The Slo Mo, Voiceless Leader

 

Synopsis: An AU/reboot of Sonic Underground, the third and final Sonic cartoon produced by DiC Entertainment. The "good" Robotnik from the episode "Six is a Crowd" meets the evil one. In a backstory, the three hedgehogs appear to come across the Oracle of Delphius (actually an evil clone created by the evil Robotnik) who forces Sonic to make a deal - his voice and speed in exchange for being with Sonic's beloved Amy Rose, whom Robotnik deceives Sonic into thinking he cannot marry, as he is a royal and she is a commoner. It is up to the good Robotnik, as well as the hedgehogs' (formerly evil counterparts) to help save Sonic. The royal firstborn blue hedgehog also figures out King Jules' and Queen Aleena's location at long last!

 

Dedicated to the true voice of Sonic, Jaleel White.

Chapter 1—Tell Us Everything !  

    Mobius was experiencing an uprising and Robotnik was growing more agitated as the revolutionaries became more militant.    The numbers were small presently, but he knew that with continued concerts (which were supposed to be illegal) run by Sonic Underground, the rebels would continue to gather and collaborate.   In time, they would be strong enough to overthrow Robotnik’s totalitarian regime and reverse his roboticization machines.   Of course, it would take an expert technician to discover a reversal of roboticization, but the citizens of Mobius were patient when it came to that. 
    It hadn’t been long after their last concert that Sonic felt drawn to a mysterious location.   Sonia and Manic hadn’t seen him after a while and they had all stopped at a restaurant he frequented quite a bit, since it served sweet and spicy chili dogs with all the fixins.  
    ‘Manic, I don’t like this.   Sonic’s been away for too long.  He turned his communicator off, too, and that’s not like him.’, Sonia said to Manic, her expression laced with concern and worry.   Manic patted his sister’s hand and rustled her quills. 
    ‘Sonia, it’ll be fine.   Don’t you worry.   Chill !  Wherever Sonic is, I’m certain he has a good reason for it.  Besides, he wouldn’t miss a bomb chili dog like this one.’, Manic stated, optimistically.  When Sonic arrived at the restaurant, he was walking, first and foremost.  
    ‘Bro, what happened ?  Why so slow ?’, Manic questioned, completely bewildered.   Sonic couldn’t even speak, so he and his siblings had to play charades.
    ‘Can’t you just use my tablet ?’, Sonia questioned.    Sonic nodded and began to write out what he had done.   He had visited the Oracle of Delphius, or so he had originally thought.   Sonia’s visions hadn’t honed in on the Oracle in days and he hadn’t been seen or heard in Mobius for years.  It was thought that the Oracle himself had been captured by Robotnik.   Sonic recalled the incident as best he could, mentally kicking himself for being so gullible.  
    ‘That wasn’t the Oracle.  It’s obvious.   Robuttnik must’ve made a clone to deceive you !  But why would you do that for Amy ?   Besides, we don’t even know where she is.’, Sonia said with some anger.  
    ‘It doesn’t matter.  When the rebellion is over, Amy’s heart is always going to be Sonic’s.’, Manic remarked, astutely.    Sonia knew that her brother was right.   She wished Amy was with them.  She would’ve made a refreshing new addition to the band they needed.   She could be a second guitar player, most likely a bass as well as a singer.    It would be challenging to find her with Sonic not being able to dash anymore or speak.   He was at a horrible disadvantage.   He knew the next time he was out fighting evil, he’d probably get caught, so it was better for him to stay hidden in what he called Hedgehog Grotto.   


Chapter 2—Prince Sonic’s Capture

    The lure for the trap was even more irresistible than Robotnik could’ve imagined.   He hadn’t anticipated that in all of his oversights he had forgotten about the ‘good’ version of himself that had been wandering around undoing every sinister deed he had done.   Yet, Ivo Robotnik wanted to help and help Sonic regain his speed and voice once again.   The uprising would need both if they were to prosper, since the rebellion itself was on the precipice of becoming a force to be reckoned with.

'I did manage to get on video exactly what happened when Sonic's voice and speed were taken.', Ivo said.

'Well then, show us, dude !', Manic said.

Ivo placed the CD inside the monitor's controls and turned it on.

"There is one more thing, my prince. We haven't discussed the subject of payment. You can't get something for nothing you know."

"But I don't have any..."

"I'm not asking much. Just a token really. A trifle. What I want from you is... your voice and your speed."

Sonic looked like he was about to choke on a soda.

"My...v-v-v-v-v-voice and my sp-sp-sp-sp-speed?!"

"That's right, prince. No more talking, singing, running, ZIP !"

"But without my voice and speed, how can I...?"

"Well, you have you good looks and your handsome face. Amy doesn't want to hear a lot of blabber. She thinks a man who talks all the time is a bore !"

