An Unforgettable Halloween; Shadamy
It was October 29, autumn had already kicked in, and most trees had already lost their leaves, while others still had a few. Halloween was only 2 days away, every mall and shopping center crowded with last minute buyers, looking for decorations and treats, and the trick-or-treaters looking for the costumes that would best suit them. Other people had thought ahead and bought everything that was needed earlier, so to say some families were already putting up the decorations either inside, or outside their homes.
Among the crowds of people stood a pink hedgehog, she had short quills and emerald green eyes. She was wearing a red dress with no sleeves a white line at the hem, a pair of red boots with white stripe down the middle, and red headband placed neatly on top of her head. Her name was Amy Rose; right now she was at a local super market in Station Square looking for some food for the Halloween party that was being hosted by Rouge in her mansion. Rouge had called her this morning saying that she was still needed some drinks and food for the party, but wouldn't be able to buy it herself because she was to busy with a mission G.U.N. had sent her to do, like always before she had a chance to even ask what her mission was about, she would say it was classified. Since she was going to be busy, Amy told her that she would gladly help her out in anything she could which led her to where she was right now. After getting all the necessary things for the party, she went to the cashier, paid and left the store.
She was heading towards Rouge's mansion to drop the stuff she had just bought, the only problem was, it was only mid-day and after that she had nothing to do. She had already bought her costume for the 31st, Cream was to busy helping her mother Vanilla bake the food Rouge had requested for the party, and she didn't feel like looking for Sonic, which was pretty strange, but then again if you thought of it he was almost impossible to find he never stayed in one place for too long and he was always busy either trying to track down the Chaos Emerald, or stopping one of Dr. Robotnik's evil schemes. He was a free spirited, carefree; go with the flow kind of guy, no matter what happened he always had a positive attitude although she had to admit sometimes he could get cocky. Still he was someone she admired ever since he had saved her from Metal Sonic and no matter what happened no one could change her opinion on him.
She kept thinking about it and eventually got lost in thought, she snapped out of it when she felt a blast of wind pass right by her. She became aware of her surroundings again and noticed that she was in the Great Forest already. Without thinking she ran after it hoping that it was Sonic and that maybe if he wasn't busy today she could try and ask him if he could spend the rest of the day with her, but to her disappointment it wasn't Sonic instead in his place stood a black hedgehog with scarlet highlights and a tuft of white chest hair, but she wasn't disappointed because it was him, but because she was hoping it was Sonic. He was leaning against a tree that was two blocks away from Rouge's mansion, he had his eyes closed, but she could tell he was still aware of his surroundings.
After she stared at him for who knows how long, she decided to go and talk to him, she stopped in her tracks when the hedgehog snapped his eyes open and looked in her direction with those blood red eyes. She had to admit sometimes he did intimidate her, but she never told anyone even though she noticed that she wasn't the only one. Sometimes she would look his way when he was walking through Station Square at times and saw how everyone either glared at him, or cornered away in fear while mothers grabbed their children and speed walked away. She thought it was rather unfair how everyone was so cold and cruel towards him, sure he had made some mistakes in the past, but he fixed them by stopping the Space Colony ARK from crashing into Earth and by aiding them in the battle with Metal Sonic, he had saved millions of lives and had sacrificed his own life, all of his energy had been drained so he gave in as the planet's gravity pulled him in. They all thought he was dead, but instead of mourning the loss of a hero like she had, everyone carried on with their lives as if nothing ever happened, some even celebrated his death. It was her that changed his mind and up to this day she could still remember the last words he said to her before the tragic accident that took place after. I have to go now I must keep my promise to Maria…..and you.
She was brought out of her reverie of thought as she remembered he was still staring at her waiting to make the first movement, well she did want to greet; maybe hang out with him and even if she didn't, she could not just walk away considering that it would be rather rude. She approached him with a few hesitant steps and greeted him.
"Hi Shadow" she said in a cheerful voice, completely oblivious that Shadow had sensed her fear, before she had approached him.
"You don't have to speak to me if you don't want to" he said in that usual monotone voice, as he looked away from here. How she hated it when he always hid his emotions, he had opened up on the ARK. Why was he still so tense to show her his emotions? She didn't get it; it would be easier for everyone including himself if he did. She understood that his life wasn't the easiest, but being all gloomy wouldn't solve anything and it was definitely not healthy. She finally came out of her train of thoughts and frowned at him. "What makes you think I don't want to…."
"Never mind" he said still facing away from her.
