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hadesknockedupintheunderworld · 2 months ago

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I have some Shadow and Maria thoughts to ramble about in regards to the recent Shadow content. It's a bit long and spoilery, so I've included it under the cut.

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⚠️Spoilers below for Sonic x Shadow Generations (particularly Shadow Generations), Sonic x Shadow Generations Dark Beginnings, Gerald's Journal, and the Shadow the Hedgehog Manga!!⚠️

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Honestly, I have to say. You've gotta respect the dedication of Ian Flynn, Evan Stanley, Shadow and Maria's vas, other creators for Dark Beginnings/Shadow generations, and the people working on the Shadow manga

To never labeling Shadow and Maria's relationship as sibling‐like

Like, okay. Sure. English Sonic official posted an art piece of them with the "long lost sibling" in the alt text/caption.

They're never said to be siblings in any of the youtube descriptions for the official postings for the Dark Beginnings episodes, including the full compilation. (You can check the descriptions here, here, here, and here)

They're never said to be siblings at all during Dark Beginnings (you can check the full compilation of the episodes here).

In the first episode of Dark Beginnings, there are a few things we can see while Shadow is having a combo memory/vision. First, as Maria excitedly presents Shadow the aurora borealis, she begins to faint. Luckily, Shadow rushes to catch her, concerned, and tells her she should know better than to exert herself. Then, once he sets her back down on the floor, finding her to be okay, she starts talking about how excited she is to go back one day to Earth. In response, Shadow starts despairing over having failed to be her cure and how he doesn’t know if there's a place for him on Earth. Then, Maria hugs his head tightly, only to stroke his face before cupping his cheeks (yes she pointedly strokes his face. Fun fact, if you check the stream of the Dark Beginnings teaser presentation from Anime Expo (here at 29:36) you can hear the audience get quieter for a while after she strokes his face). She reassures Shadow, telling him that she's just as happy to spend time with him here on the ARK. (This scene with Maria during Dark Beginnings episode 1 can be found here at the timestamp range 0:33–2:03)

During the second episode of Dark Beginnings, Shadow stands in front of a glass containment tube, watching the black arms larva inside. Though he says nothing, Maria can tell that Shadow is upset. She places a hand on Shadow's shoulder and leans into his face (both putting herself on the same eye level as him, and quite literally eclipsing his view of the thing which represents his grief over who he is). She asks him if he's okay, and Shadow opens up, telling her how he feels no different than the evil heartless creature in the tube (the black arms larva). Maria throws her arms around him, hugging him tightly, before explaining that he has a big heart. She places a hand upon his chest (very lightly strokes it too), tells him that she knows he cares about everyone despite how hard it is for him to express it, and explains that it's one's actions that defines them (as opposed to blood or dna). (This scene with Maria during Dark Beginnings episode 2 can be found here at the timestamp range 5:30–6:44)

The previous episode sets the two up as having a bit of a close relationship, but this flashback from episode 2 emphasizes the closeness of their relationship further. It presents multiple additional examples of Maria seeking to comfort Shadow through physical touch. And not only that, but also her being able to sense when he needs comfort even if his face doesn't show it. These two episodes combined present us the kind of relationship where Shadow is often at Maria's side (he worries about her health, he rushes in to catch her when she begins to faint, she teaches him about Earth), and Maria likes to spend time with Shadow too (she loves to teach him about Earth, to fantasize about going there with him, to spend time with him on the ARK, to comfort Shadow and reassure him if he feels angry at himself or sad). If Shadow watches out for Maria physically/health wise, then Maria watches out for Shadow emotionally. There's no relationship label placed on top of these scenes to tell the audience what they should think about it. Rather, the scenes speak for themselves, laying bare how close the two are, how they care for each other (and I'd even argue that some of those moments of physical touch on Maria's part even convey a sense of longing. There's something very intimate feeling about these scenes).

Then, we get more tidbits with episode 3. During the episode, Commander Abraham Tower implies (from his perspective at least) that Maria had always been the only person who could talk Shadow down, an ability of hers that is explicitly shown in Shadow Generations (when Maria convinces Shadow not to fight Black Doom or the black arms out of anger or hate).

Commander: You could have talked him down, Rouge!

Rouge: There's only one person who could ever do that.

Commander: True...and she was lost to us a long time ago...

(This scene with the commander during Dark Beginnings Episode 3 can be found here at the timestamp range 11:19–12:05)

Shadow: He's right. No more mistakes. This time, I will crush every last one of them!

Maria: Shadow, no!

Shadow: Maria?

Maria: It breaks my heart to see you so full of anger. This isn't who you are. Do you know why I named you Shadow? Because without light there's only darkness, but a shadow will show you where to find the light. Do you understand? I don't want you to be driven by darkness. I want you to be happy. Stand in the light with peace in your heart.

...

Maria: Shadow...!

Shadow: It's alright, Maria. I'm letting go of that destructive anger. But I will continue to fight.

Shadow: Fight...with your wish in my heart. Your wish for everyone to have a chance to be happy.

(These scenes from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp ranges 46:37–47:33 and 49:57–51:00)

Ironically, though Abe and Shadow are on better terms now, he is also never used as a vessel to outright state the nature of Maria's relationship with Shadow (though the commander does see Maria as a sister to himself per Shadow the Hedgehog 2005). And though Rouge (as well as Omega) is presented as the closest friend to Shadow at this point, she doesn't outright state the nature of the relationship either.

Finally, later in episode 3, Shadow experiences an amv fantasy in his head of he and Maria spending time together in Earth's flowers under the stars, and tries to banish the thoughts away. It hurts him so much because such a fantasy will never be fulfilled, because when Maria was alive she dreamed of them going to the planet together. (You can check timestamps 12:05–12:28 of this video for Shadow's vision/fantasy)

During the Dark Beginnings teaser showcase, when asked the nature of Shadow and Maria's relationship, this is how Shadow and Maria's voice actors described it:

Question: How would each of you describe the relationship between the two?

Kirk Thornton (Shadow): W-Well– To speak in– To speak in actor's terms, um, Maria is my—super objective—she is my reason for everything I do. Um, so...she's just everything. And so, I was created to protect her and when I...failed that mission it...devastates me– er, Shadow. I-I'm... Devastates Shadow.

Kirk: And, so that's why, you know he-he dedicates his life to uhhhh to protecting...Earth because of that, so she is– she just– Yeah. Everything to Shadow.

Kirk: Yeah. Complete driving force behind his life.

Stephanie Sheh (Maria): Okay, so, in my mind when I was thinking about it I was like "She grew up very isolated. She had, like, nobody." You know? And, um, other than Shadow, and the thing that I could relate to is that, like...during the pandemic when we were alone in our houses, I had my dog. And I'm not like– And check it– This is gonna sound weird I'm gonna say comparing Shadow to my dog. But, um, my dog is also black and reddish-tan, so, um...but, um, and– and my dog is super sweet, but he also gets a little too aggressive when he's trying to protect me. S-See? And so, like, anyways. Anyways. It-It's just the parallels. Anyways. But I do think that like, you know, and I- and like I'm the driving force. I ground him. You know, [s]he brings him back to, like, the less rabid stage.

Stephanie: You know, when he gets worked up. Um...but, yeah, that's how I kind of, like, uh– at– relate to that.

...

Stephanie: Yes, yes, totally. Like moral compass.

From that point forward, the host (Zeno Robinson) sort of went back and forth a bit with Stephanie, sort of playing off of her words to which she answers in turn. He describes Maria as Shadow's moral center, he goes on to explain how Shadow is this incredibly powerful being, him having the wrong moral center or with him being in the wrong hands can cause him to go out of control (and Stephanie going on to clarify that Maria helps rein Shadow in). Towards the end of this question, the host also goes onto say how he loves how in depth everyone's answers are and sort of half summarizes what Kirk and Stephanie said/half gives his own input:

"Maria gives Shadow purpose and direction and I'm sure they both were each other's only friend. Uh, their bond is integral to their characters as well as the story."

(At the end of the day, I know Zeno Robinson's opinion is no more important than any fan opinion, since he's neither a sega staff member, someone who worked on Dark Beginnings, or Takashi Iizuka/Shiro Maekawa. I just couldn't help but add his words here after Kirk and Stephanie's.)

