Road to Conception

It was amazing how such a simple thing could cause so much trouble. Unbelievable that one tiny, seemingly insignificant act could start a chain of events with such magnitude. It had started on a stormy Saturday. The day was dreary and unpleasant and Sally felt much the same way. She would have been happy enough to crawl into her bed and remain there for the day, but there was an annoying little problem that made all that impossible. His name was Zane and he made Antoine look positively cleaver and enduring in comparison. The wombat was one of a handful of new mobians who had come to call Knothole home after Robotnik’s raid on a small village situated entirely too close to the city’s boarders. The majority of the town’s folk had been hauled off, to a fate more feared than death. Zane and four others were all that were left.

At first Sally had been very forgiving of his pestering. He’d been through a traumatic experience, he needed time to adjust. But as time went on, she found his “devotion” to be more and more aggravating. He was waiting outside her door when she awoke in the mornings. He escorted her about Knothole like some stony faced sentry. He shadowed her all day and set up camp near her hut at night, insisting she shouldn’t be left to her own devices, especially with so many desperate men wondering around. Most desperate of all, Zane had decided was Sonic Hedgehog. Sally honestly feared Sonic would at some point lose his patients with the wombat and end up seriously hurting him. Worst of all . . . she couldn’t really blame him if he did in the end. Zane stalked after she and Sonic whenever they were together, more than ready to intercede should the need arise.

And on that particular Saturday she just needed a break, a break from him and everything in general. So she’d sent Zane with a huge stack of books to his own hut, asking him to comb over the old royal archives and make note of anything that might be of importance. Sally had no real interest in the books or she would have read them herself. They were nothing more than slowly rotting leather and wood pulp, full of old stories of her long dead forefathers. It sounded important though and Zane was more than happy to do whatever she asked. No more than an hour had passed before he was back though, barging into her small hut without knocking. He held one of the books before him, tossing it onto Sally’s little kitchen table with a thump. The hot tea she’d been trying to enjoy sloshed over the rim of her cup and Sally looked up sharply.
“What are . . .” She began hotly, but the wombat interrupted loudly, shoving the book open and toward her.
‘There is a horrible problem Princess!” He told her, flipping pages. “Just awful!”
“Zane . . .”
“Here it is!” He interrupted again, pointing a furry gray finger at a paragraph about half way down the page. Sally sighed loudly and bent a little closer to read the words written there.
“It’s the story of my great great grandfather, Galen. What about it?”
“See . . . in this account he took a chambermaid well . . . in his chamber and made a kit with her!”
“And?”
“Because of the war! Because he was unsure his wife Queen Mara would conceive in time.”
“It’s not the nicest story, I agree. Are you asking to strike it from the official record?” Sally looked up into Zane’s face, seeing he was truly upset. She shook her head, processing again part of what he’d said. “In time for what?”
“There’s a law . . . it was made way, way back . . . near the beginning of the Acorn rein. In times of war . . . the line of succession must be assured. The new King . . . or Queen must produce an heir before their twentieth birthday.”
“I’m not Queen of Mobius, Zane. My father has an heir in me. It’s okay.”
“No, no! You are Queen! I mean . . . not exactly . . . but . . . you are. Your father hasn’t inhabited this world for over ten years Princess. He’s legally . . . dead.”
“He isn’t dead, I’ve seen him myself.”
“I know, but legally . . . you must understand. Legally you are Queen. Just not officially I guess.”
“And what happens if there isn’t an heir?” Sally asked softly, looking down at the book again.
“Since you have no surviving family, even distantly . . .well . . . the uhhh . . . the last acting Minister of War becomes . . .” He trailed off, his ears twitching in uncertainty.
“Becomes . . .” Sally encouraged and Zane swallowed loudly.
“Becomes heir.” He finished with some difficulty. Sally jerked the book up then, cradling it in her arms as she stalked about her kitchenette, reading.
“Thank you Zane, you can go.”
“But . . . Princess . . . what will we do?”
“You are not going to say a word to the others about this.”
“Yes, but . . .”
“Just keep it to yourself.” Sally insisted firmly, not looking up.
“I don’t think I should leave you . . . you’re clearly upset.”
“I’m fine, go on.”
“Princess . . .”
“Call me Sally!” She snapped at him, the wombat jumping slightly. “I’m sorry just . . . I need to think please. I’m fine, really.” Zane nodded after a moment. He gave her a little bow and hurried out the door, leaving he to her thoughts.

