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Knothole, April 21, year 3455, 0:37
Shadow mindlessly wandering the night streets of Knothole, thinking about words Blaze told him an hour ago. With thinking face, he was looking into nowhere. Maybe, she was right. Maybe it is not a choice to ending with everything that easy. Maybe it will be a good idea to wait for time when his zero hour will come. If it only will. With deep sigh, he just continuing to walk through the streets of half destroyed town. He was attentively watching the road, not really knowing what he supposed to do right now.
City streets were empty, there has not been seen a single soul. Everybody has long been hid in their homes. Well… almost. Turning his head to right direction, Shadow noticed company of several persons, loudly talking to each other and walking towards a small brick building. Above the door of the main entrance hung a neon sign that says "BAR". How creative… Ha, ha. Arching his eyebrows and shook his head, dark hedgehog just walks in there.
Background music: Some kind Blues. LOL
Two minutes later, Shadow opened heavy steel door, without any big problems, and went inside a small bar. The only one in town at the moment. He was looks like a typical bar, where people usually resting. There was several pool tables, bar counter, tables for customers. Most typical bar he could imagine. Bar was filled half. It was strange, considering situation. On the other hand, the situation in the Mobius was at times quieter than before. Sarcastically grinning and crossing his hands in the chest, Shadow just stood in one place, while continuing to observe what is happening in the bar. Bouncer - huge purple cat in a black T-shirt, blue jeans and black ankle boots - said the newcomer, and approached him. Shadow, of course it was higher, but not muscular. However, this did not make him weaker. As soon as the bouncer came up to him, Shadow portrayed questioning look, arching an eyebrow.
"Alright, buddy…" bouncer started "… pulls out all that is in your pocket! Weapon, drugs…"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Shadow asked sarcastically "What drugs?" he pulled out his gun from the holster under his jacket, then pulled out a pistol holder, put it in pocket of his jeans and handed weapon to bouncer. Bouncer took the large gun in his hands, and then began carefully viewed with deadly serious face. Shaking his head, he again looked at Shadow "This type of weapon is not popular with civilians!" he said, "Are you from G.U.N.?"
Shadow nodded grimly. The cat sighed and returned weapon to him "And documents?" he asked as Shadow hid his gun back in the holster. Without any words, dark hedgehog pulled out large and wide rectangular wallet, then opened it and showed his badge and identification card. Bouncer frowned, then nodded solemnly to hedgehog and stepped aside, after crossing his arms near the chest. Shadow just nodded on response, and then walked towards bar counter. As soon as he came close, the barmaid - white mink with brown hair and eyes, dressed in white T-shirt, and blue skirt – smiled at him before asking: "Can I help you sir?"
Shadow just nodded to her before response "Half-liter glass of cola, please!"
Barmaid gave him questioning look, incredibly surprised by the fact he did not asked any alcohol. But just shrugged before taking the glass and start to fill it with a drink. As soon as she finished, she put the glass in front of a hedgehog.
"It's seven rings, sir!" she said with a smile. Shadow nodded to her, then pulled out his wallet, opened it, pulled out of there ten golden rings and handed it on the counter. Then he just takes his glass and walked away from the counter leading towards the pool tables. Without saying even a word. Barmaid accompanied him with puzzled look on her face, then looked at the gold rings lying on the stand. Shrugging once again, she just took the rings, needed seven hid in the cash register, three extra in the pocket of her skirt.
Shadow stopped near the pool table and began to watch the game between two hedgehogs. Pre taking a sip from his glass. Rolling the six in a billiard pocket, yellow hedgehog maliciously grinned, then began to aim at eight.
"Eight on the central bottom pocket" he announced before making a hit. The cue ball gently rolled to cover the table, then touched the decisive ball. Eight rolled right on target. Yellow hedgehog smirked and looked at his opponent – violet hedgehog – who was giving him envious look "Eight – Three!" yellow one announced as he put his cue on his shoulder. Violet one just snorted and put his cue on the table. Then he started to walk away. Yellow one just chuckled over the reaction of his friend, then put down his cue on the table and followed his friend.
Shadow simply watched the two walked away, then shook his head and walked towards one of the costumer tables. He sat down on the couch, putting his glass on the table. Frowning his eyebrows, dark hedgehog leaned his hands at the table, crossing fingers both of his hands and began to chase the thoughts in his head one after another. Shaking his head once again, Shadow looked out the window.
"Interesting!"he thought "Are those idiots knowing something about Eggman's plans?"
"What are you doing in here?" female voice can be heard from his left, instantly who brought him out of his trance. With a sigh of annoyance, Shadow arched his brows and turned towards the source. Obviously, he recognized owner of the voice.
