"Dont stray too far, Shadic!"

"I won't, Papa!"

8-year old Shadic Hedgehog-Robotnik giggled as he dashed through the field, coal black eyes wide and innocent as he ran. His father Shadow Hedgehog-Robotnik let out a tired sigh as he tried to keep up with his youngest child.

"Okay, okay, that's it," Shadow sighed and settled down on the grass. "Shadic, don't run too far, you know how you can't speed up without your rings,"

"Okay, Papa!" Shadic nodded and proceeded to roll across the grass, laughing.

Shadow laid down on the grass, closing his eyes to relax. Looking after his youngest while his husband was out on a mission with the rest of his team while his older kids were at school was exhausting. Good thing that his best friend Rouge was taking over his job for the day, so he had enough time to relax and watch over Shadic all at the same time.

"Papa, Papa, can I go play by the flowers there?" Shadic asked, running to the coal black hedgehog.

"Go ahead, just stay near where I can see you," Shadow told him.

"Okay!"

Shadow chuckled as he watched his youngest pup run off. He was just about to lean back and relax again when he heard a click from nearby. His ears shot up and turned as he looked around, caution and worry filling him as he stood up.

The click returned, farther from him now, but as he turned to see where the click was close to, he stiffened to see Shadic by the flowers. A third click came, and this time, he turned to see someone in the bushes, targeting a double barrel shotgun at his youngest son.

"SHADIC!"

He dashed over and grabbed his son just as the shotgun went off.

BANG!

The father and son screamed as they were thrown back by the gun shot. Shadic whimpered as Shadow set him down and took out his own gun.

"SHOW YOURSELF, YOU COWARD!"

Suddenly, human soldiers appeared from all around them, all aiming their shotguns at them. Shadow snarled.

"Of course Towers would be behind this…"

He used his other hand to summon a Chaos Spear as Shadic hid behind his leg, ears pinning to his skull, frightened.

"P-Papa, what's going on…?"

"Stay behind me, Shadic," Shadow told him, eyes glaring at the soldiers. "This could get ugly."

Shadic did as he was told as the soldiers came closer. The closest aimed the gun again, but this time, Shadow was ready, throwing his Chaos Spear at the soldier's weapon, which made the gun overheat and explode. The explosion took everyone back in surprise, causing Shadic to fly in terror away from the chaos.

"Ugh…" the pup rubbed his eyes and glanced around to find himself nowhere near his father. "P-Papa…?"

"Shadic!" A voice from nearby echoed through the chaos. "Shadic where are you?!"

"Right here, Papa!"

Shadic tried to run to him, but before he could, an arm grabbed him and carried him with a tight grip. He screamed for help as he was carried off by the human, but the man paid no attention to his screams as he was carried. He was soon brought to a waterfall, which went down and below the ground. The man who had him smirked.

"End of the line for you, little monster."

"Wh-Who are you?!" Shadic whimpered, curling up and trembling in fear.

"An enemy that wants to get rid of a monster like YOU." the man growled.

With that, he threw the pup down the waterfall, not caring as he listened to the pup's screaming. From the field, Shadow heard his son's scream, causing him to stiffen.

"SHADIC, NO!"

He Chaos-Controlled to the waterfall to find the man standing over it. He growled and took out his gun.

"WHERE IS HE, TOWERS?! WHERE IS SHADIC?!"

"That… monster is no more," Commander Abraham Towers sneered and turned to the coal black hedgehog.

"YOU…" Shadow's eyes widened in horror. "HOW DARE YOU?! HE WAS ONLY A PUP! A KID! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO MY SON?!"

"Your 'son' is a MENACE!" Abraham snarled. "He has chaos energy greater than yours could ever be! He IS A MONSTER!"

"YOU'RE THE MONSTER!" Shadow bellowed, tears prickling his ruby red eyes as he held out a Chaos Spear.

