25
Shadow tore small pieces from his croissant and slowly chewed them, it was easier on his throat that way. He liked the croissant, it wasn't too flaky and the butter and chocolate made it smooth going down. As he walked he paid little attention to the conversation happening around him, all of his attention was on the fact that Sonic still hadn't let go of his hand. The blue hedgehog had grabbed it while they were getting out if the bed if the truck to go inside of the bakery and he hadn't let go of it since. Shadow didn't exactly mind holding the other's hand and that's what bothered him. He shouldn't be getting close to anyone and yet here he was, growing fond of this blue, hyperactive, and chatty idiot.
Sonic yapped animatedly about some comic he read and Knuckles seemed to be more interested in the world going by around the. Tails typed away on his computer that he for some reason brought with them.
-
Daniel slipped out if the bed he shared with his wife and crept to the bathroom next to their room, shutting the door and pulling out his phone. He dialed a number he had memorized rather than saved and waited as it rang.
"What could possibly be so important at this hour?" The voice in the other side seemed tired and frustrated.
"Ma'am those four furry brats are down here. They're playing some game of family with this couple."
"Yes we are aware of those three living with the Wachowski's they- wait, four?"
"Yes, that black and red one was with them."
"... Project Shadow." The voice mumbled before going quiet for a few seconds. "I thought he would be dead with that collar we put on him before he escaped. I guess we'll still have to deal with him, keep an eye on them for now, gather all the information that you can."
"Yes ma'am." With that he hung up the phone and left the bathroom to lay back down with his wife.
-
"Alright boys everybody out." Tom patted the side of the truck before opened the hatch so the four could climb out.
Maddie had already gone inside the house in a hurry after realizing that they forgot to let ozzy go out before they left, worried he may have not been able to hold anything while they were gone. Though the dog didn't seem to mind as he wagged his tail in greeting to the family.
Shadow patted the dog in the head before following Maddie to the kitchen to find something he could do to help. The trash looked a bit full so he wandered the house collecting any other ones that were full and stuffed them into the big trash to take it out. The others didn't say anything about him doing this but he did catch Sonic staring for a bit too long.
After he did that he replaced all the bags throughout the house and sat down on the floor by the couch, his shoulder touching Sonic's legs that hung off the couch, feet just touching the floor.
There was some colorful show playing. On the TV but Shadow wasn't paying all too much attention to it, it was more of a distraction from the ringing in his ears. It wasn't a bug deal just one of those moments when everything goes fuzzy before your ears start ringing and your head feels full, it just happens sometimes.
When the ringing went away the first thing he noticed was Sonic had started swinging his feet, hitting the back of his shoes against the couch every time he went backwards. Now that he was actually paying attention the show playing wasn't even a show, it was Alice in wonderland, movie Maria enjoyed a lot. She said it was a classic from when her parents were younger, first a book and then animated into a movie. He liked this movie, Alice reminded him a lit of Maria in the looks department but she didn't seem very mentally stable. I mean, that whole wonderland thing had to have just been her imagination right? She imagined the whole thing and none of it was real, that's what he always thought but Maria disagreed with him cause 'anything is possible Shadow, the movie is one hundred percent real. I swear!" They had argued about it for a good thirty minutes before the professor butted in saying that it is a fictional movie and technically anything is possible in animation.
As he pulled himself from his thoughts he thought this time he would watch the movie from Maria's perspective, maybe she was right and Alice isn't crazy. Maybe all if this actually happened to Alice. Maybe.
The colors danced across the screen, vibrant and chaotic, much like the thoughts swirling in Shadow's mind. He shifted slightly, feeling Sonic's leg bump against his shoulder each time the hedgehog kicked his feet.
As the Cheshire Cat appeared, grinning mischievously, Shadow couldn't help but think about how often he felt like that cat—always lurking in the background, observing while the world around him spun in a whirlwind of absurdity. Sonic’s laughter cut through his thoughts, a bright sound that brought a flicker of warmth to the edges of his usually cold demeanor.
“Did you see that?” Sonic exclaimed, eyes wide. “He just disappears! How cool is that?”
Shadow nodded, though he didn’t quite share the same enthusiasm. “It’s… interesting,” he replied, his voice low, almost a murmur. He found himself studying Sonic more than the movie, watching the way his eyes sparkled with every twist and turn of the plot.
“Interesting? That’s it? Come on, you have to admit it’s more than interesting! It’s magical!” Sonic’s feet continued their rhythmic dance, and Shadow couldn't help but smirk at his boundless energy.
“Sonic, it’s just a story,” Shadow replied in a monotone voice.
“Maybe,” Sonic shrugged, his grin widening. “But it’s fun to believe, isn’t it? Just like how you can believe in friendship and family, even when things get tough.”
Shadow’s heart skipped a beat at Sonic's words, the implications resonating deeper than he wanted to admit. He glanced away, trying to mask the vulnerability that threatened to surface. The mention of family stirred something within him—an ache he had buried for so long.
Just then, the scene shifted to the Mad Hatter’s tea party, a chaotic, whimsical affair that seemed to mirror the messiness of his own emotions. Shadow found himself drawn back into the screen, captivated by the absurdity of it all. The characters laughed and shouted over one another, and for a moment, he imagined what it would be like to be part of such a carefree gathering, surrounded by friends who accepted him without question.
“Hey, Shadow,” Sonic said suddenly, breaking the spell. “What do you think the best part about Wonderland would be?”
Shadow considered for a moment, the gears turning in his mind. “Maybe… the freedom to be yourself without judgment?”
Sonic looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding enthusiastically. “Absolutely! Just like how you can be a hero without having to fit into some mold. It’s all about being true to who you are.”
Shadow felt a warmth spreading through him, a mixture of discomfort and hope. “And what if who you are isn’t enough?” he asked quietly, unsure why he felt compelled to voice such a thought.
Sonic turned to him, eyes wide and earnest. “Then you surround yourself with people who see the real you, and they help you realize that you are enough, just as you are.”
The sincerity in Sonic’s voice struck a chord deep within Shadow, and he felt something shift inside him. It was as if a door he had long kept locked was beginning to creak open, allowing a sliver of light to seep through.
As the movie played on, Shadow leaned a little closer to Sonic, for the first time in a long while, he didn’t feel entirely alone. Maybe Wonderland wasn’t so far-fetched after all; perhaps it was just a reflection of what could be—a place where darkness and light could coexist, and where friendship could blossom in the most unlikely of places.