Author's note: This was going to be a lot longer originally. I love Tangle and Whisper as characters, and they work so well together. Still, it didn't feel like it would flow right with the premise if I made it crazy long, so I decided it would be better as a one-shot. Thank you guys for reading! Please enjoy.
Whisper the Wolf was many things. Chief among her traits, she was fiercely loyal and debilitatingly shy. Never had she thought those aspects of her personality would conflict with one another. That was until she decided she was going to go over the top for her closest companion, Tangle the Lemur. Tangle had been a radiant light in the darkness that had clouded Whisper's life until very recently.
Her old team, the Diamond Cutters, the closest thing she had to a family, would have loved that Whisper had found someone she could be open with. Tangle was a warm, prehensile-tailed sun that melted the icy walls Whisper had built up. She was someone to love and someone to lose, someone like no other and far more than Whisper ever thought she would have again. When Tangle was infected by the Metal Virus, Whisper had felt a deep-cutting despair ripple through her soul. In that instant, she'd had someone she loved ripped out of her life.
It was nothing short of a miracle that Sonic and Silver were able to deal with the Metal Virus and save Tangle and the others. That was exactly why Whisper told herself she was going to do something grandiose for Tangle's birthday. She wanted to be able to cherish her bond with the lemur and show she cared. That was going to be easier said than done for the softspoken wolf, though.
"I hate parties…" Whisper mumbled to herself, sitting defeatedly in front of a note pad on a non-descript coffee table. The pad was blank save for 'Party Plan' scrawled in the top margin. Her normally shut eyes were wide with anxiety. Taking the pad into her hands, an unused pencil between her index and middle fingers, she gazed longingly at the lines. Her Wisps, the affectionate energy beings they were, emerged from her rifle-like Wispon to nuzzle her and give her babbles of encouragement. "Thanks, guys…I feel like such a fish out of water…"
She knew she could have done anything. Nothing would have been wrong with giving Tangle a satchel for adventuring or designing her a Wispon. This was Tangle, though! A light, a torch, a hearth, and a party animal. If Whisper was going to give her the best of the best, nothing short of the most she deserved, she needed to pull out all the stops. She had to do this, even if it meant getting out of her comfort zone. If only her comfort zone wasn't so…comfortable.
"Whisper, what are you doing?" a familiar voice asked from behind her, startling her and the Wisps.
"EEK!" Whisper shrieked, inadvertently launching the notepad and pencil into the air. Instinctively grabbing her Wispon, she whirled around to find herself faced with Jewel the Beetle, Tangle's longtime friend and a residential voice of reason. Her voice shrinking down to her namesake, she chided, "Jewel, you scared me…"
Before Jewel could retort, Whisper's notepad fell, bounced off her head and anticlimactically flopped to the floor between them. The pencil, against all odds, lodged itself point-first into the ceiling. Jewel, rubbing her head from the impact, picked up the blank notes. Quick to read the top margin, she started beaming at Whisper incredulously. "You're planning a party?"
"Shhh!" Whisper shushed urgently, casting her Wispon aside and snatching the paper back. "Not so loud! It's supposed to be a surprise. It…"
"Ohh! I see," Jewel remarked with an uncharacteristically devious smirk as she buzzed closer to the wolf. "It's about Tangle's birthday."
"Y-you're her best friend. Maybe…you'd have some ideas?" Whisper stammered. Jewel just kept getting closer, causing Whisper to swallow a lump forming in her throat.
"Organizing is my everything!" Jewel exclaimed, her eyes sparkling almost as iridescently as her head. "I'll help you make this the best party possible. Besides, we could use a break from all the craziness Eggman puts us through."
"Right…" Whisper mumbled, trying to keep the sociopathic genius out of her mind. Tangle filled her life with joy, a joy she hadn't felt since she was with the old squad. Unlike then, she wouldn't let Mimic and Dr. Eggman take this joy away. Tangle made her feel like she was more than a scout, a sniper and an instrument of war. Tangle loved life and adventure, which added a whole rainbow of hues to her own adventure across the world. Adventure… "Adventure gauntlet scavenger hunt party…"
"Excuse me?" Jewel replied.
