Maria took a deep breath as she stepped closer to...a microphone. She held up a bright blue guitar in her hands, feeling several eyes on her. The eyes of both family and friends.
Then? She began to lightly strum the strings of the guitar, with its soft tune beginning to fill the air.
"~Can you feel life moving through your mind? Ooh, looks like it came back for more~" Maria sang, still strumming away at her guitar. "~Yeah, can you feel time slipping down your spine? Oh, you try and try to ignore...yeah. But you can hardly swallow your fears and pain...and you can't help but follow. And puts you right back where you came~"
Shadow watched from the audience, actually smiling proudly in front of everyone. He didn't care who saw it. He wanted to show Maria how proud he was of her.
Maria smiled as she kept singing her gentle song. The one she wrote all those years ago on The Ark. "~Live and learn, hanging on the edge of tomorrow. Live and learn from the works of yesterday. Live and learn, if you beg or if you borrow. Live and learn, you may never find your wayyy~"
Gadget felt his tail wagging rapidly as he stood by Gemerl in the audience. While Gadget's starstruck smile was clear, it was hard to tell what Gemerl's reaction was to his teammate's rather calming singing voice.
"~Can you feel life tangle you up inside? Yeah, now you're face down on the floor...ohhh. But you can't save your sorrow. You've paid in trade...and you can't help but follow. And puts you right back where you came~" The yellow hedgehog sang. "~Live and learn, hanging on the edge of tomorrow. Live and learn from the works of yesterday. Live and learn, if you beg or if you borrow. Live and learn, you may never find your wayyy~"
Vanilla was holding her daughter over her shoulders, smiling wide at Maria. Cream was smiling just as big, with Cheese on her head.
Maria gently strummed the guitar's strings for a few moment, letting her voice relax as its melody filled the air. And for a brief moment, she recalled how whenever she would play this song back on The Ark, the stars would twinkle in perfect sync with the rhythm she made. It was a beautiful memory.
"~There's a face searching far, so far and wide...there's a place where you dream you'd never find. Hold on to 'what if'! Hold on to 'what if'...!~" The young Robotnik hummed. "~Live and learn, hanging on the edge of tomorrow. Live and learn from the works of yesterday. Live and learn, if you beg or if you borrow. Live and learn, you may never find your wayyy~"
Then, she took a step forward as she looked into the crowd of familiar faces, repeating the chorus one last time. "~Live and learn, hanging on the edge of tomorrow! Live and learn from the works of yesterdayyy! Live and learn, if you beg or if you borrow! Live and learn, you may never find your wayyy!~"
Maria strummed the strings just a few more times, with her song coming closer and closer to an end. "~Live and learn...yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Live and learn...yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah~"
Then, the song slowly came to a close and Maria pulled her hand away from the guitar's strings and took a bow on the stage as her friends and family quickly erupted into cheers and claps.
"WOOO!!!!" Tangle cheered, using her tail to push herself into the air.
Amy was just smiling wide as she clapped, with Sonic also clapping beside her.
Maria giggled before talking into the microphone again. "Thank you all so much! Each and every one of you deserve to celebrate for all the effort you put into saving this world. This beautiful planet that we call home. Whether I've gotten the chance to properly befriend you or not, I'm honored to know you all and call you my friends."
"Awwww...!" Gadget whispered, his tail wagging even faster.
"So, I'll hand off the music to The Chaotix for the rest of the party! Have fun, everyone!!!" Maria smiled as she put her guitar away and then leapt off stage just as Vector and Espio carried a DJ set on stage.
Knuckles grimaced. "Oh, boy...here we go..."
Blaze looked at her fellow guardian. "What is wrong?"
"Let's just say that Vector's music is a bit...explosive." Knuckles said. "As in it's so loud that it literally explodes robots."
Blaze looked ahead. "O-oh..."
Vector then put on his headphones and a pair of sunglasses as he began pushing a few buttons and flipping the switches of his set.
Knuckles prepared to cover his ears...but before he could? A much different melody filled the air than what he was expecting.
It was...energetic. Cheerful even. And not even that loud compared to the rest of Vector's music. Some could even call it the perfect victory music.
Sonic began tapping his foot and bobbing his head. "Heyy, yeah!!! I like this!!!"
Amy smiled wide and then held Sonic's hand. "Care to dance with me then...?"
Sonic's eyes widened a bit...but he grinned. "This time I lead."
Amy's cheeks reddened a bit as she smiled wide. She eagerly allowed herself to be pulled over to the dance floor by the hedgehog she had been crushing on for years before they both began dancing together, their movements matching the energetic rhythm of the song.
Tails flew above them before landing beside Sonic, laughing as he joined in. Tangle was next, practically cartwheeling her way onto the dance floor. Marine, Cream, and Charmy quickly followed, with Charmy even spinning around in the air.
The Guardians of both The Master Emerald and The Sol Emeralds just watched from afar, not exactly the dancing types. Both were smiling at the sheer energy on display however.
But then, Rouge landed right beside Knuckles with a smirk. "Not gonna join in on the fun?"
