Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter One: From the Shadows

G.U.N. Base: ARK
54 years ago…

He stood in the green glow of the tank, observing the creature inside intently. They had never seen anything like this on Earth. The discovery would be astronomical, but they couldn’t release any data on the lifeform yet. He rubbed his chin in thought, walking around the chamber. The creature inside didn’t move. Despite its occasional twitches, it was unconscious and heavily sedated. They didn’t want to take any chances. 

When he’d been called in to work on what they said was an alien lifeform, he hadn’t expected a living, breathing thing. He’d been expecting some sort of single-celled organism, not some strange beast. He walked around the observation platform surrounding the containment tube. They’d hooked the creature up to EKGs and other devices that monitored its vitals. He stopped and narrowed his eyes at the creature in the tank. What are you?

“Professor Robotnik!” 

He flinched at the loud voice that called his name. A young intern came running into the room, gasping for breath. He may have been a genius, but the boy was far too eager for Gerald’s liking. “What is it, Tower?” he asked, scrutinizing the boy. 

He straightened up and saluted. Despite his young age, the boy’s hair was already gray. “They’re bringing something in from the landing site, sir.” 

Gerald narrowed his eyes. “Another meteor?” he asked, hurrying towards the door. 

Tower hurried after him. “No, sir. Something else.” 

Gerald moved quickly through the labs until he came to a clean room. The room had been set up hastily and scientists buzzed around, waiting for their chance to see it. Gerald pushed his way through and the rest parted for him to step forward. “What is it?” he asked. 

An older scientist stepped out of the clean room, shooing away the vultures that craned their necks to get a glimpse of the thing. “It looks like another lifeform, sir,” the older scientist said. She motioned him inside and he hurried to follow her. His breath caught at what he saw. On a table was another, smaller containment tube and inside was a writhing thing. It was a pulsating purple blob with horns and one eye in the middle of its body. The eye darted back and forth, seemingly checks its surroundings. Gerald stepped forward and It convulsed as he approached. 

“Is this somehow connected to the thing in the other chamber?” he asked. The creature in the tube reacted to his voice. The eye darted to look at him and he had a sinking feeling that it was watching them. How intelligent is this beast?

“We don’t know, sir…” the woman said. Gerald clenched his fist, staring down at the writhing mass in the cylindrical tank. .

He kept his gaze locked with the singular yellow eye. It had a large, wide pupil that was as red as blood and a cat-like slit in the center. It was watching him. A shiver went down his spine.  “Contain it and prepare to transport it to another site,” Gerald snapped, tearing his gaze from the eye.. 

“Sir?” the woman protested. 

Gerald shook his head, silencing her. “We cannot have this thing and the other lifeform in the same location. It’s best we separate them for everyone’s safety.” For Maria’s safety… He didn’t want her there at all. He’d tried finding another place for her to live while he was on this assignment, but she had nowhere to go. It had been a clearance nightmare to even get permission for her to be on the base, and when he’d seen what they were working with… He shook his head. 

The woman looked to want to protest further, but she saluted instead. “Of course, sir…” she said quietly. 

Gerald turned to the younger scientist in the room. Two birds, one stone. “Tower! I need you to go with it. I’m putting you in charge of this thing.” 

Tower smiled widely and nodded, saluting. “Yes, sir! It would be an honor, sir!” 

G.U.N. Black Site: Sanctuary
Present Day… 

Abraham Tower stared at the lifeform floating in stasis. He was an old man now. His hair, unlike in his youth, had turned from gray to white and his heterochromic eyes had gone dull with time and age. The lifeform had grown. It was a far cry from that thing they’d pulled from the crash site. It was determined that the “leech” form was its larva stage, and they had watched it grow with great interest. Over the years, it had grown into some sort of bipedal beast. It was mostly pale purple in coloration, with a white "muzzle", yellow teeth, and red accents along its head, arms and legs It had a black-colored sclerae that featured glowing amber-like gold irises and thin, serrated black pupils. A long and slender tail, with a red accented arrowhead-like tip, floated lazily in the tank, giving it a devilish appearance. A pair of spikes protruded on its arms, with a single small spike on the back of his legs, three fingered hands, two-toed feet, a pair of small "quills" on the back of his shoulders and a spiked red "mantle" on top of its shoulders

The amber eyes stared at him through the green liquid. The monster always creeped him out. The way it stared at him through the glass… like it was biding its time. Tower met its gaze and it twitched but didn’t struggle. It never struggled. It floated in its pod, watching.

Always watching.

“General Tower?”

He flinched and turned towards the woman walking into the room. “Yes, Topaz?” 

“Should we prepare it for surgery, sir?”

Tower frowned. Despite its alien nature, the creature had given them so much as far as scientific discoveries. Its blood had been used in many medical advancements and its biology had helped them create not only more advanced medical techniques, but better weapons. They’d dissected it time and again. Destroyed and rebuilt it. He knew everything about the beast… except how it thought. 

He closed his fists tightly, staring at the dark creature within. 

“Not yet,” he said quietly. 

Suddenly, the creature’s head snapped towards him, staring at him with the same cold, golden eyes. Tower met the creature’s gaze, cocking his head. It had never moved with such intent before. He stepped towards the chamber only for the lifeform inside to start thrashing, banging on the glass. He turned to Topaz and without a word, she ran, pressing the alarm as the monster broke through the glass. 

Green rushed forward and the beast inside dropped to one knee, gasping for air. Tower opened fire on the monster, but the bullets dropped harmlessly on the ground. It rushed forward, grabbing the old man by the throat and hurling him across the room. He hit with a powerful bang and all he saw was white. 

And then he saw nothing at all…

Green Hill, Montana
2 weeks later…

Sonic walked down the streets of the small town, greeting passers-by with a smile as he went. It was nice not having to hide anymore. After the very public events of the Eclipse Canon Incident, hiding was no longer an option. Of course, some people didn’t believe they were real; as was normal. G.U.N’s part in the whole incident was left out of most of the reporting, though some theorized that they were secretly behind the whole thing; even the so-called “aliens” that appeared in some grainy camera footage from Tokyo. It was interesting how people tried to rationalize something so far out of their comfort zones. Their role in saving the planet was minimized with the governments of the world praising the Guardian Unit of Nations for their swift action. Even claiming Ivo Robotnik as a trusted member of their team. 

