Back into the swing of things at the right time. #SonicSweep. Truly 2022 is the year of Sonic. I'm moving up in the world as I got promoted in my job, so I have less time for updates and experienced some writers block, but I managed to write this out in a couple hours during a late night with the help of some Sonic lofi beats and long let's play commentaries. As long as Sonic is still running, I'm still writing, albeit a lot slower lol.

Hopefully by the end of the year this story will be finished, Pink and Blue will be updated and another Sonamy one-shot will be too! Hopefully Frontiers and Prime will give me some inspiration.

Enjoy!

Sonic sighed in frustration. It was almost midnight. The hedgehogs had been at this for so long that Tails withdrew his helping hand and went to sleep.

In a metaphorical game of baseball, Dexter barely managed to hit the bat, and at this rate, he wouldn't make it to first base. While Dexter succeeded at asking Amy out, Sonic realised that his work as a wingman was cut out for him. Sonic could tell his tan counterpart was sincere about his feelings towards Amy and was genuinely happy to help the kind stranger. Every moment he wasn't speaking in techno babble with Tails, he was shifted into a lovey-dovey state of mind, asking Sonic for advice on everything from Amy's favourite foods and places to visit to how she liked to be hugged.

Sonic couldn't be too upset with Dexter though. For Sonic, this weekend was of the upmost importance. Their date needed to be perfect in order to ensure Amy's heart's smooth transition from him to Dexter.

Sonic rubbed his temples, "Okay Dex, repeat to me again, what you going to do when you pick up Amy tomorrow?"

Dexter hesitated. They had been going over this plan since yesterday but he was having second thoughts. Although the young hedgehog was more than grateful to Sonic for the support in securing this date and subsequent planning, Dexter having doubts about its execution. All of this premediated on Dexter's performance as a Cassanova, which Sonic was finding out that he definitely was not. He had his own dorky charm however, and hopefully this would be enough to impress Amy and secure her heart.

"I'm going to pick her up at her place. Take the train back to the workshop. Show her the new and improved Cyclone-1 and fly to Never Lake for the festival."

Sonic gestured him to continue. "And..."

"And I'll fix 'er up!" Dexter said excitedly at the prospect of having Amy in his arms.

"Dex, she's a girl, not a machine."

"Oh right," he replied bashfully, "I mean, I'll treat her like a lady."

Sonic laughed, "You're worse than Tails," Sonic's expression changed to a serious one.

"Now, I've already put everything you'll need into the back of the Cyclone. Amy's probably been anticipating this festival for weeks if not months since it was announced, so you don't have to worry about her getting bored. Secondly, Never Lake is a nice spot so you won't have to worry about the atmosphere, and worst comes to worst, just let Amy do the talking, she likes taking charge anyway."

Sonic put his arm around Dexter stared intently in his eyes for emphasis. "And most important. Never Lake is very special to her, so this date needs to be beyond perfect."

Dexter sensed the hero's stark change in demeanour from the laidback dude he's befriended over the past week. Only Sonic's fiercest enemies have seen this face. This revelation made him gulp. "No pressure or anything."

Sonic yawned, cracked his neck and jumped on the sofa bed Tails set up for him and Dexter, ready for bed in record time. He was back to his relaxed state with the TV remote in his hand. "Don't worry about it. You're a good guy Dex, she'll love you."

"I hope so," Dexter said honestly while he laid down on his side of the sofa bed. He subconsciously started observing Sonic. He wondered by Sonic was so adamant about helping him. He knew Sonic was a hero to all and would do anything to help someone in a pinch like he was only some days ago, yet something was bothering him about this plan, and it wasn't this nervous side talking.

"Sonic, can I ask you sumthin'?"

"Sure, whatever," he replied absentmindedly, scrolling through TV channels. "How did you meet Amy anyway?"

"Like I do all my friends. Eggman causes trouble and we all seem to cluster there. With Amy, it was when Eggman tried to takeover Little Planet."

"The planet that orbits down 'bove Never Lake every year?"

"The very same." Sonic answered, not realising what information he had just exposed to the previously clueless hedgehog. A lightbulb shone in Dexter's mind.

"Sonic, can I ask you sumthin' else? Man to man." Sonic hummed in agreement.

"Why don't you take Amy to the Romance Festival?" Sonic dropped the remote and froze. As if by fate also, the remote chose a channel that had the romantic spinoff "Chaos in Love" playing.

"Whadya' mean?" He tried and failed to said it coolly.

"I'm grateful for your kindness, Sonic, but I got the inklin' that Amy would prefer to go with you." Sonic choose to stay silent. "Sonic. I've seen the way she looks at you. The glimmer in her eye. When I spoke to her, she was happy, but didn't see the stars in her eyes. Amy doesn't act that way with any guy 'sept you." Dexter shuffled to sit up, suddenly full of energy and nostalgia.

