"Non! Nonononon!" Antoine fussed, shaking his head and waving his hands. "Zis eez ridalickalous! 'Ow can none ov you tie a tie?" He crossed over to his favorite basket chair with his favorite cushion on it and sat melodramatically down. Why, oh, why had he ever agreed to help these uncouth ruffians with formalwear?
"Cut us some slack, Ant!" Sonic grumbled, trying not to tear the accursed fabric in his shaking paws to ribbons, "In case y'haven't noticed, none of us 'cept you actually wear clothes!"
"Well, uh," Rotor ventured reluctantly, "I wear a hat and you and Tails wear gloves and sneakers…"
"Well, yeah," the blue blur admitted, "but even then, they're easy to put on! Not like these monkey suits!"
"Well, zat eez all very good!" Antoine burst out, red in the face. "Fine! Go to your own weddeeng wearing only your gloves and zose hideous shoes! Let us all see how ze Preencess reacts zat ze future Preence ov Mobius cannot be bothaired to put een ze same effort as her!"
The hut was filled with an uncomfortable silence. Nobody was sure that the coyote wasn't going to turn rabid and destroy the hut in a rage. "Ooooohkay, Ant," Sonic pacified, talking as if he was trying to calm a wild dog. "I'll wear the tux AND the tie at the wedding…but why're ya makin' us wear them at my bachelor party?!"
"Because, as Antoine pointed out," Uncle Chuck intervened as he entered the hut, clad in a suit and adjusting his tie, "we're not just going to fast food joints in Lower Mobius!"
"Aww, man, Unc!" Sonic whined. "Don't tell me you agree with 'Twan!"
"I did," His uncle confirmed with his arms folded. "And we're going to have this wedding a would-be king would have to accommodate! Even Sally had to get back to learning the ways of a princess."
Sonic frowned, feeling betrayed by his favorite uncle. Antoine, smiling proudly at Chuck, added, "Eet's more zan just a tradition, hedgehog. Eet's for everyone in ze kingdom, even ze Preencess." The blue hedgehog released a cold glare at him, clenching his fist gently. But his mood changed when he saw at his mustached guardian, giving him a disciplinary stare. "Better do it, Sonic." He warned.
Sonic turned his back away, grumbling, "Way to chuck your favorite nephew..."
Before any more could be said, the bachelors jumped at the sound of the door knocking. The next second, Bunnie opened it.
"Well, hiya, fellas!" she greeted. "Well, now, Sugah-Twan, don't ya look as cute as a button!" Antoine blushed, and a half-shy, half-triumphant grin crossed his muzzle. "Sugah-Hog," Bunnie turned her attention to the groom. "Ah was looking for you, Rote 'n' Uncle Chuck. As maid 'o' honor, ah wanted t'talk to you an' Sally!"
"Coming, Bunnie!" Rotor abruptly clamped a blubbery hand over Sonic's and hastily led him out. Secretly, he was relieved that the bionic belle had stepped in to unintentionally break up this confrontation.
"Ah expect vous to know 'ow to dress by tonight, Sonique!" Antoine called after them, his tone cheerful and mocking. The subject of his ultimatum gritted his teeth and flattened his ears.
"Wha's goin' on t'night, Sugah-Hog?" Bunnie took note of the hedgehog's mood. Sonic seemed in no mood to elaborate, so Rotor kindly did it for him. "We're all goin' to Lower Mobius for Sonic's bachelor party. Antoine and Uncle Chuck are makin' us dress fancy. Don't agree with it myself. Give me a lab coat or some dirty overalls anytime!"
"When HE gets married," Sonic mumbled bitterly, "An' I'm HIS best man…I'll make sure he attends his bachelor party AND his wedding in nothin' at all!"
"Well, y-ya might not get the chance," Rotor diligently pointed out. "Antoine might make someone else his best man!"
"Like who? Sargeant Doberman?" Sonic scoffed, "Rote, who else is the best man for the best man job?"
"I dunno," Rotor coyly replied, "maybe me?"
Perhaps it was the woman's intuition, but Bunnie sensed an argument was coming and was relieved to see that they were almost at Sally's hut. "Fellas, fellas," she tactfully intervened. "It ain't Sugah-Twan's weddin', it's Sugah-Hog's, an' that's what we're discussin' now!"
"An' don't worry!" Uncle Chuck added, "This sort of behavior's perfectly normal! Nothing says a wedding like everyone arguing!"
"We're not arguin', Unc!" Sonic protested, "We're…"
"Here!" Bunnie finished the conversation, knocking on the door. "Sa-HAAAALLLLY!" she trilled. Sally opened the door. "Oh, there you all are!" she smiled. "Come in!"
The moment the quartet crossed the threshold, Sonic, Rotor and Uncle Chuck noticed the conspicuously closed curtain at the corner of the living room. Before either of them could ask, their host immediately got down to . "Bunnie and I have been going over whom we'll be inviting to the wedding," the princess told the assembled group.
"Ah was gonna ask Dulcy to the ceremony," Bunnie intervened, "but Sally said no. Ah couldn't understand why..."
"Yes, well," Sally went on. "Due to my status as future ruler of Mobius, the former Freedom Fighter leaders will naturally be in attendance. So, that means Lupe, Ari, Pollo, Dirk, Griff…"
"We ain't just gonna invite people we don't even know, are we?" the blue blur complained. "Aren't ya scared of Griff stealin' stuff?"
"No…" the chipmunk replied, making a mental note to ensure everything at the ceremony and reception was bolted down. "Sonic, believe me, I'd love to invite more friends of ours, but aside from the people of Knothole, I don't know who else you want to attend! We're still trying to see who can attend my bachelorette night!"
At this, Bunnie cleared her throat, getting everyone's attention. "Well, Sally-Girl, ah took ma own initiative an' thought ah'd invite the flower girls to your soirée!" She announced, crossing to the closed curtain. "Gentlemen, say hello to lil' Amy Rose and Cream the Rabbit!" Pulling the curtain aside, everyone beheld a pink hedgehog wearing a yellow tank top and a green skirt. Next to her stood a beige colored rabbit kitten wearing an orange dress.
"Hiya!" the magenta rodent greeted in an overly bubbly tone. "Cream…!"
"Hewwo…" Cream added with a shy little wave.
"AMY?!" Sonic looked aghast, "Ohhh, noooooo…"
"Ooooooh!" Sally on the other hand squealed, forgetting who she was in the company of. "They're so cute!" Her cheeks were as pink as Amy's fur upon seeing everyone else's visages of mingled amusement and scorn.
