AN: Hello all! Rattler's back a bit early with a oneshot inspired by Gammatron's ORIGINAL Cybernetic Blue Blur! Never read it, go read it!
Alex: Yup.
Rattler: Alex...
Alex: Crap. Artic, Skye, Yuki, and Shukaku belong to Gammatron, and Rattler20200 owns nothing, except me. Also... flames regarding the presence of Country music in this oneshot will be used for roasting marshmellows.
Rattler: *With a marshmellow on a stick* And for the record, this oneshot takes place after the end of Cybernetic Blue Blur.
Artic watched over his magazine about Alaska as his younger brother continued to wear a hole in the floor. Just like yesterday he was fingering a small, fuzzy box while pacing nervously. He knew what was in the box, and he knew what the blond fox was nervous about.
"Alex… would you stop pacing," he said without lowering the magazine.
"Sorry," Alex said, still pacing.
Artic rolled his eyes. It had been some time since the defeat of Dr. Eggman. Lan and Maylu were getting closer as a couple, Sonic and Roll were… well… active, and Medi was actually keeping Manic from stealing things. Things had been pretty quiet lately. Artic finally put the magazine down and stood up. Before he could say anything, their older sister Shiryuki Sakurai walked in, wearing her usual kimono. Skye, who had an armful of groceries, and Shukaku followed her. Yuki noticed the pacing, and approached Alex. Shukaku just plopped down in her favorite comfy chair.
"I'll put the food away," Skye said from behind a bag as he carefully made his way to the Kitchen.
"You ok Alex?" Yuki asked, her nine tails gracefully swaying behind her. Alex gave her a lopsided grin. Everyone in the Prower family knew that Alex was shy; he just covered it up by being funny. Yuki put a hand on the younger fox's shoulder. Alex seemed to calm down a bit, but he was still fingering the box. He sighed, then sat down in a nearby chair.
"I don't know what to do," Alex finally said, "I wanna ask her, but…"
"You're scared," Yuki finished.
"That obvious?"
Shukaku bluntly stated that he'd been in a funk for that last few days. Alex looked over at the Tanuki. She was right. Ever since he bought the ring, he'd been a nervous wreck. Yuki told him that it was perfectly normal to feel nervous about something as big as what Alex was thinking about, adding that he should have seen her before she popped the question to Skye. For a moment, Alex tried to picture his older sister being as nervous as he was now. Skye walked in, and wrapped an arm around Yuki's waist.
"You're not gonna find out the answer sitting here," Skye said, eliciting an aroused growl from Yuki. Alex saw the look in her eye, and snapped out of his nervousness.
"Oh no. Last time you got that look in your eye sis, I couldn't get any sleep, for TWO DAYS!" Alex exclaimed, trying to dump some ice water on the situation before it got any hotter. So to speak.
"We were playing video games!" Skye countered defensively. Shukaku snorted, suppressing a laugh. Even Artic couldn't help but facepalm at that. Shukaku finally decided to change the subject, and spoke up.
"Well… Sonia likes music, right?"
Alex nodded.
"Well… why don't you sing then?"
Alex sweatdropped.
Artic had to admit, that was a pretty good idea. They had all heard Alex singing in the shower, and even in his room when he had music going, and he was pretty good. Of course his choice in music was different from Sonia's, but still…
"Say wha?" Alex blinked, his nervousness coming back.
"Don't deny it Alex. We all heard you. I'm just surprised you didn't enter that singing contest. You probably would have given Roll a run for her money," Shukaku said in a matter of fact tone. Alex just shrank down in his seat muttering about singing in public. Artic thought for a moment, then pointed out that they could ask Sonic and Manic to help out. Alex started to wish he could just sink into the chair. Singing along to some music in private was one thing, but singing in front of Sonia? Then again… every time he listened to this one particular song…
Alex took a deep breath. Shukaku had a good idea. There was really only one thing for him to do, and that was to just let it out.
"Ok… I… I'll do it," he said, trying to calm his nerves. "But I am gonna need some help."
"Good thing we know who to talk to," Skye smirked.
The next day, Alex took Sonia out on a date in DenTech City. He had to buy some time for everyone to set up, but that wasn't the hard part. The hard part was working up the courage to actually follow through with it. As they were walking down the street, Sonia noticed how nervous he was.
"Alex, you ok?"
