Chapter 1 Relic Gate-Crashes a Party

"…Happy Birthday to you!"

I watch with everyone else and clap as Knuckles blows out all eighteen candles on his cake with a mighty puff. It's a warm, sunny day in early March, and we're all out on the back porch of Knuckles' house on Angel Island celebrating his eighteenth birthday.

By 'we,' I mean the SSS Team. It's an elite band of heroes that protect the planet of Mobius, led by the legendary Sonic the Hedgehog. I first came across them when I was sent to Mobius from my home planet, Argentia, to find them and ask them to help save my planet. I ended up joining their team and traveling halfway across the galaxy and back, encountering endless amounts of adventure along the way. Now I live here on Mobius and continue to pursue adventure while protecting the world from evil. Pretty slick deal.

I'm Nan, by the way. Nannette Sariah Milan. But nobody calls me that. They all call me 'Nan' for short. It's easier to say.

Anyway, where was I? Oh, right. So we're at Knuckles' house on Angel Island, it's a beautiful day, and we're all celebrating his birthday. We're not the only ones here, either. He's got some other friends too. His old mates, the Chaotix, and a childhood friend, Sally Acorn, are here as well.

Actually, not all of us are here. Our team of eleven is down two members. Blaze is visiting her cousin in her home Zone, and Amy's gone with her, for a reason I never was able to catch. Something about seeing old friends, or whatever. Point is, they've been gone for about two weeks now, and we're starting to miss them. Well, miss their cooking, that is.

Nevertheless, it's a good party, even without our two best cooks. Mighty and Julie-Su both pitched in to bake the cake (it's chocolate with green frosting), and Vector made his famous hot-pepper guacamole. I hope Seder got a picture of Charmy's face when he tried it. That stuff is really spicy.

We all sing 'Happy Birthday,' and watch as Knuckles blows out all his candles. He grins happily and makes some sort of silly mock-bow in response to our clapping and laughing (and the click, click, click of Seder's camera). The one clapping and laughing the most is Knuckles' girlfriend, Julie-Su. She's standing there in her skinny jeans and rock-band tee shirt (Capital X, I think), and her smile is one of congratulations and undisguised admiration. I smile to myself, even though I'm already grinning on the outside. Julie-Su and Knuckles go together like chocolate does with peanut butter (or maybe hazelnut butter, since I like that better). For the several years since they met they've stuck to each other like glue (or my teeth to a caramel apple).

Therefore, nobody is surprised when Knuckles wraps his arms around her and plants an enthusiastic and passionate kiss onto her lips. At this, more clapping breaks out amidst the hoots and hollers from the guys, awkward giggles from the girls, and the frantic clicking from Seder's camera as she rushes to record the moment.

The commotion dies down and there's a mad dash for cake. Once the cake is cut and everyone's gotten a piece, we all break off into little groups or pairs and move off to our own corners to chat. Vector, Silver, Charmy, and Ray are still hanging about the food table. I watch as Silver uses his telekinesis (which makes him all shiny and glowing) to grab what looks like the entire contents of a bowl of kettle corn and fling them one by one at Vector. He darts all over the deck, trying to catch the tiny pieces of puffed corn into his massive, toothy maw, providing obvious entertainment to Charmy and Ray, who laugh and clap each time Vector manages to snatch one.

I turn away from them and scan the porch. Everyone seems to be talking to someone else. Except for Shadow, who I notice is standing awkwardly beside the food table, staring off into space with no discernable expression. I've seen the look before, and I'm not surprised. He's always like that, with his brain someplace else, and I usually try to either get him to go socialize (which is hard, since he's such a loner), or tease him and watch him go off like a powder keg (which is usually more successful).

This time, however, I follow his gaze and spy Sally talking with Sonic over by the porch steps. They're chatting animatedly, and look like they're having a good time just catching up. Instantly I realize why Shadow is staring at them. He's had a major crush on Sally for goodness knows how long. She has no idea, of course, because Shadow always becomes incredibly shy and awkward around her.

I stand frozen, like Shadow, watching Sonic and Sally for a moment before they turn and head back toward the food table – and Shadow. He immediately jolts out of his reverie and starts to quietly move away, and I'm struck with a sudden idea. Smiling to myself, I sidle up to Shadow, making him jump.

"Oh." He says, rolling his eyes. "It's only you."

"You should go talk to her." I say, putting on my most girlishly innocent voice.

He looks somewhat startled, as if the very idea is completely absurd. "I don't know what you're talking about." He snaps, regaining his cold composure. "I'm fine right here. Besides, she's talking with Sonic."

Uh-huh. I think. That's what he always says. Unsurprised at his reaction and undeterred by it, I initiate the next phase of my plan. I scamper up to Sonic, who's just turned to throw his paper plate and fork into the trash.

