Silent Night
A Sonic the Hedgehog Story
by Ryan Huber

This entire story and all related characters in it are protected under 
copyright laws. It fine to distribute this story, but only in it's full form, 
with no alterations, and never for profit.

Sonic the Hedgehog, Princess Sally, and all other related characters are 
copyrights of SEGA, DIC, and Archie Comic Publications. Except for the 
following...

Bookshire and Sandra Nightweaver: David Pistone
Sir Kain: Eric Goodwin
Ryan Nightweaver: Ryan Huber

Alright...this is a _peaceful_ story.  No lasers blasting or robot limbs 
flying.  If you're looking for that...I suggest not reading this story.

Historian's Note:  This story takes place the Christmas after Doomsday, where 
Robotnik was killed, in 3236.  Packbell has retreated to a base in the Dark 
Mountains, and Snively has taken control of Robotropolis, and is working on 
plans to take over Mobius.  (However, you don't hear about them...)  Ryan has 
been on Mobius now for about a year, and has settled into his new life.


	Ryan looked up from the computer he was working at.  "Hello."
	Sir Kain blinked behind him.  "How'd you know I was coming...I hadn't 
said anything yet."
	Ryan turned around in the chair.  "Hmm...  Well, Eric, Sandra's traits 
must be rubbing off on me."
	Sir Kain grinned.  "Of course."  The feline paused.  "I can't believe 
it's almost Christmas."
	Ryan half-smiled.  "You surprised as I was that they had it here?"
	Kain smiled.  "I suppose.  I must go."
	Ryan waved at his friend.  Kain bowed as he left.
	Ryan turned back to the computer.  "Hmm..." he thought.  "I think 
Sandra deserves some company this Christmas.  Won't be easy finding her, 
though."
	Ryan shrugged.  His skills were better since he had come to Mobius, 
thanks to watching Sandra...but practice made perfect.
	Ryan smiled.  "What the heck," he thought, "I'll even bring Christmas 
dinner."
	He turned around again to work on the computer.

	Bookshire looked around, seeing who was around outside.  The raccoon 
moved along with his cane, just wandering.
	"It feels good this time of year..." he thought.  "The spirit of 
giving...the sights...the smells...  The smells?!"
	Something was burning.
	"Oh, pleazed you will be to be helping me!" Antoine cried from a 
distance.
	Bookshire began to move faster, towards the smoke.

	After the smoke had been cleared, and the fire put out, Ryan stood 
there laughing.
	Antoine scowled at moved up to Ryan.  "What is to be your probelem?!  
Can you not see zat ze Christmas turkey is ruined?"
	Ryan smiled.  "The only turkey that can't be saved here is you, Ant."
	Antoine actually tried to shove Ryan.  The metamorph sidestepped faster 
than most could follow, and Antoine lost his balance.
	Ryan looked down, smiling a bit.  "This is Christmas...a peaceful time.  
It was only a joke, Ant."
	Ryan helped Antoine up, then looked up again.  "I'm looking at the 
turkey as we speak.  It's only lightly burned.  We can still cut off those 
parts and saved the rest.  There should still be plenty."
	Sally looked up as well from the burnt bird.  "I suppose that would 
work..."
	Sonic jumped in.  "But it'd look like modern art after that," he said, 
grinning.
	Ryan crossed his arms.  "I suppose you want to throw all of this away 
and waste it?  I certainly hope not."
	"No..no..  Good idea Ryan..." said Sally.
	Ryan and Sonic both smiled.  "And put whoever let Antoine cook in 
prison for a few days!" they both said simultaneously.
	They looked over at each other, surprised, then laughed.

	Sandra Nightweaver has in her hideout in the Great Unknown.  She stared 
down at maps and notes, but her heart just wasn't in it.  She leaned back and 
sighed.  "Another Christmas alone...  Ryan is, no doubt, celebrating with the 
Freedom Fighters.  I could crash the party...but I think not...let him enjoy 
himself." she thought.  "Maybe...next year."
	The fox sighed again and went back to examining charts..but she still 
couldn't concentrate.

