Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Can't sleep?”

Blaze placed a gentle hand on Silver's shoulder, who stood in front of the balcony rail of their apartment. He jumped slightly at the touch, he didn't expect her to be awake too. Feeling a bit guilty that he might’ve woken her up, he scratched the back of his head. 

“No… sorry. I didn't wake you up, did I?” 

“Not at all. You and I both know neither of us sleep much.” She gave him a wry smile.

“Yeah…”

Neither of them said the reason out loud, but it was a mutual understanding that living a peaceful life was jarring for the both of them. Silver's golden eyes stared at the stars for a while longer as he pondered. Even though the future was saved for a while now, it wasn't easy not worrying about if this peace would last long. There was always something brewing, villains – especially Eggman – ready to tip the balance of the world for their own destructive gain. Living your entire life, up until this point, in constant adrenaline, being the last thing stopping the world from complete destruction, was not easy to sit still with. Nor was it easy to sleep without one eye open. 

“I've made some chamomile tea, if you'd like. Amy has taught me it helps with sleep.” Blaze gracefully handed a mug towards him.

“O-Oh, thanks.” 

Sheepishly and carefully, he took the mug from Blaze's hand with both of his. He could tell by the warmth of her hand and the mug that she had heated the tea with her own power. It was probably to avoid making any noise with the boiler. She's so thoughtful. The thought made him flush, though he tried to cover it up with an awkward cough. He tried relaxing his nerves by taking a sip of the tea, pretending like the warmth of his face was caused by the heat of his drink.

“So, why are you up? Same thing?” He finally asked.

“... You could say so, yes.” She answered hesitantly.

“Bad dream?”

“Not exactly. Just… too many thoughts.” 

“Like what? I-If… that's okay to ask.” Silver fidgeted.

“No, it's perfectly fine. It's just…” She trailed off.

There was a long moment of silence. She seemed very hesitant, despite agreeing to discuss it with her futuristic friend. Quietly, she approached him to stand next to him, crossing her arms onto the rail. Patiently, he awaited her answer, though he couldn't help but feel more nervous the more time passed. He tried analyzing her face for any hint on how she felt until he noticed the faint redness on her side profile. He stared at her for too long and now he was starting to feel his heart pounding. Relax.

“S-Sorry.” He blurted out.

“No, no, its alright, Silver. I just wasn't sure how to say this without sounding embarrassing.”

“It's okay. Nothing you say could sound embarrassing, Blaze. We're friends!” 

“Yes, you're right, we are friends.” She smiled warmly.

Yeah… friends.

“... I had a dream about the future.” She continued.

“Like a premonition?”

“No, nothing that serious.” Blaze chuckled. “Just hopeful. So, it made me think about it. About what kind of future was in store for us. What would happen when the fight is over? Truly over. Things like that.” 

“Oh, okay. Yeah, I get it. It's a good question, y'know. I… didn't think about that.” He thought out loud.

“That's because you worry too much, Silver.”

“Yeah… you're right.”

They both chuckled a bit, his fiery companion knew him too well. In fact, she probably knew that he was here because of another nightmare, another future destroyed, another crisis he had to fix. But, she didn't bring it up, she contended herself to light up the mood instead, like she always did. How could she be so calm when he was always such a mess? How could she be so hopeful when he was so pessimistic? How could she be so perfect? So wise, so capable, so strong, so pretty, so… Stop that. 

“W-What kind of things are you hoping for?” He asked through a flustered cough.

“Well… it's just silly really. It was probably because of my conversation with Amy.” She admitted, a little flustered.

“You talked with her about it?” Silver asked, perplexed.

“Yes, well, she had brought it up. So… I was still thinking about what I'd do when there were no more villains to fight. She scolded me, even, for not thinking about it earlier.”

“That does sound like her.” He chuckled. “So, what did you end up deciding on?”

“Well, regardless of my crime-fighting ending, I still have my royal duties. That will probably occupy me for most of it, especially once I become queen.” She admitted.

“Oh, yeah, I almost forgot about that.”

There was a slight melancolic pause. Of course, he knew about her royal status, but with all of these adventures they've done together, he almost forgot that she would need to be responsible for her kingdom, once everything was done. At that moment, he almost felt alone, as if he was far away from her. What would he do when she would be too busy for him? Would she still tolerate his antics? Would she still care about him? Why did she feel so out of reach, all of a sudden?

“But… before then, I'd like to experience everything I can. I'd love to go around the world, try all of their foods and participate in all of their cultures. Maybe have a big party with all our friends before I have to leave for good.” Her eyes changed from excitement to a mild sadness. “I'll miss them…”

“Yeah… I'll miss them too.” He repeated solemnly.

“At least… we'll have each other, won't we?”

“Y-Yeah, of course!” 

Her gentle grateful smile made his heart flutter, but it didn't stop the inevitable question: But... for how long? Being a princess – let alone a queen – surely time will pass and they will drift apart, one day. It would be normal, it wouldn't be anyone's fault. She has too much on her plate, he didn't want to be one more thing she had to worry about. He was prepared for it. The one thing this white hedgehog knew how to do best was to be prepared for the worst. 

“Before I become queen, I'm sure I will be expected to marry too.” She continued.

“Do you… want that?” He asked hesitantly.

“It would be nice… but, I don't want anything arranged. I don't even want to have to choose between selected candidates of other royal families. I want to completely make my own decision on it. I want to experience true love with someone. Someone who sees me for who I am, not my status. The real me.” She explained, smiling softly. 

“That makes sense. Sounds like a lucky guy.”

“No, I feel… I would be the lucky one, if anything.” She waved her hand incredulously.

“What? Blaze, you're… you're great ! Any guy would be lucky to have you.”

As to not say he would be lucky.

“Well, then I hope both parties feel mutually lucky.” She giggled shyly. “But, enough about me, what about you?” 

“M-Me? I dunno. Like I said, I haven't really thought about it.” He admitted awkwardly.

“Come on, not even a vague idea?” 

“Well…”

Whenever he thought about what to do, it had always come with the dread of the possibility it would never happen. But, Blaze had put her heart out to him, he should at least indulge in her question. Just this once, he needed to not think about the what-ifs and answer the damn question. He just needed to let himself be happy.

“It's simple, really, boring even.” He finally continued.

“What could possibly be boring with you?” She teased lightly. 

“W-Well, that's the thing… I know I try to be really responsible. I-I have to be responsible. But, really, all I want is a quiet relaxing life. No stress. If I could, I'd live somewhere with a lot of woods. Maybe have a little garden shop. Maybe three kids and a nice wife. I-It's nothing really.” 

Why did he say that out loud? He didn't have to say that last part out loud. The wide-eyed surprised look Blaze gave him only enhanced the utter embarrassment and regret Silver felt from blurting that out. He shamefully turned away from her, scratching the back of his head, trying his best to hide his completely red face. He was about to apologize for the awkwardness until he could hear her stifling a laugh.

“What? What's so funny?” He whined.

“Sorry, I'm not making fun of you, I promise. I just thought… that's so you.” She paused, smiling softly. “That sounds lovely, Silver.” 

He would scream, right now, if he could. However, he contented himself with being unable to look her in the eyes, hiding his face in his cup of tea. Which he almost choked on. Why did she have to respond like that? Why did she have to be so damn adorable?

“W-Well, like you said, I worry too much. So, obviously I'd love some peace in quiet.”

“You're right about that.” She teased lightly. “Well, I can only wish us the best for what's to come. Why don't we make a little toast to our bright future?”

“Yeah. To our bright future!”

Ceremoniously, they tapped each other's mug together and took a sip. Silently, he gave his partner-in-future another sheepish glance, wanting to say something, but immediately retracting it when her eyes met his. There would be time, but not tonight. It just didn't feel like the right time. Not yet. At least, for now, the stars felt a little brighter. 

Chapter Text

Blaze was a simple woman, when it came to spending quality time with her friends. She often preferred small quiet places to freely discuss things she had in mind. Today, Amy had graciously invited her to a quaint café for a tea party of sorts. Amy had excitedly called her for the occasion, not that it was uncommon for them to have this sort of arrangement, but she went on and on about this “new spot” she had found. It was one of those peculiar cafés she had heard about that specialized in certain themes for a certain period of time before suddenly disappearing, hence the surname “pop-up”. Although, in general, this feline princess didn’t particularly enjoy being reminded of her royal duties, this would only be a sort of aesthetic play pretend, rather than actually being pressured into a battle of etiquette. Thanks to Amy’s reassurances on the matter, she could rest easy, feeling strangely amused by what would be in store for her.

As her habits would have it, she had arrived fifteen minutes early. In this summer heat, she contended herself to wear a simple short sleeve chemise with embroidered flames and wide flowy pants, a casual yet classic look would suffice. As the charming chime of the door rang, signifying her presence inside the cafe, a kind-eyed fennec gentleman with a white princely attire welcomed her. 

“Welcome to the Rosette Pop-up Café, how may I help you, Mademoiselle ? Do you have a réservation ?” The fennec spoke with a distinct French accent.. 

“Yes, I have a table for two with the name Amy Rose? I know I’m quite early.”

“Pas de problème! Your table is already ready, Mademoiselle . Please, follow me until your friend arrives.” He bowed deeply, showing the way.

As she sat down and was given a small menu, she curiously attempted to gather her surroundings about the particular theming of this place. Although the area was technically completely opened, there was a sense of privacy thanks to the thin wall separating the tables. Overall, there were plenty of rose-centered motifs and adventurous decor featuring planes, planets and stars hanging from the ceiling. Unfortunately, Blaze could not quite put her finger on how they all connected, but it was a lovely little café nonetheless. However, the prices were left to be desired.

“Blaze! There you are!”

On cue, her pink friend arrived as adorably cheerful as ever, wearing a simple oversized midi dress with puffy short sleeves and a large red bow on her head. Curiously, she had brought a large bag with her. Blaze wondered what was inside.

“I knew you were early, but I wasn't sure if you were already inside or not.” She giggled, sitting down across from Blaze.

“You know me well.” She chuckled softly. “It’s nice to see you Amy, I love your dress.”

“Thanks! I love your shirt too!” Amy paused. “ And it’s nice to see you.” She added jokingly.

“Thank you Amy.” Blaze smirked proudly.

“By the way, did you choose yet? Everything looks so yummy, I can’t even decide what to try!”

After an arduous ten minutes, they finally decided on a lovely combo of star-shaped hand sandwiches, planet-shaped macaroons and flowery mini-cupcakes. Although Blaze had restrained herself to a cup of lavender tea, with Amy’s insistence, she had added a rose-petal lemonade to try. Her indecisive companion, however, could not resist getting herself jasmine tea, an orange creamsicle slush and their specialty Around The World drink. She didn’t know how the pink hedgehog could even finish the latter, as it was a rather large parfait milk-shake and normally shared between two people. Really, despite the overall tiny allure to their shared meal, it seemed surprisingly quite filling. After everything was settled the fennec gentleman greeted them once again and took their order, estimating twenty minutes of wait time. 

“So, how have you been?” Amy began.

“I've been alright. I'll be honest, ever since our conversation the other day, I haven't stopped thinking about the future.”

“Oh really?” She bemused playfully.

“Really. You've put me in quite the new mindset.”  Blaze matched her in tone.

“I hope that's a good thing!”

“Well… I hope so.” 

It was rare for the princess to feel strangely lost. It wasn't exactly by lack of confidence in herself, but the circumstances she finds herself in. It was equally exciting as it was terrifying. Her royal duties and combative prowess were things she always knew – what she only knew. But, before then, there was a Silver-shaped hole in her endeavors. Now, she needed to think of how to continue her relationship with him. She was fond of him, since the day they had met in Crisis City, and that fondness turned into something much more intimate. With how much they've been through together, she has seen more sides to him than she's ever seen for another, and so did he. His doubts, his determination, his naivety, his kindness, his pain, his joy, she's seen it all. Yet, there was so much more they could experience together. She wanted to discover the world with her, to build more memories with her, to experience life with her, regardless of the boundaries of Time and Space. But… would he ever feel the same?

“How about this? We could do another card reading! You look like you need some guidance from good ol’ Fortune Teller Amy.” She encouraged her companion playfully.

“Wait, right now?”

“Of course! I always bring my deck everywhere I go! It's like my good luck charm! I have four more sets at home.” The pink hedgehog giggled.

“Well, alright… it wouldn't hurt while we wait.”

“Okay, then, you know the drill. What's your question?”

“I'd… like to know…” Blaze took a moment to think. “Where does Silver and I's relationship stand in the future?” 

“Okay, one love-related tarot card reading, coming right up.” She smirked, determined.

Suddenly, Amy’s previously excitable demeanor shifted into a more relaxed and serious expression. She took a slow inhale and exhale, before rapidly shuffling her deck: Mix, divide, intertwine – mix, divide, intertwine. Blaze knew this required much concentration, especially in a not completely silent environment. She wondered if Amy ever noticed the faint pastel aura that surrounded her when she did this. With mesmerizing movements, as if wordlessly enchanting the cards, Amy finally spread the cards neatly in front of her. The fortune teller smiled at her brightly, as if her previous tranced state of concentration was merely a mirage. 

“So, because of this question, I'm going to do a five-card reading. The first card is your relationship, right now, in the present! Then there's two cards, what you're doing good, on the right and challenges you might have, on the left. Then, the last two cards are basically your good and bad endings.” Amy explained patiently.

“I-I see.” Blaze affirmed hesitantly, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

“We'll just do it step by step! First, I want you to choose your card for your present.” 

“Alright.”

Carefully, she chose a card from the middle of the deck: Page of Pentacles. That sounded good, at least, she'd hoped. 

“That's good!” Assured Amy. “Now, the rest of these I'll pick them up, since I'm the one guiding you.” She continued.

Gently, but with much more confidence than Blaze, she flipped over four more cards and placed them in a sort of triangular formation. The first row revealed the Six of Cups on the right and the Two of Wands – reversed – on the left. Curiously, Blaze's gaze shifted towards her pink friend who scrutinized the cards. Then, the last row revealed The World on the right and The Lovers – reversed – on the left. Those two, the princess recognized immediately, feeling concerned as to what negative consequence the upside down card signified. After a minute of assessment, rubbing her temples, Amy finally had an answer.

“So, first things first, The Page of Pentacles represents ambition, desire and diligence. In this context that means you two are doing great in maintaining your friendship with all the work you put through it! But, it's obvious that with all of that effort, you want something out of this.” Amy explained dutifully.

“That… certainly is a good way to put it.” She rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

“The good thing that's bringing you two closer is the Six of Cups. That represents nostalgia, healing and familiarity. Basically, your bond together is thanks to everything you've accomplished together and being able to reminisce on it.” 

“I can agree with that.” She nodded, crossing her arms.

“But… the problem with that is the reversed Two of Wands. This represents fear of change, playing it safe and bad planning. So, while it's great that you bond with your past, it's also keeping you back. It might make you stagnant because you're afraid of moving forward.” Amy continued warily.

“I see.”

