CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Elise is still trapped in Eggman's mechanical hands, he stopped on top of a hill. He let go of Elise and she started to move backwards.

Eggman looked at her with a smile. "Now stop it. You have nowhere to go. And I'm not going to do this again with you, Princess." Elise looked down from the hill and saw it was a long way down, she knew Sonic wasn't going to make it.

"I would rather die, than be your prisoner again!" Elise was still backing away from him to the end of the hill, she almost lost her footing, but got her balance back.

"Hmph! So, what do you going to do, Princess? Do you plan to jump again?" Eggman used his finger to point down.

"Farewell." At that Elise fell down, with her arms open, as she went down. Elise had her eyes closed when she went down fast, she knew she was going to die, from how high the hill was, and she never got the chance to tell Sonic how she felt about him.

Eggman ran toward where Elise just jumped, he stomped his foot, when he spotted Sonic coming toward the Princess. "You won't get away that easily!" Eggman muttered under his breathe. He walked to his ship and flew away, thinking what can make Sonic gone for good, but he gave up because he knew Sonic would just come back again.

Sonic was there just in time, he saw Elise fall from the hill to the ground. He went super speed, to catch up to Elise. He got caught up to her, she fell right into his arms.

Elise reopened her eyes when she fell into something soft and furry, until she noticed it was Sonic.

"Sonic!"

Elise hugged him, with her arms wrapped around Sonic's neck, and her face buried in his neck, it was kinda uncomfortable, with her still in his arms. Sonic closed his eyes, thinking of how close he almost lost her for good, but he knew, he would always come for Elise when she's in trouble.

Sonic opened his eyes, then started running toward safety. He ran for awhile now, then stopped to look at Elise. "That was a gutsy move back there!" Elise look at Sonic, with her eyes shining in the light, Sonic thought he could never stop looking at her eyes, but then again, he could never stop loving her.

"Well, I was desperate... And um... I just had to get away. I owe you a lot, Sonic..." Elise muttered shyly.

Sonic looked at her embarrass, "Umm..." he could feel his face all red, and turned around, so Elise wouldn't notice. Elise looked at him when he was blushing, could it be possible that Jasmine was right? Does Sonic really does love her?

She opened her mouth to talk, until Eggman's robots came toward them. Sonic heard them too. Sonic turned around and looking at Elise, knowing it might be a distraction, for Eggman to recapture Elise.

"I'll head into the jungle!"

"OK." Elise looked at him, nodding her head to run. Sonic ran up to the forest, where they will be safe.

Elise looked over Sonic's shoulder, seeing if the robots were following them, but they weren't there. Elise frowned but when she looked up at the sky. They were hovering over them. Elise tapped on Sonic's shoulder.

Sonic looked at her worried and saw Elise pointing her finger to look up. Sonic gave her a confused face, but he looked up and saw the robots hovering above them, Sonic signed, he knew Eggman didn't want them to get far.

"Hang on tight, this might be a little bumpy." he felt Elise arms tightening around his neck, holding on so she wouldn't fall off of him. Sonic smiled, and ran super speed into the jungle.

Sonic runs into the forest, still carrying Elise in his arms, they ran into some robots, but they haven't seen anymore lately.

Elise looks behind Sonic, seeing if there's any behind them, she looks up where tree branches were covering the beautiful blue sky and didn't find any up in the sky also. Elise looked back at Sonic, while he was still concentrating to where he was running. Elise knew he was just running somewhere, where Eggman wouldn't find him, but she just wanted to talk to him now.

"It looks like we've lost them." Elise said with a smile, but it looked like Sonic wasn't convinced. He turned his head to look at her. "I'll settle things here." Sonic said with a nod, he didn't want Elise to get hurt not just from Eggman, but he also didn't want to find a newspaper with breaking news that Elise died on Eggman's battleship.

He closed his eyes, all he's doing is to protect Elise. "Elise you should go back to the castle." Sonic began to say. Until he stopped himself to look at Elise's face sadden.

"OK..." Elise choked out, she looked at the ground not wanting Sonic to know she is sad, but she couldn't help but take a deep breathe and let out a shaky breathe.

Sonic looked at her for a minute, and looked around to find something. When he was around the world, he found something beautiful in the forest. He turned around, making Elise come back to reality. "Sonic?" Elise looked at her new surroundings, she saw that bright white light was coming. She looked more closely, gasping.

She saw a blossom tree growing in the middle of the forest, she wondered how Sonic knew where to go. But she didn't ask. "It's so beautiful." she looked back at Sonic, when he slowed and she got out of his arms, moving up to the tree and looking at its beauty.

Sonic looked at her, he smiled. He should've gone here first, when Eggman captured her, he saw how Elise's dress and feathers matched the color of the blossom tree, and her red hair worked, with the pinkish flower blossoms, that went on top of her head, he saw the real beauty of her.

He knew he had to go when the job was done, but he can't leave her here, leaving her all sad and lonely, he would feel the same, he loves her too much to let go. To let go of her.

