READ PLEASE!: Okay, so if you've read this story before, you would know that I had once been working on a complete plot line story, but ended up switching to the 100 theme project. I'm just telling anyone who has already read this chapter, doesn't need to read it again. I am just moving it to organize the 100 themes instead of having that whole messed up beginning thing. Besides, the one shot fits in with one of my 100 themes, so I figured I would place it it as this one.

Again, I am only reposting this under a theme, so if you've read it don't read it again. Sorry for the confusion!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Sega characters

Witty

Shadow sat in his chair defiantly, his arms crossed as he sighed with a huff. He hated parties, gatherings, reunions, and all the above, yet he found himself sitting at a table alone as a loud and booming celebration circled around him. Amy had decided to throw a huge party in celebration of their one-hundredth defeat of Eggman, and Rouge had dragged him to it with full threats.

Chatter and laughter echoed all around him in a haze, the smell of cherry punch, the clinking of glasses in a toast, and music and dancing was making him irately fidget in his seat, as he placed himself at an empty table to get as far away from the cheerful banquet and annoying acquaintances as he could.

His red gaze skimmed the room with a cold facade, noticing details such as Wave the swallow beating Jet and Sonic at pool, making the two arrogant fools contentious. Also the sight of Rouge poking and prodding at a certain red guardian who was doing his best, and failing miserably, to put distance between himself and the white bat.

None of these things, however, could rid of the feeling of complete and udder monotony.

Finishing his analytical scan of the perimeter, he found himself at a loss of entertainment, nor anything appealing. However, his ennui turned to prudence as an unfamiliar individual sat in the seat across from his once vacant table.

Ruby irises turned and peered at the new member and found that the face did not fit any name he knew.

It was a feline, a girl who looked to be around eighteen, with lavender fur, ember irises, and amethyst tipped locks pulled into a long pony. A red jewel was centered on her forehead, a white muzzle framed her pursed lips, long eye-lashes encircled her eyes, and her figure was hour glass, not as exaggerated as Rouge's. Behind her was a long tail that swayed lazily, and she wore comfortable jogging clothes, dark purple rimmed with scarlet, a cropped top that showed her thin waist.

Shadow took in her sight all under a second, but found her demeanor rather surprising. Her face was stoic, a void of any given emotion besides the obvious boredom. Her body was faced outward toward the crowds, but her head was turned as her gaze was locked on him, seemingly analyzing him just as he had her.

"Who are you?" her voice asked, it was rich and filled with obvious maturity.

Shadow turned his head back towards the other scenes, and answered in a neutral tone, "why do you care?" he asked, hoping that the dull reply would send her on her way and leave him back to his peace.

His glance flickered to gauge in on her reaction, only to find a tiny passive shrug of her shoulders, as she mirrored his stance and turned back to peer at the party, "I don't."

His head turned over his shoulder just slightly as he quirked an eyebrow at the feline, "then why come all the way over here to ask?" he countered, though he was generally not interested, he decided it was better than the latter of just sitting there.

The lavender cat turned back and met his hard gaze with an equally stone front, "who said I came all the way over here for you?" she answered, her voice filled with genuine inert annoyance. "I merely sat here because Amy was aggravating me."

Shadow raised a single brow, compelling the she-cat to illustrate her story.

"She's been on my case ever since I got to this dimension, convinced that I'm supposedly trying to 'steal Sonic'." she explained, her voice clearly showing distaste for the subject.

Shadow held back the urge to roll his eyes. What was it with females falling all over the blue hero? Shrugging the thought away with disinterest, he turned his thoughts back to the current situation. "Ah, so you must be another one of Sonic's fan-girls." he said distastefully, turning his head straight forward and slouching farther into his seat.

At the insult, the cat whipped her head around to narrow her eyes at him in chagrin. Though he remained unfazed, Shadow found himself impressed with the intensity of the glare.

"I do not fan-girl anybody hedgehog." she snapped. Her face remained calm, but her once calm words were now tainted with venom.

Shadow turned to the feline fully, narrowing his red irises into his own steely glare, "if you don't like it, beat it cat."

