- - - -
Chapter Three
Union
by Felix Xavier Jinx
- - - -

Prologue - - - -
April 3237, Packbell is back, and Sally is maybe one month short of eighteen.
(That's right, she's almost queen.) Spring.
- - - -

     It's morning on Mobius. The sun beamed through the holes of the foliage
that covers Knothole from aerial view. Sonic is sitting next to the Power Ring
pool, watching Rotor under the surface, making adjustments. He surfaced,
exhaling and inhaling like he hadn't in half an hour. Actually, he hadn't.
     "Man, you can stay down there for a long time!" Sonic said in surprise.
     "Yeah.." Rotor gasped. "But it's not easy."
     "Are the adjustments done?" Sonic asked.
     "Yes, but what in Mobius do you need a Power Ring the size of your
finger for?" Rotor inquired.
     "Oh! It's not for me. Come here." Sonic explained, and whispered to
Rotor. A smile appeared from tusk to tusk.
     "You're serious!" Rotor exclaimed.
     "Yeah! Isn't it great!" Sonic sighed. "After over ten years, I'm gonna
ask Sally to marry me!" The walrus and hedgehog gave each other a hug out of
mutual excitement and joy.
     "Well, here's your engagement ring now..." Rotor pointed to the surface,
to see a rather disappointing climax.
     "Why did it come up so soon?" Sonic asked. He picked the ring out of the
water.
     "Well, look at it. It's only maybe one fiftieth the size of your normal
power ring." Rotor explained.
     "That'll probably give you two seconds of juice."
     "Cool. Listen, don't tell anybody yet. I'm sure after I tell Sally
tonight, gossip will run faster than me!" Sonic asked.
     "Oh, don't worry!" Rotor chuckled, and made the motion to zip his lips.
     "Okay. Gotta juice." Sonic took of like a blue streak. Rotor sat down,
and laughed to himself.
     "It's about time!" He thought, and dried off.

     Sonic was going to propose to Sally in the garden late in the evening,
under the full moon. No wonder the entire day seemed to crawl by for Sonic. He
tried to avoid Sally all day so as to not accidentally give away his plan.
Eventually, the bright sun dove behind the distant mountains, and cast
twilight on Knothole. Sonic's plan begins. Sally was sitting in her hut, doing
boring work with Nicole, hoping for some type of diversion.
     "Nicole, give me the numbers of rescued Mobians from Robotropolis to
date." Sally asked. Nicole didn't say anything, but presented to her a three
inch hologram of her blue hedgehog.
     "Oh, Sonic, give me the number of citizens rescued to date." Sally asked
with a smirk. "Or do you want me for something more fun."
     "Sally, meet me in the garden tonight at twenty-three hundred hours.
It's very important." the hologram asked before it flickered out.
     "Well, whatever it is, it will be better than working on this stuff."
Sally sighed.
     "Well, sorry." Nicole apologized. Sally smiled back, and left her hut
for the garden. As she arrived, she saw nobody. She knew he was hiding, so she
spoke up.
     "OK, Sonic, you're in big trouble for messing with Nicole." Sally
playfully scolded.
     "Aww, c'mon. Tell me you weren't bored." Sonic said. He appeared behind
the squirrel, arms crossed.
     "Well, yeah, I was. What's up?" Sally asked.
     "Just want to walk." Sonic said, and the two joined hands.
     "Walk? You?" Sally said in surprise.
     "Well, it's a beautiful night, and I wanted to share it with you." Sonic
said. Sally was touched. She kissed her blue hedgehog on the cheek, and they
walked for a short distance more. They sat down on a fallen tree trunk. Sally
tried to say something, but Sonic softly hushed her. After a minute, the moon
peeked out between two distant trees, casting a spotlight on Sally. Sonic then
got up, and kneeled on one knee before her.
     "Sally, I would give up running for you. I love you more than stars in
the sky. Sally, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry
me?" Sonic asked, as smooth as silk. He presented the miniature Power Ring,
and put it on her left ring finger.
     "Oh, Sonic, I say yes. Yes a thousand times!" Sally exclaimed. The two
leaped up and embraced. A single tear ran down Sally's cheek. So did Sonic.
     "Let's tell everyone.... right now!" Sonic said. He tugged on her hand.
