Keep It Crescendo
Chapter 7: Exposition
What is this? AN UPDATE!? OMG, have I done it? Have I broken the curse?
But honestly guys, I did not expect that many reviews. It means a lot that some of you are still caught up with this story after so many years of inactiveness. I have taken the liberty of [revising?] the first four chapters because they were absolutely AWFUL! I didn't change the plot or the overall gist of each chapter [it's kind of too late for that] but I did fix the god awful grammar. Geez guys, why didn't anyone call me out? In my defense, I wrote those first four chapters before taking AP English Composition in high school. That class whipped me into shape, and it definitely improved my writing.
Now I'm about to enter my third year in college and the infinite amount of papers I've written have kind of whipped me into shape too, so expect more depth throughout the rest of the story. There we go, not all is bad for waiting this long for me to update. Now you're all going to be rewarded with remotely acceptable material, instead of the crap I fed you in 2015. It's too late for Blackshade, I'm afraid. I'm WAYYY too lazy to revise that story. Rest in peace…
Anyway, enjoy the chapter!
"Oops I did it again to your heart. Got lost, in this game, oh baby."
Amy moved smoothly to the rhythm. This is how she liked it. She liked having the studio to herself, to practice what she adores doing. No interruptions, no problems, nothing. Just her and the sound of music.
If she lived and prospered anywhere else… perhaps Pennsylvania, Michigan, or Nevada. Anywhere else that wasn't as expensive as New York City, then maybe she wouldn't have to endure the humiliation she endured with Scourge. New York was the most expensive state to live in, and she was barely squeaking by with the success of her studio and the money she made at the club. She had thought about moving to another state before, but then came the concern of whether or not Keep It Crescendo would be successful in another state.
She couldn't risk losing the studio. It was the one thing that still kept her glued in one piece. Losing it would be like losing a limb.
She stopped dancing and glanced at her arm, which was still stinging and colored pink from her last visit with Scourge. He was becoming more easy to trigger as time passed by.
She had been trying her hardest to not anger her sorry excuse for a boyfriend, but it wasn't easy, not by a long shot. But she had to keep him at bay; she knew deep within her that Rouge and Shadow were on the brink of reporting him to the police. She and Rouge had gotten into an argument the last time the topic was brought up.
"It's just a dusty old building Amy! Easily replaceable. Would you rather lose that, or your dignity?"
Amy had gotten so angry that she had stomped away, running past Knuckles without directing a word to him, who had just gotten home from work. Amy was too stubborn to admit that Rouge was right, and it took her a lot of soul searching and dancing to figure it out. But Rouge also needed to understand that that "dusty old building" meant more to her than she could ever understand.
But she knew that when it came down to it, when she felt like Scourge was becoming too much to handle, she was going to have to cut the string. Her dignity mattered to her more than anything, and she refused to be beaten to the point of no return.
I'm settling. She thought, conforming to the rough manhandling and the slaps. She shouldn't tolerate any of it. She sighed, Shadow had offered to take her to his therapist, but she refused to have Shadow pay for her counseling. When she had enough money to be able to handle herself, she'll go to a therapist. She just had to win NYCDR, and it'll all get better.
With that in mind, she grabbed her duffle bag, and took a sip of water, preparing to leave the studio and call it a day.
Sonic hovered over a notebook as he tried to remember the choreography for his Varsity team. He was walking to Eggman Studios, a sour look on his face. He had spent almost the entire night on the rooftop of his apartment, thinking about Tails and Cream's conversation the night before. He had left early because he felt like the conversation wasn't supposed to be heard by him in the first place. He felt like he was invading the young couple's privacy, and chose to leave.
He knew Tails and Cream didn't mind him knowing their secrets. To them, Sonic was family, and knowing Tails, he'd probably end up telling Sonic anyway.
So maybe it wasn't that, maybe it was what was said that bothered him. His opinion on Amy Rose, the feisty, easily flustered but ambitious girl, had taken a whole 180. To go that far for dancing, to endure such humiliation; it was admirable but also incredibly foolish. He now knew that she wasn't bluffing when she confessed that she'd do anything to never stop dancing. But to deal with an abusive boyfriend? It wasn't worth it.
No, it wasn't worth it.
He knew this information would be useful and that Eggman would want to know it. But he could never bring himself to use that to try and bring her down. There's a difference between having a healthy competition and being downright cruel. He chose to keep this information to himself, and sincerely hoped Amy found a silver lining one day.
