Hi everyone! I wanted to make some one-shots featuring our favorite Sonadow couple, along with other pairings as well. Now, each one-shot will have a different theme and since its Sonic the Hedgehog's birthday, I'll make this as a birthday present for our favorite blue hedgehog. This can also be a late birthday present for Shadow, so I hope you all like this!
The fishes moved out of the way as he swam past them. A herd of tiny seahorses scurried along in the same direction he is going. Though one of them, a cerulean seahorse who had the same shade as his fur, stopped as it turned around and swam to where he is, nudging his hand in wanting to be petted again.
Smiling, he stroked the little one's head, hearing it click loudly as he continued to give the little guy attention. His emerald eyes spotted movement in the corner, causing him to stop petting the cerulean seahorse, ushering the little one to follow him. Swimming over to where he wanted to stop, he placed both his gloved hands against the transparent glass, mirroring the placement where a little girl's hands were.
He relaxed into a bright grin as he blew the little girl in front of him a bubble kiss, moving his tail up and down in exaggerated movements, making the little girl squeal in delight as she giggled. His eyes spotted another little girl standing next to her, who appeared toddler sized. Realizing they were both related, mostly because the two small puppy mobians wore matching pink dresses, he blew a kiss at the little toddler, making her giggle as she looked at him and his seahorse friend with dazzling brown eyes.
Pushing himself away from the glass, he waved at them before whirling and twirling around, doing all sorts of neat tricks with the cerulean seahorse as his blue quills danced around with him, making him feel one with the water. As he did a loop de loop to wow the growing crowd, he realized he couldn't hold in his breath any longer.
Luckily, the cerulean seahorse, whom he will dub Bluey, distracted the audience with his amazing skills and tricks, letting the little merhog to swim all the way up to the surface until he popped his head out, gasping for air as he panted heavily.
"You did a great job out there, Sonic! The kids loved your little show!" an anthropomorphic female pink dolphin, wearing blue and black mermaid attire, gave a thumbs up to her friend.
"Thanks, Emi. I was able to stay in there longer than last time," Sonic hopped onto the steps of the pool, sitting next to her.
"Which is a new record. You're getting close to conquering your fear!" Emi clapped excitedly with a huge grin plastered on her face.
Sonic sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "I sure hope so. Though I think it's because of the costume that I'm able to go into the water."
"Whatever you say, dude," she playfully nudged him before diving back into the pool.
He laughed, leaning back a bit as he took in more deep breaths to let himself breathe easily again. If anyone wondered what Sonic the Hedgehog would be doing right now, he usually gets a chili dog, go out on a run, kick Eggman's butt, hang out with his buddies, or sleep at a random spot. However, the one thing no one would ever guess he would do in a million bazillion years is go swimming, especially since Sonic is afraid of water.
So why is the blue hedgehog hero dressed up as a merhog and swimming in this large pool? It all started a few weeks ago when he was walking around the city while in disguise. He already ate his favorite chili dogs, and decided a nice stroll through the city would lift his mood. Plus, no one recognized him due to his outfit – a red sweater with a black N on it with a hood attached to the back to cover his blue quills, red and white laced sneakers, and a fake pair of black glasses to complete the look.
Luckily, no one batted an eye when they saw him, thinking it's a regular mobian kid and not their hero. To Sonic, it can get crazy since he had to deal with a mob of reporters, fans, and even Dr. Eggman whenever he's spotted. It's rare for him to walk around peacefully without running since he likes the excitement and adrenaline. Today, he decided to be lazy since he already defeated Eggman this morning.
As he walked past one of the local coffee shops, his green eyes spotted a folding sidewalk sign. Reading what the words are saying, his eyes widened a bit as he looked over to find a giant white and blue building with the roof curved into an arch shaped with bolded white words on the front that had a small picture of a whale on top of the words.
"My Sea Mystic?" he said to himself. "Now what mystery does it really have?"
Usually, Sonic doesn't like being near water, but his curiosity on what the huge surprise is that was written on the sidewalk sign made him already go inside. Purchasing a ticket from the vendor, he followed the directions on where the huge surprise is. He didn't have any trouble finding it as he spotted some people crowding around near a huge fish tank.
