Sonic & Shadow: Meet my siblings
Requested by Tocky
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MANIC: hey Sonic! We're in town so I thought we could all meet up someplace and catch up? Plz reply soon-
Sonic usually didn't use his phone, so he thought himself very lucky to catch this message. Only two hours after it was sent. Anyway, he should probably reply right now before his siblings could give up on him and go to the airport… Though what should he write? He frowned at his phone. "could all meet up someplace and catch up"? Here? –he took a good look at his room. The mess of it – the clothes and souvenirs strewn around carelessly, unmade bed and… actually, what was that supposed to be?
…Yeah, no. A restaurant then?
"Rainy day tomorrow?"
Sonic looks up, and Shadow looks down at him from the doorway.
"Rain?" Sonic echoes, uncomprehending.
"You looked sour," Shadow says. He gives him a look, still hovering at the door, and Sonic takes his chance:
"Know any good restaurants?"
He gives him another look, clearly spelling out what are you up to, and says, "There is a place in Night Babylon-"
Ten minutes and many miles later, the both of them perched on bar stools at a high table near the window of the restaurant, and Sonic reveals something really shocking, something completely astounding, something-
"You have siblings?"
"Yep!" Sonic chirped. "Don't worry, I'm sure they'd love to meet you!" Shadow was just about to begin his reply, when Sonic's hand shot out to point. "Look! There they are! Hi guys, over here!" At his shout several guests turned they heads, but Shadow's focus was narrowed down to the hedgehog duo at the doors. Shadow's first thought was – I see no resemblance. But… no, that wasn't quite true…
"Sonic!" the green one called back, waving. His quills were in a styled disarray, and he had piercings and a strange necklace. The sister had a necklace too – and a short dress with long purple gloves, lilac quills cut short with long bangs. Family. Sonic had never told Shadow, so of course Shadow wonders about their parents. Feels… disappointed that Sonic didn't tell him. Is still amazed by the fact that Sonic has siblings.
"It's been ages!" Green one added, as they reached the table. Shadow planned to stay out of things, observe – but then Sonic slung an arm around Shadow's shoulders, like he knew what he was planning and was going to prevent it, just because he could. "This," he said, "Is Shadow!
"And that's my twin sis Sonia, and our little baby brother Manic."
Twins, even? Sonia held out her hand while subtly examining him, and Shadow did the same. Manic looked affronted, and muttered something which made Sonic grin, after which Sonic jumped out of his chair to hug the both of them. Shadow sat back, smiling the faintest of smiles as he watched them. Sonic, happy as can be, Manic, teasing him to which Sonic replied fast as ever, and Sonia, holding them both with the expression of a proud big sister…
…don't go down that road of thought. Shadow pushes the past away, just as Sonic tries to ruffle Manic's quills and the younger hedgehog swats his hand away, breaking their hug. So Sonic reclaims his seat, while Manic and Sonia takes the two remaining ones. They all look at each other, an awkward silence brewing…
"So Shadow, huh?" Manic says. Shadow nods. "What do you do? No, wait – how did you meet Sonic?"
"I'm a GUN agent. And…" …should he actually be telling this story to Sonic's siblings? As in; I tried to destroy the world, he stopped me, and then we fought to the death atop a space station?
"We met in a forest!" Sonic cuts in cheerfully. "Dreadful weather that day though – earthquakes and what not." Bombs, and what not.
"In a forest?" Sonia asks, quirking an eyebrow. "Alright, so according to the news you've been up to your ears saving the world…" maybe she had had a point, but she slowly trailed off, an unsaid echo of I haven't seen you for years in the air. "…Last I saw you, you had adopted that fox boy?" she said, hesitating.
"Yeah. Has it really been that long?" Sonic looks so serious, wistful, for a moment there that Shadow just sits and looks at him, transfixed. "I'm sorry I didn't bring him – Tails is probably busy with his workshop."
"So why didya bring Shadow?" Manic asks, looking curious. "No offense, Shad. Can I call you Shad?"
No. "None taken."
"Well…" Sonic begins, stalling. And that's when the waitress conveniently pops up, and Sonic and Manic forgets everything not related to fast food. Sonia orders salad, and Shadow orders a dish Rouge usually picks, and Sonic somehow manages to order soda for everyone. And then the great battle of chivalry begins: who's going to pay for this?
"I'll pay," Sonic says immediately.
"No, we do," Manic retorts. "We make heaps of cash in the music industry, so it's clear that we should treat you guys."
"I ordered the most," Sonic quickly fires back. "Let me pay, since I haven't seen you two in forever."
"That could be said for us, too," Sonia says. "I even have my credit-card with me-"
So of course Sonic had to come up with another argument, which Manic quickly beats down with an imaginary stick, and finally Shadow has had enough and just takes his credit card and slips away to the counter. He pays, and returns to a small-scale domestic between the three siblings, and so he announces, "I paid, so could you all be so kind as to shut up?"
They do, and look quite awkward for a moment. And then Sonic starts eating, everyone quickly following suit. Sonic and Manic have equally horrifying table manners, though Shadow's used to it and doesn't comment as he picks at his own food. Sonia, however, looks put out for three long minutes before finally snapping, "Could you chew with your mouths closed, please?"
"Not this again…" groans Manic.
"I'll said it as many times as needed 'till you remember it!" Sonia says haughtily. And then at Sonic: "And, somehow, you haven't learned any table manners at all since I last saw you…"
"He's a lost cause, I'm afraid," says Shadow.
"Not you too!" Manic exclaims. "Why are all the people I know such posh-"
"It's not even slightly posh to not eat like a monkey!" Sonia interrupts. "That's just basic-"
"Okay, okay!" Manic waves his hands exasperatedly, almost knocking over his bottle of soda. "I get it! Jeez, it isn't like we're eating with some new pop-stars or whatever." He glances at Shadow. "And no offense to you."
"It's great that you're still into the music business," Sonic chimes in. "Do you have a band or…? I know you've been touring around, but that's about it."
"We've got another guitarist, that's all." And here, Sonia gives Sonic a very loaded look. Sonic looks her in the eyes for a moment, and then he shrugs, looking away…
"We used to have a band," explains Manic, after taking a look at Shadow. "Though then Sonic quit, so we couldn't really be the 'Sonic Underground' anymore, haha."
Shadow nods, slowly. It should be surprising that Sonic had been in a band… but then it wasn't, because it actually fit really well. Sonic couldn't go a day without showing off, and he had a loud voice – a nice voice, a voice that makes people look up and care and listen. He even kept a guitar in that mess he called a room, knew break-dancing for some inexplicable reason… He had been in a band. Certainly, why shouldn't he have been?
"…our songs still kick ass, though," Sonic says after a moment, like he isn't sure whether he's allowed to say anything.
"Yeah!" Manic agrees enthusiastically. "The new songs sis has been writing though – they are the best, for real."
"Agreed," Sonic says. "I've heard some of them on the radio. You two are getting really good at this."
"I know!" Manic exclaims, and they all look at him… including two other guests in the vicinity. "Why don't we ask if we can perform in here? Just one song, for old times' sake?"
Sonic blinks, and then he looks at his siblings for a long moment. Shadow can see his hesitation – and puts a hand on his shoulder, nods when Sonic glances at him. And Sonic grins. "Alright. One song, for old times' sake."
