Chapter Text
'Wooden... beam...
...leh... light... bulb...'
Eyelids moving up and down at uncoordinated rhythm; his facial features shifting unevenly, almost flickering. For any reason, Sonic was having a hard time processing the image in front of him. As it focused he concluded that, in fact, was the roof of his own room.
Shouldn't had been THAT hard; I guess it's one of those mornings you're sorta confused about everything for a hot second.
Still a little blurry, he stretched and sat up one body part at a time. Squinting as his eyelids felt strangely heavy, his tongue clicked with the opening and closing motions of his jaw. He was looking around now, scratching slowly as his system rebooted.
Just now he realized it was the first time in a while he had stayed the night in his own bed. With the whole camping trip... all the stuff with Shadow and the Robotniks... Tokio, the Moon...
Oh, boy! The blue guy had one CRAZY life! —And it was only about to become crazier!
Yeah, yeah. It was coming to him now, everything that happened the night before. Resting his arms on his knees, he let the pictures sink, one by one.
He suddenly heard the birds' singing coming from the outside, and noted the warm, golden light cascading from the skylight; the small dust particles floating softly in an improvised dance number.
One nice and normal sunny morning at good ol' Green Hills.
'It's my room, alright...!'
Heh, it was almost too calm! Too nice and cozy! Truth to be told, on his position right now? All recent events seemed to have been just a long, weird dream.
—It wasn't, though! The living, breathing proof laid just in front of him!
...only that it... wasn't there.
'Wait, what?'
It wasn't there.
'What?'
IS NOT THERE!!!
'Whg—'
No, wait —HOLD IT!! The mattress was there, the pillows, and the sheets; neatly folded on top, something else with it, a small sort of— NOT IMPORTANT NOW.
Now fully, 100% awake, Sonic extended an arm towards Tails, eyes round and white locked on the empty bed, he poked him.
"She's gone." His voice was strangely calmed. He shook him. "SHe's gone." Okay, maybe not as calmed. "Guys. GUYS. Sh-she's gone, Amy's gone...!!!" Was shaking him with both hands now, a little more aggressive. At the same time the boy had pulled out his foot, reaching to the opposite side, was kicking Knuckles. "SHE'S GONE."
Jumping off the bed at last, put on his shoes in a second. Half awake, the others were finally responding. "What...?" "Eh...?" "Who...?" "A...my?" Sonic was already gone.
.
If he wasn't gentle enough with his roommates, was even less with his parents, breaking into their room and jumping over them, a loud 'OOMPH...!!' that woke them almost immediately. Sonic's BIG, green, altered eyes surely was a weird sight to see first thing in the morning.
"SHE'S GONE! AMY'S GONE!!" He was holding them by the shoulders, shaking them.
"Wh-what...?" Spoke Maddie, I think.
"Sonic...?"
A blue light and a SWOOSH, gone again.
Click, two clicks and twist, the front door unlocked. Sonic stepped out and looked around helplessly. Running further away, he stood in the road. Head moving in all directions, eyes twice as fast. Scouting, scanning as far as his sight would allow him.
His mind wasn't working properly. For any reason, his first thought was that the girl had been kidnapped by the Metals, just now he was realizing it had little to no foundation...
What was he even doing there? Standing outside like an idiot as if the girl would simply show up behind a tree, 'Yey! You found me!'
Sight down, turn around and door closed once again. He ran back inside as everyone else in the household met him near the stairs.
"What's goin' on?" Was Tom.
"Amy left?" Tails.
"Sonic?" Maddie now. Catching on his down demeanor, he approached him. The hedgehog had his eyes stuck to the floor, moving them fairly as if trying to come up with an explanation, a look around she noted the others were just as seemingly confused and worried. "Hey—ah! Okay-okay, calm down!" She moved her hands. "Let's not freak out...!! Maybe she just went to check something out, or have like— a morning jog...!!"
Wait, yeah...! Had to be something down that line, right...!?
"Maybe she left a note, somewhere...?" Tails spoke again, scratching his ear.
