"You are such a jerk," Rouge snaps with a 'harrumph,' sitting down next to me.

"I know," I reply smoothly, running my fingers through my hair. Right as I was about to get off the plane, a frantic human had stopped me, saying something about having found my belongings. Apparently, once Robotnik had fled, G.U.N. soldiers swept the Space Base levels that he had been using--basically, every level they could easily have access to. I'm guessing Robotnik didn't take my gloves and shoes with him when he left, since they're really only important to me. So, I'd followed their directions and sat down here, but that was well over ten minutes ago, and I'm beginning to get impatient.

Rouge giggles despite herself. "You're just so clever, aren't you?" She punches me in the the arm, and I flash her a smirk.

"You said it, not me, but I'm grateful you did," leaning back, I stare at the ceiling, then look back at her. "It makes me seem less arrogant if I can claim that I'm quoting you when I say I'm clever."

She shoves me gently, laughing. "Yeah, right. Like you care about whether or not you seem arrogant!"

"I'd like to be considered less haughty than that azure headache," I answer, grimacing in disgust. I can't believe he would even suggest that people think of the two of us as the same thing, or even similar at all! Of the two of us, he's the wannabe, clearly!

"Why can't you two just get along?" The snowy bat whines, her ears drooping. "You two always fight!" Crossing her arms, she pouts at me. "It's tough to be friends with you both when the two of you hate each other so much."

"I don't necessarily hate him," I protest. "It's just..." I trail off, rubbing my chin while I try to think. Do I hate him? I don't know. I certainly don't like the guy, but I don't think I hate him either. Even if I do hate him, I know I hate Robotnik more, but does that count for anything?

"Yeeees?" She prompts, tapping one foot on the floor impatiently.

"It's just, well," I shrug, "almost everything about his personality gets on my nerves, is all."

"Oh, really?" She sighs dryly, "Is that all." Shaking her head, she sighs again, and I blink at her in confusion.

"Why does it bother you anyways? It's not like I'm going to say you can't be friends with him anymore." I snort, leaning back again, folding my right leg over my left. "I don't care who you're friends with, but that insufferable azure idiot and I will never get along." My mind flashes back to all the times he's kicked, punched, and spin-dashed me in the past, and I scowl. We have too many bad memories between us, too much bad blood to ever be able to do anything other than hate each other.

"I know," Rouge sighs. "I just wish it were different, because..." Looking away, she stops talking, and I furrow my brows, puzzled. Huh? What's with her demeanor all of a sudden? She slouches unusually, eyelids lowered over her glimmering ocean eyes as she stares off into space.

"Because?" I nudge her gently, and she seems to snap back to reality.

"Uh, well, since you said you weren't going to--" she pauses again, stopping herself, but I nod, knowing that she's talking about my previous goal in life. "I was wondering if you'd want to work with me now?" Her eyes glitter with hope as she looks up at me. My ears perk up.

"I was wondering when you'd bring that up again," I answer evenly, and she leans forward in anticipation. A small smile slips onto my face as I look over at her. She's practically holding her breath, fingers crossed in a silent prayer of sorts, alert and watching my every move. Her deep bluey-green eyes glow and shimmer, filled with hopefulness, and I chuckle quietly. "Yes, of course I'll work with you."

"Yay!" She chirps, throwing her arms around me suddenly. I flinch, startled, fur on end as she pulls me close to her--too close.

"H-Hey, let go!" I protest, feeling a crimson blush dust across my cheeks. Her perfume, yet again, clouds my senses, invading my nose, and I barely refrain from coughing. "Cut it out, will ya?"

"Sorry," she chirps, pulling back rapidly, but not fazed by my reaction. I glower at her, irritated, but before I can say anything a human's voice interrupts.

"Hey, there," they say a bit shyly, and I turn around to face a human of unclear gender standing behind me, looking down a bit nervously at me. They have a square basket in their hands, canvas stretched around wire, and before I can ask what they want they shove it at me. Their light brown eyes glitter kindheartedly, and their short windswept hair falls across their face slightly as they try to manage a grin through their anxiousness. "Here's the stuff my partner mentioned earlier," they explain as I gently take it out of their hands. Inside, my shoes as well as my bloodstained gloves and the hoodie rest at the bottom, placed neatly. "I hope she didn't miss anything."

"Thank you," I say kindly, warmth flooding my heart as I look down at my few belongings. I'm eternally grateful to G.U.N. for taking the time to find my things. This is truly all I have. "Nothing is missing," I assure them with a small smile, and they smile back, relieved.

