Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"I don't think we're going the right way, my navigator says we should be going north."

"You need to trust your feelings, mate!"

"I think we should ask for directions, Miss Marine."

"How are we suppose to find help in the middle of the ocean?!"

"Oh wow, is that a whale!"

"How did it end up like this..." says the black hedgehog as he sits in the middle of a fairly small wooden boat in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by four young islanders and a distressed peach echidna.

Earlier that day...

A lone black hedgehog is entering his small abode, taking off his jacket, sporting a GUN logo on the back. He then maneuvered to his couch, situated in the middle of his living space. Sitting down, the hedgehog, closing his eyes, rests for a bit after a long day of work. 

"Finally, some peace..." the hedgehog spoke quietly to himself.

Ring, ring, ring

The hedgehog opens his, with with a look of annoyance as he gets up to find his landline one the kitchen counter. He picks up the phone to see who is calling him this early in the morning.

"Hello, who is this?" the hedgehog says while trying to keep his composure.

"Hello, is this Shadow?"

"Tails?" the black was surprised to hear the voice of the fox boy, having never really interact that much with him before.

"Hi Shadow, I'm wondering if I can come visit you today at the GUN's headquarters?" Tails said with no hesitation.

It took a second for Shadow to realize what Tails asked for, "What? Why do you want to visit GUN?"

"I heard they're premiering a new type of aircraft engine in a military expo, and from the information I gathered, they only allow GUN workers or friends of GUN workers to visit, and I was wondering if you can take me with you." the young fox boy said with excitement over the prospect of new innovation in airplane technology.

It took a good minute for Shadow to process the words the young fox said, "Aren't you a master mechanic, why would you care what GUN invents?"

"While true that I am a genius of my craft, I do not have the resources GUN have, meaning some things I just can't make, and one of those things is that new engine."

"And why ask me? Doesn't Sonic have connections to GUN?"

"He was the first person I was going to ask, but seems like he's busy today, don't know why though."

"First person? Who else have you asked?"

"I asked Rouge, but seems like she's trying to steal the Master Emerald, again. And Omega seems to be on a mission right now."

Shadow knew that the two were indeed busy, knowing how they are.

"Sooooo, uh, will you go with me?" Tails asks.

He contemplated Tails' offer, which surprised the Shadow himself, since he would usually decline such an offer right away. But he rarely had anything to do besides his usually GUN work, so maybe having a relaxing day in that expo Tails was talking would be a nice change of pace.

"Fine, I'll take you, but under one condition," the hedgehog said with conviction.

The fox boy was to surprised that he would actually agree, "Really? Okay, so what do you want?"

"I want a boat."

"A boat?" Tails asked,  puzzled by the request.

"Is there a problem?"

"Uh, no, just found it funny that you of all people would ask for a boat," Tails regain some of his composure.

"Unlike Sonic, I don't mind the sea." the black hedgehog said with a smirk that was unseen by the fox boy on the other side of the call.

"Alright, I'll see what I can come up with when we get from the expo."

The hedgehog grin a bit to the prospect of owning a vessel of his own, "So, when is the expo?"

"In about eight hours from now, I'll come by on the Tornado at noon, can you give me clearance to land on GUN's airstrip?"

"I'll see what I can do, see you until then."

"Alright, see ya!" Tails replied with excitement.

Shadow hanged up the call, returning to his rest on his couch.

Ring, ring, ring

"Does he want something else?" he said to no one particular.

Shadow answers the phone yet again.

"Is there something else you want, Tails?" he asked, a bit annoyed.

"Huh? This is Vector," replied the caller.

"Hmm, what do you want?"

"Can you take care of Charmy and Cream for me? I'm going on a date with Vanilla,"

"What, can't you have Amy do that?" the hedgehog asks the crocodile.

"We tried, but seems like she's busy, and we asked our usually alternatives, but seems like they are also busy, and you're the only person available in short notice." Vector explained.

"Hmm, fine."

"Wait, you agreed that quickly?!" the crocodile said in a shocked tone.

