You guys have been a little quiet. I hope everything is alright in your lives.

This is also a doorstop, if you did not read "The Phoenix", please do that before continuing with this story, as some of stuff won't make sense.

/*-*/

Sonic ran back and forth, delivering tools to the builders, bringing planks to the worksite, and just all around moving. He set down the next set of planks from the carpenter's guild in front of the bears, "Alright, will this be good?"

"Sir, you should really take a break." Wilfred stated, squinting his eyes at Sonic, "You've had a pretty rough week."

Sonic stopped just for a second. Battle with Eggman, Evil him, Tails…

Sonic shook his head, "I'm good, I'd rather finish everything." He could feel Wilfred's nervousness. His concern. Sonic was… not being healthy, and Wilfred was probably right, but self-care was hard, so Sonic would just work through it.

In a way, Sonic had accepted that he probably needed to talk with someone, anyone. That involved a lot of emotional awkwardness, and a level of humbling that made Sonic dread it ever more. He wanted to be Sonic, the mysterious, chill dude always upbeat and ready to help.

He didn't want to be Sonic, the regular guy who had a major amount of guilt and somehow managed to feel out of place no matter where he went.

So Sonic would just have to keep himself busy until he didn't think about… stuff….

Wilfred sighed, and pointed to a wolf couple, with three little pups around them. They were clearly waiting on Sonic. At least there was another distraction.

Sonic zipped across the work site, "Hi… Can I help you?"

The she-wolf spoke first, "Are you Lord Sonic, who's the ruler of this city and the surrounding areas?"

"Um…. Technically." Sonic didn't like the idea of "ruler" being the word to describe him. He didn't like the idea that he sat in one place all of the time, barking orders and demanding stuff.

"We'd like to submit a request on behalf of the parents in the city." The she-wolf asserted.

"Honey, It's fine. I can take care of us." Her Husband complained.

Sonic blinked a little before rubbing his forehead, "What would you like?"

"We'd like a new guard system in the city. Yesterday, two hoodlums looked like they were going to hurt my son. Several other moms said that people had tried to take their kids. We can't let this happen again." The she-wolf demanded, stretching a hand to point to her cautious and whining pups. The kids really were scared.

Sonic frowned, "That really happened?" Were there people really out there looking for kids to hurt?

She nodded solemnly, "I understand it might take time to gather the resources, but I would like this for the good of the city."

Sonic nodded, "I'll… Do what I can…" Sonic didn't want to sound so unsure, but he had no idea how to assemble a guard.

She smiled softly, "Thank you…" She didn't sound confident in him.

Sonic was about to go back to New Freedom HQ, when he remembered another responsibility he had. He Ran by the orphanage, and was relieved to see it was still standing. From the wolf's report, it sounded like the orphanage would have been the first target by an angry mob.

Sonic saw his target, sitting by the playground, with Cream swinging right next to him. Johan stood guard, diligently. It was kind of impressive.

Sonic approached, "Hey… what have you been doing?"

"Keeping my oath." Johan growled, walking around the children, who actually didn't seem too scared of him.

Sonic nodded, "Well, I need you to come with me to Freedom HQ."

Johan snarled, "I won't leave her in this horrid land with these filthy creatures." He began to growl and shudder.

Sonic didn't exactly want to fight this guy in a city full of people, and alone, "You can bring her with… I think she'd like it. But I need you to come with me."

"Why?" Johan cocked his head, clearly suspicious.

"Because Sally pointed out that you are still a criminal in the Acorn Republic." Sonic sighed.

Johan cocked his head again, but nodded. He turned and looked at Cream, who finished an upward wing before seeing his face and getting off.

They walked out of the city, and made their way up to the large hill where Sonic entered. Johan was so large, Sonic was certain he was going to get stuck. Sonic was wrong, as the walls appeared to be slightly larger than the wolverine, which made him passing through easier.

As he passed a room, he saw the yellow fur of his best friend… their eyes met for a moment, but quickly broke, and Sonic continued. Was Tails mad at him?

Cream walked into the lab and seemed to talk with Tails and Rotor. That was good.

Sonic found his way to the command center. Sally and Elias sat in there, their eyes closed, and the two seemed to be relaxing. Elias had been back at Knothole, getting the last of the equipment, or so he'd said.

Sonic cleared his throat. Sally jerked awake, "W-oh. Hey…"

Johan simply starred at her. His eyes were angry, which made Sonic stay on guard.

"So…I don't have a way to pardon you, but I can let you roam free under our supervison. I think that makes us square?" Sally asked, nervously.

