Once again, as a reminder, do not make any editing or corrections to this, do not point to me of any mistakes. I will not make corrections. I`m leaving this mostly as is of what it was when Tojo and I rped this out. We both have different rp styles so expect there to be some inconsistencies in things such as apostrophes and tenses.
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During the night, Maria has another dream of a memory from the past. She doesn`t remember what caused it, but she had entered a room upon hearing someone screaming for help. When she came into the room, Shadow had chased one of the scientists up the top of his cabinet and he wasn`t coming down. The man was terrified of Shadow and seemed to have gotten this idea that Shadow was going to kill him. The scientist saw Maria and demanded that she take care of this "monster." She immediately took pity on Shadow, knowing that many of the scientists saw Shadow nothing more than just another animal science experiment. She threw her arms around Shadow and came to his defense, saying that he was not a monster. As more scientists came into the room to investigate the commotion, the scientist on the cabinet then told Maria that she needs to "leash her attack dog" before he killed someone.

Maria`s face scrounges in her sleep during this part of the dream. Her arms subconsciously snake around Shadow and hugs him, out of concern for him.

This had to be one of Shadows most peaceful, well restive nights, as he remained inter-locked with Maria. His arms remained wrapped around hers, a passive dream shown in his mind during the night. It was the window where they spent much of their time looking back to Earth, and how many times they talked about wanting to go to Earth..to see the forests, the cities, the vast oceans.. which flip-flopped into a mish-moshed dream of the past events. Undead, reincarnated scientists wandering the halls, coupled with crazed robots, no Maria in sight.. finding Maria they suddenly find themselves in a world where Shadow is powerless to defend her from rogues and combatants; twice, he tossed and turned, before he finally awoke with a start, "...!"

Shadow`s tossing has woken Maria up. She`s in a daze from being woken so suddenly,"Wha...?"

"..." Slowly panting, finding that Maria was just fine in his arms, he wrapped his arms around her a little tighter. "..I'm, I'm sorry..was just having a bad-dream.."

She calms down and settles herself back down where she was a moment ago. Maria closes her eyes and surprisingly falls asleep rather quickly.

This was just in the early morning, Shadow lay there holding her for a few more hours; the room was normal, cleaned of the maple syrup and milk he had spilled when he had over-reacted. Shadow had mixed feelings about everything..he felt closer to Maria, but at the same time with so many things happening, there was so much more danger than he realized would present itself.

At some point, he slowly started to stroke her hair very lightly, so as to not wake her, and leaned back. "..Wonder when things will straighten.."

Maria is sleeping really soundly. All the stress piling up, the few times that they did get nourishment into their bodies, and all the running she had to do...She is wiped out. She seems to take comfort in knowing that Shadow is here. They spent 52 years apart, they`ll have a lot of catching up to do. Already, one may say that the two of them are joined at the hips. Then again, similar comments were made when they were on the Arc. Whenever Shadow didn`t have to do training or be submitted to tests, he was with Maria. They either read books, played games, gazed at the Earth, or even played a few jokes on the others on the Arc. "Mischievous little things", as Gerald once put it.

Thinking of all the stories that he would have to fill her in on, Shadow just kicked back and lay there, stroking her hair. The whole story of how he saved the world, he had initially been careful to leave out a few details, details that Rouge had tried to uncover the other day. Not to mention the two paths he took, and the varied events afterwards, as well as the alien invasion.. war stories. Shadow never thought himself as a soldier or a veteran, despite everything that had happened.

It was during that moment that, elsewhere, Jet was riding along through the real world, along the heavens; he'd likely be with his two companions, Wave and Storm, speeding through the sky. They were looking for the prime location of the new location of their city..in the real world!

Marias brother, Robotnik, was flying up towards the Arc space-station once again, for reasons unknown. And it was with the chaos emerald he had received he managed to power a space-ship to do it.

