Darkest Night: Chapter 6

A wailing scream erupted in Tails' ear as the young kitsune's eyes shot wide open. The fox jolted upward with a start, very nearly knocking Cosmo off of him as he was startled by his alarm. Woken by Tails' sudden panic the Seedrian tumbled face forward on the mattress, looking up at Tails with widened eyes.

"M-Miles!" Cosmo exclaimed sitting up quickly, "What on Mobius-"

"Stupid alarm!" Tails barked slamming his hand down on his wrist computer, killing the irritating siren, "I hate that thing! It's the worst wakeup call ever!"

"Well, it did get us up…" Cosmo yawned rubbing her eyes as she looked around the room, "What time is it?"

"Five o'clock." Tails answered, gingerly climbing out of bed and reaching for his gloves, "We need to get ready if we're going to make that reservation."

"That what?" Cosmo asked now alert, "Reservations? Where are you taking us, Tails?"

"Dang it, I didn't mean to say that!" Chuckled the fox slipping on his sneakers, "You'll find out soon. Just keep your shorts on!"

"I… don't wear shorts, Tails." Cosmo said her Seedrian ignorance once again betraying her.

"It's a figure of speech, sweetheart." Tails responded rolling his eyes, "It means be patient."

"Oh!" Exclaimed the Seedrian seeming suddenly enlightened, "I don't see how that relates to articles of clothing. I think I can do that, though!"

"Awesome!" Tails chuckled, "Now, I have little surprise for you…"

With that, Tails hopped up from the bed walking over to his closet and looking up to the top shelf. Using his namesakes he retrieving something draped in a black plastic cover. Finally he exited the closet, walking back over to the bed with a smile on his face. Cosmo climbed over the bed curiously, sitting on the edge in anticipation. Placing the item in-between them the fox sat back down, taking her hands gently with a smile.

"Now, I was planning on giving this to you for your birthday," the fox boy explained slowly, "but I thought tonight was better. I hope you like it."

The plant-girl looked down at the concealed item, then back at Tails, who gestured her to open it with a smile. Cosmo slowly lifted the black bag inch by inch revealing an item of shimmering green fabric. Cosmo's eyes went wide as she threw back the bag with one final tug revealing a gorgeous green, sleeveless evening gown underneath. The Seedrian's lips parted as she stared vacantly, running her hands along the smooth, elegant garb. Lacking sleeves the gown connected at the back of the neck, leaving the upper half of the back open so as to expose her body's gentle curves. The top and bottom halves of the gown merged together seamlessly as the dress reached to the floor, the lightweight fabric dancing at the slightest touch. Cosmo looked back at her fox in awe, speaking wordlessly as she stared at him with her aquatic eyes.

"Well, say something, Cosmo." Tails chuckled nervously, "Do you like it?"

"It- it's- it's-" Cosmo suddenly leapt onto Tails, wrapping her arms around his neck, nearly choking him. A tiny sob escaped her lips as she rested her head on his shoulder. Yet, the smile on her face only grew as she moved in next to his ear, whispering to him tenderly. "It's so beautiful, Tails."

"So you like it, then?" Tails asked pulling back and smiling at her.

"I love it!" Cosmo replied wiping at her watery eyes, "You didn't-"

"Shh…" He hushed her, "Yes, yes I did, Cosmo. Tonight is going to be a good night for us and I want you to feel as beautiful as you are for once…"

"Tails…" She sniffled, brought to tears at the fox's admiration of her. Before she could say anything else, Tails silenced her with a gentle kiss, which she returned stroking his cheek. Looking back at him longingly she proceeded to ask of him in a meek tone. "Can I try it on?"

Tails could not help but to chuckle at her persistent shyness as he spoke, "I was hoping you would. It's yours after all!"

Cosmo smiled widely as she eagerly snatched up the dress dashing into the nearby restroom and shutting the door, calling out to Tails. "Wait for me downstairs, okay?" She giggled, "I'll be there in a moment!"

Tails chuckled as he made his way out of the room, tromping down the stairs where he hoped to find his tuxedo waiting for him. The brief moment of joy he felt giving Cosmo her dress was crushed by worry once again as it occurred to him that he had heard nothing from Kai since early that afternoon and had no reason to believe that the reservations had been acquired. Once again his panic began to set in, realizing that he had less than two hours to prepare himself. He hoped that just once he would get lucky and everything would turn out as he wished it to.

That luck came in the form of a knock on his front door. Tails' ears perked up as he leapt down the remaining few steps, running to the door and throwing it open only to be disappointed at the sight of Shadow standing with his arms crossed. "So much for hoping…" Thought the fox.

"Glad I caught you." Shadow spoke seriously, "Are you ready?"

"R-ready?" Tails asked seeming confused, "Ready for what?"

"Tails, don't play stupid." The black hedgehog grunted shortly, "Jaran sent me. I know…"

"You know?" Tails repeated back his eyes slowly widening as the pieces clicked together. In violation of his promise, Kai had spoken of Tails' intentions when he had specifically requested him not to. The kitsune found this rather irritating, but realized that this was the lesser of his current problems. "I told him not to say anything!" Growled the fox under his breath, "Please, Shadow, don't kill me!"

"Tails, relax!" Shadow said with a smirk, "Jaran said he couldn't do everything himself and asked me to help. I just want things to go well for you two."

"Wait, what?" The fox asked seeming baffled that Shadow would care anything about his and Cosmo's relationship, "You're not… mad?"

Shadow let out a groan placing a hand on Tails' shoulder, crouching down to eye level with the fox. "I'm not good with long, emotional speeches, kid," the hedgehog began slowly, "but the best way I can put this is, I owe you."

"You… owe… me?" Tails said dumbfounded, "What-"

"Back on the Typhoon…" Shadow continued, "after I tried to kill Cosmo, I spent a lot of time wondering if what I did was right. When she came back I started to see how much you two had grown together. You reminded me of myself and Maria, but the love I felt for Maria was different than the kind of love you feel for Cosmo. I came to realize that if I was devastated when I lost her, how much more you must have been losing Cosmo; and how DARE I try to take your world away from you the same way mine was taken from me. Ever since then I vowed to myself that I would repay that debt. Nothing would make me happier than to see Cosmo as your wife; and when she stands on the alter with you, then, Miles Prower, then my debt to you will be repaid."

"Shadow…" Tails spoke slowly staring in disbelief at the hedgehog, formerly a hated enemy now turned into a personal hero, "I-I was going to say you don't owe me anything, but you won't hear that will you?"

"No," Shadow scoffed, "and if you ever tell anyone I said that I'll rip your tails off, understand?"

"Deal!" Tails laughed holding out his hand to shake, "Thank you, Shadow."

