Note: Again, thanks to Pybro2 for the beta-read

December 28,2023 update: See Ending notes.

Sonic had returned to Tangle's home. After closing the door upon return, was then asked by Tangle, "So, how did it go?"

Sonic glared, "Not well, Whisper thinks you're infatuated with me. What made you think sending me on your date was a good idea?!"

Tangle grimaced, "I forgot and didn't realize it was a date." She started crying, "I couldn't ruin our friendship. I didn't know what to do Sonic."

Sonic sighed, Seeing myself cry is so surreal. He then dialed it back and put a hand on Tangle's shoulder, "Look, it went better than I expected, I see why you two are friends. I never should have been on that date, but maybe she'll forgive us. Let's try calling her."

Tangle, nodded, trying to find a phone before remembering, "Dang it, I forgot your phone at Tails' place."

Sonic frowned, "And I broke yours. Guess that's out…"

Tangle then sighed, "We'll have to see her later..." Tangle badly wanted to change the topic, "Want to go out to the forest one last time before it gets too dark?"

Sonic sighed then agreed, "That sounds fun! Let's do it!"

And so the swapped duo ran back out to the forest.

Amy had been determined to get to Spiral Hill ever since seeing Whisper crying. She might not be quite up to Sonic's Speed, but she could be plenty fast when the time called for it. And she definitely had thoughts about this, Sonic and Tangle had better have a good explanation for this!

Amy arrived at Spiral Hill, remembering the location of Tangle's home from her phone. Upon arrival she knocked on the door. There was no answer. Guess they're not here right now. Better go see Jewel then.

Amy then found her way to Jewel's place and rang the door. A very tired Jewel answered, "Can't I get some rest?...Oh, Amy. What brings you here?"

Amy explained, "Whisper was crying, Cream told me that Sonic was going to 'Hang out with Tangle', and I tried visiting but they were gone. Do you know what's going on?"

Jewel's expression was a combination of horror and concern, "That Sonic came by is news to me. Come in."

Amy asked after taking a seat, "Have you noticed anything off with Tangle?"

Jewel thought about it, "She literally crashed here earlier."

Amy then said, "That does sound odd."

Jewel countered, "Hardly the first time. The strange part was hitting a chair with her tail."

Amy raised an eyebrow, "That tail is huge. What's weird about that?"

Jewel insisted, "It happened a lot when we were younger, sure. But, it hasn't happened in years."

Amy tilted her head, "Is that what made you angry?"

Jewel then told Amy, "No. Whisper was planning a dinner with Tangle, but Tangle got sidetracked going into the forest all day."

Amy then corrected, "Whisper said Tangle did go on the date, but Sonic was at her house and she seemed more interested in him."

Jewel spent time thinking about it, "Hmmmm…Sonic does remind me a lot of Tangle at times. Still, I can't see her making Whisper cry."

Amy thought about it too, "Sonic wouldn't get between her and Whisper either. Something's up and we need to find out."

Jewel nodded, "Then we're in agreement."

Amy stood up, "We'll go wait outside Tangle's house."

Sonic and Tangle were in the forest, swinging and running respectively, Tangle then asked, "Sonic, can I stay here tonight?"

Sonic had a concerned look, "You know that'll raise more questions, right?"

Tangle insisted, "It's my home and I don't feel like hitting more trees today. Where do you usually sleep?"

Sonic reluctantly accepted it, "Touché, it's your house...Should we swap back first thing tomorrow?"

Tangle shook her head, "What's the rush? And…I still want to fully test your speed. Let's keep it our little secret."

Sonic thought about it, Haven't seen Eggman or any other villains lately... Sonic nodded, "Agreed. Shake on it?" Extending an arm.

Tangle reached out, "I'd shake with the tail. I could teach you about that. My tail's end is kind of like a hand."

Sonic folded arms with a grin and made a peace sign with the tail, "You think I don't know that?"

Tangle was stunned, "Wow, I'm impressed."

