"Ya know," started the red echidna, interrupting their meditation. "You technically have two birthdays."
Shadic took a moment to consider if they should respond, considering how important quiet during this time was for Knuckles, but decided since Knuckles himself broke it, it'd be fine.
"Really? How so?" the hedgehog times two questioned, turning multicolored eyes to the other. Knuckles leaned back, taking a more relaxed position on the grass beneath them.
"Well, I mean, you're kinda two people. So that's two birthdays."
"..." Shadic thought for a minute, frowning. "...Actually, that's not true. I- Shadow- wasn't born. He was created."
Knuckles huffed, as if annoyed with the other's argument.
"Well, he had to come from somewhere, so Creation Day, whatever." Knuckles didn't seem to notice the flinch at the term. "Actually, maybe three. Ya know, since you're not really Sonic or Shadow."

That seemed to concern Shadic, the hedgehog squared glancing nervously at the other.
"...Really?"
"Well, yeah! You're Shadic, you have your own likes and dislikes, your own sense of the world. You're both someone entirely new."
"Oh….. I see."

"Tails?"
The young fox kit lifted his head at the sound of his name, turning curiously towards the other.
"Oh, Shadic! How's it going?"
"We're... fine," Shadic said slowly, almost unsure of their words. "We have a question, if it's not an issue."
"Huh? Oh, sure! What is it?" Tails questioned, putting down the wrench he had just been using. Shadic looked embarrassed, as if the question was completely childish.
"Knuckles and us were talking and he said we technically have three birthdays," Shadic murmured out. "We wanted your input."
Tails hummed, leaning back. His small, fluffy face scrunched up as he thought.
"Weeell….." Tails drawled, pushing his current project away to rest his elbows on his desk. "It really depends if we count Shadic- you- as your own individual person or not."
Shadic frowned, twisting a ring on their wrist. They.. they didn't know whether they wanted to count as such. They mean, they are made of two people but they're not Sonic or Shadow. This Shadic thing was nice, like a built-in buddy system. They didn't feel alone. But having a birthday for this thing would be…. It felt too permanent. But Shadic didn't feel like dumping all this on his - Sonic's - eight year old brother.
"...We don't know." Shadic murmured, crossing their arms and looking away.
"Well, there's no need to decide, not now at least." Tails reassured, namesakes twitching behind. "Hate to say it but I've not made any more headway on how to separate you two. My research shows that Chaos Energy could be the cause but it's too, well, chaotic to really tell."
Shadic frowned but nodded. They understood the kit was doing the best he could. Shadic startled at soft fur rubbing against their leg and glanced down, spying a clearly upset Tails. Shadic set their mouth to a thin line, guilt swelling in their chest.
"...Tails?"
"Hm?"
"Do you- we mean, we know that you and Sonic were practically brothers and we know we haven't been the most brotherly? Would you prefer if we were more...Sonicily?"
Whoa, whoa, what were they saying? They… they didn't want to do that! It wasn't that they didn't care for Tails, just that…..
"MARIA!"
….That now wasn't a good time in his life to try to brother anyone really. They just…
It didn't feel right that he had taken someone from the kid's life, even though he didn't actually do that.
But he did! No, he didn't. He made his choice and he was just as stuck as he was. But-!
"What? Shadic, you're not Sonic!" the fox pulled them out of their head with his little almost exasperated tone of voice. "Look, I know Sonic and with what little I know of Shadow and the things I know about you, I can tell you're internalizing!"
Shadic frowned at how easily they were being read. It was weird to feel so vulnerable in front of someone at least seven years younger than you.
"Listen, I miss my brother, that's part of why I'm working so hard," Tails spoke like he was speaking to his little brother. "But I understand you're not him. Maybe one day if you're comfortable and still Shadic, you can be my brother too but you've been through a lot lately and in general. You need some time to be you before you're anyone's anything."
Shadic hummed and nodded. A small part of them felt proud of Tails' words.
"We understand. But we're still going to try to get over this!" Shadic admitted, determined. They didn't give up a challenge so easily!
Tails snorted, shaking his head.
"Of course you are. I look forward to it."

Shadic stirred the cookie dough mechanically, flour comedically covering their apron and the tip of their nose. They glanced over at Amy, who was halfway in her cabinet looking for sprinkles for the cookies.
"Rosebud?" they said quietly. She let out a cry of triumph and then pain as she found the sprinkles and then bumped her head on the top of the cabinet.
"Ow- Yeah, Shadic?" her voice echoed as she crawled out.
"Um, are you alright?" Shadic questioned, not sure to be concerned or not. Amy waved their words away with her free hand, pulling out with dusty, pastel pink quills.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine! Now, what's up?"
"Uh, what would your reaction be if we had three birthdays?"
Amy rose to her feet, taking the bowl from them and scooping the dough onto a pan.
"Plan out another cake and party." her tone was casual, as if the question had already been answered a long time ago.
"Oh. Wait," Shadic did a double take. "Did you say another?"
"Oh, yeah." the pink hedgehog brushed quills out of her face, she was growing it out, as she placed the pan in the pre heated oven. "I've already planned out Sonic and Shadow's, the only problem is I don't know when Shadow was born, or, rather, made."
Amy looked at them expectantly. Shadic blinked, dumbfounded.
"Uh ...June 19." they forced out. Amy smiled brightly and brushed the dust off herself.
"Alright! Now, what flavor of cake do you want?"