Hello! I apologize for the long wait! I've been busy with school, work, and life. Now that my Spring Break is here, I'll try to upload as much as I can. Thank you all so much for reviewing! As you can see last chapter, the dinner date went pretty well, except for the fact Sonic & Shadow's little romantic moment was interrupted by the communicator and what was happening at the shack. And now, we shall see if Knuckles can survive Shadow's wrath or not. Hope you all enjoy this chapter!

Sonic winced as he heard his friend moaning in pain. "Is it that bad?"

Tails sighed, wrapping another layer of gauze around Knuckles' knee. "Besides the broken bones and open lesions, his injuries aren't severe enough to take him to the hospital. However, he'll be on bed rest for at least a couple of weeks."

Amy glared at Shadow. "Are you satisfied with your revenge?"

Shadow rolled his eyes, ignoring her as his attention is focused on Sonic who is tending to his bloody hands. "Like I said before, I only held back my strength because I did not want to stain myself with his blood."

"That was holding back!? You almost killed Knuckles!"

"The echidna should know not to steal my pup's milk!"

"He only drank from those bottles!"

"Except that milk did not came from a cow, but made from something else!"

Amy opened her mouth to respond, but then closed her mouth as her eyes widened at what he was saying, causing her face to heat up as she looked at Sonic with a horrified expression. "P-Please tell me it was iron-fortified formula!"

Sonic shook his head, as he felt his cheeks heating up. "I-It's my milk…"

"Luckily, I ran some tests on Knuckles and he came out healthy with no illnesses after drinking those milk bottles," Tails used a penlight to check his friend's pupils. "Are you still awake, Knuckles?"

A small groan escaped from his lips, as his eyes opened a little to gaze at Tails. "Did I get hit by a truck?"

Sticks, who was distracting Shion with a baby rattle as she sat on the couch while holding him on her lap, answered him. "First you were pummeled into a wall, then the ground, then the sky, and ended up crashing on an ice cream cart that somehow caught on fire." She turned her head to look at Knuckles. "If you need to heal faster, I can whip up my special medicine to stop the bleeding."

"I think some rest is what Knuckles need," Amy replied, placing one hand on her hip. "And Shadow, have your battle with Knuckles outside the village. The both of you almost caused a lot of damage."

"No promises on that," Shadow hissed a little. "Watch what you're doing, Sonic."

"I did warn you it was gonna sting. But don't worry, you won't get any infection since the rubbing alcohol is preventing it from happening," Sonic said, using a cotton ball soaked with rubbing alcohol to clean Shadow's bloody hands.

"At least I got justice for you."

"Luckily, you didn't kill Knuckles."

"As much as I wanted to murder him, I didn't want to traumatize our pup."

"You did the right thing. Our main priority is Shion."

Their ears flickered when they heard Shion giggle, along with the baby rattle being shaken by Sticks. Both her and Amy volunteered to keep Shion distracted so he wouldn't see what happened to Knuckles, along with the aftermath of the battle. If anyone asked, it was terrifying, and the villagers never wanted to remember it again. So while they're all getting therapy, the rest of the Sonic gang are busy tending to Knuckles so he wouldn't bleed to death.

Tails's home was chosen since he had a bunch of medical supplies needed for Knuckles' injuries. Along with his vast knowledge of anatomy & physiology for all mobians, his friend was in capable hands. Luckily, surgery isn't needed, nor does he need to call the local doctor for assistance.

"All done," Tails finished his examination. "Remember, Knuckles. You're on bed rest for at least 2 weeks, so no strenuous activities during your recovery."

"But I'm eating more fiber now!" Knuckles pouted, then hissed after remembering how sore his teeth were from Shadow's punch.

"I meant you cannot do any physical exercise such as working out, running, heavy lifting, or anything that requires a lot of strength. For now, you need to stay in bed so you can rest and recover."

"Then how am I gonna survive without food or water?"

"We'll get it for you."

"You mean I don't have to get up and get it? You'll get me my food and I can eat in bed?"

"Along with whatever you need so you can stay comfortable during your recovery process."

"Anything I want?"

"Except for the bathroom. We'll help you get to the bathroom so you can do your business by yourself."

