Sonic exited the lecture hall and approached his friends who were waiting for him nearby. He brought a raincloud of dread along the way.

"Everything okay?" Tails asked. The rest of the group looked on for an answer as well.

"Not exactly. I'm gonna need a huge favor,"

"Sure, what is it?"

"I need you to help me study for the exam. A lot,"

The Sonic Squad looked back with varying levels of bewilderment.

"I thought you didn't care about scoring well," Amy said.

"Yeah, but Starline won't help me train my soul detection unless I score in the top 10 of our class," Sonic rubbed his face. He felt exhausted and he hadn't even started studying yet.

"You want his help that badly?" Amy suddenly felt worried about her chances of beating Sonic's score.

"Yeah,"

Tails noticed Sonic's determined expression."Of course I'll help. How far are you wanting to go with this?"

"I want to study every day after school until the exam, for as much time as you have the patience for,"

"Ha! I'm more worried about your patience. Will you really be able to sit still through that much studying?"

"We'll make it work. I owe you big time,"

"Then I want you to help me with combat training after the exam. Buy pizza for tonight because we're studying at your place,"

"Deal,"

"Hey, I want in on the studying too," Amy said.

"Okay then. Knuckles, you getting in on this?"

Knuckles laughed. "You guys can slave away all week if you want, but I've got my own plan for acing the test,"

"And what's that?" Tails didn't appear to have high hopes.

"Let's just say I'm going to beat your book smarts with my street smarts. I'll still have plenty of time for training too," Knuckles grinned, then waved on his way out.

"Mr. Sonic. I'm not allowed to take the test, but can I study too?" Cream asked.

"Sure thing, Cream. You can help keep Amy from getting grabby with Shadow again,"

"Okay!"

"Sonic!" Amy could feel herself blushing again.

"Last but not least…" Sonic turned to Shadow who shrugged.

"It's at our place so I don't have much choice. I don't care about my score, so I'll just keep you on track,"

"It's settled. Let's hit the books!," Sonic groaned. "It already sounds so lame!"

The group of five set out to study at Sonic and Shadow's place. It wasn't long before their kitchen table was overrun with textbooks and various papers. Cream sat at one end of the table doodling while the other four students filed through their material. Tails did most of the talking until they were nearing the end.

"Tails, what's the difference between soul resonance and just using a demon weapon? I've heard people call both 'resonating,' but they aren't the same are they?" Amy asked.

"Wielding a demon weapon requires a basic link that can have minor benefits depending on the souls involved. You're still technically resonating, but it's not much compared to what we call soul resonance. Weapon and meister fire each other's soul waves back and forth while amplifying them to become stronger. That's soul resonance,"

"Shouldn't there be different names or something?"

Tails shrugged. "It's like if you're walking with someone, then you yell "Let's move!" If the other person doesn't start running because you're already technically moving, you should smack them for being a dumb-," Tails clasped a hand over his mouth.

"You've been hanging out with Knuckles too much," Sonic laughed.

"Honestly, he spends most of his time training alone nowadays. I don't see him any more than you guys do,"

"Tails, I have another question," Amy said.

"I've got another answer,"

"What about death scythes? What's the point of calling them Death Scythes if they can be weapons that aren't scythes?"

"The grim reapers of the past who helped establish the DWMA were primarily scythe meisters. When the method of giving demon weapons 99 kishin egg souls and 1 witch soul was developed, they named those weapons death scythes. It's just a tradition,"

"Well, it's confusing! They should change it!" Amy crossed her arms.

"Talk to Eggman, or go dig up some of his ancestors. They've been running the show for a while," Sonic proposed.

Amy sighed, checking her watch. "I'm all studied out. Cream, let's get you home,"

"Okay,"

I better take off too, Sonic. We've worked a good amount of time for today. The exam's still a week away so there's no point in overdoing it this early. You'll burn out that way,"

"You don't have to tell me twice," Sonic closed his book with relief.

Monday night concluded, with the rest of the week going by faster than Sonic thought. Amy and Cream returned for two days out of the week while Tails came every day through Friday. Saturday was the allotted break day that Tails recommended. The group would reconvene on Sunday to finalize their studying. Sonic had a list of topics compiled and decided to spend a little time going over them with Shadow before the final studying day.

Sonic walked into Shadow's room before flopping onto his bed unceremoniously. He curled up under the blanket and sighed.

"Okay, teamwork. You study for both of us. I'll sleep for both of us," Being fully under the blanket muffled his voice.

Shadow sat at his desk, then threw a textbook at the Sonic shaped lump on his bed. It landed with a muffled thud.

"You're the one trying to make the top 10," Shadow replied.

Sonic groaned and partially uncoiled from the blanket to grab the textbook. He laid back to look around Shadow's room. He'd never really been in here before, at least not for any real stretch of time. Between DWMA missions and classes, they weren't apart very often. If Shadow was in his own room, Sonic took it as a signal to give him some space.

Sonic also became more aware of how plain the room was. Just a bed, a desk, and a closet. Things were fairly neat and void of any noteworthy items of self expression, except for what Sonic saw on the nightstand.

"Cool record player," Sonic began fiddling with the knobs and other moveable parts. "You got any records?"

"Just one,"

"Where's it at?"

"Do you think its location will be on the test?" Shadow gave Sonic an amused look.

"Don't be like that Shadow! We have a serious need for some studying music!" Sonic pulled the blanket around his head to look like a beggar.

