Ultimatum
(Amy's finally ready to grow up, and forget Sonic.
Is he ready for this?)
Day 1 (In the aftermath of Amy's decision.)
"What's up Knuckles?"
The red echidna cast a weary glance to the left of where he was standing, and sure enough he could see blue quills poking up over the side of the shrine for the Master Emerald.
"Sonic..." He said in greeting gruffly. "What do you want?"
"The greeting mat as usual, huh?" Sonic grinned, and with his blinding speed he was leaning near the Master Emerald in mere seconds. "I'm kinda bored... and you're usually always bored, so-"
"You think, I'm always bored." Knuckles replied sharply, now standing in front of the Master Emerald. "I have no problem with standing in one place for a period of time."
"Yeah, well suit yourself! I- whoa, what's with the bow? You givin' yourself away as a gift or somethin'?" Sonic laughed, rounding on Knuckles, who indeed was adjusting a small black bowtie in the reflection of the Master Emerald.
"No, not that it's any of your business!" Knuckles snapped in his usual hot-headedness, moving the view from Sonic's eyesight, who merely zipped around to face his friend again.
"You goin' somewhere fancy Knux? Whut, no tribal gear?"
"It's formal, on someone elses terms." He stated pointedly, removing his white mitts and replacing them with black gloves.
"I guess that settles it, you do have fingers." Sonic said curiously, now lifting one of the white mitts.
"Would you give me that?" Knuckles growled, nabbing at it- only to find Sonic was now behind him.
"So where ya goin'?"
"Sonic, I got places to be at certain times and unlike some annoying, arrogant hedgehog I know-"
"What's this super form supposed to be, huh? First pink, now Red hot Knux-"
"ONE MORE WORD, Sonic!" A burst of laughter escaped the blue blur. "Before I bring my fists into this conver-"
"Hey Knuckles, we're here!" Tails voice stopped the comically irate echidna mid sentence, and Sonic followed Knuckles eyes to the spot in the sky. Shielding his eyes, he noticed that someone was in Tails' firm grip...
"Sorry to keep you waitin'." Knuckles grin was huge, dusting himself off, as if throwing off his previous disposition. "Had a little run in with hamster wheel legs here."
"Oh you're so coy... who wrote that for you Knucklehead, Tails?" Sonic bantered, grin cocking to the side. Knuckles took this as an opportunity to lash out and snatch back his mitt- which Sonic watched in amusement. Then he noticed an un-gloved pink hand rest on Knuckles arm.
"I don't mind waiting- & I love your new gloves! You look great Knuckles!"Sonic followed the slender feminine pink arm, which led to...
Wow.
She... looked...
WOW.
"Hey, A-Amy..." Sonic stammered, and against his own will, felt his chest beginning to heave. The weakness was setting in again! She'd always brought that effect with her, when she was near him. "what brings you here anyway?" His hand found the back of his head, scratching absently- moreso a habit he'd formed to detract from the way his cool slipped away around her. He used to be able to hold his own so well against her. What changed?
They weren't children anymore.
"I could ask you the same thing." She giggled, turning her dazzling green eyes from the blue hedgehog to the red echidna. "I'm here for my date."
"Date?" Sonic repeated, surprise clear on his face. Tails had to turn his face from the situation, suppressing laughter fiercely. "...But..."
"Anyway we better run, we've got a reservation." Knuckles grinned as he tugged Amy by the hand from Sonic, her expression reading amusement as well. He then knelt slightly, offering his back to Amy.
"Jeez Amy, you really look great. Whoa." Knuckles bore a smirk that made Amy blush, and Sonic roll his eyes. Lay it on thick, Knux!
"Thanks Knuckles, it's a new dress."
Sonic watched with a muted annoyance at her arms coming around Knuckles shoulders. She held on securely as he leapt into a glide. "Catch you guys later!"
"See you guys!" Amy's voice rang out as the two best friends were left standing atop the master emerald shrine. Sonic's body was frozen in time for a moment, as if he'd just been told a joke he couldn't fathom. Tails was evidently unaffected by the odd event, whistling as he rummaged through a burnt orange knapsack now slung open in front of him.
"Date?" Sonic looked to Tails quizzically now, pointing after the pair. The young fox merely laughed, shaking his head as he lifted a book out of the confines of his pack.
"Looks like it." He commented, & he started to read, not noticing Sonic's eyes watching after the pair until they disappeared into the radiating, fiery horizon off Angel Island.
—
Day 2
"Hey, Amy!" Sonic spotted the pink hedgehog walking in a daffodil yellow dress, carrying a pretty matching sun umbrella. "Wow, you're dressed really- uh- hey, could we chat for a sec?"
