Oh yeah, oh yeah, I've fallen down
There's no use faking…
And everyone in this old town
Can hear me raging
Oh yeah, you call yourself my friend
Don't get your back up.
I guess we'll find out in the end, who's the real bastard…
May whatever power that be that is holy or above us, quit TESTIN' me!
Ok, so I seriously, totally take back thinking: anyone but Shadow.
Because something way past worse had knocked that clear out of the running! Now I was all alone, brooding in one of my more sour moods. This all had to be a big, strange dream.
I did not just see Tails, taking out Amy.
Frig it, I don't want to believe it, but it's true.
I showed up to his workshop, and when I found him absent, did a brief scan around some of his favorite haunts in Station Square.
Oh, I found him all right! At his favorite ice cream shop. Livin' it up, laughing his two tails off, chillin' with- why. Why?! It was like my brain knew the answer to a math equation, but it looked wrong no matter how I stared at it. No...way- why Amy!
After everything I'd told him. In light of the fact that there was no way he wasn't noticing me literally going insane from all of this. Now, he was fanning the flames.
What they were talking about when I showed up that was so funny, I had no idea. But when he saw me through the window, his spoon missed his mouth & dove into one pristine white tuft of fur gracing his cheek. The two of us united outside for a talk shortly after that, and what did he do? He feigned cute, little brother innocence. Acted as if this wasn't exactly what it looked like to a newly born nut case like me. Damn him, for being such a cute friggin' kid.
Needless to say, I didn't stay long. Oh, we'd discuss this later.
I didn't have words at that time, I was just too stunned to face this madness.
Well paint me green and call me Master Emerald. I didn't possess a broad enough imagination for this not to be real!
In the meantime, here I sat, boiling as I waited for him to return to his workshop. Until he did, I'd keep watch of it for him. (Yeah... that's it!)
So, the world was surely coming to an end. I expected the apocalypse. Yep, Satan or Jesus would be knocking on the door any second to announce the end of the world, because I just saw Tails. Miles Prower. And Amy Rose.
Sharing, a freakin', banana split.
This must be my fault, I must have upset some extreme balance of karma here on Mobius.
This whole crazy mess started the day I missed the date.
I had gotten her so excited, only to let her down in my age old fashion- just as I did in the days that I was 15... well, and the years before...er, and after that.
Yikes.
Dammit! Can a guy help it if every time he makes plans, he ends up having to fight for his life? Just when I thought I was safe to spend one carefree day with my pals, Egghead shows up with his weekly new but flawed mammoth Eggbot- surprise, surprise- to conveniently make me late to meet Amy. Again.
As per usual.
A vicious, never
ending cycle I'd been running in since I could remember. The never
ending battle, the never ending road I had paved ahead of me. Only I
was trapped in it. Always moving ahead, but getting
nowhere.
Like, a, wheel.
Like a giant, mundane hamster
wheel.
My head dropped into my folded arms that rested on my lap with a groan. Oh God, I really AM a hamster!!!
I was passionately starting to get sick of these time wasters, but it was clear and it would always remain clear, that no matter how many times I slam Eggman into the ground, he will always find a way to crawl back and fail… one more time. I sighed loudly to myself, coming to the same conclusion I always did. It truly seemed I would never do anything else I enjoyed in my life, besides saving lives and thwarting evil. Although I loved the action, the adventure, my pulse pounding in a sticky situation... could I really expect to keep Amy happy, and the whole world as well? Could I really cater to and satisfy both sides of me now?
Uh, hold up...since when was I so scared about keeping her happy?
Er... I can't remember when that became one of my duties.
Truthfully...yeah, I kind of wanted it, not had to do it.
I wanted to cheer her up and make her happy, but a big half... was terrified of what that meant.
And now... now, I was sitting in Tails workshop, listening to bizarre human music through his tapped radio, draped over his couch, wondering why the hell I was still here. I was being silly, wasn't I? Was it my business? This couldn't be the real deal anyway... I thought of them sharing the ice cream and visibly shuddered. Hey, why should I stay here? After all, he was on a date with Amy! Tails! My best friend! My best, and may I make it known, FOUR YEARS younger than Amy, best, best friend...
"It's just one date, it's a one time thing! I told her I'd take her out, Sonic." I mocked in Tails younger voice, the scathing high pitch making me clap my hands over my mouth. Did Tails have cameras in here? Did I dare have the gall to make fun of someone I loved like my own flesh and blood?
