Okay guys, here's the update for Gypsies! I hope you enjoy it. The song "She's Like the Swallow" does not belong to me. It is a Newfoundland folksong. Also, pay close attention to the dream sequence that begins this story. It foretells many, MANY things to come.

Amy had never been so completely alone and hollow. She took a step through the forest, being pulled by what she could only assume to be Chaos, the god of magic, fortune and, well, chaos. He was very appropriately named, all things considered.

Amy felt her bare feet squish against the damp forest floor. There wasn't a scrap of metal or brick in sight. Most odd, though was the green leaves and the blue skies. Those things only existed in fairy tales. No one had ever actually seem either of them. The sky was brown or grey, depending on how far you were from a city, and leaves were endangered and shrivelled. At least, that's what she was told.

Amy tread on through the lush scenery, too tired to be in awe of it's beauty.

"Pythia," a voice whispered, beckoning her on. "Pythia."

On and on she went, only getting more lost the closer she came to the voice.

"Pythia, Pythia, Pythia."

Amy's head started to swirl. Where were they? Where was she? What does it all mean? That's when a voice pulled her out of the daze state.

"Amy," he called.

Amy turned around to see a blue hedgehog. He was so close that she nearly collided with him. Amy jumped back with a squeal. The hedgehog reached out a hand to balance her.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, pinning his ears back. "Did I startle you, Amy?"

Amy stuttered, trying to find words. Her tongue was rendered useless, however.

When she did not respond the royal blue male raised an eyebrow.

"Amy is your name, isn't it?"

She nodded.

The man smiled and stood her upright, making sure she could stand on her own.

"I've been looking for you," Sonic chuckled. "You don't know how happy I am to finally find you too. This is great!" His voice boomed, echoing through the empty forest.

Amy winced a little.

"Oh no, no, no," he spoke in a whispered tone now. "Don't be scared. I'm a friend. I'm here to help you now. You don't need to be afraid."

"W-" Amy's voice caught in her throat.

The man's ears perked up. He listened intently, awaiting her response.

"Why?" Amy finally managed.

He gave her a weak smile and brushed a loose quill back. Affection twinkled in his eyes and rang true in his voice when he spoke.

"Because I love you," he told her. "I love you and you are mine."

Amy blinked. Mine? She belonged to him? The prophecy was recited in her mind. 'He who has Pythia will make the future.' In other words, she was speaking to the most powerful man in the world.

Amy gulped, pulling away from him.

"I really have to stop scaring you," the blue hedgehog sighed with a chuckle. "It's not what you think, really, it's not. I'm here for you, not myself. I'll help you through all this. Just trust me."

He reached out his hand with an out stretched palm. Amy looked at it, considering for a mere second batting it away. Before she could she looked up at him. The love in his eyes was undeniable. Somehow, it wasn't that of lust or desire either, yet it was even more unbending.

Drawing in a breath, Amy took his hand. He squeezed her fingers gingerly, reassuring her.

"That's better," he said, relieved. "Now, since I'm going to be sending help soon I need you to listen carefully and remember something for me."

Amy obeyed, staying attentive as he started a song.

"She's like the swallow that flies so high,"

His voice was deep, clear and melodic. It lulled her into a feeling of security while he sang.

"She's like the river that never runs dry.

She's like the sunshine on the Lee shore.

I love my love, but love is no more."

"My Lady, Pythia?"

Amy awoke with a startle. Two maids stood at the foot of her bed looking at her. They seemed shy and unsure, an odd thing for their profession. It was a sign of fear and she knew it. Witches were a feared race, what with all the stories of them turning people into toads. Amy only took relief from it. At least fear meant they were not robotized. She really had had enough of robotized people.

"Where's Shadow?" Amy asked looking around the room.

"My Lord, the Iron Heir, will not be with you today until the wedding," one girl responded, keeping her eyes downcast. "As is proper, my Ladyship."

Amy frowned. That was right. She'd have to make a plan.

'I'm sending help, remember?' The man's voice said in her head. 'Just sit tight. I'm on my way.'

Sit tight, huh? Amy closed her eyes and considered her situation. She really only had one chance and that was with this mystery man.

