Sonic GeneX - The Series: Zodiac in Time
Episode 3 - Song of Friendship

Note: Sonic the Hedgehog and related characters are (c) SEGA and
Sonic Team. You knew that, right?
GeneX and related fanchars are (c) 2BIT (TheGreatGator), the author.


Previously on Sonic GeneX - The Series...
Rex the Hedgehog began training his fellow wielders of the Chaos Relics, but they had to save a village before the training got far. Rex did most of the work, and Paul was so distressed by the danger that he left the group. Rex decided to train the others further without delay.
Gemini had arrived in Rex's time with Silver, Timothy and Carrie joining her. Capricorn tried to convince them to return to the present, and nearly succeeded, but Gemini spied Copter/Aries sneaking about the village, and realized she couldn't leave him like that.
Cancer met with other Zodiac Council members to try to recruit them to his side, including Fred Leo. Amy, Punchy and others interrupted them as Fred began to fight Cancer. Cancer fled when Ophiuchus arrived on the scene, declaring Cancer and his conspirators to be fugitives.
Now, on to the next chapter!


"Hey, there! I understand you guys lost an ally recently?" Paul's very public exit from Rex's group led to Gemini's group hearing about it. While Silver didn't much like the idea, this seemed like a good opportunity to get close to the situation. So, Carrie volunteered to attempt to become the replacement hero. Rex looked at her oddly when she approached. "I don't recall seeing you around the village. Those raccoons are a gossipy bunch, huh?" he muttered. "Hey!" William shouted, lightly offended. "Scram!" Brutus grunted, "We've got no more, uh... weapons...for you." he told her. Gemini stepped up next to Carrie. "It's okay. Carrie can handle herself. She heard of your heroics and really wants to help!" she stated as Carrie nodded. Astra looked at Gemini curiously. "Hmm... You have gentle eyes... Why don't we give the girl a chance?" she said to Rex. Bard strummed his lute as he lounged at the back of the group. "I say take them both. I'll gladly give up my spot." he said. Monty grabbed his lute out of his hands. "You're not quittin' on us, fox! ...You're the team mascot!" he chuckled. "What's a mascot?" Spiro asked. Carrie chuckled, watching the group. "Looks like you need all the help you can get!" she pointed out. Rex nodded. "Fine... You can sit in on training for now. Maybe you can prove yourself to me." he said. Gemini started to walk away. "Good luck, Carrie!" she smiled, "...I gotta look for Copter..." she thought as she left. Carrie walked over to where some of the group was training, to find a bit of breeze kicked up as Aya and Red tapped into their Chaos Relic powers. The sparrow suddenly had great golden wings on his back in place of the cape, while Aya summoned a gale of wind out of one of the Chaos Cards! "Good, good... We seem to be making progress!" Rex smirked. "Wind? What good is wind?" Aya sighed. Carrie scratched her head. From what little she knew of the Chaos Cards...that wasn't what they did. "Maybe you have to try drawing the card a certain way?" she suggested. Aya stared at her. "Just who are you? Gah, whatever..." Aya flicked a card, and to her surprise, it became a golden shuriken, which Carrie had to stop in midair with her psychokinesis! The group stared at both of them for a moment. "Okaaaay, you're in, girlie!" Spiro announced.

