SonAdow High School Life

Things Are Going To Be Different Now

I woke up to my mom screaming at the top of her lungs, “SONIC WAKE UP!!!!!” I jumped up my quills spiked on the ready to fight, or run whatever the situation called for. “We fell asleep!!” She breathed like hyperventilating.

“Yeah…?” I grumbled rubbing my eyes, “So you mean you didn’t encounter a robot waving a sword about and dancing the Macarena like in my dream??”

“What? ….No…” She shook her head with a smile.

“Then why did you have to wake me up like that for!?” I dove back in bed hugging the pillow and wanted to fall back a sleep instantly.

“I’m sorry but I didn’t want to fall asleep without seeing your father first… But it’s morning now…or um; I think it is…It’s hard to tell in space. But will you go with me to see him? I don’t want to go alone.”

I shot up from bed remembering what I had seen last night and now was filled with excitement to show her!

“Come on!!” I grabbed her hand and ran out the door. We took the elevator only to meet Rouge inside.

“Oh hey, good morning! I was just coming down to get you both to join us for breakfast.” She smiled, “Let’s go up shall we?” She pressed the button after we walked inside.

“Please, I’d like to see my husband first.” Mom said holding my hand tightly.

“Oh yes of course. But he’ll be joining us for breakfast too.” She nodded.

We made it to the large lunch room; I could imagine how noisy the thing was when it was full. The smell of pan cakes, sausage, and eggs steamed through the air as we walked in hearing a track of Elvis on from the kitchen.

“Sounds like they’re having fun.” Rouge smiled and walked closer to the kitchen knocking on the door.

“YO?!” Shadow called over the music.

“Hey master chef, our guests have awakened.” She opened the door.

“Fan freaking tastic, set them at a table, and ask them juice or coffee?”

“Coffee for Bernie, Juice for Sonic, unless you have milk.” I heard dad answer from inside.

“Milk it is, are you still standing here Rouge? Get going!” He ordered her out.

“Well then, this way please.” Rouge directed us three tables away from the kitchen, “The food will be done shortly, and Shadow has yet to get any sleep… he’s running on fumes of adrenalin.” She grit her teeth while making a frown, “I hate it when he does that to himself.”

Mom looked a bit worried without seeing dad right away, but she surly heard his voice. She must be anxious; she was squeezing the life out of my hand. The kitchen door flew open, “Breakfast is served!” Shadow announced loudly and Dad came out wheeling a cart with everyone’s plate and drinks on them.

“Oh my Mobius!” Mother gasped standing up and ran to him before he made it to the table.

“Bernie!” My dad welcomed her with opened arms and hugged her tightly twirling her around.

“Look at you!” She laughed, “It’s like your good as new! Oh my gosh I can’t believe it!”

“Believe it.” Shadow nodded, “I stayed up all night to make sure. Even his combat skills haven’t diminished in any time served as a Robian. He doesn’t have enhanced strength like the robot suit made him have, but he gave me a good wallop.”

“I’m sorry!” Dad’s ears pinned back and he smiled. Shadow shook his head and picked up a cup from the cart sipping on the coffee after a deep yawn.

“I still just can’t… It’s like I’m still dreaming.” Mom said she was crying with joy, “I think I just might have fallen in love with you all over again Jules.” She laughed bringing herself up on her tip toes to meet his lips and gave him a kiss.

Shadow served out the plates and took a seat across from me as Mom and dad sat to my side. The whole family, once broken and odd now back together and normal again. My heart thumped in my chest there was no describing such happiness. Mom couldn’t stop rubbing Dad’s arms and chest and playing with his hair and quills, it was amazing to see him just as he is when everyone had convinced you to give up hope.

“Thank you Shadow.” Mom said, “I can’t say it enough, I’m forever in your debt I don’t know any way to repay you! And I’m sorry about almost pressing assault charges on you when we first met….but you did deserve it, I’m just saying.”

Dad laughed and Shadow smirked, “Gee thanks…..I think. Anyway, no payment is needed. I was created to help people, and so that’s what I’m doing; even when no one else wants to do the work and get things done.”

We ate breakfast together, mom and dad taking up most of the conversation reminiscing about the ‘older’ days. Shadow though his eyes were clearly blood shot and heavy listened intently to their conversation. I wonder what it was like to be preset only a week during a whole generation in the making. It must make him feel out of place, to say he was there, but then again not really. He didn’t have the experience of the evolution of record player into eight tracks and then cassettes, and what school days were like back then, and the dances and clothes and mannerisms. Just everything that could only be understood in experience, that mom and dad made it sound like a party he was left out from… I felt so sad for him.

“Oh my god!” Rouge jumped up from her chair, “I am so late for school! I almost forgot about it with all this excitement going on. Knuckles is going to miss me!~”

“Oh that’s right it’s a school day.” Shadow perked up.

“Not for you mister.” Rouge shook her head, “Unless you want to flip your lid again at a smart remark from a random someone, and end up in juvy or in trouble with the commander again. No, no absolutely not sir, you are staying here and sleeping.”

“Yeah Shadow.” I nodded, “You look awful. You should get some rest.”

“I don’t need to sleep, I feel fine.” He said irritably, “Look I had me some coffee I’m wide awake and ready to start the day.”

“Shadow, it’s okay to be afraid…” Dad said in all seriousness. What was he talking about? Does he know about everything that happened to him? “Sometimes we all have bad dreams, dreams that bring up horrible things that have happened to us, that we just want to bury them deep and forget about them. But that’s not what needs to be done.” He shook his head, “Your mind brings it up again in your sleep because it wants to accept what has happened instead of hiding and running from it.”

Shadow sighed and put his ears back and lowered his head.

“Once you accept how things are, and stop blaming yourself that you could have changed things, the bad dreams will go away.”

“Alright.” Rouge nodded, “Now I’m taking the shuttle back to Mobius. All aboard~” She waved the keys in the air walking away.

“Thank you Shadow, for everything. We have to go now… but I hope we’ll see more of you soon.” Dad patted his head with a smile. He took mom’s hand and followed Rouge.

“Shadow.” I sat next to him before following them.

“Hey…” He mumbled.

I hugged him tightly not wanting to leave him alone. Maybe I could stay with him to make sure he didn’t wake up alone if he had another bad dream.

“Sleep well Shadow.” I kissed his muzzle softly and followed my parents out to the docking bay where the shuttle started as Rouge waved from the ‘drivers’ seat. All day the image of Shadow, alone in the huge ARK, with haunting memories and terrifying nightmares…I can’t believe I just left him there. I started to cry in my seat looking out at the never ending space vacuum.

“He’ll be fine.” Dad whispered and took me into his warm arms, and was able to hug me tightly but without crushing the life out of me, or his cold metal chest plate digging into my cheek. I was able to smile and nuzzled in closer to dad’s chest. It’s going to be different from now on, but in a good way…