Jolt, Sonic reacted. There was [something] on top of the sheets in the mattress, he just recalled. Eyes wide open, he rushed upstairs before anyone could say a thing. There it was, a small red fabric bag; by grabbing it he immediately noted the familiar weight and shape. "Oh, no..."
Once opened, he confirmed it. Rolling to his hand was the Time Stone. His frown, drawn deeper, reflected on its many clear cuts.
"Sonic...?" Heard someone calling him, and for the first time he simply walked.
Eyes set on the gem, he stopped mid way down the stairs. "I— I don't get it...!" The others had already noted it.
"The Time Stone?" Knuckles spoke.
"Did she left it just like that...?" Tails now.
"Why would she...?" Sonic spoke, not in response to either of them. His voice was coming out strangely weak.
Tails' frown pronounced deeper as he wondered what could've possibly happened to Amy. 'Use your head, come on! There's gotta be a logical explanation for this...!!'. A thought popped up. "Didn't you talk to her last night?" A step forward, he faced him.
"Wha...?" Sonic finally reacted. "Oh. Yeah, but—" He just then faced him, his worry fading for a moment. "Wait, you heard that?"
Oops. "Ah—! I mean. I was am..." Hand to his nape, feeling a little ashamed. "I... might have been half awake! Didn't heard anything really, though, just mumbles. —But I got a glimpse of you guys getting in and out." Sonic gave him a face.
"What is he talking about?" Tom caught his attention.
"I ah— Yeah, we had a chat." Scratch. "It sorta just... happened."
Looking down again, the scene came back to him, what she told him too. "She couldn't sleep. Turns out she was a little more worried about this whole robot-mess than she showed..." Pause. "I —ahem— happened to be awake, so we went out onto the roof for a moment. There she told me..." Another pause, the image of her big eyes rebuilt in his head. "She was afraid; of what she had seen, and what was to come."
Head slightly up, didn't crossed sights with anyone. "I— I thought I had cheered her up, but...! Maybe I didn't." Oh, it was getting to him, he didn't liked it. Still on his hand, he looked at the gem once more. His frown pronounced further.
He could have sworn he— Wasn't she—?
It weighted him, in a way he couldn't quite explain. Could it be that he felt responsible for the girl already? Yet, just as fast he had seemingly failed her.
Tails averted his sight too. He knew one or two things about being afraid, and not feeling capable of handling things, so he could understand if she— No. It didn't sit right with him. Amy seemed so determined and secure about the mission last night...! (Excited too!) It couldn't have possibly been all an act!!
Frown sharper, lips pressed. Did something happened to her, then?
Tom and Maddie's concern differed in tone. They knew well at this point that whatever these furry aliens got fed on their planet, gave them enough strength and brain to take care of themselves. Even so, on their eyes they would never stop seeing them as what they truly were, kids.
Right now, Amy was at their care just as much as the boys. And the reality was, she was nowhere to be seen; under their own roof, she had vanished.
"She's a coward, then." Knuckles' voice broke the silence, suddenly. "She has abandoned us, and the mission." It was a harsh tone, honest in that way only he could put it. Even so, more than anger, more than judgement... what it reflected was disappointment.
"NO—!!" Sonic jolted to him. A step down, he still stood above him. "Amy might have gave us the brief, but we still have little to no idea what we're REALLY dealing with here, what she saw and what she went through."
Worry replaced with the determination of a hero. "You remember what she said, right? She's been after these guys for a MONTH. All alone, mind you!"
"Her choice." The Red hadn't stepped back. "If one can't handle the fight, shouldn't pursue it in the first place."
Sonic's features sharpened. Another step down, met his eyes at the same level. "That hasn't stopped us in the past."
Down again, he reached the floor; a few more steps still, he turned around to face his family. "This was never her fight to begin with, but still went through it! —She did everything on her hand to help, so now it's our moment to act."
Another look to his reflection on the Stone, he held it tighter before lifting his head again. "She has passed down the torch, and we won't let her efforts go to waste. We'll get to the bottom of this, make things right; as we always do. —As it should've been from the beginning..."
