{Sonic's P.O.V.}
"Sonic." 

I groaned and slowly opened my eyes when I heard a soft, girly voice call my name. I couldn't feel my body, I couldn't feel anything, except for the agonizing pain and numbness.

"Sonic. Can you hear me?" 

I looked around in confusion, I was floating in a dark, empty place, I couldn't see anything, except from the billion lights that looked like tiny stars that lit the place. I turned around and gasped when I saw a girl with blond hair and light blue eyes, that shined bright. "W-Who are you?" I asked in shock and moved backwards, not knowing if she could be trusted.

The girl smiled softly at me and shook her head. "Don't be afraid, Sonic. I'm Maria Robotnik. Shadow must have told you about me." 

"M-Maria? What...? How...?" I dropped my ears when I remembered the pictures Shadow had shown to me. "Th-this can't be happening... Y-you died... S-so many years ago..." I stuttered in shock and tried to leave. 

"Sonic. Please calm down." Maria moved closer to me as she spoke softly, which only made me panic.

"N-no! I'm losing my mind!" I panted and pinned my ears down. "I'm g-going insane!" I grabbed my quills and tugged on them trying to wake up. 

"Sonic!" She said a louder, getting my attention. "Calm down. I know this might be shocking, but it's really me. I did die a few decades ago."

"I don't believe you. If this is a joke, it's not funny." I quickly said as I kept glancing around.

"Sonic. Please." She begged. "It's not a joke, it's not a dream. It's real, and I need your help."

"What help? I'm not a hero anymore. Go ask Tails." I scoffed and crossed my arms. "They can help you."

"They can't." The girl shook her head, I was about to turn around when she said the name I never wanted to hear again. "I need your help to save Shadow."

"I... I-I can't h-help you..." I stuttered as I kept my back facing Maria. "He's d-dead..." I instantly felt tears appear in my eyes as I remembered what happened. 

"That's what I wanted to tell you, Sonic." She smiled softly. "He's not dead."

My ears pinned down against my head and my eyes widened. "W-What...?!" I quickly turned around and looked at her in the eyes.

"He's not dead. He's still alive, but in a critical condition." Maria tried to get closer, but I kept my distance.

"There's no way, everyone told me that he died, how could he magically come back to life?" I wanted to believe this, I really did, but reality won't let me just have him back, that's not how it works.

"He's not called the Ultimate Lifeform for nothing. He has survived so many times, he was build to survive for centuries." Maria kept smiling softly, making me calm down. "Trust me, Sonic. I'm telling you, his heart is still beating." 

"B-but... How? Isn't he in pain? Isn't it better is he..." I know that sounds bad, but I believe that it'd be better if he wasn't alive... I don't want him to suffer... 

"He's alive for you, Sonic." The young girl gently held my hand. "You shouldn't give up yet, he will be back to you one day. You just need to be patient."

"Patient? Patient?!" I snapped at her. "I've been patient my whole life! I waited for him for years to come back, and now you're telling me that I have to wait more?!" I growled and pulled my hand away.

"Then it wouldn't hurt you to wait a little longer, will it?" Maria asked softly. 

That sentence made me even madder. 

"Y-you don't get it...! I just want a normal life!" I kept shouting, getting everything out of my chest. "The only time I had a normal life was those five years that Shadow was with me..." I sobbed and wiped the tears that were rolling down my muzzle, but more kept coming. 

"I understand how you feel Sonic, I'm sure Shadow wanted the same thing, but unfortunately he was created to be the Ultimate Lifeform. Everyone is after him, always trying to find his secrets and think of him as a threat. But you managed to find every single secret about him without even trying, you made him enjoy his life and forget about his past, something that he's tried to do for years." She shook her head. "Please Sonic. I'm begging you."

I stayed quiet, pinching my arm in hopes that I was dreaming. "Get me out of here... Now..." I said as calmly as I could. "I don't believe you... There's no way Shadow is alive..."

Maria sighed and nodded, finally giving in. "Can at least you promise me something?" She approached me. 

"W-what...?" I looked up at her. "What n-now...?" 

"I need you to promise to me, that whatever happens, you'll be there for Shadow." She held my hand. "I assure you that you and Shadow will be together, but it will be a long and difficult journey..." 

I growled at her, this story starting to piss me off. "Just shut up!! Shadow's not alive!!" I snatched my hand away, this stupid pain getting stronger each time she said his name. "You're lying! You're a machine that Tails made to keep me alive!" I kept shouting and tugging on my quills. 

"Sonic...! please calm down..." Maria gasped when she saw that I started shaking. 

"N-no!! I-I... Sh-Shadow is d-dead...!" I stuttered as my breath became quicker and my hands started shaking. It felt as if my body wanted me to give out, like it was too tired.

"Sonic!" Maria shouted again, but this time her voice was different...

It reminded me of... Tails...?

"I knew it!!" I growled furiously and glared at her. "You're just an illusion!!"

"Sonic! Wake up!!" I heard a voice calling me as everything around me started shaking as well.

"Sonic!!"

I gasped and opened my eyes.

I'm safe. I'm safe.

I'm in my room.

This was all a dream.