Maria`s fingers begin to curl and at some point during so, her fingertips catch a few strands of Shadow`s white fur on his chest. The fur here was longer, oddly enough. Those strands go with her fingertips, like she is grasping them.

"....?" Shadow began to take notice of this, watching her with mild curiosity as she acted in her sleep. He liked the interaction. They had been apart for so long and it felt as though the hours they get to spend alone were interrupted. And it was a funny coincidence that the door suddenly knocked. "..Great.." Trying to carefully maneuver himself off of Maria, his challenge was to get her to let go of his fur.

If he were to just pull back slowly, he could get his fur from her slender fingers which aren`t grasping his fur that tightly.

It disappointed him to leave her, but it was only five or so feet to the door. "Who is it.."

Sonic oddly enough answered. 'It's me, Shad..come on, open up.'

Shadow slowly opened the door, looking towards Sonic. "..Yes?"

Sonic scratched at a few of his quills. 'Amy sent me to check up on you, see if everything was alright. And I figured..I'd check, but I thought you both were alright.'

Maria stirs a little from the lack of warmth from Shadow`s body.

"Everythings fine." Despite all that happened, Shadow wasn't one to make a big deal out of anything..unless it concerned himself and Maria. Noticing Maria stirring... "..listen, Sonic..I'll find you and Amy later. Yesterday was a big day, Maria needs her rest.."

Sonic nodded a few times. 'Alright, just making sure. Catch ya down-town.'

Nodding firmly, he waved.

"Bye.."

Shadow shut the door, locking it and returning to bed with Maria; he reached out and lifted her up as he lay down, laying her atop of him. "..Everything will turn out just fine.."

Her eyes are still closed but speaks in a very low volume,"Thank you...Shadow Hedgehog..."

"..What?" Shadow looked up and over to her, but his expression softened and he seemed disappointed to find Maria asleep; he began to rub the back of her head, looking away again.

Her body rises as she inhales deeply, then it lowers back down as she slowly exhales. Her gentle eyes open half way,"For everything..."

His eyes widened in slight surprise that she was awake now, and speaking to him as such. "..You're welcome, Maria.."

Silence for a period of time, as Shadows red oculi look to her eyes. "..but you know that I would go hell and back, just for you.."

A smile makes it`s way onto her face slowly, looking back to him.

Being alone and only with her, a small smile crossed his face. He was contented again. For a long while, Shadow didn't ruin the peaceful little scene, just stroked the back of her head as he had been doing, supporting her.

Maria`s eyes close, feeling pretty relaxed. The smile remains on her face. Those scientists that had a problem with Maria talking to Shadow like he were a regular person would surely have heart attacks if they could see them now.

Shadow wrapped his arms around her again, slowly beginning to speak. "It feels like I could lay here all day, and just be content looking at you.."

Moving his face a little closer to hers. "..I promised you a fine day, though.."

Her enourmous relaxed state prevents her from opening her eyes again but she continues to speak with Shadow,"Every day with you is a fine day..."

"I hope so..That is the best thing I could have hoped to hear.."

With a pause, he continued to look to her. "Want me to order breakfast..?"

"If you want to..."

"..But I'm asking you.. I can't force you to eat but..you haven't been eating regularly. Maybe that's why you've been.. a little tired."

Her eyes open. He does have a point. She looks up at Shadow,"Yes, you are right..."

"..I just want to see what's best for you, Maria.."

He kept one arm wrapped around her, around her waist, his other reaching over for the phone; he dialed the front desk. "..This is room 232..I'd like to order a ..mixed breakfast; waffles, eggs, bacon, milk, and slices of fruit. Yes.. Alright."

Hanging up, he went back to holding her. "..We'll check out of the hotel and, see about finding a new place to live."

The smile returns to Maria`s face and she sounds a little more awake now,"All right."

She could notice now by the softness in his eyes; it was difficult to see now that he was a hedgehog again, but if she concentrated, she saw a little more than just adoration and contentment in his eyes. Shadow said nothing more, though.. as he continued to hold her.

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