"Told y'all you'd love 'em, Sally-Girl! They're as cute as two pups an' twice as sweet!" Bunnie giggled, ruffling Cream's head fur.
"And the best part is that we can get away with anything!" Amy smirked. "Like, for instance, Cream broke your hairdryer, Bunnie!"
"SHE WHAT?!"
"Yes," Cream looked at her feet. "And I'm sowwy…"
"Awww, that's okay!" Bunnie cooed, playfully curling the younger lapine's ears.
"Wait, how come I'm never let off the hook when I do that?!" the indignant streak demanded, throwing his arms out.
"'Cause y'ain't as adorable as little Amy! An' especially not Cream!" the southern belle retorted. "An' ah don't take this the wrong way, Sonic, but ah can't see y'all scatterin' rose petals down the path to the altar!"
"Well, Amy's always been a thorn in my side, speaking of roses," Sonic smirked playfully.
"Oh, c'mon, sugah-hog," Bunnie responded with an unamused frown on her face. "Yah shouldn't talk about Amy that way. If she heard you say that, she'd pound yah like a quartah-poundah. Besides, ah think she'd make a great flower girl. She's got the perfect surname."
"And Cream would definitely make people go awww, seeing her as a cute little flower girl," Uncle Chuck hooted with delight.
"They certainly are…cute," Sally agreed. "But can they really come with us tonight? I assume we'll be…" she leaned over to whisper in Bunnie's floppy ear, "…doing things unbefitting a princess"
An awkward smirk crossed Bunnie's face. "Well, uh, we'll still be partyin', but lil' Cheese is bein' chaperonied by her momma, Vanilla"
"Vanilla? Cream?" Sonic observed with a scoff. "These two rabbits, or a sundae?"
"Yes," Sally agreed. "They do have silly names, don't they, SONIC?"
"Ouch!" Sonic rubbed his forearm as if he'd been punched there. His fiancée was just as good at quick wit as him. He glared with false indignation at everyone else's quiet sniggering.
"Well," the chipmunk concluded, "that'll be all for now! You're all free to go!" Upon her dismissal, Sonic zipped out before anyone could bat an eyelid, whilst Rotor and Uncle Chuck followed at a comparatively slower pace. "C'mon, Cream!" Amy chirped, "we gotta get ready for tonight! We'll use your mom's shampoo when she's not lookin'!"
In a matter of seconds, Sally and Bunnie were alone. "Uh, Sal," the bionic lapine spoke nonchalantly, tapping her shoulder. "Did Tails say sorry after what he had done?"
"No," The princess shook her head. "He hasn't yet."
"No?" Bunnie was surprised. "Maybe ah should…"
"No, Bunnie," the chipmunk quickly cut in. "Let him apologize on his own"
Bunnie nodded, but her expression betrayed what she really felt. Upon seeing this, a sudden impulse ordered the princess to look away, and she unconsciously complied. She wanted to go to Tails' hut and demand an explanation right now. She was his mother, she would understand. Why didn't he trust her?!
"Listen, Bunnie, let's not worry about Tails for tonight," Sally willed herself to face her maid of honor. "We've got a last night of freedom to prepare for, have we not?"
At hearing this, Bunnie forgot to be concerned. "Hoo-ee, now yer talkin', Sally-Girl!" She linked an enthusiastic arm around the princess's and led her out of the hut. "C'mon! I'll see what settin's Ro-Becca has for royal doos!"
For the rest of the day, Knothole was fairly quiet, until that evening, when…
"AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHH! STUPID THING!"
The window of Sonic's hut flew ajar, and a red necktie sailed out onto the dusty ground. Seconds later, the front door crashed open so hard, it nearly came off its hinges, and a peeved blue hedgehog stormed out, clad in a creased black tux. "We're just wearing our normal stuff at the wedding!" he bellowed for all to hear. "Not only do I feel like a dork in this monkey suit, but I can't get that stupid red string to tie!"
"Oh, no you don't, Sonny-Boy!" Uncle Chuck's stern voice forced him to back down. He looked up to see Rotor, Antoine, Tails and his relative coming towards him, almost unrecognizable in their formal attire (with pants, even!). The blue groom was unsure whether to be embarrassed or irritated that even young Tails had mastered the art of formal wear.
"But, UUUUUNNNNC!" Sonic wailed piteously.
"I don't wanna hear it," Uncle Chuck picked up the carelessly discarded necktie, dusted it off and handed it to his nephew. "You're going to be the prince of Mobius, what sort of an example is that to show?!"
"Prince, schmince," Sonic scoffed, waving the garment around. "It's 'cos of me that Eggy's gone for good! I've saved enough towns and villages from SWAT Bots ta fill a novel, why would anyone change their mind about me 'cos I don't wanna dress like a penguin?!"
"Because vous weell no longair be on ze field ov battle aftair Mobotropolees eez rebuilded!" Antoine cut in. "Vous weell be ruling us all alongside Preencess Sally, et thank Aurora she weell be zere to keep vous in check! Vous can no longair depend on your re-potato vous 'ad while Robotneek was een powair. Your life weell change as vous know eet, as well as your obligations!"
"Obligations like what? Bossing people around like I'm better than everyone else on Mobius?" Sonic remarked. "I had my fair share of being treated like I'm not good enough for either of the members of the royal family. I'm not gonna be a jerk like them. That's not my speed." He folded his arms after saying his peace.
"Sonny Boy, you're misunderstandin'," Uncle Chuck began after a short silence. "We're not telling you that you need to completely change your personality after you're married, but you need to learn some responsibility and…"
"That's another thing." Sonic butted in. "I know just because you're a prince or a princess doesn't mean ya can do whatever the heck ya want, but why does nobody think I know about responsibility? I saw Sally wigging out a few times whenever Ro-BUTT-nik caused havoc to all of Mobius. The closest thing I freaked out like her over was when I received a ridiculous bill from all those chilidogs I've ate-"
"Which you keep putting on your tab," Uncle Chuck piped in. The others giggled, which made Sonic's face redden.
"But that isn't it" the young hedgehog persisted. "I saved a village not far from here and everyone there showered me with fines for all the damage I caused to their property. It's not my fault I'm too fast for everyone's things to get caught by the force of my speed."
"Zere were signs all over the village, Sawn-neek," Antoine lectured, shaking his finger. "To go less zan cinq miles per hour as eef zere were children in ze prem-meeses. You aw-vee-ously failed to take notice and zat is why everyone was angry at you."
