Third Person POV
Sonic glanced down at Shadow's sleeping form in the hover chair. He didn't know what to do or think at the moment. He had never seen the Ultimate Lifeform so exhausted. Guess he would have to wait until tomorrow to hear about what Shadow had seen. Aviva rushed to his sleeping comrad's side to check on him.
"He's alive, thank goodness," Chris stated. She breathed a sigh of relief then checked his pulse and made sure he didn't have a fever. Her eyes fell to his rings, and she traced a finger over the cold metal.
"I don't remember those markings being there..."
"They're new," Sonic answered, "They showed up after he absorbed some weird energy from a copy of the Master Emerald in a cave."
"What is the Master Emerald? You mentioned something about it earlier," Martin asked.
"The Master Emerald controls the seven Chaos Emeralds and grants or takes away their power," he explained, "It usually rests on Angel Island, a floating island in Mobius. My friend Knuckles is its guardian. But sometimes he has to leave it when we need his help. Rouge, GUN agent and Shadow's partner, likes to try to steal it. She has an...eye for precious jewels."
"But what does that have to do with Shadow? He's just a hedgehog. Right?" Jimmy wondered. Sonic looked away uneasily. He wasn't sure if he should divulge that kind of information. Shadow was a very reserved person, and Sonic doubted that he would want him to say anything.
"He's not just a hedgehog. He's the Ultimate Lifeform. But that means that his body thrives off of chaos energy or something close to it. That's why he doesn't eat or sleep much. He lives off the stuff that's emitted from the emeralds and living things."
"So what your saying is that Shadow must have taken in that energy," Aviva caught on, "And from the looks of it, too much."
"Yeah. Hopefully, he'll wake up soon."
"Maybe I should run some tests, just to make sure he's ok."
"NO!" Sonic glared, a look the humans had never seen, and they were surprised by its hardness, "We've already made it very clear that neither of us will be taking any tests."
"Ok! Ok!" Aviva held her hands up defensively and slowly backed away from both mobians.
"Point taken," Martin smiled, easing the tension that had suddenly built up in the room. Sonic visibly relaxed and sat down in the chair beside Shadow.
"Sorry," he said, rubbing his face with one hand, "It's just...I've never seen him like this, so...vulnerable. He's always the tough one. The one that never shows weakness in the face of a threat. In every adventure we've been through together, he's always the one that keeps us all on track and faces every challenge head on..."
"Sounds like he's not just a rival," Chris stated. Sonic smirked.
"Oh, no. Friend would be too scandalous."
Everyone laughed, then Jimmy looked at the clock. It was getting late and he was tired. "Well, guys, I'm hittin' the sack," he said as he stretched his arms and yawned, "Night!"
"Night, Jimmy!" they all waved. Chris scooped Shadow out of the chair and carried him back to the brothers' bedroom. If not for the seriousness of the moment, Sonic would have laughed. Instead, he shot Chris a quizzical look.
"Our rooms are a lot more comfortable," he explained, "You and Shadow can sleep in there tonight. I know those cots aren't the most comfortable things in the world, and Shadow needs all the rest he can get."
"Thanks, Chris," Sonic said with a signature thumbs up, and he followed the brothers into their spacious bedroom.
They each had their own half of the room and decorated accordingly. Martin's wall was painted blue with an underwater theme. His bed covers were royal blue and had pillows that had fish designs on their cases. He even had a little aquarium, but how it survived being in a "mobile home/ plane" was beyond the blue hedgehog His half was a bit messy, and Sonic was surprised that Martin could find anything.
Chris seemed more organized. His half was mostly different shades of green with jungle wallpaper. His bed was leafy green and had clean white pillows. A small bookcase overflowing with books on creatures and biomes was set neatly in an out-of-the-way corner.
The far wall had a massive walk-in closet and work tables on either side. Random assortments of shells, leaves, rocks, and animal teeth littered both tables, as well as a microscope and other gadgets Sonic couldn't quite name.
Chris gently laid the sleeping mobian on his bed and pulled the covers over him. Sonic watched patiently, for once, and waited to see where he was going to sleep. Martin patted his bed, motioning Sonic over.
"You can sleep here with him. Me and Chris can use our hammocks in the control room," he whispered. Sonic gave a grateful smile.
