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Description
"Love That Gives True Peace"
   By: Jade Lightning, a.k.a. Inuyashas-hanyougirl
   Chapter 1: "The first step towards closure"

   “I love you, baby brother, and never forget that…now both of us can be free…forever.”  Those were the final words that were heard spoken by Hinsei Hidama as he brought Knuckles back to life.  In a flash of light, Knuckles was indeed alive once more, but Hidama was nowhere to be found.  Shadow the hedgehog now knew his premonition had in fact come true in Knuckles’ death, as temporary as it was, but still was so.  Now what was certain, was that while Hidama was missing, he was not dead, taking Knuckles aback, as he was saddened to learn it would be a while longer before he and his brother, were truly reunited.

   Shadow, having recovered his two chaos emeralds under mysterious circumstances, explained that he still had work to do, for he had promised Hidama that he would be at peace, and able to see his brother again, and now his disappearance signaled the beginning of another adventure.  He promised Knuckles he would race to find Hidama, and reunite the two brothers once and for all.  At hearing this, the two fox children, Olivia and Jacob, who had been friends with Hidama in their captivity, begged Shadow let them accompany him.  Thus, the group of three raced off into the sunset, and the remaining four, Sonic the hedgehog, Tails Prower, and of course, Knuckles and Amy headed for home.

   Knuckles was obviously upset at losing Hidama again, and not even getting the chance to talk for more than a few moments as he lay dying in his brother’s arms.  Yet he had more important things to worry about now.  He had learned that in the coming months, he would be a father, and while this gave him joy and bliss beyond belief, something inside of him kept him from finding true happiness, and inner peace.  He knew this ill laid in the absence of his brother, Hinsei Hidama.

   He dared not leave Amy in her delicate state, but each day that passed without word or news from Shadow and the fox children, the more and more restless he became.  Outwardly, he appeared happy, overjoyed at times even, as strange as that may have sounded to some.  He wouldn’t let Amy know it, however, but inside, part of him was still dead; he had seen Hidama alive, after twelve long years, and it killed him that already they had lost each other this quickly.  He remembered Hidama’s words, and Knuckles could not see how his family could be complete without his brother.

   With the days until their child was born being numbered, Knuckles tried his hardest to put Hidama out of his mind, so he could focus on loving and taking care of Amy.  With the Master Emerald restored, Angel Island airborne once more, and the army of mutants a distant memory, the first step towards closure, for Knuckles, Hidama, and the entire echidna race, was about to be taken.

   Months had passed, and Shadow, Olivia, and Jacob found themselves on the outskirts of a strange city.  The fox children were wrapped up in their rain slickers, and struggled to keep up with Shadow.  Finally, they were stopped by an outstretched arm.  A hushed whisper hissed over the falling rain, and said, “Hush!  We are coming up on Radical City; already I can taste the smoggy air in my mouth, ugh, I’d know it anywhere.  Come now, we mustn’t tarry.”

   The voice revealed itself when Shadow’s eyes, glowing under the dim light of his chaos emeralds, shone through the smoke and fog.  Olivia coughed heavily and asked, “Sh—Shadow, what makes you think Hidama is here in this filthy place?  Why wasn’t he at Casinopolis?  Or even Twinkle Park?  Why would he come here?”

   Shadow put a finger to his lips and said, “Shh!” in a violent hiss.  He looked around, and taking Olivia’s hand, pulled her, and her brother Jacob into a dark back alley on the edge of the city.  The children shuttered in the darkness.  All around them were dark and dreary skyscrapers, flickering and dull neon lights, and horns honking all around.  A cloud of smog and dust hung over the city and the children were quite scared.  Now they were in a dark alley with garbage cans and trash littering the street, and not a streetlight to be found.

   Olivia clung to her brother and wailed, “I’m scared Jake!  It’s dark, and smelly, and junky.  Why would Hidama choose to come to such a horrible place?!”

   Suddenly a flash of light expelled the darkness, and the source of light was Shadow’s chaos emeralds.  He held them, smiling in satisfaction before handing the red one to Olivia and the green one to Jacob.  He knelt down and said, “For all the reasons you named, Olivia.  Hinsei Hidama used a special and unique power when he brought Knuckles’ soul back to his body, and thus back to life.  It was power he alone possessed, and had nothing to do with the Master Emerald, which was rendered powerless by that point.  He used up so much of his power, that he almost dissolved into nothing.  However, instead of dying as we first assumed, he merely disappeared to a place where he could go undisturbed until he regained his life force.”

   Jacob, looking with awe at the chaos emerald, looked up and said, “So that’s why he came here, because he knew no one would be here to bother him while he got his power back.  Does that mean he doesn’t want us to find him?”

