Anonymous Review Replies!
jewel: More Tails and Maria interactions coming right up! :) And yes, Shadow is probably simply the incarnation of awkward, but what can you expect from a guy who grew up in a lab?^^° Luckily he has friends to help him out! :D
Gokuu the Carrot: Thank you! :)
Guest: Accepting holiday greetings to any and all celebrations all year round, the sentiment's what counts! :D Thank you!
DEV: Ah, oh nein! Heißt das etwa, ich muss häufiger updaten?! ;p Sticks und Shadow - ich muss zugeben, ich hatte großen Spaß sie zu schreiben, wenn ihre irre Persönlichkeit in manchen Situationen einfach canon-mäßig *recht* hat XD (hat Shadow überhaupt ne backstory oder so in Boom?) Und mehr Maria und Tails Nerdgeschwätz direkt im neuen Kapitel :D Die beiden abgehen zu lassen macht schon Freude :p Und keine Sorge, der Konflikt zwischen Shadow und Sonic re: wie man mit Robotnik umgehen sollte ist quasi vorprogrammiert und wird auch noch ne ziemliche Rolle spielen, bleibt also spannend ;) Hoffe, das neue Kapitel gefällt und wie immer vielen Dank für das Review!
WrittenInInk: Try my other fanfics? ;P But seriously, thanks! :)
Guest: No worries, here to stay :) Just gotta balance RL and fanfic, as usual :p
LoneGarurumon: omg, isn't he just? I could write him all day like this XD As for Shadow realizing that Sticks is crazy even by this fic's standards - I'd wager it'll take the poor guy some time to establish a baseline here, unfortunately XD
Guest: Ah, who knows? Read on to find out if they do! ;P
Chapter 12: ...and to All a Good Night
Sonic's stare told Shadow very clearly how badly he was failing smalltalk 101 here again, but to his credit, the blue hedgehog at least seemed to take some pity on him because he at least let his lips twitch into a small smile.
"Ah. Yeah, actually. That spread you have here is amazing. Wouldn't have thought humans could know about all this stuff," he said to Maria, who also relaxed again and smiled.
"Thank you, I try my best," she replied bashfully. To Tails she added, "We also have some freshly killed zebra if you'd like?"
"Zebra?" Tails gave a curious grin. "Nah, that's more a thing for African species, like cheetahs or maybe jungle badgers, I think?"
"Is it? I had no idea," Shadow said flatly, ignoring Maria's stomp on his foot.
"Oh, really? Well, I tried to do my research, but there's still so much to learn. I also really want Shadow to be able to understand more about his native culture," Maria said, looking at Sonic with an encouraging smile. "Please teach him everything about hedgehog customs you know."
"Um," Shadow started.
Sonic laughed. "Sure! Though honestly, I'm no expert myself," he rubbed his nose. "Grew up with a bunch of armadillos as a kid, you know? But yeah, I know some stuff." Then he gave a sly grin. "He'll have to find a girl hedgehog to teach him about the hedgehog caroussel, though."
"The…what?" Shadow managed, while Maria looked morbidly curious.
"It's this really funny thing where hedgehogs in love sort of chase each other all the time," Tails piped up, grinning from ear to ear. "It's the most hilarious and dorkiest thing ever!"
"Oh and as if foxes pouncing on one another is so much more dignified," Sonic shot a snickering Tails a wry glance, but it didn't really seem to help much.
Shadow could already see that Maria seemed worryingly fascinated, and then shot Sonic a look that he hoped didn't look as pleading as he felt. The blue hedgehog continued unperturbedly.
"Though I don't think ya gotta be too worried about getting that one right yet, there aren't many hedgehog girls at school. Or…guys, really," he said and then, as if he couldn't resist, added, "And if Sticks finally gets up the nerve to flirt with you, she'll probably set up a pit trap or something anyway."
"Or something, yes," Shadow replied in a deadpan.
"If you wanna learn more about hedgehog culture, though, you should really try your sister's cooking, dude," Sonic nodded. "Tastes definitely authentic."
"Er…yeah. Probably. At some point," Shadow managed, cautiously shooting a glance at Maria, who thankfully seemed more amused than hurt by his preference for human food so far.
"That, and maybe stop calling Mobians Sapients – you really sound like a human when you do that," Sonic grinned, poking his tongue out.
"Wait, what? There's a difference?" Maria looked at him, slightly surprised. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to offend when I-"
"Nah, it's fine. It's not really offensive," Sonic said. "It's a fitting description for any intelligent species, right? But it's just not what we've been calling ourselves before we came here, so when you call us or yourself that…it just sounds weird, y'know?" Sonic gave a bit of a shrug. "Sorta like a human calling themselves an 'overlander' like some Mobians call you guys. But that happens more in the country and with older people anyway - or back in the southern hemisphere."
