Tales from the Phantom volume II

Bravery

"Right," Vanilla checked of the items she was putting into her bag, "Some extra water, first aid kit, cookies incase the kids get hungry, portable charger, Sonic's epipen, is there anything else I'm missing?" She turned to Beatrix

"Are you always so prepared? We're only going down to the beach," the elderly rabbit laughed, Vector walking in at that moment.
"Ah, she's always prepared." He laughed, putting an arm around her, "We ready now dear?"

"Yeah, I think," she shook her head, "Vector, am I being over the top?"
"No, I wouldn't say so," he grinned, reassuring her, the rabbit walking out of the room.

Almost immediately, Vector turned to Beatrix, "Don't," he warned, "She's just protecting her kids. She values them more then anything else, okay?"

The rabbit looked the crocodile up and down, smirking a little
"you're in no position to speak" she whispered under her breath, waking off.

***

"I can see the sea!" Charmy squealed as they neared the coast, the bee and Cream running down to the water immediately.
"Don't go to far in!" Vanilla shouted.
"They're kids," Beatrix reminded, Vector shaking his head at her, "Well ain't you going in?" She turned her attention to Sonic.

"Wha-? Me? No. Never" Sonic looked out the sea.
"Come on, why not? I thought you was a big bwave hewo," She said in a babyish voice.
"Ok," he sighed, "One, don't EVER talk to me like that again. Two, I can't swim,"

"Pft," Beatrix laughed, "bit pathetic really." She turned away, leaving the conversation.
"Just ignore her kid," Vector whispered, "she's just a grouchy granny,"

"Huh? Say that again, big guy?" Beatrix stood up.
"Grouchy Granny. It's true, and I'll say it again," Vector affirmed.
"That does it!" She took a hold of Sonic's arm, "I'm gonna take him on a boat,"
"Oh no you don't," Vector grabbed hold of the other arm, pulling him towards himself.

"You don't have the right you cucumber sausage," the gran pulled him back, "I'm the grandma,"
"Oh yeah," Vector pulled Sonic back to him, "well, he's going to be my kid! Which makes me the father!"
"You're fat and slimy,"
"And you're so old the dinosaurs will remember you,"

"Hey, woah, time out! Vector, it will be fine. It's just.. a.. boat.." Sonic chuckled nervously.
Vector bent down to his level, "you sure about this?"
"Yeah," he whispered back, "the sooner I can get her out of my fur, the better. Besides, we're only here because of me,"

"Ok," Vector sighed, "but I'm coming as well. No funny business," he looked Beatrix in the eye,

"Fine," she sighed.

***

"See, this isn't so bad," Beatrix told the the two at the other side of the boat.
"I'm gonna throw up," Sonic told her, "Look, we've seen the sea up close, good, great, awesome, outstanding, amazing. I'm still scared of it, can we go back now?"

"But, you haven't seen how high the waves can go in Cornwall! One of the best places to serf in England, you know," she convinced, but Vector gave her a look.
"He's already said that he's had enough,"
"Well I haven't," Beatrix turned away, "and I'm the one with the oars,"
"Gimme those," Vector stood up, rocking the bot more.
"No," the grey rabbit moved them away, "they're mine,"

The two ended up getting into a fight, rocking the bot more and more.
"Hey guys," Sonic stood up, "I'm fine, let Beatrix stay out if she really wan- Ah!" The boat swerved, and he fell over board.

"Vector!" He yelled, going under, "Vector, help!"
"Ah!" The croc screamed, diving into the water.

They'd been under for quite some time, and Beatrix had even started to get worried, until Vector suddenly emerged, with the blue.
"Give us a hand then?" He deadpanned, Beatrix holding out an oar for him, and he climbed on board.

"Is he dead?" Beatrix bluntly asked, watching Vector pump on his chest.
"No but he will be if I don't-" Sonic's eyes opened, and he coughed some water up, "Ah! There we go! Welcome back to the land of the living!" He grinned, relieved.
"I died?!"
"Hm. Not quite kid," he turned to look at Beatrix, "This is all your fault!"
"What? Mine? If you haven't taken the oar, this wouldn't have happened."

The two got into another argument, Sonic closing his ears. "Hey, shut up!" He yelled, grabbing the two's attention, "It doesn't matter who's fault it is, ok? The point still stands, I can't swim and I'll probably never be able to and I'm terrified of the ocean! And that's not changing, if not it's even worse now!" He looked towards the shore, "Now, we're going to go back, because Mum looks like she's about to go into shock,"

The two looked at each other, Beatrix not saying a word and rowing the boat back to shore, where Vanilla immediately ran up and took her son, "I told you this was a bad idea," she shot Beatrix a look, "Don't you ever force him into anything like that again! Come on, let's go get you warm,"

***

Beatrix, for once her her life, felt guilty as she watched Sonic stare out the opposite way to the sea, watching the moon rise.
"Hey look," she came and sat by him, "I- didn't actually know you couldn't swim at all- or that you was that scared."
"It's fine," he sighed, "but the truth is, I'm not that brave hero that everyone thinks I am anymore," he looked her in the eye, before turning away, "the fact is, ever since the war, I've been filled with fear and anxiety and dread. It's gotten better, but sometimes.." he trailed of, "Heck, even now I'm running away"
"Well," Beatrix thought about it, "They say bravely isn't the absence of fear; but rather the facing it. In that case, I would say you're the bravest."

Sonic looked up at the elderly grey rabbit, "Thanks Beatrix,"

"No," She smiled, "please, call me Grandma,"

The two continued to stare at the moon, as Vector glared at the rabbit

"She called me called me cucumber sausage!" The croc complained as Vanilla put a hand in his
"Just let it go sweetheart"