Emerald Bay: Expedition

The forest was calm. Everything was peaceful. The sun was high in the sky as the wind lightly blew evergreen trees. There were large huts and ancient paths. Yes, here on the planet Mobius, it was always a calm sight...Except when a certain blue blur swooped on the scene.

A flash of blue wind dashed past a few trees and carried on into ancient paths. Pieces of the lane quickly fell to the sea below as the figure dashed along onto safer ground. The mysterious being came to a stop as a large wall of rock stood in his path. The character had blue skin with a light brown abdomen that matched the shade of his arms. He had a small pointed tail and wore red shoes sporting golden buckles.

"Hmmm," he asked himself as he looked up into the sky. He squatted down slowly and quickly shot straight into the air. He landed on the edge, but nearly dropped right back off, "Whoa! Maybe that was a bad idea." One of his feet lost its grip and he wobbled over slightly. Just as it seemed he was about to fall, his right arm was grasped.

"Got ya!" A voice said from above. The voice groaned as it lifted the hedgehog on the cliff's side. The blue mammal was thrown on the ground.

"Heh. Thanks Amy...again." The hedgehog said after getting into an upright position. The figure that stood before him had on a travelers outfit. Gray shirt with a canteen that had the strap separate her breasts; a gray skirt, black mountain boots that secretly held a pocket knife, and a mountaineer's sun hat. A red backpack rested on her shoulders.

"Sonic. For the last time, would you stop messing around? We're supposed to be doing community service for the President; not pulling off mindless stunts; no matter how much they might impress me." Amy replied.

"Who said anything about impressing you?" Sonic asked. Amy rolled her eyes as Sonic got off the ground and held his arms behind his head.

"I don't know why you can't care less about this scenery! I mean look at it." Amy said spinning around on the path, "The sun is shining, there's wild life everywhere, and look," she gestured toward the left, "A waterfall!" The pink hedgehog looked at the large over flow of gushing water near a high ancient trench, "No wonder you liked this place so much when we were younger."

"I didn't even know you remembered this place, because I vaguely do." Sonic said as he walked while picking his ear. They came up to a branch in the path. Sonic boosted right by it sending it forward.

"Hey Sonic! Wait up!" Amy said running after him. "You need to-" She flipped into the branch and it hit her off to the side. She hung on to the edge, clawing into the turf, "Sonic? Are you there?" Birds flew above her as she hung there. White, liquid material splattered on her hat, "...I guess not," she sulked with a frown on her face.

...

"Amy? Hey Amy!" Sonic called coming to an overpass, "Hey Ames; where'd you go? Don't think I'm doing this Colonial whatever by myself. Sonic pulled a pamphlet from behind him that mapped out all of Outer New Mobotropolis. He saw noticed areas marked off, thinking of what a shock most of the Mobians will be in. Ever since the Solaris Civil war, which all Mobians who were there remembered, G.U.N. has been ordered by President Bill Harrisburg to peacefully create colonies on Mobius.

Because much of Outer Mobius is owned by villains, most of the agency has to search into areas that are already home to Mobians. Fortunately, a few colonies have been found so far including Mobian Mississippi, Mobian Washington and Mobian Florida that are very close to each other. Sonic and Amy had volunteered to help search for inhabitants in New Mobotropolis' outskirts. And so far, all that they could find were ruins and forests.

He checked off a route to the overpass. "Man, I hope that 'Free Buffet a Day at the Chaos Café in May' is worth all this walking and paying attention to stuff. Huh?" He looked back on the map as his mouth hung open. He pointed to a small green circle that was only a few miles from where he was standing. The circle had a small name next to it in red:

Knothole Central Town:

Home of the Freedom Fighters of the Robotropolis Revolution

"Whoa!" he said as he looked straight ahead to a small town ahead, "I remember this place." He dashed quickly through the area; reminiscing on the things he saw and the memories that soon crowded his mind. But the biggest questions that flew through his mind were the people. He felt as if he knew someone here...someone near and dear to him.

Sonic didn't pay attention as he was running and looking around and accidentally bumped someone into a nearby wishing well. He almost fell in himself, but had the ability to catch his balance. He looked embarrassingly at the figure as it started to climb out. Then realized something spectacular.

