Sonar and the Chaos Kingdom
Bonus Story
By: Cutegirlmayra (Ever wondered what the parents of these rowdy kids were like? Well, wonder no more! This is the first of the 2 bonus stories I'm writing for this AU. Enjoy~)
"Is this one any different?"
"I hand selected her. Her parents were terribly desperate to get her off their hands."
Sonar, King of the Chaos Kingdom, gave a slight scowl at that comment, getting his casual coat off as Mr. Prower placed his royal rope upon him.
"And is she all I've heard of her?"
"She's that and more." Mr. Prower leaned over his shoulder, giving a slight taunt with a roll of his eyes, before moving back to get some rings for his hand. "I still don't get it. She's the most feisty princess this land can offer. And yet, you want to marry her?"
"Haha! Ever since I saw her crusading against my men when that little boy stole an apple he hadn't paid for… I don't know… I just found myself going, 'That's the one'. And there was no contest."
Mr. Prower sighed, shaking his head down before going over to his friend and king and placing the rings on his fingers.
"Well. I just hope you can tame those fiery spirits within her. Or heaven forbid, I will." He gave him another teasing look as King Sonar billowed a laugh, before Vanilla, very young, walked in and bowed.
"Your grace, you summoned me?"
"Ah! Vanilla! Where's your husband at? I want him in my barricade for when the young noblewoman tries to escape." He seemed completely at ease saying that.
He began to walk passed her, as she looked completely dumbfounded and moved to the side.
"E-e-escape, sire?"
Mr. Prower walked behind him, and winked down friendly to Vanilla, leaning as he did so as if to say, 'come watch the fun'.
Placing a dainty hand up to her mouth, she wondered if this poor woman was even thrilled to be a queen…
"Get your hands off me! Augh! What!? Am I to be brought before the king like a lamb to the slaughter!?"
"My lady…" A nervous knight tried to approach her, hands out in an attempt to stay her wrath, as he sweat dropped. "You've been trying to escape since last night. You're parents ordered us to-"
"RAHHH!" she whipped her tied hands out to send a whiplash down the line, so powerful, that it in fact threw the man off his horse that holding her.
She reared and bit down on her ropes, and in one fell swoop had loosened the bands, breaking free and sprinting down the castle's path back to the village.
"If he even DARES to wed me without my permission, I'll tear him limp from limp!"
"My lady! Be reasonable! You're unmarriable if you keep acting like-!"
"What a wild woman! I couldn't have asked for a better date."
She suddenly halted, turning around.
Her eyes eyed the parting line as men and their horses stepped back to let the King and his men through.
To his right was his advisor, a trusted friend known by the name of Minute Prower. To his left, Ice the Rabbit, a good solder in the army. And under his command, Knuckles, a teenage barbarian who had yet to learn any etiquette in this foreign land, but was desperately trying to win the trust of the king. His heart had been changed by the Master Emerald, or so he has claimed…
The men that were under the woman's father and mother bowed before the king.
She looked around, and with a grimace, knelt too.
"…Hmm." He kicked his horse forward, interested that she didn't fight common courtesy.
"So,.. you'll have a boy a good merchant at the markets, but… you'll still obey common law. I'm afraid I'm having a hard time seeing which side your on, Miss Jeweldini."
"... Good sir." Her voice almost seemed like she was holding in poison.
She slowly rose up, taking on a noblewoman's right to stand without permission of the king, but kept her head down in respect.
She moved some of her dress to the side. "I'm Aleena. Third, but not last, daughter of the Jeweldini hedgehogs. I have no reason to quarrel with you as long as you are a sensible fellow."
He suddenly held in a laugh, his mouth making a tight and forced back smile, as he looked to Mr. Prower.
Mr. Prower shook his head, as if saying, 'you can't honestly be serious about this, right?'.
He looked giddy, and turned back to Aleena.
"My… do you have reason to believe I'm not?" he cocked his head in a playful manner, as his horse trotted slightly towards her before away, just being finicky.
His raised eyebrow suddenly seemed to raise the other as he saw her suddenly give him a cold new look.
"…Sir. Am I to believe you're forcing a ring upon my hand?" she raised an eyebrow.
"…Noo…?" he slowly turned his head from her, but his eyes pleaded guilty. "Did I not just call this a date, Good lady?"
"…Aye. That you did." She looked hostile, but softened her expressions out.
"Guards!"
The men stepped up and straight.
"Where's my horse?"
Sonar smiled.
The two strolled down trail with the men following behind them, as they spoke and seemed to be getting along alright.
Mr. Prower sighed, as Ice looked to him, and gave him a charming and kind smile.
"You mustn't be so worried, my friend. The king has always been wise when it came to women."
"Yes… oh, so wise. As I have often been by his side in due times." Mr. Prower gave a scholarly look of arrogance to the young man, but then once again, swallowed his pride and held a tight line on his face. "I seem strict with him. But I know he is a handsome and charming fellow. Like his father was. His family is infamous for their charming demeanors. But his looks are not helping him with this little lady." He gestured to Aleena. "She can hold a countesses posture and good fortune, but when it comes to personality, she is a snake in a bush!" he snuffed his nose out, as if disapproving her figurative 'mask' as it were.
"You're calling her out on offense." Ice looked sympathetic, "You barely know the young woman yourself."
Mr. Prower nodded, "That, my friend, is correct. You are too kind and gentle in your wise deliverance of scolding. You shall be a fine father to a daughter. But perhaps too lenient on a son."
Ice rolled his eyes away, sweat dropping.
"I hope to be lucky enough to have either, Mr. Prower."
"I pray that Chaos sees that you do." He nodded to him, before Aleena's horse reered up, as if being spooked.
"Guard the king!" Mr. Prower shouted out, as men charged in each direction, making sure to circle the two.
"Calm down, calm down!" Sonar spread his arms out, looking at the men. "She's merely offered a duel for her hand!"
"Oh. Well if that's all- A DUEL!?" Mr. Prower at first just bobbed his head around before shouting out in utter astonishment. "Who does she think she is!? Her own father?! Who might I add, willingly gave her hand up for our price!"
"Be at peace, friend…" In shy comfort, Ice closed his eyes and seemed to withdraw from Mr. Prower's slight frustrations.
He took a deep breath and let it out, "You're right. You're right. Let him handle it himself." Mr. Prower rose his hand to the bridge between his nose and eyes, and pressed lightly. "Chaos give me strength to endure this woman for the rest of my life." He over exaggerated, just a little bit.
"Heh. You think this is new?" A young, almost squeaky voiced Knuckles looked up to Mr. Prower, as he gave him a sideways look in his both his eyes and his mouth.
"Men where I come from wrestle in mud with pigs just to get a date with a lass."
"Really? That's disgusting."
"The pigs the woman."
Knuckles shrugged, "They seem to like it plenty. And that way, they can test their future husbands to see if they're worthy of their hand or not." He saw all the solders staring at him. "W-WHAT?! It isn't like that all the time! Sometimes, there's just an eating contest! Or they simply just fall in love and submit! What am I?! An alien to you!?"
The men looked away, but regrettably… their faces seemed to try and avoid the comment.
"Heh, I'll take that as a yes." Knuckles folded his arms up, and then sniffed his little nose, realizing he still wasn't apart of the kingdom just yet.
Sonar stepped down from his horse, picking up a stick. "I was taught never to lay hands on a woman without her blessing." He spun the stick skillfully before trying to impress her, and then looking ready to battle.