In one sudden motion, Tails found himself wrapped in Shadow's powerful arms, surprisingly not in a death grip. The fox-boy tensed up taken completely off guard by Shadow's uncharacteristic display of affection as he heard the hedgehog whisper to him. "Congratulations, kid. I know you two are going to be… amazing."

"Uh… thanks, Shadow." Said Miles with an odd smile pulling back as he looked up at the hedgehog, "You said Jaran sent you? I really hope you have good news."

"For once, yes!" Shadow answered with a smirk standing to his feet, "He got the reservations!"

"YEAH!!!" Tails shouted in joy leaping up and spinning in the air with his namesakes, "He did it! He came through! He- Wait, did you guys have to kill anyone?"

"No!" Shadow chuckled.

"Blackmail?"

"No," he replied again flatly.

"Threatening?"

"No…" Shadow growled growing aggravated.

"YES!!!" Tails yelled again resuming his dance of joy, "I bet you have the tux with you too, huh?"

"Oh… yeah, about that…" Mumbled the black hedgehog rubbing the back of his neck.

Tails ears folded back, his mood instantly mellowing as he began to look worried again. "Shadow, we have less than an hour to get to the restaurant. I need that tux."

"I know, I know." Shadow lowered his head, "We tried our best, but we-"

"Managed to get it in the nick of time!" A voice interrupted cheerfully from behind the two as they both turned to see Jaran Kai toting two Mobian-sized tuxedos.

"JARAN!!!" Tails chimed for the third time that day, "YOU GOT IT!"

"Surprisingly, they had two sample sizes that fit almost exactly! I just bought them straight off the tailor!" Kai explained with a smile, "I told you I wouldn't let you down, Tails!"

"Thank you!" Tails exclaimed taking his tuxedo from the man, "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Wait, why did you get two?" Shadow asked raising an eyebrow, "We told the others to wear their own formalwear in the notes I dropped off. Who's tux is that?"

"That would be yours, my friend!" Kai chuckled shoving the outfit at him, "We're all going to be dressed to impress tonight, including your sorry ass!"

"You can forget it!" Shadow answered sourly pushing the tuxedo back at him, "I don't do clothes."

"You will tonight." Kai insisted pushing it back, "You'll look classy with the rest of us! Now put it on!"

"No, I'm not wearing the damed suit!" Shadow growled pushing it away from him again.

"Shadow, put on the fucking tux or I'll make you!"

"I beat you fairly in a fight!" Shadow boasted recounting Kai's early days as an enemy, "You can't match me in power and you know it!"

"Shadow, come on, please?" Kai asked a little more sympathetically glancing at Tails, "Do it for them, eh?"

Shadow was silent for a moment maintaining a sour look on his face as he glared at the sage. He then looked back at Tails, who looked back at him with big pleading eyes. "What color is it?" Shadow asked sorely.

"All black with a red shirt." Kai replied with a grin.

"Fine," grunted the doppelgänger snatching the suit of clothes back from the human, "only for them, and only this once!"

"Whatever," Kai snorted, "Okay then, everything's set so far as I know, Tails! We made it this far, now it's up to you! Do you have the-"

"Tails?" The three heard Cosmo call down the stairs as they all turned to face the direction of her voice, "I'm ready! Please don't laugh at me."

"Come on down, Cosmo!" Tails laughed looking up the stairwell, "I'm sure you look fine!"

The three waited patiently all staring up the stairs with anticipation for whatever Cosmo had in store for them. Before long a slipper wearing foot descended down the steps slowly and gracefully as green fabric trailed behind it. Cosmo cautiously walked down the stairs seeming to glide as she revealed her exquisite new evening gown.

"Well, do you like it?" The little Seedrian asked nervously.

The three were completely silent stricken by how marvelously the dress exemplified Cosmo's natural alien beauty. It was not flashy or overpowering, but rather simple and showed off the form of her body and gentleness of her figure. After almost a full minute of quiet staring, Shadow chose to break the silence.

"Damn…" Was the only word to make it out of his mouth.

"That's charming, idiot!" Kai spat kneeing Shadow in the back.

"Cosmo, you look… so beautiful." Said Tails as if in a trance.

"Really? Y-you think so?" Cosmo blushed still feeling insecure.

Slowly the fox hobbled over to his flower looking her up and down with a vacant gaze as he remained quiet. As he drew closer, Cosmo was surprised when his namesakes slowly wrapped around her waist pulling her closer so that they were chest to chest. "I know so." He whispered running his hands along her bare back making her blush, "If you could only see yourself the way I see you every day, my lovely angel."

Cosmo shed another tear at Tails' statement moving in and kissing him deeply on the lips. Tails, in turn, tightened his hold on her pushing himself further into Cosmo's loving lips as they exchanged their affection for the other. For a moment the world seemed to cease to exist around them as they became lost in each other's arms, feeling less than themselves and more of something greater; something more powerful than the two of them alone. All of this because of their impossible loyalty and endless commitment for each other. Both Kai and Shadow smirked at this touched by how much of an example they were, not just to them, but to the team as a whole.

"We'll be heading out, Tails." Kai said moving to shut the door, "See you tonight, champ!"

"See you, kid." Shadow said giving a casual salute as Jaran shut the door, taking their leave.

The two continued to kiss, edging backward until they fell over on the sofa. As Cosmo lay on top of him, Tails was surprised when he felt her tongue beg entry into his mouth. He nevertheless complied as the two shared a purely loving kiss of passion, untainted by the carnality that often comes with adulthood. Finally the two separated as Cosmo stared down at her fox with a blush. Tails blushed an even deeper shade of red as he managed to choke out a few words.

"I-I need to get dressed, honey." He stammered, "Would you mind…"

"Hm?" Cosmo said momentarily distracted by his blue eyes, "Oh, yes, of course, love! You're wearing clothes today?"

"Yeah," Tails said pushing himself and Cosmo into a standing position, "probably the first time I've ever dressed fancy."

"Oh? Well I'm anxious to see you then!" Cosmo giggled, "I'll wait for you here."

"Cool," Tails chuckled walking into the nearby bathroom whilst carrying his tuxedo.

Cosmo waited for a moment hearing the door close before she walked over to the sofa, dropping onto her knees in front of it. She then proceeded to fold her hands in front of her, closing her eyes and praying silently.

"Mother…" Cosmo whispered calling out to the spirit of her deceased mother, "I know in your time you've seen many terrible things, and many of those things were caused by creatures not of chlorophyl. I hope that you can see from where you are now that not all are as horrid as you had believed them to be. This animal, Miles, has been kind to me when no one else would, cared for me when no one else did… and loved me when everyone said he should forget. I chose him over remaining with you, and I know now that this is where I am meant to be. Even in my youth I have seen much, and experienced more than many can boast. I may be a child in body and heart, but far from it in spirit. I know for certain that I wish to spend my life with this animal. I thus pray that if you're watching, please give us your blessing. I know if you were here, you would come to love him just as I have. I miss you, and I love you. Thank you, mother."

