"All right, everyone! We've burned enough daylight as we have! It's currently 2'o clock in the afternoon, we have three hours until sunset, and we're not going to be moping around! I've done enough of that today." Isaac said, entering the Common Room.
Everyone quickly shifted their gaze to Isaac, who they were surprised to see at all today.
"Isaac! You're back!" Dante exclaimed, getting up.
"Yes I am! And we're still going set things up proper!" Isaac responded.
"You mean Christmas?" Amy asked.
"Yes, ma'am! And I'm sorry… to all of you. I've been moping around because of something I couldn't control. And I had to make all of you suffer because of it. But now… I'm taking the reins!" Isaac explained, setting down Lily.
"Isaac, we're happy you're not isolating yourself, but don't you think you might be a little… manic about this?" Knuckles asked.
"No way! We've been sitting here, moping around the fireplace! It's time we get off our rear ends and get things off the ground!" Isaac said, a huge smile plastered on his face.
Amy leaned closer to Sonic, a nervous smile on her face.
"Sonic, I think we might've broken him!" She exclaimed, whispering.
"You don't have to tell me that! I can see him right there!" Sonic exclaimed, whispering.
"We need to stop this!" Amy whispered.
"Agreed!" Sonic agreed.
As Isaac listed off things that needed to be done, Sally appeared around the corner of the doorway, out of breath. She was holding a glass of water, with a few ice cubes.
"Here, Isaac." She said, giving it to him.
"Thank you, my dear!" Isaac responded, grabbing the glass.
Isaac began drinking it, but his face contorted into one of confusion. He stopped drinking it, looking at it.
"I think there's something wrong with the water filter. Tastes off." Isaac said, reluctantly drinking it again.
Isaac drained the glass, smacking his lips.
"Funny you mention something wrong with it." Sally said.
"Why's that?" Isaac asked.
"Vodka." She said.
"Wait, what?" Isaac asked, confused.
Sally raised an eyebrow, looking at him funny. Suddenly, Isaac's eyes went dim. He slowly fell backwards like a chopped down tree. He hit the ground, out cold.
"Uh, Sally… what was that about?" Vector asked.
"I could hear him from down the hall! So, I spiked a glass of water with a shot of vodka. Isaac can't hold his alcohol. That'll only buy us about an hour. Now, we need to show Isaac we're happy so he can calm down and not continue stressing about all of this." Sally said, walking around the room.
Knuckles hoisted Isaac onto his shoulders, putting him down on one of the couches.
"Right now, we need to leave and start doing all we can to get Isaac out of this manic state! Now, anyone knows where Vanilla is?" Sally asked.
"She took Cream out of the room so we could talk about what happened." Amy answered.
"Amy, I need you to go find her and get her to the kitchen. We need you and Vanilla to start baking, and stat! Recipes and supplies are all ready for you!" Sally ordered.
"Got it!" Amy exclaimed, running out of the room.
"Alright, I need a runner! Sonic!" Sally called out.
"I'm here." Sonic replied.
"I need you to run down to the marketplace and stop at the dry cleaner's! There's clothing that needed cleaning that we need for tonight! Make sure you show them this ticket!" Sally ordered, showing him a ticket.
Sonic quickly ran out of the room, snatching the ticket on the way out.
"Tails, I need someone to repair the audio system in the ballroom! Can you do this?" Sally asked.
"On my way!" Tails exclaimed, taking off.
One by one, everyone ran off to different parts of the castle for the different tasks they were assigned. Lily was the last one remaining, sitting next to Isaac.
"Alright, Lily. I'm leaving you with the most important job. I need you to keep an eye on Isaac. Make sure he doesn't leave the Common Room! Not until we have everything ready!" Sally explained, emphasis on ensuring Isaac stays where he is.
Sally looked over to Isaac, who was still out like a light.
"Really?" She asked, not believing her.
Sally sighed, knowing she wasn't going to be able to convince her.
"Okay, it's also because I don't have anymore tasks and also… it's a surprise for you. So, just keep him here, okay?" Sally explained.
"Okay, but don't think that because I'm eight that I won't know what's going on! Isaac raised me to be better than that." Lily said.
"Trust me, you splitting a log with a sword is going to stick with me for a while." Sally responded, walking out of the room.
45 minutes had passed, and while Lily wasn't active in preparing things, she could tell by everyone running by the door and carrying things that they weren't joking around. Sally ran by the door, quickly peeking. Isaac was still out cold.
"Maybe I should've gone with half a shot." Sally commented.
"Don't delay yourself! The moment he wakes up, he's running out of here!" Lily warned.
