[Yoli the Wonderer]

Oh yes.. I wrote this a while back, but I figured I'd stick it up here since I doubt anyone has looked at my fanfiction.net account. I have some crap stories on that thing anyway. Anyway, here's a little something for Shadow fans around here. Feel free to read and hopefully enjoy this short story. Some constructive criticism would also be appreciated but not TOO much. Now sit back, relax, and read if you will.

Story © Ibuki/Yoli the Wonderer
Located here
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A Single Crimson Rose

By: Ibuki/Yoli the Wonderer

Disclaimer: Nope! Don't own Shadow, Tails, & crew so don't go sueing! This fic was inspired when I saw this carnation I've had since my grandfather's... funeral and just really touched me. Don't go flaming.

The fall had seemed to only last for seconds, but the pain had been an endless eternity. I didn't know when it was going to end. The pain.... so intense... even more intense than all the experiments I had suffered through... I just wanted it to end.... I wanted to just fall into the arms of her.... Maria... I didn't want to suffer anymore.... I didn't want to feel the endless, cruel, sting of the world throwing me off its broad shoulder and into the abyss anymore.... Let me land.... Let me die in the arms of an angel... I mean, how much more torture could my soul go through? First it had been the experiments, then the attack at ARK, the loss of Maria, and then, after fighting for what I believed in for so long and so hard, finding out that I was had been wrong. I don't know how I had found Dr. Gerald Robotnik to be such a great man, not after what he created. Maria.... She had me promise to make the people of the world happy... and I had almost broken it! I had almost destroyed what I had promised to protect! Why hadn't I seen it before? Why, Maria, didn't you reach out and tell me what was wrong and right? Maria, why did you have to die!? There was so much I had yet to know but upon that attack, you sacrificed yourself for the likes of me! WHY!? I've suffered enough already! You could have lived! You could have gone on and taken up a wonderful life of your own! Why did you destroy yourself for me!? I didn't want this life so why did you give it to me! I just want to be with you! I just want to-

I hit the ground hard, VERY hard. It felt like every bone in my body had shattered from the impact. I wouldn't have been surprised. Pain was all I felt at first, but it was soon covered in a blanket of numbness throughout my whole body. I must of taken a hard hit to the nerves for I couldn't feel hardly anything, but yet I could still smell. Around me was an essense of something gentle yet sweet and fragrant. It smelled like heaven in fact and reminded me of her... Maria.... I took in one long, easy waft and then finally managed to force my eyes open for a moment. Right in front of my nose, a single rose whithered in the call of the wind. It was so beautiful.... I just couldn't touch it at first for fear that my cursed hands would have it wilt. I didn't want such a beautiful sight to die in front of me again. It was so tempting though to touch it, to feel its petals. I had never touched a flower before.... I wondered what it felt like. Was it as warm and welcoming as its essense? Again, I wasn't sure, but the smell continued to tease my nose playfully. After a while, I could ignore the scent no longer and slowly reached out with a hand. The rose seemed to flutter away from me as if afraid of my touch though maybe it was just the wind. Whatever the case, I continued to reach towards it, both in curiousity and fear.

My hand finally came down upon the petals and I gently stroked them with my fingers. My gloves were practically no more, had been burned away by the atomisphere. At first I was caught off guard that I could actually feel it, what with most of my body numb from the pain, but what I found was that I had been right. The petals were soft and gentle as the scent. In fact, they were so soft, they reminded me of her wonderful blonde hair.... Maria... I continued to stroke the rose, at the same time wondering how such beauty could survive in such a vast and cruel world. It seemed impossible to me, but then there was still much I didn't know about the world. I had just started to see the other side... and suddenly I felt inclined to live again....

"Ma.... Maria..... Why..... Why...?" I murmured quietly, "Why..... couldn't..... I.... see?"

I continued to stroke the rose. For some reason, I just couldn't stop. My mind swirled in regret. Why hadn't I wanted to live before? Why did I blame Maria? I had loved Maria... because she had been my only great friend... so why did I stain her name before?

"I..... want..... to.... live.... Maria..... Please..... let..... me..... live...." I murmured, but I could only feel myself becoming weaker. I soon grew too weary even to hold up my hand and pulled it away, in fear of destroying the rose, Maria.... I didn't want to hurt her again.... I didn't want to harm anyone again.... but I wanted to live.... even just by myself.... but again, I grew afraid that I would harm others...

"Funny..... how... I..... didn't..... see.... the..... light.. Maria..... before.... it.... was..... too..... late...." I murmured faintly as my eyes began to close. The rose slowly slid out of my view and, as much as I fought, I couldn't get them back open. I took in one last whift of the essense....

So beautiful.... So innocent..... like Maria....

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[sonictk]

Sweet. Angst fanfic? Looking good so far, at least SOMEONE else uses proper grammar here...

[Zeiback the Echidna]

Good fic. It's a good look into Shadow's last thoughts after what happened to him in Sonic Adventure 2. It's sad how even in death he can't let go of Maria's memory. He's just a tortured, guilt, ridden soul, underneath his bad to the bone exterior.