Prince Edward argues with Baloo

At King Edward's castle, as the sun began to set in the mountains over the horizon, Prince Edward was standing at the window looking outside, patiently waiting for his adoptive daughter to show. Baloo was also with him, but he was busy eating.

Edward then watched the sun sets down. He was glad that the twelve years are almost over, and, supposedly, Sailor Galaxia's curse had failed, but he wondered where his daughter was. It had been twelve years, and he might have forgotten what she looks like now. Baloo, however, didn't seem to notice the sad expression of Edward.

Edward sadly sighed and said, "No sign of her yet, Baloo."

"Course not. Good half hour 'till sunset." said Baloo, as he took a bite out of a chicken leg. "Ah, excellent bird!" said Baloo.

Then he looked at Edward and, this time, noticed his sad expression. "Oh now, come on, buck up, battle's over, girl's as good as here." said Baloo, trying to cheer his friend up.

Edward shook his head sadly and said, "I'm sorry, Baloo, but after twelve years of worrying, never knowing..."

"The past, all in the past!" said Baloo. And he clapped his paws.

A coyote ran into the dining hall with a bottle of wine, holding a lute (a guitar-like musical instrument).

The coyote was a slender one with brown fur with beige markings at the muzzle, upper face, and underbelly, blonde hair, blue eyes, a black nose, and small black whiskers, wearing a blue, red, and yellow Acorn Kingdom Army uniform and red boots. His name was Antoine D'Coollette, Baloo's lackey.

"Tonight, we toast to future with something I've been saving for twelve years." said Baloo. He poured two glasses, one for himself and one for Edward. Yet, he was unaware that Antoine managed to pour some wine into his own glass without him noticing. "Here, to the future!" said Baloo. Edward finally smiled and said, "Right, Baloo, to the future!" Then they began to sing their own song.

Baloo: *Skumps!*

Edward: *Skumps!*

Baloo: *A toast to this night*

Edward: *The outlook is rosy*

Baloo: *The future is bright*

Edward and Baloo: *Our children will marry*
*Our kingdoms unite*
*Skumps!*
*Skumps!*
*Skumps!'*

Both of them laughed to themselves a bit until Baloo spoke. "Ah, excellent vintage." he laughed. Antoine hiccuped. "And now, to the new home, ey?" said Baloo. As he heard this, Edward became confused and surprised when he heard "new home." "New home?" asked Edward.

"Children need a nest of their own, what? Place to raise their little brood, ey?" said Baloo.

"Well, I suppose, in time." said Edward.

"Of course. To the home!" said Baloo, as he poured more wine into their glasses and, once again, Antoine snuck some more wine for himself. Then the Prince of Andalasia and Indian sloth bear sang once more.

Baloo: *Skumps!*

Edward: *Skumps!*

Baloo: *A toast to the home*

Edward: *One grander by far*
*Than a palace in Rome*

Baloo noticed then that Edward's glass was all foam and gave him a refill of wine. "Let me fill up your glass," he said. "This glass was all foam."

Edward and Baloo: *Skumps*
*Skumps*
*Skumps!*

After they sang, Antoine began playing the lute, but in a very drunk way after sneaking some wine for himself.

"The plans!" said Baloo, clapping his paws.

Antoine ran up to Edward and held a plan to a castle in front of his face while still drunk and hiccupped.

"Well, what do you think? Nothing elaborate, of course. Forty bedrooms, Dining hall, Honeymoon cottage, really." said Baloo.

Edward was startled when he heard the word "honeymoon." He was very surprised indeed. "You-You mean, you're building it already?" asked Edward.

"Built, man! Finished. The love-birds can move in tomorrow." said Baloo.

"Tomorrow? But Baloo, they're not even engaged. And they're too young to get married yet!" said Edward.

"Take care of that tonight. To the wedding!" said Baloo, as he went to pour a glass of wine.

But Edward stopped him, and while stopping, he put the bottle of wine away as Antoine began pouring some, this time into his lute.

"Now hold on, Baloo. I haven't even seen my daughter yet, and you're taking her away from me." said Edward.

"Getting my Knuckles, aren't you?" asked Baloo.

Edward said, "Yes, but ..."

"Want to see your grandchildren and my grandnephews and grandnieces, don't we?" asked Baloo.

Edward began, "Of course, but ..."

"There's no time to lose! Getting on in 6 more years. To the wedding!" said Baloo, as he poured a glass of wine for himself.

"Now be reasonable, Baloo. After all, Amy knows nothing about this." said Edward.

"Well?" asked Baloo, as he drank his cup of wine.

"Well, it-it may come as quite a shock." said Edward.

As he heard this, Baloo spat out his wine and faced Edward angrily. "Shock? My Knuckles a shock? What's wrong with my Knuckles?" demanded Baloo, pounding his glass twice on the table. He angrily stormed towards Edward.

"Nothing, Baloo." said Edward, trying to back away from him and calm him down, "I only meant..."

