Well, I didn't get much feedback on the last chapter but I managed to write another one in my free time!

I think this one shows off the direction I want this story to go in.

Also, I fixed some stuff in chapter one.

I hope you like this chapter! Leave your opinion if you can!

Chapter 2: Winds of change!

Sonic races through the familiar landscape of Green Hill, the wind rushing past him as he leaps over loops and spins through the air, taking in the bright skies and lush greenery. He zips through the hills, sliding under trees and bouncing off the springs, but something feels… off. The usual thrill doesn't hit the same today. His smile fades a little as he slows down slightly, his mind wandering.

Sonic looks around Green Hill as he tries to understand the strange sensation inside him. 'Weird... I should be feeling pumped right now, but... something's... out of place.'

Sonic keeps running, but the usual excitement he feels while running through the land is muted. He looks around at Green Hill, the waterfalls, the palm trees, the loops. It's the same as always, but there's a nagging feeling in his gut, like something's not right.

Sonic frowns slightly. 'Did I forget something? Nah, I don't usually forget stuff like this. So why does everything feel… off?'

Sonic slows down even more, coming to a stop near the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean. He crosses his arms, tapping his foot as he looks out at the horizon.

Sonic mutters to himself. "It's like... I don't know. Something's just not right. I haven't felt like this in a while."

The blue blur stands there, letting the breeze cool him down as he thinks. After a few moments of silence, it hits him like a sudden jolt.

Sonic's eyes widen in sudden realization. "Wait… Amy?"

The blue hedgehog looks around again, realizing what's been bugging him.

After a moment, Sonic looks down, talking to himself. "That's gotta be it. She's always around, chasing after me, dragging me into her plans, or trying to get me to date her. But... Where even is she? Heck, how long has it been since I last saw her? A week?"

Sonic furrows his brow, a mix of confusion and something he can't quite place bubbling up in his chest. He's used to Amy's presence, her persistence, her energy, even the chaos she brings, but without it, Green Hill feels emptier than usual.

Sonic scratches the back of his head. "Man, I didn't think I'd actually miss her being around. She'd usually pop up by now with some idea to date me or some plan to save the woodland creatures..."

The usually laid-back hedgehog softly kicks a pebble off the edge of the cliff, watching it bounce down the hillside before he looks out again, feeling a small sense of worry creeping in. For a moment, he's still, just standing there as the wind ruffles his fur.

Then, he shakes his head, putting on his usual confident grin, though it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Well, I guess I'll have to go find out where she is. Can't just sit around wondering all day. She's probably off somewhere around Green Hill doing her own thing, but... maybe it's time I check in on her, just to be sure."

With that, Sonic takes off in a blur, speeding down the hillside, but his mind is still on Amy and the strange feeling her absence has left behind.

After an hour, Sonic slows down at the sight of a familiar building coming into view.

'Bingo! I bet Tails knows where she is!'

Sonic stops running once he reaches his destination, his feet making a small screeching sound as his momentum stops. Without hesitation, Sonic knocks on the door. "Hey, Tails! Are ya there, buddy?"

Sonic hears the voice from his best friend emanating from the other side. "Sonic? Hold on, give me a moment."

A mechanical sound echoes from behind the door, and in a moment, the door to Tails's garage opens up, revealing the small fox.

Sonic smiles at the sight of his friend showing himself. "Heya, Tails! Long time no see, huh?"

Tails puts his hand up for a high five. "Guess you could say that. What's up, Sonic?"

Sonic high fives his friend with a grin. "Well, I was hoping you could help me with something important."

Tails raises his eyebrows. "Something important?"

Sonic's smile falls a bit. "Yeah... You got any ideas where Amy could be, dude?"

Tails's eyes go wide for a moment. "Amy? Why?"

Sonic looks to the side. "I don't know, but I feel like I really should have seen her by now... I mean, I've been running through Green Hills all week and I haven't seen her even once!"

Tails puts his index finger to his chin in thought. "Well, that IS quite strange... Do you remember the last time you saw her?"

Sonic looks up, trying to remember. "Hmm... I think it was..."

Then, Sonic's pupils shrink as his last encounter with Amy flows through his mind.

