After a few moments of an enchanted peck on the lips, they stared at each other in silence. What seemed like only a couple of minutes was disguised by the tangibility of the first blush of the morning arising from its 12 hour captive in the dark twilight. Not even the grotesque scenic mood in the Umbra kingdom's lifeless forest could ruin their special moment.

And she won't leave me, Shadow thought, not this time.

Amy couldn't help but giggle at the thought of being so secretive when it happened, like whatever occurred that made every second seem like a Shangri-la fantasy was reserved for them both. The atmosphere took on a new change; an unknown presence lingered around them, as though an invisible angelic being watched over them. She laughed until she had glanced upon Shadow's earnest glare.

His ears made a twitching movement and one of them moved towards the east. Simultaneously, his eyes darted towards the same direction…creeping up his spine was the likely thing he expected would happen….

Shadow grabbed Amy around a large tree trunk and hid themselves from the approaching strangers.

"Shadow, what's wrong-" but was cut off immediately by Shadow's palm. Amy realized that someone was coming…footsteps approached and harsh voices filled the air. She knew it was his kingdom's guards, checking out where that scary creature's roar came from in their dwelling. If they find her here, she dreaded the consequences. The pink princess had the familiar urge to escape…

"Amy! You have got to leave now! Damn, they must've heard that thing screaming when I cut it. They can't know you're here, they mustn't!"

"But Shadow…will I see you again?"

"Soon, I hope. But, whatever you do, this relationship must not be known to anyone. And I mean anyone, especially your parents, who'll probably set a witch hunt on me if they find out. No matter what, even if you were tortured to confess, never give out our likings for each other, understand?"

Amy nodded in comprehension, knowing that the same is directed unto Shadow. Then, an idea shone upon her.

She broke off a nearby sharp thorn from the ground, and lacerated a small incision on her wrist. She yelped a small squeak, but this was more important than her physical pain. She needed to know that they will never be separated if they do pass on…. Rich, magenta blood seeped out the corrupted entrance, dripping to the black ground in raindrop shapes.

The amazed black hedgehog never knew she would take their departure this hard…or so he thought….He caught on what she calculated in her mind, just by the spark in her eyes. At an end, Shadow took out his bloodshed dagger and slashed a similar cut on the same place as hers, dark scarlet vital juices spilling in a rapid, but neat manner.

As though by procedure, the wounding couple's palms met, and their blood collided into each other, the openings now letting one's blood mix into the other. As that happened, Amy felt an energy rush throughout her veins and spreading throughout her body…an emotion of neutrality, as though her body was partly the innocent, easy target vessel of Lilith.

Shadow, on the other hand, felt like he can make the sun can shine in all parts of the world. Calm, joyful surges flowed throughout him; the instant awareness to do well and instill ethical deeds consumed a tiny part of his body. He feels like he was possessed by an angel.

They quickly broke apart, knowing that if they won't hurry, they will be discovered. Amy kissed Shadow, and ran towards the direction her home kingdom. Shadow stared back at her running figure and admired her graceful motions….

"Your highness! There you are! Have you heard that noise too? Did you find out what it was?" One of his knights spoke abruptly, interrupting Shadow's train of thought.

Shadow, regaining his usual facial composure, faced his fellow men and stared down at the dead creature in front of him.

"What do you think?" he said, smirking slyly.

"Not only that, sir. We heard a scream also, a female scream echoing everywhere. Was a woman present here?"

Shadow, knowing his smart tactic excuses can fool even his brainiest of men, mainly because they believe that what the prince says is law, came up with a simple one.

"Oh, that noise? That wasn't a woman; it was this beast screaming for its life when I ignited my Chaos Blast on it. How ridiculous…a woman here…" Shadow uttered, at the same time crossing his fingers behind his back.

By the time Amy came back, she saw that Penelope was blocking her bedroom doorway, leaning slightly with her back and shoulder in a telltale mood.

"Where were you?"

"What do you mean, dearest sister?" Amy said in her sweetest voice possible. She didn't feel like talking to her, not today. Had she inherited magic, she could just make her evaporate into the air, disappear, turned into a frog, something!

Her sister developed a stern look in her aquamarine eyes.

"You know what I mean. You ran towards the forest in a big hurry, it seemed like. I know, or at least assume, you were dying to meet somebody." Her face glared closer into Amy's worried gaze. Had she known?

"I…don't know what you're talking about, Penelope."

"Don't lie! I heard you and Daddy talking in there. When he came out after you, he told me that you were infatuated with someone. Is it someone we know?"

Silence.

"Or…is it someone that we know, but we can't know about him?"

Amy's heart pumped blood faster than normal, suspecting the feeling that she knows. Of all people, her sister had probably known! The urge to conjure a spell from Tikal's potions to erase all seen images in Penelope's memory, images that were not meant to be seen in the naked eye, geared her mind like crazy. The young princess never felt so violated, so revealed, so obscured like some circus freak, until…

"I never knew that you, of all people, would be going out with Sir Sonic! I knew you weren't a lost cause after all. Amy, you have outdone yourself indeed. Let me know if a wedding date comes up suddenly", Penelope squeaked teasingly.

She walked off haughtily, leaving a dumbfounded Amy in the presence.

Amy ran into her room, almost laughing not in amusement of her sister's assumptions, but that she almost let her guard down, nervous that she was found out. Now that she had a secret of her love life in the Flora kingdom, she had the feeling of security that it was safe. Amy smiled to herself and walked towards the door to go to the gardens when she sees a confused, yet warning and resentful hedgehog in front of her.