     "Yes! Let's do it!" Sally exclaimed. They crossed the garden, and snuck
into the center of town, where the fire alarm bell was hanging. Sonic and
Sally pulled on it, and a deafening squeal pealed out of the fire siren. Like
clockwork, everybody slowly, quietly filed into the center of town. Tails
pushed his way to the front of the line.
     "Where's the (yawn) fire?" Tails asked, trying to appear eager, but
couldn't.
     "My fellow Freedom Fighters! Sally and I are getting married!" Sonic
yelled. A cheer arose, and everybody forgot how tired they were. Everyone
gathered closer to Sally and Sonic and expressed their congratulations.
Bookshire wasted no time, and informed Charles to come tomorrow, to see the
new couple. After ten minutes, the novelty wore out, and everybody went back
to bed.
     "My goodness, Sonic. How long have you planned this?" Sally asked Sonic.
They stayed up after everyone and talked some more.
     "I've thought about it, for years, but I've only given it serious
thought for a week." Sonic explained.
     "Sonic. I'm tired." Sally got up, and kissed Sonic. "Good night, my
king." Sally strolled back to her hut.
     "Wait a sec. Your king'?" Sonic asked in surprise.
     "Well, yes. I will be queen here on my birthday, and whomever I marry
becomes king." Sally responded.
     "Oh, man. King! Wow! I forgot!" Sonic exclaimed. "My dreams come true,
and I rule Mobius in one swing!"
     "And I couldn't think of anybody better to share the throne with, my
love." Sally said, and gave Sonic one last kiss before they walked in opposite
directions to their huts. As Sonic lay in bed, his last thoughts were of
Sally, and his dreams finally fulfilled.
     The next day Sonic got up as he normally did, with Sally the first thing
on his mind. He got dressed, did a couple things, and started to head to her
hut, but found that Sally was just about to knock on Sonic's door.
     "Well, this is a surprise!" Sonic said. "Want to go to breakfast?"
     "Well, that's what I came over here for." Sally replied. The two joined
hands and walked over to the main hall. As they opened the door, an applause
arose. They met with every citizen in the village in the dining hall, all
waiting for them. The rest of the day was a party, celebrating the news of the
union. At dinner, all gathered again in the dining hall, where Sonic and Sally
were going to announce the dates and people involved.
     "When is the blessed event?" Bookshire called out from the back. The
couple looked at each other, and Sally spoke. "On my eighteenth birthday."
Chatter started, then died back down when Antoine's spoke up.
     "And who will marry you two?" he asked.
     "We were hoping you would, Antoine." Sally said again. "You know more of
tradition and rituals than all of us put together." A surprised look, followed
by a broad smile flowed over his face.
     "My princess, I would be honored." Antoine said and bowed graciously as
he replied.
     "Also," the princess continued, "I have chosen my maid of honor." Once
again, chatter rose and fell momentarily. "Bunnie, you are the only thought I
had for this position. I hope you will accept." Bunnie was visually overcome
with joy. She could only manage to nod her head and she wept.
     "And best man?" a voice inquired.
     "That will be Uncle Charles." Sonic said.
     "Good," a metallic voice said. "I would hate to come all the way down
here for nothing." Charles arose from the back of the room and started for the
head of the table, and Sonic headed for his uncle. They greeted each other
with a hug and both went to the front of the room, where Charles then took a
seat next to Sally.
     "Now, Tails and Nina." Sonic said. The two rose. "Do you two like the
idea of ring bearer and flower girl?" The two both lit up.
     "Way cool!" was sounded in unison from the two. Everybody laughed.
     "That's all for now," Sally included. "Now let's eat." After dinner, at
twilight, Sonic and Sally strolled through the garden.
     "Didn't you love the way Tails and Nina said 'Way Cool' together!" Sonic
 laughed."Don't you wish he was your real son sometimes?" Sally asked.
     "Oh, sure. Wouldn't mind being an old man." Sonic replied. "I mean a
dad. It would be so cool."
     At this point, they stopped, and Sally whispered to Sonic. For a second,
Sonic's face was blank, but after that second, it beamed, and he ran faster
than he had ever ran without a Power Ring. He passed through Knothole, yelling
"I'm gonna be a dad!"
     "Oh mah stars!" Bunnie whispered. Tails was with her.
     "What?" Tails asked.
     "Sally's pregnant!" She exclaimed.
     "Huh?" Tails asked. Unbelievably, he never heard the term.
     "Uh, oh." Bunnie looked at Tails.
