Alex: Thanks for the review. Seems to have been quite thought out. As far as the Training Room being empty, I dunno. The time wasn't specified in the comic, but in "Rage against the Machine", the room was empty during the daytime. ...And Tails jaw was injured when Nack punched him in the face, and a bit more when Nack walloped him with his tail.

Princess In Plaster
A Sonic the Hedgehog Fan Fiction
by Chronos the Cat

Disclaimer: Portions of this chapter adapted from the Archie Sonic Comic. Sonic and related characters copyright SEGA, which bears no responsibility for the content of this story. And, of course, I make no claims to the accuracy of the medical references in here...

Chapter Four: Waiting in a Wheelchair

Geoffrey St. John, one time leader of King Acorn's Secret Service (for a year or two, before the coup, at a very young age), and current leader of the resistance cell known as the "Rebel Underground", did a double-take as he stepped into the hut that housed Rotor's laboratory.

"I'd heard you were injured, luv, but I'd no idea you were..."

Sally smiled. "Doing an impersonation of a statue? Yeah, we've done our best to keep that part quietwe really can't afford to suggest that the leader of the resistance is mortal..."

Geoffrey nodded. "Damn right, there." He then gave a nervous smile, and scratched his head. "Still, if you don't mind my saying so, you're looking quite good."

Sally gave him a searching look. "Not, 'quite good, considering', or 'quite good, for someone in a body cast'? " She wasn't sure why she was asking thisof course that was what he meant. But then, it was odd how he was acting so bashful all of a sudden. That wasn't like him at all.

"No... Quite good, period." He walked over to her , leaned over, and kissed her on the cheek. "...Surely, I'm not the first to mention it...? You look good in plaster."

She glanced at his face, wondering what he meant by that. Judging by his expression, Sally guessed that he was blushing under his fur. "Actually, you are. Although, I can think of at least on other person who'd probably agree with you."

"Sonic?"

"If only! Don't get me wrong, he's been a great help, and quite the gentleman, but I think he thinks of my situation as even worse than that of his Uncle Chuck."

"Plaster worse than metal? Perish the thought! The bloke has absolutely no sense of fashion!" Geoffrey said jokingly.

Sally giggled. "Fashion? Is that what this cast is? Odd, I thought Doctor Quack put it on me for medical reasons..."

Geoffrey shrugged. "There's no rule that says fashion can't be practical, too."

"Oh, I agree. Of course, a fashion like this would be quite impractical if I didn't need it to hold my body together..."

Geoffrey was trying to think of a response that might lead to him being able to steal a kiss from her, when Sonic walked in, followed by Bunnie and Antoine.

"We got it!" Sonic announced.

"Good work," Sally complimented them.

Sonic zoomed over to Rotor, and handed him a microchip.

"Thanks," Rotor said. "With this I can complete my Neutralizer, which should allow us to stabilize the Zone of Silence and retrieve the King."

"Stabilize? Didn't we do that last time?" Sonic wondered.

"No. The Zone was spreading into our world, threading to destroy it. Robotnik's device reversed the power-flow between Zones, saving our world, but causing the Zone of Silence to begin to collapse in on itself. Which means, if we don't do something, the King, and all the other inhabitants of the Zone shall be lost forever..."

"Man! Way past uncool! We better juice and save the Zone!"

"Right." He handed Sonic a metal tube about an inch and a half wide and four long. "If you're ready to go, I'll charge up the portal."

"Do it."

Geoffrey stepped toward the two of them. "Hold on a second, mates! As Senior Operative of the King's special Services, it's m'job to risk life and limb for His Majesty. I should be the one to go."

Sonic raised an eyebrow. "'The one'? Who said only one person was going?"

"Well, it stands to reason. Don't want to risk too many lives and all, and I am the best one for the job."

"You? You've gotta be joking. You've never even been to the Zone of Silence before!"

"Don't worry 'bout me, mate. I can handle myself, even in unfamiliar surroundings."

"Good. Rotor, you got that portal fired up yet?"

"Almost," Rotor replied.

Geoffrey asked, "So you're not going to argue with me about going? You're smarter than I thought, boy."

Sonic answered, "Why would I argue with you? Sally ordered the Freedom Fighters to rescue her father, and she put me in charge of the Freedom Fighters. Which means, unless Sal says otherwise, the decision on who's going is entirely mine."

Geoffrey's jaw dropped, and he stared. "Now see here! I don't answer to you! I'm head of the Rebel Underground, and His Majesty's Secret Service; which means"

"Zilch, as far as I'm concerned. You're in Knothole, which is Freedom Fighter jurisdiction, and there is no Secret Service at the moment." Sonic turned to Sally. "Correct me if I'm wrong, Sally, but that puts me over him, doesn't it?"

Sally hesitated. The protocols were fuzzy about this sort of thing... (What exactly was the rank of a leader of a rebel group?) But this wasn't really about protocol, was it? It was about two would-be alpha-males jockeying for power (and her hand).

