Amy had a plan after I told her what Belle would appreciate. I trusted her judgment and patiently waited for more information when it was available. Until then, I resumed my usual work. Rouge was gone like before, so I spent my time trying to find her.



... Such a feat was far more annoying than it should have been. I had no idea where she went. She didn't go to any other base and I didn't detect her in any other place in the city. After scanning everything I could and following what leads were possible, I returned to Amy's home in my disguise.



Nevermind. "It feels so nice outside! Let's go out!" beamed Amy, taking me outside before I even made my way past her door. She had a very airy dress with thin long sleeves and also wore a floppy hat.



"Where are we going?" I asked.



"I 'unno. Maybe... Oh! Let's find the biggest, prettiest tree in the forest... And if we're feeling it, let's make out on top of it."



She said that like I would ever say no. Such an assumption was concerning if she avoided such intimacy by thinking I didn't want to. "... I am open to your affection, Rosy. Always."



She laughed, her gaze bright and beautiful when she looked back at me. Her stare was confident and alluring, just like when she took me through Tidal Tempest. I would go anywhere she took me. She winked at me and spoke: "You better be careful saying things like that. That's an easy way to guarantee I'll never get off of you."



"Y--..." I glanced back at the house while it was in view. "Are you sure you want to go somewhere?" Her flirtatious behavior made my temperature rise...



"Yes~ Always time for me to be greedy with you later. Let's get some sun! Ahh! It feels good, right? It's gotta lift the spirits." She threw one of her arms out while the other still held onto me.



"I guess so," I replied. I was more captivated by her.



"Is there anything you want to do today? Anything on your mind?" she cheerfully asked me.



There was a lot on my mind, but I didn't really want to do anything. "I'm happy to do whatever you like, my Rosy."



We had a pleasant moment of quiet as she guided me down the sidewalk. I assumed we were taking her usual route to the old base, except we would go past the base this time. She hummed a song that's been stuck in her head lately... which in turn also kept repeating in my own head. I loved her voice, though. I never got tired of it.



"Is there a reason you're so cheerful today?" I asked.



"Being with my amazing boyfriend does wonders!" she replied. "Is there a reason you're a little less cheerful?"



"Truthfully, no," I answered. "I enjoy my time with you... But I don't have much enthusiasm to share at the moment."



"Booo. I'll work it out of you yet." She leaned over and briefly smooched me. "I love you--" She gasped aloud. "Wait! Let's get something refreshing first before we walk to the forest. I haven't taken you to my favorite bubble tea place! It's not too far."



"I love you too. Also, I don't know what bubble tea is."



Amy clapped her hand over her chest and let out a sound of fake agony. "It's one of the best drinks ever! The tapioca pearls are so delicious! Hmmm... I know just what flavor to get you to try first." We instantly crossed the street and went deeper into town instead of veering off into the woods.



The town was busier like when I last went with Amy. I closed the distance between us, our shoulders practically touching. After walking for a while, we reached an area with shops and restaurants. Amy eagerly dragged me into a small tea shop, its atmosphere as colorful and bright as she was.



Amy asked me if any flavor caught my eye, but since she was so excited about the drinks, I let her get me whatever she thought would be best. She got herself an absurdly pink looking drink with extra... pearls. The one she got for me was a light purple with a 'normal' amount of pearls. We waited to try our drinks until we were out of the crowd with some more privacy to ourselves.



She eagerly watched me when we were alone, implying she wanted me to try my drink first. I swirled the straw from the middle of the cup, examining how it felt in my hand. Kinda cold. I took a sip and was immediately assaulted by the pearls... I squinted and ate them. They were good. Very sweet. The tea was also good, possibly even sweeter... yet strangely milder? Confusing. It was tasty, that's all I knew.



"This... is tea?" I asked.



She laughed. "Yeah, it's a kind of milk tea."



"I like it, but it's more like a dessert."



"I know! Isn't it amazing?" she asked, her eyes sparkling. "Wanna try mine?" She sipped from her straw and fluttered her eyelashes at me. I was amused how the color of the drink matched her fur.



"Sure."



She eagerly kissed m--



!!!



I...



I did not drink anything, yet a pearl and distinct strawberry taste was in my mouth. Sh...She kissed me so deeply...



She giggled, her cheeks much deeper in shade. "It tastes good, right?"



"V... Very." I was briefly unable to look at her. "I, uh... I... I think I prefer your taste-- t-tea. Your tea."



