King For a Day

"Day One"

by Asher Tye

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

Anthony Bault: I must confess, I like Tails/Cream, they're a cute couple… Since he's playing a Prince in this reality, I had to come up with some sort of plausible way for them to get together, particularly since she hasn't appeared in the Archie comics stories yet. And Vanilla just seems to act so proper, it made sense to attach her and her daughter to the royal court.

Angelus-Alvus: Unfortunately, it's not like I have a stockpile of chapters to work with. ::Cries because doesn't have stockpile:: Still, I'm hopeful I can get this updated once a week while I work on the next chapter for my Silver Fox story. It does help that I've planned the way this goes out though…

Jay: For the first chapter, I wanted to portray a sense of urgency given the situation, though I hope it didn't go so fast it lost anyone. Keep in mind that this is a created universe with an unrecorded past. As such, I decided to keep the information given about it to something of a minimum, just in case I decide to dabble in it again with another story. And hopefully this chapter will leave some interesting questions behind. 

Ri2: Good to see you again, thought I'd lost you. As I said, I'm a Tails/Cream fan so, "first comes love, then comes marriage.." As to who the characters are, the lion is introduced in this chapter so I won't spoil it. The computer is Synthia who functions something along the lines of a cross between N.I.C.O.L.E. and Snively for Garivald (Assistants, every good villain needs one.)

HolyNightmare: I'm glad you like the plot so far. With any luck I can keep it going, though I guess that depends more on skill than on luck.  Hope you like this chappie.

Sonic the Shapeshifter: As far as the real Prince Miles goes… I don't really have a clue. I never honestly thought about what he might be dealing with, especially if he's somewhere the Zone Cops can't find him easily.

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Tails didn't know what made him do it. If anyone were to have asked him about it later, he might have used his Freedom Fighter training as a reason. Whatever the cause, Tails listened to his instincts and dove for the ground, taking Cream with him, as an arrow whizzed through the space his head had only moments ago occupied and buried itself in the ground behind him. The effect of the flying instrument of death was immediate as all of the kids began screaming their heads off and stampeding for cover. Quickly Tails, a frightened Cream in tow, rolled out of the way as two more arrows, these coming from a different direction, struck the ground the two children had occupied only a short moment before. As the sound of more arrows whistling through the air reached his ears, Tails realized he didn't have time to get to safety and crawled over the frightened Cream to shield her from the attack. His eyes and teeth clenched tight as the kit quietly anticipated the pain of an arrow striking him, but the he heard the sound of the arrows as they bounced off what could only be a metallic surface. Casting a glance behind him, Tails saw a familiar horse holding his shield up to deflect the attack.

"Sir Connery!" All around them he could see bears wearing the red beret of His Majesty's Secret Service swarming into the garden.

"Get the Prince and Lady Cream to cover," Connery barked at the nearest bear, who grunted in response as he picked up the fox and rabbit.

"Connery it is one shooter. He's just jumping between the towers to confuse us," yelled a hawk wearing similar knightly attire to the horse's own.

"Right then," the horse knight said as he drew his sword at the indicated tower in the small trio that created the corners for the garden. For a brief moment Tails wondered what Connery was up to. Then the kit spotted another arrow flying through the air at them. With reflexes honed by years of training and experience, the Champion of Acorn threw his sword like a spear. Squinting, Tails could barely make out a translucent shape leaping to another tower. His line of sight was disrupted, however, as a familiar blue blur sped past him and up the tower the figure, who Tails now guessed to be a chameleon, had been leaping to. Sonic successfully intercepted the would-be assassin, and sent the hapless Mobian sailing to the ground with an audible thud. The kitsune struggled to get a good look at the lizard, but a beefy bear arm moved to shield him from further assault.

"Don't even think about it mate," came Geoffrey's voice as the skunk aimed his wrist mounted crossbow at the chameleon. "And so help me if I see so much as a flicker I'm letting you have it right between the eyes."

"What is going on here?" a booming voice asked as His Royal Majesty King Acorn entered the garden, accompanied by Garivald and his royal bodyguards.