   Shadow shook his head, smiling and said, “Not exactly, Jacob.  He merely cannot be awoken from his deep sleep while he rejuvenates.  I am in great need to find him, so I can keep others from disturbing his slumber until the time is right.”  Shadow paused, lowered his voice, and drew the children closer to him, then continued, “He may have a hard time remembering us at first.  What he did, I wouldn’t dare.  He was risking his life to bring Knuckles back, considering he had the power but had never tested it before.  That’s why it was such a difficult choice for him to make, knowing that the last thing Knuckles would want would be to be brought back only to lose Hidama once more.  We’re going to have to look after Hidama until he gets his full memory back, which shouldn’t take long, but require our help nonetheless.”

   Jacob and Olivia gazed at Shadow with wide eyes, amazed even to hear that Hidama had such incalculable power, let alone recall witnessing it.  They looked at each other, then the chaos emeralds they held, and simply nodded in response to Shadow’s explanation.  Shadow shook his head, laughing softly and said, “Don’t you worry, he’ll be okay once everything is said and done.  I’m sure he’ll be overjoyed to be with his brother again, especially when he learns he’s going to be an uncle.” Again, the fox children gazed at Shadow in amazement.  Before they could speak, however, Shadow put a finger to their lips, and said, “No, we’ll speak of such things later.  Right now, I need my chaos emeralds back, and we need to search for Hidama.  As arduous as a task this may seem, it must be done nonetheless, and shouldn’t take as long as you might suspect.”

   Again, the children nodded in response handing the chaos emeralds back to Shadow.  He dimmed their light and concealing them from view, he led the children out of the alley, and into the jungle of skyscrapers and neon lights, that was Radical City.  A low roll of thunder was heard, and after a flash of lightning streaked across the sky, the rain poured down in buckets.  Shadow wrapped his own jacket tightly around him, concealing his precious chaos emeralds within the folds of it.  He couldn’t risk losing them again, and Radical City was the kind of place you should never bring something that you aren’t going to be ready to lose.

   Numbers of shady characters walked up and down the streets.  They eyed the three travelers suspiciously, but once they discovered that Shadow was among the group, they quickly hurried on, giving a cold look to the fox children but nothing more.  Jacob and Olivia kept close to Shadow, seeing that he had the respect of the people around them, for reasons unknown to them.  Jacob asked, “Gee Shadow, you do seem to get around a lot.  Everyone who passes us almost looks afraid of you.  What’s with that?”

   Shadow didn’t look at Jacob, but smiled to himself, and replied, “I’ve simply earned respect from the citizens here, nothing more.  Trust me; anybody is safe here as long as they’re in my company, of that, you can be sure.  Come now, this no time for chatter.”

   It was then that Shadow hurried his pace, a sense of urgency beckoning him to move faster.  He wasn’t sure what it was, but he had come to trust his intuition, for it had been true to him thus far.  He knew Hidama was in this city somewhere; he felt it like he hadn’t anywhere else.  At this point, he was more worried about Hidama’s safety than anything else.

   Olivia and Jacob were running to keep up with Shadow, and Olivia asked, “Shadow, wait!  Where are we going?  How do we even know where to start looking?”

   Hearing her question, the hedgehog stopped, making the fox children come to a screeching halt, almost tripping over each other and falling into Shadow.  He turned around and said, “Dear Olivia, you underestimate me.  I already know where I’m going, and that’s all you need to know at the moment.  Now, enough chatter; I don’t want another word spoken.”  He knelt down, and pulled the children closer to him.  He nodded towards the west part of town, brighter and more welcoming than the rest of town, and whispered, “That over there is the business district.  It’s the party side of town if you will, and I have connections over there.  If Hidama is anywhere in town, and that I’m sure he is, then these contacts of mine will know about it.  I suspect he’s in the Northern section of the city, but that place is even rougher than where we are now.”

   Olivia stood on her tiptoes and looked above Shadow’s shoulder at the west part of the city.  The lights and movement did look welcoming.  At the same time, Jacob looked past Olivia towards the north part of town, which looked dark and uninviting; almost like the perfect place to commit a murder…or get lost, never to be found again.  While Olivia smiled at the west side, Jacob shivered at the thought of Hidama lying helpless in such a place, and now both children felt the same urgency to
continue.

   Shadow smiled at seeing this, nodded and said, “I see that got through to you.  Hmm, indeed, we head to the west side of town first, for I have some questions for these friends of mine.  I’m sure I can handle any scoundrel that dares to give us trouble, but even someone such as I requires a bit of insurance to say the least.”  He stood up, and said, “Now, the inhabitants of the west side may be frightening at times but all are harmless.  It is indeed the safest part of the city, so be relaxed, no harm shall come to you there.  Now, let’s move, and stay close to my side!”