After he said that, it finally hit her, she was bored and had nothing to do; he was depressed, gloomy and lonely. She assigned herself a new mission she was going to do everything in her will power, that before the 31st of October she was going to break through whatever kept him neutral and depressed all the time and make him smile; not a smirk, or one of those half smiles he sometimes gave her, which she did not know why probably for changing his mind or point of view on humans back on ARK. But whatever the reason was she still felt special, privileged that when he opened up, which was on really rare occasions, it was with her. She came out of her thoughts again when she saw a hand waving in front of her followed by Shadow's smooth voice" Hello Rose, are you still in there?"
"Yeah I'm still here" she said as she looked down and blushed from embarrassment. She felt him smirk at her react and that only caused her to blush even more."Anyways I'm going to drop these bags at Rouge's house and after that I have nothing to do, so I was wondering maybe we could hang out together and eat somewhere….." she said as she blushed even harder, she was as red as Knuckles by now.
Now it was his turn to blush although it was only a soft shade of pink he couldn't help it, did he hear her right? Did Amy out of all of her friends ask him, the Ultimate Lifeform, the cold blooded killer everyone thought he was, to hang out with her?
Amy finally got the courage to raise her head to look at him, after she had composed herself again. Hoping that the heat had calmed down which it did only leaving a soft tinge of pink as evidence; she looked at him and saw that he seemed deep in thought probably about her question. I mean she knew he didn't hang out with a lot of people, but didn't know that such a simple yes or no question would have him thinking it over like it was a life or death question. She chuckled consciously at her own thought. She looked up at him and decided to break the silence.
"I mean that's if you want to….." she said rather abruptly interrupting his thoughts.
"Sure"
"What?" she said in a confused tone
"Sure I'll hang out with you" he said with much indifference in his voice although his mind said otherwise, he was already thinking what it would be like to be with someone other than Rouge and Omega, yes they did talk, but they would only consider themselves as allies.
She had not expected him to say yes, so her reaction had been pure shock, but at the same time excitement was written all over her face. "Alright then, let me just drop these off at Rouge's and we can go" she said her voice filled with that cheerful tone she always had again.
Half-hour later…
Amy's POV
"So where do you want to eat?" We've been walking for a while already, and he hasn't said a word since; the silence was killing me, literally.
"I don't know, you choose" he said bluffly, we had already passed the outskirts of Station Square."Well how about ..." I looked around the area and saw a restaurant I was quite familiar with considering that after one of our victories against Eggman was celebrated there "…over there" I said as pointed towards it.
''Okay"
We walked to the café and went inside. We sat down as I looked around, the restaurant was Halloween theme, since Halloween was only two days away and the tables and seats were made out of ebony wood. I took a glance at my companion for the afternoon; he was looking at nothing in particular in his eyes it just looked like he was off in another place. When the waiter got to our table, Shadow came back to the real world as she handed us our menus and started talking.
Normal POV
"Hello I'll be your waiter for this afternoon, can I start you off with some drinks?" said a white human girl with black hair up to her shoulders and chocolate brown eyes. The work uniform was a dark purple polo shirt with the logo on the right side of the shirt. She was also wearing dark blue jeans up to her knees and black and white converse.
" Just orange soda please" said Amy.
"Water" said Shadow indifferently.
"Okay, I'll be back with your drinks in just a second" said the waiter as she left to get our drinks and gave us our menus .When she left Amy glared at Shadow, he suddenly felt eyes on him and cast her a questioning look."What?"
"You could have said please" he rolled his eyes at the comment and took the menu. "Anyways what was on your mind?" said Amy as she picked up her menu.
"What do you mean?" he said with his eyes still focused on the menu.
Amy was going to answer back when the waiter came back with their drinks. They put their menus down as she handed them their drinks."So are you ready to order yet?"
"Yes I'll have a cheese burger please" said Amy as the waiter wrote it down in a notepad.
"And you sir?"
"Same" said Shadow as Amy glared at him again.
"Alright I'll be back in a sec. with your food" she said as she walked away again to get our orders. After she left Amy gave her reply "I mean you had spaced before the waiter got here, what were you thinking about?" she asked as she drank from her orange soda.
"Nothing" said Shadow looking nowhere in particular.
Amy gave him a look of suspicion and decided to drop the subject considering the matter would get her nowhere. Knowing him, she could spend hours trying to get an answer out of him and he wouldn't even budge it was like trying to get pigs to fly. Sure you can throw them in the air and they'll stay there, but only for seconds sooner or later the harsh reality of gravity would come back.
"Alright, then so….. how's Team Dark doing? I heard Rouge went on mission, but she didn't say what it was about because it was classified, do you know what it's about?" she said as she tried to remove the tension in the air again and took another sip from her beverage waiting for a response.
"No. She never tells me about them, but if I think about it I haven't seen her in a while" said Shadow in an almost bored tone.