"My Lady?" One of the maids chirped.

Amy opened her eyes and plastered a smile on her face. "I guess we'll have to prepare then, won't we?"

Today was going to be Hell on Mobius.

Sonic's perception of Hell on Mobius was very different from Amy's. Sonic, raised in the nomadic poverty of a gypsy caravan, would gladly be a prisoner if it meant a plush bed and food in his stomach. Where he was, however, was nowhere near that. This, in his eyes, was Hell on Mobius.

Sonic pulled out his pocket watch, looking at the time. It was 7am, on the dot. This is when the temple opened for the day. Rouge would be finishing her preparations right about now and be wondering where he was. Sonic gulped, thinking of the scolding he was in for. Not only had he offered up Rouge's acrobats as bait to a horny tyrant but he also ran off and left her to do all the setup.

"You're the ring leader," she would hiss. "You should help too."

Sonic didn't have time for that. He had bigger fish to fry.

The oracle, Pythia, was supposedly the chosen one of Chaos. All her dreams and messages were sent by him.

Sonic figured that if he was going to marry her he needed to take a more traditional route. He needed to ask for her father/creator's blessing. It was something no man had ever tried before but, then again, no man had ever succeeded before either. He might as well give it a shot.

Sonic eyed the place before him, the so called temple of Chaos. It was a dirty, grimy mess of rotten wood and cracked bricks. The little shack was way below his standards and he was a gypsy for crying out loud! Gypsies aren't even supposed to have standards.

"Now or never," he mumbled.

Sonic stepped forward, reaching for the mangled doorknob. As he turned and pulled it fell off.

"Shit," Sonic muttered, retrieving it from the ground. "I broke a god's house. I'm definitely going to Hell now."

Who was he kidding? He knew he was going to Hell anyways. There was no chance of him passing any sort of judgement, not even the corrupt judgement of the law these days. He'd be done for when his time came. It was something he'd just have to live, and die, with.

Sonic tried to jiggle the knob back on to no avail. Why did Lady Luck take such great amusement with pissing on him? Couldn't she piss on someone else?

"What are you doing?"

Great! Just perfect!

Sonic turned to see a female echidna with bronze fur, wearing a long black dress that covered everything on her. It was form fitting in the mid-section with a long, A-line skirt and turtle neck. It was a little strange considering modesty was out of style but Sonic shrugged it off and responded to her.

"I, um, broke this," Sonic explained dumbly, holding up the knob.

The girl nodded. "I see that."

Sonic stood there awkwardly. "Yeah."

The girl groaned, walking to the door of the shack and snatching the knob from Sonic.

"Why are you here?" She demanded.

"That's between me and Chaos."

The girl was surprised by his answer. He was so sure of himself, so insistent. She had never seen a visitor like this. They usually waited at the door patiently, head down, hands folded in prayer. This man did not seem devout. He didn't even seem to want to be here. It made the young priestess angry. She'd just have to get over that, though. It was her job to let people in, regardless of her opinion of them.

The priestess needed only to tap her finger on the ragged door and it opened.

"Follow me," she ordered, entering a dark foyer.

Sonic begrudged her authority but obeyed, keeping pace with her as she walked.

"Go to the back room and wait. If Chaos wants to see you he'll come," the prioress informed him, pointing to another ragged door. "But be warned, Chaos has only granted audience twice before, once for me, once for a former Pythia."

Sonic nodded, heading to the back. He tried to keep his strides wide and confident. He would not let this snooty girl see how truly afraid he felt.

The literal fear of God was quaking him to his very core. What if he did not grant audience? What if he came only to kill Sonic for even thinking of taking his daughter? What if he did appear? That was a frightening concept. What does one say to a god?

Sonic opened the door, this time finding no trouble in doing so. With a deep breath he stepped inside.

The room matched the exterior, Sonic noted. At least this place was consistent. He stood in the space and glanced around. There were no chairs, no gems, nothing particularly special at all, really. What made this place suited to the Almighty Chaos was completely lost on Sonic.

"Hello," he said, speaking clearly. "I'm here to ask about your daughter...the Pythia?"

