"True Love Recaptured"
Authors: Robert Brown and Francis Tolbert

Disclaimer: This story uses characters created and copyrighted by Sega of
            America, Inc. and Archie Comics (except where noted, in which case
            they were created and copyrighted by us.)   The authors hereby give 
            permission for this story to be downloaded and/or printed at 1 copy
            per user.  Any attempt to steal ownership or make profit from this 
            story will be considered a violation of copyright law.

Author's note: Hey there ppl.  I've been lurking around in the shadows of many
web pages, especially those with stories, but this is the first time I am
actually submitting something.  My friend and I have been working on these
since we first saw the cartoon, and we've finally decided to share them with 
the world.  All our stories will be chronological and have been changed to be
post-Doomsday.  All stories will have a number just above the main body of
the story designated its place in our timeline.  Any questions, comments, or
ideas will be received warmly and responded to, but expect no reply from a 
flame.  Till next time, happy reading!!

Cast of Characters(in order of appearance)
Sonic Hedgehog
Miles "Tails" Prower
Princess Sally Acorn
Antoine 
Bunnie Rabbot
Rotor
Rosie 
Snively
Metal Sonic
Uncle Chuck
Dulcy


#1

     Sonic stood by his stove, cooking up a large pot of chili.  The Freedom
Fighters had scored the biggest victory over Robotnik ever with the destruction
of his Doomsday Device, and had planned a celebration the likes of which Mobius
had never before seen.  He was in charge of bringing the chili dogs, as usual,
and he was going to make sure they were the best he ever made.
     He stirred the pot slowly, letting the meat and beans simmer in his own
personal secret sauce.  This was just about the only thing he knew how to make,
thanks to Uncle Chuck, but he knew how to make it well.  He lifted the wooden 
ladle to his lips and let a drop of sauce fall onto his tongue.  
     Flames exploded from his mouth.  He ran outside at supersonic speed and 
headed straight for the power ring pool.  Tails was sitting by the pool, 
dangling his feet idly in the water when a succession of sonic booms alerted
him to his best friend's arrival.  He stood up to greet Sonic, but flew quickly
out of the way when he saw his friend's mouth on fire.  Sonic dived in the pool
the second he reached it.
     Steam rose from the pool.  Sonic surfaced seconds later, sputtering and
coughing.  "Needs more cayenne pepper," he thought smugly.
     "Hey Sonic!"  Tails yelled, flying over until he was just above Sonic.  
"Need a hand?"
     "Thanks, little bro," Sonic replied, reaching up and grabbing Tails' hands.
"Man, my chili is sure to make this celebration a blast."
     "Aw, Sonic," Tails said as he carried his friend to shore, "you know your
chili sauce is too weak for my taste."
     "Yeah, right Tails.  Anything you say."  He let go and jumped to shore, 
dripping wet.  "Time for a serious shake."  He shook himself violently, the 
water flying off him.
     "Hey, watch it!"  Someone yelled to his right.  Sonic turned and saw
Princess Sally standing there.  She was wearing a blue, off the shoulder dress
with matching skirt that was now plastered to her body.  Her hair clung to her
face, dripping yet.  Makeup streaked her face in wet lines, making her look 
older than she was.  "I spent all morning getting ready for this party," she 
said, rounding on Sonic, "and you ruin it in a matter of seconds!"
     "Chill, Sal," Sonic replied nonchalantly, trying to keep his eyes from 
bugging out.  "It ain't no biggie."
     "This coming from a hedgehog who cares so much about his quills," she 
muttered under her breath.  Aloud, she said, "I'm gonna go dry off and change.  
If you think you can handle it, go get the party started and stall for me."
     "No prob, Sal.  Grab on little bud!"  Tails grabbed on to Sonic's waist
just as he took off with a sonic boom.
     Sally just stood there, shaking her head.  "Sometimes I wonder why I ever
fell in love with you, Sonic Hedgehog," she thought.  She floated off to her
house, wondering just how long this ability she got from the Deep Power Stones
would last.
     Later on, at the party, Sonic had just finished piling a plate with a
pyramid of chili dogs when Sally reappeared.  She was dressed as he normally saw
her: in a blue vest and boots.  "Yo, Sally girl," he called as she walked up,
"wanna chili dog?"
