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WELCOME TO THE SKATER ARCHIVES
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LOADING PROTAGONIST
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LOADED
NOW ENTERING SIMULATION
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"Sonic we're good to hang out after school today right?" Amy was talking to Sonic on their way to school, he agreed to walk with her today.
He'd been zoning out and only came to after she said his name. "Yeah that's fine."
It was obvious she had a crush on him with the way she'd act around him but Sonic chose oblivion, he didn't wanna be tied down to a person.
"You have math first period right?" He dragged his hand over his face in response.
"Don't remind me." Nothing interesting went on in that class and the only person he spoke to was Shadow. There was Mephiles in that class but they didn't get along at all, not to mention how weird he's been towards Sonic in the past.
"It won't be so bad, you have Shadow to keep you from dozing off." Sonic doesn't put much effort, he just does as much as he feels like and lets the wind take over the rest of it. Why think so hard when you can just brain empty and leave everything to the wind?
"You know he never comes to school first period." Four days of the week Shadow only appears during second period. He never has a reason but he also doesn't go to school if he doesn't want to.
Amy begs Sonic to show up, saying how his grades will tank and he won't be able to graduate if he turns back to his old ways. Their friend group always makes jokes about who will end up with more absences each school year. It's always a tie somehow.
"Well then I have nothing to help you. Oh it's Honey!" As they got closer to the school their friends were easier to see.
Amy caught sight of Honey and shortly after Blaze. Sonic saw Silver and surprisingly Shadow.
"First time here for first period huh?" Shadow was sitting on the ledge next to the stairs to avoid rolling away. He wears his roller blades everywhere and their school just so happens to be on a tilt. It's small but still.
"Foster care made me come." Oh, another not so small detail about Shadow, he's in foster care.
When he was little he used to live with Maria and her family, they were his foster family, but after she died ... he went back to the shelter. He's been there ever since. Been in some other families but he apparently wasn't a match for any of them.
"They still on that bullshit about not letting you do anything anymore?" Out of nowhere they just stopped letting Shadow do what he wanted, what he did before. It was weird, a random switch up.
"I have a feeling it has something to do with this new girl we got there, her name's Sage." Sonic had a lot of questions but they all heard the bell ring to head to their first class and had to go. Sonic could ask for any more information during class if he wanted.
They covered the homework from last night, neither Sonic or Shadow did it/completed it. They said they'd help each other but got side-tracked mid call. Then they started going over the midterm topics for math.
Shadow elbowed Sonic to get his attention. "Do you have plans after school?" What could this be about?
"Yeah I'm hanging out with Amy since she asked. Why?" Shadow nodded while exhaling a very shaky sigh.
"There's stuff we have to talk about but I don't wanna bring it up here." Now Sonic was more confused than interested in what he had to say.
"I'll call you the moment I take Amy back home ... you all good?" He didn't know what it was but he knew Shadow was taking it rough, had to be bad if so.
Shadow just gave him a thumbs up while he started writing in his study-guide. Sonic did the same to consume his time before their next class.
They were allowed to partner with someone to start their study-guide so Sonic worked with Shadow.
"What's up with Sage?" The girl Shadow mentioned before, the one he's suspicious of.
"Oh right, I told you. Well ever since she randomly showed up at the shelter, things have turned for me. Not positively." Hm, that's really weird.
Shadow's normally left unbothered and to his own device. Kids like him for his naturally cool appearance and girls tend to stare as he's conventionally attractive. Adults don't have much of a problem with him because he'll do things after being asked once but it comes at the price of him randomly going MIA or not being very social.
"You think she's like, telling them lies or something?" His eyes widened while as he nodded, Sonic was right.
"I can't imagine what she's lying about since I barely interact but still. I was grounded yesterday so I can't use my phone at night, I can't go out randomly, they stalk my location now, and I have to go to school every day. If they find me skipping or not showing up, they're gonna burn all my shit." God Damn.
Sonic had no idea how to respond because luckily he got out of the foster care system a while ago and never had to deal with that. Freedom is life for both of them and now that was being stripped away from Shadow.
"Dude I would kill myself if I were you." Well that slipped out, no it didn't
Shadow just stared back at him. "Yeah, me too."
"Sooo, you really can't bring up that other thing?" That other thing that was really bothering you ...
"I can't risk anyone hearing. You are the only person who can know this information for now." Oh ho, top secret.
Sonic pushed his glasses. "I see ... I can wait then."
"I love how you and Amy match with your glasses. It's so cute." He was being sarcastic, he found their matching glasses corny. Obviously.