(This q&a from the 2024 Anime Expo "A New Era of Shadow" panel can be found here at the timestamp range 26:16–29:18)

Both Kirk and Stephanie describe their relationship in vague terms (never once using the term "sibling"), but their views are clear. To Kirk (who also revealed in this very same q&a that he's only recently been given a more in depth understanding of Shadow as a character and his backstory at the timestamp range 16:39–21:30), Maria is everything to Shadow. She's a precious person, he was made to protect her, he lives for and builds his purpose around her. She is the reason for everything he does. To Stephanie, Shadow is like Maria's only companion, a loyal dog type character (who can get too aggressive sometimes when it comes to protecting Maria), while Maria is Shadow's moral compass and keeps him grounded.

Although we know Maria wasn't completely alone on the ark (there was still the other scientists and Abe after all), just from Dark Beginnings alone (much less Gerald's journal or Shadow Generations) it's clear how important her relationship with Shadow is. In Dark Beginnings, Maria is someone who grounds Shadow, and someone who influences his purpose. Shadow is someone who protects her and cares for her in turn. Shadow may not be her only choice for friendship, but he's clearly a dear one. But for Shadow (so far as we can gather as the audience) she really was his closest and only friend.

And in Gerald's journal, we even get to see Professor Gerald's perspective on their relationship.

(This is an image from the physical version of Gerald Robotnik's Journal included in launch day copies of Sonic x Shadow Generations. It can be found on page 14 of the physical book, and depicts entry #620)

"But then ⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️ looked upon the unfinished specimen and put things into a new perspective. 'A shadow tells you which way to go to find the light.' In an instant she cut through all my pessimism and doubt and filled me with hope."

– Gerald's journal, Entry #620

Here, although Shadow had not yet been completed, Maria took to calling him a name (which we can only assume is "Shadow"). Before he was even finished, she’d treated him like a future living, thinking being, and her reason for naming Shadow this way was profound enough to inspire Gerald with hope in the project's completion.

Gerald's thoughts on Project Shadow evolve throughout what we can read of his journal. Originally, he starts the project because he can no longer ignore the president of the United Federations' request for the secret to immortality, naming it project Shadow out of spite. He finds the idea of immortality perverse and discovering it to be impossible. But this project eventually becomes his only hope for potentially curing Maria, almost like a lifeline. In desperate pursuit of Maria's cure through Project Shadow, Gerald's choices become harder and harder, challenging even his own morals. So although he may have attempted to bring the project to fruition no matter the cost, hope is still a powerful thing.

"⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️ as she's come to call him, will not be some dark creature but a champion of life and hope. I would not have seen that if not for ⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️ She is truly a remarkable person who can do great and wondrous things for the world."

– Gerald's journal, Entry #620

Without Maria's words, Gerald never would have been able to see real hope or worth in this project beyond potentially curing his granddaughter. Without this change in perspective (thanks to Maria), perhaps Shadow would never have become the kind of hybrid hedgehog he is today—more than just a weapon destined for destruction.

(Although I didn't include a picture here, on pages 17–18 of the physical copy of Gerald's journal (entry #651 to be exact), Gerald notes how Maria assisted him in crafting Shadow's limiter rings (allowing him to handle and focus his power) and rocket shoes (to improve his mobility). There's also a colored image of the rocket shoes and limiter rings, which Maria signed her name and a blue heart upon. It's not terribly important to this post, I just wanted to mention it since I found it to be a cute addition, and indicative of how invested she was in making sure Shadow would be able to, well...exist in a decent manner.)

(This is an image from the physical version of Gerald Robotnik's Journal included in launch day copies of Sonic x Shadow Generations. It can be found on page 20 of the physical book, and depicts a portion of entry #670)

"But all successes of the physical and mental prowess comes second to his relationship to ⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️ I had hoped they'd get along, but it's far better than that. She is his guide to the world, and he is her stalwart companion. Never have I seen such instant, mutual friendship and trust between two beings. I am truly moved. They remind me why I've been working so hard. They bring me hope."

– Gerald's journal, Entry #670

And the way Gerald describes Shadow and Maria's relationship in his journal is highly interesting to me. He describes this pair as two people that clicked as friends instantly, came to trust each other instantly. He describes Maria as Shadow's guide/teacher and Shadow as her stalwart companion. The way he describes them implies a very strong bond and attachment to each other.

Where Gerald had only hoped they'd get along, his hopes were blown out of the water.

Compare this to the entry where Gerald talks about Maria's relationship with other people and the only other kid on the ARK.

(This is an image from the physical version of Gerald Robotnik's Journal included in launch day copies of Sonic x Shadow Generations. It can be found on page 8 of the physical book, and depicts a portion of entry #428)

"Despite everything, she remains the most positive person in the room. Most of the staff here left their families back on Earth, so I worried she'd feel lonely. Instead, she's become the adoptive daughter of every researcher on the ARK! Moreover, she's become like a big sister to little ⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️, the ARK's "happy little accident" over the past few years.

– Gerald's Journal, Entry #428

He's very quick to say that Maria is like the adoptive daughter of every researcher on the ARK, and like a big sister to the (younger) Abraham Tower.

Yet, later once Shadow is complete, he insists on calling them friends. And beyond calling them friends, he describes the level of trust the two have, describes Maria as Shadow's guide to the world and Shadow as her loyal companion. He never labels their relationship from his point of view as siblings.

And Gerald Robotnik's own journal isn't the only recent piece of media to portray Shadow and Maria's friendship.

In the last couple months, two chapters of the recent Shadow Manga ("The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog", by Imada Yuki, and published by Corocoro Comic) have been released. So far, it seems to be a (non-canon) adaptation of Shadow's backstory and Shadow Generations. It depicts Shadow the Hedgehog struggling over having failed to be a cure for Maria as well as the meaning of his existence.

(This screenshot is from Chapter 1 of "The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog" by Imada Yuki, published by CoroCoro Comic, and translated by Azure Wind Productions)

When Shadow is despairing over the point to his existence, this version of Maria is presented as a bit more playful. In contrast to Maria in Dark Beginnings, who is often shown hugging Shadow during flashbacks/visions when he begins to feel negatively about himself, Maria from this manga attempts to draw him out of his thoughts/break the tension by playing a prank on him.

Shadow's words in the above screenshot are pretty telling too.

"You're the only one who'd play a prank on me."

– Shadow, "The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog", Chapter 1 (translated by Azure Wind Productions)

Just from the start of the manga, one learns that this Shadow sees curing Maria as his initial reason for existence (a mission he'd failed). Perhaps, at first, he only contextualizes the time he spends with Maria something akin to a job, something necessary for him to do. From the beginning, after all, she is intrinsically tied to his reason for living. For Maria, though, with the casual way she acts around him (coupled with the statement that she's the only one who would treat Shadow this way), it's clear that she does treat Shadow as a close friend.

After playing her prank, Maria takes Shadow by the hand, pulling him into the room where the two can see the Earth below, and all the stars glittering above. This scene is presented very similar to Dark Beginnings, as Maria shows Shadow a natural phenomenon on Earth from their place on the ARK.

(This screenshot is from Chapter 1 of "The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog" by Imada Yuki, published by CoroCoro Comic, and translated by Azure Wind Productions)

As in Dark Beginnings, Maria begins to faint, to which Shadow moves to catch her, concerned that she pushed herself like this. However, upon learning what it is that's bothering Shadow, Dark Beginnings!Maria and Manga!Maria handle it a bit differently.

(This screenshot is from Chapter 1 of "The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog" by Imada Yuki, published by CoroCoro Comic, and translated by Azure Wind Productions)

It's Maria in the manga who reveals exactly what Shadow is going through, but she cups his cheeks and presses her forehead to his, making it clear that she wants him to be able to enjoy life and believe that even his existence has meaning.

"I want you to see...and someday feel...many things that are...beautiful, kind and strong. I want you to believe that there is a meaning to being born into this world."

– Maria, "The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog", Chapter 1 (translated by Azure Wind Productions)

It's so very clear just how deeply manga!Maria cares for Shadow. She wants him to feel better about his own existence, to be able to experience all kinds of beautiful things in this world, to live his life further than his (failed) mission.

