Chapter Text
It was a day like any other in Larkhill. Little sunshine, plenty of clouds, and a crisp breeze sweeping a few leaves along the path. Amy Rose was walking through the fields surrounding her modest home, a book in hand. Her shoes sank occasionally into muddy patches caused by the rain from the day before. But that didn’t seem to bother the young hedgehog, whose pink quills fluttered slightly behind her in the light breeze, her emerald eyes far too absorbed in the last lines of her novel. As the final words settled into her mind, the young woman closed her book, a smile spreading across her lips. God knew how much she loved reading and imagining what her life might be like if she, too, could experience a love as intense as those described in her stories.
When she finally reached her home, her shoes and the hem of her long red dress stained with mud, she was greeted by the giggling of her two younger sisters: Cream and Sally. The two girls seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves, eavesdropping at the door of their father’s office while he was deep in conversation with their mother. Amy’s eyes widened as she approached her sisters with a stern look on her face.
“Cream! Sally! What have we said about eavesdropping at doors?!” Amy scolded, but that only made Sally and Cream giggle even more.
“He’s arriving this afternoon, apparently!” Sally squealed, one hand clutching her chest.
Amy’s eyes widened again, curiosity pricking at her as she pressed her ear against the door in turn.
“Who’s arriving this afternoon?” asked Blaze, the eldest of the Rose family who just arrived next to her younger sisters.
But she didn’t have time to get an answer before the office door suddenly swung open. All four girls let out a startled yelp, causing Mr. Rose, the father of the family, to jump in surprise as he opened the door, trying to flee the conversation with his wife. Sally and Cream immediately began following their father, bombarding him with a flurry of questions, while Mrs. Rose trailed behind them. Blaze and Amy exchanged wide-eyed looks, both confused but undeniably intrigued. They followed the group to finally understand what all the commotion was about.
“Oh Papa! Tell us he’ll be at the ball tomorrow!” begged Cream.
“Well, I’ve heard rumors that he will, indeed, be there tomorrow evening”, replied their father, prompting the two youngest to squeal with excitement.
“But who?” asked Blaze, still just as confused as Amy.
Mrs. Rose, her eyes sparkling, turned to her two eldest daughters with a radiant smile, as if she were about to announce that the king and queen themselves would be attending the Larkhill ball.
“Mister Silver Jewels! He’s said to have bought the Hawthorn estate!”
Blaze and Amy turned to one another, gasps of surprise escaping them as their eyes lit up. The Jewels family was well-known for its fortune, and the eldest son, Silver, was reputed to be a charming and gracious young man. Excitement spread throughout the entire family — with the exception of Mr. Rose, who rubbed at his temple… But faced with the joyous smiles and playful laughter of his daughters, he couldn’t help but smile too.
***
The ball approached quickly, perhaps too quickly. In their shared bedroom, Blaze and Amy were getting ready with smiles on their faces, slipping into their gowns and fastening the accessories they had planned for the private evening. The event was hosted by a family friendly with the Roses, though socially ranked above them. Blaze had tied her violet hair into a high ponytail and slipped into a rather simple white gown that suited her gracefully. Amy, meanwhile, had gathered her quills into a high bun and was wearing a pale blue dress. The two young women chatted about the evening, giggling at the idea of finally meeting the famous Silver whom everyone seemed to talk about so much.
Upon arriving at the ball, Cream and Sally rushed straight to the center of the room, dancing with the first partners they could find to the rhythm of the music played by a small orchestra. The room wasn’t very large, but there weren’t many guests either, sixty at most. Blaze and Amy stayed together, sitting down to conserve their energy, chatting cheerfully about this and that.
An hour after the Rose family’s arrival, the room fell into a strange silence as the music stopped. All eyes turned toward three figures standing at the entrance of the ballroom. Amy and Blaze glanced at one another in surprise before rising from their seats, watching the newcomers enter and trying their best to see who they were through the gathered crowd. Even if Amy didn’t recognize any of the three faces, it was clear that such a reaction could only mean one thing : the long-awaited arrival of Silver Jewels. A smile tugged at Amy’s lips as she watched the three make their way through the room with a pace that seemed almost mystical. The young Rose leaned toward her sister, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
“So, which one is the charming Silver?” she asked in a whisper, though it was drowned out by the murmurs of the other guests watching the newcomers.
