1. Skydiving above Wuhu Island

Sonic strapped the parachute to his back, now just minutes away from jumping out of the plane. He started restlessly pacing back and forth inside the cabin. He stopped to stretch his legs for a second and noticed Tails neurotically fastening every little strap on his own parachute, checking to see everything was held in place properly.

"What's the matter, Tails? You should be the last one to worry about this." Sonic chuckled.

Tails smiled at Sonic. "Oh, you know. You always have to put safety first. It's a good habit to have. How come you're not the least bit worried?"

"Meh, I've survived worse falls than this."

"From above water?"

"Good point." Sonic double checked the straps around his torso.

With her calm, pedagogical voice the female Wii Fit Trainer then spoke up. "We're now above the island. It is time to jump." She slid the door in the side of the plane open and the wind thundered into the cabin. Tails almost lost his balance from the sudden air pressure and stumbled back a few steps.

Sonic smiled and looked back at Tails. "You ready for this?" he shouted.

"I sure do hope so." Tails stuttered.

"Then let's go!" Sonic enthusiastically shouted.

The Wii Fit Trainer said "And remember to-" before Sonic dashed right out of the plane, now falling freely down from the sky. Getting out of the plane and away from the rumble of the engine was so incredibly liberating to him. Below him there was a crescent moon shaped, volcanic island, surrounded by a handful of smaller rocks and islands, sticking out of the shining, cyan colored waters. Below him, he could now behold the greatest vacation island in the world, with the hottest beaches and the greenest lawns, the bluest lagoons and the clearest skies, the paradisaical WUHU ISLAND.

Sonic took the wonderful sight in and let out a big "Wooooh!" as he sailed through the air.

Tails then caught up. "Sonic, you madman!" he screamed. "You're gonna get hurt that way."

"Chill out, Tails." Sonic laughed. "This is our vacation. We're here to have fun."

Tails sighed.

Sonic whipped around and looked up at the clear, blue sky above. The plane they had arrived in was only one in a dozen, all of which were now spilling out skydivers. Sonic laughed and turned back down. He slowed his fall and waited for the rest of the skydivers to catch up to him. When they did he started dashing through the small, falling crowd, angling his body to guide himself in between them and around them, grabbing and shaking some of their hands, fist-bumping others, and enjoying the fall down. Tails hesitated at first, but happily joined the fun after Sonic invited him into forming a ring with a few other skydivers.

That was when Sonic heard a familiar voice from somewhere in the crowd, shouting his name. He looked around to try and spot the caller, and his eyes finally landed on a pretty and slim figure above him, waving her arms and laughing in excitement, his not so secret admirer: Amy Rose.

Sonic chuckled and dashed over to Tails. "Did you tip her off, or what?"

This time Tails was the one to laugh. "How dare you accuse me of something like that, Sonic? Did you think you could get away from her this easily?"

Sonic sighed a sigh that slowly turned into laughter. "And here I thought we would be get some peace and quiet."

Tails laughed along before pulling his parachute. The rest of the skydivers started pulling their own and quickly leaving the falling crowd. When only he was left Sonic pulled his parachute, and the skydivers were now left in almost absolute silence, sailing down towards Wuhu Island.

One by one they all started laughing and cheering, and Sonic could hear Amy from somewhere above shouting: "This is going to be the greatest vacation EVEEER!"

Sonic chuckled to himself. "I sure hope so."

A big, luxurious yacht was cruising through the Wuhu Island bay, heading for the port town. At the prow of it stood a sharply dressed man gazing out over the beautiful island. The man had a shine about him, an aura of pure inspiration, true integrity and undying will. It was as if he radiated the very spirit of man with nothing but his presence. That man was the president of the United States, John F. Kennedy.

A secret service agent walked up to him. "Mr President, you-" He stumbled and fell over.

President Kennedy turned around and hastily offered a helping hand to the secret service agent. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Mr President, just a bit clumsy." He got up on his feet again. "You have a phone call from DC, sir."

"DC?" Kennedy sighed. "Can a guy not go on vacation in peace anymore? And what is Johnson doing? Oh, well. As long as my country needs me I will be there. Go and tell them I'll be there right away."

"Yes, Mr President." The secret service man started going back into the yacht. Then he slipped and fell overboard.

Kennedy palmed his face. "Oh geez. Man overboard!"

President Kennedy and the yacht's small crew managed to get the secret service agent out of the water.

"I'm so sorry Mr President. I'm too clumsy."

"Now now. You've spent your entire life in DC, you're just not used to being at sea. If I need more security I will call for it. While we're on the island, try to unwind."

"Y-yes Mr President." The secret service agent tried to walk down below deck. He stumbled and fell down below deck instead.

After the secret service agent had plummeted, up on deck came a beautiful, classy woman. She had a warm glow about her, one to rival the shine of the president himself. Fitting, since this was the first lady of the United States, Jacqueline Kennedy. She looked down below deck, where the agent had just went, with a cringing expression. She then turned to John. "You need to get better security, Jack. The secret service agents are here to be your bodyguards."