"But I..."

 

"It's much preferred for a hedgehog like you to not say a word. What is all your prattle for? It's best that as King, you hold your tongue!"

 

Sonic, terrified, finally caved.

 

"Alright, Orc, I'll give up my voice."

 

"Good, my prince. Now... SING !"

 

Sonic, caught under Robotnik's enchantment, began to sing. The evil doctor smiled wickedly.

 

"KEEP SINGING HEDGEHOG !", he shouted in excitement.

 

Two ghostly hands slowly approached Sonic as he sings, and his voice pulsated wildly in his throat. The hands then ripped Sonic's voice from his throat, still singing, and proceeded to place it inside the crystal, silencing it.  

Manic lowered his gaze and huffed a depressed sigh.

‘All for Amy ? Oh, bro. That’s tragic.’, Manic said. Sonia hit him in the arm, hard.

‘Sonia, ow !’, Manic complained. ‘Empathy.’, she whispered. The good Ivo patted Manic’s shoulder. The siblings had noticed evil Ivo keeping Sonic’s abilities in a dark shard of crystal. It would be challenging breaking into Evil Ivo’s grotto but the Good Ivo knew all his doppleganger’s secrets.

‘I already know where he’s hiding. Come on ! We don’t have time to waste ! The more we stand around yammering, the more devastation Ivo is going to inflict upon innocent Mobians.’, Ivo stated. Knowing that the two siblings had their own crafts for travel, they followed the benevolent scientist to his evil doppleganger’s hideaway in the middle of Robotropolis, which was growing ever larger every day due to the fact that Sonic could do nothing to stop him and the rebellion was puny.

Chapter 3—All for Love

Evil Ivo was absolutely certain that he had won the battle against his sworn enemy. No one had stopped him from his rampant roboticization and Mobius was beginning to tremble at his tyranny. That was until Manic and his friends recruited the rebellion on their way back to Ivo’s stronghold.

‘I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before...’, Manic began.

‘We weren’t thinking big, bro. Strength’s in our numbers, remember ?’, Sonia responded.

Manic couldn’t help but smile but saw Sonic frantically waving him down to spring him from his reinforced electrical prison. Not only were bars holding him, but there were force fields surrounding him so if he did become freed, he’d receive a nasty shock. That was, until Sonia used a boomerang to dismantle all securities and Sonic could start walking free. It wouldn’t be simple to free Sonic, though, since Evil Ivo had whistled for Metal Sonic to swoop in and start battling his vulnerable, fleshy counterpart. Sonic looked extremely annoyed while his robotic dopple fought with him.

‘Stop moving ! I need to remove those manacles !’, Ivo yelled. Metal Sonic tried to get between them but there was no stopping benevolent Ivo’s intentions. Good Ivo pointed a laser at Sonic’s restraints and the grateful hedgehog rubbed his aching wrists. Metal Sonic was too slow to escape the wrath the laser and Evil Ivo hadn’t noticed his ‘son’ had been decimated. Snively, albeit he had been cowering in the corner, took a Kirby, sucked up the remnants and kept Metal Sonic’s ‘demise’ mum for the time being.

Even though Sonic couldn’t communicate it was obvious how gracious he was to his siblings and how relieved he was to be free from Evil Ivo’s wretched clutches.

Evil Ivo had a battalion assisting him and before the rebellion could retaliate, the true fighting had begun. The siblings formed quite the acrobatic act simply to retrieve the crystal, deviating Ivo’s attention from their true mission.

‘Someone, get that crystal back ! I can’t afford my best laid plans to literally go bust !’, he bellowed. His robotic henchmen and Snively were nothing if dead weight, especially Snively. He was cowering in a corner, wishing all of this was through when one of the rebels caught him in the midst of his running and handcuffed him, placing him in a cell. It was unusual, but Snively was actually grateful.

‘Good. I don’t have to listen to this racket anymore in this cell. At long last I can think about my life choices and re-evaluate myself.’, he thought as he grew used to the silence and solitude of the cell he had been placed in.

Meanwhile it was Evil Ivo versus the rebels. Before the crystal could be wrested from Manic’s hands, good Ivo caught it and brought it down to the ground with a mighty crash ! All the shards of the crystal shattered into oblivion and the talents surged back into Sonic’s body.

‘Buttnick, it’s good to be back !’, he decreed. Evil Ivo had a look of terror and knew it was better to flee than to be walloped. Springing Snively from his cell with his lasers, he gathered his crony on the back of his flying machine, whistled for the remainder of the battalion to join him and fled before he could be utterly defeated.

‘I’ll get you someday hedgehog. Mark my words.’, the evil doctor vowed as he rocketed away, followed by whatever was left over of his army.

