Christmas.
A time people can love, and a time people can hate.
People-especially little kids- usually love it for the presents they receive on Christmas day. Running down the stairs, the first thing they notice is the bounty of gifts under the sparkling tree, and then the cookie crumbs and drunken milk by the fire place. Squealing for joy, some will start unwrapping their presents right then and there, others will go wake their poor unfortunate parents, and, some (but very few) will patiently wait.
Others don't like Christmas simply because of the fact that choosing gifts for others can be very hard.
Luckily for Sonic, Christmas day was two days away, so he had time to find a gift for his daughter Kyler.
Or, that's what he told himself.
The problem was what to get a one year old.
Walking down the aisles of the packed mall, Sonic, Amy, and little Kyler looked to and fro, the parents both thinking their own separate thoughts about what to get Kyler. Kyler clapped her hands happily as they passed a Santa Clause, and if she had been able to think past "goo", and "ga" might've asked to go see the silly fat penguin dressed in a big red suit, with a long beard.
"Sonic, can we please take a break?" Amy asked. "I'm getting tired out from all this walking."
"I told you that you would," Sonic answered, smiling lovingly at his wife. "You're always complaining about that thing in your stomach being too heavy."
"It is not a thing Sonic, it's called a baby," Amy answered. "And I needed to get some shopping for Kyler done. I'm almost done with your presents, but not Kyler's.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Sonic replied, moving them over to a bench, where Amy quickly sat down with a content sigh. "It's just that I did warn you, and you know how I like to go fast."
"Want me to shop with Cream and Tia next time?" Amy questioned, closing her eyes peacefully.
"I never said that," Sonic answered. "It's just-"
"Oh please, can't we stop arguing for a minute?"
"I didn't know we were arguing."
Amy sighed, and opened her eyes.
"Kyler, were me and Daddy arguing?" she asked the child, who was holding her father's hand.
"A-goo-in," Kyler replied, giggling and clapping her hands joyfully after her attempt of the word.
"See? Kyler agrees with me," Amy said smugly.
"She always attempts to say the last word of every sentence thrown her way!" Sonic defended himself.
"I know," Amy replied, closing her eyes again. "That's why I asked."
Sonic rolled his eyes, and smiled again at his wife.
"Whatever, Ames. Can me an' Kyler continue our shopping while you take your lil' nap?"
"Since when did you have to ask my permission?" Amy questioned. "Yes, of course, just don't go too far away-"
"Yes, my dear Mother," Sonic teased, and he laughed when Amy glared at him. "What, you were sounding like a typical Mom!"
"Just go shopping."
Shrugging, Sonic looked down at little Kyler, and said,
"Come on girl. Let's go find something for you an' Mommy." And they were off.
Together, the two hedgehogs continued on with their shopping, but as they went, Sonic couldn't find anything that he felt would suit Kyler. Sonic had already gotten her everything he thought a kid her age would like. He had gotten her a dollhouse with the dolls, a stuffed puppy, an outfit (Amy technically had found that one), a coloring book, and a regular kid's book to read to her at night. But there was something missing that Sonic couldn't place, and he just couldn't find it.
"Alright girl, what do you want anyway?" Sonic questioned the child, even though he knew she wouldn't know herself, this being her first Christmas.
When he didn't hear a response, he repeated himself.
"What do you want, Kyler?"
Looking down at his side, he suddenly became aware that Kyler wasn't there.
A sharp intake of breath escaped his mouth, and his eyes grew wide as he scanned the area but didn't spot any light blue hedgehogs.
"Kyler!" he called, but when he didn't hear her unmistakable cry of "Da!" he became more worried.
Running around the store once-twice-three times he guessed she was in another store, and zoomed out of the current store, ignoring the cashiers protests of 'making a mess by the wind'. Wondering where to go next, the blue hedgehog quickly decided searching in the last store. As he ran off in that direction, however, he thought he heard a familiar giggle, and stopped, again looking around.
Sighing for relief, Sonic walked up to little Kyler, who was busy watching a small orange tabby cat chase a stray piece of hair in his cage behind the window. With her hands up on the window, and her eyes pressed against the glass, Kyler looked like a typical animal lover. Sonic smiled gently and knelt beside her.
"Kyler, what're you doing?" he asked the toddler, who didn't bother looking up.
"Punny, punny!" she exclaimed, as she pointed at the tabby. "I' punny!"
"Yes, it is funny, huh, Kyler?" Sonic replied, and he took his daughter's hand. "Come on sweetie. Mama's waitin' for us to come back."
He began walking back towards Amy, but Kyler was no where close ready to go, and she told Sonic by screaming for a split second before turning her attention back to the fur ball.
"Kyler, c'mon, we need to get home for supper," Sonic explained, but still Kyler did not come.
It took Sonic a minute to realize he had just found Kyler's gift, and another minute to take Kyler back to her mother. Sniffling softly, for she had wanted to stay with the cat, Kyler was handed over to Amy with a look from Sonic saying, "I found the perfect thing" before he headed back to the pet store.
Getting out his wallet, Sonic quickly told the cashier which cat he wanted. Picking up the kitten gingerly, the cashier looked at Sonic curiously, and asked,
"So, you're giving into your daughters wants, eh, Sonic?"
Sonic shrugged.
"She needed something more anyway," he replied. "'Sides, it'll be nice with a cat in the house."
"Suppose it would be," was all the cashier said as he took the credit card from Sonic's hand.
Giving the piece of plastic back to Sonic, he handed over the cat carrier with the kitten inside of it to Sonic, wished him a "happy holidays", and then Sonic left.
Two days passed before the faithful day came. Fresh snow lay outside, exciting Kyler almost as much as the tree, the lights, the presents, and the drunken milk and cookie crumbs. Kyler thoroughly enjoyed her gifts, and didn't have a clue that her father had left for a second to get a small bundle of fur out of the closet, where he had been living for the last two days.
"You got one more present, Kyler," Sonic explained, as he set the oddly wrapped box down on the floor.
Kyler clapped her hands joyfully, but screamed when the box responded by moving.
"Heh heh, it's okay, Kyler," Sonic said gently to his shaking daughter. "Look."
With the child's help (if you could call it help) Sonic unwrapped the large gift, to the small orange tabby from the window.
Kyler squealed for joy, and grabbed the kitten, giving it a bear hug. This, caused the kitten to meow, and Kyler looked at the creature with intense interest.
"It's a kitten, Kyler," Amy explained to her, as she knelt down by Kyler along with Sonic. "An orange, tabby, kitty."
"Kitt-y!" Kyler tried, and having been successful, clapped.
The name Kitty stuck the instant Kyler first said the word.
Well there you have it folks! How the Hedgehog family obtained little Kitty, and how his name came to be! Kitty is mentioned in my "Kyler" story in case you're wondering where on earth he came from. I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please review. =)