Loneliness
Sonic remained silent as the cries for help echoed throughout the street. She turned slightly to observe the latest handy work of the Dragons Gang. Her gang. Sonic was called the 'Blue Lung' in her gang, the reason being that when she ran all you would see was a blurred line of her sapphire blue quills as she went right past you.
Eventually the gang had their fill of their latest victim. Grabing the victim's wollet the leader, a green hedgehog named Scourge, turned to Sonic and motioned for her to follow them. Sonic followed quietly behind as they left. Sonic never said much on their nightly outings, but she was a skilled and dangerous fighter. The other members of the gang preferred to keep their distance, lest they anger her. Even despite this, she still had her fair share of beatings.
The next morning Sonic awoke to find her-self in an alleyway. She was covered from head to toe in scratched and bruises, probably from the night before. Shakily she got to her feet and walked out of the alley, wincing as the sun glared into her eyes.
As she walked from the alley Sonic could hear the muttered words of 'shameful', 'disgusting' and a 'her parents obviously didn't raze her right'.
A bitter smile played on Sonic's lips at hearing that last part. Although she had both parents, she thought it was blatantly obvious they didn't care for her. A father that cared nothing for the family and a mother that only cared for her husband and what people think of them. She never went on a single family outing with them, or even got a single hug.
As Sonic walked in the door of her parent's house, she was greeted by a slap to the face from her father, Jules. Sonic's mother was behind him trying to calm him down.
"Get out!" Jules roared at his daughter. "You're a disgrace! There are two kinds of people in this world, those who are necessary and those who aren't! And disgusting brats like you fall in the latter! Don't you dare set foot in this house again!"
"Dear…" Sonic's mother, Aleena, Tried to sooth.
Jules stormed out of the room leaving Aleena and Sonic alone. Aleena turned to Sonic with tears of shame rolling down her face. Shame at what was the child she'd given birth to.
"Sonic…" Aleena choked. "Oh, Sonic… Why? ...Why have you become like this? Do you know how angry your father will be at me later? Don't you know how our neighbours will talk? Tell me… Why…?"
A resounding 'bang' echoed through the room, as Sonic smashed her fist against the wall. Anger radiated from her eyes as a dark aura surrounded her.
"If that's all you care about, then why have me in the first place..." Sonic's voice was eerily calm. "No one... No one asked you to give birth to me!"
Sonic felt as if she was made of a million shards of glass. Neither one of her parents, or any ofher friends, could be trusted. Her soul was shattered. At night, while running through the streets, she would get these urges, to laugh insanely or to break down crying. No matter where she went, it felt like she was going nowhere. Maybe that's why, when she met him, it felt like a bolt from the blue.
The day after the run in with her father, Sonic decided to head for school for a change. She didn't have anything planed till later that night. Once there, she was almost instantly caught up by the teachers, for the wrong uniform and for being late. After a few minutes Sonic got sick of their shouting and grabbed a nearby chair, holding it up threateningly.
"Shut the hell up!" Sonic yelled. "You're getting on my nerves! You think I'm afraid of you, huh?!"
One of the teachers got the chair away, while some of the other's forced her into a room. They told her to stay there until her parents arrived. Sonic's response to this was to shout at them on that they won't come. So absorbed in her ranting, Sonic didn't realise someone else was in the room until they spoke.
"What... are you so riled up about?" Came a male voice behind her.
Sonic turned to see a black hedgehog with red streaks and wearing a brown suit, standing by the window. The light from the window was reflecting off his glasses, obscuring his eyes.
Sonic snorted at him. "Go find some other twit to lecture, bozo."
The newcomer didn't seem to take offence at Sonic's comment, simply replying. "I'm not here to lecture you. I just want to know why you're so upset."
Sonic was getting aggravating again. "What do you care?! Piss off, why don't cha?!" She sat in a provided chair at a table.
The man remained calm. "I will... I'm simply curious."
Sonic's fist came down on the table with a loud crash. Her nails were digging into her palms but she didn't notice.
"Everything's pissin' me off, okay?!" Sonic shouted. "Every single damn thing... Everything annoys the hell outta me!" The faces of all the people in her life started flashing before her eyes. "Them... and Them! And Them too! And you're no damn exception! Everything... Everyone... I hate you all! You all treat me like scum... when you're the ones that are sum! You're all a bunch of useless Scumbags! If only... You would all die and leave me alone. Just die...! Drop dead! I don't care, just leame the hell alone!"
The older hedgehog who had been quiet throughout Sonic's rant, spoke up when she finished.
