Freedom Fighters Unlimited: Love and other scary Things

by Siller80

Following my first story. Sneak and Perky are now members of the Freedom Fighters for several months. While Perky gets the boy of her dreams, Sneak get confronted with a confession she didn t expect. While she has to handle that, a new threat comes up, bringing the team and their allies in big trouble. Can they deal with it? Rated T for some action later and some suggestions.

Hey guys, here comes my second fanfic around Sneak and Perky! Hope you enjoy it! To remind those who read the first story and for the new readers, i made Tails 12 years old for some reason, you will see. And so i made Cream and Charmy 10 for some reasons too. The shippings in my stories you will find out. C ya around!

Chapter One: From the Heart

" Hey dude, can you hand me over the wrench?" Sneak the Bilby wipes over her sweaty forehead and grabs for the wrench that Big the Cat hands her over. Then she turned the last screw out of the badnikhead that lies in front of her.

They sat in Tails Workshop and dismantled some badniks they took down in their last fight in an old bunker. Tails wanted to use the parts and analyzing the processor data. In the last weeks, they were confronted with badniks that had upgrades, they were faster and even smarter. It was clear that Eggman uses every stuff he can, now that he had to retreat in several areas.

Sneak wipes again over her forehead, then she realizes she had motor oil on her hands. Oh boy, she must look messed up now.

She and Perky stay now with the Freedom Fighters for around four months and had already settled in. Sneak seems to be a great help in the workshop, she was handy and was okay with getting dirty. Perky was a big help with organizing and sorting the storage. Besides that, both were helpful in the fight against Eggman. Perky was a good cooker too, Sneak was more the hunter and collector for supplies in the wilderness.

Perky and Tails were now an official couple, it didn´t take long to get the young fox to fall in love with the wallaby girl. Both spend as much time as they can together and smooched every time they get the chance. The inventions or repairs that Tails was used to didn´t fall back of this, it seems that the love between the two inspires the young fox. Sneak still shares the bedroom with Perky, sometimes they get in some little fights but mostly they get well.

Now Sneak took up the upper part of the badnik head and get out the processor that runs the machine. Big looks at her. " You got oil on the forehead, and your face!" Sneak smirks and points her finger at him. You too! On the stomach, on the nose..." Indeed, Big had several brown oil stains on the nose and the fur on his stomach. He rubs a stain on his fur and sighs. " Very sticky!" Sneak stood up and walked over to him. She stretched herself and tapped him on his nose. " This looks funny! Ooops, now it´s more!" She laughs. Big blinks, then he reached for her hair and tried to grease the oil on his hands into it. He did partly, then Sneak ducks with a burst of laughter. " Hey Dude, stop this, I hate to wash my hair!" Then she tapped him with her fingers full of oil on his chest. He laughs too and defends himself half-assessed. Both burst into laughter now, Sneak holds her stomach and sank laughing to her knees.

She loves to hang out with Big, it was funny all the time. The huge cat was sometimes a bit slow in his thoughts, but he was not dumb. As he lived several years in isolation, he couldn´t know a lot of things. But he knows what´s right or wrong, was a real friend and comrade, and cares for others. That was all that cares in Sneak´s eyes, she even didn´t know everything or understand it all. The studies of her grandpa were a good example, she understood that Dark Gaia energy was dangerous, but how it runs she doesn´t get.

" Do you wanna help me or do you wanna fool around?" Tails stood at his workbench, a soldering iron in his hands, he smiles partly amused, partly annoyed. Sneak laughed and stood up. " Sorry, Double-T, all cool!" She grabs a rag that lies beside her on a desk and cleans her hands. She rubs over her head to get the oil off. Then she straightens her hair, satisfied with the result she hands the rag over to Big. The huge guy tried to clean his nose a bit clumsy and wiped over the stains on his stomach. Sneak bursts into a burst of laughter, then she came over to help him. Big smiles a bit embarrassed as Sneak dabs his nose clean. " Thank you Sneak, thank you very much!" She waves it away. " Nah, dude, all fine!"

Then she looks over at the clock on the wall. " That´s the last Budnik, Double-T, and I gotta go! Tony should show me some fight skills, or better said he kicks my butt again for over forty-five minutes!" Tails nodded. " Alright, see you at dinner time! Big, can you help me to clean the workshop up?" The cat nodded, then he turned to Sneak who get ready to leave. " Sure Tails, uhm, Sneak, do you have a second? I got something for you!" Sneak frowns while the cat opened up the bag he got with him. Froggy lies beside and snoozes when Big gets something out of his bag. It was a clam with blue and white stripes, he hands it over to Sneak. " I found this while I was fishing and thought you would like it! You told me you don't saw much of the sea and I thought it will be a nice gift!"

Sneak smirks. " It´s a beautiful dude! And you gift it to me just for no reason? It´s not my birthday or something!" Big shrugs and looked embarrassed down on the floor. Sneak finds it was cute when something was awkward for the big guy with his yellow eyes. He smirks silly. " You, we are so good friends, it is funny with you, and the color of the clam matches with your eyes, uhm, and this is why I wanna let you have it!" Sneak noded. " That´s cool! A friendship gift of my best dude!" She took the clam and pinches Big Friend in the arm. " Thanks, this is great! Gotta go, c ya later!" She turned around and ran out of the workshop. When she left, the huge guy sighs sadly. " Yes, sure, only a friendship gift, nothing more." With sadly hanging ears he trots over to the board and began to put in the robot parts. Tails stepped beside him, looking concerned. " Big, is all goo? You know, you can talk with me!" The cat shook his head. " No, no Tails it´s nothing!" He wipes over his eyes, Tails guessed he saw a tear in Big´s eye. He wasn´t sure what to do. Big puts away the last parts and trotted out of the workshop without saying a word.

