Chapter Text
Chapter 4 Part 2
In the depths of the night, Mikeal crossed the streets quickly. He suddenly hid away as the guards marched onwards looking for any suspicious outgoers. Once the coast was clear, the boy went onwards, getting closer to the warehouse.
There was a slight pit of anger towards Sonic. He understood he was a foreigner in their world, but with that power of his, he could make such a difference to his family and his people. The boy however stopped as a group of guards headed his way. But instead of hiding away, fear overcame him.
His mind screamed for him to move, but fear overcame his body as he froze on the spot. The touches started to turn in his direction, hearing the guards calling his way. Sweat bedded on his forehead, he still couldn’t move, until suddenly the guards stopped to look at his direction…only to see nothing.
From above, the boy opened his eyes in shock as he was no longer on the streets, but on top of a roof. Looking around, he saw the guards below him continue on their march.
“This will certainly cost you another meal!”
He was delighted to see Sonic standing next to him. But before he could call out his name, the hedgehog grabbed hold of him and dashed onwards. Before he could yell out, the boy was pulled over the rooftops with incredible speed. By the time Mikeal got his breath back, they were only a jump away from the warehouse.
Kneeling down, the hedgehog was looking down at the guard patrol. Mikeal kneeled down next to him.
“I thought this wasn’t your fight?” The boy whispered.
“Believe me, it isn’t. But at the same time, I wouldn’t want your family and especially your old lady, fighting me instead for letting you go ahead with this crazy plan of yours. They wouldn’t want to lose someone else in their family anyway.” Sonic whispered.
The boy simply smiled.
“Thank you Sonic.”
“Ah don’t thank me yet kid. First we need to get rid of these guards.” The hedgehog asked, looking all over for an entrance.
“My father knew of a secret passage under the warehouse. We can get under by a few streets away through the man-made sewers.”
The thought of going through a sewer, was not what Sonic had in plan. Sighing, the blue blur stood up and stretched his legs. He did think of simply taking the guards himself, but with Mikeal, he couldn’t risk leaving him by himself. He resisted groaning in front of him and simply smiled.
“Well, we better get going, before I change my mind.”
Before long, Mikeal took him to the entrance of the sewage passage. Steadily moving forward, both of them realised soon that there was hardly any light. Sonic and Mikeal would accidently trip and stumble, not wanting to know what lay underneath the waste. Grabbing hold of him and finally having enough of the smell, Sonic speeded forwards, until he finally reached a ladder. The boy nodded that this was the right place. Suggesting that he will go first, the hedgehog took up the ladders and carefully opened the top.
Peeping his eyes through, he couldn’t see any motion. A small light provided him with cover as he pulled himself up as well as Mikeal. They ran to a nearby storage box. With cover, Sonic was finally able to see everything in the warehouse.
All around, countless boxes covered the whole space. Piled with fresh fruit and produce, there was enough food to feed a small nation for months. So why was none of them going to the people? Sonic turned to see the box they both were hiding under, as he saw a large printed name stamped on it. Labelled, all the produce was being transported to the palace.
Mikeal looked at the name of the Princess and suddenly felt a bitter hated as he clenched his fists. Quietly, both of them decided to steadily move onwards. But as they passed through, it seemed the mission was a bit too big for just two folks, as the number of boxes continued throughout.
But the boy was on edge. Fear started to creep up on him again as his heart pounded on his chest. Darting around, he felt the space around him was getting smaller, as if the air was gripping in his lungs. Did he see something move quickly from the shadows? But as he looked up, Sonic could also feel the same sense that they were being watched.
“Now I would certainly say this is quite excessive; even from her.” Sonic stated.
“There is enough food to feed everyone! Now I know for sure if everyone saw this, we can fight to take it back.” The boy called out.
“That’s if you even make it out of here alive!” A voice erupted in the warehouse.
Suddenly Sonic and Mikeal were caught out as a sudden force erupted from above, striking down towards them. Mikeal raised his hands up as a box almost landed on top of him. Sonic caught him by the hand and speeded through, jumping on top of the boxes.
Suddenly more movement erupted from below as boxes were being shoved away. The hedgehog looked to see the end of a large scaled tail. Then in a bolt, Sonic took Mikeal and jumped over more boxes; just before they exploded with sheer force. The food scattered everywhere. Then the creature finally showed themselves in the dust, giving a terrifying hissing sound.
