I woke from a surprisingly deep and pleasant sleep. I totally blamed my amazing bed. Seriously, when I eventually parted ways with the Egg Carrier and Lard-gut, I was finding a way to take it with me.

Though, I suppose near back to back raids on G.U.N. bases might have also been to blame. Even for a ‘Mobian’ supersoldier like me, I guess that was enough to tire me out thoroughly. And, if I had any dreams, I didn’t remember them. I’d been kind of worried I might have nightmares…for obvious reasons…but it seemed like, maybe, during my fifty year ‘sleep’, I’d already gone through them all, and my subconscious was just done with them….I guess that’s a relief.

Deciding not to linger in bed (and, wow, did I want to, seriously, like a cloud), I got up, showered, and changed into something more casual than my tactical gear. I’d had enough of that during last night’s raid, and, fortunately (or unfortunately, I couldn’t entirely decide), it was probably going to be a while before the next one.

We knew where the remaining three G.U.N. bases were that had the activation codes we wanted, but, like I said, even I needed some real rest, and the doctor needed some undistracted time to work through the, in his words, ‘surprisingly competent’ encryption protecting the activation codes from being able to be easily used, even if someone (like us) managed to get ahold of them.

I’d ‘neglected’ to inform the doctor that I was familiar with that particular form of encryption, as, at least to me, it was clearly based on something Dr. Gerald had designed, and which I’d conveniently seen before while working as his ‘unofficial’ lab assistant. I figured the doctor would crack it on his own…eventually…and it kept him busy. The less I had to deal with him, and the less time and energy he had to meddle in my affairs, the better.

Though, he’d been surprisingly ‘cooperative’, far more than I’d expected he would be. And, though our encounters weren’t exactly sunshine and rainbows, with both of us taking the opportunity to get subtle digs (or not so subtle digs) in at each other whenever we were in each other’s company, it was actually a bit concerning to me how well it seemed that we ‘got along’….Almost as if, underneath it all, we actually cared…or understood each other…or something….

Anyways, I was ‘happy’ about how ‘well’ things were going. I mean now that I hadn’t been taken by surprise with a very vulnerable person that I cared about nearby…I didn’t find it very hard at all to deal with G.U.N. agents or their equipment. I also suspected that, during my 50 year ‘nap’, my abilities had matured in some way, because I don’t remember any of my training exercises being anywhere as simple to carry out as raiding, now, two G.U.N. bases….Though, at least part of that could be…motivation…I, for a lack of a better word, had a lot more of it now.

But now, like I said, I had a bit of a necessary break, and I decided, well, why not? I’d been keeping an eye on our location, and it seemed like there might be a decent place nearby to chill a bit. Using the computer station in my room, I looked up the info on it, and it did seem to fit the bill. Currently, we were flying out over the ocean away from the main islands of the Archipelago, though not too far. In all honesty, we could have been even much closer, for a giant flying “Egg,” this thing had some ridiculous stealth capabilities. Still, the doctor (and I) didn’t particularly want to take any chances while things were going well.

Anyways, nearby our current location was the place I mentioned, not a very large island, but not too small either. Beautiful, and scans didn’t show any lifeforms that would be likely to cause a problem. The ideal place to relax for a while…and just not worry about all this.

Heading out onto the deck, I could see it several miles off in the distance. I could just take one of the shuttles to get there…but I didn’t feel like it today. It would be nice not to have any unnecessary reminders or distractions…and an ‘egg’ shuttle that just screamed egomaniac inventor would certainly be both. And while I couldn’t fly anywhere without one, I didn’t need to.

“CHAOS CONTROL!!”

While adjusting to my sudden presence on the island, I decided I’d never really get tired of being able to do something like that. And, after making sure my Chaos Emerald, the one the doctor had very conveniently had on hand after my ‘rescue’, which I had also been very pleasantly surprised to notice seemed to rather perfectly complement my eyes and ‘natural’ coloring, was properly stored back in the bag I had brought along with me for my little excursion (it was important after all - though maybe I should get a chain for it or something, eventually), I just began to take it all in.

This was nice.

Sunlight filtered through a lush greenscape of tropical trees and plants. Though, unsurprisingly, things had gone a bit quiet when I just suddenly showed up, the local wildlife quickly returned to its usual business, and I soon heard the croaks, cries, rustling, and buzzing of about everything that you’d expect in a place like this. Moving at a leisurely pace, particularly for a hedgehog (I’m thinking of you, Sonic), I just drank it all in. The island was truly lovely. At one point, I even found a small lagoon and waterfall to admire, including the rainbow-colored light the waterfall put off as it spattered against some rocks. Eventually though, I made it back, more or less, to where I started, and pulled out a blanket, a bottle of water, and a snack, and made myself comfortable.