"Why does that sound like someone I know?" Sally sarcastically asked, leaving the room.
"You mean your old boyfriend?" Lily asked.
Sally quickly ran back, a look of shock on her face.
"How do you know about that?!" She asked, surprised.
"Amy told me." Lily answered.
"Oh, well, yeah. We were together once. But… eventually we just split up. We're still friends though." Sally clarified.
"That's not all you did." Lily said.
"Lily… what are you talking about?" Sally questioned, becoming suspicious.
"Amy knows." Lily said.
"Uh… she knows what?" Sally asked.
"Why you and Sonic broke up." Lily answered.
"What?! When?!" Sally exclaimed.
"From what I got from her, six months." Lily answered.
"She… she knew this whole time?" Sally asked.
"Yeah. She found out when Sonic was taking a nap and he talked in his sleep." Lily answered.
"Lily, I know you said Amy told you, but… this seems like too many details. How do you know all of this?" Sally asked.
Lily looked around, making sure no one else was around. Taking a pillow, she placed it over Isaac's ears, just to make sure he might not hear her. Lily quickly ran to the door, gently closing it.
"Alright, listen when I say this! No one can know! No one! Not even my brother!" Lily explained.
"Know what? You're just an 8-year-old girl. It's not like you have some kind of secret power no one else knows about, right?" Sally asked, giving an exaggeration.
"You ever hear of coincidences?" Lily asked.
"Oh, my God. Alright, well, what kind of power are we talking about?" Sally asked.
"Sometimes, if I can really focus… I can hear what people are thinking." Lily revealed.
"What? Lily, do even know what you're talking about? That's called mind-reading!" Sally asked.
"I know! And I don't like it! But sometimes, I can't help it! It's like I'm invading their privacy!" Lily exclaimed.
"When did you know you had it?" Sally asked.
"I've known for years. That's why I remember when I was two. Something about my brain… it lets me remember things. Things I shouldn't." Lily explained.
"Do you… remember before the fire?" Sally asked.
"No. But sometime after that, I began remembering other things. I was able to understand everything. I remember being angry I couldn't walk for a while. I remember when my brother was crying because he cut off his own toe because of frostbite." Lily revealed.
"Why haven't you told Isaac this?" Sally asked, sitting down.
"I don't want him to know I remember things! If he did, he would feel burdened that I had to see everything he went through to protect us! Please Sally, don't tell him anything!" Lily begged, beginning to cry.
Sally quickly got up, comforting Lily.
"No, no, no, no! No crying! Lily, I won't tell Isaac anything! Okay, it's a secret! Just between us!" Sally promised, hugging her.
"You mean like when Isaac put Gregory in the wine room after he knocked himself out cold?" Lily asked.
"Firstly, yes. Secondly, please stop reading my mind when I'm being nice. You may end up hearing something you're not going to like." Sally answered.
"I'm sorry, but I can't just turn it off! It's like a reflex!" Lily apologized.
"Alright, alright. Just… try not to think about doing it." Sally said.
"Isaac's waking up." Lily said.
Sally looked over, seeing Isaac wasn't moving.
"Lily, he's still asleep." Sally informed.
"I said he's waking up. I'm hearing his thoughts. He's becoming more aware." Lily explained.
"Did you forget what I said about not doing that?" Sally asked.
"No… but you better leave before he's aware you were in here." Lily recommended.
"Okay but keep Isaac in here." Sally said, leaving the room.
Lily sat herself on the couch, keeping an eye on the door. Eventually, Isaac opened his eyes, slowly sitting up. He rubbed the back of his head, feeling a lump from when he fell down.
"Ow, did… did Sally spike the water?" Isaac asked, remembering what had happened.
"Did she?" Lily asked.
"I don't know, I'm asking… hey, where is everyone?" Isaac asked, looking around.
Lily didn't answer him, only looked around, as if just noticing there was no one else here. Isaac looked at her as if she had flowers growing out of her ears.
"What's going on, Lily?" Isaac asked.
"Nothing! Nothing's going on!" Lily answered.
"Well, if nothing is going on, then I guess you wouldn't mind me checking." Isaac said, getting up.
Thinking fast, Lily got up from her seat and ran out the door, shutting it. Taking one of her knives, she wedged it into the frame, preventing the door from swinging outward. Isaac made to open the door but saw that he couldn't open it. He knew the door wasn't locked, but the door wouldn't budge.
"Very funny, Lily. Now, open the door." Isaac said.
"Sorry brother, but I can't let you out! I'll come get you when everything's ready!" Lily explained, walking from the door.
