Chapter 2 - Will You Be My Valentine?
Author's note: Hi everyone, I'm here with Chapter 2! I'm sure you can guess what Sonic will be doing according to the title, but will Amy accept his offer? You'll find out shortly, but first it's response time!
CVCWJames, thank you so much for the review; I'm glad you're enjoying it so far!
UltimateCCC, Captain Cassonova? Are you referring to Tails' relationship advice? He technically was in a relationship with Cosmo (in Sonic X), but I haven't watched much of that season so I don't know much about it.
therandomone95, thanks for your feedback! Of course I'm also enjoying your story, "The Mighty Amy Rose!", and I will read the second chapter when I have the time to do so. Now, on with the story!
Sonic awoke from a dream where he and Amy were running through a beautiful meadow, laughing as they picked wildflowers together. He sat on the edge of his bed and gently rubbed the sleep from his eyes. The box containing the silver pendant he bought for Amy rested on his nightstand. Its heart-shaped surface gleamed in the sunlight. He carefully took it out of the box, turning it over in his hands. It was simple, yet Sonic felt it was just the right gift for Amy.
"Sonic, take it one step at a time," he said, stretching his arms. "First things first, breakfast."
He wasn't much of a cook, so he decided to have assorted fruits and nuts, along with a glass of milk, but it was enough. As he ate, he stared at the pendant, which was now on the table. The tiny blue emerald shimmered in the sunlight. He smiled to himself, imagining Amy's reaction to the gift. Would she just put it on straight away and say it's perfect? Would she give me a hug and a sincere thank-you? Or maybe she'd ask me where I got it from, or even its meaning? Whatever she does, I hope she likes it...
"Alright," he said aloud between bites. "Today, I just have to ask her. That's all. Everything's gonna be okay."
After finishing breakfast, Sonic ran to the bathroom to get ready for the day. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, trying out a few different lines as he did so.
"Hey, Ames! Big day tomorrow. How about you and I spend it together? No, too casual. She'll think I'm not taking it seriously."
He tried again, a bit more sincere this time. "Amy, I've been thinking...Valentine's Day would be a lot better with you by my side. Just you and me at Twinkle Park, together. Nah, too cheesy. She'll think I've been watching too many romance movies."
He threw his arms up, pacing around his suite. "Why is this so hard?! I've faced all kinds of robots, been at odds with Knuckles many times, literally saved Earth from being vaporized by the Eclipse Cannon...and this is what trips me up?!"
Sonic came to a screeching halt. With a sigh, he looked back at the silver pendant sitting on his nightstand. "Okay, no scripts. No rehearsing. Just say what's on your mind, in person. She deserves that much."
He could almost hear Amy's cute giggle. The thought made him grin, but it also gave him a reason to pause. This wasn't just some cheap friendship necklace he could hand over casually. It had to mean something.
Without a word, Sonic walked back to his nightstand and carefully placed the pendant back in its box. He closed the lid, the soft click resonating in the otherwise silent room.
"Tomorrow," he whispered, lightly resting his index and middle fingers on the box's velvet surface. "She'll get it tomorrow."
Sonic dashed to his closet, unsure of what he wanted to wear. He was tempted to dress up for the occasion, perhaps something more polished. He picked up a tuxedo, inspecting it for a moment, but then set it back down. No need to overdo it; he didn't want to look like he was dressing up for a wedding!
In the end, Sonic simply reached for an orange scarf. It was casual, but it added just a small touch of thoughtfulness. With his shoes on and the scarf securely in place, Sonic grabbed his white gloves and smiled as he headed out the door. A quick run to Tails' workshop would clear his head, and maybe his best buddy would have something fun to work on to keep him distracted.
Meanwhile, Tails was already hard at work. His goggles were perched on his head as he tightened a bolt on the Tornado's landing gear. He glanced up at the sound of Sonic's footsteps and grinned as the door opened.
"Hi, Sonic! You're right on time!"
"Morning, Tails!" Sonic said, stepping inside the workshop and closing the door. "What's the situation?"
Tails gestured towards the plane. "Just a couple of adjustments before tomorrow's test flight. Think you can hand me that wrench?"
"One wrench, coming right up!" Sonic smirked as he grabbed the tool and tossed it to Tails with a smirk.
As Tails worked, he glanced at Sonic every so often. "So, how's everything coming along? Got everything ready for Valentine's Day?"
Sonic leaned against the workbench, playing it cool. "You bet. I have the gift, and the plan, and the weather's looking great for tomorrow. Everything's falling into place."
