#tap plays shadow the hedgehog

[curetapwater]

Perhaps on paper it was cheap to retcon Shadow's death, but something about surviving your own self-sacrifice, entering a literally apocalyptic identity crisis, and coming out of it deciding to be your own fucking person who carries on despite it all is pretty metal imo.

Like if you're gonna resurrect a fan-favorite, I think they excelled in terms of actually doing something with his character rather than simply bringing him back because he sells well (although that was surely the real-world reason it happened). I also just hate the Redemption Equals Death trope because of the way it cuts off story potential.

I think that Shadow seemingly dying because they thought that was gonna be the last game in the franchise so they wouldn't be able to do much more with him, only for him and the franchise as a whole to be like "I lived, bitch" is quite poignant.

[catiecat1320]

Very proud to announce that I am participating in the Sonic the Hedgehog Big Bang (@sthbigbang)!!

Thank you to my wonderful artists, @lofithetanuki, @therealsinnohdawn, and @sleepingcircus; as well as a thank you to my beta reader @thesummoners!! I <3 you all!!

[MasterPost]

Summary:

Shadow has never been the kind to think of himself as special. Aside from a talent for music, he’s just your typical guy. Nothing more, nothing less.

That is, until he meets Sonic. Until something about the unremarkable him catches the eye of the world famous solo dancer. Until he’s offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with a legend. 

There’s so much more to the star than he could have ever imagined. There’s so much more to himself that he never knew. And there’s so much more between them that blooms in the time they spend with each other, beautiful, foreign, and absolutely hectic.

Standing in the face of chaos, the only logical step is to find a rhythm to dance to.

Chapter 1 Below 🔽

“And… I think that’s all I have planned for today,” Shadow announced, idly stretching before gently lowering the piano lid. “10 minutes of an early end. Nice job, Cream, as always.”

His protege beamed, her wide grin proudly displaying the gap of a missing tooth. He chuckled as she tapped out a happy little jingle on the piano in celebration, the sound reverberating throughout the pastel room.

Mere moments later, a soft knock sounded, and Cream hurried to let her mom in. 

“Are you finished your lesson?” Vanilla asked, carefully closing the door behind her.

“Yeah!” The bunny exclaimed, “how’d you know?”

Her mother patted Cream’s head, though her attention seemed to be elsewhere. “Well, sweetheart, you always play that tune when you’re done.” She then turned to Shadow, bowing her head slightly as if she were apologetic. “May I have a word with you?”

He nodded, curiosity perking in his ears as he shifted his shirt collar. “Of course, Mrs. Vanilla.”

“Please, just Vanilla is fine,” she remarked, smiling at his formality. She seemed nervous, he noticed, tense. “I need a favor. I’ve already scheduled Cream’s next lesson, as you know, but yesterday she… Cream, why don’t you share the news? You’re practically bouncing off the walls.”

Her mother’s comment was definitely accurate— if felt as if one little tap would send the bunny zipping around the room. “I won a dance competition! And they gave me tickets to see Mr. Sonic!” Cream piped, vibrating with excitement. Shadow pretended to know who she was talking about as the gears turned in his head.

“That’s… great. I’m so proud of you,” he picked her up in a congratulatory hug before turning his attention back to her mother. “I’m assuming that this event coincides with the lesson? If so, canceling it is no problem.”

“Mr. Shadow, Mother has an appointment when it happens,” Cream interjected, grasping his hand before he could fully let her go, as if by some magical power, her thoughts would translate through the touch. Vanilla only nodded, allowing her daughter to lead.

“Oh, you want me to take you, don’t you,” the hedgehog realized, his response laced with teasing undertones. “And if I don’t?”

“Pretty please?” Cream locked gazes with him, face morphed into a painting innocent and pleading. Caramel eyes grew big and glistening, a deep pool that threatened to drown him should he decline. Shadow twitched involuntarily at the display. 

“Don’t give me that face. I’m just joking— of course I’ll take you,” the tutor breathed, and that seemed to satisfy the bunny enough for her to tuck away the act for another day.

Vanilla breathed a sigh of relief, squeezing her daughter’s shoulder in silent acknowledgement of her effective (although slightly questionable) communication skills. “Thank you so much, Shadow.”

“No problem at all.”

………………………………

Cream’s little hand wrapped around Shadow’s fingers, gloved in protection against the chilly February air. The kid skipped along the line, dragging her chaperone with her, hyperactive from the sugar in the donuts he should not have bought her.

That pleading act was just too convincing…

The auditorium was crowded with fans young and old, most settled down in their places a long time ago. Although it was expected with how late they were in the acceptable entry frame, it posed a problem as the pair awkwardly scooted past the legs of the already seated, many scoffing in annoyance as he waved in apology.

Somehow, they made it to their spot before Cream exploded from anticipation, and soon the overhead lights went dim, shushing the audience. Different lights switched on, one after another, highlighting the stage in all kinds of pretty colors that seemed to captivate everyone but Shadow.

He really should have found out what this show was about beforehand, huh? Sorely regretting putting off the task in favor of an unnecessary house cleaning, he shut his eyes and took a deep breath. That blinding rainbow cascade was going to give him a headache. Glancing at Cream to make sure she hadn’t bounced out of her seat, he reached over to take her already shed jacket before working at his own. The building was heated quite nicely, so he folded them neatly and put them aside for the time being.

By the time he was done, a soft melody had already begun playing— violin, Shadow recognized, partnered with a quiet piano. The song was unfamiliar to him, but having grown up in a world of music, he’d developed a deep understanding of it, and having that knowledge helped him relax. His fingers flitted upon an imaginary instrument, picking apart the tune as the sounds filtered through his mind. 

Beside him, he felt Cream go completely still, a sharp contrast to the excited jumble she had been seconds ago. In fact, it felt like the whole room was holding its breath. A little suffocating, in all honesty, but he followed the general example and looked up.

Just in time. Right then, a lithe figure sprang onto center stage, striking a deeply bowed pose in time with a dramatic thrum. All eyes focused on him at once, everyone shifting forward in unison as if connected by one single mind. Shadow just squinted, unimpressed.

A blue hedgehog, dressed up all prim and pretty in something that seemed like it would be awkward to wear, he assumed that the dancer was the “Mr. Sonic” Cream had been so ecstatic to see. As multicolored lights swirled around them, Shadow couldn’t deny that there was a certain air of elegance to them that almost seemed magical. Yet he could not understand what the big deal was.

That is, until Sonic moved, along with a sharp crescendo in the melody, gracefully gliding across the stage akin to a figure skater— there seemed to be no hindrance, no friction, as if he didn’t touch the ground at all. Their eyes were closed as he twisted and twirled, complete confidence that their steps would land and they would be beautiful. 

For once in his life, Shadow didn’t pay attention to the music.

Suddenly they flipped, once, twice, much to the audience’s delight as everyone surged forward in their seats. And even as the dancer landed at the edge of the stage, they never once looked. Never once feared falling, as they maneuvered the border like a tightrope walker, delicately making their way around.

It wasn’t a specific style of dance they were doing, at least, not to his limited knowledge of the art. They were just moving. Yet there was a story hidden behind it all, one that was told without the use of words, but still communicated so clearly that Shadow could understand everything, could feel everything.

It was like magic.

At last Sonic came to a stop, once again at center stage, and dropped into a bow. A beat of silence resounded before the audience cheered, exploding with thunderous claps and shrill whistles. Beside Shadow, Cream grabbed his hand, exclaiming something he could not hear. He could only nod in response, which only kicked off more of the one-sided conversation that he sorely hoped was not important.

On stage, the blue hedgehog shouted something he barely missed, and Cream excitedly tugged at his sleeve. Sonic flashed a bright smile that gleamed in the stoplights, and Shadow swore several people swooned as sparkling emerald eyes passed over them. 

Someone who had gotten up to leave obstructed his view for only a moment… but when they made their way out of the row, he found himself locking gazes with the dancer.

It felt like someone was staring straight into his soul, yet it wasn’t a cold feeling. More warm, like a fire, swirling in his gut. 

Shadow could not, for the life of him, get his body to move.

Sonic winked at him, saluting to the general crowd before disappearing backstage. As he and Cream were caught in the mass of people moving out, he gripped their things tightly in one hand and held on to the bunny with the other, unable to do anything but wonder, what was that?

………………………………

As he found out much too late, Cream had neglected to tell Shadow that they were invited to the Meet & Greet after the show. He figured that was what’d slipped past him among the chaos. Keeping a vise grip on the bunny’s wrist, he followed the rest of the lucky few to a different room. 

It was quieter here than in the auditorium, and much more well lit. He assumed that this was originally a practice room of sorts, repurposed for this mini event. As they filed in a line to spend a few moments with the dancer, Shadow took the opportunity to text Vanilla about the change of plans. Easier said than done, because Cream had reverted to a bouncing ball of energy, and she took every chance to yank him forward in line, startling him every time.

Somehow, he managed to send a less-than-refined message to Vanilla without dropping his phone. But before he even had the time to look up, Cream tore herself from his grasp with a squeak. “Mr. Sonic!” 

“Heya, kiddo,” her idol replied with a grin, patting her head gently. She beamed, introducing herself excitedly, her pitched voice making it hard to decipher her swift speaking. But Sonic seemed to have no problem, answering all her rapid-fire questions like they planned specifically for this moment. 

Shadow let them have their time, picking up the things that had fallen from his arms when Cream had so abruptly pulled away. It was cute, really, the way the two interacted as if they were old friends. The dancer was making a very exaggerated motion to accompany the story that they— he, as per the pronouns displayed on his poster— was telling, his one person audience very engrossed.

Eventually Cream settled down long enough to take a picture, which was then printed and signed for her with a wink. But before they left and let someone else take their turn, Sonic got to one knee and whispered something to Cream that made her face light up like a firework. She somehow yelled and whispered at the same time. “Really?!”

“Would I lie to you?” The dancer grinned, much to Cream’s elation. Shadow sighed softly— he had no idea that she could get more excited than she already was. If this kept going… well, Vanilla was in for a very long night.

He hadn’t realized he was zoning off again until he felt a tug on his sleeve. Cream stared at him with expectant eyes, then cocked her head in Sonic’s direction. 

Shoot. Shadow looked up to see the dancer wearing a lopsided smile. Once he realized that he had the other’s attention, Sonic clapped his hands together. “So! How’d you enjoy the show…?” 

“Mr. Shadow,” Cream helpfully chimed, to which her idol nodded in thanks.

Said hedgehog rubbed his arm nervously, unsure how to respond. He settled for a shrug. “It was okay.”

Emerald eyes sparkled knowingly, although their owner seemed to have a great poker face. “Well, take care of little Cream here,” he patted her shoulder, to which she perked, again, “she’s got lots of potential.”

“Mhm.” That he knew. Who better than her teacher to assess her skill? Sonic’s brow furrowed ever so slightly, indicating the want for something more. Panic began mottling in Shadow’s stomach. Sue him, it was nerve-racking for a famous person to stare you down when you’re already bad at social interaction. What did he need…?

Both people in the room were staring at him now, the awkward silence doing nothing to help his nerves. On instinct, he shifted all his things to one arm and reached out for a handshake— something he found both polite and a good way to end conversations— with a “It was nice meeting you,” for good measure. However, Sonic took it in an entirely different way than he intended.

Soft lips, rosy from the previous exertion, pressed against the back of Shadow’s hand as emerald eyes stared teasingly into his own. Heat flooded tan cheeks instantly, and he clamped his jaw shut before it could fall open. Dimly registering a giggle from Cream, he was much too caught up in the fact that Sonic was kissing him.

Who the hell did that anymore?

Sonic straightened once more, the moment over as fast as it began. Yet somehow it felt as if hours had passed. The dancer was either oblivious to Shadow’s mental meltdown or he just didn’t care, bouncing on the balls of his feet like there was nothing wrong as he winked, giving a mock salute similar to the one he’d left the audience with. “It was nice to meet you too, Shadow. ‘Til we meet again!”

Shadow made a sound like he was being strangled, only serving to deepen his embarrassment along with the furious bloom of blush on his face. Somehow, he managed to keep a grip on everything tucked under his arm, despite it going slack in shock.

Before he could properly process everything, or even save himself some face, he and Cream were already outside, Shadow fumbling with his keys as he tried to get a hold on the one for his motorcycle.

Sometime in the building, amongst his memory lapse, they’d both put on their coats, leaving the bunny with one arm hooked around her chaperone’s. She was staring, caramel eyes worried. “Are you okay, Mr. Shadow?”

No.

“Yes. Now hop on, your mother’s waiting.”

[atomicwrite]

Random Shadow hc for my fellow shy people! ♡

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🖤 Shadow the Hedgehog x Shy!Reader Headcanons

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✼ •• ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ •• ✼

⚠ Warnings: None

✼ •• ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ •• ✼

• Shadow would initially be drawn to you because of your shyness. As someone who often keeps to himself and struggles to connect with others, he would find your quiet and reserved nature intriguing.

• At first, you might be intimidated by Shadow's aloof and mysterious personality. But as you two spend more time together, you would begin to see the caring and protective side of him that he usually keeps hidden.

• Shadow would often go out of his way to help you feel comfortable around him. He might take you to places where you feel safe and offer you quiet moments of solitude when you need them.

• Over time, you would open up to Shadow and share your fears and insecurities with him. Shadow would listen patiently and offer you words of encouragement, helping you to feel more confident in yourself.

• As you become more comfortable around Shadow, you might start to initiate physical contact with him. This could start with small gestures like leaning against him or tapping his shoulders.

• Shadow would be patient and understanding with you, always respecting your boundaries and never pushing you to do anything you're not comfortable with. He would always make sure you feel safe and secure in his presence.

• As your relationship grows stronger, you would start to see a softer and more vulnerable side of Shadow. He might open up to you about his own fears and insecurities, and you would be there to offer him comfort and support.

• Despite your differences, Shadow and you would find common ground in your shared desire for safety, security, and a sense of belonging. You would support each other through difficult times and celebrate each other's victories, knowing that you have found something special in each other.

• Shadow would also show you a more playful and carefree side of himself. He might initiate activities like playing games or going on adventures, which would help you feel more relaxed and comfortable around him.

• Your shyness might also inspire Shadow to be more patient and understanding with others. As he spends more time with you, he might develop a greater sense of empathy and learn to be more open and accepting of those around him.

• Shadow might also help you overcome your fears and anxieties by showing you how to confront them head-on. He might teach you self-defense techniques or offer you guidance on how to assert yourself in social situations.

• You might also encourage Shadow to open up and share more about his past and his innermost thoughts and feelings. Through your support and acceptance, Shadow might begin to heal from his own traumas and learn to trust others more.

• As your relationship deepens, you and Shadow might start to rely on each other for emotional support and comfort. You might share intimate moments of vulnerability and honesty, which would help you build a stronger and even more trusting bond. You two really trust each other.

• You might also learn to appreciate Shadow's strengths and abilities, seeing him not just as a protector, but as a skilled and powerful ally. You might feel a sense of awe and admiration for him, which would only deepen your feelings of affection towards him.

• Over time, you and Shadow might find yourselves falling in love, drawn to each other by your shared experiences and the deep sense of connection you have developed. You would learn to communicate your feelings openly and honestly, and build a relationship based on mutual trust, respect, and understanding.

• Sonic might initially be surprised by Shadow's interest in you, but he would likely be supportive of his rival's/friend's romantic endeavors. He might tease Shadow a bit, but ultimately he would be happy to see him finding happiness with someone.

• Rouge might be more observant of your feelings, given her expertise in interpersonal relationships. She might sense the attraction between Shadow and you before you even realize it yourselves. She would likely encourage you to explore your feelings and offer advice on how to navigate a romantic relationship.

• Amy might be a bit more protective of you, given her own history with Sonic. She might be wary of Shadow's intentions towards you at first, but as she sees your relationship develop and sees how happy you are, she would come to accept and support their relationship.

• Omega might not understand romantic relationships, but he would certainly support Shadow and you in whatever makes you happy. He might offer logical advice on how to make your relationship work and provide his technological expertise to help you overcome any obstacles you might face.

• Shadow would likely take a direct and straightforward approach when confessing his feelings to you, while also being mindful of your shyness and discomfort with expressing your own feelings.

• Shadow would start by finding a quiet and private place to talk to you, where you would feel comfortable and at ease. He might take you to a secluded part of the forest or a rooftop where you could be alone.

• He would begin by expressing his appreciation for you, telling you how much he enjoys spending time with you and how much he values your presence in his life. He might point out specific moments where he felt a deeper connection to you, such as when you showed courage or kindness in the face of adversity.

• Shadow would then reveal his true feelings, telling you that he has developed romantic feelings for you and that he wants to pursue a relationship with you. He would be clear and direct, but also respectful of your boundaries and comfort level.

• He would also reassure you that you doesn't need to feel pressured to reciprocate his feelings, and that he values your friendship above all else. He would want you to feel safe and respected, and would be willing to take things at your pace and comfort level.

• Finally, Shadow would offer his support and encouragement, telling you that he is willing to work through any challenges or obstacles you might face together. He would want you to know that he is committed to making your relationship work and that he values you as a person, not just as a romantic partner.

