4 - Talk - 4

July 12th - United Federation, South Island - Green Hills, Green Hill Zone

DAY 2: Saturday

Morning, 10:00 AM

A careful but firm knock banged against the cottage door. After doing so, Shadow took a step back to admire the architecture while he waited. It's outer walls like they were made of cobble stone. Dark blue roofs wrapping their edges around the house like a loving embrace. White windows, a white and dark blue door. There were wind chimes made of bamboo. He also saw beside the door was a keypad, which he wouldn't expect on a normal cottage, but this was a modernized cottage. That must have been how Sonic got in and out of the house without the pesky chore of remembering keys. He had a fast tracked mind, he didn't have time to worry about that versus simply memorizing a number code. There was a camera too, probably to ward off crazed fans who managed to find themselves here. That would be extremely difficult to say the least though, because Sonic lived in Green Hill Zone. This wasn't an easy place to traverse, after all. Like Angel Island, it was beautiful, but very dangerous and away from society.

The cottage also wasn't that small, either. It was moderately bigger than the stereotypical tiny ones you'd find out in the woods. One could tell that once upon a time, this home was quite small. Perhaps he got work done? Lord knows he could afford as many renovations as he liked. There was a lot of shrubbery and flowers around. Not the normal ones either, surrounded by pretty wild flowers one could only find after traveling for some time away from the city. He was positive the Rose girl would love this, or who knows, maybe she planted these for the hero herself. There was a mailbox but it was neglected, probably not used very often. Thank goodness for that, he'd probably get flooded with fan mail every two seconds of the day. It was quiet and serene here. All one could hear was the sounds of the ocean nearby, with occasional tweeting from flickies flying about. The palm trees were attempting to block out the strong sun rays beaming onto the house from here, but they couldn't shade away it's bright light. The grass was plush, thick but not overgrown. Soft enough to sit on, maybe even make a bed out of.

There was one tree that was different from the others, one that seemed like it didn't even belong in this biome. It was ridiculously tall as well, over thirty feet at least. It was branching over the house, almost as if protecting it. Which was ironic because if a lightning strike happened during a thunderstorm, that thing would instantly destroy the house. The main trunk was so thick, it was like a small arm of the earth itself. The leaves were a strange light pastel blue, and they didn't look normal. Not just because of the color, but because they almost seemed to be glowing. It was a mesmerizing marvel of nature to be sure, but something was off about it. Why was this here behind Sonic's house? And why was it so different from the rest of the flora in Green Hill? Hmm, maybe he could ask him later, but now he was curious as to what his backyard looked like. The home was shielded by so many other trees and hedges that he couldn't see passed the house at all.

Regardless of all that, this was obviously a nice home and that much was evident. Apartments were convenient and elegant, but nothing could beat a view like this. Maybe he should think about getting a more rural home someday. He wouldn't mind being close to nature like this, it's a shame his mindset is too used to the hustling and bustling of the metropolis lifestyle. It's funny, Sonic did everything so quickly. Yet this place did nothing but slow everything down to a calming, relaxing pace. If he just stood in place like this and closed his eyes, he could fall right asleep. Right here, in front of the door. This place had such a zen aura that anybody would be instantly at peace.

The front door creaked open to reveal a teenage, yellowish orange fox. He poked his head through the doorway and narrowed his eyes up at Shadow. "Oh, it's you..." He sounded a little irritated for some reason. The vulpine rolled his baby blue eyes and walked away, keeping the door unlocked and opened. He supposed he was allowed in, then. Shadow carefully walked up the stone steps, past the porch and walked inside, before shutting the door behind him. He looked around the home since he had never been here before, nor did he ever think he would need to be. So this must have been the foyer, and he saw a place where Sonic and Tails put their bags and coats whenever they went out. He went through the doorway, and found himself in what looked like to be the living room. He saw where Sonic hung his keys, there was a nice sized TV, cleaning supplies and-

-All dark blue furniture with wood accents.

Why was he surprised?

