Feb 9, 5:38 pm
Hey, just so you know, it's a no on the suit.
Amy: oh no, I'm so sorry! What happened?
Couldn't scrounge up the money.
Amy: do u have a dress shirt or a nice sweater at least? You could wear that w your tweed jacket and that could work
Didn't you say it was a black-tie event? I don't want to make you look bad.
Amy: You wouldn't. Would you be willing to wear someone else's suit? I have one pushed way back in my closet! :D
I doubt one of your suits would fit me, Rose.
Amy: Lol no, I have a photography frend who travels a lot and doesn't have a fixed address. He visits Station Square a lot and keeps some of his stuff here
So you just have a random man's property in your closet? Should I be worried?
Amy: Eww What? No u dork! Hes a friend!
I know, I know, I'm teasing you. I'll be there in 15.
Amy: Ok but be sneaky. Come in through the side door, window, whatever.
Why is this a stealth mission? Is something going on?
Amy: Nah, my agent has just been on my ass recently. He REALLY doesn't like you.
That's hard to believe. I'm so warm-hearted and charming.
Amy: You're being sarcastic, but I agree ;)
Then you have poor taste. Leaving now.
Amy: See you then.
Shadow shoved his phone in his pocket and stared over his shoulder at the table by his front door. He took a deep sigh, fraught with indecision, as the grey light of dusk beamed through the thin, plastic blinds and on the small box sitting on that table.
15 minutes. Without his motorcycle, there was only one other way to get there in 15 minutes.
After it was towed, it didn't take long to find the lot where Shadow's bike had been taken. The issue was in getting it back. While Shadow had a license to drive a car, his motorcycle was a different story. Long story. So, even if he tried to get his bike back, he couldn't do so without a license, and he'd likely get questioned for ever riding without one.
Hearing of this, Tails dug through his and Sonic's spare room, stacked wall to wall with finished and unfinished projects dusted in a fine layer of grime, and fished out a pair of what looked like old blue roller skates.
But, they're not roller skates, Tails insisted as he gave them to Shadow. They were air shoes, he explained. Improperly tested ones… but air shoes nonetheless. He figured they would fit him because they fit Sonic, which earned a subtle snicker from the blue blur, who was leaning in the doorway.
Shadow thanked him and received them two days later in a cardboard shoe box, but waited to try them out until he needed them. He wouldn't admit it, but he found them dubious from the moment Tails pried them from the bottom of the plastic tub. But, If he was going to get to Amy's conference on time, he might as well try.
He got up from the couch, grabbed his keys and a pair of dress shoes, and set them both on the coffee table. He opened the box to see an almost familiar pair of metal shoes looking back at him. He pulled them out of the box and admired them for a moment. They seemed sturdy, although heavy. They were well-made, and comfortable, and were even repainted to match his wristguards. They seemed harmless enough.
Shadow almost felt guilty. He was never particularly friendly with Tails, assuming he was equally disinterested in small talk. He respected Tails, and would occasionally test a bit of conversation with him, but never went far beyond that. And yet here, the fox had given him a thoughtful gift, with the added effort of customizing it. Perhaps Tails cared more about him than Shadow first imagined.
He had to return the favor sometime.
He pulled on the shoes, finding they fit just about perfectly. He hated how the fox was right. He and Sonic really were the same. He admired the handiwork again for a moment, then grabbed the dress shoes and keys and walked out the door.
Down on the sidewalk, he wondered for a minute how he was meant to use them. There was no visible switch or button, if there was a voice activation feature Tails would have told him. Then again, Tails didn't tell him anything. He barely even explained what air shoes were. He felt like a child learning to ride a bike. Shadow sighed in annoyance and looked up the street. It felt silly, but he figured he might as well try one last thing. Willpower.
He focused his mind several blocks away and put all his mental energy in that direction. He took a deep breath and with a soft whirring, the shoes activated and Shadow was being shot forward like a bullet from a gun barrel. Puffs of hot steam fired from the soles of his shoes, propelling him forward. He excused himself after he knocked into the shoulders of several pedestrians, as he tried to quickly focus in and balance himself. He felt like a firework being launched into the air, anxious that the shoes may burst into a fiery display at any moment. Yet, he had no reason to doubt Tails as the shoes remained intact block after block. He quickly got the hang of it, and soon began picking up speed, threading through gaps between passersby and skidding over grates and pavement. The people who seemed to whip past were irritated at first but gradually forgave Shadow as he found his footing, even offering him some impressed looks.
