Masquerade Merriment
A bright yellow sun shone in the clear blue sky as the world's fastest hedgehog sped through a field of wildflowers, disturbing the tall grass and budding flora. The blur of blue and red whipped a strong breeze through the air and disappeared into a forest, where it zipped around trees and bushes to emerge on the other side – Sonic the Hedgehog stopped in his tracks and leaned one hand against a tree at the edge of the rustling woods while swinging his left leg to rest in front of the right. Looking at the city he was headed towards, the carefree speedster drew in a breath and relished one last whiff of the natural earth to cap off his morning scenic run.
'Things are only getting prettier around here,' he thought, imagining how the wildflowers would look once they bloomed. 'Wish I could stay out longer... but man, does an early jog make me hungry!'
In a flash, Sonic disappeared from the treeline and rushed into the city in search of a filling snack. He slowed his speed once he reached a populated area and looked around for a place that served chilidogs, swiping one hand across his stomach when it started to growl. Once he spotted the brown and yellow color palette of a food stand, he grinned and rushed into line, eagerly tapping one foot against the sidewalk behind three other customers. By the time the impatient hedgehog got his food, he was ravenous, walking away from the cart with a chilidog in one hand and four more in a takeaway box. But he only took a few steps before something caught his eye: a colorful flier stuck to a light post. He ate his snack while reading the purple-colored paper, which advertised an upcoming holiday event in bright gold writing.
'A masquerade ball?' thought the young hero, tracing green eyes over the dramatic lettering. 'Never been to one of those!'
After shoving the final bite of the steaming snack into his mouth, Sonic snatched the flier from the light post and ran off to tell his friends about it; and to hopefully coax them into attending what he thought could be an interesting evening.
The workshop of his best friend, Tails, was his first stop. He spotted the yellow fox in the canopy-covered space between his home and the garage, cranking a wrench around a bolt attached to some unfinished project. Sonic strolled over, his stride energetic and his smile wide, and called out to the boy genius.
"Hey, Tails! Look at what I found!"
Hearing his dear friend's voice, a perky smile spread across Tails' white muzzle, and he looked up to gaze at the paper fluttering in the hedgehog's grip. "Good morning, Sonic! What's that?"
"It's a flier. Looks like there's a special holiday coming up, and I thought it sounded like fun! I just had to tell someone about it, in case anyone else wants to check it out."
Before Tails could respond, the pair heard a peppy female voice cut through the crisp air. "Oh, Sonic, there you are!"
The fox's gaze trailed past Sonic, and the Blue Blur himself turned around to see Amy Rose approaching. She was followed by Cream the Rabbit and her mother, Vanilla; the three ladies all held dessert boxes and smiled sweetly when the boys offered a friendly wave.
"Hey, Amy," Sonic greeted. "How's it going?"
"Lovely, thanks! We did a lot of baking this morning and thought we'd come by to share!"
Vanilla added, "We visited your house, Sonic, but it seemed you weren't home. What a nice coincidence that you're here with Tails!"
"Those treats sound delicious," the speedy man replied, giving her a thumbs-up. "I'd love to have some! And I was just telling Tails about this event happening in the city soon."
"An event?" Amy asked, looking curiously at the paper in his hand. "What is it?"
"A masquerade ball! Looks like it could be a lot of fun, so I knew I had to invite my friends to come along with me." Sonic handed Amy the flier and let her read the information aloud to the others.
"Looks like it's happening a week from now, in a ballroom on the other side of town." Her smile grew wider as she continued. "This says it's a formal event where we get to dress up in fancy costumes and masks – we can dance, mingle, and there'll be great food and music!"
Cream piped up, "You were right, Sonic! It does sound like fun!"
"So, you're all in, right?" the blue hedgehog asked, flicking his gaze between all of them.
Tails nodded. "Sure! I'll go if you guys are going, too!"
Amy, Cream, and Vanilla all agreed to attend, then offered up their freshly baked pastries; Sonic stayed long enough to partake and chat before asking his flying friend to take him to Angel Island with the intent of inviting Knuckles to the upcoming party. Tails accepted and opened up his garage, soon piloting a plane into the sky with Sonic riding on the wing.
Chilly gusts of wind blew against the metal bird, the air feeling colder with the higher altitude, but the young pilot's passenger was unbothered as he looked forward to landing on Angel Island. He spotted the mountainous floating mass of land in the distance and admired the view of fluffy clouds around the tall peaks – as well as the sparkling waters that spilled clear strips down the edge of the island – while they closed in on the lone guardian's homeland. Tails flew the plane as close to the ruins of Knuckles' home as he could, slowing his speed and bringing them in for a landing on the grassy plain nearby. The second the flying vehicle's wheels touched the ground, Sonic jumped from the wing and turned to his friend.
"I'll just tell Knuckles about the party and then we can head back," he said.
"Sure thing!" responded Tails, climbing from the cockpit. "I can wait here if it won't take long. I'm realizing my plane could use a bit of maintenance."
With a smile, the spry hedgehog gave him a thumbs-up before heading off towards the raised platform in the center of the ruins, where he would find Knuckles guarding the Master Emerald. Ascending the stairs led him directly to the red echidna, who was lounging with his back against a stone pillar. As peaceful as he looked with his eyes closed, clearly comfortable to relax in the sun without a worry, Sonic couldn't wait for him to wake up naturally.
He chimed, "Hey, Knuckles!" startling the guardian as his slumber was disturbed.
"Ah!" the redhead exclaimed, eyes shooting open. He looked up to see his impulsive friend standing tall with an expectant grin plastered on his peach-colored muzzle. "Sonic! What're you doing here?"
"I came to tell you about a party I saw being advertised in the city," he answered, pulling out the folded square of purple paper he'd brought along. He began unfolding it and added, "It looks like fun and the rest of us are going, so I thought you should know about it, too!"
Knuckles stood from the stony ground and swiftly ran his gaze over the flier when Sonic handed it to him. "Hm, a masquerade ball? Not really my scene."
"Why not at least try it?" The speedster took back the paper and folded it up again. "There'll be food and music, your friends will be there – it'll be a fun night!"
"I'll pass, thanks."
