Chapter Text
The engines revved threateningly, but teasingly. The sun gleamed against the white buildings of Apotos. And right against the back was the rivalry of the century. Or, at least for as long as the two hedgehogs knew each other.
“Ready to eat my dust?” Sonic taunted.
“Hmmph. Unlikely,” Shadow bit back. The countdown beeped as the pipe flutes played alongside the starting racers. Shadow and Sonic burst into the front right away. The racers bashed and smashed into each other’s bumpers, lifting them into the air. They flew up stairs and under leafy terraces, the white blurring past them and the smell of gasoline, freshly cut grass, and salty sea air mingling in their noses.
“Hey Shads!” Sonic called over the roar of the engines as they whizzed past an ice cream stand on the first big curve. “Wanna make a bet?”
“Don’t waste my time,” Shadow called back.
“If you win this race, I’ll buy you ice cream in your favorite flavors,” Sonic taunted. “If you lose, you buy me some.”
“I see no use for such a frivolous thing, but I’ll humor you anyway,” Shadow replied. “Besides, I doubt they have chili-dog flavored ice cream.”
“Hey, don’t joke about that! I've seen it!” Sonic shot back. “Besides, I love the chocolate sundaes here better! They’re the best!”
“I'll believe it when I see it,” Shadow answered grimly as they shifted into plane mode, sailing under the bridges and above the waves. They bashed into each other with reckless abandon. The other racers were distantly behind, though Jet’s squawking could be heard (or maybe that was the seagulls?). As soon as they were back on the ground, they passed the stage entrance to Windmill Isle Act 2, tires skidding on the grass briefly before they returned to the cobblestones.
Up ahead, two travel rings opened up. One had question marks and the other had a pirate ship. Sonic grit his teeth and gunned it towards the right. Shadow’s engine flared behind him on the left. They wove back and forth, trading places as they tried to edge out each other.
“Random track!” The announcer boomed, choosing Sonic since he was technically in first by half an inch.
“Ha!” Sonic whooped as the travel ring opened wide, swallowing the road ahead. “Sorry, Shadow!”
“No chance,” Shadow growled and zipped ahead into a beautiful pink sky with lavender clouds, hot air balloons, and beautiful glass tracks. Shadow soared through the air, trying not to be distracted by the beautiful sights.
And then Sonic passed him on the left. And oh, Chaos, the way the light bounced off him and his swanky blue car, making him shine like a star. Shadow couldn’t help but stare a little as their cars ran parallel to each other.
And then Sonic smiled softly in a way that made Shadow’s heart flutter just the slightest. Sweet Chaos, that was enchanting.
“See ya!” Sonic whooped, punching the gas pedal so hard Shadow swore it snapped under Sonic’s foot. Then Jet whizzed by. Shadow snapped out of his gawking and punched the accelerator as well, his tires squealing as they hit the glass track.
“Hey!” Jet squawked as Shadow blazed by. He and Sonic were soon bumper to bumper again as they flipped and twisted along the trail before reaching the ring to Apotos again. They bumped and smashed into each other.
“Final lap!” The announcer boomed. Shadow grabbed a cube Wisp and promptly whacked it into Sonic’s back bumper, causing the Blue Speedster to jolt backwards. Shadow hit the gas and flew down the road. He smashed through a gathering of tables and chairs, the checkered tablecloths flying like a flag and dishes shattering in the wake. One curve, then another, then three boost pads and–
“FINISH!” The announcer boomed.
“Hmph. Too easy,” Shadow remarked. He skidded his car to a stop, confetti raining on his head. A mere trifle of celebration as the crowds screamed and whooped jovially. Then he glanced around. Where was that blue hedgehog?
“Shadow!” A chipper voice called. Shadow turned as the Blue Speedster skidded to a stop, the blue hedgehog leaping out with something in his hands.
“Here. A deal’s a deal,” Sonic grinned, shoving a three scoop ice cream cone into Shadow’s hands. “A custom sundae. Like I said, the chocolate ones are the best, but I figured you’d like this. It’s coffee, tiramisu, and plain vanilla topped with chocolate covered espresso beans in a handmade waffle cone.”
Shadow blinked. “Thanks?” He replied slowly, accepting the ice cream and examining it closely. How did Sonic know that these were his favorites? Sure, he knew about the coffee and tiramisu from the Twitter Takeovers, but this was something different all together. He nodded approvingly, a sense of further respect mingling with his already fledgling feelings of awe.
"No problem!" Sonic nodded and flipped his foot up, stretching his calves. “And Shadow?” Red eyes fixated on the blue hedgehog in a calculating expression, masking his fuzzy, soft feelings at once.
“Let’s do that again sometime!” Sonic grinned as he zipped off to find Tails and Knuckles, leaving Shadow alone with his ice cream cone and a warm fuzzy feeling in his stomach.
“Yes,” he agreed quietly. “We should.”