Thank you all for liking my one-shots! I'm glad most of you are still liking it! Now, this one-shot is a school life AU. The plot is about Sonic, Silver, Manic, and Gadget have been transported into an otome story novel Sonic and Manic's sister Sonia owned called 'The Gangsters & their Daffodil'. Recalling the plot on how the story goes, they do their best to avoid the main characters and search for clues on how to return home to their own world.
I hope you all like it!
"What the hell is this!?"
"My thoughts exactly, Manic."
"Weren't we just in the living room a while ago?"
"I did remember we picked up something until everything went blank."
"Whoever is messing with us better come out now!"
"Chill out, bro!" Sonic placed his hand on Manic's shoulder. "Let's just calm down and retrace our steps on what we did earlier."
Manic folded his arms while grumbling, leaning against the tree. "We were all being lazy in the living room, then Sonia came over and complained about a novel she read that ended up being cliché."
Silver snapped his fingers. "I remembered that part! She ranted about how she hated the female lead in the story because she was too much of an airhead and did not realize that her actions had led to consequences!"
Gadget nodded, pulling the novel out from his yellow utility belt. "Once she showed us this story, everything turned white and we somehow ended up on the school courtyard during lunchtime." He looked at the front cover. "Judging by our surroundings and how everything matches the story, we are somehow inside the novel called 'The Gangsters & their Daffodil'."
Sonic snorted. "Oh please! That's not even possible!"
After he said that, everyone on the courtyard suddenly became quiet. Confused on why they all stopped talking, the boys looked over and they got their answer. 4 tall menacing male figures strutted on the courtyard with 1 small female in the center walking with them. The first one is a black hedgehog with blue stripes, white muzzle covered with a black mask, neon green eyes, white gloves, pale yellow rings on his wrists and ankles, a blue school uniform for males, and black school shoes.
Next to him is his twin, but the dark hedgehog has red stripes, a tan muzzle, red eyes, golden rings on his wrists and ankles, white gloves, a matching school uniform, and dark school shoes. Next to the short female is a green spiky hedgehog with blue eyes, peach muzzle, red sunglasses resting on top of his head, white gloves, a blue school uniform with the buttons undone to show scars on his abdomen, and black school shoes. The last one walking next to the green hedgehog is a black and white jackal with a long white mane, blue and yellow eyes, white muzzle, a white scar near his eye, black gloves, a blue school uniform, and black school shoes.
The short female at the center is a light-yellow hedgehog with long curly blonde hair, clear blue eyes, blue rings on her wrists, white gloves, a blue barrette in her hair, peach muzzle, a red school uniform for girls, and black school shoes.
Sonic blinked, then glanced at the novel's cover. "Are we in someone's nightmare or something?"
"I wish you were correct, but I'm afraid you're not."
He nearly jumped after hearing the unfamiliar voice, then looked over to see it was a tall female lavender cat with golden eyes wearing the red school uniform for girls. Next to her is a pink hedgehog with green eyes wearing the same uniform like her.
The lavender cat slightly bowed. "I apologize for frightening you. I am Blaze, a member of the student council."
"My name is Amy," the pink hedgehog waved. "Nice to meet you all!"
"Likewise," Sonic greeted, then pointed to the students. "So, what's the big deal with those guys?"
Blaze's eyes spotted at what he was pointing at, then sighed as she folded her arms. "My advice is to avoid them at all costs. They are very dangerous."
Amy frowned a little. "Especially the blonde hedgehog named Elina. If you go near her, trouble awaits you."
Manic arched his eyebrow. "Care to elaborate on that?"
Amy scoffed. "Let's just say I thought she was nice, but she's actually a fake daffodil."
"Fake daffodil?" Silver looked back and forth.
"She is given the nickname 'Daffodil' by her fans," Blaze pointed to the 4 students who were walking with Elina. "Like all of us, she came from a rich family and somehow captured the hearts of all the males in this school when she first arrived as a new transfer student." Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Her behavior had been atrocious, and she ignored my advice on following the proper protocols of this school."
Gadget made sure the novel was quickly placed in his yellow utility belt before they could see it, then realized what they meant. "This academy is said to prepare all the males and females into becoming proper nobles once they graduate. I heard that you must come from a good family background in order to be accepted here."
Amy smiled, then nodded. "You're absolutely right. Our parents sent us here so we can become proper aristocrats. But most of all, prepare us for the real world."
"But a few haven't been following the rules?" Sonic added.
"I'm afraid so. One of the rules is not to mingle or fraternize with the opposite gender, especially those who are engaged with someone. Sadly, the school's daffodil broke that rule and caused a few males to dissolve their engagements with their significant other." Amy sadly sighs. "All she got is a light punishment, and her fan club thinks she did nothing wrong."
"Which is why all of the females here cannot trust her," Blaze said, then looked at Sonic. "Tell me, what do you 4 think of Elina?"
Sonic didn't hesitate to answer. "Cliché."
Manic was the next to answer. "Fake."
Silver was next. "Dense."
Gadget was the last one to answer. "Bland."
Amy happily squealed, then hugged them all. "Yes! You 4 are safe from her spell!"
Blaze sighed in relief. "For now, but I do hope none of you 4 fall for her charm."
Silver shook his head. "If it makes you feel any better, we hardly know her."
"We prefer not to be like those morons," Manic pointed to the males who were lovestruck over Elina.
"Plus, we don't have time since we're extremely busy with our after-school activities," Gadget chimed in.
"After school activities?" Amy asked with her head tilted.
Sonic winked. "Having fun!"
"Finally! Our haven!" Manic spread his arms out in joy.
Sonic snickered, patting his back. "Might as well celebrate our accomplishments here at the club."
Gadget read through the pages of the novel, then placed it away. "They called this club 'The Place', owned by a mysterious stranger who never shows his face in public. This club is said to be the most famous club in the whole city where a bunch of famous people previously went to. You gotta be wealthy in order to get the VIP lounge."
"We were lucky to get in by the bouncer thanks to our looks," Silver rubbed his forearm, blushing a little. "Still not too sure about our outfits though."
Silver wore a sparkling white tube top that revealed his flat belly, gray shorts with a white belt, light makeup, white knee-high boots, and white gloves.
Gadget agreed, fiddling with his fingers. "I'm surprised we were able to get these outfits at a reasonable price."
Gadget wore a red spaghetti strap crop top that revealed his flat belly, black mini shorts, light makeup, yellow utility belt, black combat boots, long red fingerless gloves, and his glasses perched on his nose.
Sonic arched his eyebrow at Manic. "Where did you say you got them from?"
Manic smirked, placing a hand on his cocked hip. "I know someone who showed me where we can get the best."
"Did you steal them?"
"We're in a novel, bro. I doubt the cops would care about these outfits."
Sonic rolled his eyes, and gazed down at his outfit. He wore a sparkling blue front backless halter top that was tight around his chest and showed off his flat stomach, ripped jean shorts, light makeup, white gloves, and sparkling blue ankle boots.
Manic wore a see-through gothic lace crisscross halter top that showed his flat stomach, tight army green shorts, light makeup, black fingerless leather gloves with spikes on them, and mid-calf leather high heeled boots.
"Quick question, why is this place barely empty?" Silver checked his surroundings. "I thought there would be a ton of people in here."
