Amy sighed miserably as she sat between her mother and father at massive dinning table in the great hall of Castle Acorn. The banquet had begun.
Ladies and their Gentlemen paraded around the dance floor, the adults were talking amongst themselves, gossiping and greeting one another, other people were eating large amounts of food.
Amy watched enviously as a couple of younger children chased after each other, their mothers shouting for them to slow down.
She picked at her plate, piled high with some of her favorite food, with lack of appetite.
Her mother was having an animated conversation with a lady next to her, and her dad was laughing with some of the guys.
She hadn’t been paying attention to the conversation, until she heard her father exclaim,
“Ahh, there you are Sir Malcolm, I was wondering if you would even show up!”
She glanced up startled as her least favorite person in the world sat down in the empty seat in front of her. She groaned as she realized that she had noticed the empty chairs earlier but hadn’t given it a second thought since.
The two children glared at each other from across the table as the adults greeted one another.
“Say hello Amy.” Her mother told her cheerfully.
She glared once more at the younger hedgehog, then turned to his parents and, beaming innocently, told them “Hello and good evening”
“Aww, your daughter is such a sweetheart.” Jasmine had said, and then she glared at Shadow as he gave a small chortling sound.
“I Do, hope that you would forgive Shadow here for his behavior this morning, sometimes he is such a child”
Amy giggled as the black hedgehog grimaced.
Through out dinner the two children threw nasty looks at each other, until Amy, full from her meal, politely asked to be excused.
“Oh, sure honey. Why don’t you and Shadow go and meet with some of the other children?” That was Alicia, Amy’s mother.
“Oh, that’s a splendid idea. Shadow go and play nicely with Amy, and make sure you stick together.”
He grimaced and said “yes mother” through very gritted teeth.
Amy huffed and started off towards the court yard, followed shortly by Shadow.
She was trying to enjoy the calm peacefulness of the castle gardens.
She sniffed at the flowers and ran through the bushes, but the only thing bothering her was the presence of that other hedgehog. He followed her silently as though she weren’t there and this irked her.
At one point while smelling some particularly beautiful flowers, she glanced at him from the corner of her eye, and frowned.
“Why don’t you just go away?”
He glared at her darkly.
“Because I’m supposed to stick with you, Stupid girl” He muttered under his breath.
“Well, cant you ‘stick with me’ at a further distance? You’re invading my personal space.”
“Look, I don’t want to be here as much as you don’t want me-“
He was cut off suddenly as she suddenly grabbed his arm and dragged him with her behind some bushes.
“Be quiet or he’ll see us!”
“Who?”
But she didn’t answer. She was staring over the bushes, trying to keep her head down.
Quirking his brow he looked over too, and tried to find what she was staring at. Then he saw what it was:
It was another blue hedgehog, one of the other children he had had to meet today.
Sonic.
He hated that guy. They hadn’t said one word to each other but the dislike was immediate. He noticed also the person walking next to him giggling happily: it was a little girl chipmunk, but everyone knew her name: she was the crown princess. Princess Sally Acorn.
He glanced at Amy who was staring at them, her lip quivered slightly for a moment.
Shadow rolled his eyes: now he understood.
He stared pointedly at a tree in front of him, sitting with his back leaning on the small hedge.
“If you like his so friggin’ much, why don’t you just tell him?”
She glanced at him as if she just realized he was there and then turned to sit back staring ahead of her sadly.
“Hmph. There would be no point.”
“And why not?”
“He wouldn’t like me”
Shadow glanced at her sadden expression and realized with a jolt that there were tears starting to build up in her eyes.
‘Great, now look at what you did. You made her cry’
He gritted his teeth. He hated to see girls crying…
‘Please don’t start crying…’
But silently the tears started to fall. And she put her face on her knees as she tried to wipe them off, but that didn’t seem to help.
He needed to do something but he the only thing I OCULD do was so embarrassing he hardly thought it worth it.
But seeing her just sitting there crying just wasn’t bearable, so very quickly and after much hesitation, he brought his arm up and placed it on her shoulder, her eyes widened, and he pulled her towards himself so she was leaning wide eyed at his side, in what was turning out to be a very comforting hug.
She felt her face reddening as she realized the situation.
Here they were, sitting there, hugging.
“Amy… please don’t cry.”
