Elise was running as fast as she could, through a long, dark hallway made entirely of steel. Red lights and loud sirens were blaring all around her, and she felt that no matter how much she ran, she wasn't making any progress; the door ahead of her seemed just as far now as it did five minutes ago.
"It's no use," Elise said. The world was shaking around her and her vision was growing foggy.
"Don't stop now!" said the person running alongside her, and then he scooped Elise up into his arms and picked up speed. Explosions rang out all around them and the person carrying her blasted through the door that had seemed so distant moments ago.
Suddenly, the two were outside. Elise recognised the large, open plains outside of Soleanna and felt a wave of relief washing over her. All was now quiet and the anxiety of being trapped in those constricting corridors was now gone.
Elise felt herself being gently put down onto the soft grass below. She gazed into the eyes of her saviour, or at least, she tried to. But there was nobody there. At least, nobody that she saw, but she could definitely feel him. And hear him, although his voice sounded like several overlapping on top of each other.
"Are you okay?" her saviour asked.
Elise nodded. "I am now. Thank you, _." Although she had clearly said her saviour's name, she couldn't hear it.
"Don't mention it. Your smile, that's all the thanks I need."
Elise looked up to the sky, expecting to see a bright, clear expanse of blue, but instead was greeted to an abyss of never-ending black. "_!" She turned back to her saviour and gasped. She still couldn't see him, but she could feel that he was drifting away.
"Elise…"
Elise shook her head, tears in her eyes. "I don't… want to say goodbye."
"Princess?" came a familiar voice, followed by the quiet sounds of somebody knocking on wood.
"Elise, don't worry. Just smile. It'll be alright."
"Princess?" the voice was clearer now, and the knocking louder.
"Will I ever see you again?"
"Princess."
Elise gasped, waking up with a start and finding herself back in her bed, staring up at the white, marble ceiling above her. As realisation dawned on the princess, she let out a small groan and rubbed her eye.
"Princess," came Anna's voice, startling the princess wide-awake and causing her to bolt upright. "That posture is not very ladylike. You should present yourself more elegantly, even when sleeping."
Elise laughed sheepishly, pulling out the strands of hair caught in her mouth. "My apologies. I had a rough night's sleep and I wasn't fully awake after you called out to me."
"Hmmm, you've been having a few 'rough nights' lately. Perhaps you're coming down with something?" Anna placed a hand to Elise's head.
"It's nothing like that. I think I'm just nervous about turning eighteen."
"It is a momentous occasion, but you should not stress yourself out over it, Princess," said Sophia, who was standing to Anna's side with Elise's dress at the ready. "His Highness doesn't expect you to suddenly take on all of his responsibilities overnight, you know?"
Elise nodded. "Right, of course not." Elise climbed out of her bed, stretching her arms over her head.
"Princess," Anna cautioned.
"Oh, right." Elise lowered her arms, laughing despite Anna's stern gaze. "It's only the three of us, though. I don't think-"
"A princess must conduct herself perfectly, even behind closed doors."
Elise sighed. Anna always had been a stickler for the rules, and not even their long-time friendship could convince her to look the other way. "Oh, I'll be going for a quick run after breakfast, so I'll get changed upon my return."
Sophia nodded, setting Elise's dress neatly aside. Elise disappeared behind her folding screen and began changing into her tracksuit that she used for exorcise.
As she was changing, a thought crossed Elise's mind. "Hey, Anna? This may sound strange but, have you ever had a dream that you keep seeing, over-and-over?"
Anna adjusted her glasses. "Have you been having a recurring dream, Princess?"
"Well, somewhat… The dream itself is different each time, but there's something about them that's always the same. There's someone there who always rescues me when I'm in danger."
Anna's eye twitched. "'Rescued'?"
"It's just a dream, Anna," Elise laughed.
"It's still a bad omen. Perhaps we should have security raised around the castle."
"So, who is it that always rescues you?" Sophia asked, a cat-like grin on her face.
"I don't know. I can't see him, and his voice is like echoes in my mind."
"Hmmm… Maybe it's your Prince Charming!"
"My…" Elise blushed. "My what?"
"Your Prince Charming! You ideal hero, who always comes to rescue you no matter the danger!" Sophia sighed. "So romantic…"
"It's not like that…"
"Did he carry you in his arms?"
"Well, yes…"
"Does he make your heart race just thinking about him?"
Elise had to think on that one. "I… think so? It's hard to tell in a dream."
"Then, aren't you just dying to know more about him?"
"Well of course. But that doesn't mean-"
"Ahhhh, our Princess has finally found her love! I was beginning to worry, seeing as you never seemed interested in any of the guys you shared dances with."
Elise shrugged. "I've just always been so busy helping Father. I've never had time to think of such things."