Tails wondered, what´s going on? Big talked to Sneak, he gave her a gift, she liked it as a sign of their friendship... Then the fox gets it. Friendship gift, sure, Big tried to tell Sneak something more. Tails cleaned up his workbench in a hurry and left. He has to talk with Perk, Amy, or Bunnie. Big needs help, and with that stuff, the girls were way better.

...

Sally took her change money from the ice cream vendor and bowed out. Then she turns around to Nicole who still started to eat her ice cream. Sally smiles when she tasted her ice cream. Nicole was able to consume little amounts of food in her holographic form, it was not necessary, but she loves things like fruits, chocolate, or just ice cream.

Sally straighten her blue sunglasses and walked over to her girlfriend. Even Nicole wears sunglasses with a purple frame. Both were in the park of Mobotropolis, the sun was shining, so they decided to drive here with the Speedstar to enjoy the weather. Sally didn´t wear her vest over her top, it was too hot outside.

With a laughter Nicole linked her arm with Sally´s, and both start wandering through the park. Nicole enjoys seemingly her ice cream. " Melon mint yummy! You wanna taste it? Let me guess, you have, hm, pistachio!" Sally nodded. " My favorite! You can hunt me with melon mint, thanks!" Nicole shrugs. " Well, more for me!" She looked around, some kids playing ball, other couples wandering around the walkways, laughing. A few steps a family sat on the grass, having a picnic. It was idyllic. The lynx-girl sighs. " It nearly seems that there is no threat of Eggman!" Sally looked at the family with a smile. " Well, the last time he is retreating, it gets more peaceful. And it is nice to have a break from this all!" Her girlfriend blinks. " How it would be when the war is over?"

Sally turned around to her and hugs her. " I guess I have enough to do, after the coronation when im the queen...and I hope you help me to reign and that things!" Nicole smiles. "...you mean?" " As my queen!" Sally answers and kisses Nicole on her nose, the lynx-girl blushes. " Is that possible, I mean im no organic person, and..." Sally waves up. "Nowhere is signed it´s forbidden, even that we are two women is no big thing! Who else should reign at my side?" Nicole cuddles up to her. " This, this sounds sweet! And sure, I want to be your queen!" Then a big grin appears on her face. " Do I get a crown and a scepter? I´m sure it suits me!" Sally giggles. " Sure! What do you think about how hot we're looking on the coronation when Honey creates the clothes for it?" Nicole giggles too. " What did your father say when you made that deal with Honey?"

To get in contact with a Gaia key guardian, Sally had tried to get a reservation in a restaurant, but it was booked out. Then Honey, the Cat passed her way, a friend of the Freedom Fighters, fashion designer, and CEO of her label. She had a reservation and offered it to Sally, as a return she gets the assignment to make the clothes for Sally´s coronation.

Sally had called her father a day later to tell him about it, he was confused, but like usual he accepts, still a bit unamused. " I know the situation and I under- stand your decision, but Sally, do tell me about this thing afterward! Honey´s work is excellent, but she has her price, you know that!"

Sally shrugs and looks over to Nicole. " You know, daddy is pragmatic!" Nicole blinks. " Sure!" She giggles, then she frowns. " But, when we two reign together, how is it with an heir? The only possibility is..." Sally nodded. " Adoptation and limitation as an heir to the throne, right? And im sure, we two will be good in this!"

Nicole closes her eyes with a smile. " Well, then, let us defeat Egmont as fast as possible, I can´t wait to have beautiful moments like this more often with you!" Both kissed, then they wandered down to the pond in the center. Both sat down on some rocks and looked at the people around them.

Some boys of their age playing frisbee, a fisherman sat beside and some kids playing near the water, watched by an elderly lady. Sally smiles. " That woman over there, she reminds me of Rosie, don´t you think?" Nicole nodded with a burst of laughter. " Yes, I guess she´s a nanny too! It´s sweet that Rosie still takes care of children in the castle!" Sally nodded. " Raising children who need help, yep! Rosie is something special!"

Both giggled when two boys came over. The taller one, a grey badger with a big quaff, winks with a smile, the other one a red beaver, waves. The taller one looked at Sally. " Oh, sweet damsel, my name is Dean, please give me the honor to ask you out or I die of a broken heart! Im in love!" He puts a hand in a theatric gesture on his chest, the beaver smiles a bit embarrassed and looked at Nicole. " Sorry, Dean is in an amateur drama club! I am Cade, well, would you go on a date with me?" Sally and Nicole changed amused a look, then the lynx-girl wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and winks coquettishly. " Sorry boys, you´re cute, but that ship´s sailed!" Sally laughed and kissed her on the cheek.

Dean frowns, then he put again his hand on the chest. " Oh, what a shame! I´m carried away!" At that moment two girls passed them, a brown cat and a white marten girl. The cat-girl looks over and winks to Dean, then they walked on. Dean looks after the two, then he raises his hand. " Oh my dear damsel, forgive me, but I fell in love again! Wait for me, goddess of Beauty!" He ran behind the two girls. Cade sighs. " Okay, a pity, I would have loved to go with you on a date! Better I follow him to be sure he makes no stupid stuff! C ya around!" With these words the beaver followed his friend, Sally and Nicole changed again a look.