All of this rewriting of history worked in Sonic and his family’s favor, however. No one came looking for the colorful aliens that saved the world, and Green Hills remained the peaceful, calm town it had always been. They got to go to school and walk around town without needing to hide. Their lives were normal. As long as they didn’t leave the town without letting their handlers know first.

Sonic paused his walk, looking up at the sky with a frown. The only problem with how the story was told was that Shadow’s involvement was completely erased. They wouldn’t have a home without his sacrifice, yet there were no memorials. Nothing to commemorate him. As far as Sonic knew, Shadow’s entire existence had been wiped from all records. He wasn’t just dead, he was completely unpersoned. If it weren’t for them, there would be no one to appreciate what he’d done. 

Sonic kicked a rock down the street until the sound of a police car whooped his attention back to the present. “Hey, kiddo,” Tom greeted. “Aren’t you supposed to be in school?”

“It’s a half-day,” Sonic said. 

“It’s nine am, and no it’s not,” Tom returned, leaning out the car window. “What’s wrong?” 

Sonic’s frown deepened. “It’s just… Shouldn’t today be some sort of worldwide holiday or something? The world was seconds away from ending a year ago and everyone’s acting like it didn’t happen.”

Tom nodded. “I see…” He parked the car and stepped out. “For most people, it didn’t happen,” he offered as he walked up to the other. “It was a normal day. Sometimes the worst day of your life is just another day to someone else.”

“But it was almost the worst day of everyone’s life!” Sonic protested. 

Tom smiled warmly down at him. “Let’s go get something to eat, alright?” 

Sonic scoffed, but nodded, following Tom down the street to a small cafe. They were greeted with smiles and Tom ordered himself a donut and a coffee, and Sonic got himself a fritter before sitting down at a small table. 

“Almost doesn’t mean it happened,” Tom explained gently through sips of coffee. “Yes, it was bad, but that doesn’t mean we have to stop our lives every time something bad almost happens.”

Sonic looked down at the fritter. “I guess, but…” He sighed. “Shouldn’t we do something, at least? If the world isn’t going to remember him, we should. Right?”

Tom was quiet for a moment before he nodded in understanding. “This isn’t about the world ending, is it? It’s about Shadow…”

“He’s dead,” Sonic confirmed. “And no one cares.”

“You care,” Tom pointed out. He offered a kind smile. “And that means something, doesn’t it?” 

Sonic looked away. “It doesn’t feel good enough! He sacrificed himself… for everyone… Even when he believed that this world isn’t worth saving. And they repaid him by scrubbing his name from their records and letting his legacy die with him.”

“He didn’t do it for the honor,” Tom tried to reason. “He did it for her. Everything he did was because of her. And we have to believe that wherever he is, that it is enough.”

Sonic took a bite of the pastry, but it was flavorless in his mouth. He tried to find comfort in the words, but he couldn’t seem to. It wasn’t fair… and they were pretending that it was. 

“Sonic, I…” Tom trailed off, turning to the window outside. The lights began to dim; like a storm was rolling in. Sonic followed his gaze. Dark clouds were indeed gathering, but they were moving unnaturally fast and they were the crimson color of a sunset. Except it was morning. 

Tom hurried outside and Sonic ran after him, both looking up at the cloud cover as it blotted out the blue sky above. “What’s happening…?” 

Sonic shook his head. “I don’t know.” But he had a feeling it was going to be his job to find out.

Location Undisclosed…

The air was hot and arid, and the wind kicked up small dust devils as he walked through the streets of the village, eyes scanning the early morning shadows. The breeze played on the black cloak he wore, revealing the slate gray tunic and loose-fitting pants beneath. The strings on the front of the tunic weren't tied, revealing the white patch of fur on his chest. 

It was a particularly dry season this year and the village, blessed by some measure, was able to produce more crops than their neighbors; but still barely enough to feed their own people. They gave what they could, but had to keep the rest; which made them a target for bandits. A sound resonated behind him. His ears shot up and he whipped around, poised for a fight, only to pause when he realized that the noise was a cat scurrying over the trash cans in the alleyway. 

He chuckled to himself. 

After the Eclipse Canon incident, he hadn’t known what to do with himself. He'd thought about finding the others. Maybe he could try and make a name for himself. But he didn’t feel he had the right to impose. He’d caused the mess and while he’d almost died trying to fix it, he still felt he didn’t belong with the others. 

He didn't view himself as a hero.

So he vanished. He woke up after his fall to Earth and left without a trace, disappearing into the world. He roamed for a while, picking up small jobs here and there. He’d find someplace that needed protecting, or a traveler who needed an escort. A city with a problem that needed solving. That was how he ended up in the small village somewhere in the desert, performing the role of silent protector. 

He paused his patrol again as a particularly cold breeze blew through the deserted street. The chill moved over his spine and he shivered slightly. But the chill wasn’t just from the sudden drop in temperature. His quills glowed slightly and his fur stood on end. Something was out there… calling him.

He looked to the sky as streaks of light began to light it up. 

Look, Shadow! Shooting stars…! 

Maria’s voice echoed in his mind and he closed his fists, watching the shower as it lit up the world around him. It would be beautiful if it weren’t for the fact that they were going to hit Earth. The ground began to shake as the rocks fell, impacting the world around him. Houses went up in flames as Shadow ran forward, dodging the meteor shower. 

“What the Hell?” he snapped, jumping out of the way of a particularly large one. He withstood the shockwave and narrowed his eyes at the large rock. It started to crack. Shadow took a step back as a clawed hand burst through the stone.

A hulking black and red creature burst through the rock and stood for a moment, growling and panting. Its golden eyes landed on Shadow and he prepared for an attack.

But the attack never came. The creature instead bowed its head and lowered itself to one knee before him.