"According to the novel, this is the scene where they all went outside to see a huge commotion happening between 1 of the male leads and a rivaling gang leader," Gadget recalled. "It's mostly related to protecting the female lead from danger."
"I can see why Sonia called it cliché," Sonic reminisced.
Manic scoffed. "Ah who cares about what they're doing! We're here to have fun, so let's take advantage of it!" He ushered one of the DJ's to play a song, and he played a song they were all familiar with. "Bro, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Sonic happily grinned. "I sure am!"
Sonic:
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Caught in a bad romance
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Caught in a bad romance
Rah, rah-ah-ah-ah
Roma, roma-ma
Gaga, ooh-la-la
Want your bad romance
As Sonic and Manic sang to the lyrics, they pulled Silver and Gadget onto the dancefloor, wanting them to dance and have fun since there is no one here except for them and the DJ.
Rah, rah-ah-ah-ah
Roma, roma-ma
Gaga, ooh-la-la
Want your bad romance
I want your ugly, I want your disease
I want your everything as long as it's free
I want your love
Love, love, love, I want your love (hey)
Sonic danced with Silver, pretending to be a gentleman as he sang around him, bowed, and pretended to kiss his hand.
I want your drama, the touch of your hand (hey)
I want your leather-studded kiss in the sand
I want your love
Love, love, love, I want your love (love, love, love)
(I want your love)
You know that I want you
And you know that I need you('cause I'm a free bitch, baby)
I want it bad, your bad romance
Soon, Manic joined them with Gadget, dancing to the rhythm as he sang his part and danced with his shoulders moving side to side with his back to Gadget.
Manic:
That boy is a monster (mo-mo-mo-monster)
That boy is a monster (mo-mo-mo-monster)
That boy is a monster (mo-mo-mo-monster)
That boy is a monster-er-er-er-er-er
Sonic:
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Manic:
He ate my heart (I love that girl)
Sonic:
Caught in a bad romance
Manic:
He ate my heart (wanna talk to her, she's hot as hell)
As they danced and sang to the music, they didn't realize that more and more people started to show up back inside the club, surprised to see them and fascinated on who those talented individuals are.
Sonic:
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Manic:
He ate my heart (I love that girl)
Sonic:
Caught in a bad romance
Manic:
He ate my heart (wanna talk to her, she's hot as hell)
He licked his lips
Said to me, "Girl, you look good enough to eat"
Sonic and Manic did a group hug with Silver and Gadget squished together, as both of their friends pretended to push them away with their hands while feeling flustered.
Put his arms around me
Said, "Boy, no, get your paws right off of me"
I asked my girlfriend if she'd seen you 'round before (oh yeah)
She mumbled something while we got down on the floor, baby
While Manic sang his part, he bent down with his hands placed on his knees and shook his ass, hearing some wolf whistles and catcalls from the audience. He didn't realize that a certain green hedgehog was eyeing him, specifically at his bottom.
"We might've fucked, not really sure, don't quite recall (oh yeah)
But something tells me that I've seen him, yeah"
That boy is a monster
Sonic:
I want your love, and I want your revenge
You and me could write a bad romance (oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Sonic grabbed Silver's hand and spun them around, similar to a ballroom dance as he twirled Silver a couple of times and did a dipping pose, waving at a familiar pair of hedgehogs who were surprised they can do that as they got back up and danced with their friends, unaware that the two hedgehogs whom they waved at were looking at them with interest and curiosity.
Sonic:
I want your love and all your lover's revenge
You and me could write a bad romance
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Manic:
He ate my heart (I love that girl)
Sonic:
Caught in a bad romance
Manic:
He ate my heart (wanna talk to her, she's hot as hell)
Sonic:
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
Manic:
He ate my heart (I love that girl)
Sonic:
Caught in a bad romance
Manic:
He ate my heart (wanna talk to her, she's hot as hell)
Suddenly, all the lights were off, but the dancefloor was still glowing. The audience saw the 4 hotties dancing with the music, showing off their silhouette figures in seductive poses, leaving everyone hypnotized at their alluring movements.
Sonic:
Walk, walk, fashion baby
Work it, move that bitch crazy
Walk, walk, fashion baby
Work it, move that bitch crazy
Walk, walk, fashion baby
Work it, move that bitch crazy
Walk, walk, passion baby
Work it, I'm a free bitch, baby
The lights turned back on, revealing Sonic slowly rising from the floor as his friends were on the ground swaying to the music, waiting for their cue.
Sonic:
I want your love, and I want your revenge
I want your love, I don't wanna be friends
J'veux ton amour, et je veux ta revanche
J'veux ton amour, I don't wanna be friends (oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh)
No, I don't wanna be friends (oh-oh-oh, caught in a bad romance)
I don't wanna be friends (oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh)
Want your bad romance (oh-oh-oh)
Caught in a bad romance
Soon, it was Manic's turn as he appeared from the darkness by spinning around and landing on his feet with one hand on the dancefloor. He did some dance movies and hand gestures to indicate a story to captivate the audience.
Manic:
He's the monster in my bed
I wanna just dance, but he took me home instead
Uh-oh, there was a monster in my bed
Both Sonic and Manic grabbed Silver and Gadget, held them close, and pretended to lean in for a kiss but then released them.
We French-kissed on a subway train
He tore my clothes right off
He ate my heart and then he ate my brain
Silver touched his heart while Gadget touched his head, pretending to faint as Sonic and Manic caught them. They helped them get back up, then danced with their friends back to back with their backs touching and flipped their hair back.
Uh-oh, uh-oh (I love that girl)
(Wanna talk to her, she's hot as hell)
He ate my heart (uh-oh)
He a-a-ate my heart (uh-oh-oh, oh)
He ate my heart (wanna talk to her, she's hot as hell)
(That boy, that boy, that boy, that boy)
Sonic:
Want your bad romance!
I want your love, and I want your revenge
You and me could write a bad romance (oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
I want your love and all your lover's revenge
You and me could write a bad romance
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
(Want your bad romance)
Caught in a bad romance
(Want your bad romance)
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
(Want your bad romance)
Caught in a bad romance
Rah, rah-ah-ah-ah
Roma, roma-ma
Gaga, ooh-la-la
Want your bad romance
They finished their dance with the final pose, and the audience loudly cheered while clapping. Sonic and the others were surprised that there were people in the crowd, and they even saw their singing and dance performance. Finding a spot where they can be hidden, Sonic grabbed his brother and friends and sprinted over to where the corner is.
Soon, the DJ played another song and the audience started dancing to it, giving Sonic and the boys a huge sigh of relief as they sat down on some chairs with a table in front of them.
"And here I thought we have the whole place to ourselves," Manic stated.
"Not for this plot," Sonic said, then glanced over at Gadget. "Is there anything major happening we must avoid?"
Gadget fished the novel from his belt, then flipped through the pages. "Besides the fight scene outside the club, the next major plot will happen in front of the academy." He placed the book back inside. "As long as we avoid the main characters, we'll be able to reach the end and return home. I believe that's how the story is going."
"But what part do we play?" Silver raised his hand up.
Sonic shrugged. "Probably extra characters who don't have a backstory or anything significant to the plot. But hey, it's better than being at the center of the spotlight."
