Howdy, howdy, howdy folks! CVGWJames is back with another entry in the story of SONIC & VAMPIRELLA: SHADOW OF DARKNESS!
Whaddaya all waitin' for, lets speed, kids.
At the Hedgehog-Vampire household, Sonic was kicking back on the couch in the living room, listening to the radio along with the sounds of tweeting Flicky birds and various nature noises coming from outside while Vampirella sat nearby, reading one of her books as she often did. Everyone needed to read after all.
"Wonder how our son's doin' right now." The blue blur remarked, "Hopefully he didn't get into trouble at school, besides, who wants to get in serious trouble at school? I never got in trouble at school because, well, I didn't go a whole lot as a kid and was adventurous, free spirited and way past too cool for school anyway."
"I can see that, especially with your somewhat radical attitude dear." Vampirella replied, lowering her reading glasses and setting down her book so she could give her handsome hedgehog some undivided attention, "But it doesn't matter since you're a very smart man and we still met anyway."
The blue hedgehog turned off the radio and scooched next to his vampire love, taking her hand. "I can't believe its been over twelve years," Sonic said with an apprehensive look on his face, "I almost feel as though we just got together not too long ago. Sometime soon, it'll be the thirteenth anniversary of our meeting."
"Our son's birthday is coming soon as well," Vampirella said happily, almost getting teary-eyed and emotional, "He's going to be twelve. Next year, our sweet little boy is going to be a thirteen year old teenager. Its going to be your birthday too, my dearest. Look at you and Bloonic, you two share the same birth date."
"I'd been eighteen for a few months when we first met, then when Bloonic was born, I was nineteen and it had almost been a year since our first meeting that night in the graveyard. Um, I know you're semi-immortal, but how old are you supposed to be? I never even asked."
Vampirella took off her glasses and scratched her chin, thinking about the question. "Well," she said, "Considering that vampires have a long life span and are immortal to an extent even though our lives can still be snuffed out, I've been alive for a few hundred years and I physically look like I'm around 18-19 years old."
"Wow, its amazing I fell in love with you despite our small age gap since you were almost physically a year older than me." Sonic quipped, "But I guess our love has no limits. As long as we're happy together, no matter what happens. Besides, what could possibly happen to us or our offspring anyway?"
A smile of content on each of their faces, the lovebirds began making out together with nobody around to interrupt and nothing to seriouisly get in the way and try to ruin everything about their happiness, their relationship and their togetherness...
He ran through the grassy countryside outside the city, slowing down to listen to the sounds of nature and to see the scenery, standing on a hilltop which gave him a view of the valley below and most of Central City. Bloonic saw a couple squirrels running around, acting natural and gathering acorns to store for winter.
Up above, the clouds moved along, the sun shining through a cloud that passed over just beneath it. A warm breeze blew through, a couple leaves falling from the trees, some laughter could be heard as Bloonic saw a family not to far off, two parents and three kids, having a picnic together and talking about the good times.
Dogs barked and owls hooted, birds chirped. A flicky came by, noticing the purple hedgehog and landing on his shoulder. "Oh hi little birdy." He said, stroking the bird lovingly, "Nice of you to come see me, how are you doing today?"
The flicky made a series of bird sounds and nuzzled its head against the half vampire as Bloonic scratched its head, he walked on with the green Flicky sitting on its shoulder. A ricky came by, chittering and joining the young hedgehog. These animals seemed to take a liking to Bloonic, mostly since he was the son of Sonic.
After all, the blue hedgehog had saved so many animals from Eggman over the years, the little creatures seemed to owe Sonic a lot, not to mention they could see a bit of him in his son. Just then, Bloonic spotted a very familiar face he knew too well. Standing next to an oak tree, arms crossed, was Shadow the Hedgehog.
Fancy finding him out here after training earlier today. The preteen thought, Good old Uncle Shadow. He walked on up, waved enthusiastically and said, "Hey, Uncle Shadow. I never thought I'd be running into you out here."
Shadow looked at Bloonic with a sarcastic smirk, "Funny that you're seeing me as an uncle figure despite the fact I'm NOT Sonic's brother and I'm not your blood relative even though we're both hedgehogs."
"Right out of the mouth of a fellow hybrid." The hedgehog-vampire quipped, standing next to the ultimate life form and leaning against the tree with his arms crossed as he slightly imitated Shadow.
The black hedgehog chuckled, "While you're half alien vampire as much as you're a hedgehog like your old man, I'm not half vampire but still half alien. I got the blood of the Black Arms coursing through my veins, making me half hedgehog and half Black Arms."
Bloonic snickered, "Black Arms, ha ha. I get it, because your arms are black."
