I'm working on Little Planet, really I am! Then I got this huuuge wave of inspiration for a Sonamy one-shot! I couldn't resist! X3;; *cough*
A few notes before we begin! Firstly, this one-shot was originally inspired by the second end sequence of Sonic X. If you want to see it, the link is posted in my profile! It won't spoil anything, and it's really sweet!
And for those who've only seen up to episode 14 (with Helen and the president's party), there are references to a future episode in here. But I swear I don't give any plots or new things or whatnot away! I'm simply referring to one incident that I don't think got covered very much at all! I just got all insightful and made a big wordy fluff about it. It's a character flaw. ^^;
And yes, Amy calls Sonic "Sonikku" in my fics! I decided long ago that she sounds much cuter calling him that, and it'd make a sweet pet name. X3
The final note! This fluff is dedicated to my fellow Sonamy obsessee, a wonderfully fun person who was kind enough to give me feedback not only on this, but on Little Planet as well. She's a darn good writer to boot! To my dear Jen-chan, this one's for you! *huggles* Sonamy fluff forever!!
Awright, enough notes! Onward!
*~*~*
CLEARING THE FOG
by Ryuko DragonHalf
*~*~*
Shortly after the first day of fall passes, the cold can take its sweet time to settle in. That doesn't stop it from making its presence known. Walking down the street, everyone can sense a certain nip to the wind. The frosty taste in the air sends chills throughout their entire skeleton, a feeling that sets in and won't leave until the renewal of spring. During this time, the heat may struggle to keep itself for a few days longer. Locked in an epic battle of the elements, the mingling of warmth and chill leaves an eerie mist hanging in the atmosphere. This fog usually makes its presence known in the early hours; call it an aftermath of the nocturnal fight between the seasons.
This is where our story takes place, overlooking a little park in the midst of downtown Station Square. It was barely after seven in the morning, and the fog clung to the air in its' final hour. The wind was lukewarm, leaving an odd sensation on early birds and passersby; they couldn't decide if they were feeling a bit chilly or slightly warm. The trees and grass managed to maintain their forest green tint, but that wouldn't last much longer. A setting like this is confusing. Will the day be warm or cold? How long will the greenery stay? Can nature make up its mind? Are we to be shrouded in this fog forever? Uncertain thoughts like these beget more uncertain thoughts, ones that have nothing to do with the changing seasons, but have everything to do with.. well, personal issues.
The park was surrounded by a rank of strong trees. And hiding between these trees was an individual who was having uncertain thoughts. She was veiled by the fog, and she leaned against the back of the tree, facing away from the park. All was quiet. A few birds chittered in the distance, and the odd car raced by, but other than that, silence.
She wouldn't speak. She resorted only to thinking. If she spoke, someone might hear her thoughts. That was the last thing she wanted right then, even though she was a very sociable person. Not this time.
Only a sigh escaped her lips. Her arms folded behind her back, one foot braced against the tree trunk, and her head bowed gently. She could do nothing to fight the thoughts; she could only embrace them, and hope to make sense of them before her heart shattered.
Most of them were questions. 'What is it I feel? What does he feel? Why do I feel this? And why does he do that? What's the point of feeling this for him if he will never return them? No... he might return them. But he won't show it. Why? I understand who he is, and maybe his reasons for doing what he does.. that doesn't mean I don't want him to show me what he feels. Just once.. just once...'
By now, I'm sure you've figured out who is pondering these things. A little pink hedgehog, garbed in a red dress and matching boots, and her heart caught in an uncertain fog of its own.
For years, Amy had devoted herself to a heroic blue hedgehog, renowned for his attutide, selfless acts, and the strangest aura of hinted secrecy that surrounded him. After all, who has ever really and truly known Sonic the Hedgehog? One minute he's as carefree as a Flicky, the next, he was completely focused and serious. Not to mention, he's full of surprises; besides his phenomenal speed, he's best known for thinking on a whim and doing the first thing that leaps to mind, no matter how ludicrous it could be. Everything about him, his personality, his nature, his secrecy, even his looks... all of them caught Amy's attention, and had kept it for years. She gave chase, hoping to understand this intriguing figure, the only other hedgehog she'd come across since before she could remember.
