KP here and I'd thought I'd give you a rundown of why this story is taking literal YEARS to write and publish. In February 2006, I first published Knothole High, which at the time it seemed like it would work out to be a good Sonic high-school fic. It was to be a Shadow/Sally coupling, which at the time I thought would be a good, rare one. But after more than a year of not updating, I've given it more thought and have come to the conclusion that it just doesn't work. It's not that I hate either Shadow or Sally, I just think that as a couple, I don't ever see it happening; in this life or any other life, dimension or celestial plane. As a result, the story was pulled off my mental list of fics to finish in September of 2009 (which of course didn't happen like I'd hoped, but I'm a very laid-back writer in terms of actually writing fanfiction), and put on the list of fics to rewrite or pull (delete and move on). Giving it more thought, I came to the conclusion that while Sally might not work, there was another character that would actually work and would be a nice pair-up for the dark hedgehog. For some, you can see it coming right off the bat, for others that aren't familiar with the comics, you'll see soon enough. Anyway, enough chatter people. On to the story.
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story, save for the plot which I came up with in my own, lazy mind.
Autumn. For Mobius, it was time between summer and winter, transtioning flora into their many different colors before they went into their cold, long slumber. For many of the inhabitants, it was when the sport of football was played by both professional and non-professional. (A/N: Please note that this Mobius is set in a modern-day plane, while still holding as close as possible to the characters and places as possible.) But for the general young population, it was the time of year when school was back in session, Halloween was down the way followed by other looked-to holidays, and most denizens of schools prepared themselves for homecoming. For Knothole High, this weekend was that time.
The shrill whistle of the referee could be heard over the crowd of onlookers at the homecoming game. The Knothole Titans were up against an opposing school, and were, to put it bluntly, kicking the crap out of them. It was halftime, and they were up 24 to 6. Needless to say, they were doing well.
Shadow was standing off to one side of the track field that ran around the football field. He sighed, his hands in his leather jacket, the cool night air brushing against his cheeks. The sky was cloudy, yet there would be no rain for at least or another day. A lot of his class and friends were there, both on and off the field. He watched as both teams left the field to take their break in the locker rooms. The dark hedgehog nodded as numbers 3, 66, 83, 85, 11, 56, and finally 35 jogged past. Actually, scratch that. Quite a few of his buds were on the field.
"So, Shadow. We finally see you out here for a football game," a familiar voice spoke from behind him. Turning, he was greeted by more familiar faces. Mina Mongoose and her boyfriend, Ash, Miles Prower, Cream Rabbit, Charmy Bee, and another face he wasn't quite used to just yet.
"Uh..." he said uncertaintly, looking at the freshmen girl.
"Her name's Cosmo Seedrian, remember? She was at the party just a few weeks ago?" Rouge Bat spoke as she walked up to the group.
"Oh, right," Shadow replied, nodding to her.
"Talented speaker," the albino bat spoke with a smirk. A short "hmph" was what she got in reply.
"In case you're wondering what Shadow's been up to, he's been on Xbox Live the last week, charging through the new game that came out," Tails broke in.
"Oh really? What game?" Mina asked.
"Halo: Reach," he replied with a small smirk, thinking of how he practically dominated.
"Wait a minute, that came out? When did that happen?" Ash asked in general surprise.
"Jeez Ash, where have you been? It came out just several weeks ago. Aside from me and Shadow, most of the guys in the school and even some girls have been doing nothing but Reach when we aren't eating, sleeping, doing our schoolwork or sports or whatever else we might do," Tails said in response.
"Well excuse me. Normally I'd say I have a life, but seeing as most everyone's doing that…I got nothing," Ash said while shrugging his shoulders.
"Don't sweat it Ash. My parents wouldn't let me get it," Charmy said to the mongoose.
"Really? So you haven't played it yet either?"
"Nah, I go over to Tails and play it with him. Never said I hadn't played it!" Charmy said to the disgruntled Ash. The girls laughed a bit at the exchange.
"I'm only partway done with the achievements. Between that and the recent Transformers game, I'm pretty much swamped," Shadow said while taking out his wallet and pulling out two 1 dollar bills.
