Sonic and The Chaos Kingdom
Ch. 11
(so… -fiddles with fingers-… As I AGAIN attempted to re-read and edit ch. 9… -rubs hand behind neck- I kinda… well… more ideas came to mind and I got excited about stuff for the next NEXT chapter and um.. –starts writing- I don't think 3 chapters at once will cause any complaints, right?)
Sonic sat in the throne room, bored as ever, as old men and their wives bickered over another quarrel between the families surrounding this plot of land that Sonic had to finish the dispute over.
It was now 2 years from the time Shadow was captured, and only slight rumors were about the land about the newly formed, 'Ark Kingdom', based on their history of the experiments their old founding royalty had began.
Sonic yawned, sleep-deprived, mostly because the council was getting fed up with his defiance and were about ready to overthrow his act, but Sonic had just given a speech the night before about why he wanted to uphold the search for Shadow's crimes, and the people's voice ended up siding with Sonic.
Good thing too, cause if the Council got a hold of his judgment power, Sonic would be crippled in his authority, and have no say over anything anymore… which would be bad, so he was thrilled he was still able to at least do something!
It was a big ordeal, which had drained him a lot of his usual cheer and cocky attitude. He was mellowing out, getting older as it were, considering his birthday was starting to be a hassle for him with all the celebrations and stuff.
When one man asked for Sonic's opinion on the matter, he didn't want to answer. To him, they should just divide up the land or let someone else use it, but he knew he couldn't say that… they each had gardens and farms on particular spots of it, due to a bad contract of a deceased landlord who wanted more money for the occupation of a short amount of space.
It was that man's fault, but with him dead, it fell on Sonic to conclude the dispute and bring justice for all…
"All respective parties keep hold of their lands." Sonic stated, sitting up, as the people were now used to Sonic's demeanors and face, they could easily recognize him in a crowd now, whereas before, he could possible get away with it, especially in some parts of the kingdom…
Sonic put a hand out, "I say…" he then slowly took a glance over at his favorite gal pal, a cute little maid who pretended to dust, humming a song, before shaking her body a certain way.
Sonic smiled, "That you have claim on the existing lands around your plot. Instead of the four corners of the square upon which you live on…" Sonic peeked again back to Amy.
This time she took a square in her steps, then motioned with her broom four other squares.
"Thaaaat… the other lands around you that he owned are now four separate lands, each has his claim. You may do what you will with them." He then shooed the rest of the judgments away. "Any questions?"
He looked terribly annoyed, so no one said anything.
His dull expression slightly lightened up, but his open frown with his teeth showing didn't send a great message… In fact, it showed he was almost being tortured, having to stay in his throney-chair all day to do judgments, making the people feel all less than great about how he treated their important disputes in their lives. "GREAT!" he put his pointer finger up in the air, spun it in a circle, and stated, "That's a rap!" and jumped out of his chair, grabbing Amy, which made her sound out a hit and loss of air, as he spun her out of the room with him.
His movements so fast, no one noticed.
"Thanks again!" he whispered, holding her a moment. "I appreciate your witty thinking." He flicked her head's quilled bangs, since there were three of them, as she giggled and swooned, before they both heard the Chief Maid scream out for Amy, and Sonic glared in her direction.
"Does she ever leave you alone?"
"She always tends to notice when I'm not working…. I sometimes think she has a crystal ball!" Amy laughed. "Good thing today I'll be able to break and go back outside the gates again!" she spun her broom, as if it was her trusty hammer, and winked to Sonic.
"See ya in a little while, k?" she dashed off, not wanting to be caught and dragged on another work assignment.
"Wait!" Sonic grabbed the end of her maid attire, as she turned around.
"Take me with you…" He chibi-teared up, laying on the ground and acting like a horribly trapped prisoner.
"Aww… heheh… I wouldn't want to go to jail for kidnapping the king…" she nervously smiled and sweatdropped, half kidding and half not, knowing she couldn't help him out.
He pouted and let go of her dress, as he sighed.
She had to walk off, but she so desperately wanted him to come with her…
She took a second look before disappearing beyond the corner…
He got up and rubbed his head, before closing his eyes and succumbing to the fate of having to go into another trial today…
"That good for nothing, King! He may have solved our dispute, but he still isn't getting the real things done!"
Sonic's ears twitched as he turned around, before hugging the wall and moving closer to the sound of the disgruntled man's voice.
"I agree!" A woman shrilled out. "He should be executing Shadow's punishment, instead of- lounging on his throne all day, acting like we're the biggest nuisance yet!" she huffed.
Sonic's eyes were covered in shadows, hearing the words of his people, as his head dropped down…
He took off his crown and walked away.
"You'd think he'd care more about his people! His authority! His birthright!"
"He's so immature!"
"He may have saved the kingdom from a threat, but what about the mayhem he's caused us?!"
"Where is his pride?!"
Sonic slammed the door to his chamber, gripping his crown tightly, and clenched his teeth in sorrow.
He threw the crown on his bed, breathing deeply as his whole body shook with pent-up rage.
He suddenly just let it all go… and fell on his bed.
Having leaned up and let out the air in his lungs, he took another relaxing breath in.
He was used to this. Tails had told him every king was criticized, no matter how they acted or what they did.
But still, he had never heard a negative word come out from anyone's lips about his father…
Was he still trying to be like him? What kind of King could 'Sonic' be?
He had no idea.
"Ugh." A muffled sound escaped him as he moved his head directly into the bed's sheets.
He needed to get out.
It was time for another 'walk'.
That night, he took off all his fancy clothes and just put on a shabby old brown riding hood with a large cape behind it, perfect for a disguise so no one could spot him in a crowd.
He tried to not alert any guards, but knew it was no use.
Then…
"Fresh crops for the kitchen have been delivered, anything the king wants to return to the citizens?"
