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Here is the next chapter, hope you're all enjoying it so far! Be sure to keep sending through all your lovely reviews! Enjoy!
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A few days later, after the night Amy's new job became a well-known fact to the gang and had all settled into the dirt, the gang were at Sonic and Tails' Knothole home. Most were in agreement that they would help Rouge and Shadow in training the fuchsia hedgehog, all except one. After a few nights ago, however, no one was at all surprised that Sonic wouldn't help. Although, they were a little shocked at how insistent he was.
'If I can't stop her from starting the training, I'll make sure she doesn't get accepted.' Sonic huffed earlier that morning.
'Sonic, do you realise how petty you sound?' Manic cocked a brow at his brother as he lounged on the living room couch.
'Petty or not, I refuse to be a part of helping Amy get herself killed.' Sonic stated firmly as he took a seat, faintly hearing Tails tinker away downstairs.
'You know you're going to hear it from Sonia when she gets here.' Manic smirked.
'I can deal with Sonia, and any of the others that try to tell me I should be doing this.'
'I think you need to take a step back and look at the big picture,' Manic began as he got up to retrieve a drink from the kitchen, 'you might not think so, but Amy is actually capable of going through the training. Not only that, she wants to do it.'
'What's your point?'
'If it's anyone's support she wants and needs, it's yours.'
Sonic cocked a brow at his big brother as he shrugged through a gulp of water and left the living room, heading downstairs to wait for everyone else to arrive. The blue speedster watched the sap bundle of quills retreat until they finally disappeared, allowing him to let out a frustrated sigh when he was finally alone. He was confident he was in the right, and that's the way it was going to remain.
The blue blur walked out to the living room balcony, resting his elbows upon the railing as he looked down at the front of Tails' garage to find most of the gang arriving and bidding their good morning's. He turned his head to look over at the dirt path, able to see three familiar figures drawing closer and closer. Rouge and Shadow must have done some briefing with Amy before they arrived, attempting to prepare her for what she was in for.
'Well, just because I'm not going to help, doesn't mean I can't watch.' Sonic snickered to himself.
.
After the gang had all arrived and settled in, Amy was getting more and more keen to get the training underway. Rouge had insisted she not wear her regular button up dress and sports tape, and instead change into high-waisted underwear and a crop top, both matching black and fuchsia, along with matching sneakers.
The bubble-gum tied her mid-length quills up into a pony-tail and splashed some water across her face before walking over to the two G.U.N agents, a little awkwardly. She tried to appear confident, but she wasn't used to being so physically exposed, but she trusted that it was for a reason, especially if Shadow was agreeing on it being a good thing.
'Maybe I could throw on a shirt?' Amy muttered into Rouge's ear.
'You'll end up taking it off again, trust me. This is going to be intense, now put these on and get ready.' Rouge said as she handed Amy pink and black hand guards.
'Alright, so where are we going to start?'
'There are going to be five areas you will be assessed in,' Shadow began, 'you've got: skill, speed, strength, foreign and super.'
'Super?' Blaze cocked a brow.
'No. No way.' Sonic thought to himself.
'Yes, which will be myself and you, Blaze, that will test her.' Shadow stated as he looked at the lavender feline.
'Who else is training in what area?' Sonia questioned.
'Sonia, you and Knuckles will be strength.' Rouge answered.
'Oh, this will be sweet.' The fiery echidna grinned as he cracked his namesakes.
'Tails and Sally will be skills, Silver and Rouge will be speed and Cosmo and Tikal will be foreign.'
'Looks like it's all been set out for you, Amy.' Cream smiled up at her.
Amy easily plastered a confident expression across her muzzle for Cream's sake, and maybe even her own, but it was only now that it was really starting to hit her on what was happening. Shadow quickly decided she would start her training in skills, to which Rouge allowed her to cover up with a robe. Amy, Tails and Sally headed inside the garage while the others stayed outside to prepare.
The fuchsia hedgehog looked up as she walked assertively into the garage, only to lock eyes with a certain blue hedgehog who was still looking over them all from the living room balcony. She felt a shooting pain surge through her stomach, one that she just couldn't ignore, one she couldn't push away and one she knew she was going to have to accept and move on from.
