A/N: Hello again! Thanks for all the reviews for Settling Down, Missing You, and Let the games begin!
Okay, before I begin the story, I want to let you readers know that this is a tad bit different than my other stories. This story takes place when Sonic was really young, and sometime during the late years of The Great War. If you have NOT read much of the Sonic Comics then you may not understand a tad bit about this one. But if you have ANY questions, I'll feel you in!^^
Okay, next. This is a Christmas gift for my best friend AllesiaTheHedge on Deviantart. (Link in my profile) I know how much she loves these characters and I just thought I'd give her a little present! ^^ Well, I hope you like it, Allesia. MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Disclaimer:
Jules The Hedgehog, Sir Charles Hedgehog, Bernie The Hedgehog belong to Archie.
Sonic belongs to SEGA!~
Her Characters: Kyra and Maya
Kyra-
Is a light blue hedgehog, and Charles wife as well the mother of Maya
Maya-
Young light blue hedgehog like her mother. She's Charles/Uncle Chuck's daughter, and Sonic's slightly older cousin.
ENJOY!
Chapter 1: Coming Home for Christmas
In a time of war, spending time with family before being drafted off were special. In this war known as, The Great War, that's been raging between Overlanders and Mobians on Mobius for year after year. This war like any other war was rough and both sides were losing soldiers slowly and slowly. But when a special time of the year comes close only one question comes into most of the soldiers minds: Will I be be home with my family for Christmas this year?
One couple in particular were lucky to get that chance this year.
They're going home.
A navy blue male hedgehog known as Jules The Hedgehog or also Sir Jules couldn't believe this. But, he was happy otherwise. He was happy that he and his wife, Bernie will be spending time with their young son this Christmas. Unlike last time, when the week before Christmas fell upon Mobius and Jules was called in, while his wife and child stayed behind. But he had to do what was best. Fight for his country. Fight for his and his loved ones Freedom.
But today, after hearing the wonderful news, going home and seeing his son's bright smile were only in his thoughts now; as well as his wife's Bernie.
Amongst many of their allies in this war, their home resides in the capital city of the world, Mobotroplis! The city is grand, beautiful, lively, and the many different species of Mobians live together in peace, while their war with the other side of the world with the race of humans or as they like to call them...Overlanders rages in their hearts and minds.
The hedgehog couple is traveling in a roomy yet worned out vehicle along with other soldiers. The others are talking amongst each other about the upcoming season, their families, and the war on occasions.
Bernie see's the grand city coming into view and she smiles, glancing at her husband, Jules. "We're almost home, hon." She says in slightly disbelief. Jules looks back at her and smiles warmly.
"I know, dear. I know." He wraps an arm around her pulling her closer to him.
Shortly, they arrive in-front of Castle Acorn. The King himself, Maximilian Acorn is standing in-front of the castle next to his wife, who is holding her young daughter's hand. The king smiles slightly upon seeing the vehicle arrive with his brave soldiers. Once they exit, Max and his wife Alicia welcomes them home after the king welcomes them back home as well as when they may have to be called out to fight again; but hopefully, it won't happen too soon.
The soldiers depart and begin to make their ways to their individual homes, and so, the hedgehog couple walk hand and hand to their own home.
A couple miles later, they reach their small yet cozy home. Jules twists the doorknob and opens the door slowly. After stepping inside, he calls out: "We're home!" There's a noise in the kitchen then a lighter blue hedgehog with a salt-pepper gray mustache and eyebrows comes into the room, smiling bright upon seeing the two.
" 'Bout time!" He chuckles and greets them with a hug. "How was the trip?"
Bernie releases her hug with her brother-in-law. "It went well, Charlie. It's so good to be home!" She exclaims while fighting the tears that want to fall.
Jules sets down his suitcase then looks around the room. "So, where's my boy at?" Anxious to see him after be absence for so long.
The lighter blue hedgehog looks toward the staircase. "He must still be napping." Jules raises an eyebrow at his brother, slightly surprise.
"What did you do to him, Charles?" He laughs.
"I didn't do anything. He wouldn't go to bed when he was told last night...and this morning he got a bit ill so I put him down to rest. But, I'm sure he'll be down here soon." The older hedgehog replies, chuckling lightly.
Bernie laughs softly at this. "Well, thank you so much for looking after him...again, Charlie."
He smiles back at her. "Anytime, I'm glad to do it." He nods. Then chuckles. "Even though he can be a big handful, sometimes."
Jules snickers slightly at his older brother. "Yea, we wouldn't know anything about that, would we?"
"Nope." The older one laughs.
Moments later, Jules and Bernie unpack their stuff and put each of their things in the rightful place. After finishing up, they join Charles in the living room. Jules is the first to speak up first, while Bernie gets the fire in the fireplace alive again. "So, how is your projects coming along, Charles?" He asks his brother, while watching the bright orange-red flames rise higher in the fireplace.