"Hmph. Draw your sword or this isn't real." She flung her sword out of her staddle, startling her horse as the solders raised swords to her.
"What's this?" she looked around. "Are they under the impression I'm going to hurt you?" she smiled at it, and turned back to him.
"I'm glad you found that amusing." He waved his hands for the men to lower their swords. "You don't come from the Chaos Kingdom… or you at least haven't fully learned all their customs." He grinned, a little shyer now. "But to draw a sword on your king is sentenced as treason."
She shrugged, as if not caring. "Opps." She put the sword back and picked up a stick, checking it's balance, before breaking it on her knee and nodding at it's light weight. "This will do." She flipped it over her shoulder, threw it up like a baton, and caught it with a spin, impressing him.
"Shall we?" she looked dead-set on finishing this day off with a bang. "I'd hate to miss supper."
He calmly, almost regally, smiled down with closed eyes at her joke.
"…Milady…"
"Oh, suddenly so serious?"
"…I'm afraid I'm going to have to make this a bit more clear." He looked up now, nodding his head. "But if I win… you're hand will be in mine by tomorrow morning. And a priest will declare us one."
She suddenly lost her smile.
"… I hope that upset your stomach too much." He grinned, charmingly.
"…Then I should make this clear." Her eyes were dead-set on his as well, as she stood straighter, out of battle formation for a moment, tossing her quills back behind her as they spiked up, getting ready…
"Oh, she's excited." A solder spoke from the side of his mouth back to a friend, knowing female hedgehogs usually do put up a fight, but spike their quills as a sign to 'come and get me, if you can'.
This gesture also had the king in a bit of a trance, as he realized she was going all-or-nothing, as if fighting for her life.
At least he knew she didn't disapprove of him as much as he thought.
"If I win… you part ways with me. And there is no do-overs. No returns. No second comebacks. This is the final draw. The winner triumphant in what they see fit as destiny or freedom, whichever way you look at it. Loser must fall to rank and superiority!" she raced to begin.
"…As though I may assume you to be my surperior?" He found that rather odd, a woman over a man, but he kinda liked the spunk in her step and hopped to the side at her lunge.
"What?"
"My family is known to have quick feet."
The two almost danced in a what was to be the fierces battle of Sonar's life.
One for love, another for glory, and the rest for his life.
She fought as though he was trying to end it, and he fought to begin a new one.
Their battle was so intense, each scoring no points at all since no hits landed upon each other, and Mr. Prower looked intently on her form.
"Remarkable." He stated, his scholarly side trumping his rather sarcastic tastes. "She's brilliant in her footwork. Not only that, but her strikes are perfect and on-point. Only a skilled teacher could have taught her such precision."
"Ah? My friend, I sense some loyalty already coming over your features." Ice smiled, comedically, as he saw Mr. Prower taking a liking to her.
He frowned, drooping his eyes at being caught, but slowly rolled them over to Ice, and smiled nonetheless.
"She may be right for him after all." He admitted, "If she keeps him on his toes."
The two looked back, amused that the king, was in fact, on his toes.
This meant he had to fully use all his agility to dodge and combat her, and he loved it!
"The king is smiling from ear to ear!" Knuckles exclaimed.
"What a woman." Ice shook his head, holding it proudly up. "A noble heir to the queen's reign. If… she allows some break in her defenses." He chuckled lightly, seeing as there didn't seem to be any way to get passed her perfect technique.
"She said she was the third to last daughter of the Jeweldini's?" Mr. Prower leaned his head back behind his shoulder, as a man's horse came up, him whispering in his ear.
"Ah, 5 girls. That's why her father schooled her so well." He nodded, and looked back to the duel. "Well, if she lives, I'll have to bribe them further." He smiled, knowing Sonar wouldn't let this girl out of his sights after this brawl.
"You're very-Erk! Excellent!" Sonar had remained silent most of the duel, focusing intently, but now he was growing confident.
With the rapid movements, he suddenly started to speed up to super speeds, and she noticed as she began to falter in her perfect forms.
"Ah, eh-aH!" she tripped up, and he lightly hit her back with the blunt of his stick.
The men gasped.
She stumbled forward, straightening up in horror at realizing he had gotten a point.
She turned around.
He stylishly swished his branch out, and rose his head. "Coming, love?" he taunted, and went right back for the kill.
"Ruagh!" She grew upset and charged him, as her emotions got the better of her and he spin dashed under her feet, tripping her up and having her fall backwards.
He caught her, and then lightly hit his stick on her head.
"That's two."
He slowly moved his branch, eyeing her with such intensity that she was almost tempted to kiss him…
The feeling left though, and she pushed off, brushing down her quills, not playing around anymore as she paced in a circle to get her mind ready for battle again.
He simply stretched a little, and watched her carefully, before looking over and showing his weariness.
"He's starting to feel the heat." Mr. Prower smiled.
"Yes. If he doesn't win, he loses the girl." Ice commented, his eyes never leaving the stage before him.
"He'd be heartbroken." A solder stuck out his lower lip, mocking the king's odd taste in women.
Ice gave him a sorrowful look but Mr. Prower just cocked up an eyebrow with a devilish smile and turned back to the king, his horse rocking a bit at not liking staying put for so long.
Mr. Prower patted its neck, "Soon. He's not going to let her have her way for much longer." He whispered, almost soothingly, as he looked up with a smirk, knowing full well what his king and friend was capable of doing.
Looking over and seeing Aleena wasn't ready to combat again, probably seeing how their was no way to break even with his super speed and deflect it; he looked to the ground, wondering if this was really the way to win her heart.
"…I've seen you before. Before this." He commented, as she turned with broken eyes, looking lost for all hope.
He adjusted his royal robe.
"You were the most beautiful girl there… but I never danced with you. Shame. I must have been too nervous."
She furrowed her eyebrows, not sure what he was getting at.
"I must have loved you, truly, from the start." He looked back at her.
Her eyes found no lie in his words… and her heart seemed to melt a moment.
"..What a wise king." Ice smiled, a hopless romantic. "There is more than one way to win a war."
Mr. Prower smiled too, "Yes… I taught him that." He smiled, looking away and thinking of his own wife, before his eyes flickered down in sweet sorrow….
Ice looked up to him.
"Still bedridden?" he asked, worried.
"…Yes." He tightened and readjusted his weight on his horse and grip on his reins. "She's still ill."
"…She is a lovely, and delightful woman." Ice stated, nodding to him.
"…You are a truly a good friend, Ice." Mr. Prower looked over with a sense of deep affection for his friend. "Thank you." He nodded, knowing he truly did care about her health.
"Vanilla is a wonderful woman. I'm happy you two got well acquainted." He bowed slightly, to return the favor.
"Considering I helped arrange it." He again adjusted himself with pride on his horse.
Ice sucked in a big gulp of air, turning away before letting out a breathy laugh.
He was too kind to say anything else back.
"Alright, let me have it." Mr. Prower shook his head, knowing his friend had something to say but was holding it in.
"…I dare not." Ice smiled, before obliging when he saw Mr. Prower gesture his hand out to him. They knew the King would try charm and elegance before returning to finish the battle, hoping to win her heart anyway.
They had plenty of time to chat and mingle a bit.
"It was also Mr. Rose who helped acquaint us." He nodded, matter of factly.
Mr. Prower's sudden charming smile turned to one more of jealousy.
"That unsustainable flirt?" he almost pompously growled out. "I've never heard of him." He looked away, as Ice chuckled under his breath.