Silver was close by as Gemini walked away. "I'm still against this. We really shouldn't interfere with the timeline too closely." he warned. Gemini scoffed at him. "We do it all the time in Sonic's era." she pointed out. Silver rubbed his face in frustration, as though they'd been over this a million times already. "Sonic's era isn't nearly as far off from our time as this! Even so, it's still risky to mess around even in Sonic's time!" he said worriedly. "Why do we keep calling it Sonic's time like he owns it?" Timothy asked with a cute smirk. They ignored him, and quieted down altogether as Gunther ran past them. "...I didn't know there were humans on this continent at this time..." Timothy murmured. "Oh, ugh, he reminds me of Gunner a bit..." Gemini groaned. Gunther ran up to the training heroes, out of breath. "Mister Rex! News on the Doomling front!" he shouted. Rex stepped over to hear what he had to say, Bard and Monty joining him. "I've heard tell of creatures matching your description of Doomlings in a certain region. Trouble is, area's a bit mysterious. It's inhabited by those mirages you may have heard of." he stated. Monty shrugged. "Doesn't matter. We have to help them." he said. "Somebody ask for a mirage?" Carrie asked, overhearing a little, "I'm a mirage, you know." she told them. "Really? I thought you were some kind of otter." Bard confessed. "Are you really a mirage? They're a pretty mysterious race." Rex stated. Carrie shrugged. "Well, I'm told I am..." she said, sounding cute but really she was dead serious, for all she knew she was just a mutant otter. Rex nodded. "Very well... Seems your chance to prove yourself has already come. You'll be our guide to mirage country." he told her. Carrie chuckled softly and nodded. "Greeeeat..." she said, worried about how she'd manage to lead them through a place she'd never been to. Silver crossed his arms watching the situation. "Yeah, this will go SO well." he muttered. "Stop being smug and let's follow them!" Gemini huffed.

It was a bit of a walk to their destination. They soon came to the entrance to what would be known in the modern day as Sand Hill, and there they found a wall of fire barring their entry. "A desert, hidden within the jungle... And a wall of fire barring entry... Such a tale seems worthy of a song..." Bard murmured. "Maybe after we figure a way in." Luna sighed. Carrie stepped to the wall of flame and looked around. "Hmm... I sense you there!" she called. A pair of creatures very similar to herself appeared from nowhere, dressed in armor and carrying spears. They looked stunned to see Carrie. "What are you doing with this band of... miscellenia?" one of the guards asked. While Carrie started talking things out with them, Gemini, Silver and Timothy tried to get a bit closer from their position of quietly following them. However, a beam from Aries's staff caught their attention! "Exactly where are you going, Gemini?" the armored fox asked her. Pisces the shark girl joined him, clutching her trident. "Hi, Silver... Freeze!" she smirked, blasting his feet with a beam of ice from her trident! Silver groaned and struggled. "Darn it, Pisces! Leave us alone!" he growled. "Exactly how many Zodiacs do you know?" Timothy asked him. "...They haven't always liked my time traveling much..." Silver sighed. Gemini pulled her wand on them. "Copter... I'm here for the good of everyone. Why are you fighting me?" she asked. Aries stepped forward, removing his helmet. "...I don't want to, Gemini. It'd be a waste of both out time...when we could be working together. You could join us!" he said, tucking his helmet under the arm holding his staff, and holding his freed hand out to Gemini. The fennec looked at him sympathetically. "Cancer's using you... Copter, you should be joining US." she pleaded. Copter winced, and put his helmet back on. "I'm gonna kill 'em!" Pisces grinned. Timothy was working on melting the ice holding Silver with a fire spell, but it was working too slow. Pisces aimed her trident...only to be knocked back by a blast of water! Aquarius flapped down, Capricorn beside him! "Pisces and Aries! You both are under arrest!" she declared. Gemini used the distraction to warp her friends away, while Carrie successfully convinced the guards to lower the flame wall protecting mirage village. As Rex's group headed into the desert, Spiro breathed deeply. "Ahh, I feel at home now! Reminds me of the warm sands of Shamar...where my people are revered by the dumb humans who live there!" he chuckled. Half the group rolled their eyes at him. "Yeah, dumb is right..." William muttered. Rex patted Carrie on the back. "Thanks for talking us in. I'm not sure we'd even see the guards without you." he told her. Carrie smiled and shrugged. "I dunno...." she murmured, "...Not like I'm big on history..." she thought.