     "I don't think so," she said in a superior tone.  "I never understood what
you see in those things."
     Sonic tossed up a chili dog and caught it in his mouth, swallowing it 
whole.  "Aw, c'mon Sal.  Think of it as a peace offering.  Don't you always 
tell me 'You never know until you try.'?"  he said in his best imitation of her
voice.
     Sally threw up her hands.  "Hunh....fine!"  She grabbed a chili dog from
the plate and ate it quickly, before she had a chance to taste it.  "Happy now?"
     Sonic stood there, arms folded, foot tapping.  He knew what was going to 
happen.  He watched in delight as Sally's eyes widened slightly, her tongue 
licking the corner of her mouth where a piece of chili remained.  She reached 
for another one, but saw Sonic's eyes on her and quickly drew her hand away.  
"Not bad," she said in a quavering voice.
     Sonic picked up another chili dog and held it under Sally's nose.  "Sure
you don't want another one?"  waving it slightly.
     Sally trembled for a few seconds, then looked at Sonic, an evil smile on 
her face.  "No, you can have it," she said, hands sneaking to the edge of the
plate.  "I'll just take...these!"  She lifted the plate and ran off, using her
other gift from the Deep Power Stones.
     "Hey!  Get back here with those!"  Sonic gobbled the chili dog he held and
leaped over the table.  "Juice time, Warp 8!"  He took off at full speed, just
beginning to close the distance between him and Sally as they entered the Great
Forest.  
     Privately, Sonic was a little jealous.  All the Deep Power Stones had done
to him were increase his speed to the point he no longer really needed a power
ring.  Sally, on the other hand, now had his speed, and she could fly too!  He
wondered how long it would be before the effect wore off.
     Antoine watched as these events unfolded, a smirk on his face.  "It eez
disgraceful how zat pincushion always chases after my dear Prinzess," he said 
to no one in particular.  "Has he no shame?  I would never be caught dead
chazing after a woman like zat."
     He sighed.  "However, if my Prinzess would be chazing like that after me...
But, it eez a hopeless proposition.  But, I shall never give up."  He stood up 
facing the direction Sally had vanished in and yelled, "Do you hear me?  I shall
never give up!!"
     "Calm down, sugah," a voice said behind him, "I think everyone in the Great
Forest heard you."
     Antoine screamed and jumped.  He turned around, his heart in his throat,
and saw Bunnie standing there, smiling.  "Ah, mademoiselle Bunnie," he said
shakily, mopping his sweaty brow.  "It eez not a good idea to sneak up on ze 
Capitan of ze Royal Guards like that."
     Bunnie permitted herself a chuckle.  Antoine was always so funny, 
especially when he was spooked.  "Just wond'rin what you was up to," she said
innocently.
     Antoine sighed again.  "I was just watching ze love of my life being 
pursued by that fyoolish hedgehog."  Just briefly, Antoine thought he saw 
Bunnie flinch.  He was going to ask why, but was interrupted by Rotor.  
     "Hey Bunnie!" he called, walking up to them.  "Wanna dance?"
     "Sure thing Rote.  See ya later, Ant."
     Antoine watched as they headed onto the dance floor to the beat of a band
that had just started playing.  A twinge of pain tugged at his heart.  He 
remembered a time, many years back, when he had been interested in someone 
besides Sally; someone who had returned his affections.  If only....
     Angrily, he banished the thought.  No, he could never risk harming her
again.  He had failed her once; he would do whatever it took not to hurt her
again, even if it meant giving up his only chance at happiness.
     Bunnie watched Antoine walk off with his head bowed out of the corner of
her eye and sighed.  Dancing with Rotor was OK, he moved well and knew what he
was doing, even though she was glad she had metal feet, but he was not who she 
wanted to dance with.  She liked Rotor as a friend, but their relationship was 
purely professional, despite what the others thought.  She could not see letting
herself get involved with someone who she depended on solely to keep herself
going.
     No, her heart was set on another, one it had been set on since childhood.
If anyone ever found out she still carried a torch for him, and a bright one at
that, he or she would probably collapse in a fit of laughter.  But Bunnie didn't
care.  The fact was, this animal used to be interested in her, but then...
     Bunnie shook her head and concentrated on dancing with Rotor.  He had made
it quite clear that there was no chance of an intimate relationship, even
though he had never said why.  Thinking about was like opening a scar: no
matter how old the wound, it hurt and bled just as much as it did the first
time.
