A while back, I was asked to do a request story for a friend on one of their joyful shows. Sonic The Hedgehog, to be precise. The summary of it is this: A war has taken place, years have gone by now, and the signs of coming to end, feel near. But the chances of it becoming real, rely on those who wish for things to go back as they were. One of many, takes the chances, knowing fully well on the price in doing so. Will it work or all be for nothing?
One-Shot, AU, OOC, Told Mostly In Manic’s POV.
Plot by Twin-Books, great person, so as this person did, I hope you enjoy this read.
The clashes were earth shattering, echoing through the destroyed land, scared forever in the travels of war. The blinding lights of aftermath clouding the sky, became what was lost in the battles, as when anyone would think sadly of when sun or moon was ever seen. In any gave an answer, it would have been years ago.
In the matters, of this warfare, were all singly based on fear, narrow-mindedness, and most in others eyes . . . differences between all those who far too great to share one world. To that, a simple choice was made, war. War on the those who are different. This war based on genocide in a matter of speaking. A matter that I was never fawn before it became to quickly be, nor in passing years that had gotten us into this rift of lost, pain, sorrow, and anger.
This has taken everything, that not just what I held dear, but others . . . I once called friends had let this rift control their minds. That everything was taken away from monsters, the ones all we now battle. Sadly, what is seen as monsters are monster themselves. And a monster I don’t wish to become.
But I know it’ll be my downfall to others if they see it.
“Manic, honey, what are you doing up this late? You have to attend a consul meeting in the morning.” A soft voice called out from behind the one named Manic, a once strong voice before it became fragile after so many sleepless yearly nights of warfare.
The one known as Manic turned to face his love, with a small smile etching its way on his face. With light steps, dashed to his love, standing before her. With the smile still in place, wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a much needed hug. Knowing that is was one of the motion between them, that calmed them both. For in coming knowing that speaking of anything that felt like a lie to his love, it would be in his favor down the road. A lesson learned through love.
“Just thinking. A moment of quietness like this, is a rare thing, better use that open air for thoughts than blood. It’s the fighter’s way in setting everything beforehand than rushing into things blindly. You of all people know that.” He ended with a wider smile, when he got a rough pat on his head from his love.
In matters like this, weakness is seen as a sign of small chance of humanity, but it can also get anyone killed. Show it only to those who you love and no one else. For the longer you’re alive, so are those you care for. Call it fate, if you wish to.
Or that’s what someone used to believed in, I once did, when I was younger that is. Believing in fruitless reasons, only for that living meant little then but now that’s all one has. In life and death.
“The numbers are not in our favor.”
They never are. Than or now.
“Sources say there is a base on the far west side of the safe grounds. The defenses won’t have a chance if we don’t move them.”
“But that would leave the other sides open for attack. A few lives to hundreds is hardly a reason to go that far.”
“The undergrounds are also an option. Be in a favor or not, tends to those being sent down there, with the rest information that was reported. Useful or not, depends on the team we sent.”
Over time, words would start to blend into one another, becoming the mocks of white noise. Even with just a few speaking, little was getting done.
“My team will be debited. Half at the west side walls, the other half in the undergrounds.” A new voice stated, wanting the pointless mumbles to stop. Sick of the sight moved away from the open door, moving to an vacant seat at the rounded table, leaning in a way to eye the rest. Sleep bagging in his eyes to do, be he choose not to notice it.
“You think your team can handle it?”
“Don’t put doubt in them or me and we’ll be just fine.”
Handling those higher ranks are rarely a problem. As long as the person has a long streak of wins, call outs on one’s choices never happen. Just wished those lower or equal agreed as easy as they did.
“You did what?” Manic’s love shouted in question when he returned home, hoping to whatever he told her, it was just a sick joke. If not, her mallet was ready to bumble something into dust.
Besides the dishes she broke after hearing the news.
Manic had his hands up in defending himself, getting ready to explain himself, to which he did. As quickly as he could.
“Amy, please be reasonable. I have made the agreement. You, of all people, know how I feel about meaningless bickering. It’s done and over with. Please, I don’t want to fight about this.”
His love, looked at him in shock, as he was already dead, as he tried to speak fast of the matters at hand. Hoping to less the chances of being wacked around by her weapon of choice. Again.
When the silence filled the space between them, Manic took wary steps towards her. Eyeing her mallet as he did so, but with the speed of lighting; Manic was on the ground, mallet placed firmly on the back of his head. A soft groan of pain echoed out of him.
With a huff from Amy, she removed her weapon and placed back on her hip. Her body shaking back the tears from leaving and staining her face. In that moment, Manic carefully got to his feet, seeing his love, struggle within another battle.
Getting to his feet, moving to her. Back still to him, but it didn’t stop from him holding her, trying to help tame the termers raking through her body. When the tiny sounds of gasps left Amy, his arms tighten to calm her.
“Not the worst you could have done.” Manic started out with, trying to lighten up the mood, ignoring the numbing pain on his skull. He spared the moment to place his hands over hers, pulling closer, before saying. “Amy . . .”
“You’re the dumbest hedgehog I have ever meant.”
Manic let out an airy chuckle from her response. Giving her a kiss on her cheek, that he would never say was soaked in tears.
“It’s how I got you, wasn’t it? Being me?”
