Disclaimer:
All Sonic characters belong to their respective owners.
Now, on with the show!
Reunited
"We're here…" Sonic said, and he took a deep breath.
"Ah…good old Station Square. We've had some adventures here, right?" Sonic asked Tails, who nodded.
"Yeah…" Sonic said, and he recalled the times he had in the city.
"…Flashback time for you…I've got my problem here…Juuchi, you said you knew where her former house is?" Sam said, and Juuchi nodded.
"Yeah. Let's go." Juuchi began to run north, and Sam followed her.
"Hey, wait up!" Rikku said, and she followed Sam.
Shadow simply sighed and tapped his foot. "Well, we're here. What do you want to do besides reminisce?" Shadow asked, and Sonic simply sighed.
"…I think I've got an idea…" Sonic said, and he headed into a giant building nearby…
"…Well…this is it." Juuchi said, and Sam sighed.
"…Wow. I never actually expected this. To be honest, I actually expected her to be at least high class…but this is rather…" Sam said, and Juuchi smirked.
"Awkward? It really isn't much…but there are some pretty good things about it. It keeps you warm in the winter, cold in the summer, without electricity. It's actually just where it is." Juuchi said, and Sam nodded.
"…Not bad…think she's home?" Sam asked, and Juuchi nodded.
"Probably. She got a 12 hour head start; I wouldn't be surprised." Juuchi said, and they gazed upon the 2 story white house in awe.
"…Still got to say, this isn't bad…Ring it." Sam said, and Juuchi, sweating a bit, rang the doorbell.
"…Go away!" Sam's eyes widened as he heard Nodoka's voice inside the house, and he shed a tear before speaking.
"…Nodoka. Is anything wrong in there?" Sam asked softly, and Juuchi did a thumbs up to him.
"Is anything wrong?! You're here…I told you, I want to…but I can't! Just go!" Nodoka said, and suddenly, another voice came out.
"…Nodoka, why are you being so rude to these people? It's not like it'll be the end of you. C'mon, I'll open the door…" The door suddenly opened, and a scarlet hedgehog with brown eyes appeared in front of them, wearing a long blue dress, and the hedgehog smiled.
"Welcome into our home…friends of my daughter?" Sam simply nodded, and Juuchi…simply turned into a ball of green light, and went inside Nodoka.
"…It's a long story…I guess she's explained her absence?" Sam said, and the hedgehog nodded.
"…Please, come in. I'm Scarlet, Nodoka's mother…and you are?" Sam simply walked in, and he blushed a bit.
"…I'm Sam. Sam Kim. Nice to meet you." Sam said, and Scarlet sighed.
"…Nodoka dear, why are you so retracted suddenly? …Have you been abusing my daughter?!" She suddenly had a blue aura around her, and Sam stepped back.
"No, I haven't! Please, calm yourself!" Sam said, backing away quickly, and Nodoka looked at him.
"…Mom, he's telling the truth. He's the one who saved me." Nodoka spoke, and the blue aura dissipated, her scarlet fur returning.
"…So you're the one? I owe you quite a bit…please, sit down." Scarlet smiled, and Sam nodded.
Sam sat down on a nearby chair, and simply sat in front of Nodoka, who was visibly very angry and confused, but trying to hide it. Scarlet went to the kitchen, and gestured for the duo to talk. "…Sam, can you come here for a moment? I want to speak with you…privately." Nodoka said, and Sam nodded, following her outside.
"Now that we're out here…WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" Nodoka said, and Sam sighed.
"Look, I didn't come here to play games; I got rid of most of the darkness within me, Nodoka…not to mention some witnesses to prove it." Sam said, and Nodoka tapped her foot impatiently.
"If you came here to tell me that, then you can just leave now." Nodoka said, and Sam shook his head.
"…Summon Juuchi in her hedgehog form." Nodoka did so, and Juuchi came out.
"…He's right, y'know…I told them about your…moments. He's had his fair share of moments as well…if you would be so kind to make up, it would be nice." Juuchi said, and she turned into a ball of green light, and entered Nodoka's head.
"…Look, at the very least, just hang out a bit." Sam said, and Nodoka pouted.
"I don't believe what you're saying here. You're saying you got rid of most of the darkness within…how?" Sam sighed, and he just tapped his foot.
