Shadow, alone in the woods, sat silently fuming on a dead tree stump. It was quiet here, in a clearing long abandoned by lumbermen, and Shadow liked that. It gave him space to think in, to worry, to think about what he was going to do now. Without the threat of the ARK and avoiding death once again, what was his purpose? Without a purpose, there was no meaning to life, and without a meaning to his life, Shadow's only thought was to—No. Maria always said ending your own life wasn't the answer even when the mean scientists had encouraged him to do so. If you think you have no purpose, go out and find one, she would say. Shadow smiled. Maria always did say the right things…

"Is that a smile I see?" The smile was gone now. "Aw, c'mon. Give me a big ol' grin! Please?" Shadow glared at the nuisance.

"Get away from me, Faker."

"Aw, c'mon. Where's your usual laughs and giggles?"

"They left when you got here." Sonic kept a smile but it was easy to see the insults were getting to him, and quickly at that. "Leave me alone." Sonic frowned a bit.

"Why should I? I have nothing to do… so maybe, we could hang out?" Shadow scoffed.

"Hang out?" His eyes narrowed to slits. "And what do you suppose we do during this… 'hanging out'?" Sonic's smile returned, but reincarnated as a smirk.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe we could grab a chilidog and movie." Shadow rolled his eyes. "You can choose the movie, and I promise if you don't like this d—er, um, this 'hanging out', you don't have to agree to it at all anymore!" Sonic talked through his blush; acknowledging it would make it worse, as he's learned from previous experiences.

"I'd rather not spend any time with you whatsoever." Sonic's ears drooped in disappointment. "I'd like you to leave, but you never do what I want, do you?"

"Of course not!" Now his humor had set in, a mechanism used when he was rejected. "But, hey, you know I was joking, right?" He scratched his ear and laughed awkwardly. "Don't tell anyone, 'kay? I don't need people thinking I'm gay or something. Would totally ruin my image, y'know?" Shadow rolled his eyes, amused.

"Of course, Faker." He went into a mocking voice. "Anything for you, Sonickku." Sonic tensed at this and left in a hurry, face red in embarrassment and rejection. But this wasn't the end. Oh, no. It had been a while since Sonic had an actually challenge. Maybe it was time to step it up.