The snack wasn’t anything special, just a ration bar, merely something to stave off hunger, since I didn’t take the time to grab much of anything else before my impromptu excursion. Besides, I’d seen some berries I recognized from my ‘training’ as safe to eat earlier and already had a bit of a jungle snack. I’d eat something more serious when I returned to base.

Really, what I was here for now was the experience…and the view.

Seated on one of the island’s sandy beaches, just a stone’s throw from the water, it was really impressive. The ocean just stretched out endlessly before me, one wide expanse of water and light………..Maria would have loved this.

Ah, not what I came here for, and I knew she wouldn’t want her…absence…to prevent me from enjoying it, something we’d talked about enjoying so many times before…when she got better….So, eventually, I managed to put that aside, well, as much as I ever thought I could, and just got back to enjoying this truly amazing sight.

Probably about an hour passed in peacefulness and silent wonder. Not feeling quite the same bitterness as I had felt about it earlier, I decided it really was everything Maria and I had wanted to see, when before we could only ‘see’ it from above.

Still, as much as I had finally managed to enjoy taking it all in, and really I did, it seemed like a little bit of business had found its way to me.

“You know, it’s kind of rude to just hide out there, watching me. Didn’t think you were that kind of girl.”

Making barely a sound, a certain infamous jewel thief hopped down from one of the nearby trees.

“Sorry, I seem to have forgotten my manners. But, I just couldn’t bear to interrupt while you were enjoying such a marvelous view.”

I turned back to look as the sun glistened upon the slowly rolling waves; a dolphin even jumped out of the water some distance away. Yeah, it really was a nice view. Still, while perhaps Rouge might have actually thought she could sneak up on me, it was a pointless effort.

Anyone, or even anything, with even a slight touch of Chaos energy, I would be aware of when they approached me, and as a Mobian, and one who had so obviously had contact with more than one Chaos Emerald, Rouge had quite a bit more than a ‘touch’. Not as much as Sonic, who honestly lit up to my senses like a bonfire (at least compared to any other Mobian I’d seen - I didn’t really count), but certainly more than enough that it would be a waste of time for her to try to spy on me, at least from anywhere nearby. I thought she probably suspected something like that, so this was probably a deliberate attempt to get my attention. Guess my day off really might be over, at least for the moment.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

“So, did you want something?” Might as well get this moving along, though I didn’t have much hope that things would move that quickly, based on what I knew of her personality.

“Oh, nothing much. Maybe just to enjoy a little R&R myself. This lovely lady has been working sooo hard lately, far more than she’s used to without a proper break. A little beach time, maybe some girl talk. It might be just what the doctor ordered, you know. Though, of course, not the pudgy one, I mean a real doctor…” That got a brief smile out of me, and, judging by her smirk, she knew it would. “Though, I hope you don’t mind, since it looks like you had the idea first. Ah, you know what they say about imitation and it being…”

She gave me what was obviously meant to be a disarming smile before slowly moving closer. When I didn’t react further, besides giving her a now distinctly unamused look, she suddenly pulled out a blanket of her own (from somewhere) and quickly assumed a position much like my own.

“Oh, wow, this is nice….A girl really just needs to do something like this once in a while.”

Rouge stretched her back (and wings) for a moment, clearly making herself comfortable and enjoying the sunlight (go figure). Annoyed, but also now once again a little bit amused, I turned back to enjoying the view. I think I had an idea where this was all going and might as well try to get in a bit more of what I’d come here for.

Surprisingly, we probably sat there in silence for about a half hour, and while it wasn’t like I’d forgotten she was there, I’d decided it…wasn’t so bad…to be enjoying the view with someone else. Also, ever since Rouge had shown up, really, since the first time I saw her in Central City, I wasn’t quite sure what to think about her.

I knew from the ‘briefing’ and my own research that Rouge wasn’t quite like Sonic and the rest of his friends, not as ‘upbeat’ or as concerned with being a ‘hero’, even if she actually did do quite a bit to, quietly, make the world a better place (even while serving her own interests). Her past was also a bit of a mystery, even if some of what my research hinted at…made me really feel for her….Oddly, I felt like, she and I, we, for some reason, could be friends, maybe even great friends, though I really couldn’t exactly say why I thought that would be the case.

But, I didn’t really know what to make of all that. Did I even want that? Could I afford to? Was I even allowed to? I mean…was it really okay to have another friend after Maria…and with everything I had to do?

Of course, I knew exactly what Maria would say to those kinds of thoughts….

“So, I’m glad a busy girl like yourself knows to just take it easy now and again. Though, I have to admit I’m a bit surprised. You seemed like you might be an all work and no fun kind of girl. Happy to see I was wrong about that.”

