John Victor Foxfire: Sonic is not very technical, but he does have some good friends who can help out. Of course, Sonic isn't particularly greedy, instead he just needs money to do projects. He will have a little break for Amy, giving her a good send off. She was certainly battered the worst when they fought Johan, and your assessment is spot on. Johan completely overwhelmed her, and showed no civility in the process. She was traumatized, having her primary aspect of battle(Strength) being over-matched.

Johan's encounter on his "new" carrier gave him a full experience of Eggmans technology and ideals. He's curious, but also disgusted. Still… the roboticizer might have its uses in the future.

MerendinoEmilano: I hope so, this next chapter might not be so interesting, but It should hopefully be touching.

Happy thanksgiving… or at I guess so. I chose "The Thanksgiving Song"(by Ben Rector) and tweaked it a little for this chapter. Of course I realize that my two reviewers are European, which makes it kind of awkward for what I'm pretty sure is an American and maybe Canadian holiday.

/*-*/

Sonic felt his eyes open in the dark room. The warm body was still laying there with him. Amy's form slumped up against Sonic, her rising and falling chest indicated she was still asleep. Sonic didn't mind waiting a few more minutes. She needed the rest, and when she woke up…

He frowned, but held her close. He didn't love her romantically; he knew that much. She was close to him, however, and he didn't want to see her go. What could he say to her to keep her there?

Sonic's mind told him the answer, but it would be wrong to put a pretense. To manipulate her into staying… that was just as bad as her leaving.

As she lay there, Sonic felt a continued pain in his heart the came from him not being able to keep her. The first time in a while he had felt helpless. But how could he blame her for wanting to leave. They had a relatively easy life early on. Eggman had a hard time keeping them back, and even when he did, the Freedom Fighters rarely got hurt.

Then Johan the Wolverine came along. He was a shock for them if there ever was one. Johan was a behemoth. He was a monster, a force of nature. The only redeeming factor Sonic could find in him was that everyone who fought him got treated the same: brutally. Even then, he clearly played favorites with Tails, although Sonic was grateful.

I would have had to bury him if Johan didn't hold back Sonic thought to himself, feeling panic rise from the thought.

Amy stirred a little, moaning in comfort as she snuggled a little tighter. Sonic dreaded the moment she woke up. He could hear movement in the hallway. Sonic wanted to shush whoever was out there. He felt the change too late. Amy's breathing had shifted. It seemed gentler…more forced. She was no longer asleep.

But she didn't move. Even as Sonic felt her breathing shift. Was she pretending on purpose? Sonic didn't care. He'd savor the moment, just for a little bit longer. He wrapped his arms around her a little tighter.

Amy smiled, but slowly began to frown, "Sonic…thank you."

"I don't want to see you go." Sonc whispered back.

"I don't want to go either. But I… I need this." Amy frowned, averting her eyes from his.\

"Do you? Any way I could convince you to stay?" Sonic begged… wow. He hated to think he was begging, but he really didn't want this moment to come.

Amy's eyes flashed the briefest sign of mischief, before she closed her eyes in pain, "I won't be gone forever… I'll just… be away for a while." She didn't event try to force him to marry her. Sonic was impressed.

"Alright… let's go break the news to everyone." Sonic sighed, and the two climbed out of bed. Sonic walked into the hallway, and walked over to his room. He took a shower, and came out, walking into the mess hall to eat. He sat down and Amy followed shortly after.

Sally stood in the room, and scowled at Sonic, "So… rough night?"

Sonic nodded, "Yeah… and rough morning."

"Well, we have work to do today." Sally stated coldly. What was wrong with her.

"I… Have to make an announcement." Amy pipped up, but looked down. Sonic grabbed her hand, to give her the confidence to carry on. Even if he didn't want to see her go, he knew it was for the best.

Sally frowned, and Sonic sort of understood what she thought, "Alright, take it away." Sally stepped off to the side.

Antoine sat up, "Ah… the dearest Amy, we are so proud of you two… young Hedgehogs in the romances…"

Amy sighed, at the podium.

Rotor smiled, "I didn't think you had a chance, if I am being honest, but uh… I hope you two are happy."

Amy let out a breath, "I'm leaving the Freedom Fighters."

The room cheered, before falling quiet. Rotor and Antoine now wore shock, but it was far exceeded by Sally's face. She looked sad, angry, conflicted all in one.

Amy sighed, "I… I don't want to talk much about it… but I've had some events come up that made me rethink my life choices. I'm going back to Mercia today. I'll try to stay in touch." Amy looked like she was about to cry.

"W-why are you leavings?" Antoine asked.

"Sugah, what's wrong?" Bunnie asked, desperately. Sonic felt a little happy, in a cynical way, that everyone was sad to see her go.

"I don't want to talk much about it, but I can't sleep at night." Amy sighed.