"Come on!" Sonic dragged out his tone in an attempt to plea with the echidna, throwing one arm around him. "Get out of these dusty old ruins for a night and hang out with us! You don't wanna miss out on the festivities, do ya, pal?"
His persistence persuaded the other hero to give in to his request. Agitated and pulling away from the pushy man, Knuckles blurted, "Alright, fine! But I don't dance, and if it looks like a waste of time, I'm leaving."
"Deal," Sonic replied with a smirk, grabbing the purple-eyed protector's mitt and shaking it as if they'd made a formal agreement.
At that moment, the blue hedgehog's eyes drifted towards the Master Emerald and he spotted a figure peeking around the side of it; though, he only caught a glimpse of a white blur when whoever it was quickly slunk behind the giant green gem.
"Hey, who's that?" he asked, his gaze unmoving from the spot.
Instantly, Knuckles was on the defensive, and whipped in the direction that Sonic was facing. Readying for battle, he clomped over to where the figure had been spotted, while his friend strolled around the other way. And as Sonic rounded the opposite side of the sacred emerald, he saw Rouge the Bat from behind, crouched and backing away from where she'd been standing before.
"Hey, Rouge," he said casually, smirking again and placing both hands on his hips.
Rouge exclaimed softly and turned towards him, then heard Knuckles shout, "You!"
She instantly stood and began backing away from the jewel while the pair both walked towards her. "Drat – you boys are more observant than I thought."
"Trying to steal the Master Emerald again, are you?!" the redhead shouted, his fists raised.
"You should thank Sonic for saving your precious gem – if he weren't here, I would've succeeded!" Rouge's heels stopped clicking on the gray slate when she reached the edge of the platform. She almost took flight, but hesitated when Sonic spoke up.
"Well, while you're here, I might as well tell you about this, too." He reached to retrieve the flier again, but was stopped by Knuckles grabbing his arm.
"If you two want to chat, you'll have to do it away from the Master Emerald!" He looked at Rouge, his eyes fiery. "I don't trust letting you hang around for one more minute!"
"Fine, have it your way," responded Rouge, putting her hands up defensively. She pushed off the ground and punctuated her statement with a teasing, "You're always so testy!"
As the bat flew away, Knuckles growled and shouted out to her, "You're damn right, I'm testy – when you're sneaking around trying to steal sacred relics for your own selfish desires!"
With no more reason to be there, Sonic decided it was time for him to leave, turning back around and stretching his arms. "Well, I guess I'd better head off, too. Looking forward to seeing you at that party!"
"Don't hold your breath," the guardian countered.
Returning to the plane, Sonic met up with Tails just as he finished fixing a nick in the fuselage. "Ready to go, buddy?"
"Yep, all set!" The fox loaded his toolbox back into the plane while Sonic hopped on the wing.
"I think I'd like to change our destination," the friendly hedgehog commented, looking over at Tails while he buckled his seatbelt.
"Oh, yeah? Where to?"
"Rouge dropped in while I was talking to Knuckles, but I didn't get to tell her about the party before she left." He raised one arm to point in the direction Rouge had flown. "So, I think we should track her down; she went that way."
"You got it, Sonic!"
The glass pane of the cockpit closed and the blue hero held on tight as Tails piloted the plane off the ground, taking flight to catch up with the mischievous bat.
Annoyed that her millionth attempt at nabbing the Master Emerald had failed, Rouge zig-zagged through a dense green ocean of thick trees in search of someone to listen to her complaints. She kept an eye out for the only other person whom she knew to wander the woods, expertly dodging branches and bundled flora while her straightened form cut through the breezy air. The familiar figure of black and red noticeably stood out to her the moment her peripheral caught the dark color palette against the earthy greens and browns. Recognizing Shadow the Hedgehog's steady stroll and the all-too-neutral expression of his profile to her right, Rouge slowed her flight enough to turn smoothly in his direction, swiftly rounding a bulky tree to appear in front of the lone lifeform.
"Hey, there. How'd you enjoy your time alone?" she asked, referring to the hour she'd taken to try stealing the Master Emerald.
Shadow stopped his stroll and watched the sneaky woman land on the grass nearby. "It was peaceful; something I can't quite have when you're around."
He smirked as her hands raised to grab her wide hips, continuing, "You know, I've noticed that the more you hang about, the more jarring it becomes when I have a quiet moment to myself."
"Which means you're realizing how nice it is to be around me, right?" Rouge asked playfully, jutting her hips to one side.
The black hedgehog didn't answer, still displaying a smug smirk as he started walking again. He seemed to be in a fair mood, or at least had become more lively with her arrival; the treasure hunter looked forward to the times when he was in a wittier mood, since it typically meant that he was temporarily more pleasant to be around. She joined him at his side and took it upon herself to fill him in on the unfortunate encounter she'd had on Angel Island.
"So, anyway, my little trip ended up being a big ol' bust."
"How am I not surprised?"
"Well, it wasn't all my fault." The shapely lady rolled her eyes and a tinge of frustration lined her tone. "That sleepy echidna was napping away, as usual – if Sonic hadn't shown up, I'm sure I would've gotten away with that emerald in the blink of an eye."
"Hmph, so the nosy 'hero' ruined yet another brilliant scheme?" asked Shadow, half-joking. He was partly using the light sarcasm to mock Sonic, as well as teasing Rouge in the way she often did to him.
Her response was to push one palm firmly against his arm, briefly nudging her friend away in a light-hearted display of amusement at his jest. "Exactly that. I don't always have to be brilliant to succeed – sometimes all a girl needs is a little luck. And when luck just isn't on your side..."
She shrugged, holding her arms up and smirking at him in a way that implied she had no control over her failed thievery. Shadow chuckled and opened his mouth to combat her claim, but was interrupted when a strong gust of wind rushed up from behind and pushed against the both of them. The bat and hedgehog halted, their distracted gazes catching a blip of cobalt rushing ahead, and were met with the Blue Blur himself standing still before them as the leaves of trees and bushes in the vicinity rustled.
"Heya, Rouge – Shadow," Sonic greeted, lifting one flat hand in a stationary wave.
