Sonic, Amy, Knuckles, Tails, Rouge, Cream, Silver, Blaze, Shadow, Eggman, and the others were hanging around Green Hills. It was snowing outside, but not enough to stick to the ground; it was winter, after all. Tails and Cream were playing around in the snow, and Sonic and Shadow were watching them. The others were just chatting around idly.

Sonic was talking to Shadow enthusiastically, and Shadow was trying his best to pay attention; he really was. But he felt himself getting more exhausted by the minute. He could feel himself slipping into a torpor-state due to the cold. Sonic noticed this, and stopped talking.

“…Shadow?”