Frostbitten pursuit
The crisp autumn air filled my lungs as I wandered through the streets of Mobius, the season painting the town in warm hues of amber, gold, and russet. Leaves crunched beneath my shoes, twirling in the occasional breeze before settling again along the sidewalks. The scent of roasted chestnuts and cinnamon lingered in the air, carried from a nearby café, mixing with the distant laughter of children playing in a leaf pile.
Mobians passed by, wrapped in cozy scarves and jackets, their breath visible in the chill. Some greeted me with a nod or a small wave, which I returned without much thought, while others moved past without acknowledgment, lost in their own little worlds. I didn’t mind. It was still strange sometimes, walking through the past instead of the present.
A yawn escaped before I could stifle it, and I rubbed my eyes, the day’s exhaustion settling into my bones. The peaceful stroll was a welcome distraction, a moment to clear my head.
"Tired?"
The voice startled me. High-pitched, familiar—soft but teasing.
I flinched, my whole body jerking in response, before spinning around. Amy stood before me, pink hair framing her face, an amused smile dancing on her lips. Her green eyes sparkled in the autumn light, and the sight alone was enough to send my heart into a frantic, uneven rhythm.
Damn it.
She giggled, a sweet sound that only made the heat creep further up my neck. Thank Chaos for the cold, I could at least pretend that was the reason for the warmth rising in my face.
"Sorry," she said, the mirth still evident in her tone. "Did I spook you?"
A chuckle slipped past my lips, though my heart was still recovering. I offered her a warm, albeit nervous, smile. "A bit, yeah," I admitted, shifting my gaze toward the busy street in an attempt to ground myself.
Amy tilted her head, still grinning. "I saw you walking from the parlor window and thought I’d come say hi," she explained, as effortlessly cheerful as ever.
I could never get tired of that smile.
"Glad you did," I said before my brain could stop me. My own words made my chest tighten.
She hummed in response, swaying slightly on her heels before tilting her head toward me. "So, where were you headed?"
I blinked, momentarily distracted by the way the autumn breeze tousled her bangs. I needed to stop zoning out like this.
"Oh, nowhere in particular," I said with a shrug. "Just taking a stroll."
Amy nodded but glanced down at the sidewalk, seemingly lost in thought. Her fingers tapped absently against the hem of her sweater. After a brief pause, she shook her head as if dismissing a thought before looking back up at me.
"Hey, do you mind hanging out with me for a bit?" she asked suddenly. "Sonic’s off doing his own thing, and everyone else is busy running errands." A slight pout formed on her lips, but when her eyes met mine again, they held something softer—a quiet hopefulness.
I swear, my heart skipped.
"Uhm, yeah! Sure, I’ve got nothing else going on," I stammered, mentally cursing myself for sounding so flustered.
Amy’s face lit up instantly, her entire expression brightening like the sun breaking through clouds. Before I could even process what was happening, she grabbed my hand, her fingers warm despite the cold. She didn’t hesitate, tugging me forward with infectious excitement.
The contact sent a jolt through me, and for a split second, all I could focus on was the way her hand fit perfectly in mine.
That is, until I noticed where we were headed.
A clothing store.
Oh no.
Dread settled in my stomach as the realization sank in. The glossy storefront display mannequins in layered autumn outfits, chunky sweaters, stylish scarves, and plaid skirts.
Amy turned to me with an eager smile, completely unaware of the internal crisis unraveling in my head.
Oh, Chaos help me.
—-------------------
"How about this one?"
Amy stepped out of the dressing room, twirling slightly to showcase the yellow and green floral dress she had just tried on. The fabric flowed elegantly around her knees, the soft hues complementing her fur.
Now, don’t get me wrong—Amy looks breathtaking in anything she wears. But that dress? Yeah… not it.
She caught the shift in my expression before I even said a word.
"Let me guess," she sighed, her lips forming a small pout. "That’s a no?"