Shadow blinked and took a step back, only to find even more red and black creatures all with their heads bowed in subjugation. Beyond the monsters from the sky, he saw the humans he had come to protect. 

They were watching with eyes widened in terror. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Two: As We Know It…

“Meteor showers all across the globe continue to baffle scientists as the rocks reveal strange black and red creatures. It is unknown whether these creatures are hostile, but citizens are recommended to stay indoors and off the roads to keep them clear for emergency vehicles...” The newscast droned on in the background, detailing the events of the past few hours. Tails sat glued to the TV with Knuckles beside him. 

“You don’t have to go!” Maddie pleaded, following Tom through the house as he gathered his equipment. 

“I am emergency services,” he argued, holstering his weapon to his belt. “Besides… if it’s aliens, we’re kind of the leading experts on extraterrestrials.” He stepped into the front hallway where their colorful bunch stood waiting and ready. He paused, looking over at the living room where they had just been. “No. Not at all,” he said, shooing the trio away from the door. “You’re going to let the adults handle this!” 

“But–!” Tails protested. 

“But nothing!” Tom snapped, pushing through the group. “You three are staying here and I-” He opened the door and froze. 

An old man stood on the doorway. His arm was in a sling and he looked to be healing from some sort of accident. He wore a GUN uniform and he tipped his hat in greeting. “Thomas Wackowski?” 

Tom blinked. “Who’s asking…?” he said, quickly moving his hand behind his back to shoo the others away. The last thing he needed was GUN taking his kids and trying to blame this whole mess on them. Maddie hurriedly got the trio out of the hallway and into the living room. He heard the volume of the TV diminish. 

The man held out a hand. “I am General Abraham Tower, and I was in charge of Project Eclipse at GUN. Fifteen days ago, our main specimen escaped.” 

Tom narrowed his eyes. He didn’t like where this was going. “What does that have to do with us?” he asked, moving more in the doorway to block the man from entering.

“I am here to request the aid of your aliens,” Tower said sternly. 

Tom crossed his arms. “They aren’t my aliens and they can’t come out to play. Now, if you’ll excuse me, if you haven’t noticed, there’s some sort of emergency happening out there and I’m–”

“This is not optional.” Tower said sternly. 

“Then it’s not a request,” Tom responded. He leaned against the doorframe. “Don’t you think they would be better off helping with whatever is happening?” 

“This is more important.” 

“Than an alien invasion?” Tom asked. 

Tower nodded. “Yes. You don’t understand. The specimen that escaped is extremely dangerous, and we think it is connected to whatever’s happening out there. Their expertise in this field will prove invaluable.” He paused and tried to look past Tom into the house. “However, this is a stealth mission and I can’t take all three of them.” He paused, looking back at Tom. “Or you.” 

Tom shook his head. “Then absolutely not!” 

“I read the files on the Eclipse Canon,” Tower continued, undeterred. “They functioned quite well on their own.” He paused for a moment and looked down. “I understand your hesitation.” 

“Do you have kids of your own?” Tom asked. 

“Project Eclipse was my child,” the man answered quietly. “And I know how dangerous it really is. GUN will kill it on sight, but…” He paused and met Tom’s gaze “Sonic won’t.” 

Tom blinked. “You don’t want it dead?” 

Tower shook his head. “No. I just want to talk to it.”

“I don’t think–”

“We’ll do it,” Sonic said, stopping Tom’s words midsentence. 

He whipped around. Maddie stood in the entryway to the living room. She mouthed an apology. 

Tom shrugged and looked down at Sonic. “No, you won’t,” he said quickly. “This isn’t your fight.”

“He wants us to find this Project Eclipse guy and bring him in,” Sonic said, crossing his arms. “It sounds like he’s trying to protect him from getting hurt by GUN. It's a reasonable request.” 

“Reasonable?” Tom asked. He should have known Sonic would volunteer. He knew the hedgehog was more than capable of doing it, but he didn’t want Sonic running around cleaning up GUN’s messes. But he also knew that he really couldn’t stop Sonic from doing it. The best he could do was make sure Sonic acted with his blessing.

His shoulders dropped and he relented with a sigh. “Alright,” he said quietly. He turned to Tower. “Let me speak with him for a moment.” 

The General nodded and Tom motioned Sonic to follow him. They stepped into the living room and Tom sat on the couch to meet Sonic at eye level. “Are you sure about this?” he asked after a moment. 

Sonic nodded. “I am,” he said.

“I know you’re trying to make amends for what happened to Shadow, but… you know you can’t save everyone, right?” 

“I know,” Sonic answered, but he averted his gaze. Tom had a sinking feeling that this was way more personal than the kid wanted to give it credit for. “As long as you stay safe, it’ll be fine!” Sonic said, suddenly cheerful. Tom didn’t share his enthusiasm. 

“Just… be careful…”

Undisclosed

Shadow walked through the hoard of alien creatures, slowly making his way away from them. There was a small army of the beasts and, by the looks of the meteors continuing to fall from the sky, there were more to come. He tightened his fists as he walked. None of them spoke or tried to communicate with him at all. Thankfully, none seemed interested in the human population that surrounded them, and the only casualties seemed to be accidental.

No one was dead. Yet… 

Shadow bit his lip. He stepped out of the hoard on the outskirts of the small town. In the back were the largest of the creatures. Black and red monsters with piercing golden eyes. He shivered. They were all watching him as if waiting for something to happen. Or for him to do something. 

He paused in his walk as another figure emerged from the darkness. This one was unlike the others. It moved with purpose and there was something else in its eyes other than hunger. The dark creature approached Shadow with no hesitation and, like the large beast before it, it dropped to one knee, bowing its head deeply. “General,” the creature greeted. 

“I…” Shadow stammered for a moment, eying the other. “General?” he asked after a moment. 

The creature nodded, still keeping its gaze down. “We have long awaited you, General Skotia.” 

Shadow blinked. “What are you talking about?” 

The Darkling looked up for the first time. “Do you not remember?” he asked with worry in his voice. He stood and met Shadow’s confused gaze. “We are your army to command, Brother.” 

“Brother?!” Shadow spat, taking a step back. 

