Hah, I guess I still managed to finish this!
guest (22.10): I can confirm that Shadow's story is deeper than Sonic's and it touches your heart. I also agree that Sonic and Shadow's strength increased over time, although Shadow still needed the Doom Powers to defeat Devil Doom/Neo Devil Doom, while Sonic had to go Super against the Time Eater. I had also been thinking whether to add Terios, but he certainly wouldn't be Shadow's long lost brother.
In fact, Shadow would get a brother, but it's going to be a different character, featuring in the next arc. This chapter marks the ending of The Imposter Syndrome Arc, with the following arc being titled The Black Arms Arc, being an adaptation of Shadow the Hedgehog (2005) and Sonic X Shadow Generations.
Enjoy!
Entry 68
A Single Flower Petal
''A single piece of flower petal is swaying by my side right now. 'It was an erroneous love,' I'd not want to think that way.''
– Hitohira no Hanabira (A Single Flower Petal) by Stereopony (Bleach)
xXxXxXx
Amy swung the Piko Piko Hammer, forcing Starline to defend himself. He had the Power Core active, but what use was it when he was dealing with a pink hedgehog who could knock down robots with her sheer strength alone, no power-ups required. He backed away, startled when he saw the crack in the ground just where he was a moment ago.
This is not good… I need to get Surge and Kit and escape, or else I'll end up dead.
Starline switched from Power to Fly, getting out of Amy's range, but she ran up to Minami, who lowered her hands to launch her up, leaving Starline baffled. He quickly switched from Fly to Speed, managing to dodge Amy's attack just before she could land a hit on him. The purple and blue blur rushed past them, with Minami and Amy feeling displeased that he got away.
Meanwhile, Starline opened a holographic screen, pressing a button on it that allowed him to enter the AR Field, as well as pulling Surge and Kit right into it. The AR Field itself looked like a replica of the street he was standing on, but he couldn't interact at all with any humans or ARNavs that passed through it, rendering them invisible to any onlookers.
That's when he allowed himself to breathe in relief, pressing his hand against his chest and feeling his heart pounding. Still alive… I'm still alive…
He then rushed down the street, trying to find Surge and Kit. It appeared that both had already reunited at the overpass, and to Starline's dismay, both of them, Surge in particular, were furious. Starline realized that he was in danger, but before he could escape, Surge grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into the wall.
''You have a lot to explain, Doc!'' Surge growled, leaving Starline shaking in fear. ''You told me and Kit that we were created to surpass Sonic and Tails! If that's so, why couldn't we beat them?!''
''T-There are s-several reasons…'' Starline said, feeling an electric charge through his body, leaving him crying out in pain. ''Y-You've never been in a battle like this. Even with the simulations, I couldn't replicate the same experience- agh!''
Starline was once again rammed into the wall by Surge, who left him to slide down on the ground. The platypus was dazed, searing pain spreading through his body, while Surge just pressed her fist into her palm as she glared at him, electricity once again crackling around her.
''So, you're saying that we're weaker than Sonic and his friends…'' Surge growled.
''Not weaker…'' Starline grumbled, trying to get up. ''You're just… less experienced.''
Surge looked like she was about to clock him in the beak, but Kit stepped out. ''You have mentioned in one of your video logs that Team Neos had been on several adventures at this point.''
''Indeed. The most recent major adventure that I have witnessed was their battle against Perfect Chaos. While they needed the Chaos Emeralds to win, they have still managed to defeat a group of well-crafted E-100 Series robots, various other Badniks, handle Dr. Eggman's Enforcers, Ferra and Metal Sonic, gather the Chaos Emeralds and fight Chaos on almost even ground in all of his forms. Not to mention the fact that they have access to Chaos Surge, which significantly powers them up,'' Starline replied, humming in thought. ''Perhaps, I should've put you through a similar situation…''
''No!'' Both Starline and Kit were stunned by Surge's cry of protest. She clenched her fists, giving both of them a glare, gritting her teeth. ''I've had enough of them! No more experiments, no more simulations! Instead, Kit and I will do what we want!'' Starline was taken aback, but Kit nodded in firm determination. He wasn't going to let Surge down, no matter what. Surge then stepped towards Starline, pointing her finger at him. ''As for your Doc, if I ever see you again, I'll fry you until only your skeleton is left!''
