Chapter 2: An invitation / 2pm in Mazuri

A week later, Blaze returns to Southern Island to find Marine having amassed a collection of various items from the Chaos Dimension-small rocks, pieces of paper, a book, a small basket of fruits and baked goods with a note on it.

"That Cream's a right good baker," Marine says around a mouthful of cookie. Ah, so Tails must have informed Cream and Vanilla of their initial contact. Blaze thinks back to Cream's impromptu invitation to have tea when they first met. She picks up the note on the basket.

Hi Blaze! I don't think I asked you what your favorite cookie was when you came last year-

Sols, she knew it had been a year, but seeing Cream acknowledge it in writing made it more tangible, somehow.

-and Mr. Sonic said he didn't know. So I just made a batch of my favorites. I hope you and Marine like them! Love, Cream

Blaze takes a cookie. The lemon tea cookie is lovely, just how she remembers it from that afternoon with Cream and Vanilla. She turns the card over, and on the back, there's a photo of Cream with Cheese.

P.S. I'm taller now, and Cheese is bigger too! I hope you can come see us soon so you can see for yourself!

Blaze looks up and finds Marine studying the picture too. When Marine notices Blaze's gaze, she startles.

"Just wanted to see what your friends look like," she mumbles, turning away.

Blaze chuckles to herself at that one.

Blaze is standing at her balcony, feeling the breeze, when she hears a knock at the door. "Enter."

Gardon appears, carrying a clipboard. "Evening report for you, Your Highness."

"Proceed."

Gardon rattles off the list of items he has noted.

"Very good, Gardon," she says when he has finished his report. "Thank you."

He nods, but instead of bidding her goodnight, as he usually does, he adds, "Oh, and one more thing."

Blaze raises her brow at this. "Yes?"

"I've cleared your schedule for the next three days."

She blinks. "But, the bill-"

"A number of Councillors were planning to be off the next few days for the upcoming holiday anyway," he reminds her, a rare interruption from him. "With how busy you've been lately, I thought you could use the same." He offers up a smile. "Besides, Marine demanded it. How did she put it? 'I'm gonna give the Councillors a good whallop if they don't let Blazey off for the holiday.' Evidently she has urgent news for you about her progress with Tails."

Blaze rolls her eyes amiably. "Very well. But I'll have my comms on, in case you need me."

"I won't," he assures her. "Goodnight, Princess."

"Goodnight, Gardon."

The next day, Marine is at her door early-"to make sure nobody gets any ideas about bothering you until you're back"-and they speed lightly over the waves in the morning sun. Upon arrival, Setter greets them with glasses of fresh juice and insists on taking Blaze's small travel bag from her. "Please make yourself at home, Your M-uh, Blaze," he says. Blaze appreciates the correction-she'll never train most of the Palace staff out of calling her by her titles, but the Coconut Crew has been trying.

As soon as they enter the hut, Marine holds her hand out. "Comms, please," she demands. When Blaze eyes her warily, she adds, "Tails got me some upgrades so we can do video chat now and such. I promise I'll give 'em back when I'm finished."

Blaze hums in assent and hands over the handheld device with its earpiece. Marine scrambles over to the desk and logs onto the computer. "You can talk to Tails and them while I get this set up," she says. "Tails said he'd be online anyway in case I needed help with the upgrades."

Moments later, Tails picks up the call. Cream is next to him, and her face absolutely lights up at the sight of Blaze. "Good timing," Tails says. "We just finished dinner."

"Blaze!" Cream cries, clasping her hands together. "I'm so happy to see you!" Cheese chirps in agreement next to her.

Blaze can't help but smile at Cream's enthusiasm. "And I you. How have you been?"

Cream launches into a long spiel about what she's been up to in the past year. Much of it is domestic, like repainting the house with Vanilla, Gemerl's new upgrades, and planting new flowers in the front yard. She's also started training with Amy to build up her strength. Cream was already incredibly strong when Blaze met her last year; Blaze wonders to herself how much stronger Cream is now.

"And, of course, Tails and Marine have been working super hard so that we can talk to each other now, but you already know that," she finishes.

"That's wonderful, Cream," Blaze says, accepting her comms back from Marine.

"Now if I can say something," Tails cuts in, and Cream covers her mouth.

"I'm sorry, Tails-"

"It's okay," he says, laughing and waving her off. "Anyways, now that we've got video up and running, the next thing we want to try is sending an actual person to a specific location."

"Already? You never cease to surprise me, Tails."

Tails rubs the back of his head and chuckles. "Well, after I got the timing sorted out, it wasn't too hard."

"He's being modest," Marine and Cream cut in simultaneously, and they both burst into laughter. Blaze looks on, amused.

"Anyways, we were thinking of having you as our first subject," Tails says.

Blaze blinks. "Me?"

"Tails 'n' me have to stay put for monitoring purposes," Marine says, looking slightly put out.

"Also, I just think the safest thing would be to have an adept Emerald user who has traveled between our dimensions before," Tails adds apologetically. "My understanding is that Chaos Control is easier if you're familiar with the destination, and Blaze can use the Sol Emeralds if things start to go sideways."

