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"WOOOOOOOOOOO—HOOOOO...!!!"
Her voice resonated across the entire aircraft. It's melodic, high pitch quality made it fly further away, shaping into a cheery whistle that reached the valleys and near woods below.
Amy had good reasons to be this happy. Holding onto the rail of the extendable platform the Team's ship had installed to either sides, the girl joyfully celebrated their first victory against the Metal menace.
Of course, everyone aboard shared the sentiment. Crushing down the secondary robot assembly line was a big deal, alright!
Who cares the tin cans still surpassed them 100:1 (probably more!), or that they still had another one in their main base (probably bigger!). Being connected to their mines, they had just cut their access to resources.
The Metal army was still overwhelmingly large, but from now on...! It was finite.
Yeah! It was not over, not at all. But the four kids had gained a well deserved break.
Flying across the land to approach the Metal citadel, they had decided to find a nice place to spend the night.
The warm hues of the golden hour, and the natural scenery all around was a well received change of view from the cold, geometric architecture of the AI's design they had been confronting for the past hours.
Sonic held onto Tails' seat from behind. The sound of Amy's sonorous whoop made them look to the side, in her perceived direction, then back to each other to smile further and lift their brows.
"Yeah—! That's pretty much it!" The Blue suddenly spoke.
Tails chuckled. "Wouldn't have said it better myself!"
A sudden sequence of thuds catched their attention. Audible movement that quite literally escalated from the side and upwards.
"...Aaaaaand— she's on the roof." The fox stated.
There was, in fact, a staircase that led above the ship. They designed it with the idea they could make a quick —mid flight— jump off, if so required. Same reason they had the platforms.
Still! Could they really trust --> this girl, out there unsupervised...?
"Yo, Ames...!" Sonic had reached to his ear to activate his communicator. "—If you fall off the ship, we're NOT turning back to get you!"
"Oh you woooould!~" Her voice was quick to come.
"Nuh-uh!"
"Yuh-uh!"
"Nuh-uuuh!!"
"Yuh-uuuuuuh!!"
They weren't looking at one another, yet they knew perfectly the smug face the other was putting.
"Ahh... Sonic? We would. But I much rather use that time to get more sleep." Tails spoke, smiling still.
"Yeah, yeah. I'll put an eye on her...!" He was already heading to the door. "—But I'm no babysitter! The moment I see her slipping I'll actually launch myself first!
—There's only room for one reckless hedgehog in this team!!" Two thumbs pointed at his chest.
The little one scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Of course..."
Walking mid way across the hallway, he met the door and stepped out into the platform.
The wind was fast to meet his fur, it was a feeling he was used to, yet could never get enough of. Closing his eyes for a moment, Sonic held onto the rail and let the fresh air and soft sunlight bathe him.
Moving forward, he followed the path to it's end near the front of the ship. A foot and a hand up into the first bars of the metallic staircase, he almost impromptly leaned back to glance above, yet what he saw made him stop completely.
Amy stood in the roof with her arms open wide. Head slightly lifted, quills flying in the wind in almost hypnotizing patterns. Eyes closed, eyelashes dancing and the softest, most content smile drawn in her muzzle.
Time seemed to have slow down around her frame, extremely close to froze all together. Painted with the colors of the sunset, illuminated by the setting star behind her, she was, in the lack of a better word...
...glowing.
As if she had sensed his presence, the girl turned in his direction. And when her eyes opened again, they landed right into his. She smiled, to him now.
A smile of his own grew wider in return, Sonic climbed up to join her. "Doing your 'Queen of the World'...?"
Stepping to the side to give him better room, Amy scoffed. "You can NOT convince me you've watched Titanic!"
"Three hours of baby-face DiCaprio!? I could NEVER! —I just happen to be familiar with one of the most referenced movie scenes of all time...!!"
She simply rolled her eyes. "Are you gonna drag me back inside?"
"Naaaaah—!" He arched an arm and sat down. "I just wanted to make sure I had the best seat for when you fall off...! Wouldn't miss it for the world."
"Hah-hah."
Eyesight on the horizon, Sonic took in the view. "Is quite nice out here...!" He spoke once more. And she soon followed suit.
Sitting beside one another, they stayed quiet for a moment. Letting the air fill their lungs and brush their faces.
