After Frontiers: Amy and Shadow

Part 1

"This map is so confusing! It doesn't make sense!" A pink hedgehog girl was staring at a strange piece of paper, which seemed like a poorly drawn map of the area. A sweat drop ran down her quills from the heat in this Jungle-like place, frustration spread inside of her. "I shouldn't have trusted this guy!" The girl tried to take another look around, but everything appeared to be the same. The trees protruded high up in the sky, yet there was still enough light, she could clearly see everything around her. Still, she felt lost, disoriented and even lost track of time. The girl couldn't remember how long she already had wandered this place.

Something felt off, Amy Rose's sense of direction was never so wrong. This place was worse than the Mystic Ruins' jungle and even more mysterious. Scratching her head in confusion, she went on without watching her steps and didn't notice the incline of the ground, tripping eventually. Rolling down the hillside, and luckily avoiding every tree around, she crashed into something warm and soft, almost...fluffy. "Mmh...this is a nice feeling!" she blurted joyful, snuggling deeper into the warmth without taking an actual look at it.

"Uhm... Amy? Could you please get off me?" The girl's eyes flung open in terror over this way too familiar voice. Amy quickly bounced away from said voice and dusted off her skirt. "Oh hey, Shadow. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Her face was flustered, and she desperately tried to cover her embarrassment over the comment about the black hedgehog's chest fur.

"What are you doing here?" He asked calmly, obviously ignoring everything that happened just a moment ago.

Amy smiled relieved. Thankfully, her opposite didn't care at all about this awkward situation, and the girl put on her always cheerful and innocent smile. "Oh, I heard a rumor about a Temple around here which can unite you with your one true love, so I wanted to check it out." Amy eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, but soon turned into a regrettable expression. "Unfortunately, this guy who sold me this map, seemed to be a swindler and fooled me with it."

"Let me see." Calm and unemotional as always, Shadow took the map and tried to take a better look at it. "The route is just randomly drawn. It definitely was a fraud." His words only made the pink hedgehog's ear slump even more. Quickly realizing his mistake, Shadow tried to distract Amy from her map. "I'm searching for this Temple as well." Changing the subject seemed to have worked and cheered Amy up a little bit.

"Wait...you?" Eventually, the girl processed said information further and her eyes started to spark with excitement. "I didn't know you have so much interest in love?!"

"I knew you would say that." He answered flat. "I'm just here for a client's request." Shadow's explanation was answered with an unimpressed gaze from his opposite, she obviously wanted to know more. "Our client heard a different rumor, though, however Rouge said, such a delicate job is way too tiresome for her, so she forced it on me." Amy looked a bit confused, but also concerned about Shadow. The black hedgehog promptly realized the slowly forming smile in Amy's lips. "I have no time for chit-chat, I'm off!" He knew very well what the pink Hedgehog would ask next, so he didn't hesitate to turn around and was about to leave.

"Wait, Shadow!" Unfortunately for him, Amy wouldn't let herself shake off, that easily. "Why don't we go together when we have the same goal?" Said hedgehog stopped reluctantly, but he could at least give the girl an answer.

"I work better alone, no need to team up." He answered without turning back to her.

"But..." Amy was at a loss for words. "Come on, Amy! Say something! You decided to share your love with the world, and Shadow needs it the most right now! You can't just stand by and do nothing!!" The pink haired girl put all her vigor together to confront Shadow. "Please, wait!" Said hedgehog hadn't moved an inch yet, but still didn't turn around, to face her. It felt like he was trying to avoid her gaze. "Why are you so dismissive to everyone? One day, you fight with us and support us and all of a sudden you are trying to get rid of us, alienate us. Why are you like this? If something is bordering you, we can talk about it. Trust me! We'll find a way to solve this together! Please just give me a chance to help you!" Shadow was still standing there, not looking at Amy at all.

"The Shadow, from back then, is dead." Without another word, Shadow went on ignoring all the complaints from behind, which begged him to stay.

Amy quickly noticed her efforts, to team up with her opposite, were in vain. "At least for now!" She thought and quickly found her cheerfulness again. "You'll see, Shadow the Hedgehog! I'm going to show you my love, and you will like it!" Amy clenched her fists in determination, secretly hoping the black hedgehog would hear her words. 

More willing than ever, to reach Shadow's heart, the girl went on in search of this rumored Temple.