"You were there when the arrangement was made for me to dance with her!" Ice gestured his hand out, before covering his mouth. "You two plan the whole thing! I was motionless! Scared out of my wits to talk to such a lovely girl, and there you went. Pushing and tugging till I was a deer in the bright lights of her eyes!"
"And she wooed you, didn't she?" Mr. Prower mocked, laughing, as though to say Ice was the girl that Vanilla caught. "You really ought to toughen up, you know that? You're a darn good solder. A man of Chaos and men. Haven't you two talked of children?"
"Sire!" Ice rolled his eyes down in a blush, clearly having just married Vanilla not too long ago. "We are but newly wedded!"
"And should be enjoying one another's 'so-called' company as we speak! Why the king wanted you to witness this I have no idea." He shook his head, wondering truly why the king would pull Ice away from such a gorgeous young girl.
"I have a feeling he wanted all his friends around."
"Then, no Rose? I'm happy to see that." Mr. Prower looked around, and then nodded in teasing delight. "Besides, that man is far passed marriable age and still refuses to settle. His reason, mind you, do you remember his exact words?"
Ice nodded, as Knuckles sat down, realizing this was gonna take longer than he thought, and looked up at the two, growing annoyed by their chattering, he plugged where his ears were likely to be.
He squinted an eye open though, wondering who this Rose was, and only hearing him as if legend.
"Aye. I do. For all women are like flowers. And a man,-"
The two raised their pointer fingers, as if mimicking him, and lowering it down as if speaking like a school teacher.
"To the nest!"
"What does that mean?" Ice looked up, finding humor in this conversation.
"It means that like a bird, men are to move freely. But women are stuck in their spots and therefore, to one man." Mr. Prower shook his head. "He's against marriage only because he has yet to conquer any flowers."
Ice covered his mouth, eyes widening at the insult.
"…Is a virgin?"
"Paler than a white rose." Mr. Prower smirked.
Ice looked away, hiding his amusement in that.
"I thought him a common rogue! I must apologize." He shook his head down, before lightly hitting his horse as he hadn't realized that.
"Well, he's a decent fellow. He may be off with a new girl every week, but he never does disgrace their honor." Mr. Prower lifted a finger up again, showing that Mr. Rose wasn't so bad.
"He values virtue, doesn't he? Though he speaks plain and out right against it within men." He smiled, turning to Mr. Prower.
"He jokes as a jester, Ice. He means no word." He lightly shook his head, before hearing a cry out from Aleena.
It startled the horses as Mr. Prower's eyes widened. "Opp, the shows back. Best to the watching then."
She saw him sped by and about to lay another hit, but predicting the back-attack, she jumped.
The men watched in amazement, she had leggings under her dress, but there was a natural part in it where you could see she was prepared for these acrobatic maneuverings.
She had jumped all the way up to a tree branch, her dress now showing it was secretly a woman's fighting gown, and Sonar stared in amazement.
"…No one saw her ankles, right?" Sonar narrowed his eyes as he looked around.
She pfft'd at his joke, and then motioned a finger to come and follow her, as she raced off.
"A tree woman, now?" Mr. Prower saw Sonar about to take off after her. "Ah-ah-ah! And where do you think you're off too!?"
"But… she… the finger thing." Motioned with his own hand her command to follow her.
"You can't leave your protection!" He gestured to the men around him.
Sonar looked around, then apologetically nodded in approval.
"Alright… um… some of you!" he looked to a few men. "You three! Tag along below. I'm off to fetch my bride!" he side-stepped with a jump and then sped off through the trees, jumping up and racing after her as the men looked to one another.
"Don't just stand there!" Mr. Prower face-palmed, before using his other free hand to motion them in circular patterns to go after him.
They nodded, a little weirded out, before charging after them.
The men started to all follow, as Mr. Prower shook his head. "You still approve of a marriage meeting like this?"
Ice sheepishly smiled, unable to answer but just lifted his shoulders up a little bit.
"Oh, of course you do." Mr. Prower rolled his head back to over-exaggerate his own eye rolling sarcasm and then called his horse forward to make haste towards the two lovers.
Upon arriving back home, with branches in their hair and looking messy from top to bottom, Aleena sighed as she was pulled in, one of the king's rings around her betrothed finger as she ducked her head down.
She had lost.
She dropped it and let it swing from her shoulders.
"OOhhh…"
"Hey, it's not like you had to roll in the mud, right?" Knuckles walked passed her, before bowing to the giddy king who tried to retain some decency, even though excited he had gotten the girl he wanted.
"Your royal majesty."
The king smiled, "Up, dear boy. What have you then?"
He leaned up, looking pumped to try and win the king's favor again. "Shall I escort your defeated bride to her chambers?!"
The very words he used made Aleena look up in utter shock, like she was being hit by a stick again, and flinched to the side.
She held back defeated tears of anger as he sheepishly chuckled to the boy, before bending down.
"She needs a friend right now, boy. And I think it would be perfect if you brought one of the kindest maids you know to escort her there. Don't you agree?" he tilted his head, hoping the barbarian boy would understand.
"Ah.. oh… Y-yes! I shall fetch, um… Vanilla! Right away!" he stood tall on his toes, bounced a moment, trying to be a 'proper gentlemen' and then took off with a snarky look in his eyes.
"And with this, I'll prove my loyalty to the Master Emerald- I-I mean, the king!" he took off down the hall.
Ice had come off his horse before hearing his wife's name, and came up to the king, bowing politely.
"Have my ears heard a lovely name?"
The king turned around, and smiled to him.
"You wouldn't mind, would you? Vanilla is a trusted Lady in Waiting. I hope she will approve…" he looked up, addressing Aleena as she held her head high, still looking upset with a firm pout on her face that she lost the wager.
"I fear she doesn't like me." Sonar looked away.
Ice looked back at him from viewing Aleena's expression, and smiled warmly to his king, patting his shoulder.
"Be not troubled. She is scared. It's an awful lot for a girl to take in."
Sonar looked up to him.
"She's very rambunctious, but she also knows how to hold herself like a lady. Don't forget that. She's wild, but mannered." Ice shook his shoulder slightly, to shake him out of doubt. "My good king! Be of great cheer, still. She is yours. And in time, you will see that wild is not rebellion. Simply… intrigue." He looked away a moment, thinking of a good word, and then smiled kindly back to the king.
Sonar nodded, and placed another hand on his shoulder, a universal sign of comradery. "Thank you, my friend."
"Be giddy. Don't let anyone tell you it's not welcome." Ice's words were like spring, despite his name, he was warm and gentle.
"Your highness, you really shouldn't be so giddy."
The two rolled their eyes as Ice hid his smile with his gloved hand, before tightening it down into a cute frown and looking away.
"And why is that, ?"
"Because we have a wedding to plan, and you haven't sent a guest list."
Ice's eyes widened, as he leaned up and whispered something to Sonar, who laughed and looked back to Mr. Prower.
"How is our dashing Mr. Rose doing these days?"
Mr. Prower looked about ready to snap the feathered pen in his hands.
The two laughed.
-Many Years Later-
"I do think you should remarry." Aleena, dressed as a beautiful queen, looked lovingly to her dear friend, Mr. Rose.
A sharp, charming young fellow, he was a pink hedgehog but with no real ties to the royalty of the king.
Aleena, by all rights, should hold some ancient ancestor, but by record, she too, had none.
"Ah, you can only love one woman at a time, my queen." He folded his arms, a little flamboyant as a popular flirt, he was also a gentlemen of his once known knighthood.
