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Sluuuuurrrp—
Sonic placed his cup down onto the table. He and Amy were at a nice outdoor cafe, catching up with each other. It had been a while since they last got to talk.
“So what’s been goin’ on with you,” he asked, leaning back in his chair.
Amy shrugged. What could she say? I did the dishes yesterday? I payed my rent last week? Life was mundane and slow when you constantly want to be in the face of action, but too stressful when things get hectic. She’s sure Sonic feels the same way, but maybe without the getting stressful part. Somehow he stayed calm no matter what.
Straightening up, Sonic gave a curious look.
“Really? You’ve got nothing happening?”
She thought back to the last few days. She didn’t want to disappoint Sonic and tell him nothing happened.
“Ah!” Amy shot up, remembering something. “I got to help Shadow fight some of Robotnik’s robots a few days ago!”
“Really?” Sonic looked surprised. “He actually accepted your help this time?” he teased.
She rolled her eyes at him. “I’ll have you know that HE called for my backup.”
Sonic looked even more surprised. “Wow! Never thought I’d see that brooder call for help.”
“I know right,” Amy chuckled. “I think it’s cause Robotnik made some new metal for his bots. Shadow seemed to be struggling against it.”
“I’m offended,” Sonic cried in mock exasperation, throwing his head back, “I can’t believe he didn’t call for my help…”
The two hedgehogs laughed at the idea of Shadow calling for Sonic’s help.
“Sonic please, I need the ultimate life-form to rescue me! These robots… they’re slightly tougher!” Amy deepened her voice.
Sonic cackled at the mediocre impression. “Ooh, let me try!”
“Oh Miss Rose, please be my knight in shining armor! My puny rocket shoes can’t help me! You and your hammer are my only hope!”
“Ha!” Amy giggled, “Shadow doesn’t have have anywhere near that good of manners!”
It took a minute for the two to eventually calm down.
Amy sighed. “So, what about you Sonic,” she asked, “what have you been up to?”
Immediately Sonic started rambling about what he’s been getting himself into. But Amy found herself tuning the voice out. It’s not that she wanted to, it’s just that he talks so fast. Right now he was going on about trying to convince some people to race him in formula 1 race cars?
…
“Ames? Amy? Earth to Amy Rose?”
She was shaken out of her trance by a hand waving in front of her.
“Huh?”
“You good? You looked like you weren’t listening,” Sonic said with concern.
“I… I’m fine,” Amy assured. “I’m listening. I’m also pretty sure you could beat anyone in a race, Sonic. I’ve seen you go around the globe in seconds; what’s the point in racing someone?”
“Okay, so you were listening,” Sonic seemed glad. “And the point of racing is the thrill of it! Plus, it takes a lot of energy to go top speed. I can’t just do it whenever.”
Amy was silent again.
Sonic waved a hand in front of her once more, “HellooOOoo?”
“Hmm?”
“You did it again! Jeez, is racing really that boring?”
“Sorry,” Amy muttered, “I just have something on my mind…”
Sonic raised a brow. “Yeah? Maybe telling me will help!”
Amy sat in contemplation before replying. “It’s about when I was helping Shadow…”
“Something happen?”
“I was talking to Miles a few days before, and he had mentioned that Shadow had no place to stay,” she said before continuing, “I tried to talk to him about it after I helped him, but…”
“He was being a stick in the mud about it?”
“Yeah,” she sighed. “I’m worried about him.”
“Why? I’m doing just fine,” Sonic shrugged.
Amy’s head tilted. “What do you mean?”
Sonic crossed his arms. “I’ve got no place to stay either. You don’t see me struggling.”
Amy leaned forward in shock. “What!? This entire time you’ve been homeless!?” she exclaimed.
“Yeah? There’s nothin’ wrong with living free,” he replied.
“How do you get food?”
“Plenty of stuff to eat out in the world, just gotta know your stuff,” Sonic answered, “helps that I had someone a long time ago to teach what’s safe to eat.”
“If it rains?”
“I know where all the caves are around here! In fact, I’ve seen Shadow in a few.”
Amy groaned, putting her head in her hands. It just didn’t make any sense. How did this life style work out for them.
She looked back up to Sonic. “Wouldn’t it just be easier to live somewhere with safety as a guaranteed?”
“I think it depends on where you find meaning in life,” Sonic replied with a shrug. “I’ve got a long bucket list, and I want to experience everything. I decided that the week of my creation. If living free simply helps me do that, then that’s what I’ll do.”
“Like racing a formula 1 car?”
Sonic threw his hands up, “Exactly!”
Amy shook her head. “Okay, I get why you don’t live somewhere. But I can’t understand why Shadow does.”
“Something only he knows, I’m sure,” Sonic said. “But if I had to take a guess? He lives free to protect nature. We know that he doesn’t exactly give a damn about other people, maybe ‘sides Miles. But when Dr. Robotnik is trying to destroy something? Shadow is always there to stop him. But eh, what do I know?”
“How does being homeless help with that?” Amy asked.
“Like I said, it was just a guess. I’m sure it’s deeper than that,” Sonic replied. “Though knowing Shadow maybe it’s not.”
She’ll never understand these two, will she.
Suddenly a buzz came from Sonic. Reaching into his quills, he pulled out his phone.
“Well look at the time,” he muttered. “Looks like I’ve got a formula 1 car race to get to.”
Standing up, he turned to Amy with a smirk. “Wish me luck, will ya?”
Chuckling she rolled her eyes at him. “I could probably wish you bad luck and you’d still win.”
“Thanks, I’ll try to lose, but I can’t promise anything,” he joked, giving a thumbs up.
In a flash, Sonic was gone. The sound of cackling electricity still lingering in the air.
She doesn’t get how he manages his life. Maybe she should start not living anywhere. Not having to pay rent would be nice. She thought about all of the stuff in her apartment.
She took a sip of her drink. Maybe she’ll keep a roof over her head for now.