Chapter 34: A Horrifying Headline: Part 2:

I'm Amy Rose! I'm cute and I'm full of energy!

(sigh) Well, I didn't think I had it in me, but I'm finally

back to normal! I lost all my baby-weight, I got my

confidence back, and I looked damn fine in that

bridesmaid's dress at Rouge's wedding, which was

ALSO exciting (excluding the horrendous alterations she

made to my wedding dress)! Now that the worst is over,

what better way to spend my time is there than catching up

with an old friend?

Hours later, Amy and Cream were still chatting in the bedroom, talking about the recent wedding, and about Sonic Jr.'s newly achieved milestone earlier that day.

"So that was your dress?" Cream asked, eyeing the majorly altered dress in the case by Amy's nightstand.

"Yup. As uncomfortable as I am to have it back in my room now, at least the person who wore it is happy." Amy replied.

Just as they were talking, Amy caught a glimpse of Sonic Jr. running through the halls, chasing Cheese around. She let out a sigh.

"I thought Sonic was watching him." She said, "I'll be right back."

Amy got up and left the room, trying to track down her hyperactive son.

"So that's where Cheese is!" Cream exclaimed after Amy had left.

Meanwhile, Sonic Jr. was still running after Cheese, showing no sign of tiring out, despite his small legs and his age of only thirty three days. The two passed Shadow and Rouge's room, and Sonic Jr. slowed to a stop, letting Cheese continue flying ahead. The curious one-month-old entered the door, which was cracked. Amy caught a glimpse of him entering the room, where she could hear hysterical crying.

"Oh no." She said.

Just as she neared the door, Shadow was exiting the room.

"I wouldn't go in there if I were you." He said, "She's using the stress bottle."

"Well, Junior just ran in there in case you didn't notice." Amy replied.

Shadow stepped away from the door.

"Very well. But don't say I didn't warn you." He said, going down the hall.

My name is (sniff) Rouge the Bat! (sob) better known as the government agent

Rouge! (sniffle) I can't believe this is happening! I really can't! (blows nose) How could

I let something so intrusive happen?! All I did was step out of the limousine on my

wedding day, and somehow, those thirsty assholes caught my crotch on camera! (sob)

I'm still mortified as to how they (sniff) managed to do that, and why they possibly could

have done so! (blows nose) Ooh, if only I could get my revenge on them without

causing more of a ruckus, or losing other aspects of my life! (SOB)!

The "stress bottle" was nothing more than a large liquor bottle that Rouge kept in the drawer of her nightstand. She only used it when she was under major stress, hence the name. Rouge was lying on the bed, crying into her pillow. The bottle could be seen on the nightstand right next to her. She was wearing the outfit she had bought in the mall, earlier in the story, (black yoga pants with the words "Back Entrance Closed! Please Use The Front!" written in gold on the butt, and a cropped magenta tube top with lighter pink accents on the sides).

Amy cautiously and quietly stepped into the room, relieved after seeing that Sonic Jr. was not bothering Rouge, and was instead sitting on the floor, playing with a corner of the bed-covers. Worried, Amy quietly walked over. She wanted to help Rouge, in return for her helping to lose her baby-weight.

"Rouge? What's wrong?" She asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK IS WRONG!?" Rouge replied, her eyes bloodshot, her eyelids rubbed clean of eye-shadow, revealing their true color, and her makeup running.

Sniffling, she reached over to the nightstand and tossed the newspaper over to Amy, who immediately began to read it.

"See? See!? That article has officially ruined my life! I can't show my face anywhere!" Rouge bawled, grabbing the stress bottle and taking a gulp.

Amy unceremoniously dropped the newspaper onto her lap while still gripping it with her hands, before proceeding to stare at Rouge with half-closed eyes.

"Well, for one thing, you need to put that liquor away. You're better off facing your problems, than dying over them." She said.

Rouge did as she was told, but immediately went back to crying into her pillow, which was stained with powder-blue eyeshadow and mascara at this point. Amy started gently rubbing Rouge's back with a hand.

"Don't let that article get to you. The only reason the paparazzi follow you, (and all of us for that matter), is because you're affiliated with Sonic, who is famous for saving the world. And not to mention, that they're total perverts." She comforted, "All celebrities get that kind of treatment, and they don't give a fuck about it. They just move on and accept that they're constantly being followed, and you should too. After all, one of the best ways to get them to stop is to ignore them."

Rouge appeared to have calmed down slightly, her crying being reduced to sniffles.

"You're right. I can do this. I just need to keep cool, and not worry about these things. It'll blow over eventually." Rouge said, getting up and proceeding to forcefully move her breasts from side to side with her hands, as if trying to adjust them into place for a second.

She began heading for the bathroom.

"Now I'd better reapply my makeup." She said.

"Sounds good. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take this paper and shred the living crap out of it." Amy said.

"Yes1 Please do!" Rouge agreed.

Amy nodded and left the room.

"C'mon, Jr.!" She said, beckoning Sonic Jr. to follow her, which he obediently did.

At 9:00pm that night, despite the situation having been partially resolved, things didn't seem to get much better for Rogue, and the confidence that had been restored by Amy's words was being put to the test. A crowd of people was gathered in the circular driveway in front of the mansion, all with cameras and microphones.

"HEY ROUGE! COME ON OUT AND SHOW US THAT THONG AGAIN! DON'T BE SHY! WE WANT MORE!" One man screamed.

From inside, Rouge was the only one still awake, panicked as she could hear the paparazzi from inside. Nervously getting under the covers, she took a gulp from the stress bottle. Back outside, Shadow discretely stepped out onto the roof, the crowd taking no notice of the black hedgehog watching them from above.

"Chaos...SPEAR!" He shouted, shooting a ball of energy down at the crowd.

Everyone dodged the attack as it exploded in the center of the crowd, and began screaming as they fled from the driveway.

"Nobody gawks at my wife like that! Now STAY OUT!" Shadow snapped, doing a front-flip off the roof, and entering the house again.

Back in the bedroom, Rouge was still shivering uncomfortably, as Shadow entered and removed his hover-shoes.

"Did you deal with them?" She asked, a hand still clutching the bottle.

"Yes. And I'll keep doing so until they give up." Shadow replied.

Rouge let out a sigh of relief, though still slightly nervous.

"Ooh, but what if they come back when we're asleep?" She asked.

"Sh-sh-sh-sh-shhhhh...just relax. Nothing will happen." Shadow comforted, casually tossing the stress bottle into a wastebasket by the nightstand while still staring Rouge in the face.

"Ohhhh, I keep forgetting how hot your voice is." Rouge replied.

Shadow wrapped his arms around his wife, as this seemed to calm her down.

"In fact, to help take your mind off of the ordeal, let's do a little shopping. I'll take the clothes off the rack for you!" He said, stroking his hands along the smalls of Rouge's sides.

"Ooh! Well if you handle it, you have to buy it. But don't worry though, cuz' if you buy it, you get a free bonus!" Rouge replied.

"Bah, so what? As they say, 'Save big money at muh nards', am I right?" Shadow replied.