"Stand back your majesty, my men have just captured a dangerous assassin." One of the bears grabbed the chameleon by the arms, immobilizing the smaller Mobian.

"You losers had nothing to do with it, skunk-boy, it was me and Connery who took him down."

"Sonic," Connery barked, making the hedgehog fall silent.

"Do not worry your majesties. We'll get to the bottom of this quickly," Geoffrey continued as though Sonic had said nothing.

"Not likely skunk. Ninja don't break so easily," the chameleon said in the sly, quiet voice that seemed so characteristic for his kind. "And I doubt you can hold me for very…" The lizard's words were cut off as three sharp metal spikes embedded themselves in his neck, killing him instantly. The guards quickly formed ranks around the King as the one who had gotten both Tails and Cream out of the way took them back inside to the waiting staff.

"What kind of sham operation are you running here, St. John?!" Garivald half asked, half screamed

"I assure you this is no 'sham operation' Lord Garivald."

"Really now? Then how do you explain your allowance of not one but two assassins onto the castle grounds?"

"Yes, St. John. I must say this is most disappointing," King Acorn added. "I can only thank the Walkers that Sir Connery and Sir Hawk were on hand to protect my son and Lady Cream."

"With all due respect your majesty, it was not their problem to solve," Garivald said, turning towards the skunk commander. "It was yours. You were placed in charge of the Secret Service and tasked with providing security for the palace, especially with young Prince Miles's Rite of Ascension ceremony coming up. And yet, here we find your abilities to be lacking in a somewhat distressing manner. Can you explain yourself?"

"At present, no sir," the skunk said. "Rest assured, however, that I will get to the bottom of this and discover how this chameleon managed to get inside the castle walls."

"A task, it would seem, which has gotten harder since your prime source of information was killed not moments ago," Garivald said. He then turned back towards the King. "Your Highness, perhaps we should consider placing such responsibilities in more… experienced hands."

"What!?" St. John yelped.

"Did you have any suggestions in mind Garivald?" the King asked. The badger waved his hand at Sir Connery.

"Sir Connery has more than proved himself to be reliable on multiple occasions, your majesty. I think we would all feel safer with him in charge of security for such an important event."

"Your Majesty, while I am flattered by Lord Garivald's praises, I do not think I am suited to providing security for the entire castle."

"It would be a temporary situation, my dear sir knight," Garivald replied. "You are a respected commander and highly observant. I have little doubt you would have no trouble in getting St. John's forces to perform with SOME semblance of competence."

"There is no need to become insulting Garivald," King Max said warningly. "Still I cannot deny your words."

"Your majesty, I must protest. Simply give me a second chance and I will not fail you," Geoffrey pleaded.

"I am sorry Commander St. John, but I'm afraid I must concur with my Advisor. Until the Rite of Ascension ceremony is completed, I hereby place you Sir Connery in charge of the Secret Service."

"While I am flattered Your Majesty, I do feel my talents would better serve…"

"That was not a request, sir knight, it was an order. Commander St. John will make himself available to assist you in any way possible."

"Yes sir," the equestrian warrior said with a salute, which was grudgingly followed by Geoffrey St. John's own.

"Excellent. Now then, I leave you to deal with this… situation as you see fit," King Max turned to leave.

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Vanilla hugged her daughter tightly, grateful to learn that she had survived the assassination attempt.

"I'm all right, Mommy, really," Cream said, reassuring her mother as Tails and Queen Alicia looked on.

"Vanilla, I am terribly sorry for all the excitement today," Queen Alicia said in an apologetic voice.

"I suppose one must expect such things on occasion," the elder rabbit said in something of a resigned tone. "Though according to Cream, young Prince Miles acted most bravely and saved her from the assassin's arrows." Vanilla ruffled the young kit's fur. "Thank you so much, my gallant young Prince." The Duchess then turned back to the Queen. "Well, after such an eventful day, I believe it is time for us to return to the southern provinces."

"Of course Duchess; and may you and your lovely daughter have a safe and peaceful journey."

"Oh I hope we will. But never fear, we will be back soon to attend the ceremony. Until then, I wish you my best and hope you will contact me should you need any more decorating advice."

