Inspired from a story from Liyuconberma

Oh no! Lancelot is missing! Shadow and Crystal are searching for him but couldn't find him even his younger brothers. Shadow suddenly remembered something and it gave him a clue to where Lancelot might be.

It was a normal day in the Kingdom of Cosium and in the castle, the castle staff and even the Royal Family were running around frantically searching for someone who was missing.

"Lancelot!" A voice belonging to a male black and red hedgehog called.

This was Shadow the Hedgehog and the King of the Kingdom and with him searching was his wife and the Queen of the Kingdom, Crystal the Mer/Hedgehog.

"Son?!" Shadow continued to call out to his eldest only receiving no reply and this worried them more.

"Honey!" Crystal called out worriedly as she was on the verge of tears.

"If this is 'hide and seek', this is not funny!" Shadow calls out to his son hoping for a reply since Lancelot always plays hide and seek with them as a joke to make them laugh but this time it wasn't.

"Honey, where are you?!" Crystal called out as she was getting extremely worried for her eldest son's whereabouts.

Shadow went towards the window that overlooked the garden as he and Kath decided to split for a bit and see if they can find him faster. Shadow happened to notice his father-in-law and the Royal Advisor of the Kingdom and asked him if there was any sign.

"Any sign, Dad?" Shadow asked as the dark brown and red hedgehog looked towards the window and shook his head as worry was shown in his eyes.

Chikyū was the grandfather of his daughter's sons and he was helping them find Lancelot but so far they haven't got a clue to where he disappeared to as he looked up at Shadow at the window.

"Not even a slight." Chikyū replied as he was worried like the rest of them.

"Keep on searching!" Shadow ordered as Bernardo nodded and went somewhere else to see if he could find the eldest prince.

"Okay!"

Crystal happened to look down at another part of the garden and saw her two sons, Shadic and Galahad, calling out their older brother's name but received no reply as they were helping as well.

"Any news, sweeties?" Crystal asked them, worriedly, making the two look up towards their mother and couldn't help but shake their heads sadly as they were really worried for their older brother.

"No, Mommy!" They both answered sadly while shaking their heads.

Shadow was getting even more worried as he was starting to lose hope but he can't just give up on his eldest son. He wondered sadly where Lancelot could be.

'Where could he be?' Shadow thought sadly as he tried to think of where Lancelot could be.

They already checked the rooms in the castles, even the kitchen and armory but there was still no sign of the eldest prince. Shadow rubbed his head sadly as he kept searching for him while thinking that Lancelot must've gotten the 'gone-missing' from him for sure since it happened to him about 20 years ago.

'He really got 'gone-missing' from me for sure. Same thing that happened to me a long time ago...' Shadow's thought trailed off.

As if struck by a Chaos Spear, he perked up and remembered the only place that they haven't checked yet and immediately ran towards there as he remembered that day when he first got lost and was crying.

'Wait! Could it be...?!'

Flashback starts, 20 years ago;

In the same castle 20 years ago, the same thing was happening and the current queen, Maria was looking for her eldest son.

"Shadow, where are you, sweetie?" Maria called.

She went to another part of the Royal garden and saw her eldest son's twin, Mephiles. Mephiles turned around and saw his mother as he was helping with the search.

"I still can't find him, Mommy." 6-year-old Mephiles told her and this worried her greatly as she decided to look for Shadow in the castle.

"Oh, dear."

Maria was walking in the halls of the castle and knew that there was only one place that she hadn't checked.

"Where could he be?" Maria wondered worriedly as she came upon the door of the only room of the castle that she hadn't checked.

"Only this place left..." Maria slowly pulled the door open and inside.

The room that she was in was the Royal Library and the only place where she hoped that Shadow was there.

'The Royal Library.' Maria thought as she then walked to a specific shelf.

She pulled a book out but instead of being removed, the whole shelf moved to the side and crying and sniffling was heard inside. She looked down and was happy and relieved to see that Shadow was there and he was crying in fear.

"There you are!" The sound of his mother's voice made 6-year-old Shadow look up to see that it was really her and was filled with emotions that he cannot comprehend but the only thing that he can say was that he was happy.

"Mommy...?" When Maria nodded, Shadow didn't waste any time and jumped into his mother's arms.

"Mommy!"

Maria was glad to see her son that she didn't hesitate to return the hug. They both pulled away and Maria scolded him for disappearing and wanted him to promise her to never do it again.

"Don't you ever do that again, you hear me?" Maria asked him, a little peeved.

Shadow just nodded with sad eyes that Maria couldn't stay mad at.

"Yes, Mommy."

Maria let out a sigh and hugged Shadow again as he nuzzled against his mother for comfort as Maria patted his back.

"That's a good boy."

Flashback ends;

Shadow finally arrived in the same library and remembered everything and it felt like a very long time since he went to the chamber and hoped that he thought right that Shadow might be where he knew he was.

"It seems like forever since I went to that chamber." Shadow muttered to himself as he walked to the very same shelf and placed his hand on the same book.

'Hope I got it right.' Shadow breathed in and pulled the book and the bookshelf moved and sniffling and sobbing was heard inside.

Shadow looked down and saw right there sitting on the floor and shaking in fear is Lancelot. Lancelot looked up when he felt that he wasn't alone and couldn't help but sob when he saw who it was. Shadow was shocked as he was reminded that day his mother finally found him and it brought relief into his heart that he finally found Lancelot.

"Lancelot..." Shadow breathed in shock as he saw the younger version of himself with Lancelot with the same state.

Lancelot, seeing his father, jumped into his arms and kept crying and sobbing. Shadow was a little taken aback by this but couldn't help but to smile softly at Lancelot as he stroked his son's back to calm him down.

"DADDY!"

"There. There." Shadow said gently as he continued to comfort his son as they started to leave the library.

The two memories of the same event flashed as Maria was seen carrying Shadow in her arms in Shadow's place.

"Let's go home." They both said.

Shadow then arrived at the throne room where everyone was. Upon entering, they turned their heads and couldn't explain the amount of relief that they were feeling when they saw Lancelot in the King's arms. Lancelot apologized for making them worried and they told him that it was okay but not to do it again. Crystal was happy and relieved to Lancelot that she scooped him up in her arms with his brothers and shared a tearful reunion as the three told him how worried they were. Shadow couldn't help but smile as this was like 20 years ago and joined them in the hug as one thought entered his mind.

'Never feel lost again.'