#lightblur

{Wow. Okay. So this has been in my notes for a while, mainly unfinished for the greater part of almost a month or two? Thank you if you've stuck around this long. I'm very appreciative of every single one of you. If you have the time, please answer the question I will be posting at the end. Thank you and enjoy.}

The scrumptious scent of sizzling bacon rose Amy Rose from her slumber. She yawned lazily, stretching her aching arms out. She touched her forehead and pulled her palm back when it came in contact with the scratchy surface of a medical bandage. She peeled back her plush blankets and soon discovered that they were caked in mud and somewhat wet.

"Whuh?" she whispered to herself, then upon realizing she was smelling something cooking in the kitchen, shook it off and bounded down the stairs.

"Good morning, Amy. I thought you could use a little bit of TLC after last night. I know I sure do." Sonic grinned from the front of the stove.

Suddenly self-conscious of her tattered and dirty clothing she wrapped her arms together and smiled through a blush, "Thank you, but I'm having trouble remembering what exactly did happen last night. And more importantly, why my head is killing me."

"You should probably sit." Sonic's smile wavered. 

He pulled out a plate and plopped down a scoop of fluffy yellow eggs, three bacon slices, and some hash browns. He set it down in front of her and then took his seat with a mug of hot coffee.

"I had no idea you cooked things other than chili-dogs." Amy laughed.

"I'm... somewhat insulted by that Amy Rose. I'll have you know that my blueberry pie puts Granny to shame." Sonic joked lightly while taking a small sip from his cup as he chuckled.

Amy giggled in return and took a bite of the scrambled eggs, she almost melted as she muttered out a nearly involuntary, "Mmm...!"

"Ah-huh. What did I tell yah?" Sonic smirked knowingly.

"This is delicious!" Amy cried out, then took a sip of her own coffee. She was ready to ooze about the creamy richness of whatever culinary art he had created, but instead found herself almost choking.

Sonic's smiled dropped instantly and was replaced by concern, "Yeah, it's a bit strong."

"Ah! Yuck! Did you use dishwater or something? I can still feel coffee grounds on my tongue." Amy stuck her tongue out.

"So that's what those are." Sonic said faintly.

"Sorry. That was rude of me. Everything is delicious, really." Amy wiped her mouth with a small dishtowel.

"I like the truth better than lies, Amy. If you don't like something, you should tell me. Always," he looked her in the eyes, "tell me the truth."

She swallowed hard, feeling a buzz of tension from him. It was like static began to form between them in that second. But then he swiveled his eyes away and relaxed into his chair. The feeling went away, but left a lasting impression on the girl. She placed her fork down and put her hand in the center of the table. "Sonic, is there something bothering you?"

"Nah. Just, kind of thinking about something." he shrugged, his arms folded at the back of his head.

"What?" she asked tentatively.

"It's not important. Eat up. I think Tails wants to talk about something. He said so last night." Sonic changed the subject quickly.

"Oh yeah, what did happen last night? I don't remember." Amy questioned, some concern in her voice.

"Ah well that's understandable, you took a hit to the head. Honestly, I was going to ask you the same thing, I came at the wrong time I guess. Tails and I were out looking for you. He seemed really worried." Sonic said.

"Oh. Right. I remember now. Kind of." she admitted while chewing on some bacon.

She observed her blue friend from across the table. Silently she looked over his body.

It was only weeks ago when Sonic had returned and saved the world alongside every one else. When she saw him she couldn't believe it. The way he looked, how he smiled so easily; it was like he wasn't real, like he had died and was a spirit. There wasn't a bruise or wound to be found on his body. He talked normally, he reacted promptly. As far as Amy was concerned he was an enigma in all forms.

However, she noticed now how he bounced his leg rapidly, like he was waiting for something. His ears were perked straight up, alert and picking up every single sound. Hints of dark circles were cased under his eyes, which were slightly twitching, looking at random corners every few minutes. And if she looked really closely, she could see the tremors moving through his hand, making it vibrate ever so slightly.

"Are you feeling alright?" Amy suddenly asked.