Starline backed away, staring at Surge as she turned on her heel and left the AR Field, Kit following her closely. Starline just stared, not realizing just how shallow his breaths were. He was still distressed, but that may have been because of just how close he was coming to dying. However, now that Surge and Kit were gone, he was left all alone within the AR Field. This is when he finally allowed himself to breathe normally.
His plan was completely shattered, but he survived. He was still alive. Starline inhaled deeply, combing through his hair as he tried to calm himself down.
''P-Perhaps, the Doctor was right… I shouldn't repeat the same mistakes…'' Starline shook his head, clenching his fists. ''What am I talking about?! I won't repeat my mistakes! As a matter of fact, this is the most desirable outcome given the circumstances. Surge and Kit still hate Sonic and Tails, meaning that they will continue fight them.'' Starline smirked, the sinister smile spreading across his beak. ''Once they gather enough experience, they will defeat them, and even if they refuse to work with me, I will find a way to take control over them.''
xXx
''So, that's Surge and Kit's deal,'' Sonic said, him, Tails and Amy having just listened to an explanation about Surge and Kit's origins from Lucas, Warren and Minami. They were currently sitting at a small outdoor café in Westoru, talking about what had happened.
''What Starline did is really messed up,'' Tails commented.
''What should we do with them? What if they hurt innocent people?'' Amy asked worriedly.
''I don't think they will go after innocent people,'' Lucas said, taking note of the surprised looks everyone gave him, save for Sonic.
''Surge had told me that she wants to burn down the everyone and everyone, but going by your response, you already know that she won't take that path,'' Sonic said, leaning back in his seat as he took a sip of the soda.
''Surge and Kit have been programmed to defeat and replace you and Tails, so they will mainly focus on that. In addition, I believe that they are capable of change, but even then, it won't be easy,'' Lucas explained. ''I suppose that we could talk to them, but…''
''I don't think Sonic nor Tails should talk to Surge and Kit,'' Amy suddenly said, gazing at the two. ''If you talk to them, they'll only get more agitated. I think someone else should talk to them.''
''Let me guess, you'll volunteer yourself to talk to them,'' Sonic said in a knowing tone. He had already expected that Amy would want to do that. She was the type of person who believed that if people opened their heart, even a little, it would allow for finding a solution to whatever problem they had. She was kind and compassionate, knowing the right thing to say, and Sonic was happy to haver her as his friend, even if he couldn't share in her enthusiasm, since he wasn't the type to speak his mind so easily.
''You better believe it!'' Amy said, giving him a confident wink. ''I'm sure that if I and Minami talk to them, we would come to some kind of solution for this situation.''
''Surge and Kit at this point wouldn't trust anyone but themselves, so it won't be easy,'' Warren noted, with Minami just giving him a dismissive wave, before giving him a confident look that mirrored Amy's.
''That's what makes it a challenge,'' Minami said, putting her hands together and crossing her middle and index finger, with Amy performing the same hand seal. ''Don't forget, you are talking to the people who mastered the art of Talk no Jutsu.''
Both Warren and Lucas gave her an awkward smile, while Sonic and Tails remained slightly confused. Warren then added, ''I don't know if I should be impressed or afraid.''
Minami and Amy exchanged glances, both giggling softly.
xXx
''What should we do now, Surge?'' Kit asked, having finished replenishing filling up his Hydro Pack with water at the water fountain in a park in Westoru. Surge was sitting on a nearby bench, still looking frustrated. Sure, they had abandoned Starline, but they were now on their own. They could return to Egg Base Sigma and kick Starline out, but neither of them wanted to return to their awful place. They were also aware of Starline's previous base in Souto, and since the platypus wasn't using it, they could take over it as their own base. That was obviously one solution, but it wasn't what they needed.
Surge knew that if she wanted some peace of mind, she would have to confront Sonic again and win on her own terms. Unfortunately, Starline's words echoed in her mind, reminding her of the fact that she was still quite inexperienced, and that Sonic had also access to Chaos Surge, so even if she overpowered him on her own, he could easily use that power to defeat her again. The thought of her being unable to defeat Sonic at all enraged her, making her realize she'd be trapped in an endless cycle if she didn't figure something out. But, what was she supposed to do?
