Blaze power-walked through the hallways with her head hung low. Heart pounding against her chest and her face hot with a mixture of embarrassment and anger, the dancing feline battled with the swarm of thoughts corralling inside her mind.

"Stupid notion," she hissed under her breath, "Stupid Vanilla, making such implications. Stupid Daisy for making up lies. I'm not partnering up, and I'm not looking for a lover."

'Burn him!'

"And then there's you, wretched monster."

Why it felt so wary of the artistic hedgehog was beyond Blaze, and yet, she desperately wanted to know.

She wanted to cure her flames' disobedience.

"Stupid curiosity. I'm going to die because of you."

'You want to know more about them, right? About Silver and his friends?' Vanilla's words echoed in her head.

'Of course, I want to know more! I want to know everything!'

That included her newly gifted work of art. She cursed her nerves for feeling anxious when the more apprehensive Silver presented his passion for her viewing pleasure. It was unlike Blaze to conduct herself in such a manner, but it was also the first time someone had given her a portrait. She would be a fool to pass up such an opportunity.

'It was so beautiful.'

Blaze couldn't wait to bring the composition back home with her and contemplate more.

'This is too much. I need to see what he gave Mr. Luigi.'

Before she headed for the auditorium, Blaze headed back downstairs, her curiosity guiding her, and revisited her favorite instructor.

'That's what I need: a deep conversation about the finer points of art to help clear my mind. Mr. Luigi can help me. He always has.'

"I'm telling you, sweetie, I don't see anything out of the ordinary," a familiar voice almost made Blaze hiss.

"You don't have the same eye for art, mi amore."

"It's a great painting, don't get me wrong, but I'm not seeing the message here. Why are we holding our hearts, and why is yours so damaged?"

"That's the mystery," Luigi chuckled. "What do you-a think, Miss Blaze? You're-a curious too, si?"

Blaze stepped further into the room, ushered in by a joyful Daisy.

"Oooh, I've been waiting to see you again," her grin did not sit well with the feline. "Come in and tell your favorite teachers all about how you crushed a sweet boy's heart."

A deep breath left Blaze's nostrils.

"I did not crush his heart," she affirmed, "We did have a pleasant conversation, and he was very well-behaved. I much appreciated his present, which was not accompanied by a proclamation of love."

Daisy pouted.

"Aww, he didn't go through with it. I thought for sure he was going to confess," she folded her arms and frowned, "You scared him off, didn't you?"

Blaze rolled her eyes in response.

"You're hilarious. If you must know, he plans on becoming a student here to further his artistic endeavors, and as he told you, he merely wanted to express his gratitude, not profess his non-existent love for me. Now, if we can stop with the unnecessary romance, I would like to see his interpretation of you two."

"Unnecessary she says," Daisy scoffed. "What's wrong with a little romantic talk?"

"I do not care for it. It's a wasted topic to me."

"You're missing out," Daisy put her hands behind her back and swayed from side-to-side, "When you got a partner that makes you feel a certain type of way, you know you got something. Right, sweetie?"

Luigi cleared his throat, the tips of his ears turning pink.

Meanwhile, Blaze grew tired of repeating this statement.

"Ms. Vanilla tried to persuade me to get a partner this year, but having one would slow me down. I prefer the pace I'm setting now."

"So you're telling me your heart didn't skip a beat?" Daisy grinned. When Blaze failed to respond, Daisy knew she had something. "Be honest with me; you think he's cute?"

The brunette never saw Blaze blush before, and lo and behold, the feline stood with a tiny hint of rose on her cheeks.

"I-I mean, th-that is to say,"

'Did I just stutter?'

"Did you just stutter?" Daisy announced the same thought. "This is incredible. Sweetie, our little princess has a crush on a boy!"

"I do not have a crush!" Blaze hissed, the pink stains spreading like wildfire over her face, "I love art, and I hate how accepting a gift from a guy insinuates so much! Nothing is going on! We are acquaintances at best. Now, if you're done with your teasing, may I see your portrait?"

"Sure, go right ahead," giggled the brunette while gesturing to the picture on the wall. She traded one last glance with Blaze and stood beside her husband, resting her head atop his.

"I've been staring at this for an hour now," Luigi stated, "I have no idea what kind of artist Silver is, but I might start commissioning him."

"And you're still saying something is familiar about it," Daisy sighed. She loved her husband, but there was a party going on and they're not enjoying it.

"It's the art style. I know I've seen it before, but for the life of me, I can't remember where. What say-a you, Miss Blaze?"

But there was no response.

The feline in disguise stepped forward to study the composition better. A burst of color erupted to life as she found herself back to her mindscape.

"I see… a pair of lovers fighting for their rights to be together. A woman lives her life in happiness with the man she chose as her partner, but the man lives in constant battle, trying to protect the heart of the woman he loves, even at the cost of his life. This painting tells the story of how these two met, bonded, and fell in love," she surmised, turning back to the same couple portrayed in the picture.

"Do you see the same thing, Mr. Luigi?"

He was ashamed to admit it because at first, he didn't, but after Blaze's interpretation, he said, "I do now," and smiled, "I'm amazed Silver captured all that."

"That's some scary talent," Daisy commented, "He knows nothing about us though."

'That's incredible.' Blaze rubbed her chin with a tiny smile. 'He was able to portray them so perfectly without knowing a single thing about them. That takes talent.'

Blaze recalled the conversation she had with the artist.

"If this schooling idea goes well, I might be able to create something new."