• After Shadow confesses his feelings to you, you might initially be surprised and taken aback. However, as you process his words and reflect on your own feelings, you might come to the realization that you have romantic feelings for him as well.

• You would likely express your feelings to Shadow, telling him that you also have feelings for him and that you want to pursue a relationship with him. You might be a bit shy and nervous, but ultimately you would be honest and sincere about your feelings.

• Shadow would be overjoyed to hear that you return his feelings. He might express his excitement and relief, telling you how happy he is that you feel the same way. He might also express his gratitude for your honesty and vulnerability, telling you how much he values your trust and openness.

• The two of you might share a tender moment, perhaps holding hands or embracing each other. You would likely feel a deep sense of connection and intimacy, knowing that you have finally acknowledged and acted on your feelings for each other.

• From there, Shadow and you would begin to explore your new relationship, taking things at your own pace and enjoying each other's company. You would likely face some challenges and obstacles along the way, but you would be committed to working through them together.

[revryebread]

Chance Encounter in the Casino

The casino car is loud. Unbearably loud. Shadow has been pacing the aisles of slot machines dinging, the roulette tables where people are screaming, a cacophony of sound everywhere. All he’s looking for is someone with a red line on their face. A gold mask. He’s been told so little about the Apex, and trying to utilize any of that information is like trying to sate thirst in a desert. He scoffs to himself, watching another poor sap come up empty on a slot machine.

Shigeo is off with his friend. Audrey and Alphonse are busy. Trish is playing that card freak. He sighs. Free time does not become him. People say that idle hands are the devils work, and for someone as fast as Shadow those idle hands are torture. He wants to act. He wants to strike someone down. The last few cars have been rewarding this behavior, and it was wonderful. Combat with Shigeo, killing Diavolo, getting to destroy Black Doom. But now he’s here, and in this busy room there is nothing to do.

He sighs and makes his way to the elevator. The Cat- Samantha. She said there were upstairs, and each of them ostensibly have a room key. Might as well look around up there. The elevator lurches as it goes up, and he watches the casino stretch before him as he gets higher. Passengers and Denizens everywhere, having a good time. Shadow’s arms are folded infront of his chest and he turns away just as the elevator passes through the floor.

The elevator is illuminated by one light in the roof now, and a flash off light from LEDs in the elevator tunnel to convince you it’s still running. He stares down at the ground infront of him. It was blissfully quiet, but he still can’t feel comfortable. He fidgets and taps his fingers. Trish wants to go to the front of the train. He taps his foot as he considers it. The Conductor is there. The Conductor put us on this train.. He pushes one finger and then two into his arm, counting the points. Frowning, he taps his other arm. Unlikely to solve anything. We know what the numbers want. Could be the train runs on its own. Conductor simply directs it.

He sighs, head in his hands and begins to pace. Could hunt the Apex.  He nods to himself.  They’re causing trouble for the Denizens, and we can help them. The argument is obvious. Go forward for nothing or begin the hunt for immediate gain. He looks at his hand, the number sitting there. If we make this place better, it's a net good even if it doesn’t reduce our numbers. 

Ding!

He jolts when the elevator door opens, he was so lost in his head he didn’t feel the room slowing down and curses himself for it. Bad play. Could have been snuck up on. He steps out into the hotel and looks around. It’s mostly empty, he can see denizens cleaning some rooms, the sound of people talking muffled through a door. Shadow The Hedgehog looks down to his room card. 1015. He picks a hall and begins to walk.

His mind is still focused on the problem at hand, he doesn’t even see her coming. They immediately bounce off each other, crashing down. Shadow lets out a yelp of anger, his obstacle making a similar sound.

“Is it your first time walking, dummy? You have to watch where you’re going.” The girl across from him is wearing a black sweater with cat ears, and she looks pissed. Shadow scoffs and stands on his own, crossing his arms.

“We ran into each other. You're just as at fault.” He does a quick assessment of the girl. She’s got a number. Passenger. No visible weapon, but carrying herself with confidence. Threat. She’s short, like the rest of his friends. Ally for Audrey? Possibly. He focuses on her face now, and sees her eyes flash wide with recognition before fading back to her stern look. Hiding something.

“You’re Shadow the Hedgehog.” He hears her say, and he scoffs again. She glares at this. “Get that checked out, it makes you sound as bad as you look.” A sneer. 

Shadow rolls his eyes. “Name?” It’s her turn to scoff.

“I just said it, it’s Shadow. Is this one of your amnesiac episodes?” The words drip with something toxic, and the familiarity makes Shadow’s fur stand on edge. He doesn’t brush her off this time. “You know what I mean. Name.” 

She can tell she’s bothered him and smiles, mission accomplished. “Wouldn’t you like to know, shortstack? You don’t need my name. I’m busy.” She moves to push by him and he steps in front of her, causing her to flinch backwards, he glares at her sharply, eyes darting back down to her hand. Definitely the biggest number he’s seen.

“Alright cat. What do you know of the Apex?” The girl in the sweater is either too smart to flinch at that or a better liar than Shadow is giving her credit for. She shrugs. “In the grand scheme? I think it’s a game- one of those shooters. Don’t play it.” She has a smile- she’s fucking with him. Shadow growls. 

“The Apex on the train. The group. Do not toy with me.” He spits it out and she laughs. “Toy with you? But you’re so fun! Look at you, you’re like one of those little rabbits.” She smiles and leans in, hands on her knees to maximize how much she’s demeaning him. Shadow can feel his anger boiling up. He can hear the faint sounds of his team trying to calm him down in his head. It’s failing. He pushes past her, and when she tries to get in front of him he speeds up.

 “Nevermind.” 

He stomps past to his room, not looking back. “Entirely unpleasant. I hope you drown.” he puts up a middle finger behind him, feeling his number tick up as she jeers insults back at him. He consults his mental checklist. 

Threat. True. 

Liar. True. 

Passenger. True. 

I will not be introducing her to Audrey. She can do better.

[dracarialove]

📄 F it, I'm posting my finished fics here, too 📄

Hearfelt Holidays

*Check the 'heartfelt holidays' tag if you haven't read chapter 1

[Chapter 5: Haunted Club Night]

Rouge throws a Halloween party at her club and enlists Shadow's help in decorating for a haunting appearance. During the night, they share a moment together on the rooftop of Club Rouge.

A chilly autumn evening compelled downtown citizens to seek warmth in the buildings lining a strip of the darkened street. The tall, bare windows of a bustling night club beamed pink and blue lights into the surrounding darkness while energetic techno music pulsed through the walls.

Groups of patrons roamed the first-floor lobby, playing the casino-themed games and buying drinks; the second story was filled with partiers occupying most of the aqua-tiled dancefloor; and above them, restocking the lounge bar, was Rouge the Bat.

She made idle chatter with the guests that'd come up for food, then excused herself to make a patrol of the building and check in with the staff. Plastered along the walls on every floor were fliers she'd put up to advertise an event the following night – a Halloween party taking place in her very own club.

The bat was full of energy while she talked with the DJ, tapping her foot to the beat and proudly eyeing the expansive crowd that'd gathered to dance.

She was already picturing how her club would look when she changed it up for the event, and kept an eye on the time as the night went on; excited to make a call once some of the patrons took their leave.

When it was well past midnight, the groups began to dissipate, and people steadily left the electric noise of Rouge's business. With the shrinking number of customers came her time to slink off into the small private parlor that housed her own comfort materials.

She walked through the thick purple curtain, fiddling with the communicator on her wrist, and sat herself down on the maroon-colored loveseat. A glossy smirk stuck on her face as she paged one of her contacts through the device, hearing it sputter out a staticky buzz as it connected.

"Come in, Shadow," she said, holding up her wrist. "You can hear me, right?"

Another sputter of static sliced the air and she heard the deep-voiced response she'd wanted: "What is it?"

"Surely, you're not busy right now. I'm requesting your presence at my location."

After a moment of silence, he replied, "I'd guess, by the background noise, that you're at your club. Sounds like the night is in full swing."

She knew what he was getting at – that Club Rouge would be too crowded for his liking, and that he wouldn't be willing to show up. But she quickly shot back, "People are starting to filter out. There's plenty of space for you, so come by and have a little chat with me."

The bat could imagine him rolling his ruby eyes at her request, possibly sighing at her insistence, and the thought made her sly smirk widen. Finally, he responded again through the faint static: "I'm on my way."

***

When Shadow arrived, the business owner escorted him through the lobby – even less occupied with closing time approaching – and invited him into her personal lounge.

She stood near the curtained entrance while he silently took a seat on the cushioned chair in the corner, Shadow stoically staring at her with serious expectancy while crossing his arms.

When she didn't immediately begin her pitch, he said, "Let's get straight to the point – what do you want from me this time?"

"Oh, well, I was just going to ask how your day went," she replied sarcastically, "but since you ask..."

Her gloved hands gravitated to wide hips and her lips pulled into a sly smile again as he briefly rolled his eyes. "Shadow, you know what tomorrow is, right?"

The hedgehog gazed off to the side for a moment, thinking, then answered, "Not particularly. But I'm sure it's something you'll be dragging me into."

"Bingo – oh, you're so smart!" Her playful flattery made him smirk against his will and she continued, "It's Halloween! Never heard of it? If you had, I wouldn't think you'd want to miss it."

"And why's that?"

"Because, it's 100% your style." Her teal eyes scanned quickly down his figure and back up. "It's all dark and scary and haunting... the whole theme is meant to be creepy and mysterious, which is exactly what I need for the party I'm throwing tomorrow night! In celebration of this spooky time, I want you to help me get everything together."

Rouge raised her hands and clasped them together in front of her chest, fluttering her eyelashes a couple of times in a quiet pleading gesture. Her companion scoffed; his smirk still apparent across a tan muzzle.

He teased, "So, I'll be able to plan this party because I'm dark and... creepy?"

"Mysterious," the bat corrected, clenching her hands tighter. "Come on, Shadow, you're perfect for this holiday – I need your input if I'm going to make it the best it can be. Really, you don't give yourself enough credit! I bet there are some great ideas swimming around in that brain of yours, just waiting to be released. Your taste in music, your opinion on décor we could add for extra atmosphere; I'm sure there's things you'll bring up that I wouldn't even think of."

He looked up at her, the woman leaning in his direction and begging with her eyes, and sat thinking about the offer for a few seconds. When she thought she wasn't winning him over, Rouge added, "Plus, your additional speed would seriously help to get everything ready in time. My staff can handle the final steps if you just help me with the big stuff first."

Shadow let out a soft sigh through his nose, casting his red eyes down at the floor and nodding slowly. The consistent curve of his lips made her hopeful, and she beamed when he finally answered, "Alright, I'll lend a hand."

Looking up at her once again, he added, "It may be the one event I enjoy, if it'll really be how you described. But I'll only assist you if I don't have to do any of the hosting."

"Done! I'll take all the social responsibility." The lady's hands unclasped and one dropped to her side, while the other casually pointed at the ceiling. "I'll even give you exclusive access to the rooftop and a nice little setup out there if you want to break off from the party."

Shadow's smirk faded into a more genuine smile at her thoughtful offering. "Sure."

He started to stand up and his teammate blurted, "Oh, thank you, Shadow – really, as much as you disliked the other holidays, I don't think you'll regret this one."

With a shrug, and before fully thinking through his reply, he said, "Well, I didn't regret all of the other ones."

Rouge's ears perked at his statement and her lids raised, surprised that the reclusive hedgehog would admit to liking anything that she'd dragged him through. He realized the slip-up himself, but brushed it off and changed the subject as they left the room together.

"I should meet up with you sometime tomorrow, then?" he asked.

"Yeah. If you come by around noon, that should give us plenty of time." She couldn't take her eyes off of him while they walked back across the lobby, and wished him a good night as he left the club.

***

Accompanying the pushy treasure hunter to the store was less than preferable for Shadow, but he managed to keep the shopping to a minimum while gathering sufficient decorations to make the night club seem haunted and gothic.

Their cart was filled with fake spider webbing, ghost-shaped ceiling danglers, life-sized shadow-figure stickers, and some more technical atmosphere-enhancers that they'd found along the way. Rouge looked over their full basket and grimaced a little, estimating the cost in her head.

"Did we really need to get all the expensive stuff?" she asked, wondering if they couldn't have gone with some of the cheaper-made alternatives. "My heart breaks thinking of how much I'll have to spend here!"

"Hmph, there's a sacrifice to make if you want quality," Shadow reminded her. "Or are you only willing to part with your wealth when it's for luxury items?"

His greedy friend scoffed and forced a crooked smile. "Even then, I prefer a five-finger discount if I can get one!"

Her retort made him chuckle, but he backed up his defense of getting high-quality decorations. "Well, you're not pulling that off with all of this. If you really want your event to be impressive, you need things that won't fall apart an hour into the night."

She dishearteningly conceded his point, then heard a young feminine voice speaking out as someone approached them. "Hey, you guys! Wow, Shadow, I wouldn't expect you to be here!"

The pair stopped and turned to see Amy Rose walking up to them, a small shopping basket hanging on her arm; inside was a puffy light blue dress, presumably a costume. Rouge greeted her, but Shadow looked away, annoyed that they were being interrupted from leaving.

Amy commented, "I saw your cart so full of things and just had to ask – that's all for the party, right?"

The bat nodded. "Yep, it'll be a big one."

"I can't wait!" She then looked at Shadow. "I didn't realize you also liked to decorate."

His brow furrowed, not wanting to get into a conversation, and he closed his eyes to avoid giving her his full attention. His voice turned stiff and dismissive. "I don't. It was Rouge's idea."

Amy's face hardened at his tone and she turned back to Rouge, glazing over his response. "Anyway, you look like you're really into it – I'm so glad you're finally hosting a holiday party."

"Yeah, it was about time, right? I have a feeling the place will be packed."

Losing his patience enough to excuse himself, Shadow told his shopping partner, "I'll be waiting at the checkout line. Don't take so long," and began walking away.

Rouge looked at him, then back to Amy, and shook her head with a subdued smile. The pink hedgehog stuck one fist against her hip and said, "Boy, he's in a mood, isn't he? Typical Shadow."

"Yeah, but look at the stuff he picked out for the party. I have to admit, the guy knows the spooky style pretty well."

"Ooh!" Glancing over the items, Amy's face brightened. "You're not skimping on this event! That all looks great."

"You can bet my club will be the hottest spot on the block tonight." Rouge sassily flicked one hand against her ivory curls. "Bring the boys, if you can."

"I sure will," Amy confirmed, then raised her free hand in a short wave. "See you tonight!"

With that, the two parted ways and the bat met up with her grumpy counterpart; soon rushing off to Club Rouge with bags of ghoulish adornments. When they arrived at the unlit establishment, she unlocked the front door and they brought everything in, arms heavy with merchandise. Rouge let out a relieved grunt as she laid the bags on the floor, then turned to Shadow while he placed the rest of their purchases on top of the lobby bar.

"I'd better get into costume before setting this all up," she said, primping her hair.

One dark brow raised and the hedgehog began idly unpacking the decorations. "You have a costume?"

"Of course," Rouge responded, her tone shifting as if it were obvious. "Why would I host an event without getting dressed up?"

He paused for a second, looking upwards as if to ponder, then answered, "You seemed less vain today, so I guess I just didn't think about it."

The bat scoffed forcefully, taken aback by his clever jab, but the corner of her lips instinctively curled into a smile. "Ouch! Shadow, you're sharp tonight!"

Her partner smiled a bit, too, and balled up the empty plastic bag. "Go on, get dressed so we can get this decorating over with."

Rouge left him to unpack the bags, returning a while later when he'd finished taking everything out and preparing the adornments to be displayed.

With his back turned, Shadow didn't notice her walk up to the bar, but felt the decisive tap on his shoulder, and heard her mature voice push through the silence.

"How do I look?" she asked, and he recognized a plethora of confidence in her tone.

Turning around, the normally-disinterested lifeform was surprised at the bat's new appearance; it held a much darker theme than her preferred style. She'd replaced her typical bodysuit with one that ended just above the thighs, leaving the upper half of her tan legs bare, the fabric still black and hugging her figure.

In place of her heart-shaped chestplate was a blood-orange strapless top, and she wore a black witch's hat with a cloth band colored the same orange-red.

Her gloves and boots resembled the original iterations, except all-black instead of white and pink – and Shadow even noticed a dark, thin cape draping her back and peeking around the sides of her silhouette.

For more of an intense makeup look, Rouge's eyeshadow was garnet red and her lips were painted cherry. The bold Halloween colors contrasted her bright teal eyes, which almost seemed to glow in the dimness of the empty club.

"Well?" the woman asked after a moment of silence, posing with one hand on her hip and the other behind her head. Her voice still dripped with self-assurance. "Have I stunned you into speechlessness?"

"Heh, no," he finally said, amused at her playful arrogance. "It certainly suits you."

She teased, "As in: It's a hot look? How flattering – I'm glad I understand your cryptic speech patterns so well."

Shadow rolled his eyes and the two started decorating. The hostess grabbed the boxes of lighting materials, wanting to turn her building's lights on for the evening. She replaced the standard pink and blue bulbs with orange and red ones, filling every floor with bloody autumn colors.

