Chapter Text
The morning sun greeted her as she stepped out into her garden. The leaves and petals glistened, the bit of rain from earlier still dripping onto the perfectly manicured grass below. Heading for the gate she dawned a smile, the scent of her newly blooming flowers carrying her along.
It was Monday, time to head to the library and return this week’s books. Her book bag made for the perfect spot to rest her hand as she walked along, through the village center and past her favorite café she’d no doubt be sipping tea in later today.
Amy always enjoyed the peace and quiet of early mornings, the singing songbird’s tune providing a beautiful backing track for her casual commute. Her eyes followed the birds as they flew up and out of the jungle, away from the occasional muffled boom. She had to giggle, “Classic Sonic, can never give the jungle a second of rest.”
Back on track a sign piqued her interest. A board covered in a dozen poorly stapled adverts for Meh Burger. “We now deliver… Why would anyone get delivery when no one lives more than five minutes away?” She shrugged, and continued on.
Her smile returned as she stepped through the doors of the library and turned to see the table of new arrivals before anything else. Her eyes lit up, the book she had been waiting months for was finally in. Immediately she grabbed it without a second thought, and went on to see the rest.
Her immutable smile faded as she read the title of the next book aloud, the name catching her off guard, “The Miracle Planet.” She knew exactly what it was without even looking at the back, she used to own it a long time ago.
Lifting the well aged leather book from its stand, she flipped it open. Half glazed eyes running over the words she fell into a cold sweat. She remembered it all as if it were yesterday, the ice cold claws, the red eyes. A warmth saved her just as she remembered the rest, being carried over those pitfalls and falling back down to the lake below.
Shivering for one last time she placed the book back on its stand and stepped away, still staring at the cover. Something about it drew her to it, like she needed to go back.
Hearing her name in her favorite voice she blinked and looked over. “Sonic? What are you doing here?” She asked as he closed the door behind himself and stopped beside her.
“I was running by when I thought I heard you call my name. So I came in.” Raising an eyebrow, his expression shifted ever so slightly. He could see the touch of distress in her eyes. Looking for the cause he glanced at the books she was still facing and found his answer. Her troubled demeanor all made sense now. Raising a hand to the cursed book, he slowly slipped it off its stand and placed it face down onto the counter. “I’m glad I did.”
Her eyes widened, that calming feeling suddenly made sense. Nevertheless she wasn’t about to try and explain that little fact to him, not right now anyway. Glossing over saying any response, she looked back to the book. “You saved me, again.” Her nervous voice twinging in time with her fingers squeezing the book at her side. “I need to return these books. I-It was nice running into you.”
“Are you alright, Ames?” He asked bluntly, cutting her off mid turn. “Want me to walk you home?” He could tell she was flustered, but there was more to it. There was no way that event, being kidnapped by Metal, still had that much of a hold on her after all these years. She would have said something.
A tinge of red hitting her cheeks she raised her hand and took a step backward, “No, no, that’s alright. I’m fine. I have to uh… go to class after this.” Her eyes fought to maintain eye contact, wanting to look away as quickly as possible, knowing the red just below grew more with every second she looked at him.
“C’mon Amy, you’re always the one saying I need to stop going it alone all the time. I know that book brought up old memories, so talk to me! What’s going on?”
His desire to help was so sweet and it took all her willpower not to spin around and jump into his arms. She hated it, his kindness coming with the never ending reminder that it’d go nowhere beyond this. “Just leave me alone, Sonic.” She hissed at a volume quiet enough for the library but loud enough to assert herself.
Stopping dead, his hands remained hanging out in the air, his happy to help smile fading as she stormed off to the counter, not even taking as much as a single glance back to him. While the hard brush off hurt, all it really did was show him there was even more work to do, and he would get to the bottom of it.
Regardless of what his better judgment yelled at him to do, he respected her wishes and headed for the door, taking off back into the forest.
The door rolled off her wrist as she pushed back out into the daylight. The warmth worked to dry her tears, but it was nowhere near enough to calm the storm inside. Her preoccupied mind carried her right past the café and straight for home. The tears were coming, she just needed to hold off for a few more minutes.
She made it to her home, finally, and fumbled inside. The contents of her arms clattered to the floor as her hands jumped to her face and hid her scrunched facade. Falling back against the door she slid down into her knees. The pain came in waves of anger, then sorrow, then jealousy. ‘I love him so much’, ‘He had a million chances!’, ‘But he cares so much!’ She hated how much she loved him.
She thought back to the book. Nightmares aside, it made her angrier. It marked the beginning of a journey she had grown to hate, grown tired of waiting for. Every adventure she’d had with him along the way was amazing and worth every moment, but now all was said and done and they were still just the same.
Her head bumped back against the door and her mouth opened to draw air, her nose having clogged up. All she could hear was her heart pound away in her chest. She didn’t want to let him go and move on, but the thought of going through this agony for another day was impossible.