Her relentless pursuit lead her here, with her friends, and Sonic. Now they were stranded in this strange world, the only "animals" that could walk and talk like the humans. Now they needed each other, more than ever. Amy noticed how much closer everyone had become over the past few months -- Tails and Cream were practically siblings to her. Chris and his family were very kind...
Amy had a suddenly odd thought. She treated Cream and Tails like siblings, but unlike Chris's family, they weren't the same.. well, species. A chilly finger of a breeze brushed across her shoulders, the same instant she opened her eyes in shock.
Sonic was the only other hedgehog... in this world, that was a given. And yet, they were hardly considered any closer than friends. Never siblings, never family.. never two hedgehogs in love. It didn't matter how often he had saved her life, or (as proven possible) how often she saved his. Risking life and limb for each other didn't change much of anything, let alone the fact they were the only two hedgehogs around. Well, why not?
A frustrated groan flew from her throat, her eyes sliding shut once again. She wanted to say he was shy. She desperately wanted to. But she didn't really know. The awful reality was that it could be anything, and that included complete rejection.
'That doesn't make sense though,' she mused silently. 'If he doesn't like me, why does he go to so much trouble to save me? Is it because I'm a hedgehog, like him? Does he just want company? He might return my feelings... then again, he might not. Oh, I wish I knew for sure! It must be one or the other! Even if it's something in between, I don't care, I just want to know! Everything's so foggy...'
The silence of the park was broken, though not because of Amy. She froze; gentle footsteps crossed the well-kept lawn behind her. Perhaps they were just passing by.. they would leave soon... yes, it was just another confused soul taking a stroll in the fog. They were getting closer. Once the footsteps faded away, Amy would go back to her thinking.. it was nice to get away from everyone for a bit and organize her thoughts. Still coming closer. Closer.
They stopped. They didn't fade, they stopped. They were just around the tree. Had she been spotted?
Amy remained perfectly still. No sense revealing herself if she hadn't been noticed in the first place. Now, back to thoughts of Sonic...
"Amy?"
The girl's heart instantly started hammering. She knew that voice. Of all the people to find her..! She couldn't face him, not now, not yet! Everything was still too foggy! Amy's mind raced in circles, while the object of her affections stood a few feet away, patiently waiting for a reply.
Hold the phone. Patiently? He wasn't demanding for her to come out or answer.. he was actually being patient. He wanted something, but for once, he wasn't in a hurry to get it. What could that be? Curiosity overcame her, and the beginnings of a plot; maybe this was her chance to finally figure him out. One question was all it took.. that and the courage to ask it.
She didn't move from her spot, but slightly turned her head so she could see him. Sort of. The fog made it impossible for any details to be picked out, but she could see him well enough. Cobalt fur, a proud and sure stance, his brilliant green eyes.. was he smiling?
Silence and fog hung between them for a moment. They just looked at each other until Sonic spoke again. "Nice weather, huh?" he commented amusedly.
Amy couldn't help herself a light giggle. "Yeah, it's gorgeous... anyway, what's up?" she queried innocently.
"Well, uh..." Sonic appeared to lose his train of thought for a second. He blinked and searched for the right words. "I-I wanted to talk to you about.. the other day... and, well.. I wanted to say how sorry I am."
The dreaded other day. Amy suspected that was the topic, and she wasn't altogether pleased. If it wasn't for that day, she wouldn't be having doubts and uncertainties right now. She lowered her gaze and turned away. "You don't have to, Sonikku," she said carelessly, using the nickname she'd given him so long ago. "I know you're sorry. You don't have to apologize again."
"Yeah, but I can't help thinking something's still wrong," he insisted. Then he slowly started closing the gap. Before Amy could protest, he was leaning his back against the trunk as well, practically brushing shoulders. She thought her heart would go into cardiac arrest, considering how fast it was pumping then. He turned his head to face her and made an offer. "Do you wanna talk?"
"N-no, no, not right now," babbled the pink hedgehog. Her voice was having trouble articulating itself.
Unfortunately, Sonic wouldn't take no for an answer. "Listen Ames, I just spent half the night worrying about this. Like it or not, we're talking."
'Hah! Worrying. Of course. And did he just call me.. Ames? Sonikku, you don't make any sense at all!' her mind screamed. Her voice was much more timid, and she refused to look anywhere else but at her shoe. "Fine, have it your way. What do you want to know?"