I winced apologetically. "It’s not bad, but…" I trailed off, searching for the right words.
Amy groaned dramatically and slumped her shoulders before trudging back to the chair beside me. With an exaggerated huff, she plopped down, burying her face in her hands.
"We’ve been here for over an hour," she complained, voice muffled against her palms. "I need a dress by Friday, and none of them feel right!"
Reaching out, I gently rubbed her arm, hoping to offer some comfort. "What kind of dress are you looking for, exactly?"
Amy peeked at me from behind her fingers, blinking as if I had just asked something completely absurd. Then, suddenly, her eyes widened.
"Wait… you don’t know?"
I frowned, shifting uncomfortably as I bundled my hands in my lap. "Uh… no?"
Amy audibly gasped, sitting up straight.
"Did they not send you an invitation to the wedding?!"
I blinked, utterly lost. "What wedding?"
She gawked at me for a moment before throwing her hands in the air.
"Vector and Vanilla’s wedding!"
My mind went blank.
I stared at her, waiting for her to say she was joking. But when she continued looking at me like I had just crawled out from under a rock, I felt my stomach drop.
"They’re getting married now?!" I blurted, feeling a wave of shock crash over me.
Oh no.
Oh no, no, no.
Amy nodded, still staring at me in disbelief. She muttered something under her breath, but I couldn’t hear her—not over the ringing in my ears.
Five days. That’s all I had left.
And Tails still hadn’t found any leads on the gem’s location.
Worse, Eggman was set to find it in three days, meaning I had only two to stop him.
Damn it. I should’ve acted sooner. I should’ve made my move the second I arrived instead of wasting an entire week pretending everything was fine.
Blaze was right. How could I be so reckless? So careless?
My thoughts spiraled, the weight of my failure settling deep in my chest. I chewed anxiously at the fabric of my glove, my foot tapping restlessly against the polished floor.
Then, suddenly, a warm hand touched my shoulder.
I flinched at the contact, my head snapping up in alarm, only to find Amy looking at me with quiet concern.
Her expression was unbearably gentle, the worry in her emerald eyes making my throat tighten. I averted my gaze, staring at the marble floor beneath us, watching the way the store’s bright lights reflected off its surface.
"Are you okay?" she asked softly.
I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply before forcing a small smile. "Yeah," I murmured. "I just… kinda realized I don’t have as much time as I thought I would."
The words felt empty, as if saying them out loud would somehow make them true. But the pressure in my chest only grew heavier, threatening to drown me in the weight of everything I had yet to do.
Amy frowned, her brows furrowing slightly. "Is something going to happen at their wedding?"
My head snapped up, panic flaring in my chest at the mere suggestion.
"No—no, their wedding will be perfect," I reassured her quickly. "Or… at least, I assume it will be. I wasn’t there last time."
The admission stung more than I expected. I hadn’t even known they were engaged in this timeline, let alone close to tying the knot.
Amy tilted her head, studying me carefully. "Then what’s wrong?"
I hesitated, debating how much to tell her.
"It’s just… something happens after the wedding," I admitted. "But it’s nothing to worry about! I’m taking care of it." I forced confidence into my voice, though I wasn’t sure I believed it myself.
Amy didn’t look convinced.
"Silver," she said firmly, "I want to help."
I should’ve expected that. Amy wasn’t the type to sit on the sidelines when she knew something was wrong. It was one of the things I admired most about her—her determination, her unwavering will.
But I shook my head. "It’s fine, really. I can handle it."
Amy crossed her arms, unimpressed. "Silver, you were this close to having an anxiety attack."
I stiffened. And she noticed.
"I just don’t think it’s a good idea," I said, shaking my head again. "Besides, aren’t you already busy with the wedding preparations?"
Amy scoffed. "Yeah, but I’m pretty sure I can find someone else to handle it, like Blaze or Whisper."
I sighed, rubbing the back of my head. She wasn’t going to let this go.
