Wedding Bells Resound

 

Synopsis: Isabella and Monica have a double wedding on Mobius.

 

 

Chapter 1—It’s a Nice Day for a White Wedding

                After two years since Ragnar’s defeat, Isabella and Monica were old enough to marry the suitors of their choice.   Not much conflict had arisen on Mobius nor on 826, but the two of them were anticipating their new lives as 826’s royal family.   They would need a bit of guidance from their cousins, but Sonic and the gang were all too tickled to assist where they were most needed.  

                It was true that both ladies were a little apprehensive, but knowing all of Mobius supported them from above and below made them feel they were stepping out boldly and securing 826’s future as well as that of Mim and other planets the hedgehogs might ally with in the near future.

                Amy leaned over against Sonic with her head upon his shoulder, sighing lovingly.

                ‘This reminds me of our wedding.  Come to think of it, Dashiel and Iridina will be next not long after Isabella and Monica.’, Amy whispered.  Sonic couldn’t believe how quickly time had flown.   It seemed like only yesterday Dashiel was learning how to walk and talk and soon he would be marrying the hedgehog of his dreams.   Official succession wouldn’t take place for years, but he still had power as regent in waiting and so would Iridina.   

                ‘They’ve really built on to 826 since last we visited.  I can see a lot of Mim’s technology has gone to helping the asteroids succeed and further negotiations between 826 and Mim.   To be honest, I’m interested in meeting Austin and Magnus.   Both of them seem so dapper and refined at the altar, waiting for their brides.’, Knuckles stated aloud, clasping Julie-Su’s hand lovingly.

                Julie-Su stared at her husband affectionately, which made him blush.  

                ‘Takes you back, doesn’t it, beloved ?’, she said, with an all-knowing gaze, wriggling her eyebrows a bit.   Knuckles became flustered but smiled despite himself.   Marrying his long-time friend had been the best decision he had ever made, and now he was the proud papa of four little echidnas, well, not so little now.    They were bound to protect the Floating Island just as he had and learn the way of the echidnas, which was a sacred and proud tradition.   Each would be helpful in keeping the Island safe and Mobius protected from whatever evil attempted to siege it.  

 

Chapter 2—Let the Party Commence ! 

                Although Austin and Magnus had been terribly nervous, the ceremony went swimmingly, and everything went off without a hitch.   The two were quickly bonded and the priest commanded the two to share their first smooch as newlyweds.    Although the spectacle was highly publicized Mobius-wide and even across the moons and 826, it felt that time had come to stop for Isabella and Monica.  

                ‘I’m not sure when the reality of our situation will finally kick in, Bella.’, Monica laughed, nervously. 

                ‘Mon, don’t worry.   Sonic and Amy gave us all the pointers they knew.   They’ve been ruling Mobius for quite some time.  They’ve been incredibly successful.’, Isabella said.   It was the first time she had seen Monica preoccupied by her own thoughts and Isabella had to talk her back to reality.  

                ‘You’re always so grounded !’, Monica complimented her sister.    She knew she should be taking it easy and savoring the moment.   Austin came over and offered his elbow to her.

                ‘Shall we dance, m’chere ?’, he asked, dashingly.  

                ‘Don’t mind if I do, you debonaire armadillo !’, she said, giggling.    For the first time in her entire life, matters made sense, and everything Isabella had said became comprehensible.   Neither one of them knew the future to come, and what was the most logical course of action currently, was to simply enjoy what they had right in front of them.

                ‘Where did those two years go ?’, Sonic wondered aloud.

                ‘I don’t know, Sonic, but it seems time ticks by faster and faster.   All we have to do is go with the flow, and you’re quite good at that.’, Amy said, kissing her lover atop his nose.   Sonic twirled his lady love around and dipped her quite dramatically into a scintillating kiss that left her breathless.   The triplets, who were having their own fun, laughed, and joked among themselves as they found their way to the wedding cake and started pigging out on it.

                The quartet excused themselves early to go on their own holiday to a resort on Mim that Magnus had purchased exclusively for their honeymoons.  

                ‘Everyone will wonder where the guests of honor are, though, Mags.’, Isabella said, with some concern in her tone.

                ‘So, it’s a bit of an ‘Irish goodbye’ as the old Earth expression went.’, Magnus stated, with a hearty chuckle.   The others would have expected nothing less from the four newlyweds than to traipse off someplace else.    The party was going along well without them, and everyone was having a blast.   Besides, after they had finished their vacation, all of them had planned on further training for the future from Sonic and Amy.    It helped that there was an itinerary since Isabella was more of a stickler about such routines.   Monica could’ve cared less, but she had to admit that Isabella was in the right about having a contingency in case something occurred in the future.    She and Monica would have their own security team, droids, and the like.   The technology of Mim was going to be a blessing in that regard.

 

Chapter 3—The Coronation on 826

                Sonic and Amy weren’t surprised at how quickly Monica and Isabella took to learning their royal duties, but they were surprised that neither one of them knew a coronation was due for both of them.