The blue hedgehog jolted, as if he was just woken up from a deep sleep. He turned towards her again, and made eye contact, putting on his best smile, "Yeah, I'm doing great!"

The static returned, causing a deep shudder to run down and up her spine. Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to feel him, feel how he was feeling. But it was like there was a physical wall separating them.

"Are you done?" he asked, snapping her back into focus, this time he looked away, down at her plate slightly and the static faded once more.

"Uh, yeah. It was great. Thanks. I'm going to go get ready." Amy excused herself from the table and bounded up the stairs.

She sat in front of her mirror, combing her bare fingers through her quills. They were messy, slightly greasy, and caked with mud. She wiped her hands on her pajama bottoms and sighed.

Deciding not to have Sonic wait too long she pulled a red beanie out of her drawer, and fixed the quills into a loose bun before pulling it over her head. She quickly changed into a hoodie with thick leggings. She turned off her bedroom lights before going back down the stairs.

Breathing out, she turned the corner towards her kitchen. She fixed a smile on her lips and was about to say something when she noticed Sonic. Her eyes widened in shock.

Part II

"I'm sorry you feel so bad."

The words were so sudden and sincere that he turned around to face her.

Their eyes met and she seemed to flinch. It was then when he realized how intensely he had been glaring at the ground. She swept an imaginary strand of loose hair back into place.

He un-furrowed his eyebrows and sucked in a breath of cold air before speaking, "Don't say that."

The girl stood there, unable to say much more besides that. In fact, she had just about decided to turn to go when she balled up a fist. He noticed and slightly bristled at the sight. She wouldn't hit him, right?

"What I meant was," she paused before continuing, "I want to be there for you, when you feel bad. Everyone does, but me especially."

"No. I don't want you to see me-" He stopped and clenched his teeth. He hated how cheesy this was sounding. Instead, he breathed out and sat silently once more, with his back towards the girl in the red dress.

"Why? We all get like this sometimes. We don't expect you to always be optimistic. We understand, or, we're trying to understand why you do this things you do." she said fumbling slightly as she watched him breathe slowly.

The boy looked down at his messed-up hands, wringing each finger with the roughness of someone hesitantly preforming a habit.

"Don't break your fingers." Amy said softly.

The hedgehog stopped and laid his palms against the roof tiles.

She stepped forward a bit more, approaching from behind.

"You don't have to pretend you're alone, Sonic."

He remained still, acting like he hadn't heard her words.

"Let us help you. We're a team. Sometimes," she stepped even closer, "you need someone else to take the lead."

"Can we just act like nothing ever happened? I hate this. I hate you talking to me like some piece of glass. All this 'tip-toe'ing around me. I appreciate the concern, but I'm good." he snapped back, slowly turning towards her.

Amy quickly wrapped her arms around him. She clung tightly, pulling on his back quills as she buried her face into his shoulder.

He grabbed her arm, embracing her back. Through tightly-shut eyelids, tears leaked down his face. He inhaled deeply, accidentally breathing in the scent of the pink hedgehog's shampoo. He exhaled with a shudder as the lavender scent calmed him. Amy's heartbeat was a slow drum as she took in the moment.

They eased their grip and broke apart to look each other in the eyes.

"Promise me one thing, Sonic."

"What?"

"If you ever feel like this again, you'll tell us. You'll tell me. All I want, is to listen."

He nodded with a dazed look on his face. Amy's heart faltered a bit but she said nothing.

"One question, though." Sonic said steadily, staring slightly off to the left.

"What?" she searched his face for any sign of recognition and found none.

"Why didn't you tell me this when I was actually here?"

"But you are here, right now." Amy's voice shook as an erie shiver crawled up her spine. "Right?"

(This is the final and third time era that Lightblur captures. Pre/During-Forces [this one], Post-Forces [Lightblur Prompt #2], and Post-Mortem [Lightblur Prompt #1])

“No, no, not like that, like this.” The awkward voice of a young teenager said softly as he used his finger to demonstrate once more what the exact movements were to unlock the corrupted files on the screen. He smiled as did the pink hedgehog he was training, until he reinforced the security and the data disappeared before her eyes.