"Yea…" Alex replied, still trying to calm his nerves. After lunch, the couple soon found themselves in front of DenTech City's newest club. She was surprised when Alex opened the door for her. Sonia knew that Alex wasn't exactly the "clubbing" type, but was curious enough to find out what was going on. Besides, Alex had been a little on edge this entire date. Sonia blinked as soon as she saw her brothers standing on the stage, instruments out and ready to play. Lan was tuning his guitar with Sonic while Manic was twirling his drumsticks. Tails sat behind the keyboard, making adjustments to the device. Sonia's gaze shifted from the stage to the nearby tables, where Maylu, Roll, Yuki, Skye, Artic, and Shukaku sat.
"Alex… is this why you were so nervous? You helped get us a gig at this club?" Sonia asked. It was then that she noticed that Alex had a mic in his hand. He looked like he was about to cut and run, but the young fox took a deep breath and held his ground.
"Not exactly," Alex replied. "Sonia… there's… something I wanna say to you…"
Sonia blinked. What was going on? Alex seemed to struggle to find words for a moment.
"Ah screw it. Hit it guys."
The band started playing something slow as Alex took another deep breath. What happened next blew Sonia away.
"Well I'm shameless
When it comes to loving you,
I'll do anything you want me to,
I'll do anything at all.
And I'm standing
Here for all the world to see,
Oh, baby that's what's left of me,
I don't have very far to fall."
Sonia watched as Alex sang, right there in front of the stage. She'd heard this song before, but hearing it now from the blond fox was something else.
"You know now I'm not a man who's ever been
Insecure about the world I've been living in.
I don't break easy, I have my pride,
But if you need to be satisfied
I'm shameless.
Honey, I don't have a prayer.
Every time I see you standing there
I go down upon my knees."
Alex closed his eyes as he sang. It made it a bit easier for him, but he put everything he had into the song anyways.
"And I'm changing,
Swore I'd never compromise,
Oh, but you convinced me otherwise.
I'll do anything you need.
You see in all my life I've never found
What I couldn't resist, what I couldn't turn down.
I could walk away from anyone I ever knew,
But I can't walk away from you.
I have never had anything have this much control on me.
I've worked too hard to call my life my own.
And I've made myself a world, and it's worked so perfectly,
But it sure won't now, I can't refuse,
I've never had so much to lose.
And I'm shameless..."
Alex opened his eyes and looked right at Sonia. For a moment the magenta hedgehog was mesmerized. Then again… so was everyone else. But at that moment, Alex didn't care about them. The only one he cared about was sitting in a chair a few feet away from him.
"You know it should be easy for a man who's strong
To say he's sorry or admit when he's wrong.
I've never lost anything I ever missed,
But I've never been in love like this.
It's out of my hands.
I'm shameless.
I don't have the power now,
And I don't want it anyhow,
So I gotta let it go.
And I'm shameless.
Shameless as a man can be.
You could make a total fool of me.
I just wanted you to know
That I'm shameless."
The music ended, and for a moment there was nothing but silence. Sonia stood up as everyone else applauded. She was thinking about telling Alex how beautiful the song was when she suddenly found him in front of her on one knee, digging frantically through his pockets. A pillar of sand appeared next to him, with a small fuzzy box resting on top. Alex had a deadpan look on his face as he took it, thanking Shukaku. Said Tanuki dispersed the sand column with a gesture, leaning back in her seat.
It was then that Sonia realized what was going on, and why Alex was so nervous all day. The blond fox presented the box to her. She opened it, and discovered a beautiful diamond ring.
"Sonia… will you… uh… would you…" Alex attempted to pop the question, only to end up finishing with incomprehensible sounds. Sonia jumped a bit as Manic's face connected with one of the drums. She recovered, and got down on her knees to look Alex in the eye.
"Alex… are you… Proposing?" she asked.
"Trying to," Alex replied meekly.
Sonia shot a death glare over Alex's shoulder at her guitar-wielding brothers when she saw Sonic pantomiming a heart attack and Lan double facepalmed. Returning her attention to Alex, Sonia put a hand on his furry cheek. He looked her right in the eye, starting to feel like he blew it big time.
Alex's tail went bolt strait in shock as Sonia kissed him full on. Artic looked at Yuki, and smiled. Sonia pulled back, and looked Alex in the eye.
"Alex Prower, my answer… is yes," Sonia said.
Alex sat there for a moment with his mouth hanging open, blindsided by her response.
"Really?"
"Yes."
Alex and Sonia hugged each other on the spot. The moment was shattered by Manic, however.
"Won't be long till there are little hedgefoxes running around now, eh sis?"
Alex and Sonia both turned red at that. Before Sonia could berate her crazy quilled sibling, Alex spoke up.
"So Manic… when you gonna pop the question to Medi?" he asked with an evil grin.
Manic's response was shrinking down behind his drums, eliciting laughter from everyone present. Alex and Sonia tuned out everything around them and kissed each other, after slipping the ring on her finger.