He shouldn't have been. However, he was amused at seeing graffiti on the wall above the couch. It wasn't that tacky vandalizing graffiti either, this was actually good street art. Not bad, and good composition of how he did the interior design. Wait—Since when was Sonic of all people good at interior design? And did he do this graffiti? It was in light blues and greens, which matched the hero's physical color pallet. So there was that, and he couldn't imagine anyone else making this. It seemed like Sonic's style, after all. He looked over at the accent table beside the right side of the couch, and saw a picture of Sonic and Tails. Except, they were much younger. Small children, to be exact. Sonic looked maybe eleven or twelve, while Tails looked only four to five years old. They were adorable, honestly. Their innocence in the photo, it reminded him of Maria. Sonic was her age at the time this was taken. But enough on that...

Shadow exited the room to reach the hallway, seeing the stairs in one direction, a door to the backyard in front of him, and a couple rooms in another small path. That's when he smelled a delectable aroma, the smell of both sweetness and tanginess. Breakfast, he assumed. It was still morning, after all. If he had to take a guess, this was the kitchen. He leaned his head through the archway before entering, and he saw exactly who he was looking for. He saw Tails sitting at the island counter with a phone in his hand, scrolling up and down on the screen. He had a dark navy hoodie on, thankfully without the hood covering his head or face indoors. It looked a little worn out, and a slight size too big for him. It was more than likely a hand-me-down from Sonic. There was a plate right beside his elbow where he was leaning on the island's surface, and it barely had a crumb on it. The fox was nibbling on a piece of bacon when he spoke up. "Shadow's here by the way." He mumbled. Did he wake up on the wrong side of the bed today?

"Oh really?" Sonic, who was shuffling around in front of the stove turned his head a little and made a small wave. "Hey Shads!" He turned back to the stove and reached behind himself to tighten what looked to be a white apron. "Tails," He said his name slowly with a less enthusiastic tone. "Your manners, bud. It's kinda crampin' my style. Say hi."

Tails didn't even look up from his phone. "Hi." And that's it.

With an exasperated sigh, Sonic paused before giving the vulpine a look. A very annoyed look, actually. "Tails, buddy." He placed down a spoon and a bowl. "The attitude's gotta chill. If you don't wanna be here, you can easily go to your own house." His voice was a little cold, but attempting not to be rougher than it already was. "I already gave you two strikes earlier today with that mouth of yours about breakfast. You're on your third, so I'll tell you one more time: Chill."

Both angry and embarrassed that Sonic said all that in front of company, the fox just sucked his teeth and hopped down from off the stool. "I'm going to my room."

"You do that and cool off." Sonic countered before picking up the bowl and spoon again. Shadow watched the fox stomp his way passed him and out of the kitchen. He heard those same stomps all down the hall, up the stairs, the upper floor, and soon—A slam.

Ouch.

Sonic just shook his head without saying a word, his ears flattened from the door slamming. "...Sorry about that." He grumbled. What happened between those two?

Not that it was any of his business, but he felt like he had to ask. "Is everything okay? Should I come at a later time?"

The hero shook his head as he carefully poured the bowl's contents in a big flat pan, his ears perking back up. "Don't worry about it, he's a teenager. Sixteen. I was a pain in the ass at that age, too." As he cooked, his voice sounded a little disappointed. "He's been acting like this for about three years, ever since Eggman disappeared. Maybe it's hormones or something, but it's stressin' me the hell out." This must have been what it was like to be a parent, or at least a legal guardian. Sonic picked up a spatula and carefully made sure the pancakes were shaped perfectly circular. As they hissed on the utensil to cook, Sonic leaned over the sink while holding his forearms to his abdomen. His head was low, he seemed downcast. Shadow doubted he would talk about it, it was rare to see Sonic like that. And again, it wasn't his business, but he couldn't help but be slightly concerned. He didn't know why, though. A small smile graced his muzzle as Sonic lifted his head and turned his back to the sink. "Sorry 'bout that, did you want some? I don't mind takin' an order or two."

Now he was offering him more food? Geez, did he wanna give him his house, too? His hospitality was starting to become sickening. Obviously Shadow didn't hate it, though. "...Since you're offering, if you don't mind," He slowly trailed off. Let's see how generous he really was with that offer. "Scrambled eggs with cheese and one pinch of pepper, pancakes topped with fresh butter and without syrup, black coffee with fresh ground beans, two strips of pork bacon and absolutely no condiments."

