Shadow stood at the edge of the cliff, his arms folded over the pale white fur of his chest. The ocean was calm today. A light wind was blowing, pushing small waves towards the cliffs that were the shoreline. The air was filled with the ocean's signature salty tang, the kind that one could taste in their mouth with every breath. If Shadow's eyes were open, he would see that the water itself was deep blue, each wave tipped with frothy white as it approached the shore. The sky was dotted here and there with wispy clouds, that looked more ashen smudges in a blue painting. The sun blazed brightly and hotly within that deep blue field, its energizing rays empowering the green grass atop the cliffs, warming the hedgehog through his obsidian fur. Normally, such a sight would have been admired by many, but the sheer cliffs gave the place an ominous feeling. For whatever reason, Shadow was the only one who came here to this place. And frankly, he preferred it that way.

In the two years since his decision to leave behind his past on Space Colony ARK, this place had slowly become his new place of solitude, a place where he could think without being disturbed. In those two years, many things had changed.

For one thing, he was now one of the top agents at the Guardian Unit of Nations, the very same organization that twice before had attempted to kill him, once two years ago when he had been suspected of collaborating with the alien army known as the Black Arms, whom had attempted to invade Earth and enslave its people, and fifty years before that, when the G.U.N had shut down Dr. Gerald Robotnik's Project Shadow, the research and development project that had resulted in his creation and for which he had been named. Fifty two years since the one person whom Shadow could call his friend had been murdered before his eyes. Fifty two years since he had made his promise.

Shadow snorted quietly. It was his promise that had led him to join the G.U.N after the Black Arms invasion in the first place. And it was his promise that had led him to this place now.

I made you a promise, Maria. I promised that I would give the people of this planet a chance to be happy, and I've kept that promise. I'm still keeping that promise. He sighed. But is that all I am? Will I forever be defending these humans from threats, even threats that they create themselves? Is my life to be a never-ending series of missions and battles? Is that how I am to spend eternity? I put my past behind me, but what is to be my future?

Opening his eyes, he grimaced. There was something missing in his life, and the fact that he didn't know what it was irked him even more than that blue faker did. He turned and pulled the green Chaos Emerald that he kept on his person at almost all times from a pouch on his belt. The mysterious gem hummed and pulsed in his hand, and he could feel its energy tingling through his palm and up his arm, though Shadow knew that the feeling was dampened by the Inhibitor Ring on his wrist. Clasping the gem firmly, he concentrated.

"Chaos..."

"Cream! Here's some good ones!"

Ruby eyes flashed open, and Shadow tucked the glowing green gem back into its pouch. He turned, keeping his body loose but tense. Long practice had taught him to always be wary at the slightest hint of a threat, but the voice that had reached his ears sounded familiar to him.

Amy smiled as she stepped out of the trees and knelt, gently plucking the daisy from the ground and adding it to the small bouquet in her hand. The salty breeze coming over the cliffs ahead ruffled her quill-bangs, and she lifted the handful of flowers to her nose, breathing deeply. "Aaaaaaah. If only Sonic would give me flowers." she whispered wistfully.

Bouncing footsteps alerted her to her best friend's approach. She smiled and turned towards the brown rabbit that was skipping through the trees. Cream was wearing her favorite orange dress and orange clogs. The blue double-tailed tie on the front bounced with her happy movements as Cream came to a stop. "Those are lovely, Amy! Thank you." Her Chao friend Cheese buzzed in close and happily sniffed the bouquet of daisies. "Chao cha!"

Amy smiled and handed the bunch to her friend. "You can add these to your flower crown, I'm sure that your mom would love them."

Cream smiled back happily as she added the collection to her own, then suddenly paused. "Oh! Look Cheese, Mr. Shadow is here. Do you think he might like some flowers too?"

Both Amy and Cheese looked up, and much to Amy's surprise, there he was. Wearing his regular black cargo pants and black leather vest with red trim, as well as his personal Darkness air skates. Each pant leg had a red line running down the side. The two gold Inhibitor Rings locked around his wrists gleamed in the sunlight. By contrast, his obsidian fur seemed to absorb the light, while the crimson markings on his arms and quills had a blood-like glow to them, indicative of the alien Black Arms DNA within him.

Even from the thirty feet that separated them, Amy could feel the hybrid hedgehog's ruby eyes locking on to her. Taking a breath, she stood up. "Cream, why don't you and Cheese start working on your mom's flower crown, okay? I'll go talk to Shadow."

Her friend nodded and sat down, her Chao friend flitting close. Taking another breath, Amy swallowed nervously.

Shadow quietly regarded the pink hedgegirl as she approached him. Her red dress came nearly to her knees, billowing outward slightly in the ocean breeze. Her quills were arranged in bangs, and he could just see the red hairband within them. Her gloves were stark white, like his own, and the gold ring-like bracelets shone in the sunlight. His eyes traveled down her slim legs to her red boots, each with a white stripe running down the front. He grunted, then crossed his arms and turned back to the ocean. Rose's soft footsteps drew closer, then stopped, and he knew that she was standing behind him.

"Hi Shadow. How're you doing?"

He remained quiet for a moment. "Fine." He could tell that his short answer miffed her slightly, but chose to ignore it.

Silence reigned for a moment. "This place is amazing, isn't it. Is that why you are here?"

"My reasons for being here are my own."

