Ai

We understand relationships so little in this modern world. We either understand them precious too little or dangerously too much.

Knuckles and Amy were thrown together in the arms of fate. When Knuckles leaped to protect her from Shadow's rage, Amy forgot her love for Sonic, finding she loved him less and less like a boyfriend and more like a sibling, and attached herself to Knuckles, so that they died in each other's arms. After that, they became increasingly more attached, even going so far as sleeping in the same bed! But why? They didn't know themselves.

It was love.

Shadow and Silver both loved Sonic. Shadow's love for Sonic caused him to kill himself, and millions of other people across two worlds. Silver gave of himself freely and without being forced to, and Sonic fell in love with him. Through this love triangle, Silver and Shadow would come to have a sort of rivalry and affection—though it was a strange sort of affection—for each other, while Sonic was indifferent, distant, unloving, foreboding, cold. Their love for him-and for each other-never waivered.

It was hope.

Blaze fell in love with Tails. When Tails was tragically killed by Shadow, Blaze defended him by killing Shadow, restoring his honor. If Tails had been alive to see it, he would've fallen in love with her, as she had with him, and they were forced together, intertwined by fate. Their love was rocky, as they were four years apart, but Tails kept the relationship alive somehow, and that pulled them together time and time again.

It was faith.

Knuckles and Amy, Tails and Blaze, Shadow and Silver. All love. But there was hope in Silver and Shadow, that Sonic might become more open, more loving, once again. There was Tails' faith in happiness—in his dear brother—that kept Blaze happy and their relationship together. Knuckles and Amy had no special ties, other than…well…pure, true love.

So, then, was love imperfect for me? Where was I to fit in this equation? And how? Why could my love not be perfect, simple? I, like these six, was tossed into a relationship by fate.

But, I chose not to fall in love.

I chose to fight.