I Am...All of Me

Together Again (Sequel to Reunions)

"1500 years!?" the Sonic team exclaimed. Shadow sighed and crossed his arms.

"Yes. Due to certain...events in the past, we were able to live without aging."

Maria, concerned for her little brother, quickly interrupted, "And we can worry all about that later. Right now, you need to get some sleep."

Shadow rolled his eyes, "I'm fine."

Maria placed her hands on her hips and looked up at the obsidian hedgehog with a stern glare. Shadow sweat-dropped. Not even a thousand years could free him from the frightening gaze of his older sister. He uncrossed his arms with a reluctant sigh, and the golden hedgehog smiled and grabbed his hand.

"This is really not necessary," he grunted.

"Yes, it is," she retorted and turned to Amy, "Do you know where the nearest hotel is?"

"Hotel?!" Amy gasped, "You will not stay in some sleezy hotel room as long as I'm around. You can stay at my place! I have plenty of room."

"I really don't want to impose."

"Nonsense," the pinkette dismissed, "You, Shadow, and your friends can stay with me. It will beat any one star motels or Shadow's cave by a long shot."

"You've been sleeping in a cave?" Maria asked Shadow, who was still trying to salvage what remained of his pride. The dark hedgehog nodded, and the blond hedgehog exploded in worry.

"I wish she coddled me like that," Zero grumbled, and Espio rolled his eyes. Sonic glanced at the jackal with a mischievous grin.

"So you got a thing for Shad's sister, huh?"

"Shut up!" Zero snapped, as they walked to Amy's house.

"How old are you exactly?" Tails asked Espio.

"1,517 years old, though I am actually the second youngest. Zero is 1,516, and Rouge is 1,521. Maria and Shadow were there long before we were though. No one knows how old those two are."

"Where are you talking about?"

The chameleon hesitated, "Let's get some food first, and then all will be explained."

Meanwhile, at the back of the group, Shadow and Maria walked hand in hand. The sable hedgehog gazed thoughtfully at the girl beside him and whispered, "You look better."

"Not that I can say the same for you," she replied with a small smile that slowly fell, "After the blast, something changed. I wasn't as sick as I was. Shadow, I think you helped me get better."

"I doubt it," he growled, causing Maria to frown, "Whatever he did to me has only caused destruction and pain to all who come in contact with me."

"You don't know that," she said softly and squeezed his arm. He wanted to disagree but didn't want to cause a scene at the same time. Maria continued, "We're together now, and that's all that matters."

A few minutes later, the two groups arrived at Amy's cozy little house. The cherry pink hedgehog was quick to get everything set up and began cooking lunch for the group. Maria immediately offered to help, but she was scooted out of the kitchen before she could put on an apron.

"No, ma'am. You haven't see your brother in centuries. I can handle lunch. It's not the first time that I've had to cook for a large group."

Maria agreed reluctantly and sat down beside Shadow on the couch. The black hedgehog's eyes were drooping halfway as he rested his head in his palm, even amidst the noisy chatter from the group.

"So what have you been up to for all this time?" Sonic asked the newcomers.

"Besides trying to remember who on earth I was?" Rouge grinned, "I traveled the mainland, working in boutiques or modeling companies, as well as more...dangerous lines of work. But once Zero wandered into the shop I was working in, we've been looking for the rest of the team."

"I remained primarily in isolation in the high mountains," Espio began, "Honing my skills and staying off the radar were two of the main things I did. However, the others found me and reminded me of who I truly was, and I accompanied them here to the island."

Zero absently fiddled with the hilt of his scimitar as he answered, "I actually traveled with different mercenary groups across the globe. The most current group I was with was called the Jackal Squad. But after a memory of the blast surfaced, I knew I had to leave. That's when I met Rouge again."

"What about you, Maria?" Sonic asked, and the blond leaned closer to Shadow timidly.

"Well, there's really not a whole lot for me to say. I just sort of wandered around looking for Shadow and the others. Of course, I still worked different jobs here and there, but it was always sad when I had to leave. If I stayed around the same people for too long, they would notice how I stayed the same age, and I didn't want any governments or something to find me."

Sonic nodded sympathetically. All of them constantly had to move in order to not raise suspicions from their friends. It sounded like a lonely life.

"What about you, Shadow? What have you been doing all this time?" Maria asked. The charcoal hedgehog grumbled under his breath before answering.

"Remained on the island. Guarded the tomb. Made sure he never came back."

Everyone in the group blinked, not understanding what he said. Was the need for sleep catching up with him that quickly?

"What dead guy would be worth guarding?" Zero asked.

"The one who stole death from us," he replied sharply, "and would come back in a heartbeat."

Tails noticed how the new members of the group froze on the spot. Maria held on to her brother a little tighter, and Zero clenched the hilt of his sword. Rouge froze with her wings halfway curled towards herself in a shielding fashion, and even Espio paused his movements with a shuriken in hand.

"You can't be serious," Rouge breathed and stood, her beautiful features contorting into an angry visage, "You can't possibly mean he's still alive!"

"We're here, aren't we?" Shadow replied and stood to face her, "Did you really think he would be stupid enough to not seize that kind of power for himself? Look at what he did to us! What he almost made me do to all of you! I sealed him away, but he will take the first chance he gets to break free."

"Uh, not to interrupt, but who are talking about?" Amy asked as she came back into the living, planning to tell them that lunch was ready before she started listening in on the conversation.

"An ancient being whose sole purpose is to steal and conquer everything he sees," Espio began, as he rose to his feet.

Rouge hugged herself as she thought about it, "One who doesn't care who you are or where you're from, only that you are his to use as he sees fit."

"He does everything in the name of progress, but what that really means is that he will exploit every strength and weakness he finds to his benefit," Zero chimed in, standing beside the purple chameleon.

"Nothing is sacred in his eyes," Maria whimpered, standing up to hold Shadow's arm, "Nothing can quench his thirst for power over everyone else."

Crimson orbs glared fiercely ahead of him, "He is the monster who goes by the name of Lyric, and he stole everything from me."

And there you go! I know I'm making Lyric way more sinister than he was in the games, but hey, it kinda makes sense. Please tell me what you think so far!!!