((AN: Silver and Amy's part has some parasite stuff in it again. Sonic and Shadow's part has guns.))

Silver returned to The Nest just in time to see a face he recognized. Blaze… that was the name of the cat. Yes. He had known her before. He couldn't see through her eyes, he realized, and instantly felt the stirring inside of him. Before he could do anything, though, she fixed her eyes on him and started heading his way.

"Silver!" she exclaimed. "You said you were going to meet me at noon yesterday! Why are you here, of all places?"

Silver looked at her, puzzled by her question. "I needed to Sleep."

She cocked her head to the side. "That's what Amy said too, but why didn't you go home? And who sleeps in the middle of the day?"

"Home?" he asked. "I didn't know where to Sleep. The woman took me here."

Silver started to walk inside, grabbing Blaze's arm and taking her with him. She seemed confused - Silver normally wasn't so forceful - but Silver didn't know anything was wrong. "What woman?"

"She is near the post office now," he said. "She was Sleeping on a park bench."

"Are you okay?"

"Amy said I had a Head injury. I don't think that's true."

"A head - Silver, we need to take you to the hospital!"

Silver blinked, remembering the prior day's events. "That's what Amy said." He shivered again - the happiness was more frequent, now that there were more of them to spread the black. He longed for the day when people were given the Purpose so often, he would always feel the pleasure. It would be a continuous wave, carrying him and the others forward, a constant reward for their…no, not a reward. You don't get rewarded for things you are made to do. A reminder. A constant reminder of their place in the world. "We can go later. There is something we need to do now."

"What–"

The door to The Nest creaked open. Amy stood up perfectly straight in the hallway, like a mannequin in a shop window. For some reason, Blaze found it unnerving. "Blaze," she said, "come inside. We need to show you something."

"No!" Blaze clutched the sleeves of her coat. It didn't make sense - her fur was standing on end, but she wasn't in any danger. What she was was frustrated, almost angry. She looked at Silver first. "You didn't come when you said you would. You didn't even call me! And you–" she said, looking at Amy, "You said you would tell me when you found him, and you didn't! So what I want to know, before I take another step anywhere, is why you two decided it would be a better idea to sleep in a homeless shelter - when you're not homeless, I might add – when I was concerned that both of you were okay!"

The two of them stayed still, blinking. "Are you Sad?" they asked, this time in unison.

"No, I'm angry! And you're freaking me out!" The fabric started to leave imprints in her fingers - she could almost smell it starting to scorch. "You know what, forget it. I'm going home. This is all too weird, and I don't have time for it."

Amy began to speak when she suddenly fell to the ground. Her breathing became heavy and labored, like she was giving birth. A smile came on her face. "Blaze," she said, "you need to know…you don't need to be angry anymo–"

Her words were interrupted with her own heaving. Blaze's eyes widened as Amy seemingly drooled, then fully threw up on the front steps of The Nest. Her body shook with the effort of it, like she was overwhelmed from the inside. "Oh Chaos, you really are sick! Are you both – no, we need to get you to a hospital. That's not normal!"

"It is coming," Silver said, ignoring her. "It needs you, Blaze, or it will not survive."

She had tried to look away from the pool of sick in the street - that's disgusting, and there was no real reason for it - but she noticed that it didn't look right, even for what it was. She had heard of people vomiting blood when things were seriously wrong, or even things that looked like coffee grounds. But this was something else. It was a deep black, almost metallic looking, and it moved. On its own.

That's messed up.

What's worse, Amy was touching it. It was – oh Chaos, it was crawling up her arm! She looked at it like it was a pet garter snake, not something that came out of her. Blaze had to stop herself from throwing up too from pure disgust. "It's for you, Blaze," Amy told her. Her lazy smile unnerved Blaze as she 'pet' the black goop, now pooling in the center of her hand. "So many are scared at first, but there's no use in fighting it. Can't you see how happy we are? Can't you see how much better it is?"

Blaze started to back away, but Silver grabbed her by the shoulders. Now she was really starting to panic. "Let go of me!"