"Seriously? That's amazing!" Charmy chirped enthusiastically. Tails spoke up. "Not really, the game's not too hard once you get into it. Sonic and the guys are the same way."
"Yeah yeah yeah, real fascinating but can we move onto something more interesting?" Rouge interrupted. Shadow narrowed his eyes slightly at the bat in annoyance, but shrugged. "So then, who do you think will be homecoming queen this year?"
"Don't know. I was putting my bets on either Blaze, but she decided not to run this year," Rouge said.
"What about you Rouge?" Mina inquired. The teen scoffed at her. "You have GOT to be kidding me. I wouldn't be caught dead doing something like that. Get a bad enough rep for my looks as it is, that would just multiply my problems tenfold."
"Then who's left?" Tails asked.
Their answer came when Bunnie Rabbot's name was called by the announcer. Her escort, and boyfriend of a year Antoine D'Coolette, hugged her once she was crowned.
"I didn't even know Bunnie was running," Mina said. Ash simply shrugged as the teams could be heard jogging towards the field. His gaze swiftly turned and kept an eye out for number 35, his fist clenching and unclenching as the team's quarterback took the field once again to joyous cheers. The boy's girlfriend looked at him.
"Everything okay?" Mina asked. Shaking his head lightly, he looked down at her and smiled a bit. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. I'm fine..."
The loner hedgehog watched this display, turning his gaze back to the game as it restarted with the same vigor as it had started with.
2 hours later...
Shadow sighed as he leaned against the doorframe in his downstairs. The house he lived in was large, to say the least. It had been left by a family that up and moved with no explanation. An in-ground pool in the backyard, 4 large bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a dining room, a large living room, family room, large downstairs game room, 2 car garage, a huge front yard, all on land that was large enough to build two houses on. The hedgehog had been more than lucky, and it wasn't just from the large house he had been left by a VERY generous family that he had lived with most of his life. His now dead parents left him a very nice fortune that would be his, on the condition he either turned 21, or he started college.
Glancing up from his thoughts, he looked across the room at the ones who had joined him to celebrate the football team's homecoming victory. Only the couples were there with him, the singles of his group gone off to do other things, and the freshmen friends' gone home for the evening; Sonic was busy playing on Shad's old SNES with Scourge while Fiona and Amy watched, Mina and Ash were busy talking to Sally Acorn, and Knuckles and Julie-Su were watching TV near the former three. They were watching some ghost show on tv, a few were creeped out, the others were watching in somewhat boredom, but they were all entertained for the most part.
Seeing his friends with someone they liked really struck the loner, his gaze drifting from one couple to the next. He sighed as he turned and headed up the stairs, deciding to just them be. However, one noticed he was slinking off upstairs...
The moon shone brightly into the living room as Shadow sat in one of the chairs in front of the bay window, one leg resting sideways atop the other. "Hm..."
"Thinking to yourself again?" Sonic inquired as he entered the room.
Shadow scoffed at him. "Well I was."
"Sorry man. Mind telling me what's got you down?"
At first Shadow didn't respond, Sonic sitting down in the opposing chair. "Shad, we've been friends for a long time. You can tell me what's got you down."
"I'm...just not sure. When this year started, I was sure that I could handle the fact that all of you were together with someone." Sonic looked at him oddly, which earned him a sad smirk from the black hedgehog.
"I mean, I've been living here in this house alone for nearly 4 years now, and up until now I didn't mind it. I actually thrived on being alone. But...ever since we started junior year, and I saw more and more of you begin dating on a serious note-"
"It's getting to you isn't it?" Shadow looked at him curiously.
"You're starting to dislike being alone?" The blue jock asked.
"For the first time in my life, yes. And I don't know how I'll be able to handle tomorrow night, knowing you guys will be at that dance, enjoying your time."
"Wait a minute Shadow, I thought you said you were going?"
"Yes, to help out with the dance Sonic. Last week, I knew there was simply no way I'd be able to find a date. Had I been this smart a year ago, I would have asked Amy while you were still with that Acorn girl." Sonic narrowed his eyes and grinned at him.
"Yeah don't remind me. I realize now that her and I just weren't going to work out. Especially since her dad..." Sonic glanced down as he wasn't quite able to finish the sentence. "Anyway, you get the point."