"I've never seen so many flowers before!" Elise had her hands out by her side, catching some flowers and some that went fell from her hand onto the grass.

"Sonic, have you visited many wonderful places before?" Elise questioned Sonic.

Sonic looked at her and smiled, nodding happily, he always loved looking at different parts of the world, even though he's been every continent, except for Hawaii, he doesn't like water, never did, and nobody will ever make him learn how to swim, ever. "Yeah, many places actually..." He turned around and crossed his arms, thinking of what he will say next.

"Once you defeat Eggman, you'll leave won't you?" Sonic turned around to Elise, her face was sadden. She was actually hoping for him to stay, but she knew that she can't keep him forever, Sonic loves running, and she can't make him stop, just to be with her. Sonic looked at her for awhile not knowing what to say to her, he gave her a shrug, he didn't want to leave her, but he also had to save the world from Eggman, but what's more important Eggman or Elise?

"Though I've been frightened many times, I've also enjoyed this adventure. It allowed me to be something other than a Princess. I was able to be myself... A girl." Elise smiled at the thought of being herself, when she was young, with her father passing away, she had to protect and become Princess at the age of eight. She never got to go outside on her balcony and look at the stars again. She always had to stay inside, get enough rest, for the day tomorrow.

Sonic saw how she said to be a girl. "It sounds like being a Princess isn't that easy." she nodded her head in agreement.

Sonic saw how she use to wave to her people and give blessing to Solaris, their sun god. Now he can see the real Elise, all normal, without worrying about her job as Princess. He walked up to her and stopped half way into her personal space and looked up at her.

"It isn't sometimes, but I love this country. Everyone in the castle, the children, all of my citizens really... The same love my late father and mother had..." Elise trailed off remembering a flashback.

'Don't cry, Elise. Become a strong queen who doesn't cry no matter what happens.' her father words stuck in her head.

"And so, I do my best to protect my country. I understand everything my parents said to me now." she admitted to Sonic, she never told how hard it was sometimes to be Princess and when she talked about her father and mother it hurt her heart to say their names, but she trusts Sonic, with all of her heart.

Sonic was listening to every word Elise said to him, he now understands Elise life now, but will it all change? Sonic thought.

"Sonic, if you leave here to go on another adventure... Remember this place." Sonic stared into her eyes, never leaving them.

"Definitely." Sonic would always remember the City of Water and also Elise. He saw how Elise eyes looked like she was about to cry, but turned around quickly, letting out a shaky breathe.

"Elise? You ok?" Sonic worried.

"I'm fine... Sorry." She looked up at the sky.

'Mustn't cry! Mustn't cry!' Elise kept thinking.

Elise ran up to Sonic, kneeled and wrapped her arms around Sonic's neck, putting her face in his neck, hugging him tight, never wanting to let go. Sonic put his arms around her neck and rubbing his hand on her back, trying to comfort her.

Sonic pulled away meeting Elise's face close to his, until they noticed they were inching closer. Their heads touched each other, they both looked into each other eyes. Neither one of them, didn't know who was going to make the first move.

Then Sonic moved forward, closing his eyes, and meeting his lips on Elise's lips. Elise gasped, with wide eyes, but then closed her eyes tightly, and kept her lips firm on Sonic's lips. Sonic opened his mouth moving his tongue to Elise's bottom lip, trying to get her to open her open her mouth, to let him in. Elise hesitated for a moment, when she felt Sonic's tongue on her bottom lip, she opened her opened her mouth, letting Sonic in. Sonic pushed into Elise's mouth tasting everything in her mouth, she tasted like cinnamon, peppermint, and something else he couldn't put his finger on. But all he cared about was Elise and the kiss they were sharing. Sonic and Elise's tongue met each other and started moving together passionately.

They broke apart and looked at each other. Elise is out of breathe, she's panting to get her breath back. Sonic was trying to get his breathe back, thinking of what he just did, can a hedgehog and human be really together?

He wasn't able to think, until pare of soft lips were barely touching his. Sonic looked back at Elise and put his hand behind her neck, and the other one hand on her waist and went forward and kissed her deep. Elise opened her mouth, allowing Sonic to kiss her deep almost into her throat.

Minutes has gone by and they break apart, still holding each other in their arms. "Wow... I always wanted to do that..." Elise blushed. Sonic thought it was cute seeing her turning bright pink, on her cheeks. Sonic rubbed her cheek with his gloves. "Me too..." Sonic admitted to her.

Elise leaned into Sonic's touch, she smiled with happiness, never wanting to break the smile. Sonic wrapped his arms around Elise's waist and holding onto her tight. They kissed again, this time slowly, letting them explore each others mouth passionately.

Elise put her arms around Sonic's neck, never wanting this bond between them breaking apart. Elise realized something, she and Sonic were still kissing, this was her first kiss. And that her first kiss is from Sonic. And she knew what her heart was telling her, she loves Sonic so much, she would even die for him. But would things make it much easier now for Eggman and Mephiles? Will their love stay connected?