"It's by your graces that I can even come, as a common farmer, back into this luxurious palace."
He looked around the lovely castle, designed after an open palace from some foreign shores of their ancestors homelands, as Aleena shook her head and nudged him towards the direction of some passing maids.
"There are many to love, Rose…" she encouraged, but he kindly, and awkwardly, stepped back to her side.
"Eh-heh. Clever.. but I'm afraid I will always love my sweet white beauty." He was referring to his recently deceased wife, who died of weakness in her bones, and of course… from the stresses that caused on her body from childbirth.
"She was a lovely soul, honest, she was. I could see why you would denounce all titles for her. But honestly, Rose!" she turned him to her, feeling great love for him as any friend would. "You have a young girl." She looked over, fondly, to the child chasing her son.
Sonic, trying to push over pots and duck under maids dresses to avoid the girl, had no choice but to keep trying to block her way as she would never. Stop. Chasing. Him!
"Quit it, already!" he cried out.
"Never, my love!" a squeaky voice chimed out as she giggled, racing with both hands out towards him. "My prince~? Come back!"
"Yuck! I'm no ones prince!" He scaled up a tree, and stuck his tongue out at her.
"AH! THE INNOSOLENCE!" Rose threw up a fist, but remembered who he was talking about and slowly withdrew himself, poking his two pointer fingers together shyly to the queen.
"Eh-heh-heh… sweet boy." He then narrowed his eyes. "My darling, Amy! Get right back here and away from that little tiger!"
"But daddy, I love him!" she spun cutely towards her father, her big happy smile showing the innocence of her young youthful heart, before she turned to look back up at Sonic.
She was about to climb the tree.
"Oh." Aleena put a hand up to her mouth, having softened over the years, and giggled at the girl's resilience.
"Well, she'll be a fine princess, won't she. Climbing trees." She laughed at her inside joke, before she saw Rose stomp over, put his hands on his hips, and coo to her with 'What are you doing? Huh? What are you doing?'.
She was moved by how loving of a father he was, scooping her up and holding her up above himself, nuzzling her nose to his and then wrapping her under his arm, pretending to drop her and then just pull her back, like a yo-yo.
He then plopped her up on his head and looked back to Aleena.
"At the current moment, my heart is completely and fully dedicated to this little lady. I hope you will forgive me, but I must turn down your request for me to meet noblewomen. Even if I were to remarry, no one would marry a lowly farmer, even with Queen's consent." He bowed himself to her, thanking her for trying to get him rank again, and looked over to the king, who was passing by.
He knew the king was the one who denounced him, of course, by law. But having not seen him in a while, he lowered Amy back to the ground, and lightly patted her butt to run off and play.
She did so, as she went right back to searching for Sonic, who had long been gone by now.
The king passed, before stopping before his queen, and looked to Rose.
He stood up straight, unsure of his relationship to the king now.
"Good morning, your highness." He bowed politely.
"Rose!"
With surprise, he felt arms around him, and a tight embrace.
He was picked up and squeezed before placed down.
"Have you decided to remarry!?" he looked thrilled.
"…Umm… well… no." he bent his ears back, but was happy his old, lovable friend was still pleasant with him.
"I was simply delivering crops to the castle, as yearly tribute, with my daughter." He gestured to her.
"Ah! That's her?" Sonar looked thrilled to see her. "Why, she's the spitting image of you! Well, with better looks." He teased, nudging him on the shoulder, before eying his wife.
"…You aren't planning anything, … are you? My queen." He raised an eyebrow.
"Oh no, sir." She looked away. "Though I highly would approve of his daughter being suitable for an arranged marriage."
"Ha! You know we can't plan that." He gave her a fair warning, as she pouted and he folded his arms.
"Now, now… not in front of guest…" he knew she would argue, wanting Rose back in the royal court as a noble solder. "He made his choice." He ruffled his friend's quills, playing dominance with him.
"Y-yes I did, sir."
"Against my advice." Maybe the king was a little hurt by his decision.
"… I found… my queen?" he gesture to Aleena, showing it was for the king as it was for him.
"….I see." Sonar looked lovingly to Aleena, as she knew he loved her, and bowed deeply, showing great respects.
"Ehem."
Sonar turned around, seeing a man giving him a cue he was spending too much time here.
"R-right, we have a war to plan, I must be off." He kissed Aleena on her forehead, making her smile as he then nodded to her.
"Sonic?"
"He's as energetic as ever."
"Good."
He then looked to Rose, and pulled him into a forehead touch too.
"Your young one?"
"Amy. And she's currently chasing yours." He smiled, as Sonar looked troubled, and turned to see the two playing… or at least, it looked a little like Sonic was trying to pry her away from him.
"Hmm." He tightened his mouth's line. Though Sonic could choose any wife, it was more common for it to be noble.
"I must be off." As if not wanting to comment, he took off, as Aleena giggled.
"He really was a bit salty you choose a young lass over his favors." She teased, but was being honest too.
"Ah, well. I choose my darling over my brotherhood." He bent his ears back, knowing he could never love so deeply again, and thereby not marrying back into his graces.
"Get off me!"
"Ow!"
His head immediately turned to the sound of his most precious possession in his life crying out in pain.
"That monster!" he raced without thinking to her side, and tugged her away, holding her up and scolding her.
"I thought I told you to defend yourself! Left foot, then right kick. Swing, dodge, you never surrender."
"He's the prince, daddy…"
He suddenly widened his eyes, and smacked his hands over his eyes.
"Right, right. Father's mistake. But don't let him beat you up, either, alright?" he lightly placed her down, seeing she still so young.
"Monster?"
Rose twitched, looking back up at Aleena.
She looked a bit salty at that, tapping her finger to her folded arm.
"Eh-heh.. Forgive me." He bowed lowly, as she laughed.
"He's not used to young girls, I'll make sure to teach him properly all about it." She eyed her son, who rubbed his head, looking to his mother and then frowning.
"She started it!"
"You should be gentler with girls!"
"Why? She's pretty strong. Look! She pulled my quills!"
"I did not!"
"Did too!"
"There not in my hands!" she held out her hands, matter of factly as her father saw a scrape and about nearly died.
His hand flung up to his forehead, gasping.
"MY BABY! You've injured yourself! Oh, great heavens! Help! Help! I need a doctor!" he carried her as if she was in great pain.
"But Daddy, I'm fin-!" she was pulled along as he scurried off, "Goodbye, fair queen! Good prince!"
"Hmph. He's weird. So is she." Sonic rubbed his head again, as Aleena shook her head fondly at his overreaction, before bonking Sonic on the head with her heel.
"OW! Hey…" he looked saddened by her discipline.
"You should treat women with more respect! Go to your room!"
"But I didn't-!"
"Now!"
"Hmph." Sonic threw his arms down, walking to his room. "I hate that girl." He muttered to himself.
As he passed to his room, he suddenly heard the war room all up in chatter, and zipped by to eavesdrop.
"This is wonderful news, Mr. Prower!"
"It… it is, isn't it?"
"She's pregnant! Of course it is!"
"I just… I fear my research may contaminate the child.."
"You worry too much." Sonar patted his back, trying to cheer him up. "The girl shall be wonderful!"
"Girl?"
"Why yes, someone for my growing, strapping young boy! With our houses sealed as one, we shall truly then be brothers!" he toasted to it, as Mr. Prower laughed and toasted back.
