AHH! It's been forever! I'm sorry (for those who actually were waiting for the next chapter)!

But I haven't stopped writing. I started a new story. It's going to be an epic, so it won't be posted until I finish it completely. It's SonAmy, sorry ShadAmy fans. ShadAmy will be featured in it, though I don't think you'd like the circumstances. I'm 10,000 words into it but I'm no where close to done DX I can't figure out how to divide it into chapters and still make it flow. It just all has to come at once.

Anyways, this chapter will probably be disappointing for the wait I made you go through. I realized how cliche it probably is. I want to rewrite it, but I think it's too late at this point. Sigh. Well, I hope you like it anyways. Next chapter is important!

Chapter 6.

Reminisce.

~ Amy Rose (Day 5) ~

Amy struggled to maintain her balance as she leaped down from the plane, now landed a good distance away from the castle's main gate. Her legs threatened to give out from under her and she had to grab onto one of the X-Tornado's slim wings for balance.

She watched as Shadow jumped down beside her, landing firmly on the ground without any sign of struggle. Amy wondered how he did it with his shoes, constantly gliding over the ground. How did he never fall or lose balance? Even if he was born – er, created wearing those shoes, you'd think he would have a little trouble some times. Most mobians couldn't even balance that well on their feet, let alone skates.

Somehow, the observation reminded her of Sonic. How she's never seen him trip or stumble in her life and how his feet have never failed him. How he could gracefully sweep away ten of Eggman's robots without ever having to touch the ground.

Amy seems to have been thinking about Sonic a whole lot lately. It only takes her a moment to realize it's Shadow who reminds her of him. In a lot of ways, they were polar opposites. But there was something about him that made her heart waver with the memory of the blue hero. She couldn't decide if that was good or bad.

She was brought back from her thoughts when Tails asked if everyone was ready. Amy nodded wearily in response. "Just one question. What do we do now?"

Although the question was directed at Tails, the princess spoke up. "Why don't we just go in see what we find?"

Everyone exchanged glances and eventually nodded, slightly reluctant to listen to the suggestions of a nine year old. But, if we could trust all of Tails' inventions when he was eight years old, including riding in the Tornado, which could have been the end of our lives if it faltered, let alone let him pilot it, then who were they to not fully consider the princess' suggestions because she's only nine?

Everyone heads towards the castle, the princess walking beside Tails in the front, Amy just slightly behind them and Shadow trailing farther back. He wasn't being slow or anything, he just likes to keep to himself. At least, that's what Amy assumes. She really didn't want to look back at Shadow, risking eye contact.

"I made this a while back to help Sonic get into Eggman's bases. Pretty much it can unlock the gate for us and anything else, as long as the lock is controlled through an computer. Like a code or password. If it requires and actual key or if it's a dial lock, I can't really help you." Tails explained as we approached the gate.

"I have my own tricks to get in those." Amy heard Shadow's voice from behind her in his constant no nonsense tone.

There's a little box outside of the gate with a key pad and a place for it to scan someone's fingerprint. "Can't Sonia just unlock the gate?" Amy asked.

"I never knew the pass code." She shrugged.

Tails added, "Phantasm would have changed the code by now anyways."

"Why wouldn't she just make it so that no one could get in?" Shadow mused, now standing beside Amy. She heard his voice right in her ear and even felt his breath as he came up beside her. He wasn't standing that close, was he? Again, that odd familiar feeling came. His voice somehow reminded her of Sonic, even if it was deeper and cold. It almost seemed like Shadow would sound just like Sonic if he lightened his voice up. She was sure she was imagining things now.

Amy was so distracted by Shadow, fighting the urge to look at him, that she didn't realize what was happening around her until the gate snapped open and Tails was detaching the wires from the box.

The continued walking towards the castle until confronting a small doorway. Rather than an oversized wooden door like portrayed in movies and books, there was a normal sized door made out of steel. After examining the lock, Tails announced that it required a key to open.

Shadow stepped forward, without saying anything, and started fumbling with the lock. Amy really couldn't see what he was doing, but in a few moments the door slid open and everyone wore surprise on their faces.

"How'd you do that?" The princess asked, clearly surprised anyone could break into her home so easily.

Shadow shrugged a glided forward. Maybe it was something he learned at G.U.N. over the years. Maybe Rouge. Amy could only assume that she was good at that kind of stuff.

They had only traveled a few steps into the room before a figure rose up from the floor. She had dark black hair and empty blue eyes. No mouth. Amy had never seen Phantasm before, but she was having a strange feeling this was her.

"You again." The wind booms in our ears, as if saying the words.

"I was just going to say the same thing." Shadow looks squarely in her seemingly blind eyes. Was that her speaking?

"It was about time you showed up. I suppose you're here for Manic?" An image appeared beside her. Manic. Tied up and bloodied. Tired. Lost a few pounds. Fur uneven and ruffled. His eyes... They lost the childish curiosity and excitement they contained before.

Tails gasped. "S-Sonic?"

"Manic." Amy felt her voice shake. He was such a cute little boy. How could she do... this? Even Eggman never wanted to hurt anyone, as ironic as that is.