Amy took her hand, covered in the goop, and placed it on Blaze's chest. Her half lidded eyes told Blaze she didn't care what she was saying. "You have no idea how good it feels, Blaze. We can feel it as it crawls inside of you… as it goes into your warm, pulsating blood… as it makes your mind better, more efficient, more connected. It's perfect, Blaze. It's everything."

Blaze turned her head, and sure enough, Silver had the same expression on his own face. Her heart felt like it was pounding out of her chest as she felt the goop squirm, wriggling up her body.

I'm sorry, you two. I have no choice.

With hot hands, she touched Silver's arms first. He screamed, immediately letting Blaze go as it burned him. With the space, she tucked down, giving Amy a jab to the solar plexus and using a leg sweep to bring her to the ground. She had caught them by surprise (or maybe they were just that out of sorts); the two of them spiraled in on themselves, focusing on their pain, while she tried to push off the black goop. It only stuck to her, not slowing at all. She could only think of one more thing to do, and it was going to hurt.

The fire in her palms raged, and she turned it on her own chest. The pain of it scorching her burned and festered. She held back tears, but some spilled out anyway. It was effective, though - the black thing fizzed and hissed as it burned, falling off of her in a dead lump and dropping to the street. Blaze felt relieved - she could fight it off, and she had – but Silver and Amy looked visibly distraught. Before the two caught hold of their senses, she started to run as fast as her legs could carry her. She didn't dare look back to see if they were following her, instead sprinting down the road until she was sure she had lost them. The two thought to look after her until they noticed something from a pair of eyes further down the street. It was small, very small, but a tiny piece of the Purpose still moved on her shoulder.

They smiled. It may be slower, but it was only a matter of time until she understood. Blaze would be part of them soon. She would think the same things they did, feel what they feel, want what they want - there was no escaping it, not now. Besides, their eyes were everywhere. She couldn't be hidden for long.

The two stepped side by side. She had been right about one thing, though. They should go to the hospital. They could do so much to help people there.

Nack got the barrels set up in the back, drawing targets on a few and lining them up just right. He looked satisfied with himself, a childlike happiness showing itself in each action. Sonic and Shadow, however, were far away from the point, and much less cheery.

"I still don't understand it," Shadow said. "You're always the one who is telling people to do the right thing. This…betting, illegal trades, everything… it doesn't seem like you."

Sonic shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not exactly a saint, Shadow. I've broken laws before to get things done. Broken buildings, cars…."

"Those are all collateral damage. This is purposeful and manipulative, and it's not something I thought you capable of doing."

Sonic flinched. "Are you saying I made the wrong call?"

"I would have done the same. I just–"

"Nothing is illegal about this if you win, right?"

Shadow grimaced. "That's not the point–"

"And you are going to win, right?"

Shadow stopped, then scoffed. "Like there's any doubt I'll win. But–"

"Then you don't have to worry about it! You'll do great, I know it."

Shadow loaded the pistol, aiming it at the ground. Even though it wasn't actually his, it looked like it fit perfectly in his hands. "Don't get me wrong. It's not a judgement. It's only…unexpected, if I had to choose a word."

"Well, maybe you know less about me than you thought."

Shadow looked up, focusing on the new targets on the barrels. It was as if the only thing stopping him from aiming and firing was Nack - and even then, only barely. "Is that so?" he asked, his voice suddenly dry. "And what do I need to know about you, Sonic? Is there something you want to tell me?"

The question shouldn't have caught Sonic off guard, but it did. The truth of it was, there were so many things he wanted to say, but he didn't know where to start. He was never tongue tied before - if anything, it was hard to get him to shut up - but there were simply too many things sticking in his throat. "I–"

He was interrupted by banging metal and Nack clamoring over the barrels. "Alright, so here's the rules!" Nack said, obviously excited. "Each pistol holds five bullets, and each marksman his own barrel. Starting line from back here to the barrels is about…what do you think that is, about 25 yards? All shots are fired from concealment in the span of five seconds. Best three shots, closest to the center of the target, win. If your gun jams or misfires…well, that's your own tough luck. Sound good, stripes?"

Shadow scowled. "Child's play. Let's go. You first."