"The point is," Sonic continued, feeling more flustered by the ramifications of his own actions. "Compared to me, being a prince sounds worse than being slammed with a fine so many times. It's no wonder Sal acts like she's on a national debt that can't be easily fulfilled. I may have the best speed and good looks, but I don't know if I can handle such a burden."
"Sonic, we're not sayin' yer gonna be better than us," Uncle Chuck persisted, ignoring a snort from Antoine, "but ya hafta at least put an effort into your appearance, for Sally's sake!"
"All Sal wears is a blue vest and boots," Sonic retorted. "Will she be wearing dresses and stuff like that after we're hitched? I bet she doesn't know how ta tie a tie! Not even NICOLE could show her that!"
To his surprise, Tails stepped forward, took the tie from his gloved hands…and tied it into a perfect knot around his collar! "Sally showed me that," the fox commented quietly before retreating to stand with Rotor. All of a sudden, everyone's attention turned from Sonic to him.
"Sally? Why d'ya call her that, Tails?" Uncle Chuck was well aware of how dumb that question sounded, but it was so jarring to hear the cub of all Mobians refer to Sally by her name.
"That's what her name is, isn't it?" Tails simply answered. However, that wasn't enough for the elderly uncle. "But didn't you used to refer to her as Aunt Sally or your mother?" "I'm growing up, Chuck," The fox replied. "I'm not a baby anymore. But that doesn't mean I don't love Sally the same way as I used to anymore. I just... matured a bit more."
Sonic, Antoine and Rotor were surprised. Nobody, at least nobody they knew, ever referred to Uncle Chuck as just…Chuck! The old uncle seemed as identically shocked, and an awkward silence washed over the bachelor party like icy water.
"I-It's like Ant said," If the silence was like frigid water, then Tails' confidence was like hot water leaking rapidly from a sieve. "Everything's changing, isn't it? I'm growing up, so things'll change with me, just like they will with Sonic and Sally!"
"It's Aunt Sally, or Mom, to you!" came the surprisingly blunt reply. "You may be growing up, Tails, but respecting your elders should never go away!"
Rotor was wondering just what on Mobius had gotten into everybody over the past few days, but as best man, he wasn't going to allow conflict at the bachelor party. In a rare act of confidence, he interposed himself between everybody. "Sonic, Tails, everyone, c'mon," he pacified. "This is supposed to be a happy occasion. Let's leave the arguing for another day and just enjoy ourselves. Besides, if we stand around any longer, we'll miss the Hover Sled to Lower Mobius!"
At this, the congregation looked at their watches, balked, and began to hurry to the station on the outskirts of the Great Forest. "Hey, it don't matter if we miss it!" Sonic scoffed, striding nonchalantly behind. "There's five every hour, an' I can just run us all there. Course, I'd hafta make a few trips…"
"Non!" Antoine snapped. "Vous are not muddyeeng zat suit!"
Shortly after Robotropolis had been stormed, and the Roboticiser had been brought to Knothole, one of the first things each Freedom Fighter group had agreed on was making access to each other easier. Lower Mobius, being the closest to Knothole in comparison, was the first colony on the planet to start this. Scrap metal was used to build several different Hover Sleds as a form of transport. As a result, it wasn't uncommon to see complete strangers in Knothole, Lower Mobius, the Great Unknown or any part of the world. Especially since there was no longer any fear of being caught by Robotnik.
What Sonic's bachelor party didn't know was that Sally's bachelorette party had set off before them. While the ladies hadn't been as heated as the men, they certainly weren't less awkward!
"Wock…wock…wock…stawagmite" Cream, in her adorable tangerine colored dress, had her muzzle pressed to the window of the Hover Sled, watching everything slide past her en route to their destination.
"Uh-uh, Cream, that's a stalactite!" Amy corrected her, living up to her surname in her red sequined dress. "Oh, wight, a stick-tight" Cream agreed. "Wock…Wock…Wock…"
"At least the girls are enjoying themselves…" Sally thought to herself, smiling uncomfortably at the elder female rabbit: Cream's mother Vanilla. Her daughter was her spitting image, and though she had a kindly face, Vanilla seemed to have an underlying level of strictness in her demeanor. Sally kept feeling the urge to adjust her hot pink gown, as if Vanilla was judging it.
"So, Sally-Girl," If Bunnie was aware of her stiff upper-lipped elder, she certainly did a commendable job of acting like she wasn't there. "Ah took the ol' liberty 'o' writin' down the agenda of yer royal bachelorette party! Ah been takin' a few trips t'Lower Mobius since we got rid 'o' Botnik so ah know every bar we can go to, like…"
"Well, I certainly hope these bars have a children's play area," Vanilla interrupted.
"Weeeelllll…" the southern belle began, her ears twitching as she tried to remember if at least one rendezvous at their destination was child friendly.
As Bunnie soon found that it was her turn to feel awkward and uncomfortable around the elder rabbit matriarch, Sally turned her attention back to Amy and Cream, who were still facing the window, looking out into the cavern they were zooming through.
"Amy, is that a stick-tight?" the little rabbit asked, pointing at something they'd already passed.
"No, Cream, that was a rock covered in moss," her pink companion corrected her.
"Oh. Amy?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you my mommy?"
"Cream, your mom's comin' with us to Princess Sally's wedding party!"
"Oh…" There was a short pause before Cream spoke up again. "Are you my auntie?"
All of a sudden, Sally felt warm inside. Amy and Cream almost seemed to disappear and be replaced by a younger version of herself and her son as a kit…
A 10 year old chipmunk princess carried a 3 year old fox kit out of Rosie's hut and into the village square.
"It's too nice a day to spend indoors, Miles," Sally knew the toddler in her arms wouldn't be able to speak back clearly, but Rosie had told her that talking to him was good for his development. The cub was too young to play with the older boys like Sonic, Rotor and Antoine, and Bunnie, while she was sweeter than sugar, couldn't resist using little Miles as someone to practice her hairdressing techniques on.
Perhaps it was her ego talking, but Sally thought that Miles felt comfortable around her. He always stopped crying when she was there, or held him. She'd always chalked it up to the fact that she'd found him as a baby in the Great Swamp. She must have been one of the first people he'd seen, next to his mother, wherever she was.
As Miles' unseen mother burrowed her way into the young chipmunk's thoughts, she lost her smile. Was the vixen still alive? Had she been roboticised like so many other Mobians? In a way, Sally hoped that Miles' mother was either deceased or a robot slave. She would never wish death or roboticisation on anyone, but if that was why she'd found Miles alone in the Great Swamp, that was a good enough reason to leave a vulnerable baby.
