In the aftermath of the Space Colony ARK tragedy, Y/N-a being created alongside Shadow the Hedgehog-escapes to Mobius, entering stasis upon arrival. Decades later, O.R.A.C.L.E. discovers and rehabilitates her.
Little did she know that her friend was...
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The night still clung to the air, warm and quiet, the streets below dimly lit by the occasional streetlamp. Y/N pushed open the door to her apartment, stepping inside and tossing her keys onto the counter. She turned back to Shadow, who hesitated slightly before stepping in behind her.
"Make yourself at home," she told him with a small smile before padding off toward her bedroom. "I'm just gonna get changed."
Shadow barely nodded, too caught up in taking in his surroundings. The space was cozy—soft, warm lighting, a couch that looked well-used, a few books stacked haphazardly on the coffee table. But what caught his eye was the small side table next to the couch.
A framed picture sat atop it.
No. Not a picture.
A drawing.
His breath caught in his throat as he stepped closer, staring at the sketch in disbelief.
It was unmistakably Maria's work—her soft lines, the way she always captured emotion in the smallest of details. And in it, there they were: him, Y/N, and Maria.
Shadow swallowed hard.
She must've found it on the ARK...She kept it all this time?
His chest tightened, the weight of memories pressing down on him. It had been so long since he'd seen Maria's hand in anything.
He barely heard the door to Y/N's room click open.
She stepped out, now dressed in a pair of soft pajama shorts and an oversized t-shirt. Her hair was a little messier, her shoulders a little looser. She looked more comfortable, like she could finally breathe.
But when she saw him standing there, staring at the drawing, her smile faded.
"...You found it," she murmured.
Shadow turned to her, his golden eyes filled with something heavy—something she understood all too well.
"I found it on the ARK before I left," Y/N explained softly, walking over to stand beside him. "It was just... lying there in the dust. Like it had been waiting for me." She exhaled. "I didn't want to leave it behind."
Shadow swallowed, glancing back at the drawing. "...She would've been happy you kept it."
Y/N nodded, wrapping her arms around herself. "I like to think so."
A beat of silence passed before she gently nudged his arm. "Come on," she said, tilting her head toward the balcony. "Let's talk out there."
