Chapter 6: Rekindling

…Hm? Oh! Hey, hey, how's it hangin'? Sonic here! Great to see ya again! Got another couple minutes to spare? Because I've got a major life update for ya if you're interested. Ah, who am I kidding? Of course, you're interested! Why else would ya be here? Hah! Ah… Joking aside, I've had to get this off my chest for a while now, and I was itching to tell almost ANYONE at this point. Why? Because… well… part of that 'update' I mentioned is that I've… still been in pretty much the same spot since last we met. Not physically, but mentally. Unusual for me to not be around for this long, I know, but… well, I've had to do a lot more thinking. And while many things I did tended to be lightning-quick, figuring out my personal issues with people… wasn't one of them, as I've proven.

I mean, I'm great at entertaining people, being the life of a party, cheering people up when they're down, and even teaching people about seeing the bright side of things when they seem like they're ready to give up. I… once even used to do a 'Sonic Says' P.S.A. series where I'd teach human children lessons on how to treat other people with kindness and stay out of trouble when I myself was a kid, believe it or not. That… may seem irrelevant, but I wouldn't mention it if it was. Still, if you had a problem, I'd help ya solve it in the time it would take you to snap your fingers. I'm just that kind of guy. If it wasn't for me needing to routinely be on the watch for evildoers (especially Eggman) coming out of the woodwork to stir up a ruckus, I'd more than likely solve, like, a thousand small problems every single day! Trust me, with my speed, anything's possible.

So… Why, after an entire year, couldn't I figure out how to solve this ONE problem I had with Amy? I mean, I figured we'd have smoothed it all over ages ago. But… instead, we're at a point where we don't even talk anymore. Not even one simple text message exchanged between us in eight months… I hate to admit it, but… I've come to terms with the idea that I'm good at solving problems with simple solutions while somehow being no good at solving more complicated ones. Aside from a chance encounter with Knuckles about five months ago and another chance encounter with Cream the Rabbit a couple months before that, I've mostly laid low. I've only ever popped up to deliver some gifts once, or to thwart an evil scheme here and there. No matter what, though, I zoomed off and continued to isolate once my business was done anywhere. My phone is filled to capacity with unanswered calls and voicemail messages, as well as text messages from everyone asking if I'm alright. And I'd reply with the usual 'I'm fine, don't sweat it,' and keep it moving. Although, I should correct myself. Those messages came from everyone… except her.

And as much as I wish it didn't bother me that she didn't check on me… a big part of me felt completely bothered, irritated, and… even a little blue (not the cool kind of blue) that she effectively cut me out of her life. I… I guess I really screwed things up with her… and that alone was the biggest reason I withdrew from everyone. I… I realized that I felt too guilty and uncomfortable to show my face around them… even AFTER a pep talk with Knuckles about people just wanting me and Amy to make amends already and disregard anything else when it came to this situation. And yeah, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "How the heck could Sonic the Hedgehog ever feel shame, doubt, or confusion in his entire life," right? That's what you're about to ask? Because if it is, then I'll answer it by letting you know that behind all the blistering speed, the absolute surefootedness in my stride, and my status as a hero… I have feelings, too. I'm not scared to admit that. And you shouldn't be scared to acknowledge your feelings, either.

Of course, I only recently became comfortable acknowledging that after I received another unexpected visit from someone else who helped me put things into a much clearer perspective. Wanna know who that was? Well, you'll find out in a sec. Oh, and by the way, it was none other than Rouge the Bat. Of all people… See? Told ya you'd find out in a sec! Hope I didn't spoil a big twist… Heh… Anyway, uh… I was chilling out on top of the biggest clocktower in all of Spagonia. Why was I there of all places? Because, well… reasons. Heh. It was a particularly starry night and the view of the sky over the lively rustic city below was no less than utterly breathtaking. The city itself was beyond beautiful, but when the stars lit up over it… Lemme tell ya, it totally encapsulates atmospheric perfection. It made this clocktower a perfect getaway spot other than Never Lake when I needed to be alone to think… or so, I thought before Rouge found me. Let's dive in and take a look at why my opinion changed, why don't we?


"Ahh…" I sighed as I kicked back and rested my weary head against the extremely triangular roof of the clocktower and gazed up at the mesmerizing night sky and let the crisp, cool breeze waft over me. I'd been in Spagonia for at least the last three days just trying to contemplate things, racing through mountains and streets alike, and enjoying the local food as I made plans on what to do when I returned to Station Square overseas. I'd been all over the world so many times across many adventures to save it, but it was always nice to travel for the sake of traveling every once in a while. Some might call me a drifter because I was never in one spot for too long before I got bored, but come on. Can ya really blame me for preferring to be on the move whenever I can be? That aside, I was ready to doze right off on top of that tower after a particularly busy day of peaceful, albeit lonesome superfast sightseeing and self-reflection. Yet, just as I closed my eyes and got ready to take a snooze…

"Ah! Fancy meeting you here, Big Blue," a familiar smooth, velvety female voice called out to me as its owner glided right in. My eyes shot open to see the world-renowned jewel enthusiast and government agent in question floating her way toward me as her big, membranous bat wings beat against the open air.

