(Burnadette’s point of view)
Months passed and we settled ourselves into Charles’ home. Of course it felt odd, but it was something we were going to have to get used to. We had stepped into a whole new life.
Soon enough, Jules introduced me to an old friend of his, who also happened to be the king of Knothole. He had told me to dress nice- thus I turned in a soft lilac dress and military boots…my fashion wasn’t nearly half as bad as my teen days I suppose. I stepped back in astonishment, amazed that he had not thought to mention he had close bonds with royalty in such a peaceful area. He had a daughter of a very young age, they mentioned she was named Sally; her timid-ness reminded me of my younger self.
“Your daughter is beautiful,” I whispered, envious of her petite tiara and little blue eyes. Her squirrel features only strengthened the eloquent-ness of her figure. They had met up with the King in some kind of church; it only made the young squirrel look like a cherub.
“Thank you, if you had a daughter- or son- of your own, I’m sure they would follow your own beauty that you so fondly possess.”
I felt myself flush at his words of compliment and sensed Jules’ mouth twitch into a smile.
“We do have two children of our own, trust me; they got my Wife’s looks.” I imagined the wink he usually did, but it never came. Jules had gone completely…well not cocky like his usual self.
Sally’s blue dress lay amuck, it was far too big for her. I let my eyes run over the lacing, and I had a sudden urge to fix the ruffled edges.
I’d never taken much notice to clothing before; after all, I had a horrid fashion sense when I was a child. But the lace that lay in a mess was something I had never laid eyes on. The small patterns were so precise, and so beautiful.
King Acorn noticed my concerning look at his daughter, and he mumbled words to the little squirrel that sounded something like “Pick up your dress, you’re wrecking it.”
Sally moved aside as a threatening rip sound echoed through the hallway they stood in.
“Sally…” King Acorn hissed, his eyebrows furrowed across his face.
Suddenly I felt odd without the children, Sonic and Sonia were still babies, but Sally looked at least two years old. She was certainly the right age to play.
“I can fix it-“ I spluttered, even though I had never sewed anything in my life.
Jules looked back at me, I twitched but didn’t rue my request.
“You can? Oh really…I am really in need of a tailor…Sally keeps tearing her clothes….”
“Of course, just chuck me a needle,” I smiled…how hard could it be?
“Oh, not literally…” I nervously added.
My mother had learned to sew and I had watched. You just have to go in and out of the fabric…easy as pie.
A maid of some kind rushed over, a sewing needle in her hand. The efficiency surprised me, but I pleaded to God I didn’t screw up my chance of throwing out a good impression. This was the king after all, I didn’t want to seem like a fool in front of royalty.
“Oh, very efficient…” I whispered under my breath, they had maids and everything.
I could feel Jules watching me in the corner of my eye, curiosity in those soft eyes of his. I took the needle in my hand, which already had a curl of thread coiled around it, then I clopped my boots against the ground.
I did it faster than I had expected, and I wasn't even that bad at it. King Acorn had nodded with satisfaction and Jules had handed me a smile of pride. I rubbed Sally's cheek and she grinned back with such happiness I couldn't help but contain a wince of joy.
We'd gone home that day, with a sense of belonging and even myself a new job. Things were finally turning around, and i was so glad.

(Burnadette’s point of view)
Hours passed before they let me out of my room for good. First thing I did was fetch my kids, they were coming home, and I’d had enough of the hospital now. Actually the city was beginning to get on my nerves and didn’t really want my two babies to live in a place full of fumes and feral street animals.
Me and Jules had decided to bury Manic on Tuesday and we’d get ourselves settled down in Jules’ birthplace; Knothole. His brother, Chuck, owned a home there too and he agreed to move back in and let us stay with him. Luckily our babies didn’t cry much, and on the journey to Charles’ house, our ride was peaceful.
As a matter of fact, neither of them cried at all, except Sonia who would have a slight meaningless sob now and then.
We took two transit trains from the hospital and found ourselves outside the country. Knothole was a hidden village, you see. Only its citizens and former citizens knew where to find it. Since it was Jules’ birthplace, I was sure he could find his way in even if he was blindfolded. I carried Sonia as Jules held Sonic in his arms along with a few bags.
“Just follow me,” Jules said in a gruff and weary voice. I watched as Sonic scrutinized his Father, was it odd for a baby to never make a noise?
Had I given birth to a mute child? My eyes hovered up to Jules who looked tired and rugged, much how I felt myself.
The journey had lasted two whole days, and we were all hungry, the only thing that we had were several bananas because the babies could chew them.