Sonic picked up on the sass. "Hey, I wanna see you say no to the girl you're childhood friends with." Is this targeted?
"I mean you're right, I would match pajamas with Maria all the time. She asked and I'd do it. Still wear her favorite color skates." What a hypocrite, only difference is one of them is dead.
"You hate hearing this but I really do think you've been dealing with your grief really well." I mean, Shadow's been making memories for Maria these past few years in high school.
She said she wanted him to be happy so he explored his own life for her. He still is, so is Sonic for fucks sake, but he's not how he was all those years ago. Maria isn't all he is, he's his own person now.
"Just go back to making your stupid jokes."
They both made it halfway through their study-guides by the time the bell rang, their next class is biology. It's one of Shadow's favorite classes, he actually enjoys studying life. Sonic doesn't really care about any of his classes in particular but he enjoys being in the top five most athletic kids in their school.
They went through the rest of their day as normal, Sonic still curious as to what Shadow had to tell him and why it seemed like such a huge deal. Well, he just had to please Amy by spending time with her and then ask Shadow what was up.
"Yo Shadow, you mind lending me more of that Lord X stuff?" Manic caught up to him right before he flew down the stairs on his roller blades. It's seriously insane to everyone the control he had over them.
"Sure." No, Manic couldn't just buy his own cd's or find him on any online music player. Lord X is a strictly physical copy music artist who went under the radar for his lack of advertising.
Shadow only found him when he was browsing a little too hard. "Thanks man." Shadow just nodded.
"You wanna pick up the other cd at my place? You have to wait outside though." Guests were rarely ever invited over to his place, strictly because it didn't belong to him.
"Aw am I the first person invited to your crib?" He didn't remember Sonic mentioning going and well, Shadow sticks to himself.
Shadow looked a little confused. "Well kinda. I live with a bunch of other kids. Sonic's waited outside for me before." Damn, so he's not special.
"Alright man." Manic was a bit defeated he failed at that interaction but it's okay! He always has another shot some other time.
They made their way to his 'home' where Manic stood outside patiently waiting. He knew Shadow didn't have a family but he wasn't picturing this. Then after around ten minutes of waiting, Shadow came out with a box full of stuff.
There was a backpack completely full of, he didn't know, skates, roller blades, posters, books, essentials for living. It was like he took everything out of his room.
"Uhm, what's all this? For me?" He was half joking but also genuinely wondering why he had all this stuff when they only came for a CD.
"No, they kicked me out." What?
"Isn't that hella fucking illegal?" Yeah, Shadow nodded so.
"I'll be fine though don't get your panties in a bunch." He knew Manic didn't really give that big of a shit.
"The fuck you mean? You got nowhere to crash!" Now that he noticed it, Shadow was wearing ... sneakers!? "Oh my God you're not wearing your roller blades right now either!" He always had them on.
"They don't let me wear them in the house ... they used to not let me, now I can't stay there anymore." It confused Manic how calm he was being about all of this.
"Tell me this, where are you gonna go?" The last thing anyone would've expected from Shadow was him becoming homeless. That's a Sonic thing.
"Mrs. Vanilla promised me a room in her house. I told her about my situation, she's a very nice woman." Oh Manic knew her, everyone does. She's such a delight.
She owns and runs her own bakery under her house that sells cheap baked goods for a very good price. She still makes a pretty penny though, everyone loves her baking. Not to mention she gives back to the community all the time, and any desserts that don't sell, she gives them to the homeless shelter.
"That's good then. Can't have you being homeless and shit." Clearly his old foster care could but whatever I guess.
"Yeah." Shadow mumbled while searching for the other Lord X cd to give to Manic.
"Yo Green hair, give this back to me when you're done. You can use it to find the other cd's of his if you want your own." Manic was a few feet away getting ready to head back home.
"Of course man." Now Shadow had to go to Vanilla and make himself at home ... that's the hard part though.
He knew he'd never be with the foster system forever since he'd be able to make a life for himself one day but this was so unexpected. It was definitely Sage's fault, she was crying and hiding behind another child. She was crying because of Shadow.
It pissed him off, he wouldn't do shit to a little kid, let alone a little girl. Shadow is soft spoken, polite but rough when he needs to be, and sticks to himself. He tries his best to stay out of trouble but if people want a fight, he's not gonna back down.
Luckily for him, Vanilla wasn't with a customer right now. He walked right in and the moment she saw all of his stuff, she knew he needed her support.
"Hi Mr. Shadow!" Cream was sitting at one of the tables with her stuffed animal Cheese coloring.
"Hi Cream, how're you?" He's actually very good with kids, everyone knows that.