His ears picked up on the sounds of children squealing in delight, gaping as he saw what they're excited about. Two female mobians, one a pink dolphin & the other a white seal, swam around in the waters as they performed amazing tricks for the audience. Though what really surprised Sonic is they were both dressed as mermaids matching their signature color. He even saw some small sea creatures performing tricks with the girls, especially this one cerulean seahorse who really liked being the center of attention.
Now he knew what the surprise is. They were doing a mermaid show here in the aquarium to attract more people in coming here, especially families. Seeing the little kids smiling widely with their eyes sparkling in delight caused him to smile a little, remembering how his little brother Tails is always like that whenever he did or saw something amazing, mostly inventions or anything related to learning.
When the mermaid show ended, he noticed a flyer pinned to a bulletin board across from the tank. He went over and read the flyer, realizing that they're hiring for any new mermaid performer, or for those who are interested in working here at the aquarium. They even offer free swimming lessons if you want to become a mermaid entertainer.
"Are you interested in applying here?"
Sonic jumped back when he noticed someone leaning near the bulletin board, indicating this person is a bat thanks to the huge bat wings. He thought it might be Rouge, but the lighting showed it was a male anthropomorphic bat with dark gray fur. He had a few strands of spiky hair sticking out as bangs, while the rest is styled like Amy's hair, but with the back part longer than the front. His muzzle, arms, and the inside of his ears are tanned, and he didn't wear gloves except for a pair of black spiky bracelets worn around his wrists.
He wore a red tank-top that matched his eyes, black pants with a hole in the back for his tail to stick out, black leather boots with the front part white, a black cloth tied around his upper right bicep, and two piercings on both of his ears. Overall, he had the appearance of a cool punk.
Smirking as his pointed fang peeked out from his mouth, the male bat placed one hand on his hip in a cocky way. "There's a clipboard attached to the bulletin board next to the flyer." He pointed to the clipboard with a stringed pen connected to the board. "Place your name and number on it, and we'll contact you for an interview. We'll also text you the details on what you need to bring prior to the interview so you'll be prepared."
Sonic quickly shook his head. "I-I was just reading the flyer, that's all! I-I'm not interested in the job!"
"Are you sure? We are looking for a male swimmer."
"I can't swim though…"
"We offer free swimming lessons. Why not give it a try?"
"I-I don't like water that much," Sonic looked down as he sheepishly rubbed his left arm.
He felt his head tilted up by a slender finger on his chin, indicating it was the male bat who did that. However, he was studying Sonic's appearance, tilting his head as he let his mind ponder until he grinned. "There is a trick that can help you conquer that fear. A friend of mine had done it before on someone, and now that person is no longer afraid of drowning. She could help you out."
"Y-You sure?" Sonic stepped back, hoping the male bat wouldn't recognize him.
"Here," he fished something out from his pocket and handed it to Sonic. "She's a professional swimmer who offers free swimming lessons. But if you want private lessons, there will be a fee."
Sonic looked at the business card in his hand, indicating the name, phone number, email, and company logo related to the aquarium. If what he said is true, then he could not only learn how to swim, but also figure out a way to conquer his aquaphobia. But if its false, then he'll definitely get back at that person for tricking him.
"Take your time and think it over. Don't rush it," the male bat winked, before walking away.
It took a few days to think it over, but Sonic decided to give it a try. The person he talked to, whom he recalled is named Emi Rivers, told him he can come over any time during opening hours at the aquarium. He was even told where to meet her since the aquarium had another building attached where there's a pool, along with many people who are taking the free swimming lessons, especially the children.
Sonic went with the private lessons, since he didn't want anyone to know who he is nor let the media know about what he's doing. Thankfully, the private swimming lesson he took with Emi wasn't too bad, and she even promised not to say a word about his identity to anyone since she is under oath to always respect the customer's rights. Though two of her friends, the white seal he saw named Bianca and the gray bat he met named Milo, somehow knew who he was, but remained tight lipped so they wouldn't let his secret slip.