Her teammate set up life-sized blow-up standees of ghouls and skeletons to occupy the corners of the rooms, and strung spider webbing along portions of the walls and furniture that wouldn't get moved during the party.

Rouge helped place the webbing on higher spots and hung glow-in-the-dark ghosts from the ceilings in both the lobby and the upper lounge; as well as assisted him in putting demon-like shadow stickers on the walls.

Shadow took it upon himself to set up the smoke machine for the first-story, putting it on a timer so the carpeted floor would be covered with mist by the time the guests arrived.

While he did that, Rouge made punch and filled bowls with candy, placing the treats on the bar tops in both the lobby and the lounge. When the initial decorating was finished, her working crew showed up and she let them in, showing the staff what they'd done so far and briefing them on their tasks for the night.

On the second floor, Shadow met the DJ and talked over the music options with him, choosing songs that encompassed both the dark ambience of the night and the fun atmosphere of an energetic party.

They wrapped up the preparations in time for the first of the event's arrivals to be let in, Rouge's eager invitees being immediately greeted at the door by the welcoming bat.

Her stolid helper went up to the lounge while people filtered in – Rouge herself received a stream of compliments from the partygoers who gushed over the club's haunted look and the gothic rave music playing through the overhead speakers.

It wasn't long before Amy showed up with Sonic and Tails in tow, the three of them dressed in thematic costumes. Amy was wearing the blue dress she'd been shopping for, further dolled up as a fairy princess with wings and a tiara.

Sonic had on a helmet that resembled a jack o'lantern, as well as a long black cape, and held a gold-tipped cane; when Rouge inquired, he claimed to be a Pumpkin King.

Tails was dressed as an alchemist, wearing a lengthy, dark red coat and a belt carrying various vials. They stood near the entrance with the hostess, taking in the mysterious aura of the room while other guests trickled through the door.

Amy was the first to compliment, "Wow, this looks even better than I was imagining!"

"Yeah, you really nailed the spooky vibe," added Sonic.

"Thanks, guys," Rouge accepted, taking the credit as she'd promised and leaving Shadow out of it. "I'm glad you could make it. But someone's missing, right? Or would that cowardly echidna have been too scared to show up?"

She chuckled deviously and Tails replied, "Aw, we wouldn't be able to convince Knuckles to come to one of your parties."

"Yeah," Sonic jumped in, "no matter what the theme was."

"Hmph." Rouge rolled her eyes. "He's missing out, then!"

Upstairs, Shadow was fixing himself a drink from the punch bowl centered on the lounge bar top. Even with music filling the air, he could hear the muffled noises of elated shouts and loud conversations drifting up from the lower floors.

It put him on edge thinking of how many people would be showing up throughout the night. He went to the other side of the bar with his cup and perused the liquor selection, plucking a bottle and uncapping it to pour some into the bright red juice. 'This will help to make the night sufferable...'

As Sonic and Tails broke off from the group to mingle with the other visitors, Amy lifted a white plastic bucket and reached inside. "Here, Rouge, I brought something sweet for you to add to the menu."

"Oh!" She took the box that Amy handed over, briefly flipping the lid open to peer at the home-baked Halloween cookies inside. "Delicious – I'll put these out right away."

The ivory bat brought the dessert upstairs, momentarily scanning her eyes over the second-story dance floor to appreciate the considerable collection of partygoers enjoying the music.

When she entered the lounge, followed by a small gaggle of guests, she spotted Shadow standing by the bar. She approached and placed the cookie box down on the mahogany surface, gaining his attention as he looked up from his drink.

"Enjoying yourself?" she asked, turning to make eye contact.

The hedgehog's eyes were a deeper, more striking shade of red thanks to the new lights she'd set up, almost impossible to look away from as he spoke. "A bit. I'm not dreading this event just yet."

There was a teasing tinge to his tone, his mouth curved into a subdued smile, his hand slowly swirling to stir his drink. When he raised the cup to take a sip, Rouge asked, "Will you be joining the rest of us? I know it's quieter up here, for now."

She didn't ask with the expectation that he would accept, thinking it clear that someone like Shadow would prefer to hang out alone for most of the party – especially as not many people had wandered up to the third floor yet. But he shrugged, lowered his drink and looked down at it.

"I'll be in a better headspace soon," was his response, his free hand gesturing to the spiked punch. He looked up at her again, his vampire eyes somewhat hypnotic in the blood-orange glow of the shifting lights. "I can head down with you."

Rouge could feel her cheeks flushing, though she was sure he wouldn't notice in the maroon-hued room. She smoothly wrapped one hand around his arm and escorted him out of the lounge, the pair descending the stairs together.

But before she could lead him lower, the costumed bat spotted two familiar faces on the dance floor: Silver and Blaze, who were moving at a steady rhythm on the edge of the purple-tinted tiles.

"Oh, look who made it," she said, pointing and causing Shadow's gaze to follow hers.

She didn't ask if he wanted to say hello, simply heading their way and taking him along while their arms were still linked. Though, the hedgehog didn't protest, as he didn't harbor any ill feelings towards Silver – who was dressed as an android, wearing a black bodysuit covered in bright green angular stripes that resembled the layout of a computer chip, with a visor over one eye in the same color – or his teammate Blaze – resembling a mage in dark blue robes with a cowl covering her hair, and carrying a staff on her back. They walked up to the edge of the dance floor and Rouge raised her voice to be heard over the grim, pulsing techno.

"Hey, glad you guys could make it!" She raised her hand in a wave when the two gave her their attention.

"Oh, hey!" Silver responded, also raising his voice and slowing his movements a bit. "We were wondering where the hostess was! Great party, Rouge!"

"The atmosphere is so different in here," Blaze added.

Rouge grinned and let go of her friend's arm. "Thanks! But I can't take all the credit! Shadow was a big help in getting it all put together."

Silver turned to smile at Shadow, his expression friendly as it always was. "Awesome! That was really nice of you, Shadow!"

The darker man's mouth twitched into a brief sneer at his compliment, then he crossed his arms – as well as he could with the drink still in his hand – and replied, "She practically forced me to."

There was a tiny touch of jest in his tone, underneath the thick layer of dreariness; enough for Blaze to pick up on. She chuckled at his claim, while Rouge rolled her eyes and shrugged to accept the blame.

The four of them chatted a bit longer, until Shadow finished his drink and used it as an excuse to break away from them. He walked away to find a trashcan, heading back upstairs while Rouge wrapped up her talk with Silver and Blaze to check on the rest of her guests.

She went down to the lobby to give her partner some time alone, figuring his shallow social battery had run out. The third-floor lounge was louder than before, having collected more partiers as they grew hungry and began populating the bar, where they could refill their drinks and prepare their own miniature meals.

Wanting to sequester himself for a bit, Shadow remembered Rouge's offer to let him use the roof, where she'd claimed she would provide him a 'nice little setup.'

With a whisper of Chaos Control, he teleported up to the flat, empty gray slat of the club's roof top, where he saw the sitting spot she'd laid out just for him.

It was a double-seated recliner – likely one from the lounge, considering the plush red cushions – facing the side of the building that looked out towards the moon.

When he approached it, Shadow saw more than just the recliner. There was also a small table, standing just ahead of the chair, which carried a lit candle and a single flower in a vase.

As he sat on one half of the comfortable chair, the Ultimate Lifeform smiled calmly at the candle, which was giving off the spicy scent of clove and must've been burning since before the party started. Rouge was lucky that it wasn't a windy night, otherwise the small fire would've failed at keeping the spicy wooden smell in the air.

'Always a lucky one, that bat...' he thought, amusing himself as his interest switched to the tall, clear vase. A black rose was sticking out of the curved top, no doubt Rouge's idea of adding extra aesthetic to the setup; but he didn't mind, reaching out and plucking it from the slim container.

The thorns sticking out from its stem pressed against his fingers, thankfully not sharp enough to penetrate his thick-threaded gloves and malleable enough to feel real.

Holding the flower beneath his nose, the hedgehog picked up the faint but sweet aroma lingering from its petals, furthering his assumption that it was an actual flower and not plastic.

Of course, she wouldn't have gotten anything but the real plant – he and his winged companion both favored authenticity over imitation, although they felt such a way about vastly different things.

'Vaguely pleasant,' he mused, leaning back against the seat and looking at the rose. 'Almost like...'

His sentiment was caught between 'like me' and 'like her,' considering the descriptor an appropriate attribute for both of the tough fighters, who kept their guards fully up with everyone but each other.

And normally he wouldn't have thought himself to be pleasant in any capacity, but Shadow had to be honest when he was alone and admit to himself that he had some likable qualities.

Was the flower Rouge's way of teasing him even when she wasn't there – to point out that she knew he could be caring deep down? She'd purposely put it there, decorating his private rooftop escape as if it was something she thought he'd appreciate.

Could it just be her tendency to add an extra bit of flair to everything she did? That was certainly possible, too; it was in-line with the Halloween atmosphere she'd added to everything else, so maybe she only did it for herself.

Either way, Shadow had a blissfully quiet moment – bar the muffled bump of music below – to ponder the probable symbolism of their friendship, one that had grown and strengthened considerably over time.

And it was during his contemplation that the charismatic spy found herself itching to check on him, wrapping up the patrol of her casino after socializing with the guests.

She stepped out into the cold air through the lobby's double doors, feeling a chill run down her back, then took off towards the roof. She knew he'd be up there, sitting quietly – at least, she hoped he was making use of the mini-lounge she'd done up all on her own.

By the time she landed and looked upon him, Shadow had replaced the rose in its vase and propped up the footrest of the recliner. Her heels clicked on the solid roofing as she approached, gaining his attention, and she offered a wave.

"I knew I'd find you here," she commented, stepping between his outstretched legs and the little table to reach the second half of the double-seated chair.

"Hmph," he muttered, turning his frown into a smirk. "Discovery of the century."

"Sarcasm!" She dropped onto the seat beside him, her sly smile growing wide. "Now that's how I know you're relaxed. No one but moi could make a cold night comfortable."

The hedgehog kept further witty retorts to himself, preferring to savor the little bit of silence he could hold onto; leaned back on his side of the recliner, with his arms crossed over his chest, he looked back up at the sky.

Rouge did, too, crossing one leg over the other and clutching the one armrest on her side. Then, she piped up, "It's a shame there are so little stars showing over the city."

"Hm, yes... it's too bright here," he agreed solemnly.

"At least the moon is big and beautiful tonight! Almost full – wouldn't that have been perfect for Halloween?"

Silence permeated the air again as he opted not to reply, not entirely making the connection between a full moon and Halloween night. While he sat quietly, his costumed partner made herself more comfortable, pulling up her own footrest to lounge, as well. In his peripheral, he caught the shuffle of her form as she turned onto her side, facing him and propping her head on one hand.

"You gonna be going back to the party?" she asked, her voice low and calm. "It's fun down there."

He looked at her, then, and shrugged his shoulders. "I hadn't thought about it until now – your prying just reminded me."

Under dark eyeshadow, Rouge's turquoise eyes rolled before trailing back to him, her smile unfaltering. Half-jokingly, she inquired, "Hadn't thought about it... so in other words, I'm the only company you need?"

A scoff escaped his lips before he could think of a response, and he found himself shifting a bit nervously as the implications of her question sunk in.

They sat so closely beside each other, the jewel thief's body language casual as she half-lay across the red cushions, her expression composed while she stared at him.

The soft blue glow of the moonlight outlined one side of her, the shadows of her face strikingly dark on the other side as they were cast in an interesting way by the hat atop her head.

Shadow saw a different kind of beauty in her alternative appearance; the dark reds of her temporary look were more appealing to him than her usual blue and pink get-up.

His mouth remained closed, the quiet man neglecting to answer, and she took it upon herself to make a move. Rouge rested her free hand on his arm and held her gaze, parting painted lips.

"You know, I wouldn't mind being that..."

As close as she was, Shadow didn't feel comfortable holding their mutual stare, and so he dropped ruby eyes toward the seat cushions. It was difficult to think when her touch was warmer than the evening air, subtly squeezing and paralyzing him through the boldness of her flirting.

It was only flirting, wasn't it? Nothing serious from Rouge the Bat – something she did all the time, and to anyone she thought she could charm. But he couldn't fully convince himself of that, not after the consideration of where their partnership had taken them, and the godawfully heavy beating of his heart when she was so near to him.

The silent lifeform couldn't speak, only try to think his way to something he could say, anything to break the tension. But the hostess grew impatient with the quiet, stone-still demeanor of her company.

She leaned closer, giving him time to react if he decided to pull away or jump up from his seat; anything that would tell her he didn't want her to kiss him.

Shadow didn't move, his heart beating faster, but his composure being held shockingly well. She was nervous, too – as nervous as the infamous jewel thief could get – and her grip tightened on the hedgehog's arm when cherry-colored lips landed on the corner of his natural frown.

The kiss was light, their mouths barely making contact, but Rouge's teammate was shaking inside. His hands were squeezed into fists and his eyelids became heavy, closing to darken his vision while his brows furrowed.

It was strange to be kissed at all, let alone by his closest friend and confidant. But it wasn't unwelcome, and he ultimately chose not to pull away, instead turning his face slightly to let their lips overlap a little more.

The moment didn't last any longer than a few seconds before the bat pulled back to gauge Shadow's reaction. Her cheeks were flushed, heart pounding, as well; and she almost grew concerned about his strained expression until he opened his eyes.

His face relaxed, though his lounging posture remained stiff, and he returned her gaze. Then, Rouge looked down at his mouth and instinctively let out a soft, embarrassed chuckle at the smudge of lipstick on his tanned skin.

Her hand released his arm to raise in front of her muzzle, which prompted Shadow to wipe one thumb over his lips before glancing at the red stain on his white glove.

A brief snicker slipped through his teeth and his cheeks turned a faintly pinker shade, crimson eyes looking away from the bewitching woman who'd now embarrassed them both.

Rouge felt the heavy tension hanging over them and quickly became uncomfortable with the rigidity of her own posture, turning over to her original position and pushing her heels down against the footrest.

It popped back into place as the backrest raised to a stand, and she tapped her gloved fingers against the armrest while looking over at Shadow.

"Well, I'd better leave you to your musing," she said, her tone uneasy even as she tried to sound cheerful. Then she stood, cleared her throat, and added, "You can stay in my loft again, if you want. It's pretty late, so I don't mind saving you a trip if you'd rather crash here."

He cleared his throat, as well, and replied, "Maybe... I'll think about it."

Attempting to hold onto her confident flair, Rouge pinched the front end of her hat and subtly tipped it while she gave a single nod, her smile growing.

She left him to return to the party; and once the airy flap of her wings faded into inaudibility, Shadow let out a deep sigh and stared back up at the night sky.

[sapphire-mage]

It's funny to see this 'Sonic Cinematic Universe' they're considering, cause I don't know exactly how that is going to work. Like, I know some people are being like, "Who is gonna play Eggman once Jim calls it quits?" Either find a new actor or let Agent Stone take the name after they're married. That's not my issue.

But what stories would this CU tackle?

-Metal Sonic (maybe two movies if they incorporate Sonic Heroes)

-Sonic Adventure 1

-Shadow the Hedgehog

-06?

-Frontiers?

I'm immensely curious, concerned, and confused. They could tap into the comics, Surge could be cool.

[lieutenantpinetree]

Sonic Headcanons

aroace

trans (he/him)

Desert hedgehog

has adhd

Mexican Japanese

knows Spanish, Japanese, English, ASL

in a qpr with Shadow

has insomnia due to being nocturnal

eco punk

stims are tapping foot and drumming fingers

carries around fidget toys

plays guitar and DJs

has hydrophobia

likes arcades

[boombrothersasks]

I think baby Shadow would love to fiddle with Sonic's new quills

"Hehe! That would be so funny!"

"Knuckles, isn't Sonic a little busy right now?" The ghost echidna standing beside him stepped in. "I don't think he should be disturbed, or he could get distra-oh. You already sent him out."

"HOORAY!! GET EM, TINY SHADOW!!" Knuckles cheered while Shadow, who had seemingly learned to crawl, quickly made his way over to the bright blue hedgehog. Tapping him on the leg to catch his attention, Sonic looked down at the hoglet, and got down to his height, grinning.

"Hey, baby-Shads! Aren't you supposed to be with Knux? Guess you are still as stubborn as ever...at least you're not all angry and aggressive and viol-AHHHH!!"

Sonic let out a pained yelp once the small Shadow had grabbed the new extra quills on the top of his head, and yanked them downwards, looking fascinated by them.

"Ow-OW OW OW!! NOT TO PLAY WITH, SHADOW!! LET GO!!"

The hoglet went silent for a moment, before pulling on the quills with even more strength, and laughing at it.

"I knew you were happy with taking me down BUT THIS ACTUALLY HURTS!! SOMEBODY HELP?! ANYONE?!"

"We're...busy." Rouge held in her laughter, turning back around.

"I FIND THIS VERY AMUSING."

"YEAH!! THE MAGICAL SHRINKING BABY GETS IT!!" Sticks exclaimed.

"I knew it would be funny!" Knuckles commented.

"...It's not. Sonic looks to be in terrible terrible pain." the ghost girl said.