"Blue eyes." Tails commented, searching for evidence this was not, in fact, his dead brother.

Amy felt Shadow tense at her side. She imagined the expression on his face, but didn't dare look at him.

"Here's the deal. You can have your son back, I have no use for him other than getting your attention. You have two options. Surrender to me and all of your lives will be spared in days to come. Don't surrender, and you will become enemy number one. You all will suffer."

Everyone is quiet. They're waiting for Shadow's reply. He would make the choice. It was his kid, he was the one who's stakes were highest.

"I would rather fight you every day for the rest of my life than surrender to you." He spoke finally, his words echoing Amy's thoughts.

Everyone stood as still as stone, waiting for her response, wondering if she had meant her words.

"Fine, do it the hard way. You can have Manic back if you can find him and survive."

Phantasm was gone with the blink of an eye.

"We'll split up. Amy with me. Sonia with Tails." Shadow was already starting to walk forward, before Amy even registered had happened. She could see even from behind him how determined he was. That familiar wave passed through Amy, leaving her struggling to let go of her memories of the blue hedgehog. This was happening more and more often.

Tails stopped Shadow. "No. I'll go with Amy."

Amy couldn't understand what was going on between them as she saw Tails staring Shadow down, waiting for him to speak. "Fine. Doesn't make a difference to me."

She followed Tails down a corridor, not speaking until they were far enough away that no one could hear them. "What was that about?"

Tails only shrugged in response.

Amy dismissed the subject. Maybe he just didn't like Shadow, remembering what he was like years ago. They turned a corner into a narrow hallway.

Tails finally spoke. "I just don't like the way he looks at you. That's all."

"How does he look at me?" It took her a moment to figure out what he was talking about.

"Doesn't matter. This place is so huge, how are we ever going to know where to start?" Tails looked around the castle, examining the area. "It's so eery isn't it? They must fix it up for TV or something. Or..." He didn't finish the statement, but Amy didn't have to guess at what he was going to say. Phantasm.

~ Sally Acorn ~

Honestly, Sally wondered how she survived the past ten years. It seemed like it was his fault she was sick in the first place; Just his presence made her want to throw up.

That might be harsh. She's learned to like him, at the very least. But it was Sonic she had loved. Not that she would have a choice even if this arranged marriage hadn't taken place.

"I overheard Dr. Quack talking to General D'Coolette's son earlier, my queen."

Sally had given up trying to convince him that wasn't her name. He wouldn't believe it if she waved her birth certificate in his face. His jaw was hard and his eyes cold. He was raised to be her ideal husband, which she supposed meant that he would have to be emotionless and dull.

Over the years, they had grown close enough to at least confine some things to each other. It wasn't as if they never talked. Sally had given it her best effort for them to become good friends with him at the least. He had explained his life to her, how since the day he was born – two years after Sally's own birth – he was constantly given pictures of her and was being told how amazingly wonderful she was. This, he admitted, caused a great disliking of her over the years. While other kids were learning to count, he was busy learning about every aspect of the kingdom and had completely memorized the castle and all of it's hidden passageways and rooms by the age of seven. Something even Sally hadn't done, being raised in the palace herself. By the time he was fifteen he was apparently deemed suitable to become the king and the wedding was planned before they had even met. He had mastered the use of both sword and gun. He was an expert in battle strategy and knew every tactic of how to "correctly" rule the kingdom.

When Sally met him, he was just a boy. Maybe two years wasn't that much of a difference, but at the time he seemed to have been even younger than fifteen. Worst of all, shortly after the engagement was announced, Sally's father had died from a heart attack. Before she even had a chance to recover from her grief, she was told she needed to fulfill the duty she had been hoping would be ignored.

It was some stupid rule. The same person who came up with the arranged marriage law for sure. Every king has to have a successor. But with them, there was no successor. They had been the successor, ready to take action for when Sally's father died. But neither of them were ready for that. Especially not him, he was so young, younger than he looked because he was raised a man. How could they force him into it? He didn't want to have kids and honestly didn't want what would have to happen in order for that. But everyone in the palace was pressuring them and soon Sally decided she would have to do something about it. She didn't know how she would get away with it, really, but she guessed it had worked. She wasn't going to force him to be a dad, she decided. She would take care of it herself. He wouldn't have to have anything to do with it, he had enough on his mind being the youngest king in over two hundred years.

Sally had been seeing Sonic in private for a while by then. She wouldn't exactly call it going out. He had other girlfriends and Sally, of course, had the arranged marriage. But they cared about each other... a lot, maybe. It wasn't that whole "friends with benefits" thing either. Sonic was above that. But maybe they acted as a little more than friends at times. When things got too close or too personal Sonic would always stop her. Tell her it wasn't right. Remind her of whoever he was dating at the time. Say they were from two different worlds. He even said he just couldn't tie himself down to one girl, once, but Sally could understand that. The words served a different meaning with him.

