*Chapter 2: A Nutcracker Gift*
After the big Christmas feast and dessert, everyone gathered around the hall to receive some gifts. Abraham found his parents by the tree with the present they made for him. Mardic is with his family to open one gift from them. And Maria came over to one gift she's been eyeing on. She picked it up and start to rip the paper off. A white box was revealed. She took off the lid and that is where she saw it. A nutcracker hedgehog. It had spikes that is black with red stripes, red eyes, a black nose, wearing a red top with gold trim, white jeans with boots, and a black hat. Maria took the wooden object out of the box, staring at him in awe.
"Oh, it's so...he's so handsome." Maria said with a smile.
"Handsome?" Someone laughed. Maria looked up to see a 13 year old with red/orange hair with brown eyes coming over. "It's a wooden doll, Maria. Don't call it 'handsome'."
"Bella!" Mark hissed. Maria turned away from her evil cousin, holding her new gift close. Gerald came up to her.
"Well? Do you like it?"
"Oh, I love it, grandfather!" Maria said, hugging her grandfather. Gerald chuckled at her. Isabella and Ivo rolled their eyes. Maria looks at the nutcracker hedgehog with a smile. "But, why is it a hedgehog?"
"To tell you the truth, I have no clue. I found him at this store, the owner sold to me freely." Gerald said. "But, I don't see what's so strange about it. Nutcrackers are great for the holidays."
"Hmm. Well, I don't care if this is different. I love him." Maria said, hugging her nutcracker. But, it was snatched away from her hands. Ivo has the nutcracker hedgehog in his hands. "Hey! Ivo, give him back!"
"I don't see why you are into this...ugly thing." Ivo scolds her. Maria tries to take away the nutcracker, but Ivo skips away from her. Gerald tells his grandson to give back the gift, but Ivo ignores him. Greta watches, chuckling at Maria who chases her son around. She found this amusing. "Hey, Bella! Hand over the cannon ball. I want to see if this thing can crack it open." Ivo said. Isabella tosses the toy cannon ball over to her brother.
"No! You'll break him!" Maria said, pulling her cousin's arm.
"It's not a 'him', dummy! It's a nutcracker doll!" Ivo said, pushing her off. He places the cannon ball in the mouth of the nutcracker, pull down the back lever, and...
CRACK!
"Oh no!" Maria cried out, covering her mouth with her hands, looking at the small wood pieces on the floor. The cannon call fell out of the mouth. Everyone in the hall turned after they hear Maria's cry. Gerald snatches the nutcracker away from his grandson and see the chip spots around the mouth. Maria came over to see the chip spots. "No..."
"I thought it could crack it like nuts." Ivo said, making a nervous smile.
"The look on Maria's face was priceless!" Isabella said with a smirk. Maria took the nutcracker from Gerald's hands, holding it close to her. She doesn't know why, but she is so attached to this gift. Sure, she has some small dolls in her room, but this nutcracker hedgehog is special to her.
"Alright, fun's over for you two." Mark said to his children. "Don't touch Maria's new toy." Greta rolled her eyes a bit at her husband. Mardic and Abraham came over to Maria.
"You okay, kiddo?" Mardic asked. "Oh man, I was about to stop them, but..."
"No." Maria replied. "Ivo ruined...my nutcracker." She walked away from the boys. "I'm sorry, I want to be alone for a moment." She said. She left the grand hall with her nutcracker hedgehog. Abraham scratched his head.
"Boy, she's in love with that toy, huh?" He asked.
"I never see her like this with her dolls." Mardic said. "It is from the professor, so I guess she wants to give the nutcracker her love."
Maria was outside the doors, holding her nutcracker hedgehog. She frowned at the chipped spots. She brought the nutcracker up to her lips and gave the head a soft kiss.
"I'm sorry, nutcracker. My cousins are so mean." She told it as if it was alive. "But, I will fix you up soon." She place the nutcracker down to make it stand on the floor. "You are so different than the other nutcrackers. You're a hedgehog. If you were real, you will be so soft. I could dance with you..." When she daydreams, Gerald comes out of the grand hall, seeing his granddaughter turning to him.
"Are you alright, Maria?"
"Oh, yes. I'm fine, grandfather." Maria replied. "I just need some space after what happened."
"Don't worry my dear, I'll fix the nutcracker tomorrow morning. It will be good as new." Gerald told her. Maria began to hug him.
"Thank you."
It's past midnight. Everyone in the whole ARK is asleep, except for one person. Maria is out of her room, bringing her flashlight and her nutcracker hedgehog along. She wanted to be in the grand hall alone to see the tree in the glow of the dark hall. She is in her light blue nightdress, and wearing a red headband with a red Christmas flower on the side of it. As she walks through the doors, she smiled at the tree that is still lit from the candles. There are three candelabras. She lit one of them and shut off the flashlight.
"There." She said, holding it. She places the nutcracker by the tree, and set the candelabra by her and the nutcracker. "I hope you like it here, nutcracker. It may not be as much to you, but...this place is big enough for everyone." Maria said. "Hm. If only you could talk, you can tell me what you think." She planted a kiss on the head of the nutcracker lightly. Then, there is light from the tree. The candles are lit up to make the area around Maria brighter. "Huh?" She looked around her to see if anyone is in here with her. There is no one around. It's quiet around here. But, a thump was heard in front of Maria. She looked down to see the nutcracker hedgehog lying on its back. It must've lost balance.
'I think I should head back to bed.' Maria thought. Before she could pick up the nutcracker, something amazing happened. The nutcracker began to glow. Maria gasped and backed away from it, holding the candelabra. What is happening?!
The nutcracker was lifted off the floor, still glowing. It slowly start to grow. The legs slowly turn from wood, to real legs that can bend. The rest of the body is no longer wood. The head turns to soft fur, and the muzzle is tan. Maria watches in awe, but in fear. The hedgehog is now on the floor on its stomach. Maria cautiously reach for it, to see if it's alive or not. Then it slowly got up on its feet, holding its head.
"Ughh..." It sounded. "Wh-what happened?" The voice is soft spoken, but mysterious. Maria can actually see that this nutcracker/hedgehog is a male. He could be 3 feet and 4 inches tall to her. He's not a normal hedgehog. The hedgehog's red eyes looks around and found Maria standing there with the candelabra in her hand. "...Who are you?" He asked.
"...I...I'm..." Maria could hardly speak. What just happened? Her nutcracker just transformed into a hedgehog. The hedgehog cock his head to the side, noticing Maria's silence. The girl responded. "Maria. Maria Robotnik." The black hedgehog smiled a little at her.
"Maria. That's a beautiful name." He said. Maria blushed a bit. This hedgehog is friendly. Still, she needs to know who he is and where he actually come from.
"Are you really a nutcracker?" Maria asked. The black hedgehog looked at his gloved hands. He's in deep thought, like he is trying to remember something.
"I was turned into a nutcracker? So, that's how he did it."
"Huh?" Maria wondered, cocking her head to one side. What is this hedgehog talking about? The black hedgehog looked up at her.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I should introduce myself." He said. He made a bow as he stood. "My name is Shadow the Hedgehog. Prince of the Land of Mobius."
"Prince?" Maria wondered. "You're a prince?"
"Yes. I am." Shadow replied. Maria doesn't know what to think. Shadow was a nutcracker, and he's a prince! Now, Maria wants some answers. What's the Land of Mobius? How did Shadow got turned into a nutcracker? Shadow noticed Maria's blank expression. He smiled at her. "I suggest you need some answers. I will tell you everything." He told her. He gestured the chair next to the tree. "Please sit."