Hello, again. ‿つ

Chapter 2 – Changes

Sonic stared blankly at the white ceiling.

The sedatives from earlier already have subsided, leaving Sonic to deal with the aftermath of the surreal truth. A coma. Ten years. What a cruel joke for someone who had done so much righteous in the world.

"What's the last thing you remember?" The woman claiming to be Amy asked.

You. Sonic thought but instead his mouth said: "Sinking."

"Good. Seems like your memory ended just when you lost consciousness." Doctor Quack noted.

Knuckles, or so that's who this huge man claimed to be since he had arrived, sat on a nearby chair, leaning forward as he looked at Sonic with both relief and what seemed… guilt?

"During the battle against Eggman, you got hit by the impact from metal debris and the force of the chaos emeralds. You were able to defeat Eggman but you hurt your head, Sonic. Like really bad…" Knuckles began. "Amy was able to rescue you after you fell into the ocean but…"

"Sonic, you got brain damage." Doctor Quack bluntly said, making Sonic flinch. "Canyou recall any recent events or conversations?" Doctor Quack asked.

A scenery of being in a peaceful meadow flashed before his eyes. His mind wandered back to a sunlit meadow, where the vibrant hues of wildflowers blended with laughter shared with a certain pink hedgehog whose features now danced in the haze of his distant memory.

"No…" he lied. That was probably just a dream.

"Okay, it seems you weren't conscious during your coma." Doctor Quack said and began ranting, saying about how he had to be careful and that his health was very important and blah blah blah… Sonic didn't care.

In the end, nothing was ever going to be the same.

As Sonic lay in bed, his gaze shifted to Amy, captivated by the graceful transformation of a girl into a woman. She sat still by the window, gazing at the falling rain, unaware of his gaze.

It was strange how she could change so much.

The fifteen year old girl he once knew being vivid now only in his memories and replaced by a now woman. This Amy seemed to exude elegance, sitting gracefully with long flowing quills framing her face. Plump lips hint at a subtle pout, complementing her slender figure adorned in a pristine white winter coat and black knee high boots.

In the midst of her contemplative reverie, she seemed to sense the weight of his lingering gaze. Slowly, her eyes lifted, meeting his with a gentle curiosity. A hushed moment hung in the air as a soft smile graced her lips, making his cheeks flush slightly.

Sonic's eyes quickly retreated, somehow finding it hard to look at her face.

"It may take some time for you to get on your feet again." Doctor Quack went on.

Sonic narrowed his brows. "How much is some time?"

"A few months, years… maybe… never…?"

Tears swelled in Sonic's eyes as he continued to stare at the ceiling. "Fuck… I should have died instead." He muttered.

"You shouldn't say things like that!" Knuckles snapped. "You're lucky Tails isn't here to hear it."

"I abandoned you all…" Sonic muttered, covering his eyes with his arm. "How the hell is that okay?"

"We've been well, Sonic. Don't you worry." He heard Amy say with a trembly voice but Sonic still couldn't look at her.

Everything felt so wrong.

"Sonic, son. Don't say that. It's a miracle you're even alive and able to function this well. There's people who aren't so lucky." Doctor Quack continued, patting Sonic on the leg.

"I reek…" Was the only thing Sonic muttered as he lowered his arm with a defeated look.

"How about a bed bath?" Doctor Quack offered with a soft smile. "I can't have one of the nurses come do it."

"I don't need a nurse, I can do it myself." Sonic said, forcing himself to sit up with a struggle, still a bit weak from the sedatives.

"We can do it, Doctor." Amy said with a soft smile.

The doctor nodded and dismissed himself. Soon after, the medical staff brought clean towels, basin, and a new hospital gown. Knuckles and Amy thanked them as they began to set up but Sonic pulled away when Amy attempted to touch him.

The truth was that he didn't want Amy to see him looking so vulnerable.

Knuckles seemed to sense that as he motioned for Amy. "Actually… Can you bring us some food? I ran over here without eating and I'm starving."

"Ah! Okay!" She nodded, awkwardly stepping outside with a sad smile. "I'll be back!"

Knuckles nodded as she retreated before turning to Sonic. "Don't worry. She's gone. The line at the cafeteria is always full… she'll be there for a while."

Sonic was silent but Knuckles didn't seem to mind as he helped Sonic sit up.

Unbestowed to them, Amy, who had rushed back to ask what exactly Knuckles wanted to eat, stood quietly by the door as she watched, her heart heavy with a torrent of emotions, as Sonic dropped his hospital gown and groaned in pain as Knuckles moved him. His once strong and sturdy back, now adorned with scars and signs of healing, portrayed a poignant narrative of resilience and vulnerability. The honeyed glow of his skin seemed to accentuate the frailty that had replaced the robustness she had known.

