[ARCHIVED] Heart Thief

Her Majesty's Birthday

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Shadow felt a tingling wind touch the exposed skin of his collarbones, shivering as he brushed both of his shoulders with the palm of his fist. He closed his eyes tight and brushed them off until the cold faded from his senses, in hopes it would fade.

After taking a few breaths, he fluttered his eyes open to see the pale ground underneath him; there were cracks in some areas and no sign of life. As he walked, the ground cracked with each step, and soon his toes became dirty from the rocks.

Aside from that, he noticed that his form was slightly different. His fingers weren't long and sharp like he knew. The nightgown he wore was oversized. The sleeves kept falling and his feet were bare.

There were no mirrors around to reflect his appearance, but he could sense he might be in his teenage form at the moment. He didn't give another thought about the changes in him when his mind was occupied with the place he was in, and any signs of Sonic being nearby.

He had never dreamed of something so dull, so lifeless before. Not only never, but he is certain that a being like him seldom fantasizes at all. Made, created, and tested beings cannot dream.

So why did Sonic come out of nowhere?

For him, the only dreams that were remarkable were those with the thief. The beginning of his obsession and the adventure within that sparked his life. If this is the place where there are no meanings or guides to lead him through, Sonic must be here.

Back in the castle, he talked with Maria about the flowers and how they became so involved with the thief. He was shown books related to the topic of flower language by the princess. It's not exactly what Shadow expected to learn, but it was worth the experience. When Sonic appeared out of nowhere he couldn't stop gushing over it and how intrigued he had become by them.

In the end, he found it.

Purple hyacinths are sorrowful.

Carnations symbolize love.

He thought about it to himself while his head swirled into strings and yards of the memories he had stitched through and the incidents, and mistakes he had made along his journey. He wouldn't mind pinching a needle to sew through the conclusions he had made in his mind when he tried to relate the meanings, to the way he felt about Sonic.

All along his time was spent on something new, something significant to him; it's almost as if studying about the thief were a subject in his lessons that he is obligated to know.

It could be a form of discipline for him. As if he is forced to keep up with these things like the thief is constantly trying to show him that this world can be something more than it seems. And that this world holds more meaning than any of them have known in their lives.

That Shadow can explore his future beyond the small bubble he has always resided in.

It would be an honor for him to guide him with a hold on his wrist, bringing him to endless paradises he wished to be able to access.

He took another step toward the groundbreaking. He decided to step on with the tips of his toes so the surface couldn't crack. He looked around to see if there was anything else he could do in the empty place other than walk mindlessly when his mind spotted a blurry, tall figure in front.

He was instantly enchanted when he saw the familiar blue.

Sonic?

He closed and opened his eyes multiple times before making up the image in front of him because he spotted another unfamiliar color in him. As he looked through his hazy vision, he could see that the thief was tightening his arms around something.