Planning Ruby a Birthday Party

"And so for twelve long years, the whereabouts of the princess remained a mystery, while deep in the forest, in a woodcutter's cottage, the Three Mobian Girls carried out their well-laid plan. Living like mortals, they had reared the young hedgehog as their own and called her Ruby."

Looking out the window, Ruby hummed a lovely tune called "I Wonder," attracting many bluebirds. For twelve years, her eyes became an emerald green color, though she still had her pink fur and quills, and a peach muzzle. A pair of white panties was set between her legs and fastened at her waist. Placed on top of her head was a red headband that complemented her outfit - a red dress decorated with white lining that covered her chest and stomach and showed her bare legs, along with golden bracelets that went around her wrists and white gloves that covered her hands - which went well with the red boots with the white stripes covering her feet. She was indeed beautiful. As she hummed a tune, she closed the shutters to her window and walked away.

"On this her twelfth birthday, the Three Mobian Girls had planned a party and something extra special for her surprise."

Cosmo, Cream, and Rouge were downstairs looking over a book of dresses, picking something out to make for Ruby, who is actually Amy Rose. By the time the day is over, they can finally tell her that she was a princess.

"Well, now about this one?" asked Rouge, as they look over the book. And they found the perfect one.

"This is the one *I* picked." said Cosmo.

"Oh, she'll look beautiful in that!" Cream smiled.

"Now I thought of a few changes here..." said Cosmo.

"Uh-huh." said Rouge.

In the book, the Three Mobian Girls found a yellow dress similar to Belle's dress.

"Don't forget a pretty design" said Cream.

"Yes, and we'll lace the shoulder line." said Cosmo.

"We'll make it pink." said Rouge.

Cosmo giggled. "Oh no, silly, jade."

"But..." Rouge began.

"How about red?" suggested Cream.

"Of course, we'll need a pair of shoes, silk gloves, and bloomers to match..." said Cosmo.

"Yes, but how are we going to get her out of the house?" asked Rouge.

"Oh, I'll think of something." said Cosmo.

Of course, they didn't know that Ruby walked down the stairs and into the living room and heard them.

"Well!" Ruby smiled.

Cosmo, Cream, and Rouge hid the book from the hedgehog's eyes as she walked towards them. "And what are you three dears up to?"

"Up to?" repeated Rouge.

"Up to?" repeated Cream.

"Up to?" repeated Cosmo.

"Eh, eh, eh, we, we, well, we, we ..." stuttered Cosmo, as she tried to say something. Ruby continued to stare at the Seedrian, rabbit, and bat with a lovely smile. And she doesn't know that she was a princess and her real name was Amy Rose.

As Cosmo tried to think of something, Rouge spoke for her. "Want you to pick some berries." she finished.

"That's it, berries!" said Cosmo, as she handed Ruby a red cloak with a hood and a decorative button at the neck and showed her to the door in a quick manner, leaving her confused about what was going on.

"Berries?" said a confused Red, as she put on the cloak, buttoned it up, and put up the hood.

"Lots of berries!" said Cream, as she, Cosmo, and Rouge escorted her out the door.

"But I only picked berries yesterday." said Ruby.

"Oh, we need more, dear." said Cosmo.

"Lot, lots, more!" added Cream.

"Yes!" said Cosmo.

Then the Seedrian, rabbit, and bat pushed Ruby out of the cottage through the front door. She looked back with a suspicious look and smile on her face. Something's not right with them.

"Now hurry back, dear." said Cosmo.

"And don't go too far." said Rouge.

"And don't speak to strangers." added Cosmo.

"Goodbye, dear!" called Cream.

"Goodbye!" called Rouge.

"Goodbye!" called Cosmo.

"Goodbye!" said Ruby, as she waved goodbye and walked off deep into the forest, carrying the basket in her hand.

Then the Seedrian, rabbit, and bat closed the door and got back inside. "I wonder if she suspects." said Rouge thoughtfully.

"Of course not, come on. Will she be surprised!" said Cosmo, as they went around the room, gathering things. Cosmo went to the trunk and took out multiple jade fabrics and sheets as Cream went into the kitchen to find ingredients to make the birthday cake. All three are very excited. "A real birthday party!" said Rouge.

"With a real birthday cake!" said Cream.

"Yes, and a dress a princess can be proud of!" said Cosmo.

"I'll get the wands." said Rouge, as she headed up the stairs.

"Yes, you...the wands?" said Cosmo. But she was startled when Rouge mentioned the wands and closed the trunk quickly.

"Oh no!" gasped Cream, who was also startled.