As she finished her prayer she was alerted by the click of a door as she stood and turned to face the restroom which Tails had gone into. A bright smile crossed her face as her fox exited presenting himself in a charming black tuxedo sporting a glossy white vest and matching bow-tie. The young Seedrian melted at this sight running over to Tails and kissing him on the face before stepping back to admire him. "Oh my goodness!" Cosmo squealed looking Tails all over, "You look absolutely adorable, Tails!"

"Yeah, well, I feel like I've got fleas!" Tails laughed tugging on his collar, "This fabric is itchy!"

"You have to wear suits all the time, now!" Cosmo joked laughing as she played with his ears, "Your little bow-tie is so cute!"

"Okay, okay!" Tails laughed holding out his arm for Cosmo, "Shall we, my lovely flower?"

"Of course, my golden knight!" Cosmo giggled as the two walked happily out the door, side by side, into the most eventful night of their lives…

Oh Cosmo, my darling daughter, you already have it. You already have it…

                                                                                                    


"Sonic, why on Mobius are we here?" Amy complained as she dragged herself down the Mobius Strip in downtown Mobotropolis, her high-heels clapping as they struck the ground. Garbed in a familiar dress which she had worn at the party on the Blue Typhoon to try and impress Sonic, she found herself once again wearing this outfit as she and Sonic made their way to the newly constructed Mediterranean restaurant located on the strip, as directed by Shadow in a rather cryptic note. Sonic tugged at his collar as he walked wearing a suit which Amy had insistently picked out for him, finding any kind of clothing to be uncomfortable as many Mobian males did. Sonic groaned at Amy's shrill whine turning around and walking backward as he faced the pink hedgehog.

"I told you Amy, I'm just as clueless as you are! All I know is something big is going down tonight with Tails and we all need to be there in fancy dress. What the heck is with this suit, anyways? It feels like it's made of sandpaper!"

"It's pure cotton, Sonic!" Amy snapped back, "I don't expect you to have any taste in clothes since you don't wear them, so you'll just have to put up with my choice! Besides, I think you look absolutely hot!"

"Yeah? Well… thanks." The blue blur responded, genuinely flattered by Amy's comment, "I wish I knew more, too. Tails doesn't talk to me much anymore…"

"Seriously?" Asked Amy looking surprised, "I thought you guys were close as brothers! I would have thought if anything were going down you'd be the first to know!"

"Yeah, well, he's got Cosmo now. He doesn't need me anymore…" Sonic said sadly, lowering his head.

"Hold up!" Said the pink hedgehog cocking her head to the left, "Am I sensing some jealousy of Cosmo here?"

"Jealous of Cosmo? HAH!" Sonic cackled sounding more forced than genuine, "No way! She does seem to get more of his time, though..."

"Sonic, seriously?" The pink hedgehog spoke sternly, "She's his girlfriend for God's sake! Of course she's going to get more time with him! I mean, he still talks to you and invites you to his house and stuff, right?"

"Yeah, but Cosmo's always there!" Sonic pouted crossing his arms, "We can't have any more dude time like we used to! She's always there hanging on his hip!"

"But he's still there! Have you considered Cosmo might want to be a part of his life as much as you do? You can't hedgehog him all to yourself!"

"Why not? He's my brother!" Sonic murmured, "I've known him longer."

"Now you're just being a baby!" Amy scolded him, "Didn't your mom ever teach you to share your friends?"

"Heck, you know I was out of my parent's house by the time I was twelve!" Sonic scoffed, "Too many rules!"

"You're missing the point, Sonic!" Amy yelled stomping her heels on the ground, "Tails is going to spend more time with Cosmo because he's in love with her! That's normal! He's growing up and you have to get over that!"

"I thought he loved me too..." Sonic murmured looking at his shoes which he had not changed despite his formal attire.

"It's a different kind of love, Sonic!" Amy snarled growing irritated at the hedgehog's stubbornness, "Have you considered that maybe your competitiveness is pushing Tails away?"

"But- I-" Sonic stammered trying to come up with some other excuse to validate his argument, but finding nothing. The hero of Mobius let out a low grunt crossing his arms as he looked sideways at the pink hedgehog, "I hate when you're right, you know that?"

"Tough," Amy said with a confident smirk, "and don't you dare bring it up to Tails or I'll tell everyone that we're on a date! So, there!"

"But, we are on a date, aren't we?" Sonic asked, his cheeks turning slightly pink.

"Wait, what!?" Amy said surprised turning and looking at Sonic curiously, "But, I thought-"

"I thought that, maybe, we could try it..." He said fumbling, "Let's take it slow, though. Not quite ready to settle down like Tails."

"Nicky Parlouzer, that's the first time I've ever heard you use the word 'slow' in your life!" Amy beamed brightly, "I love you so much Sonikku! I could-"

"Whoa! Whoa! Ames, chill!" Sonic said holding up his hands, "Slow, remember?"

"Right, sorry..." Amy said lowering her head.

"And don't tell everyone I'm your boyfriend either… even if I am! Titles make my skin crawl!"

"What am I allowed to do, then!?" Screeched the pink hedgehog, "Can I at least hold your hand?"

"Well," Sonic shifted, slowly reaching out and taking her hand, "I guess I could do that."

The two approached the restaurant hand-in-hand with Amy grinning like an idiot as they arrived in front of the well decorated building. Upon their arrival they were met by a red echidna sporting a brown suit and fedora, and a white bat wearing a form fitting sequenced dress. The echidna approached the hedgehog with a friendly grin grabbing his hand and giving it a firm shake. "Look who decided to show!" He said gruffly, "Nice to see you, man! Maybe you can tell us what the hell is going on now?"

"I wish I could!" Said Sonic shrugging his shoulders, "All I got was a note from Shadow saying something about 'Tails' big night' and to dress nice. I hate clothes!"

"Yeah, I think we all do, but I'm digging this hat!" Knuckles said adjusting his fedora, "Rouge found it for me in some old clothes! Isn't it awesome?"

"You look like a complete dork!" Amy laughed at him, "What are you trying to pull off, exactly?"

"That's what I said," Rouge responded shaking her head, "and I didn't find it for him. He was digging in my drawers and found it!"

"Why the heck were you in her drawers, Knux?" Sonic asked cocking an eyebrow, "Nothing but girly stuff in there! Wait, don't answer that…"

"The hat looks stupid, hon." Rouge spoke bluntly, "Take it off!"

"No way!" Barked Knuckles grabbing his hat and pulling it tightly over his head, "It's cool! I may wear it all the time!"

