Another successful mission for the Freedom Fighters, a raid on one of Robotropolis' supply lines had ended with the destruction of a station. However, not all was well for the legendary team. Their field commander, Sonic, had been hauled before the recently-deroboticized Royal Council, now headed up by the former team leader, Princess Sally Acorn herself. "Come on! This isn't necessary!" The shouts of the famous blue hedgehog filled the halls as two rather burly looking guards held Sonic's arms with a harsher grip than he felt was appropriate. The hedgehog had been caught deserting his post once again, after having already been warned before. "You've been warned about this over and over again, Agent Hedgehog." Sally sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. She sat above him, clad in a plain white shirt and black pants, with neat dress shoes covering her feet. Her hair was neater, and hung down a little further than her shoulders. Collective opinion among the team was that Sally just didn't look right in this attire, but she never seemed to notice. The hedgehog cringed at the formal greeting, and how Sally looked down at him with such regal callousness. Nothing about this was right, especially not with her. She had changed so much in such a short amount of time. "Come on, Sal!" Sonic shouted, trying to step forward but being held back by the guards. "You know these supply raids are just busywork, they're not doing anything!" "That isn't proven." She dismissed the suggestion out of hand. "What is proven is that you continue to disobey orders to indulge in personal objectives, yet again." "And what was it this time?" One of the councillors called out. "Answer his question, Agent Hedgehog." Sonic could only glare up at the councilors as they talked down to him as if he was a miscreant rather than a commander. He knew there was no way to win like this, so he would play their game. "I was trying to gather some real intel, to actually try to fight Snively rather than just inconvenience him...Like we used to do." He mumbled. "The way you used to fight was the way an under-manned guerilla team fights, but now we have a proper fighting force." Geoffrey St. John said smugly, from the chair beside Sally's. "We will do this the way we always have. With a coordinated military strategy." "You mean the same strategy that failed against Robotnik and got all but three of the people in this room turned into mindless automatons?" Sonic glared at the skunk. "Please, enlighten me how last decade's tactics are supposed to fight next generation's war." Geoffrey simply rolled his eyes, not bothering to answer. Sally decided to take the open question anyways. "The fact of the matter is, Agent Hedgehog, you had been warned about deserting your post, and yet you continued to do so. You are in the wrong here. We will look at any concerns as a group, but this guerrilla warfare will no longer be tolerated." "What will we do then?! Keep overworking these troops with moral boosting 'missions' while Robotropolis gets stronger by the minute?" Sonic said. "We will cut off Robotropolis' supply lines, and leave Snively without means to get what he needs. Then we can strike him while he is weakned." Sally stated. "How hard is it to grasp?" "The part where Robotropolis is a self-sufficient city with hydroponic gardens, a natural spring, and more than enough raw materials for bots in the catacombs below it?" Sonic asked rhetorically. "Information that you've been dismissing because I found it while I was "deserting"." "Until we can confirm that, we can't take it as fact." Sally glowered. She didn't like being told that her tactics were misinformed, but this was one of the more baffling aspects of the "new Sally". If it was done "off-the-books", then she didn't seem to care. "We have no more to discuss. This is your last chance, Agent Hedgehog. You only maintain command because everyone else defers to you. If you didn't lead them officially, you would by proxy. But if you desert again, I will have you court-martialled. Dismissed." "What do you mean?! I know what I saw!" Sonic's words were left to fall upon deaf ears, his discovery of the new Robotropolis far from what the council declared as a barren wasteland with no means of self-preservation. In fact, the hedgehog was almost certain the supply runs were a diversion to keep the Freedom Fighters off of the scent while even more gardens were plowed and bots rebuilt. "A court-martial, huh?" Sonic sneered. "How would you look to your soldiers if you arrest me? You'd be teasing a large-scale mutiny!" "The Princess has dismissed you." Geoffrey simply droned, waving his arm. "Please show Mr. Hedgehog the exit. We're through with him." Sonic didn't bother to fight as the guards practically carried him out of the room. Sally closed her eyes and rubbed her temples again. She tended to get headaches during these meetings, even when nobody was shouting and Sonic wasn't running rings