Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

So, I read the Sonic IDW comics… and I LOVE ’EM! They’re exactly what was missing in Sonic these past several years: suspense, dark themes, great character dynamics, great writing! And I’ve found new favorite characters in Tangle and Whisper. So much that… I’m writing a side story of them, taking place during the Pirate Wars saga of my Gameverse series. Certain events from the comics remain canon in this series while others don’t. Relevant events will be described and shown in flashbacks during this chapter. Furthermore, most of the main Sonic characters are replaced by their Nextgen Kids in those canon events. But that’ll be a separate discussion.

“Claire! Smithy! Please respond!”

Whisper ran lost within the labyrinth of Eggman’s base. Her gasps were faint and quiet, but her narrow eyes boiled with desperation.

“WHISPER!” The wolf stopped and looked at a monitor. The team’s psychic, Claire Voyance was surrounded by Shadow Androids. They focused rapid gunfire as she used her perception to dodge them. “Whisper, hel-!” A lucky bullet grazed her skull, and soon her body was riddled with them.

“Claire…” Her voice remained faint, yet her throat choked on the reality.

“GUYS!” She saw Smithy on another monitor. The muscular lion, their fearless leader, was being steadily flattened by a giant Egg Hammer. “NEED BACKUP! I NEED-” He splattered into a bloody pulp.

“Smithy…”

“Get back!” Slinger, their marksman, expertly shot at a squad of sword-wielding Shadow Androids. “There’s too many! GUYS, WHERE ARE Y-” One android got close and slice the ocelot’s head clean off.

“Slinger…”

There was one last monitor: her only other teammate… Mimic the Octopus. His gaze cold, Mimic turned away into darkness. “Mimic… why…”

“WHISPEEEEEER!”

Her heart skipped a beat as she spun around. From the other end of the corridor, an excitable lemur was running toward Whisper with the most vibrant smile, her hand and tail waving. Whisper’s eyes quivered as she glanced up… a hatch was opening on the ceiling above the lemur’s path. “Tangle… stop…”

“QUIT STANDIN’ AROUND! Let’s go kick Eggman’s big fat a-”

A silver waterfall poured over Tangle. She squirmed and gagged as it completely coated her. “Tangle… no…” Her friend’s eyes burned orange. They met Whisper with a relentless gaze. “No…no…” The metallic beast lunged at her. “NOOOO-!”

“WHISPER!”

Tangle’s upside-down face swung to-and-fro above her. “?!” In the blink of an eye… Whisper was in her bed. In their treehouse. Tangle was hanging from the support beam by her tail. “Tangle… is something the matter?”

“Uh, yeah.” Tangle sported a somewhat reprimanding cock of the eyebrow, hands folded at her hips. “It’s breakfast and you aren’t getting up to get bagels with us. Let’s get to the bakery before they give away the best ones!” Her tail unraveled as she flipped upright, bounced off Whisper’s bed, and sprinted out.

Whisper was still trying to calm her heart. That nightmare returned every other night. …That… and another nightmare.

Sector D.C.: the Diamond Cutters. She couldn’t believe it had been two years. They were the best espionage team in the Mobius Kids Next Door. Whisper looked at the photo on her bedside every morning. It was the happiest she ever looked. Unlike other sectors, they were kept a secret to all but Supreme Leader Marcus, barely having information on the KND database. This helped them stay hidden from villains like Dr. Eggman, allowing them to better do their jobs without anyone suspecting.

They were more than a sector, however: they were Whisper’s very own family. Foster children, forsaken from wherever they came from, but growing up together. How elated she looked in that photo: a 14-year-old girl, full of joy and wonder for the world. Curiosity became her at any amazing thing. Including him.

Two years ago

“Excuse me, sir…” A poor young rabbit with tattered clothes, bandaged fur, and a ripped ear walked up to a chilidog stand. “Um…can I please have a free one?” he asked with tearing eyes. “I…I lost my money…”

Though it wasn’t ethical, the vendor couldn’t say ‘no’ to a boy with his conditions. “Well… I suppose…”

But as soon as the bunny was out of sight in a dark alley… he morphed into a purple octopus Mobian with dark eyes. “Sucker.” He was about to take the first bite of his reward-

“YOU!” He flinched. There was someone behind him: a wolf girl in a black jacket. “Did you just… shapeshift?!”

“…What of it?”

“Can you do it again?!” Whisper asked ecstatically. “How did you?!”

“I’m just a Meta-Mobian.”

“Can you turn into anyone? Can you change voices?!”

He smirked and morphed into Whisper herself. “Does this answer your question?”

Whisper’s mouth popped agape, eyes bright as stars. “I have to show you to my friends!” She took his hand and raced down the alley.

“Hey! You can’t just-”

“Are you a KND operative? Do you have a job?”

“N-No!”

“That power would be SO helpful! If my friends like you, maybe you could join us!”

“What’s…ugh…”

Mimic the Octopus. Their newest recruit. Brought to them by Whisper on a whim. It might’ve been sudden, but Mimic agreed to join their cause. And for four months… he was a great and trusted friend.

“MIMIC!”

“What?!” Mimic jumped around with a start. Whisper’s expression was sunny and lively.

“Wanna go get ice cream?!”

“Why?”

“Because ice cream is yummy!”

The two would later be strolling along a clifftop road, with Whisper carefreely balancing along the stone fence. “Mimic, is there something you always wanted to be?” she asked with a lick of her vanilla ice cream.

“Where’s that coming from?” Mimic asked, carrying a Midnight Mint flavor.

“Just wonderiiiiiiing.” the wolf hummed.

“…Wanted to work in theater.”

“Oh, like movies?”

“Like plays.”

“Well, how come you aren’t?”

“’Cause the industry is picky. You’re too young to understand.”

“Well, when I grow up, I thought about being an astronaut! Going on adventures in SPACE! My favorite Wisp is the Rocket, y’know!”

“Can’t the KND do that whenever?” She’s 13, why does she act like she’s eight?

“I know, but like, most of the time, we’re—wuh, wuh,” she lost balance, “WAAAAAH!”

Mimic, his expression in panic, grabbed Whisper’s free hand and pulled her down. “Well, you don’t have a sense of gravity, that’s for sure.”

“You saved meeeeeeee!”

“Just stay down here.” Her family never would’ve let him get away if she fell.

…

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WHISPER!”

“Ha ha ha ha!” The wolf was giggling as her family brought out the poundcake. “Guys, you shouldn’t have!”

After she blew out her candles, Smithy presented her first gift. “Oooooo! A new Wispon?!”

“Not just any Wispon: the Variable Wispon. I tested it to work with multiple different Color Cells. There are some it can’t work with, but I think it more than suffices.”

“Wait, was this that secret project you were working on?! You’re giving it to ME?!”

“I mean, we already let you play with ours.” Slinger said. “And you’re a natural with them. You deserve more up your belt. You’re a girl of many talents!”

“Wow…” Whisper excitedly took the weapon, examining the revolver of batteries already inside it. “I can’t wait to try it out!”

“Mimic, didn’t you get her anything?” Claire asked, chuckling.

“I… Well, I wasn’t sure what she liked; I’ve only been here a month and a half.”

“It’s fine, Mimic.” Whisper smiled. “Just having you here is enough!”

“R-Really?”

“Yeah! You’ve been such a big help to us! Ever since you joined us, you’ve had our backs! You’re the best gift I could’ve asked for!”

There was nothing but truth in her words. Whisper never would’ve thought anything else. For four months, they smiled together. Four months… before Whisper realized her greatest mistake.

Supreme Leader Marcus McCloud had never seen such despair. Such horror on a single person’s face. “Whisper…” Her eyes were bloodshot. Her breath was faint. “Whisper… what happened?”

“. . . . . . . . .” Whisper slowly pulled out a report and gave it to Marcus. The fox read it… and his eyes dilated. “Whisper… I’m…”

“…want to…be alone…” Quivering, Whisper turned and weakly stepped out of the room.

“Whisper!” Marcus reached for her… but stopped himself. “…Yes… of course.”

Whisper hid herself for a month. Hid in a special sanctuary her teammates held dear.

In the sewers beneath Sunset Heights, where their foster home once stood, there was a certain brick wall with a diamond drawing. That wall could be pushed open, leading into a secret tunnel with lush, alien flora. And at the end of that tunnel… the Hidden Wisp Colony.

She and her family had discovered it during their childhood adventures. A vast and beautiful cavern full of colorful, spirit-like aliens. They had migrated to Mobius decades ago, after Sonic the Hedgehog befriended them. Many of them flocked around Mobius and became companions to friendly citizens. From their energy, the KND crafted Wispons, designed to use their powers via Color Batteries. But while the Wisps lent their energy to the KND, they preferred to stay out of battle themselves and live in peace. This secret sanctuary was their home.

The Diamond Cutters told no one of this place. Not only did they have a surplus of Color Power for their Wispons, but it was a pleasant place to return and relax. To Whisper… this was her only place of comfort for two years. The Wisps, seeing the distraught in the wolf’s eyes, orbited around her. They felt it: her despair. Anger. Pain. As she collapsed in a corner, burying her face in her hands, the Wisps took turns nuzzling up to her. She welcomed their support. Though she couldn’t bring herself to say anything, they understood what had happened. And they would offer whatever she needed, batteries or otherwise.

But while the Wisps were there for her, they weren’t complex creatures. They couldn’t truly fathom the depths of her feelings. Neither could she, to an extent. They would only watch, distraught, as Whisper shook and fussed in her sleeping mat, muttering to herself. Tortured by voices in her head. Cursing her.

“It’s your fault, Whisper!” Smithy yelled. “You should’ve been with us!” Slinger yelled. “You let that stranger into our team!” Claire yelled. “Why do YOU get to live?!”

“I’m sorry…I’m sorry…I’m sorry…” The Wisps were nervous to huddle around her. By nature, they were spirits of good and positive energy. Evil energy could be poisonous. Well, nothing about Whisper’s heart was evil… but it had been poisoned by evil just the same. That was all the more reason they had to try and warm her. “Bring them back… Please bring them back… Chaos… Gaia… Gods… I want them back…I want them back!”

Whisper desperately hoped it was a nightmare… but she wasn’t waking up. She would only exhaust herself into sleep and continue to be cursed. See Mimic’s vicious scowl. See their bodies lying dead. She could barely stomach the food the Wisps brought. Why was she allowing herself to live? Why would they want her to live?

As those thoughts plagued her… Whisper knew what she had to do. To punish herself. She had to continue the fight on her own.

“Whisper?” Marcus gasped when she had finally returned to his office, her mask hiding her face.

“…I’m ready to return to active duty.” Her voice had gone quiet and her vibrance dead.

“Whisper… I…” Marcus looked on in great concern. “Are you… okay?”

“I’m… fine… I need… to carry on… the mission…”

“Whisper…” Marcus approached. “Talk to me.”

Whisper repelled him with her Wispon. “Please… give me… a mission.”

Whisper couldn’t get close to anyone. She didn’t deserve anyone. She became a solo operative, taking on stealth missions or supporting other sectors on group joints. In doing so, she gained a bit of popularity. Other kids started calling her “The Guardian Angel of the Battlefield.” A dramatic nickname… and undeserving. And although other ops tried to chat with her, she refused to be part of a true team again.

“Hey!” Charlie Bee flew up to her high vantage. “I saw you sniping those Badniks! That was cool! What’s your name?” Whisper turned and walked away, leaving the bee disappointed.

“Howdy!” Sonia, a pink hedgehog in red and purple gear, greeted. She was accompanied by her green brother, Manic. “Couldn’t help notice ya by your lonesome over here.”

“You got some rad equipment.” Manic said. “Never saw a Wispon that uses more than one Color Power. Who are ya?”

“…W…Whisper.” She walked away at a quick pace.

“What, was I too loud?” Manic asked.

“I dunno.” Sonia frowned. “‘Guess she’s just one of those… lone wolfs.”

Her mask, which had been a treasured memento of her team, she would keep wearing at all times, doing whatever she could to contain her feelings. It was also a reminder: its recording function was linked to all the masks her team wore. With it, she would remind herself of their deaths. Of her mistake. A reminder to never forget… and never forgive. Not herself. Not Mimic. She would never be happy again. She would never trust. She would only fight.

Things changed when she met her.

August 8, last year

“Hi there!” The fluffy-tailed lemur spritely greeted her in the middle of battle. The KND were defending Angel Island from Eggman’s fleet, but amidst the heated combat, she was ecstatic. “My name’s Tangle!” She wore a short yellow top over a black, sleeveless tracksuit, equipped with fingerless gloves and yellow sneakers with white laces. The backs of her gloves had orange pads, with yellow wrapping along the arms beneath them. Her fur had segments of light- and dark-gray, but more prominent was her large, spiky-ended tail.

“H’lo.” Whisper was keeping her Wispon trained on the incoming robot platoon.

Tangle, meanwhile, was fighting back a squadron charging in from Whisper’s back. The lemur’s tail could stretch great lengths, fast and powerful enough to shatter the robots. “What’s your name?”

“…Whisper.”

“Huh? Why?” Tangle whispered.

She sighed, “My name is Whisper. Please focus.”

“Haha, okay! Nice to meetcha, Whisper! Don’t worry, I got ya covered!”

…

“WOOOOOOO! WE WON!” Tangle was the first to start celebrating their victory. “WE DID GREAT, WHISPER!” She embraced the wolf in a hug.

Whisper pushed her away with her Wispon. “Boundaries.”

“C’mon, it’s a victory hug!”

“Please mind my personal space.”

“Okay, okay. Well, do you wanna get snacks later? Or pizza? My treat!”

“N-No, thanks.”

“Okay…” Tangle bowed her head sadly.

From those two interactions, Whisper could tell what kind of person Tangle was. Quick to make friends, regardless if they’re strangers, excited to help her fellow operatives, thrilled to kick enemy butt. It reminded Whisper of herself… before her mistake.

It would be fate that Whisper and Tangle wound up meeting again.

August 20

Whisper finally found him. Determined to bring Mimic to justice at last, she chased him to Spiral Hill. However, he had disguised himself as Sonia, who was already popular to the townsfolk. And what luck this would happen to be Tangle’s hometown.

“SONIA!” Tangle grabbed the fake hedgehog as he was hopping roofs. “Why is Whisper chasing you?!”

“Huh?” Mimic was confused. This girl knew Whisper? Was she an operative? “Er, she’s been brainwashed! A control device in her mask! You have to stop her!”

Tangle gasped. As “Sonia” made her escape, Tangle engaged and scuffled with Whisper. The wolf was swift despite her heavy gear, even managed to knock Tangle off her feet—but the lemur successfully snatched her mask off with her tail. “HA HA! I SAVED you!”

Whisper growled. “Give it back.”

“No! We have to get rid of the mind control thingy!”

“He tricked you.”

“‘He’? That was Sonia!”

“That was Mimic! He’s a shapeshifter!” Whisper’s frustration boiled with each clarity.

“W-What?”

Whisper jumped and snatched the mask back during Tangle’s confusion. She armed herself and skimmed the townsfolk, Wispon aimed. “He got away. Or is he disguised? Could be any one of…”

“H-Hey!” A villager pointed. “Is she gonna shoot us?!”

“Where’d Sonia go?! Someone help!”

