Just For Shadow

Cream the Rabbit and Cheese the Chao were both frolicking through a field of flowers, picking and collecting various flowers and adding it to their baskets that they had brought with them. Cream's mother, Vanilla the Rabbit, had made the little baskets just for them. Cream and Cheese loved them so much that they always carried them around.

Now here they were, collecting flowers for a certain someone. No, it wasn't for her mother or her friends, Amy and Cosmo. It wasn't for Sonic either and it definitely wasn't for Tails and Knuckles. She and Cheese had given them all gifts last week and it brought them joy to see happiness painting their facial features. So, Cream and Cheese had given everybody gifts except one person.

Shadow the Hedgehog.

That's right. The little rabbit and small Chao were going to be delivering some flowers to Shadow the Hedgehog. They hoped with all their hearts that he would like them. Cream and Cheese wanted to see the happiness paint his face too, just like all their other friends.

"Do you have some daisies, Cheese?" Cream questioned her Chao friend as she plucked some poppies from the ground, putting that in her basket.

Cheese looked at her, rummaging through his own basket full of flowers. "Chao, chao!" Cheese responded cheerfully, showing her the daisies that he had picked.

Cream smiled sweetly at him. "Good!"

"Chao!" Cheese smiled back.

So the duo resumed their flower picking. By deep evening, Cream had collected a bunch of poppies, a couple of roses, some sunflowers, and a few snowdrops. Cheese had gathered a chockablock of daisies, a lot of baby's breaths, one or two daffodils, and some tulips.

"Well, Cheese," Cream caterwauled in her soft voice. "It looks like our baskets are full."

"Chao!" Cheese agreed, nodding his little head.

"We should hurry and deliver these to Mr. Shadow. Momma will be starting supper soon and she might get worried," Cream informed her best friend. "It's getting late."

Cheese totally agreed with the rabbit. "Chao, chao, chao!"

After their conversation ended, the rabbit and Chao trekked away from the field of flowers. They hurried to Sonic the Hedgehog's house to ask if he had seen Shadow anywhere. To their joy, Sonic was home!

The blue hedgehog was currently devouring a plate full of chili dogs outside his house. He was sitting at a stone table and stuffing his mouth with his favorite food. When he caught sight of Cream and Cheese, he rapidly swallowed the goods in his mouth and greeted them.

"Cream, Cheese, hey!" He yawped, waving.

"Hello, Mr. Sonic!" Cream pleasantly greeted him back, walking over to him.

"Chao!" Cheese flew after Cream.

Sonic eyed the baskets they had in their possession. "Have you guys been picking flowers again?" He queried.

"Yes." Cream replied.

Sonic grinned. "For someone?"

"Chao!" Cheese answered.

"That's nice of you two." Sonic stated fondly, his grin widening on his face.

Cream nodded. "Yes, it is. Have you seen Mr. Shadow anywhere?"

Sonic appeared flummoxed. "Shadow? Why're you looking for him?"

"We picked these flowers for Mr. Shadow!" Cream responded cheerfully, a giant smile dancing upon her lips.

"Ooooooh…" Sonic gave her a crooked smile. "Okay. Well, yeah. He should be around here somewhere. You just have to look around."

Cream nodded, pleased. "Thank you, Mr. Sonic!"

"No problem, Cream." Sonic gave her and Cheese a thumbs up, ready to get back to his chili dogs.

Then Cream and Cheese left the blue hedgehog to continue his feast. The rabbit and Chao searched around for the black hedgehog for an hour before finding him at a river. He was just standing there and staring off into space with an untellable expression touching his features.

"Mr. Shadow!" Cream called, approaching the male.

"Chao!" Cheese fluttered beside the girl.

Shadow turned his head, peering over his shoulder at the female rabbit and male Chao. He was surprised to see them both there. What could they possibly want with him?

Cream stopped in front of Shadow, noticing how he towered over her. She gave him a sweet smile and Cheese did the same. Then, simultaneously, they handed over their baskets of flowers.

Shadow stared at the baskets full of flowers, perplexed and wonderingly. He didn't reach for the baskets at all and was just purely confused by their actions.

What were they doing?

"What is this?" Shadow wanted to know, using his usual cold tone.

Cream and Cheese were both unaffected by his icy tone. "Cheese and I picked these flowers for you," Cream began explaining. "We gave all of our friends gifts last week, but we left you out. We're sorry."

Shadow, with a bit of hesitation, gently took the baskets from Cream and Cheese while staring at all of the colorful flowers occupying the baskets.

"Make sure to put them in water when you get home," Cream informed him kindly. "And then return the baskets to us. Momma made those baskets for us, but you can keep them until you've gotten the flowers into some water."

"Chao." Cheese added.

Shadow really didn't know what to say. He looked up at the rabbit and Chao, staring at them for a long while before quietly saying, "Thank you."

"You're welcome!" Cream chirped like a bird on a beautiful morning.

"Chao!" Cheese cheered.

"Well, Cheese and I have to be going now! Goodbye, Mr. Shadow!" Cream waved at the black hedgehog before skipping away, Cheese fluttering after her.

Shadow the Hedgehog watched them go, feeling grateful inside for their act of kindness.