My jaw drops in complete shock. I was right from the moment I discovered what's in Professor Lucas' Lab. Mostly, in the basement. Except for one thing. No one has ever called me the "Lifeform of Heart" before. No wonder a force is pulling me towards Shadow. My father must've sent a strong connection inside of me.
Before I say anything, I'm pulled into a hug by Shadow himself. I close my eyes full of care as I immediately wrap my arms around him in return. I close my eyes as tears start to roll down my cheeks.
"Shadow," I say barely audible.
"Hmm?" he hums in a low voice only I can hear.
"Promise me.....that you won't let go," I respond in that same tone.
I can feel him hugging me with extra care and comfort,"I won't. I promise."
We keep hugging each other with care and comfort until we hear the Commander announcing,"It seems to me that Savvy, Bianca and Reuben have moved on to a better life."
"I figured that out. Due to her reaction after seeing this video," says Comono. "Shock, then realization."
"And if that means they're gone..." Rouge says finally in her teasing tone.
"Shadow and Runa. Journeying together as more than friends," Omega finishes for her.
As Shadow and I both break the hug between us, I rise onto my feet and dust off my clothes. Then, I lend Shadow a hand. For the very first time. You see, every time we're on the ground, Shadow is always the first to get up and lend me a hand. I instantly take it and he helps me get up.
Now is my chance to do the same. Partially to repay his care for me.
Shadow takes my hand and I pull him back onto my feet.
"So, what do you say, Shadow? Let's inform the Langcomns about everything that had happened?" I ask him.
I hear his normal chuckle for the first time since we first arrived in G.U.N. Fortress.
But just as we're about to leave, we hear Arrogan roaring at us. I feel like he's about to pounce on us when lightning surrounds him. His body is in electric shock before he collapses on the ground. Behind him is Langua herself.
"It looks like we don't have to deal with him anymore," she says.
"Yes. We should all get him back to the Land of Langcomns and keep him locked in the most secured cell," says Comono.
"Right," the Commander agrees.
We head back to the Land of Langcomns to inform the tribe about everything that had happened. When they hear it, they're also in complete shock, but when I tell them that the amulet is safe now, their emotions manage to calm down. We stay here for a little while until we're done eating dinner. The first thing we're talking about during dinner is the whole history of the Langcomns, the the details coming from my father. This time, Langua finally learns to listen, but she's still learning how to think before she acts.
"He said he's asking for our amulet because it's the one thing to complete his experiment. A special experiment in which she has the same common powers as ours. He said there was someone currently asleep in an unknown location. Rumor has said that once this person is awakened, he will bring total destruction to the world, but Professor Lucas found it difficult to believe. That's why he's in the process of creating an experiment that could help him discover who that person really is. She'll also keep this person company once the discovery is done, then, she'll help everyone see the goodness left inside of him. All including himself. In public, they will know that she is created to help those who cannot defend the world on their own, so that things might not get conflicted and unbalanced once he finished working with his experiment. And so, we decided to create the replica of this amulet just to not get things in trouble. We gave the replica to him and he walked away. After that, I went to comfort Langua saying he's gone, but the details I was trying to tell her were ignored. A while ago, we were out there, hunting for the real amulet. Stolen by Savvy herself. Langua was yearning to get it back, for she made a promise to protect it from evil. I thought greed and overprotection are growing inside of her, but she kept telling me and the others to focus on this mission. And now that the amulet is safe, the Land of Langcomns are at peace once more."
"They wouldn't have been peace if it weren't for you guys involved in the entire incident. That certain someone the professor talked about was shocking!" says Langua.
Comono chuckles, "We all know that, sis. We all do."
With that being said, we continue eating dinner.
We tell each other funny stories, some parts of our lives and even embarrassing ones. Honestly, I'm the one that gets mostly embarrassed. Every time I get embarrassed, I always hear Shadow's chuckle. I never knew how much he really likes my embarrassing moments.
After we eat dinner, we say our goodbyes to each other, then we exit the palac. Me and Shadow being first, Rouge and Omega being second, my chao friends being third, then the rest of the G.U.N. agents. The last one to come out is the Commander himself.
Right now, we're back in the G.U.N. Fortress. The Commander gives us our day-off for the rest of the day due to how exhausted we are after our long journey. The next day, I'm preparing for the upcoming awarding ceremony which starts at around 11:00 a.m.
I'm dressed in my usual daily outfit with my utility belt wrapped around me. My five chao friends look at me in awe and excitement. Especially Shania's. I chuckled at her awe and excitement. That feeling is the same awe and excitement after we started becoming best friends. When wearrive back in the G.U.N. Fortress for the ceremony, Shadow smirks at my appearance while the rest of Team Dark have the same reaction as my chao friends, though Omega is the valuable robot, but the tone in his voice said so.
We walk through the halls that lead to the room where every G.U.N. agent has gathered around while the honorary agent receives a medal that represents which rank they're starting to be in right now.
Along the way, I can't help but think of how I first met Shania.
It was the same day I met Bearace and Mystico, but later on, we went shopping in the mall. During our stroll around the mall, I spotted a dark magenta and purple chao crying leaning back on the wall in the short, but a little wide alleyway.