She laughed again. "Let's share more when we find a nice spot to sit." She gave a stare that made my core overheat. I was going to explode. "I wanna try yours too," she said, lovingly rubbing under my chin.



...



I grabbed her hand and walked faster towards the forest. She cheerfully followed me, trotting to my side and leaning her head against my shoulder. I paid far too much attention to how she touched me and her warmth. I couldn't look at her or I would be unable to function entirely.



As soon as we got to the forest, I couldn't stop thinking about a place to sit. I didn't want to find a huge tree yet; that would take too long. Amy grinned at me when I glanced her way. My hand holding hers felt very clammy. Luckily she wouldn't be able to tell because of our gloves.



"Ooh, I figured out a new way to feed you," she teased. "Having a mouth isn't so bad, huh?"



"Y-you...!" I didn't even know what to say to her!



I found a good spot under one of the trees we passed by. There was shade under us so she wouldn't be burdened too much by the sun, but the area around us was still bright and vivid. I took her cup, half-empty, and placed it on a flat part of the tree's giant, exposed roots. I took a large enough sip before putting my cup down beside hers.



Amy crossed her arms as she looked up at the tree. "This is a pretty one, but no way it's the tallest--"



I pinned her to the trunk and gave her an intense stare. My face was still incredibly heated. I hadn't been able to cool off at all on our walk. In fact, I think it got worse. I stared at her mouth. Revenge.



I kissed her back, copying the exact same method and amount of intimacy from when she kissed me. I gave her a pearl instead. Sh-she... She still tasted very sweet...



Amy let out a heavenly sound and I think I stopped functioning for a second. If we were somewhere else, she would have pushed me away, but instead, she grabbed my coat and pulled me in closer...



I thought her course of action too soon. She gently pushed me away. Maybe I needed it. I felt like I was overloading.



"Hold on, I wanna eat the pearl."



All tension I felt immediately broke in the moment. I stared at her, at first dumbfounded. She laughed, covering her mouth when she ate the tapioca pearl. Her laugh was contagious. I laughed too. I loved her.



"Your tea's pretty good, not gonna lie..." She gave a thoughtful nod. "I think I might need to try it again." She clutched my coat again and playfully pulled me in, slightly opening her mouth for another kiss.



I happily indulged her. I embraced her and passionately kissed her in return. I was the one who would have trouble getting off of her. She intoxicated me in a way I couldn't comprehend in the moment, but I wanted more. I forgot about everything else. I didn't know what was on my mind other than my Rosy. I didn't care.



At some point during our time together, we sunk down to the ground. I lay her on the ground, her hat falling off in the process. Her pose reminded me of our battle in the rain. She was so beautiful; I loved watching her like that. Truthfully, I wasn't watching anything in the moment. I felt her instead, and she felt precious. She was my everything.



Bzzz! Bzzz!



Amy let out a groan while our mouths were together, but it did not sound like a pleased one. She broke our kiss, making her fully throw her head back. Her cheeks were very flushed and her brow showed her irritation. "Hold on, I might need to check that," she grumbled, one of her hands letting go of me to dig into her dress pocket.



"Why do you need to check it?" I grumbled back.



"It might be important!" she huffed, bringing out her phone.



"Our togetherness is more important."



"We're still together~" She used her other hand to bring my head down to hers. I rubbed my head against her, then kissed the side of hers. I wanted to keep kissing her, so I did. She giggled and did not stop me, threading her fingers through my quills when I kissed her jaw. I heard her interact with her phone. "Hello?" she asked, her voice a different tone.



"Girl, why do you sound so breath-y?" I heard Rouge's voice faintly on the other end.



... I stopped kissing her. I needed to know where Rouge was. Could I catch a signal from her phone? I rested my head against Amy and caressed her. Even though I was thinking about my duties again, she was still mine to love.



Amy gave a more dramatic sigh. "Uh, you interrupted me. What's up?" She continued to play with my quills. I found it soothing.



"Can you be a dear and come help me with something?"



"Is it, like... important?" Amy asked.



Rouge groaned on the other end. "Yes! Play with your toy some other time!"



"I am not a toy!" I snapped.



"Ooh, you got one of the fancy ones that respond to voices."



Amy spoke before I could insult the Bat: "Be nice, Rouge. If it's important, I'll come see you."



"I'll call you in a few. Be alone!" Rouge ended the call. Amy was quiet for a brief moment as she checked the phone again, then she sighed and dropped it in the grass. She threaded both her hands through my quills.



