Rouge tugged Shadow roughly by the arm. She ignored how much pain she's causing his circulation. What I need to discuss with you is more important than your stupid arm right now.

Around the castle wall, looking over her shifting shoulder with keen eyes, she finally ceased her pulsating grip. With her sassy attitude trailing behind, she backed Shadow against the wall and stared those tell-tale red irises straight in the eye. Shadow, even though a trifle exposed, kept his nonchalance on a usual level.

Yes, Rouge's intimidating glares can seduce even the wickedest of minds to reveal all things incomparable to her, but in his case, he's not the one to lay an egg like all the others she's encountered. Even so, the bat's meaningful looks only get rewarded with the same emotionless expression emanating from him, all the while secretly teasing, 'You're not going anywhere to figure me out.'

Despite the attempts to keep his girlfriend a mystery only known by the innocent puppets of Puppeteer Cupid's cruel game, it goes to show that even Mother Nature can't keep a secret.

"Soooo….why are we here?" Shadow yawned.

This, unfortunately, held the bat's interest in the air. "You know why I wanted to talk to you."

"Which is?"

"Your Highness, this is no time for guessing games; this is serious business we're dealing with here. Now, what I want to take under circumstances is that little cute scenario back there. Was that your lovely suitor you pined for so much?" Rouge inquired, her head nodding back toward the forest.

If Shadow didn't know any better, he'd conclude that Rouge was poorly disguising her astonished tone with a serious one. A very poor performance indeed; Shadow shook his head in pity.

Well, no point to hide it now. This young woman is acclaimed for securing confidential information, especially when it's at the stake of the crown prince - she's no fool! Plus, what's to hide, eliminating the witnesses as the parents and the kingdom?

"Well done, Rouge. The book has opened its cover for you. What you've just observed back in those woods is ardor and poetry being born." Shadow kept his composure and folded his arms. Case closed.

Rouge was impressed at how calm and collected he was about this. So she came up with another clever ruse.

"Oh, bet you wouldn't have thought that I would know who that was, now would you?" Rouge said.

"No, you tell me who she is." Shadow said.

"Don't play me for a fool. That's Princess Amy Rose, the one person that will endanger your very position as King. Your father would have to proclaim war if he knew about this! What do you have to say for yourself, dating with a little girl?" Rouge scolded.

Shadow came up with a quick answer: "So?"

"Are you in love with her?"

"I'm not entirely in that position to tell you that, Rouge the Bat."

Now her mind hungered for more, ravenous for more hard evidence until it engulfed her state of imagination to satisfaction. Everything was just so juicy.

They both stood there as the sunset silhouetted their shadows against the castle wall. The nightingales started their soothing lullaby, flying to and fro in excitement. The air cooled, humid summer moisture fell on the hardened, lifeless ground and the air cried for the terrain suffering of dehydration.

As they continued to study each other, Shadow looked up in the sky and knew the time to retreat.

Her abusive verbal pursuit kept on coming. "Do you even know how dangerous this is?"

Shadow feigned surprise.

"I strive to take risks, to stare Death in the face. Basically, Peril is my middle name." Shadow turned his back to her.

"Sorry, but I've got a date with a bedroom, so if you'll excuse me…"

And with that, Shadow left around the corner and turned in for the night.

This opportunity left Rouge some time to think.

So, is the ruthless and uncaring Prince Shadow going soft? And it's exclusively on his worst enemy's daughter?

A smile of excitement and knowing curiosity crept upon her.

This is going to be good.