Chapter 1 :
Two feet clad in red-and-white boots pounded against the cement of a Station Square sidewalk. Tears fell as the owner of these two boots ran, dropping to the ground and slowly disintegrating into the dirt along with the rest of the raindrops falling. Her heart was broken and could never be repaired again.
The red-booted female pink hedgehog tried to pull herself together, but her legs were failing her. The heartache was too much. She felt as though she were dying within. It was all she could do to escape to a shadowy alley in the backstreets of the town without collapsing from shock. She ran to the furthest corner of the alley and hid herself within the darkness, at last alone and free to let her tears flow.
She shrank into the corner as small as she could make herself and pulled her knees to her chest. She could feel the pounding heart within throbbing against her knees. The tears kept falling, smothering the mascara she had applied to her eyelashes and ruining the pretty face she was so sure would have won his heart. She sobbed until her chest and throat were sore. The blue hedgehog was hers. She was this close to finally winning his affections.
~ Flashback ~
Amy adjusted the golden earring in her right ear another time and smoothed out her red dress swiftly. She was so proud of herself for finally getting Sonic to agree to go on a date with her. After years of endless trying and failing, she had at last gotten him to consent to taking them out for dinner.
A merry spring in her step, the delighted little pink hedgehog continued to stroll on her way to the Japanese restaurant. She and Sonic had decided to meet and eat there that evening. She smiled to herself again and cast a brief glance at her reflection in the window of the small corner-side gift shop she was passing by. She had arranged her makeup just so and had worn the finest clothes she could afford. Hopefully this would impress her hero.
Amy had it all planned out in her head. As soon as she could see the restaurant up just ahead, she would saunter up to Sonic, taking care to sway her hips just right. She would bat her eyes and smile at him, and ask him in the sweetest of tones how he was doing that night since last they spoke. Amy giggled as she could just picture the dazed look on Sonic's face when he saw her.
"W-Wow, Amy, you look gorgeous..." Amy lowered her voice to mimick Sonic, pretending her love was there in front her as she continued walking. Then she laughed and said in her own voice, "Aw, Sonic, really?" She deepened her voice again. "Of course, Amy. Man, you're just about the prettiest thing I ever saw." In her voice, she giggled. "Oh, Sonic, stop."
Amy smiled wider when she saw the designated restaurant about some thirty feet ahead of her. She searched for any glimpse of a handsome blue figure, but didn't see anything yet. Assuming he might be inside the building instead, Amy quickened her pace and hurried toward the restaurant, fixing her quills nervously. Her heart began to race. Aside from the millions of other excited notions darting through her mind, she tried to remind herself to use grace and poise. Act gracefully, move alluringly. He won't be able to take his eyes off me!
As Amy came within range of the front entrance of the restaurant, she cleared her throat and placed one gloved hand on her right hip, emphasizing the gentle sway of both her hips as she strolled forward. She blinked a bit, making sure one last time that her eyes were prepared enough to attract Sonic's gaze, then extended a hand forward to open the door and walk inside.
She glanced around the modest Japanese-style set-up the restaurant had. No sign of her hero yet.
"Sonic?..."
"Excuse me, ma'am, may I assist you to a table?" asked a nearby waitress.
"No, no, that's alright. I'm... waiting for a friend." Amy shook her head, and the waitress stood back. The young rose looked around another time. "Sonic?"
Where was that hedgehog?... Hm, maybe he had chosen a spot to sit in a corner. Amy's smile returned when she thought of how clever that idea was. It was a perfectly romantic idea- a table in a private corner could give the two their own space and time without anyone else bothering them. She walked off into the back corner of the dining section, her eyes still searching for her true love.
"Soooonic?" She lifted her voice to call and was immediately shushed by some other folks. Amy gave them a look before heading further into the back corner. "Sonic...?"
Her ears pricked up when she heard a giggle.
"S-Sonic, cut it out."
The voice seemed to be coming from the darkest corner off to her right. She took a step closer, repeating Sonic's name another time to ask if he was present. Her heart leaped when she heard his voice, but it wasn't in answer of her call. Sonic's voice was chuckling. The other voice giggled again.
"Sonic..."
Amy took a final step closer. Her heart sank to the very pit of her stomach when she saw what lay before her. There, sitting at the table at which she and her love had been SUPPOSED to sit at together, was Sonic himself. His arm was draped around the shoulders of a certain brown female chipmunk with blue-grey eyes. The two were nuzzling noses and their lips were inches away from meeting one another's.
"Sonic!" Amy gasped, her jaw having dropped. "How could you?"
The blue hedgehog jumped when he realised Amy had approached without them knowing. "Amy? What the heck are you doing here?" He moved his arm back from the chipmunk's shoulders to give Amy an indignant glare.
Amy returned the glare with her own furious one. "How dare you! You told me this was going to be OUR date!"
