Once again, I am too lazy to type in the whole thing. I'm just going to skip the whole level thing and move straight to the cut scene. Enjoy!

XX

I screamed as Sonic quickly pulled me to the shutting door. We were in a room with a round ring-like platform. All below us was sand. Finally, I thought. I hope Shadow and Eggman don't think I'm dead! Tails, Knuckles, and Amy were right behind us. Suddenly, a familiar red contraption walked into the room.

"Nice try, Sonic," Dr. Eggman said. Sonic took a fighting stance in front of me. A large sphinx-like thing rose up from the sand below us. My eyes widened in horror and fear. It was the Egg Golem. "Finish them," he ordered the Egg Golem, which nodded curtly before turning its attention toward Sonic. I shoved Sonic out of the way as I tried to follow Eggman.

"Dr. Eggman!" I called as I ran up to him. I could have sworn I felt my body move faster than it would in the normal world. When he turned around to look at me, he wore a look of utter shock and confusion on his face.

"Keiko?" he asked disbelievingly. He stepped up to me and examined my face, as if to see if it wasn't some ghost. "Is that really you?"

"No, it's the boogie man," I replied sarcastically. "Of course it's me!"

"But… how can you be alive?" I knew I had it coming. "Rouge said you fell… and drowned… Shadow was worried sick." Well there's something you don't see every day.

"I drifted under the bridge… and then Tails saved me. I don't know how, but he did." Eggman and I were walking through a long hallway. Sonic and the others were way behind us. "Where's Shadow?"

"In the portal room. He'll definitely be surprised to see you." I nodded in thanks as I ran into the room Eggman pointed to. A familiar black hedgehog stood in front of a large machine. His arms were crossed and his eyes were closed.

"Shadow?" I called. Shadow turned around and stared at me with utter shock and confusion.

"Keiko?" Great… he thought I was dead too. "Why… but how…"

"You thought I was dead, didn't you?" Shadow merely nodded. I sighed and shook my head. The sighing hedgehogs had a bad influence on me.

"Rouge… just jumped to the wrong conclusion, that's all. I did fall, though." Shadow shuddered, another rare trait.

"Don't remind me. You were travelling with that blue hedgehog, weren't you?" I nodded.

"I didn't have any other choice. Besides, he said he'd help me find you if I helped him." Shadow jumped back in surprise.

"Whose side are you on anyway?!" I sighed and shook my head.



"I'm not on anyone's side. I'm just trying to get the game to flow, even if it means helping out Sonic." Shadow mimicked me by sighing and shaking his head.

"Fine, then." Suddenly Eggman's robotic contraption marched right into the room. About time.

"Finally, I'm rid of that pesky hedgehog," he grumbled. I smiled slightly in response. "I'm headed to the ARK now. Shadow, Keiko, if anything happens to me, I want you two to finish the job." I stared at the ground. Nothing would happen to Eggman, I knew that for a fact. My eyes slowly moved toward Shadow, as I wondered if there was any way to alter the ending of the game without being trapped in it forever. If I could save Shadow, a few future games probably would not even be there. This would disrupt the delicate balance between the video game world and the real world. I really did want to save Shadow though… sometimes more than I wanted to return home…

XX

Sorry for yet another short chapter… I just thought the best ending for a chapter would be Keiko battling with her desire to save Shadow and her need to return home. Please review!