     Antoine walked through the almost deserted streets of Knothole, head bowed
in thought.  The past was the past, he told himself over and over, and it should
be left there.  But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't help thinking about
what might have been.
     "Something troubling you, Antoine?"  a soft voice asked.
     He looked for the source of the voice and saw Rosie walking beside him.  
"No no, Rosie," he said quickly, "just bored."
     Rosie smiled that knowing smile.  "Well, maybe you could help me then.  I
need someone to carry a few things to the party from my hut."
     "But of course, madame.  Just show me what it is that is needing to be 
moved."
     They walked in silence to her hut.  Once there, she told him to gather a
few things in the closet while she got things from the kitchen.  Some of the
stuff was heavy, and Antoine strained to get them out of the closet.  He found 
himself thinking that Bunnie would be better for this.  
     Again there was a tug at his heart.  He looked down for a second and then
turned around.  Rosie was staring at him and Antoine had the uncanny feeling
that she had followed every twist and turn his mind had taken.  "You still love
her, don't you," she said.
     Antoine tried to look away, but found himself held fast by Rosie's gaze.
"D-Don't be being ridiculous," he said, stuttering.  "I love only my Prinzess."
     Rosie let out her breath in a half-sigh, half-laugh.  "That sounds good,
Antoine.  Keep telling yourself that; you might start believing it in another
year or so."
     Antoine wrenched his gaze away.  "Well, anyway," Rosie continued, "I just
wanted to show you what I found hidden away."  She held out a worn, beat up, old
bucket.  "Recognize it?"
     Antoine took the bucket from her and caught his breath in surprise.  "It
cannot be," he whispered in awe.
     "But it is.  This is your old water balloon bucket.  You had some great fun
with this, didn't you?"
     "Oui, I did."  He caressed the oaken handle lovingly.  "Huh, but this eez
out of my past," he said, holding it out to her.
     Rosie pushed it back toward him.  "C'mon Antoine, this is a party.  Why
don't you liven it up a little?  A know one particular doe who wouldn't mind.
I'll even help you set her up, just like the old days."
     A hint of mischievousness appeared in his eyes.  "I will be needing no more
than fifteen minutes," he said running out the door.  "Au revoir!"
     Rosie stood at the doorway and watched him go.  She smiled in satisfaction
and walked back to the party, the things in her kitchen and closet forgotten.
     Meanwhile, in another part of Mobius, near the wreckage of the Doomsday
Device, Snively was directing the SWATbots in salvaging what they could.  "I'm
so glad I put that program in giving me control of Robotropolis," he thought.
"That will make MY takeover of Mobius so much easier now that the Big Round
Boy has been destroyed."
     A series of sonic booms approaching caught his attention.  "Sir," the
nearest SWATbot reported, "a creature is moving toward our position at a high
rate of speed."
     "Is it organic?"  Snively asked in a nasal tone.
     The red visor on the robot's head flickered in surprise.  "No, sir.  It is
not."
     "Then disregard and continue work," he ordered.  The SWATbot saluted and
marched away.  "Looks like my 'friend' is returning from his run," he thought.
"By combining the speed program I used in that robotic cheetah and data acquired
from Spybots, I've created..."  
     A huge plume of dust streaked in from the horizon stopping directly in 
front of Snively.  As the dust cleared, he exclaimed, "Metal Sonic!"  In front
of Snively stood a nearly perfect rendition of what Sonic would look like if
roboticized.
     "So, friend," Snively continued, "are you ready to create some havoc?"
     Metal Sonic's lips parted in a cruel smile showing two rows of pointed
teeth.  He was ready.
     "Good.  Now go, you remember the plan."  Metal Sonic bowed, turned around,
and sped off.  "Stage 1 is underway," Snively thought and laughed.
     Back at Knothole, Bunnie made her way to a seat.  Once she had gotten out
on that dance floor, the men had kept her there.  She had a lot of fun, and 
enjoyed all the attention, but she wasn't used to it.  She fanned herself with 
her good hand, trying to cool off.
     Rosie walked up and sat down next to her.   "Getting a lot of attention
from the men, huh Bunnie?"  she asked.
     "Don't I know it.  This party's a great idea."