"Rouge?" I called as I took in the sight of the unexpected visitor. And… upon further inspection it was her. The aforementioned wings, the big, floppy bat ears, the sleek alabaster fur that covered most of her head, the vampire fangs that showed when she smiled at me, a full face of makeup, er… ahem, a particularly 'curvy' figure, if ya catch my drift… and her iconic heart-themed latex spy suit… My detective skills allowed me to deduce that it was her, alright.

"In the flesh, handsome~!" she confirmed as her boots made contact with the roof's stony surface, already starting with her usual flirtatiousness. She bent down toward me, still smiling with glee while I remained in place, looking her up and down to figure out what she was up to. "Long time, no see. Is this where you've been hiding all this time?"

"No," I plainly answered. "I've been all around. You know me."

"Indeed I do, but it isn't really your style to go as long as you have without making a grand appearance every now and again," she pointed out, making me just a bit uneasy as I shot her a curious glance. She seemed to pick up on it, though… "And I've gotta say, you don't look quite as bright and cheery as you usually do. What's the matter, sugar?"

"Wha? N-nothing. Do I look like something's up?" I defensively shot back, trying to keep my cool.

"The fact that you'd even ask that question is a bit of a dead giveaway," she remarked, digging right into me with no sign of slowing down. Jeez… This is what you get for having a super spy as a friend. Her attention to detail far outclasses mine. Nevertheless, Rouge helped herself to a seat right at my side… and I mean RIGHT at my side as she leaned into me and made herself comfortable. Seriously, she was close enough that I could have suffocated on the powerful scent of her perfume… "Come on, babe. Talk to me. Who put my big, strong, handsome blue hero in a bad mood? Hmm~?"

"Nice to know you care, Rouge, but with all due respect, I'd rather not talk about it now," I politely declined to indulge her, though I didn't bother to move from my spot. I could tell she was probing me by flirting with me… which is something I've grown PAINFULLY used to when it came to her.

"D'aww, don't shut me out like that, Sonic…" she pleaded, shooting me this pandering puppy dog look. "We've all been worried about you. You've hardly been around, and you never answer your phone anymore. You've been pulling a total 'Shadow' for what feels like forever."

"Hmph. Nobody does 'Shadow' quite like Shadow," I shot back, refusing to be compared to my not-so-happy black and red counterpart. Seriously, why do so many people think he and I are ANYTHING alike!? It's getting annoying to be compared to him so often. "Also, is that how you found me? Tapping my phone at someone's request?"

"What? No, of course not. That's just invasive and uncouth," she denied with a cutesy chuckle as she lightly tapped my shoulder with a hand.

"Oh, good. Glad to know you have SOME respect for pri-!"

"I slipped a tracking chip into one of your quills during our 'quality time' fighting over that Gizoid robot oh-so-long ago," she revealed with a giggle like she just told the funniest joke in the world as she reached her hand into my quills, pinched the device out with her thumb and index finger, and showed it to me. I… can't say I was particularly amused.

"I was wondering why I occasionally heard beeping noises I couldn't find the source of," I remarked, scowling at her. "Mind you, that whole situation with Emerl happened EONS ago! You've been spying on me for that long?"

"Nope! Just the last couple of months once it became abundantly clear you weren't acting like yourself," she shared without a shred of shame whatsoever. "The chip was dormant until I activated it a short while back to get a read on where the heck you've been. The beeping you heard was most likely test signals I'd occasionally send to see if it was still working."

"Jeez… And somehow, that makes me wish you had just tapped my phone. At least then, I'd have been able to chuck it into the ocean the second I found out the government was spying on me with it."

"Oh, relax, Big Blue. The only reasons they'd have to do that are if you were looking up illegal things or having… particularly dangerous conversations with questionable characters," she made it a point to warn me, though that alluring grin of hers never left her face.

"Ah, is that it? In that case, I might as well chuck the doggone thing into the ocean now and curb G.U.N.'s temptation to try and toss me back in prison," I half-joked, though Rouge got a huge kick out of it as she giggled it up and lightly jabbed my side with her elbow.

"Glad to know you haven't lost your sharp-witted sense of humor," she complimented, though it didn't make me any less suspicious of her for having tracked me down.

"Right…" I remarked, still scanning her up and down. Rouge caught onto it in a flash and… well, did what Rouge normally does. Wanna take a guess what I mean? No need, because she did exactly what I mean without a second of hesitation.

"Your eyes are wandering a bit more than usual, y'know…" she teased me, shooting me this flirty, half-lidded, smiling stare as she inched her face closer to mine to the point where I almost felt her lips touch my cheek. "It's always the broken hearts that need the most tender, loving care to be mended. And… well, maybe if you play your cards right, you and I can make some sparks fly starting tonight… After all, it's just you and me up here. I wouldn't mind us becoming boyfriend and girlfriend, as long as you don't tell your ex or our good buddy Knuckles about it…~"

"Ugh… You're such a pain sometimes," I grumbled and rolled my eyes as I scooted a couple inches away from her. But… I'll admit, my heart picked up its pace by a few beats. Not because of Rouge, mind you, but because she mentioned a certain someone… Regardless, Rouge laughed it up some more at my expense as she settled herself down and took a much less… invasive seat next to me. "And I'm gonna go ahead and guess that you've been in contact with Amy?"