“This problem comes with a warning: The Lovers, reversed. Normally, this card means partnership, duality and union. But, in reverse, it's actually about one-sidedness, loss of balance and disharmony. Basically, this is warning you about your insecurities causing you to drift apart.” Amy finished gravely.

Blaze stayed silent, crossing her arms as if to protect herself from the fear of losing Silver. It was the one thing she feared the most. Despite how brutally it had opened her eyes, it was a slap in the face she needed to hear. She needed to do something. 

“So… what about The World?” Blaze asked, a bit defeated.

“Like I said before, that was a warning, but there's hope too! That's where The World comes in. It's actually a pretty complicated card but, in general, it means harmony, completion and fulfillment. It could mean a lot of things, in this context, but really it's trying to tell you that, once you beat your challenges, the amazing possibilities for your future are endless!” Amy cheered.

“... Do you really think so?”

“Of course! I know my cards can be harsh sometimes, but the one thing I don't do is lie. And I'm sure you can do it, Blaze, you're amazing!” She encouraged Blaze loudly. “You're a great person, kind, and strong! Silver already likes you, he just needs to like -like you!” Amy teased, giggling. 

“... Thank you, Amy, I really do appreciate it.” Blaze added shyly. 

Really, what would Blaze do without her love-expertised friend? She felt so grateful for having such a ray of sunshine she could call one of her greatest allies. Even if it came with the occasional embarrassment towards discussing something as silly as understanding matters of the heart. Blaze could only silently wish for her friend's success on her own endeavors. 

“Here is your tea party set, Mademoiselles .” 

A soft yet familiar French voice had popped her thoughts away, as the fennec gentleman returned with a large dish stand, balancing their drinks on one arm, and the hand food tower on the other. He carefully placed everything onto their table as they gasped in awe of their beautiful meal. 

“Bon appétit.” He bowed

“Thank you!” They both returned.

Excitedly, they admired the intricate details of each dish, Blaze felt how much effort it took to make each individual piece, amazed at the talent it required. Amy hurriedly rummaged through her bag, taking out her phone and taking pictures of everything. She took pictures of the food, pictures of the drinks, pictures of herself, pictures of Blaze – though she initially protested – and pictures of them together. 

“ Aw , these look so good!” Cheered Amy, satisfied.

“I can count on you to send them to me later?”

“Obviously!” She laughed gleefully. “Oh, and one more thing, I almost forgot!” 

Blaze's ears and tail perked curiously as Amy rummaged through her large bag once more. The contents of the mysterious bag revealed another large transparent bag that contained some sort of outfit. It was dark blue and made of a light silk fabric stylized with pleads and delicate white lilies. Blaze's eyes couldn't help but flicker with inflamed wonder, she was completely enraptured by its beauty. She opened her mouth to ask a question, but was hit with the answer as Amy wordlessly pushed forward the bagged treasure towards her. No… she didn't. 

“I know it's a couple days early, but… Happy birthday, Blaze!” Amy acclaimed excitedly.

“Oh, Amy… It's beautiful, you really shouldn't have.” She smiled, misty-eyed.

“Of course I should! Well, actually it's from me, Vanilla and Cream, but you get the point.” She joked. “I just thought: I know you got a great fashion sense, but you have to wear something special for your birthday!” 

“Wait… for my birthday? You know I must travel back to Sol by the end of the week. Amy, what did you do?” Blaze interrogated, concerned.

“Let's just say, we got something planned.” Amy winked. 

“ We!? ” She noted incredulously.

“Yup, Silver and me. And the others to help!” 

“You bought me a lovely dress-”

“Jumpsuit. I know you don't like dresses much.” Amy mischievously corrected. 

“A lovely jumpsuit , for me to wear on my birthday, and put Silver, unknowing , into one of your nefarious plans? All to get me into… some… romantic situation ?” Blaze asked, increasingly perplexed and embarrassed.

“Yup. Though, technically, it was his idea first. And it's this Friday!” Yet, Amy playfully feigned ignorance to her friend's plea.

“Amy, that is tomorrow ! Was all of this planned from the start? The card reading as well? ”

“My cards don't lie, I told you that already! I'm just… also helping you get to that ‘The World’ good ending.” She grimaced playfully. 

“ Amy! ”

That was when the pink hedgehog could not contain her laughter anymore. Blaze knew this was not to mock her, but friendly teasing. Still, it did not stop her usually calm and poised visage to turn into an absolutely red mess. Ultimately, it was silly, Amy always put her in silly situations, leading the princess out of her comfort zone. Before long, Blaze couldn't help but soften her flustered frown and join in the contagious laughter. Indeed, it’s a good thing to have friends who help you move forward, keep you from staying stagnant, help you evolve and create stronger connections. It was something she had admired from her pink ally: the ability to always move forward. It was obvious to Blaze that this was something to learn from her. She knew her heart, it would not settle by letting things continue with the way things are. She could no longer be passive to her feelings, no matter how strong her bond with Silver is. Now, there was something else to chase, a different kind of bond: Romance. 

Chapter Text

“Please, please answer…”

Bring, bring.

“Come on, come on…”

Bring, bri-click.

[[Silver…? What is it?]]

The low wispy voice he expected finally answered his call, Silver felt a strange relief hearing Shadow’s slightly annoyed yet concerned tone. Though, he also could help but feeling a little guilty for disturbing him. He’s been nothing but an anxious mess trying to set up Blaze’s birthday, despite all of the help from his friends.

“Shadow! Sorry I… I really need your help, I know you’re busy, but I just don’t know what to do and-”

[[Slow down, Silver. What do you need help with?]] He calmly asked.

“I’m just so stupid… I got so caught up with everything I don’t even have anything to wear!”

Really, how could he even miss something so simple?

[[You’re not stupid, Silver. It’s not that big a deal and it’s not like this is a fancy event. You can wear whatever.]] Shadow pointed, with an audible nonchalant shrug.

“No you don’t get it, I don’t have anything . Literally . I have like two outfits I wear everyday and it's laundry day !”

[[... Oh.]]

Despite hearing a sigh followed by a long silence, the white hedgehog anxiously waited for the other’s answer, solution or… Anything . He waited, knowing that saying anything would just annoy Shadow more, he knew he needed time to think about this ridiculous situation. But the black hedgehog did not reprimand him or comment on it. Silver appreciated the small kindness.

[[Well, I’m at the park, right now, but I could borrow you something. We’re almost done anyway. I can be there in thirty minutes.]] Shadow planned, matter-of-factly.

“Really? Shadow, you’re a life saver!” Silver thanked gratefully.

[[I know.]] 

One could hear the audible smirk as he hung up. Still, with one less thing to worry about, Silver could focus his attention if Blaze was still okay with everything. It was one of the most difficult things to keep everything a secret, not just because of her highly perceptive nature, but Silver was undoubtedly one of the worst liars on Mobius. Thankfully, she never questioned it, until yesterday’s reveal from her conversation with Amy. Ever since then, however, it’s been nothing but a bombardment of questions which he could answer with “I’m sorry, I can’t tell you”. But, today, the bombardment of questions came from him.

“Blaze, are you okay in there?” He asked carefully, knocking on the bathroom door.

“Yes, Silver, I’m just getting ready.” She would always answer.

In the span of an hour, he asked her this three times. He knew it was annoying, but really what do you even do in a bathroom for an hour? At least, he promised himself there wouldn’t be a fourth time and if there was really something wrong, if she was really sick, or if she was really tired of his paranoia, Blaze would tell him. He could trust her with this much and he knew, deep down, that he needed to calm down. He just wished that his telekinetic powers extended to reading minds sometimes, maybe it would make him feel less anxious. But, it probably wouldn’t.

Twenty minutes later, therefore, ten minutes earlier than what Silver expected, the door rang. Hurriedly, he hopped to the peephole before opening the door: it was Shadow, holding a hanger covered in a plastic bag. The dark hero spoke first before Silver could greet him properly.

“I thought I should probably be quick, because I realize you have no fashion sense.” He jabbed lightly, handing over the outfit.

“You didn’t have to say that . At least say hello, first.” Silver whined.

But, the slight grin on Shadow’s face was indication enough that he didn’t mean it that harshly, even if there was some truth to it. But, despite the violent call-out, he couldn’t help but smile a bit too. The blatant honesty put Silver at ease, even when he complained, though playfully, that Shadow always bullied him. He wondered if this was how having older siblings felt like.

“Where’s the birthday girl?” He suddenly inquired.

“Blaze is still getting ready. It’s been a while actually…” 

“Then hurry up and get changed. We gotta fix those quills too.” Shadow pointed sternly.

“What’s wrong with my quills?” Silver protested.

“I said I’ll fix it, didn’t I?”

Despite the bizarre way of being helpful, Silver obliged at Shadow’s demands and changed himself in his room. It only took him a couple minutes to slip on the appointed black chemise and pale blue jeans.  Although, buttoning up the chemise completely was a bit of a challenge with his chest fur in the way. It was a simple outfit, but he would admit, looking at himself in the full length mirror, it looked nice on him. The sudden knock on the door with a gruff “It’s me” pulled him out of his admiration. As he let in his edgy counterpart, Shadow nodded approvingly and then paused for a moment.

“Wait, come here.”

“W-What? Did I do something wrong?”

“I’ll fix it, don’t worry…”

Wordlessly, Shadow undid a couple buttons and fixed his collar accordingly. 

“There.” Shadow concluded.

“Isn’t that a bit… awkward?” Silver denounced hesitantly.

“No… you look stupider if you button it completely.”

“If you say so…” He still doubted.

“I do. Now, for your quills.”

Silver groaned, but the black hedgehog clearly would not take no for an answer. It was clear that his older friend was much too prepared for the occasion, taking out a comb and some gel from who knows where. So, he sat down onto his bed and let Shadow groom him to whatever standard he deemed appropriate. Despite the initial protest, it felt strangely soothing, feeling the comb and cool pomade carefully smoothing his quills. Silver took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He didn’t remember how long ago it was that he properly took care of himself. Self care was a long lost art that alluded Silver, being in near constant crisis beforehand wouldn’t permit it. He didn’t realize how relaxed he was – or rather, how the stress weighing him before had dissipated – until Shadow stopped.

“Alright, I’m done.” He sighed.

“Oh wow!” Silver exclaimed, opening his eyes towards the mirror.

Silver didn’t realize how much of a difference it would make, seeing himself so… clean. He understood that, although his friend hadn’t made any changes to his hairstyle, it showed that he might’ve needed more of a refresher than he initially thought. 

“Thanks, Shadow! I think… I really needed that.”

“Yeah, I know.” He chuckled lightly.

“There you are!”

Suddenly, Blaze’s voice rang through the room. He couldn’t see her through the mirror, but it was obvious she was at the doorway, obscuring herself.

“Oh, Shadow! I didn’t expect you to be here.” She realized, surprised.

“Oh uh…”

“I’m just here to bring you two to the party.” Shadow continued, lying smoothly.

“Well… It’s a good thing then. I’m not sure how I could travel long distances in this .”

Blaze took a step forward as she finally entered the doorway, revealing the reason for her an-hour-and-a-half long preparation. Silver almost couldn't believe what he was seeing, as he stared at her through the full-length mirror. She wore a beautifully intricate jumpsuit that swayed elegantly, it was a royal blue with small white flowers made of decorative crystals.  He hadn't failed to notice that she had let her hair down, which was perfectly combed to one side, and the subtle pink hues of makeup on her visage. She looked absolutely gorgeous. Still looking through the mirror, Silver realized he had stopped breathing, his heart jerking his body out of shutting down. The only thing that unfroze him from the absolutely astounded expression on his face, was Shadow's hand patting his shoulder as he stood up, as if to say, “Come on, say something”.

“Well, since you're all ready, let's get going. The others are waiting.” Shadow waved forward, walking out of the room.

“Indeed, let's.” Blaze affirmed. 

“Y-Yeah.”

You have to say something. You know what to say. Say it. Say it! Now!

“Wait- Blaze… um.” Silver finally said, lightly stopping her, gently holding her wrist.

“Hm? What is it?”

“W-Well… I just wanted to… I-I… you look… You look great.” He held his breath. 

He couldn't even look at her after that. It took everything in him not to die on the inside by the sheer embarrassment. At least, he was glad he actually said it. Hopefully, it wasn't too forward. But, before he could lose the confidence he just gained, she placed a gentle hand on his. As he looked up, he realized how close they were.

“Thank you, Silver. You don't look too shabby yourself.” She subtly complimented with a shy quirky smile.

“T-Thanks.” 

If it was possible to explode out of the sheer amount of love he felt, he would. He could only thank his self-control and insurmountable shyness for not kissing her right then and there. It wasn't the right time, anyway. Blaze, none the wiser, simply took his hand to lead him forward, instead of letting him stand there like a fool. 

“Now, come on, we can't keep Shadow and the others waiting.” She continued softly.

“Y-Yeah, you're right.” 

After one last check up that everything was set before they left, Silver locked the door behind him. He let out a relieved sigh, feeling that things really would turn out as planned, despite all of the setbacks. However, his thoughts were cut short as his royal friend, without warning, smoothly wrapped her arm around his, as if it was a normal thing to do. He nearly had another heart attack, but he couldn't bring himself to stop her. It was clear that she found it amusing, as she stifled a playful giggle at his reaction. So, as they walked downstairs and out to where the black hedgehog had parked – a black, brand-new-looking convertible – he shot the two of them the slightest but noticeable smirk, before opening the passenger door. 

“Birthday girl gets shotgun.” Shadow announced matter-of-factly. 

