A Beasts Rose Chapter 2

The morning chill blew in, the sky above was a bluish grey, and very faintly did the birds ever sing. It was a strange yet saddening morning, however. Amy Rose was out in such a chill morning, carrying a small suitcase; she stopped and stared at the cart ahead of her. There, under a tattered and sturdy tarp, was the great machine that her father had built. It was a combination of any and many parts, anything that the world could think of in that matter. It had been Amy’s father’s greatest experiment yet. From what he had said, the machine was supposed to make chores a breeze. It could clean, cook, and even chop fire wood for many others so they would do less work. He, her father, had also planned to let the people decide whether to let his invention be recognized, or letting it become a great scrap-heap. Amy had seen it work before, and she had much confidence that it would surely not fail anyone.

However, despite her pride for her father, she was upset. She didn’t want him to leave so soon, she never wanted him to leave, but this was a role that has been played many times before. He would go to the fair, and try to win every year so he would become a famous inventor someday. And what would happen to her? She would have no choice but to stay at the house, do the regular chores, and hope for the best.

She heard the front door open and close suddenly, and she turned. There was her father, coming out through the cold, smiling at her. She could see the confidence just brimming off him. He had confidence in his invention as any, but she could also see some worry. Questions were read from the look in his eyes, like “what if it failed?” or “could it hurt anyone?” and most importantly “will I win?”

That’s what seemed to stump him every year. Amy knew that much. He was always afraid of winning. After her poor mother’s death, winning seemed to be the only thing that made her father happy, as sad as it was, this is what Amy believed. It was a pleasant and good feeling from his point of view. There were times that he would win the fair and come home with a new shiny blue ribbon, and he would beam with pride. And there were other times, where he would come empty handed, and he would work on his inventions till the brink of dawn. Amy could do nothing but watch her father go through this. She tried hard to make things better for him when he didn’t win. It always seemed to cheer him up some.

But there has to be a way where she could do more.

Amy walked up to him, giving the suitcase to the elderly grey hedgehog gingerly. Although her father said to her time and time again that he would be alright, safe and sound…she feared for his safety. She hated him out there, in the cold, sleet or rain. She feared for his health if he got sick or hurt. There was no telling what would happen if she was not around to help him. There were tears in her eyes as these thoughts started to seep their way into her mind, but she was happy for him anyway. She took a shaky breath and stared up at her father, fixing his quills some so he would look nice for the fair.

“Do you have to leave so soon?” She said. “You know I will miss you.”

The old hedgehog chuckled softly. “Oh Amy, you always worry about me. I will be alright, you will soon see.”

Amy smiled slightly. “I never doubted you for a second, papa.”

He smiled at his daughter. “Now Amy, since I will be leaving, is there anything that you may want?”

Amy blinked. “Me? Really papa? Are you sure?”

Her father nodded confidently, smiling at his child with happiness. “Yes, I am sure. I know how lonesome it is when you’re here with nobody to talk to. Well, anyone besides that Scourge fella-”

“Scourge? No way!” Amy wrinkled her nose. “I don’t like him one bit. He’s rude, inconsistent, stubborn-”

“But he seems very interested in you that is for sure.”

“Another reason why I don’t fancy over him…”

He laughed. “I’m pulling your leg sweetheart. I’m not a fan of him myself. But he can’t stop me from what I love, and what I love is to get you something special. Now, what
would you like?”

Amy thought about his offer. At the fair there were many things that she could get. Most of them were breakable, yet rare. Others were just pieces of junk. Amy wanted something that she could treasure, even if it was going to be short, at least she would have some time to enjoy it. She looked out into the field. She could see frost cover the landscape and the sun just peak over the horizon. And as she looked, an idea came to play. She knew what she wanted from that moment foreword. Her mother always loved seeing this special gift, and if she got it, then it would fill something in the very void of her heart.

“I know what I want.” Amy said in a smile. “Something special, that’s all I want.”

“A new dress?” Her father guessed.

Amy shook her head. “I’m afraid it would get dirty from all of my chores. And I have plenty of other cloths to wear.”

“Jewelry perhaps?” He took another stab at it.

Amy only shook her head again. “I know jewelry is very pretty, but I don’t want it to break or lose it. I want something else. Something better.”

“What do want then?”

Amy smiled. “A rose,” Amy answered simply. “I want a rose. I haven’t seen one since we moved here, and even though it won’t last long, I think it would be nice to have one with me. And besides, mama always loved roses, especially during this time of year. What do you think papa? Could you get me a rose? Please?”

Her father thought about her request for a time, rubbing his fingers on his chin before smiling, and kissed her cheek kindly.

“Yes, a rose will be just fine.” He said. “If a rose is what you want, a rose is what you’ll have.”

Amy’s father grinned a bit before going to their stable, getting the horse that waited inside. He set it up at the front of the cart and gave it a pat on the side, knowing that it was going to be a long trip for them. Amy remembered what Scourge had told her once before, she never liked listening to him, but she could still hear what he said.

“The whole town thinks your odd, Amy…”

Amy’s heart sank a bit. She knew people thought of her as “odd” or “weird” and didn’t actually mind it, but if it was that bad…then there must be wrong with her.

“Papa, do you think…do you think I am odd?” Amy questioned.

“What? My daughter? Odd?” He scoffed as he checked his machine some, tinkering with some spare parts here and there. “Now where would you hear a remark like that? Odd, humph! Rubbish I say. Who told you that, Amy?”

“It was…it was a rumor going around…” Amy admitted a bit.

‘Scourge…’ Was the first thing that appeared in mind, and she was about to say his name, but she didn’t want to ruin his special day, and held her tongue.

“Amy, those people don’t understand the meaning between weird, and strange.” Her father said, a small chuckle escaping him. “It is true, you and I are strange, in fact, and everyone is. But nobody can be too odd. It tips the scale.”

“But it is not fair papa,” Amy sighed. “I don’t know what I did to make them not like me like I want to…”

“Then that is their own fault,” Her father said sternly, looking at her with sympathy. “Because anybody that makes those types of comments are just cruel hearted, I say. Some people just don’t want to accept the good in others and let them take a whole different burden. Rubbish I say-”-he looked as if he’d swallowed a lemon- “-for those who think differently.”

Amy smiled some, she was glad she had a father to guide her, but then frowned some. “But everyone thinks of me as different, papa. There’s nobody here I can really talk to and to understand me for…me.”

It was true. Amy had very few friends here and yet out of all of them, she had nobody to actually talk to. It was saddening for her, because there had to be someone that had to care for her somehow. Amy sighed a bit and turned to her father. He had finished a few more tune-ups on the invention and came up to Amy, hugging her close as she did the same.

“Stay safe,” She whispered in a shaky breath.

“I will, you can count on me.” And with that, he got on the cart, seated himself and grasped the reins. He gave Amy a small sincere smile before clicking and urging the horse to go forward, and was off to the fair.

“Goodbye papa!” Amy called.

“Goodbye Amy and take care while I’m gone!”

Amy watched her father trod on in the cart, and stayed there until he was just a speck in the horizon, and she turned away from the scene, and headed on into the house, blinking a few tears from her eyes.

“He will be alright,” She told herself over and over again as she went inside, and shut the door quietly.