sᴏɴɪᴄ ᴛᴏʏ: 𝓐𝓭𝓿𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓮𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓸𝔂𝓼 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓸𝓯 𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓼

      Mikhail Sinitsyn at this time had already taken all the photographs together with Sonic and the others, but most of all he took the most photographs with Sonic. Then he joyfully looked at each of them for an hour and said to himself: — It’s like printing your own money! In a figurative sense, of course, since counterfeit money is still a crime. — he says to himself jokingly, and then an unknown number calls on the phone. — O! Who is this calling me? — he asks himself and picks up the phone: — Hello! — It’s Emperor Saggang’s secretary who’s bothering you. The Emperor is wondering when you will send him proof that you have definitely collected a collection of toys from the American animated series about Sonic the Hedgehog, including Sonic himself. — A! Of course, I've already finished making them and I'm heading to the subway right now to fax them to him. — Mikhail lied a little. — So you already have the pictures? — Yes, I have them and have been ready for a long time. I don’t have time for everything, I still have to stop by my place of work and check how my employees are coping. — Then you better hurry up! The emperor does not have iron patience and he can refuse further cooperation with you at any time. — the emperor’s secretary answers and hangs up. Sinitsyn did not think long, got dressed and hit the road, not forgetting to lock his apartment. When he left, the toys freely came to life again and everyone went to look at Sonic’s hand, which that familiar master had repaired. Everyone except Sally, who just rolled her eyes and walked away. Sonic himself was happy to brag a little with his new friends that his hand was now like new, but looking at the evil Sally Acorn, who with her fists down went to the window, climbed up the chair onto the windowsill and sat on it, looking out the window, the joy of the hedgehog immediately changed to sympathy and shame. The rest of the toys noticed all this on Sonic's face and realized that it was all about Sally. The brown mute fox came up to Sonic and lightly took his repaired unbroken hand. — Sonic, don't be angry with Sally! — Robotnik turned to him, holding his hands clasped together and also making a sad face. — She’s been through so much. We know that you will leave now, as you promised to all of us, when your hand is fixed... But please... At least make peace with Sally before you leave! At least you can do this?... At least for her sake! After hearing the proposal, Sonic turns his gaze to Sally, who was now sadly looking out the window. She looked at the sun itself through the thick fog, which seemed so slightly blurry and gray, like a cloudy silver coin in water. But this makes it even more beautiful than when it is yellow against the blue sky and blinds the eyes. He then looked at Robotnik, Tails and the others, who also folded their hands and made their eyes big, pleading with him, just like the cat from Shrek. The hedgehog sighs heavily and says: — Okay, but it’s unlikely to change anything. — with these words he jumps off the table, approaches the chair next to the window, also climbs onto it, and jumps from it and climbs onto the windowsill. — Hello, Sally. — Hello. Although we haven't said goodbye yet. — the chipmunk answers sadly. — Where are you looking? — the hedgehog asks, not knowing how to start a conversation correctly, so as not to start a conflict again. — I want to at least take one last look at the sun before they put me back in the box forever. — I know you’re angry because I’m leaving, but... But I have to come back... I’m still David’s toy. — the blue hedgehog sits down next to him and continues the conversation: — If only you recognized him! After all, I have David... — Let me guess? — Sally calmly interrupted and tried to guess: — David is not at all like many boys and girls... And for him you are not just a friend, but his best friend... And when David plays with you, then... You it seems that you... Are also alive?... And he himself considers you alive? Sonic, hearing all this from Sally, was shocked, but still answered: — Yes... — after a pause, he asked: — How do you know this? Sally looked questioningly and silently at Sonic. Then she turned her gaze back to the sun and began to explain: — With us, Karen, everything was exactly the same... I didn’t even dote on her.

