Lights, Camera, Action!

Chapter 25: A Rose By Any Other Name is Still a Rose

"I WILL KILL HER!" Beauty hadn't left her office since storming out of the medical wing. She also hadn't said anything else really. Amy looked rather shell-shocked however and hadn't said anything at all. Sarah was biting her lip and Petal was doing some intensive training outside. This behaviour for the four woman weren't out of character yet it was concerning about the impending sum of money over the studios head.

Eventually, Blaze couldn't take the tension anymore and walked up to Shadow. Beauty had called off filming for Bloodshed despite the contract of the other loan. She needed to get her head back in gear like she was telling her Star team to do only hours ago. Now, no one really knew what to do and we're trying to entertain themselves. No one wanted to go home in case this pause only lasted a couple of hours. Shadow was sat in the shade of the same tree she'd found him by all those months ago. He was silent upon her approach and her sitting down. "Who is Star Rose?" She asked him plainly.

Shadow remained silent for a long time. Long enough for Blaze to wonder if he'd heard her. When he did speak, his voice was quiet. "Beauty's sister. She's a couple of years older than her, or she was. She's been dead twenty years. Died in childbirth although everyone knows Beauty's responsible. Don't ask me how, she just is. Her children survived though, I think. They may not be alive now, poor orphans." He appeared to be contemplating something of great distress to him.

Blaze was quiet as he thought and instead interested herself in the lilac and indigo blossoms growing on the tree above them. "What about their Dad?" Surely Amy's cousins would've had two parents who looked after them.

At her question, Shadow started to laugh. "See before I answer, you need to not think too technically about this. Their Father was Shift Blossom, my Uncle. Also the Uncle to Sonic so his kids are our cousins too. Yet their also almost Amy's cousins as well. If they were, I'm not sure if that would make Amy and myself cousins. For Sonic's sake, I hope not." He gave Blaze a moment to digest his words, things did get complicated between the Booms, Roses and Forests. "She died before they could get married so they aren't Amy's cousins. I don't think Shift wanted to marry Star anyway. Sonic believes he was brainwashed." At this, Blaze laughed which caused Shadow to smirk.

"Why, O why, does he believe that?" Brainwashing wasn't something that really happened, only in flims or books.

Shadow stopped smirking at her question and went back to looking thoughtful. "Because before Star who was a Rose, there was Petal. Petal who is a Forest and who gave birth to his son. Sonic believes only an idiot would leave a Forest and the person who birthed your children. Our parents are happy though so you can't really blame him for that opinion." Something in his words scratched the back of her mind and Blaze realised that it was because Sonic had said a similar thing to her at the cafe. When she asked if Shadow had been telling people that they had slept together...

Her cheeks flamed as her current situation came into focus. Blaze shifted slightly so that there was a bit more space between herself and Shadow. "Honey is very attractive though, you can't blame him for thinking that." Honey, who shamelessly flirted with every eligible person. Honey, who was an assassin. Honey, who had shared her trauma with her. Honey, who was starting to become her friend. Honey, who was Shadow's girlfriend! Blaze knew that was an idea that she had to wrap her head around.

Shadow laughed but there was no mirth in it. In fact, his eyes looked cold and distant. Like he was living in the past or looking to the nearby future. "There's more than one way to be attractive. Plus, its hard to compete with a ghost." He looked over to where Honey had joined her mum, effortlessly and powerfully fighting together. She was a beautiful force of nature but Blaze knew who she was now; it was difficult for the both of them in this relationship.

Still, she wanted to know more about Star. "I take it then Star wasn't all that attractive." Blaze looked back towards Shadow who seemed to focus in on her again.

"I think like everyone in her family, she was genetically beautiful but to find a Rose who is nice on the inside is difficult. Rosetta, Amy's grandmother, cheated on Thorn, Star's Father, with Fang, Beauty's Father. Thorn was a powerful and deadly man who hated everyone for it. Their marriage was one out of necessity not love and everyone in connection to Fang died. Except for Beauty but he made her life a living hell. Star started out as nice but her Father got to her. She began to only focus on gaining power and being the best. She took what she wanted, when she wanted. Any sisterly love between the pair was soon lost in their childhood. Beauty, well you kind of already know her story. She vowed to be better than Thorn and in many ways, she is. Yet due to her fault or not, her heart is as black as night. She doesn't have it in her to love like she should. Then finally, we have Amy. The rose without thorns. She is kind, thoughtful, honest and loving. She doesn't like hurting others or care about power or being the best. Sonic's lucky that he was born in the right time to be able to be with Amy. They make a good match." Blaze had tried to keep up with all the woman mentioned but Shadow had lost her sometime around Star.

"I see." She told him, not seeing at all. "So Amy is the best?" That's what it sounded like to her anyway.

Shadow shrugged his shoulders and hummed. "Probably, depends on your point of view. I suppose in a general sense of goodness, yes. For being a good example of her family, no. Honey is the opposite but for once this isn't about her." He chuckled again but it wasn't as nice as Blaze knew he could be. "You think I'm being unfair." Shadow turned to look at her, red eyes daring her to disagree.

Blaze could act but she couldn't lie. "Honey has been through a lot." She whispered although it sounded like an inadequate response now. Even when considering her past, the assassin wasn't always the nicest to Shadow. Yet then you rembered her describing herself as a traitor... 'I am going to get a migraine if I think about this for too long.' Blaze forced her brain to stop and took a deep breath of fresh air.

Shadow nodded although he rubbed the back of his neck. "Look here." He instructed Blaze, gesturing to where his hand was. Confused, she did as he said and saw a small circular scar on the back of his neck. Looking back at him, Shadow knew she had seen it. "I doubt Honey included how we first met. But then again, it wasn't trauma for her." Blaze had never heard Shadow speak so angrily and bitterly before. It was a shock considering she thought of him as quite laid-back.

"Does it hurt?" 'Stupid question.' She scolded herself as he replied.

Shadow shook his head. "Used to. However this isn't anything like what the Roses have gone through. Honey may dislike giving sympathy but they've earned it. Amy more than most." He stood up and held his hand out for Blaze.

She accepted but underestimated how strong he was. Shadow pulled her upright too quickly and she ended up crashing into him, hands presses firmly against his chest. Blaze quickly removed them, face burning. "Sorry! I'm going!" She turned rapidly to leave but stopped when she heard Shadow laughing.

"Hey it's okay. My fault." Blaze turned to face him, wondering how often he took the blame for things. "I feel like that conversation went in two different ways. The important thing to remember is that we have all the good Roses. Any others are bad." She nodded at the clarity and the pair walked beside each other as they went inside. Honey didn't notice or didn't care and Blaze felt silly for wanting to make her jealous.

Still when she saw Amy inside her mum's office with her, the aspiring actress reminded herself that at the end of the day the Roses were in charge. Roses, who perhaps did not look like they should be...

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, up on time. Creative writing club wasn't on which is why you get this update. I hope you found Shadow's history on the Roses interesting. I'll hopefully update again tomorrow most likely. Bye, bye.