Archive of Our Own ^beta

~ MARIO AND SONIC: HOLIDAYS UNITE ~

- MARIO'S WORLD -
Mushroom Kingdom,
Peach Gardens

Winter fell upon the vast land of the Mushroom Kingdom as every corner was covered by a white blanket of snow. The main town was bustling with activity as the kingdom's residents were preparing for the holidays within the next week. Practically every building had festive decorations wrapped around, with colorful lights flashing in harmonious rhythm, snow sculptures of Item Boxes and Mushrooms built around the streets and the aroma of freshly baked holiday goods roamed around from many of the bakeries and homes.

In particular, the Mushroom Castle was preparing for its annual Snow Spirit Ball – which celebrates the blessing of the Snow Spirits whom grant their world the marvelous weather of snow. Princess Peach required all Toad retainers work diligently around the clock to ensure that preparations went smoothly until the big day – whether it'd be decorating the castle, sending out invites to all other kingdoms and preparing all the ingredients for the banquet accompanying the ball.

Fortunately, she also had the additional help of the Mario Bros – who were currently in the castle gardens putting the finishing touches to the grand ice sculptures.

"Yeeheey! I'm finally finished!" Luigi exclaimed, taking a moment to marvel at his masterpiece. It had taken him almost an hour to carve out a perfect replica of a small Fire Flower sculpture near the entrance to the gardens. Smiling at his work, Luigi turned around to check up on his older brother. "So bro! How did yours go-"

Luigi looked back at his brother's progress and almost fainted at the gigantic ice replica of Princess Peach towering in the middle of the gardens. At the moment, Mario was at the top, chipping away at the final part of the crown section.

"M-M-Mamamia! H-How did you get all this done?" Luigi gasped, slowly approaching the base of the sculpture as he continued to stare in awe.

"Sorry bro, I can't hear you from up here, hold on." Mario replied, finishing up the crown portion he was carving out. Sliding his tools into his utility belt, Mario jumped off the towering ice sculpture of Peach, doing a couple flips in the air as he landed into a soft pile of snow beside a few shrubbery.

"Geez, bro. You got practically every detail of Princess Peach correct, even down to her lips." Luigi commented, remaining in awe as Mario came to his side.

"Eh, it wasn't much to be honest." Mario replied in a humble manner. "What about you, Luigi? How are your sculptures coming along?"

Mario looked over to Luigi's single Fire Flower sculpture, which looked minuscule compared to the gigantic Princess Peach masterpiece. Luigi started scratching the back of his head in embarrassment as he chuckled.

"Ehh… I may have put in too much time on that one statue, heheh." Luigi admitted.

"Ohhh.. uhhh, regardless, we've sure completed a lot of work today! Why don't we head back inside and grab a cup of hot chocolate to warm up? We can get back to sculpting early tomorrow!" Mario suggested, patting the back of Luigi.

"Sounds like a splendid idea! I could go for some marshmallows in my hot cocoa as well." Luigi exclaimed.

The brothers began their trek through the gardens and headed up the staircase into the back of the castle. As they entered the hallways and made their way towards the kitchen, Luigi nudged over to his brother.

"What is it, brother?" Mario asked, noticing the sly look on Luigi's face.

"So… when are you going to propose to the princess?" Luigi asked in a teasing manner.

"WHAT! Whatta made you think of that?" Mario yelped, looking around frantically as he ensured no one else was in the castle hallways listening to their conversation.

"C'mon, brother! The moment has been coming for years now!" Luigi continued to tease, nudging his brother with his elbow again. "Besides, I'm your brother. Of course I'm going to know this kinda of stuff…. And technically I saw you come home with a particularly bulky ring the other night."

"Ugh, Luigi! You're just as nosy as that big nose you've got." Mario rolled his eyes. He sighed, having hoped to keep his plan a surprise from anyone. Regardless, it was better for his own brother to know than someone to the likes of Yoshi - who seemed to be a blabber mouth about other people's business.

"So? Do I have to ask again? When do you plan on proposing, brother? I wanna help you out!" Luigi exclaimed, unable to keep his excitement as he swayed back and forth on his feet.

"Well technically I kinda proposed before, don't you recall?" Mario reminded him, referring to one of his more recent odysseys around the world. "Although, that didn't really work out at the time, considering we had just gotten off an adventure, which was kinda my fault for not considering the timing of it all."

"Yeah, but that was on the moon, so it doesn't count in my book!" Luigi reassured.

"Propose? What's Mario proposing?" another voice spoke up from behind the brothers, causing Luigi to yelp in shock as he jumped into Mario's arms. The two looked over to find Yoshi casually listening to their conversation as he carried large platter of freshly baked cookies in both hands.

"Gyaaaaah! Don't scare me like that, Yoshi!" Luigi yelled back, only to be dropped onto the floor by Mario, causing him to groan in pain. "Gaah… uhh, Yoshi, shouldn't you be helping the princess prepare the menu for the banquet next week? We're all on a time crunch to finish our tasks, may I remind you!"

"Actually, yes – I'm all done! I just finished bringing the princess all the ingredients she needs for the ball. I'm gonna be helping her cook tomorrow!" Yoshi assured them.

"Uhmm cool.. uhh, soooo are those the cookies that you baked for the workers too, Yoshi?" Mario asked, attempting to change the subject to avoid Yoshi from finding out he had plans to propose.

"Nope, this is just my dinner!" Yoshi exclaimed, taking a cookie from the plate as he threw it into his mouth. He immediately went back to asking Mario the same question as he continued munching on his food. "Mhmm, so Mario what are you going to propose to Peach? Some new laws for the kingdom? Maybe about how we should have more than three meals per day, 'cause I would definitely back you up on that kind of rule!"

"Yoshi, you're not restricted by the kingdom's rules to remain eating only three meals a day, if that even is a rule in the first place." Luigi sighed, doing his best to tolerate Yoshi's usual weirdness once again. "You can eat whenever you want – it's not like anyone can stop you from eating anyway."

"Uhh… Y-Yeah! Of course! I'm-a definitely working on a new rule for the kingdom residents to require six meals each day!" Mario suddenly answered with forced enthusiasm, hoping to redirect Yoshi's attention elsewhere.

"Oh boy! I can help write up some legislations to back up on the ruling! This has totally been my dream since I moved into the kingdom!" Yoshi exclaimed, hopping up and down as he began rushing down the hallways, eager to start making a list of additional rules to support Mario's supposed proposal. "Oooooh, maybe if we're lucky, we can push the rule to make it seven meals a day! That'd be my holiday wish!"

"Seriously, there's no one that I know who can get any more excited about food than Yoshi." Luigi commented. He turned over to Mario and gave him a cheeky grin. "Well, maybe except you, brother."

"Hmph… So getting back to the topic of marriage, what about you Luigi? When are you going to pop the question. Ey? Eyyy?" Mario started to mock his brother as he nudged him with in the exact same manner.

"Uh uh! Nonononononono, Daisy and I are no where near that level of commitment compared to you guys!" Luigi waved his hands in firm denial. "Besides Mario, you always tend to be first in everything that we do. I thought I'd uphold the Mario Bros. tradition and follow you afterwards."

"Hahahah, you are sooo funny." Mario chuckled in a sarcastic tone, rolling his eyes as he entered the castle's kitchen to prepare them each a fresh cup of hot chocolate. As they gathered their ingredients, Luigi's question remained in Mario's head.

When was he going to propose to Peach? Mario had never been in a rush to get married – except for that one time on the moon that he had mentioned earlier. But that was only to stop Bowser from committing Peach into a relationship she never wanted to be in the first place. Was there ever going to be a good time for him to propose?

Then again, this had been the longest time the Mushroom Kingdom had been in relative peace since Bowser's last attack. From their perspective, it had been almost six months since Mario had to deal with his enemy's usual shenanigans. But recently, Bowser and the Koopa Troops remained quiet, much to Mario's worry as he wondered what the army's next plans were.

Yet Peach assured Mario and the others that Bowser was not a problem anymore – telling them to remain patient and that news about their long-time nemesis would be revealed soon. With that information being said, it gave Mario and his friends time to relax and spend their days indulging in their usual recreational activities – such as kart competitions, tennis tournaments and super parties.

Although, the quiet time allowed Mario to reflect on his adventures as well. Ever since his first step into the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario had gone through a plethora of adventures - ranging from jumping into paintings containing expansive worlds, cleaning up a tropical paradise, venturing off through the darkest corners of space, rescuing a group of fairies in a far off land, and traveling across various kingdoms with the ability to transform into other beings.

Throughout those adventures, Mario treasured the companions he had made along the way, whether it'd be his trusty water machine - F.L.U.D.D., the friendly space traveler - Luma, or the adventurous Bonneter - Cappy.

But none of these adventures ever compared to the one he had taken with a certain blue hedgehog living in another universe.

I wonder how Sonic's group is doing right now… Mario thought. It had been a little over a year since the crossover between the heroes, yet their adventures together still left a huge impact on Mario and his friends. He recalled to the moment where he and Sonic first met outside the castle, which eventually led them on a globe-trotting adventure around not only Mario's world, but Sonic's world as well – eventually leading to a final showdown against a malevolent dragon wishing to spread darkness across both universes. But with the power of the Chaos Emeralds – and most importantly, their friendships, the heroes triumphed against evil as always.

Still, Mario wished to know how Sonic and his friends were doing back in their home. Ever since they had been sent back home by the guardian of dimensions – Mario hadn't heard new of how the other world was holding up. There were times when Mario and Luigi asked Professor Elvin Gadd if there was a way for them to contact Sonic's world – but he was unable to come up with a solid way to communicate with them – concluding that there may have been a severed connection between both their universes

Maybe it's for the best that our worlds cannot connect anymore… Mario figured, the thought saddening him. Sonic had been one of the few that Mario built a strong bond with – and their friends happened to grow a strong connection as well, regardless of their differing personalities. Mario could only dream of how life would be with Sonic and co. still with them.

"Bro? Hey bro, can you hear me?" Luigi's voice slowly echoed Mario back into reality.

"Hmm? Yeah, what's up?" Mario replied.

"Uhmmm… you done with the marshmallows?" Luigi asked, pointing over to the bag of sweets in Mario's hand. He had been so distracted with his thoughts that his entire mug of hot chocolate was covered in a mountain of fluffy marshmallows.

"GAAAAH! Uhhh, here take this!" Mario yelped, throwing the bag of. He immediately ran out of the kitchen, hoping to find Yoshi to help him clean up the marshmallow mess.

"Heh, ohhh poor Mario. A lot must be on his mind at the moment." Luigi shook his head, grabbing a few marshmallows from the bag and dropping them into his mug of hot chocolate. Looking at the time, he figured it'd be best to catch up with his brother and head their way home – knowing they'd need as much rest as possible for the coming days.

- SONIC'S WORLD -
Westside Island,
Tails' Workshop

Christmas season arrived on Westside Island, which was home to Sonic and many of his friends. Snow covered every inch of the island as Emerald Town - the capital of the region - sprung with Christmas spirit as its residents prepared for the festive holiday with decorations and baked goods. In the meantime, Sonic was hanging around Tails' workshop, helping his best friend finish the last of his packing as he prepared for his studies at the University of Spagonia.

"Thanks for the help, Sonic. I'd probably still be packing by midnight if I didn't have your speed to cut down on the time." Tails expressed his gratitude, stacking the last of his boxes near the entrance. He took one more moment to look around his laboratory – noting how big the space was without his crazy contraptions taking up the area.

"Anytime buddy! Although, I don't see why you still even need to go to school anymore. You're probably one of the smartest people I've ever known." Sonic answered, dusting off his gloves as he placed down his last box. "It's kinda nice though that Professor Pickle granted you a free scholarship though."

"Well, I'm not exactly going to school to learn – just taking a couple courses to refine my skills and to be officially licensed as a professional engineer." Tails explained his motive to Sonic. "I figured – if I want to provide my tech for the benefit of our society, I'm going to need to go through the regular process like everyone else and receive my master degrees. It shouldn't be a problem though."

"Come on, you say it like getting a few PhD's or whatever is nothing! Don't you gotta take a lot of exams just to be qualified?" Sonic asked. Even the thought of doing a test – who would have the patience to sit around for hours answering questions? Definitely not him!

"Heheh, well at least this whole university life will keep me busy for the time being – considering we haven't been on any adventures for quite awhile." Tails mentioned, taking a moment to reflect on their recent journeys. "Hey, Sonic… speaking of our adventures, what was your most memorable one?"

"Huh, good question. There are so many things we've already done already, huh?" Sonic thought, recounting their most previous adventures. "Ooooh! Remember that one time we went into space and crushed Eggman's totally evil amusement park? Or when we explored through time and space? How about the time we crashed landed on a lost continent in the sky? Or more recently, when Eggman took over the world and you guys thought I was dead!"

"Heheh, we've been quite on a lot of adventures recently." Tails chuckled.

"Yeah, and who knows when the next one will be coming! If only you weren't going to be so caught up in school for the next little while – it's gonna be real different without you by my side.." Sonic teased, feeling a little bittersweet when he realized how much he'd missing exploring the world with Tails.

"Don't worry Sonic, I'm for sure going to have an adventure of my own – with constant late night study sessions and mastering my knowledge in engineering and physics!" Tails reaffirmed him.

"Good luck on you, buddy. I'm really proud of the steps you're taking to grow as a person." Sonic expressed, giving his best friend an enthusiastic thumbs-up. "Hey, what about you, dude? What would you consider to be your all time favorite adventure we've been on?"

Tails took a moment to think over his answer – a certain crossver coming to mind.

"Probably when we got to explore a whole different world, along with the opportunity to bond with Mario and his friends." Tails replied.

