This is a quaint little bit written in '04 that I dug up and revised for the sake of being bored, really. I let it tumble in the washing machine for a good, thorough cleaning aaanndd.. voila!

Pause for Disclaimer--

This literary work of fanfiction belongs to its author and may not be used for profit without the notified permission of the specified author. The characters, settings, references and given background mentioned, and, or depicted, aside from the happenings of the plot itself, is the property of the following- Archie Comics, SEGA Corporation and DiC Productions and any other organizations not mentioned in these listings possessing ownership of property that is related to Sonic the Hedgehog. All other terms stated in Title 17 of the U.S. Code concerning copyright laws apply.

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A blue twilight has fallen in the deeper wilderness of the Great Forest. A cool, freshening April shower has descended in shuddering whispers over the lush glade embosoming Knothole. All activity put on hold, with chores left undone and dutiful work left unattended to soak in the rain, forces the freedom fighters to retreat indoors with rather dampened spirits.

Sally Acorn sits in her bedroom at the window with her head in her hands and elbows propped on the sill. She gazes idly into the faint mist that looms over the wild grasses and up to scraps of ashen sky sieving through the gloomy shade of trees. She listens to rain droplets tiptoe and patter over the roof and she watches them wind in small rivulets over the clouded glass panes. Her thoughts lie somewhere scattered, amidst the air and the rainfall. Somewhere between the future and the past. Somewhere obscure and ambiguous and secret. Somewhere within the glass panes and along the rivulets of rain…

Yet, she is hardly startled at the familiar blundering noise of sonic sound whooshing open her front door and the subsequent sweep of cool winds. A thoroughly drenched, thoroughly disgruntled looking Sonic storms into her hut, dripping water from sunken, slick blue quills on her wooden bedroom floors.

Sally's focus remains absorbed in space. "Its raining today," she observes absentmindedly, voice distant.

Sonic begins draining his sodden quills of rainwater and muck, vainly attempting to reshape them into their natural, slick curvature down his spine. He grumbles rather edgily, "Yeah, I noticed that."

"We'll have to postpone the toxic waste networking system investigation until Sunday at the least," she says sadly. "Rotor says this weather won't let up for another few days.."

The hedgehog ambles over to Sally's side at the window, knocking water out of his ear. "So we gotta bump the mission to Robo-town by a few days.." he grins cheerfully, "No biggie, right?"

Sally sighs, "No, I-I suppose not…"

For some few instances of stillness, a delicate layer of silence instills the space. The two of them, hedgehog and princess, gaze out into the nothingness of space at the window. There is only the quiet patter of rain on the sill.

Sonic, arms crossed, eyes intently staring out at the rain, begins tapping his foot impatiently. He utters crossly, "But this rain sure is a drag."

"Yes," Sally sighs resignedly, "it will slow down work in the village."

"Not to mention me!" the blue speedster exclaims. "I won't be able to juice through the Great Forest; it's so wet n' muck out there!"

The Princess replies sardonically, smirking, "I thought nothing slowed you down, Sonic."

The cobalt blue hedgehog gives his right ear a good thwack, too ardently knocking water from it to pick up on her tone. "Hedgehogs and water just don't mix, Sal. It ain't got nothin' to do with the ole speed."

She turns back to the window, retorting doubtfully, "Uh-huh, right."

Sonic's amber eyes rivet to her, then peer into dubious, roguish slits. "Oh yeah-?" his face cracks a grin. "Hah!" He suddenly grabs at Sally playfully, pulling her up from her place at the window, shouting with laughter.

He tickles her sides, tussling with her, holding her close.

"Don't believe me, huh? Huh-!?" he grins.

She fidgets in his unrelenting fingers. Her serious, unsmiling demands that he release her only erupt in giggles.

Sally, her body thrashing in protest, throws her head back in laughter, "Sonic, stop it!"

The hedgehog sniggers and gives in, but his hands stay round her slim waist. Holding her close.

He beams smugly, saying with pride and with sudden tenderness, "Don't ever mess with the hedgehog."

Sally smiles, "I'll make a note of that."

