Shadow Prime

by HollowLightNocturna

Summary:

(What if Shadow was the one to break the Paradox Prism)

Adopted from an Friend

Chapter 1: A Shattered Sacrifice

Green Hill Zone.

A land of rolling emerald hills and bright blue skies, where waterfalls glittered in the sunlight and flowers bloomed in endless meadows. Flickies darted overhead, rabbits and foxes scurried through the grass, and the air itself seemed alive with peace. It was a paradise where nature thrived, untouched and unbroken.

It was also home.

Among the anthros who called this place theirs lived a hedgehog unlike any other—Sonic. The fastest thing alive. Always grinning, always rushing headlong into danger, and always ready to fight for freedom. At his side, his little brother in all but blood: Miles “Tails” Prower, a young two-tailed fox whose brilliance with machines rivaled Sonic’s speed.

Together, they defended this world time and again from the one who threatened it most: Dr. Ivo Robotnik. Though the world now knew him by another name—Eggman.

Their battles had brought them not only victory, but friendship. Amy Rose, bright and unyielding, wielding her massive Piko Piko Hammer with fearless cheer. Knuckles the Echidna, last of his kind, forever bound to his duty as guardian of the Master Emerald. Rouge the Bat, sly and resourceful, a spy of G.U.N. who lived by her own code. Even the abandoned war machine, E-123 Omega, who turned his fury against the master who had left him behind.

And then there was Shadow.

The Ultimate Lifeform.
Agent of G.U.N.
Leader of Team Dark.
And, perhaps most importantly—Sonic’s rival.

Or so he insisted. Shadow never spoke of it, never admitted how deep that bond ran, but in quiet moments he found himself smiling despite his own brooding façade. Rival or not, Sonic was one of the few who had ever made him feel like he belonged.

But all of that was about to change.

---

In the heart of a mountain cave, a battle raged. Eggman had uncovered an ancient relic—a gem of unfathomable power known as the Paradox Prism.

Shadow stood apart from the chaos, cloaked in the shadows of the cavern wall. His crimson eyes glinted as he tightened his grip on the Chaos Emerald in his hand. The fight was escalating too quickly. Something was wrong—terribly wrong.

And then he saw it.

Sonic. Charging forward. Spindash ready. Aimed straight for the Prism.

“No…” Shadow hissed, stepping forward. He could already hear the voices of the others, shouting for Sonic to stop. But the hedgehog didn’t listen. He never listened.

Shadow moved without thinking. He sprinted, closing the distance, and leapt into Sonic’s path, determined to stop him before disaster struck.

Their collision was instant—violent.

And then it happened.

A crack like thunder split the air. The Prism shattered, exploding into countless shards of light.

The cavern trembled, energy screaming through the walls. Sonic was flung back, the others with him. Shadow staggered, his mind reeling.

“No…” His breath caught in his throat. “No, no, no—”

It was his fault. He had tried to stop it, but instead… he had caused it. The Prism was broken. The universe itself fractured.

He had failed. Failed Maria. Failed Gerald. Failed the world he had sworn to protect.

The light consumed everything.

 

---

Darkness.

Shadow floated in an endless void, the shards of reality drifting around him like stars. His body was weightless, his thoughts fractured. And then he heard them.

Voices.

His friends, distant yet clear, echoing in the abyss. Telling him he was powerful, that he was important, that he was cared for. Maria’s voice, soft and pleading, reminding him of his promise—to protect humanity, to protect the Earth.

And then another voice. One that cut through the void like wind on his face.

Sonic.

“I’m glad I met you, Shadow,” it said. “You keep me sharp. You make me want to be better. You’re the best rival I could ask for.”

Shadow’s chest tightened. A smile, small and unbidden, tugged at his lips. He had always believed himself an outcast—half Black Arms, half weapon, an experiment doomed to be feared. But Sonic hadn’t cared. Sonic saw him for what he was, not what he was made from.

Shadow. The rival. The agent. The warrior.

The friend.

And then another voice rose—cold, mechanical, triumphant.

Eggman.

“Finally… the world shall be mine to rule!”

---

When Shadow awoke, it was not to light, but to steel.

He staggered to his feet, his breath fogging in the polluted air. Towering buildings rose around him, choked with smoke and neon glare. The alley stank of oil and metal, the hum of machinery echoing like a heartbeat through the city walls.

Shadow blinked, disoriented. “What the…?”

This was no Green Hill. No paradise of emerald grass and clear skies. This was something else. A city. A prison. A world ruled by an mad man known as Eggman.

Shadow clenched his fists, anger burning through his veins.

“What happened? Where are the trees? My allies?” He lifted his gaze to the cold dark red skyline, the question that chilled him most lingering on his lips.

“…Where’s Sonic?”

Chapter 2: City of Despair

(Where we last saw Shadow in Chapter One…)

Shadow couldn’t believe where he was.

The world around him was unrecognizable—twisted, broken, conquered. Eggman had won. The very thought made his chest burn with rage, but the truth loomed before him like a scar on the earth. What remained of Green Hills—a place once filled with life, laughter, and freedom—was buried beneath layers of steel and suffocating smoke. In its place stood New Yoke City, a sprawling underground metropolis built on misery, a throne to Eggman’s triumph.