The one thing Silver was envious of from his edgy opposite was how smooth he was. 

~~~~~~

Without Amy’s help, Silver really didn't know how they could've had all of this prepared. Sure, it wasn't an extravagant event, but it would've been much too nerve-wracking if he decided to be the lead in organizing everything. The pink planner really was an expert in anything that required that skill. He knew this when Blaze saw everything, everyone cheering a loud “happy birthday” once they had arrived at the birthday cookout. He realized how much of a big deal it was when his regal companion had started tearing up. Though he couldn't help himself from making absolutely sure those were tears of joy, he knew deep down that it truly made her happy. That was all he could ask for.

“Thank you so much, everyone! You're all too kind… I-I couldn't ask for more.” Blaze sniffled, wiping her tears away.

“It's no problem, Blaze, it's your birthday! Of course, we gotta make you feel special!” Amy chimed cheerfully. “Besides, it was mostly Silver's idea.” She winked.

“W-What? No I… I mean, I guess it was, at first. B-But, I wouldn't have done all of this without you guys! So… thanks too.” He protested.

Everyone laughed at Silver's humbleness, not to make fun of it, but knowing that he couldn't help it. Still, after all the thanks and festive introductions were set, it was time to start celebrating. A whirlwind of joy and excitement made their time fly by quicker than anticipated. They talked, they ate, they played the day away. Before they knew it, the sun was beginning to set, but there was one more thing Amy had planned, something even Silver didn't know. With Tails’ help, the pink hedgehog started counting down and, with a contagious energy, everyone else followed. Nervously, Blaze had turned to her futuristic friend, tapping his shoulder, but Silver couldn't answer. But, somehow, he knew that, whatever it was, it would turn out okay. 

“Three…! Two…! One…! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BLAZE!” Amy and Tails shouted excitedly.

Suddenly, a burst of light broke through the twilight sky: fireworks. The group went wild with glee, seeing the beautiful explosion of colors in the horizon. Blaze gasped, as different shapes illuminated her widened eyes. Despite the fantastic show in front of them, Silver couldn't help himself from focusing on every way the light shone on his dear friend's face. It felt as if time had stopped just for him.

“You really didn't plan this, Silver?” Blaze suddenly asked.

“H-Huh? Oh, no I… I guess that was just Amy and Tails.” He chuckled awkwardly.

“I see. That woman… she's always scheming, it seems.” She joked.

“Heh, I guess so. She didn't even tell me anything about this.”

“Still… really, today was perfect. Thank you, Silver. Even if it makes it more difficult to leave after all of this.” She sighed with a melancholic tone. 

“S-Sorry…” 

“No, don't apologize. It makes me happy to know you care.” She smiled wryly.

“Then… I'm glad.” He returned the gesture.

There was a moment of silence, as she turned back to staring at the fireworks. Not wanting to stare at her for too long, Silver decided to do the same. He was happy that she was happy, but why did he feel this sense of dread pulling at his heart? She always went back to Sol for a few months, it wasn't new. But, this time, it felt like she would be gone for an eternity. He didn't want her to go. There were still things he wanted to do, things he wanted to say. But it wasn't the right time. If only she could stay longer.

“You know…”

“Y-Yeah?”

“You know that I must leave for a few months, but… you're always free to visit.” Blaze pointed.

“But… aren't you gonna be really busy?” Silver asked hesitantly.

“I will be, most days.” She admitted. “But, that still doesn't mean I can't take a few moments or a day to take a break from my responsibilities. And we have a lot of guest rooms.” Blaze clarified.

“Then… yeah. I can visit.” He realized how that sounded and rectified it. “I-I'd like to visit, I mean.”

“I'm glad.” She chuckled.

As the final few fireworks exploded, so did the end of the festivities. Slowly, still feeling the excitement of the day and chattering about it, they all collaboratively picked up everything to return the park to how it initially was. As things settled down, Silver occasionally glanced at whatever the dimensional princess was doing. It was clear to him, despite the distance, that her smiles had a hint of sadness in them. He knew her enough to notice it, though she was obviously trying to hide it from the others. It broke his heart.

~~~~~~

The next couple of days flew by with a solemn air. Silver had helped Blaze pack a few of her belongings — what she absolutely needed to return to the Sol Empire — before the time had come for Shadow to pick them up again. The others waited for them at Sonic and Tail's house, before the final goodbye. No, it wasn't a goodbye, just a while before they would see each other again. Yet, Silver couldn't help himself from feeling the inevitable distance between them. 

Once they had arrived to the fox's underground laboratory, where he held a large teleportation machine, they chatted quietly, while Tails set the coordinates. It had been constructed the year before, with much difficulty, as teleporting into different dimensions required an immense energy source and even more precision. However, thanks to the power of two chaos emeralds, which the kitsune had used to track the signature of their Sol counterpart, it became a much easier task. Still, it could only be used once every month, as it took time for the emeralds to recharge without it causing unwanted consequences to the time and space continuum. Something that Tails often repeated, especially to Sonic. However, once the kitsune had mesured every precise calculation to the device, everything was good to go. A loud hum and bright light enveloped the room as a person-wide portal opened in front of them. Blaze was ready. She took a deep breath as she stepped forward and turned towards everyone. With cheers and goodbyes, she waved back hesitantly, as if she had one more thing to say. 

“Silver… I'll be seeing you soon, right?”

“Yeah.”

She smiled one more time before the light enveloped her completely and disappeared into the ethereal rift. In a blink, she was gone. But before he could process it all, Silver felt the eyes of everyone else on him. They all looked at him with knowing smirks on their faces. 

“W-What?” 

Chapter Text

The past month or so had felt strangely quiet, for Blaze. Despite all of the catching up to do in the Sol Empire, the days had felt slow. Although her parents – King Raymond, and Queen Cresilia – were obviously the busiest, as they took care of most of the kingdom's affairs, the princess still had her responsibility. Most of her work, however, required to stay in the Capital Island, where the Sol Emeralds resided. As such, Blaze had long been the face of the capital, her people most appreciated her personal protection. Still, despite having an entire island to herself, Blaze couldn't help but feel the boredom of royalty. It was too quiet. As she walked through the castle's endless halls, the echoes of her heeled steps on the marble flooring felt deafening against the silence. It felt jarring to be alone in such a large palace, compared to her quaint apartment back on Mobius. With melancholic steps, her mind wandered through memories of her friends – of Silver. She'd often receive messages and calls from them, the omni-dimensional phone Tails had created for her was a blessing. However, she couldn't help but miss the excitement and cacophony of joy their presence brought her. She knew it would take time for them to visit – for Silver to visit. It was easier to travel to Mobius than it was to Earth. She knew this, the power of the Sol Emerald had a sort of mind of their own, protecting itself from most spatial disturbances. The Chaos Emeralds, on the other hand, felt almost like a magnet for it. It was something the lavender feline had noticed over the years. 

Entering her office – another quiet place that doubled as a personal library – she hoped to quell her nostalgic thoughts with work. As expected, a somewhat large pile of papers awaited the princess on her grand white desk. Stretching onto her matching throne, she glanced at the papers. Most were approval documents for various merchants, some were simple requests or wholesome letters from citizens, then her eyes skimmed a few requests of entry from other kingdoms. Why so many all of a sudden? She felt as if she had forgotten something. Regardless, she cracked her knuckles and prepared herself to stamp and sign the day away. 

The afternoon had passed surprisingly quickly, for once. The natural light behind her had shifted into a beautiful orange hue. Suddenly, a hearty knock on the large wooden double-doors had made itself heard. There were still a couple papers left, but they were not urgent, she could do them later. 

“Come in.” 

With a light creek, her mother gently entered the doorway with a servant – a young mouse lemur woman who had been newly recruited – who held an expensive tea set, as her mother opened the door. The two royals smiled knowingly with each other before the eldest had even said a word. Blaze had taken much from her mother's physical appearance and demeanor, but the princess's tendency to overwork herself came from her father. Queen Cresilia knew as much, it was her greatest duty to make sure for both of them to take breaks. 

“Blaze, dear, dinner will be ready in an hour. Why don't you have a moment to take some tea?” She explained

“Yes, mother. I'd like that very much.” Blaze nodded with a grateful bow.

“In the meantime, why don't you cater to our guest, for a while?” There was a hint of playfulness in her smile.

“A guest?” 

Her mother wasn't the type to push something like this, especially not without previous notice. On cue, the queen had led the mysterious person into the princess's office, revealing a familiar face: Silver. She couldn't help but gasp, her ears and tail perked up as she stood up in shock. 

“Uh… hey, Blaze!” He smiled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.

“Silver!”

Before her mind could stop her, Blaze already found herself nearly pouncing him with a hug. She only realized what she had done when she noticed her mother stifling a giggle and the servant girl awkwardly looking away like she shouldn't have seen what she had just witnessed. Blaze would have nearly flung her favorite companion away, if she wasn't still holding his shoulders. 

“Apologies, Silver. I just… I haven't seen you in a while.”

“I-It’s okay! I'm fine!” He chuckled shyly.

“Then we shall get going while you two catch up with each other.” The queen giggled. “Hand him the tea, dear.” She gently ordered the servant.

“Y-Yes your Majesty.” The small woman obliged. 

“Thanks.” Silver nodded. 

With a bow, the other two left the office and left the two friends alone. A beat or two had passed, before Blaze could speak again, letting the red from her cheeks fade away. 

“So… how are the others?”

“They're fine! To be honest, they're all pretty busy this month. Since summer vacation is over and all.”

“I see. Then… What about you?”

“Well, y'know, not much.” He awkwardly lifted his shoulders.

“Really? No little events or another one of Amy's silly plans?” Blaze joked with a small smirk.

“I mean, like I said, everyone's been busy so… I-I thought… why not visit you?” Silver hesitated.

“... I see. I'm glad.” She smiled gently.

For some reason, Silver had avoided her gaze, as he placed the tea set's tray onto a nearby coffee table, set between a lovely pair of comfortable vintage loveseats. Normally, the princess used it whenever she took a break to read her large collection of books or during tea time with her mother. This time, however, it became an intimate area to reunite with her dear friend. She sat elegantly onto one of the seats, crossing a leg over the other, as Silver anxiously poured tea into both cups. Blaze was observant enough to notice the slight tremble of his fingers. She kept silent, not wanting to break the obvious immense focus, simply staring at the frown of his brow. The princess could barely stifle a laugh, as her tea companion finished his task with a relieved sigh.

“Your mom- I-I mean… Her Majesty told me that it was lavender tea.” The hedgehog corrected himself.

“I'm not surprised, it's my favorite.” She giggled. “And you don't need to be so formal, Silver, you should know that I don't mind.”

“O-Okay, sorry…”

“You don't need to apologize either.” The princess lightly shook her head. 

“Sor- I-I mean… okay.” 

Blaze gave Silver a patient smile as she took a sip from her cup. The light ocean breeze fluttered through the window, as she let herself relax to the sound of the waves and the gentle blowing from Silver attempting to cool the surface of his drink. It was adorable. 

“It wasn't too difficult to get into the castle, was it?” 

“Huh? Oh… no, not really. I got teleported to the port, so I just walked up to the castle, and some people recognized me actually.” 

“Really? Any fans?” Blaze teased. 

“Nothing like that! Just… people that knew I knew you.” Silver shyly protested.

“And then?” She leaned playfully. 

“Well… when I got to the castle, I started getting nervous, the guards stopped me, obviously. They didn't want to let me in. Like, at all.” He scratched his cheek anxiously.

“Oh, my… didn't you say you didn't have any trouble?” The feline's voice shifted to concern. 

“That's the thing, it was thanks to your parents. They just showed up and they said you talked about me, so… I got in.” He explained with a relieved sigh.

“Why didn't you tell me beforehand? I could have warned the guards.” She scolded lightly.

“W-Well, I would've called if things got too dicey, but… I-I dunno…” The hedgehog's head hung low.

“You don't know?” She asked curiously.

“I dunno…” 

Silver had avoided Blaze's gaze again, much to her suspicion. Why was he being so mysterious today? Her mind wondered what he was thinking in that anxious head of his, though it was particularly unusual. Then, when he turned slightly to face her again, she noticed how his cheeks revealed themselves to be a couple shades of red. Suddenly, she felt the heat of her own face turn as well. 

“No… I-I just… I guess I wanted to surprise you.” He conceded, scratching his face with his index.

“... Well, I'm happy that you're here, Silver.” She admitted softly.

It was almost impossible to contain the bright smile she gave him, her tail gently swaying to the side. She didn't expect such a wholesome answer. Not that the ivory hedgehog was anything but the most wholesome person she knew, but it was too adorable – much too adorable . Blaze felt almost overwhelmed by it. Her mind felt at ease to have such a great friend, but the princess knew her heart yearned for more. She could feel the loud pounding in her chest almost overthrowing the calming sounds of the ocean. Subtly, she gazed at the window to calm herself, taking another sip of tea. 

“You're not too busy are you?” Silver suddenly asked.

“Hm? Oh, you mean the papers? Those can wait, I've already almost finished.” The feline shook her head.

“Oh, okay. It's just that… your mom told me you take care of the entire island mostly by yourself.” He hesitantly confessed. 

“I do. It's customary for the children of the Empire's Royal Family to take care of the Capital, as well as be chosen to guard the Sol Emeralds” She explained dutifully. “And I am their only child.” Blaze smiled wryly.

“That… sounds like a lot.”

“It is. But… It's also very rewarding.”

“... Can I do anything to help?” The hedgehog implored. 

“Just your presence is enough, Silver.” She smiled warmly.

He looked away, scratching the back of his head once more. Blaze had long since noticed it had been a habit whenever he wished to say more, but could not bring himself to. Still, she waited patiently for his words to come forth. 

“I just… I just wish I could help you out more. You do a lot for me, Blaze, and I want to lighten your load.” He finally expressed, though he hesitantly had more to say. “You take a lot on your own, too much sometimes.”

“... Silver, did my mother put you up into this?” 

“ N-No! Well… maybe a little.” He admitted. “But… even before that, I noticed. I just want to give back.” 

The princess was taken aback by her companion's sudden urge to help her. If anything, she was the one who had the most favors to return. When they had first met, she could only support him in trying to make the best decision, when it came to Iblis. It was his destiny to fulfill, afterall. Then, when they had met again, they were the only ones to remember the incident. Still, he had helped her in her own dimensional crisis, after all those years. They had stayed in contact ever since, to her greatest joy. 

“Silver… there is nothing for you to give back. You have been my greatest ally since we first met. I couldn't ask for anything more, it would be selfish of me.” The princess protested.

“But I…” 

Something about her words, as she uttered them, echoed in her mind. Couldn't ask for more? Selfish? Something about saying it out loud made it click, the irony of it all. It made sense to her now why her brain held a cold and calculated chain on her burning passionate heart: pride. It wasn't that she was too prideful of herself, like some sort of egomaniac. It was the pride of the friendship she had built, she couldn’t bear it to be destroyed by a lack of equality. She owed him, her mind decided it, since who knows when. Before she realized it, there was a debt to be paid – a balance to be fixed. Until her mind saw fit, Blaze had no business asking anything of him: his time, his attention, his feelings, his affection – nothing. What a fool. Seeing clearly now, Amy's tarot card, the reversed Two of Wands, flashed before the feline's eyes. Of course, it was obvious, now. Blaze realized how much of an obstacle to herself she has been, and for so long. With this newfound piece of her internal puzzle, Blaze felt a strange mixture of relief and regret.

“Blaze? A-Are you okay? Sorry, I didn't mean to push this onto you, I just-”

“No, it's alright, Silver. I was just thinking… how long it's been since we've known each other.” Her voice strained to sound nonchalant.

“O-Oh, uh… I think it's been something like… six years?” The hedgehog hesitantly calculated.

“Seven, actually. It had just been seven, last month.” Blaze lightly corrected.

“Oh… yeah, I guess it was.”

“But, you're right…” She continued.

“Huh?”

“What you said earlier, about helping me. You're right… I should lean onto you more. But… I am a stubborn woman,  I apologize for pushing you away.” The princess acknowledged guiltily. 

“N-No you didn't push me away! It's just that I wanted to do more than just… exist near you.” He objected frantically.

“But, I do really appreciate you existing near me, Silver.” Blaze smiled warmly. “Perhaps… you'll also need to push me more into existing away from my work, like my mother.” She half-joked.

“I think I can do that.” 