Again, silence held sway, and Shadow could tell she was searching for something to talk about. "Cream and I were just out picking flowers for her mom."

"So I noticed. Couldn't find Faker today, I take it?" He smiled slightly, though he was careful to make sure that she didn't notice. Now he really had her irked.

"No. Sonic and Tails are out flying, keeping an eye out for any of Eggman's tricks."

Shadow grunted quietly. The manic doctor had been rather quiet recently, having not made any moves in months. It was obvious that Sonic had been starting to get antsy. "I see."

Amy sighed. Being around Shadow had always made her slightly nervous. Maybe it was because of his intimidating demeanor. Perhaps it was just his appearance, though he couldn't exactly help how he looked. Or maybe it was the cold and uncaring attitude that he always carried with him.

Still, despite the harsh way that he dealt with others, she was curious about him. She was somewhat familiar with his past, his history with the Black Arms aliens and Project Shadow on Space Colony ARK. But when it came to Shadow himself, he was utterly mysterious. Nobody could ever tell what he was thinking or anticipate what he would do, and he was a master of concealing his emotions and reactions, even better than Espio. A wild card, that's what he is. she thought.

Sighing again, she stepped up beside him and sat down, folding her legs beneath her red dress. "It really is beautiful here. Maybe when Sonic gets back, I'll get him to take me here on a date."

"Hmmph. Not likely."

She whipped her head up towards his scowling face, though his eyes stayed firmly fixed on the horizon. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean!"

"It's obvious, Rose. Sonic has no interest in dating you, or anyone else for that matter."

Amy paused for a moment at his use of the name Rose, then jumped to her feet, her emerald eyes glaring at him. "You take that back! Sonic and I are meant to be together. It's just hard for him to find time."

For the first time since the conversation had started, Shadow turned his head, and Amy's temper cooled rapidly as he locked her with an expressionless gaze. "I doubt it. If there is one thing that Sonic does not have difficulty finding, it is time to do something. He is reckless and immature. If Sonic wanted to take you on a date, he would. So tell me: has he?"

Amy thought for a moment. "We've been on plenty of dates."

"And how many of them were his idea?"

"Sonic always saves me whenever I'm in trouble."

"Which he would and does do for any and all of his friends."

Amy could feel her temper rising again, and she had to resist the urge to whip her hammer from her back and pulverize him. Given that this was Shadow, she wouldn't even have a chance of getting close. "What's your point, Shadow?"

The expressionless mask he wore cracked slightly into a scowl. "Sonic has no desire for any kind of a relationship, or anything that would restrict his freedom. If you believe otherwise, and I have no doubt that you do, then prove me wrong." He turned and faced her fully, and if it weren't for the growing sense of outrage that she was feeling, she would have been rather intimidated. "Tell me one thing, ONE thing Rose, that Sonic the Hedgehog has done, of his own choice and invention, that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that he has any interest in pursuing you romantically."

Amy's fury peaked at his words. How dare he! What does he know about any of this! She wracked her brain, trying to find SOMETHING to prove him wrong with, and her anger and outrage resumed its upward climb as nothing came to mind.

His scowl became slightly less pronounced, but was still present and obvious. "I didn't think so." He turned back to the cliff edge. "He doesn't love you, and he never will. The sooner you realize that, Rose, the happier you will be."

Amy seethed. "CREAM! Come on, your mom is probably expecting you back now." It was taking every ounce of her will-power not to try and bash him with her hammer, and if she stayed there any longer then she would definitely try. Why am I so curious about a jerk like him again? she thought as she stalked away.

Shadow was careful to keep his emotions hidden, but inwardly he was frustrated. How can she be so blind to what is staring her in the face?

"Mr. Shadow?"

Surprised by the unexpected sound of Cream's voice, he turned and looked over his shoulder at the young girl. Sitting in her gloved hands was a small bracelet of woven flowers, the stems intricately entwined around each other so that it appeared to be only made of the flower heads. She offered the bracelet to him. "I made this for you. You don't have to wear it if you want, but I hope you like it."

He looked at the small bracelet. It looked barely big enough to fit around his hand. As gently as he could, he picked up the bracelet, regarding it carefully. It really isn't my kind of thing, but if she went to all the effort... "Why did you make this for me?"

The rabbit girl tucked her hands behind her back and started rocking on her feet. "Because flowers are pretty, and pretty things make people happy. I wish everyone could have pretty things, so I give something made of flowers to everyone I meet. And I haven't given you anything yet." She smiled at him. "Do you like it?"

He regarded her carefully, keeping his expression neutral. Again, since she went to all the trouble...I would hate to disappoint her. Not being one for words of thanks, he just nodded.

Cream's smile widened. "You're welcome, Mr. Shadow."

"CREAM! LET'S GO!"

Shadow shifted his gaze to the trees, where Amy was impatiently tapping her foot and glaring at him. "Rose is right, your mother is probably waiting for you. You should go."

Cream nodded. "Okay. Come on Cheese, it's time to go." She turned, then stopped and looked at him. "I hope you have a nice day, Mr. Shadow." She turned again and ran towards her friend, and the two girls linked hands as they entered the forest.

Shadow gazed after them. "You too, Cream." he uttered under his breath. "And you, Rose." He looked at the flower bracelet again, and tried to slip it over his glove, just to see what it would look like. However, as he attempted to do so, the woven stems broke apart, and the flower heads fell limply to the ground. "Hmph." Just like everything else.