The stoic lifeform's expression instantly changed to one of irritation, his smirk dropping into a frown and his brows lowering to glare at his unwelcome rival. "Sonic! What do you want?"
"So nice of you to ask; well, since Rouge took off before I got to tell her about this..." He pulled out the flier again, unfolding it with one hand and holding it out towards them. "... I figured I'd follow up and deliver it."
Smiling confidently, the spunky man waved the paper in front of them until Rouge grabbed it, then told her, "I didn't want you to miss out on the fun the rest of us will be having. You can go too, if you want, Shadow."
Shadow dragged his burning gaze away from Sonic and towards the paper, listening to the bat as she ran teal eyes over the bright lettering and spoke, "Looks like an advert for a fancy holiday party. You and your friends are going to this thing?"
"Yep!" Sonic answered. "And you're welcome to join us!"
"Well," Rouge started, before her disagreeable friend could decline the invitation, "It's certainly an interesting offer. We'll think about it."
"Cool! Don't be afraid to let loose. Anyway, you can keep that flier – I gotta get going."
The ivory woman looked up at him just as the blue hedgehog added, "See ya!" and sped off, rustling the foliage again and leaving behind a wispy blue line that started to fade once he was out of sight. Shadow's voice then cut through the air, his tone harsh.
"There's a dozen things I'd rather do than attend any event Sonic's going to. Certainly, it'll be a waste of time."
As her eyebrows furrowed at him, Rouge replied, "I don't think so! This party looks like it'll be quite extravagant, if you ask me. We should go."
"You can't be serious." His face was stony, his scowl deepening. "Nothing good can come from hundreds of people crowded together in one space – no matter how big the venue may be. It's a recipe for trouble."
"You're being too pessimistic!" the jewel hunter piped, folding up the purple paper and stuffing it away. "Bottom line, if we go together, I'll make sure it's a fun time. Remember, you promised you would go to more of these holiday events with me!"
"I don't recall swearing on my life..."
"Please?" She took a step closer, sweetening her voice and touching his shoulder. "Everyone will be wearing a festive mask, so it's possible no one will even recognize us if we cover our faces, too. We'll be disguised the whole time."
Shadow looked away and his volume lowered. "Hmm... I don't trust it, but you seem eager for this outing..."
Staring at the ruby-eyed hedgehog, Rouge waited for him to settle on a final decision, knowing that any further comments she made might annoy him into refusing. His expression slowly softened and his demeanor steadily relaxed; likely recovering from the tenseness he'd felt in Sonic's presence. Then, he looked back to her and spoke in a calmer tone.
"I'll go. Only to honor my word, and because you shouldn't have to attend alone – on the condition that we leave when I say so."
The corner of his close friend's glossy lips curved slightly, pleased by his answer, and she gave him an amiable wink. "Sure thing, sugar."
Over the next week, everyone who knew about the masquerade ball took the time to look for costumes and masks befitting the colorful holiday – even Vector the Crocodile, who'd seen the advertisements himself and was convinced that the woman he pined for would be attending. The scaley man kicked himself for not being able to bond with Vanilla during Valentine's Day, but he was determined to make up for it if he saw her at the ball. And although the rest of his team decided not to go, he double-checked with Espio a day before the event, secretly wanting a close friend around for support.
"Are you sure?" he asked the chameleon, who was meditating in a corner. "It'll probably be a lot of fun!"
"I will be fine here," Espio's deep voice replied, his eyes closed.
"Alright, but don't expect me to help you look for a tux if you change your mind tomorrow!" The crocodile walked over to the doorway and added, "I'd better get plenty of rest if I want to be on top of my game."
Charmy piped up from his spot on the couch, "Good luck, Vector! Tell us how it went when you get back – I wanna hear all about it if you embarrass yourself!"
His boss glared at him briefly, but then transitioned his annoyed frown into a toothy smile. "Good thing I picked out the snazziest outfit in town. There's no way I could fail to impress Cream's mom with style on my side!"
Vector left the room with a confident stride, even though Charmy burst into snickers as soon as the door closed behind him.
The next day, Sonic was finishing up a hyperactive afternoon run, which was followed shortly after with the devouring of chilidogs leftover from that morning's purchase. And as the hour approached when he had agreed to meet with the others, he opened up his small closet to pull out the costume he'd acquired for the evening: a plain emerald green vest with silky trim in a slightly darker hue; dress shoes colored a bright gold; and a simple masquerade mask of dark green and indigo. He hadn't wanted to get too fancy with the dressings, not worrying about how unadorned he would look. Once he was dressed for the occasion, the blue hedgehog rushed off to Tails' house, where they'd agreed to group up before heading out.
The young fox and his friend Amy were already chatting by the time Sonic showed up, both wearing outfits a bit more festive. Decorated in different shades of purple and green, Tails sported a long-sleeved shirt with gold buttons up the middle; a pair of black slacks with gold embroidery down the sides; purple and green dress shoes; and a shiny mask carrying the same colors, the height of which covered the length of his face up to his spiky bangs. Meanwhile, the pink hedgehog was clad in a ball gown of white and gold. A thick strip of black silk was tied around her waist, which exaggerated the curve of the dress puffing out around her legs; the skirt reached to her ankles, offering a peek of golden slippers upon her feet. The short sleeves puffed around her shoulders, and she wore a slimmer, curvier mask colored violet and covered in silver glitter.
"Wow, you guys look great!" Sonic commented, mentally preparing for Amy to respond affectionately.
She did, beaming and bounding over to him while saying, "I knew you'd think I looked beautiful! I found the best dress I could, just for you!"
"Heh, well, anyway – where's Vanilla and Cream?" He took a step back from Amy and looked around. "They're coming along too, right?"
Tails answered, "I think so. We can head over there and meet up with them!"
The speedster nodded and the three of them walked in the direction of Vanilla's home, soon spotting the two rabbits and greeting them. Cream was dressed in a frilly mint green dress with white and yellow ribbons tied around her waist, which sat a cute bow against her back; on her feet were plain yellow boots, and on her face was a mask as simple as Sonic's, colored lime green. Her mother wore a long flowy dress similar to her typical style, with a color scheme resembling her daughter's outfit – the majority of the top and skirt were a lighter emerald green, and two golden stripes lined the rounded collar, joining into one and running down the length of her dress to the bottom. Her long green sleeves were made of chiffon, making them see-through, and gold cuffs snapped around her wrists to hold the thin fabric in place. The woman's deep gold mask was tall enough to hide her entire face above her muzzle, and sprouted a single green feather up from the center.