As acting monarch (and the woman being fought over) she could easily end this, by choosing one over the other. But, who did she want...? She really didn't know. Sonic was her best friend, and she thought she loved him. He was also a great field commander, if a little impulsive, and an unparalleled warrior. Geoffrey on the other hand, was strong and handsome, with a commanding air about him. Even as he treated her with a greater show of respect than Sonic did, she didn't feel as strong a burden of responsibility when he was aroundGeoffrey had a way of making you feel like he could and would take care of everything... He was also quite a skilled warrior himself, and if he was arrogant and a bit of a showoff, the same could be said for Sonic, as well.

Deciding to avoid taking sides as much as possible, she replied, "Actually, where Geoffrey is doesn't matterhe's still leader of the Rebel Underground, so that would make you two about equal."

Sonic and Geoffrey looked at each other in distaste, and said, "Us, equal?"

Sally continued, "You were right about one thing, Sonic. I did give this mission to the Freedom Fighters, so it's your decision who goes on it. And if Geoffrey has a problem with that, or your decision, he needs to take it up with me."

Geoffrey scowled. "I see..." He put his hand to his chin, and began trying to decide how to best state his case to Sally.

Meanwhile, Sonic asked Bunnie, Antoine, and Rotor, "Any volunteers to come with me?"

"Y'all can count me in," Bunnie replied.

Rotor shook his head. "I have to man the portal from here."

Antoine said, nervously, "I shall stay behind and guard zee Princess."

Sonic rolled his eyes. Without a trace of sarcasm, he replied, "Yeah, sure, Ant. You wouldn't be of much use to us if you're scared stiff, anyway."

"I am not beingk scared! I am to be protecting my Princess!" Antoine protested, though his fellow Freedom Fighters knew he was lying.

Ignoring Antoine, Sonic turned to Bunnie, and motioned for her to come with him. When they were standing next to the portal, Sonic called out, "Hey, Geoffrey, you coming or what?"

"Eh? What?" Geoffrey turned and stared at Sonic.

"You wanted to come, didn't you? So, come on! The more the merrier, like they say. Not that this is likely to be a very 'merry' experience, but..."

Geoffrey was astonishedhe really hadn't expected to be invited along, by Sonic no less. "Well, if you insist, I suppose I could lend you blokes a helping hand..."

Sonic shook his head in resignation.

Rotor gave them all jet packs, to help maneuver in the low-gravity environment of the Zone, and flipped the last switch, opening the portal. "Good luck, gang!"

"Be careful!" Sally added.

Sonic replied, as he stepped into the portal, "Don't worry, guys, we'll be backwith the King. Leave the light on for us!"

Rotor said to himself, "Not to mention the Welcome Mat! ...Just come back safe and sound!"

While Rotor monitored the Zone of Silence and the portal, Sally waited in her wheelchair. She had Antoine wheel her closer to the equipment, so she could look on. However, being unable to maneuver around on her own, it wasn't really all that interesting.

After a while, Tails came in. He glanced at the portal, a questioning look in his eyes.

"No, they're not back yet," Sally answered the implied question.

Tails sighed, not so much because the others weren't around, but because he was getting tired of not being able to talk. He had been wondering about the others, but that hadn't been quite the question he'd wanted to ask. Sally wouldn't be sitting in the lab, alone except for Rotor (who was busy) and Antoine, if Sonic and Bunnie were back.

He pulled out the notepad he carried with him since his injury, and wrote, "No word?"

He showed the pad to Sally, and she shook her head. "No, no word. We're not really expecting any, though. If it's as easy to find my father this time as it was last time, this should be a quick in-and-out mission."

Tails was skeptical. He wrote, "He beat you last time. Do you think they can beat him this time?"

Sally gave a pained look for a second. "Sonic has Bunnie and Geoffrey with him this time two of our best fighters. They'll be fine."

Tails thought Sally's words sounded hollow. He realized that although she was hiding it, she was far more afraid for the others than he was. Even after several weeks, and quite a few missions, she was still reliving her own experience.

Tails wanted to comfort her, but couldn't think of anything to say that was worth the paper it would take to write it. Instead, he walked over to her and gave her a hug. She returned the hug with her right arm, and smiled softly.

Antoine stared at them in confusion, having missed what hadn't been said.

An hour or so later;

"Mmph!" Tails cried, pointing to the portal, as Sonic was emerging, holding the King's limp form.

"Way ahead of you, Tails!" Rotor responded. As the group emerged, he asked them, "Is everyone alright?"

"Get Doctor Quack immediately, Rotor!" Sonic said. "He's got a very important patient waiting for him!"

As he put the King down, Sonic asked, "What about the creatures in the Zone? Did the neutralizer save them?"

"Everything turned out just fine for them!" Rotor answered. "As it will for all of us one day."

End Chapter 4.

Well, it certainly took me long enough to write such a short chapter. Obviously, I've lost my interest in the story, for the most part. So, I'd like to ask for an opinion from my readers. Should I keep trying to write this, should I put it on the back burner for now and focus on other stories until I feel like writing more of this, or should I patch on a concluding chapter and be done with it?