"Ohhh, yeah! Heh, that was long time ago, wasn't it?" Sonic happily recalled the more unique adventure. Traversing across his world – he encountered so many different locales, but none were quite as memorable as the Mushroom World. Surviving through toxic forests, raiding through a pyramid protected by Boos, battling against Koopa Pirates in the vast seas and exploring a castle in the sky were one of the grandest times he had.

But none of those ever compared to the friendships Sonic and his group made with the people of that world - the heroic Mario Bros, the optimistic Yoshi, the kind-hearted Princess Peach, Daisy and her energetic soul, the fun-loving Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, even the mischievous pair of Wario and Waluigi were memorable to Sonic.

And to top off those moments – thwarting the diabolic plans of both Dr. Eggman and Bowser were probably one of the most exhilarating times for Sonic to experience with his friends – all culminating with the final battle against a destructive dragon in a dimension full of darkness.

If only there had been a way for their worlds to remain connected.

"I really miss them, Sonic." Tails expressed, letting out a gentle sigh as he looked back to the special memories they shared with the Mario Bros and their friends. "I even miss the times when Yoshi would always complain how hungry he was on our missions."

"Yeah… just to think – all those memories wouldn't have been possible if it hadn't been for Metal Sonic going power hungry over the Negative Dimension." Sonic remembered, thinking of the countless battles they faced against their old enemy with their group.

"You really learn to cherish the moments spent with those you care about when they're gone, huh?" Tails expressed, looking over to Sonic with a sentimental expression. "I'm just really glad that throughout everything we've faced so far – we're still standing strong together!"

"Aw, since when did you get so emotional, buddy?" Sonic chuckled, wrapping an arm around Tails' shoulder as he patted him in a reassuring manner. "You know I'd never leave you.."

"Same goes for me too, Sonic." Tails reaffirmed with an optimistic look. "No matter what comes to our future, I know we'll always have each other's backs!"

"Couldn't have said it better myself!" Sonic expressed without hesitation. He gave his two-tailed friend a quick wink and a thumbs-up. "Anyway, I think I've had enough sappy moments for one day. I need to go get a last-minute Christmas present right now!"

"Lemme guess - you haven't found a gift for Amy yet, haven't you?" Tails asked, unsurprised by Sonic's tardiness on the certain subject.

"Wh-Wh-What? Who said anything about Amy? It's not like anything is going on between us or whatever, eheh." Sonic coughed, trying to play cool as he leaned against the workshop's exit.

"Sonic – ever since Dr. Eggman stopped with his evil schemes recently, I've been noticing how you've been hanging with her a lot," Tails brought up, crossing his arms as he wouldn't believe Sonic's bluff. "You've accepted every hang out she's asked you on, are always wondering where she is, and even helped make those Christmas invitations with her – even taking the time yourself to deliver it to our friends!"

"Eheh… I-I mean, that's what friends are fooooor, right?" Sonic came up, trying to play cool with no success as Tails simply stared at him with an unamused look. "Okay fine – yes, you caught me!

"So… What's with the sudden change of heart, Sonic? You've been very clear about your denial of her advances before." Tails questioned, curious to what Sonic's explanation would be.

"Well… I don't know really. Just like how you've been going through some growth yourself as a person, I guess I've been coming to realization of my own changes at the same time." Sonic did his best to explain, feeling a bit embarrassed in sharing his own feelings, something that he was never the expert in handling with.

"Heheh, well take my advice from a kid who's very knowledgeable in physics," Tails offered. "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."

"Uhh… what does that even mean?" Sonic raised a brow at him.

"It means – that whatever level of affection you provide,– you're bound to receive the same level of reciprocity– but in this case, it can be either good or bad from the one you are giving affection to." Tails explained – although he realized how unsure of what he was talking about near the end of his sentence.

"...Was that supposed to be some form of dating advice?" Sonic asked, hoping for some clarification.

"…I think so? Geez, I don't know, I've never dated before." Tails shrugged his head. "All I can say is, good luck with you and Amy!"

"Eh… thanks buddy. Well, I'll see you at the Christmas party next week!" Sonic said, saying his goodbye before booking it out of Tails' workshop, beginning his search for the perfect Christmas gift.

Finding a gift for Amy wouldn't be too difficult… right?

- MARIO'S WORLD -
Mushroom Kingdom,
Castle Foyer

Time quickly passed as the Snow Spirit Ball soon approached for the Mushroom Kingdom. Guests from other parts of the world - ranging from the Cap Kingdom to the Metro Kingdom - made their way over to the Mushroom Kingdom. All were specifically invited by the princess to promote unity within their world and for all to prosper in this newfound era of peace. This appeared to be one of the biggest events to occur for the entire year, causing great pressure for the staff at the castle to ensure all would go well in preparations.

"Hellooooo again, Mushroom Castle!" Daisy exclaimed, bringing carrying her duffel bag for traveling. Luigi came struggling behind as he carried the rest of her bags – consisting of a stack of suitcases consisting Daisy's wardrobe for the Snow Spirt Ball, as well as gifts she had brought for her friends.

"D-Daisy… w-where do you want me to put these?" Luigi said weakly, struggling to carry her mountain of suitcases in his arms as his knees began to give way from the weight. Unfortunately for him, Luigi hadn't notice the pair of suitcases slide off from the top – watching in horror as they careened towards the castle floor.

"Gotcha!" a voice spoke up, catching every single suitcase that Luigi had dropped. Landing in front of the plumber, was Donkey Kong as he triumphantly held Daisy's luggage in one hand with ease. "Careful there, buddy. You'd be in a lot of trouble if the madame saw you drop these."

"You're a lifesaver, DK!" Luigi thanked, sighing in relief as he gently set aside Daisy's suitcase on the ground. Although, he hadn't prepared for Donkey Kong to reel him into a big old gorilla hug – causing Luigi to almost suffocate in his friend's embrace. "Grrrgh…. Good to see you too! Ugh… is it just you or did the rest of the Kongs come?"

"Don't worry, Luigi! I wouldn't miss the opportunity to see you beautiful monkey face!" Diddy Kong exclaimed, jumping into the foyer as he hopped on Donkey Kong's back, grabbing Luigi's hat as he exchanged it for his own iconic red one. "Although, your face would be hard to miss, considering how gigantic your nose is!"

"Grrgh… geez… thanks for the compliment, I guess." Luigi rolled his eyes, taking a moment to breathe as he escaped Donkey's Kong's hug. He began rubbing his nose, wondering if comments about his nose would be a pattern among his friends nowadays?

The trio's reunion was immediately disrupted by the sound of squealing coming from the foyer's stairway. Looking over, they witnessed Daisy flailing her hands in the air as Peach rushed down the stairs, leading up to a wholesome reunion between the two princesses.

"Aaaaaaahhh! It's so good to see you again, sister!" Daisy exclaimed, hopping up and down as Peach giggled in her embrace. Releasing from the hug, Daisy looked over and noticed the slight hint of exhaustion upon her friend's face. "Awwww, you seem stressed out. What's the matter, sis?"

"Just a bit caught up in preparations for this coming Snow Spirit Ball. There's a lot that still needs to be done." Peach explained, remaining optimistic as she put on a smile. "Don't worry though, I'm managing well. To be honest though, I'd be flooded with work if it wasn't for the hard work everyone is providing in the castle."

"It's great to see everything going well so far," Daisy noted, looking around the castle foyer as she marvelled at the festive decorations hung around every corner. She wrapped an arm around Peach's. "Why don't you take a break and I can make you some tea?

"Ohh, as much as I would love too, I'd have to get back to baking. There are so many goods that I need to help prepare for this coming ball. I want to make sure everyone will have a dessert to eat and that each good is baked to top quality." Peach tried

"Didn't you hire people for that though? Where's Yoshi? You did tell mention that he was the head chef for the entire thing." Daisy recalled, looking around to find the dinosaur.

"I'm baaaaaaaack!" Yoshi exclaimed, barging through the castle foyer doors with a whole pack of Yoshi's from his home island. It was as if a living rainbow had smacked its way into the castle as the large group scrambled inside. Unfortunately, Luigi and Donkey Kong were caught under the stampede as they were carelessly run over as the Yoshis made their way through the foyer and headed towards the kitchen.

"Heeeeey! It's good to see my favourite dinosaur!" Daisy cheered, coming over to give Yoshi a big hug. "What's up with all the friends you invited? You're not telling me they're all here to eat all the food you're in charge of making."

"Heheh! Don't worry! I called in some last minute help to get all the food preparations completed!" Yoshi explained, raring to get a whole lot of baking and cooking done. Before joining his comrades, Yoshi gave a quick salute to Peach. "We've got you all covered for the ball. You can take break if you want, princess!"

"Thank you so much, Yoshi. I'm eternally blessed to have you and your friends to help out." Peach replied with gratitude. She turned back to Daisy and gave her a quick nod. "Does your tea offer still stand? I could honestly use something to relax my nerves for a bit, if that's no trouble."

"Anything for my bestie!" Daisy exclaimed, wrapping an arm around Peach's as they walked together to the dining hall. She whispered over into Peach's ear. "Besides, I've been meaning to ask you about you and Mario."

"What do you mean?" Peach asked, oblivious to what Daisy was trying to imply.

"Face it, girl. You and him have been together for so long – it's bound that you are meant to level up your relationship eventually!" Daisy answered with giddiness.

Peach was still unable to understand where Daisy was leading up to, her brain still feeling overwhelmed by the preparations for the upcoming ball. Regardless, Peach was looking forward to some princess talk with her best friend over a soothing cup of tea and biscuits.

Back near the castle foyer, Luigi and Donkey Kong groaned in pain as they lied on the floor, slowly recovering from the Yoshi stampede they had just endured.

"My legs… I-I can't feel my legs..." Luigi moaned, lying on his back as he attempted to bend forward to no success. His legs felt like they were hammered in by a hundred jackhammers. It took a while for Luigi to regain feeling in his feet as he began to wiggle his toes. "There you go… Oh yeah, that's a lot better."

"Ooooof, is this how a bongo drum feels? Cause I feel like those Yoshis feet beat me down into submission." Donkey Kong groaned. For a gorilla his stature, he was able to sustain a lot of beatings, yet this sort of pain was something he'd never encountered before.

"I'll make sure to gift y'all some extra painkillers for the holidays." Diddy Kong joked, nonchalantly doing a one-arm handstand atop one of the Mushroom statues found in the foyer. "Now, if you don't mind me, I'm gonna go ahead and find our guest bedrooms. See ya!"

Diddy Kong hopped out of the castle foyer – leaving Luigi and Donkey Kong to continue lying down in pain. Eventually, Mario entered the castle, walking right past them as his mind focused elsewhere.

"Hey guys," Mario greeted them as he was looking around. "Did you guys happen to come across Toadsworth by any chance? I have an important meeting with him."

"L-Let me get back to you on that… I'm still… writhing in pain." Donkey Kong , rolling onto his back as he

"We're doing okay by the way, bro. Just… practically dying on the floor – nothing important whatsoever." Luigi groaned, a little annoyed that Mario didn't bother to attend to them. Although, glancing over to his brother, Luigi noticed the nervous look on Mario's face. "Anything the matter bro? You look like you've seen a King Boo."

"N-Nothing. It's fine, I'm-a just look for Toadsworth myself." Mario assured, heading towards one of the castle hallways – leaving Luigi and Donkey Kong on the floor. Rushing by a couple Toad retainers, he eventually came across the castle's library – where Toadsworth was known to frequent from time to time.

Slowly opening the doorways, Mario entered the grand library – gazing across the gigantic space. The walls were lined up with shelves full of books detailing the history of the Mushroom Kingdom, with two floors required to contain the mass amount of information, stories and historical records. Various paintings of the Mushroom Kingdom over the decades were lined up along the walls. In the middle of the castle's library was a wooden replica of the Mushroom world as it spun slowly spun around in place atop an altar.

Sitting comfortably on one of the library's couches was Toadsworth – reading a book entitled Legend of the Seven Stars. Hearing Mario's footsteps approach, Toadsworth looked up and happily greeted the plumber. "My, my, if it isn't the one and only

"Thank you for taking the time to meet, Toadsworth." Mario greeted, giving him a quick bow before taking a seat across from his fellow elder. Mario looked down as he twiddled his thumbs, taking a moment to gather the courage he needed to discuss his important matter. "I… know our get-together was last minute – considering how busy it has been around the castle for the last few days. But I've been having a lot of thought about this decision I want to make."

"I see… And how long has you mind been set on this life-changing choice?" Toadsworth asked, giving Mario a curious look as he desired to hear the plumber's thought process.

"A long time, that's for certain," Mario answered. He took a moment once more, feeling his heart race as he tried to remain calm. Slowly, Mario reached over to his back pocket, carrying out a small, simple brown box. Leaning over to reveal its contents to Toadsworth, Mario opened up the box – revealing an elegant ring made up of the finest lunar stones from the moon – its diamond atop the ring shaped into a heart.

"My goodness – what an astounding handcrafted jewel." Toadsworth spoke, taking a moment to appreciate the treasure. He looked over to Mario as he brushed his own moustache. "Although, I have a feeling that this ring isn't for me, however."

"No no no, heheh. It's… for the princess." Mario clarified, chuckling at Toadsworth's joke as it managed to calm his nerves for a bit. "I… would like to ask her to marry me, Toadsworth."

"Oh, I know very well that you would like to ask the princess for her hand in marriage, ho ho h ho." Toadsworth let out a heart laugh, which caught Mario by surprise. The elder Toad took a moment to stand up from his chair, utilizing his cane as he walked around the centre of the library overlooking the countless shelves of books around them. "Master Mario – do you understand what contents are in these books?"

"From what the princess has told me, these are the records of Mushroom Kingdom," Mario recalled, joining Toadsworth as they walked around the library.

