Celebration party

Two days pass. Shadow and Sticks, along with Sapphire, are exploring the town and keeping their mother busy. At Sapphire's house, her friends Silver, Harriot, Rouge, Mephiles and Tails are decorating the living space; to hear a knock at the door. Silver answers, to see Knuckles and Lucinda at the door and invites them in.

"Hey, guys. What's this for?" Lucinda asks

"We're holding a surprise party for Sapphire; we're decorating before she returns with her children." Rouge answers

"Wait, Sapphire has children?"

"Yeah, she went to the orphanage two days ago and adopted two little cuties. You'll love them, Lucinda." Harriot answers

"I do love children, I'll admit."

As for Shadow and Sticks, they notice the time and start pulling Sapphire back home.

"What are you two doing? You've been really excited all day." Sapphire asks

"You'll see, mom. Close your eyes, don't peek." Sticks answers

Curious, Sapphire follows the instruction and is guided home by Shadow and Sticks. The family arrive and go through the door.

"Right guys, three... two... one..." Someone makes the cue

Shadow is lifted by Rouge to turn on the light. Then...

"Surprise, congrats Sapphire!" Everyone celebrates, making Sapphire open her eyes.

Sapphire looks around, loving the decorations.

"Thank you, guys. Especially you two little rascals." Sapphire responds, picking Shadow and Sticks up

Sticks then climbs onto Sapphire's quills and Shadow climbs onto Sapphire's shoulder. Everyone is soon trying to contain their laughter, to not succeed as the room falls into a fit of laughs. After a few hours, the party ends and Sapphire's friends leave, saying their goodbyes. Soon, the family are alone as Shadow and Sticks quickly stretch and yawn, with tiredness evident.

"Looks like you two must be tired." Sapphire says

The two siblings nod, almost falling asleep.

"Let's get you both to bed."

Shadow and Sticks get into Sapphire's arms as she takes them to bed, tucking them in and kissing them goodnight. Sapphire then heads to bed, unable to sleep. Morning arrives, Shadow and Sticks awaken, meet in the upstairs hallway and go to Sapphire's bedroom, to notice her wide awake, seemingly scared.

"Mommy, are you okay?" Shadow asks, worried

"I don't know, sweetheart. Last night, I didn't sleep; more couldn't sleep." Sapphire answers, careful not to slip up

"Mom, it's our first day of school today." Sticks informs

"I know, sweetheart. Allow me to get dressed, you two and we'll get you ready for school."

Shadow and Sticks leave and close the door as Sapphire gets dressed. After ten minutes, Sapphire is out and helping Shadow and Sticks get ready for school. After breakfast, finding new clothes and bags, Shadow and Sticks are ready for school. As if on cue, the clock chimes for leaving time.

"C'mon, let's get you to school." Sapphire encourages

The family leave and walk for ten minutes, to reach the school. Confused and lost, they're looking for Shadow and Sticks' classroom, for the headmaster to find them.

"Hello, you must be Sapphire Hawthorne. I'm Mister Jackal, lovely to make your acquaintance." Mister Jackal greets, shaking Sapphire's hand

"Erm, hello sir. I'm looking for Shadow and Sticks' classroom, could you point me in the right direction, please?" Sapphire greets, asking

"Certainly, right this way."

Sapphire, Shadow and Sticks follow Mister Jackal to the classroom, decorated with bright colours and friendly pictures. Shadow quickly decides he hates it and tries racing back home, to be stopped by Sapphire.

"Come on, Shadow. I'm sure you'll make new friends and like it here."

Sceptical, Shadow follows Sticks into the classroom and sits alone at the back of class. Soon, a quiet and dirty, blue hedgehog wearing glasses sits next to Shadow and he looks at the blue hedgie, curiously.

"Hey, there. What's your name?" Shadow greets, asking

"I'm... Sonic..." Sonic answers, quietly and nervously

"Hey, I'm Shadow."

Sonic looks into Shadow's eyes briefly, then quickly puts his head back down.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Who's... the badger?"

"That's Sticks, she's my sister."

"That's... cool..."

Shadow soon puts his arm around Sonic's shoulders, making him look up and blush slightly. Shadow notices and hugs Sonic slightly. Sapphire notices, smiling.

"It looks like the shy one's found a new friend." Mister Jackal says

"Why is he so nervous?" Sapphire asks

"No-one knows, and he won't say anything. I'm worried about his home life, I'll admit. Anyway, now that your children have settled in, I'm guessing you've got things to do."

