A/N: Um, since I forgot to do so before, I shall now. I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog, Tail, Knuckles, or any of the Sega characters featured in this story. They're all copyrighted by Sonicteam, Archie Comics, and…something else. I can't remember. However, I DO own Arielle Seafoam, the fox with the Chaos Emerald. I don't care if anyone wants to use her, but if you do, please give credit where credit is due! This story line is also mine. ^^ But we all knew that. :P I don't know even why I am doing this. I must be bored. :P Oh, and I apologize for the last chapter. Once again, it was rushed. o.O I feel like I'm on a schedule since there are a lot of readers for this fic…dah! I shall try to keep up on a good pace, like…let's say, a chapter a week? Sometimes it might be more, might be less…but that sounds good to me. So, you'll see a chapter a week! ^^; Now, with that pointless prattle done with, onward with the fic!
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Amy and Sonic huddled close, trying to keep the cold out. Within the cells of Shadow's lair, the dampness seemed to penetrate down into their very bones. Amy's teeth chattered as she pulled her skirt down as far over her legs as she could, berating herself internally for, just once, wearing something a bit warmer. Sonic put an arm around her and rubbed her back, trying to do what he could. In the past week since they had been trapped in the cell with only each other for company, Sonic couldn't help feeling a bit fond of the rose colored hedgehog sitting next to him. Although he would never admit that to Amy…
"S-sonic…" Amy chattered, looking over at him.
"Yeah?" he replied, still rubbing her back.
"W-when…do you think T-tails will come?"
Sonic sighed and took her chin in his free hand, looking her in the eye.
"I'm not sure, Amy," he replied, slightly sad. "I do know that he wouldn't just leave us here." He smiled and patted her cheek.
"I bet he's out there right now, trying to find a way to get inside," he added. Amy gave a half hearted smile, and put her hand over the one that Sonic had on her cheek.
"I-I sure hope so," she whispered, staring at him. Sonic stared back gently, and the two shared some meaningful eye contact, neither one really realizing that they were gradually getting closer and closer to one another…until finally, their lips met in a gentle, soft, but heartfelt kiss.
~*~
"How much farther, you think?" Tails asked as he walked along side the glowing ball of light.
"Not too much," Tikal replied airily. "I mean, we saw whoever it was from that tree…come on! How much father could it possibly be?" Tails shrugged.
"That's why I was asking you," he replied cheekily, grinning. Tikal groaned, and would have rolled her eyes had she been in her echidna form.
"You're not making this any better you know—" she started, but was cut off by another voice calling through the trees.
"Hello? Is anyone there? I thought I heard voices…" Tails and Tikal both froze.
"Who was that?" Tails whispered.
"I'm not sure," Tikal replied warily. "I'll check, though. Be back in a flash!" With that, she zoomed straight up into the air. Tails sighed wistfully after her.
"I remember when I could do that," he sighed, staring back at his injured tail. "Damn you, Shadow…damn you!"
He would have continued his rant had Tikal not flown back down right in front of his face then, bobbing up and down excitedly.
"It's the fox!" she cried excitedly. "Go on, answer her! Then we'll be able to find her!" Tails nodded and called out, hopefully so whoever this mysterious fox was would hear.
"Hi there! Where are you?"
He cocked his head and listened for a response, his ears upright and alert. A crash from the undergrowth to the left startled him, however, and he turned to see the face of the strange fox they had viewed from the tree.
She was strange, for sure. She had very pale blue fur with just a hint of lavender in it, with a cream colored chest and muzzle. She, however, only had one tail, and large, gratuitously lashed sea green eyes. Tails wasn't too impressed. While nice, she didn't have anything on Rouge.
"Hi," he repeated, staring at the fox. "Who are you?" The strange fox leapt for joy, running over to Tails happily.
