Sorry an update took so long, lots of stuff happened IRL, writers block, found a voice actor to help me voice and original story of mine, I went to my first college party cosplaying Shadow for Halloween (and I looked DAMN good). At said party the boyfriend managed to put together a last-minute Sonic costume, I told him he didn't look good enough to be my fake, he told me he'd make me eat those words. And my Silver plushie managed to look depressed the entire night while he was tied onto my waist... I had a weird night. But other than that, real life nonsense just got in the way and I'm trying to get myself to write fanfic and original work both as therapy and to get myself to write anything in general. The boyfriend and I also started Sonic Forces together but I'm not as enthusiastic about it as I should be...

So what's going on in this chapter?

The YA romance tropes continue subtly. This chapter also contains Tails x Zooey, Knuckles x Sticks and ShadAmy – not a pairing I normally ship and they happened accidentally in this fanfic, but past chapter 3 everything turned to improvisation on my part. SO WE'RE ROLLING WITH IT! The challenge for this fanfic was to match up with the random tones in Sonic Boom and it's shifts after all.

Onto chapter 10!

(EDIT: 12/22/17: If you're reading this, you might notice some nice additions to the chapter thanks in part to mass-editing. Enjoy the fic.)

Tails had taken Zooey to his workshop so she could teach him how to play Fuzzy Puppies but he'd managed to distract her with his inventions, his plane, one thing lead to another and they were napping in the little fort he'd made for himself while he was a quivering dog. Unfortunately for Tails he was the one who actually fell asleep while Zooey stayed half-awake and played with his ears.

"Heh, so floofy~."

"Floof is a concept too..." He snored, speaking in his sleep. "Ish too complicated to..."

Zooey smiled from ear to ear, watching the dog sleep and enjoying the little den in the workshop and how warm it was. If only she'd brought marshmallows and skewers; she knew he had a portable stove he built out of paperclips, bottle caps and recycled soda cans. They could've had a camping trip inside.

"I guess I'll leave Fuzzy Puppies here for you next time we hang out. Right now..." The vixen yawned. "Sleep and floof sound a lot better than Fuzzy Puppies..."

"But floof is too much of a complex concept to..." More snoring. "summarize with mere words..."

"You're cute when you talk in your sleep~" Zooey rubbed behind his ears. "I think I'm going to sleep too. Remind me to call my mom and tell her I'm with a friend." And she started to zone out and eventually fall asleep herself, hand still on top of Tails' head.

Amy in the meantime sat inside and in front of the front door. Shadow insisted on waiting outside and making small talk and while the small talk (and steak) was nice she wasn't at all interested. Snuggling a life-size Sonic doll she put together herself she kept listening to the black hedgehog go on and on about genetics and genetic engineering.

"Shadow, when are you going to go away?" Amy asked. "This is fun and all but it's getting really annoying and I'm not interested."

"Well your little blue boyfriend hasn't come back." He haunted, still outside and enjoying the sun. "Really Amy, how long as it been?"

She sighed, hugging her Sonic doll tighter. "It's been years..."

"It's been years and what has he done?"

"Pft. Nothing much really. But he's busy saving the world. Maybe now isn't really the time ya know?" She did try considering it from his point of view but something still nagged at her in all directions. "I don't wanna talk about it. Just go away!"

"Do you even realize what you're saying?"

"I don't wanna talk about it..."

"Amy, what do you want from Sonic?"

She hugged her doll hard enough for one of the button eyes to pop off. "It's complicated..."

"I understand. You've been wanting things to change for years but things just haven't happened that way." He said. "It's a shame, but it happens. But sometimes you just need to take a step forward and never turn back."

"Why are you helping me? You're just here because you wanna spite him, aren't you? Why are you trying to be nice to me?" Amy asked, leaning her head back against the front door and trying her best not to bang her head despite her frustration.

Shadow just shrugged. "Who knows?" Granted the season did make him think about things differently than normal but Amy was certainly interesting. She could put up a fight, stand up to herself – a sign of her good genes - and best of all: she complimented his cooking. He didn't actually consider it at the time when fighting Sonic but it was during this quiet time when he was trying to talk to Amy as a person and actually try to get her attention that he found himself actually wanting to help her even in some small way.

