The Trouble with Amy…
Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2, the movie, or anything else that may be related. Sonic, Sega, and all related material, belong to Sega Corporation. The only one of my creation is the aquatic, water lovin', Aqua the Hedgehog.
Chapter 5: That's Gotta Hurt
How would you feel if you were in love? Picture yourself like this. Now picture yourself with the one of your dreams. Now imagine the relationship being broken off, due to a rumor that was able to break the trust in between the two of you. Now picture the white furred, jewel aficionado named Rouge the Bat. Put aside the tough girl attitude and think of how she feels at this very moment. It is as if her world is caving in. She feels as if she cannot continue. She is in the worst possible position she thought possible.
Rouge continued to fly over and out of the city before making way over the Great Forest. Unbeknownst to her was a hedgehog that had been on her tail the entire time she was in the air. It was after she passed the great lake in the forest that she noticed him. Thinking of the circumstances she figured it could only be one person…the aquamarine furred hedgehog who had been tailing her in connection with the theft of a Chaos Emerald. Of course she hadn't stolen anything in her life…the jewels she possessed just happened to be where she went…not that it had mattered now. Her heart was stolen from her a while ago. Although she had heard of the mystical powers of the Chaos Emeralds, its ability to alter and enhance any furry they came into contact with, she didn't want anything to do with them, the number one reason being…she was afraid of them. She wasn't afraid of the power, nor the enhancing abilities. It was the question of, when transformed, if her sense of self would still be intact. She had heard of the famous times Sonic had turned golden and beyond golden, taking on different levels of power when the occasion arose; she knew this via the stories Knuckles told her. She was told that there were times when Super Sonic seemed to have lost his personality and sense of self before, and she didn't want it to happen to her, then possibly not get them back.
But it didn't matter. All of that didn't matter, because she had lost the one she loved. Knuckles. He was the key to it all. He was the one who told her the stories and all. He was the one who had made her become aware of things that she wasn't aware of beforehand. He was the one that made everything click…that made her click. It was possible that, if he suspected her of wanting to go after the Chaos Emeralds, wanted her to be careful, not that he was encouraging her to do so, or that he would even allow it. So it might have been possible that he didn't really trust her, even back then…but why would Knuckles string her along for so long if he didn't trust her…?
* * *
"Amy…" Tails cried, near tears.
Sonic knelt over bleeding and unconscious Amy to see if there was anything he could do. She lay there sprawled out on the floor flowing her natural crimson fluids as Hershey tried desperately to press the wound to keep it from flowing. But it refused to cooperate and continued to flow. She had torn off most of her tunic to use as a press, but it failed to help. Having it be a laser shot and not a revolver there was no bullet to help obstruct the blood flow; the blast went clean through her body and was bleeding from both ends. They were mortified when Amy gained partial consciousness, coughed and made blood splash out faster. Hershey watched as Tails slumped to the ground. It looked as if he was about to cry.
But why? she wondered.
"We have to get her to Bookshire," Sonic announced.
"I'll take her," Tails offered.
"No can do bud, Amy needs to get to the doctor, like, yesterday!" he reasoned. "I'll take her. I'll get there in no time."
"But is she stable enough to go into super speed, Sonic?" Hershey worried.
"We don't have a choice, Hershey," Sonic reasoned, turning to her. "She's running out of time and won't make it if Tails flies her."
Tails sighed, but acknowledged. After Hershey did her best to bandage Amy up, Sonic took her up in his arms. Without looking back, Sonic blazed out of the castle and headed for Knothole. Having no rings to control the direction, Sonic would not risk a light speed dash. Also not having a ring in his possession was restricting his top speed. But he pushed. Hard. He was not going to let her die. He was at his limit and wanted more, but it just wouldn't come. He looked down on Amy, who had slipped out of consciousness again. It wasn't that he didn't like her. Yeah, she was fun to have around. The way she chased him around…it could be annoying at times, but he also found it charming, entertaining. She never seemed to mind the way he teased her about the way she acted around him…it was all just a big joke…well, the time to be serious was now. He had to get her to the hospital.