	Ryan waved at the last of the Freedom Fighters.  He set off to find 
Sandra's hideout with part of the salvaged turkey, Bookshire's lowfat eggnog, 
and a present.
	He smiled and carried the backpack.  This would be a good Christmas.
	The metamorph made sure he was still in fox form, and he set off 
towards the Great Unknown, where Sandra was supposed to hide out.

	The Freedom Fighters waited until Ryan had left, and headed back 
towards his hut.  They milled around inside for a time, putting presents on his 
bed.  Most smiled, and left.  He'd find them when he got back.
	Sonic and Sally walked out together.
	Sonic turned to Sally.  "Well, Sal...you want to spend Christmas 
together?"
	Sally looked at the hedgehog and smiled.  "I wouldn't have it any other 
way."
	They walked off together, and stayed awake and with each other for the 
night.

	After a few hours, Ryan reached the Great Unknown.  Morphing into a 
dragon had helped get him there faster.  He turned back to fox form and 
continued.  He looked for signs of either frequent use or a good place for a 
hideout.
	He found both.
	He saw a patch of boulders ahead that formed a wall of sorts.  They 
were well arranged to look like nature's work, but they still looked like an 
open invitation for a secret area...to him, anyway.
	Ryan stepped towards the rocks.  He looked over all of them carefully.  
He finally gave up.
	"Well, hell..." he said.  "I guess she doesn't live out here...kind of 
a lonely place, tho."
	Something Ryan said triggered a mechanism to start working.  The rock 
suddenly wasn't solid any longer, and he fell through.

	"OOF!"  The noise echoed through Sandra's hideout.  She quickly looked 
up from the charts and turned.  Ryan had just picked himself up.
	"How did you get here?!" Sandra said, almost half yelling.
	Ryan looked around.  "Well...I leaned against that rock outside...said 
something..and I fell through.  Anyway, you're underestimating my abilities."  
He finished what he was saying with a smile.
	Sandra smiled as well.  "Of course.  How rude of me.  Welcome to my 
home."
	"Glad to be here," replied Ryan.
	"What's in the pack?"
	Ryan had almost forgotten.  "Oh, yeah!  I kinda brought Christmas 
dinner."
	Sandra smiled.  "I guess I won't spend Christmas alone after all."

	An hour or so later, Ryan and Sandra had both finished eating.  They 
sat across from each other, smiling.
		Ryan looked around.  "This is a nice place you have here, 
Sandra."
	Sandra smiled.  "It's just a hole in the ground, but it's home."
	Ryan smiled a bit.  "I like what you've done with it.  The thing that 
reminds me of my home at Knothole are the papers.  I made a few maps as well."
	Sandra looked straight at him.  "Really?  Well...we may have more in 
common than was first realized."
	Ryan smiled again.  "Well...I did get you a present for Christmas."
	Sandra smiled as well.  "Well, now...did you?"
	Ryan grinned.  "Sure did.  Hope you like it..."
	Ryan handed Sandra a box wrapped in forest green paper tied with gold 
ribbon.  Sandra opened it, and pulled out a pendant with a brightly polished 
stone hanging from the end.
	Sandra opened her mouth a bit as if surprised.  "How did you get this?"
	Ryan chuckled.  "I made it."
	Sandra blinked.  "I'm impressed...how?"
	Ryan smiled.  "Well...back on Earth I fell into a bit of lapidary 
activities...rock polishing if you didn't catch that.  I found a nice 
one...found the right kind of dirts for grinding, and polished it to that 
shine.  I'm rather proud of the work...took a bit of time...it was easier with 
sandpaper."
	Sandra put her hand lightly on Ryan's.  "Thank you.  I really like it.  
I've never received such a gift."
	Ryan smiled, but Sandra looked down quickly.
	Ryan's smile disappeared.  "What's wrong?"
	Sandra looked up and smiled weakly.  "I don't have anything to give 
you..."
	Ryan smiled at her.  "Don't worry about it.  You've given me plenty 
already.  You were my friend when no one else was.  You helped me deal with all 
the bad things that happened.  Sandra...if you hadn't been around...I had a lot 
of chances to lose my sanity...just being my friend is the greatest gift you 
could give."
	Sandra smiled and hugged Ryan lightly.  "I haven't heard anything that 
nice for a very long time."
	Ryan returned the hug.  "You're welcome.  Merry Christmas."