around her verbally. Geoffrey glanced at Sally and took a step behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders and patting them in a friendly manner. "Maybe he'll listen this time. If not, then we'll have to act." He said, his inflection a bit more eager than usual. "For the good of Acorn." Sonic in the meanwhile had been unceremoniously dumped off by the guards at the door, leaving the blue hedgehog in a sour mood after the events that had just transpired. "We're sitting ducks like this.." *** An hour later, Sally found Sonic sitting on the shore of the lake. The ahrd look was gone from her eyes now, and she moved more like herself again, albeit still in the odd outfit. Sonic had been tossing rocks into the lake aimlessly, still frustrated about this entire situation. He always was hardwired to do the right thing, and what he was being ordered to do was far from it. He didn't want to end up being marched before the counsel in chains, though. How that smug skunk would love to see that... His ears flickered when he heard the crunching of leaves, turning around to see Sally. The hedgehog still didn't like seeing her in that outfit, but she was still his friend and he wasn't going to act all snooty towards her even if that was the way she addressed him these days. "Hey." He said wearily. "Hello." She replied, sighing. "Why do you keep doing it, Sonic... I trust you to be a good leader, but you don't make it easy for me..." "Easy for you?" Sonic snickered, "How do you think I feel being forced to do all of this? It goes against everything I stand for, Sal. Things are changing around here, especially you." He sighed, tossing another rock into the lake. "I know... We're not just a small village in the woods anymore. We're rebuilding society, and now there are rules..." Sally said. "My father trusted the council, Sonic, and I trust them too." "Sal, your Dad's a great guy, but he trusted Robotnik! And Naugus!" Sonic protested. "Good guy, good king, great dad, terrible judge of character!" "Sonic.." Sally sighed, rubbing her temples. "Can we please not get into a debate here as well? The council has been through a lot, we all have." The squirrel took a few steps forward. "I'm not wavering just because of your opinion." "Well, I'm not going to kowtow to their archaic rules." Sonic said. "Sal... You were the best leader we ever had... Without you, we'd never have won. But if we fought Robotnik the same way we're fighting Snosely... We'd have lost." "Things were different back then, Sonic." Sally sighed, beginning to regret even coming down here. "Snively is an entirely different beast. We don't know what he's planning. According to the council, attacking his supply chain is the best option, and I'm listening to them." "The council don't know what we do!" Sonic cried out. "How are we supposed to adapt if they ignore our intel? We're not going to get anything attacking pointless supply lines! Snively could attack us in the next hour, and we'd have no warning because you don't find any computers containing evil plans in train stations! Which, for the record, haven't had a train go through them since Robotnik died." Sally paused, her days as a freedom fighter had made Sonic's words resonate in her mind, her soul. She knew, somehow deep down, that she sympathized with the blue hedgehog, but his ideas were far too dangerous. She had people to protect now, people who trusted her and in turn she trusted them. Geoffrey was one of them, she couldn't betray him, or the rest of the counsel on a hunch. "They ignore your intel because you're deliberately disobeying them, Sonic." Sally sighed. "We cannot confirm any of what you're saying. I know your intentions are good, but you need to stop this." The squirrel looked out into the lake. "Or you really will be court-martialed. It's not an empty threat, Sonic." "They'd have to catch me first. And you know what will happen if they arrest me. Mutiny. Tails and Amy will be the first. The others will follow." Sonic said. "And you'd be able to confirm that if you sent a scouting party to take a look, rather than blowing up another station. Heck, do both!" He threw up his hands. "I'll stay with the demo team, and Tails or one of the others can take a scout team to find the things I saw." "That's a waste of resources, Sonic." Sally sighed, trying to reason with the blue hedgehog but even she knew she was on the losing side, and in the wrong. "I'm not going to put anyone at risk just because you had a hunch, especially not Tails." She placed her hands behind her back. "The council already doesn't trust you, Geoffrey for sure would never approve." Sally couldn't help but think about the skunk for some reason, above everyone else. "If there is mutiny, we'll deal with it then. I came here to plead that it doesn't come to that." "Tails isn't a kid anymore, Sal." Sonic sighed. "I thought that was obvious when the whole Fiona thing happened. Or when he turned into that Turbo