Charles takes a sip of some warm cocoa before answering. "Well...I was hoping to finish is up my project before you guys came home...but it got delayed." Jules turns to him, raising an eyebrow, and the older hedgehog laughs. "A certain little four-year-old decided to play with his ball in my lab...causing a big mess." Charles tells his brother while not sounding or looking a bit angry towards his young nephew.
Jules sighs. "Maurice, huh?" Charles nods in response. "I'm sorry, Charles, he should know better..."
"He's a kid, Jules." His brother smiles a little. "Besides, I was more worried about him getting hurt more than anything else."
His younger brother nods in understanding. "Well, if you need any help with anything, just ask." Jules states after his wife Bernie takes a seat next to him on the cozy couch.
"Alright, Jules. I sure will."
The three hedgehogs sit together talking about what's been going on in each of their lives, while enjoying the coziness of being back home. During their conversation, two small feet travel down the steps, then a young blue hedgehog peeks his head out through the railing. When his eyes rests on his parents he jumps with excitement and rushes down the steps to meet them. "Momma! Daddy!" The young hedgehog calls out with pure excitement. The three older hedgehogs looks up and when they see the young hedgehog, they all smile.
"Hey son-Haha, slow down, boy!" Jules calls out first, after the young one almost trips on the last two steps.
"Hey sweetheart!" His mother calls out next, getting up from the couch and sitting her mug of coco down.
Before his mother could reach him, he jumps into her arms, dropping his teddy bear to the floor. "Momma! I missed you!" He wraps his little arms around her neck hugging her close. Bernie laughs and kisses him over and over on his forehead and cheek.
"Awww...I'm missed you too, sweetie!" Bernie cuddles him closely.
After awhile, the young hedgehog begins to move a little in his mother's tight and loving embrace. He looks over and see's his dad and his face brightens up. "Daddy!" He lifts his arms up, making his mother gently hand him over to Jules.
Jules chuckles and takes his son from his wife gladly and embraces his four-year-old son. His young son laughs cutely in his arms. Jules smiles and looks at him after their embrace. "I missed you too, son." He rubs his back, while his son returns a smile. "Did you listen to your uncle, Maurice?"
Maurice glances over at his uncle then looks back at his dad. "Yea!"
Charles laughs in the background. Jules snickers slightly. "So, you weren't the one who caused a mess in his lab, were you?"
Maurice's face falls. "Umm...no?" His ears falls back against his head.
Jules chuckles. "Oh, who was it then?" He asks softly.
The young child in his arms glances at his uncle then bites his bottom lip. "I...did, daddy." He answers softly, fearing for punishment now.
"Maurice, I'm not mad." His dad chuckles, hugging him close. "You were honest with me, that's good enough." His son looks at him, his face brightening up again.
"Really?" He squeaks out.
"Yes." His dad pats his back.
"Okay!" His son smiles brightly. "Daddy?"
"Yes, son?"
"Call me, Sonic. It's much cooler!"
Jules laughs, remembering once again that his brother has gave his son a nickname...based on his son's gift of speed. "Alright, Sonic." He smiles warmly at his son.
Sonic hops out of his father's arms then runs upstairs before either of his parents could scold him for running up them. Moments later, the young hedgehog comes running back down with a piece of paper in his hand. "Look what I drew!" He exclaims with excitement, lifting up the crayon-drawn picture for the adults to see. On the white piece of paper, there's three blue hedgehogs like himself, his dad, and his uncle, and one violet colored hedgehog like his mother. Next to them, is a green Christmas tree with a pile of presents underneath.
His mother is the first to give her opinion. "It's very good, sweetie!"
His father is next. "Yes, son. Very nice." He smiles proudly at his four-year-old.
His uncle chuckles. "I'm surprised he sat still long enough to draw that." He whispers to his brother, Jules; who laughs softly in return. He turns to his young nephew. "It's very good, Sonic." He winks.
Pleased with this outcome from the adults, he heads to the kitchen, followed by his mother so she can help him hang up the picture of art on the fridge to display.
After the family catches up with the absence of Jules and Bernie around, the hedgehog family sets out for shopping for the upcoming holiday. At the crowded mall in Mobotroplis, the women- Bernie and Kyra along with her daughter Maya, go separate ways inside the mall to get their very own shopping done, while the males carry on their own way for the things they are searching for.
Every once in awhile, the young four-year-old Sonic, catches something he likes and leaves his father's side to take a closer look. He shows his father and uncle. And "Daddy! Can I have this?" He asks, his brown eyes shining with excitement over getting this toy. Jules glances at older brother, who laughs softly and shakes his head.