Brushing her grown quills back, she shook the sweat off her hands and tried the maneuver once more only to be zapped thrice by the strict system.

“Ugh!” She cried out incredulously, before slamming a powerful palm into the side of the computer, “You know who I am, idiot!”

“Amy, you gotta try harder, we’re losing time on this machine.” Silver said with what he hoped had been a gentle push.

“Can’t you see I’m trying?” she screamed at him, her green eyes flashing with anger, “But this stupid piece of junk won’t work!”

“I don’t think it’s the computer, Amy. You must understand it’s very specific. It’s to-“ But he was cut off by the continuation of the girl’s rage.

“Yeah, I know. ‘To keep out intruders.’ If it’s so damn smart than why can’t it tell that I’m me?” She cried out, startling Silver with her fresh vocabulary.

“I have a feeling-“

“’You aren’t understanding what I’m saying.’ I do! I’m not stupid! I’m not useless!” she screeched, starting to breathe hard, “You, Knuckles, even Charmy have done nothing but patronize me and make me feel like I’m worthless!”

“Amy, I’m sorry, I had no idea yo-“ Silver started but was literally snapped at by the fierce woman in front of him.

“Of course, you have no idea! You don’t expect such a ‘small little girl’ to be so full of grandiose things. Well, guess what I’m-!”

“AMY.” Silver finally shouted, “Would you please, just calm down for a minute, you’re making me anxious.”

She stopped but continued to glare back at him.

“I never meant to make you feel that way. I chose you for this job because I knew that you were the only woman capable of handling such a ‘grandiose’ responsibility. Trust me, we know you’re smart, useful, and completely capable, but I guess we’re all kind of playing solo since Sonic’s not here to encourage us to team up.”

When she said his name, her wall of anger began to crumble, and in her glassy eyes spoke a field of sadness.

“And I know it hurts you to not have him around. People mean well when they say that, ‘they miss him too’ but I know for you it’s like losing the universe and everything that matters in it.” He began to approach her slowly.

A single tear escaped her eye and her face crumpled up slightly, “No one has ever realized that, besides you.”

“I know it hurt you so bad to lose him so suddenly, so much so that you felt the need to grow-up and act tough like the rest of us, but the truth is, is that you’re already so strong, Amy.” He cupped a palm under her chin to raise her face to face him.

That was what broke Amy Rose.

She began to cry violently, sobs escaping her mouth as she held onto Silver’s steady arm, as if to keep standing.

It was the same exact way that Sonic used to lift her face, and it used to make her giggle girlishly. He’d say something corny like, ‘chin up, princess, the town needs rescuing,’ or ‘keep your head towards the sun, rose.’ And it was so sweet and beautiful, but here she was, in an underground hideaway, trying to save the world her prince had lost.

Coming back into the present, she lifted her eyes up to the warm gold ones of the silver hedgehog in front of her.

“I’m sorry I made you cry like that. You can probably tell by now that I’m a horrible person to turn to for encouragement.” He shrugged harshly.

She barely laughed, “It’s okay. And, it wasn’t necessarily you who made me cry. Just… everything did.”

He understood, “I’m no ‘Sonic,’ Amy, but I do want you to continue to live life to the fullest and help push you along the way when you need it. It’s just,” He sighed, “It’s a crappy reason, but no-one really was there for me to cheer me on, so I kind of suck doing it myself. But I love you-r! spirit so much that, I want to see you succeed in all you do.”

Amy’s cheeks tinted slightly pink at the well-perceived slip-up, but she said nothing, “Thank you, Silver. And I understand, but I’m glad you try anyway.”

She placed her hands on her hips with renewed confidence, “Now let’s get this thing working!”

“That’s the spirit!” Silver cheered with her, bumping his fist in the air playfully.

She walked back over to the computer, but her shoulders slightly slumped when she saw the bright red screen of a previously failed entrance, she turned to face her colleague, “Uhm, can I have a little help, please?”

“Absolutely.” He stood beside her, he reached for her hand then paused and said, “May I?”