Tails complimented cheerily, "Woah, nice costumes!"
Amy added, "Very beautiful, you two!"
"Thank you!" squeaked Cream, elated and blushing.
Then, Vanilla asked, "Are we all ready to go?"
"Yep!" answered Sonic, turning to lead the way as the sun began to sink past the horizon. "Follow me!"
The ballroom on the far side of the city was massive, with two pairs of giant double doors marking the entrance and exit. The outside walls were decorated in accordance with the holiday; two large pictures of Mardi Gras masks were displayed on either side of the doorways, and long paper strips in the shape of beads stuck to the dark bricks, wrapping themselves around the building's perimeter. A white banner stretched across the front of the structure, with the words "Masquerade Ball" printed in purple to advertise the event. The party wasn't lacking attendees, as handfuls of citizens trickled in and out of the venue, lively jazz music spilling out onto the street whenever the doors opened. And when the group of five pushed open the wide double doors, they were hit with a crisp and jovial atmosphere, the smell of catered food; as well as the energetic mix of saxophone, piano, and trumpet jumping from large speakers placed in each corner of the expansive room.
The walls were a sleek shade of pearl, the floors a shiny hue of honey, and a crystal chandelier hung from the high ceiling to glitter above dozens of dancers' heads. The section that was considered a dance floor had been outlined with strips of white paper stuck to the gold vinyl – buffet tables covered by purple cloth were lined up on either side of the ballroom, offering different types of food and drink near the walls to guarantee sufficient space between them and the dance floor. But as much as the venue owners had spaced everything out, the place still seemed packed, nearly flooded with masked guests all drinking, dancing, and mingling. As Sonic's crew walked farther into the huge, singular room, he looked up to admire the decorations strewn about the higher sections of the walls. Purple, gold, and green were everywhere in the form of more paper pictures of masks, as well as streamers that spun down nearly to the floor.
"Damn, this place looks incredible!" the blue hedgehog marveled.
Tails agreed, "Whoever threw this party went all out! I guess we won't have to worry about being bored!"
Amy then turned to Sonic and grabbed his hand, her smile wide as she pulled him in the direction of the dance floor. "Come on, Sonic, dance with me!"
"Uh, could we maybe check out the buffet table first?" he asked desperately, being denied and ultimately conceding to Amy's request.
Tails chuckled as the three of them were left behind, turning back to Cream and Vanilla and suggesting they get something to eat. They made their way towards one of the tables to peruse the food and drink options. Atop the long surfaces were assortments of meat snacks, as well as fruit and veggie platters; pastries in the way of fluffy cakes decorated with yellow and violet frosting, and fried fritters topped with a thick layer of powdered sugar; finally, sizable bowls of punch and bottles of wine for drinks. They picked out a few of the things they wanted and stuck closely together, chatting amongst themselves and idling into conversation with other partygoers nearby. None of them recognized anyone else behind their costumes and masks, but they took the opportunity to just enjoy the atmosphere and have pleasant exchanges with the other people having fun.
While Sonic's gang found their places in the lavish ballroom, a certain luxury-loving bat walked into the establishment alongside her uneasy date. Adorning Rouge's curvy figure was a fancy silk dress of royal purple and vivid gold; the top formed a heart shape over her bust and hugged her waist, fanning out into a layered skirt that transitioned back and forth between amethyst and amber. Her dress nearly touched the floor, hiding the woman's black pumps which nudged the frilled silk outwards with each step. She'd ditched her usual gloves for something fancier, choosing long black satin instead of the white cotton and pink cuffs. Each black-clad hand held something special, the fingers of her left wrapped around Shadow's arm while the right gracefully gripped a green folding fan embroidered with shimmering yellow swirls. Her pretty face was a mystery behind her large, curvy mask. It reached up from her muzzle to cover the length of her eyes, glittery dark purple bordered with matte black and complementing her dazzling teal irises. The top of her mask carried a plume of tall feathers, proudly displaying all three of the holiday colors. And to add more mystery to her appearance, Rouge wore navy blue eyeshadow, which she coupled with red lip gloss instead of pink.
Less elegant was her quieter counterpart, who sported an unassuming blazer of dark, dull red – though the velvet material made it seem black under most lighting – with a subdued orange-gold ascot tucked under the collar to hide his chest hair. His mask was the largest he could've found, unfortunately colored a warm and inviting yellow but thankfully wrapping a bit along the sides of his face. The upper hem curved into a point that cupped the top of his highlighted hair, covering some of the red stripe; it was the best way he could hope to hide his identity, unable to switch out his gloves and shoes for something more inconspicuous. But as they stepped into the venue, Rouge wasn't worried about either of them being recognized. She guessed, by the number of people gathered in the refined ballroom, that it was unlikely for them to run into anyone they disliked. Noting all of the unidentifiable partygoers, she looked over at Shadow and squeezed his stiff arm.
"You don't have to be so tense," her smooth voice said, keeping her volume low enough that only he could hear. "No one will know who we are here. I know relaxing is difficult for you, but you're allowed to chill out tonight."
The hedgehog's red gaze shifted over to his charming companion and he forced himself to untighten his muscles, giving her a nod before silently taking in all the surroundings. As they went on into the room, steadily wading around other people, Rouge lightly fanned herself and looked up at the hanging decorations.
"Oh, it's just so beautiful in here!" she gushed, gaining an extra twinkle in her eye. "So fancy, so decorous- ooh!"
Her gaze snapped towards a well-dressed waiter making rounds through the crowd, carrying a platter of hors d'oeuvres high above his shoulder; he approached the pair and lowered the plate, offering an array of meager-portioned foods to anyone in the vicinity. Among the gathering of guests accepting the savory snacks, Rouge happily joined in, slipping her hand off of Shadow's arm to take a tiny meat pastry. In the bustle of partiers moving about, and with his date's grip no longer holding him captive, the calculating lifeform took the opportunity to slip away from the socialite bat. He quickly disappeared past the small mass of brightly-costumed strangers. By the time Rouge finished the delicious serving of finely prepared food, he was out of her sight, and she soon felt the annoyance of realizing that he'd escaped her. In a sea of partying patrons, there was no way she would be able to find him as soon as she'd like – so she simply let her agitation disappear with a sigh and began meandering around the ballroom to drink in the atmosphere alone.
