Trust


Chapter 2: Welcoming Committee (TheDarknessAndTheLight)


Dedicated to Eve and Rebecca


"So... it's just the two of us?" Sonic asked Sally as he sat in the co-pilot's sit in the Freedom Fighter VA, the aircraft used by the Freedom Fighters for missions the past few years.

"What does it look like?" Sally returned as she plugged Nicole into the craft's computer. "Nicole, trace the Tornado SS. That'll give us a direction to follow, since he said that he'd be piloting his own plane," Sally instructed her AI.

"Got it," a computerized voice answered.

Sonic and Sally had stayed in the park for a little while longer than Tails did. They could tell that Tails wasn't all that happy to return to his homeland which neither knew about. Sonic wanted to find out what was making his best friend unhappy, and so wanted to follow Tails and Kyla. Sally was also worried for her friend, and she also wanted to find out if the country from which Tails came from was any threat to Knothole or Mobotropolis.

So they decided to follow the kit. Sally had to return to the palace to pack some luggage and leave a message for her parents and the rest of the freedom fighters, while Sonic followed suit, leaving a note for his parents.

They met at the hangar, boarding the FFVA (Freedom Fighter VA) after clearing the plane for take off using Sally's authority.

"If you two would kindly return to your seats, I will take off now," Nicole informed them. The two passengers buckled in, and Nicole started the plane.

"I wonder why Tails never told us about his homeland, or even talked about it. In fact, I always thought that he was born someone on this continent," Sonic told Sally. "Was it really that big a secret?"

"It might very well be. Tails said that we won't be able to find it unless we already knew about it, or were allowed to know about it. So it must be very well hidden. But I'm more worried about why its location was a secret so closely guarded," Sally stated. "I guess we get to kill three birds with one stone on this mission. Find and solve Tails and his problem, find the location of this continent, and try to establish diplomatic relations with it," she added.

"I can't find the location of the Tornado SS, Sally," Nicole sudden bleeped. "Apparently, the plane has been cloaked. So what do you wish to do now?" the AI inquired.

"Oh gosh. I forgot about Tails' cloaking devise," Sally smacked her forehead with a paw. "Nicole, I guess it's time for you to prove that tail's chip did wonders on you. What course of action do you suggest?"

The AI fell silent for a while as it calculated what they could do to find Tails. "Princess, Tails said that he won't be taking the same transport as his guardian is taking. I believe that it would be possible that we can find her transport's communication frequency seeing that she must communicate with air control to land and park her transport. We can then use the frequency to pinpoint Kyla's transport and follow her instead of following Tails," Nicole outlined its plan. "That is provided that Tails' guardian does attempt to communicate. Otherwise, we would be flying blind in this sky," it added.

"Hmm... that plan's plausible. Is that the only way of finding them that you have?" Sally asked her computer.

"It is the first plan which I calculated would be most effective for finding either, Princess," the computer answered. "So do you wish to follow that plan?"

"Do it," Sonic and Sally said in unison to the computer. It made a noise of affirmation and began tracking. "Nicole, is it also possible to cut in and listen to any communication going in and out of that frequency?"

"Affirmative, Sally. I have yet to find the frequency, but it is possible," Nicole told her. "I assume that you would want me to do that once I find the frequency?"

"Yes please," Sally ordered her AI, pleased with the results. It was working like Tails has told her.

"I wonder if they have chilli dogs there?" Sonic asked. "And whether they accept Credits," he added.

"Good question. I think they do," Sally answered. "About the Credits, that is," she finished.


Nicole continued to scan all radio frequencies for the next hour while Sally and Sonic slept. It was already quite late and the two had been rather busy earlier in the day. Nicole was incredibly quick for a computer, but there were so many frequencies flying through the air that she needed that time to sort them out.

"Sally?" Nicole lowered her volume so that it came out as the equivalent of a whisper. "Sally."

The squirrel mumbled a little and turned over, not waking up.

:Oh well,: Nicole thought to herself. Instead of trying to wake up the princess, Nicole decided to record all conversations between Kyla and Tails. And if they reach land before either of her passengers woke up, she would request landing.


"Tails, how have you been doing all these years?"

"... Not too badly. But problems are going to occur, as you already know. I want to know, Kyla. Did my parents really send you?"

"Your mother. Your father wasn't all that forgiving. Lady Malkida had a talk with him and made him see sense."

"Grandma... Still energetic as ever, I hope?"

"Yep. Still taking walks, doing things in her garden... even though she's wheelchair bound now."

"...No one told me about that..."

"Lady Malkida did not want you to know about it. She didn't want you coming back until it was time, or you felt that you were ready to return."

"...... If any good were to come of this, it would be seeing my grandmother again."

"I'm sure that Lady Malkida would be pleased to see you again."

"We're almost there right?"

"Yes we are, Tails."

"Good. At least I haven't forgotten where it is."

"Prepare for landing."

"Roger."


Nicole checked the map. There wasn't any land in the area. In fact, they were in the middle of the Central Mobian Ocean, the largest sea area across the entire planet. Suddenly, her video sensors picked up certain areas of shimmering space.

"Princess Sally!" Nicole called, loudly enough to wake both of her passengers. "Look on screen!"

"Wha-?" Sally jumped out of her seat at being woken up. "What is it Nicole?" she muttered, rubbing her sleepy eyes with the back of her paw before glancing up at the video screen. "Holy-!"

"No shit!" Sonic added his chilidog's worth.

On screen, the shimmering patches of space were starting to clear up, in the process revealing land. Both of them looked out the windscreens to make sure that the cameras weren't malfunctioning. After discovering that the cameras were working fine, they stare out at the gradually revealed land in awe.

While most of the land was covered in forests, the central areas of the continent were buildings. A city. A mobotropolis.

