After settling a few things with Tails and the rest of Team Dark, Shadow and Maria went...well...home.

Or at least Shadow's home. G.U.N, as an apology for their past actions against him and for what he's done for them as an agent, rewarded him with his very own house. A place he could live in...but to Shadow, it was just a place he could sleep or eat at. He never really stayed there much since he was often all across the globe.

Maria was quiet as she stared at the small and completely gray house that had no neighbors nearby. The house itself wasn't buried in any forest though, just isolated and sort of just out in the field.

"And this is my home, Maria." Shadow said as he began walking towards the door.

Maria then smiled as she eagerly followed her brother. "It looks so cozy, Shadow! But...you don't want a little color? Imagine what maybe a little blue or red could do!"

"I don't exactly have the time." Shadow said. "But...considering this is your home now too, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to maybe give it an extra coat of paint."

Maria gasped and squealed, even spinning around in excitement...before she stopped when she looked at the sky. "...umm..Shadow?"

"Yes?"

"Why is there a massive piece of the moon missing?"

Shadow was quiet as he looked back at the moon. He then looked back at Maria and then back at the door, unlocking it with the key and then stepping in.

"S-Shadow! That's not an answer!" Maria cried as she rushed after him. "What happened to the moon?! Do you know something-?"

But then, the yellow hedgehog immediately stopped in her tracks as she covered her mouth with a gasp.

It seemed Shadow wasn't the only one who lived in the house...because on the couch, bashing some action figures together was some kind of tiny black creature with big eyes and quills similar to that of Shadow.

A Chao. Maria recalled her grandfather studying them during his expeditions on a place called 'Angel Island'. They were a species that had populated the Earth for centuries...and they were adorable.

Shadow noticed Maria staring at the Chao that resembled him and couldn't help but grin, not even needing to say a word.

Maria dashed over, suddenly scooping the Chao right into her arms. "OH MY GOODNESS, THIS IS THE MOST ADORABLE CREATURE I'VE EVER SEEN!!!!"

The Chao's eyes widened in surprise and he looked back at Maria with confusion written all over his face. "Chao?!"

Maria hugged the dark Chao tightly, her eyes almost watery from how small and precious the creature was. "HE'S SO CUTE!!! And he looks just like you, Shadow!!!"

The Chao then gave Maria a look, his eyes narrowed as if he wanted this new stranger to let go of him.

"He even has your grumpy face!" Maria smiled before looking at her brother. "I didn't know you were raising a Chao! What's his name?!"

Shadow walked over. "I named him Nyx. I found him some time ago after the others saved him from the horrible living conditions he had."

Maria's eyes softened and she looked back down at Nyx. "Oh, Nyx...I'm so sorry that happened to you..."

Nyx blinked as he stared into Maria's eyes. "Chao?"

Maria's smile then quickly returned as she nuzzled the dark Chao. "But don't worry! Not only do you have Shadow to look after you, but you have me! I'm Maria! You can think of me like your new big sister!"

Nyx was quiet as he just stared at Maria...and then suddenly, he wrapped his tiny arms around the yellow hedgehog, looking back at Shadow with a protective gaze. "Chao. Chao, Chao."

Shadow nodded, seeming to understand whatever he said. "I agree. He likes you, Maria."

Maria's eyes went sparkly yet again as she hugged Nyx back with a wide smile. "I love you too, Nyx!!! We're going to be the best of friends, I just know it!!!"

"Chao." Nyx said, just giving a nod as he was held in Maria's arms.

Shadow grinned slightly. "If you want to learn how to understand them, I have a few books on Chao history in the library."

Maria gasped as she looked around. "You have a library too?!"

Then, excited as ever, Maria ran off and managed to find a room in the house that was completely filled with shelves upon shelves of books.

Shadow followed her. "We always loved to read back on The Ark. It's just a hobby I never dropped."

Maria turned to her brother. "And I'm glad you didn't!!! There must be so many stories here!!!"

"Mostly history and strategy." Shadow said as he looked around his library. "But I think there are a few fictional ones you'd like."

Maria smiled wide and began looking around with Nyx still in her arms. "Just wait, Nyx! I'll be able to read you as many stories as you want! Unless...Shadow's already been reading to you?"

"Chao."

"I don't often read to him." Shadow said. "He's actually learning how to read some of these all by himself."

Maria's smile somehow grew. "He's reading?! That's amazing!!!"

Nyx just grinned, looking incredibly proud of himself.

"Shadow, when we go see the rest of the world, can we take him with us? Please?" Maria asked.

Shadow looked at his sister and Chao with a hum. "I suppose it couldn't hurt to bring him along."

"YAY!!!" Maria squealed, spinning herself and Nyx around.

Shadow actually let out a chuckle. For once. "Calm down, Maria. We've both had...a long day. We won't be traveling just yet."

"Oh! Right, right, of course!" Maria said with a nod as they walked out of the library. "Besides! There's still plenty for you to show me around your house! Like...why do you have one of The Ark's monitors in front of the couch?"