Thus, Blaze formed an idea, but it came with complications that made her conflicted. She pictured Daisy and Vanilla's grinning faces, and after the feline refused their suggestions too, Blaze didn't want to seem fickle. It was not like her to have such antithetical thoughts. On one hand, she can enjoy her isolation by not forming a partnership. However, with her expertise, she can offer some professional assistance that could push the hedgehog in just the right direction.

'Not only would he improve on both fronts, but I can see more of his artwork up close, and it's the least I can do. He did go out of his way to paint that picture for me.'

"Burn him! He's dangerous!" and the questions her demon wrought succeeded in starving her curiosity.

'He can't be dangerous.' She was certain of this. 'However, I only know of his aspirations. I know nothing of the artist behind the paintings. He is a nice guy, but I wonder if there's more to him.'

"Do you not feel it? This one is dangerous!"

'What do you mean? What did you see?'

Blaze shook her head

'No, I have to stay calm. It's just a cheap trick to rile me up.'

"Start the destruction with him!"

Her inquisitiveness wouldn't settle down because of the monster's declarations. A craving for answers stirred in her stomach.

In her absentmindedness, Blaze never noticed the instructors exiting the room. For once, she was left oblivious to her surroundings.

'I don't want a partner, but at the same time, if I help out, I get to learn more about them. What should I do?'

Her body began to move on its own accord. Moving deftly, no one was made aware of her presence, and she wasn't aware of theirs. It wasn't until she approached the auditorium did Blaze pause in her pondering. Looming before her stood the auditorium. Normally, it was a place she wowed the crowd with her masterful performance, her domain.

"When did this place become so foreboding?" Blaze bit her bottom lip. "I need to talk to him again."

The auditorium held the answers she sought. Within its walls, someone could soothe the savage inquires that bound her.

"Silver the Hedgehog, huh. Quite interesting indeed."

Her engrossment in him sprouted when she first locked eyes with him at Twinkle Park. Out of about a thousand people, he was the only one who interested her. It was brief, but Blaze saw something in the pale hedgehog's eyes, a strange fire flickering in the wind. The feline had pondered the inner machinations of the young hedgehog's mind. He was so enthralled by her performance, focused entirely on her every move, that he obtained a spark of inspiration.

'I wonder what was going through your mind when you watched me. Can you tell me your thought process?'

Blaze enjoyed picking someone's brain and having hers picked. She thoroughly enjoyed having deep, philosophical conversations, but she only knew a small number of people who satisfied this hankering.

"My dance inspired you," she stepped closer to the auditorium, "I wish I could see your face as you worked. Were you smiling? How did you feel before adding the first stroke? Did your heart skip a beat when you imagined your models?"

She took a set of earplugs and proceeded through the entrance. Immediately, she was hit with the screams of over a hundred fans with Crush 40's Live and Learn blaring across the auditorium.

'Live and learn,' the feline smiled, "hanging on the edge of tomorrow. Live and learn, from the words of yesterday.'

She didn't bother trying to find an open spot. Since she could blend in with the crowd, Blaze snuck around the stage to the back area where she could simply enjoy the music and be alone with her thoughts.

No fiery beasts to cause her grief.

No stupid accusations concerning her love life.

She can just let her mind wander.

"If I asked, would you even accept my offer?" she inquired one last thing.


"Any luck?"

"No," Marine shook her head, "she ain't picking up. It's starting to tick me off."

Silver scratched the side of his head, responding with, "Maybe she's further away. She did say loud sounds bother her a lot more than normal Mobians. Being this close would be painful for her ears."

"But she's a big Crush 40 fan. She wouldn't miss this, and if something was up, she'd text me back at least."

"It is a huge crowd," the white hedgehog pointed out, "Maybe she can't hear the phone or feel it vibrate over the activity."

Marine sighed.

"I guess you're right," she found a smile and nudged Silver in the arm, "Or maybe she's so stupefied by your art that she can't face you right now."

"I-I seriously doubt that!" a flushed Silver declared.

'Maybe I can find her signature using my psychokinesis.'

"Calm down, Silver-mate; don't lose your head," the raccoon chuckled back.

"Why does everyone make fun of me about this? Just because a guy is giving a girl a gift doesn't mean there's anything between them. It was purely out of gratitude."

"Then why are you so embarrassed? You're shinier than Knuckles."

"I," Silver cleared his throat, "Never mind that. Try asking Ms. Vanilla. I'll keep an eye out here."

"You see all these people, mate? You ain't findin anyone, especially when you don't know what her disguise is."

"Well," Silver puffed his cheeks out, "tell me what she's wearing, and then I'll keep an out."

"You're crazy," Marine stated with a large smile, "but thanks, mate. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome."

"Ooh! Here, I'll text you my number. Call me if you find her."

Marine phoned in the hare while Silver shot a text back to his friends about what he was about to do. He snuck away from the crowd, having to leave the auditorium, and walked around to the rear.

"This should be good," he came to an isolated spot. Silver took a deep breath and closed his eyes. His hands started at his sides and came together like initiating a prayer.

One thing about his psychokinesis Silver couldn't control was the cyan glow that came with it. A tiny amount turned Silver into a beacon.

'I hope this doesn't backfire.'

The white hedgehog lit up and enveloped the entire auditorium in an invisible field.

A couple of things happened simultaneously. First, several audience members, including Sonic and friends, band Infinity, Robotnik and Kintobor, and Blaze, noticed something and paused in their hype.

"What the?" Blaze snapped to attention. A tingly sensation, an unknown presence, traveled down her spine.

Secondly, a wave of information rushed back to Silver, making him wince.

'Sweet Mobius, that's over a thousand people! It's gonna be hard to narrow her down.'

He tightened his focus. Using what little he knew about the feline, he decreased the range of the field.