"Ooh, clever boy~!" she confirmed, her confident, sultry grin never leaving her face. "What gave it away?"

"The fact that you called her my 'ex.' She's never been my girlfriend, by the way."

"Could've fooled me, considering what I'd heard from her about why you two stopped speaking to each other."

"Oh, great…" I sarcastically remarked with a sigh as I took a second to cast my eyes up at the stars before looking back at her again. "You're gonna tell me she sent you to come find me because I haven't been around?"

"Not quite. I tracked you down as practice for my next big jewel heist," she joked… I think, giggling at her own comment. Boy, was she in a good mood… "Gotta say, you sure do make it quite the challenge to pin you down. I'm just glad to know it's not impossible. That heist is gonna be a piece of cake by comparison!"

"Hm. Okay, fine. So, you found me. What happens next?"

"Well… I'll admit I haven't planned that far ahead," she admitted with a shrug. "Buuut, while we're here enjoying the romantic scenery from atop this wonderful clocktower, we may as well make use of the time."

"By doing… what?"

"What do you have in mind, Big Blue? You could have me all to yourself for tonight, and I know you never fail to entertain… Mind showing a girl a good time~? Hmm~?"

"If by 'show you a good time,' you mean you want to dig into me about my issue with Amy, then… Sure, why not? I'm sure you're not gonna leave me alone anyway, so I might as well give you the scoop."

"Ooh, splendid!" she cheered, evidently hoping I'd open up to her. "I'd heard an awful lot from her about the situation, but you know I like to get all sides of the story before I make a judgment. So… tell me from your perspective. Is it true you've been distancing yourself from everyone because of her?"

"…Sort of," I admitted after an eternity's worth of contemplating opening up to Rouge of all people. Not to say she wasn't a trusted friend… for a given definition of 'trusted,' but… she and I weren't particularly close. I… still found it in myself to go ahead anyway, since the can of worms was already open.

"How come?"

"Because I… just needed some time away to figure things out. I… I haven't been sure about how to fix this issue with her."

"Well, I imagine talking to her would be your best option."

"And you don't think I've tried?"

"I mean talking to her without trying to band-aid the situation like you're giving a lollipop to a crying child to make them forget why they were upset in the first place," she hit me with a strong suggestion almost right out the gate. Or rather, it WOULD have been strong if I didn't already hear it from Amy AND Knuckles at multiple separate points.

"Trust me, I've heard that complaint enough times that I think I could make a song where the lyrics are made up entirely of ways people have told me to change the method I use to solve personal problems… Y'know, other than to simply Open Your Heart or Live and Learn," I flatly remarked, beyond tired at this point of being told I was handling the situation wrong. Seriously…

"Yeah, well It Doesn't Matter how many times you hear something if you don't listen to it," she shot back, evidently in on the 'joke' I was making.

"Ahh, I see what you did there," I congratulated her with a grin that she shared with me.

"I can be clever too, Big Blue," she confidently assured me. "After all, my uncanny ability to pick up on the subtleties of a conversation are what permit me to Fly In The Freedom of working independently on G.U.N. missions."

"Ooh, another clever bit of wordplay. I'm impressed!"

"I'm sure you are. Anyway, back on topic," she advised as she straightened herself back up. "The lesson you were taught by Amy and Knuckles should stick a little stronger now that you've heard it just one more time from me. Of course, I remain curious about why it's taking you so long to figure things out. You know we've all been worried about you, no? Well, not counting Shadow. He seems completely indifferent toward you, though he's gotten especially close to Amy over the last couple months in the wake of this feud."

"Oh… Good for them, I guess…" I dismissed with a shrug, though I found myself growing hot with irritation at just the mention of Amy and Shadow in that moment.

"Hm. That's a telling response there," Rouge pointed out, apparently trying to psychoanalyze me as she pried into me.

"And why's that?"

"Because it makes me think that, on top of you trying to figure out how to resolve your issues with her, you distanced yourself because you also haven't figured out how you actually feel toward little Amy," she theorized. And as much as I wanted to tell her she was wrong… I… I couldn't bring myself to say that. But it wasn't like I actually had a crush on Amy or anything. Um… i-it just bothered me that she and I let one simple argument turn into a year-long standoff of us not talking to each other, especially when a bunch of our friends had apparently been nosing in on the issue every so often. Y-yeah, that was it… Of course, that isn't what I told Rouge. Instead…

"…Eh, that's… true," I admitted with a tilt of my head. "But it's more so that I'm not sure we can get over this hump and just go back to being friends."

"I figured you'd say that. But you know what else?"

"What?"

"I think you're a little jealous that Shadow and Amy are dating now," she revealed, shaking me right my core.

