Manik Acorn: 36 Years Later

To them, it was just life for them and didn't think much of their own exploits. To their descendants, their life is a story passed down from generation to generation until they become the stuff of legends.

"What was my grandfather really like as a person?" Said a young energetic voice belonging to the cobalt blue son of Manik Acorn. They're outside in the castle's garden area. It's the spring season in the year 3299 and a beautiful sunny day no less.

"Just like your old man here. Daring and adventurous with a little attitude sprinkled in. Wasn't too crazy about royal duties like your grandmother was." The older Manik chuckled, finding it amusing how much he's like his own dad in his younger days.

Don't forget cocky and occasionally egotistical as well. He's known for that.

"Was he a good dad?"

"Nicky. He was just about the best dad you could ever ask for just like how Prower's son is the greatest friend you'll ever have." Running his fingers through the younger hedgehog's hair much to his annoyance. "He knows how to make childhood a fun one and he enjoys chilli dogs like I do. There's never a dull day with him."

"As for his speed… Oh, you should have seen him in his prime. Even I'm in awe of his incredible feats and I have his abilities for crying out loud!"

To imagine a world where Sonic does not have his famous supersonic speed is like imagining a world where there is no Sonic. The two are nigh-inseparable from each other.

"Sounds like he was a good person."

"He definitely was. He may have had enemies in his day but he always extends the olive branch to them to become his friends. No matter who they were, he can see the good in all of them including his nemesis Dr Robotnik or better known to all you youngsters as Dr Eggman…" Manik to this day wonders how that name managed to stick and be used by the mad scientist himself, let alone accept it. "Sonic is a forgiving person that always takes the time out of his day to help others, even helping random strangers he barely knows about and those who've tried to kill him many times. Wanna know why?"

That much is true about Sonic. He never truly regards his enemies as problems to be extinguished. Rather, they're people who are simply lost in the darkness and he wants to show them the way to the light. The light of peace and clarity. He showed Fiona Fox that light when he comforted the scarlet traitor in her dying moments. Enabling her to let go of that hate before she departed the living world for good.

"Why?"

"Because no problem is too big or too small for him to tackle. He believes that life should be enjoyed properly in the moment with other people and any person is welcomed to join in, regardless of who or what they are. That's why he's still celebrated as the hero of Mobius to this day."

In his life, Sonic has helped countless people from friends to folks on the streets and made sure they had a happy smile on their faces instead of a sad frown. One could say Sonic was as much a saint as he was a hero.

Nicky looked up to his dad. "Do you miss him?"

Sonic may have outraced both his foes and the jaws of death countless time However, he could never outpaced Father Time. Eventually growing slower and slower until he comes to a permanent stop.

Manik fought to not shed the tear upon hearing that question from his beloved boy. "All the time. He's such a big part of my life along with my dear mother and the Freedom Fighters. But that's the nature of life itself and we must cherish all the good memories we've had along the way."

It's what Sonic is all about. Live fast and live free.

"Much like his belief that it's important to live in the moment rather than stress about what the future might bring. I can definitely live by that." The boy said. Having a bit of his old man in him.

This brought a smile to Manik's face and warmed his heart deep down. Making the king forget the sadness he was feeling a few seconds ago.

"Now you're starting to get it my boy!" Manik lifted Nicky onto his shoulders and gave him a piggyback ride like he used to do when he was a small toddler. "Maybe in due time, you'll become the new fastest thing alive like I was."

"Really dad?" Nicky beamed.

"Yep. But only if you stay healthy, do your homework and be a responsible member of society. Doubt they'd appreciate having to deal with a fast-moving delinquent."

Translation: He doesn't want him to grow up a troublemaker with attitude and calling his best friend pixel brain. Only because his wife will give him a lot of grief over it. Parenthood, ey?

"Do I have to attend tutoring with Longclaw?" The boy groaned, not looking forward to sitting at a desk and listening to the owl's lecturing when he's itching to go fast instead. Very much like his grandfather.

"You know, I wasn't fond of sitting still for an hour while I was getting my education at your age. But I went and did it anyway." Remembering all the times he'd try to skip attending his tutoring and his mother always catching onto his attempts at every instance. "If you attend Longclaw's class today, I promise that I'll take you to go see your uncle Skye once it's over. How would you like that?"

Like father, like son.

"Okay dad. I'll go see him today." Still not mad over attending what's basically a boring hour of education about royal duties and blah blah blah. However, the prospect of going to see Uncle Skye Prower is too great an offer to refuse. He liked going over to his place to see the workshop and his best friend lives there as well. A win-win situation for the young Nicky Acorn.

"Good. I think your mother will be pleased to hear it when we get back…" He says as they head off to go see Longclaw the Owl.

There's a blue hedgehog for every season. Nicky is only one of them.

The End

(Author's note: I decided to write a short fic about an adult Manik Acorn from the Mobius: 20 Years Later storyline from the Pre-SGW Archie universe with a small nod to the movie as well. The name Nicky comes from an old Sonic manga that features the first appearance of Amy Rose and Charmy Bee before they showed up in the games. Lastly 'pixel brain' is what Sonic often calls Tails in Sonic the Comic. Hope you enjoy it!)