I could only give her an exasperated look in return, probably equal parts amused and annoyed, before I leaned back on my blanket looking at the clear blue sky above, though still keeping her in the edge of my vision. Despite what it might look like, I could react quickly if I needed to, even if I didn’t think she was here for something like that.

“So, what did you want to know?” Honestly, I thought she probably ‘knew’ quite a bit, that was clear enough from everything I had learned about her. Still, if she was here, looking for some ‘girl talk’, instead of trying to lead a capture team or something, there was obviously something more she was trying to figure out. Some questions she didn’t feel she had satisfactorily answered, and I was pretty sure that among Rouge’s many traits, curiosity was probably one of her biggest motivating factors.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that she had laid back on her blanket like I had, though it took her a moment longer to get situated (what with the wings and all).

“Why?”

I sighed and sat back up. So we were going there. Giving her my full attention now (and causing her to sit back up herself; it’s too bad that it had looked like she just got comfortable), I tried not to let the full intensity of my feelings show in my expression. She didn’t deserve that.

“I’m sure you know why.”

Again, I had little doubt that she’d already accessed most of the available files concerning me and the ARK Incident (at least the ones that weren’t classified beyond the range I expected even she could manage to get ahold of). And, for her part, she looked guilty for a moment.

“Ah, sorry to bring that up, particularly when you’re so clearly just relaxing here…but…”

Rouge appeared to hesitate.

“...I think it’s pretty safe to say that you hate G.U.N…” My fists clenched for a moment, and judging by her surprised look, which she quickly hid, she’d probably had her first real experience with the way my eyes glowed whenever I really began to lose control of my emotions. Still, she quickly managed to continue.

“...And, honestly, honey, neither my friends nor I are exactly big fans of them right now….Really, if all you want is to maybe wreck a few of their bases and teach those boys a bit of a lesson, vent a little, I’m not sure any of us are really all that interested in stopping you. Hell, if I didn’t think it might cause this lady a few too many problems, I might even be willing to join you a time or two….I think we all know they deserve it….I’ve also seen from the after action reports that, other than some minor injuries, you seem to have been careful not to ‘harm’ anything other than their big bad machines…and quite a bit of their property, which, really, how important is that stuff anyways?….Seriously, if you keep that up, it’s definitely going to win you some points with a certain blue friend of mine, and I doubt even he’ll be all that interested in going after you, particularly with what he knows now.”

Hmmm, so it seemed that even Sonic knew what was going on now and was likely even sympathetic. It was kind of…comforting…to know that the ‘good guys’ (and Rouge, depending on how you wanted to count her) were at least a little bit on my side now. Still….

For a moment, Rouge’s tone became a lot more serious than before (or probably what was even usual for her).

“So, honey, I hope you don’t mind my asking, but is that all this is about, a little ‘venting’. Once you’ve shown these G.U.N. louts exactly why they shouldn’t mess with a lady…particularly one, might I say, as obviously ‘badass’ as yourself…” For a moment, I nearly smiled again. “...you planning to head off to some beautiful island, much like this one, and get yourself a clearly well-deserved vacation?”

So, we really were going there. I looked back out at the ocean, endless and deep.

“It wouldn’t be enough.”

I didn’t have to look back at her to be aware of her disappointment.

“I don’t suppose it would be…” I heard her sigh. “...It never is….”

I knew there was a story there, though I lacked most of the details, but for a while we just sat in silence again, and I had the sense she had joined me in my quiet vigil over the ocean. Eventually, I noticed Rouge standing, brushing off the sand from her body, and returning her blanket (this time, I noticed) into one of her belt pouches (though, how it fit in there was not entirely clear).

“Well, thanks for the company, it’s been fun….I don’t, ah, really get the opportunity much to have some ‘girl time’. Let’s just say my circle of friends is a bit weighted on the testosterone side, well, with one exception…” For a moment, Rouge looked a bit uncomfortable. “...but, you know what they say, too much of a good thing and all that.”

Hah, she hadn’t come out and exactly said it, but I was almost certain she was talking about the Mobian hedgehog Amy Rose. I guessed if the female hedgehog was anything like my research portrayed her, interactions with Amy probably involved a bit more ‘girliness’ (or, more truthfully, probably optimism and general enthusiasm) than someone like Rouge was really prepared to handle.

“Hmm…I’ll take your word for it…but…thanks…I, ah, appreciated the company as well….I guess you could kind of say it’s been a while….”

She gave me an understanding look and a nod before walking quietly off into the nearby jungle (I assumed she must have some kind of ship hidden there or on one of the other beaches, depending on how she’d managed to arrive). Strangely, in spite of the fact that I think we both parted with the understanding that our next meeting was unlikely to be anywhere near this peaceful, we’d both meant what we said. And maybe, just maybe, the seeds of that friendship I both feared…and actually kind of wanted…had just been planted.