Work Text:
"One Equal Temper" by MTPrower002
The hammer connected with a sickening crunch.
Amy Rose was still spinning from the follow-through on her reflexive backhand swing, but met Dr. Robotnik's eyes as he was falling to the floor. The light had already gone out of them.
Once he hit the ground, the blood started to flow copiously. Amy and Tails stared at the growing puddle in blank shock, but Rouge was already wearing a look of amusement.
"Hah! Nice swing, hotshot."
Amy didn't divert her eyes from Eggman's lifeless body, her mouth still agape. "It was an accident."
The pounding of metal footsteps one floor above them partly snapped her out of it. "Tails...the console."
Tails gave his head a shake, attempting to compose himself, but his body was still trembling as he stepped around Eggman's personal sidearm, which had gone skidding across the room, and approached the command station, looking for a data port for the Miles Electric.
Rouge walked over to the pistol and pocketed it. "This won't be a bad trophy." Amy could only stare back at the bat, but not in a way that suggested judgment. The look was more of someone that had just realized she'd done something extremely consequential, something she couldn't take back.
"Oh, don't get soft on me," Rouge said as the chirping of the Miles Electric indicated Tails had hacked Eggman's control signal.
Rouge jerked her head in Tails' direction, then turned back to Amy.
"You just won us another war, Coordinator Rose."
TWO WEEKS LATER
"Kinda weird how it's just over, right?"
Knuckles replied from atop the Master Emerald. "Yeah, a bit. But for me, I'm just replacing the days where we were off fighting with more of this."
"I can see that. You came back here right after the official announcement. I get you have duties, but we all wanted to know how you're getting along."
"Just fine," said Knuckles, hopping down to face Sonic. "I don't know how the rest of you feel, but I was prepared for this day to come."
Sonic grinned. "You knew we'd win."
"That was part of it. But it was also because I expected the end to be quite abrupt if anyone took out Eggman. One, outside of a few mercenaries, his army was made up entirely of robots. With Eggman out of the way, it was just a matter of shutting them down, which Tails said he did in a matter of hours.
"Two, I'm a student of history. Nobody ever really bought what Eggman was selling."
Sonic furrowed his brow. "I don't follow."
"The Emeralds allowed my ancestors to draw on the history and wisdom of faraway worlds, places that only exist in other dimensions. Back before the Resistance, I was looking through our archives and stumbled upon the story of a long-ago war on an alien planet. It wasn't that different from this world, which is why it initially caught my eye, but as I kept reading, I learned this war was instigated by an incredibly evil person who was much like Eggman – a real megalomaniac who wanted to raise an empire through conquest.
"Robots weren't much of a thing in this world, but this guy built an army under the banner of a cause he presented as a solution to the problems of his people. But towards the end of the war, he died, and the history says that his cause 'burst like a bubble without its leader.' Sometimes, ideas just die with the people that come up with them. Yeah, Eggman was very powerful, but nobody has ever seemed to agree that a worldwide empire that roboticizes everyone was a real solution to illness and hunger."
Sonic shook his head. "Yeah, I saw that recording we pulled out of the Faceship wreckage. Man, he really thought he was doing the world a favor, huh?"
"He did. And that's the way of many, many people throughout history who have sought power."
Sonic fell silent for a minute, but another thought occurred to him.
"What about Starline?"
"What about him? He's been dead for quite a while."
"No, I mean...he seemed totally onboard with Eggman's ambitions. Are you sure someone else isn't waiting in line to take up his mantle?"
"Starline was one person, and his idol is currently a pile of ashes in a crematorium somewhere. Yeah, the world is full of unsavory characters, but how many of them do you see lining up to impose Eggman's 'better living through slavery' ideas? Besides, GUN has already occupied the Empire's old territory to dismantle Eggman's cities and fortresses. So if someone does try to become the next Eggman, where in the world would their power base come from? Starline didn't even have much of his own stuff, which is why he tried to do his thing with Eggman hand-me-downs. And those won't be around for much longer."
