Dear Maria,
So... Sonic and his friends are here.
I did not expect the Doctor to have found this dimension so quickly, but that's probably because of the Chaos Emeralds. I'm still confused as to how they got here, but there are other pressing matters to deal with.
First of all, Eggman's attempting to use Equestria's magic for some evil plot. Heh, he probably won't even be able to. Even Tails can't seem to understand the magic this place holds. I kind of get it now, but never in the way these ponies understand so easily.
Second, about Pinks. I.. Am hiding my friendship with her from them. Even Rouge. I know I shouldn't be, but.. It's just what I'm feeling right now. Speaking of..
I'm feeling a little.. Different about Pinks. She brings more light to my life than anyone else. It's almost impossible not to smile in her presence. She makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside..
Could I... Could I be...
Falling for her?
I... Think I might be.
Oh God have mercy.
I really hope no one finds out about this.
But..
I hope she'll feel the same for me one day.
Love, Your brother,
Shadow
Shadow closed the diary he kept. It was blue, and quite tattered. He has had this diary since..
Maria.
Sometimes, during late nights, she wrote to him in it, and he would respond.
He had forgotten about it, but when he saw it in her old room that day after Black Doom's defeat...
He had to take it.
He had written letters to her in it after that. Only vary sparsely.
That was... Until he was brought here.
He sighed, running his hand down the cover.
He hoped Maria could hear these words he had written down.
And maybe, just maybe, she did.
He was sitting on his bed at Sugarcube Corner. It was a crisp afternoon, as the autumn weather had finally reared its head. He had a small dresser beside his bed, and placed his diary in the top drawer. It was better than carrying it around in his quills all day anyway.
He sighed, and looked down at the blanket he was sitting criss-cross on.
Just thinking of her jump-started his heart.
Both Maria, and Pinkie Pie. But for slightly different reasons.
'Well, love is love, whatever form it comes in.'
Shadow was as silent as the dead of night.
But somehow, Pinkie always knew where he was.
Pinkie hopped up the stairs to find Shadow starring off into space on his blanket.
She giggled at the sight.
He was very handsome, just by looking at nothing.
She blushed at the thought, just as Shadow realized Pinkie had come up the stairs. He blinked, and turned. Luckily Pinkie's blush hid in her fur.
Shadow smiled at her, earning a beam from Pinkie.
"I'm going to be baking some cupcakes for the Running of the Leaves tomorrow, you want to join?"
Shadow nodded, and slid off his bed, Pinkie hopping back down the stairs. He followed her all the way to the kitchen.
The Cakes were at the park with the twins, so it was only them.
"You do know to make cupcakes now, right?"
Shadow chuckled.
"Of course I do. I work here."
They both went to the cupboards, carrying the ingredients and items needed to make assorted cupcakes: Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and what Pinkie called "Candy Rainbow" cupcakes, which were obviously the sweetest out of the bunch.
Both Shadow and Pinkie reached for the baking powder, and both touched the other at the same time.
They both blushed and retracted.
Shadow looked away.
"Sorry."
Pinkie looked at him, and smiled meekly.
"It's okay."
She grabbed the baking powder, and placed it on the counter behind them.
"No harm, no foul."
Shadow turned back to Pinkie, and noted her shy smile. He gave the same smile back, and two began to mix the ingredients together.
They were silent for for this particular baking session, which was unusual.
Pinkie kept stealing glances at Shadow. What Pinkie didn't know, was that Shadow had also been glancing at her with feelings of romance.
She just couldn't put her hoof on it.
Was it his devilish good looks? Probably.
Was it his kind and compassionate nature? Also likely.
Was it just him, his whole self, that made her feel butterflies every time she talked to him?
Very much so.
She found herself happier than usual when with him. His true self.
She hated every time that they, together, were near sonic and his friends. He had to hide this part of himself, and it drove her crazy. But she respected his wishes. She did Pinkie Promise after all. But..
She yearned for the day he could stop hiding.
She wished...
