𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗔'𝗦 𝗣𝗢𝗩
"H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y, S O N I C A ! ! !"
Oh, dear.
"Happy happy birthday, Sonica! Many many happy returns of the day!" said Amy with a tight hug, followed by everyone else.
"Yeah! Happy birthday, Sonica!"
"Happy Birthday—!"
"Merry merry returns of the day!"
"It's 'MANY' , Knux! Not MERRY!"
"Hope there's no apocalypse on your birthday!"
I stood there frozen, taken back by the... chaotic surprise. "Uh..."
"We wanted to surprise you! Celebrate your birthday as well as your amazing recovery!" Amy said with a smile, gesturing to the decorated room.
Amazing recovery it was.
My ears pinned back in awe, soon overshadowed by the tragedy that changed my life.
"Thank... you." I replied, rubbing my arm. "I hadn't expected this... at all."
Then Sonic walked towards me with the familiar two hedgehogs and a new hedgehog— tall, beautiful and... royal.
"Sonica, this is my mom." He said while scratching his head as his 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 smiled at me.
I instinctively bowed down on one knee. "It's an honor to meet you, Your Highness." I said, hoping it was acceptable.
Sonic's ears perked up in surprise while she gently held my shoulders and made me rise. "Happy birthday, sweetheart. You are just like your brother." She commented and the rest chuckled.
Shadow? I looked around and realised he wasn't here. "Wait, where's he?"
"He said he had some work..." Amy replied, hands gently clasped together. "Probably to get the perfect gift?" She smiled with a shrug.
It made me smile. Then Sticks jumped in—
"And he had, too, bowed down like you did!" She grinned, pointing at me.
I nodded in understanding. "I see."
But I couldn't help but wonder why Sonic's mother was here. It can't be for my birthday, can it?
"Your highness..." I addressed carefully.
"You can call me Mom too, dear." She suggested with the same gentle smile.
What..? Mom? I hadn't even called Professor as 'Dad'. I couldn't call her...
"Mom..." I whispered, frozen for a moment. The realization replayed in my mind— that I never had a mother, but lab-created. I didn't have a real family.
"Mom..." I whispered again as if to test how the word was, tears picked at the corners of my eyes but I blinked them away.
I took a deep breath and looked at her, smiling politely. "I think I am more comfortable being formal, Your Highness."
"Oh, sweetie. It's okay. I understand." She said gently and wrapped her arms around me, pulling me in what felt like a... motherly embrace.
My body stiffened, I couldn't get myself to move. Maybe I wouldn't have been so foreign to this warmth if I—
"Glad she didn't call our mom as 'Mom'!" Manic remarked loudly, making me snap out of my thoughts.
Sonia raised a brow at Manic's statement who just slapped Sonic on the back with a grin and said, "Because if she did... she would be our sister, no?"
I internally gasped at the conclusion.
Sonic's face started turning red as he snapped, "Shut up!"
Everyone laughed, except the two of us.
Queen Aleena, as I recalled her name, moved her hands up to my face and cupped my cheeks. "Though I do wish you were my daughter. You're so adorable, sweetheart." She cooed, giving my face... a light squeeze
My ears pinned back as I blushed. She was truly an angel.
"Your friends told me about the Space Colony Ark and such." She said in a gentle tone which didn't make the topic feel uncomfortable at all. Genuinely.
"Yeah..." was all I could say, too lost in the warm embrace that elt like home.
I miss Veronica. I miss Professor. I miss the old times. Please give them back, please...
"Well, don't worry, mom. She will be your daughter-in-law soon." Manic declared with a smug smirk while Sonic nudged him hard on the stomach.
"Daughter-in-law?" She said, looking over at Sonic then at me.
"The—the—" I stammered and looked around, "Where's Silver and Dr. Eggman?!"
Everyone paused.
"Whoa, whoa, WHOA!" Sonic stepped in. "Inviting Silver is cool! But Dr. Eggman?!" He exclaimed, hands in the air, with a frown.
How dare he—
I turned to face him, crossing my arms. "He had invited 𝘶𝘴 to his party! And it's 𝙢𝙮 party, so I 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 invite him!"
Sonic's jaw dropped in disbelief but Amy brushed him aside and said, "You're right, Sonica. You can invite whoever you want. It's your birthday."
"Ugh, fine!" Sonic grumbled, pointing an accusing finger at me. "But if anything goes wrong, don't tell me I didn't warn you!" Then he dashed outside, leaving a blue blur behind.
