Amy was still sick for the next few days, but the medicine and my attention brought her to health quicker. Though she was much more able than she acted, I realized she just wanted to be pampered. I understood the feeling, so I proudly did the same for her.



She purred very loudly when I washed her head in the bath and she had no teasing remarks when I dried her afterwards. She just wanted to be cared for and she was incredibly happy. I thought to tell her later she didn't have to be sick to get extra attention. I also enjoyed giving her that affection.



Fortunately, I wasn't called back to the base while she was feeling ill, so I spent all my free time with her. I left only twice to check on Nova and my gardens when she was asleep. Though I did enjoy caring for my Amy, I was relieved she regained a lot of her energy and started acting normal again.



"Okay. The mountain resort trip is soon. Make sure no one calls you because I'll actually go destroy that base with my own two hands if they do," Amy said, very stern. She still had a bit of a stopped nose, which made her sound far less threatening. I loved it.



"I know what I'll say to prevent contact for that long. Don't worry," I replied. I brought her breakfast to the table and watched her down it at an incredible pace. I was cooking different foods for her, so she might have been relieved to have something other than various types of soup and popsicles.



"Yay!" She let out a satisfied sigh, pushing the empty plate away from her. "... Metal?"



"Hm?"



"Can I buy you winter clothes for the trip? Pleeeease. Please please please. I know you don't need them but I want them." She clasped her hands together and gave me big, doey eyes.



I nearly laughed because she looked so cute, especially with her egregious amount of sniffling. "Why do you want them? That sounds like a waste on me."



"It would look so cute and handsome on you. Pleeeeease." She shook her closed hands at me, shutting her eyes tightly.



I tilted my head at her. "If it makes you happy, Rosy."



"It makes me so happy!" She beamed, then coughed. I squinted and slapped the bottle of medicine in front of her. She should've taken it an hour ago and I knew she didn't. "Aw, man..." She poured the medicine into a small cup herself.



"Hmm... A while ago, Sage gifted me some warm gloves. They were made for my base form, though... I wonder if they would fit my disguise."



She gasped out. "Yes! I'll get you a scarf to match your gloves! And a sweater! I want to see you in a sweater."



"I can simply transform so you can see what it looks like--"



"Ah-ah! Nope!" She held her index finger up at me. "We're going shopping and you're trying on clothes for me."



I crossed my arms. "It was you who told me a long time ago to ask nicely for things I want."



She dramatically sighed. "May we please go shopping so that I can see your beautiful form adorned with additional clothes pleasing to the eye, my darling?"



"Yes. Your sarcasm didn't work since you flattered me greatly."



She giggled, standing up from the chair and taking my hands to hers. "You are beautiful, and you are my darling~"



I leaned down and kissed her. "As are you to me." I admired her and I couldn't help but kiss her again. "... Take your medicine." She poured it, but never drank it.



"Guh!" She let go of me and finally took the medicine. I nodded at her when she showed me the empty cup in an exaggerated manner.



I was very amused by her. She allowed herself to be far more playful around me. Night and day compared to how she was in battle and how she sometimes interacted with others. To me, that meant she was very comfortable around me.



She went back over to me and hugged me tightly, letting out a much softer sigh this time. "It's nice you don't get sick like I do, so I can be as close as I want..." She lifted her head and stared up at me. "... You don't get sick like I do, right?"



I chuckled. "No, I can't catch your ailments."



She went back to hugging me. "Ahhh..." I was amused she asked me if I could get sick after already being all over me for a few days. That being said, I didn't mind at all. It was fulfilling to care for her. "Okay, I'll go get ready." She raised her arms to get me to lean down, then gave me a final sweet kiss before walking to the bathroom. I watched her, then quietly left out the back door to stay in my true form.



I quickly made my way back to the old base so that I could bring her more gifts. I had to go into the private room by my garden to grab the gloves I mentioned before. Sage knitted all sorts of items for everyone in the base, especially for my Master. She told me she wanted to make me a hat, but she couldn't figure out how it would fit on my head... which was fair. That would still apply in my true form. So, she made red gloves, pointed at the ends to fit my claws. They were essentially a useless clothing item, but I could probably use them well in my disguise. I examined them for a while, then stored them away, separate from where I put my precious items.



I stared at the letter for a while... I completed it already. I decided to read it through. I could see no errors, and my words were truthful, but... I didn't want to give it to her yet, despite how it was the proper time. I put the letter back on the desk and decided I would give it to her at the next opportunity.