They sat there for a while, and after Amy’s sniffles had subsided she sat up wiping her eyes.
“T-thank you Shadow.”
“Hmph. You’re still very stupid.”
“Say what?!”
He glared at her with a look of such annoying superiority, she almost slapped him.
“I said that you are stupid: chasing around some loser like Sonic. Peh! Why cry over some jerk who barely knows you.”
“Y-You shut up about Sonic!”
“Or what? Are you gonna cry at me?” He sneered.
“Grrr….. You are nothing but a mean little jerk!”
She jumped up and stopped at the ground angrily before running off towards the Great Hall.
Shadow just watched her go before leaning back on his hedgehog.
At least she’d stopped crying.
~~~~~
(A couple of years later)
Through a crack in the curtains the sunlight streamed through the open window, a nice little breeze played with the white flowing curtains. The room hadn’t changed over the years. After all it was the assigned guest room of the Rose Family for when the King were to summon his loyal knights. They were kept clean and crisp for the families’ next visit, but nothing was ever changed with the rooms.
Amy started to squirm under the covers of her bed. She had been traveling all night to get here.
She groaned and rolled over away from the small slither of sunlight that had found its way over to her. She was content with staying in bed for as long as she could. But just as she began to settle down again the door to her room burst open and a dumpy old woman hedgehog came in carrying a basket of freshly laundered clothes,
The noise had shocked Amy out of her sleep, and she popped her face off her pillow, her long pink hair slightly ruffled.
“I’m awake! … Oh… its you Sheryl”
She yawned sleepily and stretched.
“What’s going on?”
“Well my dear, we have a lot scheduled for today! Well, lets see, you’ll be keeping company with the crown princess, Sir Sonic, Sir Knuckles, Young Sir Prowler, Lady Cream, Lady Rouge, and oh dear I almost forgot Sir Shadow. Amy sputtered.
“What? Di-did you say Shadows coming too?”
“Why yes he is.”
Amy groaned… Maybe she could just stay in her room all day…
She hadn’t seen Shadow since she was 13. And even 4 years later she could remember his sneering, sarcastic and irksome behavior. She did note that he HAD comforted her when she was upset, but she also noted that it was HIS fault that she had gotten upset in the first place.
No. Shadow was one person she really did NOT want to see.
“Do I have to go Sheryl?”
“But of course your ladyship! You must!”
She groaned again and sunk back into her bed, thinking of a way out of this.
Maybe she could go and ditch the others until whatever they were doing was over?
It took her a while to get out of bed and put on the clothes Sheryl had lain out for her.
She sighed.
This really wasn’t fair: why did HE have to come along?
Sulkily she went to the window, laying her head on her arms on the window sill. All she could hope was that he would forget about her. She looked across the country lost in her thoughts.
~~~
Down below in the court yard a sparking match was going on.
Sonic threw off his mask as his opponent attempted to strike.
He dodged the blow and sent an attack toward the other’s unprotected side, but the other hedgehog slide to the side parrying his attack and sending his sword off to the opposite direction.
“Aww, you’re getting good Shadow” Sonic said gaily, but then he met another attack head on.
“Hmph. I’m better than you, you blue idiot.”
“We’ll see about that!”
And just as he was about to have another strike blocked, they heard a voice calling that caused them to stop.
It was Sally.
“Yoo-hoo~”
“Hey Sal’” Sonic called beaming his signature smile.
Shadow merely crossed his arms and nodded to the princess, as he ripped off the mask and threw it into his weapons barrel along with his sword.
Knuckles, Tails, Cream and Rouge who had been watching with interest all stood up.
“Aww I wanna see who wins!” Tails exclaimed and Cream nodded.
Shadow smirked.
“Naturally I would”
Rouge quirked a brow and smirked.
“Well, someone is pretty full of them self.
“Hmph”
“Hello guys” Came a cheery voice from behind them; they all turned as Amy walked up to them waving happily.
“Hii Amy!”
Tails and Cream ran up to their friend excitedly.
“Long time no see”
As she greeted Knuckles and Sonic and Sally, Shadow watched her: she had changed since they had last seen each other.
He took in how she actually started to talk to the others, before she would stand aloof and wait in the back ground.
And that wasn’t the only thing:
With a jolt he took in her appearance: 4 years had done her well.