Nack grinned, and fired. The shots went wicked fast, smoke drifting upwards from the tip seconds after the last. The barrel cracked loudly, and dust drifted in the air. He lifted the tip towards his mouth and blew the smoke off the top. "Told you I was the best," he huffed, his chest puffed out with pride.

The dust settled, and a pit sunk in Sonic's stomach. All five shots hit the barrel - one on the outer most ring, two on the middle, and two just barely off dead center. "No way," he said, jaw gaping open. He knew Nack was good, but had no idea he was that good.

"Fang the Sniper gets it again! I'd like to see you beat that - or, you know, try."

Shadow huffed. "Child's play."

"Really? Then go ahead. Shoot."

Shadow looked at the barrel with a cool gaze, his fingers twitching. The wind blew past, carrying a few colored leaves from some far off, unseen tree, and Shadow waited. He looked calm…focused…strong….

In a flurry of motion, he whipped out the pistol. The shots were so close together, Sonic couldn't even count them.

More dust picked up in the back alley, as though even more was displaced then when Nack shot. Shadow turned around, replacing the pistol at his side. Oddly enough, he didn't let go of it, instead keeping it lightly in his fingers. As he rolled his shoulders back, Sonic stared. Why was Shadow looking so nonplussed about all this?

When Sonic saw the result of the shots, everything froze. Forget skipping a beat - Sonic was pretty sure his heart stopped.

There were only three holes in the barrel - one dead center and two in the middle ring. Technically, they were better shots overall, but it didn't matter - the contest was the best three shots, and Shadow's were further away than Nack's. Sonic balked. He didn't think Shadow would actually lose, or even that he could miss. But, he realized as a lump came up his throat, he missed twice. He felt sick, starting to panic.

Sonic turned towards the dark hedgehog and whispered, "This isn't good, Shads. I was bluffing when I said I was fine doing deliveries for this guy - I can't be involved in stuff like that!"

Shadow curled his mouth into a smug grin. "Oh really. Than it's a good thing that you won't have to."

"Yes I do! I always keep my word, Shadow. Even if my word was stupid. If he won, then I said I'd do it!"

"And who says he won?"

"Are you serious? What are you even talking about."

Shadow turned to both Nack and Sonic - Nack had noticed the holes as well, and looked like he was about to dance for the joy of winning. Shadow's voice grew louder, more authoritative. "I suggest you make your way to the barrel and take a look for yourself."

Nack snorted. "It looks pretty clear that you lost, stripes. Why don't you lose like a real sportsman?"

"I'm not a sportsman, and if I lost, then nothing will change once you walk over there. Take a look."

The other hedgehog and the weasel went over, hobbling down the way. With a grimace, he realized Nack was moving faster than he was now. Nack! Who didn't even have super speed! The sooner he could get this damn cast off and finish healing up, the better. He heard the other gasp as he got to the barrel, and the blood drained from his face. "Impossible…" he heard him mutter, a little venom in his voice but mostly toneless with disbelief.

He made it forward and gasped.

The hole in the perfect center didn't have one bullet wedged in it, but two so close together that they shared the same space. It was the shooting equivalent of a Robin Hood - if one bullet could have split the other, it would have done it. Impossible was right… that shot was damn near god like, Ultimate Lifeform or no. And on a quickdraw, too… how the heck did he pull something like that off? It was unreal!

Nack, after composing himself, turned around. He had his grin back on his face, but Sonic knew this one well - it was fake, plastered on for shows of false confidence. "Alright, you win, gloomy," he said. "The Doctor's on that place on fifth street - you know, the one where I used to hang out, with the card suits all lit up? He'll be in one of the back rooms - I'm sure the bartender will tell you which one with a little… persuasion. You two can get creative, right?"

Shadow nodded, then turned to Sonic. "Let's go," he said. "The sooner we take him in, the sooner this farce is over."

Sonic blinked, then nodded himself. He hadn't expected this to go so smoothly - they didn't even have to fight anyone! And though he was glad this was almost over, and he only had a little ways to go, he felt a small twinge of disappointment when he realized his excuse to hang around Shadow, to get out of the house, to do something more than sit away and read books, was ending. It wasn't anyone's fault, and he tried to dismiss the thought. Eggman was getting put away, where he couldn't hurt anyone. That had to be the most important.

