February - Year 1
The past several weeks were a flurry of activity. Vector pocketed so much money from the event that his pockets made jingling sounds whenever he walked, but the rest of the citizens were benefiting from the financial weight that had been lifted off of them as well. Streets were more lively, houses had far less holes, most people even had running water and electricity now, which they hadn't had in ten years! Everyone was happier now that Robotnik was gone, and that was what Sonic always loved about heroes.
Plus, Lady Earthia was so happy about the return of her daughters that she offered countless Seedrian artifacts as thanks, but Sonic ultimately decided to turn the offer down. He had other cool things to help him, so he felt bad about taking things away from other people who might need them.
Anyway, he was currently hiding in a crate with a loose lid, because Mighty had informed them of something very special happening on this day...
"Mighty, I got those bolts you wanted." Knuckles flicked the light switch.
"SURPRISE!" Mighty and Ray the Flying Squirrel pulled confetti poppers, and Sonic jumped out of his hiding place to throw a party hat on Knuckles' head and blow a noise maker in his face.
"Oh my God!" Knuckles slapped his forehead as a laugh escaped him, "Mighty! You did it!"
"I figured this year was the perfect time to surprise you!" Mighty slid a box into Knuckles hands, "I knew I'd do it one day! Happy birthday, Knuckles!"
"My man!" Knuckles gave Mighty a crushing bear hug, "You were right! You've done it! I'm so surprised!"
"Anyway, I hope you like my gift." Mighty ran to the back of the house to grab the cake, "I think considering the circumstances, it'll prove quite useful."
Knuckles took the chair that Mighty offered, tearing the wrapping paper off the box. Inside were a set of what looked like brass knuckles, except they were shaped more like scoopers.
Knuckles grinned so wide he got stars in his eyes, "The Shovel Claws!" Knuckles was already good at digging, but these would help him dig further and faster through harder materials like clay, "Mighty! I don't know how you got these, but thank you!"
"Anytime, old friend!" Mighty flicked his nose, "Now who's ready for cake!?"
"ME!" a dozen childrens' voices rang in the air, and Mighty carefully cut the cake into a dozen squares to put on paper plates with tiny plastic forks.
"Try not to spill it on the carpet! Oh, watch the counter, Ray!"
Sonic gently pulled Tails to the side once they'd received their cake, "Hey, Buddy. Your birthday was November, right?"
Tails' eyes widened, "Yes...?"
"Then this," Sonic handed a tiny gift box to the cub, "is for you."
Tails tried to hand it back, "But..."
"It was no trouble." Sonic insisted, "Besides, we were so busy during that entire month, I feel like you didn't get enough attention. We'll make sure you get a proper party next year, okay?"
Tails' eyes got big and watery, then he gave Sonic a big hug, careful not to spill his or his friend's cake, "Thank you, Sonic..."
"Anytime, Tails." Sonic returned the hug with one arm, as the other one was still holding his plate.
"Hey, Sonic?" Amy was already halfway through her cake, "When did we plan on leaving?"
Sonic stared down at his own square, but for some reason, he was feeling too sick at the moment to eat it, "After this party. Mighty wouldn't let us leave any earlier."
"Is that why he didn't want us to leave?" Knuckles' mouth was covered in frosting, "Honestly, I should have known just from that."
Sonic set his cake on the table, "Did you guys make like a bet or something?"
"Nah, I'm just good a surprising him on his birthday, but he's never surprised me before." Knuckles stood up to throw away his plate, "Honestly, I kind of forgot about my birthday. I've been too preoccupied with everything else that's happening. Am I really twelve already?"
"Just one more year before you get to join the teenagers club!" Mighty said, apparently having overheard.
"Wow!" Tails was in awe, "You'll basically be an adult by then!"
"Eh, more or less." Mighty gave Knuckles a hardy slap on his back, "I can't believe it! I finally surprised you!"
"I know! I didn't suspect a thing!" Knuckles ground his fist into Mighty's head, "You did it, my man! I knew you could do it!"
"Hey!" Mighty slid away, laughing, "Not the shell, please!"
They bickered a moment longer before Knuckles left to check on the other kids, and Mighty wrapped a gentle arm around Sonic's shoulders.
"Hey, man. Thanks for pulling Knuckles out of his funk."
"Huh?" Sonic had wrapped his piece of cake with spare tissue paper, figuring he'd eat it later, "What d'you mean?"
Mighty lowered his voice so Knuckles wouldn't hear, "He's so used to isolating himself that he hides from us to constantly watch the Master Emerald by himself. I don't know why he wasn't letting us help him, but he let you, and that's what matters." he tapped the tip of his shoe against the floor, "Maybe he wanted to look tough for us, or maybe he felt like the emerald is more important than his own life, but...thank you so much. He's never asked me to watch the emerald for him before, and I think that's a big step for him."
Sonic processed that information, his view of Knuckles shifting a bit. Is that why he was all alone with infected cuts in such a ghetto part of town?
"He's the best friend I've ever had, Sonic, so..." Mighty shrugged, "Just...protect him for me, okay?"
Sonic pulled Mighty into a hug, who returned it gratefully.
"I'll do my best."
Mighty laughed, pulling away to look into Sonic's eyes, "You're something special, you know that?"
"Thank you, Mighty." Sonic gave Mighty's shoulder a gentle punch, "You're not so bad yourself."
"Hehe! Thanks, man." Mighty made to leave, "Well, I've gotta run, but come visit me on Angel Island any time!"
"Will do, man." Sonic watched Mighty salute, then he disappeared out the door, "Okay, Tails. Amy. Let's prepare to leave."
"Aw, can't we stay a little longer?" Amy chucked her plate with the others.