Before Sonic and Mikeal, stood a large serpent. As it hissed at the intruders, it snarled as it rose its body up high enough to lower its gaze down at them. Its long tongue trailed down to its chest, before residing back into its jaws. The hedgehog looked around the see the snake almost filling the whole warehouse; not good news.
“It’s you! You the one who killed my father!” Mikeal yelled in fear and anger.
“Ah another peasant, who died for a simple piece of bread. You maggots don’t deserve such delicious food; wasted on such fools!” The snake hissed in delight.
Suddenly Sonic speeded forwards, trying to gain the upper hand. But the snake hissed in triumph as its large tail swooped upwards to smack the hedgehog down. Mikeal watched in horror as Sonic crashed straight down onto a create of boxes, watching the hedgehog disappear within the mess and dust.
“Well, he didn’t put up too much of a fight. I thought from what I saw from the posters, he would have put more of a fight. So disappointing.” But then the snake hissed and shot a glance towards Mikeal.
“And as for you, you know the law. Those who oppose her royal highness, is punished by death!” The snake smiled, raising its long fangs towards the boy.
Once again, fear overcame him as he stood frozen on the spot, tears down his face. This time he couldn’t even close his eyes as the fangs darted right towards him.
But then suddenly something was thrown at it, as suddenly a speed whirlwind erupted in the warehouse. Screaming in pain, the snake coiled and fell backwards. Mikeal watched as a large wooden crate was thrown from the warehouse and landed straight on the snake’s head with all the food spilling all over. In annoyance, the snake coiled back up, only to see the hedgehog standing there in confidence.
“Sonic!”
“Mikeal! Get back to the tunnel! This is gonna get nasty!” Sonic shouted.
The boy, finally able to shake off the fear jumped down to the ground and darted for the entrance. The snake hissed as it coiled to follow him in quick pursuit. But then was halted as fruit was thrown in its eyes. Screaming in annoyance, the snake was getting more agitated as the hedgehog continued to throw the acid fruits at its eyes; causing the creature to lose its sight.
Mikeal watched in wonder before darting for the entrance to the sewer.
Screaming in annoyance, the fruit was still in its eyes. With no arms to remove the spillages, the creature could only use its long tongue to no avail.
“You pesky little insect! You dare think this will stop me from destroying you?”
At last Sonic thought, with Mikeal away he was out of danger. Sonic couldn’t help but grin.
“So, you go around and take everyone’s food for tax? That will certainly put you on the naughty list.” Sonic joked.
But then Sonic stopped as the snake hissed and suddenly halted coiling around. Not knowing the next move, the hedgehog speeded through in-between the boxes. Suddenly Sonic yelled as the tail almost smacked him from behind, but then jumped up, dodging an attack by its fang. Something had changed in the creature as its movements were more concentrated.
Suddenly he was caught off guard as his foot cracked one of the wood panels of a box. That instant, the snake smacked down the box, shattering the box into pieces and flying Sonic down with it. Landing heavily on the broken crate, he just had enough time to move before the snake darted at him with fangs. He just got out of the way as the snake collided with another crate.
If he hadn’t move in time, he would be in the belly of that beast, he pondered.
“I may not be able to see you, but I can certainly hear you!” The snake hissed.
Cursing the snake did make a point. With the warehouse being so filled with boxes, Sonic would certainly make enough noise. But what was worse, was that he couldn’t get enough memento to move around; let alone create a spin dash. And was certainly running out of options as each move, he made, the snake will continue destroying the boxes full of food. If it continued the way it was going, there be nothing for the folk of the city.
Due to the commotion inside, guards from outside, opened the wide doors to the warehouse with their weapons ready. As they called out to the snake however, caused a sudden outburst as the creature went straight towards them. The guards had no clue that the snake was blinded as they yelled in horror. Sonic watched as the guards were sent flying back outside. This was Sonic’s only chance to look around for anything that could help. Then he looked up and suddenly felt a light bulb switch on in his head.
Finally on the move, the snake hissed in anger as it heard Sonic’s fast footsteps heading towards the door.
“You will not leave so easily!” The snake hissed as it lunged for the door.