Sally had confined to him the situation and explained her idea. It took a while but he agreed. Mostly because he couldn't stand the thought that someone so young would be forced into not only marriage but ruling the kingdom. His reasoning was the same as her's. He wouldn't let this be any harder on him.

So years pass and she still pretends that she doesn't have a son and that Sonia isn't the daughter of a legendary hero. Sally was surprised that he never asked her how she did, in fact, become pregnant. But about a year ago he confined to her his theory that he had found a donor and she went along with it. It wasn't far off.

Now Sally stares into the eyes of the twenty-four year old man who looks as if he's lived forty. She feels incredibly weak, but not weak enough to call it her dying moments. As if her condition was bad enough, her beloved daughter was missing and some woman had taken over the kingdom without inflicting even the slightest bit of damage. "Yes, what about it?"

"You." He sat down at the edge of her bed, the one they mutually knew she would die in. "They're sending him out to find some kid who has blood close enough to help you. Why would they send him out unauthorized?"

"I'm sorry. I gave him permission. I forgot to tell you, I guess."

"We don't have anyone to spare! He served an important roll in taking care of ourselves down here! If we did, someone would have gone out to look for Sonia by now."

"Well, I guess I was wrong when I was thinking my life was worth anything..." Her voice became a murmur as she realized what she was saying would only anger him further.

But he only gave her a long stare before turning around and swinging his cape behind him as he headed out the door.

~ Amy Rose ~

The place was full of death traps. Not that Amy expected any less. Venomous snakes, holes in the floor, walls closing in, fire, electricity. Both her and Tails had managed to escape everything until now, because here they were, pinned up to a wall by a knight that had appeared out of a supplies closet. They were hanging by the threads of their shirts and the knight held two more swords in each of his hands.

This felt a little familiar some how. Amy was thinking about how Phantasm needed to become more original because evil speeches and death traps just aren't making her stand out from the rest.

A dark figure appeared in the corridore. Yup, this should be the part where the damsel in distress gets saved. Amy thought somewhat scornfully. A spin dash was really all it took. Wonder why Shadow didn't use his chaos abilities. He usually did.

They all stood, catching their breathes as Amy and Tails waited for their heart rates to go down. The princess trailed in after Shadow had kicked the pile of armor to the side and looked at him questioningly.

After a brief explanation and thanks from Amy and Tails, they decided to part again. Amy couldn't help staring at Shadow now, the reminisce of Sonic becoming so inexplicably strong with him around. It was all she could do to tear her gaze away.

"Wait! I wanna go with Tails! Shadow is so boring." The princess exclaimed, crossing her arms as if to say, "And there's no way you're changing my mind."

Shadow's expression remained unchanged, although Tails seemed defiant. "But- Alright fine. We'll switch partners."

More time passed and the death traps became more serious and more frequent. One wrong movement or turn could have an arrow shot at you or unleash a wall of lasers, making it impossible to pass that area. It made her wonder if those happened to be leading to the room Manic was trapped in, or if Manic is even here at all. And how was Tails and the princess doing? Were they even alive? It was a scary thought Amy didn't want to consider. She was hungry and tired; plenty enough to distract her.

Hours passed and they all found each other again. Tails checked his watch for the time. 3:23 pm. It's amazing how time flies when you're trying not to get killed. The princess told us the kitchen was nearby on account of our empty stomachs and lead us to a giant room that had enough appliances and storage to fully supply ten kitchens. It didn't take long to find the ingredients to make a few sandwiches, which turned out to be pretty filling.

They ate in silence as the princess excitedly filled them in about the adventures her and Tails had survived. This was nothing but a game to her. She didn't realize what was at stake. Maybe it was better that way. After she ran out of stories to tell we discussed where we have gone and where we need to go. The princess helped set at least some idea of where to go in our heads, knowing the palace better than any of us.

After a long while we all headed out again. We remained with the same teams since the princess refused to leave Tails' side.

Amy and Shadow walk slower than before, deciding that hurrying was not the best tactic.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Amy asked wearily as they walked.

Shadow just glanced at her in response.

"Why didn't Tails want me to go with you earlier?"

Shadow took a moment to reply. "I honestly don't know."

Amy shrugged uneasily. "Something about the way you look at me?"

"What do you mean?" He glanced back at her suspiciously.

"That's what Tails said. Do you know what he meant?"

"Oh. No."

They walked in silence for a while. They found themselves retracing their steps, meaning the traps where already set off, so their travel was somewhat peaceful. The adrenaline rush was gone and Amy being thinking of Sonic again. She wasn't just remembering him now, she was daydreaming about him. Wondering what life would be like if he was still alive, Coming up with stories about how he escaped the crash. About how he's lived in secret all these years. Maybe he had amnesia. Maybe he was nursing himself back to heath all this time. She imagined him coming back to her, and admitting he loved her.

She was mad at herself for thinking of Sonic. She was wishing she could forget him and it wasn't helping that she kept doing this to herself.

It wasn't until Shadow stopped that Amy became aware of where they were. She looked forward, following Shadow's gaze and stopped dead. Blinked. Yes, it was real. Her heart stopped.

In fact, her entire body stopped working altogether.