"I would not be free then. I don't need your permission to roam." Johan growled, "Furthermore, I have not received the promised food of our agreement."

"We'll get it to you tonight." Sally sighed, before looking closely at Sonic, "What has you worked up?"

Sonic frowned, "Some people want a city guard. I don't exactly know how to pick people."

Sally nodded, "How are you going to pay them?"

Sonic blinked, "What?"

"How are you going to pay them? You and I have good judge of character. Picking the right ones is easy. You need to pay them to keep them, though." Sally explained, before frowning.

"I'll use the tax collector's money." Sonic shrugged, nervously. He knew that wasn't going to work from Sally's disappointed expression.

Sally sighed, "Guards need constant money. They aren't like a house or road, where you can pay for them once and solve your issues. That Tax Collector's money is going to run out sooner or later."

"What would you do?" Sonic… growled. He was starting to get agitated. He hadn't slept well… he was kind of tired… and he didn't feel good.

Sally raised her hands defensively, "I'm just saying… you need to think this through. You might need to actually create a tax."

Sonic grit his teeth, "What? A tax, what am I, a pompous jerk! I don't do that! I don't take stuff from people. I get stuff taken from me! That's how this works!" Sonic was almost crying. He stopped, and took a deep breath.

Sally approached Sonic carefully, like he was a wild beast. Johan's eyes watched with a scary precision.

Sally spoke softly, "Let's go to Frederick's ball. You need a break. You need to sit down, have a drink, laugh a little. You need to unwind."

"I'm fine. I'm good." Sonic sighed, still torn up.

"I want to go too. I think we could have a little fun." Sally rephrased.

Sonic licked his lips for a moment, before nodding, "Ok." He conceded. He probably needed to unwind.

/*-*/

Fiona stretched out from her afternoon nap. She'd earned it, from the crap she'd gone through over the past week. She set her feet down on the ground, and walked over to her trunk.

After getting dressed, she saw her closet cracked. Right… her dress. Fiona walked over to it, and gazed at the article she had chosen. It was perfect, or rather, almost perfect.

She had the perfect companion for it. Fiona walked over the dresser that she had stored her undergarment in. Fiona really needed to unpack her new clothes. She ran her fingers through the row of panties and found the lovely pearl necklace that she had…. Finessed.

Fiona stopped. She was actually looking forward to this ball. She wasn't worried, but that was probably because she didn't care what everyone thought. That was Frederick's… Frederick!

Fiona needed to go see him. She walked out of her room and down the hall. Fiona's eyes landed on a little red fox, peeping into the kitchen.

She walked over on top of Alister, and looked inside.

Frederick was rubbing his head, sipping from a mug, "I don't feel better."

Olivia's voice spoke firmly, "You don't exactly deserve to feel better."

"That wasn't me!" Frederick pleaded, "I don't know what happened. I was walking through the hallway, and then… I just can't remember….Alister!"

The little red fox jumped up, slamming into Fiona's chest as he did. Alister didn't even bother to look back at her. Instead, he just ran down the hall back to his room.

Fiona rubbed her chest, and let out a sigh.

Frederick burst through the door, "Alister!" He called out, before sighing sadly.

Fiona smiled at her brother, "You want to cancel the ball?"

"That would mean a lot. You could spend the time with our son and maybe make it up to him." Olivia walked through the doorway.

Frederick perked up, tensed up, and bit his lip, "But… if I do… I can't, the nobles will laugh at me. It is too soon to cancel anyway. I'll… I'll have to make it up to him later."

Olivia shook her head, but didn't say anything, simple resorting to a sigh to get her point across.

Fiona smiled, "Would you like me to talk to him?" Fiona wasn't exactly sure what she could say, but she'd at least keep Frederick from worrying too much.

Her brother perked up, "Would you… please?"

Fiona smiled, "Alright, I'll go talk to him, but you need to make sure that everything is ready. This party needs to knock everyone's socks off."

Frederick blinked in confusion.

"It needs to be really good." Fiona groaned. She hated the proper speech that nobles had.

Fiona walked slowly down the hall to her nephew's room. That was still weird for her. She was still a teenager yet had a nephew. She knocked on the door. It passed open, easy and wide.

Fiona walked in, and saw Alister, sitting on the ground, playing with red toy blocks. She saw three stacks of two, and one little lone block in a diamond shape.

"Hey… are you ok?" Fiona asked, suddenly realizing she had no idea what she was going to say.

Alister jumped, "I… I'm good." He stated flatly.