     Rosie nodded, scanning the crowd.  "Everyone seems to be having a good time
today.  Did you dance with every man in Knothole?"
     "Yep, just about.  Everyone except Sonic, who's off somewhere with Sally,
and...." Her voice trailed off and she became pensive.
     "And the one who you'd most like to be out there with, right?"
     Bunnie shook her head and resumed fanning herself.  "You could always read
my mind, Rosie."
     "Don't worry girl," she said, patting Bunnie's knee.  "I'm sure things will
turn out how they should."  She got up and stretched.  "I'm gonna get something
to eat.  Want anything?"
     "No thanks.  See ya around."  Rosie walked away and Bunnie sat there, alone
with her thoughts.
     "Need zome help cooling off Bunnie?"  she heard from above.  "I think I
may be able to help you with zat."
     Bunnie looked up just in time to see a yellow balloon plummetting toward 
her.  Sploosh!!  The balloon exploded and drenched her in ice water.  Bunnie
started shivering immediately.  From high above, she heard someone laughing
hard and knew immediately who had done that.  "I'm gonna get you, Antoine!"
she yelled, shaking her metallic fist in mock fury.
     Antoine sat on a branch directly above Bunnie with a bucket next to him.
He was grabbing the tree with one hand and tossing another balloon up and down
in his other hand.  "And what do you intend to about zees?"  he taunted.
     Bunnie stood and extended her metallic legs until she was at an equal 
height with Antoine.  "How about this?"
     "I waz expecting zat," he said, and drenched her with another balloon.  He
slid down the trunk of the tree and ran off into the forest, carrying the 
bucket and laughing the whole way.
     Bunnie wiped the water from her face and lowered herself back to normal.
She ran after Antoine, laughing herself.  Antoine hadn't been this much of a
prankster since that incident in Robotropolis when they were eight.  It seemed
that with Robotnik gone, everyone was returning to who they used to be.  
"Maybe, some of those old feelings will return too," she thought wistfully.
     They played for what seemed like hours.  Bunnie chasing Antoine, Antoine
pelting Bunnie with a balloon when she got too close.  She knew she would have
to dry off later or risk shorting out, but she didn't care.  She was young
again, whole again, having fun again.  Nothing else mattered.
     Antoine had temporarily given her the slip, and she was searching very
carefully for him.  "Bunnie, help!"  That call brought her back to the present.
It sounded like Sonic was in trouble.
     "Sonic?"  she called, trying to orient on his voice.
     "I'm stuck in some of the leftover megamuck!  Please hurry!"
     "I'm a-comin' sugarhog."  She ran toward his voice as fast as she could.  
She was sorry the game had broken up, but business was business, and her friend
needed help.  "Where are you?"
     "Over here!"  The voice was closer this time, somewhere off to her right. 
The closer she got, the more she thought something didn't quite sound right.  
His voice sounded odd, almost tinny, as if being spoken through a mesh of wire.
     "Where?"  she called again.
     "Right here," a metallic voice said right next to her ear.  In a flash, a
metal arm encircled her throat, choking off her breath and stopping her dead in
her tracks.
     "Wha' the hoo-ha-hay?"  She grabbed the arm with her robotic hand and 
tried to pull it off. 
     "Uh-uh," the voice said.  "That would work with most robots, dude, but not
me."
     "Wh--Who are you?"
     "You can call me Metal Sonic.  Snively made me to help track and capture
you Freedom Fighters.  And guess who's first on his list?"
     "Ain't gonna be me!"  She hauled with all her might, but couldn't budge
the robot.
     "Enough of that," he said, pinching a nerve in Bunnie neck.  She stiffened
in sudden pain then collapsed, unconscious.  He was about to pick her up and
carry her off when a loud "Kiai!" caused him to look up.
     Antoine flew at him, foot aiming for the robot's head.  He struck and 
glanced off the hard metal, yelping in pain.  The robot backslapped Antoine, 
knocking him senseless.
     "Well, well," Metal Sonic said, "looks like a two-for-one!"  He used his
free hand to grab at Antoine.  He hoisted one on each shoulder and sped off at
supersonic speed for Robotropolis.
     Once there, he dumped them in a holding cell and slammed shut the door.  
