Archive of Our Own ^beta

After returning from his vacation to Little Planet with Cream and Cheese, Miles learned that while he was away, Sonic had gone off on his own adventure without him or any of the others. It had been six days since the blue hedgehog had contacted them, and when they attempted to reach him, his comm showed up as unavailable. Better than it being disconnected or terminated, but the teen fox couldn’t help worrying a little about his partner.

Not only was he concerned about Sonic’s well-being, but also whether or not the boy would make it back to Cocoa Island in time for Christmas. Sure, it may not have been the most ideal locale for such a holiday, but most of the people in Puru Puru Village celebrated it. Some did so for religious purposes, while others preferred more commercial reasons, and the majority of the rest were mixed, leaning one way or another. The Wolf family was one of the latter types, though more than either the gifts or the significance of the holiday in certain faith, it was simply a tradition to bring family and friends together.

There was one good friend of the family in particular that was capitalizing on all the closeness that came with the Christmas season...

“Hey, kitten, how’re you today?” Gadget softly said to his girlfriend, who was tucked next to him under the sheets of his queen-sized bed.

Fuchsia offered a tired, but sultry smile, leaning in to wrap her arms around the red wolf’s neck. “Mmm, already off to a great start.” She glanced up at the oak head rest and giggled softly. “And it looks like we woke up in just the right spot.”

Gadget followed her gaze, his lips curling into a grin only his kind could pull off. It slipped his mind due to how tired he still was, but he’d mounted a mistletoe above the center of the board for an event such as this. And now that his attention had been called to it, he felt it was only natural to do what was expected. He moved so that he was hunched over her, hands on either side of her head, leaning down so his lips just caught hers. The cat reciprocated by sliding her paws down to the middle of his back, tilting her muzzle up to his while her legs hooked the back of his knees. It certainly was one way to start the morning, and it would have gone further, had everything fallen into place as expected.

But after a couple of minutes of intimacy and fooling around, Fuchsia felt her stomach twist into a knot, and her head concurrently started spinning. She pushed herself away from her lover and bolted out of the room in a panic, one hand on her belly while the other was nursing her noggin. Gadget, both startled and confused at this sudden turn, threw the covers aside and went after her, almost pushing his bedroom door off its hinges in his pursuit. Both of them had neglected to put anything on yet that day, and Gizmo had the misfortune of stumbling upon the scene. She’d only just finished washing her face when the cat passed her by, naked as the day she was born, followed by her twin brother in much the same state. It wasn’t as though she’d never seen the latter before, but she really could’ve done without it, especially today.

Gadget pressed an ear to the entry, wincing at the rather unpleasant noises he picked up from the other side. Any excitement he had from just moments ago was thoroughly killed by this point. Not that anyone could blame him, given that his girlfriend didn't sound well at all.

“Love, what’s going on?” he asked, his voice more than a little anxious, “do we need to get you to the doctor?”

He heard the bowl being flushed, then a bit of gasping as Fuchsia caught her breath. “N-no, I think I’ll be alright.”

“Fu, you should get a check-up,” Gizmo suggested, one arm covering her eyes so she didn’t have to look upon her brother in the buff, “I’m no medical expert, but I know that waking up and needing to vomit isn’t exactly typical.”

The pinkish feline on the other side heaved a sigh. “I guess you’re right. Will you come with me to the clinic, Gad?”

“Of course!” the wolf responded without hesitation, "let's put something on first, though."

He rushed back to his room to get dressed, and much to his sister’s relief, brought the cat lady’s clothes with him as well. After Fuchsia had put on her garments, the two of them shuffled out of the house, telling Gob and Guen that they would be back after a little while. Not even a minute after they left, Miles walked in the front door, a bit of concern etched in his face.

“So, does anyone want to tell me why Gad and Fu just rushed out the door?” he inquired of his surrogate sister and parents.

The teal wolf shrugged, but seemed worried. "Fu woke up feeling sick, enough to rush to the loo while she was still starkers. She's off to get checked out at the clinic...hopefully it isn't anything serious."

The fox puffed out some air through his nose and hummed in thought. He prayed that was the case, and that maybe it was just something she ate. In any event, he joined the rest of the family for breakfast, which had been prepared for six people, leaving quite a few leftovers for later. Gadget and Fuchsia were still gone after he was finished, so Miles elected to wander about the village, with Gizmo deciding to keep him company. 

Aside from the shops changing some of their inventory to match the season, and decorations being put up in turn, there wasn’t much of anything new. The fox bought some mint candies to snack on, while the she-wolf bought herself a few different types of tea to try later. With not much else to do, they were prepared to head to the submarine lab of the fox’s to get a little more work done on their prospective projects. They were stopped when they both picked up footsteps rapidly approaching their position, turning around to see another cat coming at them. 

It was a male with lavender purple fur and cyan-blue eyes, sporting a similarly lean and strong build to that of Fuchsia, though he was slightly taller and more muscular. The hair on his head was shorter, hardly any of it sticking out in the back, while a pair of bangs poked out above his right eye. He wore simple black gloves and shoes, and as for accessories, he only had a plain black belt with a small pouch hanging near the left hip. It was their friend’s younger brother, Lavender, and while one of them was happy to see the cat, the other wasn’t so thrilled.

“Giselle! Miles!” he greeted them amicably.

The fox smiled and casually waved. “Hey there, Lavender. How's it going?”

“Oh, pretty well! Dad says our families are gonna have a big dinner together tonight!” the feline spouted excitedly, giving the wolf a cheeky grin, “I can't wait for the food, or a chance to sit by your side.”

Gizmo rolled her eyes and moved past him onto the steps up to the cabin porch. “Give it a rest already, Lav. You know that I don’t like you in the same way that Gad likes your sister.”

"Aww, you’re so blunt,” the tomcat whined, whipping the tip of his tail back and forth, “but that’s part of why I like you, Giselle. I just wish you’d give me a chance.”

The she-wolf stopped with her hand on the doorknob, turning her head so he could see a bit of her face. “Perhaps I’d give you one if you weren’t so doggedly stubborn about it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I've got something that I need to finish before I help with the festivities later.”

Gizmo opened and shut the door behind her firmly, though not hard enough to be considered slamming. Lavender let out a sigh, his ears folding back as he deflated from the rejection. While this was hardly an infrequent occurrence, Miles did feel a little sorry for Fuchsia’s younger brother. The fox knew that Lavender had had a crush on Gizmo for the longest time, which really wasn’t uncommon among the guys on the island. Unlike most of them, though, Miles knew the cat appreciated the she-wolf for more than just her physical assets. It might not have seemed that way, but as far as he’d heard, the topic of intimacy had never come from the cat’s lips.

But, like the teal twin had remarked, he was a persistent individual. Every time Miles had come home from an adventure, he’d seen Lavender trying his luck at least once before the teen left for the next item on his travel list. No matter how many times he was told no, the young adult feline was determined to have at least one outing for just the two of them. Miles couldn’t imagine how much it annoyed his adoptive sister, but he did commend her for handling it without being mean or putting the guy down. 

“I guess I’ll see you guys later,” Lavender mumbled, halfheartedly waving as he went on his way.

The fox was tempted to go after the cat and give him some friendly advice, but he honestly didn’t know what to say that hadn’t already been said. That, and Gizmo would be wondering why he was taking so long to join her down in the lab. So, he let Lavender go and went into the vast chamber he’d built in the underground beneath his cabin. The she-wolf was putting the finishing touches on another pair of Chaos Drive escrima sticks, or CD Sticks, as she’d taken to calling them. The first couple were red and green, which she’d explained increased her strength and speed, respectively. The new pair were purple and yellow, the former of which Miles recalled being one of three Drives that had been installed in his mechanical counterpart.

As for him, he’d taken to studying the Pikkon Hammer a bit more closely than he’d ever cared to before. He couldn’t really explain the sudden inspiration for it, but regardless, he wanted to see where it would go. He’d recreated the Boomering using the cyan Chaos Emerald, which had bestowed it with a couple of properties it didn’t have previously, along with greater strength and level of control. The fox figured that if he did the same with the Hammer, then perhaps he could empower it, or possibly make an improved duplicate of it, the latter option being of more personal interest.

