He is My Master

37: Dinner for Schmucks

*******EXCLAIMER*******
I DO NOT OWN THIS NOVEL IM MERELY TRANSFERRING IT TO WATTPAD CHECK OUT THE ORIGINAL AND GIVE KUDOS TO AUTHOR Chiisai Kitsune ON FF.NET HERE

https://m.fanfiction.net/s/4256772/38/

The throne room had never seemed as big as when filled with so many people.

Sonic and Shadow had stopped at the threshold, now standing underneath the arch of the opened double doors where the toad had announced them. Three steps of black marble, carpeted with a thick, plush purple fabric, lead down to the hall that now seemed to contain the entire population of this dimension and a couple of its neighbours', too. The two hedgehogs couldn't make out any humans, but every single other species had apparently decided to adjourn, hand-made colourful dresses and shiny jewellery competing for attention with the bright pelts, fluffed tail feathers and glistening scales mother nature had imbued the attendants with. Larger Sapients like a grizzly bear couple and an elephant – or was that a mammoth? – stood out from the rest, but everyone at least acted the same in one important detail – as soon as their heads had turned to behold the black-furred, freshly arrived supposed Prince, all of them immediately bowed, curtsied or simply dropped to their knees. Sonic had never been to a sports stadium (which probably held as much appeal to him as a circus acrobatics show for Spiderman) but if he had, he supposed he knew now what a reverse la-ola wave would have looked like as the deferential movement washed through the crowd, everyone inclining their heads or bowing deeper. His attention was disrupted when he could suddenly feel a subtle tug on his leash downwards. Emerald eyes flickered over to Shadow.

"Kneel," the black hedgehog hissed under his breath without directly looking at Sonic. "You can't remain standing when even the nobles are bowing."

Sonic, whose only reason for bowing to somebody was usually to pull the red carpet out from under the pretentious feet of the guy he happened to be talking to, started to scowl, but then out of the corner of his eye saw the toad reach for something on his belt and in reaction almost immediately lowered himself to the floor, even if part of him still rebelled. This was the first time he had behaved like a slave without somebody having to hurt him first...he knew he would have probably been whipped by the toad if he hadn't knelt just now, but he had decided to obey Shadow's command before it came to that. Now even the mere threat of punishment was enough to make him compliant. The collared hero's eyes darkened, angry with himself and this world akin to a poisonous miasma, every breath of which was only trying to make him more of somebody's property. Nails dug into the carpet beneath his hands. He wouldn't let it. Tonight Black Doom's realm would end.

Another tug, this time upwards, prompted Sonic to rise again as Shadow had started to descend the stairs and the blue hedgehog was forced to follow him into the crowd that had straightened up again. The black hedgehog moved a bit more stiffly than usual, tense shoulders and clenched hand holding his leash telling Sonic that the Ultimate Lifeform was far from relaxed. The blue speedster almost couldn't hold back a tiny grin. As a world-reknowned hero he was more than used to being confronted with huge throngs of people straining to get a look at him, and at times he even enjoyed the waving and signing of autographs, but it didn't take a detective to figure out that the obviously flustered Ultimate Lifeform did not like to be the center of everyone's attention.

Sonic moved up a little to comfort his distressed owner, supposing there was nothing wrong with a perceived pleasure slave seeking the closeness of his Master.

"Hey, chill out," he whispered to Shadow, "We're here on a mission, remember?"

"Then tell them to stop gawking at me," the black hedgehog growled under his breath. "I've had enough of that for a lifetime."