Darkest Night: Chapter 10

A new morning heralded for the young, bi-tailed kitsune as he rose from his bed to greet the day—having beaten the sun in rising as the dawn had yet to break. Despite having not slept, he was nevertheless filled with a boundless energy. His entire night had been spent peering through the darkness, gazing upon the face of his floral beauty in the bed next to him, filling him with overwhelming zeal. It was this energy that spurred him to begin his morning early, pushing him out of bed and down the stairs into the kitchen. Empowered by the events of the previous night, life's possibilities seemed infinite to the young fox and he desired to accomplish them all, as soon as he had eaten breakfast.

Rummaging through his cabinets, the fox removed several pans along with a small bowl. This morning's dish of choice was french toast, another local favorite Cosmo had yet to sample. Anxious to have her near he almost considered waking her, but thought better of it. Instead he decided to allow his new fiancé to rest so that they might engage the day with full vigor, together…

Cosmo, his fiancé. The idea excited him to no end. A new title he had scarcely been prepared to employ, yet now desired to use it at every opportunity. Cosmo, his fiancé. The girl whom would become his wife. The one whom he would spent the rest of his life with. Together, forever. This alone bestowed him with endless bragging rights, or so Tails felt. Dwelling on these things, he began to dance, gallivanting across the kitchen as he collected the necessary ingredients for their breakfast. The fox was in his own world. Nothing could take from him the happiness which he now felt. Heating a pan, Tails placed a generous scoop of butter upon its surface, vacantly staring as it sizzled into nothing. He failed to notice the figure approaching quickly from the darkly lit living room behind him.

"MILES!!" A voice suddenly exclaimed, startling the kitsune to the point of nearly knocking the pan over as he turned. Having barely enough time to turn around, he was suddenly attacked by a very awake Cosmo, grinning from ear to ear as she wrapped her arms around his neck, spinning them both around in circles.

"AH—COSMO!!" The fox-boy yelped, laughing as he lifted her off her feet and continued to spin her. Finally setting her down, the exuberant Seedrian lunged forward, planting her face firmly against Tails' muzzle as she kissed him deeply. Tails eyes fell shut as he gave into his love's affectionate assault, opening and closing his mouth as their lips intertwined. Breaking the kiss, he felt his face burn, casting a bright shade of red likened to the Guardian of the Master Emerald himself across his muzzle. Cosmo giggled, her enchanting eyes fixed on Tails as she greeted him.

"Good morning, my wonderful, amazing future husband!"

"Uh… hey," he sputtered, rubbing the back of his neck as his namesakes twitched nervously, "I wasn't expecting that kind of greeting!"

"Sorry," she giggled again, "I'm just excited after last night. I can't contain myself!"

"Oh, no! Don't be sorry! I'm happy that you're happy!" Tails replied with a chuckle, "I'm still recovering myself. That was really nerve-wracking! I thought my bashfulness was going to get the best of me for a while…"

"Have I ever told you how attractive you are when you're bold?" Cosmo flirted, surprising Tails with her uncharacteristic boldness.

"Can't say that you have," answered he, his face growing even hotter, "I guess, being that I'm usually a coward, it must have been a surprise to you."

"You are most certainly not a coward!" Cosmo protested, hugging him closer as she whispered into his ear, "You're gentle, kind, and humble, and I love you for that. Seeing you be bold though, was a nice surprise."

"Yeah? Maybe I should do it more often," teased the fox.

"I wouldn't mind," said the Seedrian maiden, pulling apart from him reluctantly, "Oh, Tails, I can't believe this is happening! I'm going to be your w-wife… That thought is going to take some getting used to."

"No kidding!" He laughed, tossing the sweetened, egg-coated bread into the frying pan, exuding a sweet scent that wafted about the room, "I wasn't exactly expecting to have a fiancé at age nine, but it's nice."

"Honestly, I had fantasized about you asking for some time," admitted the Petali, a touch of red caressing her cheeks as well, "In fact, I was thinking about it at your birthday party…"

Whilst turning the toast onto its uncooked side, Tails paused, standing frozen with the spatula gripped in his right hand. Cosmo became nervous at her fiancé's lack of a response. Concerned that she had offended him, she shrank back, feeling the need to apologize. "S-sorry… I'm just excited and—I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable…"

"That's… so… weird," Tails muttered, turning to face her, "I was thinking it then, too! That's when Jaran went crazy!"

