All was quiet in the still of Rouge's apartment; soft voices could be heard but all in all it was quite peaceful. Suddenly, smoke started to fill the apartment and the fire alarm went off and practically blew out Amy, Mina and Cream's ear drums out.
They ran to the kitchen where the smoke was coming then laughed hysterically. The whole kitchen was a mess with cookie dough splattered all over the walls and ingredients lying on every counter top. Smoke came pouring from the oven as Rouge shamefully held up a tray of burnt cookies.
"Rouge!" Amy screamed with laughter, "How did this happen? We only left you alone for a little bit!"
"H-Hey, stop laughing!" Rouge coughed. She grabbed a towel and started to air out the room with a sad face.
"We gave you the instructions," Mina sighed, looking at the piece of paper that held the chocolate chip cookie recipe.
"So what?" Rouge retorted, groaning. "It's obvious I still need help."
"We said we'd help you Rouge. After we were done since are projects since they aren't that long." Amy said, "You just couldn't wait."
"Come, Rouge." Cream said, smiling. "Into the living room. You need a rest."
"Alright." Rouge sighed, "I'll wait for you guys."
Cream lay across the floor on her stomach, drawing up designs for the Tornado. She was trying out different shapes and colors that could possibly work. Red and blue would be definite colors to use; silver too. The plane was to be used by everyone so she couldn't be bias to what she thought would be cute.
She looked up to see Mina sitting on the couch with pieces of fabric laid across her lap and a little angel sitting on Rouge's glass table. She was deep into her cutting as a little dolls body started to form the piece of skin color fabric she held. "Say Mina, What are you making for Shadow? You never told us."
"Yeah, tell us." Amy chimed in followed by a grin from Rouge.
Mina blushed as she spoke, "W-Well, I remember Shadow's friend that he knew you know."
"Maria, right?" Rouge said, "How did you hear that story?"
"I can answer that." Amy said, "When Shadow first arrived, there were a lot of rumors about him all over Knothole. He got sick of telling one person at a time the truth so he got permission from Sally to hold a meeting where explained his past to everyone."
"You're kidding me?" Rouge said, surprised. "Can't believe he would actually do that. Hmmm.I must have been out on a mission that day."
"It was kind of surprising that he did that but totally understandable." Amy said.
"So I thought he would like something of Maria to carry with him wherever he would want. I know he cares a lot about her and I don't think he's much of a material guy so no other present would really be better. When we into that little store I saw the angel and it looked so much like her I thought I could use it as a guide." Mina continued.
"Do you know what the real Maria looks like?" Cream asked.
"Yeah, I do." Mina winked, "It's called the Internet."
"Ah, yes. You can find anything there." Rouge nodded; giving Mina a thumbs up sign.
"What about you, Amy?" Rouge asked. She noticed that sitting by Amy was a bucket of beads and a small string.
"I found a really hard time thinking of what kind of present to get Sonic." Amy said, smiling. "Because he really appreciates anything you give him- mostly to make you happy but whatever. The thing is, when he goes to battle Eggman or whoever the foe, he has to leave everything behind. Not only his friends but the presents they give him as well. And really, no present can bring him happiness in battle, no comfort at all. And I wanted my present to be different."
She held up the string the put a pink bead on it and watched it slide down to the middle of the string. "See this bead? It represents me and that I'll always be there for him." Amy then took a white bead, red, yellow, cream, black, purple and green. "These represent Rouge, Knuckles, Tails, Cream, Shadow, Mina, and the green is for Big and Froggy." She tied the ends into a knot and mad a bracelet. "Sonic can where this wherever he goes and he'll always know that we support him. He can even hide it under his glove sleeve if he's embarrassed."
"Wow, What a great idea!" Cream squealed, clapping her hands together.
"I can't think of any present that he would enjoy more." Rouge said.
"You totally put a lot of thought into it." Mina said, smiling.
"Well, I don't to take away from your present Mina. Your present is great too." Amy said, scratching her head.
"It's okay, really!" Mina said, waving her hands. "Getting a present for Sonic is the hardest task; you had the most difficult decision to make since Sonic really is hard to get presents for."
"Thanks, but I hope Sally didn't out-fox me with her present." Amy said sadly, tears started forming in the corners of her eyes, "I really, really love Sonic so much and I couldn't bare to lose him."
"I know how you feel since I was in love with Sonic too." Mina said, "But I think you and him were meant to be together; more than Sally and him could ever be. So I hope everything goes well for you."
"We haven't been worrying about our rivals." Cream groaned.
"Yeah, but no use in crying over something that's useless to cry about." Rouge sighed. "Anyway, best of luck to all of us!"