But what if she was still alive and looking for her boy? At this, Sally looked down at Miles in her arms and, as if their minds were linked, he looked up at her, his eyes filled with love. If his mother did find him, then they would have to say goodbye. It wouldn't be right to keep someone else's child. Then again…was she really Miles' mother? I mean, she had given birth to him, but she was never around for him.
It had been her, Sally Acorn, who had found Miles, brought him back to Knothole and had helped raise… Sally shook her head. Why was she having these thoughts? Why was she trying to claim custody of a toddler who wasn't even her species? She was 10 years old! Way too young for these sorts of subjects!
And then she stopped to think. She was 10 years old, it was true, but she had lost her home, her title and her father to a cruel dictator. Everyone had lost someone or something to that evil man, not just her.
The fox cub in her arms had had the misfortune of being born into a world where he wouldn't know his parents. He would never experience a carefree childhood the way she had. …Or would he?
"Ma…Ma!" Sally was snapped out of her reverie by a small voice below her. "Maaaa!"
She looked down to see the cub reaching upwards for her. She saw those arms desperate to be wrapped around her. Those longing eyes full of love and that adorable little smile that was just for her. It seemed like he had already decided who his mother was going to be.
Feeling warm inside, and tears suddenly threatening to show, Sally lifted little Miles up to look him in the eyes.
"You see the green trees, and the blue sky?" she told him. "This is your home. Me and my friends are gonna make sure that you grow up into a safe world. And I promise that you'll never be in any danger. I'll be your mommy and I'll always love you…little Miles"
"Where'd my little cub go?" Sally sighed inwardly, as her reminiscing daydream dissipated, Amy and Cream returning to her peripheral vision. For some reason, they were moving away from the window…and why had the Hover Sled stopped moving?
"Whadda y'all waitin' for, Lil' Miss Bride-ta-be?!" Bunnie's exuberant squeal jarred her back to reality. "Let's make yer last night 'o' freedom somethin' to remember!" Sally allowed herself to be marched out of their transport and decided to take her mind off Tails for the time being. Their destination did a first rate job of doing just that!
Although she had visited Lower Mobius many times, especially for meetings with Griff on connecting the city to Knothole, she had never once visited for pleasure. To say that the city was beginning to thrive with no Robotnik was the understatement of the century. Lights of many colors shone and twinkled. Different kinds of music could be heard in all directions. Citizens young and old, large and small, were milling around the streets in all directions: entering clubs and restaurants, enjoying the view. It was as if every day was Mobius Day down here!
"Oh, my gosh…" the princess gasped. "It's all so beautiful!"
"Aha, but not as beautiful as you, the Royal Bride and eventual Queen of Mobius!" a smarmy, overzealous voice drawled. From seemingly out of nowhere came Wes Weasley, strutting his way over to the party. Amy looked puzzled and Cream hid behind Vanilla. Sally rolled her eyes and Bunnie's organic paw balled into a fist. "But at this moment in time, your majesty, you're just beautiful. But I know exactly how to make you stunning AND gorgeous!" Without any further prompting, the slippery salesman reached into his plaid waistcoat. Vanilla covered Cream's eyes with a scandalized look!
"A crown that would look just PERFECT on your noble brow as you step down the aisle on the blessed day!" Wes declared, pulling out a ruby encrusted crown and held it before the shocked chipmunk.
"Mah stars!" Bunnie forgot to be irritated, her emerald eyes glistening from the reflection the jewels gave off. "It's so beautiful!"
"It suuuure is!" Wes felt a complacent grin sneak across his muzzle. "Straight from the collection of ol' King Max him…self…?" Victory gave way to puzzlement as his bespectacled eyes flicked up to his customer and noticed her face contort into a snarl. "Ummmm… is there something in my teeth?"
"Where did you get this?!" Sally's demand made Amy and Cream shut their eyes. Vanilla's countenance had hardened too as she recognised the crown. Wes shrank back in shock and a little bit of fear.
"W-Well, I…" he heard himself stammering. "I was, uh, was in Castle Acorn when the coup happened, and when the SWAT Bots were rounding up all the subjects, I made sure to preserve the royal history by rescuing the crown and th-then returning it when Robotnik got what was coming to him…"
"Why, you little rat! Ah oughta…" Bunnie clenched her metallic fist this time.
"Okay, firstly, madam, I'm a weasel, an entirely different species," Wes corrected her as if his life wasn't in danger. "And secondly, I'm frankly offended that you believe this artifact was dishonestly acquired! I'm the most trustworthy salesman on Mobius and…"
"You openly admitted that you TOOK IT!" Sally snapped, fire dancing in her eyes. "Not only did you steal a royal object, you stole from my FATHER!"
"I didn't take it, I saved it from the clutches of Robotnik! I was gonna give it back as soon as he was defeated!"
"But Robotnik has been gone for over a year," Vanilla coolly pointed out. "Why did you wait so long to return it to the princess?"
"It's a wedding gift!" Wes was both blessing and cursing his innate improvisation. "As soon as I heard the news, I knew it was perfect for your big day! Absolutely free! It's the least I can do for the royal couple!"
Sally looked at him for a moment before a dissonantly sweet smile appeared. "Well, Mr Weasley, I suppose I must thank you for returning my family heirloom and for confessing to its theft," she told the baffled Wes. Sensing he was about to correct her, she went on. "Your honesty is commendable, but you still committed a crime, so…"
"Banishment to the Great Unknown? A merciful penalty, your highness!" Wes interrupted, sweat flowing down his face like a waterfall. "I can still get by there, there are plenty of gullible Wolf Pack members I can sell toasters to!"
"No. Execution." These two words rang in the air. Bunnie, Vanilla, Amy and Cream were aghast at the thought and the fact that it had been Sally who had said it!
"E-E-Exec-c-cution?!" Wes felt his throat go dry, his legs grow weak. Everything was going dark…
THUMP!
He lay on the ground, his face pale. Sally bent and wrenched the crown from his paws. She placed it neatly on her head. "Suits me, doesn't it?" She smirked at her bachelorette party.
"Sally-Girl," Bunnie was lost for words. "You'd really kill…"
"Oh, of course not, Bunnie!" Sally scoffed. "Daddy used to threaten people he didn't like with it whenever they annoyed him"
"A disgusting abuse of power, if you ask me…" Vanilla muttered audibly. Sally pretended not to hear. "Well, it's got him out of our hair! Now we can enjoy our party in peace!" she announced.
