~ Fortune Favors~

I: "Careful what you wish for..."

She loved the way he made her feel. As if her heart could soar out of her chest, race among the stars, and never touch the ground again. Young Amy Rose had her head up in the clouds, as if her soul had sprouted wings at just spending a few quick moments with him. Who is 'him'? Well, if it weren't obvious, "he" was Sonic the Hedgehog, a young, speedy, and dreamy blue hedgehog already becoming well-known for his heroic acts of defeating Dr. Robotnik.

Ever since she'd first gotten a glimpse of him, Amy could think of nothing else. Nothing else but the blue streak across the hills. Nothing else but the boom he'd caused in her ears and heart. Nothing else but the way he'd held her - the way he'd saved her - and carried her from that gruesome planet and cold robot look-a-like. Nothing else but that feeling in her heart as she couldn't help but cover her eyes, yet knew she was safe in his arms. Nothing else but that moment of safety when he'd set her down, and yet disappeared before she could even uncover her eyes and thank him.

He was gone, just as quickly as he came, off to fight Robotnik again, off on another adventure, off to save the world.

But he was never too far from her heart. She replayed that scene over and over in her memory, cherishing each moment. As amazing as that day was, Amy was not about to let Sonic be in only a few hours of her life. She simply had to see him again. Had to thank him. Had to feel that magic that only came from being near him. But where could she look to find the wind? How could she possibly find him again when he could move so fast and cover the planet in mere minutes? According to her tarot cards, she wouldn't see him again for a long time. But that wasn't an outcome she could accept.

Amy simply had to see Sonic again.

She packed a bag and left home without a second thought. She knew she was destined to be with Sonic; her cards were clear about that. But as for when that would happen, that was much less clear. As much as Amy had studied about magic and prophecy, she felt beyond herself here. So she traveled to the nearest circus, looking for a fortune teller booth. The mythical arts had always been an interest of hers, but now they'd become a necessity. She waited in line somewhat impatiently, nervously shuffling her tarot deck. Ever since she'd learned her knack for telling fortunes, she'd never really worried or considered her own.

When it was finally her turn, Amy eagerly entered the tent by pushing past noisy bead curtains and dream catchers. She nearly choked on the intense smell of incense as she sat down, her mind already fogging. However, the real center of attention in the small tent was a cloudy crystal ball, sitting in the middle of an old wooden table. It was the only barrier between herself and the hooded figure who raised one hand in greeting.

"Come and sit my child."

The voice of an old woman beckoned Amy in. She gulped, feeling a terrible energy from this place, but she needed answers. She'd been driven mad long enough. The young hedgehog took a seat, her blue sneakers not close to touching the floor.

"What would you like to know…?"

"My love life. When will I see Sonic again? And how? Where do I need to go?"

"Ah…" Amy couldn't see the soothsayer's face, but if she could, it'd be a twisted, smug smile. "A young one in love. And with someone so wild and free…" the fortune teller waved her hands over the large crystal, the insides swirling to give it more of a pearl consistency. "I forsee much pain and longing in your future."

"It can't be any worse than what I feel right now. I have to see him again!" Amy insisted, pouting. "You know, I read tarot cards so don't try to trick me! Tell me we'll be together!"

"Oh? If you know the power of tarot so well, why seek me out?"

"Because!" Amy started, then looked down. "They're not giving me clear answers. Sonic is just so dreamy and we have to be together, and I can't wait any longer. I have to see him again."

"What is your name, young one?"

The pink hedgehog held her head high. "I've been called Rosy the Rascal, but my real name is Amy Rose."

"Hm. A very suitable name. I have to say, I've never seen one so young be so... passionate. Your heart is truly something special, Amy Rose." The woman waved her hands over the crystal ball again, conjuring up visions among the swirly depths.

"Really…?"

"Yes. Your destiny and Sonic's destiny are intertwined… I can see it now."

The young girl sat on the edge of her seat, her eyes wide as she stared into the crystal ball. If only she could see her future inside. "Can you see how I can find him again?"

"No… that is hidden from me. But I do see - OH! Goodness. Such terrible tragedy. Horrors beyond anything."

Amy's heart skipped. "What? What do you mean?"

"True tragedy awaits Sonic the Hedgehog. I see he is quite fond of taking risks and putting himself in danger. This will get him into all sorts of trouble." The soothsayer suddenly created shadows, bits of dust that twirled into telling a story of what would happen to the heroic hedgehog. It brought life and clarity to her words, and terror to Amy's heart as she watched the future play out in front of her.