"Awesome! That means I'll be cared for like a baby!"

Amy shook her head at him. "Knuckles, you'll be cared for like a patient. Also, don't let it get to your head just because you're injured."

"I can't use my head now. I'm injured!"

"You were lucky not to have a skull fracture."

"What about the floating stars that are still spinning around me?"

"I'll check on that!" Tails reassessed his head, making sure there was no serious damage to his friend's cognition.

While Tails is busy re-examining Knuckles, Amy switched her attention to Sonic, who had finished tending to Shadow's hands. "Shadow, is there something you like to say in your defense?"

"I had no regrets on what I did, and that's my final answer," Shadow examined his bandaged hands, glad his gloves weren't ruined from the fight.

Amy gave Sonic a pleading look. "Sonic, do you believe Shadow overdid it?"

"Sorry Ames, but I have to agree with Shadow. Knuckles made a huge mistake in drinking my baby's milk bottles, and he's banned from babysitting Shion," Sonic cleaned his hands with a sanitizing wipe.

Sticks continued to shake the baby rattle, keeping Shion happy. "Then you better hide those milk bottles so he won't try to sneak in and steal them from your fridge. If not, then substitute them for something else so he'll no longer be addicted to the milk."

"And if that doesn't work?"

"Then my special medicine should help. It calmed him down yesterday."

"You mean make him go wild?"

"That's one of the side effects for withdrawal."

"Are you saying the echidna-

"Nope! Knuckles isn't crazy enough to do that, so let's not talk about it!" Sonic covered Shadow's mouth before he could finish his sentence. "Anyways, when should we start planning our vacation to the waterfall?"

Soft shushes escaped from Sonic's lips as he gently patted Shion's back. His little one felt a little cranky, and figured some sleep could help him get better. He already fed Shion his milk, and Shadow volunteered to clean his baby bottles so Sonic can put Shion down for his bedtime. Thankfully, Shadow also cleaned the dishes so Sonic didn't have to do them.

"What's wrong, shooting star? Feeling a little grumpy?" Sonic rubbed Shion's back.

His answer is a loud whine, causing Sonic to rub his back as he started singing a tune, remembering a certain song he was once heard back in Camelot when he participated in a festival to welcome their new King Arthur.

There will come a soldier

Who carries a mighty sword

He will tear your city down

Oh lei, oh lai, oh, Lord

Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh, Lord

He will tear your city down

Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh, Lord

There will come a poet

Whose weapon is His word

He will slay you with His tongue

Oh lei, oh lai, oh, Lord

Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh, Lord

He will slay you with His tongue

Oh lei, oh lai, oh, Lord

There will come a ruler

Whose brow is laid in thorn

Smeared with oil like David's boy

Oh lei, oh lai, oh, Lord

Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh, Lord

Smeared with oil like David's boy

Oh lei, oh lai, oh, Lord

Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh, Lord

He will tear your city down, oh lei, oh lai

Ohh

Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh lai, oh

Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh lai, oh

Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh lai

Oh lei, oh lai, oh lei, oh lai, oh

After he finished singing, he heard a small snore coming from his arms, indicating Shion fell asleep. Glad that the song had worked, he quietly placed Shion in his bassinet, tucked him in with a soft white blanket, and kissed his cheek. "Sweet dreams, my handsome little one."

He then leaned back and covered his mouth, muffling a yawn that escaped his lips. Since its already dark outside and they all had their dinner, it was now time for bed. However, Sonic wanted to look through the list on what they should bring to their vacation spot before he could rest. He went over to the couch where he found the list resting on the coffee table, sat down on the cushion, and picked up the list. "Now what do we need to bring…"

"What was that?"

Sonic nearly yelped, finding Shadow sitting next to him. "D-Dude! W-Weren't you in the kitchen!?"

"I already completed my task in the kitchen," Shadow folded his arms. "Now what was that?"

"What was what?"

"That song you were singing to Shion. I've never heard of it before."

"You mean the one about the soldier, poet, and king?"

"Is that the name of the song you sang?"