His voice louder. "Thanks to Amy we have a headstart, we know what to do next, just like in every other mission; we'll sort our choices, we'll make a plan, we'll get to the place and— OKAY, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT!??"
Yeah so, while Sonic was throwing his inspirational leader speech, he could note the others were getting distracted with whatever was to the side, behind him; one by one he had lost them and finally got to him. Like— That was some of his best stuff! 'Can you guys NOT!??' He turned around finally.
A blurry white dot in the foreground. Jumping across the screen left to bottom, drawing a perfect little arc.
—More movement, a big white blob coming from the same spot; as it focuses it becomes clear that it's a hand, fingers extended slightly, is reaching out to something down, on its wrist a golden bracelet, poking out from it an arm... pink arm.
Blink. From everyone really, close to being simultaneous. —I think I heard it!
Another blink, specifically from Sonic this time; frame on him and his dumbfounded stare.
Leg up, he began walking. Eyes locked in place, nothing but his feet moved until he reached the couch in the living room, walking around he saw... her.
Amy Rose, the woman of the hour, laid down slumped on the cushions. A completely blank expression on her face, as if in trance. Doesn't seem to have noted his presence.
Looking down to her hands, she was certainly doing something with them; fast yet precise moves, she was folding a thin piece of paper. Transformed now in a small polygonal shape, she placed it between her thumb and index and yeeted it away.
The boy followed its trajectory with his eyes and then his head, all the way as it landed on a jar in the coffee table, almost full with the same little figures. Then, lifting herself up just barely, she reached out for a small pile of similar thin straps of paper, she started all over.
To the side, a small stack of uncut paper (regular white office sheets, if you wanted to know), a ruler and scissors. Some more figures scattered, clearly missed the target.
Another blink.
"Amm... Amy...?" Managed to pronounce at last.
She moved slightly, the smallest "Hmm?" coming out her closed mouth.
Also Ozzy was there, almost shamesly installed right next to her, front legs on her lap and everything! —Oh were they this close, already!?
Waking up suddenly, he greeted him with a quick bark. The girl jumped. "Wha...!? Eh?" Head lifted, their eyes met.
"Oh...! Hi, Sonic." Amy seemed a bit surprised to see him, yet strangely normal about the situation, a small frown formed. "Sorry, did I wake you...?"
Loooong blink, his mouth was slightly open. "It's morning." And he kept it open.
She seemed even more surprised. Zoning out a little, her gaze lowered. "Oh... already...?" Back to her blank expression, she laid down again, resuming her work. "Golly..."
The others had approached too, same as Sonic, resorted to just... contemplate.
A small loading screen kept running on his brain. "What are you doing...?"
"Eh?" Sight back to him, suddenly smiling. "Oh...! Paper stars!" Amy held it up. "Here, you want one?" Arm extending, he reached out naturally.
Inspecting it for a moment, he smiled. "Oh, hey! Cute!" Frown. "Hold it."
Frown deeper, directed to her. "Please tell me you didn't spent all night up making these."
The pink girl wasn't asleep, clearly; but it was almost like just then she became fully awake, straightening up in her seat, she was quick to exclaim. "—WHAT, NO!??" She chuckled, looking to the sides nervously. "Of course not!! That would be ridiculous...!!" Wave down.
Brow up, Sonic crossed his arms; while Amy, looking really small, was suddenly fighting to hold his stare.
Oh, it's weird. Very, very weird, isn't it...? Usually it's him the one getting scolded!
Did he even noticed he was nailing a perfect naggy mom pose...!? Down to the face, lips puckered and everything!! I swear— he was [this close] to start tapping his foot!! (Haha! I guess Tom ain't the only one he'd mimic gestures from!)
'Here I was, DEAD worried about you.' He didn't actually thought that. But— dunno', maybe deep down he did.
"I ah..."
Yeah, yeah, there's no way out of this one, young lady!!