"That's good." Stepping back awkwardly, they wave. "Well, I, uh, I have to go back to my job, so, um, bye!" Turning on their heel as a rosy hue colors their cheeks, they dash off, and I'm left smirking at empty air. Did I really make them that nervous, or are they just a bit awkward? ...Either way, that was adorable. Stifling a laugh, I look back down at my things. For the first time in a long while, I feel pretty happy.

"Wow, what happened to your gloves?" Rouge gasps, staring at their torn fingertips and the dark blood staining them. "How did they...?" She looks over at me, frightened.

"Relax," I assure her as I pick up a sock. "The blood's mine." As I slip it on, I add, "Though, now that I think about it, some of it might be Scourge's, but I dunno."

Her eyes widen. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?!" She cries, worried. "How did you get hurt?" Immediately she grabs my arm, drawing a startled yip from me and distracting me from my task of donning my socks. "Are you still hurt?" She starts to check me for injuries, but I pull my hand out of her grasp, stifling laughter.

"Relax. I'm not hurt anymore. And besides, it was just an accident." After a second, I wince, adding, "Or two." Smiling nervously, I try not to sweat too much as I pull on the second sock absentmindedly. There's no way I'm gonna tell her they're all bloody from the times I scratched myself. She assumes these injuries on me, which Robotnik foolishly unwrapped, are from what's been done to me, and there's no reason to make her worry about me, seeing as how that problem won't occur again. "I'm fine, really. It was nothing." Straightening up, I peer into the box for my shoes. Besides that, my jet-black thick fur hides my injuries well. Not even I can see the scratches on my wrist from that one night. With surprise, I note that my earring isn't in the box, nor is it caught on any of my other clothes. I know it isn't in my ear anymore--I don't feel its weight--so where could it be? Maybe it got lost. It is, after all, so very tiny.

"Are you sure?" Frowning, still worried, she leans forward as I grab one of my shoes, wrestling it onto my foot. "Our doctors tried to take care of you as best as they could, but they really just cleaned you up a bit." She bites her lip, brows furrowed; meanwhile, I finally conquer my right shoe, and reach into the box for the left one. "They said your fur was too thick for them to work on the cuts all over your arms, not without shaving it off."

My blood runs cold. Crap, they saw those?! I didn't think they could! What if they ask questions? What if they can somehow figure out that I was the one who did that to myself? What will they think?! They'd freak out for sure--God only knows I did! "Well, I'm glad they didn't," I reply, trying to mask my slight panic as I wrangle my left shoe. "I don't particularly want to have naked arms like Sonic."

She giggles. "I've always wondered what was up with that. Like, why does he grow fur everywhere but his arms and chest? It doesn't make any sense." Relief floods through me. Thank goodness, I managed to divert her attention.

"Genetic mutation?" I suggest, finally putting on my left shoe. More like some kind of genetic failing. "I dunno either, honestly." Leaning back, I huff out a sigh. "Really is weird if you think about it, though."

Rouge shrugs, then gets up. "Are you gonna take that hoodie too?" She tips her head to one side, puzzled. "I mean, like, is that really yours?"

"Yeah," I reply, picking it and my gloves up. "Weird, I know, but Scourge gave it to me. It came in handy, since we slept outside." Shrugging it on, I smile inwardly. There. Back to normal. Almost.

"Speaking of the snot-green weirdo," she giggles, and I raise an eyebrow at her, amused, "we've landed at the same base he's being treated on."

"He's more of a sour-apple-green weirdo," I answer, shoving my hands in my pocket, stowing my gloves there. "And I'm gonna go visit him."

"Want me to come with?" She asks, feigning nonchalance, but I know she doesn't want to leave my side for a while. I'm not the only one who felt an absence. A smile flashes across my face.

"Wouldn't have it any other way."

-----------------

Scourge wasn't too clear on how long he'd been laying in the hospital bed, but it was long enough. He's itching to get up, but according to the doctors, his left leg is broken thanks to the debris raining off the shattered highway. What he really wanted to know was whether or not Shadow had made it out okay, since the dark hedgehog had been closer to the highway. A shiver runs up his spine as he remembers the terror of that massive ship just appearing out of nowhere, and all those explosions...

"Mister Scourge?" A nurse's voice suddenly interrupts the emerald hedgehog's thoughts, and he bristles. The human stands in the doorway, looking slightly nervous.

"Whaddaya want?" He growls, not particularly wanting company.

"You have a visitor." They step into the room, and out from behind them slides a familiar black-and-red figure. Shadow blinks, smiling softly, as the nurse eases their way back out of the room. Scourge's foul temper vanishes instantly as a massive beam lights up his face.

"Stripes!" He crows, trying to sit up, and in a mere flash the rose-striped ebony hedgehog is at the side of the bed.

"Don't try to get up," he answers, looking both irritated and worried. Behind him, in the doorway, lurks a snowy white bat with deep purple wings, trying to stay out of sight but still curious. "You're hurt."

