The automatic doors to the lobby slid open and shut as people came and went, the faces of people sitting in the waiting room changed randomly, as did the atmosphere they brought with them, while the receptionists remained at their seats, vigilantly weathering the blizzard of humanity whirling past them. But as dull as their jobs must have been, they took more notice of the changes than I did, finding it a bit hard to concentrate when I wasn't even sure who I was anymore.
It had been about a day since finding out about the DNA test, but I still hadn't come to terms with the news. When you get credible evidence that everything you once believed was a lie- literally everything- the ability to focus goes out the window as you try desperately to get your thoughts in order.
I was content to remain in bed, preferring that over a concrete floor, but everyone had decided that I needed to spend some time outside of my room and rolled me out in a wheelchair to the waiting area where I got swarmed by tiny humans excited to see a Mobian up close before their own parents intervened, providing me some breathing space. They were persistent, but thankfully easy to keep entertained- especially with some help from Sonic and Sonia- and within 10 minutes, they'd all been whisked away to their appointments.
It was after they were gone that I remembered everything from the previous day and realized how long I'd taken my mind off of it. Wanting that escape back, I eagerly accepted when Aleena challenged me to a game of checkers, thinking it would be easy.
I was on my fourth attempt at winning.
My mounting frustration took me out of the game and back to the big question about my identity that had been sitting in the back of my mind.
"The doctors confirmed you were Maurice before you arrived."
Had they? I didn't want to think they made that up, but I simply could not fathom that I really was the same kid I had been trying so hard to impersonate, though I'd take that over the alternative...
"You can't hide from what you've become," Robotnik whispered in my ear, "So I must hide you from everyone else or they'll know what you really are..."
"You alright?" asked Aleena, breaking me from my thoughts.
She was sitting across from me at a small table, upon which sat a game of checkers I'd been pretending to play.
"I guess," I shrugged, moving a piece, trying not to remember that part of my past.
"It'll take some time, but we'll get through this together," assured Jules, who was sitting next to Aleena and playing a card game with Sonia, who was seated next to me.
"Your go," smiled Aleena, waiting for me to make a move.
I scanned the checkerboard, carefully noting the choices at my fingertips. My mind was a haze but this held some familiarity. Moving my finger to one red disc, I kept an eye on Aleena's hand, watching it twitch in anticipation of my next move, which vaguely hinted at her own. While the objective was to win, shock was an important factor in doing so. If the opponent was caught off guard, they'd take longer to respond effectively, so the more shocking my next move was, the better.
I slowly moved my hand toward one red piece, then switched to another one and bounced it over several black discs, giving me smug satisfaction.
"You're good!" Aleena chuckled.
"Nice to know you're still sharp," said Jules, praising my skill.
And just like that, my desire for domination fizzled out. Coincidentally, it was right about then that my nose picked up the scent of cocoa...
(Sonic's POV)
On my way back from getting some hot chocolate for our guest of honor, I slowed to a stop when I noticed a man leaning back against the front desk and directing his gaze in Manic's direction. I might not have paid him any mind, but the look on his face reminded me of mugshots I'd seen on America's Most Wanted, and there was nothing to indicate he was a staff member. He also didn't do his image any favors by turning his head almost completely around when he noticed me watching him. Keeping an eye on him, I closed the distance between me and my brother.
"See something interesting?" Mom asked.
She must have noticed me pausing to look at the strange stranger.
"Not really," I replied, "just some guy who didn't look quite right."
Seeing Manic's baby blues looking up at me gave me a sort of longing for better days when they didn't look so tired, like they did now. He'd clearly been through a lot. More than he was likely willing to talk about, and it went without saying that he'd never be the same again, so I considered it my personal duty to do everything I could to make his readjustment easier.
"Doctor says no solid food, but he didn't say no cocoa," I chuckled, handing big green the steamy present, which perked him up a bit.
"What do you mean when you said some guy din't look right?" asked Dad, suspiciously.
I turned my head toward the man from earlier, just in time to see him walking out the sliding doors in the front, and made sure to point at him.
"That guy who just left," I said.
"What was he doing? asked Aleena.
"I didn't like the way he was looking at Manic," I said, plainly.
"How did he look?" Dad asked, probing for details I was short on.
"He was just standing there at the desk, looking at Manic with a mugshot stare," I explained, hoping it would be sufficient.
Dad paused for a moment before asking, "What else did he do?"
"He looked away when he noticed me watching him, and then left," I explained.
I was beginning to doubt my earlier suspicion, but instead of sharing my doubts, dad got up and walked outside to find the man in question. I started to follow him, but decided to stay behind when I remembered that my mom and sister were the only ones accompanying Manic. Mom had a gun, and Sonia knew a few things about self defense, but I didn't feel right leaving them to watch over Manic without at least one capable male to help out.
"Sooo…" I began, "Who is winning?"
(Manic's POV)
I didn't think it too likely that Robotnik had goons out hunting for me, but the longer it took Jules to return, the more nervous I became about Sonic's theory.
I was about to investigate myself when Jules walked back in, looking more calm than I expected him to.
