Entry 15

I Am… All Of Me

''Can you see all of me? Walk into my mystery! Step inside and hold on for dear life! Do you remember me? Capture you or set you free! I am all, I am all of me! I am, I am all of me! I am... I am, I'm all of me! I am... I am, I'm all of me! I am... I am, I'm all of me! (Here we go!)''

I Am… All Of Me by Shadow The Hedgehog (NateWantsToBattle Cover, Theme of Shadow)

xXxXxXx

-The Memories of The Past: Shadow & Touka-

''…Subject S-2005 vital signs are all normal. All neurological functions are normal, but it is still in a state of unconsciousness. All…''

''Why are you calling him Subject S-2005, Professor? Doesn't he have a name?''

''I don't believe it needs a name, Touka.''

''Hmph, what did you call this project? Project Shadow, right? So, how about calling him Shadow? Shadow the Hedgehog!''

The dark hedgehog inside the stasis pod stirred, but was still in a state of semi-unconsciousness. His ears flicked, having overheard this conversation and his eye-lids barely lifted, his vision hazy, but slightly clearing. He could make out two figures in the room, one an older man, working at a computer, and the other a teenage girl, staring at him through the glass, a warm smile on her lips.

''I hope we can be friends, Shadow,'' she murmured, quiet enough for the man not to hear her, her voice quite soothing. ''I've been looking forward to meeting you. I hope you'll wake up soon.''

Shadow the Hedgehog tried to stir once again, force his body to open his eyes, to signal that he could hear her, but his body felt heavy and weak. He couldn't move a muscle. Then, his vision became hazy once again, darkness following soon as he entered the void.

xXx

''You two really know no limits, do you?'' Dr. Kisaki Kageura sighed as her patient just grinned back at her, sitting on the bed in medbay, the skin on her knees and hands scraped and bloody. ''Had I known what you would've done with the heelys, I would've bought you some safety gear.''

''We were just having fun and the wall was in our way,'' Touka replied, smiling nervously, then gasped in pain as Kisaki started cleaning her wounds. ''That burns!''

''You should be happy you didn't end up with a concussion or worse,'' Shadow, who was standing next to the bed, arms folded across his chest, said. He then lowered his gaze, a look of guilt forming on his expression. ''I never should've agreed to that.''

''No, that's on me,'' Touka replied. Shadow looked up, seeing Touka smiling back and wincing whenever Kisaki touched her injuries. ''I was the one who put on the heelys and convinced you to pull me down the hallway at full speed.''

''Well, someone will have to explain this to Prof. Sakamoto,'' Kisaki noted, applying the bandage to Touka's right knee. Touka pouted, her expression changing when she saw once again the look of guilt Shadow had.

''That is, even if he asks,'' she said casually, glancing at Shadow. ''Don't worry, I'll just tell Prof. Sakamoto that it was another one of my stupid ideas and that you had nothing do with it.''

''He will still scold both you and me. You heard it last time, I'm supposed to protect you, not let you get injured,'' Shadow replied.

''That is only if he learns about the injuries, which he won't,'' Touka assured him. Shadow rose an eyebrow. ''I haven't seen him for a while and I'm sure my injuries will heal in a day or two. Right, Kisaki?''

''I'll give it a week or two if you do something stupid again,'' Kisaki replied dryly. Shadow snorted in amusement, while Touka just gave them an grumpy look. ''Now, let me take a look at your hands.''

Touka extended her hands, which were mostly scraped at the bottom. She bit her lip as Kisaki started cleaning them and applying bandages, wincing at the stinging sensation.

Suddenly, the door opened and a woman was rushed into the room and placed on another bed, looking pale and near death, with another physician tending to her and a nurse drawing the curtains.

''What happened?'' Kisaki asked.

''She had been exposed to an Irregular. I still can't believe they allow one of those to roam around freely,'' the man who brought the woman in replied, gazing at Shadow for a moment, giving him a stern look before leaving. Shadow lowered his head, feeling rather uncomfortable, with both Touka and Kisaki giving him looks of concern. Touka then got off the bed, turning to her friend.

''Hey, Shads, how about we go for a walk?'' Touka suggested, with Shadow nodding. She waved back at Kisaki, both walking past the other patient at a faster pace and entering a hallway. ''How are you doing?''

''I'm… fine,'' Shadow responded, still clearly distressed. The glowering gaze the man gave him, along with the reveal that the woman came into contact with an Irregular was still on his mind.