Well... I remembered the proudly smug look on the red haired foxes face, as he shared his banana split with Amy. Ugh, I had kept my cool- stifled my objection to him feeding her. The boiling inside of me came so fast. I mean THAT WAS a bit MUCH! BANANA SPLIT... puh!
"Nothing against you, Sonic! I know you've been acting weird about this stuff lately, it's just for fun!" I imitated again, unable to keep my sarcastic nature inside. "Nothin' against me? Nah, you're just my best bud, tryin' to be cute by bringin' Amy out to a malt shoppe because you secretly think she's hot, now that she's older, like you told me that time we were sleepin' at my house and you were on the floor and I was in the bed- and thought I was half asleep and would forget it by the mornin' ANYWAY!" I snapped, the words flooding out at the speed of my feet as I was grabbing my ears in frustration. "Ok, Sonic...talking out loud to yourself again. Man, I'm startin' to sound like Egghead!" I moaned aloud, now shoving a couch pillow over my head. "Dude must be way lonely... uh, not that I am or anything! I'm just- bored. Yeah." I began playing with a handheld maze, sitting with my feet on Tails coffee table. This would NOT play such a big part of my afternoon! God, it was one trip to a Malt Shoppe, Amy thought of Tails like a brother, he's just doing something sweet for her...
Or maybe now he'd tried his freakin' luck, taken her by the hands and flew her to some romantic location with his mad propeller skills, friggin' workin' one of his Tails around her like the sly little Casanova he could be... I noticed my hands were trembling, and as the little silver ball quavered within the plastic confines, I felt another outburst building. "UGH! I can't play this shit right now! I mean why would she do that, anyway? It's TAILS! Our kid brother, it's TAILS, AMY!" I barked, as if I could mentally kick her for being so weird. Why would she accept a date, even if it was harmless?
"I'm just giving Amy the appreciation she deserves. Why not, Sonic? It's just once- besides, she's not seeing anyone!" I parodied again, this time my voice was higher and more scathing than ever. My face flamed, with nobody but myself as a witness. "Why not? WHY NOT? Tails..." I said it reproachfully, as if he could hear me, as if I were scolding him, which I never did. "I mean, a bit over the top, right? This is..." I stood, pacing in my typically impatient nature. "I'm not the crazy one here, I mean is this world gone haywire?! Now I'm having full circle conversations with myself. Great. Perfect! All I need is a little world domination and disturbingly tight black pants to go with it!" I sat again, stewing as my hand tapped away at my temple. It didn't last, my sanity was still wavering. "COME ON, Tails! What kind of best friend... Ooh Prower, the line." I folded my arms, now tapping my foot persistently against the coffee table. I could NOT get over it! For the love of God, TAILS was getting further with my girl than I was! That was just... just... UM, perfectly fine, yeah, that's right. She's not my girl! That pink hedgehog- she's not... anything.
Thanks to me.
My ears drooped, and I barely had time to register the weight of sadness before annoyance took over again. No, more like thanks to all my backstabbing guy friends, who were suddenly coming at her from allangles like it was rutting season! Holy shit man, was this no holds barred or something? I move an inch out of her spotlight and they all pile in like some mangy hounds from the doghouse, lookin' for love?
Uh- not that I cared, or anything! By all means, Amy can date who she likes, when she likes... what age she likes...(I chuckled to myself at this) and I won't give a care who she ends up with. They can all feel free to go after her! I nodded to myself, sitting as a picture of cool on the couch as I grabbed for the remote without using it. Instead, I played with it. You know, it's notlike me and Amy have had this thing together since the first day I saved her. I could be happy for them! She would finally take her blinding love glare off of me, and she'd be out of my hair. It's not like it matters to me if, on the offhand chance, she falls for one of my good friends.
You know, even if they know she's always carried the torch for me.
Fine! If they want it, they can take it.
Go right ahead, date Amy. Fall in love with her, go to town if you like!
...assholes.
I dropped the remote, only just noticing I'd pulled a handful of buttons out of it.
I'm sure Tails would appreciate that.
She loves you, yeah, yeah yeah!
She loves you, yeah, yeah yeah!
She loves you, yeah, yeah yeah, yeaaaaah!
I jumped as a new song kicked into high gear around me. The radio was possessed, it seemed. Oh yeah. I'd been too busy ranting mentally to myself and destroying to acknowledge the fact that I had been listening to the radio since I got here.
