Chapter Ten: Decision

Tails had cheered up quite a lot after his argument with Marine, mostly thanks to Cream and Cheese, the bunny was skipping excitedly alongside him as he walked, and the chao was clinging to his tail, enjoying it's fluffiness (the tails' not Cheese's). They weren't talking about much important, just catching up. Cream was explaining Cheese's recent and random obsession with soft things, but despite all of this, the conversation lasted for about ten minutes, they were then out of subjects, Cream found one last one to break the silence.

"Who was that girl you were talking to before?"

Tails' cheeks went slightly red, he couldn't think of the reason for this, so just answered. "You saw her?"

"I heard shouting, then saw you walking away from each other fuming."

"Well," Tails grinned slightly, he couldn't help himself, "she's my girlfriend. Well... ex now I guess." he hung his head as he reminded himself. She also frowned.

"Are you upset?"

Tails paused for a moment before he spoke, "Nah." he faked a smile and looked at her as she looked back, giving him an odd look - in other words, she saw right through him, she always did. "Maybe a little, yes."

"Mm. Thought so." Cream made a small sweet smile, "You know what cheers me up?" Tails simply shrugged, so she carried on. "Ice cream! Come over to mine!" She laughed and began to pull him, Cheese hanging onto his tail for its dear life (Tails' tail, not its own).

"You've really not changed since you were about six have you?" Tails teased.

Cream stopped and looked at Tails, then to herself and back to the fox, tilting her head as she spoke, "I'm taller...?"

"A little." he grinned as she pulled him away again, Cheese now securely clamped on his tail (must I say?).

Marine meanwhile, was walking in the opposite direction, but still wasn't that far away, she found a rock and threw it at a tree to see how much bark would peel off out of pure boredom, her anger was fading and guilt began to set in. She tried to remember what Tails did to annoy her, ah, that was it, the flying. He knew she hated flying, she had told him herself! Hadn't she? She picked up a rock and started to carve into the tree roughly, it seemed to help her think. So maybe she might have forgotten to tell him she hated heights, but he still shouted at her - although she may have shouted first. Still deep in thought, the raccoon stood back to admire her 'carving' it was pretty much just a rough smiley, circular face, she had put badly shaped triangles on top of it for ears and a little nose, she decided to finish what she started, and etched a bit of fur (lines) on the face, she was getting pretty proud of it, then made a little tuft of hair (also lines) on the head. She stepped back to admire it...

It was Tails.

Though it was a rough and pathetic piece of art on the tree, with sticks for hair and the eyes were badly uneven, it was him, undoubtedly. This annoyed her.

She yelled and kicked the tree, a few times. chipping off the bark at the bottom.

"Ok! I'm sorry, Tails! I just got annoyed! Sorry!" She yelled at the demented work on the tree. She then regathered her dignity, turned around and walked in the direction she saw Tails go - scratch that, ran.

She somehow got sidetracked, but eventually found her way back to the path after tearing her way through a bush, she was happy to be back on the path, but seemed to have left her sense of direction back in that bush.

"Y'know, I don't remember you being this pretty when I saw you a few weeks ago."

Marine's eyes lit up as she heard Tails voice from behind a corner, she was ready to dash around but was interrupted.

"Well I grew my hair, might that be it?"

This wasn't Tails, nor herself. It was a girl. Another girl. Her heart sank as she dived quickly into the same bush where she had lost her sense of direction, but she manged to peer though a gap in the leaves. Sure enough, Tails walked into view, linking another girl. Linking! And she was pretty! Marine didn't know whether to break down in tears, run off or go up and slap the cow - both of them! She kept her hand over her mouth for a few seconds until the two passed, she then emerged from the bush and ran, even taking time to grab a rock and ram it right between her earlier carving's eyes.

"You really think I'm pretty?" Cream looked up to Tails with sparkly eyes, he had gotten quite tall since he was ten, the fox was looking the other way, but after hearing her he turned and smiled.

"Yeah, very." They looked at each other for a couple of seconds, until Tails looked down. "How come you're linking me?"

"I...er, is that bad?"

"Naw, it's ok if you want." He smiled as she giggled. The two walked for a few seconds until Cream sighed and stopped. "What's up?" Cream couldn't seem to meet his eyes as he spoke.

Her voice went even higher than usual, "I don't know how to say this... so I'll just do it. Ok?"

"Erm. Yeah, sure, what is i-" he squeaked as he was cut off as the rabbit pressed her lips against his, she hadn't done it before, but it was a good first go. Tails' eyes shot open as he felt her warm breath and she put her arms around him. For reasons unbeknown to him, he considered it, then took what he thought was the right decision.

"Cream." he pushed her away softly. "I'm sorry Cream, I... I'll see you around." She nodded shyly and stayed quiet as he took her arms from behind him and walked away.

Review! I think this chapter was a little better than the couple before it, I've been getting a little writer's block but I'll finish this well if it kills me!