But just as he was about to get to work, the comm function of the Miles Electric went off. The theme of a familiar rock piece started playing, and when he went to check the screen, he saw the icon he'd designated for Sonic. Miles dropped what he was doing and answered the call, heart swelling with joy when he saw the hedgehog's face pop up.

"Little buddy!" the fox exclaimed, getting Gizmo's attention and coaxing her to come over, "where've you been? Gad and Giselle told me you just flew off without warning, and you haven't contacted us at all until now!"

Sonic gave him a small smirk. "Sorry, big guy. I got caught up in a surprise adventure, and my comm was jammed for most of the time. I'm okay, though, and I'll be there either later today or tomorrow! I’ll try to make it for dinner, but no promises!"

"Wait, so what happened?" Miles tried to ask.

"I'll tell ya when we get there! See ya then!"

The transmission ended, leaving the two canids wondering what the kid had been through in the past week. They were relieved to see that he was okay, though a tad disappointed he probably wouldn't arrive in time for the gathering that night. There was another thing that made them pause for thought, too.

"He said 'when we get there'," Miles repeated, scratching at his chin scruff, “sounds like he made some new friends.”

Gizmo hummed, idly twirling one of the new escrima in her dominant hand. “Could also be people that we know. The last couple of months have made the world feel small with all the faces we’ve met and reunited with.”

That much was true, thought the fox. It was a little strange that he just so happened to run into Charmy while exploring the island of his birth, but a happy coincidence nonetheless. Vector and Espio also seemed like good company, though he still didn’t know them that well outside of their team-up against the Battle Kukku Empire. He at least trusted them enough to have his old friend’s back as well as his own, that much he could say.

Running into Cream on the way back from his visit with J had also been quite the happenstance. The recent visit with her had been rather enjoyable as well, aside from all those strange occurrences of deja vu. But, at least he’d been able to get his feelings out, and while he wasn’t ready for a relationship, he was glad to know the rabbit was interested in him, too. Maybe the time would come when they could move forward, assuming they still felt the same in the future.

As for a certain pink hedgehog, he’d been surprised to miss her during his visit to Floral Forest Village, seeing as she was to Cream as Sonic was to him, essentially. And yet, just thinking about her made him irritated for some indiscernible reason, which he found very bizarre. The girl hadn’t done anything particularly irksome the last time they’d seen each other, so he had no idea what it could be.

‘Maybe I’m just mad at myself that I didn’t stop to say hello to Amy while I was there,’ he figured as nothing more rational came to mind.

“You’re staring off into space again,” the she-wolf softly sang in his ear, laying a hand on his shoulder.

Miles shook his head and gently pushed her glove off him. “I was just lost in thought about what you said, regarding the past few outings.”

“There was a lot to take in,” Gizmo commented, a wry grin on her muzzle, “and still quite a few questions we don’t have the answers to.”

On that note, the lab systems let out a short, but loud alert as one screen switched to the surveillance feed inside the cabin and at the entrance to the hidden room. The two of them checked, relaxing when they saw it was just Gadget and Fuchsia coming down to join them. A beep of confirmation rang out from the red wolf applying his own credentials to the security, and the panel beneath the flooring opened up, allowing him and the cat to climb down the ladder. Gadget helped her down, then the two of them went over to join Miles and Gizmo, their faces trying to maintain neutral expressions, but failing to hide what was clearly concern. Seeing this, the latter pair couldn’t help but be worried.

“So, what’s the verdict?” the she-wolf inquired first, “is it serious?”

The red twin let out a sigh and hung his head. “Yeah, it’s serious, but it’s not a bad thing. Just...rather unexpected.”

“I’m not sure I understand,” the fox replied with some befuddlement, “how can it be serious, yet not bad?”

Fuchsia steeped her fingers together, casting a nervous glance over at her lover. He put an arm around her shoulder and nodded softly, silently encouraging her to speak. The cat took in a deep breath, let it out slowly, and gazed at both her other friends in the eyes.

“Giselle, Miles,” she said gently, wringing her gloves, “the doctor ran a few tests, and determined that what happened earlier was my first bout of morning sickness.”

Gizmo’s eyes widened, both of her hands folding over her muzzle to suppress a gasp. “You mean...?”

“I’m pregnant with Gad’s child,” Fuchsia finished for her, smiling wearily at her best pal, “almost five weeks now. The two of you are going to be an aunt and uncle.”

Miles could recall being blindsided by heavy news a number of times, but he’d not experienced anything quite like this. Even if he wasn’t related by blood to the Wolf family, he was still going to be an uncle by association. Honestly, he wasn’t quite sure how to feel about it, considering that Gadget had said that it was rather unexpected. He could only imagine how his adoptive brother was feeling right now, knowing that in a handful of months from now, he was going to be a father.

The she-wolf, on the other hand...

“Oh my gods!” Gizmo practically squealed, rushing forward to lift her brother off the ground in a hug, “I’m so happy for you, Gad!” She cast a sympathetic look over at Fuchsia. “And you too of course, Fu. I’d give you a big hug, but I don’t want to hurt the baby.” She set Gadget down, letting out a giggle. “Still, almost five weeks? You’re already halfway through the first trimester!”

"Yeah," her friend acknowledged, obviously still processing it for herself, “I got suspicious when that time of the month came around and you-know-what didn’t happen.”

Miles coughed, moving on to posit the next big question. "Have you told anyone else yet?"

"Not yet," Gadget replied, his gaze now resolute, "we're not going to hide it, though. It might be a bit dramatic, but we plan to tell everyone at the gathering tonight." He took a seat on the edge of his work table. "As for what comes afterwards, we're still trying to figure that out."

The vulpine was glad they had some sort of direction they’d considered. The pregnancy may have been unplanned, but the couple wasn't panicking, at least on the outside. If they needed any help, he'd be more than happy to provide it for them, and he knew the rest of the family would as well. His only concern was that his adoptive sister might try to hog time with her prospective niece or nephew, given her love for cute things.

'Hmm, I wonder what it'll turn out to be?' he wondered, 'a wolf, a cat, or a hybrid? Given Animal biology, it could be any of those.'

Whatever his new relative ended up being, Miles knew he would love it. Maybe there was something he could whip up that would help with caring for it. But, before he could brainstorm any concepts, there was another concern.

"Mama and Papa are going to be wondering about the results after the way you two made an exit," Gizmo reminded them, "and they probably told Cinnabar about it, too, if they managed to catch him before he went out on his boat."

Fuchsia curled up a bit and groaned. "I hope not. Much as I love him, Daddy can get pretty worked up whenever something's wrong with me or Lav. You know how he can be."

Miles acknowledged that her father could be a little protective at times. Still, given how often he permitted her to visit with Gadget, he obviously trusted the wolf.

"Maybe we should just tell him you felt a bit sick and Gad's been making sure you're alright," he suggested, "at least, if he asks before tonight."

The red twin perked his ears. "I guess that works. What'll you tell Mum and Dad?"

"The same thing, and that you're getting plenty of fresh air to help," the teal twin answered with a wink.

The two with the plan were met with a shrug and uneasy laughter. It was better than nothing, and they supposed that they could hang out there at the lab for the time being. Miles knew he wasn’t going to be getting very far in his work, now with all the new information that had come to light. Thus, he put away the tools that he’d been about to use, then left the place along with his sister.

In short order, the two of them arrived back at the junkyard, where they saw Gob stringing up the last of a set of Christmas lights along one side of the house. Guen was minding the grills and outdoor stoves that were being used to whip up a good portion of the food for later, then slipped inside, likely to check on deserts and the like cooking in the indoor ovens. The green lupine patriarch dismounted the ladder he’d been using, connected the plug with the proper outlet via extension cord, and clicked a switch near the latter. A trail of white light framed the front door and the bottom and top edges of the house, while the spaces between the ground and roof were draped and wrapped up with other colors. Red to compliment the brickwork, yellow around the windows, green low to the ground, and cool blue along the roof to give the illusion of shining ice.

“Ah, it came out as well as I’d expected,” Gob commented on his work. He turned around and noticed both his daughter and adopted son coming up to him. “Back already, pups? Did either o’ ye happen to see Gad and Fuchsia?”