As for Shadow, after the screenshot above, he thinks to himself about how everything he does (dealing with Maria's antics, suppressing dangerous lab animals, etc) he does for the purpose of killing time. He doesn't do them for the sake of doing them, or even because he enjoys them. But...he does come to realize through a montage of memories of Maria smiling at him and calling his name that although he's currently killing time in this world, he's come to realize that dealing with Maria (out of all that he does on the ARK) perhaps isn't so bad.

After this, Maria pulls him along to the same room again (this time to watch the stars), when G.U.N.'s raid of the ARK suddenly begins. Shadow and Maria are separated briefly as Maria commands Shadow (who'd intended to ensure her safety first) to worry about protecting everyone else on the ARK.

Here begins an important parallel in this first chapter. At the beginning of the chapter, the audience is privy to both Shadow's relationship with the ARK's scientists and Maria. With the ARK scientists, they praise Shadow after he subdues one of their out of control lab animals, making note of his title of "Ultimate Lifeform". With Maria, we see her worry about his emotional state and express that she wants him to believe there's a meaning to his existence in this world, as well as explicitly hang out with him.

However, a shift occurs in both sets of relationships as the ARK raid occurs.

ARK Researcher: Please save me!

Shadow: I'll let you escape now, so stay put.

ARK Researcher: Help me! I'm a human just like you, aren't I?!

Shadow: ?!

ARK Researcher: Why should I be killed because of a mere lab animal?!

Shadow: Huh?

ARK Researcher: For us, this thing is worth nothing! I swear I'll never do research again!

This is an impactful moment to manga!Shadow, who seems to have learned what he truly means to the ARK's scientists. Or, in other words, Shadow learns that the ARK's scientists are so fickle as to change their tune about him (go from calling him "ultimate life form" to "lab animal") the moment their own lives are at stake. And this moment impacts him so heavily that he desperately turns to thoughts about Maria. Because, if no one else cares about him, sees him as a person, Maria would, right?

(This screenshot is from Chapter 1 of "The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog" by Imada Yuki, published by CoroCoro Comic, and translated by Azure Wind Productions)

And so a similar scene transpires between Maria and the G.U.N. agents.

Maria: I know a lab animal? That's disgusting.

G.U.N. Agent: Don't lie to us! We know from our intel that you are often with that Shadow!

Maria: I said, I know nothing like that.

Shadow feels crushed instantly. After Maria's words, he starts to think that he really never should have been born. But then...Maria begins to talk about the one she loves.

(This screenshot is from Chapter 1 of "The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog" by Imada Yuki, published by CoroCoro Comic, and translated by Azure Wind Productions)

Maria loves Shadow so much that she's able to look death in the eye, describe Shadow as the living, breathing, person she cares about, and proudly proclaim that she'd suffer any torture (even death) before she'd say a single terrible thing about him. As opposed to the ARK Researcher, who was willing to quickly consider Shadow as no more than an animal and hand him over for the sake of his life, Maria was ready to give hers, even just to make it clear that she'd never badmouth him (much less give him up).

No matter the nature of this bond manga!Maria shares with manga!Shadow, her actions and words speak for themselves. One cannot deny that she must care about him so so so deeply.

And in response to Maria's confession of love and devotion, as Shadow rushes in to protect her, he finally discovers the meaning of his birth.

(This screenshot is from Chapter 1 of "The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog" by Imada Yuki, published by CoroCoro Comic, and translated by Azure Wind Productions)

All this time.

The meaning of his existence in this world was standing right in front of him.

Maria.

Chapter 1 alone solidifies their relationship as strong, intense. To Maria, Shadow is her friend, her companion, whom she loves dearly. To Shadow, Maria is his very reason for existing in this world (even though he failed to be her cure, he still wishes to live for her in particular), someone who he's only recently come to realize just how deeply he cares for.

And chapter 2 continues to present the intensity of Shadow's feelings, as chapter 1's ending and chapter 2's beginning each portray the moment where Maria is shot by a G.U.N. soldier.

(This screenshot is from Chapter 2 of "The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog" by Imada Yuki, published by CoroCoro Comic, and translated by Azure Wind Productions)

I think saying "this pissed Shadow off" is more than a bit of an understatement. As it so goes with the trope of "person loses a loved one/their precious person or this person gets hurt right in front of them, causing them to go apeshit", Shadow begins fighting the G.U.N. soldiers, demanding answers for Maria's shooting. He even screams that he will kill them all (them being the soldiers and black arms).

And honestly, it's highly likely Shadow may have really tried to "kill them all" if Maria hadn't spoken up at that crucial moment, indicating that she's still alive.

(This screenshot is from Chapter 2 of "The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog" by Imada Yuki, published by CoroCoro Comic, and translated by Azure Wind Productions)

When Shadow turns away from the soldiers and black arms to move towards Maria, he begins to come down from his adrenaline high. He visibly looks more tired and dazed, though he still tries to put whatever energy he has left into focusing on Maria's safety. Likewise, Maria (who is visibly running on her last vestiges of energy), tries to put everything she has into one thing: saving Shadow.

Computer: TEN SECONDS TO EMERGENCY LAUNCH OF ESCAPE POD!

Shadow: What are you...

Maria: Never...let yourself be consumed by anger or resentment. You could easily end up all alone.

Shadow: Open this up, Maria!

Maria: So just as you did for me, give everyone on that planet a chance to live happily. That way, even when I'm gone...

Shadow: OPEN IT, MARIA!

Shadow, who was only feeling the exhaustion that came with slight relief just moments ago, is high on adrenaline and emotions once more. He bangs on the glass of the escape pod, demanding Maria open it up.

And Maria, after delivering her speech where she tells Shadow just what he wants for him and his future on Earth, gives him her last words.

(This screenshot is from Chapter 2 of "The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog" by Imada Yuki, published by CoroCoro Comic, and translated by Azure Wind Productions)

"Hey, Shadow. Thank you so much for being born. I love you."

– Maria, "The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog", Chapter 2 (translated by Azure Wind Productions)

In Maria's last moments, she makes it as clear as she possibly can (to Shadow's face this time) that she wants the best for him, and that she loves him so, so much. And this confession of love to his face is what finally causes Shadow to stop banging on the glass. There's a moment of calm as Maria smiles, Shadow's eyes go wide, and the two's hand's meet at the pane of glass which separates them.

And then, it's over.

(This screenshot is from Chapter 2 of "The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog" by Imada Yuki, published by CoroCoro Comic, and translated by Azure Wind Productions)

Just like earlier in the chapter when Maria was shot, we see how Shadow reacts upon losing Maria.

She was shot because she put her life on the line for him. He tried to save her, but she locked him in the escape pod, which he couldn't escape from. Then, in her final moments, she lays everything out on the table. She thanks him for being born, she says that she loves him, and, finally, she ejects him from the ARK.

He does not get to witness her final breath, he gets no further chances to save her.

And so Shadow begins to go apeshit once more after losing his very reason for existence right before his eyes, screaming and taking out his frustration, anger, and all manner of intense feeling in the confines of the pod he cannot escape from.

Somehow after this, the escape pod (with Shadow inside) and the whole ARK get pulled into white space. Once Shadow (now freed from the pod) processes what happened, he zeroes in on his goal, tearing through white space to get back to Maria on the ARK.

(This screenshot is from Chapter 2 of "The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog" by Imada Yuki, published by CoroCoro Comic, and translated by Azure Wind Productions)

During the end of chapter 2, Shadow is fueled by anger, loss, stubbornness, and desperation. When the little black arms creature promises that he can bring Maria back to life, he attaches to it like a lifeline, vowing to save Maria this time.

(These screenshots are from Chapter 2 of "The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog" by Imada Yuki, published by CoroCoro Comic, and translated by Azure Wind Productions)

In the end, the Shadow manga (so far) tells a story of a human girl and her closest friend. The girl wants so desperately to give her closest friend a good future, to make him believe that his life has meaning. Her friend, an alien hybrid and anthropomorphic hedgehog has failed at the very thing he was created to do, and does not see any meaning in his existence. However, after the human girl, whom he watches over and protects, shows him just how much she loves and cares for him, he finally realizes his own feelings, naming this very girl as the meaning of his entire existence. Tragically, he fails to save her in a critical moment. She confesses her love for him just before she saves him, and he loses her. Now, stuck in an unfamiliar place/zone, he's decided he will do anything to bring her back to life and to save her this time, to get to her.