"Thanks," he whispered back and climbed into the bed, "Good night, guys."
"Good night," they whisper-shouted and left the room. However, Sonic had little intention of going to sleep just yet. As soon as they shut the door, he slid out from under the blankets and tiptoed around the room. His curiosity drove him to Chris's work desk. Under a stack of thick books about rock-climbing and zip-lining, he saw a plain leather bound book. Careful not to topple the mini tower, he gently pulled out the book. It didn't have a label. As quietly as he could, he opened it and let out a short gasp. The book was filled sketches and notes on him and Shadow. Page after page, it was filled with professional drawings and detailed notes. A pic of Sonic eating a chili dog. Him and Shadow racing. Shadow in his usual position with arms crossed and a frown. The two of them arguing. Shadow trying to figure out how his camera worked when he first got it. Sonic napping in a high tree branch. Them standing on the roof of the Tortuga in midflight.
Sonic's eyes scanned over the notes on the pages.
Entry 1,
I finally have a use for this old book. Two strange animals literally FELL out of a weird portal when Martin and I were racing our buzz-bikes. Both are male. And they say they are mobian hedgehogs. I've never seen anything like them!
And he went on to describe what they looked like. That took up the whole first column of the first page. On the other side was a detailed sketch of them looking around the room of the Tortuga for the first time. Sonic had to admit, he was a good artist.
Each entry went on to describe the way they acted, what they ate, and what their habits were. Sonic was a little freaked out by how much Chris had noticed about them, but the man was a scientist after all. He would have to show Shadow whenever he woke up. Eventually, he set it back under the other books and crawled into his assigned bed. In only a few minutes of trying to forget how much it looked like he was under water, he fell fast asleep...
Aviva's POV
I woke up bright and early the next day and changed out of my pj's and into my regular clothes. I figured that I would go check on Shadow later. I had never seen him so put out, but hopefully a good night's sleep has him refreshed and better than ever. I tiptoed out of the bedroom, careful not wake Koki. She gets cranky this early in the morning. I walked into the kitchen and poured myself a hot cup of coffee and sat down at the table.
"Mmmm...," I said to myself as I took a long sip. I tapped a button on my creature pod and a hologram of today's itinerary appeared. Well, my itinerary anyway. The boys don't usually make plans for their day. As I reviewed, a flash of light erupted behind me before returning to normal. I had to cup a hand over my mouth to keep from screaming. A deep, sleepy voice rumbled behind me.
"Is there any coffee left?"
"Shadow! You're awake!" I squealed, overjoyed that he at least sounded ok, if not a little tired still. I spun around in my chair to see him and held back a laugh but epically failed. His quills were all over the place and looked more like a lion's mane than the straight sharp daggers I was used to seeing. I had no idea he could get bed-head! He growled when he saw my reaction and pushed the unruly mess into its normal position, but most of them refused to be tamed.
"I asked if there was any coffee left," he stated firmly. He was grumpier than usual, and that's saying something. I smiled and pointed at the half-full coffee mug on the counter. He rolled his eyes, as I fought another laughing fit, and poured himself a mug.
"What's so funny?" he finally asked. I controlled myself long enough to answer him.
"Your quills. They're all over the place."
He groaned audibly and raked his fingers through them, until they eventually returned to their usual state. Then he took a sip of his coffee. To be honest, its the first time I've seen him drink anything besides water. His ears perked up, his red eyes widened, and his quills flared. He wiped a few droplets that had escaped his mouth and stared down the cup.
"What's...in this? Coffee at GUN never tastes this good," he asked. The girly girl inside of me squealed, Oh my goodness! He's so adorable! I could just squeeze him! Instead, I got up and pulled out a couple of creamers. I showed him the one that read Vanilla on the front and then pulled out a carton of milk from the fridge. (Author's note: Don't judge ma taste in coffee! I can't stand it black! Btw, comment what's your fave type of coffee). He glanced at the two ingredients curiously, and reminded me of a little kid that had seen a new candy in the store window.
"Haven't you ever heard of creamer?" I asked. He shook his head and resumed his cold persona. I frowned and put the ingredients back. Why is he always so hard and serious? I know he mentioned something about his friend Maria passing away a long time ago, but what else is there? I decided to ignore the bazillion questions in my head and try to work up a conversation with him.