Where she used to be as flat as a board, now she was far from it;
She had a very thin waist that connected curvedly to a very ample bosom and wide hips. Her hair looked longer, but he really couldn’t tell just how long it was due to it being tied in a rather large bun.
He was wondering if she remembered him when her eyes met as he stared at her, and she nodded politely, but he noticed the smile on her lips wasn’t as genuine as it was for the others. Yup; she definitely remembered him.
“Hmmm checking out our little friend Shadow?” came the sly voice of Sonic as he seemingly popped next to him out of no where.
“I have no idea what you’re getting at Sonic.”
“Oh yes you do, you were checking her out”
“Not really, I just wanted to see if she remembers me”
“Remembers you from what?” Sonic said suddenly, a sharpness entering his voice.
Shadow smirked.
“Oh, just an incident.”
Smirking to himself he walked off.
The group walked towards the stables.
Sonic, both Shadow and Sally noted, was enthusiastically trying to engage her in a private conversation, which was apparently funny because Amy giggled slightly.
Shadow got the idea that it was somehow about him when she glanced back suddenly and as their gaze met she looked forward again giggling.
After they had gotten their horses saddled up, the mounted. As Amy climbed up on her horse her eyes met with Shadows whose horse ironically was settled next to hers, and she looked quickly away.
They started at a slow gait conversing with each other.
Sonic and Amy were having their own conversation oblivious to Sally who would either try to start up one with Sonic, or join into their own.
Shadow smirked as her face fell after another unsuccessful attempt, but he regretted it almost as quickly when she looked around and caught his eye, and slowed down to keep step with his horse.
“Hi Shadow”
She flickered her eyelashes at him.
He sighed internally as she tried to talk to him. At whatever he said, weather it be funny or not she would laugh loudly, and every few seconds her eyes would flick to the back of Sonic’s head, where he was too busy catching up with the pink female.
At one point Sonic had turned back to ask Sally how much further and she perked up, only to get disappointed again when he turned back to Amy.
The trip took up most of the evening, finally they had settled down in a small field outside of the forest, where a clear blue river flowed. They set down their blankets and had a nice meal: apple pies, sandwiches, cakes, fruits, some ham, and roast beef, chicken, you name it.
From where Shadow was standing, leaning against a tree with one arm crossed over his chest, the other hold the apple he was munching on, he would see everything in the wide open space around him. If there was one thing he enjoyed it was nature.
The picnic was actually quite enjoyable: the most exciting parts being, when Tails got stuck in a tree trying to get a flower for Cream,
When Knuckles, to Shadows great amusement, tried to force Sonic in the river after Sonic had thrown a pie at his face,
And When Cream entertained everyone trying to catch butterflies; in the end Amy “caught” it, even though it was more like it flew over to her and landed gently on her finger.
Over the course of the picnic he began to get the impression that Sally Acorn was a jealous flirt.
After the whole butterfly incident she had tried to copy Amy’s childlike innocence and angelic kindness; she offered to help Tails catch a few fish, but then she got bored of it and started to glare angrily in the direction of Amy and Sonic where Amy was telling Cream a fantasy story of a flying whale who traveled to beautiful places.
He had to admit that she was a good story teller, although he found the story itself too childish fro his own tastes.
She even helped Cream to make flower crowns; Cream had even given him one which he wore most reluctantly, and took it off as soon as he could.
He noted how Sally almost cried when Amy had given Sonic one, which he wore cheerfully even though he looked pretty ridiculous.
Finally Tails and Cream started to get bored with just sitting there and decided they wanted to explore.
“Okay, we should split up into teams so we don’t get lost” Sally said.
The rest agreed: Rouge grabbed Knuckles and headed away.
Tails and Cream held hands excitedly.
Sally clung onto Sonics arm happily, but her face dropped when he tried to invite Amy, (making Shadow smirk), who shrugged happily and declined, leading Sally to drag Sonic along who kept looking back reluctantly.
So that just left them two with Tails and Cream looking for critters near-by.
Amy giggled at their efforts happily as she sat on the grass watching them.
There was silence.
Shadow looked down at the pink female, who was watching her friends laughingly.
Somehow he needed to move around.
He cleared his throat making Amy look up at him, and asked her “Do you want to go for a walk?”
She hesitated a minute then bounced up.
