To fit in and avoid suspicion among the crowd, the thief must follow the townspeople's etiquette. Judging by the excitement and how eager everyone looked after getting informed of the king's announcement, he had no choice but to blend in when the time came.
When he was walking around town, it was as if he was witnessing a natural disaster for the first time in his eyes. Regardless of the crowd that swarmed into boutiques and seamstresses' shops, it was chaotic and loud enough to be called a hurricane, without anyone announcing it or posting a warning sign during this time due to the loud footsteps in the distance.
He set his mind to meeting Amy again to inform her about the masquerade. Since she had lived here for some time, she must've been aware of the situation as much as he did; he never wanted to be in the same crowd. Not after being pushed and stomped on by a bunch of ruffians whose only motive is to book a dress for the king's public event, not to protest together.
He returns to jumping on roofs again, his head swirling around dizzy as his palm rests on his forehead. This pain is worth a week in bed, he thought.
He squinted his eyes to find Amy, only to see her waving at one of the few people in the crowd. She then walked away to more space in the plaza. He could feel her releasing a tired sigh from afar. It seemed as though her eyes were tired, and she was holding onto her basket tightly.
Two people crashed into her, and she was close to falling to the floor. She gasped loudly, and luckily the cerulean managed to grab her from behind before her face fell to the ground.
She parted her lips, surprised.
"Sonic!" she exclaimed in relief.
He could hardly help smiling at her reaction. "I guess you're facing the same fate, huh?"
He helps her stand up, holding her hands firmly as she regains her composure.
"I've never seen such a huge crowd before. I swear they are calm people, but I never imagined it would be this tense..." She turns around and sees a lot more people coming into the boutique.
She then pushed Sonic aside to avoid slipping again. "Maybe it's more convenient if we head back to the cafe."
He smiled in response, "Sure. I have something to discuss with you anyway. Let's talk on the way."
She nods, not having another chance to speak again as another wave of citizens began to come running towards them. They both reached the front gate, where it was a bit quieter and more empty.
Sonic brushed off the dust that was on his shirt. Amy did the same. Fortunately, his skills were running; otherwise, he would have been tired out just like everyone else; gasping for breath and on their knees. He can only feel pity for those who don't have the same abilities. He never knew it would be this convenient in this situation.
He starts, "Do the citizens prepare themselves to 'run to the seamstress and book a dress before it's too late for this day or something?' Because I swear I saw someone running faster than me." Sonic joked and laughed along with his companion.
Amy shook her head. "No, I don't think so. They prefer to keep calm and act normally."
"Guess they're excited to see the prince, huh? What's so special about him? He's been isolated for so long and that's it." Sonic scoffs as he kicks a pebble on the path, mocking him.
"I just arrived here, so I don't know much about their history with the royals and their problems. The gossip floating around town is mostly made up and fake. You can hardly trust the residents when all they know is to spread rumors, including about the experiment case involving the prince."
His head tilted, and his eyes lit up when he heard the word 'experiment'.
"Experiment?" he repeated.
"Oh, that's the most ridiculous one I've heard. They say there are scientists in the castle and they experiment on the prince with various inventions and abilities. Some say his powers are almost too powerful for him to handle, so the servants make a daily check-up on him to make sure his health is taken care of and he can assist in the future as a king."
Sonic's mouth gaped at the information.
Is this a rumor or a true story?
"What makes you think it's ridiculous?"
"Why would anyone risk a prince's life to make him the ultimate being? In the absence of any experiments, he is still capable of becoming a king as long as he has sufficient courage and discipline to do so. Why is it that they want to perfect him? The word experiment is too much for a rumor to have.."
She yelled her whole heart out, clearly dissatisfied with the way the royal household handled Arkrenia's future king. Sonic knew that she is the type of person who would take concerned about someone's being and make sure they were doing alright. However, it's not her business to be involved. Amy would never want to see her friend hurt or get dragged into unnecessary trouble due to unwanted attention. Sonic himself has always respected that about her, yet she keeps rambling on about completely irrelevant things.
Sonic was about to say something when Amy continued to rant.
"I wonder how Princess Maria felt about the situation... I heard she was the only one who survived the Black Arms invasion and has stayed with the prince ever since. Prince Shadow must've suffered so much, and he was only a child when the event happened. I'm also excited about the masquerade, but I can't help imagining the loneliness he felt throughout the years he's been held hostage inside the same castle...."