Arriving after Rouge and Shadow was Vector, his dapper attire a white dress shirt with a bold gold suit jacket on top. A black bowtie accented the collar and he wore a spiky emerald green mask, hoping the color would blend well enough with his scales that Vanilla would recognize the crocodile when he approached her. Immediately, he began looking for the kind lady, honing in on any lengthy set of rabbit ears he saw amongst the crowd. And as he was too distracted to consider the fault in his plan, it didn't occur to him that his crush's attendance wasn't guaranteed. With masks obscuring the face of every guest in the room, Vector endured a handful of disappointments as each woman he approached denied being the one he was looking for. Regardless, he held his composure as much as possible in the face of unknown patrons and didn't let the rejection get to him, continuing to excuse himself around the other people and keeping his eyes peeled for Cream's mother.
Meanwhile, Sonic had been coaxed into waltzing with Amy to the rhythm of sweeping piano and bombastic trumpets. He humored her desire to spend the moment with him, but silently thought of how he could end their dance when her adoration became a little too strong for his liking. Still, the blue hedgehog didn't want to ruin the girl's night, and certainly didn't want to cause a scene if he ended up being the reason for her sorrow on what was supposed to be an enjoyable evening. The waltz wasn't so bad, even a bit of fun for Sonic – so he stuck it out a little while longer to indulge her dream.
Amy's soft green eyes gazed dreamily at him as she spoke, "We really don't do stuff like this often enough. And I think we should make more of an effort to try new things together! If you would just slow down enough to give our relationship the attention it needs, we could be the strongest couple on the planet."
The speedster chuckled and exhaled nervously, then replied, "I don't know about that, Amy. Nothing's certain!"
"Oh, stop being coy!" One of her eyebrows furrowed in an amused expression and the hand that held Sonic's tightened affectionately. "I'm serious, you know. This would be the perfect time to ask me out if you were thinking about it – you don't have to be shy."
Unsure of how to respond, he opted for clamming up instead, giving the enamored dame an awkward smile and upping the tempo of their dance in an attempt to distract her from the topic. Meanwhile, on the other side of the building, his friend Knuckles was pushing open one of the double doors to see what kind of supposedly exciting action the bustling ballroom had to offer. His garments were of green and yellow, different shades of each crawling across his dress shirt in an artistic arrangement of stripes and diamonds; the imaginative patterns made up for the fact that he chose not to change his shoes or gloves. Adorning the echidna's face was a wide mask, almost square-shaped, colored half-black and half-gold. He avoided bumping into anyone and looked around casually, trying to decide whether he liked what he saw or if he wanted to bail already. Secondarily, he scanned the crowds for Sonic and the others, though he doubted the probability of finding them.
Tails, Cream, and Vanilla still hung around near the buffet tables, chatting with a few other guests and filling up on delectable foods. And as Vector's search brought him closer to the tables, as well, his orange eyes spotted something familiar: a pair of yellow twin tails belonging to someone he knew to be one of Cream's friends. His excitement rose when he recognized the young fox, looking at the two rabbits next to him and heading their way the moment he identified Vanilla standing beside her daughter. Nearly stumbling over his own feet, the crocodile tightened the bow accenting his collar, rehearsing in his head what he was going to say to her. The group's voices became clearer the closer he got, and Vanilla's sweet, mature tone was making him more nervous than he thought he'd be. When he finally reached them, Vector cut into their conversation a bit awkwardly, nearly interrupting the end of Tails' sentence.
"Is this a great party or what?" he started enthusiastically, in an attempt to seem charismatic. "It has to be the best one I've ever been to – what about you guys?"
The other partiers, who didn't know the tall reptile, smiled and agreed. But Tails recognized him instantly by his voice alone, picking up on the throaty rasp of his intonation. It didn't take much for Vanilla to figure out his identity, either; and when she smiled kindly at him, Vector's grin grew. He didn't know for sure if she'd seen through his costume, assuming that she would be just as polite with anyone else. So, he pretended to not recognize her either, speaking as if she were an unknown woman.
"Hey, you look like you're a great dancer," claimed the detective, trying to sound smooth. "I can't say how, but I have a sense about these things. Would you like to have a waltz out on the floor?"
Vanilla giggled warmly, amused by his attempt to sound cultured and sophisticated. "Sure! I appreciate the offer."
Turning to Cream, she spoke with affection, "Stay with Tails, dear. I'll be back soon."
"Okay, Mother!" The rabbits hugged and Tails gave Vanilla a wave as she walked away with Vector, the crocodile striding confidently.
While Sonic's friends were finding their enjoyment among the crowds attending the lively soirée, Shadow was weaving around groups of people and wandering farther into the ballroom. He kept near the wall, not wanting to chance getting nudged out onto the dance floor, and preferring to stay along the less-occupied edges for control of his own personal space. Soon he found an arrangement of different wines taking up one half of a buffet table, along with empty glasses; red, white, and sparkling were the options, and he chose to have a drink of something on the bitter side. After filling half a glass with red wine, the quiet hedgehog continued wandering leisurely, using his freedom to take in the sights and even mildly enjoying the atmosphere – which he found more admirable when he was merely spectating the festivities. The other half of the neutral-aligned pairing also wandered, her fan flittering cool wisps of air at her tan muzzle. Rouge made passive eye contact with a couple of strangers as she attempted to pass around them, which the men took as an opportunity to start a conversation. The click of her heels ceased when they smiled and turned her way.
"Evening, miss," the first greeted in a melodic tone, bowing slightly towards her in a gentlemanly gesture. He was wearing a jet-black mask, which sat above a white muzzle and covered an azure-furred face, the eye holes revealing dark chocolate irises; and a stark white vest worn over a purple long-sleeved button-up shirt.