With the mood recovering, they both chuckled at each other. The calmness between them had been restored as the ocean breeze lightly ruffled their fur. Blaze had taken their moment of familiar silence to admire the way Silver's golden eyes flickered in the sunset. After another beat, he blinked as if he remembered something, before returning to avoiding her gaze, scratching his head. It has been the third time now.

“Blaze, I…”

But, before he could utter another word, a knock made its presence known. Before even answering, Blaze made sure for Silver to finish his thought, looking at him curiously. However, her companion only shook his head in denial, as if to say that it wasn't important. Hesitantly, Blaze simply gave a reassuring pat on the shoulder, before answering who had interrupted their discussion. 

“Come in.” 

Slowly, the door opened halfway, and the small lemur servant – the same one as before – nervously leaned forward. 

“... Yes?”

“U-Um! Princess, Your Royal Highnesses await you and your guest at the dining table. Dinner will be served shortly.” 

“Thank you, Miss Lilian, we'll be on our way.”

“Oh!” The servant gasped upon hearing her name. “T-Thank you, Princess Blaze! I’ll take tea set, in the meantime.”

With a deep bow she did her duty and hurriedly left the room. The feline couldn't help but giggle at her surprise, of course she had remembered her name. Why wouldn't she? Blaze had remembered personally appointing her, the nervous demeanor of the young lemur had reminded the princess of her dear futuristic friend. However, before her thoughts went any further, she stood up from her seat and led Silver forward. 

“Come on, let's not keep them waiting.” 

“Y-Yeah, you're right.” He nodded.

~~~~~~

It took them a few minutes to traverse the long castle hallways, before they could reach the main diner room. In the meantime, Blaze had thoroughly given her ivory companion a tour of the premises: the historical artifacts, the generational portraits, each room's function – she explained them all. Silver, endlessly curious as she knew he was, gobbled every bit of information she gave him with great interest. It had been a long time since he last came to the castle. Each of their steps echoed with chatter and laughter, filling the intimidating palace with warmth. The excitement seemed to be contagious, guards and servants alike whispering to themselves, but not daring to speak when the duo passed them. However, the princess did not pay them any mind and suggested her companion to do the same. She felt his awkwardness growing by the second and made sure to reassure him. Something was brewing, but… it wasn't a bad thing. Was it?

In front of the dining room's doorway, a variety of delicious smells wafted through the cracks. The princess swallowed nervously, hoping that her parents did not overdo their preparations because of their guest – her very special guest. Realizing far too late the implications of a royal family inviting their daughter's best friend to dinner, Blaze gathered her resolve to firmly open the door. The tantalizing air overloaded the entire hallway, as an explosion of flavor released from its confinement. Yeah, they overdid it. The scene in front of the two friends revealed a large luxurious feast. The torches and chandelier glowed warmly against the sturdy wooden furniture, steam emanating from the kitchen that connected both rooms. She could hear the faint frantic cooking, while her companion admired the luxurious sight before them. Something like this was usually reserved for special occasions – not for inviting a friend over for dinner.

“Welcome, Blaze. And to our special guest, Silver!”

King Raymond’s voice boomed throughout the entire room with a passionate presence. Although the princess had taken her mother’s calm demeanor, her passion and pride were one of her many traits that resembled his personality much more than the queen’s. The lavender feline could only glare in embarrassment at her father's overly grand gesture. Suddenly,  an abruptly strange noise came from Silver. Looking at the ivory hedgehog for reassurance, he simply placed a hand in front of his stomach, blushing furiously. 

“S-Sorry… I guess I didn't realize how hungry I was.” He chuckled awkwardly. 

“It's quite alright, Silver.” The queen began, smiling softly. “Have a seat.” 

“Indeed. Let us eat!” The king concluded, waving to the empty chairs.

Blaze could only sigh at her parents’ overt excitement, taking a seat across from her mother and next to her father, who sat at the end of the table. Nervously, it took a few moments for Silver to follow, clearly not knowing where it was appropriate to sit, as three chairs were empty. She gave him a patient smile as she patted the chair next to her and he walked over to do just as asked. Soon, servants began surrounding them, silently placing the first course of meals in front of all of them. 

“I've heard so much of you from Blaze. She mentioned how close you've been for so many years. You two live together on Mobius, correct?” The older feline questioned curiously with an amused grin.

She regretted giving her mother that information. 

“Y-Yeah, we're roommates, back in my world. Having a place to stay when she visits is super convenient.” 

“It's a two-bedroom appartement.” Blaze interjected.

“I see, roommates.” Her father rubbed his chin and mustache thoughtfully. “And what do you do for a living, my good friend?” 

“Um… I kinda do a bit of everything. But, recently I asked one of my friends to work at her mom's flower shop, they're really nice!” 

“She’s a very trusted friend. I've mentioned Amy Rose before, if you remember.” The young feline clarified. 

“Yes, I remember.” Her mother nodded. 

“Y-Yeah! And I'm starting next week, actually. Having a stable job while Blaze is away will do my wallet some good.” He half-joked, trying to hide his nervousness. 

“Indubitably.” The king simply agreed, sipping his wine.

Blaze didn't like this line of questioning, it felt like some sort of strange interrogation. Feeling the ivory hedgehog's anxious demeanor, as he fidgeted with his fingers, she realized how he hadn't taken a single bite of his meal. The princess gently signalled to the proper fork to use and he quickly obliged. Finally eating, his eyes shone with pure delight upon the first bite. Blaze stifled a laugh at his reaction. 

“And what of your adventures? Blaze had mentioned you come from the future.” The lion continued. 

“Y-Yeah, I do. But, honestly, there hasn't been much to talk about for the past year or so. Things are pretty peaceful right now.” He swallowed.

“We still have the occasional attacks from Eggman, but things have definitely slowed down.” The princess added.

“That's understandable. Our daughter had many good things to say about your combative skills,  as well.” The older feline pointed. 

“W-Well, I'm not that good. It's not like I did everything on my own, I had help. Especially from Blaze.” He couldn't help himself but to humbly deny. 

“Silver… you don't need to sell yourself short.” She lightly scolded, blushing a bit.

“Why don't you show us? I've always wanted to see those telekinetic abilities for myself.” Her father smirked confidently.

“ Father …” 

“It's okay, Blaze, I don't mind! Here, I can do something simple.” 

With a small flourish of his hand, he closed his eyes, a turquoise glow began surrounding his entire being, as he focused on objects around the room. Slowly, the plates, utensils and chairs shone with the same glow, before they lifted themselves with a soft gravitational force. He opened his eyes, which also began to glow with a blue-green hue, gently twisting his wrist with a circular motion. As commanded, every object had started turning on a gentle tornado. It was impressive how calm he was doing this. Both king and queen clearly felt the same, their jaw agape with awe in their eyes. Once the object had made a full round, they softly descended back into place and the turquoise aura was gone. The room boomed with abrupt clapping, causing the telekinetic hedgehog to shyly scratch his face. 

“Bravo!” The king exclaimed.

“Impressive, there was so much control with so many objects!” The queen approved.

“I-I mean it's easy with a bunch of small things. I need more focus with bigger ones.”

“Still, I have never seen anything like this before.” She continued to praise.

“Well… thanks.” Silver could no longer deny.

“What was the largest thing you had ever lifted?” The magenta lion suddenly questioned, with a strangely competitive tone.

“Father…”

“Raymond…” The two women scolded.

“ What? ”

“Uh… I think… it was something like… a fireball about three times my size?” The hedgehog answered earnestly, trying to remember.

“ Good grief .” He exclaimed in shock. 

This time, Blaze could not contain her laughter to the ridiculous attempt at interrogating Silver. He may be overly humble, but he was honest to a fault. It was one of the many things she loved about him. As if a weight had been lifted, the other three began chuckling as well in a contagious enthusiasm that had filled the room. As things seemed lighter, now, the rest of dinner went on without any difficulty. Their discussion remained playful, as they reminisced more on the two friends’ past and their many adventures. Blaze made sure to instruct Silver with every proper instrument, as each appetizer had come through. Time went on and the princess noticed how slowly more comfortable her companion had become. Her parents seemed to have become more patient as well, realizing how inexperienced the hedgehog was to royal etiquette. Once the main course was finished and it was time for dessert, Queen Cresilia coughed loudly to let the others pay attention to what she had to say.

“Silver, dear, I have been wondering… how long do you plan on staying at the castle?”

“Um… I mean, as long as Blaze wants to. Or-... you'll allow me to” He quickly corrected. “But I do have to leave by the end of the week.”

“Hm… well, you see, this coming weekend will be the Hallow's Solstice.” The queen continued.

“Hallow's Solstice?” He repeated curiously.

The name abruptly made the princess realize what she had forgotten earlier. That was why many outer kingdoms had requested entry to the capital. She covered her mouth in embarrassment, realizing what her mother was trying to do.

“It's… the equivalent to your Halloween. But, it's a little more complicated.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Why don’t you stay for the ball? There will be plenty of people coming from all around the world, I'm sure you would blend in easily. Especially since it is a masquerade.” 

“A-A masquerade ball? Well… I guess I could, but… Blaze, what do you think?” 

Her mind begged her to refuse, but she wouldn’t let herself say it. No, enough stalling. It had let her true feelings stagnate for far too long, now that she knew it, it was time to let herself move forward – to be selfish. 

“Of course, you can stay, Silver. I'd like that.” She smiled shyly.

“O-Okay then… yeah, I'd love to be there!”

“Perfect!” The king exclaimed. “There will be an even grander feast at the event and the traditional guessing game: Hallow's Trick!” 

Blaze had forgotten something else: this year, she would be the one to play Hallow. She may have regretted ever so slightly for letting him stay. 

“What kind of guessing game is it?” Silver asked curiously, tilting his head. 

“Every year, a member of the royal family takes a turn to become sort of, cursed by Hallow. In turn, the guests must correctly guess the true member. The person with the most correct answers receives an appointed prize.” The queen explained patiently.

“ Oh… sounds like fun!” 

“Doesn't it?” The king nodded cheerfully.

The prize in question was a ruby brooch with the Sol Empire's emblem engraved into the gem – and a dance with the princess. Her mouth had sealed shut.

“Then it's settled. Blaze, once you're done with dessert, will you show Silver one of the guest bedrooms? He may choose any he'd like.” Her mother lightly commanded.

“Y-Yes, mother.” Blaze stuttered uncharacteristically. 

“... Are you okay?” Silver had noticed.

“Of course, I am. I was just thinking that… perhaps I should make sure to prepare you for the ball.” She half-lied, regaining her composure.

“O-Oh, um… yeah, I'm not super good with really formal stuff.” He chuckled awkwardly.

“Then… tomorrow I will refresh you on some formal etiquette and some waltz.” Blaze straighted herself. 

“Waltz?”

“Ah, yes, excellent idea, Blaze. It is a ball, after all.” Her father huffed proudly.

“Well, okay then. I guess I have a lot to learn.” He chuckled more.

Oh, he hasn't the slightest idea.

Chapter Text

A salty breeze tickled Silver’s nose, his eyes slowly opening to the soft sunny glow of morning. He felt as if he had slept onto a giant bag of marshmallows with covers of cotton candy. The hedgehog’s body weighed heavier than usual, rubbing his blurry eyes, begging him to sleep more. Still, half awake, he scouted his surroundings for familiarity, but all he could see was a vintage, brilliantly clean and well-decorated room. It was nothing like the simplicity of his apartment – quite the opposite.

“Where am I…?” He mumbled to himself.

On cue, his ears twitched sideways towards a knock on the door.

“Silver? Are you awake? Can I come in?” A soft voice pleaded with a strangely commanding tone. 

The familiarity of the voice jerked him fully awake. He remembered, now – it’s Blaze. Hurriedly, he opened the door, after nearly tripping himself with the heavy set of comfortable blankets. The princess’ eyes grew wide at the sudden motion, but quickly shifted into stifling a laugh under a hand. Silver couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed, scratching his cheek.

“I suppose you were sleeping, after all.” She pointed jokingly.

“S-Sorry… the beds were way too comfortable.” He chuckled apologetically.

“It’s alright, Silver. I didn’t wake you, did I?”

“No, I just woke up right before.”

“Good, then. We have quite a lot to catch you up on for the week.” The royal feline clapped in determination. “Today, we’ll have to go to the royal seamstress to get you something to wear for the ball. Then we’ll begin with some lessons on noble etiquette. Sounds good?”

“Yes, m’am.” Silver playfully saluted.

Blaze giggled softly at the gesture, gently slapping his arm away in playful embarrassment. Her laugh was one of the things that Silver was blessed to hear, even though the way she did was barely audible, except from the sudden gasps she took in between. However, when she really laughed – really hard – those gasps were often cut by sudden sharp squeals, which she absolutely detested. He loved it, of course, but it was a rare treasure to make her laugh like that. His stomach fluttered at the memory. The way Blaze had suddenly rushed him out of the room, holding his wrist firmly, did not help. 

The castle grounds felt strangely larger when inside than its already imposing stature from the outside. Past the main fortress, Blaze pointed to a little secluded home, near the edges of the castle's famously large garden. She explained that this was where the royal seamstress lived, working with the family since the princess was but a toddler. She knocked twice before announcing herself. Quickly, the door opened wide with frenzy, as a somewhat disheveled elder moth woman appeared before the two friends.

“ Princess! You're not supposed to come by for another two days! I haven't-” Pushing up her large glasses, she noticed Silver. “Oh… and who might this boy be? Could it be? That lovely gentleman of yours is…?” 

“Madame Sylkia, this is Silver the Hedgehog.”

“Um… hi!” He answers sheepishly, with a wave.

“ Oh, great Sol Flame! It's an honor to finally meet the boy my Princess holds dear!” She immediately takes his hand and shakes it enthusiastically.

“I-It's not that big of a deal.” He denies shyly.

“ Madame Sylkia… ” Blaze scolds. “I came here to ask you to help my friend be properly dressed for the ball. Not for you to embarrass him.” 

“He's attending the ball? Oh, why didn't you say so earlier?” Though the moth hesitates a moment, frowning pensively. “I already have to prepare your dress and-” 

Blaze coughs loudly for a reason unknown to Silver. Somehow, the seamstress understands it.

“But… I'm sure I may be able to reuse some of the unused samples I've designed before to create something wearable.” She sighs a moment, but quickly returns to her unusual cheerfulness. “Come on, come on in! I must measure you to see what I can do for you.”

Both women push him further into the home, to Silver's mild panic. For the moth's apparent age – the cream blonde of her fur mixed with grey-ish platinum highlights, were obvious signs – she was much more active than he expected. Sylkia worked quickly, scrambling for tools and papers,  as he admired the inside of her cozy little house. Just as it was on the outside, the walls were made of rustic brown stone, matching the high quality oak furniture. Though the house clearly had a few rooms, it seemed like most were invaded with various fabric, mannequins and unfinished designs. The only visible room that remained clear was the kitchen, which the hedgehog assumed was to not ruin any of the work she had clearly tirelessly worked on for the royal family. He noticed Blaze quietly pushing some of the rolls of fabric away to sit on one of the sofas, near the fireplace. However, before Silver could decide on whether he should sit next to her or not, the elder moth suddenly flew before him with various measuring tools in hand. 

“Alright, just relax, this will only take a moment.” She adjusted her glasses.

Before he could protest, she began spinning vigorously around him, with no time for the hedgehog to process what she was doing. The seamstress measured every inch of him with precise speed, only occasionally stopping to take notes. Keeping up with her made him feel dizzy. 

“There! All done!” The moth cheered with a satisfied huff. “Now, let’s see… somewhat average for a hedgehog… large back quills… hmm… there will be some modifications needed…” She mumbled to herself.

“S-Sorry…”

“Oh dear, you needn’t worry! Doing this like this is quite reasonable for my duties.” Playfully, she rolls a sleeve over her elbow. “I have many things your size! I simply haven’t designed anything for hedgehogs in years !”

In an instant, she disappeared into another room, excitedly rummaging through more stock. Silver hasn’t seen anyone this enthusiastic about their job in a long time. Although, her passion was probably what helped her and Blaze have a noticeable affinity with each other.

“Madame Syklia is the best in the Empire.” Blaze reassured proudly. “All you need to do is state what you like and she’ll do it.” 

“I mean… I’m not really complicated. As long as it's comfortable and doesn’t stand out too much, I’m okay with anything.” He chuckled awkwardly.

“Simple, chic and comfortable! A lovely combination!” The muffled voice of the seamstress announced. “Any preferred colours?”

“Uh…! Just black is fine.” Silver lightly shouted through the room.

“You’ve been wearing a lot of black clothes lately, I thought your favorite colour was turquoise.” The princess joked.

“I’m not gonna wear a turquoise suit! T-Then I'll really stand out…” He pointed nervously.

Blaze could only stifle a laugh at this, she knew he wasn’t wrong, probably imagining how ridiculous he’d look in a fully blue-green attire. Thankfully, the elder moth had returned with a few outfits to choose from. Proudly, she showed each to the hedgehog, neatly placing them onto mannequins to better give an idea of what they’d look like on him. Immediately, he had locked eyes with one: It had a black long jacket made of a light velour, the black vest had forest green plaid patterns that were barely noticeable under certain light with matching tie and dress pants. Having an entirely ebony outfit seemed perhaps a little on the edgier side for the white hedgehog, but the somewhat scholarly patterns softened it to something more his style. Too astounded to find his words, he let Blaze speak first.

“This one is perfect.” She simply said, nodding approvingly.

“Then it’s settled!” The moth clapped proudly. “I will simply make some adjustments and speak to the jeweler about a mask for you.”

“O-Okay… thank you.” Silver nodded sheepishly.

“Oh, it’s no fuss, dear! It was my pleasure! Simply reconvene with me the day before the ball to make sure everything fits properly.” She smiled brightly.

“Of course, I will not let you make this for free. This is still, technically, a commission from the royal family, afterall.” Blaze suddenly announced.

“B-But, Princess… I only used-”

However, the sight of Blaze crossing her arms with a stern frown made the moth immediately stop protesting and simply pouted instead. Silver knew that look all too well – she wouldn’t take no for an answer. It didn’t take long for the three of them to start laughing at the situation, knowing how unserious it was.

“Oh, dear… despite how much you look like your mother, you truly are your father’s daughter.” She joked with a familial tone in her voice.

“ Madame Syklia …”

Now it was Blaze’s turn to pout.