Then both burst into a burst of laughter. Nicole holds her stomach. " Cute, but even loopy!" Sally nodded and put her hand in an overthrown gesture on her forehead. " Oh my damsel, honor me with your love! Oh, brother!" She sighs. " Should I woo about you like that?" Nicole laughs. " Yes, please, with the guitar under the balcony, a serenade for me!" Sally widen her eyes. " You don´t want this! I can´t play the guitar and singing, well, not really!"

Nicole laughs again and cuddles up. " Nah, can´t be that bad! I would listen to it because it´s you and you mean so much to me. I love you!"

Sally smiles. " You even mean a lot to me, Nicole, I love you too!"

...

Sneak grabs a towel and rubs her aching shoulder. The fight training with Antoine was very hard. The swordsman takes it seriously and didn´t hold back with the wooden practice sword. Last time he hits Sneak so hard on her butt, that she nearly the whole day can´t sit down. But she was proud of herself now, today she hit him for the first time on his shoulder. The coyote puts the practice swords away and even wipes the sweat off his face. He nodded respectfully towards Sneak. " Not bad, Sneak, not bad! You learn fast, but you `ave to work on your defense, tout et suite!" Sneak nodded with a grin " No worries, Tony, I work on it! What al luck the badniks are not that skilled in fighting like you!" Antoine was a respectable fighter. Sneak saw one time when he made a Spin Dash attack with his sword which cuts through badniks like butter. The coyote nodded again, but this time with a serious facial expression. " But ze Egg Army got some living beings in their lines too, and some are dangerous fighters, I know zis!"

The bilby-girl nodded while she walked to the entrance of the gym. " I know Tony! See you at dinner dude, I need a shower!" When she reached the door, Perky, Amy, Bunnie, and Tails rushed in. Sneak hesitates, Amy and Perky smirk from one ear to another, Tails seems confused and Bunnie smiles amused.

The wallaby girl made the start. " Hey, Ol`Sneaky, seems you are a heartbreaker!" " Huh?" Sneak didn´t understand anything, Tails grabs the hand of his girlfriend. " Slow down, she didn´t notice it!" Bunnie stepped over to Antoine and wrapped her arms around his neck. " Shugah-Twan, you will not believe it, but it seems someone fall in love with Sneak! Oh, mah stars!" The coyote frowns with a smile. " Oh, la la! Who is ze lucky guy?"

Sneak turns around to Bunnie. " What are you talking about? I don´t understand anything!" Perky and Amy giggled, the hedgehog-girl winked when Sneak looks at her.

Amy had a new outfit since several weeks. She still wears her boots and the hairband, but no more her red dress, instead of this she wears a red skirt, a red sleeveless top and over this a green jacket with short sleeves. She said when she becomes a teenager, she even needs another look. " Sneak, you get a gift today, right? That has the color of your eyes as someone said!" Sneak frowns and grabs her bag that hangs on a hook on the wall. She gets the clam out of it. " This one! This is a sign of friendship of my best dude!" Then her eyes widen as she realizes what the others thinking. " You don´t mean, uhm..." She stutters and gulps. " No, guys, come on, Bg is my best dude, we are friends!"

Bunnie smirks. " Oh Shugah-Twan, when you hand a girl a gift like that and compare it with her eyes, is it only a sign of friendship?" Antoine makes a thinking face, but his grin tells he only pretends to. " Well, give a beautiful lady a gift and say something about her eyes?" He winks to his wife. " Like, your eyes are like zee ocean and i get drowning in it!" Bunnies' grin gets wider. " You ol` charmer!" She kisses him and giggles again.

Perky and Amy giggled too, Tails smiles amused, then he gets serious again and turns to Sneak. " When you left the workshop, Big looks sad, mumbling something about not only a sign of friendship and left very down. We all are sure that he has a crush on you! You two are going well, making mischievous stuff together..." Perky interrupts him when she messed up his hair and smooches him. " Nearly like me and my sweet Tailey!"

Sneak shook her head, this was too much for her. " But...but, that´s nonsense, we are FRIENDS! Just friends!" Or does Big see that otherwise? She thought. He was very nervous when he gifted her the clam. Amy looks over to Perky and Tails with a laughter. " Love knows no bounds. Sneak, you like Big, or not?" Sneak sighs and nods. " Yes, sure, but, I don´t know, we are friends!" Amy nodded again. " But, can you imagine being with him?" Sneak thinks for a moment, then she shrugs. " Guys, I have no clue of this girl-meets-boy-stuff, I don´t know!"

Bunnie straightens her hair with a grin. " Gurls, let her some time! Our good Sneak seems very surprised!" The bilby-girl nodded thankfully. " You can say that loud! Was Big sad? I did not want this to happen, I mean, how should I know..." Then she winces when Perky jumped over to her and grabbed the clam out of her hand. " This is something special Sneak, don´t carry it only in a bag! One second!" She searches in her utility belt, then she pulls out a hair clip. Before Sneak could react, Perky puts the clip into the clam, then she reaches for Sneak´s hair. " One second more!" Sneak tried to say something, but she was too confused. It pulls for a moment on her hair, then Perky get her hands back and looks at her work with a big grin. " Well, this is cute! But Ol ´Sneaky, you have to wash your hair! And then we make a nice hairstyle for you!" Bunnie laughs. "And that is ma thing then. Sneak, it looks cute!"