''Shadow, this isn't your fault,'' Touka said, stepping in front of the dark hedgehog, crouching to be at his eye-level, the bandages on her knees and hands on clear display. ''Again, I was the one with that stupid idea; that fiasco is completely on me. As for what that guy said, he was just being a jerk to you for no reason.''

''I know, but…'' Shadow clenched his fists, tensing as Touka placed her hand on his shoulder. He closed his eyes. ''You and I know both what I am. If I ever become aggressive like any other Irregular, I will hurt you. I cannot let that happen.''

''You won't,'' Touka responded.

''How can you be so sure?'' Shadow shook his head as he looked up at her, frustrated, his crimson eyes glinting.

''Because I know you, and I know you would never hurt me. The fact that you're so worried about something like that happening says how much you care,'' Touka told him in a calm and soothing, yet firm tone. Shadow stared at her, taking a deep breath and trying to relax. He knew that Touka was right and that he would never intentionally hurt her, but he was also afraid. He was quite powerful, and that power made him incredibly dangerous. If he were out of control, he could easily end the life of everyone he came across.

''You're right,'' Shadow replied, sighing.

''Not to mention, you're too stubborn to act against your own morals,'' Touka added, with Shadow giving her an exasperated look.

''Touka, I get it,'' he said, trying to sound annoyed, but his aloof demeanor cracked when he saw Touka smiling at him. She knew him too well. However, his mood switched right back to irritated when he noticed a very familiar grin on Touka's lips. ''I know that look. What are you up to now?''

''Oh, I'm just hungry,'' Touka replied as she got up.

''Then you'll have to wait for dinner,'' Shadow noted, folding his arms across his chest. His eyes narrowed when Touka kept smiling. ''I should've seen this coming.''

''I had thought that we could pick up a quick snack,'' Touka replied. ''We had muffins for lunch today, and I'm sure there are leftovers.''

''If we get caught, we'll be in huge trouble. You know that we're not supposed to be at the cafeteria between hours,'' Shadow reminded her.

''We?'' Touka gave him a curious look. Shadow smirked.

''Do you really think I'd let you go on your own?'' he asked.

''Of course not,'' Touka responded, beckoning Shadow to follow her. This wasn't her first time sneaking into the kitchen to get a quick snack. ''Fortunately, the kitchen staff is on break, but we'll have to hurry up.''

''What if someone returns early?'' Shadow asked.

''You could use your Chaos Control ability to warp us to our room. After all, you told me that Prof. Sakamoto told you that you need to practice it,'' Touka suggested. Shadow fell silent for a moment, looking doubtful.

''I'm not sure…'' he muttered. ''I had just learned how to properly control it. I don't know whether I'll be able to warp both of us away.''

''Then you should warp away so you wouldn't get caught,'' Touka replied, with Shadow giving her a troubled look. She just smiled back innocently. ''I'll be fine, trust me.''

''You said the same before you crashed into the wall,'' Shadow pointed out. Touka just gave him a sheepish smile, with Shadow sighing. ''I can't believe I'm going along with this.'' He looked up at her. ''Fine, we'll do this quick. Just grab whatever you want and we'll get out before anyone notices.''

''Yay!''

Shadow felt exasperated, but he had to admit that a part of him enjoyed participating in Touka's antics. She searched for ways to cure her own boredom and causing trouble for herself and everyone else was one of her ways of dealing with it. It certainly made things more interesting, if frustrating, allowing them to break the routine they became accustomed to. Day in, day out, Shadow would attend mandatory lessons and training, followed by exams overseen by Professor Sakamoto, his own creator. The only time he got to do something interesting was when he was with Touka.

''Here we are,'' Touka said as they reached the cafeteria. They took a look at the hallway, making sure they were alone, then poked their heads into the room. Touka glanced down at Shadow, who looked up. ''It's empty.''

''Then, let's go,'' Shadow replied, both of them running into the room, or skating in Shadow's case. They sneaked into the kitchen, keeping an eye out for anyone who might find them.

''We're in,'' Touka said, smirking and looking around. ''Now, where are those muffins?''

''Over here,'' Shadow called out for her, pointing at a covered basket on one of the cabinets. Touka joined him, taking off the napkin covering the basket.

''Pick one,'' she said, looking down at the muffins. ''I don't think anyone will notice if two are missing.''

Shadow took one, while Touka grabbed hers, arranging the rest to look like they hadn't been touched. Just then, both froze as they heard steps and someone walking towards them.