"WHAT!?" I just about screamed in a moment of total astonishment and a rush of fresh new agitation as hurriedly I turned my full attention toward the bat girl and BARELY resisted the urge to climb to my feet. "That's impossible! Since when!?"

"Hah! I'm just kidding, Big Blue!" Rouge, in a most cruel and obnoxious manner, shared as she cracked up at my reaction.

"D'oh, you…! That's not funny," I told her straight-up as I settled back down and crossed my arms, though my heart was a little late to get the memo.

"Sorry, sorry… I just wanted to see the look on that handsome face of yours when I told you that," she jokingly admitted as she got out another few chuckles before relaxing. "If it makes you feel better, the two of them became… I guess I'd describe them as 'best friends' in a way. He's been helping her keep her spirits up in your absence."

"Ah… Well, good for them."

"For sure. Of course, for you to get so worked up like that… Tell me something, Sonic. And be honest."

"Sure thing," I nonchalantly permitted, expecting her to ask me something mundane and irrelevant.

"Do you love Amy?" Rouge asked something DEFINITELY NOT mundane, and VERY relevant.

"What? What kind of question is that? Is that another twisted joke you're trying to set me up for?" I defensively asked her right back.

"No, silly! I'm being serious this time."

"It sure doesn't sound like it."

"Well, believe it, because I am. But c'mon… You don't have to be shy. You have feelings for her… Don't you?"

"…I have NO idea what you're trying to imply…" I sternly denied. "But without getting too mushy about it, I love all my friends."

"D'aww, Sonic~! That's so sweet! Does that mean you love me, too?" Rouge predictably tried to pry with her question.

"Hmph. Don't get carried away," I sternly shot back with a coy little grin as I cut my eyes at her. "You and I are acquaintances at best." At that, she scoffed. She was still smiling through it, though, so she got what I meant.

"That's certainly a weird way to say, 'Rouge is my ideal soulmate.' But you know what? I'll take it," she proudly 'accepted' my 'confession.'

"Heh. Your vanity is only rivaled by Knuckles' short temper," I joked, at which point we both shared a laugh.

"Maybe so, but that doesn't combat the fact that you still love me." At that, I had to roll my eyes as I thought up a witty retort. Buuut when none came that didn't sound too mean or unkind…

"…Sure, Rouge. If it means that much to you, then I'll confess my feelings of friendly love to you right here and now," I instead chose to confess to her.

"Ooh, so suave with your words… You could make a girl melt all over you with such swagger, hon~! And I'm glad to know you appreciate me! I love you, too, Sonic," she shared back, which… honestly caught me by surprise as my face heated up and my heart pounded a bit harder in my chest. Of course, I'd NEVER admit that to Rouge, or else she'd have a field day with it. So…

"My heart's been set aflutter over here. I'm SO glad we're on the same page about this," I flatly remarked, successfully keeping my cool.

"Indeed, we are~! Of course, while we're riding this ooey-gooey wave of shocking love confessions, we should figure out how much deeper your love for our spunky pink friend runs…" she prodded, shaking me right back into a state of nervousness that I did my best to try and play off.

"And why do we have to do that? I thought you just wanted to talk about how the beef between me and her unfolded."

"Trust me, I've got more than enough details on that. I'm more interested in finding out what's made it so difficult for you to come around and resolve the issue that you're still dodging everyone a whopping eight months after your last argument with her. And from the looks of things, I'd like to guess that you've finally realized you're in love with her, but you're too scared to admit it."

"Don't be ridiculous!" I quickly shut that outlandish notion down. No way, no HOW was I in love with Amy. That couldn't have been it… "I just feel like we could've worked things out better if we were a bit more mature about talking to each other is all."

"Mm-hmm," Rouge, in her usual sassy way, expressed her doubt as she wore this obnoxious smug grin on her face. Ooh, she really knew how to push my buttons…! "You don't have to hide your feelings, Sonic. I won't tell a soul. It isn't like it's the worst thing in the world for you to see Amy as a potential girlfriend. What, are you afraid that we're going to make fun of you for confirming what half of us already knew to be true anyway?"

"What!? No!" I denied again. "For crying out loud, I am NOT in love with Amy!"

"Okay, okay, no need to get your socks in a bunch. I believe you…"

"Do you really, though?"

"No," she teased, getting yet ANOTHER cheap laugh out of watching me scowl at her. "All jokes aside, though, I've got a hunch that you still care about her at least a little more than you're letting on."

"Well, it isn't like I don't care about her at all. I've just never been sure how to get comfortable enough around her without her pouncing on me," I admitted, settling down as this conversation finally took a more serious turn.

"As I've seen. She can't get enough of you," Rouge agreed with a nod. "It certainly does make me wonder how well you two would get along if she wasn't so aggressively clingy from the start."

"Same here. I mean, I figure we'd at least be a bit more open with each other."

"Funny you should say that."

"Why?"

"Because in your absence, Amy actually has grown up quite a bit. She's been carrying herself a lot more confidently over the past year, and she seems really focused on determining her purpose in life in much… let's say, healthier ways. Honestly, I think you'd really admire her if you two met again!"

"Oh? And… how do you know that?"