thing and beat the snot outta Mogul. And he's really hurting from all this... If we'd found his folks, then okay, yeah... But you're his mother figure, Sal. And you call him "Agent Prower." What's wrong with you?" "Just because I choose to give him more responsibilities doesn't mean I don't care about him, Sonic." Sally said, shaking her head. "He's an agent just like you. He wouldn't want any special treatment. What happened in the past isn't relevant anymore." The princess took a deep sigh. "I didn't want to have to use this, but if you desert again and evade arrest, I will order that he and Amy both be taken into custody. We can't afford to have them spreading that kind of talk." The hard look returned to Sally's eyes, looking out into the lake. She knew this wouldn't make the hedgehog very happy, but she had to try something to attempt to get him in line, even if it backfired. Sonic's eyes narrowed, and he looked away from her. Behind him, the lake bubbled up, spitting out a glowing golden ring. He snatched it out of the air, and walked past her. "You're not the woman I fell in love with. And you're not the leader we believe in. If you try anything like that, all of us will leave." He hissed. "If you were, you would've found a way to save Bunnie by now. I don't think she's going to turn up at one of those stations, do you?" With that, he was gone, kicking up a trail of dust in his wake. Sally watched him go, shaking her head. Clearly her plan had blown up in her face, like everything else she seemed to try when she was alone. It seemed Geoffrey was always right about these things. "Ughhh!" Sally kicked a rock into the lake in frustration, the most emotion she'd shown in what seemed like weeks. "You're not making these things any easier, Sonic..." She turned, and began to walk into the village again, trying to straighten out her ruffled clothes. "Maybe I should see about Nicole...it would be nice to talk to someone who isn't so argumentative for a change." Sally looked down. She turned and made her away toward Rotor's lab, where the AI's handheld was currently kept. Inside the lab, Rotor was hard at work, the walrus nearly complete with Nicole's maintenance. "Thank you for this, Rotor. It's a while since I had a cleanup, and Robotropolis has some particularly nasty viruses in its systems." The lynx smiled, her holographic form perched on a workbench. "Oh, don't worry Nicole!" Rotor said in a half smile as he continued to tinker with the handheld. "This was past due, I was lucky I was able to fit it in. Just putting the finishing touches on now.." The lynx flinched for a moment, her avatar flickering, and she let out a quiet giggle. As the fixes and patches activating within her programming, she stood up, floating a few inches above the ground. "Almost...finished!" Rotor said with a satisfying smirk, not even noticing that Sally had made her way quietly into the lab to check the goings on, smiling at the sight of Nicole's avatar. "Hello, Sally." Nicole turned to face her- Her vision wasn't limited to what her eyes could see, she could usually perceive everything in her vicinity, and had sensed the squirrel's arrival in advance. "Hello, Nicole." Sally said in a bit of relief, happy to hear a familiar voice that wasn't talking down to her or trying to argue. She cracked a bit of a smile before noticing Rotor glancing at her. "Rotor, hello." "Hey there Sall-" He caught himself. "I mean, Princess. Still getting used to that..." Sally managed a bit of a smirk as she sat down on a bench. "That's okay..." She sighed. "I'm still getting a bit used to it, too. All the responsibility that comes with the title.." Rotor sighed, looking away slightly. A part of him had hoped that the squirrel would tell him he was correct the first time, but he was no exception to the growing rift between her and her former surrogate family. "So, what brings you here?" He asked. Better to focus on business and let the unpleasantness pass for now. "I've come to see if the diagnostics for Nicole have been completed." Sally said, ignoring Rotor's obvious disappointment. At this rate it was hard to be friends with anyone, especially considering that if Sonic had his way, she'd likely be the one having to okay putting them all in cells for treason. "Pretty much." Rotor nodded. "Just a few more checks to run and she'll be good to go. I've also been upgrading in several other areas, too. Mostly buffing up her antivirus, but after Sonic and Tails found plans for some kind of weaponized nanobot the other week, I couldn't help but and in a way for her to control nanotech. That way, if Snively tries using those plans, Nicole can turn them right back on him." "That information has not been ratified by the council, Agent Walrus." Sally scowled. "Do not overstep your boundaries." "Considering that the information is contained within myself, I can assure you, it is authentic." Nicole spoke up, her voice oddly compelling. "Please, do not