"Except we haven't seen anything interesting here yet," Manic stretched his arms upward, hearing a crack as he stood up, resulting in him bumping into someone from behind him. He turned around to apologize, but then stopped. "Oh my god."
The person he bumped into was the green hedgehog with red sunglasses, who saw Manic and dangerously smirked as he leaned forward. "Well hello there-
"Ah hell no!" Manic pushed him away, then ran off. "Not today, Satan!"
Sonic grabbed Silver and Gadget, then ran after Manic. They ignored the loud shouts, deciding to leave the club and go back to the spooky house they resided in as a temporary hideout until they figure out a way to get back to their world.
The next day
Manic arched his eyebrow, placing one hand on his hip. "Don't you have a girlfriend already?"
The green cocky hedgehog, whom Manic learned his name is Scourge and one of the male leads, smirked as he winked at him. "Are you jealous?~"
"Nah, just wondering."
"No need to lie to me. I only have eyes for you~"
Manic smirked back, stroking his finger under Scourge's chin. "If you say so~"
Scourge purred, liking the feeling.
"Can I tell you something?~"
"Anything, baby~"
Manic took a step forward, pressing his body against Scourge's as he grabbed his chin and whispered in a seductive tone. "Good luck trying to claim me, big boy~ I'm not easy to tame~"
Winking at him, he stepped back and walked past him, hearing a loud thud from behind. He ignored Scourge shouting at him to come back and fix the problem he left behind, but he wasn't gonna do that. Plus, he and Gadget are supposed to be meeting Sonic and Silver inside the building for a clue they were told that is hidden in the academy.
"Are you sure it was a good idea to do that?" he heard Gadget say.
"While we're stuck here, might as well mess with him," Manic snickered. "That pervert easily gets seduced by any pretty face he sees."
"He was also saying inappropriate comments about you."
"Because of our time at the club, that's why."
"Along with-
"There they are!"
Gadget looked over, seeing Sonic and Silver waving at them. They rushed over to where they are, greeting them with a high-five or handshake as they walked towards their assigned classroom. "It looks like each of us are assigned different classrooms."
"I heard from Blaze that Sonic and I are assigned to class 2-A," Silver mentioned. "And you two are assigned to class 2-B."
"Looks like we're 2nd year students in this story," Sonic said. "I know Amy and Blaze are in the same class as us, but I'm worried about you two being separated from us."
Manic waved him off with his hand. "Relax, bro. Gadget and I will be fine."
"I'll make sure he doesn't commit a murder or felony in that class," Gadget suggested.
"Thanks, Gadget," Sonic sighed in relief.
They decided to meet up outside their classrooms once breaktime arrives, and they all agreed before they went to their respective classrooms. As Sonic & Silver went inside class 2-A, they saw that the classroom is a lot fancier than what they have back at their old school. They spotted Amy and Blaze, who waved them over.
"You're right on time before the warning bell rang!" Amy pointed to the two empty seats near the windows. "You two will be sitting here."
"And if there are any problems, let us or the teacher know," Blaze added.
"Thanks, ladies," Sonic said, as he sat on top of his desk while Silver leaned against his. "By the way, you mentioned before that the so-called school daffodil causes nothing but trouble, right?"
"That's right," Blaze answered.
"Then how exactly did she get entangled with the 4 students who are considered dangerous?" Silver air quoted.
Amy opened her mouth to answer, but then closed it when they heard the door slid open. Everyone stopped and looked over, seeing the person they were talking about arriving inside the classroom with two certain male hedgehogs whom Sonic and Silver briefly saw at the club. Their eyes locked with theirs for a moment, but a loud squeal broke their thoughts as they saw Elina approaching their desks.
"Hello! You two must be the new students!" Elina happily replied, skipping over to them. "Welcome to-
She didn't finish when she tripped on something, causing her to flail her arms as she landed on Sonic. Thankfully, he was still standing but her face landed on his chest, along with her hands touching them. When she squeezed his chest, she slowly tilted her head up with an innocent look. "Oopsie! It looks like I tripped again!"
But then, her expression changed when she saw tears leaking out of Sonic's eyes. "A-Are you okay?"
She didn't get an answer when she felt him trembling, catching Silver's attention as he quickly pushed her away and held his friend close, stroking his head and whispering soothing words to him.
"I'm right here, buddy. Don't cry," Silver softly shushed him, patting Sonic's back.
"Is he okay?" Amy asked with a concerned look.
"I need to get him to the nurse. Excuse us!"
Scooping Sonic up in his arms, he dashed out of the classroom, ignoring the odd looks they were getting from their classmates. Once they were close to where the nurse's office is, Silver placed Sonic down and patted his shoulder. "You okay?"
"I am," Sonic wiped his eyes. "They were able to buy it."
"Wait, you pretended to cry?"
Sonic nodded. "To make them believe she scared me. I could tell after she touched me inappropriately that she had bad intentions."
"How can you tell?"
"One time when we went to my sister's friend's debutante ball, one of the guests pretended to be a pure and innocent maiden who had no idea she was attracting the attention of all the unmarried males. She fooled a few, but many of us knew she was pretending just to snag a rich guy as her husband."
Silver scratched the back of his head. "Was that Elina's plan?"
"Snag a handsome rich man to become her husband, or have a whole harem of hot guys who will cater to her every whim," Sonic concluded. "That stunt she pulled earlier made me nearly believe that she's a naïve quirky girl who doesn't see anything in black and white, but something is telling me to watch my back the next time we see her."
"Thankfully, we don't feel anything towards her."
"Exactly," Sonic looked around, then spotted the stairs. "Now, let's go upstairs to that forbidden music room where we can find the next clue."
Manic looked around at their new classroom. "Is this hell?"
A purple weasel answered him. "Fraid so, newbie!"
"Are you the informant by any chance?" Manic stepped inside with Gadget behind him.
"Fang the Hunter is what they call me," he tipped his hat at them. "If you need information, there's a fee."
Manic pulled something from his pocket, then placed the wad of bills on his desk. "I need the type of information where only you and your sources can get."
Fang's eyes lit up when he saw the big dollar signs on them, then placed them in his shirt. "What kind of information?"
Manic gently grabbed his ear and whispered it to him. Fang nodded his head repeatedly, then his eyes widened as he saw Manic pull away with a deadly smirk. "Get me the most incriminating information on that person, and I'll pay you double the price."
"You got yourself a deal, sir!" Fang shook his hand, then got his cellphone out to make a phone call.
"What exactly did you tell him?" Gadget asked, as they went to an empty seat near the window.
"You'll understand in due time," Manic looked out the window. "Since we're on the second floor, it won't be too difficult jumping out of there."
"H-Huh!? Why do you want to jump out of the window!?"
After he said that, the door to the classroom slammed open, causing everyone to turn their heads to see two familiar individuals they know of, and someone Manic remembered messed with in front of the courtyard. Unfortunately, his light brown eyes locked with blue eyes as a deadly grin appeared on Scourge's face.
"There you are, vixen!~ I hope you didn't forget about me!~" Scourge leered at him.
Manic rolled his eyes. "Weren't you dying outside a few minutes ago?"
"You mean leaving me alone with the problem you caused me?~ Oh you wound me, beauty!~"
"I'm surprised you actually endured it~"
"And because of that, you owe me a kiss!~"
"Not today, Satan."
