Chapter 25: Tidewater Surge

"Okay Sonic, don't be scared…don't be scared…"

The blue hedgehog stared at the ocean water below, gripping his hands on the metal guardrails separating himself from the long fall. Sonic gulped.

"Alright guys!" Chuck called as he made his way back to the party from the cruise ship. "I just checked in with the captain, and we're good to board!" Everyone had faces of glee, excited to board right away and enjoy their ocean getaway, except, of course, for the blue hedgehog. "I did learn that the cruise won't be totally private, though."

"Oh?" Tails tilted his head in curiosity. "Who else is joining us?"

"Well…" The aging scientist ran a hand through his silver hair. "About that…we'll be joined by…"

"MISTER CHRISTOPHER THORNDYKE!"

The party spun around to find the young boy himself accompanied by Tanaka, nearly full to the brim with Chris' unnecessary luggage.

"Ah geez, this loser?" Sonic scratched the base of his nose. "What are you doin' here?"

"Can't your parents afford their own ship?" Amy placed her hands on her hips.

"Of course they can," Chris replied with a chuckle. "What an absolutely stupid question, but I suppose I should commend such primitive aliens for knowing about my family." The young boy gestured his arm to the ship. "I persuaded the powers that be to allow access!"

"But why?" Helen asked. "Why do you want to vacation with us?"

"Oh, my sweet, sweet Helen…" The boy marched past Tails, Cream, and Bokkun and patted the girl on the head condescendingly. "Don't worry your pretty little head abo—" Chris froze as his arm was grabbed by a single white glove.

"Don't touch her," the angry kitsune threatened, staring into Chris' eyes with a menacing glare.

"Or else what?" Chris laughed once more. "If you even attempt to strike me, I'll have Tanaka unleash his wicked ninja moves, and then I'll sue you until you're dead!"

"That's right!" Tanaka dropped the bags and proceeded to enter an intimidating stance. "I've trained for years mastering various forms of martial arts so I can best serve the Thorndyke Estate! Hiiiiyaaa!" Tanaka karate chopped the guardrail, but instead of breaking through it, as he anticipated, the butler's hand was left throbbing, growing to a cartoonish size and forming a red bruise. "Yooooouch!" He blew on his injured hand in the hopes it would provide some relief.

"It's crazy to see the Thorndyke heir in person," Doug whispered to his wife.

"Yeah, he's even more evil in the flesh," Alicia whispered back, the two snickering in the background, drowned out by Tanaka's yelping.

"You still haven't answered our question," Chuck said, directing his focus toward Chris as he folded his arms and tapped his foot. "You could've gone on any cruise, so why this one?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Chris replied. "You alien freaks have been making a mockery of me since first setting foot on our planet, and for that, I'm going to make you all pay. I know you lot are too poor to ever afford a vacation without the President doling it out like welfare, so I figured ruining your once in a lifetime cruise would be the perfect opportunity for getting back at you."

"Wow, how petty," Sonic replied. "Truly such class. I'm sure you're making your parents very proud." The blue hedgehog clapped condescendingly.

"Why thank you, hedgehog," Chris said, failing to comprehend his sarcasm, "but by the end of this, you're going to wish you would have never messed with me."

Sonic scoffed. "Yeah, you keep tellin' yourself that. I'm not gonna waste any more time chatting with you." The blue hedgehog spun around, returning his focus to the rest of the party. "We ready to get this show on the road?" Everyone responded with a nod.

Chuck was nearest the bridge between the pier and the ship, so he walked across the bridge first. Next was Sonic, who froze at the entrance, peering down at the water once more. Taking a big gulp, and gripping the rope on either side, the blue hedgehog slowly waddled across.

"What's wrong, hedgehog?" Chris laughed as he taunted Sonic merely a few inches behind. "You're not afraid of a little saltwater, are you?"

"N…nooo…" Sonic gulped once more as he attempted to go faster, but he was still walking at a snail's pace.

"You should be careful…" Chris placed a hand on Sonic's shoulder, causing him to shudder. "If you're not careful…" The young boy lowered his head to the blue hedgehog's ear. "…you might just fall."

"What?" Sonic turned his head back slightly, his legs bent as his tightened his grip on the rope.

"Just an observation…" Chris snickered as Sonic returned his focus to the path ahead. "Or…rather…a prediction." With that, the young boy shoved Sonic down to the rickety surface of the bridge below. It was so narrow that he quickly slipped off the side, a single sneaker wrapping itself around the rope guardrail.

