Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ Chronicles of Mobius ❯ Nine years after the prologue ( Chapter 2 )

Sixteen year old Manic adjusted his tunic and started climbing the wall of Knothole palace in an effort to reach the roof and find the skylight over the treasure room.

Normally, he wouldn't even consider robbing the royal palace (mostly because the Knothole army was the second most powerful army in all of Mobius), but he was starving and could use the money to buy food and leave for another country.

Though he had a gut feeling that was a moot point. The Echidna tribe boasted they would conquer all of Mobius and were very close to succeeding.

It was only a matter of time before the echidnas made their way to Knothole.

He reached the roof, found the skylight, and started looking for a weak spot in the tiles.

Once he found what he was looking for, he removed sections of the tiles. He tied one end of his rope to a nearby column and lowered the other down into the hole he made.

Manic shimmied down the rope and gasped as he saw all the royal treasures, ranging from large pearls and gems to expensive vases.

Manic shook his head. "I can't just stand here. I got a job to do." He thought. He quickly grabbed whatever wouldn't be easily recognized (that is, items without the royal family crest on them) and stuffed them into his bag.

Manic noticed a flicker of light out of the corner of his eye and froze.

"Drop the bag." A male voice ordered.

Manic slowly turned to face the voice, which came from one of two hedgehogs (judging by their silhouettes) holding a torch, and smirked. "Make me."

That was the wrong thing to tell the male hedgehog.

The male hedgehog handed the torch to the female hedgehog before he curled into a ball and flung himself at Manic.

Manic was knocked several feet back, skidding across the marble floor. He slowly got up after he got his breath again.

"Sonic, be careful." A female voice called out.

"Don't just stand there, Sonia." Sonic said.

Manic searched his belt for the knife he had and realized he had lost it.

Sonia used this opportunity to grab Manic by his arm and flip him over her shoulder and onto his back.

Manic groaned.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Sonia said, kneeling down beside him. "Are you hurt?"

"You're sorry?" Sonic asked. He held up Manic's knife. "He could've killed us."

Manic slowly sat up, rubbing his head. "I didn't want to kill anyone, I swear." He said. "I just need a few Mobiums to buy food."

Sonia looked at Manic and his ragged tunic. "He's obviously poor, Sonic."

"So?" Sonic asked. "It's no excuse. There's plenty of jobs out there."

Manic rubbed the back of his head. "I'm kinda wanted."

Another guard, a male walrus, came over. "Sonic, Sonia, the Princess called for you."

"Why?" Sonic asked. "What's going on, Rotor?"

"I'm not sure." Rotor replied. "Should I tell her you're on your way?"

"Yes, we'll be there in a minute." Sonia said. "Thanks, Rotor."

Rotor walked away.

"It must be about the echidnas." Sonic said. "I think this is one of two major countries that they haven't conquered yet."

Sonia shrugged. "Who knows?" She asked. She motioned to Manic. "What do you want to do with him, Sonic?"

"Okay, Manic." Sonic said. "I'm willing to put everything back and say you were around for a completely different reason if you agree to go along with us on whatever she asks us to do. It's either that or go to prison where I can't say you won't be executed for trespassing on royal grounds."

"Alright, deal." Manic replied.

Sonic, Sonia, and Manic entered the throne room and bowed.

"Manic Hedgehog." Sally said. "You're a wanted thief all over this country and then some. What are you doing here?"

Manic rubbed the back of his head, grinning nervously. "Uh… someone said you may need my services, your highness."

"I can keep him in line, your highness." Sonic said.

"So will I, your highness." Sonia added.

"I guess I'm left with no other choice but to allow it, the kingdom needs all the help it can get and we might need his skills." Sally replied. "We've received a message that the echidnas are on their way here. They have some fearsome weapons, but the few survivors of raids cannot describe what they have. Sonic, Sonia, since you two are our most powerful soldiers, we need you to scout ahead of our army and to find out just what this weapon is. It may be the key to ending their reign of terror."

"We're at your service, princess." Sonic said, bowing.

Manic and Sonia exchanged glances as they bowed.

Sally got up from her throne and motioned for the hedgehogs and Rotor to follow her. "Let's get your armor."

Rotor opened the door to the armory. "Here's the armor we had made for Sonic and Sonia." He said, motioning to the cobalt armor and ruby armor. He pointed to the black armor. "There's an extra in there for you, Manic. It might fit you."

Sonic rushed over and picked up the cobalt armor.

Manic grinned and picked up the black armor. "Someone has taste."

Sonia took the ruby armor. She looked at the long bell sleeves of her dress. "Ugh… how are my sleeves gonna fit in the gauntlets?"

Manic took his knife and cut Sonia's sleeves for her. "There. Problem solved."

Sonia sighed. "Well, it was very old anyway."

"This will do until you get better armor and swords from Queen Aleena of Mobotropolis." Princess Sally replied.

"I thought we were at war with the kingdom of Mobotropolis." Sonic said.

Princess Sally shook her head. "My father is there to sign a peace treaty with Queen Aleena." She replied. "We have a common enemy. Neither of us see any reason to pursue petty squabbles."

"Mobotropolis. Maybe I'll go there when we get this over with." Manic thought. "Either there or Mobodoon."

Sally handed Sonia a scroll. "A message for you, Sonia."

Sonia took it and read it.

"What's it say?" Sonic asked.

"Directions to Mobotropolis." Sonia replied. "The only safe way is through the Great Mobius forest."

"Uh-huh." Manic said, raising an eyebrow. "That's a hard to navigate forest even without the threat of echidnas. Who gave us this message?"

"A reliable source." Sonia replied. "That's not for you or Sonic to know at the moment."

Sonic looked at Sally. "Uh… Sal?"

Sally shrugged. "I was forbidden to read it."

"Let's get this over with." Sonic said.

Sonic led Sonia and Manic through the forest.

Since there was no clear path, the three hedgehogs had to walk instead of letting Sonic carry Sonia and Manic as he ran to Mobotropolis.

Manic cut a branch out of the way with his sword. "Do you honestly think you have a chance with the princess, Sonic?"

"Someone has to try to stop the Echidna warriors." Sonic said, brushing vines away. "Why were you breaking into the palace anyway?"

"To get money from selling that junk." Manic replied. "I can leave here for some place where I won't be anyone's slave or have to steal to have food and clothes. It's probably wishful thinking anyway unless we actually stop the echidnas."

"I'm tired." Sonia said, exhaling loudly. "This armor is so heavy."

"Deal with it, Sonia." Sonic asked. "As vain as you are, I know you won't like having an echidna brand burned into your skin. Actually, they may decide you'd make an awful slave and execute you."

Sonia cringed. "Fine, you made an excellent point."

"I wonder if I can keep the armor and sword when we get this over with." Manic said, cutting away another branch. "I could get used to it."

Sonic glanced at Manic. "What would you do once you got to wherever you wanted to go?"

Manic shrugged. "Hadn't thought of that yet."

Sonic scoffed.

"Oh, and like you thought this mission through?" Manic asked. "You just think it'll win the princess over. Like that'll happen. Besides you two would have the weirdest looking kids."

Sonic rolled his eyes.

Sonia pulled Manic closer to her. "He's got a better chance than you think." She whispered. "Sonic served as an apprentice guard and soldier in the palace when he was a kid; he and Princess Sally grew up together."

"I stand corrected." Manic said.

Sonic glanced over his shoulder. "What?"

"Sorry, I didn't know you were raised in the palace." Manic replied.

Sonic cut away another set of vines. "Oh, it's fine."