The feeling was shared by the Red echidna. Down in the opposite platform, he stood still and leaned on the rail. Enjoying a moment to himself.
(If anyone was wondering where he was. —He ah... doesn't get much participation on this one, but fyi, he's there.)
Even Tails, alone inside the cabin as he was, got some of the same tranquility. Flying was one of the things he most enjoyed in the world. Either by his own or in a ship, just like now.
The view and height itself was enough to bring him peace and simply enjoy the ride.
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"It was worth it."
Sonic turned to her. "Huh...?"
Amy looked at him. "It was worth it...!" She repeated. "What we've been through, I mean...!
—The blows, the stress...! The uncertainty of it all, and our downright... belittlement!"
He simply stared. She had turned to look around. "This planet is beautiful..."
A smile back to him, that gentle gaze of hers igniting something warm, almost fuzzy within him.
"...Is worth protecting."
Leaning onto his knee, Sonic's features softened. "Sure it is."
Both turned forward again, taking in the landscape. Letting it's beauty record in their minds.
"Ahh... but the worst is yet to come, huh?" Amy spoke again.
"Yeap!"
"Is gonna be a tough one...!"
"Si."
A sigh escaped her. "Heh... yunno, I really wish we could've met in different, less inconvenient circumstances...!"
Turning back again, their faces met. "But you know what? —Life-threatening events and all, I'd had a blast...!" She shrugged.
The Blue scoffed. "Woah! Your bar is LOW...!!"
Amy gave him a little nudge. "Hey...!! You guys know how to show a girl some fun!" Gained another laugh from him.
"Oh, you haven't seen ANYTHING, lady! You just wait! Once this is over and we get back, we'll throw the BIGGEST party ever!!!"
It was her turn to chuckle, he kept speaking.
"—And that's only the beginning! I'll show you ALL the best good-ol'-Earth has to offer! Starting off with a BIG movie marathon! —Cause I'm sick tired of explaining my references to you! For real! You've missed some of my best stuff!"
"Heeeeey...! You haven't got any of mine either!"
"That's because Sonic The Hedgehog doesn't do chick flics!!"
The guy had in fact, got most of them. He had watched more of those films that he was ever willing to admit. (Hey! Is not his fault he never got to choose what was on movie night before he moved in with the Wachowskis!)
"You're missing out in some great cinema!!"
"Says the time traveler girl that hasn't seen ANY of the Back to the Future movies...!?"
She lifted a brow. "You're not letting that one go, do you...?"
"It's c r i m i n a l ."
"So— we're just watching whatever you want to see...?" Head let fall loose to the side.
Sonic striked a pose. "NOW you're getting it!"
Scoff. "What, are those the leader privileges...?"
"BAH—!" Palms facing up, he moved them up and down like a scale along the side to side movements of his head. "Leader, favorite son, most handsome, you name it!"
Amy gave him a face. "Of course...!"
A pause set before her voice resurfaced. An unexpected, slight change on her tone. A little bit more serious, a little bit more... concerned.
"Jokes aside, that sounds very lovely...! But I can't stay too long."
A smirk still on his face, he lifted a brow. "What'cha mean!? Of course you can!"
"I don't wanna bother your parents...!"
"Whaaat!? Oh, by all means—! DO!!" His head rolled around. Leaning a little bit closer, his grin remained curved and cheeky. "Trust me, they adore you! And they'll be more than happy to have you!" An elbow on his knee, he gestured around with his hand.
—Sure! The attic's a little crowded, but we can make it work!"
Looking back at her, confidence suddenly frailed when confronting the surprised expression of the girl. "Aghh-ah...!" He stuttered, avoiding her gaze for a moment.
"—Or I guess you maybe want your own room...! That's fine! That's cool! There's still plenty of space, we can figure something out...!!"
Amy blinked at him. In her confusion a little smile formed. "What...?"
A throat clearance and a new fresh smirk. Sonic looked back at her. "It will work just fine! Promise...!" He had slided a hand across.
Leaning closer, he now moved it to the side of his face. "—Besides! I'm pretty sure I haven't reached the max amount of aliens I can shove into Tom and Maddie's place!" Point emphasized with a little wink.