"That's exactly what happened when I was thinking about it!!" She exclaimed, bouncing on her heels, "Do you think we might have shared a thought through our link?"

"Maybe," the kitsune hero pondered, scratching his chin, "I have noticed I can anticipate you better, lately. Jaran did say our link could only grow."

"Maybe even more now that we're getting…" Cosmo trailed off, batting her eyelashes at her young fox prince alluringly.

"Heh, yeah," the fox agreed nervously, shifting in place as he began his second batch of french toast.

An awkward silence fell between the two adolescent lovers, as Cosmo began to sense Tails' anxiety, feeling it strongly through their shared minds. In her excitement, she feared that she had made her fiancé uncomfortable, what with talk of their impending matrimony. Folding her hands in her lap she stared down at her feet, withdrawing into herself as she often did when feeling uncertain. Sensing this as well, Tails turned to face her, smirking as he approached her. "Hey now, what's the matter? We're getting married! You should be happy!" Tails tried to encourage her before feeling uncertain himself, "Unless, that is, you don't want it…"

Cosmo's head jolted up, an almost offended expression on her face as she wrapped her arms around Tails' neck again. "Of course I want it! I want to be your wife more than anything in the universe! I just… felt like I made you uncomfortable talking about it. I understand. We're very young after all. If you don't want to talk about it—"

"Are you kidding!?" Interrupted the fox, a surprising amount of enthusiasm in his voice, "I'm so excited, I feel like I'm going to explode! It's just a lot to take in. I'm still having trouble believing that this is actually happening! Mrs. Cosmo Prower. Just hearing it gives me chills! I honestly didn't believe we would make it this far, especially after you died."

Cosmo found herself disarmed by Tails' mention of her death, feeling a moment of guilt over leaving him behind. She was quick to recover however, knowing that now they had their entire lives set out before them, together as one. Smiling, she reached out and caressed her fox's cheek tenderly, speaking gently. "Did I not say to look beside you, because that's where I would be? Well, I'm keeping that promise. No matter what happens, I will stand beside you, as your wife."

Tails was touched. Joyous tears began building in his eyes as he again leaned forward, preparing to again capture Cosmo in another intimate kiss. Before he had the chance, Cosmo placed her hand upon his chest, pushing him back gently. "Wh-huh? What did I do wrong?" He asked dejectedly, his ears curving back against his head, "Is it my breath? I brushed my teeth!"

"No, my love!" Laughed Cosmo, pointing over his shoulder, "Breakfast?"

"Breakfast? What do you—WAH!!" The fox yelped, spinning around and snatching the pan from the eye of the stove just as the toast had begun to darken. Breathing a sigh of relief, he set the pan on the counter, fetching his spatula as he pried their well done, but still unburned toast from the pan, placing it on two readied plates. "Perfect! Thanks, honey!"

"I didn't want you to have to start over," she smiled, pacing to the dining table and seating herself, "What is that, anyway?"

"French toast!" Exclaimed Tails, setting the generously portioned meal in front of her before fetching a bottle of maple syrup from the pantry, "I think you'll like it. It's a sort of eggy, cinnamon, toast thing. It's sweet, and tastes really yummy with syrup!"

"It sounds delicious!" Cosmo said with eager enthusiasm, picking up the container of sweet, thick liquid and drizzling a modest amount across the top of her toast. Picking up her fork, she began to dissect the meal into smaller pieces, plucking one up with her fork and lifting it to her mouth. Judging by her facial expression, Tails assumed that she was pleased, as she began greedily attacking the rest. While not one to typically avoid their manners, Cosmo continued her address of Tails with a mouth full of the french toast. "May I—afk yo'—som'ffing?" She inquired with her mouth full before swallowing, "There's something I'm not sure of…"

"You don't have to ask me to ask a question, Cosmo!" Tails laughed, sitting next to her as he began eating his own breakfast, "What's up?"

"Well, it occurs to me, I don't—ah, this is going to sound silly…"

"Just ask, honey! I'm all ears!"

"Ah, how do weddings work… on Mobius?" She spoke slowly, a touch of embarrassment reflecting in her voice.