"She and I have hung out here and there, and she's made it abundantly clear that she wants to make up for lost time in becoming more mature and well-rounded."

"Interesting. And… did she mention anything about me, by any chance?"

"No, though I'll admit I'm surprised you'd ask that."

"O-oh! Uh… W-well, I was only asking because I wanted to… er, to be sure she isn't just changing her ways to become someone she doesn't actually want to be…"

"That, or you're asking because you're wondering if she's making those changes specifically for you instead of for herself," she tried to drill me again.

"Aw, come on, Rouge. Gimme a break!" I protested with a scoff as I swatted the air with a hand.

"I'm serious this time. Woman's intuition tells me that you're at least curious about how Amy's grown… and especially if it's possible you do like her back. Again, there's no shame in being honest with yourself. You're gonna need to be if you also want to be honest with her." I couldn't help but sigh and roll my eyes at THAT insightful assertion.

"…You sure do seem to think you have all the answers," I complained as I pouted at her.

"Think? No, sweetheart, I KNOW I have the answers," she clarified with an abundance of confidence as she pressed her fingers on one hand to her chest plate. "As much of a mystery as you want this situation to be, you're easier to read than a basic math equation. No offense."

"Gee, thanks for the reassurance…" I sarcastically remarked.

"Anytime!" she not-so-sarcastically answered back. "That said, Sonic, you still haven't answered my question."

"You'll have to remind me of what the question even was."

"Jeez, you're stubborn…" she pointed out with a sigh of mild annoyance as she scratched her head with a finger. "If there's anything you and Knuckles have in common, it's that you both can be total blockheads sometimes."

"Hardly! We're just strong-willed and determined," I defended both myself and my best buddy from Angel Island. "He's just… a lot more passionate about it than I am."

"Believe me, I know…" Rouge agreed with a slight chuckle. "Anyway, my question."

"Shoot."

"Do you… well, do you at least see Amy as more than a friend?" she asked, putting me right back on the hot seat.

"Nice way to avoid using the word 'love.' And like I said, I view her the same way I view you and the rest of our friend group."

"Oh? Are you sure about that?"

"Yes. You're all my friends. Nothing more, nothing less. Except Tails, who's basically my little brother. That's as much as you're gonna get out of me, so I hope you're happy with the answer, Rouge," I conclusively shared with the snooping bat girl. If only THAT was where this ended, though…

"I see… In that case… maybe now's my chance to change your mind about me…" Rouge hinted after a moment of silence as she crept over toward me. Before I understood what she was doing, she gently laid a hand on my cheek and made me turn to face her.

"…Uh… Wh-what are you…?" I tried to ask as I nearly froze in surprise.

"If you really only see Amy as a platonic friend, then you'll have no issue with this…" she whispered as she drew closer and began to shut her eyes… a-and pucker her lips.

"Er… what do you mean?" I asked, getting nervous as I inched my head back.

"Kiss me, Sonic…" she commanded, resting her other hand on my other cheek as she scooted closer. I… I couldn't tell at this point if she was being serious or if she was pulling my leg…

"Are you serious? How is kissing you going to pro-!"

"Shhh…" she hushed me as she pressed a finger to my lips, still shooting me this EXTREMELY sensuous stare as though she was trying to hypnotize me. "We don't have to be in a relationship for us to do this, but I wouldn't want you to be lonely, Big Blue… and if Amy isn't up to your standard, then… I know for sure that I am… There's no doubt the thought has crossed your mind at some point or another, and now we have a chance to capitalize…~"

"…O-okay, Rouge, just… hang on a sec. You're starting to freak me out…" I warned her, though my body temperature shot up like ten thousand degrees as I tried to get a read on her. And yet…

"Don't be shy, sweetie… I just want to take advantage of an opportunity when I see one… and since Amy's not good enough for you, I'll go ahead and claim you for myself… After all, having you as my faithful partner is far better than having all the jewels in the world… and if it helps, I'll make you forget all about her…" she 'promised' through a sultry whisper, her minty breath gliding across my lips as she continued to stare at me like she wanted to eat me alive. Yeah… she got THAT up close and personal. I'm sure you wouldn't want to be in this spot…

"Okay, Rouge. Seriously. Cut it out. I don't want to kiss you," I told her straight-up as I tried again to gently remove myself from the embrace.

"Aww, why not? I mean, I'm certainly a much better fit as your girlfriend than Amy, aren't I? Especially since you don't even like her…" Rouge continued to belabor her point as she got even closer and moved a hand to stroke my chest…

"Hardly," I denied as I tried one MORE time to gently pull myself away… only for her to latch onto me as she practically tackled me. Without saying too much, she… wound up straddling me, my eyes level with her chest plate as my head was pressed up against the wall. "Gah…! What's your deal? Get off…!" I complained as I averted my gaze and tried to slip out of that awkward position, only for her to press a hand to my shoulder as she plopped herself right onto my lap.

