Chapter Text
Sonic had never been one for public events.
A waste of time, he’d always say. Too many rules about how to speak, using your manners, what to say, which questions to answer… the unspoken dress code.
Wearing pants.
As he stood in the stuffy blue suit, the tight fitting fabric scratching against every inch of his body, he wondered why anyone would ever subject themself to this kind of torture.
“Blue, do you still read me?” a voice chirped from the small device in his ear.
“Yeah, loud and clear Rouge. Remind me again why you’re trying to kill me?”
The bat’s chuckle filtered into his ear, low and soft, albeit somewhat distorted from the connection.
“You’re too dramatic, you know that? It’s just a suit, you’re going to be just fine,” she laughed. “You know, Tower paid a fortune for that thing. I never get nearly as much of a budget for my mission outfits.”
Sonic snorted.
“Yeah, well, you’re on a rooftop across the road. Not exactly the place for a fancy dress.”
“Oh, let a girl dream, would you? You don’t know how lucky you are to be going to this party, it’s just not fair!” Rouge’s voice crackled over the device, causing Sonic to wince slightly.
“How do I turn the volume down on you, again?”
“Oh you—“
“Stop. Both of you,” a sharp voice cut in, causing both to stop talking instantly. “I can hardly hear myself think.”
Sonic rolled his eyes.
“Forgot you were even here Shadow,” he teased, earning a giggle from Rouge. “I’m not even inside yet, I can talk all I want.”
“This mission is important, Sonic,” the other hedgehog snarled. “You’re only here because you had an invite to this event in the first place.”
It was true. The cordial invite he’d gotten in a gold adorned envelope was very out of place with the rest of his junk mail and Tails’ various packages of mechanical parts. The invitation to the official royal wedding of Princess Sally Acorn was even more surprising.
He had broken up with Sally years ago, on not too great terms. What could he say? They were dumb teenagers and he wasn’t exactly the ideal partner; always running off into danger or sleeping out in the woods or showing up late to nearly any and every date planned. One day they’d had a fight and he’d left without a trace, never to look back on the Acorn Kingdom again.
Why she’d bother inviting him to her wedding was beyond anything he could imagine.
“Yeah, and I don’t even want to be here, so be grateful,” Sonic grumbled, kicking a stray rock on the dirt path as he walked.
The Acorn Castle was just up ahead, a spiraling dirt path adorned with beautiful shrubs and blooming trees meandered all the way to the front entrance. A line of guests walked in front of Sonic, their obnoxious puffy dresses and stuffy dress shirts sparkling in the sunlight.
Sonic wanted to puke.
“Say Blue, you used to be in a relationship with the Princess, didn’t you?” Rouge’s sultry voice cooed from over the speaker.
“Yeah, I already told you. And I don’t wanna talk about that right now, okay?” Sonic grumbled, trudging his legs forward, the itchy material stifling his every movement.
“Ooo, touchy subject~”
“I told you—“
“Enough,” Shadow hissed. “If I hear another word not related to the mission from you two, I’m turning off comms.”
“Fine, fine,” Rouge replied, sighing deeply. “Holler if you need me, I’ll be on mute.”
Sonic heard a small click as Rouge muted herself. He sighed, slightly relieved not to have to deal with her anymore.
“Sonic, you remember the mission?” Shadow asked.
“Yeah yeah,” Sonic sighed. “You got a tip about an assassination plot, the two of us are going undercover to make sure the princess and her groom-to-be are safe. Rouge has snipers on the castle as well.”
“Oh good, you can listen,” Shadow sneered. “I doubt you’ll be able to recognize me in my disguise, but remember, don’t talk to me in person. Need anything, my comm is always on.”
“Sure, whatever.”
Sonic was too tired to deal with Shadow today, the sun above beating down on his already insufferably hot suit. He doubted the castle would have air conditioning, the thing being a relic nearly thousands of years old. Why anyone still lived there he couldn’t say, though its huge stature meant plenty of areas to hide.
Perfect for him to avoid conversation, and scope out potential assassins.