"As I was saying...the fact is I don't want to spend tomorrow night here alone, so I might as well at least be near people I can converse with. At least take my mind off being alone for once."
Sonic simply stared at him. For as long as he remembered, Shadow was the lone, quiet member of the class. He could very easily been seen as an outcast, as if he had done something horrible and wished to remain in isolation his whole life to make amends. And yet here he was, 4 months after the end of their sophomore year, almost a completely different hedgehog.
"Something's happened to you, hasn't it Shadow?" He nodded in response.
"Alright then, spill it." The dark one looked at him oddly. "Huh?"
"Who's the lucky girl?" Sonic grinned at him evilly.
"I never said-"
"Rouge?" Shadow grit his teeth. "Don't bet on it, I really can't stand her sometimes."
"Well it better not be Amy. I already promised her mid-summer I'd take her. As a friend mind you," Sonic mock threatened.
"No, wait what?."
"Long story short, Sally already was asked by Monkey-boy on the same camping weekend in early August so I decided going with Amy was better than not at all," Sonic said with a shrug while saying Ken Khan's pet peeve nickname in slight disgust.
"Right…forgot you two aren't…" Shadow said sympathetically.
"It is what it is, man."
"I hate that saying, blue boy," Shadow said, his eyes narrowing.
"Well, who else is there-...wait...is it my sister?" Sonic stood up while staring at his long-time friend.
"What? You've got to be kidding me, you know I don't cross that kind of line faker."
Sonic and Shadow both knew that going out with your best friend's sister carried too many risks. While Sonia was a looker, Shadow was neither interested in her, nor wanted to put his friendship at risk with Sonic. He already felt uneasy enough as it was, and he wanted his final year with everyone to go as smoothly as possible.
"You know full well she's the closest thing I have to an actual sister."
Sonic sat back down, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, guess you're right. Well, I can't really think of anyone else."
That's when the star football player started putting his mind to work, trying to figure out who might have changed him.
Had to have been just recently...I doubt Shadow would have changed overnight, had to have been within the last month at least. Maybe even longer than that…
For some odd reason, a certain mongoose crossed his mind. Mina and Sonic had gone out in middle school for less than a year. After 7th grade ended, she moved away to Downunda and he wouldn't find out for several more months why she stopped talking to him. The Christmas of their Freshmen year saw her and her mother return for a visit, having a less shy personality about her by then.
She and her mother finally returned to Knothole for good at the beginning of the year, having come to terms with what had happened. A new boyfriend, a new talent for singing, and a star member of the cross-country team.
It was then something just pointed him in the direction that nobody expected him to think, nor anyone thought that Shadow might go.
"Wait a minute... is it, Mina?" Sonic asked finally. Silence met him as he stared at Shadow. Guessing this was it, he threw his hands up and let them slap back down onto his blue jeans.
"Are you seriously kidding me man? Of all the girls, and I mean nothing in the way of looks or talent because she's got them both, but Mina? Are you crazy or something?" Sonic said exasperatedly.
Shadow looked at him oddly. "What's wrong with that? It's not like I'm saying I'm joining the Marines or anything like that," Sonic stared at him in disbelief.
"What's wrong? Dude Shadow, she's WITH someone already! She's been here for only a a few months and you say you have some form of feelings for her! And to add to all that, she's with one of the most jealous, most possessive guys around! Look, Ash may not be on the football team but he's not exactly a pushover!" Sonic nearly shouted at him.
"Well, I'm no pushover either. Only reason why I'm not on the football team this year is because I had too much on my mind this year. Otherwise I would have been quarterback like last year," Shadow stated simply. The sound of the front door opening and closing caught his attention, but he paid no heed to it.
"Look, all I'm saying is that if Ash finds out he's not going to take it lying down. And Mina...hell I don't even know. What she sees in the guy is something that is beyond understanding, but what I do know is that for right now, let her go. Maybe she'll wise up one of these days and see him for the idiot he is and dump his sorry rear into the ground. For right now, just...don't do anything stupid," Sonic stated while setting his hand on Shadow's shoulder.
"You mean like what you would do?" Shadow was soon rubbing his upper arm from a mock-punch from his counterpart. "Point taken."
