Episode Three: Just Livin' by my Word
One would think that after years of experience in the acting business, Sonic would be at least capable of articulating even a sentence to speak with Shadow. However, he isn't even capable of spurting out noises as it seems his brain just malfunctioned. Meanwhile, Shadow blankly stares back at his brother, gasping as his anger slowly brews from within. Therefore, this leaves both brothers unable to communicate until one of these idiots begins blurting out words.
"Hello…," Sonic, the idiot, begins. His previous scripted dialogue flew out the window for him to even try to grab and there is no Plan B waiting for him. So, as an actor, he attempts to do what people in his profession calls "improv," albeit failing to do so in a perky voice, similar to his video game persona. "My name is Sonic the Hedgehog." He jabs his thumb against his chest for emphasis; Shadow is still processing what's he doing here. "You might know me from the highly successful video game series 'Sonic the Hedgehog' as...Sonic the Hedgehog-"
"Sonic, I already know who you-"
"Wait a mondo moment, my beloved fan." Sonic absentmindedly places his finger over Shadow's lips. "You must be shocked-astounded, even-by being up close to a celebrity as yours truly. However, you must believe that I am-was-a simple fiddler just like you-"
"Sonic, what are you doing here?" Shadow just stares at his brother. His anger slowly rises as he breathes through his nostrils to calm himself. He couldn't even think of any reasons that Sonic would come to visit at all unless he was paid to, even if he needed something, he wouldn't come to Shadow's doorsteps this late in the evening. Sonic takes a step back, hearing Shadow's words laced in venom. He knows that him helping him isn't going to be easy, but…
"Well," Sonic begins, rubbing the back of his neck. How exactly should I start this?
"This isn't the holidays, or Mom would have been forcing the three of us into a cage against our free will just to spend some quality time together. I didn't even know that you knew where I lived," Shadow's voice is solemn, expressing only indifference as he speaks.
"The internet is a vast bookshelf of resources," Sonic awkwardly grins, repeating Miles's statement. Shadow just glares at return, unamused. Tough crowd. "I know that…"
"That we never once talked truly since your 'big break' because stardom is way more important than your own family," Shadow's sudden interruption turns into a growl. "If you are doing this for brownie points, so I can tell Mom how wonderful you are for visiting, you could have just sent me a text. Although, I doubt that you have my phone number." Shadow's hand is still pinned to the edge of the door. He's tempted to slam in front of his brother's face; and yet, for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to do it.
"Well, that wasn't really my intention, but…" Sonic begins to sniff the air. "Hey, you're cooking!" The joyful expression whiplash across Shadow's bitter deposition, catching the black hedgehog off guard.
"Y-Yes, but-" Without a second spare, Shadow barely notices his brother spindashing inside the apartment, looking everywhere to discover where that delicious aroma was coming from. What just happened?
How did this happen? Shadow asks himself again, sitting in his tiny living room with the brother he couldn't stand emotionally as they are eating his dinner for one, which was unfortunately split into two. The small dinner lays out in front of them: vegan fettuccine alfredo, an italian-dressed salad, and a slice of carrot cake for the both of them. With his hand tittering his fork around the plate of pasta, Shadow's appetite is replaced by a knot in the presence of Sonic, who is gleefully slurping up the meal. The lack of table etiquette by this hedgehog is nowhere to be found. Words are failing to express the rapid emotions Shadow is dealing with at the moment. However, a question lingers in the air where one hedgehog would hope it would die out and the other grasps on it:
"What are you doing here?"
Unfortunately for Sonic, the powerful question enters the ring. Sonic gulps down the rest of the spaghetti, twirling his fork in the air to recollect his thoughts. He already made a fool of himself in front of Shadow, so what else is there to lose. His eyes, however, dazes around the room in hope for a divine providence...in the form of a flyer.
Shadow notices Sonic's glance toward the flyers he tossed to the side on the living room table. His brother's face is plastered on it with the contest's description detailed. Tikal had refused to take the remaining flyers away from him once he finished at work. He was going to throw them directly in the trash, but for some reason, Tikal pressed on to him to hang it on his apartment's bulletin board and would check if like an annoying phantom to see if he did the task ("I have people y'know").
"That's just-"
"You're thinking of auditioning…!" Sonic exclaims, stabbing his fork into the cake for it to stand.
"No, those were just-"
"Ah! You just made this a whole lot easier for me!" Sonic slouches back on the couch, before hurling forward, closer to Shadow's face. "A whole lot easier!"
"What are you talking about?"
"What am I…? This audition, of course!" Sonic grabs the paper, shoving the paper in Shadow's face. Shadow quickly snatches the flyer away from him, swallowing his food completely. "I mean, it would be a piece of work, but having you as the rival could possibly follow through." Shadow couldn't process what his brother is blabbering about. Him audition to be in a game-his game? Is Sonic out of his mind?
"I never once said I am going to audition!"
"Then, why the flyer?"
"The flyer? That was my wor-," Shadow takes a step back. "Wait, you want me to act with you?" Shadow keeps going regardless of his question. "Why? Am I some sort of last option for you in whatever grand scheme you're conducting?"
"...No…Not exactly," Sonic starts. "But, this could help both of us!"