Sonic pointed out, "You shook my hand with it, remember? Good thing I wear gloves 'cause there's no way this thing is sanitary."

Tangle teased back, "Like mr. 'I hate water' knows anything about that."

Sonic counter-teased, "Wow, rude. I just shower at Tail's place. How often do you shower? I'm sure this tail's a nightmare to clean…"

Tangle sheepishly admitted, "...Not enough. But if you know that, why haven't you done it more?"

Sonic shrugged, "Why have you struggled with my speed?"

Tangle then said, "True. Pound it." As Sonic moved an arm, Tangle requested, "How 'bout with the tail." To which Sonic obliged by creating a fist with Tangle's tail and did so.

Sonic then noticed the setting sun, "We should head home now."

Tangle agreed with a nod. On the walk back, she asked, "You know where it's easy to run fast?"

Sonic answered, "Yes, I'll take us there tomorrow. It's an old home of mine."

However, little did they know what awaited their arrival back in Spiral Hill…

Amy and Jewel were waiting, both ready to grill their friends like it was a court drama if needed. Still, Amy asked Jewel, "I want to give the benefit of the doubt. Is Tangle just prone to forgetting?"

Jewel shook her head, "Not really, she tends to remember important events with friends and family. Maybe she didn't register how important this was to Whisper. Still, we need to let them know."

That's when they noticed Sonic and Tangle approaching. They were talking before the latter noticed Jewel and Amy (Ugh, of course Amy would show up). Upon which Tangle said, "Oh, hi there Jewel and…Amy, What are you doing here?!" Tangle put a hand to her face shaking her head, "Please don't tell me you think we're on a date…"

Sonic shrugged, "If it was, at least it was a fun one."

Tangle glared in frustration, "Please don't joke about that."

Sonic apologized with an awkward grin, "Sorry."

Amy raised an eyebrow as Jewel chimed in, "We aren't here about whatever you two are doing. We're here about Whisper."

Tangle asked sincerely with a concerned look , "What did she do?"

Amy answered, "She left that date crying. Was it because Sonic hijacked it?"

Sonic looked shocked (Whisper, I'm so sorry!) but insisted, "Don't blame me, I encouraged Tangle to go through with it."

Tangle grimaced as she answered back, "And now we see the consequences of that."

Sonic turned around and slumped (I know…).

Jewel was caught off guard by Tangle's uncharacteristically blunt response, "But why did you forget it in the first place?"

Tangle bowed forward in guilt and embarrassment, sighing, "I've had the weirdest day. I genuinely forgot until she dropped my phone off and I tried to reschedule it. I'd call her, but I broke it and Sonic forgot his."

Amy folded an arm and put a hand to her forehead shaking, "Of course he did. But, why'd you break it?"

Tangle scratched the back of her head with a dorky grin, "Is my clumsiness that much of a secret?" Sonic glared at her for that comment.

Jewel giggled before sighing, "Sure, but that's bad even for you. Nor does that explain Whisper crying. This isn't like you, Tangle."

Tangle's expression became one of alarm (Uh-oh, she's catching on.), "I'll tell Whisper I'm sorry."

Jewel thought about it and noticed something specific was very off: Tangle wasn't crying. Jewel grew up with Tangle and knew she would cry in situations where she really screwed up. Maybe I'm onto something, she must not actually be Tangle! Jewel then accused Tangle, "The real Tangle would be crying. Care to explain or out yourself as Mimic?"

Tangle was sweating in a panic (Crap. She's got me there. But Mimic? Have I heard that name before?). She raised an eyebrow, "Why would you assume I'd cry over-?"

Sonic then chimed in with a melancholy tone, "She's not Mimic." Sonic then turned around, "He could only imitate the tail, not its abilities. She's the real deal."

Amy noticed tear streaks on Sonic's face, but Jewel then asked the toughest question yet, "…How do you know that, Sonic? Have you met Mimic?"

Tangle facepalmed as Sonic now panicked, "I met him before the war?"

