Chapter 8

At the castle, Arelia and Rouge were talking. The guard burst through the doors panting. The queen and servant looked at him wondering what happened. When he nodded, their eyes widened.

Arelia and Rouge ran down the halls to the balcony.

"Wait!" Rouge said. Arelia turned to her friend. She fixed her hair and smiled, but Arelia was nervous. "I told you she would come."

"What if she dosen't like me?" she said.

"Don't worry," Rouge said. "She'll love you no matter what happened. But you have to tell her the truth about her father."

Arelia looked down and Rouge hugged her. "But for now go see your daughter. You've been waiting long enough."

Rouge left leaving Arelia alone facing the doors. She pushed them open and saw Shade and Shadow turning to face her. Shade walked forward slowly as did Arelia. They stared at each other for a brief moment before Arelia reached out and put her hand on Shade's cheek.

"Leia?" she asked.

"...I actually go by Shade...mom..."

The 2 of them hugged each other and cried a little. Being reunited with someone can make you do that. They knelt down still hugging when Shadow was about to walk away. Arelia looked up and held out her hand. He thought it was a handshake, but instead Arelia pulled him in the group hug also.

Inside the castle, Shade was in a different dress. She wore a white dress with black accents and a red sash below her chest. The tiara was on her head. Because her hair was cut, it stood up instead of down. She was walking around with her mom.

"Leia, I mean, Shade," she started. "I have to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"It's about you father." Arelia struggled to find the words. "You see wasn't an honest man after we had you. He was actually a...bad guy of some sorts."

"Ooh, at least he wasn't like da- I mean Mephiles, right?" Shade chuckled but her mom didn't. Her smiled faltered, "You mean, he...really is my dad?"

"I'm so sorry. He was so nice to me and kind and sweet, but then one day, he just stopped being that man and turned into something else. A villain. After he abused me I banished him and I never saw him again...until the night he took you from me. Before he left he gave me this crown that he made with his powers. I don't why I still keep it. I might have a tiny bit of love left for him and hoping one day that he'll change back to the man he was before. But he probably won't..."

Shade looked down about to cry. The same man who she thought was horrible was actually her dad. She turned to face her mom. "Hey."

Arelia faced her crying.

"Better now than later, right?"

Arelia smiled and wiped her tears away. They put an arm around each other and walked outside to the plaza.

The kingdom danced around with music playing, people laughing, and everyone cheering.

Shadow: Well, you can figure out what happened next. The kingdom rejoiced, their lost princess had returned. The party lasted for an entire week, and honestly I don't remember most of it.

Knuckles was playing the piano and Rouge and some other girls crowded around him.

Shadow: Dreams came true all over the place. That guy, right there, went on to become the most famous concert pianist in the world! If you can believe it.

Knuckles turned the page of the song book, but it got stuck on the spikes. He shook it off sending that spike into Silver's head. His helmet fell off on top of a purple cat's head. She had gold eyes, a purple cloak with pink lining, pink heels, white pants, and had a ponytail. She lifted the helmet up and looked at Silver smiling.

Shadow: And this guy eventually found true love.

Big started to mime as if he was walking down stairs. Everybody gave him weird looks.

Shadow: And this guy...well, I assume he's happy. He hasn't told me otherwise.

Sonic stomped his foot as the soldiers in line raised their frying pans in the air. He walked down the line proudly.

Shadow: Thanks to Sonic, crime in the kingdom disappeared almost overnight...

Sonic stopped to see a soldier missing. The soldier ran in with a chilidog in his hands and Sonic eat it looking around to make sure nobody saw.

Shadow:...as did most of the chili dogs...

The little girls fed Espio different fruits as he changed to the color of them.

Shadow: Espio never changed.

The little girl gave him back to Shade and he crawled onto her shoulder. Arelia came up to her and kissed her on the cheek.

Shadow: Last, but not least, Shade. Shade was home, and she finally had a real family. She was a princess worth waiting for.

Shade knelt down to see Tails and Cream. Cream gave her a daisy, but Shade put it behind her ear and Cream hugged her happily.

Shadow: Beloved by all, she led the kingdom with all the grace and wisdom as her mother did before her. And as for me, I started going by Shadow again and basically turned it all around.

Shade got up but then noticed her tiara was gone. She turned around to see Shadow holding it nonchalantly. She held out her hand and he gave back to her as if nothing happened. But instead he teased her by holding it higher above her head.

Shadow: But the big question remains...did Shade and I ever get married?

Shade pulled him down and held him rolling her eyes. They leaned in and kissed, and Shadow put the tiara back on Shade's head. Espio turned pink and closed his eyes.

Shadow: Well, I'm pleased to tell you that after years, and years of asking, and asking, and asking...I finally said yes.

Shade: Shadow...

Shadow: Alright...I asked her.

Shade: And we're living happily ever after...

Shadow: Yes we are...