The Darkling blinked back at him. “Have they done something to you? This planet and the monsters that inhabit it–”

“Monsters?” Shadow asked. “The humans, you mean?”

The Darkling nodded. “Yes! We were sent to subjugate these creatures and you were sent to lead us!” He seemed almost eager in his words and his eyes practically sparkled at the thought. 

Shadow shook his head. “I don’t want to subjugate anyone!” he snapped, taking a step back from his supposed brother. 

“What do you mean?” he asked. “General Skotia–”

“Stop calling me that!” Shadow snapped. “My name is Shadow!” 

“Do you know why I named you Shadow…?” Her voice echoed once again in his mind. He shook his head, trying to clear it. 

The Darkling blinked back at him and then shook his head, clenching and unclenching his fists. “No, no… This is all wrong!” he snapped. “What did they do to you?” 

“Nothing!” Or did they? He took another step back and inhaled deeply to calm his nerves. “Just… tell me what’s going on. Start with who you are. Do you have a name?” 

The Darkling paused. “No…” he said quietly. “Father gave me no name. We are nothing but soldiers for your army. He only named you, Skotia.”

“Father…?” Shadow rubbed the bridge as he tried to calm his reeling mind down. “My army?” None of this was making any sense. 

The Darkling nodded. “Yes.” He stepped forward urgently. “You were sent here to dominate this planet, enslave all sentient life, and use its resources for further conquest. I was sent as a larva to be your weapon, and once you were ready, you were supposed to call upon the Black Army. When I did not hear your call, I feared the worst.” He stepped towards Shadow. “But here you are! Ready to lead us to victory! And,” he gestured to the dark creatures gathered around them. “We are ready to serve you!” 

Shadow stared at his so-called brother with a mixture of disbelief and nausea. “I wonder which one you came from.”

“I don’t know anything about my home.”

“This is your home, Shadow…” 

He shook his head again, trying to clear it. “No,” he said quickly. “No to any of this! Humanity is broken, but this… this isn’t who I am!” 

“Yes, it is!” the other insisted, stepping forward to close the gap between them. “It is what you were made for! What we both were created to do! Conquering this planet is our birthright!” 

“No, it’s not!” Shadow snapped. He looked at the other beasts that surrounded them. They watched with no curiosity in their eyes. All he sensed was bloodlust. This was a true army. He sensed that the only purpose of these creatures was to fight and they thought nothing of it. They were anticipating his movements and, seemingly, awaiting his orders. 

He clenched his fists. “Call it off! The entire invasion or whatever this is!”

The Darkling blinked in confusion. “What? What are you saying? This is our destiny!”

“No, it’s not!” Shadow repeated, almost spitting out the words like they were poison. “This world is a mess, sure, but I’m not about to lead a damned alien army to conquer it!” 

“Why not…?” he asked, cocking his head. “The monsters of this world–”

“We’re the monsters!” Shadow snapped. A ripple went through the gathered army. They could sense the tension building between their General and his second-in-command. Shadow’s ears twitched. He didn’t know how he knew what they were thinking, but he didn’t like it. Now that it was brought to his attention, he felt it itching in the back of his mind. He had some sort of connection with these creatures and the realization was not a good one. His stomach dropped. 

The gathered army shifted under the new tension. 

The Darkling stepped closer to Shadow. “You must accept–”

“No, I don’t,” Shadow said, jumping away from the other. “Earth is not for you to have!”

The Darkling said nothing for a moment. He stared at Shadow with a strange mix of hurt and anger. “No, you do not understand… This is my destiny! It was what I was created for!” He hurried towards Shadow and grabbed the other’s hand, squeezing too tightly. “You must lead us!” He gazed up at Shadow with desperation in his eyes. 

Shadow realized then why the other was so desperate. To have one's life laid out so perfectly, and then have it snatched away. A wave of pity washed over Shadow and he returned the grip on his hands. “It doesn’t matter why you were created… it just matters what you do with it.” 

The entity stumbled back away from Shadow as if he’d been struck. “No… No!” he shouted. The gathered aliens shifted in response to his anger and hurt. “It does matter! Those humans unmade me over and over again! They do not deserve your protection! We are kin! Not them!” 

“They don’t have to be your enemy,” Shadow insisted. 

The desperation fell from the other’s gaze as he stared at Shadow. The hurt was replaced with anger. “That choice was never mine to make.” He pointed an accusatory finger at Shadow. “And you have abandoned your race! You are a changeling." He held out his arms, exposing his chest to the other. “Fight me!” he shouted. 

Shadow shook his head. “I’m not going to–” He didn’t finish the words before a blast of energy came hurtling at him. He jumped out of the way and the gathered aliens watched with bated breath. Shadow didn’t have time to react before his wayward brother came at him again with speed that rivaled that blue hedgehog he’d fought. Getting slammed by the other was like getting hit by a missile. 

The blow sent Shadow hurtling through the army and they parted like the Red Sea for him. No one stepped forward to come between the combatants or to aid either in the fight. They were watching and waiting to see who would rise victorious over the battlefield. 

The Darkling came again and this time, Shadow was ready. He caught the fist that came for him, stopping it. The resulting shockwave shook the Earth beneath them and cracks started appearing. He knew they would need to either finish this quickly or move it away from the town. He twisted his wrist in an attempt to break bones, but instead, the Darkling pulled his arm back, stumbling Shadow enough for the other to get an opening. He threw a punch that sent Shadow careening several hundred feet back. 

He came to a hard and abrupt stop against a concrete building. Cracks spiderwebbed away from the impact site and he dropped to the ground, coughing. He’d faced powerful opponents before, but nothing like this. Sonic had been blinded by rage in their last fight and most of the danger came from his speed and how hard he hit. He’d been a berserker in their final confrontation. This was a different beast entirely. The Darkling was a trained soldier; bred for battle. 

He was a living weapon.

Shadow pushed himself to his hands and knees only for his counterpart to grab him by the throat. He slammed Shadow through the concrete wall behind him and came at him again. The attacks were relentless. Shadow tried his best to counter and dodge, but it soon just became a matter of protecting his head and belly from the assault. Bones cracked and snapped from each blow, groaning in protest. 

