Chapter Text
I remember a time when Shadow and I got along, relatively speaking. He'd get in trouble, I'd bail him out, he'd get mad and say "I didn't need your help". Still, we had good times. I don't usually see him around the village on account of he hates everyone, but today must be a special day. He's lurking around like he doesn't want to be seen. Better go say hi.
"Hey Shadow, what're you do-"
The dude grabs my arm before I can even finish and pulls me behind a couple barrels.
"What the hell?"
"Shh!"
"Why are we hiding?"
"Eggman."
I didn't even notice Egghead doing his routine shopping. When he's not trying to destroy the village people don't really pay him much mind.
"He's just shopping."
"And? I'm gonna kill him."
"Please don't."
"I don't know why you let that pathetic waste of carbon roam freely."
"I don't let him 'roam' around ok. We keep an eye on him and stop him when he attacks."
"There wouldn't BE attacks if you took him out for good."
"Yeah but that's messed up."
"It's justice. He's a threat."
"Well you're more of a threat than he is. Should I kill you too?"
"…You win this round, Hedgehog."
"So is that the only reason you came all the way down here?"
"Noooooo. I wanted to talk to all the PEOPLE and make FRIENDS."
"Aright Shadow, I get it. You're a loner."
With that he skates off. Kinda wish wish he wasn't such a brute, he'd make a good addition to Team Sonic.
So there I am, chillin' on the beach, living the life, when I hear my trash cans tip over. Ugh, it's probably Sticks looking for 'government bugs' again. Better go get the spray bottle.
"Sticks I told you if I caught you in my trash again I'd- Shadow?!"
He teleports away before I can say anything. Why was he in my trash?! What- I- huh?! Great he made a mess too. Has he been in my trash before? I really hope not. Was he looking for something? Did… Did he take some of my garbage? Ok… Ok… I have MANY questions for him, but I should clean this up and get back to chillin'. I can talk to him later, I was all ready to fall asleep and that what I'm gonna do.
Shadow hadn't shown up so I went looking for him. I remembered that little cave he hid the Eggmans in, or is it Eggmen? Whatever, I found that cave and it looks like he lives here. He has like a nest of garbage in here, gross. It looks like the cave goes deeper than this part but I'm not going down there. This place is nice, aside from the trash pile, the walls have glowing gems in 'em.
"WHAT are you doing here?"
"GAH! Shadow, I was looking for you. Hey what's with this trash?"
He runs over to the pile and hisses at me.
"Hey! Why are you collecting garbage?"
"None of your business, Hedgehog! Now get out!"
"Not before you tell me why you were in my trash."
"…Scavenging."
"For what?"
"Materials! what's it to you?!"
"Are you digging through other people's trash too? And what 'materials' are you looking for? All I see in this pile are Meh Burger wrappers, wood pieces, rope, and torn up clothes."
"They're for building things. Now leave!"
"Sorry Shadow, but I can't let you go tsking peoples' trash. It's creepy."
His response is to pull a wood plank from the pile and hit me with it. He keeps hitting me when I try to say something so I take it from him.
"Why aren't you leaving?!"
"Tell me you aren't gonna dig through anyone's trash again."
"I don't take orders from you."
"Well you could get arrested for doing that!"
"As if they could catch me."
Ugh, this isn't getting anywhere! I don't wanna go back to bailing him out of jail every other day.
"What can you even build with this stuff?!"
"You really wanna know?!"
He walks farther down into the cave, I guess I'll follow him. We come to an opening full of weird sculptures and homemade furniture. There are wooden shelves with makeshift weapons on them. A couple chairs sit around a big rock, which I'm guessing is supposed to be a table. Some of the chairs are made of trash but the others are clearly stolen from someone's yard. An old hammock is tied between two tall rocks-wait… that's MY old hammock! I threw that out last week for a new one. I guess that solves the mystery of what he stole from my trash.
"Shadow this is… impressive! I didn't know you could build stuff."
"I have a lot of free time and deserve my own luxury."
He seems very proud of himself.
"So what else are you building?"
"More weapons and furniture. It's all I know how to craft but I'm getting better with each project."
No kidding. On one shelf is a slingshot and right next to it is a mace made from stone, rusty nails, and rope.
"This is really cool but you don't need to steal to make this stuff. You could just buy materials at the hardware store."
"With what money?"
"Oh… You could get a job."
"I'm not getting bossed around by some bitch so I can earn exchangeable paper."
"Well you could ASK people for these things instead of taking it."
"Yes, because they're going to willingly give up their possessions to the guy who beat up their beloved heroes."
"Ok then I'll BUY it for you!"
"I don't need your handouts."
"Shadow I'm trying to keep you off wanted posters!"
"Who cares what the law says."
"You should. Remember how I had to pay for your bail cause YOU didn't obey the law."
"That guy had it coming. And I don't see Eggman getting arrested."
"Yeah cause we kick his ass. Also the police here kinda suck."
"Then I won't get caught!"
"Shadow no!"
"I don't know why you're getting so worked up. You used to have NO respect for authority."
"I respect people who deserve it. Not all authority deserves the middle finger."
"What about that mayor. Do you respect HIM?"
"Well… respect is a little strong. He did approve that Chilidog Tax."
"Do you still pull childish pranks?"
"No way! My pranks are very mature."
"Hehe… Why not prank the mayor?"
"You're just trying to cause trouble."
"I'm not hearing a 'no'."
"If I help you pull a prank on the mayor, will you stop digging through peoples' trash?"
"Yes."
"Aright fine."
Shadow seems really excited. He doesn't emote much so you probably wouldn't be able to tell but trust me, he's excited. I tell him to meet me at my place after dark and head out. I'm thinking something light, like the ol' water bucket on the door prank, but I'm worried he's thinking something illegal.