-DISCLAIMER-

Sonic the Hedgehog and all related characters/themes © SEGA and/or Sonic Team.

All other characters/themes © Kathryn Christine Starcrafter/Lumorean Arts.

-THE GIFT-

I never looked at Christmas the same way again, ever since Maria's death. She used to love that simple holiday, I -being as young as I was back then- never got it. She loved it because it was one of the few holidays where everyone around the world got together and celebrated in peace with one another. Peace, that was all she ever wanted. She was so young, innocent, and pure, she had never given a thought to Man's true impudence and impurity.

On the ARK I remember how she used to decorate a small, fake, pine tree in her room, always on the first of December. She'd place on it miniature, multi-colored orbs strung on strings and glittering with iridescent paint. Long rows of scarlet and emerald ribbon entwined it's prickly branches as a small line of flashing lights glowed dimly through the forestry green. On top of the tree she placed an amber, eight-pointed star. She would always place that star on last. I asked her why once and she smiled shyly at me and simply told me that she was saving the best for last. That star was a gift her mother had given her the day Maria was sent aboard the Ark. I think it was her mother's small way of being with her through her illness, without actually standing beside her.

On Christmas I never really knew what to give her. I always wanted to give her something she would be forever awestruck by. I decided that one gift would be to bring her down to Earth, and show her a true winter-scape. She had always loved to view such images in her picture books, to show her a real one would be the perfect gift for all time. I would sometimes day-dream of doing so, and seeing how happy she would be. But in the meantime, I was forced into finding her a gift upon the ARK that would please her for the hear-and-now, not exactly the easiest of tasks. But somehow, every year I accomplished it. Again, my memory betrays me in generating a list of everything I had somehow acquired for her. Though I do remember what I made her, on the last day.

I had learned about a mineral that lyes in the core of some asteroids. It's similar to sapphire in appearance but, has the molecular structure of fine gold. I had discovered this a few days before Christmas and knew if I wanted to carry out my plan I had to start that night, finding that rare stone was a 1:1000 chance. So every night, once every one had fallen asleep, I would wander down to the Collections Bay -a small, trash-compactor that acted like a vacuum to all foreign matter that came in crashing distance to the ARK- and sift through all of the gatherings of that twenty four hour period, before they were all crushed to dust. I have no idea of the number of rocks I broke open in order to find that one-ounce piece of stone, but I knew I had found it the night before Christmas Eve. I took the small lump of matter to one of the labs that had a Laser Sculptor, and used it to carve the glittering jewel into a ring that would perfectly hug one of her fingers. Instead of making just a band I crafted two small hearts into the crown, and on the inside I wrote simply, 'Forever.' I didn't want to place a specific thought like 'Friends Forever,' or anything like that. I wanted her to decide it's meaning. And with that, I laid in for the night. Tomorrow was Christmas Morn, and I couldn't wait to she her reaction.

That morning I woke up quite early and rushed to Maria's dormitory. I silently typed in her room password and snuck in, I wanted my surprise to be perfect. I plunged in her tree so that the lights glowed brilliantly in the darkness. I placed my gift beneath it, the ring inside a small box, wrapped in red and gold paper. As I ran to her bedroom I caught sight of her sleeping peacefully in her bed, she appeared to be enveloped in a golden light that made her body shimmer dimly. I silently walked up to her and listened a moment to her enchanted breathing and rhythmical heart-beat. It almost felt like it was beaconing me closer, the sound ever singing to my ears like sweet bird-song. I placed a paw to her shoulder and shook her gently, whispering her name to her ear.

"Maria, wake up, it's Christmas."

She stirred, and her watery-blue eyes fluttered open. She smiled as they fixed on me. I released her, and she sat up. Taking a hand to her face to wipe the sand from her eyes, she asked sleepily.

"Shadow, Marry Christmas, why the early wake-up call?"

I smiled and took her hand.

"Come on, I'll show you."

And I led her into her main room. As we arrived I nodded over to the tree and she looked it over, gasping as she noticed my gift. She walked up to the stand and picked up the small package. She turned to me, her golden hair flowing about her perfect face.

"For me?"

I nodded, and she gently unwrapped the small parcel and opened the case. I smiled broader as I witness her eyes widened with another, long gasp. I knew she loved it.

"For me?"

Her voice sounded so heartfelt, I nodded again.

"I hope you like it."

I stood, solid as stone, her arms had immediately flung around my neck and pulled me close. I felt my cheeks heat to boiling point as my heart raced from such unexpected contact.

"Thank you."

She whispered honeyedly to my ear.

"You're Welcome."

I responded gingerly, I didn't expect her to do such a thing. She released me and we both locked eyes for a long couple of seconds. She took out the ring I had made, and examined it.

"Forever?"

I heard her read my message.

"Forever..."

As she spoke for the second time, her face shifted, the words came out so longingly.

"It's beautiful. Where did you get it?"

She looked up at me as she asked that question. I smiled again.

"I made it, actually."

I felt a bit embarrassed as she gave me an estranged look.

"You made it? Just for me? It's amazing, I don't know what to say."

I softly took the object from her and manipulated her left hand with my free paw. My heart beat quickened as I gingerly slipped the ring onto her second-to-last finger. I backed up a bit, releasing her. I was extremely abashed at what I had just done.

"Merry Christmas, Maria."

I didn't know what to say to her, my emotions were running so high that my speech was slurred. I stood there, and she came to me. I felt her cheek brush against mine as she rested her brow on my shoulder. She hugged me tightly, as if for comfort. I responded similarly, closing my eyes and letting the remaining warmth from that brisk touch course through my body.

-END-

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