Arriving at the village, Rex's group were quick to find the danger Gunther told them about. Big Doomling snakes with single bulging eyes on their heads were slithering about, their venomous fangs seeking to end the lives of anything touched by them! "We'd best be incredibly careful..." Rex warned. "Easy for you to say. You don't have to fight with a useless ring!" Brutus grunted. William sped past him with the Chaos Boots, chuckling. "Shouldn't have let me snatch these up, haha!" he teased. Monty put on the Chaos Gauntlets and Aya clutched the Chaos Cards as the snakes slithered at them. Carrie watched briefly, and quickly realized she had to prove herself in order to stay in the group. "Well, this shouldn't be too hard..." she murmured, using her psychokinesis to grab two snakes and smash them into one another! Red flapped by with the Chaos Wing and stared. "No fair, your natural ability is better than half the relics!" he babbled. Carrie snickered. "It is, isn't it?" she smirked, lifting up another snake and tossing it into the distance! Luna hacked at one with her claws, yelping as it tried to bite her and moving her claws to block its fangs! "Grrr, can't these claws do anything cool??" she groaned. Bard ran over in a bit of panic and, not thinking it through much, took the Chaos Key and plunged it into the back of the snake's head! It froze at the key's touch and opened its maw wide. "Uhhh... I think I... unlocked its mouth?" he stammered. Rex ran by and sliced it in two with his blade to free them from their predicament. "And we were wondering if Carrie was worthy to join the team... The team can scarcely keep up with her!" Rex sighed. This was true, but Carrie was getting carried away, and as she randomly hurled the snakes away at a violent speed, she wasn't paying much attention to where they were going. "Hey, dummy, SAVE the village!!" Spiro shouted. Stopping short, Carrie gasped to see two giant snakes she threw crashing into the tops of buildings, causing them to crumble due to the force of impact! "No!! People are in there!" she gasped. Fortunately, Silver was nearby out of sight. "Aaaagh!! Gemini, Tim! Fix this while I hold it!!" he gasped, "Lest the timeline be damaged by some deaths that weren't supposed to happen!" Gemini and Timothy both pointed their wands at the damaged areas. "Abra-ka-quick-fix!!" they shouted hurriedly. It was the magical equivalent of duct tape, but it'd hold the buildings for the moment...long enough for the people to get out before the structures collapsed. As Carrie watched all this, she stepped back and let Rex's group handle the snakes. "Interfering like this...is a mistake..." she murmured.

The remaining snakes retreated after it appeared they were losing. As Rex watched them go, he had a serious look on his face. "Did you see that? Look...they're escaping in formation..." he murmured. "Curious... Yes, it does look that way." Astra stated. "You're nuts. Those monsters are just brainless...monsters!" Spiro remarked. Monty crossed his arms. "Maybe...but then why are they retreating at all? Why not fight us to the last?" he wondered. Red flapped over them with the Chaos Wing and stared out at the escaping Doomlings. "Guh...you think they're...organized?" he babbled. While they were pondering this, Gemini took Carrie and slipped out of "Sand Hill." There was no sign of Aries, Capricorn or the others now. "Well, that was something..." Timothy sighed. "I warned you about interfering with the timeline..." Silver frowned. Carrie nodded. "Yeah, yeah, but how do we change anything if we don't interfere?" she wondered. Just then, Fred warped into the area, startling them! "Waaah! Teacher, I thought you were a Zodiac guy!" Timothy gasped. Fred looked at Gemini. "Thank goodness I'm in the right place. I wanted to warn you. You're not safe now..." he said, glancing around nervously. Gemini had a concerned look. "Teacher? Are you alright? Did something happen back home?" she asked. Fred sighed. "I can't get into details right now. I would suggest you lay low for the time being. I have to get going." he said, taking out his wand. "Wait! Please, tell me something! Is this about Cancer? Or is it something else?" she asked. "Want me to hold him here before he gets away?" Carrie wondered. Fred scoffed. "You can't hold me... Chronokadabra!" he said, creating a time portal to exit through. "...By the way...you must remember to close these behind you, Gemini." he said before stepping through. A moment later, the portal closed, and Gemini stood in bewilderment. "...It almost sounds like...he wants me to stay in this time now." she murmured. Silver scratched his head. "Very strange... But I guess there's no sense dwelling on it right now." he murmured. Gemini nodded. "...I hope Copter's alright. We left him fighting Capricorn..." she sighed. Carrie smirked. "Worried, hmm? You know, I thought there was something between you two when me and Talon visited a couple years back..." she teased. Gemini blushed heavily and Timothy glared at Carrie. "Don't tease Gemini! She's really worried here!" he said. Silver and Carrie couldn't help but chuckle a little. Little did they realize the impact taking Carrie away from the team was having. The group had noticed, and were looking a bit glum. So, as they sat about the village to rest after the battle, Bard decided to sing a song to lift their spirits...

