Reflections - 12

After their wounds were washed and bandages changed, Shadow looked to the sky and found the sun had not moved significantly. It may have been only fifteen minutes since he had seen Sonic. He frowned, feeling a strange sense of urgency, perhaps coming from the combination of his empty stomach and guilty conscience.

"Is something wrong with that sky of yours? Is it too blue?" Black Doom asked half-sarcastically. Shadow scoffed. Oh, the irony...

"No, nothing," he narrowed his eyes. Time was merely not moving fast enough, he thought. Perhaps he should have asked Sonic to get supplies in half the time. The alien leader sighed as he sat up, trying to ignore the numbness of his useless legs as best as he could.

"You could never live like me, Shadow," Black Doom said, holding his knees. "When someone is out getting something for you, patience is key. I know you must be eager, but servants, especially if they are weak like Earthlings are, need time to do tasks correctly."

"Wouldn't have thought that you were behind that philosophy a couple days ago," Shadow mumbled bitterly. The alien's piqued hearing picked up on it and he reached to swat Shadow upside the head, yet found his reach inadequate. Shadow looked blankly at Black Doom's failing efforts to physically punish him. It soon became an attempt to merely reach the black hybrid from where he sat. The only things that held him back were his legs.

Finally, he gave up, heaving an exasperated and frustrated sigh. "Forget it..." Black Doom growled, slamming his fist into the ground. Shadow frowned at the pitiful sight.

"You're having difficulties with your legs still," Shadow noted. Black Doom fell silent. His ears fell in defeat.

"Yes, well," he finally said, "I'm starting to wonder if it's better to just cut these things off and work around them."

Shadow furrowed his brow at the (hopefully) mocking statement. Not only would Black Doom have lost his true body and reputation, he would be a legless hedgehog; what a sad sight it would be! He heaved a sigh as he gathered his knees to his chest. He stared in thought at his creator's legs.

"If you're going to get around anywhere, we're going to have to—"

"We don't have to do anything." Black Doom interrupted, clearing his throat quite loudly. Shadow scowled at the alien in return. Both knew that Black Doom despised the mere act of walking for multiple reasons, and Shadow could tell that he wasn't going to lower himself to those humanoid standards, even if it meant saving his life.

"Seriously, Black Doom," Shadow groaned, "don't be a child about this. You need to learn how to walk and how to stand."

The alien leader merely growled in response. "I will not shame myself in front of the likes of you, you little rat."

His stubbornness infuriated Shadow. Though he understood where Black Doom was coming from, he couldn't believe how Black Doom could lack the sense of urgency. Shadow clenched his fists before resolving to stand up and yank at Black Doom's wrists. He fumed in response.

"What are you doing?!! Let go of me!" he shouted. Shadow glowered.

"Stand up," he ordered. Black Doom reflected Shadow's expression tenfold.

"No."

Stubbornness was an understatement, Shadow decided bitterly; he was truly hell-bent on staying immobile. Summoning all his strength, he pulled Black Doom off the ground and eased as the alien's feet met the ground. The alien hedgehog fell into him clumsily, foreign to the sense of balance that was needed to stand straight.

"Easy," Shadow muttered. Black Doom glared at him, finding his hands gripped tightly around Shadow's arms. "Let's just stand for a second before you walk."

"I told you, Shadow, I don't need this—!" the other hedgehog said shakily. Deep down, he knew he needed to know how to stand and walk, but he wasn't willing to learn it from his half-breed son. His other children knew as much as Shadow; if only he had them by his side then.

"Quit complaining; you're learning how to walk whether you like it or not. It's a pain to always leave you behind, anyways," Shadow replied. Black Doom jerked his head up, revealing a flustered, frustrated look on his face.

"'A pain'?! You snide little—!" he drew his arm back, ready to smite the younger hedgehog.

Out of instinct, Shadow pushed him away, stepping back from him. That move, though it protected Shadow, was the wrong one in both their eyes, as Black Doom was now without support. He flailed his arms, eyes widened in fear of crashing to the ground as he desperately attempted to counter-balance himself when he swayed. Shadow found himself with his hands extended in case Black Doom did fall, but he was curious to see just how much he could do on his own.

Surprisingly enough, Black Doom's struggling came to a halt after a couple minutes. He was still, yet completely tense, worried that even the slightest twitch would send him falling. Shadow took a step forward, but Black Doom slowly brought his arm up.

"Don't move any closer, Shadow," he muttered beneath his breath, "I'm in the right spot...I...don't want any distractions."

Shadow blinked, dumbfounded by the response to his gesture of help. "'Distractions'?"

"Yes," Black Doom breathed, lifting his arms to his chest carefully for balance. The grass rustled beneath him, and Shadow snapped his attention to it. The alien's new foot was lifting from the ground; he was taking a step forward!

"H-heel first." Shadow instructed, minding his distance from his creator. Black Doom followed instructions, freezing as soon as the same foot was flat on the ground. He was now in an awkward, angled position, leaning forwards with his hands on the ground to help support himself. He growled.

"What in the hell am I supposed to do now?!" Black Doom shouted. Shadow sighed.