Amy's eyes drop as she walks forward faster than Sonic could even realize.
Perhaps this rumor is true, he thought. No one would spread something like this and shakes it off as something unimportant. The mere thought of this part of the story made him even more curious about what's going on in Arkrenia, and the whole thing with the prince.
"Amy..." he whispered to her, grabbing her shoulders in the most reassuring way possible. Sonic pats her head softly and wipes the tears away from the corner of her eyes. Before calming herself, she blinks her eyes multiple times and holds the blue hedgehog's hand as well.
He lets out a low mutter, his eyes locked into hers. He grinned as he tried to comfort her from crying.
"Then let's be sure to make this masquerade successful. Make it the most unforgettable night and experience for the prince. I'm sure he would be happy to know the citizens accepted him with open arms and a welcoming gesture."
As the sunlight reflected off of both hedgehogs, Sonic saw the tears glisten on her eyelashes as her pupils dilated spectacularly in awe. Wiping her cheeks dry, she smiled to herself.
"You're right. I shouldn't be sad about the past. I should be focusing on the bright side and encouraging the citizens to do more exciting activities for the prince's welcoming party!"
He laughs it off, relieved to see her smiling again, "Then off you go! I suggest you prepare a special dessert for the prince as a gift. Maybe he could make you one of his chefs!"
"Oh, don't be silly. The moment I heard the news, I decided to cook for them! Oh, I need to make a list of what I should cook, I'll get back to you!"
She runs into the cottage with haste as Sonic stands still at the fence entrance, shaking his head. It means nothing to her what he means by declaring it an unforgettable night, or his new plan for tonight.
✧✧✧
Arkrenia is enveloped by night, and every single citizen is settling back into their rightful homes after a long, restless day at work. The shops in the streets are closed and empty except for a few lanterns which illuminate the road in red.
Wearing a dark cloak, the blue hedgehog sets out on his first journey to discover the secrets deep within the palace. Hopping on and off of roofs one after another, he made sure his running was hidden so no one could hear him. It's a wise decision he backed up a plan in his mind when he told Amy to prepare the gift for the prince. If not she would have become aware of him when he was out of sight.
He holds into the cloak tightly, not wanting his appearance to be exposed.
Without realizing it, he has arrived at the royal castle, which it's heavily guarded by guards and everything surrounding them is deep sewers with iron gates.
There is a huge wooden bridge connecting the two sides with a tall, towering wall on each side. The walls themselves are covered in different sizes of bricks. It's impossible to tell from afar what they're made of, only knowing that they are extremely thick to prevent intruders from getting through.
Luckily, that problem is immune to an expert thief like himself.
He sneaks up to the guards from behind and knocks them out with Tail's secret formula. They passed out once the lower ground was full of the intoxicating mist, and he was safe from breathing in them as he masked himself with the coat. He runs faster before he could erupt another chaos with the guards before they can ring the warning bell.
He can't afford to lose any more time.
He jumps over the walls, landing on a small building on the other side, and quickly sprints down a hallway. His footsteps echoed loud and clear in his ears. Everything seemed quiet; he didn't hear any sounds coming from the opposite rooms he walked by. As the guard on duty wasn't standing outside of the door, he entered in hopes of not finding any guards inside. Luckily for him, the door he found himself in led to what seemed to be a large room filled with shelves and boxes with papers everywhere.
He wanders off in the room before walking out again. He needed to make sure the coast in the hallway is clear from the guards looking for him. He looks in the boxes to see if there's any useful information he could use in the future. A threat, secrets, files, and anything regarding the experiment story.
When he gets his hands on the royal crown, he can expose the secret to the king and threaten him with evidence if he was accused of stealing. Or a better scenario is that he can threaten to reveal the entire truth if he doesn't listen to them and stop working for his father. He'll take great pleasure to see the old king suffer. He would be free from the accusations and complete his mission with flying colors.
While he was busy invading the shelves and making an absolute mess of the place by scattering the papers and disorganizing the books on the ground, he heard the door creak from behind; which took him by surprise. He was sure there wasn't any trace of anybody looking for him in the hallway.
He stayed frozen in place while the person behind him steps closer. He knew that if a person was caught, there is no point in running away now. When the time is right then he will.
"Don't. Move."
A husky voice was heard from behind and he could hear a sword unsheathe itself, its tip pressed onto the back of his neck. He slowly turned around, holding onto the necklace with the diamond in the center of his chest.
Sonic glanced at the sword's clean blade and the cold hilt and then looked back at the intruder whose face was hidden under his brown coat The intruder had dark quills and tanned skin, and it was obvious he didn't have many emotions whatsoever, which is understandable.
"What's an intruder like you doing here in the middle of the night?"
Sonic still hasn't turned around to see the look of the person threatening him. His face remains vigilant as he figures out an answer to their request.
He knows he won't survive if he does anything reckless like fighting back. With the sword pointed against his neck, he had no choice but to follow whatever instruction the person gives him. Besides, it is just an ordinary weapon used to defend against thieves. If his opponent wants, he could cut him without breaking a sweat.
"I was curious," the intruder replied.
The swordsman sighed in exasperation. This man was really stupid if he couldn't think of a good enough excuse or reason why.
The sword didn't move. "Curiosity killed the cat."
"Well I'm not a cat, I'm a hedgehog." the man quips as he raises his hands high, making it seem like he's given up trying anything in the room. He smirks as his mind conjures up an escape plan.
The sword was raised higher now that Sonic had triggered the person's mood. Seems like it's not the appropriate time to tell a joke.
"The time for jesting is over, thief. Leave now or I will..."
Before he could finish his threat, Sonic kicked the back of his stance and he fell to the ground unalarmed. He didn't catch a glimpse of the person's reaction or appearance due to his actions.
Finally, the thief managed to escape the room with the unknown piece of paper that managed to cling to him as he ran from corner to corner. He had no time to look at the paper now, so he stuffed it in his cloak.
It seems like everyone in the palace was passed out except the one he met earlier.
Strange. The mist should affect everyone except Sonic.
What makes the stranger any different?
He ran up to walls and obstacles in his way. As he made sure the swordsman lost track of him all the time, he could hear footsteps from behind, revealing his presence.
He had red stripes at the edge of his black quills, and he was wearing a silk blouse. There was a loud grunt coming from him, and his expression was angry. Since his eyes were so focused on the stranger, he drifted away from running, which was what he was supposed to be doing.
Quickly, Sonic ran up to the highest platform in the castle to slow him down. He looked around to discover there was no one below him, and he let out a sigh.
He was about to celebrate his victory when a mysterious person caught up with him. Sonic's smile fades when he sees the sword held close to his throat.
In contrast, the blue hedgehog fell to the ground, keeping his balance with his hands. He looked up at him to see a menacing, sinister look on the mysterious man's face, his crimson eyes flashing. His voice was deep and raspy, reminding Sonic of an animal.
He felt a familiar sensation rushing towards his heart, a sense of warmth washing over him.
"No one has ever come this deep into the palace before. Tell me," the swordsman lowers his head to stare deep into the cerulean's emerald eyes, expressionless.
"Were you hired to steal something from this place? What is it you have there?"
"It's none of your concern," he replied almost immediately.
His grip on his hilt tightened. Sonic tried hard not to flinch when a warm sensation rushed through his body. He could tell his blood was pumping faster than usual.
Even though he had never felt this way in front of anyone else except Amy, the strange feeling made his insides feel fuzzy, and his brain felt foggy.
It wasn't unpleasant or anything, but new to him. The feeling was very weird. It made him want to run around in circles for a few minutes because of how pleasant it felt.
"Do you know who I am?"
Sonic shakes his head lightly. "Should I?"
"Who did you come for?"
"To steal something from you."
There's a pause between them, where neither one says anything. After a long period of silence, the swordsman releases him from his grip before turning his gaze elsewhere. He takes a step back with his hand on the hilt of his sword, taking a step further from Sonic.
"Are you done with whatever you came for now? Please leave as soon as possible. You don't want to die here."
Sonic stares at the man with a confused expression, unsure of his true intentions. Is he asking me to leave? Is he offering me a chance at safety? But that doesn't make sense since his tone sounds more annoyed than welcoming. Does he mean for me to leave willingly, or is he being sarcastic?
Sonic remained silent for a while, contemplating the question. The longer he stared, the more perplexed he got until he suddenly broke into a huge grin as an idea popped up in his head. It was stupid, dangerous, risky even, and it could cost him his life.