It was late, but Sonic bound up the steps that lead to his hut, feeling energized by his late night run. He hummed happily, pushing his door open and walking inside. He fumbled with the oil lamp on his table for a moment, but managed to finally get it lit. The hedgehog kicked off his shoes, then peeled his gloves off, dropping them carelessly on the floor. A shower would be perfect. A nice warm shower to get his muscles loose and his mind a little more relaxed, ready for bed. He smiled slightly, thinking of what else he might do in the shower. He’d helped Sally with one of her projects that morning before the rain had started and she had constantly been bending over to work on the hunk of metal that was supposed to at some point function as an electric water heater. Knothole’s current water heater was full of hot water only because Sonic ran for an hour or so on the treadmill connected to it each morning. Watching her small, fluffy tail flit about as she worked was arousing. He wasn’t sure why exactly. It couldn’t hurt that it was attached to her rump and he found seeing it tilted toward the sky very sexy. It was the only part of her body that honestly held any significant curve. Her ass and the flare of her hips. Sonic groaned softly at the thought, imagining his hand caressing down one butt cheek then the other. He’d want to pull her tail a little next. He wondered vaguely if she’d like that, but dismissed it, in his fantasy she loved it. He imagined tugging lightly, feeling the fur slip through his fingers before his hands moved on, following the line of her waist over her hips and gripping there for a minute. He could nearly feel her hipbones in his palms and he licked his lips. In his impromptu dream she was standing before him and he jerked her close by those curvy hips. Her rear was snuggly pressed to him and he shifted his hips against her, rubbing himself, grinding his growing erection slowly. Sonic groaned again, louder than before and reach down to gently squeeze his sheath and the sensitive penis just within it. He played with the blue fur covered skin for a moment before pushing the sheath back slightly to allow his member to slip from inside. Lightly he stoked at the stiffening cock, humming in the back of his throat. Not really paying attention to anything other than what he was doing, he made his way past his bedroom and into his bathroom, he reach to cut the water on, but at the last moment, realized he’d forgotten to grab a towel from the linen closet in his bedroom. Still pulling rhythmically at his arousal he made his way back into the room, heading for the tiny closet.
“Shit!” He suddenly barked, whirling away from his bed and the form he had noticed for the first time upon it. A minute passed, then two and he cautiously glanced over his shoulder. Sally was perfectly still, her eyes closed, and he sighed loudly in relief. She was asleep and had been the entire time. He took a moment to right himself, then turned to study her sleeping form. It was unusual for her to appear unannounced and the damp spot still marring his pillow was proof enough that she had been crying. Sonic settled on the edge of the mattress, reaching out to wake her. Gently he caressed her arm, whispering her name. Slowly blue eyes opened, looking a little confused for a moment.
“It’s okay.” Sonic assured softly, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “It’s just me.”
“I fell asleep, I’m sorry.” She murmured, pushing herself into a sitting position.
“No prob. Sorry I wasn’t here.”
“I should have just come back tomorrow morning.”
“What’s wrong Sal?” He asked, taking in her expression.
“I just . . . I got some upsetting news today.”
“Wanna talk about it?”
“I’m not sure.” She replied, the hedgehog blinking in surprise. The response was almost painfully unexpected. When had she ever not been able to discuss anything with him?
“Sal . . .”
“I want to Sonic . . . but I don’t too. I’ve thought myself in circles today and I keep coming back to the same place. And I don’t . . . I don’t like that place.” She sighed miserably, suddenly reaching out for his hand. She took his right hand in her own, bringing it up to her cheek and pressing it there.
“Tell me what’s goin’ on an’ we’ll figure somethin’ out together. Ya can count on me.” He reassured firmly.
“I know. Sometimes it’s all I know.” She turned her head and kissed his palm, Sonic’s arm stiffening some. He’d been using the hand to jerk off not five minutes earlier and there was something both unsettling and arousing about having her lips there. Sally didn’t seem to notice the slight movement. She sighed and stood up, going to stare out his bedroom window. “I need you to do something for me Sonic. Something very important, but I . . . honestly I’m afraid to ask you.”
“Sally, ya can ask me anythin’.” He told her, moving to join her at the window sill. “Anythin’ I can do . . . ya know I will.”
“Maybe not this time.” She whispered, tilting her head upward to look at the stars. “Zane found an old decree today while I had him going over some books. In times of war there has to be an heir before a sovereign’s twentieth birthday or the heir will be named out of their family. If they have no family . . . the Minister of War would become heir to the throne.” Sally stood silently, letting Sonic process what she’d said.
“Are ya saying . . . . what, that if you died ‘Buttnik would be king?”
“Yes.”
“Nobody would accept that Sal, law of no law.”
“Not on Mobuis, no. That isn’t really the problem. We aren’t alone in the universe Sonic. If Robotnik had a legal claim to this world . . . he could sell it off . . . to other Overlanders I’d guess. The number of factories would increase a hundred times over. We’d be . . . overrun in a matter of weeks.”
“Maybe he doesn’t know.” The blue hedgehog offered, but Sally shook her head.
“He knows. He’s too clever and conniving not to know.”
“But ya ain’t dead an’ as long as I’m breathin’ I’m gonna take care a’ . . .”
“I need to have a kit.” She interrupted, touching his hand lightly. “I need to have one now. I’m only two months away from my nineteenth birthday.”
“Sal, what are ya sayin’?”
“You’re the only one I trust not to want something . . . politically.” Sally took a deep breath, apparently discouraged by the silence that followed her statement. “You’re a good . . . you’re good with Tails, I know you’ll . . .” She trailed off, looking away from him. “You don’t have to be involved after it comes at all if you don’t want. They don’t even have to know you fathered them if that’s what you want.”
“I can’t do that Sal.”
“I . . . understand. I’ll find someone else.” Sally turned to go and he reach out, grabbing her arm.
“Whoa, I didn’t mean no. I meant I couldn’t have a kit an’ not be it’s dad. I wouldn’t do that.”
“You . . . you’ll do this for me?” Sally asked, sounding amazed.
“Well . . . for us. Yeah . . . if this is what needs ta be done.”
“Thank you.” She practically wept, throwing her arms around his neck. She held to him tenaciously for a moment, then pulled away, smiling brightly. “Listen, I took a blood sample so Nicole could lay out an ovulation chart. As it so happens tonight would be a good night to try. Is that alright?”
“S-sure.” Sonic managed, blushing slightly. He sat his hands on her hips, letting this thumbs worry the protrusion of her hip bones for a moment. “Sounds good.” He told her, sounding far more confident than he had before. “Let me just get a shower an’. . .”
“Great! Let me go get you a specimen cup from the infirmary.”
“A . . . a what now?”
“A cup for your . . .” It was Sally’s turn to blush then, her inner ears turning red. “You know, semen.”
“O-oh. Yeah . . . okay.” He released her, clearing his throat loudly. “Great.”