~~~~~~

The next couple days were more or less the same, although much busier than when Silver had first arrived. The capital was bustling in preparation for the upcoming holiday. Though Blaze had made sure to keep, at the very least, a couple of hours to properly teach him the basics of noble social rules, she was quite busy herself. As the event took place in the capital, the princess also became bombarded with an overflow of papers to sign and approve. Thankfully, whenever she had commissions to go to outside the castle, she had made a point to invite him to the process. It helped him visit much of what he previously couldn’t. He noticed fairly quickly how highly her people revered her and how passionately she was devoted to their well being. Silver knew how important her duties were, of course, but seeing it up close was an entirely different experience. It opened deeper feelings he didn’t realize could deepen. However, it also made him feel guilty, for some strange reason. 

One night, when his mind had kept him awake with finding the answer as to why he felt so guilty, Silver was beginning to realize how deeply rooted she was to her home – and how far he felt from her. It made him wonder how much time he really has with her. How much time before telling her? How much time before she has to stay… forever? The thought made him flinch. The hedgehog bit his lip, realizing how many years had passed without ever telling her how he really felt about her – how he loved her. Love, for Silver, was nowhere near as intense or as dramatic as anything he would find in books and movies. It was soft and subtle, slowly invading his entire thoughts before realizing that maybe blushing at literally anything Blaze did isn’t very platonic. It embarrassed him how obvious Amy thought it was, when he had begun questioning if those were normal thoughts to have for a friend. Regardless, it felt like time had suddenly started slipping away from him. The hedgehog remembered his conversation with his dear friend, the month prior, about the future: “At least… we'll have each other, won't we?” Her gentle yet saddened voice echoed in his ears. However, he realized that, as times of peace were more and more frequent, her people needed her. Coming back and forth from Mobius wouldn’t be necessary anymore – times of crisis are practically over, now. Soon enough, she would be far busier taking care of her kingdom, and eventually become queen. The realization came like cold water. In reality, there wasn’t much time left, was there? 

The next morning, Silver had woken up to another knock, not realizing he had fallen asleep. Slugishly, he opened the door to see Blaze in her usual proper self. However, her expression quickly shifted to worry upon seeing the hedgehog’s state.

“Silver? Are you alright?”

“Y-Yeah… just… didn’t sleep well, like usual.” He half-lied.

“If I’d known, I would’ve-...”

“It’s okay, Blaze. I just didn’t want to bother you. A-Anyway… I don’t think knocking at your room in the middle of the night would be very uh… a-appropriate, for a princess.” The hedgehog sheepishly pointed, scratching the back of his head.

“... You might be right.” She blushed faintly at the realization, smiling wryly. “It isn’t the same as in the privacy of our own home. ” 

The way she pressed on her last few words made his heart flutter. She didn’t mean it like that.

“But… is there anything I can do? If you need more rest, we can postpone your lessons.”

“N-No, it’s okay! I don’t mind!” He quickly protested. “Maybe doing something productive will get me to get my mind off of things…”

“I can agree with that.” Her smile softened. “Actually, today, we won’t be focusing on etiquette. I’ve prepared something different, but equally important for the ball.”

“L-Like what?” Silver asked nervously.

“ Dance. ” Blaze’s arms grew wide, elegantly posing in a ballerina-esque manner.

“... Oh.” 

He forgot about that.

“Don’t tell me you forgot .” She said through laughs, as if reading his mind.

“Sorry… I guess I was focused on the rules that I-”

“You don’t need to worry about that, Silver.” Blaze interrupted him gently to reassure him. “This will be much more fun than etiquette lessons.”

“O-Okay.”

Silver knew how talented the princess was in the art of dance, she was innately attuned to it: Ballet, Waltz, Flamenco, Salsa, Zapin,  Bharatnatyam… she had even incorporated it in the way she fought – recently she learned the martial art of Capoeira. So, he wasn’t worried about her being a bad teacher, it was the opposite that he was worried about. Still, the way her eyes lit up passionately about something so simple as to teach this absolute ball of nerves how to dance, it made his chest full. The hedgehog couldn’t help but let himself be led to whatever or wherever his dearest friend desired, following closely as they walked through the castle’s intimidating hallways. He absolutely cannot disappoint her.

Once they had arrived at what looked like a rather large ballroom, he felt his nerves begging him to turn back and admit defeat. However, Blaze’s gentle but firm grip on his shoulder told him to steel himself. There was no going back.

“I’ve reserved the area for us to practice with no interruption. Normally, this is used for whenever we have performers to practice their art before their official showing.” She explained dutifully.

“It’s huge!” He exclaimed in awe, absorbing the surroundings.

“Then you aren’t ready for the main ballroom.” The princess pointed playfully.

“H-How big is it?” 

“About… four times this size?”

Silver’s jaw would drop to the floor if it could. This room already seemed extravagant enough: its four elegant stone pillars, matching marble flooring that created a large sun pattern in the middle, large full-length mirrors on the eastern wall and floor-to-ceiling windows to the north. He couldn’t possibly imagine anything more grandiose than this. Blaze let a laugh escape her lips at his reaction, before setting her phone to the ground and against one of the pillars, playing an unfamiliar but classical-sounding music.

“Alright, let’s begin shall we?” She paused, before putting her arms upward in a refined position. “It’s much simpler than you think, just watch what I’m doing.”

The hedgehog simply nodded sheepishly at her demands, though he didn’t know where exactly to put his eyes. As the song began slowly, she straightened her posture, calculating the rhythm through the wag of her tail, before suddenly perfectly beginning to dance by herself – a ghost of himself in her arms. No, don’t think that. He tried to bring himself back into a more appropriate focus with the way she counted her steps in rhythmic one-two-threes. Then, the song suddenly began flourishing in a somewhat more energetic tone. Unsurprisingly, Blaze matched it with ease, losing herself in the music – fusing with it – with wide beautiful gestures and twirls, as her smile shone like the rising sun. Once the music stopped, seeing the princess pose so gracefully, Silver couldn’t stop himself from clapping to the absolutely spectacular scene. The way she bowed playfully at his gesture made his whole body feel incredibly flush. She’s just too amazing.

“Of course, you don’t need to do all of that.” She chuckled. “The important part is the steps. Differently to most music, the rhythm is in threes, so it can be a little tricky. But once you’ve gotten used to it, it's really quite simple after that.” The princess continued, putting the song on loop before placing her phone back to the floor.

“Y-Yeah, I think I get it.”

“Alright, now let’s see how well you can do. Come here.” Blaze reached out a hand.

Doing as asked, although his chest warned of a heart attack, he placed a shy hand into hers. Gently, she led his hand upward and guided the other onto her hip – a second heart attack has hit his chest. Slowly, she began by stepping backwards while instructing him to move forward, her gaze was focused to the floor and he forced himself to do the same, ignoring as best he could how close they were. Then another step followed, and another, and another. Blaze wasn’t entirely making him follow the rhythm, but something in between, carefully teaching him each step and correcting him. One. Two. Three. Keeping the pace, the princess stepped faster to get him used to the pace. He may have fumbled once or twice, but he made absolutely sure to not step on her foot. A drop of sweat formed onto his brow, as he grimaced in complete focus. The hedgehog tried his best not to blush too furiously, whenever he felt her encouraging words brush against his ears – there could be no distractions. One, two, three. Faster she went, properly following the rhythm of the song, causing Silver to panic for a moment. He almost fell a few times, tripping himself with his own feet, but Blaze carried on with vigorous belief in him. At the very least, the hedgehog was proud of himself for not tripping her. Then, the music flourished with the way he’d heard it do so before. The hedgehog braced himself. With no care in the world, the princess lost herself once more to the music, pulling poor Silver much too close than his heart could withstand. One-two-three, one-two-three. He couldn’t bring himself to stop her, following as best he could. The adrenaline rush caused both by his anxiety and his feelings for her was overwhelming, yet it kept his nerves steady. For a few moments, time had felt like it had stopped completely around them, the music was nothing but a muffled background noise. All he could see was her delicate motions swinging and twirling. All he could see was her eyes lowered in pure bliss and the peaceful expression across her lips. All he could see was her warm hand intertwined with his. All he could see was her.

And they stopped. He isn’t sure when, hearing the music still looping as his dance partner let him go, but the sudden feeling of her warmth separating from him was a cold awakening from Silver’s reverie. Embarrassment invaded his face, as he immediately avoided Blaze’s gaze, firmly keeping his hands together. 

“Apologies for letting myself get carried away again.” She paused, but he still wouldn’t look at her. “Still, I’m glad you’re learning very quickly. I’m sure with just a little more practice, you’ll be a perfect waltzer by the end of today.” Blaze continued jokingly.

However, Silver couldn’t bring himself to respond, the overwhelming emotions swirling in his skull kept his mouth frozen shut. Half of his brain wanted to scream how much he adored her, while the other anxiously questioned his entire being. What to do? What to say? What to feel? How much time is left? I love her. I love her. I love her. I love her.

“Silver…?” The gentle touch of her hand on his snapped him from the crevices of his mind.

“ Yeah? ” His neck jerked towards her.

“Are you… Would you like to continue practising… together?” Her hesitance was a rare sight.

“... O-Okay.”

No matter how much the red from his face was killing him, the hedgehog could not bring himself to refuse. The way Blaze smiled at his agreement – the pink of her cheeks ever so subtle under her sheepish expression – made his heart explode, as she guided his hand back into proper dancing position. After another round of one-two-threes, they were off, letting their steps glide through the marble flooring, as they danced, and danced. Silver patiently waited until Blaze announced her satisfaction, and the lessons would be painfully over. However, those words never came. There was always something new to teach, and he was always willing to learn.

Chapter Text

The night of the masquerade, there was a strange quietness among the clear festive rumble of the capital. Silver let himself take a deep refreshing breath, as he looked one last time at the final rays of the sun faded and small lights began illuminating the island. Blaze had explained previously that it was a sign that the holiday had officially begun. The hedgehog attempted to shake the nervousness from his legs, pulling his eyes away from the large row of carriages that awaited in front of the castle – the amount of nobles attending was far too intimidating to imagine. Looking back into his guest bedroom, he eyed the customized suit that Madame Sylkia had brought the day before, hanging from the opened armoire revealing a full-length mirror inside. Of course, it fit him like a glove. However, he couldn’t help but doubt himself if it would still fit today. The hedgehog steeled himself to put it on, fearing more being late to an event he was personally invited to. Relieved, it still fit him, although he still struggled to tie the forest green ascot, trying his best to remember what Shadow had taught him a couple years ago, when they had been invited to Vanilla and Vector’s wedding. It was decent enough… Hopefully. Then, he stared at the matching mask that the seamstress had gifted him, completely by surprise: it was an elegant eye mask that was embroidered with plant-like patterns, decorative branches protruded fittingly around his front quills. It was much easier to tie the silk knot behind his head, compared to the ascot. With a self-assuring huff, he was ready. 

Navigating around the castle felt daunting without Blaze. She had told him the night prior to not wait for her, as she would be occupied with beginning the festivities with her parents, to Silver’s worry. Thankfully, she had also taken the time to guide him from his guest room to the Grand Ballroom, several times, making absolutely sure to avoid losing himself. She was always ready for anything. So, he gathered his courage to keep moving forward, remembering the path they had practiced and using his ears to follow the faint music in the distance. 

