Chapter 2: Innocent Acting
#2 of In Chaos
Okay, so where were we? Oh, right. Sonic and Shadow, through their own foolishness, have had themselves transported to the town of Pouncefield. Instead of trying to fins out about the town, Sonic (upon his arrival) sought out Shadow and opted to resume the battle with him that had made them end up here in the first place. As the two readied to fight, however, an unnoticed officer stepped in and grabbed them, talking about taking them to school. Therefore, we start this chapter with Sonic and Shadow glaring at each other in the back of the officer's car. The car was at the gas station, with the officer getting gas pumped into the car.
"You know, if you hadn't been so intent to use Chaos Blast back there last night, none of this would have happened!" exclaimed Sonic. He believed he was right, as does everybody when it comes to arguments with no clear winner.
"Oh, so it's my fault for wanting to end the battle quickly? If you hadn't been so quick to use Chaos Control, the battle could've been over that much quicker and I could have been on my way with my emeralds," Shadow retorted.
Before Sonic could say anything to counter, the officer got into the car once again. "Nah you boys don't get along well, I kin see that. Howevah, as long as ah'm in the car wit ya, ya'll best be on ya'lls best behaviah. Unnerstand?" The officer looked behind him, and though the two hedgehogs looked grumpy, they both nodded their heads in his direction. Satisfied, the officer turned back towards the front, started the car, and pulled away from the gas station, with the car heading towards the big school in the distance.
Sonic turned towards his window. He was sitting behind the driver's side seat, so his head turned to the left, and he stared outside. He hated being in these things they called cars. They were slow and disallowed him the free movement he needed. He sighed and continued to glance out the window. "Where am I?"
Shadow, too, had his head turned towards his respective window. His eyes were silently surveying the landscape outside, registering every nook and cranny he could see. The town was full of hiding space, as he could tell, and he would have to know his way around everywhere if he was to find those Chaos Emeralds first and leave this place, and if he was lucky, trap Sonic here.
It wasn't long before the car stopped in front of the large brick building that was labeled as St. Lovejoy's. The officer got out, opened the back door and wiggled his finger towards Sonic and Shadow, expecting them to follow him. Although reluctant, they did indeed.
The officer walked through the large oak doors, with the two heroes behind him. As they each passed classrooms, the sounds of joyous laughter could be heard inside each one, noting that perhaps the bell had just rung, and the teacher had not yet taken control of his or her respective class. The two hedgehogs were led deeper and deeper into the school, finally stopping their march at a door labeled the Principal's Office.
The officer pointed to chairs on either side of the door. "Nah ya'll sit, an ah'll be back out ‘ere quick as a flash." The hedgehogs split and took one chair on either side of the door.
The officer opened the door, spotting the Principal at his desk immediately, finishing his talk with another student. The student rose from his seat, shaking the Principal's hand, then took something out of his bag and placed it on his desk before whipping around and exiting. The Principal eyed the container slightly hungrily before noticing the cop, whereupon he smiled and invited him in.
"Ben! I didn't expect to see you here so soon! So... you brought the two troublemakers you found?" The Principal got right to the point as the officer sat down.
"Yes ah did, but ther's a problem wit ‘em. Ya see, ah found ‘em both nekkid and fightin' each other, so ah think they might be brothahs, an they're not from ‘round ‘ere. Ya don' happen ta have any spare uniform for ‘em, do ya?" The cop shifted in his seat, but the Principal looked calm.
"That'd be no problem. You can call them in here."
Ben rose from his seat, stepping outside into the hallway where the two were sitting. "Will ya two follow me." It was worded as a question, but spoken as a statement, and the two hedgehog rose from their seats and entered the Principal's office, each taking a seat in one of the two chairs that had been placed before the Principal's desk.
"You two young'uns, meet yer new Principal. Sir," the officer said, tipping his hat towards the Principal with the last word and turning on his heel. He strolled towards the door and opened it, then stopped. "I best not hear of ya'll causin' more trouble ‘round here, ya hear?" The officer then left the room.
Sonic and Shadow both looked at each other and smirked, raising a single eyebrow. The Principal looked at the two of them and smirked himself. "Troublemakers are not tolerated here at St. Lovejoy's, understand? It would be most wise for you two to take Officer Ben up on his word."
Sonic and Shadow both looked away from each other and immediately to the floor. "Yes sir," their voices echoed.
The Principal looked pleased. "Now then... on to more pressing matters, such as your class placement and your uniforms. I have some spare uniforms left over from a while back, when we were supposed to get some exchange students from Japan, but they never showed. The students were meant to be hedgehogs, such as yourselves, so the uniforms were tailor-made to fit with your quills. I was never able to get shoes made correctly, so your shoes will have to work."
Sonic took the lapse in talk as a chance to speak. "Shoes, sir? What's wrong with our shoes?"
The Principal smiled. "Nothing is wrong with them; they just don't fit the uniform. The dress code here at St. Lovejoy's is black and white, with the exception of gym, which leaves its shoes open. I will talk with the rest of the faculty and see about having an open shoe policy initiated as a test policy... at least until we can get you two some proper shoes.
"I will make out your classes here... what are your names?"
Sonic perked up. "I'm Sonic... Sonic the Hedgehog," he replied with a ton of pride.
Shadow also looked up, but his face retained its depressed, melancholy look. "My name... is Shadow the Hedgehog."
The Principal chuckled. "Hmm... you speak your names as if you expect me to know you, or at least know of you, but I'm sorry that I can do neither. What I can do, though, is give you these class cards and send you on your way to lunch. Give these notes to your teachers, and they will find some books for you." The Principal handed the two hedgehogs their respective class cards, as well as their excuses to class.
Sonic looked up. "... so we don't have to wear uniforms today? Sweet." He looked at the Principal with a gleam in his eyes, and the Principal chuckled.
"I was getting to that. Follow me."
Shadow looked over at Sonic and waited until the Principal wasn't looking, then raised his arm back and clobbered the blue blur right in the nose. "Idiot."