Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday, happy birthday, who are you waiting for?

LIAM: *puts up some streamers, sighs* Professor Pickle, do we REALLY need to do all this?

PICKLE: *chuckles* Why, of course! It IS Mauricio's birthday, after all! 

JANE: *giggles* I hope she likes it! *curious* We don't know much about her, do we? She just showed up one day and recruited us into Anonymous Souls. Only thing we know is that Sonic and her know each other. 

TOMAS: *shrugs* That's fair. 

KRIOS: *hums* However, she has been quite helpful in assisting our combat against Origoros. I do wonder why she does, though. 

KHALIDA: *chuckles* Regardless, I think it's important to celebrate one's age growing. *smiles* It might help her open up to us too. *their friends are just flying around, adding the final touches* 

VANILLA: *steps in with a simple sea salt cake* Here we go! The cake you all ordered has arrived.

LIAM: *sighs in relief, smiles slightly* That's great.

JANE: AWESOMEEEEE!!! 

TOMAS: Well, we should be able to finish setting things up, so let's do that before she gets back. 

EVERYONE: Right! *begins scuttling around*

****

MAURICIO: *rolls back home, looks around her with a smile* Man, it is good to get some rest once in a while. I don't think I've had enough rest since... *her eyes soften* Since I found myself here. 

SONIC: Hey, you good? 

MAURICIO: Ughh...... *opens eyes* W-Where am I? 

SONIC: *smiles* You're in the Acorn Kingdom. You were found washed ashore at one point so we gave you water to sustain yourself. *gently knocks on the tank, she's actually floating in one right now* Hope it's comfy.

ONI: *nuzzles her cheek, she laughs*

MAURICIO: Thank you, erm... 

SONIC: *grins* Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog.

MAURICIO: Then I'm Mauricio Kagemi. The Porpoise I guess. *blushes a bit at the slipup* 

SONIC: Nah, nah, we're cool! *curious* Why were you washed up ashore, though? 

MAURICIO: I... *frowns* I don't remember. All I remember is that... that creature. It looks as black as ink...

SONIC: *eyes narrow, remembers what Krios told him* A Dark Creature... 

MAURICIO: *head snaps up* You KNOW what they are?

SONIC: They've been showing up all over the place for some reason. I have met some people who have been able to combat this threat but they're all so scattered... *scratches his head* Man, I wish they could just form a team...

MAURICIO: *eyes widen* A team...? To combat those creatures? 

SONIC: *sighs* Yeah, but none of them would want to lead that team. It would be too heavy a burden and they barely know each other. One of them even questions the others' credibility. 

MAURICIO: *looks down* "I need to find out the truth in order to find a way home, to my family... to know what happened to them." *flashes of light echo in her mind, looks up* Sonic, right? What do you think of me recruiting them? 

SONIC: *eyes widen* Wait what?! Do you even... *pauses, hesitates*

MAURICIO: Do I even have magic, right? No, I don't, but at this point nothing will be done if they keep working separately. I can do what I can, yet it all comes down to them learning to trust each other. 

SONIC: "She has a point..." *smiles* Alright, pal. But first, we need to figure out a way to transport you.

MAURICIO: Right... *eyes land on a hamster ball nearby, grins* Wait, on second thought... Do you guys have some plastic lying around? A huge plastic ball, to be precise?

SONIC, ONI: *tilt their heads sideways* Huh?

MAURICIO: Man, I finally got it to work. *grins* It wasn't easy but they managed to solidify themselves as a team. *chuckles, arrives at the huge garage for her Zorb, mechanical hands gently pull the Zorb apart for her to drop into a tube filled with water, she begins swimming into the living room* Well, time to re-

EVERYONE: SURPRISE!!!! *hops around the tube, grinning while Jane lets off some streamers* 

MAURICIO: *screams* WHA- HUH- WHAT?!!?!!?!!?!!? *nearly bumps her head on the tube* Owww...

JANE: Sorry, did we startle you!? 0.0

MAURICIO: Kinda... *looks around, eyes widen* Did you all...?

KHALIDA: Espio heard from Sonic that today was the day you were found, and also your birthday. *eyes soften* It must have been hard to deal with that on a special day...

MAURICIO: *groans under her breath* "I'm going to squash him with my Zorb one of these days..." *sighs* It's no big deal. We're all busy with fighting Dark Creat-

PICKLE: *shakes head* Mauricio, don't play this down. We all genuinely care about you, and so we decided to pull this party off.

MAURICIO: *pauses, looks at everyone* I... I thought that you wouldn't see me as someone beyond the leader cause I don't... cause I can't fight the Dark Creatures like you all can. And you all... *sighs* You are amazing while I'm just some porpoise who doesn't even know how I ended up here. 

KRIOS: Regardless of the circumstances, you are still our friend. *firm* And we all work together. 

TOMAS: True! Don't play your role down, we're all friends here. Always have been. 

MAURICIO: I.... *looks around*

LIAM: *smiles softly, nods*

JANE: *giggles* Is that even a question?

KHALIDA: *smiles*

PICKLE: *chuckles* Of course. 

MAURICIO: *tears up* You guys are.... You guys are the best! *swims to a nearby tank so she can pop her head out, hugs all of them* Thank you, so so much for everything. 

PICKLE: *hugs back* Of course. 

MAURICIO: *soon they sing the happy birthday song as the cake is brought in, she closes her eyes* "Please... let's beat Origoros and keep everyone safe! Together!" *opens eyes, blows the candles out*