Changing Fate

A Sonic Underground Fanfiction written by Ceara Ivory

Prologue

Sonia always expected that freedom would feel so good. When Robotnik was finally gone, they would be free and happy and the people could begin life anew. She didn't expect the final battle to be as intense as it was. Their mother had taken point while they backed her up with their medallions and their music. In the end, the man lost. Ironically, by falling off of his own egg-shaped fortress. Her mother had tried to save him but to no avail. At last, the kingdom was free. He would terrorize them no longer.

However, the victory felt bittersweet as the pink hedgehog princess stood behind her fiance as he wept over a spot on a grassy knoll just outside his mansion. "I'm sorry Bartleby, I know you looked up to him." Though I'll never understand why.

He turned around. "I appreciate you being here with me Sonia… Thank you for helping me when no one else would…" The blond mink wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry… it's just… someone should cry for the old man right?" He asked weakly.

She nodded as he wiped his eyes, obviously trying to stuff down the pain he felt. "You're not good at hiding your feelings my love. Don't… It's okay for you to hurt. I will never try to invalidate the respect you had for him."

"I tried to save him, Sonia. I tried to bring him back from the edge… The madness was just too strong…" Bartleby wept. "I never got… got to tell him… that he was… the best father anyone could ask for."

The statement socked Sonia in her gut. "Your father?" She asked him and he nodded.

"I guess it's safe to tell you now. He adopted me after my parents died." He explained. "He and my dad were best friends, as close as brothers…"

Sonia pulled away slowly. "Bartleby… oh Bartleby, I'm so sorry. I didn't know. If I had known… Well, I… I don't know what I could have done…"

He squeezed her hand. "I don't blame you my love. That's just… that's why I could never join you. I couldn't betray him when I was all he had left. Even Sleet and Dingo joined you guys at the end. Saving him was my job and I'm the one who failed."

Sonia couldn't say anything more as he sobbed. That explained it. She wondered if there was anything she could have done. Was there a point to wondering? All she could do was hold him and rub his back.

By the time he was out of tears to cry, he was exhausted and she helped him to his bed. She considered his pain. Was there anyway to fix this? "I'm going to make this right Bartleby. I'm going to find a way to help you heal."

She returned home to the palace that once again gleamed of gold and alabaster. Aleena smiled as her daughter came in. "You were gone a long time my dear. I hope everything is alright."

Sonia nodded. "Bartleby needed me. I couldn't make him do it alone…" She said, referring to burying their foe. "And he didn't have anyone else to help him."

Aleena nodded and hugged her. "You have such a big heart. I am glad you're back though. I've been talking to a few friends. It's time to thinking of the future. The people want to be assured of our continued line."

Sonia forced a smile. "Is it really the right time to think about that Mom. Bartleby and I need time before we're ready to…" She trailed off as her mother held up her hand.

"I'm not talking about Bartleby, my dear…." Her mother said with incredulity in her tone. "You don't think you're going to marry him now, do you?"

Sonia nodded. "Well yes. He is my fiancé. That never stopped. We kept our distance during the war but we never ended it."

Aleena sighed. "I'm sorry dear but it has to end. It's a doomed love. He'll simply grow to resent you. You must both choose to be adults now and end it."

She shook her head. "No, Mother. I won't end it. He won't grow to resent me. I love him and he's the one I choose. Can you handle that?" She said snidely as she stomped off to her room. She slammed the door. "The war is over, so why does she think she can tell me who I can and cannot marry? Like I would ever leave Bartleby when he needs me the most."

The room suddenly illuminated with a green light as a scaly-green anteater, shrouded in a black cloak appeared. "Princess, why so somber?" He asked with concern.

Sonia sighed. "Oracle… why… why did this happen?" She asked as she sat down on her plush bed that was ten times softer than the bed in the safe house, and a hundred times better than her bed in their camper. "I thought this was supposed to be a time of joy but I feel helpless. Bartleby is devastated and there's nothing I can do."

The Oracle patted her hand. "Well, that's… that's not strictly true. Unfortunately, what you could do… could easily make things worse if it went wrong." He said softly. She looked at him. "Do you remember the good Robotnik from when I sent you to that alternate reality?"

Sonia nodded. "Yes, I liked him. I could see how Bartleby could care for a man like that. He seemed like he would make a good father."

The Oracle nodded. "Robotnik used to be that good man. You see my dear, there are many different realities but they are almost all predicated on choices. If things had been just slightly different here, it would have happened as you saw it there. You and your brothers could easily have become tyrants yourselves."

The former freedom fighter nodded as she thought of the implications. "So something happened to make Robotnik choose to become an asshole. Bartleby called it madness. Can you use your magic to send someone back in time?"

"I can… however, you must understand the dangers. If we do this, you must know that you could ruin everything you now have." He explained. "Or you could even wipe yourself from existence."

She nodded. "What I need is something to guarantee that if I do this… I don't cause a temporal paradox. Something to tie this world with the changes. If I'm wiped from existence, very well. But if succeeding means there is a chance that everyone can be happy, then I'm all for trying."

The Oracle nodded. "I have a spell to avoid the complications of a paradox."

Sonia nodded. "First, I think I need to know the changes that need to be made first. Would you be able to send me back to that alternate reality first? That Robotnik must know what happened to turn our Robotnik into the monster he was."

"I think that is a good idea, Princess. Do you think you should tell anyone?" He asked curiously.

"No… Mother wouldn't approve. Sonic and Manic would want to come too but that's too dangerous." She said. "It has to be me. I have to do it myself."

The Oracle hugged her and conjured a pendant. "This will get you there and when you know what to do, think of where and when you need to be in order to accomplish it. I will pause things here and craft the spell to tie the outcome to this world."

Sonia smiled at him as she looked at the pink crystal that hung from the silver chain. "Thank you Oracle. I appreciate everything you've done." She hugged him once more. "If I fail, I'm sorry but I have to try."

He nodded. "Good luck Princess. If anyone can change the course of fate, it's you." He kissed her forehead in a fatherly manner.

Sonia nodded as she held the pendant, focusing on where she wanted to go and who she wanted to see when she got there. She closed her eyes and felt herself being pulled away from her present location. Her thoughts went to her brothers and her mother. I'm sorry guys, but this is my mission…

AN: Will Sonia be able to change fate to give all of them a happy ending? Review and favorite please. Though seriously, I would be happy for the review. Be brutal.