''Surge?'' Kit stared at Surge with concern. Even though he knew he had been programmed by Starline to serve Surge's every whim, he was genuinely worried about her and wanted to make her happy. Surge was all he had and he felt lost in this wide world without her. He wanted to be by her side no matter what. He gave her a determined look. ''Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it. That way, you'll be happy.''
Surge looked up at him, her mouth opening a little as if she was about to say something, but she then closed it, nodding in acknowledgement. To Kit's surprise, Surge ruffled his hair, leaving it frazzled, and grinned. ''Heh, of course you'd do that. It's us against the world, after all, and we will make sure that everyone respects us.''
''That sounds great!'' Kit said happily.
''Hey!''
Surge and Kit were surprised to hear someone calling out for them, only to be surprised when a pink hedgehog in a sports outfit and a human teenager approached them. Both felt tense, wondering who these two were and what they wanted from them. They did have an assumption that both of them were Sonic's friends, leaving them unsettled.
''You're Surge and Kit, right? My name is Amy Rose,'' Amy introduced herself, then pointed at Minami. ''This is Minami Kusakabe, my partner.''
''Why should we care? You're friends with that Faker, aren't you?'' Surge interrupted, giving them a snide look.
''I'm pretty sure that there is only one person who is allowed to call Sonic 'Faker','' Minami remarked. Surge and Kit were a bit annoyed that Minami was talking to them in such a casual tone.
''What do you want?!'' Surge growled, electricity crackling in her hands. ''Because if you don't leave, I'm going to fry both of you.''
''We just want to talk to both of you, nothing else,'' Amy said, holding up her hands defensively. Surge and Kit gave her an irked look, clearly not in the mood to talk to someone who was friends with Sonic and Tails. Amy was wondering what to tell them to gain even a fraction of their trust, when Minami took over.
''How about we make a deal? You talk to us, and we give you free sweets, as much as you can eat,'' Minami suggested. Surge rose an eyebrow.
''Tch, I'm not hungry…'' Surge responded, only for her stomach to growl right in that moment, leaving her slightly embarrassed. She then shot a glare at Minami. ''Don't you dare to say anything!''
''We didn't eat anything since this morning and it's past noon,'' Kit pointed out. Surge hated to admit it, but Kit was correct. She was actually quite hungry, and the battle against Sonic drained her. She needed some good food to fuel up before she could even battle Sonic again.
''Fine,'' Surge conceded, placing her hands on her hips. ''As long as the food is free and tastes good. Otherwise, I'm not saying anything.''
''Don't worry, I know just the place,'' Minami replied. ''Follow me!''
Minami took note of Amy's lips quirking upwards, with the pink hedgehog being well aware where she was leading them. Both of them were also relieved at how easy it was to convince Surge and Kit to agree to their terms, with Minami figuring that, even if they were Sonic and Tails' friends, the two wouldn't be as hostile to them. Not only that, but offering them what was basically an all-you-can-eat buffet of free sweets was basically an incredibly tempting peace offering, because she doubted that anyone could resist the offer of free food. Minami had to admit to herself that this was something she had actually planned out, as she knew that Surge and Kit wouldn't want to talk to her and Amy regardless of what they said.
This move may have been quite devious to an outsider, but Minami didn't mind it. She may have been a kind and sweet person, or at least presented herself as one, but she could also be very shrewd and manipulative if she wanted to gain something. There were many times where she played up a sweet and innocent act to get out of trouble, or even used carefully crafted sentences to sway people to her side, especially when she was younger and had her cuteness as a child on her side. As she got older, she understood that the world, and therefore humans, were more complex, and that she had to adapt to her situation, learning how to read people and finding the easiest ways to make them do or say what she wanted. In this case, she wanted to know just how much of a danger Surge and Kit posed to everyone, as well as if there was a way to sway their opinion in regards to Sonic and Tails.
When she told that to Amy, the pink hedgehog could only sigh and remark that Team Neos was lucky that Minami wasn't their opponent, because she was quite troublesome when she acted like that. Minami simply chimed in how this was the reason why Makoto referred to her as a ''Menace to Society''. She also added that she wasn't interested in being a villainess, and to Amy's chagrin, remarked that, despite that, she was certain that she would make a good villainess in a shoujo novel. All Amy could do at that point is to facepalm, since Minami missed the point entirely.