“Go ahead.” Amy nodded, the pink returning once his cold palm touched the back of hers, she shivered.

“Sorry if my hands are a bit cold.” He apologized, slightly embarrassed.

“Well, my Dad used to always say, the ones with the coldest hands have the warmest hearts.” Amy smiled at him.

It was his turn to turn rosy as he slowly guided her hand in the shape of the path on the screen, the bright green illuminating them both before giving way to a plethora of floating files.

“Think you’ve got it now?” He asked.

The sun had barely rose as a lone figure jogged down the streets of a small neighborhood. Their tiny ponytail was swaying side to side as they steadily kept their pace.

They were beginning to feel the sharp pierce of inhaling too deeply and suddenly. Gasping for a second, they turned the corner and began to slow.

They flipped their gray hood back, and stopped at the end of a walkway, leading to a salmon-coloured house. Taking a swig of water, they pulled out their house keys and opened the front door.

"Amy Rose."

Had she not been so tired and out of breath, the pink hedgehog would have screamed even louder than she already had.

She flipped on the living room light, revealing a familiar purple cat sitting on her couch. Her yellow eyes stared back intensely, "Have you any idea what time it is?"

"Well no, I was going to check but someone scared me." Amy stressed 'someone' fiercely, "What are you doing here? Not that I mind, I'm just curious."

"Ah yes, there was something that was troubling me that I wanted to discuss with you personally." Blaze admitted, scooting over on the couch to allow the smaller girl to sit beside her. "But first, we should probably eat, Ms. Vanilla packed  two plates of french toast of take with me."

Amy shook her head, "No thank you, I already ate. You can go ahead without me." She quickly changed the subject, "Though, I am worried. Is everything alright?"

Blaze took out a single saran wrapped plate from a picnic basket and placed it in her lap, unwrapping it as she spoke, "I'm afraid not."

"Why, what's going on?" Amy faced her, lazily lying an arm on the frame of the couch.

"It's- well it's Cream. She's been having a hard time at school." Blaze spoke somberly, while stabbing a slice of the sweet breakfast with her fork.

Amy swallowed, watching the oozing syrup leak from the slab.

'830'

"In what way?" she asked, slightly unfocused as she tried to block out the impulsive thought.

"The kids, they're very ruthless. They tease her." the sixteen year old explained, rubbing her own arm with her free hand.

"But Cream is always so nice. She's also super smart. You don't think​ they're jealous do you?" Amy tried to reason in her head why such a sweet girl could be targeted like that.

"No. It's nothing like that. I hate to say it, but," Blaze closed her eyes tightly, almost glaring, "they're making fun of her for talking about... him."

Amy's eyes widened, "That's horrible. What's she saying that's so bad they'd react that way?"

"She defends him, Amy. Every day. All of her classmates call him a coward, selfish, and a bunch of other disgusting things. She talks about how he was sick, how it wasn't his fault. Even the teachers tell her that he threw away everything because he was a wreckless teenager."

"None of that is true!" Amy shouted incredulously.

"I know! We know! She knows! But it got worse, they're telling her.. they're telling her to follow in his footsteps." Blaze began to tear up, angrily, she gnashed her teeth, "And I will not stand by and watch another light be tainted."

"We have to stop this, now, before it gets out of hand." Amy spoke finally, "Where is she?"

"That's the reason Ms. Vanilla sent me. She's refusing to go to school. She won't leave her bed. We're worried and Cream knows you best."

"Tails, remind me again why we're all the way out... here?" a small silhouette gestured to the wide expanse of wildflowers with his flashlight. The lukewarm glow partially illuminated the orange fox standing feet away from him.

Tails scratched his head and smiled worriedly, "Uhm, Amy went missing, remember?"

"Oh, right. Sorry, my mind kind of went blank." Sonic said as weeds crunched under his shoes.

The child chuckled, "That's alright." He stopped, suddenly on guard, "Did you hear that?"

His bigger brother pointed the flashlight towards him again, "You mean the 'boom' sound that just came from over there?" he slightly shifted the illuminator to where he expected the noise had come from.

