femslash february 2021 prompt 2: pride.

Do-Over Concert

If Sally was honest, then she had initially regarded Mina Mongoose with vitriol. She supposed it was jealousy clouding her thoughts. Mina had taken Knothole Village by storm. Her music had people venturing out of their huts to her stage. She was the charming, shy songstress uniting Sally's citizens, commanding the strength in her voice to round them all together, a power Sally assumed only she maintained over years of strife.

When Sally heard Mina sing for the first time, she was shocked. Mina's voice had made her heart skip a beat and soothed her mood. Sally had draped her arms under her chin and listened, watching Mina rock her hips to the beat of the drums, her wavy, purple locks swaying in the wind, which carried her tune right to Sally's flicking ears.

Now that she was older, her bout of resentment when Sonic kissed Mina afterwards was certainly unbecoming. She had turned her back and crossed her arms, wrinkling her nose. She had disregarded Mina's talent on account of juvenile, lovestruck envy, something she deeply regretted when Mina took a bullet for her without a second thought.

Sally straightened her back and gripped her knees. She was surrounded by her people in the kingdom's premium stadium, the energy eclectic and electrifying. She was delighted that she had returned to field duty as it allowed her time to attend these events without the protection of guards or requiring permission from her ailing father. Her brother and the counsel tended to the affairs of the kingdom. Without the pressure from her family and royal duties beating at her backside, she was finally able to experience an in-person viewing of Mina's concert.

As expected, the stadium was filled. A showstopper like Mina always filled every row. Glancing around, Sally took in the frenetic exuberance as guitar riffs, galvanic rhythms, and melodic vocals bounced off the walls of the rounded interior. People thrusted their fists into the air and cheered. Couples danced and sang along in the aisles. Muted strobe lights in a variety of purple and scarlet hues raced along the stage. Smoke puffed out, twinkling with glitter in the air, and the faint scent of smoke hardly deterred Sally's enjoyment. It would have jarred her on a reconnaissance mission hearing people shout at the top of their lungs and breathing in colored fumes, but she smiled, focusing on the star of the show.

Mina stomped and leaped around her stage, Her bandmates matched her effervescence with headbanging and drumstick flipping. Her ponytail had come undone some time during her fifth song, her long locks waving over her shoulder and falling down her back. She punched the sky and dug her heel into the ground, belting out lyrics with pitch and poise unheard of in the Kingdom of Acorn.

"Come on, Knothole! Step it up! You know this one!" Mina roared, and she sucked in a breath. "Starlight! Star bright! Come on, sing it!"

She aimed her microphone at the audience. Sally sucked in a quick breath and chorused with the spectators. She swayed with them, clasping her hands together, her voice becoming one of thousands.

But despite the plethora of Mobians in the crowd, Sally caught eyes with Mina. She held her gaze, wide-eyed, starry-eyed. Although she was rows away, she took in every change to Mina's outfit. A striped violet and emerald jacket, a pair of dark blue denim shorts, steel-toed boots, iconography of the rock star she had become. Her eyes invigorated Sally, the irises a shimmering liquid emerald and no longer tormented by vacillation, which she, too, once shared.

Mina pressed her hand to her lips, squared her shoulders, and blew Sally a kiss. The crowd went wild. Countless hands reached for it, but they were none the wiser that they were missing. As they blew kisses at the Songoose, Sally snatched the kiss and cupped her fist to her chest. Heat colored her cheeks, her heart fluttering as the butterflies in her tummy flew freely into her ribcage.

A brief flicker of foolishness tickled her. She had been too arrogant believing Mina was merely a romantic rival. They could have started their relationship so much sooner if they saw the silver linings of their similarities instead of being blinded by their desire for the mutual love of a hedgehog as free as the wind.

Sally kissed her fingertips and blew it at Mina. She tilted her head, her grin gentle as Mina pinched it with her forefinger and thumb. Mina pocketed it, laughing into her microphone, her joy infectious. Everyone joined her, Sally's voice one of thousands.

Sally reclined into her seat. She allowed the crowd to close in around her, blocking out Mina's form. But sight was unnecessary. Closing her eyes, she listened to the lyrics which had enamored her in the tall tower of Castle Acorn. In her mind's eye, Sally found herself back in time. This time, she was among her people and rallied around Mina, no longer shy and reserved, on her rickety, wooden stage, Freedom Fighters and villagers clapping to the rhythm of the drums.

I wish I realized this sooner, Sally thought, the corners of her mouth lifting upwards. Pressing her hand over her heart, the heat from Mina's kiss spread through her body. But I'm glad we have now.