The was only emptiness and vacancy.

"I need her for my people," Sonic explained, trying to appeal to Chaos as a fellow leader of his people. "We have had the South Islands taken from us and, once again, we are nothing more than nomads, sand in the wind."

Still nothing.

"This wind that blows us is cruel," Sonic added. "It drives us through harsh lands with plaques of many kind. I have lost many men."

Still no response.

Sonic sighed, knowing he wasn't getting anywhere. In a split second decision he decided to just be honest.

"Okay, alright, I'll cut the crap," Sonic sighed. "I want to kidnap the Pythia and force her into marriage because she is all-knowing and holds the key to the emeralds, blah blah blah. It might seem like an asshole move but I have a reason. You gave the South Islands to the gypsies after the witches betrayed you and the imperials took it from us. They raped our women, enslaved our children and killed our men! Most of us did not survive the slaughter. The master emerald now sits on those islands under the control of a tyrant! So here's a question for you mister Almighty Maker! Are you going to be an ignorant dick wad or are you gonna let me do something about it?"

"I've heard enough!"

Sonic turned to find the priestess spying from the door. He growled at her, angry for interrupting.

"How dare you come into a house of Chaos and disrespect him like this!"

"Disrespect him?" Sonic roared. "He left my people to wander and die in the wilderness and, what's worse, took a nice long shit on our grave afterwards! Now he refuses to even lift a finger to save us? No! I will not accept it! I am not leaving until he gives me Pythia!"

"Amy," a hushed voice whispered. It was light and cluttered through the air of the hall as it spoke. Every tense muscle in Sonic's body released in a sudden sense I'd security. He was safe here, that's what it told him. For once, he was safe. "You will know her as Amy."

"Leave, Sister," the voice addressed the priestess. "I will speak with the king."

Sonic listened carefully. The tone of the voice was neither masculine or feminine. Nor was it young or old. It simply...was.

"So you wish to wed Amy?" Chaos asked.

Sonic scanned the room for any sign of a physical being with him. There was no one there. It was just a voice.

"I wanted Pythia," Sonic corrected him.

"Pythia only defines the power these women possess," he explained. "You cannot marry power only people."

"So if I marry Amy I get the power I need to take back the south?"

Chaos sighed. "Power is not everything. Trust, on the other hand, is."

Sonic raised an eyebrow at his invisible companion. "What does that mean?"

"You have my blessing to pursue Amy," Chaos announced, ignoring Sonic's question. "And I will tell you how to save her from the Emperor. But first you must promise me one thing."

"And that is?"

"You must tell her your stories of how the sky was once blue and how the birds used to sing."

Amy's first and only kiss had been from a stable hand. He had been quiet, sweet and very kind. He had one flaw though. He had lusted after his boss's daughter. Or, at the very least, come as close to lust as children at the tender age of ten could come. All in all, though, he was human. His lips had been soft and pure with the innocence of puppy love. Now, as the end of the ceremony approached, Amy closed her eyes and imagined it was that shy stable hand, and not this cruel, unsympathetic monster that stood next to her.

"Do you, Shadow, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

The Iron Heir turned to look toward his master in one of the seats. Emperor Robotnik gave a nod and so, Shadow answered.

"I do."

"Do you, Pythia, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

No! No! No!

"...I do..."

"With he power invested in me by Chaos and the Robotnik Empire, Chaos bless his soul, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Shadow's cold, hard hands grabbed at Amy and she did not attempt to resist him as his lips locked firmly to hers. At first it was as she expected, cruel and emotionless. Then she felt something she did not expect, warmth. Amy's eyes widened. Those who were successfully robotized were never warm. Their blood was drained of all chemicals that could cause natural emotion and so it ran cold. Was he...?

Shadow pulled back and looked her in the eye, appearing to be as surprised as she was. He opened his mouth, perhaps to gasp, perhaps to speak.

Amy would never know because at that very moment Robotnik rose, clapping his hands together and bellowing, leading all the crowd to do the same. The Emperor left his seat and walked down the isle to a chapel door where a carriage awaited to take them to the reception. He beckoned them to follow and so they did, Shadow for obedience, Amy for fear. All three were ushered into the coach and Amy was finally free of Shadows hand.

