"I'm feeling better ever since you know me,

I was a lonely soul but that's the old me.

A little wiser now from what you showed me,

Yeah, I feel again."

Zero awoke on his makeshift bed, the sound of the ocean waves being too loud to ignore. He stretched over the leaves and straw he called a bunk, grunting softly as he did. It certainly wasn't comfortable but his and Amy's hut had only been supplied with a single bed. The jackal had been almost panic stricken upon arriving that initial afternoon. He quickly gathered anything he could possibly find to make a small spot on the floor in a corner for himself, utterly refusing to sleep in the same bed with Amy. The hedgehog had teased him about it somewhat, saying that he didn't need to be such a baby about it and that she wouldn't bite, but she eventually stopped since it was not going to change his mind.

The canine shook his head to rid himself of the memory. He saw Amy on the bed, her bed, putting on her boots. Luckily while he was asleep, he missed her changing from her night clothes and in to her atrocious, red dress. Zero had forgotten that she had talked about going to the marketplace yesterday evening. He had half a mind to go with her. It was a lengthy trip to the nearest village and back. The jackal had gone with her the first time a few weeks ago and then told himself it might be better if he didn't tag along. Zero remembered the stares he got, all those judgmental faces.

Those people had to know who he was, they just… had to. Why else would they look at him like that? On top of that, the marketplace was very overcrowded, swarming with locals and tourists alike. At one point, a passerby has stepped on the jackal's tail, nearly breaking it by the sounds of Zero's howling. Amy was almost too late in stopping Zero from tearing apart the old pronghorn whom had made the nearly fatal mistake. The journey home was a rather silent one, but Amy had managed to get the jackal to crack a small grin when she told him that she would be making wild berry porridge, Zero's newfound favorite food.

The canine continued to watch Amy. His ears picked up Amy humming a light tune, unfamiliar to him. It must be a nursery rhyme or something, the canine thought to himself. She was completely and utterly unaware that she was being watched, a costly mistake if he had wanted to hurt her. The hedgehog was packing a small bag with some water and granola bars that she had made. When she had finished that task, she started to make her way over to the jackal's bed, jumping slightly to find him awake and staring at her. Zero heard her let out a relieved sigh.

"I'm going to the marketplace," she said in a hushed tone, afraid that she might have woke him.

"I remember that you said you were going," Zero replied, voice gruff.

"You don't have to go with me this time. I… don't want a repeat of last time." Amy saw Zero make a face, his eyes quickly darting to the wood paneled floors.

"It wasn't your fault, Zero. I would have had the same reaction… more or less."

He scoffed. "I know. But the rage I felt was my fault. I almost killed that man over an accident. The situation could have quickly turned into a blood bath had it not been for your intervention. I… could have jeopardized what you're trying to do…"

That last comment caught Amy a little off guard and she blinked hard. By the way he said it, he just confessed to her that he actually cared about being a part of this project. He had just told her that he really was trying.

"It's okay. You're still learning, still growing. I mean, it has only been a couple months. No one expected you to be redeemed overnight."

As always, she was always so considerate of the jackal. Even though he absolutely did not deserve her kindness, he appreciated it. Though, he would never admit it openly to her. He still believed that being so trusting to someone like him so quickly would most definitely get her killed. Despite everything he has done, Amy still wanted to help him, change him. Befriend him. As much as he hated to admit it, she might be really close to reaching the latter. He could not quite put his finger on it but the hedgehog made him want to change and be better. Maybe she has this effect on everyone she met.

Perhaps they were already friends.

Amy smiled at Zero, having watched his expression soften at her words. He was making such great progress to redemption. At this rate, they should be back home in no time. She missed her bed… and her friends… and her family… She could not wait for the day where she could go home and just be herself again. Noticing that she had been silent a tad too long, she cleared her throat.

"But like I said before," Amy continued. "You don't have to come with me this time. I won't ask it of you."

"Thanks," the canine replied. "Besides, I think I might want to hunt today."

"Ooh, that'd be nice. You know I'll be gone 'til around sunset. Do you need anything from the marketplace?"

"No, thank you." His answer was almost instantaneous, like he had been expecting her to ask that particular question.

"Okay! Well, just hold the fort down while I'm gone. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Zero heard her giggle at that last statement, a small smile started to appear on his lips. He stopped it as soon as he realized, giving the hedgehog a small nod instead; being here was making him soft. With that, Amy grabbed her pack and headed off on the trail towards the village that housed the marketplace.