The quiet monotone of her voice unsettled Sonic. He never expected that. "Um... I guess.. I wanna know how you're feeling."
This was it. Amy took a moment to gather her courage before speaking again. "You really want to know?"
"Yes, or I wouldn't have asked. Come on."
"Okay then," she sighed, then moved from the tree and faced him head on. "Sonikku, that's what I wanted to ask you. How are you feeling?"
As she'd guessed, Sonic was dumbfounded for a moment. "Wha? Whaddya mean? Why do you want to know? I mean, I'm feeling bad for doing this to you, but--"
"That's not it," Amy corrected. "I mean me. How are you feeling about me?"
Comprehension dawned on him, but he had no idea how to go about answering that. Amy picked up on this. She wasn't surprised in the least. "Okay, I need to explain.
"For the longest time, I've always believed you only thought of me as a 'good' friend. But if that's true, why do you risk your life to save mine? You'd have to like me as more than a 'good' friend to do that, wouldn't you? I mean... Sonikku, you just about drowned trying to save me!" The memory of what happened at Emerald Coast, of opening her eyes to see him, sinking like a stone, arms outstretched... tears pricked at her eyes. She looked away and steadied her voice. "No matter what, if I'm in trouble, I know you'll be coming to save me. What does that mean, Sonikku? Until the other day, I thought it meant something. It meant that you cared. But then you... you had to--" She choked, shoulders shaking.
Sonic let it all sink in. He understood now, and he felt worse than before. He pondered this while Amy collected herself.
His silent recession into thought left a negative impression on Amy. Why wouldn't he say anything about it? Deciding this was on the verge of becoming too much, she turned heel and started walking away. "Just-- never mind, Sonikku. If you have nothing to say, then neither do I."
"Wait, Amy!" Sonic practically leaped forward, cutting her off and staring her down. "I was only thinking about everything. Gimme a chance!"
"I've given you lots of chances," she stated grimly, meeting his eyes with a stubborn frown. "First you save my life, treat me like a friend instead of the plague, and just when I thought we were becoming closer, you toy with my emotions as if it's all a game? The other day wasn't like all the other times you've run away from me. Go ahead, call me weak, but I.. my heart can't take that. I refuse to let it suffer any more. I've had enough."
The fog was slowly dissipating around them. She could clearly see the shellshocked expression on her hero's face. It gave her a sense of satisfaction; she had confessed everything to him and made her stand. And yet she felt awful. Angry as she was, another part of her was begging to forgive him, to put it all behind and start over. She couldn't believe any of this was happening. Nor could she back down now. This had to end, it had gone too far. She couldn't run into his embrace, as much as she wanted to..
Sonic's jaw worked soundlessly as he tried to come up with a decent rebuttal. Nothing came. He felt suddenly panicked when Amy just sighed, rolled her eyes, and moved to walk away. "No! Wait!" he persisted, this time grabbing her arm in a gentle grip. Much to his relief, she halted, without looking at him.
"Sonikku, please.."
"Hear me out Ames! I was a jerk and I'm sorry. You deserve better than that. You deserve.. to know how I feel."
Amy's tense frame relaxed a bit. Some of her anger melted away, hearing those words. Was he going to be honest with her at last? "Are you going to tell me?" asked the girl, still uncertain.
"I promise."
She couldn't refuse those two words. Then again, she couldn't really refuse Sonic in the first place. She looked at him again and waited.
Instead of speaking, he firstly placed his paws on her shoulders. He wanted to make sure that she paid attention.. that she would stay. "Amy Rose.... what I feel for you is..."
A slight gasp. He was really going to tell her!
".. is confusing."
Well! That wasn't anywhere near what she expected him to say. Her face fell. "Wh-what do you mean?"
"Aah, it's hard to say, really.. I'll give it a shot," he assured with a comical smile; the sight gave Amy's spirits a boost, and she returned the smile with her own. Then he cleared his throat. "I can't really explain what it is I feel. Sometimes I'm annoyed, sometimes I'm impatient, sometimes I think you're pretty cool. But no matter what I'm thinking, if you're in trouble... I-I can't help it. I have to save you! I get this bad feeling when I think of... what'll happen if I don't. It's gotta be one of the worst... just.." He paused to shake the dark thoughts from his head. He had no idea what kind of impact his words were having on Amy.