Eventually, the hedgehog was certain he was in the right place, once the flock of well-dressed people became more and more noticeable. He tried his best to avoid anyone in particular that chatted among themselves, not wanting any unnecessary interactions, observing the extravagant outfits they wore was likely a show of status. A growing feeling of being out of place crept up his spine, he absolutely did not want to be noticed. Thankfully, while the hedgehog felt intimidated by the guards mindlessly watching the growing crowd, they welcomed him like any other at the immense entrance of the ballroom. It was fittingly grand: the roof painted with intricate mythical figures, crystal chandeliers glowed a moody orange hue, occasionally broken by pillars powerfully holding the interior structures which stretched to the walls and colourful glass windows. Several antique chairs were set near the walls, letting people sit and chat after picking at the vast variety of hors d’oeuvres placed elegantly on long tables, servants welcoming the guests to try the enticing food. Silver stood for several moments in absolute awe at the sight, until a sudden “excuse me” shook him out of his astonishment, as he let the speaker pass whatever he was blocking. He swallowed hard, trying to regain his composure in such an overwhelming environment, wishing Blaze was by his side. No, you have to keep it together, without her. 

On cue, the lights began to dim and a deafening silence invaded the entire room. Suddenly, a flurry of flames illuminated the stage where musicians had been previously playing, gasps followed. Then, the King and Queen had made their powerful presence known. 

“Ladies and Gentlemen!” King Raymond began, his voice booming through the entire ball. “Thank you all for attending this year’s Hallow’s Eve!”

“As you all know, traditions require all of you to participate in the Trial of Trick.” Though much calmer, Queen Creselia’s voice also exuded great power. “This year, Hallow has taken the face of our most cherished member of the Royal Family: Blaze Sol the Cat.”

Continuing with the theatrical mood of the night, two masked women abruptly appeared on stage, through some sort of lever from the flooring: One wore a dark princely attire with a pumpkin mask that smiled with uncanny joy, which covered her entire head – the other wore a rather large orange princess dress with a depressed pumpkin mask. The both of them matched in colour with intricate orange and black details, a clear symbol for Blaze’s high stature in the royal family. However, it was impossible to tell who was who, as the both gracefully bowed to the audience below. Gasps, claps and general excitement filled the room as the mysterious special event of the night had begun. Silver had heard of a quiz, but not that it would be about  finding out the real Blaze. Why didn’t she say so earlier? A cold sweat ran across his back, if he knew beforehand he wouldn’t have imposed himself to be invited to something so embarrassing for her. Maybe it was because it was so embarrassing that she never explained it?

“Ten citizen-submitted questions have been placed all around this very ballroom! Those will be your clues and will be revealed who answered what, at the end of the night.” The lion emperor continued. “Now, you all should know that the one with the most correct guesses shall receive a special prize for this event! A personal gift from the Sol Empire, as a sign of peace.” He waved proudly towards his wife. 

“A brooch, symbol of our alliance and friendship.”

Just as asked, the queen uncovered what she had been hiding in her hands, unveiling the prize in question: it was a ruby and gold brooch with the Sol Empire’s crest embedded on the inside. More gasps and applause followed. However, Silver only felt the pressure for the situation at hand.

“Now, there are simple rules. You may additionally ask one question to the Hallows, however, neither will be able to speak. You will be marked onto your mask for asking said question.” The King explained dutifully. “The rest of your deduction will only be based on the clues you will find in this ballroom, as I’ve said before. All must be done before the twelfth ring of midnight.”

“And remember… This is a night of tricks and treats. Be vigilant for not everything is as it seems… however, do make sure to have fun.” The queen concluded, bowing deeply.

A roar of cheers loudly filled the entire area, as both royals excused themselves from the stage, with only the two doppelgangers remaining. Slowly keeping up with the other, they descended to the regular floor, mimicking each other’s movements with great poise. This was clearly a well practiced performance, however, it only made Silver more nervous about the night ahead. No matter how much his eyes focused on each of their mannerisms, nothing particularly off came to the hedgehog’s mind. A group of nobles began to gather around them, while a pang of guilt weighed heavy in his stomach. This has to be overwhelming for her too. Despite being a non-competitive person, something about this situation made him feel immense pressure to win at all costs. So, instead of focusing on the seemingly twin princesses, he tried to find the aforementioned clues.

Searching around the immense ballroom, Silver tried his best to avoid any crowds or to at least find any familiar faces. Not that it would be particularly easy with everyone wearing masks, but the hedgehog tried his best anyway. Thankfully, a keen and familiar eye noticed him first.

“Oh, I see the suit still fits you even better than I could imagine!” 

The voice of the cheerful elderly woman made his ears perk up. Once he had turned around to face her, Silver had noticed the lovely brown gown she wore with a matching copper moon-shaped mask and wooden feathered fan. Underneath her mask was the recognizable cream and platinum blond moth that created the very suit he wore: Madame Sylkia, the royal seamstress. 

“M-Madame… Sylkia?” He answered hesitantly.

“The one and only, dear!” The moth giggled. “So how are you faring, this lovely evening? Enjoying the festivities so far?”

“Uh… it’s a bit overwhelming.” He admitted sheepishly. “B-But, I’m trying to figure things out. Any clue you could give me?”

“Well, I was the one who personally dressed Princess Blaze and her doppelganger. So, it would be cheating if I gave you any information on the matter.” 

“... Please? Just a hint?” Silver whined.

The seamstress sighed, as she fanned herself, unable to resist his puppy-dog eyes – a well learnt skill from Amy that even Blaze could never resist.

“Well… I may direct you to the clues, this area is quite large.” 

“Y-Yeah… I’m kinda lost on that.” He awkwardly rubbed the back of his head.

“Why don’t you start by getting yourself something to eat? I’m sure you’ll find something useful there.” She pointed with a delicate wave of her fan. 

“Thank you Madame Sylkia! Oh, I should-...” He trailed off, remembering that it was courtesy to bow.

“Of course, it’s always my pleasure to help a young gentleman such as yourself.” She giggled and then returned a playful bow. “Sir Silver.”

Being called something so formal made him chuckle, shyly scratching at his cheek with his index. It sounded too ridiculous for someone as simple as him – it didn’t fit him at all. But, before he could mull over the thought, the seamstress jokingly shooed him to make his way onward. After another bow, excusing himself, he left th elderly moth, as another short giggle escaped her. At the very least, Silver was relieved that the etiquette lessons Blaze had given him over the last few days were to Sylkia’s approval.

As he headed towards one of the banquet tables, he absolutely couldn’t resist the extravagant food before him. The hedgehog’s stomach growled in response, begging him to help himself to at least trying one plate. It was indescribably delicious, unlike anything he’s ever eaten, everything simply melting with delicate flavours. After calming his cravings, the hedgehog noticed how some nobles began forming groups at the ends of the table, chatting among themselves. Looking closer, Silver realized that they were surrounding a small booth. Curiously, he approached the booth, trying his best not to be too mesmerized by the luxurious delicacies in front of him. Just as Madame Sylkia suggested, he did indeed find what he was looking for, as an elephant man surveying the booth gave the hedgehog a welcoming smile. 

“Would you like to participate in the quiz?” The elephant butler asked him with a gentle wave. 

“U-Uh… yes.” 

“Simply guess which one is the princess’s answer and write your name on this paper to participate.” He politely pointed. “Then I will submit your guess to this box, which will be named at the end of tonight’s event.”

“Okay, sure. That’s simple enough, thank you.” The hedgehog bowed.

Though caught off guard by the gesture, the elephant simply coughed as he let Silver pass to see the booth. Inside was a simple question: Who is the fake princess? He wasn’t ready for that to be asked so soon. However, remembering what the rules were, he read onward before letting his nerves get hold of him: One had answered “The other one” while the other answered “I am”. Now Silver understood, the question was a riddle, he’s seen it before – it was a common riddle to trick doppelgangers. Honestly, he chuckled a bit at the thought of almost forgetting the right response for this. This was easy, “The other one” is the correct one. Relieved, Silver signed his name and gave it to the butler, who politely bowed in return. 

“Actually, um… do you know where the rest of the quiz booths are?” The hedgehog tilted his head curiously.

“Yes, of course! They can all be found near the walls or pillars of the Grand Ballroom, all are guarded by a butler to make sure all things run fairly.”

“Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it!” Silver bowed once more.

“W-Well, you’re far too kind sir…” The butler looked at the signed note. “Sir Silver. Hm… that name is quite familiar.”

“O-Oh um… just Silver, is fine, it’s not that big of a deal.” He waved his hands in denial.

“There is no need to be so modest, Sir. Anyone invited to this masquerade is of importance.” 

“W-Well either way, I’ll be going. T-Thanks again.” The hedgehog bowed a third time, awkwardly fleeing the scene.

Silver absolutely did not want any more attention that he already received, lest he blew his cover. Risking to be questioned on how he knew Blaze, especially while he was surrounded by nobles, was a risk he was not willing to take. Quickly, he roamed around the ballroom to find the mentioned butlers, trying his best to keep himself unnoticed among the crowds enjoying the festivities. There were glimpses of what Blaze and her twin-of-the-night were doing, however, they were always surrounded by people. He resolved himself to find, as fast as possible, all of the remaining questions on the quiz. 

The second, found at an aforementioned pillar, asked for the princesses’ real handwriting: one was extremely intricate cursive, something that stereotypically resembled medieval fonts – the other was a much simpler cursive, which seemed much more efficient and elegant. Thankfully, Silver intimately knew Blaze’s handwriting and guessed for the second option. Many of the guests debated thoughtfully on the matter, as if it was a serious discussion to make. However, the hedgehog held his tongue on giving any of his opinions, lest they ask why he would know something so personal about the princess. The third he had found was under a large picture of what the butler explained was the eldest King of the Sol Empire, which fit the next question of the Empire’s mantra. Unfortunately for everyone, they had both answered the same: Power, Protection and Peace. This was apparently somewhat common knowledge, to the complaint of the participating guests and to Silver’s well-hidden obliviousness. Regardless, they still had to guess, it was an unfortunate fifty-fifty chance to take. The fourth question was much simpler, asking what was the best meal the princess ever had: One answered “Tonight’s meal” – the other was “Fisherman’s pie”. Although what he had eaten tonight certainly gave a run for its money, Silver knew how much Blaze loved fish. A memory flashed before him of a few years prior. Vanilla had made this delicious pie that was savory instead of sweet, something neither Silver or Blaze knew was possible beforehand. He remembered how surprised she was when tasting it, saying that she would eat this for the rest of her life, if she could, with one of the brightest smiles the hedgehog had ever seen. The memory made his heart flutter. Stop thinking about that. He tried his best to focus as he almost ran to the next booth. 

The fifth clue asked for the twin royals’ biggest accomplishment: One had mentioned caring for her people – the other revealed that making friends around the world was hers. This was a rather difficult one to guess, for Silver, as both could be reasonably correct. He tried to remember his many conversations with his dear friend. Of course, the princess cared deeply for her people and her loved ones, it was always something she took pride in. However, he also remembered that her responsibility to her citizens was an innate duty. Blaze had never described it as an accomplishment, but rather something she had to do. Thus, he guessed for the second answer. The sixth question was also incredibly obvious to him, asking for what the princess was the least skillful at: One answered cooking, while the other dubiously answered nothing. Of course, someone who only knew Blaze through reputation would guess the second, but it was a pompous choice. Everyone is bad at something, even Blaze. It wasn’t something she was ever ashamed about, as proud as she was, the princess had always admitted her flaws. Although, he had remembered how desperate she was to remedy this particular flaw of hers, taking several cooking lessons from both Vanilla and Amy, to no avail. He remembered what she had told him when she finally gave up, after months of practice.

“At least… There's one good cook in this house. I can’t be perfect at everything.” Her echoed laugh reverberated in his mind. “I can rely on you for cooking. Right, Silver?”

It was so strange knowing her so intimately, he only just realized how strange it was. Surrounded by the most important people to the kingdom, none that he had ever met, and yet, he was the one who shared with her the most important moments to him. Even though they were small, simple and domestic moments, no one had ever known the Blaze he’d known. No, don’t think like that, it’s not like that. He tried his best to ignore his embarrassing thoughts, however, he could sense eyes behind his back growing ever closer. Suddenly, he was surrounded, he wasn’t sure when or how he hadn’t noticed before, but nobles had begun surrounding him. Many were simply curious, though some gave a clear air of entitlement as to why an unknown person such as him seemed to know the princess so much. In fact, one luxurious fox woman entirely dressed in white and pearl jewelry made herself known. It was as if his biggest fear had brought shape. 

“... And what about you? ” She announced indignantly, as if cutting herself mid-sentence. 

“Uh… w-what?”

“Don’t play coy with me, I’ve seen you running around answering so quickly. You seem quite confident, so answer me: what answer did you submit?” She demanded.

Silver had tried so hard to not make himself be noticed that he realized that perhaps answering so much of the quiz in such quick succession… maybe he had made himself even more noticeable. Oh no.

“U-Um I just… I just answered with my gut.” He fumbled.

“What a pitiful excuse! You are simply taking such random guesses? Have you no respect for the royal family?” The fox woman yelled angrily.

“I’m not lying.” Silver firmly answered, though immediately deflated. “I-I just think saying that you're bad at nothing isn’t like her.” He tried finding an excuse to hide how much he knew her.

“ How outrageous! ” She gasped, the crowd doing the same.

“L-Lady Opal…” Another younger grey fox whined in shame, perhaps a family member or an acquaintance of hers.

“Don’t try to stop me, I’ve never seen this man and yet he-...” She suddenly trailed off, frozen.

It seemed like the group had suddenly froze with her, turning their heads past Silver. He jerked his head behind him, the twin masked princesses stood with an indiscernible presence. However, it did make the crowd’s confidence wane. 

“P-Princess, surely you can answer this conundrum before us.” The rude fox cleared her throat. “This unknown hedgehog claims to know you better than us. Surely someone of your stature cannot possibly have any faults to your name.”

But neither Blaze or her doppelganger moved a single muscle, whichever they were.

“S-Sister…” the young fox interjected. “You know well that they cannot speak, let alone reveal the answers to the quiz.”

“Fine. Then, how about this? Who is this incredulous hedgehog?”

The princely twin simply put an exasperated hand to her hip, wordlessly shifting her head towards the other. However, the glamorous twin only firmly grasped the arm of the other, who took it as a signal to simultaneously move forward. Both of them approached the fox to make a point to mark her mask with a wax stamp, as the rules demanded, if a guest asked them a question. Then the two princesses approached Silver, patting him on the shoulders with a strange synchronicity, making some sort of motion to write. Flustered, the butler who was guarding the booth quickly provided them with pen and paper. Soon after, they had finished writing and showed it to the gathered folk with confidence: Silver the Hedgehog, my friend. The crowd gasped and the white fox who had accused him of disrespect had the colour to her face fade even more than it already had. He wondered if Blaze had prepared for something like this to happen. She was always ready for anything. 

“I know that man!” Someone suddenly exclaimed. “He was the one to personally help  Princess Blaze defeat Iblis and return her to our world!”

“Yes! He had also helped many times to combat the nefarious Doctor Eggman Nega!” Another person shouted.

“Please forgive my sister, Princess, if she had known…” The young fox bowed deeply.

