I have been searching for a good Shadow fanfic for so long, you kind writer, have made my day by writing this. Some very slight criticism is that it was slightly confusing why Shadow was .. well.. not as withdrawn as in cannon in the earlier chapters but not extremely off putting. Still, absolutly amazing.

Best fanfiction ever

No idea if you still exist. If you do, I appreciate the story. If you don't, a toast!
-Kevoc Kuploc

Is that a fleetway reference?

no its sad i feel bad for sonic. sonic no tails tails goodbye sonic i love you brother... and our time togther is coming to en end right now sonic no tails sonic bangs on his prision.

This story was sooo good... Thank you for writing it ;)

I don't think I have the proper words to fully describe how I feel about this fanfiction. If I'm being totally honest, it's one of the best Sonic fics I've ever read. The characterization is believable with a touch of your signature flair for extra entertainment. Shadow's personality is a breath of fresh air from the canon material (still serious but much more developed and witty). Witnessing all the characters grow and develop throughout this story was a delight to see, from Shadow to Maria and even Vincent's slow descent into madness.

As I mentioned numerous times in my various reviews, your cutaways that focus on Sonic and Shadow in the present day were well executed, providing a good break from the tension of the main story while offering fourth wall breaking hilarity and a bunch of humorous moments. You're among the few authors who've been able to make me laugh out loud and shed tears in the same sitting, a testament to your mastery of multiple genres.

And finally...I've got to say: the AU that you built surrounding Shadow's past was tremendous. Seeing Maria grow as a character, and how her sibling relationship with Shadow blossomed, made me wish that we got to actually see this in the games, and I hope that a future game or the IDW comics decide to explore this further at some point (although it's unlikely per a comment Flynn made on his podcast). The twists and turns, the cliffhangers and expectation subvergens, all added to the thrill and enjoyment of reading this story, and while it may not have seemed that I was on the edge of my seat (given how I'd often not read new chapters for a month at a time), I can assure you that, when I found the time to sit back and read this story, I was almost literally glued to the screen.

I can't emphasis how excellent this story is, but also the quality of your writing. Your skills were clearly evident from the first chapter you wrote way back in the 2000s, but seeing your style evolve over time was a treat in it of itself, and I'm sure this writing endeavor helped hone the skills you utilized when writing your other works, like the Sonic/Pokémon semi-crossover that drew me into your profile. It should also be mentioned that, while most Sonic fanfic writers who start out as teenagers eventually give up the hobby, as real world responsibilities start consuming them, the fact that you've stuck with writing for all of these years is a testament to your passion and dedication. As someone who first dabbled in Sonic fanfic writing in the late 2000s/early 2010s before cutting myself off before college, only returning at the start of the coronavirus pandemic well into adulthood, I have nothing but respect and admiration for all you've done for Sonic fanfiction.

The end of your story felt just right and hit me right in the feels, to have Sonic and Shadow's race make their way to Tails' grave at his old, abandoned workshop. As an avid Tails fan, I respect the need to put the best boi through a bunch o' angst, but going into this story, I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy a fic where Tails was deceased from the start. In the end though, it really speaks to the quality of your writing that a story where the young fox is dead happened to become among my favorite Sonic fanfics. To quote Sonic: "Strange, isn't it?"

After I catch up on a few other fics, I hope to *finally* start reading the sequel. If you were any other author, I'd pass on reading a high school AU, but honestly, as demonstrated with this story, I'm sure that I'll be just as entertained. :D

Thanks for dedicating endless days, weeks, *years* writing this piece, and I look forward to continue diving into your story backlog.

This story has been, and continues to be, an emotional rollercoaster. Out of the frying pan, into the fire, and then hurled into the dark expanses of space, thinking they were home free, only to be captured once more. The story's twists and turns make this all the more riveting! I'm saddened that I'm near the end of the story, but the ending will surely be thrilling!

Haha, this story was posted in 2007. I was born in 2003. I read this story when I was 14-15 and now I’m nearly 20 years old.
Ugh this fic is my everything 3 , and the writing is still so good ! Like with some older fics, young me would think they are written wonderfully but when you grow up you realise how sucky the fics were in terms of writing and sometimes plot. BUT NOT WITH THIS ONE AAAAAA
I’m definitely going to come back in 2-3 years and re-read this again ! I would love for you to put this on AO3 so I can bookmark it QQ

Oh. My. God.

That's it. You've won the award for best crackfic in the world. Please accept your trophy for continuing to April Food your readers years upon years after publication.

This was so good. I could hear the music in my head as I read along, even while not being familiar with all the source material. You brought it to life, which I think was a remarkable feat, especially in the written word.

Great work! Looking forward to the final *final* chapter coming up...

Oh. My. God.

That's it. You've won the award for best crackfic in the world. Please accept your trophy for continuing to April Food your readers years upon years after publication.

This was so good. I could hear the music in my head as I read along, even while not being familiar with all the source material. You brought it to life, which I think was a remarkable feat, especially in the written word.

Great work! Looking forward to the final *final* chapter coming up...

The depth you've added to Shadow and Maria's flight to the escape pod really did the scene justice. Written incredibly well, with memorable angst while keeping Shadow and Maria in character the entire time. In particular, I loved the fact that you had Maria exercise agency in the form of shooting/stunning down soldiers alongside her little brother. Truly spectacular! Much more engaging than the canon.

I can't believe, after slowly getting through this story the past couple years, it's almost finished. In a way, it's kind of good that I've been so busy that I've had to spread my reading of this story out so long. lol.

Looking forward to the finale!

I loved the wholesome buildup throughout this chapter! Maria and Shadow's plans for when they return fo Earth, and even more bonding sibling moments between the hedgehog and his loving sister, made this a touching and memorable part of this story.

...but now Vincent has to ruin it all! :O

With the implied revelation that he was the one who hacked into Gerald's diary, I'm anxious to see what shenanigans he pulled with that information...and whether his apparent drunkedness was born out of regret for his dastardly deed.

Also, I appreciated the refreshing descriptions of prior events in this chapter. Definitely felt like the start of a new "arkbudum, tchhhh!) written after a long hiatus.

Oh my god, I actually fell for it. The fact that I didn't know this was published around April 1st of the respective year made it even less obvious. Your epic bamboozling left me befuddled. xD

Ah yeah, Shadow confirms that Die Hard is a Christmas movie! I knew he was a hedgehog of culture. Excellent, lovely, fluffy chapter. Seeing the three celebrate the holidays brings me such joy, and the surprise good news at the end was a great way to cap off the chapter. Of course, the Sonic n' Shadow banter never gets old. I also enjoyed the fact that the two siblings turned in their homework late despite Maria spending months on that fake Chaos Emerald...sounds like something she'd do! xD. To be fair, though, the emerald project was likely much more educational than her homework.

Anyway, looking forward to what's next!