''Uh, oh…'' Touka and Shadow turned to each other, eyes wide in a moment of panic. Touka grabbed Shadow's hand, dragging him behind a prep station, both of them crouching down.

''Uh, Shadow?'' Touka turned to the dark hedgehog. ''I think now would be a right time to…''

''Right,'' Shadow replied, grabbing her hand. ''Chaos Control!''

xXx

A flash of light blue light appeared in Touka and Shadow's room, followed by both of them dropping on the ground facedown, Shadow landing on top of Touka. Both groaned in pain.

''I still need to work on the landing,'' Shadow grumbled, both him and Touka feeling sore.

''Did the muffin survive?'' Touka asked, looking up at him and holding up her own. Shadow glanced at the muffin in his hand.

''It did,'' he replied.

''Then, I'd call this mission successful,'' Touka replied, giving him a thumbs up. Both then got up, sitting down on the floor, with Touka tearing away the wrapping around the chocolate-covered muffin, Shadow mimicking her. ''I hope this has managed to get your mind off what had happened.''

''I guess it did,'' Shadow responded taking a bite off the muffin, his eyes narrowing. ''It made me worry about what kind of trouble you'll get into yourself next.''

''In the end, it worked out,'' Touka replied, smiling sheepishly at him. Shadow glanced down at the muffin in his hand.

''I appreciate you trying to make me feel better, but we both know I will never be accepted here,'' he noted, looking up at her. ''It doesn't matter to me, though. As long as you trust me-''

Shadow suddenly got cut off when Touka just hugged him. Even though he didn't like any kind of physical contact, he made an exception for Touka, who loved to snuggle up to him at the most unexpected of times. He'd find himself to be at ease, glad that she had an uncanny ability to read him like an open book, especially when he had troubles voicing how he felt. Any time he felt upset, she was there for him, not leaving his side until he was fine.

Still, his worries would continue to resurface.

xXx

Touka was lying on her bed, reading a book and waiting for Shadow to return from his training. Kisaki had gotten them a board game, which Touka was excited to try out. Shadow was just happy that Touka wasn't thinking of way to get herself into trouble again. The door suddenly opened, with Touka looking up, expecting the dark hedgehog to enter the room, only to be startled by Professor Sakamoto half-asking, half-shouting.

''Where is he?''

''Wh-Who?'' Touka got up, giving the Professor a confused look. Sakamoto groaned in annoyance.

''I'm talking about Sub- Shadow. He didn't come to his training session and I thought he was still with you,'' he explained.

''No, he isn't. He had actually left for the training earlier,'' Touka replied, furrowing a brow.

''Are you sure you don't know where he is?'' Sakamoto asked her, still annoyed.

''No, I don't,'' Touka replied. Sakamoto gave her a suspicious look, then turned on his heel, leaving.

''I can't believe that hedgehog is making me search for him,'' he grumbled under his breath. ''When I find him, he's getting an earful for this…''

Touka walked into the hallway, Sakamoto's words having struck a nerve with her. Frankly, she didn't like Sakamoto, and the head scientist of the Codex Research Facility wasn't fond of her either, even though he took the responsibility of being her guardian. Despite being a brilliant scientist, he could be quite ill-tempered whenever he ran out of patience or she asked the wrong questions. Touka could handle him, but she didn't like the way he talked about Shadow. She was worried that something may have happened to him, deciding to find him on her own. She was being honest when she told Sakamoto that she had no idea where Shadow was, but she omitted the fact that she already had an idea where he might be, if he was trying to hide from his creator. The Codex Research Facility may have been a huge place, but Touka was quite familiar with the layout. If someone wanted to hide inside the place, she would find them.

xXx

Shadow was gazing ahead forlornly, sitting on the cold ground at a corner in one of the storage rooms, surrounded by huge wooden crates. He clutched one arm with the other, trying to ignore the pain in his chest. He wasn't injured nor ill, but he still felt like he was suffocating. Something was pressing against his chest and no matter how much he tried to ignore it, it was only growing stronger and stronger until it overwhelmed him. He had to leave, being haunted by this strange sensation, being haunted by that feeling and the words that followed it. He felt sick to his stomach, feeling like he would pass out. He knew that it was all in his head, but he had no idea how to fight it. Shadow gritted his teeth, closing his eyes as his fingers dug into his arm, hoping that the sensation of phyiscal pain would combat the mental one. It was awful.

''Shadow?'' Shadow suddenly looked up, alert. To his relief, it was just Touka, who climbed over a crate and crouched next to him, a look of concern on her expression. ''Are you okay?''