"Great," Sonic grumbled, "something else to make you look like a doofus…"

"Well, I certainly didn't expect this!" Said a pleasant voice from behind the others as all turned to see Miss Vanilla draped in an old-fashioned ball gown, accompanied by her daughter Cream wearing a baby blue party dress, and Cheese the Chao in a tiny black tuxedo with his standard red bow-tie, looking rather pleased with himself.

"Yo, Miss Vanilla!" Sonic yelled with a wave, "You too, huh?"

"I assume you received a message from Shadow just as I did." Vanilla addressed the others warmly, "To think that Tails could afford a place such as this is surprising, to say the least!"

"Yeah, isn't this a little out of the kid's budget?" Rouge inquired cocking her hip.

"Tails makes enough to support himself and Cosmo." Sonic commented, "With a little saving this shouldn't be too big of a problem for him. My question is, why?"

"Maybe it's Cosmo's birthday or something?" Cream wondered aloud.

"You know, that may be…" Vanilla said rubbing her chin, "I don't think I've heard the girl speak of her birthday once. Have any of you?" The others shook their heads indicating that they had no such knowledge. The mother rabbit let out a perplexed grunt as she rubbed her forehead pondering the matter further. "Well, we'll simply have to ask her when she gets here! She's been back almost six months and is still full of surprises!"

"Who's full of surprises?" Another familiar voice came as the members of the Chaotix detective agency approached.

"Vector!" Vanilla said with a sweet smile noticing the black suit and red tie which he wore, "My, don't you look handsome!"

"Uh-um, thanks, Miss Vanilla!" Vector said blushing and rubbing the back of his neck, "I was hoping you'd think so! He-heh…"

"What's up, Espio? How're you doing?" Knuckles greeted him heartily.

The chameleon bore an identical suit to Vectors, albeit with a purple tie. Espio grunted irritatedly as he tugged on his coat. "Don't ask me that right now…" He mumbled.

"I can tell this is going to be a fun night…" Rouge chuckled.

"Why did you have to put me in this stupid suit!?" Charmy buzzed about, laughably wearing a pink suit, "I look like a girl!"

"I told you, Charmy," Vector said defensively, "that was the only one they had in your size!"

"I think it looks cute!" Cream giggled invoking a blush from the insect.

"Uh, thanks, Cream! You look pretty, too!" Charmy said blushing red.

"Well then, it appears that everyone except the hosts have arrived!" Vanilla observed, "Oh, and Shadow and Jaran, of course!"

"Do we really need those downers at this awesome party?" Charmy piped up, "Shadow's boring and the human's mean!"

"Oh, nonsense!" Vanilla dismissed him with a wave of her hand, "Jaran and Shadow are very cultured, I find! They just keep to themselves."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence, Vanilla!" A familiar voice addressed her, "You have excellent taste in company!"

"Why thank you, Jar-" the doe replied turning to face the familiar voice, but was met with a less-than-familiar face. Walking down the sidewalk dressed in a red and black tuxedo was Shadow the Hedgehog accompanied by a wolf dressed in a black suit with a glossy white tie and vest. Vanilla looked curiously at the two Mobians who walked alongside each other as though they were close friends. Addressing Shadow's canine companion, Vanilla finally spoke up. "Pardon me sir, I don't believe I have made your acquaintance. My name is Miss Vanilla Rabbit!"

"Well, Miss Vanilla, it's always a pleasure to see you," the wolf replied with a smirk leaning down and taking her hand laying a kiss upon it, "but I'm afraid we have met before…"

"Oh?" She said retracting her hand, "Would you mind refreshing my memory, then? I can't seem to recall."

"It's Kai, Vanilla!" Said the wolf with a devious grin.

"Kai- wait, what!?" The mother rabbit said startled, "How on Mobius- I recognized the voice! Why did I not realize it before?"

In the blink of an eye, Jaran Kai was suddenly before them. There was no fanfare or coronal discharges of any kind preceding him. He was simply there. Vanilla looked startled for a moment as she continued to stare with a gaping expression while Sonic managed to overcome his initial shock and speak.

"DUDE, HOW DID YOU- PUT YOUR DISGUISE BACK ON BEFORE SOMEONE SEES YOU!"

"It is on." The sage said with a smile, "It's called a perception filter. It doesn't change my true appearance. It alters the brainwaves of nearby onlookers and replaces my image with something else, creating a sort of mental blind spot. The reason you can see through it is because I pointed it out directly, nullifying the effect on your brain."

"That's… ingeniously clever!" Vanilla spoke slowly overcoming her initial start, "So you can attend the dinner then?"

"Yes, with a little luck the battery will last through the meal. I should really re-design this with interchangeable battery packs!" Mused the sage.

"So all we're waiting for is Tails, right?" Sonic asked tapping his foot impatiently.

"Wait, he's not here?" Kai said seeming surprised, "I thought he'd be waiting inside for us!"

"Dammit, he'd be late for his own funeral!" Shadow growled.

"Do you guys know what this is about?" Knuckles asked with a raised eyebrow, "Apparently Tails didn't tell anyone anything!"

"I certainly didn't here anything!" Replied Kai fondling his ear, "I would have thought he would have told you, Sonic!"

"Well, whatever it is, I wish he'd hurry up!" Sonic said impatiently, "You know I hate waiting!"

"Then why don't you try looking up, Blue Boy?" Rouge said, "They're here!"

The entire party turned their gazes skyward as all looked up to see a pair of orange and green specks hover over a nearby skyscraper. The closer the two dots came the more clearly defined they grew. Soon enough all of them could make out a golden fox carrying a green plant-girl with rosebuds in her hair. All, save Shadow, waved as the two touched down with Cosmo giving Tails a peck on the cheek as she leapt from his arms.

"You guys made it!" Amy cheered rushing over to the two and hugging them, "Oh my God, Cosmo, your dress is gorgeous! Where did you get that!?"

"Tails got it for me!" Cosmo said with a bright smile, "It was so sweet of him don't you think?"

"You look hot, girl!" Rouge said with unusual enthusiasm, "Didn't know fox-boy had such good fashion sense!"

"Very becoming, dear!" Vanilla commented sweetly, "Ordinarily I find the open-backed design a bit revealing, but it works quite well on your figure!"

"Cosmo, you look so pretty!" Cream squealed running over and hugging her friend, "You look like a princess!"

"I wouldn't go that far," Cosmo giggled, "but thank you."

"I would…" Tails said with a smile walking up beside her and placing a hand around her waist.

"Well then, we're all finally here!" Vanilla clasped her hands together, "Why don't we head inside and get things moving, yes?"

"Sounds good to me!" Sonic said dashing through the door leaving his date empty-handed.

"Hey, wait for me, Sonikku!" Amy squealed running after him.

"She's never going to catch him!" Knuckles chuckled escorting Rouge inside in a gentlemanly fashion.

