Sleet walked into Robotnik's lab with some papers. Robotnik was standing in the room, working on something when Sleet came over to him.
"Robotnik, sir?" Sleet cleared his throat. Robotnik looked up from his work, at his lackey.
"I told you not to disturb me when I'm working! What is it?!" he narrowed his eyes. Sleet shuffled his feet, nervously.
"I-I-I bring news of the human, sir. The SWATbots found her location." He replied, stuttering. Robotnik looked at him for a moment, then, smiled evilly.
"Really?"
"Yes sir… she's still with the hedgehogs… we're ready to attack soon."
"Good! Roboticize her as soon as you get her! The hedgehogs too if that's necessary! Just get that girl, no matter what!"
Robotnik turned away from his lackey for a moment, "launch the attack at 12 o'clock sharp tomorrow! Then, she'll be ours!" he clenched his fist.
-v-v-v-v-
By the SU van, everything was dark and quiet. It was about 3:00 AM, and inside the van, everyone was asleep. Manic awoke with a start when he heard something drop down on his blanket. He opened his eyes, looking at it, and almost cried out in chock when a giant spider jumped away. His heart jumped one or two beats over, and the only thing he got out of his mouth was a tired 'umph'. He breathed out a sigh of relief and rubbed his eyes, yawning. He got out of his bunk, walked over, and got some water, and turned to the guest bunk. It was empty. Manic's heart was in his throat again.
"Jennifer!" he whispered, "oh my, if she's left!" he sprinted to the door, opened it, and stepped outside. The air was clean and fresh here. He looked around, and finally noticed someone sitting, leaning against the van. Walking closer, he realized who: Jennifer. She was looking down at the medallion, in deep thoughts. Manic walked closer. She didn't notice him.
"Jennifer..?" he tapped her shoulder.
She looked up at him, startled. "Manic?! What are you doing up at a time like this?" she asked, still startled.
Manic smiled. "I could ask you the same thing."
Jennifer bit in her lip and looked down at the medallion again as he sat down beside her. "Well… I was just… thinking." She quietly replied. Then, she looked up at Manic again, "listen, maybe it'd be better if I left… Sonic and Sonia-"
"Never mind them… I've got rights, and so do you." Manic started picking grass. Jennifer looked away from him again. When Manic looked at her, she was still looking out into the air.
"It's not only that." She finally said.
Manic lifted an eyebrow. "Then, what?"
Jennifer bit in her lip again. "This might sound like one big joke, but please, believe me, it's not… anyway, I'm not from this place." She looked at Manic again. He shrugged his shoulders.
"I knew that. All Overlanders are from-" he fell silent, "sorry…"
Jennifer shook her head no. "It's not that… firstly, have you ever heard of humans?" she asked.
Manic thought for a moment. Then, shook his head no. "In fact… I haven't… what's the difference between an Overlander and a human anyway?"
Jennifer looked down at the ground. "I noticed one difference. Have you noticed how many fingers Robotnik has?" she looked up at him again.
"One less than other Mobians… four… but what-" he was cut off when Jennifer lifted her hand, showing it to him. His mouth dropped open. Five fingers, "b-b-b-but…." He stuttered.
Jennifer nodded yes. "And… have you heard of New York in the United States of America?" she continued.
"No… I've never been interested in geography anyway, so-"
"Sonia hasn't heard of it, Sonic hasn't heard of it, the only persons here who know it are Robotnik and me… because I've lived there… and because…" she looked away, "it's on another planet… called Earth." She quietly said. Manic looked at her, shocked.
"WHAT?!" he cried.
Jennifer nodded yes. "It's another planet… in another galaxy, in another solar system." She turned to him again, "this is Mobius the planet, right?"
Manic nodded yes, all silent, just staring at her.
