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"Mom! Where is my sweater?"
"Mom! What are we having for dinner?"
"Mom! I need to go to the music store for strings!"
"Mom! The Wi-Fi quit again!"
Sky massages her temples impatiently, glancing over at her husband, who just shrugs. "Why do they never ask you for anything?" she hisses.
"They know better than that," Shadow chuckles darkly. Sky rolls her eyes at him as one black head pops in to address her.
"Mom, did you hear what I said?" Cinder asks, frowning. He flips his bangs out of his eyes.
"Yes, dear. We're having a vat of macaroni and cheese, sautéed chicken breasts, and broccoli."
"'Kay, mind if Breezy and Lilly stay for dinner?" he continues, lifting his eyebrows.
"Yeah, sure." Sky leans into Shadow, closing her eyes. Night clambers in the room.
"Hey, can I have the code to get my board?" Seeing Sky's confused face, he sighs and crosses his arms. "I need to get more guitar strings."
"No, you're grounded. You can wait until tomorrow," Shadow answers sternly. "I'll pick some up on my way home."
"But you don't know which kind to get!" Night whines as Ash pokes his head on the other side of the doorway.
"Mom? The Wi-Fi?"
"Baby, just jiggle the chord," Sky tells him.
"Oh, okay." Ash pops back out, but Night is still glaring at his father.
"Let me just go get them," Night demands, locking his jaw. "It won't take long."
"No, you're grounded. Maybe when you can obey the house rules you can go out and do what you want."
"I was only five minutes late. It shouldn't have been a big deal, you know."
"But it was the second time you did it, that's the problem," Shadow growls. "The rules are in place for a reason. And if you can't follow them, then don't live here."
"But, Dad…"
"No buts. Go back upstairs." Night huffs and stomps away, snapping something angry at his sister as she walks in.
"It's hanging above the washing machine," Sky tells her as she opens her mouth.
"Thanks."
Sky looks up at her husband and rolls her eyes. "Teenagers…"
"No kidding."
Alyson is fifteen now, and the boys are twelve. Biologically, they are all teenagers, since Mobians age significantly quicker than humans do. Alyson is actually a legal adult, being about eighteen by human standards. The triplets are in school with Sonic and Amy's younger daughter, Lilly. Lilly is the triplets' age, while Breeze, the older, is a bit closer to Alyson's. Also attending school with them is Tails and Cream's two sons, Lucas and Gray, and Knuckles and Rouge's daughter Ruby. They all spend time together, generally. Alyson's friends are Aster, Breeze, and Ryder, who came back to this time after his twelfth birthday. Alyson is actually dating and close to mating with Aster, much to Sky's chagrin. She would rather die than let the spawn of Faith touch her daughter, but it's not like she has a choice. Aster's younger sisters are twins, Grace and Gale, and they are around the triplet's age. However, they aren't living in the same time; they travel with their parents, while Aster made the decision to travel backwards.
The boys are very talented in the arts. Night plays guitar (like Alyson), Ash plays piano, and Cinder plays drums. If they wanted to, they could form a band, but they do not work together very well most of the time. But, when they do, they sound very good, especially if Alyson is singing with them. Sky tries to encourage her children to perform regularly, but they don't want to, with the exceptions of Alyson and Night. The two oldest built their own recording studio and record songs regularly. Ash would rather be holed up in his room. Cinder prefers to flirt and hang around girls from school. Ash is the most reserved of the three, spending hours at a time locked in his room. Night and Cinder are more outspoken and popular among their schoolmates, although Ash automatically gets roped in just by being there.
"Hey, Mom?" Ash's head pops back in. "Dad?"
"Yes, my dear?" Sky sighs, blinking tiredly at her son. Ash looks down to the ground and slips into the room, rubbing his hands together. "Ash?"
"Can I ask you something?" he asks quietly.
"Of course. Come and sit here." Sky gestures towards the chair in front of the couch. Ash sits down and brings his knees up to his chest, much like Sky does when she's in distress. "What's wrong?"
"Why am I… different than my brothers?"
Sky holds in a sigh. They have this conversation at least every three months. Shadow pinches her shoulder meaningfully before leaning forward to address his son. "You're no different than them. You just have different interests."
"But why? They both like going out and partying and stuff. Why am I not like that?"
Sky shrugs. "Because it's not your thing. Your father doesn't like to go out either," she reminds him. "There is nothing wrong with you, and there is nothing wrong with you having separate interests than your brothers."
Ash's ears droop. "But I don't know why. We all came from the same womb on the same day.
They generally like the same stuff. Why am I the only one left out?"
"Ash…" Sky looks up as Night pops back in. "What is it?"
Night climbs into her lap like he would do when he was younger and wanted something. "Mommy…?"
Sky frowns at him. "What do you want?" She pushes him off. "You're too big for that."
"Can I please have my board back? Pleeeaaase?"
"No…."
"But I love you!" Night nuzzles her cheek and pins his ears back, blinking up at her innocently. "Please, Mom? Just for today?"
"You just want to go see Grace," Ash snaps at his brother. "But that's too bad, because they're in Milan right now."
