Normal POV

A pink hedgehogette wearing a light green gown looked at her reflection at her floor length mirror. A gold crown decorated with rubies was placed nicely on her soft pink hair.

A servant entered her room.

"Your highness, are you almost done? The ball is about to start and your fiancé will be here soon," the rabbit with wavy brunette/blonde hair asked.

"Oh, yes, Cream. And you don't have to be formal with me…" Amy sighed.

"Sorry, Princess Amelia. But I might get caught and I don't want to get in trouble," Cream replied nervously.

"I understand but at least when we're alone you can call me just Amy," Amy crossed her arms.

"Oh…alright. I'll be back soon," Cream curtsied and left to do another errand.

Amy sighed, she wished Cream and her can be friends, well they are but her parents wouldn't approve of her doing so. Because she's a royalty and can't be friends with the low-class. Amy looked towards out her glass window that led out to a small porch and saw a dark hedgehog smirking.

"Who are you?" Amy gasped startled. She backed away as he entered the room.

"I'm Shadow, Princess," he chuckled and sat on her bed. "Going to the ball…of course, you are."

"How did you get past all the guards…what do you want?" Amy was scared stiff. This guy looked like one of those ruffians her father and her fiancé, Prince Sonic, talk about in their meetings.

Shadow got up and walked closer to her. He stopped until her back hit the wall. He cocked his head. "Why are you scared?"

"Because…" Amy fidgeted.

He backed off and gave a small smirk. "Must be that I look like a thug, eh, Princess?"

"No," Amy huffed. She didn't want to show her fear to this guy.

"Hm, well, see you soon, Princess," he grinned and ran to the porch and jumped off.

Amy was still confused and startled about the whole thing that when Cream entered she let out a piercing scream.

"Princess Amelia it's me!" Cream calmed her.

"Oh...Sorry," Amy replied.

That's when a handsome cobalt hedgehog hurried inside. "Amy, are you ok? Cream, did you scare her?" He glared at the poor little rabbit.

"I didn't Prince Maurice…" Cream whimpered.

"Sonic, she didn't. I just was thinking and scared myself when I heard the door," Amy took her fiancé's hand giving him an assuring smile.

"Oh, ok, Amy…I just got scared myself. I don't want anything bad happen to you," Sonic looked at her with his warm emerald eyes. "Sorry, Cream. You can go downstairs and help your mom in the kitchen. I'll handle Amy."

"Yes, your highness," Cream bowed and quickly ran off.

"You look beautiful, Amy," Sonic kissed Amy's cheek.

"Thank you and you don't look bad yourself," Amy smiled and pecking his lips lightly.

"Hm," Sonic chuckled. "Let's get to the ball now."

At the ball

Amy and Sonic decided to dance with other guests as well not only with each other. Amy watched Sonic dance with a brown chipmunk with auburn hair who was wearing a blue sparkling gown that matched her sapphire eyes. She noticed the chipmunk flirt with Sonic but Amy didn't mind. She got used to of seeing other girls flirt with Sonic. Of course who wouldn't? He's the Prince of Chaos and totally hot. She felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see the dark hedgehog who snuck into her room!

The hedgehog smirked and bowed. "Hello, Princess. Nice to see you again. Shall we dance?"

"Of course," Amy gave a tight smile and took his hand.

"Good," Shadow placed his hand on her waist. Amy looked over his shoulder to see Sonic staring intently at them. He didn't look happy about them dancing. Why was that? He didn't mind before when she danced with the other men.

Shadow smirked. "Is your fiancé alright with us dancing? It's the Prince of Chaos, correct? He's kind of overprotective with you isn't he?"

"Yes to all of your questions…" Amy chuckled softly.

"Hm," Shadow nodded.

The music stopped and Shadow lifted her hand and kissed it. "Thanks for the dance, Princess. You're one fine dancer. I must go now."

"Oh why do you have to go?" Amy asked. She couldn't help it but feel regretful the dance was over and he was going to go.