This manga lays their entire relationship (a depiction of it at least) out on the table, showing you just how close they are to each other, how much they love each other, and all of their actions. Their hearts and feelings are both put on full display during this manga, allowing the reader to determine what it all means for them and the nature of their relationship without ever telling the reader what label to brand it with.

Not one time are they ever called "siblings" on top of any of those major character moments.

And while not quite as explicitly focused as the manga about it, Shadow Generations also presents Shadow and Maria's bond to the audience.

Beginning with "Shadow's story", the narrator describes the two thus:

"Shadow was raised alongside Gerald's ailing granddaughter, Maria. They were inseparable."

...

"Fifty years later, Shadow was awakened. Filled with anger and sadness, he was haunted by Maria's final words to him.

'Shadow, I beg of you... For all the people...on that planet...'

Shadow was bent on revenge and sought to destroy the world.

At the last moment, Shadow remembered Maria's final wish...to protect her beloved planet and all who lived there."

(This scene from Shadow Generations's "Shadow's Story" can be found here at the timestamp range 24:04–25:01)

Although "Shadow's story" itself functions better as a quick recap of events in past games rather than a true summary or explanation of those events, the narrator's words on Maria are important. As Sonic x Shadow Generations was also created with new fans in mind, hoping to prepare them for Sonic Movie 3 with basic knowledge of Shadow's character and backstory (as well as introduce them to the modern Sonic games themselves), this means that for many prospective Shadow fans (or those just becoming interested in Sonic as a series), Shadow Generations is likely to deliver them their first real impressions of characters such as Shadow, Maria Robotnik, Gerald Robotnik, etc.

This is all to say that Shadow having a strong bond and connection to Maria is integral to imparting even the most basic plot beats from his backstory. The usage of "inseparable" paired up with his memories of Maria's wishes heavily impacting his actions once again makes it clear that they have a very strong bond without the writer (Ian Flynn) jumping to label their relationship for the audience.

Though it's not necessarily integral to this post, I also would be remiss not to mention one of the opening cutscenes of Shadow Generations. Shadow Generations (which starts up about an hour after the ending of Dark Beginnings) also presents something of a flashback. During this scene (which cannot be a memory of Shadow's), we see Maria incredibly excited about the possibility of meeting the newly completed "ultimate life-form". She's so excited, in fact, that she dashes straight up to his pod at the start of the scene and excitedly asks Gerald if they can wake him up yet. (This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp range 25:40–26:27)

Maria's importance to Shadow is expanded upon just a bit further during a scene where Shadow begins to look out into white space. Upon spotting Maria in the distance, Shadow gasps loudly, saying her name as he begins to reach out for her. He reminds himself that she's not real, only to experience a flashback of Maria's last words to him.

"I need to stay focused. Deal with the problem at hand. Not chase...dreams."

– Shadow, Shadow Generations

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp range 29:16–26:27)

Coupled with the scene from Dark Beginnings Episode 3 I talked briefly about earlier (namely, Shadow experiencing visions of a fantasy of he and Maria spending time together on Earth), Shadow Generations presents a Shadow that is not only still attached to Maria, but actively considers the idea of being able to be happy with an alive Maria a "dream" (one that he must push down, lest he forget reality or become caught in nostalgia). While on one hand, Maria is intrinsically connected to his reason for protecting the Earth (or part of his purpose), on the other, the idea of her makes for an emotional distraction.

Which is also why, later in the game, Rouge attempts to remind Shadow that he's already moved on from his past. She encourages him to cherish his time with them, yes, but reminds him he's not the Shadow that Gerald and Maria knew fifty years ago. (This conversation from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp range 29:51–30:18)

And this also leads the audience into one of Shadow's internal conflicts during the game. Despite trying to remind himself initially that the past is the past, that there's no use in chasing dreams (namely those impossible to fulfill), he changes his tune upon meeting Gerald and Maria in white space. Though Gerald warns him against altering the timeline like Black Doom already is (or punching holes into it like the Time Eater), Shadow is determined to figure out some way he can defeat Black Doom, AND save Gerald and Maria.

Shadow: They must be from a point in time before the ARK disaster. Perhaps I can change their fate.

...

Gerald: You're still not convinced about changing your destiny, mm? Think of it this way - if you changed our past, it would rewrite your future.

...

Shadow: I'll stop Rouge! Use chaos control! Stop this moment in time and...!

(These scenes from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp ranges 36:51–37:16 and 55:36–56:22, as well as here at the timestamp range 25:21–25:50)

And on top of trying to save Maria and Gerald, in Shadow Generations, Shadow is yet depicted as focused on Maria's well-being as much as he can, in contrast to Maria, who is largely cognizant to how Shadow's feeling emotionally.

Maria: Shadow? You look grim. Are you all right?

Shadow: I'll be fine. We'll all be fine. Find somewhere safe to hide. I'll take care of everything.

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp range 37:00–37:16)

Maria: Shadow? Are you in pain?

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp range 38:41–38:49)

Shadow: He's right. No more mistakes. This time, I will crush every last one of them!

Maria: Shadow, no!

Shadow: Maria?

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp range 46:43–47:33)

Maria: Shadow...!

Shadow: It's alright, Maria. I'm letting go of that destructive anger. But I will continue to fight.

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp range 49:45–50:12)

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp 50:12)

Maria: It's hard not to be scared of everything going on, but I've never been afraid. Not deep down. Because I know you're here, doing your best to protect us.

...

Maria: Don't look so sad, Shadow. I don't know what will happen after you win. Maybe we won't see each other for a long while. But I love you and nothing can change that.

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp range 28:50–29:49)

Omega: I will cover you from here when you engage Black Doom.

Omega: What? Protect prof. Gerald and Maria at all costs?

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp range 08:04–08:28)

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp 55:37)

As I had said much earlier in this post:

"If Shadow watches out for Maria physically/health wise, then Maria watches out for Shadow emotionally."

Beyond Dark Beginnings, we get to see this in play in Shadow Generations. We see Shadow take on the burden of protecting Maria and Gerald and getting rid of the black arms himself. We see Shadow worrying and rushing over to Maria when she falters. We see him stress the importance of keeping Maria and Gerald safe, even when he cannot be around to do it himself. And (not that Maria doesn't worry about Shadow physically as well, but...) we see Maria worrying when Shadow looks grim, or seems sad or angry. We see her express her wish for him to be happy, try to give him solace when he worries over her or her fate, and even express her own positive feelings in response to Shadow's care.

But this is not all Shadow Generations has to show the audience in regards to Shadow's bond with Maria. After all, you may be wondering, what do characters themselves have to say about it? What else does Shadow Generations show us through characters' words and actions?

I'd like to present to you more scenes from Shadow Generations that stand on their own, without the writer telling the audience what to think.

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp 36:27)

Maria: Yes, I know you're part alien. That's not important. What's important is who you are and what you do.

Maria: I was a little surprised you turned out looking like a hedgehog, though! I think the way your spines go "swoosh" is really cool!

Maria: Shadow...are you blushing!?

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp range 20:48–21:16)

Maria: It's been wonderful having you around on the ARK, Shadow. The staff is lovely, but I was very lonely before you joined us.

Maria: I miss my family. I miss my baby sister most of all. I do hope Grandfather finds a cure for me soon so we can all go home together!

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp range 21:47–22:13)

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp 45:16)

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp range 46:37–47:33)

Maria: Shadow... I don't want you to listen to Black Doom. You may share his DNA, but he is not your true family! Your real family loves you and wants you to be safe and happy.

Maria: That's us, Shadow. Me and Grandfather. Please remember that.

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp range 23:19–23:39)

Maria: So it seems like we've been apart longer than I thought. Have you made many friends?

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp range 25:51–26:04)

Maria: My condition...can't be treated yet.

...

Maria: It can be very scary and frustrating. But you've always been so patient and kind with me. Thank you, Shadow.

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp range 26:06–26:35)

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp range 49:45–50:50)

Maria: Shadow... I'm so proud of you! You've been through so much, but you've stayed true to yourself.