Chris scoffed. "How pathetic. And to think this rodent gives Eggman so much trouble…" With a kick, the young boy loosened Sonic's foot from the rope, sending him careening to the ocean below.

"Sonic!" Amy watched helplessly as his boyfriend splashed into the water. Moments later, his head emerged from the surface, his arms flailing about.

"Oh my god, this is rich. Riiiich! Just like me!" Chris pulled out his smartphone and began recording his nemesis struggling in the water. "I can't wait to see all the likes and retweets I'll get from this!" Not five seconds into his recording, however, the one-fox rescue party was on his way.

"Grab my hands!" Tails lowered his altitude just enough for the blue hedgehog to grab hold. Tails gripped Sonic's hand before increasing the speed of his rotary namesakes, successfully bringing the two of them to the cruise ship. While Tails remained dry, Sonic was dripping wet, shivering as he dripped water all over the floor of the deck.

"That was just an appetizer, you miserable rodent," Chris declared as he walked past the hedgehog. Twirling around for his final departing gesture, the young boy pulled his lower eyelid down with his middle finger and stuck out his tongue before turning to Tanaka, who had since collected the rich kid's bags and brought them aboard. "C'mon, servant. My cabin awaits."

"Right away, Mr. Thorndyke." Tanaka bowed, even under the weight of the bags slung over his shoulders.

"Sonic?" Tails approached his big brother. "You gonna be okay?"

"Y-yeah…" Sonic replied, his teeth chattering. "C-could u-use s-some h-hot cocoa, th-though…"

"I can get that arranged!" Chuck replied. "This ship has unlimited hot and cold beverages, so coffee in the morning, and some good ol' whisky at night!" The elder scientist snickered as he departed the group in search of the kitchen to collect the hedgehog's requested drink.

"You know, if Chris is gonna be a bother," Helen said from Sonic's side, "we can just turn around and go home. The ship hasn't departed yet."

"And let Chris have the satisfaction?" It was as if a fire erupted in his eyes, his shivers replaced with a grin of determination. "I'm not going to let that brat get the best of us. No, I'll make sure you all enjoy this trip, and Ames…" The blue hedgehog turned to his pink counterpart. "You can teach me how to swim. I can't wait to see the look on that kid's face when I'm doing laps in the pool."

"Perfect!" Amy pulled a clipboard from her hammerspace. "I developed a rigorous training regimen for the entire cruise! Of course, the first day is just going to be pure relaxation, but we'll start bright n' early tomorrow!"

"Great!" Sonic gave Amy a thumbs up. "I knew I could count on you!" This praise made her blush. "Now…are there any towels on this ship?" Suddenly aware he was still wet, he started shivering once more.

"Here, I've got you covered!" Tails positioned himself in front of his big brother, spun around, and activated his rotary namesakes, his tails serving as a natural fan that helped air dry Sonic's damp fur.

"Deeelightful!" Sonic leaned against the deck's guardrail, allowing the kitsune's namesakes to work their magic. The party watched amused as Sonic's damp fur grew fluffier before their eyes, but not without the cost of Tails' stamina; the fox was starting to pant, sweat forming along his brow as he kept his furry propellers spinning.

"You doin' okay, Tails?" Sonic asked, noticing the fox bending his knees.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine!" Tails managed to say as he squinted his eyes. "How's your fur?"

"Honestly, much better than before!" The blue hedgehog made circles around the party before skidding to a stop in front of Tails. Sonic's fur was practically gleaming in the morning sun, not a spec of saltwater remaining. "Thanks for the assist, lil' buddy!"

"Don't mention it!" Tails replied as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "Although I could use some water!"

"Water is served!"

The party turned to Chuck, who was carrying a plate of water, distributing a cup to everyone, including a special cup of hot chocolate for the speedy hedgehog.

"Thanks!" Sonic replied as he blew into the cup. Before taking a sip, however, he glanced up at the sky and remembered just how hot it was that day. "On second thought…Imma let this chill for a bit." He placed the mug on Chuck's serving dish and spun around. "I'll be explorin' this joint! Just holler if ya need me guys!"

"Okay, Mister Sonic!" Cream replied, Bokkun and Cheese nodding alongside her.

"Have fun!" Helen said, waving at the blue hedgehog, who waved back before spindashing away.

"Well…" Tails peered around. "Should we get settled in?"