"I…heard that term applied to humans at school, yeah," Shadow said. "I think Fiona and her friends used it." He frowned as he recalled that particular conversation, also noticing Tails blushing and looking at the floor at the mention of the vixen's gang.
"Well, in their case I'd be glad they didn't use other words," Sonic commented with a wry smile and Shadow (who didn't want to mention in Maria's presence that they had used other words, most notably skinbag and mangie) merely nodded.
"Right."
"And most Mobians will also tell you that this planet is actually called Mobius – no idea why your science guys are so unimaginative to insist it's called Earth," Sonic continued, directing a grin at Maria and Gerald to make it clear he was teasing.
"…huh. Wow, I didn't know that," Maria said, clearly fascinated by the entire topic. "And what about the other planets, are there any-?"
"Had to back'em up with the fist metal crackle, I'm hearing someone saying you a chicken-!"
"Huh? Oh sorry," Sonic shot the table an apologetic glance after he had pulled out the mobile phone Shadow already knew from his quills, just this time with an even more bizarre ringtone.
"Crying pumpkins in the alley, didn't seem happy~"
"Just gotta take this, be right back!"
"Oh...sure," Maria said, just a bit startled as Sonic had already gotten up from the table to go to the anteroom (Shadow mostly mouthing a 'what.' at her due to the weirdo lyrics). Stepping out, Sonic was pulling the door halfway closed behind him, finally accepting the call as the music cut off. Shadow couldn't help but let his ears turn subtly toward the phone call, morbidly curious - was this maybe the city calling for his help again? Would this be his chance to go with Sonic and end Maria's cousin once and for all?
The first couple of lines from Sonic seemed to make that a bit unlikely, though.
"Hey dude, long time no see!" Sonic greeted the caller (who appeared to give some angry response to the figure of speech, though Shadow sadly couldn't make out any words). "Nah, I'm just chilling with a classmate whose family invited us for dinner," Sonic continued. "What's up?"
There was again a reply that Shadow couldn't make out, but at least the conversation at the dinner table had picked up again, now Tails detailing more linguistic subtleties while Maria and Gerald listened with interest and nobody had noticed that he'd basically checked out to listen in on the phone call. It didn't seem likely that there would be any useful info pertaining to the Doctor in there, but maybe?
"No. Way." Sonic now sounded both amazed and amused at what the other person had said. "Dude, you must be the lousiest guardian in history! Who stole it this time? Wait. Wait, don't tell me, was it that chick you've been – oh." Shadow's ears perked up as Sonic had just sobered up noticeably, his voice now a touch darker. "Him, huh?"
And now the blue hedgehog actually sneaked a glance outside, Shadow barely managing to look away before Sonic would have noticed him staring. Fortunately, he continued afterwards as if nothing had happened. "Dangit, what is he up to this time?" Sonic asked, tapping his foot at the question, but not sounding all that concerned yet. "Has he…ah. Right, gotcha. Okay, if I come across any pieces, I'll let you know. Later!"
There was the low beep of a connection being cut, and a moment later Sonic was already back at the dinner table, clambering up into his seat, Shadow none the wiser about the contents of the mystery phone call. Maria smiled at him curiously.
"Welcome back. Was it another classmate of you two?"
"Nah, just a guy I know. Squatter and juvenile delinquent, really," Sonic waved her off with a grin and Tails giggled, the epithet clearly something of an in-joke before he turned to Maria again. "But, say, I wanted to ask, earlier you said something to Tails about Emeralds, right? Are you or your grandfather currently working on any, uh...projects...?" Sonic asked with what Shadow thought was a tone perhaps just a tad too casual to be believable (or perhaps he was just getting paranoid.)
Maria lit up like a light house, though. "Oh! Yes, actually! I have been working on the manufacturing of artificial Chaos crystal and since I read that Tails has also managed to create the process in his own lab I thought-!"
There was a little bit of satisfaction in Shadow's face as the next fifteen minutes of conversation at the table were filled with theoretical terms, scientific constructs and equations scribbled on handkerchiefs he was certain only the non-hedgehogs in this house understood and Sonic looked like he severely regretted having asked this question in the first place.
Still, though. Who had he been talking to and had that phone call prompted that line of conversation? If yes, how?
It didn't seem like he was going to get an answer to that question like this, though – after a while, Sonic looked so bored with the current conversation that any pressing need for further probing seemed to have entirely deserted him.
"Do you know what the Doctor was doing at...Prison Island?" Shadow asked instead, aware of Gerald already tensing up again, but feeling safe for the moment with Maria completely oblivious to anything other than the renewed nerd conversation she was having with Tails.
