Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this fic, SEGA does, I believe. :3

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Chapter One // Lack of Pride, Overdose of Gluttony.

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Amy Rose strolled down the sidewalk, humming a melodic tune while she did a few last preparations on her outfit. Ohh, I hope that he doesn't think I look too plain or casual- Oh, just get a grip on yourself! You're fine! ...Crap! Did I bring my compact...?!

About anyone on this particular day could tell that Amy Rose had finally gotten what she had desired for the longest time: a true date with her 'Sonniku.' She was practically glowing with a luminous radiance, and there was a noticeable bounce in her step as she trotted to Twinkle Park where they would meet and hang about for a while. She again straightened out the outfit she had chosen for this occasion, and was quite glad she had long ditched that red and white ensemble that she was seen wearing in prior years. Amy entered while gawking at the painstakingly beautiful scenery that the park had to offer, despite the fact this wasn't her first time wandering into the vicinity. She quickly came across a fountain that Sonic promised was the place he would meet her, so she sat down on its cool edge, her hands neatly folded on her lap.

The sights that surrounded her were distracting enough that she didn't notice her blue hero sneak up and sit right next to her, a rose held out for her to take. The rose hedgehog practically fell off her seat while her hand flew to slow the beating of her heart when she realized that Sonic in fact did show up, with a gift even! A beautiful one at that!

With the same hand that was used to calm her heartbeat, she cautiously picked the rose by its stem from the his grip, her face breaking out into a cheeky grin. "Sonic, it's gorgeous!" she squealed, throwing her arms around Sonic's neck to engulf him with a bear hug.

"A-Amy! I can-I can't breathe!" the cerulean hedgehog managed to choke out as his hands feebly tried to pry her arms off him.

"O-Oh! I'm sorry!" she immediately released him, and returned to her previous position in an embarassed manner.

"It's... okay." Sonic inhaled and exhaled deeply as a means to regain his regular breathing pattern.

"S-So...what are we going to do first?" the pink hedgehog inquired softly, absentmindedly spinning the rose's stem between her index and thumb. You're doing great! Okay, you weren't before, but now you are. Keep a level head, Amy! He'll fall for you soon enough!

"How about we hop into some bumper cars and see if you can hit me?" Sonic suggested with a challenging wink.

Amy giggled in return, and jumped to her feet. "You're on!"

- - -

"Heehee, who knew Sonic the Hedgehog was that slow at bumper cars?"

"Oh, don't let that get to your head, Ames, those cars were pitifully slow!" Sonic pouted as his eyebrows pulled together in frustration.

"Pfft," one stand had specifically caught her eye while she glanced around, and what it sold seemed pretty yummy right about now, "Sonic! Look, cotton candy!"

"Mhmm," he replied distractedly, suddenly nudging her in the direction of the cart while pressing some money in her palm, "How about you get me some, too?"

He suddenly dashed off, leaving a confused Amy to saunter over to the cart to find the blue and pink fluffy candy. Getting one of each color, she happily forked over the money, then spotted a familar head of cerulean quills walking toward her again. She dove behind a giant oak tree decorated with soft lights similar to those hanging high above everyone's head as they strolled about the park, hugging the cotton candy concealed in clear plastic bags to her body. Taking one last peek to see if her date was drawing near so she could jump out and surprise him, she only caught sight of Sonic's back while he conversed with what seemed to be like a female. There was a lack of sufficient light, so Amy really couldn't make out the figure that he was talking to. Her hearing, however, was perfectly fine, capable of picking up their conversation...well, just Sonic's part because he did never know how to maintain a whisper.

"I know I'm here with her, and I know you dislike it when she's around, but- "

"Yes, I'm aware of that-"

"Could you stop interrupting me, it's annoyi- "

"Okay! I'm on a damned pity date with her! I mean, come on, she's had this crush on me for how long- "

"Fine. As long as you calm down!"