"I wanna see our accommodations!" Amy declared.

"They should be quite nice from what I heard," Alicia said. "Apparently we all get our own rooms, except Doug and I will be sharing."

"Yeah," Doug replied with a nod. "We get to see the ocean from our windows too! It's truly a once in a lifetime opportunity we'll likely never be able to afford again, as much as it pains me to agree with that Thorndyke brat…"

The party froze as they heard a metallic sound close by. Turning around, they soon found Sonic grinding on the metal guardrail surrounding the perimeter of the ship's deck.

"Yahoooo!" Sonic past them by, soon turning a corner around the front of the ship and looping around the entire vessel.

"Oh Sonic…" Amy smiled as he watched the sparks fly from Sonic's sneakers. "Always enjoying the simple things in life. He's just so wholesome!" The pink hedgehog proceeded to swoon, eventually snapping herself out of it to find the entire group had vanished. "Hey, where did everybody go?" Turning around, she saw the party stepping inside the interior lobby in the hopes of finding their individual living quarters.

"Hey, wait for me!" Amy ran toward the group, eventually catching up to find them standing at a sign affixed to the wall.

"It looks like they already assigned us rooms!" Tails pointed at the sign. "Looks like I'm in room 104…Sonic is in 103, Amy is in 102, so on and so forth." Moments later, Sonic came whizzing into the lobby, skidding to a stop once more.

"Hey, looks like they put us next to each other, lil' guy!" Sonic gave his little brother a wink. "Sounds like they knew we were best bros."

"Maybe!" Tails replied as his namesakes fluttered from behind. "How about we get comfortable and meet back out here in 20 minutes? Maybe spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the ship and grab some dinner later?"

"Sure!" The party nodded their heads simultaneously before making their way to their bedrooms.

In the late hours of the night, when the sun had long since set and each vacationer was sleeping in their respective rooms, one remained awake.

Tails was lying in bed, pillows propped up behind him and his Miles Electric tablet resting on his pudgy belly. While Helen, Chuck, Doug, and Alicia complained about the lack of cell phone reception out in the ocean, Tails was able to connect to the human network perfectly fine using his portable computer.

"Dear Diary," Tails narrated out loud as he typed, "today was a blast! I'm glad we accepted the President's offer to vacation on this cruise ship. I miss the Tornado 2, but the ocean air is exactly the kind of refreshment I need right now. I can't help but think of home, though; the scent of saltwater, and the crashing of the waves against the boat, reminds me of my workshop on the edge of the Mystic Ruins overlooking the ocean. I hope my tools are doing okay…well, I'm sure they're enjoying the vacation from work too!" Tails nodded to himself before cracking his knuckles, preparing to type his next thought. "Anyway, after a nasty little run-in with Chris Thorndyke, who bought his way on the boat to troll us, we spent the rest of the day relaxing. I can't wait to see Amy trying to teach Sonic how to swim tomorrow!" Tails snickered at the thought before closing out of the application, placing the tablet to the side, and peering out the circular window giving him a pleasant view of the ocean; the moonlight was reflecting off the calm surface of the water, and all was quiet and peaceful.

Cracking a small smile, he yawned and stretched his arms before pulling his blanket over himself. Moments after closing his eyes, though, he heard a knock at the door.

"W-who is it?" Tails pulled himself up, sitting against the bed board once more.

"I-it's me, Sonic." The blue hedgehog seemed anxious, indeed not like his normal self at all. "C-can I come in?"

"Sure thing." Sonic opened the door and, using the moonlight to guide him, made his way to Tails' bed. "Is something wrong, Sonic?"

"Well, kinda…" The blue hedgehog ran a gloved hand through his quills. "You see…I'm, well…you know how you get scared of lightning?"

"Yeah," Tails replied with a nod.

"And how I'd let you share my bed when you started getting anxious?"

"Yes." The orange kitsune nodded once more.

"Well, the thing is…" Sonic stared out the window. "I've…never slept at sea before. I can handle it, but…could I…well…" The blue hedgehog blushed in embarrassment.

"Ohhh, I see…" Tails positioned himself to the side of the bed next to the wall and pulled the blanket up to reveal the sheets below. He patted his gloved hand on the new spot he created. "I won't judge, Sonic. It's like what you've always done for me, after all."

"Heh, thanks, buddy." Sonic removed his sneakers before gently crawling into bed, sharing a pillow with his little brother.

