Shadow vehemently detested running through Shamar. His air shoes made it impossible to move quickly throughout the area without surrounding himself in a cloud of sand, stinging his eyes and filling his lungs with grit as he moved. It took him a substantial amount of effort to not tumble into a coughing, watery-eyed mess.

The villagers he had spoken with had directed him to a base not too far off. It had a handful of robots surrounding it that would occasionally terrorize the locals, but nothing substantially massive. Then again, given what Eggman did to capture his friends... there likely weren't many robots around to do much of anything.

Whatever. He shook his head, throwing the thoughts he had been mulling out of his head. A base is a base, and bases need to be destroyed. Then... once his job was done, he could-

He could do what , exactly?

To be honest, he hadn't quite thought that part through. He'd slept where he could, keeping himself out of sight and mind as he did his job. But once everything was said and done, little came to his mind as he wondered about what would await him as he waited for the next time he was needed. He mused about making the ARK his home once more, but... he would be too easy to find. Staying in any of the places he had visited would invite similar risks.

He stopped abruptly as his lungs gave out, hacking out as much air as he could to alleviate the abrasive sand that kept finding its way inside. After a few minutes of the violent coughing fit, we wiped his mouth and set back on his path.

Thinking about such things was a waste of time. He had chosen this path for a reason. He'd have plenty of time to find things to do once all of Eggman's facilities were demolished.

Despite the constant irritations, he eventually made it the base he was looking for. It was a small, stout building, round in shape and constructed at the bottom of a massive ravine that circled the area. With little more than a second thought, the black and red hedgehog threw himself over the edge of the cliff, wind whistling past his ears as the rock face sped past him. Just as he neared the ground, he curled up into a ball, grinding his quills against the cliffside as he rolled faster and faster, the force he was exerting building rapidly. He felt his insides lurch as the vertical cliff quickly curved into the ground, redirecting all that momentum forward. He shot outward like a bullet, crashing into the doors. The sheer force of the impact tore through them as if they were paper, effortlessly busting through and showering the area in sparks and scraps of shrapnel.

The Badniks inside were obviously not prepared for a strike of that magnitude, scrambling to attention as they desperately attempted to organize a counteroffensive.

Shadow didn't give them the time of day. The trembling Egg Fighter that led the charge was instantly dispatched with a homing attack, and a wave of chaos spears impaled most of the supporting forces. The rest scrambled away, frantically finding some place to hide as they realized just how outmatched they really were.

The black and red hedgehog had considered hunting them all down, but it seemed like a waste of time when they would be taken out once the base had been dealt with as well. He pulled out his chaos emerald, his red aura glowing as energy welled up inside him. Within seconds, the energy pulsed out of him like a wave, the ensuing explosion tearing through the walls and ceiling with little effort. Shadow watched as the hiding Badniks were caught in the blast, thrown aside as their metal shells collapsed inwards like balls of aluminum foil.

He paused as the attack subsided, eyes scanning the immediate environment as he looked for any signs of surviving robots. The walls groaned around him, their integrity significantly reduced as the ceiling threatened to cave in. Wires dangled from the ceiling, electricity sparking out as they whipped around from the energy inside them. Yet, he was unable to detect any shifting metal or whirring servos.

He let out a sigh, shoulders relaxing as he began to observe his surroundings in earnest, seeing what this base had been used for.

The building was relatively small, consisting only of a few workshops and necessary facilities to support Eggman should he need an extended stay here. A quick perusal of one such workshop indicated that this place was primarily built for the purpose of researching and testing out experimental weapons.

The location was certainly suitable for that, out of sight and at the bottom of a massive pit in the ground.

Looking through some of the other rooms revealed a couple of ammo caches. It was miraculous that he hadn't triggered a secondary explosion with them when he made the initial blast... no matter, they would definitely be ignited when he did it again, and it would certainly make his job a lot easier since it would save him a blast or two's worth of energy.

Seeing no better opportunity, he pulled out the emerald again, unleashing another explosion right on the spot. He watched as the ammo crates flew into the air, the rounds inside them glowing with heat as the gunpowder within them ignited, sending the projectiles flying everywhere. They shredded through the walls, dotting the entire facility with holes.

The entire facility screeched horribly as the blast subsided. The ground shook as a second ammo cache had ignited in the room next to him, causing another chain reaction as subsequent explosions rocked the surrounding area. Shadow quickly teleported out, reappearing at the top of the cliffs as he saw the base consumed in a ball of fire, lighting the area so brightly that it made the sky look like daytime. Waves of an acrid smelling heat washed over him, wincing the flames dissipated in the air, their fuel completely consumed.

"Now that's quite the show!"

Shadow could feel his heart freeze in place as the voice coming from behind him pierced his ears. He instantly knew who it was, having heard it for so long.

He breathed in deeply, holding his breath as he turned to face the one speaking to him.