"Most importantly – they hold the lineage of our family who've ruled over the Mushroom Kingdom for centuries." Toadsworth reminded him. He stopped in his tracks, thinking about the day where Princess Peach was appointed its ruler. "The Toadstool family is very particular on their successors. For Peach, however, she had no choice but to become its ruler after the sudden passing of her parents. Initially, I hadn't quite prepared myself to become her carer for the majority of my life – but recalling to those years in helping the princess grow up and lead, I've grown quite fond of the relationship that we've built."

Mario continued listening to Toadsworth explain about his time caring for the princess – on how he had freaked out the first time Bowser had kidnapped Peach, yet he was eternally blessed for the commitment of the Mario Bros to come and be the heroes they needed whenever trouble brewed. Not only were these adventures eye-opening to Toadsworth, but he was blessed to see Peach grow to become more than just a ruler, but a kind-hearted soul whom she would dedicate her lives to.

"I will be honest with you, Master Mario – as humble and polite the princess is, these royal duties do take a toll to her spirit. She does her best not to express much of her frustrations towards her friends, but behind closed doors in the castle, Peach has let out the deepest of emotions to me," Toadsworth confessed as the duo made their way back to the centre of the library. "The only other person I know who she's been able to freely let out her feelings towards – is of course, you."

"I value how she feels, Toadsworth," Mario began to explain his own emotions. "I don't see Peach as solely the princess of a grand kingdom – I see her as a soul who looks out for the well-being of her friends. She's a figure that inspires others to give their all. Just like she has for me."

"And you've become her knight in shining armor, Master Mario. A man that only a father could wish for their daughter to be protected by." Toadsworth added. "I've never seen someone like who who's dedicated almost the entirety of their existence in rescuing the princess."

"That is why I am asking for your blessing, Toadsworth." Mario added. "Throughout all the adventures I've taken in the Mushroom Kingdom, Princess Peach has always been the constant figure in my life. She's been the one person I find myself running towards to at the end of the day. We've been through so many hardships and battles for the longest of times."

Mario let out another sigh, steadying his heart as he proclaimed his love for the princess. "Peach Toadstool has given me purpose in life – to fight for those unable to protect themselves. She is more than just a princess to me – she is what gives me strength. And all I want is to provide for her the love and care she deserves – as her future husband."

The library remained in silence once again as Toadsworth took a moment to consider the proposal. For Mario, those few seconds of silence were the longest, most excruciating moments of his life as he awaited for Toadsworth's answer.

"Master Mario – I, Toadsworth, the official guardian of Princess Peach Toadstool - would be honored if you took her hand in marriage. You have my dearest blessing."

"Th-Thank you! I'm very grateful for your blessing." Mario replied, doing his best to remain regal – however his heart was doing backflips of joy. He bowed down to Toadsworth once again. "I promise, I will lay down the rest of my life to protect the princess and ensure her happiness goes before my own."

"I know you will, Master Mario. Or should I say, my future son-in-law." Toadsworth happily proclaimed, reaching out his hand for Mario to shake. "Now, when do you think you will pop the question? May I advise, now isn't the best time as preparations have been wearing down the princess non-stop."

"I agree. But I was hoping to propose to her sometime after the Snow Spirit Ball. You know, when things have died down just a bit in regards to her schedule." Mario suggested, hoping for a more intimate moment between and Peach after preparations were complete.

"Sounds like a plan! May I wish the best of luck on your future with the princess." Toadsworth blessed upon Mario. He began making his way to the exit of the library. "Now, if you'll excuse me – I will be heading off to the kitchen. Word has been spreading around these hallways that the finest of hot chocolates are being served tonight. You are more welcome to join if you're not busy!"

"Heheh, will do!" Mario replied. Deciding to head there later on, Mario decided to take a seat in the library's couches, letting out a huge sigh of relief as he took his cap off and swept away the sweat coming from his forehead, recuperating from the tense moments leading up to his request. "Mamamia…. That was probably the most scariest thing I had to do in my life."

Step one was complete – with Toadsworth's blessing given to him, all Mario had to do was go through with the actual proposal to Princess Peach.

How in the world was Mario going to do this?

- SONIC'S WORLD -
Empire City,
Times Square

A snowy evening fell upon Empire City – the capital known as a melting pot of diverse folk and ideas. Within the busy streets, pedestrians scurried along the snowy sidewalks as they completed their last minute Christmas shopping. Among the city was Times Square – considered one of the world's most busiest streets in the capital as it housed a plethora of stores and large electronic billboards utilized for flash advertisements.

Within the area, Sonic was rushing through stores one by one, eager to find the perfect gift for Amy Rose.

"Nope, nothing nice here." Sonic found himself repeating, unsatisfied with what the shops had to offer. He had gone through a whole variety of stores – ranging from ones that sold fancy chocolates to extravagant clothing. Yet none of their stock really struck Sonic as being the optimal gift to give Amy.

"Grrrrghhh… Why am I having such a hard time with this!?" Sonic yelled out in the streets, catching the attention of many passerbyers – looking over to him with weird stares at his quick freak out. Sonic sighed, shaking his head as he wondered why he was stressing out on what should have been a simple task.

"Well well well - if it isn't the blue hedgehog again, of all places." a voice spoke from behind. Sonic turned around, finding his comrades Shadow and Rouge walking up to him, both fitted in their winter attire as they each carried an abundant number of bags in their arms. Shadow, remaining stoic, addressed Sonic's worried look. "What's your problem this time, Sonic?

"Oh hey guys, just doing some last minute gift shopping, that's all." Sonic shared, his shoulders remaining slouched as he still tried to figure out what to get.

"So, darling – who's the lucky girl you're shopping for?" Rouge teased, giving Sonic a quick wink.

"H-Huh? What? Th-There's no girl, what girl?" Sonic stuttered, trying to remain cool once again, only to fail miserably as he slipped in place on a patch of ice. Falling on his back, Sonic laid there for a moment. "Gaaaah! Darn it! Why does ice have to be so hidden when it snows?"

"Oh my… looks like the poor boy has fallen hard for his lovie-dovie." Rouge teased, watching as Shadow eventually helped Sonic get back up and dust the snow off his fur. "Seriously Sonic, whether or not you're the fastest thing alive – no man can truly run away from the deepest desires of his heart, especially if it involves a woman in his life."

"Yeah, so what? It's not like I can even find a good gift for Amy." Sonic finally gave in, admitting defeat as he expressed his true motive. "I've looked around through all these stores and I can't seem to find anything good enough for her."

"Well if you can't find something, why don't you just make something for her?" Shadow suggested. "Putting the effort yourself in making a gift rather than just purchasing it signifies greater thought for the one receiving it."

"Hmph, pretty good advice, Shadow." Rouge praised her friend. "I didn't think you'd offer such considerate advice in relationships – considering how much you despise them."

"Of course. Any advice from me is the… ultimate advice." Shadow added.

"Making something, huh?" Sonic rubbed his chin, thinking over Shadow's suggestions. He liked the thought of the idea, but what in the world could Sonic make for Amy? She generally liked all things pin and with hearts, as well as hammers. Just then, an idea popped into his head, reflecting on a recent pass time that Amy had recently gotten into. "Hey! She's been doing some writing in her journals lately – maybe I should write her a poem?"

Sonic's suggestion ended up causing Shadow and Rouge to snicker off on the side.

"Huh? Hey, what's so funny?" Sonic asked, crossing his arms at them. "Y'all don't think I can write a simple poem, hmm?"

"Sonic, let's be honest. As cute as it is to see you head-over-heels for someone, you're not exactly the most romantic guy." Rouge chuckled out. "But, if you really think that this'll win the heart of Amy Rose, then we won't stop you from writing."

"I'm not trying to win anyone's heart here! Just… doing something out of appreciation, guys." Sonic tried to convince them, to no avail as his two comrades easily saw through his ruse. He attempted to change the subject. "So uhh.. since we're talking about getting gifts, what'd y'all get in those bags of yours? Seems like you guys got plenty – I'm assuming they're for the Christmas party?"

"You're an observant one. But yes, they're all for our friends later on." Rouge confirmed. She raised up a large, that seemed to come originate from one of the shopping district's fancier sports store. "This one in particular, is for the red-head we all know and love."

"Uhh… you mean Knuckles? Why mention him specifically?" Sonic asked.

"Because we've been going out on a couple dates for quite awhile. I thought – might as well give the fellow something nice for treating me out so much." Rouge affirmed.

"WHHAT! You and him are a thing? S-Since when!?" Sonic gasped, almost falling over the same ice patched he had slipped on a few moments ago.

"Sshhhhhh, darling. We like to keep our little relationship a secret. It's a lot more spicier when less people know about me and the knucklehead." Rouge stated, putting a single finger upon Sonic's lip to keep him quiet.

"Ehh, whatever. Still, I'm gonna be tempted to push the knucklehead for more details when I see him at our Christmas party." Sonic stated. He turned over to Shadow, giving him a sly grin. "So, what about you, Shadow boy? Did you manage to find anyone to fall for your dark void of a heart?"

"No. Relationships are for weaklings." Shadow simply stated as he shook his head. "Besides, no one would be able to handle my… ultimate feelings."

"Ehhh, suit yourself. But come on dude! It wouldn't hurt giving me a quick peek at one of those gifts you got, huh?" Sonic insisted.

"Stay away from my bags!" Shadow stated with ferocity, hiding one of his shopping bags behind his back away from Sonic's view. "My gift for you is in one of these. I want to make sure you have the… ultimate surprise when you open it."

"Okay, seriously Shadow, you need to stop it with your ultimate life form jokes." Sonic rolled his eyes at him. "I swear - Knuckles should never have given you that pun book last year!"

"Yeah, I agree with the blue blur. They're… ultimately bad!" Rouge joked, causing herself to snort in laughter as Shadow simply responded with a calm nod of approval.

"Oh no… He's brainwashed you too!" Sonic groaned, slapping his forehead as he decided to take a short stroll to clear his head, allowing Rouge and Shadow to continue making ultimate puns as they followed behind. Eventually, Sonic made a turn around the corner of the street, finding himself facing Empire City's Central Park. The area was lit up with warm, yellow lights decorating the snow-covered trees, with many pedestrians walking through the area to enjoy the joyful atmosphere.

To Sonic, however – this memory held a significant memory – one which started his adventure in the crossover to another world.

"What is it now, Mr. Figured out an idea on what to write for your missus?" Rouge teased as she and Shadow came up to Sonic's side.

"Oh nothing… it's just that whenever I pass the park, it kinda reminds me of the friends we made in the other world." Sonic recalled. He reflected on the specific battle from the very beginning of their journey – Sonic had just been strolling around, minding his own business around the city when Tails and Amy called him over for help. As usual, Dr. Eggman was causing havoc yet again – All things seemed to have gone normal like any other routine – until that faithful

"It's been a long time since the event happened." Shadow recalled, only having been part of the crossover when Mario's friends found their way into their own world, causing another race for the Chaos Emeralds as the heroes teamed up to fight against Metal Sonic. "As annoying as Mario and his little friends were, I gotta give them credit for their determination."

"Yeah… Ever since Dr. Eggman I've been thinking a lot about them recently," Sonic commented. He looked over to Rouge and Shadow, suddenly requesting for answers on a subject matter stuck on his mind. "By the way, have y'all heard about Baldy McNosehair recently? Things have been pretty boring since he stopped causing trouble. It's… weird for me to think he just walked off and possibly retired."

"No one still knows, Sonic. Believe me, everyone at G.U.N. was curious as well when Dr. Eggman straight up vanished." Rouge explained, turning over to Shadow as he confirmed her comments. "We spent a considerable amount of time looking for him. But without any lead whatsoever, we ended up wasting resources. So we figured best just to call off the search until the egghead decides to show up on his own."

"I see, well maybe Eggman finally came to the conclusion that dominating the world just isn't his forte anymore." Sonic expressed, reflecting on his numerous victories against the doctor. His most recent one being when Dr. Eggman had been able to dominate practically 99.9% of the world – only for his plans to diminish from the efforts of Sonic and his group. Sonic could only assume after countless defeats that Dr. Eggman finally decided to throw in the towel for good.

But with no real answer from the doctor himself, Sonic and friends were left in the dark from his actual fate.

With this much free time, however – Sonic was able to focus on relaxing and moving forward with his life.

And more importantly – his bond with Amy Rose.

"Well, I should probably run along now. Gotta get a head start on that poem for Amy if I want it to sound any good." Sonic noted, taking a moment to wish the duo goodbye. "Catch you guys later at the party!"

"Take care, blue blur." Rouge waved farewell, watching Sonic run off into the distance. She looked over to Shadow with a look of intrigue. "So, do you think he'll manage?"

"Hopefully… otherwise he'll be experiencing the…. ultimate heartbreak this Christmas." Shadow expressed nonchalantly, before getting a head start to their next store to finish off the last of their Christmas shopping.

Rouge simply rolled her eyes, following Shadow as she groaned at his joke - finally tiring of his puns.

"Okay… I'm burning that pun book when we get back to base."

- MARIO'S WORLD -
Mushroom Kingdom,
Royal Banquet Hall

The big night eventually came as the Snow Spirit Ball went underway. The castle doors opened up for all visitors of the Mushroom Kingdom to come. Toad retainers frantically rushed around the castle, ensuring that all the guests were accommodated well as the night went out – providing

A majority of the ball was held within the castle's main banquet hall – a humongous ballroom consisting of many elegant tables decorated for people to sit down. A gold and white theme made up the room's decorations, with golden chandeliers above the room and white streamers, table clothes and A food table with ,with Yoshi manning the station as servers lined up to provide the portions for guests.

"Line up for the grandest of foods! We've got the finest delicacies and desserts from all around the Mushroom World!" Yoshi called out, happily serving the menu with his Yoshi entourage. He did his best not to eat up any of the food he had helped prepared, otherwise there would have been nothing for the guests to eat.