'A calm exterior combined with graceful movements, but that's not enough. Gahhh! There are so many people!'

Blaze, fascinated by this phenomenon, tried to locate the source. She looked for the tiniest changes but found nothing.

'Wait. Who's that?'

Silver shortened the range even further and received a new billow of details. For every soul that leaves the field, Silver can determine how many are left. As a side effect, his powers remember the way the soul reacted. However, this was the first time someone who left the field followed its energy.

'Is that her? She was right under our noses! Can she feel my psychokinesis?'

'What is this feeling?' Blaze contemplated. 'It's drawing me in.'

No one in her line of sight appeared to notice.

'Yes, that's her.' Silver held his force field for a few moments longer. Something kept him from withdrawing it sooner. The fluidity of Blaze's movements was distracting. She seemed lost but eager to find her way. Her steps were soft and precise, almost like she was dancing.

'She loves to dance, huh?'

The closer she drew, the stronger Silver felt her presence, especially when she figured out the source was outside the auditorium.

'Shoot! What am I doing?'

Silver brought down the field and made an X with his arms.

Blaze, feeling the strange sensation receding, yelled, "Wait!" and sprinted for the front entrance.

Silver brought his arms down and used his gift of psychokinesis to take flight. He hugged the wall to avoid detection and waited for the feline to reveal herself.

Blaze exited the building and chased after the energy. Its presence ebbed, but her senses remembered the way it felt.

"It must be around here," she arrived at the spot Silver was just hiding.

The flying hedgehog nodded to himself and made his way to the back, where he landed and continued at a slow walk.

'She can feel when I use my psychokinesis.' He noted this for future references. 'Better call Marine while Blaze is still there.'

Disappointed to find nothing, Blaze growled and hit the building with her clenched fist.

"You've got to be kidding me."

She turned on her heel and went back, but she could not keep her mind from wondering.

"That was not my imagination. Something pulled me in," she pressed her hand against the wall. "Great, now I'm going be to thinking about it all day. What is happening right now?"

"Nah, I haven't seen any sign of her," she heard someone approaching. "Purple seems to be a common color."

At the same time Blaze rounded the building, the shine from a familiar white hedgehog entered her field of view.

"She's probably just," Silver noticed someone staring and faced the individual, coming face to face with the elusive feline, "hanging out."

Blaze's mind went into overdrive. Her immediate response was to ask the painter a hundred different questions, but she held off. Instead, she scanned the vicinity for any onlookers and pushed a strand of hair away from her forehead gem. She removed the glasses and pressed a finger to her lips, and a silent nod confirming Silver's oncoming inquiry.

"Found her," he spoke into his phone. "Right outside the auditorium. She just showed me it's her. Yes… okay, I'll tell her. See ya soon, Marine," his face suddenly turned hot, "It's not like that!"

Blaze resisted the strong urge to roll her eyes.

"I should've stayed home," Silver sighed.

"I share your sentiments," Blaze stepped closer. If she couldn't solve one mystery, she can try another one. "Seems like we're in the same boat."

'So you have two nervous habits: scratching your quills or twiddling your fingers.'

"I'm sorry for any trouble I've caused you," he apologized.

Blaze shook her head, responding, "There's no need, and really, it's my fault. I don't usually accept gifts from my fans, and the one time I make an exception, everyone starts jumping conclusions."

"Are they normally this bad? The fans, I mean?" Silver recalled the attention Gadget received and shuddered.

Blaze did a sharp inhale. "Bad is putting it lightly. I've put at least three people in the hospital because they overstepped their boundaries."

Silver swallowed the lump in his throat, imagining the feline kicking her victim across the face.

"Hopefully, I didn't offend you any," he did the nervous habit again, "I probably should've asked if it was okay to use you as a model though."

For the first time in a few hours, Blaze chuckled, "You're fine, Silver; don't worry about it. I loved it. As long as you paint me in a good light, I have no qualms being a muse for your inspiration. Shortly before I walked over here, I stopped by Mr. Luigi's studio to see the composition you gave him. It was fantastic."

"Oh, th-thank you. I appreciate it," his nervousness returned.

"You're welcome. So what did Marine want to tell me?"

"She's going to talk your ear off when she catches you."

It made Blaze snort.

"She sounds so threatening. Marine is energetic but she worries a lot."

"With the amount of attention you guys get, I can see why. I can't handle that kind of spotlight."

'If only it was because of the attention. Stupid demon.'

"You start to get used to it. If you still wish to attend, you might garner a fan club of your own, complete with the ravenous fangirls."

It was Silver's turn to scoff.

"I can't see myself in that situation. Maybe my brother, but not me; I doubt the girls would fawn over me like that."

Blaze cocked her head to the side.

"You'd be surprised," she told him, "but I digress. Shall we watch the concert? It's not every day we get to see Crush 40 play live."

'What are you doing?! Why didn't you confirm your inquiries?"

"Not without me you're not!"

Before Silver could respond, Marine mysteriously appeared and inserted herself between him and Blaze, throwing her arms around their shoulders. If not for Blaze's cat reflexes, all three would be floored.

"I finally found ya, mate. Do you have any idea how many times I called ya? I didn't hear one bloomin' peep."

"I had some business to attend to. It follows me wherever I go, Marine. You should know this by now," Blaze retorted. "When I finally got done, I saw Silver and decided to finish our chat from earlier. We were just about to go watch the concert."

"Look at that, only met today, and you've already become best mates. Good on ya, Blazey. Better be careful though, Silver-mate; Blaze can be bloody grouchy at times."

The feline's brow started twitching.

"I am not a grouch?"

Marine shook her head at Silver.