He was eating a chili dog on his favorite spot in Green Hill when he noticed the sun starting to go down. It was then that he remembered that he was supposed to go out on a date with Amy at one o' clock. After hastily gulping down the remains of his chili dog, Sonic brushed his quills as quick as he could before bolting towards the direction Amy had instructed him to go to.

Once he got there, he only had a couple of seconds to catch his breath before he was forced to run away from her. Apparently, he had missed their date for about three hours. Who would've thought?

Tails notices Sonic's expression, and he crosses his arms in return.

Tails raises an eyebrow and gives Sonic a small, disappointed look. "Let me guess, it was the time you forgot about your date."

Sonic looks at Tails with a surprised, yet embarrassed expression. "Huh?! How did you know that?"

Tails rolls his eyes. "Amy came here that same evening and told me all about it. She looked pretty upset too. Ugh, now I understand why she fell into that pit... She must have chased you out of anger until you two reached the hidden spring... You jumped into the next area and she fell down..."

Sonic rubs the back of his head. "She... fell into the pit?"

Tails sighs. "Of course she did. She came here wet, cold and alone."

Sonic looks at the floor in shame. 'Oh, man... I really screwed up with her. Now I GOTTA find her if I wanna apologize to her.'

Tails uncrosses his arms. "Either way, to answer your question, I also haven't seen her."

Sonic looks at Tails with a concerned expression. "You haven't seen her? Really?"

Tails shrugs. "Sorry, Sonic. If I had, I would've told you already."

Sonic looks beside him with a worried expression. 'Where could she be?'

Tails pokes Sonic's shoulder. "Well... Maybe she's in her house?"

Sonic looks back at Tails with the same worried expression. "No, she's not. I already checked there."

"No? Hmm... What about the mall?"

"Nope."

"The ice cream parlor?"

"Nuh-uh"

"The hidden garden?"

"Nope."

Tails sighs. "Then I guess we don't know where she is."

Sonic looks at Tails with an uneasy expression. "Tails... Do you think... something happened to her? Like... Do you think egghead managed to...?"

Tails puts a finger in front of Sonic's mouth while shaking his own head. "I'm gonna stop you right there. That's not something you should be worried about, Sonic. If Eggman DID manage to capture her, he wouldn't be able to resist the urge to gloat about it or demand some kind of exchange for her. So far, we have nothing so I doubt Eggman has her. Besides, Amy is tougher than she looks."

Sonic looks at his best friend, thinking about his words before a small smile appears on his lips. "Huh... I guess you're right, Tails. Maybe I'm just overthinking stuff."

Tails chuckles. "Don't worry about it, Sonic. Amy is our friend, so it's okay to be worried about her. Though, this is nice for a change."

Sonic raises an eyebrow. "Nice? What's nice?"

Tails smiles. "It's nice to see you caring about Amy this much for once."

Sonic crosses his arms, frowning softly. "Huh? What's THAT supposed to mean? I care for her a lot, you know!"

Tails shrugs. "Eh, you could have fooled me. It always looked like you ran away from her every time you had the chance."

Sonic simply looks away. "That doesn't mean I don't care about her..."

"Anyways, Amy isn't here, Sonic. I'm sorry I couldn't be of much help."

Sonic smiles softly. "Don't sweat it, buddy."

"Perhaps one of our other friends knows where she is...?"

"Hmm... Guess it doesn't hurt to try."

Tails smiles. "Alright, then. Good luck finding Amy, Sonic!"

Sonic waves at Tails as he starts to run out into Green Hill again. "Thanks, buddy! See ya later!"

With that, Sonic takes off at the speed of sound, leaving Tails's garage behind.

Well, the day wasn't going exactly as he had anticipated, though it certainly got his mind busy in some aspects. As Sonic kept running through Green Hill, his mind did so as well.

Sonic frowns. 'Amy isn't anywhere to be found, but she shouldn't be in trouble... Right? Amy is a pretty strong girl, so she should be fine. Still, the fact that I can't find her anywhere is worrying... But why do I care so much? I care for her, sure, but... Amy is... Well... Huh...'

Sonic's gaze turns melancholic for a moment. 'Or maybe it's just my guilt speaking... Did I do this? Did Amy go away because of me forgetting about that date I promised her?'

But then, Sonic regains his ever confident and usual carefree smile. 'Nah, that's definitely not it. Maybe I'm just looking into things a bit too much. She practically worships me! She'll get over it. I'm sure Amy would never stay mad at me. Ever.'