"Although I gotta admit," he continued, "I'm not as worried as before. Nowadays, you've been showing me that you can stand up for yourself too. And that's started something. It's just... you, everything about you, especially after you saved me at the beach.. I'm feeling something, but I don't know what it is. To be honest, it makes me nervous. I don't like nervous. So I guess that's why I've been pushing you away. I know how you feel... and the last thing I want to do is hurt you. Ames, I'm really and truly sorry for what I did to you. I was desperate, and that's no excuse for me to do that. It never hit me how badly I could hurt you!" Sonic sighed, an odd smirk curved across his muzzle. "There it is again... that feeling. I don't understand it though! It's like.. like running through fog at midnight. I'm lost and confused, I dunno what to do..."
Here he stopped, giving Amy a chance to comment. The fog was almost completely gone now, as the sunlight was gradually seeping through the mist and unveiling the morning sky to the world below. A handful of birds joined in a twittering chorus. They signaled the start of the new day, and moments later, the rest of the world seemed to stir and begin the daily routine of life.
Amy appeared to be frozen in time. She didn't budge an inch; she stared at Sonic, rendered completely speechless. This lasted for a few awkward seconds. "Uh... Amy?" he finally asked.
The sound of his voice snapped her out of her stupor. In the space of a blink, the girl threw herself at him with a tiny cry, her arms automatically wrapping around his neck. Sonic only yelped and took a step backwards, half-wanting to gently untangle Amy's embrace and forget he said anything.
Then he heard something. Amy was practically shaking, and he could hear muffled sobs coming from his shoulder, where she had buried her muzzle. There weren't any tears, but raw emotion made her quiver like a leaf. It was apparent in her voice.
"Y-you care! I didn't th-think you did, b-but you do! I was so sc-cared we wouldn't be friends ever again!" Her grip tightened, as if she was afraid of losing him. This started up the strange feeling that Sonic kept experiencing. It caused a tingling sensation to explode in his chest, and he realized how much he liked it.
"Aw c'mon Ames," he said quietly, wrapping his arms around her in return.
"I didn't understand why you did that... I see now.. oh Sonikku, thank you so much for telling me!"
"Not a problem. And believe me, I'm never doing that to you ever again!" He pulled away and looked her in the eye. She was positively beaming at him, a comfortably familiar (and strangely welcome) sight. "Forgive me?"
"Well, what do you think?" she giggled, completely overcome with joy and relief.
Sonic grinned right back at her. "Thanks. Say, wanna head back and grab some breakfast? Everyone's probably worried sick about us."
"Sure thing." Amy released Sonic from her hug and grabbed his paw. "Ready when you are!" she chirped.
But Sonic only frowned. "Hey, no way you're hanging on like that!"
A quick stab of confusion poked Amy in the gut. "Whaddya mean, 'hanging on like that'? I can't keep up with you!" She wondered briefly if he had gone back to his confusing self, the contradicting Sonic that never gave her a straight answer.
"I know, no one can keep up with me," Sonic joked. "I meant that you should hang on with style."
He then proceeded to scoop Amy up in his arms, cradling her as he did the very first time he'd rescued her. She squeaked and turned bright red, staring at him. "S-Sonikku?"
"Now don't get any ideas," he warned, despite the mystery feeling causing even his fingertips to go numb. "I owe you for being such a moron, so you get to travel the Sonic Express, first class! Ready?"
Amy fought her blush away, and returned her arms to their familiar hold around Sonic's neck. Everything was fine now. She understood Sonic a little more, and held renewed hope for the future. After all, whatever it was he felt could blossom into something more. And if it didn't, she was quite content where they were now. "You bet!" she cheered.
"Then here we go!"
A bright blue streak tore through the park as the sunlight finally overcame it's blockade. The day was fresh and new. The fog was gone at long last. All was clear and bright for everyone.. especially for the only walking, talking hedgehogs in Station Square.
*~*~*
Not only was that wordy, but the ending was rushed and I couldn't improve on it!! *DIES* I tried, but nothing worked.. waahh... anyway, that's what I think! But I'm not reviewing my own work! I rely on you, the fellow fans! If you're feeling generous, you know what to do! ^_^ A big thanks to anyone who's made it this far! JA NE!
