These are not songfics. Let me just get that fact out of the way right now. They're short stories inspired by songs. I discovered Scribbler doing something similar with the Kingdom Hearts Videogame series, and decided I'd like to give it a shot.

This one takes place during the episode "Teasing Time", when Cosmo is attempting to sneak off the Blue Typhoon in order to respond to a Metarex summons. Chris helps her out, even if he's not entirely sure why. That episode was Chris's crowning moment of Awesome, by the way.

Standard disclaimers apply. Reviews and concrit are both appreciated.

21. Jerry Goldsmith, Mulan's Decision.

'You know, Cosmo, if you're gonna try and sneak off the ship unnoticed, it's a good idea to deactivate the security protocols, first.' Chris says.

...Oh, roots.

The sound of his voice echoing across the shuttle bay makes Cosmo jump and jab at random buttons. She isn't familiar with the workings of Amy's ship, so now that the lights are flashing blue and red and yellow, she has no idea how to turn them off again. She almost panics when the sirens start as well, certain that they're announcing her presence loudly to the entire ship: "Look out! Look out! Cosmo's trying to run away!"

Chris merely smiles, reaches a hand across her console and deactivates them for her. The lights and alarms die away as abruptly as they began, and Cosmo slowly turns to look at him. He's wearing an expression which reminds her of very much of one that Galaxina occasionally used to use. "Caught you, little sister, now what mess has all your daydreaming gotten you into this time?"

'So I guess there was more to that message after all, right?' Chris says, examining the keypad in front of her and never quite looking in her direction. 'I guess they knew that only you would understand what we were seeing. One of us is gonna have to learn to speak Metarex, don't you think? We'll be in big trouble if they ever try to contact us and we don't have you there to help us. Not that they'd ever normally contact us, except to throw threats.'

'Chris, I...' Cosmo swallows, shame burning in her steadily yellowing cheeks. She tries hard not to bash any more unexpected keys and folds her fingers tightly around her dress to stop them shaking. 'I didn't mean...'

'It's alright, Cosmo. It's not like you were doing this to hurt us, right?'' Chris says, and Cosmo wants to answer: "Yes! That's true! I'd never ever do anything to hurt any of you, I promise!" but the words keep sticking in her throat and emerge instead as a stream of 'I... I... I...'

Chris keeps smiling and for the life of her, Cosmo can't work out why he's doing that. He should be angry with her. Or at the very least confused and asking lots of questions that she can't answer...

What he actually does surprises her more than anything else she's seen today. He turns and walks over to the main control panel in the wall, accessing it with a key-code that only a few people on board have access to.

It's only now that Cosmo notices that Chris is wearing his outside-gear. 'What're you... doing?'

'Turning off the security programs for this room,' Chris answers. 'It's simple, really. Tails doesn't often make mistakes, but the ones he does make? Tend to be exactly the same kinds of mistakes that I always do when I'm programming security systems –I make each system unique in every room. That means I can cut off the codes to this room without setting off alarms all over the ship, but it also means that—Ah.' He pauses, looking at her and rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. 'Sorry, I got a little ahead of myself there, what I mean is we can probably get off the ship without anybody noticing us now. I've circumvented the security system.'

Cosmo opens her mouth to answer but she still can't form the right words. 'Chris, why are you...?'

'Well, you don't think I'm gonna let you go out there alone, do you?'

'But... it's dangerous.'

'I know. That's exactly why I'm going with you,' Chris climbs into the seat behind her and... Cosmo doesn't think she could make him leave now, even if she wanted to.

'Why...' Are you doing this? Are you helping me? Aren't you angry? Do you really trust me so much? 'Aren't you upset with me?'

'Not exactly. But I am a little confused. Why are we doing this exactly, Cosmo?' Chris looks at her firmly, and once again, Cosmo sees Galaxina's eyes, staring at her through a face that is very much not her sister's face. The homesickness in her stomach aches more than ever before. And though she doesn't quite know why, she somehow thinks that doing this, following Black Narcissus's call to the Metarex ship, will do something to change that feeling.

She doesn't quite know how to explain this to Chris though, so she just shakes her head and turns her face to the floor of the shuttle bay.

'...Okay.' Chris sighs, leaning back in the passenger chair and activating the safety shield. 'You want answers for something, though. That's enough for me. Besides, I've always fancied the challenge of getting through one of Tails' security systems.'

In spite of everything, Cosmo can feel a smile tugging at the corners of her face. '...Thank you.'

'No problem. Now let's get this over with before Amy notices we're borrowing her ship.'