Tails chuckled, wiping his hands on an orange rag. "That's great to hear! I'm sure Amy's going to love it."
"Yeah," Sonic said with a hint of apprehension. He quickly changed the subject. "So, what about you? Got any big plans of your own?"
Tails laughed, shaking his head. "Not really. I'll probably just hang out here, and maybe work on a few more upgrades for the Tornado. Somebody's gotta be ready if Eggman decides to cause trouble, right?"
"Good point," Sonic said, smirking. "But take it easy, okay? Even you need a break sometimes."
"Same to you," Tails replied with a grin. "Let's finish this up together."
After helping Tails complete the final adjustments, Sonic stood up and stretched, with a small but satisfied smile. He felt more relaxed, having spent time with his best friend, and now he was ready to face the day.
"Thanks again for the reassurance, Tails," Sonic smiled, giving the fox a high-five. "Wish me luck for when I meet Amy, okay?"
"You don't need luck," Tails warmly replied. "You and Amy have known each other for a long time. Just make it happen!"
Sonic chuckled. "We'll see." He walked towards the door, but Tails' voice made him pause.
"Oh, by the way," Tails added as he wiped his hands on the rag once more, "I saw Amy earlier in town, near Central Square. She was at that café she likes...you know, the one with the little red tables and amazing ice cream treats? She looked like she was enjoying herself over there. Thought you'd want to know."
"Oh yeah? Good for her," Sonic said nonchalantly.
"Yeah," Tails said with a small chuckle, turning back to his work. "Anyway, let me know how it all goes."
"You bet," Sonic said with a wink and a thumbs-up. "Later, Tails!"
As Sonic zoomed through the streets of Station Square. Tails' advice flashed in his mind: 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 and Amy have known each other for a long time. Just make it happen!
"Alright," Sonic said to himself, smiling as he picked up the pace even more. His heart was pounding, but for a different reason now. "Time to make it happen."
Sure enough, Sonic spotted the pink hedgehog sitting at the very café Tails mentioned. She was happily reading a book and sipping a cup of tea. The sunlight glinted off her red hairband, a familiar sight that filled Sonic with nostalgia. Though her outfit had changed subtly over the years, her red dress and boots still carried the same charm they always had. Sonic paused, grinning slightly as he savored the moment. It was weird, in a way. Seeing her acting so calm and content, and yet so much like the Amy he had always known...it made his chest tighten with a strange mix of comfort and nervousness. For a split second, he considered just turning around and coming back later.
"No," Sonic whispered to himself, clenching his fists. "Now's as good a time as any." He approached the café, albeit with some hesitation. What if she's too busy? he thought. Or worse, what if I totally mess this up? Oh well, here goes...
"Hey, Amy!" he called out, giving her a casual wave.
Amy looked up from her book, and her jade eyes lit up like stars. "Sonic! What a nice surprise!"
He chuckled, scratching the back of his head as he stopped beside her table. "Yeah, I was just in the area and thought I'd say hi. Mind if I join you?"
"Of course I wouldn't mind!" she said, gesturing towards the chair across from her. "Here, take a seat."
Sonic slid into the chair, leaning back with his arms crossed. "So, what are you reading? Something exciting?"
Amy held up the book, revealing it to be a collection of romantic short stories. She giggled, blushing slightly. "Just a little light reading. You know me."
"Heh, yeah," Sonic said, his grin softening. "Romance and all that stuff."
After Sonic ordered chili dogs for himself and soft-serve ice cream for Amy, the two hedgehogs happily chatted together like the good friends they were. Sonic caught up on Amy's solo adventures and strength training, and Amy learned more about Sonic's heroic efforts in freeing the Wisps that Eggman had kidnapped. Still, Sonic couldn't shake off the nervousness inside him. He knew he had to bring up Valentine's Day sooner than later, but every time he tried to do so, the words just wouldn't come out.
As the sun began to go down, painting the sky various shades of yellow, orange, and pink, Sonic saw his chance. Amy was finishing her refill of tea, her gaze wandering towards the picturesque horizon. The moment felt peaceful, almost perfect.
"Ames," Sonic began, his voice steady despite the butterflies in his stomach.
She turned to him with a curious expression. "Yeah?"
Sonic took a moment to steel himself. It was now or never.
"Tomorrow's Valentine's Day," he said, "and I was thinking...maybe you'd wanna hang out at Twinkle Park? Just the two of us. For old times' sake."
Amy's eyes widened slightly. "You mean...like a date?"