Sally just stood beside his table, dressed in black jumpsuit, blue vest and high boots, and with black peaked cap on her head, giving him questioning look. With one more sigh Shadow takes his glass with left hand "I decided to unwind!" he said before make a big gulp. Sally shook her head, then sat down on couch opposite of hedgehog. Shadow placed his glass back on the table, then fixed his eyes on princess of Mobotropolis, who was disapprovingly frowned at him.
"Shadow!" she started "I understand perfectly that we have free entrance!" she crossed her arms around her chest, and arched her eyebrows "But don't you think, that in case of emergency it would be useful to be you know where?"
Shadow just gave her disapproving grin before answer "The same I can say to you!" he said. Sally just eyes wide at his remark "Excuse me?" she asked, obviously surprised. Shadow sighed and shook his head "I don't think that you came here for me!" he crossed his arms "And to be honest, of us two it's you cannot get out of the bunker!" he glared "After all, I am not disclose!"
Sally just lowered her head in shame and closed her eyes "Yes!" she said "You right! Sorry!" after a moment she opened her eyes, then pulled out of her vest pack of cigarettes and lighter. She pulled out one cigarette, then put it in her mouth. Shadow's eyes started to move at his forehead when he saw this scene. However, after a moment he just looked at her with disapproval smile and started to shake his head.
Sally lit a cigarette, then handed pack and lighter at the table beside her. She took a puff, then exhaled smoke and started to viewing bar with half closed eyes. Obviously, she was tired and nerved. With deep sigh, she turned back to Shadow, who was still giving her disapproval look. She just arched her eyebrows in response "What?" she asked "Surprised?" she took one more puff and exhaled smoke in direction of ceiling.
Shadow sighed one more time before he started to talk "Since when?" he asked with mocking tone. Sally takes out her cap and put on couch beside her. She moved ashtray closer to her, then shook ash from cigarette "Since Tails retired from squad!" she answered in sad tone and mournful muzzle "Rotor cannot withstand all the strains that he could!" she looked at Shadow "And that news you bring tonight does not come out of my head!" she lowered her head and closed her eyes "If it goes on like it is, then I give up the throne and voluntarily lie down in a madhouse!"
Shadow simply chuckled at her remark. It was enough for Sally opened her eyes, pick up her head and shoot at him death glare. But when dark hedgehog stopped his important stuff, he just gave her smirk "In this world there are many ways to relieve stress, Princess!" he said calmly. Princess of Mobotropolis arched her eyebrows. With sigh, Shadow continued "Apart from cigarettes and alcohol!"
Sally started to feel little better. She smirked in response, extinguished cigarette in ashtray, then crossed her arms and looked at him with the same expression on her face "For example?" she asked.
Shadow just turned his look at pool tables. Sally's eyes wide when he did this and she turned her look at the same direction he was watching. She blinked several times, then smiled with badass smile and turned to Shadow "On what we will play?" she asked with badass tone. Ultimate lifeform looked at her and his expression compared with hers.
"If I win…" he started "… you pay for the expense!"
Sally gave him questioning look "Expense for what?"
Shadow raised his arm. After moment waiter ran to the table, holding a notebook "Sir?" hedgehog turned to him "Two cheeseburgers, one stake and spaghetti!" he said with solemn tone in his voice, then turned to Sally "And a wineglass for lady!"
Waiter nodded in response, then turned to princess of Mobotropolis. He gasps as he recognized daughter of his king and started to shaking nervously "Your highness I…"
Salle stopped him, stretching her arms "Ssshhhhhh…" she whispered "Please, don't acting yourself like that! Be quiet!" waiter nodded nervously, then closed his eyes and made deep sigh. Sally made relaxed sigh, then looked at waiter "I don't want to attract too much attention!"
Waiter nodded to her, then walked away. Sally shook her head, then smiled and looked at Shadow "How did you know that I love wine?" she asked teasingly.
"I have my sources!" he said before winking at her, get up from his sit and walk toward pool table. Sally simply continued watching he walk away, then turned to him, crossed her legs and leaned her head at right hand. Continuing her beautiful smile. Shadow placed the balls inside triangle, then moved it in the place. He carefully removed triangle from pool pyramid, put it in hiding spot under the table, then he takes both cues and looked at his opponent with badass smile.
Background music: Dire Straits – Heavy Fuel
"You start!" he said with his usual tone. Sally giggled at his remark, then set up from her sit and walked towards her partner. As she came close, Shadow gave her cue, they exchanged badass smiles on their faces, Sally grabs the cue ball and went towards different direction with top models gait. She pathosly moved the cue ball on the surface of table, then stopped him on the line of impact. Taking the chalk, she carefully rubbed her cue, then put chalk on a side, leaned down, stretched out her right hand, put the cue between the fingers and began waving. After a moment with good hit, she sent the cue ball towards pyramid. It hit the pyramid, sending the balls in different directions around all surface of the table. Three of them (Two, five and six) immediately rolled back into billiard pockets. She smiled to herself, then looked at her opponent. Who was staring at the balls with arching eyebrows, trying to believe in what he just saw. The balls. At once. With a first hit. Wow.