fight." Sally grumbled, Rotor was definitely stepping over the council by doing this, something she wasn't supposed to stand for. However, Nicole's voice was oddly soothing, causing the squirrel to softly sigh. "I'm..." Sally pursed her lips. "Sorry, Agent Walrus. I'm sure these upgrades will help. I'm still not pleased that you did all of this without permission." "With all due respect, Sally, I asked him to do it myself." Nicole cut in again, floating away from the table. "It is my duty to protect you and the other Freedom Fighters, after all, and the more powerful I am, the better I can do that." She smiled, then scowled slightly. "Need I remind you that I am a sentient being, and I can make my own choices. I did not appreciate your father adding new subroutines that forced me to follow his silly traditions rather than be expedient in aiding you. We would've claimed the Deep Power Stones with far less trouble if I had been able to disclose the Droodhenge details when I wanted to. It was only thanks to Sonic that I could break programming. It does not suit someone of your intellect to make the same mistakes." Sally frowned, her eyes averting the two presences in the workshop, both the hologram and the actual living one. She knew Nicole was correct, but the squirrel didn't want to admit it, especially in front of one of her agents. It wasn't becoming of the Princess to admit doubt, that was what Geoffrey always said. "I understand.." Sally nodded, "but Sonic and I are not exactly on speaking terms at the moment. You'll excuse me if I have reason to be suspicious considering the way things are between us now." "I understand. It is strange when he is the logical one." Nicole giggled slightly. Sally rolled her eyes. "I was hoping to have a conversation with someone who wasn't going to argue with me, but it seems that's a fool's gambit." The squirrel folded her arms. "I am trying to help you, Sally." Nicole said, laying a hand on her shoulder. "But if you wanted a conversation with someone who will listen, perhaps you should've not burned so many bridges? You have hurt many of us, Sally. Your new friends consider Sonic and Tails freaks, only abated by their higher birth... Bunnie and I are not so lucky. Geoffrey calls me a calculator. THey treat Bunnie as submobian, and nothing is more damning to us than your flagrant disregard for rescuing her." Sally cracked a bit of a smile as Nicole came closer to her, the synthetic voice resonating in her ears. Nicole always knew how to get her to calm down, and Sally listened to her intently, almost as much as she had with anyone else. "I..I just can't go against the council.." The squirrel finally said. "It's not that simple any more. There are consequences to stepping out of line. Bun...Agent Rabbot knew that deserting her post would lead to this sort of thing. The council can't confirm if she is even in any danger or has just gone AWOL." "You are the Princess. Until your father is released from the void, you are Queen in all but name." Nicole said. "They are people that your father appointed to support him in peacetime. He fired his father's council on day one. He fired his first council and replaced them with a War Council when the Great War began. This council are his second peacetime one, but you are at war still. You need your own War Council rather than them." She removed her hand, and sighed. "I told you not to make his mistakes... But do not avoid his successes too. They are using your lack of experience and your love for your father to manipulate you. Surround yourself with those you trust, rather than those that you respect." Sally kept her gaze at her feet as Nicole instructed her, advising the Princess as if she were part of her council herself. Normally Sally would snap at someone for doing such a thing, but for some reason the squirrel just couldn't get mad at Nicole. She wasn't sure what it was, something about her voice, it was simply soothing. "I know...there are just so many people in my ear now.. things are just so different." Sally sighed. "I just want to be around the right people, and under Geoffrey's guidance, Acorn is safe and Snivley hasn't tried anything in ages.. it's just..so stressful." "Perhaps I can help you with that?" Nicole offered. "I can help you clear everything up." "What do you suggest..?" Sally spoke as she turned, her trust in Nicole evident by her tone. "Let me have a look inside your head." Nicole said, her eyes glowing. Sally nodded, looking straight into Nicole's eyes. Suddenly, the squirrel's gaze was locked in, her eyes widened as if in a trance. Nicole smiled, reaching deep into her friend's mind as she gently set the squirrel down in a chair. The mesmerized squirrel sat down as her mouth hung slightly agape, although in a smile. Suddenly, the picture inside the squirrel's mind became clear. The vision was of a large lake, ripples were still present from where someone had streaked across the water. A squirrel