"Huh?" Inquired the fox, briefly confounded before recalling her non-terrestrial origins, "Oh, um, well… it's a sort of ceremony. It's a long process. There are a lot of preparation involved…"

"Tell me!" she begged, her eyes sparkling with wonderment as she leaned over the table, "What do I have to do?"

"Well, usually, friends and family of the bride and groom get together," Tails began to explain, taking care to be as thorough as possible while also remaining concise, so that she might best understand, "Everyone dresses really nice. The groom stands at an alter at the head of the crowd, and the bride walks down the center isle to him in a really nice dress…" The young fox lost focus for a moment as he imagined Cosmo in a wedding gown, glowing as she slowly walked down the aisle to present herself to him as his bride. The Seedrian watched as a pink tinge touched the fox-boy's cheeks, giggling as she brushed his surface thoughts and caught a glimpse of his fantasies.

"Um, love, are you alright?" She asked with a sly smirk.

"Huh?" He spoke, reality reeling him back in, "Oh, yeah! You—ah—didn't see that, right?"

"Yes," she giggled at him, "but that's okay. I'm glad to know you're excited."

"Hehe, yeah…" hesitated Tails, rubbing the back of his head, "Anyway, the two stand at the alter and someone of official status, like a judge or a priest or something, gives a speech talking about love and the importance of marriage and the bond we share. Then, when that's done, the deal is usually sealed with a kiss!"

"Oh," Cosmo nodded as she processed this information, "That doesn't sound like a lot! You made it sound like it would be difficult!"

"Well, there's more than just the ceremony!" He interjected, "It takes months of planning to get everything just right! Getting married is considered one of the most important parts of a person's life to a lot of Mobians, so they really go all out in making sure everything is perfect! The right place, the right time, the right decorations, the perfect dress! That's a big one, the bride's dress. Girls can get pretty crazy over getting the right dress. It all seems like one big fashion competition to me. Then there's the reception, where the newly-married couple meets with people, takes pictures, eats cake, stuff like that. Then there's the h-hon—honeymoon…"

"What's wrong?" Cosmo inquired, sensing the anxiety onset by the term 'honeymoon', "What's a honeymoon? Is it like a pie?"

"No, Cosmo, that's moon pies…" corrected Tails, "A honeymoon is a sort of—ah—vacation the couple takes after the wedding."

"Oh, that doesn't sound so bad!" Cosmo laughed, not understanding his anxiety, "In fact, it sounds nice! Why does that make you so uptight?"

"Well, it's—a-ah—it's… what a couple is expected to do… on the honeymoon…" The fox answered vaguely, trailing off into a whisper.

"What are they expected to do?" The flower-haired girl pried curiously, "Is it bad?"

"No! Or, not exactly… I just don't think we're ready for… THAT… yet."

"Ready for what, Miles?" Cosmo continued to press, "Tails, I'm ready to do whatever I must to be your wife! Whatever it is, I'll do it!"

"Um, it's…" Tails continued to stutter, beads of sweat lacing his forehead as his hands began to shake violently. Finally, the fox managed to croaked out an answer, "During the trip… the couple is expected to—to consummate the marriage…"

Cosmo's eyes snapped wide open. Despite her youth, the Petali was not stupid. She had spent enough time listening to her friends and reading Tails' various scientific texts to understand what the definition of "consummate" was. While ready to become Tails' wife, she had not expected to have to mate with him for it to become validated. Despite her conviction, this was a step even she was not ready to take. Not yet. The meaning would be lost due to her adolescence, and she was quick to express this to Tails. "T-Tails, I do love you, and I do want to marry you, but are you sure that's necessary? I don't think either of us—"

"Are ready?" Finished Tails, nodding his head, "I know, me neither…"

"But I do still want to marry you!" She reaffirmed, "If that's what I must do… then I suppose—"

"NO!!" Yelled Tails, jumping from his seat and hitting his knee against the underside of the table, "YEOW!!"

"Tails! Are you alright?" Cosmo panicked, standing to rush to his side as she fussed over his restively minor mishap.

"Yeah, fine," grumbled the fox, sitting down and clutching his knee, "just a bump."

