Chapter 14
"Speedster Island needs you," Sonia read aloud from the coconut that Sonic gave her when he woke her up. "Signed QA. Mother! She wants us to go to Speedster Island. I wonder why."
Sonic shrugged. "I don't know. Where is this place?"
Sonia got up and went to the map of Möbius on her wall. "Let's see, it's this island, in the South Seas."
Sonic yelped. "Seas?"
Manic comforted his brother's fears. "Don't worry bro. I'll put the van on pontoons. You'll be fine."
Sonia got out a travel bag and began packing. "Sonic, leave Trevor a message saying we're going on a mission. We should leave now, it will take a few days to get there." At least she'd have something to do until Bartleby got back.
-
"But Father why?" A young cub argued with Chief Takai as he pulled yet another empty net. "Why do you have to sell the island?"
Chief Takai sighed. He'd been forced to break the news of the impending move to his reluctant child three days prior. "Mantu, we have discussed this. We have no food here. How can we stay? We'll starve here. Dr. Robotnik has promised us a new home and a means to survive."
Mantu pouted as they heard the sound of an aircraft coming nearer. "I don't care. We can find another way to get food. I don't want to leave!"
The Scorpion flew in low and came to a landing a short ways down the beach. Mantu glared towards the three figures who disembarked. Home stealers.
Chief Takai sighed and looked from his son to the visitors. "I must go meet with them. I am sorry Mantu."
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Bartleby took a deep breath of the salty sea air. "This is perfect, so beautiful and peaceful."
Sleet and Dingo stood flanking the rich mink. Robotnik had ordered them to take Bartleby to the island but also to guard him with their very lives if necessary. They were also not to tell him that part.
Chief Takai approached the three men. "Welcome to Speedster Island. I am Chief Takai."
Bartleby offered his hand. "A pleasure to meet you. I am Lord Bartleby Montclair. Robotnik sent me to finish this deal."
Takai took the proffered hand. "Yes. If I may ask, why does Robotnik want our island?"
Bartleby shook his head. "I'm afraid I am not allowed to divulge that information. It is severely important that it remain secret. For purposes of secrecy, we will say the plan is to build a luxury resort for the aristocracy. And of course the village will be relocated as promised."
"Father! No!" Mantu shouted running up to them. "You can't sell the island! You just can't!"
Chief Takai knelt down to his son's level. "Mantu, we have no choice. If we stay, we'll die of starvation. Already the people show signs of it. I'm sorry."
"But Father!" Mantu fought against the tears that wanted to spill.
Chief Takai stood and said firmly, knowing reason had failed to convince his stubborn son, "No Mantu! I am your father and I know what's best! For you and our people."
Bartleby knelt down. "Don't worry young one, it'll be alright. You'll have a brand new home and it can look just like this one. Just give it chance."
Mantu whirled. "No! It's our home and you can't have it! I won't leave! I won't!" Upset, the boy ran into the jungle
Takai wanted to go after his child. He hated to see Mantu so upset. Was he really doing the right thing?
"Ahh, I remember when I was young," Sleet said. "Moving is always hard when you're a child. Change is a scary thing."
Takai knew the wolf was right. "Mantu grew up here. He does not understand..."
-
Mantu ran until he reached a trio of stone hedgehog heads. He bowed in prayer. "Oh Guardians, why is my father doing this? He used to believe in your power, in your promise to protect us in our darkest hour. Oh Guardians, your servants need you!" Mantu waited for a few moments but nothing happened. "Maybe...maybe you are just a legend. If you can't help..." He walked back towards the beach, not registering the sound of an engine nearing the island.
-
Manic drove the van up onto the Sandy beach where Sonic leaped from the vehicle. He wanted to be as far from the water as he could get.
Sonia laughed as she looked around. "Wow, this island is so beautiful!" She declared. For a brief moment, she allowed herself the luxury of a daydream that she was there with her new husband. Though it had only been a few days, she found herself needing him desperately.
Manic agreed. "It really is. I wonder why Ma sent us here."
Sonic took off his shoes and enjoyed the sensation of warm, soft sand between his toes. "Maybe she's trying to tell us we need a vacation. We work way too hard."
A gasp from near the jungle got their attention. A boy wearing a red lion cloth stood there. "The...the Guardians!"
Sonic waved. "Hey pal, how's it shaking?"
Mantu trembled and took off into the jungle in fear. Sonic shot off after him.