"I'll take four platters of your finest banana cake!" Diddy Kong requested, lining up along the dessert table as he sported a fancy black tuxedo, while still retaining his cap in its black color to match his outfit.

"Hey! Diddy Kong! You're up for the next set!" Donkey Kong called out to him from the ballroom's stage. He and the rest of the Kong family were invited to play live jazz music in order to set a warm atmosphere for the ball itself. Donkey Kong held up the young ape's trumpet. "We need your brass chops for the next song! Get on up here, buddy!"

"Gotcha! I'll be right back with my serving of banana cake!" Diddy Kong told the Yoshi staff as he scrambled across the tables, accidentally flipping over a bowl of someone's fresh mushroom soup. Diddy Kong quickly apologized as he continued making his way up on stage. "S-Sorry mister! I'll clean that up later!"

"GAAAAH! You stupid ape! I should clobber you back to the jungle where you belong!" Waluigi yelled, shaking a fist at Diddy Kong as he jumped on stage to join his family's band.

"Keep your voice down, piasano. You remember what we promised the princess, right? Only our best behavior is allowed if we want to stay." Wario warned his comrade as he utilized his fine dining technique he had just learned the other day to take a sip of his soup.

"TELL THAT TO THAT DARN MONKEY THEN!" Waluigi yelled over to his partner – looking over to his finest tuxedo, now drenched in hot mushroom soup.

"Anything I can help with, Waluigi?" Luigi suddenly approached them – clad in his own tuxedo, except his didn't include a blazer, exposing the white dress shirt and vest with his dark green bowtie. Luigi immediately noticed the "Oh boy – you look like a complete mess! No worries, I can totally borrow my brother's F.L.U.D.D. and rinse you off if you'd like!"

"Shuddup, Luigi. I'm not in the mood for your generosity." Waluigi growled at him, taking a moment to use his table's handkerchief to wipe some of the mushroom soup off his clothes.

"Nonononono, you're our guest. I insist that I help you clean up!" Luigi attempted to push on, hoping that this opportunity would lead to him shooting a powerful torrent of water into Waluigi's face – an act that would definitely bring joy to his night.

"I'm good, plumber. Just point me to the washroom and I'll be on my way." Waluigi affirmed in an annoyed tone. Deciding to be merciful, Luigi pointed Waluigi over to the castle's public washrooms – escorting a couple Toad retainers to help find him a change of clothes.

"Ehh, couldn't say I didn't try to help." Luigi shrugged his shoulders over to Wario.

"I'm just here for some food and a good night." Wario affirmed, doing his best to remain out of trouble as he resumed drinking up his soup.

Meanwhile, Princess Peach was accompanying Daisy as they went around the ballroom, greeting various guests from all around the worlds. They met with an ambitious number of visitors, ranging from the Tostarenans of the Sand Kingdom, Lochladies of the Lake Kingdom, Shiverians of the Snow Kingdom and even the Piantas and Nokis who came all the way from Isle Delfino to endure the cold weather and celebrate the unity of their kingdoms.

"My goodness, I hadn't expected this many guests to come out and celebrate with our kingdom." Peach said with astonishment, gazing around the crowded ballroom as she enjoyed watching everyone having the time of their life. Currently, she herself was wearing an elegant, white dress similarly designed with her regular pink one. She decided to keep her crown off for the night – wishing not to be greeted by the guests as princess, but as another individual who wanted to relax just like them.

"Gotta say, sis. Your efforts have totally paid off! Look at everyone having fun." Daisy mentioned, looking over to Peach with a proud look. "It's because of your leadership that you've brought in so many people to celebrate the unity of our kingdoms for one special night. You're an inspiring leader, you know?"

"I only desire what's best for our residents," Peach reminded her. With events like this that she'd help organize, it was never about the recognition – all Peach aspired was to bring a sense of community for her people. As she and Daisy continued walking around and conversing with everyone else, Peach felt someone tap the back of shoulder, catching her by surprise.

"Excuse me, but do you perhaps know where the princess is at the moment?" a woman's voice asked her.

"Actually, if you're looking for her, she's right here!" Daisy answered, turning around to greet the visitor – almost freaking out realizing who it was. "Oh heeeeeey there, girlfriend! You made it!"

"Oh my! Pauline! I didn't think you would make it tonight." Peach happily greeted her old friend, giving her a hug. "You mentioned that you would be busy attending important matters in your office back in Metro Kingdom. I wasn't expecting you to be here at all."

"I may have lied just a teensy bit in order to make this a surprise," Pauline confessed, currently clad in a silver gown akin to her usual red one used for performances at Metro Kingdom whenever she'd sing. "I couldn't dare miss out on such an eventful night celebrating the unity our world desires to embrace."

"This is awesome! Our girl group is almost complete!" Daisy exclaimed, pumping her fists in the air. "Hey Peach, did you happen to send an invite to Rosalina too? It's been awhile since I've seen her."

"She's always been a difficult one to contact, considering that she's busy attending to other galaxies," Peach reminded them. Occasionally, it was rare for Rosalina to visit the Mushroom world, but she had been able to make it for a couple of their sports tournaments.

"I must say, the live music is quite astounding tonight," Pauline commented, looking over to the ballroom stage, noting the Kong family going all out with some classic swing tunes. "Well I'll be surprised – if it isn't my old friend Donkey Kong up there going all out on the drum set. I didn't know his family were into jazz music."

"You and Donkey Kong are friends? I didn't even know that." Daisy commented with surprise.

"Well, we weren't exactly friends from the very beginning. Let's just say the fellow gorilla and I have some history together." Pauline explained, reflecting on her previous encounters with Donkey Kong – specifically the time she was kidnapped multiple times. "Although, the Metro Kingdom has recently been looking for a new band to play at our concert hall. Their sound is something that I've been looking for as of recent."

"Maybe I can provide you with their contact? I'm sure the Kong family would be interested in sharing their music with others," Peach much to Pauline interest. "Plus, maybe this will be another way for you and Donkey Kong to reconnect – albeit in a more respectable manner."

"Sounds like a fair plan." Pauline replied, grateful of Peach's "Now, enough business talk – I'm here to just relax and hang out with my favourite girls. Why don't we grab a seat and catch up, hmm?"

Meanwhile, the Mario Bros were having a little discussion of their own around the punch area.

"So… did you happen to bring your little treasure?" Luigi asked, walking around with his brother as they each carried their own glass of freshly-squeezed sparkling apple juice – courtesy of the Yoshis who brought in natural ingredients from their island.

"Of course I did," Mario replied. Ensuring that no one was looking, Mario snuck his brother a quick peek of the ring box in his tuxedo's jacket.

"Awesome! Bro, you've totally got this!" Luigi encouraged his brother, giving him another nudge to his side, causing his brother to roll his eyes at him. "Come on, what's the problem anyway? Didn't you get Toadsworth's blessing? You've got this in the bag, bro!"

"It's just that – proposing to someone isn't exactly the easiest task to do, Luigi." Mario told him, taking another sip of his juice.

"Well, whatever happens, know that the princess loves you for who you are." Luigi reaffirmed, much to Mario's appreciation. They eventually changed topics as they noted the diversity of people enjoying the ball - some recognizable faces in the crowd, while others were new to them. "You know, I'm super glad that we've got our closest friends to come out for tonight, as well as pretty much all the kingdoms around the world – but I can't help but feel like something's missing."

"Something? Or someone?" Mario guessed, much to Luigi's surprise. "Could they possibly go by the name of… Sonic the Hedgehog?"

"You've been thinking a lot about them too, huh?" Luigi added, taking a sip from his glass. He sighed, reflecting on their adventures with Sonic and his friends. "Ever since the crossover of our worlds, I can't help but think about what they're up to every night. I know we've had some friends come and go in our lives, but their group just seemed to stick out for me."

"I know how you're feeling, brother." Mario commented. Out of all the friends they had encountered, Sonic and his were the ones the Mario Bros missed the most. He could only imagine how heartwarming it would've been for the group to have joined this special occasion – considering this was an event to celebrate the unity of differing lands and their residents.

"Well, we can only hope that they're doing just as well as us, huh brother?" Luigi insisted.

"Care to explain further?" Mario asked, interested in what Luigi meant.

"Haven't you noticed? These last few months have been the most peaceful times for not just our kingdom – but the whole world in general," Luigi brought up. "There have been no wars, no quarreling, and especially no kidnappings courtesy of our good friend Bowser."

Mario nodded, agreeing with Luigi. This era of peace was a bit too unrealistic for them. Usually, the Mario Bros would be adventuring out of the kingdom every other week to thwart another one of Bowser's plans – whether it'd be the classic kidnapping of Princess Peach, destruction of property or an attack against the kingdom's citizens. But these past few months have been nothing but quiet.

But – as if the Mario Bros thoughts had been read – a sudden commotion came from the entrance of the ball room.

"Everyooneeeee! We are under attack!" one of the Toad retainers echoed out into the ballroom, causing all the guests to look over in panic. Even the Kong family stopped their music, wondering what was going on.

Suddenly, loud thumping began to shake the castle's ballroom as everyone started to run around in fear. Mario and Luigi did their best to calm down the situation. Looking over to Donkey Kong and Yoshi from their respective stations, the group of heroes nodded in silent agreement, understanding that they would need to be ready for whatever threat was about to take place.

Suddenly, the doors to the ballroom slammed open as everyone was greeted by Bowser's entrance.

"Hellooooooooo Mushroom Kingdom!" Bowser roared out with a hearty tone, barging through the ballroom doors as Toad retainers scrambled away from him. At the moment, Bowser sported a completely white tuxedo, with his hair combed to the side in a fashionable and clean manner. Slung over his body was a giant, white bag carrying a load of contents yet to be revealed. "Happy Snow Spirit Ball to everyoneeeee!"

"Oh no! He has a bag to kidnap us!" a New Donker yelled out.

"Everybody! Run before he gets you!" a Volbonan warned.

"Grrrgh… You try to make a grand entrance, yet everyone decides to freak out and run away." Bowser growled in frustration. He gazed over the panicking crowd, finding Peach among the ruckus. He nodded over to her, as if requesting for some assistance.

"Peach? What's going on?" Daisy asked, watching as Peach calmly strolled her way up on-stage.

"Yo princess, mind telling us why Bowser is here all of a sudden?" Donkey Kong called over to her as she made her way onto the platform.

"That's what I'm about to do," Peach replied, motioning him to hand over a microphone. Taking a moment to test the microphone, she attempted to calm down the entire ballroom as everyone wondered what to do. "Ladies and gentlemen – I do apologize for the surprise, but I would be pleased if you would all give a warm welcome to Bowser and his family."

The rest of the ballroom remained silent as everyone looked around to each other in confusion.

"What exactly is going on?" Luigi whispered over to his brother. Mario could only shrug – remaining just as dumbfounded as him.

"Uhmm… excuse me, sorry, just making my way through. Don't wanna step on anyone around here." Bowser excused himself, taking his giant of contents with him as he carefully made his way through the crowd – which wasn't much of an issue since everyone had coward in fear and quickly gave way for him. Along the way, he called over towards the entrance of the ballroom. "Hey, Junior! Mind bringing in the rest of the Koopalings with ya?"

"My pleasure, papa!" Bowser Jr's voiced called out. He jumped into the ballroom, sporting his own white tuxedo that matched his father's. Calling down the hallway, Bowser Jr, led the rest of the koopalings into the ballroom – each one sporting a fancy attire fitting the ball's theme.

"Where's the food at? I'm hungrrrrrryy!" Roy demanded, looking frantically for the food table.

"What happened to the music? I was hearing some boppin' tunes before we came." Iggy hollered out.

"I wanna dance so badly!" Wendy squalled, curious to where the dance floor was.

"Guys, make sure to behave yourself. We don't wanna 'cause any more trouble, you hear me?" Bowser demanded as he eventually made his way up stage and joined Princess Peach. He "Uhm…. Hello there everyone. If you don't know yet, I am King Bowser – current ruler of Dark Land and the proud leader of the Koopa Troops..."

Bowser looked out to the crowd in awkward silence – seeing as everyone in the room looked at him in either fear or confusion.

"Don't be shy. Tell them why you're here. I'll be by your side to support you." Peach assured him.

"Right…. Uhm..." Bowser took another moment to clear his throat, taking a moment to recollect his thoughts. "A-As you are you are all aware, I have done some horrible deeds in the past. I've caused terror among your kingdom, stolen valuable artifacts and treasures from time to time for my own benefit, and I'm sure you all know– have kidnapped the very woman beside me countless times in order to gain rule of this kingdom."

"Skimping over the finer details, don't you think?" Luigi whispered over to Mario – both brothers still in confusion to what was going on.

"Is this some form of entertainment or something?' Yoshi commented, joining along the Mario Bros as he munched on a whole cheesecake.

"For those of you who haven't noticed, I did not initiate any act of terrorism whatsoever for quite some time in the previous months," Bowser continued his speech, managing to garner some actual attention from the crowd as they were intrigued on what he was saying. "In my time of solace, I've had some time to reflect upon my actions. Throughout the years, I've realized how dumb and stubborn I've been in my deeds. I did not have a clear understanding on what I wanted – only remaining in the past as I acted on my emotions."

"What's up with this guy?" Waluigi said, pointing over to Bowser on-stage as he returned to his seat, managing to find a new set of clothes to wear thanks to the Toad retainers who helped him.

"Probably the only entertaining thing that's been happening the entire night." Wario nonchalantly replied, having taken out his Gadd Phone as he recorded the entire spiel with Bowser.

Off to the side, Mario continued listening intently to Bowser's speech – sensing a change of heart from his former enemy.

