[ARCHIVED] Heart Thief

The Crown Prince's Incertitude

(srry for the short chapter. will fix later bc i need to study and i need this to get out of my head so ignore the errors on the two new chapters. goodnight)

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The performance felt like it had lasted forever, but finally, after the curtain had been drawn on the stage, the audience started to clamor for the curtain to be drawn once again, while cheers rang out and applause would pour into the venue. As the curtain was drawn, the footsteps of the actors gradually began to fade off the stage, the audience began to clap their hands upwards.

Maria was accompanied by Shadow along the way after they stood up from their seats - she had her eyes on the guests surrounding, while he remained on the other. With his fist resting at the side, he refrained himself to hold on to his sister's dress as he used to when he was young.

Many of the human folks began to circle around her whenever his lips parted to speak of the event that occurred to them recently - his throat was itching to tell her of what happened after he returned from his run, only to see Sonic had dispersed from the stage. He should be glad that his eyes weren't going to witness such things anymore that caused the burden to roar in his heart, but he knew for certain that there was still a spark that lingered whenever he couldn't see the blue hedgehog around.

To make himself feel full from the sight of him? To feast his eyes on how charming the other was? He's unsure.

Something about Sonic was making him feel drawn to the other somehow - whether it would be his eyes that had been stitched to pull him in, or it was his stringy existence that kept on tightening, pulling and loosening his insides that made himself beyond speechless whenever he came on sight.

But how could this be? Why would such a predicament happen to him?

Why this? Why now? Why him?

He's been modified by the philosophers and tested numerous times - he couldn't count exactly how, but however it is, he was certain that his being could never match the wits of a regular nor common Mobian that are extant, even if they are breathing the same air, eat the same food and have similar schedule in their daily lives.

If anything, he was the one who mimicked how others subsist. He knew he's no ordinary being and organically made by two parental figures in his life, no, he was simply created by a figure that he couldn't really tell himself.

He was told by Maria that anything, in any situation possible - a lifeform will only be created by two figures alone that goes by the name of parents or family members, and he was told just that on how his villagers, his townspeople multiplied its vastness. He didn't dare to question anything else after due to his confusion.

A parent?

If he were to label a family in his life, and that family was to provide him love and care till the end of his life, he would choose Gerald and Maria in a heartbeat. Gerald, from what he knew and remembered, is Maria's grandfather as she is his granddaughter.

Even if he wasn't a human and had nothing that they had in both experience of consolation and a place to call home, all he knew was that with them around, he felt protected.

They were the safest to be around, and how he vividly remembered clinging onto them day by day in the castle, accomplishing his task and doing what he was supposed to be doing as an idealistic prince. Moreover, the future king of Arkrenia.

But then, what would Sonic be?

If his existence were nothing but a disgrace, a thorn on his side, then why does he have the need to be by his side like all time as he did with Maria?

Maria is nothing like Sonic, that he knew. Maria provides her with all of the attention he ever needed as his sister and teaches him the things he should know as a way of survival in the outside world, while Sonic was a criminal and taught him anything but danger whenever he is around.

Maria has a way of keeping others safe in her arms - with her persona, no one can harm her. With a tug at her dress or sleeve, it is enough for him to feel safe under her care.

But then, even though he really knew that Sonic is a danger to both his being and reputation as the crown prince of Arkrenia judging by his history of crime, then why did he feel the need to be close to the blue hedgehog so much despite what he knows? What gave him the right to be with Sonic? Wasn't it obvious that he was only going to destroy himself and bring more misery to Maria?