Chapter Ten: Christmas Scavenger Hunt Part Three
Meanwhile, not so far from the neighborhood of the Christmas party, a figure appeared, slowly gaining mass from the mist. He sniffed the air and grinned with satisfaction.
"Ah. I smell happiness." Deep Sea smiled evilly. "The princess must be near. Aquarians?"
A group of water figures came up from the ground, absorbing the water and life from the grass, leaving it brown and withered.
"Yes, Master?" They breathed, their heads bowed down.
"Disguise yourselves and follow the child. Capture her, before she knows of my plan." And with a swish of his cloak, the Aquarian leader vanished and left a faint chuckle.
"Festive utensil…festive utensil…" Dagger whispered as she searched on a shelf. She suddenly touched something wooden and round. She grabbed it and looked at it carefully. It turned out to be a pencil with tiny Santa Clauses printed on it. "Hmm…festive utensil…festive writing utensil!" The green hedgehog giggled. "Now that I found it, it's hard to believe that it was a little hard to find it in the first place!"
In the meantime, Spike has also found a festive utensil. He had been searching through the kitchen cupboards when he found a spoon with a plastic tree on it. "Whoop! Found it!" He yelled gleefully while putting it in his pocket along with his other collected items.
Rouge grinned slyly as she searched for the next object. She had already found 'Silver Ding Dongs', 'Bird of Peace', 'Festive Utensil', and 'Kiss Under the Mistletoe'. She found the last one after Coral and Shadow left; they have been in such an awkward moment that they didn't notice the bowl of kisses near them. Right now, she's looking for a 'Burnt Sweet', which is the marshmallow. However, the bat is kind of confused if the marshmallow has to be normal or really burnt. Rouge made her mind and got two marshmallows from the bowl and stuck one to her 'festive utensil' (which was a fork) and stuck it into the fireplace. And waited. And waited. She's totally beating Knuckles now. He'll regret doubting her in the first place.
OK, I'm just going to stop right here and just move on with it…so forty-five minutes later!
"OK, time's up!" Yelled Jess. A few groans were heard, but everybody gathered near the small stage. "OK…so who found everything?" She asked. Rouge, Trey, Knuckles, Sandy, Aqua, and Dagger raised their hands. "OK, give me your bags with all your stuff." Jess said, and she received the six bags. "Just stay here and talk or something. Do not follow me." She looked at them sternly with a faint smile and left to another room.
5 minutes later…
"OK!" Jess yelled, appearing out of nowhere. "You all…got everything! Congrats!"
"YES!" Knuckles and Rouge yelled, and they looked at each other, glaring.
"Well, well, I guess you two are tied." Shadow stated the obvious. The two stared at him like he is crazy, and got back to quarrelling.
"Well!" Jess said, grinning nervously. "Why don't we…go on to dinner! I prepared it specially!" The echidna and bat stopped fighting.
"I don't think I trust Jess's cooking." Knuckles said.
"If you don't want it, you don't have to eat it." Jess said, her nose up high in a stubborn way. "I made the treats too, and I saw you stuffing your face with brownies a few minutes ago."
"Umm…heh heh…" Knuckles sweatdropped.
"I'm glad that you see it my way." Jess said, with her eyes closed while nodding her head. "OK, let's go!" She gestured towards the dining room. Everybody ran towards the room. Name tags are placed on the table, indicating the seats that they will take. Plates and eating utensils are already placed. In the middle of the long table, a floral centerpiece of seven carnations, flower jewels, small glass ball ornaments, and wires that winded around the centerpiece. It is delicately placed under the glass chandelier.
Sonic's eyes bugged out and took a sharp intake of breath. His seat is in between Kristen's and Amy's.
"Sit! I'll go get the appetizer!" Jess said, going into the kitchen.
"Mind if Cheese and I help?" Cream asked sweetly.
"I don't mind!" She allowed. The rabbit smiled as she walked into the kitchen, her chao hovering beside her.
"You can bring this dish out, Cream, and Cheese you can help bring the crackers out to the dining room." Jess instructed, handing them each a plate. The helpers both nodded, and brought out the appetizer—Holiday Cranberry Chutney.
"Wow, looks delicious, Jess!" Kristen said, eyeing the appetizer.
"Thanks, Kristen!" Jess smiled happily, placing a bowl of it on one side of the table. Cheese and Cream also brought out some cream cheese, and placed it beside each bowl of cranberries.
"Oh my gosh, it's so sweet!" Sandy exclaimed cheerfully, her mouth full of cranberries.
"Don't get a sugar rush, Sandy." Aqua said worriedly. "You really shouldn't eat that much, or you would be too full for the main course!"
"Aw, don't worry, sis!" Sandy said. "You worry too much. Just try it, and I bet you wouldn't be able to stop eating it." The young echidna said, scooping some appetizer onto a cracker and quickly eating it. Aqua sighed, and gasped with pleasure as she took a bite.
"It's delicious!" She said, taking another bite.
"Told ya."
"Wow, I'm going to like this more than pizza!" Spike said, helping himself to another cracker.
"Not possible, mate, not possible." Axle said. Spike gave a playful glare at him.
"No one asked you." Spike retorted. Axle grinned.
"I know."
After Main Course and Dessert:
"Ugh. I'm full." Sonic said, patting his stomach.
"Same…" Flare said sleepily. Coral, Kristen, Dagger, and Amy giggled at the two hedgehogs' faces. Shadow finished the last of his pudding and silently sighed with pleasure.
"Does anyone else hear that?" Coral asked nervously, glancing around.
"Chao?"
"What?" Jess asked, cocking her head to the side.
"No, why?" Trey asked.
"I don't know, I thought I heard—" But Coral was interrupted by a loud scream.