"Just do the same thing with your other foot," he replied tiredly. Was walking this hard to learn? The alien huffed in response.

"If I lift my other foot, I'll lose my anchor and fall," Black Doom hissed. He paused in thought, cursing in his alien language before shouting, "come and help me, you useless hedgehog!! Quit standing there and get over here already!"

Shadow perked up at the command. Yes, it was forceful; yes, it was unfeeling, but it was a cry for help. It was a sign of the war general humbling himself—to Shadow no less. As much as he wanted to harp on the plea for assistance, he approached the alien, taking up his hands and standing directly before him.

"Bring your other foot up so you come back to a stand," Shadow repeated. Black Doom did so, grip tightening on his son. His balance was still unsteady, and he still required support from another yet, but it was to be expected. Shadow just couldn't believe that Black Doom was taller than he!

As Shadow inconspicuously watched Black Doom's face, he found a faint pink upon his cheeks. He wondered if it was the result of labored activity or something else. Consequently, he decided it would be fitting to add in encouragement to the situation. Perhaps it would benefit both of them.

"You're doing well," Shadow said quietly. The alien's face went blank, and suddenly the hybrid felt a sharp, relentless pinch on his right cheek. He snapped his eyes shut, making a noise of distress and anger, but refused to release the grip on Black Doom's other hand.

"Don't praise me because you feel obligated to," Black Doom said with an ominous voice. Shadow swatted him away with his free hand. He was about to insult him yet again for his stubbornness, but suddenly the alien's volume dipped low along with his head. "Praise me when I deserve it."

Shadow froze. By the way he was speaking, it sounded as if he disliked praise altogether. The notion wasn't hard to believe for Shadow; he barely received any at all within the past week. With softened eyes, he looked upon Black Doom's melancholy, yet focused face, and spoke.

"You do deserve it," Shadow muttered. "Not only in this, but...everything you've been through recently."

There was a thoughtful pause in the air.

"...Enough of that talk. Honestly, you don't know when to keep your mouth shut," Black Doom scoffed, grip loosening on Shadow's hands. "I'd appreciate it if you cut the sentimentalities and keep assisting me with this walking and standing business."

Shadow nodded silently. The lingering hatred for the alien couldn't help but to agree.  

--

After exhausting minutes upon minutes of balancing practice and light sparring, Shadow decided that it was safe to assume an hour had passed. If it hadn't elapsed, he thought bitterly, then to hell with it. He was going to get food whether it was there waiting in the hiding place or not.

"I'm going to go see if the food is here," Shadow announced as the three-eyed hedgehog finished walking a small lap. Black Doom's ears twitched as he came to a full stop. He took a moment to steady himself.

"Alone?" Black Doom asked. Shadow nodded; the alien glared. "You just said that 'it was a pain to leave me behind,' and yet you're leaving me behind?"

Shadow knitted his brow. He had no legitimate reason to leave without Black Doom, save for the fact that he wanted to be alone for a moment or two. Nothing needed to be watched over; Black Doom wasn't severely injured, so he didn't need to stay behind...

"Escort me to your little hiding spot so I can practice walking," Black Doom flexed his hand, as if to threaten Shadow into agreeing. The hedgehog opened his mouth to protest, although he had no words to say. "This isn't exactly negotiable any longer, I'm afraid. Let's go."

So they went, arm in arm, steadying each other as they slowly made their way to the place Shadow and Sonic met. Neither spoke; they were submerged deep in thought.

"Is that it?" Black Doom suddenly asked. Shadow looked to where he pointed, finding a bit of white peeking out from beneath the dark shade of a bush. Shadow's pace quickened, and it wasn't long before Black Doom had to fight to keep up. "Shadow, slow down!!"

The ebony hedgehog's heart raced in anticipation. He kept his promise! Thank God!!

While Black Doom cling to Shadow's arm, Shadow bent down to grab the bit of white material. Instead of it being a sack of food like he expected, he found it to be a small slip of paper folded up. The hedgehog blinked, ripping it off of the staple that attached it to a bag that was further hidden.

"A note?" Black Doom said, surprised. Shadow nodded once, unfolding it quickly with his trembling hands. Hopefully it was good news.

Shads,
Super sorry if I packed too much for you to eat; give the extras to the birds out there if you can't eat it all!
I'm pretty concerned for you, Shadow. Honestly...you went through some tough times this past week. That bastard alien did a number on you, but you're still you!
What happened between Gerald and Black Doom on the ARK fifty years ago is all part of history now, but you're not. Be more like me and live for tomorrow!
Whatever's happening on your end right is your business, but you need to remember that we're your friends, and we'll help you anytime you need it!
We'll keep that prick and his armies busy so you can take care of yourself, faker.

Heh, this note is turning into an essay! Just take it easy, alright?
-Sonic

P.S.—Amy sort of got out of control at the store and bought you a crap-ton of bandages. She managed to make me tell how banged up you were...you better use 'em!

Shadow read the note one, two, three times before finally snatching up the hidden plastic sack without a word. Black Doom noticed a strange mood change in the hedgehog, but dismissed it. He did, however, want to read that note that was firmly in Shadow's grasp...

Perhaps while he sleeps, he thought.