     "What?" Tails asked, still confused.
     "Tails, do you know how babies are born?" Bunnie asked. Tails thought
for a second.
     "No." Bunnie knew the 'Birds and Bees' talk was due.
     "Come on, sugar. We gotta talk."
     After twenty minutes, Tails was grossed out, dumbfounded, confused, and
had questions he couldn't bare to ask. Actually, he came out of it better than
most kids. As Tails left Bunnie's hut, Sally walked in.
     "Hello, 'Mom'." Bunnie giggled. "Oh, Ah'm so happy for ya!" she hugged
Sally.
     "Oh, I can't believe it." Sally sighed. "There's so much going on!"
     "Yeah! Ain't it great!" Bunnie asked.
     "Bunnie," Sally turned to the rabbit, serious as dead. "Am I doing the
right thing?"
     "Do you love Sonic? With all yer heart?" Bunnie asked.
     "Of course!" Sally replied.
     "Then youre doin' the right thing." Bunnie replied, and patted her hand.
     "Oh, what was Tails here for?" Sally asked.
     "I gave him 'the talk'." Bunnie said.
     "Oh my gosh!" Sally giggled. "You didn't!"
     "Well, somebody had ta. I just hope I straightened him out." Bunnie
said. The two conversed in to the wee hours.

     During the months that followed, the entire town of Knothole prepared
for the wedding. Antoine was the busiest, studying and reading text on
weddings and royal coronations, because Sonic would be crowned King after the
wedding. Bookshire provided the reading material for him. Sonic and Sally
moved into the same hut together. Sonic worked on making the hut as large and
palace like as possible, because until they overthrew Packbell, they couldn't
move back in to Mobotropolis and claim the original castle. (If it were still
standing, anyway.) Sally and Bunnie, with the occasional help from Nina, made
dresses and tuxedos for all directly involved in the wedding. This was all
Sally could do, since she was heavy with child.
     Before long, news of the wedding reached it's way to the great swamp,
where Gabriel Williams, the greatest computer hack Mobius has known, lived.
     "Sonic's getting married! I'll have to say hi, and see if I'm invited.
Computer, page Bookshire what's-his-name over in Knothole. Audio and visual,
please." The computed whirred a couple of times, and did it's business.
     In Knothole, Bookshire was printing out text for Antoine when a Giant
Pangolin face patched over the monitor. Bookshire took offence to this.
     "Just who do you think you are, barging in to my computer! No, wait,
your that Williams guy. What do you want?" Bookshire grunted.
     "I heard that the princess was getting married. I just wanted to say
congrats to Sonic and the misses, and see if I'm invited." Bookshire's mood
lightened up, after finding out that Gabriel wasn't going to fool around with
Knothole like he did last time.
     "Oh, yes, just a second." Bookshire got his cane and hobbled after
Sonic. Sonic appeared a few seconds later.
     "Williams! Long time no see, eh?" Sonic greeted.
     "Well, I wanted to know if I can come to the wedding?" Williams asked.
     "Of course, man! Everybody but Snotly's invited. Oh, is there a doc over
in your neck of the woods, I mean swamp?"
     "Why? Somebody sick?"
     "Naw. I gonna be a dad!"
     "Cool! Uh, yeah. Right now?" Williams asked.
     "No. She doesn't even have a gut yet."
     "Oh, sure. Well, got some really important stuff to do. I see ya later."
     "Right. Bye." Sonic said, and bolted back to his project.

- - - -
Timeline- the day before the wedding, May 18, 3237
- - - -

     "Stand still!" Bunnie groaned. She was pinning and making adjustments on
Tails' tux. Tails was irritated, as he stood on a chair, arms straight out.
Even his tails twitched in irritation.
     "I can't hold still! You keep sticking me!" Tails barked.
     "If ya stood still, ah wouldn't stick ya!" Bunnie snapped. Tails inhaled
and stood at attention. His tails stood out like bottle brushes.
     "There! Now take it off carefully, and go on." Tails slipped out of the
half completed tux and trotted off. "I swear!" Bunnie exclaimed. "You'd think
he was havin' a seizure!"
     "Oh, come on, Bunnie, he's only twelve years old. What do you expect?"
Sally answered. She was sitting with a dress, sewing.
     "So, has she kicked yet?" Bunnie asked, flopping down next to Sally.
     "She's only four weeks old! Give her some time." Sally said.