''How did you know I was here?'' Shadow asked her. Touka sat next to him.

''I was the one who had shown you all the hiding spots. Did you really think I wouldn't be able to find you?'' she asked. Shadow just gave her a half-smile, figuring that he should've known. ''Prof. Sakamoto told me that you missed out on your training practice. He's searching for you.''

Shadow frowned, lowering his gaze. ''He's furious, isn't he?''

''Yeah,'' Touka replied in a despondent tone. ''I hadn't told him that I had an idea where you are. I figured that it would be better if I talked to you.'' Shadow remained silent, with Touka continuing, ''Shadow, what had happened? Why are you here?''

Shadow remained silent, seemingly unwilling to answer her question. He then tried to respond, but then shook his head, the pressure on his chest only growing to the point it genuinely hurt. His throat felt dry and he started suffocating again. He pressed his hand against the white fur, digging his fingers into the chest, trying to fight the pain away. It was tearing him from inside out.

Why won't it stop?! Why does it hurt so much?!

He gasped for air as he suddenly felt Touka embracing him. He didn't even know he was shaking, the corners of his eyes shimmering. The pain was still there, but now a new, warmer sensation overcame it, and Shadow buried his head into Touka's chest, eyes closed as he hugged her back. He never wanted to let go of her again.

''It's fine if you don't want to talk about it,'' Touka whispered, nuzzling Shadow. ''But, don't ever think I wouldn't be there for you when you need help.''

They sat there for what seemed to be ages, with Touka then shifting and leaning against the wall, placing Shadow in her lap so his legs were dangling over her tight, allowing him to lean against her chest. She kept her hands wrapped around him, Shadow's ears twitching as he heard her heart-beat. It was quite soothing, calming his down. The feeling of pain and suffocation was still there, but it grew weaker. They remained sitting in silence.

''I don't want to go back,'' Shadow muttered, his voice barely louder than a whisper.

''What happened?'' Touka asked curiously. Shadow was silent, clearly reluctant to answer the question.

''The Professor has… has deemed me a failure,'' he replied.

''What?'' Touka's eyes widened in surprise. Admittedly, Shadow never talked about his training, unless it was about showing off his skills, so she had little knowledge of what he was doing, or rather, what Sakamoto made him to do.

''He had told me that my general performance is below the standards he had set; that nothing I do is good enough,'' Shadow continued, feeling the pressure that weighted on his chest slowly crumbling. ''I perform at my best, but he constantly demands that I be better, faster, stronger, and it's…''

''It's a lot of pressure,'' Touka finished the sentence when he went silent again. Shadow simply nodded.

''I don't know what he wants from me anymore,'' Shadow said, looking up at Touka in disbelief. ''I am the strongest Irregular in existence. I had won against any opponent I had faced during the training, mastered my powers, strength and speed. Yet, it feels like it's not enough. I don't understand what I'm doing wrong.''

''It sounds to me that the Prof. Sakamoto is just being a jerk and giving you a tough time for no reason,'' Touka said, frowning. ''Trust me, no matter how good the results are, he still won't be happy about it. If he starts complaining again, just ignore him. That's how I've been dealing with him for the past months.''

''I noticed,'' Shadow said, smirking. He then sighed tiredly, leaning against her, grabbing her arm. ''However, his words still won't leave my head. Every time I do something, I start doubting myself, wondering if the way I completed my task is good enough. It is something that is staying with me even if the Professor isn't around.'' He shook his head. ''But, it's not just that. Remember what happened with Prof. Bailey?''

Touka hummed as she tried to remember whom he was referring to, only for her eyes to narrow. ''You mean the woman who called you a 'thing' and and was angry at Prof. Sakamoto for not killing you off, and started insulting you for being an Irregular? Yeah, I do.''

''You then spilled ink all over her research papers and got into trouble for that,'' Shadow continued in a quiet tone.

''Yeah, I did, and I'm proud of that,'' Touka replied, feeling the rage bubbling inside her as she remembered Prof. Bailey's haughty look after she told Shadow that he was worth nothing. She also remembered how hurt Shadow was when he was basically insulted for just existing. ''I wish I could've done more, but she keeps her room locked.''

''You didn't have to do that for me,'' Shadow said, with Touka giving him a confused look. ''I should've handled the situation on my own.''

''I wasn't going to let her just insult you like that and walk away without any consequences,'' Touka said in a firm, yet gentle tone. She tilted her head as Shadow lowered his gaze.