“The young man on the left is Silver Jewels”, Blaze answered with a smile and a slight blush.
Amy looked at the young man on the left. He was a hedgehog with snowy white fur and quills. His golden eyes seemed to shine, and the smile on his face gave him an almost childlike air. He wore a light blue tailcoat fastened over a simple white shirt, and trousers that matched the color of his coat. He radiated a powerful yet benevolent aura, as if he were one of the happiest people to be present that evening. His golden gaze swept across the room, resting on the decor and each guest alike, his smile never once faltering.
“To the right, that’s his sister Rouge Jewels”, Blaze continued.
Amy turned her gaze toward the young woman, who seemed close in age to Silver. She was a bat with fur as white as snow, just like her brother. Her sharp sky-blue eyes scanned the room with a cold expression, a haughty smile resting on her painted lips and eyelids. She wore a long pink gown made of fabric so delicate it looked as though it had been tailored just for her… which, considering the wealth of the Jewels family, was almost certainly the case. She moved with elegance, but her aura was almost intimidating, radiating both wealth and superiority.
“And the grumpy-looking man in the middle?” asked Amy, her emerald eyes shifting to the last person she knew nothing about.
“That’s Shadow Robotnik… He’s Silver’s closest friend” Blaze replied, though her violet eyes remained fixed on Silver.
Amy tilted her head slightly as she studied the one called Shadow more closely. He was a hedgehog with striking black fur and imposing quills, streaked with long crimson bands on the tips of his head and around the corners of his eyes. His eyes were a deep scarlet red, both mesmerizing and intimidating. His gaze was cold, brows furrowed and expression stern as he stared straight ahead, never once glancing at anything or anyone around him. He wore a black tailcoat, along with a shirt and trousers just as dark. His presence was powerful and nearly unsettling, sending a chill down Amy’s spine.
The young woman turned her gaze away from Shadow and back to her sister, who was still watching the trio make their way across the room, though Amy could clearly see Blaze’s eyes lingered more on Silver than on the other two. When the three newcomers finally reached the far end of the ballroom, the event seemed to come back to life. The orchestra began to play again, and the guests resumed their conversations, laughter, and dancing. Amy and Blaze exchanged a glance before both giggling softly. But they were quickly interrupted by a hand grabbing their arms, making them gasp in surprise. Madame Rose had taken hold of her two eldest daughters and was pulling them along, urging them forward with a flurry of: “Quick! You must meet him! Where is Sally?”
Amy and Blaze were then dragged along by their mother, Cream following behind, giggling softly at the excitement of the ball and her mother’s frantic behavior. At last, the four women reached Silver, Rouge, and Shadow, all of them bowing politely as a sign of respect — a gesture the three newcomers returned with equal courtesy.
“Good evening to you all! We are truly delighted to welcome you to Larkhill! Oh goodness, where are my manners? My sincerest apologies… I’m Mrs. Rose, and these are my daughters! My eldest, Blaze, my second, Amy, and my youngest, Cream… I do have a fourth daughter, older than Cream, her name is Sally. But I believe she’s currently dancing…” the girls’ mother began to ramble energetically.
Amy couldn’t help but stifle a quiet laugh at her mother’s excitement, which seemed to slightly overwhelm Shadow and take Rouge by surprise. Silver, meanwhile, offered a wide smile to the Rose family, chuckling softly as he gave a small bow.
“A pleasure to meet you. I’m Silver Jewels. This is my sister, Rouge Jewels, and my friend, Shadow Robotnik. Thank you for welcoming us so warmly!”
Blaze couldn’t help but smile softly, her gaze resting on Silver, who seemed to be watching her in return. The ball was in full swing as everyone dispersed. Shadow remained in a corner, observing the festivities with his cold gaze, Rouge at his side, murmuring a few words with a sly, almost mocking smile. But Silver, for his part, stayed close to Blaze and Amy, chatting with them.
“Do you like it at Hawthorn?” asked Blaze, a faint blush coloring her cheeks along with her soft and modest smile.
“Very much so! The gardens are vast, and the house has been humbly decorated under my sister’s direction.”
A brief silence settled between them. Amy knew just how reserved and shy her older sister could be, so she decided to speak up to keep the conversation going.
“I’ve heard the Hawthorn library is enormous and filled with books from all over the world!”
“Oh! Possibly? I haven’t had the chance to go there yet, I’m not much of a reader... I prefer being outdoors”, Silver said with a small smile toward Amy, before turning back to Blaze.