As he approached the studio, he glanced across the street and eyed Amy's studio, which was active from the sound of music coming from inside. He let out a long sigh and reached for the door knob, but was stopped as a green hedgehog with a black leather jacket bolted out of it angrily. He bumped into Sonic, and scowled at him, "Watch where you're going!"
"Sorry?" Sonic rose an eyebrow as the hedgehog passed him.
Sonic shook his head and walked inside the studio, where his students were warming up. One of them, named Charmy, who had seen the exchange between him and Scourge, let out a huff.
"How rude…"
"Who was that guy?" Sonic asked.
"His name is Scourge the Hedgehog. He manages Keep It Crescendo."
Sonic blinked, "Manages?"
"Yeah, he's dating Amy Rose, the head choreographer across the street. Weird huh? Why someone like her would want to be with someone like him is beyond me."
So, that green hedgehog was the infamous hedgehog that had placed everyone on edge the night before. Sonic didn't think one could dislike a person after a measly first impression, but it turns out you can.
"Remember, lunch at 12," Scourge said.
"Lunch at 12, got it," Amy responded. "I should head back in, my students are waiting."
Scourge nodded, "Yeah, hold on—"
He pulled out an envelope and handed it to her, "Here's this month's rent, don't lose it."
Amy received it, "Thank you. I'll see you at 12."'
She began walking down the stairs, but paused when Scourge called her.
"Wait, no kiss?" he asked playfully.
Amy smiled and pecked him on the lips before heading down again. This was the Scourge she had fallen for. Once upon a time Scourge the Hedgehog was a romantic, playful guy who lifted her up and supported her with everything. That Scourge was long gone, but she still treasured the few moments he showed his best side.
Having lingering thoughts while walking down the stairs probably wasn't wise. She ended up missing a step, and let out a yelp as she fell down the rest of the stairs. Thank goodness there were only three steps left.
Scourge let out a curse and headed toward her, "Can you get up?"
"I think so," she winced as she grabbed his hand. "I think I twisted my ankle."
"Your foot or your ankle? You might have fractured it."
"No, it's my ankle," Amy cried as she stood on her right foot.
Scourge kneeled in front of her foot, "Try to move it."
She let out a hiss as she did that, but it moved normally. "How does it look?"
"Nothing serious, you did twist it," he said as he stood. "Damn it Amy, do you really have to be clumsy all the time?"
"Oh yes Scourge, I totally choose to be clumsy on purpose."
He glared at her, causing her to turn away. He flickered his eyes back towards her ankle, "Where's your first aid kit?"
"In the office."
"Don't move," he ordered as he opened the door to her office and pulled out a bandage from inside the kit. He returned and wrapped it around her foot. "You shouldn't dance for the next few days."
Amy widened her eyes, she couldn't do that. The club was having another competition this Friday, and she couldn't afford to not compete. She chose to stay silent though, Scourge had no idea she attended these competitions, and it wouldn't do her any good if he found out she did.
She thanked the heavens her students had already memorized the routine they needed to make it to NYCDR, or else she'd be doomed.
"No gyal can tell me 'bout my mother. 16 shot, we go longer than a ladder."
The students of Eggman Studios bopped their heads as Sonic smoothly moved his hands and legs quickly and sharply to the beat of the music. It was no mystery that he was full of talent. To be a good dancer, one had to not only grasp the steps quickly, but also be able to, well, dance!
He rolled his body twice, and the students cheered with excitement. They were convinced that this blue hedgehog was going to bring their studio victory at NYCDR. Ever since Keep It Crescendo entered the scene, Eggman Studios had suffered drastically and they hadn't even made it to regionals.
Things were changing, and they couldn't wait to see what more tricks Sonic had up his sleeve.
As the song ended, Sonic dramatically jumped and turned his body to look at his students. "Well, what do you think of the choreography?"
The students cheered.
"Keep It Crescendo won't know what hit 'em, but before we get too excited, let's practice. Let me see what you've learned," Sonic said as he played the song again.
As soon as everyone started dancing, Eggman walked into the room. He watched as Sonic walked around and directed everyone, being patient with the students who took a little longer grasping the dance routine.
Eggman was impressed, the kids looked great! He made a note to give himself a pat on the back for discovering Sonic in the first place. His eyes met Sonic's, who was sending him a nervous smile. Eggman gave him a thumbs up before leaving the room, and Sonic let out a sigh of relief.
His kids had this in the bag, he believed in them.
"I got into Cal State Fullerton!"