"Do you think Sonic would want some?"
He looked like he about choked, "NEVER give that fak-hedgehog coffee. He's hyper enough as it is. Caffeine would make him go insane."
I took this as my opportunity to learn more about them, but inwardly wondered why he decided to not use his favorite nickname for Sonic, "But, if you are both super speeding hedgehogs and collect so much energy already, why aren't you...for lack of a better turn, um...bouncing off the walls?"
Something that sounded like a restrained chuckle rumbled from the back of his throat as he took another sip. He looked up at me and smirked, "I am very goood at hiding it," he said as he set down the now empty mug, "Now if you will excuse me, I need a run." In a few seconds, he zoomed out of the Tortuga in a red streak to who knows where. I laughed.
"Suuuuuure," I said aloud, " Very good at hiding it."
"Good at hiding what?" a second voice asked. It was Sonic, and he was wide awake.
"I let Shadow have some coffee before he went out on a run," I explained. He grinned when I showed him the empty cup.
"He said he was good at hiding how hyper he gets," I added, "But I think he just disproved himself."
"Yeah. He can hold a straight face for about five minutes, but then he usually gets so hyped he has to run for HOURS to burn off the caffeine," he laughed, "But that's one thing he's actually beaten me at. It only took five seconds before I took a six day trip across the globe!"
(Another Author's note: sorry! I'm thinking about writing a one-shot about Shadow, Sonic, and Silver all trying coffee for the first time. Should I do it? Comment: Coffee? Yes! if I should and Nah if not. Thx. Now back to the story!)
Everyone else began to file into the kitchen, and we all made ourselves breakfast. Martin and Chris were the last ones to stumble into the room. They weren't used to getting up this early, but the sound of Shadow speeding must have woken them. Speaking of which, Chris volunteered to check on him to see if he was up.
"Don't bother," Sonic answers with a laugh before I could, "He's on Hyper Drive. He won't be back until sunset at the soonest."
"What?" everyone but me asked. This time, I stepped in.
"This morning I let him have some coffee, then he went out on another one of his runs."
Sonic smirked, "And the first rule, which was learned the hard way back home, is never give a supersonic hedgehog caffeine."
"Shadow mentioned something about a gun not having good coffee," I added. The little blue hedgehog busted out laughing.
"GUN is an organization, not a thing. It stands for Guardian Unit of Nations. It's kinda like a spy agency, only everybody knows it exists."
I felt like an idiot, "He said their coffee wasn't that great."
"I'll bet," he chuckled and looked like he was remembering something funny. When he stopped thinking about it, he answered, "It's decaf."
Somewhere hundreds of miles away: Shadow's POV
I. Have. Never. Felt. More. ALIVE! Whatever that woman puts in that coffee is nothing short of a miracle! I feel like I could run forever without stopping. Nothing can stand in my way! All of the enemies of the past cannot hold a candle to my power now! Not even Sonic can keep up with me! And not to mention the added power that I absorbed last night has left me feeling wide awake.
I skated faster and faster with each step I took, breaking the sound barrier with ease, and not even noticing the obstacles that stood in my way. My mind was buzzing and my body felt like it was about to go numb. Any hope of remaining focused on any one thing was shattered seconds after I took off. I scaled the mountain called Everest with ease, stopping at the top only to plot my next course. Ever since the first time me and the other two (fak-no, I can't call him that-Sonic and the time-traveler) had coffee, we had begun an unintentional competition to see who could do the most while under the influence of caffeine. Since Sonic took longer to lose the effects he usually won. But this time I was really buzzing. And I mean REALLY buzzing. I skated across the Himalayas and into China, where I made the Great Wall look like a race track.
Then I skated all the way across the continent and into Africa. Cheetahs looked like they were standing still because of how fast I was going. Mt. Kilimanjaro was a great place. I practically made a red and black tornado around it by going around it in dizzying circles. The volcanos were by far my favorite. I don't mind the extreme heat, and I carved my initials in the side of one with my skates. Then I went on to the jungles of the Congo. It was tricky navigating, but I loved the challenge. I even had a little fun teasing the crocodiles, not that Sonic would ever catch me doing it. He'd never let me live it down. But when you're hyper you don't think straight. Now, where was I going?
