Chapter 1 - The beginning

Prologue: Special delivery


Sonic's POV

NICOLE appeared in front of me, "Hey NICOLE what's up?" it was dusk and I wanted to get a few chili dogs for dinner. I rubbed my arms in an attempt to keep them warm. Autumn had come to the Great Forest and with it cold days and nights.

"I came to see how your scouting went, anything to report?" She said following me as I started walking to my favorite vendor.

"Nothing new looks like those Iron Goons are lying low," I sighed, "pity I was looking for a fight seeing that it'll be winter soon." I reached the vendor and ordered four chili dogs to go along with a cheeseburger.

NICOLE nodded, "Let's hope they don't decide to attack after the snow starts falling."

I shrugged, "They haven't in the past, I don't they'll start anytime soon." I reached into the bag and pulled out a chili dog, I was starving from running all over the Great Forest today and at the sight of it my stomach gave a lour growl. NICOLE chuckled, I blushed and wolfed it down. Somewhat satisfied I said, "Anything else NICOLE?"

"Yes Sally wanted me to let you know that Tails is going to do the scouting tomorrow so you have the rest of the night and all day tomorrow off. Also she said that her spy in the Dominion reported that the Iron Queen and Demitri have been spending more time together in his lab. Translation: not good whatever they are doing maybe the reason they are lying low."

"Yeah you have a point." I said reaching for my house key, "But seeing as we don't know what it is looks like we'll just have to wait and see, not my favorite way of finding things out." I unlocked the door and waved good-bye to NICOLE, "See you around NICOLE."

"See you Sonic remember I'll be offline from Midnight till Dawn to reboot my systems so don't try calling for me."

I nodded and closed the door, my house was your usual bachelor pad. Scattered items all over the place, a few dirty dishes in the sink. I'm horrible at doing dishes and I have the scars to prove it. I went over to the sink and gave a triumphant grin; Sally, Tails and Doctor Quack had gotten me a dishwasher for my birthday. So all I had to do was load it and run it.

After I started it I picked up the rest of the house; which being me took only a few minuets. When I was done, I hopped onto the sofa and turned on the T.V. and kicked off my shoes yawning. I surfed until I found a showed I liked, a comedy show that had some of the funniest skits that I had ever seen.

0 0 0 0

I was asleep when I heard someone at my door, knock, knock, knock. I jumped and sat up, "Yeah, yeah, I'm comin'" I looked at the clock over my T.V., "Whoa midnight, wonder who it is?" I stretched and muttered my response, "Someone who better have an emergency, or the Dominion decided to have a midnight strike!"

I opened the door to find no one there, "Or it was someone with WAY to much time on their hands!" I turned to go back inside thoroughly annoyed at being a victim of Ding Dong Ditch when I heard a soft cry.

I whirled around, ears pricked to see if it happened again. It did and I walked forward ready to throw my shoes on and jet to where the trouble was. I felt a lump hit my foot, I looked down to find myself looking at a small bundle of blankets. Caution took over and I poked it, "Waaaaaaaaah" it was the same cry I had heard before. I picked up what I guessed to be a baby (I was still in caution mode) and opened the blankets holding it out away from me.

A small pink hand shot out of the blankets and went back in. I shivered from the cold night air, "Okay I guess this counts as an emergency." and I went inside.

I sat back down on my sofa and opened the rest of the blankets to reveal a small baby hedgehog, I guessed to be about two months old. "Who would leave you on someone's doorstep?" The baby had lavender fur and when I checked it was a female. After I did this she opened her eyes to show that they were robin's egg blue. Her eyes pretty much said, "Please take care of me I need a home."

All of a sudden she began to cry…loudly, I blinked, "Um are you hungry?" As if she can talk yet. I thought putting her on my couch, I got my shoes on and said, "Be right back." I ran out the door, and a minuet later returned a couple bottles formula diapers and wipes.

"Okay looks like I have everything I need for you to stay for the night." I looked over at NICOLE's monitor which was blank because of her reboot. "Look's like you're staying here till morning, can't have you going to the princess in the morning hungry and dirty." I took off my gloves and took out a bottle and the container of formula, "Okay, 'One scoop per four ounces of water.' Looks easy." A few minuets later I was sitting down bottle in one hand, the baby in the other, "Okay bottoms up kiddo."

0 0 0 0

Sunlight streamed through the window waking me up. I looked down and saw the baby was still sleeping. I got up and gently put her down on the couch and walked over to NICOLE's monitor and pushed a button, "NICOLE I need to talk to you." NICOLE appeared next to me.

"Good Morning Sonic what's up?" I nodded over to the couch and she walked over, "Oh my circuits how did you get her?"

"I got her last night when someone left her on my doorstep." I thought of the cliché from the movies of mothers or strange cloaked figures leaving a baby on some unsuspecting persons doorstep. The only difference was that this wasn't a movie this was real, "Can you tell Sally that I need to talk to her." NICOLE nodded and disappeared. Just then the baby began to cry. I walked over and said, "Well look who's up, good morning." I picked her up and put her on my left shoulder and patted her back a little, all of a sudden I heard a high pitched, bleach and then a soft sigh. I stopped dead, snorted and burst out laughing. "That was unexpected!" I said still chuckling.

There was a knock on the door and Sally came in, "I came as soon as NICOLE told me. What happened?" I told her everything. When I was done she handed me a bottle, "Does she have a name?"

I shook my head, "None that I could find." I was tickling her stomach when her hand grabbed one of my fingers. My eyes softened, "There must be something we can do…"

"I don't see why she can't stay here." Sally said looking at me.

"No! I can't take care of a baby!" I said shocked, "What would happen to her if I never came back from a mission alive or even sane!?"

Sally gave me a stern look, "You know as well as I do that you can do anything and everything. You have done and gone through things that would have killed any of the other Freedom Fighters." I looked away I knew that she was right.

"Yeah well I still couldn't save Eggman."

"Sonic that us one of the weakest arguments I have ever heard."

Again I knew she was right, Eggman's death was unavoidable I sighed, "I guess I can take care of her until we find someone who can give her a normal childhood." I looked down at the baby, "NICOLE how old is she?"

NICOLE appeared, "Let me scan her real quick." There was a flash and then she said, "Time of birth of three AM day 255 year 3241. That makes her exactly two months old today."

So my rough guess was right. Sally looked at me and said, "She needs a name."

I thought for a moment I'm horrible at thinking of names on the spot but one did come to mind, "How about Riley?"

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