***
Sonic and Amy reached Sally Acorn's castle. The guards let Sonic through, as Sally told them to let him in whenever he came. However, at first they did not dare to let Amy in. Sonic explained to them that she was with him and they also let her in with him. Rose did not hold any resentment or anger towards the guards, because she was glad that Sally also allowed Sonic to sometimes point her out to the guards so that they would also allow her to pass through. That is, a hedgehog. She and the hedgehog held hands again and walked further into the palace. When Sonic and Amy went inside, they looked around a large hall with a staircase along which a chipmunk was descending to meet them. She was glad to see the guests. Like the same Amy, but mostly Sonic. First of all, Sally went up to Sonic and hugged him. The hedgehog also returned her hug. Amy, seeing this picture, turned away from jealousy and frowned. However, Sally then came up to her and hugged her in the same way. Not expecting this, Amy widened her eyes, but she was even a little pleased for such hospitality that she immediately forgot what she was jealous about and also hugged the chipmunk in return. Sonic takes his blue cell phone and takes a photo of Amy and Sally smiling while hugging each other. β For memory! β he explained to them about the photograph. The hedgehog and the chipmunk also liked the photo itself and decided that they could even show it to their friends or descendants. β Miss Rose, would you like to take a tour of my palace? I just need to talk to Sonic about something privately, if that's okay. β Of course, Miss Acorn. β Amy answers and goes down the right corridor, deciding to examine the knightβs armor on the walls. When she went down another corridor and Sally and Sonic were left alone, the chipmunk politely asked the hedgehog: β Have you already told her? β No. β Sighing heavily and lowering his head, he answers her. β Honestly, I tried. I could not. You know how afraid I am of her. I even tried to prepare her, but she also said that she would most likely still be offended by me... And she would even be angry with you and me, having learned the truth, that she would want to strangle us both... Maybe Iβm just in a hurry? Sally hugs Sonic and replies: - You can do it, Sonic. She loves you and will not easily attack you, much less me, knowing that you will stand in her way. She'll probably understand if you just be honest and be yourself. Just stay close to me and try to collect your thoughts. Don't be afraid of anything, throw away all your fears and speak from your heart. β Well, I donβt know if I can? What if she, even if she doesnβt get angry with me, might be offended by me and stop talking to me? What if she completely breaks off our friendship with her and our friendship with her will end forever, because I deceived her and hid this truth from her? β If you donβt try, you wonβt know! You've been hiding this from her for too long and that's enough from today. β You're right. Stop being silent! It's time to take the will of Chaos into your fist! Amy returned to this end of the conversation from the left corner. Sonic immediately stood in Roseβs path and, trying to collect his thoughts, tried to talk to her again: β Amy, I want to confess something to you? β In love? β the hedgehog asked, smiling, placing her hands on her cheeks with emotion. β You can say so! β Sonic did not deny, although he had something completely different. Not what Amy thought. She listened to him carefully, and the hedgehog first looked at Sally. She nodded to him, and Sonic then turned his gaze to Amy, sighed heavily and continued: β Do you understand, Amy? I... β Amy saw how nervous he was, as if he was afraid to admit to her what she was thinking. β I want to apologize to you. β Apologize?... But for what? β although she didnβt understand, she was interested. Thatβs why I asked this not out of suspicion, but rather out of curiosity. β It's all about us. I wanted to talk to you about this back in the forest while we were walking here. But I was afraid that you would leave me or even kill me. β I don't understand? What are you talking about, Sonic? β You remember the day when I saved you from Eggman and Metal Sonic, right? β asked the hedgehog. Rose nodded silently and Sonic continued: β Even then I realized that you immediately fell in love with me. You were still very young then, and I then thought that this love of yours for me at first sight was just childish love. But even now, several years later, you still love me while I was silent about it. Only today I barely dared to tell you the truth. β he turned his gaze away from Amy so as not to see her anger or resentment and finished: - Sorry, Amy, but... In fact... You are just a friend to me... And I have never really seen you... . Did not love. The hedgehog immediately removed her smile and looked questioningly at the hedgehog. β What? β Actually... β