Tails and Cosmo then proceeded to enter as Tails held the door for Cosmo as he always did. Cosmo bowed politely and walked inside with Tails trailing behind her. After all others had entered only Shadow, Vanilla, and Kai remained. Vanilla then approached the duo scanning them with suspicious eyes.

"What's going on, then?" Vanilla asked.

"I told you," Kai began, "I have no clu-"

"Don't lie to me, Jaran Kai." Vanilla said shortly, "You stroke your ear when you're nervous. I've watched you. Now, what's going on?"

Kai starred wide-eyed for a moment floored by Vanilla's observant statement. After a moment he smiled, slowly walking toward the door as he responded. "You're too smart for your own good, Vanilla!" Kai chuckled, "I'm not saying a word…"

"Well then," Vanilla said taking Kai's arm and allowing him to escort her inside, "I suppose I'll just have to be surprised, then?"

"Indeed!" Kai replied as they both laughed their way inside.

Taking the rear was Shadow, who crossed his arms as he entered the restaurant mumbling to himself silently. "Those two are fucking each other when no one is looking, I just know it…"

                                                                                                    


"Goddamn, Tails!" Knuckles exclaimed profanely as he stared in awe of his surroundings, "How the hell did you manage to hook us up at this joint?"

As the party entered the restaurant all were taken aback by the sheer decadence of the establishment. Everything from the decor to the staff seemed to reek of ostentatiousness. At the center of the lobby was an impressive marble fountain with water cascading down its central spire over the edge of a bowl and into a small goldfish pond below. Rings sparkled beneath the water, tossed in with the wishes of children and by Mobians generous enough to spare them. The walls were painted in swirling gold strokes as what appeared to be olive vines etched themselves along their surface. At the end of the room was a marble archway supported by two decorative pillars through which the main dining room could be seen. A large crystal chandelier coupled with smaller lit candles adorning the tables provided a dim mood lighting that further added to the restaurant's ambiance. Positioned directly in front of the archway was a curving wire podium supporting a glass panel on top serving as a surface. Standing behind the podium was a well-dressed male rat with a notebook in hand and a welcoming smile upon his face.

"Bonjour! Welcome to Ristoranté Divino!" Spoke the rodent in a thick French accent. "Do you have a reservation with us z'is evening?"

"Jaran, this is a Mediterranean restaurant, isn't it?" Shadow murmured, leaning toward the disguised human.

"Yes," hissed back the human in a low voice, "why?"

"Why do they have a French host on staff?"

"The writer is just a little bit racist…" He answered, seeming to stare into space.

"The writer? What the hell does that mean?" Growled the onyx hedgehog giving Kai an estranged look.

"Never mind… You wouldn't understand."

"Right…" Droned Shadow slowly. "You're losing it."

"Um… yeah," Tails addressed the host seeming anxious, "there should be one under the name 'Prower' for six-thirty."

"Une moment…" The host said beginning to thumb through his notebook. The group waited for the rat to locate their reservation in his index while Tails shuffled his feet nervously. After a moment their host stopped, smiling in amusement as he set the notebook down gently on the podium. "I assume Monsieur Prower is your father, yes? I will need to personally confirm the owner of the reservations before I can allow you in."

"What? No-no! It's my reservation!" Tails spoke irritatedly. "I'm Miles Prower! The Miles 'Tails' Prower, sidekick to Sonic the Hedgehog! Ring any bells!?"

"Miles 'Tails' Prower!?" The host yelped in shock. It was then that he noticed the fox's two furry tails waving behind him, stepping hurriedly out from behind the podium and giving an apologetic bow. "Monsieur Tails, my sincerest apologies! I recognized z'e name, but thought it a mere coincidence! I was not aware that our heroes would be gracing our establishment!"

"It's fine…" Tails replied uncomfortably, hating having to use his fame for recognition. "Can we be seated, then?"

"Oui, but of course!" The rat grinned snatching up his notepad again. "Une moment. It says here z'at-"

Suddenly the rat cut himself off, staring vacantly at the notepad as though he were deciphering some unknown glyphs. He then looked up at Tails, giving him a queer expression. His gaze trailed over to Cosmo who seemed uncomfortable under the rat's stare. Slowly his eyes began to widen. Raising his head the host noticed a familiar looking wolf standing at the rear of the group, who flashed him a sheepish grin.

"Is there a problem, sir?" Cosmo spoke shyly, breaking his train of thought.

"Que? Oh! No, mademoiselle!" The host answered nervously, then turned and proceeded to walk toward the dining room. "If you will accompany me I will escort you to your table!"

Tails and Cosmo looked at each other with a shrug as they followed their host with the rest of Team Sonic trailing behind them. As they were led through the main dining room the group began to attract the attention of various wealthy families and businessmen who dined there. Cosmo, most especially. The Seedrian retreated behind her boyfriend, feeling judgement behind the stares which the Mobians cast at her. Noticing her nervousness, Tails lightly brushed Cosmo's back with one of his namesakes, subtly comforting her amidst the full dining room. Motivated by this small action, Cosmo pulled away slightly and continued forward with a minor display of confidence. Today was not the day for insecurities, she thought. Today was her day according to Tails, and she was not going to allow the ignorance of others to ruin it for her.

Reaching the back of the dining room the party was led through another marble archway which in turn lead to a spiraling staircase. At the behest of their host they followed as he climbed the steps, passing several beautifully painted murals of vineyards and beachside vistas on the walls. Arriving at the top of the stairwell the rat led them down a narrow hallway, coming to a wooden double-door along its middle. From within his pocked their host produced a golden keyring with a multitude of keys strung along its length. Sifting through them he selected an olden-style skeleton key placing it in the lock and turning it. With a slight click the door unlatched, pushed aside by the French rat unto the room beyond.

The group found themselves in a large private dining room complete with a long cherrywood table and its own private bar. Large glass windows dominated the far wall allowing for a majestic view of the river which the restaurant was built alongside. The waters sparkled in the wake of the setting sun casting a magical glow on the window, illuminating the room with warm orange caustics. The entire group stood stunned, disbelieving that such lavish embellishments had been prepared for their dining pleasure.

"My… goodness!" Spoke Miss Vanilla exasperatedly. "It's certainly been some time since I've dined this way!"

"Holy-" Knuckles croaked, "I didn't even know you could eat in this kind of style!"

"I have to hand it to you, hon, you did good for your girl." Rouge complimented. "Better than Red, here. All I ever get is burger joints!"

"Hey! That's not… always true." Knuckles raised his voice, but lost his strength toward the end.

"Dude…" Sonic murmured stepping into the room and scrutinizing it, "this is seriously awesome! How did you pay for all this, bro!?"

"I-" Tails stuttered clearing his throat, "I'm really not sure…"

"Whoa…" Gasped Shadow and Jaran simultaneously as their eyes moved across the room coming to rest on the bar in the far left corner. The two smirked as they charged in that direction, declaring their intentions loudly. "Alcohol!"