Maria: I know you can do this. Go, Shadow, go!

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp range 28:35–28:50)

Maria: Don't look so sad, Shadow. I don't know what will happen after you win. Maybe we won't see each other for a long while.

Maria: But I love you and nothing can change that. No matter how far apart we are, my love will always be with you. Please always remember that.

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp range 29:15–29:50)

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp range 55:25–57:26)

I had wanted to include the scene of Shadow running away, his final tear flying back and hitting Rouge's cheek as his feelings go unsaid. However, I've been taking screen recordings of the cutscene compilation I've been sourcing for this post on a mobile device. With that, sadly, video annotations would have obscured the end of the scene had I kept them in the recording, and I wanted to keep to as few different videos sourced on this post as I could.

In the end, Shadow Generations depicts a hedgehog who still has yet to discover what exactly he is going to live for (not just survive in this world). He tries to remind himself that he's completely moved on from his past, that visions/fantasies of being happy with this one person in particular are not something that life has granted to him (are just distractions). But this hedgehog becomes trapped between the past, the present, and what's to come next when this person he'd cared so deeply for is alive for a minute. He wants to protect this person, his natural instinct is to handle everything so they do not have to risk themselves. He worries so palpably for this person's well-being, often seen reaching out to them or rushing over to them when they falter or are in pain. Despite being stubborn, often sticking to his own plans no matter what, he values this person's words and opinions so dearly. Rather than use it to fuel his actions, he chooses to deal with this overwhelming anger and frustration simply because this person wants him to be happy and can't stand to see him in such a state. He also visibly blushes upon receiving compliments from this person (ironically, it's this blushing comment in particular I saw someone use on this site to spread misinfo that it was about Shadow blushing over Sonic rather than Shadow blushing over Maria). Even now, he is patient and kind with this person (something that one cannot say in regards to his attitude towards most of the Sonic cast). And although he never says "I love you", to this person, his actions speak louder than words. The protectiveness he has, the care, the patience, the willingness to listen and improve. And, above all, this is someone he is able to be more intimate with (if any of his scenes while in physical contact with this person are any indication).

Shadow Generations also depicts a human girl who has to come to terms with the fact that the hedgehog she's faced with has changed from the one she knows and cares for. Yet, she makes it just how clear that (time? space?), none of this matters to her. She loves this hedgehog no matter their dna/biology, no matter how many mistakes they make, no matter how much time has passed. In the past and present, she appreciates how patient and kind this hedgehog has always been to her. She spends plenty of time reminiscing about the past with them, harkening back to fonder memories. She is not shy about throwing her arms around this them, pointing out their blush, or taking their hands as she comforts and/or reasons with them. She's often visibly so so happy to see them, even after only being separated for a short time. This hedgehog's happiness is very important to her, so she's sensitive when they're angry or frustrated or sad. It makes her emotional to see them driven by anger and hate, so much so that she just cannot sit aside. She begs this person not to listen to someone who claims that bonds of blood and DNA determine one's future and loyalty, and has always believed that they can choose their own future—one of light and true happiness. She praises this person for their improvements, for staying true to themselves, for just how worried they are. And although her actions, care, and worry for this person do a great deal in showing it, she is able to tell this hedgehog how she feels outright. More than once she tells them just how much she loves them—so much so that her love will always be with them and shall never change no matter the distance between them.

These two are better together than apart. Where Maria fails physically, Shadow is there to worry about her health, physical well-being, and protection. Although Shadow is very physically capable and driven to protect, he tends to neglect his emotional state or keep his feelings/thoughts inside. So where Shadow has a harder time dealing with his emotions or has an easy time getting caught up in his anger, Maria is there to physically and emotionally comfort him. She is there to keep him from succumbing to anger and hate. The two each want more than anything for the other to be alive and happy. Although Shadow had only been created to be her cure, and although Maria was not alone on the ARK, it is implied that their instant relationship of mutual friendship and trust is a profound one. Where Maria had not been alone or unhappy on the ARK, it was Shadow who eradicated the loneliness that had been growing inside her. The two were inseparable back then, and it took a lot out of Shadow to let her go once again (again, only finding the strength to let go of such impulse because she asked him). The two love each other dearly, and this is made explicit.

And yet, with all of their actions, with their discussion of wants and feelings, and everything pertaining to each other in Shadow Generations, (as I've said multiple times now) Ian Flynn never tells the audience what label to brand this relationship with. As in the Shadow Manga, Maria clearly says she loves him, they both have their feelings on full display through their actions and words, yet it is more important for the audience to come to their own conclusions (especially in the lead up to Sonic Movie 3) than it is to 100% and strictly label the nature of their relationship. They just simply love each other and are important to each other

A fact which is...also ironic, given how easily and casually Maria discusses her relationship to Abraham Tower.

Maria: Have you seen Abe? You know, little Abraham Tower? I'm worried about him. He's the only other kid on the ARK with us. Sometimes he feels like my little brother, hee-hee!

(This scene from Shadow Generations can be found here at the timestamp range 21:16–21:47)

She confesses to seeing Abe as a younger brother sometimes (something Gerald, too, had pointed out in his own journal), and yet never once calls Shadow her sibling throughout Shadow Generations, even while reminiscing.

And while Maria does, perhaps, call Shadow a part of her family (a family of her, Shadow, and Gerald), I don't know what to tell you if you believe such a thing can only refer to/be interpreted in the most strictly nuclear family way possible. Well, other than that to do so is limiting and reductive. I have never more clearly seen a case of found family than I have with these three, especially given their unorthodox relationship (a guy, his beloved granddaughter, and the guy's son/creation, who is a stalwart companion and forever friend to his granddaughter).

Shadow and Maria are inseparable, they are friends, they are family, they love each other, but despite their relationship being highly featured in this game, the fact that Sega and the writer himself do not use this chance to strictly clarify the nature of their relationship is telling.

And you might be saying: "Tumblr user hadesknockedupintheunderworld, what about that alt text from that image of Shadow and Maria that's on the English Sonic social media?"

To which I say: "What of it?"

In the face of so many recent depictions of their relationship as highly ambiguous, with there being clear romance parallels to draw from if one wanted to, what does one single piece of evidence mean against that?

One can't look at that dedication all creators around these two have to make their relationship ambiguous (while also presenting them as having a very very strong bond) and simply say that they're clearly only ever meant to be read as sibling-like. And to say that they are 100% only meant to be siblings "or you're wrong" is to go against (at least one of) the creator of these characters own stated intentions to allow people to draw conclusions and interpret as they wish. Period.

I think I've made it pretty clear that means you can interpret their relationship however you want. It doesn't even have to be either siblings or lovers! Personally, I take a qqp approach myself (where the exact nature of their relationship is confusing, and all that is clear and solidified is that the two have an intensely strong bond, want as much time together as they can, and wish to make the other happy).

But it's wrong to act like one of many possible interpretations is 100% obviously canon when the facts themselves contradict that kind of thing (just as it's wrong to harass people over something so trivial as that).

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

#sonic the hedgehog #shadow the hedgehog #maria robotnik #shadaria #shadow generations #sonic x shadow generations #dark beginnings #sonic x shadow dark beginnings #sonic x shadow generations dark beginnings #gerald's journal #the jet black hedgehog shadow the hedgehog #shadow manga #a new era of shadow anime expo panel #shadow generations spoilers #sonic x shadow generations spoilers #gerald's journal spoilers #Dark Beginnings spoilers #sonic x shadow dark beginnings spoilers #sonic x shadow generations dark beginnings spoilers #shadow manga spoilers #shadow manga chapter 1 #shadow manga chapter 2 #the jet black hedgehog shadow the hedgehog spoilers #gerald robotnik #essay time #fandom wank #I just be ramblin #haha I must admit the original purpose of this post was to prove that there is overwhelming evidence that their relationship is intended to #be ambiguous and able to be read multiple ways and that one caption means nothing in the face of all the evidence #But it accidentally became the Shadow and Maria moment showcase 😂😂😂

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tenebraevesper · 2 months ago

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Sonic Cyber Revolution, Entry 69: The Invasion

''Error Error Haven't you noticed yet? Past processing modified in a casual style. Lol lol secretly erase it. Sky, sky, it was all a fantasy. Puppet puppet morality? Tied to just increasing production. Optimism I don't know anything. What I fell in love with that day was a childish ideal. The deadly poison is sweet and gentle. You and you who are looking at the future. I can't laugh, I can't help it. Will you even wait for a kiss? I keep thinking about it until it breaks. When I got there, it was hell. Rain of needles that keeps falling. My heart is full of holes. Someday I threw away my precious umbrella too.''