Afterwards, I cut multiple flowers to give to my Amy. I chose a few pink and a few purple ones, one with green stems and the other with blue. Their petals were rounded and soft. Surely she would appreciate them.



I returned to her house in record time while protecting the flowers from my incredible speed. I went back in through the back door-- she was still in the shower, so she likely didn't notice my absence. I went to her vase on the counter near the kitchen and placed them inside.



She eventually walked out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her torso. I stood in front of the vase, obscuring it from view. She shot a glare at me as she walked towards her bedroom.



... I was confused.



I walked over to her door and knocked. "Rosy?"



"Oh, now you want to talk?" she huffed.



It seemed I was missing something. "Were you talking to me before?"



"What do you mean?! You have an insane sense of hearing! There's no way you didn't hear me call for you!"



Ah. I scratched my head. "I briefly left while you were occupied, Rosy. What did you want to say?"



She opened the door, not completely dressed, but in a very cute black dress with white accents. "You left?" she asked, her eyes slightly widened. "Oh. Uh..." She crossed her arms, her cheeks flushed. "Well, I'm not mad at you, then."



"Regardless, I didn't mean to be gone while you needed me. Is there anything I can do now?"



She looked away from me, but her tail swished back and forth. "No... It's fine...~ Did you have to leave for something important?"



"Relatively, yes. But I'll stay with you for the rest of the day." I wondered when she would notice the flowers. I didn't tell her so she could later be surprised by them.



Amy was happy with my answer and went back to getting dressed. She threw on a cardigan and had similarly colorful leggings. I noticed her black boots... She bought some for herself after all.



I examined the cork board in her room while she went to dry her quills. She put the tickets from both the amusement park and the botanical gardens there to preserve the memory... I was heartened at how she honored our time together.



The photo she bought at the amusement park was framed and propped up on her nightstand. I picked it up and examined it for a little while. She even liked a picture as unflattering as this... She was beautiful, though.



I put the picture back down and went towards her. She used a unique blow dryer for her quills, then brushed and straightened them down. She paused to look at me, giving me a smile. I leaned down and kissed her.



She squeaked, likely not expecting my affection. Her mouth left my muzzle and her cheeks reddened. I wanted to kiss her again... I waited for her to finish, then as she left the bathroom, I picked her up and twirled her around. She giggled, clinging onto my shoulders. I got my second kiss.



I put her back down so I could change to my disguise. She put a mask over the bottom half of her face, black like her dress. I liked it as a style, but I didn't like that it prevented me from kissing her more. "What is that for?" I asked.



"I don't wanna get other people sick even though I'm feeling better," she said, her voice slightly covered. "I'm ready now! Let's g--" She cut herself off with a loud gasp, walking over to the vase of flowers. I proudly lifted my head.



"Ahhh! These are gorgeous!!" She pulled her mask down and sniffed the flowers, her tail wagging that much more. "I love them so much!"



I was about to reply, but she jumped against me and gave me another eager kiss. I was caught off guard, so I didn't kiss her properly in the disguise. She noticed, then giggled, giving me another chance.



"Is that why you were gone?" she asked after our mouths parted.



"Yes. Also, I got the gloves." I gently let go of her, then brought the gloves out from my coat pocket to show them.



"Ohh! Cute!" She gently examined the gloves, but didn't take them from me. Her face reddened more when she glanced at the flowers again. "I'm way less mad, then..."



"You... Were you still angry?" I asked, confused.



"No, but I think it's sweet you brought me flowers in such a short time..." She ran one of her fingers up my chin and gave me a smooth stare. I found it very alluring, but I didn't know how to reply.



Amy pulled her mask back up and took one of my hands, then guided me out the door. We were going to get clothes for me, I supposed... Not that I minded much. The idea made her very happy and I wanted her to have fun. She would also be staring at me a lot and admiring me, which similarly brought me joy.



Instead of walk, we took Amy's car, so I assumed we were going far deeper into the city... or she planned to buy way too many things. I wouldn't let her overindulge in buying clothes for me... they would only be useful in cold weather, and even then it was for style. Weather didn't necessarily bother me even though I could feel different temperatures.



Then again... I didn't want to make Amy cold. Hm. Maybe the clothes would be useful for her to stay close to me without worrying about my outer shell. I thought about it for a while.