Sneak looks into the mirror at the wall. She must admit, it looks beautiful. She sighs. " I...I can´t accept that, the gift! I can´t promise Big anything cause I don´t know it, and I don´t wanna hurt him." She blinks sadly and sighs again. " What should I do?" Perky pats her shoulder and smiled mildly at her. " Finding out what you feel! And talking with Big, before he gets sadder!" Sneak noded. " Yes, I guess I have to! Where is he?" The shower has to wait.

Tails changed a look with Amy. " He wanted to go fishing at the lake, I think!" Amy nodded. " It´s nearly dinner, it will be nice when you pick him up!"

The bilby-girl rushed through the door. " Thanks, guys! I talk to him, I have to!"

...

Sneak walks through the trees at the lake and calls for the big cat. " BIG! HEY DUDE!" She covers her eyes from the sun with one hand and looks at the shore. Where was that guy? Someone who´s that tall can´t hide here.

Then she saw him.

Big sat on some stones at the shore, Froggy lies at his side, his fishing rod in the water. But the tall guy looks like he wasn´t aware of what he was doing, it was visible he was sad. Sneak walks silent over to him, she had a big lump in her throat, she hopes he is still talking with her. She has a guilty conscience. When she approached him, she took a deep breath before she starts to talk. " Hey, uhm, Big!" The cat acts slowly and raises his head sadly. His eyes were red, have he cried? Sneak felt so bad about this. Big blinks. " Oh, hey, hey...Sneak, hello!" The girl stepped beside him. " Hey big dude, I,...want to pick you up, we have dinner soon. And, well, I want to ask you something." She touches the clam in her hair. " Could it be this is more than a sign of friendship? Did I get something wrong?"

For a second Big said nothing, then he nodded. " Well, it is, Sneak, I like you very much and didn´t know how to say it. So I thought a gift shows you what I feel! It looks sweet how you wear the clam in your hair!" Sneak touches again the clam. " Th-thanks! See, I get it wrong, and im sorry about that, I didn´t want to hurt you! Are you sure you have such feelings for me?" Big noded. "I am not very smart and don´t know anything, but I know what it means when I feel safe and my heart beats faster when someone special is around me! You are funny and honest and for me, you are incredibly beautiful!" Sneak felt that she blushes when the cat´s head sank again. " I know, I´m no famous hero like Sonic, not elegant like Antoine and smart like Tails, how can a girl like a guy like me?"

Sneak widen her eyes and looked at him. " Woah, Big, don´t say that about yourself! You are a great guy, even honest, and funny and I can count on you every time! You are no worse than all others!" She sighs. " It´s not our fault, it´s mine! I, I have no clue of this love stuff, totally none! That´s why I mistook the thought behind it. And I even can´t tell you if I feel more than friendship, I just don´t know it! You mean a lot to me and I like you, but i don´t know if those feelings are deeper! And I don´t know how to find out! And, uhm , thanks for the compliment with beautiful and this, the first time someone saying that to me!"

She gets a bit closer to him and puts her hand on his arm. Froggy moves and looks at both. The girl smiles comfortingly. " But I don´t want to let something like that stay between us! If I don´t feel the same, I beg you that we still be friends! You mean a lot to me, maybe I need some time until I can say to you what I feel!" She grabs the clam. " And if you want, I give you back the gift, somehow I don´t deserve it!" Big smiles a bit, he took in his fishing rod. " You, you don´t have to be sorry, and please, keep the gift! It is a sign of..my feelings for you and that you wear it, makes me happy! Take your time, and when you still see just a friend in me, then it is okay! I just want us to do fun stuff together like usual and you don´t avoid me!" Sneak laughs. " That will be no problem! With you, it all is double funny! Let us go, dinner-WOAH!" Froggy had jumped on her shoulder and made himself comfortable, Big giggles. " This he is only doing with people he likes!"

Sneak laughs and pats the frog´s head. " Well, then, you can stay there little one, I don´t mind!" Big stood up and shoulders his fishing rod, then both walked along the shore. Then Sneak stopped and pointed at something. " Woah, look at these apples!" Big stopped beside her.

On a tree were big, red apples hanging. Sneak laughed. " These are perfect, I can see that! If we can take some with us, as a snack for all?" The cat nodes. " The king allows us to fish here and collect vegetables, as long we take not too much! Just a handful would be okay." Sneak laughed and rushed toward the tree, she reached for the apples, but they were too high. " Damn, dude, can you get them?" Big stepped beside her. " I lift you and you collect some, okay?" Before Sneak could react, he grabs her softly at her waist and lifted her, still Froggy on her shoulders. Sneak giggles, the size and the strength of Big were not useless.

She collected a dozen apples and puts them into her shoulder bag. She closed it. " Alright, dude, you can let me do-WOAH!" She had turned a bit around to look at him and accidently slided down. Froggy jumped off her shoulder. Before she hits the ground, Big wrapped his arms around her and stops her fall. She blinks, the face of the cat was only some inches away from hers. He looks worried with his yellow eyes. " Are you okay?" Sneak clears her throat. " Yes, yeah, all cool! Thanks for the catch." She felt that her cheeks getting hot, and even Big seemed to blush. Sneak looks around. " Uhm , you can put me down now!" Big nodes embarrassed. " Oh, sure, sorry!" Carefully the huge guy puts the girl on her feet.

Sneak scratches a bit nervous her head. " Well, uhm, let us go home!" Big noded again when Froggy jumped again on Sneak´s shoulder. Then they walked on. Sneak was confused. It wasn´t uncomfortable, that moment he hold her in his arms and they were so close. Does this mean she has deeper feelings for him? This all was so complicated.