For a few seconds they both paused at the...Unexpectedly lengthy order of food.

"Not gonna lie, didn't expect a mouthful," Then, Sonic wound up his arm for a big thumbs up and his signature toothy smile. "But no problem, comin' riiiiight up!"

B-But he was joking.

He wasn't actually going to cook him a meal, was he? "Wait, what? No, I didn't think you were actually going to-"

"Noooope, your wish is my command." Sonic stubbornly and playfully replied as he traveled to the fridge to get some more eggs. "Why don't you take a load off and sit while you wait? I can get your coffee ready first."

Okay, well now he felt bad. Well not really, but, he didn't think he would actually start cooking for him. He'd probably have to pay him back for this sometime in the future, and he lowkey hated that. He definitely didn't want to feel like he owed the hero anything, especially after being thrown a huge extravagant party. Shadow walked around the island opposite to where Tails sat, and planted himself down on one of the stools. Not bad, soft seat, even had a small back to it so you couldn't fall backwards. He folded his hands up on the counter's surface and stared at the marble material. "My apologies for not calling first, Rouge says that it's rude to show up to a home unannounced without letting someone know. But," He felt a little awkward now. "I don't have your number and I struggle with using a smart phone as it is." God, he felt dumb. Who didn't know how to use a phone? Why did he even tell him that?

Sonic chuckled. "Don't worry about it, I'm not too fond of phones or technology myself." Shadow was glad he could agree, but the difference was that Sonic was not only young but had a literal genius prodigy living with him. He could figure out a computer after a while. For Shadow, it was very strenuous on his brain and he was too old for these new devices. He was lucky GUN was somewhat keeping him abreast with these new confounded toys they were giving him for missions. Sonic glanced over at the GUN agent for a quick second before looking back at what he was doing. "If you wanted my number, ya coulda asked anytime. I don't give my number out often, but you're a part of the Sonic Team! I don't mind. But what's up? Need a little help from yours truly on a special top secret mission or something?" His voice was turning smug. "Mr. Special Agent Shadow?" He teased.

Part of Sonic Team, huh? How quaint. Shadow half rolled his eyes at his little playground taunt. "Well I had no idea you even knew how to work a stove, hedgehog." He heard the hero make a mockingly offended gasp.

"I'll have you know that I've worked very hard to get this far! Hmph!" He made a light hearted pout as he effortlessly flipped a pancake without even having to look, showing off his skills. He twirled the spatula in his hand before breaking a smile. "Heheh, yeah you're right, I used to be super bad at this. Blew up my first oven when I was thirteen. But that was only after I got the house. In the past, we were on our own in Green Hill, stabbing fish in the water with sticks. Sleeping under palm trees during rainy nights, bathing in waterfalls." He took a few pieces of raw bacon and placed them in the pan, an instant strong sizzle was heard afterwards. "Then the government recognized me, decided to help little ol' preteen Sonic out. They gave me something where I was comfortable, and this cottage was already abandoned so they let me have it. It was way smaller, run down and smelly. But it was all I had. Then I realized how money actually worked and used some of it." While the bacon cooked, he heard a beep and his ear flicked in it's direction. He walked over to the coffee pot near the microwave and reached upwards for the cabinets above for a mug. After grabbing one, he placed it down on the counter and raised the coffee pot to pour. "I got it fixed up and eventually completely renovated it when I turned seventeen. Been chillin' ever since."

Like a busy waitress, he stepped away from his work station and leaned over Shadow to place down his coffee. When he did, Shadow smelled the powerful aroma of pure black coffee and it's melted essence of beans, but he also smelled...Sonic. He figured a jock like him would smell like sweat and toxic tween deodorant, but no. He smelled like fresh pine trees and those very wild flowers from outside. Specifically, hyacinths and...rosemary? It didn't even smell like body wash, it smelled like he was itself the flower. How did he do that? Damn, he got distracted. He walked away already back to the stove. Pay attention Shadow, pay attention. He grasped the mug and held it up to sip the steaming bean juice. Ahh, not bad. Not as good as the brand he had at home, but good enough.