As the road continued, the dirt pebbled path slowly transitioned into paved cobblestone, the gray tiles worn from years of use. A carriage passed Sonic from behind, the gilded casing on white doors glinting sunlight directly into his eyes, causing him to squint.
A real horse-drawn carriage was a little too fancy for Sonic’s taste. Seriously, who was even riding in one of those?
Although, what was he expecting from the Kingdom of Acorn? Throughout Mobian history, it had always been one of the wealthiest places; its food, architecture, and most importantly, clothing were always top of the line. For the rest of the world, clothing was more of a fashion statement than anything else, with most Mobians having fur or quills covering all their anatomy. In most places, clothing was entirely optional. But here, fashion was everything; your status nearly entirely dependent on how extravagant or sparkly your outfit might be.
It was a sign of generational wealth, weddings and other formal events like these used to show off one’s fortune and network with other nobility.
It made him sick.
The crowd of guests grew thicker as Sonic approached the castle, guards stationed at the giant wooden doors engraved with intricate carvings of trees and flowers. The crowd gradually filtered into a long line of people, each presenting their golden envelope to the guard before being allowed inside. Sonic patted his coat pocket, sighing in relief as he felt the crunch of paper underneath.
Idly, Sonic glanced around the line for Shadow, looking for the telltale black and red quills or an angry expression. The other hedgehog had mentioned something about a disguise, bringing to mind a ridiculous image of Shadow wearing a large fake mustache or a top hat. He snorted at the thought, earning him some unamused looks from the elderly mole couple in front of him.
“Sorry, allergies,” Sonic said with a chuckle, rubbing a hand nervously behind his head. The mole woman gave him a disapproving huff and turned back to her husband, the two beginning to whisper quietly.
That was another thing he hated about these kinds of events. He could barely even breathe without people judging him, the slightest cough could be taken as a sign of disrespect.
Not for the first time that day, Sonic wished GUN could’ve gotten someone else for this mission.
It was a rare thing for Rouge and Shadow to ask him for help on their missions, though Sonic was usually on board. The three had tracked down some loose Badniks in the middle of the Alps once, with GUN having gotten reports of Eggman’s robots attacking some small villages in the area. He could still remember the adrenaline from being chased down the snowy peaks, feet a blur as he’d slid down miles of ice and slush.
In comparison, this was torture.
Sonic felt a buzz from his back pocket, likely a message from his new communicator Tails had built for him. He pulled it out, the screen illuminating one new message from Amy. He sighed.
Amy had been… weird, to say the least about him going to the wedding. They weren’t even together (though, Amy didn’t seem to acknowledge that), but she had been oddly angry about him going to his ex’s wedding. What, like he was going to get back together with her as she married another dude in front of her whole kingdom?
With a flick of his finger, he opened the messages app and clicked on the notification.
Hey Sonic! Just wanted to see how you were doing! <3
Sonic felt a pang of guilt as he read the message, shutting off his phone quickly and shoving it back in his pocket. Amy was nice, she really was, and all she did was shower him in affection and kindness. She would be the ideal girlfriend for anyone, except…
He just didn’t feel the same.
He didn’t know why, he just couldn’t seem to figure it out no matter how hard he thought about it. No matter how cute the date, how sweet the compliments, how incredibly talented she was at fighting, he just… didn’t feel it.
Amy was his friend, a really good friend, but that was it.
No matter how he wished he could just… flip a switch, and have feelings for her, he couldn’t.
And deep down, staring up at the castle that used to be so familiar to him, he knew he had been exactly the same with Sally.
Sonic sucked in a breath and shook his head. He wasn’t here to contemplate his love life (or lack thereof), he was here to find an assassin. As weird as his relationship with his ex was, he wasn’t too keen on watching her get murdered in the middle of her wedding.
“Sonic, I’m inside,” Shadow’s voice cut in over the comm, shaking him from his thoughts. “Where the hell are you?”
Sonic brought a hand to his mouth to hide his voice, glancing around to make sure no one was staring at him.
“Still in line, almost there. Sorry, there’s a ton of people,” he whispered.
“Hurry up, I need more eyes on the venue,” Shadow grumbled.
“Aye, aye boss,” Sonic snickered, earning a groan from the other hedgehog.