"Ad-adventure gauntlet scavenger hunt party," Whisper muttered again, matter-of-factly.
"Okay, that's what I thought you said. What does it mean?" Jewel asked, crossing her arms and gazing quizzically at the quiet canine as she pondered the word salad.
"W-well, Tangle likes adventure and adrenaline. She's a thrill seeker. What if we…?" Whisper began to explain herself.
Jewel listened intently, mostly because Whisper wasn't one to raise her voice. Those soft words had such a solid, profound impact. The idea wasn't perfect. If anything, it was better. It was so quintessentially Tangle that there was no way Jewel couldn't have been on board. Time was of the essence, and the two began plotting. They would use the Wisps as a mode of covertly delivering messages to their various friends in an effort to get them on board. If Whisper could help it, Tangle was going to have the best birthday ever.
Planning around Tangle was no easy task. The plucky lemur would poke her head in everywhere. The closest call was most definitely when Whisper and Tails were discussing the finishing touches of the project in the latter's workshop. Bubbly as can be, Tangle asked her companions, "Hey, guys! What's up?"
"T-Tangle!" Whisper gasped.
"Oh, uh, nothing much. We were just…" Tails began, his eyes darting around before they settled on Whisper. "We were just talking about possible upgrades for Whisper's mask. I've got a lot of fun ideas that can help her with sniping and recon."
Tangle inhaled giddily before rapidly saying, "Oh my gosh, that's so cool! You won't just be an angel of the battlefield! You'll be a battle goddess! Goddess Whisper the Valkyrie!"
"Valkyrie…?" Whisper echoed.
"So unstoppably cool…!" Tangle gushed. She took one of the wolf's hands in both of hers. "You're so awesome!"
Whisper felt the blood rushing into her cheeks and ears as her lemur companion beamed at her and held her hand. Her tail began swishing back and forth, betraying her discretion, and causing her true feelings to bubble beneath the surface of her heart.
"Aw, this is nice," Tails mused.
"Not helping here," Whisper muttered sharply, her cheeks and the tips of her ears burning.
Tangle's face lit up with a blush of her own and she shifted her attention to Tails. "Can you bioengineer me a second tail like yours?"
The question caught Tails off guard. "You…I…What?" The fox paused and pondered the question before giving what was both an in-depth and surface level answer. Only Tails could figure out a way to be semi-technical with his responses. "This isn't like the galvanization effect encoded in the Metal Virus's RNA. You see, compared to multicellular beings like us, viruses are relatively simple. I'd have to find a way to map out the mutation that gives me my two tails, and then another way to splice that into your somatic cells. It's a pretty big mutation." About halfway through his explanation, Tangle's gaze took on a glassy appearance. Whisper wasn't sure she fully understood it herself.
"Gene splicing. Got it. Well, I'm going to leave you to whatever you've got to do," Tangle cheerily said, giving the two canids a nod before looking directly at Whisper. Those amethyst eyes had such a bright sparkle, reflective of her sunny personality. "See you around?"
"Y-yeah. Real soon," Whisper assured. After losing her fellow Diamond Cutters to Mimic's betrayal, she'd built iron walls around her heart, but Tangle and the others melted that boundary like snow.
As the lemur left, Tails gave Whisper a wink. That clever fox… Without another word, the wolf passed off a map to him, the route and area of the party drawn out in red ink by Jewel. Tails looked it over closely, then started beaming at her. When his mind got moving, he was as unstoppable as Sonic. Relief and reassurance welled up in Whisper.
She could trust others again, a relief greater than any other.
Finally, the day had come. Amy, Cream and Jewel had written a series of clues. Tails had deployed a patrol of weak drones across the course of the scavenger hunt. Vanilla had been kind enough to bake a cake, and the Chaotix jumped at the chance to taste test it. When they overdid it, the rabbit had baked another cake. Apparently, the recipe was a big success. Everyone but Whisper and Sonic gathered at the party site.
Whisper, lying in wait not far into the start of the gauntlet, began receiving a transmission through her mask. Sonic's voice came through the signal. He announced, "Hey. I just dropped off the first clue. I was gone in a flash, so I didn't even see the look on her face. You can be sure she didn't see me. I'll meet you at the party."