''That wasn't the only time you had protected me,'' he continued. ''Even if they don't say it, no one here is fond of me, except for you and maybe Dr. Kageura. They all look at me like I'm some kind of dangerous weapon, just waiting when I'll attack one of them. They're afraid, but they know that I won't hurt them, so they keep insulting me because they know they can get away with it.''

''Shadow…'' Touka trailed off, feeling a lump in her throat. The rage that had started bubbling inside her was now rapidly expanding through the rest of her body.

''I don't really care anymore what they're telling me, but I feel that I should be the one to stand up to them, not you,'' Shadow continued, the accumulated sensation of pressure and pain finally breaking him as he felt the corners of his eyes tearing. He just blinked, trying to compose himself. ''I am The Ultimate Lifeform. I should be able to deal with this.'' He clenched his fists, his fingers digging into the palms of his hand, his tone growing more and more frustrated. ''But, I can't… Any time I try to speak up, it feels like someone knocked the wind out of me. I should be protecting you, not you protecting me.'' He groaned in frustration. ''Maybe the Professor is right… Maybe I am a failure.''

''Shads, you're not a failure and you will never be one.'' Touka's gentle tone caused Shadow to look up, noting the soft gaze in her eyes. ''You are someone who has been put under a lot of pressure in an environment where no one cares about how you feel, only what you can do. You don't want to show how much all of that has affected you, but I can see just how hurt you are. I know that you'd rather solve problems on your own, but you shouldn't be ashamed of allowing yourself to take a step back and let someone else handle a situation you cannot.'' Touka then smiled. ''Besides, remember what Kisaki had said? She told us that we're acting like siblings, and as your older sister, it is my duty to take care of you. I will always put your happiness and safety above mine, just like you'd for me.''

Shadow stared at her for a moment, the frown on his expression wavering and he smiled, pressing his head against her chest. He took a deep breath, trying to calm down.

''You always know how to say the right thing,'' he muttered. ''Although, I recall that when Dr. Kageura told us that, she also said that siblings don't always get along; and then proceeded to explain how she once almost knocked her sister's teeth out for stealing her diary when they were younger.''

Touka snorted. ''I really hope we won't end up arguing like that.''

''As far as I know, you don't even have a diary,'' Shadow said bluntly, only for Touka to nuzzle him, causing the former to smile in response.

''Yeah, that's because I share all of my secrets with you,'' she said. Shadow just nodded, taking another deep breath and leaning against her.

''I guess we should return,'' he muttered. He didn't want to get up yet, feeling exhausted.

''I think we can stay here for a while longer,'' Touka said, with Shadow looking up at her. She had once again that mischievous grin on her expression. ''As your older sister, I recommend that you first rest and recover before you go training again.''

''But, what about the Professor?'' Shadow asked.

''Don't worry, I'll take care of him,'' Touka replied, winking at him. Her expression then changed to an annoyed one. ''I will make sure that he won't ever hurt you like that again.''

Shadow snorted. ''You can be scary when you get angry.''

''Oh, I'm not angry,'' Touka replied in a casual tone, then frowned. ''I'm furious.''

''That's reassuring,'' Shadow said sarcastically. However, he felt a lot more at ease after the talk he had with her, his eyes closing as he drifted off to sleep. He wanted nothing more but, for once, to be at peace.

xXx

''What are you talking about?''

''You heard me. Shadow won't participate in any of the training unless I'm present,'' Touka told Sakamoto in a firm tone, arms folded across her chest. After Shadow had a long nap, the two returned back to the training area, where they found a furious Sakamoto. He was about to yell at them for vanishing and was enraged at Shadow for not showing up to his mandatory training, but quickly shut up when Touka told him that Shadow wasn't going to participate in the training anymore.

''How dare you?! You have no authority to…'' Sakamoto took a step forward, raising his arm, only for Shadow to step right between him and Touka, quills bristling. He glared at his creator, a red aura building around him.

''Don't you dare to touch her,'' Shadow growled, causing Sakamoto to step back. There was a hint of fear in his eyes, and he gulped, staring back at the two for a moment.

''Fine,'' he relented, well aware that Shadow could end his life right then and there. ''Touka can be part of your training.''

Shadow stepped back, him and Touka exchanging looks of satisfaction, only for the room to suddenly fall apart. Shadow looked around in the dark space, suddenly realizing that he was holding onto Touka's arm, and stepped back as he stared in shock at her pale, cold body lying on the floor.