"Then, I suppose I shall be brother to royality." The two drank on it, as Sonic shuddered, and looked up.
"Please, Chaos." He muttered to the sky. "Let him have a boy." He shuttered again at the thought. "I'd rather marry that pink girl over a radioactive fox girl."
"You'd be lucky if she glowed in the dark."
"AHH!"
The solders laughed, pulling him into the war room.
"We have a 'spy', sir." The solders held Sonic up, knowing if they put him down, he'd run away in a streak of blue.
"Ah! Sonic! Perfect timing!"
"I won't marry her! I won't, I won't, I won't!" he fought, as his father picked him up and nodded to the guards, before walking over to the map.
"It may not be your choice, me boy. Now, look at this. See this? This is the immortal prince." His father showed him each piece on the map, and what it represented.
"Isn't he a bit young for this?" Knuckles, a young man now, folded his arms and glared down at the boy.
Mr. Prower cleared his throat, and he changed his expression, showing no ill-manner towards the young prince.
"Hmph. I just think I should be out there training. Instead of watching this little brat all the-"
"EHEM." His warning was louder.
"Grr… I can call him what he is, can't I?!" Knuckles stuck out his fists, agitated he was being reprehended.
"Now, now. The boy likes these things." Sonar smiled, as Sonic sat on the table, and took the piece that was Shadow…
He smashed it into the lake area of the map.
"HAHA! That's my boy!" his father laughed, seeing Sonic take another piece and smash it into Shadow.
"I'll beat that immortal prince, dad! Just you wait!"
"I believe you, son." He ruffled his quills, and then set him down, taking the piece back.
"Now, off to bed with you."
Sonic knew this was probably the last time he would see his father before going to war.
He solemnly started to waddle off, before Mr. Prower felt bad, and reminded his father of the impending battle.
"Oh, yes. Good point… Sonic? Wait, young lad. I have a gift for you."
Sonic's ears perked up and he turned around, zipping back and holding his father's leg a moment, "You're staying!?"
The touching moment left each man in the room at a loss for words.
He stepped down onto his knee, and handed Sonic a piece of the map.
"This symbolizes me. I want you to take it. So that you know I'm with you, even on the battlefield."
"…Okay." Sonic held it towards himself, and then tightened his fist around it. "I want to defeat the prince though." He stated boldly.
"…I see it in your eyes, son." He matched his son's determination, "But I want a go at him first." He winked, as Sonic smiled, and then winked to his father before taking off.
"Love you, son!" Sonar got up, but couldn't hear a reply.
"Ha, he's just like his mother." His father placed his hands on his hips. "Neither of them say it back in broad daylight." He shook his head, before turning to Mr. Prower.
"Oh, I should have said something. You're free to see your wife. Knuckles? Come with me. We need to see the men and make sure we're trained for the coming days ahead."
Knuckles nodded, "Yes, my liege."
As the two took off, Mr. Prower sighed, and took his books to walk to see his wife.
She was sleeping in bed, as always, when he entered.
"Margaret? Margaret?" He slowly woke her up, whispering lightly before kissing her cheek. "I brought some new studies."
She slowly leaned her head up, before flickering her eyes open, and smiling to him.
"You've brought me books?" she sounded fairly weak, but he smiled and showed her one.
"You've often asked me about my work, I thought I should show you."
"…I ask so you'll talk." She gave him a funny look, but then laughed as she flipped through the books.
Since she was laying down and they were over her, dust sprawled out and she coughed, making him freak out as he opened the windows, dusting them with his tail, and then sighing the fresh air before tugging on his green suitcoat.
"I'm sorry. I should have warned you. The study room isn't very clean… I don't want the maids to misplace anything so I clean it myself."
"I'm sorry… if I was just a little stronger. I would be a proper wife and clean it for you."
He turned back to her, sorrow at hearing her say that swooped over him and caught his heart like an eagle to its racing prey, taking off like a thief in the night sky.
He leaned by her side, gently picking her hand up, and caressing it lovingly. "You are a proper wife. And you haven't shirked from any labor, nor any work. You've comforted me and supported me in my research. Even listened to countless measurements and arithmetic's you have yet to fully grasps, all so that I can rejoice in my work with somebody. Oh, love, you have been a saint." He passionately kissed her hand with loving force, before looking back up to her as she swooned with her eyes, and leaned over to kiss him.
After a moment, he pulled away, looking down to her stomach. "How is she?" he placed a hand on her stomach.
"You're sure it's a girl?"
"I am." She smiled.
"The king thought so too." He smiled, looking down at her baby bump. "Just a little tike, isn't she?"
She giggled, "That tickles, dear."
He chuckled, "You always were ticklish. Even on our honeymoon you-"
"Stop it!" she played with him, hitting him lightly away as he went on top of her to tickle her, her baby bump to light to really cause any harm as the two laughed and rolled on the bed.
"Minute, what if someone hears us?" growing shy, she ducked further into his chest fur, as he looked up with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, I did open the window, didn't I?"
"Ah, your book!" she reached under him as he arched his back for her to get it, and then looked it over.
"No wrinkled pages." She let out a sigh of relief. "Read it to me?"
He smiled and picked it up.
"Air motion regarding trajectory of explosive fire weapon…. Oh." He looked up a moment. "Perhaps to violent?"
She giggled, leaning on his chest. "You could talk about how many deaths occurred throughout history, my love, and I would still happily sleep to your voice."
He smiled as he saw her growing weary, and kissed her forehead, setting the book down and singing her an old folk tune as if it was naturally a lullaby.
Mr. Rose was getting his gear ready, tightening his boots as Amy jumped on one of his feet.
"Ah! A stowaway!" he laughed, flinging her up and catching her. "Now remember..?" he looked down to her, eyeing her and waiting for her to repeat what he told her.
"You'll come to the castle. I will greet you a hero of war. And then, I kiss you lots and lots!"
"Perfect, my little angel." He kissed her forehead and set her down. "Now, Miss's Donny will take care of you, she's next door. I know she can be a bit mean sometimes, but if she gets to rowdy, what have I taught you, hmm?"
"Don't fight someone weaker than you." She swayed her body back and forth, and put her hand in her mouth.
"Hey, now. What have I said about sucking your fingers? Ah, nevermind. Run off to the castle if things look bad, alright? I love you, lots and lots and lots!"
He started for the door.
"Daddy!" she gripped his leg, and he looked down, then the door, then down.
Everything inside of him wanted to help in the war.
But everything inside his heart begged him not to leave her.
"Sweetheart…" with a tender sound of almost instrument like music, he spoke lovingly to her, and knelt to embrace her. "..Daddy is a knight of code and honor." He tried to explain, and pulled her away for a moment. "I can't just let my king go to war without me." There was so much love in his eyes, "I love this land, my dear. I loved your mother. I love the memory of her, and I desperately love you." He held his head to hers, closing his eyes. "But I love my king too." He teared up, feeling a sense of duty more than anything else in this world.
He pulled her gently away, "Promise daddy, you'll be a strong, good girl?"
"Yes, daddy." Amy nodded.
"And what did Daddy say about lying?" he gave her a stern, but playful look.
"Lying is for meanie faces!" she reached up and played with his face, as he laughed and embraced her again, falling down on his stuff that was carefully tied to his back, and tickling her.
"That's right! You're a good girl, aren't you? Stay beautiful and don't grow up without me!" he placed her down and saluted for a goodbye, winking.