"Roger," replied Whisper. The whirring copter of a sentry drone that Tails had salvaged and reprogrammed buzzed in her ear. Tails had done more than what was necessary for repurposing the robot, from painting the rotor yellow and the body blue to replacing the guns to weaker pulse emitters, but knowing it was once Eggman tech still made her grit her teeth and let out a low growl.
"The woods outside Spiral Hill Village, eh?" a familiarly airy voice pondered aloud. Whisper gasped lightly at the arrival of Tangle and taking note of the scrap of paper she held in her hand. The wolf steadied her breathing and crouched. She wanted to watch Tangle enjoy herself and cut loose. It was the closest she could get to cheering her on without spoiling the party.
"Organic lifeform detected. Analyzing," the drone announced as it hovered towards Tangle.
"A badnik?!" Tangle recoiled before taking in a deep breath. A series of cracks and pops escaped the lemur's body as she stretched her arms, back and tail. Giving her head a quick roll, Tangle once again returned her focus to the drone. "This is gonna be more fun than I thought." Whisper was taken aback by the determination that burned in Tangle's eyes. The sheer intensity of the lemur left her mystified.
The drone beeped and charged at Tangle, but she launched herself into the air with her tail and grabbed onto a tree branch. As if in a single motion, the gray-furred brawler used her upward momentum to shift her weight up onto the limb and letting the pull of gravity strain and overwhelm it. Half the branch snapped off from the shifting weight and plummeted. The drone's optical sensor observed the falling tree limb and avoided it, and that's when Tangle used her tail to spring herself from the rest of the tree and pounce on the drone, its small body being met with a devasting kick. The machine went skidding across the ground, immobilized and laser gun damaged.
Tangle landed on her feet and beckoned the drone closer, taunting it. It made an effort to fire a pulse at her, but the damaged gun created feedback of energy that caused it to short out. Bouncing on the balls of her feet, she seemed to glide across the dirt towards the drone. Putting both hands behind her back, she bent down and asked, "That it, then?"
Whisper's jaw dropped and hung open. Her pink Wisp emerged from her Wispon and urged her to get a move on further down the course. The wolf nodded and began to stealthily trudge towards a suitable checkpoint. She knew Tangle could hold her own, but she'd never considered how true that statement was. Sweet Gaia below, was the lemur tenacious!
There should never have been any doubt in Tangle's strength. She volunteered to take on Mimic despite all protests, and then did so while barely batting an eye. Yet another admirable trait she had. Maybe if Tangle had been one of the Diamond Cutters, Whisper wouldn't have been the sole survivor. No, there was no point in pondering that. As the Angel of the Battlefield, Whisper had to move forward.
Obstacles like swinging logs and low-level robots fell apart like sand before Tangle's mixed martial arts, acrobatics and creative use of her tail. With every hurdle she overcame, she was able to pick up another clue. The clues she'd collected in the area spoke of walls and endurance, which pointed her in a single direction. From the forest to the front gates at Barricade Town, Tangle dashed and leapt, Whisper watching from afar and invested in her best friend's progress. Hiding in a tree, she watched Tangle stroll up to the most solitary and fortified town in the entire world as if she owned the place.
"Yyyyep. It's a wall. With a big door. So do I knock or…?" Tangle wondered aloud as she scanned the massive barrier. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until her gaze fell to the base of the massive doorjamb. There in the dirt, glints of sunshine danced. Tangle approached, crouching down. Crystalline green shards sat piled atop each other in front of what looked like a miniature hut made of stones and a single violet.
The lemur sat down in front of the little setup. A grin bloomed on her face as she picked up a shard delicately between her right index finger and thumb, holding it up to admire its splendor. Its green hue shone brilliantly in the sun.
"Now where is it you guys want me to go next? Emerald Town?" Tangle asked no one. "Maybe your next clue is at Tails's place." As she put the little green crystal down with its fellow meadow-colored shards, her attention returned to the violet. She picked up the lone flower and her smile softened. The light in her eyes was more like a hearth than a beacon. "I get it…Guess you guys aren't looking to run me ragged after all."
