A few hours later Sonic was sitting up doing his homework with Sally and the others there to help him.
"Daddy called the school and told them you were staying here all week and told them to give you a second chance at catching up on what you're doing. So we're gonna help you with your homework and try and get your grades up." Sally said smiling and Sonic smiled.
"So we'll help you with what we can." Tails said smiling.
"You guys are the best." Sonic said and there was a knock on the door.
"Come in." he said and the door opened and he saw the kids from the orphanage. "Guys?" he said surprised.
"Hi Sonic!" one of the girls said.
"Hey Sarah. What are all you doing here?"
"The king is letting us stay here until we find foster parents that will work with us." a boy said smiling and Sonic sighed in relief.
"The caretaker was arrested for child abuse earlier." an older boy said. "We're staying with the foster parents either until they find a staff for the orphanage or they wanna keep us." he said and Sonic smiled.
"What about me?" Sonic asked.
"The king said you're staying here but will tell you what family we'll be with and when we get back to the orphanage. Then when we get back there you can either stay here or go back with us." another older boy said and Sonic nodded and looked at Sally.
"You're the one that told him to keep me here aren't you?" Sonic asked and Sally nodded.
"I'm sorry but you're still not healthy enough to leave. But daddy said they can come visit and will keep you posted." Sally said.
He nodded still worried about them.
"The parents will come get us tomorrow and you can meet them. Since you pretty much raised us you know us the best." a girl named Tasha said.
He nodded again.
"So! Anyone gone while I've been away all day and today?" he asked now smiling.
"Tom was adopted yesterday morning when you were in school." a boy named Andy said.
Sonic smiled.
"Good. He's been there for quite a while."
"Not as long as you."
Sonic smiled a little.
"I don't know if anyone would want me because I'm fifteen years old and so fast." he said.
Then someone noticed the others.
"Oh! Right, guys these are my friends and someone I'm disgusted to call my brother."
That hurt Shadow hard.
"You have a brother?!" the kids said.
"Yup. A year older than me." he said. "He's the one that left me and blames me for what happened to our parents. We swore to keep this quiet from everyone but got into a huge fight yesterday afternoon and admitted what we truly are. I even unlocked Dark Sonic." he said and they gasped. "No kidding. But as hard as I got him I don't regret it. After leaving me for ten years he deserved it." he said and the others nodded while Shadow winced.
"And man did it hurt!" Shadow said rubbing his shoulder.
"Anyway, my brother is that black and red hedgehog Shadow. The fox is my best friend Tails. His real name is Miles but he hates it. This is my other best friend Knuckles. This is Amy, Cream, Blaze, Silver and Sally. The Chao is Cream's friend Cheese."
"Hey." they said.
"Chao!" Cheese said.
"Hi." the kids said.
"What can you guys do? We know Sonic is really fast and strong." Sarah said.
Shadow looked at Sonic.
'Why did he only say speed and strength?' he wondered.
"I can fly with my tails, that's why they call me Tails." Tails said smiling.
"I can fly with my ears." Cream said smiling.
"I have a hammer I can call." Amy said smiling.
"I have pyrokanisis and am fast like Sonic, just not as fast." Silver said smiling.
"I can shoot fireballs." Blaze said smiling.
"I punch people hard with my gloves and can glide." Knuckles said smirking.
"And I'm fast and strong like Sonic and Silver. Along with Chaos Control, Chaos Spear and Chaos blast." Shadow said.
"Yeah and it hurts!" Sonic said.
"Look who's talking, you can do it to and twice as strong!"
Sonic turned red while they looked at him.
"What?!" they said.
"You said you only have speed and strength!" a girl said.
"Ha, ummm, I didn't want to hurt you or anything." Sonic said.
The kids shook their head while the teenagers looked at him hurt and shocked.
"Why didn't you tell us? Me and Tails of all people!" Knuckles asked.
"I don't want you to be jealous! I know you're jealous of Shadow because he can do it! And you said you would keep it quiet! Where I live, what they do to me, what I do there and my anxiety!"
"Calm down Sonic." Sally said and gave him a hug. "We don't care what or who you are. You're our friend and true friends stay together."
Sonic looked at her and they all nodded.
"We're not going anywhere." Blaze said.
"Yeah!" the kids said.
Sonic smiled.
"Where did the anxiety come from?" Shadow asked.
"Where do you think? The orphanage! I've been hiding it and trying to hold anxiety attacks for my room. I didn't want the kids to get worried or think it's because I've been protecting them."
Shadow winced then shook his head.
"I shouldn't've left you there. I should have just taken care of you and then custody of you even though I'm only a year older than you." he said.
"Yeah, you should have but you didn't."
"I, I'll take you in like I should have if you give me a second chance."
Sonic sat there quietly thinking.
"I'll think about it. But I'm going back to the orphanage to get to know the caretaker and see if I trust them. If I could I'd see if Vanilla could do it but she has Cream to take care of." he said and as hurt as Shadow is he nodded understanding.
"OK."
Sonic nodded.
"Alright guys, I have some school to finally work on so scoot. Maybe go outside and play."
"Awww!" they said and he shook his head smiling.
"Sorry guys, but I missed a ton of homework and am pretty much failing school."
"Fine."
They felt guilty about him doing that to look after and protect them.
Sonic smiled.
"I'll see if I can go outside and hang out with you guys when I'm done, OK?"
They nodded and left.
Sonic sighed and was worried about what was going to happen.
"Calm down Sonic, daddy is looking at foster parents that are great." Sally said.
"I know, I'm just still worried."
"Come on, let's get back to math." Silver said and then got back to school work.