"Wait till' Christmas, son. It'll be here before you know it." Jules softly tells the young four-year-old and his face falls in disappointment. He really wanted this toy! And now!
Both adults notice this, and his uncle is the first to speak. "C'mon sonny, you never know, Santa may get that for ya'!"
"Exactly." Jules speaks up next, looking at his son.
The young child looks at the toy, then back at his father. "You think he will?"
Jules nods. "If you ask him to buy it for ya'."
His uncle smiles."Speakin' of Santa, I believe he's here." Sonic drops the toy and rushes over to stand next to his dad, looking around the store.
"Where?" He asks. "I don't see Santa..." He looks at his dad, frowning.
His dad takes his tiny hand. "You see that big tree, over there?" Sonic nods. "He's over there somewhere."
"Really?" The young Sonic jumps in excitement, he pulls on his dad's arm."Let's go, already!"
Jules is jerked forward from his son's pull and he almost loses his balance and falls on the floor, but thankfully he controls his balance in time before creating a scene. "Son! Slow down!" He shouts, laughing a little. In response, the young hedgehog loosens up on pulling his father's arm off, and slows down just a little.
They reach the center of the second floor where there stands a big tree- that reaches the railing of the third floor staircase. Around it, is other Christmas decorations from cotton-made snow, displays of reindeer's, and green wreaths, and colorful flashing lights are wrapped around the railing that surrounds the area where the kids come to meet Santa Claus before he makes his flight for Christmas to deliver presents to every good boy and girl.
Upon seeing Santa Claus, Sonic's excitement rises and he pulls harder on his father's arm. "Over here!" He shouts. They reach the front entrance, where a long line of parents with their young ones wait to meet up with Santa, but Sonic doesn't want to wait, so he moves on in-front of the others, dragging his father along.
"Maurice!" His father calls out and pulls backward, to bring his excitement son to a stop. "There are others waiting, boy. Wait back here." He carefully leads the young hedgehog to the back of the line.
"But-" He manages but his father doesn't listen, and so, they are now in the back of the extremely (to Sonic's view) long line.
Behind his father, stands his uncle who looks like he is struggling to not laugh at his brother's situation.
"Dad...!" The young hedgehog whines a little.
"You can wait, boy. It won't be much longer."
After his father let's go of his hand, he folds his arms tightly across his tan chest, and makes a pouting expression; clearly not too pleased with his father's comment.
Five minutes later, the line moves up some. But, this doesn't seem like five minutes to the young hedgehog, it seems...much longer. He sighs and looks at his father. "Daddy?"
"Yes?"
"What's taking so long?"
Jules sighs. "It's only been five minutes, son."
"...More like 500 hours!" His son mutters, kicking the bronze colored floor below him angrily.
His father catches this and places both of his hands on his son's shoulders. "To you, maybe. But trust me, you'll see Santa soon. Just be patient."
Sonic sighs. "Fine..." The young hedgehog soon realize he's fighting a battle that he cannot win, therefore...he waits.
In another section of the mall, the female hedgehogs are searching for the men something special for Christmas, looking through different stores that sells electronics, tools, clothes, and anything that the males may like. Bernie finds some things for her husband, from a couple of outfits and a nice new pocket watch. Kyra finds some tools that her husband, Charles could use in his lab, and a new brown coat to replace his old worn out trench coat.
During the search, Maya, who happens to be three years older than her cousin, Sonic, asks for some things as they pass many shops that appeal to her liking. From clothes, dolls, or any other objects that may interest a seven year old. Sadly, none of which she asks for she doesn't receive in return. Both her mom and her aunt Bernie tell her the same thing over and over: "It's almost Christmas, dear. Wait till' then."
To her, that's another way of saying "no" to a child. What else could it be? She knows that this Santa Claus won't actually bring her what she wanted.
Yes, that's right. She doesn't believe in Santa.
She learned the truth of this, last year. It was on Christmas day, and it was early in the morning, the young girl was only six then and her bubbling excitement for opening her gifts the next morning were causing her to lose sleep, and so, too anxious to rest she stayed up all night...waiting...and waiting.
Around 5 am in the morning, an hour or two before the sun would rise, and a couple hours before her parents would even get up, the young six year old girl hears something in the living room downstairs. Her first thought was Santa Claus... but when she came downstairs, she didn't find Santa, she found her father...he was arranging the large pile of presents underneath the Christmas tree. Upon seeing this...made her realize what the other kids her age at school would say. Santa isn't real. It's just a lie our parents tells us. Being as young as she was, this hurt her very bad, and tears begin to form in her eyes and she runs back into her room and cries herself to sleep.
Hours later, her parents come up to her room saying it's Christmas morning! But the young girl...doesn't feel like celebrating after being lied to all these years! How could they do this? Didn't they love her...? No. Don't think that, girl...they do love her, otherwise... they wouldn't go all this way to give her what she needed.