Letting out air and adjusting on her seat, she felt a pout crawling up. Taking hold of her head she coulnd't hold it together anymore. "OUHHHHH...!! I couldn't HELP it!! —I was too nervous to catch any sleep! My head's a MESS!" Simply couldn't face him. "And... doing something with my hands keeps me distracted so...!" Eyes up again. "To be fair—!!!" Fingers up, too. "Time travel does LOTS of funny stuff to your metal clock!! Like— Is something no one ever warns you about...!!!"
The boy's expression didn't change. If anything, it intensified.
Oh, girl. I think he's mad.
She shrunk. "Sorry..."
Maddie finally decided to intervene. Stepping forward she bent over the couch slightly. "Ow, sweetie, you don't need to apologize...!"
Looking even more guilty now, Amy picked her fingers and shrunk further. Meeting the woman's gaze her voice returned. "Noooooooooooouuuuuu..." Oh, it was groggy! 'I— I have tooooo...!" Extremely groggy!! Like a toad's croak!
Maddie stared at her a little confused. Amy sat up a moment after, hands to her lap, she sighed. 'Here goes nothing...!!' Type anticipation. "Ah... you see, whenever I'm stressed out...! I like to bake!" And was even able to put on a smile for a second. "—But then I ran out of flour."
Eyes moving lower and lower with every word. "And milk— eggs... butter... sugar... baking soda... baking powder..." Guilt pilling up, intertwining her fingers as if she wanted to make a scarf out of them. "Cocoa powder... fruit, dried fruit... jelly... cream... yogurt, oil... gelatine... some vegetables..." She was speeding up, too! "Brown sugar, cornstarch, almond milk, marmalade, margarine, nuts, oatmeal, semolina, cream cheese, cinnamon, vanilla, anise, ginger, some other spices and— some other stuff I... found...!" She managed to confront the woman again, her voice had really decreased in volume, yet only elevated in pitch. Blushing too, she was failing to hide between her shoulders, her eyes seemed bigger than ever.
Maddie just stared —head tilted— trying to make sence of the girl's words. Everyone around, really.
On the background, a small fox nose wrinkled. 'Sniff... Sniff-Sniff...?'
And when he turned, he jolted upon the view.
"Ammm... guys...?" He finally spoke.
Everyone followed through, a similar reaction followed. One BIG jointed "!!!"
Every single INCH of upper surface available in the dining area was taken. Pies, cookies, bundt cakes, rolls, muffins, tarts, buns, cupcakes, brownies, donuts, cream puffs, WHOLE —multi tier— cakes and everything else sweet and tasty!
Stacks on stacks of colorful, sugary goods, some they couldn't even name!! All shapes and sizes; neatly decorated, stuffed and sprinkled.
Some sight to be seen! Was there even a table underneath!?
"I know, I know, it's BAD. It's really, REALLY BAD...!!!" Holding to her face, Amy jumped in front. "I-I don't know what came over me...!!"
Eying the piles, she was walking side to side, gesturing all around. "I hadn't seen an oven in WEEKS! S-so I guess I just couldn't help it!!! —I figured, 'Hey! I could make a little something-something!' You know, to show my gratitude and stuff...!" Hands to her chest. "Nobody gets mad at free cake!" Was the last smile she attempted to form.
"—But then it was taking a little longer than expected, and I found this very nice spice- 'Oh! I know how to make some really good cookies with this, and it takes no time at all...!!' One thing lead to another, —I think I started to hallucinate at some point— And all from the sudden, the cabinets were two thirds emptier and I had run out of PLATES." The poor creature was whining.
She finally allowed herself to breathe, mouth pressed in a pout and eyes very open. "I'm sorry. I'm so, SO sorry." Hands down. "I feel awful. I'm the WORST guest eveeeeer...!!!"
The sight before them was still hard to take a break from, but they still managed to look back at the altered pink hedgehog. "—And I meant to replace everything...! But I... I'm not sure where you get things around here...!" A finger to her chin, tone suddenly a little calmer. "Is there some kind of local market...? —Wouldn't be opened at this hour, though..."
BIG sigh, very big-big sigh. She was calming down, the shame on her stance remained. Hands clasped over her skirt, she lowered her head. "When I came back to my senses, I felt too embarrassed to go back upstairs. So I just sorta collapsed half conscious in the couch..." —'To await my sentence' She failed to add.
