Chapter 2: Triplets Grown (Part 1/2)

1/5/2022

A little over fifteen years had passed since the day Queen Aleena gave up her children. Despite coming from the same place, all three children grew up in very different ways… One such child grew up in a way no sane parent could ever expect.

Manic's Milestone

"Manic! Have you been studying your lessons?" asked a tall, insectoid man to a boy in his mid-teens. Manic was sitting on a bench, drumming on it with a pair of drumsticks. He replied to the insect's inquiry with a cheerful "yup." "Well then? Show me what you've learned." Manic chuckled briefly. "One second!" He finished up his "solo," then tossed the drumsticks into the air, stylishly catching them in a small bag around his hip. The other man then began walking towards him as Manic walked by, briefly bumping into him. After the bug walked a few more steps, he reached into his brown, shoddy jacket, looking for something. "Oh my! Where is my wallet," he said as though he was reading poorly off a script. Manic then pulled out a silver-colored wallet and presented it to his teacher. "How's that for a 'Bump-and-Steal,' Farrell?" Farrell applauded him. "Well done lad. You're a great student and a good boy overall! And that's actually why I decided…" he said as he reached back into his jacket. "…Wait, where's—" Before he could finish that sentence, he heard Manic drumming again, this time with new, gray-colored drumsticks. "Wahaha! I'd expect nothing less from my best student," declared the bug with pride as he realized what had happened.

Manic was a green hedgehog teen who an assortment of wild, thin quills on his forehead and a few larger quills on the back of his head. He sported a red vest and a fanny pack kept on his hip, and wore grey hi-tops with visible signs of use. He also had a silver-colored ear piercing on one of his ears. From his less-than professional attire and his criminal skillset, you would never have guessed that Manic was one of Aleena's kids. Manic didn't even know he was one of her children. And on top of that, Manic wasn't even supposed to be with this criminal. When Aleena dropped Manic off, she didn't stay to make sure the people in the house took him in. But when she wasn't looking, he was scooped up by criminals who raised him as one of their own. You wouldn't expect a group of thieves to be able to raise a kid, but raise Manic they did, treating them like a beloved family member when he wasn't a co-worker.

"Hey kid, why don't we head on back to the base? There's a surprise there waitin' for you," Farrell told his young protégé. Manic's eyes lit up. "Really? And here I thought things couldn't get better than some bangin' high end drumsticks!" Farrell chuckled as he lead Manic back to a dilapidated alley. The two of them walked all the way to the end and stood before a door on their right. Farrell knocked on the door with three short knocks, followed by four longer ones and finally five more short ones. Recognizing this as the secret code, someone behind the door unlocked it and let Manic and his teacher in. Once inside, Manic was greeted by the sight of a pair of very-likely stolen cakes, and his criminal family, who all chanted "Happy adoption day, Manic!"

"Woah, you guys got a party together?" Manic asked in wonder. A tall woman resembling an alien ferret crouched down. "Of course, my little liebling!" The woman's name was Sasha, and she taught Manic the art of cartography, which came in handy for planning out heists. She was the closest thing Manic had to a mother. "It may not be all that much, but it's been fifteen years since you came into our lives… and also around fifteen years since you came into this world, give or take a few weeks, so take this as a birthday party of sorts too, ja?" Sasha tended to be open with Manic about him being adopted, which never bothered him, as everyone around him never gave him reason to feel bad about it and made sure he felt like he belonged. "Anyways, we wanted to celebrate such a milestone, and we felt like this was a good way to do it!" Farrell told him. He then clapped his hands together and addressed the room. "Alright, let's get this party on!"