"Yes, sir. The King's charity portions, sir."
A man directed the cart driver over to the stack of food that Sonic had enacted after being inspired by Amy, and quickly smiled as he darted into the hay of the large, horse driven cart.
Perhaps he did it to feel the same appreciation and love that Amy received all the time,… but sadly, Amy was no royalty, and the people only looked to Sonic's mistakes more than what he ever did right…
"Thank you, the families on the outskirts of the kingdom will be very appreciative. I hear the king is in good health?"
"…As ever…" the man nervously stated with a weak smile.
The people on the outside ring didn't really know Sonic all too well, but they definitely knew what the news said about him, for many town criers had passed out the news and happily cheered, 'Long live the king!' over some of the things Sonic has done in his 2 years of having defeated Shadow.
But some still said he was too afraid to actually sentence Shadow, stabbing at Sonic's pride more and more, but knowing it was just their impatience at killing their long-lasting enemy, once.. and for all.
Sonic peeked his head out the next morning, having accidentally fallen asleep on the trip over, the rocking of the cart making it easy, although uncomfortable, for him to do so.
The man had started piling fresh crops for another neighboring city, and one wooden basket whacked Sonic right in the gut.
"Pa? Did you hear something?" His daughter turned around, looking around for whatever the noise came from.
Sonic quickly stuck his head back down.
"You must be hearing things, my dear. Rufgh!" the man let fall another big wooden basket, as Sonic, under the hay, quickly moved his legs to dodge the weight of it on them.
"But Pa! Those dang bandits have been out and about all season! We're sure as a weeds to a garden gonna come across them someday!" she worried, in her southern bell accent, as her father did a hearty chuckle and wrapped her in one of his arms, hugging her close.
"I've worked these farms for so long, darling. My arms have gotten big and strong. No one's gonna carry you, or your mother, or your sister, or anyone of our fine crops off from under them." He reassured her as she wiped her worried forming tears away and hugged him back.
"Oh Pa… just be safe."
He kissed her forehead and got back in the cart. "I'm off to head to Escape city! I'll see you soon, love."
Sonic, not really wanting to miss bandits, spun out of the hay and took off.
"PA!"
"Darn nabbit! What in blazes-!?" He turned around, holding his farmer's fork out and shaking it in the air. "I've got rats!" he cried out.
"That was a huge rat, Pa.." the girl put her hands up to her face, shocked at the speed of which it dashed off… but even more so the sheer size of it!
"A rat?!" Sonic was so offended, but just let it slide. "At least they didn't suspect a king! Now… to find some bandits."
At a local tavern, some men gathered around a table, wearing some pretty shady attire, and threw down some gold.
"We're thinking of making them into rings." Someone stated, behind the man who let them down on the table.
A man with a crystal for an eyepatch, looked over the gold. "And who you gonna sell it too?"
"Probably the king! They're always in the market for gold rings, haahaha." They laughed to one another, as Sonic turned to see them a little better, sitting at the pup.
"Well, you're gonna need a lot more than a sack!" The man swiped the gold from off the table, the men immediately stopped their laughing.
The tavern girls and the music player stopped serving and playing.
The man got up and grabbed the man who seemed to be the leader of the group of men by the collar of his shirt, "…Get me more… and I'll get my boys here to forge 'em." He spat into a pot about a good few feet away, and sneered a wicked grin, before chuckling slightly under his breath, and walking out the door.
Sonic gulped down the last of his drink, licked his lips at the warm milk, and then dashed off to follow them.
A man was being robbed a little while later by the same group of men, as the man who struck the deal before started to pull out a piece of straw, and put it in his mouth.
Sonic grinned, this was his chance to stretch his feet and let out some pent-up rage.
"I'd reckon you all gonna pay for that?!" The old man got up, skinny as a twig, when the men put up their swords to him.
He gulped, and shakily raised his hands.
"Y-y-y-ou broke my barrels.." he bravely stuttered to the man who walked up to him, towering over his small and itty-bitty frame, his crystal eyepatch shone in the sunlight…
"Heh. I'll break more than that." He raised his fist.
Sonic sped into the picture, holding his face confidently to the side, as his hand came up and completely encircled the man's hand, stopping it in mid-swing down towards the poor old geezer.
"Wha-…huh!?" the man grunted out his surprise, as Sonic's eyes were hidden by the hood, and he smiled, raising his head up.
"I wouldn't think a bunch of thugs picking on some poor innocent man would be much of any sport… wouldn't you like to try your skill on someone really worth nabbing from?"
As Sonic picked his other hand up to shrug and shake his head, the bigger boss of the thieves quickly snapped his fingers, and pointed to Sonic.
The men all began to jump and dog-pile him.
Sonic was wrapped up with a smug little look on his face.
"Oh no. I seem to have been foiled." Sonic faked being in danger. "Whatever shall I do now~" he touched his blade.
The pulse of chaotic energy sent the men holding the ropes from every which way flying, and Sonic, as the ropes fell below him, took out his sword by flipping it around, twisting it, twirling it, until he finally got it up to his hand at a good grip.
Tails's experimenting had taught him a thing or two…
"Now… where, oh where… were those fiends?" he flicked his sword to the other side, as the men had been blown off into the thicket.
One popped his head out, and then held up his own sword. "CHARGE!"
The other grunts took off, as the big boss man just got his head up, rubbing it, before trying to get his men's attention and stop them.
"NO! You fools! It's a trap!"
Sonic grinned, lowering his head as he powered up the sword by charging it, letting it absorb the residue of Chaos that Tails told him was within him by birthright, and suddenly spun around to whack them all down again.
The blade steamed a green mist above its tip, as Sonic lifted it up, and blew it out. "Nice~"
The grunts all stumbled to their feet, and started to flee.
