Chapter 22: Flowers Blooming on the Island (Part 1)

"Hmmm…" President Michael Kennedy studied a spreadsheet printout placed on his desk moments earlier by his political aide, Jerome Wise.

"Things aren't looking good, Mr. President" Jerome said as he loosened his blue tie and ran a hand through his normally well-kempt brown hair. "Pardon my language, but the electorate are beating your ass in the public approval ratings."

"I don't understand," Michael said as he brought a glass of whiskey to his lips, spinning his chair around to peer out the window of the Oval Office. "I've been such a diligent leader, fulfilling most of my campaign promises despite a divided Congress."

"Much of the situation is outside of your control, sir," Jerome replied as he tossed a copy of the New York Times on his desk, the title of the front-page story reading "World Recovers After Mass Mind Control Scheme". "Dr. Eggman's mind control resulted in the loss of thousands of lives – from folks crashing their cars to out of control oil rigs…not to mention untold billions of dollars it'll take to fix everything up."

"My intelligence officers report he's being aided by the Thorndyke boy," Michael said as he spun around back to his desk, pouring another glass of whiskey. "Apparently once Sonic and his friends helped Agents Rouge and Topaz blow up Eggman's base, he was rescued by the boy and is now receiving funding from the Thorndyke family…"

"You and I both know," Jerome interrupted, "that there's nothing we can do to curtail this revenue stream. The Thorndyke's control the media and contribute to all major legislative leaders, even funding a good chunk of your campaign for president."

"Damn dirty money…" Michael muttered under his breath before taking another sip of alcohol. "If Sonic and his friends weren't cooperating, we would've been doomed. Our military was no match for Eggman, and yet a small group of alien children can keep that maniac at bay? What a time to be alive…"

"In speaking of Sonic…" Jerome flipped on the television to find a news report from Scarlet Garcia.

"Our undercover journalists have found that the ones responsible for stopping Dr. Eggman's mind control plot were none other than Sonic the Hedgehog and his friends." Jerome flipped the channel to find another report.

"If it wasn't for Sonic," one balding commentator yelled into his microphone, "we'd be toast! The President is a useless moron compared to the true hero the United States of 'Merica needs right now!" The sharp words were met with ferocious applause from the audience. Jerome groaned as he flipped the channel again.

"Sonic and Tails: A Documentary, airing tomorrow night at 7 PM Eastern Time…"

"AHHHHH!" Jerome cried. "It's all about Sonic this, Sonic that, Sonic everywhere!" He threw the remote on the floor. "At this rate, the American people will elect him president!"

"Beaten by an alien hedgehog, huh?" Michael chuckled under his breath. "Wouldn't that be ironic…the way things are headed, Congress may actually pass a constitutional amendment making Sonic eligible to run." He brought a hand to his chin in thought. "These Mobians are making me look weak, and my tenure in office may get cut short if I don't do something about it."

Jerome was pulling at his hair when a lightbulb suddenly appeared over his head. "That's it!"

"What is it?" Michael asked, tilting his head in curiosity.

"You are trailing in the polls," Jerome replied, "and the aliens are popular with the people, so what if…" The advisor slammed his fist against the open palm of his other hand. "…what if we host a special party at the White House to celebrate Sonic's latest victory against Dr. Eggman?" The advisor stole the President's jug of whisky and took a swig, earning a half-hearted protesting grunt from the commander-in-chief. "Yeah, yeah, we invite all the press, wine n' dine them and then give them the perfect shot of you shaking Sonic's hand! That's a sure-fire way to boost your approval ratings!"

"That's brilliant!" Michael replied. "Can I count on you to get this organized?"

"Of course, Mr. President," Jerome promised, raising a palm to his heart, "I swore an oath to serve the President of the United States, and if this will help boost your credibility in these dark times, then I consider this task an utmost priority!"

"But what about the guest of honor?" Michael asked as he took another sip of his beverage. "How do we know he'll even want to attend?"

"Oh, trust me..." Jerome rubbed his hands suspiciously. "I have my ways. One quick call and I can summon the military, the navy, and the Airforce to ensure their complete cooperation!"

"That sounds like a waste of taxpayer dollars," Michael replied as he leaned back in his chair, "not to mention abuse of power. I will not authorize such measures. Let's just hope he attends on his own accord."

