Amy had forgotten
just how pretty the Mystic Ruins were. The sea on one side, the beach and
jungle on the other. As the train came to a halt and the doors slide opened,
Amy got her first breath she had had in a long time of fresh air. The smell of old wood that made up the exit platform, the sweet sent of
sea and surf, the aroma of green jungle plants of every sort came rushing
though Amy's nose. Amy felt all her stress melt away at the tranquil setting.
After leaving
the train station and doubling back under the huge arched brick bridge
that connected the rock tunnel with the station they were climbing up the
steps of a large hill within shouting distance of both the sea and the
station.
The hill's top
had two levels. One of which Amy knew to be artificial. The lower one which
was used as a landing strip for air craft of average size still showed
the battle scars of Sonic and Tails fight with Eggman's Egg Hornet weapon.
The second one
was an air strip with palm trees lining the side (Amy didn't know if they
were real or not). The girl had only heard what Sonic had said about the
long strip of dirt transforming into an air strip. She had to ask Tails
to do it once while she was there. On the end furriest from the water was
Tails' work shop. A small cabin built on top of a hanger with a hydro-powered
generator connected to the side.
Amy realized something.
"Tails? Do you
have any food? I haven't eaten since yesterday morning."
Tails looked at her surprised. Then wondered at his own surprise.
He had seen her pantry.
"Sure I have
some pepperoni pizza left in my fridge." Amy looked a little strange.
"Uh . . . do
you have any viggie pizza?"
"Viggie?! Why
would . . . oh yea I forgot Hedgehogs are herbivores." His main reason
for forgetting was that Sonic was an exception to that rule and before
Amy, the blue blur had been Tails' only info on the hedgehog species. Tails
was omnivorous only because he had grown up with Sonic and had picked up
his habits.
After finding
some fruit for Amy and heating the pizza for himself, lunch went by quickly.
Both kept to the topics of the weather and of the Mystic Ruins becoming
a protected zone for wild life.
After eating Amy asked where the Tornado III was. She was surprised
when Tails took her to the hanger and found it empty. Tails didn't react,
he only went to a corner of the metal hanger and opened up a trap door
with bars leading down. Following Tails down, Amy heard the hum of
machinery.
"You built this
all yourself?"
"No. They actually
built the water works here. It takes water in from the sea, desalinizes
it and pumps it out to the surrounding areas."
"Desal-what?"
"It means they
take the salt out of it."
"Oh."
"I just used
my income as a discount programmer and mechanic to buy the space near the
edge of the cliff they don't use anymore."
After navigating the maze of pipe with great ease Tails lead
Amy to the second hanger underneath the rock cliffs over looking the sea.
Amy couldn't see it because the doors were closed. But the main door, (painted
with Tails' trade mark of two tails) was hidden from view by a natural
water fall.
Amy took one look at the Tornado III and said.
"Looks pretty
much like the first two." She said disappointed.
Tails smiled at her. "Just you wait and see."
Tails hopped into the cock pit turning on the planing power systems.
He checked off the systems one by one.
"Tornado, transform!"
He laughed. Amy waited to see it turn into an x-wing fighter like Sonic
had told her about during that catch up at the Chao Races. Instead to her
shock and total amazement it re-configured before her eyes into a walker.
"Say hello to
the Cyclone I." Tails said happily from the cock pit. "And that's just
form one, check this out!" Amy had to hold into something as the walker
before her changed shape yet again, this time into a racer. "Wish I had
this thing during Sonic R." Tails commented. "Wannna see the x-wing mode?"
Amy could only nod.
The racer once
again transformed, now into the x-wing type fighter that Tails had used
in his second assault on the Egg Carrier. Tails then shifted the machine
back into it's default bi-plane mode. Amy touched the machine to make sure
it was real.
"Tails . . . that's totally incredible! How did you fit so many in this one thing?!"
"Trade secret."
Amy went on.
"Wow! I just
can't believe it! This machine rocks! You've been working on it this whole
time since Sonic Adventure? Tails I never imagined you could make something
like this. . . . Tails . . . You, are a pro!"
After waiting so long for any kind of praise for all his hard
work Tails said the first thing that came to mind.
"Thanks." He
jumped out of the biplane. Silence again. "It's so weird. I've been waiting
so long for someone to say something like that. To say that I had done
something good. To say that I have real skill. For someone to care about
what I've done." He realized what he had just said. 'for someone to care.
. . .'
"Thank you."
She said her voice cracking.
"For what?"
"For caring . . .
It's . . . nice to know someone cares."
"Amy, I . . ."
They looked into each others eyes, slowly their faces moved towards
each other. Time slowed. Tails could hear his own heart beat pound in his
ears. Amy couldn't breath. They inched closer and closer together. They
slowed. They stop. The world was fading back into view. Their lips were
centimeters apart.
[i] "Why do
you always take chances Sonic?"
" I live the moment.
Because they'll never come again." [/i]
The pair grabbed
onto each other's shoulders and locked lips. Both hedgehog and fox were
on fire. Time lost it's meaning and both stop only to breath. Maybe, the
silence was alright, maybe. Maybe they didn't need words to communicate.
Maybe actions spoke louder than words. Maybe . . . they just needed each
other to get though this.
At the end of each day, or whenever you are away. There are all these
things I want to say.
But wherever you go, you'll always know, I got so much more to show.
It was such a surprise when I looked into your eyes. It's only then
I realized.
Your the one for me. No one else I wanna see. No place I would rather
be.
All I need is you. (for always and forever)
All you need is me. (remember when I say . . . .)
All we need is love. (for us to be together.)
Cause your my number one.
Flames, comments, reactions, suggestions, and the occasional constructive
criticism all welcome.
For those of you who don't know, 'never second chance' was a line from
Sonic CD.