"Ahhh~ This is the life~"

Amy smiles to herself and sighs fondly, stretching her limbs as she lays on the bed of her room. By now, the sun has set, and the sky is deepening into shades of purple and blue as night falls over Emerald Coast.

'This place really is beautiful. I guess Rouge knew what she was talking about. I haven't felt this calm in a long time. No Sonic drama… no chasing after anything. Just me and my thoughts.'

Amy crosses her legs casually as her mind drifts again to Sonic, to all the moments they've had together, and to her decision to stop chasing after him. There's a hint of sadness in her eyes, but also resolve. She's made her choice, and being here, away from everything, is helping her come to terms with it.

'I think I'm past all that happened with Sonic. Maybe I was a bit too harsh on him during all that time I wasted chasing after him... Still, Sonic has his own issues and stuff to worry about. Wonder if he's even noticed my absence... Either way, I think I'm ready to start moving on from him. Sonic has his own life, and I don't want to waste mine by chasing after him forever.'

Then, Amy looks at the window and notices the moon shining bright above the sea. 'Oh, wow... The moon looks so beautiful! Wonder if the rest of the town looks the same at night!'

Amy starts to think of the time she's spent in Emerald Coast. She's stayed in the peaceful town for about a week, and she had enjoyed every moment. The townspeople were nice to talk to, the entertainment industry was really good, the food was top quality... But for all her time in the town, she never really got to know the town at night. Just how much different of a place was it?

Amy gets up and moves away from the bed, heading toward the door of her room. She dresses up in her usual outfit and picks up the key to her room.

'I could use a little walk. I wanna see what the town looks like at night. The beach is probably even prettier at night too!'

Amy steps out of her room, locking the door behind her, and makes her way through the hotel's quiet hallways. The lobby is mostly empty, and soon she's out on the streets, the cool glass over the floor making a soft tapping sound beneath the soles of her boots as she strolls along the sidewalk. The moonlight shimmers on the distant water, casting a soft glow over the scene.

Amy looks around, taking in the sight of the town at night. Many businesses had closed their doors, but new ones had opened theirs. Some people looked like they were having fun drinking with their friends, some looked rather quiet and subdued, but all looked rather peaceful and harmonious. The street lights illuminated the city with soft white lights which combined really well with the town's crystalline look, giving it a glamorous sparkle which was quite pleasant to look at.

For a while, Amy walks aimlessly, letting the peaceful atmosphere of Emerald Coast wash over her. The sound of the waves is calming, and the breeze feels perfect against her skin. She smiles, feeling more at ease than she has in a long time.

'I could get used to this. Maybe I don't need to rush back to Green Hill after all…'

But then, Amy's train of thoughts is interrupted by a loud yell.

"HELP! SOMEONE HELP!"

Amy's eyes go wide. She looks around the street, wondering where the scream had come from before her eyes set on a particularily dark alleyway.

On instinct, Amy pulls out her hammer and starts to walk towards the alley. 'I hope it's not Eggman again, or I'll be REALLY mad...'

Inside the alleyway, a single street light illuminates the area, giving Amy a faint image of the situation. Though her vision can't make out every single detail of the predicament, Amy's expression turns into one of anger when she sees a dark figure looming over an adult pig who looked like he was afraid of losing his own life.

Was this a mugging attempt or something like that?

The figure lifts his fist to deliver the finishing blow, making Amy fume. 'Oh no, you're NOT harming anyone in my watch, whoever you are!'

Amy dashes towards the figure while lifting her hammer. Right before her hammer can hit him, however, the figure dodges to the side.

Amy stands protectively between the pig and the figure, brandishing her hammer firmly. "Leave him alone, jerk!"

But then, the figure steps into the light. "Amy?"

Amy's eyes practically turn into saucers at the sight of the Indigo hedgehog she had met one week earlier. "JULIUS?! What the heck are YOU doing?!"

Julius shakes his head to brush off his own surprise before speaking in a serious tone. "Amy, please step aside."

Amy stands her ground firmly. "Why? By the looks of it, you were trying to harm an innocent civilian. What are you doing?"

Julius looks at the pig behind Amy with a frustrated expression before turning back to her. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Just... Please step aside."

Amy shakes her head seriously. "Absolutely NOT."

