The day was getting darker, Sonic and Scourge still stayed at the other major's campus while hiding behind a building. They were figuring out a plan about leaving the college and stayed somewhere until their parents probably catch them. It was a very risky thing to do especially for Sonic who in the beginning didn't even have the intention to run away.
"If we can fool the security at the gate with our fake message, we could easily get away from here" Scourge stated.
"How do we know how to write a legit message, though?"
"We just have to make it look as official as we could, if that don't work we're going to have to climb from the back to make our way out" the green hedgehog explained, "are you nervous?"
The blue one smiled and shook his head, "not at all, I believe in you"
Scourge smiled back and pat his head, "thank you, running away has never been this fun for me"
For a moment Sonic remembered Shadow, the way Scourge pat his head reminded him of his bodyguard. The thought only lasted for a second as he blush and smiled.
Meanwhile, Mephiles and the two servants stayed at the park for a while as they attempted to contact Fleetway, Scourge's bodyguard.
Silver sent a text to make sure if it was his real number or not. They waited for a reply, they got one but it was a voice call.
"Master, should I answer the call?" Silver asked for a permission from his master.
"Yes, pick it up" Mephiles said.
The albino hedgehog pressed the green button and put it on speaker.
"Good evening, is this Fleetway?"
"Yes, I'm interested with your explanation from the text you sent me. May I meet you in person?"
Silver stared at Mephiles for a second as the pale hedgehog nodded his head.
"Of course, we're all currently at The Economic's Major Main Park"
"Understood, I'll see you in a minute" Fleetway said as they both hung up.
The three hedgehog once again waited patiently for the arrival of the servant they haven't met before. As soon as Fleetway came, Silver instinctively went defensive and almost took out the knife he kept hidden under his maid dress. They didn't expect the bodyguard to be floating and oozing out golden auras around his entire body.
"Silver!" Shadow whispered loudly and hold the maid's arm down, "he's not here to hurt us, don't be violent" he warned.
"Tch, I see you're only good at sensing danger and non-danger than genuine feelings" Silver mumbled upsettingly.
Fleetway noticed but didn't say anything, though to prevent any misunderstanding he decided to stood on the ground.
"Uh...my apologies for startling you" Fleetway smiled apologetically and bowed his head, "I am Fleetway, I'm here for the discussion you offered with me"
Silver calmed down, he turned his gaze to his master and he seemed to be just fine. He tidied his dress and cleared his throat.
"Right...I was the one who contacted you, Silver. This is Shadow and this is my master, Mephiles"
The golden hedgehog smiled at the other two hedgehogs, "a pleasure to meet you" he greeted.
They sat down at an empty picnic table to settle some information about the missing masters. They told each other about specific things they needed to know about both Sonic and Scourge to figure out where they could possibly be hiding at that moment.
"...but no matter how many times I roam around the campus I can never find him, even now I don't know where he is..." Fleetway sighed, ending up his complaint.
"This is going to be difficult...unlike Scourge, my master never once make any reckless move such as running away like this so I don't know where he could be hiding" Shadow said, deppressingly looked down.
"L-Look...if they're both not around here maybe that just means they're hiding outside the campus?" Mephiles suggested.
Fleetway and Shadow stared blankly at Mephiles before they made the realization about it. Fleetway covered his face with both hands while Shadow buried his face on the table.
"Why haven't I thought of that..." Fleetway groaned.
Silver crossed his arms and sighed, "at this point your masters should just switch servants to maid already, you guys are terrible bodyguards"
"Now, now, don't say that" Mephiles chuckled and tapped his maid's shoulder.
...
...
It was night time, Sonic and Scourge were hiding behind a statue as they stare at the security near the gate. It was quite far away from their spot.
"Alright, I got the text message here and we just gotta show it to him" Scourge said and Sonic nodded.
"If we fail we just have to climb from the very back" the blue hedgehog smiled.
"That's right, if we fail again we can come up with another one, we won't give up" Scourge chuckled.
As he was about to peek from the side of the statue, he caught a glimpse of a bright light and before he knew it, Fleetway angrily faced him from behind the sculpture.
"I'm glad to see you're looking well, master" the bodyguard glared.
"Wh- wha- what?! How did you find us?!" Scourge questioned as he backed away with Sonic.
He was nervous but Sonic was still processing the fact that Scourge's bodyguard was a flying golden hedgehog.
