Me: Hay bitches! I'm back again.

Shadow: Why haven't you updated on anything else? Usually you rotate around with your stories.

Me: Well, I'm working on four stories right now. And I realized that I really need to prioritize myself. I'll work on them in the background. But I really need to get one of them completed so I can have less on my plate. This one I'm most interested in right now. So boom. Here I am.

Tikal: Not a bad idea. But what about your fans waiting for your other stories?

Me: Those guys can wait. But I really want to focus on this one right now. So what do you guys say we get started on this crappie?

Cream: I say YAY!

Cheese: CHAO CHAO!

Me: Alright then. Who's doin the disclaimer? NOT IT!

Everyone: NOT IT!

Knuckles: Pass.

Rouge: Do it.

Knuckles: No.

Rouge: Do it.

Knuckles: No.

Rouge: Fine. We're through.

Knuckles: Oh you suck. AK doesn't own any characters from the Sonic games or anything else. There. Now ya happy.

Rouge: Well I'm not mad.

Knuckles: Good enough for me.

Me: Enjoy chapter eight and remember to review.

Shadikal: How is it Possible?

Chapter 8: Still Wondering

(Mobian Mountain Range; 11:30 AM)

The sun was almost directly overhead. And Shadow was looking out beyond the range with that scowl on his face. But this scowl wasn't one of anger or hate. Shadow was thinking. It was only yesterday since he had gone on that date with Tikal and he was still confused as to why she was different than all the rest. He couldn't point it out, but he enjoyed her presence. And that was something he NEVER did. With ANYONE. He was once again trying to think up reasons of why his mind was doing this to him.

What was it? For every event that has ever happened in this world, there has always been a reason behind. Hell, even Eggman has a reason to attack the innocent. Not a good one but it's still a reason nonetheless. Shadow had to think about it more. But he still had no luck in finding one.

But what could help him discover the reason? He had no idea. But then he got one.

"It was me being around her that made me feel like this. That means there's only one solution. I have to see her again."

Shadow couldn't believe he was thinking this himself. Then he began to speak out loud.

"If it means I'll find out why I feel like this about her, than I have to keep seeing her until that happens. Which means I'll have to take her on…dare I say it…more dates. And it looks like I'm gonna have to find a place she might like."

Shadow formulated a plan for a second date. Smirking, he thought of an idea and turned on his rocket soled shoes and skated down the mountain to a familiar house.

Two minutes later, he arrived in front of Cream's house. He knocked on the door and the little bunny answered it.

"Oh. Hi there, Mr. Shadow." The polite bunny greeted him.

"Shadow?" Amy's voice was heard inside the house and then she came into the doorway from the inside. She was there visiting. "What are you doing here?"

"I was hoping to ask for a favor." Shadow replied.

"A favor?" Amy had no idea what kind of favor the dark hedgehog would even ask for.

"May I come in?" he asked.

"Sure. But my mom could be home at any time and after that practice date you had with her, I think it would be best if she didn't see you." Cream told him.

"Understandable." Shadow walked in and took a seat in a chair.

Amy and Cream sat down on a couch across from him. Cheese flew and landed in Cream's arms.

"So what do you need Shadow?" Amy asked.

"I need to know what kind of food you take on a picnic." Shadow answered.

Cream, Amy, and Cheese looked at one another with even more puzzled looks. Shadow on a picnic?

"Um…why do you want to know that, Shadow?" the pink hedgehog asked.

"Because I plan to go on one later today and I would like to be prepared." The ebony hedgehog replied.

"Really? Who with? Because you can't go on a picnic yourself. I of all people know that." Amy said.

Shadow looked away and closed his eyes. Amy tried to read his expression. He said he wanted to know what food would be good for a picnic. But when asked if he would be accompanied by anyone, he looks away. Why?

Amy gasped as she finally figured out the puzzle.

"Oh my gosh! It's a date! Isn't it?" Amy was so sure.

Shadow nodded confirming Amy's theory and she immediately dashed to right in front of him.

"Alright. Let's hear it. Who is it?" she asked.

Shadow groaned. He was hoping he wouldn't be interrogated like this.

"It's really none of your concern." Shadow was hoping that would end it.

But it didn't.

"Shadow, females love details. I'm a female and I want details. Tell me who you're asking out today or I won't help you."

Once again, the ebony hedgehog groaned and rubbed his temple.

"I'm going to ask Tikal to accompany me. There. Now ya happy?"

Amy smiled so wide her mouth had to open up. Cream was also smiling because she was happy for Shadow. He actually wanted to see her again.