"What do you mean it can't be, she is hosting a party at her mansion on Halloween, I mean I thought out of all people you'd be the first to know considering you're on the same team I thought you guys saw each other more often" she said in a tone of confusion.
"Well it appears not."
"Well that's weird considering, I thought you had also received an invitation I filled them out myself and I remember writing one out for you"
"No I didn't get any invitations, do you think she handed them out already?" he said now getting interested in the conversation.
"Yeah I'm pretty sure she did I asked her this morning when she called me, she said she handed them all out yesterday and she didn't mention anything about not being able to give one to you"
"Here are your orders, enjoy!" said the waiter, cheerfully as she left to attend another table. We grabbed our food and started eating, after Amy was half way to finishing her cheeseburger, she took a glance at Shadow and saw that he had already finished his meal. Just as she was about to ask, almost as if he had read her mind he answered. "I was famished"
"Shadow when was the last time you ate?" she said in a worried tone.
"I don't know, two maybe three days ago" he said in a still indifferent tone.
"WHAT?" she exclaimed as everyone on the restaurant stared at her. Shadow gave them all a death glare and they went back to their doings.
"Well I didn't have any rings, but do not worry being the Ultimate Lifeform I can spend weeks without any food. Anyways….umm are you going to finish that?" asked Shadow as he pointed at her cheeseburger.
"Here" she said as she pushed her food towards him across the table.
"Thanks" he said as he took a bite from the half eaten cheeseburger.
"Oh, so you can say thanks, but you can't say please" she said as she raised an eyebrow at him.
"Only to you" he said as he finished the burger. Amy just cast him a curious glance and finished her drink. She stood up and left to pay at the cash register. Afterwards she went back to the table they were sitting in, left a tip for the waiter, and walked back to the entrance of the restaurant where Shadow was holding the door for her.
As they were trailing down the sidewalk, Amy took a glance at her wristwatch and noticed it was already three in the afternoon. She heaved a sigh as she cast a glance at her companion "So where to next?" she asked him while looking around the area.
"I don't know, what time is it?" he asked but still keeping aware of their surroundings, because for all he'd know , considering how all the humans and some furries treated him he could let his guard down for five minutes and they would take the chance to strike.
"Around three thirty-ish, you know you don't have to be so stiff all the time, loosen up a little" said Amy as she poked him on his shoulder.
Shadow looked at her curious about her behavior."Yeah I'll keep that in mind. Umm… anyways I have to go"
"What? Why?" said Amy getting a little sad that her companion had to leave already.
"It's classified" he said smirking at her.
"Haha very funny don't go all Rouge on me now mister" she said in a playful tone.
"No, seriously I have to leave. I have to report to the Commander's office for a mission" he said with his monotone voice back.
"How long do you think it will take you to complete it?" asked Amy. She was hoping he'd be back by tomorrow. After all tomorrow was the one day early Halloween festival and she was hoping Shadow would go with her.
"Tomorrow around the afternoon, why do you ask?" his answer received a huge sigh of relief, until she realized she was asked something."Oh, because you see tomorrow is the Halloween festival and I was kind of hoping you would go with me…..please" she said with puppy dog eyes.
"What about that Faker, can't he go with you; did you even ask him?" he said almost hesitantly while casting venomous gaze not directed at her, but at His counterpart.
"Why bother he's already going with Sally" said Amy ignoring the fact that Shadow called Sonic faker, getting depressed about the fact that Sonic was going out with someone else and the possibility that Shadow might turn down her offer.
"Alright, I'll go with you" he said trying to get her back into her cheerful mood, not really knowing why he cared so much about her mood, but not really dwelling to deeply into it knowing it would only confuse him more than he already was about the fact that Amy was actually asking him to go with her to the festival. The only thought that coursed through his mind was that she could have chosen anyone else to go with her so that must be a good sign right.
"Really!" Amy said as she literally jumped up and down squealing with excitement. She stopped when she realized people were staring at her and like back at the restaurant, Shadow gave them a death glare and everyone carried on with their doings. She felt like it was déjà vu, but she didn't care she was way too far off in her own little fantasy, thinking of how great tomorrow was going to be. She absolutely loved the one day early Halloween festival.
"At what time do I pick you up?" asked Shadow.
Realizing the question was directed at her, after a while she gave her reply."Five thirty in the afternoon, 'cause the festival starts at six".