'Alright, Amy, I'm going to teach you everything you need to know and Tails is going to test you.' Sally smiled.
'While you're doing that, I'm just going to head upstairs. I'll be back.' Tails smiled before turning towards the stairs.
Amy and Sally smiled through nods before standing over a table, all sorts of papers, tools and devices spread across it. Tails could hear the chipmunk princess begin teaching Amy everything they knew as he walked up the stairs, her voice slowly fading away. He walked into the lounge room and out onto the balcony to find Sonic still resting his elbows on the railing, looking over everyone.
'How much longer are you going to stay here before you come down and help?' Tails questioned as he took a spot next to his brotherly figure.
'I told you, I'm not coming down.' Sonic shrugged, still firm.
'You could at least come down and keep Cream company?'
'There is no way I'm going to be a part of this, Tails,' Sonic began as he turned to face the kitsune, 'especially if you're going to pin Amy against Blaze and Shadow in their super forms. That's murder.'
'Sonic,' Tails began before sighing, 'I don't want Amy to be a part of all this any more than you do, knowing there is such a high risk at how badly she could get hurt. Having said that, I know she is perfectly capable of taking care of herself and completing the training.'
'And then what? We let her go out with Rouge and Shadow to get killed?'
'You know as well as I do they won't let that happen.' Tails insisted through a coy smile, 'Amy wants this Sonic, and regardless of whether or not we think it's a good idea, we need to be there for her, especially you.'
'I already got all this from Manic this morning, you know.'
'Well, clearly it hasn't sunk in yet.'
'Well, why especially me?' Sonic huffed.
'You know the answer to that, Sonic.' Tails smiled before making his way back downstairs.
The blue blur watched the young, yet deceivingly mature, kitsune walk back down to the garage before turning back to look down at the others to see Sally teaching Amy about a larger device. He let out a frustrated sigh before realising he had finally lost the battle with himself. If he couldn't persuade her to give this all up, and he couldn't not help her train… then he'd just have to make her want to quit.
.
It was a few hours before Sally had finally gone over everything there was to teach, and it was physically obvious that the fuchsia hedgehog's brain was friend. Tails began to test her on what she had been taught, and even she was surprised at how much she had retained in such a short time frame. There was still a long way to go, but it was time for a new area.
'I'm happy with the skills for today, we'll look at it again tomorrow.' Shadow stated bluntly.
'Now, onto Foreign Attacks.' Rouge began with a smile, 'This is mainly where your defence techniques come into play, considering you don't have a foreign power of your own.'
'Ok, so how does this work?' Amy questioned as she took off her robe and handed it to Cream.
'Most of these powers are only powered by the mind, therefore, you need to break the host's concentration and take them down.' Shadow instructed, 'We aren't asking you to grind Tikal or Cosmo into the dirt, however, we are asking you to do whatever it takes to break their concentration and bring their powers to a halt. Understand, Rose?'
'Got it.' The pink bundle of fur nodded.
'Alright, Cosmo, you're up first.' Rouge announced.
As Amy and Cosmo entered the field, both with friendly smiles on their faces, the rest of the gang gathered around to watch. Most of them were either sitting or standing together, while Sonic kept a little distance, watching Amy intently with his arms folded. Tails was seated not far from him as he went over what more skill work he needed to prepare for Amy.
'You really think she can do it?' Sonic mumbled.
'I do, and I think you do too. You just won't admit it.' Tails smirked, his eyes not leaving the paper for a second.
Sonic huffed under his breath, refusing to let anyone get the best of him, as he turned his attention back to Amy and Cosmo. His first thought was, unintentionally, the attire Rouge had her wearing. It wasn't a surprise the ivory bat would have her change, but at least this time it was plausible. However, she definitely looked… grown up. Yeah, grown up, let's go with that.
'Ready, Amy?' Cosmo asked.
'Let's go!' Amy cheered.
With that, Cosmo balled her hands into fists and pierced Amy with a fierce gaze, sending roots the size of tree trunks up through the ground and headed in the fuchsia hedgehog's direction. Amy ducked and dodged, using her hammer to squish some of the smaller roots as she got increasingly closer to the Seedrian girl.