Memories of Sally

      Sally Acorn remembered all these events very well. This all happened many years ago. About twenty or thirty. The chipmunk toy itself was then in another small house in the village and was in one small room with newspapers on the walls instead of wallpaper. There was also a carpet on the wall in front of the bed. Its owner was a certain girl aged six or seven. Her name was Karen and she loved to play with Sally’s toy as soon as she appeared in their house. Karen's family lived quite hard, eating mainly from their garden and periodically selling their crops at the market. But even despite this, the little girl was sincerely happy about the most ordinary things. Be it a new dress, altered from an old mother's sweater, or a doll that was already quite shabby. But her happiest day was when her parents gave her a toy of her favorite character for her birthday. Karen had been dreaming about her since a classmate from her small school invited everyone to his place to watch cartoons on the VCR that his father had recently brought. Among the many cassettes with Soviet cartoons was the one with a foreign cartoon about a super-fast blue hedgehog. Karen and her classmates, of course, sometimes loved Soviet classics, which their parents also watched, but they liked the animated series about Sonic much more, because the American animated series was really cool and interesting, and Soviet animation was something similar, like action scenes and cool chases or something -like a superhero I couldn’t give. Although they all also liked Soviet cartoons, but not so much. Thanks to this animated series, Karen learned about some characters, including the chipmunk Sally Acorn, whom she fell in love with much more than the main character and other characters. So when she received the Sally toy itself for her birthday, she was incredibly happy. And she played with it every day and even sometimes at night, playing camp, using the blanket as a tent. She even always ran out into the street with her and played with her like an airplane. And on the playground, while all the boys and girls were playing various games with each other, like war games, catch-up or hide-and-seek, Karen was playing at that time, albeit alone, away from the others, but with her favorite toy. It seemed like it would be like this forever. Well, at least until Karen grows up or gets old, which Sally knew deep down in her soul in advance, looking at her parents and relatives, as well as how she herself grows over time. But a fact is a fact! After all, it seemed so not only for the girl herself, but also for the toy itself, that they would live together like this forever. How wrong Sally was then. Several years have passed, during which time Karen has already managed to mature a little, both physically and mentally. Because of this, she has already lost interest in her favorite and old toys. Including Sally herself. It was sad. The chipmunk lay all day long, first on the bed, and then on the shelf, and since then has never been in the hands of her beloved mistress. I just got bored and watched as Karen developed new tastes and interests. Now, instead of games, she was interested in new dresses, blouses, pants and cosmetics. By that time, Karen was almost in her thirties. And one day, Karen and her father came into the room and started studying together. Karen asked her father to help her with one homework assignment that she did not understand because it was difficult for her and she had not yet completed it. The assignment was from the institute on the topic of algebra at the eleventh grade level and above. Her father knew such examples and told her how they could be solved. When the homework was finished, the father stretched his hands up from fatigue and said: — Well, that's enough for today. Now you can rest. — Of course, dad. Go and rest, and I’ll figure it out further myself. — says the girl, putting the textbook in her backpack, then she gets up, takes the book in her hands, despite the fact that she was painting her nails, took a small black stove lid as a board and began to write new equations so that she herself would know in advance how solve them. — So! Z cubed minus the root of three and two tenths, exactly the root of two, plus the root of three to the fourth power. — Karen, don’t overwork yourself... Do you want to let’s play? Look, I'm a train! — says the father and begins to move around the chair, imitating a locomotive. — Too-too! Too-too! But Karen did not pay attention to him and was busy with formulas for the remaining examples that would be asked to solve. The father was a little surprised that his daughter was not interested in the game. — Maybe we can play with cars? — he suggested and took out a truck from under his daughter’s bed, which he began to tilt and imitate the sound of a motor. — Dad, please don't bother me! I'm busy. The father was almost saddened by what he heard. — Well, you loved games, cartoons, and your beloved Sally. — from what she heard, Sally herself smiled for