"Bogged down."
"What did you said?"
"I think our pickup got stuck in the ice."
"Good, then we'll have to go downstairs."
"In accord."
The two women unbuckle their seat belts, put on their backpacks, open the doors and climb out of the pickup truck. They close the doors then.
After leaving the vehicle, they can barely recognize the landscape.
A heavy blizzard took over the road and the surrounding pines. If at the beginning of the day, it was still possible to admire the blue sky and the green woods along the road trip, now the world seems to be ending in shades of white and gray.
The two travelers contemplate the spectacle, mouths open.
"So beautiful... and so ugly," The brown fox comments.
"Yeah, but we have to act soon," The purple hedgehog charges. "What time is exactly?"
The fox pulls out her smartphone, assembled by her own 8-year-old son.
"Hmm... It's 3:38 pm."
"You are crazy? I could bet it's night already."
"Caprices of God's Creation."
"Can you call with this?"
"No signal. What a shame. My son is quite a genius, but he cannot overcome the forces of nature."
"So now this is just a calendar."
"Or videogame. Want to try?"
"Stop joking and let's go."
"Okay."
"And be careful not to lose that smartphone. It might be our last resort."
"At your service, Your Majesty."
"And I am no longer Your Majesty."
"For me, it always will be."
"Thanks."
Moaning softly, the two women hold hands and lean on each other as they walk down the road and try to overcome the snow.
The two friends took precautions and spent the entire trip covered from head to toe in thick coats, winter glasses and backpacks loaded with food, extra clothes and other supplies. After all, driving a pickup truck through such a cold region of Planet Mobius as Holoska is always a challenge, even in this summer, when the cold is less intense.
But now the impression is that Holoska's summer has suddenly turned into winter.
The wind blows hard, making a deafening chant, joining the rustle of leaves on the trees to its freezing symphony.
Little by little, the storm builds up, with more snow falling, decorating the trees and carpeting the poorly maintained road.
Suddenly, the fox starts panting.
"Hmm? Are you okay?" The hedgehog asks her.
"Oh, I can't take it. I'm freezing to death."
"Calm down, I'm almost freezing too. But we have to stand firm."
"Firm for what?"
"There must be some hut nearby where we can keep warm."
"I doubt we'll find anything here. We came to the end of world."
"Come on. Let's keep walking to warm up."
The fox collapses to the ground!
"Rose!" The hedgehog despairs!
She kneels on the ground to better hear the barely audible voice of her friend, now stretched out on the road:
"Ah, Your Majesty... I failed to protect your life."
"On the contrary: you did a great job," the former Queen tries to encourage her, even though she knows it's useless.
"I should have known it was risky for us to travel now."
"Was all my fault," The hedgehog holds her friend fox's hand. "I was too insistent on doing this mobitarian mission together. It's my adventurous spirit, which I fatally passed on to my son."
"Now, as punishment, you can let me die here. In the snow."
"No. We started the work together and we will finish together," The Queen assures, as she caresses her friend.
Without hesitation, the hedgehog, with some difficulty, puts her friend fox, unconscious, on her back and resumes her walk.
With that, the two reheat.
After 10 minutes, something is glimpsed on the horizon.
Yes, it's a log cabin.
The Queen smiles.
"Huh-huh-huh-huh?"
"Welcome back."
"Is this Heaven?"
"No. But can be, if you want."
Rosemary Prower, the brown-hairy fox, rubs her eyes with her bare hands. She's lying on a gray couch, with a black and red blanket covering her head to toe, and a lime pillow propping her head.
Standing in front of her, now wearing lighter clothes, her purple-thorny hedgehog friend smiles in relief.
"Your Majesty?"
"Please Rose. We are friends. Call me by name."
"Alicia?"
"Aleena."
"Oh yes… Aleena. Sorry for the name confusion."
"All right. You worked for many years as royal advisor to Queen Alicia Acorn. Our mutual friend. Natural that you get confused."
Rosemary yawns.
Aleena hands over a hot cup.
"Take it. This will help you get back to normal."
Rosemary starts drinking.
"Hmmm… Grape juice. Very sweet."
"You liked? You don't have to lie just because I was Queen."
"Very good."
"Excellent," Aleena sits on the couch, right next to Rosemary's feet.
"Aleena… What is this place?"
"It's a wooden house."
"And how did we get here?"
"Well, you suffered hypothermia and passed out in the middle of the road. So I grabbed you, put on my back and kept walking."
"Wait: did you carry me? With all my weight?" Rosemary can't believe. "I thought you were Mother of Sonic, not Knuckles."