"Good evening," responded Rouge, mirroring his smile and looking at the other guest when he spoke.
"Have you been enjoying this enchanting evening? You look lovely." The second of the strangers sounded younger and moved a bit more energetically. The distinct shape of his ears gave him away as a lynx, gray fur disappearing beneath a distracting mask that hid his entire face from forehead to chin – colored white and gold, it resembled a laughing face, and only showed the heterochromia he possessed. One eye was icy blue, the other a bold shade of chartreuse.
Rouge cocked her head to one side and said, "Why, thank you. I haven't gotten to indulge in much just yet, but I sure don't plan on letting the night go to waste!"
"You'd better not!" the azure patron chuckled. "You dressed far too beautifully to not bless the dance floor with your presence."
Mildly flattered, the bat raised an eyebrow when he extended one gloved hand and asked, "I'd love to accompany you for a few twirls on the next song."
Instead of offering her own satin-wrapped hand, Rouge covered part of her face with the fan, taking a step to the side as she began the process of excusing herself. "Sorry to disappoint, but I'm actually here with someone. I'm off to find him, but I hope you boys have a wonderful time."
Both of the masked men watched her go before turning back to one another, and the lavishly-dressed treasure hunter started scanning her gaze over the gatherings of partygoers. She hoped to catch even a glimpse of Shadow or his brightly-colored mask, making mental notes of the dance floor's ever-shifting availability. With luck, she would be able to convince the reclusive lifeform to join her for a dance, a slim possibility that she wanted to try for while she had the chance. After all, she reasoned, there may not be another day more befitting of a friendly tango, and the likelihood of Shadow agreeing to such an activity would only get weaker as the night went on.
Out on the dance floor, Sonic had successfully taken the lead and started slowly scooting the two of them farther from the center of the room. While he spun the pink hedgehog around other couples, he kept her distracted with conversation that toed the line of what she wanted to hear. "I'm glad the city has stuff like this going on. I was starting to think it was getting boring around here!"
"Me, too!" Amy's grip on his shoulder tightened as she relished the feeling of his hand holding her waist; it was difficult not to swoon in the Blue Blur's presence. "Especially if it means we can get closer by going out to more of these events."
"Sure! I think all of us will be able to build stronger bonds through fun parties every now and then." He smiled at her, but it soon faded when her expression changed.
"Sonic, can you slow down?" she asked, her voice a bit wavery through a half-smile. "I think we're spinning too fast."
"Whoops, sorry!" The speedy hedgehog complied, then looked to see that they were right by the edge of the dance floor, where the white line separated it from the rest of the room. "We should take a break – I don't want you to feel sick!"
Amy opened her mouth to counter his request, but couldn't do much about his hands slipping away from her. The blue man stepped outside of the dance area and ushered her towards the buffet tables, while the disappointed girl frowned and informed him of wanting another dance soon.
Sonic responded, "Sure thing, but let's grab something to drink for now. It's not a good idea to move around so much being dehydrated!"
They joined up with Tails and Cream, going as a group to partake in the flavorful punch resting in a deep glass bowl. There was another guest pouring a cup when they approached, a redhead with long locks and big plush mitts covering his hands; which Sonic recognized as Knuckles' attire.
"Hey, Knuckles, is that you?" he asked, walking up to the patron and eyeing the two-toned mask on his face.
His friend was taken a bit off-guard, not expecting the hedgehog to have found him, but soon smiled when he saw the whole group trailing closely behind. He chuckled, "Sonic? Uh, yeah, it's me. Man, you guys look so different behind those masks."
Primping her short hair, Amy replied, "We look great, don't we? Finally, a reason to wear something really nice! But I didn't expect you to show up!"
Knuckles shrugged. "Eh, I decided to come by for a look around, but I might leave soon."
"Heh, I don't think so!" retorted Sonic, raising one index finger. "You're with us – and we're having a good time! Why would you wanna miss it?"
The echidna chuckled again and smiled a little fuller. "I guess I'll stick around, then."
Tails chimed, "We're glad to have ya, Knuckles! This is shaping up to be an awesome night!"
The music bumping from the ballroom speakers steadily shifted into slower songs, lowering the energy a bit as the mood became calmer. Long, deep saxophone notes accompanied lively taps of piano keys, the more romantic vibe accented with faint sounds of trumpets. It was a soothing break in the middle of the zestful masquerade – one that Vector was grateful for, having barely fumbled through a couple of songs without embarrassing himself. His determination to impress Vanilla kept him more graceful than usual, doubly aware of his footfalls and the space around them. And if she was regretting accepting his offer to dance, she wasn't showing it. The motherly woman held a serene smile the entire time, which made it easier for him to keep his nerves under control, as well. Deciding it was time to make a proper move, the scaley detective started off with a compliment.
"Your grace is fantastic." As soon as the words left his mouth, Vector felt embarrassment at the awkward wording; so much for making a fool of himself, he thought. "Uh, I mean, you're very graceful!"
His dance partner giggled and briefly squinted her eyes to a close, finding his flustered expression endearing. "Thank you! I'm glad to be attending this ball, there's so many friendly people here!"
"That's right! What better place to meet someone than at a fancy party?" He blushed when she opened her eyes again to stare a pretty caramel gaze past the green mask and at tangerine irises. "... So, does that mean you're having a good time dancing with me?"
"Of course," she answered sweetly, a tranquil lilt to her tone. "You're very nice."
The crocodile was speechless at her respectful admiration and chose not to push his luck by attempting a reply. He smiled wide and gained enough confidence from her sincerity to dance with genuine passion, rather than the timid steps he'd been taking before. Meanwhile, a lone hedgehog had been half-mindedly watching them – as well as the other dancers – while leaning his back against a wall. Shadow finished the last sip of red wine in his glass, then felt a decisive grab on his arm as feminine fingers wrapped around the velvet sleeve of his blazer. His head turned and crimson eyes widened, the dark lifeform being met with Rouge's smug smirk and the intensity of her teal gaze beneath navy eyelids. Her fan had disappeared, though he didn't ruminate on what she'd done with it.
"Finally, I found you!" she exclaimed, loosening her palm to reposition it affectionately on his bicep. She looked down at the empty cup in his hand and continued, "I see you've had a drink. Does that mean you're feeling a little more fun?"