"Lily, open this door! Lily! Lilith Deborah Abaddon, open this door this instant!" Isaac shouted, trying to open the door.
Lily ran towards where everyone else were, still setting up a few things. Sally saw her run towards them, looking scared out her mind.
"Lily, you look like you've seen a ghost! What happened?" Sally asked.
"Isaac woke up! I locked him in the room when he tried to leave! He's angry right now!" Lily explained.
"How angry?" Sally asked.
"Shouting-full-name-angry! Please tell me everything's set up!" Lily answered.
"Almost. Just need a few minutes. Knuckles, we need someone to keep Isaac in the Common Room!" Sally said.
"On it!" Knuckles exclaimed, running to the Common Room.
"Sally, I'm hearing his thoughts… and you were right. I would end up hearing something I wouldn't like." Lily said.
"Yeah, I better go see to make sure Isaac doesn't hurt himself." Sally said, running to the Common Room.
"Be more worried about Knuckles!" Lily yelled after Sally.
While Lily's knife was holding, the door was only oak. Isaac began to feel trapped, panicking! Isaac ran into the door, shaking it in its frame.
"I don't think that door can handle all that anger." Knuckles commenting, noticing the frame was looking like it could pop out.
As Sally and Knuckles looked on, King Nigel happened to walk past, but he stopped when he heard another thud from Isaac attempting to bust the door down.
"Sally, while I know everyone's been walking on eggshells since this morning, doesn't this seem like a drastic step?" He asked.
"Sorry dad, but we're trying to keep Isaac in there until we can get everything ready! We just need more time!" Sally explained.
"Young Lilith, may you open the door for me? I wish to talk to Isaac for a few minutes." He requested.
Reluctantly, Lily walked to the door frame and removed the knife from the frame. But upon hearing rapid footsteps near the door, Knuckles quickly braced the door, receiving the brunt of the impact. Knuckles let go of the door, feeling like the wind was knocked out of him.
"If you're going in, you better do it." Knuckles said, catching his breath.
King Nigel walked to the door, clearing his throat.
"Isaac, it's Nigel. Step away from the door for a moment, please." He said.
Nigel opened the door, seeing Isaac sitting down. Sighing, Nigel let himself in, walking over to Isaac. He sat himself down, using his cane for support.
"So… how're things?" He asked.
"Well, your daughter spiked my water with vodka to knock me out for an hour or two. Not to mention, I was locked in here by my sister. And then Knuckles. So, things could be better." Isaac answered.
"Yes, things could be better." Nigel agreed, nodding.
"Sir, I do not understand what is going on. I was in here one moment, saying how we were going to have the best Christmas ever, and then the next, I was knocked out and locked in here like a dangerous beast." Isaac elaborated.
"Isaac, I don't mean to be rude by my assessment, but I caught a glimpse of you when you were in here earlier. But the first thing that came to mind when you were in here, talking about not moping around anymore and taking charge of things… you were acting like a Grade-A Jackass!" Nigel explained.
"I am sorry, but I do not understand." Isaac responded.
"Isaac, I know an act when I see one. I've raised Sally, and she wasn't always an angel, especially through her teenage years. Now, before I say anything else, you knew that Sally dated Sonic, right?" He asked.
"Yes, sir. She did." Isaac answered.
"Well, after a year of dating, they suddenly stopped being around each other so much. Sally doesn't know it, but I could instantly recognize what had happened between the two of them. Hell, I was a teenager once before, Isaac. Now, I wanted to strangle Sonic with my bare hands! But my wife, God bless her, wherever she is, reminded me that Sally didn't ask of anything she didn't want to be a part of. She was as much to blame as much as Sonic was. And you can stop looking surprised, I know she told you." Nigel explained.
Isaac straightened his face, partially relieved that he didn't need to keep the secret from her father anymore.
"Now, I'm not concerned about that with you. Your heart is somewhere where few people keep them anymore! And that's how I knew you weren't being genuine about being happy. You were still upset about what had happened earlier today. Granted, you weren't locked in your room and curled under your bed, but you were still upset nonetheless." Nigel explained.
"Uh… sir, I do not remember talking about that with you." Isaac replied.
"Isaac, do you really think I've been king for as long as I have been and not had to make the difficult decision of killing someone?" Nigel asked.
"You… you killed an unarmed person?" Isaac asked.
"Yes… and just like you, I didn't realize it until it was too late. He was a cold-hearted bastard! But one day, he broke out of his restraints. I was only a prince at the time, though. But I thought to myself that if I could capture him, then I could prove to my father, the old king, that I could be given more responsibilities as a prince. I found him in the wine room, drinking himself into a stupor. He was crying to himself, asking where his life had gone wrong. He saw me, invited me in for a drink. Now, I didn't know it then, but when he was drunk, apparently all sense of anger left him. He was legitimately offering me a drink. But I didn't know that." Nigel explained.
