Birth of a Hero
A/N: You ever wondered how my best friend Sonic the Hedgehog was born? Well, here's the story of how the Blue Blur; the Hero of Mobius; the fastest thing alive was born.
23rd June 3391
Mobodoon, Christmas Island, North Atlantic
Christmas Island was a mysterious place. Few people knew where it was or if it even existed. It was nowhere on any map. Many sailors had tried to find the island, but without success. Most had vanished without trace. Most people believed Christmas Island to be the stuff of legend; a myth. However, it did exist. The Royal families of Mobius – the Hedgehogs and the Acorns – knew of its existence, but kept it a secret, so the inhabitants of the island wouldn't be pestered by tourists.
There had been another island called Christmas Island, but that island had disappeared off the map centuries ago.
The reason it is called Christmas Island is not because they celebrate Christmas every day, but because the natural environment would remind you a lot of Christmas. For one thing, it is very snowy there, being in the North Atlantic. For another, all the trees are fir trees and there are a lot of reindeer and holly trees there. Legend says it is even where Santa Claus was born, but even the Royal families don't know if it's true.
However, this island would be the birthplace of a prince who would become the greatest superhero ever known.
Queen Bernadette – or 'Bernie' as her family and friends called her – was pregnant. She'd been overjoyed when Doctor Horatio Quack had told her the good news; the whole Kingdom of Hedgehog-Acorn had been. It was one of the bright moments in these hard times, what with the war against the Human Empire, which had been going on for many years. This pregnancy had made Bernie practically faint with delight because she was carrying triplets: two boys and a girl.
Bernie was a purple-blue hedgehog with blond hair, emerald green eyes and a pleasant face. Her younger sister, Princess Aleena, looked similar to her, but her eyes were blue and her hair was violet-eggplant. King Jules was tall, about 5'7" and rather handsome, with neat brown hair, purple eyes and shiny blue fur.
Jules and Bernie had already had a son: a boy by the name of Ashura – a green hedgehog with a black face, hair and stripes and blue eyes. He hadn't been entirely overjoyed when he learnt he was going to be a big brother; then again, he had nearly always been rather sullen; a depression disorder according to Doctor Quack.
During the final month of her pregnancy, July, Bernie and her family had decided to go to Christmas Island and stay in the beautiful town of Mobodoon for when Bernie gave birth. The island was chilly even in summer time, but no one really minded. It just made the island more beautiful.
Bernie couldn't wait for her kids to be born and on July 21st, she got her wish. During a party in honour of the children, she went into labour.
She was rushed to hospital at once. A few minutes later, she was on a hospital bed, crying out in pain, as her husband Jules held his right hand, while wiping her forehead and her sister Princess Aleena held her left.
"You're doing great, your Highness," Dr Quack said gently; he was standing between Bernie's legs with a blanket, ready for the first baby. "Come on now; push!"
"It's… so p-painful," Bernie wailed.
"You can do this, Bernie!" Aleena said. "I believe in you!"
Jules couldn't think of anything to say; he just kissed his wife on the forehead.
"One's coming now!" the doctor said. "I can see the head! Another push…"
Bernie took a deep breath and pushed again, giving a loud moan of pain. Next moment, the sound of a baby's crying reached their ears. Dr Quack was holding a tiny blue fuzz ball in his arms, with a warm smile on his face.
"It's a boy," he said as he cut the umbilical cord. Shaking slightly, Bernie held out her hands for his new-born son and the doctor passed him to her. Jules and Aleena leant in to see the boy as he slowly opened his eyes and stared up at them. They were a vivid green, like his mother's; he had a small tuff of purple hair and all of his body, save his arms, belly and muzzle were covered in blue fur, like his dad's. He stretched out his tiny arms up to his mother.
"Hello, son," Bernie said quietly, wrapping her son in a blanket. "It's okay now; Mama's here for you." She tickled the baby, who giggled.
"He looks very much like you, Jules," Aleena said, "but he has Bernie's eyes and his hair is the same colour as mine."
"He's so cute," Jules said, reaching out to hold his son. Bernie gently passed Jules the baby and Jules gently stroked the baby's back. Then, he noticed his son Ashura standing nearby. He looked rather concerned.
"What's up, Ash?" Jules asked.
"Mum, Dad," Ashura said, "I'm not sure if I'm happy about this."
"Why not?" Bernie asked her son incredulously. "You're a big brother now; you should be pleased!"
"I know," Ashura said, "but I wonder whether I can be responsible with them and whether… you'll favour them over me."
"Of course we won't," Jules said, kneeling down in front of his son. "We'll always love you, son; no matter how many children we have."
"Are you sure, dad?"
"Of course we are." As Jules said it, Ashura's new-born brother reached out with a tiny hand and touched his face. Ashura gave a small smile at his brother; he did feel a bit better.
"What shall we name him?" Aleena asked.
"We could name after your father, Jules," Bernie said.
"Maurice?" Jules said, raising an eyebrow incredulously. "No way, girl! That's no good. Let's name after your dad; it's better."
"Ogilvie Maurice Hedgehog," Bernie said quietly. "Perfect…"
Then she began to breath more heavily and moaning again. She was getting ready to push out the next baby.
"That's it, Bernie," Aleena said gently. "Easy now; push…"
The doctor got ready as Bernie gave a great push and soon another baby lay in his arms, crying gently.
"It's a girl," he said, wrapping her in a blanket, "and what a beauty she is too. You must be so proud."
"So we all are," Aleena said, holding out her hands. "May I hold her?"
