R E A L I T Y ?

(I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog or related characters)

Tails sat in his workshop, but he was not working on inventions as usual. Tails had moved on from creating new robots, gadgets, and gizmos. He has gotten older, around the age of 16, and became more philosophical than inventive. He realized his inventions were somewhat "additions" to the world he lived in, and as time went on, began thinking about the world he lived in now – no additions, altering, or anything like that. He began thinking about reality, and how it is perceived. And he became a quite a thinker; his advanced mind dissolving the boundaries his age had given him. So there he sat, surrounded by inventions from his younger days, thinking. Just thinking. His mind was plotting away at an embryonic proof for the existence of a completely different dimension where reality is different. He wasn't sure how yet, but he was set on an idea of proving that there was another reality that was simply...different.

However, his deep thought was interrupted by the clichéd knock at the door. He was a little miffed, but got up to answer the door and put his happy face on. But his mind started to take over. How many times have people put on the façade of a different emotion, when in reality, they were hiding another?

However, while his mind had drifted off into philosophy, his body had turned the doorknob and opened the door. And there stood Amy, one of Tails's best friends. His mind was still wandering around, and Amy was standing there, noticing his blank expression.

"Hello? Anyone home?" asked Amy as she waved her hand in front of his face. Tails snapped back into the present.

"Oh! Sorry about that Amy, heh heh..." Tails said with a nervous laugh and scratching the back of his head. "Why dontcha come on in?" Tails stepped aside and allowed Amy inside. As Amy walked in, he looked at her figure from behind. Amy had really matured, now that she was 17. Her figure had become much more feminine, and Tails noticed. "Gee, she really is beautiful. I'm surprised that her and Sonic aren't a couple yet," he thought to himself. He closed the door and Amy turned to face him. "So, Amy, what brings you here today?"

"Well, I just thought I'd stop by to say "hi"," Amy said smiling. "We've all been pretty busy with school and all, so I just thought I'd spend some quality time with my best friends." This made Tail blush slightly, and Amy thought she had noticed something change in Tails's face coloration, but she shook it off. "So what have you been up to, Tails?"

"I kind of...stopped inventing stuff. Heh heh..." Tails did that nervous laugh again. He mentally slapped himself. "Stop doing that, doofus! She'll think you're infatuated with her!" Amy, however, was shocked.

"Stopped inventing things?! Tails, did you suffer any...head trauma recently?" Amy asked jokingly. Tails smiled at her joke.

"Nah, it's just that...I've moved into philosophy now. I've kinda strayed from machinery and moved towards deeper stuff."

"You know Tails, I'm almost glad. Now we can talk about something we're both interested in, and you won't have to stop and explain things every five seconds," Amy laughed. Tails did as well. Amy had been thinking about colleges and majors, and decided philosophy would be one of her subjects of interest. So she and Tails could be on the same page when talking to each other.

"Want me to get you a drink, Amy?" Tails asked.

"Just some ice water, thanks," Amy replied. And as tailed walked over to the fridge, Amy took a seat on the sofa. She saw Tails from behind, and she too noticed how he has matured. A taller person, to say the least. And he didn't look as frail and light as he had when he was younger. He looked stronger, too. Amy began thinking, "He really looks good. I would sure like to start dating him sometime, but as good as he looks, he probably already has a girlfriend." Tails came back and handed Amy a glass of water, snapping her back to reality. "Thanks, Tails."

"No problem." Tails sat down next to her.

"Hey, uh, Tails..." Amy began. She took a drink and set the glass down on the coffee table. She began playing with her fingers slightly. "I'm just wondering, but...uh...do you already have a girlfriend?"

"Oh, heck no," came the reply. Amy was truly surprised. "Everyone at school still thinks I'm a geek. Whenever I go up to a girl, or anyone for that matter, they give me this 'Oh it's that geek kid' look. But that's okay, 'cause I probably still am!" Tails laughed.

"I don't think you are, Tails," Amy said. Both blushed a bit at this, followed by an awkward silent moment. Amy decided to break the silence. She looked around and saw some papers lying on his desk. "Hey, what are these?" she asked walking over to the desk. Tails followed her.

"Oh, well those are just some...experimental proofs and boring stuff like that..." Tails said scratching the back of his head again. Amy looked at them, and they actually made sense to her.

"Wow, Tails, these are really good! There are some things in here never would have thought of! So what are you trying to prove here?"

"Uh, well, it's really geeky..."

"That's okay, Tails. Your work is actually making sense to me for the first time. I gotta know what this stuff is all about!"

"Well, I've been thinking...about the existence of an alternate dimension with a reality completely different than ours."

K guys! R&R