The Sleet Aleena Chronicles: The Bounty Hunter And The Queen

(A/N: Second up today. Question, how did Sleet and Dingo know where to follow the Underground to find Mobodoon? Sonic only says that Robotnick sent them after them, not that Eggman himself knew. So how did the bounty hunters find them to follow them? In the final author's note I'll describe hints in more detail. Enjoy.)

Unexpected Promises

The ship pulled into port early the next morning. Aleena was awakened by a pounding at her door, and Squeege calling, "Aleena, we're at Knothole Village!" Aleena groaned, burying her face in her pillow. All at once, though, the memory of the other night came back, and she bolted up with a gasp, covering her mouth. "Aleena?" the captain called again, worry in his tone.

"I'm coming!" she replied.

"Yer," he chortled, "bodyguard is waiting," Squeege said with a snicker.

Oh Chaos no! He had seen! Either that or he suspected! She felt her skin heating up. She rose without a reply and got dressed. Soon enough she was out. She looked towards the pier. The ship was docking. She moved to the bow to watch, only to see Sleet there. She froze. Maybe, if she acted normal, he wouldn't feel awkward? She moved to the bow to stand beside him. She saw him tense up. She hoped he wouldn't bring it up, he probably hoped she wouldn't. They said nothing to each other, just watched. Finally it bumped into place.

"It's time for ye to disembark my dear. It's been a pleasure having ye along," Squeege said, as he came up to them.

"Yes, it has," Aleena agreed with a smile. "Thank you Squeege," she added. She pecked the old man on the cheek then beckoned to the wolf to follow. She had decided that the captain hadn't seen, just suspected. If she treated the man like a guard, maybe Squeege wouldn't spread rumors. Sleet followed dutifully. He took his hover scooter from the ship's deck and rode down the plank. He turned back, waiting for her, not saying a word. She nervously climbed on behind him. The two went on into Knothole.

"It's nice here," Sleet finally remarked, breaking the silence. Finally Aleena relaxed.

"I know. It's one of my favorite places," she stated casually. They instantly went back to normal. "The palace is gorgeous too."

"A palace is a palace," Sleet replied, casually.

"To you I suppose," she answered. "But then, you're not royalty."

"Thank the gods," Sleet replied. She chuckled.

They soared back towards Mobotropolis. It appeared just on the horizon. They had explored a little more of Mobius, enjoying it all, but as Sleet had said that the places they had planned alone could take months, and she didn't have that time. The silence fell again, compatible aura gone between the two. They flew through the sleeping city quietly. "It's nearly midnight," Aleena remarked, trying to take her mind off of her troubles.

"Mm hmm," he replied. They cautiously kept an eye out for the guards. Finally, though, they reached his hideout.

He parked the hover scooter and the two headed towards the door. Suddenly it was flung open, and Dingo exclaimed, "Sleet, Aleena, you're finally back! It's been two weeks! Your dad's in a panic Aleena! He sent his guards to every canine's home. One even came here!" Aleena gasped.

"What! What did you tell them!" Sleet demanded.

"Nothing mate, just that I was the only one here," Dingo defended. "They looked around the rooms, but they didn't find anything."

Sleet forced himself to calm down. The danger was gone. They were home. They needed to rest. Finally he said, "We'll keep an eye out for them."

"He didn't believe my note," Aleena said in disbelief.

"He probably thought someone forced you to write it," Sleet grumbled.

"I suppose," Aleena said, visibly upset.

Sleet looked at her a moment, then finally asked cautiously, in a suspicious tone, "Are you alright?"

She shook her head, sadness in her eyes, then replied, "I can't be here anymore. I can't put you two at risk any longer. I can't run away from the warrior and my father forever, or my people."

"What are you saying sheila?" Dingo asked worriedly.

"I'll leave tomorrow morning," she replied simply. Sleet cringed. Dingo noticed it all too well.

"So, you're gonna go back to your promised husband?" Dingo asked.

"Yes," she replied.

"I thought ya didn't love him sheila," Dingo said, confused.