''No…''

He heard a screech, his eyes widening as a monstrous Irregular leaped at him, its maw filled with rows of sharp teeth about to take a bite out of him. He was knocked down, and the floor bellow him crumbled, causing him to fall into the void.

xXx

-Present Day-

Shadow gasped as he awoke with a start, sitting up on the couch, the blanket he covered himself with lying on the floor. His head hurt and he pressed his hand against his temple, looking around as he tried to figure out where he was. It took him a moment to realize that he was in his and Touka's attic room, his air shoes lying on the ground next to the couch. He sighed in relief, realizing that he just had a nightmare. Admittedly, it wasn't the first time he had experienced something like that, and this nightmare wasn't even the worst he had. Still, he was shaken by the experience, having his subconscious remind him of his worst fears.

Shadow glanced at the bed behind him, where Touka was still fast asleep. She had offered him to sleep in her bed, but Shadow opted for the couch instead, not really caring where he'd sleep as long as they stayed in the same room. Combing with his fingers through his quills, Shadow leaned against the couch, still staring at Touka. He knew that it was still late in the night and that he should go back to sleep, but he couldn't. He knew it was irrational to feel like this, especially since they were far away from Codex, which had been shut down for at least a decade, and that nobody could take Touka away from him now. However, there was this feeling, the paranoia that was slowly clawing away any sense of rational thought and serenity, leaving him with an sense of emptiness and anxiety. It was maddening, and the only way to deal with it was to stay awake the whole night, making sure Touka was safe.

''…Shadow?''

Lost in his thoughts, Shadow hadn't noticed Touka stir and wake up. She sat up, rubbing her eyes and yawning as she gave him a puzzled look, still not completely awake.

''Did I wake you up?'' Shadow asked. Touka yawned again.

''Nah, I just felt like waking up…'' she muttered, rising an eyebrow. ''Why are you awake?''

''I can't sleep,'' Shadow admitted, lowering his head. ''I… I had…''

''Shadow, do you want talk?'' Touka asked, pointing at the spot next to her. Shadow nodded, getting off the couch and walking up to the bed, with Touka shifting away to make space for him. He leaned against the pillow, staring ahead.

''This shouldn't be happening to me…'' he muttered.

Touka gave him an empathetic gaze, well aware of what was going through his head. She could remember the times she would wake up in her bed at Codex, finding him sitting on his bed, staring at her, his crimson eyes almost glowing in the dim light present in the dark room. The first time it had happened, it was quite an eerie experience, but when Touka learned that he had experienced a nightmare, she let him sleep in her bed, as her close presence seemed to calm him down. He never told her what the nightmare was about, only expressing stubbornly that he shouldn't have had any nightmares; he shouldn't fear anything. It took a while for Touka to learn what he was so afraid of, as he refused to talk about it, and she would assure him that having nightmares or fears wasn't something he should be ashamed of. He could be quite prideful, and it took a lot of patience from Touka to finally get him to open up.

''So, what was the nightmare about?'' Touka asked him. Shadow's eyes narrowed, his ears drooping.

''I had a nightmare of losing you again,'' Shadow finally admitted.

''I see… It must be really hard for you to adjust to this whole situation,'' Touka noted.

''I'll be fine… I just need more time,'' Shadow replied, leaning against Touka, feeling her arms wrapping around him, making sure she wouldn't get pricked by his quills.

''I'm sure you will, but I think it would be better if you get to do something that will keep your mind off what had happened at Codex,'' Touka replied. Shadow rose an eyebrow, giving her a suspicious look.

''First, what are you up to now? Second, how worried should I be?'' he asked. Touka furrowed a brow.

''I was actually thinking of introducing you to hoverboard racing,'' she explained. Shadow snorted.

''I guess that isn't as bad as your previous ideas,'' he noted. Touka just rolled her eyes, noticing a smug look on Shadow's expression. Instead of responding, Touka just nuzzled him. This was just a little teasing between them, something they both missed and were glad to return back to how things used to be before all this mess. Obviously, they still would have to deal with their past, but for now, they just wanted to relax and enjoy the moment they had. Tomorrow could wait.

xXx

''They should be here somewhere,'' Lucas said as he and Sonic entered the Solar Stadium.

They had gotten earlier a call from Silver, who told them that he had encountered Shadow the previous night and that he might want to talk to Sonic. The moment Sonic heard that, he ran off towards the Kageura residence, leaving Lucas wondering whether he should even bother discussing with Sonic if that was even a good idea. It took the hedgehog maybe about five minutes to return, telling Lucas how he ran into Kisaki just before she went to work, and she told him that Shadow and Touka weren't at home and they'll most likely find the two at the Solar Stadium.