The two laugh!
Aleena puts her hand on her chin:
"Well, I had time to exercise and get strong during all the years I ran away from Dr. Eggman. Besides making me hide in the mountains all the time."
"Okay, but carry on."
"Then, after about 10 minutes of walking, we found this house. After we arrived, I put you on the floor, took off your wet clothes and shoes, and then transferred you to the couch."
"Oh good."
Rosemary returns the glass, now empty.
"And where did you get wood for the fire?" She asks, pointing to the burning fireplace.
"There was already cut firewood outside."
"What? Is this hut inhabited?"
"I think so, although it's not very tidy. And so far I haven't seen any living souls besides us."
"Usually Kings have the palace invaded, but you went the other way."
Aleena laughs with her mouth closed.
Rosemary suggests:
"Well, and if the blizzard has passed, you could try calling Sonic now."
"I've tried a few times," Aleena takes the smartphone. "Still no signal."
"Oh, we just needed to end up in a place with no phone towers."
"But we can still have fun tonight," Aleena smirks.
Sitting on the living room rug, Aleena and Rosemary play cards.
And they ramble on about their lives.
Rosemary takes the initiative:
"And then? You said your son Sonic inherited your own adventurous spirit."
"Just a little bit," Aleena look up. "I was also born with his Super Speed. For a naughty child like me, it was quite an advantage. Often I would wake up very early in the morning, take off my pajamas, put on my shoes and run away from the palace to travel around."
"Only shoes? Just like Sonic?"
"Yes! I didn't even comb my hair. I left anyway and was good. For me, freedom was everything. IS everything! I loved the Palace, of course, my princess life and everything. But sometimes I felt like a cloistered Rapunzel. So much so that when my Mother discovered everything, she forbade me to go out in the morning. Also: just imagine, the royal heiress taking a useless risk out there. So I started going out in the middle of the night. Nothing was holding me back, after all."
"Were your Parents severe? The King and the Queen?"
"A little. They knew I needed to control my powers so as not to create havoc in Royal Family and destabilize the Monarchy. So I went through exhausting exercises inside the Palace to learn to focus and take responsibility. I found it all very boring and oppressive. For me, the best thing was to come out of the shell. Today, I see it wasn't so bad. I always thank God for having had wonderful Parents, who provided the best education for me to take over the Kingdom as an adult. But since I was a child, I always knew that the real world was outside the Palace."
"And today? Still like to run fast like Sonic?"
"Occasionally yes. I can't exhaust too much. But at least once a month."
"Only shoes?"
"What do you care?"
The two laugh nervously!
"And don't you think about being Queen again?"
"No way," Aleena smiles. "I'm very honored to have been Queen. Monarchy is a great form of government. But after Sonic, Sonia and Manic beat Eggman and recaptured Mobotropolis..."
"...With your help."
"Yes, with my help," Aleena bites her lips and frowns. "The Oracle of Delphi was a great hoax. Separating my children was a blunder. But Jules and Bernadette were great foster parents to Sonic," She smooths her face again. "But anyway, after the four of us beat Eggman, I refused to return to the throne and our country became a Republican Confederation. And I'm very happy with my quiet life today."
"At least you got the Palace."
"Yes. But I wouldn't mind living in a humble village like Vanilla."
"You could run for President of Mobotropolis," Rosemary suggests.
"No way. Politics, for me, never again."
"Oh, come on. The term is only 1 year. And without reelection."
Aleena sighs:
"For me, nothing better than spending time with my family. My sons and daughters-in-law. Everyone came to my house last Mother's Day and threw a party for me," New sigh. "Sonic and Amy, Manic and Mina, Sonia and Honey..."
"Honey?" Rosemary raises an eyebrow.
"Don't ask Sonia what she feels for Honey, or she'll kill you," Aleena smirks.
The two Mothers laugh.
Aleena concludes:
"It's like I'm a Mother to all of them."
"You, for a long time, were the Mother of entire nation."
"Please don't quote that."
At the end of the game...
"I won!" Rosemary shakes her fists.
"Well, you have three prizes" Aleena announces. "Two kisses..."
One on each side of the face.
SMAC! SMAC!
"...and a hot chocolate made on my own," Aleena gets up and returns to the kitchen.
Rosemary remains seated on the rug, leaning back on the sofa, playing with strands of her hair. She thinks of her husband Amadeus and her son Tails. They must be worried by now. Who knew that a few hours ago she could be dead.
A few minutes later, Aleena reappears, with two cups of hot chocolate.
After kneeling, the former Queen offers:
"Which one do you want?"
