Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise or any characters associated with the franchise. All rights belong to Sega. This is not my intellectual property, and no financial gain is made from this nor will be sought. This is purely for entertainment purposes only.

Chapter 1 - A Little Help From Tails

It was the 12th of February. A ceiling fan stirred the air in Sonic's modest apartment, a far cry from the open skies and endless trails he was used to. Nestled in downtown Station Square, Sonic's suite was the perfect place to pause between adventures; a place to hang his gloves, even if only temporarily. The room was simple yet homey, with scattered keepsakes from his travels: a torn map pinned to the wall, a pair of worn-out sneakers nestled in a storage bin, and a small stack of photos on the coffee table from faraway places. Sonic was standing by the window, gazing down at the city from high above. People were simply going about their everyday business, meeting friends, shopping, driving their cars, and attending work or school.

Despite the beautiful views outside, Sonic was feeling nervous for the first time in a while. Valentine's Day was drawing near. This wasn't about racing Eggman or even saving the world. This was about Amy. And for reasons he couldn't quite explain, that felt like the bigger challenge.

Come to think of it, Sonic thought, it had been a while since Amy and I last crossed paths. Sure, she'd always been a little over the top, but she'd also been one of my biggest cheerleaders. Lately, though, she seemed different; more confident, and more grounded. The last time we met, she didn't obsessively cling to me or demand answers about where I'd been. Instead, she smiled, asked how my mission went, and then casually mentioned dismantling one of Eggman's bases with Cream and Big.

That change had caught him off guard in the best way. Amy had always been a fighter, but now, she seemed like someone who could give even him a run for his money. He could almost picture her storming in with her hammer to bail him out of trouble, like she did on Prison Island. He chuckled at the thought.

Sonic's gaze drifted back to the photos on the coffee table, one of which was from Tails. It was a picture of Sonic standing on the wing of Tails' plane, the Tornado, while Tails was flying it through the clouds. That kid always seemed to have the right advice for situations like this.

"Perhaps I could stop by Tails' workshop," Sonic said aloud. He turned to grab his trademark red-and-white sneakers by the door. "He's probably got some genius ideas for...uh...whatever this is." He snorted while fastening his shoes. "If nothing else, it'll keep me from pacing this room all day."

Tails was in his two-story workshop, happily tinkering with the Tornado using a wrench. He was tightening some bolts to attach a new jet engine to its fuselage. A knock at the door startled Tails. The fox put his wrench down, ran to the door, and opened it. Standing in the door was none other than Sonic.

"Hey, Sonic!" Tails greeted his best friend in his usual upbeat manner. "Hope you're doing well! I'm just working on a brand-new scramjet engine for my plane that will allow it to fly at hypersonic velocities and at the edge of space!" Seeing the anxious look on Sonic's face, Tails walked towards him and asked, "Is...is something wrong?"

"Actually, yes, kind of," Sonic said sheepishly, brushing his cobalt quills with the back of his left hand. "Do you have a minute or two? I need some advice."

"Anything I can do to help my best friend!" Tails grinned, his trademark tails swishing back and forth with excitement. He led the way towards a pair of leather chairs at the back of the room, and he motioned for Sonic to sit before doing the same. "What's up?"

Sonic took a deep breath before speaking. "Well, there's this day coming up very soon...uh, you know, Valentine's Day. And I just need some friendly advice on how to, uh, do it right, I guess."

Tails' eyes widened. "Valentine's Day? You mean, you're asking someone out on a date?"

"Yes," Sonic quickly replied, as if he was wanting to get this over with quickly. "It's for...Amy. She has matured quite a bit, and so have we of course, so I want to make it as special for her as possible, but man, I don't know where to start! I don't want it to be cheesy or anything, but I also don't want to mess it all up. She's...changed, you know?"

"So it's not just about racing this time?" Tails replied with a smirk.

Sonic smirked as well, but it was more out of nervousness than his usual playful one. "Exactly. I could really use your help, bud, please and thanks."

Tails scratched his white muzzle in thought, and then he leaned a tad closer towards Sonic.

"Well, if you want to make it as special as possible for Amy," the fox said in a more serious tone, "then give it all you got! Remember, Amy is more mature than she used to be. So if you make a mistake, don't worry! Just be yourself! You don't have to show off or try hard to impress her."