"S-Sonic…?"
"Huh?" Sonic stumbled, being jarred from his thoughts.
"I k-knew you w-would s-save me…"
Amy slipped back into unconsciousness. This time it looked as if she wasn't coming out of it. The last straw. Something clicked. His limits were snapped…his restrictions unaccountable…he surged forward. Tails, with Hershey in tow, had managed to catch up with Sonic, but now he was just out of sight. All he left for his two-tailed friend was a sonic boom.
* * *
Knuckles wandered around the beach at the East Coast Hotel resort, thinking. He soon found a lone boardwalk leading out to the water, and wandered to the edge of it, sitting down at its end. He wasn't in the best of moods. He just now realized how bad he had acted. Well, naturally he would not care about the way he treated Amy, but to blow off Rouge like that…with no legitimate grounds. When that aquamarine coloured hedgehog came looking for her in her cave, he was so quick to believe that she had stolen what she had been accused of stealing. But then again he had all the reason to act the way he did…the Master Emerald was yet to be completed…and the possibility was there for her to have the remaining pieces of the emerald. It was just that when Aqua came to talk, and he heard that she was wanted for jewel theft, his logic was clouded as his thoughts and emotions boiled over and took place.
He would look for her. Apologize to her. Ask for her forgiveness. Throw away his integrity just to subsist on better terms with her. After all, she was his first and only true love. Even that one time he was to be betrothed to the princess of the Acorn family…true love wasn't there, it was more like forced love, and neither him nor the princess would have that. Rouge had not broken his heart in any conceivable way; his heart was stubborn, that's all. And he was just realizing it; he had made Rouge suffer unnecessary heartbreak. He stood up. No longer…he loved her…and she loved him. That's what truly mattered. He headed back to the hotel and planned his trip back to the Great Forest. He didn't really feel like taking the taxi back, so he decided to walk there, to even further gather his thoughts. He might even check up on the rest of his friends while he was at it, maybe even—he cringed—Amy…
He exited the city and was on the outskirts, traveling in the direction of Knothole, but something continued to bother him. It was Rouge. He loved her and all, and she loved him…oh how she loved him…but there was one thing about her that wouldn't exit his mind. She was a jewel aficionado…a jewel hunter; it was as if she was captivated by it. What he couldn't shake form his mind was, what if he really couldn't trust her around the Master Emerald? What if her devotion got the better of her? Knuckles continued to walk on, as uneasiness crept into his mind.
* * *
Rouge circled around the big lake a few times, looking at its cool blue serenity. She observed how perfectly placed the body of water was, immediately in the middle of an inviting clearing in the heart of the Great Forest. She had not become aware of her surveillance, as Aqua was in the bushes watching her from below. He was wondering why she was not still flying off from the city. He was soon to get his answer as he continued to watch. Rouge circled one more time and sighed, as Aqua saw the forlorn expression on her face. She then flew to higher altitude and hovered above for a while. Aqua's eyes opened wide as she did the unthinkable; Rouge let herself fall back and was in a nosedive, plummeting for the lake. She closed her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her, leaving no doubt in Aqua's mind what she was trying to do. He jumped out from behind the bushes and tried to wave her down.
"Rouge!" he screamed. "Stop!"
She did not listen as she disappeared under the waters surface. Aqua rushed to the waters edge to see if he could spot which direction she headed. After failing, he took a few steps backward and ran to the waters edge. He springboarded and dove deep into the lake. He spent a good part of two minutes searching underwater for her and came up with nothing. He resurfaced for air and dove again. This time he went deeper, attempting to use his speed to his advantage. Again he came back empty handed. Determined, he dove one final time, going subsonic and reaching the bottom of the lake. There he found an unconscious Rouge, lying amongst the seaweed and silt. He quickly grabbed hold of her and shot towards the surface. He was traveling fast enough to shoot out of the water and land on the shore with her. Having been trained in first aid, he started to perform CPR on her. He gritted his teeth as he continued to pump above her heart.
* * *
"Unhand me, you brazen thugs!"