"Find him?" asked Sonia, who must have been as tense as me.
"Nah, I don't think we'll see him again," he shrugged.
I wanted to feel at ease but that last bit of excitement was one straw too many after everything I'd been through.
"Can I use the bathroom?" I asked flatly.
(Sonic's POV)
It wasn't what he said, but rather, how he said it that made clear he was feeling the same frustration as me, which was no surprise since he had better reason for it.
His request to use the bathroom was hardly unusual, so mom and dad saw no reason to stop him, and feeling at least partially responsible for my twin's well being, I volunteered to roll his wheelchair to the bathroom, knowing the stitches in his chest could pose a problem.
The restroom nearby was more of a plus-size closet with a toilet, and a sink, but even fewer clothes. Rolling him up to the toilet, I turned to leave him to his privacy, when I heard him ask, "Stay a little longer?"
For a moment, I thought he needed help doing his business, until I noticed him slumped in his wheelchair. I would have thought nothing of this, but the spark had left his eyes. The green hedgehog sitting before me was nothing like the one I'd wheeled in. Whatever he'd been holding in since waking up was about to come out.
I locked the door behind me, but then Manic asked me to turn the lights out.
"Why?" I asked, cautiously, sensing something desperately wrong. I didn't expect my long lost brother to attack me in the dark, but there was something unsettling about him that made me pause.
"I feel like I'm being watched," he whispered.
The treatment his captor had subjected him to was incomprehensible, if his wounds were any indication, so I didn't expect to have all the answers for helping him heal, but this is more than a little unusual, even for someone like him. Turning out the lights, I leaned against the wall and asked how he was doing, hoping his extreme need for privacy would be the worst he had to deal with, but mentally prepared for anything else...
"I can't remember anything."
…except that.
"...what?" I asked.
I could hear his shaky breathing as he collected himself.
"I…don't remember anything about you guys. I didn't even know I was Manic until dad told me about the DNA test," he confessed, his voice breaking.
I was only just beginning to wrap my head around this.
"Then why did you call the cops and tell them you were Manic if you didn't remember who you were?" I asked, not knowing if I should feel concerned or suspicious.
He remained silent, save for his heavy breathing that hinted at fear, likely resulting from whatever he'd bottled inside up until now, adding to the mounting tension in the darkened room.
But finally he spoke.
"Scourge. That was my name," he began, "at least that's what Robotnik told me…"
(Manic's POV)
I thought I could pretend to be someone else, but after losing the familiarity of Robotnik and the basement, I was so out of my element that I almost wanted to go back- until I found out that I was closer to home than ever before, which meant that I couldn't go back to Robotnik and left me feeling like the floor had fallen out from underneath me. Desperately needing solid ground to stand on, it was only a matter of time before I told someone what had happened, and it needed to be someone I at least felt like I could trust- someone like Sonic- so I told him everything I knew, including "faking" my identity to join his family.
Upon finishing, there was a very long pause before he asked, "Why are you telling me this?"
Under normal circumstances I never would have, but after learning that everything I had believed was a lie I felt like my life had been robbed from me in two different ways. To believe in something that never was almost felt as cruel as the abuse I'd been subjected to.
At least by telling someone else about it, I didn't have to suffer alone.
"...I just...needed someone I could trust," I stammered.
"...by telling me you faked your own identity?" Sonic asked a bit too calmly.
I told him, "So much happened since yesterday, my whole world has turned upside down several times, and now you tell me someone is watching me, I don't know what to think and I can't take it anymore!"
Almost as soon as I had finished, I felt his hands on my shoulders.
"Manic," he said, "I know you thought you had to lie to get away from Robotnik, but that's only because he tried to erase your past, and he couldn't do that without making you forget your family, so he made you forget who you were. But he still couldn't destroy you, because somewhere in the back of your mind, you recognized that picture of us and yourself and managed to reconnect with us without even remembering anything. That shows how strong and determined you were. Blood loss couldn't stop you from escaping, and memory loss couldn't stop you from finding your way back to us. You've been through more than I could ever imagine, so I'm not all that surprised that you forgot, and no matter what happens, know that I'll stick by you like I always have, because that's what bros are for."
I couldn't see in the darkness, but I could feel the determination and resolve in Sonic's voice, which gave strength to my own as he held on to me.
Then he pulled me toward him and closed his arms around me. He trusted me so completely even after I told him what I did. He genuinely accepted me. Feeling my fear melting away, I deflated in his embrace, resting my head on his shoulder as his arms kept me upright.
"I'll never let anyone hurt you again, Manic," he continued, "We're gonna bring you home, start over, and we'll all move on to bigger and better things together, because we're a family. We stuck together while waiting for your return, and now we'll be able to put it all behind us."
My eyes moistened through the closed lids.
This wasn't Sonic Hedgethorn talking to me, this was my brother Sonic. For the first time since escaping, I felt like I had someone I could call family again, and it was someone who truly cared for me despite everything I did.
And if he accepted me, maybe the others would, too. Things might turn out okay, after all.
"Thank you."