Amy folded her hands in her lap and stared at the. As they let in her gaudy wedding dress. Amy felt disgusted. She had put her faith in that dream. She had believed the wedding would be stopped. Now it was too late...or was it? The marriage could be annulled with the snap of her finger if it was not consummated. The probably was that her hands were bound. She needed to be free to snap.

"My dearest daughter-in-law," the Emperor addressed Amy with a smirk. "We are heading to the reception. The whole of the Imperial nobility will be their so you will behave. Smile, wave and just try to have a good time, understand?"

Amy gulped. "Yes, sire."

Robotnik coated his voice with his bitter sugar. "Call me father."

Amy resisted the urge to gag. Father!? How could she ever call this awful man that?

"No thank you, milord," Amy tried to be polite.

"I'm sorry," the Emperor chuckled. "Was there a please in there?"

Amy's face paled. His message was clear. She was being ordered to play the role of an ecstatically happy bride, not a bitter prisoner.

She blinked back a stray tear, swallowed her anger and smiled. "Yes, Father."

The ride across the city to the imperial palace was long and nearly unbearable for Amy. When the coach finally stopped instead of feeling dread she was almost relieved. Perhaps, if she played her cards right, Amy might be able to at least spend the rest of the night as far away from her husband and 'father' as possible.

A guard opened the door. Robotnik exited first, taking his place at the head. The crowd of commoners cheered out to him. They reached over the line guards blocking their view, begging for a mere glimpse of him. Amy again, felt the urge to gag bit suppressed it.

'Smile and wave,' she reminded herself. 'You're a happy bride.'

Shadow came out next, getting an equally as enthusiastic reception. He was the most popular of he royal family. Why? Because he looked like a Mobian. It gave the people hope that in the future they may be ruled by o e of their own. Little did they know that the Iron Heir's heart bore the same traits as the metal he was named after.

Amy bit her lip, reconsidering. Perhaps that wasn't the case. She recalled he surprising warmth, the shock painted on his muzzle when he pulled away. Those were not the features of a robot. They were the sympathies of a man.

Robotnik, turned looking over his shoulder at the coach. Amy had still not gotten out. He bellowed a great laugh and the crowd quoted down just enough to hear what he had to say. He reached out, beckoning Amy to come forward.

"May I present to you my new daughter," the Emperor called out triumphantly. "Pythia."

The crowd went silent. All heads turned to the coach. She was concealed in the shadowy box and wished that their eyes were not for her. The reputation of the Pythia was too much for her to hold. The burden of the public eye would weigh on her as soon as she left. Therefore, she stayed.

"My sweet girl," the Emperor prompted. "Do not be shy."

Amy swallowed her pride and took a step from the carriage. A guard held out his hand offering it to balance her. She refused it, shunned it, and continued on. The people observed her with a watchful eye. Her head was held high and she stood straight, determined to not be seen as weak. She was small but the fact that her presence alone seemed to fill the space with majesty more than made up for that.

On Amy's part, the overwhelming silence was misinterpreted. Indeed, she was quite convinced they did not like her and, to be frank, Amy did not mind. In turn, she had no taste for them. They squabbled in poverty and filth because of this tyrant, this sovereign, yet they still basked freely in his glory as though he had been nothing but kind. It was horrendous. It was awful. It was the sweet blindness of a poor, desperate society.

"Pythia!" Someone cried out.

Then came another. "Pythia!"

Soon the crowd was energized, chanting the name over and over again.

Robotnik smiled. They loved her and, in turn, they loved him for bringing her to them. It was a perfect formula. They would be so enchanted by their new princess that they'd hardly notice if taxes were raised or a couple Mobians here or there disappeared. That was not his first use for Pythia but in certainly was an added benefit.

"Come, my dear," Shadow said, offering Amy his arm.

Amy took it, looking away. She couldn't bare to look into those bloody crimson eyes.

Shadow leaned his head towards her and whispered lightly in her ear.

"You remind me of someone," he mused to her.