"I have other business to attend to," he replied. "See ya, Princess." He went pass her but she felt a kiss in her cheek and he was already at the door. She blushed lightly touching her cheek.

After the ball

"Whom where you dancing with, my dear?" her mother asked Amy as the last guests started leaving. Her mother was dark pink hedgehogette with light aqua eyes.

"Which one?" Amy asked wondering why her mother asked whom she danced with.

"The dark fellow, I dare say I have never seen him before," her mother replied.

"Yes, him, Princess Amelia, who was he?" her father asked. Her father was brown hedgehog with emerald eyes.

"Oh, him…his name is Shadow…and the rest I do not know of him," Amy said truthfully.

"Shadow…I heard of that young lad's name before…" her father muttered.

"You have, Pierce?" her mother said.

"Yes…maybe Prince Maurice knows. Prince Maurice, come here please," he called to the azure hedgehog who was talking to his parents.

"Yes, your majesty," Sonic came.

"Do you remember someone called Shadow?" King Pierce asked.

"Hm…I think so," Sonic nodded. "If I'm correct and hopefully I'm not but that must have been one of those rebel leaders."

"Oh dear!" Amy's mother gasped.

"He can't a rebel leader! He behaved like a gentleman!" Amy exclaimed.

"Amy, I said he might be…so I want you to stay away from him," her fiancé replied.

"But-" Amy was cut off with a hand motion from King Pierce.

"Darling, don't ever socialize with him. That's an order. If he's seen anywhere close by we will investigate who he is…and if he's the rebel leader then we'll execute him," her father shook his head and said firmly.

"Yes, father," Amy sighed. "I'm going to bed."

"I'll get you to your room fast, Amelia," Sonic winked.

"Ok, Sonic," Amy smiled back.

Out in a dark alley of the village

A mysterious black-red hedgehog with ruby eyes slyly watched a nobleman get off his carriage with a black suitcase. The hedgehog gave a signal across the road to his comrade attack the nobleman. His comrade smirked and nodded knowing what to do.

The green hedgehog popped out of his hiding place and casually walked over to the nobleman.

"Hello, kind sir. Can you spare some change?" the green hedgehog asked pulling off his worn out hat.

"Hmph, I don't think I have change," the snooty nobleman said sticking his nose up in the air.

"Please, I have a sick mother and three hungry siblings wanting to eat!" the green hedgehog pleaded.

The dark hedgehog smirked. His friend sounded very convincing and right now was the time he came out. He pulled out a dagger and crept behind the nobleman. His friend saw him but continued with his charade. The dark hedgehog pounced on the nobleman and pointed the dagger on the nobleman's throat.

"All right, Mister Pompous, you're gonna give us your money and whatever is in that suitcase or your life is taken away!" he snarled, his ruby eyes flashed in the dark dangerously.

The green hedgehog sneered with his still innocent boy voice. "Yea! Give it up, sir! It's not like you'll miss it…will you?" He revealed blade as well.

The noble man shouted. "Help! I'm being robbed!"

"Shut up!" the dark hedgehog punched him on the face. "Make another sound for anyone to come and you are dead."

"Now hand over everything," the green hedgehog snarled dropping his charade. Green ears flicked up hearing running footsteps towards them. "Great! Someone heard him!"

The dark hedgehog growled and drove the dagger on the nobleman's neck cutting off his scream. The nobleman made a gurgling, coughing sound and blood came out of his mouth. His wide eyes now stared blankly up at the dark night.

"Hmph," the dark hedgehog got up. "Scourge, take the suitcase and I'll quickly check his overcoat."

"You got it, Shadow," Scourge nodded grabbing the suitcase. Shadow checked the dead man's pockets and found only a golden pocket watch and leather wallet filled with some gold coins.

"Hmph, he hardly had anything…but I bet there's something important in that suitcase," Shadow grunted and shouts came closer. Both hedgehogs looked to see guards running towards them. They snarled and quickly ran in to the dark alley leaving the dead man behind.