Chapter 5
Up in his apartment, Sleet watched and listened to Manic as he fumed around the room. "I don't know why but her insinuation that I am naive or don't know how the world works is just ridiculous." He finally sat down on the sofa, frustrated. Sleet handed him a scotch on the rocks. "Thanks."
"Are you sure this is what you want though?" He asked. "I really don't want to be the reason you and your mother aren't getting along. Your mother loves you."
Manic drank his whiskey. "I'm sure Fen. I like you and it's my life. I'm tired of her trying to run my life." He let the wolf put his arm around him. "I'm getting why Sonia left."
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When Bartleby reached the hospital room, Sonia was mopping the sweaty brow as the old man looked around the room in a daze. "Uncle, how are you feeling?"
Robotnik nodded. "Better… How long have I been asleep?" He asked.
"About two weeks now." Sonia said gently. "It's okay, Father, you needed the rest."
Bartleby smiled as Androcles coughed. "Ahh, Uncle, Lord Androcles was just checking in on you. He was rather concerned."
Robotnik looked at the lion. "And how have things been in my… absence? Have you gotten the air scrubbers installed on your factories yet?"
"I haven't gotten to it yet, sire. It's been chaos with you unconscious. Installing the scrubbers will shut us down for days," Androcles argued. "And your heiress vanished with your nephew for a week. Apparently, she came to some harm and as you can see, is very confused."
"And what makes you believe she is confused?" He asked the lion.
Androcles coughed. "Her memory and the fact that she's calling you…"
"Father? Yes. Did you not understand when I made her my heiress? I adopted her. She is my daughter. I felt it only right given the circumstances!" Robotnik snapped. "Now, I expect those scrubbers to be installed by Monday! Otherwise, to the roboticizer with you! Do you understand me?"
His characteristic growl sent a shiver through the other man's spine and he nodded. "Yes, sire. As you wish, sire." He took off out of the hospital room.
Robotnik sighed with sadistic glee. "And that's how it is done, my dear. Bartleby, take notes." He smiled at them. They both laughed at how the lion fled like a coward.
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Aleena wept into her arms at her dining room table. Sonic tried desperately to talk to her. "Mom, I'm sure it's going to be okay. Manic will come home. You just gotta give him some space."
Aleena fought with her emotions. "I just want to keep you both safe. This man is just a few years shy of being my peer. I don't know him."
"But Mom, you've done a great job raising us. Manic has very good judgement. If he likes this guy, then I trust him." He told her. "You have to start letting the apron string out some."
She kissed her son's forehead. "You'll understand when you have children, Sonic. But maybe you're right. Maybe I need to loosen my grip. I just want you both to be safe and happy. Manic will come back."
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A few hours later, Sonia and Bartleby were standing with Robotnik as the doctor checked his blood pressure. "After running a series of tests, Mr. Robotnik, your heart is very weak. I'm afraid there is no way that you can go back to ruling the country."
Robotnik looked down with a sour expression. "Nonsense. I can rule. I just need to relax. Someone has already told me that I just created more stress for myself by being such a tyrant."
Dr. Trent Owens sighed. "Mr. Robotnik, as a fellow doctor, you know why I have to tell you this. A third attack would finish you."
Bartleby and Sonia both gasped. "What do you recommend Dr. Owens?"
He looked at the results. "I recommend that he see a specialist. I'm referring you to Dr. Thomas Light in Acorn City, Grevillea. He specializes in cardiac health. It's time for you to step down." He told Robotnik firmly.
The old man took a deep breath as he took it in. "I can't. Sonia is not yet ready to take my place and I can't leave the kingdom without a ruler. It would be chaos, war."
"Well, you can't do the job any longer. It'll kill you if you try." The reptilian physician sat down across from him.
Sonia touched his arm. "Please, Father. Take his advice. We can take you back to Acorn City. I don't want to rule."
The old tyrant looked at her and his nephew. "I will think about it. I can't just agree to retire, Dr. I'm not just a doctor. I am this kingdom's ruler. If I just leave, it would put things in a terrible position. I've already done enough damage. Let me make sure that I'm leaving them in a good place."
The doctor nodded. "Agreed. You'll stay here until you are ready to make that step. You can do light work from here and your family can help until then."
Robotnik sighed. "Let me make a few calls. I will do what I must." He closed his mouth. He hadn't expected his day in the sun to end so soon.
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Morning came with Manic staring guiltily at the dining room table. Sleet made breakfast and offered it to the boy. "Are you alright?" He didn't know why it bothered him. Manic was his. He had won.
"I'm fine… Fenrir… I don't know what to do. I feel so terrible for yelling at her and saying what I said." He said as he forced himself to eat. He stared at the aluminum dining table.
Sleet wanted so bad to tell him the truth but bit his tongue. "She's your mother. Of course you feel bad. But she was also wrong. She's been babying you. That's not right. But… then, it wasn't out of malice. It was out of motherly love for you. Would you prefer to go back?"
Manic shook his head. "I don't know. I just need to chill I think. I'll get over it. I want to be with you."
Sleet smiled. "Well you know… You can stay here as long as you like. We should get ready for class…" He said as they heard a knock on the door. He opened it and looked around. There was no one there. He looked down to see a bright red, professional-grade sausage stuffer. "Wow." A note sat on the box. From Mom.
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Sonic walked to school alone, uncertain about whose side to take over this fight between his mother and his brother. He sat down in his chair at his computer and booted it up. He froze when he saw his face on one of the ads on the web browser. He gasped and quickly printed a copy of the flier as the teacher and other students filed in. What was his face doing on this ad? Who was looking for him?
"Now, you've had a few days to explore various websites to see all of the different ways you can put your website together." The teacher began.
Sally noticed Sonic was disoriented and asked. "What's wrong?"
Sonic shook his head as he hid the flier. Something was tickling the back of his memory. "Nothing. I was trying to think of a website to do. I'm thinking I'd like to do a game. A space adventure game. About a group of rebels facing an evil tyrant who took over their kingdom."
Sally nodded. "I love that idea. I'll happily help you if you want." Her eyes went to his bag but she said nothing as she booted up her computer. She smiled as she saw a flashing envelope wrapped with pink glitter. She clicked the icon and read the message. "So, are we definitely on for Saturday?" She asked as she typed her response.
"You mean the festival? Yeah! I can't wait. Manic is entering a contest for his class assignment." He replied as he pulled out a notebook to write down their new assignment, half listening to the teacher. "Design a draft of your opening page on the WDP." He repeated the assignment as he and Sally pulled up the Web Design Portal. The resource had a bunch of stock images for them to use for their draft.
"If you're doing a game, you'll want to have a story to go along with it. Do you have any ideas?" Sally asked as she pulled up her own project plans. "I want to be a party/wedding planner in addition to being queen someday so, my webpage will be the first page to a business website. My friend Bartleby will love it. He and I co-run a dating website together and he'll definitely want to take part in this."
Sonic looked at her. "Your friend, a guy I'm assuming?" He asked.
"Yeah. He and I are practically cousins. His uncle is close friends with my dad and we were little together." Sally told him. "He's just a friend though. And I guess my business partner." She giggled.
Sonic nodded as he thought about the flier. What did it mean? Who was looking for him? What was this feeling in the back of his mind?
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Going into book 5, Sonic has questions about the flier he found, however the festival on Saturday and his brother's fight with their mom and his own fears get in the way.
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