My Master did not forget about what he told me before he abandoned me on that island, so I couldn't say thinking about him made me feel as bitter. The day I returned to the old base and spent time with Amy Rose, my Master called me and told me his plans to upgrade me back into Neo Metal Sonic.



Despite my Master's remarks towards Cavalier Sonic, he was very interested in how he functioned. The way his face could transform implied he was like Neo in design, but unlike me, he was not obedient and his coding was still enigmatic; also, his body composition had substances unknown to us. He wanted to upgrade me as a way to better control Cavalier Sonic and provide additional avenues in understanding his composition and programming.



Ultimately, I agreed with his ideas... I just hoped he would not command me to actually destroy Cavalier Sonic. I stood much more of a chance against Cavalier Sonic even if I couldn't annihilate him entirely, but there was still a lot I did not know about him. I hoped to learn more and hopefully with more composure on my end.



... My Master lost track of Cavalier Sonic. He was stolen over the month I was offline for my upgrade, and sources showed that the thievery was not at the hands of the Hedgehog and our usual adversaries. Even so, I had finally completed my transformation into Neo Metal Sonic. My next mission was to eventually locate Cavalier Sonic and bring him back to my Master, meaning I was not expected at the base.



Even though I wasn't 'free' in the sense that I was the first time I became Neo, I was still very happy. I felt more powerful, I could study combat data more efficiently, copy bio-data if needed, and I could also change form to whatever I found useful. I had a proper voice processor that didn't come from the future. Additionally, my Master didn't integrate me with data that bled his personality to mine this time... I similarly did not have any intention to transform into Metal Overlord or any variation thereof.



My upgrade was completed in the dead of the night; my Master did my diagnostics and then fell asleep. I left the base immediately afterwards. The very first thing I wanted to do was to reunite with my Amy. I first chose a flower from my thankfully still-healthy garden and went for her home when I saw she wasn't in our shared bedroom. I created a disguise that looked like a normal hedgehog so I could approach her front door without worry.



I did not expect her to cry when I revealed myself to her. After hugging me and wiping her tears, she gave me a passionate kiss. It felt somewhat similar to our usual kisses, but softer, and also she used her tongue, so I didn't know what to do there. We went inside her home together, and as soon as she put the flower in a vase, she hugged me tightly again and mercilessly kissed me. She missed me very much... I didn't feel the passage of time during my upgrade, but I missed her too.



"I-is this your upgrade? You look fleshy!" Amy exclaimed. "You're very handsome!"



"Somewhat. I'm Neo Metal once again... But now I can enter your home without rousing suspicion," I replied. "... Thank you," I replied a little quieter.



She was no longer crying, but her face was still completely red. "You're Neo? Should I call you that from now on?"



"I like you calling me Metal," I admitted. "... Do you want to see my true form?" I asked.



She vigorously nodded. I did not expect her enthusiasm.



Before her eyes, I changed form with the unique composition of my body. I was much taller than her and had to tilt my head down to meet her gaze. I didn't have the opportunity to request aesthetic changes from my Master, but I hardly had any room to complain since I preferred my Neo form regardless and could make my own adjustments. I wanted to be able to recline with Amy and hold her without worrying I could no longer fit anywhere; I guessed we could do some testing. So, my design was the same as my original Neo form: large spikes for my quills, regal pauldrons, studded belt and cloth, arms and legs sleeved with armor. I finally looked fitting to be with someone as wonderful as Amy Rose.



I... didn't know what she thought. She was very quiet as she stared at me, and it made me slightly... anxious. I worried she did not approve, even though she said in the past that she would approve regardless. She circled around me and stared at my body up and down. Eventually, she stopped in front of me again.



"God, you're gorgeous," she said with an airy sigh.



Oh...! I was very pleased. "You approve, then?" I asked. I picked her up so that we were at eye level.



"Of course I do!" She giggled-- a heavenly sound-- and hugged me around my shoulders. "I'm glad your voice as Neo is the one I'm used to, too." She kissed me again and I experienced the type of kiss I was pleasantly accustomed to. While holding her with one of my arms, I gently held the side of her head and kissed her back.



She gave me such a loving gaze that made me want to melt. I could actually melt if I wasn't careful. I asked her: "Which appearance do you prefer the most? Of all my forms, not just the two you've seen today." I thought for a second. "Bipedal forms."



"I love them all, Metal, because they're you," she said in the sweetest tone, caressing the side of my head as well. She rubbed around the spikes on my cheeks.



