RAB8

AN: Sorry I've been so slow on this one. I injured my writing hand and it hurt to type.

Rock-a-Bye

Chapter 8

Robotropolis' premier bakery was a bustle with activity every day. When Mindy LaTour had been forced to seek employment to help make ends meet after their betrayal of Robotnik, the bakery was the last place she would have gone but she had no choice. It ended up being the best decision she had made. She discovered a knack for dealing with customers, no matter how cantankerous some might be. It also helped that even Robotnik didn't recognize her in this simple uniform and hat. Of course, he rarely came to the bakery himself, he always sent a servant, usually Sleet and Dingo, sometimes a bot to get his order.

So when the rotund dictator came through the doors, frightening the other patrons into a bow, Mindy was a little surprised and frightened.

She bowed as well as she could. "Milord, what brings you here to our humble bakery?"

"Double, no triple my usual order!" he commanded, rubbing his upper left arm.

Mindy frowned imperceptibly. Skilled in reading the moods of the customers who came in, she could feel a host of emotions practically radiating from the man everyone thought as a cold, heartless tyrant. "Right away Milord. She took the order back to her boss who always oversaw the filling of this order personally. "Are you well Milord?" She asked out of a strange curiosity.

"Fine!" he snapped, his eyes glaring at everything that came within mere inches. "What's taking so blasted long!"

Quickly the order was put together and Robotnik was back out the door. It almost seemed like he hadn't been there at all but Mindy would never forget the feelings of betrayal and sadness emanating from the despot.

She hadn't long to ponder the strange visit when the bell at the door announced the arrival of another customer. A man whose head was hidden in a cloak. "Hello, welcome to the Bake Shop, how may I help you?"

"A dozen eclairs, a dozen cannolis," the man started listing off his order.

"Wait," Mindy stopped him as she pulled down his hood. "Bartleby?"

Bartleby Montclair jumped. "Mindy? What are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same thing. Where have you been and what happened to you?" she indicated his appearance which was normally so well-kempt. "Did you know you have 20,000,000 bounty on your head? And where the heck is Sonia?"

"I guess our disappearance is a source of much gossip among the people," he asked. If she was working here, she would have access to that knowledge. "It's a long story but we had no choice. But what are you doing here. I thought you joined the Resistance."

The fox-girl shrugged with a grimace. "We tried, they pretended they were open to the idea but Father and I are nobles and that means we're selfish scum who throw our money around at the expense of the less fortunate. Sonic and Manic are okay and you already know that Sonia is practically a sister to me but the rest are self-righteous, hypocritical jackasses."

Bartleby nodded in agreement. "Why should we be willing to risk our lives and give up our hard-earned wealth for people who can't even pretend they like us? I love Sonia, I would and have given up everything for her but the rest, I honestly can't give two bits for."

She nodded understandingly. "I don't like Robotnik, but at least he would never have the chance to stab me in the back. I wouldn't turn my back on him. Better the devil you know right?" She sighed and shook her head, remembering the embarrassment of being turned away from the Freedom Fighters just for committing the simple crime of being rich. "But enough of that. You owe me an explanation. Why did you two disappear like that? Her brothers are worried sick," she left out that she thought a few others were just as worried about him.

Bartleby knew that Mindy and Sonia were indeed close. He did owe her an explanation. "We had to leave, Mindy." He looked around. "Is there a way we can talk in private?" He didn't want to risk a customer come in who could identify him.

She nodded. "Hey Carlos, I'm taking my break!" Quickly, Mindy led Bartleby into the backroom. "Okay, spill."

Bartleby wondered where to begin. "I can trust you right? You won't tell anyone, most of all Sonic and Manic?"

"I promise Bartleby. The last time I saw them was weeks ago anyway, asking me if I knew where Sonia was," Mindy told him. "If I see them again, I still don't know where she is, I just know she's with you."

The mink sighed heavily. "Mindy, you know that shortly after she joined the Resistance, she broke up with me."

"Yes, she was devastated but apparently you got back together, so continue."

"Yes, we got back together after the debutante ball. After being so close, we just could not take the separation any longer. When we were together, sometimes it was innocent but other times...and Mindy, now...there's a baby." Bartleby finished.

The fox gaped at him. "A baby? You mean, Sonia's pregnant?"

"That is correct. She is pregnant and I'm the father. I tried buying amnesty for her from Robotnik but I just got this terrible feeling that he would roboticize anyway, and her brothers would never let us be together. They hate me," Bartleby hissed. "The only thing we could do was run."

She looked down at the table. "Wow...Sonia's pregnant...and she didn't even tell me that you two were together again. I guess I can understand why though. I always knew you guys were perfect for each other. I'm so happy for both of you." She hugged him like she would a brother. "And that's why you came here isn't it? For such a large order."

The mink laughed. "Cravings. I can't provide much in our current situation but I can satisfy the sweet tooth at least. And we need some other supplies that we can't get elsewhere. She needs more than meat and fruit."

Mindy agreed. "Well, let's go get your order and I'm paying for it. My way of saying congratulations."