Julius sighs as his necklace starts to glow. "Alright, then."

Before Amy can react, Julius jumps high above her and aims his hand towards the pig.

Amy growls. "Stop!"

With a fast swing of her hammer, Amy hits Julius' wrist, deflecting his energy blast towards the wall and making him groan in pain. "Agh!"

Julius lands behind Amy as the pig starts to run away. Amy looks at him with anger. "Sorry about that, but I had to do something. What are you thinking?! I thought you were a good guy!"

"Stay out of this, Amy. You don't know what's going on."

"I don't need to know! All I see is you picking on someone who's defenseless, and that's all I need to see!"

Without waiting for an explanation, Amy charges forward, swinging her hammer in a wide arc toward Julius. He swiftly dodges, moving with a calculated precision that surprises her.

Julius grits his teeth. "I told you… stay out of this."

Amy does the same, her combat instincts kicking in. She swings again, but Julius remains just out of reach, his movements deliberate and controlled. "What's your problem?! Why are you attacking him?"

Julius doesn't answer right away. Instead, he focuses on the civilian, who remains cowering in fear. Amy, sensing his intent, rushes to protect the pig, putting herself between them. "If you want him, you'll have to go through me."

Julius narrows his eyes, his stance shifting as he prepares to engage Amy directly. "You're making this harder than it needs to be."

They clash, Amy's aggressive, fast-paced style matching Julius's more calculated approach. He doesn't strike back with full force, clearly trying to hold back, but Amy doesn't let up. She's determined to protect the civilian, no matter what.

After a short struggle, Julius manages to overpower Amy. In a swift movement, Julius pins Amy to the wall, holding her wrists firmly above her shoulders.

Amy struggles to get out from his grasp, though a part of her brain starts to get flustered at the way the Indigo hedgehog is holding her. 'So close... And his eyes... So mesmerizing... Huh?! No! Snap out of it! An innocent bystander needs your help!'

After a moment, Julius realizes the position he put them into, so his grasp on her wrists weakens for a moment out of embarrassment. 'How did I-?! She is so close, and her eyes...! So embarrassing-!'

Amy notices this, and quickly pushes Julius away from her.

Then, the pig makes a scared sound, which snaps the duo back to the situation at hand.

Amy feels her patience about to reach her limit. "Just answer me, Julius! Why are you doing this?!"

As they continue to fight, Amy manages to land a glancing blow with her hammer, but Julius recovers quickly. "If you'd let me get him, I could-!"

Amy jumps on top of Julius before he can finish his sentence, pining him down to the floor.

In a moment, Amy uses the handle of her hammer to keep Julius's neck pinned to the floor and she uses the heels of her boots to keep his wrists down. "You could what? Hurt an innocent civilian? Harm a passing bystander?!"

Then, Julius's necklace starts to shine. Before Amy's mind can register it, Julius disappears from under her and reappears in front of her.

Amy lifts her gaze in surprise. "Huh?! How did you-?"

Julius darts past her, heading straight for the civilian again.

Amy, panicking, rushes to stop him. "NO! DON'T-!"

But before she can intervene, Julius delivers a precise strike to the civilian's chest, who collapses instantly. Amy freezes, her heart sinking as she watches the pig fall to the ground.

Amy feels her legs shake slightly. "You… you monster! How could you?!"

Julius stands over the fallen civilian, his face calm as ever. He glances back at Amy, unfazed by her accusations. "Watch. Any moment now... And..."

To Amy's horror, the "civilian" begins to spark and twitch after a moment. A panel in the man's chest opens, revealing gears, wires and a small Eggman-shaped insignia.

Amy finally realizes that the pig was one of Eggman's robots in disguise the whole time.

Amy drops her hammer and stands in front of Julius with wide eyes, processing the revelation. "What…?"

Julius steps back, crossing his arms as the robot fizzles out, deactivating completely. He turns to Amy, his expression almost unreadable due to the darkness of the alley, but tinged with a hint of frustration. "I told you. You wouldn't have believed me."

Amy looks at the robot in shock, still trying to come to terms with the fact that she was defending an enemy. "But… it looked so real…"

Julius sighs as he kneels down in front of the robot. "That's the point. Robotnik has gotten better at hiding his machines, though he reserves this kind of technology for his scouting troops, like this one. I've been tracking these particular models for weeks."

