Chapter 17:

"Saying Goodbye"

September 24th, 2014…8:30pm

I was in my hotel room, getting ready for what was possibly my last night here, and possibly my last time being mortal…

After they leave, then everything will be different…All week I have been thinking of what was going to happen once the girls leave. I sighed and sat on the bed.

What'll happen when we get to the castle? Will he turn me once we get there? Just thinking about it is already scaring me…the other part is, once that happens then, my life will be changed, forever. But, I honestly don't care what happens to me, all that matters is that I'll be spending the rest of it with the love of my life, my soul mate…with him. That'll be the thing that will keep me going, from being depressed like him, to being more strong and fierce. He'll be my guide, my light, my happiness…

But besides that, other questions have popped up into my mind like what'll it be like to live with Sonic after that? Will I have to follow any royal duties or rules? I assume not since were not in the Middle Ages anymore.

I guess I'll know when the times comes. I put those thoughts aside for now and continued to get ready for tonight. Sonic last weekend had asked me, telepathically, when I wanted to meet up with him. I told him Wednesday night since it'll be pretty much my last day here. He agreed to it, and told me to wear something pretty, as always.

Well, I know the perfect outfit to wear…

9:05pm

I was just getting my outfit on, it was a white long sleeve romper with of course, an open back, and as a bonus, my hair was down on a side, all nice and wavy from the braids I asked Vanessa to do for me last night. And also some perfume to go with so I smell nice. Sonic just loves that on me when he sees it. He'll be speechless when he sees me in this for sure. I looked at the time, 5 after 9, well better get going.

I then heard a knock on the door, I went to go answer it, Vanessa was standing outside in the hall. "May I?" She asked. I opened the door more so she can come in. She then walked in, while I closed the door behind me.

She then turned around to see what I was gonna wear. "Ooooh look at you, Sonic's gonna love you even more when he sees this" She said all girly. "I knew I picked a good outfit to wear" I said.

It was quiet for a moment. "I just realized that this will be the last time we talk like this…" Vanessa said.

"I know it won't be the same but hopefully this 'clone' of me will end up exactly like me and nobody won't notice anything suspicious, right? And besides, if there's ever a way where I can configure myself my clone into my body or something like that then, there's a way I can still see you"

"Or at least visit one another"

"Yeah"

...

"Wow, this is gonna be hard for me…and your not even gone yet" Vanessa said, all nervous and talking fast. I can tell the pressure was getting to her, this was going be difficult. Not just her, but for all of us. I put my hands to her shoulders. "Remember why I'm doing this, don't forget that alright?" She nodded. "C'mon, the others are downstairs waiting outside, and besides don't want to keep blue boy waiting now would we?"

I put my arm through hers as we started making our way out the door. "Considering how impatient he gets? No we do not"

9:30pm

It was time to meet him. We decided before hand to meet up somewhere quiet, and where there's no one around, somewhere secluded. Sonic suggested one place, it was a little park where people would tend to come during the day. That's where we would meet.

Pierre decided to drive us part of the way there. Vanessa would walk me down so I'm not going in the dark, there'll be street lights on but, at a time like this, it feels sketchy, so I don't feel comfortable going by myself.

We arrived near the park, now all we have to do is walk to it, which is only 10 minutes.

I said my final goodbyes to Adeline and Alice, who were taking it difficult too but tried to be brave for me. "I hope you know what your doing is stupid and crazy but it's for a good cause" Adeline said. "Yeah yeah, whatever" I then hugged her quickly before turning to Alice. "This sucks, who am I gonna play video games with now?" I chuckled. "Eh, I'm sure these guys will have a go with, and besides, 'other me' will be with you plus I see how competitive we all can get"

"Yeah, especially you" Adeline said. "Ah, you know me so well" She smirked, and made her way back to the car with Alice behind her. "Well just so you know that I get extremely jealous too! Especially now that your going to be living with a very cute hedgehog prince who's a vampire which is even better considering you like them too!"

"At least she doesn't have any bills!" Vanessa said.

"I know!" Alice said, jealous herself. "Lucky her…" Alice mumbled to her self.

"C'mon let's just go before they get all whiny" Vanessa said, starting to walk down for the park. "They already are" I said walking down with her.

As we got closer to where Sonic was, the eerie but beautiful distant sound of a loon was heard again somewhere in the distance of this place. Just hearing that haunting call made us feel depressed ourselves, and that were saying goodbye to each other. But we both know why this is happening…were saying goodbye, and no one likes saying goodbye, especially if the person you love is leaving behind their current life to be with someone they just met, but fell in love with shortly afterwards…that's life changing right there.

We reached the part of the park where Sonic said he'd be at, and yet there he was. Waiting for me at the right moment at the right time, with the clone of me of course, which was dressed exactly like me when I first got here, black tank top with black beach pants, along with a black sweater in her/my arm. I took a deep breath and took Vanessa's hands.

"Well I guess this is it huh?" I asked.

"Yeah, it'll be weird not having the 'real' you around but if this clone can work out perfectly then nobody will notice the difference right?"

She was getting a little nervous about this. "Listen, I'm sure that Sonic made this clone specifically to be exactly like me, so for sure nobody will notice"

"I hope so"

"I just wanna say that no matter what happens, or wherever you end up being, you'll always be my best friend" Vanessa started to get emotional. This was really difficult for her, even for me since I'm more the emotional one than she is.

I squeezed her hands. "Your not just my best friend…your my sister" I started to get emotional myself. "And I'm so grateful for having you in my life…I love you so fricken much" She started crying even more. I can tell that she wanted to hug me, but knew it probably be the last time doing it, so she didn't, instead she let go of my hands.