She was done, apparently. Once her voice abandoned the room, pretty much every other sound followed; now replaced with a shared silence that extended longer than it probably should have.
Tom blinked. His mouth opened, but no word could form just yet. His finger lifted. "Y— you did all that...?" Was pointing.
Looking up, she met his face. "Yes..." Pleaded guilty.
"As in... last night...?" He still found hard to speak.
She now simply nodded, slow and shy.
The man had a million questions, but somehow none managed to go pass his throat. He took another moment.
"And nobody woke up...?" Good question, actually!
Amy looked to the side for a second. Her eyes spoke, 'in retrospective, I'm just as confused as you on that, mister.'
I guess only Ozzy did, apparently kept her company.
Tom glanced at Maddie, who stood in a similar state to him. Her mouth a big open circle, she too found her voice at last. "You know what? I'm not even mad...!"
He nodded, taking another look around. "Honestly, I'm quite impressed..."
"Eh...?" It was Amy's turn to blink and stare.
"Yeah...!" She was responding to him. Looking back at the girl, she was smiling slightly. "You really did all that...? —Looks pretty good!" Was getting a tad excited. "You like cooking...!?"
"Y-yeah I do...!" Not knowing how to react, a frown formed on her face, some form of disbelief? "Wait, so you are not upset? You're not kicking me out...!?"
"Hey." Tom stepped up. "Nobody that fills my house with pastries is getting kicked out...!!"
The corner of her lip curled up a bit. "Would be a funny reason to kick someone out...!"
"It would!" He smiled on that gentle, fatherly way of his. "Not today, though!"
The girl didn't seemed entirely convinced. Kept looking between the couple. "So you're really not mad? Even when I emptied out your pantry...?" That had to be at least a month worth of food wasted in a single night!
Maddie approached to respond now. "Hey! All honest!" She pointed back. "—Huey, Duey and Louie here had done more damage to the house —and our bank— together, AND alone, already!" Palms up. "A trip or two to the supermarket is honestly not even as big of a deal!"
The boys couldn't argue against it! Sonic had literally made a deep dent on the wall the night before, whoops!
"Wait." Tails suddenly spoke. "What have I done...!?" Was talking from genuine concern.
Was he causing inconveniences to them...!? How come nobody had told him!?
Maddie turned to him, slowly. In her face an odd expression, as if she had been caught. A fist to her mouth. "You ah—" Was about to reveal something she had been keeping to herself?
"You... shed. Like— a lot."
Mouth reduced to the smallest line, the boy's eyes opened further. Behind him his tails dropped to the floor. "Oh." His sight followed.
"That's okay, hun...!!" Jumped to add. "We'll get you a brush!"
We're getting off topic!
Amy talked again. "I still feel really bad about this..." —'Give me some kind of punishment!' Is what she meant.
Maddie faced her, she got the memo, but found really hard to be apprehensive towards the cute little pink girl. Looking up, her tongue clicked. "Hmm... did you clean up everything you used?" Arm crossed, one finger up.
Hop. "Of course!!"
Two fingers up. "The kitchen too?"
Fists closed. "Yes!!!"
Arms out. "Then that's good enough for me...!!"
Surprised yet again, she smiled reluctantly. 'You guys are WAY too nice.' Ahh... I guess the guilt alone was enough of a punishment.
"So you are not leaving us?"
"Eh?"
It was Sonic, had finally decided to intervene.
"You're not leaving?" He repeated.
"What?" Looking down, Amy noted the Time Stone in his hand. "Wh— Dude!!" She quickly snatched it, along with the bag, putting it back inside. "Don't you just hold it like that!!"
"Answer me."
Eyes back up. "Ah?" She was looking really confused. "Leave? No. Why would I leave?"
Ah— Maybe he shouldn't ask, actually. Still needed to be sure.
Another step forward. "I thought that maybe after our small one-on-one last night..."
Amy's confused expression pronounced. He kept talking; not as confident, thought. "You told me you were afraid, so I thought that you... maybe—" Was cut by two fingers on his lips (the dare!). The girl had her eyes really open.
