Maria slowly sat up from the couch, still wrapped in a blanket.

“Good morning, Shadow… wait—why do you have those?”

Shadow adjusted his gloves, straightforward as always.

“Tails told me he used some of my blood during your revival process, so logically, some of my abilities may have transferred. Today, we find out which ones.”

He opened the door to the basement with uncharacteristic enthusiasm.

“Come on.”

Maria followed, confused but curious.

“If I did get some of your abilities… can I teleport?”

Shadow smiled—a real, soft smile.

“That’s the hope.”

---

Basement Trial

Shadow flipped the lights off immediately.

“Shadow! Why—”

“Can you still see me?” he asked, standing perfectly still.

Maria blinked. She could.

“…Yes. Easily.”

Shadow nodded, impressed.

“The lights are off. If you can see me clearly, that means your vision adapts to darkness like mine. Excellent. That saves time.”

Maria blinked again. She hadn’t even realized how dark it was until he mentioned it.

Shadow placed two large red Xs made of tape on the floor—one near the door, one across the room.

“Next test—teleportation. Stand on that X and move here. Keep your eyes open if possible.”

Maria stared at the tape and froze. She suddenly looked small again—not physically, but emotionally.

A moment ago she was laughing. Now she looked scared.

Shadow recognized the expression instantly.

It was the same expression she wore on the ARK moments before blood tests… scans… injections… all things meant to “check if she was stable.”

He softened his posture.

No stern training voice.

Just the version he was when he tried to make her laugh decades ago.

“Hey,” he said gently. “It’s like hopscotch—but you don’t have to jump. Just imagine moving from one square to the other. If it helps… pretend it’s a game.”

Maria’s shoulders loosened.

She stepped on the X.

She closed her eyes.

One breath—

—and she vanished, reappearing directly beside Shadow.

She gasped.

“I—did it!”

Shadow nodded proudly.

“Yes. Very well.”

She tried again—back—forward—again—this time with her eyes open.

Shadow turned away briefly to grab an object for the next assessment.

When he turned back, Maria was halfway phased into the wall.

“MARIA!”

He teleported immediately, grabbed her arms, and blinked them both into the upstairs living room.

Maria stumbled forward, shaken.

Shadow crouched in front of her, hands firm but gentle.

“You must not teleport without directional focus. The space between points is unstable. You’re not ready for reckless jumps yet.”

His voice was stern, but fear trembled under it.

Maria nodded silently, guilt securing her voice.

Maya entered the room at that exact moment, holding a stuffed toy, blinking at them.

She signed, slowly and clearly:

Are you okay?

Shadow loosened, lifting her into his arms.

“Yes, my little ghost. Everything is fine.”

Maria sank onto the couch.

“…Maybe no more tests today?”

Shadow nodded, patting the seat beside him.

“Sit. We’re watching cartoons.”

Maria smiled softly.

“It’s been years since I watched cartoons with you—even though it feels like yesterday.”

Neo arrived shortly after, leaning into Shadow and lightly placing his arm around him and Maya.

“This is pleasant,” Neo whispered.

Shadow rested his head against him.

“Anything involving you two is pleasant.”

Maria watched, quietly absorbing the reality of Shadow’s life now.

A family.

Something he never had when she was alive.

And finally—she got to be part of it.