"As you wish," Jerome replied disappointedly. "We will provide an offer to Sonic, Tails, and their friends. We will pick them up in an expensive limousine, pay for their attire, donate to a charitable organization of their choice, and even pay them directly to attend."

"However, you can't convince them to come along with force," Michael concluded as he pulled himself off his chair and turned to the window, studying the sky intently. "You have my permission to start planning the gala."

"Yes, Mr. President," Jerome said as he took a slight bow before leaving the Oval Office. Shutting the door behind him, he started giggling under his breath. "The President is too preoccupied with Eggman and his approval ratings to notice if I call in a favor with the military…" He pulled out his cell phone and selected a contact from his favorite's list. "I will arrange to have the Marines, National Guard, Coast Guard, Airforce, and Navy on standby in case those Mobians refuse our generous offer. Sonic is going to support President Michael Kennedy's re-election whether he likes it or not!"

"Since when were we messengers?" Rouge asked with a groan as she leaned back in the passenger seat of Topaz's compact car.

"Any assignment from the President is of the utmost importance," her human superior replied as she gently came to a stop at a four-way intersection. "Just be lucky you're gainfully employed and not in the slammer, jewel thief."

"You're still on about that?" Rouge asked as she sat straight in her chair. "You're never gonna let that go, are ya, sis?"

"It depends on if you turn over a new leaf," Topaz replied as she turned a corner. "To be frank, you have a long way to go. You may have earned the trust and respect of the President, but I still have my eye on you."

"Whatever you say," Rouge replied with a sigh. "I guess that romantic night we shared didn't do much to help."

"That was off the clock!" Topaz replied with a blush. "Besides, all we did was watch a movie, nothing special."

"And you let me cuddle up besides you," Rouge replied as she nudged her human compatriot with her elbow.

"I was sleeping," Topaz protested, her face turning a deeper shade of crimson. "And then that mind control thing happened, putting us both out."

"Are you sure we were mind controlled," Rouge asked as she lowered her eyelids, "or just asleep together on the sofa?" Topaz slammed her fist on Rouge's head, a cartoonishly-large bump appearing between her ears. "Owww! You didn't have to do that ya know!" The bat rubbed the bruise with her gloved hand. "I know you like it rough, but this is ridiculous!"

"One more word out of you, and I'll eject you from my car!"

"Oh, like in those James Bond films? Oh wait, you can't afford a luxury spy car!"

"Shut it," Topaz gripped her steering wheel, "or you'll see what this Honda Civic is truly capable of."

"Right, right…" Rouge turned her back to the road, noticing they were now in a suburb dotted with small houses. Not too long after, Topaz pulled into a driveway and got out of the car. She approached the front door, followed closely behind by her Mobian counterpart.

Ring, ring!

Moments after Topaz rang the doorbell, Cream and Cheese answered, opening the door and greeting the guests with wide smiles.

"Good morning, Miss. Rouge and Miss. Topaz," Cream stepped back and to the side, "come on in."

"Chao, chao!" Cheese added, making circles around the two agents as they stepped inside. Their attention turned to the living room, occupied by Helen and Tails.

Rouge burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Topaz asked before shifting her focus to Tails, who was sitting atop Helen's lap as the young girl was using the wall mirror to carefully apply mascara to the Mobian fox's eyes.

"Hey, stop laughing, Rouge!" Tails protested, a blush appearing through his furry muzzle. Helen spent the entire morning beautifying the fox, giving him fake eyelashes, lipstick, mascara, and glitter after he lost a dare.

"Yeah!" Helen added. "You wish you were as cute as Tails!" This caused the bat thief to gasp.

"Sick burn, Helen!" Tails replied as he peered back at the human girl, sticking his hand up for her to give him a high five.

"Well, clean that stuff off," Rouge retorted as she placed her hands on her hips, "because you gotta get ready for tonight."

"What's happenin' tonight?"

The party turned to Sonic, standing at the kitchen entrance with a half-eaten chili dog in his gloved hand. The blue hedgehog proceeded to throw the entire hotdog up in the air, catching it in his mouth.

"Gross," Amy replied, emerging from the kitchen with an apron. "If you're gonna have me cook for you, at least take the time to enjoy your food."

"Sorry, Ames," Sonic replied as he ran a hand through his quills, "but your cookin' was too good! I couldn't resist!" Amy's look of disgust and disappointment was replaced with a smile, sparkles shimmering in her eyes.