A few notes before we begin! Firstly, this one-shot was originally inspired by the second end sequence of Sonic X. If you want to see it, the link is posted in my profile! It won't spoil anything, and it's really sweet!
And for those who've only seen up to episode 14 (with Helen and the president's party), there are references to a future episode in here. But I swear I don't give any plots or new things or whatnot away! I'm simply referring to one incident that I don't think got covered very much at all! I just got all insightful and made a big wordy fluff about it. It's a character flaw. ^^;
And yes, Amy calls Sonic "Sonikku" in my fics! I decided long ago that she sounds much cuter calling him that, and it'd make a sweet pet name. X3
The final note! This fluff is dedicated to my fellow Sonamy obsessee, a wonderfully fun person who was kind enough to give me feedback not only on this, but on Little Planet as well. She's a darn good writer to boot! To my dear Jen-chan, this one's for you! *huggles* Sonamy fluff forever!!
Awright, enough notes! Onward!
*~*~*
CLEARING THE FOG
by Ryuko DragonHalf
*~*~*
Shortly after the first day of fall passes, the cold can take its sweet time to settle in. That doesn't stop it from making its presence known. Walking down the street, everyone can sense a certain nip to the wind. The frosty taste in the air sends chills throughout their entire skeleton, a feeling that sets in and won't leave until the renewal of spring. During this time, the heat may struggle to keep itself for a few days longer. Locked in an epic battle of the elements, the mingling of warmth and chill leaves an eerie mist hanging in the atmosphere. This fog usually makes its presence known in the early hours; call it an aftermath of the nocturnal fight between the seasons.
This is where our story takes place, overlooking a little park in the midst of downtown Station Square. It was barely after seven in the morning, and the fog clung to the air in its' final hour. The wind was lukewarm, leaving an odd sensation on early birds and passersby; they couldn't decide if they were feeling a bit chilly or slightly warm. The trees and grass managed to maintain their forest green tint, but that wouldn't last much longer. A setting like this is confusing. Will the day be warm or cold? How long will the greenery stay? Can nature make up its mind? Are we to be shrouded in this fog forever? Uncertain thoughts like these beget more uncertain thoughts, ones that have nothing to do with the changing seasons, but have everything to do with.. well, personal issues.
The park was surrounded by a rank of strong trees. And hiding between these trees was an individual who was having uncertain thoughts. She was veiled by the fog, and she leaned against the back of the tree, facing away from the park. All was quiet. A few birds chittered in the distance, and the odd car raced by, but other than that, silence.
She wouldn't speak. She resorted only to thinking. If she spoke, someone might hear her thoughts. That was the last thing she wanted right then, even though she was a very sociable person. Not this time.
Only a sigh escaped her lips. Her arms folded behind her back, one foot braced against the tree trunk, and her head bowed gently. She could do nothing to fight the thoughts; she could only embrace them, and hope to make sense of them before her heart shattered.
Most of them were questions. 'What is it I feel? What does he feel? Why do I feel this? And why does he do that? What's the point of feeling this for him if he will never return them? No... he might return them. But he won't show it. Why? I understand who he is, and maybe his reasons for doing what he does.. that doesn't mean I don't want him to show me what he feels. Just once.. just once...'
By now, I'm sure you've figured out who is pondering these things. A little pink hedgehog, garbed in a red dress and matching boots, and her heart caught in an uncertain fog of its own.
For years, Amy had devoted herself to a heroic blue hedgehog, renowned for his attutide, selfless acts, and the strangest aura of hinted secrecy that surrounded him. After all, who has ever really and truly known Sonic the Hedgehog? One minute he's as carefree as a Flicky, the next, he was completely focused and serious. Not to mention, he's full of surprises; besides his phenomenal speed, he's best known for thinking on a whim and doing the first thing that leaps to mind, no matter how ludicrous it could be. Everything about him, his personality, his nature, his secrecy, even his looks... all of them caught Amy's attention, and had kept it for years. She gave chase, hoping to understand this intriguing figure, the only other hedgehog she'd come across since before she could remember.