His eyes widened slightly when he looked at her, suddenly realizing that what he had just said might give the impression that he was uneducated.
“I mean, I’m not saying I can’t read, of course! I do read certain works from time to time! And I’m not saying you can’t read outside, obviously…”
Amy held back a laugh at the young man’s awkwardness, clearly struggling to express himself. Blaze, however, couldn’t suppress a soft chuckle, bringing the back of her hand to her mouth before speaking in turn.
“I’d like to read a bit more, like my sister Amy does, but there always seems to be so many other things to do!”
“That’s exactly what I meant!” Silver replied, his golden eyes meeting Blaze’s amber gaze.
The two looked at each other a little longer this time, but the silence didn’t feel heavy or awkward. Amy couldn’t help but smile gently, watching her sister get along so well with Silver. She was happy, as long as Blaze was happy too. As the music played by the orchestra came to an end, the dancers began to applaud. Silver seemed to take a deep breath before extending a hand toward Blaze, a smile on his lips.
“May I have this dance, Miss Blaze?”
Blaze’s eyes lit up as she gently placed her hand in Silver’s, which he took with care, joy lighting up his face. Silver led Blaze to the center of the room where others were gathering as well. Amy and Blaze exchanged a look, and the rose couldn’t help but clap her hands in excitement for her sister. Blaze replied with a small smile before she began to dance with Silver and the other guests. The pair looked as though they had always danced together, their steps fluid and their movements perfectly in sync. While Blaze occasionally glanced at Silver before focusing on her steps, Silver, on the other hand, couldn’t take his eyes off the cat, at times nearly bumping into other dancers by accident.
Amy watched the scene, a tender smile on her face, happy for her older sister. She suddenly felt someone’s presence beside her. She turned her head and slightly widened her eyes when she saw Shadow Robotnik. She offered him a polite smile, but the hedgehog, as black as ebony, kept his expression closed off, his eyes fixed on his friend Silver as if keeping an eye on him. Amy bit her lower lip, glancing back at the ball before turning once more to Shadow, a smile on her face.
“Do you dance, Mister Robotnik?” she asked in a cheerful tone.
Shadow finally looked at Amy, observing her for a few seconds with his scarlet eyes before looking back at Silver, replying in a cold voice:
“Not if I can help it.”
Amy’s smile faded slightly as she looked at the hedgehog in profile. Her lips formed a thin line as she felt a wave of discomfort rise within her. She hadn’t invited him to dance, merely trying to make conversation, but his rejection as cold as ice, nearly rooted her to the spot... Yet the uneasiness between them after that was even worse, so she found the strength to walk away. As she turned her back to Shadow, walking through the crowd of non-dancers, Shadow lifted his head. Without really knowing why, his gaze followed Amy’s back, her figure, her walk… Observing her from head to toe before quickly fixing his eyes on the mass of dancers again, his hand tightening slightly into a fist at his side.
A few minutes passed as Amy chatted with Sally, hidden from sight behind a piece of furniture. But a voice caught the sisters’ attention, one Amy immediately recognized as Silver’s. Though Sally hadn’t yet met him properly, too busy dancing, she recognized him visually, and both sisters turned to look at the young man who seemed to be accompanied by Shadow.
“This ball is filled with young ladies, each more beautiful than the last! I’m having such a wonderful time!” Silver exclaimed, joy still plastered across his face.
“You were dancing with the most beautiful of them all”, replied Shadow simply and coldly.
“Don’t even mention it... She’s the most beautiful creature my eyes have ever seen! Even more breathtaking than the paintings and statues in your estate, Shadow!”
Amy and Sally looked at each other with sparkling eyes, holding back their giggles and squeals of excitement for their older sister. But Silver kept speaking, his eternal smile on his lips.
“And her sister Amy is stunning too, don’t you think?” Silver asked with a soft chuckle.
Amy couldn’t help but smile a little more, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. Sally let out a discreet laugh, nudging her shoulder teasingly.
“Barely tolerable, I’d say. It would take much more to tempt me.”
The cold reply froze Amy and Sally on the spot, both of them staring at Shadow and Silver. The ebony hedgehog still wore his usual closed expression, his gaze icy, and there wasn’t the slightest hint of jest in his tone... As the two young men walked away, Shadow inviting Silver to return to Blaze and enjoy the evening, Sally leaned gently toward the pink hedgehog, placing a hand on her shoulder with a compassionate look.