"I know we can't talk about it in depth, but is Cavalier Sonic still out there?" she asked.



I brought my attention to Amy as she drove. "Yes," I replied. "... Hopefully he is still in one piece, but whoever stole him likely didn't intend to scrap him. My Master was more likely to do so if he got frustrated enough with his project."



"I think we'll get answers when we find him."



Answers. That's what everyone wanted from these robots. Too many questions, too few answers. "What are you hoping to learn?"



Amy tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. We were in traffic, so we moved awfully slow. I would find it more annoying if I wasn't with her. "It's silly, and I don't necessarily think it's true, but maybe we'd learn they got here on accident and just need a way to go back to the future. Robot-me would've been unsalvageable if you didn't take her, so it was good we still grabbed her. Maybe you wanted to give your past self a voice and something went wrong, so that's why the other robots showed up."



"Okay... What do you actually think you'll learn?"



"There's some huge bad guy terrorizing the future and they went to the past to stop it or something. Especially since you said you couldn't go to the future in Little Planet. If robot-me and Cavalier Sonic are actually, like, good, then I'll do my best to help them. Can you share with me what you think?" She glanced at me. Her eyes lacked judgment.



"I think if they're here on purpose, something will happen before Little Planet returns the next year. Using Little Planet itself to time travel and not something like the Time Stones is interesting to me. They could have freely manipulated time, but they chose not to. Instead, they went through the vortexes... And Carillon Rose went through it twice, obscuring her signal from others. I wouldn't have noticed her if she didn't emit that frequency, which I also believe was unintended by her."



"You, uh..." Amy sighed, focusing on the road. "Do you think they're fighting you?"



"I don't believe so," I admitted. My Master received schematics from the future... Likely, whatever used the Shield Crystals. Someone knew their weaknesses... I would know their weaknesses, but why would I manipulate my past self if his plan was for--... Would I manipulate my past self? I had to think about this for a while. "I think if they went to the past to stop me, they would have destroyed me before I received my upgrade... Maybe." Neither of them had an exactly easy entrance. My master implied Cavalier Sonic was 'found', so he wasn't functional. Then, Carillon Rose... "I came across a lot of dead ends when trying to figure out the code with the peculiar flower. I'm hoping our completion of Carillon Rose will remedy a few mysteries."



"Yeah, there's lots of maybes, to be fair," Amy replied. "Slightly off topic... So this is meant to be a more lighthearted question. What do you think you'll be up to in three hundred years, like, just in general? Nothing about this time travel stuff."



I didn't want to think that far ahead regardless of the tone, to be honest. "Because you would no longer be with me, I would occupy myself with preserving your memory. I would keep maintaining my garden." I thought for a while more. I didn't know what I would do with the flowers. Maybe nothing... Maybe I would just grow them and continue to care for them.



She smiled at me when she glanced at me again. "I bet you'll still be busy with Nova."



"... What? How?"



"Chao can pretty much live forever. You didn't know that?" She raised a brow as she stared at the road.



"... No, I didn't," I admitted. "I thought they died, with a few exceptions. In fact, I thought they had incredibly short lives."



"They can die. But, if you take really good care of a chao, they'll be reborn and even retain their memories." Amy gave a firm nod. "Nova is already so attached to you. I'm sure you'll have a long friendship with them."



"Huh..." I wasn't aware Nova could have a longer lasting connection with me. I wondered how strong they could get if they could live as long as I could.



"Maybe Nova will one day fall in love, too. That would be so sweet." Amy gave a more whimsical sigh. "I sound like a parent. Ha! I hope Nova's birth parents are doing well. Maybe they helped Nova leave to come find you a while back."



"Nova is... Strange. I'm surrounded by the strange, though," I said, crossing my arms. "I'm used to it, I guess."



"My favorite strange guy is sitting right beside me," she replied, poking at me. I moved her hand away from me with a huff. She giggled.



We turned into a building with an abundant amount of parking spaces underground... Eventually, we stopped. Amy took me through the building, which brought us back out to the city streets. She firmly held my hand as we went to a different shopping district.



"I don't get to shop for men's clothes often!" she beamed. "It's been forever since I looked. No one I know ever like, wears anything."



I looked down at myself. I was slightly more dressed than my adversaries. I didn't like how exposed I felt without a hard outer shell, even though my body was just as strong. "Don't go overboard," I said. My request was likely fruitless.