But then it noticed the movement had changed. Confused, it could hear Sonic’s movements from behind. Hadn’t the creature tried to leave the warehouse? Instead, the hedgehog had run back inside. Infuriated the snake changed back inside. But then suddenly felt something from behind. Too quick to attack, the snake cried in protest as it felt footsteps all around it, trying to confuse the beast.
“I will not play this foolish game!” The snake hissed as it decided to swipe everything around it.
Hearing boxes smash away, it hoped to catch the pest. However suddenly it stopped right in front of it. Smiling, there was no way the blue hedgehog was able to escape now. Not waiting for another moment, it lunged straight at him, until something stopped it.
Then it could hear a tutting sound coming from the hedgehog.
“You know, you just remind me of a Christmas present.”
“And what does that meant to mean?” The snake hissed in anger.
“You all wrapped up.” The hedgehog smiled in triumph.
Finally removing the fruit of its eye with its long tongue, it looked around to see what the hedgehog meant. Only to discover that it had been completely embodied with rope. Suddenly looking from above, it saw the rope coming from the warehouse crane. Looking down at Sonic, the hedgehog simply pressed a button on the small device in his hand. Before the snake protested, Sonic flipped the switched.
The snake cried out as it was suddenly pulled above the crates and was hung up in mid-air.
The creature tried to move, but the ropes became tighter the more it resisted.
“Curse you hedgehog!” The snake cried out. Suddenly bolting more foul language, the sake cried out from above.
“Now no need for that kind of language, it is Christmas after all.” Sonic tutted with a smile.
Suddenly the hedgehog stopped as he could hear commotion from outside. More guards had returned but were more distracted on what was happening on the streets. As the hedgehog went to investigate, he saw a huge uproar between the guards and the city folk.
In the night, everyone carried their torches and quickly made weapons as they fought one another. But soon in the mass of numbers, the guards were overtaken quickly. The guards dropped their swords and surrendered. Coming from the mass of folk stood Mikeal.
Mikeal looked at him with triumph.
“When I got back to the house, Grandmother had a feeling I got you roped up to do this. So, she pretty much called everyone here.”
“But not before I gave the boy a piece of my mind!” The old lady shouted, pulling down the boys’ ears.
Before long, Sonic watched as the people rejoiced in their victory. The guards were forced to be locked away. As for the snake the warehouse warden, it was best to keep the beast tied up and hung dry. It cried in protest and cursed downwards as it watched the city folk return the boxes to their people. To Sonic’s relief, not all the food was destroyed in the fight.
“The people will have a feast tonight in your honour Sonic. What shall we call it?”
“Well, it is Christmas eve, so let’s get the party started!”
“What is that? You must tell us more about this “Christmas”!” Mikeal shouted in delight as they headed back to his house.
And just like Christmas, the house was erupted with people as they celebrated their victory. The streets were filled with the people sharing the food around, drinking merrily while music and song echoed into the night. As the hedgehog sat down to explain, the food and drink wouldn’t stop. Children woke up from their slumber to join in with the celebrations. Then Sonic had an idea.
Outside in the desert land, he asked Mikeal and a few of the children to bring buckets of water. Confused as to why, all of them watched in awe as the hedgehog spin dashed around, causing a massive desert cloud. He shouted to them to throw the water at him. Unbeknownst to what he was up to, they threw the buckets into the sand and watched Sonic speed faster.
Covering their eyes from the sand, they couldn’t see what was happening. Until the wind stopped. Finally opening their eyes, the children screamed in delight as the mixture of sand and water had created a vast playground slide.
“It may not be snow, but still does the trick.” Sonic winked as the children didn’t wait a single moment to slide down.
The parties continued onwards all throughout the night; more food, singing and dancing erupted the city. As the night soon became morning, the hedgehog was finally left to himself as most of the folk had gone to slumber.
Sipping on his drink, he looked onward towards the now freed city. The princess would certainly not be waking up to good news he thought as he watched the sun rise come from the horizon.
In that madness of a night, it only occurred to him that today was Christmas day back on his world. He never would have thought he would be celebrating like this, but in the end, he didn’t feel alone. He knew his friends were out there waiting for his return. And in the meantime, he didn’t mind causing a bit of mayhem while he was here.
Raising his cup to toast the new day, he shouted “Merry Christmas”
THE END