''Maybe they're on one of the tracks,'' Sonic suggested, observing the people and ARNavs around them. The Solar Stadium was a circular arena where people could participate in hoverboard races through specialized AR Fields that placed them in different environment and allowed for multiple races to occur at the same time. All they had to do was to select a track on one of the holographic screens that were posted around the stadium. Eventually, they spotted the two exiting an AR Field, with Touka in the lead and Shadow following closely behind her, both crossing the finish line.

''I may have won, but that was close,'' Touka told Shadow as she stopped the hoverboard, taking a deep breath of relief. ''You almost had me there.''

''I've been learning from an expert. What did you expect?'' Shadow responded, giving Touka a confident smirk. He had to admit, he had been a bit doubtful when she had introduced him to her new hobby, but he genuinely enjoyed racing against her. Touka just smiled back, well aware that if Shadow used his natural speed, there was no way she could beat him. However, before she could respond, the two heard a familiar voice.

''Hey, Shadow!'' They turned their heads to the source, Shadow's smirk fading into a frown as he saw Sonic and Lucas approaching them. He wasn't in mood to deal with the blue hedgehog. ''It's great to see you again.''

''What are you doing here, Blue Hedgehog?'' Shadow asked, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Sonic.

''I had heard from Silver that you wanted to talk to me,'' Sonic replied. Touka rose an eyebrow, glancing at Shadow questioningly, who didn't notice her reaction.

''Don't you think that if I wanted to talk to you, I would've done it on my own terms?'' Shadow responded, taking a step towards Sonic. Sonic just grinned back in response, while Lucas next to him just sighed.

''I guess I should've thought about that,'' Sonic said sheepishly. ''Still, since I'm already here…''

''No.'' Shadow's response was blunt and curt. Sonic just gave him an exasperated look, his eye-lids lowered. He then tilted his head, observing the hoverboard in Shadow's hands and then grinned.

''Do you want to race?'' Sonic asked, summoning his own hoverboard. Shadow rose an eyebrow, looking reluctant about whether he'd take him upon the offer, but Sonic continued with his goading, ''Don't tell me that you're afraid of losing.''

Shadow knew that Sonic was just baiting him,… and he hated that it was working. He knew that Sonic was quite a challenging and persistent opponent when it came to battles, and that he wasn't going to leave him alone so easily, no matter what he said or did. They were equals in terms of strength and speed, and both of them loved a good challenge.

''Hmph,'' Shadow scoffed. ''I will wipe that stupid smirk of your face.''

''You would have to catch me first,'' Sonic replied, running off to the holographic screen, choosing a racing track and joining Shadow at the start of it. ''Ready?''

''Try keeping up with me, slowpoke,'' Shadow responded, right as they started their race, entering the AR Field. Sonic's ears were pinned back.

''Oh, you did not-!'' he shouted, half-grinning as he followed Shadow.

Meanwhile, Touka and Lucas exchanged glances, with Touka sighing as she looked at him.

''This is going to be a thing, isn't it?''

''Are you upset about it?'' Lucas asked her. Touka shook her head, her arms folded across her chest.

''Not really,'' she replied, a faint hint of a smile on her lips. Admittedly, she did bring Shadow here to get his mind off what had happened in the past days, and having Sonic around helped a lot.

Meanwhile, the two hedgehogs were racing through a jungle-like terrain, Sonic having caught up to Shadow, both weaving between the trees and grinding down a log placed over a cliff. Shadow was still in the lead, turning his head back to Sonic as the latter tried to get past him. Despite being in the back, Sonic gave him a confident look, jumping through an accelerator, a ring floating in mid-air with tracks that had arrows on them, allowing a short burst of speed. It was enough for Sonic to overtake Shadow.

''How is that for a 'slowpoke'?'' Sonic turned briefly to Shadow, grinning triumphantly. Shadow remained focused, his eyes briefly narrowing as he crouched. Sonic turned around, his eyes widening and quickly ducked as they entered a huge tree with a hollow entrance, exiting at a river that led to a waterfall, both jumping on the grind rails covered in vines. ''Man, that was close!''

''Hmph, you should pay more attention to your surroundings, Hedgehog,'' Shadow had told him, the two now head-to-head.

