I had to report back to my Master in the middle of the night after spending time with my wonderful Amy Rose; I told him I had yet to locate Cavalier Sonic, which was true. He did more maintenance on me to make sure my new form gave no issues, then gave me some possible leads to Cavalier Sonic's whereabouts.



I went to some different locations through the night and some of the day-- some were supposedly large crime syndicates, others were abandoned factories and places out in the trash heaps of neighboring cities. Some of the people I had to look into had worked with my Master in the past and since then have garnered bad blood, but their bases were completely clean. I was instructed to keep a low profile and go in unseen to keep attention away from my Master.... which annoyed me. I wanted to actually cause some destruction, especially in my true form. I was much more powerful, but I hadn't yet explored this power within my Master's command.



I refocused my train of thought back to the thievery. I was bothered who else would steal Cavalier Sonic... There was a pit in my being that said there was another person from the future I hadn't yet known. Was it me? Maybe, if that was the case... it was fortunate I couldn't find Cavalier Sonic, unless he worked directly against me. The way Cavalier Sonic behaved didn't give me the impression... But I didn't want to think too much about it. Even so, I put in my best efforts to follow my Master's instructions as I checked every lead. No stone was left unturned. Each lead I pursued with intense scrutiny.



I was satisfied with my own progress under my Master and gave detailed reports in turn, as well as extra information about any bases that he may have wanted to claim for himself. He was pleased with me and remarked that I was more productive following my upgrade. He sent me away again to continue my pursuits alone, which I would do... with some technicalities.



I hadn't yet read Amy's letter due to my duties... I missed her terribly, even though we had been apart for such a short time. This feeling had become increasingly more common. Before I reunited with her, I returned to the old base and settled in my flower garden to read her letter.





...



I...



I'd been staring at this letter for an incredibly long time. I had no idea if I went offline. Maybe I did. This...



...



I memorized every word. I reread it several times. I saved it into my systems. Even if the file got deleted, I would still remember every detail.



I may have been built for one purpose, but she gave me another when our love bloomed. Now, more than ever, she was my reason to be here. She

was more. She was everything.



I loved Amy Rose more than I could possibly comprehend...



This was my favorite letter. I kept it with me since I could best protect it that way. I put the old letters away in my room by the garden; I no longer found it necessary to keep them with me.



Reading about her love made me ache for her. Since she wanted me to open the additional envelope when I missed her, I decided it was time. I brought out the second envelope she gave me and examined it for a little while.



She was much more flustered in giving it to me. Her expression was very cute. I wondered what it was if not a letter. It was flat like a letter...



I carefully pried the envelope open with one of my claws, then pulled out what was inside. I unintentionally pulled the object out backwards, but it appeared to be a photograph. I flipped it over--



!!!



Rosy?!



It was a... a picture of her! The picture made me feel very strange. She was in a... gown... She looked at me in a particular way... Her pose...



I was heating up too fast!



I quickly flipped the photo back over so I could think. I had to make sense of this. I have seen her wear less clothing before and it did not make me feel strange. Why did this one make me feel so different?



What did she do to me?



I flipped the photo back over.



...



I flipped it again to regain the ability to think. I recalled something she said regarding clothing and removing them or otherwise: 'It's about the intention!'



Her intention here was to destroy me. She mentioned her intention with her letter, but not with this photo. It was a sneak attack. I was unprepared.



I was angry!



I flipped the photo back over and stared at it for an incredibly long time. I was... not angry? I was yearning.



It made me miss her even more. Why would she give me something that made me miss her more?! I realized that I was still also angry!!



I couldn't stop staring at it. I did not look at her face very much. Suddenly, I felt conflicted. Her face was extremely beautiful, but her outfit drew an incredible amount of my boundless attention.



I was overheating. I lost more function by the second. I couldn't stop staring.



I needed to see her. The only thought that got me to stop looking then was the desire to be with her in person. I kept the photo on me and finally left my garden. I needed to see her.