"First of all, Sonic. That was a private conversation...!!" Oops. "I was having a moment of vulnerability and openly decided to share it with you!"
"Second...!" Letting go, she lifted both of her hands near her face, pinching the air with thumbs and indexes. Staring for a second she then just... "Pththth!!" She blew a raspberry! (What is she!? Five!?) "So what!??"
Now he was the one looking confused!
"This ain't about me...!? —Doesn't matter!" Was pointing to her chest with her hands. "I'll cry about it in my own time! Hopefully when this is all over!" Finger down. "But right now I'll just suck it up like a BIG GIRL, and keep going!! Cause whether I like it or not, it's what needs to be done! Simple as that!!"
"Amy." His serious stance made her flinch, but not back off.
A look around, she met everyone's faces. 'Confirmation required, huh?'
Sigh. "Look. Yes, I AM scared. I'm TERRIFIED, and I think it's pretty reasonable!" Was suddenly looking a little frantic. "I don't wanna die!?? Not this young!?? —I-I haven't even gotten my first KISS yet!!"
Sonic flinched. Oh boy, I believe nobody had mentioned that word in the whole franchise...
Also! The girl had her priorities very clear x2
"But that doesn't mean— Wh-why would you even...!?" Head rolling around, confused again? "Is it because I didn't show up on your room today!? Is THAT what all the fuss is about!? Is that why you thought I was GONE!? —Pookie, I was literally on THAT couch!" Thumb back. "I-I've been on the first floor this entire time! Like— all my stuff is still upstairs!?"
Oops again. Yeah, at this point he was feeling a little embarrassed. This whole mess could've been avoided if he had cared to check around the house. Why did he even panic that hard to begin with...? —Wait, did she just called him 'pookie'?
"—And YOU." Had suddenly pointed down... to Ozzy? "You were supposed to tell me if someone was coming! We had a deal!!"
"Bark!"
Frown held a minute longer, softening inevitably. "Ow... I can't get mad at you...!!~" She pet him a bit before facing Sonic again. "You see the dog, right? For a moment I thought I had... made him up or something..." Girl. You're getting off topic again. "Gagh—!"
Amy cleared her throat, stood before the boy once more. "So yeah! I'm scared, but it doesn't mean I'm not doing it!!" Her tone was becoming serious. "You heard me last night, didn't you? I'm the only one who can get you guys there! —Like, you literally CAN'T do this without me!!" An arm moved across. "I appreciate your concern, but it was pretty unjustified. It offends me that you thought I would just run away!! —That would be super mean!! Do you really think I'd do that?"
Yeah, he definitely shouldn't had asked...
Step forward, finger to his chest, making him stumble slightly. "So DON'T be kicking me out of the mission when we haven't even started, hedgehog!!" Was her final word.
Everybody around seemed content. In Tails' face, relief; in Knuckles' a grin that spoke, 'I knew I wasn't wrong about you.'
Sonic simply stared at her for a moment. His expression hard to read. "In that case..." Was his turn to step forward. "I have only one question for you." Pointer finger up.
Straightening up, Amy looked at him expectantly.
Pointer finger dropped to the side, eyes still locked on her. "We can eat that, right?"
"Eh?" Surprised yet again. Took her a second, wait. "Oh! Wh— Yeah! By all means, dig in...!!" She put on a weird smile.
LARGE smirk. "Oh, don't mind if I do...!l!~" Was already shoving his hands and poking his tongue out.
"Heh-he—HEY!" Maddie had stopped him. "We'll get to that, but before go back upstairs and wash up!" She addressed the other two. "You too! Come on, go!"
Everyone was moving already.
Straightening up, the woman sighed and put her hands on her hips, eyeing the big piles of desserts again (Yep! There were still there!). Tom stood beside her. "Well...! I guess you won't be making breakfast this morning...!"
"Yeah, or next MONTH...!!" An airy scoff escaped her.
He was looking at the piles too. "Well—! I don't know about you, but I... already saw there's a plate with donuts...! So think I'm gonna... check that out..." Was already marching out the frame.