"Good-bye Miles," Cream said as she planted a kiss on Tails's surprised face. "Thank you so much for saving me today." With that, the two rabbits left.

"Well, it seems you were a real hero today, my son."

"Uh… thanks 'Mom,' but it was really Connery and the others who saved us. I just kinda grabbed Lady Cream and was trying to avoid getting us both punctured," Tails said, feeling just a little embarrassed at all the attention he was getting.

"Still a lesser man, even a noble, would have left her to die. I am so proud of you."

"As I'm sure we all are, your Highness," Julayla said as she entered the room. "But I am afraid I must still remind him that we must complete the fittings for the outfit he will wear for the ceremony. And it is important he commit the names of the guests he will be meeting to memory as well."

"Aw, haven't I done enough today?"

"Not yet, my Prince. I'm afraid you have promises yet to keep, and miles to go before you sleep." With that, the cat tutor led the young fox away.

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Beneath the castle, buried deep in the grounds of the palace, was a dark, dank pit known as the imperial dungeons. Though not often used, it nonetheless held a population of criminals and villains all its own; many of whom, at one point or another, posed a serious threat to the country and its citizens. It is in one of those cells that a large, muscular lion lies on a cot, his big arms crossed behind his head in a makeshift pillow; brooding darkly. Two thick chains connect his leg shackles to reinforced studs in the wall and keep him from moving freely about the small space. A plaque next to his cell bars marks him as Kodos, the feared bandit lord who, until recently, had been the scourge of the countryside, robbing and pillaging travelers and towns with not a single ounce of remorse or mercy. The bars of his cell are so tightly packed together, the lion couldn't even get one of his larger-than-life fingers through them, and a little slot is all the space provided to let a guard shove a plate full of his daily sustenance in. All in all, it definitely seems as though this prisoner is here to stay.

Grumbling, Kodos sat up in his cot, rubbing the piece of mane that formed a beard at his chin. Suddenly the bandit lord became very aware of the fact that he was not alone in his cell as a small hand grabbed his shoulder, while a second grabbed his head. A surprising third hand held a small knife with its blade pressed against his neck ever so lightly.

"Do not speak," a soft voice almost whispered into his ear. "I come with an offer. Accept it and gain your freedom; refuse it, and die. Nod your head if you accept."

For a brief moment Kodos considered defiantly telling the voice it could go to the abyss but, though he was many things, he was no fool. King Acorn had already ordered his execution; it was only a matter of time before he faced his death at the executioner's hands. If this creature was offering him freedom, who was he to quibble over the details. Slowly he nodded.

"Excellent," the quiet voice said, never removing the knife blade. "I will leave you now. In three minutes, you will leave as well, no sooner. I have secured your weapon for you; it will be waiting outside the dungeon door. Once you are out, make your way to the Great Forest and be there at nightfall. My employer can make it most worth your wile to keep the appointment. Understood?" Again Kodos nodded. Then, just as suddenly as the Mobian had appeared, she was gone.

Just as the intruder had said, Kodos waited for three minutes before trying to open the door to his cell. Half expecting it to be a trick, the giant lion was quite surprised when the metal bars swung open with little resistance. Quickly he left the cell and made his way towards the dungeon doors.

"Halt in the name of the King," yelled a voice as two guardsmen appeared holding swords. Though somewhat lessened without his signature battle axe, the bandit lord's size provided him with a terrifying advantage over the other two Mobians in terms of reach. Quickly he grabbed the two guards' sword hands in a powerful grip, crushing the fingers against the handles of their weapons. As the duo let out pained screams, Kodos jerked them forward, slamming them both face first into the wall and silencing them. With a none too gentle shove, he opened the large metal door of the dungeon and was somewhat shocked to find his giant battleaxe sitting nearby, an unconscious Mobian on the floor beside it. A smile on his face, he grabbed the axe and made his way out of the palace.

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"YELP," Tails cried as a small pin passed through the thick material that was draped over his body and struck his skin.

"I have to ask you again to not move please," said the irked canary tailor that was currently working on the finishing touches for Prince Miles's outfit. Tails fought the urge to tell the canary off, trying his best to concentrate on being completely still. Difficult normally, made exceptionally more so when he couldn't move.