"Please. I know your style by now. Let's get you, hmm..." She thought for a moment. "We'll be at the resort for three nights. So, let's at least get you three outfits for the cold weather. Wait! An extra fourth one, just in case."



"Just in case what?" I asked.



"Like if one of your outfits gets ruined or something," she said with a firm nod.



I tilted my head, somewhat amused. "Yes, because I need that," I said in a sarcastic tone.



"Still!" she emphasized.



"Sure... I understand that looking pleasing is your hobby, though you hardly have to make the effort."



"Aw...!" She leaned herself against my side as we walked. "I love when you say sweet things even though you're being totally serious," she said in a cheerful tone. "I'm just saying, I think you care about your appearance way more than you're letting on. Your true form is pretty extra."



"It's magnificent," I replied back. "Someone as impressive as me cannot be lacking in details."



She laughed. "See? Exactly! So, we'll get something that matches your vibe."



I thought for a while. "Will I have to stay undercover the entire time?" I asked. We entered a far less colorful store, looked more formal. A bit too stilted for me... But I trusted Amy's judgment. I casually glanced at the different clothes we passed by. Amy seemed to know where she was going despite her statement about not looking in a while.



"I think you'll be fine to change back in our room when we're there," she replied to me. "Rooms are private and the doors lock behind us."



I thought for a moment. "I broke through the balcony of the hotel you were in before," I said.



She lightly bumped me. "Well, you can fly!! I was on a super high floor."



Some of my adversaries could fly. But... there were likely curtains. I decided to not debate with her further. "I concede," I said.



She snorted in amusement. "Okay, well, here's the section for people of your height. This'll be a good place to get a simple sweater for you... Maybe even a scarf! What colors could you see yourself wearing?" she asked.



"Black."



Amy rolled her eyes in a playful way; she was likely smiling under her mask. "Give me more than one."



"... White."



"Okay, give me something that isn't a neutral tone. I'm not putting you in a clown costume, Metal. I just want an accent color."



"Red."



Amy was happy with my answer. "That's what I was thinking anyway!" She let go of my hand for the first time, then looked through a row of sweaters displayed on several hangers. "Hmm... Actually..." She stopped, looking back at me. "Can you take your coat off?"



"... Uh... Why?" Her question surprised me.



Her brow twitched. I wished I could see her face fully under the mask; I had more difficulty in telling her emotional state. "S-so I can better know your shirt size!" she said in a hushed tone. "Geez!"



"Disappointing," I said, simply to mess with her. I slid my coat off.



She stammered complete gibberish for a second before re-centering herself and checking my shoulders. "I can't take you anywhere," she mumbled under her breath. I slightly pulled her mask down to confirm she was incredibly red in the face, making her stammer some more and slap my hand away.



I laughed a little. "Do you have enough information?"



"Yes, put your coat back on," she huffed, then turned away to look through the sweaters again. "I thiiiink... this will be your size," she said, holding up a simpler black sweater against me. "And it's very soft. You'll thank me."



"Okay, I'll try it on." I grabbed the sweater by the hanger.



"N-no! Not yet!" she exclaimed, taking it back. "You should know how this works. We're getting a bunch of stuff for you to try on at once. Let's keep looking around." She let the sweater fold around one of her arms and continued on; I followed her.



She grabbed a few different black sweaters for me to try. I couldn't tell too much of a difference with them, but she certainly preferred one over the other. She also got me some white sweaters to try, some red ones... She grabbed quite a lot of sweaters. I wondered how long we would be here since she wanted me to try on a bunch of clothes...



She was finally satiated by the amount of tops she wanted me to try, but then we went into a section with scarves and she got just as lost... and grabbed just as many.



"... Are you expecting me to try on all of these clothes?" I asked.



"I mean, if you don't like the way any of them look, you don't have to try them on," she hummed. "You'll go by the vibe just as much as I am."



"It just seems like it'll take an awfully long time," I told her.



"Admittedly, I'm a little excited," she mumbled back. "I think all of these will look so cute on you!! Agh, but we only need three... H-help me narrow them down when it's time."



I nodded. "Are you enjoying yourself?" I asked.



"Yes~" She swayed herself a little as she continued looking at different articles of clothing. I watched her, amused.



"Do you know what you'll wear, then?"



"Yes! I have some wintry outfits at home that I wanna get out. No shopping for me today; it's about you!" she beamed in return.