He let out a breathy chuckle, confirming her sentiment without the use of words; Rouge could see in the curl of his lips that her stoic date wasn't so tense anymore. Shadow seemed as relaxed as he could possibly be in a room full of people, relatively unbothered in his spot nearer one of the speakers. And because of that, the bat was less worried about being turned down when she offered her free hand, gracefully outstretching it and lifting her pinky finger higher to seem more elegant.
"Would ya honor me with a dance, handsome?" she asked, sliding her other palm down the length of his arm.
Shadow looked at her hand, then back at Rouge, the vague curve of his smile sticking despite her normally-unwelcome offer. He still hesitated, unsure of whether or not he wanted to commit to walking out on the floor – let alone to dancing, something he very rarely did. "You know how I feel about that. What would you bribe me with if I indulged your request?"
The ivory lady grinned, still holding out her gloved hand, and felt her cheeks flush faintly at his modest banter. It wasn't quite flirty for normal standards, and especially not when compared to her level of teasing, but Rouge saw so easily through his feigned disapproval. A dance was pretty much guaranteed, but he always had to make her work a little bit harder to get what she wanted.
"How about a kiss?" she suggested with a wink. "A pretty good trade-off, I'd say. It can even be our little secret, if you like."
The slight change in Shadow's expression was even more subtle behind the mask, thick gold material obscuring his coy acceptance of the deal. His view of Rouge as solely a teammate had been transitioning to a more personal connection since even before Valentine's Day, but especially since then. At the end of the night, he might not go through with kissing her – silently questioning whether or not she was even serious about it – but he'd been interested to see with what she tried to entice him. In hindsight, it wasn't much of a surprise that the flirty woman went straight to romance, but he conceded to himself that he should've seen it coming. After a moment of silence between them, Shadow pushed himself from the wall and swiftly returned his empty wine glass to the nearest table, then faced Rouge and lifted his dominant hand to take hers.
"Let's go, then, before the night escapes us."
The glamorous jewel hunter's stride quickly overtook his slower steps, until she was walking ahead of him, their gloved fingers hooked and the hedgehog being tugged closer toward the handfuls of happy interlinked couples. As a favor to him, she scoped out a relatively spacious spot; one with plenty of clearance to not knock into the other dancers. Rouge then turned to Shadow, her shiny red lips pulled into a gleeful smile, and she put her left hand on his shoulder while the other repositioned to rest more comfortably in his palm.
The aloof guest slipped his free hand around her waist and cleared this throat, then broke eye contact and spoke uneasily, "I might not be the best on my feet tonight..."
When he trailed off, Rouge smoothly interjected, "Don't worry about it. I don't mind leading."
He didn't want to admit that he was talentless at dancing, even if it was something he typically had no interest in. But being around so many other people and having his physical movements dictated by his closest friend in an intimate context made Shadow more self-conscious about his abilities. Regardless, he didn't let his pride push him into taking the lead anyway, instead allowing Rouge to make the first move and following her direction as they started off slow. Luckily for the couple, once they started dancing, the floor very steadily opened. Over the next few songs, other dancers trickled out of the white-bordered area, which allowed a little more room for the bat to take her date closer to the center. So focused on keeping his motions smooth, Shadow didn't keep in mind how much of the floor they were traversing. And as Rouge herself became wrapped up in the fun of gracefully twirling both of them around other waltzing guests, she unknowingly inched closer to the other side of the golden space.
Sonic and his friends had stepped away from the buffet table after filling their cups; the five of them beamed with conversation and laughter for a while, hovering near the white line that separated them from the dancers. Shadow's steps were beginning to stall the longer they danced, the dark hedgehog losing his grace while his partner's pace rose. Hesitating to say something was his mistake, and when Rouge performed a twirl in which only their hands were gripping each other, the momentum of her body leaning away from him was more than he was prepared for. Her fingers slipped from his, sending the surprised woman stumbling over the floor's white border. With Sonic's gang nearby, she unfortunately bumped roughly into Knuckles' right side, knocking his arm and spilling his punch on the sleeve of his colorful dress shirt.
"Shit!" the echidna exclaimed, looking at the stain while regaining his balance.
His gaze burned as it snapped in Rouge's direction, who was hastily backing away from him with her mouth agape. Everyone else was stunned at the sudden interruption, including a couple of nearby partygoers who'd witnessed the fumble. Sonic's green eyes shifted back and forth between the aggravated Knuckles and the embarrassed masked lady who'd run into him. Amy and Cream were covering their mouths; Tails' expression was one of distress; and Shadow pulled himself out of the startle to silently assess the scene. A fang-bearing scowl was spread across Knuckles' muzzle and his purple eyes blazed at the adorned bat.
"Watch where you're going!" he shouted.
For a moment, Rouge's lips couldn't successfully form the words to respond, her mind indecisive between apologetic and defensive. When she did start to speak, he pointed at the white line and interrupted with, "There's a border here for a reason. You could've wrecked more than just my shirt being careless like that!"
Sonic put his hands up and chimed, "Woah, hey, relax! It was an accident-"
"Maybe you shouldn't have been standing so close to the line," Rouge retorted, her eyebrows furrowing under her mask. She recognized the echidna once she got a better look at him – the ill-tempered outburst was unmistakable as one of his trademark qualities. "Anyone can trip, even if they don't have big clumsy feet."
More of the guests' attention were being drawn to the bickering pair, including Vector and Vanilla, who paused their dance to look over with concern. The second Knuckles started to growl in frustration at Rouge's snide remark, Shadow stepped in front of her and faced the angry guardian himself. He only saw the tension rising from there, and would rather be the one to fight if it came to blows – at the least, it would make the event more interesting, he thought.
"This argument is over," the serious lifeform stated, staring at Knuckles.
"Who are you to give orders around here?" asked the angry redhead.
Shadow's brow furrowed deeply and Rouge stepped forward to grip one of his arms. She told him quietly, "I can handle this. I'll just apologize and we can-"
"No." Offended at his refusal, the bat scoffed, and Shadow continued squabbling, "It would be best if you just went home. I would get that stain out before it sets."