''Yeah, I probably should, but a little bantering makes the race even more exciting, don't you think so, Shads?'' Sonic replied. Shadow just glanced at him, then looked back at the track, still focused on the race. The two then jumped off the grind rail, entering the last part of the race, now speeding right next to each other. Sonic gave him a somewhat puzzled look, but then turned to the track, now determined. They both exited the AR Field, crossing the finish line at the same moment. They came to a halt, exchanging glances. Sonic grinned. ''I guess it's a tie. Do you want to have another go at it?''

''Why are you so insistent on talking to me?'' Shadow asked.

''I guess I'm just curious,'' Sonic replied, shrugging casually. ''On the other hand, since you're not too thrilled to talk to me, I had figured that I should find another way of communicating with you.''

''I had already figured that that's why you had asked me for a race,'' Shadow noted, folding his arms across his chest.

''It did work, didn't it?'' Sonic replied, placing his hands behind his quills.

''Not as much as you believe,'' Shadow responded.

''Maybe, but we are having a conversation,'' Sonic said. Shadow hated to admit that the blue hedgehog was right. He contemplated whether he should give in and just talk to Sonic about what was bothering him. He did say that he wanted to talk to him, but on the other hand, he didn't want to make this easy for the latter.

''You said you wanted another hoverboard race,'' Shadow said. ''If you win, then we'll talk. If not, you'll leave me alone.''

''Challange accepted,'' Sonic said confidently.

xXx

Dr. Telos Tamago, the CEO of the Tamago Corporation, walked through the hallways of his facility, talking to a group of people. He was a tall man with short brown hair and a well-groomed handlebar moustache, wearing a black suit and gloves. The people he was talking to were mostly buyers from other companies and investors, all interested in the newest product – the Buddy Bot, which would allow ARNavs to roam outside the AR Fields without suffering from any consequences.

''…as a sign of good will, we are also planning to donate to the St. Nicholas Children's Hospital,'' Tamago continued the conversation.

''A donation? That is quite generous…'' One of the investors was silenced when Tamago held up his hand.

''The units will be all sent out tomorrow. The Buddy Bots were already transported to the stores and companies, and any orders will be delivered in time,'' Tamago replied. ''I assure you, sir, that our company will make sure that everyone will get their Buddy Bot, to share in the joy of having their ARNav participate in activities they couldn't before. Now, if you would please excuse me, our tour has come to an end and I have still work to do.''

Tamago waved over one of the receptionists, telling her to escort the group, while he left, walking deeper and deeper into the facility. Eventually, he reached what appeared to be a dead end, stopping in front of a wall. His brown eyes flashed red for a moment, being scanned by the well-hidden scanner on the wall. The wall then opened, turning out to be a door to another part of the facility. He walked through the corridors, knowing well where he was supposed to go. He soon reached an office, entering it and sitting down in the chair and leaning back, before gazing into the place emptily and sitting completely motionless.

He didn't even react to the door opening, with two diminutive robots entering the room, one red with a mostly round body and the other yellow with a cubical body.

''It appears that everything is going according to your plan, sir.''

The red robot turned to the person who followed them inside the room; an obese, tall and burly man with a torso shaped roughly like an egg, a bald head, a pinkish nose and a mahogany-colored bushy unkempt mustache. He was wearing green-lensed goggles on the top of his head and his eyes were covered by dark blue tinted pince-nez glasses. For his attire, he was wearing an elegant, red coat sporting two square metal buttons on both sides of the chest in gold. These buttons had white straps that ran across the coat's sides to identical buttons on the back. The coat also had silver, zipper-like linings down the back, arms, and front, yellow cuffs, and two extensions on the front that have large silver buttons. In addition, he was wearing white, cuffless gloves on his hands and a pair of black pants with matching boots seemingly attached to them bearing circular plates on the both sides of the ankles and three square ones riding up the shin.

''Of course it is, Orbot! Did you really think…'' the man trailed off when he saw the Tamago. He frowned, glaring at the other man. ''I believe that you are sitting in my chair.''

Without a word, Tamago got up and walked over to the side of the room, with the other man sitting down, grumbling under his breath, ''I swear, those androids know no respect…''

''Well, Boss, you did program him to act as the representative of the Tamago Corporation,'' the yellow robot pointed out.

''I know that, Cubot!'' the man growled, the two robots cowering, and waved his hand at the android in the corner of the room, causing the latter to leave the room. ''I had already told you two that I had done it so my brilliant mind wouldn't be bothered by trivial matter such as leading a megacorporation.''

Doctor Eggman leaned back, clasping his hands as a wide grin spread across his lips, Orbot and Cubot looking up at him.

''Soon, Neos City will feel the wrath of The Eggman Empire.''