[PHONE - FILTERED TO DR. EGGMAN]

I don't know what you've done, Doctor. I don't know how the hell you were able to do it. But if you value that life of yours, you'll release him from your hold.

Now.

[ACTION - AROUND TOWN - EVENING

Shadow's making his usual rounds through the town at breakneck speed, leaping from rooftop to rooftop and glaring down into the dimly lit streets. His chest is wrapped in white bandages, and his eyes are cold as the breeze. His body has grown weak in captivity, he's weaker still in his resolve. But tonight, Shadow intends to cast his doubts aside. There's little reason for him to turn back now. He's put the past behind him once, he can do so again, can't he?

He'll have to, for this is a hedgehog on a mission. He may make a few stops along the way---taking an opportunity to reflect on these memories that haunt him in John Doe Park, to appear beneath Rainbow Dash's cloud house for a brief moment, or perhaps to speak to anyone that bothers to address him---but this hedgehog is en route to Eggman's headquarters house. And he doesn't plan on walking away empty-handed.]

((OOC: Shadow comes from a grim future, the future that Mephiles the Dark predicted he'd experience in Sonic the Hedgehog 2006. Following the death of Princess Elise, the world was plunged into chaos and wildfire, and the government latched onto Shadow and used him as their scapegoat for the end of the world. After watching all his close friends die, spending years on the run and almost two centuries in government captivity, Shadow's grown to be a lot more emotionally detached, exhausted, grizzled, and violent.))

[ACTION - 3474 ERWIN ROAD

Getting droned for twenty-four hours. Waking up in a new house. Having said new house pranked with a stinkbomb.

This hedgehog is having a terrible morning. And it's evident in the way he's rummaging through the house to ensure that, at the very least, this place didn't take away his Emerald again. At some point during his excavation, he comes across a strange letter addressed to him...]

[PHONE - UNFILTERED]

So this is your idea of fun, Mayfield? Why am I not surprised. Sorry to disappoint you, but I have no time for this stupid excuse for a holiday. If you want me to play along, you're going to have to try much harder than that.

[ACTION - AROUND MAYFIELD

At some point in the afternoon, Shadow's going to head out of the house to find those he knows and inform some of them of his new location. All the while, he'll be deliberately ignoring his expected pranking duties---despite the fact that he's still got the letter hidden away on him---leaving this hedgehog a completely open target.]

[ACTION - 505 Ricardo Street

Housemates may notice a certain hedgehog---recently undroned and no longer acting like a doberman---rummaging around the cabinets and practically tearing the house apart in search of something incredibly valuable.]

Damn it. Damn it. Where is it?!

Where's that damn [FOURTH] Chaos Emerald?!

[PHONE - Fail!Filtered from Doctor Eggman]

Two weeks. Anything could have happened in two weeks. For all I know, I could have---

[He cuts himself off, reining in some of that outrage. What he says next, though, is said through gritted teeth. He usually doesn't like asking for help.]

...That's beside the point. The point is, I'm looking for something. During my extended... absence, for lack of a better word, I appear to have... misplaced it. It's a green jewel that could easily fit in the palm of your hand. If there's anyone out there with some idea as to its location, then by all means. Tell me.

[The edge in his voice makes that request sound more threatening than supplicating.]

Also. If a mustached man shaped like an egg attempts to claim it as his own, don't turn it over to him. Under any circumstance. That's all.

[ACTION - THE POST OFFICE

There's very little point in Shadow hanging onto the motorcycle he'd regained in November, seeing as he can now run anywhere or teleport anywhere within the town's limits. So---with only a little bit of difficulty---the hedgehog's managed to wheel his motorcycle into the post office for a swap.

At least this way, he'll be able to regain something more practical---more essential to him than a vehicle. And it won't cost him an arm or a leg.

In return, the Postman offers Shadow a small, red envelope. Within said envelope is what appears to be a single sheet of paper that's been marked with a familiar insignia...



Well. That could mean just about anything for Shadow. But before he can even ask the Postman what this truly represents, the human's already vanished into the back of the Post Office. Figures.

Only one way to find out...]

[ACTION - JOHN DOE PARK

...And that means a test is in order. The hedgehog already has his suspicions as to what this could possibly be, but...]

Haaaaaaaah!

[Suddenly, Shadow's engulfed in a crimson aura. Chaos Energy. Likely amplified by the Emerald in his possession. Just as he had thought. Such raw, unfiltered power...]

Chaos... Blast!

[In a burst, the energy spills forth in a wide shockwave, leaving massive gashes in a nearby trio of trees and slicing a lonely lamppost clean in two. Yipes.]

[PHONE - Filtered from drones and Dr. Eggman]

Just what the hell was that all about? Three days don't just suddenly disappear. ...they must be planning something. Keep your eyes open and stay sharp.

On a related note, I'll need a sparring partner. A strong one. One who won't waste my time. We've had enough of that wasted already.

[Before he hangs up, though, he'll filter the call to Dr. Eggman. He doesn't sound too terribly happy.]

Doctor. A word?

[ACTION - 505 Ricardo Street

It may have been a few weeks since Christmas, but it's still doubtful that Shadow's housemates will have gotten used to the fact that this hedgehog can teleport everywhere. Feel free to notice the shiny green rock Shadow's currently clutching as he moves from room to room, in search of supplies good enough to make decent training dummies.]