But there was something else in the attack. Hesitation. The Darkling felt some sort of kindred towards Shadow and, maybe in a moment of weakness, he wasn’t fully committed to the assault. 

The barrage of punches and kicks stopped and suddenly, Shadow was hurtling through the air. He found himself above the circle the army had carved out. The Darkling appeared above him in a flash and dragged him hurtling towards the earth. The resulting crater looked like a small bomb had gone off. Dust floated lazily by and through it, Shadow could see the dark creatures peeking over the lip of the hole. 

Shadow tried to push himself up, but his whole body screamed in protest of the movement. He fell back to the dust as a foot pushed him down. The Darkling addressed the gathered army. “Your General has forsaken you!” he shouted. Shadow could hear him not only with his ears, but in his mind as well. It was in a language he didn’t recognize, but he understood as clearly as English. “I have bested him in combat!” 

A resounding cheer echoed from the aliens. It sounded like screaming, but Shadow recognized the joy in their celebration. It was disconcerting. 

“And it is I who will lead you to victory over the Earth!”

The cheers rang out again. The Darkling leaned down and grabbed Shadow by the back of the neck. He could feel the killer intent in the other’s actions. But there was still that level of hesitation. “You disappoint me, brother,” he hissed in Shadow’s ears. “I will do what you are unwilling to do. But do not fret… There will be a place in my kingdom even for my most wayward brethren.”

Shadow tried to speak, but a blow came hard to the back of his head. His vision exploded into red and then faded to black. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Three: Black Hearted Evil

Sonic stepped into the small briefing room with Tails hot on his heels. Tower walked with purpose to the head of the oval-shaped table and Sonic and Tails sat at seats with glasses of water waiting for them. Resting in the center of the table was a manilla folder stuffed to bursting. Tails reached for the folder while Sonic sipped at the drink.

Tom had been beside himself with worry about them getting into a GUN helicopter, but he’d have to learn to trust them any way he could. Sonic didn’t like it, either, but it looked like the end of the world out there and if teaming up with GUN was what was needed, then he’d do it in a heartbeat. 

“Project Eclipse…” Tails read, looking up at Tower. “An alien?”

Tower nodded. “We’ve come to know them as the Black Arms; a race of hostile extraterrestrials seemingly built on a warrior culture that values total conquest.” 

Tails frowned and looked down at the file. 

“When Robotnik discovered Sonic, we thought it was the start of an invasion. Our intel was off, but you can imagine why we wanted to keep an eye on you.” His words sounded like they were the start of an apology, but his tone was stern and quiet. “Regardless, Project Eclipse was found at the same time as the one you call Shadow.”

Sonic stiffened. “He’s not one of them,” he defended hotly. 

“On the contrary, Eclipse and Shadow were found at the same crash site. We separated them for the safety of humanity, but it appears that they were sent here for the same purpose.”

Sonic stood. “That’s not true!” 

“Easy,” Tails whispered, turning back to the General. ”And what is that purpose?” 

Tower shook his head. “We don’t know. Project Eclipse was not as talkative as Project Shadow, and from reading his files, it seems that even he didn’t know his true purpose on this planet. That is why I have brought you two in. GUN seems to think that the only way to stop this invasion is to slaughter the entirety of the Arms. However, Project Eclipse was an intelligent being. It did not speak because it chose not to speak. GUN will shoot first.”

“Should they?” Tails asked. 

Sonic turned to him, narrowing his eyes slightly. 

“I just want to know what we’re up against.” 

“No, it’s a good question,” Tower said evenly. “Eclipse showed remarkable strength and power in testing. Even without any formal training from GUN, he is a highly skilled warrior. Almost as if he were programmed to be a fighter. His instincts seemed to be that of destruction and hatred. I imagine it’s not just towards humans, but towards any lifeform that is not part of his own species.”

Tails nodded and turned back to the file, flipping through it without reading it. Sonic leaned forward, narrowing his eyes at the man in thought. Tower took the scrutiny with little resistance. “I know you don’t think you can trust me–”

“We can’t,” Sonic said simply. 

Tower nodded. “Regardless, you want to save this planet I assume?”

Sonic nodded. 

“Then the best way to do so is to find Eclipse and see if you can get him to talk and let us know what’s happening. The extraterrestrials have yet to attack… almost as if they are waiting on orders, but I have no doubts that once those orders are given, this will become a full scale invasion.”

“I don’t like working for GUN,” Sonic said, looking away. GUN had ruined his life more times than he cared to count and had hurt people he cared about. He understood that what they were doing wasn’t malicious; it was just being a bit over cautious, but that didn’t mean he liked it. 

“You aren’t working for GUN,” Tower said. “My superiors don’t know what I’m doing. They think I’m gathering a task force to take Eclipse out, not bring him in. This is not official business, and I will be putting that force together.”

“If you care so much, why?” Tails asked. 

“Because if all else fails, then we know we’ve taken a powerful player off the board. I won’t sit here and wait until you succeed or fail. I don’t want them to kill Eclipse, but I also don’t want anyone to die while I pussyfoot around.”

Tails nodded and Sonic stood, saluting the man. 

“Good luck.”

They stepped out of the small bunker into the black, starless night. Sonic looked up without seeing the galaxies beyond. “Which star do you think they’re from?” he asked. 

Tails shrugged. “I don’t know. I monitored a lot of activity before I found you, but nothing about an alien race conquering planets. Knuckles might know something. He did a lot more traveling than I did and fought some pretty mean monsters.” He followed Sonic’s gaze to the blank night sky. Their lives were entwined now, and he wouldn’t have it any other way, but sometimes he longed for the simplicity of the life he’d left behind. 

“Well, where do you think we should start?” Sonic asked abruptly. 

Tails nodded and pulled out the Miles Electric, turning on the screen. “There was a spike of energy somewhere in the desert,” he said, reading the device. “We might as well start there.” 

