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You all should know by now what happens to the Robotnik family.
On a moonless night, the young hedgehog’s ship was attacked. Screams and yells of mobians and humans filled the air, accompanied by cannon fire and the clashing of swords.
These attacks were done by the Royal Navy themselves. But what would they want from an old scientist? Nothing probably, if the scientist wasn’t a rouge one. He ran away with his granddaughter, Maria, and his lab crew. He abandoned his role as a royal scientist to focus on the ill Maria, who grew worse by the month. But, what’s this? He also had a living secret project who also accompanied him? Now this is what the Royal Navy really wanted.
The young hedgehog and his sister hid in the deepest corner of Gerald’s study, surrounded by knocked off books and papers due to the rocky ship. Above them was where Gerald was destroying his years of work. Burning papers and documents while smashing beakers containing colorful liquids. These actions were soon interrupted by the collapsing of the lab’s door. It was the captain of the Royal Navy. He grabbed Gerald by the collar, and dragged him out onto the main deck. He was surrounded by mostly men, but some large mobians were scattered. Gerald explained why he ran and pleaded for the mercy of his granddaughter. His words were loud enough for Maria and Shadow to hear below. But all went silent until the Naval Captain shouted “Aim!”
Maria knew what was happening next. She freed herself from Shadow’s grasp and scrambled out of the corner, running up to the main deck. Shadow yelled at her to stop, struggling to follow her with his trembling legs. As soon as he reached the first step of stairs, BANG.
He froze, making sure he was still alive. He then forced himself up the stairs and yelled for Maria. Laying there on the deck was his dead creator, punctured by multiple gunshots. The rain struggled to wash away the blood flowing from the body.
Shadow was able to stop staring at the corpse and looked up to see the Naval Captain holding Maria by her golden hair.
“LET HER GO!” Shadow roared, trying to hold back the fear in his voice.
The captain ignored him but was intrigued to finally see what Gerald’s life was truly dedicated to. A small, dark, puny, hedgehog. With Maria still in his grasp, he raised his other hand and walked toward the front of the ship. His crew slowly walked towards Shadow with guns cocked and swords in hand. Shadow wasn’t ready for a fight. He never had proper training. Or even the courage. But for family? Anything.
He slowly managed to form a green flaming spear from his hands. The crew was amazed and delighted to finally have an interesting fight. The Naval Captain was looking at the horizon but heard everything. The yelling of men, clanging swords, gunshots, the buzzing of energy, and finally the thuds of bodies hitting the deck. He turned around seeing all his men lying dead, some still holding on to their weapons. All that was left was the small thing holding a spear, looking him dead in the eyes. Its red eyes pierced through him, glowing like the rest of its scattered red stripes on its body.
“I SAID. LET. HER. GO.”
The captain turned around facing Shadow. He was standing by the guard rails of the ship. Shadow moved a step closer but halted when the captain stopped turning around. His right arm lifted over the edge, revealing the dangling girl.
“Save yourself,” Maria mumbled.
Shadow froze again at the sight of his sister hanging from the captain’s grasp. He didn’t know what to do or what would happen if he did. He was trapped. He clenched the spear and was about to lunge himself at Maria to try to catch her. As soon as his eyes left Maria’s, the captain let go.
“Goodbye, Shadow.” Maria whispered again as she was descending towards the angry waters below.
“MARIA!” Shadow shrieked. He was going to run but he couldn’t. He was too scared and overwhelmed by the sight of his sister disappearing. His whole body was shaking and his teeth were glued together. He was useless. He could’ve done something. He could’ve saved her. He was lifeless. A thing. A weapon. He destroyed life only for his to be taken.
Shadow was so consumed by his thoughts, that he didn’t realize the captain was out of sight. He then noticed a blur coming straight towards him. He quickly lunged his still fiery spear into it. He was saved. The captain’s pocket knife was inches from Shadow’s nose, but the spear was feet deep into his own chest. Pain and anger filled his eyes as he started slowly dying.
“You…will be…reminded of this pain…for eternity…” the captain gasped with a strained voice. He quickly slashed his knife to Shadow’s right eye. He yelled in pain as he covered it with his hand. With his last breath, the captain pulled out a vial of a light blue powder and broke it in front of Shadow with his bare hand. The powder was released into the air while the captain’s body slammed into the ground, finally dead. The storm ceased and behind the dark clouds was a large, bright moon, giving light to the corpse ridden ship.
Shadow now had both of his hands on his eye, trying to keep the blood at bay, whimpering and grunting. Unnoticed before him was the light blue powder, now a floating substance, wavering in circles. The bright moon slowly turned blue as the substance surrounded Shadow’s head. Suddenly, the blue moon beamed as the air made a loud boom. Shadow released his hands from his bloody eye and watched as the light blue magic absorbed into it. It took the wind right out of him and made him fall to his knees. He could feel a stinging pain in the right eye but, at the same time, it was also soothing. He blinked a couple of times for the feeling to go away. He could see.