Amy then thought, Tangle isn't crying, Sonic is, and both know or lack knowledge where they should or shouldn' that mean?... Then it hit Amy like a train, Maybe Sticks was onto something! Amy then tapped Jewel on the shoulder, whispering, "I know what's going on, let me handle it from here."

Jewel nodded, "Go for it, Amy."

Amy confidently accused Tangle, "You're not actually Tangle, are you?"

Sonic answered, "I already told you, she's not Mimic!"

Amy continued, "No, because you're Tangle, that's why you're crying."

Both 'Sonic' and 'Tangle' looked like a "deer in the headlights" at that accusation. Jewel, however, wasn't expecting a claim that out there and raised an eyebrow, "Amy, you sure you're feeling alright?"

Both 'Sonic' and 'Tangle' gave awkward grins as they began sweating profusely, 'Sonic' dismissing it, "Yeah, that's crazy talk."

'Tangle' added, "Yeah. Totally impossible."

Amy confidently made a request, "Jewel, before you write me off as crazy, could you do something for me?"

Jewel nodded, "I'm listening."

Amy insisted, "Ask 'Tangle' over there something only the real Tangle would know."

Jewel obliged, but in her drowsiness struggled to think of something. She eventually asked, "What did we do around the campfire with Belle?"

'Tangle' spoke through her sweat, "Uh...Cooked marshmallows and did a reading with Amy's fortune cards?"

Jewel nodded and 'Tangle' gave a sigh of relief as Amy facepalmed, Right, Sonic's seen me do that too…

Then 'Sonic' blurted out with a glow in his eyes, "Man, that sounds fun. Almost as fun as going on a log ride down a canyon with Belle to save the Camp Ranger's son!"

'Tangle' suddenly had a panicked look on 'her' face and Jewel eyed 'Sonic', "That sounds suspiciously like Tangle's adventure on that trip…"

'Tangle''s eyes shrank as she countered, "I told him about that, isn't that right, Sonic?"

Amy then nailed them, "Even if Tangle gave those details, she didn't, Sonic can't swim. That is far too glowing a description for it to be Sonic talking."

Jewel realized, "I can't believe I'm saying this Amy, but you're right." She prodded 'Sonic', "You've had quite the day, haven't you…Tangle."

Sonic facepalmed as Tangle's eyes shrank, "I just gave us away, didn't I?"

Sonic annoyedly answered with a palm to his face, "That you did." With their cover blown, he frustratedly sighed, "Why do you have to be friends with Sticks, Amy?"

Tangle then wondered, "So that's how she got the idea we were body-swapped? I met her earlier after she caught me swimming. She seems smart."

Sonic sheepishly grinned, "Not exactly, but she has a knack for guessing things. It's uncanny."

Jewel interjected, "How did this happen?!"

Sonic reluctantly explained, "Remember, that meteor which knocked us both out? It swapped our bodies too."

Amy then asked, "But Tails had rubber gloves. Why didn't they protect you?"

Sonic and Tangle laughed very awkwardly with embarrassed grins, Tangle following, "Uh…We didn't wait to put those on."

Amy and Jewel proceeded to facepalm. Amy groaned, "Of course you didn't!" Thinking, I'm seeing why Whisper could take suddenly seeing Sonic with Tangle so personally.

Sonic then suggested, "It's getting late. Where will we sleep?"

Jewel then offered, "I have more room in my place. How about we go there?"

Sonic declined, "I don't trust Amy around me or my body. How about she sleeps at your place?"

Amy teased, "Fine, but you're the one who thought I was here suspecting you two on a date."

Tangle agreed, "That was a little messed up, Sonic."

Sonic clapped back, "Says the person who forced me to go on their date. First date of my life too."

Tangle drooped as Amy then countered, "What about our date at Twinkle Park?"

Sonic narrowed his eyes, "Where we got in free as a 'Cute Couple' and split near immediately? Hardly a date if you ask me."

Amy sighed and insisted, "At least it won't sound crazy." Sonic shrugged as if to concede. Amy continued, "But, why didn't you tell Whisper?"