"Where are you going? Where do you think your pay-checks will run to if you don't stay!" he literally picked one of his men up with his arms, and threw him down back at Sonic. "I'm still looking for a right hand thug… haha. Time to prove yourselves!"
The men turned around, driven by money and power, and took courage and tried to surround Sonic again.
With a confident smirk, he waltz up a few steps, whistling.
"What do they call you…Hero?!" The boss man let out almost like a roar, a huge man, towering over most men.
Sonic looked up, flicking his hood as if it was a hat. "They call me,.. Blue." He stated.
"Well… boo-hoo, Blue. This is where you're journey ends…" He pulled out a huge spiked club, raising it to the sky, as Sonic waited with anticipated eyes for him to swing it down so he could dodge and continue in his fun.
The man raised it even more so back, almost completely lowering his arm over his back, as Sonic's feet skidded along the ground, getting his feet more wider apart and firmer in their grip of the ground…
And then…
"PIKO!"
"What in the-!?"
"It's the Red Rose!"
"Dang it! Attack!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, did I come at a bad time?"
A girl with a red riding hood, eyes also covered to hide her true identity, took her hammer and started to whack the men back.
"I won't let you hurt this poor, innocent traveler!"
"….Amy?" Sonic whispered out, her disguise didn't really hide the fact that he recognized the hammer right away.
He stooped forward, now more than ever upset that she just ruined his fun…
But the more pressing matter upon his mind was… when did she start playing the hero!?
"Hya! Ak! HAH!" she was able to disarm them all and then some, having their weapons fall all around them, and then suddenly them all fall to the ground.
She made a cute action pose and then turned to Sonic. "Don't worry, sir! The Red Rose has got you covered!" she winked and made a peace-sign with her hands.
'Ah… she doesn't recognize me…' Sonic observed and then decided to play along with it.
"Well, yes! Haha! Umm… I too, like yourself, like to save poor, innocent bystanders…" he took the arm of the man behind him, cowering and holding his arms over his head to take cover, who shakily stood up, and looked around.
Seeing all the men down, the angry old man took his cane and started whacking one man who had already fallen down.
The man woke up, hearing the old man's shouting and angry words, and kept trying to scoot away or at least block his head from getting whacked.
Amy giggled, and looked to Sonic, still not seeing it was her true love at all.
"What brings you to the Chaos Kingdom, good sir?" she tilted her head cutely.
"I, uh… well.." he tried to think of a reasonable story.
"Ah, I see." Amy nodded, and smiled up at him. "You're here for daring adventures and darling dames?" she did a few poses, and then laughed. "There's plenty to go around! But make sure you find 'The girl', and not break too many hearts, alright?" she winked and also slightly warned him before taking off.
"Ah… pfft, yeah sure, whatever." Sonic didn't like her remark, but suddenly saw the boss man getting up, reaching for his club, and summoning his last bit of energy to throw it her way.
"Ah…ah… A-Am-I mean, ROSE! Look out!" he dashed forward, knocking out the guy with a stern kick before grabbing the club, which spiked his shoulder upon impact, and threw it to the side.
As he rolled, he clenched his shoulder and arm, badly torn from deflecting the deadly weapon from hitting her.
She gasped, "Good sir!" she bent down to look over his injuries.
He was worried she'd see his face, and quickly pushed her away, waving his hand out and saying, "No, no, no! I'm fine, really I'm-AH!" he clutched his arm.
"Not even!" she argued, and took off her coat, wrapping the injury. "Come on, let me help you out, it's the least I can do for saving me."
….Sonic noticed her attire wasn't that of a maid, in fact, it looked more like a traveler herself. Seeming to fit well, her long shirt went down over her knees, before she wore tight pants, and had a belt that made the shirt bulk out on the sides, making it look like a hoop. It was cute, but it was definitely… different, than what he was used to seeing.
It was also pretty cool to hear her say, 'saved', though. After all, it made him feel pretty awesome…
They ended up at the same old tavern he was just in, as she dabbed some medicine on his arm.
"YO-offph!" she had shoved a wrapped up towel into his mouth so he wouldn't be shouting in public.
"You know, I never did get your name." she said sorry with her eyes, it seemed…
He glared at her, before spitting out the towel and folding the other arm around his chest, looking away from her, "…Blue." He stated.
She laughed. "Red and Blue, how cute!" she then continued, "Oh, but I have a boyfriend." And went on to cleaning up his arm.
He pffted, "Yeah right." Before realizing she still thought he was someone else, and she glared at him, puffing up the side of her cheek, which she usually did when cutely upset like this.
Or maybe she just looked cute when mad.
"Hmph! Well, how do you know!? I, mister, am engaged to the most amazing man around!"
Sonic gave her a raised eyebrow. "Really? And who would that be?"
She giggled, "It's a secret, he doesn't really know yet." She went on with her little delusional façade of being somehow destined to marry him one day.
Sonic continued to roll his eyes. "Lucky guy…" he sarcastically stated.
"Yeah, well… he's in a fickle right now." She began, which turned Sonic's attention to her. "Over me or adventure~" she lovingly looked up, and then winked down to Sonic. "But I'm gonna win, you know why? Cause love can be an awfully big adventure too."
He rolled his eyes, "Bet he gets a lot of adventures."
She pushed on one of his wounds.
"OW!" she pushed the towel back in his mouth.
"Opps~ My bad~" she faked that she didn't do that on purpose.
She sighed though, "Along with his fickle though… he's also in a rather pickle." She rhymed, and looked up, sad for him it seemed. "Me and his friends worry about him a lot, too…"
"What do you mean?" Now he was intrigued, taking the towel out of his mouth and throwing it far enough away that she couldn't get it again.
She didn't notice the gesture, which made him smile, but he was kinda hoping for another cutely puffed up cheek…
"Not a lot of people see him the way I do…" she looked to him. "I'm kinda in love with the King of this kingdom, everyone seems to know so I might as well let you in on it too."