she comes up to Sally and kisses her on the right cheek, right in front of the hedgehog. The latter widened her eyes at what she saw and gasped. Even my cheeks turned red. β Sorry, but... I love Sally... I even proposed to her. β he finished, and Sally herself, with a sad face, showed the hedgehog Sonicβs engagement ring, which he gave her and which she put on the ring finger of her left hand. She also spoke: β Don't be mad at us, Amy! Understand that we don't want to offend you. But we are tired of hiding the truth and... Sonic and I will get married tomorrow. I know it's hard for you to accept this reality, but unfortunately this is the real world, not a fairy tale about a prince and princess. β Understand us, Amy. I donβt want to break up with you and quarrel because I love someone else. And I am very sorry that I did not dare to admit this to you earlier. I was just afraid to admit it to you. But know that you are our best friend out of all the friends we have known. We're really sorry! Trust us! We, as friends, did not want to offend you. β Sonic explained. While Rose listened to everything, at first she did not answer anything. She lowered her head down, her throat was dry, and tears flowed down her cheeks. She was still offended by such a bitter truth. All her dreams of a happy future with Sonic immediately collapsed, like a fragile Lego set. The heart immediately seemed to stop and stopped beating. Although it only seemed so to her. She was very upset that she wanted to cry bitterly or really kill them both. Even the shaking hands confirmed this, which the hedgehog also clenched into fists, which the hedgehog and the chipmunk noticed. However, she herself perfectly understood that Sonic and Sally did not want her to be so offended or angry with them for this. So she unclenched her hands and calmed them. After she sniffled a couple of times, she only then spoke through her tears: - I understand. I'm far from you. I don't deserve to compete with Sally and be Sonic's favorite girl. Sorry, Sonic. I-I shouldn't have pestered you with my love all my life. - After the words were spoken, she turned her back to them and headed towards the exit. Sonic and Sally just extended their hands forward. β Amy! β he said. β Amy! β she said. β I went. β Amy! β Sonic responds and wanted to follow her. β Please, do not go... The chipmunk took the hedgehog by the shoulder and stopped him. β Don't, Sonic! Give her time! She just wants to be alone now! Amy, alone, first slowly walked out of the palace and when the gates closed, she immediately ran away in tears. Even at the main gate, the guards allowed her to leave alone. The sad hedgehog ran and cried all the way. On the way, she tripped over a root from one of the trees protruding outside the ground and fell face first into a dirty puddle. Her face was stained with this mud. When she saw her dirty face in the reflection of the puddle, she cried even more and even slammed her right fist into the puddle. Thoughts about this were spinning in my head: β βI deserve it! That's what I need! What a fool I am! I naively hoped that Sonic would truly love me, not as a friend, but as something more... It was all in vain!β β βI'm sorry, but I don't love you, Amy. I only love Sally... Sally... Sally...β Sonicβs words sounded in his mind. After the thought itself, the hedgehogs continued: β βPerhaps this is stupid... A friend on a date with a friend... Since he considers me only a friend, then all my efforts for a happy future with Sonic are in vain... He would never love me, even if I were someone else... Even if I became Sally herself... What should I do now?β Having finished crying and lying on the path, she gets up, wipes the dirt off her face and goes home. Sonic himself still quietly followed her, hiding in the bushes. He immediately became sad, lowering his head. He felt ashamed in front of her for what he and Sally had told her. He even imagined how bad and painful she was. Perhaps there was no need to tell her about what he had been hiding from her for a long time? Now she seems to be so offended by him that she doesnβt even want to talk to him. Sonic, realizing all this, was ready to cry from shame. With sad thoughts, he returns to Sally in the palace. With sadness, he hugs the princess, and she tries to calm him down. In fact, the chipmunk did it easily, but all the hedgehogβs thoughts were only about the hedgehog, since he was now very worried about her and thought: will she forgive him? β Don't worry, Sonic. I think you did the right thing. You heard what she told us, right? She understands everything, although she was offended by it. Just let go of all your inner worries! She'll grieve for a while and then come to terms with it. Right now we have unfinished business. We need to prepare for our wedding tomorrow. After listening to the chipmunk, the hedgehog calms down a little and answers: β You're right. Although in his soul and secretly from her, he sometimes turned his gaze back and was still briefly worried about the hedgehog.***