Sonic winced, not expecting Manic to yell into his ear. Practice had ended and he was now sitting in his apartment with his phone in hand. He had forgotten that he had his volume set on the highest level.
"Gee little bro, watch the ear," Sonic chuckled. "And no way! The business program?"
"Duh! You don't know how much of a big deal this is for me Sonic. Fullerton is the first college that has accepted me, and they have one of the best business programs in the country. It's not even December! Why do you think they accepted me so early?"
"Maybe because you're amazing?" Sonic offered, feeling genuinely proud of his little brother.
"You think so? Gee, I hope Berkeley thinks so too. I'm nervous Sonic, the application window for the UC's open next week."
"You're going to get in," Sonic reassured. "You have a kick ass resume. You've done more things than Sonia and I combined."
"Yeah, but it's harder to get in these days. Especially into schools like Cal and UCLA."
"Don't sweat it little bro, just enjoy the process. Trust me, you don't want to rush into adulthood."
"Oh yeah, how are things going over there? Have you proven to the entire vicinity of New York that you're the best dancer in the world?"
"Actually, I think I've met my match."
Manic gasped, "Really? Who?"
"It's this hedgehog named Amy Rose, she owns a studio across the street. She's our rival, and a good one too. Not gonna lie, she's good."
"Is she cute?"
"She's too old for you Manic," Sonic rolled his eyes.
Manic scoffed, "Hey, I'm just asking!"
Sonic smirked, "Yeah, she's pretty cute."
Sonic couldn't see Manic, but he could literally sense the smug smirk forming on Manic's face.
"Don't even think about it little bro, you already know I don't have time for relationships. The only love of my life is—"
"Dancing. Yes, I know," Manic finished for him. "Hey, you probably won't believe me when I tell you, but I think Dad misses you."
Sonic snorted.
"No, I'm serious!" Manic exclaimed. "I saw him looking at a picture of you the other day, it was in Mom's photo album."
"He was probably wondering where in Chaos' name he went wrong with me. Thanks Manic but there's no way that old man would ever miss me, not in a million years. To him, I'm a disappointment."
"Don't say that. Dad loves you."
Sonic shrugged, "I guess he does, in a weird disappointed twisted way."
Manic sighed on the other end, "Well, Mom's calling us for dinner, I'll talk to you later."
"See ya little bro, let me know if you get more college acceptances. I want to know them all!"
Manic chuckled, "Will do!"
As soon as Sonic hung up the phone, his apartment became silent. He valued his privacy more than anyone, but he really hated living alone. If it were up to him, and there were no rules, he wouldn't invest in a house. He'd just sleep on rooftops and trees and among nature.
At least among nature he knew he would always be accompanied by something. Whether it was the sound of the wind, the birds chirping, or the owls hooting. These natural sounds brought Sonic peace and tranquility, two very important necessities for an "on the go" kind of guy like him. Living in a house without anyone to share it with suffocated him. To be left alone with the motionless furniture and the trap that is technology uneased him. If someone were to dare him to stay in his apartment for an entire day he wouldn't be able to do it. He was too impatient, too reliant on fresh air…
Sometimes, if he stayed in his apartment too long, he'd start feeling claustrophobic, which would go away as soon as he stepped foot in his balcony. His sister Sonia was his polar opposite, whom always complained when exposed to nature. Too many bugs, too hot, too cold, too boring.
Manic was a little more tolerant, but even he got bored easily, and at some point would beg to return home to his video games and TV.
Sonic owed his love for nature to his grandfather Maurice the Hedgehog. Back when Jules was barely trying to lift The Hedgehog Industries up, and was sometimes even homeless for the trial and error it took to do so, Sonic was taken to live with his grandfather in Lake Arrowhead, California.
Lake Arrowhead was surrounded by trees, and every morning when Sonic was only three years old, Maurice would take him on a hike. They would be out for hours, and wouldn't return until the sun would set. They would always travel to the same spot, a beautiful grassy area with a large waterfall dropping clear shots of water into a clear lake called Never Lake.
Sometimes his grandfather would spend hours telling him stories of heroes, or pirates, or aliens, and Sonic would listen to him with all ears. Sometimes they'd just lie on the grass and take a nap. Sometimes Sonic would just shut his eyes and hear the melody of nature, singing him a lullaby until he went to sleep.
Sonic started going less frequently when he moved to LA, and stopped going altogether when Maurice passed away. He hoped to go again one day, and maybe take someone special. He wanted to share that special spot just like his grandfather had shared it with him.