The noise caused Antoine to wake with a start.  He looked around dazedly and 
felt his jaw to see if it was broken; it wasn't.  Muttering a few curses in
French, he stood up and stumbled to the bars of the cell.  "Who is to be being 
behind this outrage?"  he yelled, unable to focus.
     "Ah c,mon Ant," a low voice said near his ear.  "Don't tell me you don't
recognize my voice."
     Antoine's eyes snapped wide open.  There, outside the cell, he saw Metal 
Sonic, leaning against the wall.  "Sacre blu, it cannot be."
     "But it is.  Now you better go be with your girlfriend, 'cuz you don't
have much time left.  Juice it loose time!"  Metal Sonic sped off, leaving only
dust behind.
     Antoine ran to Bunnie and cradled her head in his lap.  "Oh Bunnie," he
said softly, "again my prankz haz caused you pain.  I am so sorry."  Tears fell
from his eyes, wetting her face and ears.
     "Excellent work, Metal Sonic," Snively said to the robot who just appeared
at his side at the control room.  "You have broken their will; they think their 
leader is one of us now."
     "Fine and dandy, but what'll we do about the real Sonic?"
     "That is Stage Two, my friend.  I will take care of him, personally."  Both
smiled cruelly, watching the monitor as Antoine tried vainly to wake Bunnie.  
"She's not dead, is she?"
     "Naw, just comatose for an hour or so."
     "Good.  Now get my hover ship."
     "As you command, sir."  Metal Sonic sped off with Sinvely walking calmly
behind him.
     Over in the Great Forest, Sonic and Sally walked back toward Knothole arm
in arm, wearing silly looks on their faces.  Chili sauce was smeared all over
their faces, but they seemed happy.  "I think that was our longest and best 
makeout session ever," Sonic remarked.
     Sally nodded.  "I think so too.  It probably would have lasted longer if we
didn't have to get back to the party."  She snuggled into his arm.  "I don't
know what it is about you Sonic.  Sometimes I wonder why I ever fell in love
with you.  Other times, I wonder how I ever didn't love you."
     "Likewise, Sal," he said, kissing her forehead.
     Sally stopped abruptly.  "Can't you say it?"
     "Say what?"
     "That you love me."
     "You know that I do, why do I gotta say it?"
     Sally pulled away from him, hands on her hips.  "Because I wanna hear it!"
     "Aw, Sal, why you gotta be like that?"  Sonic walked to her, arm encircling
her waist.
     Sally pushed him away.  "Y'know Sonic, it's times like this when I think
that maybe you can't say it because you don't feel it."
     Sonic held his chest and staggered backward.  "Just rip my heart out and
stomp on it, why don't ya."
     Sally turned from him in frustration.  "Fine, be like that.  But know this
Sonic Hedgehog, you are not getting any more kisses from me until you can say 
those three little words."
     She started walking away from him in righteous anger, but he grabbed her 
from behind, turned her around, and tilted her backward.  "Princess Sally
Alicia Acorn," he said, looking deep into her eyes, "From the moment I met you,
all those years ago in Mobotropolis, your grace, beauty, intelligence, wit, 
purity, and goodness have attracted me to you.  I have loved you with all my 
heart, mind, body, and soul for so long, it is as if you are a part of me.  
Were it up to me, I would love you forever, even beyond the day of my death.
Will you do the same?"
     Sally stared for a moment, then melted into Sonic's embrace.  She mumbled
something unintelligble, but Sonic understood: he had just swept her off her
feet completely, and she had not been even the least bit prepared.  "I never 
thought I'd thank Ant for anything," he thought as he moved in for a kiss, "but
he was right.  Sometimes women do like to be put on a pedestal, and Sally 
deserves it most of all.  I just hope she doesn't expect this to be an everyday
thing."
     "I hate to break up this touching scene," a nasal voice said, snapping both
Sonic and Sally back to reality, "but I'm afraid you must come with me."
     Snively appeared from nowhere and grabbed Sonic's arm.  "Yes!" he
exclaimed.  "Now you miserable hedgehog, I will do what my uncle could not:
capture and roboticize you!"
     Sonic smiled at Sally who smiled back.  "Well, Snively," he began in a 
mock-scared tone, "if you want me, you better hold on tight!"
     "Nothing could make me let go of you hedgehog until you're in a cell next
to that French guard and the rabbit."