Luckily, the line seemed to be moving quite steadily, only a few people ahead of him before the guards. He shuffled forward, wincing as the itchy fabric continued to rub against his leg quills. He hoped he’d be able to run in these things, seeing as he might have to catch an assassin.
“Your invitation, sir?” A guard said to him, holding out a gloved hand expectantly.
“Oh shoot, yeah, uh…” Sonic opened up his suit jacket messily, grabbing at the paper in the inside pocket and pulling it out. The guard made a face as he handed over the wrinkled envelope, the gold looking nearly brown with grime. Shoot, he’d totally left this thing in Tails’ workshop before he’d left, getting it covered in dirt and oil.
The guard opened up the envelope tentatively and examined the paper inside, looking him up and down for a few minutes before sighing.
“You may enter.”
Sonic pumped his fist in the air before realizing the guard was still staring at him, eyes wide.
“Right.. uh, thank you, my good sir,” Sonic mumbled before rushing through the doorway into the castle, ignoring the judging glares from the guard and guests behind him.
To his luck, the castle was much cooler inside, the thick stone built to absorb the heat of the day and keep the inside cool and insulated. Sonic sighed in relief, tugging slightly at his collar to let some cool air seep down his sweaty neck.
The main hallway was huge and grand; high ceilings stretching nearly a hundred feet above his head. The marble columns were intricately carved with more nature insignia, ancient stories of the trees giving life to the original citizens of the Acorn Kingdom adorning each one. The walls were lined with portraits of past rulers dating back to the beginning of the kingdom, with a new empty space near the front, presumably for Sally and her husband-to-be.
Sonic walked down the hall quickly, avoiding eye contact from each of the paintings, whose detailed eyes bore into the back of his fur as he passed.
The sounds of chatter and glasses clinking grew louder as Sonic approached the grand hall, where the reception, ceremony, and after party were all to take place. The wooden oak double doors were open, revealing yet another large expanse of space with even higher ceilings, delicate chandeliers glinting from above.
Hundreds of people were crowded in the space, drinking small cocktails from waiters running around the room with trays. In the middle of the room, the ceiling opened up to a skylight, letting in the sun’s rays to illuminate the pristine white altar and surrounding rows of chairs. Shrubs separated the skylight section from the rest of the hall, perfectly trimmed to three feet high around the perimeter of the small garden.
As of now, the altar remained empty, most guests milling about with their drinks and appetizers, waiting for the ceremony to begin.
Sonic inched around to a corner of the hall, leaning against a wooden beam and simply taking in the surroundings. He liked parties, sure, but stuffy royal events like these were just bound to get him in trouble. He’d already made a fool of himself to the guard at the door, it was best not to socialize unless he absolutely had to.
“Shadow, you read me? I’m inside,” Sonic whispered, cupping his mouth as he scanned the room of guests. A rainbow of fabric glinting in the skylight nearly blinded him as he looked upon the party, the extravagant outfits of all the guests making it nearly impossible to pick out any semblance of Shadow in the crowd.
“Finally,” the dark voice crackled back. “Walk around and scan the area. Alert me of any suspicious persons.”
Sonic nodded, before realizing that Shadow couldn’t exactly hear the nod through their communicators.
“Right, got it.”
With a sigh, Sonic dropped his head lightly to rest against the beam behind him, squeezing his eyes closed for just a brief moment.
C’mon, focus, he nagged internally. Just find the assassin and get out, easy.
Easy.
Sonic opened his eyes with newfound determination, doing another scan of the glamorous ballroom.
A waiter approached him, the badger mobian wearing a crisp black suit and holding a tray of sparkling drinks. Sonic shook his head at the man, but he only came closer and bowed his head slightly.
“Sonic the Hedgehog, Princess Sally has requested a word with you in private. Please follow me,” the badger said curtly, turning around and motioning for him to follow.
Sonic frowned.
Sally wanted to talk to him? In private?
“Uh… you sure you got the right guy? I don’t think—“
“I don’t see any other blue hedgehogs around here, do you sir? Please come with me,” the waiter walked briskly forward, giving Sonic a no-nonsense look.