"Yeah! Good luck!" Everyone cried out.
They smiled at each other happily because they knew they tried their best at their presents. The day when the boys would open their presents was approaching fast. Too fast.
---
"Oh, Christmas tree, oh, Christmas tree!" Sonic bellowed, as he pulled out the put-it- together tree out of its box. He grinned at Shadow and sang, loud and uneven notes.
"Sonic will you cut it out?!" Shadow cried over Sonic's singing. "How can you even sing that song when the tree isn't even put up?"
"Oh Shadow, don't be silly." Sonic said, getting up. "We have a tree." He pointed to Shadow's chest hair and laughed, "If you turn you chest hair upside down it looks like a Christmas tree!"
Shadow groaned and sweat-dropped, "How babyish can you get?!"
"Hey, simmer down you two," Knuckles said, coming in the front door of Shadow's hut. (It's Shadow's hut because Sonic's house has his family living with him and Tails and Knuckles doesn't really live in Knothole.) "It's the night before Christmas Eve and you can't stop arguing now?" Tails came out of the kitchen and laughed, "I think it'll always be this way with them."
"He started it." Sonic said, receiving a death glare from Shadow.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Knuckles got up and answered it. It was a bear dressed up as Santa carrying to big boxes and a letter. "Okay."
"Don't ask." The Bear said, saucily "Every mailman has to wear this stupid costume."
"Bah humbug to you too." Sonic muttered.
"We already got the mail for today so what brings you here?" Shadow said.
"A package from Castle Acorn. "And one from the post office." The Bear shoved the boxes and letter into Knuckle's arms.
"Oof!" Knux groaned. The boxes were heavy.
"Have a Merry Christmas." Shadow said sarcastically as he closed the door; knowing the bear could give a- you know.
"Gee Shadow, I wonder who gave these boxes." Tails said. Shadow shrugged.
"No, you guys. I think it's addressed to all of us." Knuckles said, looking at the letter that had all of their names on it.
Sonic snatched the letter out of Knux's hand and began to read it out loud.
Dear Sonic, Shadow, Knuckles and Tails,
I hope you are having a very nice Christmas.
Enclosed are two boxes. The one from Castle Acorn contains presents from Freda, Shaniska, Amber and I. The second box contains presents from Amy, Cream, Rouge and Mina. I know very well that it is not Christmas just yet and let me explain.
The girls and I made a pact that we would present presents to the guy of our choosing. Whoever had the present that the guy liked the most would win. It seems silly but it was necessary for us to do.
So all you have to do is choose, out of the two presents given to you, which one you like the best. Then, on Christmas Eve, you are to present a present to the girl who gave you the gift you liked best.
I hope you have fun; don't worry. There are no hard feelings.
Love, Sally Acorn
Sonic looked up from the letter and sighed.
"Looks like this party just turned cold." Knuckles said.
"I can't believe they would agree to do such a bet." Tails said, getting mad. "I can't believe Cream would agree to something like that."
Shadow put his hands on Tails' shoulders. "Calm down. I don't believe they went along with this easily. We're not hearing the whole story." When Shadow said it, it always sounded right.
"Right. I think Sally played a big role in this." Knux said, snorting.
"You guys, no hard feelings right? We should go ahead and finish off their bet. But I think for us, it's going to be a decision based on the gifts but also what we want in our hearts. I think the bet wants to us to decide who we like once and for all so we should do that." Sonic said, deep in thought.
"Gee Sonic, I think you just got smarter." Shadow smirked.
"All right then, lets get cracking." Knuckles said, "This is going to be a long night."
---
" ...They are to present a present to the girl who gave them the gift they liked best." Amy read, her heart thumping in her chest as she read the final words.
"This is it then." Cream said, her heart was beating fast too. "I hope my mom will let me stay up so that I can wait for is, if he comes."
"This is really bad." Mina groaned.
"Ditto." Rouge said, her ears flattening to her head.
"What's wrong?" Amy asked.
"I won't be home Christmas Eve." Mina said, "The children are singing on Christmas Eve in the Theatre and I'm the moderator for it. I've planned the whole thing and helped the kids with their singing. They wouldn't want me to not be there."
"If I wasn't waiting for Sonic I would help but.I just can't." Amy said, sadly. "I have to go into work that night." Rouge said, "You know that building in the marketplace that's silver colored? I have to run in there and finish up a project the President of Station Square assigned to be. It's the only building here that has the equipment. Like Mina, it's something I can't avoid."
The four girls sighed.
"Not that we should get our hopes up" Cream cried, "They probably hate us for agreeing to the bet."
"It was blackmail." Amy said, the word was burning on her tongue.
