Dear Maria,

Sonic and his friends have found 5 Chaos Emeralds. Eggman has 2. We have to take them back to Earth. But, in doing so, we will also have to go back to Earth along with them. And we don't have a way back to Equestria.

I'm... Dreading it.

I don't think I can live without Pinks.

But...

I can't stay here. I have duties back on Earth. I'm one of the top commanders for a reason.

I don't know... I'm feeling conflicted...

I know what I must do. And it hurts so much.

Maria. Please. Help me.

Your brother,

Shadow the Hedgehog

Eggman's newest base stretched high into the Equestrian sky. Sonic and Co. were standing around near the base with the mane 5, minus Twilight. She was in Canterlot during this time, getting lessons about the boring side of ruling from Celestia and Luna.

It was lightly snowing. The ponies wore their winter gear.

Sonic, Tails, Silver, Knuckles, and Shadow all held an emerald in one hand.

"So all we have to do is get the seven emeralds to react to each other?" Silver asked, looking down to the emerald he held.

Tails nodded. "If we can get Super Sonic and Super Shadow to create a big enough Chaos Control, we, including Eggman, will be taken back to Mobuis."

"It won't be taking us with it, right?"

Fluttershy was the one to have asked, the 5 ponies standing behind the group. Pinkie was looking down at the ground, feeling a little blue.

The anthros broke out of their circle, and turned to the ponies.

Shadow was definitely feeling depressed, but you couldn't really tell. He stayed silent, eyes down to the powdered patches of snow and grass.

"The Chaos Emeralds turn your thoughts into power. If Shads and I only think about sending us home, you guys shouldn't be effected." Sonic answered her, and she signed with relief.

"I guess this means goodbye then." Rainbow Dash frowned, and the others frowned too.

"I'll be trying to find a connection back to this world as soon as I can, and Twilight told me she will do the same." Tails reassured the ponies, but Pinkie wasn't listening. Shadow noticed. He could always tell. Shadow looked up at her.

He gave a small sigh, and walked up to her while the others said their goodbyes.

She had tiny tears falling out of her eyes. She raised her hoof to her nose to wipe it.

Shadow put on a small smile for her.

"Hey, where's your smile hiding?"

Pinkie looked up to him. Her eyes were glistening with tears. She gave out a chuckle, and smiled.

"There she is."

Pinkie looked away, and started to blush. Shadow put his hand on her cheek, and looked to her with sincere eyes. She looked back into his.

"I won't be gone for long, okay?"

Pinkie's hoof raised to hold his hand against her cheek. The heat emitting from his glove gave her comfort. Pinkie nodded slowly.

"..Okay. I love you."

Shadow gave her the biggest grin he could, and hugged her.

"I love you too."

Pinkie beamed, and hugged him back tightly.

Rouge had witnessed the ordeal, and was smiling the whole time. It was wholesome seeing Shadow act this way.

The couple departed, and Shadow returned to his resting face.

"Alright Shadow, it's time."

Shadow turned, and looked at the group of Mobians. Sonic had called him, and waited patiently as the others started to walk. He nodded, and turned back to Pinkie.

He gave a nod to her. Pinkie nodded back. And, Shadow ran off, the rest of the anthros not far behind.

...

Sonic bust through the doors of the control room.

"Alright Egghead! Where are you?"

Silver and Tails ran in after Sonic, searching the room for the doctor.

The ground shook, and Eggman appeared in his newest mech, powered by the two Chaos Emeralds he had in his possession.

"Here to spoil the fun Sonic?"

Sonic glanced over to Tails, then Silver, and both nodded. Sonic smirked.

"As always. But this time, you're coming with us."

The robot swung an arm at Sonic, but like always, Sonic dodged it with ease.

"Is that all you got Eggman?"

Eggman laughed.

"I'm just getting started!"

With a press of a button, hundreds of Eggman robots fell from the ceiling.

Knuckles, Amy, Rouge, and Shadow fell onto a circle as the robots encircled them.

"Eggman never makes it easy, does he?" Knuckles smirked, and readied himself for a fight.

"Guess he wants one last good fight in." Rouge spoke as Amy pulled out her hammer.

"You mean one more crushing defeat."

The four broke out of the circle, and started tearing up robots.

Meanwhile, Tails was sneaking around the back of the big mech Sonic was currently fighting/distracting. They just didn't come in without a plan. They had one.

Silver got in position.

Knuckles knocked out 3 robots at once, and moved to the left to punch one that aimed a lazer at him.

Amy smashed one after another in a row, hammer swinging fiercely.

Rouge kicked in robots faces while Shadow speared multiple rows.

Everything was in position.

Suddenly one of the arms and legs of Eggman's mech powered down.

"What?!" Eggman yelled, trying to regain control of the lost parts.

Sonic smirked. From somewhere in the room, both Tails and Sonic shouted out,

"Now Silver!"

Silver used his telekinesis on the mech, and Eggman was stuck.

"What are you doing?!" Eggman yelled once more, but to no response.