I approached her home in my disguise, which was even more annoying for me, because instead of my turbine dispelling heat, I had functions that an organic person would to cool down. My face felt unnaturally hot, my breaths brought me discomfort, I was weirdly moist on my head and under my arms. I couldn't stand it. I missed my turbine. I knocked on the door, though if she didn't answer in two seconds, I was going to enter on my own.



...! She opened it. "Hello~?" Amy's beautiful gaze locked onto me. Her cheeks flushed and she grinned. "Welcome back, cutie! You look a little frustrated."



"I... I am! How dare you!" I yelled. "You said to open the envelope when I missed you, but it did not ease my desire!"



She laughed, her face as red as mine felt. "I didn't say it would make you miss me less...~ You liked it, then?"



Like?!



I let myself inside and grabbed her arm to drag her with me. I would only be able to express my exact feelings with actions instead of words. I was angry, I was yearning, I needed her. I couldn't function without her.



We spent some romantic time together, so I felt better. Amy Rose belonged nowhere better than my own hold. She was my true love, my everything. I wanted to grow her another special flower. I was frustrated that my own emotions could not be properly expressed... But with how she responded to me, I gathered she both welcomed and reciprocated my affections.



I lay on her couch in my true form while she lay on top of me. She traced the outer rim of my chest, letting out a slow, relaxed breath. Her heartbeat soothed me. We absently watched what was on her TV at a low volume.



"So did you explode from my letter?" she asked me jokingly.



I rested my hand on her back, while my other hand propped my head to look at the TV. "I did not function for a while, so I think you were successful with your mission."



"Yay!" She shifted herself to better cuddle me. "I'm glad you didn't explode all the way, though. I love you the most when you're in one piece," she cheerfully replied. I glanced at her and saw her tail wagging happily in the air.



We had a comfortable moment together. I loved her too. I loved Amy Rose...



I spoke again: "It is my new favorite letter..."



Her eyes sparkled at me. "Really?"



"Yes."



She softly rubbed my chin. I couldn't look at her and felt my temperature rise again. Instead, I squeezed her closer to me.



We enjoyed another moment with each other... It was peaceful. I liked it. After a while, though, she grew somewhat restless. I brought my focus on her and waited for her to speak. Eventually, she sighed:



"We should probably talk about stuff we pushed off yesterday... A lot happened while you were gone."



"... Right. I'm aware of some of it... What can you tell me?" I asked in return.



"I guess the most important thing is... I think there's another robot from the future."



...! I sat up, adjusting her in my hold. She looked up at me with curiosity. I asked her: "You... you know of the other robot?"



"Yeah, does he look and sound like Sonic, but like, in armor?"



"Yes." I was relieved to not have to hide this information from her. "That's Cavalier Sonic. I had an encounter with him before."



"The name is new to me; Eggman just kept calling him, like, Prototype," she explained. I rolled my eyes. He was not very fond of the name I gave the robot. "Eggman acted like the robot was his, but he was barely holding it together. There was a huge crystal in the robot's chest that took control, and as soon as he pried it out, he went ballistic on Eggman."



"Did it seem like his goal was to fight?" I asked. I knew my Master did something with Cavalier Sonic, but I didn't know there was a battle.



"It was more like he was angry for being taken under control. That's how I took it, anyway. He said he was nice to Eggman."



I thought for a little while. "What about you? Was he aggressive to you?"



"When he was under control, yeah, but..." She frowned. "He wasn't interested in fighting me, Sonic, or Tails when he regained himself. He was about to really do a number on Eggman, but then his eyes flickered white and he looked at me. He sounded... confused."



"Hm..."



"Eggman knocked him out with a similar blast that the crystal gave, I think. He took off with the robot, but we managed to keep the crystal. Belle studied it while you were gone... It's back at your base. I'm sure you two have a lot to talk about. And... If I can help, I'm happy to."