"I guess it's better to do something than nothing though." Rouge sighed.
It was going to be a long, long night for everyone.
They ran to the kitchen where the smoke was coming then laughed hysterically. The whole kitchen was a mess with cookie dough splattered all over the walls and ingredients lying on every counter top. Smoke came pouring from the oven as Rouge shamefully held up a tray of burnt cookies.
"Rouge!" Amy screamed with laughter, "How did this happen? We only left you alone for a little bit!"
"H-Hey, stop laughing!" Rouge coughed. She grabbed a towel and started to air out the room with a sad face.
"We gave you the instructions," Mina sighed, looking at the piece of paper that held the chocolate chip cookie recipe.
"So what?" Rouge retorted, groaning. "It's obvious I still need help."
"We said we'd help you Rouge. After we were done since are projects since they aren't that long." Amy said, "You just couldn't wait."
"Come, Rouge." Cream said, smiling. "Into the living room. You need a rest."
"Alright." Rouge sighed, "I'll wait for you guys."
Cream lay across the floor on her stomach, drawing up designs for the Tornado. She was trying out different shapes and colors that could possibly work. Red and blue would be definite colors to use; silver too. The plane was to be used by everyone so she couldn't be bias to what she thought would be cute.
She looked up to see Mina sitting on the couch with pieces of fabric laid across her lap and a little angel sitting on Rouge's glass table. She was deep into her cutting as a little dolls body started to form the piece of skin color fabric she held. "Say Mina, What are you making for Shadow? You never told us."
"Yeah, tell us." Amy chimed in followed by a grin from Rouge.
Mina blushed as she spoke, "W-Well, I remember Shadow's friend that he knew you know."
"Maria, right?" Rouge said, "How did you hear that story?"
"I can answer that." Amy said, "When Shadow first arrived, there were a lot of rumors about him all over Knothole. He got sick of telling one person at a time the truth so he got permission from Sally to hold a meeting where explained his past to everyone."
"You're kidding me?" Rouge said, surprised. "Can't believe he would actually do that. Hmmm.I must have been out on a mission that day."
"It was kind of surprising that he did that but totally understandable." Amy said.
"So I thought he would like something of Maria to carry with him wherever he would want. I know he cares a lot about her and I don't think he's much of a material guy so no other present would really be better. When we into that little store I saw the angel and it looked so much like her I thought I could use it as a guide." Mina continued.
"Do you know what the real Maria looks like?" Cream asked.
"Yeah, I do." Mina winked, "It's called the Internet."
"Ah, yes. You can find anything there." Rouge nodded; giving Mina a thumbs up sign.
"What about you, Amy?" Rouge asked. She noticed that sitting by Amy was a bucket of beads and a small string.
"I found a really hard time thinking of what kind of present to get Sonic." Amy said, smiling. "Because he really appreciates anything you give him- mostly to make you happy but whatever. The thing is, when he goes to battle Eggman or whoever the foe, he has to leave everything behind. Not only his friends but the presents they give him as well. And really, no present can bring him happiness in battle, no comfort at all. And I wanted my present to be different."
She held up the string the put a pink bead on it and watched it slide down to the middle of the string. "See this bead? It represents me and that I'll always be there for him." Amy then took a white bead, red, yellow, cream, black, purple and green. "These represent Rouge, Knuckles, Tails, Cream, Shadow, Mina, and the green is for Big and Froggy." She tied the ends into a knot and mad a bracelet. "Sonic can where this wherever he goes and he'll always know that we support him. He can even hide it under his glove sleeve if he's embarrassed."
"Wow, What a great idea!" Cream squealed, clapping her hands together.
"I can't think of any present that he would enjoy more." Rouge said.
"You totally put a lot of thought into it." Mina said, smiling.
"Well, I don't to take away from your present Mina. Your present is great too." Amy said, scratching her head.
"It's okay, really!" Mina said, waving her hands. "Getting a present for Sonic is the hardest task; you had the most difficult decision to make since Sonic really is hard to get presents for."
"Thanks, but I hope Sally didn't out-fox me with her present." Amy said sadly, tears started forming in the corners of her eyes, "I really, really love Sonic so much and I couldn't bare to lose him."
"I know how you feel since I was in love with Sonic too." Mina said, "But I think you and him were meant to be together; more than Sally and him could ever be. So I hope everything goes well for you."
"We haven't been worrying about our rivals." Cream groaned.
"Yeah, but no use in crying over something that's useless to cry about." Rouge sighed. "Anyway, best of luck to all of us!"
"Yeah! Good luck!" Everyone cried out.