"Yeah, Amy told me about GUN. I dunno if I trust them, but she told me the Restoration doesn't have anywhere enough resources to handle that kind of thing."
"She's right. I know the Federation was pretty useless during the first war, but they're the only country on the planet that can do it right now, and it's not like there are any Eggman sympathizers in their leadership. They hated him just as much as we did. How's Amy doing, anyway?"
"I don't know. I'm a little worried about her, really. She's absolutely burying herself in administrative work for the Restoration; I think she's torn up over how she offed Eggman. I haven't heard her talk much about it, but it's kind of obvious to everyone. She didn't react super-well when they approached her about commanding the Restoration's new army. Of course, Jewel doesn't have the personality for it and she's busy with whatever it is she does as Director, so last I heard they were still looking for someone. Maybe I should do it."
Knuckles smirked. "You? A military commander?"
"I would look great in a general's uniform. Besides, I want to be ready if there's some threat we haven't accounted for."
"Are you telling me that the world's most famous free spirit who never shows an ounce of fear, Sonic the Hedgehog, is going to be tying himself down to military duty because he's afraid of ghosts?"
Sonic scowled. "That's really big talk from someone who just sits here waiting for someone to steal the Emerald."
"I have a sacred obligation," Knuckles replied, jamming his thumb into his sternum. "Your heart's always been in the right place, Sonic, but it's not the same thing. Listen...what's really troubling you? Eggman isn't coming back. His empire isn't coming back. But I can see the anxiety in your eyes. It's something I've never seen before."
Sonic stared down at his sneakers. "I really don't know."
"Well, let me know when you figure it out. I never thought I'd be the one telling you to take a load off, but you've gotta relax. I think you've earned it. And give everyone my best, especially Amy. Now—"
"Yeah, I know — get off your island."
ONE YEAR LATER
Jewel clutched her clipboard, counting the train cars filled to the brim with scrap metal rolling down the tracks that led away from the Restoration's new headquarters. These were indeed the last shipments from what used to be Egg Base Delta – they would now be a part of a rebuilt Sunset City.
"An Eggman creation that's finally doing some good for the world. Incredible."
Jewel whipped around. "Oh, hi, Sonic. We're almost ready to start working on the last bits of Sunset. Isn't it exciting?! We're so close…"
"Right? I was half-expecting something terrible to happen, but here we are."
"Nothing's happening under my watch. I put Whisper in charge of the Restoration Army for a reason. It was good of the Federation to let us have our own little force, and there was no way I would let us get taken by surprise again. The only trouble we've had was from a few raiders hoping to steal supplies, but they turned right back around when they saw we actually have troops now. People thought I was a softie!"
"You are a softie, but that's what's great about you. You've got a big heart. Doesn't mean you can't be tough when you need to be, Madam Director."
Jewel beamed and laughed. "Oh, not you too! I told Lanolin to stop calling me 'Director,' but she's still obsessed with protocol. And thanks, Sonic. That means a lot, coming from you, even if you do have a soft spot for everyone. Didn't you hope even Eggman would come around one day?"
Sonic sighed. "Yeah, I did. Didn't work out, though." His thoughts lurched uncomfortably toward Amy. "Speaking of which, have you heard from Amy at all?"
"We exchange messages around once a week. She's been holed up at her apartment, working from home. Have you two not been talking?"
"Not for a few months."
"You're not fighting or anything, are you?"
"No, nothing like that. I know she's still cut up over what happened. She doesn't seem like herself at all."
"And what about you? I feel like you've just been going through the motions when you've been helping out with our projects. Not that I don't appreciate it, of course…" Jewel added quickly.
There was a lengthy pause. Sonic had a great deal of respect for Jewel, but they hadn't known each other for long enough to where he could be sure that he wouldn't be misunderstood. "It's complicated. But nothing I can't handle. I guess I've been out fighting for so long that constant peace feels a little weird. I'm grateful for it, but I think I'm still getting used to the rhythm of what life is now."
It was a half-truth at best, but Jewel relented.
"Conflict does funny things to people, Sonic. Please let me know if the Restoration can do anything for you. Our whole operation is based on looking after our people."