"She's always so serious, Silver. I keep telling her to loosen up some. She should hang out with your mates."

"Ignore her, Silver," replied Blaze, pulling the two along, "Let's just enjoy some Crush 40."

The pale hedgehog could only laugh.


The concert continued as scheduled, the energy fluctuating like ripples in the ocean. By some miracle, Silver managed to locate Tails and the gang and party with them, introducing Knuckles and a very intrigued Rouge to the disguised Blaze, who called herself, "Barbara."

When given various looks from Silver, Marine, and Tails, the feline chose to reinforce her disguise. She didn't want just anybody knowing her identity, even if they were Silver's friends. Content with this, the trio accepted the cat's decision, and Silver impressed Blaze and Marine by spinning a likable story of how they bumped into Barbara.

And so, the sextet enjoyed the concert. Unable to stop herself, Blaze danced to the music, trapping herself in its made-up world. She weaved and twirled, unaware of the stare of another enthusiast. Their fingers twitched with the desire to capture the moment, eyes sparkling with delight as they failed to tear their focus away from the dancing feline. What could Silver say except he's mesmerized?

Beside him, a sneaky bat saw the way the painter stared at his inspiration. She noticed the twitching fingers and turned her head back to the band, occasionally checking on the silver-furred hedgehog.

'Love must be in the air or something.'

She eyed a certain red echidna and let her smile grow into a wide grin as he and Tails bopped to the music with their arms around the other's shoulder.

'He's so focused on the music that he forgot about our little deal.'

Rouge made a note to discuss the group's cinnamon roll with Amy. She needed to hear this.

'I'm close to winning my target over. Amy's figuring out how to win hers, and Silver finally found his. This is going to be fun.'


Later on, the concert drew to an end, and the audience poured from the auditorium. Silver and co. waited close by to locate their missing friends, but minutes passed, and there were no signs of Sonic and Amy. Silver wasn't able to use his psychokinesis in this instance without anyone immediately knowing.

"I can't see them," Tails stated, his twin appendages rotating like a copter, giving him flight.

"Me neither," Knuckles replied, hovering around the building like a vulture, "Ugh, Sonic should've kept his ass with us."

"Come on down, guys!" Silver yelled out. "We'll just have to wait for them!"

"Who are we looking for?" Blaze, the only one not introduced to Sonic and Amy, inquired.

"Silver's brother, Sonic, and our friend, Amy," Rouge, whose wings were still sore from earlier, answered. "They ran into the mosh pit, and we haven't heard from them since."

"Are they insane?" Blaze raised a brow.

"That's a good way of putting it," Silver responded with a light chuckle. "Hmm, hold on, I might have an idea."

Silver waited for Knuckles and Tails to land before explaining.

"How's that gonna work?" Marine grew skeptical. "He loves chili dogs that much?"

"You have no idea," Knuckles prepared himself.

"You may want to cover your ears," Silver suggested to Blaze, "Knuckles can get pretty loud when he wants to."

Blaze took the suggestion in stride and plugged her ears. Marine did the same just in case.

With a deep inhale, the red echidna then yelled out, "CHILI DOGS SUCK!"

Silence washed over the immediate vicinity. All close activity suddenly came to a screeching halt as all eyes landed on the red echidna and his friends.

Marine and Blaze traded looks.

"That didn't wo."

"BLASPHEMY!" a responding shout echoed back. "HERESY!"

A disturbance in the crowd caused the sea to part.

"DON'T EVER TAKE THE FOOD OF THE GODS FOR GRANTED!"

Emerging from the sea of people, a perfectly fine Amy let a slightly bruised Sonic use her as a crutch.

"We finally found you," Amy stated, "I was just about to call Rouge."

Sonic released Amy and clutched Knuckles' broad shoulders. "How could you, Knux? I thought we were brothers. I trusted you."

"It had to be done, Sonic. Silver came up with the idea."

It felt like an arrow pierced Sonic's heart. Clenching his chest, he rounded on his brother.

"Silver?" he gasped. "Is this true? You, my flesh and blood, would sink this low? I-I don't know what to think. First, you question my love for the godly morsel, and then you have the nerve to insult the sacred food," Sonic balled his hand into a fist, "You foul beast! What have you done to my little brother?"

Silver responded with an innocent yet eerily chuckle.

"I've done what was necessary," he replied in a level voice, "By attacking one of the things you value the most, I can hammer in the final nail for my master plan. The brother you once knew is gone now, Sonic. I only needed one chance to take over, and it was easy to drive his weak soul into the far reaches of his being. I'm all that's left now."

Sonic, unable to hold back his predatory growl, stepped forward to challenge the imposter.

"Attacking my favorite food is one thing," his fists trembled, wanting to feel the vibration of their knuckles cracking against the monster's jaw, "but no one messes with my little brother and gets away with it! I'm not gonna stand for this!"

He would've continued, but his stamina was drained from the fierce battle in the mosh pit.

"Hold on, I need to rest," he panted, "That was great though, bro."

"If there's one thing I'm confident in, it's my acting."

"Did the fangirls get to you?" Tails smirked.

"Almost," Amy answered in Sonic's stead, "If I hadn't been there, he would've been trampled."

"I didn't know… it would be that bad," the blue hedgehog breathed heavily. "As soon as the head honcho announced Crush 40 would be playing, I lost it. Before I knew it, I was attacked from all sides. It was horrible."

"That's what you get," Knuckles folded his arms, "You became the very thing we swore to avoid."

"I know," Sonic hung his head, "I was weak, but when it comes to Crush 40, you got to understand, Knuckles. Those guys make me so much more energetic. I've been a fan of them since Silver and I were little."