in a white shirt sat alone on a log, her head in her hands. Nicole approached her- In here, her holographic form was as flesh and blood as anyone else. "N-Nicole!" Sally looked up and her ears immediately perked. "I'm so glad you're here." The squirrel looked obviously smitten. "Pardon, Sally?" Nicole asked, raising an eyebrow at her reaction. "Please, sit down next to me, Nicole." Sally spoke almost throatily. In here, Nicole was always organic. The squirrel smiled brightly, blushing. The lynx let her friend take her hand and lead her to the log. She sat down cautiously. "Is something the matter?" Sally sat down and caressed the lynx's hand, smiling. "Oh, Sonic is threatening to desert..Geoffrey is in my ear about so much...Just be here with me, and tell me things are going to be okay." Sally smiled, her eyes filled with lust. "Is that all?" "M-maybe if you wrapped your arms around me..I would feel a lot better." Sally blushed and giggled. "I'm... not sure this is appropriate..." She mumbled, putting one of her arms around Sally's shoulders. "I'm a princess...what are they gonna do, lock me up?" Sally purred at Nicole's touch, quickly embracing the lynx. "No, but they might lock me up and try to have you... corrected..." Sally chuckled, "It would never work..." She said as she began to stroke Nicole's back. "Just relax a bit..we've done this before.." "We... have?" Nicole asked. "Of course! Sometimes when I daydream...or sleep at night. You're always there, with me.." Sally smirked, her inner consciousness revealing all. "and we both..do things." She giggled. "Oh my..." Nicole paused, a blush staining her own cheeks. Sally stroked them quickly, loving how hot to the touch she was making her friend, the squirrel's inhibitions basically gone at this point, her dream-self taking over entirely. "We can...do things right now." Sally moaned, breathing hot breath on the lynx's face as she leaned in, planting a kiss on her lips. Nicole's eyes widened, but a part of her wanted to indulge the squirrel. Slowly, she began to kiss her back, embracing her properly. "Mmm." Sally moaned into her friend's lips as she felt her tight embrace. The princess rolled her tongue into Nicole's mouth, savoring every moment. Nicole felt the squirrel leaning up against her, relying on her. With a purr, Sally leaned even more, lying Nicole down with her back against the log. The squirrel looked down at her and smiled. "S-Sally..." Nicole murmured. "Are you..." "Am I what?" Sally grinned, leaning in for another kiss. Nicole let it come, closing her eyes and letting the princess control her again. Sally collected Nicole's wrists, holding them together before pinning them above her head with one hand and stroking her with the other. The lynx moaned. She'd lost the power she normally held when she entered a mind, and now found herself putty in the squirrel's hands. "Good girl." Sally moaned. "I don't mind being the dominant one.." She said as her hand moved inbetween her friend's legs, rubbing slowly. "S-Sally..." Nicole whimpered, as her clothing began to fade away. "Pl-pl-please...." Sally continued, leaning in for a kiss before pulling a way, rubbing a bit more aggressively. "What do you want? Just tell me..." "I... I want more..." Nicole panted. Sally smirked, and in that moment, she slowly arched her finger inside of her friend. Nicole's eyes rolled back, and she let out a scream of delight. "Brace yourself.." Sally moaned as she began to move her finger in and out of Nicole quickly. "Yes! Yes Sally!" Nicole squealed. Sally answered the intensity in Nicole's voice by adding another finger and pumping more rapidly, kissing down her friend's neck passionately. Nicole twisted and squirmed involuntarily. Sally blushed, seeing her friend melt for her touch. Sally decided to add one more finger, it was all she could manage to fit inside Nicole as she pumped. "Oh yes, more! Please... Please Sally!" Sally smirked and went even quicker, her arm quickly becoming sore. "Mm. Whatever you say, my love.." Nicole howled, and released, her juices splattering over the squirrel's hand. She slumped, going limp. Sally smiled, feeling the warm juices and bringing her hand up to her face. She sniffed and then licked it off her pinky before bending down and pressing her wet index finger on Nicole's nose. "Mm. Sometimes I think you have more fun as a bottom, Nicole.." She teased. "Am... am I normally on top?" She asked, nuzzling against Sally's hand. "Typically, and I'm held down by restraints.." Sally grinned, moving her hand close to Nicole's lips so she could taste herself. "but it's fun to switch." "Your image of me is rather kinky..." Nicole mused, letting Sally kiss her. "Well, it is my mind..." Sally giggled, snuggling up to the lynx. "It's not all the time, though..just when I'm in that kind of mood." "Sally... Are you in love with me?" Nicole asked. Sally sighed happily, smirking. "Love, lust...either one." The squirrel stroked her friend's