“Sure”
They walked together through the forest enjoying the silence of nature. They talked a little; mostly about the weather, and how they were enjoying the festivities.
“So, how have things been with you?” Amy asked as she pushed a branch out of her way.
He grunted as he caught the same branch and removed it from his path.
“I’ll take that as a ‘fine’ then?”
He shrugged. “For lack of a better word”
“How are your parents? I haven’t seen them in a while”
He paused. “I believe they are alright. I have not been home to visit for a while.”
“Oh really? Why not?”
He murmured something about being too busy. Plus he had his own castle to go to, and did not need to go bothering the rest of his family. But before they could say anything further they heard voices up ahead.
“Oh Sonic, isn’t this sooo much fun?”
“What? Oh, yea; Fun.”
“Sonic! What the heck is wrong with you? You’re all distracted today”
“What do you mean?”
“YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN SONIC THE HEDGEHOG!!”
“Uh oh, I think we better leave” Amy said fretfully.
“Hmph. That might be a good idea.”
They took a sharp left and headed in that direction for a while.
“You really are an interesting character Rose.”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
She gave him a confused expression as she climbed over a large tree trunk in their way. He grunted as he hopped off it took her hand as he helped her down.
“You know exactly what I mean Amy.”
“….Actually I really don’t.”
He sighed exasperatedly.
“You know, the whole Sonic thing.” He said as he nodded his head in the general direction of where Sally and Sonic had been.
“What?” She gave him a look and mentally he swore. ‘Damned girl playing innocent’
“We all were there Amy Rose. You two were all over each other. You do realizes that’s why those two were fighting right?”
He watched as her face paled looking aghast. If she was acting innocent she really was a good actor.
“Oh man… You’ve got it all wrong!”
She groaned and looked through the woods anxiously. “Is that really what they’re arguing about? Aww man.”
“Amy, are you honestly saying that this whole time you were NOT flirting with this guy?”
“YES! Look, I may have liked Sonic when I was a kid, but it’s been 4 years Shadow, even I know when to give up! Honestly, Sonic is only a friend!”
He looked at her and sighed.
He really wasn’t sure if that was how she was really feeling, but in the end it really wasn’t his business in the first place.
They stared at each other for a moment.
“You really don’t believe me, do you.”
He quirked a brow at her; he’s never said that.
“I never said I don’t believe you Rose, it’s just-”
“Oh, there you guys are!”
The two hedgehogs turned to the voice; It was Knuckles who now called to the rest of the group “I found them! Common guys, we’re about to head to Sally’s.” He ran off leaving the two hedgehogs. They looked at each other, Amy’s expression anxious.
“We’ll continue this later”
She nodded and h lead the way back to the others.
Amy noted sadly that Sally and Sonic were looking at anything but each other on the way back, and her eyes looked sort of red and puffy.
One time Sonic tried to start off a conversation with her, but she glanced back at Sally, who was glaring at her mutinously.
She gave him a somewhat sad smile and put her voice down so only he cold hear.
“Maybe you should keep Sally company”
He looked surprised at her then looked ahead sadly.
“I don’t think she wants to talk to me at the moment. She sort of blew up at me for some reason earlier. I really don’t know why though.”
He glanced back at her looking helpless.
“I think I know why. She was just missing you today, that’s all.”
“What do you mean? I’ve been here all day.”
“Well, according to someone it seems I’ve been taking up a lot of your time today. I think she feels sort of ignored.”
His eyes widened and a look of dawning crossed his face.
“Oooohhhh… opps, I really hadn’t realized. But, she has nothing to be jealous about, after all we’re just friends.”
She beamed up at him. “Exactly, so stop hanging out with your friend so much and give your girlfriend some attention already.”
He gave her a grin and slowed down to meet with Sally who looked surprised but immensely pleased.
Amy smiled as she watched his try and cheer the girl up, when she caught the eye of Shadow. He met her gaze for a moment then nodded, turning his attention to the road ahead.
She puffed her cheek in wonder before talking to Cream who was animatedly going over their day.
They arrived at Sally’s Vacation House just when the sun had started to set. It was a beautiful one story building the sat on a cliff over the sea. It had a rap around balcony and a garden with all sorts of plants. On the side that sat over the edge of the cliff were stairs that lead right to a private beach.
Somehow, Amy knew, this would be a fun trip!