...

Sneaks opened up her eyes and climbed out of her blanket. She found no sleep, the thing with Big still bothers her. As silent as she can she swang out of her bed, she doesn´t want to wake up Perky. The wallaby-girl sleeps peacefully, she had pelted Sneak with questions about Big and if somethings going on, at dinner, after it, while they brush their teeth and wash their hair ( Yes, Perky had forced Sneak to wash her hair). For Perky it was clear that Sneak was only afraid of romance. Sneak had grumbled something and then went silent. But to be honest the whole thing made her nervous. She gets the thought that she feels more for Big than she awaits. That moment at the tree...Sneak sighs and slumps in the worn grey shorts and the yellow shirt that she had from her mother to the door, a cup of tea in the kitchen would help. Her view hits the clam, that lies on a stool beside her bed. She appreciates that beautiful gift, does that mean...? She wasn´t sure. The only advice she remembers about love was one from her mother. Love can be complicated, but even incredibly sweet! When you meet one person and you go through life together, you´re unstoppable! Her grandpa would say only one thing. Lets get it on!

Silently Sneak left the room and closes the door. When she turned around she saw Sally leaving her room, the chipmunk-girl pulls a brown, very comfy-looking dressing gown over her white pajama with short sleeves and legs with a pattern of acorns and smirks. " Hey, even sleepless? I want to get some tea!" Sneak noded. " Same!" Both headed for the kitchen, Sally gave Sneak a questioning look. " Amy told me something, about you and Big, you two were very nervous at dinner. All good?" Sneak sighs. Well, he told me he falls in love with me, gave me a beautiful clam as a gift to show me his affection and I didn´t understand at first! And, I´m not sure, I, I like him but I don´t know if im ready for this, if it could work, if I have the same feelings! What should I do Sally? How do I know when I want to be with someone?" Sally thinks for a moment while they walked down the hallway, then she smiles.

" Well, there were no instructions for relationships, but when you get happy to see someone special, feeling comfy in her or his near, the smile of the other flashes you, this shows you have affection! With Nicole and me, there was always a strong bond, she meant a lot to me but I didn´t see how much she does! Then her handheld got destroyed and I thought, she was gone forever! It felt like my soul get cut off, you can imagine how relieved I was when she called from the servers of the Sky Patrol! This opens finally my eyes to my feelings. I don´t know if this can help you!" Sneak laughed softly. " Well, good to know I am not the only one who must find out what´s going on when it comes to serious love stuff. Hey, there´s light in the kitchen!"

Sally looks up. Indeed, from the kitchen came light. When they entered the room, they found Bunnie and Amy. The hedgehog girl wears a red night dress that reaches through her knees and her hair was unbound, she sat on the desk and dangles with her bare feet. Bunnie wears a black silk nightgown that ends half of her thighs, it was bound with a ribbon around her waist. The rabbit-girl stood in front of the by Rotor and Tails constructed gigantic machine that makes tea and coffee, but needs a lot of space. Bunnie winks when she took a full cup beside and grabs two from a board. " Hey, you night owls! Even getting some tea?" Both nodded, Amy still sips on her tea, Sally smiles. " Even sleepless what?" Amy laughs. " Well, I get me sometimes a tea at the night!" Bunnies filled a cup and handed it over to Sally, then she put the next under the machine. " I even do that often, sometimes Antoine turns in his sleep and wakes me up. Then I need some time to go sleep again, so I get a tea and watch mah stars from the panoramic window, just for myself!" Sneak get her cup of tea with a nod and leans against the desk beside Amy.

For a while no one speaks, the four girls enjoyed their tea, then Amy turns to the bilby-girl. " Big and you, you talked with each other about it right? You were talking at dinner, but it seems somehow awkward." Bunnie nods. " Yes, you two were very nervous!" Sneak took a sip. " Yes, I talked with him. And yes, he falls in love with me, and, well, im not sure how I feel, and, my, I don´t know! But I´m happy that he is no more sad, I felt so bad!" Amy giggles. " Yes, love is often complicated!" Then she smiles suspiciously. " Did you never have a boyfriend or kissed someone?" Sneak shook her head. " A boyfriend, no, a crush, not really! But a kiss, yes, and that was a mess. Trevor was the most popular boy in our village, all girls adored him, and on a fair, he came over, starts sweet talking and suddenly we sat in a corner and kissed. And he drools while kissing, yack! I pushed him away, I was just nosy about it, I mean, he was handsome. Well, that´s just all, more things never happen to me with the love! And most guys in the village were idiots, and I was the oddball!"