"I don't remember that being an issue when we were studying every other day of the week,"

Sonic fell on the bed with fake sobbing and sniffles, talking in a fake accent. "My dear brother was always there to support me, but now I'm not even allowed a morsel of music,"

Shadow sighed and got up to open his closet. The record sat out of view on the top shelf. He wasn't sure why he felt inclined to capitulate to Sonic. His meister was invading his privacy enough just by being here.

Now Shadow was thinking on how someone might normally act in this situation. He didn't have any memories of friends or privacy before meeting Sonic. Was it weird that Sonic had never hung out in his room before? The only thing that really seemed odd was how Sonic had taken over his bed. Other than that, things felt normal enough.

"Sweet!" Sonic took the record from Shadow, inspecting its case. "What, no title?"

"No title,"

Sonic put the vinyl disc onto the player and adjusted the tone arm to the center of the disc.

"No," Shadow adjusted the knobs back to their proper settings, then moved the turntable's arm to the outside of the disc. One last button press and the device turned on. Crackling came briefly before the music.

Sombre piano music flowed from the record player. Sonic felt the melancholy tone wash over him. He only had a passing knowledge of music and couldn't make much of the song. There was a tone of earnestness to the playing that did stand out to him, though.

"I don't play it very often. It makes me feel...strange," Shadow spoke after the two listened for a bit.

"You should have said so before. We don't have to listen to it,"

"It's not bad, just strange,"

"What made you buy it then?"

"I don't remember but I've had it for a while, apparently,"

"It's from before you lost your memories?" Sonic looked at Shadow, who nodded. "Wait, what's the first thing you remember?

Shadow rested his head on one hand and thought back. "I woke up in the DWMA's medical wing. They ran a bunch of checkups on me. Told me I was a demon weapon and the only data they had on me was my name. Oddly enough, I wasn't surprised to hear my name or learn that I was a scythe. It was like I already knew. I'm used to that feeling,"

Shadow's expression turned sad. Sonic thought about interrupting, but his friend continued. "Eggman told me I was free to stay if I became a student. I didn't have anywhere I could think to go, so I accepted. He gave me the record player with the album and said 'I think this is yours,"

"Blech. Having to wake up with no memories, then deal with Eggman? That sucks,"

Shadow shrugged. "At the time I didn't know how to react. Looking back, I'd rather not go through that again," He chuckled once. "It's weird to think that was over a year ago,"

Sonic sat up quickly.

"Wait a minute! Hasn't it been over a year since we met too?"

"I think you're right. I hadn't been at the DWMA for very long when we met,"

"Then we need to celebrate!" Sonic tossed the book and blanket aside then jumped off Shadow's bed.

"What? Why?" Shadow tensed up, looking at his meister with concern.

"Well, I bet you don't remember your birthday, and the DWMA doesn't have that information either, do they?"

Shadow shook his head slowly.

"Then let's celebrate us becoming partners instead! I don't remember the exact day, but we're well past the first anniversary already!"

"The exam…" Shadow weakly gestured toward the book on his lap.

Sonic grabbed it and threw it onto the bed. "I won't be able to focus now, anyway,"

And off he went. Shadow knew the meister was expecting the weapon to follow. He switched off the record player and let out a sigh.

Sonic led Shadow through the streets of Death City. It was dusk, and the sun was sinking over the horizon, leaving behind a mixture of orange and purple light in the sky. The two eventually ended up in front of a little shop that looked to be a second hand store.

"Wait here," Sonic left Shadow standing on the sidewalk by himself. Shadow waited awkwardly for a few minutes until Sonic returned.

"I've been here a few times with Tails. He really likes vintage stuff; especially old tech. I remembered they have new records in this place along with old ones," Sonic handed Shadow a record with a bright and quirky cover. "Happy Birthday,"

"I thought this was for us becoming partners? Shouldn't I get you something?"

"We'll keep it aimed at you until we figure out your actual birthday,"

"Sonic…" Shadow felt embarrassed, but Sonic seemed content so he didn't protest. "Thanks,"

"Not sure if you'll like it, but I felt like it was the most fitting. If you end up getting amnesia again, maybe it'll help you remember me," Sonic chuckled.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Shadow smiled slightly.

They had almost made it home before Sonic had another thought. "Oh, we'll have to come up with a way to celebrate for when you become a death scythe,"

Shadow sat in silence for a few moments as the two continued to walk. "Sonic, I should tell you something. Don't laugh,"

"Okay," Sonic looked cautiously at his weapon.

"Eggman uses each of the death scythes as his personal weapons whenever he feels the need. Now that I'm almost a death scythe, I keep thinking about how I don't want to be his weapon. I'd rather things stay like this,"

Sonic laughed, then reeled once he saw Shadow frown and turn away. "No, Shadow-I'm sorry. It's just that I feel the same way!"

"Really?"

"Well yeah. I still want to make you into the ultimate death scythe, but I don't want to hand you over to Eggman of all people,"

"He's the grim reaper. Would you have much choice?"

"Yeah well, if he wants to whine about it he can go suck on some eggs," Sonic laughed. "Besides, Silver is a Death Scythe, but Blaze is still his meister. Even though they aren't direct DWMA members, I kinda assumed that's how we'd end up,"

Shadow felt himself relax. He certainly enjoyed the thought, even if he wasn't sure that it was possible. "We better make sure you do well on the test. After you start training, we can go looking for witches again,"

"I think you've earned a break for tonight. I'll study on my own until tomorrow,"

The two returned home and went to their respective rooms. Shadow laid on his bed and played the record that Sonic had bought him so suddenly. The speakers quickly revealed energetic instrumentation. Despite the singer sounding upbeat, darker lyrics popped up frequently in the songs, contrasting the other elements. Shadow smiled; it did remind him of Sonic.