"I'm already taking care of Tails for something else today, I can take care of Cream and Charmy as well, I am the ultimate lifeform, after all."

"You're a life saver, you know that, Shadow?"

"Please, just tell me when to pick the two up."

"Alright, come by at around noon."

"Understood, till then."

"Alright!"

Shadow hanged the phone up yet again.

"Finally, I can rest..."

Ring, ring, ring

The phone ringed yet again, not even enough time for Shadow to start walking back to his couch

"Yes, who is this?" The extremely impatient hedgehog asked.

"Hey Shadow, it's me, Blaze." the purple cat replied coldly.

"Hmm, why are you in our dimension?" Shadow asked suspiciously.

"I'm going on a date with Silver soon," Blaze replied.

"Okay, what does that have to do with me?"

"Marine wanted to come as well, and seems like she wanted to go to Tails' workshop to spend time with him, but when I called him, he said he will be coming to your residence soon, so he directed me to you as to inquiry you if you could perhaps keep an eye on Marine for me."

"Ugh, what's with people today and dropping off their kids onto me?" Shadow said in a small whisper.

"What was that?" the cat asked.

"Nothing," the exacerbated hedgehog replied.

"I see," Blaze said, "So will you be able to?"

"I guess, just tell me when to pick her up."

"No need to, she will be riding with Tails to your residence."

"Understood, goodbye"

"Till next time"

The hedgehog hanged the phone, hopefully for the last time.

Shadow knowing that today will be a long day, begins preparing some coffee beans to eat later today.

Chapter Text

A red echidna is laying next to a large green emerald, napping understand the sun. Not far from him is a bat girl hiding among the forest surrounding the Master Emerald. The bat girl is ever watching upon her goal.

Hmm, seems as if the knucklehead is napping a bit, guess he's out of luck today, Rouge thought to herself.

Before she could strike her target, she notices a noise coming nearby. Before she could locate the source of the noise, a large gust of wind flown by the bat, and before she knew it, the Master Emerald was gone from where it stood, and the lone echidna falling to the ground from the lack of support to his back.

"What the?" Knuckles said aloud.

He turned around to see the thing he spent the majority of his life protecting was missing. He looked around trying to find the culprit, only to see a bat girl walking out of the forest.

"You! Did you do this?" Knuckles said loudly to Rouge.

The bat girl put her hands up as to calm down the hard headed echidna, "Whoa there, I didn't steal your precious, but I did hear something before it was."

The echidna thought to himself. He already knew why she was here, to steal his emerald, but if Rouge did steal the Master Emerald, she would make a spectacle of it, and the fact it was stolen so quickly makes him doubt it was her.

"Hmm, I'll believe you, this time!" Knuckles said, with emphasis on "this time."

"If you want, I can help you locate it, but only so I can get it in the future," the bat girl said, holding out a hand to shake with Knuckles.

Seeing as she was also a skilled treasure hunter like him, the red echidna put forth his hand as to shake with the bat girl, "This will only be temporary."

"Understood," Rouge said with a grin.

A black HMMWV, sporting a GUN logo on its front, is driving through Station Square, maneuvering across the streets. Making way, the truck slows down to a parking lot. Parking on an available spot, a black hedgehog exits the truck.

He walks to a nearby building, walking into the lobby. He goes to the front desk.

"Hello, can I have the room number of one Vanilla T. Rabbit?" the hedgehog said to the attendant.

"Give me a sec," the attendant said as she press a button on a landline, "Hello Ms. Rabbit, one, hold on a sec, who are you sir?"

"Shadow the Hedgehog."

"A Shadow the Hedgehog is here to see you," she said to the phone, "alright." She hanged the phone, "She's in room 487, floor 8."

"Hmph." Shadow replied as he left to the elevator.

He waited in the elevator, listening to some random pop song playing in there. He reached floor 8 and soon departed the elevator. He came to a stop to room 487 and knocked the door.

