FicWad

The next thing Dr. Robotnik knew, he was standing on the street. The sun shined down, though not as brightly as it had on Prison Island, and people walked past him, smiling. The tightly packed houses on the street were colorful and bright, like the faces of the townsfolk.

"Station Square."

"You'll be happy to know that Sonic and his friends are still alive. Leading mostly safe lives."

"You're going to make me visit them."

Maria started walking down the street. "Of course! I see you've been watching your old movies." Ivo looked around, expecting people to stop and stare at the little angel who was leading him... However, the citizens of Station Square walked on, oblivious.

"They can't see us."

"We aren't really here. Turn here, Ivo."

Maria disappeared behind a corner, and Ivo jogged to catch up with her. When he turned onto the next street, he smiled. "Amy Rose."

He couldn't see her all that well in the distance, but he would recognize that shade of pink anywhere. She was walking down the street. He ran toward her, panting as he went... As he neared he realized something was amiss, but he couldn't put his finger on it until he was twenty feet away...

Amy Rose the Hedgehog walked down the street, her head hung. The pretty pink hair she was well-known for was shorn and messy; the clothes she wore were drab and baggy. Instead of that obnoxious red and white halter dress she was known for, even while she was adventuring, the little hedgehog was clad in a pair of baggy overalls and a sweatshirt, on a hot summer day.

"What happened to her?"

"She was very happy when she was young, without you and your cronies to kidnap her. But one night, when she was going to the movies, an older boy cornered her in the alley... This happened in your world too. But in a world where you existed... She'd been kidnapped so much, she learned how to defend herself. She scared the boy away and no one in that neighborhood will even look at her funny now."

"And here?"

"Well, what do you think, Ivo?"

He looked down. "But she hates me."

"Your Amy hates you less than this Amy hates the boy who hurt her. Your Amy understands that you made her strong. Your Amy was brought closer to Sonic by your actions."

Amy Rose disappeared into a house. Eggman followed the hedgehog as she walked down a hall and ascended a set of stairs.

"Where is she going?"

"To her room. Follow her."

Eggman jogged up the stairs and went into the only open door in the hallway. Amy Rose went to a closet and opened the door. Inside was a familiar and happy scene; Eggman couldn't help but smile as he saw the sea of blue. It was a shrine. That was the Amy he knew.

"It's so cute," Maria remarked, "that some things never change."

"So she still follows Sonic."

"Oh no," Maria sat down on her bed. "She doesn't have the confidence for that. Amy thinks she's worthless. But she wants to be just like the track hero of her high school, Sonic the Hedgehog... She wants to be with him."

Eggman shook his head, smiling.

"She'd give anything to be with her hero, but for one, he's a Sophomore, and she's a lowly seventh grader. For two, he won't have anything to do with a girl that's not a challenge to seduce."

Eggman raised his eyebrow. "What?"

"Sonic the Hedgehog, the up and coming star of Station Square West, doesn't take 'sloppy seconds.'"

The doctor shuddered. "You can't be serious."

"Well, the rumor mill is pretty nasty at SSW. That's just what Mighty, one of the football players, said to her."

Dr. Eggman sat down on the bed, sighing. He couldn't imagine it... Amy Rose, permanently scarred. Although he had frequently kidnapped her and threatened her life, he would never, ever hurt her like that. How could anyone? She was a good girl, even if she was a little bit of a brat sometimes, and highly annoying. And Sonic...

Amy Rose picked up the phone.

"What's she doing?"

"You'll see."

Eggman watched intently as the little hedgehog began to dial. He noticed that her hands-gloved, of course-were shaking a little as she pressed the buttons. Amy brought the phone to her ear and waited.

"Hello?" She asked, tentatively, her voice shaky. "Is this S-S-Sonic the Hedgehog? H-hi. I'm A-a-amy Rose." She paused, smiling, "Yeah, I'm the pink one." She paused again, and giggled. "Gee thanks. I was wondering if you wanted to go to the movies with me tonight." She jumped up. "You do! Oh wow! I mean... meet me at the theatre at eight, okay?" She kicked her leg up behind her. "Okay, buh-bye!"

Amy Rose hung up the phone and squealed.

"Well, that's a refreshing change," Ivo muttered.

"You still need to see Sonic. Why don't we follow her?"