"Of course." Doctor Quack said, passing the baby girl to her aunt. The girl had eggplant coloured fur and orchid hair and quills and her eyes were purple, like her father's. Her arms were not tanned.
Aleena smiled down at her little niece in her arms, but knowing Bernie had children made her feel quite sad. Aleena had no children of her own; she was single and Dr Quack had told me regretfully that Aleena could never have any children; she was infertile. That memory of that miserable appointment still brought tears to the princess's eyes.
Bernie knew why her sister was crying. She reached up and stroked her sister's hair. "I know this reminds you of your own infertility, Alee, but you will always be welcome to look after my children, should anything happen to me."
Aleena smiled. "I'll do anything for your children, Bernie," she said, cradling the girl in her arms and kissing her forehead. "How about we name her Victoria? Victoria Elizabeth Hedgehog."
"Oh… yes," Bernie said, smiling.
"That's a great name," Ashura agreed
"Okay, Your Highness," Dr Quack said, "now for the last baby. Push!"
Bernie wailed in pain as her final child came. Bernie was already tired from her previous two babies and she wasn't sure if she could do it. However, she knew she had to; or her son (remembering that there were two boys) might end up stillborn. There was a slight squelching noise as the baby's head emerged. Bernie gave one final big push and collapsed, breathing heavily as the doctor held the third triplet in his arms.
"Well done, Your Highness," he said kindly as he wrapped up the baby boy. "You have now given birth to three beautiful and healthy children. You did brilliantly."
Bernie took her son in her arms. He was green with peach arms, belly and muzzle like his brother and his eyes, when he opened them, were crystal blue, like Aleena's.
"They're all so beautiful," she said, as she hugged her baby, tears of happiness in her eyes. "Let's name him Manuel; Manuel Frederick Hedgehog."
"The Lord Father has blessed with these children," Jules said, looking to the heavens. "Our Citizenship to Him had blessed us with three new children. We give thanks with grateful hearts to the Holy One." He passed Olgilvie to Bernie and Aleena did the same with Victoria. Bernie hugged her children tightly and they all snuggled into her chest.
"These Hedgehogs are going to do great things for the world," Jules said. "I just know it!"
"Aleena," Bernie said, "seeing as you can never have any children of your own, my children are the closest you'll ever have. And so, you have every right to call them your own children."
"I do?" Aleena said, amazed.
"Of course, Alee. You can call them your own, as long as you remember and remind them who their real mother is."
"Anything for you, Bernie," Aleena said, hugging her sister.
Once Bernie had regained enough energy to walk, she and her husband presented them to all of Mobodoon. Everyone clapped and cheered, celebrating the birth of the new triplets.
"Three cheers for Prince Olgilvie, Princess Victoria and Prince Manuel!" cried the Mayor. "Hip, hip hurray! Hip, hip hurray! Hip, hip hurray!"
However, not everyone watching the festivities was happy or pleased. There was one who was watching the Royal Hedgehogs with contempt and loathing. This man was standing alone on a rooftop, hidden in the shadows. He was a tall and rather rotund man; handsome but with abnormally pale and sallow skin. His head was almost completely bald but he had a large orange-brown moustache beneath his long prominent nose. His dark blue, deep-set eyes were icy cold and full of a malice that hardly anyone could see.
"You better enjoy your children while you can, King Jules," Julian Ovi Kintobor said maliciously with an evil grin that showed his rather sharp canine teeth, "because soon, you will never see them again and your kingdom will be mine! Soon, you and your wife and sister-in-law will be nothing more than mindless slaves to me!" His blue eyes flashed scarlet.
"Sir…" Okay, Julian wasn't alone; besides him were two smaller men; one had brown hair, blue eyes and a very long pointed nose. He was Julian's nephew, Snively. The other was Grimer, a man with mottled green skin and black hair. "What about the children? They're innocent," Snively said.
Julian grinned more broadly. "When it comes to Mobians," he said, "no child is innocent!"
"Of course not, Your Excellency," Grimer said, bowing deeply.
Julian gazed at the happy Hedgehogs. "Soon," he whispered, "soon, the world will belong to me; the greatest villain and criminal mastermind ever! They will know not as Julian but by a name they'll soon fear to speak or even think when I have Mobius under my thumb: Valefar Ivo Robotnik! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" And he slunk back into the shadows
The birth of Prince Ogilvie, Princess Victoria and Prince Manuel was a historical moment in the history of the Royal Mobius families, because they had never had triplets before. Before them, the greatest achieved was twins; the last two being Thomas and Percival Hedgehog 5 generations before.
Though he didn't quite know it at the time, King Jules would be right; these three children would grow up to be legendary heroes, though they would not be known by their birth names. They were given different, longer names and they would be part of a famous band. But it would be the eldest, Ogilvie, who would be the most famous of all. The name given to him would be because of a special ability he had that became apparent shortly after his birth. This name would become associated with the young Prince, who would be called many things: the Blue Blur, the Speed Freak, the Fastest Thing Alive, the Hero of Mobius and the greatest superhero of all time. But the most common name of Prince Ogilvie Hedgehog would be Sonic the Hedgehog!
Nice story, isn't it? As for Sonic's name, that was the name they'd intended to give him in the comics, but never went through with it. You can obviously guess who Victoria and Manuel came to be known as.
Anyway, that was the story of how my best friend Sonic the Hedgehog was born. I hope you liked it. See ya later! God Bless!
With all due respect
Thomas Holmes II