While catching their breath, Sonic and Amy finally noticed the newest addition to their group.

"Oh, hello there. Sorry, we didn't see you there," Amy greeted, "It's nice to meet you. My name's Amy."

"And I'm," Sonic panted, "Sonic the Hedgehog."

"It's no problem," Blaze accepted Amy's handshake. "I'm Barbara."

"Wow, bro," Sonic found the strength to throw his shoulder around his little brother in a weak headlock, "You're making a lot of friends today. First Marine and Blaze, and now Barbara here. Meeting Blaze did wonders for your confidence."

"Y-Yeah, I guess it did."

"You're meeting all the celebrities," Amy pointed out with a pout, "I bet it was nice getting a shout out from Gadget."

"I can't help things turned out this way, Amy," replied Silver. "I don't know what you want me to do, but I don't have that sort of credibility."

"Mhmm, suuure. You seem pretty cozy with Gadget and Blaze. I bet you're making a painting for Gadget too," the pinkette frowned.

"Amy," Silver sighed.

He looked to Marine.

"I don't suppose you can help a new seadog out, huh?"

"Leave it to me, Silver-mate," the raccoon pounded her chest, "I'll see if Blaze and I can't hunt 'em down, just keep your expectations low. Gadget's nice, but he's prone to danger. If one sees him, everyone will. Don't leave the campus!" She hightailed it away.

"She's a spirited one, that girl," Barbara commented. "But I should follow her lead and take my leave as well," she turned to Silver. "It was nice meeting you and your friends, Silver, but I better get going. Thanks for hanging out with me today. Hopefully, I'll see you around?"

"Oh, umm, y-yeah, I'll be around," he knew it was just part of the ruse, but he can only imagine what his friends are going to do.

"It was fun hanging out with you too, Bl-Barbara. I hope we see more of each other."

The feline smiled. "Likewise, I enjoy our conversations."

Everyone bid the bespectacled cat a fond farewell. Then, Silver was put under the menacing stares of his friends.

"Umm, I know what you're all thinking," he shrunk, "and it's not what it looks like."

"I don't know, Silver," Sonic spoke up, holding his chin with his fingers, "That looked exactly what it looked like, dontcha think, guys?"

"Is there something you wish to tell us, hon?" Rouge cooed, closing in on the white hedgehog. The circle closed him in, pressing for information.

"I met Barbara while helping Marine find Blaze. All we did was talk," it was a half-truth. Only Silver and Tails knew the full truth, and Silver intended to keep it that way.

"Yeah, talk," Amy prodded her future brother-in-law, "And what exactly did you two talk about while alone?"

"You should've seen the way he was looking at her during the concert," the playful bat commented, making the red on Silver's face spread further.

"Oh?" Sonic cupped his chin. "What's that all about, bro? Isn't it rude to stare?"

"Why can't I have a nice chat with a girl without someone accusing me of flirting? We just talked about our hobbies and learned we have a shared fondness for art, and okay, maybe I did stare at her for a minute, but I had no ill intentions. She's pretty, alright? I couldn't help it."

"I'm so proud!" Sonic cried with actual tears filling his eyes. "My little cinnabro is finally making moves," he slapped the flustered painter harshly on the back.

"No, I'm not. I'm just being nice," Silver retorted.

Sonic grabbed his brother by the shoulders. "Dontcha worry, bro, I'ma call-up Manic. He, me, Tails, and Knux are gonna help ya win Barbara over."

He spun Silver and brought him into a one-armed hug. "Your future is bright, and don't even think of telling me it's no use. This is happening. Let's do it to it!"


'This is perfect!'

Blaze walked at a brisk pace to the rear entrance of the auditorium. Slowly undoing her disguise, the feline smiled to herself as her idea started to blossom.

'I can use this to my advantage.'

She scoured the building for the crimson wolf. Once Marine gave her the call, Blaze explained her plan for her and the artist, leaving Marine, once again, confused.

"Hey there, Blaze, what's up?" greeted the friendly Gadget.

"I'll call you back, Marine."

"Did you and your friends enjoy the show?" the bespectacled wolf inquired.

"You guys were great. I'm here because I was wondering if you could do me a favor."

"Sure, I don't mind."

Blaze sighed in relief. Gadget's cooperation was vital to her plan.

"It's nothing much. I need to discuss something with Silver, but one of his friends is bothering him. I would like for you to meet them, so I can have another chat with Silver. They're a huge fan."

Gadget started to sweat.

"H-how huge?"

"She won't maim you, probably, not certain."

"Blaze! Don't do that! You know how afraid I am of rabid fangirls."

The feline chuckled. "Okay, I apologize. I'll make sure they behave, just give them an autograph and maybe a hug."

"I'm not hugging them," the deadpanned look on Gadget's face nearly made Blaze lose it.

"Just a precaution," she advised. "I know this is asking a lot, but I could use your assistance."

Gadget mulled over the request.

"This is rare. You're not the type of cat to ask for help."

"A lot has been brought to my attention, and as a result, my curiosity is at an all-time high. I need to get over this before it does kill me. Will you help me?"

It was the first time Blaze begged for something. Gadget, not knowing how to respond, could only imagine the storm raging within the feline's mind.

"I do owe ya for the save, I reckon," he sighed, hoping this wouldn't bite him on the tail, "Alright, I'll help you out."

"Great, thank you. Now, just wait here."

Blaze let Marine know the situation and had her escort the group to the back entrance.

'Everything is coming together.'

"Hey, Blaze, while we're waiting, there's something I want to ask ya," said Gadget.

"Yes?"