                ‘It’s tradition.   Besides, 826 hasn’t had any rulers since the four of you.’, Sonic said.   Historically speaking, Sonic knew of what he spoke, and the event was bound to be another first in 826’s history. 

                ‘It’s part of being royalty, I’m afraid.’, Magnus said.    He recalled what it was like going through his own ceremony and how boring it had been.   He fretted that this ceremony wouldn’t be much different.

                ‘If you’re wondering if this will be mundane, yes, actually, it is, but rules and regulations have to be followed.   Besides, the 826ians have been holding out for leaders…’, Amy stated, honestly.   Magnus knew that Amy was correct, and even if the ceremony was worse than watching paint dry, at least he would be there with her, their children to be, and his mother and father in law.    Besides, Monica was supporting them, too, as the dutiful, loyal sister she was.  

 

Chapter 4—Long Live the Kings and Queens !  

                'I hope this coronation won't be too terribly long. Remember ours, Aims ?', Sonic asked Amy.   Amy had to conceal a laugh.   Theirs had taken what felt like hours of endless torment, but fortunately, the two princesses and their husbands were given the rights and writ of their succession, orated the normal vows, took their crowns, and a massive celebration was held on 826.   

            Although the asteroid celebrated on its own accord, Mobius saw the coronation Mobius-wide and there were coronation day watch events and parties individually.  

                ‘I think the reality is starting to dawn on them, just like it did for us.’, Sonic mentioned as he saw the Queens and Kings take their thrones for the first time.   Torque and Diana were in the audience, cheering as loudly as they could, making noise with their vuvuzela horns.

                While it was quick, work went right back to normal, and the cousins got all their affairs back in order for 826 and Mim.    There would be other planets that would enter into an Amistad treaty whenever that was necessary, but soon, they would have their own league of planets to oversee.  

 

Chapter 5—On the Horizon

                The rhythm of everyday life continued with a predictable hum accompanying it.   Isabella and Monica found their duties not so difficult as they had initially perceived them, at first.    Having their husbands by their side made tasks and errands much easier to perform.   Even if both were laden with child, their duty was first to 826 and then to their own families.   

                ‘What do you think our little hybrids will be like ?’, Monica sweetly questioned Austin, noticing that he was looking off into the distance at some supernovae in the Astrolounge. 

                ‘Who’s to say ?  I think that’s totally up to them, Mon.’, Austin said, twirling her around into a quick smooch, which made her blush.     Suddenly, Isabella received a call from Diana, and she accepted it on her digital wristwatch.

                ‘I didn’t know if you four were busy, or if you had already eaten dinner, but would you like to come by for dinner ?  Y’know, like old times when you were little hedgehogs ?’, Diana queried.

                ‘Of course !  We do !   Your pizza casseroles are the finest on 826 !’, Isabella said.   Magnus raised a feathered eyebrow quizzically.   On Mim they had no such thing as pizza, and it would be his first time consuming it.   Mim had adored everything that Diana had crafted in the kitchen before, so it was easy to predict that this particular dish would win him over immediately, seeing how stellar of a cook Diana was.  

                ‘We were thinking about the future, too.’, Torque said, while the six of them sat down for a pleasant, hearty meal.    

                ‘We’re taking one day at a time, pop.’, Monica replied, honestly.   It was one foot, then another behind it, gently taking steps in the right direction.   So far, although they were novices, all of them were getting used to life as royals and their popularity had skyrocketed.  

                ‘Do you ever think we’ll be called into battle ?   It’s been so long since 826 was ever recruited.’, Diana stated. 

                ‘There’s always a probability.   We have warships for that, and our forces are fortified.  There’s nothing to fret about mom.’, Isabella said, washing down some casserole with Fizz Cola.    There was a rumor floating around about that there was a competition happening on some distant planet that was quite mysterious.  Holo adverts had started circulating, and that got everyone talking.  The question was, what was all this hubbub about ?    Tournaments seemed such an archaic idea. 

 

Epilogue

                'We may give you a call on the video phone if we need you.', King Sonic said.   Diana nodded, touched that her cousin trusted she and Torque that much with any information planet-side or coming from the outer limits.  

            It was before he and the rest of the family had finished eating that annoying pop-up ads were springing up on his devices. 

            ‘Tournament ?  That’s such an outdated form of competition…’, he thought to himself.   It was coming from a planet that he nor Amy had ever heard of, and neither one had known existed until the moment the trolling ads appeared.    Something unusual was happening.   It didn’t seem insidious by any means, but it was rather unusual, to say the least.   The ads themselves were not only appearing on Mobian devices but on any piece of technology that could receive their signals.   Something big was happening universally.     With his team of intellectuals, Sonic would probe this matter as soon as he could, especially since it bore an IP signature that unearthed a little piece of the past that he was hoping he and the others could forget.

 

To Be Continued…