Great.
Sonic groaned to himself and followed the badger through the crowd, maneuvering as best he could around the puffy dresses and trays of drinks that threatened to spill and ruin something expensive.
It was crowded enough that most people didn’t look at him, though he did get a few confused glances and stares from a couple guests as he passed by. He supposed even among the most snobby of nobility, he was still a famous face.
Sonic followed the waiter into a small doorway near the back of the hall, where most of the other staff were bustling in and out. The smell of food grew far stronger here, appetizers being piled onto several trays and then run out of the room by the wait staff. Sonic ducked under people hustling out the door, struggling to keep an eye on the badger as the man flawlessly moved around all the cooks and staff in his way.
Eventually, they made their way into a back hallway, the wood far darker and dustier than in the glamorous main hall. Sonic was basically jogging now, watching as the badger effortlessly moved ahead and disappeared into another doorway.
When Sonic finally pushed through the door, he was met with a burst of heat and outside air, suddenly thrust into the direct sunlight. He looked around, taking in about a few feet of tile exposed to the sky, the outdoor space cramped between two buildings. Along one wall, a small fountain bust of a former queen spat water into a pool below, droplets pinging musically against the blue tile.
And sitting on the edge of the fountain, there she was.
Sally stared down at the dripping water, the flow of her long white wedding gown trailing on the tile behind her. She ran a finger through the water idly, staring up at the statue with a distant look in her eye. Sonic watched as the waiter disappeared back through another doorway, the clack of the wood startling Sally out of her thoughts.
She looked up at him.
Sonic froze, staring into the eyes of a girl he hadn’t spoken to in years. She looked almost the same, her deep brown fur and blue eyes contrasting beautifully with her semi-sheer white dress draped over the fountain and on the floor. She did look slightly older (no shit Sherlock, it’s been years), her jawline slightly elongated with maturity instead of the previous baby fat lingering on her cheeks.
Sally looked him up and down, piercing eyes taking in every inch of his form.
“You’re wearing a suit,” she said simply, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of her lips. Sonic chuckled nervously, rubbing a hand through his head quills.
“Yeah… well, you know how these noble folk are. Gotta keep ‘em impressed and all that,” he managed to stammer out. “This is, uh… a cute little fountain ya got, huh? Nice little thinking spot?”
Sally nodded.
“It’s one of the few areas in the kingdom my father doesn’t know about. It’s typically only used by servants traveling through the castle, but I’ve found a special appreciation for this statue in particular. It’s of my great-great-grandmother, Amaranta Acorn. She was the first female monarch to ascend the throne after the death of her twin brother, and she ruled the kingdom for nearly thirty years.”
Sonic turned back at the statue, more closely admiring the slightly crumbled marble form of the woman.
“Thats uh, that’s pretty cool,” he said, not knowing what else to say.
“Yes, it is,” she said with a sigh, turning back to look into the fountain. Sonic stood awkwardly, shuffling slightly from foot to foot.
“Is there, uh… any particular reason you wanted to talk to me?” Sonic asked tentatively, taking a small step toward the princess.
“I’m not an idiot,” she said sharply, turning to face him with a fiery glare. “We haven’t talked in years. My father invited you to this wedding out of respect for your heroics, but I hardly expected you to show your face. If you’ve come to make a mockery of the Acorn name, a mockery of me, I’ll have you know there will be consequences.”
Sonic gulped, sticking his finger into his collar in an attempt to let more cold air down his neck. Jeez, did it get even hotter all of the sudden?
“N-no! Nothing like that,” Sonic stammered, laughing nervously. “I just, uh–”
“When you broke up with me, I was devastated, did you know that? I know we had our issues–” she paused, grimacing slightly, “--but I had wanted to make things right with you. I wrote every day, I went to visit, I talked to your brother… but you never responded to anything.”
Another pause. Sonic sucked in a breath, foot now tapping furiously against the tiles beneath him.
“...So I moved on. You clearly wanted nothing to do with me, didn’t even want to leave our relationship on good terms, be friends… nothing. It’s taken years of healing and self-reflection, but I got over it. And I’ve found someone who really makes me happy,” a small smile spread across her face. “He’s a really good guy.”