"You always know what to say, Tails," Sonic replied with a thumbs-up. "I guess I just needed to hear it from someone who isn't me."

Tails chuckled. "That's the spirit, Sonic! You've got this!" he reassured Sonic, giving him a high-five. The hedgehog smiled, but it faded as something came to him.

"But what about the details?" Sonic asked, scratching his quills once more. "You know, the stuff that makes it special? I mean, Amy's always been so thoughtful towards me. I don't want to just show up and say, 'Hey, let's go race again.' I need something...different."

Tails leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the armrests as he thought for a moment. "Well, you're in luck, because I've got just the thing. You mentioned how Amy's changed, right? She's grown into someone who really appreciates the little things, so that's where you can shine. Maybe take her someplace you both enjoy. Like Twinkle Park, for example. You two have been there before, quite a few times actually."

Sonic's eyes lit up. "Twinkle Park…yeah, that could work! We've had some good times there. I can just imagine her laughing at my terrible attempts at winning the bumper cars." He chuckled to himself, remembering how Amy practically dominated every single round and how clumsy he was behind the wheel. "Alright, that's a good idea. I can do that."

"Good!" Tails grinned, proud of his suggestion. "And don't forget to make it personal. Maybe a little surprise during the date, like watching the fireworks from the beach or something similar that she enjoys. Remember, it's about making sure Amy's having fun, not just impressing her."

"Yeah, I like that," Sonic replied with a nod. "I'm not necessarily one who enjoys overly fancy dinners or stuffy places, but...something casual would be great! Fun. Relaxing. That's what she'd like, right?"

Tails nodded. "Exactly. Amy's not about over-the-top extravagance either. It's all about the thought behind it."

Sonic's expression softened. "Thanks, Tails. You're a lifesaver, you know that?"

Tails smiled, feeling proud of his friend. "I'm just happy to help, Sonic. You've truly got a lot of heart when it comes to Amy, more than you realize, and that counts for a lot. Now, go show her what you've got, pal!"

Sonic's grin returned, wider and more genuine. "You're right. This is gonna be great. I've got this. Thanks, Tails!" He jumped up from his chair, preparing to leave, but then a thought popped into his mind. "Hey, I might need a little help with the whole 'getting the perfect gift' thing, too. Any ideas?"

Tails' eyes sparkled with excitement. "Now that is something I can definitely help with!"

"Great!" Sonic said. "I mean, I can't just show up empty-handed, right? Gotta get her something special."

Tails gave a playful grin. "Hey, a gift's a great idea. You know Amy well, so it's gotta be something that shows you gave it thought and consideration."

"Okay," Sonic said while scratching his chin, "what about, like, a new hammer? She'd probably love that, right?"

Tails laughed. "I'm sure she'd appreciate that...if you want to risk her using it to smack you on the head!"

"Fair point," Sonic chuckled. "Hmm...what about a new pair of shoes, like the air shoes that Shadow uses? Y'know, something to keep up with me?"

Tails giggled in amusement. "Oh, Sonic. I think Amy's already pretty fast by now, don't you think?"

Sonic sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Okay, then forget the air shoes. What about something...more personal?" His eyes narrowed in thought. "Like, a...a hand-made scrapbook of all our adventures? I can add little doodles and captions and stuff like, 'Remember that time we saved the world, AGAIN?'"

Tails' eyes widened slightly, but his smile grew. "That's actually a great idea, Sonic! It's thoughtful, personal, and it'll show her how much you appreciate everything you've done together. Plus, you can never go wrong with nostalgia."

Sonic's eyes lit up. "It'll be way past cool! I can include photos and maybe some funny stuff too, like the time when we hopped into one of the photo booths together! I was doing my usual thumbs-up but Amy kept making funny faces and pretending to bonk me on the head with her hammer. Or...oh! What about a little drawing of me finally winning one of those bumper car rides at Twinkle Park? You know, the one where I totally beat her!"

Tails snickered. "I think she might remember that more for how she completely wiped the floor with you afterwards, but hey, it's the thought that counts!"

Sonic's grin faltered for a moment as the idea of putting together a whole scrapbook started to sink in. "Hmm...you're right. That's a lot of work. And I'm not sure that Amy's into scrapbooking either."