Miles spoke up first. “She’s feeling a bit sick, but it’s nothing life-threatening. Gad’s making sure she gets what she needs whenever she feels nauseous or uneasy.”

“Oh, well, I hope the poor lass feels better soon,” the older wolf said kindly, slightly tilting his head, “although ‘tis odd, now that I think about it. She seemed perfectly fine yesterday.”

Gizmo shrugged, doing her best to appear as if she had no idea herself. “Sickness can come at the strangest times for some people, Papa. She’s been through worse, though, so I’m sure she’ll be fine.”

“Aye, she’s a fit one, she is,” Gob affirmed.

“Does Mama need help with the cooking?” his daughter offered, trying to change the subject.

The emerald canine chuckled warmly. “Capable as she is, I think she’d appreciate the hand.”

Gizmo took that as her cue to make an exit, both to do as she suggested and fill Guen in on current events. Miles was about to propose his own form of aid, but he stopped when he caught an inquisitive gaze from those yellow eyes.

“Boyo, it’s time we talked about some things,” he said in a firm tone, gesturing at the teen’s utility belt, “such as why you left us with your most important keepsake. Gad and Giselle have both told me there’s plenty of other matters on your mind as well.”

Miles knew he was right, and he had promised to divulge all of what he was thinking about at some point. However, there was that part of him that didn’t want to broach everything quite yet, whether it was out of fear or simple procrastination.

“Can’t we wait until after Christmas?” he tried bargaining, “I don’t want to put a damper on the holiday.”

Gob frowned sadly at him. “The prospect will be weighing on us both throughout the season if we don’t discuss things now, Miles. Please, son, just be honest with me about whatever all that’s been bothering you. You know I’m always willing to lend an ear.”

The teen felt a pang of guilt from trying to withhold what he’d said he’d get around to speaking about. He also couldn’t refuse such a request when that particular term of endearment was used for him. Even after several years, it still tugged at his heart strings that Gob thought of him as another of his children, despite not even being the same species.

“Okay,” he conceded, leading his adoptive father over to the edge of the property that overlooked the Rocky Sea. They took a seat near the small cliff, then the fox turned to face the larger canid. “There’s a lot to talk about, so I’m not sure where to begin.”

Gob hummed thoughtfully. “How about when you came home after the whole ordeal on West Side Island? Seems like you’ve had a lot weighing on you since then.”

Even when narrowed down to that, there were a few different things to broach. How he’d nearly lost his friends and family because of his hesitation to go all out, and the excuses he’d made for not doing so. The twisted transformation he’d assumed when the Chaos Emeralds responded to the grief and hatred that rose from the seeming tragedy, and how all that negative energy almost drove him insane. The chance meeting with J in the days following the fall of the Battle Moon, and how that led to revelations about his biological parents, as well as the discovery that the cross fox was another relative of his. He figured he may as well start from the beginning and go from there.

“Well, remember when I used the Chaos Emeralds and changed into that monster?” he asked the wolf. He got a firm nod in return, silent encouragement for him to keep going. “I’m afraid of that happening again. I managed to avoid it the second time I used their power, but I keep thinking about the possibility.” He put his chin in his hands and sighed. “I could always just not collect them, but what if something else comes along that I can’t beat without them? What if I lose control and can’t tell the twins and my friends from my foes?”

The fatherly lupine gently laid a hand on one of his shoulders. “I can only imagine how you must be feeling. But remember what you learned from the stories about the Emeralds, and the things that Guen and I told you.” He pulled the fox in for a one-armed side hug. “After all, you said it yourself that you kept cool well enough more recently. Imagine what you might be capable of if you manage to use ‘em while only thinking of positive things. And honestly, I can’t imagine anyone more capable of pulling it off.”

Miles flushed at the compliment, briefly pondering the idea that Gob had suggested. Thus far, he had transformed using purely negative energy, and then again with a mixture of positive and negative. If separate super-powered states existed for each utilization, then it wasn’t too far-fetched to assume there was one based solely on positive energy. He would have to work towards being able to do that...perhaps Knuckles could lend a hand, or at least offer some advice, given his connection to the Master Emerald.

“Thanks, Gob,” the teen replied, leaning his head into the side of the older guy’s shoulder, “I appreciate it.” He straightened up after a few moments. “As far as other things on my mind...I’m still bothered by what happened to the Great Battle Kukku and Dr. Fukurokov.”

The wolf slowly puffed out some air from his nose. “I know you've probably heard it before, but it’s not your fault, boyo. You couldn’t have known that was how it would end for them.”

“I acknowledged the possibility, though.” Miles tightened his gloves into fists. “I’ve always tried so hard not to take lives, even indirectly. But, a part of me is starting to recognize that there may be times where I won’t have any other choice if I want everything to turn out alright.”

“And you’re not entirely accepting of that reality,” Gob concluded, to which the two-tail grunted affirmatively. He gave his adopted son’s shoulder a reaffirming squeeze. “If it brings you any relief, I don’t think less of you for what happened. And there’s nothing wrong with trying to find a more peaceful resolution.” He glanced more directly at the fox. “But you've got to be ready to do everything you can to protect what you love and cherish, especially when it comes to matters of life and death.”

A strange sensation flowed through the fox for an instant. It was much like the deja vu he’d been having on occasion, as the words of his father figure seemed similar to something he’d heard before. He could’ve sworn that it was supposed to come from someone else, though whom exactly, he had no idea. Whatever the case, he knew Gob was right, though he hoped he wouldn’t have to experience too many of those sorts of situations in the years to come.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” With that, he segued to the last of the three immediate ruminations on his mind. “Just wondering, but, how well did you know my parents?”

Gob perked his brow in curiosity. “Not terribly well. Can count the number of times we personally interacted on one hand. But, from what I remember, they were kind folks.”

“I thought as much,” Miles muttered. He reached into his utility belt and pulled out his namesake multitool, flipping through the photos to the copied images of the pictures J gave him. “When I went back to West Side Island following the first time the Battle Moon fell, I met up with J.P. Cross like I’d said. After the interview, he gave me an envelope with some photos, and I uploaded them onto the Miles Electric.” He hesitated for a few seconds, then revealed the image of the Prower trio. “I swear it’s them, but...I just need a second opinion from someone who’s seen and spoken with them.”

The wolf gingerly took the device from the amber boy and brought it in close to get a better glance. When he saw it for himself, a glint of recognition showed in his topaz yellow eyes.

“Aye, that’s just how I remember them,” Gob confirmed, tilting his head a bit, “and you said that Cross fellow gave you the picture here? Whyever would he have something like this?”

“Because,” Miles started, leaning over to swipe to the next image of the combined Prower and Cross families, “it turns out he’s my cousin; my paternal aunt’s son, to be precise. He told me a bit about my parents, though he doesn’t know what happened to them either. He also explained a little bit of my family’s history, including how they came upon the cyan Chaos Emerald.”

Intrigued, the wolf motioned for the fox to continue. The teen brought out the gem and held it tightly, as though it would suddenly be snatched from him if his grip were any looser.

“To make a long story short,” he summarized, “my grandfather stole it from G.U.N. and gave it to my parents as a present. The organization is now trying to take it back after all these years, and they know that I have it. I don’t know if they have a way to track it like I do, but I thought that they’d come after me first, since they’re aware that I have it on me almost all the time.”

Gob hummed in understanding. “So you left it with us just in case they pounced while you were visiting with young Miss Cream.”

“Yeah. Sorry I didn’t tell you before.”

“Better to learn now than later in worse circumstances.” Gob took his hand from Miles’ shoulder and crossed his arms. “Still, this is quite the predicament, Miles. I can’t fault you for what your grandpa did, but you're treading dangerous waters now that G.U.N. has their sights set on you and the Emerald. Standing up to the Kukkus was one thing; trying to do the same to a paramilitary group with the backing of most nations across the world is another thing entirely.”

The warning wasn’t lost on the fox. After all, J had made similar remarks, and it was because of them that Miles had taken precautions in the first place. Even though he hadn’t seen any sign of them since the last time he ran into Speedy and that bat woman, that didn’t mean they weren’t keeping tabs. It was entirely possible that they were just waiting for the opportune moment to swipe his charm, trying to lull him into a false sense of security with their lack of activity.

