’re just saying that-you don’t really mean it!” Rouge argued. As the two fought, Shadow looked at Sonic and Amy. Amy spoke up first “since you apologized for hurting Sonic, I’ll forgive you, seeing as you didn’t hurt him as bad as you could’ve.” Sonic smirked at Shadow “heh…live and learn, huh faker? Shadow smiled, which quickly became a smirk as he replied, “I am no faker, Sonic. If anyone is…it is you!” A second later, he had vanished in a bright light…
Shadow appeared on the ARK, in the very room where he and Maria had last been together. He still had the diary; he took it out and opened it to the last entry, which read
The ARK was shut down under the premise that there had been an accident. I found Maria's name among those who died when the ARK was shut down. She meant everything to me, and I couldn't bear the thought that she had died. Because of my research, I lost everything! I had nothing more to live for! I went insane! All I could think about was to avenge her, somehow, some way. I got scared as I could no longer control my thoughts. All I could think was I wanted it all to end. Based on my original projections, I was able to complete my project, Shadow. I designed it's mind to be perfect, pure.
Shadow smirked. Perfect? Hardly. Pure? No. I am as imperfect and impure as they come. Because of me, the world was almost destroyed, and countless people suffered. Because of me, Black Doom came to conquer the planet! I’ve never actually saved the world-I’ve only cleaned up messes that I was responsible for. He pictured Maria’s face, her smile, her last words “give them a chance to be happy…” Shadow clenched one fist around the chaos emerald in his hand. I will Maria. I promise. I was unable to avenge your death, and for that I am deeply sorry. However, I shall carry out your final wish. I will live for this planet-protecting it in your name. That is all I can do for you, nothing more. I am Shadow the Hedgehog! The ultimate life form! A project, a conspiracy, an avenger, a protector. I am Shadow and this is who I am!
~~~
6 months have passed since Shadow's excursion into his past. Sonic is now fully recovered and spends most of his time sprinting around the globe. Tails went back to his usual routine of tinkering in his lab. Rouge went out and robbed the jewlery store she had seen in the mall, and has yet to be caught. Knuckles went back to gaurd the Master Emerald. Amy spends time shopping and running after Sonic. Silver hasn't made an appearance since then. Basically-everything went back to normal.
The only difference is Shadow. He has stopped sulking about his forgotten memories and now spends time relaxing and enjoying his life. He'll cloud-watch, race with Sonic and spar with Knuckles from time-to-time, and he is usually found with a smile on his face. A smile that hasn't been seen for over 50 years.