I did not combat her enthusiasm. She was incredibly happy, which made me happy as well.



Eventually, Amy was satisfied with all the clothes she gathered, then wandered over to the dressing rooms. She mumbled to herself, handing off different sweaters to me while setting a few aside, making a few off-handed comments about why they wouldn't work.



I was much more pleased dressing into different clothes with the way Amy looked at me every time I walked out. She eagerly touched my chest, examined the collar of my sweater and fixed my coat as she admired me. She liked what I wore every time I walked out; I also liked what I wore. The sweaters were simple, but I made them look elegant.



I allowed her to put scarves around me and judge for herself how they looked with me. She was very fond of one of the red scarves and another black one. I decided we would take those two. Similarly, we grabbed one of each color of the sweaters, based on the kind of holler Amy made when I walked out. I let her pick whichever fourth one she was fond of, which ended up being a red turtleneck.



"Are you satisfied?" I asked her after we purchased the items.



"Nope!" She eagerly grabbed one of my hands and took me out of the store. "I think you'll love this place I have in mind. I haven't been in there too much, though."



"Why do you think I'd love it, then?" I asked once more.



"You'll see!"



We passed by a few more shops, then stopped at a store with dim lighting inside. Aggressive music played from the store's speakers as we entered; the air around us smelled like leather. The clothes I saw were all black and lined with different menacing accessories. A similarly dressed cat person was at the store counter, giving the both of us a casual nod.



Amy looked around in awe. "I kinda regret not getting that lacy black dress. I bet I could find a cute headband to match it in here."



"You can always get it later," I said. "... The environment in this store is very different from all the ones we've been to."



"I know! Isn't it great?" she beamed. She looked comparatively very bright and vivid compared to our surroundings. "I was thinking of getting you some accessories here to keep your style. Let me know if you like something!"



My style? I crossed my arms as I looked around. All the clothes did look rather menacing... I did like menacing. There were lots of studs and spikes. I also liked those. Amy was not wrong.



Also, she left me. She disappeared to some other part of the store, leaving me to browse on my own. I supposed it was fine. I put my hands in my coat pockets and examined the items I passed by. Nothing really caught my attention so far.



...



I saw a small collar. Black, studs somewhat similar to my belt. It wouldn't be able to fit me, but it... I didn't want to explain it to Amy. Too many accusations of me being soft. I grabbed it. I turned my head to try to find her--



A pair of black boots interrupted my attention. I immediately walked over to it, then picked up the one on display to fully examine it. It was sturdy as far as clothes went, treaded soles, red accents and silver studs lining the top. It made me think of my true form. I could scan these and emulate them in my disguise so they would be stronger... but I also... wanted them.



Amy gasped, suddenly reappearing. "Oh, I love those!!" she said, approaching me. She already had a pile of items for me to wear. "They're very you. That looks perfect for the cold weather, too! We'll be traversing through some snow. Should we get it?"



"... Yes." I grabbed the shoe box that would have my size, then offered it to her since I knew she would argue with me on buying it.



She eagerly clapped. "Yay!" She tucked the box under one of her arms. "Oh, also, I grabbed some accessories for you to try out..." She gestured to a few different items in one of her hands and over her arms. "This belt totally matches those boots. Also, these bracelets could go around your gloves and not clash with your sleeves. And!!"



She stuck a metal pin of a tiny pink flower to my coat.



"I just thought this one was cute," she said, slightly shy. "I know it's not your color, but it made me think of you."



My temperature rose. How could I refuse her suggestion when she phrased it like that? "It makes me think of you more," I replied quieter than I meant.



"Really? Should I wear it instead?"



"No... I want it," I mumbled. "I'll take everything you're offering... I want to look at things on my own, though. I'll return to you momentarily." I removed the flower pin from my coat and gave it to her so she could properly buy it. She gave me a shyer smile and let me wander off.



I went to the part of the store Amy came from. From there, I saw a myriad of smaller collectibles. Among them were some pins of different brands, shapes, sizes... I saw one that looked like the flower pin Amy gave me. A blue star pin caught my eye. I picked it up.



Amy wasn't yet at the register, so I went ahead and bought the collar and the pin when she wasn't looking. I put the bag on one of my inside pockets, then eventually returned to her as she was looking at some hairbands.



"I know we're shopping for you," she sighed, "But these are pretty cute..."