"Earlier, during the concert, did you also notice something strange?"

"Like something engulfing the stadium?"

"Yes! That's exactly it! So you felt it too. Any idea what it could be?"

Blaze shook her head, still disappointed she couldn't unravel that mystery.

"I tried to pin it down, but I was too slow, and it disappeared. I've been figuring it out since."

"Me too. Zero is investigating now. Maybe he can shed some light on it."

Blaze folded her arms. 'I just need a single clue to tie me over.'

"I know it was someone in the crowd," Gadget stated, "Maybe they were too excited and let their abilities loose on accident."

"Maybe, but when I followed it, it led me to a wall. Someone was outside the auditorium when it happened. My guess is they didn't want me to find them."

"You reckon? Hmm, maybe they're blind, and that's their way of getting around? And they ran away to keep it a secret?"

'That's not a bad guess, but I need more than maybes. I need more facts. What is today trying to tell me?'

A hard knock startled the crimson wolf as Blaze nonchalantly took a peek behind the door.

"Captain Marine and her salty crew reporting," greeted the seafarer. Behind her, Silver and his friends stood eager to meet the one and only Blaze, especially the bouncy Amy.

"It's good to see you two again," Blaze said to Silver and Tails.

"Same here," the twin-tailed fox replied, "Today has been an exciting one, that's for sure. These are our friends."

After a brief introduction, Silver gave a small bow to the feline.

"Sorry to trouble you again," he apologized.

"I see you're still working on that habit of apologizing when you don't need to," she chuckled, to which Silver joined her, albeit more shyly.

"Sorry, oh," he covered his mouth.

"Takes time. So which one of your friends is the lucky one?"

Amy stepped forward.

"That's me," she could barely contain herself.

"Gadget agreed to see you, but only you and Silver may enter. The rest will have to wait out here."

Amy, yanking Silver by the arm, walked forward with a noticeable kick in her step.

"H-Hey, Amy!"

"Move your quills, Silver. You can flirt with your new friend later."

"I am not flirting!"

"Hopefully, this won't take long. I'm sorry I can't accommodate the rest of you."

"Don't worry about it," Sonic waved it off, "It's more so for Amy. Now, if you could maybe let me see Crush 40," but Blaze had already closed the door after rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," the blue hedgehog hung his head dejectedly.

Blaze walked past the duo and looked Amy in the eye.

"I know you're ecstatic, but you need to behave yourself," she said humorlessly, "Gadget agreed to sign an autograph and answer a couple of questions, but only if you promise to contain yourself for the duration. Understand?"

"One hundred percent," Amy's eyes practically pleaded with Blaze to let her see the musician.

"Alright, let's go," Blaze led the two further in.

To the side, the crimson wolf sat with his guitar, fine-tuning the strings as he hummed softly.

"Here they are, Gadget," Blaze announced.

Amy held back the biggest urge to squeal. She hopped on the tips of her feet, her palms pressed together

"Howdy," the musician set his instrument to the side and approached the duo, "You're the dude who helped Blaze rescue me from that mob, Silver, right?"

"I didn't do anything, but I'm glad you escaped in time. How are you feeling?"

Gadget copied Silver's nervous habit of scratching the back of his head.

"I'm in one piece, thankfully, but that was a bad time. I hope you and your friends enjoyed the show. I guess she's one of them."

Amy covered her mouth, her eyes sparkling and body writhing in euphoric glee. The speed of her bouncing increased until she shook Silver and pushed him forward.

"Y-Yeah, this my friend," Amy slapped the artist on the back of the head. Her happy squeal turned into an angry growl, and her once shimmering eyes turned to a cold glare.

"I mean, my sister-in-law, Amy," he received the pink hedgehog's approval and ushered him to continue, "She's a huge fan of yours, and I felt bad for not getting her something after everything she's done for me this past week. I hate abusing your kindness, and I'm sorry for taking up your time, but I had to let her meet you. So, Amy," he turned to the pinkette, whose expression soften, "thank you for being so good to MEEEE!"

It took Amy one second to grab Silver and bring him into the biggest hug of his life. Even when his bones started to pop, Amy was too joyous to let go.

"You are forgiven," she dropped the painter and left him to heal on the floor. The next second, she was enthusiastically shaking hands with the wolf himself. "Gadget, you have no idea how happy I am to meet you in person. My name's Amy Rose the Hedgehog. How are you?"

Gadget felt the sweat drip down the side of his face.

'Sweet Mobius, she's strong as heck.'

"I'm wonderful, Amy, thank you. I appreciate your support."

'Just go along, Gadget, and hopefully, she won't break your hand.'

"How long have you been a fan?"

"Since Infinity's debut. I have all your albums and a lot of merchandise," as the fangirl gushed over her favorite musician, Silver finally regained his bearings and watched the conversation unfold.

"You okay?" Blaze inquired.

"Phew, I'm good. This is the best-case scenario."

"What's the worse case?" Blaze raised a brow.

"She busts out her hammer and uses my skull as a nail," shuddered Silver.

Blaze became stupefied. "She has a hammer?"

"With a head bigger than her body. She's no slouch handling it either. I've been careful to avoid it, and I'd rather take the bone-breaking hug than the hammer."

"When you put it that way, I share your sentiments. It doesn't sound pleasant."

Silver couldn't hold back a chuckle.

"It doesn't, and take it from someone who never got hit by it. I do appreciate all she's done for me though. She's been helping me through my artist's block. They all have."

"That's sweet of you. Not too many brothers would do what you do."

"I was raised differently," Silver shrugged. "I also want to thank you for making this happen. I'm sorry for putting you through this."