"P-Pi...Pity...date...?" Amy whispered quietly to herself as she slid down the trunk to make contact with the soft grass settled beneath her. He couldn't. He wouldn't. So a pity date was all she was worth? There would never be that genuine date she had dreamed for since her crush on the blue blur formed? Tears didn't even take the time to sting her eyes, simply quick to spill down her cheeks and leave the little rivulets of the salty liquid to succumb to gravity. The pink hedgehog clutched tightly at the bags of cotton candy, a small sob escaping her fallen form.

He would never return her love. He never intended to.

It hit her like a ton of bricks, the realization of it all. How could she have been so blind as to not be even the least bit aware of the situation at hand? He ran away whenever he had the opportunity, probably to escape from being glomped by her, oddly, powerful tackle hugs. By this time, Amy's fingers tore into one of the cotton candy bags, ready to stuff her face with the fluffy substance to rid herself of the heavy ache in her chest. She had to lick her lips every so often to stop her lips from getting too sticky with the sugar, even taking the time to listen to herself as she sobbed quietly.

"Oh, she's not even here. Where'd she run off to? She did say she was going to the cotton can- "

"Alright, I'll just say I went looking for her around Station Square because I couldn't find her here." A slight pause. "Let's take a ride on the ferris wheel then, though I doubt the view won't be as fantastic as you."

Tears now thoroughly obscured her vision, but she didn't even care the slightest bit to wipe them away. She had no will, no hope at the moment to do very much. It was quite pitiful for her to cry over one boy that could be easily replaced, but her self-esteem was creating an obstacle towards the thought. The pink hedgehog secretly kept to herself that she easily fell in love with males that were extremely nice to her, but somehow committed herself fully to the cerulean hedgehog due to his saving her life countless times. Like a knight in shining armor that I've been longing for.

She had put all her hope into this one crush, knowing all too well that it would hurt her eventually. And, now, she was living through the consequence of loving one that would obviously not love her back, and it hurt. It really did. Amy cursed her stubborn and persistent personality as she rewinded into her past, replaying particular memories that had her forcing her love unto the cerulean hedgehog. She found herself cringing at all of her past actions, realizing how idiotic she acted back then. Who knew I could be so...irritating?

Amy soon halted in plucking cotton candy from the bag since there was none left for her to continually pop into her mouth. Raising her line of vision, she noticed two legs sheathed in black jeans standing a few feet away in front of her. Glancing up with hesitation, she met the gaze of half-lidded cerise eyes. "Shadow..."

"Rose," he sneered in acknowledgement, "Why are you sitting there looking so...pathetic?"

The pink hedgehog surprised even herself when a bitter laugh passed her lips. "Yes, pathetic. Stupid. Foolish- "

"Shut up." Shadow growled, his hands forming fists at his sides.

She did not flinch from the sudden command, but did indeed silence herself, now feeling quite indifferent after crying so much. She lifted her head again after an awkward silence, speaking up as Shadow was about to take his leave. "Why are you here in Twinkle Park?"

"Hn." Shadow stopped in his tracks. "Rouge...is on her date with that red echidna. She thought I isolated myself enough so she dragged me along to 'enjoy myself.' Though I'm going straight home right now."

He left before she could open her mouth again. Sighing deeply, she crumpled up the empty plastic bag, throwing it into a nearby trashcan after successfully standing on her own two feet. Tucking the other bag underneath the arm that delicately held her present, Amy decided that going home would be best. Amy quickly exited the park, glad that there was some daylight left for her walk home. As she managed to pass by her favorite ice cream shop on the way, she thought that the fluffy candy wouldn't do her depression any justice, so she strode inside the bright shop.

After moments of searching through the freezer, Amy finally had possession over one of her many favorite flavors of ice cream, so she walked over to the register to purchase the tub that would be her best friend until it was depleted of its contents. Unfortunately, there was a couple bickering over which flavors to get on their ice cream cones, basically in the way leading to the register. With a frown, her eyes found comfort in soaking in the designs etched into the tiles covering the floor as she waited patiently for the two to settle down. "I'm sorry, hun, we didn't mean to- Amy?"

A familiar female bat came into view as soon as she responded to the call of her name. "Rouge? Knuckles? What are you two doing here?"