Fiona licked her lips, "You, you know your dad loves you right."

"I know." He muttered.

Fiona found it increasingly hard to not get frustrated, "He didn't try to hurt you. That was the ghost."

"I know." Alister muttered.

Fiona sighed, as this wasn't worth the effort, "Alright. I'll see you at the party."

Fiona walked out, leaving a surprisingly scared Alister in his room.

She walked back to her room. The guards still stood watch. Right… She was still technically a prisoner… unless Scourge got her out.

Fiona walked into her room, and opened her closet. There it was… a dress that was perfect for her.

Fiona slipped out of her clothes, and realized… her windows were still uncovered by curtains. She walked over and closed them, only basking in the sunlight for a moment.

She then pulled her dress off the hanger carefully. It was the perfect dress for her.

A full front covering dress, with no sleeves or back. Light gray to point of silver, and it went down to her knees. The frontal piece hugged her chest loosely, allow her curves just enough definition to be made out, without actual exposure.

Fiona felt the straps on her shoulder pull slightly. She decided to break in the dress by stretching her back, and walking around the room. She cracked her window once again, to let more light in as she walked in front of the mirror.

She was sexy, strong and fierce. She wasn't a trophy wife like most noble girls, she wasn't someone to be traded or barter for. She was free…. Kind of.

All she needed was the last piece. Fiona heard commotion from the halls. Looks like the guests had arrived. Fiona grabbed the pearl necklace, which glimmered with the silver of the dress. Perfection.

Fiona walked out, before stopping. She saw Alister's door was still open.

She tip toed up to his doorway, and saw the little fox sitting on his bed, it a small suite and tie, playing with a wooden wagon.

"Alister? Are you coming to the party?" Fiona asked, feeling his immediate shock as her voice reached him.

Olivia appeared from the other side of his bed, "I told him he could stay here. He doesn't want to go."

Alister shook his head in agreement, "I don't want to go out."

Olivia crawled onto the bed, "I'm not going to make you."

Alister looked a little upset, "Mom, you aren't supposed to come up yet!"

Olivia smiled, embarrassed, "Oops, I'll go back down."

Fiona shook her head, "But there will be a lot food, and people, and music. A lot of people want to meet you."

Alister shook his head, "I don't want to go out there. I don't want to talk with everyone."

Olivia's eyes watched from the bed. Fortunately, Fiona knew how to bargain.

"Tell you what, you come out, and introduce yourself to everyone, and I'll get you a nice watch." Fiona offered, before realizing just what she was offering and who she was offering it to.

Alister surprisingly lit up, "Ok! I just… go and say hi… right?" Alister asked.

"Yep…. That's all." Fiona spoke, distant from surprise.

Alister hopped off the bed, and Olivia stood up, "This was not good for my back." She groaned, stretching.

"Try being me." Fiona snorted, and escorted her cousin out to the entrance of the manor. She opened the door, and led Alister outside.

She was greeted by a cleared lawn, save for the hedges that made a second wall outside. There were cloth tents, with varieties of foods underneath them. Fancy places glimmered of silver, glasses shined with crystal. Long Tables sat near the walls, giving plenty of room for dancing, which appeared to be standing around.

The guests were all notables. Three wolves, who looked different enough to probably not be related. A couple of Bulls, with their wives. A Fox here, a boar there, a couple rams and sheep.

There were also some who weren't quite nobility. She saw a fox woman, who looked… familiar, but Fiona couldn't place it. She recognized the pig anywhere, Porker. A mongoose, who looked surprisingly similar to Mina.

Almost everyone wore something fancy… and expensive. Fiona licked her lips nervously from the temptations. She could restrain herself for one night. She looked down at her nephew, who's hands gripped her arm so tight she was certain her fur was going to fall out.

Fiona leaned down, "Come on, let's go, and I'll get you the watch and a pie for your trouble."

Alister nodded, and they descended down into the crowd.

Fiona first walked up to Sir Ramston, "Alright, now, Alister, introduce yourself."

"H—Hello… my name is Alister." Alister looked down at the ground.

"Well met young man." Lord Ramston laughed, "I am Sir Ramston of the House of Goldar."

Alister blinked, clearly unsure what to do, so he just looked back at the ground.

Fiona was about to interject, when the sound of a sonic boom rippled through the air. Fiona's eyes wandered, and there, at the entrance, was Sonic the Hedgehog, with his fallen Princess. He was here.

/*-*/

This one is kind of short, but I need to rebuild my buffer.