Chapter 3
Sonic the Hedgehog was sitting cross-legged on Boom Beach, drawing scribbles in the sand, when a soccer ball nailed him in the head.
"Ow! What the hell, you guys?" he yelled, whipping it back in the direction of a muscular red echidna and a tall, lanky golden fox.
"Sorry," Knuckles responded, catching the ball with ease. "Come on, we could use a third!"
"Nah, I'm not in the mood tonight," he sighed, looking back out over the water. Tails stared out at his friend. Usually, he was cocky, energetic, and wanted to do nothing but run, but every once in a while, he would get like this. He knew exactly what it was about, too, even if Sonic didn't want anyone else to know.
Sonic stretched his legs out in the sand, examining the small cuts that adorned his shins. Shadow had given him a run for his money in training the other day before he'd had to take off. But, you know, that's what training was for.
He had one specific thing on his mind tonight, the same thing that was always on his mind when he got in one of his moods.
"She was really pissed," he admitted to Knuckles, Tails, and Shadow. The four were down at the one bar that existed on Boom Beach.
"Well, you could have just told us," Tails reasoned. Sonic glared at his friend, annoyed by his ever-present rationality.
"Yeah, that would have gone over well with you guys."
"You people have the dumbest problems," Shadow grumbled. "I'm literally the Ultimate Life Form, and I'm sitting here drinking beer and listening to you cry about a girl."
"Oh yeah? What would you have done?" Sonic retorted.
"Well, for starters, I wouldn't have stopped at kissing her," Shadow raised his eyebrows, baiting Sonic. It worked. Sonic let out a low growl, his spines raising slightly.
"Fuck you," Sonic spit.
"Hey, chill out," Shadow replied, holding his hands up. "You wanted my advice."
"What are you going to do now?" Knuckles inquired, sliding his pint glass from one hand to the other.
"I don't know," Sonic sighed. "Apologize, I guess, and hope she forgives me."
"Forgiveness never was Rose's strong suit," Shadow muttered.
"For once, I agree with Shadow," Tails chimed in.
Three beers later, the four headed back to their shared cabin, pleasantly buzzed but not quite wasted. Sonic was beginning to feel a little better, and he was already formulating a plan to try and win Amy back.
"I'm pooped," Tails yawned. "I call the hammock."
"Over my dead body," Sonic grinned, speeding over to the hammock and quickly jumping in, butt-first. Something crinkled under him. "Huh?"
"What's wrong?" Knuckles asked. Tails pouted next to him.
Sonic reached under himself and pulled out a rumpled note addressed to… "It's for you, Tails."
"Hm?" Tails asked, reaching out for the note. He glanced over it quickly and his face went very pale.
"What?" Shadow asked, straining over his shoulder to read the note. "Oh, jeez."
"What's it say?" Sonic asked, hopping up out of the hammock.
"Sonic…" Tails began, but Sonic, quicker than was visible, took the note and began to read.
"Tails,
I hope everyone's doing okay. I've had a really wonderful job offer from GUN, courtesy of Rouge. I won't lie, I asked her if they had any openings. If we're being honest, it doesn't feel right for me to stay here any longer. I'm packing right after I write this, so when you read it, I'll be on a plane to their headquarters. I couldn't say goodbye to everyone. I'd be too sad to see you guys go. I'm not coming back. You guys are more than welcome to stay in my old place. Tails, you have been one of the most wonderful friends to me and I love you more than I can say. Thank you for everything you've done for me over the years. I swear that, one day, I'll make it all up to you. Please take care of everyone else. You always were the most levelheaded one.
Love,
Amy
"
"No," Sonic whispered.
"There's more than one," Shadow noted, raising his eyebrows at the other three notes on the table, each addressed to rest of the guys.
"Shadow,
I know you aren't one for mushy stuff, or feelings in general, so I won't make this letter long. Actually, I may be seeing you around headquarters. I hope that I do. As much as you hate to admit it, you're a good friend, Shadow, and I'll miss seeing you every day.
Love,
Amy
"
"Knuckles,
I know you're going to be upset with me, but I hope you can understand that I just had to go. Take care of Boom Beach for me, okay? You're the strongest person I've ever met, and I trust you to take care of things around there. Don't let Egghead push you around too much. Maybe I'll see you again someday and we can have one last soccer match.
Love,
Amy
"
The first two notes were addressed to Shadow and Knuckles. Shadow sniffed at his, but Tails could have sworn he saw a tiny smile on the dark hedgehog's face as he turned away and tucked the note into his right shoe. Knuckles, on the other hand, was bawling like a baby, spilling tears all over his note.
Sonic opened his note with shaky hands.
"Sonic,
I had to go. I'm not coming back. Take care of things around there.
Amy
"
"That's all she said to you?" Shadow asked.
"Yep," Sonic sighed, clenching the note in his fist.