Jules wore a grey jumper and we had wrapped Sonic in a sky blue blanket. Bags streamed from his side and I felt guilty for making him carry everything. But his rejection to my requests of help had drained me. I nodded as Jules led us into the forest and I had to jog a little to keep up with him. I was in a coat myself, but it felt cold inside the layers.
My tacky ballet slippers were no match for the rebellious wildlife that grew against the law, but an adrenalin of nostalgic dreams kicked in and I kept up my pace. I felt like I was on an intense obstacle course and I wanted to sprint and dodge vine after vine.
Jules watched me as I bobbed over a rocky stream, he laughed at my joy.
“Nearly there, M’lady.” He winked and I watched the familiar smile stretch across Jules’ face making him age backwards. Sonia was chewing my quill, but I was oblivious as I concentrated on the pathways that didn’t exist, for I was so happy.
Trees began to separate as we moved further down and an entrance began to form as did my curiosity for the village. Jules pushed the few final branches and revealed his birthplace and allowed me to take my very first steps into our new home, Knothole.
The place was spectacular, a midst of animals dodging in and out of log shaped cabins. Lights were glowing, and only then did I realise how late it had gotten. I grinned and could feel Johnny’s hand rest on my shoulder as he trampled on my moonlit shadow.
My eyes widened in amazement, the nature all around was beautiful and the air was clear. Moonbeam rays poured through the gaps between the tree trunks and not a speck of smoke could be seen or smelt. I nodded in self-agreement, for I accepted their decisions of secrecy. After Robotnick had assassinated the majority of our latest government with his robotic army (And in the process, basically destroyed everything) the only way to escape was by hiding.
You were never a coward to flee; you merely had only intelligence and common sense. Some might even consider you a genius.
I readjusted Sonia in my arms and knew that a grin plastered my facial expression as Charles came into view. It was wide enough to cause a draft.
“Close your mouth my dear, you don’t want flies getting in that pretty trap of yours, trust me!” he laughed, a smoking pipe sticking from the left side of his mouth. He looked a lot older than Jules, his ash blue hair a worn out sight. “Ah, the little hedgies you mentioned to me on the phone! Let me at ‘em!” Charles chortled deviously and wrapped his arms around Sonic, Jules’ expression a bewildered surprise, I couldn’t help but laugh at his amusing mien.
Jules narrowed his eyes at his younger brother, a sensitive vibe urged its way to the surface.
“So this one you named Manic?” I flinched on the dirt road, and Sonic froze in Charles’ arms.
“Ah,” Jules’ eyes rested on me, I tried to flick the corners of my mouth up. “No, we named this one Sonic.”
“Sonic, aye? Unusual, Sonny boy….” He laughed, lifting Sonic up in his arms.
“Yes, we had triplets.” I whispered, my voice dry. I shook my head and moved towards Charles.
“This one is Sonia!” I beamed, forcing on a smile again.
He grinned, accepting my change of subject, holding Sonia in his other arm.
The two together looked like a younger and brighter version of me and my husband. It was eerie, yet comforting.
“Now, what are you doing waiting outside? Get in, I have the kettle boiling.”
I nodded, so happy with Charles and his constant blissful attitude; this was an attribute that was slowly wearing off Jules.
We followed his brother along the path until we found ourselves at a little log cabin. It was twice the size of our last house in the city; it was comforting to know that real nature existed in Mobius as well as fake.

(Burnadette’s point of view)

We agreed that if we ever had a child it would be named Manic for a boy and Sonia for a girl. I don’t know what gave us such adoration to those certain names, but alas, they were what we both loved. Even Chuck agreed, he’d hope we’d have a Sonia so that he could call them Sonny. He was funny like that. I’d grown large, my stomach had blown up like a basketball, I was narrowed down to baggy clothes from my wardrobe and had to be assisted down stairs. It had really thrown the whole house-maid out the window. When we got checked out by the one and only nurse in Mobius just as my water had broken, it was obvious my baby was going to be born on day 162.
I was rushed into the emergency department quicker than I had ever been taken anywhere in my life. I don’t remember much, just that I nearly squeezed off Jules’ hand and repeated things the nurse told me to do. When the pain had finally ended, I had blacked out.
When I woke up, the sky was blacker than usual and Jules lay asleep in an armchair. I had never been to the Mobius hospital, it was small and I knew I was in one of the few rooms. Tiles were lined across every wall and I lay in a bed of blue material. A knock hammered on the door and Jules woke up with a start. His brown eyes were dark and he was just as exhausted as I was.