"What if," Tails pondered out loud, "we have a thunderstorm out in the middle of the ocean? Who's gonna comfort us then?"

"Good question…" Sonic placed his hands behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling of the cabin. "Maybe Amy?"

"Yeah, for you at least," Tails replied with a playful scoff.

"Oh, c'mon, Tails," Sonic chuckled, "I'm sure there'd be enough room for all three of us!"

"Yeah, but with how lovey-dovey you two have been recently, I'd want to stay miles away from your romantic snuggles."

"It's okay, you could just sleep at the foot of the bed like a human doggy. Arf! Arf!"

"Are you implying that I'm a pet?" Tails asked, faux-offense in his voice.

"Nah, but you're certainly as cute as one!" Sonic proceeded to lunge at his little brother, tickling his sides and causing him to laugh out loud.

"Okay, okay, I yield!" The kitsune playfully kicked the hedgehog off him, the latter rolling back to his side of the bed. The two shared a laugh.

"See, I almost forgot we're on a ship in the middle of the ocean with no solid ground anywhere." Sonic wiped the base of his nose before turning his head to meet Tails' eyes. "Thanks again, lil' bro. I needed this."

"Don't mention it," Tails replied with a yawn before rolling to his side. "G'night, Sonic."

"Night, Tails." Giving the orange fox a final head pat, Sonic rolled over on his side as well, the two falling fast asleep shortly after. Little did they know, however, there was still a friend among them who was still awake.

Within steps of Tails' cabin was the creeping boots of Amy, who was slowly approaching Sonic's sleeping quarters. She gently knocked on the door. "Pssst, Sonic. It's Amy." She waited several moments. Not hearing an acknowledgement, the pink hedgehog tapped on the door a little louder, but like before, nobody greeted her. "Okay," she said in a whisper once more, "I'm coming in. Don't say I didn't warn ya."

Amy gripped the doorknob and slowly turned it before pushing the door open. She was greeted to a messy bedroom with tinfoil chili dog wrappers and stinky socks strewn about, producing scents that, perhaps, would've sickened the pink hedgehog in her past life before spending so much time with the blue blur. "Where are you, Sonic?" She brought a hand to her chin in thought. "Maybe he's using the restroom?" Shrugging her shoulders, she sat on the bed and peered around. "Well, if he's not back here soon, I'm sure we'll have other chances to hang out by ourselves during the cruise…" Amy yawned into her palm, her eyelids growing heavy as she peered down at the bed. "I'll just wait here for Sonic to come back."

Yawning once more, the pink hedgehog lied on the bed, resting her cheek on the pillow. "This smell…reminds me of Sonic…" A blush appeared across her face, and her tail wagged, as she cuddled in, hugging the pillow as she slowly drifted off into dreamland.

"Curse that spoiled rotten brat!"

Eggman threw a wrench, nearly hitting Decoe and Bocoe who were shining his Egg Mobile.

"The only thing that punk is good for is his money and connections. That's it…" The evil doctor folded his arms and tapped his foot on the metallic floor. "I've never, in all my years, seen anyone as spoiled as that kid…just all together evil!"

"But, sir," Decoe interrupted, slinging a cloth over his shoulder, "isn't being evil a good thing?"

"Well, you see," Eggman replied, "my brand of evil has style, has…form! I have a clear objective orchestrated through careful planning and sharp wit! Chris, on the other hand, is just sadistic, entitled…annoying…"

"Dumb?" Bocoe suggested.

"Ridiculous?" Decoe added.

"Exactly!" Eggman crashed one fist against the open palm of his other hand. "His aims are purely dominated by a deep-seeded wickedness in his heart." He raised a single finger to the air and closed his eyes. "It just goes to show how a lack of proper parenting and being granted virtually anything at the snap of one's fingers can really create the worst kind of people…now…" Eggman snapped his fingers. "Fetch me my wrench, will ya?"

"But sir," Bocoe inquired, ignoring Eggman's command, "what about the Chris situation? You hate him, yes, but without him, you'll have no place to hide and no more resources."

"I'm well aware of that," Eggman replied, "but this alliance is only temporary, rest assured! While we hide away in this underground warehouse, I'm slowly siphoning away Chris' resources so I can reestablish my own base of operations! Having direct access to Chris' bank account has allowed me to slowly start accumulating my own Earth-based wealth! No more refurbished parts and store-brand cereal once our new headquarters is up and running!"