"Is friendship a mirage? An illusion of the heart?
When things start getting rough, will it all just fall apart?
No, your true friends don't leave you when your eyes fill with tears.
They gather beside you, and together face your fears...
And around me I see not the mirages that faded away!
You're all gathered beside me, my friends here to stay!
If you stay true to me, I'll stay true to you,
That's what friendship means, it's what true friends do..."

Bard's friends cracked some smiles as he sang his song, and the village chief, an elder mirage, approached Rex. "We thank you for coming to our aid, despite being a band of outsiders. However, the sanctity of our village has been shattered, and those creatures have escaped. We feel it best to leave this place and seek a new home in a new place of seclusion..." she told him. Rex nodded. "We are sorry for your hardships... Safe journey to you." he said. "I'd recommend Shamar, but that's just me." Spiro smirked. While most of the group was saying their goodbyes to the mirages, Brutus snuck off to the outskirts of the village. Exiting the desert, he found a female dragon waiting for him in the jungle. He hugged her and rubbed snouts with her. "Hey Cleo, how's my precious?" he grinned. Cleo returned his embrace, but had a serious look on her face. "Brutus, what's taking so long? The other dragons are impatient. You were supposed to get the Chaos Relics from them by now!" she grunted. Brutus stepped back from her. "That won't be so easy. All I have to work with is a useless ring. They guard theirs pretty well. Tell the other dragons that it's gonna take more finesse to get the Chaos Relics." he told her. Cleo pouted, and then shrugged. "Fine... Just don't forget me while you're off playing the hero." she scoffed. Brutus smirked. "I am the hero, babe...your hero. When I'm done, this ring will be all yours..." he whispered. Cleo huffed. "I'd rather something not useless, thanks!" she retorted, to which Brutus chuckled as he turned to rejoin Rex's group. "Smart girl, that's why you're my mate!" he snickered.


Somewhere else in time, Fred was now standing before Ophiuchus, who shed his human skin in a flash of light and returned to his serpent form as he sat upon a throne-like seat. "So, you think because I showed up to Cancer's meeting, that I'm conspiring with him? I wonder if Taurus rates this mistrust." Fred complained. Ophi flicked his forked tongue and stared back at Fred. "With the timeline at stake, I can't afford to take chances. Cancer is devious. He may have promised you something... leniency for your protege, perhaps?" he suggested. Fred frowned. "You think I'd place the world at risk for one fennec?" he asked. Ophi leaned his head against his fist, looking bored. "You tell me. You have allowed her to come and go as she pleases in the past thus far...granted, it has been part of my plans up to this point. I never expected her to travel back that far, though. You should have stopped her." he stated. Fred knew full well. Somehow, Ophi had planned for Gemini's interference with the timeline. For the future to run its proper course, Gemini was even required to a degree. "You think from your godlike seat up here, you can control the hearts and minds of everyone. Well, you can't." Fred snapped. Ophi sat up with a stern look. "Where is your allegiance, wizard?!" he growled. Fred flicked out his wand and turned it on himself, a serious look in his eyes. "Morphicadabra!" he cast, shifting his form away from the disguise of a fennec, and revealing a white lion with a light blue mane! "I am still your faithful Leo... That has not changed!" he declared. Ophi smirked and stood from his seat. "Don't forget that... Because Leo is a title you know. It can be passed to another..." he warned. As Ophiuchus walked away, Fred recast the spell to place his fennec disguise. "If only we'd thought of passing the title for other Zodiacs..." he grumbled.