"So you also love the one I showed up today in?"



"Yes," she giggled. "And I love that I could see you smile."



"I don't smile." If I did, I didn't do it on purpose.



She laughed so joyfully. "Sure, just like you don't purr, right?"



"I don't!" I huffed. "We will not argue further. Instead, tell me one form you prefer the most, and I will remain that form in private."



Amy sighed and didn't answer for a while. Eventually, she said: "Which one are you the most comfortable in?"



"That wasn't an answer to my question," I replied. "I would like to know your answer, please."



"My answer depends on your comfort!" she whined.



"I want to know your aesthetic preferences."



Amy sighed and crossed her arms; her cheeks were incredibly red. "Well, we became much closer in your base form, so that will always be special to me... Uh... I don't know!" she said, dropping her head. "I... I guess, if this was life-or-death and I had to pick one, I would pick Neo," she muttered.



...! That was also my favorite one. I was happy. I would be happy either way, but I was extra pleased she preferred my true form, the form I originally built on my own. "When we are alone, I will continue to look this way, then," I said with pride. "... You were never in mortal danger."



She giggled, nuzzling her head back to me. "I know, it's just a hypothetical to help me decide. Ugh, I missed you..."



I took a brief moment to admire her. "Coincidentally, I also prefer this form. However, if you ever want to see a different one, I will change for you."



"I want you to change whenever you feel like changing! I'll keep it in mind, though," she said with a smirk. She likely sensed I was about to debate with her again. "Anyways... it's funny how you talk about your forms. For you, it's just like clothes."



I thought for a moment, then nodded. "It is kind of like that," I muttered in agreement. "Though I have different abilities depending on what I change into."



"Yeah? So is this a new body? Or is this, like..." She gestured at me.



"This is the same body, though explaining it is a little complicated," I said, averting my eyes. If something went incredibly wrong, there was a chance I could revert back to my Master's original design. Thankfully, all of my systems were upgraded from previous iterations of Neo, meaning I would have a much harder time losing my form. My future self had Neo as a base form, which meant he would always keep his preferred appearance... Freeing. I gently put Amy down.



She took my hands and laced her fingers with mine, lovingly watching me. She was quiet for a while as she stared at me. I felt very admired. With a light sigh, she let go of me to hug me again. Her face was very close to my chest. I played with her quills and enjoyed their feeling between my claws. I would stay with her for as long as she wanted to make up for our time lost.



Eventually, Amy took me to her bedroom since she wanted to cuddle me. The first test of this form and perceived comfort...



"There's so much I need to talk to you about... But... I don't care right now." She pulled me down to her bed, already pressing herself against me. I could lay on my side well enough... The spikes on my cheeks were somewhat annoying. I temporarily turned them into bolts to better lay there. I put one of my legs over her and kept her close to me.



"I wish I could have returned sooner," I said.



"All that matters is that you're here," she replied with a happy sigh. "My Metal... I'm just so happy you're with me! I love you..."



"I love you too," I replied with my full affection. I could see how the distance pained her. I did not want her to feel pain.



I liked being much bigger than her since it meant I could hold her entire self to me... That being said, I still needed to get used to my form and the reach I had. I felt the back of her head and allowed my hand to trail down to her back. She kissed me again.



I wanted to stay here forever...



...



I changed my mind.



"Rosy," I started. "Where are my items I gave you to hold?"



"Hunh...? Oh! You want your stuff back already?"



"Yes."



She moved out from my hold and went to her desk at the other end of the room. I got up and followed her, at first looking down, but then looking at the framed flower she had instead. I felt warm... I liked that she kept my flowers for so long, even the very first one I gave her.



My attention went back to Amy as she fiddled with a small box. "I kept everything safe for you, as promised!" she beamed, opening it with a key. Our good luck charms were hooked together... She carefully brought them apart, then gently placed my charm to my palm. I felt relief having it again...



"I thought you moved your charm to your hammer," I said.



Her cheeks flushed as she handed me my letter with a key on top of it. I briefly opened the letter just to make sure the other note was inside. "Well," she started, "I didn't think it was fair you couldn't have yours, so I stopped carrying mine until you got back."



... I loved Amy Rose...



I created a compartment in one of my arms and put my items inside. They would be even safer with my new body composition. Amy took her charm and went to attach it back to her hammer. I briefly looked back at the box, noticing a couple more letters inside. I recognized one of them, but the other one looked--



She slapped the box shut.