Bookshire looked out of the clinics front doors at the squirmish occurring outdoors. For some reason, Geoffrey St. Jean was being carted away by the palace guards. He watched curiously and bewilderedly as he was being taken towards the town jail. There must have surely been something wrong if they were carting him away. Just then a nurse came up from behind.
"Doctor?" she intruded.
"Yes…?" he replied.
"The patients are waiting…"
"Very well…tell them that I'll be right—"
"Bookshire!" boomed a voice from outside.
He turned to see where the voice came from and found Sonic screeching to a halt in front of the clinic with someone in his arms. After the dust settled he was able to distinguish that it was another hedgehog, with pinkish fur, and tattered torn clothes.
"Amy…?"
Sonic stepped up and placed Amy on an empty stretched that a nurse conveniently happened to be pushing by. Bookshire came to her side and started to roll her into the clinic. Sonic joined him as they rushed up the halls.
"Sonic, what has happened to her?" he pressed.
Sonic got a frown on his face. "She was shot. At the palace."
"Shot?" he took in the information. "At the palace? Who was the culprit?"
"It was St. Jean!" Sonic gritted his teeth at the sound of himself saying his name.
Bookshire gasped at the account Sonic had just told him. Now it all made sense. Geoffrey had shot Amy while at the palace and the guards arrested him on the spot. That's when he saw them carting him off to jail. He then turned to the nurse who was trailing them.
"Nurse…send my regards to the patients. Have them see other doctors in the facility or reschedule; whichever is more convenient for them. I have to tend to this girl. She is in very rough shape."
"Yes, doctor."
Bookshire wheeled Amy into the emergency ward of the clinic and headed for the operating room. Sadly, he had to tell Sonic that he had to wait in the waiting room until he was done. Sonic frowned but complied. After about twenty minutes, Hershey rushed in with Tails, who looked quite tired out from flying the whole way. He collapsed in a chair while Hershey approached Sonic.
"Sonic…how is she?" she asked, growing more and more concerned.
"I don't know. She went in about twenty minutes ago. All we can do now is wait…"
* * *
Knuckles continued to walk through the Great Forest. While he walked, he rethought the position he was in. Right at that moment, pretty much everyone was upset with him. All because of what he had done to Amy. He didn't really mean to break her spirit and blow her off like that, but it was like every time she was around, a feeling came over him and he reacted to it. Of course, previously having a crush on her would have a contribution to his actions, but it could be ruled out. Maybe Hershey was right…maybe he was jealous of Sonic for all the attention that Amy was giving him. Possibly what made it worse was the fact that Sonic wouldn't even give her the time of day…just like she wouldn't give Knuckles the time of day, when he first had a crush on her.
He had long since gotten over her, but for some reason, whenever she was around, he got this strange feeling, an that's what usually made him act so bullyish. And it was exactly this bullyish behaviour that got him into trouble. Hopefully he would find a way to apologize to the whole of them. Then there was Rouge. Knuckles was always so quick to anger, so quick to accuse, Rouge's case was no different…and it wasn't even him who primarily accused her. He was going to have to find a way to apologize to her also. Hopefully she hadn't done anything too brash by then.
Knuckles was in such a rush and so deep in thought, he didn't even notice when he almost ran somebody over.
"Ow! Knuckles…!" the person whined.
Knuckles snapped out of his trance and searched around, finding whom it was that was talking to him.
"Huh? Oh…sorry, Mina," he offered, extending his hand to the downed mongoose.
She gladly took it and accepted his help on getting up. "It's okay. You wouldn't happen to have seen Sonic, would you?"
"Not since yesterday, why?" he wondered.
"Well, he's been tutoring me lately, on how to control my speed. Its kind of hard to adjust to, ya know?"
"I couldn't imagine," he sighed, starting to walk. She joined him. "It must be remarkable to have such a gift as super speed. It would be nice to experience it just once."
"Well, once you get the hang of it, it's the best. But haven't you already experienced super speed? I heard from Sonic that you once harnessed the power of the Chaos Emeralds and was able to transform into hyper. Didn't you have super speed then?"