"Shadow!" Rouge Bat, Shadow's best friend and partner at work, flew over and held his wrist. "Calm down Hon. What happened?"

"TOWERS!" Shadow roared out. "He… HE KILLED SHADIC!"

"WHAT?!" Rouge looked horrified as she turned to their commander. "Commander, why would you do that…?"

"Because that being is a MONSTER." Abraham snarled, turning away. "And monsters don't belong in Mobius."

Shadow hissed and fell to his knees, tears rolling down his cheeks as the human walked away. Rouge held him comfortingly.

"Shh, shh, calm down now, Hon," she told him. "Shh…"

"How can I calm down?!" Shadow sobbed. "I lost my son! My youngest son! He got killed in… in my watch! What would Sonic say?! He's going to be devastated! And the other kids?! What am I going to tell them about their brother?!"

"Oh, Shadow…" Rouge sighed. "You know that Sonic would never blame you for what happened. Neither of your other kids would,"

"But even if they don't, I WILL." Shadow hissed, trying to wipe his tears. "Because I KNOW that I'm to blame for all… this."

"Shadow, this isn't your fault," Rouge spoke to him firmly. "I'll be there to help you tell Sonic and the others. Don't worry,"

"Th-Thank you, Rouge,"

X

X

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Shadic screamed as he fell into the waterfall, which seemed to be endless as he fell. He soon reached the water with a big splash, causing him to hold his breath as tried to swim for help.

Soon after, he felt the water overpower him, causing him to stop swimming as he fell into the water. By instinct, a Chaos Bubble appeared around him and helped him to breathe as the water carried him off, through and within.

Finally, the bubble was lifted up into a surface, popping as the pup fell onto the grass. He groaned and glanced around tiredly.

"Wh-Where am I…?"

He slowly walked around, trying to find out where he was. His ears pinned, and he shuddered to find himself under the night sky. He held himself and dashed through the nearby trees. He made his way to a nearby cave and fell inside, causing him to hug himself and curl up to keep warm.

"M-Mama, Papa… where are you…?"

X

X

"Mom, where's Dad?" 25-year old Sauron Hedgehog-Robotnik asked as they all gathered back at the house. "And little Shadic?"

"Probably still playing at the fields," Sonic Hedgehog-Robotnik laughed as he made dinner. "You know how your little brother loves flowers,"

"Yeah, he really does," 23-year old Shellfish Hedgehog-Robotnik chuckled, laying her head on her hands lazily after such a long day.

"Ooh, I hope he brought some flowers back!" Shellfish's twin sister Sunshine Hedgehog-Robotnik squealed. "I love the flowers he always brings back!"

"If he always brings back flowers then he probably will," 22-year old Mauglie Hedgehog-Robotnik rolled his eyes.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Ah! That must be them now!" Sonic beamed. "Sauron, can you get the door? I'm still cooking the chili dogs,"

"Got it, Mom," Sauron nodded and zoomed to the door.

He turned the knob and opened the door, expecting to see his father and little brother back from playing. What he got, however, was his father tearing and gritting his teeth at the door while his aunt held him.

"D-Dad? A-Auntie Rouge? What… What happened? What's going on?"

"Why are you crying, Dad?" Sunshine asked worriedly.

"What?" Sonic turned the stove off and dashed to his husband. "Shads? Shads, what's wrong? Wh-Where's Shadic?"

"I… I'm sorry, Sonic, I…" Shadow fell to his knees again and broke down. "H-he's gone. Towers… he… he attacked us, and… and he killed him…"

"No, no, no, no, no…" Sonic gasped, horrified. "No, no, NO! THAT… THAT CAN'T BE!"

"Oh Chaos…" Sunshine gasped and was taken back, prompting Sauron to hold her comfortingly.

"How DARE TOWERS DO THIS?!" Shellfish yelled, her tears pricking her eyes as she hissed.

"He WILL PAY." Mauglie turned away as he swore the pledge. "He WILL pay for everything he's done to us."