"Yes, but I'd like to say goodbye to them first."

Sapphire is allowed in as Shadow and Sticks go to her. Sonic watches as Shadow and Sticks say their goodbyes to Sapphire, lowering his ears in sadness. Shadow notices and approaches Sonic.

"Are you okay?" Shadow asks

"Yeah, I'm... okay..." Sonic answers, nervously

Worried but intent on focusing during class, Shadow does the work given as Sonic gets out of his chair, for the teacher to approach him.

"Are you alright, Sonic?" The teacher asks

"Yeah, can I go out?" Sonic asks

"That's fine with me."

Sonic soon speeds out of the classroom, for both Shadow and Sticks to notice. As for Sonic, he's a quiet hallway, crying into his knees.

"Why me; what makes me so bad?" Sonic asks himself

As for Shadow, he asks the teacher if he can leave the classroom. Having been given permission, he heads out to the hallway and hears someone crying. He follows the sound, to find Sonic crying into his knees. Being cautious, Shadow goes to Sonic.

"Are you okay, Sonic?" Shadow asks, causing Sonic to look up

"Shadow, what are you doing?!" Sonic asks, frightened

Shadow soon tries helping Sonic up, to be stopped.

"Don't touch me!" Sonic warns as he curls into a ball

Reluctantly, Shadow goes back to class. Playtime arrives and everyone is outside, talking and chasing each other. As for Sonic, he's sitting alone on one of the benches, watching everyone with lowered ears. Shadow and Sticks notice and go to Sonic.

"Hey, wanna join us?" Sticks asks

Reluctantly, Sonic joins Shadow and Sticks, for the other children to start looking at him oddly.

"Hey, there's that weird kid." A child says

"What's with all the bruises?" Another child asks, concerned

"I don't know, he's weird anyway; the herm with bruises." Another child answers

"That's not nice, I'm gonna talk to him. You're not joining."

The child in question approaches the trio.

"Hey, are you okay?" The child asks

Sonic is eerily silent, for Shadow, Sticks and the other child to become worried

"I'm Cathleen, by the way. Are you Sonic, the one everyone talks about?"

Sonic nods, getting more nervous as he curls into a ball. Shadow notices and gets down to Sonic's level.

"Are you okay?" Shadow asks

"I'm so scared, help me!" Sonic responds, for his spines to stand upright

Soon, a teacher notices and goes to Sonic, picking him up in his ball.

"You three, come with me." The teacher instructs

Shadow, Sticks and Cathleen follow the teacher inside as the teacher puts Sonic down on a collection of soft cushions.

"What's up with Sonic?" Cathleen asks

"I don't know why, but Sonic's been getting bullied ever since he started coming here. He's also been coming to school with cuts and bruises a lot." The teacher answers, worried

"Why the cushions?"

"When Sonic gets scared, territorial and curls into a ball, a selection of cushions is kept so that he can calm down at his own pace."

"Can I stay with Sonic?" Shadow asks

"You can try, but don't get too close. Sonic tends to push those away that accidentally touch his bruises."

The teacher, Cathleen and Sticks leave as Shadow curls into a ball next to Sonic, making sure not to touch his body. After two hours, Sonic gets out of his ball, to see Shadow next to him, curled up and asleep. After half-an-hour, Shadow awakens, uncurling and notices Sonic sat upright, one of his glasses' lenses cracked.

"Are you okay?" Shadow asks

"Better now, why are you here?" Sonic responds, asking

"I wanted to stay; you need a friend."

"I'm your friend?"

"Why wouldn't you be my friend?"

"The other kids think I'm weird, all the bruises."

Shadow carefully hugs Sonic, for him to return it. A teacher soon comes in.

"It's time for class now, Shadow and Sonic. Let's go boys." The teacher informs and encourages

Shadow and Sonic follow the teacher to their class. The day goes by and finishes quickly, parents arrive to pick up their children as Sapphire arrives for Shadow and Sticks.

"Hello, my little rascals. How was your first day at school?" Sapphire greets, asking

"I made a new friend, mommy. He's shy and nice." Shadow answers

"I made the same friend, mom." Sticks responds

"I'm so proud of you two. Come here."

Sapphire soon hugs Shadow and Sticks as Sonic notices, lowering his ears and walking home alone. Shadow notices.

"Mommy, why is he walking home alone?" Shadow asks

"I don't know sweetheart; it does seem odd." Sapphire answers, noticing the same thing

The family soon walk home together. As for Sonic, he gets home and enters, to be approached by his father.