Blaze considers this. "What about Sonic?"

Tails, Marine, and Cream look at each other in a knowing way.

"He offered," Tails says. "But we told him you'd already agreed to come in July."

Blaze arches her brow, but before she can say any more, Cream jumps in. "Tails, Amy, and I are planning a surprise party for Mr. Sonic's birthday!"

"He always acts surprised, but he usually manages to figure it out," Tails says, rolling his eyes. Then he brightens. "But I think he'd be pretty surprised if you were there."

"We had to schedule this call special to tell ya the plan," Marine adds. "Amy roped him into going to Twinkle Park or something."

There's a small ping from Tails's computer, and his eyes flick across the screen. "That's Amy. She says Sonic's dropping her off at her place before coming back here. Guess she couldn't talk him into the 'couple's dinner' special." He laughs. "Anyway, what do you say?"

Cream clasps her hands and looks pleadingly at Blaze. "Please, Blaze, everybody wants to see you. We all really miss you."

Blaze is notorious in Council for having an unbreakable stone face. But how can she say no to Cream?

"I'll see about clearing my schedule for that day," she concedes, and the other three cheer.

"I'm sending you the invite now." Tails pulls out a small envelope and places it on a platform behind him. He types in a few commands. There's a small flash of light, and the envelope appears on the platform next to Marine.

Blaze picks up the invitation. Her name is written in brightly colored markers, with flames decorating the edges-probably Cream's work.

Elsewhere in the house, there's the muffled sound of a door opening and footfalls. "That'll be him," Tails says, looking somewhat relieved that they pulled this off. "We'll call again tomorrow, okay?"

"All right, we'll see you then."

Blaze has just enough time to hear a muffled, "Tails? Cream? You holed up in there?" before Tails and Cream wave goodbye and Tails ends the call.

Marine turns to Blaze. "Well, what are ya waiting for? Open 'er up!"

Blaze turns the invitation over. There's a small red seal in the shape of a star inside a ring. She opens the envelope with a swift, precise slice. The card inside has a loop-de-loop on the front and another piece of paper tucked inside. Blaze sets the extra paper aside for the time being and reads the rounded print-probably Amy's-inside the card.

Sonic's 17th Birthday

Double Loop Park

Leaf Forest Zone

June 23, 11am-4pm

RSVP by: June 13

Food and drink will be served.

Your presence is gift enough.

This is a surprise party so please keep things under wraps!

Blaze then hands the card to Marine and picks up the additional paper she'd set aside. It's a photo: Cream, Vanilla, Gemerl, Tails, Amy, Cheese, and Chocola are outside the Rabbits' house. Each person is labeled with their name in all capital letters in Cream's handwriting. Everyone is smiling and waving at the camera, with the exception of Gemerl, who has no mouth.

Blaze turns the paper over, and she is greeted with a smaller photo taped to the back next to another note in Tails's scrawl. In this photo, Sonic is holding the camera close to his face, winking and sticking his tongue out. In the background, Tails is fussing with a broken tripod.

Hi Blaze! Since there's that memory component to Chaos Control, Sonic thought that having an updated photo reference might help you get here safely. (He doesn't know we're sending it along with the party invite.) We figure you can arrive at Cream and Vanilla's house a few hours early, and then we can head to the park together. It was Cream's idea to label everyone. I'm sure you remember us all, but she said it was for Marine's benefit. See you soon! - Tails

P.S. Found this picture of Sonic after I got the camera back from him. I know you know what he looks like, but I thought you'd get a kick out of it anyway.

Well, Tails is right about that much-there's something so charming about this casual snapshot. She turns the paper back to the side with the group photo, and Marine peers at it over her shoulder. The two of them take in the happy faces, Blaze noting the slight changes to mark the passage of a year.

Sonic and Tails spent all of a few weeks in total with her. For Cream and Amy, it was just a few days. And yet here they are, deliberately crossing dimensions to talk to her, to invite her to something as special and and yet so mundane as a birthday party.

"Shame they live so far," Marine says.

There's a lump in Blaze's throat, and all she can do is nod.

They do call the next day. Amy shows up, though again, Sonic is absent. This time, Sonic's all the way in Mazuri, helping out with a bot problem. This doesn't surprise Blaze-she thinks that if her empire had been solid land rather than an archipelago, Sonic would have covered the entire empire and then some in a single afternoon. As it was, he often ventured out on the waterbike, pushing through his fear of water in favor of the thrill of speed and exploration. Sometimes, Blaze joined him. Blaze has a great deal of freedom of movement in her role as Guardian, but it's these joyful outings that stand out to her for feeling truly free.

Blaze is out now, coasting leisurely around the island as evening falls. She does feel better after these few days of respite, and though she won't admit it out loud, she's not entirely keen on returning to her duties tomorrow.

She brings the waterbike back to the marina, but instead of docking, she cuts the power a bit out from the pier and sits in silence for a while to take in the sunset.