"No, she's actually in town," Night retorts. He blinks back at his mother. "That's why I have to go! Who knows when I'll see her again?" He leans back dramatically. "How could you keep me away?"
"Oh, please." Shadow rolls his eyes.
"No, Shadow, it's okay. But, Night, you are perfectly capable of running. And, take your brother with you."
"But Cinder's busy with Lilly."
"No, I meant Ash." Sky frowns.
"But Ash doesn't want to go…" Night glances at his brother, begging with his eyes.
"Um… yeah…" Ash trails off, looking to the side. Sky sighs as she looks at her son. His brothers don't even want him around. No matter he feels so down all the time. "It's okay, Mom. I'll go back upstairs."
"No, it's fine. You're going with your brother. In fact, all three of you should go together. You never spend any time together."
Night gives an exasperated sigh and rolls his eyes. "Maybe it's because we don't have anything in common."
"You're brothers, that's enough isn't it?" Honestly! Silver and I aren't even the same sex and we get along better than these three, Sky thinks, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.
"Fine. But don't blame me if Ash comes home early because he's bored." Night grabs his brother's arm and drags him out of the room, Ash staring helplessly at his parents.
Ash follows his two brothers with his arms crossed grudgingly. Lilly is walking beside him, trying to strike up a conversation.
"Where are you guys going for summer vacation?" the deep purple hedgehog is asking brightly.
"Um… I'm not really sure yet," Ash replies quietly. "I think we're going to spend time with my aunt and uncles back in Mom's time."
"Oh, that sounds so cool. You guys get to use the portal a lot, huh?"
"Yeah, quite a lot, actually," Cinder answers for Ash, wrapping his arm around Lilly's shoulders. "We get to go all the time."
"Does it hurt?" Lilly asks with her eyes wide. Ash brushes past the two, not wanting to hear his brother's reply. Of course he would push his own brother out of the way for a girl's attention.
Night glances at him as he walks up to his side. "What's up?"
"Nothing."
Night glances over his shoulder and shakes his head at the youngest triplet's antics. "I wonder who he picked up the womanizing from."
"Definitely not Dad. I don't think I've ever seen him smile, let alone talk to anybody, especially like that," Ash jokes lightly, smiling hopefully.
"Yeah, the stick up his ass goes straight to his head. He could loosen the reigns a little bit."
"Well, you did come back late that time… And, you know that Dad is really strict about curfew."
"But that was, like, two months ago! How long can they ground me?" Night huffs. "I really need those strings. And, we all have to start training for the Air Gear tournament."
"Right, almost forgot that the season is about to start," Ash admits, scratching his arm. "I haven't ridden in so long."
"You don't really like riding, do you?" Night asks.
"What? No, I love riding. You know that. But, I just don't have time."
Night snorts in disbelief. "What could you possibly be doing that is so time-consuming?"
"I work on my screenplays, you know that too." Ash frowns. "That stuff is important to me, more important than music or Gear races." Night and Cinder hardly pay any attention to him, since the three of them are pretty independent.
"I still don't get how you can sit in there for hours, writing. It seems so boring." Night flips his bangs out of his eyes.
"Well, when I'm in Hollywood as one of the most famous screenwriters of all time, then you can talk," Ash snorts, rolling his eyes. "I don't understand how you and Alyson spend hours in the studio recording, but I don't ask you about it."
"And I'll give you the same response you gave me. Music is important to me, just like… girls are important to Cinder." The two hedgehogs glance back at their younger brother, who has his arm wrapped around Lilly's waist tightly and is whispering something in her ear. She giggles and flattens her ears, lightly hitting the black hedgehog. Ash and Night hold back their snickers as they turn back around. Ash sighs.
"So, you and Grace are still going strong, huh? Even over the long distance?"
"Well, yeah. I think she's the One for me." Night blinks up at the sky dreamily. "It's like the difference has only made us stronger." Night wiggles his eyebrows at his brother. "I notice that you're pretty taken with Gale yourself."
Ash blushes, flattening his ears to his head. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, you know I do." The boys all share Sky and Silver's ability to read each other's minds. The communication only exists between the three siblings.
"I don't know why you didn't think I wouldn't like to come. I actually like spending time with you guys," Ash murmurs as they walk up to Aster's tiny, but modest, house.
"Well, you have a funny way of showing it." Night raps on the door. Aster opens it, his gray quills swishing over his shoulders.
"Grace! Gale!" the echidna calls over his shoulder while he stands aside to let the four hedgehogs in. They walk into the living room, to find Alyson and Breeze sitting on the floor.
"How did you guys get here so fast?" Ash asks, frowning.
"We ran?" Breeze snorts, tossing her quills out of her face and revealing her eyebrow piercing. "I don't know why you guys decided to walk." Grace and Gale walk in, and Ash is once again surprised by how two sisters, twins, are so different. Gale inherited her father's sleek black coat and slim figure, while Grace is as sturdy and has the same dark brown as Faith. But, they both share their father's silver eyes. Ash blushes when Gale smiles at him, shuffling to sit on the chair next to the couch while Night sits on the couch. Out of the corner of his eye, Ash can't help but to admire Gale's slim figure, accented by her tight gray athletic shorts and ribbed blue tank top. Cinder and Lilly disappear into the kitchen.
