[Sonic Universe] The Rage in Our Veins

[aeshihowl]

[Author's note 3: Eventually I entered 4th or 5th grade, and was allowed to attend Bible study with the middle schoolers. I was introduced to someone who loved Sonic Universe maybe more than I did - and who was ostracized for her "weirdness," like I was ostracized on the assumption that I would be a killer. We two misfits quickly came to start what would become a 7-year-long SU roleplay called Different Worlds. Between us, we easily had over 100 OCs that had been introduced, with others that never came to fruition within the "canon" story. And, of course, we had many beloved characters imported from other IPs.]
 
Shadow's shoes clacked on the stone floor of the cave as he entered, startling Flash by the look of her raised fur and bared teeth.
 
He stopped, and simply raised his hands to show the paper fast food bags, heavy with burgers.
 
Her battle stance deflated, and she painfully resumed her cross-legged position on the floor as he approached, though her gaze did not leave him.
 
"...Food?" Her ears pricked as the scent finally registered in her shut-down senses.
 
"Hmph." The bags crackled as he set the first down within arm's reach of her, then sat on a stone while he withdrew a burger from his own.
 
He unwrapped it as he consciously avoided watching the starved hedgewolf eat.
Hearing her desperation was infuriating enough. When was the last time they'd given her a proper meal..?
 

 
He had only just taken his first bite, when Flash growled, "More."
 
His eyes snapped to her, then to the tatters of the now-empty paper bag on the ground.
 
"..."
He removed one more burger from his bag, and slid the rest over to her with his foot.
"I'll get more. After I eat these."
 

---

 
He was careful to step inside more lightly on arrival, though he wasn't sure it would have made any difference this time.
 
Flash was curled atop the destroyed paper bag, barely audible snores emanating from her.
 
Shadow gingerly placed the new bags down on the floor as he sat down again, examining her from afar.
 
She's so skinny, he thought. It's a miracle she could walk out of there.
 
Look at her fur pattern, too. It's all warped... came the soft reply.
 
Shadow leaned forward, squinting. Sure enough, Flash's fur shifted with each breath, revealing glimpses of scar tissue beneath.
 
It's been a long time since I've seen you look that concerned, Shadow.
 
"Hmph," he grumbled, carefully rubbing his arms to smooth down his fur over his new scabs.
He had rinsed himself off in a stream before running into town for food, but the way blood became as sticky as glue during coagulation still unsettled him.
He preferred... less messy attack strategies.
 
Shadow reached into the nearest open bag for his third burger and began to peel back its rustling wrapper.
 
Flash jolted awake, instantly on all fours with her hackles raised and wolf's tail lashing.
 
Her eyes were filled with the same mindless reaction she'd shown at the lab as they darted around the cave, seeking threats.
 
Shadow froze, his fingers still grasping the edge of the wrapping paper.

Her eyes locked on him anyways, and his breath caught in his throat.


 
The moments felt far too long, but at last she recognized him again.
 
Her weight shifted off her toes, and her heels met the floor once more as her tail stilled and her fur lowered.
 
Ever so slowly, he shifted his foot and pushed a new bag of burgers in her direction.
"More food, like you asked," he stated with a low voice.
 
She seated herself, the ferocity in her expression dissolving into unveiled exhaustion.
Flash took two burgers from the bag this time, but still crammed them into her maw, one by one. She swallowed them with the wrapper still on while reaching for more.
 
Then, with another burger in her clawed hand, something seemed to click and her eyes snapped to the partially-unwrapped one Shadow was holding.
 
She turned her back to him, hunching over as she brought the paper bundle closer to herself and unfolded it, peering between the layers at the foreign ingredients.
 
Her tail curled around her waist as she set it on the floor, disassembling the sandwich as best she could. She gave each ingredient a cautious prod, individual examination, and deep sniff.

Finally, she gave each a nibble or lick, eating the patty whole once she came to it.
 
She scowled down at the remains of the burger with disgust. Grabbing the edge of the wrapper, she pulled the arrangement around with her as she faced the silent black hedgehog.
 
"What is this?" she demanded with a gesture, fur bristling.
 
Shadow swallowed the bite he'd been slowly chewing. "Well, it was a hamburger. You ate the meat patty - it's made out of cows. That green leaf is lettuce, the white bits are onion, the red circles are tomatoes, and the green circles are pickles. Those are all vegetables. The soft brown parts are bread, which are made from grains. The yellow sauce is mustard, from mustard seeds, and the red sauce is ketchup, from tomatoes. I didn't get any with cheese, but that's pretty common on burgers. A lot of the humans can't eat anything made from milk, so I didn't want to test that. That's from cows too - milk and cheese - but not from their flesh..."
 
She stared at him as he spoke, bewildered by this virtual stranger's patience.
 

 
"...It tastes better if you eat it together."
 
His voice startled her out of her thoughts. "...Right."
 
Pushing the ingredients aside, she fetched another burger, unwrapping it slowly as she absorbed the fast-food ritual.
 
Maria's familiar giggle rang heavenly in his ears. Shadow... I'm glad you've found a friend.