I gestured to a black headband with an off-centered bow. "That looks like something you would wear."



Her eyes brightened as she glanced at me. "I was thinking about that one! Plenty of outfits it could go with... Do you think it'd be cute on me?"



She already knew everything was cute on her. I nodded, causing her to grab it without a second thought.



"Okay! I think we got plenty of good stuff. Ready to go?" she asked, her tail wagging. "Is there anything else you wanna do before we head back?"



Cute... I was irritated that I could not kiss her because of the mask. "I'm done shopping, but... When we get back to your car, I would like us to go to the old base."



"Sure!" She wiggled a little as she carried everything to the front desk. She was clearly very happy buying me things... I didn't mind too much, but I didn't want her to feel like she needed to. Right after purchasing everything, she brought out the flower pin to put back on my coat. She patted its place, like it always belonged.



I gently took the bag from her so she didn't have to worry about carrying it. Together, we left the menacing store, then made our way back to her car.



Amy only got more and more cheerful. At first, I assumed it was because of the shopping trip, but I wasn't entirely sure. I decided to ask: "Why are you in high spirits?"



"Huh?" She looked at me, then playfully bumped our arms together. "I'm excited about our resort trip! I have some skiing gear I haven't used in ages. And there's hot springs, which will be so lovely... All the stress will just melt away!"



Soaking in water wasn't my ideal pastime, but I liked the idea of skiing at an incomprehensible speed. "Do you want to have a race, Rosy?" I asked.



She laughed. "Yes! Of course! It'll be great to finally humble you," she said, flipping her quills with her free hand.



I narrowed my eyes. "You say that like you will win."



"I'm just saying our racing score is currently one to zero," she nonchalantly replied. "Bring your best on the slopes or you will... Hm, what's a phrase you like to say? That's right. Or you will disgust me."



I laughed. She spoke of her disgust in such an intense manner that it caught me off guard. "I look forward to what our bets will be this time."



"Heheh..." I saw her tail wag again. "... Oh! Oh, oh. Okay, wait. We shouldn't go to your place yet. We should get some sports gear for you! You just have to promise to use it a lot with me, okay?"



I did have my own skiing gear, but in fairness, it was in the current base and digging them up would rouse too much suspicion. Making my own didn't seem to be an option for Amy, who reveled in the idea of getting me more items that matched my aesthetics. "Fine," I said in a more light tone.



"Yesss! I bet you look so cute in goggles."



Our shopping trip continued after all... I wasn't aware of how much of the day passed until both of our arms were full of various items.



In Amy's defense, the bulky sports gear took up most of our personal space. I was actually a bit worried some items wouldn't fit in her car. Then again, she had impeccable inventory management... We eventually returned to the building with the parking spaces to once again test her skills.



She luckily got everything to fit in the trunk and the back seat; all I did was hold items for her until she wanted to store them somewhere. We finally got into our proper seats and made our way to the old base at last.



The ride was peaceful; Amy's energy was lessening, but I didn't think she was feeling as ill anymore. She yawned out and lifted the mask off of herself, slightly shaking her head to fix her quills. I stared at her for a while... She unfortunately noticed.



"What? You wanna kiss me?" she asked as a joke.



"... Yes..." Her joke was correct.



Her face reddened very quickly. "Well...! We're almost there," she muttered.



I waited for the exact moment she parked and turned the car off. Her car was obscured behind a tree, hard to see from the air and hard to catch from the nearby paths. I didn't care, though. I leaned towards her and brought her closer to me.



I finally kissed her. I savored the feeling. She was mine to love.



Our mouths slowly parted and she gave me an incredibly flushed stare. I was proud to make her flustered. I wanted to kiss her more, but I also wanted to do something here. I got out of the car and went for the base entrance.



"Hey!! What the hell?!" Amy got out from her side and hurriedly caught up to me. "Y-you can't just kiss me like that and leave!"



"I want to give you something," I said. "Actually, a few things. Then, we will embrace one another."



"Weirdo..." She blushed and couldn't help but smile at me. She took my hand, and together, we walked inside.



Nova stood right at the entrance and stared at the both of us. They likely heard us before we entered.



"Nova~!" Amy picked them up and smooched them on the head, causing a heart to form above their head. They eagerly snuggled her in return and cooed excitedly. "Have you been a good baby?"



"Chao!"