"Come on, Silver," she pressed. "You’re already stressing yourself out over this, I can help! And besides, it’s been a while since we’ve gone on an adventure, just the two of us."
Just the two of us.
A flicker of something warm passed through my chest, but I shoved it down.
"I don’t think it’s a good idea." I said carefully.
Amy groaned, but I continued before she could argue.
"Blaze is already helping me, so I’m not alone."
Amy perked up. "Then how about all three of us work together?" she suggested brightly.
Oh no.
That was even worse.
I ran a hand down my face, sighing in defeat. "You really want to help, don’t you?"
Amy nodded enthusiastically, hope shining in her eyes.
And just like that, an idea struck me.
"How about this—you help Blaze with locating the thing I’m looking for?" I offered.
Amy’s ears perked up. "Done!" She agreed without hesitation.
That… might actually work.
——————————————
"I don’t think that’s a good idea," Blaze stated firmly, arms crossed over her chest.
My jaw nearly hit the floor.
"What? Why!?" I exclaimed, and when I glanced at Amy, I could tell she was wondering the same thing.
Blaze exhaled sharply, her golden eyes steady. "We’re already short on time as it is. I’m going with Sonic and the others to keep Eggman occupied before he gets his hands on the gem."
I felt my ears droop as I nodded, understanding yet still feeling the sting of my own poor timing.
Great. Just great. As if I didn’t already feel guilty for not acting sooner.
"Then why don’t you take Amy with you?" I suggested hopefully. That would work, right? She wanted to help, and Blaze could definitely use another capable fighter on her team.
But Blaze shook her head without hesitation. "We can’t afford to bring anyone else. It’s already bad enough that Sonic begged me to let Shadow come along." She muttered the last part under her breath, her expression momentarily twitching in frustration.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Amy tense, her posture stiffening slightly.
I frowned.
That reaction again…
My chest tightened as I watched her, the distant look in her eyes unsettling.
Before I could say anything, Blaze spoke again.
"Just take her with you and Tails to find the gem," she suggested instead, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Speaking of which—has Tails found any leads on its location?"
I let out a heavy sigh, rubbing the back of my head. "I was actually about to check in with him after this…"
Blaze nodded, then, without warning, stepped forward and placed both hands firmly on my shoulders. Her grip was steady, grounding.
I blinked up at her, surprised.
Her gaze was sharp, unwavering. "And no more distractions," she said firmly.
I swallowed, immediately nodding. "Got it."
Satisfied, she released me and stepped back. "Good. Keep me updated." And with that, she turned and walked off, disappearing into the woods before I could even process the interaction fully.
I sighed and turned back to Amy, only to pause when I saw her face.
That same vacant, faraway look from when I first arrived.
Something was wrong.
"Amy…?" I asked hesitantly, keeping my voice gentle.
No response.
It wasn’t until I lightly tapped her shoulder that she finally blinked, as if snapping back to reality.
"Sorry, what happened?" she asked, her voice slightly unsteady.
My frown deepened.
Something was wrong.
"What’s wrong?" I asked softly.
Amy’s gaze flickered downward, her hands clasping together as if grounding herself. For a second, I thought she was going to shut me out completely, but then she exhaled a quiet, tired sigh.
"Nothing… just thinking," she mumbled, though the way she avoided my eyes made it clear there was more to it than that.
Then, almost as if she realized I was still watching her too closely, she looked up and forced a small, strained smile.
Right.
I knew that kind of smile. I had seen that kind of smile before.
But if she wasn’t ready to talk about it, pushing her wouldn’t help.
So, instead, I decided to change the subject.
"Well," I said, mustering a playful tone, "looks like you’re stuck with me for now."
A flicker of amusement passed through her eyes, though it didn’t quite reach the same warmth her smiles usually carried. "You almost make it sound like you don’t want me around," she teased. Her voice was light, but there was something beneath it, something uncertain.