Well, until her comms ring, and she almost leaps off the bike into the water.

She told Marine that she would be back after sunset-it must be dire if she's getting a call now. Without looking at the caller ID, she presses on her earpiece to answer. "What's the matter?"

"Hello to you, too," comes a familiar voice. Amusement barely covers what sounds like fatigue.

"Sonic? I thought you were still in Mazuri."

"Just got back."

"What time is it over there?"

"Uh." A pause. She imagines a sheepish look on his face. "4am?"

Probably fortunately for Sonic, he can't see the face that Blaze makes. "Sonic. Why are you calling me at four in the morning? You're clearly exhausted."

"It's 2pm in Mazuri," he offers, and when that doesn't appease her, he says, "Wanted to catch ya before you go back in the morning."

"I'll still have my comms on. You can still reach me."

He huffs. "Not when you're on duty. I know how you get."

She opens her mouth, then shuts it. "Fine. What did you want to talk about?"

He hums, as if deciding what to say. "Tails told me you were gonna come visit in July."

"Did he?"

"Yeah. I offered to test first, but he said Cream really wants to see ya, so, can't really argue with that, heh."

"Yes, the two of them were quite insistent."

He laughs. "I'm looking forward to it. I've already got some places I wanna show you. Some beaches I think you'll like. Well, if you got the time."

"Even if it's not this time, I'm sure we can make that happen."

"I'll hold you to that!" He laughs again, and Blaze can't help but smile a little herself.

After that, Sonic tells her about his past few days in Mazuri. He off-handedly mentions his birthday in the context of it being Eggman's favorite day to attack. "But I've survived so far," he adds, and Blaze imagines that if they had video on, he'd have winked.

Blaze recalls that Sonic had chosen the date of his "birthday" himself. "How old were you when he attacked that first time?"

Sonic pauses. "Uh... thirteen? Wow, it's been almost four years already."

Thirteen. Blaze had been younger than that when she acceded to Guardianhood, but it hadn't been a complete surprise to her, nor had it been her choice. Meanwhile, Blaze knows that Sonic never does anything he doesn't choose to do, and this kind of battle is something he loves in a thrill-seeking sort of way. Still, she wonders how it was that first time, being thirteen and taking on an army of robots all alone. Surely there were others older and more experienced who could have stepped in... She isn't sure she would have made the same decision Sonic did.

"Blaze? You still there?" Sonic says around a yawn.

"Yes, I'm still here." He can't see her, but she smirks anyway. "It sounds like you'll be dropping off soon, though."

"It's okay, you can say you're tired of me."

"I'm not the one yawning into my comms at four in the morning."

Sonic chuckles lightly. "Yeah, okay, I guess I better go. But message me sometime, all right? Don't be a stranger."

A softer smile works its way across Blaze's face. "Yes, of course."

"M'kay. G'night, Blaze."

"Good morning, Sonic."

Back at the Palace, Blaze keeps her promise and checks in with her friends every few days. Marine and Tails update her on their progress with the dimensional transport, while Cream and Amy update her on their party planning. Usually these are through text messages, though sometimes Blaze manages a call with them. It's nice to have something like this to look forward to.

Once, Sonic sends her some pictures. It's hard to make out anything beyond vivid blurs of green. "adabat" is the only description accompanying the images.

Another time, she manages to call him while he's home. He's cooking some leafy greens, rice, and fish. "Big had a good haul this week," Sonic explains over the sound of sizzling vegetables. "He's coming over for dinner tonight, actually." Blaze hadn't met Big last year, but from what she'd heard about him, he seemed more like a friend of Amy and Cream's than Sonic's. But she supposes Sonic would consider anyone who has adventured with him a friend.

Sonic cooked a few times while he and Tails were here. The meals he made were simpler than many of the dishes available to Blaze at the Palace, but she misses those moments, sitting nearby with Sonic standing over the small stove.

As if sensing her thoughts, Sonic adds, "You have one of Tails's hubs on you, right? I can send you some dinner, if you like."

She smiles at the thought. "I had breakfast recently, so I'll pass. Another time, perhaps."

Another time, because now they have a say in when they see each other, rather than waiting for Emerald-tossed fate. This prospect makes her a little nervous, truth be told. The Imperial Archives document only a few instances of interdimensional contact in millennia, with most Guardians passing their entire lifetimes without it. Meanwhile, she's already had two encounters, each time only narrowly avoiding dimensional collapse. Surely establishing a link like this is asking for trouble. Risking world-ending disaster just to talk to a few people... As Guardian and Imperial Princess, she shouldn't allow herself such selfishness.

And yet, she continues to sit here at her desk, listening to Sonic puttering about his kitchen, and she wants it to last a while yet.

"Another time," Sonic echoes, then starts humming a tune she doesn't recognize.

A/N: the adabat bit may or may not be as funny as i think it is. but now it's shorthand in my house for "sonic is a terrible texter." my bf just has to say "adabat" at me to make me laugh.

Thanks for reading!