To Catch a Blue bird
By Kellie Fay
Chapter 10 Amy: A Step Too Far
Amy's plan included stuffing Sonic full of his favorite foods, but chilidogs were hard to bring to a picnic. So Amy made hot dog rolls with a chili rub that she knew Sonic would love. Sure enough, the lure drew Sonic to her side out by one of his favorite napping spots.
Once stuffed with chilidog rolls, and lemonade Sonic began to doze in the warm sun. Once she saw him relaxed, she gently began tracing tiny circles on his forehead. Sonic released a deep sigh, and relaxed further. "Hmmmmm what are you doing? Feels good..." Sonic muttered lazily.
Remembering the lessons Rouge gave her Amy whispered softly. "Shhhh just relax enjoy it." Sonic let out another deep breath with a tiny groan. Amy smiled realizing how much Sonic enjoyed the sensations.
Amy quickly reviewed the lesson on questioning Rouge taught her. The sultry bat told her to start with something harmless then work your way up to the questions you needed. Sure now that Sonic had relaxed into that state Rouge described as not thinking, but being, Amy said softly in his ear. "This reminds you of Adabat doesn't it? The few days we spent there after you defeated Dark Gaia?"
Sonic gave a little moan, and leaned into Amy's light touch. "Hmmmmmm, Mazuri nicer... No ocean."
Amy chuckled, and moved slightly so Sonic could lean against her if he wanted to. "Tails said he liked Spagonia, but all he did was spend time in the library."
Sonic chuckled and rolled over so his head did now rest in Amy's lap. Amy managed to find one of the points under Sonic's jaw and moved her free hand there. Sonic beamed with drowsy delight. After a huge yawn he mumbled, "Was helping Prf Pickle read manuscripts. …Tails big help."
Amy smiled proudly Sonic looked practically asleep, but he was still talking to her. "What about your little friend Chip? What was his favorite place?"
Completely out of it, Sonic chuckled. "Mazuri pretty, but loved food in Chun Nan. Could put away twice my weight in meat buns and still fly."
Amy nodded; the good memories were keeping Sonic passive. "How did you meet him anyway? You never told me."
Sonic's happy smile fell. Something about Amy's question disturbed him. "W...was after Eggman released ...released her. Found Chip out cold after I came too. When Eggman released Dark Gaia, Chip came too."
"So Chip and Dark Gaia were connected somehow?" Amy asked.
"Hmmmm, Sonic mumbled. "Had to help him. Had to stop Dark Gaia. Had to change back."
Change back? Amy had an idea that Sonic might be talking about his wear hog form. She rarely saw him as the wear hog after that first time. In fact, he seemed to be avoiding her at night until the energy that turned him into the wear hog left him. She said nothing for a minute making sure Sonic still felt relaxed. Then she asked, "Sonic what can you tell me about being the warehog?"
Even half-asleep Sonic became stressed. His quills started to tighten up, and he frowned. "No..." He muttered. "He's not me."
Amy tried to relax Sonic again, but she suspected that she found one of Sonic's issues. She needed to be very careful or else Sonic would wake up. Still uncertain whether or not she should use the very sensitive points behind his ears Amy focused on his jawline instead. "You didn't like being the wear hog did you?" She asked.
Still under her spell, Sonic managed to give his head a little shake. "H...hated him. Hesss not me. I'm not angry. I...I don't want to hurt anyone."
Amy felt that Sonic needed a little reassurance. Still rubbing his relaxation point Amy whispered. "You didn't hurt anyone when you the wear hog. You protected me. You took care of people. You were strong."
"Looked wrong… Felt wrong... couldn't even tell. Don't wanna be him!" Sonic's sleepy voice almost came out a growl.
The part of Amy's mind that had absorbed Shadow's lesson warned her that she should drop it now, and go back to less stressful memories. The more impulsive part of Amy's mind just couldn't resist asking the question. "What couldn't you tell?"
Amy knew the moment the words left her mouth that she crossed the line. Suddenly Sonic's whole body went rigid, and faster than she could see his hand shot up and grabbed her arm pushing her hand way from his head. His eyes popped open, and he pushed away from her sitting up. For a moment, he looked terrified, then bewildered, then angry.