"I'm very happy. How are you?" He felt shitty about everything that happened before but you'd have to be severely depressed to not smile around Cream.
"I'm alright." Vanilla stepped it.
She took the box off Shadow's hands. "How do you feel about having Shadow live with us?" Cream looked ecstatic.
"Like a big-brother?" Her mother nodded. "We can hang out every day!" She has friends of her own but Shadow is the coolest to her.
"Okay honey, me and Shadow are going to set up his room now. Wanna take over the shop and do people's orders until I get back?" Cream loves helping out her mom and her mom loves it too.
"Yes!"
She went behind the counter on her step-stool and waited for customers to come in. Vanilla took Shadow to his room, it was the size of his previous room but he'd have way more space not having to share it.
Vanilla finished making his bed while Shadow unpacked his stuff. His bag was full of all his clothes while the box had his school stuff, his and Maria's skates, other essentials, music, and other physical media. He doesn't have a lot which is actually really sad but he doesn't complain at all. He has the money to buy himself more but he prefers to save it for the future.
"Feel free to put your clothes in the dresser and closet. This is your room now. I hope you can make yourself at home." And she left, leaving Shadow to his own device.
He put his clothes away, stacked his music and movies on top of each other, stacked his books, put his school stuff back into his bag, and put up his posters. He had the skates and roller blades left in the box but he'd just leave them there, it's fine.
"I wonder what Sage wants with me ..." Shadow thought himself to sleep with a mixture of stress from everything that happened today.
~
Amy stood next to the gym door waiting for Sonic, he was busy having a conversation with his track coach. Their practice was canceled which worked out perfectly for Amy but Sonic was a little disappointed. He agreed to hang out with Amy but track is his pride and joy and today is Friday.
"Alright Amy, where to?" It was her idea and she always has a plan.
"We're going to that new amusement park that just opened up. It should be stimulating enough for you." She would occasionally drag him with her to the places she wanted to go but he never found them very interesting.
Amy appreciates decor, designing, fashion, beauty, love, and just helping others. Most of the places she spends her time are yard sales, tours of old buildings and places for sale. She goes to furniture stores to look at the furniture she'll get in the future and for a place to rest if she's been on her feet shopping for a while. She visits plazas quite a bit to pass the time, she doesn't always buy something though.
"Sounds like fun." The last thing he wanted to do was be surrounded by a bunch of people and stand in lines for hours and it would be worse since today was opening day.
"I thought so." One of the only people Sonic can't have sass with is Amy, she doesn't have much patience for it. Sure she likes Sonic but she will absolutely not put up with anyone's attitude.
She chat his ear off about her day, classes and funny things that happened in them, just to keep the walk from being awkward. She could tell something was on Sonic's mind but she figured he'd say something if he wanted to.
"We're here." Amy didn't look out of place as she brings a shoulder bag to school, Sonic though, he brings a Green Hill backpack. They don't make merch anymore since they disbanded, the bag was a lucky find on his part.
Still, it has hedgehogs on it, blue, black and red, silver, pink, but they all look kinda drugged up ... like they did a few lines or something. The band's whole brand was drug addicted hedgehogs though, it's weird and agreed upon the fan base doesn't put too much thought into it. Being a music guy comes with listening to weird shock bands and socially awkward band members.
It still flabbergasted Sonic how he was able to bring his bag to school every day, he thought they'd question it, claim it was against school rules. Not that it isn't but hey!
"This place is actually pretty sick." He was looking past the kiddie rides and romantic ones, eyes caught by the real roller coasters.
Long lines that wrapped around the rides a few times, people sitting on the floor from how long they were there. Fans in hand, dip n dots scattered around the map and in kids hands. Wet children and teens running around from the water park. This place had everything and most of all, there was a Fleetway Super Sonic coaster.
Considering how uncommon his name was, it made him feel special to know there was a character with his name, even if he is an absolute psycho and evil.
The coaster had huge loops, a fast shoot off, seemingly random drops, and a section where the line of carts disconnect so each individual cart can spin while the tracks vibrate underneath. The line for that one was by far the longest line but hell was he willing to wait days just to ride it once.
"Oh wow look at that ride, it’s so cute!” She was facing the love coaster. It was a series of heart, rose, and pearl shaped seats that floated in the water while they went past romantic locations.
It’s a calm ride and Amy loves romance, she’s super big into finding your perfect person. It’s all she’s ever wanted actually. She’s always loved the idea of being with someone forever, someone who will cherish you and care.
Sonic cares about her and she loves the idea of being with him forever, he was one of her first friends. They’ve made a lot of memories together and she hopes to keep that going but she’s also not stupid.