"Eventually I managed to muster up the strength to reach out to the princess and explained myself. Fortunately, her kind soul was very understanding as she helped me realize the error of my ways and gave me a second chance at rebuilding connections," Bowser further explained, hearing audible commotion from the crowd as they attempted to understand his motive. "I realize that remaining in this cycle of evil was not beneficial for any of our kingdoms. If we both desired to move forward and expand upon our ideals – then we'd need to establish a partnership.

"Partnership? You understand what he's trying to say?" Daisy whispered over to Pauline.

"I'm thinking what he's about to say will be a game-changer." Pauline simply replied.

"That's why – in correlation to this entire event focusing on the unity that the Snow Spirits help provide – I am announcing the beginning of a truce between Dark Land and the Mushroom Kingdom," Bowser proclaimed, much to everyone's shock as they could not believe their ears. "I would also like to denounce my evil ways as I hope to establish greater trust with not just the princess, but to all of you who I've wronged in the many years prior."

"Is this really happening? Did Bowser really just say that, bro?" Luigi gasped, almost dropping his glass as he turned over to his brother – who surprisingly remained calm at the revelation.

"I'm totally posting this on my social media feed." Wario commented, staring down at his phone as he began to upload the video of Bowser's speech. "Let's see, let's go with hashtag BowserTurnedGood?"

"You... have social media?" Waluigi gave his comrade a weird look. He slowly took out his Gadd Phone from his suit's pocket. "So… how come I don't have you on any of my friend's list then?"

"Whoooo! Amazing speech, papa!" Bowser Jr. cheered from the other side of the ballroom as he and the rest of the koopalings were the only ones to give a round of applause - whilst everyone else began to talk amongst themselves on what was going on.

"I understand your speculation, but I have discussed with Bowser for an extensive amount of time and I truly believe that he means to change his ways of the past," Peach affirmed, noting the uneasy tension still arising from the crowd. Turning over to Bowser, she nodded over to him as he began to prepare his final act to try and sway the crowd.

"As this is also a time of giving, I would like to open up this time of truce with a little gift for all of you," Bowser said. He went over to the large bag that he had carried on stage, slowly unwrapping the top as he opened it up. Suddenly, what seemed like an endless fleet of Power Stars flew out of the bag, each one making its way over to a guest as they brightened up the Everyone looked around in astonishment as they marveled at the spectacular sight.

"Oh my goodness – I haven't seen this many Power Stars in one room before!" Luigi exclaimed, reaching a hand out as a Power Star flew into his grasp. He immediately felt its warmth of energy upon his palm.

"This is more than all of the Power Stars we've ever collected on our journey." Mario commented, looking around in amazement – realizing that all this Power Star energy was enough to run the kingdom for an entire decade. Power Stars were never an easy resource to come across, so Mario assumed that Bowser had gone through great lengths to gather this abundance of resources.

"As you know, Power Stars are one of the many valuable resources to keep our kingdoms running," Bowser announced, watching as the crowd happily "I hope that you each take one Power Star for your own as a peace offering. I wish this to be a symbol of my efforts to hopefully bring a brighter future for all of us."

Gradually, the crowd began to cheer on for Bowser as they slowly accepted the idea – much to Bowser's surprise at how open everyone was to his change of heart.

"Good work, Bowser." Peach said with a genuine smile, proud of Bowser being able to overcome this tough challenge to pronounce the truce of their kingdoms.

"Couldn't have done it without you, princess." Bowser replied, shaking her hand – reaffirming their truce as leaders willing to work together in the future.

"Awwwwh! What a swell gift that Bowser brought! Now why don't we celebrate this occasion with some funky tunes!" Donkey Kong suddenly exclaimed from the back of the stage, signaling their band to play an upbeat jazz tune. The whole crowd cheered as they began to party all out.

"Heh, didn't expect any of this happening tonight, huh brother?" Luigi said, nudging over to his brother once again. He looked over to Mario and noticed that his glass was empty. "Here bro, why don't I get you a refill? Maybe we can do a toast with the king koopa himself?"

"Sounds good." Mario replied, handing over his glass as Luigi went back to the drinks table. Taking the time to reflect on Bowser's change of heart and courage to take accountability of all his actions done in the past, Mario reflected on his own state of mind. Watching his enemy pronounce a truce was a game changer for the entirety of the Mushroom World. This night truly did offer Mario surprises that he did not expect – reaffirming that anything was possible for the future.

Mario felt around his suit's pocket – taking out the box containing the ring for his proposal.

Maybe… just maybe, Mario would muster up the same confidence Bowser showcased in order to pop the question to Peach that night.

- SONIC'S WORLD -
Westside Island,
Cream's Home

Christmas Eve finally arrived in Sonic's world as families took the time to come together and celebrate the joyous holiday, exchanging gifts, singing holiday tunes and most importantly – eating lots of food!

For Sonic and his companions, this year's festivities were being held at Cream and Vanilla's home, located within the country side of Emerald Town near the higher grounds of the island. The home was decorated with colorful lights all around, with a big Christmas tree set up in the living room surrounded by a whole pile of presents.

In the meantime, everyone was gathered around in the dining room as they prepared for the feast that Vanilla had cooked for them – who spent all week gathering the ingredients and coming up with the menu. Fortunately for her, Vector happily offered his assistance, regardless of his inexperience in the kitchen.

"Whooooooah! This food is looking really good!" Charmy exclaimed, flying over the table as he overlooked what was on the menu – which included items such as a Christmas turkey, honey ham, scalloped potatoes, kale and brussels sprouts salad - and desserts, such as freshly baked apple cobbler and strawberry cheesecake.

"Hey Charmy, would you please respect Vanilla and Cream's household and not fly around?" Espio gently reminded him. Charmy simply rolled his eyes at the chameleon as he slowed the flutter of his bee wings, landing with everyone else around the table.

"Say cheese, my darling." Rouge said, taking a moment to wrap Knuckles around his shoulder and closely embracing him as she took a photo with her camera phone. Unsure of how to pose, Knuckles simply stared at the lens with a confused look. Rouge sighed at his lack of being photogenic. "Come on, knucklehead – at least smile for the camera."

"Oh uh… sorry babe. I'm not used to taking photos like this." Knuckles apologized. He turned over as he heard laughter from the other side of the dining room – finding Sonic and Tails pointing over to him in a teasing manner. "Heeeey! What's so funny you two?"

"Oh nothing really, my daaaaarling." Sonic teased, mimicking Rouge's cutesy nickname she had given Knuckles. Tails couldn't help but continue chuckling at Sonic's impression.

"Never mind them, darling. They just don't understand the love we have for each other." Rouge reassured him, taking a moment

"Yeah! They don't understand us babe!" Knuckles grinned, deciding to ignore his friend's judgement as he was enjoying his relationship with Rouge too much to even care.

"Seriously though... How did Knuckles and Rouge get together?" Tails whispered over to Sonic.

"Beats me. I knew the two had a thing for each other for a long time, but I'd never thought they'd act upon it until now." Sonic replied, looking back to the various moments when Rouge would outright flirt with Knuckles, while the echidna would pretend not to be interested – even flat out saying he was annoyed. But everyone, including Sonic – were able to see through his ruse. "Still, I gotta give it to Knuckles for playing hard to get. And now, look at him, reaping the rewards of this weird relationship."

"Yeah… plus, Rouge is kinda attractive to look at anyway. I'm not surprised that Knuckles finally gave in." Tails added.

"Attractive, huh? Never heard you use that term towards a woman before." Sonic raising an eyebrow to his surrogate little brother.

"Ehh… let's be honest, everyone seems to find Rouge nice towards the eyes. Don't worry, I simply admire her looks without feeling any sort of lust whatsoever!" Tails clarified. He looked back over to Sonic, noticing that his gaze was focused elsewhere on the room. Looking over to where his attention was at, Tails saw that his hedgehog friend was staring over to Amy as she happily conversed with Cream and Charmy.

"Uhm… hey Sonic?" Tails tried to grab his attention.

"Yup." Sonic absentmindedly answered ashis entire attention being focused on the pink hedgehog from across the room.

"Uhh… I didn't even ask you a question." Tails replied.

"Yup." Sonic answered once again, paying no attention.

"Oh gosh, I've lost him." Tails sighed, gently slapping himself on the forehead. Sonic was totally freaking out, even if he didn't want to state it explicitly. Tails began to snap his fingers rapidly in front of Sonic, finally grabbing his attention.

"Oh, what's up, Tails?" Sonic looked over to him, not even realizing he wasn't paying attention earlier.

"Sonic, you don't happen to plan on doing anything with Amy tonight, do you?" Tails asked, intrigued to what Sonic had to say.

"Uhm… No! Naaaah, not really. I'm just here to have fuuun! Chill with some of my friends who I haven't seen in awhile!" Sonic tried to convince him, yet everytime he tried to play cool – it seemed to fail as Tails could easily read through his friend's lies.

"Dude, you can't keep playing the same game over and over with me. I know that you've got something planned with her tonight!" Tails exposed him. He crossed his arms, waiting patiently for Sonic to confess.

"Okay okay, fine!" Sonic finally broke down, not wanting to grab anyone else's attention to their conversation. He swiftly took Tails over to the living room and explained what he had planned that night. Taking out pink envelope, he handed it over to Tails.

"What's this?" Tails asked, looking over to the envelope with confusion.

"You remember how I was contemplating on what to get for Amy this Christmas?" Sonic began to explain.

"Yeah… What did you get her – a gift card or something?" Tails teased, trying to see what was in the envelope through the light.

"No! Uhm…. It's ehh… kinda embarrassing." Sonic admitted, hesitating for a moment.

"Sonic… I promise I won't laugh." Tails assured him.

"Okay… I, uhh… tried writing her a poem." Sonic confessed. As expected, Tails almost dropped the envelope as he caught himself snickering. "Hey! You promised not to laugh dude."

"S-Sorry Sonic. I-I can't imagine you sitting down to write up a sappy love poem, heheh." Tails chuckled out, causing Sonic to panic as he immediately yanking the envelope back and cupping the fox's mouth in order to avoid grabbing attention.

"Dude! Literally no one else can find out about this!" Sonic told him, looking down to Tails with a serious look. "Now, I'm gonna remove my hand away from your mouth. You better not speak up about it to anyone."

Tails nodded. Sonic released his hand as Tails inquired about his thought process. "Okay, so you wrote Amy a poem. What exactly gave you the idea to write one in the first place?"

"Uhm… actually, Shadow and Rouge gave me the idea." Sonic answered.

"Sh-Shadow! Ahahah! That's even more hilarious." Tails chuckled, finding himself leaning against the living room wall as he took a moment to laugh.

Sonic had given up, deciding to let Tails have his moment.

"I'm-I'm sorry Sonic. I think the stress of going to university has gotten to me that my mind needed that little bit of laughter to relieve myself." Tails apologized once more. After taking a moment to calm down, Tails further asked Sonic about his intentions. "So… do you plan on just giving it to her like any other gift?"

"I mean, yeah. Duh. What else am I supposed to do with a poem?" Sonic asked.

"Did the thought ever come up for you to, I don't know, actually read the poem to Amy?" Tails suggested.

The idea freaked out Sonic. There was a reason he wrote it up in an envelope – it was so he wouldn't be present around Amy when she would open it up and read it. He expressed his concerns to Tails. "Dude! You know how sappy that would look like to her? I can't do that! It's waaaay out of my league!"

"But you do realize that Amy is into those type of romantic gesture, right?" Tails reminded him, causing Sonic to respond with a dumbfounded look. "Oh come on, Sonic! You should know this by now! Why does this all seems like a surprise to you?"

"Yeah Yeah, I know. I… guess I'm just nervous, that's all." Sonic expressed.

"Nervous? Since when did Sonic the Hedgehog get so nervous?"

"Because… what if she rejects me?"

"Amy rejecting you? That seems really unlikely." Tails raised an eyebrow at Sonic, wondering where all of this doubt was coming from. "Sonic – like I said earlier, you should know all this by now. Amy's been head over heels for you since the very first day you guys met! Sure, it's been a roller coaster for regarding her emotions – first being super obsessed with you every day, 'till recently when she's learned to dial down on her affection. And even if she rejects you, what do you have to lose? You can move on anyway, right?"

"I… I'm… just afraid to lose another one close to me," Sonic suddenly expressed, lowering his head as he took a step back. Tails could only look at him with a shocked look, surprised at the sudden shift in his tone.

"Lose a friend? What do you mean, Sonic?"

"I… It's complicated." Sonic could come up with. But Tails – being the very observant fox that he was, managed to pinpoint the exact feelings his best friend was experiencing.

"Sonic… This doesn't have to do with Mario and the others, does it?" Tails guessed.

Sonic gave a surprised look as his quills suddenly stood up on his skin, confirming Tails' suspicion. Did these feelings of doubt really dig deeper towards his bond with Mario - and how Sonic feared to lose another strong relationship like he had with the plumber?

It dawned on Sonic that ever since his crossover with Mario's world that bonds became very meaningful to him. The memories shared with his friends were becoming more important to him than the highs of adventuring and thrills of battling against dangerous threats.

Since when did Sonic become so sentimental? Was it due to the absence of Dr. Eggman that Sonic became so reliant on his friendships and bonds to find a new sense of purpose nowadays?

Especially with Amy Rose – the one person that exceeded his understanding of bonds, pushing into a more intimate relationship that Sonic yearned to understand, yet was so afraid to explore in the off-chance that either party would get hurt.

"Sonic, please talk to me." Tails' voice echoed into the hedgehog's mind, snapping him back to reality as he had been distracted by his thoughts. Taking a moment to stand up, Sonic finally expressed his fears.

"Yeah… I guess after losing my connection with Mario and the others, it's made me fear that I'll lose more people as well." Sonic realized as he spoke. "Especially with my feelings for Amy. Like, do you think that this is suddenly changing everything in our dynamic? What if I risk messing everything up?"

