Hola! Do I feel guilty that I have been working on two different stories, multiple ideas for the future and chapter 8 of Hedgehog Pie instead of solely on HP? Yes. Yes I do. Am I listening to this guilt? No, not really :) mostly because I AM WORKING ON IT, it shall not be forgotten! I just wanted to work on something a bit lighter after the disturbing content of chapter 7, yeah I gotta be in the mood for the next chapter, it's half way done though!
Anyway! About this fic – I have not written Shadow as of yet so ooooh! I was hoping for a little humour in this, though how funny I think I am and how funny I actually am may be very different things... maybe I shouldn't have mentioned it? You probably have really high expectations now, well, don't. Honest, it'll be better for all involved ;)
I tried to be a little mysterious in this first chapter, but all you have to do is either be on my wave length or look at the info at the top (DON'T DO IT! (though you probably already did when choosing whether or not to read...)) and you know, but hey :) Don't know if I am overly descriptive in this or a little repetitive... hmm... and I noticed more alliteration than usual, *cringe* ah well!
Hope you enjoy this (hopefully!) lighter read (emotionally, not wordily, this is just as waffley as ever can you tell?)
Disclaimer: SEGA owns their characters. Etcetera etcetera...
Despite the fact the woman kept insisting, he found it rather difficult to believe. He just couldn't accept it, not after the week he'd survived. Head angled down slightly, with an ever rising brow he had the stance of a very sceptical man.
She wasn't sure whether to be confused, concerned or irritated at the look of complete disbelief carved into the man's face. Did he not believe her? Or was he just surprised? A rugged sigh racked her shoulders as her form stooped a little before her falling hand swooped back into the air in order to shielding her tired eyes under its shadow. Her weight shifted from one foot to the other a few times.
He could tell his reaction was wearing her out, the signs were evident, but the shock was just too much. He couldn't stop himself questioning what his ears had heard, of course this lead to their conversation going round and round in circles, apparently her patience was wearing thin.
"Sir- I assure you, there were no fires, floods, explosions, alien invasions, time travellers or broken bones." His mouth opened "or accidental death!" She cut him off. Nobody ever cut him off. Still, his mouth clamped shut, he began to wonder just how crazy he must sound to the nursery nurse. He could see the skin on her face moving as her tongue prowled around her teeth in irritation.
He cleared his throat a little to alleviate some tension in the room. Taking a moment to glance down at the Saturn to his conversation. Saturn looked back with awareness t'ward the rings of conversation surrounding itself, clear in those big eyes. The child pulled a grimace, tips of his mouth turning down, deciduous teeth gritted together, eyes rolling to the side and a light sigh. Funny, that's just how he felt.
Both males looked back to the woman as they zoned into a sentence she had apparently already started. "-dn't go so far as to say angelic, but your son was well behaved. It worries me that you seemed more surprised than thrilled to hear that." Now she was the one with the suspicious expression. The 'father' in question leaned back a little "Uh, well, I... *ahem* I am happy, we've just had a... somewhat hectic week." Features schooled once again, his left hand grabbed the chubby peach arm of his charge, pulling it across his body until the other chubby limb was within reach of his right. With a "Thank you for your time." the two were making a swift exit, the smaller of the two doing so not necessarily by design. As he was swept off his short little legs by the larger, limbs waving helplessly in their wake, he tipped his head back to look at his carrier. He wasn't sure what the expression the other pulled meant for him... best be on his best behaviour then.
LATER
Shadow sat on the edge of the fountain, hands braced either side of himself on the chalky white stone. A sigh puffed it's way out of his nose. Pulling his eyes from the golden dust that supposedly formed the pathways in this area, he looked to the hoglet on his left.
Thump thump. Battered trainers swinging through the air. Thump thump. Heels repeatedly bouncing off the stone barrier. Thump Thump. Their owner sucked in a deep breath before sighing it out, the air cool on his chest.
Ruby eyes scanned the figure kicking it's legs. The legs were short and could not touch the floor. The figures torso rounded and soft. Small pointed ears, button nose, tiny taffy tongue out in concentration, stubby quills and the deepest darkest eyes he had ever seen. Of course the eyes weren't all that big, just in comparison to the stumpy body they were stuck to they seemed so... out of proportion, the child would grow into them given time. For now it added to the boys childish charm. That's right. A boy.
But not a boy. A man. A man with some twenty years or so experience. But just a boy. A little boy. Very little in fact, under average in the height department, something about bad diets and growth spurts according to Tails. Though at the time Shadow wasn't paying all that much attention. He was too busy experiencing severe brain lag at the time. That's what it felt like at least. To say he was stunned was an understatement.
Tails was fretting about some 'leviathan of a problem' on the phone, Shadow had no intention of helping initially. After all that blue hedgepig could deal with whatever issue his lack of sense had caused. Though it soon became clear that Tails wasn't going to stop bothering him any time soon. Complete with bitter grumblings Shadow agreed to come to the Work Shop shortly and assist Tails in some way or another.