"Um...not really," Sonic gave a slight shrug and an apologetic smile. "Most of his schemes are too crazy to understand anyway."
"But what if he was currently developing some grand plan," Shadow pressed on, "Wouldn't it be imperative that we knew-"
"Shadow," Gerald said quietly, tiredly. "Please."
"But professor-" Shadow started, feeling the familiar irritation and despair rising within him, but Gerald had already turned to Sonic.
"You must excuse Shadow, Sonic," he said, sounding for a moment old. "He is a bit…eager to help rectify what my grandson has wreaked upon this world. Though I have tried telling him that we are a strictly pacifist family and do not condone any escalation of violence."
(Shadow was privately sure that his own expression conveyed very clearly what he thought of escalating violence.)
"Heh." The edges of Sonic's mouth twitched slightly. "Sounds like a good policy to have. I know a cat who lives in a jungle who'd agree with you." He stretched and smiled. "But like I said, it's okay. Tails 'n me, we both know blood isn't always thicker than water. Family's what you make of it, right?" he asked, giving both of their siblings a glance. "No need to feel bad about what anyone did who's only family in name."
"Hrn," Shadow made a noise that tried to convey general dissatisfaction with life even while Gerald's hand landed on his shoulder and squeezed, radiating more warmth than it should as it did. Maria and Tails, for their parts, had apparently also ceased their talking as Tails had heard his name and were now looking to rejoin their conversation.
"Thank you. That's what I'd like to believe, too," Gerald said. "And I'm sorry for Shadow's pressing questions. If you have any you'd like to ask, you may, of course."
"Really?" Sonic perked up. "''cause there actually is something I've been dying to know."
"Then I'll answer to the best of my ability," Gerald replied while Shadow was actually also getting interested again. Something new about the Robotnik family tree perhaps?
Sonic leaned forward on his elbows, looking curious. "So...do you guys really just…lose your headfur when you get older? And, like, only the guys?"
Shadow made a 'you wanted to invite them' face at his sister (while Tails appeared to want to sink mostly into his chair), but was ignored.
"It's a…particularity of the human species, yes," Gerald replied after a moment of surprise, though he seemed more faintly amused than insulted. "We menfolk like to think of the cause as the expanding brain pressing the roots of the hair out from the skull."
"Grandpa! That's so not how it works!" Maria exclaimed, looking embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I swear he's usually a genius..."
"It's fine. I doubt I'll get the actual biological reason anyway. Not exactly my specialty, academics," Sonic grinned again while Tails shook his head. After that the conversation drifted into easier waters again, with Sonic mostly telling a few tales about the places around Station Square he and Tails had visited that Shadow and his family should see and a couple of recommendations where to get the best chili dogs in town. For dessert, Maria brought out another (in Shadow's opinion) horrifying concoction called a 'cricket creme' (and fortunately also some more mundane chocolate pudding. Shadow felt vindicated by at least the fox kit preferring that one, too).
When it became time to leave, Shadow thought Maria looked quite pleased at both their guests moving at least a little bit more sluggish than when they had come and when they both thanked her for her cooking.
"My pleasure," Maria smiled at Sonic, also rising. "Tails, you can come by any time," she added (Shadow trying to ignore a sting of jealously he realized he was harbouring for an eight-year-old).
"Yeah, that'd be great!" Tails also waved as they headed out the door. "Talking to you is great, you understand like ten times more than Sonic!"
"Oh really? Alright, pixel brain, how about last one home is a rotten egg-?!"
"Hey, what?! No fair, wait-!"
The last part was already fading away as the pair had already taken off racing, zig-zagging down the street with Sonic in the lead laughing, Tails trying to keep up with him in a sort of weird tail-based propellation that really shouldn't make any physical sense.
Shadow watched as they disappeared into the darkness, sensing Maria stepping up next to him in the doorframe, laying an arm around his shoulders as they stared out into the night.
"Heh, they really are quite a pair, aren't they? But they're really nice! I think you made some great friends, Shadow," she said, smiling down at him.
"Hmph. Maybe," Shadow crossed his arms, not sure how to feel about this yet. Somehow it didn't seem fair that the craziness didn't seem to happen when Maria was around, but then again, he was also mostly glad that his sister had enjoyed the dinner she had worked so hard for.
"Oh come on, you make it sound like that's an admission under torture," she gave a little nudge with her hip against his ribs. "But wasn't this night perfect?! We hosted our first house dinner! Just like in the movies!" she looked down at him, hands balled into fists as she grinned.