For the first time in his life, Shadow felt true despair. His allies were gone, Green Hills erased, and Eggman’s dream of domination was now a reality. He clenched his fists, hatred warring with guilt. This wasn’t just Eggman’s doing—it was his.

He remembered it all too vividly. Sonic had been trying to save the crystal, and Shadow—foolishly—had interfered. He had tried to help, tried to prove himself, but instead… he had shattered it. The one hope of preventing all of this.

“Damn it…” Shadow growled under his breath, his voice trembling with self-loathing. “You’re such an idiot, Shadow. You caused this. You ruined everything. And now… you have to fix it.”

He walked through the city’s iron-clad streets, his crimson gaze catching the hollow stares of its citizens. Their faces were pale and joyless, their movements mechanical, as if life itself had been drained from them. Each one a prisoner of this city, bound by fear. Shadow’s gut twisted. They’re like this… because of me.

His thoughts were cut short when the ground trembled. A squad of heavily armored Badniks surrounded him, their lenses glowing menacingly. Their monotone voices boomed:

“SURRENDER TO THE CHAOS COUNCIL. RESISTANCE WILL BE ELIMINATED.”

Shadow narrowed his eyes. Did they really think machines could stop him? A humorless smirk tugged at his lips.

“I wasn’t called the Ultimate Lifeform for nothing.”

In a blur of speed and fury, he launched forward, spinning into a whirling dash. Metal shrieked and sparks exploded as Badniks fell in mangled heaps. One by one, they collapsed under his onslaught, their cores sparking and dying.

When the smoke cleared, silence fell. Citizens peeked out from the shadows, their wide eyes locked on the black-and-red hedgehog who had stood his ground. Then—slowly—the silence broke. A murmur. A cheer. Voices rising.

“If he can fight them…” one whispered.
“…then so can we,” another answered.

The spark spread like wildfire. For the first time in years, the people pushed back. They armed themselves with whatever they could find—pipes, tools, even their bare fists—and struck at the remaining enforcers.

Shadow paused, taken aback. He had expected fear. Instead, he saw hope. He saw rebellion. And the realization hit him harder than any blow. Is this what Sonic felt like? That ability to inspire, to ignite courage in others, even in the darkest times? For once, the weight of despair lifted from Shadow’s chest. It felt… good. Almost right.

But he couldn’t linger. There was still work to do. This world was broken, and he needed answers. The only one who could provide them was Tails—or, at least, whatever version of Tails existed here.

He turned and slipped away, unnoticed as the citizens’ fight roared behind him.

---

Meanwhile, in the city’s heart, a towering structure loomed. Its gates hissed open as a figure approached—a mechanical hedgehog, its cobalt plating gleaming under the artificial lights. Its visor scanned, and the guards stepped aside.

[IDENTIFICATION CONFIRMED: WELCOME, MACH SONIC.]

Mach Sonic—half machine, half blue hedgehog —entered with mechanical precision. The worker bots did not look up as he passed, their programming binding them to endless labor. He soon reached the surveillance chamber, monitors casting pale light across his metallic face. Logging in, he sifted through city footage until something unfamiliar flickered across the screens.

A black hedgehog with crimson stripes, a white furry chest. White gloves. Air shoes.

Shadow.

The machine tilted his head, analyzing the footage. His systems searched for an identification code, but none existed.

[Unregistered entity detected.]

His robotic voice buzzed with intrigue. “He’s not from around here… I must inform the Council.”

With calculated efficiency, he opened a secure channel, sending the footage directly to his masters. He just hope that his partner, a pink cyborg female hedgehog, who was just entering the main center, doesn't alert the council before him, he doesn't want her or anyone hogging the glory.

---

Back on the streets, Shadow brushed dust from his gloves. The citizens gathered around, their voices trembling with gratitude.

“Thank you, stranger! You’ve shown us that life doesn’t have to be like this.”

Shadow regarded them silently for a moment before asking, “Do you know of a blue hedgehog… or a two-tailed fox?”

At once, fear washed over their faces, they whispered hurriedly, voices laced with dread.

“We… don’t talk about him,” one stammered, their eyes darting nervously. “But the fox… yes. We’ve seen him. Usually near the train station.”

Their tone shifted, firmer, emboldened. “We’re joining the rebellion. We’ll fight back. Thank you.”

They dispersed, leaving Shadow standing alone with more questions than answers.

Why did they fear Sonic’s name? he wondered, unease gnawing at him. What happened to him here?

There was no time to dwell on it. He needed to find Tails—fast.

He made his way to the station, moving in silence. Inside, he caught sight of the fox, slipping down onto the tracks and vanishing into the tunnels. A hidden lair, no doubt. Shadow followed, unaware that what awaited him would be one of the greatest fights of his life.

And when it was all over—when he fixed the prism, when his allies were safe—he already knew what would happen.

Sonic was going to get the ass-whooping of a lifetime.

For Maria. For Chaos. For everything that was happening to him. He also doesn't realize that his own shoes were sizzling with uncontrollable energy as he headed to the train station.