     "You captured Antoine and Bunny?"  Sally asked incredulously.
     "That's it," Sonic said, sounding really upset.  "Meet you up there Sally?"
     "Got it Sonic," she said, standing up and disentangling herself from him.
     "And just where do you think you're going hedgehog?"  Snively asked.
     "Not where I'm going, Snively."  Sonic ran to the top of the tree.  "Where
we are."
     He held Snively by his long nose out over the branches.  "Now Snively,
where are they?"
     Snively gulped.  "In my base at Robotropolis!"
     "Your base?"  Sally asked, floating beside Sonic.  "You mean..."
     "Yes, I am in control now.  There's no sign off Robotnik, and personally, I
couldn't care less if he ever returned."
     "Hang out for a while, Snively my man," Sonic said, hanging the back of his
jacket on the top of the tree.  "Sal, you gather the others.  I'll get 'em back.
By the way, nice threads, Sniv.  Juice time!"
     "Sonic be careful," she called after him as he sped away.  She floated off
toward Knothole as fast as she could.
     Snively struggled to get down, but he was stuck fast.  He pulled a 
communicator from his pocket.  "Metal Sonic, come in.  Roboticize those two
freedom fighters now!  And send someone to get me down!"  The last burst from
him with a cry.
     The sound of metal scraping upon metal woke Antoine from his trance.  He 
had sat watching the rise and fall of Bunnie's chest as she breathed and felt 
the reassuring throbbing of her pulse for so long, his mind had spaced out
momentarily.  He eased out from under Bunnie and hid in a dark corner of the 
cell.  "Roboticization time!"  Metal Sonic called cheerfully, unlocking the 
cell.  Seeing only Bunnie, he said, "Hey, where's the other one?"  He turned 
around slowly, surveying the cell with infrared vision.
     When his back was to Antoine, he jumped out landing a side kick right in
the back of the robot's head.  As the robot turned around, Antoine hooked an arm
under the robot's and threw him over his hip.  It was a maneuver Bunnie had used
on him many times in martial arts class.
     Metal Sonic landed hard on his back.  "Primary motor and balance functions
impaired.  Instituting secondary systems.  Estimated time of action:15 seconds."
     Antoine picked Bunnie up on his shoulder and ran outside the cell.  He 
slammed the cell door and the lock clicked.  Without waiting to see if the robot
would revive, he ran blindly, fear taking over.
     A slight groan escaped Bunnie.  Concern for her sliced through Antoine's
fear like a knife.  He stopped and surveyed his surroundings.  Recognizing the
area, he ran toward an old escape tunnel the Freedom Fighters used to sneak in 
and out of the city.
     Bunnie shook her head, regaining consciousness.  "Huh...wha'...wha' 
happened?  Antoine?"
     "Bunnie?"  Antoine stopped and laid her down.  "Are you OK?"
     "Uhh...I feel like someone usin' my head for an anvil, that's all.  Where
are we?"
     "Robotropolis.  The worst has happened.  That fyool hedgehog has been 
captured and roboticisized.  We are all doomed!"
     Bunnie sat up.  "No, I remember.  He called himself 'Metal Sonic' and said
Snively made him.  We need to get to the others fast."
     Antoine looked down.  "I am sorry, Bunnie, my fyoolishness has almost cost
you again.  Forgive me."
     Bunnie looked at him, tears in her eyes.  "Oh, Antoine, is that what you
thought all these years?  I don't blame you for what happened!  If it wasn't 
for you, I would have been roboticized completely!  Let's just forget about the
past, sugah, and concentrate on our future."
     Antoine thought about that.  "We shall zee," he said, standing.  "I will
think about it.  But now, as you said, we need to escape."  He stood and walked
toward the escape tunnel.
     Bunnie saw he was vulnerable.  He had just saved her again, and was 
fighting to keep his emotions in check.  If she wanted him back, she knew she 
would never have a better opportunity.  "Nuts to that!"  she yelled.  She 
extended her legs and locked them around Antoine's waist.  She pulled him in 
before he could react.
     Antoine turned to her as she pulled him in.  "What are you..."  he began.
When he was within reach, Bunnie grabbed him in a passionate embrace and kissed
him with all the feeling and emotion that she had kept pent up for the past 
eight years.
     Antoine resisted at first, but feeling his own emotions burst out from
where he had kept them locked away, he embraced her and kissed her with equal
passion.