Whisper watched on in awe. Had Tangle figured it out already? The wolf moved to hop off the tree branch but made a miscalculation with her footing. Sense of balance thrown into disarray, she reached for her Wispon and hoped to invoke the Green Wisp's power. Gravity proved faster, evidenced by the jolting sensation of her soles missing the ground and all her weight coming down onto her right ankle.
Whisper let out a loud yelp, covering her mouth with one hand and holding onto her leg with the other as she doubled over, knocking her mask ajar. Her bright blue eyes were wide open and filled with agony. Her Wisps emerged from her Wispon and cloak, yearning to help but unsure how they could. Whisper took deep, sharp breaths and now held her injured leg in both arms. Pain burned outward from her ankle.
Her Green Wisp grabbed her mask and rushed over to Tangle, warbling frantically in the Wisp language. Tangle took notice immediately. The Wisp. The mask. Panic and abject horror hit Tangle like a truck. Not even thinking, she dashed towards the Green Wisp. It threw the mask towards her, and the lemur's reflexes kicked in. She caught it and looked at it hesitantly.
"O-okay, little guy. Tell me what's up," Tangle muttered. She swallowed and, disregarding what agita and discomfort may come, brought the mask to her face.
"Whisper's hurt! She hurt her leg and can't move!" the Green Wisp explained frantically.
"Lead the way," Tangle instructed, lifting the mask up and running after the green energy being. The precious pup consumed her thoughts. Tangle knew her dear companion had been through the wringer. She'd seen lands ravaged, civilizations fall, friends die… Unrealistic as it was, Tangle felt guilty for not being able to spare Whisper from more pain. What was she even doing all the way out here? "Whisper!"
Whisper's ears perked up. She forced herself to sit up, wincing and trying to focus on keeping her injured ankle off the ground. This wasn't how she wanted Tangle to see her. It was humiliating. The lemur finally made it to the tree from which the wolf had fallen and wasted no time embracing her. Whisper sniffled and returned the hug, a choked-up "I'm sorry…" escaping her lips.
"Hey, you've got nothing to be sorry for, Whisper," Tangle assured, pulling back to look her in the eyes. "But you do owe me an explanation." Whisper said nothing, taking a sudden fascination in Tangle's shoes. Tangle sighed and chuckled, beginning to weave the violet into Whisper's hair tie. "Soft and unassuming, but totally unforgettable." The wolf blushed, her tail wagging in betrayal of her persona. She knew the mask could come off for Tangle, though it was more like she had trouble keeping it on around her.
"I ruined your birthday, didn't I?" the softspoken lupine asked guiltily.
"To be honest," Tangle began, placing the high-tech mask atop Whisper's head, "I actually kind of forgot it was my birthday."
"You serious?"
"Ehehehehe! Yeah… I got a note about an adventure campaign starting in the woods and thought I was either getting pranked or getting drafted. I mean, I'm always down for either!"
That response earned a giggle from Whisper. Somehow, she hadn't expected such an explanation, though it was quintessentially Tangle to its core.
"What seems to be the trouble? Greeny said you hurt your leg," Tangle questioned as she took off her handguards and began undoing her athletic tape.
"I landed on my ankle," Whisper replied, holding her leg out. She sucked in air through her fangs as her Wisps tugged on her boot. Tangle wrapped her tail around her canid companion and grabbed onto the boot, looking into her eyes for permission. Whisper gave a nod, pressed herself into the softness of Tangle's tail and braced herself. Tangle pulled with the Wisps, yanking the boot off to expose the brave little soldier's swollen ankle. "Oh…"
"Yeesh…!" Tangle exclaimed as she gawked. Looking to the Wisps, she asked, "So, uh…any of you got ice powers?" They looked to one another, quizzically, gibbering a bit, before looking back to her and shaking their shapely heads. "Didn't think so… Okay, Whisper, plan B. I'm going to bring you into Barricade Town where we can get this balloon joint looked at."
"B-but the scavenger hunt—" Whisper stammered before wincing. Tangle had used her handguards as makeshift splints and bandaged up her ankle with the athletic tape.
"Ah, ah, ah! I'm your locomotion now. We'll get you patched up before we go to the Emeraldville Ruins," Tangle asserted, smugly grinning and crossing her arms. Her gaze softened. "It's going to be alright. I swear I'll keep you safe."