"What does she want?" I asked Amy.



"Guess I'll find out. Even if I knew, why would I tell you?" she teased.



I propped myself up on my hands and knees, towering over her once more. She let her hands fall and stared at me. Her blush deepened.



I leaned down and slowly kissed her. Our mouths just as slowly parted.



"If you tell me, I'll give you a reward," I said.



"R-r-reward? H-huh?" she stammered. I enjoyed the changing color of her face. More revenge.



"Does it have something to do with what you picked up at her home the other day?" I asked, gently touching her chin. My thumb rubbed over her bottom lip, then I lifted her chin and lowered myself, our faces dangerously close once more.



She stammered even more, unable to get out a full word. When I next looked at her, she tightly shut her eyes and mouth. I laughed. I liked her dealing with her emotions.



She eventually spoke: "Y...Y...You! You're cheating! Cheating!" she yelled. "You're trying to seduce me! Unfair! I'm calling foul!"



"How do you know? Do you want to be seduced?" I asked.



"You're not getting a-anything out of me! You shouldn't be interested in Rouge anyway!"



"You are all I will ever be interested in, Rosy," I softly replied. "However, I do have separate duties I must attend to for now."



"... For now?" Amy repeated, curious. Her bashfulness briefly vanished.



I lifted myself back up. "Yes... I still have the same programming."



She was quiet. "I never asked... You mentioned you can't really defy your programming. Have you, like... tried?"



"Years ago, sure. I know how it works because I've lived with it for a long time, so you haven't ever seen me actually defy my programming... but when it kicks in, it-- it deeply affects me."



Her eyes widened. "What happens?"



"It's like another voice appears in my head and then takes control of me. The more I try to fight it, the louder the voice gets. I begin believing it's my voice. Some memories I have begin shifting and changing to fit what I am commanded to do in my Master's favor. How much did I actually love my Master? Was it from the loyalty patch, or did I feel those things on my own? I don't know... Maybe a bit of both."



I didn't expect the way Amy stared at me. She was horrified. What was a fact to me was a travesty to her. "How do you know when you're in control of yourself again?" she quietly asked.



She asked good questions... "My voice sounds clearer in my head. I have more thoughts other than my objective and I can ask myself questions. When I'm taken over by the loyalty programming, I go into one distinct mode for a while and can't think of anything else."



"Wow... I'm sorry you have to deal with that..."



I shook my head. "My own decisions, drastic on their own, led to my Master altering me in such a way. And... I've learned how to work around it. There are many technicalities I act on that prevent my programming from kicking in. You have seen that."



She smiled, likely knowing some of the situations I referred to. Eventually, though, her smile faded again. "You said your memories got altered?"



"Some of them."



"Have any about me been altered...?"



I tilted my head as I watched her. "No, Rosy. Even if they were, all interactions we've had... I have them in my files, separate from my own recollection and untouched by the loyalty programming. Even if it told me that you were the bane of my existence, that I hated you more than I could fathom, I would eventually discover the opposite. I would realize I always loved you."



I lowered myself down and gently kissed her once more.



"I will always love you..."



She was not breathing. I must have surprised her. I knew she would eventually breathe, so I was not concerned. In fact, I felt proud. Her face slowly reddened until it became a very vivid shade.



She finally let out a squeak, proving her bashful demeanor returned just as easily as it vanished. She averted her eyes. "Then... L...Let's work t-together! Working around your programming."



"You have to be careful what you share with me, my Rosy."



"I know..." She sighed, still too flustered to look at me. "I want my reward first, then I'll talk about our new flourishing partnership."



"It doesn't work that way," I replied, stern. "And I'm in no mood to negotiate. Give me what I want."



She covered her face with her hands and let out another squeak. "Wh-wh-what do you want?" she asked, her voice muffled.



"Other than you?" I teased in question. She made a different sound that amused me.



She suddenly tackled me, pinning me to the ground instead. "N-no! You're the one who's a mess! Not me!" she exclaimed. "You undo my work making you a mess every time! It's like you learn from me!" Her eyes widened, staring off in the distance for a brief moment. She glanced back down to me. "... Is that what you do? Give me a taste of my own medicine?!"



"Not intentionally," I said, grinning. She was all huffy. Very cute.



"W-well...! I'm not falling for your sexy stares! You're gonna negotiate with me whether you like it or not!" She grabbed my coat with her fists and gave me a very flustered glare. Her eyes kept darting back down to my mouth.