"You aren't leaving today." Sally commanded, stepping up to the podium.

Amy backed away, "E-excuse me?"

Oh no. They were about to start fighting. Sonic didn't want it to end like this. He wanted smiles and laughter.

"We're having a going away part for you, then you can leave." Sally stated, with a soft smile.

Amy blinked.

Rotor Jumped up, "Yeah, we can test out the new light systems."

"I can get to cookin'" Bunnie jumped.

"I'll help." Tails waved with a sad smile.

"I can get the materials." Sonic smirked.

Antoine huffed, "Well, I will help with my superior designing techniques."

Sonic smiled at the Freedom Fighters. Elias and Megan held hands, giving a silent show of their support to help out.

So everyone set out to build the best party ever. Sonic ran to collect the food for the party. First he checked Roja for various commodities. Potatoes, beans and flour were actually pretty cheap. He dropped these off at the headquarters and set out again. Sonic found eggs near Knothole and Mobotropolis. They were at least reasonable.

Milk was one of the hardest to obtain, as he had to go all of the way to Apalsa to find it. Sonic dropped off the goods and went out looking for wine, beer and meats.

All of the while Sonic saw the trees turning brown in a beautiful array of colors. He'd hoped Johan was screwing with the weather again. He knew better. The seasons were changing, much like every thing else in his life. He actually found himself wanting a slower life.

He could find poultry, mainly chicken in Rottenvas, and beef in Mobotropolis. Silens had vegetables and fruit. Cheap as it was, Sonic was getting tired, but he still had to go and get decorations. Sonic bought paper and light bulbs to decorate the base with.

Sonic wasn't sure what else to grab. He ran back, and saw that food was being prepared. Chicken was being roasted in the oven, seeming to be topped with rosemary and garlic. Bread was being baked in the other oven.

The smell of beef and tomatoes filled the air from a pot, and stew from another.

Amy was helping in the kitchen, which seemed kind of redundant, but she was smiling. Amy was keeping her mind off of the painful feeling.

Sonic felt a tug on his hand, and saw Cream. She held up a wreath of colored paper. Sonic smiled, "It looks great."

Cream flapped her ears up to the doorway, and hung the little rings of paper up. Sonic set dining cloths in the mess hall, lining them up. He saw Tails making little fruit bowls.

Sonic helped string up lights, using Cream and Tails, once he finished. Elias was working on mixing drinks, and Megan was helping to distribute forks and napkins.

They ate lunch together, and Sonic smiled at Amy. She seemed all too happy with everyone. Everyone wore their best smiled, and seemed to forget about the problems of the world. They wanted these last few moments with Amy to be joyful.

Sonic then heard the airlock open and the sound of paws scraping across the floor. Sonic felt his joy leave him. It was his fault she was leaving.

Johan's snout sniffed the air as it passed through the doorway. His ears were perked up, and his head was cocked to the side curiously.

"You are feasting?" Johan's voice seemed completely oblivious to all of their suffering. Sonic wanted to punch him in the face so bad.

"We're are going to have a farewell party." Sally explained, her voice slightly annoyed in tone.

Rotor growled, "Amy is leaving. She's going home, and we wanted to thank her for all of her help."

Amy starred down the wolverine, who seemed to notice the hostility, but gave no other reaction. "Would you like to come?"

"I see no reason to pass on a feast." Johan's deep voice growled, but not out of hostility. Sonic was beginning to think that was just Johan's natural state. Still Johan had cause Sonic to feel a pain like no other.

Come on Sonic, she's not dying, she's just going away. You could run to Mercia in about two hours. Sonic mentally scolded himself. The other part of him didn't want Amy to leave at all.

Cream ran up to Johan, and gave him half of her sandwich. Johan tore a piece out of her hand, before nudging the rest with his snout. He had a gentleness towards Cream that really upset Sonic.

Sonic decided to do something about it. He saw Johan leave through the air lock, and Sonic followed.

He found the wolverine sitting on top of the hill the headquarters was built into.

"Hey!" Sonic shouted, balling a fist.

The Wolverine craned his neck, and looked at Sonic.

Sonic growled as fist tightened, "Don't you want to know why she is leaving?"

"Whatever her reasons, they are hers alone." Johan dismissed, as if it didn't matter.

"She's leaving because of you!" Sonic practically shouted. He found a hatred in his heart growing. Sonic approached the wolverine, angry beyond probably reason, but he needed to settle this.

"I do not see how I am forcing her to move. She has her place, and I do not impose." Johan remained calm. What was going on. He seemed to sit calmly.

"She's leaving because she can't sleep. You hurt her really bad, almost killed her. And now she's terrified of you!" Sonic accused, he was so angry.

"She's smart." Johan simply stated, "Anyone who doesn't fear me is a fool." He was so calm. Sonic could feel his blood boiling.