It didn't take them too long until they reached their destination, Wave Patissierie. Surge and Kit were still a little doubtful, wondering if the free food would really be worth it, but they decided not to waste their opportunity, and followed Minami and Amy inside. There, they were met by a college student and his partner, a penguin ARNav, both dressed in the appropriate uniform that consisted of a white chef's coat and black trousers with the establishment's name printed on it.
''Welcome to Wave Patissierie! How may- oh, it's you two!'' The college student, who had greeted them, gave Minami and Amy a surprised, but pleased look.
''Hi, Daiki! Hey, Kori! I hope we're not bothering you,'' Minami replied.
''No you're not. We're having a slow day today,'' Kori replied, pointing at the empty patissierie. ''Do you two want the usual?''
''Well, we actually have a request…'' Minami said, trailing off. She and Amy turned to Surge and Kit, who were staring at the displays and almost drooling at the sight of so many cakes laid out, ready to be eaten. The cakes were almost sparkling, some looking simple, some being elaborately decorated with ingredients ranging from fruits, sprinkles, decorations made from sugar, flowers and so on. It appeared that seeing all of the food for themselves made them feel even hungrier than they actually were.
''Here.'' Amy approached the two, giving them plates. ''You pick up the sweets you like and then go to the counter to pay for them. Of course, since Minami said it'll be free for you, she'll be paying for it.'' Amy glanced at Minami, giving her a sly look, with the teenager just sighing, well aware that her wallet is gonna suffer. ''They also serve drinks here, and once you're done you can go to the tables over there to eat.''
Surge grinned, immediately walking up to the displays and picking up cakes she liked. Kit held back a bit, observing the ones Surge picked and looking a little lost on what to do. He had absolutely no idea which cake to choose, wishing that Surge had told him which one to pick. Not to mention, this was his first time seeing such a variety of sweets, as Starline never allowed them to eat anything that was supposedly unhealthy. He didn't know what those cakes tasted like and he had no opinion of his own aside from agreeing with Surge.
It appeared that Amy noticed his dilemma, well aware that Kit was not just Surge's support unit, but also entirely dependent on her for almost every decision. From Amy's perspective, this was an incredibly toxic relationship, but if she interfered with it in any way that upset them, she'd make herself a target. Fortunately, she had already figured out what the correct approach would be.
''Hey, Surge, is this your and Kit's first time at a patissierie?'' she asked. Surge rose an eyebrow, a little confused by the question.
''Yeah, of course it is,'' she said.
''Ah, that explains why Kit has a little trouble choosing what he wants,'' Amy said, deciding to employ the tactics she had learned from Minami. It appeared that Surge just now noticed that Kit was just standing there, lost and anxious. ''How about this? He picks some of the cakes you didn't choose and you both share plates to see which cakes taste the best. I'll even help with the recommend you some.''
''I guess we could do that,'' Surge muttered, but then flashed a grin. ''However, I'm sure that Kit will like what I picked more than what you recommend.''
''Of course I would,'' Kit immediately agreed, with both taking note of Amy's sweet smile and feeling a little puzzled. Amy didn't respond, instead feeling relieved that Kit looked much more at ease as she was recommending him which cakes to pick. By the end of it, they had two full plates of almost every single cake and sweet the patissierie had to offer. Minami was internally crying when she realized just how much she will have to pay, but she figured that it would be worth it the sacrifice. Besides, she still had one more ace up in her sleeve left.
''Is that all?'' Daiki asked as he checked the bill over again and giving Minami a questioning look, as he too understood that they went overboard.
''Y-Yeah, I'll be paying all of it,'' Minami replied, praying to whichever deity to bless her with the outcome she desired the most. It appeared that they heard her, because in that moment, Minami's mother, Sara Kusakabe, exited the kitchen with a freshly backed batch of cupcakes. ''Hey, Mum!''
''Wait, her mother owns this place?'' Surge and Kit gave Amy a surprised look.
