Look, everyone, it's an update! Hooray! This particular short was inspired by a quote from one of the earlier episodes (around the time when that Tarzan look-alike was training them) when Manic mentions something about being used to coming home around dawn. Anyway, I am really tired now, so I'll just let you read for yourselves.

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Dawn

Sonic woke with a strange ringing in his ears. A dull grey light was creeping in through the windows of the van, stripping its interior of any colour. Vaguely, his still half-asleep brain registered this and reminded him that it was probably less than an hour before dawn.

But, wait…something about that wasn't right. Dawn? Why the heck would he be awake at this time? And what was that stupid ringing sound!?

Annoyed now, Sonic rolled over in his bed and cocked one ear, listening hard.

…No, not ringing, but drumming, and the occasional clash of a cymbal.

With a small frown, he pushed off his sheets and swung his legs over the side of the bunk bed before jumping down. He paused after landing, turning around briefly to check on Sonia's still sleeping form, and then made his way towards the door.

The morning air was crisp and cool, as Sonic stepped out onto the ramp. It was brighter out here than inside, but the surrounding countryside was still covered in the same grey tint. It was also, he observed, very still, with only a slight breeze rustling the leaves of the trees nearby. The whole atmosphere just seemed to ooze tranquillity, and Sonic fleetingly thought that, in times like this, it was hard to believe that Robotnik even existed. That is, until a loud thumping cut through the air.

Dragging his eyes away from the scenery, he turned toward the noise, which was now an unmistakable drum solo. A little way away he could see Manic, seated in front of his drum kit and completely lost in his own rhythm.

With a smirk, Sonic made his way over and stopped when he was standing a few feet behind his younger brother. Planting his hands on his hips, he began to tap his foot on the soft ground and cleared his throat loudly.

Manic stopped abruptly, the last beat of the drums echoing through the air, and whirled around, coming face to face with his speedster brother. Sonic raised an eyebrow.

"Uh…oops."

Sonic grinned. "Manic, I know this might be hard to believe, considering the very reasonable hour it is, but the rest of Mobius might still actually be sleeping."

Manic cringed. "Sorry, bro, I didn't mean to wake you," the younger hedgehog replied sheepishly as he jumped off his stool and moved towards his brother. "I guess I kinda got carried away."

"You can say that again," Sonic muttered under his breath, some of the annoyance he had been feeling earlier once again making itself known. The moment the words left his mouth he saw Manic grimace and his shoulders slump. Instantly, the blue hedgehog wished he could take it back.

"Hey, don't sweat it, bro," Sonic said as he draped one arm around his younger sibling. "You should just be glad that it was me you woke up and not Sonia."

Manic smirked. "Yeah, I wouldn't want to disturb the princess from her beauty sleep."

"Exactly," Sonic agreed. "Although, you still haven't told me why you're up this early in the first place." He gave his younger brother a pointed look. Immediately, the green hedgehog shrugged out from under his sibling's arm.

"Seriously dude, it's nothing," he said stressed.

Sonic folded his arms over his chest and continued to stare the other hedgehog down.

"Okay!" Manic said, holding his hands up in surrender. Plastering a look of indifference onto his face, he replied, "Let's just say the my line of profession comes with a slightly different sleeping pattern than most people."

Sonic leaned forward slightly. "Explain 'different'."

Manic sighed. "Darkness is one of a thief's most valuable tools, if you know how to use it. It's a perfect disguise; it gives you a place to hide and helps you to slip away from dangerous places unnoticed," he explained in words that didn't quite sound like his own. Sonic could only assume that this was one of the many 'lessons' he had been taught while living in the Thieves Guild.

"So," he continued with a shrug, "I spent a lot of time out during the night." He looked up at the still gradually lightening sky and smiled. "Some days, I would only just be getting home about now."

"Right…" Sonic replied distractedly. He probably would have come up with something better to say than that, if he hadn't found himself locked in an internal struggle with the small voice in the back of his head, which was, in great detail, reminding him just how dangerous it would have been for his little brother to be wandering the streets of Robotropolis after dark. Sonic wasn't entirely sure where this voice had suddenly appeared from, but he did know that it had never bothered him before he discovered that he had two long-lost siblings.

Thankfully, Manic was too busy reminiscing about his many late-night adventures to take much notice of his brother's vague reply. By the time he came to, Sonic had -with a great example of personal willpower- managed to subdue his protective instincts and compose himself.

"Anyway," he said, "Some habits are just hard to break, you know?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean, bro," Sonic replied - because he did. They all had habits associated with their old lives that were going to be hard to overcome: Manic's thieving, Sonia's spoilt lifestyle, and his own habit of only working solo. They were all still adjusting to their new life, and Sonic could already tell that there was going to be some significant changes to each of them; but he had no doubt that they would pull through together.

The thoughtful silence didn't last for long; it wasn't their style. Suddenly, Sonic jerked one thumb over his shoulder in the general direction of the van. "So, what do you say we give 'sleeping beauty' in there a wake up call?"

Manic's eyes lit up with a mischievous sparkle, and within seconds he was seated back in front of his drums, twirling his drumsticks in the air above his head.

"Ready when you are!"

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Yep, this one is now officially my favourite :) Reviews and constructive criticism welcome :)