A/N: So this is my first shot at writing a fic, I've had this idea in my head for a while now and thought why not give it a try. Reviews and feedback are very much welcome!
Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog or any affiliated characters
Fall was usually one of her favourite seasons. It was the feeling of the subtle release of scolding hot temperatures in which the air was refreshing and crisp rather than suffocating. Summer was lovely at times but after months of the intense heat it was nice to have a change. That along with the beautiful colours of the leaves changing brilliantly as the days went by, it was always a season that was highly anticipated with excitement. Funny, how the death of tree leaves could look so beautiful, be admired by so many. There was almost something therapeutic about it; seeing the cycle of life happen, out with the old and eventually in with the new. But to welcome the new you must release the old - most times a difficult process, depending on the situation, but nevertheless a normal part of life. Seeing how not even Mother Nature can escape this cycle gave a certain type of comfort. Although this fall felt very different. The once normally cleansing cold air felt bitter and relentless. The constant overcast sky showed no mercy, barely letting a ray of sunlight through. The leaves, looking dull and defeated, seemed to hang pathetically by a thread before ultimately falling to their doom. Everything that was once romanticized had a corrupted and cruel spin to it.
Amy Rose sighed as she tightened her grip on the binders she was carrying, pressing them closer to her chest. A gust of piercing cold wind seemed to blow right through her and in retaliation she held her head down and quickened her steps. It seemed appropriate that the environment around her reflected how things have been, she honestly wasn't even surprised at this point. But was it just a crueler fall than usual or was it that her outlook on life was tainted? Had she become that cynical? She wondered. Glancing around the small deserted town she continued her walk home. Rundown buildings, boarded up windows, vacant stores and craters in the ground as far as the eye can see. It used to be a beautiful town full of life with a booming economy, now it was just another wasteland. Turning a corner with haste she began her journey into the forest leaving the sad skeleton of another lifetime behind her.
The forest was dense and although there was no trail or path for her to follow she knew exactly where she was going without giving it any thought. Leaping over a fallen tree here, ducking under some vines there, she navigated through it as she had done a thousand times - being careful never to walk the same way twice. It was imperative that it was done this way even though it often took a lot longer to reach her destination than need be. There was a very good reason why there was no path formed and she had to be careful not to create one by accident. Sometimes she had fun with it, climbing different trees and jumping between branches, seeing how far she can go without having to touch the ground, but today there was no spark of playfulness in her heart. Suddenly she felt a drop of water drip down her cheek which forced her to look up and notice the dark clouds that were beginning to form. Cursing under her breath Amy picked up the pace not wanting to get stuck in the storm that was no doubt starting to form. Spotting the impressively large oak tree she sped-walked past it and made a sharp left at the small cluster of mushrooms just a few meters ahead. Around a small bend the land stopped abruptly as she approached a decent sized drop off. Leaping into the air without hesitation she caught a sturdy vine with one hand and used it to help make her descent down easier. Landing gracefully with her binders still safely in clutch she continued toward some bushes and shimmed her way through them.
Past the thick bushes was a quaint village. It was nothing to gawk at, made up mostly by grass huts and haphazardly built wooden structures. It was small as there was not a very large amount of people inhabiting it, definitely nothing compared to the town from before. Straight ahead from the entrance was the largest and certainly the most modern building in the area. Made of actual concrete the building was only two stories high but next to the huts that surrounded it the structure seemed like a skyscraper. Feeling more rain drops gradually fall from the sky she hurried herself towards it. When approaching the doors there was a noticeable engraving of the letters "HQ" on the right side of the building. A few inches down from the "Q" was a messy impression of a hand which was making a peace sign. Her eyes couldn't help but flicker down at the hand imprint and a pang throbbed in her chest. Quickly she focused her attention on opening one of the double doors, doing her best to push down that feeling that so easily came over her these days.