Even though it was first difficult for Sonic to go near the water, Emi had been very patient and helped him go slow one step at a time. And like Milo said, she even taught Sonic a trick she learned from her grandmother whenever she had trouble going near water.
"When I was little, I nearly drowned when a huge tidal wave came out of nowhere while I was swimming with my family. It made me feel so afraid of water that I refused to ever go near it. Because of that, I always had to have my mom with me whenever I needed to take a bath," Emi sadly smiled at the memory. "One day, my parents brought me over to my Grandma Mary's home while they were out on their 2nd honeymoon. She was told about what happened to me, then taught me a neat trick on how to conquer my fear."
Opening her gym bag, she pulled out two mermaid tails, and gave one to Sonic. "First, you imagine yourself as something else. Acquire a new identity, someone you wish to be. For example, I want to be a brave adventurer who can withstand anything. Travel all across the globe exploring new areas. Instead of being Emi Rivers, I call myself the rare pink river dolphin who can hide in the waters."
She helped Sonic put on his silicone blue tail, then did the same with her pink tail. "By imagining myself as someone else, I don't pay attention to what is happening around me. Grandma helped me see what the ocean is like under the sea, and it was beautiful. It made me forget why I was so scared of water, but only focused on nature's true beauty and the friendly sea creatures who wanted a friend."
Emi got in the water, swimming over to Sonic as she stopped and held her hands out. "Clear your mind and focus on anything that makes you happy. You don't have to look at the water or anything else. Gaze at me, your imagination, or whom you truly wish to be. Remember what your happy place is like."
Thanks to that trick, it helped him forget that he was in the water, but not that long. Emi knew it's not an easy process for him, which is why they're going slow one step at a time. However, wearing that mermaid tail made him forget that he was Sonic the Hedgehog. He was given the nickname Syren the Merhog, which is also his stage name after he applied and got the job as a mermaid performer.
He didn't have to swim alone since Emi & Bianca are there with him. Milo is in charge of makeup and costume, so he only goes in the water as a male merbat in case they need more for their performance. Plus, the mermaid costume he has on is amazing, realizing its handcrafted by the best designers in Emerald City.
Right now, Sonic wore a light blue strap wrapped around his chest with white seashells attached to the front to create a shell bra, a blue mermaid tail that shimmers from light green to sky blue from the light, blue highlights in his quills, a string of pearls wrapped around both his wrists, a shell necklace hung around his neck, and a blue flower attached to the side of his head.
A clicking sound broke his thoughts, looking over to see it was Bluey nudging his tail with his nose. Remembering they were still performing, Sonic took a huge deep breath and dived back inside the pool, waving to the crowd as he twirled around with Emi & Bianca, who joined in later to distract the audience. As long as no one recognized him, its safe for him to work here.
Except he should've remembered that a lot of children love coming here. When he formed a heart shape under the water for a baby and his parents, he heard tapping from the glass. Looking over, he paled when he saw Cream staring at him with her big cinnamon-brown eyes sparkling in awe. Not only that, Cheese is with her, who is happily chirping and pressing their stubby hands against the glass.
It didn't look like her mom, Amy, or Team Chaotix are with her, which means she came here alone with Cheese. He'll have to ask her later since he must stay in character. Gliding over to where she is, Sonic placed both his hands on the glass where Cream's hands are, moving his tail up and down in exaggerated movements as he placed his forehead against the glass. Cream giggled, mirroring Sonic's actions as she smiled cutely.
Bluey and Cheese did the same as Sonic & Cream did, causing everyone in the audience to aww at the cute display while Emi & Bianca were trying not to squeal too hard at how adorable their friend is with the little bunny girl. As for Milo, he took pictures of the scene, grinning since he got the perfect blackmail material, or sell them to make a good profit.
Cream hummed her favorite tune as she continued to draw her picture, as Cheese did the same thing with her. Her mommy is in the kitchen preparing for supper, and Gemerl is busy helping her. Chocola is helping Cheese drawing their picture, communicating by their chirps and learn on what happened today.
"I didn't know Mr. Sonic would be a pretty mermaid," Cream smiled, drawing a picture of Sonic in his mermaid attire.