Looking after our people…
I promise to follow you wherever you go!
The words rang through Sonic's head.
The knock at the door of the apartment startled Amy. She hadn't had a visitor since the start of winter, and certainly wasn't expecting anyone — she had even given the doorman orders to hold all her deliveries downstairs.
"Uh...who is it?"
"It's me." After a pause, Sonic added, "I miss you." Although the statement was sincere, he also wanted to make sure Amy would open the door — which she did a few seconds later.
"Hi, Sonic. I'm so glad you're here," Amy said, her last couple of words trailing off into a whisper as she buried her head into Sonic's chest.
Sonic gladly returned her hug. "It's all right," said Sonic, not really feeling all right at all, but Amy was clearly in a state, and he didn't run all the way to Central City to upset her even more.
Amy broke the hug. "Come on in. I just put the shortcake in the oven."
It had been a while since Sonic visited Amy's apartment, which was mostly the same except for a couple of details. Over her desk, she had pinned a large flag emblazoned with two red stars: the flag of the Resistance, now adopted by the Restoration. The setting sun was glinting off of a small desk plaque that read "A. ROSE" with "Director" in smaller letters.
Sonic walked over and picked it up. "'A. Rose.' You know, I never asked why you've always signed your name that way. Even on those old comics you drew back at the cottage, you signed them 'A. Rose.'"
"When I was little, I would see adults sign their name that way and thought it was the cool thing to do. So I copied them, thinking people would take me more seriously. The habit stuck, but I know better now…"
Amy suddenly broke down into wracked sobs. "Now I c-can't face anyone! Not even you! I never t-thought you'd come…"
There it was. The old insecurity, the "Sonic wouldn't give me a second look" vibes that rarely surfaced anymore in the new Amy — unless she felt like a situation was spiraling out of control.
"Come on, Amy. Why wouldn't I be here? I'd have come sooner, but you stopped returning my messages. I figured you were busy with the Restoration, but it's been months."
Amy steadied her breath. "I'm sorry, Sonic. Really. I haven't been ignoring you on purpose. Oh, no, please don't think I've been trying to push you away!"
"Amy, it's you," said Sonic, trying to lighten the mood a little. "How could I ever think you were trying to push me away? I just figured you needed some space, and since the Restoration people told me you were safe, I let you have it."
"Right. Okay...yeah. I just...I'm sure you know. I can't stop thinking about...the day the war ended."
"Look, you didn't—"
"—'do anything wrong.' I know. People have been trying to tell me that all year...but they don't get it. It's all 'Eggman was evil' this and 'it was self-defense' that. You were one of the very few people I know that didn't say anything to that effect."
"Well, I could tell how sad you were, but I guess if I said those things to you, it would have felt hollow. I've been fighting my own demons since that day. Took me a while to even figure out what they were."
Amy was surprised to hear the rare admission of vulnerability from Sonic. "Really? You can open up to me."
"Thanks, but I want to know what's going on with you first. Other than...the obvious." Sonic was trying to stay away from words like "killed" and "death blow."
"I mean, it is mainly the obvious. You know how in school, they showed us those documentaries with war vets from long ago? A few of them that saw heavy action talked about how there was no glory in war. About how when you kill someone, they never leave you.
"He haunts me. Even beyond the grave, he comes to me in my dreams to taunt me. You know how he'd cower sometimes when you had him cornered? It's always in that voice, pleading with me, begging for me to talk it out with him. Then he hits the floor before I can even answer. The same dream, every night, ever since it happened."
Amy was now shooting a thousand-yard stare through the window. "I know how awful he was, but why do I care so much?"
Sonic's usual impulse would have been to say some trite battlefield pep-talk line like "you can't live in the past," but the preceding year, and the conversation he was having in that very moment, made him choose his words more carefully. "A life is a life. I mean...you've been working so hard with the Restoration. And it's not like you're doing character checks on everyone you're giving aid to. You just do it because it's the right thing to do.