"No wands, Rouge!" Cosmo warned.

"But the twelve years are almost over" Rouge protested.

"We're taking no chances." said Cosmo, as she handed Rouge the fabrics for making the dress.

"But, I've never baked a fancy cake." said Rouge.

"Oh, you won't have to, dear." said Cosmo.

"I'm going to bake the cake!" Cream called from the next room.

"You?" asked Tanya, who was kind of surprised.

"She's always wanted to, dear, and this is her last chance." said Cosmo.

"Well,..." said Rouge, who was not so sure about Cream cooking.

"I'm going to make it eleven layers with red and white, daisies, roses, jonquils..." said Cream, as she thought about what to put on the cake.

"And I'm making the dress." said Cosmo.

"But you can't sew, and she's never cooked!" said Rouge.

"Oh, it's simple." chuckled Cosmo.

"All you do is follow the book." said Cream.

Cosmo pulled out a small stool and directed Rouge to stand on it. "Up here, dear. You can be the dummy." she said.

"Well, I still say we ought to use magic." said Rouge.

Then Cosmo threw a sheet of jade cloth over Rouge and began cutting with a pair of scissors.

Then Cream laid all the ingredients for the cake before her. She looked into the book and read the ingredient instructions. "Flour, three cups." said Cream, as she searched for them, muttering, "Cups, cups, cups, cups, cups..." At that moment, Cream realized that the three cups of different sizes were already on the table and used them to pour flour into the bowl. "One, two, three."

Cosmo cut a circular hole into the sheet. "What's that for?" asked Rouge.

"Well, it's got to have a hole in the bottom." replied Cosmo.

"That's for the feet to go through." added Cream.

Then Cosmo tossed the sheet over Rouge again, and Rouge noticed there was something wrong with the sheet. "It's jade!" said Rouge.

"Oh, lovely shade, isn't it?" Cosmo smiled.

"But I wanted it pink!" complained Rouge.

"Now, dear, we decided *jade* was her color." said Cosmo, flatteringly.

"*You* decided?" asked Rouge.

Cosmo giggled to herself as she left Rouge inside the sheet and went over to get tape measure. Rouge mumbled incoherently until Cosmo came back with the tape measure and wrapped some around the waist.

"Two eggs, fold in gently." said Cream, reading from the book. But she didn't understand what *fold in* meant. "Fold? Oh well." Cream shrugged, and she just put two eggs into the bowl and folded them in. She pressed down on the batter, and she heard the shells cracking, causing the batter to overflow from the bowl.

Now Rouge was completely covered in the jade cloth from head to toe. "I can't breathe!" she called, whose voice was muffled under the sheets. Cosmo cut the cloth open at the top, and Rouge popped her head and arms out and took a look at the dress from the inside. "It looks awful!" Rouge complained.

"That's because it's on you, dear." said Cosmo, cutting the remaining cloth from the right side.

"Now yeast, one tsp. *Tsp*?" said Cream, looking into the book. This time, she didn't understand what the word *Tsp* meant.

"One teaspoon!" Rouge corrected her.

"One teaspoon, of course!" Cream giggled sheepishly. She put the yeast on the teaspoon and finished adding the rest of the ingredients to the batter.

Then Cosmo measured the size of the dress. "Oh, gracious how the child has grown!' she exclaimed.

"Oh, it seems only yesterday we brought her here!" said Rouge, remembering the old days.

"Just a tiny baby!" said Cream, remembering as well.

Then all of a sudden, Rouge sniffled and wiped a tear from her eye. Cosmo and Cream saw that.

"Why, Rouge!" said Cosmo.

"Whatever is the matter, dear?" asked Cream.

"After today, she'll be a princess. And we won't have our little Ruby!" Rouge sobbed tearfully.

"Oh, Cosmo!" said Cream, who began to cry about Ruby as well.

"Now, now, now, now, we...we...we...we all knew this day had to come." said Cosmo, shedding a tear and wiping it from her eye as well. It had been twelve years, and they began to think of Ruby as their own child that they never had.

"But why did it have to come so soon?" Tears slid down Cream's cheeks.

"After all, we've had her for twelve years." said Cosmo.

"Twelve wonderful years!" Rouge said dreamily.

Then there was a moment of silence as they thought about the wonderful years they had with the child. They fed her, bathe her, and helped her go to sleep. Rouge sniffled and wiped another tear from her eye again. Then suddenly, Cosmo changed her expression. "Good gracious, We're acting like a lot of ninnies! Come on, she'll be back before we get started." said Cosmo. And they all resumed their work.