The Next Morning…
Some SWATbots made their way through the bushes, towards the van at the other end of the forest. Sleet and Dingo were in the front, leading the bots.
"I wonder if Robotnik will give us a raise for that girl… she's been causing us so much trouble lately!" Sleet muttered. A couple of SWATbots came towards them from the front and Sleet signed everyone to stop.
"Location of priority one, hedgehogs and human found- orders?" one of the SWATbots droned.
Sleet rubbed his hands. "Excellent! We've found her!" he grinned.
Dingo looked around. "We have?" he scratched his head.
Sleet smacked his forehead, but turned to the SWATbots again. "We'll round up both the hedgehogs and the human! No shooting, they all have to be alive! Stun them if that's necessary, but nothing else! Com' on!" he demanded. Then, they ran off.
-v-v-v-v-
Jennifer tried to kick the dummy one more time but missed it and was back on the ground. She looked at Sonic, Sonia and Manic, sighing.
Sonia walked over to her. "J, it's a good start! But you need a different position before the kick! Watch this!" Sonia signed her to step back, made a flying kick on the dummy and landed on the ground, perfectly.
Jennifer sighed heavily. "I'll try…" she started running towards the dummy but Sonia stopped her.
"Not that way… try to do it the same way as I did, much easier." She stepped away again.
Jennifer nodded yes, and tried to focus on the way she was running. Before she knew it she had planted a well-placed flying kick in the chest of the dummy, making it fly back. The rope broke and the dummy ended up in the lake making both Sonic, Sonia, Jennifer and Manic stare after it in awe. Sonic, Sonia and Manic all turned to Jennifer, their mouths wide open.
"Looks like you did it, J." Manic pointed to the dummy. Sonia nodded yes.
"More powerful than expected! It's great!" Sonia patted her shoulder.
Sonic looked at the dummy again. "Have you done this before? That kick could destroy a bot in a split second!" he walked over to Jennifer too.
She smiled wryly. "I don't know… I was focusing a lot, maybe that did it?" she shrugged her shoulders.
"Anyway, maybe we should get to the musical practice! What d'ya say, guys?" Sonic turned to the others. Sonia and Manic
sparked their medallion, only Jennifer stood back.
"Com' on, J!" Manic nodded to her medallion, "just rub the medallion!"
Jennifer rubbed the medallion, gently and stood with a transverse flute in her hands. She smiled.
"Now… that's cool!" she looked at the flute, somehow surprised. Sonic played a few tunes on his guitar.
"Ok, guys! Let's get to it! Any ideas?" he turned to them. Jennifer cleared her throat.
"I've got a suggestion… if you'd allow?"
"Go on, J!" Manic replied. Jennifer nodded and then, started playing a melody on the flute. Manic found the rhythm and joined her. Then, Sonia and finally, Sonic joined.
SONG: Sonic Boom- from Sonic Boom CD
JENNIFER: If you're strong
You can fly
You can reach the other side of the rainbow
MANIC: It's all right take a chance
'Cause there is no circumstance
That you can't handle (SONIA: when you use you mind)
SONIC, SONIA & MANIC: Sonic Boom, Sonic Boom, Sonic Boom
JENNIFER: trouble keeps you runnin' faster
SONIC, SONIA & MANIC: Sonic Boom, Sonic Boom, Sonic Boom
JENNIFER: save the planet from disaster
SONIA: From the dark, to the light
It's a SUPERSONIC flight
Gotta Keep it going
SONIC, SONIA & MANIC: Sonic Boom, Sonic Boom, Sonic Boom
JENNIFER: trouble keeps you runnin' faster
SONIC, SONIA & MANIC: Sonic Boom, Sonic Boom, Sonic Boom
JENNIFER: save the planet from disaster
SONIC SONIA & MANIC: Sonic Boom, Sonic Boom, Sonic Boom
JENNIFER: spinning through a world in motion
SONIC, SONIA & MANIC: Sonic Boom, Sonic Boom, Sonic Boom...
ALL: SONIC BOOM!
-v-v-v-v-
They all stopped playing and changed their instrument back to their medallions.
"Hey, J! Not bad!" Manic put a hand on Jennifer's shoulder.