"I'm alright. And tell Rouge she can come in too." Scourge smirks, and Shadow's eyebrows twitch in surprise as a rather embarrassed Rouge slinks into the room.

"I told you to wait in the lobby," Shadow chastises, giving her an annoyed glance.

"I got curious," she says defensively, throwing her hands up in front of her, "so sue me."

The lime hedgehog chuckles. "Don't worry 'bout it, Stripes. I'm just glad you're alright." Smiling, he looks back at his friend, but to his shock guilt flashes across the other hedgehog's crimson eyes.

"I'm sorry, Scourge," he sighs, looking upset. "This is all my fault."

"How's it your fault?" Incredulous, the emerald hedgehog raises an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Robotnik came for me," he answers, not meeting Scourge's eyes. "If you hadn't been there, you wouldn't have gotten hurt."

"Pshh, I ain't care!" The green hedgehog grins, sharp teeth gleaming. "C'mon, if I didn't get hurt, I wouldn't have all this! It's really not that bad--I gots my own bed, they gimme food, and if I need anything I can just ask someone for it!" The sadness fades from the black hedgehog's eyes, replaced by the usual glimmer of light behind his eyes.

"Well, so long as you don't mind being bedridden for a bit," Shadow smirks, "I guess it's not so bad."

"Not at all." Crossing his arms, the malachite hedgehog smiles cleverly.

"The only issue," Rouge suddenly pipes up, "is the fact that G.U.N. wants you to be tried for your crimes."

Scourge blanches, grimacing. "Crap. I forgot about all that..." Sudden alarm shoots through him. "Is that a singular or plural 'you'?" Frenzied, the neon-green hedgehog blurts, "Cuz nicking the car was my idea, Stripes is innocent there!"

"Wh--Don't say that! I was involved in everything too!" Shadow protests, panicking too. "If you're going down, I'm going with you!" He balls his hands into fists, elbows tucked close to his side and his red-and-black paws level with his face. Scourge's eyes widen, touched by the gesture.

"Hey, calm down, both of you!" The rather flustered white bat yelps, sticking her arms out, trying to keep the two of them from freaking out. "Shadow isn't gonna be penalized, but he is going to be expected to work with G.U.N. to make up for what he did. Scourge, on the other hand, will not be given that kind of an opportunity due to his past record."

"What?!" Shadow and Scourge both yelp. "That isn't fair!" Shadow continues, "I've done worse things than him! I was a villain, an honest-to-god villain, but he's just been a criminal! Why doesn't he get the opportunity instead?"

"You're only getting the opportunity because you're useful," the white bat answers in a bit of a scathing tone, "and besides, Scourge is the ultimate con-man--er, con-hedgehog. G.U.N. doesn't want anything to do with him."

Shadow pouts, something Rouge hadn't seen him do before. "That's awful. He can't go to jail!" Worry glistens in his eyes, but Rouge just shrugs.

"Hey, it wasn't up to me," she snaps, hands on her hips.

"Don't worry, Stripes," Scourge places a hand on Shadow's shoulder reassuringly. "Practically the second my leg recovers, I'm outta here." He grins up at his dark-furred friend. "They won't be able to catch me!"

"What if they decide to try you before you heal enough to run?" Rouge crosses her arms, looking unimpressed.

"Then I ... guess I'll break outta prison," he replies uneasily, trying to sound confident, but it's clear he hadn't thought of that. The crimson-streaked hedgehog places his hand on top of Scourge's, gently pulling it off his shoulder.

Shadow gives his hand a squeeze to help bolster his friend's confidence. "It's okay, I'm sure you can manage. Besides, if you do wind up in jail, I'll visit you!"

"You would?" The azure-eyed hedgehog blinks at his midnight-furred friend. "I thought you hated cramped spaces and stuff."

"I'll cope," Shadow shrugs, letting go of his lime friend's hand. It falls limply onto the mattress, ignored by the three creatures.

"Uh, pardon me?" A doctor clears her throat from behind them. "Visiting time is up. Sorry, kids." She smiles at them regretfully.

"Don't worry," Shadow smirks at Scourge. "I'll visit you at least one more time before you get out of the hospital."

"Promise?" Scourge grabs his wrist, suddenly not wanting his friend to leave.

Shadow grins, a genuine beam. "Promise."

