Shadow woke up the next morning only to realise Cream was not where he left her, he within a split second got up and launched a chaos spear next to Knuckles which woke him up with a fright. "Where's the baby!?" Knuckles looked at him "You lost it?" they then both realised at the same time "MARINE!" they yelled in unison. Cream was sitting on the ground and Marine gives her the boomerang "Alright, so if your enemy's in front of you, what'd you do?" Cream smiled and threw the boomerang, but it landed a foot in front of her. Marine picked it up "Alright, we'll try again and this time… oh hi, Shadow" Shadow picked up Cream and didn't look happy "What're you doing?" Marine crossed her arms "I am teaching her how to use a weapon for defending herself. She's gonna need it out here". This didn't help Shadow "What is the matter with you? She looks about two" Shadow rolled his eyes and walked away with Cream. Marine picked up her boomerang while looking annoyed "What does he know? I got given my first knife when I was a month old, and I turned out okay. That overprotective hedgehog doesn't know what he's talking about". She threw the boomerang in a random direction only to hear "OW! WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT!?" in a panic Marine ran towards the sound "I'm sorry I didn't mean to I… Oh no". Amy was standing in front of Marine rubbing her head where the boomerang hit, she then saw Marine and her face turned into pure rage "You".
Shadow was walking along with Cream "That Echidna isn't much of a tracker if I found you first" he sat her on a bent part of a tree, she looked at him and started laughing. "What're you laughing at?" he said coldly as he leaned his head towards her, she then hugged him which caught Shadow off guard. He quickly turned back to normal and backed away "Do I look like a petting zoo? You just earned a time out" he used chaos control to warp her to the top of the tree. She didn't seem fazed as she continued to laugh, Shadow slightly smirked and looked away from her "You're a brave little rabbit. I'll give you that". Marine was running away when she wound up in front of Knuckles "Oh, thank god. OH NO, AN ANGRY ECHIDNA. HELP!" she yelled back where she ran from. Knuckles crossed his arms "Where is the baby?" "She's fine. Shadow has her. Now pretend you've killed me. OH NO, HE'S GOT ME. OH, HELP!" Knuckles just walked away "Don't talk to me again". Marine could hear Amy coming and in a moment of panic she kicked Knuckles' backside which caused him to turn around angrily. Amy had her hammer out ready to kill the date wrecker but when she made a turn, she saw Knuckles strangling what looked to be a dead Marine. "Oh, come on!" she said angrily as she walked up, and Knuckles looked confused at her "Can I help you?". Amy just looked at Marine "No, just punch the corpse once for me" she walked away muttering angrily to herself eventually getting out of site. Marine opened her eyes and smiled "Well that was close, thanks Knuck-" she tried to move but Knuckles didn't let go of her throat "Um Knuckles. Shadow help! SHADOW!". Shadow walked past the two of them while carrying Cream "Guys we're in a hurry and Knuckles let her go. I don't wanna scar the kid with that sight". Knuckles let go of Marine "Wow, for a second I thought you were actually going to kill me. You weren't going too right?" Knuckles just walked away and the three of them continued their journey.
During their journey Shadow and Knuckles stood next to each other smirking as Marine caught up "Thanks, now's a good time for a rest" she sat on a rock that had a large hole through it. Shadow and Knuckles began counting in unison "3, 2, 1" a powerful jet of steam came out of the rock launching Marine into the air, Knuckles and Shadow walked away with the latter saying "Sure is faithful". Later Marine was now carrying Cream who began poking her on the neck. Marine thought it was funny at first, but she started getting annoyed until she started doing it back. "Don't make me come back there" Shadow said, "But she started it" "I don't care who started it, I'll finish it". Marine threw a snowball at Shadow and when he turned around, she pointed at Cream. When Shadow turned back Marine placed Cream on a rock before making an even bigger snowball to throw at Shadow. This time when he turned around Cream quickly pointed at Marine; Shadow used chaos control to warp a massive snowball over Marine which promptly fell on her. Cream laughed at this which made Shadow smile.
The three of them entered ice cap and the area was covered with snow, Knuckles walked ahead and saw to his surprise Vector and his group not far ahead of them. It was too early, Knuckles had to slow Shadow and Marine down. He ran back to the two who were walking next to a cliff side, Marine was distracted so Knuckles was mainly directed at Shadow who was holding Cream "Great news. I found a shortcut" he pointed at a cave entrance in the cliff. Shadow looked sceptical "What'd you mean shortcut?" "I mean faster that the long way around". Cream started pulling on Shadow's ears "Ow. I know what a shortcut is" "Look, the cave will take us right through part of Ice cap, that way we'll be able to beat her group to the pass". Shadow still didn't look convinced "Through there? What do you take me for?" Knuckles grinned "I take you as someone who is tired of peekaboo".
Marine came over with two halves of an ice shard "Hey guys, check this out" she placed them on either side of her neck making it look like she had been impaled. Shadow looked completely done "Marine, the echidna found a shortcut" Marine took one look at the cave entrance "No thanks, I chose life". She walked up the hill, but Knuckles got in front of her and made a threatening face "Then I suggest you take the shortcut" "Are you threatening me?" "MOVE RACCOON!". Knuckles yell caused the ice at the top the cliff to break and fall towards them "Good job, Echidna" Marine said sarcastically. "Don't just stand there, get inside!" Shadow yelled as he ran in with the other two following. The inside of the cave looked like it was completely made of ice and there were shards on the ceiling which began to shake. The three of them were about to run back out but the entrance was now blocked with ice, they looked up and thankfully the shards stopped moving. Once they calmed down Shadow turned back "Okay, I vote shortcut" he said casually as the three of them went deeper into the cave.