"Yeah," he frowned, "but it's not the same. That wasn't natural. To have a natural talent for running would be an honor. The freedom to blaze around at will…now that's something to wish for."
The two walked in silence for a while afterwards, each enjoying the other's company. Knuckles at least found it as somewhat of a change. He had been going out with Rouge only for a short while, but just walking with a friend…that was totally different, finding it a lot more relaxing. Other than Rouge, he usually just went around alone as usual. Even when he befriended Sonic and the others, he still stayed off alone, not making himself a complication to others. They had become accustomed to his mysterious ways and had grown to accept and give him his space. All in all, they have always been his best friends…although he won't and probably never will admit it to them, plus it was better this way…keep them guessing. Knuckles smiled to himself, soon to be broken as he snapped back to reality.
"Yoo-hoo! Earth to Knuckles…are you with us Knuckles?"
Mina waved her hand in front of Knuckles eyes trying to catch his attention. He finally came back to her and gave her his full attention.
"Jeez, Knuckles…what planet were you on…?" she teased.
Knuckles only shook his head. "I was just thinking of something…"
"Really?" she pressed. "What about?"
"Nothing interesting…just about my friends and all…"
* * *
Aqua continued to struggle with the unresponsive batgirl. It was like she refused to come out of her unconscious state. He continued to perform CPR and she continued to struggle against his efforts. After about two minutes she coughed and sputtered out water. It seemed like forever to the hedgehog. She sat up and rubbed her head, but he pushed her back down. She looked at him funny.
"Don't get up…you need to rest," he said.
"Why did you save me…?" she asked flatly.
"Whatever it is you're going through," he replied, "suicide is not the answer."
She hung her head down. The scene played back over in her head. She and Knuckles just finished having some quality time together. Then the same hedgehog in front of her barges in and says that she is accused of stealing the Chaos Emerald. Knuckles immediately thinks its true and pushes her away.
"I don't know what I can believe anymore…" he said softly. "What I do know," he continued coldly again, "is that I can't be involved with a jewel thief like you."
She was crushed by his words and didn't know what else to do. She eyed the Aqua coloured hedgehog again. He was going through the pockets of the jacket he was wearing. First thing that went through her mind was that he was reaching for some kind of handcuffs or something, so he could take her away. Not that it mattered anymore…she didn't think there was anything left for her, so she wasn't going to fight. An eyebrow was arched as she saw what he brought out…it looked like a towel…? Aqua noticed the expression on her face and answered her unasked question.
"A towel," he explained, raising the garment. "To dry you off. It makes it easier for me to take you to the medics."
"The medics…?" she managed.
"Well, it's just to get you checked up, make sure you're all right."
"But…"
"Nope. No buts. Its not everyday someone's brought back to life after being underwater for so long. Now, come. WE have a while to travel," he retorted, taking her up and carrying her in his arms.
"But…"
"Conserve your strength," he hushed her.
Before she could object anymore, he was off, leaving their area in a cloud of dust.
* * *
"Sonic!" a familiar voice called out from down the hall of the medical ward.
"Sal!" Sonic turned to find his lifelong friend running towards him, with her brother in tow behind her.
"How is she? We got here as soon as we heard. Is she going to be all right?"
Sonic hung his head and shook it. "She's still in the operating room, I don't know what will happen. Things aren't looking good."
Sally sat next to him amongst the rest of them, which was followed by a short period of silence. Sally was debating whether she should ask the question she was thinking about. She already had the answer, but she didn't want to make any decisions without the others approval. She looked around the waiting room and found most of her friends staring at their shoes. She finally sighed and turned to Sonic.
"Do you suppose we should tell Knuckles…?"
Sonic frowned slightly. "Do you think that he would even care?" he asked recalling the previous day.
She thought for a moment. "Well, he does have a right to know…" she reasoned.
"Ol' Redlocks can do whatever he wants for all I care," he tussled.
"But Sonic…he's your friend…"
"Some friend he is!" Sonic exclaimed, raising his voice and drawing the attention of a few people in the room. "Anyone who treats Amy like that is no friend of mine!"
"Sonic," sally tilted her head slightly, "he has his reasons for acting the way he did."
