Chapter Text
Amy was once again in a dressing room, staring down another extravagant outfit.
Fortunately, she wasn’t performing. Today was a photoshoot for Mobius Insider, complete with sparkling backdrops and a fan meet-and-greet afterwards.
She debated disappearing again, but decided it would be too difficult with Espio stationed just outside her door. Amy picked the dress off its hanger and began wrestling herself inside it.
The dress was a pink-and-white lolita-style thing, decorated with roses and hearts. It had multiple petticoats, matching lacy gloves and stockings, and adorable heeled mary janes. Amy definitely preferred the cutesy outfits to the revealing ones, but still had issues with the massive skirts that inevitably came with them.
She heard the click of heels down the hallway and quickly finished zipping herself into the costume. She was pulling on the dark red shoes when her manager knocked at the door.
“Come in!” Amy shouted, slipping the gloves onto her paws and smoothing down her quills.
Rouge entered the room, holding a garment bag. She paused and inspected Amy’s outfit.
“Cute.” The bat said, smiling. “Let’s get you in that makeup chair.”
Amy eyed the garment bag in Rouge’s paw.
“What’s that?”
Rouge hung the bag next to the mirror and unzipped it. It was another outfit, more casual than what Amy currently had on but more frilly than her street clothes. The bat gestured to the bag.
“This,” She said, “Is your costume for the meet-and-greet. We can’t have you spoiling the photoshoot before it comes out!”
Amy frowned. She was under the impression she’d be doing the meet-and-greet in the outfit stylists had selected earlier that day, a casual top and jeans similar to what she wore at home.
Rouge sensed Amy’s confusion. “I know that your outfit was already picked, but the higher-ups wanted you in this. Don’t ask me why, I don’t know myself.”
Amy inspected the outfit, furrowing her brows. It was a rather skimpy red top and denim short-shorts, complete with a white belt and matching platforms.
The hedgehog’s frown deepened. She was only put in outfits like this to boost publicity. And she only needed to boost publicity if her music wasn’t doing well.
Amy snatched her phone off the vanity, opening twitter. She had been trying to stay off the hellsite the past few days, to get herself in the right headspace for the full release. She hadn’t really seen people’s opinions after the night of her performance.
~~~
Now
Rosie stan!!!
@aliceforever
Yeah so the new music was kind of disappointing,,, It kind of felt weird??? like not rosie?? did she stop writing her own songs or what,,, these are too much
user12768999
@user12768999
no offense to @rosieoffical but the new music sounded like a bunch of lame breakup songs. why would she write breakup songs if she’s been single for years…? makes you think they weren’t being truthful about her and sonic…
Mckenzie <3
@peachtree77
Proud to say i’m no longer a #rosie stan… the new music is booooooooring. girl should have stuck to the sugary stuff
~~~
Amy’s eyes grew wide as she read over the thousands of tweets denouncing her new music.
She felt her eyes well up.
Amy had ripped out her heart and stuck it on a platter for her fans, and they had scoffed at it.
Too vulnerable.
Too sad.
Too boring.
Too much.
Not enough.
Amy set her phone down with a huff, turning to a concerned Rouge.
“Let’s just do this photoshoot.” She said, wiping the tears from her muzzle. “I’ll wear the outfit, but please ask them to choose something more comfortable for next time.”
Rouge gave her a sympathetic look and gestured for the hedgehog to follow her.
Amy sighed and gripped the hem of her dress, willing herself to stand taller as she stumbled through the studio to hair and makeup.
She sat in the plush chair and closed her eyes, the familiar feeling of hands in her quills comforting her a bit. She exhaled, letting the stylists pull her fur and swipe brushes across her face.
I can do this, she told herself.
It’s just a photoshoot and a meet-and-greet.
No biggie.
Amy let her mind wander back to Blaze and her concert tomorrow. She was really looking forward to seeing the other girl. Tilting her head back a bit for the stylists, she wondered where the cat was right then.