"You also ran from me at The Place!"
"I thought you were a serial killer."
"Only for you, baby~"
"And who's the dude next to you?"
"You mean Zero?" Scourge pointed to the jackal standing next to him. "Word of advice, do not say anything stupid to him~ He hates everyone here~"
Zero rolled his eyes. "This is why I cannot tolerate you."
Manic arched his eyebrow at his appearance, while Gadget's cheeks turned pink after seeing him. He didn't get a good look at them before, but he could tell Zero is obviously better looking than the green hedgehog who calls himself Scourge. He didn't realize that he was staring until a pair of blue and yellow eyes stared back at him, along with the words he blurted out when he pointed his finger at the jackal.
"Y-You're hot!?"
The room turned silent, and Gadget realized what he just said when he saw a shocked expression on Zero's face, along with a light blush covering his cheeks. Wanting to get out of this embarrassing situation, Manic opened the window, grabbed Gadget's arm, and hoisted themselves out of the classroom through the window by jumping.
Thankfully, they were able to grab some vines and climb up to a window nearby where the 3rd floor is, opening it, and jumping inside as their feet landed on solid ground. Seeing they were in an empty hallway, they sprinted down the hall and around the corner, bumping into a couple of people they recognized.
"Hey bro. Hey Silver," Manic greeted them.
"Right on time! We gotta go now!" Sonic grabbed them all, then had them hang on tight as he dashed out of the corridor and over to the downstairs where it can lead them to the exit.
"You called the leader of the Jackal Squad hot!?" Sonic gaped at his friend.
Gadget turned red. "I-I was trying to say it in my head, not out loud in public!" He covered his blushing face. "I can't go back to the academy again! I don't want to know what his reaction is after I said that!"
"Oh we're not going back to the academy," Sonic said.
"We're not?" Manic questioned.
Silver shook his head. "We found a clue to help us figure out how we can return back home."
Sonic pulled it out from his quills, showing them something shiny. "I found a green Emerald hidden in the music room. Someone thought they could hide it in the piano."
Manic gazed at it in awe. "Holy moly! We're rich!"
Gadget pulled the book out, then flipped through the pages. "It's a rare Chaos Emerald, said to be created by a mythical god who made all 7 to bring peace to the world. But in the story, the female lead Elina was the one who found the green Emerald first." He then looked up. "That Emerald is under the custody of Shadow the Hedgehog, one of the gang leaders who run this town."
"Looks like we need to find the remaining 6 before anyone else does," Sonic placed the green Chaos Emerald back inside his quills. "Does the story have any clues on where they could be?"
Gadget read through the pages. "Do you want the good news or the bad news first?"
"We'll try the good news," Silver chose.
"The good news is that we can find the blue, cyan, and white Chaos Emeralds at a hidden location near the woods."
"And the bad news?" Manic asked.
"The red, purple, and yellow Chaos Emeralds are already found by 3 people we know."
"Let me guess, the gang leaders?" Sonic answered.
"I'm afraid so," Gadget placed the novel back in his belt. "Shadow has the red Emerald, Mephiles the purple Emerald, and Infinite, who is also called Zero, the yellow Emerald."
"The guys we bumped into today at the academy?" Silver blushed a little, recalling what happened at the abandoned music room.
Sonic also blushed. "Even though they were handsome up close, I think it'll be impossible snatching those Emeralds from them without being noticed."
Gadget shook his head. "Actually, there is a way to get them. The novel mentioned their locations, and the male leads did not find them until after a thunderstorm."
Manic checked his phone. "The weather app did say a thunderstorm will happen tomorrow night."
"So we start now?" Silver asked.
"We sure do!" Sonic replied. "Let's start searching!"
The body plopped on the ground, pooling the ground with blood as he tucked his gun back inside his holster and walked past it, letting his crew take care of the evidence left behind. The dark alleyway is a place no one should ever go, but not for Shadow. This territory belongs to his brother Mephiles, and he has free range to be here.
Apparently, he got a tip from his brother about a traitor in their gang trying to sell important information about their weapons to a rivaling gang who live in another city far from here. The consequences of betraying their leader and crew can lead to a fate worse than death, which is something the fool should've known from the beginning.
"The spy is said to have a warehouse not far from here," he heard Mephiles murmur in his ear. "Except I never gave anyone permission to use that warehouse or any building under my territory."
"He's either a fool, or completely stupid," Shadow's glare darkened, as they both arrived at the front of the entrance. He placed his hand up when he heard noises coming from inside. He placed his ear against the door, listened carefully, then his eyes widened as he leaned back and kicked the door open with his foot. "Go in now!"
He, Mephiles, and the rest of their crew sprinted inside, guns drawn out as they prepared for the bloodshed that is about to happen. But instead, they see the traitors on the ground unconscious, covered in bruises while groaning in pain.
"I believe he is the one you're looking for," Sonic pointed to the brown coyote lying on the ground unconscious near his feet.
Shadow glared at them with suspicion, pointing his gun at Sonic. "Explain right now!"
"This idiot and his pack thought we were associated with you two, which is false because we barely know you guys. And since they weren't willing to listen, we had to protect ourselves through self-defense."
Silver nodded. "They weren't good with tying the ropes, which made it easier to get out, catch them by surprise, then knock them out."
Mephiles tilted his head in confusion. "You two can fight?"
"Yup!"
"And you don't have any bullet holes in you?"
"They got murdered by their own guns."
"Who exactly are you two?" Shadow questioned.
Sonic shrugged. "I know we're hedgehogs. How about you two?"
"I ask the question, not you."
Before Sonic could answer, he spotted something in the box, causing him to hurry over and see what it is. Getting it out, he jumped with joy as he spun around and showed it to them. "Look, Silver! I found an early Christmas gift for Manic!"
"A chainsaw?" Silver scratched the side of his head.
"A new chainsaw that hasn't been used yet! And this time, it's a shiny one!" Sonic cheered. "I knew we would find something interesting in here!"
Then, the chainsaw is no longer in his hands as he saw it was one of the gang members who took it. "Hey! I found it first!" He felt a tight grip on his wrist, causing him to turn his head. "You need something, Shadow?"
Shadow narrowed his eyes. "I have a lot of questions, and you need to answer them truthfully."
Sonic thought about it for a moment, then shook his head. "No thanks. I gotta get home before sunset."
"It won't take too long."
"Or you can release me and we can continue our talk tomorrow?"
"I like that idea!" Silver piped up, being restrained by Mephiles. "We'll even bring refreshments so we can eat something before we get murdered!"
"Only we can decide your fate," Mephiles whispered in Silver's ear. "Now, let us go to our car and we'll take you to our home."
Gadget furiously wrote in his notebook, then lifted his head up. "What else does he like to do?"
Tempest, a female member of the Jackal Squad gang, was the first to speak. "Besides compliments and meat, he enjoys walking in the dark at the forest. For him, it helps clear his head from all the noise during the day."
"Likes to take night walks in the forest," Gadget wrote. "Does he have a favorite food or treat besides meat?"
"I can answer that!" Jay raised his hand. "He likes spicy food, and enjoys baklava! Sometimes he even enjoys dark chocolate!"