"After I almost burned the house down the moment I got it, I asked Amy and Cream's mom for help. They're damn good at teaching, and they gave me a couple books with recipes." He just barely scraped the bacon off of the nonstick pan onto a plate and switched burners on the stove. "I managed to figure everything else out, raising Tails on my own but with better living conditions. When he turned eleven and I was eighteen, he tells me he got his own place where he could make all the noise and scrap yard messes he wanted without being chastised. Little man moved out, but he still visits and stays over. It was like nothing changed. Well, until his balls dropped or something—'Cause that kid is goin' through some changes right now and it's buggin' the life outta me." He finally turned off the rest of the burners of the stove, as everything was just about ready. He just needed to make the finishing touches. "Damn, I didn't mean to ramble like that. Sorry!"

Shadow shook his head, that was enlightening information. He had no idea Sonic cared for Tails that long and to such a high degree. No wonder he was his 'favorite' of his friend group, he raised the boy since he was small all by himself. It was just them against the world, at one point in time. "It's fine."

"What'd ya need me for anyway? I'd figure you wouldn't be caught dead in my place."

"As the ultimate life form, I go wherever I please, first of all." Shadow countered with a raised brow. "Second of all," His tone softened. "I just wanted to ask some questions, nothing much."

"Oh. Really?"

"Yes." Shadow confirmed quietly.

"Welp," Sonic walked over to the counter with two large plates. He placed down Shadow's first and put his own on the other side. "Ask away. And I hope you enjoy, never cooked for you before." He said delightedly as he pulled off his apron, hanging it on the wall close to the archway. "Shit, did this get a stain? I'll clean it later..." He returned to the island and sat down in front of his meal, seeing Shadow had already began. He looked like he was enjoying it, too. Sonic smirked. "Oooohh, the ultimate life form likes my cooking, huh?"

Shadow froze in place as he realized he was scarfing down his third pancake. He didn't even realize he was hungry—Hold on, he was never hungry. He was just eating this out of obligation, why was he enjoying this? Shadow didn't need to eat to live, he could just live off of chaos energy, so it was rare when he ate at all. He usually did it if he was tired, or during a special occasion like last night. Like regular Mobians, he turned that food into access energy to store later. But he didn't eat for pure pleasure, never, so that's why he never felt hungry. Neither he or his body actually needed it. He never even meant for Sonic to actually cook for him, he was kidding. He was just going to eat this to amuse the hero, and to make more stored energy as a bonus. But enjoying food? It was uncommon that he ever did. He only liked eating coffee beans, everything else was mostly bland to him. But this...This wasn't half bad. It wasn't even that, it was good. Great, even. He said Amy and Ms. Vanilla taught him? Maybe he'd have to visit them in the future if they cooked like this. After swallowing down the piece he was currently devouring, he sheepishly glared at the blue hedgehog. "...Shut up."

"Heheheh! It's a compliment, honestly. Knuckles had the same reaction."

"Anyway," Shadow retorted. "The party, I thank you for organizing it and spending literally a fortune on it. I'm sure I'll have to repay you eventually for that-"

"-Absolutely the hell not, but go off king." Sonic interrupted casually.

"But," Hissing, the striped hedgehog began to grow a vein on his forehead from the back sass. "I wanted to know," He made a small exhale before proceeding. "...Did you pay your friends to be nice to me? To talk to me? To show up?"

A loud snort, and soon a full blown cackle of laughter bellowed from the blue hedgehog. "Umm, fuck no?" He swore humorously. "That's totes mean girl shit, man, this ain't high school. Hahahahaaa!" He stabbed his fork in his sunny side eggs. "As if I'd ever do something that slimy...Not from me, thank you very much." After chewing a little, he compounded his answer. "Yes, Rouge asked me to throw you a party for a little info in return. That's it, big whoop. I dunno if she spoke to any of them before the party, but I highly doubt she'd pull something like that either. She's too classy for that. That party could have gone either way: Boring and pissy or hellah fun, and thankfully it was the latter. I had nothing to do with how they treated you and to be honest, I was pleasantly surprised as well, especially with Knux." He shrugged. "I didn't know he secretly dug you like that. He was just waiting to ask you to be a sparring partner." He feigned a pained, sorrowful expression. "'Guess I'm just not good enough for him anymore..." He even made a fake sniffle.