cheek. "And Sonic?" "Him too..." "You need to relieve yourself more." Sally chuckled, "Maybe you can help me." "You should stop fighting with Sonic. You two used to keep half the village up." "M-maybe you're right...he's not being very cooperative though.." The squirrel pondered. "Wh-what can I do?" "Compromise." Nicole said. "Meet him halfway. Be reasonable." Sally nodded. "I-I suppose so...he deserves at least that much." "Good..." Sally smiled. "I should make it up to Sonic.. Geoffrey won't be too pleased, but he wouldn't act against me." The squirrel mused. "At least I hope not." "Maybe you should spend more time away from him." "If you say so...but he's been so competent in charge.." "I think everyone else would disagree there." "We haven't been attacked since he....but..I know he's not popular, and it gets harder to stand up for him so much." "Snively's inactivity is probably because we're not putting any pressure on him." Nicole replied. "He doesn't need to keep us at bay or distract us to put his big plans together, because we're not doing anything major." "Mm...you're probably right, Nicole." Sally nodded, much more trusting of the lynx that anyone else, especially in her own mind. "But what should I do?" "Do things the old way. Show them that it works. And apologize to everyone. Humility is a virtue, of course." Sally nodded. "I'll look like a fool, and it will take time to rebuild their trust...but it's either that or end up having to throw all of my friends in jail.." "Exactly." Nicole smiled, snuggling her. The squirrel smiled and nuzzled her friend. "Thank you, Nicole." "You're welcome, Sally." She purred, kissing her. Sally returned the kiss, blushing wildly. "Mmm." 'I shouldn't be doing this... But I can't help myself...' Sally purred, as sultry as ever. "Maybe you should try topping, Nicole." "Alright..." She murmured. "That doesn't sound inspiring." Sally teased. "Is there anything I can do to inspire you? This is my mind after all, it can be anything..." "I... I'm not sure... I'm... not used to this..." "We've done it before..." "I don't remember that..." "Well, think of something, I'll be accommodating..unless you want me to make another run on you." "Just... A bed... some candles..." In an instant, the two were transported from the outdoorsy lake scene to a dark bedroom, illuminated only by candlelight surrounding the bed. The bed itself was soft and plush, and the two remained in their cuddling position. "See? What else?" "Th-this will do..." Sally nodded and smiled. "Good." She said as she leaned into snuggle Nicole. The lynx began to kiss and caress Sally. The squirrel moaned in delight, quickly blushing and returning the kiss. She rubbed her shoulders, grinding against her. "Mm..yes. That feels so good.." Sally closed her eyes and moaned. Nicole kissed her neck, and began to slowly kiss down her body. "Mm..Nicole.." Sally gasped, blushing. She massaged the squirrel's sides. Sally leaned in for a kiss. "Yes, just like that.." Nicole kissed her passionately, slipping her tongue into the squirrel's mouth. "Mmmffhmm.." Sally moaned as she wrapped her arms around her friend. Nicole began to work down her lover again, stopping just shy of her nethers. Sally's toes curled in anticipation as she took a deep breath. "Beg me for it." Nicole cooed. "Mmm.." Sally struggled to speak through bated breath, blushing all over. "N-Nicole..p-please.." "Little more..." "P..please, Nicole..Mm..more..please.." Sally moaned. "As you wish." She smiled, plunging her tongue into her. "Ohhh.." Sally's eyes rolled back into her head as she spread her legs wide to give her friend more access. Nicole dug in deeper. "Yes..YES!" Sally squealed, clinching her fists. The lynx grasped her backside, massaging it. "Mm..f-faster..." Nicole obliged, holding the squirrel closely. "I'm...I'm gonna.." Sally moaned, toes curling. Just a bit more would set her off. "Going to what?" Nicole asked, holding her on the brink. "Mmrghh.." Sally moaned, "I'm gonna...c-cum.." "Good girl..." Nicole cooed, licking again. Sally squealed and not even a minute later released right into Nicole's tongue and mouth. Nicole swallowed what she could, then released her friend, and pulled her dazed, weakened form into an embrace. "Let's straighten you out, my dear." "Mmm...yes..yes.." Sally moaned, eyes still glazed over as she embraced her friend. The area around them distorted- Now they were resting in an opulent bedroom, Sally the young princess, clad in a soft blue gown, resting in the arms of her beloved royal mage. The lynx smiled- This dream would be a perfect setting to fix her attitude issues. Sally responded accordingly, snuggling her friend and simply relaxing in her arms. "Hmm... Tell me... How do you feel about your friends?" Nicole said. "I..love them more than anything!" Sally said, "I'd like to help them...in any way." "That's right, Sally." She cooed, stroking her. "And that means that the most important thing right now