   The group made their way from the southern part of town, and found warmth and welcome in the western part.  Olivia and Jacob were strangers to the city, but everyone gave some sort of gesture of welcome to Shadow, as if he was an old friend who had returned after a long absence.  It seemed everyone around was a friend or acquaintance of him in some way, and when Olivia pointed this out, Shadow stopped, and looked at them responding, “What do you think I do when I’m not in Station Square with the others?  I’ve been more places and met more people than I care to recount.”  He took the children by their hands and pulling them close to him, he pointed towards a bandstand where a group of hedgehogs were playing music.  He nodded towards them and said, “There!  Those three hedgehogs over there are my companions here.  Quickly, they’re the ones we need to talk to.”

   The children gazed at the band in amazement, hurrying to keep up with Shadow.  As he walked through the crowds, the people parted to make a path for him to pass through, and Olivia and Jacob followed.  After a short bit of walking, the fox children were stopped by Shadow’s outstretched arm.  They were at the bandstand, backstage, watching from behind the curtains as the band finished their concert.  As the final song came to its end, a loud roar of cheers and screams were heard from the audience.  A tall, gray fox walked up to Shadow and said, “Here to see the boys are ye?  Who shall I tell them comes to call?”

   Shadow folded his arms across his chest and chuckled softly.  He closed his eyes and said, “Just tell them Shadow’s in town and in need of their company…and nothing more if you will,” he opened his eyes, and continued, “My good man.”

   The fox’s eyes widened, and he quickly bowed and said, “Of course, your grace.  I’ll notify them right away!”  The fox fumbled with his radio and clipboard, and adjusting his glasses, he whispered into his radio, “Shadow the hedgehog is back!  Clear out the amphitheater quickly!”  Then the fox scurried off towards a large trailer behind the bandstand.

   Olivia and Jacob could hear the crowd of people being ushered out of the area.  Jacob turned to his sister and whispered, “Wow Olivia, Shadow certainly had a lot of respect from these people…he’s even friends with a band!  Gee, I wonder, who these guys really are.  They’ve gotta be more than just band groupies that’s for sure.”

   Shadow, standing with his arms still crossed, laughed at overhearing him and remarked, “You’d be right Jacob.  These three are some of the best fighters I know, save Knuckles, Sonic and Hidama perhaps, and myself.  They secretly keep this town in order; everyone answers to them, and if you cause any trouble, you can bet these guys will be on your tail in a heartbeat.  They’ll know where Hidama is…I’m certain, and with them in our company, anyone who even tries to get in our way, will get a brutal beating from us all.”  Shadow fell silent, looking towards the trailer, his eyes brightening as he saw the lead singer emerge, with the bass guitarist and drummer on his heels.

   Once the group got to Shadow, they stood face to face, staring each other down, until the hedgehog cracked a smile and said, “Shadow my man!  It’s nice to see ya again!  Joel, Zac and I were wonderin’ when you’d decide to blow into town again, and here ya are!  Awesome!”  He held up his hand, and Shadow took it with a high five, and they shook.

   Shadow laughed and said, “Indeed Bill, I have not come without need, as I have frequently in the past.  I’m in dire straights, and need the aid of you three in my plight.  I’m sure I have your assistance?”

   Bill went straight faced for a second, looking back at his companions for an answer.  Zac smiled and nodded, while Joel walked beside Bill and said, “Are you kidding Shadow?  You’re practically our fourth wheel!  Anythin’ you need just name it, us three are here for ya.  Now let’s go to our trailer and you can give us the low down on whatcha need help with.”

   Shadow smiled and nodded, and said, “I am grateful, and still in your debt from the past.”  He turned towards Jacob and Olivia, and said, “These are companions of mine, and friends of Hinsei Hidama, Knuckles’ brother.  You remember Knuckles…well, I’m searching for his brother, and that is what we need to discuss.”

   Joel simply nodded, and said, “Any friend of yours is a friend of ours.”  Smiling he said, “Let’s all go inside, it’s getting damp and humid…rain’s gonna soak this part of town soon.”  As the group headed to the trailer, Joel walked with Shadow and said, “You mentioned Knuckles…is he okay now?”

   As they walked inside, thunder boomed and lightning flashed with a vengeance, and rain poured down in buckets.  The door to the trailer was closed, and Zac took Olivia and Jacob by their hands and said, “Now, why don’t we get you two something to eat while those three talk.  You’ve had a long journey I’m sure.”

   The fox children smiled and their eyes brightened at Zac’s words, and he led them into the mini kitchen, where he got them something to snack on, opening a soft drink for himself.  Once he was sure they were comfortable he walked into the sitting room, where the others were already discussing the matter at hand.