Shadow ignores Sonic's last comment. "You're still the same. Why else would you come over to visit if it wasn't for your own gain?" Shadow stands up on his feet, hands locking a grip on Sonic's arm, pulling him rather aggressively to the doorway.
"Wait, Shadow, just let me-" Sonic struggles for him to release him. Since when did he have muscles?
"I tell Mom all about how you came to visit, so you can have that smiley sticker to please your heavenly soul," Shadow interrupts. I won't be a tool in whatever sick endeavors he want me to play-
"You could earn ten thousand dollars if you win…!"
Shadow instantly stops in his tracks, unconsciously letting go of Sonic's arm. "What?"
Got him. Sonic brushes himself off the ground. "Ten thousand dollars, you can get after the game is released." Sonic repeats, seeing a little spark in his brother's eye. Why is Tails always right? "But, obviously, you will be paid biweekly for all the rehearsals and stuff…"
"You're kidding." Yes, he has to be lying just to trick to part of his scheme, Shadow bit his bottom lip.
"Why would I kid about that! I live in a freakin' mansion!"
"And, yet you give Mom only a hundred dollars per month…"
"I do admit that I am a bit stingy, but SEGA is now growing since my last blockbuster!" Sonic says, confidently. "Heck, you can do all your research you want if you don't trust me, but—"
"What's in it for you?" Shadow feels that he needs for him to answer.
"Brotherly bonds…" Sonic reaches out for a hug in which Shadow smacks him in the head.
"Be serious," he growls at the younger.
"Humph, okay, fine. You hate my guts, right."
"Correct."
"And, me talking to you at this moment is giving me a headache."
"Get to the point."
"We can't stand each other. Your cooking and I can become friends on the other hand."
"Sonic."
"Fine, jokes aside," Sonic smirks. Shadow fails to notice a strain in his voice in the following statement. "If you do this for me, I will have an actor who won't care about the spotlight to be distracted on my sets. I need this production to work out in my favor that the company finally can respect me and my could-be executive choices one day. And, if you win and I can advocate for you, and then maybe...just maybe...they trust me."
"They don't trust you…," Shadow says, acknowledging the genuinity of his brother's address.
Sonic awkwardly chuckles. "Not really, since some minor incidents that occurred. I am hoping that after this game if it becomes successful, I can earn a spot on the top of the ranks. I don't want to be considered just...just a mascot to them. A little toy that they use when things get tough. I want to be my own toy!" He jumps to his feet before slouching back down. "I don't know if that even makes sense."
Shadow shakes his head in response. "Not really, but… Why me?"
Sonic shrugs. "I know well that you hate the spotlight and stardom won't taint your pure soul, dear brother of mine." He brings out a smile. "Also, if all things fail anyway, you still get full expenses and you leave and we'll never see each other again. How does that sound?"
Of course, at the end, that's how he wants it. Shadow sighs, looking at the flyer he snatches from before. "Tomorrow's the last audition…, I have to work tomorrow."
Sonic sighs, annoyed. "Can't you cut it short? I can pick you up."
"Perhaps…Wait, you can drive?"
"Psh, yeah! You must've forgotten how old I am!"
"Sixteen. How old am I?"
Sonic gulps. "Ah…"
"Exactly."
Sonic laughs, rubbing the back of his neck. "Ah! Just text me the time and place." Sonic flips a pen out his pocket, scribbling his number down on the flyer. His phone starts to beep. It's from Knux. "Just a friend of mine, I'll answer it later."
"Um…" Shadow nods solemnly, looking down at the number.
"...So, you're doing it?" Sonic asks. There is a bit of plea in his voice that Shadow notices. He knows Sonic has to be lying about some of the details of why he chooses his own brother out of anyone, but Shadow, for some reason he couldn't understand, just wants to trust him.
Shadow nods, mentally sneering at the sight of Sonic's eyes widening. "But, there's no guarantee that I will win the audition. I only acted in high school and that was sub-" Sonic interrupts him, grabbing his hand, shaking it frantically.
"Don't worry about that. Just leave it to me!" Sonic grins which instantaneously made Shadow regrets his choice. "See you tomorrow!" Sonic opens the door swiftly before turning to the confused hedgehog for the last time. "And...Um...Um...Thanks…" It is barely a mutter as he rushes back outside.
Shadow hesitantly closes the door before awkwardly settling down on his couch. He stares at the empty plate, the flyer, and his hand that Sonic so excitedly shook. He could only think back to the time where, when they were younger, before Sonic's stardom, when Sonic would shake his hand in a promise so frantically whenever Shadow became sublime to whatever Sonic wanted. Shadow sighs, slouching back on his couch, his fingers rubbing his temples. Even after all these years.
At the same time, Sonic rushes back inside to Knuckles's Tempest, avoiding eye contact from his friend's irritably persistent eyes. Knuckles just laughs to himself, driving off. After a few minutes passed, Sonic sighs out loud, remembering how giddy he felt as he shook his brother's hand. Why did I do that?
Despite the different emotions they are feeling, both hedgehogs did share the same thought that night in their respective places, realization finally dawning on them point blank as color drains from their faces: What have I done?