     "And what's wrong with he?" Sonic asked. He appeared in the doorway. "I
wouldn't mind Sonic, Jr., would you?" He crossed the room, pecked Sally on the
cheek, and sat down next to her. "We should be expecting company soon."
     "Yeah. By now, every Freedom Fighter has heard about our wedding." Sally
said.
     "You're right!" a voice answered outside. The three turned in surprise.
Williams presented himself. Upon seeing Sally, he kneeled in front of her,
bowing his head.
     "My queen!" Williams exclaimed, obviously joking around.
     "Not yet Williams." Sonic said, standing up. The two walked outside.
Already, a few people Sonic didn't recognize were setting up camp outside of
town.
     "I can't provide you a place to stay..." Sonic said, but was
interrupted.
     "Oh, that's ok. I set up camp already." Williams explained. "So what are
ya gonna name the little bugger?"
     "I don't know yet. I'm open for suggestions." Sonic said as he shrugged
his shoulders.
     "How 'bout Ivo?" Williams suggested. He was backhanded in the chest by
Sonic, who did not appreciate his humor.
     "Okay, okay." Williams said, rubbing the impact point. "Where does
Bookshire stay?"
     "Why? You gonna crash his computer?" Sonic asked, crossing his arms.
     "Now give me a break. I'm not gonna crash his computer."
     "Over there." Sonic pointed to Bookshire's hut. Williams walked over and
rapped on the door. The racoon answered.
     "Yes?" Bookshire asked.
     "Do you want to mess with Packbell's computer?" William's asked.
Bookshire wasn't doing anything important, so he invited him in. For the rest
of the day, the two broke into the central computer, stole information, and
put trillion character passwords on anything they felt like.
     Sunset came, and the twilight was welcomed by campfires in the woods.
Sonic was hanging shelves in the hut, when Sally walked in.
     "Hello. Are the tuxes and dresses ready?"
     "Yes, they're done. Um, Tails and Williams are looking for you." Sally
said. Sonic looked surprised, and dropped his hammer. He poked his head out
the door. Outside was a lynch mob of all the male residents of Knothole,
looking to kidnap Sonic for a bachelor party. He went quietly. As they all
reached the dining hall, Tails was shooed out.
     "Aww. How come?" Tails whined.
     "You'll find out in ten years, kid." Williams replied, and closed the
door. Tails stomped off mad.
     At 0300 hours, Sonic staggered out, laughing his head off.
     "An entire hot dog!" Sonic yelled. After he calmed down, he snuck into
the hut, trying not to wake Sally. As he slipped into bed. Sally spoke.
     "So, what did you guys do?"
     "Um.... nothing." Sonic whispered.
     "Right. Goodnight." Sally fell back asleep. Sonic breathed a sigh of
relief, and also fell asleep.

     Sonic opened his eyes with difficulty. He heard the chronometer chime
twelve times. It was no wonder the space next to him was empty.
     "Great." Sonic groaned. He got up, scratched, tried to look presentable,
and walked over to the dining hall. Uncle Chuck was there, eating a chili dog.
     "I take it you missed breakfast." Charles said. "I made you up a
couple." Sonic thanked his uncle, and after breakfast, got his tuxedo on.
Sally did a good job on it. It fit the hedgehog down to the smallest quill. He
then went off, looking for Tails.
     "Hey! Have ya seen Tails?" Sonic asked as he knocked on Bunnie's open
door. Tails was getting helped into his tux by Bunnie, who was already dressed
in a plain pink dress.
     "Hi Sonic! Lookin' good!" He barked.
     "Hey! Same to you!" Sonic replied. "Hi Bunnie. Where's Sal?"
     "Now, ya can't see her till the weddin'." Bunnie said. Sally's voice
called out from the back room.
     "Uh oh. You better scoot." Bunnie said. Sonic left, Tails followed. The
two then met up with Uncle Chuck, and the three hung out for about fifteen
minutes, until they saw Antoine running around, yelling and giving orders. He
was in his dress uniform from the Royal Mobian Army, even though he never
fought in anything.
     "The wedding iz in twenty mineets! Let us go! Where are you going?"
Antoine was even nuttier when he was given a position of authority. The three
then made their way to the capture the flag field, where the wedding was being
held. It was the only space large enough (and concealed enough) to hold the
amount of guests they expected. However, the sheer number of guests surprised
even Uncle Chuck. Guests were everywhere, even in the trees.