My mind tells me I should keep up with my family, but my heart tells me to stop and check on the dark magenta chao to see if she's okay. My eyes begin to soften. Seeing her upset reminds me of the time I mourned for Clara. My adoptive family and my for chao friends all stopped to look at my moment with the dark mage chao. At that time, Mystico flew in and whispered to me, "You can go ahead and talk to her."
I nodded in response as I knew what I must do. I walked towards the dark magenta chao. Then, I sat beside her on her right. My head bent in with my eyes locked on her.
"You okay?"
"No, I'm not! But it's not..." she sniffed,"...not really important."
My eyes softened even more. I can tell by her answer that she too lost someone special to her. I hesitate for a moment, but I knew she needs someone to comfort her right now. And so I open up my sitting position and my arms reach carefully to pull her into a hug.
"I'm really sorry. I know how difficult it is to go through times like this. I've been there before. I lost someone special a long time ago," I whisper to her.
Everyone walked in to see what's going on, but they gave both of us some space. At that point, Bearace decided to speak up, "You know. Juniper and I experienced things like losing an owner."
Shania's eyes turned to him,"You did?"
"It's true. We cared about Officer Sophia Grace so much. She's a lot like a sister to us," said Juniper.
"But not before sending a goodbye letter to the chief," Juniper concluded.
Tears started to fill my eyes, but I managed to hold them in. It really is difficult for those like me, Bearace, Juniper and the dark magenta chao to not think of things like losing a loved one.
"My name is Shania. Named by my former owner, Bianca the Hedgehog. She had bright yellow quills, peach muzzle, blue eyes and she wears a sunset leg-lengthed dress with red-orange long gloves and orange high heels. She adopted me since she was a little kid. She cared for me, fed me and even showed me lots of love. But as she got older, she started to not pay attention to me. And that's how she abandoned me. Here, in this mall," she explained.
This time, a tear escaped my eye. Hearing this story made my heart sadden as my eyes softened sympathetically. I keep hugging her with extra care and comfort until she feels a lot better.
When I feel like she's fully okay, I said to her, "How about I take you in?"
Shania turned to me in surprise,"Really?"
"Yes. I feel like you have nowhere else to go. That's why I want to take you in," I answered.
Her surprised expression turned into a glee. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Suddenly, she flew and wrapped her arms around me. I tensed up for a moment, but in a split second, I hugged her back. It lasted for a while until we pulled away.
I rose onto my feet and dusted off my clothes. Then, I started introducing Shania to my chao friends and my adoptive family, then vice versa. After that, we continued strolling around the mall with Shania alongside us.
Right now, I'm onstage. Greeted by the cheering audience. My hands reach to each other and I smile in appreciation. Whenever there's a clap, I acknowledge it sweetly depending on how they feel.
With me are my five chao friends and on my right side is Team Dark. Shadow gave me a nod. I return it with a small smile.
On the other side is the lectern and behind the lectern is the Commander. "For five months, Runa, alongside her chao friends, Rosy, Mystico, Bearace, Juniper and Shania, have taken part in G.U.N. to fulfill their purpose to help others who cannot protect the world on their own. And now that we know her true purpose in life, we'll give her honor with a great reward."
My lips stretch out a smile as I raise my hands and politely declined, "You don't have to do that, Commander."
"No, we insist," he says.
Then, the G.U.N. agent steps up onstage. In his hands lays a small black square-shaped box. The Commander reaches for the box. Then, the agent's hands slip away from the box.
The Commander holds up the box revealing it to the whole audience. "As you can see, I will give Runa what's inside the box as a reward for discovering who the Langcomns really are."
Finally, I think.
The box opens and the Commander pulls out some sort of necklace. A raindrop-shaped necklace. The Commander finally turns to me and I get to see the features of the necklace. My eyes widen as my hands cover my mouth in a mix of shock and surprise. The real amulet being the exact same as the replica I had from the very beginning is laying inside the box.
"The real Amulet of Communication will be given to Runa the Hedgehog, the top agent's special assistant and partner," announces the Commander.
Cheers erupt from the audience. I know what it means at this point. I'm going to be Shadow's assistant and partner, even though we're in different groups. Well, I'm in a group that affiliates with Team Dark. The Commander gives my new amulet to Shadow. They make eye contact with each other. The Commander nods his head and Shadow returns it by nodding back at him.
That's when Shadow makes a finger gesture that says "Turn around." I obey. Right now, my back is turned to Shadow. Then, I feel my amulet wrapped around my neck. At one final point, I can feel his fingers clipping the ends together. I feel a warm pink blush on my cheeks this entire time.
I can hear an awe from the crowd when he finishes wrapping my amulet around my neck. I turn to him and nod in acknowledgment. He nods at me back acknowledging my thanks. We both turn to the audience.
"I'm proud to announce that Runa the Hedgehog has moved on to the next level of G.U.N." the Commander concludes.
The crowd goes amazingly wild. Cheers erupt from the audience, this time, a real cheer. My lips stretch out a smile as I know what it means. I'm upgraded into a rank that's closest to being an expert rank of becoming an agent.
"And Shield Alliance will now continue to join forces with Team Dark. Are you up for this task?" the Commander asks us.
"We all are. We swear to give them backup whenever they need it," I answer with determination.
The chao chime in agreement.
Then, the next thing I hear from the audience is the cheering.
The End
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