THE KING IS DEAD

14

VII. Long Live
° • ♚♛♜♝♞ • °

❝LONG LIVE THE KING.❞
*ృ༅*. 𝕿𝖍𝖊 applause is deafening, and Silver is still not accustomed to it, his face a picture of a polite cringe at such volume. His silver crown winks in the sun, but Amy's pink-quartz tiara steals all the attention.

She steals all the attention. But not on purpose. Amy Rose is just so sweet, so pink, so cute—how can she not?

The war is over. After fifty years, swords are put away, not withdrawn. Humans and Mobians have compromised, made peace, settled on appropriate terms. It is—and it will be—a long road to recovery, but the wounds are healing nicely thus far.

And, loath as I am to admit it, we rather have Sonic to thank for that: for casting aside his bloody crown and exiling himself (gone forever, for all you know), disappearing in a smear of blue and not yet seen again.

"We mourn the dead and honour the living. Let the ways be of peace from here on out," Amy proclaims with a victorious fist. "Let us work together to build, not destroy!"

The people of Green Hills—human and Mobian—cheer in agreement. 

"Long live the King and Queen! Long may they reign!" shouts the Abbot.

"Long live the King and Queen!" echoes and echoes from the enormous crowd. "Forever may they reign!"

. . . But one voice, out of thousands, does not join in. One person says nothing, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

In the shadows from whence he hides, Sonic simply shrugs and walks away.

There are better sights to see, after all.

♚♛♜♝♞

❝HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN?❞
*ృ༅*. 𝕿𝖍𝖊 whisper uttered from Maria's perfect lips almost goes unheard, swallowed by the breeze and the creaking palm trees scattered along the Emerald Coast. Almost unheard; Shadow hears her—he just takes his time to answer.

"Not long enough," he answers, leaning back on his elbows. The sand is still a bit damp from last night's rain, but he doesn't mind. Shadow breathes in long and deep and slow; the breath out is the same.

To answer Maria's query, it has been three months. Spring is now summer. Nine months since the King died and Scourge took his place, starting the entire mess.

Silence bleeds on. Dawn cracks; breaks. The sun begins to climb out of the sea.

"Do you miss him?"

"Is it wrong to?"

"Not to me."

". . . Yes. I miss him. I miss what we had. Who I thought he was. Fleeting as all of it had been."

Shadow turns his head to look up at her. The stars above, albeit beginning to fade, sparkle in her eyes.

"Is there still time? For someone to right themself? For second chances?"

Can he be saved? is the silent question. Can he be redeemed? Can his wickedness be subdued?

But part of Shadow wants to know why he even bothers with thoughts of fixing Sonic. As if he is fixable, or broken to begin with.

"There is always time." Maria manages a nod, braids her fingers in with his. Gives his hand a squeeze. "You cannot change a person, my love. But, maybe, perhaps, someone else can be enough to make them want to change for the better. For both themself and others."

Shadow squeezes her hand in return. "Then I no longer wish for him to change," he promises. "I will only wish to be enough."

Maria nods again before her lips press in a grim line. She averts his gaze, turning to the rising sun, fearing the answer. "Will you look for him? See him again?"

"No. I don't want to see him. Ever."

"And what if he finds you?"

He won't. That is what Shadow wants to say, but he cannot guarantee that, try as he may, wish as he might.

"Then . . . I suppose I must beat him black and blue." Shadow sits up, caresses her cheek in his hand. Their eyes meet once more; scarlet and blue. "Maria, do not fear such things. I'm here for you and with you. Always."

Maria smiles. The sun dulls in comparison. "I'm so glad you did not kill him," she murmurs. "It would have ruined you."

Shadow says nothing; nothing on her words. He gives her a smile of his own, gesturing the sunrise.

"The sun is rising, my dear. A new day. Let us not bother ourselves with such dark thoughts."

There are much better things to think about. He refrains from adding that, but Maria catches the innuendo, regardless.

Shadow stands, brushing sand off his arms and legs. "Come, Maria. I'll make you breakfast."

He extends his hand, and she takes it, rising with the sun. It warms their backs as they walk along the beach and back up to the house, the pretty little house of soft blue and softer yellow.

As the days bleed into weeks, time passing forever forward, they do not speak about Sonic. Never out loud, not any more. Even thoughts of him melt away, slowly. Shadow and Maria do not speak or think of him. Not for a long time.

. . . But Sonic thinks of them, always.

🗣 HEY! HI! HELLO!
          a note from me to you:
          OH MY GLOB, IT'S ✨DONE✨
         . . . that's all.
         . . . . . . not. >:^P
         the exchange between shadow and maria was, i loath to admit, slightly emotional to write. i didn't cry; just went to a dark place, for i, too, have loved a person who turned out to be a Villain™ (and not the cool kind, unfortunately; tsk!), and despite all these years (almost ten, RIP), i still miss them. i still think about them often, when they, no doubt, have not thought of me since they revealed their, uh . . . let's just say Other Side™. never in (almost) a decade have i crossed their mind even once, when all they do is flood mine. such is my curse. (the heaviest sigh)
         anyway, i apologise!! huge apology!! you don't care about that! (why are you even reading this??) (why did i type this??? stupid adhd brain!!)
         UHHHH! ANYWAY! thank you for taking the time out of your life to read this novelette! leave a star, if you enjoyed, because i like stars; i feel like less of a Piece of 💩™ when they are given to me. also, book reviews are cool. with love and appreciation, i set my card facedown and end my turn, because i gotta go (try to) write some more.
          ——E🍊