I nodded. "Thank you, Rosy. This is new information to me," I said, tapping my chin in thought. "He must have known about you in this time... Maybe he even had an idea of where you were supposed to be. His circumstances are similar to Carillon Rose's..."



"We'll find out why they're here, hopefully," she replied. "Oh... Uh, one more thing... My friends didn't take Cavalier Sonic. We don't know who did."



"I have a feeling whoever took him is similarly involved. If..." I scratched my head. "I'm bound by my programming, Rosy. I'm afraid we won't be able to work together on locating him." My Master didn't bring up finding the specific Shield Crystal he used, so that was safe at the old base, at least.



"That's fair... We can still work on Carillon Rose, though. He doesn't know about her, right?" Amy asked me.



I shook my head. "Carillon Rose is still only known to you, me, and Belle. I prefer to keep it that way."



"Me too," she said with a nod. "... Um..." She sighed and somehow looked even more solemn. I was uncomfortable. "I need to tell you something else. Like... Unrelated to all this stuff."



"Okay. What is it?"



"Uh... but before I tell you, remember my letter that told you how much I love you and that you mean everything to me."



...



I squinted at her. "Why?" I asked.



"Just keep it in mind! And keep in mind the photo, and all those nice feelings the photo gave you."



"It also made me angry."



"But the good kind of angry that made you want to kiss me. So, remember that," she said, sighing lighter this time.



"What? What did you do?" I was suddenly stressed. She wanted me to think of pleasant things, which meant she would tell me something incredibly unpleasant.



"Uh..." Amy averted her eyes. She was quiet for a long time. "... I really love you."



"I love you too. Tell me the issue or I will be the bad kind of angry with you."



She sighed again and grabbed both of my hands, lacing our fingers together. "... My friend Rouge knows about us."



...



I stared at her for a second. "I am not sure I registered your words. Repeat that," I told her.



"Rouge knows about us!!" she screamed. "Romantically! She knows we're together!"



"What-- the Bat?!" I yelled back.



"I didn't tell her! She figured it out!"



I tightened my grip on Amy's hands because I was irritated. I had to compose myself. I stared at her for a while.



Her ears flattened as she sorrowfully returned my gaze. Her eyes slowly left mine. "It was probably my fault..."



"How?" I asked.



"She said she suspected since we had that race together. Maybe I was giving signs or something. I don't know." She quietly groaned. "I'm sorry..."



"... No, it may have been my fault," I replied, letting go of her hands. I gently touched her ears so they would perk back up. "I normally fall for her irritating words, so she might've suspected there was something keeping me stable when her tactics didn't make me angry." I wrapped her in my arms and gave her my warmth. "I am not angry with you, either. The Bat is aggravatingly cunning."



I was pleased to see her tail slightly swish. She let out a little sigh. "For what it's worth... Rouge doesn't intend to tell anybody. And... she didn't seem bothered. I wouldn't worry about her too much. Just keep it in mind if you ever have to fight her, I guess."



"She will infuriate me. There are few beings I dislike more."



"Huh." Amy sighed. "Yeah, I heard she kissed you, too," she said, her voice more firm.



"Hah!" I scoffed back. "Her crude gesture disgusted me. I wanted to kill her."



"Well, don't, but I was pretty mad when I heard about it... Mad with Rouge, I should say." She tapped her fingers against my chest. "So... Uh... You like my kisses more?"



"What? You insult me. Her gesture towards me was not worthy to be called a kiss. I've only been kissed by you, and your affection brings me immense fulfillment."



She giggled, then gently kissed me, further proving my words. I was happy... "Sorry! I didn't mean to insult my big, handsome boyfriend~"



Very happy. "You are forgiven. I am big and handsome."



We caught up on a little more and with far less intensity in our discussions. We bonded more... we stayed together. Eventually, Amy got out of my hold.



"Okay, Metal!" she beamed. "Let's do something else fun. I got to take you to an amusement park, and now I want you to take part in one of my most natural hobbies..."