"No peeking!" she said, stern.



Oh... "I didn't thoroughly look," I mumbled.



"Good. I wrote you a letter, but I'm not ready to give it to you yet."



Oh...! "I will respect your wishes, Rosy," I replied. She desired secrecy for her gifts, much like me with my garden. With my items returned, I was ready to stay in the bed forever once more.



I believed Amy had the same idea, since she dragged me back to bed and, this time, went under the covers. She had no plans to leave my hold, just as I had no plans to let her go.



She talked to me for a little while, but not too long after, she fell asleep. Actually, she fell asleep mid-sentence. I didn't think she had much rest...



I enjoyed my night with my Amy. I was in a very good mood because of my upgrades and because I got to spend time with her once more. She huddled against me, reminding me that I was her favorite. I was her true love. She was mine, too. I turned my vision off and listened to the rhythm of her breaths.



The sun rose after several hours, but Amy showed no signs of waking. I wanted to be here when she woke up, but... I hadn't cooked for her in a long time and wanted to have something ready for her. I was in a predicament. Her limbs tangled with mine and she was so unconscious that she drooled on one of my shoulders. When I slightly moved, she held onto me tighter.



...



She was awfully cute... I kissed her wherever I could reach. I relaxed with her for several more minutes, then came to the conclusion she would not wake anytime soon.



I very carefully parted from her; as I did, she clutched onto a different pillow and grappled it like it was me. I quietly left the room and went for her kitchen. From there, I checked the ingredients she had in store and pondered what to make her. I flipped through some recipes in my own database... Hmm... I checked the lower cabinets in the kitchen.



...! Ah. I knew what to make. I took out a waffle maker from her storage, then I took all necessary ingredients from the fridge and cabinets. I began my next masterful display of culinary creation. Even better, I had additional senses at my disposal. I could better detect scents, even in my Neo form. If I used a more organic disguise, I could similarly taste...



...



While mixing batter, I stared at the bunch of strawberries I took out of the fridge. I briefly paused, glanced behind me, then looked back to the strawberries. I shifted to my organic disguise and grabbed one. I wasn't sure what to make of the scent, but it did not show any signs of age or decay... I didn't know how to describe scents in the same way other organic beings could.



I ate it. Weird sensation.



...!



I didn't know why, but I wanted more. I ate another, and a third... And then I realized I was taking away food meant for Amy. I quickly stopped. Taste was more addicting than I expected... I did not want to get carried aw--



I could eat food Amy Rose makes. While I would cook for her, I had a new request to make. I had to focus and make her something excellent. She could become inspired by my own work.



I returned to my true form as I cooked; I had a better time grabbing all the needed tools since I couldn't get accustomed to weirdly stubby organic hands. Also, I did not want to be tempted to eat more food.



"Metal?" I heard Amy's voice from her bedroom. She sounded... sad. I looked behind me as she walked out. She frowned and stared at the ground, but when she saw me, her face brightened and her posture changed.



"Good morning, Rosy," I said.



"Metal!!" She hurried over to me and tightly hugged me; I had to hold my mixing bowl above her so it would not spill. "I thought I was dreaming!"



"I am real," I replied. "Did you sleep well?"



"Honestly, that's the best sleep I've had since forever," she said with a sigh. She let go of me, her eyes sparkling as she watched me. "What are you making? It smells so good!"



"Breakfast for you," I said with a nod. I carefully poured the batter into the waffle maker. She giggled at me, causing me to look back at her. "What?" I asked.



"You're so tall!" she laughed. "You have to hunch over to do anything in my kitchen."



"I don't mind." I felt very superior by being at a much greater height. That being said, I was happy to lift Amy up to my own height.



She sat in a chair near the counter with the vase and watched me, her hands propping up her head. Whenever I glanced at her, she carried a smile that made my temperature rise. I didn't want to get distracted like when we made that soup together... I silently pledged to not look at her until I finished creating her meal.



"So..." I heard her fingers tap against the counter. "You were gone that long for a big upgrade? How does it feel to be Neo again?"



"I am very happy," I responded. "I am in my own design, and similarly, my presence will be less noticeable to your allies should we spend time in the open." I thought for a brief moment. "... I will not shift beyond my current form," I said. "I cannot express to you all of my Master's intentions, but I was not upgraded to turn into something else."



"That's pretty good to know," she hummed in reply. She gasped and continued: "Hold on, it's finally hitting me. I could actually take you places? We could go to the movies again!" she beamed. "But you'll be in your preferred clothes. What did you have on last night? Was it like, a trench coat?"