"My deal is that I want you for myself, hedgehog. And since there are no more obstacles in the way, that should leave you wide open for the taking…~" Rouge continued to flirtatiously confess as she cupped my chin with a hand and ran her fingers under it, shooting me the naughtiest smile she could muster as she blushed. Yeeeeah, this was getting really weird, really fast. And by that point, I'd had enough.

"That's not true in the slightest…! I'm not going to fool around with you behind Amy's back! Now take a hint and get off!" I demanded, shoving and wriggling my way out of her grasp. I had NO idea what she was playing at, but I wanted no part of it. She offered surprisingly little resistance, though, as I got out from under her and rolled a comfortable yard or two away before I turned to look at her. Yet, rather than continue her creepy façade, she simply propped herself up on her knees… and smiled at me as I remained seated, confused by her antics.

"You don't want to 'fool around' with me behind her back, hm?" she repeated something I said back to me. "What an interesting reason for you to turn me down…"

"Are you kidding? Why in the world would you think I'd EVER hurt her like that?" I demanded to know, even more agitated in the moment

"Simmer down, Big Blue. The truth is that I've never thought you were capable of being so sleazy," she pointed out, dropping her flirty antics and going full Mentor mode on me. "And it's good to know you really do stick by your morals. But… I want you to pay close attention to how you feel right now… and especially what you just said to me about why you don't want to kiss me." I… still wasn't entirely sure what she was getting at, but… I was sure enough to recognize what was running through my head. And… I can see the picture we just painted. I… I… I refused to kiss Rouge because I was thinking about Amy… and ONLY about Amy… and now, my heart was beating hard enough to nearly tear itself out of my chest… Oh, boy… There were only two reasons for that. Either I was having a heart attack, or… or I just had a really weird realization about a certain pink hedgehog. And I didn't see Rouge scrambling to call for an ambulance, so…

"…Ahh, maaaaan…!" I groaned, my face getting hotter than the inside of Red Mountain as I sighed and scratched my head.

"Hmm, I think we're finally ready to acknowledge something about ourselves~! But I'd rather hear it from the hedgehog's mouth. Do you like Amy as more than a friend, Sonic? Hmmm~?"

"…" I replied with such incredible eloquence that it left the batty jewel thief that was Rouge entirely stunned as I… barely found it in myself to look at her. Of course, she only grinned wider at me as she watched me practically fall apart. Dude (or dudette, or other equally recognizable individual), seriously… I… I couldn't BELIEVE this was happening to me now…! I was ready to go insane!

"We're not leaving this rooftop until you fess up, blue boy. And if you try to run, I'll tell everyone you and I messed around and got super 'passionate' with each other up here," Rouge took it upon herself to try blackmailing me.

"You wouldn't dare! And even if you did, no one would believe it!" I defied her outright.

"I'm an expert government agent who has all sorts of… persuasive tactics up her sleeve from years of experience. Convincing everyone that we're a couple is child's play. Try me," she dared, making me wonder just how low she was willing to go to get me to belt out a confession I DID NOT want to give.

"…Okay, so let's say I DIDN'T want you to start spreading rumors that would get everyone to hate me. How would I stop you from doing that without you forcing me to admit something about a certain someone?"

"Just tell me the truth, Sonic. It really isn't that hard," she gave her answer with limited patience. "Honestly, you men are like coconuts. We always have to pry you open with a ridiculous amount of effort just to get the TINIEST bit of juice out of you."

"Fair. And… you want me to… tell you that I MAY… quite possibly be contemplating whether I think of Amy as just a friend or if she's grown on me?"

"YES, for Pete's sake," Rouge firmly answered as she furrowed her brow at me. "Spit it out already!"

"Ah… g-got it. But like… do you HAVE to hear it, or-!"

"Quit stalling, or I'll call Amy RIGHT NOW and tell her what we were doing up here," she demanded as she pulled her cell phone from within her chest plate and held it high for me to see.

"You know I could just race on over there and snatch that phone out of your hands in the time it takes you to blink, right?"

"Perhaps… and that would worry me if I didn't have a spare hidden somewhere on my person that I won't tell you," Rouge countered, slyly grinning at me again. "That phone, you'd have to get up close and personal to find and take from me, if ya catch my drift… Of course, doing that would only give me more ammo to use against you." I… I couldn't BELIEVE her! She's always been so devious!

"…Wow. You're seriously blackmailing me JUST to get me to tell you that I've spent the last few months coming to terms with the fact that I care about Amy more than I thought I did?" I questioned, shaking my head in a hefty mix of annoyance and anticipation.

"BINGO!" she announced in a surprising level of excitement that threw me off. It was only when she brought the phone into her view and pressed a finger to its touch screen did I realize what she just pulled off. "Aaaaand saved," she cheerfully shared before she turned the phone's screen off and shoved it back into her chest plate. As you might imagine, she let out the most triumphant laugh she could muster as she smirked at me.

"What!? You RECORDED ME!?" I practically shouted, beyond annoyed that she pulled such a bogus trick… that worked. Ah, JEEZ…!

"I certainly did, Big Blue. And now, you have no way out of walking back your confession," she teased as she and I both rose to our feet, though we remained in our spots. "This was certainly a nice little heart-to-heart we had, though. We should do it again sometime! Minus me needing to convince you to stop hiding from everyone over your little crush."