Sonic nodded, his trademark smirk returning with a hint of sincerity. "Yeah, like a date."
"Oh, Sonic, I'd love that!" Amy squealed in delight, jumping up from her chair and throwing her arms around him in an energetic hug. Sonic stiffened for a moment, caught off guard, before his hands hesitantly found their way to her back, his awkwardness slowly giving way to a shy smile.
"Heh, glad to hear it," Sonic chuckled, his voice softer than usual, and Amy held him just a little tighter, as if savoring the moment, before finally letting go. It was only when Amy giggled at him and pointed at his face that he realized he was blushing.
"You're such a cutie when you blush, you know that?" Amy teased, her tone playful but warm. "Well, you've always been my cutie, and always will be, even when we're apart."
Sonic cleared his throat, glancing to the side as he scratched the back of his head. "Y-yeah, well, don't get used to it."
Amy giggled again, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. You really drive me crazy, Sonic, she thought, and in the best way possible.
"So...it's a date, then?" Sonic asked, barely above a whisper.
"It's a date, Sonic!" Amy replied with a radiant smile. Her jade eyes shone like stars as she looked into Sonic's emerald eyes.
"Cool!" Sonic grinned and gave Amy a thumbs-up. "Guess I'll pick you up tomorrow at your place, if that's alright with you. Would noon work? I can get us there in a jiffy."
"Great!" Amy beamed with happiness. "And yes, I'll be ready by noon."
Sonic stood back up, as confident as ever. "Okay, I'll let you get back to your book. See you tomorrow, Ames!"
"See you tomorrow, Sonic!" she called after him as he rocketed into the streets.
As Sonic ran off, leaving the café behind, Amy sat back down with her book. She smiled from ear to ear as she replayed his words in her mind. "A date with my Sonic," she whispered to herself. "Tomorrow's going to be perfect!"
Unbeknownst to Amy, a small, mischievous figure was perched on the rooftop above the café. Bokkun had been hiding there, lazily watching the streets below. He hadn't expected anything interesting to happen...until he spotted Sonic talking to Amy. His curiosity had been piqued, and he had started eavesdropping halfway through their conversation.
Now, the tiny messenger robot was grinning from ear to ear. "A Valentine's date, huh?" Bokkun snickered to himself, rubbing his hands together. "Dr. Eggman's gonna love hearing about this."
With the help of his trusty jetpack, Bokkun zipped away from the café, heading south towards Dr. Eggman's base. The city whizzed beneath him as he raced to deliver the news. He didn't care about the romantic details. What mattered was getting credit for relaying this valuable information to his boss.
A short distance south of Station Square, Dr. Eggman was cooking up yet another evil scheme inside his newly-built base, which was a giant egg-shaped building made entirely out of steel. The mad scientist lounged in a large black armchair in the center of the control room. Screens lined the walls, each showing different parts of the city, while buttons, levers, and glowing control consoles surrounded him. He stroked his bushy mustache in thought, brainstorming his latest plan to conquer Station Square.
Decoe and Bocoe stood nearby, assisting as usual, though their clumsiness occasionally caused sparks to fly or equipment to malfunction.
"Dr. Eggman," Decoe began in his monotone voice, "the prototype for the Egg Walker 2 is nearly complete. Should we proceed with the final testing phase?"
"Not yet!" Dr. Eggman snapped, waving a gloved hand dismissively. "The Egg Walker 2 isn't just a weapon; it's a masterpiece! Everything must be perfect before I reveal it to the world. We'll conquer Station Square in style this time! Hahahaha!"
Bocoe tilted his head. "But, sir, didn't the last 'masterpiece' explode before it even made it out of the lab?"
"Silence, you metallic buffoon!" Dr. Eggman barked, slamming his fist on the armrest. "The situation with E-314 Pi was a minor setback! This time, nothing will go wrong! Absolutely nothing can distract me from—"
Suddenly, the door to the control room burst open, and Bokkun zoomed in, carrying a television screen in his hands. His frantic energy caused him to crash into a nearby console, sending sparks flying.
"Dr. Eggman! Dr. Eggman!" Bokkun squeaked in excitement as he stood on top of a nearby desk. "I've got breaking news!"
"Ugh, what is it now, Bokkun?" Dr. Eggman groaned, adjusting his glasses. "This had better be good."
"It's about Sonic!" Bokkun announced dramatically, flipping the TV screen around to reveal the recorded footage of the café where Sonic and Amy had been talking. On-screen, Amy's face lit up as she hugged Sonic, and her excited voice soon rang out: "It's a date, Sonic!"