"I know, Jackie. They're clumsy but they can take a bullet and throw a punch if they need to." Kennedy then leaned in and whispered to his wife. "Besides… all the secret service agents are like this."

"Then the secret service must get you better security."

John chuckled. "My country doesn't need to do that much for me."

Jackie shook her head. "Make sure you don't get hurt, Jack." She went back below deck.

John followed Jackie with his eyes as she disappeared down. He looked back to Wuhu Island and admired the view for a few more seconds. "What a beauty." he said, and went down to take his call.

The President's yacht docked at the Starboard Harbour, by the port town. It was right after the luxury cruiser, The Queen Peach, had left shore, right when there were the least amount of people were moving around the harbour. John and Jackie stepped off the boat and onto the dock. Two secret service agents, serving as their bodyguards, followed them. They both missed the dock and fell into the water. They both scrambled to get out of it as quickly as they could.

A big, black Limo stood waiting for them when they got to land, with the driver outside. John went up and shook the hand of the driver. "It's an honor to meet you Mr President. Welcome to Wuhu Island. I'm the male Wii Fit Trainer. I'll be your driver for your entire visit."

"Charmed, Mr Trainer." John said.

"Would you like to head to the hotel directly, sir?"

"Yes, please. Let's get settled before anything else."

The Wii Fit Trainer greeted Jackie before they all got into the car, followed by the soaking wet secret service agents. One of them hit his head on the way in.

The drive took them along the seaside road, with a wonderful view of the sailboats, cruisers, motorboats and wakeboarders in the cyan blue water. They passed over the big Red Iron Bridge and started driving down Palm Boulevard, a long road lined with palm trees, running through the grasslands rolling down the side of the great Maka Wuhu Volcano.

During the drive John leaned in towards the Wii Fit Trainer. "This car is remarkably silent, Mr Trainer."

"Yes indeed, Mr President. It is an electric car, running only on its battery. It is charged with a simple power cord, like you would plug in a lightbulb. That way there is no internal combustion inside the engine itself, and with it, no rumbling."

"It is extremely comfortable."

"Oh yes it is. Only electric cars are allowed on Wuhu Island. It means there are no exhaust gasses and no noise pollution. It is all in the interest of making the island as serene and pleasurable as possible. Only drawbacks is that every once in a while you get a careless runner or cyclist meeting a careless driver and they get into an accident, since the cars can't be heard. It's also quite expensive to drive one of these, but that only means more people use their bicycles instead. It is not a big island anyway."

It was by this time they could see the glorious, nine-story, five-star Cocoba Hotel, sitting on the edge between the grass and the bright Sugarsand Beach. The car drove in through the gate outside the hotel and graciously parked right outside the main entrance door.

The Wii Fit Trainer shut the engine off and stepped out of the car. He walked around and opened the door to the passengers seats. "Mr President, First Lady, Welcome to Cocoba Hotel. You will find that your luggage is already in your room."

Jackie stepped out of the car first, followed by John, and after them the agents came tumbling out. As they entered the hotel lobby they could hear someone argue with the receptionist.

By the front desk stood Amy Rose, with her luggage in hand and an annoyed Sonic next to her. "What do you mean we don't have the penthouse? I specifically remember booking the penthouse!"

The receptionist apologetically tried to calm the pink hedgehog down. "I'm sorry Ms Rose, but there was a change of plans last minute, and we had to move you down a few floors."

"That is so unprofessional of you! I want to at least pick out our new room."

Sonic sighed and turned to Amy. "Ames, come on. This is not a battle worth taking. Let's just stay in whatever room they have for us."

Amy turned to Sonic with a despondent look. "B-but Sonic, the penthouse is always the most romantic room, in all hotels."

"Tails already went up to his room. Let's just get this over with and get settled. How much time are we supposed to spend inside anyway? This is a paradise island, the more time spent outside the better."

"Tails was never supposed to sleep in the penthouse!"

Sonic grunted and turned to the receptionist. "Who's got the penthouse anyway? Maybe I can convince him to switch."

"I'm sorry Mr Hedgehog, but his luggage is already in the room, and it has been readied for his arrival."

"So he's already here?"

"Uhm..." The receptionist looked up. "He's actually right behind you."

Sonic and Amy turned around, and saw President John F Kennedy, his First Lady, and their bodyguards, approaching the reception. Amy's eyes widened, she dropped the luggage and covered her mouth in shock. Sonic crossed his arms and grinned.

"What seems to be the problem?" John said as soon as he reached Sonic and Amy.

"Seems you managed to steal our room from us, Mr President." Sonic chuckled.

"That's no good. Why were we placed in a booked room?"

One of the secret service agents leaned in towards John. "Sir, the penthouse is the most secure room in the hotel."

The receptionist spoke up. "Yes, it has no neighbouring rooms and it is also the most comfortable."

John was not impressed. "That's not good enough. Why not just book a normal room as well as all adjacent rooms to keep them empty? I'm not happy about snatching rooms out from under the other guests noses. I would like it if we could move to another room, and let these guests have the penthouse."