Amy picks up her hammer, still shaken by what just happened. She looks at Julius, conflicted. There's a part of her that still wants to be angry, but another part understands he had no other choice.

Amy's tone softens, yet there's a small tint of irritation in it. "You could've told me. I would've believed you."

Julius raises an eyebrow. "Really? You would have believed me if I told you?"

Amy opens her mouth to protest, but no words come out. She knows Julius is right. Her instinct would have told her to keep fighting to protect the defenseless at all cost. Even if the pig was an impostor, she would have kept fighting because she saw the horrified look on his face.

The fact that Eggman's machines could be so easily mistaken for living creatures sent a shiver down Amy's spine.

Amy pouts, looking to the side. "Alright... 'Maybe' I would've believed you..."

Julius inserts a USB device inside the robot. "Maybe. But we didn't have time for 'maybe.'"

There's a heavy silence between them, the sound of the ocean distant in the background. Amy looks down at the broken robot, then back at Julius, her curiosity growing.

Amy uncrosses her arms when Julius pulls out the USB device from the robot. "So… what's your deal? Why are you tracking Eggman's robots? And him specifically?"

Julius doesn't look at her. "I have my reasons."

Amy stares at Julius, recognizing the same guarded tone he used during their last encounter. But this time, she's not letting him leave without answers.

Amy looks at Julius with a determined expression. "Well, I'm not going anywhere until I hear them."

Julius looks at Amy with a distant expression. "I'm not obligated to say anything."

Amy crosses her arms, tilting her head as she studies him, clearly intrigued. "So you just show up, save the day, vanish like some kind of mysterious hero, then show up one week later and do... all of this, huh? That's not suspicious at all."

Julius shrugs slightly. "I prefer to keep my distance."

Amy watches him for a moment, sensing there's more to his story. The silence between them isn't awkward, but heavy with things unsaid.

Amy's expression softens. "So... Are you just going to run away again? Just like last time?"

Julius looks down, as if that statement had resonated with him in some way.

Julius speaks in a softer tone. "You really don't give up, do you?"

Amy shakes her head. "Nope. I'm pretty stubborn."

After a moment, Julius sighs and looks at Amy in the eye. "Fine... I'm not running away."

Amy's eyes go wide for a moment, surprised yet relieved at the fact that Julius wasn't going to run away. "Really?"

Julius nods slowly. "Yeah..."

Amy squints her eyes slightly, not quite believing him just yet. "Just like that?"

Julius nods again. "I owe it to you after... Well... All of this."

Amy smiles softly. "Awesome. Let's walk and talk."

Julius hesitates for a moment, then gives a small nod. He seems reluctant, but something about Amy gets to him. They walk out of the alley and onto the street, the moonlight reflecting off the windows of the buildings as they stroll along the sidewalk and finally letting the couple see each other's expressions in detail.

For some moments, they walk in silence. Julius's eyes are fixed on the road ahead. Amy glances at him from time to time, waiting for him to speak, but he keeps his thoughts to himself.

Amy decides to break the ice. "So… what's the deal? Why are you so secretive? And don't tell me it's 'for my own good' or some other nonsense."

Julius doesn't respond immediately, his gaze still distant. Amy senses the weight of whatever's on his mind and decides to try a different approach.

Amy's tone softens up even more. "Look, I'm not here to judge you. I just want to understand. I don't want to believe that you're a bad guy. I mean, you're fighting Eggman's robots, same as me, but you seem like you keep a lot of stuff a secret. Why all the mystery?"

Julius remains quiet for a moment longer before he sighs, his shoulders relaxing just a little. "It's not about being secretive. It's about… trust."

Amy furrows her brow, her curiosity piqued. She slows her pace slightly, giving him space to continue at his own speed. "Trust?"

Julius nods. "I've learned not to trust people so easily. It's… safer that way."

Amy watches him closely, sensing bitterness in his words. She doesn't push, letting the silence linger, knowing he needs to work through it in his own time. After a moment, Julius continues, his voice heavy with emotion, yet quiet and serious enough to not show weakness. "When you're on your own for as long as I've been… you learn not to rely on anyone. You have to protect yourself, keep your guard up. People… they'll betray you, abandon you, leave you behind. It's just how it is."

