A/N: Okay bearvalley, one more time. You really should get an account, buddy! Then I could PM you. ^_^

So, I'm not sure what kind of plans you have for your characters. If you think they'd be good in a video game, you could write to SEGA or Nintendo. Or if you think a movie would be better, try Disney or Pixar or DreamWorks. For a TV series . . . not really sure what kind of companies make TV series. Scholastic? When you're watching your favorite TV show, check the logos that play after the credits. Those are the companies making the show. And as to books, just check which company publishes your favorite series. Hope that helps! Good luck.

Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic and Co. And yes, there really is a Grand Canyon in Pennsylvania!


"Pennsylvania Grand Canyon," remarked Rouge, reading the signs by the road. "Do you think? . . . "

"I guess," sighed Shadow. "Just to see if it's any different from the real one."

"Great! I was hoping to hear an eagle scream."

"What?"

"You know! In the movies, whenever there's a canyon or maybe a desert, you hear a bald eagle screaming! I want to hear one."

"Three objections, Rouge. First of all, that's not a bald eagle you hear. Bald eagles sound like chickens. The movies use the cry of the red-tailed hawk. Second of all—"

"Channeling Tails, are we now?" interrupted Rouge. "Well then, fine. I want to hear the red-tailed hawk scream in the canyon!"

"Second of all," said Shadow firmly, "you know that only happens in the movies. Third of all, just as proof, we were at the real Grand Canyon, and we didn't hear a single scream now, did we?"

"I think I heard a lady screaming when you jumped off the scenic overlook."

"Very funny. Hawks, Rouge. Did you hear any hawks screaming?"

"Well, no. But we weren't really paying attention! We were busy with the binoculars and the mission. This time, I'm just gonna relax and listen to the hawks screaming."

"There will not be any hawks screaming."

"Of course there will. I'll bet you five bucks there will."

"I'll take you up on that," growled Shadow. "Ten bucks against your five that there won't be any hawks screaming."

"You're on!"

They arrived at the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, parked the motorcycle, and trotted over to the scenic overlook. Rouge caught her breath.

"It's even more beautiful than the other one! It's so green . . . "

"There's a little house down there at the bottom," said Shadow, leaning over the wooden railing. He swung back upright and glanced at Rouge. "But no hawks screaming."

"Oh, they'll scream," said Rouge. "Eventually they'll scream."

Shadow rolled his eyes.

They discovered the little trail that led to the bottom of the canyon, and went down it. Suddenly there came a hoarse screeching sound.

"A hawk! A hawk! I told you!" sang Rouge.

"No, that's a bluejay," said Shadow, pointing up into a tree. A sleek blue bird was hopping around in the branches, screaming and flapping its wings.

"Oh," said Rouge disappointedly. "It's a pretty bird, though."

"I don't know," said Shadow, already continuing on. "For some reason it gets on my nerves."

"Because it's blue, noisy, and way too hyper," laughed Rouge, following him.

They reached the bottom of the canyon and wandered around, but were a bit disappointed that they couldn't go to see the little house. Rouge liked all the little waterfalls on the way down, though Shadow was getting impatient.

"We've wasted enough time here already," he grumbled, as Rouge tried to figure out how to take pictures with their G.U.N. cellphone. "Let's go."

"You're just hoping to leave before the hawk screams," retorted Rouge.

"No, I'm hoping to leave before it gets dark and they throw us out."

"Oh, fine," sighed Rouge, putting away the cell phone and launching into the air. "Race you to the top? First one to touch the info board about hawks wins!"

Shadow nodded resignedly and whisked off up the trail, zigzagging back and forth across the canyon's side. Meanwhile, Rouge flapped straight up into the air, the canyon breeze singing under her wings. In the end she beat Shadow by about two-fifths of a second.

"Lucky," shrugged Shadow.

"Can't stand losing?" grinned Rouge as they turned back to the parking lot.

"Who's losing? We haven't heard a single hawk screaming all this time. You lost the bet."

"We haven't left the canyon just yet," said Rouge stubbornly.

"For the love of Mike," grumbled Shadow, glaring over his shoulder as they approached the motorcycle. "You're going to worm out of fulfilling the bet, aren't you?"

"Nah. No need to."

Shadow turned around to find a large red-tailed hawk sitting on the motorcycle's handlebars. It was so close he could easily have reached out and tweaked its beak, not like he intended to. The bird ruffled its feathers and glared with one eye.

"SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" it suddenly screamed, more or less blowing Shadow back onto the tarmac. Rouge tapped the very surprised hedgehog on the shoulder.

"Pay up."