     "I just hope that ze Packbell does not come and ruin ze wedding!"
Antoine said in a worried tone as Sonic, Tails and Uncle Chuck came up to the
altar.
     "That won't be a problem!" Williams said, quite proud of himself. "Take
a look." Williams opened a small computer, showing a small dot on the extreme
left of a map, with Knothole on the other end. "I told him you and Sal were
out on some mission out in the middle of nowhere."
     "Cool!" Sonic said. "Thanks!"
     "Can we consider you a Freedom Fighter then?" Uncle Chuck asked.
     "Oh, I don't know. We'll see." He turned and went back to his spot.
     At this point, Nina made her way down the isle, tossing flowers, and
stopped at the end. All the guests awww'ed at the cute little skunk. Then
followed Bunnie, holding a small bundle of flowers. She had put on a
petticoat, effectively poofing up her dress, and tucked up the sleeves, making
two balls at the ends of her shoulder blades. She also put pink ribbons on her
ears. After she took her place next to Nina, all eyes turned toward the start
of the isle. Sally now walked down. As she did, the song 'Here come's the
bride' drifted out of a boom box that Bookshire had. She wore a white, ornate
dress, decorated with lace as fine a hair, held up by about three petticoats.
Behind was a short train, which she dragged after her. Her stomach protruded
slightly. She met Sonic, and the two joined arms. Bookshire pushed the stop
button at the end of the trip, but accidentally hit the FF button, and the
stereo started playing a disco remix of classical music. This brought about
some laughter. Bookshire kicked the power cord, and the music stopped. Antoine
cleared his throat and began.
     "In the entire iztory of our planeet of Mobius, there has never been a
king who wasn't knighted. Princez, if you pleez." Antoine stepped back, and
nodded to Sally. She then, from the folds of her dress, drew a gleaming sword,
crusted with jewels and was extremely sharp. This surprised everybody,
including Sonic.
     "Whoa! I told you, nothing happened at the party last night!" Sonic
pleaded.
     "Sonic Hedgehog, kneel." Sally said sternly and regally. At this point,
Sonic knew what was going on. He knelt in front of Sally and bowed his head.
     "For your duty to the effort against the tyrants of Mobius, and
countless selfless acts to rescue the lives of others, I dub you Sir Sonic!"
She gently touched both shoulders with the blade. Every guest stood and
cheered. Antoine raised his hand, and the crowed hushed.
     "Now, we may begin. We are gathered here to witnez two lives join
together forever." Antoine turned to Sally. "Sally of Acorn, princez of
Mobius, and heir to the Crown, do you take this hedgehog as your husband, as
long as you shall live?"
     "I shall." Sally said. Antoine turned to Sonic.
     "And do you, Sir Sonic of Knothole, take Princez Sally of Acorn as your
wife, as long as you shall live?"
     "I shall." Sonic said.
     "If the ring bearer will prezent ze ring..." Antoine said to Tails. From
his coat pocket he produced a solid gold ring, which Sonic slipped on Sally's
finger.
     "I ask anyone now, eef anybody feels that this marriage should not take
place, speak!" Dead silence. If anybody wanted to say anything, it was
Antoine.
     "Then by official decree, let it be known that Sally and Sonic are
uzband and wife!"
Antoine exclaimed. Once again, everyone present stood and cheered, and once
again, Antoine raised a hand. Silence. This time, both Sonic and Sally knelt
before the altar.
     Charles and Bunnie then went behind the altar, and both retrieved a
wooden box. Chuck stood in front of Sonic, Bunnie in front of Sally. Both
removed the contents of the box, a jewel studded crown. As tradition dictated,
the best man and maid of honor placed the crowns on the newly wed couple. They
both rose, and Antoine spoke once again.
     "NOW... you may kiz ze bride." Sonic and Sally then came together and
kissed. The cheer from the crowd was tremendous. After a full minute of
applause, a rolling chant could be heard.
     "Long live the Queen! Long live the King!" This continued for another
five minutes. During this, the two then made their way back up the isle,
receiving congratulations and blessings from the guests. Then, as fast as one
could blink, the two disappeared until that evening, when they returned at the
reception. At twilight, the two entered the dining hall.
     "Hey, guess who decided to show up!" Williams yelled. Applause, once
again.