Shadow paused eating his last piece of bacon.

They...all just...

...Did that on their own...?

Really?

Seriously...?

"But that's the thing, man," Sonic added as he stood up from his stool. He walked over to the fridge and opened it to grab something to drink. "A lot of people do like you and highly respect you. It wasn't because of me and I guarantee it wasn't because of Rouge, either." A gentle smile graced his muzzle. "That's just how they are. They're my friends and have been my friends for a long time for a reason, Shadow. They're genuine sweethearts to the point where it's freakin' sickening, haha. Even Knux's got a soft spot." He closed the fridge, now holding a bottle of apple juice. "If they like you, they like you. The only reason why they never tried to approach you all this time was because, well..." He tried to say this as delicately as possible. "One because everyone's lives were starting to take a turn so nobody really had time to hang out with each other anymore, but two," He looked at Shadow's eyes. "Because they were scared."

Oh, fear huh? Something he knew all too well. He should have known that was the reason. Shadow nodded. "Of me."

But then Sonic's obnoxious cackling seemed to debunk that entirely on it's own. After a while he just shook his head while sighing, walking back to his seat to continue eating. "Bro, I know you're edgy and what not-"

"Don't push it."

"-But I promise you you're not the devil. They've all faced way scarier than you, and you and I both know that. They weren't scared of you, they were scared of themselves." He said it like it was the most obvious thing to figure out. One plus one equals two. "They were scared they would offend you, or God forbid piss you off and ruin any chances at making friends with you. You're an extremely introverted person who doesn't like being around people as it is, and believe me. I get it, a lot of us do, more than you think. I freakin' hate people." Sonic just chuckled at Shadow's apparent shocked expression from saying this. "Just 'cause I act like a frat boy doesn't mean I am one, Shads. I like a good party, yeah, once in a while. I don't plan on hosting anymore parties for at least a few months. But that ain't the point," The hero took another sip of juice before continuing. "We always respected your solitude, so we kept our distance. They never knew how to approach you, or talk to you or do anything around you and they didn't want to make things awkward or worse. I do know Amy did try to hang out with you in the past, but she told me you ignored her or denied her, so she took it as a sign." He made a helpless shrug and he looked down at his half eaten plate. "Even Rouge has trouble keeping you around, and she knows you better than any of us. I was shocked she dragged you to the party to begin with. Seriously, and look at me when I say this 'cause I mean it."

He didn't expect that demand, causing Shadow to meet Sonic's gaze. He never realized how vibrant his lime green eyes were. "...?"

"I am so, so sorry if everything seemed fake. That probably made you feel really shitty, and I hate that because that means you were uncomfortable and didn't enjoy yourself. If that's how you felt," He bowed his head down for a moment. "I'm sorry, truly, but I promise you it wasn't that at all. We were so happy to finally get some words out of you and well, we ran with it. Shit," He made an excited grin. "I still can't get you drinking that whole barrel of Shé Z out of my head. That was so freakin' awesome! I knew you were gonna do it and I still can't believe it! Hahaha!"

He let this all soak in.

All of it.

And it caused him to really think for a moment.

Despite how he felt about him, despite any negative opinion he's ever had about Sonic, there was one thing he never questioned: His honesty. Shadow never questioned Sonic's verbal frankness. He has never once stood in front of his face, and lied to him. He had never, not once in any time they've known each other, ever lied to him. Not a white lie, not a big lie, never. Lying is different from keeping secrets in Shadow's eyes, so if Sonic hid anything from him, he didn't count that. But in terms of telling him the truth up front and center? Sonic never failed in that department, not yet. He was frank, he was honest and had a demeanor that screamed "I don't give a good damn what you think. Here's my opinion. If you don't like it, great. If you like it, awesome. Other than that, I don't care." Sonic just didn't give a damn about small details or sneaky little advances in genuine conversation with his friends. He was straight forward and, no offense, too simple-minded to care.