Tails took a moment to thinks of what to say in order to help give Sonic the assurance he needed.

"Sonic… I know how you feel. I do think about Mario and the others every day. They really impacted the way I look at my friendships in this world." Tails expressed, reflecting on his own bonds with the Mario Bros, Donkey Kong, Peach, Daisy and especially Yoshi – the one he managed to grow closest with. "But all that happened by chance – and when we were randomly thrown into that situation, we took our chance to get to know them when we had no clue where we were! If you don't take that chance with Amy, then you may never know what kind of relationship you guys may experience."

Sonic reflected on the truth that Tails spoke – agreeing with everyone he had said. His bond with Mario was totally random and out of his control, yet it turned out to be one of the greatest friendships he ever made. Sonic would have never experienced that if he decided to play it safe and remained alone on that journey.

If he didn't jump on the opportunity with Amy Rose – then he would never know the kind of relationship they could share in the future.

Sonic needed to remove the fear of losing someone and focus on doing his best to pursue a stronger bond - otherwise it would only hinder him even more.

"You're right… Tails, you're so right." Sonic nodded over to him, a small smirk growing on his own face. He chuckled. "Geez, since when did you become such a wise guy nowadays?"

"Well, I'm one to learn pretty quickly." Tails shrugged. He gave a thumbs-up to Sonic. "I'm rooting for you! You've totally got this in the bag!"

Suddenly, a knock came to Cream and Vanilla's door. Before the duo could answer, Amy came running into the living room, causing Sonic to panic as he quickly hid his envelope behind him.

"What's up with you guys?" Amy asked, giving them a confused look as Sonic and Tails simply stood in the middle of the living room awkwardly.

"N-Nothing! Just waiting for you to get the door, that's all." Sonic stuttered out, much to Tails' embarrassment.

"Seriously? That's the best you could think of?" Tails whispered.

"I mean, either of you guys could've answered it since you're literally the closest ones to the door."Amy expressed – with Sonic and Tails only able to nod back as a response. Regardless, Amy made her way over and opened the front door, happily greeted by Blaze's presence outside. "Oh my gosssh! You actually made it!"

"Sorry I'm late!" Blaze's voice called out from the entrance, making her way inside as she knocked the snow off her boots from outside. "I had to deal with another one of Eggman Nega's shenanigans back home before I left. But everything is well back in my world!"

"Blaze! I'm so glad that you came on time." Cream excitedly greeted her friendly, utilizing her rabbit ears to fly from the dining table and almost tackling Blaze and Amy onto the ground as they all embraced into a group hug.

"Guess this is our cue to return with the others." Tails nudged over to Sonic as the duo reconvened with everyone else in the dining room.

"Whaaaaaat? Why does she get to fly around with her bunny ears when I can't?" Charmy suddenly whined, pointing over to Cream.

"Because this is her home, Charmy. Let it go." Vector firmly lectured him. He turned over to Vanilla as she placed the last of their dishes onto the table "So uhh… Vanilla, anything else you'd like me to do before we dig into our amazing dinner that you made?"

"I'm fine, Vector. I'm already more than grateful of your helping hand within the last few days." Vanilla responded, giving Vector a quick peck on the cheek – much to the crocodile's pleasure as the green scales around his cheeks turned bright red from blushing.

"Hey… you think that Vector and Vanilla are… you know." Knuckles whispered over to Rouge, making weird hand gestures with his hands as he clapsed them together in an unconventional manner.

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" Rouge said, giving her boyfriend a weird look.

"Dating! I mean, they're totally into each other." Knuckles clarified.

"That, unfortunately, is none of my business." Rouge simply replied, nonchalantly taking a sip of her punch. "Still, you'd think because they are the adults of this party, that they'd do their best to keep their relationship on the down low, huh?"

"Exactly!" Knuckles agreed as he raised his hands up - much to Rouge's amusement as she chuckled at his reaction.

"Hey Blaze! Glad you could make it before dinner started." Sonic greeted her with a wave as she entered the dining room with the other girls. He noticed that Blaze had come alone to the party when everyone expected another certain hedgehog to accompany him. "Huh, where's our favorite future boy? Did Silver not get his invitation?"

"Unfortunately he couldn't make it tonight. Silver mentioned that he had some other important businesses to attend to. But he does send his greetings to all of you!" Blaze explained.

"Silver? Working on the holidays? What could be more important than spending time with your friends on Christmas Eve?" Tails commented.

"Regardless, his lack of presence surely is an… ultimate letdown." Shadow proclaimed as he passed by the duo, overhearing their conversation as he joined the others around the table.

"Ahh…. So that's what everyone's been talking about with Shadow and his ultimate puns." Blaze commented, nodding over to Shadow. She smiled at the fact that someone like Shadow was able to find a little joy in making lighthearted jokes all around.

"Oh… At first it's a little funny, but when he keeps going on and on and on… it becomes torture to the ears." Sonic sighed, rolling his eyes at the countless number of ultimate pun Shadow had made within the last week alone.

"Alright everyone! Gather around, I believe it's about time for us to finally dig into our dinner," Vanilla called out, motioning every body in the house to come to the table. "Cream, darling – please lead us into grace before we eat."

"Certainly!" Cream replied without hesitation. She suddenly held out her hands to her sides. 'Now everyone, let's form a circle around the table and hold hands, please and thank you."

"I'll stand beside you, Sonic." Amy giggled, coming over to his side as she grabbed his hand, with Blaze's hand in the other as they formed a circle with their friends.

"Oh.. Y-Yeah, sure thing Amy." Sonic stuttered, doing his best not to show his face as his cheeks slightly blushed. Normally he couldn't care for this type of gesture - but with his changing feelings towards Amy, this made him a little bit shy.

"Uggh… I can't believe I'm holding your hand right now." Shadow spoke over to Sonic with a disgusted look. He did his best to keep a loose grip in the hedgehog's hands. This form of physical intimacy was not in Shadow's mind when he was invited to his first ever Christmas party among their friends.

"Oh, lighten up, will you pal!" Sonic teased, taking the opportunity to tighten his grip around Shadow's fingers, which caused the other hedgehog to shudder in place. "Can't you handle my…. ultimate hand holding?"

"No Sonic…. Just… no."

"Okay everyone! Let us bow down our heads for a moment," Cream directed, watching as everyone followed her request, closing their eyes as well. She immediately began give grace. "I just want to give thanks for this year. To the amazing memories we've made along the way, to the people we've met and the friendships that have prospered. I hope for this food to give us nourishment as we spend this night together in fellowship. Let's have a wonderful night and a very merry Christmas!"

"Alriiiiiiiight!" Knuckles suddenly exclaimed, pumping up everyone else's energy as they looked forward to the scrumptious dinner in front of them.

"Yes! I can't wait to dig in!" Amy exclaimed, grabbing plates as she began to hand them over to everyone.

"One could say that this is looking to be… an ultimate feast." Shadow commented as he grabbed his plate - much to everyone's displeasure as they responded with a unified groan at his pun.

"Alright buddy, me and you have got to talk later on about this ultimate issue you've got with your ultimate puns." Sonic said as he patted Shadow on the back.

"I don't see what the problem is." Shadow responded stoically, giving Sonic a serious look.

"Eheh, no worries then – just keeping doing what makes you happy dude." Sonic replied.

Looking over across the dining table, Sonic focused on Amy as she happily chatted with everyone around her as she started piling up her plate with food. Sonic sighed, looking down to his pocket as he reflected on the wise words of Tails.

Whatever happened, Sonic needed to find the courage to read his poem to Amy – and take that chance with her no matter what the consequences would be to their relationship.

- MARIO'S WORLD -
Mushroom Kingdom,
Royal Banquet Hall

Midnight arose in the Mushroom Kingdom as the Snow Spirit Ball was a success. Many of the kingdom's guests expressed their gratitude for the hospitality and looked forward to next year's events, hoping it would be bigger and better. The ballroom itself remained lively as ever with music and dancing just as it started a few hours earlier.

"Oh yaaaah! Bust those moves, Yoshi!" Luigi cheered as he and the rest of their friends made a circle on the ballroom's dance floor. The entire floor was lit with colorful disco lights as a DJ from the Electrodome replaced the Kong family's live music – playing hype techno music as it gave everyone a chance to get funky with their moves.

"Wooooo! I didn't know Yoshi had some groove!" Daisy expressed, pumping her fists up in the air as the group watched Yoshi bust some flutter kick spins on the dance floor – which was akin to breakdancing.

"Come on, Wario! Stop recording Yoshi and start dancing!" Waluigi expressed, doing his best to dance to the rhythm.

"Just give me a few more moments! I'm gonna get a bunch of likes when I post Yoshi's dance moves online." Wario yelled back, focusing his camera on Yoshi as he continued spinning on his hands with his feet doing impressive flairs in the air. Unfortunately, Yoshi had momentarily lost control as he spun close to Wario, and ended up kicking his phone out of his hand. "GAAAAAHH! You crazy dinosaur! You know how long it took me to steal enough coins to buy that phone?!"

"Hold on… is that the koopalings doing a conga line around the ballroom?" Pauline noticed, pointing over near the tables as Bowser Jr. led his comrades around the room, dancing in unison in one line to the music.

"Join in on the conga line, everyone!" Bowser Jr. shouted as he led his koopaling brethren around the ball room. Everyone cheered as they enthusiastically lined up with their former enemies, uniting together to have the time of their lives.

"Whoooooo! This is the best party eveeeeer!" Diddy Kong exclaimed, riding along Donkey Kong's back as the gorilla danced with everyone else - their energy seemed like it wouldn't die down anytime soon.

Off to the side near the ballroom doors, Mario and Bowser stood beside one another as they shared a drink while watching their friends having the time of their lives. Both of them chuckled at the various antics their friends did on the dance floor.

"I gotta admit, plumber. You and your friends were always known to throw the best parties in the kingdom." Bowser expressed, taking a sip of his punch as he watched the Koopalings and his son continue dancing without a care in the world. "I'll be honest, it's been awhile since I've seen my son smile that big."

"I'm glad that your family came, Bowser." Mario expressed with sincerity. He looked over to Bowser, having sensed a different aura from the koopa king ever since they came to the ball as a surprise. "I'm not one to assume, but something has changed in your heart, Bowser. Why after all these years of our rivalry that you now decide to call a truce between our kingdoms?"

Bowser remained silent for a moment, before letting out a sigh as he reflected on his time alone that led to the decision. "Mario, we've been fighting each other for a long time to the point where it's become a stagnant cycle in our lives. I'd always try to take over while you would always come out victorious. I realize that no matter what I did, the outcome would always be the same for both of us."

Mario continued listening to Bowser's revelation, giving a surprised look when his former enemy suddenly brought up the unique crossover adventure they partook awhile ago.

"But then Dr. Eggman came into the picture, and I thought that this would be the moment where my fate would change – that collaborating with the mind of someone from a totally different universe would help me reign on top. But alas – you know the outcome to that story." Bowser expressed, taking another sip from his punch as he placed the empty glass on the table beside them.

"So… was the crossover between our worlds and Sonic's the catalyst to your decision to pursue peace among our kingdoms?" Mario guessed.

"Sort of. You see, I realize that throughout that entire journey that I'd gotten to grow close to my son." Bowser explained, looking back over to Bowser Jr. as he began to ride on top of Yoshi around the dance floor. The koopa king smiled. "I realized how I almost lost him so many times while he worked together with Metal Sonic behind my back. He even went into Sonic's world all by himself, with no one to protect him but himself. I realize that I needed to be a better father for Junior moving forward."

Mario nodded over to Bowser, beginning to understand where the koopa king's heart was coming from. This wasn't about Bowser and his priority to become the ruler of the Mushroom World anymore – this was about becoming a good example to his son as he hoped to set a brighter future for him.

"I'd gone through countless possibilities in my head – but one always came to mind throughout my thought process: to unify the kingdom's together and work as one unit for the betterment of our people." Bowser stated, turning over to Mario with a serious look. "I know – for you it must be very spontaneous of me to have come up with that conclusion. But you'd understand me better if you were a father yourself."

"Oh, no worries Bowser. I think I'm starting to understand where you're coming from," Mario assured him. He took a moment to scratch the back of his head, before taking out his box containing the lunar ring he'd use to propose to Peach. "I'm… planning on proposing to the princess tonight. If all things do work out – I may lead the very path of fatherhood that you're currently experiencing."

"Hmph… about damn time, plumber. I was wondering when you'd man up and finally pop the question," Bowser teased as he patted Mario on the back with force, almost causing him to fall over. "Seriously, you know how surprised I was when Peach told me how you never proposed to her before I kidnapped her on our odyssey adventure? How the heck did I manage to come up with a whole wedding plan when you've already spent the most time with the princess?"

"We all go at our own pace, Bowser." Mario defended himself, which caused the koopa king to chuckle. This whole situation with him and Bowser actually bonding together still felt weird to Mario, but he knew that this was probably the best case scenario for the two of them. Their long-time rivalry – now coming at a close as they would eventually begin a new era of peace for their people.

"So… the night isn't getting any younger. When are you going to propose, Mario?" Bowser asked.

Mario sighed. If he were honest, he'd been prolonging the inevitable for the whole night as nervousness still overwhelmed his mind. Still, if Mario truly loved Peach, he'd find the courage to ask her this life-changing question. "I guess now is a better time than any."

"Good luck, plumber. You're going to need it." Bowser wished him the best. "But if for some reason it doesn't work out, I'll crack open another bottle for us to share."

"Hahah, thanks for the consideration. But I believe I'll manage." Mario thanked, giving the koopa king one last thumbs-up before momentarily leaving the party to find the princess.

Mario slowly maneuvered through the castle hallways as his heart began to race. This was it. This was going to be the night that he'd propose to Peach. Mario couldn't believe that he was going through the process in the first place! Was he crazy? Was this even the right timing? What if she said no? How would their relationship be afterwards?