Amy's heart aches. Julius still sounds bitter, but there's an undeniable sound of sadness emanating from each word he says. She can't imagine the kind of loneliness he's talking about, but she can see how it's affected him. She walks a little closer to him, her voice soft but steady. "That sounds… really hard. I'm sorry you've had to go through that."

Julius doesn't respond, but his eyes flicker toward her, just for a second. It's clear her words have reached him, even if he's not ready to admit it.

Amy smiles gently. "But, you know… not everyone's like that. Yeah, some people will let you down, but that doesn't mean you should shut everyone out. There are good people out there, people who care. You just have to be willing to give them a chance."

Julius looks away, his expression conflicted. It's clear he wants to believe her, but his mind says otherwise. "It's not that easy."

"I know it's not. But you don't have to do it alone."

They continue walking, the sound of the waves filling the space between them. Amy can feel that she's starting to get through to him, but she knows he's still holding back.

Amy decides to share a bit of her own experience, hoping it might help him open up more. "You know, I've spent a lot of time chasing after someone who… well, let's just say he doesn't always treat me the way I deserve. And for a long time, I thought if I just kept trying, maybe things would change. But lately… I've realized I deserve better than that."

Julius looks at Amy with a curious expression for a moment. "That also sounds bad... I'm sorry you had to go through that. I bet you felt terrible back then. I hope you don't regret meeting that person."

Amy looks at Julius with a raised eyebrow. "Regret? No! I would never regret meeting him!"

Julius looks at her with a slightly surprised expression. "You don't? But if what you're telling me is true, then that person has made you suffer in the past, didn't he? Wouldn't your life be much nicer if you hadn't met him at all? If you hadn't let him enter your life?"

Amy sighs before looking back at the road ahead with a smile. "I know it sounds tempting to think that way, but that's not entirely true. Yeah, that person has... let me down several times before, but if I'm being honest with myself... I would NEVER change the memories I've made with him for anything. People are weird, but that's what makes all of us special, Julius. Even if Son... Err... Even if that person has disappointed me some times in the past, he's made me experience beautiful moments too."

Amy looks at the sky with a wider smile. "The way I see it now, we're not all good or bad, but rather a mix of both. We all have our ups and downs, just like life. We can't have one without the other. Even if that person has let me down some times in the past, I'm glad I got to know him, and I wouldn't have him any other way."

Julius looks at Amy with wide eyes for a moment. "Wow... Amy... That was really thoughtful."

Amy chuckles. "It took me a bit to come to that conclusion, Julius. That's the whole reason I'm here, actually. I was such a mess a week ago I decided to take a break for myself and clear my mind. I'm kinda glad I came, though. I got to know you, even if it was in a... less than ideal situation."

Julius glances at her, surprised by her honesty. "Do you mean that?"

Amy gives him a small smile, her eyes sincere. "I do. You're a lot nicer than you think when you're not in battle mode."

Julius smiles softly, looking to the side briefly. "You're... too kind to me."

Amy keeps smiling at him. "I guess what I'm trying to say is… it's okay to let people in, even if it's scary. Because sometimes, they surprise you."

Julius keeps quiet, but there's a subtle shift in his expression, something in her words has struck a chord. He looks out at the sky, his mind clearly working through what she's said.

Then, Julius looks at Amy with a small smile. "I'm not used to people… being like this."

Amy looks at Julius with a soft surprised expression. "Oh?"

Julius looks down, his smile dropping in the process. "You asked why I was tracking Robotnik's robots and himself... Well... It's because I have a score to settle with him."

Amy looks at Julius with a concerned expression. "A score to settle? Why?"

Julius looks to the side. "I was very young when it happened, but I still remember it like it was yesterday... The day he attacked my village..."

Amy feels a pang of concern hit her heart. "Oh no..."

Julius nods. "I was just a kid when it happened. My village… it wasn't much, just a small, quiet place. We didn't bother anyone, didn't cause any trouble. But one day, Robotnik showed up. His machines tore through everything, like we were nothing."

Amy's eyes widen slightly, her heart aching as she listens. She's heard stories like this before, but hearing it directly from Julius makes it all the more real.

Julius's voice tightens. "We didn't stand a chance. He destroyed everything. Our homes, my people… everyone I knew, gone. Just like that."