Sonic nodded. “Sounds like a plan.” He reached into his pouch and handed Tails the ring. The fox thought of the small village and tossed the device, opening a portal to the other side of the world. Despite the time difference, the sky on the other side was dark. Not as dark as their night sky, but dim with a layer of red clouds blanketing overhead. 

The duo stepped through the portal and exited on a scene straight from a horror movie. Tails gasped softly. 

The small village had been ransacked. Smoke rose from the smoldering remains of buildings and bodies were strewn about. Some were bodies of the alien lifeforms while others were human remains. The smell was enough to make Tails nauseous and Sonic put a hand on his shoulder to steady him.

“Tower said they hadn’t attacked…” Sonic whispered, speaking as if his voice would somehow disturb the dead. 

“He said they were waiting.” Despite wanting to look away, he scanned the destroyed village. It was a horrific site and his stomach churned. “I guess they got their orders.” Reluctantly, he stepped through the village, ears plastered against his head. He hated this. They were supposed to help people, but they’d been too late. 

On the outskirts of the village, they came to a large crater. The lip just outside was trampled by heavy feet. “Looks like a bomb went off,” Tails muttered, peering over the edge. There was nothing in the center. No shrapnel or anything to indicate what had made the hole in the ground. 

“Looks like when I fought Shadow,” Sonic muttered. 

Tails furrowed his brow in thought. Now that Sonic had said it, he could see the indentations that showed a fight had happened there. He could even see flecks of blood dried in the dust and scraping marks that showed where someone had crawled their way out. 

“So… who was fighting?” Sonic asked. 

Tails nodded. “And why weren’t they getting along…?”

Shadow stumbled forward, holding a broken arm against his chest. Every movement sent white hot pangs through his body. He didn’t even know where he was going or who even to go to. He thought about trying to locate that blue hedgehog, but he didn’t know how to approach that. He’d spent the past year avoiding Sonic for a reason and now he wasn’t prepared to speak with the other. 

At least not yet. 

His foot hit a particularly rough patch and he fell on the dusty road, gasping in pain. He was considered to be the Ultimate Lifeform, and he’d believed that for a while, but the Darkling was something else entirely. As he lay on the dirt road, he tried to parse what he’d learned about the Darkling and his own origins. He was some sort of alien creature sent to the Earth to conquer it. 

But why don’t I remember that? he thought, closing his fist as he struggled onto his knees. He’d been found by GUN, and then by Maria and somehow, maybe in the decent to the planet, he’s forgotten where he’d come from. 

“I don’t know… what I am…”

“I don’t know anything about my home…” he whispered, looking up at the reddened sky. Maria had assured him that this was his home. Earth… But he was some general of a warrior race. How could Earth be his home? 

He stumbled to his feet, even though his legs shook beneath him. 

“Now what…?” He had a few options. He could go to GUN and let them know what he’d learned. That was probably his best option. Out of every other organization on the planet, they were likely the most well equipped for dealing with this situation. “But what have I really learned?” he pondered as he started down the path once again. He had a brother who had now taken control over what was supposedly his own army and would lay waste to the planet. He didn’t know anything past that. The Darkling had said they were there for conquest, not destruction… but he didn’t know what else they wanted or what any of this meant. 

He took another step and suddenly, pain ripped through his head like it was being torn in two. He grabbed at his head, clawing at his ears as a ringing blasted in them so hard that he thought his eardrums might burst. He dropped to his knees, gasping as the pain grew. He collapsed back to the dusty ground, slamming his eyes shut as he curled into a ball. 

“Skotia…” The voice cut through the pain like a hot knife through butter. It was soft and almost soothing. 

Shadow opened his eyes and he was no longer lying on the dusty path where he’d fallen. Instead, he was on a cold, metal floor. The arid air around him was replaced with chilled, sterile air. An emergency light pulsated slowly and, off in the distance, there were sirens faintly calling. 

“Where…?” He pushed himself to his hands and knees, shaking his head. 

“Hello, child.”

“Child…?” That same voice again. It was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. He rocked back on his heels and looked around, bleary-eyed. This place… His eyes widened. ARK…! But not the decrepit place he’d returned to a year ago, and not the smoldering crater it had been reduced to. This was before the explosion. Before she–

“This is where they kept you.” The voice again. Soft, but curious. “I wonder what they did to you to cause you to forget.” 

“I don’t… they didn’t do anything to me,” Shadow argued, looking around for the source of the voice. 

He flinched when he spotted a wide yellow eye with a slitted pupil staring back at him from the shadows. In the brighter pulse of the emergency lights, he could see the six arms in a star-like pattern around the eye. The body was black and dark purple with red streaks coming from the ball. It watched him, unblinking. 

Shadow stood shakily. “Are you–?”

“This is my vessel. The One Who Watches. I have scoured this planet for many years, searching for you, Skotia, and finally, you have been found, but with no memory from where you came.” 

“We need to go!” The voices of the past echoed from somewhere else. Shadow closed his fists. 

“Tell me, Skotia… Or, do you prefer Shadow?”

Shadow flinched. 

“I see. Then you are not the being I created all those years ago.” The eye floated forward, stepping out of the shadows. It scrutinized him, hovering around. “What has become of you that you would deny your destiny so fervently? To give up one's birthright to one created only to serve.” The star moved slowly, circling Shadow like a shark in the water. “Tell me, Shadow… Why do you wish to protect this broken world?” 

“It’s my home,” Shadow said simply. 

“What are you doing?! Those are children!”

The explosion rocked the building. The shockwave passed over them harmlessly. Shadow’s heart sank as the memories of that moment flooded his mind. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the images.

“It is not where you were born,” the eye continued, undeterred. 

Shadow squeezed his eyes shut harder. “But it’s where I found purpose.” 

“And you know that for sure?” the eye asked. 

He opened his eyes, turning to the floating star. 

“If the memories of your origin are lost, what is to say that the memories you hold dear are not fabrications.” 

“They aren’t,” Shadow growled. Shouts echoed in the distance. Orders… All clears. Shadow shook his head. “They aren’t,” he said again, quieter. “These memories are who I am.”