"Telling a stranger to leave, as if you have the power here? How arrogant can you be?!"
The others stood by watching them argue, on edge wondering if a punch was about to be thrown – Sonic and Rouge were both on their guard, ready to jump in if either threat came true. The echidna and the hedgehog spoke harshly back and forth for a few seconds, telling each other to back down while not willing to walk away themselves. More masqueraded patrons became interested in the commotion, and when Rouge had had enough of the increasingly-ridiculous dispute, she approached Shadow again and grabbed his arm more firmly. At the same time, Knuckles took a step forward, his irritation growing and his fists balling; the staunch lifeform's fists balled as well, but the echidna's advance was stopped by Sonic stepping in and gripping his shoulder.
The ivory bat spoke in a low volume once more to Shadow, solemnly urging, "Stop escalating. This isn't the place to fight."
While she talked to the glaring red-eyed hedgehog, Sonic told Knuckles, "Hey, let's all just be cool, here. There's no reason to let this little mistake get out of hand."
His frustrated friend's gaze turned to his, and the speedster offered a smile while continuing, "We can all still have a fun night. I can even help you clean up that shirt later, if you want."
"Don't bother," Knuckles responded, calming down. "I'm outta here – I didn't even want to come to this thing, anyway."
Sonic's hand slipped from the echidna's shoulder as he turned to walk away, and the rest of the group relaxed a bit when they saw the hostility between the two guests quickly dying. Shadow turned as well, walking in silence with Rouge when she tugged him towards the other side of the room. There was a bit of whispering and speculation among the people who'd crowded around during the tension, the semi-circle of gathered patrons dispersing as Knuckles and Shadow left the area. Still standing together on the dance floor, Vector and Vanilla responded differently to the confrontation; the crocodile let out an exaggerated sigh, while Cream's mother merely arched her eyebrows in worry.
"Man, that was dramatic!" commented Vector. "I really thought those guys were gonna fight!"
"It was quite worrying..."
He looked over at Vanilla and made his face calm when he noticed her frown, then held out his hand. "Would you like to continue our dance?"
"I'm sorry, but I should probably get back to my group," she responded, giving him a weak but polite smile. "Thank you for your company!"
She bowed slightly and he stuttered, "Oh, uh, s-sure! I mean, no, thank you!"
Vector watched his crush walk away towards her daughter's friends, then decided it was best if he went home for the night; though, as he left, he cursed the arguing guests for interrupting their moment. Meanwhile, Rouge led Shadow to a wall far from Sonic's group, and turned to face him. Her pleading gaze met his seething crimson eyes as both hands calmly cupped his arms.
"Okay, that was tense – and I know you probably want to leave, but..." The unease in her voice made him close his eyes and let out a long, soft sigh before she finished her sentence. "... we can still salvage the rest of the night."
The black and red hedgehog gently shook her hands from his sleeves and opened his eyes again, making eye contact with the tentative woman. "You want to stay after that?"
Her hands floated towards each other and she absent-mindedly fidgeted with one pinky finger, replying, "Well, sure. He's gone, so the problem is solved now, right? I don't want you to bail just yet."
Shadow's body language calmed as his shoulders lowered to rest loosely; he looked down at the bat's hands and grabbed one, stopping her from fidgeting and holding it informally for a moment. In a cool tone, he said, "I won't lie to you – I'm not in my element here. This place is uncomfortable for me, these people..."
He looked out at the crowd as his sentence trailed off, then looked back to Rouge. "Maybe I was a bit incensed when our dance was interrupted."
Navy blue lids raised and their hands parted. Shadow continued, "I see you trying. I may not always agree with your plans, but it's not the first time you've known what was best for us; even just as a team. So, I'll stay if you like, however obnoxious I find this event to be."
The fancily-dressed lady shook her head, lips curling into a smile. "You shouldn't have to do that, even for me. I have to be fair to my partner, which means upholding my side of the bargain. You kept your word, and I said we could leave when you wanted, so..."
She slipped one hand around his arm again, as if he was escorting her. "... we can go. Although, I wouldn't be opposed to continuing our dance elsewhere."
"A more secluded place?" he asked.
Rouge nodded, earning a half-smile from the hedgehog. With his spirit uplifted a bit, he approached the nearest buffet table and grabbed one of the wine bottles, suggesting, "How about we share one drink before we go?"
"It couldn't hurt," agreed the jewel thief, shrugging briefly before grabbing an empty glass for herself.
Vanilla regrouped with the rest of her party, which kicked off a conversation about the tiff between Knuckles and Shadow. Though they started off theorizing about the other guest's identity – getting closer to the conclusion that his mannerisms and some of his garments were identical to the Ultimate Lifeform – Tails eventually shifted to worrying about Knuckles.
"You think he's okay?" he asked Sonic. "I haven't seen him that angry in a while."
"Sure, he's okay," replied the speedster, unflinchingly confident. "That hard-headed echidna's tough as nails. But I can check on him, just to be sure."
"That might be a good idea."
Tails and his heroic friend shared a nod of understanding before Sonic turned to track down Knuckles. When he walked out into the night air, he found the guardian stomping across the street outside the bustling ballroom. "Hey, Knux!"
His companion stopped on the sidewalk and turned back to look at the blue daredevil, his face no longer covered by a mask. He wasn't fuming anymore, but still carried an unpleasant frown and stern eyes; though, he allowed Sonic to approach and chat with him.
"Sorry about that whole ordeal," Sonic spoke, smiling awkwardly. "That other guy was way out of line. Anyway, I hope you're not going home angry; Tails was worried."
Knuckles let forth a content snicker and his frown turned into a smile. "I'm fine, don't worry about me. I'll just be catching up on some well-deserved rest... and committing this event to memory for the next time you try to pressure me into attending a party!"
The Blue Blur laughed, then gave him a thumbs-up and a flashy grin. "You know what, Knux, you earned it! I'll try not to bug ya too much from now on."
Respectfully, the echidna nodded in a gesture of acceptance and farewell, then turned his back to Sonic and continued on his path home. The costumed hedgehog turned as well, heading back towards the lavish ballroom and into the party, where he met up with the rest of his group to continue the boisterous festivities.