– Twelve by Nightmare

xXxXxXx

Sonic breathed heavily, his body badly beaten and covered in bruises. He felt weak, with blood trickling down his head and cheek due to a bad cut he had received from his opponent. He stared at this person, both standing in a destroyed street, the sky above them painted a dark red with black clouds covering it. His attacker, the one who had hurt him and caused so much destruction was no one else but his rival, Shadow.

Sonic could only stare at Shadow, his emerald eyes meeting the dark hedgehog's crimson eyes, which were glowing menacingly. There was no life in them, no passionate spirit he was so used to seeing. There was only pure malice in his eyes. This was not the Shadow he knew.

''Why?''

Shadow didn't respond to Sonic's question, as if he hadn't heard it. Instead, he just continued to glare back at Sonic, seeing him only as an obstacle that needed to be destroyed. He stepped towards Sonic, a spear of energy appearing in his hand. Sonic was unable to move due to his own injuries, only able to stare at Shadow as the dark hedgehog slowly approached him, with a dark presence looming behind him, as if controlling the hedgehog.

Sonic's eyes widened, as there was nothing he could do, besides waiting for his own death. Shadow's glowing crimson eyes narrowed as he gazed down at Sonic, aiming the Chaos Spear at his heart.

''Perish.''

There was complete silence when the spear hit its target.

xXx

Shadow gasped for air as he sat up suddenly, pressing his hand against his forehead. His heart was pounding and his body cold, as if he had been submerged in icy water. He tried to calm himself down, focusing on his surroundings. He was sitting in his bed, with Touka sleeping soundly next to him. It was still late in the night, with moonlight passing through the slanted window above them. He took another deep breath, his ears twitching with every breath he took. Everything was so silent, but his heart beat and his breath were loud, too loud for him.

Shadow rubbed his temple, his mind still occupied with the dream he had. It wasn't the first time he had to deal with nightmares, and he was certain that it wouldn't be the last time. The issue he was dealing with was the fact that he had these kinds of nightmares for several nights in row. They were all similar, where his mind and body was controlled by an entity more powerful than him, a shadow hiding in the darkness, its red eyes glowing malevolently. He was ordered to destroy everyone he cared about, and no matter how much he struggled against this mind control, he would always find himself executing his orders. It may have been just a dream, but the lack of control he had over his own actions completely horrified him. He stared down at his hands, almost seeing the blood dripping from them, and closed his eyes as he closed his fists, his hands shaking.

He then got up, well aware that he wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight. He put his shoes on and grabbed his AR Visor, then quickly warped from the attic to the garage where the Dark Rider was parked. There was another flash of cyan light, and he was slowly pushing the motorcycle down the street. He made sure he was far enough from his home so he wouldn't wake Touka and Kisaki up before he got on the motorcycle and driving away.

The fresh summer air did help him clear his mind a little, forcing him to focus on the road. Even if it was in the middle of the night, there were still people on the streets, but for the most part, the road was clear. Shadow didn't really have any goal in mind, deciding to drive aimlessly until he felt tired enough to go back to sleep, or until daybreak arrived. He hadn't told anyone about his nightmares, not even Touka, knowing well that she was going to just worry needlessly over him. Admittedly, he was well aware that she has a good reason to worry about him, but in his opinion, her peace of mind was more important than his. He knew that Touka would disagree, but he was always going to put her above himself.

Shadow stopped at a red light, staring at it intently. He was still at unease, averting his gaze once another flash of red light appeared in his mind and almost missing the traffic light changing to green. He shook his head, continuing to drive. He tried to push back his anxiety, frustration and fear, believing that it was a waste of time to worry about something like a nightmare. From what he understood, dreams and nightmares were merely the manifestation of the information his brain processed while he was asleep, but that still didn't explain him having the same kind of nightmare several nights in a row. Not only that, but the nightmare felt incredibly real, and only by waking up he realized that none of this had happened and that he wasn't a soulless monster who was forced to turn on the people he cared about.

This is my subconsciousness telling me what I fear the most… as if I don't know that. Shadow narrowed his eyes as he thought about it, only to stop at another crossroad. He took a look around, finally realizing that he somehow arrived in Westoru and was still driving further west, towards Infinity Forest. He snorted, wondering whether he should continue driving in this direction or go somewhere else. It only took him a moment to decide.

The Codex Research Facility… I haven't been there in ages. Shadow had no desire to visit that place, as it held nothing but bad memories, but he decided to leave the urban landscape, stopping at a clearing just a bit outside the city. He parked the motorcycle and sat down under a tree, leaning back against it. He tried to empty his mind of any unnecessary thoughts, only to be met with an image of Sonic grinning widely at him and teasing him about brooding. He sighed, a smile almost appearing on his lips as he hugged himself. Even though the night was pleasantly warm, he still felt cold.

Even if he was surrounded by people, sometimes the sense of loneliness would overwhelm him. He had learned not to give into it, and he knew there were people who deeply cared for him. However, he felt that whatever burden he carried was his own, and he didn't want to bother those he cared about with it. Trying to steer his thoughts to something else, he gazed at the city, the skyscrapers that touched the sky and the lights that illuminated it. Some would call it beautiful, some would scoff at the sight. To him, this city was simply a place he lived at.

Well, it probably was more than that, but Shadow liked to keep things simple. He didn't really care where he lived, as long as he was with Touka. Back when they were at the Codex Research Facility, she was always the one who talked about how she was looking forward to the day they would be allowed to finally leave it and visit Neos City. She told him how she would make sure they both got to live a normal life, or at least what they considered to be a normal life, far away from the experiments those scientists put him through. He tried to imagine what that life would look like, but nothing came to his mind, besides them finally being on their own and going wherever they wanted.

This dream had been shattered the moment he was manipulated into believing that he had killed Touka, forcing him down a dark path of revenge. In a different reality, Neos City wouldn't be existing anymore because of him, but thankfully, that didn't happen. However, even if he got Touka back, alive and safe, the fear of losing her never went away. No matter how much she assured him that she would be fine, there was always that voice in his head that kept him in doubt. She was his whole world and he was willing to do anything for her. If she wanted him to destroy Neos City, he would do it in a heartbeat. If she wanted him to protect it, he would do anything to make it safe for her. He was willing to go that far for her and for her happiness.

Yet, Touka's sole desire was for him to be happy. She wanted to keep things simple. Unfortunately for both of them, they became members of Team Neos, which meant that things would be anything but simple. At the time, Shadow thought of them as a group of the most stubborn, persistent people who only acted as an obstacle that came between him and his goal. After the reveal that Touka was alive, he remained indifferent towards them… or at least tried to, as it was difficult being indifferent to someone who constantly wants to befriend you. Shadow attempted to keep his distance at the beginning, still following his belief that it was just him and Touka against the world, only to find himself questioning weeks later when the hell had he started considering everyone as his teammates, and later on, his friends.

Shadow sighed. He refused to believe that his nightmare would come true, but he also needed to maintain a distance. He was paranoid enough not to trust himself under these circumstances, at least until he had a full understanding of the situation. He then gazed up at the night sky, at the stars twinkling above and the moon glowing and bathing the planet below in its glow.

Maybe one day, he will finally let go off his fears.

xXx

Kisaki stretched her arms, walking towards the kitchen when she spotted a black and red ball of fur and quills curled up on the couch. She blinked, wondering why Shadow wasn't sleeping in his room in the attic, but decided not to bother him. She knew that he probably had his reasons, and decided to start breakfast. Fortunately for her, she had a free day, so she could indulge a little in taking things easy and trying to make coffee as quietly as possible to not disturb the sleeping hedgehog.

It appeared that this didn't work, because the moment Kisaki was done preparing coffee, she was met with an outstretched gloved hand. Shadow woke up and sneaked up to her, probably lured in by the smell of morning coffee. Kisaki snorted, giving him the cup and preparing another one.