the first time and thought that now she would play with her again, since her father reminded her of her. She stood back up and froze. At that time, the father, not seeing how she was moving, approached her, picked her up and carried her to his daughter. — Look, she missed you! — he added and began to pretend that she was talking to her: — Karen, it’s me Sally. Do you remember me? It's been so long since we played with you? Do you want us to play together again, like in your childhood? However, Karen was focused on the example, which she tried to solve herself, as her father taught her. She noticed that she had made a mistake in one number and needed to write another one there. Only she couldn’t find a rag to erase the extra number and rewrite it. When she noticed that her father handed her Sally's toys, Karen took her in her hands. The chipmunk’s thoughts were already finally swirling that they would finally play again. However, Karen only used Sally as a rag and erased the extra number, after which she handed it back into her father’s hands. — Thank you dad. — What?... — the father was indignant at his daughter’s impudence. How could you treat your favorite toy like that? — Leave these formulas alone! Of course, it’s good to study, but you can’t forget about your childhood! Karen immediately broke down, turned around, stood up and shouted at her father: — WHY ARE YOU POSSESSING ME ABOUT MY CHILDHOOD??? — the father, not expecting such a reaction from his daughter, fell to the floor from fear and the daughter now looked at her parent from on high. — And by the way, how was your childhood better than mine? You devoted all your time to books and work, which you tried to tame me too when I was small and stupid. Well, what's good about some toys or cartoons? All this is low-intellectual nonsense that is not worth the attention of a child! Throughout my childhood, you always told me that we live in a harsh world, where even a job will be hard to find and where no one will take pity on you or give you money so easily. You always told me that it’s high time to grow up and go live an adult life and think not only about yourself, but also about others, about your loved ones and relatives, to feed your family and earn a living for your family and our future descendants, for the sake of our bright future. — all these words made my father immediately surprised at what a monster he had ultimately raised, trying to raise her the way he had tried since childhood. And it seems he overdid it with his upbringing, making her too fixated on adulthood. Karen extended her hand to her father and helped him up, then turned back to the stove lid, continuing to solve problems. — Now excuse me, I need to solve a few more examples in advance in order to learn all the professions from a waitress to a plumber. Who knows which jobs I'll be lucky with and which ones I won't. Any knowledge in life will be very useful, and stupid games and cartoons will only interfere with all this. — But what about your toys? What should I do with them? — the father asked so that he almost cried. The daughter, in turn, hissed through her teeth and grabbed her head because her father would not leave her alone. — Well, throw them somewhere so that my eyes no longer see them and my ears no longer hear them! All! Finally leave me alone! I don't want to hear anything anymore about cartoons, toys and my childhood! Clear? The father did not argue further with his daughter, because despite her reaction, he still loved her. Sighing heavily in despair at who he turned his daughter into, regretting it and fully aware of what he will now have to do, he tells her: — Okay! I will do everything what you want! — Thank you. — the daughter answered calmly and continued to solve examples. — Ugh! I got lost again, now it’s all over again! Then Karen's father took absolutely every single one of the toys, including Sally herself, leaving not a single one. His heart almost bled. After all, Karen didn’t even really know that in his childhood he, too, had once been the same as her. Having put everything in one large plastic box, he put Sally there as a last resort. Before that, he hugged her himself and said: — I'm sorry! — he said and put it down, after which he closed the box and sealed it, and inside it was already very dark without holes or light sources. As soon as Sally came to life inside, she couldn’t stand it and started crying. Karen's father did not hear this crying, since the toy's vocal cords were weak for human hearing. And besides, the box muffled it well. The father then put the box in the trunk of his red kopek car, got behind the wheel and drove far from his town, where there was a truck nearby with a couple more boxes, and the truck itself apparently belonged to a certain Sinitsin family. The man leaves the box with all of Karen's toys inside and drives away. At that time, a sad melody from the film about the mouse Sturt Little was playing in my head. And Sally, being inside the box, unable to get out, kept crying and crying.

