The following weeks passed in a (blue) blur. Sonic was back on his feet again, but he was still being advised against going faster than a brisk jog, unless he absolutely needed to. Of course, a 'brisk jog' for Sonic was still fast enough that nobody else would be able to keep up with him, so it didn't bother him too much! Tails had taken a lot more orders for aircraft, so he had finally decided to make it a business. Of course, he already had contracts with the various militaries around Mobius, but nowhere in those contracts did it say that he wasn't allowed to manufacture personal crafts as well. He hadn't finalised anything yet, because he still hadn't decided what he wanted to call his small business. The straight-forward part of him wanted to plain and simply name the company after himself (Prower Aviation), but he worried that it would feel too similar to the Doctor and his 'Eggman Empire', but another part of him wanted to carry on with the extreme weather theme (Tornado, Cyclone, Blue Typhoon, etc.), but that would exclude Amy's helicopter. He'd probably discuss it with Sonic after the wedding, but he was certainly excited about the prospect of starting a business, doing what he loved.

But, for now, he was keeping himself busy with the plane for the Entropy Eyes. The four detectives had paid multiple visits to their beach-side home over the previous weeks, to discuss schematics and pricing of their soon-to-be plane, which Tails had codenamed Tantei. But, Tails refused any payment for this one, just as he had refused when he had built Amy's Malleus. Of course, he couldn't help but tease the two younger members by telling them that 'this cute new couple is payment enough'.

They had come to break the news to the hedgehog and fox only a couple of days after Charmy had first told them of his feelings for the flying squirrel. Albeit, in the act of breaking the news, they also almost broke the door down, because they were just so excited. The story was that Charmy had met Mighty and Ray at the airport with a bunch of flowers and confessed his feelings right there in the baggage claim. Feelings that were, of course, reciprocated. And the rest, as they say, is history!

Of course, even though Rouge and Amy had basically banished them from wedding prep, that was still at the forefront of the couple's minds. They absolutely trusted their friends completely, but that didn't stop them from wondering what they had planned. The only thing the fiancés had any control over was the venue for the reception and the date, both of which they had now decided. Rouge had relayed the message that they'd likely need only a few weeks to sort everything, so they had decided for the date to be the 23rd of June.

Sonic's birthday.

As for the reception venue, that decision had been fairly straight-forward as well. It was the first place they had 'lived together': the Grand Acorn Hotel. Of course, the owner had been more than happy to accept, and she also promised to provide accommodation if it was needed. And, with that, the couple's contributions ended. Except for choosing their groomsmen. They didn't have all that many male friends to choose from, but they decided that two groomsmen and one best man each would be enough. After some deliberating, and a couple of phone calls, it was arranged for Knuckles to be Sonic's best man, and Silver was more than happy to be the best man for the young fox. As for the remaining groomsmen, they decided to split the Entropy Eyes between them. Sonic would get Mighty and Espio, and Tails would, of course, get the new couple.

This had all been settled just over a week ago. Now, all the soon-to-be-newlyweds could do was distract themselves while their army of friends set about making everything as perfect as possible. However, there was still one more thing that Sonic wanted to sort. He knew Miles would be busy in the workshop right now, working on Tantei, but this was important, so he'd just have to interrupt him.

"Hey, Miles. You got a sec?"

"Yeah? What's up?"

"I just wanna talk to you about something. Can you come in?"

The tone in the hedgehog's voice was serious. A part of Tails always got worried when Sonic started speaking like that. Nine times out of ten, it wasn't good news when Sonic stopped joking.

"I'll be there in a minute."

With that, Sonic went to sit on the sofa, waiting for his hard-working fox to emerge from the workshop. True to his word, it wasn't even sixty seconds later when the young kitsune arrived in the living room, thankfully not as messy as he was when Charmy came to visit, and sat down beside the hedgehog.

"What is it, Sonic? You look tense."

"It's just, there's something we haven't really talked about yet about this wedding, and I just want to get it out in the open."

"Ok…?" Tails was getting nervous himself, but he didn't want to show it, in case it made Sonic worry more.

"I want to take your name."

Tails blinked.

"Huh?"

"When we marry, I'd like to take your name. Sonic Prower has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"W-wait, really? But, you proposed to me. Shouldn't I take yours?"

"I mean, we can't exactly go around calling you Miles Hedgehog, can we? You don't exactly match that description!" Sonic laughed, and the tension in the room lifted a little.