I sighed heavily and looked at everyone else. "So, where's Silver?"
"Um, he said he had some work," Tails replied. "So, he went back to the future, I suppose."
Oh...
Then the door opened—
I expected it to be Sonic, but it was Shadow!
"You're back!" I said, happily.
Shadow rubbed the back of his neck and nodded, "Yeah. Happy birthday, Sonica. Sorry for being late."
I shook my head, "It's alright."
I had honestly expected him to teleport here, not... use the door.
Then came Sonic! With Dr. Eggman, Orbot and Cubot.
"Happy—"
"Happy birthday, Sonica! Thank you for inviting us too!" said Eggman, cutting off Cubot as he shook his hands with mine.
"Happy birthday, Sonica." added Orbot calmly.
I chuckled and nodded, "Thank you, thank you and thank you."
I noticed Sonic rolling his eyes, arms crossed. Hmph.
"Oh, and Queen Aleena, right? Sonic's mom?" Eggman said, shaking her hands as well and muttered the next part, "Though I'm not able to defeat that pest yet."
She just smiled in response. She's an angel!
"Well, let's get the party started!!" yelled Sticks as they put the music on full blast.
"Whoa," I felt shaken from the first wave but eventually got used to it. I looked around once again while they started dancing. They must have really worked hard. A part of me kept thinking of Silver though. He should have been here too. He seems like a child to me.
Then Sonic put a birthday hat on my head. I looked at him in surprise and he smirked, "Cute."
I found myself smiling wider, momentarily forgetting about my powers and the fact that... flowers are blooming around me. But Sonic brushed it off as a part of decorations.
As the party began, everyone got into dancing, drinking, chatting and other things. And I laughed when I found out that Eggman had brought a few bottles of wine with him. I really wouldn't mind a few sips but Sonic and Shadow didn't let me. It was no use fighting.
Then I had a light-hearted conversation with Sonic's mom. My stiffness gradually decreasing. She was all I could ever ask for in a mother. I could listen to her calm voice all day. But then—
My body shuddered as a sudden wave of energy rushed through me. My nerves tightening, breathing growing shallow. I had the urge to tear things apart but I shook my head and stepped away, excusing myself.
Queen Aleena looked at me with concern as I made my way to the restroom. My powers were going to blow up any second—
"Sonica!"
Sonic's voice startled me, my quills now raised upright which I tried to brush down.
"You okay?" He asked, reaching a hand out to my shoulder.
I sharply nodded. "Yeah, just— one moment." I dashed to the restroom and locked the door.
What a nightmare.
My fur was changing its colour to a darker shade, even my eyes. I gripped the sink tight, chest heaving. I had to stay calm!
STAY. CALM!
I pushed myself off the sink and leaned against the wall, looking down at my trembling hands. My vision started to blur as I slid down and sat on the cold floor, my heart pounding. I slapped my hands over my mouth to muffle any sounds, desperately hoping that the music was loud enough. Then something new happened—
Most elements appeared on different parts of my body— I was like malfunctioning weather. Flames on my left arm. Ice-cold chills on my right. Snow spreading on the floor from my right foot. Electric sparks flickering and crackling around my quills, making them upright again. Vines snaked around my torso like a tight rope. And with each breath, the air column vibrated at maximum, causing things to break. I lost count of how many elements I possessed!
Then came the most agonizing pain, like someone stabbed me from the inside and was twisting the knife more and more and more aggressively. I struggled to breathe, eyes unable to focus on one spot. Suddenly—
Everything went black. The sounds faded into the background. The torturous pain was gone. What was happening? All I saw was darkness and I felt as though I was floating in it. Then I felt a vine slither around my throat like a predator, and my eyes snapped open.
I was swallowed whole by an unknown darkness, wrapped tightly in living shadows.
My surroundings blended into a black and white abstract. My body curled inward on instinct. Tears streamed down my face as my breath came in shallow tremors.
I was shaken to my very soul.
Then— I heard a strange fluttering of leaves.
In the next heartbeat, branches and leaves spiraled around me, weaving themselves into a protective cocoon. Not suffocating, but shielding. IT HAD TO BE KEY!
"Key..."
. . .
𝗡𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗔𝗟 𝗣𝗢𝗩
"Key..." Sonica whispered, curling tighter into herself as her nails dug into her arms. Her quills still floating and quivering.
The powers began to blow up— as expected, like fireworks of a bad kind. But Key held firm, containing every damage, making sure none of the destruction leaked beyond the cocoon.