   Sitting down, he found that Shadow had caught Joel and Bill up to the start of his quest following Hidama’s disappearance.  He continued, “I’ve searched for a long while, and now, I feel it with the greatest certainty in my heart, that Hinsei Hidama is somewhere in Radical City, recovering his strength, alone, and in need of protection.”  He paused, taking a sip of his drink, and continued, “Every time I give an eye to the Northern District, my heart aches.  I know Hidama well, and can feel his presence nearby.  I know it is in the deepest, darkest reaches of the Northern District, that he lays unprotected, weak, and in need of great care, before he is reunited with Knuckles once and for all.”

   Bill and Joel had a solemn look in their eyes, for while they had never met Hidama, or Knuckles directly, they had learned of their misery through Shadow, and finally being able to help the brothers out in some way was a joy for them.  Bill shut his eyes and said, “Poor Hinsei, choosing to lay himself down to rest in the Northern District may not have been the wisest choice.”  He stood up, and walked over to the window, looking at the deluge of rain outside, and continued, “But considering he nearly died from this expression of love for his brother, he did the best with what very little strength was available to him.”

   Joel hung his head in sadness, and spoke.  “Goodness Shadow.  Hidama is no fool from what you have told me of him…didn’t he know he was risking his own life to resurrect Knuckles?  He’s lucky to be alive.”

   Shadow glanced at Joel, and said, “Of course he did, and do not doubt it, for he hesitated even for a fleeting moment, knowing very well the risk he was taking…and yet at seeing the misery Knuckles’ friends suffered at his loss…friends who had taken care of him, and given him a good life filled with love and happiness when Hidama couldn’t…he decided that he couldn’t let his brother go, even if meant never seeing him again.  Fortunately for him, it was that same love, that same strength and unbreakable bond between them that had both willing to die for each other, that kept Hidama’s soul from fading from this world.  Indeed, it was Hidama’s selflessness at giving his life for his brother, and Knuckles’ desire for them to be together, dying in order to set Hidama free, that allowed Hidama to live.  Now it is up us to finish what has been started, and give the brothers what they deserve, which is…peace and happiness at last.”

   There was silence after Shadow stopped speaking.  Bill remained occupied with watching the rain, the sad look had not left Joel’s eyes, and Shadow glanced between them, the three unsure of what to say.  Zachary, who was the most light-hearted of the three, being both the youngest of them, and the wacky drummer of the group, grinned, and after chugging down the rest of his drink and crushing the can in his hand, tossing it casually into the trash can, walked between the three and said, “Well, this just means we’ll hafta do some butt-kicking in the Northern District, and if anyone stands between us and helping Hidama, we’ll just have to exact some punishment on them.  Come on guys, whaddya say?”

   Shadow looked up at Zachary who had knelt down next to him, and answered his question with a confident smile.  Joel glanced down at them, and seeing their determination, walked over to Zac, who stood up and met him.  They looked each other in the eyes, and then to Bill, who finally looked away from the window.  Seeing them, and Shadow grinning at him, he laughed, and walked over to the three, saying, “Again my friends, we have another job to do, and I say, we do it in style!”  Placing his hand out in the middle of their circle, he said, “For Hidama and Knuckles, to Northern District we go!”

   The remaining three nodded in earnest agreement, placing their hands in the middle to signify their allegiance, and the beginning of the next part of Shadow’s quest.  Jacob and Olivia, who had finished their snacks, walked over to them, and Jacob said, “We still get to go right?  We wanna help Hidama, especially after all he’s done for us.”  Olivia nodded in agreement.

Zachary laughed, and kneeling down next to them, he said, “Of course you get to go!  We’re all gonna help Hidama!  Looks like the rain’s gone, so let’s move quickly!”

   The fox children smiled, and Bill opened the door, walking outside with Joel jumping to the ground after him.  Zachary followed, and Shadow walked up to the children, saying, “Indeed, now, that we have their assistance, this’ll go much quicker.  They know this entire town like the backs of their hands, and are pretty prominent around here, and strong, so let’s go.  This shouldn’t take much longer…dear Hidama.”

   They walked outside, and saw Joel looking towards the Northern District sadly, but getting his smile back once he saw Shadow and the fox children.  He said, “It won’t be long now…,” He fell short, as he, Zachary and Bill put on their rain slickers, as well as Shadow.

   Without another word, the three took off one by one into the darkness, with Shadow saying to Jacob and Olivia, “Come quickly…but remain silent; we do not want to draw unnecessary attention to ourselves.  Come!”

   Jacob took his sister’s hand, and said, “Don’t be afraid sis, it won’t be much longer.”  Olivia nodded slowly, and the two look sadly towards the dark, ominous skyline of the Northern District, and Jacob said, “Soon Hidama…soon.”  Then they followed the others into the darkness.