Sonic smirked as Amy and Rouge came up behind him.

Sonic glanced at them, his smirk not leaving his face.

"Ladies?"

They nodded, and each went to grab the last two emeralds from the mech.

Amy smashed into the leg, and the emerald fell out from above. She catched it with her right hand.

"Hey, no fair! That's cheating!" Eggman yelled with frustration.

Rouge flew up to the right arm, and took the emerald from it.

"Sorry Eggy, but it's for everyone's good this time."

Rouge landed, and the two walked up to Sonic and handed him the emeralds, one emerald already in his possession.

Knuckles and Shadow emerged from the pile of wrecked robot parts, and walked up to the group.

Knuckles handed his emerald to Sonic. Shadow collected Silver's emerald, and came to stand next to Sonic.

Tails gave his emerald to the two hedgehogs, and everyone took a step back.

Silver grunted, gritting his teeth.

"I can't hold him for much longer!"

Sonic and Shadow looked to each other and nodded. Sonic noticed how Shadow's face had not one hint of emotion in it. Except, maybe, uncertainty?

The two closed their eyes as the emeralds started to float around them. They themselves floated up into the air with the emeralds. Faster and faster they moved around them, until the room was filled with a bright light.

Two words were shouted.

"CHAOS..."

"CONTROL!"

In the next few nanoseconds it suddenly hit Shadow all at once. He was about to leave the person he loved the most behind, perhaps even forever. Just as the ball of light was enveloping everyone, Shadow teleported away.

He needed to do one last thing.

The mane 5 watched from a distance, light emitting from the base.

All were melancholy, and Pinkie was the one standing in front of the group. She put her hoof to her chest, feeling tears trying to form alongside her slowly sinking smile.

All of a sudden, Super Shadow appeared before her.

She gasped through her nose, but before she could say anything, Shadow took off his inhibitor rings and grabbed Pinkie's hoof, placing them in hers.

"Please, take them. For me."

Pinkie gasped.

"But Shadow, these-"

She didn't get to finish as Shadow aburptly kissed her, one full of sadness and longing. Pinkie kissed back, but the kiss was shortlived.

Shadow broke off, and turned to teleport back to the induced chaos control. But suddenly, Pinkie grabbed his hand. She had something in her left hoof.

"Shadow!"

She handed something to Shadow, and he closed his hand. He looked to her.

She smiled softly, and gave him her Pinkie promise, his rings pinned to her chest by her right hoof.

Shadow smiled back, and returned the gesture, before teleporting away.

The mane 5 suddenly shielded their eyes as the bright flash filled the area.

When it died down, they unshielded their eyes to look out over the landscape.

Eggman's base was gone, and all looked normal now.

Pinkie looked down to the inhibitor rings she held against her chest.

"I can't believe he left those to you."

Rainbow Dash spoke, the friends now surrounding Pinkie for reassurance.

Pinkie's eyes watered.

"I know..."

She couldn't hold it in any longer, and broke down in tears. Her friends hugged her, giving her comfort. They all understood how hard it was for her to see him go. Fluttershy and Rarity spoke together.

"Don't worry Pinkie. Everything's going to be alright."

...

Sonic and the gang appeared in a forest, minus Shadow. Silver let Eggman out of his grasp, and Eggman took the opportunity to run away. He flew his pod out of the decommissioned mech, and flew off.

"I'll defeat you next time Sonic, next time!"

Sonic looked up and shouted back at him.

"Not very likely!"

Silver was suddenly concerned, looking around.

"Where's Shadow?"

Shadow suddenly teleported in, and landed on two feet. But then, he aburptly fell, landing on his knees, fists following suit.

Sonic and Rouge immediately noticed something was wrong.

"Shadow!"

Silver, Sonic, and Rouge ran up to him.

Shadow's fists were planted firmly on the ground. He didn't seem to be suffering from injury, or even exhaustion.

He was rocked emotionally.

He was missing his rings on his wrists, and his head was facing downward.

Sonic put his hands on his right shoulder and arm. Rouge held his left arm. Sliver stood next to Sonic. Sonic spoke.

"Shadow, are you alright? Where are your rings?"

"I... Gave them..."

Shadow couldn't finish, but he didn't need to.

They all knew.

Shadow could feel it coming.

He shakily raised his left hand, and opened it.

In his hand, was a necklace. The necklace was a silver chain, and had a light blue Sapphire gemstone and a pale yellow Topaz gemstone.

Sonic and Rouge looked at each other with curiosity, then at Shadow.

He felt himself tear up.

He started to cry. He his tears were silent, but were sorrowful.

Sonic and Rouge were deeply concerned for the ultimate lifeform, but could do nothing for this moment.

The next few months would be hard for the now septated couple.

But, that brings up a point even Cheese Sandwich couldn't get past...

How could they hold on to their love for one another while so far apart?

Done and out! Summer is coming up fast, so I'll be able to write more! (Hopefully.) What's going to happen next? You'll soon see. I'll write you later!