Sonic then proceeded toward the front door. "I'll talk to you later man. Going to head home and get some sleep."
"What about Amy?" Shadow inquired while getting up from the chair.
"Oh right, I better-"
"She already went outside," Mina spoke as she exited the bathroom. Her emerald gaze settled on Shadow, who turned away. As the lights upstairs were mostly turned off, she couldn't see the slight red on his face.
"Thanks Mina. Talk to you guys tomorrow," Sonic stated as he headed out the front door, giving one last look at Shadow before closing the door behind him.
"Man, things just keep getting better," Sonic said sarcastically. "Is that so?"
"Yeah...wait a minute, Amy?" he said, looking at her oddly. "What are you smirking at?"
"So Shadow actually likes someone, hm?" Amy said, her arms crossed while leaning against the wall to the garage just to the left of the porch.
"Oh boy..."
Back inside...
"Hey Shadow," Mina greeted him. "How's life?"
"Uh, it's going alright I suppose," he said, having managed to suppress his embarrassment for the time being. "How about you?"
"Oh you know, the usual. Competing in cross-country and homework, and spending time with Ash." Shadow fought the urge to show any contempt toward the mongoose, his fist clenching slightly. "I see, well that's cool."
"I suppose so," Mina said, sighing as she went into the living room.
Cocking an eyebrow at her, the dark loner followed her, taking a seat on the couch a few feet away from her. "You didn't sound to sure about something."
"Well...promise you won't say anything?" Mina spoke while fixing her skirt.
He nodded. "Sure. What's got you unsure?"
"It's Ash. I've been with him for awhile now. I met him about a year after I moved to Downunda, and we started going out back in our freshmen year. Everything was fine while we were there. But ever since we moved back to Knothole 2 months ago, he's been really...different," Mina said while looking at her, pushing some strands of her lavendar hair out of her face.
In the back of his mind, Shadow wanted so desperately to say something along the lines of "You don't say", "REALLY NOW?" or even "DUUURRR!" but he knew better than that. "Different? How so?"
"I mean, he's more defensive. He seems angrier at times. And I think its something to do with Sonic. I'm not all that sure right now, but it seems he's almost jealous or something. Call me crazy, but I think he almost hates him. I'm not am I? For thinking like this?"
Shadow looked at her, the way Mina was looking at him made him think the info over for a few seconds. Closing his eyes, he nodded before looking back at her. "No, you're not. In fact, judging by how he acts around Sonic, it almost seems like he believes Sonic is going to try and get back together with you."
Mina looked at him, her eyes widening as she sat back in her chair, totally aghast at this. "What? That's crazy! Me and Sonic are just friends, we don't like each other like that. Does he think I'd cheat on him?" she asked exasperatedly, making sure not to be too loud.
"Calm down Mina, I didn't say that. I'm just saying what it looks like, not what it actually is. Truth be told, I have no idea what he's thinking. Have you tried talking it over with him?" Shadow said, his hands folded.
The yellow mongoose shook her head. "I've tried, but I'm still not convinced. I just don't want him starting something tomorrow night at the dance. Oh that reminds me, you're going aren't you Shadow?"
Shadow smiled at her a bit. "Sorry, I'm only helping out beforehand, then I'm going to probably head home. I don't have a date or anything so I'm just going to relax at home or something."
Mina looked a little crestfallen, hoping that he would be going. "Oh.."
Shadow sighed as he scratched the back of his head a little. "But you might catch me there before I leave."
The teen smiled a little at this. "Alright. Well, I think I should be going. I'll go get Ash and then I guess I'll see you tomorrow night Shadow."
Shadow nodded as he got up and went to the window, watching her leave the room before turning to look out into the October night.
Though they all hoped the dance would be uneventful, that it would be as good as it possibly could, all too often it's found that things never go exactly as planned.
Next time:
Everyone gets ready and heads for the dance. And at first things seem to be going okay.
Knuckles: This homecoming's been pretty good.
Sonic: You can say that again.
But, as it goes, it all goes down the toilet.
Shadow: Hello? Wait, slow down, what did you say?
And before the night is done, someone will be put at risk.
And that's all for now, hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I'll see you next time.