"But sir, you could not have known that! Like you said, he was a criminal! Without remorse!" Isaac exclaimed.
"And just like you, I trusted in my instincts. The moment I saw him reaching for something in his pocket, I… I shot him." Nigel said.
"You had a gun?" Isaac asked.
"Yep. A Glock 18. But the moment I saw him go down, I felt everything drain from me." Nigel answered, sighing.
"What was it, sir?" Isaac asked.
"What was what?" Nigel replied.
"What was in his pocket?" Isaac clarified.
"It was a corkscrew. But it was a small one, so all chances of him using it as a weapon were off the table. Trust me, I tried to convince myself. For days, I holed myself up in my room, crying. Curled up under the bed, not eating. Must've been a week before I started eating again. I lost ten pounds during that week. And the only thing I proved to my father was that I wasn't ready for the responsibilities associated with the crown." Nigel admitted.
"But sir, an honest mistake like that? You reacted for fear of your life! You did what you were trained to do! You could not know he had no intention of harming you!" Isaac exclaimed.
King Nigel raised an eyebrow, seeing a reflection of what everyone's been trying to tell Isaac. Isaac caught onto this, feeling like an idiot.
"Isaac, we're more alike than you think. And I can tell you that no matter what anyone says, you're going to feel terrible about what happened. A day won't go by that you won't think about it. But you have to remember, you can only take things one day at a time. And sometimes… some help from a personal friend of mine helps." Nigel said.
"And who would that be?" Isaac asked.
"Jack Daniels. He lives on the third shelf of my liquor cabinet." Nigel said, getting up.
"Sir, I was really hoping you had an actual friend I could talk to, to make me feel better about all of this." Isaac replied.
"Isaac, you are surrounded by plenty of friends. Hell, they've been helping you right now! You just need to get out and open your eyes. Trust me, son. You're better off than I was when I was your age." He said, leaving the room.
Isaac just sat there, thinking on just what kind of person he had been acting like.
"He's right. I've been a Grade-A Jackass… whatever that is." Isaac said to himself.
"It's a beast of burden." Shadow explained, entering the room.
"Yeah… that makes me feel worse." Isaac responded, getting up.
"Sally asked me to go get you. Everything's ready." Shadow informed.
"Shadow, be honest with me… am I an idiot for trying to keep things light after what happened?" Isaac asked.
"Isaac, when you first came to my home to convince me to come here, I thought you were an idiot. When you volunteered yourself to find Sticks in negative temperatures in the middle of a snowstorm, I thought you were an idiot. But when you volunteered yourself to stay here, while everyone else evacuated, to find Cream so she wouldn't come to harm, I began to think differently. You weren't an idiot. You were being what you've always been… someone who cares for others. Selfless. But right now… yeah, you were an idiot." Shadow explained.
"Thanks, Shadow. You've always been a confidante that I can rely on when I need a shoulder to cry on." Isaac said, sarcastically.
Shadow chuckled, showing a shred of humor.
"Sarcasm suits you. The faker hates it. Use it on him more often." Shadow recommended, leaving the room.
Isaac followed, ready to face whatever music that was planned to teach him a lesson quite possibly. As he walked, he felt something gnawing at him. Then, he realized that he hadn't eaten anything at all today. The guilt he was feeling suppressed his appetite, but now, nothing was hiding it any longer. As they walked to the ballroom where the event was taking place, Isaac could smell baked goods! Isaac ran off, his appetite dictating his actions.
"Isaac, wait!" Shadow yelled out, running after him.
Isaac ran into the ballroom, seeing the large dining table, laden with incredible foods and drinks. He stopped in the doorway, not seeing anyone else.
"Where is everyone?" Isaac wondered, swearing he heard voices.
"SURPRISE!" Everyone shouted out above him, tipping over a bucket.
Ice-cold water tipped from the bucket, dousing Isaac. Isaac yelled, having flashbacks of falling through the ice when he was 11.
"This is ice-fishing all over again!" Isaac exclaimed.
"Had to snap you out of your manic state, Isaac!" Sonic called out.
"I was coherent before you threw water on me!" Isaac responded.
"Tried to stop you, Isaac." Shadow said.
"You can teleport, but you didn't think to do that to stop me?" Isaac asked, wringing out his shirt.
The others came down from the upper level, still smiling. Isaac, while understanding he had this coming, was angry that it reminded him of the reason he had only nine toes.