"Oh...you want me to get Shadow back?"

"No...I'm bored," she replied. "Oh! My name is Tikal, by the way. Apologizes for not making that known earlier. I was in such a rush and all...!"

"You're the cookie ghost, right?"

Tikal sighed. "Yep."

"Oh yeah!! I remember you!!"

"SOMEBODY STOP THE PAIN...!" Sonic shouted from afar.

[curetapwater]

Obsessed with the fact that "Shadow has two dads. One was executed by firing squad and the other was killed by Shadow himself" is a statement that is entirely canon. Sonic lore my beloved.

[catiecat1320]

New Fic!!

This one’s a Secret Santa gift. Their one wish was for angst. A lot of angst.

⚠️Warning for character death!⚠️ It’s not graphic or anything but [redacted] still dies, soooo…

Read below the cut ⬇️

If Shadow had known what would happen, he would’ve never done such a thing. Wouldn’t have ever thought of it— he shouldn’t have thought of it at all, regardless of what happened after.

Perhaps he was a hypocrite.

It was all his fault.

……………………………………………………

……………………………………………………

It was an accident.

Shadow knew this, yet he couldn’t help the blazing fury that buried itself in his gut. Why did Sonic have to be such a moron?! That cocky, blue, son-of-a-bitch hedgehog just had to go around meddling in everyone’s business and ruining everything! 

He… he’d been so close. So close. Then— Chaos, he wished he could just throttle that—

“Shads?”

There was only one person bold enough to call him by a nickname that lame. Shadow growled, hoping that he would go away, but a second later he felt a warm hand on his shoulder. The black hedgehog whipped his head around, crimson eyes piercing emerald, and jerked away. 

“Woah! Geez, take a chill pill.” Sonic huffed, his breath visible in the chill air. “What’s wrong?”

“Gee, I wonder.” Shadow spat, baring his fangs at the hero. “Oh, maybe it’s what happened this morning!”

Sonic reacted with no more than a twitch of his face at the comment, as if it had been nothing important at all. “Dude,” he started, taking another step closer, only to be cut off by Shadow.

“Do NOT ‘dude’ me, faker. Do you even know what you did?”

The confusion that settled on Sonic’s face as he tried to recall told Shadow everything he needed to know. “You don’t. Of course you don’t. What did I expect?”

“Shads—”

“My name is Shadow.”

“Shadow. Look, I… I’m sorry I made you upset—”

“‘Upset’ is an understatement. I hate you with every fiber of my being.” 

Sonic frowned, his fingers doing a nervous tap dance on his elbow. “Okay, why— sorry, what random nerve did I touch this time? What happened?”

“If you don’t know, I can't help you.” Shadow snarled in response. Without another word, he sped off, rocket skates flaring as he slid down the icy hill. He hoped to lose the other hedgehog, but Sonic clearly had other ideas as he gave chase.

Sadly, the blue blur had always been just a little faster than Shadow, as much as he hated to admit it. Sonic eventually caught up in their impromptu race, trying and failing to talk with the sheer speed tearing apart any sound he made. Could he not see that Shadow wanted to be left alone? He was practically pleading to get decked.

A few moments more of this game of cat-and-mouse caused Shadow to snap. Scratch trying to clear his head. Sonic isn’t , nor will be, letting up— that much was clear. Well, fine. He’d share a few choice words with the idiot, since he wanted it sooo badly.

Shadow abruptly turned around, grabbing Sonic by the shoulders and slamming him into the ground. “This is all just a game to you, isn’t it? You think it’s just harmless fun.” He spat, the bitter malice in his voice surprising even himself. “You play the hero and inflate your ego, basking in the limelight and not caring about what you leave behind.”

“What do you mean?” Sonic grunted, flipping Shadow off him and getting up, dodging furious punches.

“You know exactly what I mean. You just don’t care.” Shadow sneered, letting his barriers break. Pent up frustration and disappointment morphed into anger, fueling the fire that now burned openly. His fist caught the hero’s jaw with a crack, causing him to stumble and giving Shadow the opening to kick him firmly in the gut. “People got hurt. Hospitalized. Things were burned, shattered, destroyed in that building, and you turn tail and run off without a second thought. The fastest thing alive can’t be bothered to clean up his own messes, apparently.”

“I… I didn’t know.” Sonic whispered, distraught. He dizzily sidestepped Shadow’s chaos spear. “I was focused on… the badniks—”

“Something you should’ve gotten rid of a long time ago.” Shadow retorted. “But you’re too busy going off on adventures.” Both hedgehogs were out of breath by now, clouds of mist puffing out with every breath. The reasons for both, however, were very different: Sonic had gotten it knocked out of him, figuratively and literally; Shadow had spent all his breath screaming. “I was in that building, Sonic. It nearly came down. But do you care?”

“I—”

“What would make you care? Does someone important to you have to die before you come down Earth? What if… what if it had been Tails, huh? Would you finally realize your stupidity then?” 

That was low. Shadow realized as soon as those words left his mouth— there was nothing that Sonic cared for more than his friends. Not even himself. But he faltered at that, and the black hedgehog took the chance to lunge, the thought disintegrating.

The both of them went tumbling, and Shadow ended up on top, pinning the other firmly to the ground. It was completely unnecessary, anyhow— the “hero” didn’t seem very keen on escaping.

“Next time,” Shadow continued after a moment, his voice low. He glared at Sonic with bloody ruby eyes, hoping that his message would finally get through that thick skull of his. “Remember what’s around you. And when someone gets hurt because of your idiotic actions, make sure it’s you.”

Then he warped away, unaware of the single tear that traced down Sonic’s face, that which was etched with a wounded expression of acknowledgement.

……

Miles away, in a luxurious apartment above the dazzling Club Rouge, Shadow reappeared in a flash of light. What would scare the wits out of most people had become customary in this unconventional household, and the bat barely glanced up from her spot on the couch. “Welcome back, hun. Are you feeling better?”

“No.” Shadow growled, the lingering anger from his fight beginning to wane, leaving just exhaustion. Rouge pursed her lips, looking the scruffed up ultimate lifeform over.

“You ran into Sonic.” She stated, not as a question but as a fact. It wasn’t too hard to guess— after all, there’s no one else that cracked the stoic Shadow— in more ways than one— as much as his archrival.

“He ran into me.” Shadow huffed in response. Rouge shook her head, chuckling to herself.

“I assume you two had another lover’s spat?”

Brilliant crimson glared daggers at Rouge, who was unfazed. “He is NOT my ‘lover!’ I can’t stand him.” 

“Sure thing, hun,” the bat laughed. “So explain why your muzzle suddenly matches your stripes.”

“I… Shut up!” Shadow yelled, his voice cracking. He was in no mood to deal with Rouge’s bullshittery. Storming up to his room and slamming the door, he collapsed beside the bed and buried his face into his arms, breathing heavily.

Why was everything going wrong today?

He didn’t know how long he stayed like that. He might have even fallen asleep at some point— he didn’t know. But he remembers when Rouge knocked on the door and came in (without permission), and sat down beside him.

“Hey. I’m sorry,” she started softly. “Are you feeling alright?”

Shadow lifted his head and shook his hand at her. So-so.

“Do you want to talk about it?” 

He didn’t answer, instead turning away. Rouge sighed. She was hoping he would open up; not that she expected much. She tried a different tactic. “Well, I heard the paper files from the ARK were destroyed today, but they probably had digital or backup ones. That’s what you were looking for, right?”

That caught Shadow’s attention. The hedgehog perked up immediately— because it was. Not that he’d tell anyone (but Rouge was smart enough to know), but he’d been digging through just about everything to find the records from the ARK, a piece of his past, and it just so happened that the building that held them got torn apart. He thought they were gone, but Rouge’s words sparked hope— and regret.

Shadow slumped once more, the harsh words he’d shouted with such misplaced fury earlier grating on his ears. “Rouge, I… I yelled at Sonic. For destroying those. It was an accident— not even his fault! He was trying to help. And I lashed out at him for it… I-I think… I went too far.”

Rouge patted his arm gently. It wasn’t exactly uncommon for Shadow to act without thinking. “It’s alright. I’m sure he’ll understand.”

“Really?” 

“Of course. You know him. Now come on, let’s get started on those files. You can apologize the next time he comes around.”

Shadow nodded. “Okay…Thanks, Rouge.”

“No problem.”

……………………………………………………

“What happened?”

Shadow looked up from the computer quizzically, deep in everything they’d dug out of government files. Rouge stood in the doorway, phone in hand, barely concealed worry written on her face. “Two weeks ago. You… Tails, I’ll call you back.” The bat said, promptly hanging up. She took a breath before continuing. “You came home after fighting with Sonic. Shadow, what happened exactly? What did you say?” 

“Is that really important?” Shadow winced, mentally shoving the resurfacing memory down. “What’s going on?”

“He’s gone off the radar. It’s Christmas Eve, and no one has seen nor heard from him since you—”

Shadow didn’t hear the rest of her sentence. He’d already dashed out, heart pounding, rocket skates leaving a trail of slush in the freshly fallen snow.

……

Rouge frantically pinged Shadow’s communicator, but he didn’t bother to answer— instead turning the thing off— too wrapped up in his thoughts as he sped through crisp, pale scenery. It can’t be that hard to spot a speck of blue against it all, right?

Sonic was known to disappear for days at a time, doing who-knows-what. But two weeks was a record without any word, for as much as Shadow knew, plus the blue hedgehog always returned for special occasions. And what more occasional than a white Christmas? 

There was definitely something going on. Something bad.

Shadow had a sinking feeling that it was caused by himself.

Harsh words reverberated in his skull, his mind having handily retrieved them from the back of his Things To Forget pile. 

Where was that idiot?

……

He must’ve searched through half the country before catching a glimpse of the blue blur trudging through some inconspicuous woods, heading somewhere in deep. Shadow grumbled in annoyance as he changed direction and chased after Sonic. So he was okay, just ignoring all of his friends.

A closer look, however, told a slightly different story. The hero’s lithe frame was marred by neglected scrapes and bruises of unknown origin, and Shadow could see, both from the rise and fall of his chest and the puffs that left his lips, that his breathing was labored. Shadow’s brow furrowed with concern. What happened?

Before the black hedgehog had a chance to call out to him, Sonic slowed, his ears flicking, likely picking up on the sound of snow crunching under metal shoes. Then he turned around.

“Shadow.” 

Shadow decided that he’d prefer one of his nicknames right then. It was unnerving to hear his name, partnered with an uncharacteristically serious expression, come out of Sonic’s mouth. But of course he didn’t say that. “Where have you been?” He asked instead.

“Places. Does it concern you?”

Yeah, this— this whole thing— was unnerving. Shadow couldn’t put his finger on why.  “I… It’s Christmas Eve. You’ve been gone for two weeks. Your friends are looking for you.”

“Oh.” Sonic responded, much less of a reaction than Shadow had been expecting “Tell them I won’t be there. I’ve got things to do.” 

And he ran. The little bitch ran off before Shadow could get another word in, causing him to stiffen in frustration. What—

That’s when it struck him. Sonic was acting just like him. It seemed as if the events from two weeks prior were playing out with them on opposite sides.

In an ironic twist of fate, that left Shadow to play the role of annoying, stubborn pain-in-the-butt.

He groaned and chased after Sonic, hoping to catch up before he lost him.

……

Unfortunately, Sonic quickly outpaced Shadow, who did terribly in this kind of terrain. He ended up stumbling blindly through the woods trying to find his blue rival again. Luckily, the “things'' Sonic had to do weren’t exactly quiet. Horrendous screeching of metal and machinery, punctuated by the sound of an explosion, led Shadow to his destination: an abandoned Eggman base. Sonic had clearly wasted no time tearing through the thing, and Shadow followed the trail of destruction out the other side.

Well, maybe abandoned wasn’t the right word. A hoard of beeping badniks surrounded Sonic, their glowing eyes failing to elicit any fear as the hero stared them down with half-lidded eyes. In the absence of shadow-casting trees, the winter sun highlighted the dark bags upon Sonic’s pale muzzle, along with a fresh scratch that he took no notice of. He readied himself into a fighting stance, waiting. Then the first bot attacked— but not at him.

Shadow jumped, the bolt missing his face by only a millimeter— much too close for comfort. Oh, right. He was in enemy territory. He snapped out of his thoughts and shifted gears, spin-dashing the badnik and landing beside Sonic.

But as they fought, Shadow noticed two things: one, Sonic was slower, his attacks not as effective as they usually were. Although, that wasn’t unexpected— Sonic was observably injured, after all. What both worried and frustrated Shadow was number two: most of the time, the two hedgehogs fought side by side in perfect sync. It was like magic, the way they clicked. But this time…

“Stop trying to protect me,” Shadow growls, ducking as Sonic flipped over his head and stomped on a badnik beside him. “I can handle myself.”

“Sure. Like that bot didn’t almost blow your head off earlier.”

Well, at least he got his sass back, Shadow thought, rolling his eyes. “That was one time. Focus on yourself. You’re hurt.”

“Isn’t that what you wanted?!” Sonic snapped, his voice breaking. “Gods, do you hear yourself?”

Shadow stopped dead, the weight of the remark hitting him like a train. Oh. Oh, Chaos. That’s… He didn’t mean… Had Sonic…? 

Any words he wanted to say stuck in his throat. Amidst the flurry of frantic thoughts came one which was clear as crystal: You caused this. Whatever Sonic’s been doing to himself is because of you.

“Oh Sonic, you’re a terrible hero.” Sonic drawled in a horrible imitation of Shadow’s voice. “Go fuck yourself over more than you already are.” He delivered a swift kick to a motobug and sent it crashing through the last of the badniks. Emerald eyes brimmed with tears, and one escaped, tracing a path down his cheek.

He’s crying. Chaos, he’s crying. Shadow had never seen Sonic cry before. He wanted it to stop.

But Sonic didn’t stop. “Oh, w-wait, you did what I said. Actually, do this instead,” he shakily continued.

“What do you want from me?! What… What more? I… everyone else is clear. I’ve got to be a hero. The hero. The supposed better person. The light in the dark. The beacon of hope. I… I’ve got to be everything. I can’t— I can’t cry. I want to cry. I shouldn’t be crying. Why am I crying?” He rubbed at his eyes furiously, but the tears just came faster, along with his breaths. Eventually he gave up and looked up at Shadow numbly, face flushed and damp. “What… What am I doing wrong?”

Shadow, who had been standing there like an idiot, speechless, finally found his voice. “Sonic…” he whispered, taking a step forward.

That’s as far as he got.

Because then everything collapsed, all too fast; but at the same time, all too slow.

…A badnik. They’d missed one. Or maybe just didn’t smash it hard enough.

With the last of its artificial life, it fired at Shadow, who, mind reeling from Sonic’s mental breakdown, froze on the spot. His mind screamed at his body to move, but he simply could not react fast enough.

The shot didn’t make it to its target, though.

Because Sonic was there instead.

The bolt punched through the hedgehog, somewhere among his ribcage, then out the other side, bringing a burst of bright red, stark against royal blue.

Sonic collapsed to his hands and knees, taking in a single, sharp breath.

Shadow doesn’t remember screaming. 

But he knows he heard it— shocked, terrified, piercing— as he dropped to the ground beside his counterpart. 

No, no, no.

Warm blood ate at crystal white snow, melting it into a sickening slush.

Sonic toppled into Shadow, coughing, droplets of red dripping down his chin.

He weakly grabbed at his chest as Shadow frantically turned him over, exposing the worst of it.

It was a gruesome sight, one indescribable, one his memory blurred out.

…Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew then that Sonic wouldn’t make it.

In a twisted way, it both calmed him and panicked him.

He peeled off now blood-soaked gloves, fumbling with his communicator before pressing SOS. 

Then he applied pressure to the wound, wincing at Sonic’s pained whimpers.

“Shad… Shadow. Shads.”

Shadow hesitantly looked over. 

Sonic’s usually lively emerald eyes were devoid of the spark that Shadow so liked to see. They’d taken on a dull, glassy look, struggling to focus on Shadow’s face.

“Y-you’re… you’re crying,” he mumbled.

Shadow blinked, processing the remark. “That’s… that’s not important!”

Sonic didn’t seem to hear him. “Hmm… you m’kay?”

The sudden question so clearly contrasted the situation at hand that Shadow could help but choke out a bitter laugh. “What? Y-yes. No. I don’t know any more. Why…That sounds like a question I should be asking you?”

“Mmm… ‘m fine. Always fine.” Sonic replied absently, his head lulling to the side. “Sleepy…”

“No!” Shadow yipped, eliciting a disappointed whine from the injured hero. “No. No, no. Stay awake, Sonic. Th-they’ll be here soon. You’ll… you’ll be okay. Okay.  Please.”

Sonic shook his head lethargically. “Shadow. I… Don’t cry… hate crying.”

“Sonic. T-that’s not important,” Shadow chokes. He opted to let up on the pressure, which was not doing anything to reduce the bloody puddle that formed beneath the two. Instead, he gently gathered the other in his arms, cradling him against his chest like it would fix everything. “I… earlier you asked what I wanted from you. I need you to stay alive. Please, Sonic, please.”