Sonic and Tails looked rather bored as they sat across from Amy and Rainbow in the not-so-abandoned building Punchy and Rainbow were squatting in now. Amy had drafted them to help make out wedding invitations. "...So, do we invite Knuckles or no? I can't tell if he and Punchy are friends or not." Tails murmured. Sonic elbowed him. "Invite Knux anyway... If they don't want him there, it'll be a good show!" he snickered. "Take this seriously, Sonic. You wouldn't want someone to invite someone stupid to our wedding, would you?" Amy growled. Rainbow chuckled softly. "Invite him, Tails." she said. A knock at the door was followed by the door just falling over. "Thanks a lot, Amy! You busted that door!" Punchy shouted. In walked Ridley the coati in his police uniform. "Afternoon, uh...Sonic... and others. I heard a bunch of winged fellas were spotted around here and got in a bit of an altercation with Ms. Rose there. Hehe, altercation. Don't I sound professional?" he smirked. Amy glanced at him. "I still don't buy you as a cop." she groaned. "Razor wasn't with 'em, Ridley." Punchy said, getting to the point. He'd heard about Razor's transformation into Sagittarius from Heather before the Freedom Fighters all parted ways. Ridley shrugged. "Maybe they can lead me to him. I owe it to Tommy to try and find him...plus he's kind of my partner." he said, clearing his throat, "Can you tell me anything helpful?" he asked. Rainbow perked up. "You know, Freddie was there. Wanda's teacher. Maybe he can help ya!" she suggested. Ridley nodded. "I guess that's a lead... Isn't he the pastor at the Church of Central City?" he mumbled. Sonic got up and ran to Ridley's side. "He hasn't been to church in weeks! But I'll help ya look! Anything for our boys in blue!" he winked. "After they gave you such a hard time the last couple years, Sonic?" Tails asked. Amy pouted. "You don't fool me, you're just trying to get out of helping with the wedding!" she grumbled. This seemed to make Tails get on board with the idea. "Hey, you know what? Maybe I can find some...technological way to help...track him down!" he babbled, him and Sonic each taking Ridley by an arm and leading him outside. "You lazy bums!!" Amy shouted. "Yeah, at least pick up the door on your way out!" Punchy yelled.

After walking with Ridley a ways, Sonic and Tails sighed. "Sorry about that, Ridley... We just really wanna get home and work on fixing the portal to our friend Blaze's world..." Tails explained. Sonic nodded. "Hate to say, but tracking those winged guys is probably impossible. I remember finding Capricorn in the past, sooo...they can time travel." he stated. "You what?" Tails babbled. Ridley looked a bit crestfallen at this. "I thought I had a lead... Wait, home? Same home? You two are...living together?" he concluded. "Wow, you'll make detective in no time." Sonic teased. Tails chuckled as the three of them walked. "Yeah, Sonic's good company now that I'm... single..." he sighed. Sonic chuckled. "I've been tryin' to get him back out there...just so I get the house all to myself!" he teased. "I can't leave you alone with my workshop! You'll burn it down, and I just finished fixing it up after the last time it burned down!" Tails half-joked. Sonic shrugged. "You break one microwave during a bit of vivid daydreaming..." he murmured. "You play too many video games Sonic. Why else would you think there's a 'thunder shield' in the microwave?" Tails groaned. Ridley chuckled softly, but then the trio stopped short to find some people in their path. One was Rouge. "So, did my bat ears hear right? You're single, fox boy?" she smirked, standing with her hands on her hips and staring at him. Cosmo the seedrian stepped up next to her. "Yes, he is... I already knew that, and was hoping to find him... So, could you all...give us a moment?" she asked, only for Rouge to scowl at her. Violet the echidna was next to approach. "Tails is single? Hmmm, and me with my thing for foxes?" she mused. Tails backed up a bit, right into a female fox in a red dress. "Ooof! Hey, there, what's your hurry? ...I'm Zooey!" she smiled. Tails jumped away from her. "Yaaah!! I... I'm really not ready to... to date again..." he babbled as Sonic and Ridley looked on awkwardly. "Well, we'll get ya ready, hehehe..." Rouge smirked. Ridley flashed his badge. "Ladies, please, give us some space." he ordered, only to find them closing in. Growling, Ridley did the next thing he could think of. "Chaos Splatter!!" The girls squealed as they were splashed with water, and Sonic grabbed both Tails and Ridley by the arms, racing for a nearby alley. There...they bumped into Scorpio (AKA Eddie)! "Eeee hee hee! Hello there, boys! ...Ridley." he grunted, "I heard you've been asking about us, so I picked up an insurance policy against that!" he said, revealing a frightened Tommy the porcupine behind him!