Suddenly, the words of Toadsworth echoed into Mario's mind once more...

"And you've become her knight in shining armor, Master Mario. A man that only a father could wish for their daughter to be protected by." Toadsworth added. "I've never seen someone like who who's dedicated almost the entirety of their existence in rescuing the princess."

If Toadsworth had complete confidence in Mario's commitment to Peach – then so should he.

Mario eventually arrived at the top of the castle which held the highest balcony that overlooked the entirety of the Mushroom Kingdom. Peach had told the others that she would be coming up here momentarily to get away from the chaotic party and to simply enjoy the quiet of the gentle, winter night outside. Approaching the doorway, Mario looked through the tinted glass, finding the figure of Princess Peach looking out from the balcony by her lonesome.

"Okay… Come on, Mario. You can do this." Mario motivated himself.

Taking one last look at the box containing his ring for the proposal, Mario took one final deep breath before opening the doorways to the balcony.

"Oh, I'm glad to see you Mario." Peach turned around, greeting the plumber with a gentle smile as she motioned him over. "Come, the view tonight is simply magnificent."

Mario walked over to where Peach stood, admiring the beautiful scenery around them. Peach currently remained in her white party dress, wearing an additional layer consisting of a furry pink and white coat to endure the cold air outside. Snow gently fell around them as the lights of the kingdom's town greeted them from afar – almost mixing together with the starry night horizon.

"The view is very beautiful tonight." Mario answered back, his eyes remaining on Peach as she continued looking out from the castle's balcony.

"Tonight has been full of surprises, hasn't it Mario?" Peach started a conversation, turning over to him with a smile of optimism. "All of our friends managed to make it tonight. And we've finally established the long-awaited end to the war between our kingdom and Bowser's. This night couldn't get any better, could it?"

"Y-Yeah… There's no way it could, huh?" Mario stuttered, patting his hand among the pocket holding his ring box. "It still feels surreal to me, princess. For us to now have a truce with our long-time enemies. I'd never imagine for this day to come."

"It's truly a blessing indeed. To be honest, this unity is what I had yearned for a long time," Peach expressed as Mario looked over to her with curiosity.

"Why so, princess?" Mario asked.

"Well, other than the fact that I won't have to worry about Bowser kidnapping me every other day – this truce signifies a new era for our world." Peach stated, although she still accounted for some of the doubts that spawned from her own kingdom residents. "Still, I'm fully aware that our people may be a little wary of Bowser's proclamation. But I truly sense that his heart has gone through a change. That he also desires for a better world like we do."

"I talked to Bowser and he mentioned wanting to make a better world for his son." Mario added – which had been a sentiment he'd never even heard Bowser mention beforehand. "I can really sense that Bowser has so much planned for the future – one that even takes into account our kingdom's well-being."

"Goes to show how selfless Bowser can be. I always believed that he had bigger heart than he'd usually let on." Peach proclaimed. "But likewise – we can also move forward with our own monarchy. To establish better bridges with other kingdoms and create a better world for the future generation."

"Yeah… That's something I've realized I wanted too." Mario agreed.

Both him and Peach took a moment to simply gaze out to the snowy horizon, taking in the calm and peaceful night. Suddenly, a thought came to Peach as she spotted a certain star twinkle brightly in the sky.

"You know, Mario. I've always believed that each star in the sky represented a whole other universe – different to our world." Peach expressed as she began to reflect on a certain group of heroes they had crossed over with previously. "My belief in that theory was solidified when we met Sonic and his friends. It's

"You've been wondering about them a lot too, hmm?" Mario asked.

"Yes… Do you ever think we'll see them again?"

Mario took a moment to reflect on his last moments with Sonic. It had been after their battle against Malevo – the ruler of the Negative Dimension. The two heroes had fought in their super forms before completely annihilating the dimension itself – only to be rescued by the guardian of dimension who helped the two return to their worlds. As they departed, Mario and Sonic agreed to meet each other one day – but ever since then there had been no signs of another crossover between their worlds.

If only they had known that the guardian had cut the main connection to their worlds right after they had returned.

Still, Mario held onto the hope that their worlds would soon reunite.

"The Mushroom Kingdom and Bowser's monarchy have managed to unite after years of war with each other. If that reality is possible, then surely we'll have the opportunity to see our friends again." Mario stated with optimism.

"Yes… I agree." Peach replied with a smile. "The future is just full of possibilities, isn't it?"

The mention of their future.

This was the moment Mario knew he had to take.

"Speaking of our future..." Mario began, taking yet another deep breath as he traced his fingers along the balcony railing, mustering up the courage to ask his question to the princess.

"Hmm? What's on your mind, Mario?" Peach asked, immediately noticing how serious his demeanor had shifted into

"Peach Toadstool – we've been through so many adventures throughout our life together. From ever since we were babies fighting against a Shroob army, to our most recent adventure ending on the moon - no matter what happened, you were always my finish line that I yearned to reach." Mario began to sincerely express.

Mario eventually turned over to face Peach, gently grasping both of her hands as she looked in surprise.

"M-Mario? What's with the sudden heartfelt talk?"

"Peach, I've been thinking a lot about us recently ever since our last adventure together. With the quiet time our kingdom has had, it got me a lot to think about where I want to take our relationship. To me – there is one last adventure that I'd love for both of us to take together." Mario said.

Suddenly, Mario took a bow on one knee, slowly digging into his pocket as he finally took out his ring box. He presented it to Peach, opening it up to reveal the marvelous lunar ring shaped as a heart. The jewel shimmered brightly under the moon light as its beauty captured Peach's attention.

"Peach Toadstool – will you marry me?" Mario stated.

Peach covered her mouth, stepping back in complete shock as she couldn't believe what was going on. A rush of emotions circled through her mind before she finally gave her answer.

"Yes… Yes! Of course I would be honored to be your bride, Mario!" Peach cried out, tears beginning to flow from her eyes as she accepted his proposal.

A huge smile grew across Mario's face as he fully embraced Peach in a tight hug – taking her from the waist and lifting her up as he spun her around in the air. The couple giggled in excitement as they enjoyed the romantic moment together, happy that they were now engaged after many years. Eventually setting Peach back down, Mario took a moment to fit his lunar engagement ring onto her finger.

"I can't believe it…. We're finally making it official." Peach expressed, admiring the ring on her finger as she wiped another tear from her face. "Mario – I'm so glad to finally say that I am your one up girl."

"Heheh… Never thought I'd be happy to hear you use that term Pauline made for you." Mario chuckled, keeping Peach in his embrace. This was it – all their adventures led up to this special moment where they would carve the path to their marriage – and finally become husband and wife.

As Mario and Peach admired each other – several multi-colored lights suddenly appeared above them. Looking over in surprise, the couple noticed six lights of green, blue, teal, yellow, purple and pink. As the lights got closer, each of them revealed itself to be a snowflake spirit with eyes as they joined along in the snow fall around the castle.

"The Snow Spirits! They actually came!" Peach expressed, watching in delight as the Snow Spirits began to dance around the couple, as if celebrating their proposal. Peach giggled. "Oh Mario… This night has been perfect. Thank you so much for everything."

Peach leaned over, giving her fiance as kiss on his nose and causing him to blush. Deciding to be a little more generous, Peach initiated one more kiss – this time locking her lips among Mario's as the couple got lost in the sweet moment. Eventually, the two released from the kiss, both taking a moment to silently stare at each other adoringly.

"We deserve this, Peach. After all we've gone through together – we finally deserve this moment." Mario affirmed with a smile.

This night at the castle signified many special events – a gathering of the kingdoms as they celebrated the unity of their lands, the truce between Bowser's army and the Mushroom Kingdom, and a heartwarming proposal between two people who've endured many adventures together – now looking forward to their greatest journey yet.

The Mushroom World appeared to have a bright future ahead of them...

- SONIC'S WORLD -
Westside Island,
Cream's Home

The eventful Christmas party at Cream's began to die down as many of the participants began to tire from the fun night. Within the last couple of hours, Sonic and friends enjoyed a magnificent feast, partook in a variety of party games and took a moment to express what they were grateful for that year. Eventually, that time of the night came where everyone began to say their farewells as they made their way back home for the night.

"I'll take Charmy ahead back home." Espio said to Vector, taking their youngest Chaotix member over his shoulder as he saluted their leader. "You can stay if you want to help out Vanilla. No need to be in a rush."

"Thanks, Espio. I really appreciate your help, man." Vector whispered over to him, looking forward to spending a more intimate night with Vanilla as their friends began to leave.

"I can't believe that Knuckles ended up getting you another pun book for Christmas." Rouge expressed her annoyance, watching as Shadow kept his eyes glued on the brand new gift he had received.

"Hey, come on babe! Let the guy have some fun. Besides, Shadow seems to be enjoying himself with his… ultimate puns." Knuckles chuckled – his gesture ended up getting one of his ears pulled by Rouge as she dragged the echidna out the door.

"Hmph. Looks like Knuckles is about to have the… ultimate scolding." Shadow joked as he followed the bickering couple outside. He turned back to the others as he bid them farewell. "Merry Christmas, losers. Enjoy returning to your pathetic lives once the holidays are over."

"Yeah… we appreciate the sentiments, Shadow." Tails waved goodbye. He turned over to Blaze, seeing the cat being held up by Cream as she expressed her desire to spend more time with her friend.

"Do you have to go home already? Can't you stay just one night with us, Blaze?" Cream begged, giving her friend the biggest puppy eyes she could give as her hands were clasped together.

"Chao! Chaaaaaooooo." Cheese also expressed, also begging for Blaze to stay.

"Ohhh…. Well, I mean, Sol Dimension isn't going anywhere. Plus, I defeated Eggman Nega just awhile ago, so I wouldn't have to worry about him attacking my home anytime soon." Blaze spoke to herself as she considered Cream's proposal. "You know, why not? I could use some extra time to relax. Besides, it's a gift whenever I get spend time with you, Cream."

"Oh my gossshh! Do I sense a sleepover happening?" Amy expressed with excitement, overhearing their conversation as she joined them. "Would it be okay if joined? It's been way too long since the three of us hung out together!"

"Uhh…. Sh-Shouldn't you ask your mother permission first, Cream? You can't just invite anyone over to stay over without her agreement." Vector expressed, low-key hoping that their mother wouldn't approve – otherwise his plans for a romantic Christmas night would be ruined.

"Please, mom? Is it okay if Blaze and Amy stay for one night – just for the holidays?" Cream asked, giving her mother the same puppy-eyed stare she had used for Blaze.

"We can make breakfast tomorrow morning!" Amy suggested, hoping the sentiment would convince Vanilla.

"Yes – I volunteer as tribute to cook!" Blaze happily agreed.

"Oh, certainly Cream! The more the merrier in our home." Vanilla replied – much to the girl's excitement as they all jumped around in a circle, looking forward to their night of bonding.

"Ohh…. darn. Looks like I won't get any alone time with Vanilla as I had hoped." Vector whispered to himself in defeat, making his way over to the kitchen to begin clean up.

"Hey Sonic, you ready to head out yet?" Tails called over to him from the living room as he began to put on his toque and jacket on, carrying the gifts he received that night. The fox looked over, finding Sonic fidgeting in one spot as he continuously looked over to Amy – the envelope containing the poem he had written for her still in his hands.

"Uhm… just a second, Tails." Sonic replied, his attention still focused on Amy as he awaited for her to be free.

"Oh, for goodness sakes! Sonic, why didn't you give that to her when we were exchanging gifts earlier?" Tails expressed with slight frustration, unable to handle Sonic's sheepish attitude any longer.

"Because – I'm thinking about doing what you suggested I do." Sonic explained himself. "I'm gonna…. read the poem to her myself."

"Ohh… sorry, I didn't know that." Tails replied, apologizing for his short outburst. He patted Sonic on the back, wishing the hedgehog luck. "Listen, I'm gonna head back to my workshop to get some sleep. You let me know how it goes tomorrow, okay?"

"Gotcha, bud!" Sonic answered, giving his friend a quick thumbs-up as he left.

"Oh, Mr. Sonic. You're still here?" Cream called over to him from the dining room, with Blaze and Amy turning over to him in curiosity. "Did you happen to forget anything? Usually you'd be speeding out of these parties once they are over."

"Heheh, I usually would be doing that, wouldn't I?" Sonic replied. He noticed the strange looks he had received from the girls as he simply stood there awkwardly without a word. Sonic cleared his throat. "Actually… I was wondering if I could talk to Amy for a moment?"

"Ohh… uhm, certainly! Cream and I will surely give you two some space." Blaze answered.

"B-But… I was gonna ask Amy if she could help me choose my pyjamas for tonight." Cream said as she was pulled upstairs by Blaze.

"Sonic and Amy need to… hash out a few things." Blaze whispered into the rabbits ears.

"Ohh… they didn't get into another fight, did they?"

"Hey! So, what did you want to talk about?" Amy asked, calmly approaching Sonic with both her hands together in front of her. She immediately noticed the enclosed envelope in his hand. "Heh, I can only assume that might be for me, is it?"

"Oh… uhm…. Yeah, actually." Sonic answered, hesitating for a moment to give it to her. He simply stared at Amy at a loss of words. Why did he not know what to say? Did the fear of being rejected overwhelm him once again? He had just gone through this thought process with Tails. If he didn't take this opportunity to express his feelings – then there was absolutely no way he'd be able to further his bond with Amy.

"Sonic? Is everything alright?" Amy had noticed his hesitation, unsure of what else to say to him.

Sonic didn't answer. He stared back down to the envelope in his hand. For whatever reason, Sonic was unable to go through with his desired plan.

Instead – another one came to mind.

"Get your jacket on. We're going for a quick run." Sonic suddenly spoke up, running over to the living room to grab his scarf.