"Hey, Sonic?" I say, grinning eagerly.

"What's up, Nannekins?" He asks.

"Can you show me your cool card trick again?" I plead. "I want to learn how to do it."

"Well," He says with a sideways glance at Sally, "I was just -"

"Oh, by the way, Sally," I cut in, pointing behind me. "Shadow wanted to talk to you. He's over there."

"Oh." Sally looks somewhat flustered. "Thanks, Nan." She moves off in Shadow's direction. I catch Sonic's eye and wink. Understanding dawns on his face as he realizes what I've just done. We both bend over with our heads together, under the pretext of having him show me his card trick, but we both keep a firm eye on Shadow and Sally. We watch as she walks up to him and asks him what he wanted to say. He looks somewhat startled, and his face slowly turns beet red as he stammers out a reply.

Sonic and I turn and walk away, leaving the two to talk. Once we're far enough away, on the opposite side of the porch near the steps, we both burst out laughing.

"Did you see his face?" I snort.

"Yeah, I did. That was priceless." He chortles. His face is all scrunched up from laughing. We laugh heartily for a few more seconds before I spy a sudden movement out of the corner of my eye. I stop laughing abruptly, ears perked, eyes sharply focused where I had spotted the movement – near the trees surrounding the meadow below Knuckle's house, which is built partially inside a tall hill-like structure in the middle of a rather dense forest. There's a small meadow directly behind the burrow, in full view of the back porch, and I continue to scan the area, my senses on full overdrive.

"What'cha looking at?" Sonic has noticed my abrupt mood change. He's looking at me with an expression somewhere between confusion, curiosity, and mild concern.

"Dunno." I reply, not taking my eyes off the surroundings. "I thought I saw something moving out there." I gesture vaguely out towards the forest beyond.

"Huh." Sonic mutters, scratching his head. "You sure it's not just a Flicky or a lost Chao?"

I'm about to reply when I catch another glimmer of movement. This time I'm able to see what it is. Or rather, what they are. The first figure is definitely a Mobian, and it's jogging up the small hillock at the edge of the meadow, right above where the tree line starts. As the figure gets closer, I suddenly recognize who it is, and who its companion is.

It's Relic, a sweet, teal-furred pika with a rich foreign accent not unlike my own, who lives on Angel Island as an archaeologist. She had come to Angel Island several years prior, drawn to its numerous archaeological wonders and mysteries, and established a close friendship with Knuckles and the Chaotix. While she never officially joined the team, she remains an honorary member, and is always good for a cup of green tea and an enthusiastic (if not thoroughly baffling) explanation of her latest discovery if you drop by.

Oh, and did I mention she also happens to be Mighty's girlfriend? They've been good friends for a few years now, and only recently began dating (Probably because they're both really awkward at the whole romance thing).

Anyway, where was I? Oh, right. Sonic and I watch as Relic rushes up the knoll towards us, followed closely by her helper-robot, Fixit. (I don't know his whole story – that is, if he even has one! All I know is he's a funny little bot that's always hovering behind Relic, and that he looks like some sort of strange bug – if you squint.)

They reach the porch stairs, and Relic stops momentarily to catch her breath. She waves and shouts to announce her arrival.

"Yoo – hoo!" She calls cheerily. "Knuckles? Are you home?"

Nearly everybody rushes over to the railing and looks down. That is, nearly everybody except for Shadow and Sally; who I'm happy to see are still busy talking. Their backs are turned, and they are so engrossed in their conversation, they seem not to have noticed Relic's arrival.

Smiling to myself, I turn back toward the crowd gathered at the railing. Mighty is calling down to Relic.

"Oh, hey, Relic!" He says with a huge grin. "What brings you here?"

Relic reaches the top of the stairs, huffing and puffing, with Fixit at her heels.

"Nothing too earth-shattering," She answers breathlessly, adjusting her pink-rimmed glasses, which have been knocked askew during the jog. "But I've just made a breakthrough in translating some ancient manuscripts and comparing them to the notes I made on the Marble Garden Zone!" She says happily. Then her cheeks turn slightly pink, and she starts fingering the purple pendant on the necklace she always wears. "But as I see I'm gate-crashing a party, it can wait." She turns to leave.

"Hey, don't go!" Mighty says, reaching out an arm to stop her. "You're not gate-crashing anything." He gestures behind him to the food table. "There's still some cake left. That is, if Vector hasn't eaten it all."

Relic smiles shyly. "O-okay." She stammers. "As long as it's okay with Knuckles."

"Pshaw!" Knuckles snorts, waving his hand dismissively. "It's all good."

"Thanks, Knuckles." Relic says happily.