They smiled at each other happily because they knew they tried their best at their presents. The day when the boys would open their presents was approaching fast. Too fast.
---
"Oh, Christmas tree, oh, Christmas tree!" Sonic bellowed, as he pulled out the put-it- together tree out of its box. He grinned at Shadow and sang, loud and uneven notes.
"Sonic will you cut it out?!" Shadow cried over Sonic's singing. "How can you even sing that song when the tree isn't even put up?"
"Oh Shadow, don't be silly." Sonic said, getting up. "We have a tree." He pointed to Shadow's chest hair and laughed, "If you turn you chest hair upside down it looks like a Christmas tree!"
Shadow groaned and sweat-dropped, "How babyish can you get?!"
"Hey, simmer down you two," Knuckles said, coming in the front door of Shadow's hut. (It's Shadow's hut because Sonic's house has his family living with him and Tails and Knuckles doesn't really live in Knothole.) "It's the night before Christmas Eve and you can't stop arguing now?" Tails came out of the kitchen and laughed, "I think it'll always be this way with them."
"He started it." Sonic said, receiving a death glare from Shadow.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Knuckles got up and answered it. It was a bear dressed up as Santa carrying to big boxes and a letter. "Okay."
"Don't ask." The Bear said, saucily "Every mailman has to wear this stupid costume."
"Bah humbug to you too." Sonic muttered.
"We already got the mail for today so what brings you here?" Shadow said.
"A package from Castle Acorn. "And one from the post office." The Bear shoved the boxes and letter into Knuckle's arms.
"Oof!" Knux groaned. The boxes were heavy.
"Have a Merry Christmas." Shadow said sarcastically as he closed the door; knowing the bear could give a- you know.
"Gee Shadow, I wonder who gave these boxes." Tails said. Shadow shrugged.
"No, you guys. I think it's addressed to all of us." Knuckles said, looking at the letter that had all of their names on it.
Sonic snatched the letter out of Knux's hand and began to read it out loud.
Dear Sonic, Shadow, Knuckles and Tails,
I hope you are having a very nice Christmas.
Enclosed are two boxes. The one from Castle Acorn contains presents from Freda, Shaniska, Amber and I. The second box contains presents from Amy, Cream, Rouge and Mina. I know very well that it is not Christmas just yet and let me explain.
The girls and I made a pact that we would present presents to the guy of our choosing. Whoever had the present that the guy liked the most would win. It seems silly but it was necessary for us to do.
So all you have to do is choose, out of the two presents given to you, which one you like the best. Then, on Christmas Eve, you are to present a present to the girl who gave you the gift you liked best.
I hope you have fun; don't worry. There are no hard feelings.
Love, Sally Acorn
Sonic looked up from the letter and sighed.
"Looks like this party just turned cold." Knuckles said.
"I can't believe they would agree to do such a bet." Tails said, getting mad. "I can't believe Cream would agree to something like that."
Shadow put his hands on Tails' shoulders. "Calm down. I don't believe they went along with this easily. We're not hearing the whole story." When Shadow said it, it always sounded right.
"Right. I think Sally played a big role in this." Knux said, snorting.
"You guys, no hard feelings right? We should go ahead and finish off their bet. But I think for us, it's going to be a decision based on the gifts but also what we want in our hearts. I think the bet wants to us to decide who we like once and for all so we should do that." Sonic said, deep in thought.
"Gee Sonic, I think you just got smarter." Shadow smirked.
"All right then, lets get cracking." Knuckles said, "This is going to be a long night."
---
" ...They are to present a present to the girl who gave them the gift they liked best." Amy read, her heart thumping in her chest as she read the final words.
"This is it then." Cream said, her heart was beating fast too. "I hope my mom will let me stay up so that I can wait for is, if he comes."
"This is really bad." Mina groaned.
"Ditto." Rouge said, her ears flattening to her head.
"What's wrong?" Amy asked.
"I won't be home Christmas Eve." Mina said, "The children are singing on Christmas Eve in the Theatre and I'm the moderator for it. I've planned the whole thing and helped the kids with their singing. They wouldn't want me to not be there."
"If I wasn't waiting for Sonic I would help but.I just can't." Amy said, sadly. "I have to go into work that night." Rouge said, "You know that building in the marketplace that's silver colored? I have to run in there and finish up a project the President of Station Square assigned to be. It's the only building here that has the equipment. Like Mina, it's something I can't avoid."
The four girls sighed.
"Not that we should get our hopes up" Cream cried, "They probably hate us for agreeing to the bet."
"It was blackmail." Amy said, the word was burning on her tongue.
"I guess it's better to do something than nothing though." Rouge sighed.
It was going to be a long, long night for everyone.