''She used to work at a restaurant until she recently opened this place,'' Amy explained. ''This is also why we can recommend it, because we know all the food will taste excellent.''
''It is nice to see you… Oh, is this what you bought?'' Sara stared at the bill in surprise. Normally, she had an agreement with Minami and Amy that they would get a free cake and drink as she didn't want her daughter to pay for anything, so this took her off guard.
''Ah, I as actually paying for someone else…'' Minami explained in a sheepish tone, with Sara taking note of Surge and Kit. ''But, don't worry. I can pay for it in full. After all, I should be supporting the family business.''
''Supporting the family business with the money I gave you as an allowance,'' Sara pointed out, much to Minami's grief and Amy's amusement. ''Honestly, I'd rather that you don't have to pay for anything, but this is a lot…'' Sara replied. As much as she loved her daughter and would want to give her anything she desired, she also needed to think of her business and expenses.
''Well, if that's so, how about I pay half the price as a family discount?'' Minami suggested. Sara hummed.
''You'll pay half the price and you'll be handing out leaflets to promote the store,'' she said.
''Deal,'' Minami said, internally sighing in relief. She could live with that offer.
''Maybe we shouldn't have taken so many cakes,'' Kit said, glancing at Surge as they observed the whole exchange.
''Hey, they were the ones offering us free food. It's not their fault they didn't tell us to limit ourselves, and even then, I wouldn't care,'' Surge replied in a haughty tone. They found a table, and the moment they sat down, Surge and Kit took a bite of one of the chocolate roulade, they were blown away by the taste, having never eaten something like that before.
''This tastes amazing!'' Kit said, eyes sparking in awe.
''This is-'' Surge took note of Amy giving her a curious look, and quickly huffed, not wanting to look overly excited. ''I guess it's fine.''
''It's nice to hear that you like it,'' Amy responded in a chipper tone. Surge furrowed a brow, not sure what to make of it, but then continued to eat. Minami soon joined them, sitting down at the table with a defeated look.
''My wallet will hate me for this,'' she muttered, then glanced at the others. ''So, how's the food?''
''It's good,'' Surge replied in aloof tone, acting as if she wasn't enjoying every bite of the cake she ate.
''It's good,'' Kit said, imitating her, although he was having a bit of a harder time hiding his feelings about the food, perking up whenever he tasted his portion.
''I think that's a high praise coming from both of you,'' Minami said, surprising Surge and Kit, who weren't exactly used to this kind of treatment. ''Since you like the food, how about you uphold your end of the deal?''
''Ugh…'' Surge just gave her an unwilling look, having hoped that she wouldn't have to deal with this. Admittedly, she could just dine and dash, but she was also curious to an extend in regard to what they wanted to know. ''Fine. What do you want to talk about?''
''We were just curious about how you're handling being here,'' Amy said.
''Why would you want to know that?'' Surge asked, giving her a suspicious look.
''Because you were dealing with Starline, and I can only imagine how awfully he had treated you,'' Amy responded.
''Starline lied to us,'' Kit said, giving Amy a dark look. ''He lied to us about everything.''
''We are not going back to him,'' Surge added. ''If the Doc ever dares to get into our way, we'll make sure it'll be the last thing he does.''
''That is a relief to hear,'' Amy said, leaving the two puzzled. ''I'm sure you'll be doing much better without him.''
''Why would you care? You don't even know what we're planning on doing. We could even be worse than Starline,'' Surge pointed out. ''We attacked your friends, and you're acting like nothing happened.''
''First of all, wasn't Starline the one who planted the idea of you attacking Sonic and Tails in your head?'' Amy asked, catching Surge and Kit off guard. She was correct, but it's not as if they wanted to acknowledge it.
''S-So, what?!'' Surge protested, getting angrier and angrier. ''Even though we left Starline, we don't plan on giving up destroying those two!''
''Yeah!'' Kit agreed, being just as determined as Surge was.
''I see…'' Amy muttered, with Surge just staring at her, baffled.
''How can you be so calm when I just declared that nothing would stop us from destroying your friends?'' Surge asked.
''The issue is, we're kinda getting used to getting those threats,'' Minami said in a calm, almost bored tone as she leaned against her table, supporting her chin with her hand.
''You got used to threats?'' Kit asked, stunned.