"I knew it! Such a good baby," she cooed back. I squinted at her. She was another reason the child was so spoiled.



I sighed because I was about to make it worse. "I'll give Nova their gift first."



"You got Nova something?" she asked, turning to me and lifting one of her brows.



I shuffled the collar out from the bag in my coat, then clasped it around Nova's neck. It was a perfect fit. Didn't seem to bother them. "Less of a gift... More a signal to let others know that Nova is cared for already."



"Oh! That's adorable! Now you match!" Amy laughed. "Nova is a bit of a wanderer, so that makes sense. Did you get this when we were separated?"



"Yes," I quietly replied. I took out the whole bag, then grabbed the pin from it. Nova was more interested in the crinkling bag; they immediately left Amy's arms to launch themselves in it. I placed it down so they could play around uninterrupted.



I put the pin above the chest of Amy's current outfit, much like she did with me earlier. My face felt very warm...



"I also got this for you," I said.



Her eyes sparkled as she looked down. "We... We're wearing each other?" she asked, her voice slightly cracking.



I nodded.



"I'll never take this off ever again," she said, her voice wobbling. It sounded like she was about to cry.



I tilted my head, smiling at her. "Do whatever you like with it, Rosy. I have something else to give you as well..."



She watched me closely and just as closely followed me down the hall. I opened the door to my flower garden; she was about to step in, but I gently pushed her away.



"No."



"Ugh!" Amy threw her hands up. "I thought you were gonna let me in here more!"



"Special occasions only." I shut the door in front of her and continued to the side room. Since I could finally relax, I returned to my true form.



"Every day with you a special occasion!" I heard her shout from the other end. She greatly amused me... I loved Amy Rose more than anything.



My letter to her was an incredibly uncommon gift from me. I wasn't sure how many letters I would write... I preferred reading hers over writing my own... But, I hoped she would appreciate it. I took the letter, folded it, then went back to the garden door.



... I felt nervous. I didn't know why.



I opened the door and walked out. Her gaze immediately went to the letter I held to my chest.



...



Amy playfully swayed her hips as she stared at me. "Is my tall handsome Metal my gift, or is it the folded paper in his hand?"



I nearly offered her the letter, but I hesitated. "... I am the gift. I..." I averted my eyes. "The... I will not give you the letter."



"W-wait! I was just being cute! Hold on!" She grabbed the letter, but I had a tight grip on it and wouldn't let go. "Metal...! This is for me, isn't it?" She tried tugging it out of my hand.



"It is..." I growled a little, tugging it back. "Let go. I changed my mind."



"Tell me why you won't give it to me first!"



"I'm nervous." I was honest with her.



Her eyes widened. She let go of the letter and let her arms fall to her sides. "Aw... You don't have to be nervous, Metal. I'll love it."



"I prefer growing flowers for you, but I wanted to do something different to make up for my previous actions. I also made you sick. I no longer think this is a good gift."



"Well, now I want to read it even more. Can I read it, please?"



She put me in a very difficult position. I thought for a while.



...



"Would you prefer an alluring photo of me instead?" I asked.



"I take in the view when you lay on my couch. I want the letter," she said, holding her hand out.



I sighed, then finally gave it to her. She excitedly grinned and unfolded th--



I stopped her. "What is wrong with you?!" I snapped.



"What?!" Her face was a solid red. "... S-sorry! I was just excited." She folded the letter again and put it in her pocket.



"I have a lot of work to do tomorrow. Read it then." I crossed my arms.



"Okay~" She smiled very warmly at me. "Thank you for the letter, Metal... Why did it make you nervous?"



"The letter spells out many implications that I have yet to tell you directly. I am growing accustomed to different kinds of vulnerability, but this one is still new... What I felt before giving the letter to you was unexpected."



"Now I'm really curious," she said with a grin. "But... Don't be too hard on yourself. I'm nervous about doing stuff with you all the time," she said, shyly brushing some of her quills back. "Even when I'm so used to you, sometimes I totally freeze up. It's just what love does sometimes. We want to impress each other..."



"I see..." I leaned my head down, feeling somewhat deflated. "I understand why you do, Rosy, but I don't know why I can feel all these irrational and unpleasant emotions. I never thought my Master would program all of that in me."



"Honestly, Metal? I don't think he did." Her smile to me affected me more than it usually did.



I thought about what she said even when the topic eventually changed. I thought of her words for a long time.