"I...don't exactly dance." Blaze said with a shy smile.
Knuckles nodded. "Yeah, what she said."
"While I can't speak for Blaze, I have seen your moves, Knuckie." Rouge said before she grabbed both of his hands. "And just wait til they see you with the right partner."
Knuckles' face quickly matched his fur. "H-huh-?"
"Let's show them what we're made of, handsome!~" Rouge cheered as she pulled Knuckles right onto the dance floor alongside her.
Blaze watched with a slightly amused smile as she sipped on her drink. She then noticed her psychokinetic friend walk over to her.
"They look like they're having fun." Silver smiled.
Blaze giggled. "I'm certain they are. But it's not my thing."
"Care for some company then?" Silver asked, holding his own drink.
Blaze faced him. "Not at all...and umm...thank you."
"Huh? For what?"
"For coming back from wherever you warped to." Blaze said before she looked down, a tad embarrassed. "I don't like admitting my fears, but...I was worried for your safety during the battle."
Silver just smiled. "I'm glad I came back too. I mean...if I didn't, I wouldn't get to see you again."
Blaze's cheeks then reddened.
"...Blaze? Are you okay?"
Blaze then cleared her throat and poured out her drink. "Y-yes, I just...don't think this soda is very good..."
And from across the party, the three robotic heroes began speaking with each other. Andy, Gemerl, and Omega.
"And that is when I singlehandedly destroyed Eggman's base. It was engulfed in a glorious fireball that I must admit, brought metaphorical tears to my optics." Omega said.
Andy hummed. "I...really think we have to get you a hobby, Omega. That isn't shooting things."
"What would you suggest?" Omega asked. "Rouge and Commander Tower insist the same thing, but there is nothing that brings me more joy than-"
"Have you considered LEGO's?" Gemerl asked suddenly.
Omega was quiet before slowly turning towards him. "Explain yourself."
"I have found them to be a quite relaxing and creative hobby. Various sets of building blocks you can put together to create anything that my databases can conjure up, provided there are enough pieces to complete it."
"...will I be able to create, for hypothetical purposes, a legion of Eggman robots to destroy?" Omega asked.
Andy blinked. "Uhh...yeah, probably. And when you destroy them, you can just build them back up again."
"...hobby acquired. Accessing LEGO.com." Omega said.
Gemerl turned towards him. "I don't think this is helping his problem."
"It's a less destructive start." Andy shrugged.
Elsewhere across the party, Whisper, Maria, Lanolin, and Gadget were all enjoying the food set up on the tables. With sadly, all the chili dogs already eaten by The Blue Blur before Maria could even start singing earlier.
"So...Whisper. Personal question." Gadget said. "If that's okay!"
Whisper hummed. "That...may or may not get an answer...but what is it?"
"...are you and Tangle a thing?" Gadget asked.
Whisper's face reddened and she immediately hid it with her mask.
Maria gasped, covering her mouth. "You like her!!!"
Lanolin laughed, lightly patting Whisper on the back. "There, there."
"Whisper, I want you to know that you and Tangle have my full support!!!" Maria smiled, holding her friend's hands.
"...t...thank you...umm...I-I think someone's calling me." Whisper said as she quickly disappeared into the crowd.
Maria hummed. "...was I too much?"
"Maybe a tad." Lanolin said. "But don't worry about it. I'll go make sure she doesn't hide under the tables the whole time."
"Cya round, Lan!" Gadget said with a wave. "By the way, Maria! I loved your song!"
Maria smiled wide. "Awww, really?"
"Totally!!!" Gadget said. "I didn't know you could play guitar."
Maria giggled. "I had a lot of free time back on The Ark. And music is truly one of this world's greatest joys."
"I hear ya." Gadget said, munching on a cupcake. "I..I'm really glad we met. This whole giant adventure is making me reflect a little, y'know?"
Maria's eyes widened a bit and she felt her heart skip a beat...but she smiled. "I'm very glad we met too, Gadget."
"Ahem."
Gadget yelped at the sight of The Ultimate Lifeform, almost dropping his cupcake.
"Gadget...if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to talk to my sister." Shadow said.
"O...of course! Yeah!" Gadget said with a sheepish smile as he slowly walked off.
Maria then faced her brother. "Hi, Shadow! Are you enjoying the party?"
"...moderately. You know I don't do well with social events." Shadow said.
Maria smiled. "If you want to leave early, I understand. But I would like to stay as long as I can."
"Then I will too. After all, I can't deny that saving the planet is something worth celebrating." Shadow said.
Maria giggled. "I'm really proud of you, Shadow...look how far you've come. From hiding behind me to avoid a conversation to one of the world's greatest heroes!!!"
Shadow's smile grew. "And I'm proud of how far you've come as well. Breaking free of Eclipse's control can't have been easy, but you prevailed. You may just be the strongest person I know...and I couldn't be happier that you finally get to live here. Like we always dreamed of."
Maria lightly rested her head against her brother's shoulder. "Me too..."
THE END.
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