Chapter 4—Reunion and Restoration

When Amy had heard of what had happened, she immediately got on the next subway and met Sonic in their usual rendezvous point; a gorgeous clearing in the forest that had been left untouched by Ivo’s expansive dictatorial ways.

'So good to see and hear you again, Sonic.', Amy said with a warm smile. The two hedgehogs kissed deeply. Amy’s foot popped up as she leaned into Sonic’s passionate smooch. He was happy that Manic wasn’t around or he would’ve never heard the end of his ‘smoochy woochies’ with Amy.

‘I heard Evil Ivo retreated.’, she said with some disdain. Sonic scowled slightly.

‘You heard right, my dear. That doesn’t matter though. What I did want to ask was this.’, Sonic said. He fished a ring out of his shoe. It was really a wonder how he had kept that engagement ring there without inflicting a blister on the sole of his foot.

‘Will you do me the honor of becoming my princess ?’,Sonic asked. Amy felt her eyes become wet and even though she didn’t want to cry, she wept for pure joy. She jumped up and down kissing her love profusely.

‘Yes ! Of course I will ! We will need Aleena’s blessing. Just so happens, I think I might have found where she is hiding. It’s in a place that not even Robuttnick knows.’, Amy said with a smile. It was indeed true that Amy herself had been doing quite a bit of research on the Queen’s whereabouts and she was known to be an expert tracker. If anyone could locate the Queen it would be her.

Implementing the use of benevolent Ivo’s expertly crafted holographic topographies, he pointed out where Alienna had been hiding, she and a phalanges of resisters were with her as sentinels, bodyguards and informants. Good Ivo knew he had overstayed his welcome and went his way. It was likely that he would never be seen by the hedgehogs ever again, but he would remain hidden until his help was needed.

In the sacred grove, Aileena bowed her head at an altar for her beloved parents. She had placed a candle at their grave and she wondered where King Charles was at that moment.

‘My beloved, I don’t know where you could be, but I swear to all that is holy, I will find you and the

Kingdom will once more be whole and flourish.’, she vowed. With that, she said a silent prayer and began to head to her bedchambers to sleep for the evening. Knowing it was late, Sonic and Amy had luckily brought spare hammocks and camping gear in their travels. Tying up their hammocks above ground, the two found their lodging for the evening and slept soundly until the morning light began to creep above the horizon.

Chapter 5—The Kingdom Rebuilds

Not drawing attention to themselves, the siblings set a course to find Aleena and Jules. The two locations, were, of course, separate. Nothing could ever be simplistic when it came to either one of the rulers. They had split but remained united by their vows. When they had made those promises years ago, they had kept them to the hilt albeit they were not together. They had to go their separate ways because of how dangerous Mobius was becoming with Ivo beginning to enact his communist, totalitarian regime. Of course, this was when the resistance was young and the rebels didn’t quite have their voice yet. It wasn’t until Sonic Underground began their life-changing concerts that the youth began to resonate with their echoes of freedom and a desire to liberate all the citizens who had become slaves to Ivo’s iron fisted reign.

The first location was secluded, but there were signs that Aleena was there. She had an ability to heal the land wherever she had been. There were recent veins of crystal that had started growing where she had walked. These regal purple crystals would be the answer to deroboticising those who were still enslaved, and all they needed was a song to activate them.

Sonia felt her eyes well with tears as she heard her mom singing. It was one all the siblings knew and foretold of their birthright as well as their destiny. She called her mom first and Aleena turned. It was a jovial reunion, although tearful. No eyes were dry. Even Amy found herself verklempt.

‘I wanted to ask your blessing...’, she began. Aleena raised an eyebrow and chuckled.

‘I know who you are. Sonic won’t be silent about you and I can see why he wants to marry you so badly.’, she said. Amy blushed. It was an honor to be in the presence of this powerhouse of a woman. She told them she would come along on the journey since she had been sending ciphered messages to Jules that no bot could descramble. Only they knew their secret code and the two had been keeping each other uplifted with SMSs of encouragement, love and reminders that they would reunite someday. That day, auspiciously enough, happened to be today.

Jules was a little more challenging to find. He was living in a forest city created by another faction of the resistance. The city was called Knothole and everyone here had a symbiotic relationship with nature. Technology was abundant but somewhat primitive in comparison with what the siblings were used to. Nonetheless, it was Jules that had created all the conveniences the Knotholians had known and loved.

Working in his shop, Jules hammered away at another creation until Manic knelt down to meet his gaze. The old hedgehog was so engrossed in his smithing that he hadn’t seen his middle son. Once he realized who it was, Manic and the rest of the siblings hugged their dad.