Sonic nodded. "Back when I was in Camelot, I was at a festival that was hosted to celebrate the new King Arthur, and a band played that music. It's a common folk song passed down from generation to generation." He gazed down at his lap, reminiscing his time there. "The villagers would sing or dance to that song, so it was really catchy. I didn't know most of the lyrics, but Merlina and the knights helped me remember them well."

"Hmm," Shadow pondered for a moment. "The song does have a definite meaning."

"Do you want me to teach you? I know all the lyrics."

"I'm not much of a singer."

"It doesn't hurt to try. Plus, you can sing them to Shion incase I'm unable to sing for him."

"No thank you. I prefer just learning the song instead of singing it."

"How about we sing together?"

"My answer is no."

"Pretty please?"

"That face isn't gonna work this time."

"Whatever do you mean?~"

"Don't make me punch you."

"Would you really punch your favorite blue hedgehog?~" Sonic fluttered his eyelashes at him.

Shadow flicked his forehead. "If you don't stop, the pain will get worse."

Sonic rubbed his forehead, playfully glaring at him. "You're definitely a hardcase."

"Not the first time I heard it," Shadow rolled his eyes. "So will you teach me the song?"

"In exchange for a hug."

"No funny business?"

"And maybe-

"I'll spank you if you dare pull a trick on me."

"Okay, we talked about you not touching my hindquarters."

"You told me not to pinch them. You never said that I can spank them."

"I think you need sleep. You're obviously exhausted from today."

"As your superior, I order you not to change the subject."

"That's not gonna work on me."

"Are you sure?" Shadow's lips stretched into a sly smirk.

Sonic gulped, looking away so Shadow wouldn't see his cheeks heating up. "T-The soldier, poet, and king each have a role with a specific meaning."

"ARE THEY INSANE!?" Amy snarled, tightly clutching the letter in her hand. "THIS HAS TO BE A JOKE!"

"Is it the government trying to read your thoughts? I knew they were up to something!" Sticks seethed.

"Not that! It's something far worse than this!"

"You could start by telling us what the paper is saying," Sonic pointed to her letter, while sitting on her rug with Shion & Tails.

"Oh, I'll tell you why!" Amy started to read. "Dear Miss Rose, we hereby thank you for submitting your manuscript 'A Rose Without Thorns'. It has been nominated for a Reader Reward, and we cordially invite you to the Readers Convention at the Mayor's Mansion. You may bring a few of your closest friends or family members to the ceremony, where you will dine on elegant food and mingle with elegant authors at which the Readers Reward will be awarded to the winner."

Knuckles, who miraculously recovered from his injuries after only a few days, scratched the side of his head. "Why does that title sound familiar?"

"That would be the play manuscript she wrote back in Season 1," Tails mentioned. "But wow, congratulations! Though I do not understand why you were mad earlier."

"I'm not the only one nominated! A few people had also been nominated for the award!" Amy gave him the pamphlet. "And she is one of them!"

Tails opened the pamphlet, reading the schedule for the Readers Convention and found a list of names who were also nominated. "Could you specify whom you're talking about?"

"Ashley Ogilvie! That's what!"

"There she is! It looked like she published a short story called 'A River That Flows'."

"It's obvious she's trying to make herself look good for the judges!"

"Okay, time out," Sonic held Shion close in his arms, keeping him distracted with his baby toys. "Why are you so worked up over this Ashley person?"

Amy took some deep breaths, calming herself down as she started to explain. "Last year when I attended a beekeeper's convention, I was minding my own business while browsing through each stand where they make the best money when I nearly bumped into her. Like the good person I am, I apologized but she thought I was someone's maid based on my clothing!" she gestured to her red dress. "I wore this outfit every day, and she had the gall to not only insult my style, but think I'm a maid!?"

She then started pacing back and forth. "I told myself I wouldn't see her again after I left that convention, but I was wrong! I soon saw her at the Flower Convention, then the Perfume Convention, and lastly at the Nutrition Convention! I thought things would be different after I got my manuscript submitted at the Readers Convention, but I was wrong!"

Taking slow and shallow breaths, she fluffed up her couch pillow. "I never knew a snobby, no good selfish brat like her would actually get nominated for an award! She usually complains that books are boorish and prefers her phone instead! Can you believe that!?"

"I believe books help expand our imagination since reading is what makes us special," Tails stated. "Look at Knuckles. His imagination had been broadened thanks to reading."

"And I'll never forget it," Knuckles said, reading a book he's holding upside down.

Sticks folded her arms suspiciously. "Is this Ashley a government spy or one of the pod people?"

Amy shook her head. "I wish. Unfortunately, she's a pompous and ritzy peacock who claimed she hails from an aristocratic family. She even has a small posse with her who worship the ground she walks on, and likes to brag about her wealth and so-called accomplishments she had done in the past." She stuck her tongue out in disgust. "She also has a terrible smoking habit. Her breath reeks of cigarettes."

Sonic shivered. "If what you say is true, then she must be a total nightmare to deal with."

"You have no idea! Now I must deal with her at the Mayor's Mansion!" Amy read the letter again. "The award ceremony will start tomorrow night. This means I don't have much time left!" She used her fingers to list some things from her memory. "I need to get my elegant outfit prepared, go to the salon to get my hair and makeup done-

As Amy continued to list all the things she needed to do, the others focused on Shion, who was giggling and playing with his Uncle Tails' fluffy yellow tails. Sonic made sure Shion was gentle with the tails, and Tails continued to make his nephew laugh. Sticks cooed a little, reminding her of the time she would play with her pet robot dog Buster, while Knuckles decided to stop reading and play with one of Shion's baby toys, which is the baby rattle.

"And finally, I need an escort to the Gala!" Amy finished, staring at a certain blue hedgehog.

Sonic blinked, looking at her in disbelief. "Uh, what?"

"How did I agree to this again!?" Sonic yelled from inside the changing room.

Amy, who adjusted the sleeves of her silky white gloves, was the first to speak. "To provide proper support as a friend and be my personal escort so I can show you off to her."

"But in this outfit!?"

"That elitist believed I wouldn't have any man in my life, but that doesn't mean that I can have any woman in my life."

Tails cradled Shion in his arms, who was sucking on his pacifier. "Why not ask Sticks to be your escort?"

"Don't you dare!" Sticks got her boomerang out in a threatening manner. "I will never be one of those fancy folks! I like being a feral badger, thank you very much!"

Amy smoothed out her long purple dress. "Sticks wouldn't be able to handle it again, Knuckles is too big, you're too young, and Shadow would kill me if I make him wear the outfit."

"Uh, does he even know what we're doing today?"

"Its best he doesn't know. If he knew, he wouldn't let me have Sonic as my escort mostly due to jealousy."

Sonic opened the door, stepping out of the changing room. "Shadow can never know, and I still can't believe you made me think this outfit involves no pants!"

Amy gasped in delight, clasping her hands together. "I knew it would work! The dress looks perfect on you!"

Tails & Sticks had their mouths wide open in astonishment, while Shion cooed at seeing his mama. Sonic wore an elegant, silky evening red sleeveless dress with black dots, red high heels, white gloves, pearl necklace, and a wig with long blonde wavy hair. The wig covered his quills, and the way he posed made them think he was really a girl. Overall, Sonic was able to pull it off really well.

"Who are you and what have you done with my brother?" Tails was the first to speak.

Sticks scratched her head. "Okay, is Sonic really a male or a female? He even has the same figure Amy and I have!"

"I modified the dress to make it look like he is a girl, though I had no idea the dress would accentuate his curves," Amy studied him from head to toe.

"I think I look stupid in this dress," Sonic gazed at his reflection. "Though I have to say, I can make a lot of heads spin."

"You're not ready yet. I still need to apply some makeup on you," Amy made Sonic sit down on a chair, got her makeup supply out, and started working on his face. "Remember to hold still and don't squirm."

Luckily, she did not apply too much and finished with a huge smile, admiring her masterpiece. Mascara was applied to bring out his eyelashes, light powder to make his face glow, some pink blush to make his cheeks appear rosy, light red eyeshadow for his eyes to pop out, and the final touch is some glossy red lipstick that made his lips shine from the light.

Amy stepped aside so Tails & Sticks could see him. "Tada! I present to you Sonisha!"

Sonic stood up, checking his reflection. "Good thing you didn't overdo it. I look really hot!"

Tails rubbed his eyes, blinking a few times to make sure what he was seeing is real. "Is that really you, Sonic?"

"Or are you some sort of alien who cloned itself to look like him!? Who are you really!?" Sticks got her boomerang out.

"Hey, chill! It really is me! It's just the disguise is making me look different," Sonic reassured them. "Though I still don't get why I gotta go as a girl and not as a boy."

"To show that rotten peacock she's wrong about me. I can easily get a beautiful partner who likes my personality and not for my looks," Amy smirked a little. "Plus, Shion likes your new look."

Shion cooed, reaching out for his mama. Sonic took him from Tails's arms, cradling him close to his chest as he nuzzled his baby. "Do you think mama looks pretty, baby?"

A small giggle and feeling his chest getting hugged by his little one was his answer. Sonic chuckled, planting a kiss on his baby's cheek. "Your cute face will make a lot of pretty girls fight over you. I better make sure it doesn't happen or your papa will cause destruction to keep you safe." He then gasped. "Oh shoot! Shadow has no idea that I'm helping Amy tonight, and there's no way I'm letting him see me in this dress!"

"Don't worry! We all made a plan to keep Shadow distracted so he wouldn't know," Tails reassured him. "We're gonna make him think you & Knuckles are helping Amy fix her bookcase here at her home, while Sticks & I shall babysit Shion while keeping Shadow company."

"I even brought some supplies as a backup plan in case he wants to make contact with his alien friends from space," Sticks brought out a duffel bag. "I also have enough safety hats so no one would read our thoughts."

"Speaking of Knuckles, he is still banned from babysitting and not allowed 100 yards near my baby's milk bottles," Sonic added.

"We'll make sure it doesn't happen. For now, he'll be busy distracting Shadow with some knock-knock jokes, which will probably last forever," Tails informed him.

Amy checked her clock. "We better hurry. The event will start soon." She then looked at Sonic. "Now remember, you are not Sonic the Hedgehog at the award ceremony. Tonight, you are Sonisha Levine, a sophisticated well-mannered lady of high society."

"I'm starting to rethink this plan. Can't you ask Zooey or one of the twins to be your escort?" Sonic asked.

"Nope! Zooey will be here to help Tails and the others babysit Shion while also distracting Shadow, and the twins can't make it since they're busy with whatever they're doing," Amy picked up her pink purse. "You'll be fine, Sonic. Just remember not to break character while acting as Sonisha."

Sonic frowned, holding Shion close to him. "It's gonna be tough though."

"If you do really well tonight while making sure I don't kill that prissy Ashley, I'll treat you to some homemade chili dogs that don't come from Meh Burger."

"Chili dogs do sound nice."

"And Shadow won't have pictures of you dressed up as a gorgeous lady."

"Hey, that's blackmailing!"

The night of the Reader's Convention had arrived, as everyone who is invited to the event had dressed up in their most sophisticated outfits. Like last time when Sticks and her friends arrived at the mansion for an Awardy Award, the inside of the mansion had been decorated exactly as how they remembered. Even the orchestra playing classic music were there. Everyone was busy interacting with one another, trying the food, or sitting at the table patiently waiting for the event to start.

Suddenly, they all stopped talking when they saw Amy appearing on top of the steps, and she wasn't alone. Sonic, disguised as Sonisha, stood next to her as Amy cleared her throat and started to speak in a different voice to make herself feel older. "It's my pleasure to introduce myself: the Lady Amy Rose and her escort, Lady Sonisha of Lavine."

Placing one arm around Sonic's arm, they both descended down the stairs gracefully until they reached the bottom, as everyone started to chatter again while looking back and forth between Amy & Sonic. Deciding it was best to talk privately near where the food is, they headed towards their destination, as their ears listened to what everyone is saying.

"Her escort is a lady?"

"My word, what a beauty she is!"

"She's the bees knees!"

A couple of men wolf whistled at Sonic, causing him to slightly growl but had to stop himself so no one would see his angry expression. But once they made it to the buffet where no one else is around, Sonic scoffed as he folded his arms over his chest. "I'm already hating this disguise."

Amy patted his shoulder. "Just endure it until the awards ceremony will begin. Luckily, everyone sees you as a beautiful lady."

"Yeah, one whom the perverts like," Sonic quivered in disgust. "By the way, I don't see that priss you always ramble about."

"Oh, she'll be here soon. She usually-

"Why Amy Rose! What a surprise to see you here!"

Amy faked a smile, pretending to be excited. "Well hello, Ashley! I had no idea you would come to this event!"

Sonic got a good look at whom Amy is speaking to, seeing an orange peacock with huge red, white, and orange feathers sticking out from behind her. Her fur is white and orange, with long orange wavy hair with some white streaks in it. She was taller than Amy, and wore a red and black high-low formal dress that had no sleeves with a grey collar framing her neck. Her long eyelashes fluttered whenever she blinks her orange eyes, and her accessories were a couple of golden bracelets on both wrists, a golden necklace with a ruby stone, a white belt tied around her waist, and knee-length high heeled grey boots.

As for her makeup, she had orange eyeshadow, red blush, and dark red lipstick on her mouth to contrast her gray beak. She even had a small posse with her like Amy mentioned, mostly two female birds on either side of her: one a sparrow and the other a dove. The sparrow had long black hair with some grayness to match her gray feathers, yellow beak, brown eyes, purple eyeshadow, short eyelashes, and wore a long-sleeved black dress that reached her knees with a pair of black high heels to match the dress.

The dove had short brown hair with two strands framing her face, light blue eyes, orange beak, pink eyeshadow, long eyelashes, white feathers, a short sleeved white formal dress that reaches her knees, pearl necklace, white high heeled ankle boots, and a white flower accessory clipped to the side of her head.

"So, this is whom you came to the event with," Ashley studied Sonic from head to toe. "Oh my, where on earth did you meet her? At a public restaurant I presume?"

The other two girls giggled, as Amy nearly frowned but pretended to remain happy as she hugged Sonic's arm. "Why, we both met at the museum where we were admired the same painting created by the famous Galileo Galilei. She loved studying astronomy, and I admired her passion for it. I knew I had to ask this beautiful goddess out before someone else would."

Sonic covered his mouth, pretending to giggle in a girly manner. "It was you who captivated me, my sweet Amy. Why, your lovely eyes drew me to you." He then did a curtsy in front of Ashley and her group. "It is an honor to meet you 3 gorgeous ladies."

Ashley smirked a little, and also curtsied back. "The pleasure is all ours." Her eyes glistened from the light. "But I must say, aren't you overdoing it?"

"I beg your pardon?" Sonic tilted his head in confusion.

"Your dress is obviously last season, even though you try to hide it with that curvaceous figure of yours. Those shoes are way too small for your feet, your makeup isn't good, and don't get me started on that hair of yours," Ashley turned her head to look at her posse. "Heather. Megan. It's obvious this little girl did not catch up on the latest fashion. Isn't that a pity?"

The gray sparrow called Heather nodded her head. "I agree with you, Ashley. She obviously did not follow the current trend of fashion like we are."

The white dove called Megan agreed. "Even Amy Rose didn't follow the trend. Seeing that dress makes me wanna cry."

"Such a pity, and you're supposed to be one of the nominees for the Readers Reward," Ashley tutted her finger at Amy & Sonic.

Amy frowned, placing both hands on her hips. "Ignoring what you all just said earlier, why did you suddenly became so interested in writing novels? You mentioned before you hated books."

"I do. I only wrote my manuscript and submitted out of boredom. Imagine my surprise that it was nominated for the Readers Reward," Ashley giggled behind her hand. "It seems like the judges fell in love with my manuscript, and they'll definitely fall in love with me once they realize who I am."

"An egotistical, narcissistic bird brain with 2 creepy sidekicks who are only there to make yourself look good even though they secretly hate you from the start?" Sonic smirked, placing one hand on his hip in a sensual manner. "The judges will definitely get a field day once they meet you."

"W-What did you say to me!?" Ashley glared at him. "Do you not know-

Sonic waved her off. "Yes, we get it. Your entire life is garbage, you look like a traffic cone, and your breath smells like rotten cabbage. No need to tell me about it."

"Y-You-

"As for the two of you," Sonic looked back and forth between Heather & Megan, who flinched when he scanned them from head to toe. "You both look like you stole those dresses from your grandma's closet. I'm guessing neither of you have the curves to pull off wearing a tight dress." He then gestured to himself. "As for me, I'm wearing this because I want to wear it, not to show off my body or impress anyone. Besides wearing it to impress my date, I love me more."

Flipping his hair, he grabbed Amy's hand and led them away from the buffet, telling them a toodaloo while waving his fingers in a goodbye manner. Once they found their table and sat at their chairs where their nameplates were, Amy turned to look at Sonic. "What happened to staying sophisticated and well-mannered!?"

Sonic rolled his eyes. "And let those chicks insult me like that? No thank you. Plus, they were obviously checking me out."

"We're at a fancy Gala! You mustn't break character!"

"Relax, Amy. No one else would care that I fired back at a rude peacock and her feathered posse. Plus, you wanted to prove her wrong that you were able to score a date with a gorgeous mobian like me, right?"

"I wouldn't say that-

"And I was able to come here as an escort disguised as a beauty. It worked and now everyone is talking about how jealous they are of you coming here with me. It's obvious they wish they were in your shoes right now."

Amy face palmed. "I'm starting to think it wasn't a good idea."

Then, the Mayor rang a bell to inform everyone the ceremony would start, causing all the guests and contestants to go to their assigned seats. Amy was already at her table, along with a couple other contestants: the Mayor, Leroy the Turtle, and a Gentleman Wolf called Lincoln. However, they were too busy swooning over Sonisha, not knowing its Sonic in disguise.

Sonic used a spoon to gaze at his reflection, touching his cheek. "Gentlemen, is there something on my face?"

Leroy was the first to speak. "Forgive us for staring, but this is the first time a beautiful lady is at our table."

Sonic pretended to giggle. "Oh no, it can't be me. I look exactly like all the other gorgeous ladies here."

"Oh no, my dear!" Lincoln spoke. "You are truly the fairest of them all! Why, it's a blessing for us to be honored in your presence!"

"But I must say, it's the first time I've met a beautiful lady such as yourself here in this village," Mayor Fink studied Sonic. "Are you new around here? I'll be happy to accept your citizenship here in Hedgehog Village."

"There's no need. I'm only here for one night," Sonic blushed a little. "But you're all very kind. Thank you."

The men swooned at Sonic, while Amy is thinking on whether or not it was a good idea to disguise Sonic as a beautiful lady. Already, he has these men wrapped around his finger, and they have no clue he isn't Sonisha. Who knew all of the men here are that gullible whenever they see a beautiful lady? It is truly sexist!

Before she could open her mouth, Mayor Fink went to the podium, clearing his throat loudly as he brought an envelope out. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are ready to announce this year's winner!" He opened the envelope and brought out an index card. "And the Reader's Reward goes to-

"Not so fast!"

Everyone turned their heads, surprised to find Dr. Eggman there along with his Bee Bots. "Excuse me for being fashionably late, but I was certain that I had been nominated for the rewards as well!" He held up the pamphlet in front of him. "How come my name is not on it!?"

Mayor Fink shrugged. "Unfortunately, your short story did not meet our criteria."

"Meaning?"

"The story could not capture our souls."

"What!? It's obvious my story is better than everyone else's! Why, I could write better than that horrendous traffic cone over there!" Dr. Eggman pointed to Ashley.

Ashley screeched in horror. "How dare you call me that, you overweight baboon!"

"Don't go there, sister! I know what I said!"

As Eggman continued to argue with Ashley and Mayor Fink, Sonic had an idea on how this can be prevented so his disguise wouldn't get blown. Quickly getting up and rushing over to the podium, he grabbed the index card from Mayor Fink and tapped on the microphone. "May I have your attention, please?"

The arguing stopped, as Sonic continued to speak. "Apologies for the delay, but it is now time to announce the winner of the Reader's Reward!" He gestured towards his enemy. "Dr. Eggman, congratulations! You're our winner!"