Vanilla watched as the pair attacked the bar, shaking her head disapprovingly as she found a seat with Cream, Amy, Rouge, and the Chaotix. Cosmo remained motionless, attempting to register the generous accommodations which her boyfriend had arranged on her behalf. As she stared on she became aware of a voice addressing her. "Mademoiselle, is everything to your satisfaction?" Asked the host to Cosmo, who looked up with a start.

"O-ooh, it's all so- Yes, yes it is! Thank you very much, sir!" Said the little Seedrian gratefully.

"Of course! If there is anything you might need, please do not hesitate to ask!" The host bowed politely and then proceeded over to the bar where Shadow and Jaran sat, leaving Cosmo standing alone again. It was then that her favorite fox approached standing beside her with a smile.

"So you like it, right?" Tails asked nervously.

"Like it?" Cosmo repeated turning to look at Tails with wide eyes, "Tails, this must have cost a fortune!"

"A penny's worth for you!" Tails grinned brightly.

"But I never wanted you to overdraw yourself for my sake! This must have been so expensive! Why did you-"

"Hey, hey…" Tails said calmly, placing a gentle hand on her cheek, "stop worrying about how much it cost. The point is you enjoy it! Today is all about you, Cos-"

"You keep saying that, but what does it mean? What's happening, Tails!?" Begged Cosmo in a nervous panic. "Tell me!"

"Cosmo…" Tails hesitated, "I can't right now. Just relax, okay? Enjoy yourself! You trust me, don't you?"

"Tails," Cosmo sighed leaning into his soft touch, "of course I do. You know that."

"Then stop worrying!" Tails chuckled lightly. "Just have fun tonight! That's all this is, and it's all for you."

Cosmo hesitated momentarily for reasons even she could not comprehend. Ideally she would like nothing better than to continue her evening carefree, but the fear of Tails' secret was making that incredibly difficult. It had been a remark from Rouge that made her call into question the reason behind Tails' kindness. "Not the best person to be taking advice from," she thought to herself. It was then that Cosmo began to giggle, realizing how ridiculous she was being. The notion of holding Rouge's word over Tails' was hilariously absurd. She instead chose to suppress her fears just a bit longer in favor of the word of her fox whom she loved so much. If this was all for her then she most certainly did not want to crush Tails' enthusiasm with her own paranoia.

"What's so funny?" Tails asked with smile noticing her amusement.

"I'm so sorry, love." Cosmo spoke softly, running her hand along his ears. "I'm being paranoid over nothing. I know you would never do anything to change our relationship…"

"Of course I would!" Tails laughed grabbing her hand and tugging her along with a gleeful grin on his face. "Now come on! I don't know what kind of food this place has, but I bet it's awesome!"

"You… would?" Cosmo repeated as she was towed away, unnerved by this remark.

While all of this transpired, Kai and Shadow slouched lazily over the private bar. In Kai's hand was a glass of pinkish wine while Shadow held a glass of bourbon. The two sat quietly as they sipped their beverages, discussing the situation amongst themselves. "I sense anxiety…" Muttered the sage with noticeable frustration, "Cosmo is nervous."

"Nervous?" Shadow asked perplexed, "What's there to be nervous about? Her boyfriend went out on a limb to do this for her! I would think she would be grateful!"

"She doesn't understand Tails' motivation for this." Kai replied observantly. "She's afraid of being betrayed."

"Betrayed?" Grunted Shadow placing his drink down. "Why would she think that? She's never had a reason to think Tails would do anything except good by her! It doesn't make sense!"

"I can read minds, Shadow, not women. She's probably trying to deduce Tails' reasons and coming up with every worst case scenario possible."

"This is why I don't date." Shadow snorted. "Too many emotions involved."

"I had just pinned you as being gay." Kai chided.

"Why? You interested?" Shadow chuckled with a smirk.

"I'm going to assume you were joking about that…" Kai reeled uncomfortably, "My point is, I don't know why Cosmo would think anything less than generosity from Tails…"

"Maybe someone put the idea in her head?" Shadow wondered stroking his chin, "That sounds like something Rouge would come up with."

"God forbid!" Kai shook his head. "Cosmo's better than that slut. I still don't understand why you keep her around so often."

"She tolerates me." The hedgehog said. "Not many are willing to do that."

"I understand that!" Said Kai with a nod taking another sip from his glass.

"Excusez-moi!" The pair heard abruptly as they turned to notice their rodent host approaching bearing a less-than-pleased look upon his face.

Without noticing, Jaran stood from his seat smiling as he held out his hand to shake with the rat. "I had meant to come and thank you personally!" He said, "You don't know how much this means to-"

"Is z'is some kind of a joke!?" The rat snapped, startling the sage who retracted his hand. "Do you find z'is funny, or is it some disgusting fantasy you're living out!?"

"I'm… sorry?" Kai said tilting his head to the side. "I'm not entirely sure I get you. Is there a problem?"

"Problem? No! No problem," replied the refined rodent calmly before bursting into a fit of rage, "UNLESS YOU CONSIDER TWO CHILDREN ELOPING A PROBLEM!!"

Kai was silenced as Shadow watched the situation unfold before him with wide eyes. Both had known that this moment would eventually come; that someone would discover what they were trying to do and take issue with it due to some misplaced scruple of morality. Though they had hoped it would not occur on the night of Tails' engagement. Fortunately they had prepared for this. From within the folds of his formal robes Kai produced a small pamphlet labeled "Mobian Common Law" on the front. Shifting his gaze to the pamphlet he proceeded to open its pages, thumbing through until he reached a section marked with a red tag. He then returned his gaze to their host, looking back at him with an expression of upmost seriousness. "Are you familiar with Mobian Orphan Proviso: Subsection 12? More commonly known as the 'Abandonment Clause'?" Kai put to the rat.

"I've heard of it, yes…" The rodent replied with a slow nod. "I'm not entirely sure what it entails."

"Then allow me to quote for you!" Smirked the human looking back at the text of his pamphlet and clearing his throat. "Under specific conditions in which a child should be separated from their primary guardian(s) for a period of four or more years, and that the child does not have secondary guardians upon which they may claim dependency, the child will be required to claim full citizenship in the city-state of Mobotropolis and its affiliated regions, granting it equivalent rights of a matured Mobian citizen with all related privileges given, herein." Kai looked at the rodent once again who appeared to be contemplating the man's repetition of Mobian Common Law with great seriousness. Before he could respond the sage again spoke, this time in a more relaxed tone. "Miles Prower lost his parents at the age of four and has had no real guardian figure since then. He is a full citizen and he has all the same privileges as you or me!"

The rodent furrowed his brow. "I don't understand how this relates to two underaged children getting married." He said sourly.