"She doesn't!" Sleet sharply shot. Aleena looked at him curiously, hope in her eyes.

"Then why is she…" Dingo began.

"Because she has no choice," Sleet replied. "She hasn't been taken by anyone else. If she married, she would be safe."

"It's not that easy Sleet," she replied, trying to defend herself.

"Of course it is," Sleet grumbled.

"All right, who is there that I should marry! Have I found a lover to my liking yet who cares for me back!" Aleena shot. He opened his mouth to reply, but then fell silent. "Exactly," she hissed. With that she stormed into his room and slammed the door.

Sleet sighed and rubbed his face. "Women," he groaned. He looked ahead only to see Dingo looking at him in confusion. "What are you looking at you bumbling fool!" Sleet demanded as he walked towards a chair. He sat, then stared sulkily at her door.

After a moment of silence, in which the dingo too, sat, and watched his partner, Dingo couldn't take it. He broke the quiet, asking, "If ya love her, Sleet, why don't ya ask her to marry ya?"

"I do not love her!" Sleet quickly defended. "I love nobody! Besides, even if I did, she would never settle," he finished.

Dingo curiously cocked his head, trying to read his partner's face. Soon, though, he shrugged, saying, "If ya say so mate."

There was silence for a long time. Finally Sleet abruptly stood and stormed towards the front door, slamming it behind him as he went. Dingo looked confused, but decided not to think about it. "He'll be back," he said to nothing as he lay back in the chair for a nap.

Dingo was startled awake, suddenly, by the door banging open. He cried out, toppling backward. Quickly he rose and exclaimed, "Sleet!"

The wolf paid him no mind, simply marched towards the Queen's room. Dingo had no clue what it was about, but he got the feeling he shouldn't intrude. Sleet threw open her door with a bang. Aleena gasped in surprise as she sat bolt upright and faced the door. "Sleet!" she exclaimed. "What's wrong?"

He looked helplessly at her, then strode over to her bedside, falling to one knee and taking her hand, saying, "That's it! You've won! I can't take it anymore! Aleena, will you marry me!" With his other hand he held out a ring.

She caught her breath, feeling her heart skip a beat, or two, or three. He looked pleadingly at her, silently begging her to get the rejection over with so he could go back to normal. "What?" she hoarsely whispered.

"Will-you-marry-me?" he repeated helplessly. He'd given up fighting it. He just wanted it done.

"Sleet…" she began. Spit it out woman. Why wouldn't she spit it out? She suddenly seized his face and dragged him to her, passionately kissing him. "Yes!" she finally laughed through a happy sob as she broke the kiss. Well… that was… unexpected. "Yes, I'll marry you!"

Suddenly it clicked. "You will!" he exclaimed. She laughed through gleeful tears, nodding. "Aleena…" he breathed, all at once unable to control himself. He pulled her head to his own, kissing her. In the same motion he slid the ring onto her finger.

Not the day they'd first run away, not the night on the ship, not tonight, had either expected it would ever get to here. Neither could believe it, but yet here it was, happening. How had they gotten to this? When had it happened? When had it become inevitable? Neither knew, neither dared to think on it, they just savored the kiss they shared now, revelled in the proposal.

All at once, though, the euphoria ended with Aleena's gasp. He looked curiously at her. She said anxiously, "But Sleet, where will we be married! Surely nowhere in Mobotropolis! My father would have your head, and no one classified to give weddings would do it if they knew It were me! Who would be witnesses! What about clothes and music and…"

Before she could continue on, he said, "Lavish tastes, typical of royalty."

She blushed. "Oh yes, and you don't like music, though I still don't know why."

He chuckled then answered, "Aleena, leave everything to me. If you want music, you'll have it, and anything else you ask for." Oh Chaos, what was he doing?

"Sleet, you couldn't possibly have enough to cover everything!" she began to protest. "I don't even want to know where you got the ring. Maybe a simple ceremony is best…"

He quickly reassured, "Aleena, it's every woman's dream to have a perfect wedding, and you'll have no less than any royal could give you." Shut up you moron! Don't make promises you don't even want to keep!

