PART 1 - A Love Unlived
CHAPTER 5 - A night to forget
This is crazy, I'm so nervous I'm going to die! Nicole's heart hammered in her chest as the palace guard inspected her invitation and ushered her through the big iron archway, the white, vine-covered threshold into the castle's gardens. Rotor walked beside her dressed in a slightly-too-tight tux, humming to the jazz music that the band was playing.
Nicole scanned the area with trepidation. The party had definitely begun and the garden had been transformed; thousands of tiny strings of lights filled the trees and boundary hedges of the courtyard, their glow reaching every leaf and branch, contrasting them strikingly against the background of the darkening night. The colourful crowd was large but spread out; friends mingled together around tables with silk tablecloths or stood in chatty groups eyeing the food at the long buffets. Nicole was relieved to see she had not overdressed.
Sally, ever the gracious host, was dutifully breaking the ice in a group of unintroduced guests when she spotted the pair and politely excused herself. Her hasty beeline over the grass ending with a warm hug and kiss. "Nicole! Rotor! Thanks so much for coming!" she said excitedly.
"Hi Sally, thanks you for inviting us!" replied Rotor, "And gosh I have to say, Your dad sure is a lucky man, this place looks amazing!"
Sally Beamed. "Doesn't it look great! All the lights and the decorations! It was actually Nicole who did most of it!" She glanced at Nicole who was silent "You didn't even tell anyone did you?"
"Ha ha, no she didn't, why am I not surprised?" Rotor laughed and examined Nicole "Does this have anything to do with the floating star lights you were asking me about?"
Nicole frowned and looked ashamed "Oh I'm so sorry Sally, I tried everything but I couldn't work out how to do it, I never should have said anything. please forgive me"
Sally laughed. "hmmm I dunno…" she raised her eyebrow and leaned in, "maybe if you tell me your little secret" she whispered with a nudge.
Rotor who had been looking around slightly distracted suddenly burst into laughter "ha ha ha! Good luck with that one Sally, I've been trying to get it out of her all day! I managed to work out that it's not Sonic though so you can rest easy there"
"Whew!" said Sally in mock relief, wiping imaginary sweat off her forehead. She gave Rotor a knowing smile. Nicole turned a deep crimson.
"Oh hey, I'm really sorry to dash off so early guys but I planned to meet some old friends here tonight. They came all the way from the tundra! I've just spotted them, can I catch up with you later?" Said Rotor.
"Of course Rotor, that's so nice of them, we'll catch up with you later, have a great time!" Sally replied with a smile and turned to Nicole "Isn't this exciting? C'mon lets go find Dad."
Rotor turned to leave but before he did he winked, "Hey Nicole, say Hi to your new boyfriend for me".
Sally stifled her laugh and gave Nicole a hug, "Sorry Nicole, I'll be good".
Taking her by the arm, Sally led her embarrassed friend through the crowd, smiling and greeting friends as she passed. The lawn gave way to four grand stairs leading up to a large stone balcony where waiters served drinks to elegant ladies and tuxedoed men. The majestic castle acorn, lit up spectacularly, loomed above.
"Over there" pointed Sally and Nicole turned to see King Max in his wheelchair talking animatedly with his son Elias and Elias' wife. Sonic, decked out in an all black suit, was leaning on the balustrading and listening casually as he surveyed the party, he spotted the girls and beckoned them over.
"Nicole my dear you look lovely as ever!" came Max's jovial voice, "I hear I have you to thank for these wonderful decorations!"
"Thank you sir" said Nicole humbly "It's been my honour to be of help"
"There's no way I could have done it without Nicole dad. Everyone helped out more than I could have possibly imagined" Said sally.
"I gave moral support" Sonic joked.
Max laughed and gave Sonic a hearty pat, "Sally dear you truly are blessed to have so many good friends, It makes an old codger like me very proud."
The princess threw a smile at Nicole and Sonic who were trying to look modest.
"Well they are the freedom fighters dad, Is there anything they can't do?" Elias spoke, "We wouldn't even be around to celebrate if it wasn't for them." he paused, thinking for a moment, "Hey sal, this must be the first time you guys have all got back together since the victory right? was everyone able to make it?"
Sally frowned slightly, "Unfortunately no, not everyone could be here, Knuckles sends his regards but he had business on Angel island."
Sonic rolled his eyes and took a sip of his drink. "the emerald's going to hatch if he sits on it any longer" he murmured, just loud enough to elicit a glare from Sally.
"How about young Tails? I don't believe I've seen him yet tonight" said Max.
Sally shrugged, "Well he's definitely been invited. Have you heard anything Sonic?".
"Only what I told you before Sal, sorry, he's tough nut to crack"
"Did he- did he say he was coming?" blurted Nicole with a little too much emphasis.
Bus- ted! thought Sally and covered her grin. She raised her eyebrow at Nicole slyly.
"He promised he'd be here before the fireworks" replied Sonic who flashed a curious look at Sally as he tried to decipher her amused expression.
Nicole looked out over the party as her talking friends stood beside her. Elias was telling a story but the words seemed far away. She felt lightheaded, off-balance, like floating on a cloud, only one thought occupied her mind. He's coming!
A series of faint popping sounds echoed through the still night air and Tails, who lay sprawled against the side of a control panel, groaned deeply. Out in the distance, through the gash in the wall, he watched as the beginnings of a dazzling fireworks display cast coloured blooms over the skyline of mobotropolis. He sighed in defeat, the manic enthusiasm that usually pushed him through into the long hours of the night had long since disappeared and in its place was a numb feeling, a bitter emptiness It felt like failure. It felt like regret.
I'm such a loser. I should have listened to Sonic, I could have been there hours ago. Nobody even knows I'm up here, nobody knows what I'm doing. I could be having fun. I could be…
Tails cringed and cradled his head in his hands.
Oh who am I kidding? Sonic was wrong, not everyone wanted to see me tonight…
not... her...
The dull ache in tail's throat throbbed and bitter tears welled in his eyes. He stared fiercely ahead, his tortured face grimly outlined by an ethereal purple glow. The chaos emerald, the king's grand present, sneered back at him.
It was a being used as a power source, he'd worked out that much. Connected to some sort of strange machine, and yet, the more he studied the circuits and followed the wires, the less logical it all seemed. All that effort, all that time for nothing, it was trapped behind impenetrable shields. The universe was taunting him, the lucky charm, just a cruel joke.
The distant fireworks ended with a spectacular flourish and the sky went dark. The darkness enveloped tails' mind. "THIS STUPID MACHINE, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE!" he yelled, slamming his fist hard on the control panel. In a wounded fury Tails seized the loose wires next to him and let out a guttural roar. Mindlessly, furiously, he tore at the circuit; sparks flew as it fell from the wall.
The blast was instant.
The light as bright as a thousand suns.
The energy pulsed outwards at the speed of sound and Tails' world dissolved around him.