TAILS ROLLED HIS EYES AT the bickering between Sonic and Shadow following him. Sonic had noticed that Shadow was flustered when they left and began teasing him. Doing such made Shadow furious furthermore starting back and forth banter. Both hedgehogs were equally riled up, signaling to the kitsune that it wouldn't be long until the fists came out.

"At least I don't scream when I-" Tails had glanced back in curiosity, wondering what the biohog was going to say when Sonic covered the mouth of the other, glaring at him with a red face.

"Sonic what is he talking about?"

"Nothing! Nothing at all! Oh look we're here!" the blue hero sped ahead of them and moved into the clearing where he had first encountered the clones. Ignoring the strange outburst, Tails ran after him, Shadow in pursuit as well.

They pushed passed the bushes they had seen Sonic go through and looked around.

There were trees all around the outer rim, shade covering almost the entire cliff except for a part of the edge. There were about three large rocks that he could see where placed around each other, and flowers scattered all over.

Rubies peered around the area for Sonic, only to find him squatting on a tree branch above him. "Faker get down from there," demanded the Ultimate Lifeform, crossing his arms and glaring upwards.

"No can do Shads," the blue blur replied, rubbing under his nose with one finger. "Can't have those copies tryna get me now can I?" he crossed his legs in a girlish manner and leaned backward, winking at him with a smug look.

"I found something!" interfered Tails, holding up a black quill with small red cubed particles hovering around it. Shadow raised an eye ridge at the quills similarity to his own, uncrossing his arm and putting a hand on his hip.

"Alright, I'm going back home so I can analyze this, and hopefully find a way to stop these clones chasing after you," the kit nodded at both hedgehogs and walked off towards his plane, taking off right after.

"So what now?" Sonic asked, jumping down to the grass next to him in a T-pose position.

"I'm not sure. Would you-" the sound of a stick breaking interrupted his thoughts, grabbing Sonic, shoving the blue blur him behind the biohog on instinct. It seems that the blue hedgehog also heard the noise, hence his silence to being protected.

Visibly tense, Shadow strained his ears for another noise, the silence making his anxiety flare up in all sorts of ways. Surely it was his imagination, but that couldn't be the case since the faker heard it as well. Sharp red eyes looked back towards Sonic, about to say that it was most likely just an animal.

But he wasn't there.

Where could the cerulean hedgehog have gone? The sound of hover shoes caught his attention, red eyes filling with an indescribable emotion. Anger, perhaps? His footwear activating, the Ultimate Lifeform somersaulting off the cliff; his reflex made him skate down the side of the cliff, his cold hard eyes locking onto his target.

He hadn't recalled the last time he had skated so fast, for the blue idiot of all things.

He easily caught up with the copy, thinking of a way to get Sonic without hurting him. Why did he care if he hurt him anyways? He's been through worse. Examining the blue hedgehog, he felt his Chaos Energy building up in a burning passion.

Sonic stayed in the arms of the clone, gone limp from the large bruise on his forehead. He almost looked peaceful; but they hurt him. Oh, they were going to pay dearly.

The black hedgehog sent such a heated glare the others way, that the copy stumbled, nearly dropping the blue hedgehog in its arms as it regained its balanced. Not hesitating with the distraction, Shadow jumped into the air, slamming the back of his shoes into the face of the other.

A still unconscious hero was thrown into the air making Shadow stop to catch him. A breath of relief escaping him when the hero landed in his arms safely. At least now he wouldn't have to worry about the faker getting hurt too bad. Although he would still have to explain the bruise to the hedgehog's brother.

His train of thought was interrupted when he was suddenly kicked into the wall of a building. He could hear the sounds of people screaming and yelling at each other to evacuate the area; but the splitting headache hit him full force, making him groan in pain.

Sitting up, the biohog scanned the area with his hyper-focused eyes, seeking the person who had struck him. Despite his eyes being blurry, and his head giving him a run for his money, Shadow noticed another version of himself staring at him.

Carrying Sonic.

Oh hell if he was going to let the copy take the faker. The Ultimate Lifeform got up, his glare was so heated that the nearby Mobians gasped in fear. He walked towards the fake, his teeth bared as growled.

Before the biotic Mobian could react, both hedgehogs were gone; the only thing that signified they hadn't teleported was the streak of gold going towards the left. His shoes activating, Shadow took off after them.

Why was he trying so hard to get the faker back? It wasn't like Sonic couldn't get by on his own. Shadow nearly flew next to the copy, knocking Sonic out of its hold. Grabbing the hero once again, Shadow charged into the woods.

He skated as fast as he could towards the house of a certain rabbit family, hoping they could at least help with Sonic's injury.

THE BLACK HEDGEHOG tapped his foot in an irritated manner, watching as Vanilla cleaned and placed a bandaid on the forehead of the blue hero.

He was worrying. But why?

He had been thinking about it the entire time that they had been here. He had been protecting Sonic, when the blue hedgehog could take care of himself.

But he was unconscious.

He can take care of himself when he wakes up.

Your friends will be mad at you.

They aren't my friends; why should I care anyway?

Because you care for Sonic.

Sometimes he hated his voice of reason. Even though it was right.