"Sonic!" Sonia shouted after him. He was going to scare the poor kid. "Come on Manic. Maybe we'll figure out why Mother sent us."
-
They found Sonic looking in awe at the trio of statues deep in the jungle. "What's this?" Sonia asked,
"I don't know but boy do they look familiar," Sonic stated. He scratched his chin until he saw the kid looking out from behind the statues. "Hey kid, it's okay, you can come out."
Mantu came out timidly. "It is you! I prayed you would come help us and now you're here."
Sonic looked at his siblings. "I guess this is why Mom sent us here. We're the Sonic Underground. I'm Sonic. What's the problem little guy?"
Mantu sniffed. "I am called Mantu. My father wants to sell the island but I do not want to move. I like it here. But there are three here, sent by someone named Robotnik to buy the island and make us move."
The hedgehogs gasped. "Robotnik!"
"Who did he send Mantu?" Sonia asked.
Mantu snarled. "A really big goon and one I don't trust as far as I could throw him."
Sonia, Manic and Sonic all came to the right conclusion. "Sleet and Dingo."
"And there's another. A pompous rich guy with the money. He wants to move us and put up a resort," Mantu explained, wiping wet eyes.
Sonia gasped. Bartleby was here. This must have been the mission Robotnik sent him on. She hurriedly buried her excitement. "Bartleby!" She put a hand on Mantu's shoulder. "Don't worry Mantu, we'll fix everything. I'll go talk to Bartleby."
Sonic stepped in. "Not without me!"
"Sonic!" Manic said. "Shouldn't we take care of Sleet and Dingo?"
Sonic stopped. "Sonia, you shouldn't be alone with Bartleby but...Manic's right...Sleet and Dingo are a problem too..."
Sonia shook her head. "I know how to handle Bartleby on my own Sonic. You just take care of Sleet and Dingbat." She went to find the aforementioned mink.
-
Bartleby yawned as he entered his private suite. "Oh boy, this negotiation business is utterly exhausting." He began removing his business wear before pressing a buttons on his automated closet. He turned his back for a brief moment and held his hand ready to receive his pajamas with the sound of the door opening. Instead a familiar pair of pink arms with grape-colored gloves draped over his shoulders. "What the?" He jumped and turned around. "Sonia! What are you doing here?"
Sonia responded by kissing him. "Aren't you happy to see me?"
"Of course I am," was his quick reply. "I just never expected...how did you know I was here?"
"Technically I didn't," she explained. "Mother sent us. Oh Bartleby, you just can't do this. What are you thinking? Turning this beautiful, sacred place into a resort? Forcing these poor people to leave their home?"
Bartleby groaned. "Sonia, you're taking a short cut through the facts. We're not forcing them to leave. They need to leave the island anyway."
"You mean Robotnik is forcing them to leave because...because...but you can't! Poor Mantu, this is his home!" Sonia pleaded.
Bartleby rolled his eyes. "Did Mantu tell you that they have no food? That there are no fish in the lagoons for them to eat? They are starving here. Thus they cannot rightly stay here."
Sonia opened her mouth but quickly closed it. She couldn't think of an appropriate response. "No, he didn't tell us that."
Bartleby smiled and pulled her close. "I know it's hard for Mantu but this is best for everyone involved. Robotnik has agreed to pay six million möbiums for the island and relocate them to a new home."
Sonia scoffed. "He'll just roboticize them."
"Why?" Bartleby asked. "What purpose would that serve? What purpose then would it serve to send me to settle the payment? What then is the purpose to all this fal-de-ral? Would not it be more expedient to send a squadron of SWATBots to round up and just roboticize them?"
Sonia hated to admit it but her husband made sense. "It just doesn't make sense that Robotnik wouldn't do something to hurt these people. Just because he can."
Bartleby chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Oh my love, do try to give him some credit. There's no motive there."
She turned away stubbornly. How could he stand up for Robotnik? "It's just not fair! There has to be a way to restore the food supply."
Bartleby pet her hair. "If life were fair my love, we wouldn't have to love in secret." He kissed her deeply.
His statement and kiss won the argument. At least for now. Sonia leaned into his touch, and allowed him to take them to that place they had only visited once before. Neither of them saw the hideous orange couch in the corner of the room.
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AN: Life isn't fair, a lesson to remember. Sometimes it's no one's fault, life just isn't fair.