Back at the front of the store, Mindy put in the order, wrapped it up with a note slipped into the box. "Tell Sonia that I miss her and I hope she'll let me see the baby when it's born."

Bartleby took the box. "Thank you Mindy." He turned to leave. "Oh um, I know this sounds like a strange question but I thought I saw Robotnik before. Was he alright?"

Mindy looked this way and that. "I don't know. He was rubbing his left arm and I had a strange feeling that he wasn't feeling all that well."

"He is old, and neither in the best of shape nor the best of health," Bartleby looked away. He sighed as his thoughts turned to his childhood. "Well, thanks Mindy. I'd best get going."

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Knuckles hung out by the aircraft near the bakery. He wasn't expecting much to happen, there weren't many people around right now. He wondered if Robotnik's presence had been the cause of that.

"Knuckles?" a familiar voice called.

He turned to see Sonic and Manic. "Sonic, Manic, ummm hi. I was just looking for ya."

The blue and green hedgehogs looked at each other. "You were? Is everything okay back on the island?" Sonic asked.

"Oh no," Knuckles shook his head. "Nothing like that. I was just bored and lonely, and Great Grandpa Athair said it would be alright if I took a short break to come visit. I was hoping to see Sonia too." He blushed. "Where is she at?"

Sonic and Manic exchanged another glance.

"We really don't know Knuckles," Manic stated. "She's gone missing."

"Missing!" Knuckles feigned shock and concern. "What? How? When?"

"A few months ago," Sonic answered. "She ran away with some idiot nobleman." The blue hedgehog kicked at the ground. "He tricked her away from us I bet. Bartleby never thinks of anyone but himself!"

Knuckles frowned. He'd thought Sonia had been worried for nothing but apparently they really DID hate Sonia's husband. "I didn't...um know she was with someone..."

"Yeah dude," Manic touched his shoulder in sympathy. "I know you liked her, like liked her that is."

Knuckles shrugged. "Well, do you really think this guy is all that bad, really? Does he seem to like her, does he treat her well? If she's happy, that's what's important." His eyes flickered up as he saw Bartleby heading their way. "Well, why don't the two of you show me around then? Take our minds off worrying over Sonia, I'm sure she's okay if she's with someone who loves her." He quickly led the two down the opposite way.

Back on Angel Island, Sonia was doing everything in her power to do anything but worry about Bartleby. Knuckles could take care of himself well enough but if Bartleby was caught...

She shook with hormone-driven fear and anxiety. "Bartleby, you better come back safe."

A bright light heralded the arrival of a familiar seer. "Don't worry about your young man, Princess, he will come back safely."

Sonia momentarily forgot her anxiety in the wake of the Oracle's arrival. "Oracle! What are..."

"Checking up on you dear princess," the Oracle told her. "Don't worry, only I know your whereabouts."

"How did you know where I was?" she asked. "Why didn't you tell Sonic and Manic? I know they'd have come to you to try and find me."

"Your decision to leave was made for good reason. I also have reason to believe that this will lead to good things for you and for all of Mobius," the Oracle explained. "I did want to run a diagnostic on you to be sure everything is well, if you don't mind. Your mother is worried sick that you don't have access to a doctor during this time."

"Oh Mother knows too?" Sonia wondered if that was good or bad. "And sure, I would like to know if my baby is okay."

The Oracle drew near and concentrated on the swollen womb. "Hmm, everything seems to be just fine and I would consider buying two cradles."

Sonia's eyes went wide.

After about an hour, Sonic and Manic bid farewell to their echidna friend. He insisted on walking back to his plane on his own.

"It's strange that Knuckles wouldn't let us walk back with him," Sonic said.

Manic nodded in agreement. "And strange that he would come into the city. And he also seemed a little too accepting of Sonia's disappearance and that she has a boyfriend already."

Back at the plane, Bartleby was loading the trunk with the other supplies he was able to get. "That was close." Bartleby said as they got into the plane.

Knuckles agreed. "I thought you and Sonia weren't giving them enough credit before but they really don't like you."

"No they don't. They don't like anyone in the noble classes." Bartleby stated. "I'm the highest ranking noble in Robotropolis, thus they hate me the most. Largely because, before all of this, I was able to pay Robotnik for immunity. And I wouldn't join the Resistance. They wouldn't have accepted me if I wanted to join."

Knuckles shook his head. "I guess everyone is capable of prejudice and no one is immune." Looking over at his friend, he frowned to see worry in his expression. "You alright? You look worried."

"I'm fine, Knuckles," Bartleby attempted to circumvent the discussion. "I saw Robotnik leaving the bakery, that's all."

"Robotnik? Do you think he saw you?" Knuckles asked.

"Oh no, nothing like that, if he had seen me, he would have ordered my capture and we would have been running for the hills," Bartleby said. "No, I'm just worried because Mindy said he didn't look like he was feeling well. I know it sounds strange but,"

"You're worried about Robotnik? Why?" Knuckles asked. "You ran to the island because he was going to betray you."

"I can't help it Knuckles, he's my godfather..."

AN: Ending it here. Sorry this took so long. I'm also finishing up a collaboration and an outline for a commission on top of getting used to my new job. I hope you enjoy.