Winds of Freedom

Chapter 30: Lockdown

Chapter 30: Lockdown

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Royale Palace - Palace Halls, Noon Hours

The sun streamed through the palace windows, casting a warm glow across the polished marble floors. As the group meandered through the ornate halls, the grandeur of the palace felt almost at odds with the uneasy atmosphere lingering in the air. Amy walked at the center of the group, her voice steady but tinged with excitement as she recounted the previous day's events.

"And after all of that," Amy continued, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm, "I was given a room to stay in, and Gong even gave me a little tour around the palace. While we were chatting, he mentioned some unexpected brave heroes that helped them the day before, and when he described a blue hedgehog and a yellow fox, I knew it had to be you two!" She pointed at Sonic and Tails with a grin. "So I just waited for you guys to show up!"

Her story left the group in awe, the details sinking in.

"Wait, you saved Scary Lady and the Royal Magister?" Carol exclaimed, eyes wide in disbelief. "And they gave you a room and a tour? All for yourself?"

Amy's cheeks flushed slightly, her smile bashful. "Yes, they did. It was... quite the day."

"That's an understatement," Gong muttered, his tone good-natured but impressed.

"I hope Lady Neera is alright," Milla murmured, concern lacing her soft voice.

Gong gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, girl. She's resting now and getting the best care. She'll be up and giving orders again in no time," he said, earning looks of relief from the group.

Tails beamed at Amy, impressed by her accomplishments. "Amy, that's amazing! You really stepped up." He raised a hand for a high-five, which Amy eagerly met with a wide grin.

The rest of the group was equally impressed. Saving the city-and its ruler-was no easy feat, especially with one of Robotnik's Hard-Boiled Heavies involved. Sonic crossed his arms, a genuine grin spreading across his face.

"Yeah, gotta admit, that's pretty cool, Amy," Sonic said with newfound respect.

Amy's blush deepened at Sonic's compliment, her eyes lighting up with happiness. She leaned slightly closer to him, her voice taking on a playful, dreamy tone. "Oh, it was nothing," she said modestly. Then, with a glint of mischief in her eye, she added, "But I must say, the fact that we're both here together-don't you think it's a sign of destiny, hmmm?"

"Uhhh..." Sonic took a step back, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as Amy inched closer.

Carol's eyes widened as she elbowed Lilac, her ears twitching in amusement and surprise. "No way... Think we bumped into Sonic's girlfriend!" she whispered with a smirk.

"G-girlfriend?" Lilac repeated, blinking as she watched Sonic shuffle nervously away from Amy's advances. "Oh... well, he does travel a lot and meets a lot of people... so I guess it makes sense?" She recalled the story Sonic told her about Little Planet and the pink hedgehog he'd mentioned, her tone almost turning sour at the realization.

Tails shook his head, looking half-amused and half-exasperated. "Nope," he said with a sigh, noticing their confusion. "She calls herself Sonic's girlfriend, but she's not. She's just... a super fan... and super clingy."

Lilac let out a quiet sigh of relief. "She's not?" she whispered, though a hint of confusion flickered across her face. Wait... relieved?Why do I feel relieved?