ShadAmy Chapter 1- One Night

ShadAmy Chapter 7- Helping Love

"Where you going Espio?" Vector called after they finished their game of cards and Espio had promptly gone straight for the front door.
"A walk, won't be long." Espio said opening the door and took a step out to bump into Shadow.

"Gaaah??" Espio halted before they bumped into each other.
"Whoa, hey." Shadow held his hands out in case they stumbled into each other.
"What are you doing here Shadow?" Espio asked, "you look... nervous."
"Do I? That's because, I am!" Shadow pulled his ears.

"Why whats wrong?" Espio stepped aside from the hedgehog and down the steps of the porch.
"Well, I was thinking about what you told me yesterday." Shadow said following behind him.
"Mhm."
"And....I got no where with it." He grumbled.
"Ha-ha, no where 'yet' Shadow. Not yet." Espio looked beside him at Shadow.
"Yeah sure, but aside from that Amy and I are going on a date today."
"Aw how cute!"
"Shut up. But that's what got me nervous!"
"Really, why?"
"It's just movie and pizza. The movie I'm not so worried about, but when we're sitting there face to face with time to talk and look at each other." Shadow panted talking excessively fast.

"Oh, calm down. It won't be that bad." Espio stopped to attend to the nerve wrecked hedgie. "All it takes is a deep breath, and the rest should all flow as natural as breathing."
"I think I'm having a hard time doing just that." Shadow groaned.
"Ha, stop it Shadow, your making this harder than it has to be."
"How do you know? You ever been on one!?"
"... That, doesn't matter. Look you can't rehears your conversation with her, it should all be steady and natural. You'll do fine, just find your zen and chemistry will do the rest."
"Right, zen..." Shadow took a deep breath and took a moment to find relaxation.
"Good." Espio nodded and began to walk again.

"I, CAN, do this!" Shadow chanted to himself standing tall and sticking out his chest.
"That's right!" Espio called back with a chuckle.
Shadow looked down at the time, "Damn I got to be there in one minute!" he took off in the direction to Amy's house.

Espio made his way to Angel Island slipping past all the set traps and got to the Master Emerald shrine.
He made a high pitched whistle a signal they used to let Knuckles know he had a safe visitor. A second later he heard Knuckles answering whistle and he headily made his way up the thousands of steps where Knuckles waited.

--20 minutes later---

"Espio! What brings you here!?" Knuckles grabbed the exhausted chameleon in a head lock.
"Gah! Let me go you brute! I would not come up 20 thousand stairs just to visit your hot head." Espio pulled away and punched Knuckles in the arm.
"Aw...." Knuckles made a sad pouty face, his purple eyes became big and watery, his bottom lip quivered.
"I have to talk to you about something." Espio ignored the face crossing his arms and turned away looking out at the island's horizon.
Knuckles sighed, "No one comes to just say hi. Oh noooo they always have to bring me bad news. Can't be good news, it's always bad news."
"Well, I'm sorry but this is more of a personal problem of yours." Espio said.
"I have a problem?" Knuckles gasped and scratched head.
"Yes."
"What's my problem?! And if this is about that "anti-social" thing I'll tell you again, it's not my fault I have to guard this emerald on a floating island where no one wants to be because of all the boobie traps!"
"...No it's not that one. It's about your relationship with Rouge."

"Wha?" Knuckles raised a brow, "Whats wrong with it?"
"Well, I've heard talk that, your not giving much attention to Rouge. She feels your growing distant, and might have an eye for another man."
"W-what!? Another ma- LIKE WHO!?" Knuckles muzzle matched his fur and he clenched his fists tightly.
"Oh, I don't know. I just said she might! I don't know if she does, or doesn't, and I wouldn't know his name either." Espio turned to the raged echidna.
"Are you sure? You wouldn't be hiding anything from me would ya?" Knuckles relaxed some.
"No of course not. But you still love her right?" Espio threw an arm over Knuckles' shoulders.
"Yes. I mean we still have our bad times, but no doubt I still love her. I feel we've been fading away from each other too." he sighed, "but what can we do? We both work and sometimes her job keeps her away when I'm home."
"Well, I have an idea..." Espio thought.

"Alright lets hear it." Knuckles listened intently.
"Well, the rest of the Chaotix have nothing to do, aside from Vector's pub, business is very slow. Maybe one of us could watch the Emerald for a while, while you try to keep Rouge."
"Hey, that sound gre- waaaiiit a minute, how much are you charging?"
"Me? I'm not charging anything. It's a simple favor for a friend and former team member." Espio shrugged, "But Vector is a little tight on cash, he might charge you a fee."
"Hmm..." Knuckles thought, "If I didn't know you I'd say this was a scam and I'm still calling it a bit fishy, but Okay you got yourself a deal!"

"Haha, alright. When ever Rouge has her time off, feel free to put me on guard duty." Espio nodded.