Dr. Eggman's eyes narrowed as he leaned forward. "What?! A date?! Sonic and Amy?! At Twinkle Park?!" He slammed a fist on the armrest. "Why am I only hearing about this now?!"
Decoe scratched his head. "I thought we were focusing on conquering Station Square. How does this affect us?"
"Don't you see?" Dr. Eggman glared at him. "This is the perfect opportunity to crush Sonic's spirits! If I ruin his little romantic escapade, he'll be so heartbroken he won't even think about getting in my way, and neither will his girlfriend Amy!"
Bocoe raised a hand. "But Doctor, don't we already have a plan for tomorrow?"
The rotund scientist waved him off. "Forget the plan! Romance ruins everything! If Sonic wants to play the doting boyfriend, then I'll play the villain who crashes the party!" He jumped to his feet, a manic grin spreading across his face. "But...hmm..." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "What robot would be suitable for such a delicate operation?"
Decoe and Bocoe exchanged nervous glances. "Well, uh, we don't exactly have one specifically designed for...interrupting dates," Bocoe admitted.
Dr. Eggman groaned, pacing back and forth. "Of course we don't! Why would I have a robot for such a ridiculous task? Well then, it looks like we'll have to design, build, and program one, and it needs to be ready by tomorrow morning!"
"You mean you're doing all of this tonight?!" Decoe squeaked. "But that's impossible!"
"Impossible?!" Dr. Eggman snapped, his eyes gleaming with determination. "I'm Dr. Eggman! The greatest mind the world has ever seen! I'll design a robot so clever, so diabolical, that Sonic and Amy won't know what hit them!"
He spun back towards the central console, barking orders. "Decoe! Bocoe! Gather the materials! Bokkun, keep an eye on those two lovebirds—er, hedgehogs. I want constant updates! This Valentine's Day will be their worst day ever! MWAHAHAHAHAAAAA!"
Bokkun saluted enthusiastically, grinning from ear to ear. "You got it, boss!"
With that, Bokkun zipped outside, chuckling to himself, and his jetpack rocketed him into the night sky. "I'm so ready to ruin Valentine's Day for Sonic and Amy!"
"Hey, Sonic! You're back later than I thought you'd be! How'd it go?"
Sonic leaned against the wall of Tails' workshop and smiled at the fox. "Went pretty well, actually. Amy said yes."
Tails dramatically gasped. "Wow, you really asked her out! I was starting to think you'd never do it, even after our conversations! You were just so apprehensive about the two of you dating."
"Yeah, yeah," Sonic said with a smirk, crossing his arms. "I just figured...well, it was time, you know? But don't go getting any ideas, pal. It's just one date."
Tails chuckled. "Sure, Sonic. Just one date!"
Before the conversation could go any further, a high-pitched laugh was heard from outside, and Bokkun burst through the workshop's door with his television screen in his hands.
"I've got a brand-new message for Sonic the Hedgehog!" Bokkun announced in his usual squeaky voice while gazing intently at Sonic and Tails.
"Bokkun?" Sonic said, stepping forward. "What kind of message?"
"It's very important, so listen up good!" the little robot commanded as he held out the screen. It flickered to life, revealing none other than Dr. Eggman's grinning face.
"Greetings, Sonic!" his arch-nemesis' voice boomed. "I hope you've been enjoying your cozy little evening with your sweet darling Amy, because tomorrow is going to be anything but! Consider this a warning, blue boy, because Valentine's Day is about to become your worst nightmare! Hahahaha!"
Before Sonic could react, Bokkun dropped the screen, and it began to beep.
"Oh no," Tails muttered, grabbing Sonic by the arm. "Bomb!"
The two barely managed to dive behind the workbench as the screen erupted in a small but forceful explosion. Smoke filled the workshop, and Bokkun took off, laughing maniacally on his way back to Dr. Eggman's base.
Sonic and Tails just stood there and blinked their eyes, covered from head to toe in soot.
"Eggman couldn't just leave me alone for one night," Sonic grumbled while shaking off all the soot.
Tails was brushing the soot off of himself as well. "Whatever he's planning, it sounds big. We'd better be ready."
"Don't worry, buddy," Sonic said encouragingly. "We'll stop whatever that old Egghead sends our way. But first…" he grinned, "I've got a date to keep."
Author's note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! What kind of havoc do you think Dr. Eggman will wreak at Twinkle Park? Feel free to review, and stay tuned for the next chapter! :)