"Well then let's look at Mobian citizenship rights!" Chimed Jaran, flipping through his pamphlet again before stopping on a green bookmark. "Rights of citizens of the city-state of Mobotropolis: right to property, right to gain income and/or salary, right to bear arms and defend oneself and one's property with those arms, right to vote in applicable political events, freedom of speech so long as said freedom does not conflict with the rights of others, and… right to take a mate…"

A loud clap was heard as Kai slammed his pamphlet down on the bar crossing his arms with a victorious grin on his face. Shadow's expression slowly transformed into a smirk as the host looked dumbfounded. After a brief moment Jaran lowered his arms approaching the rodent more closely. The rodent looked back inquisitively as Kai whispered to him. "Please just let it go. Those kids have been through more than you can imagine. They need each other. I've watched them grow together in ways that baffle even me. You said you and your… lover's relationship was frowned upon. I don't know what your circumstances were so I have no right to pass judgement. Don't pass judgement on them. Let them have their time. Let them be happy for just a while…"

Again silence fell between the conversing pair as the rat's head lowered under Kai's stern gaze. The sage tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for a reply. The rat's tail twitched as he looked up, mumbling lowly to the wolf-disguised Kai in a low voice. "I will say no more." He said as he began to walk away. He then looked over his shoulder flashing a quick smirk as he chuckled.

As the rodent vanished out of the door, Kai sat back down breathing a sigh as he rubbed his forehead. Shadow stared across the room watching as Tails and Cosmo stood in front of one of the scenic windows, cuddling closely. A frown fell upon his lips as he turned to face Kai. "You know, as much as I support this, Jaran, it seems like Tails and Cosmo have become a bit too dependent on each other lately. Couldn't that be a bit unhealthy?" Inquired the hedgehog concernedly.

"One problem at a time, Shadow…" Kai sighed taking up his drink again and downing the last gulp. "Let them just have this. Whatever consequences follow will be taken as they come."

Shadow narrowed his gaze suspiciously at the sage as he looked him over, continuing to speak in an interrogative manner. "Are you sure this is really for them? You act like it's become personal for you."

"Shadow, drop it." Kai ordered sourly.

"Are you sure you're not living out a dream you can't have through those two?" Accused the onyx hedgehog. "Are you missing something that-"

"Shadow… drop it!" Kai snapped harshly.

"Fine…" Shadow growled, downing another portion of bourbon…

                                                                                                    


The sound of friendly socialization was nothing to draw the lonely sage into the conversation. He who had been left alone by Shadow over fifteen minutes ago to brood in solitude. Having forsaken his usual drink of choice for hard liquor, Kai balanced a tall glass of rum in his right hand as he ignored the jubilation behind him, lost in his own thoughts— so much so that he failed to notice the onyx hedgehog approach him from behind, reoccupying the bar stool on which he formerly sat. The hedgehog cleared his throat, prompting a vacant side glance from the sage before he turned back to his drink. A silence prevailed between the two before being broken by Shadow's gritty voice.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I know you would never intentionally use them. You only have their best interests in mind…"

"Do I?" Questioned the sage to himself. "Do I really?"

"While I question your motives," continued Shadow, "I've never questioned your loyalty. My question is, why are you doing this now?"

"You agreed to help me, Shadow," Jaran snapped back harshly. "It's a little late to be changing your mind!"

"Of course I haven't changed my mind!" The hedgehog growled in return. "I just want to know you're doing this for them instead of yourself!"

"Myself?" Kai murmured slowly, turning in his chair to face the hedgehog. "Do you think I risked my being to bring her back for myself? Do you think I stayed here to defend them for myself? Do you think that all of the encouragement and all of the help I have given them just to see their relationship blossom, I did for MYSELF?"

"What are you hiding, Jaran Kai?" Spoke Shadow sternly. "I know you too well to think that there isn't something weighing you down that's motivating you!"

"You obviously don't know me that well, then," he said lowering his voice, facing away.

"I think I do," spoke the hedgehog narrowing his gaze. "It's as though you're living some unfulfilled desire through them! Something you never accomplished and now you're pushing them into marriage just for the gratification of seeing it happen! What are you-"

Like a bolt of lightning realization struck the hedgehog. A facet of Kai's life that should have been obvious before suddenly became apparent. It was something that answered every question about the current situation and Kai's own desire to see Tails and Cosmo wed. While it was likely unfathomable to the others, to him it was very clear. Facing him with a scrutinizing stare, Shadow spoke assertively, "Who was she?"

Silence. For some time the human stared out into space seeming to be contemplating something in his mind. All at once, he finished off his glass of rum placing it on the table. "She was another Knight like myself," He finally spoke. "All these years I have tried to forget— and failed miserably…"

"What was she like?" The Ultimate Life Form continued to question.

"She was… beautiful. Her hair was golden like the twin suns of Tatooine. Her skin as pale as the driven snows of Llum-"

"I suppose the next thing you're going to tell me is that her eyes were as blue as the seas of- wherever it is that you come from," chided Shadow insensitively.

"No," he replied distantly, "her species have no eyes. She was born blind like the rest of them. She saw things in a way that I can't even comprehend. She saw through the Force— perceiving things through the ebb and flow of energy around and within them. This gave her an edge in judging people. She saw things in them that they couldn't even see in themselves, just as she saw something in me…"

Quietly Shadow processed this new revelation. While others could scarcely even imagine Kai as having romantic feelings toward anyone, he was perceptive enough to realize that it fit well with the sage's introverted behavior and cold exterior. Curious to learn more, Shadow settled into his seat, gesturing for the bartender's services.

"Sangria," Shadow ordered. Leaning forward he folded his hands, his attention falling completely on his friend. "So, how did you meet?"

"It was shortly after I became a Knight," Jaran began. "I had been assigned my first solo mission. The council had never been terribly fond of my direct approach to situations, though, so they sent a partner to accompany me on the mission…"

"In other words, a babysitter?" Shadow clarified.

"Yep," he answered simply, downing another drink and requesting another. "It was a simple enough mission. Two of the largest gangs on Nar Shaddaa had gone to war in an attempt to annex the local refugee sector. Both sides had a legitimate claim to it. Our job was to mediate negotiations between the two."

"The way I see it gangs are never a good thing," Shadow commented dryly. "Why didn't you just destroy both sides?"

The sage chuckled lightly as the bartender set their drinks in front of them, taking another sip before continuing. "Don't presume to judge a system you don't understand, Shadow. The term 'gang' on Nar Shaddaa is just another name for a large political machine. These gangs were actually very benign for the most part and were interested in finding work and housing for the refugees to bring that area of the city out of the slums, which compose the majority of Nar Shaddaa, sadly. We arrived in a neutral area and were assigned housing in the refugee sector so that we could get a feel of the situation before negotiating. Obviously, we had a lot of free time. We hit up a few bars, talked, and got to know each other. It quickly became apparent that, despite the Council's wishes, she had no interest in babysitting me— rather, working with me for the mutual benefit of others. Just talking to her, I could tell she was one of the most intelligent, enlightened members of the order. Not only did the council respect her opinions, but she had me captivated as well! She was one of the most understanding people I've ever met. She didn't judge, she didn't condemn, she only encouraged…"

"I'm assuming you fell for her quickly?" Asked Shadow.