Her relentless pursuit lead her here, with her friends, and Sonic. Now they were stranded in this strange world, the only "animals" that could walk and talk like the humans. Now they needed each other, more than ever. Amy noticed how much closer everyone had become over the past few months -- Tails and Cream were practically siblings to her. Chris and his family were very kind...
Amy had a suddenly odd thought. She treated Cream and Tails like siblings, but unlike Chris's family, they weren't the same.. well, species. A chilly finger of a breeze brushed across her shoulders, the same instant she opened her eyes in shock.
Sonic was the only other hedgehog... in this world, that was a given. And yet, they were hardly considered any closer than friends. Never siblings, never family.. never two hedgehogs in love. It didn't matter how often he had saved her life, or (as proven possible) how often she saved his. Risking life and limb for each other didn't change much of anything, let alone the fact they were the only two hedgehogs around. Well, why not?
A frustrated groan flew from her throat, her eyes sliding shut once again. She wanted to say he was shy. She desperately wanted to. But she didn't really know. The awful reality was that it could be anything, and that included complete rejection.
'That doesn't make sense though,' she mused silently. 'If he doesn't like me, why does he go to so much trouble to save me? Is it because I'm a hedgehog, like him? Does he just want company? He might return my feelings... then again, he might not. Oh, I wish I knew for sure! It must be one or the other! Even if it's something in between, I don't care, I just want to know! Everything's so foggy...'
The silence of the park was broken, though not because of Amy. She froze; gentle footsteps crossed the well-kept lawn behind her. Perhaps they were just passing by.. they would leave soon... yes, it was just another confused soul taking a stroll in the fog. They were getting closer. Once the footsteps faded away, Amy would go back to her thinking.. it was nice to get away from everyone for a bit and organize her thoughts. Still coming closer. Closer.
They stopped. They didn't fade, they stopped. They were just around the tree. Had she been spotted?
Amy remained perfectly still. No sense revealing herself if she hadn't been noticed in the first place. Now, back to thoughts of Sonic...
"Amy?"
The girl's heart instantly started hammering. She knew that voice. Of all the people to find her..! She couldn't face him, not now, not yet! Everything was still too foggy! Amy's mind raced in circles, while the object of her affections stood a few feet away, patiently waiting for a reply.
Hold the phone. Patiently? He wasn't demanding for her to come out or answer.. he was actually being patient. He wanted something, but for once, he wasn't in a hurry to get it. What could that be? Curiosity overcame her, and the beginnings of a plot; maybe this was her chance to finally figure him out. One question was all it took.. that and the courage to ask it.
She didn't move from her spot, but slightly turned her head so she could see him. Sort of. The fog made it impossible for any details to be picked out, but she could see him well enough. Cobalt fur, a proud and sure stance, his brilliant green eyes.. was he smiling?
Silence and fog hung between them for a moment. They just looked at each other until Sonic spoke again. "Nice weather, huh?" he commented amusedly.
Amy couldn't help herself a light giggle. "Yeah, it's gorgeous... anyway, what's up?" she queried innocently.
"Well, uh..." Sonic appeared to lose his train of thought for a second. He blinked and searched for the right words. "I-I wanted to talk to you about.. the other day... and, well.. I wanted to say how sorry I am."
The dreaded other day. Amy suspected that was the topic, and she wasn't altogether pleased. If it wasn't for that day, she wouldn't be having doubts and uncertainties right now. She lowered her gaze and turned away. "You don't have to, Sonikku," she said carelessly, using the nickname she'd given him so long ago. "I know you're sorry. You don't have to apologize again."
"Yeah, but I can't help thinking something's still wrong," he insisted. Then he slowly started closing the gap. Before Amy could protest, he was leaning his back against the trunk as well, practically brushing shoulders. She thought her heart would go into cardiac arrest, considering how fast it was pumping then. He turned his head to face her and made an offer. "Do you wanna talk?"
"N-no, no, not right now," babbled the pink hedgehog. Her voice was having trouble articulating itself.
Unfortunately, Sonic wouldn't take no for an answer. "Listen Ames, I just spent half the night worrying about this. Like it or not, we're talking."
'Hah! Worrying. Of course. And did he just call me.. Ames? Sonikku, you don't make any sense at all!' her mind screamed. Her voice was much more timid, and she refused to look anywhere else but at her shoe. "Fine, have it your way. What do you want to know?"