Sonic blinked, slow, deathly. “Sorry. Can’t… can’t do that,” he whispers, pressing against the patch of fluff, and Shadow sobs in protest.

“No no n-no, Sonic, please. Sonic!” 

“Shhh…” Bare paw pads pick up on the sensation of touch, and Shadow realizes that Sonic was grasping his hand. “Shhh… ‘s gonna be okay, Shads. Mhm? ‘Innit funny… this is how— I die… after everything…”

“Y-you’re not going to die, Sonic. You’re not! Sonic, Sonic, Sonic…” Shadow shook him in a desperate attempt to keep him awake. He absently wondered if Sonic could hear his erratic heartbeat as he rambled, straining to pick up on sounds of rescue. 

“Sonic, Sonic, please. They’re coming. Just… just hold on. They’ll help you and you’ll be okay and everything’ll be fine. Sonic. Sonic, I-I’ll take you on a vacation, okay? Anywhere you’d like. As a Christmas present! You deserve it. Okay? Don’t die. Don’t die. Don’t die… Sonic?”

No response.

Shadow looked down in panic to find that Sonic’s eyes had drifted closed, a single teardrop belonging to himself trailing down a blue eyelid. “Sonic! Wake up wake up wake up—”

“Mmph… squishing me…” he weakly mumbled. Shadow had never felt more relief in his life as when Sonic shifted in his arms. 

But that relief was short-lived.

“Shads… don’t blame yourself, m’kay? ‘S not… ‘s not your fault… not— your fault…” Sonic whispers, his words slurring together. He gave Shadow’s hand a light squeeze. Then his head drooped and he exhaled, shallow, content. 

He did not take another breath.

Shadow let out an unholy screech. “S-Sonic! Nononononono Sonic, Sonic y-you’re supposed to be home for Christmas, Sonic, what about your friends?! I… don’t do this to me— please! I’m sorry! Wake up. Please. I need you! I can’t do this again, Sonic. Sonic! I… I love you, Sonic. I love you.” And he did. Shadow confessed, to himself as much as to his lover, something he’d always denied, something which was always true, in a frenzied attempt at the impossible.

It was too late.

Much too late.

On a day that was meant to be joyful, filled with holiday cheer,

A life was lost, and another, shattered beyond repair.

[mama-qwerty]

Two Dorks Fail at Flirting

So this is primarily for @anartistwhowrites as she stated she was interested in my upcoming Wade and Callie dating story. Here's a little something I played with and I thought it came out pretty cute. It'll likely be tweaked in the final version, as I think this is going to happen after Silver but before Shadow comes into the picture. (I think. Adding Shadow would be fun, too. But I'm still mulling it over.)

Callie is not very well practiced in dating procedure. She worked hard to keep everyone at arm's length for a long time due to her Tragic Backstory and has lived a fairly lonely existence up until recently (even if she never fully admitted it to herself). Hence her complete confusion that Wade (or anyone) would see her in that way.

~~~

The front doors to the library opened, and Callie turned to greet the visitor. She smiled when Wade approached the front desk.

“Well hi there, Deputy,” she said, and felt her cheeks warm when he smiled at her. He really was kind of cute. “What can I do for you today?”

He stopped at the desk, that smile still on his lips. “H-hi, Callie. I was just . . . you know, in the neighborhood . . . and . . . uh . . .” He stammered for another few seconds, before trailing off to silence. Then he just stood there, looking for all the world like a deer caught in headlights.

“Um, okay,” she said, glancing behind her at the boys. Tails wasn’t paying much attention, Knuckles furrowed his brow, and Sonic rested his chin in his hand, smiling like a goofball. She turned back. “Is there something you needed?”

Wade blinked, the smile dropping. “Needed? Oh! No, I was just . . . uh . . . I was wondering . . . do you eat?”

He flinched, as though just realizing what he said. But he didn’t make any effort to clarify.

“I’ve been known to,” Callie said, confusion passing over her face. “On occasion.”

“Oh, nice, yeah, me too.”

Silence settled over them again, and the librarian cleared her throat. “Was . . . that everything?”

Wade stood silent for a moment, chewing his cheek and tapping his fingers on the desk. “Hmm? Oh! N-no, I . . . uh . . . I just was . . . uh . . . wondering . . .”

Again, he trailed off into silence. Callie pulled at her braid. Why was he just standing there like that? Her cheeks burned.

She turned to the boys behind her. “Sonic, you’re welcome to jump in here at any time.”

“Oh!” the hedgehog cried, zipping over to sit on the counter next to Wade. “I think what Wade is trying to say is, he’d like you to go out to eat with him.”

Callie continued to look confused for a few seconds before her eyebrows shot up. “You’re asking me out!” she cried, pointing at Wade. It was his turn to look confused, before nodding. “Oh, oh wow. Uh. S-sure. What . . . uh . . . h-how do we do this?”

They both looked at Sonic, who sported a wide grin. “Well, I’m no expert, but I think you’re supposed to agree on a time and, you know, go out to eat.”

“Right!” the redhead said, her cheeks blazing. “Right. Duh.”

“I get off at six, so,” Wade said, rubbing the back of his neck with a hand. “How about seven? I’ll pick you up at your place?”

Callie nodded like a bobblehead. “Right, yes, seven. Sounds good.”

The smile was back on Wade’s face. “Seven. Okay. I’ll see you then.” He backed toward the door, nearly tripping over his own feet on his way out.

“Yes. Okay. It’s a . . . date,” Callie said, and her face turned nearly as red as her hair.

“Right,” Wade said, pushing the door open. “I’ll . . . I’ll see you then.” Then he was gone.

~~~

I love how adorably dorky these two are together, and think it'll make for some fun shenanigans.

Like this? Check out my other snippets. Reblogs are appreciated!

@katlyntheartist drew an ADORABLE comic featuring these two dorks! Check it out and follow her, she's so sweet and sooo talented!

[cloudofdarkness]

Starlight

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning No Archive Warnings Apply

Category: Gen

Fandom: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types

Relationship: Maria Robotnik & Shadow the Hedgehog

Characters:

Maria Robotnik

Shadow the Hedgehog

Gerald Robotnik

Sonic the Hedgehog

Additional Tags:

platonic

Bittersweet

Fluff

Language: English

Words:5,838

Give a like and Fave here as well if you please!!

I literally wrote this because of one (1) person being cute on tumblr rpc and also because I'm a doink lesbian but have some Shadow and Maria content

>Systems: Online. >Date and Time: November 15th, 1950; 23:00hrs >Specimen: supported.stable. >oxygen levels: normal. >Project Maria: active.

“Can I speak to them now??”

A blonde head of hair popped up just over the edge of Gerald Robotnik’s desk, and just as he suspected, he peered over to see his granddaughter staring wide-eyed in excitement up to him. He gently adjusted his glasses, before gesturing over to the pod in the center of the lab. It was only the two of them, and he’d had quite a long day of making the final fittings for this..Mobian lifeform. Sure, it wasn’t stable yet, and there was no way it could function outside the pod, but for now...this was progress.

Upon gaining her grandfather’s acceptance, she excitedly made her way over to the pod, sitting down beside it and looking in to see a small, white and red hedgehog floating inside it. They were unconscious, but their vitals were going. It was almost like what her mother had told her about babies still being with their mothers, they can’t respond to you, but they can listen. Maybe..maybe they’d like to hear a voice! “Hello, little one! I’m Maria! I hope we can be best friends! I know we both might need one. It’s not very easy living life without one, especially way up here.” She paused, quiet for a moment, before sighing softly. Perhaps things could be better now that she had a friend. She hoped They could be her friend. She already thought so highly of them, even if they weren’t perfect, they were going to be amazing. A smile came to her face, before she placed a hand against the glass. “You won’t be alone. I promise.”

And she kept that promise. — Every day for the next two years seemed to repeat itself, and even though it grew to be a repeat, Maria never once complained. She’d wake up, take her tests throughout the day, and never once left the mobian’s side when she could. She read to them, sang to them, told them stories her grandfather would tell to her about Mobius. She wanted them to know everything, so that by the time they came out, they knew all her stories and could spend time together playing! Well...whenever they weren’t being tested…

Gerald could sense her enthusiasm in the project though, and it worried him in the slightest. What if it turned out like the Biolizard? What if they were putting too much faith into this one? Though at the same time...what if this meant that they’d found what they were looking for. What if it meant that they couldn’t give up on this specimen? It was already so much alike the chaos guardian prophesied by the Echidna clans. Perhaps...this would work. Perhaps he needn’t worry.

And yet, even with all of this enthusiasm over the project, Maria had quite the trouble picking out a name. It had to be perfect. It had to fit them!

“Snowy? No..that sounds like a cat’s name..” Maria sighed, crossing out yet another name in her journal. Gently, she tapped the pen against her cheek, her free hand tapped thoughtful fingers against the arms of her hospital bed. Another day in here thanks to a fainting spell. But at least it gave her time to ponder. Still...she hated being away from her friend. She’d hoped they could talk about this together. “Mm...maybe not Rose..even though that’s a really pretty name..it has to be something Light sounding! Maybe Light? Or Lux! Or...Eos!” She wrote down, before squeaking as the Colony’s AI answered her call.

“Hello, Maria. How may I assist you today?” Eos inquired, appearing as a small orb in front of her. Carefully, Maria sat up, setting her journal aside with a sigh. “Oh, it’s nothing really, Eos. I’m just thinking about the project. What if grandfather finishes them and I can’t think of a name?”

Eos was quiet for a moment, as if analyzing the situation, before a query popped into her system. “Most Overlanders such as yourself take, on average, a week to solidify a name for their pet after receiving them.” She stated, before Maria grinned, gently shaking her head. “They’re not going to be a pet, Eos. It’s more like..a friend. Or actually..a baby sibling!”

The AI searched again, floating just a bit away from Maria’s face, before locating another query. “Parents and older siblings often ponder about the names of an expecting child. Though they never truly settle on one until the day of the child’s birth, some are even said to take a few days to figure it out!” Eos presented, hoping this was the correct answer.

“Well, at least I’m not the only. I just...wish I could get some insight. But with me being in here and...whatever it is that grandfather is consorting with in there...I haven’t been able to see my friend in days. They must miss the sound of my voice. Their vitals always calm when I’m there.” Maria mused, almost forgetting that she hadn’t dismissed the AI yet. But she was listening, and immediately gave another query. “The best of friends often understand when you cannot always be there. You do not have to be together to know you will never be apart.”

Maria looked up at this, her tapping halting for a moment as her aqua eyes met the small orb. A small spark shone in them, before she giggled softly. “You’re right. I mean...we’re the best of friends. They know I can’t always be there. They understand. I hope. We’ll be okay.”

“I believe it is now time for you to rest, Maria. Remember to take care of yourself.” Eos reminded, causing the tray table in front of Maria to move to the side, and adjusting the bed just the way that she liked it. The lights went dim, but before she could depart, Maria spoke up. “Eos? Can you play hologram number eleven please?”

“Of course, Maria.”

Just as she did, the dark room faintly lit up, and Maria looked around to see a meadow around her, just as she’d wanted. The sound of flickies chirping calmed her, and she soon found her eyelids growing heavy. Eos always worked these like a charm.

“Goodnight, Maria.”

“Goodnight, Eos..” — When you’re inside a dream, you can hardly tell sometimes. Some things that ordinarily would be ridiculous make sense, and somethings that make sense are ridiculous. The only clarity you can truly have is when you wake once more. However, Maria was very good at being able to tell when she was dreaming. She still liked to imagine she could be on planet, experiencing what she normally only could in the holograms. For the brief time she lived on Mobius as a baby, she saw so little. Her parents never wanted to deal with their sick child, which is why they so quickly gave her away to her grandfather when he’d offered. He adored his granddaughter, and never once minded her company. This she thought about as she sat under the tree previously only known to her by her hologram. It was a calm, spring day, and she’d already counted so many different animals. She made a game out of drawing each one. It was nice to see them so up close. Her favorites were the different variations of Flickies, she probably had a million different doodles of them~

Her attention was brought back to the present, however, as he pencil dropped to the ground, rolling a bit across the grass. Oh Maria..dozing off again. She reached to pick it up, but watched as it rolled away from her grasp. “Hey! That’s not very nice!” She huffed, crawling over to grab it once more, she was successful this time. Though as she sat up, she bumped her head against a wooden desk, looking up to see that she was no longer in the meadows. This place was...awfully familiar. She just couldn’t put her finger on it.

“Maria Alice Robotnik! What did I say about interrupting me while I’m in the middle of a call?!”

Was that…?

“I’m sorry, mother!”

This was too familiar…

She hugged her pencil and journal close to her, backing out into the hallway before she upset her any further. So much for reliving that memory. Now that she was free from her grasp, she made her way down the hall, opening her journal to make sure her drawings were all still there, they were. Good. Her journal was important to her. Soon enough though, she heard whispering from down the hall, following it in curiosity. It didn’t become very clear when she grew closer, it just sounded...jumbled. She tried to peek into the room she supposed it was coming from, noting that she was now looking into the main lab of the Ark...strange. She never setting jumped this much in her dreams. She could see her grandfather, and that mysterious figure he often consulted with. She never did see what he looked like, but if he was helping with Shadow, maybe he couldn’t be so bad.

Wait.

“Shadow…?”

Maria looked up as the whispering went silent, the world around her had turned to black and white, and everything seemed...frozen. Shadow. Where did Shadow come from? They didn’t have a name yet. In fact, she’d never even thought of that name before. Why Shadow? He didn’t look anything like a Shadow… Something urged her forward, knowing she was alone now in this frozen dream. She wanted to see them. She wanted to see Shadow. Moving past her grandfather and the dark figure, she looked over their pod. They were resting, but...the white from their fur was gone, replaced with a dark coat of ebony. A calmer color, like the vast space around them. “Shadow.” She whispered it again, and for some reason, it felt right to say. They looked like a Shadow. They were, in a way, supposed to be a Shadow. Perhaps...this was right.

Her hand was placed on the container now, and she watched too, as they slowly moved their hand towards the glass, moving, unlike anything else in there. Their hands almost met… — Maria awoke late into the night, trying to calm herself as she registered her vitals quickening from the rush of her...very odd dream. What did it mean? She wondered. None of it really made sense, just as she usually suspected. There was, however, one thing she did know. She had a name now.

Just as she had before, she unplugged her vital monitor, unsticking the pads from her body and unhooking the IV from the wall so she could walk with it for awhile. She was pretty much alright now, but she knew they’d worry if she didn’t take it with her. Turning to hop off of the bed, her feet found their way into her slippers, before she grabbed her journal and made her way down the hall. Just as she suspected, most of the hall’s staff was either in office or asleep. It was pretty late, only 11:30 in the evening...however odd though, she liked being awake at this time, it felt so mysterious. Probably due to the quiet, and what most people would think creepy, she found...alluring.

Carefully, she made her way to the main lab, about to knock on the door, before watching as it opened. She carefully stepped back, watching her Grandfather leave with a sigh. “Oh! Maria, what are you doing awake at this hour?” He inquired, noticing she was still in her nightgown and had her IV. She must’ve left again...she never did like being in the medical ward for too long. “I’m sorry, grandfather. But..I wanted to see Shadow.” It felt so natural to say it now that she forgot this was her first time mentioning it to anyone else.

“Shadow? Is that what you call them? I thought you were going to go with Snowy?” He gave a tired chuckle at the name, subconsciously leaning over to check the IV stand connected to her. If she was walking around, she’d probably do fine without it. Still, what a proper girl to bring it with her anyways. “I changed my mind. They remind me a lot more of a Shadow. They’re quiet but..I feel as if they’re always watching over me, like a shadow!” She explained, watching him remove her IV carefully, pulling out a bandage to cover the small opening. “Well, I believe that’s the perfect nickname.”

Nickname?

“They...have a name?” She inquired, her bluebell eyes a bit saddened now. Gerald could sense this, knowing that even if he had agreed to Black Doom’s name for him, it would be at the cost of Maria’s feelings. He knew she worked so hard to think of one. “Indeed. Everyone has agreed to call them Terios, because as the name states, they will be making dreams come true.” Gerald explained, noticing Maria was quiet in thought. She knew it probably had something to do with their visitor insisting he leave a mark on the creation somehow, because Grandfather had promised her a name.

Well. She’d still get it.

“May I visit them tonight? We always stay up and tell stories before my birthday.”

He wanted to decline, he knew she shouldn’t be messing with the specimen a day before their scheduled release...and yet. She’d spent so much time with them, perhaps in doing this, everything would go smoothly tomorrow. “Alright, but only for stories. Don’t be too loud, alright?”

Maria was quick to nod in agreement, hugging him happily before making her way into the lab, over to Shadow’s container. He watched her sit in her normal spot next to it, her blanket wrapped around her body in excitement. Yes, she’d be alright.

As she always did, Maria placed her hand against the glass, always feeling that it connected the two. They looked just as they did in her dream, the white in their fur had turned to an ebony hue, though when she looked close enough, there was a bit of an azure highlight, just like the cosmos around them. She barely heard the lab door close as Gerald left, opening her sketchbook and laying it over the glass. “I drew some stargazer lillies today! They’re my favorite next to azaleas. Though, I think they look rather familiar, don’t you? The lily is just a bit more of a show off, but the azalea is still beautiful in its own way, it has its own purpose and...it's my favorite.” She paused a moment, giggling at herself. “I’m very opinionated sometimes.”