The figure was a chipmunk. Brown fur, scarlet hair, wearing a jacket, red tank top and blue boots, "Of all the inconsiderate, clumsy, irresponsible..." She began to scold. He separated the wet hair from in front of her face as she climbed out the well. She then looked at Sonic, his eyes glowing in the sunlight and his hair lightly flowing to the left along with the wind.

"Sonic...the hedgehog...is that you?" the young girl chipmunk asked. Two guards with colonial clothing on ran to the scene.

"Princess Sally Acorn! We came as fast as we could! Are you alright?" One of the guards was a gray fox and the other was a blue salamander. The wolf looked at the blue hedgehog and pulled out a knife. Sonic backed up in fear.

"You dare physically abuse our princess of Knothole! I'll rip out your throat you craziass anarchist! Come on! Show me what you've got!"

"Yeah!" Chuckled the salamander, "Give him the old 'Seven-Eight punch Zesto! A-Yuk!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" exclaimed Sally as she stood in front of Sonic, "Wail, there's no need for that! Sonic here is an old friend of mine. He just wasn't looking where he was going and accidentally rammed into me. It could happen to anyone."

"Not you, my princess. For I was born and raised in this very kingdom. And if I know one thing, it's that there are villainous figures everywhere..." He put his dagger back in his sheath, "Even those who are close to you. C'mon W. We got more Colonial Searching to do."

"Wait" said Sonic, "You guys are doing the Colonial Expedition too?" Sally nodded.

"Well yeah! A-Yuk. We gotta on account of the humans moving in on the West Coast...or was it the North Coast?" Wail scratched his almost bald head as his sharp; but buck teeth hung out of his mouth, "Yeah it's West. So we have to find as much land for newer cities before their all gone."

"Yeah, which is not an easy job." Zest replied, "So we really must be on our way..." Zest looks at Sonic who was still next to Sally, "I'm watching you punk. Don't think I don't know what game you're playing." He walked off after Wail who was already heading back to Inner Knothole.

...

"...So, that's about it. The explosion, which is obviously now known as Chaos Control according to you, sent the forest flying. Fortunately we had the good sense to rebuild the town using all the remaining wood, brick and other stuff mainly from Robotnik's former headquarters."

"You mean Eggman?" Sonic asked.

Sally paused, "Eggman?" She pauses as if she's thinking about something. She then continues walking with Sonic, "Heh. What a dumb name...So uh. How's Rosie?"

Sonic raised an eyebrow; then remembered that Amy used be called Rosie. And she also used to be a short-term Freedom Fighter. But it was such a long time ago, that it slipped his mind, "Oh, you mean Amy Rose. She's OK. She's still chasing after me and junk, which makes my day pretty interesting at times."

"So you're not interested in her?" Sally asked as they came to a large sauna near another overpass. Sonic shrugged.

"I think she's pretty awesome when it comes to being allies and she makes a mean strawberry chocolate frappe. But she's..." Sonic puts his hand over his eyes, "She's just so clingy and overprotective. She deserves someone she can count on...someone she can trust...and someone who won't leave her behind on various occasions." They get to the sauna as its hot springs humidified the air and the birds fluttered in the sky.

Sally sat down on the edge of the pool and gestured for Sonic to follow. Sonic stooped down and sat next to the girl chipmunk.

"Sonic...you don't need to change a thing...I love you just the way you are...You know that right?"

Sonic remembered, alright. That same day; minutes before Chaos Control obliterated Dr. Eggman's empire, they kissed and admitted their affection for each other. Sonic felt a long-lasting bond between Sally and himself. She had light; but nice curves, long hair, and a smile that could shame the sun.

Sonic sighed, "But she needs someone who cares...You need someone who cares...I haven't seen you in over five years, Sal! Do you call that caring?"

Sally moved in close to him. Sonic did nothing to resist as one of her hands felt his slightly muscular left arm and another felt his spiked hair. He must've been distracted by where her lips were moving, "Maybe you just need someone who can keep up..."

It lasted seconds. Sonic almost devoured all of her cherry flavored lipstick as it went on. The two of them lost track of time. Soon Sally lay on top of Sonic as he looked at the sky. They rested there in complete harmony, unaware that a certain pink hedgehog was searching the town for her crush...only soon to find the meaning of the word...