The quiet monotone of her voice unsettled Sonic. He never expected that. "Um... I guess.. I wanna know how you're feeling."
This was it. Amy took a moment to gather her courage before speaking again. "You really want to know?"
"Yes, or I wouldn't have asked. Come on."
"Okay then," she sighed, then moved from the tree and faced him head on. "Sonikku, that's what I wanted to ask you. How are you feeling?"
As she'd guessed, Sonic was dumbfounded for a moment. "Wha? Whaddya mean? Why do you want to know? I mean, I'm feeling bad for doing this to you, but--"
"That's not it," Amy corrected. "I mean me. How are you feeling about me?"
Comprehension dawned on him, but he had no idea how to go about answering that. Amy picked up on this. She wasn't surprised in the least. "Okay, I need to explain.
"For the longest time, I've always believed you only thought of me as a 'good' friend. But if that's true, why do you risk your life to save mine? You'd have to like me as more than a 'good' friend to do that, wouldn't you? I mean... Sonikku, you just about drowned trying to save me!" The memory of what happened at Emerald Coast, of opening her eyes to see him, sinking like a stone, arms outstretched... tears pricked at her eyes. She looked away and steadied her voice. "No matter what, if I'm in trouble, I know you'll be coming to save me. What does that mean, Sonikku? Until the other day, I thought it meant something. It meant that you cared. But then you... you had to--" She choked, shoulders shaking.
Sonic let it all sink in. He understood now, and he felt worse than before. He pondered this while Amy collected herself.
His silent recession into thought left a negative impression on Amy. Why wouldn't he say anything about it? Deciding this was on the verge of becoming too much, she turned heel and started walking away. "Just-- never mind, Sonikku. If you have nothing to say, then neither do I."
"Wait, Amy!" Sonic practically leaped forward, cutting her off and staring her down. "I was only thinking about everything. Gimme a chance!"
"I've given you lots of chances," she stated grimly, meeting his eyes with a stubborn frown. "First you save my life, treat me like a friend instead of the plague, and just when I thought we were becoming closer, you toy with my emotions as if it's all a game? The other day wasn't like all the other times you've run away from me. Go ahead, call me weak, but I.. my heart can't take that. I refuse to let it suffer any more. I've had enough."
The fog was slowly dissipating around them. She could clearly see the shellshocked expression on her hero's face. It gave her a sense of satisfaction; she had confessed everything to him and made her stand. And yet she felt awful. Angry as she was, another part of her was begging to forgive him, to put it all behind and start over. She couldn't believe any of this was happening. Nor could she back down now. This had to end, it had gone too far. She couldn't run into his embrace, as much as she wanted to..
Sonic's jaw worked soundlessly as he tried to come up with a decent rebuttal. Nothing came. He felt suddenly panicked when Amy just sighed, rolled her eyes, and moved to walk away. "No! Wait!" he persisted, this time grabbing her arm in a gentle grip. Much to his relief, she halted, without looking at him.
"Sonikku, please.."
"Hear me out Ames! I was a jerk and I'm sorry. You deserve better than that. You deserve.. to know how I feel."
Amy's tense frame relaxed a bit. Some of her anger melted away, hearing those words. Was he going to be honest with her at last? "Are you going to tell me?" asked the girl, still uncertain.
"I promise."
She couldn't refuse those two words. Then again, she couldn't really refuse Sonic in the first place. She looked at him again and waited.
Instead of speaking, he firstly placed his paws on her shoulders. He wanted to make sure that she paid attention.. that she would stay. "Amy Rose.... what I feel for you is..."
A slight gasp. He was really going to tell her!
".. is confusing."
Well! That wasn't anywhere near what she expected him to say. Her face fell. "Wh-what do you mean?"
"Aah, it's hard to say, really.. I'll give it a shot," he assured with a comical smile; the sight gave Amy's spirits a boost, and she returned the smile with her own. Then he cleared his throat. "I can't really explain what it is I feel. Sometimes I'm annoyed, sometimes I'm impatient, sometimes I think you're pretty cool. But no matter what I'm thinking, if you're in trouble... I-I can't help it. I have to save you! I get this bad feeling when I think of... what'll happen if I don't. It's gotta be one of the worst... just.." He paused to shake the dark thoughts from his head. He had no idea what kind of impact his words were having on Amy.