“No, they are not,” the eye said, floating to hover in front of Shadow. “These memories are your weakness. They hold you under water and threaten to drown you.” It hovered uncomfortably close. “You are a warrior; a being made by me to be the perfect soldier so that you may lead the perfect army. What these humans did to you–”

“They didn’t do anything!” Shadow snapped. 

“They made you weak,” the eye growled. “They filled your head with nothing but pointless sentiment!”

“The light shines…” 

Shadow turned and started down the hall of the base. The eye did not follow. It merely watched him leave. 

“In time, you will find my words to be true, Skotia. You will come to know who you are.”

Shadow turned the corner to where he knew Maria’s body lay, but when he opened his eyes, he was back on the dusty road. But he wasn’t alone. He blinked to clear his blurred vision, staring at a pair of white boots with a pink heart on the heels. 

“How disappointing…” a feminine, almost sultry voice said. She sounded bemused and slightly annoyed. “Here I thought finding you would be a bit more of a challenge.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Four: What Was I Made For?

Shadow’s gaze followed the boots in front of them to the face of the bat standing over him. She wore a form-fitting black uniform and a headpiece in her large ear. She smirked back at him and he dropped his head back to the dust. “Who are you?” he grunted, pushing himself onto his hands and knees. 

“Name’s Rouge, and you are Shadow.”

He looked up, narrowing his eyes at her. “How–?”

“Did you think GUN would leave you to wander without any sort of surveillance?” she asked, her tone teasing. “We’ve been keeping an eye on you for quite some time.”

He scowled. So, they’d known he was alive this whole time? He scrambled to his feet and started walking, practically dragging his injured leg as he went. 

She followed, hurrying to match his stride. “I didn’t say you could leave,” she snapped. 

“What does GUN want?” 

“The same thing you want… To figure out what the hell is happening here.” 

Shadow narrowed his eyes as the memory of the eye clouded his mind. Its words were haunting. “It’s an alien invasion,” he grumbled. “And you work for GUN?” 

“I figured that was obvious,” she said. “Is that a problem?”

“No… it’s just… interesting…” Before meeting Sonic and the others, Shadow had been under the impression that he was alone in the universe. One of a kind. Now he knew that there was a whole planet full of colorful creatures, and he wasn’t even from that planet. “How’d you get here?”

“I flew,” she said, rolling her eyes. “How does any Mobian get here?” She paused. “How did you get here?”

“I fell.”

“I see…” She seemed to file that information somewhere. “I need to bring you in.”

Shadow stopped walking. “I’d like to see you try,” he growled. The last place he wanted to be was with GUN. Even if he trusted them, he knew they couldn’t do anything to stop this and would only hinder his progress. “I can handle this.”

“GUN is in the middle of evacuating cities and controlling societal unrest. They need to know what they’re up against!” Rouge retorted. All the playfulness was gone from her voice and Shadow finally turned to look at her again.

“What’s this world to you?” he asked. He knew his own stakes, but it seemed strange that someone not from this planet would seem to have personal stakes in saving it. 

“It’s my home,” Rouge answered evenly. “Isn’t it yours?” 

He looked away. Yes… it was his. No matter what that eye said, this was the world he called home. “Yes,” he answered. “Which is why I’m going to save it.”

“Why don’t you help the people with the firepower to make a difference?” Rouge asked. 

“I can’t trust them.”

“Does that mean you can’t trust me?” she asked, feigning hurt in her voice. 

“I just met you,” he said, starting to walk again. “I just need to find out where they’re going to attack next and deal with it from there.”

She followed after him. “And then what?” 

Shadow narrowed his eyes. 

“Isn’t there another Hedgehog? The blue one?”

“Leave him out of this,” Shadow snapped, wheeling around on her. “He doesn’t need to get involved.” 

“Why? He’s a powerhouse.” 

“I can handle this.”

She crossed her arms and looked him up and down for a moment, lifting an eyebrow. “Sure. You’re injured.”

“I have a healing factor. Do not bring in the blue hedgehog.”

“Why?” she asked again.

“He’s irritating.”

She smirked. “That’s not it.” She stepped closer to him, scrutinizing his expression. “You care about him… don’t you?” 

“No. It’s just…” He trailed off. Why did he care so much? The kid was irritating. But he knew that wasn’t the reason. “He’s been through a lot and right now, he needs to be with his family.”

“He won’t have a family if this invasion continues.” She glared at him. “If you don’t come with me, then GUN will be forced to seek help and answers elsewhere. Like you said, this is an alien invasion, and if you haven’t noticed… we are aliens. If you want to keep the kid out of this, then we need to finish this quickly before they start rounding us all up.” 

Shadow blinked. “All…?” he repeated. “How many more are there?” 

“More than you need to worry about.” She pulled out her own teleportation ring and threw it. A portal opened to the inside of a GUN base. Shadow’s stomach dropped as he was led into the bunker. It was underground with harsh white lights that gave the place an almost unnaturally bright and sterile look to it. He squinted and took one last whiff of the desert air beyond the portal before it closed. 

He was trapped. 

He hadn’t stepped foot in a functioning base in years and had hoped to never find himself in one again. Soldiers milled about as Rouge walked through the corridor. Most were in a hurry and gave them no mind, but others seemed shocked as they passed. Some even jumped almost fearfully out of their way while others saluted. Rouge smirked and gave small nods of acknowledgement back, but nothing past that. 

Shadow was in awe at the whole situation. While he was at ARK, he was regarded with fear and distrust. He was an alien. But Rouge, barring a few examples, seemed to be an accepted member of the team. “How long have you been working here?” he asked quietly.

She shrugged. “Three years.” 

Shadow was almost floored. She’d been on Earth for at least that long? He supposed he wouldn’t know about what was going on around the planet, but that didn’t make it any less strange. “You said there are others?” 

“Here and there,” Rouge said with a nod. “GUN keeps tabs on them as much as possible.”

“Why are they here?” 

She shrugged. “Same reason you and I are, I suppose. Building new lives in new places.”

Shadow frowned. “But why here? Humans aren’t exactly the most welcoming creatures in the galaxy.”

“Dunno,” she said flippantly. “Guess they like the view.” 