"Now Miles, please tell me who King Donalito is, where he comes from, and how you should respond to his attending your ceremony," Julayla commanded from the chair where she held a thick book in her lap. Tails's brow furrowed as he tried to remember what he had so recently learned of this reality's politics, no mean feat considering he'd never had the slightest interest in politics before.

"Donalito is King of the island nation of Sibaula, and he's… um… a huge fan of watching little foxes screw up big time?"

Like Sonic said, if you can't be right, be funny.

"No. And I do not appreciate you making light of this, Prince Miles," Julayla said, a stern look on the feline's face. "Might I remind you that many of these nobles will be judging you without pity or sympathy."

"I'm sorry. Ouch!" Another pin stuck him as the tailor attempted to place a tassel on his shoulder.

"That is what you get for not paying attention," the cat said. Then she let out an exasperated sigh. "Miles, we've been going over this for weeks now, and you were doing so well. Now it's like you've never even heard a word I said."

"I… I just have a lot of my mind. Nervousness. After all, you know how important the day will be."

"Yes and it will be ruined if you do not remain STILL, my Prince," the canary said, causing Tails to huff in frustration, which only caused further problems for the bedraggled tailor.

"Very well, I guess I can accept that for now, but you will have to try harder. Now then, Donalito is the King of the client country of Mercia, which is behooved to your father. Donalito is also a fastidious believer in the ancient ideas of entitlement and the divine right to rule. This makes him one of the thirteen nobles attached to King Acorn's court who do not believe it acceptable for you to be named heir to the throne."

"See I was right, he does enjoy watching little foxes screw up."

"It is more than that, I'm afraid. It is almost a certainty that he will not support your claim to the throne when the time comes and he will be speaking to those who are still undecided and even those who's support is somewhat shaky in an attempt to get them not to support you either. It is imperative that you not give him any sort of ammunition he can use against you or your father. Now then, I don't suppose you remember Viscount Charles Hedgehog do you?"

"Sonic's uncle?" Quickly Tails recalled what he did know of this reality. Uncle Chuck had been instrumental in "ending" the Great War between Acorn and MegaCentral and, in this reality, he had been given a patent of nobility for his efforts, officially making him a member of the higher nobility, though that same courtesy had not been extended to Jules or Sonic. "He's… on my side, isn't he?"

"Yes of course, but he is also a junior noble. It is important for you to know exactly how much to interact with him in relation to nobles of Donalito's rank so as not to appear offensive to others."

"Wait a minute," Tails said, grabbing the tailor's hand before the bird got a chance to stick him with another needle. "This Donalito guy thinks I'm scum, but you want me to spend lotsa time with him; while Uncle Chuck, the guy who actually likes me, I'm supposed to stay away from? That doesn't make any sense."

"Would you mind leaving for a few minutes, good sir," Julayla asked the canary tailor?

"But madam," the tailor protested, "I haven't finished with tonight's work yet."

"We will not be long and it is fairly important," Julayla said calmly. Grudgingly the canary left, closing the door behind him.

"I just don't get why I'm going to such lengths to be nice to the people who wish I'd fall into a sewer and die."

"I understand Prince Miles, but you have to understand something as well. The day King Maximillian announced that he intended for you to be the royal heir, many of the nobles whom his reign does depend on were less than thrilled to have a commoner not simply raised to their status, but above them. I'm afraid that many felt it a severe insult for the King to take that action."

"Yeah yeah I know, I'm not a blue blood so I should be in the forest sticking berries up my nose."

"Nothing quite so dramatic my Prince. The feeling was that without the proper breeding, it was unlikely you'd be sufficiently capable of leading the kingdom."

"But since when has breeding been able to determine anything about a person? It's not fair to condemn someone just because their parents didn't have some long winded pedigree to display."

"Commendable thinking sire, but not particularly relevant at the moment," Julayla said before continuing. "In order to forestall any ideas of revolt that the kingdom could not survive at the time, the King made a compromise. He would adopt you as his son, but he would not name you his heir; at least not immediately."