"What made you guys decide to come here?" Night asks Grace after a long embrace. "We missed you."
Gale seats herself on the arm of Ash's chair. "It was just time to get away from Mom and Dad for a while," she answers quietly. "You know how rough and can get travelling all the time."
"Yeah, I'm sure," Ash mutters, avoiding the black echidna's golden gaze.
Night sits on the couch, Grace positioned on his lap, while Aster takes his place behind Alyson, so she can lean on his legs. Breeze just looks like she's about to throw up.
"I think I'm going to travel with you guys next time you go," Night says dreamily. "Mom and Dad never let us travel. And, we're practically adults!"
"Well, since the school year's almost over, they should let you go for the summer," Grace says brightly. "It would be so great if you could." She kisses Night's cheek delicately and smiles against the tan-colored fur. "All three of you should come."
"Yeah, right, like Mom would go for that," Night retorts, coiling his arms around Grace tighter. "Dad can only subdue her for so long before she goes nuts."
"How is the old Ultimate Lifeform, anyway?" Grace asks. "Still as cold and callous as ever?"
"Who, Dad? Oh, he's fine. I think he's ready to get rid of us, though. Especially Aly." Night winks at the triplets' older sister, who sticks out her tongue at him.
"He won't have to worry about that for much longer," the white hedgehog tells him, glancing up at Aster, who smiles back down at her. Aster slides his hand down Alyson's shoulder, taking her hand and holding it there.
"What? Are you two finally going to mate?" Grace asks excitedly, clapping. "That's so awesome! Have you told your parents yet?"
"No, not yet. I'm waiting for the right time. You know how Dad is," Alyson says quietly. She smiles. "But it's not like either of them can do anything about it. I have made up my mind." Ash can just imagine Shadow threatening Aster with a gun at the news of their engagement. Yeah, it would be best to wait.
"I'm so happy for you both," Gale tells the couple with a smile. Ash can't help but to feel a little disappointed. True, he knew that his sister would leave eventually, especially since she's fifteen and has been ready to mate for three years. She and Aster were only holding off for Shadow's sake, since he is so attached to his eldest.
"I'm happy for you too, sis," Ash mumbles with a small smile.
"Are you guys going to have an official wedding?" Grace asks. "I know your parents did, but mine didn't, since it's not really necessary unless you're royalty."
"No, I don't think so," Aster replies. "All that planning would be cumbersome."
Alyson doesn't protest, but Ash can tell that she wants to. The black hedgehog also notices how silent the usually talkative Breeze is being, the pink hedgehog hiding behind her cell phone. She hasn't made a single snide comment about how disgusting Night and Grace's PDA is or anything, which is very unusual. Is she unhappy about Aster and Alyson's decision to mate? It wouldn't make any sense, because they've been together forever.
"Not to mention expensive," Night chips in. "I don't think Mom and Pop would want to put in all that cash for something they never paid for."
"It's for the memory, not necessarily the action," Alyson murmurs. "But I don't think it will happen, if Aster doesn't want it."
Night glances at his watch before looking at Grace. "You ready?" he asks.
"If you are."
"Well, ladies and gents, it's been real, but we got plans," Night says as he stands up. He links his hand with Grace's and pulls her up.
"Where are you guys going?" Ash asks, cocking his head.
"Out." Night's gaze runs down the length of Grace's body.
Ash can see why he's so taken with her; she's beautiful. Both she and Gale are. And those eyes? Don't get him started. Not to mention the appeal of her muscle. But she's not Ash's type. He doesn't want anyone that looks like she could beat him up.
"See you at home, little brother," Alyson says, reaching over to brush the fur on his thigh.
"'Bye, everyone." Night dips his head to Aster before leading Grace out of the house. Grace gives an enthusiastic wave before the door closes.
"How long before those two get it over with?" Breeze snorts into her phone.
Ash raises his eyebrows at her. "You can talk?"
Breeze shoves him and rolls her eyes. "Seriously, though. How long?"
"Could be any day now. You should see her at home. She's always giggling and texting him. It's disgusting," Aster says, pulling on one of Aly's quills.
Alyson laughs. "We were the same way at some point, you know."
"Don't make me shudder."
Ash holds back a snicker. Instead, he glances at Gale, who is also holding back her laughter. When she catches him looking at her, her cream-colored cheeks flush a deep red.
"What about you, Breezy? Have you found anyone that wants to bone you?" Cinder asks from the kitchen doorway. He holds a grilled cheese sandwich in one hand and Lilly in the other. He dodges the throw pillow that Breeze launched in his direction.
"Mating isn't for everyone." Her gaze slides over to look at Aster and Alyson, her are lovingly gazing into each other's eyes. "Maybe some people are meant to be alone."
Leave a review on your way out! Hope you guys like this story. I've been working on this concept for a really long time.
That's all for today! Muffin out!