"I know it's around here somewhere...." The bat glanced around town, seeing all of the old buildings before finding the one she was looking for. Swiftly, she swooped into one of the high windows of an abandoned building.

"Do you really think so?"

"The facts don't lie."

"What's going on here, boys?" The bat smirked as she flew down, landing before the two, one a fox and the other a cat.

They both jumped in surprise. Rouge smirked before resting her hands on her hips. "I don't mean to be rude, so I'll cut this short. I need some documents on your little religion."

"Wh-What?" the cat's blue eyes were wide.

"I'm researching something, and I need information from your stories."

The fox crossed his arms, his bat ears twitching in annoyance. "These aren't stories. They are historical documents written by our ancestors."

Rouge rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, dear. Just hand them over."

"Why do you want to know this stuff?" The cat asked, pushing up his glasses.

"To help a friend." The bad said simply.

The fox glared at her. "That's not anywhere near a good answer."

"Rude." Rouge huffed. "It would also help you more with finding out these Farah and Mahkah mysteries that you've been searching for."

"How do you know we've been searching for that?" The cat questioned.

The white bat smirked, gaining the upper hand. "I work for G.U.N. I know all search histories by a press of a button. I've also found that you've gotten into Project Shadow documents, which are highly guarded. Which one of you hacked into it?"

The cat glanced to the fox, who simply crossed his arms, sunset eyes set in a glare. "What files do you want?"

"Just general information, things about Mahkah and Farah, along with anything involving Farah's resurrection." She then paused for a second. "Wait, aren't you the grocery store clerk?"

"Why does that matter?" The fox sneered.

"No reason." She shrugged as the cat gathered the old, dusty files. "Why are you breaking into Project shadow files, anyways?"

The two glanced at each other, the foxes' eyes in a glare to the other, but the cat spoke up anyways. "W-We have a theory, ma'am."

"What? What kind of theory?" Rouge asked.

The fox crossed his arms and was about to say something, when the cat interrupted him. "We think that Shadow the Hedgehog is Farah! Everything lines up with the evidence!"

"Mark!" The fox hissed.

"Sorry, Devion, but we have to tell someone!" The cat replied.

"I guess it's too late." The fox groaned.

"You think Shadow is Farah?" Rouge asked. "What kind of evidence makes you think that?"

"The legend states that Farah won't be resurrected by normal mortal ways. Shadow was created scientifically." Devion crossed his arms.

"And we've seen him spacing out sometimes, muttering things about Mahkah." Mark spoke up.

"Maybe that's why he's having these dreams...." Rouge mumbled before flashing that flirtatious grin that she was known for. "Well, you two have fun with this theory. Just don't hack into government files again, sweetie."

Devion grunted. "You better return those files when you're done with them then."

"Don't worry, I'll return you're little files. So long boys!" And with that, Rouge left the two boys.

"She's pretty." Mark smiled.

"Pretty annoying." Devion muttered.

______________________________

"Hey boys." Rouge waved to the four in Sonic's living room through their open window.

"Rouge." Shadow nodded curtly. "I hope everything is okay?"

"Of course, darling. People are fixing the living room, and I've just been doing some research." Rouge smiled as she flew through the window because who needs doors?

"Did you find anything important?" Knuckles asked.

"I found some, but most are hopeless theories more than anything." the bat shrugged as she sat on the window sill.

The group groaned in aggravation. No matter how many times they looked over what they knew, they still couldn't get any closer to knowing where Farah was.

"She could be anywhere!" Tails sighed. "There's not even anyway to narrow it down!"

"I'd think differently." Rouge smirked slightly. "I could always go through G.U.N. database to find anyone bio engineered."

"Great idea, Rouge." Sonic smiled to the bat.

"Of course it's a great idea; I thought of it." Rouge smirked, causing both Shadow and Knuckles to roll their eyes.

"Then get on to it." Shadow said, crossing his arms.

"Always so pushy, aren't we?" Rouge said as she sat on the window seal, imitating Shadow's crossed arms.

Shadow simply rolled his eyes, causing Sonic to chuckle lightly. He glanced to the blue hedgehog, face tinged a light rose. Something about the sound made him feel... happy?

Nonetheless, he ignored it as Rouge wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "Stay safe, alright? I don't want to hear that you got yourself captured by some evil guy, okay?"

"I'll be fine, Rouge." He said simply, reluctantly hugging her back. "I can take care of myself."

"Sure, sure." Rouge rolled her eyes before looking towards Sonic with an intimidating glare. "If he gets hurt in any kind of way, I'll have your head."

"Don't worry! He'll be fine!" Sonic smiled nervously.

"He better." Rouge said before flying out the window with an "until next time, boys!"

Knuckles crossed his arms before looking to the files Rouge left behind with no explanation. "We should look through those while she searches. She might've missed something."

The others quickly nodded, each grabbing a file and going through it.

__________________________

"I've been sensing an imbalance in the world."

"And why are you telling us about this now?"

"Because I wasn't for sure that it was bad until now, Kalama."

"What kind of bad is it?"

"It's... It's Heolstor...."

"WHAT!?"

"But I thought Mahkah sealed him away before he disappeared!?"

"Yeah, Haizea! Are you sure it's him!?"

"I'm positive. Nobody can have that much darkness inside them."

"Should we tell mom and dad?"

"No."

"Well, well, well. Mama's little pet is saying we lie?"

"Didn't think you had it in you, Haizea."

"We have to find Mahkah."

"But he disappeared thousands of years ago!"

"Yeah, he's pretty good at hiding."

"It's the only hope we have of stopping Heolstor. Where Mahkah is, Farah is there too."

"Farah?"

"You mean... she's alive?"

"I can sense it through the wind. She's been here for a while, but... she's different."

"I'd be different too if I had to grow up in there."

"Stop dissing our creation! Mahkah loved this place!"

"Obviously more than us if he went and hid from us there!"

"He's not hiding from us!"

"Then what do you think he's doing, Bubiza!? He hasn't even spoken a word towards us since he disappeared!"

"...."

"Ugh, forget it. Maybe we should just let Heolstor take over."

"Kalama-"

"What's the point in helping Mahkah's creations if he doesn't care enough about us!"

"Kalama wait!"

"You're on your own."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Lava]

I hope you all enjoyed this! ^_^

Also, I've noticed that many of you want to draw fanart of this, and that makes me really happy! Like wow you really enjoy this story that much?

Anyways, I'd really like to see any art of this story!

You can send me it through my Instagram: burning.underground

Or, if you don't have Instagram or you'd rather use other means, my Deviantart is Love-Of-Chaos and my Tumblr is burningunderground ^_^

Thank you for reading!