"Yes," I replied.



"Wait, what happened to it? You transformed in front of me, but..."



I began stacking up waffles that were finished cooking. There were a few imperfect ones I set aside, while I intended the perfect ones to go to Amy. "Though the clothes I wear behave like clothes, I did create them," I answered. My clothing was as strong as the rest of my body; it served well as protective coverage.



I felt her tug on the cloth behind my belt. Admittedly, she caught me off guard. I looked back at her and she grinned at me as she was bent over the counter. "So this too? Can you just take it off?"



"Yes...?" I preferred it on to complete the menacing look. Her tone, however, made me feel strange.



"You're so interesting," she giggled, sitting back down. Her cheeks were flushed. She was very pretty...



... I... betrayed myself. I wasn't supposed to look at her. I snapped my head back to focus on the food.



"Could we... go somewhere today?" she sweetly asked me. "I've always wanted to go to a certain place with you..."



After big projects, my Master would wind down for a little while. Considering I was a finished project, he probably wouldn't summon me so long as he knew I was available for his command. I nodded. "I will go anywhere with you, Rosy."



"Yay! Oh...! I need to get ready--"



"No," I said, turning to look at her. "Eat first... Uh, please."



She stood up to leave, but just as quickly sat down. She joyfully laughed. "Right. I want to have your breakfast at the proper time," she teased.



"Good." I made her plate, topped the waffles with syrup and fruit, then finally offered it to her. I watched her to gauge her response.



As soon as she took a bite, her eyes were shining. "Mmh...!" She playfully slapped one side of her face as she savored the meal. "So sweet and fluffy!"



I was pleased. While she ate, I cleaned up the aftermath of my crafting process and set aside all the extra waffles in case she wanted more. I watched her enjoy her food. I was happy to make her anything.



"I should just give up cooking and have you always cook for me instead, hehe."



"No," I said, very firm.



"What?! Aw, why not?" she pouted.



I tapped my claws on the counter. "Because... I have a request for you."



"Hmm?" She tilted her head, smiling at me again.



"I want to try your cooking. So I request that you continue, at least until then."



Her face flushed a much deeper shade and she shyly moved her head away, but kept her focus on me. "You can taste food now?" she asked.



"In some forms, yes. My true form is an exception for obvious reasons." I averted my eyes. "I did not lie to you when I told you food wasn't a desire of mine. I get my energy in other ways, so it is excess for me... But upon the realization I could experience it, I desire your cooking. So..."



She giggled. "Yeah...~? I'll have to make you a really special dinner! Maybe you'll say something that makes me pass out this time..."



"I'm not very skilled at coming up with intimate innuendo on the spot," I said in thought. I was proud of flustering her the day before we fought in the canyon.... Though I didn't realize she was flustered until she crumbled under my gaze. I was very entertained.



Amy coughed and patted her chest. "I-innuendo?!" she screamed. "I didn't say anything like that at the dinner!"



"Declarations of love don't overload you in the same way anymore," I said. "But romantic innuendo does. I would have to use that to make you pass out."



"E-excuse me?! Try it and see what happens!!" Her face was very red. I was entertained once more... I enjoyed her playful anger and how flustered she became.



"What would happen?" I asked.



I didn't even have to do anything but say my thoughts out loud. She did not reply to me, instead devouring her food. She drank an entire glass of water without really stopping, and that whole time, she refused to look at me. I chuckled at her, making her even more flustered.



"Your behavior entertains me," I said, amused. "To address your offer, if you'd like to make a dinner for the both of us... I would be very happy."



"Okay," she said much quieter, brushing her fingers through her quills. "Thank you for the food," she said with a shy smile.



I slightly tilted my head as I admired her. "I am happy you enjoyed it. I am not requesting your presence in the kitchen anymore... I might leave while you get ready." I washed her empty plate as I thought. "I did stop by the old base to bring you one of my flowers, but I did not check on Nova or other parts of the base."



"Aw...! Nova misses you so much! Please go see them!" she exclaimed. "And take your time... How about we meet back here in an hour? We'll leave on our date together." She stood up from her chair and reached up to touch my face; I leaned down for her. She kissed me...



I put my arms around her and picked her up, kissing her again. She hugged me and rubbed our heads together, her tail eagerly wagging. Satisfied, I gently put her down, then I transformed into my disguise. She watched me with awe.



