Author's Note: Hey, readers. I know I've been taking forever with uploading new chapters of my story, The Stepbrother, and I'm really sorry. I've been really busy this summer, and I've barely been keeping still. Haha! But, as soon as I'm done uploading this story, I'm going to start on another chapter of my last fanfiction. And I also want all of you readers and reviewers to know that I really appreciate you guys with your support, whether it's reading or reviewing. I love you guys! Anyway, I hope you all enjoy! R&R!

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE SONIC THE HEDGEHOG CHARACTERS! I wish I did, though. ;)

"Shadow! . . . Shadow!" a voice called.

My head immediately began to throb at the sound of a voice I knew all too well, with an enthusiasm that I also knew all too well. 'Why did I wake up this morning?' I asked myself. I didn't think it would be a problem to provide my female bat friend a place to stay ever since the deprivation of a home hit her. To be honest, any fool should have a brain smart enough to know that having a home within a mere few miles of a club like Club Rouge only provokes trouble. But then again, that rowdy bat never did care about her own well being much of the time, let alone the well being of others.

But, I digress.

Because I am the kind-hearted soul that I am, regardless of what anyone may say contrary to my statement, I somehow allowed her to reside in my humble abode. Now . . . maybe I was drunk before I complied with this living arrangement. Maybe I was deathly ill. Maybe I had just gone crazy in the head, that day. I understand that everyone has those moments from time to time. But the fact of the matter is, that she lives here, now. And until her house is fixed up to her satisfaction, or even until it is renovated to undeniably safe living conditions . . .

. . . I'm stuck with her.

Fate hates me.

As I sat in front of the low-volume television, I took my eyes off of the program, and I tried to think fast on how to respond to what I already knew she was calling me for.

"Hey, Shadow!" she called, racing down the stairs with a piece of paper in her hands.

For once, I wasn't fast enough.

I looked, slowly, over to where she was walking toward me. "Shadow. Read this." She handed me the piece of paper, folded in half and fresh out of the envelope from which it came. I looked at the piece of paper in her hand for a few seconds before I grabbed for it, annoyingly. I took it, skimmed over it, sarcastically handed it back to her, then looked up at her with a look that said, 'I read it. Happy?' She looked back at me with a look of discontent.

"C'mon, Stripes, just read it." She said.

I frowned at my nickname. 'Stripes.' I hated that name from day one, when she first called me that. I've told her repeatedly to stop calling me that, and repeatedly, she calls me by that disdainful name, again and again. I grew weary of verbally reminding her to refrain from the silly 'pet name', and simply scowled every time she decided to use it, instead.

"What's the point in reading it if I already know what it is?" I asked, staring at her, nonchalantly.

Stoic was my favorite expression. It didn't tell too much about me, it didn't hint how I was ever feeling, happy or sad, and it kept me from being read by others like a naïve schoolgirl or an open book. People believe me to have social-deficit issues because of how reserved I behave. Screw them, their thoughts, and their feelings.

"Shadow, please? Just read it, already?" She whined.

I huffed hard, and this time, I snatched the paper from her hand and glared at her before actually reading the piece.

'Shadow and Rouge,

You are cordially invited, by Ms. Rose (that's me, Amy), to a wonderful three weeks of fun at my amazing mansion in the honor of my sixteenth birthday! The celebration and festivities will begin June 24th and will come to an end on July 17th. Please bring many clothes, a hearty appetite, and a friend or two to join in the fun, fun, fun! Feel free to bring Ms. Rose as many presents as you see fit. It is assured that they will be greatly appreciated . . . depending on what they are. Expenses are already paid for, with special thanks to my parents. Be prepared for an amazing time with old and new friends, and please RSVP as soon as possible.

Hope to see you there!

Love, Amy.'

'Love?' I have not, do not, and will not ever love her. I'm still questioning as to whether or not I like that little annoyance. I folded the invitation back in half and handed it back to Rouge. After she took it out of my hands and stood there, no doubt waiting for an answer about me confirming or refusing to go, I simply laid back in my previous position on the couch of the living room I was in, increased the volume of the television, and redirected my eyes to the program I was watching before her trifling interruption.

"So . . . will you go?" she asked me.

I ignored her.

"Shadow?"

I ignored her again.

"Shadow, I know you hear me."

Maybe if I keep quiet and continue not to answer, she would leave me alone.

"SHADOW!"

. . . maybe not.

"What do you want from me, bat?" I asked and glared harshly.

"What's your response to this letter?" She pushed and asked.

"What has been my response to that letter for the past two years that it has come?" I asked back.

". . . no." She answered meekly.

"Exactly. So I guess that is that."

"But, Shadow, you always say no, but you end up going anyway. So, you might as well just bite your lip and go again."

Well . . . I've never heard that one before. 'Bite my lip?'

"Rouge," I started. "I've only gone for the past two years because of my inability to keep from yielding to your incessant cries, begs, and pleas for me to accompany you on these . . . simple little events. I refuse to submit to your whining at this point in time." She scrunched her face up as if trying to comprehend and keep up with what I was saying. I shook my head and breathed hard. I fear for the intelligence of this world, sometimes. I had to dumb my explanation down for her.