Bunnie grimaces. " When a guy can´t kiss, even the rest is nothing!" Sally laughed. " Do you remember who you first kissed? Or was Antoine the first!" Bunnie shook her head. " Nah, mah first kiss was at the time I grew up with Tails and the others with Rosie! Colin was his name, he never teased me for mah legs, even said I shouldn´t give up. Was a cutie, charming, funny, well, I was a young girl. But Antoine kisses way better, for sure! Sally-girl, your turn! First kiss?" Sally smiles and took a sip. " Okay, if we are so honest: Jeffrey Johnson." Bunnie hesitates. " Wasn´t that da cute skunk-boy, like Shuga-Twan in that apprentice exchange program, candidate for becoming an officer? He´s still part of the guard right?" Sally laughed. " Indeed, and there I met him, I mean as a kid I had a little weakness for Sonic, but this was gone soon!" She looks over to Amy. " Hope you don´t mind!" The hedgehog-girl smirks. " Nah, all fine! We all know what was going on in the other timeline with you both!" Sally nodded, then she goes on. " Don´t remind me of that, can´t imagine it at all odds! Well, back to the topic. Jeffrey was sweet, he woos about me! And I found him amazing, even though he was a bit vain! We dated after his training, sitting in the park, a bit hidden while we kissed. But then I get mad about his showoff behavior, so I break up! Daddy wasn´t amused about this! Jeffrey is now an instructor for the recruits!" Bunnie whistles. " Yeees, that would be my taste too, a cutie! You should have told mah that there was a sad sweetie with a broken heart, I should have comforted him! And kissing his tears away!" She winks, then she and Sally burst into laughter. The rabbit girl turns to Amy and took a sip of her cup. " And now your turn! First, kiss, and don´t tell me you never had and save this for Sonic!" Amy nearly swallows. " Uhm, well...but you don´t tell anyone alright?" All noded, and the pink hedgehog-girl took a breath. " Well, I had my first kiss with a boy named Dexter, I was alone on an adventure, and in a little village, where is spend some time, I met him! We talked a bit, he was sweet and I was disappointed that Sonic had rejected me, and so it happened!" Bunnie giggles. " That´s something! Sneak, no worries, for everyone comes at the right moment." Sneak nodded thankfully and sips again of her cup. " If you say so, im a bit afraid of it. That Perky talking in her sleep makes me less sleepless than this thing!"

Amy listens up. " What is she saying?" " What do you think? Tailey you are so cute, my sweet little fox, stuff like that!" All four giggling, Sally wipes over her eyes. " What luck Nicole only waffles in her sleep, when she breathes out. Sounds like boh boh boh." She giggled, and the others stared at her in surprise. The chipmunk-girl blinks. " What?" A big grin appears on Bunnie´s face, she placed her cup on the desk. " Nicole and sleeping? In ya room, in ya bed? Uwu!" Amy seems to be confused. " Uhm, does she need to sleep?" Sneak looks back and forth between the others, and Sally blushes. " Well, she stays in her holographic form, some kind of low energy mode, and her algorithm needs breaks too!" Bunnie´s grin gets even wider, and Sally rolles her eyes. " What? Why are you grinning?" Bunnie winks. " Ah, just an idea!" Sally rolles her eyes again, and Amy blushes. Sneak smiles, that hint she even understood. Sally tried to answer when a sleepy voice came from the door.

" Here you are."

The four turned around. Nicole stood at the door. The lynx girl wears a cream-colored shirt with the blazon of Acorn with matching shorts and was barefoot, she looks dozy. With a yawn, she slumps over to Sally and cuddles up to her. " Thought something happen!" Sally kissed her on her forehead. " Only some tea and small talk, all good! Big falls in love with Sneak and she is not sure what she should do and how she feels for him." Nicole smiles. " That is cute, Big is a nice one! Sneak, don´t make yourself mad." She fondles Sally´s cheek. " The best things need time." Bunnie put her empty cup into the sink. " Nice look, Nicole, did you generate it?" Sally clears her throat. " No, uhm, that´s mine!" Now Bunnie blinks coquettish. " Meow, I see, it gets really serious with you lovebirds!" Nicole giggles while Sally shook her head, partly amused, partly annoyed. " What do you mean, does Antoine wears your stuff too?" Bunnie hesitates while Amy and Sneak giggled, then the rabbit-girl giggled too. " That will be a thing! Thin enough is he, but pink isn´t his color!" Now all five laughed, Amy taps on the desk with a laughter. " I guess it´s better than, for example, Eggman in a pink leotard!" Now the five girls burst into a fit of laughter, Sally wipes her hand over her eyes. " Ooof, what a creepy imagination, those pics I don´t get out of my head! Thanks for the nightmares!"

Nicole kisses her and smiles. " Nah, we get those nightmares quick out of your head!" Bunnie smirks again. " I can imagine how! Can we let you two lovebirds alone without you making silly stuff?" Sally glared at her. " Ha ha ha! Funny, Bunnie, very funny!" She closed her eyes and emptied her cup, that moment Nicole looks at the others with a cheeky grin and winked. Sneak shook her head, there was someone very cheeky. She must admit, she like it that the two girls found each other, Bunnie married the man she wanted and Amy seemingly gets more interesting for Sonic. She shouldn´t stop worrying so much about the thing with Big, what was she afraid of? The huge cat was not the angry or resentful type. But she has to be sure that she likes him strong enough to make more of their friendship, otherwise, it ends up in a mess.

Amy yawned and jumped off the desk, Bunnie swaggers into the direction of the door. " Well, ah go to my Shuga-Twan" She winks. " a bit cuddling if yah understand!" Sneak and Amy laugh, Nicole giggles, and Sally sighs annoyed. " Oh, brother! My girlfriend sleeps in my bed, end of the story! No big deal, it´s is just how it is!" Bunnie pats her shoulder. " Ah, let me a bit more amusement! It's cute and what you two do, is yah business!"

Nicole pulls Sally along the hallway. " Indeed, and now go to sleep, tomorrow we have visitors!" Sneak, Amy and Bunnie were surprised, the hedgehog-girl wiggles with her nose. " Who is coming?" Sally stopped a moment. " Oh, forgot to tell you, Lupe comes tomorrow with some of the wolf Pack, they have a girl with them that needs help! I don´t know completely what it´s about! And Nicole is in the castle, calibrating the computers, daddy asked for it!" She opens the door to her bedroom. " Good night, you crazy girls!" Nicole waves and pulls Sally into the room.

