Missing Out

Sonic the Hedgehog and all related characters and themes © SEGA and Sonic Team

Any characters you don't recognize belong to me.

Chapter 1: Out of My Grasp

On a typical, adventure-prone day, I would be running around throughout all of Mobius. Robotnik would be attempting to use some lame-o robot to destroy some city to build his "Eggman Empire", and the gang and I would send his fatass flying into the sky. Sometimes, if we were lucky, the old geezer left us a Chaos Emerald or two as a parting gift.

Unfortunately, today wasn't one of those days.

Walking mindlessly throughout the city is not something that I do on a normal basis; that city being Station Square. It was getting to be about noon downtown, and much to my pleasure not that many people were out. I only had like five people come up to me asking for my autograph. Everybody else just pointed and stared at me.

Things in general have been pretty calm around here. Robotnik hasn't been coming up with any of those oh so original "take over the world" schemes or "kill that damn blue hedgehog" jigs. I inwardly frowned and made a sour face. It irks me to admit that I'd rather fight that Egghead than have nothing to do all day. At least fighting him gave me something to do. He hasn't made an appearance since that last time we fought in Central City.

You would think that with all of this free time to kill that I would probably help the police clean up the streets a little, or more preferably, or hang out with my many friends. Well, to option one– I'm not really too keen in getting into all of that police business. And to option two...well...

My best bud, Tails, was cooped up in his lab again in the Mystic Ruins, remodifying the structure of the X-Tornado... again. Last time I saw, Julie-Su was there helping him.

My ever angry friend, Knuckles, along with my relatively new friend, Kiyoshi Flowlight, were up on Angel Island, both probably loafing around near the Master Emerald... or plotting their revenge for me. A few days ago, I had dared Knux to drink eight two-liter bottles of Coke nonstop. Oh god... he got so drunk, the dude kissed Big, which was hilarious. He was mad as hell, but for the life of me I couldn't stop laughing. And now Big calls him a "homo" every time he sees him. And then, I gave Kiyoshi's cell number to some girl who asked me for my number, and now that girl won't stop calling him. So now I got two hits out on me. Imagine that, huh?

Tikal and Cream were in the Mystic Ruins' Chao Garden playing with all of those Chao again. Me, I don't really dig the whole take-care-of-a-Chao-thing. Too much work. I mean, even if I had one, it wouldn't be able to keep up with me, making it just extra baggage.

My other two friends, Nagi the Cat and Lumina Flowlight, were at Emerald Coast swimming— the place I just escaped from. It was horrible... they had tried to drag me into that dreadful water to teach me how to swim. God, if that ice cream truck hadn't distracted them, I'd be as good as dead.

Walking past Casinopolis, I saw Shadow and Rouge gambling at the slots. Suspicion arose within me. Knuckles had told me how big of a gambler Rouge could be, but I never thought that Shadow was one. Then again, there's a lot of things that I still don't know about him. I shrugged. Oh well.

I chuckled lightly to myself.

I guess you could say that I've been in touch with all of my friends. Well... except for one. My mood darkened a bit. For the past two weeks, for some reason, she's been avoiding me. And I frankly... I don't know why. I didn't yell at her or anything. She's just been acting so weird around me lately. I mean, no tackling hugs? No persistent attempts of a date... or worse, marriage? No painful hits with her hammer? ...No tackling hugs?! I don't understand it...

At first, I just thought that she was sick, and didn't want to show her vulnerability in front of me. So, I worked up the nerve to go to her house a couple of times to try to see what was up with her. Much to my annoyance, each time she blew me off with that, "Sorry Sonic, I'm busy." or "I'm fine, don't worry about me."

What really ticks me off is that I'm the only one she's acting this way around. Everybody else, she's the same 'ol Amy. Same smile. Same vibrant personality. The whole nine yards. Yet, I'm the one getting the cold shoulder. Hell, she approaches Shadow more friendlier than she does to me!

Frustrated, I shook my head, and placed my hands behind my head.

I sighed. "Can't spend the day fuming over one girl, right? I gotta find something to do." My stomach then randomly grumbled. I chuckled. "Finding a meal is first on the list."

I looked around my surroundings and spotted a local lunch diner with my favorite food as the special course– chili dogs.

"Perfect," I grinned widely. "Here's lunch."

I entered the diner and approached the patient otter waiter. After establishing in a hushed conversation that I was Sonic the Hedgehog (and not an impersonator), and giving him an autograph for his son and for himself, I placed my reservation for one.

"Right this way, Mr. Hedgehog," the otter waiter said in a staccato-like voice, motioning his sleek tail for me to follow.

I winced a little at him calling me "Mr. Hedgehog". Like how Cream used to call me"Mr. Sonic". It wasn't a big deal, I just don't like being called a mister. The title makes me feel old...