“Even so, I refuse to hand it over,” Miles said resolutely, his determination reflected in his eyes, “I don’t know what their intentions are for it, but I just can’t trust them with the Emerald. The fact that they tried to take it from under my nose is already suspicious enough.”

Gob shut his eyes and showed a ghost of a smile. “I hope that you stay the course then, boyo.”

The young hero remained steadfast that he would. And if the going got tough, he knew that his friends and family had his back even in the worst-case scenario. He wasn’t sure what G.U.N. would resort to if he made his noncompliance firmly clear, but he didn’t intend to let things escalate. If the worry was about him going berserk, why didn’t they just go for one of the other Emeralds? Aside from the fact it had been taken from them, there had to be some other reason they were so fixated on the cyan one. If he could figure that out, he’d be better able to come up with some form of compromise, assuming those in charge would even want to hear him out.

“Anything else?” the wolf questioned quietly, briefly shifting his attention to a ferry coming into Puru Puru’s port.

Miles noticed it as well, but didn’t pay much mind. “I’m worried about who else might come seeking vengeance against me. The Kukkus resurfaced after a few years, and we know how that went down. The twins and Sonic told me they ran into the former lackeys of Witchcart after they saw me off at Never Lake, and that they admitted they were after me.” He leaned back on his hands and gazed up at the blue sky. “I just wonder who’s going to come knocking next, Gob. And with the vacuum left behind by the Empire’s collapse, there’s a chance that it could be filled by someone or something just as bad, if not worse.” The teen heaved a tired sigh. “It keeps me up at night sometimes.”

“I won’t say your worries aren’t justified, lad,” Gob said as he got to his feet, “but I will say that you should focus on what’s going on around you. Don’t spend all your time fretting about what-ifs and possibilities; there’s a moment and place for that.”

He offered a hand to help the boy up, which Miles gladly accepted. And as expected, this transitioned to a strong hug where the fox was lifted so he could rest his head on one of Gob’s shoulders. He’d been prepared for the air to be forced from his lungs and the sounds of his bones popping, but they never came. The teen thus felt compelled to make up the difference by tightening his embrace, getting a slight grunt in response.

“Getting stronger every day, you are,” Gob said with a soft snicker. He set the fox down and parted from him gently. “Thank you for sharing all that with me, Miles. Do you feel any better?”

Miles gauged his feelings in the moment, offering a smile and a nod after a few seconds. “Yeah, a bit. Thanks for listening, Pops.”

“Anytime, son.” The wolf stretched his arms above his head and let out a groan as he worked out all the kinks. “Anyway, that ferry that came in should be the last one until after Boxing Day. I’d best go and see if they’ve got anything for the yard, however big or small.” He flashed a grin at the fox. “Care to come take a look with me? If there’s anything to haul back, I’ll let you pick out some parts to use for whatever you’re working on.”

It wasn’t a Christmas gift, but it was a pretty good deal, in the fox’s opinion. A couple minutes of walking, and they arrived at their destination, where the wolf was flagged down by one of the dock workers. There was one big crate that included discarded machines and large appliances, and two moderate sized boxes full of smaller widgets, conveniences, and stripped circuitry, among other electronic waste. In Gob’s opinion, it was a fairly standard haul, one that would keep him busy between the imminent holidays and the approaching new year. Without much trouble, Gob slipped his hands beneath the latter containers and lifted them into the crooks of his arms, bringing them both up to balance against his shoulders. Miles brought out the new Boomering and used it to “retrieve” the bulkier crate, the item’s properties allowing him to hold it up with minimal effort. The worker thanked them for taking the load of scraps and went off to tend to other tasks, leaving them free to return home. 

Gob went on ahead, eager to offload the materials and get back to helping with the festivities. However, just as Miles stepped onto the path between the junkyard and the port, his ears picked up footsteps behind him that were rapidly approaching.

“Miles!” a familiar voice called out to him from that same direction. 

The teen put the crate down and turned around to see who was addressing him. There was J, dressed in a formal short-sleeved shirt that was properly buttoned up and collared for once, khaki pants with a black belt and silver buckle, and shiny black leather loafers. He was toting a modest brown suitcase in one gloved hand, while the other gave the two-tail a friendly wave as he came to a stop a couple of meters away.

‘As if this Christmas Eve didn’t have enough dramatic twists,’ he thought in jest.

“How lucky for me,” he remarked, “I was just about to look for you when I spotted you here, so I ran right over to get your attention before I lost sight of you.”

The younger fox smiled, though he couldn’t hide his bewilderment at his relative’s arrival. “I didn’t expect to see you, J.” He paused to once again lift the crate. “I thought you’d let me know ahead of time about any potential visit.”

“Normally, I would, but I decided to surprise you!” the other vulpine explained in a chipper tone.

Miles was still a bit stunned to see his cousin here, seemingly on a whim. Not that he didn’t appreciate the gesture; he was rather glad to see J, all things considered. The get together that night was for family and a few close friends, and J was family, albeit only just recently rediscovered. The Wolf couple certainly wouldn’t mind making space for one more, though, and when it came to food, they’d have enough and then some even with the additional guest factored in.

“Well, I’m about to head back to my surrogate family’s home with this,” he said as he motioned to the package, “you’re welcome to walk and talk with me, then I can introduce you to them.”

“Sounds delightful,” J replied, gesturing to the path with his free hand, “take the lead!”

As they did just that, Miles managed to learn a few things along the way. J had apparently finished the book he intended to write about the two-tailed teen’s exploits during the West Side Incident. It was currently going through publishing stages before it could be distributed, but in the meantime, he was back to focusing on some of his other responsibilities. Whenever he could spare a moment, he’d been making notes and drafts about the second intended novel. That one would cover his cousin and friends’ adventure on Angel Island, J informed Miles.

On that note, the cross fox moved on to talking about his publications regarding Angel Island, which had featured many of the photographs by his cousin. The revelation of the Hidden Palace and Knuckles, in particular, had apparently caused quite a stir in the archaeological and anthropological spheres, not to mention geological groups thanks to the Master Emerald. Some wanted to explore the island, meet the Guardian, and study the environs, ruins, and giant gemstone for themselves, while others insisted they remain untouched so as to respect the echidnas’ last living descendant. J himself was more in the latter camp, having gotten his fill thanks to the photos and the story Miles had provided him, though he couldn’t deny that a part of him was anxious to see some of it up close. Perhaps they could convince Knuckles to allow him to come along and tour the place the next time they visited the floating island.

They came to the junkyard just as that conversation ended, Miles taking a moment to drop off the crate. Afterwards, he filled J in on a couple of details, such as this place being the home of his adoptive family, and what Gob did for a living. The two circled around to the front door and let themselves inside, where they saw the aforementioned wolf setting the table, and the two females moving around in the view of the kitchen. Upon hearing the door close, Gob glanced up at them, noticing the cross fox and chuckling softly.

“Well, this is quite a surprise,” he commented, shuffling the place mats and utensils to add space for another set.

“That was the idea, good sir,” J quipped playfully. He set down his suitcase and stepped forward to extend a hand. “My name is Jonathan P. Cross, a fox of a few trades and Miles’ first cousin.”

The wolf gave the offered glove a good grip and shake. “A pleasure. I’ve read a few of your academic works, Dr. Cross. As for me, I’m Gobán Wolf, the boy’s adoptive father, but you can call me Gob, like he and most everyone else does.”

“I shall, and the title is unnecessary,” the cross fox said humbly, “just ‘J’ is fine. And I do hope I’m not imposing, what with showing up so suddenly and without notice.”

Gob waved him off. “Nonsense, I’m happy to be having you join us, J.”

“Are the Cats here already?” they heard Guen call from the other room.

The green wolf went into the kitchen to inform his mate. “No, but we’ve got one more that’ll be sitting at the table so far.” He poked his head around the corner and peered back at Miles. “By the way, boyo, have you spoken with Sonic? It would be a shame if he missed this.”

“He might be coming in tonight, but I don’t know yet,” Miles answered with a shrug, “if he is, he won’t be alone, from the sound of it.”

“At least another two might be joining us, love!”

CRASH!

“Gah, feckin’ hell!” Gizmo cried out, followed by an uneven stomping as though she was hopping on one foot in pain, “bloody son of a trollop!”

