Since the doctor had disappeared as well, there was no need for the heros rival to stay in town. He had quit his job and left without telling anyone where he was going or if he was ever going to come back.

His relationship with his best and only friend had cracked after that night. He too, had been looking for his rival or any answers to what Eggman had done to him. He wanted to know why he gave his life, he wanted to punch him for the stupid and careless decision he took that night.

While Rouge was always on his side and try to explain how feelings worked, the Hedgehog didn't understand and couldn't accept the fact that the hero died for him too. It took a toll on him, realizing all he ever did for the hero was cause pain and problems.

He spent the first year of his disappearance using GUN technology to try and track him, he had done that multiple times for other villains he chased and thought it would be easy but it was as if Faker had just never existed.

Was Eggman this smart all along?

While the fox, back home, was looking for traces of Sonic or Eggman, Shadow was looking for traces of the chaos emeralds. He knew the doctor had taken his emerald that night and while the other 6 emeralds had been found over the years, that last emerald still remained lost.

Shadow walked alone across cities, and forests. He walked alone, not wanting to go back and relieve that night. He couldn't sleep well, wondering if he truly was that weak that it took the hero to save him.

All he wanted to do was find him again, maybe yell at him, maybe even hug him from relief that he was safe. But as the weeks pass, and no trace of him was found, he gave up hope and lost his reason.

He wondered each day why he was still there. Wondered why he just doesn't go back to his best friend. He wondered why he still cared of finding the one who he hated the most. Finding the one who he didn't know he cared for until it was too late.

Each day that he would wake up, he thought about going back but then remembered the fight him and Rouge had had. He knew there was nothing to go back to when the only one who had ever cared about him, now hated him too.

---
(2 years ago)
"You need to give up!" The bat yelled at her best friend. "He's gone, Shadow! He's gone!" She cried as she watched him going over more and more notes he took.

The ultimate life form had taken this very badly. He blamed himself for not being strong enough, for not taken the bullet, for not dying that night. He needed to find him, make sure no one gave his life again for him to stay safe.

It brought back memories of Maria every time he thought of his rival, making it impossible for him to think if anything else other than finding Sonic. Maria died saving him, and now Sonic did too.

"Please, Shadow..." The bat was concerned for her best friend. He was not taking care of himself, stuck in his own world, lost. "Today's his funeral." She touched his shoulder.

"He's not dead!" The Hedgehog snapped and growled, getting up from seat and slapping her hand away. "There's no body! There's no traces! He's. Not. Dead!" He looked down at his map. "He's here. Somewhere. Alive. I'm not going to funeral when I know he is alive."

"Hun, it's been a year. Eggman is gone too. We've gone everywhere in the world trying to find him. There is no way, Sonic could still be alive. It's time you move on." The bat said, sounding afraid of her best friend.

"Shut up!" He snarled at her but she soon slapped him, tears running down her cheeks as she now covered her face. The ebony one stayed frozen in place as he took deep breaths now.

"I dont know who you are anymore! And I want to give you your time because I know how hard this is, but this is crazy. I can't do this anymore." Rouge whispered the last few words making the ebony one snap out of his thoughts as she now looked at him again. "I don't want to see you anymore, Shadow."

She left him speechless and took that as a sign for her to leave. Not saying a single goodbye or anything else. That was last time Shadow ever saw Rouge again, for after that, he left town.

----
(Present)
The ebony hedgehog had nothing else in his life, no job, no friends, no home. All he wanted to do was find answers, anything that would tell him what happened to his rival after that night. What happened to the doctor and the metal copy of his rival. Why did they never come back either?

As much as he wanted to give up, as much as he just wanted to start fresh. He couldn't do it. He thought he owed it to him and Maria to find answers. Whether he found Sonic dead or alive. He just wanted to have peace of mind again.

But he promised himself that if he found him again, he will apologize for everything he ever did to him and finally give him a chance to be his friend.