“I’m done with him.” She mumbled, saying it aloud to herself. “I’m done chasing him.” A tear dropped down onto her dress, then another, but she didn’t care.
Struggling to her feet she walked over to the kitchen, hunger having reoccurred to her. The photo on the window sill caught her eye and stopped her, a picture of them standing together, laughing with arms around each other. Her lips trembled as her heart cracked again, “Sonic, why can’t you just love me?!” Her fist slammed down on the counter, shifting the source of pain to something else for once.
Just like he had done with the book in the library, she placed the frame face down and continued on into her kitchen. She couldn’t bring herself to break it or throw it away, he was still her best friend regardless of any of this. She’d still have to see him day after day for the rest of her life
His ear twitched suddenly, as if his name had been called again. HIs folded arms fell to his sides as he turned to look for where it had come from, but he found nothing. Just the empty grass hill around them. He could’ve sworn it was Amy’s voice that he had heard, but she was nowhere to be seen.
“Sonic? Did you hear me?” Tails asked, annoyed by his friend’s lack of attention. He stopped his wrenching for a moment to look up at what had distracted him this time.
The puzzled hedgehog spun back quickly and came to, “Huh? Sorry Tails, thought I heard my name being called.”
“I didn’t hear anything.” The frustrated fox blinked and scowled. Gesturing to the toolbox at his friend’s feet he went back to work, “Pass me that screwdriver will ya? The big red one. I need to get this sensor array fixed as soon as possible so I can detect Eggman’s movements.”
Sonic glanced down at the box and knelt down to retrieve the requested tool. Finding it he passed it over and returned to his aimless staring out to sea.
Seeing his friend would be no help in putting the screwdriver back, Tails tossed it back into the box and sighed. “What’s the matter with you? Something wrong?” Sonic usually had difficulties paying attention, but never to this degree.
“I don’t know. Amy got really upset this morning.” Sonic started without a second of hesitation, “And now I keep thinking I’m hearing her call my name, it’s weird.”
Tails shook his head and went back to the box of burnt wires and damaged machinery. “It’s probably nothing, you know how girls are.”
“No… I know Amy. Something’s not right.”
Now growing curious himself, Tails looked up and joined his friend’s pondering, “Well, did you do something to upset her?”
Sonic’s contemplative frown curled to a smirk for a split second before he caught himself, it wasn’t the time. He did wonder if Tails knew just how easy it was to upset Amy at times. Shifting back to seriousness he replayed the events in his head and explained, “When I walked into the library, she was staring at a book about the Little Planet and seemed rather distraught. I asked if she’d like me to walk her home and she told me to go away.”
His eyes widening, Tails groaned and ran his hands down his face, “Chaos, Sonic.” It immediately occurred to him what the problem was, and it amazed him that Sonic couldn’t see it. “Seeing that book brought up old feelings, then you walked in and offered to take her home.” He stared at his friend, waiting for it to click. “You still don’t get it, do you?”
Sonic avoided eye contact as much as he could, feeling a touch of heat hit his cheeks. “W-What feelings? What are you talking about?” The sooner this conversation ended the better, he hated this topic.
The fox rolled his eyes, “She still has feelings for you, dummy! Stop being such a baby about it!” With a groan he went back to work, giving his friend a moment to chew on his words. It bugged him how evasive and inconsiderate Sonic was to Amy’s feelings, for her sake and to some degree his. He knew how much pain it had caused her and all for nothing, as far as he could tell.
Sonic stared blankly at the roof next to where his friend was seated. “No, that’s… she doesn’t, not anymore. How could she?” His muffled voice got quieter as he spoke, a touch of his inner thoughts falling out.
His ear twitching again, he spun around as screaming broke out nearby. Immediately he could see Beebots sprawling the village center from his view from the roof of Tails’ workshop.
Dropping his tools down beside him, Tails jumped to his feet. “And this is why we have the radar. C’mon!” Without hesitation he grabbed his friend and jumped off the roof to take flight.
Tapping his communicator, Sonic opened a channel to everyone, “Guys, Egghead is throwing a hissy fit in the village center again! Group up pronto!”
Laying her legs out flat on the floor, she cracked open the tub of ice cream and dropped the lid onto the floor with a sniffled sigh. Her spoon dove in and retrieved a gapping wad, enough to nearly bend the utensil. Every second another thought popped into her mind, perpetuating the downward spiral. ‘I wish he’d take me for ice cream.’
As the ice cream reached her lips, her communicator pinged and his voice came through. Not five minutes and already the universe was proving her right, she would have to deal with him forever. The spoon fell back into the tub and she placed it reluctantly up on the counter over her shoulder. She stared down at the device, still blinking from the notification. Hitting it finally she growled and stood up.
Turning to face her home she picked back up the spoon and popped it into her mouth along with the mound of ice cream. Sonic would just have to face Egghead alone today.
Throwing a glance back down to the device, she paused only to slip it off and let it fall uncaringly to the counter. “If he needs my help that bad he can call me directly.” She huffed with a lisp, the wad of ice cream taking up the space to talk in her mouth.