     "Now when you gonna throw that bouquet?" Bunnie asked. Sally almost
forgot she had held on to it all day. She turned her back, waited two seconds
for the crowd to gather, and tossed it. In mid air, a robotic arm shot up and
snagged the bouquet. No surprise, really, that it was Bunnie. After taking a
long draw of air from the flowers, she looked at Rotor. Rotor looked surprised
and pointed at himself. Bunnie nodded, and Rotor smiled.
     "So, where did you go with Sally after the wedding?" Uncle Charles
asked.
     "We visited the grave of her mother." Sonic said. "We said nothing. She
just sat there, like meditating or something. Then, after we got up to leave,
she looked back and said 'Thank you.' I don't know what to make of that."
     "Oh." Charles said. His response sounded like he knew what that was all
about.

     "Bookshire, Williams, can I talk to you?" Sally called out. The two
reported to the queen. "Now that I'm queen, I need to do something."
     "What, my queen?" Bookshire asked.
     "Charge Commander. Packbell with treason." Sally said. Silence. Sally
didn't realize this, but this had the potential of being fun.
     "What?" Williams asked, stunned.
     "He is a traitor to the crown." Sally said. She smiled evilly.
     "Let's arrest 'em!" Sonic exclaimed, and everybody was roused. They all
went over to Bookshire's hut, but only King Sonic, Queen Sally, Bookshire and
Williams went inside. Everybody waited outside to witness the event. Bookshire
and Williams hooked their computers together. Williams spoke.
     "Computer, find Packbell." He said.
     "Direct access requires Clearance Level Six." The computer replied.
     "Use Cryptosmasher." Bookshire replied. After two seconds, chimes
sounded, from the CHIMES.WAV file in Windows.
     "Access granted. Audio and visual link secured." the computer replied.
Packbell's long, pale face appeared. Surprise streaked across his face, and an
evil grin.
     "Hello, rodent." He replied.
     "Cmdr. Packbell, you are charged with the heinous crime of treason
against the crown." Sally announced. "You are now under arrest." All Packbell
did was lean back in his chair and laugh.
     "Oh, thank you, thank you princess. You have brought me the best laugh I
have had all day." Packbell giggled. His face then drained of all happy
emotion. "You stupid animals. You know what you did. Right now, all available
SWATbots are headed to Knothole right now. You have about maybe thirty seconds
to pray for your foolish little lives. Oh, by the way, happy birthday, Queen
Sally."
     "Meet my King, Sir Sonic." Sally introduced Sonic.
     "Hello, tinkertoy." Sonic saluted. At this point, Packbell looked at
surprise at a screen off to the side.
     "Now, of all people, or androids, anyway," Williams said. "You would be
first to realize I would loop a connection to you through so many channels it
would take you a good twenty minutes to find us." Packbell was visibly mad as
hell. The crowd started to laugh and caterwaul at the android.
     "Heed our warnings, Commander." Sally said. "The warrant against you
demands immediate termination if you do not surrender."
     "If you think..." Packbell screamed, pounding his fist into the desk.
     "Computer, terminate connection. I don't want to talk anymore." Williams
called. The computer blinked off, reading NO CARRIER. Cheers called up. Sonic
hugged Sally, laughing.
     "That was the best!" He exclaimed. "Long live the Queen!" The crowd
answered back in the same fashion. They all headed back from the best
entertainment they had seen in a while.
     At about 2100, Antoine brought out a seven tier wedding/birthday cake to
the grasp of some two hundred ravenous wedding guests. After three minutes,
absolutely nothing was left.
     "You peegs! Did you eeven TASTE eet?" Antoine exclaimed. He stomped off
to the kitchen.
     At midnight, the party had wound down to a crawl. Tails and Nina were
asleep next to each other in the corner, where a cushioned bench sat. Williams
went home, and only a few residents of Knothole remained.
     "Ok, I give. G'night you two," Bunnie yawned.
     "Same here." Rotor announced, and followed Bunnie out the door.
     "My first act as king of Mobius is..." Sonic announced, "to go to bed.
(YAWN) Man, am I beat."
     "Same here, your majesty." Sally giggled.
     "My second act as king of Mobius is to order nobody to call me 'Your
majesty.' Sonic will be fine, like it always was." Sonic yawned again, and the
royal couple left the dining hall to go to bed.