Description
"Love That Gives True Peace"
   By: Jade Lightning, a.k.a. Inuyashas-hanyougirl
   Chapter 1: "The first step towards closure"

   “I love you, baby brother, and never forget that…now both of us can be free…forever.”  Those were the final words that were heard spoken by Hinsei Hidama as he brought Knuckles back to life.  In a flash of light, Knuckles was indeed alive once more, but Hidama was nowhere to be found.  Shadow the hedgehog now knew his premonition had in fact come true in Knuckles’ death, as temporary as it was, but still was so.  Now what was certain, was that while Hidama was missing, he was not dead, taking Knuckles aback, as he was saddened to learn it would be a while longer before he and his brother, were truly reunited.

   Shadow, having recovered his two chaos emeralds under mysterious circumstances, explained that he still had work to do, for he had promised Hidama that he would be at peace, and able to see his brother again, and now his disappearance signaled the beginning of another adventure.  He promised Knuckles he would race to find Hidama, and reunite the two brothers once and for all.  At hearing this, the two fox children, Olivia and Jacob, who had been friends with Hidama in their captivity, begged Shadow let them accompany him.  Thus, the group of three raced off into the sunset, and the remaining four, Sonic the hedgehog, Tails Prower, and of course, Knuckles and Amy headed for home.

   Knuckles was obviously upset at losing Hidama again, and not even getting the chance to talk for more than a few moments as he lay dying in his brother’s arms.  Yet he had more important things to worry about now.  He had learned that in the coming months, he would be a father, and while this gave him joy and bliss beyond belief, something inside of him kept him from finding true happiness, and inner peace.  He knew this ill laid in the absence of his brother, Hinsei Hidama.

   He dared not leave Amy in her delicate state, but each day that passed without word or news from Shadow and the fox children, the more and more restless he became.  Outwardly, he appeared happy, overjoyed at times even, as strange as that may have sounded to some.  He wouldn’t let Amy know it, however, but inside, part of him was still dead; he had seen Hidama alive, after twelve long years, and it killed him that already they had lost each other this quickly.  He remembered Hidama’s words, and Knuckles could not see how his family could be complete without his brother.

   With the days until their child was born being numbered, Knuckles tried his hardest to put Hidama out of his mind, so he could focus on loving and taking care of Amy.  With the Master Emerald restored, Angel Island airborne once more, and the army of mutants a distant memory, the first step towards closure, for Knuckles, Hidama, and the entire echidna race, was about to be taken.

   Months had passed, and Shadow, Olivia, and Jacob found themselves on the outskirts of a strange city.  The fox children were wrapped up in their rain slickers, and struggled to keep up with Shadow.  Finally, they were stopped by an outstretched arm.  A hushed whisper hissed over the falling rain, and said, “Hush!  We are coming up on Radical City; already I can taste the smoggy air in my mouth, ugh, I’d know it anywhere.  Come now, we mustn’t tarry.”

   The voice revealed itself when Shadow’s eyes, glowing under the dim light of his chaos emeralds, shone through the smoke and fog.  Olivia coughed heavily and asked, “Sh—Shadow, what makes you think Hidama is here in this filthy place?  Why wasn’t he at Casinopolis?  Or even Twinkle Park?  Why would he come here?”

   Shadow put a finger to his lips and said, “Shh!” in a violent hiss.  He looked around, and taking Olivia’s hand, pulled her, and her brother Jacob into a dark back alley on the edge of the city.  The children shuttered in the darkness.  All around them were dark and dreary skyscrapers, flickering and dull neon lights, and horns honking all around.  A cloud of smog and dust hung over the city and the children were quite scared.  Now they were in a dark alley with garbage cans and trash littering the street, and not a streetlight to be found.

   Olivia clung to her brother and wailed, “I’m scared Jake!  It’s dark, and smelly, and junky.  Why would Hidama choose to come to such a horrible place?!”

   Suddenly a flash of light expelled the darkness, and the source of light was Shadow’s chaos emeralds.  He held them, smiling in satisfaction before handing the red one to Olivia and the green one to Jacob.  He knelt down and said, “For all the reasons you named, Olivia.  Hinsei Hidama used a special and unique power when he brought Knuckles’ soul back to his body, and thus back to life.  It was power he alone possessed, and had nothing to do with the Master Emerald, which was rendered powerless by that point.  He used up so much of his power, that he almost dissolved into nothing.  However, instead of dying as we first assumed, he merely disappeared to a place where he could go undisturbed until he regained his life force.”

   Jacob, looking with awe at the chaos emerald, looked up and said, “So that’s why he came here, because he knew no one would be here to bother him while he got his power back.  Does that mean he doesn’t want us to find him?”