I quickly shook my head. "It’s not that. I just thought you might get bored tagging along while I search for a rock," I said, trying to keep things casual.
Amy let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "Silver, I could never get bored around you."
This time, her smile was genuine.
And just like that, my heart melted.
Chaos, I don’t deserve her.
—————————————————
Amy and I arrived at the front of Tails’ workshop just as he was finishing a conversation over his communicator.
“Just be careful, guys,” Tails warned, his expression serious as he listened intently. “You know Eggman’s been quiet this past month—who knows what he’s planning.”
From the other end of the line, Sonic’s voice crackled through the speaker, unfazed as always. “Don’t worry, buddy! We’ve got it all under control!”
With a few final words exchanged, the call ended, and Tails turned his attention to us. His sharp, analytical eyes flicked between me and Amy, immediately recognizing why we were here.
“I’m guessing you two are here for the location?” he asked, already moving toward his high-tech laptop.
I nodded. “Yeah. Any updates?”
Amy and I followed him inside, the familiar scent of oil and metal filling the air as we stepped into the workshop. It was cluttered in the way that only Tails could manage—half-assembled gadgets sat beside neatly stacked blueprints, tools scattered across the workbenches like a carefully calculated mess.
Tails wasted no time, his fingers flying across the keyboard with inhuman precision as he pulled up the latest data. A map appeared on the large screen beside us, glowing with multiple points of interest.
“Alright,” Tails began, adjusting his goggles. “Based on the information you provided, the gem is hidden somewhere in the snowy mountains up north.” He pointed at a marked region on the map. “It’s buried deep in the terrain, and the environment there is harsh. You’ll need to be prepared.”
I leaned in, studying the map as Tails removed a small data chip from his laptop. He plugged it into a compact locator device, waited a few moments for the data to transfer, then handed it over to me.
“This will guide you to the exact location,” he explained. “I’ll also have my drone scanning the area from above for anything unusual or anything that matches the gem’s signature.”
I took the device and glanced at the screen. The readings showed just how far away our destination really was.
Damn. No wonder it would take Eggman a few days to get there.
Beside me, Amy let out a dramatic groan. “Ugh… Does this mean I have to pack something warm?” she whined, crossing her arms.
I couldn’t help but chuckle at her reaction. “You don’t like the cold?”
She shook her head firmly. “I hate the cold,” she grumbled.
Tails, ever the problem-solver, perked up. “Well, since it’s going to take a bit for you guys to get there, I went ahead and prepared some camping gear!”
He reached under the workbench and pulled out two fully stocked camping bags.
Immediately, excitement bubbled up inside me. A camping trip? In the mountains? This was going to be awesome!
Amy, however, had the complete opposite reaction. She groaned even louder, slumping her shoulders. “Seriously?”
Tails, attempting to reassure her, offered a sheepish smile. “Don’t worry, Amy, it should only take a day or two to reach the location!”
She still pouted, kicking at the floor lightly.
I smirked. “You know, you do still have a chance to back out of this,” I teased, lifting one of the camping bags with ease.
Immediately, Amy snapped out of her sulking. She shot me a determined glare. “No way! I said I wanted to help, and I will!”
Before Tails could react, she snatched the other camping bag right out of his hands, making him flinch slightly at her sudden movement.
She blinked, realizing what she’d done, and looked at him apologetically. “Uh… sorry.”
Tails waved it off with a small laugh. “It’s fine. Just be careful out there, okay?”
Amy nodded, then turned to me. “Before we head out, can we stop by my place? I need to grab something first.”
I nodded. “Yeah, of course.”
With that, she wasted no time, already heading for the door. I turned back to Tails, giving him a quick wave.
“Thanks for everything, Tails!”
“Anytime! And stay safe!” he called after us.
I barely had time to acknowledge his words before Amy was already several steps ahead of me, moving fast.
“Hey, wait up!” I called, quickly jogging to catch up.
For someone who hated the cold, she sure was in a hurry.