I lifted my head and effortlessly kissed her again. Despite all her previous protesting, she very easily pressed back and even pulled me up to stay close to her. Her kiss deepened... She was winning our battle of wills. I wrapped my arms around her and kept her against me...



Bzzz! Bzzz!



Amy broke our kiss and yelled in frustration. "Can't I make out for five minutes?!" She grabbed her phone and got off of me. She answered the phone: "What?!" Realizing her tone, she coughed. "S-sorry. What's up? I'm leaving. I'm going. Hold on. Call me back in like, one more minute."



I sat up and listened to her. I heard Rouge's voice on the other end, but not well enough to hear her clearly. Amy quickly hung back up and looked at me. "We'll talk partnership later! I love you!" Her declaration was more like a threat. She began walking away, but then she walked back and grabbed her bubble tea. She sipped it, pointing at me with her other hand, then walked away.



She heartened me... I still felt her warmth lingering on my face. After a moment, I got up, took my own tea, and followed her from a distance. I knew how to stay hidden.



I intended to take this job seriously since it would still lead to my benefit. There wasn't yet a proper time to get my programming altered. After fighting the Hedgehog, there was a lot that became uncertain to me.



...



I needed to focus. I needed to figure out how Rouge was evading me. Amy was on her phone again, talking to the Bat. From what I could gather, she was in town, Amy's own trajectory only proving it. She went to the city... Eventually, she turned a corner and arrived at a shopping district.



Amy stopped in front of a clothing store, narrowed her eyes, then waved inside. She put her phone away and went in. I inconspicuously checked through the nearest window of the store... Rouge was there. I checked my map... She was marked, totally identifiable. Why couldn't I scan for her before?



... Either way, Rouge was holding up clothes to Amy, so their meeting clearly wasn't related to Cavalier Sonic. I went away, trying to decide what to do next.



"Hey."



...! I turned around. Shadow was there. He didn't give me the same glare he did before.



"... I won't keep you. I confirmed I got you confused with someone else the other day." He crossed his arms. "While I do sense something odd about you, that's all I can gather. So..." He sighed.



Ah, Shadow was attempting a poor apology. While he irritated me, his suspicions were unfortunately accurate. I couldn't agree with him too easily or else he might suspect more. "What exactly is odd about me?" I growled back. "How could you get me confused with someone else?"



Shadow averted his eyes. "... That information isn't necessary to share. I approached you to say I will no longer confront you for such reasons. That's all. Bye." He left as soon as he arrived.



Huh. I continued walking down the street. Rouge really did get him to back off, then. Fortunate I didn't have to worry about him. I would tell Amy later, though it was likely Rouge would tell her the news as well.



I eventually went back to the old base to grab the books Belle left me from the library. I didn't really want to read in the base, though, so I went to Amy's house with them. I returned to my true form, but settled in an area away from the front door so that I could stay hidden in case Amy returned with some friends. I decided to sit at her desk to read about chao biology first.



I learned what Amy meant when she kept talking about Nova being a 'Run' or a 'Power' type. Each chao had a proficiency in a particular skill, and evolution also increased the quality of those skills and often influenced what appearance they would take. Official places associated with chao raising assigned letter grades to each one of the chao's skills to determine how their genes contributed to their ability. Because reincarnation kept their memories and remnants of their previous power, they could only get stronger from continued raising. I, quite literally, could make Nova the most powerful chao.



... Such an idea was pleasing. That being said, they were already superior to every other chao. I would simply be emphasizing the fact to others. I was curious what grades they would be given... And, similar to Amy's curiosity, I wanted to know what type of chao Nova was. I at least knew they were a 'dark' chao because of their eyes and the spiked ball above their head.



Researchers didn't exactly know what influenced what kind of alignment a chao has upon evolution, but that it's heavily dependent on the one who raises them. I was gone for a month, though... Was my influence that powerful? Or maybe Amy was darker aligned than I thought...



Hah, amusing. She was very heroic. She would surely have a hero-aligned chao if she were to raise one. A chao that looked like her sounded very cute...



... Chao absorbed chaos energy of all kinds, from everything that contained it. Even a close encounter with another animal would influence the chao. I found that fascinating. I wondered if Nova gathered experience from Amy the same way... I wondered if it was possible with me. I supposed, in a way, it was. Especially since they looked just like me, maybe they learned and gathered information from people like I did. Nova was like me.



