Hello everyone! Thank you for taking the time to look at this! But first of all, just to let you know, this is a sequel to my other fic: Rise From The Ashes. In order to understand this story, you have to read the prequel, so I would advise you to do so. Just so you know, some people may or may not like this but COSMO IS IN THIS FIC! But she is not the same as she was in 4KIDS (grrr…), she acts the same and all, but she has a different past and, oh, just read the darn thing. Romance is not until later on in the story. Okay, once again with the legal mumbo-jumbo: I own nothing except for the plot and some original characters. Thanks for taking a gander at my fanfic! I hope you enjoy! Don't forget to read and review!
Into The Darkness
Chapter One-Halloween
Ever since Roxanne has been a hedgehog, things were a lot different. First of all, her senses; she can smell things a lot better, because of her large eyes her sight was better, and her hearing is more acute. Surprisingly, she got used to be so much smaller, although, reaching high shelves suck. She was terrified the first time she jumped as high as she could, she jumped so high in the air, maybe about ten feet. She saw how high she was, and flailed her limbs around and fell flat on her face. Although, she was happy to know the only place she had hair/fur was on her head. She would have hated having all that hair.
It was her and Sonic's junior year in high school. Ever since she was on the news, Sonic, her, and Shadow were pressured to tell their story on the news, everyone knew about her. She seemed to be almost as popular as Sonic now. People would constantly talk to her and come up to her in the hallway and either congratulate her on her heroic and martyr-like quest, or question her about how she became a hedgehog. She didn't mind the attention, she rather liked it. So this is what it is like for Sonic, huh? she would think to herself.
It was October 31st, Halloween. It has been months since Sonic's last adventure. Which was strange because it seemed as soon as he started to relax, something else was going on. The thing was, though, he didn't really mind. He loved a challenge, which is why he goes on these adventures. But when he thinks about what happened on his last adventure, he is relieved when he remembers nothing bad is happening to the world that he can help with, at least at the moment.
Sonic opened the door to his house when he heard the doorbell ring. He loved Halloween, he loved seeing all the kids run around in their costumes, looking for candy, and their smiles. He opened the door, holding a peach colored bowl of random candy. He smiled at what he saw; On his porch, he saw a human girl about 4'0 with brown hair, big green eyes, and a toothy smile dressed as a clown. Behind her was a black hedgehog girl with green hair framing her pretty face, dressed in slightly baggy black pants with a black hoodie and her trademark black and white adidas. Next to her was a black and red male hedgehog wearing his black trenchcoat. Emily held her white pillow case full of candy down at him and squeeked, "Trick'r Treat!" Sonic dropped a few pieces of random hard candies in her pillow case and said, "Hey, nice costume, Em!" Emily squinted her eyes shut and smiled at him. Sonic pointed his finger at her like a gun, "You better not eat all that candy at once, or you'll lose more teeth!" She leaned close to Sonic to show him her teeth, "Look, I have another loose one!" She wiggle one of her teeth around with her tongue to show it him was loose.
Roxanne waved at her blue friend and hugged her jacket around her, "Sonic, why aren't ya out trick'r treatin'?" Sonic laughed, "Roxy, I'm 15, I can't, I'm too old." She grabbed his arm and yanked him on the porch, "You're not too old, look," she pulled candy out of her hoodie's pocket, "they gave me candy." "Prolly because they knew you saved them." "That don't matter to me! I got candy, that's what matters. Now, c'mon, come with me and Shadow to help Emmy trick'r treat!" Sonic looked at Shadow, Shadow had his arms crossed over his chest and a smirk on his face, He won't say no to her. "Okay, I'll go, lemme grab my jacket first." Ha, I knew it. Shadow could read Sonic like a book, he also knew his feelings for Roxanne, so he knew Sonic could never say no to her.
Sonic pulled a green hoodie that had the Element logo on it over his head. He pushed his arms through the sleeves before yelling, "Mom, Dad, I'm going out!" "No, you're not," the deep, stern voice of Sonic's father said. A navy blue porcupine taller than Sonic walked over to him, "You are going to give out candy." Sonic whined, "But Dad, Rox and Shad are here!" His pale gray eyes narrowed, "I don't care, you said you'd—" "Axice, let him go out, its Halloween," a baby blue female hedgehog walked up to her son and husband. Axice threw his arms up in the air, "Whatever, I'm not answering the door." He turned around to walk back into the kitchen, his dozens of thin dark blue quills sticking straight out. Marina smiled at her son, "You can go, Sonic, I'll give out the candy." She waved at the three standing at the door, "Hello, Shadow, Roxanne, Emmy!" All three waved differently; Emily waved at Marina frantically, Roxanne waved happily with a small smile, Shadow just waved once.
Sonic, Shadow, and Roxanne walked down the street with an eight year old girl taller than them. Her pillow case now bulging, was being carried by Shadow. It was late, so they were heading back to Roxanne and Shadow's house. But exactly how late it was, they didn't know. Shadow never celebrated Halloween, but it wasn't that great, he thought, just a bunch of kids begging for candy from strangers.
Sonic, Roxanne, and Shadow were given more and more candy because of who they were, which suited Sonic and Roxanne just fine. Sonic asked, "Hey Roxy, what time is it?" She just strugged her shoulders and continued walking. Shadow looked around and noticed they were walking through Cirrus Park, the park he was that day it rained. He jus realized now that he hasn't set foot in the park since that fateful day.