"Fighting?" We already did her fortune telling.



"No!" she snapped, her hands on her hips. "Shopping! Yayyy! Say 'yay' with me."



I was very amused by her. "I will not 'yay' with you, but I will accompany you, Rosy."



"You said 'yay' anyways! That counts!" She eagerly clapped her hands together and ran off to go get herself ready. She was already dressed, but I supposed she wanted to adjust herself some since we were spending so much time together...



...



I peeked into the bathroom where she was. I stared at her for a while and thought of how to ask.



"What is it, cutie?" she asked me, putting something on her eyes while focusing on her reflection in the mirror.



... I decided to not ask. I walked in and took her nearby brush, then gently fixed her quills. She did not straighten them or have a band in place, so they puffed out no matter how frequently I brushed them. She blushed and smiled at me.



"I don't know why, but I kinda like having my quills up a bit more because of you. Maybe it's because you're also so angular and spiky," she hummed.



"Really? Regardless, your quills are pretty." I brushed them a little more than I had to since I liked the feeling. She similarly didn't seem to mind.



I finished, and shortly after, she finished applying cosmetics to her face. She shuffled into one of her drawers and pulled out the red ribbon she frequently wore, tying it behind her ears. "Ta-da! Okay, I'm ready. Thank you for your assistance," she said with a playful bow. Her bathroom was very small, so she bumped into me when she bent over. We both left the bathroom and I shifted into my disguise before we left together.



We walked down the streets like we did the previous day, except this time, we were out in the late afternoon. Amy held my hand and grinned at me.



"We look so cute together," she said excitedly. "I'm glad I get to show you off in a way."



When we initially talked about our relationship potential, she mentioned that lack of public togetherness brought her some sorrow. She no longer had to feel sorrow... I was happy I could give her more fulfillment. "As long as everyone knows you are mine, I don't care," I huffed.



"So possessive." She flicked at one of my quills with her other hand. "I kinda like it. Just remember what we talked about before."



"Yes, your desired platonic affection. I know." I looked at her. "I support your freedom, but you are mine to love the most. I am yours, too."



She giggled. "Okay, I accept that."



"What do you want to shop for?" I asked.



She shrugged. "I 'unno."



"You want to shop but you have nothing to shop for?"



"Part of the fun is just looking around! We don't have to get anything... We will probably get some things."



She amused me. "You are strange, Rosy."



"You love me for it," she said with a sly grin.



"I do, very much." I let go of her hand to pat her on the head. She looked very pleased.



Suddenly, she gasped. "Oh! I know what I want to get. Okay, how do you clean yourself? Like, officially?"



My eyes widened. I did not expect her question. "It's like... a rotating brush."



"Like, for cars?"



I thought for a moment, then nodded.



"Ooh! Okay, I want to get one for my house that you can use."



I smirked at her. "Do you plan to have me around that often? Even more, do you expect me to need cleaning when I am with you?"



She turned her nose up in the air and flailed her hand at me. "Everyone needs cleaning. Don't be gross like Sonic and pretend the wind is a bath substitute."



"Disgusting. We will get a brush and appropriate soap." With the ability to change my body shape, I could expel foreign substances very easily. However, I still enjoyed the sensation of being properly cleaned. It felt refreshing. Plus, Amy would likely offer to assist and I enjoyed her touch.



The store with proper supplies was located around several other stores that Amy would likely enjoy visiting. We went to the supplies store first; I was entertained how invested she was in picking the right items. I actually recognized quite a few of the brands... I had to stop her from buying a pink brush, though; I wanted a blue one. We instead compromised on red, a color we both had in common. Amy was happy with her purchase and took my hand, going to the next store she found interesting.



I had fun watching her in awe at various products. Her eye gravitated towards anything particularly cute, even if it was something she would have no use for. She excitedly showed me anything she thought was pleasing, though, to her credit, she didn't buy very much. We went to an entertainment store, which is where we discovered a physical copy of the movie we saw in theaters. She didn't think twice before buying it.