A small beeping from the monitor emanated in response, and she looked up to it. It’d never done that before..but she’d been gone for a few days, it was probably something new grandfather had probably just forgotten to tell her. “You know, the researchers always bring specimens from Mobius to the chaos gardens. When you’re all done, maybe we could sit in there with the chao and I could teach you about all the flowers I’ve learned about, them we could figure out your favorite.”

Another series of beeps from the machine. Were they...responding to her?

She turned back once more, taking the journal off of the pod, and setting it in her lap. “Are you...speaking to me? One beep for yes, two for no.” She inquired, scooting a bit closer to the pod. They were still seemingly unconscious but…

One beep.

“And...you can understand me?” One beep.

“Have you always been able to?” Beep. She smiled, her hand placing itself against the pod again. “So you know who I am.” A definite beep.

“Do you know who you are?” Beep Beep. No? But wouldn’t they have heard grandfather? “But you have a name. Grandfather calls you Terios.” The machine seemed to groan in anger at this, they didn’t seem to like that name. Oh good, she didn’t agree either. Well...maybe she still had a chance. “That’s okay, I don’t like it either...but, I might have a different idea...if you’re okay with that.” A questioning beep.

She flipped open her journal to a fresh page, before scribbling out a small drawing for them. “I know everyone thinks Terios might fit you, because they want you to make everyone’s dreams come true...but...I think Shadow fits you better. Because...I don’t want to put expectations on you. I know the reason you’re here is to help me, but you shouldn’t feel like that’s the only thing you can do. A shadow watches over the world, whatever their definition of a world may be...and they protect that world no matter what. Grandfather says you’re going to live forever, but I’m sure I won’t. If there’s ever a day that we’re apart, that shouldn’t mean you’ve failed. That just means that it’s time for you to find your new world. Because you should never stop looking.” She explained, realizing she was over exaggerating her meaning. “It might sound silly but...I think you’re going to be something amazing.”

One beep. — Maria had fallen asleep soon after midnight had struck, she’d gotten her usual birthday spiel in and Shadow has intently listened. Gerald came in to take her to bed, as per usual, but he soon returned to the lab. Today was the day. — Maria rubbed her eyes tiredly, not having very many odd dreams this time around. As expected, she’d ended up back in her room. What to do today, she wondered? It was her birthday, so she had to make it a bit more exciting than usual. Perhaps she could skate down the recreational hall like last year? No, that would just worry grandfather again. He’d told her not to do so without help from someone else… Perhaps she could entice the chao to listen to her singing. They seemed to enjoy that! But...she did that regularly as well. And really the only one that never stopped singing with her was Sparkles. So maybe no on that one two.

Of course...she could always just hang out with Shadow. They could talk to her now, right? Perhaps she could spend the day with them...and maybe grandfather too! After all, it was the one day he took off. Excitedly, she threw on her favorite blue dress which puffed out on the sleeves, and slipped on some plain white slippers. On her way out she grabbed her journal and scurried out into the hallway. It was odd though, the hallways weren’t as lively as they usually were. Had everyone taken the day off today? It was a nice thought...but that didn’t seem to be the case. As she walked past one of the test chambers, she watched as a researcher stumbled through, all cut up from something and complaining to another one of the crew. Strange. She wondered what they were testing… She figured she’d pay a visit to her grandfather, seeing as he always oversaw all of the tests. Maybe he’d forgotten what day it was…? Or maybe something important came up, she understood if that was the case. Either way, she moved into the testing chamber, sneaking around researchers and walking over to where Gerald sat watching the experiment. “Grandfather? Has something come up? What are you…” She paused, turning to see what experiment they were working on today, only to see familiar black and red quills from the other side, seemingly curled up tightly in the corner of the testing chamber.

“Maria, dear...this is Terios. We’ve been trying to stabilize them all day. They don’t seem to want to comply.” Gerald briefly explained, not sounding as angry as his words made him seem, but rather...curious. “Whenever we try to help, they reject it. It’s as if they want to be eaten up by all of that energy..” Gerald sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He thought it could be different this time. Perhaps Black Doom had lied to him. He was being used yet again. “What if they're scared?” Gerald looked up at her words, his eyes drifting to meet hers as she watched the Mobian hybrid tuck itself into the corner of the room. “They’re lonely. And they don’t know anyone else that well. Maybe if I could just-“

“No.”

Maria paused, looking up to him in shock now. No? But she didn’t understand...Shadow wasn’t going to respond to anyone else. Clearly she needed to talk to them! “But grandfather, I-“

“That’s out of the question Maria. If it harms you, we have to shut down the project immediately.” Gerald spoke in a more frantic tone now, trying to get the point across to her. This had to be perfect...they couldn’t mess up now… “Grandfather, they need me! They trust me! They wouldn’t hurt me! I know they wouldn’t…”

He couldn’t argue with her anymore, so he simply stood his ground, and sighed. “Maria, this project isn’t finished yet. You have to leave.” She was silent now, not letting the tears welling in her eyes spill over. She wouldn’t let him see that. She exhaled through her nose, before turning to go. As she did, she could hear the researchers mumbling about closing shop for the day, watching as the last scratched up subject was grabbing a new coat as they excited the chamber. And then, just as quickly, Maria turned on her heel. She didn’t know what had gotten into her, but she swore in that moment, she’d never acted as quickly as she did in her life. She pushed past a researching on the way over, and slid her way in before the doors could close. They locked behind her as they would if anyone entered or exited. They were alone now, though she knew that soon, anyone who saw her would be alerting her grandfather. She couldn’t hesitate.

Looking to the Mobian still tucked in the corner, she spoke. “Shadow…?” She watched them look up in attention. They recognized her voice. Their name. That was the one they’d agreed on. She clenched the skirt of her dress in hope, inching closer to them. They wouldn’t hurt her. Friends didn’t do that. “It’s okay. It’s just me, Maria. I’m not supposed to be in here right now...but I saw how scared you were, and I wanted to…” to what exactly? She hadn’t thought that far ahead. She could talk to them, but this was different. They were here. There was no more glass between them. Gently, she knelt down a couple feet away from them, her hands in her lap. “I wanted to ask...if you could celebrate my birthday with me? It’s okay if you don’t want to, I just thought I’d ask you since you were the first person to come to mind.”

They seemed to unwind a bit at her casual conversation, unfolding from the corner now and turning to face her. Just as she suspected, their eyes matched the red streaks in their quills. Their eyes were amazing… “I’m not very exciting, but I could show you how to roller skate...and teach you about the flowers like I’d promised.” She continued, inching forward as she spoke. They didn’t seem to recoil at all. They wouldn’t hurt her. “What do you say, Shadow?” She finally asked, reaching a hand up now in habit, expecting to touch the glass between them, but instead...she felt quills. She barely gasped as she looked to her hand, resting just over the centered streak on their head. They were right here. No more glass.

It was the most calming touch they’d received, their curious, scarlet eyes meeting Maria’s gentle, blue ones. Their ears lowered, leaning into her hand and exhaling through their nose. Gently, they nodded, earning a smile from the girl. Her other hand gently came up to cup their cheek, and they were absolutely tranquil. They stayed like that for a moment, Maria’s thumb gently brushing their cheek, before the doors to the testing chamber slid open, and Gerald stood in the doorway.

“...Perhaps Shadow is a better name after all.” He sighed, causing Maria to giggle softly. She knew it would stick. “They’re alright now. Can I take them around the Ark? It’s their birthday too after all.” Maria asked, keeping the Mobian close to her. He honestly couldn’t argue with her now. She’d quite literally thrown herself into the face of danger and come out unscathed. Better even! She’d tamed potential danger within a matter of moments! Maybe...she knew better than he did. That would be going around the Colony. Gerald Robotnik, infamous professor, outwitted by his granddaughter because he’d told her no. He sighed, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. “Don’t wander too far. I’ve only given them level one clearance.”

Maria grinned, turning back to Shadow with a fire in her eyes. “Let’s go have the best birthday ever~” — They could very well say they spent the entire day exploring what they could around the Ark. Maria was Shadow’s faithful tour guide, while they silently observed. They liked to hear her talk, they felt like she’d needed someone to actually talk to for awhile, and they were very good with listening. But after traversing the many rooms, such as the chao garden, the observatory, and even, to their hesitation but Maria’s excitement, the bathroom, they’d landed back in her bedroom...well, their bedroom now. Maria had insisted. “I really don’t understand how how those poor sisters can argue like that. Drizella and Anastasia are both very beautiful too. Even if they’re not like Cinderella. They could just as well find princes someday as well, if that’s what they decide they want.” She studied the movie, turning to see that Shadow was rather engulfed in the movie themself, their tail wagged as the prince came on screen. Maria giggled, gently brushing back his quills. “I think the prince is your favorite character. Am I correct?”

She watched as a green hue came to their cheeks, causing her to smile. She sat up now, gently taking one of their hands. They looked over now, tilting their head in question.

“I’m curious. I know you’re able to understand what they’re saying, but can you repeat them?” She asked, gently playing with their hand. They nodded, pointing to their mouth. “Voice?”

Maria jumped slightly, hearing her own voice echo right back to her from their mouth. Oh...so they couldn’t figure out a voice. “That...sounded a lot like me! But...we probably shouldn’t keep that. Grandfather will be very confused.” She giggled, before an idea came to her mind. She sat up now, going over to the small television on her stand and pointing to the characters. “Okay so...usually there’s feminine and masculine voices. Feminine would be like...Cinderella, and masculine would be like the prince.” She watched as they lit up at the mention of the prince, nodding in agreement. So, Shadow would be a boy then. She always wanted a little brother. “Right! So...would you like me to call you a boy?” She asked, watching him shrug now in indifference. She nodded, before going over to her desk and pulling out a couple tapes. “I may have a couple in mind, actually. I like to listen to a lot of talk shows from Mobius. These are my top three. Dirk Horton, Mason Griffin, and Daveed Mumphrey. Wanna give them a listen? Then maybe you could figure out what you like best!”

Shadow nodded, before picking up the first one, and pressing the green play button. The man speaking through it sounded a bit rough, too old for his taste. He had conviction but he wouldn’t do. He shook his head, handing the tape back to her. “Yeah, I didn’t think so either. Dirk can be a bit old sounding.” Picking up the second one, he listened a bit longer. Mason seemed interesting but...a bit sad sounding at times. There were so many voices he could do but...the one he liked the most almost put him to sleep. He handed that one back to her too, another shake of the head. “Yeah, I’m thinkin he sounds a bit too varied, huh? Well...the last one I kinda like so...maybe you will too? If it changes anything, Daveed can sing like Prince Charming. He’s in this musical called Nebraska, and his singing voice is my favorite.” Maria encouraged, watching Shadow click the last one before listening intently. She was right...his voice was very nice to listen to. He found himself moving to it. He’d later find out this was called ‘dancing.’ When the tape was over, he handed it to her, nodding in agreement. “I like that one.”

“Then it’s settled! You’ve got your voice now.” Maria chimed, setting the tapes aside and taking his hands. “Now when you meet people, you can introduce yourself to them. I know you’ll be meeting a lot of people since you’re so important, so we’ve gotta make sure you’ve got it down!”

Shadow tilted his head at this, his ear flickering in question at her query. “Introduction?”

“Well sure! For instance, I’m Maria Robotnik, I’m 11 years old today, and I hope we can be the best of friends!” She gave an example, gently shaking his hand. “Now you try! Maybe something like my name is Shadow, I’m a hedgehog...and...Maria is my best friend!” She giggled, placing her hands on her hips now. “Whatever you come up with will be fine, I’m sure! Don’t worry about it too much for now though! It’s our birthday! Which also means, it’s time for cake!” She squeaked, before going back over to her desk for a moment, carefully, she set a plate with a small cupcake between them, one that she’d had delivered to her this afternoon, but thanks to them being out all day, she hadn’t seen it. She stuck the candle next to it in, before looking around for a match to light it. Shadow watched as she did, looking over the side of the bed to watch her fumble around before speaking up. “Maria?”

“It’s okay! I just...usually the tip of the candle is lit, you know? Just like my other two birthdays I had. Then we make a wish and we blow it out so it gets sent out!” She explained, brushing her headband back as she felt it falling out of place. She swore it was around her somewhere… Meanwhile, Shadow watched the candle, looking to his hands for a moment, before pinching the tip of the wick, and quickly brushing his fingers up against it, causing a small spark, and then a flame, he leaned over to tap Maria on the shoulder, pointing to the cupcake. “I think I figured it out.”

She was speechless to say the least, but she wouldn’t complain, it was lit now. And they’d be able to eat soon. She then clasped her hands together and closed her eyes, motioning for him to do the same. “Now, we make the wish! But you can’t tell anyone or it won’t come true!” Well, it didn’t make a lick of sense, but Shadow shrugged anyways, following her lead and closing his eyes for a moment. What would he wish for? Maybe...for Maria to be alright. He wanted to fulfill his duty to her. To be her friend and to cure her...so perhaps that. Whatever would make her smile.

“Ready to blow out the candle?” He heard her ask, opening up his eyes to see her smiling eagerly. “Maria, I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“...What would make you happy?” He asked, watching her hands unclasp, her head tilting in question. There were a lot of things that made her happy. Flowers, Chao, Mobius, her family. Shadow. But she was sure he was asking about himself. Now that he could, he had a right to be curious. Gently, she took his hands, squeezing them gently. “I’m already happy. The day I met you, the day I made a friend...I was happy. Because I’m not alone. And I knew you wouldn’t ever be either. You made me happy by listening to my stories, and answering my questions and...letting me be myself. So I want that for you. I want you to be yourself. I know you have this purpose...that’s what everyone wants you to be. But I don’t think that’s what you should build yourself around. I think...you should love being you. Whatever you decide what that means. I mean, you’ve already decided a couple things! You have a voice that you like! And a favorite character! If you continue to find things like that in life, well...then I would be happy. Because you’re doing what your mind is telling you to do. You’re being yourself. That’s what makes me happiest.”

Shadow nodded, and then he leaned in

And blew out the candle. —

“That was a bit different from the last time you told me about your birthday.”

Shadow looked up from where he was twirling his fork in the melted ice cream puddle on his plate, realizing that...he had recalled the story rather differently, but...it felt right this time. Not like the last time where he’d explained it as Maria telling him what his purpose was...no. This one was right. He knew it. Picking up his plate, he carried it to the sink, washing the vanilla ice cream from it before turning to the azure hedgehog relaxing back on the couch in front of him. “Well...I just finally remembered how it went this time. That’s all. You know I’m not the best at these things. Besides, you wouldn’t be able to tell me about how you fell off your bike as a kid because you were showing off and ran into a mailbox, and then tell me exactly what your siblings teased you with after it. It’s just like that. A memory from a long time ago that you get wrong sometimes.” Shadow defended himself, before relaxing back next to him.

Sonic simply shrugged, it wasn’t like he minded. In fact, he liked hearing Shadow talk about his past, knowing that it wasn’t all seriousness and sadness up there. He could have little moments like those. A small childhood. And yet… “So….you liked Prince Charming, huh?”

“Oh don’t even go there…” Shadow sighed, knowing already that Sonic was going to try and brag and tease about his princely side to him. But alas, he simply stuck his tongue out at him, that was for another time.

“Happy Birthday, Shadow. And hey, Happy Birthday to Maria too."

[smoreal]

Doc Drop - The one where sonic amy and tails are about to watch the Mario movie bc it’s all I can think about :)

Sonic leans back in his seat, cradling the bag of popcorn in the crook of his arm and drinking noisily from the Mario cup in his hand.

“Honestly, you’d think he’d have created the first video game adaptation with the amount of people in line out there.” He mutters around the straw in his mouth.

Amy gives him a warning love tap on the shoulder, glaring at him. “Sonic! That’s no way to show support for a friend!”

Sonic grins sheepishly. “Aw, c’mon, Ames, I was only kidding!”

She narrows her eyes and takes some of the popcorn from his bucket. “Sonic T. Hedgehog,” She warns, wagging a finger at him, “we are going to show support for our friends and enjoy the movie.”

Sonic gives a relenting shake of his head right as Tails shuffles in front of them, crossing to get to his seat. He’s donning a Luigi suit, much to Sonic’s earlier conflict. Bright, giddy, blue eyes look onto Sonic in excitement only to pout and level him with a frown.

Oh boy, what now?

“Sonic, where’s your hat?”

Chaos.

“Tails, I never agreed to—”

“Found it!” Amy chirps, pulling the infamous red hat seemingly from out of nowhere. “Here you go, Sonic.”

He gives her a deadpanned look, glances at Tails’s pleading expression, and sighs. He accepts the hat with a mumbled thanks and sets it on his head, relenting again to appease his best buddy.

Ecstatic, Tails settles into his seat, adjusting the denim straps of his overalls with a big smile on his face and shakes a box of Reese’s, silently offering some to Sonic. “I’ve heard they’ve got a ton of references to the games and even the consoles! I wanna see if I can manage to find them all the first watch!”