- - - -
Timeline- two days before the due date, June 2, 3237
- - - -

     "Aaaaagggghhhh!" Sally screamed. The contractions hit hard. While she
lay in bed, with Bunnie at her side, Sonic raced off to the Great Swamp to get
the resident medical doctor, Dr. Taylor.
     "You make me have second thoughts about starting a family, girl!" Bunnie
joked to Sally. Sally just rolled he eyes and held her midsection. Then, she
exhaled.
     "I love Sonic dearly, but he is NEVER touching me again!" Sally said,
giggling a little to let her friend know she was still in good humor. A boom
ripped through the air, indicating Sonic had come back with the doctor. The
two stopped at the door. Sonic walked in, followed by the doctor, panting.
     "My goodness, you sure can run..." she said. She caught her breath. "So,
how far apart are the contractions?"
     "Bout two minutes." Bunnie replied. Just then, Sally started screaming
in pain again.
     "Ok, it's show time. Sonic, you need to go." Dr. Taylor shooed the blue
king out the door. He tried peeking through the window, but the blind dropped.
Sonic just sat outside, against the wall, and waited. After five minutes of
inactivity, he got bored. "Maybe a couple laps will pass time..." Sonic
thought, and took off to run circles around Knothole. After two minutes, he
was back to being bored. Once again, he slid down the wall into a crouched
position. Tails descended out of the trees, and touched down in front of
Sonic.
     "Hi, Sonic. How's Aunt Sally?" the fox asked with concern.
     "Pregnant." Sonic sighed. Tails sat down next to Sonic.
     "Whatcha gonna name him?" Tails asked, trying to start a conversation.
     "Don't know." Sonic replied, staring out in space. Then a look of
satisfaction appeared. He turned to Tails. "How bout Miles?" Tails face lit
up.
     "Whoa! Really?!" Tails barked.
     "Well, I have no other ideas. If your Aunt Sally thinks it's cool, then
Miles it is." Both smiled broadly.
     "How come I can't have anybody named after me?" Bookshire whined as he
hobbled around the corner. He stopped in front of Sonic and bowed deeply.
Sonic cracked a smile.
     "C'mon. I hate it when you guys do that. I'm still the old Sonic." Sonic
said.
     "Yes, your highness." Bookshire laughed. Sonic shook his head, and
sighed. "How is she, Sonic?" Bookshire asked.
     "Pregnant." Tails replied. Sonic looked at Tails, and Tails was sorry he
said it.
     "Sally been in labor for about a full day!" Bookshire said. "I hope that
she's alright." As Bookshire finished speaking, another scream pealed out of
the hut. Sonic stood up to look at Sally, but the blind was still down. Sonic
was getting worried. He started pacing around the hut, while Bookshire and
Tails watched.
     "Will she be alright?" Sonic asked Bookshire.
     "Oh, I'm sure she will be. Just relax." Bookshire said. The doctor's
voice then cut in, commanding Sally to push. A grunt followed. Tails,
Bookshire, and Sonic held their breath, listening. After a couple more tries,
a tiny, tiny cry pierced the hedgehogs ears.
     "YES!!!" He screamed, and ran at full speed straight up a tree, and
became airborne. Tails flew up to catch the falling king. As they touched
ground, all three rushed to the door. When Tails hand touched the knob,
another tiny cry, a different cry emerged. Sonic stopped dead in his tracks.
     "Ohmigosh...." Sonic whispered. "No way!" He burst in.
     "Congrats dad!" Bunnie exclaimed. "Twins!" Sure enough, Sally held two
little bundles in her arms. "Well, go ahead. They don't bite.... yet." Bunnie
said. Sonic cautiously made his way to Sally, physically spent, holding
Sonic's offspring.
     "One of each." Sally said. Bunnie helped Sonic take both babies. The
girl was a light blue squirrel, the boy a brown hedgehog. Both looked exactly
like their parents, except the baby girl had a full tail that hung over her
head.
     "I have the perfect name for her." Sally said. "Julayla. In honor of my
mentor and friend. Sonic, do you have an idea for a name?" Sonic said nothing
for a couple of seconds, and looked down at Tails.
     "Yeah." Sonic said, his voice shaking. "Miles. In honor of the greatest
friend I have ever known." A tear streaked down his cheek, and landed on the
baby Miles forehead. Sonic gently hugged his son and daughter, and Tails
hugged the three of them around Sonic's back.
     Just then, applause. Every Freedom Fighter of Knothole, with Charles in
front, welcomed the two newest residents in to the world.