"Man...! It's wild to me that you can do that," she said with wide eyes.



I wanted to ask her a question... but it could wait. I softly touched the side of her face one more time. "I'll return to you in an hour," I said.



She grinned at me and gave me a gaze I loved so much. We parted at last, but we would be together again before long. I took one of the imperfect waffles to eat when I left. It was acceptable. I should have taken more than one.



I left my Amy's home without rocketing away; I didn't transform back until I was out of town. The worst part about this disguise is that I couldn't use my turbine... Awful. Slow. Hated it. Amy should understand that my love for her was great enough to temporarily sacrifice one of my best attributes...



I approached the old base in my true form and unlocked the door. As soon as I could perceive the inside of the base, Nova was right there, standing and staring straight at me. They looked like... me. They looked like my original form, but with more white.



"Hello, Nova." I walked inside and let the door close behind me. Strangely, I did feel relief seeing them. Nova took care of one of the gardens... I still did not trust them to care for my flowers yet. There was an entire month of training lost, too.



Nova stared at me for a while, then waddled up to me. They sniffed one of my legs, then a heart formed above their head. They screamed, but it was not a scream of terror. They fluttered up to me and clung to the underside of my head, purring loudly and rubbing their head to mine, over and over.



... I assumed the child missed me like what Amy said. I walked forward while I placed my palm to their head. My hand was big enough to crush their entire body if I wasn't careful.



"Are you well?" I asked. I didn't know why I spoke to the creature even knowing they could not respond in an intelligent way. The exact feeling was hard to describe.



These feelings reminded me of Belle. I accessed our connection to see if she noticed I came back online.





She was very concerned. These messages were sent over the span of several hours. Sending her a reply completely slipped my mind...





I did not have the desire to tell her I was going on a date. After bringing my attention away from our connection, I focused back to Nova and walked to the produce garden.



There was a lot of vegetation, and more than what I planted before. Amy and Nova likely planted more on their own... I noticed two more trees for chao fruit were up, too. The garden was lively and well cared for... Though I preferred to maintain it on my own, their involvement didn't bother me as much as it should have. Even though the crops were technically not by my hand only, they would still be superior to the alternatives.



A new whiteboard hung on the wall by all my gardening supplies. A grid of the garden beds and all the crops were listed, as well as their expected growth rates. I had this information available already, but Amy likely didn't; this was her handwriting and everything was color-coordinated. She was more interested in helping the garden than I expected.



In one of the corners of the whiteboard were several drawings of figures. I noticed two separate drawings of Amy, Nova, and me; one had smoother lines, while the other was more scribbled out. Amy drew herself with her quills up, which I thought was cute... Her art was pleasing to look at. She drew us holding hands and a heart above our heads. Between us was Nova, the ball above their head also a heart. The scribbly drawing was beside it, Nova much larger in the picture, Amy with her quills down, and me with... angry eyebrows. I did not have eyebrows.



Nova stopped cuddling against me and fluttered to the whiteboard. "Chao!" they exclaimed, gesturing to the scribbled drawings.



"Did you make that?" I asked.



Nova appeared very proud.



...



I patted them on the head. They excitedly squeaked at me, heart above their head again. I glanced around the rest of the garden... "You did very well, Nova. I will no longer be absent for such a long time if I can help it."



"Cha-chao!"



I walked towards the garden exit; Nova perched on my head, preventing themselves from sliding off by leaning against my ears. I nearly left entirely until I saw my doll inside Nova's heart-shaped bed.



I snatched the doll. "This is not yours. Do not go into my room." Whether or not the creature could understand my commands, I was going to say it anyway. Deterring Nova from certain areas of the base would be a focus of mine in the near-future...



I spent a little more time with Nova, put everything where it was supposed to be, then I left. I did not yet check the lab; I would discuss more with Belle anyway and I didn't want to think of other robots when I was about to go on a date. I didn't care if I was being selfish.



As I got closer to my Amy's neighborhood, I disguised myself as a normal hedgehog once more and traveled down the sidewalks. When I passed by others, they hardly paid attention to me. I wasn't used to it. I stuck my hands in my pockets and tried to ease my own tension.



I approached her home and knocked on the door, this time in broad daylight. Why did I feel nervous?



The door opened. It took a second for Amy to recognize me, but once she did, she gave me a wide smile. Her outfit matched her cheery disposition. I admired her.



"Hey! Ready to go out?" she asked, grinning.



"I'm yours, Rosy."