Cosmo had caught up to them. "You know, Tails, an alley isn't the best hiding place...oh gosh, what's this??" she gasped, seeing Scorpio summon a few giant illusory scorpions! "Eee hee... Cancer taught me to go bigger. Bigger is better! Now, what can we trade for the boy and your cooperation?" the hyena smirked. A bolt from the sky destroyed one of the illusions, and Sagittarius swooped down with his bow at the ready! "Let the kid go, Scorpio!" he warned. "R-razor!! You came!" Tommy sniffled. Sonic looked ready to go. "Right, let's trounce Eddie like that time at Despair Castle!" he said. Before he could move, though, another Zodiac dropped in front of him. "Stay out of our affairs, for your own safety..." Upon seeing who it was, Sonic gasped. It was Sally Acorn. The Freedom Fighter whose funeral Sonic had attended not so long ago! "S-sally?" he babbled. She looked at him without emotion. "My name is Virgo. You are Sonic the Hedgehog. You've crossed the Zodiac Council before." she said grimly. Tails passed them by with Cosmo following, hoping to take out some scorpions and help Razor/Sagittarius out. Scorpio saw them coming and smirked, casting an illusion of vines to erupt from the alley walls and grab Cosmo! "Aaagh!! T-tails, help me!" she cried. "Eee hee, what's wrong, plant girl? They're plants just like you!" he smirked. Tails turned and looked in fear as the vines pulled at Cosmo's limbs. "S-stop it!! Let her go!!" he cried, rushing back to aid her. Meanwhile, Sonic was distracted by Sally. "You...you were dead! I was at your funeral!" he stammered. Virgo shrugged. "You are mistaken. Quit distracting me." she said, trying to turn and join Sagittarius in fighting Scorpio. However, Sonic tugged her arm. "They've got you brainwashed, don't they? Just like Razor! Listen to me...You are Sally Acorn! Your father is Max Acorn. You spent six months fighting Eggman's army to save him, and you succeeded at the cost of your own life! Try to remember!" he said seriously. Sally slapped his hand away from her and extended her wings. "I am VIRGO!! And you are a mere mortal male... I command you to STAND DOWN!!" she bellowed, her eyes glowing lightly. Sonic gasped and held his head, backing away a bit. "Y-yes...ma'am..." he murmured, her tone CONTROLLING him. Meanwhile, Tails pulled apart the vines with all his might and caught Cosmo as she fell to the ground. "A-are you alright?" he panted, exhausted. Cosmo looked into his eyes with a blush. "...my hero..." she murmured.