"Why, doesn't your daughter like my nephew?" demanded Baloo, pounding the bottle of wine on the table once.

"Now, now... " said Edward.

"Well, I'm not so sure my nephew likes your daughter!" said Baloo, head butting into Edward's stomach.

Then Edward was offended when he mentioned his daughter, and it was his turn to be angry and stormed towards Baloo. Edward scolded, "Now see here..."

"I'm not so sure my grandnephews and grandnieces will want YOU for a grandfather!" said Baloo, head butting Edward once more.

Edward was enraged as he straightened his hair. "Why, you-you unreasonable, pompous, blustering, OLD WINDBAG!" he shouted.

Baloo was offended when he heard the words. He grabbed a nearby fish by mistake, thinking it was a sword, and got into a fighting position as he said, "Unreasonable, pompous...*En garde,* sir!"

"I warned you, Baloo, this means war!" said Edward, as he also got into a fighting position.

Then they started to fight, tussling around at each other. As Baloo started to charge at him, Edward grabbed a serving tray and placed it in front of him as Baloo swung the fish at the tray, shouting, "Forward! For honor! For country!"

Realizing he was fighting with a fish, Baloo knew he was using it as a sword while Edward was using the tray as a shield. Both of them looked at the fish and tray, then at each other, and then they started laughing. "What's this all about anyway?" laughed Baloo.

"Nothing, Baloo. Absolutely nothing." laughed Edward.

"The children are bound to fall in love with each other." said Baloo.

"Precisely. And as for grandchildren, I'll have the royal woodcarvers start work on the crib tomorrow." said Edward.

"Splendid! King size, of course." said Baloo.

"Certainly. To the woodcaver's guild!" said Edward. And they were about to make another toast until they heard an odd and strange sound.

And what appears to sound like horrible snoring. Following their ears, they soon noticed the sounds coming from under the table. They raised the tablesheets and looked under to find Antoine passed out and sleeping with his head inside the lute.

Suddenly, Edward and Baloo heard the trumpets sound, and they heard Grimsby announce, "His royal highness, Prince Knuckles the Echidna!" Then they heard people and animals cheering for him. "Knuckles?" said Baloo, as he ran to run outside to meet him.

Before the castle, Pikachu came running in, carrying Knuckles on his back. As more people and animals cheered for him, Knuckles got off of Pikachu, and Baloo has just arrived outside to meet him. "Knuckles! Knuckles! Knuckles, hold, Knuckles!" yelled Baloo.

Knuckles heard his uncle and walked over to him. Then Baloo ran over to him. "Hurry, boy, hurry, and change in something suitable. Can't meet your future bride looking like that?" said Baloo.

"Well, I have met her, uncle Baloo." said Knuckles happily.

"You have? Where?" said Baloo, who seemed surprised.

"Once upon a dream." said Knuckles. Then he started to sing and dance around his uncle.

"Knuckles, knock it off. Stop that. Stop that right now. Knuckles, stop! Put me down!" said Baloo. Then Knuckles stopped singing and dancing and put his uncle down. "Now, what's all this dream nonsense?" asked Baloo.

"It wasn't a dream, uncle Baloo. I really did meet her!" said Knuckles.

"Princess Amy? Good heavens, we must tell Edward! Why this is the most ..." said Baloo.

"Whoa, whoa, I didn't say it was Amy." said Knuckles.

"You most certainly did, you said..." said Bernard.

"I said I met the girl I was going to marry. I don't know who she was, a...female pink hedgehog I suppose." said Knuckles.

Then his uncle seemed very shocked with his eyes widened. "A female p-p-pink hedgehog? You're going to marry a...Why Knuckles, you're joking!" said Baloo, as he hoped for a yes. But Knuckles shook his head no. "Isn't he?" Baloo asked Pikachu.

"*Pikachu.*" said Pikachu honestly.

"You can't do this to me! Give up the throne, the kingdom, for some...some nobody? By Harry, I won't have it!" Baloo bellowed to Knuckles, as he removed his pilot's cap in rage. "You're a prince, and you're going to marry a princess!"

Knuckles tried to calm Baloo down as he set the pilot's cap back on his uncle's head, saying, "Now uncle Baloo, you're living in the past. This is the fourteenth century. Nowadays ... "

"Nowadays, I'm still the king!" Baloo began, "And I command you to come to your senses..."

"...And marry the girl I love." Knuckles finished.

"Exactly!" said Baloo.

"Goodbye, uncle Baloo!" said Knuckles, as he got back on top of Pikachu, and Pikachu was running off.

"Goodbye, uncle Baloo! Marry the girl you ... No, no, Knuckles, stop. Come back. Wait Knuckles!" called Baloo, "KNUCKLES!"

But it was too late. Knuckles had already gone off into the wilderness to see his love, but he was unaware that she wouldn't be there anymore. Baloo sadly walked up to the stairs of the castle and sat down. He sadly sighed and said, "Oh, how will I ever tell Edward?"