Sonic. The blue hedgehog stood firmly on the sand, fists tightly clenched as he looked back at his rival.

His tone may have sounded cheery, however his expression was anything but. His face was completely inexpressive, his mouth an almost perfectly straight line as his eyes slowly traced over the Ultimate Lifeform's figure.

Shadow could only blink, mentally wracking himself as he did his best to maintain his composure. The guilt he had tried so hard to swallow was creeping back up his throat, stinging him from the inside out.

He took one more deep breath in, exhaling as he calmed his nerves and tried to return to that familiar state of emotional numbness. He knew this day would come eventually. He practiced just for something like this. It was far too late to have regrets now... all he needed to do was make that clear to the one in front of him.

Meeting his rival's stare with his own, he opened his mouth to speak.

"What do you want, hedgehog?"

Sonic felt his eye twitch as the words were coldly spat at his feet. He wasn't sure what exactly to expect when he actually did find Shadow again, but this...

He could feel the frustration rising to a crescendo in the back of his mind.

"What do I want?" The blue hedgehog retorted, returning the hostile stare he had received from his black and red counterpart. "Do I need a reason to reach out to a friend of mine?"

The Ultimate Lifeform's eyes narrowed, his expression as impassive as ever.

"We're not friends." He bluntly replied, unwavering.

Sonic may as well have been punched in the gut. He gritted his teeth, fists clenched as he took a step forward.

"Then what about your actual friends, then?" He angrily replied, throwing out his hand to emphasize his remarks. "Rouge and Omega- do you know how hurt they are by your little disappearing act? How could you do that to them?"

Shadow looked away, shaking his head as he waved his hand in dismissal.

"They were never my friends. It was only a business relationship, nothing more."

"Cut the crap, Shadow!" His rival immediately retorted, his anger pouring out of his mouth like boiling water. "I don't know what has gotten into you, but if you think for a second that I'm going to let you get away with insulting the people who have stuck with you the most, then you've got another thing coming!"

"It's not my problem if they mistook how things were for something else."

Sonic's jaw dropped at the stunningly cold response.

"How can you even say that?!" His voice rose, his tone becoming increasingly exasperated. "After everything they've been through with you?! We've been searching for you this whole time because we're worried about you! They've thrown their livelihoods away for you! "

The black and red hedgehog paused for a moment, still looking away from his blue counterpart.

"...What?"

"GUN issued a warrant for your arrest. Apparently, the new president is looking to prosecute you over what happened in Westopolis. Rouge and Omega were ordered to bring you in." Sonic explained, taking another step towards the hedgehog. "And you know what those 'business partners' did? They quit GUN and told us so we could all find you!"

Shadow took a deep breath in, his fingers twitching as he exhaled.

"...No one asked them to do that. It's not their problem to deal with."

"Alright, I've heard enough. Even for you, this is a new low. You're hiding something. " The blue hedgehog accused, his limbs shaking in anger as he pointed at his rival. "So, what is it?"

"Nothing that is your concern, hedgehog." The black and red hedgehog glanced back at Sonic, only to immediately look away again. "You wouldn't understand."

"My name is Sonic!" He shouted, his voice grating from the effort. "And the only reason I wouldn't understand is because you refuse to tell me what's going on!"

"This is a waste of time." Shadow sighed, pulling out his chaos emerald.

"Oh no you don't!" Sonic ran up, grabbing his rival by the wrist. "You are not running away from this."

He watched as the black and red hedgehog bared his teeth, a genuine anger forming in his red eyes as he hissed out.

" Don't. Touch. Me. "

Before Sonic could react, Shadow clenched his free hand and laid a punch square on the blue hedgehog's chin, the impact sending him sprawling on the ground.

The black and red hybrid refocused back on the emerald in his grasp, letting the energy stream into his body as he prepared to leave.

"Chaos Contr-"

The words were forced back down his throat as Sonic curled up, spinning rapidly as he launched himself off of the ground and directly into Shadow's chest. The Ultimate Lifeform felt the air get beaten out of his lungs, the smooth edges of the powerful gem slipping away from his fingertips as it dropped unceremoniously to the ground.

Sonic was quick to scoop it up, hastily shoving it into his own quills before bringing his fists up in a fighting stance.

"I told you; you aren't getting away that easily. And we both know I can chase you to every corner of the planet if I have to." He threatened, glare intensifying as his head lowered. "If you want your easy way out, you better come and take it ."

It took all of Shadow's willpower to keep his facial expressions stoic. His heart was beating wildly like a drum, threatening to burst through his ribcage and out of his chest.

Damn that hedgehog. It wasn't supposed to have gone this way.

He made it clear that he wanted to be left alone. So why was this idiot so insistent on chasing after him?