At that time, the hedgehog returned to her home and cried for a long time, lying with her face in the pillow on the blanket and could not calm down for a long time. β What should I do now? β she whined through the pillow and tears. β All my life, dreams, hopes and all my love that I gave to him... All in vain!... He doesnβt love me at all... What did I eat? -huh?... So she lay on the sofa all day until the evening, when the sun was almost setting. By this time, the hedgehog herself had almost calmed down and stopped crying, but was still sad. She was distracted from her sad thoughts by a knock on the door. However, she was in no mood to get up and open the door. She just lay there further, and the one who knocked on the door was Sonic himself. She even heard his voice: β Amy, are you there? β he asks, but Rose doesnβt respond and just lies there. However, she still listens to him: β Amy, are you angry with me?β That's why you don't talk to me?... I apologized to you and explained why I didn't confess this to you before. If you hate me and want to strangle me along with Sally, then donβt be shy! I will understand and endure everything. You have every right to be angry with me. I can only apologize to you many times. I didnβt want to offend and anger you, understand me!... I will understand everything, even if, after what Sally and I told you, you never want to be friends with me again. You probably think I hated you, but you're wrong. I worried about you and always helped you when you were in trouble because I was afraid for you. I really like you as a friend. But I'll tell you honestly! I would never betray you and leave you, and even more so I would never be offended or angry with you, even if you loved someone else instead of me and told me about it. You may never forgive me, but know that although I donβt love you as a bride, I love you as a friend. And I donβt want you to be offended and angry with me, much less break off our friendship with you. I at least appreciate the fact that you are a good friend and I liked you for how strong, brave you are and that you can stand up for yourself. Of course, I admit that sometimes I was infuriated by the fact that you pestered me with your love, but nevertheless there were advantages. For example. β Sonic tried to remember good moments with Amy, from one of which he even laughed quietly to the side. - Do you remember how I always ran away from you when you were chasing me? You know that I always love to run. In this I am even grateful to you and am not at all angry with you. Do you remember how you saved me, standing up as a wall for me, saving me from Shadow and Silver? I will never forget this and I have always been grateful to you for this. And the fact that you made me the most delicious chili dog with strawberry jam for my birthday? I told you then that I have never eaten anything tastier in my life. And it is true. I even tried to repeat it myself and prepare it the way you made it for me? Because what I told you is true. I really like you, although sometimes you irritate me by pestering me with your love. But I will repeat again and for the last time. I didn't mean to offend you!... I'm sorry! After repenting, Sonic turned his back to the exit and was about to leave, but on the way he fell to his knees and began to cry in shame. Amy heard him crying behind the door and she suddenly felt ashamed that she had shown her resentment towards him and Sally in such a way. He really felt ashamed in front of her for repenting to her and for upsetting her. Although partly she herself is to blame and she is already well aware of this. Thinking about this, lying on the sofa, she sighs heavily. Having calmed down a little from his tears, the hedgehog stood up and was about to leave, when suddenly the door behind him opened and Amy herself stepped out onto the porch. Sonic turned and saw how she thoughtfully lowered her head and tried to find the right words to talk to him: β No, Sonic... I'm sorry! β she told him. β You?... But... For what? β Sonic didnβt understand. β Because she ran away. And for pestering you. I couldnβt even think that I could disturb you or give you no peace. Why didn't you tell me about this right away? Here Sonic felt ashamed again. He could not even think that it was necessary to start the conversation with this very topic. Amy walked over and took Sonic's hands. β Do not worry! I told you that I understood everything and have nothing against you and Sally. Live together and be happy. β But... β Sonic wanted to say something else when Amy interrupted him by kissing him on the lips. At first the hedgehog widened his eyes, not expecting this, but a little later he smiled and, closing his eyes, hugged the hedgehogβs back, kissing her back. When Rose finished the kiss and walked away, she went back to her house and finished: β Goodbye, Sonic. The door closed in front of him and the hedgehog, leaving the porch of the hedgehogβs house, answered with sorrow in the same way: β Goodbye! And so Sonic slowly hobbled home, and Amy, all sad, followed him with her gaze, looking out the window. Afterwards, she made tea from chamomile petals for the night, drank it and calmed down and went to bed. Sonic himself returned to his home and, lying on his hammock, could not sleep. All his thoughts were about Amy herself. He still thought about her and was sad, how was she doing? And how will she live with this? Especially when he and Sally are getting married tomorrow.***