End of Sally's memories

      Everything she remembered, she told out loud to Sonic, who at that time was sitting next to her and listening to her. — We always remember about the children, Sonic. Just like they remember us. We never seem to forget about our beloved hosts, like Karen or... David... But they forget about us over time. — Sally, I’m sorry, I didn’t... — before he had time to finish, Sally wrapped her arms around her legs, pressed her head to her knees and calmly answered: — No need! Just go away! The hedgehog did not argue with her or pester her. He stood up, slowly descended from the window sill onto the chair, and from there onto the floor, and slowly walked towards the ventilation grate, hoping to try there again to find a way to leave this building and return home. He again grabs the slightly screwed screw with both hands and removes it, after which he opens the grille, lifting it up. True, he did not go any further. Something tormented him in his soul and forced him not to leave. — How long will this last, Sonic? — Anuan turned to him. — Do you think that David will take you to college with him? — asks Bunny. — Or at a vocational school? — Nicole joined the question. — Or on a honeymoon? — Snively added. — Or to your place of work when it’s working? — suggested Robotnik. — David, just like Karen, will soon become an adult and you won’t be able to do anything about it. — Naugus explained. — And then he will also have other worries than playing with toys, like in childhood. — Lup joined. — These are all the laws of human nature. You can't change them and you can't stop them. — Rotor added. — We are almost immortal toys. We don't age or die like humans. Although this does not mean that we cannot die. — said Rob. Sonic, of course, listened to them and, realizing all this in his head, closed his eyes and looked down. — Think, Sonic. Choose for yourself! — suggested Rosie. — You can leave us and return to your home. — Dulcy continued first. — Or you can stay with us and live happily ever after! — Ari finished. — It's right. After all, then you, like all of us, will be admired by the distant descendants of today’s children. — Snively added and all of them, with the exception of Tails and Sally, gathered and hugged each other. Except that because of the box, Robotnik couldn’t hug anyone and only he was hugged by the box. The brown fox himself came up to Sonic and hugged him around the waist, as if he was saying goodbye to him. Sonic even saw a tear dripping from his right eye. The hedgehog still stood in place and did not know what to do. But suddenly another idea struck him, which was better. Sonic covers the ventilation grille and moves the fox aside. He approaches the rest of the collectible toys, who were surprised and almost happy that he changed his mind. — You're right. David will become an adult... But I want to see it myself. And even together with you. — Sonic explained. From what he heard, even Sally raised her head and turned to him. The rest of the collectible toys were glad that he finally changed his mind, deciding that he would stay with them. — Well done, hedgehog! — Robotnik said smiling, raising his right fist near his left shoulder. — Then come with me? Collectible toys fell silent. — Where? — asked Dulcy. — How to where? To my house to David! — Sonic explained, pointing his finger at the ventilation itself. — David will be very glad to see you all together, I’m sure of it. They all looked at each other, deciding that the hedgehog had probably gone crazy and was delirious. — He's gone crazy, bring the stretcher! — Snively whispered in Antoine's ear. — I'm serious! When we return to my house together, it will be a big surprise for David. He will even play with each of you every day. If only you knew what kind parents he has. Ivan and Lili. David's dad and mom. They also love to play with toys, despite the fact that they have long been adults and work. Who knows, maybe David will remain the same when he becomes an adult and will also only play with us on rare occasions. I'm sure of it. Sally was right. David really is not a child like everyone else. Even his parents weren't like that. David took after his parents in this way. I tell you, you won't regret it. — while the hedgehog was explaining all this, the brown fox cub standing behind him made an angry look and clenched his teeth. No one was looking at him at that moment. At that moment Sally herself came down from the windowsill. Sonic paid attention to her and ran towards her. — Sally, will you come with me? The chipmunk paused for a moment of silence, and then said: — Sonic, I... I don't know. — Wouldn’t you give everything in the world for just one single day with Karen? — Sonic asks, in order to at least motivate her to agree. Sonic's question made Acorn think that she probably doubted it in vain. Maybe Sonic is right and David and his parents really aren't the same? Maybe their further descendants will be the same in the future? Having decided on that, she made a