"Whose idea was it?" Isaac asked.
"Mine. Why?" Rouge asked.
"I'll tell ya after I cut off one of your toes." Isaac threatened.
Rouge sucked air through her teeth, remembering what Isaac told them about when he fell through ice.
"Sorry, Isaac. I thought a shock might help you focus on what's important." Rouge explained.
"Dry clothes are important. But right now, I feel pretty stupid walking around in soaked rags." Isaac replied.
"Don't worry, we've got it covered." Sally said, handing Isaac a dry-cleaned suit.
The aforementioned suit was derived from nobility clothing. It was a white, dress shirt with a black vest, a pair of black pants, and a pair of socks and dress shoes. It was inlaid with silver and gold ornaments, each piece engraved with a wisp design.
"I hope you like it. My dad decided you should have it." Sally said.
Isaac studied it further, seeing that it had a clasp for a cloak. But the cloak was nowhere in sight.
"Is there a cloak for it?" Isaac asked.
"Sorry, but I lost the cloak years ago. Lost it during a hunt. But I think you'll manage without it." Nigel explained.
"There's a bathroom on the left. There's also a laundry chute near the door, so just throw your wet clothes down the chute after you change." Sally informed.
Isaac nodded, walking to the bathroom with his new suit. The moment he closed the door, everyone began planning their next move.
"Sally, quick! Change into your dress! I doubt Isaac will take long to change." Amy said.
Sally quickly ran out of the ballroom, disappearing out of sight. After a few minutes, Isaac walked out of the bathroom, throwing his wet clothes down the chute. The suit fit him perfectly, walking with a stride of confidence.
"I thought it would be a nice fit. Now, we just need you to stay here until Sally gets back." Nigel said.
"Sorry sir, but it is sunset, and I am starving." Isaac said, turning his attention to the dining table.
"Isaac, I promise you, waiting a few minutes won't kill you." Nigel said.
Isaac looked longingly at the table, his stomach feeling as if it were going to dissolve itself. He even began to notice himself salivate from his hunger.
"Can I at least have something to drink?" Isaac asked.
"Water. The mead is for later." Nigel said.
"Thank you, but I do not plan on drinking the mead. The spiked water Sally gave me was enough." Isaac said, grabbing a cup from the table.
As he drank, he noticed one of the doors were opening. But as soon as he saw Sally walk in, he began choking and coughing. Sally was wearing a red dress with white lacing, her shoulders exposed. She wore a gold circlet with red gems inlaid into the gold, her hair partially obscuring it. Isaac couldn't see her feet, but the sound of her footsteps made it apparent that she was wearing heels. Her cheeks were blushed, and she was wearing mascara. Her lips were a light shade of red, evidence of using lipstick. She walked up to Isaac, giving him her hands. In the heels, she was only about three inches shorter than Isaac.
"You look pretty handsome, Isaac" She said, smiling.
Isaac couldn't say anything. He felt as if his throat was closing up. He didn't know what it was, but seeing Sally in the dress, her eyes like diamonds… it was driving some part of him insane! Without thinking, he quickly kissed her, becoming lost in the scent of her perfume. Sally was quick to return the favor, at least until she remembered her father was in the same room. She broke the kiss the moment she realized it.
"Eṉ aṉpē, oru tēvataiyiṉ kural kātukaḷukku iruppatu pōla nīṅkaḷ kaṇkaḷukku aḻakāka irukkiṟīrkaḷ" Isaac said, finally able to speak.
"What did he say?" Nigel asked.
"He said, 'You are as beautiful to the eyes as an angel's voice is to the ears, my love.'" Lily answered, translating.
"Isaac, that's so sweet!" Sally responded, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"Āṉāl eṉ ulakam iruṭṭāka vaḷarntapōtu uṅkaḷ kuralaip pōla iṉimaiyāka illai." Isaac replied.
"But not as sweet as your voice when my world had grown dark." Lily translated.
Sally quickly kissed Isaac again, but this time letting it last a little longer than the previous one. After it ended, Isaac cleared his throat.
"I think I got out everything I needed to say. Unless… you want me to keep going?" Isaac asked.
"I'm gonna cut your chain short there, Casanova. Otherwise at this rate, I'll paying for a wedding before the New Year." Nigel said, muttering the last part.
"What was that sir?" Isaac asked, not hearing that last part.
"Nothing to concern you, Isaac. Just… enjoy yourself for now." Nigel said.
The party finally started, Isaac not hesitating to help himself to the food.
"Turkey, lamb, cuts of beef! I've never seen so much food on one table!" Isaac marveled, not knowing what to eat first.