"Why, is there trouble somewhere Sonic?" Amy looked to him curiously, stopping her pace. "Is it Eggman?" Her fists tensed around her umbrella and her brow furrowed, as if waiting for bad news.
"No! N-no, it's not a- um, I mean… do you have somewhere to be?" He thought that might be a hint to the length of time that he wanted her to take out, looking at her face wearily. She was staring at him quizzically now, her mouth resting open in a tiny o, and he was panicking mentally. 'Of course she doesn't have time for you right now, you saucy idiot! She shouldn't even be speaking to you right now, let alone making time for your cocky ass again!'
"Kind of..." She flushed, and at his dropping face & inquisitive gaze she quickly followed with "b-but that doesn't mean we can't talk, I...Sonic?" She cocked her head to the side, taking note of his stressed brow, insinuating distress. 'She doesn't have time for me after all. Ow. OW! That's a smack to the ego right there.' At his name, he conjured a trademark simper on the spot.
"No biggie, where ya headed? I can get ya there in a flash." Sonic winked, smug, but at that she guffawed.
"Too late, I'm already there- but thanks anyway." She beamed sweetly, twirling the umbrella absently. "I wonder what time it is..." At this, Sonic held up a finger to signify stand-by, and he disappeared in a trail of dust and swaying trees. Amy had counted to 6 one thousand...
"4:28." Sonic was before her again nearly instantly, smart reply making her smile.
"Good, then he should be here any minute now." Sonic's face dropped- if possible- even further this time from smug to disgruntled. Not again...
"Who?" He asked a bit too quickly, but at least he'd picked his face back up from the unexplained, grumpy pout to a casual side grin once more.
"Actually, I've been here almost the whole time..." A low, rumbling voice made her pip in a small gasp before turning, and before her manifested a golden eyed, purple chameleon. His stern face produced an upturn of lips, taking her free hand suavely. "That's one marvelous dress..." the older of the two guys commented, stepping back to take a look. Sonic stared at the sky in annoyance, holding the inside of his cheek between his teeth at this flirty display. "I had to take time out to admire it." Amy let out a peal of charmed girlish laughter.
"Espio!" She tittered bashfully. Ok, Sonic's cheek officially hurt.
"I thought we could check out the Mystic Ruins, they're breath taking... you just need to bring an equally lovely girl who'll keep up with you." Espio teased, and Amy tossed back a smug smirk.
"Well, you found her. Shall we?" Sonic was quite simply seething in his own brain, still chomping down on the inside of his cheek like a stubborn taffy. 'I will strangle you with that oversized tongue if you even think of tryin' it out today, Espio…' As if hearing Sonic's thoughts, Espio glanced in his direction while still speaking with Amy.
"That we shall my-whoa. Sonic!" Espio tensed suddenly, and it occurred to both hedgehogs that the ninja had only just acknowledged his presence. "Sorry about that... I, find it a little difficult to ignore a pretty girl...unlike some." He quipped coolly, and Sonic resisted the VERY tempting urge to lay the lizard out.
"Awfully fresh on the first date huh?" Sonic snorted, and while Amy looked mortified by the comment, Espio laughed heartily.
"Who says it's the first?" He whipped back, and Sonic choked on whatever else he had to say next. He was too terrified by the idea of Amy on a date with Espio previously, what they might have done, and what they might do next. "Well Sonic I hate to leave you but the day is young and I'd hate for our time together to run thin. My lady? I'd like to spend some quality time if I may." Upon Amy's tittering blush, hand now being folded around Espio's extended arm, Sonic rolled his eyes.
"No trouble to tell! Uh, he's right- you dudes are busy- I'll catch ya later Ames." Sonic's voice went from terse to kind, as he saluted her over his shoulder, about to take off.
"W-wait!" She proclaimed, hand catching his wrist. He stopped with a start almost, not expecting her touch. It warmed him, and he hated that in a way now, wondering what it might be doing for Espio."Didn't you say you wanted to talk to me for a minute?" She pressed, and his jade eyes slid from her curious face to Espio's raised, impatient brow.
"Nah, forget it. Nothin' important, Eggman isn't- yeah, don't mind it." He snickered, recollecting his arm with a wave, and she watched him run off. Then she held closer to Espio's arm, the both of them grinning and exploding into conversation as they headed for the Mystic Ruins.
—
I.
ADORE.
JEALOUS.
SONIC!!! 83
Ok, got that off my chest. Has Mobius gone absolutely topsy turvy, or has Amy truly decided to put her childhood love behind her? Next chapter really heats things up (and of course ups the drama) when we get to see from Sonic's point of view, exactly what he thinks of all this, and more importantly, what he plans to do about it. You just might find yourself surprised by true blue...
Till next time, please let me know what you think! I usually update judging by people's interest.
Mish
