Nicole beeped.

Sally's clawed hand shot out from where she still sat in a heap against the balcony wall. She snatched the computer from beneath her gown in the gym shorts and flipped it open. She turned her head with a sigh, brushing hair out of her bloodshot eyes. She fixed her gaze on the screen.

It was Bunnie.

Sally checked her signal encryptors. All still running. She opened the channel with Bunnie.

"This is Acorn," Sally said.

Her father had always teased her by calling her his "Sally Acorn." She'd kept it as her cover name.

"Rabbot here," Bunnie replied. "Just wanted to say, Sally, people are startin' to arrive at the Council and, there's this strange jetship that just landed on the People's Dome…do you see it, suga'?"

Sally narrowed her gaze, studying the dome. "…no…I'll get ready."

"All right, um…how did Sonic take it…?"

Sally sighed. "I didn't have a chance to tell him. He ran straight off afterwards."

"Sounds like Sa'nic."
Sally rolled her eyes. "Hm. He knows about the council though…"

"Ooooh," Bunnie moaned. "He must be scared to death, even if he doesn't show it, poor fellah…I can't stand this."

Sally's eyes burned. "I cannot stand knowing how much they are going to make him suffer before we can reach him. If my guess is right. If only I could have warned him somehow when I had the chance—"

Bunnie did not reply.

"But there is no other way, Bunnie," Sally said, her voice soft. As if she was speaking more to herself than Bunnie. "In the end…I am just like the rest of them. Using him and any other pawns at my disposal for the good of the many…but what other choice do I have?" She paused, her gaze dropping to the stone panels beneath her. "It's…it is horrid being born to make such decisions. To view people like that. To be a savior and monster all at once."

"Shh, shh, you're being hard on yourself, Sally-gal, you're not—"

"No I'm not," Sally hissed. "I'll say it this once, and then I promise I'll never say it again, because I know it's wrong to say it…but I hate being the princess, Bunnie."

Bunnie did not reply for a moment.

"I've known that for a long time, Sally," Bunnie said.

Sally blinked as if puzzled. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "…Of course you would Bunnie….forgive me, we need to focus….we must rescue Sonic." She began to stand up. "Failing to rescue him is not an option. We must-"

The signal died.

Sally's head shot up, her blue eyes wide. Looking for airbots. Jetships. Combots. Something that had intercepted or cancelled her signal.

Nothing.

Sally bent over Nicole and switched the channel off and on again. "Bunnie? Bunnie?"

A scrambled voice came over the phone. "Sally!...ly! I jus heard…I'll…back…ly…Rose…soon…will…back!"

The signal died once again. Sally's eyes widened.

A burning sound began to vibrate through the air.

Sally spun around, looking over her shoulder. A lone, dark jetship loomed in the distance towards the palace.

"Bunnie!" Sally's opened the channel again. "Bunnie—?"

Nothing.

Panic began to flood Sally's eyes. She gasped for air, her gaze darting over the balcony.

With a lunge, she scrambled back into her room, shutting the curtain behind her. She clutched Nicole to her face. "Bunnie? Bunnie, they are bringing him now, are you in position? Bunnie, are you in position?"

The thrum of the jetship nethyl packs reverberated through the passenger chamber. On the floor, a carebot and several combots knelt around Tails' still form. Eggman paced around them and the combots lining the passenger cabin, shouting out orders above the hum of the jetship.

Inside a cage latched to the floor, Sonic crouched against the cabin wall. He leaned against the corner of the bars, his body still bound with EcCord. He ducked his head against his chest, his eyes closed.

The city of Aero passed beneath them. Just visible through the window sidings lining the cabin. The palace loomed ahead.

A tear rolled down Sonic's cheek.

Here's another update! I probably shouldn't have included that last snippet-scene...My fantastic beta (Just learned what that word meant XD) mentioned that it felt unnecessary. But I thought it wouldn't hurt to clip it onto the end there just for fun. ;-) Heh-heh.

I hope you have a very Merry Christmas (it's so close!). Speaking of Christmas, I didn't get to upload any Sonic Christmas chapters this year, but I just wanted to say, Retelling Sonic LOVES Christmas. He and his family heard about it through the earth radio stations and celebrated it when he was and all throughout the series, he and Tails celebrate it too. Not only because Christmas Eve is his birthday (I think Christmas Day is canon Sonic's birthday? Anyone know for sure?)...but Sonic also loves Christmas because it's one of the few seasons he and Tails could really be kids again and remember at the end of it all, Light really will drive out the evil in their world and their hearts. Its a season of Hope, and with everything going on in their kingdom, it's important to them to celebrate it. It makes them really happy and really sad all at once. So, wherever you are, if you know someone who's sad or lonely or stressed this Christmas, see what you can do to give them hope. 3

Anyway, thank you so much for reading! ;-D

Peace on Earth and Goodwill to Men, (And Mobians)

~Connie