"A formal celebration," Topaz replied, standing up straight as if addressing her commanding officer, "to commemorate your latest victory over Dr. Eggman."

"It's gonna have nice food," Rouge continued, "and the celebrities in attendance will be wearing the most exotic, expensive jewelry out there."

"Rouge," Topaz peered down at her Mobian counterpart, "are you…drooling?"

"N-no!" Rouge shook her head to get herself out of her trance. "And I'm totally not going to steal any priceless jewelry at the party."

"Remind me to have you assigned elsewhere tonight," Topaz replied as she folded her arms in disapproval.

"A party sounds like fun!" Amy said as she removed her apron and flung it to the side. "But do we even have enough time to prepare? I need to pick out a dress, do my hair, get a mani pedi…" The pink hedgehog continued mumbling to herself as she counted each of the tasks with her fingers.

"I'd love to go too!" Cream added, balling her hands into fists in excitement.

"Chao, chao!" Cheese added as they made a few circles around the living room before ultimately resting on their master's head.

"Sorry guys…" Tails ran a hand behind his ears. "…but Helen and I have other plans."

"What do you mean?" Rouge asked. "What other plans could be more important than this?"

"Tails and I are gonna go pick some flowers!" Helen replied with a bright smile.

"…Couldn't you do that any time?" Rouge asked as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Well…not exactly…" Helen's expression turned downcast as she turned her head away. "My parents have been promising me for the longest time to take me to this special island we visited long ago, but unfortunately…" She gripped her wheelchair tires. "…given my condition, it's too difficult to just get up and go, ya know? What makes matters worse, my parents can't afford to buy or even rent a boat. They need to get it from a friend, and with how much my mum and dad work, it's just never worked out."

"But then…" A smile returned to Helen's face as she patted Tails' head, rustling his hair between her fingers. "…thanks to this little guy, we now have a nice little boat that's handicap accessible!"

"Oh, it was nothin' really," Tails replied as a blush covered his face once more. "I only used the spare supplies in Chuck's workshop. Only took me a few hours to get it goin'!"

"In speaking of which…" Helen brought a finger to her chin in thought. "Where is grandpa?"

As if being summoned, the door leading to the basement swung open, a skunk-like stench filling the main floor as the old man emerged wearing a tie-dye shirt and sunglasses, a joint artfully balanced between his fingers.

"Hey bros, what's happenin'?" Chuck asked before taking a drag. He was about to exhale when he saw the two federal agents at the door, the surprise causing him to cough profusely, dropping his joint in the process.

"I (cough) can…(cough, cough) explain!"

"Hmmm…" Rouge picked up the marijuana and brought it to her lips, taking a drag of her own.

"Rouge!" Topaz grabbed it from her hands and crushed it on the vinyl floor with her boots. "You are a federal agent. Schedule I substances are strictly prohibited."

"Oh, don't get your panties in a bunch, sista," Rouge replied nonchalantly before approaching Chuck, mouthing the words "call me" as she brought her hand to her ear, shaping it like a cell phone.

"Okay, that's about enough out of you, troublemaker!" Topaz grabbed Rouge's ear, yanking her back to her side, earning a yell with choice expletives from the bat. "We came to deliver the news about the party, not to get high, and quite frankly…" Topaz turned her attention to the old man, who was hiding behind his rocking chair. "If you weren't living with Sonic and his friends, I'd file a report for illegal possession of drugs!"

"Well, in any case…" Topaz shrugged her shoulders. "Tails and Helen being absent is a blow, but the party can still go on as long as Sonic's there."

"Yeahhhhh, no."

The party turned to the blue hedgehog, who was leaning against the wall with his hands behind his back.

"Excuse me?" Rouge said, placing her hands on her hips once more before approaching the blue hedgehog.

"You heard me," Sonic replied with his eyes closed. "I'm not goin'."

"And why's that?" Rouge asked, flicking Sonic's black nose, causing him to wince.

"You said it yourself," Sonic replied as he rubbed the base of his sore nose, "there's gonna be a lot of people. Not really my juice or jam. Plus, I'm helpin' Tails n' Helen get their boat to the lake."

"But the President!" Topaz exclaimed. "Don't you want to meet him?"

"Nah, I think I'll pass," Sonic replied as he headed for the door.

"But what about maintaining good relations?" Topaz questioned. "It's because of him, after all, that you're not back in Area 99." This comment made Sonic's ears twitch. Moments later, the blue hedgehog turned around.