You think you've lost your love
well I saw her yesterday!
It's you she's thinking of
She told me what to say-
She said she loves you!
And you know that can't be bad...
Tails, never being able to leave technology any alone time, had tuned it into a mysterious station- a human station that seemed to be testing how much more of it I could stand.
Whatever devil was now living in the stereo was screaming some song- a flash-in-the-pan human fad band of the times, I guess. I was listening to it more than I usually did. When I stayed with Chris many moons ago, he insisted that most human bands didn't last. Most of them died out in success quick. In fact, the ones that did last sometimes turned into legends over it. Pretty sad you had to become a legend to get some replay...Man, now was NOT the time for more annoyance.
She says you hurt her soul
she almost lost her mind!
But now she says she knows
You're not the hurtin' kind
She says she loves you,
and you know that can't be bad
She loves you, and you know you should be glad...
Don't you loathe when at your darkest moments, the radio and TV seems to turn against you? This was just like the time I destroyed Eggman's sunlight ball extravaganza. Suddenly, the TV & Radio let loose on me, and everyone who listened to it or saw it followed suit. What was this guys problem, anyway? Why would he write a song about some loser who sucks at dating?
(Does he have to remind me of what a loser I am at dating?)
Shut up, subconscious.
You know it's up to you
I think it's only fair
Why go and hurt you too?
Apologize to her, because she loves you
And you know that can't be bad...
I kicked the damn stereo. A little harder than I liked, and the open window letting in a warm summer breeze was of course more than welcome to permit it flying practice. Great. Now I needed to get Tails a new portable stereo. Well... he's probably too busy enjoying the gorgeous weather, with his equally gorgeous date.
Who... I felt completely platonic for, of course.
With a love like that? You know you should…
Be glad!
Yeah, yeah, yeah- yeah, yeah, yeaaaahhh…
"...Marty, lets hope Lydia tuned in today, to receive that touching dedication by The Beatles. Hopefully, it made her forget about the wild dog incident you got her into that you mentioned earlier. I'm Carson Carsom..."
So, the radio lives. That's some mobiums left in my pocket, anyway. And thanks, Beatles.
For a harsh reminder like that... I hope Lydia sent Marty his own pack of wild dogs.
I smirked to myself in amusement, then wondered in self surprise at my own bitter thoughts.
When had I become like this? Filtering through the past couple weeks, I knew the answer. The night I became two distinct hedgehogs, not just that cocky daredevil I knew too well.
I came to the horrifying revelation that I was a page right out of a cheesy romance novel. A guy torn between stubborn male ego and secret yearning for affection.
My two halves were literally strangling each other, and it was getting on my nerves.
I hadn't yet grown accustomed or even remotely sure of what to do with this other side of me.
What had me so bent outta shape?
OH YEAH... could it be what I'd been dwelling on ever since I left the Malt Shoppe?
…ever since she stopped looking at me that way…
"What do I CARE, ANYWAY?!" I barked aloud in annoyance, as if saying it out loud would take my stress off the question itself- maybe shut up any thoughts from either side of me for a moment. I wanted to drown out my never answered thoughts. I was actually starting to make myself ill, thinking of it all. There was nothing, no way to stop her from seeing these dudes! Why do I care?
I thought about Shadow. Stupid Shadow, and his air shoes, probably wanting to carry Amy around like a prize pig.
...uh you know, not that she's a pig or anything.
...Stupid Shadow. I hope one- one of his air shoes gives out, and she sees it, and laughs at him.
I mentally kicked myself.
Bah. As much as I'd like to blame everyone else (God knows it was muchmore enjoyable), this was my problem. But no matter what I tried to do about it, I got burned even worse. Obviously, my luck rested in butt whooping and track making. What I wouldn't give for a trade in departments right now…
"Sonic?" The door shutting loudly and the voice that followed surprised me so much- just the sound of any other living being outside my own shouting match in my head. Well, I just about crapped myself. I frantically smoothed my hands over my fur sticking up in all directions, and the fox made his way in as I was. His eyes were blatantly sympathetic, concerned. My own were wild, both accusing and embarrassed. I just wanted one flippin' answer.
What had he done with Amy to make him look that way?
--
Good news!
I am doing a double update today seeing I went on a writing binge. X3
Be my guest, continue on!