"Silver, again, you don't need to apologize for everything."

"I know, I know," he sighed back, "It's just, I don't want you to think I'm taking advantage of your kindness. How many people can say they got to meet not only you but Infinity as well? I never imagined today would turn out like this."

Blaze nodded in understanding.

"Me neither, but life works in mysterious ways. Today has definitely been an interesting one, save for the constant teasing."

"Sorry," there Silver went again with an apology.

"Silver, it's okay," she laid a hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze, "I don't blame you. I'm sure you have it worse than I. You're a good person, and I can say with certainty that you don't have any malicious intentions. You're not taking advantage of me at all."

He felt more relieved after hearing that.

"That makes me feel better. Thank you, Blaze," the shy hedgehog smiled back.

"You're welcome," the two were radiant, "I hope we get to have more moments like this. I wasn't kidding when earlier I said I enjoy our conversations," her expression suddenly grew solemn as she remembered what needed to be asked.

"In fact, there's something important I must talk to you about. Think you can hang back for a while longer?"

'She wants to have a private chat with me?' Silver's heart couldn't take much more of this. He wasn't the only one to notice, but it was incredibly easy to hold a conversation with the graceful performer. He was afraid his awkwardness would drive her away, but she proved him wrong by hanging on to every word.

'Does she actually enjoy my company compared to the people here?'

"Sure, I don't have a problem with that," he answered, to which Blaze beamed.

"Thanks, it won't take long, but it may alter your plans a little bit for your schooling."

"How so?" Silver pondered aloud.

"I'll explain it then. I need to save Gadget," there was no need though as both the crimson wolf and pink hedgehog had been observing the two since their talk came to a close.

"Oh no, take your time; don't mind us," Gadget said with a hint of a smile, "It's not like we've been trying to get your attention for the past ten minutes."

"You're not injured; I guess that's good," Blaze retorted with a frown.

Silver reciprocated Amy's sudden hug.

"Enjoy yourself, Amy?"

"More than you know," the pinkette stated and ushered Silver to follow. "See you guys later. Thanks for everything, Blaze and Gadget."

"Have fun, chickadee. Don't be a stranger, Silver," the guitarist let out a sigh of relief when the two exited the door. "Sweet Mobius, my hand is sore. Whoever that girl is, she's strong as heck."

"So you were slightly injured. That's better," the stern tone in Blaze's voice made the wolf scowl.


Meanwhile, back with Sonic and friends, Sonic and Knuckles were close to dying of boredom until their friends finally stepped out of the auditorium.

"Finally! Sweet Mobius, Amy, how many autographs did you want?" He questioned.

She said nothing though and linked her arm with Sonic, forcefully dragging him with her.

"We'll see you later guys! Come on, sweetie, we have some things to discuss."

"Hold on, wait a minute! I didn't agree with this. Ow! A-Amy!"

Sonic's voice faded over the distance.

"What was that all about?" Tails asked the million ring question.

"I have no idea. Too high off energy from meeting Gadget?" Silver was unsure himself.

"She's got the right idea though. It's starting to get late," Rouge copied Amy by linking with Knuckles.

"H-Hey! We're not starting this again!" The red echidna cried, unable to detach himself from the bat.

"Come on, Knuckie, you get the privilege of escorting me home. It's the least you can do after I spent all those hours entertaining you. Besides, don't you remember our little wager?"

Knuckles instantly ceased his grumbling, the shock of forgetting hitting him like a freight train.

"O-Of course, I remember. I was just making sure you did."

Rouge rolled her eyes.

"Come on then, we can talk about it on the way back. The kids don't need to hear this."

"Hey, I take offense to that!" Silver, Tails, Marine high-fived one other.

With the second group leaving, that left the boys and Marine.

"Guess we should get going too," Tails suggested. "Unless you want to look around more. I'm down."

"You go ahead," Silver told him, "I'm gonna get us some application sheets and catalogs."

"Right," the twin-tailed fox nodded, "You need help getting home, Marine?"

"Nah, you two go on ahead," she waved them off, "I appreciate it, but Blaze and I will go home together. She's my roommate."

"Okay, I'm out then. See you later," Tails took a running start and leaped into the air, his twin appendages letting him fly across the sky.

"Did you have fun today, Silver-mate?"

"Aside from everyone's constant teasing, yeah, today was great. I feel a lot better about coming here now."

"I'm glad to hear it," Blaze appeared in her simple disguise. "Follow me, I'll get you some papers."

"Lead the way."

It was a short trip for the trio to the main building and back to Vanilla's office. Along the way, Marine separated from the two and went off on her journey.

Once again, it was just Blaze and Silver. The former handed Silver an organized folder with all the necessary documents.

"Here you go, I put in enough for your friends too."

"Thank you. I'm very nervous."

"You'll get used to it," Blaze assured him. "That's one of the things I wished to discuss with you. You still have time for another talk?"

"Yeah, I'm all ears."

'What could she want to discuss with me?'

"Have you decided on what courses you wanted to take?"

Silver shook his head.

"Ms. Vanilla suggested Rumba, but I haven't sat down and considered each possibility. What would you recommend for a novice?"

Blaze leaned her head on her palm.

"That's not a bad suggestion. I started with some ballet myself, but I don't think that's for you. Based on your passion for painting, is it safe to assume you prefer a more imaginative approach?"

"I'm," Silver hung his head, "not sure. Maybe?"

"You can try Rumba if you'd like; however, I should note that it may require you to partner up since it's part of the ballroom archetype. All ballroom dances are designed for couples; the Rumba is no exception. Did you plan on partnering up?"