I spent hours racing around the globe, across oceans, deserts, glaciers, jungles, and mountains. But I felt most connected to the Asian continent. The only explanation I can come up with is that I now bear the heart of it inside me.
I slowed down a few miles away from the Tortuga at sunset. For a moment I just leaned against a tree as the effects of the coffee began to wear off, bringing on a light headache that faded after a few minutes. I decided that it would be best to walk the rest of the way. My ears twitched as a padding sound reached them. I instinctively got into a fighting stance and slowly motioned closer to it. There was a low growl, and I ducked as a large furry form lunged over me. It was tiger, and a big one at that. She bared her teeth at me, and looked dead set on killing me. Wait! How'd I know it was a she?! She took another step closer, but this time I held her gaze. I would not back down from a challenge. She leaped toward me, but this time I grabbed her front two paws and glared at her, holding them tight as she tried to wriggle free.
"Enough!" I ordered, not sure about the reason why. The big cat stopped, and her chocolate brown eyes searched my ruby ones as I let go. It was as if something clicked. She nodded her noble head and strode up to me. Since she wasn't attacking, I allowed her to come close, but I was still poised for any last second attack. She brushed her side against me and nearly toppled me over. She chuffed like a giant house cat when I began pet her. I could actually feel the rumbling sensation as it vibrated from her throat. She placed her two massive front paws on my shoulders, practically sitting me down. She curled around me and pulled me deeper into her orange, white, and black-striped fur.
"Oof! Hey! Lemme-umph-let me go!" I tried to say as she smothered me and began to lick me. One word: DISGUSTING! "Cut that out!"
She completely ignored my demands and only strengthened her grip whenever I tried to escape. Now I know how Sonic feels when he's in one of Amy's death hugs. If things couldn't get even more embarrassing, I heard familiar footsteps coming closer. Of all people! I inwardly groan.
Sonic's POV
I had decided to make sure Shadow made it back ok after I got back from a "creature adventure" with the bros. As crazy as it sounds, he attracts as much trouble as me when he's on his own. I thought I heard his voice behind a thicket and stumbled upon the wildest thing I had ever seen.
There sat the biggest tiger I had ever seen, and Shadow was caught underneath it in its paws, lying on his stomach, head in his palm, drumming his fingers on the dirt with an angry scowl. If he noticed me, refused to look me in the eye and growled when the cat began to lick him on the top of his head, easily maneuvering around his razor-blade quills.
"Stop that!" he snapped and tried to swat at the tiger's face behind him, only for it to use one of its front paws to lower his hand-claws sheathed. I couldn't help the laughing fit that came over me. The scene reminded me of the Lion King movie I had watched with the humans a few nights ago back in Africa. It was only its sheer weight that held Shadow down. He glared daggers at me.
"Shut up, and get her off me," he barked and tried to break free, only to be pinned down once again. I wonder why he didn't call me faker?
"Okay," I said between laughs, "I'm on it."
But as soon as I took one step towards them, the tiger leaped up and pushed Shadow behind her. I backed away slowly, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Shadow sneaking as far away from the feline as possible. But that left me standing face to face with an angry cat. A very big and powerful angry cat.
"Now, now," I said nervously, "Nice kitty. I'm not gonna hurt ya. I'm just the distraction. Hehe. Nice kitty." Uh oh, she's about to pounce! "Nice kitty?!" I let out a yelp and barely dodged her. "Shadow! A little help would be nice!"
"Climb! She's too heavy to follow you!" I heard him yell from a branch somewhere above me. Without another thought, I scaled up a tree and watched as the tiger circled beneath me, letting out unintelligible growls and snarls. I scanned the treetops and found Shadow perched on a branch not too far away. I grabbed a vine and swung over to him and landed expertly on the same branch. He was either too focused or too prideful to say thank you for me "rescuing him" or to comment on my totally rad vine-swinging technique. The tiger ran and tried to climb up the tree we were currently sitting in, only to slide back down and leave deep claw marks on the sides. She roared and growled up at us, but what was really weird was Shadow's reaction.