That she hadn't fallen so hard for him.
She stopped mixing the chocolate batter for a minute.
Shadow noticed, and stopped mixing the strawberry batter.
Pinkie had just realized something.
'I... I've fallen in love with him.'
She gazed up to Shadow, with a visible blush on her face. When Shadow got a good look at her, he could see her blushing. And that made him blush. They stared at each other for a brief moment.
Suddenly they were snapped back to reality, and both looked away from each other.
"Uh, sorry." Pinkie apologized, and walked over to the cupboard to grab a cupcake pan.
Shadow stared a her for a few more moments before looking away once more.
'Oh man. I don't think I can ever stop staring at her.'
The two soon forgot about the incident as the baking session went on, and conversation sparked up. At the end of the day, all cupcakes were finished, and the two had enjoyed some quality time together.
Cupcakes boxed and kitchen cleaned, the two continued their conversation in Pinkie's room.
"You know, I really do love my family. But I couldn't stay on the rock farm for the rest of my life."
Pinkie Pie and Shadow were sitting on her bed. She had just finished talking about her family, and how she got her cutie mark. It really was an intriguing story, at least to Shadow. He never would have thought such a peppy and bright pony like Pinkie would have grown up in such a somber place. He was happy she had a loving family, and such close friends...
Shadow suddenly frowned. He remembered her.
Pinkie quickly grew concerned.
"Shady? Are you alright?"
Shadow sighed.
"Yeah... I'm just thinking about... My past."
Pinkie looked to him with sympathy. She put a hoof on his shoulder.
"You can tell me more about your past Shady."
Shadow stared at her sky blue eyes. He inhaled, and spoke slowly.
"When I was created, by Dr. Gerald Robotnik, there was someone on the ARK I grew very close to. Her name was Maria. She was his granddaughter. Kind of like you, but less bombastic. She had an incurable illness, though I do not like to think of it. It was called NIDS, or something. Anyways, I watched over her a lot when I wasn't having tests run on me by Robotnick."
His voice started to become scratchy, and his mood more somber. Pinkie moved her hoof to his hand.
"We... Grew very close. I.. Saw her as my sister. I loved her than anything else in the world. But then.."
His head hanged low, as he tried to speak normally. However, it was now hard, as his voice was now shaky on top of what had been noted before. He felt a few tears form in his eyes.
"The G.U.N raid happened."
He felt the need to elaborate, so he did.
" G.U.N is a government organization, whom was working with the Professor's project. That project.. Was me. Project Shadow. They had suspected something bad had happened, and after rumors surfaced about Black Doom, they took action. They arrested him, and chased after me and Maria. I managed to get us into the escape pod room, when.. Maria locked me in the pod."
He felt a few small tears escape.
"She looked at me with kind eyes, as the soldiers entered. She told me to protect the Earth... Give the people there a chance to be happy...And then..."
Shadow paused, feeling a huge wave of emotion about to break. Pinkie kept kind, sympathetic eyes on him.
He suddenly looked up to her face. He closed his eyes.
Pinkie knew he was about to break. So, she hugged him. Shadow said nothing back about it, and returned the hug gently.
He finally found his voice.
"She pulled the lever. And I saw her. She was shot, dead in the heart, by one of the soldiers. I-I saw the blood spill. I saw her limp, dead body on that floor, before the pod left. It- I-"
"You do not need to say anything else Shadow."
Shadow stopped, and desperately held onto her hug. Not too tightly, but with the search for comfort. Pinkie let it happen, even though no weeps were given by the hedgehog. Only tears.
Silence.
A moment of silence, if you will.
After a while, Shadow broke away from the hug. His eyes were shiny, but he wore a small smile.
"Thank you Pinks."
Pinkie smiled.
"Anytime Shady."
The two always enjoyed their time together, and both sensed that feeling.
That feeling of being, well,
Loved.
And being in love...
Just when...When were they going to tell each other?
Two people were spying on them baking that day, both unaware of the other. One was a friend, and the other, was an enemy.