Bunnie breathed a sigh of relief and linked arms with her sister. "That's jus' what I wanna hear! C'mon, gal pals, the night is young!"
With that, they set off into the city, Vanilla dragging Amy by the hand upon seeing her give Wes' prone body a good kick.
"WOOOOOO-HOOOOOO!" Sonic paraded through the city streets, reveling in passers-by turning their heads and then proceeding to point and whisper at him. "It's me, the dude with the 'tude! The Fastest Thing Alive, here to rock your night!"
"And 'e eez going to rule ovair us aftair ce soir…?" Antoine groaned audibly, pinching the bridge of his snout. "Look at heem, boasteeng et swaggaireeng like some fuel!"
"That sounds like the kettle calling the pot black to me, Antoine," Uncle Chuck laughed, applying a good natured pat to the complaining coyote's back. "Let him have his fun! Everything's gonna change for him after he says 'I do'!"
While Antoine was puzzled about what kettles and pots had to do with Sonic, Tails lagged behind. His eyes darted in all directions, taking in the various new sights. Lower Mobius was beautiful, but also intimidating. It wasn't Robotropolis, where there was danger of death at every turn, but it was equally large. Everything looked friendly and inviting, but something told him that this wasn't a place to get lost in alone… In fact, if Sally had been there with him, she'd have insisted that he hold her paw and not leave her sight.
The two-tailed fox shook his head. He was all grown up, what was he worrying about getting lost for? He'd already decided he was starting out on his own after the wedding. If he got cold feet now, he'd back out on everything. Then again, if he didn't leave, Sally would. Antoine said so himself, she wouldn't be around anymore after she married Sonic.
"Look at it this way," that nasty voice returned with a vengeance. "Nothing lasts forever. Robotnik didn't last forever, the Freedom Fighters won't last forever and Sally won't last forever. You'll have to go, because she'll forget all about you the moment she sits down on the throne in Castle Acorn!"
Tails felt a bitter taste in his mouth from the sour grapes he was mentally eating. Sally had always told him that they were family: not just the two of them, but the Freedom Fighters as a whole. Family was permanent. Family stuck together. But they'd only become family due to circumstance. What if Robotnik never took over? Would Sally have still been his mom? Would he be living in a completely different part of Mobius with his real mom and dad, Sally not even knowing he existed?
Well, fate had chosen that Robotnik would take over, that he would be left in the Great Swamp as a baby and Sally would find him. Now fate had decided that Sonic would marry Sally, they would live a fairytale life and he would ultimately be left to fend for himself.
"I need a drink," he said aloud. He had no idea why, but he'd heard Uncle Chuck say it after every failed attempt to build the De-Roboticiser. Drinking must make things better. After all, the older hedgehog had certainly been more cheerful after having one.
"So do I, Tails, m'boy!" The hedgehog in question had heard his musing. "Rotor, what's the first stop for the men?"
"Right over there, Uncle Chuck!" The best man proudly declared, waving a blubbery arm at a nice looking tavern called The Broken Badnik.
Even when he was walking, to avoid getting his tux dirty, Sonic was still faster than all of them combined. The blue blur pushed the door of the bar wide open with a bang, causing the patrons inside to stop and look at him. "Yo! This is Sonic Hedgehog," he announced. "Fastest Thing Alive, kicker of Ro-butt-nik and Royal Groom! Me an' my former Freedom Fighters are here to party! So, pour out the drinks and don't spare the horses!"
"Oh, VERY FUNNY!" The stallion bartender grunted, slamming a mug he'd been wiping onto the counter. Sonic ignored the somewhat frosty reception to his entrance and zipped over to the bar. "'Sup, dude," he smirked. "Hedgehog Bachelor Party, there's five of us, gimme the best ya got!"
"That'll be 40 Mobiums," the stallion snorted, turning his back on the outraged hedgehog.
"Say what?" Sonic demanded.
"Y'heard me"
"Doncha know who I am?!" the blue streak asked incredulously. "I'm a prince-to-be here! Even then, I saved Mobius! I'm the reason you ain't livin' in fear of those rat bots! For that alone, I shouldn't have ta pay for anythin'!"
"Glad to see it hasn't gone to your head" the stallion was unmoved, dumping five mugs of Lower Mobian beer before his angry customer. "40 Mobiums or get outta here"
"Here ya go, sir, sorry sir," Rotor appeared beside the fuming Sonic and meekly offered the unimpressed equine the amount he had asked.
"Any more cracks like that, and you're all barred!" the stallion shouted after the pair as they carried the drinks to where Tails, Antoine and Uncle Chuck were waiting. "Y-Yes, sir, sorry, sir!" Rotor called over his shoulder.
"Rote, stop embarrassing yourself," Sonic looked disgusted at the walrus' lapdog behavior. "When I become prince 'o' Mobius, I'll shut this place down…"
"Ohhh, no, you won't!" Rotor snapped. "I've always wanted to go here, you're not gonna blow it for me! And besides, didn't you say that bein' royalty wouldn't make you a jerk?"
Sonic, nonplussed, was about to ask what was so important to the walrus about this dump when he noticed the interior decorations. The walls were adorned with the parts, interior and exterior, of broken up SWAT Bots. The shell of a Buzzbomber was hanging from the ceiling and there was a voice box which weakly croaked "Hedgehog: Priority One" every time a button on top of it was pressed.
"Well, it's technically a museum about me," he thought, sitting down with the rest of the group. Antoine sniffed at his drink. "Not vat ah had een mind, boot eet weell do," he commented. "We'll all have some champagne later, Antoine," Uncle Chuck intervened. "Right now, we all gotta do the Hedgehog family tradition! The first one ta down their whole beer is the winner!"
"Vat'z ze prize?" The suddenly keen coyote quizzed. "We never had one. Matter 'o' fact, this is the second time I've done the tradition. The first time was with yer pop, Sonny-Boy!"
"Really? Well, if Dad was anythin' like ME, he'd've had his whole mug drained before ya put it to yer lips!" Sonic smirked, cracking his knuckles and putting an arm around his best man. "Rote, I've never had this stuff before, what's it taste like?" he murmured out of the corner of his mouth. "Yeah?" Rotor sweated, "Neither have I! I've only been drinkin' water ever since we got rid of Robotnik's pollution! Well, actually, I once had water with a lemon slice in it, maybe that's what beer tastes like!"