"I know this story. He's going to do it at the Rite of Ascension…"

"Yes yes, that is his plan. But the other half of the compromise goes that if a sufficient number of courtiers and noblemen deem you unsuitable as a future sovereign, King Maximillian must negate your claim to the throne. To not do so is to risk the kingdom tearing itself apart in a civil war, something that would benefit nobody, save MegaCentral. Your antics, your exploits; they have done much to endear you to your future subjects, and a careful job of detailing them has won you quite a few fans amongst the nobility, especially the younger aristocrats and noble houses who missed out on the days of adventure from the kingdom's inception. Unfortunately, it has done little to make some see you as anything more than… 'a hyper-active street urchin' I believe was the phrase Ferdinand used."

"But if those other houses like me…"

"The elder houses are the ones that have spent centuries gathering wealth, land, and arms to themselves. This grants them a certain amount of additional clout where matters of state are concerned. Because of that, it is them that this ceremony is being designed to impress. You must be able to show them that, in addition to being able to connect with your subjects, you also know how to behave amongst members of the royal court."

"I still say it's nonsense," Tails said in a defeated huff.

"Yes I know. But think of it this way, it is only for one day, and then, baring a tragedy, you won't have to deal with those people again. You'll just have to deal with their children."

"Oh goody," Tails said, sarcasm rich in his voice. "I can hardly wait."

"I think that's enough snideness for now. Let's get the tailor back in here so that he can finish for the night and then you can go to bed."

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In the darkness of the Great Forest at night, Kodos waited, his patience steadily growing thin. He'd been waiting for nearly an hour and still there was no sign of this mysterious benefactor who'd helped him escape the King's dungeon.

"Five more minutes," he muttered. "Five more minutes, and if this fella doesn't show himself I'm…" Kodos's grumbling was cut off as a kunai sliced into the ground before him. Looking up into the trees, the lion bandit readied his axe for attack, though he could barely make out the form of a spider dressed in black and readying another of the deadly throwing knives.

"Are you the one who summoned me here?"

"No my muscular friend, it was I," said a badger wearing a well to do tunic and covering his nose in a handkerchief. Instantly Kodos recognized the Mobian and shouldered his weapon.

"Lord Garivald, the Royal Advisor? Now this is a surprise."

"I've no doubt it is to your feeble mind bandit, but I did not come here to hear your assessments. I have come with a proposition for you."

"Really now. And what's to stop me from just saying no and slicing your scrawny little self in half?" As if to answer him another kunai landed at his feet.

"Tell me, does this arrogant display of testosterone ever accomplish anything for you? I went to all of the trouble of freeing you, and you came here; so you're obviously interested in what I have to say. What is the harm in remaining… civil to each other a few moments longer. Besides, I would think there was someone else you'd rather slice in twain. Someone with say… orange fur?"

"The royal freak," Kodos growled, remembering just who it was who'd landed him in the dungeon.

"Yes, the Prince," Garivald growled too. "As it happens, I have a vested interest in making sure the little peasant never makes it to the throne. Unfortunately, I also have an interest in making sure my hands remain clean of the whole thing."

"I see, you want me to take out the Prince. But what do I get out of it?"

"Aside from your revenge? What else could you possibly want?"

"If I kill the freak, his daddy's gonna have the entire Mobian Grand Army on my tail before the hour is up. I'm good, but even I don't think I could fight my way through so many palace guards."

"Not to worry my 'friend,' I have no intention of letting you just blunder back into the palace in a vain attempt to get revenge, no, what I have in mind is much neater and less dangerous for all parties concerned." His axe still shouldered, Kodos moved forward towards the badger, a wicked smile on his face.

"Tell me more, your lordship."

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Author's Note: And thus is Kodos added to this merry little plot.

Wow, more than double the reviews in one chapter! I like this trend, let's keep it going. ::Head swells up to massive size:: But before I start being deluged by questions about it, I will say that the chameleon killed in this chapter was NOT Espio. I needed a non-arachnid ninja, a chameleon seemed best. So to all the Espio fans out there who think I just offed their favorite character, I repeat: The dead chameleon was NOT Espio. Tootles; see you in seven. :-D