Shadow’s frown deepened. There had to be a better reason. What drew the Mobians here? What drew the Black Arms here? What was so special about this blue marble? And why did Maria love it so much? 

He followed a little slower. Humans… What was so special about them? The Darkling had mentioned that they weren’t here to lay waste to this planet. They were here to subjugate it. His hands trembled. It wasn’t the planet they were after, it was the humans.

Is that why I bonded so well with Maria…? 

He stopped dead in his tracks. The trembling stopped as a cold chill went up his spine. He opened and closed his fists rhythmically as the thought wormed its way deeper. The Darkling’s words came back to him. They’d been created to conquer humanity.

“Shadow?” Rouge called. 

He shook his head, trying to clear it, but the feeling of doubt didn’t leave him. “Y-yeah… Let’s go…”

Father gave me no name…

The Darkling walked through his army, clenching and unclenching his fists as he moved through the troops. They were eager… ready. This was their programming. It was what they had been created to do. 

So why do I feel–? His thoughts cut off. He didn’t know what he was feeling… but he knew he shouldn’t be feeling anything. Like the others, he was created for this one purpose and he was ready to fulfil it. But… something was holding him back and he didn’t know what. He’d waited so long for this day… his entire life. 

“Something troubles you…”

He blinked and turned to see the watchful eye of his father beside him. He dropped to one knee and bowed his head. “No,” he said respectfully. “I am steadfast in our goals, father. You need not worry.”

The Eye hovered above him and he had to force himself not to shy away from the watchful gaze. 

“Good,” the Eye growled softly. “But yet, I cannot help but see something within you. Have the humans infected you as they have your brother?” 

He flinched. “No,” he said quickly.

“Need I remind you what they did to you?”

He closed his eyes shut tightly, clenching his fists. He didn’t need a reminder. They’d tortured and unmade him again and again. Over and over. They poked and prodded him.

“Project Eclipse…”

His eyes snapped open and suddenly, he wasn’t in the desert among his soldiers. He was back in the containment chamber, watching as a man circled him. Abraham. The Darkling narrowed his eyes. 

Abraham stopped and turned to the thing inside the tube. “You’ve grown, Eclipse,” he said, smiling. He was still a young man, but he was aging. “They said that you’re responding more to stimuli. That’s good.” He reached up and placed a hand on the tube. Through the red liquid, the Darkling could only see with a red-tinted hue. 

Abraham watched him for a moment as if wanting a reaction from the creature inside. The Darkling merely stared back, uncertain of what he was supposed to do. This was what they called a human. This was the creature he’d been sent to subjugate. Where are you, brother…?

Abraham pulled his hand away. “Well, no worries,” he said, trying to maintain a smile. “You’ll come around.” He crossed his arms. “There was an accident at the other base a few months ago. The whole thing’s a disaster. They wanted to shut us down, too, to prevent a similar occurrence, but the higher-ups managed to talk them down.” He chuckled humorlessly.

The Darkling stared. Why was he being told this? Was this how humans communicated? But why to him? He cocked his head. 

“Right? Maybe keeping you is a bad idea,” Abraham said. He leaned against the railing behind him. “But… I’m glad they didn’t shut this down. You’re fascinating.” His smile became pensive. “Not just that… You’re listening, aren’t you? Can you understand me?” 

The Darkling made no move to communicate, but his silence didn’t deter the young man. 

“You know, the other one could talk.”

The Darkling blinked back at the man. Talk?

“Can you?”

He probably could, but he didn’t know where to start. Humans communicated with their mouths with sounds that had once held no meaning. His race communicated through a hive mind and any conversations were often better left unsaid. He stared at the man, watching for any sort of cue as to what he was supposed to do.

Abraham waited for a moment and then shrugged. “Maybe some day.” He pushed off the railing. “See you tomorrow, E.”

E… Eclipse… Father gave me no name. He turned and watched the man retreat from the room. Abraham stopped and looked back, offering a wave to the thing in the tube. 

The Darkling stared forward. Abraham waited for a moment, then he shrugged and turned his back. 

Hesitantly, Eclipse lifted his hand and waved back at the empty doorframe. 

He blinked and was once again kneeling in the desert. The eye stared down at him. “Solider?” 

He shook his head quickly to try and clear it. “Apologies, father,” he said. He rose to his feet  and faced the eye. “My brother has forsaken us.” 

“He will come to learn in time,” the Eye said. “You need not worry about my wayward son. You have bested him in combat and therefore, this army is yours to command.” 

“And what will become of my brother?” 

“I am not unreasonable,” the Eye answered. “If he comes to learn the error of his ways, then he will be allowed back into our fold.”

The Darkling clenched his fists. The Eye sounded almost hopeful that Shadow would see the error of his ways and return to them. He would gladly see that Shadow returned, but he would rather he be another faceless soldier in their ranks. The Darkling had been the loyal son and Shadow had left them for humanity. 

“Do not fret,” the Eye said, seemingly sensing his anger. “You have done well.”

He blinked and was once again back in the tube. His body ached and when he moved, his skin felt too tight. 

“You’ve done well…” Abraham said, watching him. The man was older now by a handful of years and his face was more world-weary and sad. Yet, he still somehow maintained a level of optimism in his gaze.

Eclipse winced as he shifted in the liquid. 

“I know,” Abraham said with a frown. “It hurts…” He leaned against the railing. “I wish they would be more careful with you. Just because you aren’t from around here doesn’t mean they can treat you so poorly.” He stepped closer to the tube. Eclipse cocked his head.

“But you really have helped us a lot.”

I have…? Did that make it all worth it? 

“I know it’s little consolation for what they’re doing, but it’s something… right?” Abraham offered him a slight smile. “You know they let the other one run around. That was what probably caused the accident…” He frowned and looked down. 

Eclipse watched him curiously. 

“Maybe I can convince them to let you out.” 

An announcement came over the loudspeakers and Abraham stood up straighter. “I have to go. See you later.” He waved and hurried out of the room.

Eclipse stared at the empty doorway and slowly lifted his hand to the glass, placing his palm against the side of the tube. “See… you…”