The cakes were delicious caramel cheesecakes, of which Manic got the first bite. Manic rarely got to have this kind of cake, so he always appreciated it greatly when his family was able to steal some from one of the highest classes' bakeries. After the cakes were finished off (and after Farrell took care of the crumbs), A few of the hedgehog's fellow thieves left the small room and came back with mostly unwrapped gifts. One such thief, a young white porcupine man just a few years older than Manic, was the only one to have a wrapped gift, which was the biggest. "Sorry, we could only scrounge up enough wrap for one gift," he told Manic with a hint of excitement in his voice. "S'all cool with me, bro! Now, let me at em!" Sasha gave her gift first, which was a pair of new shoes. Farrell's gifts were a brand new wallet and a couple of Swiss army knife-like tools Manic found in one of their last heists, and a gift from the porcupine's boyfriend was a brand new outfit, consisting of a red zip-up vest with 2 pockets on either side of the zippers, a black messenger bag, and a new gold ear piercing. "Oh wow," Manic said excitedly, "this stuff is awesome! Hol' up, I'm gonna try these clothes on right now!" He took off and ran up the stairs to his room, and quickly threw the clothes on and switched out his piercing. He checked himself out in a mirror he stole from a dump, and quickly fixed up his quills. The freshly outfitted hoodlum then ran out and slid down the banister, leaping off the end with an acrobatic flair. "So, how fresh do I look?" He asked the others in the room. Sasha walked over and put her hands on his shoulders. "If looks could kill darling, you'd be a serial killer!" Manic laughed at this morbid expression, then hugged her. "Thanks, Sasha."

The porcupine cleared his throat. "Hey, we've got one other gift over here!" Manic pulled himself out of the hug. "Oh, right!" Farrell then stopped Manic. "Now Manic, this gift will be exciting, but don't get too loud, alright? Tryin'ta keep a low profile." Manic nodded, and then immediately tore into the gift wrap. Once it was all off, his jaw practically hit the floor. He stared in wonder at his gift, then began shaking a little. He got up and slowly walked the couch and grabbed a throw pillow off of it and threw it over his mouth. "OHHH MYYYY GODDDD!" he screamed into the pillow, barely audible. He screamed for a bit longer, then threw it back onto the couch, and turned back to the porcupine with a massive grin on his face. "You GOT me an EXTREME GEAR?" he asked in a sort of whispered shout. "An Access model, specifically. We got it painted your favorite colors, too." Manic then looked at Farrell. "Will I get to use this on heists?" He put his hand on Manic's shoulder. "Absolutely, kid. I know you know the basics, but maybe after the heist I do tonight, I could guide you through some more advanced stuff." Manic jumped onto Farrell and gave him a hug around his neck. "Thanks, Farrell! That'd be groovy!" Farrell hugged him back. "Any time, kid."

Just then, a watch Farrell had on began to beep. "Well, speaking of the heist, looks like it's go time. Sasha, Spiker, Teo, Eileen… meet me outside." Those Farrell had called for followed him outside, with Sasha blowing a kiss to Manic as she left the building. Manic was left with a few other thieves. Manic decided to familiarize himself with the tools he got. After playing with them for a bit, he announced his intent to take a little nap. He walked up the stairs, and opened the door to his room, throwing himself onto a worn-out looking but comfortable bed. He stared at the ceiling as he slowly drifted off to sleep.

In his sleep, he began hearing a faint, muffled song. He opened his eyes, finding himself in a black void. He looked around, trying to find the source. But all that he saw was a never-ending darkness. It felt like he was standing on nothing, yet he didn't feel like he was falling. He cupped his hands over his mouth. "Yo, who's playing that music?" He called out. But there was no answer. He then proceeded to carefully take a step. When his other foot reached "ground level," he felt a bit of resistance as though he touched the ground, but once his foot was down, it felt as though the ground didn't exist again. He decided to go ahead and start walking. He tried a few different directions, trying to find one that would take him closer to the sound. It began to seem hopeless, until halfway through a turn, he saw little flashes of blue and fuchsia out of the corner of his eye. He turned to face them, and saw that they were circles on the ground. He immediately started walking in their direction. Then he noticed the music getting louder. Manic then broke into a run. The ground began to feel more solid. But just as the music reached its loudest and clearest, Manic was blinded by light. "Wait!" he screamed. But his call was absorbed by the light.

