Shadow had to stop by the ARK to pick something up. He asked Amy to join him, as he’d always found it easier to cope with his conflicted feelings if he brought a friend, particularly the one who reminded him most of Maria. After a few years, she started wearing blue whenever he brought her along, implying she’d figured out why. He never knew just how to thank her for all of it, but he knew she could tell even without words.
“Stay close,” he commanded, holding her hand as they made their way through the dark hallways. He let go of her so he could knock out a few robots with Chaos Spears. “You never know what you’ll run into in some corners of this–” Shadow’s blood went cold when he reached out for Amy’s hand, only to meet empty air. “Amy?!”
He heard her footsteps and curious voice from farther down the hall. He growled and sprinted after her, anger mixing in with his fear. “Amy, what did I just–!”
She interrupted him with an excited gasp. “You never told me there was a Chao Garden here!”
Shadow felt his chest clench. He stopped out of shock, petrified, and braced his hand against a wall. His mind raced with thoughts of the Chao Garden, his favorite room aboard the ARK–and the way he’d since avoided it, horrified of what might remain. The Chao had been in there for fifty years. Even if they’d avoided G.U.N.’s violent rampage, they’d been alone with none of the affection they needed to…
There’s no way they could have…
Adrenaline snapped him out of his thoughts, and he bolted after her. “AMY! DON’T LOOK IN THERE! YOU’LL–THEY–”
“Aww! You’re so cute!” Shadow almost tripped over his own feet at Amy’s voice, which had the same loving, affectionate tone she always reserved for Chao and small animals. “How are you? What’s your name?” she continued, as if expecting a response.
Shadow halted outside the door, terrified to look inside…until he heard the soft noises of curious, very lively Chao.
“Shadow, what are you doing out there? Come on in!”
Shadow crept toward the door and poked his head in. He cautiously opened his eyes. They widened at what he saw.
The artificial turf Gerald had imported from Earth remained. The pool off to the side was full of the same clear, shallow water Shadow remembered. He saw a fruit fall from one of the trees.
Living, breathing, happy Chao.
Shadow took a few steps forward and fell to his knees in shock. From the other side of the garden, a black and red striped Chao noticed him and immediately dashed over to meet him, a big grin on its face. It wasn’t the kind of grin someone wore after missing someone for decades, though. It was as if the Chao had seen him just yesterday. It jumped up into his arms and started nuzzling him happily.
He heard Amy giggle next to him. “I think I know which one’s yours!”
Amy snorted at his hoarse response. “Uh…the colors? The speed? I–” She paused. “What’s wrong, Shadow?”
He was shaking. The Chao looked up at him in concern. “Th-they were alone…for fifty years…how did they…?”
Amy placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, making him look up. She stopped petting the purple Chao next to her and stood, then made her way to the door. Confused, Shadow followed her, still carrying his Chao.
Amy peeked her head out the door. Her eyes lit up, and she pointed to something on the wall just outside. Shadow stepped out and followed her gaze, frowning at a small metal box next to the door frame. “What’s that?”
“I’ve seen these before. When someone doesn’t have much time to spend at home, they can freeze their Chao’s development so it doesn’t get lonely. It’s expensive, though.”
Shadow squinted at the box. It looked unfamiliar, and he figured out why when he noticed it looked newer than the door next to it, as if it had been added very late in his stay at the ARK. The initials “GR” were embossed in the corner. The contraption bore a striking resemblance to the one on his own stasis pod. Shadow’s eyes widened.
“Gerald…he must’ve known, somehow, that someday they’d need…”
The Chao in his arms made a concerned noise. Amy gently led him back inside. Sensing he was trapped in his conflicted memories, she spoke up. “So why is there a Chao Garden on the ARK?”
Shadow snapped back to the present. He approached one of the trees and put his Chao back down so he could feed it some fruit. He knelt next to the tree, and Amy followed his example. “Gerald insisted on it. He made sure everyone aboard got their own Chao. He claimed it was to test the effects of the Chaos Drives he’d invented, but everyone knew it was just another way of keeping us sane.” His smile was somewhere between fondness and regret. “I gave mine a lot of green ones.” The Chao finished his fruit and immediately cuddled up to Shadow again, clearly spoiled rotten.
Amy smirked at him out of the corner of her eye, still petting the handful of Chao gathered around her. “Yeah? So what’s that one’s name? ‘Shadow Jr.?’”
Shadow went silent. He pouted, embarrassed. His Chao snickered. Amy gaped and let out a disbelieving laugh. “Seriously?! I was kidding!”
“I wasn’t very creative as a kid, okay?!” Amy and Shadow Jr. kept laughing. He grumbled and looked past them, but he stopped when another Chao noticed them and started waddling over. Shadow’s heart pounded.
It was a light blue angel Chao with pale golden wings. It walked more slowly than the others, but it kept moving, even picking itself up as it tripped on the way over.
Amy spotted the newcomer, and her expression brightened. “Oh, that one’s so cute!”
The Chao stopped in front of Amy and gazed up at her. It tilted its head, and its halo morphed into a question mark.
The Chao blinked at the greeting but shyly kept its distance. It looked back and forth between Shadow and Amy for a moment, then looked at the door and made an inquisitive noise, as if expecting someone else. When no one came, it looked back at Amy once more, examining her blue dress, headband, and gentle smile. Apparently soothed by the familiarity just as Shadow had been, it slowly crawled into her lap and snuggled comfortably in her arms.
Shadow couldn’t stop a wide grin from spreading across his face. Of course she’d trust Amy.
Amy happily pet the Chao and turned to Shadow. “What’s this one’s name?”
After a moment of contemplation, Amy’s face softened in understanding. “This is Maria’s Chao, isn’t it?”
He nodded and turned away, allowing a single tear to slide down his cheek.
The two of them remained there in companionable silence for a while. They eventually had to leave, though they knew they’d be back sooner this time. Shadow shut the door behind him after one last longing look.
Amy caught his sad expression. She took his hand once more and squeezed it comfortingly. “Sorry I ran off like that! I’ve never been good at following directions,” she joked.
“Hmph. Don’t worry about it.”
I’ve always liked that about you.
Inspired by @shadowsfascination’s recent post about a secret ARK Chao Garden. I was worried about their mortality until I remembered the Chao in SA2 don’t age unless a player character is in there with them :)