The fox tilted his head. "I mean, if you really put the effort in, I'm sure she'd love it. But if you're looking for something simpler, consider a gift she can actually use in her daily life."

Sonic rubbed the back of his neck again. "Yeah, I guess I got carried away with the idea of making it super special. Maybe I should just go for something simpler, like...a nice necklace or..."

"A necklace? Huh," Tails said, raising an eyebrow. "You're thinking jewelry?"

"Yeah, why not?" Sonic said, his mind racing again. "Something shiny, something cute—nothing over the top, though. I mean, I don't really know what she likes in jewelry, but I've seen her wear necklaces before, so maybe it's the way to go! She did give me a good-luck bracelet made from seashells one time at Hôtel de Blanc, to help protect me in the water."

Tails grinned. "I remember that. I think a necklace for Amy could work. Something simple but meaningful. Plus, you don't have to spend weeks drawing doodles in a scrapbook."

Sonic slapped his hands on his knees with a grin. "Right! No more scrapbooks. Simple. Sweet. Done! Thanks, Tails! You always know how to save the day."

"No problem, Sonic," Tails chuckled, shaking his head. "Just, uh, don't forget to actually buy the necklace this time, unlike last time when you ran out with some rings."

Sonic gave him a thumbs-up. "You bet I won't! Alright, I'll see you later, Tails!"

"Anytime!" Tails called out, waving as Sonic dashed out of the workshop.

Tails chuckled to himself. "He'll be back in five minutes asking me how to pick out the perfect pendant. I just know it."

Sonic smiled with relief as he exited the jewelry store, carefully clutching a red velvet box in his right hand. Inside it was a silver, heart-shaped pendant with a small blue emerald in the center, which was attached to a delicate silver chain. He ran back to Tails' workshop, practically consumed by thoughts about the upcoming date and the reassurance he needed from his best friend. When he arrived, the lights were still on. Sonic knocked twice on the door.

"Come in, Sonic!" Tails' muffled voice called out.

"Mission accomplished," Sonic announced, pushing the door open and stepping inside. "A little later than I thought I'd be, though. The store was busy."

"Typical for this time of year," Tails replied, laughing. "Good thing is, you didn't even need to come back and ask me for help!"

Sonic smiled and leaned casually against Tails' workbench. "I think Amy's gonna love the pendant I bought for her."

"That's awesome!" Tails cheered. "You'll make this Valentine's Day a special one for her, I know it."

"I sure hope so," Sonic meekly nodded.

"Come on, you've got this! You're Sonic, after all," Tails reminded him. "Just take a deep breath, be yourself, and it'll go great, like I said earlier."

Sonic chuckled. "Thanks, Tails. I appreciate it. I'll head back to my place now and get some sleep. I've got a big day tomorrow, asking her out and all."

"Good luck, Sonic!" Tails smiled as his speedy friend opened the door.

"Oh, and one more thing," Sonic interjected. "You'd better have that hypersonic jet ready to take me on another adventure soon!"

"For sure, Sonic!" Tails said with a wink. "Good night!"

"Good night, Tails!"

With one last grin, Sonic turned and closed the door behind him. He sprinted through the streets of Station Square well beyond the posted speed limit, and his mind raced almost as quickly. He had everything in place, but there was no denying it: February the 14th was going to be a very big day.

When he arrived at his apartment, he kicked off his shoes and plopped down onto his bed. He opened the box and stared at the silver, heart-shaped pendant inside. He smiled as he thought of Amy.

"Ames," Sonic said aloud, "I will admit, I am excited to ask you out for Valentine's Day. I...like you. I really do."

Author's note: I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of my newest story! I saw Sonic the Hedgehog 3 on December 20th, and it was AWESOME. Shadow has always been my favorite character, and I was so thrilled that the most recent movie featured him! And now that Sonic 4 has been teased with the addition of Metal Sonic and Amy Rose, that was more than enough to get me back into the Sonic fandom (I never actually left, of course!) Now one of my friends wanted me to write a SonAmy story (to celebrate Valentine's Day) where Sonic takes Amy on a date to Twinkle Park! Of course Eggman will appear as well to try to ruin the evening. Feel free to review, and as always, stay tuned for more! :)