"You mean I'll finally be able to have an oil spa?" Decoe asked.

"And you'll buy the name brand lubricant?" Bocoe added.

"Precisely!" Eggman replied. "After all, what's not a good ruler without spoiling his minions from time to time?" The evil doctor chuckled once more before walking to the other side of his secret, Thorndyke-funded underground workshop, sitting at a computer console and typing away at his keyboard. "Chris mentioned he was going to infiltrate Sonic's vacation cruise. That boy may be dumb, but at least he could stick up some remote cameras around the ship…" Eggman toggled through various feeds. "From all my spying, I found that Sonic's entire cohort is with him except for Knuckles. Assuming they've split up the Chaos Emeralds, that means three of the gems are likely on the ship while Knuckles is keeping the remaining one on his person."

"What are you going to do, Doctor?" Decoe asked.

"Well, Chris did give me a direct order to stay out of his way, saying he wants to relish the opportunity to annoy Sonic." Eggman sighed. "As much as I'd love to exploit Sonic's fear of water and strike him when he's vulnerable, angering Chris at this stage would prove too risky."

"So you can't do anything?" Bocoe added.

"Well, I wouldn't say anything." Eggman pulled a bottle of Mountain Dew Baja Blast from the mini fridge next to his desk, opening it up and taking a long gulp. Next, he opened a bag of Doritos before switching one of his monitors to a videogame.

"When I added improvements to this bunker," Eggman commented, "I ensured that I'd always have the most immaculate of pings! Now leave me be! It takes a lot of brain power to game while monitoring those pesky rodents!" The evil doctor slipped on his gaming headset and brought his attention to his gaming monitor, keeping his other screens set on the various cameras Chris placed throughout the cruise ship.

"I wonder what game Doctor Eggman is playing," Decoe commented.

"It's probably one of those highly competitive online multiplayer games," Bocoe replied.

"Or maybe a shooter!" Decoe added. "Surely it's something that'll stimulate his mind as good practice for his next confrontation with Sonic!"

"I am sure you're right," Bocoe replied to his metallic brother before returning to polishing up the Egg Mobile.

"Haha!" The two turned around to find Eggman laughing into his headset. "That's what you get for accusing me of killing our crewmate, AlligatorVampire69420!"

"What's he talking about?" Decoe asked.

"I have no idea…" Bocoe tiptoed to Eggman's desk, keeping his distance between himself and the evil scientist, providing enough of a vantage point to get a good look at his screen.

"Oh, now look who's a bit suspicious! Serves you right for making false accusations, you moron! I hope you enjoy being a ghost, you prepubescent simpleton! Wooahhooohoohooo!" Eggman took a celebratory swig of his Mountain Dew, but when the sound of a creak from his robot servant's limb reached his eardrum, he spat out his carbonated beverage all over his keyboard in fright.

"Now look what you did!" Eggman barked. "Can't a man play Among Us in peace! Now I'm going to have to acquire a new keyboard!" The evil doctor ripped the USB cable from the computer and threw the drenched keyboard as Bocoe. "Now go disguise yourself and buy me a new one at Best Buy! And make it snappy!" He proceeded to whip the Thorndyke credit card at the robotic assistant, who barely managed to catch it.

"Yes, Doctor!" Bocoe proceeded to his resting quarters to find his trench coat disguise.

"And where do you think you're going?" Eggman pointed at Decoe, who was attempting to tiptoe out of the workshop.

"I was just, ummmm…going to get some more polish for your Egg Mobile!" Decoe wiped the non-existent sweat from his metallic forehead.

"Hold off on that for now," Eggman commanded. "Instead, I want you to clean up this mess and then fetch me an order of Taco Bell, the usual."

"Yes sir!" Decoe, just like his brother, obeyed his command, quickly cleaning up the soda before rushing out the door, finding his disguise before making his way to the nearest Taco Bell a few blocks away.

"It's moments like these when I question why I haven't simply built better robot slaves…" Shaking his head, the evil doctor pulled out another bottle of Baja Blast, unscrewed its cap, and took a long swig.

"Ah man, why'd I ever agree to this?"

Sonic was sitting on the edge of the cruise ship's massive pool, his legs dangling in the water below as he watched his friends enjoying themselves. Tails was chilling out in a floating tube wearing sunglasses while Cream and Bokkun were snorkeling in the shallow area of the pool. Helen was sitting at a nearby table, an umbrella shielding her, Chuck, Doug, and Alicia from the harsh morning sun.