He sighed and chose to turn on the radio for the sake of it not being entirely silent, but that certainly didn't make things better. Hikaru Michi by Aya Hiroshige, one of the most popular singers at that moment, came onto the radio. He moved to change the song, but found that he couldn't bring himself to do it.
He suddenly felt inspired, and pulled out his choreography notebook and placed it on his table. He listened to the lyrics intently and created a lyrical dance routine. Two people. A duet, it had to be a duet.
What's the theme of the routine? Abandonment and hope.
"His partner leaves but then comes back in the end," he muttered to himself, scribbling ferociously in his notebook. He was in his element right now, and no one could snap him out of it.
Amy was nervous.
She had thought that taking care of herself would have her ankle good as new by the Club competition, but she could tell by putting pressure on it that it still needed more time. But screw that, she had to compete.
She was glad Rouge nor Shadow joined her today, she knew for a fact that those two were not going to let her compete if they knew her ankle was twisted. She had been doing well throughout the night, and as usual made it to the finals, until she met her match again.
She should've known Sonic the Hedgehog was going to be in attendance.
"And now the moment we've all been waiting for, Sonic the Hedgehog vs Amy Rose!"
He grinned at her, ugh, she wanted to slap it off of him. She stepped onto the platform, ignoring the piercing pain coming from her ankle. She must've visibly winced, because Sonic's grin faltered.
"You alright?"
"Yes," Amy spat.
His eyes drifted down toward her ankle, noticing a badly hidden bandage being covered by her sock. She was hurt… and yet she still made it this far in the competition. His mind drifted to Scourge, had he done that? Was she alright, or was she just putting on a brave face? He went with the latter.
"My eyes are up here you know," she reprimanded.
He looked at her and turned pink, "I wasn't looking there! I was—"
"I know," she smirked. "I was teasing."
She slightly winced, but bit her lip and prevented herself from crying out in pain. She was going to lose to Sonic… her ankle put her at a disadvantage.
The song started, and she decided to put all her pain to the side and avoid eye contact with Sonic. Heck, she didn't even want to look at him, she refused to see the cocky smile that is undoubtedly plastered on his lips as he watched her be out of her element.
The crowd gasped, and she tried her best to ignore them.
I'm doing bad, Chaos I'm doing really bad.
Her ankle was aching, but she ignored it. She noticed the crowd look shocked, and she inaudibly swallowed a lump in her throat. As the song came to an end, she tried her very best to avoid eye contact with Sonic, but to no avail. She looked at him, but he wasn't smiling. He looked sour, and a little embarrassed.
"Well, that was a performance!" the announcer exclaimed. "Well, it's time to vote, even though I think we all know who won that. All those in favor of Amy, make it loud!"
More people than she expected cheered for her, many of which were her "loyal fans" as they liked calling themselves. Sonic was going to get twice that applause.
"All those in favor of Sonic?"
Hardly anyone cheered, causing Amy's eyes to widen, what?
"Gee Sonic, what happened? You did so well in the last two rounds," the announcer asked.
"Bad day," Sonic shrugged carelessly.
"Ah, I see, we all get those, or am I wrong?"
The crowd cheered.
"Well that settles it, Amy Rose wins this one everyone. Congrats Amy, you win the prize!"
The crowd cheered as Amy turned to face Sonic, who gave her a thumbs up, "Good round."
He walked away as Amy was given her check, and as soon as she thanked everyone, she ran (or speed walked) after Sonic, who was walking out of the club.
"Sonic, wait!"
Sonic turned. His hands were in his jacket's pockets and he had an eyebrow raised.
"What happened back there?" she asked.
"Uh, you won?" Sonic asked, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"No, you weren't giving it your all! You let me win and I want to know why!" Amy exclaimed.
"Did I not just say I've been having a bad day?"
"That can't be it," Amy shook her head. "I don't believe you. What really happened back there?"
"There's no law book claiming that I'm obligated to make you believe me, or explain anything to you. Later," he saluted. "Oh, and I would put ice on that ankle if I were you, it'll stop it from swelling."
He zoomed away, leaving a speechless Amy staring blankly at the place he had once been standing in.
I've given up on trying to predict when this story is going to get updated again. I haven't been very consistent with my promises… oops. But I am fired up right now, and y'all reviewing is going to keep me fired up, so keep reviewing guys!
What do you think is going to happen? What made you angry, what made you squeal, let me know! I want to know it all :)