Going in for another scoop, the whole house suddenly jerked slightly as the ground shook violently. Darting her gaze up to the window, she could clearly make out what looked like one of Eggman’s biggest assaulters trodding through the village. It was hard to tell but it appeared to be heading this way.
Picking up another spoonful anyway she stared at the walking monster and nibbled at the dripping scoop. The shaking continued with each step, but she didn’t care. Her furrowed brow held tight as she glared, finishing the next spoonful as quickly as the last. “C’mon Sonic, do your thing and save the day already!”
The next quake nearly jerked the spoon from her hand, and that was far enough. Ramming the utensil into the soft dessert she rounded the island and pulled her hammer from the wall. “Stupid hedgehog. Why are you always late?” Careless for what could be behind it, she threw open the door and stepped out. The robot in question was definitely one of the Doctor’s obliterator bots.
Trying to close the door behind herself, the strutting monster’s weight shook the ground hard enough to free the knob from her hand. With a sigh she waived it off and returned her focus to the oncoming machine. Overhead the Doctor hovered and watched, wearing his usual overconfident grin.
Wearing a scowl of anger herself, she tightened her grip on her hammer and took off to begin her assault. Dodging the monster’s claw she danced around its legs and smashed her hammer into the side of its knee. The metal cracked slightly but it was nowhere near enough to bring it all down.
Her eyes widening in horror, the leg kicked out her way and knocked her back into the dirt. Her hammer flew even further, leaving her defenseless. The obliterator lined up a shot with its chainsaw, and in her panic she clawed at the dirt for grip to move. The arm shot forward and she closed her eyes but all that hit her was a familiar set of hands and an unforgettable jolt of momentum.
The shock forced her eyes open to see his blue face, and his worried green eyes studying her to make sure she was uninjured.
“Ames! Are you alright?” He hurriedly asked, setting her down on her feet and clearly staying put to hear her answer.
She managed only a slight nod, all senses still rebooting from the jolt. That was all he needed, and he darted back to action, leaving her with a smile and wink.
Watching in silent amazement, he bolted right for the machine’s chipped knee, the same spot she had hit. His dash was more than enough to send it all collapsing down, and with a single punch from Knuckles its head caved in, turning out the lights.
Jumping up onto the back of his fallen enemy, Sonic smirked up at the Doctor. “Back to the drawing board, Egghead! These bots of yours are getting over-easy!” He watched as his rival flew back to base, then jumped down to his buddies.
“Nice one!” Tails chuckled, throwing up his hand for a high five.
Answering his best friend in tone then fist bumping his other, Sonic cheered again. They walked off as he expected, leaving him to fix the last thing. She stood in silence, watching him with teary eyes. Walking over to her downed hammer, he picked up it and brought it over.
“Don’t wanna lose this.” He chuckled playfully, holding it out for her to take. “I’d offer to walk you home again, but I don’t think there’s much of a point.”
Glancing over her shoulder, her house was no more than a dozen meters away. “Yeah… you’re probably right. A-and thank you… for saving me.” She felt her lip trembling, but she fought to keep it together for as long as she could.
“Anytime.” He answered, softing his voice and lowering her grin to a simple smile. “I’ll see you later, Ames. Have a good day.” Waving nicely he turned around and walked off.
Her hands clutched the leather handle, her heart fighting back to not reach out and stop him with a hug. Turning herself she headed inside, leaving her hammer leaning beside the door.
She trudged back to the kitchen, looking over the mess she left. The ice cream had half melted by now, but she didn’t care, all she could think about was him.
Noticing a light on her communicator, she lifted it slowly and turned on the screen. She gasped, reading out the notification in her head. ‘Missed call from Sonic’ Tapping the button, it brought up his left message and played it..
“Amy! That bot is heading your way! Just hold tight, we’ll be right there. Ugh, I hope she’s alr-”
A tear fell from her cheek onto her hand and the device returned to the counter in stuttered movements. “He did call me.” She mumbled, the tone of his voice at the end catching her off guard.
Slowly her eyes turned to the windowsill next to the kitchen, the framed photo she’d put face down earlier now hanging over the edge by a thread from the violent shaking. She rushed over to it and rescued it, shaky hands holding it up as she stared at the picture.
He looked so happy with his arm around her. They looked so happy. A tear dripped onto the glass and she rushed to clean it. She couldn’t stop loving him, not even if she tried.
“Once more chance. I’ll give you one more chance.” She sniffled, lowering the frame back down to the windowsill on its feet. Unable to look away, she wiped away her tears and took a breath, “Because I love you so much, Sonic the hedgehog.”
His ear twitched for the nth time. His head half turned back and he smiled, hearing her words as if she were whispering directly into his ear. Looking forward he accelerated, the winding forest zipping by, but not fast enough to sway his calm and steady mind.
“I don’t know if you can hear me, Amy. Part of me hopes you can’t, so I can tell you in person someday, but… Ah well, you’ll hear it soon enough.”