“TANGLE! Stop her!”

Whisper bit her lip and dropped her aim. “WAIT!” Tangle jumped upfront. “There’s a misunderstanding! She’s not bad, she’s a friend!”

The townsfolk murmured confusedly. Even Whisper was baffled: already addressing her as a friend when they were only, briefly comrades? “C’mon!” Tangle wrapped Whisper in her tail to help her jump down safely. “Let’s go in the museum! The curator’s my friend, too!”

Tangle kicked open the museum door. “HEY, JEWEL!”

“TANGLE!” A beetle Mobian, Jewel wore a pink French blazer and navy tights. Her skin was a beautiful blue with an iridescent, rainbowy sheen. “What’s going on, who is that?!”

“This is Whisper! We fought robots together! Whisper, this is Jewel, she’s my bestest friend! But we’ll save the introductions for later! Whisper, who were you really chasing?”

Whisper had no choice. She would still try to keep her past buried, but she divulged the basics. “He’s a shapeshifting supervillain. Been tracking him for a while. Responsible for a string of robberies and other crimes. Framing other people. Finally had him near this village. Can’t let him get away.”

“Alright then! Let’s go catch this creep!” Tangle fist-palmed.

“No.” Whisper said firmly. “This is my mission.”

“The heck it is! He ran through my hometown! I’m an operative, too, y’know! I’m going to help you!”

“You don’t know what you’re dealing with.”

“I don’t care! Besides, it’s my fault he got away, so I have to help! Please!”

Whisper grunted, stomping a few feet away. So stubborn… So irritating… So passionate… Tangle didn’t know anything about her. Why was she so determined to help? Whisper couldn’t let her. She couldn’t…

…But in her closed eyes, she saw them. Her family. Their expressions… weren’t of scorn or regret. They were of empathy and hope. Hope that Whisper could move on. Why… did she see them like this? She turned back to Tangle. Her hands were folded, orchid eyes pleading. She really wanted to help Whisper. Someone she barely knew. And… there was a desire in the pit of Whisper’s heart… that wanted to take the chance. “…Fine.”

“HEE-HEE-HYEEEAAAAHHH!” Tangle jumped and propped one foot on a chair, and the other on a desk. “Let no Eggman crony—robot or otherwise—sleep well tonight! Because Tangle and Whisper are on the case!”

Whisper sighed. She hoped she wouldn’t regret this.

Lucky for Tangle, and perhaps unlucky for herself, Whisper’s personal aircraft had a passenger seat. “Ohhhhh, man!” Tangle drawled, breaking the once peace and quiet of flight. “I’m on a mission! With the mysterious Guardian Angel! Haha, that’s what the others call you! They say you show up for battle… then disappear…” she spoke the last part in a whisper. “So, this is super cool!”

Whisper sighed. She was already regretting this. “So, what can this ship do?” Tangle asked.

“Cloak.”

“Can it shoot lasers? Change into a car? A robot?!”

“No. Built for stealth.”

“Did you make it yourself?”

“No.” Smithy did.

“Well, it’s still super neat! I don’t really like tight spaces, but as long as there’s air flow. The seat’s pretty cushy, too!” She shuffled her rump. “Whoever made this did great!”

Whisper felt a tickle in her heart. She could see Smithy blushing in gratitude. “…Thanks.”

Upon reaching the cliff above Mimic’s hideout, Whisper crouched, aiming her Wispon as she scanned the area. “Sneaky sneaky sneaky…” Tangle hummed as she tiptoed. Whisper face-planted against the ground.

Tangle wasn’t built for this. Whisper would soon learn. Despite knowing what she was up against, Tangle was helpless to Mimic’s trickery. And so was she herself.

“You know I can change form.” Mimic smirked, wearing Tangle’s face. “You didn’t think I could make myself look damaged?”

Whisper blasted him with a Burst Cell, blowing Mimic into a stack of crates. “Where… is she?!” Whisper asked through grit teeth.

“What? You mean this pretty face? What’re you palling around with an amateur for, anyway? Didn’t you learn your lesson?”

He morphed into Smithy as Whisper shuddered. “You left us to DIE, Whisper!” He became Claire. “Why weren’t you with us?! We needed you!” Into Slinger. “And now you’re letting that innocent girl die for you?!”

“STOP IT!” Whisper bashed him with a Blue Hammer.

Mimic hacked blood and ink as he morphed into Tangle. “But you can still save her before she runs out of air. Good luck getting out before the bombs explode. Hahahahahaha!”

She bit her lip. She had to stop this monster… she couldn’t let him get away, but…

Whisper bolted back into the hallway and found a safe. She pulled it open—Tangle collapsed out of it. “HUUUUUUUFF! Sweet oxygen!”

“WARNING! Self-destruct in five seconds!”

Whisper panicked. It couldn’t end like this! He couldn’t get away! She couldn’t let Tangle die for her mistake! Tangle glanced at the safe, took a courageous breath, and, “In here!” threw Whisper inside. She jumped in herself and pulled it shut with her tail. “Sorry, boundaries, I know!”

Miraculously, the safe went flying across the field, propelled by the explosion, and flew open upon landing. Regardless, the entire experience only proved Whisper right. Bringing Tangle was a mistake for every reason. She had to be firm.

“Go home, Tangle.”

“Okay, I know I messed up, but it won’t happen again! I promise!”

“I said go.”

“No, I swear! I’ll stay with you the whole time, so he can’t trick either of us!”

“You’re not coming. That’s final.”

“Look, I’m strong, Whisper! I trained! Maybe I’m not as good as you, but I can help!”

“That’s not the point.”

“But you can’t go after this guy alone! Please, you have to give me another chance! Let me prove that I’m not a failure!”

Biting her lip, Whisper threw her tearing eyes in Tangle’s direction. “I WON’T LOSE ANOTHER FRIEND!”

Tangle fell silent. …Even Whisper was stunned by the words that escaped her mouth. Another friend. …Whisper couldn’t deny it. Despite the antics… Despite the overt friendliness… Despite the mistakes… she had enjoyed Tangle’s company. There was just something about her… that same ‘something’ that made Whisper take the risk of bringing her. What?

Whisper shut her eyes and turned away. Tangle, eyes warm with sympathy, gently touched her shoulder. “Whisper, I wanna help you with this. But I can’t unless you tell me who this guy is. Why he knows you. And…and what he did to hurt you. Please?”

She couldn’t. The truth was too painful to share. Not with Whisper’s own words, anyway. …And even now, Whisper didn’t want to turn her away. So… she showed her. Whisper turned her mask and placed it over Tangle’s face. With her voice command, it started from the earliest video.

“These masks are more than a way to analyze and record.” Smithy spoke. “When we’re out there, we’re one. We’ll stop Eggman from the shadows, one base at a time.”

“Who…Who are these guys?” Tangle asked.

“…My old sector. The Diamond Cutters.”

“WOW, you guys look so cool!”

“…Thanks.” she spoke in a lower whisper.

And within that next hour… Tangle saw it all. Their unbreakable bond. Their strong teamwork. Their love. “Hahahahaha!” Tangle would laugh at their jokes. “Woohoooooo!” Cheer at their victories. Like a kid watching their favorite show, Tangle sat with such engagement. “Yaaaaaaaay, Whisper’s birthday!” She clapped giddily and swung her feet. Whisper watched her… as her own heart pulsed with anxiety.

…Then, Tangle’s fur began to stand. Her body shuddered. She gasped. She choked. From Claire’s own eyes, she was shot in the skull. From Smithy’s, she was squished into paste. From Slinger’s, her head fell and hit the floor, blood spilling on the lens. From Mimic’s… he was earning his pay from Eggman. And smashing his mask with his hammer. And from Whisper’s… she was gagging and crying.

Tangle took it off. Whisper saw herself… in those crying orchid eyes. Her pain. Her tears. Everything Whisper felt in that moment… was shared with Tangle. As if she were there as well, as if they were also her family, Tangle cried. “Whisper…I-I’m…I can’t believe…sniff…”

“…” Whisper closed her eyes and turned away. “That was almost two years ago. You’re the first friend… I’ve allowed myself to have since then.”

“…huuuuuff…aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!” Tangle still needed time. Time to cry and burn out the emotions. “AAAAAHHHHHHH…” The field was empty. Stars glimmered in the moonlit heaven. Tangle’s sadness enveloped the night. Sadness that should belong to Whisper. Pain that she should’ve kept to herself. Because of her… another heart would be ruined.

With a strong wipe of her tears and a deep whiff of her nose… resolve burned in her pupils. “You were right. I didn’t know what I was dealing with.”

Whisper bowed. She knew the truth would be too hard for her. Her cheerfulness and openness wasn’t ready for this pain.

“…He’s not just a villain. He’s a traitor. And a monster. I need to stop him.”

Whisper looked up at her with a gasp. Tangle seemed different now. Her eyes were an ocean of feelings: anger, compassion, confidence, tenderness… all of it spiraled into one. She was different… and yet, the same. This was the true Tangle. “Whisper.” She extended a hand. “I’m ready this time. I know how he works. I know we can beat him.”

“…He nearly killed us.”

“Yeah. So, he gets double the payback. I may not’ve known you for long, Whisper, but you’re my friend, too. And nobody hurts my friends.”

From that moment, Whisper felt something she hadn’t in a long time: courage. Faith. Trust. She took Tangle’s hand… and without warning, pulled the lemur into a hug. “Thank you.”

Tangle was blindsided. This same girl who denied their first hug with boundaries… She could tell this was a hard choice for Whisper. She couldn’t imagine how much she was truly suffering. But Tangle was determined not to betray this trust. She smiled and returned the hug. “See? I knew you liked it.”

The mission was done. Mimic was defeated. Imprisoned. Justice was served. And thus began a new horizon.

“So, Whisper… what’re you gonna do now?” Tangle asked as dawn brightened the sky.

“Report to Marcus. Then I…I suppose I’ll await my next mission. …Want to come with?”

“Come with? Y’mean… you want me to come on another mission?”

“Well… you’ve… shown to be an excellent fighter. And teammate. I, um…” Whisper tensed up nervously. Tangle’s heart was racing, as if this were somehow an esteemed honor. “Then again, you said you liked to jump between sectors. And you’d prefer explorations over stealth.”

“No no no, I’d love to!” Whisper looked up in surprise. “Yeah, I know I like to hang out with other sectors, but… I really liked working with you Whisper. And… I wanna get to know you more.” The wolf bowed her head, blushing. “But first, I wanna head home and get some rest. And I need to clear up that misunderstanding with the townspeople. But I hope you come visit me later today! I can give you the grand tour! And properly introduce you to Jewel! So… see you around!” Tangle held the end of her tail before Whisper, shaped into a fist.

“…’kay.” Whisper knuckle-touched it. The action set her heart aflutter. “See you around.”

Fulfilling her promise, Whisper would get to know Spiral Village proper… and even help save it from a band of sky pirates. “I think my town is just invasion-prone,” Tangle would admit.

The following day, Marcus contacted Whisper in her ship. “We’ve heard of suspicious activity at the abandoned Chemical Plant near West Side Island. Could you go investigate it, Whisper?”

“Copy. Allow me to contact my partner first.”

Marcus blinked. His eyes flickered with delight. “As you wish.”

At the Chemical Plant, thugs were hauling vats of pink chemicals from the basement into their submarine. “Huh?!” A fluffy tail shot down, wrapped the vat up, and snatched it out of his arms. Whisper then dropped down and swiftly bonked him senseless. Another guard rushed to check on him—the same tail muffled and raised him off the floor, squeezing him against the airduct until he passed out. Tangle sported a grin and thumbs-up at her partner. Whisper smirked and returned the gesture.

Present

Now, she and that same lemur were in the same treehouse. Tangle would usually be the first thing she would see in the morning.

…And Whisper couldn’t have been more happy.

Whisper washed her face and brushed her biscotti fur of ruffles. She donned her black combat attire; jacket, boots, gloves, and knee-padded pants, complete with her scoping mask and Wispon. She then walked out to the living room.

“Hey, Whisper.” Lanolin the Sheep greeted with a smile. She wore green combat pants, an orange top, boots, and fingerless gloves. Most distinct was her golden cowbell. “How’d you sleep?”

“…Fine.”

“She looked a little sweaty though.” Tangle said with a scratch of her noggin. “Did we have the heat turned up too much?”

“It felt fine to me. In any case… who’s hungry?”

“I AM!” Tangle sprung with her tail, shooting her fists out with a full flip.

The trio climbed down to Spiral Hill Village and soon had warm bagels in their mouths. “Mmmmmmmmmmmm, banana nuts!” Tangle’s orchid-purple eyes were gleaming. “So good! Whisper, wanna try a bite?”

“Hmm…I guess.” She took a break from her salt bagel to bite part of Tangle’s. She barely had the mentality to compliment the taste. From the walk down to the village or the bakery, Whisper remained lost in memories.

Last September

“Whisper.” Marcus’s image appeared on her ship’s screen. “There’ve been Badnik sightings in Spagonia, and we suspect they’re culminating down in the waterways. Could you go and investigate?”

“Understood. Allow me to-”

“You wanna go get Tangle first?” Marcus asked as his expression picked up subtly.

“Y-Yes. Would that be a problem?”

“Not at all! You two have shown exemplary results so far.”

It was true that Marcus offered to listen. She understood that he was very worried about her. But Whisper had convinced herself she was undeserving. Perhaps she may have found this kinship with other friendly operatives if she only tried. Even so, she was glad fate brought her to Tangle. She could tell that Marcus was pleased that she finally found a reliable partner.

The journeys between missions were quiet in her small ship, the Diamond Knife, save for the engines humming. But now there was another humming. “Hm, hmm hmm, hmm~ Mmm, mMmMm, hmmmmmmm~” Tangle’s feet were propped on the back of Whisper’s chair.

“That a song?” Whisper felt like asking.

“Hm? Ah, nah. I just make up whatever comes.” Tangle said in an airheaded manner. “You like music?”

“Hmm…not particularly. Usually quiet songs, if any.”

“Want me to quit?”

“No.” Whisper smiled beneath her mask. “It’s nice.”

Tangle’s heart fluttered. “HMMMM HM! HM HM!” She hummed with more enthusiasm. “MmmMMmmMM! MM-HM!”

…

The partners navigated the robot-infested waterways with caution and quiet steps. Though Tangle would occasionally stick her tongue out at unwary robots and make silly “sneaky” poses, she was able to stay in sync with Whisper and keep out of sight.

“Tangle.” Whisper spoke as they located a large device strapped to a pillar. “It’s a bomb.”

“What? Don’t tell me…”

“There must be others stationed on more posts. They plan to collapse the aqueduct.”

“But that’s gonna… take out a huge chunk of town, right?”

“Yes. I’m no explosives expert, but… I may have an idea to stop it.”

“Yeah?”

“It seems electrically charged. If I use Ivory Cells and apply the right output, I may be able to short it out without exploding it. But the robots will swarm me as soon as I start.”

“Then leave it to me!” Tangle smirked, balling her fist. “There aren’t that many! No robot’s laying metal on my buddy. And no one will stop us…” She rubbed hands together with ravenous eyes, “from trying that Spagonia pizza!”

“…Hm!” As if her courage and confidence were contagious, Whisper smirked as well.