stern look and took Sonic by the hand and shook it in a friendly manner. — For every toy, the most important thing is to make children happy. I'm with you, Sonic. — Great! Guys, what about you? — the hedgehog turned to the rest of the collectible toys, among which Tails was not yet there. For now, they stood together in a circle and began to whisper to each other to discuss what Sonic and Sally had said. Oddly enough, they all decided that this was right. Having decided on this, they stood up and said at the same time: — We are with you, Sonic. — Even more so! — Robotnik agreed. — Well done! Tails, what do you say? — he turned to the fox, and at that time he took the screwdriver to minus and very tightly screwed both screws into the ventilation grill to close it. — Tails?... — What are you doing? — Sally asked the little fox, and he finished screwing the screw tightly and spoke to them for the first time in a stern and rudely low voice, despite his appearance and age: — I tried to persuade you, Sonic, but you are forcing me to take extreme measures. All the collectible toys and Sonic himself widened their eyes and were shocked. — So it turns out you could talk all this time? — asks Sally. — Yes, I could talk all this time, but what did you think, stupid chicken? — Tails said rudely through his teeth. Something suddenly dawned on Sonic. — Wait a minute, so it was you who turned on the TV the day before yesterday, and not Sally? — he asked the little fox, looking at him sternly. — I! — Tails confirmed. — But why? — Nicole didn’t understand. — For what? Otherwise he would have run away then. I had to make sure that he stayed with us and didn’t go anywhere. — explained the little fox. — But why do you need all this? Why would you do this, and even quarrel between Sonic and Sally? — asked the dragon. — We are going to spend an eternity in the Karl Saggan Museum, side by side. This is exactly what I have been striving for all my life, when I first fell into the hands of the Sinitsyn family, and then passed it on to Mikhail. — the little fox said menacingly. — Oh no! Is it possible that the Nine prototype is standing in front of us right now? — Sonic rolled his eyes. Tails widened his eyes at what he heard and tilted his head and asked: — Whom? — Nine was Tails from one of the alternate universes. It was not the real Tails, but his evil counterpart, who had seven more iron tails and tried to destroy the entire multiverse for his own sake, having evil intentions in the animated series Sonic: Prime from Netflix. He was more angry and serious in character, like Shadow. — explained the hedgehog. Tails widened his eyes, and Sonic rolled his eyes and asked: — Didn’t you understand who I was talking about the first time? — I understood about Nine... But I didn’t understand who Shadow is? — the little fox explained, holding the screwdriver in his hands like a bat. — It doesn’t matter anymore, the main thing is that you really look like Nain. — Sonic stated, looking at the fox seriously and suspiciously. — Tails, what you’re doing isn’t pretty at all — Sally said sternly, as if a mother was scolding her child. — NOT BEAUTIFUL??? — Tails shouted questioningly at the chipmunk and, pointing at her with a screwdriver, continued to explain: — I’ll tell you that it’s actually not beautiful! Gather dust all your life on the back shelves of the store, seeing how many young morons buy other toys, but they don’t really pay any attention to you! And when I finally got my chance with the advent of Sonic, I won't let anyone ruin my triumph! And I will destroy anyone who gets in my way. — he then pointed the screwdriver at Sonic. — Even you, Sonic! — What are you talking about? — the hedgehog didn’t understand. — Why are we listening to him, let’s just attack him at once. There are still more of us, but he is alone and he won’t do anything to all of us. — Bunny suggested. — No, he is still our friend and has always trusted us, just as we trust him. I can't raise a hand against my friend. Snively replies. — Tails, don't be stupid! It's all in the past. You will no longer suffer like this and they will play with you too. Hope. Wouldn't you yourself give everything to be in someone's children's hands for the first time? I would give anything to be with Karen again, and in Sonic's case, with David, at least for one day. — says Sally. — How long will this last? Do you think that when you meet Karen again, she will take you to work or on her honeymoon? — Tails asks in response. At first Sally didn’t understand why he was asking such questions. — Do you really think that if you and everyone go to live with Sonic and his owner, who live next door to the Omarovs, that you will be reunited with Karen again? — What? — Sally's eyes widened. — What? — Sonic didn’t understand, also bulging his eyes. The little fox also bulged his eyes, and at the same time he smiled slyly. — How?...Didn't Sonic tell you? — he asks her. — Sonic, what is he talking about? — the chipmunk asks the hedgehog, not