	A few minutes later, Ryan and Sandra stood outside her home.  It had 
begun to snow lightly shortly after they came out, and the sky was clear.  With 
the snow falling and the moon in a thin crescent...it was a very beautiful 
night.
	Ryan breathed in the cold night air deeply.  It was very refreshing.  
He looked over at Sandra and smiled.  "I never had such a friend on Earth...I 
got lucky here..." he thought.
	Sandra noticed Ryan's gaze and returned the smile.  Ryan held his hand 
out, and Sandra put hers in it.  They held hands for a while longer.
	Ryan sighed.  "I'll have to head back to Knothole soon."
	Sandra looked over and smiled.  "Why?  You can stay here."
	Ryan looked over, a bit surprised.
	Sandra squeezed Ryan's hand a bit.  "I'd enjoy the company.  It's been 
a long time since anyone's been my friend."
	Ryan smiled and nodded.  "Happen to have an extra blanket?"
	Sandra grinned.  "And a separate bed."
	Ryan said in mock disappointment, "Oh, darn.."  Then he grinned.

	The next morning, Ryan woke up and stretched.  Still not quite 
coherent, he stumbled out of the makeshift bed and promptly hit his knee on a 
chair.
	Ryan yelped slightly and almost muttered some obscenities...then 
remembered where he was.  His eyes finally opened all the way, and he saw 
Sandra sitting at her desk, smiling.
	"Have a nice nap?"
	Ryan weakly muttered, "Yeah...wndrfl..." was the closest he could get 
to, "Yeah...wonderful."
	Sandra laughed quietly.  "You obviously aren't a morning person unless 
you're scared awake."
	Ryan became coherent almost instantly and smiled.  "Sandra...how could 
I ever forget?  Not exactly a painless meeting for me..considering I fell...but 
I wouldn't trade that for anything."
	Sandra smiled softly and blushed.  Even though Ryan couldn't see it 
through her fur, he figured it out and smiled.

	Ryan picked up his backpack about an hour later.  Sandra stood by him 
and followed outside.  Ryan looked back and smiled.
	He stopped after he got out of the hidden room and turned around.  
Sandra stood there smiling.
	"Thank you for the gift."
	Ryan smiled and winked.  "No prob."
	A sound came from above them.  They both looked up and saw a truly 
spectacular sight.
	In the early morning light, the two saw a figure fly across the sky.  
The figure appeared to be in a large sled with a sack in the back.  They heard 
a distant sound.
	It sounded like, "HO! HO! HO!"
	Ryan looked at Sandra, amazed.
	Sandra did the same.
	They finally saw a lone tree in the distance, and hurried towards it.  
When they got there, the bottom had a few presents under it.  All but one was 
marked for Sandra.
	Ryan kneeled down and picked up the one marked for him.  He quickly 
opened it.  All that the package contained was a small piece of paper.  Ryan 
read it.  "-Look above you.-"
	Ryan and Sandra looked up at the top of the tree.  A tiny sprig of 
mistletoe hung above them.  They looked at each other, surprised, then laughed.
	Ryan grinned.  "Well..can't argue with Santa."
	Ryan embraced Sandra lightly and kissed her on the cheek.  Sandra 
returned the embrace.  Both of them stood there, smiling.

-THE END-