After the finishing touches were put on Elise's make-up, the three left the room to greet Elise's father, the Duke of Soleanna. "Good morning, Father," Elise said as she took her place at the table, to her father's side. Anna and Sophia stood behind the princess, waiting in silence as the head chef emerged from the kitchen with two plates.
"Good morning, Elise. I take it you are going running after breakfast?" Elise nodded. "I don't know why you have such a sudden interest in running. Just do be careful not to stray too far from the city."
Elise rolled her eyes. "I know, Father. You've told me already." Elise herself also wasn't sure why running suddenly became her favourite pastime. Afte the last Festival of the Sun, she just felt the desire to run through the streets of Soleanna, arms spread wide and the wind blowing through her hair. One day she decided to take a run through Kingdom Valley, and ended up falling into the lake. It was just a small incident, but it worried her father greatly.
"I just don't want anything to happen to you."
"Father, I'll be turning eighteen soon. I'm not a little girl anymore."
The Duke nodded, and began eating. "Yes, that's right. Soon you'll be a full-grown woman, old enough to become Duchess after I pass." Elise said nothing, simply humming in response. "… Elise, I want to ask you something. I know that you said you have no interest in this sort of thing but…"
"But what?"
"I was thinking, after your eighteenth birthday, how would you feel about meeting some potential suitors? I already have a few fine gentlemen in mind and-"
Elise almost choked on her food, prompting Anna and Sophia to quickly rush to her aide. She motioned that she was fine and reached for her water, chugging it down quickly. With a sigh, she turned to her father and said, "I don't really know if I'm… ready for that."
"I understand, Elise, and I want you to know that I'm not trying to pressure you or anything. However, I'm getting old now and there's no telling how much longer I have left."
"Father…"
"I would like to at least see that you have found someone who makes you happy, and to know that you will be left in capable hands after I'm gone."
"Please don't talk that way, Father. You still have lots of life in you, and besides, it's not as though I'll be left all alone. Anna and Sophia will be with me." Anna and Sophia averted their eyes and smiled.
"I know that you are perfectly capable, and that you are happy with the way things are now. But as your father, I would just feel more at ease knowing that you've found happiness with one that you love. And, well, I want to help you with that, to make up for failing to reunite you with your mother…"
Elise frowned. The Solaris Project was an ambitious project that her father had greenlit ten years ago, in an attempt to bring back his late wife, Elise's mother. The project was stopped suddenly, when the Flame of Hope had inexplicably vanished. Elise knew that her father blamed himself, even though in her eyes he was not at fault. "Father, I don't blame you for that. I never have."
"Would you at least give it some thought? This is concerning your future, after all, so think it over carefully before giving me your answer. If you still are not interested in finding a suitor, I will drop the topic entirely."
Elise nodded. "Okay, Father." The rest of their breakfast continued as normal, the two engaging in casual conversation, discussing the latest Soleannan news, being interrupted by the Duke's advisor for signatures required urgently, some light dad jokes that earned eye-rolls from the attendants around them…
After they had finished, the Duke was forced to leave in a hurry to meet with a delegate from the UFN. Elise excused herself and left the castle to go on her morning run. She decided to take a run through Wave Ocean today. Despite her father's wishes not to outpace the soldiers that would escort her, Elise held nothing back and broke into a full sprint almost immediately. The poor soldiers, in their heavy uniforms and carrying musket rifles, struggled to keep up, despite their years of training.
As she ran through the city, Elise pondered on her father's request from earlier. 'A suitor, huh? I suppose I am at that age. Traditionally, I would be expected to marry before I'm twenty. Thank Solaris Father doesn't care much for Soleannan traditions.'
"Good morning, Princess!"
"Good morning!"
"Princess! Over here!"
Elise laughed and waved to the citizens calling out to her. 'Then again, the people might be expecting news of my engagement soon, and they might be disappointed if I reveal I have no interest in finding a partner anytime soon. What should I do?'
Elise descended a large staircase down to the sands of Wave Ocean, the scent of saltwater reaching her nose. 'Sara always says that you shouldn't marry out of duty, but out of love. Then again, she seems to have a new crush every week,' Elise thought, laughing to herself. 'But I've never even been in love before. I don't even know what the feels like. The boys I've met always seem to be friendly with me only because of my status. How can I trust my heart to one of them so easily?'
Running across the warm sands of Wave Ocean early in the morning, the place was a lot quieter than it would usually be, which helped Elise feel more peaceful and to focus her thoughts. Those thoughts in question began to linger on the mysterious man in her dreams.
'If only I knew more about you. If you're supposed to be my 'Prince Charming', then why do you seem so… distant? So out of reach? Does it mean that I don't really know what I'm looking for in a boy? Or is it a sign that I'll never find my true love?' Elise shook her head. 'No, I can't thin that way. If I want something, I have to take the first step. 'Nothing starts until you take action'!'