"All these years, we never sat around wondering whether the people we were trying to save from him were worth it. They were, because they were alive. So I get it. Would it have been better to take him into custody? Yeah, but...Amy, you're not a killer. He put himself in that position. He shot at you, and that's not even the first time he's held you at gunpoint. You ducked and just swung the hammer reactively - you weren't even looking at him or aiming anywhere in particular when you did.
"You've been in battle enough to know how often you have to react first and think second. I don't blame you for feeling bad about what happened — it's because you care deeply about people — but you can't let it define you."
Sonic was honestly surprised he was able to make the words flow. How did I do that? Amy looked back at him with a grateful smile that was soon replaced with lines of worry. "You're right, but...I don't know how! I've been hiding in my apartment because the entire world's spotlight is on me! They're saying I'm going to go down in the history books as a national hero. And did you see that merch store a few blocks away?"
"Oh, yeah, 'Rose's Repose.' They said that was gonna be a pop-up but it's been there for almost a year. I guess this isn't a great time to tell you I saw a whole selection of 'Amy "The Hammer" Rose' and 'You Mess With the Rose, You Get the Thorns' t-shirts in the window?"
Amy groaned, loudly. "This is exactly the thing I don't want! I'm famous for being a killer!"
Sonic, however, was on a roll with thinking on his feet. "No. You're famous for ending the war. Suppose those cameras would have caught you just knocking him out and tying him up. He'd be in prison, and people would be celebrating you just the same. Probably with the same unlicensed merch, even."
But even though something within Sonic was giving him a better grasp than he usually had on difficult conversations, his weak attempt at humor didn't have much of an effect. Amy shook her head. "I don't care. That look I saw on his face right after the hammer struck...it was like something out of a nightmare. To see someone die right in front of you, because of something you did, is horrifying. Has it ever happened to you?"
Sonic fell silent. No, it very much had not happened to him. And he wasn't sure how he'd have coped if he had been the one that swung that hammer.
He stood up and walked toward the window, looking up at the skyscrapers of Central City.
Must keep on moving ahead, no time for guessing, follow my plan instead…
The chipper song entered his head involuntarily. He turned back around, his eyes landing on the Restoration flag, proudly acting as a tapestry on Amy's wall.
Our whole operation is based on looking after our people.
"No. It hasn't happened to me. And if it did, I'd probably feel the way you're feeling right now."
Amy sniffled. "Thanks, Sonic. I didn't mean to snap at you."
Sonic waved it away. "Look...you can't change what happened, but...you have such a powerful voice and platform now. I know you doubted yourself when you turned the directorship over to Jewel, but you aren't that little girl that has to sign her name 'A. Rose' anymore. You haven't been for a long time. Now, you're an incredible leader — you took a command role during the war. You were the Restoration's first Director. You're a Coordinator now — you're basically Jewel's second-in-command, right?
"And now you're even bigger than me. So take advantage of that! Tell people that you appreciate the support, but that you don't want them celebrating violence. Tell them about me — how I always fought with an intent to defend, never to attack. I promise you, they're going to listen. Why have the flag up, if not to remind you of the people that you're trying to help?"
It was now Amy's turn to fall silent. After a spell, she walked up to Sonic, teary-eyed, and threw her arms around him.
"I love you, Sonic," she said, taking a second to spill her tears into his shoulder before pulling away. "I love you. And this is why. It's always about moving ahead with you."
Sonic smirked. "Don't you forget it. But seriously...think about it."
"I don't have to. I'm going to do it. I've missed you so much, I've missed everyone...and I can't just keep pushing them away because of a voice in my head. You're right – I took the Coordinator position and put up the flag and my nameplate to keep me going through what I was feeling...but just burying myself in administrative work here isn't the only thing I can do for the people. I can serve them by being a voice for peace."
"Awesome. But I'd let them hang on to the 'You Get the Thorns' shirts. They're pretty sweet."
Amy laughed for the first time in what seemed like eons.
Sonic shoved the last couple of bites of strawberries and frosting into his mouth.
"You never did tell me what's going on with you."