"I suppose you're right, but are you sure? That's a big decision."

"I am. Sonic the Hedgehog isn't a name, it's a description. Heck, I wasn't even born as Sonic!"

"I mean, I know that, but is it really that bad that your real name is—"

"Finish that sentence and I'm breaking up with you!"

"Ok, ok, Mr. Sensitive! No need for drastic measures!"

"Anyway, I've been Sonic the Hedgehog for as long as I care to remember, but I want to have a name that works for both of us, and Hedgehog isn't gonna cut it. Prower is so much better. Besides, your name is a pun, and I would hate to deprive you of that!"

Tails rolled his eyes. That was a joke he was very familiar with. Sonic loved to remind him that his name sounded like a measurement of speed: Miles Prower = miles per hour... Oh, so original.

"Yeah, that joke never gets old, blue boy!"

"But, in all seriousness, I'd much rather become Sonic Prower than have you become Miles Hedgehog. If you don't want that, then we won't do it that way."

"Oh, Sonic, of course I want that. I'm honoured that you want to take my name. But I just want to make sure that you're absolutely certain about it."

"Miles, there are only two things in my life that I'm as certain about as I am with this: my love of speed and my love of you. I wouldn't have brought it up if I wasn't sure."

"Oh, so I still play second fiddle to your love of speed, do I?" Tails turned his chin up in mock disgust.

"Seriously, Miles? You're gonna play it that way? Oh, come here!" With no more warning, Sonic tackled Tails to the sofa, landing in a heap on top of his foxy fiancé.

"What have I always told you, fuzzbutt? If I had to choose between losing my speed and losing you, you and I both know which I'd choose. I'd think after all this time, you'd have learnt that by now. I guess I'll just have to show you again." And with no other words between them, Sonic simply leant down and kissed his fox.

The Pink Rose had been busier than usual today. Amy had had to call in the full team today to deal with the massive influx of customers. Normally, the pink hedgehog would be thrilled about all of the business, but she was needed at the Grand Acorn, to meet with Rouge and the hotel manager to sort arrangements. Cream had already left half an hour ago, to meet with some potential caterers, so Amy felt as though she was already holding things up. She had just finished a sale to another satisfied customer, and the store was finally empty enough for her to make a hasty exit.

"Alright girls, I'll be heading out for a bit here. You think you can handle the shop for a while until Cream and I get back?"

The girls in question, a white wolf and a young black dog, both nodded in response.

Although, she never even got out the door before she heard the bell ding again.

Accompanied with a gasp from her two employees.

Ok, I suppose I can deal with one more customer before I go.

Before she turned around, she schooled her face into her normal welcoming smile.

"Hello! Welcome to The Pink Rose. How can I hel—" She stopped.

The person standing there was one of the last people she would have ever expected to visit her shop. And, it wasn't someone she was particularly enthused about seeing either.

"Girls, can you give us a minute?" Despite the sickly sweet tone in their boss' voice, both employees could practically taste the anger that the pink hedgehog was giving off. They didn't need to be asked twice before retreating into the back room.

"What are you doing here, Vanilla?"

"I came to see my daughter, Miss Rose. I'm well aware that she works for you."

"Awww, she's not here, I'm afraid. She's away helping prepare for a big wedding that's coming up. Perhaps you've heard of it?"

Vanilla grimaced. Her inner turmoil of recent days had made her question her reaction all those years ago, but she still couldn't deny the feelings that she had grown up with. She wanted to say something, but never got the chance to before Amy started again.

"So, is that all? Or do you want to start preaching about how disgusting of a union this is going to be? If that's the case, you can leave right now."

"Can you tell me where Cream is?"

"She hasn't wanted to see you for the past three years. What makes you think today would be any different?"

"I don't. I just would like to talk to her. Can you tell her I called in?"

"Oh, of course I won't!" The sickly sweet voice was back. "Unless she tells me otherwise, you are persona non grata number one in her life. You and that fire-belching husband of yours. Also, did you hear? Two of his former colleagues are dating now, too. Ray and Charmy look sooo cute together!"

Vanilla grimaced again, before Amy continued again.

"You see, Vanilla, that's your problem. I can tell from your reactions that you still can't get rid of that homophobia of yours, even though you've had a decade to work on it! You haven't changed at all, yet you expect us to all change to suit you. Well, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but that's not happening! The world is changing, V, and you and your hubby are being left behind." Amy softened her voice a little for what she was going to say next.