"You weren't supposed to take that seriously!" Sonic stood up, placing the palms of his hands flat down on the table.
"But you told me to meet you here!"
"You wouldn't leave me alone! How else was I supposed to get rid of you?"
"And yet you have the nerve to sit there and cheat me with my own friend!" Amy looked at the chipmunk, whose expression was frozen with a mixture of fear and shock. She turned back to glare wrathfully at the one with whom she had been so foolish to fall in love. "You're AWFUL, Sonic the Hedgehog!"
"Yeah, well, I have feelings too! Do you think I like it when you come out of nowhere and try to choke me to death?" Sonic looked just as angry as she did, but Amy was feeling more anger than her expression could reveal.
"You dirty, lying, double-crossing, two-timing, no-good, self-centered, insufferable JERK!"
Amy reached behind her back, just about ready to unleash her Piko-Piko Hammer. The chipmunk dodged out of the line of fire and escaped the table, but Sonic stood as still as a statue, giving Amy the same glare as before. Amy lifted her hammer high above her head, ready to strike, but the hedgehog still did not move. Amy breathed heavily from the fury burning in her chest, her green eyes staring straight back into his.
"Get this straight, Amy Rose. I DON'T. LOVE YOU."
The flood of tears she'd been pressing back were now unable to be constrained. They pricked at the corner of her eyes, and a sob escaped her throat. She lowered the hammer, allowing it to slip from her fingers and drop to the floor with a "thud."
"... I hate you, Sonic..."
Sonic made no effort to answer her, much less comfort her. Broken-hearted, the pink hedgehog could do nothing but flee the presence of her once-true love. She ran from his sight, storming out the door and leaving everyone else inside the restaurant baffled. She didn't care anymore. He could be a hurtful jerk if he wanted to. All she cared about now was getting away from him and trying not to let those tears of pain fall.
~ End of flashback ~
The pink hedgehog pressed herself against the corner again, trying to make herself small but could do no more than she had already done. The memory was only fresh but still tore her heart apart whenever it came to mind. She cried until her muscles were numb. What point was there to continue living if the man she loved didn't love her back?
Amy Rose lifted her head from her knees and gave the wall before her a hollow glare. Lightning flashed, lighting up the alley briefly before fading away with another rumble of thunder. There was no point to continue living if that was true. Sonic didn't love her. Sonic hated her. Sonic's only concern with Amy was to get away from her before she would attempt her usual tackleglomp. Sonic had moved on now; he was dating Amy's own best friend. He didn't care if she lived or died. And he certainly didn't care if he had hurt her from the words he'd said.
Well, that was just fine. Amy didn't care either. Sonic could date as many girls as he wanted. For all she cared, he could go jump off a cliff. She would laugh. She hated that blue hedgehog now. She hated him with all her heart. He had hurt her too many times before, and now it was too late. Her heart had permanently hardened against him. She hoped it would haunt him forever, the way he had so carelessly pushed her away.
There was a single glimmer in Amy's heart that was pleading her not to feel such hatred. The light inside her was flickering, asking her a final time if she really did hate Sonic. Perhaps there was still some love for him deep within her soul, even if he had wounded her for life?...
No.
Amy clenched her fist, pushing the single sliver of affection she had left away. The light inside had now dimmed. She cared nothing more for the things of this world. She would be better off dead.
Amy forced herself to stand on her two shaking feet. Carefully stabilised herself by placing a hand on the alley wall, she spotted a sharp blade lying nearby the trash bin in the corner. The lightning of the rainstorm flashed again, the light of it reflecting against the silvery blade.
Go on, Amy Rose. It is time to end this.
Her body still trembling with pain, Amy attempted to reach for the blade. She fell on her knees a time or two due to the lack of strength in her leg muscles, and finally she was forced to crawl over to take the blade in hand. When at last she completed this task, she fingered the blade in her hands. It was just right.
Go ahead. It will not matter. Sonic hates you. The world hates you. And you hate them. End this now, and die. You will feel much better in the end.
Amy lifted the blade, directing the pointed edge of it at her chest. She attempted to force her trembling hands to remain still and ignored the constant pounding of her broken heart.
End this now, and die.
Amy plunged the blade at her chest. In the same split second her hands failed her and the blade nearly slipped from her grasp. It instead sliced down the edge of her side. Amy let out a cry of absolute pain and fell back as the blade clattered on the cement. She clutched at her side.
"H-Help..." She tried to yell, but her voice was too hoarse from her sobs. No one could hear her at this time of night. She looked down at her side. Her gloves were now soaked with the red colour of her own blood. Terror was now slashing away at the pink hedgehog's shattered heart. Her vision began to fade away.
"Help... someone..."
A soft gasp escaped her lips. She was drawing final breaths.
The last thing she saw were two glowing green circles...
And then all was black.