She extended her arms and let them fall loose. "I'll... make some coffee...! —Want some?" Heard Tom agree.
The boys were still enjoying the breakfast of a lifetime, some plates were already empty. Amy was taking care of them, (even when Maddie insisted she didn't have to!)
"Yunno', I was pretty upset before...!" Was Sonic talking, (Oh, so he was mad!). "But this totally makes up for it!!" Thumb out his mouth, he turned to face her, mouth still half full. "Do you make salty stuff too...!?"
"Oh! Yeah! I do all sorts of—"
"—Don't humor him!" Maddie showed up behind her, taking some other plates. "If you keep pleasing him, it will get to his head and he won't leave you alone!" Walking by, she gave him a little nudge. "I'm pretty sure you didn't come all the way here to become the Team's cook!!" Head to the kitchen.
She giggled and shrugged. "I wouldn't mind!"
Sonic followed his mom's frame for a moment, making a face. Was hard to mess his mood, though!
Sight back to the table, he kept discovering new treats. OH—! he was like a kid in a candy store! Only that the store was his house and all the candy was free!! (So it was even better!)
Shoving his hands again he was looking around deciding what to tackle next. To the side, something caught his attention; a familiar... face?
"Ammmmhhh... Amy?" She faced him. "Why do this cookies have my face on them?" He was holding one up, there was no way to deny the resemblance.
The girl jolted. Puckering her lips and keeping her eyes opened wide. "OH AM...!" The others were looking at her too.
"Yeah, so..." She was talking really slow. "Things got... ah— a little weird at 3 am..." She was averting his eyes, finger to her cheek. Hopefully they wouldn't notice she was blushing slightly.
Sonic stared for a moment, then simply shrugged and chugged the thing in with a small 'Hmph!' Sound.
Letting go of the air she was holding. Kept moving plates around. Thankfully he didn't caught that most of the desserts' decorations were blue. Very subtle!
"Well...! Everything's delicious!" Tails spoke, looking at her. "I'm full, though! And I better get to work now! —Excuse me!" Said as he pushed his chair out to stand up. "Don't entertain yourselves too much! When I'm done with today's planning, we'll have a meeting!" Finger drawing circles in the air as he walked out of the room. "There's a future to save!!"
Lips pressed. 'Gosh, he's adorable.' Amy's thought.
"Dessert buffet AND time travel!??" Sonic exclaimed suddenly. "Can this day get any BETTER!?"
"THIS ONE HAS GRAPES ON IT!!!" Tart in hand (big bite mark on the corner), Knuckles suddenly lifted his head, ear to ear grin.
Blue arms up. "LET'S GOOOO!!"
Lips pressed harder. 'They're all adorable.'
Plates left aside, Maddie joined Tom in the kitchen isle, resting on herelbows, she grabbed her coffee mug and took a sip.
Amy had in fact used some of the coffee. The can was at least a third emptier than the day before, still good for two cups. —She had, however, used all the sugar; hadn't found the box with small, single serving packages, though, (or maybe she did and just decided not to use those.)
"You saw the fridge?" Spoke Tom nonchalantly, without looking at her.
Sip. "Stacked to the brim with desserts, too? Yep."
Sip. "She swept the floors as well"
"Swept AND mopped, yeah. And... all the tables and counters..."
"I think she might have cleaned the windows too."
Chin lifted and tilting slightly, she eyed them a little. "Maybe...?"
Sip.
Sip.
Shrug. "She's a keeper...!" He shook his head.
Maddie scoffed. "Totally."
Sip. A small silence installed.
.
.
.
"Do you think on their planet all girl hedgehogs are pink and all boys are blue, or this is just a funny coincidence...?" Tom was moving his half empty mug around, along his head.
Maddie slowly turned to him, and I mean slow. "What?"
Still hadn't faced her, he clicked his tongue. "Probably just a coincidence."
He took another sip.
The woman stared forward, not allowing herself to think what they were gonna do with this amount of sweets yet.
A sigh and a final reluctant sip.
Was gonna be a long day, ain't it?