‘We can’t be standing around and yammering. There’s a resistance that needs to begin. The sooner we ignite the flames, the sooner we can roast Ivo over our pyre of freedom.’, Jules said, a certain insanity in his eyes. It frightened the hedgehogs to see him this resolute, but it was, indeed, time for all of them to stand up, fight back and reclaim what had been unrightfully purloined.

Chapter 6—Do You Hear the Hedgehogs Sing ?

Sonic knelt to take Aleena’s hand and ask politely for her blessing.

‘I had known from the moment you two met that you were going to be together. Of course you know I bless your union, whenever that will be. For the moment, you and our cavalry will have to defeat Ivo once and for all.’, she began. Sonic had a feeling that this meant the echidnas would be helping them. Unlike at first, he didn’t think any of them could be trusted at all, due to the fact that Knuckles had betrayed him. This was long ago, and that was water under the bridge. He and Julie-Su would be assisting in the war against Robotnick.

It began as a low hum. The hymn that Sonia had wrote was being sung loud and clear. Manic’s pure voice could be heard harmonizing. Aleena joined in. From the opposite side of Mobius, in Knothole, Jules could hear the song and began singing with every fiber of his being.

You can’t take our freedom from us

You can’t silence us, we’re stronger together

Oh, I know one thing, and this I do trust

This is a storm we’re going to weather

Freedom’s call

We’ll risk it all

Even though some will fall

We’re overcomers

Answering Freedom’s call

It was a stirring song with a reminder of what the truest cost would entail. Yes, war was hell, but enough had been enough. It was time to end Ivo’s terrible reign and put a stop to him for good.

Chapter 7—Chaotix, Assemble

The song had reached all regions of Mobius, even to where the members of the Chaotix heard. One by one, they joined in the fight and every last hero was prepared for battle.

Evil Ivo looked unimpressed and unamused.

‘You forget I have willing robotic servants in my fleet. Unlike you, they aren’t mortal.’, he reminded them. The droids went about their brutal obedience, fighting at the massive brigade. It seemed that the heroes were gravely outnumbered, but the Freedom Fighters gained a massive advantage. At last, Manic took his favorite guitar, and with a tear glistening in his eye, he shattered the roboticiser, turning it back to ‘deroboticisation mode’. All that had been enslaved by this wicked technology were returned to their normal, fleshy selves.

From the aftermath of the chaos, melee and bedlam, Snively crawled out from his only employer and best friend. There was a perfect hole right through his sternum. He knew only one hedgehog bad and rebellious enough to have done so. Shadow had come in and out and joined the Resistance but he had been there only as a force to assist them in winning the war against technology’s ultimate control. Snively wasn’t one to cry but the tears rolled down his face. He heaved in sobs but knew he had to pick himself up, dust himself off, carrying the bloodstains of his friend on his newly tailored suit before he found where he belonged. He found a maneuverable scooter, conveniently located against a tree. Drying his eyes on his sleeve, Snively accepted that even though he loathed it, he would have to start all over. He didn’t know at that time if he was to be an agent of good or evil. All that mattered was survival and finding somewhere safe to begin again.

Chapter 8—Bluer Skies

The war had been over for many years now and Sonic and Amy were in their early 20s. Their wedding had been the talk of Mobius and the two of them were hosting a benefit concert to rebuild after the wreckage and ruin the war against Robotnick had taken. Mobius had nearly healed but there were still misplaced and indigent Mobians that desperately needed help to begin anew. It would be arduous, but Sonic made certain that the unemployment and underemployment issues the planet faced in certain areas would be eradicated. It wouldn’t be erased completely but Mobius would see its ‘golden era’, especially with Amy’s financial know-how.

Amy was all dolled up and spectacularly coiffed for the benefit concert. Manic and Sonia had been dressed appropriately as well. It was a symphony that the trio would be leading, one that intermingled the incredible sounds of rock n’ roll into their repertoire. Funnily enough, classical music and rock really complimented each other. The harmony itself was astronomical and the feeling everyone received from hearing the music was beyond euphoria.

Near the end of the concert, Amy walked up and whispered in Sonic’s ear. Sonic smiled, wider than he had ever smiled before.

‘Honey, that’s incredible news ! We’re going to be parents !’, he exclaimed in elation. Manic and Sonia hugged their brother and patted him on the back.

‘We should celebrate. All of us should throw a jubilee !’, Sonia suggested. It was a bold idea but they knew the citizens would enjoy the festivities.

All throughout Mobius, the King and Queen traveled, announcing their hoglets to their subjects. Amy hadn’t really begun showing much signs of being pregnant, but she sensed the hoglets spinning around in her uterus and it made her laugh.

‘They’re super active today, the little ones. So far, the doctor says I’m perfectly healthy. We’re about to have a really massive family.’, she said, as she, