Scatter the Sunshine!

Amy held on tightly as the bike roared down the dark streets. Underneath her fingers, she felt Shadow's abdominal muscles rippling and flexing in sync with the motorcycle's movements; like he was part of the machine. The cool wind blew her hair back as the engine's scratchy roar mellowed out into a well-maintained purr. 'It's not so bad once you get used to it.' Amy realized. 'Just like its owner.'

After she'd gabbled her address to him, Shadow stayed silent, guiding them through the streets with the professional air only a local could posses. Normally, Amy would've thought he was intentionally ignoring her, but what with new 'peace treaty' in affect, she was going to let it slide.

Besides, she could see his ears twitching, a universal sign of heavy thinking.

Five minutes later, they coasted to a stop a block away from her house.

"Well," Amy said, sliding off the bike's seat and shaking her wild bangs out of her eyes. "Thanks."

"Sure."

Amy walked up the sidewalk, praying her parents were asleep and hopefully unaware that she was missing. Rounding the corner, she saw the dark windows and quiet walls of her home and heaved a sigh of relief.

"Ah yes, this is where you live."

Amy jumped violently as Shadow leaned against a palm beside her. He was so darn quiet! The black hedgehog stared at the house with a tired expression.

"I remember the last girl who lived here."

"What was she like?" Amy asked, although she thought she already knew the answer.

"Annoying."

"Right."

"Amy?"

Amy turned and jumped again. He was a lot closer than before. A lot closer. Her throat suddenly went dry and she swallowed. Shadow's crimson eyes narrowed.

Swiftly, he licked his thumb and rubbed it against her cheek, wiping away dried blood. Amy didn't move.

"Don't do this again." He muttered. Turning on his heel, Shadow walked away, disappearing into the dark and leaving two confused green eyes staring after him.

~*~*~*~

"So what would you say is your greatest ambition?"

A white and brown beagle held her notepad at the ready, green eyes narrowed in concentration as she waited for Amy's answer, the professional Ticonderoga 2 pencil quivering with suppressed motion.

Amy sipped her juice, thinking hard. "Um...to never give in."

A black fox raised an eyebrow as the beagle scribbled furiously. "Huh, deep. Certainly different from what most people say, eh Light?"

Light looked up from her frantic writing and nodded, her large ears flapping. "Yep. It's always the whole 'Go to the Prom with whoever', or 'Get outta this blankety-blank-blank school'. Nice to see some variety! Ok, next question..."

Coming into lunch, Amy had planned on catching up on reading the Fablehaven series, but the moment she walked in, a camera flash blinded her.

"Oh wow." Amy shook the stars from her eyes and slowly focused on an ebony fox holding a camera and a pearly white and chocolate beagle with a bright smile.

"Hi! I'm special reporter Light the Dog for the school newspaper and this is my associate Dark Anderson."

"Associate?" Dark asked, his expression confused. "I'm the photographer."

Light sighed. "I know. I'm just trying to sound professional Dark! You know, reel people in for a story."

Amy stared at the two and stifled a giggle. They were so cute together. Trying to get back on track, Light grinned at Amy.

"Anyway, we were wondering if you'd answer some questions for a profile page?"

"O-okay, sure."

And so, Amy spent the lunch hour answering questions and posing for pictures. Light listened with rapt attention, the yellow pencil she clutched almost a blur. Dark sat and commented occasionally, randomly taking pictures− mercifully without the flash −and slipping in extra queries.

Other than that, the fox spent his time watching Light.

And trying to be sneaky about it, Light would sneak glances at Dark.

None of this was lost on Amy, and she smiled wider. It was too cute; Yin and Yang in the flesh! It seemed impossible that they wouldn't get together. She wished them well.

She was like that once, a lifetime ago. But...it wasn't meant to be, unlike the obvious example in front of her. Amy drank more of her Minute Maid to keep from sighing. Crushes...

"Well, that should do it! Thanks a lot Amy and I hope you like our School." Light bubbled as she jumped up in excitement. "Check out page 12 in the next issue!"

She bounced off whistling. Dark snapped one more shot of Amy's head before following.

"Later."

"Bye." Still smiling, Amy drained the last of her juice and stood. 'So much for reading. Oh well, I can do it later.'

Left with some time to kill, Amy wandered around the school. Teens lounged on stairs, hangin out with friends or just chilling.

Well, not quite.

"Gah! How am I supposed to get this done in ten freaking minutes?!"

"I told you. You wait, you're late."

Curious, Amy neared a pair sitting on the second level stairs. A frantic silver hedgehog was close to pulling out his quills as his friend, a regal looking purple cat scolded him. Unfinished trigonometry homework lay on the floor like a messenger of doom.

"And the worst part is that I barely get this junk!" The hedgehog moaned, golden eyes hopeless.

"One word Silver: Calculator." The car sighed.

"I had one! Some jerk stole it!"

"Um, excuse me?"

The two looked at Amy, who smiled in understanding. "I heard you talking and if you want, you can borrow my calculator. We won't start trig for another 2 weeks."

The metallic hedgehog's shoulders slumped with relief. "Oh thank you! I really don't want to break my 'B' streak. You're a life saver!" He was practically weeping as he took the calculator before diving into his textbook.

The cat shook her head, her spiky ponytail bobbing through the air.

"If it gives him a B, he's happy." She sighed. "I'm Blaze. Thanks for the help."

"Amy." Amy replied, shaking her hand. "And sure thing! It was my pleasure. Good luck, ah..."

"Silver." Blaze supplied before nudging him in the ribs.

"Yeah, pleased to meet ya." Silver waved absentmindedly, punching numbers into the calculator. Blaze shook her head again and rolled her eyes.

Grinning wider than ever, Amy climbed the stairs, unaware of two yellow-green eyes watching her. The pink hedgehog sauntered down the hall with the good feeling jazz playing in her head. A locker rattled just as she passed and she stopped, eyes growing larger as she heard muffled yelling.

"Let me outhahere! I cansbreef! Hulpf!"

Amy ran up and knocked on the gray door. "Hello? Are you alright?"

"Pweasf, help meef!"

"Ok, brace yourself."

Amy backed up, took a deep breath, sprinted forward and kicked the locker with all her might.

"KYAA!"

Slam.

The door popped open and Bach tumbled out, gasping. "Freedom! Sweet, blessed freedom! Ah, fresh air!"

Nursing a bruised foot, Amy limped over to the diminutive feline. "Bach? What were you doing in there?"

At the sound of her voice, Bach jumped and flushed, fiddling with his Jack Skeleton hoody. "AH---um, well it's...um hard to outrun people...sometimes. Um...h-how did you get that locker open anyway?"

Amy frowned and slung an arm around the cat's tiny shoulders. "I've had practice. Come on; let's get an ice cream sandwich. I think you need one."

He watched Amy steer the cat in the direction of the cafeteria. His hooded eyes lingered on her bright caring smile. He melted farther into the shadows, his sigh nothing more than wind.

~*~*~*~

"I dunno, I guess they don't appreciate the fine arts or something." Bach sniffed after his third Klondike. "Neanderthals."

Amy nodded as Bach reached for number four. Apparently, copious amounts of sugar could successfully get Bach out of his timid shell. After the second sandwich, Bach talked non-stop about his troubles and interests in school. The constant stream of abuses and bullying lit a fire of self-righteous anger in Amy's gut. Small wonder this little guy jumped at his shadow!

"Bach, who keeps going after you?"

All of Bach's casual easiness drained with the blood in his face. His shoulders hunched and he jerked his head wildly around to check for people watching.

"That's...not som---thing I can t-talk about." He squeezed through tight lips. His striped face was rigid, violet eyes panicked. He looked like he was going to explode!

"Why not?" Amy pressed, leaning forward with determined green eyes. "This has got to stop Bach! You can't live like this all the time!"

"I know, b-but--"

"Don't you want to do something about it?!"

"Yes--no, I−"

"Bach, how can you just let people walk over y−"

"It'll just make it all worse ok?!" Bach burst out as the pressure blew his control. I"f somebody tells on them, they'll blame me and just come at me harder! Instead of everyday, I'll be running for my life every second until my heart gives out! Then, they might go after whoever busted them, and I'll feel guilty, then they'd start hating me, and---and..."

Bach stopped and sat back down, breathing hard. He looked at his melting ice cream and numbly pushed it away.

"I can't deal with that. Things are bad enough as it is."

Amy stared at him, sympathy and anger melding together. After several seconds of silence she stood up, walked around the lunch table, and hugged him. Bach jumped like he'd been electrocuted and blushed a fiery red.

"I'm sorry things are so hard for you, but I really want to help Bach." Amy gently took his hand with a warm smile. "You can trust me."

The shehog blinked when Bach didn't immediately answer. The cat's pupils dilated and his tail twitched spastically. Finally, his eyes glazed over and his smile looked almost maniacal.

"Thanks...Amy." His voice broke on her name.

Amy giggled as the bell rang, ending lunch break. "Come on," she said, pulling Bach to his feet. "Or else we'll be late."

Bach nodded dreamily.

~*~*~*~

"Mama? Mama, where are you?"

He groped through the darkness, the ground cold and rough beneath his bare feet. He whimpered in fear, strangled sounds echoing through the black fog surrounding him.

"Mama!"

He started running, stumbling over hidden rocks. Angry yelling voices and despairing moans filled his head and he started to cry.

"Mama!"

He tripped, skinning his small knees. Sobbing, he pulled himself up onto all fours, mucus dribbling from his nose. Suddenly, light blazed in front of him, blinding him. He shielded his face as a horn blared with the horrible squealing of breaks and somebody shrieked his name in horror.

"No!"

Something shoved him out of the way.

Crash.

"MAMA!!!"

The child's scream echoed in his ears as he bolted upright, chest heaving, fur bristling and drenched with sweat. It took him a moment to remember where he was, in bed, the covers twisted and knotted around him. He panted hard through serrated teeth, throat constricted from fought emotion.

He held his head, vainly trying to slow his heart rate, to forget the gruesome images swirling behind his closed eyes, to forget his nightmare...

...his memories.

He fell back against the bed, balling up the covers in one fist. He didn't bother checking the clock; he knew it was early morning. His sigh stirred the silent air. Just two more days of the worst week ever, besides one.

Author's Note: Takes forever to write this stuff...*grumbles*
anywayz, Amy, Shadow, Silver, and Blaze belong to Sega.

Light the Dog and Dark the Fox(for whom I have added the lastname and the beagle-ness to Light) belong to Legendary Fairy. Hope you don't mind the changes! ^^'
Bach the Cat belongs to myself-ith. Eat Pizza and be Merry!

Elise the Cat: Song copyright of the LDS Hymnbook. yes, she is Mormon. R&R!!