It was different from his motorcycle. Almost too different. Shadow felt a pang of sorrow as he reminisced about it. He really did love that bike. At least there were some similarities. The cool air against his face, the city lights stirring like paint on a canvas, the intoxicating feeling of speed, and the freedom of maneuvering and weaving through obstacles.
He felt only a little foolish in the air shoes. He never thought of himself as a skater, despite them not really being rollerblades. Yet, he couldn't deny how fun it was. He adapted to the movement of the shoes quickly, and it was just as fast, if not faster than his motorcycle.
He turned the corner onto the street where Amy lived. Her building was the tallest on her block and one of the more unique in the city. It was originally a historic building with only half of the floors it had now, and it had a lot of heritage behind it. Amy found the bottom floors of the building fascinating with their unique architecture and rich background. However, she lived on one of the higher floors, a tacked-on section by a famous modern designer.
Each modern floor had its own penthouse, wide open concepts, and smart home features. Despite its merit architecturally, it overshadowed the charming, antiquated half of the building, and created a harsh contrast. It was one of the only buildings of its kind in Station Square, and while Amy would protectively ramble about the comfort and quality of her apartment, it was clear that she stayed there for the lower half.
Shadow tried his best to stop gracefully. With great effort, the shoes halted but nearly threw him into the half wall surrounding the building's front steps. Recollecting himself, Shadow quickly looked around. He didn't recognize any of Amy's security, assuming they were likely inside or on her floor. Still, he followed her instructions and wandered around to the back
The back of the building had a wide set of doors leading into a small courtyard, surrounded by brick walls covered in Ivy with a small fountain, a dogwood tree, and a wooden bench. By the bench was a small garden overflowing with a variety of flowers. Violets, marigolds, forget-me-nots, and most eye-catching, ruby-red roses.
Shadow was suddenly struck with an idea. A lame, silly idea that he knew Amy would adore. He swiftly plucked a fresh rose from the garden, whispering a half-hearted apology to whoever planted it, and began climbing up the fire escape stairs, a grin on his face all the time that he dismissed as soon as he reached Juliet's chambers. He knocked on the glass and saw Amy round the pillar by her kitchen and trip over her own slippers as she scrambled toward the window, a gleam of excitement in her eye.
"Hey, get in here!" She whispered impishly as she held the window open for him to climb in. The romantic in her was tickled, and she heard it giggle at the back of her brain. She had a genuine reason, of course, to have him come in through the window, even if she didn't give him the full story as to why. But, she liked feeling special, and she enjoyed how despite her escapades being reasonable to most, they felt like rebellion to her. Sneaking a boy in through the back window, despite being a grown woman and not a high schooler, was both amusing and enticing to her. Perhaps because she never got the chance to "revolt" before.
But then, as Shadow casually pulled out the Rose, Amy felt she was being spoiled, not that she cared. She took it excitedly and gratefully, only to scold herself that this was reality and not one of the many drabbles she had written of scenarios like this.
"Did you steal this from the courtyard?" she teased. Only to be surprised as he pursed his lips and looked to the side, feigning innocence. Her jaw dropped as she laughed at him and smacked him on the shoulder.
"Shadow, you dumbass!" she giggled affectionately. Shadow smirked and shrugged his shoulders.
"I know it's a little cheesy. And a stupid pun to boot, but I figured I shouldn't show up empty-handed." Shadow admitted. Amy shook her head smiling as she began searching the apartment for a worthy vessel, settling on the cabinet where a tall, thin vase was stored.
"You brought yourself, and that's good enough for me. Although, I do love it. Just know that if the gardener, Mr. Robinson finds out he's gonna hand you your own ass." She warned, filling the vase with tap water. "But on the other hand, who doesn't love some floral wordplay?"
Shadow nodded, and looked up at the ceiling, searching the back of his mind. "What's that Shakespeare quote? About a Rose?"
"That which we call a Rose by any other name would smell as sweet." She quoted, not looking up from the vase she positioned on her halltree, only to chuckle at him once more. "I knew you were a reader, but I'm starting to get the impression you're a romantic as well. When did that happen?" She teased. Shadow scratched the back of his head and lowered his voice, attempting to maintain a sense of composure as he prepared to admit something embarrassing.