Tails was somewhat puzzled. Hadn't Uncle Chuck said that he wasn't allowed to drink? Hadn't he said that Sally would have gone ballistic if she found out? Shouldn't he point this out? Remind Uncle Chuck that he shouldn't be touching this beverage? "Don't say anything" the voice inside him snapped. "You're grown up. Sonic and the others were doing grown-up stuff when they shouldn't have been, and they were your age! Besides, drinking makes people happy, so maybe it'll cheer you up!"
So, ignoring all reason and logic that he should remind his peers that he was too young to drink, the twin-tailed teen said nothing. Everyone else was too busy with each other to notice him raise his glass with the rest of them.
"To your health, Sonic Hedgehog!" Uncle Chuck announced. "Let's see if the Fastest Thing Alive can polish a drink off as fast as he can run!"
With the clink of five mugs, the bachelors threw back their heads and let the golden brown liquid flow down their throats.
"ACK!" Sonic and Rotor choked, spitting the alcohol out in disgust. "OHH, MAN!" the groom spluttered, his eyes watering. "This stuff's grody! Think I'm gonna hurl!" If it were possible, his cobalt blue fur would turn sickly green.
Antoine and Uncle Chuck slammed their now empty glasses on the table. "We-he-hell!" the elderly hedgehog chortled at the sight of his nephew trying to take the taste of his drink away. "You were right, Sonny-Boy. You ARE just like your pop! He couldn't stomach the stuff either!" A triumphant smirk appeared on Antoine's face as he licked the frothy foam from his lips. "Amateur…"
Tails had the same reaction to this disgusting drink. Yet for some reason, he wanted more. He took another swig and shuddered, but there it was again. His taste buds were retching and begging him to stop, but his brain was demanding he consume more of it. For that matter, the world suddenly began to spin and undulate the more he drank. It felt like he had to hold onto the table or else he'd fall or float away.
Normally, these phenomenons would scare him, but this was far from the case! He felt happy: blissfully joyful. Beer made the world silly! He giggled at Rotor. He looked like he was in a hall of mirrors. The taxidermied Buzzbomber on the ceiling was swaying from side to side as if in a dream.
Tails tried to get up from his chair, and his legs gave out, sending him crashing to the floor. It hurt for a moment, but it didn't matter, he was in such a good mood! He felt like he was a cloud. …Hey, that was it! He was a cloud! Sally had always called him that! He didn't belong on the ground: he could hardly stand! He belonged in the sky! He loved the sky, it only made sense!
Twisting his tails a few times, he finally got them to spin and levitated clumsily into the air. He bumped into the side of the door as he flew out, and laughed loudly.
"Oooookay!" Sonic groaned, "Are there any alcoholic drinks that don't taste disgusting? They don't even hafta be alcohol, I'll be happy with soda or somethin'!"
"Water with a lemon slice for me" Rotor muttered, wishing he'd brought mouthwash.
"What kind of bachelor party is this, kiddo?" Uncle Chuck laughed. "Alright, I'll see if they have anything for you two lightweights. C'mon, Tails, you can help me bring 'em over!" But Tails didn't reply. "Tails?"
The four bachelors looked at each other, confusion giving way to panic. "Maybe he's in the bathroom?" Rotor's hopeful tone betrayed his real feelings.
One second, Sonic was with them, the next he was gone, the door to the men's room banging open and shut as if it was in a storm. A second later, he was back. "No, he's not!"
"Deed vous check eet thoroughlee?" Antoine asked. The hedgehog blinked. He disappeared, the men's room doors banged open and shut once more and he was back. "He definitely ain't there!"
"What's he doing, wanderin' off?" demanded a baffled Uncle Chuck. "He should know better, he…" His eyes fell upon the empty beer mug and the empty chair next to him. His blood ran cold as he noticed his own empty glass and Antoine's. "Please tell me this place serves soda in the same glass as beer…"
"WHAT? Big Guy drank that poison?!" Sonic was utterly dumbfounded, and perhaps a little jealous of this achievement. "Yes, he did!" Uncle Chuck was furious. "Why did you let him drink it in the first place?!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Sonic retorted, "You were right next to him, Unc, why didn't you stop him?!"
"FERMEZ LE BOUCHE!" Antoine abruptly shouted, silencing the party. "Eenstead ov fighteeng ovair who to blame, remembair zat young Tails eez lost, et drunk as a polecat! Vat eef ze preencess finds out about zis?!"
A deathly silence fell upon the table. "Ant's right," Sonic gulped, "we gotta find Big Guy!"
"And give him gallons of water!" Uncle Chuck agreed. "Rotor, you take Antoine and look in the south side, I'll look north! Sonny-Boy…"
"I'll scour the whole joint!" the blue streak finished, and was gone.
"Now, jus' y'all feast yer eyes on this, gals!" Bunnie showboated, holding a champagne bottle in her organic hand whilst plugging a metal finger into the cork. Before their astonished eyes, the finger spun around and the cyborg pulled it out of the bottle with a pop!
"Drink up, Sally-Girl!" she trilled, pouring a copious amount into the chipmunk bride's glass and then into her own. They had the whole bottle between the two of them: Vanilla was drinking a Mobian cappuccino while Amy drank a strawberry milkshake and Cream had carrot juice in her sippy cup.
The girls were seated at a table in a beautifully decorated high-class bar called Deep Power Stones. Sally was genuinely amazed at the resilience of the Mobians: they'd been able to bounce back from the reign of terror that had threatened to last a lifetime. She was also surprised at how this bar served beverages other than alcohol, and boiled it down to the fact that the owners had had to improvise.
That was when the thought came to the princess: in more ways than one, all these people working, in the shops, restaurants, this very bar, could very well have been Freedom Fighters. That was how they'd found a way to get by. It had only taken a year for them to recover. She'd thought it would take a decade!
That was when she realized. It was really happening. Mobotropolis could rise from the ashes sooner than she, or anyone else, had thought. She would rule over it. And Sonic would be by her side!
"Whoa-ho! Steady on there!" Bunnie was taken aback at how quickly the champagne disappeared down Sally's throat. "Don't use it all up so fast, it don't come cheap! …Actually, have all y'want! It's on the house!" The bionic belle cackled and poured Sally another glass. "Cheers, Sugah!" They tapped their glasses together and had a sip.