"Boy, I'm so glad to see someone else out here!" she cried. "My name is Arielle Seafoam. I've been out here for so long without seeing anyone else!" Tails blinked, a bit taken aback by this sudden outburst. He was even more taken aback, however, when the giddy fox threw her arms about his neck, hugging him tightly.
"You're such a cutie, too!" she shouted gleefully. Tails squirmed as he tried to escape, scared out of his mind by this hyper…thing. Tikal chuckled behind him and made herself known to the young fox, much to his relief.
"Ahem," she said, tapping her foot. Arielle immediately let go of Tails and turned around to be met with the young female echidna.
"I believe that that's my boyfriend you were hugging?" she said snootily, throwing Tails a wink as she did so. Tails flashed her a thumbs up behind Arielle's back and sighed with relief. Even if Tikal was a pain sometimes, he was glad to have her around right now.
"Oh…hehe…um, sorry," Arielle said, scuffing one foot along the ground. "I-I…was just excited, ya know…from being out here all alone for so long…"
"Why are you alone?" Tails asked suddenly, causing her to look up in surprise. "Why don't you have any friends or family with you?" Arielle stared at him, a bit lost on what to say.
"…I'd rather not talk about it," she said finally, turning away again. Tails nodded respectfully and dropped the subject. He knew what it was like to lose your family…
"I won't mince words with you, Arielle," Tikal said, cutting off Tails' train of thought. He turned towards her and she continued speaking.
"We are out collecting the seven Chaos Emeralds. We happen to know that you have one of them. Now, I am sure that you would not be using it for malicious intent, given your…erm…personality, but we still need the stone." She stared at the fox, who stared back, incredulous.
"What?!" she cried. "You mean my pretty stone? You can't have that! I was going to give it to the fox I was going to marry! It was going to be their present!" Her eyes filled with tears and she gritted her teeth.
"You can't take it away from me! Not without a fight!" she cried, getting into a fighting stance. Tikal held out her hands defensively, taking a few steps back.
"Woah, woah!" she cried, backing away still farther. "We're not going to hurt you! And I'm sorry for your troubles…but we really need that stone! It's for the better good of the world!" She smiled and cautiously approached her.
"Now, you wouldn't want the world be in turmoil because of you, would you?" she asked kindly. Arielle sighed and lowered her head, seemingly defeated. Tikal flashed a smile to Tails, who gave a wink in return. They had it!
"Not just like that!" Arielle cried suddenly, causing the two friends to jump. "You aren't going to get it that easy." She grinned and hopped towards the two.
"I'll give you the Emerald…if I get to come with you!" Tails sweatdropped, looking none to pleased by this idea. Tikal didn't look any happier about it. This moron would do nothing but slow them down! She obviously knew nothing about taking care of herself or anything else—
"Well?" she asked, her hands on her hips. "If I can't come too, then you get no stone!" She battedher eyelashes at Tails, putting on her sweetest smile.
"Pleeeeease?" she cooed, practically begging. Tails rolled his eyes, disgusted, but sighed in defeat.
"Fine…" he groaned, looking up at her. "You can come with us." She grinned and jumped into the air with happiness.
"Hooray!" she cried, clapping her hands together in delight. She grabbed a hold of the two friend's hands and started to drag them back in the direction of their home, giggling merrily.
"Come on!" she yelled as she dragged them. "My house is right this way, and the Emerald is right there!" Tails looked over at Tikal, who gave him a weak smile. What had they just gotten themselves into?
~*~
Sonic and Amy lay on the floor on the prison, curled up around one another. After that first unplanned kiss, they both had been overwhelmed with emotion, telling the other about what they thought and were feeling. Amy sighed contentedly as she softly ruffled the spikes of the sleeping hedgehog next to her, feeling a sense of accomplishment along with one of affection. She had finally won him over. She, Amy Rose, had caught the fastest thing in the world by the only thing he couldn't outrun—love.
"Mission accomplished," she whispered, snuggling up against him and closing her eyes, smiling to herself as she dozed off.