The door opened to a rabbit woman, wearing a long red dress. "Shadow, glad you came," Vanilla said.

"No problem, I merely hope you and Vector will have a pleasant date." Shadow said as he enter the apartment, "so where are Cream and Charmy?"

"Oh, they're in the living room playing with Cheese, would you like something to drink?"

"No thank you."

The two walked into the living room, wherein two young islanders were playing around with a chao.

"Cream, Cheese, Shadow is is here," the rabbit woman said.

"Mr. Shadow!" Cream the Rabbit said.

"Shadow!" Charmy Bee yelled.

"Chao!"  Cheese yelped.

"Cream, Charmy, Cheese," Shadow replied.

The three stood up and ran towards the black hedgehog.

"Well, I'll be off with them now," Shadow said to Vanilla.

"Really, thank you so much."

"I have one question before I go," Shadow's demeanor changed, "Can you please tell why you couldn't ask either Amy or Sonic?"

"Oh, seems like Sonic is visiting his family, and Amy seem to have followed him."

"Hmm," the hedgehog thought to himself.

I doubt it's just that, might need to question Tails about this.

"Well, off I go, goodbye."

"Till next time," the rabbit woman replied softly.

"Wow Shadow, I didn't know you owned a truck," the young bee said surprised.

"It's GUN issued, but I rarely use it since I can just Chaos Control to my destinations," Shadow answered to Charmy.

"Mr. Shadow, how long until we reach GUN hq?"

"In about few minutes, Cream. We need to stop by the GUN airstrip to pick up Tails and Marine."

The truck travels to Station Square's airport, entering into an alternative entrance that leads to the GUN airstrip. Upon their arrival, they are checked by a guard and are let in, upon which they enter a hanger to find none other the Tornado 4. Two islanders are seen exiting the aircraft, one being a raccoon girl and the other being a two tailed fox boy.

"Hey Shadow!" said the fox boy.

"Hello."

"Hi everyone!" said the raccoon girl.

"Hello Tails and Marine, hopefully your ride here was pleasant," said the polite rabbit girl.

"Hi!" said the ever energetic bee.

"Chao!"

"Well, let's get going," said Shadow.

"Alright!" the kids said in unison.

The six of them all went back to the truck, Tails sitting in the front passenger seat, as Shadow asked him to. The three islanders in the back all talked among themselves as Shadow started questioning Tails.

"So tell me Tails, where is Sonic and Amy?"

"Sonic told me he was visiting his family in Christmas Island, I honestly never knew he had any family members."

"Hmm, so what about Amy?"

"Seems like she followed him, but it felt different from her usual chases, they both seemed very serious about going there, I'm thinking about asking about it when they get back."

"I see, I might have to ask as well."

"Why are you so interested?"

"Something doesn't feel right, is all."

"Whatever you say."

The rest of the ride was quite uneventful, at least, if you can consider the usual chatter of some of the most adventurous kids on Earth to be uneventful. Many talks about the many places each kid has visited since they have last talked with each other. Tails talked about his journey on the Starfall Islands, and the many secrets he discovered, such as the origin of the Chaos Emeralds, and an AI Eggman invented named Sage. Shadow was particularly interested with the Chaos Emeralds part of the discussion, since he was the one to first discover the disappearance of the Chaos Emeralds since he lost his own a while back. He has since had it returned when Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Knuckles returned from their adventure.

"So these ancient aliens made the Chaos Emeralds?" Shadow inquired towards Tails, "So then where do the Black Arms fit into this?"

"That, I do not know, my main theory is that the Black Arms may have been descendants of the Ancients, similar to the chao and Chaos."

"So does that mean Mr. Shadow is part chao?" Cream asked innocently with Cheese looking just as puzzled as the rabbit girl.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Marine and Charmy laughed in unison.

"..." the black hedgehog kept his stoic look as to remain calm.

"No, I believe the Black Arms may have been exiles of the Ancients before they arrived to Earth, maybe that's why they could use such powers like Chaos Control."

"Interesting," Shadow replied.