"I'm sorry," said she, lowering her head and staring at her slippers, "like I said, though, if that's what's really necessary—"

"No, no, Cosmo! It's not!" The fox frantically interjected, "I don't think I'm ready either! I mean, marriage is enough, right? Especially for our age! Us not—you know… isn't going to make us any less husband and wife than if we did! That's just one of those things you do when you're ready, so… can we not? For both of our sakes? Or, not until we're much, MUCH older?"

"Of course!" agreed the Seedrian, relieved, "but when we do reach that point, just know that you're the only one I'll ever give myself to. I'm all yours… I love you."

"Um, same. And I love you too," Tails spoke quickly, attempting to shift the topic to one less awkward, "So, like I said, lots of stuff to do. Usually people start planning several months in advance. We've got three, so we better get a move on it."

"I agree," nodded Cosmo in affirmation, "I should speak to Mrs. Vanilla as soon as possible so I know where to begin."

"Yeah, seems like a good idea to talk to the coordinator before making any decisions," agreed Tails.

"Coordinator? What's that?" Asked his fiancé, not understanding the title.

"It's the person who directs and plans the wedding," he explained, "makes sure everything runs smoothly. You did ask Miss Vanilla to help plan, so that makes her the coordinator!"

"Oh… I see," Cosmo comprehended, "I suppose I need to get familiar with all of these positions and titles, shouldn't I? It seems like there are a lot of them."

"Yeah. I should probably let Sonic know he'll be my best man. He's the obvious one to pick."

"What's a 'best man'?" Begged Cosmo again, reflecting her unversed knowledge of Mobian customs.

"He's the one standing next to me on the alter," Tails replied, remaining patient as Cosmo tried to learn the requirements of a Mobian wedding ceremony, "he also helps me get ready for the wedding and stuff. Sort of like your maid of honor."

"Oh… What's a 'maid of honor'?"

"She's—like the best man," he continued, straining to put facts into words which she would understand, "She'll help you prepare, and she'll be the one next to you on the alter."

"Oh, and I suppose it's a very honorable position, what with that title?" Asked the Seedrian redundantly.

"Yeah, it's usually given to a close friend of family member."

"Oh, well, I suppose Amy would be my choice then," Cosmo said uncertainly, "She's been my Sonic since I came here, if you get what I mean."

"Yeah…" groaned Tails, fidgeting anxiously, "Amy…"

"What's the matter?" His alien wife-to-be asked, "I thought you and Amy were friends?"

"Oh, we are!" Saved the fox, waving his hands defensively, "It's just, Amy's really outspoken and assertive. I'm worried she'll try to dominate the wedding."

"I—don't think she will," Cosmo said, seeming uncertain of this herself, "Besides, it will be nice. She and Sonic next to you and I. It just seems right to me. Is that okay?"

"That's completely up to you, sweetheart!" Tails smiled at his flower, "I just thought you should know!"

"Mhm," acknowledged Cosmo, her broad grin returning as she stood, walking to the side of the table where sat her fiancé, wrapping her arms under his around his furry chest, "Oh, Tails, I can't believe it! We're getting married! I've never been so happy in my life…"

Turning in his chair Tails noticed a tear trail down Cosmo's cheek, still bearing that gorgeous smile upon her lips as she gazed down at him lovingly. Standing, he pulled her in close, locking lips with her as he ran his hands through her leafy hair. Retracting he returned her smile, blushing as he whispered to her, "I'm so, so happy to have you. You're more than I deserve. I love you…"

A knock came at the door which prevented Cosmo from formulating a response. Uncertain as to just whom might be visiting them this early in the day, Cosmo drew away from her fiancé's embrace and made her way to the front door, followed closely behind by Tails. Turning the knob she opened the door, only to be snatched from her feet and violently spun around by an overly-enthusiastic pink hedgehog.

"COSMOOO!!!" Screeched Amy loudly, as the disoriented Petali clutched to her for dear life, "OH MY GOD, HOW ARE YOU GIRL!?!"

"A-ah, h-hello, A-Amy," Cosmo replied dizzily, struggling to focus her vision, "n-nice to see you t-too?"

"Amy, settle down," the familiar voice of Vanilla the Rabbit came, as she approached the pink hedgehog from behind and placed a hand on her shoulder, "she'll be no good to Tails if you give her an aneurism before the wedding."

"TAILS!!!" Amy screamed suddenly, dropping Cosmo abruptly as she darted toward the yellow fox. Despite attempting to run, Tails found himself suddenly in Cosmo's predicament, growing nauseous from being spun in circles by Amy.

