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The night air of Central City was cool, brushing against Amy's skin like whispers of secrets she hadn't yet learned to understand. The city had fallen quiet after the chaos of Eggman's latest attack, but Amy couldn't shake the memory of the strange pulse that had rippled through her body during the battle. That raw, untamed power—it hadn't been just adrenaline. It had been something else.
She stood on the rooftop of Tails' workshop, overlooking the skyline. The moonlight spilled across her gloved hands, and she flexed her fingers as though expecting them to glow again. Her heart was restless, caught between wonder and dread.
(What was that energy? Why me?)
Ever since that pulse had erupted, she felt different. A hum beneath her skin, like a heartbeat that didn't belong to her. It wasn't Chaos Energy—not exactly. Shadow had felt it too. He had looked at her with something between recognition and suspicion, but he hadn't pressed her. Not yet.
"Still brooding up here?"
Amy turned sharply, her hammer materializing instinctively in her grip. Shadow stood by the rooftop door, arms folded. His crimson eyes glowed faintly in the dark, steady and unreadable.
"Don't sneak up on me like that!" she huffed, lowering the hammer but not dismissing it.
Shadow's gaze flicked to her hands. "You're unsettled."
Amy sighed, sinking onto the rooftop ledge. "Unsettled doesn't even cover it. I don't know what's happening to me. That… surge back there—it felt alive. Like it was trying to take over."
He stepped closer, his boots soft against the roof's surface. "Power doesn't try to take over. It responds. The question is—what did you call?"
Amy blinked at him. "Call? I didn't call anything! It just happened."
Shadow regarded her for a long moment, then crouched in front of her. "Power without discipline is dangerous. For you. For everyone." His voice was quiet, but the weight in it pressed down on her chest.
Her fingers curled against her knees. She hated to admit it, but he was right. When the energy had burst out of her, she hadn't been in control. If Sonic hadn't shielded her at the last second, she might have hurt her own friends.
"Teach me, then," she blurted before she could stop herself.
Shadow's brows rose slightly.
"You've mastered Chaos Energy, haven't you?" she pressed. "Maybe whatever this is—maybe it's connected. You could help me figure it out."
For a moment, his expression softened, and she saw the faintest glimmer of something like respect—or maybe pity. Then it was gone. He straightened, turning away to look out at the skyline.
"I don't take students," he said.
Amy's heart sank, but before she could argue, he added, "But if you want to survive, you'll learn. With or without me."
---
The following days were grueling.
Amy tried to tap into the strange energy on her own. She trained outside the city, far from anyone who could get hurt. Her hammer was her focus point, but the power didn't flow the way she wanted. Sometimes it sputtered out entirely. Other times it roared to life so violently she had to throw the hammer away before it consumed her.
Frustration clawed at her chest. She remembered Shadow's calm, precise control in battle—the way he channeled Chaos Spear like an extension of himself. Why couldn't she do that?
(Because I'm not him. I'm not Shadow. I'm just… me.)
But every time she thought of giving up, the memory of Eggman's smirk returned. His plans weren't finished. If she couldn't control her power, then when the next battle came, she'd be nothing more than a liability.
---
Meanwhile, Sonic noticed.
He always noticed.
One afternoon, he caught her behind Tails' workshop, panting from another failed attempt. The hammer lay discarded at her feet, glowing faintly with residual energy.
"Ames," he said, stepping closer. "You've been at this nonstop. What's going on with you?"
Amy froze. She didn't want to tell him. Not yet. But his voice carried that rare softness—the one he only used when he was really worried.
"I just… I have to get stronger," she muttered.
Sonic's eyes narrowed, following the faint shimmer around her. "Stronger how? This isn't like you. You've got something weird going on, don't you?"
Amy opened her mouth, but no words came. The truth tangled in her throat. If she told him, would he understand? Or would he just see her as unstable—someone who needed protection instead of trust?
Before she could answer, Shadow appeared from the trees. His gaze flicked from Sonic to Amy, then down to the faint glow still clinging to her hammer.
"She doesn't owe you explanations," Shadow said flatly.
Sonic bristled instantly. "Oh, you again. What's your angle here, Shadow? You think you're her babysitter now?"
Shadow's eyes hardened. "She's in danger. I'm making sure she doesn't destroy herself before Eggman gets the chance."
Amy jumped between them, raising her hands. "Stop it, both of you! This isn't about rivalry, okay? I need to figure this out for myself!"
But her words didn't dissolve the tension. Sonic's jaw was tight, and Shadow's shoulders were rigid. They didn't say it, but the message was clear: both wanted to protect her. Both thought they were right.
Amy's chest ached. The last thing she wanted was to be caught in the middle of their pride.
(I have to master this. Not just for me… but so they stop fighting over me.)
That night, as she lay awake, the strange hum of energy returned. Only this time, it didn't feel threatening. It felt like a heartbeat, steady and strong. She pressed her hand against her chest, closing her eyes.
(Maybe… this power isn't trying to hurt me. Maybe it's part of me. And if that's true… then I have to accept it. I have to.)
The first step toward control wasn't mastery. It was an acceptance.
And Amy Rose, for the first time, wasn't afraid.
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