"Keep Juuchi out, alright?" Nodoka summoned Juuchi, and she nodded.
"…It's true. I witnessed the act. He did a near forbidden light spell to get rid of most of the darkness." Juuchi said, and Nodoka turned away from him.
"…Look, even if you have, what about the mental bond of my darkness to you?! It'll still be…" Sam cut her off.
"Of no use, considering the amount of darkness within me is very little, compared to yours, not to mention everyone else's, and to create a mental bond with me, your darkness must find mine, and that's going to be hard for it. See now?" Sam said, and Nodoka crossed her arms and gave him the 'I like you, but this is too much for me to handle and I really still can't risk that, because if I do it'll be the end of me' look.
"I like you, but this is too much for me to handle, and I really still can't risk that, because if I do…I just won't live with it…To put you in such a risk…it's just…I can't." Nodoka said, and Sam sighed.
"Look, I'm doing this out of my free will…even though it'll be a risk to me; you know I am who I am. You can break me out of it…considering even a full bond of darkness will be weak, considering my amount of it now." Sam said, and Nodoka sighed.
"...Even so, I won't risk that on you, y'know. Even if you get a bond…there's still a chance…I won't." Nodoka began to calm down a bit more, and she turned around.
"Just follow my lead." Juuchi lipped, and Sam nodded.
"…Nodoka…if you aren't willing to…" Juuchi said, and the hedgehog to find Sam and Juuchi looking in their eyes, and Juuchi snuggled on Sam's chest, and she looked up at him, and leaned forward…only to be interrupted by a loud "HOLD IT!" from Nodoka, who was simply tearing.
The duo looked at her, and Sam widened his eyes. "…I…don't want to lose someone…not again…" Juuchi sighed, and Sam walked up to the crying regimental hedgehog, and patted her back gently.
"…Nodoka…I know what happened to your father…it's alright…" Sam gently said, and the crying Nodoka hugged him, Sam returning the embrace.
"…It's alright…it'll be alright…" Sam was tearing now, just remembering his brother.
Juuchi entered Nodoka, and Sam sighed. "…I'll walk you to his grave, alright?" Sam said, and Nodoka nodded.
"Woo! 500 rings in the bag!" Sonic said gleefully, and he walked out of the pinball converter.
"…We came here to play…human pinball...it's been thirty minutes. Aren't you dizzy?" Blaze asked, tapping her foot.
"…Don't worry…I'll be fi-"Sonic was then cut off, and he covered his mouth, running to the bathroom.
"…Sonic, wait up!" Tails said, before getting the same feeling, and he ran after Sonic.
"…Is this really that amusing?" Blaze said, and she simply stood in the middle, and an engulfing light spun her around, and she was shot upward by a pinball launcher.
"What's going on?!" Blaze said, as she was in a little fire tornado, and was hitting herself upward.
"…I'm getting dizzy…" Blaze said, and Sonic came in as well.
"Good to see ya! Having fun?" Sonic asked, and Blaze sighed.
"…I'm feeling nauseous…" Blaze said, and Sonic laughed.
"It happens to everyone…just hold out." Sonic said, and Blaze unnoticeably nodded as she hit herself upward again.
"…Well, here we are." Nodoka said, and the duo walked through a graveyard.
"…I'm sorry this happened to you…" Sam said, and Nodoka nodded.
"…We share a similar loss…I suppose you know how it's like to lose someone…" Nodoka said, and Sam nodded forlornly.
"I do…and the feeling isn't so good." Sam said, and Nodoka nodded.
"…Here we are. My father's coffin…" Nodoka said, and she placed her hands together in prayer.
Sam simply waited around a minute, and the regimental hedgehog got up once more, tearing. Sam startled, he placed on a calm face. "…Hey now…don't cry…he wouldn't want you to be like this…" Sam said, wiping the tears off her face, just stroked her cheek gently with his gloved hand, and Sam smiled.
"…You're right…C'mon. Let's go back; mom's probably worried as to where we went." Sam nodded in agreement, and the duo began to walk back.
"…Agh…my head's spinning…excuse me!" Blaze said, running to the bathroom, and Sonic laughed.