"Spicy food, baklava, and dark chocolate!" Gadget scribbled, then flipped to the next page. "He doesn't mind being called Zero?"
Ace was the next to answer. "Zero is his real name, but his cover name is Infinite. As long as you don't say his cover name in public, then you're okay in his book."
"Only call him Zero in public, but Infinite is his cover name," Gadget wrote in his notebook. "Besides his dislike towards a certain someone, there is one thing I'm confused about."
"Which is?" Cinq, another member of the Jackal Squad, huffed out.
"How exactly did the blonde hedgehog Elina won over his heart?"
They all blinked at his question, then they all started to howl in laughter. Some were either hitting the table, chair, or their legs as Gadget looked at them with a confused expression. He waited until they were done, and he was able to get an answer from them.
"Our boss would never fall for that bimbo!" Sei snickered.
"You guys don't like her?" Gadget asked.
"Hell no! That fake barbie only liked our boss because he was rich!" Tempest snarled. "She pretended to act all innocent in front of him, but in front of us, we know she's a conniving, thieving, lying slut who goes after any hot guy she sees!"
"Even after she knew about our boss's hatred towards his enemy, she still went after him!" Jay growled. "He thought she was being blackmailed, but we know it's not true!"
"Thankfully, our leader understood the truth and started keeping his distance away from her," Ace glanced over at Gadget. "And it's all thanks to you."
Gadget pointed to himself in confusion. "Huh? All thanks to me?"
"Besides the time you thought our boss was hot," Tempest smirked, ignoring Gadget's babbling denial as he blushed. "You actually wanted to get to know him. Heck, you asked us about what he's like, and wrote down everything so you'll remember by heart."
"We even got free donuts!" Cinq & Sei cheered, gobbling up the rest of the donuts.
"You weren't even scared when we kidnapped you," Jay pointed out.
Gadget shrugged. "I'm used to doing dangerous and stupid stuff with my friends."
"Not only that, you also asked who we were and wanted to get to know us first before asking about our boss," Ace commented, folding his arms as he smiled a little. "You're not bad at all, little wolf."
"T-Thank you," Gadget blushed a little. "I-I do hope you don't mind my small crush on your boss? I-I promise I won't steal him from you!"
Tempest waved him off. "Don't be. We're already starting to like you. Plus, its about time Zero started pining over you when you first seduced him."
"I-I seduced him?"
"He did mention that he saw you at the club dancing with your friends wearing a revealing outfit that left him breathless, along with having a cold shower because his little friend wouldn't go away."
Her answer is a loud thump, indicating Gadget passed out on the floor with his face red and his tail wagging. After that, their leader Zero entered the hideout, seeing the unconscious red wolf on the floor as he went over and scooped him up in his arms. "What did you say to him?"
Tempest smirked, placing one leg over the other. "I told him everything about how enraptured you were when you saw him at the club in that sexy outfit and-
She dodged the pillow thrown at her, as Zero left with Gadget in his arms while muttering curse words to her.
At night
"You promised him what!?" Sonic looked at his brother in disbelief.
"Relax, dude. I'm not really going to do that to him," Manic waved it off.
"You just put yourself and your butt in danger!"
"He won't touch me because I have a taser."
"And if that doesn't work!?"
"I kick him in the nuts, break his bones, or murder him."
"If you survive, that is!"
Silver shushed them all. "Quiet! Remember where we are!"
They're all walking down the pathway in the spooky forest, holding flashlights so they can see in the dark. After they each encountered the gang leaders and escaped from their custody, they were able to find each other at the entrance of the forest, and decided to go in there to search for the final clue.
Surprisingly, they also got all the Chaos Emeralds that led them into finding the final clue, which can be found somewhere in the woods. Gadget was reading through the pages, as the others held their flashlights while walking down the pathway.
"We're getting close to the ending. Here in the forest, a final battle takes place between all 4 gang leaders and their crew," Gadget explained.
"A battle for what?" Sonic asked.
"Ownership of territory involving the forest, along with whom Elina chooses."
"That's it?"
"But get this! There was someone else in the forest, but she got killed by a stray bullet from the gang war before she could get out."
"Another female?" Manic asked. "But who?"
"Guys look!" Silver pointed at something.
They shone their flashlights on the path, spotting a figure lying on the ground. Not sure if it was a person or an animal, they took a few steps forward to get a closer look. Realizing it was a person, they rushed over, getting a better look at their features. Sonic was the first to reach, carefully turning the person over and held her in his arms. "Guys, it's a girl!"
Silver used his flashlight to check her appearance. "Her arms are bleeding. Luckily, I got a first aid kit on me."
Manic checked his surroundings. "You think it's a trap?"
Gadget shook his head, looking at the book and then at the girl. "It's her! She's the missing character who got killed off before anything was known about her!"
"You know who she is?" Sonic asked, holding the girl close to him as Silver tended to her injuries.
"It's Maria, the long-lost sister of Shadow & Mephiles who was said to have died from her illness."
"Shadow & Mephiles's sister!?" Sonic glanced back and forth. "Are you sure!?"
"It's true! In the novel, there was a background story about them, mostly about their past and the people they were close to. Besides being twins, they both have a half-sister from their father's side whom they were very close to," Gadget flipped through a page. "She has a terminal illness that left her hospitalized, and was pronounced dead at the hospital. However, that part is untrue because she was actually kidnapped and held hostage by a rival family whom their father Black Doom knew from his business meetings."
"But how did she end up here in the woods?" Silver finished bandaging her wounds. "And why does she not bear any resemblance to Shadow or Mephiles?"
"She probably got her looks from her mom or father depending on their appearance," Manic commented. "Since they're half siblings, their genetics are probably wacky."
"Thankfully, she's pretty," Sonic gestured to her golden yellow fur and blue dress. "But I'm kinda worried. She feels like skin and bones, and her kidnappers must've starved her."
"Her arms had needle marks, indicating she was tortured," Silver frowned. "Any mention in the novel on who did this?"
Gadget shook his head. "There was no mention on who had kidnapped Maria. The author left it a mystery."
"More like they wanna focus on the daffodil and her crushes," Manic gagged. "If you ask me, she definitely isn't innocent!"
Sonic felt some movement, seeing her flutter her eyelids open. A pair of sky-blue eyes gazed at his emerald green eyes, causing her to gasp as she tried to sit up and escape, but winced as she fell back into his arms. "H-Hey! It's okay! You're safe!"
The yellow hedgehog tried to say something, but only let out a cough. Gadget placed the book back in his belt and got out some food and a water bottle. He gave her the water bottle, and Sonic helped her take some small sips. Once her mouth is now wet, he offered her some food, which she gratefully accepted as she was able to eat by herself.
After eating all the food they have and drinking a lot of water, the female yellow hedgehog panted, wiping her mouth as she let out a small burp. "T-Thank you…"
"You're welcome," Sonic smiled. "I'm Sonic, and these are brothers and friends: Gadget the Wolf, Silver the Hedgehog, and Manic the Hedgehog. What's your name?"
"M-Maria," she replied, giving them a small smile. "T-Thank you for helping me."
She then gasped, as she tried to stand up but ended up on her knees. "I-I must get home now! M-My brothers-
"W-Whoa! Easy!" Sonic scooped her back up in his arms. "You haven't gotten all of your strength back. We gotta take you to the hospital first."