First, Tower surprises him with a medal that he claims should have been honored to Shadow years ago. Then Rouge, the woman's who been by his side the moment he exited that capsule, was the one who took it upon herself to ask Sonic to throw the party. She even forced Shadow to go because she just wanted him to experience some form of fun and entertainment, even if for one night. Sure it was without his permission and behind his back, but she did that because she knew he'd just deny her. He experienced one of the most fun nights of his life, and made friends. He made friends. Friends who he didn't even realize already liked him to begin with. He had so much beauty around him and he wasn't even appreciating it. With everything that's happened so far, Shadow could no longer deny the truth.

He...Actually...Liked...

...Sonic.

And he wanted him to—be his friend.

It sounded so silly, so stupid and so immature, but he did. And if Maria was here, she would have pushed him to be his friend from the very beginning. He lived to make her wish come true, protecting the planet and making people safe and happy. If being friends with the world's hero would do that, then...

Then...

Shadow found his voice and cleared his throat. "And what about you?" He pointed the question to Sonic.

Sonic blinked. "Who, me?" He pointed to himself in surprise. "Well, it's not obvious? I mean I respect the hell outta ya too, but I figured you didn't want to be around me too long. So I mingled a bit but kept my distance to be safe." He drunk the last of his juice and placed the bottle down. "Like I said, the last thing I wanted was for you to be uncomfortable. I know how annoying I can be, especially to you. You hate my guts. But I wanted to make sure that even if you hated me, that you would still have an okay time." He began to speak with a little self deserving pride. "I was asked to be the host of a party, and my job is to make sure that the party goers are one hundred percent satisfied. And of course, the guest of honor most of all. But Rouge told me you had a great time!" He smiled warmly. "So that made me happy."

The striped hedgehog shook his head. "...No," He refused that beginning opinion. "I...Never said I hated you." His words floated in the air, and for a while, Sonic was a little speechless. "I have never in my time of knowing you, ever said I hated you."

The blue blur had his mouth open, but didn't make any sounds. "..." He blinked a couple times before taking another second to respond. "...I guess you're right. But in all fairness," He looked him directly in the eyes as he said this. "You sure act like it. Anybody else seemed fair game but me? I dunno, just...Seemed like I was the odd one out. I mean, I'm a little shit so I'm sure that didn't help." He then made a small sigh and stood up to pick up his half empty plate. He'd eat the rest later. "But eh, whatever. I'm just glad you had fun, and I'm super happy for you. That's all I care about." He leaned over to grab Shadow's plate too, that was nearly licked clean. He walked over to the sink and placed one of the dirty dishes inside. However, he put his own plate in the fridge.

Shadow stared at his half empty coffee mug. Both of their backs were turned to each other. "...Look," He sighed. "I'm not—good at this kind of thing. But I don't hate you. Never had, and I probably never will." He lifted his head and turned to Sonic who was still busy doing the dishes. "I can't hate you, I couldn't if I tried. You're too good to hate." He saw Sonic's ear move a little. "You said if it wasn't for me, you and your friends would be dead. But in reality, I did nothing but hurt you and your friends on more than one occasion. I screwed up so many times, yet you all still allowed me to repent. But…if it wasn't for you…"

Peach furred arms lowered and carefully dropped anything they had in their hands.

"When everything seemed fine," Shadow gripped his finger into the mug. "I relapsed into my old ways and let Black Doom get in my head. I did so many awful things. I didn't…want to hurt anyone. Not anyone who didn't deserve it. I—I," He rarely stuttered before. "I didn't know what to do, who to turn to. The government at the time wanted me dead, and Black Doom was going to kill me if I didn't comply. And I...lashed out and hurt everyone around me. Then when I learned of what I was and how I came to be, I knew I should have never been created. Gerald should have never made me." He shut his eyes tightly, looking away in shame. "So I figured the best way to finish it all, to show proper penance for what I've done would be to…" He swallowed hard, as talking about his intentions that day were hard for him. "..." He didn't even have the courage to say it. He cursed himself for his weakness, one that was still with him after all this time.