"No! Now leave me alone already! I'm not your cub!" he shouted. I gave a confused look, and wondered if he'd gone loopy from the caffeine this morning. It wouldn't surprise me, if I was being totally honest. It looked like something in his head had suddenly registered, and for once he looked embarrassed, which was really strange. He looked back down at the tiger and refused to look me in the eye.
"You can't understand her, can you?" he asked. I just stared at him wide-eyed. He can understand that big cat?!
"You can understand it?!"
"Her," he corrected, "and from the looks of it...yes," he mumbled the last word so low I had to strain to hear him.
Shadow's POV
What in the name of Chaos is wrong with me?! I'm not supposed to be able to understand animals! I am the Ultimate Lifeform, but talking to animals isn't one of my abilities. What's happening?!
Come down here, right now! You'll fall! the tigress demanded, and reminded me of a worried mother. I sat on the branch and crossed my arms, letting my legs dangle freely.
"Make me," I challenged. Then I realized how much I sounded like a child. She only growled in annoyance.
It's getting late. We need to get back to the den!
"No! I'm not your cub! NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!" I roared. Her ears drooped and her tail, which had been flicking anxiously, now limply fell to the ground. Understanding dawned on her, and she turned away to leave.
Very well. You just seemed so alone out here in the jungle, once I realized that you were too strong to become my next meal. I wanted to give you a home, and I have always wanted a male cub. I have two daughters that are with their father back at the den. You look close enough to pass as a some kind of rare black tiger with red stripes instead of orange. But...I understand that you do not wish to be with me... I'm sure you have a home to go back to. It was foolish to think that you would want to come home with me...
A pang of rare guilt shot through me, as I watched her stalk away. I ignored Sonic's warning and leaped out of the tree.
"Wait!" I called. She stopped and turned to face me. Now that I had her attention, I had no idea what to say. "I'm...sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out like that. I am honored that you would consider me, but you're right. I do have a...place I need to be. But perhaps some time I could come by to visit?"
It was a poor apology, but it was the only thing I could think of on the spot. She padded back up to me and curled around me. I guess it's the cat way of giving a hug. I grimaced at the show of affection. Displaying or understanding emotions never was one of my strong suits.
Get down here, she ordered softly, again reminding me once again of a mother. I reluctantly knelt down to her level, and she caressed my cheek with her muzzle before licking me behind the ear. It tickled, and I couldn't hold back the smile to save my life. I had one weak spot, and she found it.
"Thank you for understanding," I whispered. She chuffed.
Even though you are not one of my own, I want you to know that if you ever need a home, you have one here.
I gazed into those two deep brown eyes of hers and saw clear wisdom and care. Never has someone offered me a place so freely-it was a strange feeling. One I didn't recognize, but I liked it all the same. She gently head-butted me before walking away.
Goodbye, my dear. Stay safe, she called and flicked her striped tail.
"I will!" I waved. For a moment, I just stood there with a hand to my cheek and a strange, light feeling in my chest. It had to have been the power of the world heart. Sonic hopped out of the tree and bounded towards me.
"What was that all about?" he asked simply. I myself didn't even know. It all happened so fast. When she had first spoken to me, I assumed it was just a mobian thing. But then Sonic said he couldn't understand a word she said. Then it dawned on me, and I looked down at my inhibitor rings. The twisting leafy designs glowed dimly for a moment before fading. That confirmed it.
"Shads? You ok? You're not gonna pass out on me again, are ya?"
"No, no," I said quickly, "I think that...when I took in that emerald'e power I...may have gained some new abilities," I answered slowly, trying to conceal the wonder in my own voice. Sonic cocked his head to the side, some crazy habit of his when he gets curious. If it surprised him, he didn't show it.
"Speaking about that, you promised to tell me what you saw."