Shadow shook his head, then look at his opponent with smirk "Impressive!" he said as if nothing had happened. Sally just winked at him, then walked towards him "Okay…" she stopped as she came close "…I'll give you a little head start!"
She turned to table and leaned to make a hit "Nine in the upper center pocket!" she announced.
"Ah-ah…" Shadows voice can be heard. Sally arched her eyebrows, then looked up at her opponent, who just continued gave her smirk "I hate when people amenable to me!" he said with badass tone "Play by solid!"
Sally raised up, blinked one time. She then smiled, flapped with her eyes and looked back at table. Noticing "four" beside upper right pocket, she nodded to herself and takes position to make a hit.
"Number four at upper right pocket!" she announced and made her hit. The cue ball hits green ball, sending him towards the goal, then ricocheted towards upper ledge. Hitting the ledge, it ricocheted one more time, then spinning towards the lower ledge and stopped in front of ball having number one. Sally smirked as it happened, then walked towards the cue ball. As she reached the goal, she started to aim "Number one in lower right pocket!"
Hit. The cue ball sent "one" right in the pocket, then ricocheted from it and moved towards the upper ledge. After several moments he stopped. Sally smirked again, then looked at Shadow "Five - nil Shadow!" she teased "Prepare your wallet!"
Dark hedgehog, however, was calm. He just shook his head with smile on his face "Hold your horses Sally!" he said "It's not over yet!" Sally arched her eyebrows, then leaned at table by her left hand "Do you really think that you still have chances?" she asked surprisingly. Shadow just nodded in response. What makes Sally shook her head with disapproval smile. She walked towards the cue ball, then leaned down and started aim at number three "Number three in upper left pocket!"
Shadow leaned at his cue, then started to look at Sally's attractive body. Perfect figure, long and shapely legs, huge resilient breasts well… you got it. And more important that she did not even tried to hide her precious. Her jumpsuit only singled out it even more. Blue vest she was wearing over it did not hid anything. With impish smile, Shadow shook his head and looked back at the table. At this moment, Sally made a hit. The cue ball rushed towards the "three", and sent it towards the goal. Sally leaned up, and walked towards the opposite side of the table. Just as she reached the goal, she looked at Shadow "You know!" she started "On Earth, people consider 'seven' happy number!" she leaned at her cue "What can you say about it?"
"I say…" Shadow started "If you continue to talk…" he looked back at his table, which was served already "… my food will cool down and your wine out of steam!" he looked back at his opponent "Let finish it!"
Sally shook her head, then leaned down at table and aimed at 'seven'.
"Seven into upper central pocket" she announced.
HIT
With incredible speed, the cue ball sent 'seven' inside pocket, then started to ricochet from ledges. Making several moves ball stopped beside left ledge between upper and lower pockets. Sally smiled once again and looked back at her opponent "Seven – nil!" she announced. Shadow just sighed in response. Chipmunk went beside the cue ball, stopped, leaned down and started to aim.
"Eight into lower right pocket!"
HIT
The cue ball rushed towards 'eight' sent it inside goal, then slowly started to traveling around pool table. Sally smirked, then bent arm at the elbow and squeezed palm into a fist "Yes!" she whispered celebrating her victory. She put her cue at her right shoulder, looked back at Shadow and walked back to him.
"Looks like, you paying for everything!" she came close and stopped "My dear Shadow!"
Shadow, however just continue smiling, then looked back at the table, without changing his expression. Sally looked at him with questioning look on her face, then glanced at direction he was looking. She raised her eyebrows and gasps as she saw that the cue ball continuing his slow travel… towards the lower right pocket. Chipmunk gave to the cue ball pleading look and clasped both hands together.
"No, no, no, no, no…" she pleaded "Please! Don't!" the cue ball rolled inside pocket. What makes Sally drop her hands and half-eyed. She turned back to Shadow, who was looking at her with devilish grin on his face "Looks like I won!" he announced with evil tone. Sally arched her eyebrows and leaned at table with her left hand "You just got lucky Shadow!" she said with hint of annoyance in her voice "You didn't even managed to make a single hit!"