"Not really, but I can ask one of my friends if I need one," Silver smiled, "They twisted my arm, so I can twist theirs."

"I think what you're looking for is contemporary dance," Blaze informed him of the genre.

"Hmm, that does sound more up my alley."

"If you wish to express yourself akin to your paintings, that will be your best choice. However, I will warn you that the teacher who instructs it does not play games. The genre itself isn't as strict compared to others, so our instructor makes up for it."

Silver swallowed the lump in his throat.

"H-How strict are we talking?"

"I didn't say this during our prior conversations, but we have a teacher here who knows how to weed out the less-than motivated. We've had many applicants attend just for the bragging rights, and well, this instructor doesn't take too kindly to that mindset."

Silver tried to imagine the teacher that could install the most fear in someone.

'He's gotta be real tall, big, and got muscles that put Knuckles to shame.'

He shuddered at the thought, and Blaze chuckled at the notion.

"You should be fine though," she reassured the anxious hedgehog, "He's strict, but he's a big softy on the inside. As long as you dedicate yourself, you won't have any problems. We have high expectations, yes, but we're here for everyone with a passion for performing."

"Thank you for that. Words cannot express how thankful I am."

"You're too kind, but I have more to discuss with you," her voice became softer.

Silver slanted his head slightly.

"You know Ms. Vanilla right? She mentioned being good friends of yours."

"Yeah, I've known her and her daughter, Cream, for a long time. They're sweet rabbits."

'Cream is. Her mom is a fox in rabbit's clothing.' Blaze imaged Vanilla's saccharine smile, glad she wasn't around to see this. If the womanly hare saw this conversation, Blaze would never hear the end of it. Mobius forbids Daisy saw this either. Blaze can't take much more of the accusations.

"Well, she had a little talk with me about an issue she had, and apparently, she wants me to try something new."

"Something new?" Silver repeated.

"Yes, and suffice to say, I'm not too thrilled with the suggestion. I'll spare you the details, but basically, she wants me to work with a partner this time around."

"Is… is that bad?" the now confused Silver inquired.

Blaze sighed. "It is for someone not accustomed to it. I don't mind having a partner, but I much prefer going at my own pace. I like to dance solo, but Ms. Vanilla isn't taking no for an answer."

"Yeah, she can be quite stubborn at times," Silver concurred. "She makes it difficult to say no."

The feline nodded in agreement. Even she couldn't find it within herself to refuse the hare's suggestion.

"That being said, I thought about it, and I'll admit, the idea does sound interesting at the very least. However, to make the change, I have to find someone willing to help me," she paused to reorganize her thoughts, "I refuse to accept just anybody. I want a partner who's willing to work hard and go the extra mile. I need someone I can trust to stay focused and not let our partnership distract them. Do you see where I'm going with this?"

She can practically hear the gears turning in Silver's head. He was at a loss of words, evident by the robotic motion of his hand going up to his face, pointing at his stupefied look.

"You want me as your partner?"

Blaze nodded. "I understand it's sudden. You just figured out what you wanted to do, but I would be grateful if you became my partner, and in return, I can help you become a professional dancer that will make his art flourish."

Silver let out the heavy breath stuck in his lungs and focused. He ruminated over the feline's offer, bereft of speech that someone of her caliber wanted him, a complete novice, as her dance partner.

Unsure of how to respond, he went with the first thing that came to mind.

"I…I'm honored, but why me exactly? I'm as amateurish as they come. Wouldn't you want someone more experienced?"

"No other student has my level of experience," Blaze placed her hands on her hips and began pacing back and forth, "If I'm being honest, all the students are amateurs compared to me, and I'm not saying that to be pompous. Why do you think I was the only student at Twinkle Park?"

No arguments from Silver.

"Yeah, I guess that's true, but still, out of everyone in this school, why me specifically?"

"You really want to know?" The feline, pausing in her pacing, inquired back, to which the artistic hedgehog inclined, "Call it a sudden interest."

'An unhealthy one at that.'

"Interest?" Silver knew he was blushing. Of course, he also knew Blaze didn't mean it in that way.

"I want to see how much the quality of your paintings will improve if you go down this path. As I mentioned before, I love art, and yours was exquisite, so now I'm curious to see if Amy is right, and if she is, I plan on being there to witness your masterpiece come to light. If there's any way I can help you, this is the best method."

The heat encompassing his face was impossible to ignore.

"You don't need to go that far," he told her.

"You didn't have to either, but here we are."

'Me being controlled by my stupid curiosity.'

"And I'm not looking for an immediate answer. Go about your business; I will not hold it against you if you decline."

'But it's not an offer I make sparingly. You just interest me more than the rest. This way, I can observe you more openly.'

"I'll," Silver hesitated, "I'll think about it."

'What can go wrong?' Silver hoped those words wouldn't come back to bite him.

"Thank you," Blaze smiled, finally free from the weight on her shoulders. "Again, I'm sorry for springing this on you so suddenly. I know you have a lot to think about."

"You're not wrong."

'I rarely am.'

"There's a three-day trial for newcomers, right?"

Blaze nodded. "Yes, to make sure those who might change their mind have a feeling for what's to come."

"Okay," Silver let out a deep breath, "After the three days, I will tell you my answer. Is that alright with you?"

"Of course."

'That's perfect.'

"Alright, I have to go now, but I'll be thinking about it."

"Enjoy the rest of your day. And Silver?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for listening," the genuine smile on Blaze's face made butterflies soar in the painter's stomach.

"N-No problem. Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it."

"My pleasure."

The white-furred hedgehog departed, leaving Blaze alone with her thoughts.

"See you soon, Silver. I'm looking forward to the magnificent world you take me to."