“Count yourself lucky, Amy. If he’d found you charming, you’d have been forced to talk to him”, Sally tried to joke.
Amy couldn’t stop a small laugh from escaping, giving Sally a playful nudge in return, which made her sister snicker as well. The two of them laughed off the situation. Sally was right, after all, why should the opinion of a man as cold as ice and as warm-hearted as a grave matter to her? He might be wealthy and powerful, but to Amy, he was no one… And he would never be more than that. She wouldn’t let such a cruel remark ruin this joyful evening.
Sally then grabbed Amy’s hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. Amy hadn’t danced at all that evening. The two sisters began dancing together among the other guests, clapping to the rhythm of the music, spinning and skipping all around, grabbing the hands of others nearby as the choreography demanded, having a blast. Amy quickly forgot Shadow’s words and icy attitude, simply laughing as she danced to the cheerful and energetic music.
Yet, on the other side of the room, two crimson eyes couldn’t seem to look away from the pink hedgehog dancing as if there were no tomorrow, laughing with her sisters and with strangers as if they’d always been friends. She radiated joy, just like everyone else… She laughed, just like the others… She danced, just like the others… And yet, Shadow couldn’t tear his eyes away from her, as if she shone brighter than the rest, as if her laughter were the only sound reaching his ears, as if she were the only one dancing among the crowd… Shadow furrowed his brows a little deeper, his fists clenched, unable to look at anything else but this emerald-eyed flower enjoying herself without a care in the world.
The music and dancing came to an end as Amy, Blaze, Mrs. Rose, Silver, Shadow, and Rouge all stood chatting.
“It's been so long since I’ve had this much fun! What a delightful evening!” Silver beamed, his contagious smile still on his lips and his gaze constantly finding its way back to Blaze.
“Oh yes, and I’m sure my daughter’s charming company had a lot to do with that!” replied Mrs. Rose.
Blaze’s eyes widened as she turned to her mother, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. “Mama!” she muttered, clearly wanting her to stop before things got too embarrassing.
“Of course, Miss Blaze is an incredible dancer!” Silver added quickly, hoping to ease the discomfort of the Rose family’s eldest.
“And her beauty certainly helps as well! I always knew my little Blaze would break hearts with her charm! The other girls in the county all seem so plain compared to her…” Mrs. Rose continued without pause.
Amy and Blaze shot their mother a sharp look, urging her to stop immediately. But Mrs. Rose failed to notice and, ignoring her daughters’ subtle pleas, carried right on.
“When she was barely fifteen, a young man fell madly in love with her! I honestly thought he would propose! He even wrote her the most charming verses…”
Amy placed a hand on her mother’s forearm, seeing the growing discomfort on Blaze’s face, who now didn’t even know where to look. Amy quickly spoke up, cutting her mother off with a smile.
“And that was the end of it! Who would have thought poetry could kill love so swiftly?” Amy joked with a small laugh, to which Silver responded heartily, smiling at the young woman.
“Isn’t poetry supposed to nourish love?” Shadow asked almost offhandedly, locking eyes with Amy.
Amy’s emerald eyes widened slightly as she turned toward Shadow, meeting his crimson gaze. She hadn’t expected him to speak, let alone respond to her. The pink hedgehog bit her lower lip slightly before letting out a soft laugh and shrugging her shoulders.
“It might nourish a solid love... But a faint inclination will be killed by a clumsy sonnet”, she replied with a smile.
“So what do you recommend to encourage affection?” Shadow continued.
His usual frown seemed less pronounced, as if he was genuinely interested in her answer. Amy couldn’t help but smile again, her gaze shifting to her sister Blaze with tenderness before returning to Shadow, her smile as warm as the sun.
“Dancing! Even if one’s partner is barely tolerable…” she answered.
Shadow felt his eyes widen slightly at Amy’s words. The two stared at each other in silence for a few moments, each locked into the other’s gaze. And for a moment, it seemed as though the world stood still around them until Amy gave a polite little curtsey, her smile still present, and turned her back to Shadow, slipping into the crowd. But Amy walked on with confidence, a proud smile on her lips. Yet even amidst the throng of people, Shadow’s eyes followed her as though she were the only one he could see…
As though she were the lone spark of color in a black-and-white world.