Rouge smiled, and jabbed at her boyfriend's chest a couple of times. "Mr. Tough Guy here was so caught up in trying to win me a stuffed animal that he even went through tantrums when he couldn't succeed, so I thought it would be better if we left."

The pink hedgehog mustered up the smallest smile she could. "I see."

The female bat adjusted the over-sized hoodie draped on her shoulders before sliding past Knuckles, so he could pay for their ice cream cones. Bending her knees to catch a better glimpse of her best friend's face, Rouge frowned instantly. "Have you been crying?"

Aware that the female bat would somehow be able to pry the information from her later on, Amy nodded slowly, her lower lip trembling. "Yes. I have. Sonic and I had a date..."

"How many times do I have to tell you that that boy will never stay true to his word?"

"I- I know, but he promised he would take me on a genuine date, and he seemed so sincere..." Amy trailed off, but continued after, "And the date started off so well, and he even got me a gift," she paused to raise the rose into view, "But then there was-"

Rouge cut her off when she saw tears beginning to form at the corners of the hedgehog's eyes. "How about you tell me when we get home? You're definitely sleeping over until you feel better," she then sneakily snatched the tub of ice cream from her best friend, "And I'll have Knuckles pay for this." she finished with a wink. The said echidna groaned, only receiving a giggle from his lover.

- - -

Who knew Rouge could force the 'ultimate lifeform' to live in her spacious apartment? Amy was surprised to find the onyx hedgehog sprawled across the couch so comfortably, flipping constantly through the channels. She rarely paid attention to him when Rouge playfully led her to the guest room, which was located on the second floor, where she and Cream slept during sleepovers. They then stopped in front of the door leading to the guest room with Rouge holding out a set of sleeping clothes. "Okay, so I must warn you that Shadow has permanently occupied your guest bed, so you're going to have to sleep in Cream's. Your ice cream, spoon, and presents are awaiting you on the vanity table, and, if you need me, I'll be downstairs cuddling with Knuckles." she giggled and walked away with a wink.

Great, if that happens, Shadow's probably going to be forced up here with me... Amy thought dreadfully as she twisted the knob to enter the familiar room. The only thing that had changed from her last sleepover was that her usual bed was bigger and covered entirely in silky, black sheets coupled with wine red pillows. As comfy as it may have seemed, she turned away from it, instantly switching into more comfortable clothes so that it would be less restricting than a tight-fitting shirt and denim jeans. She situated herself at the vanity table that she always enjoyed sitting at, staring at the miniature containers laid out decoratively before her. Dabbing on make-up never made her confidence swell, and it would never have that effect...

How could she find so many depressing references in her everyday life and possessions?

Amy took notice that the cotton candy that she did not devour was ironically the blue one. Must he also haunt me even when I'm not in his presence? She ran a gloveless finger across the plastic bag's surface, drawing patterns and shapes along the way as she stared at the rose he had given to her, which was slightly bending over the rim of a crystal clear vase with a peculiar cylindrical shape. A stinging pain erupted in her chest as she took another glimpse at the flower, reminding her of earlier that day.

Tears did not come to her eyes this time, only thoughts brewing up a storm within her already troubled mind. Sighing angrily, she pulled the ice cream container closer, picking the spoon off the cover before opening it. A few spoonfuls later, a contented smile rested on her lips, in which she took a huge scoop to finish her session of snacking away at the delightful and cold treat. While patting the cover to close it securely, she took small bites of the ball of ice cream remaining on the silver utensil with a lick every now and then. "What are you doing in here?"

Amy directed her attention to the male hedgehog leaning on the door frame, his arms crossed. In a mid-lick, she quickly slipped the rest of the ice cream on her tongue, drawing the muscle in once it seemed the spoon was clean of the cold dessert. "Rouge invited me to stay. I hope you don't mind sharing a room." she answered softly, returning the silver utensil to where she originally found it.