He felt the familiar sting of guilt welling in his stomach, burning him from the inside like a glowing hot iron. Sonic's presence only fed into it, his constant questioning and anger only making things more frustrating than it had to be.

He didn't want to fight him. But if he was going to be this stubborn, then he was left with no choice.

He couldn't live like this. Not the way Sonic wanted him to. And it was clear he was incapable of understanding that.

He took another deep breath in, steeling his wavering fortitude as he swept his foot back and brought his own fists up to match the blue hedgehog's stance.

He could see his rival was genuinely shocked and upset by the response, but that no longer mattered. He knew Sonic would absolutely follow through on his threat to give chase- the only chance he had of a clean escape was to get the emerald back.

The two stayed in place for what seemed like an eternity, the both of them hardening their gazes as they refused to make the first move. It was clear that neither of them wanted to fight the other. To Shadow, it was clear that the only reason they had to was due to Sonic's infinite capacity for stubbornness. He was pretty certain that Sonic felt the exact same way about him.

Then in an instant, the two of them simultaneously jumped at each other, fists pulled back and ready to strike. As they approached each other, they both clocked each other in the jaw, flying in opposite directions as they scrambled back to their feet.

"So what is it, Shadow?" Sonic reiterated, dragging his thumb across the bruise that the black and red hedgehog left on his muzzle. "You're immortal, so I doubt this is one of those 'I'm dying and hiding it' things."

The hybrid snarled, revving up his air shoes as he launched himself back at his rival. The blue hedgehog dived to the side at the last second, watching as the Ultimate Lifeform slid across the sandy ground. Using his momentum as a springboard he crouched low, jumping forward to tackle Sonic- again just barely dodged.

Shadow jumped in the air, curling into a ball and launching forward towards his rival in a homing attack. The blue blur mimicked the move, the two of them colliding into the air and rebounding upwards as they continued attacking each other. The Ultimate Lifeform homed towards the other hedgehog again, only for Sonic to unfurl himself. He spun around in the air, stretching out his foot and crashing his heel into Shadow, sending him crashing down into the ground.

"I thought maybe this might be you going all 'lone wolf' to protect your friends, but this is far from the first time they've been hurt in the line of duty." Sonic loudly mused, keeping a close eye on his black and red rival as he uncurled himself and stood back up.

"Shut it." Shadow barked, grimacing as he spat a wad of sand out of his mouth.

Sonic shrugged as he jumped back, watching a cloud of sand plume upwards as his rival punched the area he had once stood in. He shrugged, a smirk growing on his face despite the anger he felt.

"You of all people should know I like the sound of my own voice." He shrugged. "I think I'm going to keep guessing until I find what's actually bothering you."

The black and red hedgehog crouched low, bracing the ground as he set his air shoes to maximum. He spun his legs around, the jet of air blasting the ground and sending a stream of sand straight into Sonic's face. The blue hedgehog recoiled, eyes stinging from the impact as he sputtered to get the gritty texture out of his mouth. While he was distracted, Shadow rushed forward, spinning around to land a roundhouse kick directly onto his chest. He felt his limbs limply trailing his body as he flew back, crashing into the ground and sliding backwards from the force of the blow.

Sonic was barely able to open his eyes as he saw his rival in the air above him, rapidly descending with both fists clasped together behind his head. He barely had enough time to roll out of the way before the blow struck the ground, leaving a small crater in its wake.

"Wow, you're really serious about this, huh?" The blue hedgehog huffed. "Is it because someone is blackmailing you? Or perhaps you found out something else from your past that you think would make everyone hate you?"

"Just give me the damn chaos emerald!" Shadow angrily rebuffed, unwilling to play along.

Sonic was already on the move by the time the black and red hedgehog was back on his feet. He rapidly circled his opponent, his figure blurring into a line of blue light that slowly closed in on the Ultimate Lifeform. The sand at his feet began to rise from the wind pressure, quickly forming into a dusty tornado that completely surrounded Shadow, cutting off his vision.

"So I'm not even close to the real answer?" Sonic chided, his voice carried along the wind. "You know, this would be over a lot quicker if you just tried explaining it yourself!"

Shadow didn't even have time to reply as the other hedgehog broke from his circling, diving behind him and firmly kicking the black and red hybrid in the back of the head. He was sent flying out of the mini tornado, his face planting directly into a sand dune. When he finally managed to wrench himself out of the ground, he spun around to see Sonic standing a good distance away, arms folded over his chest.

"Answer me honestly, Shadow." The blue hedgehog asked, his tone devoid of any taunts or jabs. "Is this... are you still upset by what happened at Westopolis?"

The Ultimate Lifeform's eyes widened, any anxiety and confusion in his body immediately replaced by a rapidly blossoming sense of rage that exuded from every fiber of his being.