   Shadow shook his head, smiling and said, “Not exactly, Jacob.  He merely cannot be awoken from his deep sleep while he rejuvenates.  I am in great need to find him, so I can keep others from disturbing his slumber until the time is right.”  Shadow paused, lowered his voice, and drew the children closer to him, then continued, “He may have a hard time remembering us at first.  What he did, I wouldn’t dare.  He was risking his life to bring Knuckles back, considering he had the power but had never tested it before.  That’s why it was such a difficult choice for him to make, knowing that the last thing Knuckles would want would be to be brought back only to lose Hidama once more.  We’re going to have to look after Hidama until he gets his full memory back, which shouldn’t take long, but require our help nonetheless.”

   Jacob and Olivia gazed at Shadow with wide eyes, amazed even to hear that Hidama had such incalculable power, let alone recall witnessing it.  They looked at each other, then the chaos emeralds they held, and simply nodded in response to Shadow’s explanation.  Shadow shook his head, laughing softly and said, “Don’t you worry, he’ll be okay once everything is said and done.  I’m sure he’ll be overjoyed to be with his brother again, especially when he learns he’s going to be an uncle.” Again, the fox children gazed at Shadow in amazement.  Before they could speak, however, Shadow put a finger to their lips, and said, “No, we’ll speak of such things later.  Right now, I need my chaos emeralds back, and we need to search for Hidama.  As arduous as a task this may seem, it must be done nonetheless, and shouldn’t take as long as you might suspect.”

   Again, the children nodded in response handing the chaos emeralds back to Shadow.  He dimmed their light and concealing them from view, he led the children out of the alley, and into the jungle of skyscrapers and neon lights, that was Radical City.  A low roll of thunder was heard, and after a flash of lightning streaked across the sky, the rain poured down in buckets.  Shadow wrapped his own jacket tightly around him, concealing his precious chaos emeralds within the folds of it.  He couldn’t risk losing them again, and Radical City was the kind of place you should never bring something that you aren’t going to be ready to lose.

   Numbers of shady characters walked up and down the streets.  They eyed the three travelers suspiciously, but once they discovered that Shadow was among the group, they quickly hurried on, giving a cold look to the fox children but nothing more.  Jacob and Olivia kept close to Shadow, seeing that he had the respect of the people around them, for reasons unknown to them.  Jacob asked, “Gee Shadow, you do seem to get around a lot.  Everyone who passes us almost looks afraid of you.  What’s with that?”

   Shadow didn’t look at Jacob, but smiled to himself, and replied, “I’ve simply earned respect from the citizens here, nothing more.  Trust me; anybody is safe here as long as they’re in my company, of that, you can be sure.  Come now, this no time for chatter.”

   It was then that Shadow hurried his pace, a sense of urgency beckoning him to move faster.  He wasn’t sure what it was, but he had come to trust his intuition, for it had been true to him thus far.  He knew Hidama was in this city somewhere; he felt it like he hadn’t anywhere else.  At this point, he was more worried about Hidama’s safety than anything else.

   Olivia and Jacob were running to keep up with Shadow, and Olivia asked, “Shadow, wait!  Where are we going?  How do we even know where to start looking?”

   Hearing her question, the hedgehog stopped, making the fox children come to a screeching halt, almost tripping over each other and falling into Shadow.  He turned around and said, “Dear Olivia, you underestimate me.  I already know where I’m going, and that’s all you need to know at the moment.  Now, enough chatter; I don’t want another word spoken.”  He knelt down, and pulled the children closer to him.  He nodded towards the west part of town, brighter and more welcoming than the rest of town, and whispered, “That over there is the business district.  It’s the party side of town if you will, and I have connections over there.  If Hidama is anywhere in town, and that I’m sure he is, then these contacts of mine will know about it.  I suspect he’s in the Northern section of the city, but that place is even rougher than where we are now.”

   Olivia stood on her tiptoes and looked above Shadow’s shoulder at the west part of the city.  The lights and movement did look welcoming.  At the same time, Jacob looked past Olivia towards the north part of town, which looked dark and uninviting; almost like the perfect place to commit a murder…or get lost, never to be found again.  While Olivia smiled at the west side, Jacob shivered at the thought of Hidama lying helpless in such a place, and now both children felt the same urgency to
continue.

   Shadow smiled at seeing this, nodded and said, “I see that got through to you.  Hmm, indeed, we head to the west side of town first, for I have some questions for these friends of mine.  I’m sure I can handle any scoundrel that dares to give us trouble, but even someone such as I requires a bit of insurance to say the least.”  He stood up, and said, “Now, the inhabitants of the west side may be frightening at times but all are harmless.  It is indeed the safest part of the city, so be relaxed, no harm shall come to you there.  Now, let’s move, and stay close to my side!”