"No! No hospitals!" Maria shook her head, struggling to get out of his grip. "I can't let them find me! I must go back to my brothers!"
"Maria, it's okay!" Gadget reassured her. "We met Shadow and Mephiles. They told us about you."
Maria stopped her struggling, looking at them with a hopeful look. "Y-You met my brothers?"
"Yes, and they even showed us a picture of you when you were all small," Silver smiled. "I can see why they wouldn't stop gushing over you."
"And the only one who makes sure they remain on their best behavior," Sonic teased.
Maria blushed a little. "I love my brothers a lot." She then realized something. "They must've thought I died from my illness! I need to tell them it was all false! I was never sick! The doctor lied!"
Before they could calm her, a loud gunshot rang throughout the forest. They all stood still, hearing the quiet sound of the woods. Soon, another gunshot echoed in the woods, and the boys knew what was going on.
Making sure Maria is safe in his arms, they hurried over to their destination, knowing the place they are looking for is where the final clue is. When they got there, their answer is right. Out in the field are the 4 gang leaders with their members, along with Elina. She was in the center with her arms spread out, giving out a speech in order to make them stop fighting.
"Violence isn't the answer to anything!" Elina pleaded with them. "This must stop at once!"
"Out of the way, Elina! This is the only way we can resolve this!" Shadow commanded.
Elina had her hands clasped together. "Please, Shadow! This isn't you! You and Mephiles aren't killers!" She then looked at the others. "Scourge! Infinite! You two don't have to do this either!"
Manic rolled his eyes, then called out to her. "You expect us to believe they'll fall for that speech!? You're more of a dummy than I realize!"
When Maria got a good look at Elina thanks to the full moon, she let out a huge angry screech and pointed at her. "Get away from my brothers, you monster!"
They all turned their heads, but Shadow and Mephiles froze in astonishment as they saw her held in Sonic's arms. Memories of their childhood when they were all happy before her illness came appeared in their heads, causing them to shake their heads in disbelief at what they saw.
Maria got Sonic to put her down, but was held up when he placed his arm around her waist so she wouldn't fall. "Shadow! Mephiles! Do not trust Elina! She and her family are the reason I got kidnapped!"
"I-It can't be…" Shadow took a step back, stunned at what he saw. "M-Maria?"
"T-This isn't possible!" Mephiles shook his head in disbelief. "I-It must be an illusion!"
"Brothers, it's me! I did not die at all! The doctor lied to you!" Maria placed her hand on her chest. "Remember our time when we were up in our secret treehouse, and we all talked about what our dreams are?" She gently smiled, as she reminisced the cherished memories she had with her brothers. "I mentioned that I wanted to see the entire world with my own eyes, either by traveling or by becoming an astronaut. You two mentioned that you would both become kings, and I would be your cherished princess, living in a big, beautiful castle with so many flowers. A place where all of us will be safe."
Realization kicked in as they remembered saying those words, and no one else knew about them except for each other. Getting a good look at her, she appeared taller but thin and she was only wearing a blue dress that went to her knees. Her golden fur still shines beautiful even when its faded, but those eyes she has. The strength within them had never gone away.
"S-Sister?" Mephiles nearly hiccupped.
"O-Our little princess?" Shadow almost choked at his words.
Before they could take a step forward, Elina suddenly appeared in front of them and had her arms spread out. "W-Wait! It's not her!"
"She is the real Maria! This is our proof!" Sonic glared at her.
"He's right! She even told us about what really happened!" Manic seethed. "I never knew you and your family could go that low for what you did!"
"Mephiles! Shadow! The doctor who told you about Maria dying lied! He was working for Elina's family!" Silver glared at her. "Maria was never ill! The doctor fabricated her medical reports!"
"And get this! It's not only because they wanted revenge against Black Doom and your family! There was something else they hid from the world!" Gadget snarled.
"Please don't listen to them! I have no idea what they're even talking about!" Elina pleaded with Shadow and Mephiles. "It's obvious they're delusional and made this girl pretend to be your sister just to frame me!"
"Stop lying, you monster!" Maria screamed, as tears streamed down her cheeks. "You kidnapped me because of my rare blood type, which is only known by my family! You all used me as a blood bank and sold my blood to make a profit!" She showed them her bandaged arms. "Thanks to these kind boys, they found me and patched me up. They saw the holes in my arms due to the IV's! They saved me!"
"My family would never do something like this! They're kind people!"
"I was only fed enough just to produce enough blood almost every day! They locked me in a room with no windows so I wouldn't escape! No one is kind there!"
"I swear I didn't know what they were doing!"
"She knew because she saw me when they led me to the doctor's room where they took my blood! Instead of helping me, she pretended I wasn't there and ignored my pleas for help! She's a monster just like the rest!"
"Shut up!" Elina screamed as she turned around and glared at her. "I'm not a monster!"
"You're worse than dirt! You're even worse than the devil!" Maria yelled in anger.
"Are you gonna let her insult me like that!?" Elina sniffed, looking back at Shadow and placing her hands on his chest. "Please make her stop, Shadow!"
"Don't listen to her, Shadow! This is the real Maria!" Sonic pleaded with him. "Your sister would never lie to you about something horrible like that!"
"He's right!" Silver exclaimed. "Mephiles, you remembered what Maria looked like! You even heard her tell you about your most cherished memory! Elina is a fraud!"
"Stop it! I'm not a bad guy!" Elina covered her ears, crying her eyes out.
"Well, we got proof!" Manic snapped his fingers, and a figure came out from the darkness. "Hey Fang, you got the stuff I needed?"
"Sure did!" Fang brought out a pack of file folders, and opened them. "Want me to read it out loud?"
"Please do!"
"Certainly!" Fang cleared his throat, then started to speak. "Elina Blonde, 2nd youngest daughter of the Blonde family. 1st eldest daughter Helena Blonde died due to assassination by poisoning."
Elina uncovered her ears. "I-It's obvious an evil person killed my older sister!"
"10 years ago, the Blonde family was already bankrupt due to bad investments and not paying taxes, resulting in them hitting rock bottom. Then suddenly, they were back on top of the food chain after a mysterious investor helped them make a profit on a rare item, except it was sold in the black market."
Shadow's eyes narrowed, as he took a step back away from Elina. "What rare item were they selling?"
Fang's eyes widened in astonishment, then looked back at Shadow. "Golden Blood."
The temperature suddenly turned cold, and the atmosphere became tense. Scourge and Infinite knew where it was coming, as they and their gang members took a few steps back away from Shadow and Mephiles. The boys and Maria were at a safe distance, but Elina trembled as she fell onto her knees because she couldn't handle the powerful dark aura emitting from Shadow and Mephiles.
Mephiles glared at Fang, as his eyes glowed neon green. "Continue!"
Fang quickly nodded, then went back to reading the folder. "Parents are Chad & Debbie Blonde, said to have come from middle-class families. They were said to work with the dark underworld, resulting in selling Golden Blood illegally in the black market for a hefty price. They have no siblings, and their parents died 5 years ago. Currently live at the Diamond Estate with a bunch of butler and maids, depending on whomever they hire."