"How are you even going to carry me?"
"Either bridal style or piggyback. What do you prefer?"
"You're the birthday girl."
Tangle adorned a dirt-eating grin that practically screamed 'I've been working out' and scooped up Whisper in her arms, adjusting her tail every which way for balance. Though more than a tad embarrassed, Whisper became comfortable enough to close her eyes. Proudly, the plucky lemur carried the quiet wolf out to through the brush and out to the gate.
Tangle stood in front of the giant door for a long moment. "How do we get their attention?"
"Rocket," Whisper mumbled as her trusty Orange Wisp powered up her Wispon. The hooked end of the unique gun thrown over her shoulder, she fired a large burst of orange energy up into the air. Tangle found herself awe-struck and somewhat startled as she watched it explode in the air above the wall. The ground itself seemed shake in the following moments as the massive gates rumbled in their parting, revealing townsfolk who were ready for anything.
They stared at the two girls, trying to figure out what to make of them, before a green ram spoke up. "That Wispon…that's Smithy's handywork! They're friendlies!" People and Wisps alike rejoiced like a concert audience.
"Smithy was your crafter, right?" Tangle asked. Whisper nodded. "So if you guys were a blackops mercenary group, why do they know him?"
"This is where that pioneer got his start," a gamboge bird guy responded before Whisper could get the words out. "That guy's a genius with a dream."
"He…he was," Whisper sullenly agreed. The lion had done so much to advance Wisp technology, and all for the sake of stopping Eggman. A somber smile flickered on Whisper's lips as she imagined how well Smithy and Tails would have gotten along.
A brown dog with a Drill Wispon strapped to his belt stepped up. "A friend of Smithy's is a friend of ours. Whatever you need, we're happy to share."
Tangle's face lit up as she crossed the boundary into Barricade Town. She explained to them how Whisper was a valiant hero who had singlehandedly turned the tides of many battles, how she fought tirelessly to keep her friends' memories alive and how she just needed a gosh darn break before finally getting to explaining the situation with Whisper's ankle. Whisper sat quietly in Tangle's arms, praying she wasn't going to ask her to tell the joke with the toaster in front of all these people.
There was no denying that Tangle was very compelling. Faster than she expected, she was being tended to in an infirmary by a purple butterfly lady while other locals were rushing to and from the supply depot. The local Wisps even hailed her own as heroes. Propped up in a bed, injured leg elevated by a sling hanging from the ceiling, Whisper quietly sat as the butterfly replaced Tangle's athletic tape with proper bandaging and an ice bag. Tangle, meanwhile, was shaking her head to an imaginary beat, and she was really jamming out. Apparently, it slapped.
"That's a beautiful violet, miss," the butterfly remarked, referring to the flora that Tangle had woven into Whisper's ponytail.
"Thank you," Whisper mumbled.
"She's a keeper," the butterfly said with a wink, passing her a book on the language of flowers with a bookmark sticking out of it. Whisper opened the book to the marked page, a page which happened to describe violets. The very first sentence referred to the flower as a symbol of modesty and everlasting love.
"No, well, you see—I mean it was for her originally—"
"Mm-hmm."
"I'm not very good at these things."
"No one is, but that shouldn't stop you."
"Thank you…"
That brief exchange with the butterfly had Whisper had given her a sense of relief. She was able to briefly forget about the searing sting of her injury. Though momentary, it was a happiness she'd cherish.
"It's a nasty sprain," the butterfly informed her. "I'm amazed your friend was able to set it so effectively."
"She's special," Whisper replied with a mirthful smile. "That's why I need to get her to Emeraldville. Well, you know…the ruins…"
"You're chatty today," Tangle remarked, no longer bopping to the imaginary beat.
"You're trying to go to the Emeraldville Ruins on that leg?!" the butterfly gasped.
"Hey, don't worry about it. I'll be her legs," Tangle assured.
"We'll give her a crutch anyway. And…thank you both for your service."