Though Whisper was concerned by her antics at first, Tangle had proven her wrong. She knew how to adapt and stay alert in a situation. She could trust Tangle with her back. And when a mission was over, they would celebrate.

“And I wrapped the plane’s wing with my tail,” Tangle said with a mouthful of pizza, “and SNAPPED it right off!”

“Hmhm.” Whisper lightly chuckled from her demeanor. “It really is impressive. Does that power run in the family?”

“Only my mom. She got a whiff of Bang Gas way back, and the power just spread to me.”

“Well, I can see you’ve trained very well. I wouldn’t have guessed you’ve only been an operative for three months.”

“Haha!” Tangle wasn’t just delighted by the praise. She was delighted to have a conversation with Whisper like this. Before the Mimic mission, her sentences were small and sparse. Now they felt like true friends and peers, sharing stories. “…Hey, Whisper…” Tangle began with a softer expression. “Could you tell me more about the Diamond Cutters?” Whisper frowned with a small gasp. “I-I’m sorry.” Tangle quickly caught her reaction. “It’s just… Well, they look so cool, and… I wanna know more about them. But, you don’t have to, if it’s too hard. I’m sorry.”

“…” She was considerate, but her curiosity was strong. She truly wanted to know Whisper’s family. To know the people that she loved. Whisper was glad to share. “Slinger loved juggling. Even did cool tricks with his Wispon.” Tangle propped her head on her hands, her eyes bright with engagement. “Claire, of course, loved playing with tarot cards and doing fortunes with them.”

“Hey, kind of like Sonia and Manic’s mom. I bet she would’ve loved her.”

Whisper giggled. “And Smithy loved doing math. He was very good with tech, too. He actually had a job at a mechanic’s shop, so he supported us a lot. But we wanted to help raise money, too, so they showed off their talents on the street.”

“What about you?”

“I was just the poster girl. I yelped and yelled for people to come look at us.”

“Hehehe. It’s… kind of hard to imagine you doing that.”

Whisper blushed. “I was… different back then.”

Tangle frowned a bit. Whisper started another slice of pizza. “Man, now I really wish I got to meet ’em. Why didn’t my parents ever take me to Sunset Heights?”

Whisper’s smile returned. “They would’ve loved you, too, Tangle.”

Tangle fidgeted in embarrassment. “…Well, yeah! I mean, I just helped you save a whole town after all! Haha! Imagine what they’re saying now! ‘That’s our Whisper!’ ‘Best sister ever!’ ‘Man, that Tangle kid’s got moves! Whisper found herself a good partner there!’”

Whisper let out soft laughs. Seeing her expression brightened Tangle’s day. She wrapped her cola glass in her tail and raised it. “To our partnership, Whisper! And to the Diamond Cutters!”

Whisper picked up her glass and tapped it to Tangle’s. “Hear-hear.” They finished their sides of the pizza with greater vigor.

Perhaps this was Tangle’s talent in making friends at work. She was certainly popular with the big operatives. Though Whisper wasn’t quite ready for that attention.

Two days after the Spagonia mission, the duo made a mad dash from an exploding Eggman supply depot. “HA HA!” Tangle laughed. “That’s what he gets for puttin’ all those bombs in one place!”

“Heads up.” Whisper skid to a halt and turned. “Survivors. Fifteen of them.” Badniks were headed after them out of the flames.

“What do ya think? Those small fries worth our time?”

“Fifteen less Badniks to threaten the world.”

“Then let’s bust ’em up and grab us some chilidogs!”

An hour later, they delivered their report directly. “Heh, didja see the look on Marcus’s face?” Tangle smirked as they walked away from his office. “I think I’m becomin’ one of his favorites.”

“Hmhm.” Whisper smirked as well. “He certainly seems to enjoy your reports.”

“TANGLE!” Sonia and Princess Cinder rushed up to them. Cinder was a silver cat in high heels.

“So, you really ARE acquainted with the Guardian Angel.” Cinder said.

“Yeah, I am!” Tangle beamed, Whisper shirking in shyness. “Whisper’s the BEST!” She put an arm around the wolf, drawing an embarrassed blush. “Like, on the mission just now, she got WHAMMED in the head by a Shield Pawn, took it like a champ! She was blastin’ ’em between the eyes like, ‘pew, pew, pew’!”

“You’ll have to tell us all about it!” Sonia said cheerily. “Us and the guys’re gonna hit Casinopolis. Why don’t you two join us?”

“Heck yeah! C’mon, Whisper! You can even tell ’em that funny joke! Y’know, the one about the-” Whisper walked away. “…toaster? Hey!”

She slowed to a halt as Tangle followed her. “I’m sorry, Tangle. I don’t really like being center of attention. Or being put on the spot.”

“Okay, I’m sorry. Let’s just… go do something. Just the two of us!”

Whisper glanced back. Both at Tangle and the two behind her. “It’s fine. You can spend time with your other friends, Tangle. Don’t let me keep you.”

“No! I mean… I don’t wanna leave you alone, Whisper. You deserve friends as much as I do.”

She deserved friends? Not even Whisper would tell herself that. She didn’t want to be alone either… but she didn’t want to keep Tangle from her friends. Whisper took a breath and backtracked to the cat and hedgehog. “…um… it’s a Sonic toaster. Why did it break?”

Sonia and Cinder exchanged a quizzical glance. “Why?” asked Sonia.

“…It got stuck between the cogs. A crumb did.”

“…” There was a moment of confused silence. Then, Sonia’s expression brightened. “OOOOOHHH! I GET IT! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

“PAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Tangle keeled over laughing, kicking the air erratically. Cinder could only shake her head in confusion and disbelief. Whisper cracked an awkward grin as her blush widened.

…

“Sho, like,” Tangle spewed burger crumbs out as she talked between chews. They sat opposite sides of a table at the Station Square Burger Shop. “They shay Sheila Frantic is the strongest operative on Earth, but she’s Captain Marine’s daughter! She shoulda been on Mobius!” Tangle dipped a handful of fries in ketchup and shoved them in her mouth. “That meansh if we had her, we’d be WAY stronger!”

Whisper cringed at her demeanor. Tangle just loved to talk, even with a full mouth. Even so, Whisper loved hearing her ramble. “I guess that’s true.”

Tangle washed her food down with a strawberry smoothie. “But Whisper… here’s somethin’ you didn’t expect: didja know my parents were explorers?”

“Really? So, that’s why?”

“Yep! They took me on some of their trips! But sometimes, they left me home for Jewel to babysit. Then, when I was 11… my parents left on a trip… and never came back.”

Whisper gasped. “Yeah.” Tangle’s eyes fell, but she kept her smile. “When I realized that, I got pretty sad. They never even told me where they were going. Just ‘somewhere dangerous.’ I wanna think they’re still alive, but…”

“…I’m sorry, Tangle.”

“Thanks. But, even then…” She felt nervous to say it, knowing Whisper’s history. “I kept doing what I loved. I love exploring, getting in danger… and I joined the KND to have even greater adventures! After I’m done seein’ all the places of Mobius, I wanna see what else is out there! I wanna know what cool things and people other worlds have!”

Whisper smiled. She wished she could muster that same passion. “You really reach for the stars, Tangle.”

“Hey, you should come with! I bet you’d LOVE to visit Planet Wisp, right?”

“Well… yes. That’s been in the back of my mind.”

“Haha! So, let’s go someday! Christmas or something, it’ll be great!” Tangle slurped her smoothie.

Whisper giggled and slurped her vanilla one. “Oh!” She winced. She flushed and held her head. “Brain freeze. Ho…”

“Hehehe! You always were cool-headed, Whisper.”

“Ehhh…” Whisper smiled in disbelief.

…

“Say, Whisper. When’s your birthday?” Tangle would ask on their next hangout. “I gotta know when to get you something.”

She cracked a chuckle. “Well, no one really knows my birthday. But… the foster home said they got me on August 15. So, we pretend it’s that day.”

“Huh…WAIT! That was practically when we first met! That was your BIRTHDAY?!”

“It’s fine, Tangle. I don’t celebrate anym-”

“NO! UNACCEPTABLE!” Tangle was burning with passion. “I’m making you a cake! I know you like poundcake, but what frosting do you like, what toppings?!”

Whisper sighed. Tangle was determined to do this… and deep down, Whisper wanted it. “I like… vanilla frosting… with sprinkles.” They reminded her of Wisps. “And strawberries around it.” Tangle’s favorite food.

“You got it! And, I know you don’t like social situations, but at the very least, I wanna invite Jewel over. But I’m hoping, next year, we can have a bigger party! Is that fine?”

“Hehe. Yes, Tangle. It’s fine.”

It was the smallest, simplest birthday party Whisper could’ve expected… but it melted her heart. Just as the cake melted in her mouth. Tangle’s cooking was casual and hardly professional, but Whisper would always look forward to it. So delicious.

“And… here’s my gift!” Tangle presented.

“A picture frame?”

“Yeah. You know, that… photo you keep around. Thought you could put it in.”

The photo of her family, and even their favorite Wisps. It had gotten rather wrinkled, keeping it in its case. Mimic was part of it, too. It still stung her to see him in it. And yet… she didn’t want to snip it out either. Not because it was a reminder… though she couldn’t really determine the reason. “…Thank you.”

…

Whisper returned to the Wisp Colony that night. While Tangle was probably tucking herself in at Spiral Hill. As she lay on her mat, propping the framed photo up on a rock, the Wisps gravitated, delighted by her blissful expression. “(Whisper looks happier today!)” they muttered in their language. “(Was it that new friend of hers? When’re we gonna meet her? What did she do today?)”

Indeed… what cheerful things would Tangle say tomorrow? What silly antics would she do? What would they eat tomorrow? For once in her life… she wanted to sleep so tomorrow could come.

…

“AAAAHHH, I CAN’T SLEEP!” Tangle shouted excitedly, thrusting fists at a punching bag and jumping on the bed. “What cool mission will we go on?! What food should I bring her?! What’ll we talk about?! Can tomorrow get here any FASTER?!” Her phone rang. “IS THAT HER NOW?!” She answered it in a split second. “Oh! Hey, Jewel!”

“Tangle… the entire village can hear you. Do you have any idea what time it is?”

“Only 12:20! Oh, since you’re up, I never got a chance to tell you about that mission the other day!”

“That’s quite alright, you can-”

“So, me and Whisper broke into an Eggman weapons depot, and she hitched a ride on a Motobug and shot a bunch of other ones, but a Shield Pawn jumped out and…” Jewel groaned in her bed.  

Whisper could never have imagined a greater friend. That she was allowed to have such a friend. For those two months, every day was wonderful. She felt the nightmares leaving her… and finally, she could see hope in her future.

…Until the Silver Rain fell.

November

Whisper could still hear the screaming. Billions of people. Crying as their world ended. So many begging for help… only to be abandoned because the plague already touched them.

To Tangle and Whisper, it was another mission: help as many people evacuate to the shuttles as possible. Their enemies were thousands of Zombots; poor souls that had been corrupted by the plague, even from a single touch of the cursed metal. It was their most horrifying mission, yet: one touch would be the end of them. But even through all the screams and chaos, they showed no fear. Whisper, ever focused. Tangle, ever courageous. Together, ever strong. Yes. As long as they were together, they would survive this nightmare. Together.

If Whisper had just locked that in her mind, she could’ve avoided her second biggest mistake.

The plague had reached Spiral Hill. “Whisper, I’m gonna go check on Jewel! Just stay on the roof and keep Zombots away from the entrance!”

“Okay.” Whisper nodded.

“Be right back!” Tangle raced off. And Whisper, like always, trusted her word.

‘Don’t let her go.’ She should’ve told herself. ‘Go with her!’ her future self was yelling. A future self that would exist in mere minutes.

The evacuation was a failure. Whisper and her comrades returned to the shuttle without a single survivor. Wait… there was one less person with them. “…Where is Tangle?” she asked Sonia.

“…She got infected.” the hedgehog replied solemnly. “She’s staying behind.”

Whisper’s heart stopped. No… it felt that time stopped around her. As she processed the sentence. The reality. Those billions of Zombots… heartless creatures void of love and life, claiming the people they once were… Tangle was about to be one of them. Everything that she was… every piece of her that made Whisper smile… They were leaving her behind. Leaving… her… behind…

“TANGLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEE!”

“STOP!” Manic grabbed Whisper, struggling to restrain the desperate wolf. “Sonia! Help!”

“I can’t!”

“LET ME GO! I NEED TO SAVE HER! I NEED TO! TANGLE!” Whisper’s throat nearly burst from her volume.

“YOU CAN’T!” Sonia shouted. “There’s nothing we can do! We have to get out of here!”

“LEMMEGO!” Her voice grew more rushed, high-pitched, and incomprehensible. “NEEDSAVEHER! NEEDTANGLE!”

And yet, Tangle was fearless. “COME ON!” She punched the Zombots back without mercy. “You’re my neighbors! You KNOW I’m not gonna let you pass! You won’t hurt ANYBODY! You’re all gonna get CURED! Whoa!” A bunch of them piled around her out of the entrance. She stretched her tail—“YEEK!” but it was cold stiff. “Welp, that hurts!” She leapt across the Zombots’ heads to reach the front of the crowd outside the gate. “NOPE! Still FIGHTING!”

Just as she came into view, the shuttle sealed. “TANGLE, GET TO THE SHIP! GET TO THE SHIP!” Whisper banged the glass with all that she could muster.

“Send a million!” Tangle showered with enthusiasm as the Metal Virus consumed the remaining inches of her body. “Send a billion! I’M NOT SCARED! BECAUSE THE GOOD GUYS ALWAYS WIN IN THE END!”

And just as the village was shrinking out of view… Whisper saw Tangle freeze. Her will finally dissolved. “NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOO!” Whisper collapsed on the floor. Her comrades, even throughout this nightmare, had never seen this much agony from a single person. “AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!” Whisper banged the floor furiously. “AH! AH! AH! AAAAAHHHH!”

She didn’t care how pointless her tantrum was. She knew screaming wouldn’t accomplish anything. But what else was she supposed to do when all of her joy and hope was taken away in the blink of an eye? She would never again eat Tangle’s cooking. Never go on a mission with her. Never tell her more about the Diamond Cutters. Never listen to her babble on about the cool mission they’d just been on. These were the realities awakening in Whisper’s mind.

Should’ve been with her—you let her die—should’ve died with her—should’ve died with them—could’ve helped them—could’ve helped her—you did it again—didn’t learn anything—you’re a curse—you deserve no one—you kill everyone close to you—should’ve just stayed alone!

These thoughts that once plagued her about the Diamond Cutters, they were resurfacing. Tangle was becoming part of them. Her comrades couldn’t comprehend what was going through her mind. All they heard was, “AAAAAAAAHHHH!” Over and over. They had no idea what to say. They weren’t even in the right states to offer comfort their selves. Whisper’s screams faded and became replaced with sobs. “Give her back…give her back…don’t let her…don’t…Tangle…”

Present

“Cough, cough, kuh!” Whisper spewed out some crumbs.

“Sorry.” Tangle shirked. “Don’t like it?”

“It… tastes great. Forgot to swallow.” Whisper said. She had to stop herself. It was one thing to be lost in memories… but she couldn’t relive that one. After the deaths of the Diamond Cutters, that was the single worst day. The worst minute of her life. She couldn’t let that nightmare consume her again. She just had to remind herself how it ended.