He flipped a page. "Chad ended up meeting Black Doom 10 years ago at a business meeting during the time his business was failing in order to find a new investor. He tried to convince Black Doom to work with him, but ended up rejected due to Black Doom quoting 'I would never invest in a failed business created by a failure'. Humiliated, Chad took revenge and plotted to make Black Doom. Somehow, he was able to find an investor through someone and when he was rich enough, hired someone to spy on the Doom Family."
Elina shook her head furiously. "N-No! D-Daddy would never take revenge!"
"You can't fool us, dummy," Fang insulted her, then continued to read. "The spy reported back everything he could find on the Doom Family, and ended up revealing to him information about the youngest daughter of the Doom Family Maria having golden blood, which is the rarest blood type in the world."
"Holy shit," Scourge muttered in shock, while Infinite's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Knowing how extremely rare and valuable golden blood is, they plotted to steal the young miss of the Doom Family and use her blood to make a profit. He bribed one of the doctors and nurses to make them believe Maria had a deadly illness, make them think she died in her sleep, provide a fake body, and sneak away with her at a faraway location where no one would know."
Maria frowned, as tears continued to stream down her cheeks. "When I woke up, everything was a blur. They made me think that I was sold to them, locked me in a windowless room so I wouldn't escape, fed me enough to produce enough blood, poke me with needles so many times just to get a good blood return, and threatened to hit me if I disobey."
She sniffed, undoing the bandages on her arms and removed them to show everyone her arms covered in holes. "It hurt so bad that they ignored my cries to stop! They never cared that I was in pain! I was only 6 when it all happened! Everyone in the Blonde Family were truly evil!" Maria sobbed, wiping her eyes. "The only person who was kind to me was the eldest daughter Helena! She would secretly come into my room to give me extra food, clothes, toys, a blanket, or comfort whenever I need it! She even said she was gonna help me get out of here, but it ended up costing her life!"
She glared at Elina, and pointed at her. "You saw her talking to me, and told them about what she was doing! You and your monstrous parents killed her! It was you 3 who took the only person who didn't see me as a blood bank!"
Sonic held her close, as Maria continued to sob. Silver rubbed her back, while Gadget patted her head. Manic glowered at Elina, wishing he can shoot out laser beams or anything to burn her alive. Fang kept his composure neutral, but gave Elina a nasty look. Even the others did the same as him, but Shadow and Mephiles had a look filled with rage, promising blood and vengeance on those who dare cross them.
As her loud sobs turn into whimpers, Maria let out a hiccup as she felt her tears being wiped away with a gloved hand. "W-When one of the maids who would leave me food accidentally left the door unlocked, I-I was able to sneak away and figure out where the exit is. Once I was outside and made sure there was no one watching me, I hightailed it out of there as fast as I can. I was able to run into the woods before anyone noticed I was gone. All I could remember is a voice in my head telling me to run and to never stop. Just keep running. I ran as much as I can, but I wasn't sure how long or how far. The next thing I remember is waking up and seeing Sonic and his friends helping me. For the first time in my life, I actually felt relieved!"
"And it'll remain that way forever," Sonic gave her a side hug, then glared daggers at Elina. "It's obvious you only wanted to get close to Shadow, his brother, and the rest of the gang leaders because of their wealth and beauty. With their fortune, your family will become the richest people in the whole city, which is why you pretended to be a kind, naïve, quirky girl who only sees the world in colors."
"Not just them, but with all the males at the academy," Gadget scowled. "Thank goodness none of the girls were affected by your trick!"
"And the reason we weren't affected is because we swing the other way," Manic smirked. "We don't fall for fake people such as yourself."
"It's over, Elina! You lost!" Silver proclaimed.
Elina shook her head, denying everything they heard as she stood up. "No! No! I didn't do anything!" She grabbed the front of Shadow's jacket. "Please believe me, Shadow! I would never-
She yelped in pain when she was forcefully shoved away from him, resulting in her landing on the ground. When she looked up, she quivered in fear when she saw Mephiles giving her a menacing look, almost bloodthirsty. "M-Meph-
"SILENCE, YOU DISGUSTING FLOOZY!" Mephiles roared in anger at her. "HOW DARE YOU TOUCH MY BROTHER WITH THOSE FILTHY HANDS OF YOURS!"
"W-Why are you yelling at me!?"
"ARE YOU DEAF!? AFTER HEARING EVERYTHING ON WHAT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY DID TO MARIA, DO YOU THINK WE'LL LET SOMETHING LIKE THIS BE FORGOTTEN!?"
"I-I never touched her!"
"YOUR DISGUSTING GREED OVER MONEY NEARLY COST AN INNOCENT GIRL HER OWN LIFE! MORE SPECIFICALLY, OUR BABY SISTER WHOM WE THOUGHT DIED 10 YEARS AGO! INSTEAD OF HELPING HER, YOU CHOSE TO SEE HER AS A BLOODBANK JUST TO MAKE A PROFIT!" Mephiles pulled down his mask, revealing his mouth as it opened wide to reveal scars and sharp teeth. "DEATH IS TOO GOOD FOR YOU! INSTEAD, I'LL MAKE YOU BEG FOR IT!"
An arm stopped him from getting near her, causing him to glare at the person. "Step aside, Shadow! She must pay for her sins!"
Shadow gave him a heated look to stand down, then gave Elina dirty look, disgusted at himself for actually liking her. He snapped his fingers, and a couple of his gang members grabbed Elina by her arms and hoisted her up. He then walked over to her, stopped, and grasped her face tightly.
"T-That hurts, S-Shadow," Elina squeaked. "C-Could you let me go, please?"
A loud thwack rang in the woods, as Elina's head was turned to the side. She felt a burning, painful sensation on her cheek, then began to cry as she slowly looked at Shadow. "W-Why would you slap me, Shadow?"
Disgusted at her innocent attempt, Shadow glared at his members. "Get this filth out of my sight and torture her this instant! But leave her alive so my brother and I can finish the job!"
"Yes, leader!" the members replied in unison, dragging away a screeching Elina who begged to be released.
"NO! PLEASE! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! I'M INNOCENT! SHADOW! PLEASE BELIEVE ME! MEPHILES, I DIDN'T DO IT! SCOURGE, PLEASE HELP ME! DON'T LET THEM HURT ME, INFINITE! SAVE ME, PLEASE! YOU MUST BELIEVE ME! I'M YOUR DAFFODIL!"
Her cries for help remained deaf as she was dragged away from everyone, ignoring her as they all focused their attention on Maria and the boys. Shadow's eyes softened, as he took a step forward. "Maria?..."
Mephiles also took a step forward. "Sister?..."
Maria softly smiled, wiping her eyes as she gave her brothers an angelic expression. "I'm right here, big brothers."
Before their reunion could become heartwarming, a loud yell came from the back along with a gun being fired. Looking back, they realized that Elina got a hold on a gun and used it to fire a shot at one of the gang members. With a crazed look, she pointed her gun at them. "You must believe your innocent daffodil! I have done nothing wrong!"
She fired a shot, hoping it would hit the people she hated before she got tackled to the ground and the gun kicked away from her. Eyes widened in horror when Shadow saw whom she shot at. Blood leaked from his white shirt as part of the school uniform as he used his body to shield Maria, who gasped in horror as she realized what had happened.