"Freedom Fighter VA, this is Control. Welcome. We have been expecting you," a female voice came over their communicator, startling Sally slightly. "Please follow the following coordinates to your landing area and hangar," she(whoever that was) added.

"Affirmative, Control," Nicole answered, proceeding to pilot the aircraft to the designated area while Sonic and Sally looked around. The place was very modern, and from what they could see, high tech. Hover vehicles rushed to and fro on the wide network of roads.

"We're almost landing, Sally. I suggest that you two be prepared for hostiles. They may have been expecting us, but we aren't expecting them, and don't know how they would react," Nicole cautioned.

"Thanks for the warning, Nicole," Sally answered. It hadn't occurred to her that the people might be dangerous. "You heard the lady, Sonic. Be prepared, but don't go trigger happy. Or in your case, smashing happy."

"Fine, fine," Sonic assured Sally. He won't go around smashing things. But if they somehow made his best friend unhappy...

Sally took Nicole off and replaced it at it's usually place at her waist once they landed. "Okay. Let's go," she led the way, opening the exit hatch cautiously.

They had expected an armed escort as they left the plane, but there was no one other than a vixen in formal dress waiting for them.

"Welcome to the hidden continent of Terremant, Princess Sally and Sir Sonic," the vixen greeted them with a quick salute. "I am Quorina, your escort and guide about our continent and our city."

Sally managed to keep her face straight despite the surprise. How had Quorina, or anyone else on the continent gotten word of their visit? "Thank you, Quorina. I'm sure that we will appreciate your assistance."

"How the hell did you know that we're coming anyway?" Sonic demanded. "And not only that. You knew our names!"

Sally wanted to kick Sonic on his shins, but Quorina answered before she managed to.

"We were informed by our computer that there was another aircraft other than the expected two, and once your identity has been verified and your intentions vouched for, we organised your landing. I was then assigned as your escort and guide, seeing that the both of you would be very lost should you be left to visit by yourself," their escort answered simply and politely. "I hope that you won't mind the way we do things, as we have not had a visitor for years."

"The way you handled this situation was excellent. Thank you for being so helpful," Sally replied gratefully.

"Do you have an agenda already planned, or would you rather have a rest at the palace first?" Quorina inquired.

"Well... We wish to request an audience with the king, and I'm sure that it would have to be planned. So I guess that we'll take a rest at the palace first. I would appreciate it if you could help us plan a meeting with the king," Sally told Quorina diplomatically.

"Very well. If you would please follow me," the vixen turned and started off, checking to see if they followed.

"I'm here to look for Tails, Sal. Don't drag me into your meeting," Sonic protested.

"And how are you expecting to find him? You don't know your way around here. And I don't want to run the risk of upsetting someone while we go look for him," Sally countered.

"Come on, Sal! How hard is it to find a two tailed fox?" Sonic replied.

The moment those words were out of his mouth, Quorina turned to stare at him.

Sonic blinked. "What?"

"Multi-tailed foxes are a very... taboo topic. Especially in front of the king," Quorina explained cautiously. "This continent is dominated by us fox species, and mostharbour a mistrust for kitsunes."

"Oh dear... I'm sorry about that," Sally apologised.

"What's with these people?" Sonic muttered loud enough for only the princess to hear. She answered by elbowing him.


Tails surveyed the hangar as he stood up, his eyes lingering on his father. But as he came down from the pilot seat of his plane, he shifted his view to his grandmother. Wordlessly, he approached them, stopping a few feet away from them. His Tails twitched a little, betraying his discomfort and anger.

"Welcome home," Tails' father looked at him, yet avoiding Tails' eyes.

Silence fell over them again after that greeting, stretching the seconds into hours.

"Yes. I'm back. Or rather, we're back," Tails corrected himself, still staring at his father's face. He carefully watched his father's reactions to his words. Wondering if he had truly thought it over.

"Yes," his father replied, his face struggling a little, in pain, anger and hate.

Tails scrutinised his father for a moment longer, not sure if any of the emotions were directed at him. When he finally decided that he would handle his father later, he turned away in favour of greeting his grandmother. "Grandma! It's been so long!"

"Yes, my dears, it's been a very long time," the wheelchair-bound fox leaned forward to embrace her grandson. "I'm sorry that you had to return at such a time, though," she sighed slightly, tightening her hold on Tails.

"It's alright. It's not your fault," Tails assured his grandmother. "I do hope that father really means what he said in the letter though."

"I do not go back on my word," Tails' father interrupted sharply, causing Tails and Kyla to look at him sharply. "I intend to do as according to that letter I have written. No less."

"Alright. It's fine for the moment, I guess," Tails softened a little, and reverted his attention back to his grandmother. "How did you come to be in a wheelchair, grandma?"

Tails' grandmother smiled serenely. "I'm growing old, Myste. I'm not young and energetic as I used to be, and my bones grow weaker with each passing day," she answered, ruffling the fur on Tails' head affectionately.

Tails gasped. "You can tell us apart?"

"Why of course, Miles. I'm not your grandmother for nothing, dear," she replied, a shine in her eyes. "Both of you are special in your own way. And that is how I tell you two apart."

Tails replied by engulfing his grandmother in an enormous hug.


Author's Note:

I know I've disappeared for a very long time, but I had been working for the most part. I've also been working on an original fic with a friend of mine, but don't expect it to be out soon.

If you're wondering about Tails, you'll probably find out in the next chapter. Of course, you're welcome to try and guess what I'm doing. And if I'm happy with your ideas, I'll consider adding your idea to the fic. You'll take the credit, of course.

Anyway, I'll continue working on this fic and my Pokemon one when I'm in the mood for writing. A good story isn't good if it's a forced piece of work, right?

Anyway, hope you enjoyed. Till the next chapter then!