"But..." He began. "What you really want is for someone to pay attention to you. To look at you... listen to you... and understand and accept you for who you are. You want... to be loved by someone, am I right? That's, what I would wish for." He took off his glasses to reveal two crimson eyes.
Sonic was stunned. How had his man managed to penetrate her disguise? Her hand uncurled slightly and she felt a sting from where her nails had dug into her palms. In her head, she kept repeating the one question over and over. Why? Why?
"why did I... end up like this?" Sonic voiced quietly. "I want to ask myself that." She looked at the cresent shaped cuts that her nails had left in her palm, tears of sorrow welling in her eyes. "Why... am I... so unhappy? So lonely?"
As a person, she wanted to be loved by someone, and love that someone back. She wanted to be happy and to bring happiness to someone special. But in the end all she did was become the person she was today. Sonic as so busy crying she failed to notice the man coming over until he was right next to her.
"Lonely, huh? Then..."he grabbed her hand, pulling her to her feet as he went to the door. "...Let get out of here... toghether."
Sonic was so startled, she couldn't form a proper sentence to protest. Then the man seemed to suddenly remember something, and turned to Sonic.
"My name is Shadow Doom, by the why." He smiled slightly.
At that time all Sonic could think was: 'What a weird teacher'. A little while later the two hedgehogs were at a small curry restaurant. Sonic was a little unsure about the whole situation. She kept asking the man Shadow Doom, if he was sure this was a good idea, but he just kept telling her it was alright.
"Why are you bothering with me anyway?" Sonic asked.
Shadow grinned. "Why do you think?"
Sonic thought for a few moments. "Out of... curiosity?"
Shadow smirked, "Right in one. I'm very interested in you..." He ruffled Sonic's quills, "Little Miss Troublemaker."
As Shadow withdrew his hand Sonic's cheeks began to turn a slight pink. At the time, the only thing sonic had be sure of, was that the curry they had was delicious. Even though she was physically in pain, the curry was delicious. And for the first time in her life, her eyes filled with joyous laughter.
The next day, Sonic met up with Shadow on a stair well at school. He told her he didn't get into trouble for yesterday. He merely told the other teachers that Sonic had felt sick so he let her out.
"Besides, I've got my father's coat tails." He concluded.
"Coat... Tails...?" Sonic inquired, getting the image of a coat with a cat's tail wagging on it.
"My father used to work here." Shadow explained. "The other teachers let me get away with a bit because of that. It's annoying, but..." He turned to Sonic, a smirk on his face. "If you know how to play, riding off another's fame can be very useful."
Sonic was stunned to say the least. "You're a lot more devious than I gave you credit for."
"Why, thank you."
"It wasn't a complement."
"Well I should be going. Try to come to class sometime... Little Miss Troublemaker."
"Quit callin' me that, damn it! I got a name ya know! It's Sonic!"
"I already knew that. How could you think I didn't know your name?"
Sonic just stared at him in surprise.
"You have a truly beautiful name... Little Miss Troublemaker."
Sonic blushed a bright red at the smirking teacher in front of her. "Quit callin' me that! If you think my name is so nice that actually call me by it!"
As each day passed, Sonic found herself more and more drawn to the dark hedgehog. Every day, during the school recess, they would meet and talk, or argue playfully. Sometimes, walking the halls she would see the other girls of the school doting on him, and she found herself wondering whether or not he had a girlfriend. One day Shadow told her he was going to be leaving the school for good. Sonic had the impression, that this man was incredibly lonely. Just like her. She wanted to know so much more about him. So the day of his last class, she really tried to attend. She tried, but...
That afternoon, Shadow was at his car preparing to leave. When he was greeted by a little blue hedgehog.
"Afternoon... Sensei." Sonic greeted. "I... um... kinda wanted to attend your last lesson, but... well... that classroom... spooks me..."
Sonic continued to ramble while Shadow walked up to her. When he was right next to her he said gently.
"Hows about I take you anywhere you wish to go, Little Miss Troublemaker?"
The next thing they knew they were by the sea with Sonic bouncing up and down in excitement. Shadow chuckled at this, watching the girl chime.
"Sensei..." Sonic spoke unexpectedly. "Thank you. Sensei, you really are a kind person."
Shadow blinked. "I'm not sure if I agree with that."
Sonic chuckled. "Well, at least I think you're kind."
She'd been like an abandoned kitten. Believing the only one she could trust was herself. Shadow had taken her in and protected her. And, little by little, she'd began to fall for him.
"I've decided." Sonic said. "I'm gonna change. I'll start studying, I'll get into high school. I'll give it my all."
