Shadow was backstage getting ready for the second night of West Side Story, which was about to start in two hours. He received a phone call on his shiny new iPhone (the latest model). He picked up the phone and checked the ID: Dr. Robotnik. He accepts the call.

"What do you want?" he brutishly said.

"Hey ya, Shadow. I'm kind of in a tight spot…" said Dr. Robotnik.

"What, are you locked in a closet or something?" said Shadow.

"What?" replied Dr. Robotnik, "No, no… I mean, I need money. Think you can help me out?"

"Oh," said Shadow, "Why didn't you say so?"

"It's an expression," said Dr. Robotnik, "Anyway, think you could help me out? After all we've been through… I'm about to be evicted."

"Hmm," replied Shadow, "You know I have no control of my money, don't you? Those imbeciles back in Japan have me in a guardianship. I literally have no way of sending you money. Even if I wanted to."

"Don't tell me that!" said Dr. Robotnik.

"I know that's not what you wanted to hear," said Shadow, "But hey, there's nothing I can do about it."

"Well…" said Dr. Robotnik, "Can't you just steal the money and then wire it over?" said Dr. Robotnik.

"What do you mean by wire it over?" said Shadow, intrigued by this term he had never heard before.

"Meaning send it over to me electronically!" said Dr. Robotnik. He was getting tired of explaining to Shadow everyday terms and expressions he was unfamiliar with.

"Oh, why didn't you say so?" said Shadow, "Well, look, I don't even know the password to any of my online bank accounts set up in my name."

"Well can you just like, I don't know, ship me the cash by Fed-Ex Overnight or something?" said Dr. Robotnik.

"I suppose," said Shadow, "But I mean, I can't just go robbing a bank."

"What, are you afraid you'll get caught?" said Dr. Robotnik, chuckling, "I got an idea though."

"What?" said Shadow.

"Get ready, 'cause this is a pretty ingenious idea… are you ready?" said Dr. Robotnik.

"I'm ready," said Shadow, slightly annoyed.

"Okay, so… Basically, you will dye your quills blue before robbing the bank. That way, everyone will think you're Sonic. And then you'll use Chaos Control to stop time and rob the bank. Pretty genius idea, huh?" said Dr. Robotnik.

"Brilliant idea," said Shadow sarcastically, "But why don't I just use Chaos Control to stop time and rob the bank without having to go to the trouble of dying my quills blue to look like Sonic?"

"Obvious!" said Dr. Robotnik, "People will need someone to pin the blame on. What, do you think they'll think the money just up and disappeared out of thin air? No, no, no. It's better this way. Trust me."

"Well, there's just one problem," said Shadow.

"What?" said Dr. Robotnik.

"I don't have a Chaos Emerald to perform Chaos Control," said Shadow.

"Oh, well…" said Dr. Robotnik, scrambling to come up with a solution to this minor detail lacking from his otherwise flawless plan, "…I can send an associate of mine up to you with one. Rouge the Bat."

"I wasn't aware you still had access to the Emeralds," said Shadow, surprised to hear this.

"I've…" started out Dr. Robotnik, "…managed to get my hands on two of them. I'll let you borrow one, and then you can have it shipped back to me with the money. Sound like a plan?"

"Why don't you just sell one of the Chaos Emeralds? I'm sure you could get a decent amount for one of them."

"Sell a Chaos Emerald?" shouted Dr. Robotnik, "Are you out of your mind? That'd be preposterous! Besides, how would I get it back?"

"What, are you trying to collect them all again?" said Shadow.

Dr. Robotnik didn't speak. An awkward silence impregnated the conversation.

"Well, what's in it for me?" said Shadow.

"I've got a shiny new, military-grade assault rifle with your name on it. It's gold-plated too. A real gem," said Dr. Eggman, "Only one in existence."

"Hmm," said Shadow, briefly considering the offer, "Deal. How much do you need?"

"$2,000," said Dr. Robotnik.

"Fine," said Shadow, letting out a sigh.

"You've got three days to get me the money," said Dr. Robotnik, "Otherwise, I'm homeless! Rouge should be knocking on your door sometime tomorrow morning to drop off the Chaos Emerald. But discretion is of the utmost importance! We don't want people knowing the emeralds' whereabouts, now do we?"

"Okay," said Shadow, "Bye,"

And with that, Shadow hung up the phone.

He knew Dr. Robotnik's backstory. He was well aware that the man almost destroyed the entire planet after unleashing the awesome power of Perfect Chaos upon the world. What could he be up to in trying to collect the dangerously powerful Chaos Emeralds again? Was this some kind of a twisted game to him?

Still, he had been conditioned in the laboratory to have an obsession with guns. But it was more of a fetish than an obsession. Guns were the one thing that really got his heartbeat going. They made him feel alive. He loved their contours, the way they felt in his hand, and the vibrations upon opening fire. Of course, in the laboratory, he had never shot at a living being. Only clay pigeons and paper targets. See, guns were like toys to him. He was still very naive as to their potential to be used as a deadly weapon.

So it was an offer he couldn't refuse.