The spotlight hit Dr. Eggman, gasping in astonishment as applauses were made for him. "I actually won? Me?" He pumped both his fists in the air, cheering loudly. "Yes! I won! I knew my story had been a masterpiece!" He pointed at Leroy. "You see that, Shelley! That's what an author looks like!"

Dr. Eggman ran up to the podium, where he was presented a trophy in which he held it up high for everyone to see. "You see that, losers! I have a shiny trophy, and none of you won anything! Take that!"

Sonic touched his forearm. "Oh Dr. strong & handsome, would you please give a speech to everyone here? We all want to hear it."

"Why certainly, my dear. I'd be happy to tell everyone my masterful speech," Dr. Eggman bowed, then got close to the mic. "Now where do I begin?"

"Seriously!? Dr. Eggman was the winner!?" Amy seethed, as she and Sonic left the mansion. "How is that possible!?"

"Oh, he wasn't the winner. I lied about it so Eggman wouldn't ruin the ceremony," Sonic mentioned.

"What!? Then who was the real winner!?"

"Both you and Leroy. There was a tie, so Mayor Fink wanted you both to share the trophy."

"A tie!? Seriously!?" she then gasped in realization. "That means my story got picked over Ashley's." She joyfully screeched and gazed at the dark starry night. "Take that, you hussy! Mine had more emotion than yours!"

Sonic chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Now that the ceremony is over, we better get back to your place so I can get out of this disguise and head home soon."

"You're right about that. Hopefully, Tails and the others kept Shadow at bay so he wouldn't figure it out."

"Figure out what?"

They both stopped in their tracks, frozen in place as they felt their quills rising in fright. The air turned cold, and they realized they were the only ones outside. Weren't there many people leaving the mansion like they are? Where had everyone gone to?

A figure stepped out from the darkness, revealing a familiar black hedgehog with red stripes. His crimson eyes glittered in the light, but they darkened as he glared at the two hedgehogs. "Had a nice night together?"

Sonic gulped, innocently placing his hands up in front of him. "H-Hello sir. D-Do you need help-

"Cut the crap, Sonic! I know it's you in that disguise!"

Amy placed her arm out in front of Sonic. "Shadow, it was my idea to dress him up as a girl! I have a perfectly good reason why, so please listen!"

Shadow snarled. "I already got the fox and the other nitwits to tell me everything! Do you honestly believe I'm stupid enough to be manipulated by those dolts!?"

Sonic pondered for a moment. "There was that time with Eggman-

"We didn't tell you the real reason because we knew you would react like this!" Amy cut Sonic off. "Also, Sonic was helping me get back at a prissy peacock-

"By having him wear that!?" Shadow pointed at Sonic's dress. "You made him wear something provocative without informing me about it!? And you let those fools eye him like candy!?" He then glared at Sonic. "Not only that, you went along with the plan without thinking of letting me see your disguise first!?"

He disappeared and then reappeared in front of Sonic, grabbing his hips to pull him close for their bodies to touch. Sonic gulped as his nose is now touching Shadow's, who is still glaring at him with rage and with another emotion that oddly looked like lust. His hands were also touching Shadow's chest fur, still surprised it could be this soft and fluffy.

If anyone saw this from an outside point of view, it would look like a pair of lovers sharing an intimate moment with one another. But in Sonic's point of view, he wasn't sure about it. Before he could open his mouth, Shadow beat him to it.

"Now you must pay for provoking me with that sinful outfit you have on. And this time, I'm not holding back."

They both vanished, leaving Amy alone in the dark. She looked around to see if they were close by, but they weren't. Shadow chaos controlled with Sonic, and it's obvious what he'll do to Sonic won't be pretty.

"Why do I have a feeling what they're gonna do is either deadly or naughty," she said to herself, then sighed. "Sonic, I hope you can survive Shadow's wrath."

Cliffhanger! I bet you were all surprised at the ending! Also, the idea of Sonic disguised as a girl in a red dress came from The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog episode when he disguised himself in that outfit, along with Google helping me find it. Don't forget to review and comment! Do that, and I'll update the next chapter soon!