She knows that he doesn’t see her that way, at least not that she knows of. She’s fine with that though, it’s always just been a ‘maybe’ and she’d still be happy without him as her boyfriend, that’s how it’s always been.
“I was kinda thinking the fleetway but if you wanna go we can.” It was her day, he agreed to go with her. It’s important he does, to make memories with her.
“Well not to ruin your fantasy but the line for the fleetway will always be super long, duh, but it’ll be shorter another day, a day where it’s not busy. You can totally wait in that line if you want! I’m just saying.” He didn’t feel like waiting but there’s no way he wouldn’t get another chance.
“Nah it’s fine. So the love coaster?” He doesn’t want to go on that ride.
Amy smiled, her smile is one Sonic has always been fond of. “There’s a pretty intense one behind the food court we can go to. It goes by fast so it shouldn’t be much of a wait.”
Amy doesn’t find roller coasters too scary, she actually really likes high intensity ones, she’s much like Sonic in the aspect she hates boredom.
“Yeah that sounds fun.” Amy is always thinking of everyone else but she balances it out by giving back to herself.
They waited in line for half an hour before getting onto the ride. There was a fast shootoff that jolted you around with sudden turns and 90° angles. It was super fun but Amy and Sonic were definitely the only people screaming for fun.
After that ride, they looked around and found a slingshot with a decent line. They went on a few more high intensity coasters but it was getting really late.
The park put their night-lights on and food stands were starting to close. The waterpark closed for the night and people were starting to leave.
“This was so much fun, we should totally come again some time!” She paid the hotdog stand and gave Sonic his chili dog.
“Thank you, yeah. Next time we can go on the fleetway or something.” He was so happy to eat, he hadn’t in hours.
Amy had a burrito from a different stand and the two were just eating and walking, occasionally taking sips from their drinks.
It was a fun day, he always has fun with Amy, she’s an interesting girl after all.
“By Amy.” He brought her back home a little before her curfew but she was the one who set up the whole day so there’s no way her dad could be mad about it.
“See you on Monday Sonic.” When she closed the door he turned around to head back to Knuckles and Rouges place.
He stays with them, it was a kind offer from Knuckles and Rouge didn’t really care. There was something he had to do though … What was it? Oh!
You awake?
Shadow has the sleep schedule of a depressed loser, a mixture of sleeping too much and not sleeping enough. It really depended on how much coffee he drank/ate in a day.
Unfortunately.
It was nearing 11 but they could try making the conversation short to allow them some sleep.
You were gonna tell me about that thing
Oh right, pick up the phone
Sonic let the phone ring for a few seconds before picking it up just to mess with him a little.
“Soo?” Shadow sighed, like he always did but it was shaky again.
“I don’t think you’ll believe me but I have evidence.” Huh? “We’ve already lived in a world together before this one …”
“Wait, wait, wait. What do you mean? How do you have evidence to support this?” This could just be a very terrible case of deja vu for Shadow, no way he’s right.
“You’re friends with Amy, very close with her in fact. You’ve never seen her tarot cards have you?” He has, what does that have to do with anything though?
“She came to me with a reading, telling her something really bad is coming in the near future that we can’t avoid. But we have to do something about it because in the past ? I don’t fully get it either but we’ve saved the world before.”
Sonic didn’t know what to say. Like, he knew he recognized people when he’d never seen them before and that’s weird but deja vu exists and is very real. Just, maybe it’s not and …
“So what? What do we do?” Shadow doesn’t know either.
“I don’t know. We can wish for the best and hope, try maybe? It sounded super bad and Amy looked so scared when she saw the card. I’ve never seen her make that face.” Shadow knew Amy for being super smiley and optimistic, not afraid.
The last thing Amy’s ever been was afraid, she doesn’t get scared like that. If she felt fear, it has to be as bad as Shadow says. She’s always hopeful, she’d have said there was a way to fix this but she didn’t.
“She puts so much trust in those fucking cards. What if it was a mistake? The cards lied or something.” Maybe … but they don’t lie.
“I don’t know Sonic, I feel like she’s right. Especially with Sage randomly appearing too. She got me kicked out for fucks sake. Amy’s cards predicted that shit. I have no doubt they’re right about the future.” If that’s true then everything is over.
The lives they’ve spent near 17 years living, the friends they made, the memories they’ve created. It’s all pointless isn’t it?
“What do we gotta do then? We’re saving this world, it’s not coming to its end yet.” There’s the Sonic that was always ready to help.
“Just keep going fast and I will too. We got time to think out a good plan, she told me that much.”