She came out shortly after, and Sonic smirked. "So? How was it?" Sonic said, and Blaze sighed.
"It was fun…nauseating to no end, but fun nonetheless!" Blaze said happily, and Shadow walked up to the duo, stumbling.
"…Hey…hey…hey, I'm talking…I'm taking to you…faker…" Shadow said, obviously drunk.
"…You drank a little?" Sonic said, and the ebony hedgehog nodded, and he fell in front of the two.
"…Hey…Shad wake up!" Sonic said, kicking his head, only to find out he was sleeping, evidently by his snoring.
"…Hey, Sonic…I came to tell ya that Shadow got a bit…" Knuckles walked up to the sleeping Shadow, and Sonic chuckled.
"…Oh." Knuckles looked down at the sleeping hedgehog, and picked him up.
He simply placed his mouth close to the hedgehog's ear, and chuckled a bit. "WAKE UP!" Knuckles shouted, and the hedgehog awoke, startled immensely, and he looked at the situation.
"…Let go!" Shadow kicked him in the face, and he landed gently on the ground below, and Knuckles rubbed his head.
"Hey!" Knuckles was about to punch the ebony hedgehog, who sighed, and Blaze simply threw a fireball in between the two of them.
"…If you're going to fight, do it outside of Casinopolis." Blaze said, and the duo sighed.
"…Wait up!" Rikku then ran to the duo, and Sam was a bit startled.
"…I take it you were trying to catch up?" Sam said, and Rikku nodded.
Rikku then pointed to Nodoka, and Rikku simply sighed. "Look, if you haven't forgiven him, do it. He's been a rampaging blur through towns and everything! C'mon…do it…you know you want to…" Rikku said playfully, and Nodoka sighed.
"…I would…should…but won't. I won't risk his safety for something as simple as-"Nodoka was then cut off by Sam.
"Love? To be frank…I've come all this way…and if you'd turn me down now…it'd be pretty inconsiderate of you. I spent all this time…rampaging…thinking about everything that's happened…and I've realized…all I ever wanted was vengeance, and no one to help me with the trials with it. But…I've tried so hard on those two things…I forgot about everything else. Friends…family…possibly even to the extent of knowing what actual social life was…even my love life I forgot about…now that I know all this…I don't want to be the old me. Not anymore." Sam declared, and Nodoka simply chuckled, and it grew into a laugh.
"…That, by FAR, had to be one of the cheesiest things I've heard in my life…" Nodoka was then calming down, and Sam was tapping his foot.
The regimental hedgehog cleared her throat, and spoke once more. "…However…if you're really honest…" She placed her hand on Sam's shoulder.
"…I'm with you." Nodoka said, and she pecked him on the cheek, and Sam blushed a bit.
"…Nodoka…it's good to have ya back!" Sam said happily, and he hugged the hedgehog tightly, and Nodoka gently pushed him off.
"Easy there…Just because I'm back in the party, doesn't mean I'm going steady with you…" Nodoka said, and Sam sighed.
"…Alright, maybe I am!" Nodoka said playfully, and she hugged him tightly, and Sam chuckled.
"…Wait…" Chiharu suddenly came out of Sam, along with Juuchi Yosamu.
"…Ready?" Chiharu said, and Juuchi nodded.
The Artificial Contract array was set up beneath the duo, and Chiharu winked at Sam. "What's going on?" Nodoka asked, and Sam sighed.
Juuchi whispered in her ear, and then went next to Chiharu. "On three…one…two…three!" Chiharu said, and the both of them said in unison: "Articon, START!"
The array glowed pink, and Rikku watched on. "…It's to make sure. Heck, you also get some benefits…it's a win-win situation." Sam said, and walking up to Nodoka, he leaned in.
"…It's been far too long…" Nodoka said, and as she shed a sole tear of happiness, their lips locked, and the duo embraced.
After quite a while, Scarlet came outside, and saw the duo, and smirked. "Articon FINISHED!" Chiharu and Juuchi Yosamu said in unison, and three blank cards appeared as the array faded away.