"Just go away... Besides, I have everything I need. Warm nest, food in the fridge, something to cuddle with..." Then the simple action of her hugging a homemade doll started making her sick. She was clinging to something she couldn't have... She threw it across the house, having it hit the fridge in the kitchen and it stared back at her. "Just leave me alone!"

"I know you're mad but if you let me come in I can help you work through your issues."

"I'll be FINE." She gripped the handle of her hammer. "Maybe I should just go out and smash a few things... I could use a workout."

Shadow smirked. "Sounds perfect. I'll accompany you."

And Amy opened the door, kicking him in the back of the head. "I'm going alone."

Shadow got up, hands lifted up to show he meant the girl no harm. "Then you'll have to fight me. Take out your aggression on something that can give you feedback."

She slammed the door shut. "You're just saying that because you want to mate..."

"I'm saying that because you're smart, strong and you're obviously upset. He teleported behind her. "Go on, fight me!" He teleported away as soon as she saw her trying to swing at him, grabbing her by the wrist and flinging her onto the sand hard enough to make it look and feel like an actual fight but gentle enough to not actually risk injury. "Fight me seriously Amy!"

Amy growled, getting up and swinging at him again, getting flung onto the sand.

Shadow cracked his knuckles. "Take out all your aggression on me. Focus your anger to land a hit on me. You can do it."

She swung at his knees. He side stepped. Throwing her hammer at him he dodged again by stepping to the right and she pounced on top of him, grabbing him by the chest fur and slamming his head down into stone. "Is that good enough for you?"

She looked down at him coldly, grabbing his fur hard enough to rip it out if she so chose to but she didn't.

Shadow simply smirked. "Didn't that make you feel better?"

Amy slammed his head down again. "Don't talk to me like you know what's good for me." And then she got up, retrieving her hammer, dusting it off.

"I'm not letting you deal with Sonic alone."

"Pick a fight with him if that's what you want."

"That's not it. You're angry at him too, aren't you?"

She paused, turning back to the black hedgehog on the ground who shot her a look that she thought was trying to be flirtatious which she returned with a hammer to the stomach which he didn't dodge. "It's not just Sonic I'm angry at..." She sat down. "It's no use. I just don't get how guys work I guess."

Shadow sat himself up, hand on his stomach. "It's a lot more simple than you think. Some men are good at one thing, some men are good at multiple things. Some can't do anything at all."

And somewhere in the distance Knuckles sneezed.

"The point is that there are plenty of other men out there capable of understanding you even when the one who you want to understand you can't." Shadow reached for her hand only for her to withdraw within herself and put her hand to her heart.

"I've been trying so hard. I stopped being clingy, I stopped being a damsel in distress, I learned how to cook. I even gave up tarot cards!"

"Tarot cards? What brought about that hobby?"

"Tarot cards! You know, like fortune telling! I used to do it as a kid! Actually that's how I met Sonic~." As much as Amy didn't want to talk to Shadow in particular she couldn't control the word vomit, as no one had inquired about her hobbies – especially not one as unique as being able to read fortunes using tarot cards.

And oh for the love of Chaos that smile she had when gushing over her hobbies made Shadow unintentionally squeak and had him trying to hold his instincts back. Even his voice managed to crack. "Oh really?"

"Granted that was years ago but yeah, I met Sonic after reading my fortune using tarot cards! I might still have a pack somewhere in my things. Would you be open to getting your fortune told?"

He wasn't. "I guess I could give it a go." And she dragged him back to her house, throwing him into the grass, ignoring him like he wasn't there and then searching her room up and down for a pack of tarot cards (even if the set wasn't complete).

And like Sonic had previously, Shadow lay down in the grass and reveled in how much it smelled like the female hedgehog and detested the fact that Sonic got there first. He flung the grass Sonic had rolled around in aside out of childish spite and made himself comfortable as Amy comedically threw objects out of the door from her bedroom in search of tarot cards.

"I FINALLY FOUND A SET!" She giggled, dusting off a box full of tarot cards that couldn't close correctly and spilling the cards onto the grass next to Shadow. "So what kind of question do you have about your future?"