"Listen, I know it sounds unbelievable, but please, believe me… it's all true, I swear." Her eyes started wetting, "all I've been thinking of is how scared I am, how I was gonna get home and why me… until I read that note. I thought I had to leave, but now I can't…" she closed her eyes. Manic didn't know what to say or do right now. He knew Jennifer wasn't lying, he was 100 sure, it was just that the things she was telling him were so unbelievable. He felt sorry for her now. He knew that. But what could he do?
"J, I… I know how it feels to miss one's family… I'm sorry about draggin' you into the battle like this… really." He talked fast.
Jennifer shook her head no. "You did what you had to… and… I wanna help." She quietly said.
"You're not leaving?!" Manic asked, sounding more surprised than he wanted to.
"No… I'd let you all down… all of Mobius. That's the last thing I wanna do." She squeezed the medallion a bit.
"But… what about your parents? Your family..?" Manic asked.
"WHAT ABOUT THEM?!" Jennifer almost cried out, making Manic crawl backwards.
Then, she sighed and turned back to him, "sorry… I didn't mean to yell at you… it's just that… I… my parents were never home, I've had to take care of myself since I was six and they started going to meetings day and night... sometimes, they weren't home for a week and when they came home, they were tired and wanted to be alone… they didn't pay attention to me, they never asked how school was going, never helping me with my problems…" she let a tear roll down her cheek, "but I knew they loved me… they'll probably be worried when they find out I'm gone too… it's just that… they never showed they loved me…"
"But… didn't you have any friends to back you up?" Manic moved closer to her without really noticing it.
Jennifer looked at the sky, silent for several seconds. "I did… but I only had one true friend… one friend out of 30 others in the class… my parents were rich, we lived on 5th Avenue and my classmates knew… that's what made them all except my friend keep away from me. There were rumors about me, being a snob…" she replied.
Manic bit in his lip. He knew what she was talking about. He knew how she felt at this moment. "I… I know what you mean." He said, quietly, "I lived as a pickpocket until I was 15, and, well… sometimes I can force myself not to steal stuff but usually… I get into trouble… I only want to save money for the resistance but sometimes I go too far without really knowing… but people keep away from me because they know I'm a pickpocket and a criminal." He sank the lump that was stuck in his throat.
"But you have Sonic and Sonia…"
"I know… but… it's still like they don't understand… they grew up in families, I grew up without anybody really caring about me… except one person… Farrell… I HAD no family… I had to steal to survive, and it became a habit to steal everything that looked valuable… a habit nobody can accept and I can't get rid of." He sighed heavily.
Jennifer listened. She didn't really know what was happening to her. After meeting Manic, it was like a hole in her heart and soul were no more. She couldn't explain it but now she knew that Manic felt the same. Had no one to care for him, he had to take care of himself. She felt something for him. Something she couldn't explain… her thoughts were interrupted when she realized she and Manic were sitting in the middle of a deep, warm hug. They quickly drew back from each other, shocked. They both blushed, getting all crimson in their faces.
"I'm… sorry." Jennifer finally said. Manic smiled wryly.
"Hey… don't be… then, I guess I'd have to be too." He shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, I'm sure THAT looked silly!" Jennifer laughed quietly.
"Yeah…"
Silence…
"Listen, about Sonic and Sonia… maybe it'd be about time to show them that note?" Manic asked.
Jennifer thought for a moment. "Well… if you really think so, I guess it's ok…" she replied, looking down at the ground.
Manic put a hand on her shoulder. "Jennifer, I'm not gonna keep you here… if you wanna leave, it's ok, it's your decision. It's just that-"
"I know, Manic… it's just that the note says I can't… and therefore, I'm not gonna do it… as I said, I'd let everyone down. I'll stay. And even though you had that note I believe I'd have stayed anyway if your siblings allow that… I have no place to go, and I can't get home." She quietly said.
Manic sighed, smiling. "I guess I can only thank you for this." He patted her shoulder.
"No problem… and thank you too." She smiled back.
"For what?"
"For doing this for me… for rescuing me back in the city. For caring."
Before they knew it they found each other in another hug, this one, lasting even longer than the other one.