''So, how did you end up sleeping on the couch?'' she asked, leaning against the counter, while Shadow sat on the high chair at the built-in bar. He just shot her a glare for even asking him such question and quietly continued to sip his coffee. Kisaki sighed, having understood his response. ''You know, Touka will ask you the same.''

''She won't if you don't tell her,'' Shadow pointed out the obvious in a matter-of-fact tone, still glaring at Kisaki. She gave him a sheepish smile, agreeing with his statement.

''I guess you're lucky then she's not an early bird,'' she commented. Shadow nodded in agreement. It didn't take too long to hear footsteps from the second floor, with Touka rushing down, looking quite excited.

''Someone's in a good mood,'' Kisaki commented, firing up the stove for a fresh batch of pancakes, while Touka sat next to Shadow with a hot cup of cocoa.

''Of course I am. Today's the first day of the summer holidays, which means that I don't have to deal with schoolwork,'' Touka replied happily.

''I'm surprised that you're complaining so much about school when only weeks ago, you were excited to be accepted into a school,'' Shadow pointed out in a snarky tone.

''Only because I'm now a normal student, that doesn't mean that I can't complain,'' Touka said, pouting. ''Unfortunately, they also gave us homework to do over summer, so I want to take advantage of every free moment I have.''

''Why don't you just do your homework now instead of leaving it for later?'' Shadow asked her, a sly smirk forming on his lips when Touka continued to pout, avoiding his gaze. She knew damn well he had a point, but didn't want to admit it.

''You know, you could help me with it,'' Touka said suddenly in the sweetest tone possible. Shadow quirked an eyebrow.

''That's your homework, not mine. I'm not going to let you slack off,'' he said, with Touka sighing in defeat. Kisaki giggled at the argument the two were having, having gotten used to hearing this kind of bickering.

''I actually wanted to go to Solar Stadium today because they were adding a new racing track. Homework can wait for a little longer,'' Touka said, turning to Shadow. ''Do you want to join?''

Shadow nodded, with the two quickly finishing their breakfast and going outside. On their way to Solar Stadium, they had passed by the Kinomoto residence, only to see Lucas and Sonic walking out of the house, with Sonic perking up and rushing over to them.

''Hey, Shads, hey Touka! You two are up early!'' Sonic greeted them.

''Solar Stadium has a new race track and we wanted to try it out,'' Touka explained as Lucas approached them. ''What about you two?''

''We were on our way to visit Warren and Tails,'' Lucas explained. ''They had told us that something important to tell us. Supposedly, some kind of anomaly had appeared.''

''An anomaly?'' Shadow gave them a curious look. Sonic shrugged.

''They did add a lot of technobabble, but agreed that it would be better to explain it in person,'' he said, then gave Shadow a challenging smirk. ''How about I join you later at the race track?''

''I didn't know you were so eager to lose.'' Shadow smirked, already feeling the excitement rushing through his body. Somehow, the worries he had earlier that night had vanished, and even though they were still lurking in the back in his mind, he wanted to indulge in his own desires. It was simply a nightmare, wasn't it?

''Heh, you won't be acting so confident after I beat you,'' Sonic continued their banter. Behind the two, Touka was smiling warmly, enjoying listening to their little rival conversation. They continued walking towards Warren and Tails' house, then parting ways, with Touka and Shadow continuing towards Sentoraru.

The conversation he had with Sonic seemed to have lifted Shadow's spirits a little, and whatever weight he felt became much lighter, leaving him in a quite good mood. Unfortunately, that sensation didn't last as his mind was flooded with an image of red eyes staring back at him. His eyes widened in shock and he stopped, not even registering Touka's look of concern. She couldn't see Shadow's expression, as she was standing behind him.

''Shadow?''

Shadow snapped out of his stunned state, regaining his focus and giving Touka a neutral look. ''What's wrong?''

''You looked quite tense there,'' Touka said, tilting her head. ''Did something happen?''

''No. I was just… lost in my thoughts,'' Shadow replied. He didn't want to tell Touka the truth, but at the same time, he wasn't going to lie to her. Meanwhile, Touka wondered what it could be, only for a sly smile to spread across her lips.

''Don't tell me that you're actually worried that Sonic would defeat you in a hoverboard race?'' she asked. Shadow was flustered, if a little relieved, that this was her conclusion. He frowned, huffing.

''Tch, as if!''

''I don't know…'' Touka hummed, placing her finger on her cheek as she feigned a look of concern. ''He is a formidable opponent, but he is also your boyfriend… It would be hard to focus on winning, won't it?''

Shadow's tan muzzle flushed pink as he shoot a glare at Touka, who gave him an innocent smile. He was well aware she was just teasing him as an older sister would, and he didn't hold it against her, but he remained annoyed. ''Hmph, that means nothing. The main focus of our relationship is still our rivalry, and neither of us is going to let our feelings get in the way of that.''

''Ah, I see…'' Touka replied, still feeling amused by the response. Suddenly, Shadow gave Touka serious look.

''You go ahead. I still need to do something,'' he said, surprising Touka. She then nodded.

''Okay. I'll check the new race track and give you some advice on how to race on it so you can easily defeat Sonic,'' she said cheekily.

''That's not necessary. I'd rather beat him fairly on a race track we're both unfamiliar with,'' Shadow replied, leaving. His smile then faded as he skated away, a shadow falling over his expression. He wasn't fond of the idea of leaving Touka alone, but the images of destruction and death that kept flashing in his mind were slowly overwhelming him. A chilling sensation spread through his body as he felt as if someone was trying to puppeteer it. He didn't understand what it was, but he believed that it would be better if he was alone for the time being.

He had no idea that this would be the last time he would see Touka.

xXx

''So, what was that anomaly you guys have been talking about?'' Lucas asked, him and Sonic standing inside the Taylor Workshop. Warren and Tails were standing in front of a holographic screen, both looking excited to discuss their newest discovery.

''We've been working on our special project, when noticed a strange ripple emanating through the AR Field set in this part of Eas. We had checked whether Eggman or Starline were behind this, but the digital signature is different from the one they typically use,'' Warren explained, pointing out on the origin of the ripple on the holographic screen, which showed a map of their neighborhood.

''We decided to investigate further, and it seems like the digital signature can't be tracked down, so we thought that we could try to find whether there were more of those ripples in other parts of Neos City, and we found this on CyExLab's official website,'' Tails said, changing the map to the website showing some kind of notice.

''Huh, CyExLab? That's a name I haven't heard of in ages,'' Lucas commented.

''They put up a warning that the AR Fields are going through a digital warp, adding how people should keep an eye on their ARNavs in case the AR Fields need to be shut down for a proper reboot,'' Tails continued. ''However, as of the recent update, they still hadn't managed to figure out the source of the digital warp, but Warren and I did compare some of the data and came to the conclusion that the AR Fields might be merging with the data of another AR Field, but even then, that AR Field seems to be breaching the ones set up in Neos City. It's nothing alike the ones created by Eggman or Starline, which were essentially pocket dimensions within the AR Field based on data from the Sonic video games…''

''Okaaaay…?'' Sonic rose an eyebrow, trying to follow all of that, but clearly understood absolutely nothing. Both Warren and Tails exchanged glances, then gave Sonic an amused look.

''What we want to say is that someone else is trying to not only take control over all of the AR Fields in Neos City, but also warp them by changing its structure via the addition of alien external data,'' Warren summed up. ''However, we don't know who is doing this or why.''

''So, how bad is the situation?'' Lucas asked.

''We don't know,'' Tails said, shrugging. ''Typically, such warping might cause a lot of damage to the AR Fields and forcing a shutdown as a consequence, but for some reason the AR Field suffer absolutely no harm and are kept up. Warren and I wanted to go to Kita and visit CyExLabs to see whether we can gather some direct data on the situation. Do you two want to come along?''

''I had actually promised Shadow a race at Solar Stadium, so you'll have to count me out, little bro,'' Sonic replied in an apologetic tone. ''We could visit you at CyExLabs after it, though.''

''That's fine,'' Tails replied, then turned his gaze to Lucas.