It wasn't long before the townspeople saw Tangle and Whisper off. Tangle once again held Whisper like a bride, a crutch and the wolf's discarded boot strapped to her back. Whisper looked up at the zealous lemur's beaming face. "We've got a long way to go…"
"I have a plan," Tangle assured.
"A plan?"
"Rocket."
"Rock—whoa!" Whisper barely had time to react. Her trusty Orange Wisp phased through Tangle and imbued her with orange radiance. Tangle used her tail to launch herself and, with the power of the vigorous ghost baby, soared into the air.
Entire clicks were cleared in seconds. The idea was so simple, yet so ingenious at the same time. She'd been so used to utilizing the Wisps' powers through her Variable Wispon that it had slipped her mind that they could infuse their powers into people in a similar way.
"This is so cool! We're really flying!" Tangle exclaimed, awestruck at her own feat. Her eyes seemed to shine brighter than the rocket power as she descended onto a treetop and launched off again. "Whisper, life is so much fun with you around!"
The proclamation caused Whisper's eyes to shoot open in surprise. Barely audible over the wind, yet clear as day to Tangle, she asked, "Do you really mean that?"
"How could I not? When I was a kid, I couldn't ever sit still. I dreamed of seeing a world beyond Spiral Hill. When the war happened, all I wanted to do was help protect the world I wanted so badly to see. So, I fought and kept my town safe. Helping Sonic out is cool, but it's because of you that I've gotten to do and be so much more," Tangle explained, focused on the terrain ahead. "Because of you, I can say our world is nothing like I've ever seen. That's why I want to see it with you, Whisper."
That proclamation from the lemur's heart caused Whisper's eyes to water, only for her to notice all too late as her tears became lost to the wind. Ever since losing the Diamond Cutters, the lone wolf had danced to her own beat, but Tangle's charm had thrown her out of sync. Tangle had given her someone to love and someone to lose. Moreover, she had given her someone to fight for and fight alongside. Someone to love their world alongside. How could she not when Tangle brightened every hue of light?
It was ironic that Tangle and Smithy never got to meet, because it was through Tangle that Whisper better understood why the crafter had gone out of his way to bring their group together. He had loved their world and the people in it.
The toppled buildings that had surrounded Victory Garden were in sight. It was a true beacon of hope persevering in bleak times. Silver and Blaze had really outdone themselves with the garden.
"You have pretty eyes," Tangle said suddenly.
"Thank you…" Whisper mumbled gratefully. "So do you."
"Aw shucks! Hey, quick question. How do I land?" the rocket lemur asked sheepishly.
"Oh, no…" the wolf muttered and brandished her Wispon. When they got closer to the ground, she called on the power of her Green Wisp. "Hover Mode."
Her Orange Wisp phased out of Tangle, and the Green Wisp phased into the Wispon to generate an umbrella-like energy construct that broke their fall. They began gliding towards the garden, and all of their friends came into view. The presents, the cake, the banners and balloons; Tangle's ecstatic eyes took it all in.
"You planned all this for me?" Tangle asked, wrapping her tail around the brown and tan wolf and holding onto the Wispon with her.
"Mm-hmm," Whisper confirmed. Everyone started waving to them as they got closer.
They landed gently, and Tangle immediately held Whisper close so she could put weight on something other than her braced ankle. The Pink Wisp retrieved the from Tangle's back and slid it under Whisper's arm.
"Happy birthday, champ," said Sonic, giving Tangle a pat on the back.
"Aw, thanks," Tangle chuckled.
"Whisper, where were you? I thought you were coming straight here," Tails questioned, eyeing the lupine girl's injury.
"You had us worried sick," Amy chided. "Come on, let's get you a seat."
"N-no, I'm okay…" Whisper mumbled.
Tangle's eyes lit up in realization. She thought aloud, "Ohhh! I get it. You were out watching me instead of waiting for me because you didn't want to be here without me."
"Well…" Whisper trailed off, totally flustered. She began pressing her two index fingers together.
Jewel fluttered over, grinning smugly with her arms crossed. Confidently, she asked, "Did you like your little pre-party surprise, Tangle?"
"Aw, Jewel, you know I did," Tangle assured. She began nuzzling Whisper's face, causing the wolf to blush and wag her tail. "An adventure, action, getting to hang out with Whisper, and cake? This day turned out to be even better than I thought. I just wish Whisper hadn't gotten hurt."