is..." "Rescuing Bunnie?" Nicole nodded, "It would mean a lot for everyone, especially Sonic." "Sonic...? Oh... I've been really rude to him, haven't I?" "Yes. He's very frustrated with you at the moment. You should apologize to him." "I will, I will!" Sally said. "Let me show you something..." Nicole said, standing up. Leading Sally with her, she walked over to the mirror, and stood her in front of it. In her reflection, the squirrel stood proud, wearing nothing but her blue boots and open jacket. "Is..is that me?" "Of course it's you... The real you..." Nicole smiled. "The strong, smart, wise leader..." Sally blushed, nodding. "Yes..I remember." "Good girl..." Nicole smiled. "You know what to do now, don't you?" "I..I should apologize to Sonic.." Sally nodded, a firm gaze in her eyes. "I need to do it by rescuing Bunnie." "Uh, pardon?" Nicole paused. "I'm gonna do it. I'm rescuing Bunnie. Myself." "Uh, Sally, I'm not sure that's such a good idea." Nicole fumbled to regain control over the princess. "Why not?" "You could get caught..." "By Snively?" Sally asked. "He's not really a threat. I can handle him." "Sally...I still don't think this is a very wise idea.." "If it goes wrong, I'll call for help, but right now, I need to do this for myself..." Nicole looked down and simply sighed. "If..it's what you want." "Thank you Nicole. If nothing else, I can plan out a way in for a bigger force. It all depends on how tight the defences are, and I'd prefer o do this quickly and quietly." "Please just don't get captured.." "I won't." Sally smiled, kissing her. The lynx blushed and nodded. "Okay, I trust you." WIth that, she parted from the squirrel, and moved to return to the real world. "Thank you." Sally said as she watched Nicole begin to leave. "You're welcome." Nicole blushed, finally reforming in the lab. Sally simply sat in a chair in the lab, blushing wildly with her eyes closed. "What happened in there?" Rotor asked. Nicole seems startled but quickly looks away. "Um...nothing out of the ordinary." "Really? Seems like she enjoyed it a lot..." "I showed her some... private memories. Which I am now deleting from my system." "Hm.." Rotor seemed a bit curious but figured he'd better drop it as Sally slowly came to. "How do you feel?" Nicole asked, pressing the back of her hand against Sally's forehead." "I..I'm fine.." Sally said in a bit of a daze. "Thank you again, Nicole, but I'd better get going." Nicole solemnly nodded. "Be careful." "Nicole, it's me." Sally smiled, hugging her. Nicole hugged her back. "That's what I'm worried about.." With that, the squirrel turned and rushed out of the door, making a beeline for her own hut. "Here I go. I'm gonna make it up to you, Sonic." Locking the door behind her, she tore her stuffy outfit from her body, and grabbed her blue boots, pulling them up her lower legs. Taking her old, sleeveless jacket from the closet, she pulled it on, sighing at the comfort of the familiar attire. "That feels better..." The squirrel smiled, glancing at herself in a mirror. Suddenly, everything just felt right, and her eyes were fixed in determination. "Hold on, Bunnie... I'm coming!" Grinning slightly, she left the hut, and headed straight for the exit to the village. "Alright, Sally girl...you're a bit out of practice, but you've done this all before." Sally said as she began to trek towards Robotropolis. "And it's just Snively... he's harmless." *** Several miles away, two more figures sat on a hillside, overlooking the smoggy wastelands of Robotropolis. One was a red-furred vixen, clad in an uncomfortably tight-fitting black leather outfit that left nothing to the imagination, the other a green hedghog in a biker jacket, chewing on the end of a cigarette. "What are we doing here, Scourge?" "Business." The hedgehog simply stated, rolling his eyes. He blew a plume of smoke at Fiona and smirked. The vixen had been rather fun to play around with when she came crawling to him from the freedom fighters, but Scourge was beginning to become bored with her. The business was leading Fiona into captivity, bargaining a deal with Snively himself for two slaves in exchange. "I wish you'd tell me more about what we're up to. Then I might be able to help." She said quietly. Scourge twitched, and sneered at her. "We both know you'd only screw it up. That's all you do- Make things worse." Fiona immediately looked down, knowing she'd spoken out of turn. Scourge was always tough to talk to, but he supported her. "But..I think I could.." "No, you couldn't." He grunted. "We've been over this. It happens again, and there'll be consequences, capice?" The vixen simply curled her tail around her, hugging her knees and staring directly at the ground. "Yes, sir.." She answered meekly. "Good girl." Scourge faked a smile, putting his hand on her shoulder. "You just need to be a better babe. Then I won't have to hurt you anymore." Fiona flinched lightly at the male's touch, feeling her heart rate