I found her the most entertaining when we went to a clothing store she adored. Every other sentence was interrupted by a gasp or sounds of awe. We went from carrying around hardly any items to carrying a pile of clothes to the dressing room...



I waited for her as she tried on various outfits. She hopped out of the changing room and posed in a lacy black dress, similar in shape to her usual dress. "Look! We can be broody together," she beamed.



I admired her... She was incredibly beautiful. "It is cute on you."



"Isn't it? I need to find a little hat to go with it. That being said, I'm not sure what occasion I'd wear this for," she grumbled, twirling around in the dress. "Maybe a themed party... Eh! I guess I shouldn't get it until then. Grade me out of ten."



"Each one will be ten, Rosy. I'm not even trying to flatter you."



She giggled and shyly shuffled her feet. "I know you're not, but you're still flattering me anyway~" She went back into the dressing room.



As expected, every outfit she tried was very attractive. I felt thankful she didn't ask me to pick a favorite this time... There were plenty of outfits she decided not to keep, but she still bought an impressive amount of them. I carried the shopping bags for her as we walked out. She made me wait outside a store with very lacy clothes; she looked incredibly pleased with herself when she walked out with a smaller bag in hand.



"Let's get some food! I wanna look at shoes after. I need a good pair of black boots." She guided me along the paths to an area with a lot of food shops and restaurants. We could no longer hold hands since my hands were full and she started to hold a few things as well.



My ears twitched and I stopped walking. I heard a sound I hated.



Amy stopped after me, then looked at me with a brow raised. "What?" Her eyes widened. "Oh--"



"Ames!" yelled that infuriating rat as he smeared into view like an unwanted stain. He interrupted my time with my Amy. I wanted to kill him.



"Hey, Sonic!" Amy's voice was far too cheerful. I did not approve of her eagerness to accept him, but I said nothing because she did not need my approval.



"Heya!" He turned his head towards me. "You know Amy?" He asked in a fake polite voice, then waved at me. I wanted to break his hand.



"Oh...! Sonic, this is my boyfriend. He's living with me for a little while," Amy said, lightly bumping her hip to mine.



"Oh, whoa!" Sonic laughed. I hated him. "I've heard quite a bit about you! They call me Sonic the Hedgehog," he said, holding his hands to his side like he was cooler than he actually was. "What about you?"



How much has he heard? I would have to ask Amy the kind of information she gave him. "It's Kai," I said through clenched teeth. Amy looked particularly relieved with me.



"Nice to meetcha, Kai. I'd shake your hand, but I see you're occupied. Hah! Been there." He winked at Amy and I wanted to kill him even more. "It's nice to have you around. You live a long distance away, right? I hope you really enjoy the city!"



I glared at him. Amy lightly shoved me to respond.



"Yes. Thank you," I said.



He gave me a smile. I could tell he was reading me. I was reading him more. "I'd love to get to chat with you for real sometime. How long are you staying in town?" he asked.



"Indefinitely. I sleep with Amy."



"K-Kai!" she shouted, blushing. "Sorry, Sonic. He's not used to being around people. We, uh, don't know how long he's staying. There's stuff going on back at his home."



Sonic laughed, then flailed one of his hands in dismissal. "It's fine, doesn't bother me. Well, hey! I'm always around if you need any help getting used to the city... Though you're with Amy! She's one of the most reliable people I know."



Amy replied before I could, which was probably wise: "Thank you very much, Sonic! Let's all definitely catch up sometime... Uh... Sorry, but we're gonna keep going. I'll see you soon, okay?" she said in such a sweet voice. He did not deserve to hear such a beautiful voice.



"Yeah, no worries! Thanks for talking with me. I'll see you later, Ames, Kai!" He waved at us, then sped away.



I finally relaxed every point of tension in my body. I let out a long sigh.



"... I guess it could've been worse," she sighed out as well.