"I'm . . . not going . . . to go . . . with you. Understand?"

She glared at me because of this. I'm guessing . . . or hoping . . . that she understood me, now.

"Stripes, it's only going to be for a few weeks."

"No."

"You'll enjoy the ride and the fresh air from this house."

"No."

"You'll have loads of fun, I swear. Now, would I lie to you?" She tried. I gave her a dumb look. Rouge will lie to anyone, friend or foe, to get what she wants. I've known her, not for my entire life, but long enough to process how she operates. Does she really believe me to be this stupid? I'm Shadow the Hedgehog, the Ultimate Life Form. How dare she question my great intelligence! It's almost laughable.

"Okay, so maybe you'll have fun, more or less. But, we should still go."

I sat there for a second, and I thought. Would I really have fun being in a pest's mansion for three weeks with nonstop gabbing, constant noises, never-ending irritation, and headaches that a doctor himself couldn't cure?

"No." I said once more, hoping she would finally leave me alone. Third time's the charm, right?

"But, Shadow— "

I turned the television volume back down and faced her. "Look, bat, if you care to discard your time on some frivolous event, sadly mistaken for a 'getaway vacation', then you go right ahead. I don't have any intentions on accompanying you on this ridiculous excuse for relaxation and a good time." I told her. Then, I focused my attention back on the television program I had been watching.

She stared at me dumbfounded as if at a loss of what to say to me. I could already tell she felt furious on my shooting her down as swiftly as I had. But, desperate times called for desperate measures. If I didn't want to succumb to her request, I had to cut any of her ropes of hope that I would confirm to the invitation. So, without looking her directly in the eyes, I rudely denied her request.

Her cheeks began to turn a light shade of red, and she huffed at me, angrily and said, "Fine, Shadow! Be that way. I don't need you to go everywhere with me." She started in the direction of the staircase. "I'll go by myself, then. And I hope you have fun doing . . . whatever it is you do around here by yourself." She disappeared upstairs. I heard mumbles of 'Hmph!' and 'Rudeness!' after she got to the top of the stairs. I have very good hearing.

I smirked to myself. 'Hn. Glad she's finally out of the way.' I thought. I turned the volume back up once more, and I laid back on my side, my previous position on the couch before my roommate so rudely took me out of my own comfort. I was glad that I had gotten rid of her. Rouge is one of the acquaintances that I can get along with, fairly well. I find it strange that I tell her more than I would tell others. Her. A gaudy bat who, usually, only thinks of herself and her ludicrous jewelry fetish. A bat who consistently tries to remove me from the deepest depths of my comfort. A bat who, more times than not, will try to keep me in my right mind and will go through almost whatever it takes to keep me as happy as someone like me can possibly be.

. . . A bat who, currently, had me thinking twice about accompanying her on Amy Rose's stupid event.

Darn it all.

It was well against my wishes to attend such a sophomoric outing. But as I previously stated, Rouge oddly goes through a great amount of lengths to attempt to put smiles on my face.

I know if I attend, I will be greeted by that rowdy group of Beverly hillbillies; Tails, the golden, two-tailed fox with great intelligence, I must admit, but a knack for being incredibly tedious and naïve, and a mouth that never stops its engines. Knuckles, the red echidna, a hard-headed 'knucklehead' as its been said, with a gullibility so high, toddlers would gaze at him in awe and shame. Amy, the cause of the event; her purpose in this world is to exist to annoy. And that is all she is. Cream the rabbit and her . . . her pet, or whatever that thing is, Cheese, will attend, of course. Only one word is needed to describe these two: children. And what would someone of my age and intelligence have to do with children? Clearly nothing.

I'm sure there will be a few others who I won't care to see. For two years, the event has consisted of people I don't care to see.

But, Rouge somehow manages to have a fun time, every time. And I know she'd enjoy it if I accompanied her. I don't understand why. Aside from the occasional walk into what goes on in my world and my head, I usually give her the cold shoulder. She's a weird one, Rouge. But like I said, I can often tolerate her. And I don't want to lose the closest one I can call a friend, right now.

. . . I guess it won't kill me if I attended the event with her for a few weeks. What have I got to lose that I haven't already lost for the past two years?

My sanity's almost gone. My impeccable sense of hearing has almost vanished. And I already know who to expect and who to prepare for at Amy's.

I decided to go.

I reached for the remote set on the coffee table in front of me, and I turned the television off. I, then, got up off of the couch and dragged myself up the stairs to the room I've let Rouge stay in. When I get to the doorway, I call her. "Bat?" I call in a non-thrilled tone. No answer. "Bat!" I call a little louder.

She appeared from the walk-in closet she enjoyed so much. "What is it, Stripes?"

Hn. That dumb pet name, again. I glared.

"I'll go with you on your silly—"

"Will you, Shadow?" I didn't even get to finish before she enthralled me in an unexpected hug. "Thanks, sweets. I really appreciate this! I'll call Amy on my cell and tell her we're coming." And with that, she disappeared back into her closet, humming happily to songs from some television program.

I wiped myself off as if trying to attempt to remove any remnants or evidence of her hugging me, and I walked to my room to start packing some necessary things for this venture.

As I walked, I already started to feel a major headache coming on. What am I getting myself into?