"Oh, that," Sonic said thickly, trying to force down the shortcake. "Well, like I was saying, it took me a while to figure it out, but I guess it's pretty simple. I was always hoping that Eggman would come around, that we could knock some sense into him before...it ended the way it did."
Amy was pushing the remnants of her slice of shortcake around the plate with her fork. It was the same set of dishes and silverware she'd had since she was putting on tea parties back at the cottage.
"I understand. I think that was part of the reason I was cut up for this long, too. We've had to destroy some...entities that were pure evil in the past. That never bothered me, but it's different when it's a person who might have some good in them. You know, I haven't been going into HQ for a lot of reasons, but I think I've been avoiding Belle most of all."
"Yeah, poor Belle. I hope she's not mad at you?"
"She isn't, she says she understands and that she would forgive me, but there's nothing to forgive. I think she made peace with the fact Mr. Tinker was probably never coming back. But it's so hard to face a sweetheart like her when you basically...you know."
"That's the issue, though. You said 'probably.' What if he could have been turned? What if his Tinker persona was actually coming from something good that had been buried all these years? I mean...yeah, maybe it wasn't, maybe it was just some weird side effect of the amnesia, but now we're never going to know for sure. And I can't shake the feeling I could have saved him."
Amy had now taken to absently stirring a sugar cube into her tea, her brief light mood from earlier long-gone. "I didn't mean to take that chance away from you."
"That's not what I'm trying to say. Everyone keeps telling you it isn't your fault because it isn't. It was just...he had the choice to leave all that behind. He didn't take it. I know you can't force people into how to choose, but...something about this still isn't sitting right with me."
Amy grabbed Sonic's hand. "You are so noble." There was a coolness and sincerity in her voice that made the statement a far cry from her younger days when it would have been one out of a grab-bag of gushing compliments she'd make toward her crush. "I can't really play therapist, but...whatever he did wasn't your responsibility. Realizing that doesn't mean you're...not being true to yourself, or whatever."
Sonic squeezed back. "Yeah…"
Amy felt that familiar rush as she felt the pressure against her palm. "Actually, Sonic...speaking of which, now that we're finally talking...the war's over, and we've just about put the country back together. I think we all finally have a chance at a normal life. Do you want to give us a shot? There's no time like the present," she said with all the confidence she could muster.
Sonic would have found the question out of left field if it were anyone on the planet except for Amy. It was true that their relationship had fundamentally changed — Sonic was attracted to Amy in a way that he certainly wasn't in his younger days, just as it was true that the world had calmed down for the first time since they'd known each other.
But her question hung in the air. It could have easily been part of the steam rising from the kettle.
"I wouldn't cramp your style," Amy said breathily, trying to fill the silence. "We've been adventuring together for so long. We could have more of that, just without all the saving-the-world stuff. You'll be as free as you want, I promise."
There was that coolness and sincerity again. Amy wasn't pleading. Sonic may not have been the world's most perceptive hedgehog, but he knew in that moment that Amy was serious.
And after all these years, he knew he wasn't going to do better than the lovely, fearless girl sitting right in front of him, someone whose promise to follow him wherever he went had become so much more.
Say yes.
But "yes" never escaped his lips. What came out instead was, "I have to figure some things out."
Amy didn't let go. "What do you mean?"
I mean that I don't know if I want anyone at all.
Sonic broke away and stood up abruptly. "I'll tell you more later. I promise."
"Wait, where are you going? Sonic, don't—!"
Amy was on the verge of tears, her voice rising, those years-old pangs of longing quickly surfacing.
"I'll be back. I'm not saying no. I just need to think."
And he was gone.
Sonic didn't have much of an idea where he was going. He hated to leave Amy hanging like this, but he'd never felt more conflicted. So many things in his life had been straightforward up until now – he'd never really had to seriously face his emotions, let alone figure out what they even were.
Why couldn't I say yes?
His footsteps took him to Seaside City; somewhere in the back of his mind, Sonic was thinking that maybe doing that cliché thing where one thinks their thoughts while staring out into the ocean would provide clarity. Hey, it works in the movies.