Shadow wanted to say 'I want to know about my chances with a certain pink hedgehog' but then he wanted to slap himself because such a statement made himself sound like Sonic. "Ask it whatever you want. I wouldn't know what to ask."

Amy smiled even bigger, shuffling her cards. "Alright, I'll ask how things are going to work out for you in general!" And from the deck she drew a card: The Fool in the upright position.

"What's that card mean?"

"The Fool symbolizes new beginnings. In general tarot cards in the upright position indicate a positive reaction while an upside down card symbolizes something negative. So The Fool in the upright position means that you'll have a positive change or new adventure in your life."

"What kind of change will there be?"

Amy drew another card: Lovers in the upright position. "Lovers symbolize love and communication. In the upright position they can also symbolize unions, relationships and alignment in values. So it must have something to do with that."

"Interesting. I see why this is a hobby of yours."

"Aww, thank you~. Now let's see how that change will go for you!" And she pulled The Moon in the upright position. "Aww, this isn't good at all!"

"What's The Moon mean?"

"It's a card that symbolizes anxiety and stress. The Moon is one of those cards in the upright position that has a negative meaning and it's upside down meaning is positive or neutral. So this means that the change coming to you in your future has to do with relationships and communication but it's going to be stressful."

"The cards aren't exactly wrong." Shadow smiled a bit. "You've been experiencing what the cards are describing yourself, are you not?"

"Hey, it's the season. Everyone goes a little nuts in heat." Amy pointed out. "I wonder how everyone else is dealing with it."

"Pay them no mind. Besides, now you have my attention with this whole tarot card thing. You mind teaching me how to read them?"

"I don't have anything on my plate right now... But I uh..." She looked back at the Sonic doll in the kitchen, staring back at her and reminding her of her past mistakes, her failures, the glomping, getting shoved away and scolded and being made fun of for a little fangirl crush she'd had for years. And she threw her hammer at it's head, denting her fridge in the process. "Never mind. I'm available~."

But while Shadow moved in closer to study the deck of cards, Amy got up and went to the kitchen, opening the fridge with the hammer still in it and taking out a glass bottle full of a clear liquid.

"You still had vodka in the fridge?!" Shadow asked, wondering how he didn't smell it when he was under a rose vodka spell that turned him into the world's most domesticated drunk.

"I like it chilled. Any objections?" And out of the cabinet she pulled out a stack of plastic shot glasses. Laying out a few on the counter she sloppily poured herself a few shots, drinking one at the counter and sighing after consuming it. "Do you want some or am I drinking solo?"

"I already have a huge hangover on the way so..." But then again, he already had a huge hangover on the way... "I might just have a shot, just to make sure neither of us do anything stupid."

"Oh~ I could be drinking a bit to allow myself to do something a little-" She hiccuped. "stupid... But on the other hand I just need to forget a little something or someone." She kicked the Sonic plushie in the groin and walked back to Shadow on the grass.

"You sure about that?" Shadow took the bottle from her and hid it in the grass should she become one of those uncontrollable drunks.

She hiccuped again, sighing afterward before laying down on her stomach. "Oh, I'm very sure. NOW LET'S PLAY SOME CARDS!"

While Amy and Shadow were bonding over cards, another unlikely pair was headed toward Tails' workshop while Sonic spent some time alone in the forest. Sticks hated how Knuckles was trailing behind her as though he were watching her every move and she would've loved to clobber him and put him back in the bag but no – the poor badger could never win and she shot the author the angriest look she could muster every now and again.

"I thought Sonic said NOT to disturb Tails." Knuckles said, carrying the burlap sack he was once in on his shoulders.

"Well how else are we gonna get to Eggman? Not that I wanna deal with any more poor writing but NOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Apparently I gotta be in the center of alla this!" Sticks wanted to give the author the finger but didn't for fear Sonic would randomly show up and talk about ratings to her again.

"You could get in this bag and I could give you a piggy back ride!" Knuckles opened the bag large enough for her to step inside of it.

"No thank you."

"Aww, but come on, it could be fun and you might get to take a nap!" Knuckles urged her to get inside. "I'm big, I'm strong, my arms are big. I could use a few more leg days but COME ON! We could be like a team! Pleeeeeeease~?"