"Thankfully I met someone nice and smart to help me find you...you're planning to escape college again, right? You're right near the gate"
"No, we were just about to say hi to the security. Right, Sonic?" Scourge chuckled nervously.
"Y-Yeah..." Sonic smiled.
"I had enough. I apologize in advance for this, master" Fleetway flew toward the green hedgehog and carried him up on his shoulder.
"Hey! Put me down! I hate you!" Scourge yelled and kept throwing punches on Fleetway's back.
"Your parents will hear from me again, this is a very unacceptable behavior!" The bodyguard said angrily and flew away.
Sonic was confused, he didn't know what to do and how to save Scourge. They were caught even before they managed to make a move on their escape plan.
"Sonic!"
The blue hedgehog was startled when Scourge shouted his name.
"Run! Your bodyguard is probably around here too! Don't worry about me, I'll find you later!"
Sonic gasped in realization, of course if Scourge's bodyguard came to find him then that could also mean-
"Hng?!" The blue hedgehog squeaked in surprise when someone's arms were wraped around him from behind.
"Master..."
Sonic gulped in fear.
"Sh-Shadow?"
"How could you leave me like that?!" The bodyguard asked and forcefully turned his master around so they could face each other.
"Why did you let yourself get taken away from me?! I was so worried about you! Who knows what would happen to you if I'm not around! You're an important mobian! It's my duty to keep you safe so don't run away from me!"
For the first time ever Shadow was scolding him so hard. He looked upset, desperate, and anxious of his master's safety. Although for Sonic, that didn't actually made him happy. He frowned and pushed Shadow away.
"Shut up you numb hedgehog! Scourge was keeping me company and he let me do whatever I want! He was much better at keeping me feel safe than when I'm around you!"
Shadow's eyes widen in shock while Sonic clenched his fists and holding back his tears.
"Master, I'm your bodyguard, you should trust in me more" the dark hedgehog said as he put his hand on his chest.
"I trust you and I always have, but I can't stand being around with someone so- so clueless and emotionless! I was having so much fun with Scourge!"
"He was about to make you leave college!"
"And I want to do that because I'm never actually HAPPY!"
Shadow froze. Sonic couldn't hold it anymore and let his tears stream down on his muzzle.
"I hate you, Shadow. I really hate you..."
That made the bodyguard felt something new and he didn't like it.
"I hate how my parents try to control my life...making me have the trouble to study here...arranging my marriage...and now I hate that I have to conceal my feelings..."
"Master..."
"Hiding true feelings is painful, Shadow. How could you never notice how I have been feeling all this time?"
"I know very well that you hate the marriage" Shadow stated.
"That's it?" Sonic asked in disbelief, "nothing more? You only notice that I hate the marriage because I actually express it"
Shadow was too puzzled. He still didn't know what he should do to make his master feel better. He had to come up with something or else he'll lose his master's trust on him.
"I gave so many hints to you, how could you never notice them?"
The word 'hint' clicked on Shadow's mind. He remembered what Silver and him discussed and it just realized him of how idiotic he was. But would he risk his job to be with his master? Surely the Head Servant and Sonic's parents wouldn't like that idea.
"M-Master I...about your feelings..." Shadow mumbled, "if I could return them I would"
Sonic's chest felt heavy and his stomach felt sick when he heard that.
"Out of all the times...you realize it now?"
"I'm sorry I was being so clueless with your feelings, I'm so occupied with my work and I never actually have the thought of you to have such feelings for me" Shadow finally admitted while facing down, "I hope you can forgive me for noticing this late"
"I hate this"
Shadow lifted his head and stared at Sonic in shock.
"Just when I move on and have someone new to love me...now you notice how I feel?"
"I deeply apologize, master, I never meant to hurt your feelings" Shadow bowed, "it's a wonderful thought to have us dating, but you know I can't and I also don't want you to end up being with Scourge...please"
"I hate this"
The dark hedgehog looked up worryingly at his master.
"Let's just go home, I'll have mom and dad to replace you"
"Master, wait, what?"
"I'm too tired with all these stupid problems invading my head! At least if I replace you I'll solve one of my problems and erase my stupid old feelings!" Sonic yelled and walk past him.
"I have been your bodyguard since you're small! You can't replace-"
"I should've done this a long time ago when I realize I can't even date my own bodyguard! I'm such an idiot! I was always hopeless!"
Sonic ran away. Shadow stood there in silence as he watch his master get further from him. He hold his chest and stared at the ground.
"What have I done?"