"I'm not going to attend some fancy party out of fear, and to be frank, the President still owes me and Cream an apology for the nightmare his soldiers put us through."

"Sonic…" Tails dropped from Helen's lap and walked toward the blue hedgehog. "You okay?"

"Yes, Tails…" Sonic spun around once more, heading to the exit. "I'm fine. Just gonna take a little walk is all." Within a second, the blue blur was gone, leaving behind a gust of wind.

"So much for a little walk," Amy said with air quotes as she strengthened out the entryway rug, thrown halfway across the living room.

"You'll have to forgive Sonic," Tails said as he peered up at Topaz. "He's not the type to handle diplomatic meetings. He just does what he thinks is right."

"What are we going to tell the boss?" Rouge asked. "Sonic, Tails, and Helen aren't attending. Do they call off the entire party?"

"Seems unlikely," Topaz replied as he brought a hand to her chin in thought. "They already invited all the A-list celebrities and the press. Not to mention the food vendors…why did they decide to send us to invite the guest of honor last? It's as if they set themselves up for failure."

"Well…" Topaz returned her attention to the group, pulling a custom card out of her pocket for each of them. "The address is located on this invitation. If it ends up getting canceled or delayed, I'll let you know." She handed each of them their cards and returned to the entryway. "Well, Rouge, shall we?"

"How polite, girly girl," Rouge replied with a wink. "If you're gonna hit on me, at least do it in private." Steam was bellowing out of the elder agent's ears.

"I'm leaving now." Topaz stomped back to the car, revving up the engine and pulling out of the driveway before Rouge had the opportunity to enter the car herself.

"Wait!" Rouge dove through the open window before Topaz peeled away. "Why'd you try leaving me for?"

"Oh, you know why," Topaz replied as she gripped her steering wheel.

"Whatever," Rouge shrugged her shoulders before pulling a joint from her pocket. "You got a light?"

"Where did you get that pot!?"

"Easy. I swiped it from the old man's pockets…and also…aha!" Rouge pulled a small lighter from her other pocket.

"You are not going to smoke marijuana in my car!"

"Oh yeah? Says who?"

"Me." Topaz clicked a button on her dashboard, instantaneously activating a spring in the passenger seat, sending the bat launching away along with the detachable roof.

"James Bond would be proud," Topaz noted to herself, a smirk covering her face before bringing her lukewarm Caribou Coffee cup to her lips.

The afternoon sun was high in the sky, illuminating Silver Valley and the various lakes, forests, and mountains encompassing the vast nature preserve. It was the perfect evening for an outdoor trip, exactly according to Tails' plan.

Tails chose this day to bring Helen to the flower island she dreamed of returning to based on an extensive weather analysis, ensuring the odds of uncomfortable wind, rain, or other inclement conditions to be infinitesimal. Of course, one wouldn't expect anything less from the two-tailed prodigy.

"Things are going exactly as planned," Tails said under his breath as he lifted the rowboat upside down from the front. Ahead of him was Helen, who navigated herself through the trail while wearing a life jacket, and behind was Sonic, helping his little brother carry the boat to the lake.

"What was that, buddy?" Sonic asked, peering ahead as he tilted his head slightly.

"Oh, just talking to myself," Tails replied. "Just making sure I accounted for everything is all."

"You've really thought everything out, haven't ya?" Sonic asked.

"Yeah, well…Helen's been waiting to visit this flower garden for years, and while she would prefer to go with her parents, I want to make sure her visit is still special, ya know?" Tails peered forward as Helen exerted effort rolling up an incline. "Despite everything Helen has gone through, and despite the bad cards life dealt her, she still remains as cheerful and hopeful as ever. She's among the nicest humans…no…nicest people I've ever met, despite the adversities she's faced. She deserves this."

"I hear ya, little buddy," Sonic replied with a wink. "You're a great friend for doin' this."

"Thanks, Sonic…" The orange kitsune paused before shifting the conversation. "So...you doing better now?"

"Oh, of course!" Sonic replied with a laugh. "Just needed to go for a run, ya know?"

"I know what happened at Area 99 wasn't easy," Tails added. "But you can always talk to me about it. You're always there for me, and well…I want to be there for you too, you know?"

"Yeah…" Sonic nodded his head and cracked a smile. "Thanks, bro."

"No problem," Tails replied with a nod of his own.