The purple feline turned her chair toward him and to face him directly, crossing her arms and straightening her back in defense. Her pupils dilated into a dangerous glint as she leaned ever so slightly forward, "look 'whoever you are', I came over here to get away, not to take insults from some sulking rodent." she flared.

Taking assault, Shadow found himself mirroring her stance and turning his glare even harder, "Get your tail out of it's knot kitty, I'm not going to sit here and let some mouthy feline call me a rodent." he growled.

Just as she was opening her mouth to respond, a loud crash resounded throughout the room, and both heads snapped in attention to the cause.

"Sonic come back! I just wanna give you a congratulating kiss!" Amy's high pitched voice rang in the air, and the scene showed her running out the door after a blue blur, knocking all chairs out of her path until both members were out the door of the apartment.

There was a momentary silence until the parties chatter started up once again, and resumed its usual volume.

Shadow turned his attention back to the feline across the table and saw her roll her golden eyes and mutter under her breath, "gosh that girl is clingy."

Before comprehending fully what he was doing, Shadow gave a curt nod in agreement, only for seconds later to realize he had just agreed with the she-cat he had been arguing with moments ago. He prayed she hadn't seen the short and barely audible shake of his head, but knew all too well that she had as she acknowledged it with a raised eyebrow.

Now all he hoped for was that she would be passive about it and not say anything, but of course, his luck didn't hold as the cat's voice said in an almost playful manner...almost...

"One second we're ready to rip each-others throats out, the next we're agreeing on something. I guess this party isn't so boring after all."

Shadow turned his head to face her, ready to match a steely glare if one awaited him, but instead saw a twitch of the corner of her lips, a ghost of a smirk bantering with him.

Deciding to be good nature-d about it, he let his face relax also, molding into a neutral stance and responding lightly, "guess so."

A silence settled between them, as they both listened to the reawakening sounds of the chatter of mutual acquaintances rise after the scene Sonic and Amy had given.

However, Shadow couldn't resist adding after a settled thirty seconds, "but I still don't forgive you for calling me a rodent."

He was surprised at the slight jesting tone in his own voice, as it came out more of a light banter than a reminder of anger.

The cat turned to him, her eyes scanning his face for any signs of leftover aversion before taking on a light smirk. "I still haven't forgiven you for calling me a fan-girl so I guess we're even."

Concluding to keep up the conversation, Shadow shook his head in disagreement, "you also stated I was sulking, so that makes it uneven." he claimed, letting a smirk slide into place on his tan muzzle.

The feline, however, would not be deterred, and crossed her arms, "but you also called me a mouthy feline." she stated, her eyebrow quirking in a challenging gesture.

Shadow shrugged, "guess we are even then." he gave in, but was surprised when she countered his statement once again.

"Not yet. Since you started the whole thing, I believe you owe me a name." she said, and though her smirk had dropped from her powder white muzzle, he could hear it in her voice as she spoke.

He had an internal debate about whether or not he felt like continuing the dialect before finally giving in with a shallow sigh, "Shadow. Shadow the hedgehog."

As he faced her once again, he could see the pleasure and victory sparkle in her amber eyes as she gave a slight nod of her head. The poise in her posture, the manner in which she spoke, as well as the royal like charm in her nod made him conclude that it was practiced, something about this feline was different than most.

"Pleasure." she stated charmingly, as though an instinct of manners kicked in as she greeted him. At first glance, he questioned whether it had been in mockery or not.

Shadow then realized just how mysterious she was. He had yet to know who she was, where she came from, as well as how she came to know Sonic and others. He also recalled her stating something about being from another dimension. This girl was a new experience for him. Her emotions were guarded, and their conversation made him think before answering. Their small banter had actually lifted his mood even if marginally, and it had taken his mind off previous boredom.

Suddenly, she rose from her seat, her gracefulness still intact with such small movement as she locked eyes with him once again, "now that wasn't so hard was it?"

And with that, she strode off. She disappeared out the apartment and away from the party as swiftly as she had come, leaving a lingering presence in the air.

Shadow was now left to ponder who he had just met, and seconds after her departure realizing that he had never even learned her name.

Somehow, she had just played him, and he could practically see the smirk she was probably wearing on her face as she distanced herself from the party. His eyes returned to the doorway where she had exited moments ago, and a barely visible smirk twitched at his muzzle.

Damn...