"Chao! Chao!" Cheese happily chirped.
"Did you like his seahorse friend Bluey? He was so cute!"
"Chao!"
"Chocola, you must come with us the next time momma gives us permission to go out again!"
Chocola happily nodded and chirped, as they all went back to their drawing. Suddenly, the doorbell rang, indicating a visitor has arrived. Cream got up and ran over to the door, looking through the curtain as she happily gasped and unlocked the door before opening it. "Hi Mr. Shadow!"
Shadow, wearing a leather jacket with the Black Arms symbol on the left part of his sleeve, gave her a rare smile as he patted her head. "Good evening, Cream. I hope I didn't interrupt anything."
"Not at all! Please come in!" Cream opened the door wide for him to step inside.
"Thank you," he waved at Cheese & Chocola, who pounced on him. "Nice to see you both as well."
"Chao! Chao!" they rubbed their cheeks against his.
"Cheese. Chocola. Please let Mr. Shadow breathe," Cream ordered them.
Her Chaos complied to her request and floated back, letting Shadow breathe a sigh in relief as he patted their heads. "Is your mother home, Cream?"
Cream nodded. "She's in the kitchen. I'll go fetch her!"
"No need. I came to drop off an item she asked me to get for her," Shadow placed a small box on the table, then noticed the drawings. "Did you drew this, Cream?"
"Me, Cheese, & Chocola did! Do you like it?" Cream tilted her head.
Shadow picked up the drawing and held it close to his face. "Brilliant as always." His eyes spotted an image, then turned the drawing around as he pointed his finger at it. "May I ask whom this is?"
Cream beamed. "That's Mr. Sonic!"
"As a fish?"
"Nope! A mermaid!"
"Mermaid?"
"Last night, I dreamt that I was swimming in the ocean, and Mr. Sonic was there as a mermaid to keep me safe from the bad monsters. He was so pretty!"
"Really?"
"Mm hm!"
"Tell me more about your dream."
"Bye mommy! I'll come home soon once the show is over!" Cream waved to her mother.
Vanilla waved back from the doorway. "Remember, sweetheart. Stay on the safe path, don't talk to strangers, and stay close to Cheese & Chocola!"
"I promise, mommy!"
Waving at her mom again, Cream marched on the path with her Chaos' as they went to their destination. Today, another mermaid show will happen at her favorite aquarium, and Mr. Sonic is definitely gonna be there. Due to her age, she can get in for free without having to buy a ticket. The same goes for Cheese & Chocola since they're younger than her.
She must remember her pinky promise to Mr. Sonic, and it's to never tell anyone about him learning how to swim along with being a mermaid. When she asked him why, he said he wanted to surprise Tails and everyone once he is fully ready to show them that he was able to conquer his fear. Right now, the aquarium is still helping him conquer his fear of water.
Cream knew Mr. Sonic wanted to wait until he is good and ready, so she made a pinky promise to him, and it's to never tell anyone of his secret. Cheese also pinky-promised, and Chocola did the same after hearing about it from both Cheese & Cream. Good thing the cover story she came up with made Mr. Shadow believe her, since she knew he was curious on why she drew Mr. Sonic as a pretty mermaid.
But for now, her mind is focused on paying attention to her surroundings. She mustn't let Miss Amy, Mr. Vector, or anyone she likes to see her walking alone with Cheese & Chocola. They can never know that she is heading to the aquarium to see the performance where Mr. Sonic is. It'll ruin his surprise and make him sad, which is something Cream won't allow to happen.
Spotting her destination, she skipped over to where the entrance is, with Cheese & Chocola trailing behind her. As she went inside, she went over to the spot where she needed to be, glad to be there early before the show starts. Soon, the performance started, and she happily cheered with the kids as she saw the pretty mermaids performing in the glass tank.
Finding a good spot to get a closer look, she and the Chaos' went over there, mouths happily opened wide as their eyes sparkled in awe when they saw Mr. Sonic coming out of a huge purple clam. This time, he wore a bluish green seashell bra covered in sparkles, an aquamarine mermaid tail shimmering from green to purple by the light, a green starfish necklace with white mini seashells attached to them, a string of pearls wrapped around his waist and part of his tail, two golden bracelets with sapphire stones on both of his wrists connected with his white gloves, and a seashell crown with starfishes and jewels attached to the strings.