"Hn." A shuffle of feet was heard, then a bed creaking under weight. The television at her right suddenly came to life, playing rock music at a low volume. Ignoring the volume as it grew a bit louder, she sleepily crossed her arms on the table's surface, laying her head upon her makeshift pillow. "Rose." Shadow called from across the room as he carelessly tossed the remote somewhere else on his bed. "Rose."

The pink hedgehog emitted a light snore in return, mumbling incoherently as she successfully dozed off into a peaceful state.

Shadow's ear twitched upon hearing feet tap lightly against the steps of the staircase, meaning Rouge and Knuckles had decided to call it a day. He kept his sight on the door, and, as expected, the female bat poked her head in to check up on them. He saw her lips form a frown when her eyes landed on the sleeping form of the hedgehog at the vanity table. "Shadow, you imbecile, why can't you be gentleman enough to at least bring Amy to her bed?" she asked in a harsh whisper as she stepped fully into the room.

Shadow scoffed. "Why should I? Her sulking is only making the atmosphere of this room completely rotten." His hand automatically flew up to catch his shoe, which was meant to hit him in the face, courtesy of an enraged Rouge.

"You're heartless, you know that? How could you even say that when the girl needs all the comfort and attention she can get?!"

"Like I give a damn," he retorted as his shoe fell to the floor with a clatter, "And you're simply babying her. She needs to learn how to pull herself from her depression on her own. At least that way, she'll be able to cheer up if you aren't around."

From what Amy could tell (yes, she had been wide awake since Rouge threw a shoe at its owner), her best friend was speechless, but was proven wrong when she practically screeched her final sentence. "Fine, just leave her there the whole night if it satisfies you, Shadow the hedgehog!" The sound of a door slammed with brute force resonated throughout the room, causing Amy to wince.

Shadow was right though. What if Rouge, or even Cream, wasn't there when something like this were to happen again? She had to learn how to brighten up, even if it meant taking every ounce of energy she had within her to find what raised her happiness. Before she could sit upright as if the slam had woken her up, she was suddenly hoisted into the air by a pair of strong arms. Amy had to bite her tongue to prevent herself from squealing from the sudden action, and felt Shadow walk over to her mattress, gently laying her on the comforter. It was softly pulled from underneath her, finding he had done it to drape the fabric over her body. How hypocritical of you, Shadow.

Amy drifted in and out of sleep since then, finding it quite difficult to completely succumb to slumber. With too much on her mind, she decided to re-possess her tub of ice cream, surprised when it was only a bit melted. The light that the television produced was now the only thing keeping the room illuminated as all other forms of light were turned off. She noticed Shadow was already asleep, his back turned to her, as she rid the spoon of another glob of ice cream. From there, she glanced at the digital clock placed on the nightstand separating their beds, 12:46 AM glowing bright red on the face of the clock. Five minutes later after she had taken note on what time it was, her spoon finally hit the bottom, so she lightly placed the empty tub on the nightstand along with the spoon. Her headband soon followed the tub, causing her bangs to fall and gently tickle her eyelids. The feeling of a full stomach helped in guiding the pink hedgehog into finally finding her way into an inviting dreamland that didn't include a cerulean hedgehog that had one less fangirl to worry about.

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End Chapter One.

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Haha, well, hello there! :]

This may not be my first fanfiction, but it is the first to make it onto this site. This is also my first mature-ish story, so when the time comes, don't kill me because of the quality! -cowers-
I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I thank you for taking time to even read this -coughshitcough-.
Oh, and if you find mistakes, please tell me. Even though I read chapters over and over, I tend to skip over a few of the said mistakes because I tend to rush. And I have an OCD problem, and it would help solve it if I could fix mistakes that you find before I do. xD

My Inspiration(s) for This Chapter: Ignorance by Paramore. (( The music video is freakin' brilliant, and the song somehow spurs anger within me. xD ))
The Legendary Theme (Acoustic Version) off of the Gitaroo Man soundtrack. (( I loved the game. I want to buy it off someone because I miss the gameplay. ; A ; ))
River Flows in You by Yiruma. (( I need to learn this on the piano! ))

Sooo...uh...review? Please? Heehee.

Maschera di Miseria has signed off.