As she took in the sight, her eyes welled with tears as she quickly turned to leave before either of the men noticed she had ever been there.

Soon Knuckles carefully tended to Sonic, a basin of warm water and a soft cloth in his hands. With gentle strokes, he cleansed his skin, navigating with a delicate touch around the bandages and sores. The hushed sounds of water and the rustle of linens create a moment of quiet care amidst the clinical surroundings, forging a connection that transcended brotherhood.

"What are all these sores on my body…?" Sonic wondered, touching where he felt pain underneath his fur.

Knuckles was silent for a moment but soon said, "we tried to move you around as much as we could everyday but sores are… very difficult to prevent."

"Ah…" Was Sonic's only reply like a beat up rag doll without any will to move. He looked defeated. The usual fire of determination in his eyes was gone.

The bed bath continued until Knuckles' OCD made sure Sonic was as clean as possible. He even helped him brush his teeth and his quills, showing kindness Sonic had never received from the echidna before but that didn't surprise him either. He was thankful yet embarrassed.

Amy later showed up with a smile and some pizza and her and Knuckles ate silently, Sonic having refused. The room continued to be quiet with only the sound of rainfall coming from outside as Knuckles and Amy played a card game. It was a bit of sorrow as they stayed near Sonic who lay with his back turned to them, never saying a word to them nor the medical staff that came to check up on him, but neither said a word.

Just then, a nurse stepped in. "Excuse me. We were wondering if one of you can stay a little longer just until Sonic lightens up a bit more?"

"I'll stay." Knuckles said with a determined stare.

"We both know you can't do that, Knuckles." Amy said, touching his shoulder with a knowing smile. "I'll do it."

"But…"

"It's okay." She reassured him and leaned close to his ear so only he could hear. "Plus, you've got little ones waiting for you at home."

Knuckles looked uncertain. "Amy, you and him have barely even spoken."

"Oh?" She raised an amused brow. "And you two have?" His expression looked conflicted and she nudged his shoulder. "It's fine, Knuckles. Go check up in Tails too on the way, if you can. Please."

With much reluctance, Knuckles eventually did excuse himself, promising to visit tomorrow.

"Well I guess it's just you and me now." Amy chuckled uneasily to Sonic once they were left alone.

No reply.

Sonic continued to have his back to her and an awkward silence lingered in the room.

Again, Amy chuckled nervously as she sat back on her chair and the silence continued. At least an hour must have passed. She clenched her eyes as if deep thought when the sound of movement caught her ears. As she turned to Sonic, she noticed him sitting up, drinking a cup and shaking slightly as he set it down. "Here, let me get that!" She said, reaching out to grab it.

Instead, Sonic slapped her hand away.

He didn't hit her hard but her eyes still looked pained.

"Why can't all of you just leave me alone…?" He snapped, turning away. "You're not Amy… at least not the Amy I remember."

"…ah…Ah! Yeah! I've changed a lot, huh?" Amy brushed her quills nervously. "I'm a lot taller now and I let my quills grow out!"

Sonic stared at her blankly.

Amy found it difficult to meet his gaze as she took in an uneasy breath. "Sonic…" Amy sat beside him. "I know it hurts right now but things will heal with time. Trust me."

Shockingly, he laughed. "You don't know anything." He bit out bitterly, his laughter intensifying.

Sonic's laughter, once familiar and warm, twisted into a maniacal symphony that echoed through the room. His eyes, wild with madness, flickered with an unsettling light as if dancing with unseen demons. The once familiar face contorted into an expression of unrestrained insanity, sending shivers down the spine.

Amy watched in disbelief, feeling a chill crawl over her. Sonic's laughter seemed to fill the space with an eerie energy, a stark departure from the person she thought she knew. Fear crept into her gaze as she witnessed a disturbing transformation, unsure of the darkness that had taken hold of the laughter she once found comfort in.

He was going into panic again.

"Sonic, stop! Take a breath and look at me!"

"Look at you? LOOK AT ME!" Crazed eyed, he turned to her. "Take a breath? Hah! Don't make me laugh. What the hell is taking a breath going to do? Will it make me walk again?" He laughed again, grabbing a hold of her wrists . "This must be heaven for you? Right? To have me caged in a room all to yourself? It's what you've always wanted!"

Sonic didn't believe any of his own words.

He honestly didn't know why he was saying any of it but the words just kept coming out like throw up, almost like he wanted to convince himself of his own accusations for something, anything, to make sense. Amy was simply the unfortunate one in his path of destruction.

"Hey! Sonic!?" Amy shrieked. "What's gotten into you? Seriously!"

It was strange.

He couldn't even remember when he had shoved Amy down against the bed until he was hovering above her. Her eyes gazed up at him in horror making Sonic almost stop but he couldn't prevent the pain in his heart as his arms weakly shook from holding his weight.