Sonic watched from a few feet away, feeling bad for this girl too himself. 'I didn't realize how difficult this was gonna be for her until now, I was wrong about her. She must love you a lot huh?' He spoke telepathically to me.

'Since we first meet, yeah she has. I always thought she'd be one of those spoiled rich people that think they can do and get whatever they want, whenever they want…I was wrong'

'You certainly were'

I smiled at that. 'Well, you know what they say, if you love something, set it free, if they love you then they'll come back, which she'll definitely do' Luckily I had something that'll make her slightly better. From my back pulled out a small little black gift box and handed it to her. She wiped her tears and looked at the box. "What's this?"

"Just something to remember me by, open it" She took it and opened the lid. Inside contained two replicas of the white turtle doves from Home Alone 2.

She looked at me then back at the ornaments "…Where'd you…?" She was speechless.

"I saw them at the street festival we went to last week and just had to get them. Yeah I was gonna give them to my Mom for Christmas, but at a time like this, I think you need it more"

"I…"

She came at me with a sudden hug, but I already saw it coming. "I honestly don't what to say about this, but I love it so much" I can tell that she really started to tear up this time. I hugged her back, with a small smile. "Your welcome"

Sonic on the other hand found this really touching, but again sad. He can tell that they have a really strong friendship, they were in a way…inseparable, but despite being a sad moment, he smiled at it anyway.

Vanessa then let go of me and took one of the doves out, then grabbed my left hand. "You know how the saying goes, as long as each of us have one…" She then put in my hand and curled my fingers inwards to hold it in.

"We'll be friends forever" I said. She then let go lightly, she sighed sadly. It was time…

"Alright blue boy, she's all yours. Now hand her over…" Referring to the 'other me' that was beside him.

He smirked. "Whatever you say rich cat" I took a quick breath and slowly made my way to Sonic while the 'other me' made its way towards Vanessa. "Man I look cute in that outfit" The other me had said when it past me.

!…

"Hmph" I slightly turned my head and smirked. "You should get it then" It did the same thing and smirked back at me. "Oh I definitely will". I was silent for a moment before speaking up again. "Take care of her for me will you?" I asked. "I will" We both turned back and made our way once again. I found it very weird talking to myself, especially that its a doppelgänger of me which made it even weirder.

"Well, this is gonna be weird now…" Vanessa said. "It's still me V, even though the 'real' me won't be with you, Sonic made me this way for a reason"

"He did, and did a good damn job on it too" She said. "C'mon, we should get going" She extended her arm out. "Shall we?" 'Other me' took it. "We shall" They looked back one more time at us and smiled before heading off. 'You better take good care of her for me blue boy, got it?' Vanessa said in her head. 'Yes Ma'am…'

Within minutes they disappeared, leaving just Sonic and I in the dark but quiet place.

...

My head was down, so were my ears. This already feels different, way different. Depressing even. Sonic saw this and came around me. He then lifted my chin up so I can look at him.

"Look, I know this is already difficult, but look at how long I was depressed, I still am, heck at one point I was so depressed that I literally wanted too-"

"Kill yourself? I know Henry already told me…"

Sonic turned his head in shame. "I know that losing everything that you had in your life was difficult and taken from you in just days, but even if you did try to commit suicide, that didn't stop you from what you were looking for and look at how far you've come, you've made it through even after all these years, you tried and tried, never gave up, and look where you are now" I said.

He turned back to face me, then grabbed my hands and clasped them with his. "It's because of you that I'm here" He smiled. I gave a small smile.

"Love the outfit by the way"

"Oh, you like it? I let go of his hands and quickly gave a show off of my outfit. "I picked it out especially for you"

"Open back? You know me so well"

Just looking at her, it gratified him. 'It'll be easier to slip it off you even…'

I snapped out of it. 'God, what am I thinking right now? I didn't have much to drink tonight since I knew she was coming and that I most likely have to…No no, that's completely up to her if she wants that tonight, I have to help her out with this new transition that she'll be enduring from now on'

"Look, I know this is going to be completely different from here on out, but know that I'm going to help you through this transition now matter what" He said.

I nodded. I took breaths, but came out shaky.

"If it makes you feel better, I have gotten some things for you to make yourself at home"

"Y-you did? How?" There's only know one person or should I say a group of people that I knew who would help him with this…

"It was obviously them of course who else?"

I gratefully smiled at knowing that I was going to get full support from this, even when I become…

But for now, all I can think was how lucky I was to have someone so thoughtful in my life to make me feel as comfortable as possible. For that, I gave him a kiss on the cheek, his skin was cold when my lips touched it, but I already knew that from before. "I've never met anyone as thoughtful as you. How did I get this lucky?"

"Hmph, well I try to be, and I should be saying that you"

She smiled and blushed lightly before rubbing her eyes, a sign saying she was getting tired.

Sonic noticed this, but didn't pressure her into doing it. "I was gonna suggest going on a little stroll, but you seem you'd rather try to clear your head and take it easy tonight…"

I then hugged my arms, feeling chilly and awkward. "Yeah if you don't mind that we go back to the castle for tonight? I really couldn't sleep last night to be honest. I just need a little rest and time to process all this"

He grabbed my shoulders, I looked at him. "I understand, and hey, don't worry, as long as your with me, then you'll be fine, I'll get you through this, I promise"

She lightly smiled, before getting startled when Sonic scooped her up in his arms once again. "If your gonna do that, then do it a time where I won't get jumped" I said. "Sorry, I know you wanna go back, but this is faster, plus I like you being in my arms, it almost makes my non-beating heart beat again"

I smiled sweetly before getting a chill down my spine. "We should get going, everyone's really excited that your staying, including Midnight" I chuckled "I know that he is the little sweetie" With that, we headed off into the direction of the castle, where the start of my new life would officially begin.