"My ankle will heal," Whisper assured. "Let's go. It's your day."
"Our day," Tangle corrected, taking a few steps forward and turning back to face her. She held out a hand. "If you want, I mean."
"…" Whisper said nothing at first, but it didn't take long for a smile to creep onto her lips. Hobbling forward on the crutch and her good leg, she took Tangle's hand in her own. Her heart roared in affirmation and adoration. Even though life was hard, she didn't have to be afraid to trust or to love anymore. It wasn't about Whisper protecting Tangle or Tangle protecting Whisper. They would protect each other, and she would never take that for granted.
"Okay, Vector, dear, be very delicate when lighting the candles," Vanilla instructed as she set the cake on the big folding table the group had set up. Tangle was sat down at the head of the table, and Tails had pulled up a chair so Whisper could sit right beside her.
"Whatever you say, Miss Vanilla!" Vector, jolly as ever, replied. Crouching a bit to line himself up with the candles that crowned the confectionary delight, he let out a small puff of fire from his huge jaws.
"You can breathe fire?!" Tangle exclaimed giddily.
"Did we all forget he could do that?" Sonic muttered to Amy and Tails, both of whom could only nod and shrug.
"Did you decide on a wish yet?" Jewel asked her lifelong friend.
"Ooh, this is hard. I've already got everything I could want and then some," Tangle mused, reaching for a paper plate from a small stack. With a sharp flick of her wrist, she used the plate like a fan and blew the candles out with a single gust. She gave Whisper a less-than-subtle wink before saying to Jewel, "I've got the best friends a girl could ask for."
"You give the best, you get the best," Jewel retorted approvingly, gesturing to everyone around them. "Thanks for helping us all remember to think positive, Tangle." The lemur gave a sheepish chuckle.
Cream passed a sterling cake server off to Vanilla, who then gave it to Tangle. The nurturing rabbit cheerily informed the birthday girl, "I hope you like it. I had to do a bit of experimenting, but Jewel assured me it would be perfect."
"Thanks so much, Miss Vanilla! Thank you, everyone! I can't thank you guys enough!" Tangle exclaimed appreciatively as she began to cut into the cake. When she pulled the first slice out, an elated gasp escaped her lips. "Is this…?"
"Strawberry poundcake with buttercream icing," Vanilla announced.
"P-p-poundcake…?" Whisper stammered, mouth starting to water. She loved poundcake just as much as Tangle loved strawberries.
"Aw, Miss Vanilla, you're so good to us!" Tangle gushed.
"Mother's baking really is the best. With her in charge, you can't go wrong," Cream boasted.
"Chao, Chao!" Cheese and Chocola chirped in agreement.
"I seriously can't thank you guys enough for such a great day," Tangle reiterated as she looked around at all her friends. Her gaze fell back to Whisper. "Especially you."
"No, not me. Tails did most of the stuff for the scavenger hunt ready, and this wouldn't have been possible without Jewel," Whisper replied modestly.
"Meh. I just handled the details. It's what I do," Jewel claimed, minimizing her involvement.
"And there's really not much I wouldn't do for either one of you," Tails added.
"Besides, I doubt anyone expected you to sprain your ankle. Take the first while I slice up this bad boy gone good," Tangle spoke, setting a plate with the first slice on it in front of the shy wolf. Seemingly hyper focused on the cake, she began to slice it like the rest of the world was fading out of existence. Cutting and passing, Tangle ensured that no one was left out on partaking in the strawberry poundcake. Even all five Wisps got their own slices of cake. Finally, Tangle served herself and wasted no time taking the first bite. "Mmmm!" Vanilla's eyes had a twinkle in them from the positive response.
Whisper took her first tantalizing bite. The buttercream melted in her mouth. The strawberries were juicy as can be. The cake was so sweet and dense. It was magnificent. She took another bite and glanced at Tangle to see her unabashedly devouring her slice of cake.
Even though she'd sprained her ankle, this had been one of the best days of Whisper's life. This had started as an extravaganza for Tangle, but it was because of Tangle that it would be a day she would always remember.