"It is NOT a crush! I just said I care about her. Don't misinterpret," I did my best to fervently deny.

"Sure. Whatever way you want to dress it up," she 'permitted' with a shrug, though she was still basking in her cheap little victory. "That aside, I certainly hope you understand why I took this approach."

"Barely. You showed up to a different country and found me by tailing me with a tracking device you planted on me years ago, you pried into my personal business with Amy, you tried to kiss me, and then you recorded me saying something that sounds like I'm confessing feelings for Amy, just so you can blackmail me into talking to her again. What, was I supposed to LEARN something other than to NEVER trust you?"

"You were. If you'd been paying attention, my clueless spiky student, then you'd have picked up that I taught you the difference between loving your friends and loving someone in a… slightly different way. As in, you and I are friends, but we have certain boundaries in place because there's no romance between us… yet," she made sure to add with a wink. "You and Amy are also friends, but she cares about you on a much deeper level than simple friendship would allow. And based on what I've seen of you, you share that feeling with her to at least some degree. You're still too stubborn and shy to flat-out admit it, but I just know you do."

"…I… I see… and much as I'd hate to admit it… you may have a point…" I conceded, though I picked up on something as I was listening to her. "Wait… You're speaking in present tense. Does… she still like me?"

"Of course she does, Sonic. Without question. And you know what else? She misses you dearly," Rouge revealed to me, making my heart nearly explode on the spot. "In fact, we all do, though no one misses you more than Amy. Except maybe Tails, whom you've also rudely been ignoring."

"O-oh! Shoot, I actually meant to call him at some point this week…"

"Well, you'd better do it sooner than later, because the little guy feels TERRIBLE about the way you left off last time you met face-to-face," she nagged me, though I perfectly understood… "I don't know how much longer you'll be on this little hiatus of yours for, but maybe you should think to wrap it up soon and come back home. It really doesn't suit you to run away from your problems like you did this year. And as if it needs to be said by now, you know it's an especially bad look for you because of the problem being one you didn't know how to solve in the snap of two fingers…"

"Yeah, I know… I've got some apologizing and making up to do," I straight-up admitted, recognizing the situation for what it was. "Thanks for the pep talk. And I'm sorry if I worried you."

"Glad you understand, though I'm not one of the people you should be apologizing to," Rouge shared as she walked over to me, sashaying her hips with every step she took. "Now, much as I enjoyed this little rendezvous, I've gotta get going on a little espionage adventure with Omega. I expect the next thing I hear about you to be that you finally went back to Station Square to reunite with everyone… especially Amy," she advised as she ran a hand through my quills, pulled me in, and kissed me on the cheek. I was shocked, but before I could physically react, she retreated and turned to walk toward the clocktower's ledge. "Till next time, Big Blue! Ciao~!" she bade her farewell as she hopped over the ledge, spread her wings, and flew away to parts unknown to embark on her mission.

"S-see ya later, Rouge," I offered my farewell right back, waving at her as she waved back at me in midair. And once we broke eye contact, she soared off into the distance. And just like that, I was alone all over again. Thanks to that little surprise visit from Rouge, however, I… I didn't want to be alone anymore. I certainly didn't know what to do with myself in the moment because of how much was on my mind, but… I did at least know it was time to put this saga to rest… to finally get back on track… and, from a personal perspective, finally come to grips with how much this situation clarified for me. And so, I whipped out my cell phone, punched in a few commands, and… with a few rings of the receiver, called a certain someone. Thankfully, they picked up right away.

"Hello?" the voice greeted from the other end.

"Hey there, little bro. Long time, no see…" I greeted back.

"SONIC!" Tails shouted in excitement, nearly blowing my eardrum with how loud he was.

"Heh… Y-yeah, it's me. I uh… I figured I'd touch base with ya to see how things have been. Sorry for not being around much… and I'm especially sorry if I made you think I was upset with you all this time."

"No, no, you're perfectly fine, Sonic! I'm just glad to know you're at least still alive! Where are you right now?" Tails curiously, if not a bit worriedly asked.

"In Spagonia, but I'll be back home by tomorrow. What are you up to right now?"

"Just hanging out with uh… w-well, you-know-who for a sleepover at my place. In fact, she's just getting finished with something in the other room. Here she comes…" warned, whispering as though he would get in trouble for talking to me in front of a certain someone.

"I see. Could you do me a favor and… put her on the line?" I humbly requested, growing a bit nervous myself as I did so.

"O-oh! Uh… sure thing," he agreed, at which point I heard a bunch of background noise… mixed in with a certain pair of voices talking over each other. But after a moment that felt like ten years of suspense…

"This is Amy," a second, familiarly feminine voice greeted.

"Ah… H-hey, Amy. It's Sonic. How've you been?"

"Sonic! H-hey!" she cheered in such an alarming amount of excitement that it almost shocked me stiff. "It's been so long! What have you been up to? Where have you been? Are you okay? I was just thinking about calling you!"