"Don't butter me up, Sal. He never told me what the reason was, so he didn't have any right!"
"Sonic," she returned quietly, trying to get him to lower his voice, "I'm sure that Knuckles has taken time to think and is sorry for about what he did. You're overreacting."
"Who's overreacting?" he countered. "Wait and see. I bet you that he doesn't even show up here. Then we'll see if I'm overreacting or not."
* * *
"So, Knuckles…do you have a girlfriend?" Mina intruded.
Knuckles frowned. This was the absolute worst time to ask that question. He thought back to the fight he had with Rouge. She was the only one on his mind; he couldn't shake her, or what he said to her. It kept playing in his mind. He couldn't shake it. He was to be forever tormented with it…or at least until he found her and apologized. Which he was now planning to do. Okay…wake up Knuckles!
"Knuckles…!" Mina whined. She pouted. "Are you ignoring me?"
"Huh?" Knuckles snapped out of his trance. "Oh…no, I'm not, really! I was just thinking again…"
Mina arched an eyebrow. "Wow…what has you thinking so much?" She then got a sly grin. "Or who, for that matter."
Knuckles silently gasped as utter shock crossed him, that Mina could read him like a book. He eyed her suspiciously, but would comply with her question.
"Well, yes and no would be the answer to your first question, and it was her I was thinking of would be the second one."
Now both of Mina's eyebrows rose. "Yes and no?"
"It's kind of a long story…I'll try to shorten it for you."
"Okay."
"Well, we have been going out for quite some time now. I won't bore you with the details of how and where we met, but I will say that it was unique. Anyhow, up until yesterday we were content. That was until some strange hedgehog approached us and accused Rouge of being the robber of a Chaos Emerald."
"How awful," Mina retorted, picturing the story in her mind.
"That's not even the half of it. Stupid me believe the hedgehog and thinks she's guilty. Also, I think…I said a few things that I shouldn't have."
"Knuckles…how could you…" Mina stated in a half accusing, half despairing voice.
"I know, I know…I don't know what came over me. But you do have to understand; I'm still looking for shattered pieces of the Master Emerald, and her being a jewel aficionado, the possibility is always there that she might have some pieces. They could be anywhere, and anyone can have them."
"Well, that's understandable," Mina mused, "but you really should have talked to her about it before you accused her."
Knuckles sighed. "I know. That's why I'm headed to Knothole; I might be able to find her there and apologize."
"Well, the best of luck to the both of you. Now…is there any chance of you showing me some of your flying skills?" she smiled.
"Sure," he grinned. " Are you sure you can keep up on foot?"
"Just watch me!" she challenged.
* * *
The half orange, half gunmetal rabbit straggled around the outskirts of the Great Forest, irritated. She was looking for someone, more like waiting, and he failed to bless her with his presence. She sighed irritably and walked back towards the main path comeing out of the forest. She knew it would probably be best if she was back at the medical centre to give emotional support for Amy, but who she was looking for should also be there…and if he didn't arrive soon, she was going to hunt him down like a dog and drag him kicking and screaming to her bedside. Okay…maybe she was exaggerating a bit; she wasn't really that angry at him, it was just that the words he used on Amy burnt her heart, and she couldn't stand seeing the normally flamboyant radiant Amy so down and glum.
Bunnie was about to go airborne when she spotted two figures far down the path approaching the village. She ran up to them in anticipation, hoping and wishing that it was Knuckles, but at the same time hoping it wasn't…because she was about o take him by a dreadlock and drag him all the way to the hospital. Knuckles, surprised by her arrival, stopped in mid sentence while talking to Mina, to be interrogated by Bunnie.
"Knuckles!" she fumed, although she wasn't really that angry. "Where have ya been, mistah? We've been looking all over for ya!"
"I've been around, Bunnie," he replied plainly. "It's not like you guys missed me or anything."
"What are ya talking about? Amy is hurt! She needs us right now!"
Oh yeah…Amy… he thought.
He frowned on the sound of Amy's name; he guessed he wasn't really over what happened the previous day.