"Don't marry that prince while I'm gone!" he joked, but as he walked, he made a face and looked up to the sky. "Chaos, dare I worry. Don't let him marry her unless he loves her and is worthy. Otherwise, give him hell."
He cursed and then ran off towards the army.
"This day… is your end."
Shadow stood upon a hill, looming over the king as he motioned his gun-sword out, tipped with poison from frogs that the king was unaware of.
He rose up and drew forth his sword.
"I have a son to get home too. And a heir to raise for your demise, Prince Shadow. My line won't end here." He narrowed his eyes, and then jumped to swipe.
Though a great battle, formidable in every way, Shadow was still able to scrape a good chunk of his chest to his arm and get the poison as close to his heart as possible.
Just what Eggman wanted.
When he saw the damage was done, he noticed his robotic troops falling back, and looked at the king, still standing.
"Hmph."
He flipped his cape out and retreated with them, jumping on his horse and charging off.
"You're highness! Look out!"
Sonar turned around, as Mr. Rose deflected some bullets with his hammer, and then swung it skillfully to his king's side.
"…Rose.."
"I'm no officially ranked solder anymore, but that can't keep me from enlisting in your brilliant army, my king!" he then turned to look behind him, smiling. "I am ever at your service… my friend."
Sonar looked touched, and moved a hand to his shoulder. "From this day, you will always be seen as a knight in my eyes."
That meant a lot to Mr. Rose, and he nodded.
The two continued to battle, but Mr. Prower fell to his knees, "My work.. he's stolen all I've ever worked on." He covered his face, unsure of how this terribly catastrophe could have happened. "My inventions.. they've doomed us all."
Knuckles helped him up, "Not at all, my captain! We've only just began!"
"You're a brave soul, Barbarian. But we can't stand up to machines!"
"I don't know what these 'machines' are, but I know you're smart enough to figure out how to destroy them!"
"Yes.. I must… I must stop Shadow from using my inventions against me! We have a spy in our mist! I know it's not you, me boy. I must find out how he got my designs!"
"Robotnik,… that swindler!" Sonar kicked the dirt, having regrouped with his men. "He must have stolen your work!"
"My life's work…" his eyes teared up, unable to contain it. "I've often taught your son to sit up straight, I've instructed you on managing a kingdom. I've married and have a child coming soon! But in all my life I have never felt such agony or betrayal! Just as I have never felt more proud of my inventions and research!"
Sonar put a loving hand over his friend, seeing his misery. "I assure you. When your daughter is born, she shall be more than any notes you've dabbled, or any object you've tinkered with. This is not your end, my friend. There is much to continue and do."
He nodded after a moment, finding himself again as Mr. Rose patted his back.
The look Mr. Prower gave him made him withdraw his hand, and he quickly wiped it on his chest.
As the battle continued, Mr. Rose kept fighting the good battle, defending the king and country, and truly with some skill.
Shadow seen in his sights as one robot came down with him upon it, having slayed it, before a wicked grin came upon his face, and he began to silently stalk the prince.
The prince was retreating, but even still, they were fighting till every last one of them was off their fields.
Shadow stopped his horse from trotting on, and turned, his cape flying over him.
He could feel eyes on him, and turned his horse about, as Mr. Rose ducked under a pile of dirt to remain unseen.
"…Show yourself." Shadow threw his cape away from his side as he drew his gun-sword, and fired at the dirt.
"Wah! Okay, you got me!" Mr. Rose jumped up, holding his hands up as if surrendering.
"Just wanted to tell my little girl what a nasty sight you were!"
"…Who are you? Solder?"
"I'm Rose. Fancy meeting you, in such a tacky looking color too." He bowed, before summoning his hammer. "Do you mind if I… umm.. hmm?" he gestured to his hammer, then to Shadow's gun-sword, as if asking permission to try and fight him.
Unamused by his antics, Shadow demounted his horse, and rotated his gun-sword around, annoyed by his boldness.
"Let's go, then!" Mr. Rose charged him, and gave him a bit of a run for his money before Shadow saw the king approaching.
"Darn." He looked back to Mr. Rose. "You fight well. Farewell, loathsome knight." He jumped on his horse and raced off, as he smiled.
"You see that? He knew I was a knight." He then went off to take down more robots, "He went that way!" he waved to the king as he charged after him.
"We can't let him fully retreat! No escape! Ahh…" Sonar felt his cut sting him, but figured it was only the pains of war.
Mr. Rose kept at it, before….
"Rose!" Mr. Prower rushed to him, before holding a hand out to him, "LOOK OUT!"
Mr. Rose turned to see a massive robotic foot heading down upon him.
"ROOOSEEE!"
The train of the battle worn solders all marched in their many rows, as the cart of the covered dead also lay in the mist of the train.
Amy looked all over for her father, waiting for him to pass through the castle. Usually, the injured were welcomed in as well, but that depended on where they split off too.
Sonar walked up and collapsed into his wife's arms, smiling as he breathed her perfume in.
"I made it back." He breathed out, as she almost was in tears at his weariness.
"My love!"
Sonic came over and gripped him too, "Dad? What happened? Did you get him?"
"No, son." Sonar had to lean up, he couldn't let his son see him so worn down.
He stood straight in much pain, not realizing the slow effects of the toxins in him already, and nodded down to him, putting on a greater smile for him.
"But we'll get him. Next time."
"Together?" Sonic leaned up.
"Together." He fist pumped his son, though only did so because his son thought such a motion was cool.
"Daddy!"
"Oh no." Sonar immediately flung around, seeing that under the tarps of the dead,….
Mr. Rose's hand had fallen out.
Dangling there, his unexpected child ran to it, before solders stopped her and pulled her away.
"W-what? Why is daddy laying down? Let me see him! Let me see him!" she kicked her legs, growing aggressive.
"NOW!" she flung her hand forward, before a hammer, about to her size appeared in her hand.
She was confused, never seeing it before, expect in her father's hands.
Aleena placed her hands over her mouth, shaking her head before bursting into tears and turning into Sonar's chest.
Amy held the hammer in amazement, before looking to where the company stopped marching, and noticed her father's hand didn't move…
"…Pa…Pa.." she started to tear up. "…Papa.." she slowly moved closer.
Sonic didn't understand at first, but then seeing the hammer, then her father's unmoving hand, he suddenly put two and two together, and he looked back at the girl and wondered what this meant.
"He's dead?"
Amy's eyes widened.
Sonar and Aleena looked down, seeing Sonic's questioning face.
"What's gonna happen to her then?"
He turned to Amy, who suddenly broke down, falling to her knees and leaning her head up.
"DAADDDDYYY!"
Sonar rushed to the girl, and picked her up quickly, even in pain, he felt his friend's daughter deserved more than orphanhood.
"I will take care of his only daughter." He turned to Aleena, "bring Sonic, let us put both their minds at peace."
The small family and orphaned Amy walked to a secluded room, her cries almost unbearable as she wiggled up over his shoulder, reaching out to her father's covered cart that was carried by men, not wheels. He moved down the split to where the graveyard for honorable men were buried, confirming her darkest nightmares.
Crying hysterically, Sonar lead the girl and his little family into the room, and walked towards the balcony, but not fully going passed the gently flapping drapes.
Alenna held Sonic in her arms, as he watched with amazement, at the first time he saw his father doing sometime truly selfless, truly outside himself, for another.
Although, his father did this multiple times, which was one of the many reasons he was so loved, Sonic would reflect back on this moment and always use it to fuel some tenderness when it came to Amy.