'EVERYONE!?' Sonic was amazed that she would just tell any soul of her feelings for him. It made him embarrassed and uncomfortable, but he just tried to let it go and laugh it off as he continued his charade.
He flipped an arm up, "Oh, really? So what are you, some noblewoman or something?"
She hesitated the bandaging, and looked away.
"It's … kinda forbidden." She totally thought that made it cooler, didn't she?
Sonic just chuckled under his breath. "Forbidden, eh?" he put a hand up to his cheek, letting it rest on his knuckles. "Some guy, why are your people so against him then?"
"They're not against him." She quickly stated, it would be bad for people to think Sonic's kingdom was against their king, and she quickly went back to patch-working. "He's just doing things they don't understand."
He raised an eyebrow, and continued, sitting up slightly. "So… let me get this straight… Your king's the one who locked up that immortal guy, right?"
Amy looked amazed that he knew that, but giggled later. "Yep! That's right! Pretty cool, right?" she smiled.
"Yeah… it's alright." He faked, but liked how she said that. "Ehem, but why do his people not like him, then? I heard that some don't agree with him keeping that no-good war-prisoner locked up for so long and not just… getting on with it already." He stated, as he lounged back and took some of the food from the other table, without anyone looking.
She sighed, "He wants justice that's enacted perfectly. I can see where he's coming from, but people don't understand what this could mean for him…" she finished up as Sonic got up too, moving his arm slightly, and admiring her handiwork.
"Thanks, it feels great." He smiled to her.
She nodded, "Happy I could be of assistance!" she got up, and Sonic was kinda bummed she couldn't work on it further…
Then he quickly moved up and followed her.
"So! Perfect justice? What do you think of that?" he was finally getting the real idea of what his people were thinking him to be, and he wanted to know her thoughts on all the garbage they were saying about him…
"What? You mean his thinking?" She turned around again.
He tried to be cool by leaning on the wall next to them. "Well, yeah. I mean… you're a thinking woman, what's your opinion on how he's handling things?"
She stood and stared at him for a moment, before looking down, and then back up again. "I trust Sonic. I know what he does, he does because his heart tells him it's the right thing to do." She started to walk out again.
"…Wait!" He pulled her back, and started again, having stared after her for a moment with no real expression… but he was deeply touched by her words. "But what about everyone saying he's no good? Selfish? Immature? To scared to actually get the job done?"
"…For a stranger, you sure know a lot about Sonic…" she gently moved his arm off of her.
'Ohh…' Sonic realized what this looked like. 'Right… stranger danger,… opps.'
He backed away from her. "Sorry, I… I didn't mean to frighten you." He felt self-conscious, and didn't know how to act that one off.
She shook her head, "No, you're okay." She could see he didn't mean anything by it, and he smiled back to her, before moving his two hands behind his head, deciding it was best to not reach out after her again like that.
"But as to your question, I think-"
"YOU TWO!"
The two turned around to see a beat-up man, having lost some teeth, with a black eye and a hammer bump on his head, standing in front of the men who put the gold out on the table a while ago. "YOU BEAT US UP!"
"Aw, how cute, the kids on the playground brought friends." Sonic turned to them, as Amy batted her eyes.
"They're so cute when they're brave and stupid." She summoned her hammer, and put it up on her shoulder.
An epic battle began, as the two were a great duo together!
She was able to anticipate his movements, and together, keep up with the growing action as they dodged, skid across tables, flung men at one another, and duel out on chandeliers.
When the whole tavern was defeated, the two stood on top of a table, and high-fived.
Then the tavern girls bucked them out of the tavern, the music man playing a epic song for their departure.
Sonic and Amy laughed as they continued down the road.
"Woah-ho! Do you remember when you spun off that balcony and just SLAMMED into that guy!?" Sonic's blood was still pumping through his veins at the battle that had just happened before them, as Amy laughed and continued.
"Oh, oh! And when that old boss guy tried to spit at you from across the way, and you totally did that… blast or whatever from your magic sword and flung it right back into his eyes?!"
"That was the coolest thing ever!"
"And super gross, too!"
Sonic had a blast, but he realized he needed to get going… "Why are you here, anyway?" he just realized that Amy was a long way from home… "If you're around the king a lot… aren't you a guest there?"
She sighed, and tried to put on a good smile for him. "I needed to get out and do something… so I kinda pretended I would just be around the outside of the castle walls.." she swung her hammer down beneath her feet. "My- I mean… the King is often times worried about me… I still think he doesn't think I can hold my own out in the real world." She swung her hammer, almost like a golf-club, before setting it back down and watching the tiniest little pebble be flung off into oblivion…
"He's just worried about you, that's all." Sonic stated, and looked back to Amy.
Amy nodded, and giggled to him. "It's good to have someone worried about your well-being… at least someone… who you really care about." She hugged her hammer, and then swung back and forth like a giddy, love-struck girl.
Sonic kinda found her charm in the way she spoke about him, even if it was kinda weird, endearing.
He looked to her kinder than ever before.
"Rose…" he stated, ".. I hope the best for you."
"You too." She stated, and curtsied. "I hope you find a girl as cute as me to love~"
He flinched, and she laughed.
"Hehe, I'm kidding."
"No, your not."
"Your right, how'd you know?"
The two joked before Sonic thought… one last thing. "You never did tell me what you think of him."
"Who? Sonic?" she turned back before walking off. "Hmmmmm," she closed one of her eyes and put a finger up to her mouth, sticking her tongue out and up. "Emmmm…."
"Oh come on, is it that hard?" Sonic was growing impatient, but mostly just kidding about it.
"No matter what anyone says about Sonic…" she looked down, then back up with amazing hope-filled eyes. "I know that what he does, is what he knows is right. I know he may seem a little cold-hearted sometimes… but it's actually very much the opposite."
