Shadow walked slowly onto the waxed metal floor and stood observing his surroundings. The bar was full of anamorphic animals and humans drinking and having a good time. Shadow remembered times when it was easy to be merry, but as you got older emotions could slide together making any one feeling rare.

Before anyone could question his lack of movement, Shadow made his way to the bar, passing crowds who's eyes found nothing unusual in a stranger's visit. The bar keep looked up at the face she didn't recognize. "I haven't seen you around, are you new in town?"
Shadow nodded "I'm just passing through"

"What can I get you?"
Shadow reached into his shoe and pulled out a lump of cash, bound together by a piece of steel that had been bent down the middle to accommodate his needs.
"The best scotch this will buy" he said, sliding the cash to her.
"Yes sir"

The bar keep pulled the clip and counted the money before pulling down a freshly cleaned glass and filling it with the contents of a bottle from under the counter.
"Here you are" She said, moving the full glass to Shadow's reach. Shadow nodded in appreciation and then took a sip. His face soured slightly.
"Is that alright?" She asked concerned. Her scotch had always been well received.
"I hate scotch" Shadow replied "but it brings back fond memories" he finished, thinking fondly of the bat he knew so many years ago.

Amidst his pondering, Shadow didn't notice a Silver Hedgehog walk in. But that didn't mean anything, as everyone else was too drunk or preoccupied to notice one more person in their presence. But if his walking in didn't get any attention, his running for a bar stool beside Shadow's caught a couple eyes. And that put Shadow in their sights as well. He couldn't have that.

"Do you have any Money" Shadow asked the hedgehog.
"Money? Are you-?" He started
"Money, you know, currency" Shadow interrupted impatiently.
"I know what money is and yes, I have it" The hedgehog said confused.
"Give it to me" Shadow said.
"All of it?" Silver said, looking at all the eyes staring at them, before handing Shadow a large bundle of cash.

Shadow got to his feet and faced the crowd. "Sorry for the disturbance gentleman, my friend here was in a rush to bring me this." He held up the cash. "That being said, this next round is on us" he finished.
The crowd cheered before returning to their individual conversations.

Shadow sat back down, taking another sip of his scotch. The silver hedgehog looked at him, obviously impressed. The bar keep just smirked and shook her head. As long as there wasn't going to be any trouble, she was fine.
"I'll have what he's having" the hedgehog said, gesturing to Shadow's drink. Shadow put his hand in front of Silver.
"No you won't junior" he said, making a good guess that not only did this young hedgehog not know what he was talking about, but he probably couldn't hold his liquor. "You'll have an ice water. Put a little lemon in it if you're feeling daring. The hedgehog scowled, but none the less went along with it.

"Are you Shadow the Hedgehog?" He asked
"Yes. And you are Silver." Shadow said as a statement.
Silver nodded "Did you send me that message?" he asked as he took his water.
Shadow smiled faintly. "Yes I did. And I see you missed the part about being discreet"
Silver chose not to respond.

"Tell me Silver, what do you know of Chaos Control?" Shadow asked.
Silver shrugged. "A bit. I know that they can transform thoughts into power, and you can travel through time"
Shadow wanted to laugh, but he didn't. This Silver was so obviously lying. And the hilarious part was that he thought Shadow was buying it.

"So you know what this is?" He asked, pulling out a purple gem and rolling it to Silver. His eyes widened.
"A Chaos Emerald!" Silver nearly shouted in surprise. Shadow almost regretted his decision, but knew that it would work.
Shadow glanced around. No one was watching, but he couldn't risk anything going wrong.

"Come with me" He said before getting up and walking to the back. Silver followed him into the men's restroom which Shadow noted was clean and smelled of citrus. How things have changed.
Shadow pulled out a second Emerald, this one blue, and Silver nearly fainted, and dropped his own emerald.

Shadow rolled his eyes before bending down and picking up the emerald.
"Listen kid, I don't have time for this. I have a very important mission for you that requires all your abilities. Can I trust you, or should I seek someone else?"
Silver straightened up and retook the Emerald from Shadow's outstretched hand. "Yes" he replied.

"You must travel 200 years into the past and warn Sonic the Hedgehog of this" Shadow pulled a paper from his shoe where he had all the details necessary written down. "Then return"

Silver looked at his Chaos Emerald and nodded to confirm he knew what to do.
"Chaos Control" they both said. In an instant, a warp hole appeared.
Silver shrugged off whatever questions he had about Shadow.
"I'll be back" He said, jumping in.

Shadow closed the warp hole and returned to his scotch. The bar keep looked at him.
"Where's your loud friend?" she asked.
Shadow slid the water to her. "I don't think he'll need this"
"I won't find him next time I renovate back there, will I" She asked, half as a joke, half seriously.
"Time will tell" Shadow replied, sipping again from his glass. If Shadow was remembering correctly, Silver would reach Sonic, and help him defeat Eggman Nega before bringing him back here.

Sonic the Hedgehog. Shadow was so foolish back when he knew Sonic. He threw away a chance to have years of a valuable friendship that ended up only lasting a few months. But at least Sonic died knowing his fight was over.

Shadow pulled from his other shoe a newspaper article. One side read: "Sonic the Hedgehog killed in battle"

Shadow's eyes scanned, for the hundredth time, the full story.

"In a last effort to save this planet, Sonic the Hedgehog added another item to his list of things to sacrifice: his life. He is remembered by his wife and two children: Miles, and young daughter Lilly. Sonic lived 37 action filled years and remains to this day: the fastest recorded being. 'I don't think any one will ever forget Sonic' Miles Prower, Sonic's closest friend stated at the funeral. 'this is because of his celebrity status. I think those of us here will remember him for his heart and friendship'

Knuckles the Echidna also spoke saying 'I remember the day I met [Sonic] and I... Don't know what to say' Knuckles then left the podium. Sonic was buried in Hillside cemetery where the president made a statement and had 21 shots were fired from rifles to honor the blue hedgehog. Sonic was- continued on page 9"

Shadow stopped reading and Turned it around where there was a recipe and the remnants of another head line.
"Ivo Robotic to be executed"
Shadow folded his paper and took another gulp of his scotch.

He had seen so much in his life. Friends come and go, two wives dead and nothing but what he tucked in his shoes to get him place to place. But he still remembered his promise he had made 250 years ago.

He had promised Maria he would protect Earth and it's inhabitance.

And as the ultimate life form he would.

Shadow gestured for his glass to be refilled as he let a flood of memories wash over him.