"Look, I know it's difficult to change your personal beliefs, but you and Vector have to realise that homophobia just isn't as acceptable as it was when you were younger. Just look at how much you've both lost because of it. Sonic, Tails, Cream, Cheese, the Chaotix, me. If you had just been more accepting back then—"

Vanilla had been fairly silent since Amy had begun her rant, still wrestling between her beliefs and the ever-so-slightly growing part of her that was trying to agree with her former friend's point-of-view. However, the one-sidedness of this exchange was getting on her nerves. That last line had been enough to open the floodgates, and her next words were out of her mouth before she could have stopped them.

"It is not my fault that those two decided to go gay! If Sonic had just chosen you, then we'd all still be friends! I'd still have a daughter who loved me! If there's anyone to blame, it's not me, but them!"

The silence in the normally jovial flower shop was absolutely deafening as Amy just stared in disbelief at the rabbit.

"Are you kidding me?! You're delusional if you think that you're not to blame for all of this! Besides, if it hadn't been Sonic and Tails, it would have been Ray and Mighty, or my two shop assistants, and the result would have been the same! I've no idea how you were raised to make you so homophobic, but I was raised to be accepting to anyone, whether they be gay, or bi, or trans, or anything in between. I'm sure Sonic and Tails would have agreed as well, if they were straight, and I know the same can be said about every single one of our friends. The only difference would have been that we'd have distanced ourselves from you more gradually. Honestly, I should thank you for helping us speed up the process! Who knows what kind of preposterous propaganda you'd have told to Cream if it hadn't been her best friends that had gone gay?! Now, if you recall what I said earlier, I told you that if you were just going to start spouting your homophobic nonsense at me, I'd suggest you leave. I have flower arrangements for an upcoming wedding to sort out, and you're making me late. I remember once telling you that I could never hate you. Well, I'm sorry, Vanilla, but there's just too much bad blood between us now for me to ever consider a friendship with you again. Now, please leave. And don't come back. You aren't welcome here."

"Then tell my daughter I want to talk."

Amy said nothing. That is, until she summoned her infamous hammer from Hammerspace (Trademarked Amy Rose).

"I won't ask again, Vanilla. Get out of my shop."

With that, the rabbit scoffed, turned on her heel and left, making sure to slam the door on her way out.

Well, that was quite a ride, wasn't it? I'm also pretty sure that the light-hearted title I went with doesn't really go well with the content of the chapter, but I liked it, so I went with it! Unfortunately, I'm afraid to say that the ride is almost over. My plan is to go for one more chapter of the main story, plus an epilogue (and potentially that stand-alone NSFW chapter if I'm feeling brave enough). And, the bad news continues, because I'm also planning on taking a short break, but you'll like the reason!

Because I'm weird, I want to upload the chapter with the wedding on the wedding day, which, as you read above, will be on Sonic's 31st anniversary. I might try to fill the void by releasing a new chapter (or a few new chapters) for The Lonely Dragon, or I might start work on a new story, or I might just leave it as a void and see you again on the 23rd. You'll just have to wait and see!

Anyway, with that out of the way, there are a couple of things I wanted to point out about this chapter. One, Sonic's real name. According to the game lore, he is and always has been just Sonic, but in the Archie Comics, his name is revealed to be Ogilvie (or Olgilvie, depending on who you ask) Maurice Hedgehog. I decided not to include it here for three reasons. 1) I don't want to merge lore: game Sonic and Archie Sonic are considered as two separate entities. 2) That name was apparently coined by Ken Penders. Need I say more? 3) It's a really bad name!

Next, the name of the Entropy Eyes' plane. The reasoning behind that is a lot simpler: Tantei is the Japanese word for 'detective'.

Lastly, for those who don't understand Latin (myself admittedly included), persona non grata is a phrase used to define 'a person who is unacceptable or unwelcome', according to Merriam-Webster.

Lastly, as I usually do, special thanks once again to AnyyDidi for the review, and pikachulover1234567891011 for the full-on conversation we've been having in my PMs, and a thank you to the user who left a review anonymously as well! I'm glad you've enjoyed the story thus far!

Once again, this is a rather long Author's Note, so I'm gonna wrap it up here! I'll see you all in the next one! Ciao for now!

OnTheSpectrum