Sonic's gaze fell on her, as the sun began to set just behind her, and for a moment, it outlined her beautiful silhouette with her words…
"I umm.." she fidgeted cutely for a moment, blushing, before finally shouting out, "I know he loves us! I know he cares, sometimes so deeply that it eats him up inside, cause he just wants to be the very best he can be! And he does try! His heart is conflicted cause he wants to be wild and free, but he was born into this, and he won't abandon those that truly rely on him to save the world!"
A King who saved his kingdom.
"I know Sonic will save his kingdom! His friends! And anyone else who ever needs his help… after all,-
He's my hero!"
Sonic felt something stir in his heart, something he'd never felt before.
Every time Amy said something… every time… it moved him and gave him comfort when no body else could do it.
His reflex made him clutch his chest, having it beat so loudly…
"Uh.. hehe, did I just enchant you?~" Amy teased, swaying before giggling and waving off to him, "Goodbye, sir! I forgot that I'm actually looking for someone right now! I heard the King got away, he's probably saving the day, again. And I gotta find him before dark! See ya~~~"
Sonic smiled, a faint pink on his cheeks before he quickly shook it off.
"You're something else… Amy…"
-Back in the Castle, late in the night-
Sonic had taken the now ripped up and ragged brown riding hood and threw it into the far back of the waredrob, where no one could find it. He tried to sneak back silently to his bed before Tails slammed open the door, looking rabid as his eyes looked bloodshot from worry, stress, and staying up all night.
He took a deep breath, "WHERE ON EARTH HAVE YOU BEEN!?"
"Ohhh…" Sonic groaned as he dug underneath the sheets, having gotten in bed, and not really in the mood for this right now…
But when was he ever in the mood for this?
"Do you have ANY idea how much I've been covering for you!?"
"Uhhghh.." Sonic turned and put a pillow over his head.
"Soooniiiccc!" Tails flew up in the air, he was upset, flinging his hands down shouting at the top of his lungs.
Even the guards on the roof flinched and looked awkwardly to each other, neither one of them wanting that for themselves.
Sonic quickly dashed up and closed the outside doors, and then glared back at Tails,
"WHAT?!"
"Where were you!?"
"I went out for a 'walk'!"
"What did you do!?"
"Beat up bad guys."
He folded his arms, hating how this sounded like he was telling his mother or something where he'd been to all day…
His mom…
"I was worried sick about you! So was everyone! Even Amy-"
Sonic's eyes lit up. "What'd she say?"
"H-h-ah-wha-huh?"
Tails was thrown off how Soinc's tail slightly twitched to the side at the mention of her name.
"…Uhh… she went out looking for you, after she herself came back from her 'walk in the park' so to speak, she was worried you were stressed out and went out searching for you." Tails explained, still raising an eyebrow at Sonic's weird reaction to her name.
"Did she say anything else?"
"Not really. She came back relieved you were alright after a guard told us that you snuck in the back window."
He grinned, flicking his nose, closing his eyes and getting back to bed.
"Haaa~ It's good to know that someone cares about you~"
"Wha… well, yeah, we all do."
Tails was getting even more upset, but something was calming him down as he suddenly thought of something…
Amy was out…
And Sonic was out…
And they both got back around the same time…
His face curled into a wicked smirk, and he slowly started to walk out the door.
"Oh, rrriiiight. Got it! Okay, well! I hope you two had a lovely 'separated' walk together, figuratively speaking…of course."
He was beaming with the idea, and amusing himself over its possibility.
Sonic didn't quite get the change in Tails's voice, and turned around, looking at him with a confused expression across his face.
Tails just wiggled his fingers a goodbye, and stated, "Night!" and shut the door. He did a little happy dance that Sonic and Amy might of gone on a secret date or something, and that all Tails's work towards getting Sonic a girl might not be in vain after all!
"Keep it up, Amy! I'm counting on you to save the Chaos bloodline!" he whispered, almost a silent prayer to the Emeralds as well, as he skipped down the corridors and clicked his heels together.
Then he realized what that would mean.
"AH! AMY WOULD BE QUEEN!?" he silently had a panic attack, thinking back on when she was young to now, and how horrible that idea would have been when him and Sonic were kids. He suddenly put his hands up to his head. "She's not queenly at all! She could maybe pass it off, but she doesn't know the first thing about politics or any of the traditions! She hasn't even been really trained to pass off being an elite woman! What will I do-ho-ho-hoo.." he fell to his knees, as the camera scrolled up to the beautiful moon ahead…
-Dungeons-
Amy once again slid the half cracked plate over to Shadow, who woke up and looked up at her.
They shared a moment of silence, just staring at one another, before Amy turned away and sat down, hugging her knees and lifting her head up, not willing to talk to him.
"…You're late."
He stated, and grabbed the plate.
"I was busy."
"…You're never that busy."
"Well, today I was."
She looked away, bending her head down. She was so determined a second ago not to talk to him… why did she then!?
He looked up from sipping some soup and stopped a moment. "…Who is he?"
"GAHHH!" she almost flipped a lid. "It's not like that!" she turned to him, flustered and embarrassed, as he smiled.
"I've seen enough times a woman look off into the sky, thinking of their loved one. I think I can recognize it even now." He put the plate down and started fishing out the vegetables. "These sloppy seconds aren't quite bad." He stated, and licked his fingers. "My compliments to the chief."
"I made them."
He looked back up.
"And they're not seconds… just so you know." She looked away.
"…Where do you get them?"
"It's not your concern, okay!? Just eat!"
"…." He pushed the plate away. "Please kindly tell me these aren't your portions?"
"And if I told you I had plenty to spare? Then what? You're not really in a situation to be rude to me-"
He flung the plate at her, which shattered and caused an uproar.