"Okay. Cream and I will make the food for you. But you will tell us everything about this date while we do. Cream, to the kitchen!"

Amy grabbed Shadow's arm and dragged him into the kitchen where she found and apron for herself. She and Cream started to make some food and Cheese found a basket to put it all in. All the while, Shadow told the girls everything about the date he had planned. Amy thought it was so romantic to which Shadow gave his trademark, "Hmph". Cream found a large blanket and put it in the basket as well.

The food Amy and Cream prepared seemed like the perfect picnic basket recipe. They had assorted fruits, trail mix, grilled buttered French bread, and various sandwiches. For beverage needs, they had put some orange juice in a thermos and put some Styrofoam cups in there too. Shadow thanked the girls, picked up the basket, and vanished by Chaos Control to Angel Island. Amy on the other hand, she had to get to Tails place and tell him the news. There was no way Sonic would believe this.

Shadow arrived on the island a few meters in front of the shrine to the Master Emerald. He first walked up the steps of the shrine to see if Knuckles was there. He wasn't. The hedgehog simply teleported down to the front door of the house and rose his hand up to knock. But then he pulled back.

"What am I doing? I'm here with a basket of food in my hand looking like an idiot, coming here to ask a girl I hardly know anything about on a date."

He was starting to consider forgetting all about it and warping away, but then he remembered his thoughts from before.

"Come on, Shadow. You HAVE to find out what's causing this strange feeling. And you know damn well the only way to do that is to spend more time with her."

Shadow stood up tall, took a deep breath, wiped his forehead of any sweat, and then knocked on the door. Rouge was the one who answered the door.

"Shadow? What are you doing here?" she inquired.

"It's pretty complicated." Shadow replied.

Rouge looked up and down his body. "I can agree with that. You seem tenser than I've ever seen you, your scowl is flat, and you have a picnic basket. One can't help but wonder."

"Is Tikal here?"

Rouge almost gasped when she heard that.

"You want to see Tikal?"

"Did I stutter?"

"No Shadow. What you said came out perfectly clear. I just wanted to make sure you knew that."

"I'm fine, batgirl. Just get me Tikal."

Rouge smirked at him before walking away. Twenty seconds later, the apricot echidna walked up to the hedgehog surprised to see him.

"Hello there, Shadow." She greeted.

"Yeah…hi." Shadow said back. "Listen I was just wondering…I had a nice time with you last night and I was hoping that you and I could do it again."

Tikal smiled at the request.

"Of course I would. When do you want to do it?'' she asked.

"I was kind of hoping right now." Shadow replied.

"Oh." She wasn't expecting him to make it so soon. "Okay. Just give me a minute."

"Of course."

Tikal smiled at him and then went back inside to go get ready. Shadow noticed her smile again. It looked so familiar to him. But why? The question rose up once again. Why was this girl making him think all these things? Why was she so familiar? How could someone be familiar when you've never even met that person before?

When she came back out, he forced himself to stop thinking. Knuckles and Rouge watched the two of them walk away from the house from the window.

"So where are we going?" Tikal asked.

"Have you ever heard of a picnic?" Shadow asked back.

"Yes. I've been on a couple with the chao back in my home." She replied.

"Good. There's this place I go to most of the time to think. I want to show it to you. Now stop here."

Shadow and Tikal both stood in place and the hedgehog once again brought out his green Chaos Emerald.

"Chaos Control!"

The two of them vanished in the green light of the emerald and re-appeared at a place Shadow knew very well, and a place that Tikal laid eyes on for the first time.

Shadow had warped them to the grassy edge of a high cliff that overlooked the ocean. The sun was making the water sparkle like a well cut diamond. Behind them there was a lone tree with a bush full of leaves that provided the perfect amount of shade. Tikal looked down the cliff to see the waves crash and splash against the rocky wall of the cliff.

"Shadow, it's beautiful." She said. "Do you know of a lot of places like this?"

"Yes." He replied quietly. "But I've never shown them to anyone else."

Tikal turned around to face him. "Why not?"

"Because I've never been as friendly to other people as I've to you."

Tikal giggled. "Rouge told me the same thing."

Shadow stared at her. "Did she say anything else about me?"

Her face dropped a little. "No. Why do you ask?"

Relived, Shadow put the basket down at the trunk of the tree.

"No reason. Just wanted to make sure she didn't say anything bad about me."

"Why would anyone say anything bad about you?"

Shadow realized right there that she had no idea who he really was or what he had done in his past. And sooner or later, he would have to tell her. He preferred later. MUCH later.

"Just forget about it."