“Giselle, language!” Guen scolded her.

The foxes had a small laugh at that, then went to take a seat in the living room, the older one letting his deep brown eyes wander. He felt his cheeks flush a bit when, just as Gob had said, he saw a few geology and archaeology books he’d written tucked in a shelf among myriad other volumes. There were also pictures that depicted the Wolf family put up on the walls and standing on end tables and stands, some with Miles in them, and some without. In those that featured the fox, J got to see what his cousin looked like when he was younger, making him wish he’d been there to experience him growing up. He was at least glad that in every one of the captured memories, the amber vulpine was happy, as were the others with him.

Seeing his relative’s interest in the stills, Miles elaborated on those that seemed to stick out the most. One had him at the center of a group hug as a cake with an extinguished “10” candle sat nearby. It was the day he’d been adopted into the Wolf family, and the glint of joyful tears could be seen in the kit’s eyes upon closer inspection. There was another with Gadget and Gizmo tugging at his ears and pointing at the tawny tips, while the fox appeared to be laughing and begging them to stop. That had been taken just after his thirteenth birthday when his winter coat came in, in celebration of the appearance of his adult fur patterns. And then, one of the more recent ones depicted Miles, Sonic, the twins, and Charmy on a stage in the town square, playing their music for what looked like most of the villagers, and their other friends and family. It had been snapped at just the right moment to catch them with their eyes shining and their mouths open wide as they sang to the crowd and played their respective instruments.

After regaling J about that night, Miles heard the front door open and lifted his head to see Gadget and Fuchsia walk in. The sight of the cross fox perplexed the cat, but the wolf was more than a little taken aback. It had been much longer since he’d last met the museum curator than it had been for his younger brother.

“You didn’t tell me J would be visiting, little bro,” he said with a raised brow.

The fox shrugged his shoulders. “I didn’t even know he was coming, but he’s here now.” He brightened up a little bit. “I was just telling him about the concert we held for my birthday.”

“Indeed, it looks and sounds like it was quite the event,” the other vulpine concurred, “a shame that my work kept me from attending, but perhaps I’ll make the one in the coming year.” He stood up from the couch and gave Gadget a handshake. “It’s good to see you again, by the way.” 

The wolf nodded and smiled politely. “Same to you.” He put an arm around the cat next to him, who nuzzled at his cheek fluff while standing on her toes. “Maybe Miles has told you some about her, but I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Fuchsia.”

“Ah yes, he’d made more than a casual mention of his feline friend when recounting his Angel Island expedition.” He gingerly shook one of Fuchsia’s hands. “Jonathan P. Cross, though please, just call me ‘J’.”

The young woman’s cyan-blue eyes lit up as she returned the gesture. “I feel honored. My younger brother and I loved your adventure stories growing up.”

“Come now, you make me sound ancient!” he joked, getting a few snickers from the group, “but really, I’m always happy to meet those that enjoy my work, whether my analytical dissertations or my more fanciful novels.”

Gadget snuck in next to Miles and leaned in so he could whisper while his lover spoke with J. “Do you know if Mum and Dad have told Cin about what happened this morning?”

“I have no idea,” the amber teen murmured back, “but Giselle’s been keeping Guen busy with the cooking. I told Gob what I said I would and he seems none the wiser...if he suspects anything, he’s hiding it well.”

The two gave each other a subtle, out-of-sight low-five. Things were going about as well as expected, excluding the wild card that was J. But, with him here, perhaps it could help distract from the announcement they intended to make until they were truly ready.

A short while later, J was introduced to Guen when she had a break from the action. While the cross fox was good to go, Miles and the rest were shooed away by the lupine mother to get properly dressed for the occasion. Miles emerged with a long-sleeved collared shirt and a pair of formal black slacks, his bangs neatly combed over while his gloves had been discarded, showing his trim black claws and tawny hands. Gadget went with a green shirt and a pair of sandy khaki shorts held up by a brown belt and silver buckle. Gizmo was the most different, walking out in a purple dress with a knotted waist, short sleeves with embellished cutouts, a surplice v-neckline, and a slit stretch that went from her ankles to about level with her lower thighs. Both twins had gone with a set of fingerless gloves that matched their tops, with the she-wolf’s pair having significantly longer cuffs.

Given it meant she had to go back home to get changed, Fuchsia would take a little bit to get back to them. And as for the head of the Wolf family...

“Honestly, Gob,” Guen mumbled as she adjusted her mate’s red and green necktie, “this little routine would be less of a hassle if you just learned to do this yourself.”

Gob rolled his eyes and puffed through his nose. “You know I hate wearing these things.”

“Just like you hate wearing pants, shirts, and most every other article of clothing,” the older she-wolf retorted, “I swear, you’d be a nudist if it was legal.” With another couple of motions, he looked like quite the presentable fellow with the whole white shirt and black jacket style. “And yet you’re so handsome when you do actually get dressed up.”

The patriarch sighed and brought her in for a quick and chaste kiss. “Only because you know what best suits me, love.”

“Well, I would say that you all clean up very nicely,” J commended the lot of them, “and I’m glad I get to be a part of all of this. Thank you again for having me.”

“Think nothing of it, J,” Guen told him kindly, “we’re happy that you could join us this year.” She clasped her hands together and glanced around at the gathering so far. “Well, since we still have a little time before our other guests show, let’s make sure everything is set up for when they do.”

There were no complaints with that plan, and fortunately, aside from the food, there wasn’t much left to get done. Gizmo and her father went back to helping her mother with the prospective feast, while Gadget took over on extending the table so that it would have enough space for everyone and everything. Miles got all the lights turned on and fetched some music for the occasion, humming along to some thematic tunes while he double-checked all the decorations. J wanted to chip in, but his cousin assured him it wasn’t necessary, and so he was left with little else to do but hang out and relax.

Not even five minutes after they were all done, there was a series of three knocks at the front door, followed by the bell ringing. Being the fastest and the closest, Miles hopped to the task, straightened his collar, and then opened it up to greet the Cat family. 

Fuchsia was first at the door, sporting a red V-neck blouse and a pair of black dress pants, which her boyfriend found quite lovely on her. Lavender wore an almost identical getup to Gadget, only with dark brown shorts instead of khaki ones like the wolf had. And lastly, there was a cat slightly shorter and rounder than the both of them with blue eyes and rich red fur. He wore a formal white shirt and green dress suspenders, with brown loafers and white gloves to complete the look. It was unusual to see him so dressed up, given his occupation, but Cinnabar pulled it off well.

"Thanks for inviting us, Gob," the fisherman feline told the green wolf, “hopefully it wasn’t too much trouble to fit us in.”

Gob moved in and patted him firmly on the shoulder. "It's no trouble at all, Cinny! I thought since my boyo and your lass are getting on famously, we could spend the holiday together for once."

The mentioned pair shuffled uncomfortably, though only two others were aware why. They wisely didn't call any attention to their behavior, and one of the unexpected guests thankfully made that easier. Upon spotting J, Lavender excitedly went up to him, and was thrilled to discover the cross fox was the real deal. The author was more than happy to engage him and Cinnabar, which Gadget and Fuchsia were grateful for.

Following that exchange and some brief introductions, most of the group went to the table while Guen and Gadget went to bring out the delights. The total number present worked out well, with the Wolf patriarch taking the head of the table while the others settled in on the sides. From Gob’s position, he left one space open on his right for his mate, with Cinnabar taking the seat to his left. The chair next to the cat was occupied by Lavender, with Fuchsia and J filling up the line down to the end. On the other side, Gizmo took the second seat from her dad's right, with Miles settling into the fourth and leaving one between him and his sister open so Gadget could sit across from Fuchsia.

A few moments later, the red wolf walked in and set a large tray down in the center of the table. It had finely sliced pieces of pink meat laid on a bed of salad leaves and sliced tomatoes, with a few lemon wedges and sauce cups provided as well. There were also a few saucers and numerous small crustaceans laid out so that they didn't overlap with the strips.

"For starters," Gadget announced, "we have smoked salmon with Marie Rose sauce, and shelled prawns with cocktail dip for those that like them."

Cinnabar chuckled and rubbed his hands together eagerly. "So this is what you did with the salmon you bought from me recently. Very nice!"

