Joel: Hey everyone. I'm the actual person who came up with this story idea. Some ideas are borrowed from other sources, and that doesn't belong to me. I have my work slave Fran to write this story for me, since she can actually write somewhat. :P
Fran: I'll try my best to write this story, so please review and stuff, okay?
'Oh no, why does it have to be today..?'
The thought plagued the poor pink hedgehog as she paced back and forth in her private chambers. Her brown dress rustled as she paced vigoriously around her room, and her long hair flopped in a most soulless way. Her glasses were nearly off, flopping dangerously around her nose.
Amy Rose, the awkward daughter of one of the most prominent families in the land, had to go to a party. A simple affair for any other young lady out there, but certainly not for her!
Taking a calming deep breath, she settled herself in front of her vanity mirror. A woman with emerald eyes and dull pink fur stared back, looking as though she would puke in a second.
"Amy? Darling, you must come out! We can't leave our guests hanging, now can we?" called a voice.
'Great. A party AND my mother to deal with.'
Sighing, Amy rose clumsily from her seat and opened her door by a fraction. No one was in the hallway, based from what she can make out. Stepping outside, she stood as gracefully as she could and made her way to the noise that was her guests. Amy cursed herself as she kept stepping in the insides of her dress. 'This isn't my day, is it...'
"Where is that dratted daughter of mine?" hissed Miriam Rose, her fur bristling as she strummed the kitchen table. Her squirrel servant just shook her head and kept cooking more food for the guests. "She has to meet a suitor someday. I can't let my eldest daughter go unmarried. I mean, my youngest already had several children while Amy wastes her life with those books of hers!"
"That isn't a waste of time, ma'am." murmured the squirrel. "Books are mighty helpful. Opens up possibilities."
"How would you know, unlettered maid?" Miriam snapped before exiting out of the kitchen. The slam of the door was almost deafening.
"Because I read along with your daughter, my lady." she murmured before resuming her work.
Amy was near the door that lead to everyone else...and their judgements. She nervously cleared her throat before walking steadily to the "gate of hell" itself.
"My my, strange to see you here, dear Amy!"
Amy's head snapped towards the source of the voice. "...Linda?"
"Of course!" Linda laughed merrily as she embraced the pink hedgehog. "It has been too long, dear sister."
Disengaging from the hug, Amy peered at her youngest sister. Clearly, she was beautiful, her lavender fur almost glowing, her blue eyes sparkling. 'Whereas I'm just an oddball.'
"Come, we must meet the other guests!" Linda suggested. "Or do you not wish to see them?"
"I don't want to take a single step out there." Amy deadpanned. "I would rather go back to my books than see them."
"Darling, how could you say that?" her lavender sister gasped. "You would choose paper over people?"
"Books don't judge."
Linda shook her head. "Books don't give you a future. Neither do they give you a suitor."
"Well, while I leave you to think, I shall go meet everyone else, it's been a long time since I have seen them!"
As Linda left, Amy rolled her eyes and followed suit. She'll go to the damn party, and then she'll go back to the privacy of her chambers.
Opening the door, her emerald eyes were nearly blinded by all the candles that illuminated the party floor. Renowned lords and ladies talked with their musical voices, their clothing richly colored and gorgeous. Amy was now too aware of her plain brown dress, her clumsy stature, and her floppy hair. Clearing her throat yet again, she slowly made her way around the room. Thankfully, her mother wasn't there. She would have critiqued her daughter in the harshest way even in front of friends.
"Just make your presence known for a bit, then leave..." the pink hedgehog kept repeating to herself, her head cast down. She was all too aware of a few stares in her direction, the pauses in conversation as the talkers watched her every move. Amy would have given anything to disappear through some hole, just so she can avoid the judgemental stares of the others. Keeping her head down, she didn't notice the guest right in front and crashed into him.
"Ow!"
Amy winced at the reaction from the victim of her unawareness. Fixing her glasses, mainly out of habit, she murmured a hasty sorry.
"Don't worry. I wasn't looking either." replied a soft voice. It sounded very familiar...
"Sh...Shadow..." Amy whispered. The hedgehog of her dreams...
His tall frame and dark fur with red stripes were pleasing to the eye, but the thing that intrigued most others, including herself, was his rare red eyes. A cool gaze graced his fine facial features as he considered the clumsy woman in front of him.
"You shouldn't look at the floor. Keep your eyes straight forward." he said, a small smile on his lips. Amy just nodded and rapidly walked away from him. 'How shameful, him seeing me like this...'