The jackal sat in silence for a while, relishing in it. Amy was… good company but she just talked way too much for his liking. He rather enjoyed the quiet when she was not around, as harsh as it sounded. Not that he actually cared about how rude it seemed. They weren't actually friends, right? The longer he sat, the more he realized that he did not want to hunt. Perhaps he would take up fishing instead and give it another chance. He may be patient but not patient enough to get near water like Amy does.

Living in the desert like Zero had, you do not exactly learn how to swim. Therefore, he never did. But here he was, preparing to go fishing anyways, despite everything, refusing to be fearful of water any longer. At least, that was what he was telling himself. Grabbing a pole, two buckets, a net, and some bait, he was on his way to the shoreline to a fishing spot that Amy had snagged. Zero did enjoy going to the beach, and feeling the sand between his toes. He and Amy now only wore their shoes when they needed to travel far off distances as to save on wear and tear. The jackal could have never imagined that sand could be this inviting and soothing to the touch, as he had only ever encountered the type of terrain that was scorching hot and left blisters on your skin the second it was touched by an ungloved, or bare-footed, extremity.

Stepping into a shaded area, he set up the little spot Amy liked to call a "gold mine". It was a humble tidepool close to the wall of a cliff, brilliantly shaded by an overhanging tree coming out of said cliff; he remembered Amy calling the tree a weeping willow. The sea breeze was lacing itself through the willow branches, flickies were chittering nearby, and the waves rhythmically crashed against the rocks on the shoreline. To many, this would seem like complete and utter paradise. To Zero the Jackal however, all of these sounds were fundamentally annoying. He wanted to leave this place as soon as possible.

The jackal slowly sat down on a rock that bordered the tidepool, careful not to spook his prey. He eyed the group of crabs skittering about beneath the surface of the water, bringing his net up behind him. Swiftly, he slapped the net into the water and scooped up a handful of the shellfish. Not as many as he was hoping, his impatient timing was to blame. He preceded to then put his catch into one of the buckets that he had brought and then grabbed his fishing rod, baiting it and casting it out as far as he possibly could. Now it turned into a waiting game, waiting for the fish to come, waiting for them to fall for the bait, waiting for them to bite. The patience he had to exert was really getting to him. He would much rather hunt for game and find them, not let the prey find him. There was just no fun in it.

A tug on the line brought the canine out of his thoughts. Zero's ears perked up, and then the bobber went underwater. He then brought the fish to shore, eying it over. It was a fair-sized flounder so he put it into the second bucket he brought, keeping the crabs and fish separated. He repeated this until he caught what he really wanted, a red snapper. Amy didn't care for the taste of this fish but hey, that was more for the jackal. By the time Zero had finished, the sun was sinking lower and lower into the horizon, telling him the Amy would be back before too much longer. The jackal gathered his fishing gear and made the trek back to the hut, putting everything up in its proper place before starting on his next expedition: going to the river to bathe.

Anytime the hedgehog was not around, Zero took it as his chance to take a bath. He did not feel comfortable washing around Amy, it made his feel too exposed. Too vulnerable. He supposed it was a side effect of the life he used to live. No matter how many times he told himself that he didn't have to live that way anymore, old habits die hard. Amy was always considerate of his wishes and never asked why he did not like to be accompanied when he went out alone. She trusted him, once more making his stomach twist at the thought. He wanted to scold her for her being so naïve, much like an older brother would. Zero hiked out, following the worn path to the river. He surveyed his surroundings, noticing many fresh new tracks all around. Maybe he should hunt soon, or at least set some traps out?

The canine could hear the rushing of the brook well before he reached it. The sudden flutter of wings made his ears twitch and swivel in all directions, keeping him well aware of the vicinity and easing his tension. No matter how many times he came here, no matter how safe it was, the jackal stayed alert and on edge. He never relaxed, it seemed. Almost as if the very instance he let his guard down, he would be attacked. Zero scolded himself and quickly rid his mind of the thought, making his way to the river. He dipped his foot into the water to test the temperature, knowing that it would be comfortable.

The jackal then slid into the water, careful not to make too much noise. This part of the river was rather shallow, a sand bank, therefore Zero did not fear it. He let out a sigh, trying to make himself relax. He rinsed himself off the best he could, getting rid of the past few days' accumulation of dirt and grime. Sitting for much longer than he had initially planned, the sky began to bleed into red before he knew it. He picked up the faint sounds of far off humming, meaning that Amy was nearby. Cursing himself, the jackal dragged himself out of the water and shook off the excess.