Amy's ears pinned back. "Is this another trick to befriend me?"

Shadow shook his head and slowed his pace, pulling back from the lead of the Emperor just enough so that he would not hear him.

"Not at all," he whispered. "It's just that...when I kissed you it felt wrong. Like I was kissing a relative."

Amy turned her head finally to look at Shadow. He was frowning and his eyes were downcast. Never before had she witnessed a robotized person behave in such a manner.

"I had a daughter named Maria," he continued. "Robotnik doesn't know but I remember from before I was.." His voice cut off, unable to spam the words. "I remember little but her from my earlier life. She was my light, my angel. She died young but if she had lived I hope she would have become a strong young woman like yourself."

Amy was flattered and saddened all at the same time. Her heart swelled for this soulless creature as he reminisced about the times when his spirit was full of glorious love. She opened her mouth to respond but found herself being hushed as Robotnik stopped at he door to the castle and they waited for him to go on.

"This changes nothing," he hissed.

Amy was taken aback by his sudden harshness. What was this? The balance between flesh and robot was delicate and confusing to Amy. She was never certain where the cyborg ended and the person began.

"We are now entering the reception area of the castle. Wander as you wish but when I call you come, understood?"

Amy nodded to her husband. "Yes, sir."

The doors swung open and for the first time in two days Amy felt the true warmth of wonder. Above as she came in were two acrobats, performing on the trapeze right above her head. Booths and stands were all around the room. There were dancers, palm readers, all sorts of magical, Gypsy circus things to enjoy. What caught he attentions the most though was a bat at the centre of it all. She had ivory fur and moved with the grace of an eagle in flight. She swooped down, landing directly before the Emperor and his procession with an enthusiastic smile.

"Welcome to the Court of Chaos!" She said. "Here their are no rules, no laws, only wonder."

Amy looked around. The sight of this circus was almost enough to bring a smile to her face...almost.

Robotnik took the ivory bat's hand and kissed it. "My dear, would you mind giving your humble sovereign a tour of this magnificent carnival.

The bat smiled, obviously good at acting. "Madam Rouge is always willing to assist a loyal patron."

Amy was filled with a sense of relief. Shadow said she could roam and now that the Emperor was distracted she could slip away. She took her arm from Shadows and went off wherever she deemed to be farthest away from her husband and father.

Amy went where her eyes rather than her feet took her. All around her were wonders and tricks of such magnitude that her mind could just barely comprehend it. As she walked she saw a two headed lion with a snake for a tail, a slim, lilac cat swallowing fore and spitting it back out in a heated rush and acrobats everywhere, curving and bending in ways Amy didn't know we're possible.

She progressed, watching each display with wide eyes until she came across a particularly interesting one. It was a singer. She was a small bunny, about the same size as Amy but probably much younger. Not many people stopped to watch her. She was dressed all in rags and sat on a raggedy carpet but her voice, Chaos her voice was as crystal clear as the Southern waters. Amy stood above her as she sang, eyes closed, deep in thought.

"'''Twas out of these roses she made a bed.

A stony pillow for her head.

She laid her down, no words due spoke,

'Till this fair maid's heart was broke."

Amy recognized the melody from somewhere but where?

"She's like the swallow that flies so high."

Amy spun to find a man behind her continuing the song. It was no just a man but the man. A royal blue hedgehog dressed all in red with a prim top hat upon his head.

The young bunny who had carried the melody first giggled. "Lovely sire."

"She's like the river that never runs dry.

She's like the sunshine on the Lee shore.

I love, my love, and love is no more."

Amy blinked. It was him. It was her saviour standing before her in all his glory. What to say? What to do? She simply stood there, looking him over again.

"Take a break, Cream," the blue hedgehog spoke to the singer. "Rest your voice."

The bunny obeyed hopping up and away from the two.

The man flashed Amy a smile.

"Hello, Amy Rose," he greeted her. "Will you marry me?"

So, obviously a big part of the dream sequence foretold how Sonic was coming to get Amy but what else? There's something else, very important, hidden in Amy's dreams. I would like to hear what you guys think it is. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! The next one will be the escape. Yippee!