Her face darkened once again.
“So I’ll ask one more time. Why now, after all these years… why are you here?”
Sonic was utterly frozen.
Sally stared at him with angry eyes now, the familiar look of painful determination directed right into his heart. He knew that look all too well, one he’d gotten plenty of times in the last weeks of their relationship.
He’d never been too good with confrontation.
All of the sudden, a voice crackled in his ear.
“Sonic. Do not tell her the truth. This mission needs to remain confidential, understand?”
Fuck. Sonic had forgotten comms were open, Shadow and Rouge likely listening to every word Sally had said.
Sonic stared down at the floor, taking a few deep breaths. After a few minutes, he finally willed himself to look back up at Sally, the squirrel still glaring at him.
“After all this time, you really have nothing to say for yourself?”
Sonic winced.
“It’s not like that–” he started, taking another step closer. “I just– I….”
“Sonic,” Shadow warned in his ear, voice low. “Don’t.”
“I’m not here to crash your wedding, I swear,” he finally spat out. Yeah, that was a good place to start. “You’re right, I did some fucked up shit in our relationship. And then I ran away and didn’t even bother to try and fix it, and I’m sure I hurt you a lot.”
Sonic paused to look up at Sally’s face, who still seemed unimpressed.
“The truth is…”
Ah, screw it.
“I’m working with GUN, the human government agency for defense? We have intel that there could be a possible attempt on your life, I’m just here to make sure you’re safe, that’s all.”
“SONIC!!” Shadow’s voice screeched in his ear, causing him to cringe. Sonic snatched the comm out of his ear and shoved it in his pocket, ignoring the small sounds of protest still emitting from the device.
Sally raised her eyebrows, eyeing the device as Sonic scrambled to put it away.
“...I see,” she said simply.
Sonic coughed slightly.
“Uh, yeah. Sorry uh, for the confusion.”
“GUN, you said? Why does a human organization care about happenings in Acorn?” Sally asked, sitting up straighter.
“They’re tryna protect the whole human/mobian relations thing. Ya know, it’s been pretty tense lately.”
She nodded, frowning slightly.
“The assassin would be human, then?”
“Possibly, but not necessarily. I’m just looking for possible subjects,” Sonic explained, waving his hand around slightly.
Sally placed a hand over her mouth, clearly deep in thought.
“Well… Father did place extra guards in the attempt of any uprising or violence. Ideally, everything today should go smoothly, regardless of your involvement,” Sally muttered, looking up. “I suppose having you here as an extra precaution couldn’t hurt, however.”
Sonic breathed out, heartbeat finally beginning to slow.
“Yeah, yeah for sure. Don’t worry, I won’t get in your way, just keeping ya safe!”
Sally sighed, standing up and brushing out her dress.
“So… you still have no desire to make things right? No apology, no acknowledgement, nothing?” Sally asked, her voice and eyes hollow as she stared darkly at him.
Shoot.
“No wait- I didn’t mean to say it like that–”
“You didn’t have to,” she said curtly. “Don’t worry about it. Why don’t you run off and find someone to fight, just like you do with all your problems.”
“Sally please, don’t be like that,” Sonic pleaded.
“Like what! Like you left me without a word and never came back? Like you didn’t show up to my wedding years later and pretend like it’s the most normal thing in the world? Like I’m not allowed to be mad?” Sally yelled, sticking a finger in Sonic’s face.
“I said I was sorry–”
“When?”
Sonic froze.
He hadn’t, had he?
Sally sighed, letting out an exasperated laugh.
“You’re not sorry. You never were, and you never will be. And you’re doing the same thing all over again to that little pink hedgehog girl, aren’t you? I see on the news how she runs to you after Eggman attacks. And I see how you push her away and leave,” Sally said coldly, taking a step back toward the door.
Sonic stared down at his shoes.
“You won’t change now, just like you didn’t change with me.”
Sally took one last look at him before disappearing through the doorway, leaving Sonic alone with the crumbling statue, water dribbling from its mouth like blood in a wound.