Of Thieves and Hearts

Alright, throw tomatoes at me, I know I'm really late with an update and I'm sorry. Really I am. I'm going to transfer the story over to the computer fully now anyway. So therefore lots of updates, hopefully. Well, enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone except Marisha and Todd…and Manic! (I wish)
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Main Control Room

"What do you mean 'got away'! They were RIGHT there and you couldn't even catch them!" Robotnik slammed his fist down onto the arm rest of his big chair and growled angrily.

Sleet and Dingo were standing before him, flinching slightly at their boss' anger.

"But-but your Grace-" Sleet was interrupted by Robotnik's barking voice.

"And on top of that, you let the street rat get away! Rargh! Sometimes I wonder why I even hired you babbling buffoons in the first place!"

"Uhh, Sleet, what's a 'buffoon'?" Dingo asked, his slow mind not yet registering the insult.

"Shut up, Dingo…" Sleet muttered, the jackal immediately silencing himself.

Robotnik scowled and turned his chair so it was facing the monitors in the back of the room.

"Seeing as you both are the only Bounty Hunters available," he began. "I will overlook this mistake. Bring those brats here and that prisoner. No," he paused, rethinking. "On second thought, bring me the prisoner only."

Sleet and Dingo looked at each other wondering what the fat tyrant was planning. Despite their wondering they knew better than to make their boss more angry than he already was, so they quickly gave a bow.

"Yes, your Evilness, we won't let you down." Sleet said before taking his leave with Dingo.

As the door hissed to a close Robotnik said to no one in particular,

"You better succeed…"

SU Van With Sonic, Sonya, and Manic

"What are we gonna do?" Manic asked.

They were in the garage at the base. Marisha had been given a room and was currently resting. The triplets were discussing what they should do with Marisha. Sonya was sitting on a crate in the garage, Sonic was leaning against the wall next to Sonya and Manic was across from them leaning on the van.

"If we let her go back to Robotropolis she'll likely be caught again, then who knows what that psychopath could do to her." Manic continued.

"The kid's right, maybe we should let her come with us and-" Sonic began.

"NO!" Sonya shouted so loud her echo lasted thirty extra seconds.

The two boys looked at her with shock.

"She can't go with us!" Sonya demanded.

"Why?" Sonic asked raising a questioning eyebrow.

"Did you see the way she was dressed? Talk about a fashion disaster! She's more horribly dressed than both of you combined! Plus, she's a dirty street rat and a thief. For all we know the second we turn our backs she could run off with every-" she clamped her hands over her mouth and stared at Manic.

During her rant she had forgotten all about him once being a street rat himself. Sonic watched for Manic's reaction as well. He was shocked from Sonya's words, she had often confided in him her secret disgust for thieves and street rats but he never expected her to say it in front of their own little brother.

Silence fell between all of them, the green hedgehog being unreadable to the blue and pink hedgehogs.

"Manic, I-" the green hedgehog in question quickly shot his hand up palm facing Sonya to silence her.

"Don't even bother." He spat coldly, standing upright from leaning against the van. "After all, how would a princess who's lived like royalty her whole life know the reality of us who were born or raised in lower life?" he sauntered away from the other two hedgehogs in a dark silence.

"Did you really have to say that?" Sonic asked turning to Sonya once Manic was out of ear shot.

"I didn't mean to!" she inquired. "It-it just slipped!"

"You need to go apologize, sis." Sonic said with some defiance.

"But he doesn't even want to talk to me, what's the use?" she sighed exasperatedly and looked down at the ground.

Sonic sighed in defeat, Sonya had a point.

"I'll go talk to him then. But Sonya,"

Sonya looked up to see what he wanted. Sonic gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Give the girl a chance. Who knows, she may be able to help with the Resistance. Do it for Manic, ok?"

Sonya nodded in agreement.

"I'll try."

Sonic gave her a smile then sped off in Manic's direction, leaving Sonya with the van.

With Manic

He was furious! His own sister, who he thought had let go of her fear and grudge of thieves, had revealed once and for all that some people's opinions will never change.

"They don't even understand! How could they say those things about us when they don't even know what it's like to BE us?" he questioned no one in particular.

He continued walking, he sometimes took a walk when he was mad, and boy did he need it.

Right then and there he wished he could be home. Before Farrell had been robotisized, before he ever knew he had siblings or even of royal blood. He stopped walking. Maybe it was better now. Before, he had no family, only Farrell and the Thieves Guild. But even then it never felt like a real family. True, he had always felt accepted and ever since he was an infant Farrell had always been like a father, but that way of life was so hard sometimes that he'd have to go for a day or two without food.

He sighed then looked up from the ground to find he was in front of Marisha's door. Maybe he could talk to her. The others might not trust her but he knew that he did. Besides, she would understand what it was like.

He raised his hand to knock when a voice caught his attention from down the hall.

"Manic!" It was Sonic.

Manic turned his head in time to see his brother appear in front of him.

"What?" He really didn't want to talk to him right now.

He knew he shouldn't be mad at Sonic but at this moment he'd rather talk to someone who understood over someone who lived in a normal house most of the time.

Sonic raised his hand in greeting.

"Hey, I need to talk to you."

"Forget it. I'm not going to forgive her, not this time." Manic stated somewhat coldly.

Sonic sighed with exasperation.

"You're going to have to forgive her, lil' bro, she's our sister after all."

"What kind of sister holds grudges against her brother's class?"

Sonic opened his mouth to respond but quickly closed it when he realized he had nothing. Manic continued,

"I mean, you yourself come from a non royalty class but she doesn't say anything about your life. Yet she'll happily talk bad about MY class!"

Manic collapsed against the hallway wall, bringing his hands up to massage his temple.

