Chapter 26

A Date Taken Too Late

Sonic looked at the double doors in front of him. He was wearing a deep blue tuxedo and he gripped the collar and pulled it away and let it flick back to his neck. His parents stood beside him as well. His mother was wearing a purple dress and his father was wearing a black tuxedo. Sonic gulped as the doors opened. Jules put a hand on Sonic's shoulder.

"It's going to be okay, son. You just need to dance with Sally and have a good time," Jules said.

"It's not that that I'm worrying about," Sonic told him.

Jules looked at Bernadette and she just shrugged. Sonic took in a deep breath and walked in. Bernadette and Jules followed behind Sonic. They walked through the throne room and came to the dining hall, which the huge table that had been in the middle had been pushed to the side of the room, with a white blanket over it and lots of food on top. The curtains were white and a light blue and the stairway had a light blue carpet leading down to the middle of the hall. There was a couple of glass doors that led to the balcony beyond. Sonic smiled and sighed.

This won't be too bad, all I have to do is keep an eye on the sun, Sonic thought.

Sonic walked over to a table and sat at it. Bernadette and Jules walked off to go talk to other parents. Sonic turned around when he heard a small "ahem" behind him. Sonic saw that King Max had made the noise and quickly got out of the chair he was in and bowed.

"Your Majesty," Sonic said, politely.

King Max stared at Sonic and Sonic knew he was suspicious of why he was here.

"I'm guessing you're wondering why I'm here," Sonic said.

"Not at all, Sonic. I know that you are here for Sally and I am grateful for that, but what will you do once the sun sets?" King Max told Sonic.

"I will leave and make sure I do it quickly," Sonic explained.

"That is your plan?" King Max asked.

"Yes, it is," Sonic said.

"Good luck," King Max said.

Sonic nodded and King Max walked away. Sonic sat back on the chair and waited for Sally to make an appearance.

Sonic was now getting nervous. It was at around 5:30 in the afternoon and Sally still hadn't appeared. He looked toward the staircase then at the doors. He thought that Sally WOULD come to her own birthday dance party. And especially if Sonic was here, waiting for her to show up when he could be getting away from innocents. Suddenly a noise sounded behind Sonic and he looked at what it was. A dog in a uniform held a scrap of paper and read it out.

"Tonight is Princess Sally Acorn's birthday and she will be coming down to dance with someone special to her," the dog spoke with a friendly growl.

Sonic stood up and leaned on his chair.

"The person Princess Sally wants to dance with is … me," the dog said.

Sonic thought that was quite funny and tried to supress a chuckle. The dog laughed and wiped a tear of laughter out of his eye.

"No, no, I'm just pulling your leg. The person Princess Sally wants to dance with is … Sonic The Hedgehog," the dog said.

Sonic looked around and saw everyone was looking at him and clapping. Sonic felt so embarrassed he felt his cheeks burn and his head sink under the collar of his tuxedo. Sonic soon looked up at the staircase and saw someone he had been waiting to see for two hours. Sally walked down the stairs wearing a light blue dress and her short hair was in a tiny ponytail. Sonic smiled and sighed as he watched her walk down the stairs. Sally stopped at the edge of the stairs and looked at Sonic. He saw her looking at him and quickly got up straight.

"Right," Sonic said.

He walked over to Sally and took her hand as he bowed.

"You wanna dance, Princess?" Sonic asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sally chuckled at his question.

"You know I don't like you calling me that," Sally said.

"Okay, Sal," Sonic said.

"That's better and yes, I would love to dance with you," Sally said.

Sally grabbed a hold of Sonic's shoulder and waist and Sonic did the same with Sally. Sally and Sonic danced around the huge hall and soon every other Mobian joined in with their partners. Sonic smiled and Sally smiled as well. It was only one of the few times they actually got together and danced with each other.

"You haven't changed at all, you just seemed that way," Sally said.

"I had a hard month but I think things will turn around now," Sonic said.

Sonic and Sally danced around for a few more minutes and then went over to the balcony. Sonic looked out to the setting sun and sighed. Sally walked up beside him. She saw Sonic's expression and knew something was wrong with him.

"You know, these are only the few occasions I see you in a dress," Sonic said.

"And the same with you wearing something other than your gloves and sneakers," Sally replied.

Sonic nodded and looked at the setting sun and rising moon. Sonic bit his lip and looked at Sally.

"Sonic, what's wrong?" Sally asked.

"Nothing, I just … GAHHH!" Sonic collapsed onto his knees and Sally ran over to him.

"Sonic!" Sally exclaimed.

Sonic looked at his hand and saw it growing and he gasped. He got onto his feet and ran over to the balcony railing. Sally quickly grabbed his wrist and Sonic looked at her.

"Where are you going? Please, don't leave me. Not tonight," Sally said.

"I'm sorry, Sal, but … NNNGG … something's come up and I need to … EEEE … go," Sonic stuttered through his pain.

"But, It's my …" Sally was cut off by Sonic, "I know, Sal, and I'll make it up to you, just not now, okay."

Sally looked at him with a worried expression and let go of his hand. Sonic smiled at her and gave her a thumbs up.

"I'll be fine," Sonic said.

"Okay," Sally said.

Sonic looked back down the side of the railing and jumped off it and landed on the ground. He then ran off in the direction of the Great Forest. Sally saw where Sonic was heading.

"He's leaving again," Sally gasped.

Sally ran across the balcony and through the hall. King Max saw Sally running for the exit.

"Sally, where are you going?" King Max asked.

"To find where Sonic went," Sally told him.

"But, you can't," King Max said.

"Why not? Why is it even you say I can't follow him? I want to know why he's doing this! Why he keeps running off to nowhere!" Sally shouted and ran out the double doors.

The doors closed behind her before King Max could yell anything back to stop her.

I hope she will be safe, King Max thought.

YIPEE! YAY! This chapters done and up. I think it seemed a little rushed because I didn't really feel like saying stuff about the dance and I didn't know how to because ... yeah. If any of you had any problems understanding the last chapter. Amy was explaining to Sonic that Sally's birthday was on this night, as you just read. So, that's whats happened in this chapter, all that's happening is the dance party. I decided to add a little humour in with the dog. R&R And See Ya Nex Chap!

VFMH OUT!