Bad Kids

Chapter 32

All the Dark Side kids had ventured off to another building where they were resting up for Midnight's ceremony. Meanwhile, Shadow was at the bottom of the building in a basement. As he waited, he looked at the Chaos Emeralds that his daughter brought home and smiled. Now we can repair this awful town we call home. As he set them up in the room, he heard the door open up and his closest comrades all entered the room with smiles on their faces. "I'm proud to say that all our kids are home!" Shadow replied.

"You're damn right about that! I swear if they weren't home any time sooner, I woulda had to spin your block!" Scrouge replied. "Hah. As if you could!" Shadow snarked. Rouge rolled her eyes playfully and walked toward him. "Hey, they're home and I couldn't be happier." she replied. "Thankfully. Despite this place being broken fragments, it's the best thing that's ever happened here." Mephiles replied.

"It won't be the last either. Thanks to our kids, we finally got where we wanted to be. And after Midnight's ceremony tonight, we kiss our broken home goodbye. Only then will we be able to fulfill our long work to finally give our town the home they deserve. I wish we did this sooner."

Infinite chuckled and walked toward the group. "Well, tell us your plan. After all, this was your idea." he said. Shadow nodded and moved stuff around in the room. A table stood in the middle of the room with tiny cups sitting on it. He placed one Chaos Emerald in each cup and then left it on top of something that looked like cords. "I've connected these Emeralds with the biggest power sources in the city. When we activate them, it'll restore life and power in our city. Of course, from there, we'll have to build up a new foundation. But, together we have something." he explained.

"Great, so after the ceremony, we'll be here to supervise?" Rouge asked. "Actually, I need Scrouge to help me out. The power needs to be spread widely across our land. You and I have enough strength to get this started. So, will you help me?" he asked Scrouge. "Duh! Anything to get this ball rolling." he replied. "Hopefully they'll be fully charged by the time we come back. Once they're ready, we'll charge up, and then share the energy across this place they've banned us to since we've had that intense argument." Shadow declared.

They all shared a quick laugh. "To think they really could make us live like peasants for the rest of our life." Mephiles chuckled. "Do you think they actually know about this?" Infinite asked. "Oh, they found out about our kids. To make it better, their own kids followed them back here. To think we have everything under control at this point."

Rouge approached him gently. "Can we do it this time? We've tried so many times in the past. It all seems unreal this time." she asked admiring the Emeralds. "I promised her Rouge... I promised her mother... She wasn't able to make it here. But Midnight will be a part of a new future she wanted for everyone all along. Back then I had doubts about everything. Now the answer is clear. This is for the benefit of everyone. Not just our kids." he declared. "This... This is for everyone we lost that awful year. For everyone, we wish we could get back. For everyone we miss... For everything we lost when we were forced here..." he said sadly.

All his friends knew what he was talking about. There was a time in the past when the towns were divided permanently. A long time went by and at first, things were being managed so well. Long before it looked at horrible as it did now. When they first started building everything to create their new home. But... then throughout both the cities, a terrible disease spread across the town. It was the most dreadful thing. While most of everyone Mobius lived, many passed on to the other side.

Dark Side, however... tons fell ill. Construction slowed down rapidly leaving them with a barren town. The disease was ruthless. It left them with coughing fits, high fevers, blisters under their fur, nausea, they'd quickly turn pale, life slowly leaving their body. With Dark Side having little to no resources, many caught this awful disease. Some recovered. But most did not. Shadow and the others blamed Mobius for banning them to a ridden land with no resources or medical help that left them little to no chance.

Due to the lack of construction already put in place with the sickness, they were left with a broken downtown with many bitter from the loss. Or if they weren't horrible, they were drenched with depression that led Dark Side to dim turmoil. Everyone wept thinking about the number of citizens lost and those they continued to honor.

"I'm finished with Mobius having it better. It's about time we do something about this. I won't let us suffer as we have for YEARS!" Shadow snapped. "With these Emeralds, Scrouge and I will grant the Chaos Heal across our land and I promise the first thing we're going to do... We're going to give our loved ones a proper burial..." he said. Most of his friends had tears in their eyes knowing how hard the past was to remember. "Now... my daughter's ceremony will begin very soon from now. I trust all of you to make it the best for them and the rest of your kids. When we're long gone, they'll have a world and home to raise their own kids."

"Amen to that." Scrouge said. "We'll be here by your side. This is a miracle we've all been begging for since Mobius banned us here." Mephiles replied. "Besides... how can we leave the town to our kids this early?" Infinite added a hint of amusement in his response. They each shared a minor laugh at that. "I'll have to admit, they've gotten into so much trouble since they left!" Rouge giggled.

Knowing they were done, they decided to head upstairs to Shadow's porch. They each had a cigarette and smoked on the stairs looking at the children playing around in the street. "Remember when our kids were that little?" Scrouge asked. "Adorable little angels! Okay, maybe not complete angels... To think here they are... About to be the next leaders of Mobius." Rouge smiled. "I can't wait to see what they're gonna do next..." Mephiles sighed. "Hopefully they have it better as adults than we do." Infinite said.

"No kidding. Thanks for sticking with me despite the countless things we've done to each other. At least we're not alone in this garbage dump of a home." Shadow said.

A few minutes they were there coming to terms with everything their town had been and no longer will be.