"C'mon, Sonic, you said you'd make an effort at this." Amy pulled herself out of the pool and sat next to the blue hedgehog.

"Well, you see…" Sonic kicked his legs in the water gently. "I'm…ummm…getting a cramp! Yeah, had one too many chili dogs for breakfast!"

"…For breakfast?" Amy was not amused.

"Yes! And a bit too spicy, too…" Sonic rubbed his belly before forcing a burp. "I should probably sit this one out. You know what they say about eating before swimming after all!"

"Sonic, you didn't eat chili dogs for breakfast." Amy shook her head. "You had a Pop-Tart."

"Oh, well, yes, of course I did, but it was…chili dog flavored! It was mundo gross!"

"You're not fooling anyone, Sonic. I know you more than most, and I can tell when you're lying."

"Yeahhh, I guess the hedgehog's out of the bag…" He stopped moving his legs in the water, his downcast face reflected in the pool below.

"Are you scared?" Amy asked as she slid closer to him along the side of the pool.

"…Maybe a little." A light shade of red appeared across his muzzle.

"Well…maybe this can help." Amy scooted even closer to the blue hedgehog and brought her face to his, planting a gentle kiss on the side of Sonic's muzzle. This made him blush even harder, but the effect of the pink hedgehog's kiss proved to be potent; the nervousness emanating from Sonic mere moments earlier was replaced by an aura of confidence, his trademarked smirk returning to him.

"All right, Ames, I think I'll go for a lil' dip!" Sonic raised his arms, tightening his fists in determination.

"That's the spirit, Sonic!" Amy pulled two floaties from her hammerspace.

"What are those?" Sonic asked as he tilted his head in curiosity.

"They help keep you afloat in the water!" Amy replied cheerily. "Now put these on so we can practice swimming in the shallow part of the pool."

"Hahahaha, what a loser!"

Sonic and Amy turned their attention to Chris, who was wearing swim trunks and Oakley sunglasses, his body covered in sunblock. Tanaka was at his side holding an electric fan to keep the young boy cooled.

"Oh yeah, you can't swim! Remember the time you almost drowned in my pool? I think you owe me your life after my brave heroics that night!"

"What's the matter? Won't dive in yourself? Is the sun too hot for your pale skin?" Sonic's retort earned a chuckle from his girlfriend.

"Oh yeah?" Wearing a shit eating grin, Chris removed his sandals and socks, cracked his knuckles, and approached the diving board on the other end of the pool.

"Show me your moves! I bet I'll be so amazed!" Sonic quipped as he watched Chris prepare for his demonstration.

"Oh yeah? Just watch my mastery of the art of swimming!" Chris brought both hands up in the air and bent his knees. As he was about to jump, however, he swiftly sat down on the edge of the plank and allowed himself to slip off, landing in the water feet first.

"That's it?" Sonic asked as Chris' head emerged from the depths of the deep end. "I bet I'll be much more skilled than you after my first swimming lesson."

"Oh…y-yeah…ro-dent?" Chris huffed as he doggy paddled back to the side of the pool. After a grueling several seconds, the young boy's hands managed to grip the side of the pool. He tried pulling himself out, but he found that his scrawny arms were too weak to pull up his light weight.

"Tanaka! I demand your assistance at once!"

"Coming, Mr. Thorndyke!" Tanaka threw the electric fan over his shoulder and immediately came to Chris' aid, dropping to one knee and extending his arm out. Chris grabbed his hand, allowing his butler to pull him out of the water.

"Well, hedgehog," Chris said before spitting in Sonic's face, "I think I'll go retire for a spell with my future wife." He pointed toward Helen, who simply folded her arms and looked away with a humph. "If you start drowning again, I'll laugh as your lungs fill with water."

It took every ounce of restraint for Sonic not to deck Chris right then and there, instead resorting to flashing the spoiled kid the middle finger moments after he turned away.

"Are you okay, Sonic?" Amy asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Never better," Sonic replied as he wiped the spit from his forehead. He turned to his pink hedgehog counterpart with a grin across his muzzle. "C'mon, Ames, I think I'm ready for my first swimming lesson."

"Right!" Amy nodded, balling her fists in determination. "Let's get you in the pool." She was the first to slip in, her feet touching the ground of the shallow end. "Now your turn."

"Okay, here we go." Sonic let out a big sigh before slowly slipping in himself. He shivered as the water crept higher up his legs, but he managed to make it in.