As Shadow turned to walk away, Nack called out after him. "You know, at least I could hit the barrel all five times. Even with a shot like that, you're still missing one. I think that makes me better overall."

It was Shadow's turn to bear his confidence, only his own look was genuine. "I didn't miss the fifth shot."

"Really? Then where did it go, smart guy?"

With a rush of air, Shadow moved quickly to lift the gun and point it at Nack. It was cocked, its barrel pointed right in the weasel's face, and there was no doubt that if he pulled the trigger Nack would be a dead man. "Saved it for Plan B."

A few moments passed in dead silence. Suddenly, Nack burst into laughter. "Fucking Chaos, Sonic, you've got one hell of a guy with you. Dude's crazy!" He bent over, clutching his stomach. Sonic almost questioned it - being held at gunpoint isn't normally funny, and he was going to tear Shadow a new one for pulling this little stunt - but then again, neither Shadow nor Nack were conventional guys. "Aw hell, you know what? You can keep the pistol. Use that bullet for something better than me, you know?"

"Are you sure?" he said, putting it down. "It's a nice model."

"And that's why I've got plenty of my own. If you stick around blue, here, you'll need all the protection you can get. Think of it as a souvenir from my little establishment."

Shadow placed the gun at his side, muttered a "thank you," and walked away. Sonic was about to follow him when Nack grabbed him by the arm.

"You know, Sonic," he said, "Scourge is back in town." Sonic's blood went cold - there was no way this was happening - but Nack kept going "He might even be with Eggman - who knows what he's into these days?"

"I…I see."

"Thought I'd give you a heads up. Is that going to be a problem for you and your new guy?"

He paused. The air almost felt thicker, somehow. "He's not my guy."

"But you want him to be. Come on. Tell me you haven't thought about it."

Sonic swallowed. "I…I haven't."

"You've never been good at lying."

"Because I don't have to. I'm not… he's not my guy. He's a guy. That I happen to know. And I'm helping him out with keeping the world safe from another disaster. Even if I – no, there's no time for anything like that."

"Still doesn't answer my question. Like it or not, that green doppelgänger of yours is likely going to show up, and even though I have less than a smidgen of tact, he has even less than me. Are you going to be okay with that?"

Sonic didn't want to give Nack the satisfaction of a moment's hesitation but he couldn't help but think about it. There were parts of his life that he kept hidden away, and for good reason. Scourge was years ago, but he could only imagine what would happen when he saw him again. Would Scourge divulge all the dirty details of what happened that one night? Would his reputation be hopelessly tarnished? How would Shadow feel when he knew the truth of the things that Sonic had done?

Worst of all, would Sonic feel a need to turn back?

He grimaced. None of these thoughts were going to help him, and besides, he might now even be there. He resolved not to think about it, and if he saw him there…well, he'd cross that bridge when he same to it. Instead, Sonic planted his feet to try to hide the shaking and tried with all his might to keep eye contact with Nack. "N-nah. It's cool. Maybe I'll even use that to my advantage, right? Anything to get the Doctor taken in." And help Shadow. And save the world.

Nack coughed, sitting back on the ground. "You really are a hero now, aren't you kid?"

"Just a guy who knows what he wants."

"Then take my advice, as someone who's known you longer than I suspect either of them had." The weasel took a bullet's casing out of the barrel, turning it back and forth in his fingers before putting it in Sonic's hand. Sonic looked at the shriveled metal, half wanting to discard it and half wanting to keep it. He did the latter, tucking it under his fingers, and Nack tipped his hat. "Don't throw away your shot."

Sonic nodded and, with all the speed he could muster, ran away from the scene.

((AN: I hope you all are still liking the story. I may be putting my Nanowrimo efforts into it this year, or at least to stories in general…it feels really good to be in the swing of writing regularly again.

Speaking of which, if any of you are fans of We Know The Devil, there will be a story on my account for it on Halloween. Spooky. And if you're not a fan, that's fine too - this story isn't going anywhere.))