"I've been alright. Just been… busy, is all. Um… b-but listen… I've been doing some thinking, and… w-well…"

"Yeah? What's up?"

"I… understand you've still been hanging out with everyone else, and I hear you're getting rave reviews on your expertise with quality time," I joked. And to my surprise… she laughed. I… I was glad we were on the phone, because I felt such immense relief hearing her laugh again… but I would NEVER have wanted anyone to see it in that moment.

"Word spreads easily, I see."

"Y-yeah. And… if you're up to it, I… I'd like to book an appointment if you can pencil me into your schedule. Just you and me," I made my request right then and there. "And I promise you I'll be on-time. In fact, I'll be three hours early if you want me to be." I… will admit, my nerves were firing off like a Death Egg explosion. None the wiser, Amy giggled at the 'joke' I made.

"You're still as much a jokester as ever, I see!" she exclaimed, her excitement evident. "And… sure thing! I'm free tomorrow, conveniently enough. Wanna make a day out of it?"

"Yeah. I'd like that. We can discuss the details when we meet. I don't want to steal more time from your hangout with Tails than I already have, though. You two enjoy yourselves, alright?"

"Sure thing, Sonic. Swing by Tails' place tomorrow afternoon. I should be up and ready to go by… let's say 2:00 PM."

"I'll be there at 11:00 AM, then."

"N-no, no, you'll be fine coming at 2:00!" she laughingly remarked. "That is, unless you want to see me and Tails half-awake with our pajamas and beauty masks on!"

"Ah jeez, you've been giving him spa treatments all this time?" I asked in feigned disappointment, at which point I heard Tails busting a gut in the background.

"So what if I have? Is that a problem, sir? Hmm?" Amy teasingly asked me.

"Yeah it is, because I haven't had a beauty treatment myself in a while. I can't have the two of you looking so much prettier than me that I'd look like a pile of mud by comparison! Not to say the two of you aren't already rockin' it with your natural good looks, of course."

"Oh, my~! How incredibly bold of you to make such a statement," she joked right back through her laughter, though I… could tell I MAY have caught her by pleasant surprise. "Is this REALLY Sonic on the other end? Or is this some shameless flirt pretending to be him?"

"Depends. Would a random shameless flirt know your favorite dessert is strawberry shortcake? Or that you're a big fan of tarot card reading?"

"Ah, impressive! I'm surprised you remember that about me! It really is you!" Amy praised, seeming to get all the way invested in this humorous little banter session.

"You know it. But hey, I gotta get goin'. I'll see you tomorrow at 11:00 AM sharp, alright?"

"You know I said 2:00 PM, Sonic!" she jokingly shouted through the phone.

"Darn, I thought I could slip that past ya. Fine, 1:00 PM," I half-joked, laughing as I offered my suggestion.

"You're such a goofball! But fine… 1:00 PM it is. I'll be waiting with a stopwatch this time to count how late you are by each passing second."

"Well then I hope that thing counts in negatives," I remarked with a chuckle that she shared wholeheartedly.

"Hilarious… Alrighty, I'll see ya tomorrow~! Bye, Sonic!"

"See ya soon, Amy. And tell Tails I said good night."

"Will do! See ya!" Amy bid her farewell before ending the call. And with a HUGE sigh of both relief and anticipation, I put my phone away and took a moment to look up at the stars. And once I gathered my thoughts, I took off zooming through the streets of Spagonia in Classic Sonic fashion… which is to say that I was running, but at the pace of my interdimensional younger self. Not to say he isn't superfast himself, but you get what I mean. I hope… If not, then… it's a story for another time involving Eggman's shenanigans. We'll have to make a date for that, though it could take Generations to explain it in full… if ya catch my drift.

Lemme tell ya, though… This night was one full to the brim with enough twists and turns to make even ME dizzy. But… I suppose it's what I needed. I've had more clarified to me in this one night than I had in an entire year… which is nuts, if ya ask me. I… I could hardly believe I'd even reached this point, though. I felt… good about finally closing the curtain on this giant blemish that was the beef between me and Amy, but I… also felt… odd, I guess I'll say? Because… I was still conflicted on something. You probably know by now what it is, so there's probably no need to mention it. Just thinking about her… how we ended up in this situation… how this next little hangout was supposed to go… and especially why just thinking about her made my heart beat just a little bit faster…

Hm… Whatever the case, I was just glad to finally be given a chance to put this to rest. I miss my friends. I miss being able to zip on by and visit them without this cloud of awkwardness looming over our heads. I miss being able to do my usual thing without my mind being crammed with thoughts about everything I'd been doing wrong to make them all, especially Amy, upset with me. But y'know what? I plan on using this experience to create better memories for the future… starting with repairing my friendship with Amy. And with that, this is where we have to part ways, bud. I've… got some preparations to make, and I don't want to be late. Gotta say, you've got a great ear for listening! You've got a ton of patience, too, which is saying a lot coming from an impatient guy like me. Thanks for your time. Hope you enjoyed hanging out with me! We should do this again sometime! On that note, I'm taking off at Sonic Speed! Catch ya later!