Shadow didn't relish the idea of them walking through the park so late at night. The lamps throughout the park illuminated a dim orange light on the ground. Roxanne held her younger sister's hand as they walked down the pavement through the park. Sonic's hear twitched as he heard faint voices in the distance. They all heard leaves rustling, not that this mattered to little Emily, and footsteps coming closer. They heard erratic, heavy breathing.
"Hey, Shadoo, lung time, no see, " hiccupped a very drunk Julia. Julia was Rouge's aunt, a chocolate colored bat. Her clothes were disheveled and she smelled of puke. Roxanne and Sonic wrinkled their noses from the stench and Shadow furrowed his brow, "Jesus, Julia, you're a mess." She laughed obnoxiously, "Nah, Um fiiine!" He said, "You know its Hallween right? That means that there are children around." She frowned, "I know, doze greedy lil bastards wurr askin' me furr candy all night." Shadow's ears stuck straight back in annoyance, "Julia, go home and get cleaned up." Julia sputtered, "No waaaay! Um havin' alotta fun! My friends are over—" She spun around and pointed in the dark distance at nothing, "Hey, wurrd dey go?" Shadow was very irritated, "Julia, go home now. Where's Rouge?" "Uhhhh, home I fink." Shadow made a mental note, I'll call her later.
After a long time of trying to convince Julia to go home, she finally did. They think. When they made it back to Roxanne's house, Emmy dumped her bag on the floor. A pretty human women who was 32 years old with shoulder length, raven black hair sifted through the candy to make sure there wad nothing dangerous in them. Shadow took off his trench coat and hung it on the coat hanger by the door. The three best friends sat on the couch and put on the television.
Shadow flicked around for something to watch. Nothing but kiddy Halloween movies was on. Roxanne stretched and pulled her hoodie over her head, being watched by Sonic, of course. She straightened out her small black tanktop and looked at her belly, "I'm fat." Sonic looked at her, "No you're not, your fine." "Yes I am, look," she poked at her stomach, "It jiggles." Shadow rolled his eyes. Sonic said, "Rox, you're perfect the way you are." She didn't really believe him, but she shut up about it.
The three kicked their shoes off and the shoes laid at the foot of the couch. Shadow sat with his bare feet on the table. Sonic looked at the hole in his left white sock where the tip of his big blue toe stuck out and he frowned. Roxanne was curled up on the corner of the couch and shuffled her feet covered by black ankle socks together. Sonic looked over at her and smiled slightly, not that she noticed, "Roxy, go to bed." She looked up, "No, I'm fine. I'm not tired," "Yea, ya are." She wagged her black tail slightly and leaned her head on the arm rest of the teal couch. She started to fade in and out of sleep until, finally, she slept.
Marjarie, Arnold, and Emily were upstairs by now. Sonic glanced at Roxanne and saw she was sleeping. "Rox?" No answer. "Roxy?" Still no answer. "She's asleep, "Shadow said, staring at the television. Sonic's ears drooped slightly as he had a dreamy smile on his face. He disappeared upstairs and returned, carrying her purple blanket. He sat down in his seat and draped the blanket over her. Shadow watched as Sonic tucked her in. Sonic looked at Shadow, his face red, "What?" Shadow chuckled and shook his head, "Nothing." Sonic's face turned back to normal as he changed the subject, "Whadderya watchin'?" "Dateline NBC." "Ooo, the internet predator show!"
After about 20 minutes of watching perverts get hulled of to jail, Shadow turned to Sonic, "So…" "Uh, sooo…?" "So I guess she doesn't know yet, does she?" Sonic sighed, "Nah." Shadow nodded once. Shadow knew Sonic cared for Roxanne very much, probably more than he ever knew anyone caring for anyone. Well, besides family. But they basically were family, Roxanne and Shadow saw Sonic every day. Sonic and Roxanne would come home from school and hang with Shadow the whole day. Occasionally, Rouge would come by, or Tails, or (even more rarely) Knuckles.
Shadow was relieved when Roxanne and Rouge not only got over their old dilemma, but they are very good friends. Which was great, considering Shadow and Rouge were great friends, now Roxanne was good friends with her too. Ever since the two became friends again, they never brought up what happened years ago since. Rouge would randomly say she has to leave so she can snatch the Master Emerald, but that wasn't true, he knew why she really went there.
Sonic looked at the digital clock that sat on top of the entertainment center, his eyes went wide and he pratically yelled, "Oh shit! Its really late, I gotta get home!" Shadow watched as Sonic was frantic. Sonic sighed, "I guess I'll just sneak in my window, that way I can say I was home for hours." Shadow didn't say anything back because he didn't know if Sonic was talking to him or himself. Sonic grinned and said, "Well, see ya later, Shadow, tell Roxy I said 'bye.'" "Mhmm." Sonic quietly opened the door, but it creaked, making Roxanne stir in her sleep, but it didn't wake her up. Sonic waved one, last time before exiting, Shadow waved back.
Shadow debated whether or not to wake up Roxanne to send her to bed. He decided against it because she was cranky when woken up. He turned off the televison and got up. He put his hand on the railing and walked up the stairs to his room. He opened the door and entered the red room, and curled underneath the red blankets.
Little did any of them know what was about to take place.
Okay, that chapter kinda sucked. Nothing really happened, but I am setting up the story. So the next chapter will be exciting and adventurous. I promise to update soon! Please review!