"I doubt that Amy needs my sympathy," he stated quietly, casting his eyes on the ground.
Bunnie twinged a bit, as if she felt pain. She then sprang forward and grabbed Knuckles by a dreadlock in her robotic hand. She then continued to drag him in the direction of the hospital. Mina was surprised, but didn't intervene; Knuckles had obviously missed something important and she wasn't going to keep him from it on her account.
"Oh, no you don't, mistah! Yer not leaving Amy and us again! Ah've been waiting all afternoon fer ya to show up and ah'm not letting ya leave until ya at least visit her!"
"Ow!" Knuckles griped. "Hey, Bunnie…! Let go! Ow! C'mon! OW!"
* * *
"Sonic," Hershey complained, "if you pace any more you're going to burn a hole in the floor. Sit down, would ya?"
Just then, Bookshire came out from the staff area and Sonic was instantly on him, even before everyone had the chance to even turn and look at him. Sonic was instantly a flurry of questions.
"Doc! Is she okay? Is she going to be all right? Is she awake?? Can we see her???"
"Whoa, whoa, slow down, son. I'll explain everything. She is going to be fine. Lucky for her, no vital organs were hit when she was shot, and having it be a laser charge, there was no need for extra surgery to remove the bullet. Also, remarkably, she has already awoken and is asking for you guys. You can go see her now, but remember that she has lost quite a bit of blood, so she's on an IV and might be a bit drowsy, so don't spend too long in with her. She's in room D-103."
A faint "Thanks!" could be heard from down the hall as Sonic blasted away.
Tails groaned with frustration. "Couldn't he at least waited for the rest of us…"
* * *
"Thanks, you guys, for being here for me…it means a lot to me," Amy smiled.
"You wouldn't even have to ask us, Ames," Sonic told her.
"I know I don't know you guys very well, seeing how we've only met yesterday, but it's great to know that someone cares for you, you know?"
"Don't you worry, Amy," Sally told her. "We're all friends here, and that's what friends are for."
They all watched as Amy shifted in her seat and as her eyes started to water. She didn't look too happy. They didn't understand, she just said she was happy to have them around as friends and happy that they were there for her, so why did it look as if she were about to cry. As they watched, they were soon to get their answer.
"Amy," Sonic started. "What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry, Sonic," she said quietly, sniffling.
"Sorry for what?"
"I'm sorry for getting in trouble again…I didn't mean for you to have to take me to the hospital today…its just that when Geoffrey came to attack Hershey earlier, I felt that I had to take him down to save her. It was going good…and that's when he hit me with his gun…"
She started to sob silently while Sonic consoled her. "Hey…it wasn't your fault that St. Jean shot at you. He's just doesn't have it all up there. And besides, who wouldn't want to come to the rescue of such a cute face. I know that I don't really show it much, but I sort of enjoy rescuing you; gives me something to do. Besides, I love the action I get when running from Robuttnik's clunkers after I save ya."
Amy remained unfazed by Sonic's words. "That's nice of you to say Sonic, but it seems lately as though I get into more trouble than usual." Amy paused long enough to make a big sigh. "Maybe Knuckles was right…maybe I am just a trouble maker…"
Everyone in the room was shocked and taken aback by Amy's words; even more so for what was to happen next.
"It's not true…" a voice started.
All turned to the doorway where the voice came from and mixed expressions. Except for Sonic, Tails, Hershey and the one behind the one at the door, who wore frowns, the others were in a state of shock.
"Knuckles?!" managed to escape everyone's mouth.
"Amy, I…"
Before he could finish, a commotion behind him caught attention. What he found was the same Aqua coloured hedgehog from the other day, carrying someone in his arms. Just to add to the confusion and shock, who else would it be in his arms? None other than…
"Rouge!" Knuckles barked out.
…of course.
Chibi-Akuji: [wipes forehead] Whew! That took loooooong… ú_ù; Gomen ne…I'm so sorry guys. I didn't mean for you to wait so long, but so many things happened since I started this. ń_n;; But the show…anou…story must go on, and on it shall go. ^_^ Be seeing ya!
