Chapter 2

The next morning I made sure I looked my best, without the tuxedo of course. I thought Cream deserved the best, but when I noticed what I was doing I stopped myself. No, I thought, she doesn't care; I don't need to impress her. My fur became clean and shiny anyway.

I tried not to be nervous when I got to Cream's little home. I sighed, having been thinking about her the whole way there. I couldn't help it anymore; it was too hard to stop myself. I guessed maybe I was in love, but I wasn't going to back down from this. I slowly knocked on her door.

Unlike yesterday, Cream was the one to answer the day. I blushed as soon as I saw her, she was in her normal outfit but she still looked great. But I never thought like that before. This truly was weird.

"Tails?" She raised an eye at me. "What is it?"

"Um…" I stammered. "Would you… like to go out and do something with me?" I smiled nervously. She appeared awesome again and I felt my chest grow warm.

Cream smiled, her friend Chao, Cheese, cheered next to her. I only had just noticed it, as I was so concentrated on Cream. "Yes, of course. What did you want to do?"

"Uh… I thought… maybe the beach…" I swallowed, having a hard time talking.

"That sounds fun!" Cream exclaimed, making me feel better. "I guess I should get my swimsuit then…" She went back into her house for a moment.

I began to sweat. I really hoped Cream didn't change because if she looks great now then I can't imagine how I'd react to her in her swimsuit. Why couldn't control myself? She isn't… that great. But part of my mind told me she was and I had to stand down.

Luckily, she only came out holding them and I could relax slightly. "I'm ready!"

"Um… let's go then." I began to walk away from her house with her.

"This is very nice of you Tails." Cream told me while we walked.

I nodded, blushing again. "Thanks…"

"Why did you want to go out with me?"

"I…just wanted to… get to know you better…" I made up something.

Cream grinned, that teasing smile that made me feel so light I could've flown away, but then she blinked at me. "You're red again Tails, are you sure you're okay?"

I winced. "Yes… I'm fine."

"Why are you red then?" Cream insisted on an answer.

"Because… I'm with such a sweet girl." I couldn't believe I actually said that.

Cream was the one who blushed this time and giggled. "Thank you."

As we walked in the sun, my want for her grew. I was having fun with her, even if I was shy, and now I wanted to stay with her all day. I couldn't deny it anymore, I did love her. Cream was just too cute and sweet, denying it was hurting more than helping. I had to tell her, I had to let her know.

"Um… Cream…" I blushed hard as I talked to her. "Can I… tell you something?"

Cream looked at me easily. "Yes, what is it?"

I stepped in front of her and stopped us from walking. "This is… weird… but… I think… I…" I couldn't get the words out, no matter how hard I tried, but I had to do it and get it off of me. "I…"

Suddenly, interrupting my moment, a laser bolt flew in between us, just missing us. We both turned, startled, to a robot that had tried to shoot us. Eggman's head was implanted on its arm, making it clear whose it was.

"Oh no…" Cream mumbled.

I stepped in between her and the robot heroically. Maybe I can show her how strong I am… I thought, and then she might love me back.

The robot fired again and Cream and I dived away. I ran at the robot to try and stop it, but when I punched it, nothing happened. I lacked any true strength, I realized too late. The robot hit me back with its arm and fell to the ground with a scrape on my chest where it hit me.

"Tails!" Cream ran over to me. "Are you okay?"

I got up and nodded. "Yes, of course…" I tried to smile.

"Come on Cheese, we have to help!" Cream exclaimed and Cheese flew into her arms. She sent her arm back and threw Cheese at the robot. The spinning Chao went right through the metal plating and the robot collapsed on its back.

I frowned. So much for showing off…

"Yay!" Cream cheered and hugged Cheese, then looked at me. "What did that robot want?"

"Our heads." I answered.

Cream winced. "Oh dear…"

"We better be more careful, Eggman's after us."

"Why?"

"Who knows?" I shrugged.

Cream began to check on the scrape I got on my chest. I blushed again, remembering what I was doing before the attack. "Do you need a bandage? It looks like it could bleed…" She warned.

I shook my head. "No… I'm fine." I insisted.

"Now, what were you going to say?" Cream didn't forget about me telling her my secret.

I frowned, wishing she forgot. I just realized I wasn't ready to tell her yet and that I'd wait till I got to the beach. "Nothing."

Cream blinked, confused. "Nothing?"

"Yeah, sorry, it was nothing." I shrugged nervously, but she bought it and let it be.