Rosemary stares at Aleena, curious.
"What's it?" Aleena smiles, intrigued.
"The Queen serving the commoner..."
"Please Rose, don't insist, otherwise I'll send you to Detention Tower..."
"Alright then," the fox also smiles. "Serve me in the purple cup."
Aleena then licks the liquid from the required cup, like a cat.
"Hey!" Rosemary complains.
"Royal saliva," Aleena smirks.
"If I were an anarchist, I'd poison your coffee right now," Rosemary scoffs, taking the cup.
While the two drink...
"Hey Aleena... Thank You So Much."
"For what?"
"For saving my life out there. But mostly… for not giving up on a lowly mortal like me."
"You would do same for me."
"Yes."
After each one empties their cup...
"Now tell me about Tails," Aleena requests.
"Huh?"
"I forgot to mention him, but he was also at my Mother's Day party."
"Oh yeah. He is also your son."
"I'm not so sure," Aleena looks sideways and puts a hand to her chin. "Sonic adopted him at a young age, but takes care him like a brother. Our family is so messed that Tails once told me he doesn't even know if he should consider me his Mother, GrandMother, Aunt, GodMother or simply Your Royal Majesty."
"And what did you say?"
"I said for him, 'To make easier, call me Aleena. Your servant.' I kissed his hand and he felt embarrassed."
"No one becomes close friends with the Queen without a very strong reason," Rosemary observes, good-naturedly.
"He really deserves," Aleena recognizes. "But was hard for you have a son like him."
Rosemary lowers her head and caresses her knees:
"Yes, definitely. He was born with the anom... with the peculiarity of two-tails. And the Acorn Kingdom had that archaic, aberrant and eugenic law that mandated the sacrifice of babies born with certain deformities. The fact that my husband was a Captain in the Army and I was a member of the Royal Council didn't change anything. King Elias and Queen Alicia could not break the law, but they helped me deliver my son to a foreign orphanage in order for him survive."
Pause to sigh, excited.
"But one day, he rebelled, ran away from orphanage, and ended up meeting Sonic, who raised him like a son. Later, when Eggman also dethroned the Acorn dynasty, Princess Sally teamed up with Sonic, created the Freedom Fighters, and helped him create Tails. And they both did a great job. I will be forever grateful to them."
"Too bad they aren't together anymore," Aleena laments. "But that's okay: both she and Amy Rose are fundamental pieces in Sonic's life. I love them both so much."
"Me too," Rosemary agrees. "But the Acorn Kingdom has been restored and Sally has a lot of work as a Princess, not leaving much time for heroic quests. In fact, she seems a lot calmer than Sonic."
"Absolutely," Aleena assesses. "Sonic is much more hot-blooded. Adventurous. Adrenaline. Hard to imagine him leading the quiet life of a Prince."
"Are you thanking Eggman for what he did?" Rosemary scoffs.
"Never," Aleena clenches fists. "But everything that goes bad can be capitalized on into something good. Like Tails, for example. If he had stayed in Acorn Kingdom, he could have been kidnapped by Eggman and become an evil mini-genius."
"Yeah," Rosemary agrees. "Sonic was a great influence on him."
"And today? Do you get along with Tails?"
"Completely," Rosemary assures. "That absurd law was repealed a long time ago. Amadeus and I share custody of him with Sonic. Having a loving family is already wonderful, imagine two families? My husband and I worry about holding our son's reins, as, with all respect, discipline doesn't seem to be the forte of the blue-blur."
"He's a hedgehog… impulsive, I'll admit," Aleena softens, looking up. "But he would never trap Tails. And depending on the circumstances, he leaves Tails safely at home while he goes into action. And Tails eat chili dogs at your house?"
"He already has a whole week to eat with Sonic. Not with me!"
The two burst out laughing.
Mother hedgehog and Mother fox wrap up the night by snuggling on the couch, sharing the same fluffy blanket.
Both watch a projection on the wall, coming from Aleena's laptop.
It's a home video recorded by her on Mother's Day.
Her sons and daughters-in-law stage The Beauty and The Beast for her.
Sonic is the Beast, Amy Rose is Belle, Manic is Gaston, Tails is his assistant Tattoo (no one remembered that character's name is Le Fou), Sonia is Maurice, Honey is Agathe, and Mina... well, she's the singer in the play. .
"Congratulations on having seven amazing kids," Rosemary whispers.
"It's their credit, not mine," Aleena observes sarcastically.
Rosemary leans her head on Aleena's lap.
"Caress my head, please."