The Zombots reached their safe haven. The operatives were forced to face the gruesome monsters their friends had become. “Tangle…” The Wispon quivered in Whisper’s hand. “Tangle… it’s me.” Her vibrant, fun-loving friend glared at her with heartless, mindless malice. “Tangle…please—hu-!” Whisper dodged the thrust of her spiky, bladed tail. She stepped back as Tangle crept closer, countering her tail with Blue Hammer. Her friend… Her source of joy… Her newfound desire to wake up and live… Tangle was gone. Gone and replaced by this monster. “Sniff…” Whisper hesitated to grab the Laser Cell. “Tangle…” If Tangle got a lucky swipe off her, it was over for Whisper. She would be cursed to infection. For her own sake… she had to defend herself.

And before she knew it… rainfall. A white rain from a smiling, bubbly cloud. Before Whisper’s eyes… Tangle’s cold metallic skin became soft and warm. The soulless orange gaze of the Zombot was replaced by the confused and comical expression of the friend she knew. “Whuzzuh? Why am I back on Angel Island?”

That was the very moment Whisper’s emotions took control. In a single millisecond, in which Whisper sprinted faster than Sonic, her feelings dramatically and completely flipped from complete despair to pure hope and joy. “OH! HEY!” Tangle yelped, laughing upon being tackled to the grass. “Miss me much?”

From that instant… Whisper promised herself to treasure every second with Tangle. Everything Tangle said. Every expression she made. Everything she did. Even on ordinary days like this, Whisper would remember every single moment she shared with Tangle.

Except… Whisper couldn’t even fulfill her own promise after that. Her feelings were too disoriented. This became apparent at the victory party at Tangle’s own house, three days later.

The news was put on Tangle’s T.V. for her partying friends to watch: Smiling Cure Clouds rained over hordes of Zombots. Couples were exchanging hugs, children were playfully splashing around the white rain. The people of Mobius were cheering a brand new day, crying with joy and relief.

Tangle noticed Whisper loitering outside, holding a plate of poundcake and slowly eating it. “Hey, Whisper!” The wolf flinched as Tangle approached her. “I know you don’t like crowds, but… you should be with us. We all worked hard for this victory.”

“…Y…es… I…”

Tangle frowned. “Are you okay?”

“…F…f…ine…”

She still couldn’t believe it. That Tangle was standing here. Alive. It had completely gone against the reality she established. She would never get the Diamond Cutters back, so it was obvious to assume she would never get Tangle back. So, why was she here? Why was Whisper allowed to feel this happy, after years of cursing herself? Just… what exactly was this happiness?

“Whisper? What’s wrong?”

She couldn’t get any words out. Did she really ruin her throat from that breakdown? Furthermore, she couldn’t stop her tail from wagging. Her heart was pounding furiously. Was she developing a fever? Just what was this overwhelming happiness? Was it even something she deserved? “…Need to… go.”

Tangle couldn’t respond before Whisper fast-walked to her ship. As she watched it take off, the lemur felt her heart rupturing.

She wasn’t ready. She never knew this feeling. She wasn’t ready to confront Tangle on them. She needed time to reorganize them. So… Whisper went on leave from the KND. On leave from her.

“Sorry, Tangle.” she replied on her phone. “I want to be alone today.”

“Oh. Okay…”

…

“Hey, Whisper! Wanna hang out today?”

“Sorry, Tangle. I have… something to do.”

“Oh…”

…

The following day, Whisper checked a voice-mail on her phone. “Hi, Whisper. It’s me. Listen, if I did anything to hurt you… I’m sorry. So… if you get this, call me. Later.”

It hurt Whisper to do that to her. From what she understood, Tangle had never been so depressed. Couldn’t bring herself to go on missions or adventures. Whisper didn’t really know when she planned to talk to Tangle again… but Lanolin would answer that question for them.

“Hey.” Tangle grabbed Whisper out of her reflections. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Whisper snapped back to reality. She hadn’t even realized how lost in thought she was. How much time even passed just now? How long was Tangle standing there… worried? Whisper knew by now she couldn’t hide anything from her. Tangle wouldn’t feel at ease until she heard Whisper’s feelings. And neither would she. “…Okay. Let’s go over here.”

Lanolin only watched with a sympathetic expression. As their leader, she did her part to comfort Whisper when she was upset, but it was clear she was much more comfortable around Tangle. That was the very reason she chose them both.

Late November

“Whisper!” Tangle raced up to the wolf and sheep. “Wait! Were you called here, too?”

“Huh? Oh…I suppose I was.”

“Yes, I called you both here!” Lanolin said with an approachable smile, her fingers folded. “You may have seen me around H.Q., but I’m Lanolin. And, the reason for this meeting… Let’s just say this last crisis had an effect on me.” Whisper silently gasped. “It made me realize… I want to start doing more to help our world. I want to be more active. So… I’m starting my own sector! And I’d like you two to be part of it. The two of you are very skilled and work as a great team, from what I’ve heard. But since you don’t officially belong to a sector… well, here we are. So, what do you think?”

“Well, I’d love to!” Tangle exclaimed. “Uh…but what do you think, Whisper?”

Tangle looked to her hopefully. She was still hurt. Hurt that Whisper ignored her. Whisper had yet to provide an excuse. But right now, Tangle really wanted this. Wanted to rekindle their friendship. “…I’ll try it.” Whisper smiled. Tangle sparked with hope.

“Okay then!” Lanolin hammered her palm with her fist. “Before we really set this in stone, we’ll go on some test missions. But assuming things go well, where should we build our treehouse? Honestly, I’d rather not do my own hometown. It’s in a pretty poor state after all that’s happened, and I… feel like building a base there paints more of a target on it.” She shirked awkwardly.

“Well, okay.” Tangle said. “What about my hometown, Spiral Hill? I don’t mind! Plus, Whisper already visits it a lot.”

“I suppose so. Whisper?”

Whisper was in momentary thought. If she stuck with this, she’d really be seeing Tangle a lot more. Which means she would have to settle these new feelings. Her heart was racing out of anxiety. “That’s fine.”

“Alright then. So, if we’re building our treehouse in Spiral Hill, should we be Sector SH?”

“No! Let’s be Sector D.C.!” Tangle proposed. “The Diamond Cutters!”

“Wow! I like that!”

“Haha!” Tangle turned to Whisper, beaming. …Her smile faded as she met the wolf’s narrow gaze. Her eyes were coursing with anger and pain. Tangle shirked down as confusion and guilt set inside of her.

That was apparently the first time Whisper was ever mad at Tangle. She stomached that anger for most of their first mission. But even Lanolin began to notice Whisper faltering in her performance. The feelings couldn’t stay in.

“Why did you take that name?” Whisper asked through her sobs.

“I didn’t…”

“I thought… you were better than that, Tangle. I didn’t think you would…”

“I, I’m sorry, Whisper! I-I thought if we called ourselves that, you would feel at home with us, a-and, and I…I just didn’t want you to leave!” Tangle wrapped her head up in her own tail to absorb her overflow of tears. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry… You’ve been avoiding me, I thought you were mad at me for something. I just wanted to make you happy. I didn’t mean to…” She choked against her sobs.

Whisper felt her heart rupture. “That team was doomed from the start.” A dark voice whispered in her mind. Whisper tensed… as she pictured Mimic, twirling the sacks of Rings in his tentacles. “We were never gonna stop Eggman. We were never gonna get anywhere. And if you value your life… you’ll stay away from both of us. Forever.”

All Whisper ever showed him was appreciation. Her family loved him like one of their own… and he threw it away. Now, when all Tangle wanted was Whisper’s happiness… she became the very thing she feared.

Tangle felt a pair of arms embrace her. She opened her tail a crack as Whisper’s sobbing head rested against it. “Tangle… I’m sorry. I don’t want to leave. I know you didn’t mean to hurt me. I…I just…”

“Listen.” Lanolin approached them. “We can change the name. I don’t want it to bother you.”

“No.” Whisper pulled away. “…I…I was just afraid. Afraid of… him.” Resolve burned in her pupils. “I won’t let him take this away from me, too. We… are the Diamond Cutters.”

“…haha!” Tangle slowly unraveled herself, her tail damp. But seeing her smile compelled Whisper to smile, too. “Are you… sure?”

“Yes. They would be glad… that their legacy lives on.”

Present

Tangle and Whisper sat opposite of a café table. Though her voice was low as usual, it carried to Tangle’s ears. “…I had that dream again.”

“…oh.” Tangle needn’t ask more than that. Even now, she was still unsure how to comfort her. Tangle stretched her tail and bent it behind Whisper’s back. The wolf winced ever slightly as the fluffy appendage patted her. But after that crisis, Whisper had never been so grateful to feel her tail’s warmth.

“…You were part of it, too. I still hate myself. For not going with you. For not saving you… from that infection. And then… I had to fight you… to defend myself… but I… Deep down, I wanted to…to just give up and let you infect me. We didn’t know the cure would work. For all we knew, that was the end. We were all dead. And I…I just didn’t want to spend my last minutes fighting you. Raising my weapon at you was the hardest…”

“I’m glad you did.” Whisper looked up at her. Tangle’s image was blurry through her tears. “I’d never wanna live with myself if I Zombotified you. I mean… I must’ve looked so ugly!”

Her answer was confident, yet there was a carefree air to it. A spirit that tickled Whisper’s heart. “And they’d never want that to happen to you either. They’re happy now. Because Whisper is alive and healthy.”

“…” Whisper set her bagel on the table and pushed out of her seat. She walked around to Tangle and embraced her. The lemur could only smile warmly as Whisper’s head pressed into hers. Tears wet Tangle’s fur, and Whisper’s sniffles and huffs resounded in her ears. Tangle brought her tail back to hold Whisper.

“It’s all my fault…it’s all my fault…” Whisper sobbed into Tangle’s chest. Feeling her pain, her sadness, Tangle cried as well. “I killed them…I killed them…” Tangle hugged her with arms and tail.

“You didn’t… It’s not…”

“…Two years, Tangle… Two years, I heard them cursing me. ‘You should’ve died with them.’ ‘If Whisper hadn’t brought him’…”

“Would they… really say that? Or would they say… ‘I wonder what Whisper’s having for dinner today? I hope she eats well today.’”

“Sniff, huff…” Whisper faintly brought her head up at Tangle’s soft smile.

“And then they’d say… ‘I hope she eats this. It’s my favorite.’ …What did they like to eat, anyway?”

Whisper couldn’t bring out another word. She hugged Tangle even tighter… and Tangle’s tail wrapped her like a warm blanket to provide all the comfort she needed. “Tangle… I-I’m sorry… for ignoring you that week… I-I wasn’t mad at you. I wasn’t. The virus was… It was all so hard for me, you know? It made me think… I…I was a curse. I just hurt everyone around me. I don’t deserve anything.”

“Don’t ever say that.” Whisper met her passionate eyes once more. “You know who’s a curse, Whisper? Eggman. Mimic. Monsters who only care about their selves and don’t care who they hurt. But you’re a blessing. To me… to your family… to all of us! You deserve whatever you want! And I wanna make sure you get it!”

“Huff…huff…huff…” Tangle was the real blessing here. That’s what she wanted to say. …But Tangle was right. She couldn’t let them control her, anymore. Mimic. Eggman. Her fears. Her family would want her to seize this happiness… and she will. Whisper rose her head. “Slinger’s… favorite food were Snake Fries. Smithy loved Grubburgers. And Claire… she loved Chunky Bananas, imported from Mushroom World. They were green… like her. Said they were good for her brain.”

“Then let’s go buy some!” Tangle pumped up the room with vigor! “You, me, and Lanolin! We’re gonna have our first team lunch in THEIR honor! With poundcake, too! And strawberries! And whatever Lanolin likes! It’ll be a full Diamond Cutters buffet!”

“Sniff…” Whisper smiled. She cursed herself for ignoring Tangle. She cursed herself for being mad at her. The girl who made her happy. The girl who always thought of Whisper’s feelings. And who wanted to honor Whisper’s family with her.

Tangle held true to her word. It hurt her to see Whisper upset… and she loved to see Whisper smile. At times, she would even wonder why. Why was Whisper the most important person on her mind? Why was her health and happiness all that mattered? But Tangle didn’t linger on those questions. All that mattered were these moments. Right now. Holding Whisper. Warming her. Sharing her pain and sadness. Whisper was a kind person who only cared for those around her. Tangle loved that… and no matter what, she wanted to be there to share Whisper’s feelings.

Standing at the base of Spiral Hill, the newly-appointed sectormates beamed at their spiral-trunked treehouse. It had a diamond symbol with a C-shaped slash mark striking it. “Diamond Cutters:” Belle the Tinkerer, the lead carpenter, began, “I present your new home!”

“HAHAAAAA! LET’S GO SEE!” Tangle immediately tailed her friends up into it. They each had their own room, but there were two extras in case they welcomed more members. Tangle’s room was open to the outside to mitigate her dislike of enclosed spaces. “Can you believe it, Whisper?! We’re sleeping in the same treehouse! We’re gonna live together! From now on!”

Whisper really couldn’t believe it. Her new home… those words resounded in her. As she set her framed photo on her nightstand. “…Tangle… thank you. Thank you… for this home.”

Tangle’s heart melted. Whisper never sounded so happy. “…I mean, you should thank Belle. She and the others built it. Plus, this team was Lanolin’s idea.”

Whisper laughed. “Yes. I should. I will.”

“Oh! It’s almost Christmas, isn’t it? We were gonna go to Planet Wisp!”

“Oh…” Whisper had completely forgotten that. “…Hmm…I think I’m fine… right now.”

“You don’t want to?”

“Tangle… I have more than I ever wanted these last two years. A new home. New friends. And… my family’s legacy revived.” Tangle could feel the warmth and gratitude shining in Whisper’s eyes. “I just want to appreciate all this first.”

“Yeah… fair enough. As long as you’re happy, Whisper.”

Whisper felt a glimmer of disappointment. Tangle must’ve been looking forward to that trip. “But sometime next year. For sure. I’m sure we’ll decide a good time.”

“Haha! Okay!”

Whisper let go. Tangle rose from her seat. Through her drying tears, Whisper began to smile. It made Tangle’s face brighten. “…I heard Sonic once brought someone a mountain of handkerchiefs. I wish I knew where to find that many!”

The remark sparked a stifled giggle. Whisper had the cutest smile. It made Tangle so happy to see it. “Ahhhhhhh,” Tangle stretched her limbs of the tension, “nothing wakes you up like expelling some negative energy, huh?”

“Hmhm, yes.” Whisper replied, letting out a relaxed sigh. Lanolin took that as her cue to come over. “I feel really good all of a sudden.”

“That’s great! Y’know what, we need to have some fun today!”

“Um, about that…” Lanolin raised some papers, “I printed off a list of missions that need done. Another illegal mining rig built by Schnee Dust, prime meat stolen from Red Mountain…”

“Okay, well, I’m up for another Schnee Dusting. But we need a warmup exercise to kick the crust out of our eyes! Whisper, let’s go play tag! Around the village we go, you’re it!” Tangle gave Whisper a quick tap. She stretched her tail toward a rooftop and pulled herself away with flying momentum.

