Homework.
Sonic, Tails and Shadow were all sitting at Tails' kitchen table, ready to start their homework.
"I hate homework." Sonic moaned out loud. "You have to sit still for ages and write about random crap! I mean, I'm not gonna use this stuff for anything!"
Tails tutted disapprovingly. "What if you need a job Sonic? You won't know how to do ANYTHING. Then you won't get a neat job."
"I'll be a famous runner!" Sonic grinned. "Every country will want me to represent them at the Olympics and I'll retire with loads of money. And then I can buy an awesome car! Even though I'm the fastest thing alive obviously."
Shadow said nothing, just continued to write.
"Sonic, you've gotta have a back-up plan! Otherwise you might end up on the streets! I don't want you homeless!"
"I wouldn't be homeless."
"Why?"
"Cause YOU'D take me in wouldn't you lil' buddy?" Sonic gave him the puppy eyes.
"Yeah of course I would. You know I wanna do?"
"What?"
"I wanna be a mechanic/inventor. Then I could do two jobs to do with technology and science at the same time!" Tails smiled happily as images of planes and cars trailed through his mind.
Shadow then said something that made them stop and turn to him in surprise.
"I...would like to be a singer."
Sonic's eyes widened.
"You are both very lucky. You have dreams and back-up plans. I don't really know about my future."
He looked down at his work.
"I do know that if I work really hard, and let myself fall once in a while, then I will learn from those falls. Then I will have my dream."
Shadow smiled shyly at the looks on their faces.
"We didn't know you had a goal Shads!" Sonic cried.
"What about your job in GUN?" Tails asked curiously.
"That is not my dream. It is a duty I have to fulfil to this planet."
"What if you can't get a career in singing?"
"Then...I think..." Shadow paused and tilted his head back, crimson eyes to the sky. "I think I would like to be an artist or a conservationist. Something that makes people happy."
"A what now?" Sonic frowned.
Shadow sighed patiently. "Someone who helps care for the earth."
"But why don't you know about your future?" Tails looked mystified.
"Because I am not sure someone like me would be accepted." Was Shadow's honest reply.
"Oh...'cause you're an experiment." Sonic's face hardened.
"Naturally people fear me." Shadow mumbled sadly, glancing down at his sheet of paper. "But..."
He looked up at his friend's faces.
"I know that with my friends and other kind people by my side, I can do anything!" He beamed innocently. "Right?"
"Yeah!" Sonic pounded the table with his fist. "Let's all do our damn best!"
"Sing Shadow."
Shadow stiffened. "P-pardon?"
"Sing for us Shadow." Tails said. "Now that I think about it, none of us have ever heard you sing before. Show us how good you are."
Sonic grinned in agreement. "Yeah, go on old buddy, old pal!" He flashed Shadow a thumbs-up.
Blushing, Shadow shook his head furiously, not making eye contact with either of them.
"Pllleeeaaasssee?!" Sonic and Tails begged, both giving him big anime-style eyes.
Shadow breathed out with a 'whoosh' and nodded in defeat.
"Alright. I will...do my best."
He sat up a little straighter and nervously cleared his throat.
"Please tell me if it is not very good."
"No probs. You know me Shads! I'll tease you forever!"
Shadow sighed at Sonic and then began to sing.
It was slightly shaky at first, since he hadn't sung to anyone since Maria, and then it developed into a rich but quiet tone. Sonic and Tails' mouths dropped in awe at the sound. They'd never heard anything like it.
Amazing...
Beautiful...
Astonishing...
All these words described Shadow's voice as he sang every word from "Last Call to New York City" by Elliot Minor. When he'd finished, the two broke into applause.
"Whoo! Yeah!" Sonic cheered.
"You were excellent!" Tails cried.
Shadow stared at them with a watery smile.
"Thank you. You have just helped me find my voice." He whispered.
"Well, hey, if we helped you find your dreams and future, can you find the answer of my Math problem?" Sonic chuckled and Shadow laughed, the melody of his voice mingling with Tails' laughter.
He took the paper from Sonic, beckoned the cerulean male to come and sit next to him and began to quietly explain.
"You see, when you see x squared, it means X times X or two xs..." (Try saying THAT fast! : From author).
And so three friends continued to do the homework. And just like they were helping each other with the homework, they'd also helped each other discover their talents and dreams. And only one realised that.
The End.
But which one realised that? Tell me what you think and try to review as much as possible! See you all around!