Manic shot up out of bed. "Man, what a wild dream," he muttered to himself. Suddenly, felt his watch buzz. On the little screen, a message scrolled by: "MANIC, IT'S FARRELL. COULD YOU HELP ME CARRY MY HEIST?" Manic quickly wrote a reply on his watch, then ran down the stairs, grabbing his Access board, and hopped on it, zooming down a path. Within a couple of minutes, he reached Farrell, who was carrying two large bags. "Woah, hey there kid! Didn't expect you to get here so soon, even on a board!" Manic crossed his arms and smirked. "Guess I'm a bit of a speed demon." He then looked around. "Hey, where are the others?" He asked, concerned. The elder thief rubbed his head in embarrassment. "Well, we kinda flubbed things up a bit, and… Long story short, the others gotta hide out for a bit. But they're fine, son." Manic laughed. "Gotta be more careful, man. Those aristocrats might bury you in their upper crust." Farrell chortled. "God, I hope not! It'd be super boring in there." He passed a bag onto Manic. "Here, zoom this back to our place, will ya?" Manic complied and made a quick trip back and forth to drop it off. Farrell was a little surprised to see him come back. "You know, I would've been there soon, kid!" Manic smiled. "I know. Maybe I wanna spend time with ya, though." Manic's mentor smiled warmly at this.

The two began to talk as Manic rode his board at a slow speed. They talked about the heist, what their favorite heists they went on together were, and started spitballing ideas for what to do next. Just as they were laughing at the idea of stealing from a gaudy clothing store just for laughs, Manic heard something. "Do you hear that?" He asked. Farrell listened carefully, but didn't hear anything. "…No. But then again, maybe my ears aren't quite what they used to be." Manic could've sworn it was music. "I'm gonna go check it out. See you back at the base," he told the man as he zoomed off. "Manic, wait—"

But, he was already gone.

Aleena's daughter, on the other hand, was leading a life completely opposite to Manic's. Whereas Manic grew up in the slums of Mobotropolis, She grew up on a private estate within the city, living a life similar to the one she'd be living if it weren't for Robotnik.

Much Ado About Sonia

In a sizeable and regal pink room, in front of a gold and white piano sat a fifteen-year-old hedgehog girl. Sitting in a chair beside her was her adoptive mother, Lady Windermere, a kindly aristocrat who was well renowned for her love of (and desire to protect) the arts. She nodded her head rhythmically as her daughter played a piece called The Starlight Zone Scherzo, a piece that was joyous, yet with a hint of melancholy. Towards the end, the girl lost herself in the music and began putting a more vigorous, grandiose spin on the final measures. As she struck the last chord, she focused on the resonance of the note, with her focus eventually being broken by Windermere's clapping.

"Oh Sonia, that was beautiful!" Sonia turned to her and blushed. "Oh, well… you know." Windermere got up and put her hand upon Sonia's shoulder. "You barely needed the sheet music for this one at all, you must have really been practicing!" She then leaned in. "And while some piano teachers would probably disagree, I felt the way you put your own interpretation in the mix towards the end; it made the finale that much more satisfying, very good use of dynamics." Sonia smiled. "Well, a woman mustn't hold back when it comes to the arts, right?" Sonia then remembered a question she wanted to ask. "Hey, you said that my new mattress would be in today, right?" Windermere then put her hand up to her cheek. "My word! I completely forgot, they delivered it not too long ago! I'll send for someone to bring it up right away." Her daughter then stood up. "No need to, mom! I can go get it!"