   The group made their way from the southern part of town, and found warmth and welcome in the western part.  Olivia and Jacob were strangers to the city, but everyone gave some sort of gesture of welcome to Shadow, as if he was an old friend who had returned after a long absence.  It seemed everyone around was a friend or acquaintance of him in some way, and when Olivia pointed this out, Shadow stopped, and looked at them responding, “What do you think I do when I’m not in Station Square with the others?  I’ve been more places and met more people than I care to recount.”  He took the children by their hands and pulling them close to him, he pointed towards a bandstand where a group of hedgehogs were playing music.  He nodded towards them and said, “There!  Those three hedgehogs over there are my companions here.  Quickly, they’re the ones we need to talk to.”

   The children gazed at the band in amazement, hurrying to keep up with Shadow.  As he walked through the crowds, the people parted to make a path for him to pass through, and Olivia and Jacob followed.  After a short bit of walking, the fox children were stopped by Shadow’s outstretched arm.  They were at the bandstand, backstage, watching from behind the curtains as the band finished their concert.  As the final song came to its end, a loud roar of cheers and screams were heard from the audience.  A tall, gray fox walked up to Shadow and said, “Here to see the boys are ye?  Who shall I tell them comes to call?”

   Shadow folded his arms across his chest and chuckled softly.  He closed his eyes and said, “Just tell them Shadow’s in town and in need of their company…and nothing more if you will,” he opened his eyes, and continued, “My good man.”

   The fox’s eyes widened, and he quickly bowed and said, “Of course, your grace.  I’ll notify them right away!”  The fox fumbled with his radio and clipboard, and adjusting his glasses, he whispered into his radio, “Shadow the hedgehog is back!  Clear out the amphitheater quickly!”  Then the fox scurried off towards a large trailer behind the bandstand.

   Olivia and Jacob could hear the crowd of people being ushered out of the area.  Jacob turned to his sister and whispered, “Wow Olivia, Shadow certainly had a lot of respect from these people…he’s even friends with a band!  Gee, I wonder, who these guys really are.  They’ve gotta be more than just band groupies that’s for sure.”

   Shadow, standing with his arms still crossed, laughed at overhearing him and remarked, “You’d be right Jacob.  These three are some of the best fighters I know, save Knuckles, Sonic and Hidama perhaps, and myself.  They secretly keep this town in order; everyone answers to them, and if you cause any trouble, you can bet these guys will be on your tail in a heartbeat.  They’ll know where Hidama is…I’m certain, and with them in our company, anyone who even tries to get in our way, will get a brutal beating from us all.”  Shadow fell silent, looking towards the trailer, his eyes brightening as he saw the lead singer emerge, with the bass guitarist and drummer on his heels.

   Once the group got to Shadow, they stood face to face, staring each other down, until the hedgehog cracked a smile and said, “Shadow my man!  It’s nice to see ya again!  Joel, Zac and I were wonderin’ when you’d decide to blow into town again, and here ya are!  Awesome!”  He held up his hand, and Shadow took it with a high five, and they shook.

   Shadow laughed and said, “Indeed Bill, I have not come without need, as I have frequently in the past.  I’m in dire straights, and need the aid of you three in my plight.  I’m sure I have your assistance?”

   Bill went straight faced for a second, looking back at his companions for an answer.  Zac smiled and nodded, while Joel walked beside Bill and said, “Are you kidding Shadow?  You’re practically our fourth wheel!  Anythin’ you need just name it, us three are here for ya.  Now let’s go to our trailer and you can give us the low down on whatcha need help with.”

   Shadow smiled and nodded, and said, “I am grateful, and still in your debt from the past.”  He turned towards Jacob and Olivia, and said, “These are companions of mine, and friends of Hinsei Hidama, Knuckles’ brother.  You remember Knuckles…well, I’m searching for his brother, and that is what we need to discuss.”

   Joel simply nodded, and said, “Any friend of yours is a friend of ours.”  Smiling he said, “Let’s all go inside, it’s getting damp and humid…rain’s gonna soak this part of town soon.”  As the group headed to the trailer, Joel walked with Shadow and said, “You mentioned Knuckles…is he okay now?”

   As they walked inside, thunder boomed and lightning flashed with a vengeance, and rain poured down in buckets.  The door to the trailer was closed, and Zac took Olivia and Jacob by their hands and said, “Now, why don’t we get you two something to eat while those three talk.  You’ve had a long journey I’m sure.”

   The fox children smiled and their eyes brightened at Zac’s words, and he led them into the mini kitchen, where he got them something to snack on, opening a soft drink for himself.  Once he was sure they were comfortable he walked into the sitting room, where the others were already discussing the matter at hand.