A dull flush crept on her face as she recollected her crash against one of the most exquisite males she ever layed eyes upon. 'What did he think about', she wondered, 'what were his thoughts of me?'
She finally decided that the few minutes she spent with the rest were more than enough for her. 'I'll just go back to my chambers, keep reading my books, and never think on this again.' Of course, she laughed grimly about that idea. In some way or form, she found ways to humiliate herself or her family. She spent only a few minutes in a party and already she embarrassed herself in front of many, including the gentleman she fancied.
Finally reaching her room, she opened the door and left it as is. Dashing to her favorite chair, she sat and picked the unread book on the table next to the chair. Fixing her glasses again, she tried to read the small writing but remembered that the glasses blurred her vision. Strange that she still kept wearing the foul thing...but for some odd reason, she still wore it. She never had the heart to part with it.
"Excuse me, miss..?"
Amy looked and saw a beautiful lady by her door. A blue hedgehog with vivid green eyes and silky fur smiled beningly at Amy. Amy nervously looked down and placed the book back where it was. The lady chuckled at the action.
"You shouldn't act this way, it doesn't suit you." she said, walking over towards the pink hedgehog's side and placing a hand on her shoulder. "My goodness, you're so tense!"
"I'm sorry, lady..." Amy remembered that the stranger didn't give her name.
"My name is Julia," she responded. "and you must be Amy Rose."
"How did you know?" Amy started, rising up from her chair quickly. Julia smiled slightly.
"Your very dear mother told me about you, Amy." she answered with a wry smile. Amy winced a bit. 'So mother talks about me even behind my back...'
"I was supposed to take a break in this party, enjoy myself, but everyone seems so stuck up, it'd be a sin to stay with them." Julia murmured. "My son had the courtesy to take me here, but it seems it was in vain. And to think that he traveled by ship for weeks for me! I guess I must break the bad news to him..."
Just as she made to leave the room, Amy just came up with the craziest idea, almost insane. Never did she think she'd make such a choice... "Take me with you!"
"Take you?!" Julia exclaimed. "But my dear, surely you wouldn't want to stay with your family?"
"I want to leave this place." Amy said bitterly. "My mother, her friends have always judged me. My family expects me to take care of my parents as they age because I have no family of my own. I bring chaos in nearly any other place that I walk into. I just want to leave all those bad memories and have a fresh start."
The blue maid tilted her head in thought. "...When you put it that way..."
"I beg you, please consider!" Amy exclaimed. "Please let me have a new start!"
"..." Julia finally nodded. "Okay, I'll let you come."
"Ma'am..?" a voice whispered. The pink hedgehog made her way to the hall and saw her squirrel friend in a crouched position by the door.
"Sally!" Amy exclaimed. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in the kitchens!"
"Some of the other maids who owed favors to me took cover," Sally replied. "Listen, I overheard about you wanting to go away. Is it possible for me to...you know...go along with the trip with you?"
"You should ask my new friend Julia." Amy grinned, something that rarely happened.
Even before Sally turned her head to the beautiful blue hedgehog, Julia said "Of course she can as well."
The three grinned from ear to ear at the prospect of leaving this monotone place. After packing a few things in their bags, the three set out to a new journey.
"And just where do you think you are going?" Miriam Rose growled. The party had already ended, and she chanced on seeing her daughter and the servant leaving with the strange lady with blue fur.
"I want to make something of myself, mother," Amy responded.
"I want to do the same thing." Sally quipped, shifting her heavy bag on her shoulders.
"You could do that here, right at home!" Miriam hissed, placing both her hands on her hips in a menacing manner. "Act like a lady, find a suitor!"
"Mother, there is more to that than just marrying!" Amy retorted, but quickly checked herself by giving herself a slight cough.
"I assure you Lady Miriam Rose, these two will be under my care." said Julia.
"Please, mother. I never asked something from you. I just want this change. I promise I'll come back."
Miriam just huffed a bit, glaring at her daughter. After a long silence, Miriam nodded. "Go then."
"Thank you mother!" Amy cried out, her happiness evident. Giving her mother a kiss on the cheek, the three departed towards the dock where Julia departed from her son's ship.
When they were far away, Linda walked up to her mother while holding one of her children. "Why did you let her leave?"
"Because I can't have a disgrace in the family. Goodness knows I had enough of her foolishness."
Fran: Please review!
Joel: The update will come very soon. All OC's here belong to us.