Her parents were worried about her sudden mood change on Christmas Day, she usually was bubbly, and just like her cousin...she wouldn't sit still for one moment. But that year was different...
That night, her parents sit down with her and asked her what was bugging her and...since the young girl didn't feel right lying to them like they did her, she told them the truth. "I know, Santa isn't real." She said. Shocking her parents. Both of them began asking her, and she noticed that they didn't correct her...and say Santa was real, and his reindeer did use some kind of magic to fly! "I saw daddy...putting the Christmas presents underneath the tree..." She looks at her dad, watching his expression change from shock to being ashamed. "...So...is it true?"
Both of her parents sigh, but they feel like they lied to her long enough and she is growing up. So it's time for her to know the truth. They look back at her softly then nod. "Yes, hon. It is true. There is no Santa... "
For being so young, Maya was surprised with herself that she acted the way she did when they finally admitted they lied. She didn't get mad at them. She didn't cry...like last night. She was okay with it. She...was really growing up! The young girl smiled in understanding, then thanked them for the wonderful gifts they gave her...and the rest of the day Christmas went just fine for her.
So, today. Now seven...in a half! Maya couldn't understand why her aunt or her mother would just say "Wait till' Christmas" when what she wanted was right in-front of her! No Santa needed to bring it to her house...(of course her younger cousin, Sonic would argue with her about that.) So why did she have to wait till Christmas?
She would never understand adults...
Back in the other section of the mall, with Jules, Charles, and the young four-year-old Sonic, the line has became smaller and smaller. Now the three male hedgehogs are at the front of the line, waiting for the young child talking with Santa to be finished. The young hedgehog, Sonic suddenly becomes restless and while his attention is upon something different than Santa, he doesn't even realize that the girl has left along with her parents leaving Santa behind for the next one to talk to him.
"Maurice?" His father calls him softly, taking his tiny hand.
Instantly, his son's attention is back on what's going on around him. He notices that Santa is sitting patiently in his chair, watching him with a smile. He is lead by his father to where Santa is.
Underneath Santa's white beard, the young hedgehog can see a big warm smile spreading across his face. He chuckles slightly."Well, well, what might your name be, son?" He asks, while lifting the young hedgehog up and places him on his right knee.
"...You don't know my name?" He blinks at Santa. Puzzled.
frowns slightly at this. "Well...um, no, son. Mind telling me what it is?"
"But I thought Santa knows everyone's name...!" The young hedgehog asks, very confused.
"Well...um, you see kid. Santa...does know every kid by name.. when Santa brings each good boy and girl their gifts...on Christmas Morning. But first, Santa needs to know their name when he meets each kid before...he comes to their house." The heavy set man in a red suit exclaims, struggling every once in awhile.
"Oh...okay." The young hedgehog in his lap, begins to understand. "My real name is Maurice, but I like to be called Sonic instead!" He exclaims, looking at him with a bright smile.
"...Sonic?" The child nods."...That's an interesting name. Why are you called this...may I ask?"
"Because I can run really fast!"
Santa laughs softly in response. "Well, Sonic. What would you like for Christmas?"
"Some sneakers, a cool toy, and a puppy!"
He nods and smiles. "A puppy, eh?"
"Yea! But a real one!"
"Okay. Hohoho!" Santa laughs again. "I'll see if I can find you a perfect dog, to run with. Okay? Along with the other things you'd like." He winks at the young hedgehog on his lap. Then this lady comes up with a coloring page of Santa and his reindeer, and two lollipops. Santa carefully lifts him off of his lap after the young hedgehog takes the small presents from the lady, then rushes over to his father and his uncle and starts going on about the conversation he had with Santa!
TBC...!
ShadowTHFan: I had trouble squealing as I was typing this out! XD
Well, looks like Maurice's -ahem- Sonic's parents are gonna be home for Christmas this year! ^^ And forgive me if some of this stuff isn't actually accurate with the Archie Comics... but this is similar to a roleplay me and my best friend has done in the past; of course some of it is different from the role-play though. lol
You know, I find it...sad that this site doesn't have many stories with Sonic's folks in them. :( XDD I'm sure my friend, would agree. I mean...c'mon! Sure they maybe minor characters in the Archie Comics... but that doesn't mean their not important! Right?
While I came up with this gift for my friend (AllesiaTheHedge) I thought of another story I may write in the near future featuring the same characters.(Excluding, Maya and Sonic.) So, if you guys feel like I do about Sonic's folks...be sure to keep an eye on my account for that story!
And as it says...this will be continued! :) I'm not sure how many chapters it will have...though.
I hope you like this, Allesia! MERRY CHRISTMAS!
PLEASE R & R