Amy found herself giggling again, eyes closed this time. His face lit up upon the sound. And when it eased, she met his eyes again; a sudden shyness in her own.
"Wait..." She stopped, and even her smile was gone now.
"You're asking me... to stay with you...?"
A flinch. "Ah—"
His eyes opened wide. "wELL—! I mean—" Cough. "Obviously not just ME." He gestured all around with one hand. "—There will be Tom, Maddie, Tails, the red one...!" The other found place on his nape.
"And... like, well... me, yeah...!" Still avoided her face.
Why was he suddenly so... nervous...?
Amy looked at him. Her features softening to an almost imposible degree. She felt her heart thump and a hand reached over almost instinctively, as if she feared it could pop out of her.
"Sonic..." He shrank between his legs, his whole face puckering upon the mention of his name.
Something about that tender tone of hers was simply overbearing, it sent a shiver across his entire body.
"—That's... so sweet of you...!" She continued, yet some worry distorted her voice, it was her turn to avert her eyes.
"But... I can't..."
The guy reacted, just then looking back to her. Parting his lips, he doubted for a moment.
"Why not...?"
He hated he had almost sounded like a little kid who wouldn't understand why he couldn't have all flavors on his ice cream instead of just two.
Their eyes met again. Noticing his mood change Amy blinked and quickly composed herself to explain. "No-no-no! Don't get me wrong!" Her palms waved. "—Tom and Maddie are amazing! And I'm sure living with you all would be super fun! I'd love to...!"
Sonic simply stared, his eyes read an incredulous: 'Aaaaand...!?'
"—Believe me! I'm really, really moved! But, the thing is..." Her hand had reached to brush his arm with the very tips of her fingers. Sonic adjusted his position to face her better, his frows lifting in anticipation, all of his features, really.
"I... already have a home, back in our home planet...? With... my family." She shrugged and tried to put on a smile.
The boy blinked and took a moment. Soon enough he turned away once more. "OH—!"
Some kind of relief installed within him. But it was immediately replaced with regret. "—Oh shoot! I'm sorry I didn't-" He spoke fast back to her, almost frantic. "Is not like— I didn't mean to- I ah—"
"No-no! It's okay! You didn't know!" She was quick to cut him. "I... guess I haven't really talked much about myself...!"
That somehow made him feel worse. Bending both legs, he rested his arms on his knees.
'Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. STUPID!!'
He could've slapped himself. How did he just assumed she was on her own!? —Sure! Pretty much all the previous people he had met were! —But that didn't mean the girl would just keep the pattern going!!
Didn't she said she was an orphan at some point!? Hadn't she said something about always fighting by herself!? Had he got it all wrong...!??
GAH—! And even so...!! Even if she WAS alone, what gave him the right to just decide she would move over to his place!??
Ahhh... he had said something bad, something really, REALLY bad!!
'Darn it. Darn it. Darn it. Darn it. Darn it. Darn it—'
Unaware of the full extent of his emotional breakdown, the girl stared at him rather worried. Looking to the sides she then leaned forward again. "Am— Here...!"
Sonic looked at her once more. She had pulled the collar in her dress slightly, taking a shiny golden chain out of it, a heart shaped locket on its end.
He approached slightly when she opened it to reveal a picture of her and two people. Amy held an adorable little jolly rabbit girl on her arms. Hugging both of them from behind, an older woman smiled tenderly. She was also a rabbit, and looked very similar to the youngest.
"This is my little sister, Cream. And that's my mother, Vanilla." She had pointed so.
A shy smile drew on his face. "They seem nice...!"
"They are...!! They're the sweetest!" Retrieving, she took a moment to observe the picture herself, before closing the locket and shoving it back under the fabric. Keeping her hands over her chest, she drifted to the horizon in front.
"And... they're waiting for me..." Her voice had softened, lowered.
Following her gaze, he could almost get a taste of her emotions. "They must be really worried..."
Pink head just nodded.
Silence had a few times already installed between them during the encounter. But this was the first time it felt uncomfortable.
They knew it, it bothered them. But still, neither found what to say.
Looking down, frown pronouncing deeper. A sudden thought crossed Sonic's mind.
"Wait..." The boy forced himself to confront her. "So... when this is over..." He found hard to speak, each word came out weak, almost afraid.