Rocking her in his arms, he began to sing…
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine~
You make me hap-ppppy when skies are gray~
You'll never know- dear~ How much… I lo-ove you…
Please don't take… my sun-…shine… away~"
He leaned down to whisper it lightly in her ear, as for a moment, while he rocked her to a calming sleep in her weary tears, she closed her eyes and could hear her father in her dreams~
She pictured him holding her and rocking her instead, his charming smile, the last grace this world would give him of her.
"The other night- dear~ As~ I lay~ sleeping~
I dreamed I held- yooou!~ in my arms~
But when I awoke~ deeear!~ I was mistaken…
So I hung… my head… and I cried…."
His voice faded as Sonar kissed her forehead, and heard her soft breathing of sleep, since the dead of night had hit her all at once.
A small tear, trinkled down her face, and he rubbed it off with his thumb.
"We can't just leave her to the wolves."
Aleena stood her ground, her true personality taking over. "The orphanages of the poor are worse then their schools…. Sonar."
Sonic looked up at his mom, then back towards his dad… before his eyes slowly lowered to the light pink bundle in his arms,…
And for the first time… his heart went out to her.
"I won't leave her to the world… Aleena." He brushed back with his hands the young girl's bangs, and turned sorrowful, pained, and even frustrated look to his wife over his shoulder. He was upset she would think he'd do such a thing to his friend's only daughter, but then again, it was turning out to be a long night…
Rushing to Vanilla, knowing Ice had been slain in battle as well, Sonar approached Vanilla's door, knocking on it lightly.
Vanilla, still with fresh mourning on her face, lightly opened the door, only to be surprised by the king.
"Your highness?"
"My deepest condolences, but this is a matter of life and death." He looked grave ill.
"My king! You're pale!" she moved to him, but he simply moved the bundle in his arms towards her.
"Ah! This is…?"
"You've had a great lost, Vanilla… So has this young child."
She suddenly realized what he may be asking, and looked back at her swaddled up child.
"Mr. Rose was a good man. A mighty fine solder! Even a knight. Your husband was a dear friend of mine,.. and now I ask you. Will you care for this child of a solder? The same as your husband?"
He offered her the child.
Amy squirmed in her sleep, almost rolling out of his arms as he tried to take her back but Vanilla, with every bit of a mother's instinct, took her from his arms before she could fall, and bounced her in her arms.
"I shall raise her as my own, but…?"
"You are kind, thank you. She shall be raised to be a maid in this castle. She will wait upon the future queen along side your little one. They will have promising futures, I swear it." He placed his hand on his heart, thumping it.
She nodded to the gesture, "Let us pray hope comes soon." She recognized the gesture, but saw he was using it out of context of the war, and meaning it for family.
He nodded and left, as Vanilla placed Amy down in the same cradle as a little baby Cream.
Aleena laid down after telling Sonic a story, and cuddled up with her hero, placing a cloth on his wounds and seeing him whince as he breathed hard.
"You're not well." She placed a hand on his head, checking his temperature.
"It was a long night." He admitted.
He suddenly turned to Aleena.
"Aleena… do you love me?"
She smiled as she let some air go, gently rolling her head to his chest. "Of course I do, you fool."
He leaned up and they touched heads.
"But could you… say it?"
She chuckled lightly, "I love you."
He smiled, "There. Now this long war was worth it, ahh.." he leaned down in pain, as she helped get his pillow directly under him.
"You can be so sentimental sometimes." She teased lightly, but there was a look of worry on her face, as she tried to hold herself together.
His hand reached up to her cheek.
"Aleena…"
Her face bent into tears and she cried upon his chest.
"What if that was you? So many dead… I couldn't stand a world without you in it!"
"Aleena…"
"Thank Chaos you lived! But this wound… you're pain… you seem faint and ill… Rose and Ice… our friends and comrades… when will this war ever cease?"
"Be at peace, my love… peace… I shall correct Shadow's doings… somehow… in the morning…"
He slowly fell asleep, unable to stay awake any longer as she heard his soft breathing and looked up.
Seeing his exhaustion, she smiled in love before it broke into her fear again, and she leaned up and kissed his lips, before pulling the covers up over themselves and falling asleep by his side…
"Ahhh!"
Amy held her arms over her head, walking with the soaking wet open garden sidewalks as she ran to find help.
Tails woke up in his mother's arms, crying as she bade him back to sleep, his two tails flicking in her face as she tried to swat them away, lightly, of course.
"Oh, Miles…" she lightly scolded, before lovingly pulling him back into the warmth of her chest and looked out the window.
"Minute… Minute!" she shook him away by her side, as he jumped up, leaning up and holding what appeared to be a slipper in his hands.
"En garde!"
"It's the Rose girl." She stated, gesturing her nose to the window, as he leaned over her, squinting to see through the rain.
"Ah… it's probably the rain." He got up and closed the window.
"Minute!" she looked offended. "Go check on the girl!"
He yawned, "My darling… offph." He cracked his back, leaning both hands back to it to perform said action. "It's the mother in you talking, darling… go back to sleep." He bent down, and kissed Tails, before kissing her, and then moving over her to go back to sleep.
With her remaining strength, probably due to motherly instinct, she threw him off her and down to the ground.
This woke him up, because she's a frail woman, and could never have pulled that off without some amount of help from the heavens.
"W-what!?" he was confused, and fully awake now, as she pulled him up by the scruff of his chest fur, looking furious.
"Help… the baby… out." She glared.
"Yes, my love! At once!"
He fully surrendered, getting up and getting a coat to get out in the rain.
He opened the door and closed it lightly, adjusting himself and seeing the rainy and gloomy world around him.
He sighed, and took off into the night.
As he wandered through puddles, and soaking himself wet, he suddenly saw the girl hiding under a vase's stool.
"AH!" she screamed out, as thunder roared overhead.
He looked up, and then down. "My word. My wife has ears like a fennec!" he lightly teased, before looking behind him, and seeing no guards. "Where the heck are all the guards?"
Suddenly, he hid himself behind the corner as he saw a flash of blue, and recognized his young student immediately.
"Can't be." He almost mouthed out, the words being almost inaudible in his shock.
"What are you doing out here? Screaming in the rain?" Sonic bent over and put his hands to his hips.
"You lost or somethin'?"
She continued to cower, before stating in her pitiful tears. "I want my papa…"
Sonic remained still.
The thunder roared again and she ducked down.
"…You're papa can't be with you anymore…"
She looked up to him.
"…But I can be your hero… if you want."
He offered her his hand.
She took it and nodded, as he tried to pick her up, but found it was a bit difficult, so he just carried her bridal style, and ran back to his room.
Suspicious of this, Mr. Prower followed the boy.
When he opened the door, seeing as they got there fast, he saw Sonic tuck the girl into his bed, and then sleep beside her with the covers off, snoring as she cuddled up beside him and fell immediately to sleep.
"….The king's not going to like this…"
He moved his lips to the corner of his mouth, before an idea popped into his head.
"If… the king knows…"
He suddenly slowly closed the door.
"This ones for you, Mr. Rose. If you can't get your title back, maybe she can excel it."
Coming back to his little room, he stretched and yawned, putting his coat away and taking off his shoes, trying to dry off and deciding it was best, because of his wife's frail body, to not get her or the baby cold, and laid on the ground, putting the rug over himself.
"Minute?"
"She's fine." He stretched, seeing her hand fall to reach him, as he held it off to the side and twitched his nose.
"She'll be just fine."