"When I gwow up," Cream commented. "I want to be a pwincess and dwink weawwy fast wike Sawwy"
"Don't worry, dear, I'll nip that in the bud" Vanilla commented. "It's a disgusting habit"
Bunnie rolled her eyes when she was absolutely sure the matriarch wasn't looking. "She's worse than Rosie," she whispered to her drinking buddy. "Ah've decided she ain't comin' t'mah weddin'..."
"Oh?" Sally raised an eyebrow. "Yep," Bunnie smirked, having some more of her drink. "Bein' maid of honor made me think about the day ah'd get hitched. 'Course, you'd be maid 'o' honor"
Sally was genuinely intrigued. "Any idea who your groom's gonna be?"
But Sally would never find out who Bunnie's groom would be that nightmare, for before she could reply, a horrible, deafening wail sounded out of nowhere. It echoed harshly against the walls of the enormous cavern which housed the city. "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" a chef pig squealed, sprinting out of his nearby restaurant. "ROBOTNIK'S BACK! SOMEONE'S SOUNDED THE ALARM!"
Everyone close by began to panic, running every which way to look like frightened hens. "'Botnik's back?" Bunnie demanded. "No, it ain't possible! HEY!" She bellowed at the fearful throng, "Quit causin' a ruckus! There's a bachelorette party in session here!"
"I…don't believe it…" Sally murmured, her ears pricking up and her tail tingling. "An' ya shouldn't, Sally-Girl! It's just some sick prank!" Bunnie agreed, glowering at the evacuating civilians.
"If it isn't," Amy added, brandishing her large mallet from under her skirt, "I'll smash that egg. If it is some joke, I'll smash whoever made it!" Her bravado instantly diminished upon seeing Vanilla's disapproving look.
"It's not an alarm…" the chipmunk felt her throat go dry, her head subconsciously turning upwards. "It's…"
"HOW SWEEEEEEET TO BE A CLOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUDDDDDD! FLLLOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAATTTTTTIIIIIINNNNNG IIIINNNN THE BLUUUUUUUUEEEE!"
"What's that? A banshee?" Amy demanded, nonplussed by Sally staring upwards as if she'd seen a ghost, "Sally, what's going on?! Sally?" When she couldn't get an answer, she turned to the maid of honor. "Bunnie, what's wrong with Sa…"
But Bunnie had followed Sally's gaze and was equally horrified by the sight. "TAILS?!"
High above the subterranean city, a little teenage fox hovered haphazardly, swaying from side to side and wailing a screech of a ditty. His rotor-like appendages would stop, and he would begin to sink, and then he'd start spinning them again. This was a highly precarious situation for him, yet he didn't seem to care.
"Honey!" Sally shouted. "Honey, come down!"
"HOW SWEEEEET TO BE A CLOOOOOUUUUUDD!" The ladies cringed at this howl. "Ya got some good pipes on ya, Sugah-Fox!" Bunnie yelled, holding her ears, "But this ain't funny! Get yer fluffy two-tailed butt down here b'fore ya get hurt!"
"That's the kid who follows Sonic around like a bad smell?" Amy commented snarkily. "Why would…?" but she trailed off at the uncharacteristically livid expression that the princess gave her.
"I'M THE OOOOONNNNLY CLOUD IN THE SKYYYYYYY!" Tails crooned loudly and sluggishly, "EVERYBODY'S BAILED ON MEEEEEEE!" He began to fly higher and higher until…
BAM! Everybody in the vicinity cringed at the sight of the two-tailed fox hitting his head against the rock ceiling. Sally thought she was going to die with how her heart stopped. Even from her position on the ground, she could see that the abrupt blow didn't just stun her cub: it had knocked him out.
"Amy!" Sally shrieked, frantically balancing on one foot as she ripped her high heels off. "Hold my shoes!"
"Wha-? Sal, how's that…?" But before the hare could even finish her baffled enquiry, Sally had shoved her footwear into Amy's paws and sprinted towards Bunnie, holding her skirt up.
"Throw me!" she demanded.
"Throw ya?!" Bunnie repeated, utterly baffled. "Sally-Girl, ya…"
"I don't care! Throw me!" Sally ordered. "It'll be too late for him to recover on his own! I can catch him!"
The rabbit felt the urge to argue, but she knew Sally was right. Tails was in danger, and desperate times called for desperate measures. "Okay, Sal," she took hold of the princess with her bionic arm. "But ah hope y'all know what yer doin'! Now, stand back, Amy, hon! Make sure lil' Cream is outta the way!"
Watching in mingled amazement and fear, the pink hedgehog witnessed the princess of Mobius get swung around, in an extremely undignified manner, by her maid of honor. Bunnie swung faster and faster until she and Sally became a multicolored tornado. The pink hedgehog also mused whether she should be inspired by what she was watching and her eyes flickered to the wide-eyed rabbit kitten beside her.
"Don't even think about it…" Vanilla suddenly stood between her and Cream. Amy pouted until…
"GO LONG!" Bunnie yelled, judging her moment and letting go of Sally just as she swung her into Tails' sights. The chipmunk shot into the air like a javelin, her arms outstretched to catch the tumbling fox, her pink gown billowing at the skirt.
"C'mon…c'mon!"
FLUMP!
The chipmunk and fox collided in mid-air, the former tightly clutching the latter to her. Relief washed over Sally: Tails was safe! …Or was he?
Her upward momentum halted the moment she'd hit her son…and now they were moving downwards. The chipmunk's eyes flicked in the direction they were falling. Lower Mobius now resembled a model village which was growing larger and larger. It was at this point that Sally realized that in prioritizing Tails' safety over her common sense, she'd potentially doomed them both.
Her mind raced. Being on missions as a Freedom Fighter had not been a part of her life for a whole year. Her cherry pink gown wasn't practical clothing for a rescue. Despite the urgency of their predicament, her mind returned to reading Tails the story about the brave plumbers. The princess in that book was able to use her dress like a parachute.
Her eyes lit up! That was it! She couldn't use her gown as a means to get airborne, but the kit in her arms…
"Tails!" she hissed, frantically shaking the unconscious teenager. "Tails, honey, wake up!"
"Ooooohhhhh…" his eyes fluttered open.
"That's it, honey, that's it, open your eyes!" Sally pleaded, her body chilling as she saw the buildings coming up fast. "We're falling!"
"Hiiiii, Saaaalllllyyyyy!" the tipsy Tails slurred. "Sure is windy out heeeerrre!"
The chipmunk got a whiff of his breath, whether she wanted to or not, and was horrified. He…he was drunk! That didn't matter now. They were both about to make a mess on the streets. Sally inwardly hoped that Bunnie would somehow gain the velocity of Sonic and catch them with her extendable arm, but it was now too late.