He starts thinking about what could happen and decides that this plan might work; it's the only thing he can think of that's worth dying for.
"You know," he says while fiddling with his fingertips. "I've been searching for this kind of stuff my whole life. I thought there would be something here, like this. That it wouldn't be so difficult to find."
The swordsman turns to give Sonic a glare that makes him flinch slightly. He chuckled nervously as he drew himself up to the stranger, almost as if he were a friend.
"And what could that possibly be?" the swordsman asked condescendingly.
If only he knew.
He looks completely disgusted by the way the younger male is acting toward him.
"If you would be so kind, sir..." he trails off in his words cheekily as he walks around in circles with the swordsman, making his face seem perplexed by the thief's actions.
Sonic finally opened his mouth. "Could you lead me to the crown room?"
The ebon hedgehog backed off as soon as he heard those words. His pupils dilate in surprise, not believing what he just heard. He opened his mouth to speak.
"Y-You want to steal the king's crown!" He gritted his teeth.
He had expected an 'I'm about to kill you reply, but instead, it was something completely different.
Sonic nodded in confirmation. His grin widened as he said his next words. "Yes, I do. And it's a lot easier to find a crown like that if you are someone who has experience and knowledge in the field. Not just anybody can do something like this."
The swordsman was stunned by what he heard. How can someone like this exist?! He's supposed to be a criminal! An extremely dangerous criminal! A criminal that could be found at any given moment by anyone! He just made more than thousands of guards faint because of him! Even Maria was unresponsive when he came to check!
What the fuck is wrong with this thief?!
He thought in disgust.
Sonic grinned again. "That's right. Can you stop being such a killjoy? It's not a big deal to help out a little guy like me. Besides, I need the crown for something critical, so-"
His ears twitched when he heard the sword unsheathed from the ebon hedgehog and he dodged his attack from the front. He was close to slaying his neck, and for a second he could feel his heartbeat stop.
Near-death experiences had been a part of his life before. This is the first time in a long time he has enjoyed himself so much on his mission.
He laughs at the angry swordsman. He continues moving in the air and jumping around the room to avoid incoming attacks.
"You were asking me a question, so I answered it. Why do you look so tense? Are you the heir to a royal family or something? Or are you just a plain knight?"
The swordsman scoffs at his question. "Like hell, I'll answer that question."
He swings again, and Sonic dodges yet again.
"Is that a yes?"
"No, that would ruin my image."
"What does that even mean?"
"Nothing."
"Hey, if that was meant to insult me, then it worked. So, what do you say? Want to help me steal a crown?"
His mouth continued to prater, but he ignored the request. "I'll introduce myself first! Hello! I'm Sonic. How about you, grumpy knight?"
"Stop calling me a knight. I have a name." The swordsman's face remained emotionless despite Sonic's constant barrage of questions.
"Tell me, then! I have lots of time. Come on." Sonic smiled mischievously.
"Why should I trust you?"
"Because you told me you had a name!" Sonic yelled, trying to convince the other.
Because he was talking so much, the blue hedgehog was distracted by his questions and did not notice the danger. He was kicked in the chest unguarded and fell again, with the swordsman stepping on him hard. He placed the sword next to Sonic's ears, leaving the blade dangerously close to the hedgehog.
He grabbed Sonic by the collar of his jacket, pulling him closer as the blades were inches apart.
At this very moment, he was stunned by the person's sudden closure and finally answered his question.
"I am Prince Shadow. Shadow the Hedgehog. And you are messing with royalty, thief. If you want to live, you better get out of my castle immediately."
He let go of Sonic without warning.
He gave him a threatening glance before walking away. Sonic watched him leave until he disappeared behind a wall, still unable to figure out why the swordsman had suddenly turned to spare his life.
By now, every single guard on the ground seemed to be on their feet again, so he looked down below to check whether it was safe to return home.
Leaving the castle, he ran the other way.
After running around aimlessly, he was starting to lose hope that his plan would work.
He needed to keep looking for the others. They're probably wondering where he ended up, and he didn't want to worry them too much. He kept wandering for hours. He started seeing the sun starting to set, the colors slowly fading out of the sky. He couldn't believe how bright it all was earlier. There weren't even any clouds.
Eventually, he started to feel tired, but he had no choice but to continue. He was already too far from the castle to be able to come back.