     They stayed there, kissing like that, until Antoine pulled back slightly.
"Bunnie, I..."
     Bunnie laid a finger over his lips.  "For the past eight years, I've been
wanting to do that.  I love you, Antoine; I never stopped loving you.  And now
I know why you stopped loving me.  You blamed yourself for what happened, right
sugah?"  she asked, indicating her arm and legs.  "You're the one who pulled me
out of that accursed machine before it finished.
     Antoine looked away, tears in his eyes.  "But eef it wasn't for me," he 
said, his accent getting really bad, "you would not have been capitured in ze
first place."
     "Antoine, what are you saying?  Calm down and explain yourself." 
     Antoine drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly.  "I was in ze Great
Forest zat day.  I knew you were waiting to exact revenge on me for pranking
you, and I purposely avoided you.  I should have said something when they 
showed up, but I waz too, how you say, chicken."
     Bunnie grabbed his chin and gently turned his face back to hers.  "But you
followed me, and rescued me.  We were only nine years old then; anyone would
have done the same.  But you were brave enough to come alone to my aid.  
Besides, things turned out for the best.  Without these robotic parts, we would
have stood much less of a chance against Robotnik.  You have carried this burden
for far too long, sugah.  Let it go."
     Antoine sighed.  He stroked back one of Bunnie's ears, smiling.  "You were
only partially right before," he said, dropping his accent in this moment of 
tenderness.  "I never stopped loving you, just kept it hidden away.  That's why
I went after Sally, to try and forget about you.  If she had accepted me, I 
might have.  But she didn't, so I never could."
     "No more, Antoine?"  Bunnie asked, a tear creeping from her eye.
     "No more," he agreed, kissing away the tear, "my love."  He drew her head 
close to his and they kissed again, not holding back any longer.
     The sound of approaching feet drew their attention.  They looked and saw
Sonic running toward them.  "Get a move on, guys," he said, not noticing the 
position he had caught them in.  "SWAT-butts are around the corner."
     Antoine and Bunnie disengaged, a bit reluctantly, though, and stood up.  
"Sonic," Antoine said, his accent back, "eez there not an escape tunnel nearby?"
     Sonic looked at Antoine, surprised.  "Good thinkin' Ant.  I had forgotten
about that.  Each of you, grab an arm and hang on!"  They did and Sonic took off
at top speed.  He reached the tunnel and plowed through the door.  He ran the 
length of it and didn't stop until they were safely back at Knothole.
     Later that night, after the party was over, Bunnie and Antoine related
their encounters with Metal Sonic.  "This is bad," Sally said.  "Looks like
we underestimated Snively.  He could be more trouble than his uncle was."
     "Yeah," Sonic said, bummed.  "When will it end?"
     "I don't know, Sonny-boy," Uncle Chuck said from his place at the table,
"but I know we'll keep fighting until it does.  Maybe Rotor and I can come up
with something."
     "Yeah," Rotor piped up.  "It shouldn't be too hard.  Everything robotic
has to have some kind of weakness; we just need to find it."
     "Keep us informed you two," Sally said, "and I want the specs on that new
de-roboticizer you've been working on.  Anything else?"
     "I have somezing," Antoine said, standing.  "I believe a certain female and
I have some very intimate and personal things to dizcuss about our relationship,
no?"
     "Antoine," Sally began, "for the thousandth time...."
     "No no no.  Not you my Prinzess."  He walked behind Bunnie's chair and
lifted her out of her chair and into his arms.  "The time has come, my little
doe," he said, nuzzling her neck.
     "Looks like you've been replaced, Sally girl!"  Bunnie said, wrapping her
arms around Antoine's neck and cuddling her head into his chest.  He walked off,
carrying her without tripping or stumbling once.
     Everyone left exchanged glances of disbelief, then they all fainted from 
the shock, legs pointing straight up in the air.  All that is, except Rosie and
Tails.  "Yuck!"  Tails exclaimed, flying up and off.  "As if Sonic and Aunt
Sally weren't bad enough!"
     Rosie just sat there, watching them leave.  "It's about time," she thought
to herself happily.  "I knew it would happen eventually.  I just did what I 
could to help it along a little."  She stood and walked to her hut, humming 
contentedly to herself.