"H-Huh? A run? Sonic, you do realize it's already midnight?" Amy brought up.

"It'll be quick. Don't worry!" Sonic assured her, managing to find his scarf, as well as Amy's winter attire as he brought them over to her. "I promise. This'll all be worth it."

"O-Okay." Amy agreed. Taking a moment to put on her jacket, earmuffs and mittens - the whole time wondering what Sonic had in mind.

"You ready?" Sonic asked, holding the doorway leading outside open for her.

"I guess so!" Amy answered, playing along with Sonic as she was curious to what his plan was. As she took her first step outside, Sonic suddenly swept the hedgehog off her feet as he began to run through Emerald Town at breakneck speed, carrying her bridal style. Amy yelled out in surprise as she tightly held onto Sonic's body, unsure of where their destination was going to be.

…

In a flash, Sonic and Amy arrived in Empire City, arriving in Central Park as the area was quiet as snow gently fell around the area. The bright-festive lights hung around the vibrant evergreen trees. Sonic had taken them among one of the cobblestone bridges that spawned over a frozen river.

"Whoah – are we in Empire City?" Amy expressed in shock, looking around the winter wonderland in the middle of the metropolis. "Why did you us this far?"

"I thought this place would be the best to say what I needed to say." Sonic replied, catching Amy by surprise yet again as she gave him a look of awe.

"Say what you needed to say? Uhm… what are you going to say?" Amy asked, feeling her heart suddenly race. She looked over to Sonic, noticing that he was still holding her in his arms. "Uhm… Sonic? You can let me go now."

"Oh, uhm… Sorry, heh." Sonic apologized, gently placing her back down as the two hedgehog took a moment to recollect themselves. He looked back over to his envelope containing the poem he had written for her. "So… I really wanted to give you something special this Christmas. I was suddenly inspired to do this brilliant idea to write you a poem."

"A poem?" Amy repeated. She found herself giggling at the idea of Sonic sitting down to write something. "S-Sorry. I'd just never think of the scenario where you would actually sit down and write a poem out. It's… actually quite adorable, now that I think of it."

"Yeah, I know. I'm totally pushing my limits on what I'm able to do, huh?" Sonic joked, causing Amy to laugh once more to his delight. The tense atmosphere around them seemed to disappear as the two hedgehogs simply enjoyed the other's presence among this peaceful Christmas eve.

"So…. Mind if I hear of this extravagant poem you've written for me? I'd love to hear what's behind the brilliant mind of Sonic the Hedgehog." Amy teased him.

"Oh… well you better sit down, 'cause this poem is gonna rock your spines." Sonic continued to joke, taking a moment to open up his envelope as he cleared his throat. Looking over to Amy, he couldn't help but smile as she eagerly awaited to hear his art. Sonic began.

To Amy Rose -

The best gift at Christmas
Is easy to see
Its not wrapped in paper
Or under the tree

Cause the best gift at Christmas
And all the year through
Is having a loved one
As special as you

"Uhm… uhhh, yeah that's actually all of it." Sonic said. He looked at the poem with a dumbfounded look, having believed that he had written more. "Seriously? Did I only write that little? I spent so many hours just to write only that!?"

"Sonic?"

"Dang it… Sorry Amy. Cleary I thought I had written something awesome for you." Sonic shook his head, wondering if the pressure he had been feeling the whole week had caused him to lose focus. His confidence that he managed to build up in the last few moments suddenly dwindled.

"Sonic!"

"Ugh… I don't know what I was thinking. I should've gotten something better for you this Christmas!"

"SONIC!" Amy shouted in order to get his attention. Sonic finally looked up to her with a surprised look. Taking a moment to calm down, she slowly approached Sonic and grabbed one of his hands into both of hers. "I absolutely loved your poem."

"...Really? Even when it was short and cheesy?" Sonic expressed.

"Yes! In all honesty, Sonic – I didn't expect you to be writing out some masterpiece! But to know that you invested all your heart into this one little gift – it really means a whole lot to me." Amy explained, giving him a reassuring smile.

Sonic smiled back – only for him to look down as he realized that there was more to his words than his poem would suggest. "Hey Amy, there's a lot more that I've actually wanted to say to you."

"Hmm? Like what?" Amy asked

"Listen, I know I've turned you down a bunch of times before when you expressed even the smallest signs of affection towards me." Sonic began to explain, a whole lot of thoughts tumbling through his mind as he figured out the right words to say. "And I'll be honest, it's because I've been afraid to really let someone close to me in that kind of manner."

"What kind of manner are you talking about, Sonic?" Amy asked for further clarification.

"Like, in a romantic manner!" Sonic said, his direct words catching Amy by surprise. "Yeah, I said it! Romantic! As in L-O-V-E! The feeling that I've been associating with you for awhile now."

"Huh? Wait wait wait, let's rewind all of this. What kind of feeling have you been associating with me?" Amy asked, desiring to sort out Sonic's complex thoughts that he was randomly spewing out.

"The feeling that I… uhhh..." Sonic hesitated, realizing the word that was on the tip of his tongue. Did he really want to say those three words to Amy so suddenly? This entire confession began to overwhelm Sonic as the same doubts he had for the past couple of weeks came back to haunt him once again.

"Sonic…?" Amy called out to him, realizing his silent demeanour as he remained frozen in place. Realizing that she wasn't getting anywhere concrete with Sonic's feelings, Amy gave up as she sighed in disappointment. "You know what – just forget about it. Maybe its for the best we don't talk about our feelings anymore. I… don't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

As Amy turned to walk away, she suddenly felt her arm being tugged as she was spun around. She found herself caught in Sonic's embrace as he stared at her – suddenly locking his lips onto hers as the hedgehogs kissed. The moment looked a painting you'd find in a gallery – two lovebirds kissing as a scenic snowfall occurred around them in the middle of a park bridge. Eventually, the two of them released from the kiss as they looked at each other – both of their hearts rapidly beating as they realized what had just happened.

"You… kissed me?" Amy broke the silence between her and Sonic.

"Yeah… W-Was that too rough?" he asked.

Sonic immediately got his answer as Amy pulled him by his scarf, embracing him into another intimate kiss. At first, Sonic was caught by surprise, until he relaxed and further lost himself in the moment as he held Amy in his arms. The two remained in the sweet gesture much longer than the first, until they finally released from the kiss.

"Well…. That was… nice." Sonic simply stated. Suddenly, he felt himself getting forcefully pushed away by Amy. "HUH! What was that for? I thought we were having a moment!"

"Grrrgh! I can't believe it! After all this time, you finally return my feelings!" Amy yelled, with a mixture of relief and frustration as she glared at Sonic, her face red with blush.

"Uhm… are you supposed to be happy or mad? Cause I honestly can't tell." Sonic stated – taking a few cautious steps back as he wanted to avoid getting pushed by Amy again.

"Why now, Sonic? Please help me understand." Amy demanded. "After all these years, you suddenly figure out your feelings and find the courage to express them to me. Why?"

"I don't know! Maybe it's because I had lots of time to finally think all of this through that I came to that realization." Sonic tried to explain. He suddenly pointed back at Amy in retaliation. "And what about you? Don't think I didn't notice that you decided to play down on your feelings recently! I figured that you didn't like me anymore."

"I mean, it's only natural to feel that way if the person you kept on chasing only kept on running away for so many years!" Amy yelled back, unable to handle Sonic's ignorance. She crossed her arms as she turned her head away from him. "You are sooo lucky I don't have my hammer to smack you!"

Sonic sighed – wondering how he was capable of making such a romantic moment turn into an argument in the span of thirty seconds. Deciding to humble himself, Sonic approached Amy and embraced her from behind as he began his apology.

"Hey… Amy, look. I'm really sorry for running around on the subject for so long. I guess it was just my way of finally figuring out my feelings for you up 'till now." Sonic began to express in a heartfelt manner. "But honestly, Amy, I do like you. You've always been one to remain persistent – which I've kinda grown to appreciate about you."

Amy continued listening to Sonic – keeping her arms crossed from him as she remained in his arms.

"I promise though – this time there will be no beating around the bush between us. I promise to be direct with you and to be more transparent." Sonic let his heart out. "And if you ever need to talk to me, I'll make sure to be by your side to listen."

At first, Sonic continued to hold Amy in his one-sided hug as he received no response. Yet in their embrace, Amy could feel the heartbeat of Sonic from behind, sensing the genuine feelings coming from him. Eventually, Amy turned around and embraced Sonic into a hug of her own – resting her forehead onto his shoulder.

"No more hiding our feelings anymore, okay?" Amy simply said him.

"Consider it done." Sonic assured.

The connection between Sonic and Amy began to show signs of growth. With the two of them promising to express their feelings without holding back, a spark ignited as their relationship dawned into newer horizons. And with their world recently experience a new era of peace, Sonic and Amy were able to look forward to brighter days together.

Sonic did not have to fear rejection and loss anymore – he accepted that his bond with Mario and his friends were in the past. Now – he could focus on the future – one that would embrace Amy Rose in his sights for the days to come.

"Merry Christmas, Amy Rose." Sonic whispered into her ear.

"Merry Christmas, Sonic." Amy responded, look up to him with a heartwarming smile.

Regardless of the troubles they faced to get to this point - this night for Sonic and Amy ended up being one of the most romantic moments spent together...

- EPILOGUE -

Within the deepest crevices of the moon lied a hidden base, built with a sleek, white-design and contained many futuristic contraptions such as high-definition monitors, teleportation devices and a monorail system to traverse the entire area. At the moment, only two occupants inhabited the base as they conversed within the main control room.

"Why did you call me out here?" the voice of a hedgehog spoke – his appearance distinguishable with his white fur, light grey tone and large spine protruding from the top and back of his head. His attire consisting of white gloves with cyan circle, golden bracelets and navy blue boots.

"Because – you are the chosen one, the warrior who will traverse through time and foretell of the oncoming storm." the other person replied – their appearance consisting of pale skin, light blue eyes and platinum blonde hair that covered her right eye. The woman was tall in stature and wore a gown, silver tiara and held a star-shaped wand in her hand.

Silver was wary when Rosalina had suddenly called upon him in his timeline, stating that she came from a world familiar to him. She explained that his powers were detrimental in understanding the impending crisis that would fall upon both his world and hers. Taking him to a secret colony built upon the moon, Rosalina caught Silver up to speed on the danger she sensed from the darker corners of space.

"So, you sense that years from now – both of our worlds are going to fight in a war from an enemy we have never seen before?" Silver repeated her explanation. He was a bit skeptical on her origins. "But what world are you exactly from? I'm not trying to be rude, Ms. Space Lady, but I need to know who I'm helping out."

"I understand. You want to ensure your efforts are going towards a meaningful cause." Rosalina understood. Utilizing her star wand, she conjured up an image made out of light to project memories of Silver – showing the adventures between Sonic and a familiar red plumber in their world.

"No way, that's Mario and his crew?" Silver gasped, recalling the adventure back in Sonic's timeline when they had to gather the Chaos Emeralds in order to stop Metal Sonic from utilizing its powers to harness a dark energy. "But… I just saw them yesterday when I returned back to my timeline."

"For you, it will have been a short amount of time since you've reconvened with the heroes, but for your friends in their timeline, it will have been years since they've reunited." Rosalina stated. "The laws of time are such a complex manifestation, especially for a time traveler like you. But you are the only one capable to harnessing that power to help me on this project I plan to work on."

"What exactly do you need my powers for?" Silver asked, curious to what Rosalina had planned. "And what exactly is your plan again?"

"Let me explain - you see, it had been a miracle that I was able to find my way into your world, seeing as the main connection between my universe and yours had been previously disconnected." Rosalina stated. "I specialize with the powers of space – utilizing my Comet Observatory to traverse across the galaxies in my universe. I managed to utilize my observatory's powers to find my way to you."

"Wait, but you just mentioned that the connection between our worlds is broken, how did you manage to travel to mine then?" Silver asked.

"It's not common knowledge, but there are other non-conventional ways to travel between dimensions other than through the main gateway – some paths being much more dangerous than others." Rosalina explained. "I had no choice but to manifest the more dangerous route, utilizing the dark matters of space for my Comet Observatory to travel to your timeline. Unfortunately, my ship barely made it through the jump and at the moment, I am unable to return to my world."

"So does that mean you're stuck here for now?" Silver questioned – receiving a nod from Rosalina. "I'm sorry to hear that. But how can I help you then? And how can I help our worlds from falling into darkness once again?"

"There is a gateway that my Lumas and I know of – simply known as the Rainbow Bridge," Rosalina explained. "This is one of the many ways our worlds are connected. Imagine it as a road full of a multitude of colours, each one blending together – just like how our worlds connect to form one gigantic multiverse of possibilities."

"So, if we can figure out a way to utilize this Rainbow Bridge, then we can possibly link our worlds back together?" Silver addressed.

"Yes… But we must start this project as soon as possible if we want to stand a chance against the oncoming storm. And I will need your help to finish this project." Rosalina stated.

"Okay - besides, I vowed to protect my future, and that includes protecting my friends of the past to ensure everyone's life is well." Silver reaffirmed his duties. He understood of his newfound purpose – to aid Rosalina and gather the required resources to reconnect their worlds together. To stop this imminent threat from space that would one day cause destruction across the galaxies.

"I trust in your efforts, Silver. You will be the bridge that brings us all together." Rosalina affirmed to him, looking out of the moon colony's windows – staring out to the vast space and cosmos. "I believe that one day, our worlds will come together when needed."

Just as how Rosalina sensed the greater enemy from space, looming in the darkness as its powers grew towards capabilities of destroying whole planets – she also believed the heroes would rise up again to protect the universe.

But for now, the heroes would rest as they lived on in their respective worlds - until they would be called once again to reunite.

.

..

...

Mario and Sonic will return in 2020.