"Knuckles, seriously... You losin' your brains over not being able to bump uglies too?" She put a hand on her chest. "I am not an echidna! I'm clearly a badger! And if I were a badger of the honey variety you'd be dead cuz honey badgers don't give a-!"

"Please~?"

"You're not gonna give up til I get in that bag are you?"

"NOPE!" He pressed the issue. "Now get in the bag so I can give you a ride and you can take a nap."

At that moment Sticks wanted so badly to become a honey badger but stepped inside the sack anyway. Without even realizing it, Knuckles made the writer want to hug him out of thanks.

He carried her on his back and walked slowly toward Tail's workshop and reveling in the fact he was right: Sticks was tired and really needed that nap after all. Granted her snoring wasn't cute in the slightest and it being right next to his ears was annoying but HEY, HE WAS RIGHT! He'd give himself a tally in chalk on a special motivational chalkboard he had at home for all the times he was correct about something.

Once they'd reached their destination he knocked on the door and peaked inside of the window, looking for Tails and finding him asleep. "Awww, look at the little foxes~!"

Sticks bit his dreads. "What are ya talkin' about?" And the Knuckles pointed at the window. "Oh... That's what happened... No wonder Sonic told us to leave Tails alone. He finally got himself a-."

"They're so cute! Just look at the little puppers!"

"Eh... Well here's hoping they don't make more puppers no time soon."

"He's so lucky to have another one of his kind... I'm kinda jealous. But, it could be cool having more lil foxes runnin' around, doing fox things!"

"Yeah, that ain't gonna happen til' it gets cold so..."

"But wouldn't it be cute?!"

Tails woke up slowly, hearing someone squeeing outside and another person yelling. There was something floofy that weren't his tails underneath him, but instead Zooey. Somehow in his sleep he climbed on top of her and slept in a way where they were forming an X.

"Man, I guess I was tired." He sat up, brushing his tails with his fingers. "Sorry if I hurt you Zooey. If you have a backache you could use my tails as a back-pillow as payback."

"Ish okay... Floof is enough..." Zooey spoke quietly, one eye opening. "You should probably check the door."

"Got it..."

So he opened the door, walking outside and facepalming. "NOW why are you here? Haven't I had enough? I was having a really great day with Zooey!"

"We need to get a hold of Eggman." Sticks said in monotone. "We're going to need a plane."

"You're going to tell Eggman to come here when he's been leaving us alone? Let him stay home!"

"Shadow is back."

"But why?"

"Look, can you just give us a plane since you're not interested in going?"

"Sticks, you don't even have a license to fly." Tails opened the door. "I'm going to spend the rest of my day with Zooey. Don't bother us. Plus, Knuckles used to be able to fly. Use him as a plane!" and he slammed the door shut, got back into his little den with Zooey and left Knuckles to get choked by a very angry badger.

Chapter 10 end

Sorry this chapter took so long! Real life was being a butt!

NOW FOR TRIVIA – which there isn't a lot of here.

Echidnas:

We see Knuckles trying to make an echidna train behind Sticks even though she's obviously not an echidna herself.

Foxes:

In contrast to hedgehogs who mate in spring and summer, foxes tend to mate in late winter. During that time female foxes can be seen digging holes to breed – in rural areas this can be in banks, under piles of sticks or even in drystone walls. In urban areas they may hide under sheds and buildings to secure a place to breed. So based on season alone (since the island Sonic Boom is set on seems to be in eternal summer with really weird and cartoony geography) they wouldn't actively be trying to mate. So they're just sort of being cute and sweet to each other just because.

Male foxes after mating will also stay on top of the female for a few minutes afterward – sort of like snuggling but to ensure the survival of the species. There's a variant of it here but the two foxes are sleeping in the shape of an X... This is an example of me not being able to make furry characters too sexual – it's just not my fetish and I view them as animals and floofs first, characters second even though they're anthropomorphic.

Admittedly next chapter starts getting a smidge more porny but in that sort of "I can't write porn" sort of way. Things are implied, words may be said, but I can't write sex scenes for humans or furries...