"How do you expect to swing that?" she challenged.

"Same as always," Sleet replied simply, as he nuzzled her. Oh he'd lost it! He was insane! Had to be to promise all this! She smiled, blushing, and he logged the question away.

She thought a moment then offered, "There's one more place I know of. A place called Mobodoon, where I was born, and the royals before me. It was a hidden place, beautiful, accessible only in certain ways. A paradise. I've always thought about what it would be like to be married there. Oh but this is your wedding too. You would probably think it was disgustingly festive. Night, though, might not be so bad. But then we'd have to be married the same night, or near."

The same night or near! That was quick. Here he went, agreeing again though. What was he doing? "Tell me where it is and I will go tomorrow to make arrangements!"

"You don't think it's too soon," she asked, startled.

"Nothing is too fast for me," he boasted.

"Oh Sleet, thank you!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him and kissing him.

Finally he could be a little colder! "Just don't ever expect it again," he grumbled. She laughed at the personality change. There was the typical bitter look, like he'd just realized all he'd promised.

"Do you remember the forest outside of Mobotropolis?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied cautiously.

"Well, if you go deep into it, near the center, you will find an opening to the town that would have only recently appeared. You won't be able to miss it, but you might need to search," she said. "Mobodoon only appears in such a publicly accessible way when the moon is full on the second even day of the third month, and then disappears in days, if not the same night. You might be able to catch it tomorrow morning, seeing as the moon is almost full tonight and will be full tomorrow night, I think." She could practically see him mapping his route and logging away the information. She bit her lower lip then said, "Be careful Sleet. I'll figure out the master of ceremonies and who will give me away. I'll invite Vector and Vanilla too, but no one else."

He snapped out of the daze only to see her worried expression. He smirked. "Of course. Goodnight my dear sweet baby," Sleet said, as he pecked her lips. She smiled as he left. With a dreamy look on her face she stared towards the window. She looked at the ring, admiring it. It was gorgeous. He smile fell to a curious look, though, as she thought of all the wolf had promised. She wondered…just how much of his word would he keep? This demanded some looking into. She saw her cape then went to it. Putting it on, she snuck out the window and headed for Mobodoon.

An overweight horse woman sat by a fire, sipping tea and humming. Suddenly, though, she was interrupted by a voice, saying, "Mayor Winniham?"

The Mayor turned curiously. On seeing the figure she grinned, exclaiming, "Queen Aleena, how pleasant of you to come! But what brings you here dear?"

"I have no time to go into detail, but listen to me Winni, tomorrow morning a strange man will arrive here. He will look around this place and ask about wedding arrangements," she began.

"A strange man? Well what will he look like?" Winniham asked.

"He will be a gray wolf with blue hair and amber eyes," she began.

"A wolf!" Winniham exclaimed.

Aleena nodded with a smile, eyes dancing, then continued, "He shall be wearing armor of a red and yellow color scheme. He'll have a dark purple blue cape. On the breast plate you will see a strange symbol," Aleena said.

"Why will he be asking about wedding things?" the mayor asked.

Aleena blushed then nervously asked, "Can you keep a secret for now?"

"Aleena?" Winniham suspiciously asked. Aleena simply displayed her hand. The horse gasped. "Aleena, you're getting married! Wonderful! It's about time too!"

"No one must hear of it outside of Mobodoon! My father doesn't know! No one but he and I know, with exception to you!" Aleena begged.

Winniham gasped. "What? Aleena, why the secrecy?" she questioned.

"Never mind. Winniham, this must be kept quiet for now, until arrangements are made. I know your townsfolk don't use money, but when he comes you must give him a price that would be given anywhere else for each item he asks about," she dictated.

"Why, whatever for?" Winniham asked.

Aleena simply smirked then said, "To see just how far he will actually go with his word. I have to go now. I'll see you soon Winniham, goodbye."

"Goodbye," Winniham replied in confusion, as Aleena quietly faded away as if she were never there.