Back to Chapter 34

Sonic munched down on his hot breakfast sandwich, another triumph from Bernie. He felt bad about cutting out on her without so much as eating breakfast together but Sonic rather got the impression Nicky might prove to be an emergency case that required his full attention.

“Here it is- my home sweet home!” Nicky excitedly pointed Sonic in the direction of his house. Another hedgehog, short and pudgy, was stood outside.

The other hedgehog waved, “Hi, Nicky!”

“Hey, Little John!” Nicky returned.

Sonic could only assume “Little” was a joke as this kid was assuredly anything but. Little John eyed Sonic’s sandwich and after a pause enquired, “Are you going to eat that?”

Sonic gave an unimpressed look. “Yes,” he said matter-of-factly, before finishing the tasty treat.

“Fair enough. That’s fine, I’ve got one here anyway”

Little John pulled a sandwich out of his pocket. Sonic made a mental note to never ask Little John to hold onto anything for him lest he find it returned with extra cheese.

“Sonic, I want you to meet my folks,” Nicky smiled and opened the front door to his house.

“Nicky, we should probably help you get ready for—” But it was too late.

“Hey, everybody!” Nicky called inside, “You’ll never guess who’s here to visit!”

Nicky practically yanked Sonic’s arm off as he dragged him inside.

“Oh, my goodness!” Nicky’s mother clapped her hand to her mouth in surprise, “Sonic the Hedgehog”

“Hello,” Sonic waved half-heartedly, uncertain “It’s probably not that surprising, I live with Jules and Bernadette Hedgehog just down the road”

“Well, that’s true, but it’s still a surprise to have a real-life, honest to goodness celebrity in your home!”

“Oh, I’m not really a—”

“Sonic the Hedgehog!” Nicky’s dad swooped in and shaked Sonic’s hand so heartily that Sonic feared it might come off, “The name’s Paulie! I see you’ve already met my darling wife Brenda!”

“Show him the back of your jacket, Paulie!” Brenda encouraged.

“Oh, right! Great idea!”

Paulie turned around to proudly display the back of his jacket- it bore Sonic’s image giving a cheeky wave of the finger a winged golden ring with a red and white banner bearing Sonic’s name.

Sonic was speechless, “…wow”

“We thought it was great that someone from our village saved the world!”

“Oh, I had a lot of help from my friends,” Sonic tried to protest.

“So do you like it?” Paulie led Sonic.

“Oh, the jacket?” Sonic sensed he’d upset Paulie if he told him the jacket was unusual territory for him. It’s not every day most people see themselves on a garment worn by someone else. Sonic gave a sincere smile and nodded, “Yeah, I do like it! I’m not used to this at all but… it’s nice, I’m glad I could help”

A set of footsteps delicately tromped downstairs. A young girl hedgehog, evidently Nicky’s little sister, joined the family. The yellow hedgehog started, “What’s going on down—oh my gosh, Sonic the Hedgehog!”

“This is Tania, my little sister,” Nicky confirmed, “She’s a big fan of yours, Sonic”

“Well so are you!” Tania replied.

“Can’t deny that,” Nicky beamed.

Sonic smiled somewhat awkwardly. This was turning a bit odd. There was a slight silence.

“You guys got anything to eat?” Little John said, breaking the silence.

“I thought you just had a sandwich,” Sonic noted.

“I did. I don’t any more. I ate it”

“Sorry, kiddo, no food going spare here- tomorrow’s the day we go shopping!”

Little John sighed, “I suppose that’s fair enough” He pulled a pack of sweets from out of his pocket and got to work.

Sonic tried to steer the conversation to a more sensible place, “Nicky, we really need to get prepared for tomorrow”

“What’s tomorrow, Nicky?” Brenda asked.

Sonic prepared himself for the worst, “Nicky accidentally agreed to a boxing match with some big galoot”

“A boxing match?” Paulie was taken aback, “Son, what on Mobius for?”

“It was that jerk Anton Verruca, dad- he said Sonic’s no good and Doctor Robotnik’s cool!”

“And you agreed to fight him over that?!”

“That was pretty much my reaction…” Sonic rolled his eyes.

There was a pregnant pause.

“That’s my boy!” Paulie cheered with delight.

“Show him who’s boss, Nicky!” Brenda added.

“You’re the coolest, bro!” Tania complimented her brother.

“Does anyone have a bag of crisps by any chance?” Little John asked.

Sonic buried his head in his hands. This was not going to end well.

A commotion outside caught everyone’s attention. The hedgehogs peered through the living room window to see what was going on.

Four young lizards, three boys and a girl- clearly, based on their physical resemblance, siblings of Anton- were whooping and hollering up a storm in the middle of the village.

“That family’s nothing but trouble,” Paulie shook his head.

“The Verrucas live in a cave on the outskirts of Hedgehog Village,” Tania explained to Sonic, “They pretty much only show up to cause havoc. Those four are Anton’s brothers, Mud, Hud and Tod- and his sister Migu. She’s real mean”

Sonic watched as the lizards began creating a scene, throwing plant pots from villagers’ gardens around and knocking over street signs. Sonic felt himself get angry at the disrespect being shown to the village.

“Boys! Migu! What are you doing?!” An older lizard arrived.

“That’s Hogi Verruca,” Nicky told Sonic, “He’s Anton’s dad. He’s kind of nice, actually”

“Shame on you!” Hogi continued, “You know better than that!”

Sonic looked at Nicky, “He seems okay- how come his kids are all so awful?”

“HOGI! WHAT do you think you’re doing?!” bellowed a voice.

Sonic’s eyes almost popped out of his head as the owner of the voice stomped up behind the rest of the Verrucas. A female lizard, more scary and intimidating than any of the rest of the family and carrying a frame that would have made Doctor Robotnik look slim and trim by comparison, was the cruel-looking person who’d shouted at poor Hogi.

“How DARE you speak that way to my little angels? What kind of a father are you?!”

“Yes, Vera, dear, I’m sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking,” Hogi responded, sheepishly and somewhat pathetically.

“Does that answer your question?” Nicky said to Sonic.

“She’s a real big… personality, huh?” Sonic replied, as tactfully as possible.

“Mrs Verruca used to be slim and pretty,” Tania noted, “But Mr Verruca’s a chef- I guess she let herself get used to his food and then let herself go”

“Hey, she can be whatever size she likes,” Sonic replied, “But I’m not keen on her attitude”

“She’s horrible,” Tania stated. I wish someone would knock her down a peg or two.

“Children,” Vera called out to her offspring, “tomorrow, your big brother is going to defend the honour of this family against that dreadful blue hedgehog boy- I want everyone in town to know so they can watch my lovely Anton prove how good we Verrucas are! I’d tell you to put up some fliers but we don’t have any- so just spray whatever graffiti you can on any surface you can find”

The Verruca kids scattered in different directions.

“It’s high time the hedgehogs of this village learned what’s good for them!” Vera continued to her husband, “Why, that wonderful Doctor Robotnik had the right idea, trying to capture those beastly creatures!”

“Yes dear…” Hogi responded, not really believing it.

“Something tells me this is no ordinary family of loudmouths,” Sonic said to Nicky, “In fact, I reckon you might just end up a target of the whole family for taking on this boxing match. Nicky, we need a plan- and we need one fast”

Chapter 36 coming soon