[last short story before turning in! For @basilbunnycreachers as always, let me know if anyone is out of character and I shall edit post haste!]
Aurum's portal from his device had him right outside Sapphire's house. She really did make it so he would be up front with them. And from the sounds of it, everyone he knew was inside. He was actually thinking about leaving though. Sapphire saw him in such a state and the he just up gets portaled home. No one knowing until it was too late. Before he even got the chance to leave, the door was opened.
"Indi!" Sapphire pulled him into a hug. "You are okay! Thank Gaia!"
"Yo, Indi!"
"I told you he was okay," Papaya looked at her. "I saw him at Danica's birthday ball, remember? Hi Indi."
Indigo waved to her.
"Yo, long time no see Indi!" Onyx waved from his chair. "Man you grew up!"
"We got your invites," Ruby held his up. "Can't wait to see your home, but not exactly happy to be meeting this…Talia."
"I don't like her from what Papayaya has told us," Onyx crossed his arms. "What brings you here? Shouldn't you be getting ready?"
"Sis, Indi needs to breathe," Ruby brought up that Sapphire had yet to let him Indigo out of her arms. "He isn't gonna bolt. He clearly has gotten better. I even noticed his quills are grown out."
"They are. I am so glad," Sapphire kept him in a hug. "I am so happy you got home and I am so happy you are all healed and back to your old self!"
She finally let go and set him down. Getting a full look at him and then noticing the orange quill.
"Is this her quill? I bet it is, given it's…behind your left ear."
She reached out but never plucked it. Thought Indigo could tell she wanted to pluck and possibly burn it up. His sister didn't approve of this political marriage.
"Do you know the significance behind it or something?" Ruby snorted as he leaned back.
"I do. I found an old video recording lost while traveling between dimensions. Someone threw it to be lost. It had dad explainjng the Quill Ritual. Friends and family to the right. Lovers to the left." Sapphire eyed the orange quill again with a scowl. "I can't promise to knock her out."
"Save some for us," Ruby looked at it.
"To think the variant of our parents won't even be present. All to what? Retire privately on some remote island. Leaving their oldest to be king?"
"Did you even want this Indi?" Papaya looked at him. "You…like to travel, right? To see other places. Why let them shackle you to one spot?"
He crossed his arms and looked away. He did like to travel. To wander freely where he pleased. Even after becoming a prince, he kept that lifestyle. Free as the wind, his dad once said but life and loss took a toll.
"Isn't there another to claim your spot?" Onyx brought up. "You said you had sisters."
'Pearl won't come home. She permanently lives with our grandparents. Luna and Rosa live between my parents and my grandparents. All three didn't want it then and still don't want it now. The people want me as I…am Sonic's son.'
"That isn't a good enough reason. You were robbed of your childhood, now this?" Sapphire grabbed him the shoulders. "You need to be a kid, not an adult. You were robbed of so much."
'I plan to still travel. My grandparents are more my real parents. So I get to be a kid then'
"Did V get an invite? Gonna visit him?" Ruby looked away for a moment.
'I want to but I gotta get back. I need to finish preparing and my mom and dad have some special outfit they need to make sure will fit me.'
"Yeah, I get that. Seeing as someone is finally back to a healthy weight. Good to see that," Onyx clapped. "You were not okay from the last I heard, bud."
"Onyx is right. So good to see you healthy again. Racket is excited and is pestering his other brother who is a little nervous. We'll be there though. Front and center."
"We'll make sure Talia knows not to mess with our brother," Ruby cracked his knuckles.
"I can't wait to see your home. Take it easy between now and the event, okay? Sleep as much as you can. Everyone may choose to stay for a few days." Papaya laughed. "I know Sapphire and her boys might. Plus Ruby."
"Only a few. I intend to scare Talia. I need more than a few hours," Sapphire stood up. "And Ruby and Onyx know other ways to scare her.
Indigo gently tapped the door to get their attention, 'I gotta get back.'
He opened a portal. Sapphire pulled him into a big hug again.
"Don't be a stranger. You got a visit us more often, okay?" She smiled at at him. "And I can't wait to see you on other trips."
"Yeah, we need your quick thinking sometimes," Ruby nodded. "Without pushing yourself."
He nodded and put a foot through the portal. Still wrapped in Sapphire's arms.
"Sis, he needs to go." Onyx got her to let go.
"Fine, I get to hug you again when I arrive!" She stated.
'Aye Aye sis'
He climbed through back home. The portal closed behind him.