"OK. Want me to walk you home?"Shadow asked her. Not really liking the thought of letting her walk alone since most of the time she was practically a danger magnet, always managing getting kidnapped by the "good" ol' doctor, but he couldn't really judge her knowing that he has been nothing but a curse who caused the death of his own family even if it wasn't him who pulled the trigger so that bullet would have pierced through her chest draining her of all her life in a slow and painful death; if he wasn't created in the first place G.U.N. wouldn't have raided the ARK, Maria would have not been shot, and Gerald wouldn't have been merciless due to the fact that humanity had been ungrateful by taking his granddaughter away and imprisoning him in their confinements. The fact of his own granddaughter dead was to much to bear so slowly and painfully he drove himself insane having hallucinations of Maria and secretly planning a way to make humanity pay for their greed and selfishness. After he was awakened he actually believed that what Maria wanted was revenge just like Gerald had, but in the end he was proven wrong by the same being standing right next to him and for that he would be eternally grateful. At least these were his thoughts and he never had shared them with anyone knowing that they would say 'you don't know that' or 'it's not your fault' , well he knew if he told Rouge or Amy that would be their answer anyone else would agree with his reasoning saying that he would only bring the same fate to humanity and intend to draw him into suicide himself. Well even if they tried he knew it wouldn't work he was to stubborn and persistent to draw so low as to killing himself.
"Sure"
As they walked to her home in total silence, she could feel people giving her and Shadow strange stares. She looked at Shadow and judging from his facial expression, he was aware of it; but didn't really care. Eventually she decided to ignore the stares and just look around and enjoy the environment.
Both looking around the area, with an occasional glance at each other; Amy was looking around because she never got tired of admiring the buildings and nature. While Shadow looked around trying to spot if someone was following them, since a second ago he felt eyes on him; but when he looked around he saw nothing. When they arrived, they stopped in her front porch as she fished around her pocket for the keys; after she found them she opened the door and turned around to face Shadow. She was about to speak, but he beat her to it again.
"Well I'll see you tomorrow then" he said as he turned around to leave when Amy's voice stopped him.
" Yeah. Oh and Shadow…." He turned around and looked at her" next time you don't have rings for food just ask". He nodded at her to let her know he heard her; he turned around and walked away, but before he walked any farther she grabbed his wrist, turned him around and gave him a kiss on his cheeks. After that she ran inside her house and slammed the door; leaving a stunned Shadow on the sidewalk in front of her house, staring at nothing in particular. After he stood there for who knows how long, he brought his hand to where she had previously kissed his cheek, with the same stupefied expression. As he came back to his senses he suddenly became alert that someone was watching him. Having a vague idea of who it was he called out his name trying to keep his voice void of emotion despite the anger and rage he was feeling right now that he had been followed and didn't notice.
"Sonic you can come out I know you are there" it came out sharper than he had expected but he could still not believe how he actually dropped his guard around Amy that in itself was confusing enough, even in his sleep he kept aware of his surroundings, how could a single pink hedgehog make him so vulnerable.
The said hedgehog jumped down from his hiding spot which was from on top of a tree in front of Amy's house.
"What are you doing hanging out with Ames?" said Sonic with a hint jealously but not really showing it.
"That is none of your business. Why do you ask anyways; jealous?" said Shadow while he smirked at the thought of Sonic actually jealous that Amy was spending time with him.
"Jealous? Of who you and Amy yeah right" he said as he crossed his arms looking at Shadow with disbelief.
Even though Shadow enjoyed irritating the blue hedgehog simply because it was entertaining seeing him loose his cool when he always has that grin on his face that Shadow always feels like wiping off with a fist on his jaw. He simply didn't feel like having to deal with Sonic so he just cut to the matter at hands.
"Look I am not in the mood, so let's cut to the matter at hands; why are you following me?"
"Why are you hanging out with Ames?"
"I already told you none of your business now answer my question." said Shadow as he glared at Sonic.
"Why should I?" said Sonic while he smirked now it was his turn to annoy Shadow which seemed to be working because the black hedgehog was almost at his boiling point.
"Sonic I am in no mood to play twenty questions" he said right now the black furry was almost having trouble holding back, when he wanted so badly to wipe that smirk off his counterparts face; he knew Sonic was doing this on my purpose.
"I'm not playing twenty questions" said Sonic his smirk growing wider. The blue hedgehog was bursting with laughter right now but held it in Knowing that Shadow would definitely stop restraining himself and would leave a good bruise on his jaw since it had happened before when he had called Shadow faker and the black hedgehog wasn't having the best of days.
Almost as if Shadow had heard him, he punched him in the jaw this time instead of just being bruised he left it bleeding. Sonic used his gloved hand to hold the area he had been hit and winced at the contact, he drew it away and saw blood stains on his gloves.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?" Sonic hissed in anger, as he glared at Shadow.
"For wasting my damn time, now I'm only going to say this once don't follow me around or next time you might not be so lucky" said the black furry having regained control of his temper. Turning around and running away as he left an angered hedgehog cursing under his breath.
To Be Continued…..