Chaos Bond

The Prodigal Ones

"So the idiot thinks it's a good idea to save Silver all by himself," Shadow complained over his communicator. "Reckless fool." He was walking back towards GUN HQ with Omega at his side.

"Mm-hmm," answered Shade the Echidna's voice over the line. "And you say this as though you wouldn't have done that."

Shadow bit the inside of his cheek as he recalled his younger days, days when he bounced from one side of the battlefield to the other. Days when he had complete and total trust in his own strength and dismissed any and every notion that he had a weakness. As far as he had been concerned, he was unstoppable and invincible - the Ultimate Lifeform.

Yes, Young Shadow had been reckless every so often and arrogant occassionally and... dare he say it... very Sonic-like sometimes. To the point where, had it been a younger Shadow in Sonic's place, he too would have charged in to save Silver. But he wasn't going to say that to Shade.

"There IS such a thing as tactics, you know."

"I do know. Or have you forgotten my military background?"

Shadow rolled his eyes. "That was not intended to be an insult, Shade."

"Teasing you. Just teasing." There might have been a noise like a chuckle on the other end. "So Sonic's in one piece is he?"

"Amy forbade me from hurting him too much," Shadow said, aware of Shade's peculiar soft-spot for his irritating blue look-alike. "The most that got injured was Amy's couch."

Now there really was a laugh on the other line. "Shame on you; I like Amy's couch."

"Where are you anyway?"

"Vacationing. Where else? I'm not an all-important GUN agent like you are."

Shadow looked up at the imposing and unnattractive building that was new G.U.N. Headquarters. 

"You could be. Easily."

"Now you're starting to sound like Rouge..."

"Take that back."

"When I feel like it, maybe." There was a few seconds of silence before Shade sighed. "...No, Shadow. I'm done with all that. It's your world now, not mine. Civil War does that to you."

"You aren't in a war," Shadow tried reasoning with her. "We've been over this."

"Maybe I'll join you someday but, right now, I'm good as I am. If you wanted to drop in, I'm in Spagonia."

"What are you doing there?"

"I've never been to Spagonia. But while I'm here I heard that, what's-her-name, the princess of Soleanna..."

"Princess Elise?"

"That's her. I heard she's supposed to be having a coronation soon. She'll be Queen Elise the... whatever number she is."

Shadow glanced at Omega but the robot shrugged. "Wasn't aware."

"I only heard it through eavesdropping. See?" Shade smiled on her end. "A vacatationing friend is useful. I get the scoop on things."

"Well, the Classic Four probably have invitations to that prestigious event," Shadow huffed, "She's fond of those guys."

"I don't know," Shade replied cautiously. "They would do better to keep low profiles what with Eggman's Metal Monstrocities out and unaccounted for." She made a strange noise of disgust and added, in a quiet voice, "...Can't believe he built a robot echidna."