understanding anything. — Apparently not. But he told me a lot of things, thinking that I wouldn’t tell anyone about it anyway. — Tails says and smiles maliciously, hiding the screwdriver behind his back, holding it horizontally. — The Karen that Sally told you about, Sonic, is Karen Omarova, who married a certain Dennis and then gave birth to two children from him. One was an older daughter named Stephanie, and the other was a little brother named Oscar, who broke and tortured toys for his own amusement. And now this Omarov family lives next door to the Drayton house, in whose family Sonic himself used to live. The hedgehog could not do anything to shut up the little fox or come up with something to explain. Sally couldn't believe her ears. She turned to Sonic in surprise and asked: — Sonic?... Is it true?... Tell me honestly! — Yes, tell her honestly! Sonic could not stand it and shouted: — SHUT UP!!! I TRUSTED YOU, AND YOU BETRAYED ME!!! A REAL TAILS WOULD NEVER DO THIS TO A REAL SONIC!!! — And by the way! The real Sonic would never abandon his friends, much less the real Tails. Especially for the sake of some family, which, unlike him, is not eternal and does not fashion. — the little fox answers slyly. — Besides! Have you forgotten what David did to you before you came here? — I told you it was an accident when he broke my arm. — he didn't want this at all! — What if this was not the only time? Think yourself! What if David someday accidentally breaks you so badly that you can never be fixed? Haven't you thought about that? — the little fox asked. — Maybe the moment when he broke your arm was not the only one? Maybe he'll break your head next time? Or worse! It will break you completely and in such a way that you will then lie for the rest of your life somewhere in a trash heap! — It's a lie! I do not trust you! David would never do that! — Sonic answers him sternly. — How do you know about this? — Tails contradicted. — Many children can break toys sooner or later, either accidentally like David or intentionally like Oscar. This is the nature of a person who is always not careful and may not keep track. Considering how old you have become and how many years you have lived. Do you really want to return home to your owner, and then also lose some other part of your body? I personally don’t want to take that risk. I don’t want your David to tear something away for me too. So I won't go anywhere and will stay here and then go to the museum. It will be safer there and no one will ever break us there, because we will all be protected behind glass cases on pedestals. — Having finished explaining all this, Tails turned to the others: — Anyone who really wants to live forever and happily, stay and don’t go anywhere! The rest of you, if you trust Sonic so much and want to leave with him so that David will then accidentally tear something off for you, get out of my sight, traitors! You wanted to leave, Sonic, so get out! Then he turns his back to them and sits on the floor, folding his arms over his chest. Then he starts crying. More precisely, he pretended to be pitied. — I just wanted me to become famous and for the first time to be needed by someone, so that all people and their children would pay attention to me and love me. And also so that I am completely safe and never break down. And Sonic wants to take it away from me and deprive me of my dreams. You're not a hero, Sonic, you're a villain. You are a real villain! You don’t give anyone hope, but on the contrary, you take it away. — he said through tears, and he smiled slyly, hiding it from everyone. After hearing what they heard, Nicole, Bunny, Snively, Robotnik and Sally, without hesitation, decided to go over to Tails’ side and stood next to him. They stood around him and began to feel sorry for him, persuading him that they were not going to do anything to upset him so much. Sonic was confused and surprised at the same time. He didn't know how to react to this. On the one hand, he was of course angry and offended at him for starting all this, but on the other, like those who came over to his side, he really felt sorry for him. The boy just wants to get to the museum, where he will feel completely safe, and without him they won’t all be taken there. Taking a deep breath, Sonic realizes that he seems to have no other choice. — I can’t abandon you all and leave you alone. If you stay, then I will stay. — Sonic says and also sits seriously on the floor, clasping his hands together. From what he heard, Tails quietly smiles evilly, because that’s exactly what he wanted. Then he calms down, gets up and turns around with a sad face, ready to almost cry with joy. — Thank you, Sonic. I'm glad you changed your mind. — he says and runs to the hedgehog for a hug. — I guess I was wrong about you. You are not selfish at all. Sonic smiles, preparing to cry himself and hugging the little fox, answers him: — I know, Tails. I know. I will do everything. Everything, as long as each of you is happy and does not grieve in me.