"How have you been feeling?"

Nurse Tikal's voice spoke softly after she removed her stethoscope from Shadow's chest.

"Same as usual, I guess," Shadow replied.

"Physically, you're recovering remarkably well. But what about emotionally? Have you been feeling depressed or anxious lately?"

"Yes, but depression is nothing new," Shadow wanted to say. He didn't want to be difficult, though. She was only trying to help.

"I don't know if this counts, but I've been having just about the same dream ever since I got here,"

"Tell me about your dream, Shadow,"

Tikal stood patiently and listened to her patient describe his encounter with Mephiles. He avoided naming Mephiles directly, referring to him only as a demon that shared his appearance.

"What happens after the demon pulls you into the dark?" The nurse asked.

"He leads me through a door, then I end up by myself. I get lost in the hallways of a factory or something. The air is so warm and awful. I hear Sonic's voice and try to find him but…" Shadow looked away and thought about stopping entirely. "I end up killing him,"

Tikal did her best to appear neutral. "Believe it or not, having recurring nightmares is pretty normal after what you've been through. I don't see any reason to worry,"

Shadow nodded, feeling himself relax a bit. The door of his hospital room opened and Sonic walked in. The meister noticed his weapon was shirtless; the gash that ran from Shadow's left shoulder to his right hip was clearly visible. Dark scabbing and sutures spanned the length of the laceration. A look of sadness shifted Sonic's expression immediately.

"Sorry,"

The meister stepped back out of the room and closed the door.

"That was quite the reaction," Tikal said.

"He always gets like that when it comes to me being injured. He really hates seeing it," Shadow ran a hand along the wound gently.

Tikal wrapped the gash in bandages until it was fully covered.

"Get dressed and tell him the good news, then,"

What the witch really wanted to say was 'Tell him to grow up,' but she had to keep acting like a school nurse, unfortunately.

Sonic leaned on the wall outside of Shadow's room looking sullen and feeling stupid. Pouting in front of Shadow wasn't doing any good. He expected nurse Tikal to exit the room when he heard the door open. He stepped away from the wall in disbelief when he saw Shadow walk out too. The weapon was wearing the clothes that Sonic had brought yesterday but he wasn't expecting to see them used so soon.

"You'd better take him with you this time," Tikal said.

"Wait, really?" Sonic's eyes widened with excitement.

"He's been healing faster than we expected. Weapons that have consumed as many souls as Shadow tend to be resilient. As long as he takes it easy there's no reason he shouldn't ease back into a normal routine. We'll keep an eye on his condition through regular follow ups. If something changes regarding his health, I want to know right away," Tikal smiled and playfully pointed at the weapon, then the meister.

"You bet," Sonic said.

Tikal watched the weapon and meister leave, feeling thrilled. Starline had put her in charge of Shadow's follow up examinations. She'd have many more opportunities to check on her test subject. Plenty of blood to examine as well. Shadow's violent nightmares were proof that the black blood was affecting his mind. If he were pushed further, put under more stress, the effects would be much greater.

"I'll have to move ahead with my plans,"

Sonic could finally walk out of the DWMA's medical facility with Shadow at his side. Class had concluded some time ago, but the rest of Sonic's friends were still hanging around. They were, of course, surprised to see Shadow accompanying Sonic on his return.

"Look who's back," Knuckles said.

"You weren't in the hospital long. How are you feeling?" Amy asked.

"Fine,"

Amy crossed her arms."I don't know why I expected you to say anything else," She smiled before turning to the others. "We should do something to celebrate,"

Shadow stiffened. "Celebrate?"

"Good idea, Amy. You were saying you wanted to do something fun after Shadow got back, right Sonic?" Tails chimed in.

"Yeah, but you weren't supposed to tell the whole world," He blushed, crossed his arms, then shifted in place. "Let's just do a thing at our place. Not this Saturday, but the next,"

The rest of the Sonic squad agreed with the idea. The group spent the rest of the afternoon hanging around campus. Shadow forgot about his nightmares until he went to sleep that night.