''I have free time, so I'll be going with you,'' he replied, then tilted his head. ''Although, I don't know whether CyExLabs would be fine with sharing that information with us.''

''Don't worry about that. We'll be actually meeting up with someone I know and who can help us with this mystery,'' Warren said confidently.

xXx

''All right, my personal best!'' Jet cheered as he crossed the finish line of the new race track. Doing a kick flip, he leapt off his hoverboard, grabbing it and posed with his fingers held up in a V-sign.

''Great job, Boss! You really showed them how it's done!'' Storm praised him. Jet placed his hand on his chest, head held up high.

''I know I'm the greatest racer ever born, but you can keep flattering me,'' he said.

''You know, Jet, setting up records means that they need to be broken, and I haven't still had my turn on the race track,'' Chase said, a smug grin on his lips.

''Go ahead and try to break it. After all, the partner of the Legendary Wind Master should be his equal,'' Jet replied in a casual tone.

''Guys, are you two done stroking each other's ego?'' Wave asked, clearly exasperated by their antics.

''Nothing's wrong with a little confidence boost, Wave,'' Chase said, only for the two to notice Rika pointing at something.

''Maybe you two could talk less about how awesome you are and focus on the fact that someone else is going to occupy the race track,'' Rika said, with Chase and Jet glancing towards where she was pointing. To their chagrin, a familiar person was the one walking up to the same holographic screen they were using.

''That's Touka,'' Arven noted.

''Hey, maybe that means that Sonic is also around!'' Jet suddenly perked up, grinning. ''I can beat him in a race on the new track.''

''But, isn't Sonic Lucas' partner?'' Storm asked.

''That's right, while Shadow is Touka's partner,'' Chase added. Jet waved them off in a dismissive manner.

''Eh, then I'll challenge Shadow. Regardless of who it is, I will always win!'' Jet boasted. He walked towards Touka, only to see her stand frozen for a moment.

Then, she vanished.

''Huh? Where is she?'' Chase, who also saw what happened ran up to where Touka stood only a moment ago. Sure, several people walked past Touka, obstructing the Babylon Rogues' view, but it still didn't explain how Touka could disappear. The group quickly ran over to where she was standing only a few moments ago, with Chase lifting her hoverboard. ''Right, this is Touka's hoverboard, but she wouldn't just let it lying around. No respectable racer would.''

The group looked around, but saw no trace of Touka, all of them feeling a chill flowing down their spine. It was as if she had ceased to exist.

xXx

Something… calls to me…

Shadow was placing his hand on his head, the flashes of red and black intensifying as he tried to make sense of the images. He felt a complete disconnect from reality, as if this was happening to someone else, not him. He tried to shake off the sensation of dread he felt, trying to make a distinction of what was real and what was fake, but even that was difficult. He managed to find his way to Heizeru Park, leaning against a tree in an isolated area and trying to make sense of what he was seeing. He squeezed his eyes as a chilling image of a dark figure looming over him flashed in his mind, only to suddenly open them, gasping as he heard the sound of thunder rumbling.

He looked up at the sky, staring at the dark clouds as they gathered above the city, lightning illuminating them. To his shock, the dark colour of the clouds faded in a dark red as the sky opened in the form of a vortex, with masses of black and red creatures descending all over the city. Their descent was followed by red cracks in the sky, spreading across the city and pieces falling apart like a broken mirror.

Shadow stepped back, his eyes wide as he tried to make sense of the situation. He was alert, aware of the growing danger, but still didn't understand the full scale of what was happening. His first instinct was to get to Touka, but before he could do any of that, a black and dark purple starfish-like creature with six black-tipped squamous probes and a brutally large red-orange eye in its center approached him.

''Shadow…''

The creature gave him a soulless stare, suddenly projecting a holographic image of a jet black and legless body with a trio of red-orange bestial eyes, twin wide horns with red tips, a set of spines on his scalp, three-fingered hands that have claw-like nails and no visible facial features. This figure wore a dark brown worn robe with black-brown shoulder pads and golden accents, a maroon drape scarf with tattoo markings hanging from the back, golden chains with a set of silver-spiked medallions possessing a gem, and a double black cord necklace with red, blue and purple ornaments on one and golden and silver pendants.

''At last, we meet, Shadow the Hedgehog. I am Black Doom, and you will do as I say. The day of reckoning will soon be here,'' Black Doom said, his voice sending chills down Shadow's spine. Nevertheless, the dark hedgehog gave him a defiant look.

''I don't take orders from anyone, least of all you. Get out of my way!'' Shadow growled. Black Doom laughed, his voice raspy and filled with malevolence.

''You truly do not understand your situation, do you? I have sent you here to fulfill a mission – to find the seven Chaos Emeralds,'' Black Doom continued, his demand leaving Shadow puzzled and unsettled. He knew what the conditions for the Chaos Emeralds' appearance was, which is why he didn't understand why Black Doom wanted him to gather them… unless they had indeed somehow appeared without those conditions. It appeared that Black Doom knew what was on his mind, adding, ''The Chaos Emeralds are here on this pathetic planet, and you will find them and bring them to me. This is what you were created for, to bring glory to the Black Arms.''

''I refuse!'' Shadow snarled, charging at Black Doom, only to pass through the projection and turning around, with Black Doom observing him in silent amusement.

''I have expected resistance…'' Black Doom rose his hand and pointed it at the dark hedgehog, with Shadow suddenly falling on his knees, clutching his head. His body froze when he saw an image of Touka, lying on the ground as if lifeless in some kind of unfamiliar space. Then, the vision vanished from his mind.

''Touka… What have you done to her?!'' Shadow growled, glaring at Black Doom.

''That pathetic human has been taken as my prisoner, and if you value her life, you will follow my orders,'' Black Doom responded, with Shadow stepping back, gritting his teeth. However, he knew that in his current state, he wasn't able to do anything. He had no idea where Touka was, and the only thing that guaranteed her safety was him doing what Black Doom demanded from him. Black Doom, on the other hand, appeared to be pleased with his submissive reaction. ''You are of my bloodline, Shadow. You are one of the Black Arms, created to lead them to conquer this planet. Struggle all you want. You cannot deny your fate!''

Shadow's eyes widened when he suddenly noticed a black mass swirling around him, and he could feel his heart pounding as he was overwhelmed by an overpowering sensation of pain, pressing his hands against his head. ''Aghrr! Aaagh, no, no… Aaaaghhr!!''

Shadow writhed in agony as the black mass enveloped his body, warping it, his crimson eyes glowing red as he tried to fight it back, but was powerless against it. He struggled, falling on his knees as he his back was ripped open when a fleshy black and red mass emerged from it, forming into wings and leaving him screaming. The wings spread, lifting him up, with Shadow staring in at them in shock and then looking back at his hands which were still covered by the black swirling mass.

''It is time that you accept your heritage. I bestow upon you the gift of the Doom Powers. This is who you are!'' Black Doom spoke, with Shadow looking up at him in disbelief.

''What… is this? Those powers…'' Shadow trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence as a frightening realization dawned upon him. Despite the agony he had felt earlier, those powers somehow felt natural to him,… and that thought horrified him to his core. Black Doom sensed the terror Shadow felt, understanding that the dark hedgehog would eventually fall under his influence, his rebellious spirit crushed.

''From now on, my eye will follow you and observe you for me… Find the Chaos Emeralds and bring them to me.''

The holographic projection of Black Doom vanished, and Doom's Eye flew away, leaving the dark hedgehog alone. Shadow pressed his hand against his chest, his heart still beating as if it wanted to burst out of his chest. He looked back at his wings, realizing that he was in full control as he folded them, causing them to vanish from his back. Then, it was as if the sound suddenly returned, and he heard people screaming in terror, filling im with a sense of chilling dread. Those nightmares he had… they were about to become reality.

The Black Arms Invasion has begun.

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Megaman AMV 「イレギュラーハンターX AMV」 TWELVE by ナイトメア「Nightmare」

#Sonic Cyber Revolution #shadow the hedgehog #sonic the hedgehog #miles tails prower #jet the hawk #storm the albatross #wave the swallow #babylon rogues #black doom #black arms #shadow the hedgehog (2005)#sonic x shadow generations #sonadow #Happy Halloween!

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