"You're probably all laughing at me…" he mumbled, fighting tears from falling.

"Sonic, stop it!" Amy snapped at him with a look of disbelief. "Quit being ridiculous and taking your anger out on me! You know damn well that I am not that type of person! We both know what this is really about!" Her own eyes shook at the sight of his dismay. "Open your eyes, Sonic! Accidents happen! Bones break, skin tears, hearts break. We deal with burns, face drowning, but somehow, we keep on living! Even if things seem rough now, life will get better!"

Sonic's eyes trembled, a bitter laugh emerging from his throat. "Easy for you to say. Just living is a nightmare in itself." He glared, not at her specifically but at those words but Amy was caught in that dark gaze.

Her eyes quivered as she shut them for a moment as if to stop her own eyes from crying and she attempted a soft, weak smile. "Sonic, you're not alone in this. I'm here." She reassured, reaching out to hold his face.

Her touch calmed him.

It felt familiar. The only thing familiar in this changed world. Ironically, coming from this Amy Rose that didn't look anything like the Amy Rose he knew. It wasn't enough.

He needed more.

He needed reassurance.

He grabbed a hold of her cheeks and leaned in to kiss her on the lips but much to his surprise, Amy snapped her neck around, avoiding his kiss which hung in the air, her expression conveying unexpected hesitation and surprise.

Sonic's eyes widened in astonishment, leaving him visibly stunned by the unforeseen rejection, the shock etched on his face.

Amy Rose had rejected a kiss from HIM.

Amy Rose: His self-proclaimed girlfriend that always chased him around. Really?

Nervous laughter escaped him at the realization, and a subtle shake in his demeanor followed, the crazed look in his eyes growing.

"What is it, Ames? Do you not want to kiss me now? Do I look disgusting to you? Do I look that unsightly?" He laughed, digging his nails into the sheets as his eyes got teary.

"No, it's not that!" Amy shook her head almost desperately.

"Then what the hell is it?" He asked, searching her face. "You can't even look at me…" he laughed bitterly. "Do I look that pathetic?"

At his words, Amy's eyes snapped back to him, anger evident in them. "AGH! God, damnit! When did you get this annoying!?" She growled with a glare and shoved his head easily back into the pillow.

"Gah! What the hell?" He snapped, glaring up at her as he attempted to get her hand off his face but was stopped short when he saw her above him.

He was spellbound.

Amy glared down at him like a predator about to devour its prey and almost cat-like as she crawled over him. Her cleavage, which was much bigger now, peaked from her white wrap top and emphasized her tiny waist especially after her athletic thick pink thighs emerged from her short black skirt and straddled him.

Damn. Sonic thought for a second before snapping out of him and realizing how much stronger she was as she overpowered him.

"Ah, Ames! Your clothes!" He attempted to turn his head. "Ames…?" Sonic swallowed.

"Shut up, you're the one that wanted me to look at you, right? Well I'm looking now." Amy snapped in a whisper into his ear, pushing his head deeper into the pillow with ease as she ran her free hand down the tips of his spines.

Sonic's eyes widened in panic as he felt a chill from her voice and touch.

Amy lowered her head and licked from his chin to neck, making his quills stand as he felt his body heat up. "H-hey! Hey! Knock it off!" He gasped, attempting to pull away, the color of his ears and cheeks exploding in different shades of red.

Amy didn't listen as she dragged her teeth to his neck, further causing a strange feeling in his body as he gasped when she suddenly bit his neck.

"Ah…!" Sonic let out an uncharacteristic moan as she sucked on his neck like a vampire. His eyes wide in embarrassment as Amy released him and he held his neck, surprise evident in his eyes as he rolled into a ball. "Wh-what the hell was that?"

"Have you calmed down now?" Amy asked nonchalantly, standing up and fixing her ruffled quills and clothes.

His face was red like a tomato as he clenched a hand on his neck and glared at her. "Why did—!" He began before Amy cut him off.

"You're not the Sonic I know either." Amy told him, sitting on the edge of the bed, sadness lacing her voice as she touched his cheek delicately with the back of her hand. "The Sonic I knew could never be so cruel…" she said almost painfully as she met his eyes.

The hurt in her eyes made his vision clear as he realized he was the cause of it. A moment of regret washed over him as he processed the impact of his words and actions on her feelings.

"Ames, wait!" He reached out to her.

"Goodbye, Sonic. I'll see you in the morning." As she gracefully turned to leave, a palpable ache filled the air. "I hope you feel more like yourself by then."

It was futile.

He couldn't run after her.

Sonic was bound to the bed and Amy was already out the door by the time he was able to just sit up.

A profound sense of frustration engulfed him as he grappled with the realization that his legs wouldn't budge. In that moment, the weight of his physical limitations intensified, and he clutched his eyes and began to cry.

He was in a nightmare from which he would never wake from.

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