"Really?" Aleena smiles.
"Amadeus always does that when we watch a movie together. Tiredness hits me, I settle on his legs and he caresses my head. And now, I'm missing him..."
"Now, your wish is a command."
Aleena smoothes her friend's hair, tying knots and then releasing them.
"You have boyfriend?" Rosemary asks, already with her eyes closed.
"No. I'm available to you," Aleena scoffs as she runs her fingers over Rose's belly.
"I have Amadeus."
"And so what? He's a quiet man. He will not care."
"I'm strictly monogamous."
"Excellent."
Aleena lightly pinches the ends of her friend's beard, on the right side of her face.
Then she moistens her right eye.
SMAC!
"I love you," Aleena whispers.
"I love you too," Rosemary adds.
Aleena doesn't even wait for the movie to end.
She leans her head on Rosemary's right shoulder.
And the two friends slip into sleep.
"OH!" Aleena exclaims, upon being awakened early in the morning with a light tap on her left shoulder.
Upon coming across the shadowy figure in front of her...
"WOW!"
The visitor announces:
"Excuse me. It's 6 AM. But if you want, you can sleep a little longer. I hate waking up early myself."
"No, it's fine," Aleena yawns. "Really? 6 AM? So I had the best sleep ever."
"You two, I would say."
"Absolutely," Aleena nudges Rosemary. "Wake up Rose, wake up."
"Hmm... Don't annoys, Amadeus," Rosemary mutters.
"Tails is here."
"MY SON!" Rosemary awakens in a second! "Huh?"
"HA HA HA HA HA!" Aleena burst into laughter.
The newcomer doesn't show any joyful reaction.
"This is not Tails," Rosemary complains, turning her head to Aleena.
"You are a deep sleeper," Aleena notices. "Like me."
"Silly!" Rose slaps Aleena, who laugh even louder.
"HA HA HA HA HA! I will not count as lèse-majesté!"
Rosemary gets up from the couch and snaps her neck, being imitated by Aleena.
"So you are Shadow The Hedgehog?"
"Myself," confirms the black and red fur boy. "And you must be Queen Aleena and Rosemary Prower, Mothers of Sonic and Tails."
"Exactly," Aleena confirms, as she shakes the hedgehog's hand. "Our children spoke very well of you."
"Not so good, I guess," Shadow gives a small, sarcastic smile, which combined with his bad boy gaze, makes him look even more sinister. "Anyway, what are you doing here in my cabin?"
"We were on a date and fell asleep," Aleena scoffs.
"I'm seriously asking," Shadow frowns. "Is that pickup stuck outside yours?"
"Yes, it is," Rosemary nods. "We came to distribute clothes, foods and relief kits here in Holoska. But the blizzard got in our way."
"Sorry for breaking into your house," Aleena retracts.
"No apologize," Shadow assures. "You two certainly needed this cabin more than I did. Yesterday's blizzard was pretty heavy."
"Where were you yesterday that we didn't find you?" Rosemary wants to know.
"I was in a village nearby, helping the villagers. Then a family invited me to spend the night with them. I'm a lonely creature, but they were too kind for me to refuse."
"So you are living here in Holoska?" Aleena is impressed.
"I'm a nomad, if you know what I mean," Shadow scratches his hands. "I can't stay long in one place. So I'm always traveling the world. I suffer from depression and helping others always makes me feel better. I win and they win."
"That's great," Rosemary rejoices. "You are a golden boy,"
"I'm not a saint, and you know that very well," Shadow tilts his head, a little embarrassed, as he caress the white tuft of his chest. "But I try my best," He lifts his head and smiles. "Anyway, we have a mobitarian mission to do. Since the blizzard has already passed, how about we go untangle that 'bathtub'?"
"Great idea!" The two Mothers exclaim in unison.
"So let's go. Get dressed quickly."
"By the way, is there no internet or phone signal around here?" Rosemary asks.
"No, and that's what I like," Shadow assures. "But when we stop at the nearest village, I'll make a video call to Sonic and Tails and you will both stick your tongues out to let them know it's all right."
"That sounds like a plan," Aleena smiles. "Perfect!"
As the three use shovels to remove snow from the road around the pickup truck...
"Hey Shadow, do you have a girlfriend?" Rosemary asks.
"No," he answers bureaucratically, not taking his eyes off his task.
"Well, I know a woman who is available to you."
Shadow plunges the shovel into the snow. And blushes.
Aleena abandons protocol and imitates the fiery gaze and cynical smile, trademarks of her son Sonic:
"ROOOSEEE!"
THE END!