''We've ran into so many people who have threatened us and our friends in some way that we could make a Bingo card out of it for future encounters,'' Minami explained in a matter-of-fact tone. ''There's Ferra and Metal Sonic, Dr. Eggman and his Badnik Army, Shadow, Dr. Starline, Toshiro and Mephiles, other Irregulars and even Irregular Hunters, the military organization ARMS, Chaos, Rough and Tumble – although these guys were more of a joke – the pirates we encountered at the Surya Empire… All of them were a threat in some way, some of which managed to cause more damage than the others. In fact, Metal Sonic almost managed to kill Sonic and let him go just because he wanted to have another confrontation with him later on.''
Surge and Kit were both stunned to hear that. Starline hadn't told them about any previous threats Team Neos had to deal with, and they assumed that it would be easy for them to handle the mission they were given, but this went beyond their expectations. Clearly, they weren't even on the radar as Sonic's opponents, leaving them both in dismay.
''Aghrr, then how should I prove myself as Sonic's enemy if I'm not even able to land a scratch on him!'' Surge shouted in frustration, clutching her head with both of her hands, with Kit giving her a look of concern.
''Starline really left you with no choice, did he?'' Amy asked, her worried and sympathetic tone drawing Surge and Kit's attention.
''It's not just Starline, it's whoever decided that we should only exist to be Sonic's opponents!'' Surge growled, pointing at Amy accusingly. ''You can do whatever you want, but we can only do one thing!''
''Do you really have to?'' Amy asked, her tone calm, despite the threat of Surge electrocuting her.
''We don't have any other directives,'' Kit replied in a cold tone, glaring at Amy for making Surge upset. Amy hummed in thought.
''You know, maybe I could help you with finding a different directive,'' Amy suggested, surprising the two.
''How?'' Surge gave her a baffled look.
''Do you guys want me to tell your fortune?'' Amy asked with a smile, with data particles appearing in her hands, turning inot a stack of fortune cards. ''I used to work as a fortune teller in Sentoraru before I have met Minami, and even before that, I wanted to help people by telling them their fortune.'' Amy's gaze lowered as a melancholic look appeared on her expression. ''Unfortunately, the people who asked me about their fortune called me a jinx because in most cases, something bad would happen to them and they would blame me for all of their misfortunes, even if I had nothing to do with them.'' Amy then gave them a determined look, clenching her fists and fist-pumping. ''However, that won't stop me from helping people, no matter how badly they treat me.'' She gave Surge and Kit a sincere gaze. ''That's why I also want to help you two live a happy life. You've been wronged in many ways.''
''Tch, you're far too optimistic,'' Surge said in a dismissive tone, waving her hand. ''What if the kind of life we want to live doesn't fit what you imagined?''
''I know I can't stop you from doing what you want, but if you need another opinion, I'll be there for you,'' Amy assured her. ''If it involves fighting Sonic, that's something I'll leave to him.''
''You have a lot of faith in your boyfriend,'' Surge said, leaving Amy stunned.
''Wh-What?''
''Starline had taken the time to tell us all about your team, even though he mainly focused on Sonic and Tails, and one of the things he had told us that you're obsessed with Sonic and can act like a crazy fangirl,'' Kit added helpfully, only for him and Surge to be surprised when Amy frowned. They certainly didn't expect her to change her mood so quickly.
''That's a lie!'' Amy huffed. ''I don't know where he got that-'' Minami coughed. ''But I can assure you that I'm not obsessed with Sonic. We are simply good friends and teammates.'' She then grumbled under her breath. ''Besides, I'm fairly certain that he has a crush on someone else, but I don't have any evidence…''
''So, this is just another thing Starline lied to us about,'' Kit concluded, with Surge letting out a huff.
''Why am I not surprised anymore?'' she grumbled, blink in surprise when she saw Amy holding up a fork with a piece of strawberry shortcake to her, leaving Surge a little flustered. ''H-Hey, you don't have to shove that into my mouth!''
''You kind of stopped eating, so I was just wondering if you'd want to try my favorite type cake,'' Amy said, then pouted. ''I did ask Sonic what he thought about it, but he said it sucks. I think he was just messing with me-''
She was startled when Surge suddenly grabbed the fork and ate the offered cake, then gave Amy a haughty look. ''I don't know what Sonic was thinking, but this is great.''