"Looks like it's official! J's now a SU member!" Sonic winked.
Jennifer turned to Manic, happily.
"I'm accepted?" she asked.
Manic nodded yes. "Totally!" he smiled.
Jennifer's eyes wetted when she suddenly hugged Manic who stood, confused for a moment but then, hugged her back. They let go and Jennifer turned to Sonic and Sonia.
"How can I thank you? For everything! I mean, this is so… great!" she looked at Manic who had turned almost crimson in his face. Sonic and Sonia snickered.
"Hey, J! No need to thank us! But I think you've already repaid Manic!" Sonic laughed. He walked over and tapped Manic on his shoulder, "yo, Mobius to Romeo!" he laughed again as Manic rubbed his shoulder.
"I'm here!" he sneered, making everybody laugh once again. They were all cut off by a great crash coming from nearby. When they looked towards the van they saw some bots approach it from nearby, shooting a lot of trees down. Sonic turned to the others.
"Let's go, hide!" he shouted through the noise. He, Sonia and Manic quickly ran over and hid behind some bushes while Jennifer hid behind a great stump. They all watched the 'bots approach the van. Sleet and Dingo came up to them when they had surrounded the vehicle, Dingo kicked the door in and Sleet looked inside. When he seemed to find nothing he turned to Dingo and the bots, looking slightly annoyed.
"There's no one in there! They've gotta be close! Search the area and when you find them, no shooting!" he demanded. The SWATbots and Dingo started searching immediately. Jennifer looked at it all from the stump. Sleet suddenly turned, looking at the stump she was behind, strangely. She quickly ducked when Sleet rubbed his chin, "hmm, I wonder if…" he started walking towards it and Jennifer flattened against it, her heart pounding insanely while she closed her eyes, tightly.
"Sleet! Over here!" Dingo suddenly shouted. When Jennifer looked out from her hide again, Sleet was paying attention to something else. She breathed out a sigh of relief, and looked at the bushes where Sonic and the others were hiding. Her heart was in her throat when she saw SWATbots had surrounded it closely. She watched as Sonic suddenly jumped up, grabbing Sonia and Manic, ready to speed away but the SWATbots aimed at them, and they were forced to put their hands in the air. Sleet walked over to them, grinning evilly.
"Well, well, well! The Royal Siblings!" he looked at the SWATbots again, "we'll continue looking for the human after roboticizing these brats! Let's see…" he looked the three over. When his eyes reached Manic, his smile grew. "Bring out the portable roboticizer!" he demanded. Some SWATbots put up some sort of chamber and Sleet nodded to Manic, "we'll start with Manic!" he looked at Dingo. Dingo scratched his head.
"Ehh…"
"Pick him up and put him in the roboticizer, muffin brain!" Sleet shouted. Dingo quickly picked Manic up and started walking towards the roboticizer.
"You don't…" Sonic stepped forward, but was stopped by the 'bots.
"I don't what, rodent?! Tell me what you can do about it!" Sleet turned away from Sonic, to Manic who was now in the roboticizer, kicking the glass dome, franticly. Jennifer's heart skipped several beats.
"Activate roboticization in…"
She knew she had to do something… she just didn't know what.
"3…2…1…"
Before she knew, she was standing in front of everybody, looking straight at the SWATbots, Sleet and Dingo.
"Star-"
"STOP!!" she cried, making everybody turn to her, "it's not them you want, it's me! So come and get me, creep!" her voice was firm, and she looked Sleet directly into his eyes. He turned away from the roboticizer.
"The human! Get her! Everybody!" he pointed to her. The SWATbots, himself and Dingo left Sonic, Sonia and Manic and started running towards her. She stood for a moment, trying to realize what was going on. She looked at Sleet, Dingo and the SWATbots, and then, started sprinting away. Sonic and Sonia quickly freed Manic from the glass dome and he started storming after the SWATbots.
"J! WAIT!" he cried out. Sonic and Sonia looked at each other and then, followed Manic. All three of them watched as one of the SWATbots suddenly aimed at Jennifer with its laser gun. Three others did the same, and then…
She was hit by all four shots and collapsed at the same.