increasing as he spoke. "Y-yeah..I'm sorry...I mis-spoke." "Apology accepted. Now don't do it again, or I'll have to punish you for breaking a promise." "Understood.." Fiona nodded, suddenly remembering just how intricate Scourge's punishments were. "That's my girl." He grinned. "Now let's get into the city. Goblin that runs the place is waiting for us..." Fiona nodded and stood up. "H-how can we be sure we aren't attacked..?" "He's expecting us, idiot." Scourge snapped, walking off down the hill. Fiona flinched as he snapped, expecting to be hit, when she opened her eyes, the green hedgehog was already leaving. She followed. "C-can I have a cigarette too?" She asked meekly, being forced into the habit previously. "When you earn it." He snorted. It was another way to control the vixen- Get her addicted to something, then limit her supply until she had met his demands. "Keep a lookout, in case those Freedom Fuckers show up." Fiona frowned as her request was denied, even moreso when her former team was so callously insulted. The vixen knew she couldn't say anything about it. "Yes, sir." She stammered. "Well, get moving, then!" He snapped. "No use standing here and looking out for them, get on the rooftops!" The green hedgehog grabbed her arm roughly and shoved her aside, pointing to a decrepit and rusted out building. "Get your dumb ass up there!" Fiona looked over it and nodded, quickly sprinting towards it and climbing nearly crumbled stairs. She felt the building could collapse at any moment but she made it to the roof. She hunched down on the flat top, scanning carefully for any sign of one of her former friends. 'What if I... don't tell him? I could just... go to them... Maybe? No... they'd never take me back... I'm his now...' "Stupid bimbo...I'll be glad to be rid of her..." Scourge sighed to himself. "I'm sure her new owner will have some fun with her.." He chuckled. Something in his pocket buzzed, and he picked up the communicator. "Yello?" "Where are you?" A voice spoke angrily. "Do you have her?" "Yea, she's scouting for Freedom Fighter idiots at the moment. I'm about to go knock her out." "Belay that, apparently, Princess Sally has made a reappearance. See if you can get them both, perhaps?" "No shit?" Scourge asked, impressed. "Sure would be nice to have her under my heel.. you'd better offer me some nice incentives when I get the Princess too." "You can have a front-row seat to the fates of both her and Miss Fox, as well as their lagomorph friend." "Heh...bring the popcorn and you've got a deal." Scourge smirked, interested in what the man had in mind for his former girl and the captured Freedom Fighters. *** Meanwhile, on the roof, Fiona had spotted Sally, struggling to fight a pair of SWATbots, and seemingly stuck in some kind of daze. "S-Sally...?" Fiona glanced at the squirrel off in the distance, turning back to Scourge who was on the phone. 'Oh..I-I can't interrupt him...he punished me last time I did..' She whimpered as she turned back to Sally. One of the robots lunged for the squirrel, and she just managed to dodge it, falling awkwardly as a result. "I... I could... help her...." The squirrel winced in pain as she stood up. "M-must..save..B-Bunnie..." She said groggily as the two robots quickly flanked her. "YOU ARE UNDER ARREST." One exclaimed as it grabbed Sally by the arms, causing her to groan and struggle futilely. "Bunnie's hurt too?" Fiona paused. The cyborg rabbit had been her closest friend among the Freedom Fighters. "No... No... I..." "DO NOT RESIST." The SWATbot behind Sally said as it pulled her wrists behind her, clasping on heavy handcuffs. "No...no!" Sally whimpered, dazed, hurt, restrained, she was entirely vulnerable. "I was so close...Bunnie.." A gunshot rang out, and the SWATbot collapsed, a smoking hole in its visor. Fiona leapt from the roof, pistol in hand, and sprinted toward the altercation, already aiming at the other droid. "THREAT DETECTED. THREA-" The second robot quickly was silenced by the sound of another shot, a running strike as Fiona quickly approached right as the droid husk hit the ground. She drew level with the princess, and quickly undid the locks on the cuffs, letting her free. "You okay?" She panted. Sally's response was... unexpected. The squirrel, still in a trance and dazed from a nasty fall gazed into Fiona's eyes, not answering for what seemed like half a minute. "My hero.." Sally said throatily, wrapping her arms around the vixen before pressing her lips against Fiona's. The vixen's eyes widened, and she stood there, frozen for a few seconds, before squirming free, her cheeks stained as scarlet as her fur. Before she could ask any questions, she felt a voice behind her. "Sorry, babe." Said Scourge snarkily as he smashed her across the back of the head with a rock. The vixen collapsed to the ground instantly. He did the same with the dazed and blushing Sally. "Alright, Snively. Two dumb broads, out cold and ready for transformation."