''Thanks!'' Amy replied happily, while Surge just gave her a satisfied smirk, folding her arms across her chest.
''This just shows how much your so-called friend doesn't know what a good cake tastes like, proving that I'm the superior judge,'' Surge boasted, pointing with her thumb at herself.
''That's something we can agree on,'' Amy replied, with Kit also reaching for the strawberry shortcake.
''So, have you found a cake that you like?'' Minami asked him, leaving Kit a bit startled by the question.
''I… I don't know. All of them taste good and I…'' Kit replied, falling silent. Suddenly, he pressed his hands against his head, as if having a headache. ''I-I don't- know-''
''H-Hey, if you can't decide yet, you can always make your decision later on,'' Minami assured him, but Kit was still worried. Minami was also quite concerned, as she knew that it would be hard to help him be independent, but even the smallest step in the right direction would be enough.
''So, do you guys want me to read your fortune or…?'' Amy trailed off. Kit immediately looked at Surge for guidance. Surge stared at Amy for moment, then shook her head.
''I don't need any fortune cards to tell me what to do,'' she said in a serious tone.
''M-Me neither,'' Kit chimed in. Amy just nodded in understanding.
''That's fine. In fact I believe this is the best way to determine your own fortune,'' Amy said, then added in a more firm tone. ''I do have one more request.''
''What is it?'' Surge asked.
''If you're fine with this idea, may I suggest that you first try to experience living on your own in Neos City, away from Starline's influence. I believe that experiencing life for yourselves without having to follow the directive you were given would help you decide what you want to do next,'' Amy suggested. Surge's gaze fell. She had to admit that that wasn't such a bad idea, but she also wasn't sure what exactly living on their own would entail. It was quite a frightening thought, as she had no idea how to live for herself. Amy took note of her silence, adding, ''If you need help, I'd be glad-''
''I don't need help!'' Surge snapped, pointing at herself. ''Kit and I can do whatever we want and we don't need your help!''
To her surprise, Amy just gave her a sweet and encouraging smile. ''Then, I sincerely hope both of you will find happiness.''
Surge was silent, only to huff again, getting up. ''We're leaving.''
Kit gave her a confused look. ''But, we didn't finish eating…''
''We can pack those up,'' Surge said, with Kit getting up and following her. Kori, who had noticed them stopping eating, quickly came over with a box, packing up the remaining cakes. Surge turned to Amy, her eyes narrowing.
''I also have a suggestion for you,'' Surge said, with Amy giving her a curious look. ''Don't help people who look down on you. I hate these kinds of people and I think they should get beaten up for acting so arrogant.''
''Eh… I'll keep that in mind,'' Amy quickly replied, stunned by the advice, and then asked her directly, ''Do you look down on me?''
Surge took a moment to look back at her, but didn't answer, acting as if she didn't hear the question, and leaving with Kit, who held the box with the remaining cakes. Amy took a deep breath, turning to Minami.
''What do you think? How did this go?'' she asked.
''Honestly, I think it went well,'' Minami answered. ''Of course, it is not ideal, since the best outcome would for them to have a peaceful life without being burdened by the past, but we can't do much besides keeping an eye on them and offer guidance. What do you think?''
''I think that Surge and Kit would be able to find their own place here, but I don't think they will stop finding a way to fight Sonic and Tails,'' Amy said. ''We can only speculate just how deep their programing goes, but I think we should keep an eye on them.''
xXx
''Why didn't you answer Amy's question?'' Kit asked curiously, walking behind Surge as he held onto the box. Surge stopped walking for a moment, only to huff in annoyance.
''That's because it was a stupid question,'' Surge answered in a dismissive tone. Kit was confused, wondering why Surge would call that question stupid, but decided not to pursue the matter, since Surge didn't care about it either. Surge, on the other hand, wondered why Amy asked her that. Did she really care so much about her opinion? Feeling weird about the whole situation, Surge shook her head, deciding not to think about it. ''Anyways, I guess we could try out just living for a while.'' She then grinned. ''But, that doesn't mean that we won't cause any trouble for Sonic and Tails.''