He swiftly made his way back to the hut, catching a glimpse of the hedgehog going into the hut. He made his way across the lot and into the hut right behind her. She had traded goods to get supplies such as more fishing gear, a first aid kit, fabric, a sewing kit, and some… lady items. He grimaced at the sight of them, knowing exactly what they were and what their purpose served. He even saw that she was somehow able to acquire… towels? Why on Mobius would they need towels in the coming future? He decided to keep his mouth shut and trust that she had a plan for them.

"Hey Zee," Amy exclaimed happily when she became aware of his looming presence. The canine's fur bristled, as he did not too much care for the nickname that she had started to call him recently. Maybe he would start calling her Amelia again to piss her off. He quickly thought better of it since she could pull that hammer of hers out of literal thin air.

"Hello…" was the jackal's sole reply.

"I don't smell blood outside so I'm led to believe that you might have actually went… fishing?" Zero watched the smile slowly bloom on her face as his expression was her conformation. "That's great! Maybe I can get you swimming sometime soon…?"

"Ha! Don't bet on it. That will still be a long way away. But… I suppose I will consider it."

The beaming smile on her face would melt the hearts of most people but Zero was not most people. Amy watched him roll his eye though that did not hamper her mood. The jackal turned on his heels and went outside, Amy supposed he was going to begin cleaning the fish while there was still light outside. The hedgehog took that as her cue to start a fire. Just as she suspected, her jackal companion was at his little work station gutting his quarry.

They both rolled through the motions and soon enough, the sun had finally sunk beyond the blue horizon, and the two were silently enjoying their dinner. Zero knew that this silence would not last long as Amy could not keep her mouth shut for too long. Dinner time was always when she asked her questions… He was always so weary of this time since he did not know what she was going to ask but she got braver and braver each night when asking him about his life.

"So…" The jackal heard her start. Here we go, he thought to himself. Zero already knew exactly what she was going to ask. She was extremely predictable.

"I've been meaning to ask you Zee… Why did you even begin working for Eggman in the first place?" And there it was. The canine was silent for some time before sharing his answer.

"I thought it was the only way to save my squadron. The Doctor had us cornered. It seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Squadron? You were part of a group? That's cool! Where are they now?" The fur on Zero's back rose in anger, remembering the horrifying memory he was about to lay out.

"They were slaughtered by one of your friends… Shadow the Hedgehog." He let out a savage growl as he uttered the name, not even attempting to stop himself. If Amy was to understand him, she had to know about this. "Eggman hired my squad and I as just that: hired guns. To be a part of a project he was working on. My squad went out to patrol Mystic Jungle one night. That was all it took. Shadow came in and destroyed the Doctor's facility… and my squad along with it. I didn't realize exactly what had happened until much later when I found their bodies… I buried them myself…"

Amy stayed silent after his last sentence, wondering if he would continue. Even if he didn't, she would not have known what to say anyways. She knew Shadow was capable of killing others. Hell, he had many times before. But it was only for a good reason: to protect the greater good. She dared not speak her mind though, not wanting to push Zero completely over the edge. She felt as of she had already gone too far already.

After a short time, the jackal stood up and dumped the rest of his dinner into the fire. He then sauntered into the hut. She heard a shuffling inside as he lied down on his makeshift bed. The hedgehog sighed, upset with herself for having such a big mouth. She should have known better than to ask questions rather than him telling her about himself by himself. Letting the fire burn a little longer, she continued to beat herself up over the whole situation, thinking about other ways she could have possibly avoided it all together.

The fire died down after what felt like hours later. It might have been, she didn't really know. Time was dead here. She quietly made her way into the hut as well, making her way to her bed. She grabbed the sleeping clothes she had lied out on the pillow and went around a corner to change so Zero could not see her, although she somehow knew he wouldn't have. The hedgehog tip-toed across the floor, careful to miss the creakiest of the floor boards. She made it over to her bed and climbed into it, cringing at the sound of the springs groaning inside.

She hesitantly looked over to Zero, knowing that he was not yet asleep. That didn't matter to her since she knew that she was disturbing him anyways. Her ears flattened against her head. She could only imagine what might be swirling around in that mind of his…

"Good night, Zero…" Amy said as softly as she could, not wanting to anger him further. She always told him good night, even if he did not always return the sentiment. However, this was not one of those nights. Even amongst the fuss of the nightlife outside, she still heard him loud and clear.

"Good night… Rose…"