There were so many things that Sonic regretted. So many things she wished she could change. But two things she didn't regret, was going to school that day, and... falling in love with this man. So, as she gripped his shirt, face buried in his chest to hind her tears, as she said 'thank you', she felt like she was bidding her very heart farewell.
"What's this?" Shadow's voice was gentle, but it carried a slight hint of amusement. "You sound as if you're saying goodbye for good."
"But, this is goodbye isn't it? I'm never gonna see you again..."
"stupid hedgehog." Sonic nearly jumped. "There are other places we can meet besides school. You really are still a child. Besides, it'll be difficult for you to study alone."
After that, things began to change. Sonic got serious about school. Shadow even introdused her to some of the teachers he got along with. Amy the Home Ec. Teacher, Knuckles the sports teacher, Tails the electronics teacher and Rouge the Homeroom teacher. And every weekend, without fail, Shadow would turn up to tutor her. But then, one day... Her past caught up with her.
She had been walking home after school, when a group of her old gang members showed up. One had a metal pole, which he smacked her face with. The last think she remembered was a sharp pain in the back of her head as she blacked out.
The next time Sonic opened her eyes, she was lying in a hospital bed. The police and her teachers came. Amy even brought home made baked sweets as a 'get well soon' gift. Her parents made excuses to stay away. She'd missed the entrance exams, due to her injuries. The only thought that ran through her head, was how disappointed Shadow would be over her. She was too ashamed to face him. Later, Sonic had been told that the one who had brought her in, had been a green hedgehog in a leather coat. Sonic made a mental note to thank Scourge next time she saw him.
After Sonic had been discharged, she walked through the door of the house. Waiting for her was her father and mother with a bag of her things. Jules dumped the bag on the ground in front of her.
"Get out." Jules said coldly. "You can consider yourself disinherited, once you're released from hospital. No, you're no child of ours."
Sonic merely smiled sadly. This was what she deserved, wasn't it? For everything she'd done. For everything in her life up til now. This was her penance.
"Do you truly believe you have a right to disown a child, if she doen't grow up according to how you planned?"
Sonic spun around at the voice. Standing in the doorway behind her, was Shadow Doom.
Shadow maintained a pleasant air about him. But his words were anything but. "Must a child live without a single transgression, in order to still be called your child? Are your lives equally god like and without reproach? Do you lead by example? Or could it be... that you have some special privilege to relinquish all responsibility of being a 'parent' if you don't get what you want?"
Jules spluttered and swore at the young man as he calmly entered the hall. Aleena looked franticly between the two men until she noticed how close Shadow was standing to Sonic. Aleena's eyes widened in surprise and understanding.
Shadow sighed. "I'd really hate to be this blunt with you, but I have no choice. Seeing as you're the parents of the woman I intend to marry."
Jules was dumfounded, while Aleena just smiled. "Marry? Sonic? Are you in your right mind?"
Shadow chuckled, never losing his pleasant air. "Last time I checked yes. At least I'm saner than you two are. Any objections?"
Jules snorted. "One man's trash is another's treasure, I suppose. Do as you wish, just don't come here again unless it's necessary. Now get out of my house!"
Shadow grabbed Sonic's hand with a 'C'mon', and dragged her out the door.
Whilest walking down the street, Shadow began explaining how he'd found her house and was scolding her about how worried he'd been. Sonic kept trying to get his attention until she resorted to the last thing.
"Sh-Shadow!"She called his name. At this Shadow stopped and turned. "Did you... mean what you said back there?"
"Every word." Shadow confirmed. "I'm sorry my proposal had to come under such circumstances."
Sonic started to tremble. "It's... enough... You don't have to do so much for me! I'll only course you trouble! I'm not worth it!"
"Do you think I'm saying this out of pity?"
"But... Why me? Why would you choose someone like me?!"
Shadow's voice was a gentle whisper on the breeze. "Because you cried. The anger, the fear, the feeling everyone around you was worthless. I went through the exact same thing, but I could never let myself cry like a fool." Slowly he approached Sonic and stroked her cheek. "Initially, I had to be a lot more desecrate, since you were still a student. But from the first moment I saw you, I had no intention of letting you go. Say you'll choice me, Sonic."
Sonic sniffed and buried her face in his chest. "Shadow, are you some kind of paedophile?"
Shadow chuckled, "Now where did a child like you learn a word like that? And just for the record, I'm only five years older than you."
Tenderly, Shadow brought Sonic's face up for a loving kiss.
"Ya know, Shadow..." Sonic mumbled as they broke away. "I really don't think you're cut out to be a teacher."
"Thank you."
"Not a Compliment."