The duo were lip locking for quite a while, and after around three minutes, the duo stopped, and looked at each other with loving eyes, smirking as well, and Nodoka picked up her three cards. Their eyes still burning with passion, they hugged, only for Scarlet to clear her throat quite loudly, and the startled couple looked at Scarlet, who was smiling. "Mother…I can explain, you see, he was quite…I mean he was…I mean…" Nodoka began to panic and stutter, and Sam…was quite calm. Chiharu and Juuchi, speechless, simply went inside their respective partners, and Rikku…was still a bit awestruck about the make out.
"He's the one, isn't he?" Scarlet said, and Sam chuckled, and Nodoka nodded.
"…Don't worry, I approve. I see he's a good guy." Scarlet said jokingly, and the duo blushed heavily.
"…Woo, go Nodoka!" Rikku said, and the startled couple looked at the vixen, who smirked.
"Just invite me to the wedding, alright?" Scarlet said jokingly, and the duo, once again blushed.
"…Mother, can I take off once more…he's…I just…" Nodoka said, and Scarlet nodded forlornly.
"Leaving me alone again…Alright, I understand. But just stay here for a couple of days; you won't mind much, will you?" Scarlet said, perking up, and Nodoka shook her head.
"Alright…we should tell the others." Nodoka said.
"…Umm…Where are the others?" Nodoka said, and Sam sighed.
"I'm not sure…I just came here with Juuchi to…y'know." Sam said, and the regimental hedgehog sighed.
"…Alright. I'll be searching for where they are. Stay here." Nodoka said, and Sam nodded as she sped off.
"…Just don't abuse her." Scarlet said, and Sam nodded.
The trio went inside Scarlet's house, and they sat. "…You're trying not to rant about the things I shouldn't do?" Sam asked, and the concerned mother nodded.
"…I see you're a good person…but I just have a odd feeling something's going to happen to her…you're just lucky I'm not giving you the contract." Scarlet said, and Sam shrugged in confusion.
"…A contract?" Sam asked, and the scarlet hedgehog pulled out a incredibly long piece of paper.
Sam scanned through the contract, and he widened his eyes. "…This is incredibly detailed…so much things…I, indeed am lucky to not get the contract…" Sam said in awe, and Scarlet placed the paper in a bottle.
"...How did you two meet, anyway?" Scarlet asked, and Rikku sighed.
"…It's a long story…" Sam said, and he began to speak…
"…There you are!" Nodoka said, and she walked up to the group.
"Well, it's a surprise to see you here, Nodoka. Had your moments with Sam yet?" Sonic said playfully, and Nodoka slapped him.
"…Maybe. Anywho, you wouldn't mind staying here for a couple of days? My mom says that if I want to leave, I must stay here for a bit." The group shook their heads, and Nodoka nodded.
"Thanks. I'll wait for you at 98-46, Haven Parkway." Nodoka said, and she sped off.
"It's been a while since we've seen her, right?" Blaze said, and Sonic nodded.
"Yeah…I'm getting a bit hungry. Let's get something to eat." Knuckles said, and Sonic nodded.
The group walked up to a nearby restaurant, and sat down…
"…Back." Nodoka said, and she entered the house just as Sam was finished explaining.
Sam tackle hugged her to the point where they were both outside, and they both were sent to the ground laughing. "They said they could stay here for some days." Nodoka said, and Sam nodded, the both of them getting up.
"Alright!" Sam said happily, and Scarlet looked at the duo.
Nodoka looked at her with the 'Did you give him…it?' face, and said: "Did you give him…it?" Nodoka asked, and Scarlet shook her head.
"Nope. Like I said, I see he's a good person. If he can stop you, but more powerful and brutal, of course he's a good guy!" Scarlet said, and Nodoka looked at Sam.
"You told her?" Nodoka said, and Sam nodded.
"I figured it would be better if she knew…it would save a lot of confusion in the long run." Sam said, and his stomach growled.
"…Let's get something to eat. My treat." Sam said, and he bowed to Scarlet, who simply sighed.
"Thank you." Sam said, and he walked north, searching for a restaurant.
"Nodoka…good luck." Scarlet thought, and she closed the door…
Well…here's another one. Reunited once more, Sam and Nodoka go outside to get something to eat, Sonic and company are eating at a restaurant, and Scarlet…well, she's just concerned. Hope ya enjoyed, R&R, I'll see ya next!
~ADarknessInHeaven
Aka: Sam