*Sonic's POV*
As the years passed, I heard from Tails that everyone went their separate ways, civilians started treating us more like any other person walking down the street than their heros. We were soon forgotten for history to tell our stories, and now we each lived different lives. I never went back home, nor did I keep in contact with anyone else. Even Tails cut contact after a while. We all had been stuck playing a role that we never got to live our lives until now.

Staying in contact would just keep our lives the same way, especially with me. I knew since the day I left that I would never see them again, no matter how close we were at some point. Being in their lives would constantly remind them of the past, so I left. Being away from each other was for the best, and when I was told they all left, I knew they thought the same.

It had been 10 years since we beat Eggman. 10 long years without seeing my friends, my team, my family. I never heard where they left to or what they did nowadays. I am sure most of them were living a normal life, maybe having a part-time job. Maybe traveling like I was, exploring the world without any rush or being afraid of getting hurt, captured, attacked.

Timing couldn't have been worse, I had finally started to break down Shadows walls and begin to be around him without getting killed. He considered me his friend, and thanks to him and I finally being able to work together properly, we defeated Eggman.

Eggman had been taken to G.U.N. headquarters, which due to mistreteating agents, G.U.N. was now being run down by my brother. Manic had proven to my mother that he could be in charge, and it was a bonus that the Commander was seriously annoyed of him. Sonia had taken lessons and followed Aleena around to become Queen someday. As for me, I was supposed to be their hand and keep them safe or become their advisor, but I was given the option of living a normal life for once, and I took it. I would someday be back. They're my family, after all, but for now, I got to enjoy my days exploring, camping out, and even working.

Getting a job as a bartender wasn't something I thought I would ever do, but it was fun. I was now 27 years old and had been working here for 6 years. I didn't have a set schedule. Sometimes, I would not even be working for two to three weeks at a time because I wanted to go out and have fun. I was thankful my boss and I would get along, and he knew from the beginning who I was. He hired me on the spot even though I told him I wouldn't be around much to work. He thought having a former hero working for him would bring in more people, and he wasn't wrong.

The ones who came after my boss said I worked here would always either flirt or have conversations that lasted the entire day. I would get more tips than anyone, and I got to make new friends. So much so that even after working at a bar, we went out for drinks regardless somewhere else. Life was different, maybe a bit less exciting than before, but I wasn't a reckless teenager fighting against an evil doctor anymore.

It had been 10 long years since I last saw them. During that time, I fell in love, got my heart broken, I experienced my first hungover, I tried smoking, I made new friends, I lost some, I was in an accident, I had a crush on someone, I got rejected, I explored the world. So many things had happened since I left. Most of them were casual day to day stuff that I was never able to experience before because we had all been so stuck on being heros. Our lives were different now. We were just kids when we first met, I wonder how they are doing now.

"Two tequila shots, please." I looked up as I cleaned the glass cup I had in hand.

"Here again?" I put the glass down and grabbed the tequila bottle, pouring the shots and then passing one to him. In front of me stood a brown colored fox, he was about my age maybe two years older, his name was Spike. He was a regular here and would always try to get me drunk, ordering tequila shots, one for him and one for me.

"Everyday." He chuckled and raised the shot, clinking it with mine, then proceeded to chug it, same as me. I cleared my throat and coughed a little. No matter how many times I took it, I could not get used to the burning sensation on my throat.

"Not much of a lightweight anymore, Spike. But my boss appreciates you dumping all your money here. So I'll go along. Want another 6?" I joked, and he laughed, slamming the shot glass down and reaching over the counter to pat my back. "Will today finally be the day you go help your wife with your kids? Or are you staying here all night again?" I raised a brow.

"Oh, come on. I'm not that bad." He frowned, making me chuckle and keep cleaning the glasses. "Whoa, isn't that one of your old buds?" My ears perked up as Spike pointed at the front door where I saw Shadow standing, his hands resting inside his jacket pockets, and he had his hood on. Only taking it off when he was fully inside the building.

"Yeah. It is." I started to panic, accidentally squeezing the glass I held too tight and shattering it. I reached over the counter and dragged Spike over, and then I crouched down to be able to hide.

"Whoa there. You're cute and all, but I'm married." Spike said, making me kick him.

"You're the bartender for now, I will pay for your tab if you do this. He can't see me." I said in a whisper. He nodded and looked back up, already looking nervous as I could see from the mirror behind him that Shadow was standing in front of him.

"What would you like, sir?" Spike said calmly.

"Vodka." Shadow answered. "On the rocks."

"Of course!" Spike had been coming here for years. He knew where everything was by now, so he was perfect for the fake job. "Aren't you Shadow the Hedgehog? What brings you to our small isolated town?"

"I'm just traveling." Shadow answered, making me relax slightly. At least he wasn't looking for me, I don't want to be back in their lives. Even I couldn't stop myself from panicking at hearing any of their names, it would bring back a lot of memories.

When we were fighting together, I never gave myself proper time to grieve over the losses of the people I lost over the years. I was so focused on each and every attack that I never properly let myself heal or even actually understand how much trauma we were all going through. We were so focused on being the heros the world needed that we forgot about our own mental health. Seeing one of my old friends brought back memories I so badly wanted to forget.

It would be a lie if I said I didn't miss my life. My heart itched for battle again but was torn between the life I have now and the one I had in the past. It itched to see my friends and family again. But I could never do that to them.

"Would you tell the actual bartender to get off the floor and serve me himself?" Shadow said to Spike, causing both of us to freeze. "I see you, Hedgehog."