Sonic accepts the Reece’s, munching on them quietly and raising his brows in mild interest. He’d also heard about the many nods to the classics and was sort of curious to see how often they’d fit something in.

Most of his curiosity stemmed from seeing whether watching this was going to be worth the time; sitting down for so long watching his (technically) oldest rival have all the fun onscreen wasn’t how he imagined a fun night to go.

“Oh! Did you hear there are post credit scenes?” Amy pipes up, flapping her hands in Tails direction, nearly whacking Sonic on the nose. He smirks and sits up, providing her more space. “I think they said there was two, hang on—” She turns back into her seat, pulls out her phone and types with a speed rivaling his own.

“Ooh, a post credit scene!” Tails says, before taking a second to finish the reeces in his mouth. “I wonder if it’ll tease the next movie like yours did, Sonic!”

Sonic huffs, snickering at the possibility. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it was better than mine. Doesn’t take much to beat that ‘Shadow Reveal.’”

Amy elbows him and he breaks out into an apologetic laugh. “Right, right! Supportive, got it!”

“Someone sounds a little threatened.” Tails sings, grinning mischievously and taking his turn to elbow at Sonic.

“Oh, please,” Sonic says, swatting his elbow away without heat. “As if the old man could outsell me. I’ve got two movies already!” He defends, realizing a moment too late that he just played into his little brother’s hands.

Tails laughs and takes a sip from his own (Mario Kids Snack Pack) cup. “You’d be surprised! They’re predicting that it’ll be the biggest opening for a game adaptation.”

“Who’s ‘they’?” Sonic asks confounded and frowning at the big screen that is now littered with… ducks… Okay.

“The movie analysts or critics or something.” Amy says rolling her eyes. She reaches over Sonic again, this time to enthusiastically share the contents of her screen to Tails. Sonic scoots into the corner so his seat to get a peek as well. “Look! TWO credit scenes AND they have some of the user scores out now!”

Tails gasps behind a hand. “I knew the user scores would be higher, but not by THIS much!”

Sonic grins, scrutinizing the list of red and yellow reviews. “What, the critics said it was bad or something?” He scrolls to the top, catches the words ‘disappointment’ and ‘empty,’ and chuckles.

Amy gives him a solemn nod and turns her phone on silent. “I read through a few of the articles and they were kind of harsh on it. Said that it was too fast paced and unoriginal.”

“Huh.” He says, trying to appear neutral, but the shit-eating grin seeps through and before he knows it he’s full on grinning. “Fast is not how I’d describe Mario.”

Tails shakes his head good-naturedly. “I’ve watched a few non-spoiler reviews and they all said that the movie’s best enjoyed if you know the games. I’m guessing the plot is simple and it’s more focused on action, and maybe a little character.”

“Hah, now we’re talking.” Sonic says, adjusting in his seat and watching the previews with more earnest. “I like a good action movie.”

[dovahkiin796]

Sooooo, what exactly happens to Metal Sonic after this event? Does Omega actually destroy Metal Sonic or does he just, I don’t know. Throw him into a scrap pile? The robotic hedgehog more or less vanishes after this game when it comes to impacting the story.

Further appearances are non-canon cameos as an unlockable character or to fill out a party roster for mini-games. From here on out MS stops being a character and is nothing but fan-service for those who played Sonic CD. It’s a shame his story just ends here and is put on a massive halt. 

No, I’m not counting his role in Sonic Rivals 2. The game’s plot is now called into question since Eggman Nega was the main villain in the game and there are legal issues with the character. As in, Ken Penders could claim him as his own and Sega don’t want to deal with that guy again. Another thing he couldn’t make an actual a physical appearance in the Archie comics. So the work around they had to use with his inclusion was by calling him Dr. Nega instead of his full name and only show him flying in his Eggmobile from a distance.

The boss fight in Sonic Generations doesn’t count either.

This is Classic Metal Sonic from Sonic CD and Sega has mandated that the Classic designs and Modern designs are two different characters from two different universes. 

Do I have to say anything about him being in Forces? Well, I’m going to. For whatever reasons this isn’t Metal Sonic, but a fake created by the Phantom Ruby. Like, this makes no sense for the blue robot. Chaos, Zavok, and Shadow make sense to be fakes. But Eggman can deploy MS whenever and wherever he wants and has no trouble rebuilding him.

In conclusion Metal Sonic is nothing but fan-service and a joke. A character with lots of potential that hasn’t been tapped. Good thing IDW has done a decent job with him for the most part. He’s still restricted by the mandates but still. Hope to see more of him in the comic.

[tenebraevesper]

Sonic Cyber Revolution, Entry 10: His World

''In this world! (His world!) (Gotta make your own way!) Where one is all! In this world! (His world!) (Life is just a game you play!) Never fear the fall! When you leap without a net, you'll find it won't be there all the time! So watch your step, now watch your step, don't fall!''

– His World by Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 (NateWantsToBattle Cover, Theme of Sonic)

xXxXxXx

-The Memories of The Past: Sonic & Lucas-

The blue streak of light flew through the woods, skillfully avoiding crashing into any of the trees. He liked the wind blowing through his quills, testing his awareness of his environment by dodging obstacles, then speeding up again, going at his top speed to clear the area in mere seconds. He exited the woods, running past cars and passersby, eventually running up a building before stopping right at the top of it.

''Phew, that was fun!'' Sonic the Hedgehog muttered under his breath, a wide smile spread across his expression. He was sitting on the edge of the building, his legs dangling down as he observed what was going on on the streets. His heart was racing and he was ready for another chase, wanting to test the limits of his abilities. ''Heh, being The Fastest Thing Alive really leaves me without a challenge. All I've been doing is running all of my life…'' Sonic paused, trying to remember his past, but the only memories he had were those of him running through forests and caves and open fields and hills, and learning that he wasn't a particularly good swimmer when he tried to run across water, but he couldn't remember anything before that.

He was aware that he was an entity known as an ARNav, an artificial intelligence that could navigate in AR Fields, but that was all he knew. ''But, that can't be all, right?'' Sonic placed his fingertips on his temples, trying to concentrate. ''There had to be something before this.'' He did his best to remember, to reach for any memory that might've been buried deep down in his consciousness, but all he recalled was the shadow of a person, followed by a sinister laughter. Sonic shook his head. ''You know what, never mind. It probably wasn't that important.''

He then got up, doing some stretches, feeling restless. ''I could do a little run around…'' Sonic trailed off, rising an eyebrow as he tried to remember the name of the city he had arrived at. It was plastered on the huge sign he ran past when took a detour to the highway. He then snapped his fingers. ''Ah, yes, Neos City!'' He placed his hands on his hips. ''It looks like a nice place to be at.'' He then tilted his head, tapping with his foot on the ground. There was something bothering him, but he couldn't quite figure out what exactly it was. His ears twitched when he heard a burst of laughter coming from a small group of ARNavs and humans down at the street below him, obviously enjoying themselves.

Sonic's ears were pinned backwards and he felt a sense of emptiness in his chest. ''Right, I've been running for all my life alone, being a free spirit and all that stuff. I don't mind being alone, but I wouldn't mind having some company either.'' Sonic scratched his head. ''At least I wouldn't have to constantly just talk to myself. Being all the time in a company of one is boring.''

Sonic did a few more stretches, then looked down the building and ran downwards, somehow breaking the laws of physics and not falling off as he ran onto the street and took off, startling several pedestrians; one of them being a teenage girl holding a hoverboard who took particular interest in the Blue Blur. She rose an eyebrow, but then followed Sonic using her hoverboard.

xXx

Sonic grinned as he made his way through Neos City, reaching Cross Layer Highway and avoiding the vehicles on it. Admittedly, while he had the time of his life, he was aware that the drivers weren't that happy with being startled by a blue light speeding between them. He then quickly leapt off the highway, running past all of the cars and back into the city, racing through the AR Fields. He tried to figure out where he would go next, only to feel a sudden shock wave surge through his body, knocking him down. He hit the ground hard, trying to get up.

''Wh-What happened?'' Sonic looked up, his vision blurry as he saw several ARNavs in uniforms approaching him.

''The Irregular is down! I repeat, the Irregular is down!

''No, he's getting up! Keep your distance!''

Sonic managed to get up, only to see a blast of energy being suddenly fired at him. He managed to dodge it, but he was hit by another blast to the back. He fell on his knees, his ears twitching when he heard someone approaching him from behind and then quickly curled into a ball, spin-dashing right into his attackers. They scattered, allowing Sonic to bounce of a building and face his attackers.

''I don't know what you want from me, but I'm not going to let you catch me,'' Sonic told them, speeding off. He knew that, when it came to chases, he had the advantage, but he was worried about what stopped him in the first place. Suddenly, he felt like his was hit by another shock wave, causing him to hit the wall of a building as he tried to stay on his feet.

Sonic leaned against the wall, feeling wave after wave of pain as he tried to make his way through the street, only for the pain to pass when he entered another street, this one being on the suburban side of the city. He turned back, eyes widening in realization.

''The AR Field… It's what's slowed me down…'' Sonic muttered as he recoiled in pain. He knew that he had to remain on the move, not wanting to be found by those ARNavs, but whatever that AR Field did to him, it left him almost incapacitated. He eventually came across a fence, climbing across it and jumping into the yard, limping as he fell into the bushes behind the house.

xXx

Lucas Kinomoto was lying on the couch in the living room, reading an adventure book of a young boy travelling all over the world with his partner, a cute monster-like creature with incredible power. The way the book was written, Lucas could easily insert himself into the protagonists shoes and imagine himself going on all those adventures. However, in real life, this was something he wasn't keen on doing. He was the kind of person who kept to himself, stayed at home, went to school and visited his best friend, maybe went to the local library or grocery store, but he didn't want to really explore more than the places he was already familiar with.

If I want to see new places, I can easily find images of them online. Lucas sighed as he closed the book, looking up at the ceiling. Admittedly, he did catch flak from his classmates and even teachers whenever they would organize school trips, with them being annoyed at him for showing very little interest in participating in the trips. He felt bad about the fact that his lack of enthusiasm seemingly ruined their experience, but he couldn't force himself to enjoy something he couldn't enjoy. He simply preferred being in the comfort of his home, where he could do anything he wanted. Since his parents were absent due to work, he was living by himself and had no problems with leading a quiet life, staying out of everyone's business.

''Huh?'' Lucas was startled by a sudden sound coming from outside, some kind of heavy thud followed by rustling. He placed the book down and walked up to the nearby window, looking outside, but saw nothing. ''Maybe my mind was playing tricks on me.'' Lucas then lowered his head, crossing his arms. He could easily return back to his book, not caring about the strange sound he heard and move on with his day, but the other side of him, the one led by his sense of curiosity, started slowly taking over.

Even though Lucas preferred to stay out of whatever event was going on, if he got curious enough, he would get involved. Lingering for a moment in the living room, Lucas then walked towards the front door and peeked outside, before finally stepping into the front yard. He looked around curiously, searching for the origin of the sound he had heard earlier, eventually walking around the house and checking the bushes at the back.

To his shock, he found a beaten up anthropomorphic hedgehog the size of a small child lying on the ground, his blue fur scuffed and bruised. Lucas realized a moment later that he was staring at an ARNav, his first instinct being to crouch down and help him. ''Are you okay? What happened?''

The blue hedgehog lifted his head, looking slightly panicked and on the verge of passing out.

''They're after me. I need to leave.'' The blue hedgehog attempted to get up, with Lucas catching him after he almost collapsed.

''Wait, who is after you? What are you talking about?'' Lucas asked worriedly. The blue hedgehog didn't answer, clutching his side with a pained look on his expression, with Lucas just shaking his head and lifting him up bridal-style. He may have had no clue what was going on or what had happened to the ARNav, but he wasn't going to let him suffer. The blue hedgehog gave him a surprised look, with Lucas giving him a comforting smile. ''You can stay at my place and recover. If someone comes to search for you, I'll just tell them I have no idea what they're talking about.''

''Uh, thanks?'' The blue hedgehog was surprised, but smiled back.

''You're welcome,'' Lucas replied, adding, ''I'm Lucas Kinomoto.''

''The name is Sonic the Hedgehog. Nice to meet you,'' Sonic introduced himself, with Lucas nodding in acknowledgement. Admittedly, he already knew that this ARNav's name was Sonic, due to his character being a known video game mascot. However, he had to note that ARNavs based on video game characters were quite rare and it did surprise him that one would just appear behind his house, but he decided that this was a question for later.

Lucas then placed Sonic on the couch, with Sonic leaning his head against the pillow, sighing in relief. He then gave Lucas a thumbs up. ''Thanks, buddy. I was really in a pinch back there.''

''No problem,'' Lucas replied, only to raise an eyebrow. ''Although, there aren't any AR Fields at my place for you to recover properly. I know ARNavs can survive outside them for a while, but still…''

''Don't worry, I don't have to be inside an AR Field to survive,'' Sonic replied casually, only to wince at the sudden surge of pain passing through his body. ''As a matter of fact, I spent most of my life outside them.''

''I see…'' Lucas muttered, feeling that something was wrong. It was a well-known fact that ARNavs could survive only outside AR Fields for a limited amount of time, so what Sonic told him made no sense. He shook it off, deciding to get more information from Sonic on what had happened. ''So, how come you had crashed in my backyard? You said someone was after you.''

''Yeah, I've been chased by other ARNavs, and while I managed to shake them off, they still got me,'' Sonic replied, pointing at the bruises. He scratched his head. ''I have no idea why they went after me, though. Sure, I broke the traffic laws by running over the speed limit, but I hadn't done anything that would endanger other people.''

''You said you were chased by ARNavs…'' Lucas trailed off, rising an eyebrow.

''That's correct,'' Sonic replied, trying to sit up. Admittedly, his body still ached, but he could manage the pain. One of the perks of being an ARNav was that recovery was usually faster. ''I think that one of them called me an Irregular.'' Sonic was a little puzzled when he saw the wide-eyed gaze on Lucas' expression, the latter staring at him in pure shock, even taking a step back as if afraid of the blue hedgehog. ''Uh, did I say something wrong? Lucas?''

''You-'' Lucas snapped out of his stunned state. ''You said that they called you an Irregular?''

''Yeah,'' Sonic nodded, still confused. ''Is something wrong with that?''

''Well, yeah, it is!'' Lucas responded, genuinely baffled that Sonic had no idea he was an Irregular. ''Irregulars are incredibly aggressive and dangerous, and they have sent several people to the hospital, and even to their grave, by just absorbing their BioEnergy. Those ARNavs you had encountered were Irregular Hunters.''

''I-I had no clue,'' Sonic replied in an honest tone, shaking his head.

He looked up at Lucas who, despite the revelation, was surprisingly calm, even though he was clearly wary of him. Sonic figured that this was probably because he himself didn't show any sign of aggression or had shown any intent of trying to harm Lucas. He then got off the couch, wincing as he felt a wave of pain shooting through his arm and clutched his shoulder. Still, he remained standing.

''If I make you feel uncomfortable, I will leave right away,'' Sonic said, with Lucas staring at him, completely stunned. ''I had been running all my life, so I don't think it matters if I continue doing the same.'' He smiled weakly. ''Still, I'm glad that I met you.''

''Sonic, wait.'' Sonic was about to leave when he suddenly heard Lucas calling for him and turned around, surprised to see that whatever apprehension Lucas had shown a moment earlier was now replaced with concern. ''I never told you that you should leave.''

''I know, but I had figured that if I'm indeed one of those Irregulars, then I shouldn't stay around or else I might put you in danger,'' Sonic told him.

''Except, you're not,'' Lucas pointed out. ''I saw from a distance how Irregulars behave around humans and what they're capable of, and you're not acting like them at all.''

''I guess I never got the memo,'' Sonic said in a deadpan tone, his jokester nature prevailing. ''I hope I didn't disappoint you too much.''

Lucas rose an eyebrow, his lips curving into a smile. While he remained cautious, he felt the tension leaving him. His more rational side prevailed as he thought about the whole situation, crossing his arms. ''Admittedly, it is also possible that the Hunters were wrong and that you aren't an Irregular, which makes this whole situation kind of ridiculous.''

''Since you're the expert on Irregulars, could you explain me what is the main difference between an ARNav and an Irregular?'' Sonic asked, returning back to the couch and sitting down on it.

''From what I know, the main difference is that Irregulars have the ability to drain humans of their BioEnergy,'' Lucas explained, tilting his head. ''You know what BioEnergy is, right?''

''Of course I do,'' Sonic replied. Admittedly, at the beginning of his own journey, he had no idea what BioEnergy was until he overheard other ARNavs talk about it during one of his runs. ''So, if I try to drain your BioEnergy, that would confirm that I am an Irregular?''

''Yeah,'' Lucas replied, with the two staring at each other in complete silence, the implications lingering in the air. Then, it was broken by a growl coming from Sonic, who looked slightly flustered as he placed one hand over his stomach and rubbed his head with his other hand.

''Heheh, I guess I'm hungry,'' Sonic said sheepishly. Lucas gave him a look of surprise, knowing well that ARNavs normally weren't even able to consume human food. They could ran out of energy if they spent too much time outside the AR Field, but all they needed to recharge was to return to the AR Field and they would be fine.

