D-008

23 Hours since Launch

Outskirts of Central City.

..

With the curtains covering the windows, Amy Rose is sleeping soundly through the quiet morning-

"WAAAAAA! WAAAAA!"

Her eyebrows shake in anger, but eventually falls asleep once-

…

"WAAAAA! WAAA!"

With a frustrated groan, she throws away her blanket and walks out of the room, still half asleep.

As she enters what used to be Icarus' room, she sees Shadow, smoothly cradling the previously crying Angela, as he softly puts the sleeping princess on the bed when she dozes off.

Amy steps aside to let Shadow quietly exit the room, slowly closing the door as he gets out.

Amy: "Thank you for that…." A whisper, horrified by accidentally walking her up again.

Shadow: "Don't worry about it-"

"WAAAAA! WAAA!"

They both facepalm.

Amy: "I…I will take care of this one-"

"No, no need. We can just do it together. Besides, soothing a baby is boring when alone."

"Shadow…you really don't have to…"

"I know. I want to."

She smiles in gratitude and they both enter the room, Amy going on first.

"WAAA-"

Amy picks her up gently, holding the crying Angela close to her chest, moving softly back and forth.

"Yeah, I know, I know…this would be a lot easier if you just told me what you want, you sweet little angel."

Shadow: "Was Icarus ever this difficult?"

"Pfff, this is nothing compared to what he did. You know, when he was really young and you were dead set on helping Hearts during her academy days, I used to hear vases break all the time. I would run in panic towards the source of the noise…and every time, without fail, there would be nothing but Icarus sitting on the ground…in silence. I thought I was going mad…but…knowing what we do now…" Her voice trails off. A part of her shameful that she didn't connect the dots earlier.

"Hey…I…" He walks forward, but then stops, unsure of what to say.

Amy: "I know…I know…you couldn't have known, and you did what you thought was right at the time…I know what I married."

Despite her words that should be comforting and reassuring, Shadow feels a mixture of dread and guilt.

Amy turns around, softly bends her knees and rests on the bed, Angela still in her arms.

"Heh…my knees really have gotten weak over the years…guess age is getting to me…"

"You are still plenty young to me."

"Oh, please…don't be a flatterer. It doesn't suit you….hey…Shadow?"

"Yes?"

Amy pauses for a moment before speaking, putting her full attention on Shadow now. Her eyes sparked of vulnerability as she softly asked.

"Do you think we messed up?"

"With what?"

"With…with Icarus…or…well…if I messed up-"

"Don't say that. If there was something messed up, we both played a part."

"Right…well…what do you think?"

…

"I…I really don't know. I wasn't really raised so I didn't have a framework of dos and don'ts…but…why do you think we messed up?"

"Well…it's just…the second he got the chance to get away from us…he took it and ran…quite literally."

"From what I have seen…isn't that every parent and their child?"

"Yeah…but…."

"Rose. Icarus is out there for the sole purpose of doing good. He played a major part in the bakery surprise, he's…a good kid. Look, I get how you think, maybe if he was here, he would have done it differently and perhaps done it better…but he isn't here. We are. And tell me, did we try our best?"

Amy thinks about that for a moment.

"Ye-"

"WAAAAA, WAAA!"

Amy: "Oh, come on! Can't you just go to sleep?!" Damn these Kujo genes, always so AGITATING!"

Shadow lets out a small giggle, but with a threatening glare from the woman of the house, he looks away and pretends he didn't laugh.

Suddenly, a phone ringing echoes through the house.

Shadow: "I got it."

"Thank you."

Shadow walks out of the room and goes to the black landline next to the house's entrance, then picks it up.

"State your purpose."

Miles: "Woah. Scary."

"Oh, it's just you. What do you want?"

"Is Amy free-"

"No."

"Well, it's just-"

"No. Tell me what you want."

"Sigh Well, I just wanted to share the news that…well…I will be having my own kid soon…and…"

Shadow grins like never before. His very soul lights up at the thought of that little fox kid from so many years ago starting his own family. Icarus wasn't the only thing that blue rodent wanted to be safe…he feels quite accomplished.

He, however, would die before saying any of that outloud.

"Hmph, why should we care? Call us when there is something of relevance."

With that, Shadow hangs up the phone before he gives Tails a chance to answer.

Shadow begins to walk back to Icarus' room…

But then, a thought pops in his mind that makes him pause.

Technically speaking, he hasn't left behind his own seed after all these years.

He always pushed the idea aside before…when would they even get the time?

But…now…since Icarus is gone…

D-008

24 Hours since launch

Aboard the G.T. S

The trio of misfit heroes continue their travels across space…

Inside of Cosmo's darkened room, she rests soundly…until she feels something poking her lower back, bothering her as she tosses and turns.

Half-asleep, she arches and feels her back to see what's there.

She feels a small object sticking out, and so she grabs it with her hand and brings it up to her face to observe what it was.

No bigger than a small pebble, what was in her back was nothing more than a small, light-yellow seed.

She rubs her eyes, gets up and opens the lights in her room to make sure of what she is seeing. And sure enough, it really was a seed. She is bewildered by this. Her species only produces seeds upon seeing a "worthy" mate, and the seed would always grow to be something resembling that worthy mate. However, for the last few days, she has only seen a handful of creatures, and none of them were of interest. Perhaps the fox? No, she already thought lowly of him about that pathetic display of plagiarism. It is assuredly not him. That leaves the question…who is-

Suddenly, Icarus barges into her room. She quickly hides the seed behind her back,

Cosmo: "Do you not have any manners?!"

Icarus: "Sorry, but you need to see this. Come down."

With that, he dashes out of the room as soon as he comes, Cosmo takes a breath to gather her thoughts before looking back at the seed. At first, she ponders about destroying it like all the others. After all, it's not like she would be allowed to raise it, anyway. However...a part of her is curious about what shape will the seed take? It takes 150 days for a seed to sprout...

No point in thinking about this now. She tosses the seed aside on her bed in time to witness Icarus and Itadori silently looking out the window as the ship descends into another planet. Its atmosphere is a revolting yellow-ish green, small formations of thin and tall clouds surround the sphere.

Cosmo: "Where are we-"

Itadori: "That's what we are wondering as well. The next emerald shouldn't be until a few more days…"

Icarus: "We should call Miles…maybe he knows-"

Itadori: "Already tried."

Cosmo: "More jamming?"

"No. That fool simply isn't answering any calls."

Icarus: "Well, what's the plan?"

Itadori: "There must be a reason why the ship is landing here. The fox said that the ship would always land close by the signal, no? Whatever made it change course should be nearby wherever we land. We scout out and fix this. We cannot afford wasting time."

Icarus nods and they both start getting ready for the landing.

Cosmo, however, walks forward towards the glass and takes in the sights of the planet, lost in thought…her features share a hint of…guilt.

With an unexpected detour of this calibre…what will transpire upon the mysterious planet?