Chapter 16 Return to paradise
When he reached Mobotropolis, it was night. The newly resurrected city gleamed like a newly cut diamond in the moonlight. Aaron parked his car a ways away from the city, wrapped the new vest, and took a short nap before the sun rose. Once the sun rose, Aaron tracked down Samantha and after talking for a few minutes, Aaron had Sam take him to the Princesses chambers.
"Princess, you have a visitor. He says it's important." Samantha said to Sally.
"Show him in. It better be quick. Tonight is the first anniversary of our freedom. Sally said as she sat down in front of her vanity with her back to Aaron and Sam. Sam motioned for Aaron to enter. "Make it quick." Aaron approached Sally while holding the package out in front of him. "Speak up. I don't have time to sit here and play games." Sally said as she turned around. To her surprise, Aaron was standing before her.
"Hello, Princess. I know you weren't expecting me to come by, so I'll make it fast. I just thought that you'd like this back." He said as he handed her the package. Sally hesitated before she opened it, trying to figure out what Aaron would be giving her. Samantha waited just as eagerly as Sally ripped the wrapping paper off the box and fumbled with it to get it open.
"Don't tell me you came all the way back here just to give me a present." Sally said as she finally got the box open. "My goodness! You actually got me a new vest! But how?" Sally gasped as she held the vest up in front of her. Aaron stepped forward as he explained what he did.
"… All I did was find a cloth that matched your old vest, fixed it where it was torn, stitched it back together and came back here to give it back to you." He solemnly said. "And, I couldn't leave Sam here all alone." Sally and Sam ran up and both hugged Aaron. That night, Aaron, Sam, and the Freedom Fighters celebrated the first anniversary of their freedom from the dictatorship of Ivo Robotnik. Halfway through the celebration, without knowing of each other's intentions, Aaron took Sam aside while Sonic took Sally aside. Once outside the party, Aaron took Samantha by her hand and got down on one knee and said,
"Samantha, will you marry me?" Samantha was speechless. On the opposite end of the courtyard, Sally was just as shocked.
"But… But… this is so sudden. I'm just not ready for this kind of commitment… I do hope you understand. You have to see that I am not ready for us to be that close. We should just stay friends for awhile… at least until things get straightened up around here." Sally gently said.
"I see and I am willing' to respect that. I have no problem with us just staying friends." Sonic said. At the other end of the yard, Samantha had finally regained her voice.
"I don't know what to say… my initial impulse says 'no' but my heart says 'yes'. And, for once in my life, I'm going to follow my heart and say… absolutely! I love you!" Samantha exclaimed joyfully with tears of happiness streaming down her cheeks. Aaron slid the ring around her finger and then wrapped his arms around her. The rest of the night was spent building a hut for the two of them to live in. Thereafter, for the next week, the Freedom Fighters spent their time trying to find a way to de-roboticize the unfortunate ones. Immediately, they started with Sir Charles Hedgehog. It proved to be no easy task, for the mechanical part had grown and bonded to his skeletal structure, thereby making it impossible to de-roboticize him. Sonic was able to totally restore his free will by having him take hold of a power ring. Somehow the energies contained within the mysterious rings allowed all the roboticized Mobians to regain their will. As time went on, Aaron and Samantha grew closer to each other and the rest of the Freedom Fighters.
"Samantha, when do we wanna get married?" Aaron asked on their six-month anniversary. Aaron was twenty-one years old and Samantha was twenty. Samantha was hesitant to respond either way.
"Aaron, I want to do it soon. But we must get one thing straight before we go any further… I want you to quit smoking. It is the worst possible thing that you could for your body and I don't wanna lose you for any reason. So I ask you… if we get married, will you quit smoking?" Sam asked. Aaron looked deep into her eyes while he answered.
"I'll do anything for you, so long as we never part." Aaron said softly. He got up, went over to his dresser, took his carton of cigarettes, and burned them outside in the bonfire. That night, Aaron dreamt that after the marriage ceremony was done, the War Machines reactivated themselves and once more destroyed Knothole and the Palace. In the dream the machines killed everyone except him.
Once morning came, Sally had the realization that could help the roboticized Mobians.
(End of Chapter 16)