He never stopped reading those novels. He couldn't, really. But, he figured if he was going to come to terms with his fascination with them, he might as well let someone know, and that someone may as well be Amy. If anyone, she could understand and not give him crap for it, right?
"Oh, well… Rouge has started recommending some… romance novels…" He mumbled, a shy smile teasing his lips. Amy stopped in her tracks, staring at the wall, eyes wide. A rush of anxiety pulsed through her entire body. There was no way… There were countless romance authors in the world. Shadow could have read any of them.
There was no way… right?
"Oh, really?" Amy asked, masking the shakiness in her breath with a sweet demeanor. "Like what?" She didn't want to embarrass him, and she totally wouldn't mind him reading those novels under any other circumstance. But the terrifying scenario clawed at the back of her mind like an itch that wouldn't go away. No way. No way…
"You might know her, actually, since you're an author. Eh, well I guess she's got a smaller following though. At least, I think. Athena Martel?" He said.
Athena Martel. That's Amy. Athena is Amy. Shadow had read her novels? She hadn't told him yet. She had to. Now would be the time. She couldn't. Her tongue was pasted to the roof of her mouth. Say something! Amy was sinking to the center of the earth. Her apartment grew blurry, and it felt like she was on a different planet. The world around her obscured and contorted into something unrecognizable as her breathing shortened and her back shivered under a cold sweat. A warm hand on her shoulder pulled her back to the surface.
All it took was a glimpse of his eyes to realize where she was. The guilt had hit her so suddenly. Telling him about it before felt easy. It was a distant goal. It felt like she had forever. But, now he had brought it to the table, and suddenly the clock was ticking. And yet, she already felt like she was keeping it hidden for so long. The thought of him being angry, or worse, hurt at her not telling him. Surely he would understand, she knew, but the fine thread which sewed her lips shut said otherwise. She was afraid.
"Rose, are you okay?" He asked.
Amy felt embarrassed. Thus, she scrambled for any sort of avenue to change the topic, and the moment she found one, she dove into it exuberantly.
"I'm fine. Say, you wanna see something funny?" She said a little too quickly, leading him to the office by the sleeve of his jacket. Shadow followed after, confused by the sudden change, but trusted her enough to put it aside for now.
After all, he promised he would let her handle it.
"Sure, what is it?" He asked.
"I found out where I know your friend. But you're not gonna like it."
Shadow sifted through the stack of paper. Lined, graph, colored, and all other sorts of mismatched textures and patterns. At the bottom laid a small but thick journal, with the word 'diary' embossed across on the front in gold leaf. It even had a small lock attached. Amy held up the key triumphantly after sifting through a cardboard box full of other trinkets. The whole collection of artifacts smelled of dust and oak, oddly rural. Did he ever actually ask where Amy used to live?
"We're supposed to bring a piece of childhood writing to the conference as a way of showing our growth or something. And well… I kind of fell down a rabbit hole. While I was searching, I found these letters." She said, shyly
Shadow scowled as he read through the letters. Love letters detailing fantasies of romantic rendevous at night, fairytale scenarios, and fanciful scenery. It was admittedly lovely prose, especially for a lovesick teenager.
The only problem was they were all addressed to Sonic.
"Really, Rose?" Shadow scolded.
"Oh shush! I was young and dumb, I didn't realize how cheesy I was. But, in my defense, I never sent them. In fact, I could barely work up the courage to talk to him. You're probably the only one to ever read these besides me" She said, beginning her work on the small, slightly broken lock.
Shadow stared at the letters. Part of him couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity. Despite how eloquent the language might be, the letters were still incredibly cheesy. He knew Amy was a lot more shy as a kid. She was partially homeschooled and as a growing star, she quickly grew distant from her classmates. But Sonic? Something about that bugged him, and he prayed to Gaia it wasn't jealousy. But, by the way, he tried to glaze over the mentions of his name, imagine his own in its place, said otherwise.
Of course, he would never act on that impulse. Sonic was his friend, for lack of a better word. Neither he, Sonic, nor Amy did anything wrong. And Amy wasn't choosing Sonic. He was choosing him. Presumably. But despite his annoyance with the situation, it all eventually circled back to being funny again.