Shadow lied out the blanket on the grass and he sat down on it. Tikal followed his actions and helped him sort out the food. He said that she should thank Amy and Cream for making the food and she said that she would. The two of them started to eat and chat again.

Meanwhile, miles above the surface in outer space, a satellite that was orbiting the planet was right above them. A camera lens was telescoping down and the one controlling that was none other than Tails. He had Amy and Sonic behind him watching his monitor. And on that monitor was a zoomed in view of Shadow and Tikal sitting on the blanket eating and talking.

"I still can't believe you made me hack into GUN's satellite network just so you could spy on Shadow and Tikal on a picnic." Tails was obviously not thrilled.

"Bro, we had no other way to watch them." Sonic told him.

"Can't you just hide behind the trees like normal people?" Tails asked.

"No way. Shadow has good hearing. He'll know we're there before we even get there." Amy said.

"Fine. But if I end up getting caught and going to jail, I'm taking you two with me." Tails warned them.

"Aw come on buddy. They wouldn't do that." Sonic assured him.

"Are you freakin kidding me?" Once again, Tails was not happy. "Sonic, hacking into the government's system in any agency or branch is a federal crime. You're forcing me to break the law right now. If I get caught, I could do twenty years in prison. And I promise you, you two will be my cell mates."

Sonic and Amy felt a small side of guilt, but it was more of s surprising feeling to hear Tails actually threaten someone. But they could understand why. He didn't want to go to prison. He was only eight years old.

"So this is what's going to happen." Tails wasn't finished. "After this whole spying thing s over for today, I'm out."

Amy and Sonic looked at him.

"What do you mean, 'out'?" The pink one asked.

"I mean, OUT." Tails replied. "I'm not going to jail over a stupid bet you two made, and I'm not invading Shadow's privacy anymore."

"But how are we going to watch them?" Sonic asked.

"It's not my problem." Tails got up from his chair to leave. "Whatever you have planned, count me out."

Tails started to walk away but Amy called after him.

"Wait! I'll make you a deal!"

Tails froze in his place and turned around.

"What kind of deal?"

"Anything. You name it." Amy replied.

Tails began to think. Anything he wanted. He knew they would do it too. He had them in a position that favored him. They needed him to do something they had no knowledge of. And they had no choice but to cooperate with whatever he said.

"Fine. I'll finish up this surveillance thing for this date. But after this, no more hacking." Tails said. "And as for what I want, I want a thousand dollars."

Sonic nearly fainted. "A thousand dollars? Why?"

"I need to pay for some new parts for the Tornado and I'm strapped for cash. Either you front me the money within one week, or I'm out of this whole thing."

Sonic and Amy didn't know what to do. They had no money at all. But they had to meet the demand, or they were screwed.

"Fine. We'll get you the money. Just get back in the chair." Sonic said.

Tails nodded and walked back to the chair. Shadow and Tikal were still eating and talking to one another. Tikal was looking at Shadow's hands.

"If I may ask you, why do you wear those rings on your wrists?" she asked.

Shadow examined his wrists and the two golden rings he had on them. Then he took them off and placed them down right in front of the girl. She picked them up and looked at them.

"They're called inhibitor rings. They allow me to limit how much power I use whenever I'm in a fight with Eggman." Shadow explained. "If I take them off, I release all my energy in one big burst and then I'm completely worn out. It's my only weakness."

Tikal was interested to learn about that. Such power held inside such little objects.

"They're beautiful." She handed them back to Shadow and he put them back on. "You know, I've wondered a lot of things about you ever since I first met you, Shadow. And one can't help but wonder what your past was like."

Shadow looked at her with narrowed eyes. "That's something I'm not comfortable talking about."

Even though she had said to him before that she was okay with not knowing, she still was very curious to know. So she kept on asking.

"Shadow, I haven't had the best past either. I promise, I won't judge you in any way or tell anyone. You can trust me."

"I'm…I'm not sure."

Shadow as about to tell her to drop it, but then he felt something on the top of his hand. It was Tikal's hand.

"Please, Shadow. I'm your friend. I just want to know more about you."

Shadow sighed deeply. Why was she doing this? Why was he making him do these things?

"You promise you won't think any differently of me?"

"Of course."

He sighed again and sat up straight. "Alright. I'll tell you everything."

Shadow: Hey! No! You can't end it here!

Me: Well I think I can.

Shadow: AK, you suck.

Tails: Seriously. You couldn't go on just a bit longer?

Me: The story of the past will be the next chapter. So we all can wait.

How will Tikal react to hearing the true origin of Shadow the Hedgehog, and what he's done in the past? Find out in the next chapter. Until then, peace bitches.