I was walking around Metro City, ignoring the surprised/frightened/awestruck faces of the humans around me. I was surprised when a splash of pink invaded the bleak gray of the city that so reflected my usual mood. I recognized her as Amy, sniffling slightly on the doorstep of the public library.

There used to be a day when I could ignore things like this, but nowadays my conscience won't let me. I walked over to her.

"Amy...is something wrong?" Of course there is, stupid! I berated myself. Why else would she be crying?

Amy wiped her eyes on a pink handkerchief. "H-Hi Shadow. It's just...."

Suddenly, she burst into tears and wrapped me in a bone crushing hug. I was always surprised by her grip. I felt really awkward, a rare thing for me, which I'm told never shows on my face.

"S-Shadow, Sonic won't pay attention to me! I follow him everywhere, I try to get him to do things with me like go shopping or-or a restaurant or something but he doesn't stand still enough for me to do so! I keep trying, sure, but if he isn't acknowledging me now, when will he?!"

She was angry now, Amy was the most dangerous when she was.

"I mean, really Shadow! Doesn't he know I love him? Does Sonic not care about me?"

That was enough, right there. I pulled her off me and fixed her with a glare. "Amy. Honestly. Do you have to ask me does Sonic 'care about you'? Of course he does."

Amy glared back at me, but some of her anger seemed to have resided.

"How would you know?"

I sighed a ran a hand through my black quills. They sprang back, as usual. "Does he go to save you all the time because he doesn't care about you?"

"Not all the time..."

"True, you don't get kidnapped much anymore. But still, he did, didn't he? Sonic always at least acknowledges you're there, doesn't he?"

"Yeah..." Amy looked thoughtful now.

"Would you rather Sonic be like you? A mall crawling rat chasing after a sixteen year old hedgehog, trying to get him to marry you at age...what, how old are you, twelve?"

She made to interrupt me but I cut her off.

"Don't you like how Sonic usually runs everywhere, saving people, getting into trouble where he sometimes needs your help? I think I know enough about you to know you like him more for his personality, not how he looks, like the millions of other fan girls I'm sure exists."

She pursed her lips at the words "millions of other fan girls".

"Notice how, out of all of those fan girls, he only seems to talk to you? I'm sure Sonic probably likes you...but he'll only start a relationship with you when he's ready, and when you're older! When you're actually old enough to date and mean it, I'm sure at some point he'll know you're the right girl for him. Sonic isn't a fool, that much I'll admit. He might be arrogant or pig-headed, stubborn sure, but he's no fool."

Amy looked thoughtful, her eyes were clear and they looked at me with surprise.

"Sometimes he might need a little push." I smiled slightly, turning the corners of my lips up. "Destiny isn't going to hand you the ticket to the Luxury Express, it rewards those who help themselves. Don't give up on Sonic but don't push him too much either."

"How did you get so wise, Shadow?" Amy giggled.

I scoffed. "Love isn't hard to understand."

Amy smiled slightly, her eyes twinkling like she knew a secret about me, something good though.

"Okay Shadow, you're right. Sonic was last spotted at Newburgh I think, I'll check there."

I nodded curtly. "Good bye."

I turned to leave and was stopped by Amy's voice.

"Shadow?"

I turned back slightly, looking at her curiously.

"Thanks."