"I know, almost hillarious, but its what the aliens called themselves too. Make all the jokes about the Black Arms you want, kid, but they were a dangerous, evil and remorseless alien race that could've destroyed the world if I hadn't chosen the right side and taken down Black Doom."
"And you did a fine job, you're a big hero just like my pop and the others, even though you two have had a bit of a rivalry here and there over the years up until I was born and you took part in training me."
"I'm just doing whatever it takes to fulfill Maria's wish. I am Shadow the Hedgehog, the Ultimate Life Form and protector of this planet, I chose my own path and decide my own destiny. This is who I am, who I always have been."
Hearing those words from Shadow and the way he delivered them got a small chuckle out of Bloonic. "Quite the attitude and personality there," He said, "Especially for a guy who first thought your ex girlfriend to be wanted vengeance."
Shadow's eyes widened with surprise, his sharp and edgy demeanor suddenly crumbling. "What the...?" His eyes darted left and right and Shadow looked around at his surroundings, acting a bit strangely, "Gotta go."
The next thing Bloonic knew, Shadow was taking off at high speed, the bottom of his rocket shoes glowing yellow as he skated away. That was weird. The purple hedgehog though and he took off after his uncle figure, his old man's ex-rival. Did I go to far when I said that Maria was Shadow's girlfriend.
He followed the black hedgehog all the way to a memorial site, finding Shadow in front of a statue depicting a young girl. He seemed to be putting his hand on it, thinking about something. Bloonic got closer, curious about the memorial statue and wanting some answers from the dark hedgehog.
"Maria was a close companion to me," Shadow said, "Nothing more, she was a special friend and I cared so much about her. Professor Gerald created me in order to find a cure for a disease ailing her at the time. If the... disaster hadn't happened, if she'd survived, maybe yes Maria and I would've become closer."
"Sorry, man." The hedgehog vampire hybrid kid said, "Its just that judging from everything I previously heard about her, I thought she was your..."
"Its fine." Shadow turned, walked up and gently placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, "The past is behind me, its behind us, we all keep moving forward.
"All that matters is whats going on around every single one of us as well as the things going on between Rouge and I in our relationship."
"I've seen you two kissing a few times."
"Did you? Hm hm hm, sure you did."
"You and 'Auntie' Rouge are perfect for each other."
"We sure are," Said a sultry voice. Both Bloonic and Shadow looked up as a familiar white female bat with green eyes wearing a revealing black jumpsuit descended from the sky and joined them on the ground. "Hi, Auntie Rouge." Bloonic said, happy to see Rouge.
"Hi, hun." The bat said, winking at the hybrid before holding Shadow's hand. "How nice of you to come and find me, dear." The black hedgehog said with a sweet and caring smile, "I was just talking with our pal here, didn't expect to run into him for a while, but he came by while I was thinking alone anyway."
"Looks like you can't have some alone time forever, sweetie." Rouge kissed Shadow on the cheek, "I know you're immortal and you have a different side to you, but you need someone like me in your life just as you once did on the ARK. Aren't we going to have dinner tonight?"
"Of course we are. It is our anniversary, we've been together for ten years now, haven't we?" The black hedgehog mused, looking at the sparkling ring that sat on Rouge's finger on her hand, "Time does fly, it feels like yesterday when we hooked up and when our very big day happened. Who can forget?"
"Happy anniversary, you two." The young hybrid junior hero said happily, he'd known about Shadow and Rouge tying up the knot back when he was just a baby, even though he didn't remember due to his brain not being fully developed at the time. Regardless, he was happy for them and so were his parents.
"Thank you, Bloonic." Rouge said, giving him a sweet look, "By the way, since you're out of school early. Shouldn't you be heading home? Your parents might be worried about you if you don't come home on time, besides, you do morning school, don't you, and its supposed to be lunchtime, correct?"
"I was heading home." Bloonic said, "But then I saw Shadow while I was taking in the scenery and the sounds of nature while hanging out with the animals and we started talking. Sorry, I tend to get a bit too social."
"Its fine." Shadow said, "I'll take you home and let your parents know what happened between us, we're fine. CHAOS CONTROL!" The next thing everyone knew, Bloonic, Shadow and Rouge were on the doorstep of Sonic and Vampirella's. Knock knock knock! Rouge knocked on the door, ringing the doorbell.
It didn't take long to wait, the door opened and Sonic was there with Vampirella. Bloonic entered the house and hugged his parents, happy to see them. Sonic chatted with Shadow and Rouge, wishing them a good day and a happy anniversary before they warped away, leaving the blue hedgehog alone with his family.
"Time for lunch, kiddo." Sonic said, ruffling Bloonic's hair playfully as Vampirella put an arm around their son. Hearing that it was time to get lunch made the hybrid's belly rumble, it sure was eating time indeed. What was he going to eat for lunch today?
A chili dog!