"Alright, Amy, that's enough," the elder rabbit stated both calmly and firmly, "we have other things to do today. Put him down."

Amy obliged, though not loosing her frighteningly toothy grin. Cosmo quickly rejoined Tails at his side, both seeming shocked and confused. Vanilla shook her head, smiling down at the two warmly. "Hello, you two! Sorry if we're intruding," she apologized humbly.

"N-no! You're fine!" Tails assured, "We just weren't expecting THAT this morning!"

"Yes," agreed Cosmo, "what's got you so excited this morning, Amy?"

"ARE YOU KIDDING!?!" Raved the hedgehog, "You two lovebirds are getting married in three months! What's not to be excited about!? Why do you think we're even here!?"

"Huh?" The fox asked perplexed, "What do you mean?"

"Actually, yes, that's why we're here," concurred Vanilla, "I was hoping the two of you could spare a few moments to begin planning this out."

"Now?" Tails asked, scratching behind his big, pointy ears, "I mean, I guess, but why now? We just got engaged yesterday!"

"True, but the timeframe the two of you imposed doesn't leave a lot of wiggle-room," Vanilla said pointedly, "Three months is a very small window. Most people take six months to a year to prepare for a wedding. We're working a rush-job!"

"Oh, I suppose that makes sense," Cosmo nodded, stepping aside and holding the door, "Come in, please!"

The female rabbit obliged, stepping into the home fluidly in front of a still elated Amy Rose. Pacing across the living room the comparatively tall doe settled herself comfortably on a nearby recliner, with Amy sitting on the end of the sofa nearest to her. Hesitantly, Tails and Cosmo joined them at the opposing end of the sofa, glancing at each other before turning their focus to Vanilla.

"Now then," she began, crossing her legs and resting her hands on her knee, "since I'm going to be organizing the event I thought to ask some basic questions so that I might get an idea of just what sort of wedding you'd like. So tell me, do you have a theme in mind?"

"A theme?" Asked the Seedrian maiden, tilting her head to the side, "How do you mean?"

"I mean, what decor would you like? What kind of setting? Things like that."

"Ahh," Hesitated the two, looking inquisitively at the other before returning their gaze to Vanilla.

"We haven't thought about it," Tails admitted, rubbing the back of his head.

"We haven't really had time to consider," explained Cosmo in a meek voice, "we've been engaged less than a day."

"Ohh…" Groaned the earthly-toned rabbit, placing a hand over her head, "this would have been much less pressing had we more time."

"Do you have any ideas?" Asked Cosmo, "I don't know much about your customs so suggestions would be nice."

"How about a nature theme!?" Amy spoke up, bouncing on the sofa excitedly, "Cosmo's really into flowers and the outdoors, so it makes sense!"

"Actually, that's not bad!" Spoke Tails, ears perking as he smiled, "What do you think, sweetheart?"

"I—absolutely!" She sputtered, her eyes shimmering as she looked to her fiancé, "It sounds wonderful! So long as you don't mind, Tails."

"Of course not!" Laughed the two-tailed kitsune, pulling Cosmo closer to his side, "It fits perfectly with your style! We could have it outside! Find a garden or something?"

"Now we're brain-storming!" Vanilla spoke enthusiastically, pulling a small notepad and pencil from a pocket in her dress as she began a short list, "I was always fond of outdoor ceremonies, so long as it's not too hot. Fortunately, two months places it in late January, so that shouldn't be an issue."

"Who all would come, though?" The two-tailed fox wondered aloud, looking thoughtful as he stroked his whiskers, "Our group isn't exactly huge."

"Nonsense!" Dismissed Vanilla, waving her hand, "Aside from the current Freedom Fighters, there's the old members and extended friends! Bunny, Antoine, Princess Sally, Mighty, Ray, your uncle?"

"Uncle?" Cosmo inquired, tilting her head to the side, "You have living relatives, Tails?"

"Yeah!" Exclaimed the golden kitsune, turning to Cosmo with eagerness, "you'll get to meet my uncle, Merlin Prower! He's a wizard."

"A wizard?" Spoke Cosmo in wonderment, leaning forward, "You have magic in your bloodline?"