---------------

We pause at the vending machines on our way out, and I drop a couple coins in the machine's slot, humming quietly to myself. Rouge leans against the wall, a soda in her hand, and I scan the machine's contents. Hmm, what do I want? My eyes land on a can of root beer, and my ears prick as I recognize it to be the same drink I've seen Robotnik enjoy. Maybe that one will be good. Tapping its corresponding button, I step back, waiting patiently; after a few seconds, the can clangs against the metal interior, and I fumble about, pulling it out. With a small hissing noise, the can opens, and a surprisingly sweet aroma wafts up. Taking a sip, I walk back over to my snowy friend; the taste is electrifyingly sugary, and the liquid bubbles and froths across my tongue, filling my whole mouth. I blink in surprise, looking down at it. Amazing! This is totally awesome! I take another gulp of it, suppressing a purr of delight.

Rouge turns to look at me. "Say, Shadow," she begins as I lean next to her. I glance over; her wings are stretched flat against the wall behind her until the second joint--at that point they curl inward, forming a sort of jacket across her shoulders. Her posture is relaxed, the arm holding her soda dangling, her fingers wrapped around the lip of the can to hold it. Her other hand rests on her hip as she blinks aimlessly at the ceiling. "How is it that you and Scourge are so close?"

"What do you mean?" I tip my head to one side slightly, confused. I lift my can to my lips again, taking another sip.

Her eyes flick over to me, icy blue and sharp. "Is there something more going on between you two?" I choke, my drink shooting up my nose, evoking a series of snorts and coughs. She ignores my reaction, continuing, "Because you should know, he has a bad track record in rela--"

"What the hell are you talking about?!" I splutter, trying to regain my composure whilst wiping root beer off my chin. "Why on earth would you think that?!"

She smirks at me playfully. "Hey, I ship it," she teases.

"Eugh!" I glare at her, disgusted. "Jeez, we're friends, that's it!" What the--?!?!

"Relax, Shadz," she laughs hysterically, loving every second of this. "I'm just saying that to bug you." She wipes the corners of her eyes, still giggling. "Ah, man, your reaction was priceless."

"Sh-Shut up," I stutter, blushing fervently. Great, now the next time I see him I'll only think of this conversation... How awkward! "Gah, you're so annoying!" Turning away, I let out a 'hmph' and take another swig of soda. What a crude thing to say! Why does she always have to make me uncomfortable like this?!

"Alright, alright, all jokes aside, the two of you are quite the unlikely duo--why on Earth did you team up?" Still smirking, she turns to face me, curiosity gleaming in her eyes.

I shrug. "Well, we're friends. We've been friends for a while now--I told you that he was the one who helped me get out of the Space Base." Looking up at the ceiling, I try to think. "We hadn't seen each other in years, but a few weeks ago I found him beat up in an alley and helped him get home. After that, I spent the night at his place, and we caught up with each other," pausing to take another sip of my drink, I shrug. "Next day, he offered to go with me, and it wasn't like I was gonna say no."

She raises an eyebrow. "I thought you preferred to be alone." Yet again, she phrases a question inside a sentence.

"I do," I protest, though truthfully I'm no longer sure. "But, I mean," looking down, I try to articulate myself, "his neighborhood clearly wasn't safe for him, and he hardly had any food or anything. I figured I'd be helping him..." I trail off with a sigh. "I never expected that this would happen. I didn't want him to get hurt."

"Hey," Rouge scowls at me, "don't you dare blame yourself for this. It's Robotnik's fault, not yours." I look over at her sadly. I wish I could believe that, but the fact remains that if he hadn't been with me, he wouldn't have been hurt. Robotnik was after me, and Scourge could have died in the process. "Besides," she continues, waggling a finger in my face; I suppress the urge to bite it. "Scourge knew what he was getting himself into. He's not a defenseless puppy--He can take care of himself!"

"I know that," I snap, "but still, he's my friend and I put him in danger. You can't expect me to not feel badly about that!" Crossing my arms, I huff, crushing the now-empty soda can in my hands without even realizing it. She pulls back, looking at me sadly, but says nothing. I glare at her, then compact the can even more, tossing it into a nearby trashcan. "Let's get going. I'm sure there's things for us to do, yes?"

"Yeah," she sighs, and I hear her think, 'You'd carry the world on your shoulders if you thought its weight was your fault, wouldn't you?' I flinch involuntarily, surprised. Does she really think I'd do that? ...Would I do that? "We need to get back to G.U.N.'s headquarters--there's some things we have to do before you're allowed to work with me." She starts walking down the hall, and I follow suit. "Some paperwork and stuff, you know?" Shrugging nonchalantly, she opens the door to the lobby. "The President of G.U.N. will probably wanna talk to you, too."

I cringe inwardly. Great... Diplomacy. One of the few things I've never been good at. "Alright," I growl evenly, masking my distaste. Let's just get this over with. "How far away is that?"

"There's a train that runs from here straight to the HQ, but that ride's gonna be a few hours long." She shoots me a playful grin. "Hope you brought something to read." I snort in response, rolling my eyes.