Bunnie nodes. " Cy yah in the morning!" Then she hushes into her room. Sneak and Amy stood in the hallway for a moment, the bilby-girl smiles amused. " This is something, who is with who, does this love stuff goes on all the years?" Amy shook her head with a laughter. " No, not really, not in this timeline!" Tails told sneak a while ago that most members of the team remembered the happenings of another timeline, caused by an incident called Genesis Wave, this incident came up to the events when nearly the whole planet got destroyed. Sneak wasn´t the science type, but she understood it enough to be scared. She yawns. " Okay, I see! I go back to sleep and this with Big, well I look what happens! How's it with you and Sonic?"

Amy smirks. " Well, since I act like the busy one, he asks me several times what im doing, and where I was! I guess he thinks im dating that guy from Station Square, Tyler who flirts with me that one day! And Sonic made me a compliment for my new look, seems he likes the cool stuff, he looks more often!" Sneak laughs. " It runs well huh? Well, let us see how it goes on with me and Big." Amy nodded and opened the door to her room. " Could you imagine now if you like to go on a date with him or something?" Sneak thinks for a moment, then she shrugs. " Not sure, maybe! When I picked him up, at the lake, was a moment when I slide while getting some apples, and he caught me, hold me in his arms, and looked at me with his eyes, and we were very close together! And I must admit it wasn't uncomfortable! What does that say?" Amy winks. " That you like him and it could be deeper feelings! I find it cute! But don´t stress yourself, it comes! You see how long I work on it!" She hugs Sneak, then she enters her room.

Sneak smirks, Amy was a ray of sunshine, like Perky, but less chaotic. She enters her room and closes silently the door. Perky was still sleeping. Sneak crawls under her blanket and closes her eyes. In a few minutes, she fell asleep.

And was dreaming of the moment when she and Big were so close.

...

After breakfast, Sally jogged through the hallways of the Sky Patrol. She does that two, three times a week besides her usual practice. She passes the bridge on the first floor and waving to Rotor and Nicole, who worked on the computers, her girlfriend blows a kiss towards her, Sally smiles and ran on.

When she passes the hangar on the third level, she was sweaty, she heard an angry voice. It was Cream, the ten-year-old rabbit girl sounds annoyed. " You have no time actual and forget when we wanna hang out, we wanted to test that new video game yesterday!" " Oops, sorry! Perky had the spontaneous idea to go to the park!" Tails answered. When Sally approaches the door, she saw Cream, Tails, and Perky standing together. Tails looked ashamed on the ground, Cream had her arms crossed and grumbled, and Perky scratches her head.

Then the wallaby girl looks up. " Oh no, sorry Cream, I didn´t know that! Tails, I could smooch you the whole day, but I feel bad when you let your friends behind! Cream, if you want, this morning I can spare him or we three play the game together if that goes!" Cream thinks for a moment, and Sally smiles. As crazy as Perky was, she had a good heart. Now Cream nodded. " Sure, we can do that, Perky! We two ladies and Tails, let us see who wins!" Tails nodded. " Then we play the game together, cool! And sorry, Cream, you know you are my best friend!" He looks over to Perky, she smirks at him, making him blush. " I´m just head over heels!

Now both girls giggling, Perky bows over to Cream. " Do you have a boyfriend?" Dream smirks silly. " You know Charmyn? He´s very cute, we hang out sometimes, i see him this afternoon! Maybe, mother says, I have time!" Perky giggles and lower her voice. " I gave you later some advice, how you wrap the boys around your finger, alright?" Cream even giggles. " You mean how you catching Tails, well, that could work! Sure!" Perky laughed and hugged Cream, then the rabbit girl rushed off and passes Sally. " Hi, Miss Sally!" Sally laughed. " Hey, Cream!"

Tails gave Perky an light annoyed look. " That you girls are so giggly sometimes!" Perky giggles when Sally just greeted the two. " Hey Tails, hey Perky!" Both waved, then Perky wrapped her arms around Tails and started smooching him, as usual. Sally smiles, they spend nearly the whole day with that, but okay.

She goes on running through the hallway, down the stairs in direction of the engine room. She stopped beside the door to the brig and leans on the wall, heavy breathing. The Sky Patrol seems bigger than she thought, but in this lies the challenge for Sally. And she forces herself to know each corner of the ship.

Suddenly Nicole appears on a screen beside her, Sally looked up. The lynx-girl smiles the way Sally loves so much. " Sally, uhm, just want to tell you Lupe and her people approach in a few minutes!" The chipmunk girl nodded and wiped over her forehead. " Alright, I refresh myself, and then im there! Thanks, sweetie!" Nicole winks, then the screen fades. Sally turns around and ran back, heading for the stairs. Well, lets see what Lupe wants.

...

Lupe and three other wolves stood in the hangar with Sonic, Amy, and Nicole when Sally approaches. She reaches her hand to Lupe. " Lupe, nice to see you! What is the problem?" The female wolf with blue hair shook her hand with a smile. " It´s even pleasure for me to see you guys! Well, we have here someone who needs help!" She points to a young wolf-girl that stood beside the others. Sally knows the grey wolf Remy and the brown wolf Canes, but the girl was a new face. She had tan-colored fur, orange-yellow long hair that reaches her hips, and brown eyes. She wears a red top and shorts, all very tattered and dirty. But she wears bracelets and a necklace with black, light gleaming stones. Sally estimates her around 18. She smiles shy. " H-hola, I'm Be-Belinda! Lupe meant you can help me and my people!" Sally shook her hand while the rest of the team approached the hangar. " Welcome, Belinda, we will see, what we can do!"