Shadow turned and then noticed she was talking about the TV. "That's actually a television, Maria. Technology has heavily advanced over the past 50 years."

"Wow..." Maria said as she went over to it, looking over the design. She knew what a television was since they had existed 50 years ago, but she had obviously missed the last few decades of progress. "Grandfather would have loved to see this..."

Shadow's heart clenched slightly as he looked to the side, not responding. It reminded him that he would have to tell her what happened soon.

Maria then kept looking around the house before she eventually noticed something close by. Her eyes widened and she walked over to it.

Resting comfortably on a drawer was...a picture of her when she was still a human and two unlit candles resting on each side of the picture frame. It was some kind of memorial shrine.

Shadow's eyes widened when he caught her looking at it and then walked over.

"...Shadow...this is really sweet." Maria smiled, eventually setting Nyx down on the couch. "You're right, we've had a long day. So long that I...I never thought about what my...death did to you. How it affected you."

Shadow looked down with a soft sigh. "It...wasn't easy to wake up, realize how much time had passed and...and not to have you there as my guide. For a while, I didn't know if I could exist without you by my side..."

Maria slowly looked at her brother. "Shadow..."

"But...I eventually found out that I could. That I could live with your wish in my heart, but not be my only reason for life." Shadow said. "There were plenty of reasons to keep living...not just because it's what you would have wanted for me, but because this planet is worth protecting, regardless of the flaws that it has. And because of the...people I've met here."

Maria noticed how he was purposely avoiding the word 'friend' and giggled before eventually holding his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I'm so proud of you, Shadow...even after all this time, you're still the shadow that guides those into the light."

Shadow's eyes softened. "...I'm not exactly the same as I was back then, Maria."

"I know." Maria giggled. "Anyone's bound to change after things like this and after so much passage of time...but what matters to me is that you haven't changed. In here."

She then gently pressed her finger against his chest where his heart would be. "I know you don't want to call all those nice people your friends because you're nervous or maybe even afraid. And I know that you may not be nearly as timid as you used to be...but you never let that change your heart. The heart that has so much love and care to give."

The brother and sister of The Ark then smiled again at each other, with Maria hugging him yet again.

Shadow wrapped his arm around her. "It's getting late, Maria. There's a guest room you can move into."

Maria giggled. "And here I was hoping to sleep in the library!"

The next morning, Shadow slowly woke up to the sound of Nyx constantly saying the word 'Chao'. And he didn't even need to translate what he was trying to say, it was just the same word over and over like an alarm.

Normally, Shadow would be furious if anyone tried to wake him up...but when he looked to the side, he just saw Maria's now gloved hands peeking out and holding up the Chao.

Shadow was just quiet before eventually sighing. "I'm awake."

Nyx then stopped repeating himself and Maria fully peeked out, her eyes filled with joy. "Good morning, Shadow!"

"I could have woken myself up." Shadow said, slowly sitting up in his bed.

"I know! But I made us a special breakfast!" Maria smiled, standing up.

Shadow tilted his head. "You...know how to use the oven?"

"Of course! It wasn't too complicated to learn! I am a Robotnik after all!" The yellow hedgehog smiled as she walked out of her brother's bedroom with Nyx still in her arms.

Shadow nodded slowly, forgetting that even in her youth, Maria was incredibly intelligent. It seemed that an astonishing IQ just ran in The Robotnik bloodline. He eventually rose out of bed and walked into the kitchen and sure enough, there were two plates of pancakes waiting alongside a single Chao Fruit for Nyx.

"I woke up extra early!" Maria giggled. "And to pass the time, I did a lot of reading! I tried to learn as much as I could about The Chao's history and eating habits! Did you know that it's theorized The Chao have a connection to the legendary Chaos Emeralds?"

"I did." Shadow said. "And it's not just a theory."

Maria smiled wide and then set Nyx on his booster chair. "It's so fascinating to see how such small creatures have a vast history...I can't wait to learn more! I can't wait to see everything I've ever missed!"

Shadow hummed as he suddenly scooped up coffee beans into a bowl. "Maria, it is important that you know we may not be able to see the entire world and its sights in a single day. I was thinking that perhaps it would be better to see it slowly. It would give us time to enjoy them to their fullest extent and I may be needed by G.U.N...especially with Eclipse, Infinite, and that cheap copy of me..."

"...I think he said his name was...Mephiles." Maria said. "I tried researching the name, but there wasn't anything. I saw similar names such as Mephistopheles, but a feeling in my gut tells me they are not the same."

"I doubt it." Shadow said as he turned around. "When I first fought him, he was in a void outside of time."

Maria was about to speak before she noticed her brother literally eating the coffee beans with a spoon. "...ummm..."

Shadow took another spoonful of coffee beans and poured them into his mouth, a soft crunch being heard afterward.

"...Shadow...why are you eating the coffee beans?"