"And for those in the mood for something earthier," Guen said as she put a large pot onto a heat-resistant mat, "we have a thick and hearty vegetable soup made from potatoes, parsnips, leeks, celery, carrots, red onions, and garlic."

The nine Animals each grabbed a bowl or a portion of the other dish. When Fuchsia bit into the salmon, she shuddered from the smoky taste and the tender texture. While she did like fish, particularly when her father or Guen cooked it, there was something about this batch that was just wonderful. She couldn’t help letting out a pleased giggle, covering her mouth with one hand to hide her happy grin. Gadget did his best to pretend he hadn’t noticed that, but it was difficult when her behavior caught the attention of others.

“What’s so funny?” her brother questioned.

The pink feline shook her head. “Nothing.” She beamed brightly at him and her father. “I just think it’s really good.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Cinnabar agreed, spritzing a little lemon juice on a piece before saucing it up and taking a bite, “mmm, and that goes well with it, too.”

Nobody was the wiser to the lady cat’s odd moment, and she managed to keep it under control with further indulgence. Once everyone had their fill of the appetizers, out came the main course. For the meats, there was a lovely golden turkey on one platter, a honey-and-mustard-glazed ham on another, and a stack of bacon-wrapped cocktail sausages on a third tray. This all came with roasted and mashed potatoes, some with garlic and a cheesy topping, broccoli, carrots, and brussel sprouts. Last but certainly not least, a rich and dark gravy made from the turkey’s juices was served alongside it all.

“Oh, pigs in blankets!” J said with delight as he picked up one of the sausages, “my mum likes to make these during the holiday, too!”

Everyone else eagerly dug in, but made sure to let the others have their turn so they didn’t crowd around. After grabbing what she wanted, Fuchsia was ready to take a bite of the bird, but she didn't get the chance. The moment the turkey hit her tongue, she felt her stomach turn, gagging and letting the piece fall out of her mouth as she clutched her gut and dropped her fork. A wave of nausea passed over her, and the cat had to try very hard not to give in to the urge to vomit.

"Whoa, you okay, Sis?" Lavender asked as he saw the sick look on her face, “you usually like turkey.”

Cinnabar stopped eating, clear worry in his eyes. "Are you sick, sweetie?"

"You mean she didn't tell you?" Guen wondered with a raised brow, "well, Cin, she woke up this morning feeling pretty bad, so Gad took her to the clinic to see what was wrong."

The red cat glanced at the vermilion wolf, then back at his daughter with no less concern. "Thanks for that. But what did they say, Fuchsia? Is it serious?"

Gob thought to add what Miles told him, but he was curious about the answer, too. And when he swept his gaze across the table, he saw a momentary panic in both Fuchsia and Gadget's features. He also picked up on some discomfort from Gizmo and Miles, even though they were being much more subtle. They knew something, and he was going to figure out what. And in his experience, the best way to do that was to be direct.

"Aye, what did the doctors say, son?" he pressed, fixing an inquisitive glare on the red twin.

The fox and the teal she-wolf both bit their lips, knowing they'd been all but found out. Seeing no way out aside from just getting it over with, Gadget sighed and stood up from his seat.

"I wanted to tell you all at a less awkward moment." He went around to the other side and put a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder. "But, the doctors informed us that we're going to have a new member of the family."

Silence rang in everyone's ears as the news was absorbed. Both Gob and Guen were blatantly surprised, though they didn't seem upset. Cinnabar stared at the two of them slack-jawed, but was otherwise an unmoving statue.  As for J and Lavender, they were the first to speak.

"I'm gonna be an uncle?" the purplish cat muttered, still processing the idea.

"That’s quite the news!" the cross fox spoke with mirth in his voice, "do you know when it's coming?"

Fuchsia grunted as she fought against the pangs and aches she felt. "They said to expect sometime in May."

At that, Cinnabar's eyes rolled back, and his chair fell back as he fainted and thudded onto the floor. Lavender was immediately next to him, trying to shake him awake again, while Fuchsia hung her head. Gadget hugged her close and placed his chin between her ears, his own pair folded back fearfully. The father cat was brought around after a couple of minutes, a somber expression on his face as he regarded his daughter and his soon-to-be son-in-law.

“Thanks for the food and company,” he told them quietly, "but, I think I need some time to myself. Have a good night."

Fuchsia raised a hand as if to try and stop him. "Daddy–"

"Let him be, lass," Gob cut in, letting Cinnabar leave before he continued speaking, "I've words for you both, anyway."

He reached beneath the table and slammed a nondescript bottle onto the wood. It was the same one that Miles had brought back after his time on Little Planet.

"Gad, Fuchsia, let me tell you," the wolf's father grunted as he topped off his glass, "this whole situation with the two of you..." He then went over to pour a bit of the drink into his boy's own cup, letting out a heavy sigh. "This is very much like how it was with Guen and I all those years ago. Sure brings back memories."

The bespectacled young adult quit his cowering, cocked his head at the glass, and then at his dad. "Wha?"

"History doesn't necessarily repeat," Guen replied, "but it does often rhyme. I was young, younger than you in fact, Fuchsia dear, when Gob and I discovered that I was pregnant with Gad and Giselle, in a similar manner to what happened this morning." She flashed an empathetic smile. "I know it’s quite shocking and daunting, but don't feel bad about being caught off-guard and unprepared. Many parents will tell you that their first kids came into their lives when they least expected them to, as was the case with us."

Even with how calm and understanding his parents were, Gadget was still a bit stressed. He gazed at the wine in his cup; he wasn't much of a drinker, but he was really feeling the urge, so he took a good, long sip of the dark crimson liquid. As if answering his need to tackle his anxiety, the wine flowed through him smoothly and sweetly right to his gut. In fact, the moment it settled in his stomach, he already felt loads better. This blend, whatever Miles had brought home, really did help in the moment.

"I needed that," he mumbled. After setting the glass aside, Gadget audibly balled his gloves. "I’m a bit nervous about what’s to come. I don’t know if I’ve ever been more afraid in my life, to be honest.” He let his hands wander down and gently pressed them into Fuchsia’s belly. “But I promise that I’ll do everything I can to raise our kid right.”

Everyone was touched by the sentiment, but it was safe to say that Gob and Guen were the most proud. The latter of them rushed in to embrace him with a powerful hug, nearly forcing the air from his lungs.

"Gad, my sweet boy," cried the blue wolf, burying her dampening face into his shoulder, "a father. Feels like just yesterday that you were bouncing on our knees.”

"Aye," Gob concurred while he wiped away a tear, “you’ve grown up so fast.” He nodded at Gadget. "And don't worry, son; we'll be here to help you, come hell or high water."

Gizmo thumped a fist against the top of her chest. "Me too. You know I've always got your guys' backs."

"I’m still a bit blown away by all this,” Lavender admitted, “I thought it’d be at least a few more years before I became an uncle.” He shrugged and smiled. “Still, congrats, Fu, and if you need any help, just ask! As for Dad, he’ll come around. Just give him some time, like he said.”

The young couple looked at Miles, who simply gave them his trademark peace sign. Fuchsia and Gadget both felt their spirits lifted by what they were hearing and seeing; it seemed that they had nothing to worry about when it came to support.

The dinner went on, the pink cat treading carefully with what she put on her plate so as to avoid another nausea spell. She also avoided having any wine, though most everyone else had a little bit themselves. When everyone was nearly full from their meal, dessert was finally brought out. One platter had Christmas pudding, with hot custard and vanilla ice cream to go along with it. Another had slices of mince pie, which the family had been having here and there leading up to the holiday. But the one that most of them were anticipating was Gob’s traditional Irish Christmas cake, a product of many weeks of preparation. It was one that the fox had been waiting years to finally try; something about not being old enough to have it until now.

Just as he was about to dig into his slice of the until now forbidden treat, Miles heard a few knocks at the front door followed by a single ring of the bell. He got up from his seat and volunteered to go see who it was, exiting the dining room and making his way over there. When he opened the door, he saw his partner standing there, sporting his usual bright and confident demeanor.

“Looking pretty sharp, big guy!” came Sonic’s praise, the young hedgehog flashing him finger guns and a wink.