"Why are you treating me like this?! I'm the enemy!"
Before the guards came down, she looked up, and then glared to Shadow, knowing she was bound to get in trouble now.
She stood up and went straight up to his face, the closest they're faces have ever been, and in every bit of the heat of rage he had, with every bit of the poison in his voice, and the toxic of his eyes, harsh, with the cold of his hatred he had for Sonic and the Chaos Kingdom, flipped in her eyes as the burning love she had for Sonic and the kingdom, stated-
"Because you saved my life. And because you will never know real, unselfish love again….This is the last time you'll ever have mercy."
The guards came down, all surrounding Amy as she looked at the broken pieces of the plate.
"What is that?" Someone asked, and picked up a piece.
They then turned to Amy, who was looking down, worried about her own life now…
"I hope you enjoyed it." She stated, and glared up at him. "Because I'm not sparing your life." And walked away.
The guards quickly seized her, not sure if the shattered glass was a weapon or not.
She had willingly, knowing he was soon to die, given him the love and consideration that he had never experienced before Maria's death. Her words haunted him, he could feel a similar spirit in her as was in Maria. Her determination, her kindness, her undaunted will in standing up for what she believed in…
He looked away from the bars, silently hoping her Chaos Emeralds would spare her any punishment because of her actions of mercy to him.
However much he hated the emeralds,… he still knew their powers were real, and didn't deny it.
Tails was suddenly bombarded with guards, telling him what had happened.
"Sonic!" Tails pushed open the doors, but Sonic was already dressed in his king's attire, his eyes fixed on the ground, before looking to Tails with such betrayed and angered eyes, that Tails held back anything he was about to say.
"She's waiting for her interrogation, your highness." A guard stated, as many were around the king, having gotten to him first.
"Sonic…" Tails mustered a word in, "There must be a mistake, don't just-"
"I trust her, Tails. She was clearly framed, I'll find out what's going on." Sonic forced out the words as much as he could, patting Tails's back, and heading for the throne room.
Amy was tied up, and half the household was woken up, she looked around with her head down, before squinting it shut, not liking this at all…
The maids either gossiped or were worried about her, as Vanilla clenched her heart, the guards not letting her near her.
Sonic walked into the room, and the second he saw her, couldn't help but look at her guilty expression.
He read everything on her face, and his heart sank… he knew the truth right then…
His gaze quickly lowered, he scanned the floor, he picked himself up and forced his body to move towards the throne.
Each step was like his own execution. The betrayal he couldn't fathom…
Before he even got to the throne, placing just a hand barely on it, he couldn't contain his emotions anymore.
He closed his eyes in pain, before flinging his head back towards her,
"WHHHY!?"
She looked away.
"What happened?! How could you!? I trusted you! Why are you aiding the enemy!?"
She continued to squint her eyes shut, tears forming but she dared not let them slip.
"What did he do that made you so inclined to slip food to him!?"
That much they knew, it was no escape weapon, the evidence stated it was just a normal plate, but the question still stood… why?
"This doesn't go to the public. I want all records of this out of the books." Sonic looked to Tails, who silently nodded the degree into effect.
He looked over and with his eyes, made sure his serious stare compromised the Council, as they all closed their books, and didn't record the trial.
Sonic, stomping every bit of angry in his heart out with each step he took towards Amy, glaring her down to her very soul.
"Sorry, Amy. But you're about to tell me every little thing that happened." He turned slightly, the movement making his shoulder able to slide in and give him even more intimacy to just speak to her and her alone.
"What.. happened?" he hissed the words out. "That time with the invasion.. and now, in the dungeon… I know you wouldn't betray me… so what's going on?"
His tone was slightly more lenient, he couldn't believe she would do this, but her face gave everything away…
"Sonic…" she could barely speak, or tears would just fall without measure.
"I…"
He waited, fists tightening…
Why didn't she just tell him the truth! He would believe her! Anything from her!
"I owed a favor."
She looked up at him.
"I'll tell you everything… but please."
He searched her eyes, knowing she couldn't lie.
"Not here."
She shook her head, begging for mercy.
He looked around him, slowly, seeing all the faces and then back at her.
"She's consented it was fraud."
He stated, and Amy let the tears burst out, looking down.
"She was framed."
Everyone wondered about that pardon, but Sonic quickly took Amy, pulling the ropes as she humbly kept up with his speed.
He wanted to get her alone to spill everything as soon as possible, to quiet his breaking heart, and to tell him what on earth drove her to helping Shadow!?
He looked around, and when the guards had ceased to follow, took her into a living room in one of the parts of the castle.
The room was spacious, having a small circled library, mostly for decoration, and some seats with a couch. The windows draped in light and white fabric, drifting through the small bit of air in the room.
He started to quickly untie her.
"Stay here." He stated, and zoomed out.
"Sonic.. w-wait!" she fell down, trying to stop him from dashing but he wouldn't wait up for her.
She started to sob on the ground.
Not only was her reputation at stake, but now even Sonic didn't know what to think of her.
He knew she had some kind of reason, but she also knew that reason wouldn't be good enough.
She had been aiding an enemy of war. He was going to treat it worst than when he found out about the Chief Maid. He wouldn't understand her reasoning, and he knew that, and that's why he wouldn't let her say what she needed too just yet.
No matter how badly he wanted to hear her speak…
-The Dungeon… again-
The guards shut the door as Sonic glared down at Shadow, sitting in the back of the cell again, before lightly looking up to Sonic, still a deep pain struck Sonic's heart when Shadow looked down.
His own face pleaded guilty…
"She's innocent." Shadow stated, as Sonic screamed from the top of his lungs.
"QUITLYING!"
Shadow remained silent.
Sonic's teeth and fist clutched hopelessly onto whatever bit of trust he had left in Amy.
"What did you do to her?! Why did she so willingly aid you!?"