"I always have a fresh coffee in the morning."

"I-I think you're supposed to-"

"I want coffee. Not coffee-flavored water, Maria." Shadow said sternly, eating another spoonful.

Maria blinked. "I...I'm not certain that's healthy? If I recall correctly, there's risk of caffeine overdose, dental erosion, and gastrointestinal issues-"

"I am The Ultimate Lifeform. They simply do not effect me." Shadow huffed.

Maria then looked at Nyx before looking back at Shadow. "I have to admit, it's strange to see you with such confidence over this! Normally, you'd be worried sick about the effects it would have on health."

"It's like I told you last night...a lot has changed." Shadow said before sitting down. "And thank you for the pancakes."

Maria's cheerful demeanor quickly returned. "Of course! You're welcome!!!"

After a nice pancake breakfast, Shadow could clearly tell what Maria was eager to do next. He knew that she wanted to see what the world had for them to see. So, as the sun fully rose into the blue sky?

The Dark Rider took off onto the road, the rev of its engine loud. Maria was behind her brother and wearing a helmet that he insisted she wear. Nyx was still being held by Maria, even wearing his own tiny little helmet.

"WOOHOO!!!" Maria cheered, even pounding her fist into the air.

Shadow let another grin slide as he revved up his bike to increase speed, but not to the great speeds that he usually went.

First, they sped by a neighborhood that was close by. People and cars were already starting to move and Maria could see the mix of both Mobian and human, some were even eating together or just talking to each other. The various houses she could see didn't seem to have changed much from when she was human, at least from the outside. The cars on the other hand, definitely did. Shadow would sometimes race by a few fancy looking ones, with Maria quickly being able to tell that he wanted to show how fast he was.

After going through the neighborhood, they then went into a city. And that's where things started to look so much bigger to Maria. It was packed with people and sounds, both old and new. Billboards were now large TV screens and displaying all kinds of new products waiting to be bought or even news stations. And even through the plethora of different noises, Maria could almost hear some music playing from buildings or even performers on the street having the times of their lives. Not to mention, there were countless new smells...some good and just a bit more bad.

They stopped for lunch at a 'chili-dog stand', and while Nyx had to stick with eating Chao Fruit, Maria and Shadow each got their own chili covered meals. The owner of the stand was nice and what he served smelled good...so when she took a bite, it tasted like the Heavens themselves. Maria didn't think it was possible to literally fall in love with a food until now, but she supposed that made sense after years and years of a bland diet back on The Ark. Shadow, however, just said that they were 'fine'.

Next, they left the city and were back on the open road. Maria spent every single moment admiring all of the cliffsides, the various fields of flowers, and even trying to play 'I Spy' with her brother with the clouds. Emphasis on 'trying' because he was too focused on the road to look up. So, she just played with Nyx instead.

Then came a break from the road in a calm forest. Shadow even packed a picnic blanket for them, but Maria was too busy rolling down the hills with childish glee to even notice.

Maria couldn't stop smiling as she cheered, feeling her quills touch the grass as she came to a stop, having reached the bottom of the hill. She then opened her eyes, staring yet again at the blue sky.

Earth...oh, how she missed it.

Meanwhile...

"...we had him..." Infinite snarled. "WE HAD HIM!!!"

Eclipse and Mephiles turned their heads to see Infinite suddenly blast a beam of energy from The Phantom Ruby in anger. Neither of them looked shocked by the display of power, because it was more or less a temper tantrum.

"I have never seen Shadow more vulnerable than he was then!!! But that foolish little child didn't have the guts to finish the job!!!" Infinite snarled, punching the wall in anger.

Mephiles just walked off, staring at the various organic devices of The Black Arms that Eclipse had in his lair.

"Infinite, are you going to keep whining?" Eclipse sighed, rolling his eyes.

Infinite turned, his eyes glowing brightly under his mask. "You said that Project Maria would work! That she was the only thing that Shadow would never be able to beat! That we would see him suffer in ways we could not imagine!!!"

"Are you stupid enough to think I didn't see the possibility of Maria breaking free of my control?" Eclipse asked, giving Infinite a cheeky grin. "Project Maria isn't a failure just yet..."

Infinite scoffed. "And how can you be so sure of that?"

As if to answer...an eye opened up on Eclipse's forehead. The last of The Black Arms then cackled to himself. "Because I can see everything she can...and believe me. Having her as our weapon was far from the only plan I had..."

Then, one of the screens in his lair turned on, responding to the third eye...and sure enough, it was displaying the picnic between Maria and Shadow through her eyes.

Infinite briefly looked at the screen before facing Eclipse. "I sincerely hope your next plan works this time..."

"Oh, Infinite...where's the fun in torturing your enemies if they don't even try to fight back?" Eclipse said as his third eye closed.

While the alien and jackal discussed, Mephiles just looked at them from afar with his dead eyes slowly turning purple and thinking to himself.

'I couldn't agree more, my dear pawns...'