"I hate him so much, Rosy. I hate him. I hate him. His face makes me so angry. You cannot expect me to talk to him. Please tell me you do not expect that of me."



She started to walk, so I followed at her side. "I mean... How much exposure outside of battle have you had with him? Was the last time when we had that racing competition?" she asked.



"Yes."



"Maybe this way you can start to get used to him. Look, when you're out here with me in public, we're going to come across people we know eventually. Sonic often stays here since Tails's workshop is around, and since he runs fast, well, it's likely we'll come across him in public the most." She frowned at me. "You didn't seem so agitated when we raced. What was different this time? I'm genuinely asking."



"I looked forward to destroying him in a race, so I saved my aggression for that. Similarly, he did not appear out of nowhere and interrupt my precious time with you. Our date was already compromised by unwanted guests."



Amy nodded at me, then thought for a little while. "How about... some positive reinforcement? Every time you successfully restrain yourself, I'll do something special for you," she said, smiling.



"I wanted to break his hand, and I did not. Do I get something for that?"



She let out a small laugh. "Would you have tried to if you had nothing in your hands?" she asked.



I had to think about her question for a while. "... No... You would not want me to. And it would draw attention when I am trying to remain inconspicuous."



"You thought about that for a bit too long," she said with a smirk.



"I'm making my best efforts," I grumbled.



"Let's just consider this a practice round. For what it's worth, your first encounter with him as, uh, Kai, went better than I expected... But I can't believe you said you sleep with me!" She emphasized in a hushed tone, lightly slapping my shoulder with the back of her hand.



"He needed to know our bond and that I am better than him."



"I'll talk to you about phrasing later." Amy let out a long sigh, her face incredibly red. "And I promise you, he doesn't care," she replied, exhausted.



"I still wanted to say it."



She eventually regained some energy, then she playfully elbowed me. "Alright, well, we're getting some food after all that... And I'm making you get a meal this time."



We went to this restaurant that had more junk, but all of it was junk to me. I got a grilled cheese sandwich, acceptable on its own even though I could make a better one. Amy got some tenders for herself and a milkshake she wanted us to share.



"You've had a few savory things, so try something sweeter," she said with a smile, lightly pushing the glass over to me.



I stared at it for a while. It didn't smell strange...



"It's not going to bite," she laughed.



"I'm taking my time," I huffed back. I tried the milkshake... Cold! I did not expect it to be as cold as it was. However, it was not unpleasant. I did find the sweetness acceptable.



Amy giggled at me. "Oh, your face is so cute!!"



I glared at her and returned the glass. "What?"



"You clearly really liked it. I'll have to make you something as sweet and cute as you are." She lightly kissed me.



I hated our public location. I wanted to kiss her more thoroughly. "It was acceptable," I replied. She laughed again... Her gaze made my temperature rise. I thought less of our unpleasant encounter with the Hedgehog.



"Thank you for letting me take you everywhere," she softly told me, giving me another kiss on the cheek. "I love you."



She told me her affections many times, yet I still had a strong reaction each time. I wanted to melt... I wanted to soar. I did not have my turbine, which frustrated me. I kissed her on the mouth and cared less about the public space. "I love you too, Rosy..."



Her eyes sparkled as she stared at me... And then she puffed her cheeks with a pout. "I want to go home..."



"We can, if you want."



She made a dramatic sigh. "Nooo, I still want the boots. I felt like this a lot when we were at the amusement park, too."



I was surprised. "Why?"



"Because then nothing's stopping me from loving on you," she sighed again. "It's so hard being me..."



I laughed at her. She grinned and lightly nudged me again.



"... Maybe I don't want the boots that much," she hummed, tugging a little on my coat. "What do you want to do?"



"I want to feverishly embrace you."



Her face reddened and she turned away from me, but her tail betrayed her. I was amused.



We did not go to any stores after that and instead made our way back to her house. We spent a lot of time together... I was very happy.