Sonic had the most infuriated grin, "I did! But Whisper treated it like I was Tangle playing a game of pretend!"

Jewel sighed, "That does sound like Tangle."

Tangle sheepishly admitted, "Guilty as charged."

Amy then sighed, "Why did you want to keep this a secret?"

Tangle embarrassedly confessed, "This is weird."

Sonic grimaced, "I do not want Knuckles to find out."

Amy inquired, "We're going to fix this when we get back to Tail's place, right?"

Sonic and Tangle awkwardly laughed, Sonic explaining, "I agreed to take Tangle somewhere first."

Tangle confirmed, "So I can run without hitting stuff."

Jewel sighed, "That's what I expected."

Amy was similarly frustrated, "Fine, but you'd better swap back immediately after that!"

Tangle then went over to hug Amy, "Thank you so much Amy!"

Amy began blushing incredibly hard as she was unable to process this type of affection coming from Sonic's body. She was rendered completely speechless.

Sonic then pulled Tangle back with her own tail, "Stop it Tangle. I think you broke her."

Tangle scratched the back of her head, "...Sorry."

Amy stayed a blushing mess for a few seconds before regaining her composure and giggled, "It's more affection than Sonic's given me. If Twinkle Park doesn't count, we'd have done a date if you hadn't read that book instead."

Tangle raised an eyebrow, "Wait, you agreed to a date with Amy twice?"

Sonic's eyes shrank, "I forgot about that one. Long story, but short version is that it makes me becoming you look normal."

Jewel then finished, "This has gone long enough, let's split up for the night."

So they did so. As Sonic and Tangle went back to her home, Sonic pondered, "How do I keep your tail from keeping me awake all night?"

Tangle giggled, "Great question. I just avoid thinking about it. If it really becomes a problem you could snuggle with it." She finished in a half-joking voice.

The thought of such a thing just seemed weird. But, lacking a better idea, Sonic said, "Thank you, Tangle. Are you ready for tomorrow?"

"You should know, I'm ready for anything! Including being a world famous hedgehog." Tangle exclaimed.

Sonic smirked, "I can't fault your excitement."

The duo then got ready for sleeping. Tangle showed Sonic her bathroom drawers, "Here is my toothbrush and toothpaste, here is my toiletries, and here are my-."

Sonic suddenly blushed awkwardly and incredibly hard in horror at being shown the full cabinet and immediately interrupted, "We'll return to normal tomorrow, I don't think that's necessary!"

Tangle sheepishly apologized, "Nevermind then. Let's just get ready to sleep."

Amy and Jewel had their own pre-sleep discussion. Amy said, "I always forget how much of an adrenaline junkie Sonic is."

Jewel nodded, "Same for Tangle. I lost count of the times I bailed her out of danger."

Amy mused, "I'm glad they lack a romantic spark because I don't think I'd stand a chance with Sonic if they did."

Jewel chuckled, "I don't want to think of dealing with both of them constantly, Tangle is more than enough. Let's hope they don't lose their chance to fix this."

Amy smiles, "They will, given enough time."

Jewel nervously grinned and tiredly followed, "Yeah, I'm sure it'll work out."

Amy then asked, "Before I forget, could you contact Whisper?"

Jewel, struggling to stay awake, nodded, "What should I say?"

Amy knew what, "Tell her Sonic and Tangle aren't dating."

Jewel nodded, she tried her best to stay awake and send that text, giving a thumbs up after finishing, "Done! I'm guessing she's about to sleep. We'll see if she responds in the morning...And she rarely does."

Amy smiled, "Good night, Jewel." And they then went to sleep.

Note: This chapter has been rewritten after considering some criticism and agreeing that I previously wrote Sonic and Tangle as being too malicious in the confrontation of this chapter. Some other minor changes have been made in the following 3 chapters regarding this re-write. Thanks to Silvia_Nexus for pointing that out. Check out their fic on Ao3 if you're interested in some Christmas-themed fluff with a side of Whispangle.