Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic, Shadow, or any of 'em. I DO, in fact, own Chill, Flash, Turbo, Speedy, and alllll of my original characters. Steal them and die.

Chapter II

Link didn't believe that was how it happened, though. Everyone knew that the Master Emerald was very heavily protected by Knuckles. Shadow wasn't around anymore, which means he must've died, and had not been victorious. Plus, Mysterio was supposedly immune to Chaos Control, or any powers of the emeralds. So how had it happened? Link thought that Mysterio City had been saved by Shadow's power alone. But why would the people lie? What was there to cover up? Link dismissed the thoughts as him and his friends approached their favorite restaurant, Mysterio Pizza, home of the Mysterio Recipe. But really, the Mysterio Recipe was really the recipe on the back of the sauce jar.

Link ordered a few slices for himself, and a large pie for his friends. As they walked to a table, they were stopped by a kid from their old middle school. He was a twelve year old boy that was friends with Link and Chill. Turbo and Speedy thought he was just a tag-along most of the time. Flash was too shy to make friends with him. They called him Element, since he could control all of the Elements, just like Link. They were the only two in the entire world.

"Hey Link, I need your signature to go on this class trip." Element said, shoving a paper at Link.

"Why me? You have parents."

"Because I got detention on the last three field trips."

"How?" Chill asked, proud of Element becoming a troublemaker like him.

"At the zoo, I fed a lion my burger, at the science center, I tripped, and accidentally sent a fire comet out at the ocean life display. And then we went to the park to study local wildlife, and a squirrel got in the way of my water-whip and he attacked my teacher. But now we're going whale watching! What could go wrong?"

"Everything could go wrong. Besides, I'm not even eighteen. Or a legal guardian."

"Yeah you are. According to the government files, you're the one who protects me on hero missions."

"No, Element. You and Melissa are giant troublemakers. You both on a boat... no way."

Melissa was Element's classmate, best friend, and they were often called boyfriend and girlfriend. Element didn't mind, considering he thought she was really pretty. Melissa also had a crush on him. After all, he was cool, an all-around bender, and not to mention a hero.

"Come on, Link. You know we won't-"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"No!"

"Do you really think you could use that old trick on me?"

"It was worth a shot."

"Fine. I'll sign it." Link snatched the pen from Element's hand. Element didn't car about boats, or whales. He could do that whenever he wanted to. But it was almost the end of the year, and Link, Element, and the team would be going to France to catch an elusive criminal in early July. It was his last chance to ask Melissa out. Who knows, she might be able to go.