"...Upset?" He repeated, his body shaking as he felt what little grip he had over his self-control slipping. "You still pretend that you are able to understand why I chose to leave... and you ask me if what I did in Westopolis makes me upset ? You come to me, knowing fully well how many lives I had a hand in ruining that day, and you ask me if I am upset by what I did?"

"How am I supposed to know if you don't tell me?!"

"IT'S NOT YOUR PLACE TO KNOW IN THE FIRST PLACE!" Shadow roared.

"It is when a friend of mine is hurting!" Sonic yelled back, his own frustration matching his rival's fury. "Even when they're being a total jackass about it!"

"I've had enough of this." The black and red hedgehog spat out, quickly tearing off his inhibitor rings. Almost instantly, a red aura began billowing forth, causing ripples in the sand around him.

Sonic didn't even have time to react as Shadow rushed forward, grabbing the blue hedgehog by the face and slamming him into the ground. Refusing to let go, he put his air shoes on full blast, rushing forward and dragging his flailing rival across the sands as they traveled back towards the base. His grip held strong, even as Sonic hands clumsily grasped at his arm, desperately trying to pull free as the rest of his body was scraped along the sand.

As Shadow approached the edge of the cliff, he threw the blue hedgehog upward, jumping up to meet him in the air and land a dropkick directly into his stomach. He heard Sonic choke on his own breath as he was sent flying down, past the cliff edge and onto the ravine floor far below. The impact caused the ground beneath the blue hedgehog to dent inwards, cracks forming up the rock face from the sheer force of the blow. The entire area was covered in sand, blocking all visibility from above. The Ultimate Lifeform paused for only a moment before jumping downwards into the pit.

Shadow felt his knees nearly give out from under him as his feet hit the ravine floor. His chaos energy reserves were thoroughly drained at this point. But that shouldn't matter; there was no way Sonic would have been able to withstand such an attack. The battle was already decided, all he needed to do was grab the emerald and-

His thoughts ground to a halt as the dust cleared. Sonic was standing, though just barely. His frame wavered like a leaf in the wind, a devilish grin on his face as he brought his shaking fists up into a fighting stance once more.

"I told you." He wheezed, lungs struggling to pull in air. "If you want your easy way out, you're going to have to fight for it."

"You're going to die at this rate." Shadow bluntly stated, hesitation building as his eyes looked over the battered state of his rival's body.

"...Then do it."

The Ultimate Lifeform felt a wave of shock rip through his body as the raspy words reached his ears.

"...What?!"

"If it's that important, then do it, Shadow!" He reiterated, stumbling forward as he brought himself out of the crater. "If it's important enough that you are willing to throw everything away, then what difference does it make? I'm holding you back, right?"

"Th-that's not-"

"Not up for debate!" Sonic interrupted him, rushing forward with his arm reared back. "I'm not going to stop until you give up or you kill me! Make your choice!"

Shadow jumped back to avoid Sonic's blow, his mouth open but unwilling to form any coherent words. His brain was firing all cylinders, a million incomplete thoughts swirling around his head in a cacophonous storm of anxiety and fear.

He was too lost in his own thoughts as Sonic's clenched fist collided with his temple, knocking him onto the ground. His head pounded in agony, making it hard to focus as he pushed himself back up to a standing position. The blue hedgehog could still clearly pack a mean punch even in this state, and he clearly wasn't willing to stop now.

"Sonic, I don't-"

"Then give up!" Sonic cut him off as he closed the distance, throwing another punch at his rival.

Shadow just barely had enough time to get out of the way.

"I can't-"

"Then kill me!"

The battered hedgehog's speed only increased, his resilience and language leaving his rival even more visibly scared.

"I don't want to do either!"

"I don't care!"

"Stop this, Sonic!"

"No!"

Shadow's ears flattened against his skull as Sonic let out a frustrated scream, jumping forward in a tackle aimed right at him. The black and red hedgehog felt his body move on instinct, stepping out of the way and grabbing his blue counterpart's body. He twisted his waist, redirecting the tackle's momentum to the side, sending the other hedgehog crashing directly into the cliff face.

Sonic's body flopped on impact, bouncing off the vertical wall and collapsing into a crumpled heap onto the rocky floor of the ravine.

The Ultimate Lifeform felt his blood run cold as he realized what he had just done. His eyes widened as he rushed over to his rival, barely able to move without stumbling over himself.

" No no no no no no no no… " The words spilled out of Shadow's mouth, his body going numb as he fell to his knees next to the blue hedgehog.

Sonic wasn't moving.

He couldn't keep his vision focused, his eyes jittering back and forth.

Sonic wasn't moving.

His breathing was erratic, his diaphragm spasming wildly and preventing the air from even reaching his lungs before it was expelled.

Sonic wasn't moving.

He brought his trembling hand up to the blue hedgehog's shoulder, pulling it to roll him onto his back. His arms limply fell to his sides, laying flat against the ground.

Sonic wasn't moving.