"He will become gravely injured. He will nearly drown, countless times. He will be trapped in a capsule in outer space, and dropped to earth with no way out. He will shapeshift into a ferocious beast by night. He will be held captive and tortured by Robotnik for months. He will be trapped in distant lands, away from you, time and time again."

"No!" Amy cried out. "… that can't be. Sonic is a hero, he can't lose..."

"But my child, it is. The crystal ball does not lie. - wait, oh yes, I see something else. You. I see you in Sonic's future."

The pink hedgehog only nodded, still on the edge of her seat. This much she already knew.

"As much as Sonic will get into trouble, you are the key to preventing all of this. You alone, with your passion, with your love - you can protect him from harm."

"How?"

"Well, it may not be easy, or foolproof. He's a wild one, a free spirit, and may still get into trouble, but despite these tragedies, he will always come out safe in the end. All we need is to create a spell of protection, using the power of your heart. If you agree to lend me some of your passion, I can create a spell to keep him safe."

Amy shook her head slowly, shocked. She gasped, though, as the series of images of Sonic being hurt and snuffed out reappeared thanks to the old woman.

"All of these tragedies will never come to be and will only be close calls, if only you agree to give up your heart…"

The young girl stopped to think, nearly in tears herself. Sonic was so strong, he was a hero, he'd saved her life! And not just hers, he'd saved countless others. She couldn't afford to lose him.

"All you have to do is offer me your heart, and I will forever bind it to him..."

She had to do this. Sonic was a hero, and if she had to be his protection, she would do it. She'd be a hero for him, too. She owed him her life after all. And besides, he already had her heart.

"And you promise he'll be safe…?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll do it."

A slight cackle from the woman, and with a simple flick of the wrist, Amy found herself gasping in pain. Energy was being sucked out of her heart, in the form of a light pink stream of light. It was all leaving her breathless and empty - the butterflies, the magic, the fluff, the amazing feelings of soaring through the stars with Sonic - all being torn from her passionate heart until all gone. She was left with nothing but emptiness as her love and passion left her body. The pink light was being gathered by the fortune teller into a separate gemstone, which seemed to be absorbing her powers.

Just a few spoken words to cast the spell, and that was it. The soothsayer caged the gemstone in a silver heart-shaped locket. Panting on her hands and knees, Amy watched the rest of the process with confusion. The locket was dumped in a boiling liquid which immediately turned bright red with swirls of gold. The woman poured a measure of the liquid into a mold, and with a burst of steam, it cooled off into two golden bracelets.

The fortune teller handed her the trinkets. "Here. You must wear these at all times to keep the spell active."

Amy slipped the bracelets on her hands, over her gloves, but couldn't take her eyes off the locket. "What if I want my heart back..?"

"Much too late for buyer's remorse, hm? Don't you want to keep your soulmate safe?"

The young girl didn't answer. She was still clutching at her chest, wanting those amazing magical feelings of first love back.

"Also, one thing I may have forgotten to mention… you must never stop chasing Sonic. Ever. If you're ever too far apart for too long, the binding force between you two will break, and he will no longer be protected. And you? Well, you don't want to find out. Now. My payment."

"But I already gave you…."

"Foolish, naive girl. Pay me, or I will break the spell."

Frightened, Amy gave up all the money she'd saved and left the tent, feeling numb and empty. Her life had changed forever, and taken a quite tragic turn.

The magical feeling in her heart was gone. Before she'd felt the butterflies and joy of love, but now… all that was left was pining and a desperate need to be close to Sonic. It'd been tolerable before due to her love, but now with that gone, it would turn into something much more sinister. Her innocent school-girl crush would turn to intense infatuation, and then before long, an obsession. All she could think about was him. All she could do was chase him. He had become her whole life, her whole desire. He was so off put by her aggressive advances that he rejected them time and time again throughout the years. He ran away, considering her a friend yet an annoyance. He would never understand how much she gave up for him.

But she could never stop, never leave him, never give up. For she was told the moment she did, something terrible would happen to Sonic. And just as the fortune teller foretold, he would constantly get into trouble, yet always get out unscathed, in just the nick of time, with a little bit of luck. Little did he know that luck was thanks to a naive young girl who had given up her passionate heart to protect him.

Such are the beginnings of Amy Rose.

I: "...you just might get it."