Shutting her eyes tightly, Sally hugged Tails to her, hoping that her own body would cushion the impact and he would at least survive.
"Goodbye, Mobius... Goodbye, Sonic... goodbye, my little cloud…"
"SALLY! TAILS! NOOOOOO!"
Abruptly, something crashed into the pair, sending them sideways. Sally's eyes snapped open. She found herself in Sonic's arms, and they were sailing safely down towards a building.
"SONIC?"
Sonic flashed her a brief look of concern before bending his knees to focus on his landing. Sally felt a harsh jolt as the hedgehog's sneakers made contact with the flat roof, and Tails' head bobbled violently. They were safe.
The princess felt herself and the unconscious kit rise and fall in time to her fiancé's shallow breathing. "Are…" Sonic gasped breathlessly. "Are you alright?"
"Oh, Sonic!" Sally's eyes welled up with tears and she leaned forward to kiss him on the lips. Usually, Sonic would have loved this public display of affection, but no smile crossed his face. "Is…is Big Guy okay?"
"He's…" Sally trailed off. She was about to question what Sonic and Tails were doing in Lower Mobius, but judging by their tuxedos, they were having their bachelor party. Which meant that…that… Sonic almost fell as his future wife forcibly relinquished her grip and climbed roughly out of his arms. "Sonic Hedgehog," she whispered. "How did Miles end up in this state?"
"Sal, I swear! I wouldn't let him touch that stuff! He must've taken a swig when me and the gang weren't looking!"
"How do you expect to be a responsible parent when you let this happen?!"
"Sal!" Sonic wasn't expecting to be accused of being a bad parent! He didn't know Sally was that prepared for marriage!
"Awww, shut your mouth, Sally!" the fox interjected. "It wasn't Sonic's fault, it was mine! Yeah, that's it!" Tails chuckled drunkenly. "It was…it was…!" But he suddenly stopped, clamping his mouth shut with his cheeks distending.
"Oh, no…" Sally whispered. "Sonic, find something for him to be sick in!"
But it was too late! "UUUUUURRRRRRRPPP!"
"MILES!" Sally was relieved that Tails wasn't ill but so outraged at that vulgar display, she forgot her charge was intoxicated.
"At least it didn't come out the back door!" Tails responded defensively, wrenching himself free from her arms. "Which is why you never eat chili dogs! I know! Sonic told me they play havoc with your stomach!"
"MILES!" Sally went red. Thank Aurora they were on this rooftop and there were no other Mobians around to hear that embarrassing problem. Tails ignored this indignation to take a good look at her: there she was, looking down on him in her pink gown and her fancy jewel encrusted crown. She was getting into her new role already, and it sickened him.
"Ya wanted to know what's the matter with me?" the foxy teen mumbled. "Well, I'll tell ya! Both 'o' ya! So, the other night, I had a weird-o dream where everyone left me alone and 'Twan tried to slice me in half! And YOU," he aimed an accusatory finger at his baffled fake mom, "told me that you were only my momma while we were fighting Buttnik! You'll have a kingdom to run, won't ya? And then you told me to go away because there was no room for me in yer life no more!"
"Oh, Miles…" Sally whispered, crossing to hug her teary eyed boy. Her heart began to break when he stumbled back.
"An' y'know what? My dream was right! You didn't want me? Well, now I don't want you!"
"T2, you don't seriously think..." Sonic tried to intervene.
"Shut up, Sonic! You're not my brother! She ain't my mom!"
Both hedgehog and chipmunk were shocked to hear such awful words. Not only that, they were crushed at being told that Tails lied to them this whole time. The fact he had this particular dream and he told them a different story; this explained why he hadn't been himself lately the past few weeks.
"So that's it…" Sally thought to herself. "Miles, you're drunk," she told the angry cub as calmly as she could. "What you're saying is nonsense, you don't mean…"
"Yes, I do mean it!" He cut her off. "Is your butt vibrating again? 'Cos I'm not in any trouble! Maybe you have gas!"
That did it. To say she wasn't his mom was one thing, but to insinuate her instincts were wrong…
"Miles Prower, I have raised you since I found you in the Great Swamp," her voice quavered. "I have been your caretaker. Your momma. I know you better than you know yourself. When you went out and broke your tails, it was my own tail that alerted me to your distress! Not to mention when you used that silly flying machine when I told you not to and ran away after you were rightfully disciplined! Don't you dare suggest that my instinct is wrong, because it isn't!"
Sonic stood there, watching all of Sally's emotions come out like water after the dam exploded. He had one hand over his mouth and his ears drooped.
Tails went silent. His mouth gaped. "I…I get it…" now his own voice was breaking. "I'm nothin' but a burden to you!"
"What? No!" Sally felt her stomach drop at such a notion. Her own little boy, a burden? It was unthinkable, it wasn't true, it…
"I'm just another Baby-T!" Tails continued. "Someone you can keep during the war
and then dump when everything's alright again!"
"You don't mean that…" the chipmunk felt like she'd been slapped. "At Bunnie's, you were talking about how you didn't want me to leave…"
"Things change," the kit turned away. "But don't worry. Once you and Sonic live happily ever after, you'll forget all about me"
"Forget about you? That's impossible, Big Guy!" Sonic tried vainly to regain control of this deteriorating situation, zipping over to face his little brother. This wasn't what Tails really thought. Sally was right, it was just the beer in his system. "You an' me, we're Bros! We're…"
"We were only Bros in Knothole, Sonic!" the furious fox spat. "Every other time, you'd ditch me to go off with her! When you made me a Freedom Fighter, you left me alone to go on missions! It's been like that from the start! You left me behind then, you're gonna leave me behind now. We…we may as well get started on saying goodbye!"
"Miles…Cloud!" Sally felt it, the tears fogging her vision. "How can you say these terrible things?!" Through her sorrow, her tail began to tingle. Whatever was going on, what her cub was saying wasn't true. She just knew it. But his words were breaking her heart.
Sonic felt torn whether to comfort his fiancé or continue to talk sense into his bro.
"What're you gonna do about it, Prin…cess?!" Tails abruptly felt dizzy, sickly…completely out of nowhere. This beer was weird. One moment he felt happy, then he felt angry. Now… he… felt…sleepy…
His vision faded, he felt himself falling forwards, saw Sally's look of anguish as she rushed towards him. He remembered no more after that.
"HONEY!"