"Sonica..?" Sonic knocked.
She couldn't hear nor respond.
"You're taking a really long time there..." He said, scratching his head before quickly adding, "Just saying! Take your time!"
Right infront of Sonica, a blue flower with purple hues slowly bloomed from the woven floor of branches and leaves. Its petals unfurled slowly, pushing through the shadows with delicate strength. A soft, calming glow radiated from it, filling the enclosed space with gentle light.
. . .

. . .
Sonica's breathing, which was sharp and uneven, started to falter as she uncurled to see the luminous flower.
The violent storm of power crackling around her while her quills slowly began to lower, her nails loosening their grip on her arms. She slowly reached out, her fingertips barely brushing the petals when she heard a voice.
Quiet, soothing, and calm.
"𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺..."
"Key?" She whispered, barely audible, touching the firm branch.
For a split second, the golden core of the flower glowed brighter like a smile she couldn't see.
Then—
A blinding white flash—
Everything around her dissolved into light. The luminous petals shattered into sparkles.
And Sonica found herself on the floor, still stunned. Her powers had never been more stable. Her quills had fully settled. Her fur returning to its original shade of color.
"Whoa... Key..." Her whisper was barely audible as she stared into space, then she noticed something on her lap—
A blue apple.
"Thank you, Key..." She again whispered with a grateful sigh of relief and wiped the apple before taking a bite. As soon as she did so, the blue color changed to... green.
She blinked in surprise but brushed it off because her life couldn't be any stranger. Then she adjusted her quills and finally emerged from the bathroom.
"Still trying to keep a secret?"
Shadow, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, startled Sonica.
"Are you okay?" Sonic added, standing beside her. She nodded and parted her lips to speak, but—
"Were you eating an apple in the bathroom?!"
. . .
"Uh... No... I was... going to throw it since the bin was full." She replied, shrugging coolly.
Sonic and Shadow exchanged looks then Knuckles yelled— "CAKE TIME!"
And he picked Sonica up with one hand, placing her over his shoulder, making her laugh and Sonic frown.
"Silver still isn't here?" She asked as Knuckles put her down beside the table.
"Relax." Sonic said, leaning back with a shrug. "If he were here, we'd know. There would be a glowing portal, dramatic wind, and at least one speech about destiny."
Tails adjusted his goggles as he added, "Technically, the wind effect is a side result of— "
Coincidentally— a bright flash split the air. A swirling cyan portal cracked open in the middle of the room and Silver stumbled out of the portal, nearly tripping over his own boots. "I-I am here! I am here!"
He steadied himself midair with a flicker of telekinesis before landing properly.
"Silver!" Sonica exclaimed, joy evident in her voice as she walked over to the hedgehog whose fur was dusty with bits of grass clinging to his gloves.
Knuckles squinted his eyes, "Did you fight the ground?"
Silver quickly dusted himself off, flustered. "No, it was complicated. Anyways—" He rushed over to Sonica, shaking her hands in his, "Happy birthday, Sonica! Sorry for being late. Um, temporal coordinates were slightly miscalculated. And there was... a landslide. Possibly two?"
Sonica chuckled warmly, "It's okay. Glad you could make it."
Silver visibly relaxed and nodded, "Right! Yes. Good. Excellent." He cleared his throat and tried to sound composed, "Then... we should continue the celebration, where were you?"
"To the cake cutting!" Knuckles and Sticks said in unison and did a imperfect high-five.
Everyone gathered around eagerly.
"Wait, wait—! Hold on!" Sonic said urgently, stepping behind Sonica, "No peeking."
Before she could protest, he covered her eyes with his hands.
Sonica sighed, "Sonic..."
"Just be patient." He said, hands steady. "Any moment now..."
There was a dramatic pause. Then he pulled his hands away, "There you go."
Sonica's eyes widened at the sight.
In front of her stood a massive five-tier cake, towering over the table. The frosting shimmered in shades of blue and white, decorated with tiny edible stars.
"Whoa..." She whispered in awe, looking at the beautiful cake. "Where am I supposed to start cutting?"
Amy proudly smiled, tilting her chin up. Knuckles went to bring the sharp tool. Then. . .
"Happy birthday, my Sonica."
Sonic whispered in her ear, making her freeze and look at him to double-check, only to find him smirking at her.
She blinked in surprise while he cleared his throat, looking to the side.
"Aight. Start singing, everybody!"