"You were brutal! You keep her awake at night because you didn't show any kind of mercy!" Sonic shouted angrily. This guy screwed with Sonic's whole life by hurting the people he cared about.

"Were we not fighting? Should I show restraint at the cost of my life? Would that not be an insult to my opponents? Have you ever truly fought for your life, with risk to your own security?" Johan cocked his head, as if stating fact.

Sonic suddenly felt himself in a field of landmines. They were fighting. There was no communication. Sonic couldn't even come up with a response that didn't discredit him.

"You didn't have to be so rough." Sonic muttered.

"She was a problem. I removed her from the fight. I would have removed all of your support just the same." Johan clarified, "There was no grudge when I attacked her."

Sonic frowned. What could he say? Sonic had been beaten in logic. Sonic wanted an apology, but what was there to apologize for? Johan had been at Vanilla's farm, minding his own business. Why would he hold back. Even Sonic would do whatever it took to win, almost.

The Wolverine walked past Sonic, and starred off into the forested areas in the distance.

Sonic turned around, and walked inside. He hated the feeling that he had somehow lost. Johan should apologize, but for what?

Sonic slumped down, and waited for dinner, passing the time with Amy and Sally. He wanted to spend as much time as he could before she left, but he wasn't sure what to do.

Sonic found himself just talking about the past with Amy.

"So she came up from behind, and I couldn't even jump to get Robotnik. All those Badniks, and I get stopped by an obsessed fan girl." Sonic laughed.

Sally smirked, "That story never gets old, and I'm pretty sure we shouldn't have let you live it down."

Antoine groaned, "Oh please… you have told that story of hundreds of times."

Sonic snorted, "Yeah, you got one?"

Antoine perked up, and blinked a couple times.

Sally shook her head, "Antoine, come on, even I have a story about Amy."

Antoine blinked a couple times, "Well… I have been of the busies for small talk. Oh yes, I have much to talk with Bunnie about."

With that he stood up, and walked out of the room as fast as he could.

Sonic smirked at Sally, who looked sad. He felt his sorrow return. Amy was leaving… tonight. Antoine came back into the room, "Dinner is ready!"

They quickly moved around to set up the table. Sonic sat next to Amy, with Sally on the other side. Tails sat next to Sonic, followed by Rotor, then Antoine, Bunnie, Cream Elias, Megan, and Alexis, looping back to Sally.

Sonic found the food to be unappealing, as it could not drown the pain Sonic felt to the idea of not seeing Amy again. He ate a bite of the wine marinated chicken. IT was blander than usual.

Sonic let out a sigh, and looked around the table. Everyone's faces were glum. Sally finally asked what they were all thinking to, "Please don't leave Amy."

Amy looked down at her lap, "I have to go home. I can't stay here with…"

"Me." Johan growled, sitting off behind Cream, almost looking like a dog, "You know I will not harm you so long as you are my ally?"

"But you did hurt me." Amy growled back, her voice shaking.

The room sat in an awkwardness. No one liked Johan being there, but the alternative was more scary.

Johan snorted out his nose, clearing it, "You are all quick to assign a grudge to my actions. You spend every waking moment hating of me. I do not think of you at all."

"I'm going home." Amy sighed, as though she was defeated.

Sonic felt a little better. He wasn't bummed out, but angry and bummed out. This party was a failure, and that hurt. Sonic wanted to leave on a good note, but his anger and Johan ruined it. Or so it seemed.

But strangely, Johan, despite being attacks and insulted, made it hurt less.

"Walk the highways, lined with leaves turned brown." Johan let out in reverberating groan, "Making taking my way, back into my homeland." Sonic realized Johan was singing, and the shock was shared with the table.

"Funny how it all is different, but feels the same." Johan rose with his plate, "Like how life never stops changing, but somethings never change." He began to tap on his plate to light tune as he walked over to the assortment of foods and drinks.

"So fill your plate, and fill your drink. Fill your home with family." Sonic listened as he looked over to Sally and Tails, not sure if he was hearing correctly. "The kind of love that all the years can't wash away. For the older that I get I see that life is short, but Bitten Zwei(Thank you twice). Tak Gota, fuer theas vunderedaeg.(Thank you God for the glorious day)"

Johan placed a slab of steak and apples on his plate, along with a generous helping of beer in his glass, filling it almost to the brim.

That was strange, but… they didn't feel quite so sad anymore. Something about music or singing seemed to calm them down.

Amy began to giggle slightly, before her voice rose in the song, "Watching my friends, and their families grow." What was happening? Sonic was confused by her participation, but even more confused at the next act.

Rotor jumped in, "The old kids' table, now have kids of their own." He was looking at Elias and Megan. Was everyone just singing to pass the time?