"See, just like when you're running through the water back in Labyrinth Zone!" Amy replied with a smile.

"Not quite," Sonic corrected. "When I'm trying to get from Point A to Point B, and I'm forced to run in the water, that's purely out of survival. I can run under and over the water for short distances, but swimming? Totally different story."

"Right…, well, by the time we're through with your lessons, you'll be a swimming pro!"

"I wish I shared your confidence," Sonic replied as he peered over at Chris, who was sitting uncomfortably close to Helen at the beach-style tables. He returned his attention back to Amy. "Okay, what next?"

"Well…" Amy replied. "Let's try the breaststroke technique. I'll demonstrate." She proceeded to swim away from Sonic, extended her arms out from her chest as she kicked her legs, propelling her well into the deep part of the pool before making a lap and returning to Sonic. "Do you think you can do that?"

"The floaties are makin' it a bit difficult," Sonic replied as he tried the movements with his arms.

"Let's try something easier, then…" Amy pulled the floatation devices from Sonic's arms. "Before you can swim in the deep end, let's ensure you can calmly keep yourself afloat. Watch." She used her arms to steady herself in the water, her head bobbing up and down with the waves she was creating, but her lower lip never went below the water's surface. "As long as you stay calm and stay focused, you can keep yourself afloat no problem."

"Alrighty, let's try it." Sonic paddled toward Amy until he was standing on his toes. Taking one final step, he was forced to follow Amy's advice; after flailing his arms for a few seconds, he took a deep breath to relax before using his arms to steady himself in the water.

"See, Sonic! You're not drowning! That means you're swimming!"

"Hey, you're right!" Sonic cheered before twirling around in the pool. "Hey Chris, I bet you can't swim for more than five seconds without panicking!" He started to pull his lower eyelid down with his middle finger, but he lost his balance, forcing himself to flail for a few seconds before regaining his composure once more.

"How uncivilized…" Chris shook his head before returning his attention to Helen, who seemed totally not interested in the rich kid's antics.

"So, how ya doin', hot stuff?" Chris asked as he pulled his sunglasses down.

"I don't want to talk to you," Helen replied as she pulled her Nintendo Switch from the zippered compartment of her wheelchair.

"You know…" Chris scooted his chair closer to Helen's wheelchair, the girl trying to focus on her game. "This entire cruise ship, and many more, can be yours, and I can cover all your medical bills, if you accept my offer."

"This again?" Helen scoffed. "How many times do I have to tell you? I wasn't interested in dating you before you started being mean to Sonic and Tails, but now I'm especially repulsed by your gross behaviors, so can you just leave me alone?"

"Fuckin' women, they're all the same!" Chris stood up, picked up his plastic chair, and with an obnoxiously loud shout, threw it overboard. "If your head wasn't as messed up as your back, you would've accepted my offer ages ago."

"That's about enough, young man." Doug approached the spoiled kid. "Or am I going to have to call your parents for harassing my daughter?"

"Oh, please." Chris scoffed. "You wouldn't be able to complain to mommy and daddy if you tried, and plus, one call to my lawyer, and I can destroy your life in a little under an hour." The Thorndyke snapped his fingers, his butler appearing at his side moments later. "Tanaka, I think it's about time we leave these miscreants alone. Wouldn't want to catch a sickness from these poor people after all."

"Your wish is my command, Mr. Thorndyke." The butler proceeded to get down on his knees, allowing Chris to climb onto his back.

"Now ride, workhorse, back to my cabin!" Chris pointed forward.

"Neighhh, neiiiiigh!" Without shame, the butler galloped like a noble steed back to Chris' living quarters, leaving the humans and Mobians speechless.

"That…was weird," Tails commented from the pool, sipping a soda from a straw, the cup resting on his belly. It was moments later when he heard his Miles Electric vibrating from the side of the pool.

"Huh…I wonder what that's all about…" The orange kitsune paddled to the edge of the pool with his gloved hands, eventually reaching his tablet.

"Ummm, hey guys?"

"What's up, lil' buddy?" Sonic asked from the deep end of the pool, keeping himself afloat with Amy by his side.

"I think…we may've just stumbled across another Chaos Emerald."

It's been about a month since I published my last chapter…where does the time go? XD

Sorry for the delay. A lot of stuff going on in the "real world", but I hope to get the next chapter out at a faster pace! Feel free to follow my social medias n' whatnot for updates!