“Honestly…” Lanolin sighed.

Whisper grabbed her Wispon and inserted a green battery, leaping as she used its Hover power to fly onto the roof. She hover-leapt from roof to roof in pursuit of her tail-slinging friend. The direct approach wouldn’t work, so Whisper dove into one of the alleys. She inserted a Cloak Cell and hid herself. Tangle searched the street and rotated every way in search of the wolf. But she was too late as something poked her tail. “Ah!” Tangle turned to see Whisper’s cloak wear off, jumping back to the street. “Hey, that’s playing dirty!”

Whisper smiled as she ran. There was a time when she’d never subscribe to a silly children’s game. But as Kids Next Door, especially as Mobians, it was custom for them to embrace these activities. To run around and feel free. Whisper never felt that urge before. But now, hearing Tangle’s sneakers hitting the ground after her, her heart was filled with adrenaline! “!” The lemur’s tail stretched the distance, but Whisper narrowly dodged right, then jumped when it swiped at her legs. And both were strategically avoiding the townspeople in their wake, gazes drawn to the girls with smiles.

Barreling for the town gate, Whisper had a clear wake down the snaking stone bridge, which led to the base of the Spiral Hill on which the town was perched. She inserted a light-blue battery into her Wispon, shooting herself to amplify her speed and zoom down in a heartbeat. Tangle’s only chance of catching up was to stretch her tail to the trees growing from parts of the hill and slingshot her way down.

Lanolin watched them from the gate, smiling in disbelief. “Never a dull moment, huh?” The sheep turned to a beetle Mobian.

“Nope. Morning, Jewel.”

“Morning!” Jewel was the curator of the local Mineral Museum, but she was also the director of the KND’s Restoration Center, an establishment designed to help the community and commonfolk. She was Tangle’s best friend from childhood… well, it was more accurate to say Jewel was her babysitter. Always having to pull her hyperactive friend out of trouble. “She doesn’t think Whisper’s been brainwashed again, does she?”

“No. Just a game.”

“I didn’t think Whisper played these types of games.”

“I didn’t either. I guess Tangle really had an impact on her.”

“Yeah.” Jewel looked to the valley, delighted as they chased each other. “You know, ever since Whisper came around… Tangle’s seemed so much happier. And that’s saying something.”

“…I’m glad I picked them as teammates. …?!”

Lanolin’s warm thoughts were swiftly taken by dread: a small fleet of green crocodile planes filled the sky. “OPEN FIRE, MEN!” bellowed a muscular, blue-scaled sergeant. “Turn that treehouse into SPLINTERS!”

The planes bombarded the treehouse. Its automated defenses kicked on and fired back. A couple Krocks were shot down, but the others were evasive.

Tangle latched onto a rock and successfully threw herself into Whisper. They went tumbling down a short hill, Tangle wrapping her tail around both of them to soften their descent. “UUH!” They stopped with Whisper in the upper position. “…Haha…hahahahaha! I guess you beat me!” Tangle laughed.

Whisper stifled another laugh, blushing beneath her fur. She never had this much fun… never felt so full of life. And being here… so close to Tangle’s vibrant face… she couldn’t be more thankful that she was here.

“…” Then, Tangle’s vibrance faded. Her eyes seemed wrought with horror… as a shadow fell over them. Her finger directed at the sky. Whisper turned, stunned with fear: Krock planes were bombarding their treehouse.

Tangle unraveled them and was about to fling them back to town. “OI, THERE’S SOME!” An Orange Grenade was thrown, the girls dodging its explosion. A platoon of reptilian pirates marched from the valley.

“Tangle… those are the Kremling Pirates!”

“Pirates?!” Tangle smirked, balling all three of her fists. “COME GET SOME!” She tailed a Klomp by the neck and whirled around as she KO’ed the Krewmen around him. A swarm of Zingers came at them from above: Whisper threw a handful of small diamonds in the air and fired a Cyan Laser from her Wispon. The laser bounced around the gems and burned the Zingers. Three Krushas charged at Tangle, but she sprung skyward with her tail and away from them. They tried to chase, but she punched her tail to trip the front one and made the rest stumble. Whisper then bashed them with a Blue Hammer. Monty Moles poked out of the ground and threw bombs. Whisper switched to the Yellow Drill to strike them in their own habitat.

“I need to call headquarters!” Lanolin sprinted back to the treehouse, but Kremlings were already landing around town.

“If ye don’t wanna be skewered, BACK TO YER HOUSES!” a Kruncha threatened a family. Lanolin grit her teeth and grabbed her cowbell. She aimed it at the Kruncha and fired a sonic wave, blowing it down. A horde of Klaptraps snapped after the sheep, and she easily banished them with another wave. However, the tongues and teeth detached from them and lunged at the sheep, tugging at her wool. She was frantic to shake them off, but thankfully they were fragile. “AAH!” A Cat O’ 9 Tails wrapped her from behind, spun, and threw her through a wall.

Tangle and Whisper KO’ed about 25 Kremlings… but the next line was already approaching. Krumples, Tyrant Twins, Gunorillas, Sabre Sword Tigers… “Tangle, I think we should regroup with Lanolin.”

“Yeah, you’re right. We’ll be back for you later!” Tangle yelled at the Kremlings. She grabbed her friend and tailed them back to town.

To their horror, Kremlings were scaring citizens into buildings and barring them up. Tangle dropped right onto a Kruncha. “OOOORG!” It turned red with fury and punched Tangle away, but Whisper crunched its skull beneath a Pink Spike. The girls scanned the approaching Kremlings, pondering their next move.

“BETTER STAND DOWN, scallywags!” Their pupils receded as two Kutlasses were holding Jewel down. One tipped its sword to her neck as Jewel restrained the urge to swallow. “Or the pretty lassie gets it!”

Sharing distraught glances, Whisper set her Wispon down and both raised hands (and tail). Tyrant Twins thudded behind them and bashed them senseless.

Five days later…

The citizens were confined to buildings… and Sector D.C., being singled out as operatives, were locked inside barrels. A Kremling Kontainment specialty. Except Tangle, however. “AAAAH!” Her hands were tied around a pole while her tail was pinned inside a crocodile-shaped bear trap. Trying to stretch it would cut and strain her. “YOU COWARDS! I’LL KICK ALL YOUR BUTTS!”

“Tangle… calm down…” Whisper’s voice went unheard from her nearby prison. Lanolin’s barrel was brought up to the ruined treehouse, farther beyond their current reach, and Jewel was locked in a glass display of her museum.

“Check out this one…” Some Kritters studied the poor beetle, who only shirked back in terror. “This’s gotta be a rare species, eh?”

“Maybe after the blast goes off, let’s try to steal her while no one’s looking. We’ll be richer than Klubba!”

The ops had small holes in their barrels to peep outside. The pirates had put on a broadcast for all to witness. Zootopia had completely fallen. The capital city, enslaved by the Kremlings and their new weapon. Standing atop it all was the King of the Kremlings. One of Dr. Eggman’s best friends. The Pirate Emperor of unbreakable will… King K. Rool. “HAH HAH HAH HAH HAR!” The king of all animals had enforced his will over all Mobius. Around him were his Kommanders, fearsome pirates in their own right… a Viking walrus, giant thunder bird, a toxic mermaid, giant orangutan, bipedal dinosaur… and some little catgirl with a knife.

“What sort of weapon is this?” A Kremling studied the Wispon.

“Looks like some umbrella.”

“That kid was making things happen with it. But the trigger don’t do nothin’ now!”

“OI, LADS!” A Klump ran in the gate. “Just got the call! This town’s next on the Revert List! We only got a minute!”

“A MINUTE?! LET’S GET OUTTA HERE!”

“But I thought the blast wasn’t supposed to affect us!”

“And you don’t think the king was fibbing?!”

“You’re darn skippy I do!”

The Kremlings stampeded out of town, leaving clouds of dust. “AAAAAAHHHH!” Tangle pulled her tail against the bear trap with more desperation. Whisper wanted to tell her to stop… but knew she wouldn’t listen. Tangle was already determined. “AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!” Her fur and skin sheared off into a bloody mess, but the tail was free. She roped Whisper’s barrel and SMASHED it into the ground, freeing her friend. Seeing her discarded Wispon, she grabbed it, put a pink battery in, and sawed Tangle’s ropes.

“We gotta find Lanolin and Jewel!”

“Tangle, there’s no time! It’s coming!”

“Nngh…UGH!” Tangle hugged her friend and slingshotted them over the town wall. The devastating beam struck the center of Spiral Hill. The girls tumbled downhill and got up into a sprint, barely outrunning the expanding mass of light.

They felt it fade. The girls turned: Spiral Hill was still intact… but the ray’s true effects were to revert the Mobians into infant mentalities. They had taken the helpless nature of normal animals. “Jewel… everyone…”

“Hey, those two got out!” A Kremling called.

“‘Guess they’re goin’ in the hold.”

Tangle and Whisper braced their selves for battle. Boom. Boom. A more gigantic being was thudding their way. An enormous orangutan. Purple with a rainbow antenna on his head. He approached the pair with patience in his giant steps, eying them with a stoic glare.

The duo stood still… pondering their own next move and the ape’s. …The pirates began to play a jolly, jungle tune. The ape swayed his shoulders to the beat. ♪ “Sorry to come on a little strong. You can call me Rainbow Manky Kong.” ♪ His tone was stoic, but his lyrics stuck to the rhythm. ♪ “I was on a roll, taking a little stroll to ensure my minions had control. I’m gonna have to ask you, please, to surrender yourselves with ease. If you can, show me your hands, and get down on your knees.” ♪

Whisper loaded her Wispon and shot a Cyan Laser. Manky shut his eye from the blast, yet it became reddened when he opened it. During that time, Tangle tailed his wrist and propelled herself to his neck, wrapping her tail around it. The giant neck was too thick for her strength. Manky raised fingers to flick her, Tangle speedily unraveling as she flew a distance. ♪ “How ridiculous it would be, if a Gigantopithecus like me, would ever lose to a little bruise right before my Krew.” ♪

“Tangle!” Whisper ran to her friend’s aid.

“Ugh, that was a ride…” Tangle sat up to shake the dizziness off.

“Tangle, we have to run! We need to find more help!”

Tangle glanced up at her hometown with hesitation. Right now, her friends and neighbors were reduced to mindless animals… but they were still alive. They would reverse this somehow. For now, she hoped they would survive. “Alright!”

They broke into a sprint as Whisper quickly loaded another Speed Cell. Taking Tangle’s hand, they ran with all the speed it could provide them. Manky gestured a group of polar bears in tuxedos to bring him a cart full of TNT. He grabbed a barrel in his hand: the orangutan spun, his arm winding behind him, and with a godly throw, the barrel FLEW.

“AAAAH!” The explosion went off on the girls’ left. They barely dove away in time to avoid it. As they tried to recover from it, a black car parked in their escape route. Three more polars bears stepped out of it… the largest of which carried a small, Mobian mouse with slicked black hair.

The thundering earth reminded them to focus on Manky Kong again. “This has been quite the excursion, hasn’t it, Mr. Big?” Manky asked in a non-singing manner.

“Indeed it has, Lord Manky…”

“I’ve had ENOUGH of you jerks!” Tangle tailed the left bear and threw him up at Manky’s face. The right bear lunged at the lemur, but Whisper bashed him with the Wispon’s Blue Hammer. The largest bear, putting Mr. Big on the car, dove and grasped the struggling wolf. Tangle’s efforts to save her were thwarted when Manky swiftly snatched her in his right hand.

“Tangle!” Whisper let out a quiet shout.

“Guek!” Tangle was squeezed to the point of suffocating. “Let me… go… you coward!…”

“Hmm…” Manky only let Tangle’s tail hang loose between his fingers. “A curious specimen.” He pinched it in his fingers and stretched it out. He kept pulling as he passively wrapped the tail around his fingers, preventing her from moving it freely. “So, you’re a metahuman. Er, meta-Mobian, rather. How long does this tail extend?”

“Let her go!” Whisper squirmed helpless in the bear’s hug, her Wispon dropped on the ground. “Let her go!” Her whispered pleas were barely audible.

Eventually, the tail stopped extracting. Tangle let out a more strained grunt from the tug. “Twenty meters? That’s quite good.”

“Quite good?” an Indian accent spoke. “That tail is lovely!”

A smaller lemur appeared on Manky’s head. He wore a tribal crown with orange and green feathers. “I told you to guard the train, Julien.”

“I do not guard trains. I make Mort guard them.” The lemur jumped down to balance on Tangle’s tail, laying down to rub and nuzzle it. “Mmmmmm! I never thought to see a tail more lovely than mine. Eh, the bloody parts,” he cringed noticing the end of the tail, “I can do without.”

“Let her go!” Whisper saw Tangle’s eyes growing more swollen and her breaths weaker. “Let her go!” Why was this happening? They were just having a fun day. Just playing tag. They were just eating bagels together… She was just crying over Tangle… letting her fears out so that happiness could take their place… Why was this happening…

“It is settled!” Julien proclaimed. “I want this tail as my own! I cannot wait to cuddle in it. And make love with it.”

Now Tangle was choking from more than just suffocation. “Stop it! Stop it!” Whisper’s struggle grew as her feelings welled higher.

“Should I ask Baron Klammy to transplant the tail?” Manky pondered. “Or send her to Dr. Clown to be converted into a Devil Fruit? Suppose we don’t need her alive for that.”

“LET HER GO!” Whisper finally tore of the bear’s grasp and grabbed her Wispon. “LET HER GO! LET HER GO!” She shoved a Spike Cell in and rammed it against Manky’s toes. They barely flinched. She tried a Cherry Shrink Cell, but Manky’s mass was too bulky. “Let her go…let her go…” Her throat unused to the volume, Whisper coughed a little blood. So many feelings were exploding inside her… so many regrets… Whisper was helpless to do anything. Helpless to save the one she values most.

“Kommander Manky.” Mr. Big’s tiny voice spoke. “May I make a suggestion?”

“Hmm?”

“This girl… seems quite experienced. Though, perhaps not in the face of your power… I wonder if she may be willing to work for us.” Whisper turned to the mafia boss, confused. “After all, there are sure to be other operatives and Mobian forces that escaped Revertification. Perhaps… she can help us deal with them… with the right persuasion.”

Manky glanced between the dying Tangle and the desperate, tearing Whisper. “…Yes. Perhaps you’re right.”

Manky lay his hands down and released Tangle. Her tail pulled in. A frantic Whisper knelt over and pressed hands to her chest. She pumped to get Tangle’s heart going. “…huff…huff…” She couldn’t be more thankful to hear her breath.

“Awwww. No tail for me.” Julien sighed, holding up his own tail. “I guess I am stuck with you, you inferior tail. …Oh, who am I kidding? I am beautiful no matter how big I am.” He rubbed it tenderly.

“So, what say you… child? Work for us… to hunt down straggler soldiers. And your friend gets to live.”

“…I will.” Though her voice was low, even Manky could hear it. Perhaps due to the gentle nature of his form. That might also be why he could sense the feelings between them.

“Whisper… don’t…”

She bent down and embraced her friend. Tears soaked Tangle’s fur once more. The lemur had never felt so much pain… not because of her own shortness of breath or her bleeding tail… but the fact Whisper was forced into this awful position. In the lowest voice Whisper had mustered… “I love you.”