The last person he expected to break out into song did so, "Starting to see my grandfather in my niece's eyes." Sally sang, looking down at Alexis.

"Mom still can't talk about him and not almost cry." Elias' sad smile countered an actually good singing voice. Oh what the heck.

They all sang together, "So fill your plate, and fill your drink, and fill this house with memories, the kind of love a thousand miles can't wash away." Sonic actually felt…better. He saw everyone having a sad smile, but with a bit of brightness to it. Everyone's spirits were lifted just enough.

The kept singing, a song that none of them knew the words to, "Cause the older that I get it seems that life is short and bitter sweet, thanks for all you've done today." Johan's face contorted at the words, but he didn't seem to make any noise.

They all laughed… until they stopped. Everyone looked at Sonic expectantly.

Sonic didn't actually have his own verse… but followed the rhythm, and sang what he was thinking, "So fill your plate and fill your drink…. Put the your dishes in the sink…" Sonic sighed, picking up his plate.

"… And let the leftover year just wash away." Tails sighed, doing the same, "Cause we've made it through, I do believe, the longest year in history."

Everyone jumped in, facing Amy, "Thanks for all you've done for us!"

Amy was crying. But it didn't feel like a sad cry, or at least not fully. She walked around, and gave everyone a hug. The responses were pretty uniform. Bunnie and Sally holding in their tears, and cherishing the hug. Antoine failing to put up a brave, and bawling his eyes out. Tails kept his eyes closed through the whole ordeal. Rotor and Cream wore smiles, and gave tight hugs.

Then it was Sonic's turn. Amy approached him, teary eyed and sad. Sonic found amazing interest in his own feet at that moment. Maybe he could stall and keep her there?

Sonic had to face reality, so he looked up, and wrapped Amy in a tight hug, "Thanks for letting us do this."

Amy pat him on the back. Sonic felt… hurt, but also happy. He'd see her eventually, and maybe she'd comeback one day.

Sonic walked over to Johan. He hated to admit it, but the party would have been sad and terrible if not for the sudden singing, "Thanks for that."

"Hmmph." Johan snorted, curling up in the corner.

"I mean it. What kind of song was that?" Sonic asked. Maybe it was magic, and made people feel better?

"It was a song within the heart." Johan answered bluntly.

"Did we mess it up?" Sonic asked, hoping for an elaboration.

"If you sang whatever your heart felt, then no. The heart does not lie, and is the sweetest lute for music." Johan stated proudly.

Sonic nodded, and walked back. Clean up was annoying, but needed. Sonic helped out with scrubbing plates. The night ended with him giving Amy one last hug, before going to bed.

He didn't even need to check in the morning when he woke up. He knew she was gone.

/*-*/

Johan found the two-tailed fox, who's name was Tails.

"I request your aid." Johan stated bluntly.

"What? Why do you need my help?" Tails asked, suspiciously.

"I need to learn to read your language." Johan asserted, "I request you teach me."

"Why?" the fox asked, somewhat confused, "We can read anything for you."

"I need knowledge to understand and change this land." Johan clarified, "I need to know your laws, and how you function. Your society clearly is far more worthless than the one I came from." Johan wouldn't lie, there was no need.

Tails frowned, "I think we have a nice society. I'll teach how to read, but when you do, I bet you'll see why we live like this."

The fox jumped down, "You'll need to get a book from a library somewhere. I'll go visit my mom, and we can go then."

Johan nodded, "This is fair. I would also like to know when we can march to battle. I have not tested my strength in too long a time." Johan was getting agitated. He wanted to smash and kill something.

"Yeah… I know. I'd like to go mess with Eggman as well. We're stuck until we get approval to attack." Tails stretched.

"You need permission to invade an enemy?" Johan was confused. Why would they not attack an enemy when they had the chance?

"We have to get approval from mobotropolis for anything that isn't stopping Eggman. So no, we can't leave the kingdom." Tails sighed angrily.

Johan felt devastated. This land was far worse than he could have believed. There was so much at stake, so many enemies to fight, and cowards controlled the battles.

Johan would have to fix this, and everything. His mind thought back to the troll. He seemed craven, and postured himself with power. He was a problem… but Johan wasn't sure he was beyond saving. He might make a fine warrior-king yet.

Johan shook his head and left. He needed to stay focused. This was all temporary, a brief set up, a means to an end, not the end itself. He needed to remember that.

/*-*/

So some of the native German speakers might say, "hmmn, that seems like German, but it is not quite right." They would be kind of right and kind of wrong. The language Johan speaks is a mix between Anglo-Saxon and High German. I added the translation just to save you all the trouble of having to look up each word individually.

I can't decide if Amy is gone for good, or if I'll bring her back later.

I also might be taking some time off for personal reasons. I hope to upload another chapter before hand, but I make no promises.

Please leave a review and tell me what you all thought.