"Cosmo, there's no such thing as magic," said the fox rolling his eyes, "he manipulates Chaos Energy just like Shadow, just in a different way."

"I disagree," Cosmo modestly objected, "Still, a sage and a scientist in the same family. Ah, do you think he'll… like me?"

"No," said the two-tailed fox, pausing for dramatic effect, "I think he'll LOVE you! Uncle Merlin is pretty open-minded. I don't think he'll have a problem with you being a plant, if that's what you're worried about."

"Oh, y-yes, good," the Petali sighed with relief, "that's what I was worried about."

"I wouldn't," Vanilla agreed, "from anyone. Our friends are of all types, and I think they'll find you just charming!"

"Ooh!! What about the dress!? We have got to make sure we get the right dress!! Cosmo's going to look so CUTE in a little wedding dress!! I bet Tails will think so, too…" Said Amy with a sly smirk.

Once again Tails found himself blushing, to which the three ladies present couldn't help but giggle. Quite suddenly a realization struck Cosmo, recalling something which she had discussed with Tails before Vanilla and Amy had arrived. Turning to face the pink hedgehog the Seedrian spoke, kicking her feet back and forth anxiously on the sofa. "Amy, I have something to ask you. Tails informed me there are several positions of honor in a Mobian wedding that need to be filled. I'm not familiar with all of them, and could use as much help as I can get. I was hoping you… might be my maid of honor?"

"Wait, WHAT!?" Exclaimed the coral hedgehog, jolting up from the sofa with her hands across her chest, "You're asking me? ME? The maid of honor!?"

"Well… yes," she confirmed, glancing up at Amy with a meek smile, "you're like a sister to me. I can't think of any other I would want for the position."

"HECK YEAH!!" Amy yelped, lunging at Cosmo and crushing her in a tight hug. Traces of tears began forming in the corners of her eyes, fawning over the prospective bride. "I can't believe it! Me, Amy Rose, maid of honor! Thank you so much, Cos!!"

"Why don't we save the tears for the wedding, hm?" Spoke Vanilla again, prompting Amy to return to her seat, "We still have quite a few preparation to make, but at least we have something to go on. Both of you need to be willing to make a few unplanned errands with me on short notice. We don't have much time and there's much to do. We have to seize opportunities when they present themselves or there may be a delay."

"Yes, ma'am!" The couple unanimously responded, watching Vanilla and Amy stand and make their way to leave.

"I'll start working right away and let you know when I have something," the doe promised, opening the door and making her way out, once more calling over her shoulder, "Congratulations, again, you two! I wish you both the best!"

"I'll drop by tomorrow, Cos! I've got a lot in mind for the wedding!" Amy said, stepping onto the front porch, "See ya!"

The door shut, leaving Tails and Cosmo alone once again. The two slowly turned to each other, cheeks tinted pink as they studied each other's expressions.

"Well…" Tails began, trailing off.

"This is going to be a lot of hard work," Cosmo said, mulling over the preparations needing to be made, "I can already tell."

"Do you want to call it off?" Tails asked, his ears drooping as his expression fell, "If it's too much—"

"Shh," Cosmo hushed him, placing a finger over his lips as she scooted closer to him on the sofa, leaning in nearer to his face, "Stop second guessing me, Miles. I want this… so much."

Smiling, Tails reached out a gloved hand, stroking her cheek as he pulled her in closer, their lips nearing each other as their eyes fell shut. Time seemed to slow itself as they came nearer to each other, desiring the touch of each other's lips and their own special embrace…

A massive clap splitting the air was enough to rip them out of their daydream. Tremors shook the house, causing a picture frame to fall from the wall and shatter against the floor. Darting her head about, Cosmo drew closer to Tails, while the fox himself looked around for the source of the disruption.

"Tails, what is it!?" Panicked the young Petali, gripping tightly to her fiancé's soft fur.

"Outside!" Tails yelled over the mounting roar, dashing to the door with Cosmo in tow.

Stepping onto their porch the two turned their heads skyward, looking on in horror as the source of the loud report loomed above them. A massive, red and silver metallic structure, engines thrumming terribly as it hovered above their residence, was enough to make their blood run cold.

"That's the Egg Carrier!" Tails shouted, drawing Cosmo to his side as he narrowed his eyes scornfully at the airship, "Eggman's back!"