"Sorry, guys." Sonic waved them towards the door, "Trust me, I don't want to leave either, but we've wasted enough time already. Knuckles?"
"Hm?" Knuckles was holding the coffee table high over his head, a bunch of laughing kids on top of it.
"I-!" Sonic tilted his head, "What are you doing?"
"Showing off my strength, dude." Knuckles shifted the table so it was over his shoulder, "I could probably hold this with one arm, but I don't wanna risk dropping any kids."
"Okay, well, we gotta leave soon. Could you, uh...?"
"Yeah, I got it." Knuckles went to put the table down, "Guys, out of the way please!" he shooed the other kids away before gingerly setting it down, "Whew."
"Aw, do you really have to go, Knuckles?"
Knuckles ruffled the fur of the questioning kid, "Sorry, kiddo. Duty calls, but man am I gonna miss you guys! Group hug?"
"YEAH!"
Knuckles turned towards Sonic as all the kids crowded around him, "You guys too!"
"Oh no, I'm good!" Sonic was yanked into the fray anyway, and suddenly he was surrounded by the entire group of Manik's rascals, "Knuckles!"
"What? You're smiling!"
"Ack! Not the ears! No!"
"Guys!"
The kids stopped, and Manik pulled Sonic out of the group, "I'm afraid we have some bad news..."
The youngest in the group, a tiny rabbit named Cream, came forward to grip Manik's hand, "Is it Mama?"
Manik's broken gaze stared at the floor.
"Come on, guys." Sonia came in to show them the door, "You should come too, Sonic. Before you leave."
The walk across the street was quiet and uneventful. Even Charmy, who was usually overzealous in his chattiness, flew in silence, his wings making a soft buzzing sound. This was one of the older buildings, with less repairs, but still in good shape. Sonic stood awkwardly in the doorway until Vector appeared to steer them to the master bedroom. Sonic heard each step he took, tapping across the kitchen tile, and then muffled through the carpet.
In the bedroom lay an older brown and cream colored rabbit, but her face was pale, and she was fast asleep.
Or maybe... Sonic thought before he could stop it, She's unconscious...
Vector sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes turning glassy as he stared at her.
Sonic leaned against the bedside table. Cream wasn't here, but their small group - including Sonic's siblings - were all there.
"So..." Sonic spoke softly as he scratched his cheek, "Who is this?"
"Vanilla." Vector said without looking up, "She's Cream's mom, and for years now, she's been sick."
Sonic waited for him to elaborate, but he never did. He just continued to stare at the stationary rabbit, something like longing in his eyes.
"What's she sick with?" Sonic asked. Vector took a deep breath before he answered.
"We don't know. We've never known. She just keeps getting weaker, and she can't be awake for more than a few hours at a time." Vector twiddled his thumbs in his lap, "It used to not be so bad, but lately it's been awful. She can't even walk anymore because she could faint at any moment! I'm afraid if we don't do something about it..."
Sonic slowly reached out to feel Vanilla's face. It had some warmth to it, but it was also clammy and slick with cold sweat. Something familiar buzzed beneath her skin, but Sonic couldn't place why it was so familiar to him, besides the fact that the Master Emerald gave him the same kind of feeling. Was it something to do with Chaos?
"So I have a request for you, kid!" Vector steeled his expression as Sonic pulled his hand away, "D'you think maybe you could find a way to help her? Or even figure out what she has?"
Sonic swallowed as he stared at Vanilla, "I don't know, Vector. But I'll try."
"That's all I'm askin'." Vector patted Sonic's head, "You're a good kid, Sonic. I'm sure you'll figure it out."
Sonic nodded, "Come on, guys. We're leaving."
The group followed after him. On the way out, Sonic grabbed Manik's arm, "Hey, you sure you don't want to come with us?"
"Yeah, bro. I'm sure." Manik's drumsticks were out the second they left the house, "Even with Robotnik gone, this place still needs work. I know we're related by blood, but for the time being, my family is here."
"Same." Sonia slapped a hand on Sonic's shoulder, "But don't be a stranger! You're welcome to come back at any time!"
"Thanks, sis." Sonic couldn't stop the smile that stretched across his face, "We'll see you later, okay?"
"Bye, Sonic!" Sonia and Manik waved as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy ran out of the city, emerging in Green Hill.
"So, how do you plan on saving Vanilla?" Knuckles said.
Sonic ground to a halt, forcing the others to stop too. He put his pointer finger in the air, "I'll show you."
"Wait!"
"Huh?" did they forget to say goodbye to someone? Lady Earthia ran after them, her full skirt billowing in the wind.
"I forgot about something." Earthia brandished something familiar in her hands, "I believe this is yours."
"What?" Sonic held out his hands, and Earthia dropped a glowing blue gem in his arms, "That's a..."
"A Chaos Emerald." Knuckles said in awe.
"One of the seven ancestors." Earthia said, "You resonate with Chaos Energy, little one. If you have the seven and the one, I know that awful doctor and his metal servant will be no match."
Sonic bit his lip, "Lady Earthia, I'm honored, but I can't take this from you."
"I insist." Earthia let go of Sonic's arms and the emerald seemed to sizzle wherever it touched him, "I guarantee that this will be more useful with you than it could ever be with me. Consider it a parting gift."
Sonic gasped softly as he held the emerald. It felt so nice and comforting in his hands, like a blanket fresh out of the dryer. Once he had it, he wasn't sure he'd be able to let it go, so he looked up at Earthia, hoping his gaze wasn't too pleading.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes." Earthia turned to drift back into the city, "Your future is bright, little one. Godspeed to all of you."
The four watched her recede until she was out of sight.