Both of our attention spans flicked to the nurse in a baby blue coat, demanding answers of how my birth went. The nurse knew our question before the words had chance to escape either of our mouths. Her face was morbid, a slight sadness to her expression. I felt daggers on concern stab my gut.
“One of the babies didn’t make it.” She announced, her voice disappointed.
My eyebrows twitched. “One?”
I felt confused more so than happy or down. I had only expected to give birth to one.
The nurse nodded, “Yes ma’am, you had triplets.”
My fingers shook. I had triplets? I looked to Jules, his face as pale as the nurse’s.
One of my babies had died? Not even given a chance to see our family, our home, our world? Not given a chance to be free, to grow up, dream, to love, and breathe.
I struggled to sit upright; I had to see them, my babies. All three of them.
I felt sick in my stomach, and my heart trembled with surprise. I could no longer hear anything when Jules began to speak to me, and it didn’t really matter. I had to see my children.
I moved to get up, the nurse grabbed onto me and I readied myself to defend. However, to my surprise, the nurse helped me stand and gave my shoulder a rub, pitying my loss.
I smiled and began to approach the door.
Beyond my compartment, the nurse led me to the babies. She told me it’s where they were taken to be cleaned up.
The room was purer than the last, white glowing like a light of bleach, and a little baby hedgehog lay in a cot. It was a boy that had died, his little lime lids gently shut. They had cleaned him up now, his green fur very much like his father’s.
I whacked a hand to my mouth, choking back the sobs I wanted to let free.
My poor baby was no longer alive. He was evidently the first one I had given birth to and Jules had already decided we call him Manic like we had chosen. I would give him a real funeral. Despite the poverty we would return to. Despite the Great War that had begun. I wasn’t even sure if Mobius had a graveyard. Either way, the goodbye would be official.
Despite the fact he was no longer breathing, no doubt about it, Manic was rightfully his name now.
I heard a slight rumble in a cot behind me.
A cry or a giggle- one of the two.
I turned around to find two little pale blue eyes glimmering at me. Her fur an elegant shade of violet and pink meshed together, her smile wide and toothless. She had a soft yellow blanket wrapped around her, only her petite arms wiggled from under the warm material.
She was so beautiful, so lovely. I felt my arms reach out for her.
Sonia.
As the first girl, she was to be named Sonia. It was Jules’ mother’s name, now I knew why we adored it. Sonia’s face went straight as her eyes hovering to where Manic’s corpse lay. As if she knew was lay beyond- who knows, perhaps she did.
I brushed a finger across her cheek, “It’s okay Sonia sweetie, I’m going to take care of you… I promise, you and…” I was coughing on salty tears now, my heart aching.
The nurse came through the small door, I hadn’t noticed that she had left my side. Jules trailed behind her, his eyes frozen on a blanket bundle she carried.
It was another blanketed baby, the third of the triplets. I was on my knees by Sonia’s cot, my last baby that sat in the nurse’s arms I begged would stay alive.
I kissed Sonia on the head as I stood letting the nurse approach me with the last baby, my eyes thirsty to see my youngest child.
Jules’ face was grim as he caressed Manic, I pleaded the nurse to cover our poor baby up. The nurse handed Jules the latest baby and I dragged myself over to his side.
I hoped I didn’t look as tired as I felt, my fuchsia coloured fringe quills plastered to my sleepy face. The nighty I wore I found awkward to move in, but it didn’t slow me down.
I curled my fingers around the blanketed baby and let Jules open the cocoon of material. As soon as the yellow mess was taken away, I felt my heart leap at the life before me.
His vibe was amazing, his quills the colour of cobalt bluebells, a blue so rich and pure in a hedgehog, and I knew he had gotten it from Jules’ side. His eyes were twinkling a lush grass green, he was smaller than the other two, much more tiny and agile looking.
He looked at me curiously, and I could feel that great things lay ahead for him. I ran my forefinger across his ear and watched him twitch, his quills were angel soft.
I looked up at Jules, he had a smile on his face and shared the same salty tears that had begun to well up in my eyes again.
Son-  I glanced at Sonia, she was still smiling.
Ic- Manic, I took a deep breath and blinked away the liquid from my eyes.
Son-Ic.
“Sonic.” I whispered, a tear accidently spilling off my face and dripping onto Sonic’s nose. His little baby nose wiggled. His innocent eyes scanned both me and his father. His glance seemed intelligent, and possessed an indescribable sense of strength. I had a feeling he knew of his big brothers death too.