Sonic, still dripping wet and slick with rain, smiles back. Sally chuckles quietly, smoothing out the wiry quills that still stick out at odd angles on his head and, while doing so, unthinkingly encircles her arms around his neck tighter.

He studies her gently, his amber eyes turning tender and warm, like reacting to heat and light.

Unconsciously, he tightens his hold of her, and she, unconsciously, allows him to pull her in closer.

There is only the quiet patter of rain outside.

They study one another's faces.

"...Aunt Sally..?"

Both of them snap their heads over to the small, timid voice. Tails stands cowering in the doorway; he clutches to his bed blanket. The scruffy fox kit looks troubled.

"Hey, what's up, Big Guy?" Sonic calls, his voice perceptibly bolder and more pronounced than moments ago, clumsily brushing himself off of Sally.

She crouches down to him, concernedly, "What is it, honey?"

"Aunt Sally.." the fox kit fidgets insecurely before confessing, "I'm scared of the thunder."

Instantaneously, there is a strident staccato crack and the rumbling, dull roar of thunder as lightning flashes in the dim, unlit room, stupefying the three.

Tails gasps and startled, runs hurriedly into Sally's arms, burying his face.

"Hey Tails," Sonic consoles him, chuckling, "there ain't nothin' to worry about. It's just thunder."

Thunder follows him in an earsplitting static crackle. Lightning flares in a stroboscopic, blinding white light.

The young fox clutches tighter to Sally. He gapes up into her face fretfully, bleating, "B-but.. what if the lightning comes through my window an' hits me?"

Sally smiles faintly in the flashes of lightning strikes and in the light of some far-off remembrance. She says calmly, "You know what?"

Tails sniffles feebly, "What?"

"A storm isn't really a storm at all, made of lightning bolts and thunder.. Its only the angels.."

The young kit gapes at her curiously, fear fading, "Angels?"

"Mhm.. " Sally nods, murmuring to him in a pacifying tone soft, plaintive, thumbing the tears pricking his eyes. "They say that when the angels are in despair, they cry in the sky and their tears fall from Chaos' Idylls to the world as rain. And when they cry out their unhappiness, that's the thunder we hear."

Young Tails, suddenly ignorant of the mounting thunder booming around him, whispers to her eagerly, "How many are there, Aunt Sally?"

"Thousands."

"Thousands!?"

"Mhmm.. and do you know what else?"

Tails, eyes wide with wonder, shakes his head.

"If you sit by the window and you sit quiet and still and you listen closely enough, you can hear them, hear them crying."

Tails moves in closer, murmuring in earnest, hushed tones, as if a secret of great significance were being entrusted to him, "What're they cryin' about, Aunt Sally?"

"I don't know, honey. No one does. But why don't you go listen and try to find out for me?" she suggests.

"Ok!" the young fox pipes brightly, returning to his frank, smiling self. He scampers from Sally's arms and makes a dash for the door, but he doubles back, calling, "Sonic! Come listen to the angels with me!"

"I'll be there in a super sonic second, 'kay, bud?" Sonic smiles, tousling the fox kit's ginger hair.

"Ok!" Tails scurries out the door happily.

Thunder growls sleepily from outdoors. Tails' hurried footfall can be heard pattering down the hallway, shouting earnestly, "I'm coming!"

Sonic and Sally chuckle hearing it.

"So," Sonic asks, "where'd you come up with that bit?"

"An old folklore tale Rosie used to tell me that story when I was little and afraid of storms. And you know, it's funny.." she chuckles softly, a whisper of nostalgia veiling over her voice, glazing over her eyes. "I actually believed her for the longest time."

Without realizing, Sally finds herself in Sonic's arms again.

There is only the quiet patter of rain outside.

They study the rainfall outside. They study each other.

The blue hedgehog speaks first, "What're we gonna do for three whole days, Sal'?"

Sally rests her head on his chest, "We'll just have to wait it out, I suppose."

"Aaannd.. what'll we do waiting?"

Sally slowly encircles her arms round his neck, smirking up at him, "Use your head.." she cooes, teasingly tapping his cranium.

They kiss..

There is only the quiet patter of rain outside…