"Slightly over-descriptive, but yes, that sound." The fox started walking faster with Sonic close by.

The distinct sound of stone being broken apart became louder and louder as they approached a tree. Tails' eyes squinted, waiting for this familiar sight to register, and it did.

"Ah, maybe on second thought, we should go back, it's probably nothing." Tails said in a blur, quickly shifting back around, bumping against Sonic's body.

Green eyes stared back at him, somewhat suspicious, "Unless Knuckles is out here pounding away at some boulders, I don't think that's 'nothing.'"

"Well maybe it is Knuckles then. We, we shouldn't bother him. Let's just, let's just go." He covered his eyes slightly with his overgrown bangs, staring back guiltily at Sonic.

Without much of a warning, Sonic charged past Tails and through the long tresses of the weeping willow in front of them. He was ready for a fight, but he wasn't prepared for what he actually saw.

A sweaty, bedraggled Amy Rose, in muddied loose-fitting pajamas was furiously whacking away at a large tombstone with her hammer. He shone the light over her dazed but oddly focused face; semi-dried tears shone on her cheeks, curved by dark shadows under her eyes.

"Amy?" Sonic spoke out finally as Tails finally entered from behind, looking equally terrified and concerned as the older boy.

"Sonic." She breathed out, more like a statement than an answer.

"What in Chaos' name is happening right now? Why are you so dirty? Are you.. bleeding?" He stepped towards her cautiously.

Amy flinched at the light that shone in her eyes, causing Sonic to dim the brightness. He scooped her up off her feet, bridal style. "Tails, would you mind getting her hammer for me?"

The youngest one complied, picking up the scratched Piko Piko hammer from the ground. He grasped it tightly in his fists, needing something to ground him as this entire thing unfolded.

Sonic began to slowly trek towards the large, somewhat broken stone. He laid the pink hedgehog on the soft grass surrounding it. Reaching behind him, he pulled off his drawstring bag and pulled out some rubbing alcohol, bandages, and gauze.

Carefully he tipped the bottle back and dabbed some alcohol onto a piece of gauze. He wiped the dried blood from Amy's head and applied some bandages. It was quick but oddly precise.

Tails could only look so amazed as he watched Sonic pack up.

"Where did you learn how to do that?" he finally asked when Sonic got up from his kneeling position.

Sonic's eyes clouded over a bit as he half-heartedly laughed, "Well, you don't expect Eggman to patch you up after he's gotten his robots to beat you senseless."

Tails' ears lowered slightly, as he nodded grimly, not amused at all by the joke.

"C'mon. We've gotta get her back ho-" Sonic stopped talking, and to him, it was like he stopped breathing. Like the entire universe paused and the only thing that was there was the tombstone and whose name was written on it.

He didn't even hear Tails' concerned cries from behind him.

' SONIC THE HEDGEHOG

BELOVED BROTHER

DEAREST FRIEND

AND BRAVEST SOUL'

Slowly and automatically, he walked towards the stone and reached out to touch it. His hand shook every so slightly as it came in contact with the cold surface of the gravemarker. It was real.

Tears began to form in Tails' eyes as he shook the hedgehog by his waist, "Sonic! Sonic! It's okay! You're here! You're here!"

Sonic blinked but didn't register his friend's voice as six months of horrifying memories and experiences rushed back to him.

'dead.'

'dead.'

'... you're nothing, nowhere...'

nonexistent...'

And finally his own screams pierced his ears and that was when he realized he was under a weeping willow tree, next his own grave, kneeling and screaming into the night while violently clutching his skull.

"Sonic!" Tails shouted, grabbing the hedgehog's hands, which were full of pulled quills, "Sonic, please stop! You're okay! You're safe! You're safe! You're-" at that moment Sonic wrapped his arms around his little brother and shook uncontrollably with suppressed sobs and terror.

Amy stared back at Tails, wide-eyed and breathing heavily. Tails stared back while violently clutching onto the blue hedgehog.

Hours later, Sonic fell into a restless sleep while still limply holding onto Tails.