"….I asked myself the same thing."
He looked up to Sonic.
"What has she told you?"
Sonic held in a wince, but the sound still came out.
"…So… one of your own people… a daughter of a demoted knight… following a code of chivalry… Not speaking up for herself in front of her beloved King… Aiding a timeless enemy… all because one man showed her mercy."
Sonic's anger suddenly started to rapidly decrease.
"Mercy?"
"….I spared her life. In her reasoning, she too, must repay the debt."
He got up, giving enough respect to Sonic to speak to him face… to face.
"You… spared her life?"
"Why do you think you found her roped to the end of a bedside?"
Shadow raised an eyebrow.
"I wouldn't coldlessly murder a brave girl."
"You've murdered your whole life! Why should I believe you now?!"
"…Do you believe in your maid?"
He froze, as Shadow realized that Sonic was closer to Amy than he thought…
"She means something to you… doesn't she?"
Sonic held back any emotion that was leaking through his face.
Not wanting Shadow to read into anything either…
Shadow laughed.
"She's smitten you, hasn't she?"
Sonic glared up at him, and shook the bars on the cell. "TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED!"
"I'm sure her side of the story will hold more meaning than mine."
Shadow cruelly held his peace on the matter.
"But I will say this…"
Sonic let go of the bars, as Shadow came closer.
"This war isn't over. She has no feeling for me. It was merely out of duty to her father's knight code why she fed me. In her mind, it wasn't strengthening the enemy, she was returning mercy for mercy."
Sonic held his tongue, remembering her 'knight's code' with the Cheif maid…
"That code's going to get her killed!"
Sonic cried out through gritted teeth.
"…Yes,"
Shadow agreed, staring down Sonic's rage with his own fondness for the girl.
"It probably will."
-A few months later, starting closely before Sonic's next birthday…-
-The Library-
"You have a week! A week and then I have to declare the next queen! Your BRIDE." Tails stated, showing the heaviness of the situation, and whining all the way through his sentences, desperate. "Sonic! You have to be MARRIED by 26! IN A WEEK!" he didn't know how else to explain it to him. "You have to choose!"
Tails had gathered a list of girls, but Sonic just shoved the pictures and forms away, getting up.
"SOOONNNIICCC!" Tails chibi-cried, grabbing him by the waist and being dragged before Sonic made it to the door, not answering him, and having his back towards him.
"I don't want to screw this up for you…" he was literally begging Sonic to not let this fall into his hands like so many other things, as Sonic grabbed his arm, and helped him up, turning around.
"I know." He simply stated. "I already know."
"…B-but… What do you know?"
Sonic turned around, and headed out the door, racing to look for something…
Or someone…
"SONNNIICC!" Tails raced after him, but couldn't find where he had gone. "I'm gonna have to hitch him to the panda… aren't I.." he slightly sobbed, slightly joking but still panicking because the wedding had to be before Sonic was 26, or Sonic would technically be dethroned…
-Throne Room-
Amy sweeped the floors, as she always had. Realizing that Sonic would have to choose a bride soon, and feared that after their distance for so long… would probably end up not being…
The very thought of her true love being married off to anyone else,… brought such tears to Amy's eyes and sorrow to her heart, that she could literally mop the floor without a bucket…
She had told him everything, but just as last time, he didn't like her resolve. He disagreed with everything, even if he saw how she could see it that way, he also didn't understand how anyone could see it that way. It was confusing, but their way of thinking was so polar-opposite… he stayed away for so long, it nearly broke her heart…
She wiped her eyes and threw the broom down, falling to her knees before grabbing in the soapy bucket a wet washcloth, and scrubbing the floor in her misery.
"Whahaha…"
Amy's eyes widened, hearing the worst thing she could possibly hear at this moment.
"Look who's crying cause her precious kingy is getting married…"
Amy dared not look at her, and just continued scrubbing.
"What's wrong, Rosy posy? All sad inside cause you don't get your- happily ever after?"
The Chief Maid grabbed the broom, and spun Amy to her back.
Amy's bucket of soapy water spread all over the floor, having been tipped over, as she held her eyes shut in her tears.
"What's wrong, Rose? Heart breaking from the cruel twist and turns of reality!? Why don't you focus more on cleaning and doing your JOB than on SOBBING up the wedding floor!?"
She threw the broom down on Amy, as Amy flinched from the impact, and held her arms up over herself.
"HAHAH! What's wrong, girl!? Life ending or something!? Get off your high horse! You could never amount to anything more than a dirty old maid!"
She continued to hit her with the broom, as Amy did nothing to defend herself.
Her father's words kept coming into her mind, even though Amy could think of a hundred ways to combat this woman…
The truth of it was, Amy was ten-times stronger than her. And she wouldn't fight anyone that was weaker than herself…
Those men had taken down her adventures before, were equally as strong as her, but also considered bad guys… she couldn't see this woman being a criminal, only just a messed up psychopath!
The woman slammed the broom down again, as Amy fell, her shoulder begging for her to do something, but she refused to take action.
"You're no better than a welcome mat! If you hate it here, welcome to the reality of the streets! No man to hold ya, and no one to love ya!"
"Amy!" Another maid saw the brutal force of how heavy this woman threw down the broom, and as a few more maids gathered, hearing the noise of the broom collide with Amy's side and back, they all covered their mouths, to afraid to take a stand, but horrified at what they were watching.
The woman howled a laugh, as she raised the broom again, and began to swing it once more.
Amy waited for impact… when she heard the maids around her gasp.
She looked up, seeing the terrified and trembling look of the Chief Maid servant… shaking before her king.
The rage in Sonic's eyes were more than feeble words could describe.
It's suffices to say that it petrified this woman to her core.
"How dare you…"
He flung the broom he was holding back out of her hands, and to the side of himself.
"How dare you strike your future Queen!"