The main lobby was the largest room doubling as a food hall and gathering spot for both the resistance and the villagers alike. No matter what time of day or night it was you could always find a handful of people in here doing something or other. Furthermore despite the magnitude of the serious business that was organized in this building, the main lobby had a very relaxed atmosphere to it. In the middle of the room there was a large table that usually contained whatever food the elderly villagers could forge or make for the community. Sometimes food was scarce and there was not a lot to offer but there was always at least a little something for everyone. Hot meals were made in the private of the residents' own homes but on special occasions the whole village would gather here and share a large feast. It felt like ages have gone by since the last time an event like that occurred. Amy made her way to the table and grabbed a sandwich along with an apple and continued toward her destination. Nodding and smiling politely at the people she passed she felt lucky that despite everything that's happened they had still managed to keep such a strong community presence. Finally reaching the east-side wall she approached a door where a sign hung that read "Mechanics Garage". Pushing into the door the smell of oil instantly wafted up her nose – a smell that she has grown to love in recent months from being in this garage so often.
She walked towards the sounds of welding being done, carefully stepping around bits and parts that were scattered across the floor. Rounding the corner she saw a pair of legs sticking out from under what looked like to be the body of a plane. Amy placed the binders down on the work bench along with the food and walked over to the half exposed body. Waiting patiently for the welding to stop for a beat she then quickly took the opportunity when it did, placing her foot on the board with wheels and pulling out the individual. A young adolescent boy was revealed, his hands frozen in place, eyes wide with surprise behind his big goggles. Amy couldn't help but smile at the grease smudges that were sporadically displayed across his face, "Hey there T".
"Amy! Where have you been all night? Knuckles came by looking for you a while ago." Tails propped himself up into a sitting position as he watched her walk toward the work bench. Picking up the apple she turned back around and gave him a disapproving look. "All night? Tails, it's the afternoon. Have you been working in here for that long? You need to sleep. And to eat, here I picked you up some food," she tossed the apple at him.
He caught it and glanced at his watch realizing the time. "Oh… well, I need to make sure everything is in good standing. I'm basically the only mechanic here, y'know."
Sighing she crossed her arms across her chest looking over the exhausted boy. He may be a literal genius but he is still just a child, and even in the midst of a war children need their sleep. "I know kiddo but you won't be much good to us if you're so tired that you can barely think straight."
"I'm fiiiiine! I always know when I've pushed my limit and I'm barely even-"he paused slightly to muffle a yawn "-there yet. Besides, you changed the subject awfully quick, where exactly have you been?"
Amy shifted her weight indicating only a slight break of confidence in her otherwise bold demeanor. Nodding her head towards the binders she answered "Was just out doing some recon. Went into town for a bit, managed to find some interesting documents that might help us out."
Tails shot her an incredulous look. "Amy! Are you crazy!? You know you're not supposed to go into town by yourself like that! It's way too dangerous! Knuckles is going to freak!"
She smiled innocently, shrugging her shoulders. "Well I guess Knuckles is just not going to find out, now is he? If he asks I'll just tell him I went during one of the patrols, I'm sure he'll be too busy to follow up with it. Besides, I am more than capable of taking care of myself out there."
There was an odd silence that followed. Tails stared at the apple in his hand. "Yeah. I was so certain that all of us could manage out there... Especially him…" Lifting his googles so they rested on his forehead he looked up at her with sadness. "Did you know it's already been 6 months…?"
She could feel her heart breaking at the sight. How many times is it possible for a heart to break? She felt like at this point her heart wasn't broken in half but rather broken in a million pieces, each time getting more destroyed. She rushed over and kneeled down beside him, holding him closely in a tight hug. "Oh T, I know, I know... Don't you worry, we're going to find him okay?" She eased out of the hug and lifted his chin up. "If there is one thing we know about that man it's that he is one resilient idiot, right?" They both let out a chuckle.
"Yeah, I guess"
"'Yeah I guess '?! Of course he is! We've seen him overcome ridiculous odds, it's just a scientific fact: the dude can't die! Right?" She began to poke and tickle him softly, making him squirm and laugh further.
"Haha okay, okay, yes! Yes, you're right!" Swatting her hands away Tails was back to looking more at ease, smiling.
