Chapter 2
Later in the palace throneroom were Aleena and Knuckles were very dissapointed.
"Sonic, I just don't know what we're going to do with you, young man." said Aleena very disappointed.
"Mom, I'm sorry! I just forgot that.." Sonic said when he was about finish his mom interrupted.
"As a result of your careless behavior, the entire celebration was ruined." she said sternly.
"Yeah! It was completely destroyed This concert was to be the pinnacle of my distinguished career. Now thanks to you I am the laughing stock of the entire kingdom!" Knuckles yelled at Sonic.
"But it wasn't his fault! Well, a shark chased us. yeah! But luckily we were safe. And then this light gaia came, and.." Tails tried to explain but then she interrupted again.
"Light Gaia? What? You went to the surface again, didn't you?" Aleena asked crossedly.
"It didn't happen, mom! I swear!" said Sonic as he denied it.
"Sonic, how many times must we go through this? You could've been seen by one of these monsters! These land creatures!" she scolded.
"They're not monsters, mom!" He cried.
"They're dangerous. Do you think I want to see you snared by some fish-eater's hook?" said Aleena hysterically.
"I'm 15 years old, mom! I'm not a child anymore!" Sonic shouted.
"Don't you take that tone of voice with me, young man. As long as you live under my ocean, you'll obey my rules!" said Aleena sternly.
"Mom, if you would just listen.." Sonic tried to continue but interrupted again.
"Not another word, Sonic! And I am never, NEVER to hear of you going to the surface again. Is that clear?" she snapped.
Sonic looked sadly as he swam away out of the throne room. Which Aleena felt worried and felt guilty about her strictness. While Knuckles glared at Sonic.
"Knuckles, do you think I was too hard on him?" Aleena asked worriedly.
"No, your majesty! Definitely not. Why, if Sonic was my son, I'd show him who was boss. None of this "flitting to the surface" and other such nonsense. Oh no. I'd keep the blue guy under tight control." said Knuckles.
"You're right, Knuckles! Sonic needs constant supervision and he needs someone who to watch over him md to keep him out of trouble." said Aleena agreeing with Knuckles.
"That's right!" Knuckles nodded.
"You are just the echidna-crab to do it!" she smiled.
"Who? Me?" he asked with a shock.
"Yes, Knuckles!" Aleena replied.
Later in the palace corridor Knuckles looked down.
"How do I get myself into these situations? I should be writing symphonies instead tagging along after some headstrong and cocky teenaged merhog!" Knuckles sighed as he said to himself.
Suddenly he saw Sonic and Tails were leaving the palace.
"What's he up to?" he thought to himself as he followed them and they headed to Sonic's secret grotto. Inside it there were Sonic's big collection of land creature stuff like paintings, books, music box, knife, fork, pipe, spoon, candlestick, time watch.
"Sonic, are you okay?" Tails asked worriedly.
"If only I could make mom understand. I just don't see things the way she does. I don't see how a world that makes such cool and awesome things could be bad!" Sonic sighed as he sat on a rock, looking at his collection and the moonlight in the hole which is in the top of the grotto. "Man, I'm so curious about the land world. I wish to have legs to explore it and be a part of that world."
Knuckles looked disgustedly at the collection, suddenly he tripped and fell down along with other objects which alarmed Sonic and Tails by the noise. They turned around to see Knuckles in the land creature stuff.
"Knuckles!" Sonic gasped.
"Sonic, what is this stuff?" Knuckles asked looking crossed.
"It's just my collection." Sonic replied.
"Oh, I see. Your collection." he said calmly and then turned angry. "IF YOUR MOTHER KNEW ABOUT THIS PLACE, SHE'D-"
"Knuckles, No! Don't tell her! She would never understand!" Sonic cried.
"You know what, Sonic. I think you're under a lot of pressure down here. Come on. Let's go home" said Knuckles as he was about to grab Sonic's hand to drag him home.
Suddenly Sonic saw a ship passed by overhead. He swam up to the surface and saw some fireworks around the ship, looking amazed.
"Wow! Awesome!" said Sonic as he swam towards the ship as Tails and Knuckles saw what he was doing.
He climbed onto the ship and took a peek to see a party, and then he saw Shadow and began to blush. And then Chip showed up next to Sonic.
"Hi, Sonic! Nice party, huh?" Chip whispered. "I wish we were invited."
"Look, Chip. I've never seen a hedgehog this close before. Boy, he sure is handsome." Sonic whispered as he stared at Shadow while blushing.
"Silence, everyone! It is now my honor and privilege to present our esteemed Prince Shadow with a very special, very expensive, very large birthday present." Owlan announced.
"Why, Owlan. You shouldn't have!" Shadow smiled.
"Happy birthday, Shadow!" said Owlan as the sailors showed a big statue of Shadow.
"Wow, Owlan. It's really something." Shadow said as he raised his eyebrow and found the statue ridiculous but he was grateful anyway.
"Yes, I commissioned it myself." Owlan said proudly.
Suddenly a terrible storm arrived. The wind was so strong that Chip was blown away and Sonic hopped into the water. The lightning struck one of the sails which caused it to burn and the fire was spreading the ship. Shadow, Owlan and the sailors were heading for the life boats to escape the burning fire. But a young sailor rabbit boy got his foot stuck in a hole of the ship. Shadow swam back to the burning ship, climbed on board and released the boy from the hole he got stuck.
"You're free now." Shadow said. "Go."
"Thank you, Prince Shadow." Said the rabbit boy as he jumped overboard to reunite with his crew. But when Shadow was about to escape but his foot got trapped in a new hole in the burning ship, the fire reached a barrel full of black powder which caused the ship to explode. Everyone was horrified and shocked to see the explosion and very worried about Shadow. Sonic swam to find him and then he saw the unconscious black hedgehog and was sinking into the sea. Luckily Sonic saved him and pulled him up to the surface.
After the storm was gone and Sonic placed Shadow on the beach. He looked sadly to think he's dead until Shadow breathes. Sonic was relieved. He smiled at him, and he really admired Shadow. Not only because he was handsome, but because of his courageous and good nature. He sang a song "Part of your world".
"What would I give
To live where you are?
What would I pay
To stay here beside you?
What would I do to see you
Smiling at me?
Where would we walk?
Where would we run?
If we could stay all day in the sun?
Just you and me
And I could be
Part of your world"
Shadow slowly opened his eyes to see his hero singing.
"Shadow!" cried Owlan.
When Sonic saw Owlan approaching, he hurriedly hopped into the water and hid behind a rock.
"Shadow, are you alright?" Owlan asked worriedly and helped Shadow up but he was happy that he was still alive.
"Yes, Owlan. There was a boy who saved me. He was singing, and he had the most beautiful voice." replied Shadow when he thought about the mysterious hero.
"I think you swallowed too much seawater. Let's go." said Owlan as he took Shadow back to the castle.
Knuckles, Tails and Chip saw everything.
"We just gotta forget this whole thing ever happened. Queen Aleena will never know. You won't tell her, I won't tell her. I will stay in one piece." said Knuckles to Tails.
Sonic continued to sing:
"I don't know when
I don't know how
But I know something's starting right now
Watch and you'll see
Some day I'll be
Part of your world"
But little did they know that Mephiles and Iblis were spying on Sonic while Malinda saw the whole thing and she smiled wickedly.
"My, my. The boy is in love with a hedgehog. And not just any hedgehog. A prince! His mommy'll LOVE that. Queen's headstrong, lovesick boy would make a charming addition to my little garden." Malinda laughed wickedly as she looked at her small helpless creature victims.
To be continued..