Amy's eyes widened.
The maids all gasped even louder, covering their faces even more.
"Y-your highness…"
The woman dropped to her knees, and looked at Amy, then back up at Sonic, who peered down at her, having to take deep breaths in order to hold himself back from seriously lashing out at this woman.
"..Her?"
That was the last straw.
"You're fired."
He snapped the broom in half on his leg, raising his knee up to perform the action, and threw it at her feet.
"Get out of my house… and don't ever let me see you back in my sight…"
"B-but… this is my home.."
"GET OUT!"
Sonic kicked the broom up and she quickly scurried away, pushing the other maids out of her way as the other maids cheered, before rushing to Amy, gathering around her but stopping as they saw Sonic raise his hand.
"I should of done this years ago.." he admitted, having hoped Amy's silence meant she had dealt with the matter herself.
He should of known better…
"Vanilla is your new Chief maid." He stated.
"Go tell her the news."
He turned his back on them, and stood in front of Amy, eyes closed, not wanting to look at her pitiful state.
The girls all looked to one another, and dared not defy him, and quickly raced to tell Vanilla what had happened.
"…Sonic… I'm.." she was shocked, but he quickly cut her off.
"I ordered you to FIGHT BACK." His fist shook, his rage almost controlling him at this point. "Why did you disobey me!?"
"Sonic…" she tried to get up on one of her legs-
"Has she been beating on you and all those girls all these years?! Why didn't you stand up for them!? For yourself?!"
"Sonic!"
"Where's the honor in that?! Aren't they weaker than you!? Why not defend them!? Or does your silly code mention that too!?"
"I did Sonic! I did!" Amy stood up, tears still apparent in her eyes as Sonic held back a moment…
"….Haven't you ever wondered why those girls never said anything?" She couldn't hold back the truth any longer. "I stood up for them, and that's why she picks on me the most…"
Sonic couldn't believe what he was hearing….
"You allowed her…" he pointed to the door, as if gesturing to the old chief maid. "All these years…" he was hissing out the words in his anger, stepping towards her, back hunched down, completely unable to stand down and remain calm during this moment. "To beat down on you… to save those other girls?"
She softly nodded her head, closing her eyes, and lowering it.
He spun around, gasping. He couldn't believe this… he moved his hands through his hair, and felt so much guilt for not having seen it before…
He should have addressed it the second he saw her bruises… he should have taken care of it himself…
He wanted so badly to punch something right now, to take away his frustration and guilt for not being there sooner for Amy and those other girls sooner…
"You disobeyed me."
"My father-"
"IS YOUR FATHER GREATER THAN ME!?" he spun back around, and silenced Amy once and for all…
The statement … was the hardest thing she was ever asked to answer.
But he didn't pull away, he didn't take it back, he eyed her, and waited…
She broke into tears, "A knight must never raise his sword-"
He zipped up to her, grabbing her shoulders, "Newsflash, Amy, you're not a Knight! You're a girl with power enough to save herself! Do you really think your own father would want to see his only daughter on the verge of being beaten to death!?"
She collapsed in his arms, and he let her fall, helping the decent to be less painful as he noticed she was hurting a lot on her left side…
He breathed then… having let his anger out, he let go of her when she safely landed on the ground, and got up.
She covered her face, as he looked back to her, a much more loving and kinder expression than before.
"I can protect you now." He stated, breathing heavily as he tried to remain more calm, having sorrow replace rage.
Closing his eyes and walking away, he continued, "Vanilla will tell you what to do." Sonic stated, as she took one last blurry look towards him.
"…She'll tell you how to be a Queen."
-The Dungeon (We're spending a lot of time here…)-
Rouge walked down the corridor, because of the increasing security, she had to knock out a guard or two…
"Shadow."
His head perked up.
"Ah, Rouge… I'm surprised you were able to sneak through the cracks to get in this heavily guarded fortress..."
He was referring to the amount of safety they were putting around him, which kinda amused him to a degree, before starting to get up.
"Sonic's named himself a Queen." She stated, as Shadow hesitated, before fully leaning up.
He folded his arms. "Who is it?"
"Aren't you more concerned about the bloodline? You're going to have to deal with another mongrel coming up pretty soon." She stated, and then clenched her fist together and swung her hand to the side.
"After you were so close…"
"Who."
It was more of an order now, as his stare showed he wasn't playing around. "I could care less about more of these mutts breeding out my enemies… tell me who it was."
"Ugh, you're always into the story, aren't you?" she rolled her eyes, and breathed out.
She looked up, "It's some peasant girl. A maid in the royal clean up duty, can you believe that? Kinda scandalous." She put her hand up to her mouth, hiding a charming smile at the idea, before she flinched at a destructive noise.
"Hey!" she cried out, "Shhh, quiet down… I'm already in a heap of trouble as it is.." she glared, putting her hands on her hips.
Shadow had slammed his fist into the wall, having it crumble slightly beneath his powerful strike… but then he started to smirk, and laugh uncontrollably, lifting his head back and making the sound even louder.
"He would go for the minx!"
Rouge was concerned, not understanding why he was laughing,… but there was something that got him… as if he, himself, knew the girl too…
(WHOSE GONNA SSAAAVVVE THE WORRRLLLDD TONIGHHHHTT~-such a good song!- Wow, so much happening, does that mean… next chapter is a traditional royal Chaos Kingdom wedding! :DDD….why do I feel so conflicted about how that all happened though? Oh well, I just hope the wedding isn't this dramatic xD lol, I'm so evil and yet wonderful cause like, three chapters in one day! That's good right? Hahaha… –sobs immensely- SONIC. AMY. WHY IS YOUR LOVE SUCH A TRADGETY!?... and okay, little hinted crushing on Shadow's part regarding Amy, but PFFT, that's not a thing anymore, so let's move on~)