Though not apologizing out loud, the older fox matched her sister’s deep bow, grinding her teeth in a frustration Silver wasn’t sure was directed at him, Blaze or herself. Regardless, many others began to notice the commotion, overwhelming him into being frozen with anxiety. As though they could sense his distress, the two royals began dragging his arm away from the flock, while they distracted each other with the many accomplishments of Silver through Blaze. 

Hiding behind a pillar, the hedgehog could finally take a moment to breathe. Being alone with her – well, with both of her – was a little unnerving. He knew the rules demanded that she would not speak, and knowing Blaze, she would stick to them. Still, Silver tried to find something to say to them, scratching his face.

“U-Um… Thanks Blaze, a-and Blaze.” He chuckled sheepishly. “I tried not making myself too noticeable. But, I guess that backfired huh?”

Wordlessly, the happy-masked princess offered a reassuring pat on the shoulder, while the sad-masked one simply shook her head. It was so strange how different their reactions were, but he couldn’t entirely tell without plausible deniability who was the real one.

“You two must’ve practiced a lot to act so similarly. Even your costumes completely hide everything too! -I-It’s kind of uncanny.” He paused with a hesitated retraction. “N-Not that it’s a bad thing! At least, I’ll make sure to get all the quiz answers right!” He regained his confidence, though realizing how it sounded. “O-Or else… I’d be a really bad friend, right?” He admitted sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

Still keeping their vow of silence, it was the happy-mask’s turn to shake her head with a small shrug, while the sad-masked royal stifled a laugh. It was a little strange seeing such a depressing mask clearly refrain herself from laughing, adding a bit of ridiculousness to their situation, he couldn’t help but chuckle a bit too. Suddenly, the princess pointed at a direction Silver followed with his eyes, she was pointing at another booth which was much less crowded. The other one encouraged him to follow with a light wave and he did as asked, after making absolutely sure that the coast was clear. 

Once the friendly triad had arrived, the butler guarding the next question was surprised to see them together, but obliged nonetheless. There lies the seventh, somewhat vain, question of their most expensive possession: One had answered a family memento, the other answered what they were currently wearing. Observing the two, who remained motionless by refusing to give away any hints, Silver could attest that what they were wearing was obviously expensive, describing their outfit as luxurious was an understatement. However, could this ever beat something as precious as a memento from the Royal Family? He thought otherwise, anyway. Still, no matter how much he looked at them for confirmation, they gave him nothing. Please be the right answer. Still, after he had finished submitting it, the two had moved onto the next booth, waving forward for Silver to follow them. They remained the same for the next few questions, although a large group had begun forming behind them again. Although, despite the questioning, as the rumours of the “famous” Silver the Hedgehog had clearly invaded the ballroom for guests to see with their own eyes, the two Blaze’s made sure to distract them with their own status. Thankfully, it was enough time for him to answer the eighth question: Would you prefer having more time or more freedom? Both had answered differently, which didn’t exactly make the hedgehog’s job any easier. Feeling the pressure of the barely contained wave of nobles and his friendship with Blaze on his shoulders, he thought long of what she would answer. Blaze was the type of person to do what she believed in. Frankly, the hedgehog wasn’t sure if a lack of freedom would ever stop her from achieving her goals. Besides, if her parents let her pass months with little notice in an entirely separate dimension, perhaps freedom wasn’t her main concern. Suddenly, he remembered his late-night conversation with her, a month ago, about when she would become queen and what she would do before then. Why was this conversation plaguing his mind lately?

“But… before then, I'd like to experience everything I can. I'd love to go around the world, try all of their foods and participate in all of their cultures. Maybe have a big party with all our friends before I have to leave for good.” He remembered how her hopeful eyes had shifted into a soft sadness. “I'll miss them…”

Of course, once she would become queen, she would have less freedom, but before then – before then – she wanted to spend as much time experiencing all she could. She wanted more time. It was obvious to him now. It was funny even, in a sad kind of way, how they had both felt the sands of time slipping through their fingers. Ironic.  

Moving on, the Blaze’s urging Silver forward and out of his thoughts, they rushed him to the final two questions. The ninth booth seemed to be already amassing a large crowd, nobles debating on their answer, which made the hedgehog all the more nervous. As the trio of friends were already attempting to make the hedgehog as comfortable as possible, by avoiding any large gathering of people, it seemed like this was inevitable. Once he had read the question, however, it had all made sense. Asking the princess “What would you change in this empire, once you become Queen of Sol?” was bound to create controversy. Unfortunately, the doppelgangers' answers to the question had obviously not helped the situation: one answering nothing, but the other answered in great detail how she would encourage more open-mindedness to other traditions. Silver was utterly screwed if anyone would see his answer, which he immediately knew. Blaze had always been a force of change, and to royalty that valued order, it would be perceived as accepting chaos. It was blasphemous, disorderly, unprecedented, a complete disrespect to Sol’s values, etc., etc… Their frantic debates proved as much, however, it was a thankful distraction that no one had noticed either of their presence. Still, Silver couldn’t stand hearing others that knew nothing of the real Blaze beyond her status and power, disheartening couldn’t even begin to describe his frustration. 

Without thinking, he took both of their wrists and ran away from the situation, unable to hear another word from the group of debaters. He hadn’t stopped until he accidentally bumped into another quiz booth. The look the butler had given him made the hedgehog realize that he was still holding the princesses’ wrists, immediately retracting his hands in embarrassment. Oh, Chaos, what did he do? Still, the butler ignored the predicament, clearing his throat instead, as the twins simply stifled a laugh. The tenth and final question was simple, asking for their greatest skill: One answered fighting and the other answered dancing. It was, of course, a trick answer. Silver knew all too well how her fighting style was first influenced by ballet as it was her truest greatest skill. Remembering his waltz practice with Blaze, a couple days prior, made his stomach flutter. No, focus. He forced his mind away from any flustering thoughts, realizing there were more important things at hand. Despite being fairly confident in answering the entire quiz correctly, he was still no closer to actually guessing who of the two was the real Blaze, they mimicked each other too perfectly. Suddenly, the poofy-dressed princess tapped him on the shoulder and pointed at his mask. 

“H-Huh? What are you…? Oh!”

The realization came to him like a light-bulb suddenly being illuminated, he hadn’t been marked yet, as he hadn’t asked them a question. He needed to think of something that only Blaze knew, however, considering how they had previously answered that fox woman, they would both write the same thing. So, it couldn’t be something they could answer in writing, they could easily trick him. What was something that Blaze did that couldn’t be tricked and that only she knew? The question stumped him, thinking so hard about Blaze did not help the situation. All his mind returned to was the embarrassing feelings he had for her, which were especially invasive during their dance practice. Stop thinking about that, you need to focus. But, in vain, the image of her losing herself in the music with her beautifully content expression harassed his heart. Wait, that's it! She loses herself in music when she dances. 

“O-Okay, here’s my question. Could you two dance?” He asked sheepishly.

“You're asking the princess to dance? How bold!”

The sudden unfamiliar voice nearly gave him a heart attack. Silver hadn’t realized that by the time he was thinking of a question, they had been surrounded by nobles once more. The two princesses blocked his view i a protective manner, keeping the crowd from suffocating them. Quickly, he tried his best to rectify the situation.

“N-Not with me! With each other! I-I just want to see who’s the better dancer.” He awkwardly explained.

“It’s true! The princess is known to be a great dancer!” Someone pointed cheerfully.

“Indeed. An ingenious idea from Princess Blaze’s greatest ally, Sir Silver the Hedgehog!” Another cheered.

Though the nobles approved of his decision, Silver couldn’t help but still feel very overwhelmed by the situation, especially feeling the expectations of being called “sir” in front of his full name. Still, the two princesses nodded at each other and headed for the centre of the room, where most people were already dancing. Seeing the large number of people following them, it somehow stopped the tracks of all those who were dancing, the room suddenly chattering even louder at the scene. It had even gathered the attention of the King and Queen, as they both raised their hand towards the musicians to stop. The room echoed with excitement and curiosity, until the princely twin snapped her fingers in indication for the music to change into a familiar tune. It was the song Silver and Blaze had practiced, he understood that it was a tradition in the Sol Empire. The two princesses bowed to each other, before getting into proper position and began to elegantly waltz.

It was nothing like how Silver had practiced, clearly dancing in much more advanced techniques than he did with Blaze. Their movement was fluid, as if they were both barely gliding across the marble flooring. “Jealousy” wasn't the exact correct word he was looking for, but he couldn’t help himself from internally kicking himself for not dancing with her instead. Still, perhaps this was the better decision, as the two of them clearly outshown anything he could have done. He definitely wouldn’t have the courage to lift Blaze in an elegant twirl. So, he instead contented himself with imagining how, with enough practice, he could dance with her like that, one day. Come on, focus. Remembering that the reason he had asked them both to dance with each other was to observe how Blaze would eventually lose herself in the music. However, a small panic settled in the back of his mind, once he had realized that he could not see her face and how they seemed equally matched in technique, despite the princely twin taking the masculine role of their dance. However, he wouldn't give up yet, he absolutely needed to win and figure out the real Blaze. So, he kept his eyes focused on them, as they spiralled beautifully around the ballroom. Suddenly, the music began flourishing as it did when he had listened to the song before. This is it. The musicians energetically picked up the rhythm as the song became faster, which the doppelgangers effortlessly matched. They crossed their hands in complicated formation and twirled against each other. However, the glamorous princess with the saddened mask began twirling around the other in an almost ballet-like hop, beginning to take the lead into the dance. The princely twin barely managed to keep up and caught the other by the waist into another short jump. But the glamorous twin did not stop with her unmatched energy, completely lost in the moment, as if the other simply wasn’t there. That’s her, that's Blaze.  

The song cheerfully ended with the both of them gracefully posing in a bow, which followed a barrage of loud applauds. Despite both their great showing of skill, Silver knew the truth – the real Blaze was the one with the large poofy dress. As if on cue, the great clock began to ring, it was now midnight. 

Now that the event was over, the two rulers of the empire loudly announced for everyone to gather in front of the stage, once more. It took a few moments for all of the butler guards to bring the boxes of answers they had surveyed for the booth, onto the stage.

“I hope you’ve all enjoyed this exciting Hallow’s Eve!” King Raymond began. “It is now time to gather everyone’s participating results.”

“We shall remind you that the one with the most answers may guess who the real Princess Blaze is and, if answered correctly, shall receive this brooch as an offering of our friendship.” Queen Creselia continued.

“Now, each of our butlers shall announce the names of the ones who correctly guessed each answer.”

They all bowed deeply, before announcing each name. Silver hadn’t recognized a single one, but they all seemed as extravagant as noble names could be. Still, he hadn’t realized how embarrassing it would be for another person to keep referring to him as the full title of “Sir Silver the Hedgehog, over and over. He knew he answered correctly every question, his name  being repeatedly exclaimed was evidently proof of it, but he couldn’t help but feel anxiety rising inside of him with every announcement. The only one he hadn’t answered correctly was the third question, but that one was only up to chance, and with his luck, he wasn’t surprised. But, with only one wrong answer, he was quite proud of himself. Somehow, he was still surprised by the result of it all. 

“And the first winner is, Sir Silver the Hedgehog!” The king loudly cheered. “Come on, now, and come to the stage!”

Somehow, he had forgotten that through all of this, it would only exacerbate the attention he would receive. Though the guests clapped and cheered at his success. He couldn’t help but feel immensely flustered. Still, he did as asked and walked up to the stage’s stairs, King Raymond had pulled him in far too suddenly. 

“Now, who is the real princess? Remember if you guess incorrectly, the next person with the most correct answers will replace you.” The queen explained dutifully.

“Y-Yeah, I know. I know who it is.”

“Then go ahead, dear.”

Silver swallowed hard. Of course, he knew. However the pressure of having such a spotlight made him hesitate for a moment. However, he trusted himself, he couldn’t change his mind when his heart was already so sure. Shakily, he pointed at the sad-masked princess, unable to say another word. The musicians, in anticipation, began to roll their drums, light flickering in every which way around the princess and her doppelganger, until she removed her mask and revealed… Blaze! 

The crowd loudly erupted into gasps, cheers and applause, once more, as Blaze bowed theatrically and her twin revealed herself to be a lilac bat woman, matching the princess’ bow. He did it. He really did it. An exhausted sigh involuntarily escaped his lips, as he nearly felt like collapsing then and there. However, with Blaze’s – the real Blaze – comfort, she firmly grasped his shoulders with equal relief and pride. His heart almost stopped at how close they were, noticing how her hair swayed beautifully across her face, and the bright red makeup that adorably coloured her cheeks and lips.

“I’m glad I could always rely on you, Silver.” She beamed.

“Yeah, good job out there. She told me a bit about you, but I’m very impressed.” The bat patted him on the back.

“T-Thanks. I mean… it’s not that big a deal, is it?” 

“Give yourself some credit, dear.” the queen interjected. “And accept this gift.”

“You best take good care of it!” The king laughed heartily.

“O-Of course, I will! I-It’s… an honour!”

Silver carefully took the brooch and clipped it onto his suit, it gleamed beautifully with a ruby glow. The crowd hadn’t stopped cheering, and, in honour of the Hallow’s Eve ending, Blaze had offered a hand to give one final bow, which he gladly accepted. It almost reminded him of how theatrical events did a similar gesture, at the end of their performance. Despite the unwanted attention, he couldn’t help but feel his heart full of proud accomplishment.

“Now, for an encore!” The lion royal suddenly demanded.

“W-What? There’s more?” Silver 

“It’s more of a simple tradition. For saving – though only in pretend – our princess, you may now take her to a final dance.” The elder cat explained calmly.

“A-A dance?” He panicked a little more.

“You don’t need to worry, Silver. It doesn’t need to be as complex as I did with my Hallow.” Blaze reassured him.

“B-But I…”

He wasn’t ready for something like this, especially not so suddenly and even less so in front of so many people. Still, Blaze invited him with a gentle hand, as the crowd cheered louder. The hedgehog felt his heart pounding wildly, as he hesitated to take her hand. But, he shouldn’t. He hadn’t had the time to practice since did with her. He would embarrass her, it would be shameful to dance so poorly with someone with so much expectations on her shoulders, he could never reach something so high. If he had more time he-... More time? Was it ever about time? How much time had he wasted? How many times had he let things slip away? Why couldn’t he ever worry about the here and now? Enough about time. It didn’t even feel like a real word anymore.

“... Okay.” 

Silver finally resigned to do something for himself, for once, and took her hand. The proud smile his dear friend had given him made the entire world disappear. Though his ears could hear the music beginning once more, it muffled into the background, his senses only focusing on her. He let his body move in a determination to take every step with precise precaution. Before he knew it, they were dancing, swaying and twirling around the stage with an elegance that surprised even him. Maybe it was because his surroundings had melted away, in favour of his eyes entirely locked to hers. Though, the back of his mind wanted to shout anxieties and insecurities at him, nothing but his deep love for Blaze filled his heart. 

