Disclaimer: I own neither Sonic nor Princess Elise, not the Nintendo Wii, nor the new game coming out though I SO wish I did. X.x No money being made from this. ;.;

: Just Elise :

byOrin.

Elise was always Just Elise to Sonic.

It was a phenomenon unheard of to her until she first encountered the hedgehog when she was twelve. It was also an event that would forever change her outlook in life, though neither she nor Sonic could have imagined this.

Princess Elise had been in the process of relocating herself to a new home. Not running away as one of her father's advisors had claimed. When one ran away one did not leave a letter informing one's family that royal life was not for oneself and that one could be more content elsewhere, Elise told herself. One did this when it came about that one's birthday had once again been neglected by one's parents.

They had wished Elise a happy birthday. Over the distance of a telephone.

Elise had gotten gifts when all she had wanted to do, was be with her mother, and her father on that one day. Really, when one is the king and queen, arranging this, could not be all –that- difficult.

No. She had not been running away. She had neatly packed a small amount of her favourite belongings, ordered a limousine and had been heading to the railway station- which was a wonder to her in and of itself. Imagine! Public transport! With real people! - when she had ran into Sonic the Hedgehog. Or rather, it was he who had ran into her.

It was not that Elise did not know how to cross the street. She had done so before! When accompanied by her bodyguard- Clause. Or a shopping aid. Usually both. However, crossing a busy intersection, alone and unaided, and hauling her overly-heavy bag, was something new to the little princess. She failed at it rather miserably. She would never forget the sight of that looming car, moving so fast toward her that all she could think of was that she should have brought Clause, because when Clause was around, these sort of things simply did not happen.

Then she was moving away, so fast that she had to close her eyes very tight against the sting of the wind. She clung gamely to the smaller, rapid moving form that seemed to be taking her with it.

And when it stopped, and Elise dared to open her eyes, she was not at the station but at the city park, several miles away. On the little knoll there, and she could see everything. It put her down, and she looked at it.

At him.

Back then, Sonic was known well enough, but not by everyone, not as he is now. Elise did not know him. She had not seen his kind either, before that moment, bar on television broadcasts, and so she had stared, as children do stare.

Bright emerald eyes had stared right back at her. When he presented her suitcase, Elise had taken it, moving entirely on automatic, feeling its weight drag her arms earthward. Then, she had not known what to do and had spent a moment holding onto her belongings, just staring at her little savour, awkwardly.

He was a little smaller than her. But not by a whole lot. Elise assured herself that she still had much growing to do. Everyone knew that girls kept growing until they were much, much older. And she was only twelve after all.

With lips that were twitching strangely, he had blinked, breaking the spell, giving her a nod and a flash of a grin. 'You're welcome,' he had told her.

Whether it was an oblique referral to her lack of manners, which, had she not been a bit stunned, Elise would have been outraged at, or whether it was just his sense of foresight, which she later would learn, Sonic had a lot of, it was enough to prompt her into action. Again automatic, she had set down her bag, and given him a little courtesy.

'Thank you,' she had said right back.

When he just blinked again at her, and did not answer, Elise had straightened and abandoned waiting for any sensible reply. It had not occurred to her at the time, that people did not courtesy anymore. Not normal people anyway. She had gone right back to staring at him then, since he was doing it to her. At least, she reasoned, she had a valid cause to do so. People, human people were everywhere on the street. One simply did not see… small little… whatever-he-was wandering around all willy nilly.

'So… got a name?' he had asked her.

Elise thought about that. She was off in her quest to make a new life. What should she call herself now? Certainly not Princess Elise. But she had not considered what her new name would be either. And she had to think about it. Whilst she did so, her rescuer though, grew impatient. Tilting his head and sticking out his hand at her he had announced, ' I'm Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog.' With the same sort of brash confidence he had shown since setting her down.

Elise had stared at his hand. She had no idea what he was going to do with it but it looked awfully … forceful, sticking out at her like that.

' Elise,' she had said then. ' … just… just Elise.'

It turned out, she could not think of a new name, just at that moment.

Sonic had withdrawn his hand after a moment of wiggling his fingers, an action which Elise had merely stared at in flat confusion. He had given a soft sigh, shaken his head a bit and then had eyed up her bag of belongings meaningfully.

'Going on a little trip?' he had asked her. And Elise who had been brought up with good manners, really thought this was a very personal question to ask a young lady whom one had just met. She deliberated not answering his question even. But he had rescued her. And so, on that account she had drawn herself up to her full height, which was really not all that high, and answered him.

' I am.' She had told him certainly. 'I'm… going away.' Ended rather lamely. Truth be told, she had no idea where she was going. But she would know when she got there, of this she was sure.

