The Prince and the Frog {SONADOW}

Chapter 15

They both stared at each other. Sonic waited for his answer from his dark companion but the male simply looked away and walked ahead with a cold glare. The azure male sighed as he watched the Prince walk off.

Back to square one.

They both finally made contact with their other two companions but it seemed there was an issue. Tails explained what happened much to the frogs' disappointment. Then they all heard growling and looked towards the crocodilian. Sonic chuckled and hopped towards growing wild vegetables. 'How convenient is this.' he mused as he started to gather the ingredients. "How about some gumbo?" He asked Knuckles. The male nods but snarls out in pain when another seed is pulled off. Shadow sat against a large mushroom with his feet kicked up. Sonic walked over to the dark male and shook his head as he tied a leaf around his waist like it were to be an apron. "Oh no mister. You are gonna mince the mushrooms." He grabbed a sharp rock and the male's hand and placed the rock on his palm after he place a mushroom in front of him on a stone slab.

Shadow had a look of disbelief as he asked Sonic to repeat. Sonic just looked back at him from climbing the stalk for the peppers with a smile. "You heard me dark and handsome. Hop to it~" he said as he continued to grab more ingredients.

He grabbed the mushroom and poked at it with the rock, finding it softer than it looks. He then started to cut it. But it was agonizingly slow. So slow that Sonic couldn't help but walk over to him after already preparing the pumpkin for cooking and starting the fire. Shadow gaped at him for seeing it done so quickly. If it was when they were Mobians, he wouldn't really be surprised. But how did this tiny frog do all that in such little time with something so much bigger than him?

He would ask but his pride wouldn't let him. Even tried to keep the rock and mushroom away from the blue male so he can do it on his own without help. Sonic smiled gently at Shadow and sighs finally getting the items from Shadow. "I'm only gonna show you a quicker way. You don't have to worry about your pride." Shadow grunted with a sharp glare and that didn't phase Sonic. It had gotten to the point that after that incident, he never saw Shadow the same way again. Sure he refused his question, but he had decided to let it go for now and continue their way. He noticed that Shadow was used to people showing him respect because of his status.

When Shadow met Sonic, he had a different perspective on things than he did before. And wanted to prove Sonic wrong about what he said earlier. Sure he was surprised that the 'blue vermin' forced him to work, but there was no malice behind it. He didn't know why but he pushed the thought away. This was childish but he was a grown adult dammit and he'll try his hardest to prove it!

Even if it didn't work.

Shadow watched Sonic with an expression of disdain as Sonic was getting ready to show Shadow how a professional works. "Just watch Shadow. This is how you mince." Sonic spoke in confidence but also a hint of...warmth in his tone that the dark prince heard? Shadow's brow rose with a questioning look. But his eyes widened slightly as he watched his smaller companion minced the mushroom like an absolute pro chef at work. Shadow also noticed Sonic's eyes had brightened when he was focused on the task at hand. The older male could tell that this commoner loved the craft of cooking dishes. He had a purpose, a passion, and the talent for it. While Shadow only had one thing.

His status as prince. Nothing more, nothing less.

Sonic had finished the mushroom and ended up mincing two more until he realized that the dark prince was supposed to mince them. "Oh sorry! I got lost in it! Here, you can try now." Sonic quickly grabbed a mushroom and placed the sharp rock carefully in Shadow's hand. He guided his hands into place and showed him the pace he could start with. And it worked wonders as Shadow had now got the hang of it quickly and Sonic walked away from him. Shadow focused on the task given as Sonic walked away to the gumbo to make sure that it hadn't burned. Sonic hummed to himself he stirred the soup with a clean stick- well, as clean as a stick in a swamp could be. Then he almost tripped up when he heard the dark prince speak in such a soft manner that it's unusual for him even after a few days of being around each other.

"You were right. I was spoiled. Spoiled rotten to the fucking core. All I have is my status as prince. Nothing else. I guess seeing you having such an immediate drive to want to turn back to normal showed me how much...you have that I don't. I got jealous, I'll say that. You're a driven person. You have a goddamn reason to exist; a purpose. I don't. You've seen it. No one has ever told me straight to my face, or more accurately, punched me to reality. Something I needed to hear. That's your answer. You asked why you saved me and I told you; because you have a reason, a purpose to live." Shadow spoke in a low, quiet tone but it was all wiped of any hostility or malice intent toward his companion. Infact, it sounded almost h and emotionless.

Sonic had listened and looked back to the gumbo and back to Shadow before going to his side, speaking in a soft, gentle voice, "Everyone has a reason. You included. Not only as your status states but a person who exists. Someone that can find their purpose and I know they will." Sonic pat Shadow's shoulder and then he picked up the mushrooms with a warm smile, "Hey you could even be a chef if you tried. You did pretty good with these mushroom Shads." Sonic rubbed Shadow's head where his quills would have been if not for the transformation. Shadow's tanned cheeks darked in a blush at the praise and was at shock for words.

He never knew that this 'blue vermin' that irritated him for the past few days was so accepting and wasn't judging too cruelly about his attitude. Shadow even deserved what he said but having the same one to tell him that he has a reason, caused his heart to speed up.

Now the dark prince was having a different perspective on the male. And it's for the better in his eyes.

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Not too far away, the shadows crawled through the lands of the mortals scratching and clawing for the prince to drag back to their master and one shadow smiled maliciously as it found a trace of the froggy runaway prince.

To be continued...