Cosmo quickly noticed Amy's advance, and began to bring out some more of her advanced powers. She sprouted different kinds of flowers from the ground, mainly roses they tried to entangled Amy in their thorns. In all the heat of the moment, the pressure and everything that made the situation mount, Amy finally broke away from the incoming attack and got in front of her friend before whacking her into a nearby tree with her hammer, effectively breaking off Cosmo's concentration.
'Cosmo!' Amy screeched before rushing to her side.
'Woah, what happened?' Cosmo said drowsily as Amy sat her up.
'I am so sorry! I just got so worked up and when I finally got near I-'
'Amy, it's ok! I was expecting something like that to happen, it was well done.' Cosmo cut her off with a smile.
The fuchsia hedgehog let out an exasperated sigh before helping her opponent over to the others, her entire being washed over with guilt as Sonia began patching her up. Shadow was quick to push Amy back out into the arena, assuring her she couldn't dwell on it and that she had another opponent to get through. The young hedgehog turned her gaze to her front to see Tikal readying her stance.
'Alright, Amy, now ready yourself,' Rouge began, 'Tikal's powers are far more advanced and harder to overpower than Cosmo's. No offence, Cosmo.'
'None taken.' Cosmo smiled as she allowed Sonia to patch her up.
'Ready, Amy?' Tikal arched a cocky brow.
'When you are.' Amy smiled deviously.
Tikal giggled a little before relaxing her entire body, much to everyone's surprise, before closing her eyes. Amy didn't let herself be thrown off guard by Tikal, preparing herself for whatever might come along. However, she was still being thrown off, just not by the peach echidna. She could see an undeniable blur of blue in the corner of her eye.
'He came down! He's watching me!' Her mind raced.
She was quickly snapped back to reality as she felt a surge of dizziness wash over her, forcing her to relax her stance. She swayed a little before standing up straight, dropping her hammer firmly and then sitting on the ground. Once she realised what she had done, she looked bewildered and confused before exchanging glances between Tikal and Shadow and Rouge.
'I don't get to exercise my persuasion that often, it feels good.' Tikal smiled.
'This will take time to master, but soon enough you will be able to block out basic persuasion attacks.' Shadow reminded her, 'However, for now, I want you to try and break Tikal's defensive technique.'
'What?' Amy cocked a brow as she awkwardly got back to her feet.
'A telepathic shield is always going to be one of the hardest to break. So, if you can break her concentration, you will be making great progress.' Rouge smiled.
Amy nodded, accepting what she had to do and determined to get it done. She stared down her peach friend, pondering how she was going to pull this off, when the familiar sight of royal blue flashed in her peripheral vision. He was still watching, he was watching her. What if he end up testing her? Did he think she was doing well? Focus!
She shook away these thoughts before forcing herself to charge for Tikal, only to be brutally thrown back onto her backside by an invisible force. Tikal's eyes opened, her shield fading as her concentration did just to see Amy on her bewildered backside. She couldn't help but feel sorry, wanting her friend to do well, but it did feel good to exercise her own powers.
'Come on, Amy!' Silver cheered.
'You can do it!' Cream added.
'Think outside the box,' Shadow began, 'how can you take her down without physically touching her?'
Amy cocked a brow at his words, an idea crossing her mind. She really didn't want to hurt another one of her friends, especially with a clear mind. Although, she might just have to in order to clear this test. She watched Tikal, the peach echidna closing her eyes again briefly to put her shield back up and opening them again to watch what would unfold before her.
She let out a smile, being careful not to let too many thoughts cross her mind in case Tikal was listening in. She rapidly readied her stance, a firm grip on her hammer before tossing it like a boomerang in the echidna's direction, startling her before she barely missed it as she dived to the ground. Amy took the opportunity to run forth and pin her friend to the ground while her shield was down.
'Yes!' Knuckles cheered.
'She did it!' Sonia added with applause.
'That's enough for today.' Shadow stated, a hint of a smile curling at his mouth.