"Wait, Sonia—" however, Windermere couldn't finish this sentence; Sonia was already out of the door and sliding down the spiral staircase's banister. "SONIA!" Windermere shouted out, concerned for her daughter's safety. She hopped off towards the end, and searched for a box within the foyer. Her mom began making her way down the stairs, but by the time she was halfway down, Sonia was running up the stairs carrying the heavy box with ease. "Sonia, PLEASE…" Sonia turned her head at this. "Oh come on, mom. You know I've got the gift of super strength, I'll be fine! You have to stop your worrying!" Windermere frowned. "Young lady, I still don't think it's safe, I mean, what if your arms give out or you trip on a step? I mean, that'd be so… so…" Sonia put a hand on her hip. "So un-ladylike?" Windermere shook her head. "No, no… everyone makes mistakes. It'd just be dangerous, is all." Sonia groaned. "But the super strength is un-ladylike, isn't it?" "I'm just worried Bartleby will find it..." she spun her hand in a circle, trying to find words. "…disturbing. He might feel intimidated." Sonia smirked. "Don't you mean emasculated?" Windermere stifled a violent chuckle, then swallowed her feelings. "Look, you're a beautiful young lady, you shouldn't have to use powers like that! Just maybe put your powers aside for emergencies, alright darling?" Her daughter frowned and looked down. "Please, Sonia?" Sonia grumbled a bit at this, then looked up with a faint smile. "Okay, mom. Can I still take this bed up by myself?" Windermere sighed. "Yes, dear. But no running."

Sonia toted the mattress up into her room and switched them out. She folded up her old mattress, and begrudgingly called for some servants to take it elsewhere. "Good evening, Miss Sonia," one of them said to her. "Good evening, Harris. Thanks for coming to set my new bed up…" she then switched to a mutter. "…even though I'm perfectly capable of setting it up myself." She sighed and sat down in front of her vanity and began taking off her makeup and brushing her hair as Harris and his co-worker took the old mattress and its sheets off and put on the new one. She rested her head on her hand and sighed as she worked on a tangle. Shortly after she brushed out the knot, Harris came up to her. "Your new bed is set up, Miss Sonia." Sonia swiveled her chair around to face him and smiled faintly. "Thank you, Harris. You're dismissed." As her servants walked out, Windermere walked up and stood in the doorway. "I've had a long day, so I'm heading to sleep early. Try to keep the volume down if you plan to practice piano any more tonight, and don't forget; You have an outing with Bartleby tomorrow at 3 PM, so it would be best to not stay up too late, alright dear?" "Yes, ma'am." Sonia got up and hugged her mother. "Good night, mom."

Once her mother left, Sonia shut the door, and went to her closet. She undressed, tossed what she was wearing into a hamper, and put on a loose t-shirt, pajama shorts, and a pink robe. She threw herself onto the bed, and quickly began to enjoy how comfortable the mattress was. "Ooh, I didn't know how wack my old mattress was until now!" Then, she heard a buzzing and a melodic chiming coming from the top of her nightstand. It was her phone going off! She picked it up to answer it. "Hello?" she asked. From the other end of the line, a bubbly and bouncy voice spoke up. "Oh my god, hi bestie!" Sonia immediately sat up with a smile plastered on her face, realizing that the voice belonged to her best friend, Mindy LaTour. "Mindy! Hey girlfriend, what's up?" The two then began having a conversation about many topics, from music to shopping. Sonia also took a moment to complain about her mom. "…And she's like, 'but Sonia, super strength is intimidating, it's un-ladylike!'" "Girl, being a lady is like, relative and like, a total mindset and nothing else. Guys should be throwin' themselves at your feet for how strong you are! Strength is just like, an ability thing, you know?" "That's what I've been thinking!" Sonia then looked at the clock. "Oh, I gotta go Mindy, I've gotta rest up; I'm going out with Bartleby tomorrow." This was met with a loud squeal. "You're going on a date?!" "Haha, no; we're literally going out. Y'know, get to know each other better... Y'know, just generally trying to make sure this arranged marriage will work out." Mindy attempted to pry further, but since it was starting to get late, Sonia ended the conversation. "Night, Mindy, TTYL girl!" "Ohh… TTYL, but you are SO spilling the beans when it's over!" The two hung up, and Sonia got under her covers and went to sleep.