"...okay, fine. Maybe it wasn't half bad," Shadow finally admitted, feeling a treacherous smile pulling at the edges of his mouth, as always seriously handicapped when it came to not feeling infected with his sister's happiness.
"And oh my gods, isn't Sonic seriously dreamy?"
"What?!"
"Just joking! Shadow, I was just joking," Maria hurriedly added, Shadow still staring at her with a facial expression that probably looked like utter horror. "Relax, Shadow," she grinned, "I'm not planning on getting on any 'hedgehog caroussels' yet, or ever."
"Oh gods." Shadow put his head in his hands as he was instead reminded of that particular bit of information. He looked at Maria, pleadingly. "Why do sapients have to be so weird?"
"Well, judging from what I've seen humans do for the sake of flirting, I don't think we're in a position to comment," Maria replied a bit dryly, gazing out at the empty street again. "At least sapient dating traditions seem a little bit more equal between the genders if you ask me...on the ARK it was all less complicated, huh?"
"Hrm," Shadow commented, frowning, his hand finding Maria's as if by instinct as he also gazed out next to her into the night, up at the stars, both their eyes travelling to the dark patch in orbit where their abandoned home still floated, silent in space. He squeezed his sister's hand, feeling a knot in his throat as she squeezed back.
Even this relatively harmless evening had been a bit exhausting - he wondered if this constant feeling, his thinking of himself sometimes more like a human and of sapients as this bunch of weirdoes, but then looking into the mirror and seeing one of them, would ever truly go away.
Or that of being recognized as someone you didn't even feel you really were, more like an impostor wearing fake fur. Even using the term 'Mobians' in his head still felt strange.
Ironically, Shadow mused, it hadn't felt nearly as weird to be a hedgehog when he had been the only sapient on a space station surrounded by humans.
"If it helps, people look at me weirdly at college because I've been homeschooled my entire life. And that's sapients and humans," Maria commented with a sigh, once again sending Shadow wondering whether she had actually progressed to the stage where she could read minds. "I don't think it really matters what you look like or what you do. Some people will find you strange regardless."
"If they find you strange then they're the freaks," Shadow commented automatically and could feel Maria squeeze his hand in return, out of the corner of his eye seeing her mouth pull slightly upwards as they both watched the sky.
A few moments of silence passed by peacefully, but then, even if Shadow hated to destroy the tranquil atmosphere, he also found he couldn't wait to ask any longer.
"Okay, so...where is Prison Island exactly? Because I know that's where they took me after the ARK when I was meant to be cryogenically frozen, but I can't remember any of that day's events very well," Shadow said, ignoring the slight stiffening of his sister next to him. (Which was of course mostly due to them both not trying to imagine that Shadow had barely escaped something close to lobotomization after the massacre aboard the ARK. Gerald had rescued him only a couple of hours into the procedure meant to delete his memory permanently, but that had already been enough to at least destroy some of his memories of that day. The image of what life would have been like, waking up decades later, with Maria dead and him unable to remember her at all still had Shadow sometimes waking up sweat-drenched in the middle of the night...).
"It's...off the East coast, I think. Also, it's an island, Shadow, so there is no way to get to it on foot," Maria said with emphasis.
"Hmm." Shadow could feel his eyes narrow. "But I am pretty fast. Maybe if I can skate quickly enough so the water's surface tension-"
"Shadow," Maria said sharply, "NO."
"But-"
"Sonic and Tails apparently fought my cousin there, yes, and now he's gone and nobody knows what he wanted. Why exactly would you want to go back to that horrible place now? What do you think you'll find? What do you think would happen if you did go there now?" Maria asked and Shadow had to grind his teeth, mostly because he knew she was right. Going there now would probably yield nothing except get his family in trouble with GUN again.
"...fine. I concede your point," he grumbled. But all that meant was that he simply had to wait until Sonic took off for his next scrap with Maria's cousin and he would then follow and deal with that madman properly.
"Thank you," Maria said, at least sounding like she wanted to believe him. The silence stretched again, atmosphere slowly returning to something halfway relaxed, until Shadow knew he couldn't postpone talking about the next problem -
"So," he asked, "What exactly do we do about that dead zebra now?"
To be continued...
Hey there and merry belated Christmas to all of you! :) Unfortunately, didn't get to finish the chapter for my Christmas fic in time, but hey, got something to look forward to next year then?^^; Anyway, hope you liked, hope you're having /managed to have some peace and quiet time, and if you liked, leave me a review as a present? :D Cheers!
(Annotation: Credit for the idea of calling Sonic and Amy's chasing behaviour the 'hedgehog caroussel' goes to Tirainy, who writes some seriously cute sonadow fic, so to fans of that pairing I recommend checking her out! :))