   Sitting down, he found that Shadow had caught Joel and Bill up to the start of his quest following Hidama’s disappearance.  He continued, “I’ve searched for a long while, and now, I feel it with the greatest certainty in my heart, that Hinsei Hidama is somewhere in Radical City, recovering his strength, alone, and in need of protection.”  He paused, taking a sip of his drink, and continued, “Every time I give an eye to the Northern District, my heart aches.  I know Hidama well, and can feel his presence nearby.  I know it is in the deepest, darkest reaches of the Northern District, that he lays unprotected, weak, and in need of great care, before he is reunited with Knuckles once and for all.”

   Bill and Joel had a solemn look in their eyes, for while they had never met Hidama, or Knuckles directly, they had learned of their misery through Shadow, and finally being able to help the brothers out in some way was a joy for them.  Bill shut his eyes and said, “Poor Hinsei, choosing to lay himself down to rest in the Northern District may not have been the wisest choice.”  He stood up, and walked over to the window, looking at the deluge of rain outside, and continued, “But considering he nearly died from this expression of love for his brother, he did the best with what very little strength was available to him.”

   Joel hung his head in sadness, and spoke.  “Goodness Shadow.  Hidama is no fool from what you have told me of him…didn’t he know he was risking his own life to resurrect Knuckles?  He’s lucky to be alive.”

   Shadow glanced at Joel, and said, “Of course he did, and do not doubt it, for he hesitated even for a fleeting moment, knowing very well the risk he was taking…and yet at seeing the misery Knuckles’ friends suffered at his loss…friends who had taken care of him, and given him a good life filled with love and happiness when Hidama couldn’t…he decided that he couldn’t let his brother go, even if meant never seeing him again.  Fortunately for him, it was that same love, that same strength and unbreakable bond between them that had both willing to die for each other, that kept Hidama’s soul from fading from this world.  Indeed, it was Hidama’s selflessness at giving his life for his brother, and Knuckles’ desire for them to be together, dying in order to set Hidama free, that allowed Hidama to live.  Now it is up us to finish what has been started, and give the brothers what they deserve, which is…peace and happiness at last.”

   There was silence after Shadow stopped speaking.  Bill remained occupied with watching the rain, the sad look had not left Joel’s eyes, and Shadow glanced between them, the three unsure of what to say.  Zachary, who was the most light-hearted of the three, being both the youngest of them, and the wacky drummer of the group, grinned, and after chugging down the rest of his drink and crushing the can in his hand, tossing it casually into the trash can, walked between the three and said, “Well, this just means we’ll hafta do some butt-kicking in the Northern District, and if anyone stands between us and helping Hidama, we’ll just have to exact some punishment on them.  Come on guys, whaddya say?”

   Shadow looked up at Zachary who had knelt down next to him, and answered his question with a confident smile.  Joel glanced down at them, and seeing their determination, walked over to Zac, who stood up and met him.  They looked each other in the eyes, and then to Bill, who finally looked away from the window.  Seeing them, and Shadow grinning at him, he laughed, and walked over to the three, saying, “Again my friends, we have another job to do, and I say, we do it in style!”  Placing his hand out in the middle of their circle, he said, “For Hidama and Knuckles, to Northern District we go!”

   The remaining three nodded in earnest agreement, placing their hands in the middle to signify their allegiance, and the beginning of the next part of Shadow’s quest.  Jacob and Olivia, who had finished their snacks, walked over to them, and Jacob said, “We still get to go right?  We wanna help Hidama, especially after all he’s done for us.”  Olivia nodded in agreement.

Zachary laughed, and kneeling down next to them, he said, “Of course you get to go!  We’re all gonna help Hidama!  Looks like the rain’s gone, so let’s move quickly!”

   The fox children smiled, and Bill opened the door, walking outside with Joel jumping to the ground after him.  Zachary followed, and Shadow walked up to the children, saying, “Indeed, now, that we have their assistance, this’ll go much quicker.  They know this entire town like the backs of their hands, and are pretty prominent around here, and strong, so let’s go.  This shouldn’t take much longer…dear Hidama.”

   They walked outside, and saw Joel looking towards the Northern District sadly, but getting his smile back once he saw Shadow and the fox children.  He said, “It won’t be long now…,” He fell short, as he, Zachary and Bill put on their rain slickers, as well as Shadow.

   Without another word, the three took off one by one into the darkness, with Shadow saying to Jacob and Olivia, “Come quickly…but remain silent; we do not want to draw unnecessary attention to ourselves.  Come!”

   Jacob took his sister’s hand, and said, “Don’t be afraid sis, it won’t be much longer.”  Olivia nodded slowly, and the two look sadly towards the dark, ominous skyline of the Northern District, and Jacob said, “Soon Hidama…soon.”  Then they followed the others into the darkness.