Silver kept on rubbing their head because of the headache. ``Damnit, I wasn't supposed to drink alcohol,'' they started to freak out a bit.
``Just calm down Silver, it was a mistake. It could have happened to anyone,'' Shadow said.
``This whole night was a mistake,'' Silver said trying to get away from Shadow.
``You don't mean that, you had so much fun on stage,'' Silver just grunted and wobbled back inside to the party where it still was very loud and crowded. Shadow and Espio followed them inside.
``Can you please stop following me? Don't you have something better to do, like that girl bat?'' Silver kept on walking searching for Tails. Shadow went quiet but kept following Silver. Something was bothering him, but he couldn't figure out what it was and why Silver was being so angry with him.
``TAILS!!!'' Silver started to shout in the hope of finding him quickly. Shadow kept on following, he just wanted to make sure Silver was safe before going after Scourge.
``Hey big boy, where'd you go off to? You didn't even finish,'' the bat said as she spotted Shadow and came over.
``Not now Rouge!'' Shadow snapped at her.
``Oh come on now,'' she begged.
``Rouge I'm freaking serious, if I find out you were in on this, we are so done!'' Silver's ears perked up and looked over their shoulder to see Shadow looking mad at Rouge the bat. It felt good to see him angry at her but Silver didn't have a clue what they were talking about. Silver kept on moving now that Shadow was interrupted.
``Come on big boy, it was just a little distraction.''
``So you were in on this, get out of my sight if you wish to see another day,'' Shadow threatened.
``Okay fine mister grumpy pants,'' she said holding up her hand offended. Shadow turned around but couldn't find Silver.
``Where did she go!'' Shadow asked frustrated and concerned. Espio pointed to where Silver had disappeared into the crowd. Shadow walked through the crowd, moving and pushing people aside who were in the way, ``SILVER!''
Silver looked backstage in the dressing room but it was empty, ``Where could Tails have gone to?'' They turned around as they heard Shadow shout their name. Silver went into the dressing room and locked the door. Right after they had locked it someone on the other side tried to open the door. ``Silver are you in there? Please open the door,'' Shadow shouted.
``Go away!'' Silver shouted back at him.
``What's going on?'' Sonic's voice sounded out from the other side of the door.
``Silver locked herself in, she's drunk some alcohol by accident and is just really upset about it.''
``Oh that's not good. Silver, you did it by accident, nothing to worry about. Could you please let us in?'' Sonic asked caring.
``No! I don't want to speak to Shadow.''
Sonic looked questionable at Shadow, ``Why? What happened?''
``Nothing really, I just found her outside, unconscious.''
``Okay then. Shadow maybe it's better if you leave Silver alone for a bit, I'll take care of this,'' Sonic said, Shadow nodded disappointed and looked at the door a bit sad before turning around.
``Come Espio, let's look for the rest,'' and they left.
``Silver, Shadow's away now, can you please let me in?'' The lock clicked and Sonic opened the door. Silver's eyes were red, they had been crying since they entered the room. ``Hey Silver what's going on?'' Sonic asked softly.
``It's nothing I don't want to talk about it, I just want to go home.''
``Hey Shadow? Have you seen Silver I can't find them anywhere,'' Tails asked when he spotted Shadow coming from backstage.
``Dressing room,'' He grunted and walked away with Espio following behind.
``What's his deal?'' Tails said mostly to himself. But went over to the dressing room backstage to find Silver.
``Hey Silver, where did you go? I couldn't find you anywhere...'' Tails noticed their face and red eyes, ``What's going on?'' Silver just sniffed and wiped away their tears with their sleeve.
``Well, Silver accidentally drank some alcohol. Shadow just found them outside, unconscious,'' Tails looked a bit shocked.
``How did you get there?''
``I-I don't r-really remember, I j-just remember going for a d-drink and the next moment S-shadow was w-waking me up.'' Silver felt so ashamed. ``I-I just want to g-go home Tails.''
``Yeah I understand, I'll go call my father,'' Tails said went out to give his father a call.
``Are you sure that's all that happened?'' Sonic asked concerned. Silver nodded. ``Then why are you being so angry at Shadow?''
``It's nothing, it's stupid,'' Silver replied.
``Well luckily for you, I'm stupid so maybe I'll understand,'' Sonic joked and Silver chuckled through their tears.
``I don't know I just feel a bit betrayed, but I don't even know why, It's just stupid,'' Silver sighed.
Tails came back in, ``Dad's on his way.''
Sonic stood up, ``Come, we'll go wait outside,'' Silver stood up and followed Sonic, Tails walked next to Silver looking concerned.
It didn't take long till the car arrived. Silver ran to the car and quickly got in the backseat. Tails and Sonic walked over and Tails also got in. Sonic popped his head through the window. ``Good evening sir, can I talk to you for a minute?'' Sonic asked. Tails' dad nodded and got out of the car.