"What in Chaos were you doing?" He asked. It sounded like an accusation, but Amy knew that something she did triggered this response in him.
Rouge told her that if caught she should focus on the positive aspects of the treatment. "You didn't like it?" She asked trying to sound innocently puzzled.
Sonic wouldn't be distracted though. "What did you do?"
Amy tried again. "I thought you liked it. You looked so relaxed."
Now a stern frown formed on Sonic's face. He folded his arms across his chest. "Did Rouge teach you that?"
Amy tried a different tactic. Nodding she said, "She thought I could use it to help you unwind. She noticed you've been a little stressed. In fact, everyone has. Have you been sleeping all right?"
Sonic looked pensive. Tails told Amy that Sonic knew about his nightmares, but he didn't seem to remember them at all when he woke up. Hoping to get him to open up at least a little Amy said, "You know you had a nightmare the night of the hurricane." When Sonic blushed and flattened his ears Amy added, "and a few nights ago too. Sonic you need to tell me what's bothering you."
"Nothing's bothering me," Sonic shot back, but Amy knew a lie when she heard it. Sonic seemed to know that she didn't believe him. She wondered if he even believed it himself.
Still she let the lie slide. "Then tell me about the nightmare. Maybe we can figure it out what it means."
"It's just a stupid dream," Sonic snapped at her. "It doesn't mean anything."
"Does it mean anything when you're controlling Chaos Emeralds in your sleep?" Amy asked. When Sonic stopped and, looked at her perplexed she continued. "The night of the hurricane, when Jet gave you the Purple Chaos Emerald, Knuckles said that while you were having that nightmare you forced the emerald away from you. Shadow had to go after it and bring it back." Amy saw that Sonic was now listening very carefully to her so she finished the story. "Knuckles said that you can probably feel the differences in the Chaos Emeralds and you can tell the purple one has dark energy in it. That's why you don't want it around anymore."
Sonic got to his feet, and took two steps away from her. "That's crazy," he said, but she thought his protest sounded weak.
Annoyed, Amy rose to her feet, stood in front of him, placed her hands on her hips, and frowned at him sternly. "Then why don't you ask Tails how he got the hole in his wall. Knuckles saw you do it. He and Shadow watched you try to lose that emerald all that night."
Amy watched a series of emotions run across Sonic's face. His body trembled slightly the way he usually did before a run. Finally, he closed his eyes and shook his head firmly. Amy wondered if he was trying to shake the thoughts from his mind. "None of is explains why you using Rouge's hocus-pocus on me." He stated flatly.
"Because you're not talking to me!" Amy snapped frustrated. "You're not talking to me, or Tails, or Knuckles, or anyone you usually talk to when something's upset you. She reached out and tried to keep him from running by holding his arm. "Sonic please you have to tell me what's upsetting you so much that it's giving you nightmares."
"I already told you there's nothing the matter with me!" Sonic said getting a bit annoyed.
Amy was not about to let this go. Gripping onto Sonic's arm tighter she said, "Sonic if you don't stop and talk about this right now I'm going to start telling Shadow and Knuckles about the wear hog!"
Sonic's eyes went wide. "You promised!" He said sounding truly angry now. He pulled his arm out of Amy's grip. "Let go of me Amy!"
Surprised at the sudden yank, Amy took a step backwards, but when she did so, her foot connected with a rock, and not the ground. She fell backwards onto her rump with a small squeak of surprise. She looked back up at Sonic intending to beg him not to run, but when she saw him looking at her the words died in her throat.
His eyes were wide with fear again, but Amy didn't think he feared her. He looked horrified at her, trembling in the warm afternoon sun. Worried she called out tentatively, "Sonic?" In the next instant, he vanished leaving only a breeze and the distant sound of a sonic boom in his wake.
Coming Soon Chapter 11
The idea that he might belong to someone even a spirit didn't set right with him. People shouldn't own others even if they were spirits. Okay let's be fair here. Jet never said that The Children of The Seven belonged to the Spirits only that they held their power, but why him? Why did the spirit give the power to him?
"I wonder if it isn't time to get those answers," Sonic said out loud to himself. He'd been here dozens of times before, but then he didn't know about The Seven. Maybe the spirit wanted to be asked. Sonic nodded to himself making up his mind, and then entered the old temple wondering what he would find there.