Shadow put his cue over his left shoulder, then walked towards the left ledge. Sally just continuing to watching his actions with surprising look on her face. Dark hedgehog pulled out the cue ball, put it on the table, then takes chalk, carefully rubbed his cue. After a several moments he puts chalk on a ledge, grabs the cue ball, moved closer to upper pocket and started to aim. Several waving later, without announcing the pocket, Shadow made good hit, what made the cue ball rushing towards the striped balls. They started to ricochet from each other and traveling around the table, rolling in different pocket one after another. Fourteen seconds later all striped balls rolled in pockets. The cue ball stopped dead right in the center of pool table. Shadow nodded in satisfaction, then put cue over his left shoulder and looked back at Sally, who just staring at him with shocking expression on her face. He made a gun with his right hand, raised it to his lips and 'blew smoke' from it.
Princess of Mobotropolis blinked several times, trying to believe in what she just seen. Then she just shook her head furiously, put cue back on the table, crossed her arms and glanced into nowhere. Shadow also putted his cue on table, then walked close to her "Changing rules!" he said, what makes Sally looked back at him and raise her eyebrows "Next time you are treated to!" he walked back to his table. Sally stood there, trying to understand the fact she just lost. After several moments, she just smiled and looked back at her partner, who was just sitting there, enjoying his food. With sigh, she just walked back to her seat.
Background music: some kind of jazz
Shadow was eating his food… as a real gentleman. He carefully cut off pieces from stake, and then putted it in his mouth, enjoying amazing food. Sally sat back on her place, continuing smiling "You know…" she started "… I will pay for it!" Shadow looked at her, continuing chew his meal. Sally winked at him, then took her wineglass "I failed, I will pay!" she said softly. Hedgehog was staring at her at first with questioning look. But after moment he shrugged and continued his meal. Sally shook her head and takes gulp of wine. Suddenly she raised her eyebrows, then looked at wineglass "Hey! It's my favorite!" she announced, incredibly surprised by this fact. She turned to Shadow "How did you…"
"It's not me!" he interrupted her "It's a waiter!" Sally arched her brows, then looked towards direction of bar counter. Waiter, who served the duo, looked at princess of Mobotropolis with happy smile, then made a solemn bow. Sally blinked twice and turned back to hedgehog "And how the hell did he know?" she asked still surprised. Shadow finished his stake and spaghetti and looked up at his partner "I don't think he knows it! Maybe it because it is the only wine they're selling!" he said sarcastically. Sally blinked once, then shrugged and continue enjoying her wine.
After a several moments she leaned her head at her left hand and smiled "Listen…" she turned to Shadow "It turns out that you are asking me on a date?" Shadow finished his burger, then looked at her with absolutely neutral expression on his face "If two friends just go together in a cafe, this does not mean that they go on a date!" he said with neutral tone, then started to eating his second burger. Sally shook her head once again, then raised her arm to call a waiter. After a several moments he ran to her with a happy smile "Lady?" he announced. Sally looked at him "Check please!" she said with solemn tone. Waiter raised his eyebrows as she said it "Going already?" he asked "That quickly?"
Sally smiled at him "Sorry dear!" she said softly "But I gotta go back to work!" waiter sighed in response, then smiled again and look back at her "One moment!" he ran back towards the bar counter. Sally with one big gulp finished her wine and looked back at Shadow, who just staring at her with questioning look on his face. Suddenly she frowned "Finish your meal faster, honey!" she said sternly "Let's walk! I have a couple of question for you!" Shadow blinked several times, then nodded and put cutlery down on the table with serious look on his face. Suddenly he grabs his burger with his hands and started to destroy it just as if he came from hungry region.
Sally raised her eyebrows as he started doing this, then leaned back with disgusting look on her face "Eww…" she muttered obviously not liking this view. Eleven seconds later Shadow finished burger, then takes a napkins and started to brush up his mouth and hands. It took several moment. After time hedgehog put napkins down on the table beside plate. With confident nod, he looked back at Sally, who was leaned back at her seat with the same expression on her face. He just shook his head and crossed his arms with stern look on his face "You asked me to finish my meal faster! What's your problem?" he said with hint of annoyance in his voice. Sally raised her eyebrows when he said it, then frowns and crossed her arms "Shadow!" she started "When I asked you to eating faster, I didn't mean to eat like a swine!"
Shadow sighed and shook his head once again "Sorry about that!" he said neutrally "But next time clarifies me what you want exactly!" he frowns "I'll be waiting for you outside!" he stood up and went towards exit. Sally watching him walking away with arching eyebrows, then smirked and shook her head "Oh, Shadow!" she said with a little giggle, then hides her lighter and cigarettes in pockets of her vest. At this moment waiter walked beside the table and put check down on it. Sally looked at him with soft smile on her face "Thank you!" he said solemnly. Waiter nodded to her, then walked away. Sally pulled out her purse, then takes the check and… raised her eyebrows at the fact how much it was coast. With sigh she put check back on the table, and began to dial the required amount...