We went back to head for the beach again, but we were stopped once more by an evil crackling laugh, only recognizable to be Doctor Eggman.

"Muahahaha!" The fat, mustached genius laughed in his Egg Mobile. The floating half-sphere held him above the ground and moved him around.

"Eggman!" I yelled. "What do you want?" Nothing but trouble I knew.

"You!" Eggman laughed eagerly.

"Me?"

"You and your rabbit friend!" Eggman added. "I want your captivity!"

Suddenly, a little robot arm crawled out of the bottom of Eggman's mobile. It flew at us and I ducked, but it grabbed Cream and pulled her towards Eggman, making her drop her swimsuit. Cream squealed.

"Cream!" I cried. "Let her go!"

Eggman didn't reply to me, but only sent another arm at me. I jumped away from it, but it came around and back at me. I leaped into the air and used my two tails as propellers to fly me up to Cream. I desperately tried to pull her from the metal hand, but it was too strong.

"Look out!" Cream warned.

I looked back at the arm after me and dived away from it, back to the ground. I tried to run, maybe so I could get help, but the arm grabbed my leg and I tripped. Using as much strength as I could, I tried to break out, but it was no use. The arm eventually wrapped around my chest and arms and I was trapped. Eggman pulled me up to him with Cream, laughing.

I hung my head in sorrow. I had failed to save Cream or myself. Cream noticed my sorrow and tried to cheer me up. "You tried your best." She said.

I nodded. "Yeah… I guess…"

With Eggman's laughing becoming irritating, we began to fly away. Cream let go of Cheese and the Chao slipped out of the arm. I wondered what she was up to. "Go get help Cheese." Cream told it. Cheese nodded and flew away from the mobile to do as it was told. I didn't know how it would get help, but I trusted her.

"I hope we'll be okay…" I mumbled.

"Of course we will." Cream didn't seem all too scared. I wondered how she could always be so cheerful and happy, even in a time like that. She smiled at me and I smiled back. With her, maybe this wouldn't be so bad.


Cream and I were taken to Eggman's hideout, which was located deep in the woods. When we arrived, her had us taken to a detention hall immediately, without telling us what we would be used for. We were both put in the same cell, since we really couldn't break out even together.

The steel cell was damp, yet large. We had some space to walk around. There were no windows and only dim lighting. Robots stood guard at the exits of the detention center.

"What does Eggman want with us?" Cream asked me when we first got in the cell.

"We're probably going to be captives for a trap." I guessed, though it seemed very likely.

Cream sighed and sat down against a wall. I frowned; feeling part of this was my fault and sat next to her. "What's wrong?" I asked her.

"This is a mess…" She said. "I just wanted to have fun and now it's ruined…" Cream sniffled slightly. Cream had lost her happiness from earlier. I felt horrible seeing her sad and I wanted to do anything to help her, but there was nothing yet.

I put an arm around her, forcing myself not to be nervous. She needed me now, I could see. "We'll get out of this, like you said. Don't worry." I assured. "I'm the one that couldn't save you anyway…"

"But you tried." Cream looked at me with her teary eyes. "I'm just worried that we may hurt our friends."

"We'll be fine. Maybe Cheese will bring good help and we'll be saved." I told her.

Cream tried to smile. I blushed a little bit, to my dismay, but couldn't take my eyes away from her. Even in tears, she looked so elegant and peaceful. I loved just being with her, even then. I wanted to tell her that, but it didn't seem right at the time.

Cream wrapped her arms around me and hugged me. "Thank you for the support…" She said. I felt myself beginning to sweat. I know it was just a friendly hug, but I felt honored to be hugged by her. I used a lot of courage to put my arms on her and hold her. My heart almost spilled my feelings in the hug. It was hard stopping it.

Cream stopped the hug and laid back. "I'm glad you wanted to take me out today." She said.

"You are?" I hid my nervousness.

"Yeah, we should've been better friends a long time ago." Cream told me. "You seem very fun to play with."

I blushed. "Oh… thanks…" I smiled timidly. I was flattered to hear her say that. I was on the right track with her, at least. "Now if only we could get out of here…"

"Maybe we can think of something." Cream shrugged.

"Maybe…" I smirked, already hatching a plan. "But you'll have to help…"

Cream nodded excitedly, making her ears flap. "I will!"

"Okay, here's the plan…" I bent closer to her to whisper it to her so robots wouldn't hear.

Cream grinned when she heard it. "I can do that!" She exclaimed.

I chuckled. "Good, then let's get ready."