"JENNIFER!! NO!!" Manic cried from the top of his lungs, stopping. Sonic and Sonia came to his side and stopped as well. Manic stood, stunned, looking at the SWATbots, Sleet and Dingo who surrounded Jennifer. Sleet growled.
"I said NO SHOOTING! I don't wanna be in your shoes when Robotnik finds out she's dead!"
The last word sent a shiver down Manic's spine.
"NO!!" he suddenly shouted, running towards the bots. They all looked up, just in time to see him attack. He destroyed the bots, one by one, attacking like an angry tiger. Sleet stepped back.
"H-h-he's gone INSANE! Everybody! RETREAT!" he shouted, already on his way back to the forest. Dingo and the rest of the bots quickly ran from Manic as well, leaving him, exhausted. He turned to Jennifer who still lay on the ground. He walked over to her.
"Jennifer…?" he asked, quietly. She turned her head, slowly.
"Manic… I'm sorry…" she fought to get the words out.
Manic knelt down beside her. "Don't talk, please… listen, we'll get ya back to the van, you'll be alright!" he smiled, though, worried, taking her hand, "J, I didn't want this to happen! Really!" he let a tear run down his cheek.
"Don't blame yourself… it's not your fault. You couldn't do anything, I'm just glad you guys are safe!" she smiled wryly.
Sonic and Sonia quickly came to Manic's side.
"She's alive! We've gotta get her back to the van and get a doc, quick!" Manic turned to them. They looked at each other and then, nodded yes.
"I'll carry her…" Sonic quickly picked her up and Manic ran ahead. Sonic and Sonia followed and when they got inside they put Jennifer down in the guest-bunk.
"J, you're gonna be alright! I promise! I won't let you die! Not after everything I've been putting you through!" Manic sat down by the bunk, taking her hand while Sonic and Sonia stood beside him.
Jennifer shook her head no. "Manic, I knew something like this could happen! But I was ready to take a chance, and… this was what happened… it's not your fault at all." She looked at Sonic and Sonia too, "I just hope you guys are able to accomplish everything… find Aleena and get rid of Robotnik… I'm sure it'll happen too!" she nodded to them, "thanks to all of you for caring." She closed her eyes. Manic bit in his lip.
"Jennifer, don't… please…" no response. Sonia burst out in tears, Sonic fought his tears and Manic just stared at Jennifer.
"Why isn't she breathing?! She needs a doctor!" he turned to Sonic. Sonic sank the lump he had in his throat and put a hand on Manic's shoulder.
"Manic…" he quietly said, "it's too late… she's dead."
Manic stared at Sonic for a moment. Then at Jennifer for several seconds. Suddenly, he screamed, holding Jennifer and then, burst out into tears.
"I didn't want this to happen! Really! I tried to save her… I WANTED to save her!" he shook his head, "she… was killed because of me… because she saved me from being roboticized!!" he cried out, "why can't I do things right?! I KILLED her!"
Sonic shook his head no. "Manic… she saved us all, but… Manic, bro, it's not your fault!" he put a hand on his shoulder.
"We could've saved her! Before she was shot!" Manic took Jennifer's hand, "I didn't want it to happen… really!" he bit in his lip.
"Bro, I… I'm sorry, but there's nothing any of us could've done…" Sonic sighed, "listen… we'll get to the HQ tomorrow, so let's burry her there… it's the best thing we can do, alright?"
"NO!! We can still try the medallions! It'll work, I'm sure!" Manic took Jennifer's medallion off her neck and held it tight for a moment. Sonia shook her head no.
"Manic, never use it on a dead person… maybe it'll bring Jennifer back to life, but it could also kill us… maybe even kill Jennifer again afterwards… I'm sorry, but we can't do it!" she fought the tears. Manic closed his eyes.
"She paid her life for ours, we have to risk something too! We owe her our lives!" he tightened his grip on Jennifer's medallion.
"Manic… we can't, we could kill her again! The chances that medallion power is working on a dead person are very small! We simply can't risk it! Besides, do you think Jennifer would want us to do this? Die for her?! We can't do it." Sonic shook his head.
Manic fell silent, just staring at Jennifer. "Ok…"