Tangle mentally froze. Those words… they weren’t just passive… In that single small voice… Whisper’s feelings culminated into that. Just like that morning… Tangle couldn’t think of what to say back.

“That weapon of yours.” Manky said curiously. “What is it? How does it do those colorful effects? I’m an afficionado of weapons. If I asked you to make more of them… could you?”

Whisper didn’t answer. She wouldn’t humor this monster.

“…Fine then. So long as you put it to use for us. We’ll be keeping a sharp eye on you. Understand?”

“…Yes. Please don’t hurt Tangle.”

“You shall have my word. Men: take the lemur aboard a Krock. And bandage her tail. Mr. Big… take the wolf and keep watch on her.”

“Affirmative, boss. This way… Miss.”

Whisper obediently got in the back of Big’s fancy car. She watched hopelessly as Tangle was taken aboard a plane. And worse… she saw the townspeople being shepherded out by the Kremlings. “Baa-a-a-a-a!” Lanolin bleated like the sheep she was. “Baa-a-a-a-a!”

Jewel was still inside her glass case, clambering about like a mindless bug. The horror of it all was too much to take. “I struck a deal with him, too.” Whisper turned to Mr. Big. “I did the best I could for you. I won’t ask a favor in return.”

“…” Whisper pulled her mask over her face. From here on… she would show it to no one.

The coming weeks…

“BRACE YOURSELVES, MEN!” Lieutenant Gronk yelled. “HERE THEY COME!”

Kremlings stormed Heathrow Penitentiary. Pirates and Interpol officers dropped on both sides. Sadly, the number was overwhelming in the Kremlings’ favor. A small squad of officers tried to mow down pirates from the sky in combat choppers. “AH!” An officer felt a dart in his neck. He fell out of his seat as the chopper would fall into a crash.

Whisper, armed with a tranquilizer rifle, sniped the other officers from a Krock Kopter. She hadn’t used her Wispon since her enslavement began: she would never misuse the Wisps’ power to hurt innocent people. The most she was willing to use were pacifistic weapons.

Heathrow was known for containing supervillains that were defeated by the Cooper Gang of Thieves. Though the Coopers themselves were technical criminals, the KND acknowledged that they only attacked and stole from worse villains. Whisper passively wondered where they were during all this. She recognized some of the escaping villains; Rajan the tiger, Mz. Ruby the alligator, Raleigh the bullfrog… and Whisper would dread if she took part in freeing their own personal enemies. If she saw Mimic in the middle of this mess… she may not be able to contain herself.

From each of the liberated prisons, the Kremlings displayed a giant hologram of King K. Rool. “VILLAINS OF THE WORLD! As you can very well see… Mobius is now my domain! I’ve dismantled the governments and enslaved the Kids Next Door! This planet is a paradise for pirates and animals alike… and I share it all with you!”

“YAAAAAAAAARRRRHHHH!” All criminals between here, Petropolis, the Valley of Peace, or even Elwood City roared for their king. Even on hologram, Whisper could feel K. Rool’s domineering power. She felt more helpless by the day.

“From this day forward, you are free to run around and pillage as you like! My only rule is that you think twice before picking fights with my Krew. You’re free to join the Kremlings in fact! We’re also offering bounties to anyone who hands in stray operatives or government officials!”

…

“Okay, the coast is clear! Move!” A team of operatives crawled behind some ruins as the Kremling guards patrolled past. They were closing in on the desert fortress: with any hope, they would find more friends or allies inside.

“HISSSSSS!” Rattlesnake Jake, a serpent with a minigun tail and pirate’s hat, ambushed them from the sand. “Where do you worms think you’re goin’?”

The team of five stepped backward in fear. One glanced back: “Look!” The others turned to find someone else behind them. “It’s Whisper!” They recognized the biscotti-furred wolf with the sniper’s mask.

“The Guardian Angel?! YES! We’ve saved!”

Sadly, Whisper turned her bazooka on them. “AAH!” A metal barrel fired and knocked the tiger boy down. “W-Whisper! What’re you-”

“SPREAD OUT!” Jake unloaded his gun at the team. He grazed the legs of three operatives while Whisper KO’ed the other one with metal barrels as well. The wounded operatives writhed and struggled to crawl away, but froze up as Jake loomed above them. The snake gnashed his fangs-

Whisper jumped in his wake. Jake closed his maw and narrowed his gaze. “You impedin’ me in my dutiessssss?”

“…Please don’t hurt them any further.” Whisper turned and thwacked the three with karate chops, KOing them as gently as she could. “…I’m sorry.”

Jake slithered around the masked wolf, hissing directly in her ear. “You wouldn’t be related to Wolf O’Donnell, would ya? Ah ussssed to work with him. He knew how ta catch his prey… and sometimessss, he was a little ssssoft.”

Whisper felt no need to answer. Jake frowned. “Y’know, I used to prowl around a little town ‘round these parts. Dirt, they called it. Used to be a dried up little splinter town afore a certain lizard came along. The crocs hadn’t shot it with their weapon, yet. Whaddya say we head on over and show ‘em who’s boss? Bet ya they’ll love to see me.”

Whisper trembled. The bazooka shook in her grip. “…Bet you wanna shoot me, don’t ya?” Jake asked. “Ah don’t see no Kremlings looking at us. Why don’t ya vent some steam out? Oh, but that thing looks a little heavy for ya.” Jake snatched the Wispon off Whisper’s hip, the wolf flinching as he forced it in her hand. “You’d do better with this, right? Go ahead, kid… Be a hero.”

“…” She really wanted to… One less monster to ruin their world. Just shove a Cyan Cell in and blaze him through the skull. Wrapping his filthy tail around her… only Tangle was allowed to do that. But… someone would find out. Tangle would be in danger. She couldn’t… this was all for her…

Jake smiled passively and unraveled away from her. “They must be holdin’ some good leverage against you. Reminds me of a certain bald hero. Heh heh heh… ‘Guess I’ll be taking these slaves now.” Jake wrapped around the five ops. “Won’t be splittin’ the bounty, I take it.”

Tangle would be ashamed of her. Hurting so many friends and allies all for her. Whisper understood that. She shouldn’t hold Tangle above Lanolin, Jewel, or everyone else. But if Whisper tried to bargain for their lives, she feared having to pay a steeper price. She was ultimately powerless in this Krew. She only got this far because she worked with officers with a decent sense of honor. She was grateful to Mr. Big’s hospitality. Providing her with good food and non-lethal weapons to do her job with as minimal casualties as possible. But nothing was guaranteed. All she could do was hope. Hope that her fellow operatives could survive their imprisonment until a miracle came… including Tangle.

“Hey, Whisper!” Tangle presented a lunchbox. “I brought stir fry today! Cooked it myself! Brought a slice of poundcake, too!”

“Mmmmmm!” The taste warmed her mouth and her tail danced. “Delicious!”

…

The duo traversed a narrow path up a blizzarding cliff, closing in on the enemy base. “Aah!” Whisper yelped—her foot slipped and she nearly fell down the cliff.

“Nuh!” Tangle seized her in her tail. “Don’t worry! I got ya!” She pulled Whisper back to safety. The wolf smiled with deepest gratitude.

…I’m so sorry, Tangle. I’m sorry! She was always so full of life and positivity. She made every day fun. But through all that, she listened to Whisper. She was there for her. And when Whisper finished emptying the sadness from her heart, Tangle would try to fill it with adventure and fun. She was a blessing on this world. The first person who ever truly made Whisper happy after two years of grieving. She could never let her die. Even if they would never be together after this, Whisper wanted her to live. But how did she know if Tangle was even alive now? She wished she could see her… How much was she suffering from all this?

Temple in the Wumpa Islands

“RAAAAAAAAH! LET ME OUTTA HEEEEEEERE!” Tangle’s fruitless rebellion persisted for an entire month. Her arms and legs were firmly strapped to a wall, while her tail was densely wrapped in suspended chains to keep it from stretching. “HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE YOU MAKING WHISPER HURT?! I’LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU! AAAAAHHH!”

“Please.” Julien dropped down onto her left rope. “You are being much too loud. It is interrupting my fanning.”

“Stick your fan up your butt!”

Julien slid down and dropped to poke Tangle’s tail through the chains. “As soon as your little companion slips up, I will have this tail, you know.”

“Yeah, you’ve been saying that for weeks! But I’m still here, aren’t I?!”

“Perhaps I will take it, anyway… after my berries. It is so much work, being a king.” Julien climbed up and returned through his little hole.

Tangle sighed, spent of her rebellious energy. In-between all the shaking and shouting, she was stuck on Whisper’s last words to her. I love you… Tangle never thought about love before now. Well, she loved adventure, she loved doing exciting things and fighting bad guys… and of course she loved going with Whisper on missions.

…But why did she? Tangle loved teaming up with other operatives just the same. She worked with Sectors SOUTH and SOL on some missions and had a fun time with them. She’s known Jewel her whole life and never felt that sort of affection. But Whisper… Ever since she had opened up to Tangle, all Tangle wanted was to comfort her. She would’ve comforted any other friend. But somehow… it pained her the most whenever Whisper was upset. She wanted to be around Whisper more, to help her be happy. When they became an official team, she loved going to wake Whisper up. Going to get breakfast with her. She looked forward to seeing her, to take her on an adventure… in the hopes that she would smile.

Why? Whisper was a reliable teammate and friend. So were Lanolin and Jewel. Whisper was skilled and cool. Other operatives were, too. But Whisper… also had a gentle voice. Tangle loved hearing it. Her fur was a pleasant hue… and it was soft to pat whenever Whisper allowed her. She felt warm when they hugged… and sometimes, Whisper’s tail would wag from the contact. It would also wag whenever she tried Tangle’s cooking. And how she would moan pleasantly from tasting her food. The way she let out small giggles or sighs at Tangle’s whimsical nature, or even if Whisper got mildly frustrated at her… any reaction she gave made Tangle’s heart tickle. And especially after the Metal Virus incident, when Whisper tackled and hugged Tangle into the ground… she had felt so much happiness bubbling inside Whisper. Tangle felt it, too.

“…AAAAAAAHHHHH!” Tangle squirmed in vain again. She needed to get out of here! Not because she hated being trapped, not because they were serving her bland food… but because Whisper needed her now! And she needed Whisper! She needed to ease Whisper’s pain! Bring back her happiness! See her cute smile, hear her cute voice! She wanted to go on so many adventures with Whisper!

“Man, you are way too loud.”

“Huh?” Tangle heard a different voice. She looked around… and noticed a small, squirrel-tailed girl on the ground. “Chungchung?!” She wore a red robe, had small red horns on her orange-blonde hair, and blank black eyes.

“Keep it down.” Chungchung clambered up the wall to Tangle’s right hand.

“Are the other Chaotix here?” Tangle whispered.

“Yeah. But, in order for me to free you…” The squirrel Faunus’s dark vision narrowed, “you must accept me as your ruler for all eternity.”

“…” Tangle glared in disbelief. “Fine, I accept you as my ruler for all eternity now please get me outta here!” (Play “A Fighting Spirit” by Lil Boulder!)

…

“SIRE!” Julien’s royal advisor, Maurice ran up to his throne. He was an aye-aye lemur.

“Maurice, how many times do I have to tell you? Wipe your feet before entering-”

“Two intruders have broken into the fortress! And worse, the prisoner escaped!”

“Always with the complaining.”

Feeling more energy in her feet than ever before, Tangle sprinted through the temple with Chungchung on her back. A band of Klumps were charging from up ahead. Tangle tied her tail between two torches, pressed her body against it to stretch like a slingshot, and launched herself into the Kremlings with great force. They went down like bloated bowling pins! When faced with a chasm, Tangle swung overhead branches. “WHOA!” Flamethrowers turned on and nearly singed her tail. She then had to tail grapple points in-between circles of Hot Hootz.

Two others were charging through enemy hordes at the temple entrance. A huge, 3-meter alligator with grayish-brown scales and a red tunic was batting buzzsaw-shelled turtles away with his spear. “OUTTA MY WAY, little TURTLES!” Rak bellowed.

The second person was a girl with lizard-green skin and a tail, while she was otherwise human-shaped from her head to her feet. Anak had short brown hair, a black dress, and an orange kimono-like robe with cloud designs. She swiftly jumped her way up a towering wall, timing the in-and-out platforms or flipping ones with spikes. Her foot slipped on one as she nearly fell, but Anak lashed her emerald fishing hook, Green April, at a Necky. She reeled herself up to the vulture and kicked off its back to reach the top.

“You keep going, Anak!” Rak shouted. “I got things covered down here!”

“Hello!”

“Huh?” Rak looked down: the source of the tiny voice was a brown mouse lemur with adorably big eyes. “Well, ain’t you a cute little turtle. Make sure ya don’t—whuh?!” The massive gator suddenly shrunk to half Mort’s size. His proportions became wider and his red eyes grew bloated.

“SO CUUUUUUUUTE!” Mort happily squeezed Rak like a dolly. Rak choked as his eyes threatened to pop.

“Grak…what’ve you… done to me?!”

“I eat Cute-Cute Fruit! You get cute when you say cute! But I cute all time!”

Anak nimbly Wall Kicked a flight of vertical platforms over a spiked floor. She set foot on a stable ground and performed a mad dash through a wide passage. Gigantic stone wheels, powered by Really Gnawties (giant red beavers), began to chase her. “What is this, Ocean Palace?” Her fleet feet outran the wheels and she evaded pitfalls in the path. She duck-slid beneath a closing temple door, hearing the wheels crash on the other side.

“HEEEEY! ANAK!” With a passive gaze, she turned to an ecstatic waving Tangle. “You didn’t get hit by the Revert-O-Thingy!”

“Nope.”

“How did you know where to find me?!”

“What part of ‘best detectives around’ don’t you get? Come on, let’s get out through that window.” She cast Green April out of a high, small square window and snagged a branch. She pulled herself up and was thin enough to slip through. Tangle stretched her own tail up to do the same.

“YAHOOOOOO!” Tangle slid down the fishing reel and joined the lizard girl in swinging down the ruins. “Get ready, Kremlings, Tangle is back in act—IOOOOON!” A line of normal lemurs stretched from another window and yanked Tangle in.

“Darn it.” Anak huffed. “UGH!” Maurice dive-bombed the lizard and slammed her into a lower ruins road.

“I don’t know how you managed to escape capture for this long, but you ain’t makin’ off with the king’s new tail! I’m gonna have to teach you a financial lesson.”

“Huh?” The very space around them morphed into an office with a pile of Rings, a computer, and two pieces of paper.

“I ate the Budget-Budget Fruit. I get tired of havin’ to manage finances to meet Julien’s needs. So, I make my enemies do it for me. You got 10,000 Rings. Here’s a list of things Julien wants and a list of things we need. You gotta use that computer to look up these things and order the most acceptable ones without overspending. If you do, you’ll have to cover the rest of the bill with days you have left to live.”

“Why didn’t you use this on Tangle?”

“My fruit only works on intelligent people.”

“How dumb.” Anak tried to strike the lemur, but he was protected by a magic barrier. “Ugh. Fine.”