The next day, Sonic, as promised, showed up to Sallyβs palace wedding in a business suit. He stood near the arch, waited for his bride and at the same time thought all about Amy. Thinking about her, she kept her head down, not even paying attention to the fact that the wedding music had started and Sally herself, in a wedding dress and with a bouquet of flowers in her hands, walked along the red carpet straight towards him. Knuckles himself acted as a priest to marry Princess Sally Acorn to Sonic. He noticed that Sonic was sad about something and thought about it. He would like to listen to him and help him with this. However, the time has come to marry dad. Sally went out to the arch and while Knuckles read the wedding ceremony out loud, Sally noticed that Sonic was sad. β What happened to you? β Nothing, Sally. β the hedgehog lied and looked at the exit. The chipmunk noticed this and even listened to the fact that Sonicβs heart was beating louder and louder, although she himself was sad. He turned to her and asked: β No. Everything is bad. Sorry! β suddenly he began to cry. β I tried to come to terms with this, but I... We prepared a lot for this... I understand this, but itβs hard for me now... I canβt... For some reason I have the feeling that I... I don't want to marry you... I just... I just... Despite the fact that Sonic could not explain it to her, Sally understood everything perfectly. Nevertheless, she was calm and smiling. β You love her, right? β What? β Sonic did not understand the question and Sally, smiling, repeated the question: β Do you love Amy? Yes? β after this question, Sonic blushed with shame. However, Sally still remained calm and took his hands. She is well aware that Sonic has fallen in love with Amy. This time for real and of my own free will. And now he simply didnβt know how to admit it to her herself. β I understand you. Knuckles didn't pay attention to what Sonic and Sally were whispering to each other and when he finished, he turned to the princess: β Princess Sally Acorn, do you take Sonic as your husband? β Let me see! β she said and looking at the ceiling, she pretended to think and said. β No. Everyone in the room gasped, not expecting such an answer. And even straight away from the bride. Even Knuckles was surprised and asked: β No? Why no? β It seems to me that... Iβm not worthy of Sonic. He loves another girl and I understand him perfectly. β the chipmunk answers, to which the hedgehog looked at her questioningly. She smiled at him and, pointing to the door, whispered: β Run! Go to her! Sonic stopped crying and was ready to cry with joy. In gratitude, he kissed her one last time right on the lips in front of everyone. The bride kisses her groom and then lets him go, taking the wedding ring off her finger and giving it to him so that he can give it to Amy herself. Sonic ran from the altar, and Sally followed him with her gaze. β Who is next in line to want to get married? β she asks out loud, stands with her back to the wedding witnesses and throws her bouquet back. All the girls immediately stood up and tried to grab the bouquet. Suddenly, the bouquet caught fire and burned, falling into ashes right into the hands of Blaze the cat. Now she's next in line to get married.***
Amy at this time was throwing away all the toys and photo frames with photographs of Sonic, putting them all in a throwaway box. She decided to forget about the fact that she was in love with Sonic. Suddenly she hears a knock on the door and, not knowing who is knocking, goes to the door. When she opened the doors, Sonic himself stood on the threshold in a business suit and with a new bouquet of blue roses. β So... Sonic? β Forgive me for everything, Amy. We talked about everything with Sally and I finally understood... β he holds out his hand, showing that same engagement ring and says: β Amy Rose, will you be my wife? Amy's eyes widened from such surprise. At first she didn't know how to react to this. Then she saw Sally herself in a wedding dress, hiding behind a tree in the distance. She looked at them and obviously winked at the hedgehog herself. Having caught the hint, she takes the ring, puts it on her finger and then, as a positive answer, she kisses the hedgehog on the lips.