Sonic woke up with a throbbing headache and realized that he was not alone in bed. He turned his head to see Mighty sleeping peacefully next to him, and a faint smile crept onto his face. Although he didn't remember much from the previous night, he knew that Mighty had been there for him, as he always had been.

Sonic loosened his hand from Mighty's grip and slipped out of bed, not wanting to wake him. As Sonic stumbled to the bathroom, memories of Shadow's rejection flooded his mind. He had loved him so much, but Shadow didn't feel the same way about him. Sonic splashed cold water on his face to try to wash away both the memory of Shadow's betrayal and the sick headache that throbbed just behind his baggy eyes.

When he emerged from the bathroom, Mighty was stirring awake. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Not the best, but I'm doing better. You were right about the sleep," Sonic replied.

Mighty sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Look, Sonic. I know it hurts, but you can't force someone to love you. We could talk sense into them if they're going against their true feelings, but that's the most we can do."

Sonic let out a deep sigh and drooped his head in defeat. "You're right," he whispered. "I need to forget about Shadow."

Mighty's face softened into a kind smile as he placed an encouraging hand on Sonic's shoulder. His grip filled Sonic with warmth and comfort.

"That's what I'm here for," Mighty said, patting him gently.

"So, what's on your mind then?"

"I know the perfect thing," Mighty continued, "Let's spend the day at the park. Nature is great for healing, and exercise will help with hangovers."

"Okay," Sonic nodded, "The park it is."

They left Sonic's house, walking side-by-side in comfortable silence. The sun burned off the morning haze and warmed the air with its presence, filling them with hope for a great day as they took in the scenery around them. As they arrived at the park, Sonic was awestruck by the beauty of nature—tall trees providing shade, bright flowers blooming along the paths, birds chirping from nearby branches.

Mighty led the way to an open expanse of lush grass, his strides long and confident. He paused at the edge of the field and reached his arms up towards a cloudless sky.

"C'mon Sonic, let's get the blood flowing," Mighty said, gesturing for Sonic to join him.

Sonic smiled and followed Mighty's lead as they began to stretch together. The warm sun felt good on Sonic's skin, and the gentle breeze brought a sense of relief. As they finished their stretches, Sonic's gaze was drawn to a spring mounted atop a utility pole nearby. It was small but it beckoned to him; an inviting destination for a daring leap of faith. He couldn't pass up that challenge.

"I never reached that spring before."

"Here, let's do it."

Mighty picked Sonic up and threw him toward the spring. The wind whipped past Sonic as he flew higher and higher, until he hit the spring with a perfect landing. For one brief moment, he felt weightless as adrenaline surged through his veins, and then… he glided.

With a few flips and turns, Sonic danced through the air like a leaf in the wind, completely lost to life's troubles. Below him, the world was a blur of colors—greens from the trees, and blues from the sky. Several specks below him congregated on the field and cheered him on. It was from up here that Sonic realized that the world was much bigger than him. It'll keep turning, bringing along its good times and its bad times; Mobians who support him, and Mobians who despise him.

When he finally started to fall back to the ground—and back to reality—Mighty was waiting nearby with open arms. The crowd cheered as Sonic landed safe and sound into Mighty's arms.

"That was awesome, Sonic!" Mighty exclaimed.

"Thanks! Nothing up there, but it's still fun!"

They spent the rest of the day running and playing in the park, laughing as they raced each other around trees and tag-teamed against an imaginary enemy. The cool breeze brought a refreshing sense of calm to both of them, and gradually their worries melted away.

As the Sun began to set, the duo sat together on a bench overlooking the field. Sonic took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as the orange sky turned into shades of pink and purple. Being out in nature, spending time with Mighty, and unleashing his inner child without judgment had done wonders for his mood. He realized that he had been so caught up in his own pain that he had forgotten how important it was to take care of himself.

"Putting the whole world in perspective like I did during that spring ride," Sonic grinned, feeling the satisfaction of a good workout. "That was just what I needed. Thanks again, Mighty!"

