Sonic: Rise of the Iron Dominion

Eventful Gathering

"What's up, mom." The fox dryly spoke, dying of boredom and desperation. He heard his mother's footsteps get closer as she walked up to him. "You do know there's a festival going on, right?" She lightly chuckled, hoping to at least make the boy smile. "Yeah, I saw the lights and decorations outside our neighborhood." He answered again without emotion.

"Doooo you maybe want to go walk around and look at some of the tents? Maybe play some of the games going on?" His mother hoped he'd take up on her offer. "I'm not really feeling it mom, but thanks." He continued to looked down at his blueprints, half eyed.

"Miles, honey," His mom paused, as she approached right behind him as easily swiveled his chair around, "I know it's hard for you to make friends, but that shouldn't stop you from going out and enjoying this fantastic occasion! Come on, maybe we can find a nice place to eat." She smiled, hoping that would boost his esteem.

"It's not just the friend thing, mom." Tails sighed, as he looked down at the floor. "I was hoping tonight we'd finally get to have a fun evening with dad." He spoke in a sad tone. "Honey, you know your father's work is important for us. For the kingdom. He has a very high risk job in keeping King Elias safe. I promise you, he wants to be here with you just as much as you want him here." She tried to lift his spirits a bit, though she knew she was failing.

But neither one of them knew, Amadeus was standing on the back porch, listening to their conversation. He was out of view from their cracked open door, listening with his strong hearing. After years in the service, it had just become second nature to him.

"He works hard to make sure we get to live the life we do. Go a little easy on your father." He could hear his sweet wife Rosemary politely try to change Tails' view.

Hearing all this, was the very last thing he needed at the moment. After all, he was trying to hype himself up to go out with his family to enjoy the festival, and least of all, himself. He still had his captain robes on, though his belt, sword and weapons were all safely inside.

He sighed deeply, finally taking a step forward. Which to him, getting himself to try to bond with his son would be the hardest part of the evening. They were moderately close, though not father and son close.

He approached the wooden door, and creaked it open some more. He could still hear his wife try so desperately hard to get Miles to go to the festival, however he still refused.

"Maybe we could stop by the castle and see Elias and your father? Would you want to do that if we went?" Rosemary used her last attempt. "Dad is too busy to see me. It would be pointless." Tails draggedly said.

His words did cut deeper into his father than he thought. Amadeus looked down at the ground, realizing just how little time he'd been making for his son the past couple years. But once afraid, he now wanted that to change. He wanted to be the father he was supposed to be.

"I'm never to busy to have fun with my son." He finally spoke, startling both his wife and Miles. When they turned around, Rosemary just looked at him with wide eyes, while Tails' face filled with color once again. His smile became so bright, his eyes almost started to glimmer. It filled his mother's heart with joy, knowing her husband actually came to see his family.

"I saw something about carnival games and food near the city square? Sound like fun?" Amadeus finally smiled, causing Tails to gasp in glee. The orange fox leapt up from his seat, and ran up to hug his father by the waist. Amadeus flinched for a moment, before easily hugging back. "Well that looks like a yes to me." Rosemary smiled at the sight.

The three proceeded out from their house, and on their way to join in on the festivities.
___________________________

Sonic and Sally loved the tent food just as much as anyone else, though Sonic was enjoying it a little too much.

The two sat at an open table that seemed to be right below the bright moonlight. Sally happily enjoyed a festive colored pasta, while Sonic... Sonic devoured what seemed like an endless amount of chili dogs. Of course, that wasn't the strangest part.

The strangest part, was the people seeing their very own Princess in ceremonial dress, sitting at a overused wooden table. To the people it just felt... peaceful. It was just something about seeing her doing the same thing as average people, that it looked humbling.

She stared at Sonic with a blank face, while he viciously devoured the chili dogs like they were candy. "You do understand, we are in public. At a public event." She narrowed her eyes at him. His only answer was a brief nod, clearly not catching her drift.

"Is this really what you want the kids to see? The kids than look up to you?" Sally again tried to persuade him to eat more like a gentleman. "Mmm," he stopped and wiped his mouth, "they see me how they see me. I'm Sonic baby, it's just part of what makes me so macho." Sonic smirked, causing Sally to roll her eyes.

"I do not know how you fit all that ego in your head." Sally blankly smiled, jokingly banging on his forehead.

"Easy, it fills his entire body." The two heard Elias' voice, and looked at him with shock. They weren't expecting to see her brother roaming around in the public by himself, being the King and all. He had on his exact same attire, and approached the table.

"What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be—

"Cooped in the castle? Yeah, but then I wouldn't get to enjoy this occasion with my favorite sister." He tauntingly patted her back with a smile. "I'm your only sister, Elias." Sally palmed her face, oddly confused why he's acting like a clown in public. Like Sonic.

But as their conversation just started, more and more people began to crowd around them, just as surprised to see the King himself.

"It's really him!"

"He's even more handsome in person!"

"He looks just like his father!"

The people began to speak amongst themselves.

"Hey look at you, Mr. Celebrity." Sonic joked, as he finally finished his insanely lengthy plate of chili dogs. All of Elias' attention, then went to the crowd of people. He smiled and waved to them just as he was taught, knowing how well it worked when he used to watch his father and sally do it.

As he was working his royal magic on the crowd, a photographer for the New Mobian Times made his way through. "Jay Estevez with the New Mobian Times," He quickly introduced himself to the king, "could I get a photo of you, Princess Sally and Mr. Hedgehog?" He politely asked, though clearly ancy. 

"Of course." Elias politely agreed, turning to Sonic and his sister. The two stood up form their table, and stood side by side with the king. "Wonderful, wonderful!" The photographer cheered, as the flash on his camera flashed numerous times, blinding the trio.

But while Sally and Sonic were being hypnotized by the repetitive flashing, Elias noticed something rather... unusual up in the night sky.

He noticed something odd about the cloud pattern. Almost as if something was being hidden between two groups of clouds. All of the clouds were the same dark color, except one.

It was a dark gun metal grey, and was a perfectly round shape. Not to mention, it was moving so much faster than the rest of the clouds. "What the—
He began to speak, but was interrupted by the overpowering sound of storming royal guards, peppering the grounds and separating the large crowd of people.

"Your highness, there is about to be an attack! You and the princess need to come with us, now!" The lead guard spoke, immediately panicking the crowd. "Attack? By who?!" Elias yelled in shock.

But right as he finished his question, the very same grey abject in the sky, began to slowly lower closer over the kingdom. The perfectly rounded orb had a single logo on the front, the very logo that terrified his great people.

It was that, of Dr. Eggman.