About half-way into the diner, the waiter pointed me to a vacant table against the wall.

I nodded and thanked the otter before I went to take my seat. Just how it was outside, the diner was pretty empty. There was only but a couple of people in here. I glanced at the table in front of mine. It was just Amy with some guy.

...

I cringed as I dared to take a double look. What the hell?! What the hell is she doing with another guy?! A deep frown was engraved on my face.

It took everything I had in me to shove down the part of me that just wanted to seize Amy by her shoulders, and question why she talks to some total stranger, and not me! I then paused for a moment. I don't have a clue as to who that guy is, but I can't go jumping to conclusions. For all I know, that could be one of Amy's friends. Or, maybe they helped one or the other out with something.

...But still...

I swiftly dived into my seat before she could notice my appearance. Crouching into my seat, I leaned closer onto the cushion to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"So, Kano. I've already told you what I like to do. What about you? "

"Me?", he chuckled. I rolled my eyes. "Well, I'm a real fanatic of soccer. Been playing the sport since I was a little kid. My goal is to make the national soccer team."

Amy giggled. "That must explain that soccer ball you had back at Casinopolis."

He chuckled once more. "I guess."

"Yeah."

I smirked ominously to myself. So Kano was his name. I studied his expression. He had a cocky smirk plastered onto his face, with his hand reached over the table gingerly touching Amy's. I winced. My heart just did a backflip...

For the next ten minutes, I listened in on their chat... while still waiting for my chili dog. (You can bet that I'm never coming back here again.) Frankly, I was disgusted. Their talk was like an interview. Asking each other questions, and the other commenting on it, only in a more relaxed, casual way. Amy gushed at Kano frequently, and Kano kept dazzling her with his cocky smile and "romantic" gestures. I almost gagged.

But that's when things suddenly took a turn for the worst.

Kano grasped Amy's hands into his, and stared at her intently. "Amy..."

Amy looked at him confused. "What is it Kano?" I glared at her in disbelief. Why is she blushing?

"Amy, it's been two weeks since we first met each other. "

Amy nodded. My eyes widened. Two weeks? Two weeks? She's been seeing this dude for two weeks?! That's about how long she has been ignoring me!

"Well, I've been thinking," Kano murmured, as gently caressed her hand. He planted a light kiss on it. I threw up in my mouth. "I don't like being just your 'friend' anymore, Ames."

Both Amy and I looked surprised. Does he mean that he doesn't want to be friends with her anymore? I sighed a big, yet silent sigh of relief. I guess I was just overrea–

"I want you to be my girlfriend. Do you want to?"

"I want you to be my girlfriend. Do you want to?" Those words echoed in my ear, like some random song that unwillingly got stuck in your head. Angry is how you could describe how I'm feeling right now. Frustrated? Annoyed? Jealous? However bad I was feeling, my heart responded all the same. It felt like it had dropped right out of its socket, and was decaying in my stomach's deadly acids. I clutched my hand against my chest. Why is hurting so bad all of the sudden?

Amy was speechless. Light tears began spill down her cheeks and onto her kiwi green shirt.

"Kano, I-I..."

Don't you say it, Ames.

Kano looked at her intently. "Amy?"

She gulped, as the blush upon her face increased.

My heart was wrenching in fear. The suspense was really getting to me... I almost felt like I was going to spring out of my seat, and jet out of here. This is way more than I bargained for. For crying out loud, all I wanted was a chili dog! Not to witness this...

I grunted. But all of that doesn't matter now. All I know is that she better not say–

"Yes... yes! I want to be," she cried while hugging him from across the table.

For that moment... for that one little moment... my heart had stopped. Meaning that for one second, I was dead. Dead. Why do suddenly feel so empty? Is it just because Amy has a boyfriend? Is it because... her boyfriend isn't me?

Kano smirked, satisfied from their embrace. "I love you." He then leaned in closer to her face.

That's it.

I abruptly sped out of the door in a neon blue flash, and began running aimlessly throughout the now crowded downtown streets. I didn't even bother to think about whether Amy saw me or not. Not that I give a shit anymore.

Somehow in a very crude way, this all very funny. I mean, of anybody, Amy Rose falling out of love with me? Me? The pink hedgehog who has been following me around since I met her on the Little Planet like... years ago? The same girl who had declared everyday that she would marry me? And now... and now she's fallen in love with some soccer junkie?! What kind of sense does that make?!

Jeez, what a scene to brighten up my day. Not only did I see one of my friends cuddled up with some complete stranger, but on top of that, I never got my chili dog.

I'm never going back to that diner again...

This is the rewritten version of Chapter 1. I think it's a lot better than before, don't you? XD