Mighty's face lit up with a broad smile as he nodded. "I'm glad to hear that," he said with a warm tone. He paused for a moment. "It's moments like these in nature that really help us put things into perspective. It's amazing what can happen when you escape civilization's busy life for a few hours."

"Do you know what else I need, Mighty?"

"Hmm?"

Sonic clapped his hands together and shouted with glee. "Chili dogs!"

"I'm down!" a broad grin spread across Mighty's face. "It's been a bit since we ate anyway."

Sonic threw his arm around the back of his friend's neck and moved them both toward the park gates. "Then I know just the spot for them!"


Shadow strolled down the asphalt pathways of the park, taking in the smell of freshly cut grass and flowers. He took a deep breath and peered up at the sunlit treetops swaying in the breeze. He had to admit that being out in nature on his own terms felt nice—something he hadn't experienced since before he became involved in G.U.N. missions.

He squinted against the glare of the setting sun. All day, memories of last night's revelation at Sonic's house tormented his mind, already fogged by a hangover. He stopped and surveyed the area: the kids laughing on brightly colored swings, and adults doing their best to get fit on outdoor exercise equipment.

Five laps around the park, and Shadow's mind still wasn't at ease. By now, he wondered why people would choose to spend time in parks—was it for leisure or for health? Sure, it was perfect, but it didn't cure his problems.

Or maybe Shadow didn't distract himself enough, and he needed to look at everything in the park. There's a beautiful flower. The beautiful grass, still wet from its watering. A beautiful blue hedgehog sitting on a bench beside a douchebag armadillo–

Shadow cursed under his breath as his mind began to wander. A strange feeling encircled him whenever he looked at that damn hedgehog. It reminded him of how he felt around Maria, but it also felt different. It made him think and do actions that were completely out of character.

He turned back to the bench when he heard giggling from the duo.

"Do you know what else I need, Mighty?" Faker said. "Chili dogs!"

That hedgehog's giggles sent waves of joyfulness with it, which only made Shadow angrier—it was a stark contrast to the cold stares and grunts they exchanged in the past, and the nervousness Faker gave him the other night. Yet Faker seemed so happy now, his small body shaking in fits of laughter while he leaned against the fucker beside him. The bittersweet image lingered in Shadow's mind like a rose's thorn.

He couldn't take it anymore.

A wave of raw power washed over Shadow, and the familiar sensation of energy bubbled in his veins. His muscles tensed, ready to fight, as he formed a chaos spear in his hands. It glowed bright gold as he lifted it and aimed it at the armadillo scurrying away with Faker.

At this point, Shadow's body shook as his rational mind screamed at him to stop. Shadow lowered his weapon until it dissipated in a flurry of sparks. He sank to the ground, drawn and defeated as Faker disappeared further down the path.

He already broke his heart once; he can't do it again by hurting someone close to him.

Shadow's air shoes kicked up dirt as he trudged out of the park, his shoulders slumped. With each step, his mood sank deeper and deeper into a pit of frustration. He had no other choice but to do some research on his own. Did Sonic say the armadillo's name was Mighty? Shadow would have to scour G.U.N.'s databases to get any leads on Mighty and figure out what he was dealing with.

Shadow stared at his phone, debating with himself whether or not to ask for advice from Rouge. She was a master in understanding life's complexities and had a knack for quickly analyzing social settings—something he's inadequate at. Shadow summoned all the courage he had and dialed her number. When she answered, he heard the roar of the party in the background: glasses clinking, music thumping, voices chattering; she must be bartending again tonight.

"Hey handsome, what's shaking?"

"I need your help," Shadow said without greeting her.

"Ooh! Shadow's asking for my help? You're finally coming around! What's up?" Rouge replied slyly.

"Meet me at my house, tomorrow morning at 9."

"Will do. Whatcha need help wi-"

Shadow hung up and put his phone away. Just like that, he knew that he made the right choice.