Somewhere underneath a town far away from Death City, a coven of witches were meeting. The room was an auditorium of sorts composed of clean brick that sat inside a network of old tunnels. If one entered the tunnels without knowing their way, they might never make it back out. There were about thirty or so grouped together, hiding within the dark cloaks they draped over themselves. Chanting came in the form of an old language known to few people alive today. The ceremony eventually concluded, causing witches to mingle or depart. A young witch named Shade decided to do her own form of mingling.

She was an echidna with peach colored fur. Her white muzzle matched the color of the fur around her eyes. Similar highlights lined the ends of her hair, which was held back with a black headband. The rest of her was cloaked in a black robe marked with a handful of pink runes. She drifted towards one exit when she saw the only other echidna witch in the room try to leave. The witch who had brought the darkling along with her.

"You're up to no good, Tikal,"

Eclipse bit his hand and his posture shrank. "Uh oh. She's in the way. And she's a girl,"

"Other people have non-witches accompanying them. It's been approved by the grand witch," Tikal gestured towards a group of three who were also on their way out.

A small bee witch was flying on wings that poked out of dark robes. The flowing garment was much too big for him.

"I want a big pizza! The biggest in town!"

"Charmy, a pizza like that would be bigger than you," Vector said.

"Why does it have to be big?" Espio asked.

"Big pizza! Big pizza!"

Shade gave the group a judgmental look before turning back to Tikal. "That's not the primary issue. I'm more concerned about your infiltration of the DWMA. Being so close to the Grim Reaper isn't just a personal risk. Every witch here is in danger because of you,"

"My infiltration of the DWMA has been approved as well. Aren't you being overly dramatic?"

"The Grand Witch likes you, so you've been given too much leeway. I won't be fooled as easily, though. You were poking around the Grand Witch's quarters weren't you?" Shade saw Tikal drop her fake smile. "I see what you really are,"

"Do you?" Tikal snapped her hand up and pressed her thumb under Shade's eye. "These eyes of yours are quite a nuisance,"

Shade grabbed Tikal's hand in an attempt to stop her from pressing deeper under her eye and plucking it out. She felt a stinging pain building in her skull. Tikal pushed away Shade suddenly, then laughed.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply you were a threat in any way. Let's go, Eclipse,"

Eclipse kept his distance from Shade while moving to follow Tikal. Shade held a hand over her aching eye, and watched them leave with the other.

"Don't get too comfortable, Tikal," She muttered.

Big's pizza. A small pizza shop with a large, feline owner. His tall, rotund body was covered in purple fur with darker stripes of the same color. He wore a hat and shirt that donned the store's logo. He achieved a new level of fashion with cargo shorts and sandals. His face boasted white fur on his muzzle along with an absent expression. It was late, and there were no customers around until two reptiles approached the entrance with a bee child.

"Leave it to the Chaotix to find the biggest pizza in town just like that!" Vector snapped once, then opened the door for Espio and Charmy.

"Hey folks! What can I get ya?" The large cat man spoke in a concerningly slow, dopey tone.

"You must be the owner, Big," Espio said.

The owner nodded. "You bet,"

"We are nailing the detective work today!" Vector exchanged a fist bump with the chameleon.

"Pepperoni pizza!" Charmy cheered and zipped through the air hyperactively.

Vector plucked the little witch out of the air. "He'll want the biggest you've got,"

"You bet,"

After paying, Espio sat with the rest of the Chaotix in a booth by the window. Fifteen minutes later, Big returned with a massive pepperoni pizza that covered the entire table. It was cut neatly into dozens of squares. Charmy beamed at the spread of food as if it were made of gold. Each of the three took a piece of their own to try.

"Hey, this is good stuff!" Vector smiled.

Espio nodded in agreement. Charmy happily chowed down on two more small pieces before letting out a big sigh.

"I'm full,"

Charmy climbed to sit on Vector's shoulders, leaning on the crocodile's head so he could try and sleep. Vector and Espio stopped eating, then looked down at the sea of cheese and pepperoni before them, then at each other. They sighed. Espio gave a slight wave to the owner.

"Can we get a box?"