Ridley didn't stand idle during all this. He snuck around and tackled Eddie from behind, pulling Tommy free from his clutches! "Ha! And you always thought you were smarter than me, hyena breath!" Ridley smirked as he led Tommy to safety, "Way to distract him, partner!" he said to Razor, who ignored him, "...Right, Sagittarius." Scorpio grunted in frustration. "Well, it's kinda hard keeping track of the seven of you all against little old me. But I've decided what to take with me!" he grinned, hurling an illusion bolt at Sagittarius' head, knocking him out! Before anyone could act, Eddie picked him up and vanished before their eyes! "Eat your heart out, Illusi!! Eeee hee hee hee hee!!" he cackled. Virgo growled in aggravation. "He can't teleport, he's just disguising his escape! Scorpio!! Show yourself!!" she cried. Tommy frowned. "This is all my fault...now Razor's in even more trouble..." he sighed. "Hey, you can't do anything about an illusionist coming after you." Ridley told him. Virgo sighed and extended her wings. "Keep an eye out for them... It's apparent that Cancer has made you all targets." she said before flying away. Sonic looked up at her and rubbed his head. "Are they sure she was dead?" he asked Tails. The fox nodded. "I saw her die... Infinite, he..." he murmured, a bit of a traumatized look on his face as he remembered. Ridley took Tommy's hand. "I'd better see the runt home. Thanks for...somethin', Sonic." he murmured. He wasn't really sure if Sonic's presence had been helpful at all today, really. As Ridley and Tommy left, Tails turned to Cosmo awkwardly and Sonic tapped his foot, lost in thought. "We can't take this lying down, can we? Is there any way we can find them and rescue Razor?" he wondered. Tails shrugged. "I don't know, Sonic... The Zodiac Council is tricky, like you said. They may not even be in this time." he muttered. Cosmo smiled at him. "I'm sure you can do it..." she said. As they stepped out of the alley, voices called out to them. "There he is!!" Zooey cried. Tails looked to see his suitors bearing down on them again, and started to sweat nervously. "S-soniiic..." he gulped. Sonic grabbed his arm and tore off into the distance, leaving all the girls behind! "Heh... now ya know how Amy makes me feel!" he chuckled as he pulled Tails along with him.

Later on, Tails was busy tinkering with the portal to Blaze's world with Sonic sitting nearby, handing him tools he'd ask for. The fox's mind was on anything but, though. He let out a heavy sigh, a blush coming to his face. "S-sonic... I feel weird..." he murmured. Sonic chuckled softly. "I didn't go too fast with you earlier, did I?" he asked. "No, it's not motion sickness..." he mumbled, twiddling his thumbs, "It's Cosmo...and Violet...and that Zooey...and Rouge...well, not so much Rouge." he babbled, "Do you think they all really like me?" he asked. Sonic sat back and crossed his arms. "Hmm... Rouge is probably after somethin'... But yeah, buddy, I do. What's not to like? You're cute, smart, a hero... and technically famous. You ARE my sidekick." he smirked. Tails blushed a bit more. "I-it's kind of embarrassing... I don't wanna be chased like that when I go out..." he shivered. Sonic patted him on the back. "Maybe you need to pick one so that the others know you're taken." he chuckled. "I'm serious, Sonic." Tails frowned, "...What if it's too soon after Cream? What if... I'm not ready for another girlfriend?" he asked. Sonic rubbed his chin. "Hmm, so that's what this is about? Don't worry about it, bro! All you gotta do is listen to your heart. You'll know when you're ready. And if you think you're ready now, go for it! Hehe, I don't think there's such a thing as too fast in love!" he smirked. Tails stared at him. "This from the guy who still runs away from Amy?" he muttered. Sonic laughed. "There IS such a thing as too grabby!" he chuckled, "Aaaand, if you're not ready, I'll be here to race you away from the mob that shall henceforth be known as the Tails fan club!" he winked. Tails turned bright red at that. "Let's not call it that, Sonic..." he babbled. Sonic grabbed his buddy and playfully noogied him. "Tails has some girl-friends! Tails has some girl-friends!!" he chanted in a sing-song voice and the fox struggled out of his grip. "Stop it!! You're making me rethink fixing this portal!" he laughed, "Cream always thought Marine had a thing for me, too!" he giggled. Sonic laughed at him more. "My best friend, the ladies fox! I think I know a few guys who'll want some pointers from you now!" he teased, "...Knux, for one!" Tails punched Sonic gently in the arm. "Quit it, Sonic, or you'll be moving in with Knuckles next!" he teased back. The pair continued laughing and teasing and didn't really get much work done. At any rate...this sure beat wedding planning!

To be continued...