Tangle landed in a neon-lit arena, surrounded by lemurs. “Welcome to my DANCING ground!” King Julien announced. “We will see if you are worthy of that tail, in a royal dance-off!”

“I’ll show you worthy!” Tangle stretched her tail into a punch. Julien leapt atop it and slid down, landing a kick into Tangle’s nose. The Mobian reeled back into the wall. “Well, you’re tougher than you look.”

“Now you see why I am your king?” Julien stood upon her chest proudly.

“Uhhhhh…nope!” Tangle’s tail swiftly returned and smashed him into the wall. Julien pushed it off, dancing gracefully as he evaded Tangle’s follow-ups. He dashed forth to kick her in the stomach, but with a split of her legs, Tangle sprung above his range and smashed him beneath her tail. Julien grabbed hold of her fur and slammed her into the ground. She flapped it around to shake Julien off.

Their “dance” last for several minutes, and both lemurs earned their share of bruises and bloody noses. “Ho ho ho ho! You can smoosh me and punch me all you want, but you will never match my majestic majesty! Just listen to the peoples! They LOVE ME!”

“WE LOVE YOU! KING JULIEN!”

“Yes, yes! I love me, too!”

Tangle clenched her teeth. “Love?” She planted her tail against the ground and faced herself up at the ceiling. “If the only one you love is yourself,” she spun and sank as her tail twisted down, “then you don’t know ANYTHING!” Her tail sprung her up with intense speed, and Tangle would quickly face her tail toward the ceiling. She bounced off it, then off the ground, and repeated all around the arena. Driving the king into confusion, Tangle finally flattened him with her fists.

“KING JULIEEEEEN!”

“If you creeps really love him, then get him treated. I got places to be!”

Meanwhile, Anak had just paid her last bill. “With exactly two Rings to spare!”

“Incredible!” Maurice reviewed the purchase list as the illusory office disappeared. “You’re a genius! The king’s gonna be so happy that-” Anak forcefully stomped him unconscious.

“Huuuuuurk!” Rak’s eyes were threatening to pop any moment. “To be crushed… like this!…”

“Hey. Mouse thing.” Mort turned to find Chungchung.

“Oooooo. You cute. Want to worship King Julien with me?”

“The only one you should worship is me.” Chungchung narrowed her eyes.

“Eh?!” Mort was confused. “Where is… your eyes?”

The squirrel Faunus approached him viciously. “Where… are… yours…?”

“M-M-M-My eyes a-a-are right here. They…they…” Chungchung was centimeters from him. “…UUUUWAAAAAAAHHHHH!”

Mort, losing the will to fight, dropped Rak and cried. The tiny gator poofed back to normal size, bouncing Mort away. “Chungchung… don’t tell anyone about this.”

“Under what contract?”

“Rak! Chungchung!” Tangle shouted as she and Anak rejoined them. “Didn’t even notice you left my back. Did you meet up with any other operatives?”

“Sonia, Manic, Halinor, Cinder, and Sticks.” Rak answered. “Those are the only ones with us. We saved a bunch of Reverted operatives. Only reason we found out about you is because some polar bears tipped us off.”

“Really?” Those had to be Mr. Big’s men. “Any idea where… Whisper is?”

“Not yet. But don’t worry. A bunch of intergalactic operatives came to help us. We’re gonna CRUSH those scaly turtles!”

Tangle smirked and nodded. “Then let’s keep fighting.”

Julien and Maurice watched as Sector CHAOTIX’s ship left the island. “Ohhhhhh, Manky’s going to kill us when he finds out about this!” Maurice panicked.

“You mean… IF he finds out, Maurice.”

“Ah…if…” Maurice smiled at the notion. “If is good.” (End song.)

Several days later; Manky’s treetops

Ever since the Pirate Wars began, Whisper felt an inkling of hope. Alien operatives coming to fight the Kremlings. Several of their bases were attacked and operatives were rescued. But, according to Julien’s reports to Manky, Tangle was still in captivity. She had to keep up her job… keep it up and keep hoping.

“I’m sure you must be feeling good right now.” Manky told the wolf after having her brought to his jungle domain. The giant orangutan shrouded the sunset’s beautiful glow with his strict visage. “But I can’t afford to be complacent anymore. I’ll be clear: if anyone comes for that vault,” he indicated the one in question, “you are to shoot them. With that rifle. With real bullets.”

Whisper bowed down at the weapon. It shamed her to hold it. “If the contents of that safe get taken… I will terminate our deal. A fruit for a fruit.”

Her heart swelled with fear. Her morals… or Tangle’s life… she had to choose.

And that time for choosing was now. An enemy ship had just arrived. Manky was in a fierce, earth-shaking battle with a giant robot of silly design. She prayed that the robot would win. But more importantly… a group of girls were fighting their way through the jungle. Targeting the vault. And one of them was Judy Hopps, the popular bunny officer from Zootopia. She was the one Mr. Big mentioned. She was spared from Revertification in exchange for his loyalty.

But… she was after the vault. Whisper would have to shoot her. How would Mr. Big feel? She couldn’t do it. It was thanks to him that Tangle was spared. She couldn’t. And besides her, the rest of these girls looked like nice, fun people. They were only here to help their friends. Even Whisper’s own friends.

“Oh, I get it,” Judy smiled, “you’re called the Big Grin Pirates because of your big mouths!”

“You mean Chimney’s big mouth.” Apis replied. “And I guess Mocha’s.”

“You two have pretty big mouths, too.”

Aisa grit her teeth and stretched her mouth, as did Apis. “Well, yers ish a little berg.” Apis mumbled.

“Yers, tuu!” Aisa argued.

Whisper cracked a tiny smile at their banter. What a fun bunch. She could tell their friendship was strong. …She couldn’t do this…she couldn’t…

“Heheh, okay girls, let’s get moving.” Judy carried a stone head to the vault door with a slot fit for it. The vault opened, revealing a banana treasury, in which the orange squash Devil Fruit did not blend in at all.

“Sniff…” Whisper’s finger trembled on the trigger. If Judy took that fruit… she would have to… “I’m sorry, Tangle.” Whisper lowered the gun. She couldn’t do it. Tangle would never forgive her. But she would never see Tangle again. “Sniff…” Whisper understood… she just wasn’t allowed to be happy.

“WHISPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRR!”

“?!?!?” She looked up, her ears twitching from the familiar cry and her heart racing. Was that… no… it couldn’t…

“WHISPEEEEE-”

“Tangle!” Sonia pressed her mouth shut. “Ya can’t just yell out her name! We don’t know if she’s really here!”

“But this is that monkey’s base, she HAS to be! We gotta look for her while he’s distracted!”

“We gotta be quiet about it.” Manic said. “And that’s comin’ from me.”

“Fine! But I’m still gonna find her!” Tangle tailed the first branch and flung herself up.

Whisper began panting. She couldn’t be here. She…couldn’t have gotten free and… come to find her…

“Did you guys hear something?” Judy asked.

“You mean besides the thrashing of titans and raining fireballs of death?!” Apis shouted.

“No… I heard something, too.” Aisa said. “A yell like, ‘Whispeee-’”

Manky fell from the treetops and managed to grab four trees in his limbs to save himself. However, it was from this angle he was able to notice the group walking out with the Devil Fruit. “WAAAUGH!” He angrily recomposed himself and climbed to snatch the girls in his hand.

“AAAAAHH!” Aisa, Apis, and Judy screamed for their lives. Manky carefully picked the fruit out of Apis’s grasp and placed it on the deck. The ape climbed back to his throne with them helplessly struggling. And, as he did… Manky noticed Whisper’s hiding place. His cold glare met her distraught eyes through her mask. And it read, I’ll deal with you next.

Not even going to give the giant robot a chance, Manky moved the girls to his mouth, his drooling teeth ready to separate their heads in one bite. “NO, PLEASE, NOOOOO!” The girls saw the face of death and no way to escape.

But, for some bizarre reason, Manky stopped. Or rather… something was restraining his mouth. Kirie, the pilot of the robot, climbed back up the trees as fast as possible. Once high enough, she launched a fist to grab the wrist holding the girls, lifting it up and arching to bring Manky down the other side. The ape grabbed the tree in his feet, dropping the girls, but Kirie sent the other hand to grab them, bring them back, and set them back where the fruit was.

Both Kirie and Manky returned to the throne, Manky grabbing her arms. Kirie used his arms as a prop to push up and catch his head in her mechanical legs. Manky bashed the legs in a fury, their parts flying off, but Kirie just as well bombarded his face with Rocket Punches. Teeth flew off, his face swelled, and both giants plummeted off the tree. The crash shook the entire jungle, and the W.R.A.S.L.E.R. shattered to pieces. Kirie lay exhausted and unconscious in the wreckage of the carousel, above the defeated Manky’s head.

“Huff…huff…” The climax of the battle sent Whisper’s heart racing. It…it was over…

“AHA!” Her heart skipped another beat. A chipper voice yelped out behind her. A familiar one. Whisper turned. …She still couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t believe… that she was standing right there. “I thought if I got closer to that big guy, I’d find you!”

“…T…Ta…Tang…” Whisper threw off her mask, letting a month’s worth of tears flow. “TANGLLLLLLLEEEEEEE!”

She rushed at Tangle faster than a hedgehog. Both shared the strongest hug of their lives.

“Now I heard something.” Apis said.

“Wait… I’m sensing two presences up there.” Aisa pointed.

“Should we go check?” Judy asked.

Aisa could sense both auras hugging. “Nah. We should probably go.”

So many emotions were welling inside them. So many things they wanted to say. “Sniff…huff…” But all Tangle wanted now was to hold her. Let her tears flow. “Tangle… I…I’m so sorry! I hurt… so many people… I…”

“Whisper, I’M sorry! I tried to break out! I swear I did! You saved my life… but I…I couldn’t save you…sniff…” Tangle’s own tears poured down Whisper’s shoulder.

“Sniff…I don’t deserve… to be in KND…”

“Yes you do. We can make it better. We’ll…we’ll apologize to everyone. We’ll do it together. We…we’ll get through this together.”

“Sniff…Tangle…”

“…I love you, too.”

“…” Whisper met her eyes. She saw the truth inside them. Her true feelings.

“I wanna go on more adventures with you… and wake you up in the morning… and make you happy. I love it when you smile… I love your voice… and I love hugging you. And I…I didn’t know why, for a while. But ever since we’ve been friends, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I kept wondering what food I should make for you. I kept wondering how you were doing. I looked forward to every mission and hangout. I was so happy when we became teammates… and I was so sad when you were ignoring me before that. More than any of my adventures, any exciting thing I’ve done, I wanted to spend time with you!” Her tears flowed with truth and passion. “I didn’t know why before… but I do now. It’s because… I wanna be with you. You’re the kindest, most caring, most beautiful person in the world who deserves none of the awful things the universe throws at you!”

“…” Whisper couldn’t believe it. She had to be dreaming. But she was awake. This was the truth. Whisper had to convey the rest of her feelings. That Tangle made her life exciting. That Tangle gave her reasons to live. How she loved waking up to Tangle’s face. Loved the warmth of Tangle’s tail. She wanted to say all that… but her heart was spiraling again. Just as it did after the Metal Virus. But she couldn’t hide this time. And she wouldn’t. “…I love you…”

“Uh…yeah. I know.” Tangle cocked a whimsical brow. “You told me.”

“Heh…haha…” Tangle knew just how to make her laugh. Whisper couldn’t contain herself. She needed a way to burn off this happiness! “Hah hah hah hah!” Whisper pulled Tangle in for a kiss. Her tail wagged wildly, and Tangle’s tail stood straight. They were together…they were warm…they were happy…

“Ahem.” They poked a single eye open. Sonia and Manic had come, smirking. The former said, “If you’re ready ta go, we still got a war to win.”

She was right. They couldn’t rest, yet. Tangle and Whisper pulled away, still smiling. “Yeah. Still need to find Lanolin and Jewel.”

“And tell them the good news!”

“Hmhm!”

…

“Uuuuuuugggg…ooooooggg…” Manky Kong groggily crawled out of the wreckage. “…?” Mr. Big and a line of polar bear grunts were armed with machineguns.

“Consider our contract… terminated.”

Zootopia; morning of the final battle

Kids Next Door and Kremlings brawling all out. Zootopia was awash in chaos. But the heroes were determined to win. Many of the escaped criminals culminated here. The Mobian operatives helped defeat and detain them, doing their part to make things easier for their alien allies. Though they were ashamed to say it, none of the Mobians were strong enough to fight K. Rool. Even if they all ganged up on him at once, they feared too many casualties. The Chaos Emeralds were nowhere to be found amidst the war either. They could only put faith in their allies.

A line of Kannons fired cannonballs at Tangle. The lemur blocked them by aligning her tail appropriately, afterwards throwing them back. Whisper applied Pink Spike to her Wispon to clash against three Koshas, who wielded spiked clubs. Her swings reacted in accordance to theirs before she was able to bash them unconscious. A Klump stormed directly toward her next, intending to plow her with his girth. Whisper inserted a Cherry Shrink Cell and fired. The portly Kremling shrunk to the size of a grape. All Whisper had to do was move her boot to make the Kremling run and cry.

“Ba-a-a-a-a-a! Ba-a-a-a-a-a!”

“WHISPER, LOOK! IT’S LANOLIN!”

Their smart and responsible leader was mindlessly wandering and bleating. She was still wearing her clothes, soiled and ragged. “Lanolin…” Whisper walked over and put a hand on her wool. Whisper admired Lanolin as a leader; always organized and responsible, not to mention a fair stickler for rules. And it was thanks to her that Tangle and Whisper were now an official team. That they could see each other every day and grow more comfortable. That they were together.

“Don’t worry.” Tangle smiled. “It’ll all be over soon.”

Before long, a wave of music washed over the entire planet. Famous singers were conducting a worldwide broadcasted performance and restoring the Reverted Mobians with musicbending. The singing legend from Earth, Don Quixote Sugar, as well as the Inkling rapper duo, Pearl and Marina – Off the Hook.

“Eyes on me! You have to save… This place you’ll live on, You’ll love, you’ll love!” Tangle was dancing wildly to the whole performance. “What’s this in you? We have found you! Call us up tomorrow, End your enemy.”

“Nnn…uuuhh…” Lanolin, feeling aching in her back and legs, stood straight.

“LANOLIN!” Tangle grabbed her in a hug.

“Tangle! Whisper! I…sniff, sniff. EWWW!” Lanolin creased as her own smell infected her nostrils. “I haven’t bathed in months! I’m so full of…ew, ew, ew, ew!”

“Yeeeaaaaahhhh, you do smell really bad.” Tangle cringed.

“I will issue, She will respond to: Do you know those heaven hymns, They were singing,”

“OH-WOH-WOH-WOH!” Every restored Mobian was howling to the heavenly hymn. “(I’ll sing that! No more Krock! We sent out!) Stuck on your LOOOOVE!”

Tangle tugged Whisper’s shoulder and pointed when Pearl and Marina embraced each other. Whisper cracked a smile. “Saving the WOOOORLD…”

“We’re still missing Jewel.” Whisper said. “Where could she…?”

A certain building drew her gaze that might’ve contained the answer: Museum of Weird Mobians, crudely written in Kremling style. The Diamond Cutters entered, proceeding to free the trapped civilians inside. “GUYS!” They beamed seeing Jewel banging on her glass case.