The faucet of the sink turned on as Sonic continued washing the dishes. "You killed Black Doom and saved the world almost entirely by yourself." He suddenly said. "You didn't make any mistakes you couldn't redeem yourself from. The first time, you thought you were doing what you were supposed to do. Once you realized you were wrong, you fixed it." The blue hedgehog scrubbed down the pan he used to cook the pancakes earlier. "The second time, you were scared. Didn't know what to do or who to trust, so you attacked anything and anyone that came too close. Once you realized you weren't alone, you stopped." He poured some dish soap into the sink. "You're really hard on yourself, but I get why. You could have gone down that road, you really could have. And me and you wouldn't be talking right now, one of us would be dead trying to stop the other." His tone in that sentence shifted severely, because he was right. If Shadow never reformed, they would have eventually fought to the death until one of them wasn't standing anymore. And that could have happened twice. Or, they could have taken each other out. Mobius would lose it's hero, and a person with great potential would have been lost forever.

He was telling nothing but truth, but it didn't make it any easier to listen to. Shadow didn't like thinking about what might have happened, especially when it very well could.

"You had so many opportunities and more than enough power to just say 'screw it' and massacre everyone around you," Sonic grabbed the roll of paper towels and wiped his hands to dry them. "But you didn't. With that alone, don't you think you've redeemed yourself by now?" The black striped hedgehog lifted his head at this. "No one is born in this world to be alone, Shadow." The hero turned to glance over his shoulder. "Nobody." He then turned around to lean his body against the sink, looking out the window underneath the cabinets. "Besides, you couldn't have redeemed yourself if you died. Can't do anything if you're dead. Dying is easy, but living is hard."

Since when did he of all people get so wise? Shadow watched his demeanor carefully, and he could see that Sonic's careless personality wasn't quite as reckless as it seemed. It's not that he was careless per say, he just didn't like dwelling in negativity, and he didn't want anyone else to either. He did care about people's emotions and past trauma, but he wanted them to grow from them too. Not be defeated by them. If he could live free without anything from his past holding him back, why can't anyone else? Yes, Shadow could sense all of this from the hero, and he wasn't sure how or why. Maybe, chaotic aura? He didn't know, and he wasn't sure how he was able to do this since he couldn't do that before. Was this why he kept giving him chances? Could he sense Shadow could change?

Shadow pushed the mug to the side to give Sonic his full attention. "If I hadn't met your friends, if I hadn't met you, I think I would have made the worst mistake of my life. You could have let me suffer, let me rot. Let me take myself out. And you didn't. No matter how many times I argued with you, fought with you, hurt you or your friends, got in your way…You still gave your hand to me. And after all these years I still can't understand, why?" He insisted assertively. "Why did you keep giving me a chance, why did you keep helping me? Why do you keep being nice to me?"

"Heheh," Sonic started giggling, but he saw Shadow's furrowed brows. He held up a hand defensively, as he didn't mean to come off as dismissive. "Sorry, I just don't understand what you don't understand, and that's kinda funny to me." He walked over to the counter in front of Shadow and leaned against it with his elbows as he looked down at him. "Why not? Sure, the easy answer is that it's safer for everyone if you were an ally and not an enemy. But that's not why I did what I did. I kept trying because you were actively in pain every single time we met." This made Shadow blink. In pain? Him? "The Ark, Metal Sonic's shitty comeback, Black Doom…You were like, constantly in this state of confusion and mental agony. That ain't fun, and it ain't fun to watch or fight anyone like that. Fighting you was fun at first cause I thought you were just another bad guy." He closed his hands together and stared at them as he spoke. "But when I realized you were someone who was actively suffering, things weren't so fun anymore. Had to take it seriously. Had to see that you weren't a villain, that you were someone who needed help. So I did what I could, and I got lucky that you woke up and saw the world for what it was. Life freakin' sucks, dude." Sonic made a sympathetic smile. "But it can be forgiving sometimes, too. So," He trailed off nonchalantly. "Take that for what you will."

As he watched the hero reach his arms up high and stretch, he couldn't keep his eyes away from him because he was stunned by his words.

"I'll clean the kitchen later, I'm too lazy right now..." Sonic whined before glancing at Shadow as he made his way out of the kitchen. "Come to the living room already, the stools make my ass hurt."

And he just carried on as if they didn't just talk about something in extreme depth.

4 - END - 4