Sonic had just looked at her. It was a strange look to Elise. She did not realise it was a shrewd look but she was able to recognise that she had gotten it once or twice from her private tutor when she had skipped lessons. She had half expected him to begin berating her, though for whatever reason she could not fathom. He definitely did not have ample cause.

Then he shrugged at her and those thoughts dissipated.

'Okay,' he said. And that was that.

Then he turned, and left her.

Or, he would have. He was going his way, leaving her to go hers. Elise however, was still struggling with her bag. She had packed with care, she thought. And had only taken that which she needed. Problem was, what she needed was a bit heavy, all in all and with a huff of breath, she moved right back into hauling her bag in the direction of the station.

Really, she thought, he could have just stopped next to the station after rescuing her.

'Want a hand? Just Elise?'

Sonic. Right beside her.

Naturally, she had jumped, given a little eep and glared at him. Sonic had only grinned.

Elise had never seen a grin like his. Elise would never forget that grin either, and what epitomised for her.

Freedom.Sincerity. With a hint of irreverence. All in a simple smile.

Elise however, on her new-found independence, had politely declined, with a simple ' No thank you. I can manage quite well by myself.'

It did not sound haughty. Not much at least.

Sonic, still wearing that grin, had only shrugged again. 'Okay.' he said, once more.

And that was the last Elise had seen of him, for a good solid five years.

She had not gotten much further. Half the house guard had been conducting a frantic search for her and her firm reprimand was adequate enough that Elise did forget about Sonic for a little while.

But not forever.Before long, the name Sonic the Hedgehog was cropping up all over the media. In news papers, on the TV, even on the radio.

Sonic was a hero, the world said. It was Sonic who stalled the madman who called himself Eggman time and time again. Sonic who staved off Chaos's wrath. Sonic who had saved the world in the Ark disaster.

Sonic was a hero. Over and over again. Sonic was an unfailing hero.

When GUN had declared him an outlaw, Elise had quietly believed, as she knew so many people believed, in Sonic's innocence.

She would see him on news reports, saving and helping where he could, and Elise would remember how he had saved her life, one life amongst many. She would remember how he had shrugged it off. He was one of the few consistents in the Princess' life, though she did not know him, did not meet him for a long time after that first encounter.

Sonic the Hedgehog.Who never called her Princess Elise. Just Elise. Always with Sonic, it was Just Elise.

She never forgot that either.

The second time Elise met Sonic; she was seventeen, and nearing the day when her duties as regent would begin. Her life would be in the public eye, but she was beginning to understand that she could do good with that. Elise could do a lot of good with that. For people.

This time Sonic did not save her. This time, Elise was walking the city, of her own freedom, as she reasoned she might not have too much more of that anymore.

It was a small price to pay.

This time, it was Elise who rescued Sonic.

Of sorts.

If truth was known, Elise was besotted by her city. Especially by night. There were new places the Princess could wander day after day, new sights to see. New things to buy.

Well, she was a woman after all. And peace is all well and good but one could not be a peacemaker in bad shoes. This was her mothers doing through and through.

Elise was window shopping when she was bumped into. Not enough to topple her however. But for the one who bumped into her, it was a bit of a disaster, as he, or she, was weighed down by so many boxes, that Elise could not even see them! The boxes toppled, noisily and messily. And automatically, Elise dropped and reached to rescue one of the larger boxes from the pavement, with the genuine hope that there was nothing breakable inside.

There was a soft embarrassed laugh near her head, and a quiet but cheerful, 'Sorry!' then a pair of gloved hands moved into view to begin picking up the rest of the scattered shopping.

Elise went quite still. It was a voice she recognised. Both from hearing it over and over on those news bulletins, and from memory.

When she looked up, she looked up to the same emerald eyes she remembered from when she had first met him and found that her memory did not do their brightness justice at all. Small, blue, a bit taller, and still wearing the same sleek runners form, Elise blinked at Sonic the Hedgehog.

Sonic the Hedgehog blinked right back at her. Then he tilted his head. Blinked again and seemed to brighten.

'Just Elise!' he exclaimed, pointing at her.

Elise could not help it. She smiled. No… she grinned.

Just Elise.

With a soft laugh and a nod, she straightened, and when he reached out to take it, given Sonic back his box. He was grinning at her, as brilliant as she remembered. He set it back on the pile, lips twisting ruefully and reaching a hand up to rub long cobalt quills.

Again he seemed faintly embarrassed. Elise found it terribly endearing.

'Ah… they're for a friend. Really,' he murmured. Her grey eyes darted over his shopping haul and twinkled mischievously.

'Oh, it's all right,' she assured him, 'Your secret shopping addiction is safe with me….'

He turned started eyes on her, and Elise found herself still smiling, and very much unable to stop it, even as his startlement cleared and he gave his head a little shake, quills following in secondary movement.