The blue moon dimmed until it was to its natural cream color. Everything was calm. No wind, no crashing waves. Just the creaking of the ship and the deep breaths Shadow took. He was the only living thing left. He should be dead. He should’ve been the one who was shot. He should’ve been the one to meet the sea. But he was there, alive and alone. With nothing but a beating heart. Shadow was able to see himself in the pool of blood that was made by the dead naval captain. His eye was still there but it was only a light gray, blue-ish color. Like a blind eye, but still seeing. There was no scar around the eye. Shadow slowly raised his hand close to his eye, but it stung him. He closed it to open it again and see it glowing a light turquoise blue. The iris was still black as the night. But what was truly different, was that the eye was moving like the sea, drifting back and forth. And surrounding it were big and small blue circles. They were swirling around the eye like tiny fish in a whirlpool. It was surprisingly beautiful and mesmerizing. The ocean waves started to knock against the ship, making the young hedgehog realize he was alone again. Just him. And the ocean.
The hedgehog hoped he’d never have to tell this story. Or be reminded of it.
But that changed on one starry night, years later, on a blue moon. It was the love of his life who listened to every word. A blue hedgehog, with emerald eyes, stared lovingly and worriedly at his cursed captain.
“I think I should stop there,” stated the hedgehog captain. It was quiet between the two, until his first mate broke the silence.
“May I see it?” he asked. He believed his captain’s words were true, that his eye was beautiful and mesmerizing. But, he wanted to be the one who said it. To be the one who said it with his whole heart and meant every word.
“Please, Shadow?” he begged again, setting his hand on his captain’s cheek, gently caressing it with his thumb.
Shadow was scared of what people might think of the true appearance of his eye. But seeing his first mate in front of him didn't make him feel nervous. He was calm. He even wanted to melt as he looked at him. Shadow took in a small breath and removed his eyepatch. He tried not to watch as his first mate’s eyes gradually grew wider, and mouth slightly agape. He was staring in awe and thought how the words ‘beautiful’ and ‘mesmerizing’ weren’t even close to what he was experiencing. It was magnificent, stunning, charming, fascinating, handsome, hot, dazzling, ...wait what?
Shadow wanted to stop staring at the sea below them and look at his first mate’s eyes, just like he was doing to his. He took in another small breath, placed his head into his mate’s hand and closed his eyes. This made Sonic slightly jump, like he was woken from a trance. Shadow then held the blue hedgehog’s hand tightly, wishing he would never let go. He finally opened his eyes to meet his beloveds.’
“Do you still love me?” purred Shadow with slight worry in his words.
This took the blue hedgehog aback. Did he not know that he loved him? That he would do anything he asked even if he wasn’t his captain? He would even spend his only wish from the Master Emerald to always see his smile.
“For eternity. As for I, Sonic the Hedgehog, would always love and be there, for my captain.” Sonic proudly exclaimed as he took Shadow’s hands. Shadow chuckled as he shed a tear from his glowing eye.
“Woah, woah! I didn’t mean to make you cry, cap’n!” Sonic quickly leaned forwards to swipe the falling tear.
“You know you can stop calling me that, right? We are alone—“
“As you wish, Shads,” Sonic said with a smug smile.
“I take that back.” Shadow rolled his eyes as he knew what he was getting into.
They both laughed as Sonic still had his hands holding Shadow’s face. He still couldn’t choose the word describing Shadow’s eye, but all he knew was that it truly was beautiful. He wanted to look at it everyday. To look at Shadow everyday. Just like how the Sun and Moon meet at sunrise and dawn to embrace in each other’s beauty. It was fate. Sonic gently pulled Shadow closer to meet his lips. He never wanted this taste to leave.
The cold night air shifted as the sun rose from the horizon. The warmth between the hedgehogs increased as the sun grew bigger behind them. They never wanted this to stop. Sonic was begging Chaos for a wish to never let his lips separate from Shadow’s. As for Shadow himself, oh yes. He felt the same. He never wanted to let go of Sonic’s hips, like a link to a chain. But, he needed to attend back to his ship and crew. It was morning and some might start to realize that their captain, and his first mate, went missing overnight. Shadow let go of Sonic’s hips and tucked his hands under Sonic’s, to make him let go of his face.
“Aww, it was just getting good…” Sonic whined as he made a pout.
“Heh, don’t get your quills up in a twist. I’m still here. But we have a ship to sail and a crew to look after. If we get our jobs done, then there will be plenty of time to continue this tonight,” Shadow explained as he began rowing the jolly back to the ship.
“YIPPEE! I love my job.” Sonic put his hands behind his quills and laid back on the boat’s side. Shadow rolled his eyes again and sighed, releasing a chuckle.
“I hate you, hedgehog.”
“I love you too.”