And just like the boy had said in their earlier call, he hadn’t come alone. But rather than the usual suspects in the form of the Chaotix, the revelation of who was with the hoglet shocked the fox even more. It had been a few years since he’d last seen the duo, but he recognized them immediately. The first one was a yellow-furred flying squirrel with a dark tan muzzle, inner ears, and a circular patch on his chest much like what Sonic sported. He had blue eyes, a tapered tuft of hair on the top of his head, perky triangular ears, a small black nose, long bushy tail, and patagium, as his species was known for. His build was best described as wiry, and he stood a couple centimeters or so shorter than Espio, if the fox were to compare the two. For attire, he wore a blue scarf, gray flight goggles with blue lenses and straps, white gloves with blue cuffs, white socks, and blue shoes with white cuffs, gray soles, and two white patches on the top. He seemed happy, albeit nervous as he gazed up at the fox.

The second Animal was a black armadillo with tan skin and a red shell, the latter of which rounded from his forehead above to his lower back. He also had blue eyes, a medium-long and sharp black nose, a pointy tail, and a set of side-facing, funnel-shaped ears. He was notably younger and smaller than the squirrel, but was overall a tad more muscular and taller than Sonic or Charmy, albeit just barely when compared to the bee boy. His garb consisted of black, brown and red hiking boots with gray soles and laces, red socks, and fingerless black gloves with red lining and silver buckles on brown cuffs. Unlike his companion, he was more comfortable and confident in his demeanor, and pleased to now be in the two-tail’s company.

“Hey, Miles,” the squirrel said shyly, “l-long time no see.”

“You got tall, dude!” the armadillo commented cheekily.

Miles ran forward and brought them in for a group hug. They were momentarily stunned by the show of affection, but soon returned it, with the two taller Animals grunting a bit at the shorter one’s contribution. He had quite a lot of strength in his grip, and not just for someone his size.

“Oof, you’re living up to your name more and more, Mighty!” the fox said with a strained chuckle, “and it’s great to see you too, Ray!” He let them go and dusted himself off. “Don’t just stand around out here, though. Come on in!”

All three of the other fellows accepted the invitation without hesitation. Before they got to the dining room, however, Guen was there to meet them.

“Welcome back, Sonic,” she greeted the hedgehog, casting her gaze over at the other two Animals, “and who might your friends be?”

Miles put an arm around each of them, nodding first to the yellow mammal. “This is Ray the Flying Squirrel.” He then gestured to the other boy. “And this is Mighty the Armadillo. I met them during the time Dr. Fukurokov got the drop on us and managed to temporarily imprison us in his island fortress. Once we teamed up, though, we sunk the place and sent the old owl limping back to the GBK in shame.”

“Oh yes, I remember you telling us about that.” The she-wolf scratched her chin for a moment, then smiled and leaned in to pat Sonic on the head. “Well, we should still have plenty of food left over for you three.” Her nose slightly scrunched up when she caught his scent, and she backed away with a disapproving look only a mother could manage. “You boys wash up before you come join us, though; you’ve not the most pleasant odor about you at the moment.”

Miles would’ve stood up for his partner, but he had to admit that Guen was right. While hardly the most foul thing he’d ever gotten a whiff of, it was enough for the fox to usher his friends towards the shower. A short time later, they were presentable enough to sit at the table with everyone else, thankful to finally get some grub.

“T-thanks for accommodating us,” Ray stuttered shyly as he gingerly shuffled some food onto a provided plate.

Gizmo covered her mouth to silence a giggle, finding the squirrel’s bashful behavior adorable. “It’s no trouble. Miles told us about the time you guys teamed up, so we know you’re good.”

“Oh yeah, when we took out that old owl’s fortress!” Mighty piped up, “that guy was a real jerk, although this other guy we fought with recently was pretty mean, too.”

Miles paused in the middle of taking a bite of cake. “Who’s that?”

“We’ll tell ya tomorrow, Tails,” Sonic said, scarfing down another sausage, “it’s a long story, and I just wanna eat and enjoy tonight.”

The fox was still more than a little interested, but he didn’t push the topic. He would get his answers soon enough, and more than anything, he was happy to see both a couple more old friends and his adventuring partner in good shape. He did find it odd that his family dissuaded them from having any of the cake, though, much like when he himself was younger. A devious snicker was shared by the twins when he asked for a second slice, which was even stranger. It was really good, so why wouldn't he want another one?

As the night went on, everyone eventually had their fill, with some leftovers being wrapped up for the Cat siblings to take home for their father to enjoy. After everything else was put away, the Wolf family and Miles all got together after to sing some carols and classics, with Sonic and Fuchsia joining in for a few of them. Even J got in on the action, proving that much like his cousin, he had quite a set of pipes. Later on, the two felines were ready to bid everyone a good night, but not before they left a couple of presents for the lupine twins. The quartet happened to be under some mistletoe at the time, so Gadget and Fuchsia shared a kiss, as was the custom. Lavender smiled expectantly at Gizmo, who crossed her arms, let out a huff, and ultimately gave the purplish cat a peck on the forehead. Not quite what he wanted, but he’d take it.

When the time came for everyone to turn in, the guest room was occupied by three of the four visitors, with the armadillo and hedgehog taking the beds while the squirrel was provided with some sheets and pillows to rest on the couch. Gob offered to get in contact with the village’s inn to get J a room, but the cross fox declined. The two cousins wished the others a restful sleep, stayed a moment to appreciate the lights on the house, then made their way to the teen’s cabin. More than a couple of times, Miles nearly tripped over himself, but he was able to save himself from embarrassment.

‘I’m so clumsy tonight,’ he contemplated, ‘maybe I should go to bed soon.’

He then remembered one little complication.

“I don’t, uh, exactly have good accommodations for you,” Miles notified him, “my bed’s a twin, and I don’t have a couch or anything that would make a good substitute.”

J stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Do you have a bed roll or sleeping bag? If so, I don’t mind curling up on the floor.”

“I suppose we could do that,” the younger fox mused, “the only other alternative is having you take the hammock next to the cabin.”

“Well, I’m no stranger to sleeping outside. Still, let’s explore the former option first, shall we?”

It sounded good to them, and soon enough, the two arrived at their destination. J got a feel for the interior while Miles went down into the lab to check for camping equipment. Halfway down, he let out a brief yell as his feet slipped and he lost his grip with one hand, leaving him hanging by the other. His two tails quickly grabbed the sides of the ladder, pulling his feet back to the rungs.

“Miles!” J shouted down at him, “are you hurt?”

“No, I’m alright,” the teen responded, “I just lost my grip for a second.”

“Well, do be careful.”

Miles soon reached the bottom and searched around. Within a few moments, he found a blue sleeping bag and climbed back up the ladder, feeling oddly unsteady as he did. He wanted to dismiss it as him being momentarily startled from nearly falling, but he knew that wasn't it. And yet, he wasn't really that worried, if he was being honest. Even if it turned out to be something bad, he had his cousin here to help if he needed assistance.

In any event, J gratefully accepted the bag, laying it out in front of the foot of Miles' bed. He set his luggage off to the side and kicked off his shoes, then proceeded to throw off his shirt. The cross fox revealed that most of his lean torso was black, only some of the chest tufts and a few streaks on the sides bearing a dull orange. After shedding his slacks, his legs turned out to be much like his arms, being black on the top and bottom in relation to his knees, and orange on the edges. Thankfully, he also wore the same sort of underwear that most male Animals did while out in the world, which had been made in mind for his unusual coat.

"It's strange," Miles muttered absentmindedly while he disrobed himself.

J hummed his way with a scrutinizing undertone. "What is?"

"When I was exploring Little Planet last week, I was given this envelope." He went to his workbench and picked up the mentioned item. "It's odd because as far as I've seen, there aren't any Animals or humans living there; just Critters. So...I wonder who could have written it and how they knew I'd be there to find it."

The older vulpine sat atop the sleeping bag with his legs crossed, his right elbow propped on the same side’s hip while he rested his chin in that palm. “Well, there is one way you can possibly find out.”

Miles looked over at J, who sat up straighter and made a tearing motion with his hands. It reminded him of the times where Charmy, despite his sparse knowledge of certain subjects, had pointed out the fixes to some of his issues. As the bee had advised him, sometimes the best solution is the most obvious one.