Then he snickered.

'Thanks.'

Soft, still rueful.But those eyes were on her, as she straightened, and now, now there was a difference, between her and him. He was so small! Well, no, not terribly small. But she would have to bend down to meet his face.

Elise found herself strangely tempted to do so, though she could not place why.

'Oh hey… you got tall.' Sonic said to her then.

It was inane. It was abrupt. It was random. It was obvious.

It was normal conversation.

It was perfect.

No kowtowing. No mention of Princess. Again, Elise found herself smiling. Wanting to say that, yes, that did happen as one got older. But she refrained.

'I was just twelve, you realise,' she did say. Sonic was picking up his boxes again, and Elise, who was brought up in a polite home, royal or not, stepped in closer and took some from him, hefting them up.

' Yeah but- oh! … thanks.'

He was peering around one of said boxes and up at her. Up!

Sonic blinked those bright eyes. 'Gonna walk me home?'

The simple comment brought Elise up short. Walk him home. But before she could dwell on the phrase, she was nodding. And then Sonic was grinning. Elise forgot about everything else but helping the blue hedgehog to take his shopping home.

Turned out, it really was not his, but a friend's, called Amy. Even though Sonic had sounded ever so slightly put out at being made carry those boxes, it still did not diminish his good humour and Elise found herself able to talk to him. About everything. From food, to the weather, to politics- which Sonic told her he stayed well away from- to their encounter when Elise was younger.

It was just… a normal conversation. There was no mention of duty, no mention of who she was; there was no mention that he knew. Which Elise was old enough to realise that he must. But Sonic did not say this. And Elise found herself eminently grateful.

And when he reached the door to Amy's apartment because Sonic had pointed out, with a well-worn note of resignation in his voice, that he had promised to deliver them to his friend, Elise had handed him his boxes back. Sonic smiled at her. He then thanked her for coming to his rescue- calling her his knight in shining armour even!- which was such a unique way of looking at it that Elise, laughing and feeling braver than she had ever felt, had leaned down, pecked him on the cheek and told him that she would come to his rescue any time he was in trouble. It was what knights did for wayward damsels in distress after all.

Whether Sonic felt any resentment at being called a damsel in distress, Elise did not know, but he looked, up at her, startled and it was then that Elise realised what she had just done.

Her bravery fled, and she with it. Awkward and feeling silly, and gangly and just out of place, the Princess had descended those steps, mumbling out an excuse, feeling his eyes on her all the way, and not daring to look back least she see him laugh.

No laugh sounded out behind her. But Elise berated herself for her silliness all the way home.

She did not forget either, that Sonic had not laughed at her. That Sonic had not called her Princess. Or told her he knew. Or alluded to anything else other than the fact that he had saved her, and she had saved him and her city was a pleasant one, and that he liked it here, though it could get a bit quiet now and then.

She was still Just Elise to him.

He was correct however that Elise's kingdom, Soleanna, was a peaceful one. A quiet one. Her parents advocated harmony at all costs. Even wars, fought in the name of peace were seen as unthinkable

What measure of harmony could one bring with spilled blood? Why battle for peace? Why hurt for peace?

Sonic the Hedgehog never did. Sonic saved. Sonic defended.

And on her eighteenth birthday, on the eve of a massive celebration amid Eggman's attack and looking up at him in the chaos and the fire and again faced with those bright emerald eyes and those memories, new and old, Princess Elise understood why she too, was so adamant about peace.

Not only for her people. For all people. But for Sonic.

For the winsome smile and the irreverent emerald eyes and for his ability to change everyone he met. With peace, Sonic would be safe. With peace, Sonic would be alive. There would be no more need to fight, to defend. To risk being hurt.

And Elise, not only Princess Elise, but Just Elise too, wanted to defend him.

She wanted to protect him.

At all costs.

: FIN :

Short, shameless, sad little bit of fluff there for y'all. Nothing special, believe me. But thought I'd throw it up. Based entirely on assumptions and ideas in my head so there's very little actually game-fact in this ficlet.

I'm sure that it's not her birthday in the opening of the new game, that... I just made up. But it was an idea and I went with this and as I said, this was FUN to write.

Which is sort of the entire point.

I'm also fairly sure they've never met before the game either, in the game's story. But… yeah… In my head THEY HAVE!

Yeah. And I DO like the idea of Elise and Sonic as a pair though I can't see them together for long because he's too much of a free spirit, he'd have to move on, and can you imagine him sitting on a throne somewhere? I see them going their separate ways eventually, but in a nice way. Mutual agreement and aren't I depressing?

Plus y'know… the height difference, though one could argue that ain't SO bad…. :ahem:

So there.