"I've read stories about your adventures for years. The papers always say, 'Sonic the Hedgehog saves the city from Eggman's robots', and then underneath, 'Sonic's sweetheart, rescues him after hero's swift fall during building collapse. Amy Rose ignores paramedics at the scene!'"

Sonic rubbed his temples for the third time today. "First of all, she's not my sweetheart, and second of all whataboutit?"

"You're doing this all for 'er yet you say you don't love 'er."

"Because I don't love her!" He sighed as he realised how harsh that sounded. Amy was one of his oldest and closest friends. While he never indulged the tabloids gossiping about their relationship, he anyways shut down any defamatory accusations about Amy being a 'stalker' or 'stupid fangirl' to him. Amy was special to him, just not in the way Amy wanted to be.

"I mean I don't love her in that way. She's my friend and I want her to be happy, and as far as I'm concerned, the Romance Festival, combined with a good date will make her happy. And you're now my friend too, right? Wouldn't goin' on a date with Amy Rose, your childhood crush, make you happy?"

Dexter could barely spit out his words, dumbfounded. "Well yeah, but-"

"Glad to know, we're on the same page, buddy." And with that Sonic swiftly turned off the sappy movie and curled up under the covers. "Night, Dex, you'll knock her dead tomorrow."

It was Dexter's turn to sigh. "Night, Sonic I hope so too."

"How about this one?" Amy held up blue dress which was almost a carbon copy of her iconic red dress. Amy was almost trapped by an avalanche of clothes, trying to find a suitable outfit for the Romance Festival. At first, she pondered wearing a pink and orange ensemble reminiscent of her younger self to make Sonic feel nostalgic. However, but now that Dexter had asked her out, she felt compelled to change her plans. This was easier said than done.

"What are you 12 still, Amy?" Rouge snarked from the balcony, using her flying ability to lay down in the air. Amy had initially only invited Cream and Blaze over to help prepare for her date, but the sneaky bat always found a way to crash a party.

"Ugh, who asked you?" The pink hedgehog barked back, frustrated by her lack of progress. "And how did you know I was going on a date?"

Rouge giggled smugly, "A little echidna told me. It's very rare he has good gossip, so I had to see this for myself. Little Miss Amy Rose finally chasing a boy that isn't Sonic. I'm surprised it isn't front page news."

"I'll have you know I've been on lots of dates with boys who aren't Sonic, thank you very much."

"But you've never been so excited for a date though," Cream interjected sweetly. "Amy never has trouble picking an outfit."

Amy sent the rabbit an annoyed look, although she couldn't deny the truth. "Well, I am excited. The Romance Festival will be a nice day out, and it'll be great way to relax from work, since most of us don't steal for a living." Rouge brushed off the not-so-subtle jab at her and huffed.

"Enjoy the date, hun. Just try not to scare him off and don't forget to invite me to the wedding."

Amy sighed as the bat departed. It was partially true that while Amy broke off potential relationships due to the lack of a spark, more often than not, it was her strong-willed, over-eager personality that drove any prospective groom away. Amy Rose, stubborn and determined, would never change herself for a man. Even Sonic.

"Maybe I should call it off," she lamented out loud.

"NO!" Cream yelled out. Amy was Cream's best and oldest friend. Growing up from a child to an adolescent, the young rabbit supported Amy as she pursed Sonic. Although she had a limited understanding of love, it broke her heart to see Amy get upset when Sonic did not reciprocate her feelings. Cream agreed that Sonic did care for the pink hedgehog due to their long history together, but even the naïve Cream would never have to heart to tell Amy to stop pursing Sonic point blank. Yet all of Cream's attempts to view other options had yet to bear fruit either. Then again, the only boys she could introduce to Amy were older siblings of her classmates and in one awkward instance, her Music teacher.

"Please don't. You've finally found a guy you like and likes you back, please don't back out now."

"Cream is right." Blaze finally spoke up after witnessing the farce in front of her. Cream invited her along and was happy to see her friends from this dimension, but became more irritated as she became cat clothes hanger. She never understood Amy's passion for romance, but conceded that she was unknowledgeable about matters of the heart herself. "You'll never find the soulmate you're looking for if you keep your eyes closed."

Cream cheered, "Exactly, what Blaze said."

Amy was silent for a few seconds and then asked Blaze quizzically, "Do you really think Dexter's my soulmate?"

"You won't know unless your eyes and heart are open." Blaze said wisely.

Amy sighed, if only she hadn't misplaced her tarot cards.

Next time we'll see how their date unfolds and see what Sonic has planned behind the scenes.

Please read and review and I'll see you all in the next chapter!