Sonic smiled. "No need, Mr President. We were already about to make do with our new room. After all, you are the president. We can do this for our country, you know. Right, Amy?"

"Uuuh, yes, yes, absolutely. Besides, how much time are we supposed to spend inside anyway?" Amy stuttered nervously.

Sonic turned back to the receptionist. "We'll take our key and head up to our room now."

"Wonderful, Mr Hedgehog. Hope you have a good time." the receptionist said, and handed Sonic the key.

Amy picked up the luggage and started nervously scuttering towards the rooms. Sonic gave John and Jackie a quick bow before going the same way. "Nice meeting you, Mr President."

Before Sonic could get out of the lobby, John called out after him. "Mr Hedgehog."

Sonic and Amy both turned around.

"I want to talk to you. Would you come up to the penthouse in an hour?"

Sonic stared at John with a stern look on his face. Amy looked back and forth at the two men. Sonic's expression then slowly cracked to a grin. "Sure thing… Sir."

Sonic and Amy's room was on the sixth floor, on the south side of the hotel, overlooking the Sugarsand Beach wrapping around the bay. Amy was busy unpacking her stuff, while Sonic stood by the window inspecting their view.

"This is a good room. Didn't turn out so bad, did it?" Sonic turned back to Amy.

"I'm still a little shocked that we just ran in to President Kennedy of all people. This really must be a top class vacation resort if people like him come here."

"Hmm."

"You don't agree, Sonic?"

"It's not that. I was wondering if he is here on vacation or if he's here on some business."

"You think that's what he wants to talk to you about?"

"Maybe, we'll see."

"Aren't you nervous? I'm nervous and I'm not even going up there."

"I've dealt with big players before. You get used to it after a while."

"Do you actually have any idea of what he want's to talk about?"

"No, that's the thing."

"Oh well, don't let him take up too much of your schedule. We have a dinner date tonight."

"We have a dinner date tonight?"

"Of course we do. We have a dinner date for every night we spend on the island. We're gonna eat out and watch fireworks and the parade in town and we're gonna go dancing. It's going to be absolutely mmmagical."

"...Great."

Sonic walked up the stairs to the ninth floor. The only room up there was the penthouse itself. When he reached the door to the room he was greeted by the two secret service agents, standing by each side of it.

The agents nodded to each other and one of them turned to Sonic. "Mr Hedgehog." He went to open the door but tripped on his own foot and fell over. Sonic didn't really know how to react to that. The agent quickly stood up and opened the door properly this time.

"Thank you." Sonic entered the penthouse and the door closed behind him.

The interior of the penthouse looked like that of a mansion. The living room had windows reaching around the entirety of the south and east walls. Everything from the Sugarsand Beach up to the pool patio was visible from here. As Sonic looked around he felt a pinch of regret for letting Kennedy have the room. He didn't have much time to think about it before the man himself came out of the bedroom in a smoking jacket, already looking a lot more leisurely.

"Mr Hedgehog. Glad you made it up."

"Just call me Sonic."

"Ah, not really the formal type, are you?"

"Not really."

"I see. In that case, you might as well call me Jack."

Sonic chuckled. "Sure thing, Jack."

"Well, have a seat." John gestured towards a coffee table and two couches in the middle of the living room.

Sonic went over and took a seat in one of the couches. "This is an amazing room."

John took the seat opposite Sonic. "Yes, I hope you're not disappointed in the room you got."

"No, it's a nice room."

"I have actually felt some regret myself for not insisting you got this room. I mean look at all these windows. They said that this is the most secure room in the hotel, but that only really goes for eavesdroppers. If a shooter was out for my life this would be asking for it."

Sonic crossed his arms. "Strange they didn't think of that, huh? The receptionist down there is talking the place up, sure, but the secret service? Shouldn't they be a little more paranoid?"

"That is part of the reason why I wanted to speak to you. I don't know if you noticed, but the secret service agents currently serving as my bodyguards are rather… clumsy."

"I noticed."

"I've been having doubts about their ability to defend my life, and Jackie is beyond worried already. Worst thing is they seem to be thinking the same thought."

"Has the institution gotten lazy? I remember the secret service being a little more composed last time I met your predecessor."

"Maybe, but they can do their job when it matters. It's like a completely different person bursts out of their skin once duty calls."

"Isn't that good enough?"

"In a matter of life and death, yes. But that isn't the problem. If the institution gets lazy this is merely the first crack in a dam that might burst into disaster in the future. Besides, what trust can the people have for an institution that can't keep it's composure in the presence of its own president. I need to motivate it into bettering itself, to set an example."

Sonic raised an eyebrow at John. "What exactly are you saying?"

"Your reputation is one that very few men in history have. If half of everything I've ever heard about you is true then your physical ability is damn super-human. On top of that, your attitude is quite admirable. You seem like a man who would be willing to work for the betterment of his country. As such, I have an offer for you."

Sonic stared right at John.

"Sonic, would you like to serve as my bodyguard?"