"SONIC!"
His blue eyelids slowly fluttered open, but they felt heavy. The light shining on him was too bright, and his body could barely move. Once he blinked a few times, he was able to fully open them. When he did that, all he could see is the white ceiling. Wiggling his fingers and toes, he sighs in relief that he is still able to move them, and slowly positioned himself to sit up on the bed, prompting the others to wake up from his movement as they all hugged him.
"SONIC/BRO!"
He was engulfed by their large hugs, and they all pulled away and rapidly fired questions at him. He placed his hand up to silence them. "One at a time, please."
"How do you feel, bro?" Manic asked.
"Kinda tired, and bit of pain right here," Sonic rubbed the spot near his right clavicle. "What exactly happened?"
"You got shot while protecting Maria," Silver explained.
"Wait! Where is she!? Is she okay!?" Sonic frantically looked around.
Gadget placed his hands on his shoulders to calm him. "She's okay! She's also here at the hospital getting looked over by a doctor Shadow and Mephiles have chosen to make sure she's well."
"We don't know the results, so it'll take a while," Manic replied. "Also, that crazy whore is currently getting tortured as we speak by the deadliest gang members hired by Shadow and Mephiles. And this time, she'll no longer bother anyone."
"What about her folks and the people who hurt Maria?" Sonic asked.
"Shadow and Mephiles went on a bloodthirsty killing spree and eliminated everyone at the Diamond Estate who had a hand in Maria's suffering," Silver gulped in fear. "No one is allowed to talk about it near them unless they want to be next."
"It also helped them figure out who was the investor involved in the black market with the Blonde Family," Gadget added, then showed Sonic a flower basket and bowl of fruit resting on the table next to him. "Blaze and Amy sent these after they heard what happened. They promise to come visit once their classes are done and wish you a full recovery."
"Not only that, everyone is calling you a hero for protecting Maria from getting shot by Elina," Silver showed him the newspaper.
"But all of us found Maria and protected her. You guys tended to her wounds and gave her some food and water," Sonic replied, skimming through the news article.
"Its best if they don't know. And plus, everyone now knows their so-called daffodil is a fake," Manic laughed.
Sonic chuckled. "That is true." He then remembered something. "Wait, were we able to find the final clue though?"
A knock on the door prevented them from speaking, and it opened to reveal 3 familiar people. Sonic was the first to speak. "Maria! You're okay!"
Maria smiled sweetly at him, as she remained seated in her wheelchair. "Thanks to your body protecting me, I didn't get shot. Sonic, thank you for saving me."
Shadow firmly nodded. "She is correct. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for saving our sister."
Mephiles placed his arm over his chest and bowed. "To show our appreciation, each of us from the Doom Family shall grant you 4 boons."
Sonic frantically waved his hands out. "Hey, there's no need! I'm just glad she's safe!" He then gestured to his brother and friends. "All of us saved Maria. I can't take all the credit."
"You risked your life to save hers, and we'll never forget that," Shadow gave him a small bow similar to his brother's. "Whatever wish you desire, we shall fulfill it."
"He'll think about it," Manic answered.
Gadget raised his hand. "Quick question, what will happen to the perpetrator who is in your custody?"
Shadow chuckled darkly, along with his brother as his eyes glowed red with hidden rage. "If you wish to know, then ask the jackal and green idiot. They already know our answer."
"And this time, no one will dare cross paths with the Doom Family ever again," Mephiles finished his answer.
Everyone, except for Maria, shivered at their dark aura, but it stopped when their auras faded away, letting everyone breathe out a sigh of relief. Then, two more people entered the room, and they also recognized those individuals.
"Good news! We got more info about the people who bought the goods! I already sent my men to hunt them down!" Scourge grinned evilly.
"And I already got my jackals to hunt for any traitors who dare try to blab," Zero folded his arms while frowning. "But after this, we go back to being enemies!"
"We shall," Shadow glared at him.
Manic remembered something, then smirked as he sauntered over to where Scourge is. "Hey big boy, is Fang still with you? I gotta give him my payment."
Scourge smirked, as he eyed Manic with a lustful expression. "No, but I can pass it on to him~"
"How about I show you outside the room?"
"With pleasure~"
Guiding Manic to the door, they both left the room. Then, Gadget gasped in realization as he hurried over to Zero. "I forgot I was supposed to give you and your squad something as a thank you present for keeping us safe! Please follow me outside!"
Grabbing Zero's hand, he dragged him out of the room, leaving only Shadow, Mephiles, Maria, Sonic, and Silver. Sonic was confused on what was happening, but Silver somehow got an idea as he whispered something in Sonic's ears, who then nodded as he let Silver leave the room, but not before Silver ushered Mephiles to come out and follow him so he could tell him something.
Mephiles wasn't sure what was going on, but decided to follow him as he hugged Maria, told her he'll be right back, patted Shadow's shoulder, then quickly left the room. Now, there were only 3 people in the room and Shadow wheeled Maria over so she could be closer to Sonic. Then, he sat on the chair next to Sonic as he leaned his head back and sighed. "Are you still in any pain?"
Sonic was surprised at his question, but shook his head. "Not anymore. The pain went away when I was asleep."
Shadow turned his head to look at him. "You were asleep for 2 days."
"T-Two days!?"
"Shadow is right. After you were brought in unconscious, surgery was performed to get the bullet out. Thankfully, it did not hit anything major," Maria explained.
"No wonder my body felt heavy," Sonic looked at his hands, along with his hospital gown. "What about you, Maria? How are your arms?"
"So much better after they tended to them. However, I must remain in the hospital to get my strength up and monitored to see what type of damage was left on me from all the blood transfusions I went through for so many years."
"Infection, malnutrition, dehydration, and a few others that almost affected her health and organs," Shadow growled. "This time, we do background checks on every medical profession who are assigned to you."
"And maybe eat something yummy for once," Maria fiddled her fingers.
"Anything you like, I will get everything ordered and delivered to you," Shadow's gaze softened at the sight of his sister. "I'll even order your favorite desserts. Do you still like chocolate cake with raspberries and whip cream on top?"
"Oh yes! I really do!"
"Once we're certain your stomach can handle food well, I'll make sure you get the biggest and most delicious kind."
"Thank you, big brother!"
Sonic raised his hand. "Is the hospital food any good?"
"No, and you'll be eating the good kind from the restaurants I'm familiar with," Shadow glanced at him. "To show our appreciation, I'll order one of everything for you."
"W-Whoa! Hold on there, dude! There's no need to order that much food!"
"I insist, and don't worry about money. I come from a wealthy background."
"But it's too much and-
"You need to build your strength back, and you haven't eaten anything in the past 2 days. Let me do something nice for you, okay?"
"You can't refuse him, Sonic. Shadow is quite stubborn," Maria giggled.
Seeing how he isn't budging, Sonic sighed as he agreed to the condition. "My favorite food is chili dogs."
Here is the cliffhanger! I bet you all were surprised to find how long it was! If any of you want to see a part 2, please let me know in the comment section! The more reviews I get, the more motivation I get! Remember to leave those reviews, everybody! Thank you! Also, the song I chose is Bad Romance X Monster mashup by Lady Gaga. I highly recommend you listen to it because it's amazing!