“Come home.”
“I will be sure I do.”
A month or so went by so quick after that, haven’t seen during that time. The chances at the west side walls, wasn’t even close in out favor. One by one, someone I knew fell and laid lifeless still on the ground. Evening the odds differ from hours of training or pure stupid luck.
Trying not to breakdown from knowing on the other side of this warfare, matters on dying now or later in life.
Even when the luck comes around, deep down, someone, anyone is wishing otherwise.
“Sup, kit, have you’d grown from the last we met?”
Manic laid mangled and weak by a low stack of broken rubble, looking up to the voice that spoke to him. Through blurrily eyes, he knew that voice all too well.
“Hi, how’s Sonia? Having fun playing fearless leader, Blue Bro?”
The other gave a face of lack of amusement from the nickname he was given.
“Don’t call me that.”
“Make me.”
A pointed look was given before the blue hedgehog said. “We need to talk. Same as before.”
Manic gave a groan from pain and annoyance, having to sign out. “Gag me gently, this time, almost choke me last time. And a safe word please?”
The other only rolled his eyes, before everything in Manic’s vision went dark.
Swearing that I am to protect those who can’t survive war alone. Are the reasons one needs to fight. Those who are in need of a hero could be anyone. But what does one say to those you protect are the ones you never thought to fight against to protect others.
Family always meant something to protect. Mere strangers or family; who do you lean on in saving when coming down to the last second of warfare, even when the war puts you in the middle that what is your family is the enemy and the strangers are the ones in need. Even if it was switch. Who is to live?
It has become a question I was sick of never getting an answer for, so asking for it, became pointless. When seeing a good friend, like Knuckles, become nothing but dust in the crossfires, left to die and for the buzzers. Seeing the weak and young, die for last second mistakes . . . having only their eyes wide forever with everlasting fear.
My brother told me, side his of the battle, didn’t ground of any chances, such as mine. He said, a young friend of his, a two-tail fox, name Miles may never even see the world again because of all this. At this rate, he might make it, but it depends on him.
I haven’t even spoke to some of my teammates nor mere past friends, I used to play ball with at a kit. Some now, better off never to speak anything to them. For the better. But, there is one friend, that came up, and everything just went stand still at the name.
“What happen?” Manic asked, when hearing an old buddy’s name.
“Unsure, after the smoke cleared up . . . poof . . . gone.” His older sibling answered with, glancing over when their sister was about to speak.
“Sounds like him. When things get out of hand, he’s the first to hightail it out of here.”
Manic stayed quiet at those words.
Sonic looked disappointed to Sonia at her choice of words, who showed regret just as quickly as the words she spoke, not knowing how close Manic and the runner were before all this.
“Manic, I’m sorry . . .”
“No, Sonia, it’s okay. I wouldn’t think less of this or him. At least someone looked passed the true meaning of this war. Means there is hope. Small, but something.” Manic said to her, giving a sad smile, wondering if was fooling anyone besides himself, that is.
Out of habit, rose from his seat, replacing the chains and cuffs that made him a captive. Habit, that’s a good name to call it. As calling it a dream, has lost it’s point after so long.
“Manic, we need to make sure of some things.”
“Suicide mission on the hornet nest. Kill or be kill.”
Sonic and Sonia went still at the blunt words that left their youngest sibling.
“Who was given it?” Sonia asked.
Sonic gave a growl, already knowing the answer, but it didn’t stopped him from asking.
“The mission actions were what Manic?” He asked, but the force of it was more of a demand than anything else.
Manic gave a sigh before answering.
War always found a way to end up stronger than anything else in the world. Family, friends, anything of small doses were meaningless. War ends all to become all that was left.
“Maybe it can work in our favor. To end all this.”
“Sonia, no, just no.”
Manic stood up from his seat, he was force to sit back in, but the bickering between the others gave him a chance to move away from them. Letting the normal routine fall back into place. Just as before, just as before.
“Manic, what do . . .”
“It goes as plan. Sonia, Sonic, they made me do this and this a chance, I am not wasting. They have too much on me. One wrong move, than what do I have left after all this?”
He didn’t wait for a reply as he went on.
“This has done too much damage. Whatever we all had before is gone. All for nothing was outcast for bloodshed. No! Not this time! No more losing of what I cared for. When it happens. I do it alone. If your higher-ups say fight. Make it good, believable, and stay alive!”
“Manic!” Sonia shouted to break him out his rant, about to say something.
Sonia stopped when a knock came from outside their room. Sonic knew the pattern.
“Sonia, go ahead.” Sonic told her, wanting her gone to leave the two brothers be.
She did, once the door was shut, Sonic and Manic spoke the last they would most likely ever say to each other, once Manic was sent back to his side.
Leaving them, with less bad blood between them, came as a bittersweet moment. Even before the trails of terror that led to months away from my other love ones. The pain that came, that I wasn’t a threat, became nothing but a numbing memory. As to the plan was carried on. Leaving for the luckiest favors for this plan to work.
My last thought was do it or is ever be wasted in stillness of the blinding glows fade into a forever night.
The dabber clears just as any other day of battle. Light breaks through. A new start or a forever glow of more to come?
That clearing cloud, wails of sadness, and breaking moment of chance there to follow.
The End.
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