Sonar was growing weaker and weaker by the years, and soon, he called Sonic in for an important talk…
"You are to one day be king, Sonic…"
Sonic sat in a chair, his hands together, leaning forward and looking away, not wanting to have this talk.
"Can it wait, Dad..?"
He leaned up, getting nervous by the gloomy atmosphere of his father's darkened room, and rubbing his legs.
He lifted a leg over the other and rubbed his nose, uncomfortable.
"….Do you think I have long to wait for when you're ready? Sonic?"
He looked back solemnly to his dad.
"Come closer."
He sighed and got up, coming to his dad's bed side, sitting down and putting his hands together again, looking over to his dad with his head down.
"What? I still thought you had a few more years to kick."
Sonar smiled, musing over his son's optimism.
"You know you're time will come, sadly…" he coughed, "Sooner than you may expect."
"… Dad, I don't want-"
"I know you don't want to talk about it. But I'm dying, Sonic. And it's important I get this out."
"…."
"I love you."
"….Yeah, I know."
"You're so much like your mother." He laughed again, turning his head before looking back at Sonic.
"Say it. Like you really mean it." He shook his head down, playing along with his son.
Sonic smiled, before mustering the words up, straightening his back to do so.
"Love you too."
"Heh, nice try. I love you. It's very important to get the beginning 'I' statements right. Now, again."
He patted his son knee and closed his eyes, placing his hands together as he perked his old, greyish blue ear up to hear his son say it.
Sonic shook his head, laughing to himself, before looking around and leaning over to his dad.
"….I love… someone."
His father groaned, rolling his eyes and looking away.
"You said only the beginning had to be right!"
"I'll be dead and you'll regret this."
Sonar rolled over to his side, wincing at the pain, and reached to get something.
Sonic looked with an amused smile on his face… before that smile faded, and he turned away.
"Don't act like that, boy…"
Sonar poked at his back, seeing he had turned away from him.
"Son… I want you to at least look at the crown…"
He slowly turned his head over his shoulder.
"This crown has been in our family for-"
"Centuries. Scores of years. Dad, why are you-"
"Silence, silence, silence. It's a great quality. You and your mother…" he waved his hand off from furthering that topic.
"Son, look. I love you. I want to pass on some fatherly wisdom of being a king, husband, and father someday. Why won't you listen to me?"
Sonic got up, shaking his hands around as he emoted, a rare sight to see.
"Because, dad! I don't want to be king! I want to explore! I want to see the world!"
He leaned on the huge, doubled doored window.
"I don't even know if I want to be a dad someday…"
Sonar's heart dropped, hearing that before he sighed and turned to look over at a picture, hanging on his wall.
"You're mother has supported me through storms thick and small… she's been instrumental in my joy, my health, and my strength-"
"Your health? Pfft. Don't compare her with that right now." Sonic turned back, interrupting him with a snarky comment, as he glared and leaned up.
He held his fist up, using the remaining strength he had to scold him.
"You are the most ungrateful, irresponsible, unrespecting child I've ever-!" he coughed and wheezed, as Sonic quickly lost his 'too cool' attitude and helped his dad lay back down.
"Come on, Dad. Don't over work yourself on this. I already know I'm a lost cause."
"Silence. You're-" he coughed again. "Far greater in potential than that."
Sonic bent his ears back, looking away as he helped his father down.
"Son.."
Gently, his father stopped him from leaning up, and Sonic looked back directly at his father.
A noble king… respected by all and loved by the entire kingdom.
Even himself.
"Sonic, you are my son. Son of Sonar. Son of Aleena, the Jeweldini Hedgehog. Your name literally is Son. And Jeweldini."
"If that's true, where's the 'C' come from?"
"Hush you, ehem." He coughed a moment, "You are of greater worth than you realize. As my only son-"
"-As the only heir to the throne!"
Sonic abruptly stood up, before covering his face.
His father knew from long experience with his mother what that meant.
"Come on."
He gestured for him to return.
"I won't judge."
"Of course you will…"
Sonic sniffed, putting his hands to his sides, wiping his nose.
"I mean it… You're just like your mother. If she doesn't cry, she lets it swell up till she bursts out. Usually in anger. Come on. Let's not scare the guards or maids, hmm?"
His father's coaxing, charming gesturing of his arms and loving voice brought Sonic back to his side, as he cried lightly into the side of his bed, keeping it real and simple, and not being too dramatic about it.
"That's my boy."
Sonar patted his back, smiling.
"I love you, Sonic. I know you'll make me proud as King of the Chaos Kingdom! A wonderful title. One I hope you will wear with pride and dignity. One you can also be proud to pass on to your own son, someday."
Sonic sniffed, remaining silent.
"You're right. Or Daughter. Apparently, fox and hedgehogs aren't meant to mix, or something."
"Dad!"
"Haha! He is a rather cute boy though, isn't he?"
"DADDD!"
Sonic leaned his head back, shocked to hear him say such a thing.
"I'm only joking with you."
His father laughed as Sonic shook his head.
"He's my best friend."
"Good. Every man needs one."
"And another thing."
"Oh boy, here it comes." His father chuckled, letting Sonic go as he stood up, looking like he was going to scold his old man.
Sonar put his head half under the blankets, chuckling in little wheezes here and there, clicking his feet together as if he was the son and Sonic the father.
"….I love you."
Sonic's tender words suddenly brought tears to the once playful father, and forced himself up and strained to reach for him.
Sonic hugged his father as Sonar kissed his neck looked to the light of the window.
"I knew you could do it, son."
He smiled,
Closing his eyes.
"I knew you could say it."
Sonic left the room, as his mother paced and waited, before seeing Sonic pull out the crown, and suddenly fall onto him, crying.
He had asked about Tails, and Amy, and Knuckles.
About how Sonic was going to led the nation, though Sonic kept avoiding the topic and making his dad laugh instead.
But at that moment, when the light of the window rested upon his face, him seeing giddy and full of life.
He had slowly slipped.
That moment with his father never left Sonic.
He was the only one there when he passed.
He didn't like talking about it.
But that moment… that simply, sacred moment.
He never regretted… saying he loved his father.
Truly and sincerely… he honestly did.
Long live the king.
Aleena soon died not too terribly long after. Minute Prower died from his exposure to his research, leaving Tails all he had. His mother had died beforehand, seeing him age just enough to be satisfied with her life. Her brittle bones finally calling it an end. Vanilla and Cream grew up happily together, with Amy by their sides, as you already know. Sonic had a rough start, but he's a good king now, with a son of his own.
He wonders if he'll ever have that talk with Skid, but he tries to not worry about it.
He looks back on how his father loved him, and tries to mimic it the best he can.
That talk may be why he was to forgive Shadow and be content. It was enough that he had times like that with him.
Knuckles still holds the lines, even though war is done away with now.
And Amy still pesters the doctor about the possibility of more children, though that doesn't seem to be working in her favor…
Over all…
The generation beforehand was a sweet one, full of adventures of their own, and truly they did pave the path for our heroes to be the heroes they were meant to be.
Don't you agree?
(I made this a bonus story because backgrounds were hard to cover in the original story. Still, you heard and saw glimpses of them in the original story, now you get to meet them. I hope you like them, and yes, the rest of these timeless heroes die as well over time. I love each of them. I hope you loved them too, seeing where the children fall in the line of genealogy.
Also, Tails will have a little girl called Miley "Twirls" Margaret Prower in the next Bonus Story! Look forward to it! ;) )