Almost as soon as she fell asleep, she found herself in a dark void, identical to the one Manic found himself in. "Now this is a weird dream," she said quietly. Like Manic, she began hearing music. It wasn't the kind of classical stuff her mother had her practice; it sounded like powerful rock music. Sonia began tapping her foot to the beat. "Now that's a song I can get behind." She began following the source, eventually noticing spots of blue and green on the ground. She ran faster and faster, but once again, before she could hear it at it's loudest and clearest and find the source, she too was blinded by light, and woke up.

She didn't have too much time to worry about what the dream meant. When she woke up, she immediately started getting ready for the day ahead, and took care of her piano lessons and schoolwork. As it began to reach 3 PM, she started dressing for the occasion. On Mindy's suggestion, she threw on a stylish yet casual outfit, consisting of a short red and purple dress, a lightweight, mauve-colored jacket, dark red pants, and purple boots. She was on her way out the door when her mother stopped her. "May I talk to you very briefly before you go?" "Oh uh… sure." Windermere got down on Sonia's level, placing her hands on her shoulders. "Sonia, I'm so very proud of you. You're a beautiful girl and I bet you and Bartleby will have a good time…" she then began whispering. "…but stay out of trouble. And hide your powers. Do not give Robotnik any reason to persecute you, alright? Stay away from seedy areas, do you understand?" Sonia gulped. "Yes, ma'am." "Good girl. Now, off you go! Be back before nightfall, please!"

The young woman met up with Bartleby in a pleasant park in one of the more cleaned up, high class parts of the city. Bartleby was the heir of the Montclair family. He was a couple years older than Sonia, and next year he was to begin taking over his family's many businesses. He was dressed in a somewhat formal getup, befitting his economic status. "Oh, there you are, Sonia!" he said in a posh voice. He then bowed. "So, where shall we go?" Sonia thought. "Well, I've never really been able to visit this part of Mobotropolis, so I thought maybe we could start off just… taking a walk and seein' sights?" Bartleby seemed a bit surprised but wasn't in the slightest upset. "Ahh, so you're a woman who likes to explore, I see? I can't blame you; this part of the city is filled with so many wonders, it'd be in poor taste not to explore them with you." The two walked side by side and began talking about their interests as they visited large fountains, bustling gourmet cafes, and wonderous museums. While Robotnik's guards loomed over the areas, Sonia wasn't too bothered.

A few hours passed, and they exited an authentic Choughian food restaurant they decided to get dinner at. "I had no idea you had such a passion for international food, Sonia!" Bartleby said with wonder. "Oh, I absolutely love cultural stuff! Why…" she thought of something to say to impress him. "…if I wasn't Windermere's heir, I'd probably be studying to be an anthropologist. Heck, maybe I'll be one anyways!" Bartleby chuckled. "With my finances, I'll make sure you can afford the best of tools." Sonia proceeded to laugh, but then stopped, and began looking around. "Sonia, are you alright?" The girl looked back at Bartleby. "Do you hear something?" "Well… I hear the sound of the people around us, I do suppose." Sonia shook her head. "No, no, no… It's like, music." Before Bartleby could answer, she dragged him with her as she looked for the sound.

Despite Bartleby's protest and confusion, her search led them to an area near the slums. "Can't you hear it? It's getting louder!" she told her fiancé as she continued to drag him around. "Sonia, I'm coming along with you for your safety, but I do not appreciate this imaginary music hunt!" She rolled her eyes, then ran down an alley. The two made twists and turns as Bartleby kept insisting that they turn back. At a particular turn, he suddenly went quiet. "Sonia, I—" Sonia then flung around. "Look, I'm not crazy alright! I know what I hear, and what I hear is—" Bartleby held his hand up. "Sonia… I hear it too, now. I think it's coming from that way," he said in disbelief as he pointed to a door that was on their right. She walked over to the door, and took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing…"

She opened the door, and slowly walked in.

SONIC UNDERGROUND: AMPED