I put my hand under his chin, his breath and heart pounding quickly. I looked up at the nurse, worried his heart rate was unusual.
The nurse smiled, “It’s a healthy baby boy.” She assured.
Hope twinkled in my eyes, “Sonic,” I repeated, my eyes resting on the blue baby.

(Burnadette’s point of view)

As much as I admired being in my own home, living with the family I loved, being trapped in a money ridden, food starved city wasn't quite what I’d had in mind once I had just finished saying my vows and settled down with the man of my dreams.
Jules always was one for keeping the two of us stay positive, but when there wasn't much light past the fog and fumes you began to forget what hope was.
Before the city had be robbed of its freedom, despite the fact it was only the early days of the Great War, Mobius had always been a proud place to live in.
I should know, I’d lived there for the whole twenty-four years of my life, so me and Jules weren’t planning to leave. Although, later this was a decision we did regret.
Let me explain myself- or more so who I am.
My name is Burnadette the Hedgehog, the first and last child of Elizabeth and Ronald Laden. We were a close family, being hedgehogs and all; we are quite a rare species in Mobius.
Like every other kid in the city, I had dreams. I attended high school after ‘graduating’ my home schooling with my father. He had been an obsessive worker and I was glad to have gotten out into the real world. Public schools in Mobius were expensive in that day and age, and despite the fact that my parents paid the money for me to attend my senior classes, I was a tardy slacker nonetheless.
Assignments and Essays were far from my interests, I preferred the fresh outdoor air.
I used to get all excited for anything remotely related to sport and I’d always be the first to start the games. I was quite the runner myself, I promised myself I’d become a champion sportswoman even though there was no chance of my intentions coming reality.
Little did I know that I’d meet a hog I had never once regretted meeting.
It had been the year 3213, December twelfth if I remember most clearly. The lunch bell had just rung and the inside of the school had become as desolate as a graveyard. I didn’t have any friends, so I tended to take my time when rushing from halls to the smoky concrete outside. When I suddenly crossed path with a hog that had soft brown eyes and a chalky turquoise coat of fur. As I had mentioned before, hedgehogs were rare and he had been the first one I had seen in a while. I let my eyes rest on his until he realised I was watching him.
His smile stretched like a rainbow across his tanned muzzle and I could feel my cheeks burn up.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare…” I whispered, clinging on to my backpack that had far too many badges on it.  I was into the grunge fashion back when I was a teen, so my black shirt and old vintage jeans were certainly not impressive material for a hog such as himself.
He wore a soft grey coat and shoes that were red and white, a golden buckle connected on the outer sides.
“You spend a lot of time in the halls," he laughed, his voice deep and mature. If she were blindfolded she would have assumed the voice to fit with a lion more so than a hedgehog. “Are you a loner or something?”
My spiked over quills tickled my forehead as I watched him readjust a ring that pierced through his right ear. This later was a style he had abandoned.
“It takes one to know one.” I had grinned. He had whipped his hand out at me, his gloves more of a grey than the usual white most boys had a tenancy to wear. I, myself, did not find wearing gloves too comfortable and tended to stick with keeping my hands bare and naked.
“Julian- uh just Jules. Jules Halliway.” He winked as I took his hand. And that had been the beginning of my first and only relationship of my life.
After a few weeks, I knew the pit in my stomach was none other than me falling in love, even my Mother and Father commented on how peaceful I was beginning to be.
Jules lived with his brother. I never got the chance to meet his parents; they were long gone to the grave before I got the chance to shake their hands. It was rather disappointing actually; I would have liked to have met a pair of parents who cared for their child. In a darker frame of mind, before I was ten I realised that my parents didn’t really care for me all that much. They were those kind of adults who had split right up after having a baby and then tended to blame it on their child. However all Karma gives itself to anyone who deserves it, so they’d better have watched their backs. I left home at the age of seventeen, I couldn’t take living with such a miserable couple, I mean I loved them… I really did! But I just don’t believe that they really loved me the same way back. I was just the daughter who was more of an obstacle that got in the way of throwing punches of words against one another.
That’s why I made a promise to myself, that when I had a baby, I’d let them know how much I really loved them.
Moving on, Jules’ brother went by the name of Chuck. Well actually, his real name was Charles, but Jules always called him Chuck nevertheless.
I’d never forget the smile he’d throw our way every time he set eyes on either one of us. He’d always laugh at the way we clung to one another.
We were the best couple ever, even we could see that.
Jules and I had gotten married in May 3318, and in the year 3319 we discovered that I had fallen pregnant.