"Look out!"
The sudden voice snapped Elise from her thoughts. She saw somebody standing in front of her and stopped. He was a blue hedgehog, standing on the beach with his back to the princess, one arm outstretched as though to tell her not to come any closer. A large shadow was cast over the hedgehog, and as Elise looked further down the beach, she saw what was causing it: a large, robotic sort of contraption that towered over them both with two huge legs. At the top of the robot was a dome, with what appeared to be somebody inside.
"GAH-HAHAHAHAH! Give it up, Sonic! This Chaos Emerald is mine!" Coming out from the side of the large robot was a long, flexible arm, a claw attached to the end of it that was carrying a yellow gemstone. She recognised what it was immediately: a Chaos Emerald, one of the seven so-called 'Miracle Gems' that she had learned about from her father.
"In your dreams, Eggman! I'm just gettin' started!" the blue hedgehog replied. Elise assumed that he was this 'Sonic' this 'Eggman' had mentioned.
"As am I!" Several holes opened around the robot, and from within those holes several small spheres were shot out into the air, scattering all over the beach. Startled on-lookers quickly became frightened when those spheres began beeping, and they hurriedly began to run away. "You can't save them and stop me at the same time!"
Elise turned to run, but she noticed that Sonic hadn't moved. Was he stuck? Injured, maybe? She had to help him!
Sonic yawned, stretching his arms over his head. "Oh yeah?" Before Elise's very eyes, a gust of wind suddenly kicked-up sand right where he was standing. Within the next second, Sonic was no longer standing there, and it took her a moment to realise that a blue trail was running around the beach, collecting each of the spheres that had been shot out of the robot. It stopped just in front of Elise, flashing her a grin. "Hey, it's a little early but, wanna see some fireworks?"
Elise could only stare back blankly in response. "O-Okay?"
Sonic resumed his running, collecting the last of the bombs. "Hey Eggman, here's your present back!" Sonic wound-back his arm, and then threw all of the bombs up at the robot.
Eggman's moustache drooped as he saw his own impending defeat. "Oh, gears and starters…" The bombs exploded, and a hovercraft was ejected out of the robot, flying away quickly from the scene. "Blast you, Sonic! I won't go so easy on you next time!"
Sonic casually walked under the defeated robot, holding out his hand to catch the Chaos Emerald as it fell. His eyes met Elise's, and for a moment, the two simply stared at each other. Elise's heart raced, surely from all the excitement that had just happened. Sonic then gave the princess a smile and asked, "You okay?"
Elise felt her face becoming hot, and realised after a few seconds that she wasn't answering the question. "Y-Yes, I'm… okay," she replied.
"Cool. Sorry 'bout the mess. I'd help clean it up but, I gotta go chase after Eggman."
Sonic began to turn around, and although Elise didn't know why, she felt that she had to say something. "Um, thank you! For saving me, I mean… Who are you?"
"I'm Sonic." Sonic gave the princess a thumbs-up. "Sonic the Hedgehog!" With that, the hero ran off before Elise could say anything more.
Elise simply stood there, staring at the hedgehog running past the cheering citizens that had earlier evacuated from the beach. Soon, Elise heard footsteps coming her way. They belonged to the soldiers that she had left in her dust, who saluted her as they approached.
"Princess, please forgive our tardiness!" Lieutenant Fabio said. "Are you unharmed?"
"Yes, I'm perfectly fine. Please do not worry, and do not apologise, either. It was my fault for running ahead of you."
Fabio shook his head. "It is our fault we could not keep up with you. We require more training." Fabio gave the princess a worried look. "Are you sure that you're alright, Princess? You seem flustered."
Elise wondered what the soldier meant, before realising that her face was still hot, and that she was blushing. "Oh, no, it's nothing, really. Um, I think I'd better return to the castle."
The soldier nodded. "We'll escort you, Your Highness."
"Yes, thank you." Elise began to leave, stopping for a moment to look back over the beach. The blue hedgehog was nowhere in sight. "Sonic the Hedgehog…" She smiled. "I'll be sure to remember your name."
Author's Notes:
This story was written for a writing contest in the Sonic Fanfiction Discord server - the theme was "Love".
While SonElise is not my go-to ship for Sonic (that'd be Sonamy), I do think there was nice potential between them and I've seen some pretty cute fanart of the two. That said, I'm kind of a sucker for tragic romances, and SonElise just fits the bill for that so nicely XD
I also like to think about how Elise lives her life after erasing the Solaris Project from history. She'd no longer be forced to cage her emotions, and her father could theoretically still be there, so maybe she'd be a more cheerfull and active person.