I kept my calm composure with little difficulty and began to tell him about the telepathic conversation. We were both sitting down, me on a log and him in front of me with his legs crossed Indian style. His expressions were priceless. He gave me his full attention, for once, as I told him about the voice of Lakit and how she gave her power to me. Then how her dying wish was that I go to the other continents and do the same. But when I reached the part where she had mentioned that he was my brother, I hesitated. I came so close to saying it. But just as the words were on my tongue, memories flooded my mind. How I would fight him to the death without mercy. The constant threats I would throw at him with every intention of carrying them out. The beating I gave him when we first met. The Ark. The Black Arms. Every time I called him "faker" or "pathetic." The millions of insults I had slung his way. I had been the worst brother anyone could imagine. I, Shadow the Hedgehog, couldn't bring myself to admit that crucial piece of truth.
"And you know the rest," I finished off instead. I would tell him. Soon. But just not right now. I need to wait and process this myself, and Sonic provided an easy distraction.
"Oh, come on! How come you get all the cool new powers?" he whined, looking and acting just like a little kid.
"Because, I am the Ultimate Lifeform," I smirked. That was one thing that hadn't changed at least.
He rolled his eyes, "Whatever. But that means we need to go to every continent on this planet, so you can save it. Looks like we'll be here a bit longer then."
Though he didn't show it, I knew he was sad about having to stay. My first instinct was to cheer him up, "But that means we can look for the other Chaos Emeralds along the way. We can do both. And besides, I thought you were always the one that liked a good adventure."
Sonic's POV
Did Shadow just try to cheer me up? Maybe he's still a little hyper after all. We both stood.
"Hey, I'm always up for a good adventure. I just hope that it won't tire you out, Gramps," I jeered. He only looked up and shook his head, exasperated.
"Come on, pipsqueak. Those humans are probably worried about us."
"Pipsqueak?!" I demanded. He smirked.
"Yeah. I figured it was high time I found a different name for you. Faker was getting kinda old," he explained and began to skate back to the Tortuga. What is up with him lately? Faker was his favorite insult! I am so figuring out what is up with him later.
I raced after him in a blue blur, ha! Get it? Cause that's what they call me back home? Aw, forget it. I caught up to him just as the Tortuga came into view. The Wild Kratts were setting up a place to roast marshmellows. These guys are super laid back, which is totally fine with me. But after what Shads just told me, it looks like this will be out last night in Asia for a while. I knew he didn't tell me all of the story, but I'm sure he has his reasons. If it's important, then I know he'll tell me eventually.
"There you two are!" Aviva exclaimed and ran to greet us. She was excited about something. She held out two creature pods: one royal blue and green and the other black and red.
"I made these two for you guys, so we can stay in touch," she explained. Me and Shads took the little devices and studied them. They looked pretty easy to use, and I began flipping through the settings. A quick glance over showed that Shadow was doing the same.
"Thanks! These are sweet," I said, and she practically beamed. Shadow only nodded in agreement, still studying the piece of tech. Aviva's smile dropped.
"Don't worry about Mr. Dark and Gloomy," I told her, "He's like that even with his closest teammates."
She seemed reassured, so we all gathered around the campfire. Shadow retold his experience with the heart of the continent and explained his new task, only this time with a bit more flare. I had no idea he was such a good story teller. Without blinking, the crew agreed to help us without us even asking.
The rest of the night was full ghost stories and pranks. I even got a picture of Shads when he tried marshmallows for the first time. He had the sticky goop everywhere but was quick to lick it off his fingers. He went on to tell of his road trip across the globe. Again, the guy is a master story teller! Everyone would laugh when he would describe the local people's reactions when he would zoom by on his hyper rush. But pretty soon, he allowed everyone else to talk, and he faded into the background like he usually did at parties and get-togethers. It's sad really, how he is so close to opening up but then clamps down at the last second.
I got tell the part of when I found him underneath the tiger. They all gaped at him with big eyes, and he looked away uncomfortably. When they all heard me say that we found out Shadow got a new power, they leaped. Or Jimmy's case, fainted.
"You can talk to animals!?" Martin and Chris yelled in excitement. I can only guess that they'll wanna take him on a lot more creature adventures.
"Yes," he answered curtly and stood up, acting like he wanted to leave.
But then a booming roar, the loudest I've ever heard, echoed through the air. Shadow's eyes filled with panic before he dashed off into the jungle.
Cliffy! I know, but I gotta keep ya on your toes. Sorry it took so long 2 update. Writer's block and all that. I know this one was a bit longer than usual. Hopefully it wasn't too long. Anyways, c ya later!