"You two, hold it right there!" the door to the van suddenly slammed open, making Jennifer and Manic draw back from each other, quickly for the second time. Sonic and Sonia now stood in front of them, Sonic, tapping his foot.
"Manic, what are you doing?! It's an Overlander!" Sonia folded her arms. Manic rolled his eyes.
"Here we go again." He muttered. He turned to his siblings, "'it', my dear sibs, is NOT an Overlander. 'It' is a human, and I refer to 'it' as 'she', like she refers to the both of you as 'Sonic and Sonia' not 'those'! She's NOT a thing! She's NOT an Overlander!" he sighed heavily. Sonic and Sonia looked at each other, then, at Manic again.
"How are you gonna prove that she's no Overlander, Manic?! Isn't it kinda obvious that-" Sonic was cut off by his own gasp when Manic lifted Jennifer's hand showing it to him and Sonia. Both Sonic and Sonia stood, with their mouths wide open, counting Jennifer's fingers over and over.
"And how are you gonna explain that, bro?" Manic lifted an eyebrow. Sonic folded his arms.
"Two words, Manic man, freak child! She coulda been born with five fingers! Humans don't exist!" he tapped his foot once again. Sonia just stood, silent. Manic snorted.
"Freak child, HA! No way!" he turned to Jennifer, "looks like we have to show them the note after all!" he started looking in his fanny pack.
"You're sure?" Jennifer whispered. Manic nodded yes.
"What are you talking about?! What note?!" Sonic leaned against the van. Manic gave the note to him, folding his arms while both Sonic and Sonia started reading it through. Sonic looked the note over again and turned to Sonia who shrugged her shoulders. Then, he looked at Jennifer.
"Give me one reason to believe you… YOU could deliver this note, and-"
"Sonic, did you read all of the note?! MEDALLION! There's no way Jennifer would have a Royal Medallion unless mother gave it to her… and there was a medallion with the note." Manic cut his brother off. Sonic started reading the note again, frowning.
"And where is that famous Royal Medallion?" he asked. Manic nodded to Jennifer and she pulled it out of her pocket.
"Manic gave it to me yesterday." She held it up, showing it to Sonic and Sonia.
Sonia took it and started examining it. "It's not a fake… it's real alright. Sonic, maybe they're right. Maybe we should give Jennifer at least one chance. Even Buttnik wouldn't go to this much trouble just to get us.." She gave the medallion to Sonic who looked it over too and gave it to Manic, mumbling something while reading the note again.
"Sonic Hedgehog, are you convinced?!" Sonia continued on, folding her arms. Sonic leaned against the van.
"Nope. I'm only convinced about one thing. She works for Robotnik." He closed his eyes.
Sonia looked at Manic and Jennifer. "Fine Sonic…" she walked over to the two, "then, you're alone!" she muttered. Then, she turned to Manic and Jennifer. "Guys… I'm sorry. Friends?" She held out her hand to Jennifer. She looked at Manic, confused. Manic nodded yes, and Jennifer finally shook Sonia's hand.
"Friends… thank you, Sonia." Jennifer quietly said, half-smiling.
Sonic looked at them, his mouth open. He quickly looked away when they all turned to him.
"Bro?" Manic asked. Sonic looked at him. Then, to Sonia. Then, to Jennifer. They were all looking at him, somehow, pleading. Jennifer sighed.
"Sonic… earlier tonight, I told Manic I'd stay… stay to help you find Queen Aleena and make Mobius free. I swear, I'd never work for that tyrant Robotnik. Never. He's destroyed my life in few days and your lives haven't exactly been harmony either… please, let me help… I know why you've been mad at me ever since you saw me… because you wanna protect your siblings. You have your pride and I respect it… but please give me a chance… please." She stepped closer. Sonic looked at his siblings again. They were still looking at him. Then, he sighed heavily and nodded yes while getting up.
"Friends?" Jennifer she held out her hand, hesitating.
Sonic smiled. "Friends." He shook her hand.