Making his way to the waterfront, he popped out onto the beach adjacent to a luxurious resort, complete with private cabanas. He didn't pay them much mind until he heard a familiar voice shouting.
"Hey, Blue!"
Sonic whipped around and saw a familiar pair of...bat wings.
"Rouge! It's been a minute. What brings you out here?" Sonic called, walking the short distance to her cabana.
"Blue, you were never the brains of the operation, but isn't it obvious I'm enjoying the spoils of victory?"
Sonic looked around. Next to Rouge's chair was an ice bucket containing a bottle of something bubbly and expensive-looking, some carefully-prepared canapés, and a tablet computer showing a rather lengthy running tab.
Sonic grinned. "This from your book deal?"
"No, but this is," Rouge said, pointing to a rather gaudy, pink grapefruit-colored gem she was wearing around her neck. "I was able to buy this one on the level. Turns out people are pretty interested in the memoirs of one of the only people present when Eggman died. Maybe I could have made even more if I sold off his pistol, but I don't know who would be sick enough to buy that thing. I know you probably feel kind of weird about the whole situation, but I can't say I'm ashamed of making a few bucks off of it."
"I would expect nothing less. Hey...how did you know that the way things ended was bugging me? I don't think we ever talked about it."
"Come on, you've been so preoccupied every time I've seen you lately, and Eggman's death is literally the only thing you know you can't do anything about. What else could it be? And I know how much you like turning people to your cause. Your whole 'today's knuckle sandwiches are tomorrow's bro-fists' mentality."
"Hold on. I only ever said that to Surge. Where did you hear that line?"
"Surge is currently in a secure psychiatric ward. So is Kit. Federation doctors and scientists have been trying to undo whatever Starline did to them and figure out who they really are. They've been in there since shortly after the war ended, but the doctors have made next to no progress.
"Anyway, the Restoration sent me over there to see if they still posed any kind of a threat, because they wanted a report directly from one of our own people. The answer would have been 'yes' had there not been super-high GUN security around them. Surge freaked out when she saw me and started ranting about you. Told me that you said that to her. Hates your guts for it."
Sonic rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, she's programmed to hate me no matter what I do. It sucks to hear she's still so messed up, though. I tried to get her to see things didn't have to be this way."
"It does suck, but you can't save everybody. Look, Blue, I don't want to lecture you, but I can see the hurt in your eyes. Just because you got off to a rocky start with people who are now your friends doesn't mean everyone has good in them to unearth. I've seen a lot of messed-up things, and some people are just way too far gone. The Restoration even tried to bring Surge into the fold. You know how that ended. And you can't keep beating yourself up for everything that's happened."
There was a long pause. Rouge popped a canapé into her mouth and didn't bother to finish chewing before she decided on a different tactic.
"Let me put it to you this way. You think Black Doom would have changed his mind? The Deadly Six? You think that weird fanboy Starline would have? I know what I'm talking about: you and I had a bad start, but the difference is I'm just materialistic, not out-and-out evil." Rouge swallowed the canapé and let out a laugh.
Sonic chuckled. "I'm glad we stuck it out. I would have hated to have lost you as a friend."
Rouge raised her glass to Sonic and took a big swig.
Lost you as a friend.
Lost.
"Rouge," Sonic said suddenly, "Have you ever been in a serious relationship?"
Rouge sat her drink down. "Oh, yeah. It's not really my style anymore, but I've been around. Why?"
It made sense that it wasn't her style; of all Sonic's friends, Rouge was probably the closest to sharing Sonic's free-spiritedness. She may have actually exceeded him in that category, given her questionable methods for achieving her goals. Still, she might be able to help him.
"Why isn't it your style anymore?"
"You've seen how quickly things can change in this world. How you feel about someone else is no exception. I learned that the hard way a few times. And it doesn't really jive with how I make a living," she said with a wink.
Sonic nodded.
"Got your eye on someone, Blue?"
"Amy."
"Oho! You could do a lot worse, you know."