"Yeah, looking back it was pretty weird. I'm not sure why I liked him specifically, he just seemed like a decent guy and I latched onto that." She admitted as she sat down on the window seat.
"Like, I was borderline obsessed with this random kid I didn't know very well. I don't know why I was so attached but it's just… Kind of weird and embarrassing, you know? …I guess I'm just comfortable talking to you about it cause… well…"
She pulled on the fabric of her glove as her eyes darted back and forth and her shoulders shrank with embarrassment. Shadow pondered for a moment. Only to reply with a knowing smile.
"Rose, it sounds to me like you are just a woman who loves love. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, it's pretty cute. You never did anything to make him uncomfortable, right?" He asked, sitting down next to her.
Amy nodded.
"Then it's no harm done. There's nothing wrong with partaking in some escapism every once in a while. I mean, I would be a hypocrite for saying otherwise, right?" he said, a question hiding in his reassuring smile. Amy grinned thankfully and grabbed his hand. Assuring him that yeah, there was nothing wrong with it at all.
"We're just a couple of saps, aren't we?" Amy sighed, earning a nod from Shadow.
"Although, while the writing itself holds up, are you sure about bringing your high school love letters to the writing conference?" Shadow teased. Amy swiftly nabbed a throw pillow and hurled it into Shadow's face as she sat up. He chuckled and half-heartedly threw it back at her. Yeah, right. As if she would ever actually show those.
The two arrived separately. Amy came in a long black car escorted by a bored chauffeur, Shadow in his air shoes. The suit turned out to fit pretty perfectly. Shadow wasn't usually one for black tie, but he had a deep appreciation for quality clothing. And he found, to his surprise, that he liked wearing suits quite a lot.
Amy, on the other hand, seemed significantly less comfortable. The dress and shoes were sent in by her stylist a few days before, and she was afraid to open the box or the bag until now. The shoe box was comically large and the garment bag terrifyingly small, and to no one's surprise, her fears were well-founded.
The champagne-colored dress draped down to her thighs, and had a tulle skirt at least 20 layers deep, with a waistline just below her bust. The puffy sleeves fell elegantly off her shoulders. If it weren't so uncomfortably breezy or itchy she wouldn't have minded it, as it was a lovely dress. But she never understood why her agent insisted on dressing her like some sort of pop star.
Scratch that, everyone knew exactly why.
The heels were even more outrageous. White platform heels with an absurd number of straps climbing all the way up her leg, and at least 2 extra inches in height. Beautiful but precarious. She could barely even walk in them, but she swallowed her discomfort at the sight of shadow for the sake of a laugh.
"Hang on! Hang on! We gotta measure! Back to back!" she chirped.
Shadow complied and lined himself against her back and smirked at the fact he was still a solid inch taller. Amy frowned and held out her arm, inviting Shadow to escort her inside
"How do you even walk in those?" Shadow asked with a concerned expression, gazing down at her cruel-looking heels.
"Oh, it takes a natural- talent!" Amy replied, nearly tripping as she bluffed.
"Are you gonna be okay tonight?" Shadow asked again. He couldn't help but scowl at how weary she looked already. But remembering her timid face the last time he got angry, he decided to persist in his promise and let her handle it.
"Yeah… I'll be fine as long as you swear you will never let go of me," she said, tightening her grip on his arm.
Color settled at the ends of Shadow's ears as a warm glow ignited in his chest. He smiled and did exactly as she asked.
"Why do they have you wear that anyway?" he asked.
"I don't know. I'm not a normal author. At least, with batshit crazy fans like mine, I'm not." she replied.
Shadow was taken aback for a moment at how easily she bad-mouthed her fans. It was as if she plucked a quote straight from his brain. But as he looked around, he saw no cameras, no prying eyes, no phones. No wonder Amy was so excited to be here. There was nobody to misquote her. He couldn't help but be impressed by how quickly her attitude changed as well. Rather than her fake wall of peppiness, she was more subdued. Her weariness complimented the soulful eyes of the other authors nicely.
As the two approached the garden gate doors, arms linked, Amy's team looked on with faces full of disapproval as Shadow passed. Shadow tensed. Word must get around Amy's agency quickly.