"She was the first person who was ever willing to put up with me," he answered, "so yes, I did."

"Did she feel the same way?"

"Yes, though I've still never understood why," laughed Kai. "The council seemed to think we worked well together so they regularly sent us on the same missions. Every time we worked together we got closer. She was actually the first to express her feelings for me. It took a while for me to reciprocate given that I still felt bound by the rules of the Order…"

"But you did eventually reciprocate?" Shadow asked, sipping on his sangria.

"Yes, but I took great efforts to keep our relationship a secret. I was only ever able to tell her that I loved her once. She didn't have to hear it, though. She knew."

"What happened?" Asked Shadow leaning forward.

"It's actually ironic now that I think back on it," he said grimly, lowering his head as his eyes turned slightly glassy. "We had begun discussing marriage before this happened— At one point the temple vault was broken into and the Great Holocron was stollen. Thousands of years of knowledge, the entire infrastructure of the Order itself, stolen. That is a dangerous weapon in the wrong hands, and I knew who took it…"

"Xemus?" Shadow murmured.

"Yes. I know now that he probably didn't care anything about the Holocron, but the Masters on the Council didn't. They had never really considered Xemus a threat. He had always kept quiet. They ordered myself and her to infiltrate the Darkship, steal back the Holocron, and withdraw. They made the plan sound so easy…"

"It wasn't?" Asked Shadow.

"Plans never are," he said burying his head in his hands. "We boarded the ship. Everything was going as it was supposed to until- It was a trap. All of it. He had stolen the Holocron because he knew I would come for it— and he knew she would come as well. I got the holocron, but he got her. She told me to run. I did…" Slowly, Kai lifted his head bringing it to face Shadow, tears pouring down his cheeks. "She's still there, you know. He destroyed her mind, stole her body, and turned her into one of those THINGS he calls assassins! Every time I board the Darkship I see her, broken and lifeless— a mockery of the beautiful person she was…"

Shadow's jaw gradually fell open as Kai grimly described the fate of his first love, watching as the person whom he had come to see as his best friend break down into tears. Stunned, he remained silent not knowing how to react to Jaran's grieving. After a short moment Kai regained control of himself, wiping away his tears with the sleeve of his garment.

"You wanted to know why I want to see them succeed… You hear people toss around the phrase 'life isn't fair' all the time. The truth of the matter is that they are absolutely right, but they are far too young to learn just how unfair life can be, Shadow. I didn't have the power to save my love, but I damn well have the power to defend theirs!"

The hedgehog remained silent stroking his chin thoughtfully. Bringing his hands to his head he rubbed his temples, closing his eyes and letting out a frustrated groan. "I'm really not sure how to respond to all of this," he hesitated. "There had to be someone else, afterward. Surely you had someone else you were interested in?"

"There was one other girl… but I cut her off before we even had a chance to start. I wasn't willing to lose anyone else close to me."

"So you just stopped loving?" Shadow put bluntly.

"No, I love those kids as though they were my own— and I love you all as my friends."

"That's not what I meant," Shadow interjected. "You stopped loving romantically?"

"Oh, I see," Kai sighed. "Then yes, I did."

"I can sympathize with that," Shadow nodded standing from his seat. "Look, whatever reason you're doing this for just make sure you don't take it too far. Don't try and force your interests on them."

"Understood," he responded, standing with a slight wobble.

"You okay?" Shadow raised his eyebrow. "You had a lot to drink…"

"I'll be fine. My body naturally rejects intoxication. Just give me a few…"

As the two rejoined the others, they were greeted with pleasant laughter. The entire group looked up at them with welcoming smiles.

"Well it's about damn time!" Knuckles greeted boisterously. "We thought you two emos were going to avoid us all night!"

"Is something wrong?" Tails asked concerned, tilting his head to the side. "You guys were talking for a really long time…"

"And you were drinking an awful lot…" Cosmo added sounding disturbed.

"We're fine!" Kai deflected flashing a smile. "Just discussing my ex!"

A brief pause preceded the entire table bursting into laughter, ranging from slight chuckles to hardy guffaws. Knuckles was especially amused, doubling over as he nearly fell out of his chair.

"Okay, that was funny!" He said catching his breath. "The thought of you with a woman… Great joke, man!"

"Glad you approve…" Kai said with a devious smile taking a seat next to Vanilla.

Soon enough their meals arrived as the group quickly attacked the exotic cuisine presented to them. A relative quiet fell over the table as they were more focused on eating than speaking. Towards the middle of the meal Tails turned to Cosmo, staring intently at her as he opened his mouth…

Scarcely a croak left the young kitsune's throat, feeling his entire body tense up. The words were there yet they were being held back by feelings of anxiety, guilt, and even regret. He could not help but question if he were ready to take this step— to take on a wife, be supportive, and put her needs before his own. Most importantly, was she ready? No doubt this would make them both even less popular in the eyes of the Mobian community. They would immediately be labeled as the youngest married couple alive and possibly ever, which would undoubtably draw bad attention. In addition, he feared that the stresses of being his wife might overwhelm her, what with him constantly going on excursions to fight evil such as Eggman and others like him. Perhaps he should wait until the end of the meal before he made his decision.

"Tails," Cosmo broke his train of thought, "is something wrong? You look pale."

"H-huh?" He stuttered looking down at his feet. "I'm f-fine. Just thinking…"

"About what?" Cosmo asked with a curious smile.

"I- uhh-" Slowly Tails looked up realizing that other eyes were watching him. Jaran, Shadow, Amy, and Vanilla all stared curiously while Tails shook with panic. Hesitating, he reached for his coat pocket containing the ring…

Kai leaned heavily on the table, a wide grin forming over his face as he waited in anticipation. Vanilla stared at him eyeing his actions with suspicion. Tails' hands continued to shake as he touched the velveteen box within his pocket.

He stopped— completely frozen as he stared at Cosmo, who's expression gradually became more nervous. "Miles," she whispered placing a hand on his shoulder, "what's the matter?"

Tails quickly removed his hand from his pocket, suddenly standing from his chair. Looking down at the floor he spoke barley audibly, "I can't do this…"

Kai's expression fell as he watched Tails dash out of the room leaving the entire party, and Cosmo especially, paranoid and confused.

"Tails?" Cosmo cried out, standing from her seat, her voice going unheard as she was left alone at the head of the table. "MILES??"