Tails thought that shortly took its sweet time. When the ebony lifeform sauntered past the buildings threshold, it was to Tails deep dissatisfaction that it was with various bags in tow. The ultimate lifeform being too classy for plastic carrier bags had instead opted for his own 'bags for life' and was plucking rhubarb and custard boiled sweets out of a packet in the most nonchalant way that it made the frantic foxy furious.
"Shadow!? You- you went shopping?" Red irises glanced downwards, examining the weekly food shop in his arms before shifting up to look at the fox. A casual nod was the vulpines only response. "Well. At least now I know my place in your life, underneath restocking the fridge but at least I'm above the kitchen roll!" Oh. He'd meant to pick a pack of that up. A huff of irritation at his rookie mistake escaped as his head flung back in self disappointment. A red and white trainer clad foot stomped in indignation as the ebony mammal simply raised an eyebrow. "Is there a particular reason you called me here or did you just want to ruin my routine?" Shadow dead panned.
After dramatically rolling his eyes, puffing up his white furred cheeks and releasing the air in a gust that sent his unruly yellow bangs flailing, the fox stood up straight with a smile. Half smile. It was a poor attempt. That coming from Shadow whose experience in smiling was limited to say the least.
So Tails ran an oil stained glove through the fur on his forehead as he sat on the indented arm of the maroon sofa that acted as both chair when with company and bed for Sonic( should he come at an indecent hour or decide to have an aversion to the perfectly suited for the job-as-bed bed that lay in the hedgehogs designated 'space' up the wooden stairs). Only after relating a fanciful tale of secret government agents, ancient artefacts and a poor excuse for a doctor did the frazzled fox lead Shadow to that very space. After climbing the old wooden stairs that held many 'battle scars' (of which the threadbare runner was testament) from the duos youth, Tails hovered awkwardly outside of a door that Shadow seemed to remember being the shared bedroom of the Work Shops occupants.
It was strange that one was hesitant to enter their own room, Shadow put it down to either his unfamiliar company or the fact that strange was the general vibe he got from both blue hedgehog and yellow fox. Following a moment of hand twitching and weight shifting Tails swivelled round to look at the black hedgehog who, to his surprise, didn't seem to be there. Then again he hadn't turned on the light on his way up plus both Shadows work and nature involved his being quiet and fluid.
"Don't freak out okay?" The dark figure shrouded in equally dark shadows had to fight the urge to scoff. As the mobian in front of him eased the sturdy oak door open, the feeling that he was in a library and had to be silent was getting difficult to pass off as silly and childish. It didn't help matters that the foxes explanation of events had been chaotic and his understanding of the consequences rather vague as a result.
The door had opened enough for ruby eyes to get a fairly good look at the room in question. Cluttered shelves on every wall, two windows, faded hastily shut curtains, more wooden floors but this time littered with various rugs differing in shapes, sizes and mediums. There was even two beds, one of which was made perfectly. Sheet hidden beneath the mattress, duvet cover perfectly stuffed and ironed whilst being laid over the bed without a wrinkle in sight, finally the plumped pillow plonked at the head on top of everything else. Definitely the foxes bed.
The others sheet was peeking out from under the mattress in multiple places despite the obvious attempts to shove it back in place. The other still had its winter duvet which was haphazardly only filling the bottom end of the cover, a cover which had creases to rival a pensioner. The pillow was still brand new looking despite the cranium shaped dent in its centre, as if its only purpose was to provide a soft landing for the initial face plant upon entering the bed and was then promptly forgotten remaining unused through out the course of the night. A sad existence really.
Yes. That was certainly Sonics bed. Largely unused, it was assumed that the blue mobian merely retreated there when it was too cold for his worthless hide or too wet. Pathetic, savage and unsophisticated were a few descriptive words that fleeted through his mind at the thought of his blue doppelgänger.
Tails had turned to whisper something to Shadow, but in doing so had taken his eye off the slowly escaping door. Said door made contact with the wooden skirting with a few soft thumps. It appeared that these subdued noises were enough to stir the lump twisted in the empty end of the duvet cover. The small frame had gotten so wrapped up that the air was staring to feel hot. After some writhing the movements slowed, soft breathing taking the place of distressed squeaks.
Curious. Shadow, confusion etched into his black and red features glided into the room, approaching the bed as he did so. A moist black button poked out from within a crevice in the cloth. Squinting to get a better look prevented him from noticing the oil slicked fingers peeling the cover back more.
He could see it now. Face. Shoulders. A hedgehog. A boy. Blue.
Yah! Please review should you have the opporchancity, constructive criticism welcome. Thanks for sticking it out to the end pallywags :) Till next time
Bletherskite.