Julius stops walking, his hands clenched at his sides. Amy stops too, her breath catching in her throat as she watches the raw emotion flicker across his face. For a moment, she sees the pain that fuels his every move, the deep well of anger that drives him.

Was this the reason Julius called the mad scientist "Robotnik" rather than "Eggman"? Did he really see the evil genius as THAT much of a threat that needed to be put down?

Julius's voice is now completely bitter. "I was the only one who survived. And for what? Some sick experiment? A test run for his machines? He didn't care... He didn't even look back."

Amy feels her heart break for him. She steps closer, her voice soft and full of empathy. "Julius… I'm so sorry."

Julius doesn't respond immediately, his gaze still fixed on the ground as if lost in the memory. Amy waits, knowing that there's more to this story.

Julius speaks again in a composed, serious tone. "I made a promise to myself that day. I swore I'd make him pay for what he did. For every life he took, for every home he destroyed… I'd make sure he suffered."

Amy looks at him with concern, sensing the darkness in his words. She's seen hatred consume people before, and it never ends well. She steps closer, her tone soft but firm. "I get it, Julius. I really do. But… chasing after Eggman like this, with that kind of hatred in your heart… it's dangerous. It'll destroy you too."

Julius looks up at her, his expression hardening. There's a flicker of anger in his eyes, but also pain. "What am I supposed to do, then? Just let him get away with it? Pretend like it never happened?"

Amy shakes her head. "No, of course not. But letting that hatred consume you… it'll turn you into something you're not. I don't want to see that happen to you."

Julius looks away, his jaw clenched tightly. "You don't understand. This is all I have. If I stop… if I let go of this… then what am I?"

Amy's heart aches at his words. She steps even closer, her voice filled with compassion. "You're more than that, Julius. You're not just someone out for revenge. You're a person who's been hurt, who's suffered, but you don't have to let that define you. You can choose something else."

Julius shakes his head, his expression conflicted. "I don't know how."

Amy cups Julius's left cheek, looking into his eyes with a gentle expression. "You don't have to figure it out right now. But maybe… maybe you can start by not letting this hatred control every step you take. You deserve better than that."

Julius is silent, his eyes never leaving hers. A part of his brain tells him to pull away from her and run into the darkness once again, but the other part of his brain urges him to stay.

Amy keeps talking as gently as she can. "You're not alone anymore. You don't have to do this by yourself. We can figure things out together."

Julius glances at her, and for the first time, there's a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes. But it's brief, quickly overshadowed by the weight of his anger and grief. "I wish it were that simple."

Amy nods. "I know it's not. But it's a start, isn't it?"

Julius doesn't respond, his gaze drifting back to the sky. There's a long silence between them, the sound of the waves washing over them. Amy knows she hasn't fully reached him, that the hatred inside him still burns too brightly, but she's planted a seed, a small step toward healing.

Amy plants a small kiss on his right cheek. "Just… think about it, okay?"

Julius blushes, but gives Amy a small, almost imperceptible nod. "Alright..."

Amy smiles as she withdraws her hand. Julius's gesture is not much, but it's enough for Amy to know that her words have made an impact. "Good... Well... Wanna keep talking some more? I promise I won't ask anything personal if you don't feel ready..."

Julius stares at her for a moment before nodding. "I... I'd like that. I still feel tired after our fight..."

Amy looks to the side, chuckling nervously. "Ah, that... Yeah... I'm sorry about hitting you with my hammer..."

Julius smiles softly. "Don't be. You were just doing what your heart was telling you was right. I like that."

Amy blushes. "Really?"

Julius nods. "Yeah. Also, your moves are exceptional considering your hammer's weight."

Amy chuckles, blushing even more. "Aww, stop it, you! You weren't so bad yourself!"

Julius giggles before extending his hand to her. "Well... Wanna... discuss battle tactics as we walk?"

Amy looks at Julius's hand for a moment before a huge grin appears on her lips. "I'd like that very much!"

Amy immediately takes his hand in hers. They continue walking side by side, the distance between them, both physically and emotionally, closing slowly but surely. As they continue walking along the streets, the moonlight casting a soft glow over them, Amy silently hopes that Julius will one day find a way to let go of the pain that's been haunting him for so long.

As the moonlight bathes the beach in a gentle glow, the wind dances around the couple, and for the first time for as long as he can remember, Julius doesn't seem quite so alone.