Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ Harmony & Discord ❯ Shadow's Awakening ( Chapter 1 )

Shadow awoke, gasping. The sheets of his bed were cold with sweat. He looked feverishly around his bedroom, then at the digital clock on his nightstand. Five in the morning, it was too early for him. He knew he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. He'd been having these dreams ever since he'd woken up at the hospital.

 

Shadow didn't know how he survived the fall through the atmosphere after the Ark incident. All he remembered was a burning feeling and then waking up on an island off the coast of Station Square. He had woken up to find himself endowed with wings, and the ability to fly somewhat like a bird. After shaking off his confusion, he managed to fly himself awkwardly back to shore. There he found Sonic and the others being greeted to thunderous applause. He pushed through to them. They all had run over to him concernedly, at which point he remembered passing out and waking up in the hospital.

 

He was released from the hospital a few days later, and was now shacked up with Rouge at her apartment. He looked over at her, sleeping peacefully next to him. Not aware of his odd dreams, the bodiless voice calling out to him. Asking questions and receiving only the simple answer, “In time, He will answer all.” It was driving him mad. He looked at the clock again: five thirty. He stood up and pulled on a pair of khaki pants and a white t-shirt. He wanted to stretch his wings. The sun would be coming up soon…

 

Sneaking stealthily out of the room, he walked to the large window of Rouge's penthouse apartment. It was well furnished, with white leather couches and a large, wall-mounted plasma TV. A bar with stools around it, wooden floors… All undoubtedly bought with stolen money or the money obtained from such items. He looked over at the bar and saw the empty bottles of brandy and other assorted liquors, the result of a little to much drinking and the catalyst in his waking up next to the busty bat. He sighed, “That's one thing down on my list,” he said to himself, smiling.

 

Quietly, he walked over to the sliding glass door leading out to Rouge's 30th floor patio and opened it, stepping out into the cool morning air. Station Square glowed to the east with the rays of the rising sun. He looked to either side of him, stretching his wings. They were large, very large, grayish and heavy. He still wondered why they did not get in the way, why he could call on them whenever he wished, and return them to whence they had grown just as easily. Such an odd thing…and that voice…

 

Shadow stepped onto the railing of the patio, looking down at the street below. Already the early birds were walking and driving off to work, headed to their boring office jobs or something or other. He didn't care. All he knew was that as long as he was at Rouge's, he'd never have to worry about money. Besides that, there were going to be interviews. Stories in the paper, undoubtedly, of the Ark incident. He was sure they would see some kind of green off of that.

 

He stretched his arms and let himself fall forward. The ground came rushing up at him and at the last second he spread his wings and leveled out, streaking just above the heads of pedestrians going about there morning routines. He flapped his wings and climbed upward. Up, up, up to the sky. Threw a small patch of clouds and into the stratosphere. He hung there for a minute, then folded his wings and fell back to earth, speeding again through the city. Turning sharply left, right, flying under and over bridges. “Whatever this gift is,” Shadow said to himself, “It sure is fun.”

 

The people could not see him, for whatever reason. In this state, he was invisible. Almost. There were some that stared at him curiously as he flew by, and others that glared at him. He flew upwards, to the corner of a building, and landed lightly upon it. Shadow looked out upon the city as the orange of the sun began to break over the horizon. He sat down, his feet hanging precariously from the roof, and thought. He still could remember nothing, only waking up on the island. Going back. Nothing before that, nothing of the incident. He thought about what Sonic must be doing right now. Probably sleeping on the couch after having fallen asleep watching TV. Or maybe he was lying peacefully next to Amy. Tails at his workshop, gadgets and what not hanging about. Then there was Rouge…such an interesting person. Lively, attractive, smart and cunning, and that body. Damn what a body.

 

His thoughts were interrupted by a woman's scream. “What the…” he looked down and saw a dark figure running away from a woman who was screaming “My purse, he's got my purse!”

 

Without thinking, Shadow dove off of the side of the building, wings outstretched. He flew along the ground towards the figure, reaching out for him and grabbing him by the collar. He rolled to the ground with the man, winding up on top. Shadow grabbed his collar and held his face up. He was not prepared for what he saw.

 

The man's face was distorted, thin and pale. His eyes were black as coal, and his teeth razor sharp. Shadow stared for a second, then let go of the thing as it let out a screech. Covering his ears and falling backwards, he felt it get up and walk towards him. The horror picked Shadow up and held him by his throat. “Stay out of it, half-breed!” it said in some language he had never heard before, but somehow understood. Shadow managed to kick the monster hard in the stomach, causing it to hunch over just long enough for him to release himself and deliver a swift uppercut to it's jaw. It flew backwards into a trashcan, leaving a sizable dent in it. He was amazed at the power he had over the creature. It was obviously not of this world, but he was able to fight it as if it were human.

 

The creature stood up and stared at Shadow, it's jaw unhinged. They stood for a moment, staring each other down. Suddenly, it let out another screech and began running down the alley at an amazing speed. Shadow bolted after it as it disappeared around the corner, but when he came around that same corner it was gone. He looked around in confusion until he heard police sirens. Shadow walked back to the entrance of the alley that had rolled into, and saw the lady standing there. He picked up her purse and handed it to her. “Here,” he said awkwardly.

 

“Thank you” she said. “Thank you so much.”

 

Shadow was about to reply when he heard the sirens again, louder and closer this time. He looked at the woman. “Did you see that?” he asked.

 

“Yeah, you beat him quite senseless. Had him running” she said, smiling.

 

“No, I mean his face. Did you see it?”

 

“I do believe so, rather ugly brute. Quite a large nose, and crooked teeth.”

 

Shadow stared at her dumbly. She hadn't seen the same monstrosity as him? The deathly black eyes, the razor sharp teeth, bony, pale face? He was just about to ask her this when a police car arrived. Not wanting to stay for an interview, he dashed off.

 

“Wait, where are you going?” she shouted.

 

“I don't like publicity!” He hollered back, turning down a side alley. He jumped into the air, flapping his wings, and soared upwards, back towards Rouge's apartment.

 

Shadow arrived back at the apartment, landing lightly and folding his wings. Without warning, there was a clapping sound behind him.

 

“Bravo, well done, Shadow,” said a voice like a well-tuned harp, sweet and soft. Shadow whirled around to see a human-like figure, dressed all in white, with perfect blonde hair and large, blinding white wings. The voice belonged to a woman, but the figure was that off a man. More like a woman without breasts, though she would be quite well endowed had they been in their place. Something like an it, rather.

 

“Who are you?” he asked.

 

“In time, He shall answer all,” the figure said, smiling. The smile was kind, gentle. Its skin glowed white and pure, and it was surrounded by a radiant-like aura. As if the clouds would part should it command it.

 

“Gabriel?” Shadow said softly, staring in disbelief.

 

“That's right,” she said. He didn't really know what to call her, so he decided to classify “it” by “it's” voice.

 

“You were in my dream! What are you doing here? What the hell was that thing in the damn alley?” Shadow babbled, letting his questions flow out. “What happened to me?”

 

“Relax, and watch your language. You never know when he might be listening.” She said, laughing. “Let us go for a walk, shall we?”

 

 

And…end chapter 1! Whew, quite a chapter eh? Read and review, please! See you next chapter!