"Yeah, I do know. Well, thanks for the advice. Enjoy that plate of Decadent Distractions; I'm gonna go stare at the waves."
"You mean that thing people do in the movies when they're mulling things over?"
"That's it."
Sonic walked off as Rouge jammed the call button on the tablet for the sixth time that evening.
The door swung open, and Sonic's eyes immediately met Amy's.
Amy opened her mouth, but Sonic beat her to the punch.
"Yes. I will. I love you."
Amy pulled him into the apartment and into a kiss square on the lips, trying and failing to kick the door closed at the same time.
Sonic broke the kiss after what seemed like an eternity, and shut the door. Amy slapped Sonic on the chest with both of her hands.
"Do you know how anxious I've been, waiting for your answer?" Amy was half-sobbing and half-laughing in joy.
"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I brought you a peace offering." Sonic held up a to-go bag of Decadent Distractions. "I figured we could have these with the rest of your tea."
Amy started busying herself with the kettle, beaming. "What made you come around, Sonic?"
"I wanted to say yes to you earlier, but something was holding me back. Look, I'm not great at talking about my feelings, but...I've been afraid."
"What do you mean? Of commitment?"
Sonic smiled and shook his head. "No. I mean...yeah, I was for a long time, but it was mostly because I suck at romance and I didn't want to be tied down. It's different now. We've been close for a really long time, and I know now you'd never tie me down in that way.
"You know what you said about there being no time like the present? I was afraid the right time would never come. We've been out fighting forever. After the war ended, I was almost sure some new conflict would rear its head. And then there were the people I couldn't save from themselves. Eggman. Surge. Kit. I even had Metal repaired. That didn't go too well, and now he's in a scrap heap somewhere. I guess what I mean is...well, I never really took the idea of a relationship with anyone seriously, and the fact there were people I couldn't save made me realize how many things are out of my hands. Things change that you can't do anything about, and if nothing's permanent, why try to make things permanent with someone else?
"But...you haven't changed. You've loved me ever since that day at Never Lake, and I spent far longer than I should have thinking it was just some shallow crush. I put up more walls after the war, but it made me feel...empty, I guess? I gotta just...let go of being closed off to love because I've lost other things. And there's nobody better than you. I don't know where things will go, but I do know that I love you. And I want to try."
Amy sat the kettle down, the tears welling up again. She threw herself at Sonic, feeling like they were back at Stardust Speedway, the shields of her new persona lowered in a raw moment.
After a while, the sobs subsided, and she stared into his eyes. "Open your heart, Sonic. It'll be all right. I promise."
TWO YEARS LATER
The cottage by the sea was almost the same as it had always been; Amy had kept it as a vacation house of sorts after she moved to the city. She and Sonic had just walked out the front door holding hands, wrapping up a long weekend away – the first leg of Amy's vacation – after she'd had a busy week at HQ.
"So, what's next after we get back? You're doing that thing with Belle, right?"
Amy nodded. "Yeah, it's that educational outreach we're doing through the machine shop. For the kids who want to be the next Tails. Belle can explain things in terms they'll understand, and of course the kids love her. I'm just coordinating with the schools."
"I'm glad they're so open-minded about a bot coming to talk to them, after everything that's happened. I think you really helped calm things down."
"I'd like to think so. And it's thanks to you."
They looked back at the front of the house. The "Future" sign was still hanging above Amy's door, but off to the side, the Restoration flag was proudly whipping in the wind.
"We really did make a good future, didn't we?"
Amy laughed, but was cut off by the roar of an engine about fifty feet away.
"Hey, you two! Ready to go?"
Tails was calling from the pilot's seat of the Tornado. Sonic picked up a giggling Amy and deposited her in the back before climbing in himself.
"Where to?"
Amy and Sonic looked at each other, sharing a knowing smile. "Point it anywhere that you think will get our hearts racing," Amy called over the noise.
"Oh, I know just where we're going, then. Hang on!"
The Tornado rose into the air, soaring over a gleaming Sunset City, and continuing beyond the horizon to chase down another glorious destiny.