"I'm not in the mood to forgive her right now, Sonic. If she's really sorry she'll apologize in person."

Sonic frowned but nodded in understanding, maybe it was best to let Manic blow off some steam before trying to make things cool again.

"Just don't be mad at her forever, okay bro?"

Manic nodded and watched Sonic disappear down the hall. He sighed. He'd figure out how to fix this later, right now he just wanted to talk to Marisha.

He softly knocked on the door incase she was still asleep.

"Come in." was the response.

He turned the knob and slightly opened the door, poking his head in as he did so. Marisha was standing next to the window, looking out at Robotropolis.

He stepped all the way in, closing the door behind him. He walked up so he was next to her.

"You seem deep in thought." He started, gazing out at the same view she was looking at.

Looking at the city made him remember instances from his childhood when Farrell hadn't been robotisized.

"Yeah…" Mari responded with a hint of sadness.

Manic turned to her upon picking up the tone.

"Something wrong, Mari?"

She looked at him for a moment, contemplating whether to tell what had been bothering her since they rescued her or not. She had to tell someone, someone who could help her.

"No, everything's fine." She smiled at him.

He responded with a look that stated he didn't believe her.

She turned to fully face him,

"Really, Manic, I'm alright. I'm just still tired, I guess."

Manic still didn't quite believe her but he figured she was probably still tired.

They stood there at the window for a few more minutes. Cyrus had coated all of the base's windows with a special film that doesn't make anyone looking out them be noticed by the passing SWATbots.

Manic looked at Marisha from the side of his eyes. He was shocked to find himself thinking about how pretty she was.

She didn't seem to notice he was staring at her so he just kept watching her.

"Manic?"

He was jolted from his thoughts by her voice.

"Yes?" He turned his head to show he was paying attention.

She hesitated for a minute then finally said in a barely audible whisper,

"I lied…"

Manic cocked his head a little in confusion.

"Huh?"

Mari turned around and walked over to the bed and sat at the edge of it.

"There is something wrong…" she mumbled.

She said it so quietly he had to strain his ears to hear her, but he did. The green hedgehog walked over to the small, one person bed and sat next to her.

"I'm listening." He encouraged softly.

Mari kept her eyes on the floor.

"The reason I was snooping around Robotnik's storage areas was to get food. But it wasn't just for me; it was for my little brother as well."

She choked slightly because tears were forming in her eyes.

"My brother is too young to defend himself or escape from SWATbots. I'm scared that he may have been found by now or worse…" She burst into tears now, trying to wipe them away quickly with the back of her hand but it was useless.

Manic slowly put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"Don't cry, Mari. Who knows he could still be somewhere, alive and waiting for you to find him." He tried his best to think of something that could comfort her.

"Yeah," she responded wiping away another tear and sniffing. "Or he could be a cold, lifeless machine slaving for that nutcase."

Manic frowned slightly.

"What happened to your parents…?" He asked tentatively dreading what her answer would be.

The red hedgehog's face portrayed a look of sadness, but not from her worry for her brother.

"They were robotisized…when I was six." She said softly through some fresh tears.

Manic's face now had a sad expression etched on it. The poor girl. He couldn't sympathize with the parent part, but he understood how alone she must feel.

"If I lose Todd too…then I'll have no one left." She said through a few more tears.

"That's not true."

She looked up at him, not getting what he was saying.

"You'll have me…and the Resistance." He smiled at her, hoping that made her feel better.

She smiled back.

"Thanks, Manic."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Marisha had eventually calmed down and was just down to sniffling.

Suddenly Manic came to a realization—his arm was still around her shoulders.

"Erm… sorry." He muttered, slowly removing his arm and putting his chin in his hands to hide the small blush that was creeping up.

Marisha just nodded slightly and turned her head away to hide her own blush. Absentmindedly she started to play with one of her loose quills.

Another bout of silence fell between them; suddenly Manic shot his head up as an idea struck him.

"We can go look for your brother right now!"

Marisha stopped fiddling with her loose quills and stared at him in confusion.

"Now? But wouldn't there be SWATbots around at this time?" she asked.

The green hedgehog shook his head.

"Nah, Buttnik's bots only make one sweep of the city at night. Trust me, I used to sneak out when I was younger and explore the city."

Marisha raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Why would you do that? For the matter, how did you ever escape being found by a SWATbot if one happened to come along?"

Manic grinned, trying not to let being around Sonic's ego for a long time show through.

"Let's just say, I'm a master of disguise." He continued to grin as he got one of his drumsticks out and absentmindedly twirled it in the air with his index finger.

She watched him for a moment.

"As for your other question," he paused for a second to toss the drumstick into the air while it was spinning then caught it skillfully with his hand. "I liked to make stuff when I was younger so I sometimes went out to raid the scrap metal bin."

"What kinda stuff did you make?" she asked tilting her head to the side.

"Nothing much really, just little gadgets and gizmos. One time I made a watch and sold it to somebody for fifteen mobiums."

He grinned slightly remembering the reaction of the guy he sold it to when he realized it was a rip off—but by that time he had already been long gone from the area.

He put the drumstick back in his fanny pack with its partner.

"So, what do you say? Shall we go conduct a little two person search party?"

She smiled slightly.

"Yes, the sooner I find Todd alive and well the sooner I can rest at ease, I hope."

"Then come on." He walked towards the bedroom door and swung it open.
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Yes, I'm very sorry for the late update. One of my friends is helping me with Manic's personality so now I will hopefully not be killing his personality too badly.

Also in case I haven't mentioned it before I DO know that Sonya's name is spelled "Sonia" officially, but I can still dream that DiC at least tried to make an original name, can't I? Anyway, next chapter will hopefully be up soon. I need to go work on my Next-Gen fic now. Please review!

Kalana Fox