~☆~
Blaze was in line for a Rosie meet-and-greet, of all things.
She had allowed Silver to drag her to the event center next door to the studio Rosie was supposedly doing a photoshoot in.
Silver had brought a copy of the idol’s first album to get signed, and Blaze had brought a poster of Whisper’s since the wolf couldn’t make it.
She sighed a bit as she stared at the front of the abysmally long line. There was a table set up for the idol to sign at, but the star herself was nowhere to be seen. Confused, she turned to Silver.
“Isn’t she supposed to be out here by now?” She asked. Silver was practically vibrating with excitement. “Yeah, but I don’t mind! She’s a busy person! I’m sure there’s a good reason for her being a bit late!”
Blaze frowned. Hadn’t the idol been late to her last public performance as well? What could possibly be holding her up?
She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Tucking the poster under her arm, she pulled it out and opened the notification.
~~~
Now
@love_amy: Hi again!! i’m super excited for the show tomorrow!!! I might be bringing a friend unfortunately… but that’s ok!!!! I’m looking forward to seeing you!!!! ❤️❤️❤️
~~~
Blaze frowned again. What was unfortunate about bringing a friend? She contemplated this for a moment before deciding to overlook it. She wouldn’t admit it, but she was really looking forward to seeing the girl again as well. She could ignore one odd comment. Blaze sent back a single red heart before snapping her gaze back to the signing table.
Rosie had finally appeared, flanked by a bat in a power suit and a chameleon in a security uniform.
The idol plopped herself into the chair behind the table, adjusting her tiny red top. She seemed so casual . The hedgehog still had that aura of confidence Blaze had seen in the concert livestream, but she seemed more relaxed here.
Happier, maybe?
The idol glanced at her bedazzled cell phone and grinned a bit, then stuck it in the pocket of her shorts and turned to the first fan. The smile plastered on her face now was different than the one she wore just moments ago. It was wider and flashier, but seemed less genuine.
Blaze frowned, glancing at the overexcited fan before looking back at Rosie. Was that even the woman’s real name? Silver would probably know, but he was in the middle of an idol-related freakout, so he wouldn’t be much help. Instead, she pulled the poster out from under her arm and unfurled it.
The hedgehog on the poster was wearing a pale pink top and a matching frilly skirt, both covered in red ribbons. Her quills were pulled into a high side-pony, and she wore a pink visor and a red heart hairclip. The outfit was completed with pink sneakers, legwarmers, and heart-covered cheerleader pompoms. It was easily one of the cutest costumes Blaze had ever seen.
She inspected Rosie’s oddly familiar face, trying to place where she had seen her before when Silver shook her shoulder.
“BLAZE. WE’RE NEXT, BLAZE. WE’RE NEXT TO MEET ROSIE.” He said, gold eyes boring straight into the cat’s soul. “I’M MEETING ROSIE, BLAZE.”
Blaze looked up at the line, and sure enough, they had moved up as she had been staring at the poster. Rosie was right in front of them, smiling– fake smiling? Blaze couldn’t tell– as she signed an overeager fan’s face. The fan squealed and said something about getting it tattooed, and Blaze could have sworn she saw the idol’s grin waver for a second before the fan was ushered away.
Blaze stepped up to the table, laying Whisper’s poster in front of the hedgehog. Silver was just
behind her, about to explode from joy. Rosie laughed a bit– the most beautiful sound Blaze had ever heard– and took the poster, scrawling her perfect signature across the bottom. She finally looked up at the cat in front of her and froze.
It had only been for a second– just a moment of stiffness before she fell back into the effortless facade– but Blaze had seen it. The hedgehog wore the same awe-struck look as the girl from the show.
It was an odd coincidence, really.
The idol was saying something to Silver, but Blaze couldn’t hear it.
She also couldn’t hear her friend’s excited yapping all the way home.
Where had she actually seen the idol before?