Knock, knock!



...?



I ignored it. Amy was not home, so it was unnecessary for me to answer the door.



Knock, knock, knock, knock!



... Their knocks were annoying. I changed into my disguise, but I continued to ignore them, hoping they would go aw--



KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!



I slammed my book closed and went to the front door, abruptly swinging it open. "What?!"



... The Hedgehog was grinning at me from the other side of the door. I did not want to interact with him. I immediately shut the d--



He put his foot through the door again! This time, I really would break his ankle. I glared at him. "We are never talking again. Leave me alone or lose your foot."



"Can't do! You're just the guy I was looking for." He tried pushing the door back open, but I resisted, squinting and trying to close it. With some effort, he kept it open. "J-just a minute! Come on!"



"Go away."



"I'm declaring you as... my greatest rival!" He pointed at me. Why did he sound so cheerful about it?



I opened the door more, completely befuddled. What the hell was he talking about?



"Ah-ha, got your attention," he said in the same voice I hated. He crossed his arms, staring at me smugly and confidently. His smugness didn't hit as well because he was still incredibly bruised from me punching him. "You put up a good fight... Honestly, you would've knocked me right out. I know better now that you are a fighter!" He laughed. His cheerfulness disgusted me. "It's clear we're never going to be best friends, so. Best rivals is what I want to be."



"We will be nothing because we are nothing. I'm not going to interact with you anymore. Leave me alone. Forever." I tried to close the door once more, but he planted his hand on the door and put significant effort in keeping it open again. I growled, putting both my arms against the other side, but then he did the same. I didn't want to break Amy's door, so we were stuck. Angry!!!



"Hrrgh... No!! We have to have a second round!!" Sonic replied with strained breaths.



"I'm not accepting your invitation to punch you!'" I yelled back. "I don't want anything to do with you! Get used to the idea!"



"Too bad! You're gonna have to deal with me if you're staying with Amy, buddy!"



"There is no if!" I yelled back. He made me so furious!! He wouldn't even accept when I didn't want to fight him!



"Exactly! So let's settle this like men!"



I yelled out in frustration. "No! I am not dealing with you! I hate you! Get out of my sight! Accept that you're not even worth punching more!"



"Am I worth a race?"



...



I squinted at him. "... No."



"Ames told me how good you were at skis. How about burning rubber?" he asked. "If you beat me in a race, I'll leave you alone. Buuuut, if I win, that means we get to race again."



"I am not gambling with you," I sneered.



"Fine! How about just a good old race just to see who's better?"



I sighed, clutching onto my head. "Why do you want to associate yourself with me so desperately, even in a negative way? Did I asphyxiate you for too long?" I asked in frustration.



"I want to learn more about a guy who could punch the daylights out of me, even if he hates me!"



I growled. "I am not helping you in any sense."



"It's not helping, it's getting even. You said before you know everything about me, right?" he asked. He let go of the door to point finger guns at me. I wanted to break his hands. "If you really do know me, you know I'll get that race, sooner or later."



"Are you threatening me?" I asked, glaring at him.



"Maybe."



We stared at each other for a while. I knew this rat was relentless. For some reason, He desperately wanted a race. Did his other friends reject him? Did he have no one else he found interesting? Was I simply his latest fascination because I punched him? Maybe I knocked something loose.



I would have to bore him so he would lose interest in me. I couldn't allow myself to lose control the way I did before. I was more than that. He wasn't worth the trouble. I could live a peaceful life with Amy and not think about him. They could continue their horrible friendship.



"Threaten me all you want. I don't have a car to race you with," I said to him. It was true for Kai; there was no information implying I had my own car. I clearly wouldn't be able to use the kind I already had since it was associated with my infamous form.



"Not a problem at all!" he beamed in his irritating voice. "I can hook you up. The racing circuit I have in mind has tons of cars you can customize. I bet I could even get you one that matches your style!"



"You know nothing of style," I said with a scowl, examining him.



"You could teach me! Rivals always have style."



Irritating. He was so irritating. He wasn't smart enough to know what 'no' meant. "You understand that rivals are usually not friends, right? That your obsession with befriending others, especially those that loathe you, is a freak anomaly?"



"I'm not trying to be your friend," he huffed back.



"You're a bad liar. Stop talking to me."



He let out a dramatic sigh. "You know what? I get it. I'd just wipe the floor with you... It's unfair. You're not fast like me. Probably not even a good racer."



...