Silver looked stressed and they saw them talking to each other, Tails' dad looked confused and looked over at Silver. Silver turned pale, ``Your dad is going to be so mad,'' Silver whispered to Tails. After a while of talking Mr Prower took his place behind the wheel and turned around to look at Silver. Silver cringed afraid and didn't look at him.
``Silverm from what I've heard, it was just an accident,'' Amadeus said caring, ``How are you feeling?''
Silver sighed a bit relieved. ``J-just a b-bit dizzy and t-tired,'' Silver replied with a small voice.
``And did you like it?'' Mr Prower asked with a soft smile.
Silver looked up at him and blushed a bit, ``Well it was just like lemonade.''
Mr Prower laughed, ``Just be very careful next time and let's not mention this too Rosemary,'' he said with a wink.
Silver smiled at Mr Prower, ``Thank you for not being mad at me.''
``You're not the first young student who accidentally drank alcohol, it happens. You simply need to learn from your mistakes. It's a good thing that Shadow guy found you and helped you out.'' Silver nodded. ``I just hope you had a great party before it happened.''
``It was okay,'' Silver said.
``Just okay?'' Tails scoffed, ``Dad you wouldn't believe what happened, Silver played the piano on stage with the school band, I recorded everything.'' Tails took out his phone and showed his dad.
``Wow that's very impressive! Silver! I'm proud of you! Even if I'm not your dad,'' He said and Silver felt warm and comforted by those words.
______________________________________
``Where's Scourge?'' Shadow growled at Vector and Jet who felt busted. Espio stood behind Shadow emotionless . They were all standing outside at the spot where Shadow had found Silver. ``Where is that bastard!'' Shadow shouted at them making them flinch.
``Is that how you talk to your, so called, friends?'' a voice behind Shadow asked. Shadow turned around and faced Scourge who was standing against a lamppost smoking a cigarette with his arms folded. Shadow walked over at him while rolling up his sleeves. He grabbed Scourge by his collar and pulled him close to his face.
``If you ever touch Silver again, I'm going to f*cking kill you,'' Shadow whispered, so the others couldn't hear. Scourge just grinned.
``If you were even half the Shadow I've known all this time, I would probably be dead already if you wanted to kill me,'' Scourge replied, not feeling threatened in the slightest. ``You've gone soft, you're a wuss.'' Shadow planted his fist in Scourge's stomach making him double over by the force. Shadow couldn't see his face but he could hear Scourge laugh as he spit out some blood.
``Is that really all you got?'' Scourge laughed. Shadow made and attempt to hit him again but Jet and Vector stopped him. They grabbed Shadow's wrists and twisted his arms to his back.
Scourge pulled out a pocketknife, stepped up to Shadow and held the knife against his cheek, leaving a cut. ``Even your henchman won't stand at your side anymore,'' Scourge laughed maniacally and with the blood still dripping from his mouth he looked disturbed.
``Not all of them,'' Espio came in between and planted his fist in Scourge's face causing him to drop the knife. Shadow broke loose from Vector and Jet their grip.
``Thank you,'' Shadow quickly said to Espio as they stood next to each other facing the other three.
Scourge wiped the blood from his mouth and licked his lips, still with that same evil grin on his face. ``Hmmm, I wonder what that youngster's blood tastes like.'' Shadow's eyes lit up in anger as he lunged forward but Jet and Vector stepped in front of Scourge.
``I don't want to hurt you two,'' Shadow said towards Jet and Vector.
``Do you see now, how soft you've gotten,'' Scourge said and stood between his henchman. ``You didn't take advantage of Silver, that young hedgehog was lying here unconscious and you did nothing. Hell, you couldn't even finish with Rouge. What the hell happened to you?'' Scourge whispered, ``The Shadow I knew took what he wanted, did what he wanted but now you're just... pathetic.'' Scourge hit Shadow in his stomach and towered over him. ``You should have gone for Silver when you had the chance, take what you want and move on to the next. You're making it difficult for yourself. As soft as you have gotten, it gives me the advantage, I have no mercy,'' Scourge whispered and kicked Shadow down. ``But you two,'' he looked at Shadow and Espio, ``Have a choice to make, stay as pathetic as you both are or accept me as our new leader.''
``Never!'' Shadow grunted, Espio helped Shadow up.
``Rotten as you are, I will never join your side,'' Espio replied.
``Well then, take care losers. Don't get in my way again. And remember, if you ever tell anyone of our past adventures... you'll go down with me,'' Scourge said and the three of them turned around and walked off, leaving Shadow and Espio behind.
Shadow punched the wall in frustration, leaving a dent in the bricks.
``Are you okay boss?''
``No of course not,'' Shadow snapped, but he took a deep breath, ``Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you. Thank you for helping me.''
``Of course, anytime.''
``You know how Scourge can be,'' Shadow said to Espio who nodded concerned, ``Silver is in great danger, because of me.''