“THERE’S my girl!” Tangle smashed her childhood friend free. “WHEW, you also stink!”

“Gods, I do…” Jewel had never felt so filthy. “I’m starting to understand the nudist Mobians.”

“Ya know what probably stunk more?” Tangle asked. “Sonic’s shoes!”

“Ew!” Whisper cringed. Tangle giggled.

“Only one thing to do now.” Lanolin said. The friends returned outside and bore witness to King K. Rool’s final battle. After all they’d been through, it was the most heart-stopping battle they’ve ever seen. The fate of their planet was to be decided then.

“Holy moly…” Sonia couldn’t comprehend the power and speed of the Golden King. Zootopia was reduced to a giant pile of rubble; the people had to pile away from the fighters as best as they could, clambering over debris and dust. It shamed the Mobians to say, but King K. Rool even put Super Sonic to shame. He didn’t need Chaos Emeralds… only pure willpower.

“D.K.!” The outsiders were cheering for the superhero battling K. Rool. Whoever he was, he seemed to possess limitless power. “DEKU-KUN! D.K.!” The Mobians began to chant with them. “DEKU-KUN!”

“LONG LIVE THE KING! LONG LIVE THE KING!” The criminals of the world were merely praying for their continued freedom. “K. ROOL’S THE KING!”

And, just when they thought it was over… it wasn’t. King Kroctus, after exploding with aura and dueling an opponent with nigh infinite power… was still on his feet. And his opponent was down. “Congrats… Boy… you have my respect…” He panted. “Even using a power-up like that… you were a terrific match… and I am extremely grateful… Too bad… I’m spent now.” Kroctus held his heart, waiting for it to calm down. Once it did, he spoke again. “Well, I can’t use Haki for a day. That’s the price of Golden King. So, go on. Who wants first crack at me? Who can use the last of my strength?”

Spirit World

“Oh? What’s this?” The Chronicler found a page underneath his bookshelf. “A missing page from K. Rool’s final battle? Now, how did this fall out?”

Zootopia

“Guys… he’s tired.” Sonia said. “And he can’t use Haki. …We have to finish this.”

“Us?!” Trip the Sungazer quivered. “A-Are you sure?”

“Are you sure the aliens can’t…” Charlie Bee said.

“I grow tired of standing back.” Princess Cinder the Cat declared. “For all the harm he has wrought upon us… I must unleash my rage. I don’t encourage you all to follow. I know what I am risking.”

The silver cat marched forward. Sonia and Manic shared a firm nod and followed her. Two of their teammates, Bunnie Rabbot and Antoine D’Coolette, held hands and followed. Sticks the Badger, Trip, and Charlie joined Cinder. Rak and Anak bravely walked.

…Tangle glanced at Whisper. The wolf opened her eyes a slit and nodded. Tangle curved her brows and nodded. They looked to their leader: Lanolin was resolved as well. “Without his Haki, he can’t make us bow to him. I’m ready… to make him bow to us.” (Play “Bob’s Training Montage” from Sly 4!)

Hearing the array of footsteps behind him… Kroctus turned. He grinned at the band of teenage Mobians with firm gazes and confident steps. “Heh heh hah hah. It’s about time you did.” The king calmly approached the top Mobian operatives. Compared to his 10-foot frame, they were so small; most of them were under four feet in height. “Come on… give me all of your pent up rage…”

“Hey, should we help?” Cheren wondered.

“Nah, mate.” Sheila held his arm. The daughter of Marine the Raccoon smirked. “Take a look at their faces. They’ve been wantin’ this for a long time.”

Kroctus spun his arms and cracked his neck. The king broke out into a sprint. And as he did, the Mobians’ anger heightened. The man who enslaved them and abused their friends… He was going to pay! “AAARRRRRGGGGH!”

Rak barreled past his comrades and seized the first move. The gator was almost as tall as K. Rool himself, thrusting his spear at his skull. Kroctus dodged and swat it off course, but Rak spun with the force and slashed it beneath Kroctus’s neck. “OOOOG!” Rak suffered a punch to the gut, flying backward. Manic set up his drum set and whammed an earth-shaking beat, Kroctus wobbling. Trip curled into a spiky wheel as the sungazer Spin Dashed into his feet, toppling him. Sonia immediately jumped on his head and performed her cyclone attack, drilling against his crowned skull. Kroctus threw up an arm and snatched her by the leg, throwing Sonia into her brother to stop the drums.

Cinder became a flaming spiral and drilled into his tail. He spun to swat her, but Cinder was ready to dodge as she shot fireballs at his eyes. He stormed after the cat, but amidst her volley of embers, Charlie carried Sticks by the ankles as she sniped her crossbow at him. K. Rool snarled and jumped to swat both bee and badger away. But upon landing, Rak grabbed him from behind, hauling Kroctus overhead to slam him on his skull. “Ah, the son of Vector! You would’ve been great in my Krew!”

“Never!”

The king spun on his head to whirl Rak and send him away. The king returned to his feet, unprepared as Antoine launched at him as a spinning ball. The fox’s sword was outstretched as he slashed Kroctus across the snout. “UUUURRRRGG!” But every blow they dealt only seemed to increase the king’s smile. Kroctus raised his fists and leapt toward Sonia: the pink hedgehog threw up her hands and used her superb strength to withstand his pressure. Her legs were bending to his will, but thankfully, three forces seized and wrapped his arms. “OOORAAAAAHH!” Anak’s Green April, Bunnie’s robot arm, and Tangle’s tail. The three girls pulled and restrained his arms with all their strength.

Sonia and Cinder joined hands as they leapt, performing a united Sonia Cinder Cyclone! They blazed into the king’s crown for a solid five seconds before an aggressive shake of his head sent them off. Kroctus furiously flailed his arms and slammed Anak, Bunnie, and Tangle into the road. But in his hunched position, Lanolin charged from the left. He barely saw her through his seared red eye and swung his fist. Lanolin ducked beneath, while Whisper rushed from behind and swung her Pink Spike into his toes.

The momentary pain she dealt Kroctus allowed Lanolin the chance to slam her cowbell into his skull, rupturing a shockwave that rattled him. “I’ve never felt so HELPLESS!” Lanolin shouted, running from the pursuing king and ringing more sonic waves at him. “So UNDIGNIFIED! You turned me into a mindless SHEEP and made me wallow around in MUD! And you’re smiling like this is ALL A GAME TO YOU!”

“Ha ha ha, of course!” As Kroctus laughed, Tangle grabbed Whisper in her tail. She prepared a Blue Hammer as the lemur swung her into Kroctus. “Your rage! Your passion! Your will! I feel so ALIVE!”

The hammer slammed the king with great fury. Kroctus clasped both the tail and Whisper’s leg, hurdling both girls into Lanolin. The three groggily sat up as the king calmly approached them. The Diamond Cutters reaffirmed their resolve and stood. Around him, the other operatives returned to their feet, approaching him. Tangle grabbed Lanolin and shoved her toward his legs: she swung her cowbell into his left ankle, just as he threw the right one to kick her unconscious. At the same time, Manic whammed his drums, toppling him to his belly.

Rak jumped and pinned Kroctus down as Whisper ran to bash his head with a Pink Spike, and after that wore off, she changed to a Yellow Drill. “AAAAHHHH!” Whisper’s expression, usually reserved and peaceful, was burning with passion and power. Kroctus recognized the wolf spy Manky had enlisted. And that lemur must’ve been the bargaining chip. She had been freed, and now Kroctus was tasting all of Whisper’s pent up fury! “HAAAAH!” Kroctus thrusted his palm and blasted Whisper away, but she found a soft impact in her girlfriend’s tail. Kroctus grabbed Rak off him and threw him into some rubble, unconscious.

Tangle gently lay Whisper down. “Haha! Was that the best time of your life or what?!”

“Yes…” Whisper smiled.

Charlie buzzed to sting at his eyes, but was swiftly flicked out of the air, the king’s powerful fingers KOing the bee. Sticks quickly followed by clinging onto his cape and bashing his head. In the time he took to grab and throw her off, Tangle stretched her tail past his head. Anak jumped on the end of the tail, so as Tangle reeled it back, the lizard Faunus kicked the back of his head. Though her own strength was nothing to scoff at, Anak sprained her heels and had to sit down afterwards. Cinder and Antoine joined hands and lashed their own combo of sword and blazing heels upon him. Kroctus merely countered each strike with his index fingers: just after both kids managed to strike him, Kroctus flicked them both away at once.

“Cough…even without Haki…” Cinder held her broken hip.

“I feel like… he is taking our attacks on purpose…” Antoine panted. “At ze very end… he mocks us…”

“Hey, Tangle!” Sonia ran beside the lemur. “Fancy going for a ride?”

“You bet!”

When Manic struck him with another drum quake, the king dropped to all fours and rushed the hedgehog like a wild animal, ramming and shattering his set. Trip Spin Dashed up Kroctus’s tail and along his back, shredding his cape. The king seized the ring-shaped lizard in his teeth and slammed her in the ground. He heard the sound of whirling and turned: Sonia was hugging Tangle’s tail, performing her Cyclone Spin as the outstretched lemur whirled at high speed. “TWIRL AND TAIL ATTAAAAAAACK!” Sonia released Tangle in Kroctus’s direction: her worn-out sneakers finally shredded upon bending his scaly snout.

“Ow, ow, ouch!” Tangle tumbled along the ground and rubbed her aching ankles through her worn socks. “Gonna need a… hot bath after this!” But she wasn’t done, yet. Tangle rose to her feet. “HEY! FATTY!” The king sneered and turned to her. “You haven’t apologized, yet.”

Kroctus smirked. “Apologized for what… in particular?”

“For making Whisper CRY!” She thrusted her tail at his snout faster than a cannonball. The impact was only average to Kroctus.

“Tangle…”

“And APOLOGIZE!” Tangle reeled her tail back and fired a more momentous punch, doing so in repetition. “For the PEOPLE YOU MADE HER HURT!” Though Kroctus tried to snatch it, Tangle was swift to bend the tail away and strike at another angle. “For ruining our game of TAG!” Whisper’s tears dripped down her smile. “For breaking her SMILE! And for DISRESPECTING… HER… BOUNDARIES!”

Tangle’s tail launched skyward with incredible height. Whisper gasped: Tangle’s tail had never gone to, “Fifty… meters?”

Kroctus dove forth, curving his maw sideways with the intent to chomp the tail. “Keep your filthy mouth off!” From behind Tangle, Bunnie stretched her robot arm down Kroctus’s throat. The king chewed the metal into bolts. Meanwhile, Tangle’s tail began to slingshot down. The king threw his fist down at the lemur. “DIAMOND CUT!” Her tail slammed the back of his scaly head by the time his fist sent her flying.

“Ugh…” Kroctus vividly felt a small crack in his skull. He heard running footsteps and turned to find Sonia rushing him. She used her own palms to deflect his hulking fists. “Are ya happy now?!” the daughter of Sonic and Amy shouted. “Is this what you wanted all along?!”

“YES!” Sonia jumped his next punch, landing and running up his arm to kick him in the jaw. She flipped off as they resumed their prior exchange. “Mobian pride! Mobian freedom! It’s as fresh as I hoped it would be! I’m so glad Eggman let me have this world! He never appreciated it like I do!”

“Well, this world was NEVER Eggman’s to give! And we NEVER,” Sonia leapt at his face, “wanna see EITHER of you AGAIN!” Her final punch smashed in his good eye, but Kroctus would immediately send her flying, unconscious with his own fist.

“And in another time… another life… I hope we fight again.”

For now, his battle with the Mobians was finished. They were either unconscious or too weak to fight. So, he turned back to the Earthlings. Wondering if they would finally step in. But… it seemed their eyes were on something else. Someone else. Kroctus redirected his gaze… and gasped. Four familiar apes stood against the sunrise. Faces he never thought he’d see again. And the one to step up was the leader of the bunch, dropping his cane. A tear formed in Kroctus’s eye… and he removed his crown.

Whisper and Tangle crawled to each other. “…You were due for a new pair, anyway.” Whisper commented on her shoes.

“I wonder how long… Sonic’s lasted…” And they both passed out. By the time they would all wake up, the nightmare would be over. (End song.)

The war ended. Mobius was peaceful again. That peace would be temporary, of course. There was always danger every day. For now, all they wanted was happiness.

“Everyone…” Whisper conveyed her voice through a microphone at the headquarters auditorium. “During the war… I hurt some of you. The Kremlings threatened my friends… so, I had no choice. I’m very sorry. I don’t expect any of you to forgive me-”

“If the Kremlings threatened my brother, I’d do the same thing!” Sonia shouted.

“As would I.” Cinder said. “It is cruel when enemies take advantage of our feelings. All we can do is accept our choices.”

“Whisper.” Supreme Leader Marcus spoke. He was an azure fox with a cloudy-white muzzle and swirly tuft of hair. “Based on the reports I received, your choices managed to save several lives. You kept the Kremlings from harming too many people, to the best of your ability. We’re very thankful to have you.”   

“Yeah!” Whisper recognized the group she had helped Jake fight. “If she wasn’t there, the snake guy would’ve eaten us! Thank you, Whisper!”

Whisper smiled. Even now… she could feel the Diamond Cutters were proud of her. “…Thank you.”

“THAT’S OUR GUARDIAN ANGEL, EVERYBODY!” Tangle’s voice abruptly swallowed the room, tail wrapping around Whisper. “And guess what? WE’RE AN ITEM NOW!”

Gasps filled the auditorium. “That’s wonderful!” Halinor Prower beamed, the half-Seedrian’s flowers blooming.

“I always had a feeling about them.” Cinder said.

“They’re an item?” Sticks asked. “What item?”

“I hope I find me a good boyfriend someday.” Sonia sighed.

“Like you’d ever.” Manic remarked.

“What does that mean?!”

“I’M SO PROUD OF YOU, TANGLE!” Jewel screamed, tearing. “My girl’s first love! She’s all grown up!”

“Tangle!” Whisper put the mike down. “I didn’t wanna make a big show about it.”

“I…I just wanted to be dramatic.”

“It’s just people like to make a big deal or try to get in the way. I would’ve liked to tell our friends a few at a time.”

“I-I’m sorry, I should’ve asked. I’ll make it up to you!”

Whisper let out a giggle. “Actually… what am I saying? If people enjoy our happiness, I’m glad.” She pulled Tangle in for another kiss. Tangle’s momentary panic subsided, and warmth took its place.

The KND held a party at headquarters. The stereos were blasting classic Crush 40 and other songs. They played fun games, had races, ate great food and drinks, and relieved all their pain and stress. As expected, Tangle was the life of the party. She was the wildest dancer there. She stuffed herself with so much food. And she shared her joy with her girlfriend.

“T-Tangle! Slow down!” Whisper said in-between laughter. “These boots aren’t good for dancing!”

“Then take them off!” Tangle flipped her into the air and used her tail to yank off Whisper’s boots.

“H-Hey! Hahahaha!”

No one had ever seen Whisper laugh so much. Or smile so vibrantly. Watching them together warmed the hearts of everyone who suffered in the war. Whisper had more joy than she knew how to express. All she could do was dance. Dance with the girl who made it happen. No matter what battles they faced, no matter what the future held, their love was unbreakable.