Festive Highway: Torn Generation

"Prince Espionage! Stop this at once!" a familiar voice cried out. Both Sonic and Espio looked over toward a wide bridge that ran across a small lake. Sally came running through a crowd of nearby people, trying to stop the conflict. But all Sonic was concerned about was what she just called Espio.

Espio dropped his weapon to the sight of the princess as Sonic stood to his feet. Sally stopped right in front of both of them. But she looked right at Espio with a confused look.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say it looked like you were about to kill my knight…" Sally said, puzzled; "What's going on here?"

Sonic wanted to ask a question, but Espio cut him off, "Um…I'm sorry princess…" Espio bowed in respect, "…I had no idea he was escorting you…is that why he battled with all of those soldiers. He was only trying to protect you?"

Sonic still wanted to say something, and was getting a bit annoyed, but before he could get anything out; Tails rode up to the scene in his Mech to help Espio understand, "It sure does seem that way, doesn't it? But I'll admit: he's been acting really short tempered, for the past three days. Maybe it really is one of his traits after all and not just some random slogan when describing him in game manuals. "

Sonic tried one more time to speak, but Espio wasn't finished, "Be that as it may, these disputes that have been erupting have been a bit more than troublesome to one's spirit. It's nice to know that I can find honest allies that actually mean to resolve them…So how are things—"

Sonic's split-sense had enough, "SHUT UP FOR A SECOND!" Sonic didn't question the gleam in his eye as everyone in a 20ft radius stopped speaking, "Thank you. Now…What is going on here? Why'd you call Espio, Espionage? Why am I suddenly a 'knight'? What's with the reference about the game manual? And why haven't you killed me yet?"

Espio, Sally, and Tails all laughed at Sonic's confusion. Sally started explaining, "Espio here used to by heir to the throne of Reptiliaux Sanctuary, founded by an unknown warrior. Espio here was supposed to become king but due to the Great Dispute; much of the land was lost."

Espio continued, "Not only that, but many of my followers dispersed to other parts of the planet. In grief I came here to Knothole when it was still being governed by Sally Acorn I. Soon I dropped out of High School; fed up with the disappointments of my life. And thus I met Vector and Charmy, who took me in as part of the family."

Tails chuckled, "I love autobiographies. Let me finish up here." Tails typed a few buttons on his keypad of the Mech as Sonic tried to follow all of the information they had given him already. A webpage on Espionage III came up and Tails read from where Sally and Espio left off, "He soon began work as a detective, but also trained in the Martial Arts while living in the Asian Community."

"I actually kept my royalty a secret from a lot of people considering the fact that a lot of my wealth was lost during one of the GD riots. The only thing I'm good for now is…well, being a prince.

Sally lit up and Sonic could tell something was about to happen. Sonic pulled Sally over to the side as Tails and Espio talked, "What was with that look?"

Sally sighed, "Sonic…now I know that you don't understand what it means to have an entire nation counting on you to do something you don't want to."

Sonic rubbed his hands down the back of his head, "Oh right. Like saving the world on dozens of occasions doesn't take a brain. I'm just too stupid to understand anything, aren't I?"

"Sonic, that's NOT what I said."

"It what you were thinking! It's what you truly feel…" Sonic sat down, dangling his feet over the edge of the lake, "I thought we had something, Sal…I thought we'd get together, maybe get married…have kids some day…But you are willing to throw all of our adventures away, on account of someone you don't really know?"

"That's the thing Sonic…" She joined him and caressed his right arm, "This isn't about you…and it isn't about me either…With the little bit of financial support Espio has left, and the fact that at least engaging him will give me the power to STOP these disputes that are too much for my mother's elder heart; I'll finally be able to reunite this country. Mobian and Human under a single rule…That's the only reason I cannot marry you…"

Sonic thought he understood, but the gleam in his eye verified that he must not have. He looked at Sally, "No…that's not the only option…I could do something, you could've chosen a noble or anyone else!" Then an unreasonable thought occurred to Sonic's split sense as he stood up, "You're pregnant aren't you?"

Sally stood with him, "WHAT!? No, I'm not—"

"No, that's the only reason you'd be forced to marry that reptile! What about the Robotropolis Civil War, Sal!? Why didn't you marry a reptile then, huh?" Sonic picked Sally up by her tank top, chocking her painfully, "What did he do to you, Sal? Why don't you love me anymore, huh!?"

Sally hoarsely tried speaking to Sonic, "Sonic…I'm sorry…you're hurting me…"

A few gunshots were heard from behind him, but were easily deflected by a lightly visible red barrier that covered the back end of Sonic's person.

Sonic dropped Sally into the shallow lake. As she coughed, the intoxicated hedgehog turned to see Tails shooting towards Sonic as Espio disappeared.

"Sonic, calm down. You're being affected by the Knotholeans' jailing of you…it's not your fault…calm down."

Tails' calm, sincere voice almost brought Sonic out of his trance. But when his split-sense saw that Espio had run away, he got even angrier, "Where is that coward? Where'd he go…Miley?"

"Sonic…I'm gonna need you to not call me that…"

Sonic's gaze grew a darker red as he stood there, eying his best friend, "What's the matter, Miley? You don't want anyone to know?"

Tails shed a tear from his right eye, never taking his hands from the turret controls, "Sonic…I've taken the remarks about my mistakes in the Air Labs…I've accepted my real name because YOU thought I should grow up…but please…I'm begging you…please leave THAT behind us…please!"

Sonic started a time bomb. And when he said this next statement; the timer truly did hit zero, "What's wrong Miles? You don't want everyone to know about our little affair after the Spring Dance last year?"

Tails grew the nastiest growl on his face as Sally climbed out of the water and Espio became revisable. A faint flash could be heard nearby, but Sonic barely noticed.

Espio looked at Sonic as he grinned, "Uh-oh…I think I might have just ended my life…"

Sonic's un-sureness of his self gave his split-sense the upper hand. Now he had completely lost control…