Cream noticed his eyes and lips were a different shade of color to make them stand out, and he no longer highlighted his quills. Overall, Mr. Sonic looked beautiful. This is the first time she had seen Mr. Sonic stand out as a pretty person, and she's the first person to see it. Even Cheese & Chocola were in awe at Mr. Sonic's gorgeous appearance.
She placed both her hands on the glass tank, still happily smiling with her mouth open in awe as she saw her favorite hero dancing in the water with his mermaid friends and seahorse, whom she remembered is named Bluey. It's like watching her favorite movie The Little Mermaid, but seeing it in person is so much better!
Cream happily squealed as Sonic noticed her, swimming over to where she is and placing both his hands on hers, giving her a serene smile as Bluey greeted Cheese & Chocola with a chirp, making the Chaos happily chirp back in their own language. She then saw Sonic blow a bubble kiss at her, making her giggle as he performed a wonderful trick to dazzle the audience.
Suddenly, he stopped, frozen in place as he spotted something in the distance. Confused, Cream turned around to see what he was looking at, and gasped. Standing not too far from her is Shadow, who was stunned. Cream didn't remember seeing him coming in here, but why today and right now?
She turned back around, gently tapping the glass to get Sonic's attention. Unfortunately, he didn't pay attention to her. Covering his mouth to prevent more water from getting in, Sonic quickly swam all the way up the surface, popping his head out as he coughed out the water. Scrambling over to where the steps are, he hopped on the edge, still coughing out water as he tried to gulp in some air.
He felt someone gently patting his back, along with some soothing words as his mind replayed to what happened earlier. Shadow saw him swimming in that glass tank. He saw his own rival dressed as a merhog swimming with no fear on his face. Sadly, he could feel his phobia kicking in, causing him to quiver as he hugged his arms.
Sonic was doing just fine earlier, but seeing Shadow made him revert to his old identity. He can't even remember whom he wanted to be because all he could think about is the shocked expression his rival had when they made eye contact. He didn't even question why Shadow would come to an aquarium, especially since he hates large crowds.
"Hey, it's okay," he could hear Emi coo at him. "We're right here. You don't have to go back in the water."
He felt a pair of arms wrapped around him, pulling him into a small hug as he felt his quills being stroked. He knew it was Bianca since she always violet to match her eyes. "Don't worry, Sonic. We're right here, and we won't let anything happen to you."
Sonic's ears twitched as they picked up on some noises, causing him and the girls to look over to see Milo trying to block a couple of people from coming over to where they are. He was able to stop the first person, but the second person managed to run through his legs until she launched herself in Sonic's arms.
"Mr. Sonic, I didn't break my promise!" Cream cried, hiding her face on his chest. "I never told anyone about you! I never forgot my pinky promise to you!"
Cheese & Chocola chirped in agreement, joining the hug as they all had tears in their eyes. Sonic's eyes softened as he held them close, stroking their heads as he smiled down softly. "Don't cry, Cream. I know you didn't break our pinky promise. I believe you."
"R-Really?" Cream sniffed, tilting her head up to look at him with her eyes filled with tears.
"Really. You, Cheese, & Chocola still kept your pinky promise to me. I'm happy you never told anyone about me working here."
"T-Then I can still come and watch you perform?"
Before Sonic could answer, they heard a loud yelp along with footsteps approaching them. Sonic looked up, seeing Milo groaning in pain while rubbing his aching head as Shadow approached them, and he didn't look happy. Luckily, Emi & Bianca were out of their costumes, standing up to shield their friend as they got into a fighting pose.
"Back away right now, jerk!" Emi glared at him.
"Or we'll tear you apart limb from limb!" Bianca snarled viciously at him.
Shadow glared daggers at them, using chaos control to disappear in front of them and reappear behind Sonic. Sonic yelped as he felt Shadow picking him up, causing him to hug his neck so he wouldn't drop him. Hearing Shadow yell chaos control, Sonic felt himself being teleported to a different area.