The teen heeded those words and his cousin’s gesture, carefully ripping open one side of the envelope. Inside, he found a single eight-by-eleven sheet pressed into thirds, which he brought out and unfolded.

“Hmm, there’s a quatrain here,” he informed J as he sat on the edge of his bed, “it reads: ‘Rejoice for there’s no need to fear, the ones you seek did not disappear. Should you wish for answers clear, find these four on the world frontier’.”

His eyes were drawn to an image at the end of the note, one that almost made him drop it. The same pattern of mythical creatures on Vanilla’s coffee table was there in the bottom-right corner, as though someone had made a perfect miniature likeness and stamped it onto the paper. The cross fox stood up and went to his cousin’s side to see what had spooked him, intrigue in his brown orbs once he got a glimpse.

“How interesting,” he mused, tracing a gloved finger over it, “I've run across this symbol a few times during my research and expeditions. I've not been able to piece together the overall significance, only that of each individual creature. As you see, there's a dragon, a unicorn, a phoenix, and a skeleton dog. All of these do exist as Critters, and with the exception of the lattermost, are exceedingly rare. However, in some parts of the world, there are tales about Animal versions of these mythical beings..."

Miles' mind wandered a little bit as his cousin launched into a brief lecture. What he was hearing wasn't hard to grasp at all, but it didn't feel like he was in the right head space to properly absorb it. He found himself bizarrely okay with that, though. What was going on with him tonight?

"Ah, Miles?" the other fox called out to him, shaking a hand in front of his face, "are you listening?"

The two-tail blinked slowly and cradled his head in one hand. "Sorry, J, I just feel kinda weird. Not a bad kind of weird, but–"

He hiccuped and cut himself off, raising a hand to cover his mouth. His cousin snorted with amusement at the display.

"Well, it's to be expected you'd be a bit tipsy by now," J stated matter-of-factually, "I'm feeling it a little myself."

Miles cocked his head in confusion. "I didn't have any alcohol."

"You had two sizable slices of cake!" When the teen continued to stare blankly, J couldn't help but laugh harder. "Oh my gods, you really didn't know?"

"Know what?"

"Miles, an Irish Christmas cake is traditionally made with whiskey. It's meant to be moist, so it's soaked and dampened every so often to both finalize the flavor and texture, and keep it from drying out." He smirked softly. "Gob baked a mean one, by the way, probably the best I've ever had."

So, that's what had been going on, and why the others had been snickering or giving him concerned looks. That's why he'd been losing focus and feeling unbalanced, both physically and mentally. He was experiencing the effects of inebriation for the first time.

“I can’t believe none of them told me,” he moaned. He wanted to be mad, but found himself smiling instead. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

"The others seemed fine with letting you indulge, so I didn’t interject,” J replied with a shrug, "and to be fair, you never asked. You were too content to stuff your face, I think."

"Smart-ass." Miles' expression widened into a grin.

The cross fox chuckled. "Better that than a dumb-ass."

"Oh, I agree wholeheartedly."

The two shared a little laugh at that, both feeling a tad more flush. 

“It was really good, though,” Miles mumbled, rubbing at his stomach.

“Oh yes, it was most excellent,” J concurred happily.

Neither of them were particularly tired, so they elected to stay up a bit longer. Another hour or so went by where they filled the time talking about Miles' past outings and adventures. From the first assault of the Battle Kukku Empire to his recent visit with Cream, he caught J up on everything he hadn't already told him. The curator was quite fascinated by the tales, especially the one regarding the Time Stones, taking notes as he went. It seemed even a bit of drink wouldn't slow that part of him down. He even waited patiently for a few moments when his cousin stumbled on some of his words.

Eventually, though, the teen got too drowsy to go on, and it was getting harder to concentrate given how the cake was affecting him. He'd been surprised that it wasn't as bad as most entertainment made it out to be, but he wasn't too eager to experience it again soon. Maybe it could be one of those once in a blue moon things, like during parties and celebrations. That wouldn't be so bad.

Night came and went, and when morning rolled around, Miles was still a tad bleary, and his throat was more than a little dry. J was already dressed by the time he was roused, and handed him a bottle of water with a knowing look on his face. He gratefully accepted it, and felt relief like little he'd known once he quenched his thirst.

"Good morning and Merry Christmas," J hailed him quietly, "how are you feeling?"

Miles stretched and put on his shoes and gloves. Aside from those, he only added a festive green scarf around his neck.

"Pretty good, all things considered," he answered with a chipper tone.

"You did handle your first time well, I will say." The older fox withdrew a small bag from his luggage and smiled. "Anyway, shall we go? I imagine everyone is awaiting us."

Miles nodded and led the way. All the presents he'd prepared were already at the house, so there was no need to delay. As expected, the Wolf family was waiting for them in the living room, along with Sonic, Mighty, and Ray, dressed more casually than the night before. The twins had gone ahead and organized the presents into stacks so they didn’t have to go messing about under the tree. When they noticed the two foxes come in, the amber one was immediately assaulted with a family hug.

“Merry Christmas, Miles!” they all cheered.

Crushed between the four of them, Miles tried to wiggle free, but to no avail. He could see his three friends off to the side, both touched and amused by what was going on.

“Guys, you’re embarrassing me!” he whined, feeling his cheeks burn beneath the fur.

Gizmo leaned in to nuzzle at his left cheek. “Silly fox, that’s what family is for.”

“She’s right, you know,” J added as the group made space for him to join, “quit being such a kit and just enjoy it.”

Miles groaned and rolled his eyes, but ultimately squeezed them back, using both arms and tails. They then broke up the hug and made sure to get everyone in for a few photos. Once some more pictures had been snapped of the group in various arrangements, they moved on to the presents.

Sonic hadn't gotten anyone anything due to his recent escapade, but he had a few items to receive. From Gob and Guen, he was given two new pairs of gloves and shoes, one set specifically made for rough terrain and exploring. Miles gave him a utility belt much like his own, while Gadget gifted him with a grappling mount for his gloves, and Gizmo gave him a pair of flight goggles. J even had something for him, which turned out to be an adjustable silver bracelet with a modest piece of jade set in it.

Gadget received new clothes from his parents, a statuette of a certain toad character from his sister, an updated communicator from Miles, and a simple studded silver ring from J. He'd also received some clothing from Fuchsia, which he was hesitant to show everyone else. Gizmo got much the same from Gob and Guen, a new soldering set from her twin brother, a comm from the amber fox, and an amethyst pendant from J. When she opened Lavender's gift, she saw a solid, royal purple arcade style controller, only with the WASD buttons on a keyboard in place of an analog stick.

'He got me a Mixbox with a custom faceplate,' she thought, a small smile on her muzzle, 'perhaps I'll give him a good hug the next time I see him.'

As for Miles, he discovered new pairs of shoes and gloves from his adoptive parents, while J gave him a bangle similar to Sonic's, but with aquamarine in the gem holder instead. As for the twins, they brought out his real Christmas gift like they'd promised last week. Or rather, they summoned it with a whistle, and the last gift in Miles' pile transformed into a familiar robot of his. It was odd, but he could've sworn he'd seen this coming, and yet, he didn't care, not when he had an old friend once again.

"Remi!" the teen exclaimed joyfully, embracing the new form of his loyal companion, "I missed you, boy!" 

After all was said and done, there was little else to do but clean up and put things away. As the Wolf family tended to that, Miles and J remained with the others.

"It was great to join you and your family, Miles," Ray said softly, "s-sorry we didn't get you anything."

The amber fox waved them off. "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad to see you and Mighty again." He rubbed at his chin. "Although, if you feel that indebted, you guys can do something for me."

"What's that?" Mighty questioned him.

The fox relaxed in the middle of the sofa, taking out his multitool and swiping it over to a recording app. "You can tell me how you met my partner and what you guys got up to last week."

"Ooh, more stories!" J said excitedly, never far without his notepad.

It seemed an amenable enough compromise for not having any gifts this occasion. The other four got into a good place, and once they were comfortable, Sonic led the conversation.

"Wish you were there, Tails, because it got pretty crazy," the hedgehog began, "but anyway, it all started when I got a call from Knux..."