The Sky Patrol sat on the docking tower, which was new build near the castle. The ship was grounded in a framework and could be entered via elevator or stairs. In that framework, it was easier to make repairs and maintenance on the Sky Patrol.

The young wolf-girl blinks, Sally could see that Remy and Canes stared at her. Belinda was pretty, for sure, a certain blue hedgehog would jump into that damsel-in-distress thing in the past, but Sonic gets more mature in the last time, except for his big ego.

Sally signs to the others. "Let's go to the meeting room, then we talk!" The wolves followed as last, Belinda stops and seems to hesitate. For a second no one has her in view, she took three stones from her necklace and placed them in a box with Badnik-parts.

She was already done when Remy turns around. He smiles comforting. " Hey, girl, no fear, you are safe here!" Belinda blinks girlish and smiles shy again. " Th-thanks Remy! Do you stay with me? Then I feel safer!" The big grey wolf smiles, it was obvious he has affection for her. " Sure, girl, I protect you! Let's go, following the others!" She giggles sweet, then both follow Lupe, Sally, and the others.

...

" Shadow, I contact you and Omega when I talked to Knuckie and know what is going on!" Rouge talks into her com while she heads towards Angel Island.

The voice of the black hedgehog came from the com. " Alright! Be careful, we don´t know what is going on! Actual Eggman is willing for anything to win!" " EGGMAN MUST BE ELIMINATED!" Interrupts Omega. Rouge giggles. Her two partners were very special, one was stubborn and has no sense of humor, and the other one was a robot with an obsession to destroy Eggman. Compared to that Knuckles could be somehow refreshing. When he wouldn´t be so grumpy all the time... She flies a curve, yes, there she saw it. A group of badniks dropped stuff above Angel Island, and a satellite of G.U.N. recorded it. But there was no radiation, no activities, it looks like scrap, badnik parts or something.

And this was what makes it so suspicious, what was Eggman up to?

She saw the hill where Master Emerald gleams in the sun. She smirks, the gem gleams so pretty, she loved stuff like that. Since her last adventure on Angel Island with Amy and Knuckles, when they confronted Naugus, she has a nearly similar to the emerald-looking crystal in her collection. She was sure Knuckles would think she tried to steal the Master Emerald again. Well, okay, she tried in the past, but now she has no more reason.

She had seen Knuckles in a while. And realized that she misses him. She had a little crush on the echidna since she met him the first time, but that she misses him sooo much, she didn´t expect it.

She was excited to see him. But if he was excited to see her...

Rouge sighs and lands elegantly in front of the Emerald. She looks around, then she puts her hands on her hips and raises her voice. " KNUCKLEs! HEY SWEETIE WHERE ARE YOU?"

For a moment it was silent, then it rustles to her left. The bat turns around when Knuckles came out of the thicket. The red echidna frowns while she smiles flirty at him. He looks over to Master Emerald and back to her. " What are you doing here? First, I thought you wanna take the Emerald, but then yu calling for me?" Rouge giggles. " No hello, no hug for an old friend that was away much too long?" She winks at him. " You are the same stubborn echidna as usual!"

Knuckles sighs and came over. " You are here to look for this stuff that was dropped here right? It´s just scrap, we must just get it off the island, you came for nothing here!" Rouge swaggers over to him, heightening her hips moving, she could see that he gets nervous about that. She stops in front of him, her hips bend.

" And missing the chance to visit you, handsome sweetie? Come on! And I think it´s suspicious that they drop scrap here, you are not? It makes no sense, and that´s the reason I´m here, that stinks! Let us do this...together, I need a big, strong echidna on my side!"

She winks again, Knuckles sighs annoyed, but he nods. " Okay, let us go! As soon we found out what is going on, as sooner I have my peaceful time here back!" The bat shook her head, amused. " Knuckie, Knuckie, you have to get more relaxed, I told you last time there is more than work and duty!"

She came closer and blinks flirty. " For example, enjoying the company of a beautiful lady!" The echidna smiles amused, and Rouge wiggles with a giggle. " Oh, that grumpy guy can smile, it suits you, Sweetie! Shadow does that nearly never!" Now Knuckles laughed. " That guy is just a jerk!" Rouge giggles, one hand on her stomach, the other on his arm. " Hehe, that´s funny like last time! You know how to entertain a lady, there is still hope for us two!" While Knuckles rolles with his eyes, the bat links her arm with his. "Let's go! And you know, the honorable and strong warrior has to protect his lady! I feel sooo safe beside you!" Knuckles sighs, but he let her have her fun. To be honest, it wasn´t that uncomfortable to have her so close. But he bites his tongue before he admits that. Not sure why.

Both made their way, Rouge gets a little handheld out. " Here we mark the spots where the parts were dropped. It is concentrated around the Master Emerald, and that´s very accurate! As I said, something is going on!" Knuckles nodded while she shows him the map with the red spots. " Yes, must admit, very suspi- cious! We found out what it is, and then we stop it!"

The bat smirks. " That´s my big, strong, brave Knuckles, no danger is too big! Well, let's go!"