He looked around, glad that Cream, Cheese, & Chocola are with them. Then he heard loud chirping, glancing over to see there were more Chaos around them. Did his rival just teleport them to the Chao Garden? He didn't ponder on that question when he felt himself being placed on the ground near the pond, where some of the other Chao scurried over to where Sonic is, admiring his mermaid attire.
Sonic noticed Cream sat next to him, keeping herself close to his side as she reassured him that she and the other Chaos will keep him safe. His heart bloomed in warmth over their concern for him, but then flinched when he felt the presence of his rival sitting next to him on the other side.
"I thought you had aquaphobia," Shadow questioned him. "Did I really see you swimming in that tank, or was I hallucinating?"
Sonic gulped, refusing to look at him as he felt Cream rub his arm in a gentle manner. "I-I was learning how to conquer my fear s-so it wouldn't get to me during my battles with bad guys."
"But as a mermaid?"
"E-Emi told me about a neat trick she learned on how to conquer my fear of water."
"Emi?"
"S-She's my swimming instructor, and she taught me-
"To dress as a mermaid to help you get rid of your aquaphobia?"
"It's not that!" Sonic turned his head to look at Shadow. "Shadow, she and the others were helping me conquer my fear by pretending to be someone else I always wanted to be! In this costume, I'm not Sonic the Hedgehog, a hero who is afraid of water! I'm someone who wants to be brave! A courageous hedgehog who can withstand anything, especially with water!"
Sonic looked down at the blue Chao sitting on his lap, who was admiring his seashell necklace. "I know it sounds insane, but she and the others helped me conquer it one step at a time. I was so close in getting rid of my aquaphobia, but unfortunately, I couldn't get over my fear. I'm still afraid of swimming in water." He stroked the blue Chao's head, who happily chirped. "The costume helped me pretend I was someone else and not Sonic the Hedgehog. I wanted to continue wearing it while swimming until I was ready to be in the water without dressing up as a merhog."
"…"
"…"
"Sonic…"
"Y-Yeah?..."
"I'm actually impressed."
Sonic stared at him in disbelief. "H-Huh!?"
Shadow ushered Cream to let him speak with Sonic alone, which she complied after he promised they were only going to talk peacefully with no violence involved. She gave Sonic a hug, got up, and went to a different spot with Cheese & Chocola not too far from where they are, but at a good distance so she wouldn't hear their conversation.
"You not only were able to go in the water and swim, but you did that just to improve your weakness. Even though you did not fully conquer your phobia, it was still tremendous progress on how far you have gotten."
Shadow smirked, almost as if he was smiling. "Though I never thought your way of conquering your phobia involves becoming a mermaid."
"You mean merhog?" Sonic asked. "And did you just compliment me?"
"Yes, and don't you dare say a word to anyone about my compliment, got it?"
"As you wish, Shadow."
Shadow's smirk then stretched into a frown. "However, there was one thing that angered me."
Sonic arched his eyebrow. "Which is?"
"Why would you wear something so provocative in front of everyone!?"
"H-Hey! The Chaos are right here! No bad words in front of them!"
"And who was that male bat!? His personality is almost bad as Rouge's!"
"Dude, Milo was the one who recommended I take the swimming lessons and apply as a mermaid performer!"
"But in this costume!?"
"It's kid friendly!"
"It does not look kid friendly at all!"
All the Chaos quickly flew away as Shadow growled, glaring at Sonic with an odd expression. "From now on, wear something different so they won't see your body!"
Sonic hugged his arms to cover himself. "Shadow, its mostly kids and families who see us perform as mermaids! Plus, the costumes were already approved by the staff before we wore them!"
"Did you not see the weird looks the parents gave you!?" Shadow placed both his hands on Sonic's shoulders. "I won't let them tarnish your purity!"
"T-Then how come you're the only one who's pointing out my costume!?"
"Because I should be the only one seeing you in that attire!"
"…."
"…"
"WHAT?!"
Did you guys liked it? Please let me know if you like the idea of having a one-shot compilation. If you also want a part 2 to this, please let me know so review and comment!