"Mark my words, he'll be back to annoy us all in no time and then we'll wish he continued his little vacation for another month or so." Amy smirked and did a playful eye roll as she spoke with amusement before her facial features returned more serious. "But for real, don't stress too much okay? We both know he wouldn't want that for you. And he would also be scolding you for working too hard." She gave him a knowing look and he squirmed slightly under her stare.
"Y-yeah… I just don't want to let anyone down."
"How could you let anyone down? You've already done way more than expected Tails, you need to rest before your body collapses and you wind up bed ridden for weeks. Promise me that after this you'll head back?"
Tails nodded, still looking unconvinced but otherwise was willing to comply with her wishes. Amy stood up and ruffled his hair lovingly before turning around to head out. "Thank you. There's a sandwich here for you as well so make sure you eat that too okay? Are you going to come by for dinner later?"
"No, Miss. Vanilla invited me over for dinner tonight."
"Okay, clean up before heading over there! I doubt she wants little grease prints all over her furniture."
Tails let out a laugh, "I will, thanks Amy."
She grabbed her binders and smiled back at him before leaving the garage. As soon as she left the room her composure fell slightly, the smile she wore turning into a frown. Of course she knew it had been a little over 6 months since his disappearance but hearing it said out loud made it so much more real. There was a time that without a doubt she believed everything she just told his little brother, but now? It was hard for the doubt not to creep in. 6 months is a long time and as the days went on it was hard not to be realistic about the situation. Regardless, she had to put on a brave face for Tails and be the rock he needed. Ever since the disappearance she had become extremely close to him – not that they weren't close before, but being there for each other during such a tragedy really strengthens a bond between two souls. The whole village had been affected when Sonic didn't return, but Amy and Tails definitely got hit the hardest.
Lost in thought and not paying attention Amy bumped into someone with enough force to drop her binders, making pages scatter on the floor. They both muttered small apologies while bending down to pick up the pages and that's when she made eye contact with deep violet eyes. "Knuckles! Oh hey, sorry about that-"
"Where have you been?" he cut her off, his features stern. Typical Knuckles, straight to the point, never afraid of being rude.
"Around." She shot back, her short answer making it clear she was in no mood to entertain his attitude. Just because he was the commander of the resistance did not mean he reigned control over her.
He glanced down at the pages in his hand giving them a quick read. Amy could feel her anxiety spike up as they both slowly rose from their crouched position near the floor.
"This is new data. Where did you find this?"
"During the last patrol. There was an eggbot that was still half operational and doing what Tails taught me to do I was able to print off some data from it. I was just on my way to show you."
"The last patrol? We cancelled the last patrol due to the incoming storm approaching"
"Must have been the patrol before that then."
Knuckles held her eye contact for an uncomfortably long moment, neither one of them willing to back down from this unspoken power struggle. Finally he let out a frustrated grunt and grabbed the binders from her, "Listen, I don't have timeto argue with you. Or babysit you. Just don't get killed." And with that he walked past her.
Amy scoffed and turned around to watch him walk away with insulted disbelief. "Uhmn, you're WELCOME!" Shaking her head she started to make her way toward the exit, muttering to herself, "No 'Gee, thanks Amy! This was a really great find!' like any normal person would say. How did a grump like him even get voted to be commander anyways? The nerve, honestly." She understood he was under immense pressure but even before all of this happened he was always short like that. It's just the way he was.
As she made her way out the building the rain had started to come down consistently. She walked outside and was about to pull her hood up when she saw that hand print out of the corner of her eye again. Normally she was able to resist being drawn to it but today was different. Slowly Amy began walking towards it and crouched down. As her fingers felt the impression her mind flashed to the past.
It was when they all first relocated to this area after their first village had been discovered and in turn destroyed. It was a lot of hard work to rebuild but everyone was able to pull together and get it done somewhat quickly. Some people's spirits were dampened but that didn't stop Sonic from doing everything in his power to lift them right back up again. Always laughing and being optimistic, his attitude was infectious. Soon enough the community rallied and it was as if we had always lived here, hope being re-instilled back into the people's hearts. The cement for the HQ building had just been poured and Amy was standing there with Sonic beside her, admiring the size of it.