"To be honest," Sonic said as they made their way up the hill, the lake now within their visual range, "I'm surprised Cream recovered so quickly."

"Some kids are not as impacted by events that may otherwise be traumatic to others," Tails replied.

"But still," Sonic reminisced. "She watched me get shot. She drew a gun on a soldier. She had to watch her hero be helplessly imprisoned, and now she's safe but still missing her mother."

"I think," Tails replied after giving it some thought, "that her resilience comes from the comfort of being with her friends. Yes, I'm sure she is still sad deep down, but when she can be with Helen and the rest of us, she's still able to be happy…." The young fox nodded his head once more. "…and once we secure the Chaos Emeralds, we can finally go home, and Cream will finally be reunited with her mom."

"We're here, guys!" Helen cheered as she spun her wheelchair around, watching as the two brothers gently placed the rowboat in the water next to the dock. The resulting splash disturbed the otherwise tranquil water, the waves from the rowboat dissipating shortly after.

"All right…" Tails ran through his mental checklist. Studying the boat from the dock, he ensured the ores were all inside. Removing a remote from his namesakes, he pressed a button, activating a raised platform with locks for Helen's wheels. Finally, he pulled the straps on Helen's life vest to ensure they were tightened.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with, Sonic?" Helen asked as she rolled onto the dock.

"On a boat, in the water?" Sonic shook his head. "No thank you. I'm happy with my two feet on dry land." He tapped the tip of one of his shoes against the wooden dock. "I'll be exploring the area a bit, though, so just holler if ya need anything!"

"Sounds good, Sonic!" Helen replied with a thumbs up before rolling to the platform. Pressing another button, the lock secured the wheelchair in place, and the platform lowered itself to the base of the boat before unlatching the wheels. Once she was comfortably in the boat, Tails gently stuck one leg inside, keeping the rowboat as steady as possible before getting the rest of himself inside. Finally, he grabbed both ores, one in either hand, and used one of them to push the boat away from the dock.

"So long, Sonic!" Tails yelled.

"Bye, Sonic!" Helen waved at the blue hedgehog, who waved back from the dock, a smile across both of their faces. Not in any particular rush, Sonic sat on the dock, allowing his legs to dangle near the water but, crucially, not letting his shoes touch the surface. He whistled softly as the boat drifted further away.

"Oh wow," Helen said as she peered around the lake. "It's been forever since I've been on the water."

"I don't usually go out on a boat myself," Tails replied. "I'm more of a flying type."

"Did you…just drop a Pokémon reference?" Helen asked as she tilted her head.

"Yep! Just for you." The two laughed as the orange kitsune continued paddling the boat.

"Sure wish my parents were here, though…" Helen's face turned downcast as she stared at her knees. Tails frowned as well, thinking of a way to help her feel better.

"Ya know," Tails said as he pulled his Miles Electric from his namesakes, "we can take some pictures if you'd like. I'm sure Doug and Alicia would love some photos."

"That's a great idea!" Helen replied, her frown disappearing, replaced with a wide smile.

"In fact…let me just…" The orange fox tinkered with his application's settings before sitting next to Helen and bringing his tablet up so its camera could capture them.

"Say mint chocolate!" Tails said.

"Mint chocolate!"

Click.

Bringing the computer back to his lap, the two studied the photo on the tablet screen.

"That came out perfectly," Helen replied. "Really captured the moment!"

"You can thank the advanced photo capturing technology of the Miles Electric for that!" Tails replied with a laugh. "And I guess it was a good moment, too."

"Oh, Tails." Helen lightly jabbed Tails' shoulder as the two laughed, the boat unmoving, resting in the water roughly halfway between the mainland and the flower island.

"Well, the flowers won't pick themselves!" Tails noted as he returned to his seat opposite Helen. He grabbed both ores, rowing gently as the two made it closer to their destination.

Little did they know, however, they were being watched…

Hope you all enjoyed this latest chapter! I meant to write it sooner, but real-life stuff n' all that jazz. Plus, my Discord server ended up organizing efforts to get Sonic and Tails on Reddit's r/place canvas, which practically took up most of the last weekend. XD

Anyway, feel free to share your thoughts! I'm looking forward to writing the second part of this chapter. It is, after all, what inspired the cover art for this story, commissioned from the brilliantly talented MontyHedgehog.

Feel free to share your thoughts, and I'll see ya for the next one!