"—you're... leaving...?"
Amy faced him. Opening her eyes further, a little frown of her own formed. Her lips parted. But didn't spoke just yet.
"Well... yeah...!" Her voice pronounced at last. Airy, timid.
Sonic stopped breathing for a second, his entire system glitched. Five or six emotions attacked him at once, but he couldn't name any of them. Unable to hold her stare anymore, his head straightened forward.
The breeze around was suddenly no longer a fresh and comforting kiss, but instead a cold and sharp wave of nails. Piercing his body, pinching and twisting his guts.
Was he upset?
Why would he be...? He wasn't one to decide what the girl did! They were allies, they were friends! But that didn't mean he could just—
'She's leaving...?' He repeated in his mind.
That word didn't sit right with him. He didn't like it.
The years he spent alone had long since become nothing more than a bad dream on his head. But somehow that single revelation made his fears resurface all at once.
But that was dumb, wasn't it...!? Cause is not like he would BE alone again! EVER!
He had his family back home, he had his friends right by his side...! This wouldn't change a THING...!!
Then, why...!?
Why did this...
'...Hurt.'
Without knowing, Amy had finished his thought in her own mind. She hadn't forgotten about her family, had she? Of course not! But... I guess the thrill of the mission had finally managed to... distract her.
As the realization hit her, she felt awful.
The girl was having so much fun with her new friends...! She had really missed the fact their homes were a galaxy away from one another...
Pressing her lips together. Pink shy eyelids lifted as she turned slowly to seek the Blue's gaze. The look on his face, she didn't like at all.
Was he upset? Was he mad at her...!? She really hoped not...
Straightening up, Amy bumped onto him playfully, as she had done it a few times already. Pushing her own worry deep, deep down, and forcing a smile to shine on her face again.
Attention officially recaptured, she picked up her cheery tone and glued it back together. "Heeey...! I can come over and visit!"
Sonic just looked at her. "—And you can totally go to my place too...!!"
She took a second guess. "Well—! If you don't mind getting dragged to play teatime and dress-up with my little sister, that is...!"
He smiled a little. "You mean...?"
"—Silky princess dresses, plastic crowns and glittery make-up? Yes."
A light scoff escaped his nose, eyes moved to the side. "...I think I can pull that off!" He shrugged.
Her smile grew an inch. "There we go...!! You've gotta relax!" Holding her legs, she balanced around. "—Why are you acting like we'll never see each other again...!!" She had said it to herself too.
A flick. "No, of course not...!"
"—Sure! Our houses might be in different solar systems and whatnot, and is not like there's a way we could instantly travel to one place to the other- Oh wait! There TOTALLY is...!!"
Another airy chuckle. Behind it something else seemed to hide, she noted. "Yeah, yeah..." His tone confirmed it.
Another bump to his shoulder. "Hey." He looked at her. "You're crazy if you think you can get rid of Amy Rose." She had leaned forward.
Was it a tease? Was it a warning? He couldn't quite tell.
"Hah—! Sure thing...!"
The girl doubled it down. A hand to his shoulder, the other to her chest. "No, Sonic. I'm serious!" Her eyes big, round and intense.
"—You're stuck with me now. I'm your problem." She poked her chest with all her fingers together. "To the end of time...!!" Arms extended to the sides, she finally let a toothy smile form in her face again.
Sonic chuckled. Genuinely this time.
Ahh, gee...
It was hard to keep a bad mood when this girl was around...! The thought almost bugged him.
Was it some kind of feminine urge to be this... comforting all the time!? Like, why wouldn't she let him chill under his little rain cloud for a minute, let alone a second!!
Yeah... Amy did that a lot.
She would never quite talk down to him, though. But even less from underneath! (even when she was shorter!). Actually, most of the time she would just meet him at the same level.
It was, again, somewhat annoying to him. Who did this girl thought she was!?
—Talking to him so normally! Approaching him so casually...!!
As if they were long time besties...!
Heh...
The dare of this young lady, I swear...! Never ceased to surprise him.
A grin had inevitably formed again. "In that case..." And when he looked back at her, his face matched her tease. "I'm yours."
Amy opened her eyes wide, pressing her lips down in a small line. He just then reacted.