He let out a low whistle, "Jeez, just look at it eh! It's honestly a good thing our other village got knocked out or else we would have never made a snazzy new HQ like this."
Amy smiled at him "Yeah, I suppose you're right. Everything happens for a reason as they say."
Sonic casually put his arm over her shoulders, still starring at the building. "You got that right. There's still something missing though…"
Amy looked back toward the building, scrunching her features in thought. "Hmmm… I got it!" She ran toward it and on her way bent over to pick up a stick. With concentration she outlined a big "HQ" in the concrete, being careful to make the letters look as beautiful as possible. When she was younger she used to practice doing fancy calligraphy and this new HQ building deserved a little pizazz. She discarded the stick and put both of her hands on her hips smiling proudly at her creation. "There! Now it's not just some dull unmarked building."
Sonic walked up behind her, his eyebrows raised in surprise at her hidden talent. "Wow, Ames! That looks great, just what it needed! Although…." He knelt down and lacking grace shoved his hand in the cement just under her letters.
"Sonic…!" Amy squeaked at the sudden movement. After a few moments he pulled his hand out carefully, grinning at the now permanent peace sign in the building.
"Get it? Since it's our second HQ building AND we're fighting for peace. It's quite a complex work of art, very thought provoking."
She laughed and glanced up at him, speaking with heavy sarcasm "Yeah, you're a real Michelangelo."
The noise of a group of people coming towards them interrupted their conversation. In the mix of the voices they could hear the appointed commander speaking. Sonic held Amy's hand with his cement covered one and started to jog away, smiling back at her. "C'mon! Let's get outta here before we're caught red-handed by that knucklehead."
Laughing she followed behind him,
"Sonic! Ew let go, I don't want to have to chisel my hand off of yours!"
A loud clap of thunder brought Amy back to reality, the fond memory abruptly stopping in the midst of her mind. She stood up and lifted her face towards the sky with eyes closed, allowing the rain to wash over her. Willing it to wash away all her heartache and worry. 6 months and still no sign, how can that be possible. It felt like an eternity had already passed and she was getting frustrated that they were nowhere close to getting any answers. She sighed and decided to head home before anyone saw her wallowing in her misery. Not bothering to pull her hood up since she was already soaked she continued towards her small house, mind in a haze. Part of her wished Tails wasn't staying with Vanilla tonight, she could probably use his company. At least he was in good hands and she didn't have to worry.
Opening the door Amy took off her shoes and pealed the soaked jacket off her body, hanging it up to dry. Her house wasn't very large but nobody's in the village was. Having a big beautiful house wasn't a luxury that was affordable during times like these – not that she minded, she was never one for things like that. As long as it was a liveable size and she had the freedom to decorate she was happy. It was all one floor, the kitchen being adjacent to the living room shared a large space. Off to the side there was a long hallway which lead to a bathroom and two bedrooms. When the rebuild was happening, it was standard that only families could have multiple bedrooms but Amy was adamant that she needed a spare due to the fact that she often acted as the village nurse. Sometimes it was just easier to have the injured person in her own home rather than having to constantly leave in order to check on them, especially if they were critically injured.
Walking to the closet and grabbing a towel she proceeded to wrap it around her head in an attempt to dry her hair. Another clap of thunder erupted, "Sounds like this storm isn't going to let up anytime soon..." After pouring herself a glass of water she made her way to the couch. On the coffee table there was a large map already laid out with markings all over it. Beside the map was a journal with multiple pages of notes written. She studied the map and pages in front of her, just as she so often did. Against the wall in front of the couch was another table filled with picture frames and mementoes. One of the larger pictures was a candid shot of her and Sonic goofing off together at a group picnic a few years ago. She kept it there on purpose – it motivated her. She was going to find him if it was the last thing she ever did.