"Finally, you're back. Get over here, there's someone I want you to meet." Sonic's father instructs

'Not another one...' Sonic thinks, frightened

Sonic goes to his father, with lowered ears, to be greeted by a strange man.

"Now, get upstairs and give this man the time of his life, herm."

Reluctantly, Sonic goes upstairs and endures painful, sexual abuse. Four more hours and Sonic's father comes into the room and hits him, calling him names.

"It's your fault your mother left us, genetic freak!" Sonic's father shouts, scaring Sonic

"Daddy, stop! I don't like this, it hurts!" Sonic pleads, to receive a punch to his chest

"I don't care, if you didn't exist, your mother would've never left. Instead, you decided to come out into this world, genetically strange and worthless. You blue imbecile!"

Sonic's father soon takes Sonic's glasses and breaks them in two, breaking the lenses too. Unable to see, Sonic tries to navigate his surroundings, to fall over.

"See what you are? Wait you can't see, you're small, blue and pathetic. I'll see you in the morning; it's bedtime."

Sonic's father leaves as Sonic climbs into the same bed he was abused in, crying himself to sleep. Morning arrives and Sonic slowly gets downstairs, to be approached by his father.

"Good morning, blind fool. You're up late, get ready and get to school!" Sonic's father instructs

Quietly, Sonic does as he's told. After around twenty minutes, Sonic gets to school. Sapphire soon drops off Shadow and Sticks. Shadow notices Sonic struggling to tell where he is.

"Hey Sonic, are you okay?" Shadow greets, asking

"Shadow, are you there?" Sonic asks, touching Shadow's face

"Yeah, I'm here. Can you see?"

"No, daddy broke my glasses last night, all in tiny pieces."

Other children watch on, laughing excluding Cathleen. She approaches Sonic and helps him get to class. Noticing the other children, Sapphire intervenes.

"Why are you laughing at him? Go on, go to class and leave him alone." Sapphire says in Sonic's defence

The group of children disbands, as Sapphire goes to Sonic.

"Are you alright, little one?" Sapphire asks, concerned

"Who are you; are you Shadow's mommy?" Sonic asks

"Yes, my name is Sapphire. Have you met Sticks?"

"The badger?"

"Yeah, Sticks is a badger."

"I've met her, she and Shadow are my friends. And Cathleen too."

"Was that the girl who helped you?"

"Yeah, she's really nice."

"Hello, are you Shadow and Sticks' mommy?" Cathleen asks

"Yes, that's right."

"You're Sapphire, the entity of Chaos."

"How did you know that, sweetie?"

"Everyone knows about how the Chaos Emeralds chose you to lead them. You're amazing."

"Why thank you, Cathleen. That's very sweet of you. Could I ask you a favour?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Could you help Shadow and Sticks look after Sonic? He doesn't look like he can see, and all the others are bullying him."

"Okay, I will."

"Thank you, Cathleen. I'd take him home if I could, but I'm not allowed."

"You're welcome."

"Bye bye, mommy." Shadow and Sticks say in unison

"See you later, little rascals."

Sapphire hugs Shadow and Sticks and heads for home. The four friends are soon in class as the teacher approaches Sonic, concerned.

"Sonic, can you see the board?" The teacher asks

"No, I can't miss. Everything looks blurry." Sonic answers

"Oh my, come with me Sonic; let's get you some new glasses."

Sonic slowly follows the teacher to another room, to receive a new pair of glasses. Ecstatic about being able to see again, he hugs the teacher.

"Thank you, miss."

"It's alright, Sonic. Please stay with Shadow, Sticks and Cathleen. They took good care of you this morning."

Sonic soon freezes, unsure of what to do for the teacher to notice.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm scared about staying with them, the others have been nasty to me. I'm scared they'll do the same."

Sonic lowers his ears.

"They won't be mean to you; they accept you for who you are. Now, join them; you'll be happier with them."

Quiet and nervous, Sonic follows the teacher back to class and sits in his seat, for Shadow to look up.

"Hey, Sonic. I like your glasses." Shadow greets, complimenting

"Thanks, Shadow..." Sonic responds, quickly silencing himself

Worried, Shadow tries touching Sonic's chest, to be stopped.

"Please don't... it hurts."

Shadow is alarmed by what is said but is unsure of how to act. Oblivious to how secondary school will go, everyone anxiously waits for the future.