''Well, if you're hungry…'' Lucas trailed off as he searched through the fridge for the leftovers from his lunch and grabbing the fruit that was in the basket on the table, then returned to Sonic. ''It's not much, since I had planned to go to the grocery store today, but I guess that should be enough for now.''

''Thank you!'' Sonic replied, grabbing an apple from the pile of food Lucas placed in front of him. Lucas just observed him in silence, still trying to process the situation.

''I thought ARNavs couldn't eat human food,'' Lucas said, completely stunned.

''I don't know about other ARNavs, but I do eat food when I'm hungry,'' Sonic explained, shrugging. ''This is normal for me.''

''I see,'' Lucas muttered, looking at Sonic with interest. Regardless of whether he was an Irregular or not, there was something fascinating about this hedgehog ARNav and Lucas wanted to learn more about him. ''If you don't mind, I have a few questions for you.''

''Go ahead, I'm listening,'' Sonic replied, grabbing a banana.

''So, first of all, if we go by the assumption that you're an Irregular, you should be able to affect my BioEnergy,'' Lucas said. Yes, he knew that this was a bad idea and he knew that his cautious self was screaming at him to shut up and not trying anything, but Lucas doubted that it mattered. He let Sonic stay, after all, meaning he'd be also taking responsibility of him. Sonic gave him a curious look.

''Now that you mention it, there is this strange sensation I feel whenever I'm around you,'' Sonic explained. ''It is as if I can see some kind of… I guess you could call it an aura.''

''Yeah, that would be my BioEnergy,'' Lucas said, unsure how to feel that this basically confirmed that Sonic was indeed an Irregular.

''However, I don't want to mess with it any way, shape or form,'' Sonic quickly added.

''Thank you for the assurance,'' Lucas said, smiling in response. ''So, where do you come from?''

''Huh?'' Sonic gave him a confused look, lowering the slice of pizza he was about to eat.

''I mean, I would like to know more about your origins. All ARNavs have a creator, and I'm curious about who's yours,'' Lucas explained.

''Honestly, I have no clue,'' Sonic replied, shrugging and placing a hand under his chin. ''I never really thought about where I come from. All I remember is waking up one day in the middle of a forest, only knowing my name, my power and what I want to do. I later on figured that I was an ARNav, but I had no idea that I was an Irregular.''

''I see,'' Lucas muttered, leaning against the couch. ''So, do you want to learn more about where you came from or…?''

''Not really,'' Sonic replied, leaning against the pillow. ''I don't mind that I don't remember anything since I'm already living my life the way I want. If I don't need to, I don't look back, and there is still so much I want to do.''

''Let me guess; so you just keep running around and going on adventures, being a free spirit who lives his life in the moment, completely unrestrained'' Lucas added. ''Whether you're wrong or right, you just do your own thing.''

''You nailed it,'' Sonic said joyfully, then gave Lucas a curious look. ''What about you?''

''I actually prefer to stay at home,'' Lucas admitted, surprising Sonic.

''Really? You don't get bored at all?'' he asked.

''No, because I basically have what I need here,'' Lucas replied, glancing at a picture frame on the wall above the TV, showing a photo of his younger self and his parents. ''I guess this desire for adventure skipped a generation.''

''What do you mean?'' Sonic asked, following Lucas' gaze.

''My parents are archeologists and they absolutely love to travel all around the world, which is why they're absent most of the time. However, I'm not a big fan of travelling or adventuring,'' Lucas explained. ''That doesn't mean that I don't get curious about things outside my home, although people would usually have to drag me outside.''

''You know, after what you had told me, allowing me to stay here was a bold move on your part,'' Sonic noted.

''Even if we ignore the part of you being an Irregular, I don't feel like it was a big deal. When I saw you beaten up like that, all I knew was that I wanted to help you,'' Lucas explained, getting up. ''In any case, I also need to go grocery shopping to fill up the fridge.''

''I guess this might be a lot of me to ask, but could you buy ingredients to make chili dogs?'' Sonic asked, giving Lucas a sheepish grin. ''I'm still hungry.''

''Hey, don't worry, I'll get you whatever you want as long as it's not too expensive,'' Lucas told him, only to fall silent for a moment as he thought about something. ''Say, Sonic, do you want to come along?''

''Seriously? I mean, I'd be happy to accompany you, but what about the Hunters?'' Sonic asked, jumping off the couch.

''I believe that if we pretend that you're a normal ARNav and my partner, the Hunters won't try checking on you,'' Lucas suggested. ''From what I know, they usually go after the partnerless ARNavs.''

''Really? Even after the show I had put on by running through the city?'' Sonic asked.

''Considering how ARNavs who look the same also exist, we can just say that you are a different blue hedgehog with super speed and that they mistook you for your twin,'' Lucas suggested, with Sonic giving him an amused look. ''Okay, I will admit that I don't want to get myself into trouble as well, but since you're so different from any other Irregular I've seen or heard of, I'm willing to take the risk.''

''Now, that's the spirit,'' Sonic said approvingly.

xXx

Lucas had to admit to himself that he did not expect that the trip to the grocery store would be this… exciting. He would usually drag his feet, but the moment Sonic entered the grocery store, he started zipping from one aisle to another, just grabbing whatever caught his attention and dropping it into the shopping cart just as Lucas entered the aisle closest to the entrance. The teenager rose an eyebrow when he saw that the food mostly consisted of candy and snacks.

''You know, we could have a party with this!'' Sonic said, grinning as he dropped a pack of gummy bears into the cart and vanished in a flash of blue light before Lucas could even say anything. He then reappeared, holding a couple bottles of soda, looking at Lucas. ''Hey, could you help me grab those chips from the shelf? This place isn't exactly hedgehog-sized.''

''Sonic, could you please wait a second?'' Lucas asked, with Sonic perking up, his ears twitching.

''What is it, Lucas?'' he responded.

''Sonic, we will have to return all of this back to the shelves,'' Lucas explained, with Sonic's ears pinning down and the hedgehog looking dispirited. ''When I said that we'd have to make a trip to the grocery store for food, I meant that we'd have to buy stuff like bread or milk.''

''Oh, right,'' Sonic replied, giving Lucas a sheepish look. ''I'm sorry.''

Lucas then shook his head, smiling. ''Hey, once we get all that we need, you can pick whatever snack or drink you want.''

''Really?'' Sonic quickly perked up, startling Lucas when he suddenly returned all of the candy and snacks to the shelves, then came back with a loaf of sliced bread and a carton of milk. ''Is this what you usually buy?''

''Yeah,'' Lucas replied, having to admit that it was quite entertaining to see Sonic use his super speed for something mundane. The hedgehog, on the other hand, appeared to be just happy that he could help out his new friend.

They were done much sooner than expected, eventually walking back home, with Lucas carrying the bag with the food. Sonic did offer him to bring it back home and then return to Lucas, but the teenager pointed out that the food might fly out of the bag or it might tear if exposed to the hedgehog's super speed. So, they opted to walk back at normal speed.

''Something I had forgotten to ask you; do you really plan on staying at Neos City?'' Lucas rose his voice, catching Sonic's attention. ''I mean, you strike me more as someone who'd just go from place to place rather than permanently stay at one location.''

''While you are right about me preferring to go from place to place, I don't mind staying at Neos City, at least for now,'' Sonic replied. ''I still haven't explored all of the place and I'm really enjoying myself.''

''I'm glad to hear that,'' Lucas replied, only to look up and see a teenage girl staring at him and Sonic, holding a hoverboard under her arm. ''Um, hello?''

''I guess this goes without saying, but I don't think it is very smart of you to just walk around with an Irregular, especially when the Hunters are still on alert,'' the girl told them. Lucas and Sonic's eyes widened in shock, with Lucas quickly looking around to make sure nobody was paying attention to them.

''H-How do you know?!'' Lucas walked up to the girl, keeping his voice low. He felt his heart racing, worried that Hunters would appear and go after Sonic. The hedgehog was also on alert, giving the teenage girl a cautious look.

''You just confirmed it by asking me that,'' she told Lucas, who was flustered by the answer. She then looked at both of them. ''Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone. I just got curious after I saw Sonic running around the city.''

''Who are you?'' Sonic asked.

''The name is Touka Kageura,'' Touka replied, tilting her head. ''I suggest to you both to be careful.''

''I'm Lucas Kinomoto and… thanks for the warning, I guess?'' Lucas replied, feeling confused. Ignoring the fact that he now acted as the partner to an Irregular, this girl appeared out of blue to drop some cryptic knowledge and warnings. This was not how he had expected his day would go. Touka then turned around, about to leave, only to stop when Lucas addressed her again. ''Why are you telling us that?''

''That is none of your business,'' Touka replied in a rather cold tone, getting on her hoverboard and leaving. Lucas and Sonic exchanged glances, still stunned due to the encounter.

''This was not something I had expected,'' Sonic said. ''Do you think that we can trust her?''

''I… I'm not sure,'' Lucas shook his head. ''Let's just hope that she will keep her promise and not tell anyone what she knows. The last thing we need is the Hunters to show up at our doorstep.''

''Heh, you really don't want me to leave?'' Sonic asked, grinning. Lucas smirked.

''If you don't want to leave, you don't have to leave,'' he explained. ''I'm leaving this decision up to you, partner.''

Sonic lifted his hand, his fist clenched, with Lucas understanding the gesture and fist bumping.

''Then, I guess I'll be staying here for a while longer, partner,'' Sonic responded happily.

xXx

After they had returned home, Sonic helped Lucas put away the groceries, ate the snacks Lucas bought for him and then just crashed on the couch, falling asleep almost immediately. It appeared that, despite his seemingly endless energy, he would eventually burn out and need some rest. Lucas went to his room to grab a blanket and put it over Sonic, still processing the whole day. He basically found a non-aggressive Irregular ARNav who had the appearance of a video game character and this Irregular was not restrained to staying inside an AR Field, could eat normal food and had the need to sleep. This kind of behavior obviously wasn't normal for an ARNav, leaving Lucas speculating that Sonic probably acted like this because he was an Irregular.

He had to admit that he was curious. If Sonic was a non-aggressive Irregular, maybe there were more of them. It was quite intriguing, but at the same time, he wondered if he should even investigate this. He wasn't really someone who wanted to go on an adventure or get himself into trouble, especially since he would also be dealing with Irregular Hunters, now that Sonic is his partner. However, he also doubted that Sonic would be content with just staying at Lucas' home. He was also worried that the Irregular Hunters would target Sonic once again.

Maybe I should contact Warren and ask him for help, Lucas thought. Maybe he has an answer to this conundrum. He looked back at Sonic, then smiled. Despite everything, I don't regret helping him.

xXx

-Present Day-

''Ahh, home sweet home!'' Sonic stretched his arms as he flopped down on the couch, placing his hands behind his head, crossing his legs and looking at Lucas. ''Okay, maybe it was a good idea to go home and get some rest.''

''I'm surprised you didn't go for one more evening run to burn off whatever remaining energy you had before you go to sleep,'' Lucas said. Sonic snorted.

''Heh, I'm surprised that you are eager to continue with this adventure,'' he commented. ''You told me that you're not the type who'd jump into action.''

''I'm not,'' Lucas replied, adding, ''This is just part of the initial investigation regarding the Irregulars. Nothing more, nothing less.''

''Right, and I'm a hedgehog with green fur and a bad attitude,'' Sonic responded sarcastically, giving Lucas a knowing look. ''I've seen you constantly taking charge of a situation whenever there's a crisis.''

''Well, someone had to,'' Lucas replied, not really sounding convinced by his own words. He had to admit that Sonic had a point. During the past days, especially when dealing with Metal Sonic and Shadow, he would jump into action just to make sure that no one gets hurt. He had no idea why, but he simply felt that he needed to take responsibility. Lucas sighed. ''Okay, maybe you're right.''

''Maybe?'' Sonic rose an eyebrow. ''I'm sure that this hedgehog is 100% correct.''

''Okay, maybe you are 100% correct. It is still a lot to take in, though,'' Lucas replied, grabbing the remote and turning the TV on. ''Any ideas what we'll eat for dinner?''

''Are there any leftover chili dogs?'' Sonic asked, sitting up.

''No, I don't think so,'' Lucas responded. Sonic's ears were pinned down, only for him to perk up a moment later.

''What about pizza?'' Sonic asked hopefully. ''Any snacks?''

''I'll have to check,'' Lucas replied, only for him and Sonic to get distracted by the evening news.

''My name is Midorikawa…''

''…and I'm Kero!''

''We're here reporting the latest updates regarding the mysterious explosion that occured in the early evening above Infinity Forest,'' Midorikawa continued, standing at the CyExLabs alongside her frog-like ARNav partner Kero. ''The explosion had resulted in the deactivation of many of the AR Fields all across Neos City, as well as the shut down of major online activities and devices. Fortunately, the experts at the CyExLabs have managed to restore most of the AR Fields and have guaranteed a 100% recovery by tomorrow morning.''

''Investigators are still on the case, and there are speculations whether this was an act of terrorism or the explosion had a more natural cause,'' Kero continued. ''There is also a possibility that it may have been of an Irregular attack, but so far, there is no evidence for any of the current theories.''

Sonic and Lucas exchanged glances, their eyes wide. They were too occupied with what happened in the Codex Research Facility to think whether the explosion had affected the rest of Neos City. When they returned from Infinity Forest, everything appeared to be normal, meaning that the AR Fields were reactivated during their trip back to the city, so they didn't really pay any thought to it.

''Uhhh, how about not mentioning any of this to Shadow or Touka?'' Sonic suggested, with a nervous look on his expression.

''I think that would be for the best. They have already enough on their plate,'' Lucas quickly responded, nodding in agreement. ''Also, maybe we should try figure out how to draw less attention to ourselves.''

''I absolutely agree,'' Sonic replied. As much as he didn't mind living in the moment and facing any kind of challenge, this incident might put his friends into danger, or at least on the radar of the Irregular Hunters. He then saw Lucas falling silent for a moment, thinking about something. ''I assume you're not done yet.''

''I've just been thinking about how we still have a lot to do and wondering whether our friends would want to join us in this investigation,'' Lucas said. ''I know that Warren and Tails would agree.''

''I think that Knuckles, Lily, Amy, Minami, Silver and Makoto would also go along with whatever you're planning to do,'' Sonic said. ''I'm not completely sure about Shadow and Touka, though.''

''I think that the only solution to this is to ask everyone whether they'd meet up tomorrow and discuss this,'' Lucas replied.

xXx

The street lights had already turned on, night having fallen while Shadow was still following Touka back to her home using his air shoes to keep up with her speed as she was on her hoverboard. They were silent for the most part, with Shadow being genuinely curious to where Touka was leading him. After recovering from the whole chaos that was the Codex Research Facility, he felt that he was finally allowed to breathe and just process all of the information he had learned in the past couple days, and even before that, he had to deal with the lies he was told about Touka's demise. For now, he had decided to accept the situation as it was, but he still had questions. He glanced at the Touka.

''How long did it take you to learn to use a hoverboard without crashing into anything?'' he asked, a slight smirk on his expression. Touka flinched at the question, a very sudden memory appearing in her mind; one of her speeding down a corridor while wearing heelys and losing control, crashing into a wall and scrapping the skin off her knees, leaving her bleeding. Shadow saw her reaction, still smirking. ''Heh, so you do remember that particular incident.''

''First of all, I'm way better at riding a hoverboard than heelys,'' Touka replied in a defensive tone, unsure whether she was relieved that she remembered more stuff from her past or was embarrassed by that particular memory. She then pouted. ''It only took me a day to figure out how to properly ride it. Unlike heelys, hoverboards also have a calibration that allows automatic balance as long as you stand on them.'' Touka then crossed her arms, feeling the tension leave her. ''Also, I never crashed into anything.''

''I have a bit of hard time believing that,'' Shadow responded. Touka gave him a knowing look.

''I also remember that you weren't exactly an expert at using your air shoes either,'' she said, grinning smugly as she watched the smirk disappear from Shadow's expression.

''I assume that you have regained all of your memories,'' he said, continuing the conversation.

''Not all of them, but I remember enough,'' Touka replied, slowing down her hoverboard and coming to a halt in front of a house, with Shadow following her lead. ''There is one more thing we have to do before we can call it a day.'' She turned to Shadow. ''Do you remember Dr. Kisaki Kageura?''

''Of course I do,'' Shadow replied, giving her a curious look. ''Why are you asking me that?''

''Because I now live with her,'' Touka replied, getting off her hoverboard and picking it up. ''As a matter of fact, she was the one who adopted me.''

''You say she adopted you, yet she never told you anything about your past?'' Shadow asked, folding his arms across his chest.

''I don't know why, but we are going to get the answers we're owed,'' Touka replied, walking into the house, with Shadow following her right behind. She led him to the open space that was the living room and kitchen, with Kisaki having already returned from work.

''Oh, hey, Touka, I just made dinner…'' Kisaki trailed off when she suddenly turned around, her jaw dropping when she saw Touka, her eyes widening in shock when she saw Shadow right next to her.

''Kisaki, Shadow and I need to talk to you,'' Touka said.

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