"Wait. That came out weird— I MEAN I'M YOUR PROBLEM—!! YOU-AH —Y-YOU ARE STUCK WITH ME NOW, TOO...!!!"
Heat taking over him, she was already laughing. He growled and pouted, hiding between his arms and legs. Maybe if he avoided her face enough either him or her would disappear. —Jumping off the ship was looking REALLY tempting now...!!
He scolded himself. 'Can you EVER think before speaking!???'
Yet another nudge reached his shoulder. He flinched. 'How many times was she gonna do that...!?'
Turning back, he was surprised to find a warm, tender smile drawn on her face. "I wouldn't want it any other way...!~"
Looking at her for a moment, he couldn't help to feel relaxed and smile again. 'Do you get what I mean!? It's downright IMPOSSIBLE to stay moody around this pink —two feet tall— menace!!'
Sighhhhh.
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Tails, who may —or may not— had been listening to the whole thing through the open channel of their communicators (left on with no malicious intentions whatsoever, I promise). Glanced up once he felt their conversation had reached its end.
The glass of the windshield went over his head, still he could see nothing but the tips of their shoes.
In spite of that, it was almost as he could trace their silhouettes completely. The whole picture was clear for him.
Looking down again, he surprised himself by a sudden mischievous thought. Eyes moved to the side along with his head, then the other way, irises making almost a full loop around the whites of his eyes as he puckered his lips.
He was all by himself aboard, but still felt he needed to check if anyone was watching for what he was about to do.
Taking secure, careful grip of the wheel with both hands; he wiggled his fingers and tails behind the seat, before steering ever so slightly. Not further than an inch, no longer than a second. Even so, the result was immediate.
The whole ship tilted and both hedgehogs lost balance. Legs and arms flew and Amy bumped into Sonic's chest, who managed to find grip by leaning on his elbow; while his other arm reached out instinctively to steady her.
A few seconds later, they slowly —almost mechanically— retrieved just enough so their eyes could meet again. They stayed like that almost paralyzed, trying really hard to ignore the fact they were so close they could feel the other's full respiration cycle.
"—Sorry guys! I slipped...!" Snapping out of the trance, they both heard Tails speak through their earpieces. "I was just checking the coordinates! —I've located a safe nice landing spot, we should be touching ground soon...!"
They smiled to the air.
"Roger that!" Sonic stated.
"Who's Roger?" Knuckles, for once, marked his presence verbally.
"Is just an expression, bud."
Sitting back again, the shake and sound of her giggle made the boy realize he still held onto her. He was quick to back off, but unexpectedly Amy didn't follow through. Huddling closer, she put her hands together over her skirt and gently rested her head against him.
Sonic immediately stiffened up, and couldn't —for the life of him— stop the heat wave her touch sent throughout his entire body.
Eyes open to the limit, he locked his sight ahead. 'Uuuuuh boy...This is weird...' Even in his mind his voice came out shaky. How pathetic!
He didn't... dislike this. But he wasn't sure he liked it either...!
The thought of pushing the girl off even crossed his mind. Didn't matter, though! As he was incapable to move entirely.
So for now he'd just... allow her.
All while he tried his hardest to pretend the loud, rapid thumping on his eardrum (almost a buzz!), was the ship's engine and not his heart beating ridiculously fast.
Daring to look down with eyes only, he got a glimpse on her peaceful expression. —Oh she was ENJOYING herself over there, WASN'T SHE...!?
'Should I get a pillow for little miss SHAMELESS here...!??'
GEEZ...!!!
Sigh. He could almost see himself in the third person. MAN— he looked stupid, all rigid like that...! Like a friggin' —LEGO figure!!
'Put yourself together, hedgehog!!!' He forced himself to chill. Crossing one leg over the other, he leaned back ever so slightly. 'This is fine, I'm cool...!'
'—And this is normal...! Totally-totally normal thing friends and— comrades in arms do...!!'
Noticing his right arm rested behind the girl, the thought to run it around her shoulder popped in his head.
He shook it off immediately. But it came back a second after.
'I'm not doing that...'
But even so, the thought lingered.
His pinkie flickered.
And it stayed a little longer...
A little longer...
He closed his eyes.
There.
Gone completely.