For now, it was just the two of them.

~~~~~~

Though the event had long since ended, a few lurkers still chatted among themselves before fully emptying the ballroom. Some approached Blaze and her “Hallow” – the lilac bat was actually named Crystal, apparently a well known performer – but it was nothing more than short pleasantries. Silver mostly kept to himself, the embarrassment of dancing with Blaze in front of hundreds catching up to him a mere few minutes after the whole ordeal. He said nothing but short thanks to anyone who briefly approached him to compliment his performance, avoiding any eye contact. Why did he do that? However, Blaze’s sudden tap on his shoulder nearly gave him a heart attack all over again, though he tried his best to hide it.

“Alright, I'm quite tired of tonight… aren’t you?” She asked him, oblivious to his inner turmoil.

“Y-Yeah… It was a lot more than I could handle…” He admitted sheepishly.

“Same here…” Blaze yawned. “I could definitely use some sleep for the next few days.” She joked, stifling a laugh.

“ I wish . I still got work tomorrow.”

“Ah… I’d almost forgotten. I’m sorry Silver, I hadn’t meant to keep you so late.” Her expression quickly changed into regret.

“I-It’s okay! You know me and sleep is like a never-ending battle.” He joked trying to keep the light-hearted mood. 

“Mh, then… How about we talk a bit on our way to your room? We haven’t had the time to speak much, considering the circumstances.” A gentle smile returned to her lips.

“Y-Yeah, sure! You can catch me up on everything, and honestly I have so many questions on how you managed to do all that.”

“Do you, now?” She giggled. “Well, then that makes two of us.”

Without any warning, Blaze had slipped an arm around his and began leading the way forward, as if it was a completely normal thing to do – as if it didn’t almost kill him. However, Silver wouldn’t dare say a word about it, letting the warm sensation fill his chest and cheeks. So, without anyone’s knowledge, the slow steps of the two friends echoed into the dark castle hallways, as they quietly chattered about their perspective of tonight’s event. 

“How long have you been practicing for this, anyway?” He finally asked.

“Technically, we had started recruiting for a proper Hallow a few months ago, when I last had to return to Sol.” Blaze began explaining. “But after finding Lady Crystal and giving her instruction on how to… play, as me… We hadn’t seriously practiced together until a week ago.”

“ A-A week ago!? So, when I visited?”

“I had completely forgotten about it, honestly, until my parents mentioned it when they invited you for dinner.” She laughed quietly. 

“Oh geez… but still… j-just a week and I almost couldn't tell which one was the real you?” The hedgehog whined, feeling ashamed of himself.

“You don’t have to beat yourself over it, Silver.” The feline patted his arm with her other hand. “Lady Crystal is one of the greatest imitators in the Empire. She’s known to memorize entire plays in mere days , all while perfectly embracing the character.”

“Oh wow… I-I guess that makes sense.” 

There was a brief moment of silence between them, as Blaze stifled another laugh. The complete quietness of the entire castle made Silver anxiously question if it was possible for her to hear how loudly his heart was beating.

“You should know…” She suddenly began. “I didn’t think you would actually answer them all correctly. I didn’t expect you to.” 

“I-I mean… I know. I-I just thought it was the right thing to do.” He reassured her.

“I didn’t mean to put so much pressure on you, Silver. Tonight was just supposed to be fun.”

“I-I know. You weren’t pressuring me.”

“I’d even put several trick questions, knowing most would get them wrong.” She sighed.

“I know, it was fine.”

“One of them was a riddle .”

“I know.”

“There were even some things I wasn't sure anyone would know.”

“I know.”

“ Silver… ”

“Y-Yeah?”

Blaze had abruptly stopped walking, making him panic as he thought maybe said something wrong. He turned to face her, searching for anything he could’ve upset her, but her expression was obscured by her hair, as she didn’t look at him. 

“This is your room.” Blaze finally pointed.

“O-Oh. Right…”

There was another quiet pause, as Silver struggled to find something to say. He didn’t want to leave her just yet, he wanted to say something – something that burned in his chest.

“Silver…?”

“H-Huh?”

“... I’m not that much of an open book, am I?” Her question came like a whine.

“I’m… not sure what you’re talking about.”

“The quiz. You didn’t randomly guess, did you?” There was frustration in her voice.

“O-Of course not! I really put some thought before answering anything!” He corrected, though mildly embarrassed, for admitting as much.

“And you answered every single one without fail…”

“I-I just… remember the things you say.”

“You remember everything I say? To the point of nearly making yourself the enemy of the entire Empire for daring to say that I have flaws and that I would make changes to the kingdom once I become its ruler?”

“I-I guess so…” 

“And yet you couldn’t tell which one was the real me, up until your last question…” The princess sighed to herself.

“S-Sorry…” He scratched the back of his head regretfully.

“No, don’t apologize… As I've said before, Lady Crystal’s talent is unmatched.” Blaze shook her head. “But… this also raises more questions.”

“L-Like what?”

“... Why don’t we continue our discussion inside?”

“I-In my room?”

“Of course, it’s a lot more private, than talking in the hallway. Besides, it wouldn’t be the first time. We’ve talked in your room plenty, back home.” She waved him forward, as she opened the door.

The way she described their apartment as “home” sent warm chills down his spine.

“B-But, what if someone notices that you’re not in your room?” Silver protested immediately.

“ No one is allowed in my private quarters.” She pointed gravely. “Even if someone knocked, they’d only assume I’d fallen asleep. It is past midnight, afterall.”

That had kept his mouth shut, as Blaze insisted on pulling him inside the room with her. When she was like that, there wasn’t anything to protest. However, he couldn’t help but feel awkward, standing in anxiety, while she sat onto the bed, her princess dress gently puffing around the edge. He swallowed nervously, forcing his mouth to say something – anything.

“So… w-what did you want to ask?”

“Right… I…” There was a strange hesitance in her voice. “I wanted to know how you figured it out. How did you know which one was the real me by dancing?”

“W-Well… you’re the best dancer I know, for one. H-Honestly, it caught me off guard how much Crystal and you were pretty evenly matched.”

“True… I had let her take the lead, and practiced dancing with her, to mask my skill.” She nodded.

“T-That's the thing… you were pretty evenly matched, up until the song picked up.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I just… S-Sorry if this sounds embarrassing, but… I noticed something when you dance. You do this thing… where…” It strained him to admit it out loud. “Where you completely lose yourself.”

“ W-What? ” She let out a flustered gasp, covering her mouth for being so loud.

“I-In the music!” He awkwardly clarified. “You just… start going with the flow and dance so passionately , you even forget that you’re dancing with me- ” A fumble. “I-I… I’ll shut up now.”

At this point, it became a competition of who became redder and Silver’s face was giving a run for Blaze’s makeup money. His suit was beginning to feel a lot more uncomfortable, forcing him to loosen his ascot. They said nothing for a long while, until he began to hear Blaze’s gentle laughter.

“Why do you always notice such strange things about me?”

“I-It’s not strange!” He defended himself, though his confidence waned. “… Is it?”

“I’m not saying you’re strange for noticing. It’s just… sometimes, it’s like you have the power to read my mind.” She shifted herself awkwardly, sighing again.

“I-It’s nothing like that! I-I just… we’ve known each other for so long, so I notice things.”

“Really? Why don’t we put that to the test? Come here.” She joked, patting the bed for him to sit.

Nervously, he obliged. Silver knew she was just joking, but he couldn’t help but feel some sort of indescribable tension. There was a pressure to blurt out everything that he felt about her, despite still being unable to say anything on the matter. He tried focusing instead on the waves that peacefully crashed onto the moonlight shore. However, when Blaze let her head rest onto his shoulder, she certainly made keeping his mouth shut a challenge. 

“What am I thinking about now?”

“Like I said, I-I can’t actually read your mind, Blaze.”

“Try anyway.”

“O-Okay, well… you’re tired.”

“That is true.” She yawned. “But, that much is obvious… anything else?”

“I-I don’t know…”

“Silver…” 

Blaze shifted herself away from his side, lifting herself back into a more proper sitting position. The warmth that fled from him felt as if the cool night breeze would freeze him to death. However, it quickly returned tenfold, as she swiftly reached for the back of his head and gracefully undid the knot to his mask, letting it gently fall between them. His heart nearly exploded out of his chest, erasing any courage he had amassed to tell her anything. Silver hadn’t realized how much of a barrier his mask had given him and, now, he was nothing but a pile of mush, in front of his most beloved person.

“Silver, you’re completely red.”

“S-Sorry…” He barely managed to respond, his mouth feeling like bags of sand.

“Don’t apologize… I’m being quite embarrassing, tonight, aren’t I?” She chuckled.

“Y-You’re not embarrassing.”

“If you knew what I was thinking, you wouldn’t be able to deny it.”

His mind worked at incredible speed, trying to understand what she meant. His eyes shifted between her and the floor, also keeping himself from thinking about anything that could fluster him more than this. Any redder than this and he would die.

“Then… Could I ask you an embarrassing question, Silver?”

“S-Sure.”

“Do you…” She sighed again, brushing her hair to the side. “Do you like me?”

“ Of course , I like you.” Silver blurted.

The way her eyes widened made him regret those words.

“... As a friend?” She smiled wryly.

“I-I mean… I care a lot about you, Blaze. So… y-yeah.” He tried to recover from the situation.

“And that’s all there is to it?”

“I-I dunno…” 

The hedgehog wasn’t exactly sure of what Blaze was attempting to ask of him, but whatever she was alluding to, something about it made him feel more nervous. Whatever tension there was between them, it seemed to only be getting worse.

“Then let me ask you this…” The princess continued. “Is it normal that every time I look at you, I…” She paused. “I-I just…”

However, Blaze never finished her sentence, averting his eyes and covering her mouth instead, her cheeks becoming redder. It was completely uncharacteristic for her to do – to be so nervous. With how much she was calling him out for things, maybe… she was trying to hint at how uncomfortable it was to be friends with him. He thought he hid how much love he felt for her well enough, but it clearly wasn’t the case. Not anymore, at least. 

“Did… did I do something wrong?” He asked carefully. “I-I’m sorry I’ve been acting weird, Blaze, I just-”

“ No, Silver… I am not talking about you.” She chuckled ironically. “I’m talking about myself. ”

“H-Huh?” The hedgehog was completely stumped.

“... You still haven’t noticed?”

“Notice what?”

Blaze refused to answer with words, sighing deeply and then squeezed her fists in some strange determined huff. Suddenly, she turned to face him with a fiery glint in her eyes which, for some reason, made him involuntarily flinch ever so slightly away from her. He could only feel his heart pounding louder and louder for words that never came, until the princess placed gentle but firm hands on his cheeks. They were warm, and made his face even warmer. Silver didn’t know how to read the expression she had, her eyes low with a tender smile.

“... Does this answer your question?” She asked softly.

“I… I-I dunno…”

“ Silver… ”

The tone of her voice almost felt exasperated, but her expression remained the same. The princess wordlessly continued onward, as she began shifting herself sideways to face him fully. The way she climbed onto her knees while still holding his face nearly drove him comatose, looking at her from a higher point of view. For reasons still unbeknownst to Silver, Blaze began leaning closer and closer – his chest thumping louder and louder. Until… he finally understood. He understood, once he felt her soft lips against his, lightly colouring the corner of his mouth with her red lipstick, as he noticed it fading a shade or two. Though it was only a brief kiss, the scorched feeling on his muzzle still lingered, making his quills stand on end in complete shock, as he tried to process everything that just happened. What… just happened?

“Silver? That wasn’t… too bold of me, was it?” Blaze asked hesitantly.

“... No.” He finally answered, though still stunned.

“Then, could I… could I kiss you again?”

“ Please. ”

Though he hadn’t meant to sound so pleading, surprising the both of them, Blaze happily obliged, returning his reaction with a soft chuckle that reverberated through their lips. Silver hadn’t realized how much he longed for her, until she had kissed him, feeling his heart ache for more. The weight of his anxiety and embarrassment for feeling so deeply about his beloved friend had melted away, causing him to fall backward. He may be clumsy, but he couldn’t help yearning more. Despite it, she still followed through, laying to his side and pulling him close for another kiss, and another… and another. Each time their lips parted was as treacherous as a scorching desert, and each kiss was the relief of a bountiful oasis. It was an overwhelming feeling he had no intention of stopping, his face and torso growing hotter. They became more passionate and desperate, realizing how long they’ve wanted to do this – how long they wasted not to. However, the reality of it all suddenly hit Silver like a truck, feeling the midnight air brush against chest, realizing that he was missing his ascot and a few buttons from his vest. Before he could process how he hadn’t even noticed his state, Blaze nearly caused him to have another heart attack, as she caressed the tuft of chest hair up to his neck. It took everything in him not to purr at the touch, reflexively stopping her hand from going any further. He was absolutely and completely red.

“W-Was that that too far?” She gasped in a mild panic.

“Maybe a little… s-sorry.” He scratched his cheek sheepishly.

“You don’t have to apologize. I was… i-in the moment.” The princess paused, with a shameful expression. “I think… I may have been a little too passionate.”

“Y-You don’t have to apologize either. I-It’s fine.”

“... I’m a bit embarrassed to admit, this was sort of a long time coming.” She chuckled wryly.

“ It was? ” The hedgehog sounded a little more shocked than he meant to be. “I-I mean… h-how long?”

“You won’t make fun of me, will you?”

“Of course, I won't!"

“... A few years.” She paused again, avoiding his eyes. “Five.”

He wanted to slap himself in the face. That long!?

“But, what about you?” Blaze continued, covering her blushing face with a hand. “Surely, it couldn’t be as ridiculous.”

“U-Um…” He coughed.

“ No… ” She gasped, sitting up, but ultimately knew his silence was an answer.

“I-I thought we were in a judgment-free zone!” He whined.

“You’re right, and I apologize.” The princess composed herself, in a playful but proper posture. “Go on.”

“O-Okay, so, remember…” He swallowed. “R-Remember how you said we’ve known each other for seven years now?” 

“ Silver…! ” She gasped once more.

Though her tone had come across like she was scolding him for alluding to practically being in love with her almost since they had met, Blaze quickly shifted her expression into an ironic smile. Suddenly, his royal more-than-friend began giggling more and more, until she was fully laughing – it was the rare one she absolutely hated. She was wheezing, which abruptly cut with the occasional loud burst of squeaks, as she gasped for air while covering her mouth to suppress it, to no avail. It was the ridiculous laugh he loved most, contagiously laughing himself at this whole situation. Really, this is so stupid. It was so stupid to wait for so many years for the right time, when falling in love was a clumsy ridiculous mess. There was never going to be the right time. 

Finally calming herself, Blaze let herself crash onto Silver’s chest, nuzzling the crook of his neck. Despite already admitting to it, it still was somewhat difficult for him not to nearly explode in a flustered mess, whenever she showed him any form of affection. At least, he didn’t have to hide it anymore. Now, he could finally tell her what he truly felt in his heart.

“... I love you, Blaze.”

“I love you too, Silver.”