I clenched my teeth. "Do you want your other eye to be bruised?" I asked.



"Ooh, did I strike a nerve? Prove me wrong on the track." He was so aggravating.



"You... Are baiting me." He and the Bat were kindred spirits in that sense. "You are disgusting." He was gesturing with his hands, so he let go of the door a while ago. I slammed it shut before he could put one of his useless body parts in the doorway. I quickly locked the door before he could try to open it. I locked the deadbolt, too.



Knock knock knock knock!



"Go away!" I growled. I went to the back door to make sure it was just as locked.



"Admitting defeat so soon?!" Sonic yelled back. "Fine, I'll bring out my secret weapon: I bet I know something about Amy that you don't. If you race me, win or lose, I'll tell you what it is."



...



I went back to the front door, but I refused to open it.



"Impossible! I know everything about her. Far more than you do. You are a fool."



"You're forgetting one thing, Kai: Ames and I have known each other longer than anyone else. A guy's bound to pick up a thing or two."



"That means nothing!" I hissed. "You don't know her the way I do!"



"Yeah, and how often were you around, huh? As far as I remember, I didn't see you skulking around while me and Amy beat up some bad guys."



Irritating!!! "Your plan to get me to race you won't work!"



Sonic scoffed from behind the door. "Is that a risk you want to take, though? That I might know something about her you don't? Pretty embarrassing for a boyfriend, I'd say." He sighed again. "Plenty of people get us confused as a couple. Probably 'cuz I know so much, and due to the fact that I'm so handsome."



I yelled angrily, clutching my head with both hands. "Fine!!! I'll do your stupid race! Then leave me alone! Forever! You horrible creature!!!"



"Yessss! Deal. It's a bestie rival date! Bye!"



I didn't hear him anymore. I glanced through the peephole of the door and saw no one there.



...



He got me to agree to a race. He was the worst!!! I couldn't stand him! I hated him! Interacting with him was my nightmare!



... No, I could still win. I refused to play by his rules. I would give him his race, and it would be terrible. I would race so poorly that he wouldn't find me as a worthy rival. Also, he expected the race to be with just him. I would get Amy to watch us, and having her there would guarantee I stay calm too.



I felt better. Even if he went back on his word and didn't give me potentially new facts about Amy, I would still benefit from him never interacting with me afterwards.



I had to wait for my Amy to return home. To occupy my time, I decided to make some dinner. Hopefully she didn't eat while she was out.



After some time, the front door unlocked and she walked inside, still as beautiful as ever. She looked exhausted... Maybe she also had to deal with that awful Hedgehog after dealing with the Bat. I felt horrible for her. I would have to provide her much relief.



"Hey, cutie!" she beamed, brightening up as soon as our eyes met. "Something smells great. You made some food?"



"Hello, my Rosy. Yes, I made dinner for you." Since she was alone, I turned back into my true form. She raised her arms to be embraced, which I did with utmost pleasure. I missed her in my arms, even though we were only apart for a short time.



"Ahh, I'm starving! I can't wait to eat," she said excitedly. "I was craving you more, though~" She smooched me, then lovingly stared at me. "After dinner, can we continue where we left off before?"



I felt very warm. "Y...Yes. Of course." I kissed her back, then forced myself to put her back down. "I have a request of you before that." I prepared her plate of food and offered it to her.



"Anything for you, my love," she purred. "Thank you~" She took the food without issue, then sat down at the nearby dining table. I didn't feel like eating, so I joined her at the other end of the table without a plate.



"... The Hedgehog harassed me today."



She didn't get so far as to take her first bite. Her stare towards me was very, very concerned. "What? What happened?"



"He refused to leave me alone!" I snapped. "He didn't leave until I accepted his agreement to race. Neither of us fought..."



Amy frowned at me. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to do, Metal. I'm sorry he was being annoying. I'll get him to back off."



"It's not your fault he is so insolent, Rosy. I have a plan so he leaves me alone permanently, so I will willingly do this race with him. I would also like you to be there." I tapped my claws on the table, averting my eyes. "... I will feel better if you are there."



"Of course I'll be there." She reached over to put her hand on mine. "You're sure you want to do this? You think you'll be fine?"



"I'll be fine knowing you're with me." I watched her... she had all the love in her eyes. I loved her too. "My plan is not a violent one. I will tell you more... But, please eat." I gestured to her untouched food.



Amy gave a big, warm smile. "Okay, let me know what you have in mind."