"Although I gotta admit," he continued, "I'm not as worried as before. Nowadays, you've been showing me that you can stand up for yourself too. And that's started something. It's just... you, everything about you, especially after you saved me at the beach.. I'm feeling something, but I don't know what it is. To be honest, it makes me nervous. I don't like nervous. So I guess that's why I've been pushing you away. I know how you feel... and the last thing I want to do is hurt you. Ames, I'm really and truly sorry for what I did to you. I was desperate, and that's no excuse for me to do that. It never hit me how badly I could hurt you!" Sonic sighed, an odd smirk curved across his muzzle. "There it is again... that feeling. I don't understand it though! It's like.. like running through fog at midnight. I'm lost and confused, I dunno what to do..."
Here he stopped, giving Amy a chance to comment. The fog was almost completely gone now, as the sunlight was gradually seeping through the mist and unveiling the morning sky to the world below. A handful of birds joined in a twittering chorus. They signaled the start of the new day, and moments later, the rest of the world seemed to stir and begin the daily routine of life.
Amy appeared to be frozen in time. She didn't budge an inch; she stared at Sonic, rendered completely speechless. This lasted for a few awkward seconds. "Uh... Amy?" he finally asked.
The sound of his voice snapped her out of her stupor. In the space of a blink, the girl threw herself at him with a tiny cry, her arms automatically wrapping around his neck. Sonic only yelped and took a step backwards, half-wanting to gently untangle Amy's embrace and forget he said anything.
Then he heard something. Amy was practically shaking, and he could hear muffled sobs coming from his shoulder, where she had buried her muzzle. There weren't any tears, but raw emotion made her quiver like a leaf. It was apparent in her voice.
"Y-you care! I didn't th-think you did, b-but you do! I was so sc-cared we wouldn't be friends ever again!" Her grip tightened, as if she was afraid of losing him. This started up the strange feeling that Sonic kept experiencing. It caused a tingling sensation to explode in his chest, and he realized how much he liked it.
"Aw c'mon Ames," he said quietly, wrapping his arms around her in return.
"I didn't understand why you did that... I see now.. oh Sonikku, thank you so much for telling me!"
"Not a problem. And believe me, I'm never doing that to you ever again!" He pulled away and looked her in the eye. She was positively beaming at him, a comfortably familiar (and strangely welcome) sight. "Forgive me?"
"Well, what do you think?" she giggled, completely overcome with joy and relief.
Sonic grinned right back at her. "Thanks. Say, wanna head back and grab some breakfast? Everyone's probably worried sick about us."
"Sure thing." Amy released Sonic from her hug and grabbed his paw. "Ready when you are!" she chirped.
But Sonic only frowned. "Hey, no way you're hanging on like that!"
A quick stab of confusion poked Amy in the gut. "Whaddya mean, 'hanging on like that'? I can't keep up with you!" She wondered briefly if he had gone back to his confusing self, the contradicting Sonic that never gave her a straight answer.
"I know, no one can keep up with me," Sonic joked. "I meant that you should hang on with style."
He then proceeded to scoop Amy up in his arms, cradling her as he did the very first time he'd rescued her. She squeaked and turned bright red, staring at him. "S-Sonikku?"
"Now don't get any ideas," he warned, despite the mystery feeling causing even his fingertips to go numb. "I owe you for being such a moron, so you get to travel the Sonic Express, first class! Ready?"
Amy fought her blush away, and returned her arms to their familiar hold around Sonic's neck. Everything was fine now. She understood Sonic a little more, and held renewed hope for the future. After all, whatever it was he felt could blossom into something more. And if it didn't, she was quite content where they were now. "You bet!" she cheered.
"Then here we go!"
A bright blue streak tore through the park as the sunlight finally overcame it's blockade. The day was fresh and new. The fog was gone at long last. All was clear and bright for everyone.. especially for the only walking, talking hedgehogs in Station Square.
*~*~*
Not only was that wordy, but the ending was rushed and I couldn't improve on it!! *DIES* I tried, but nothing worked.. waahh... anyway, that's what I think! But I'm not reviewing my own work! I rely on you, the fellow fans! If you're feeling generous, you know what to do! ^_^ A big thanks to anyone who's made it this far! JA NE!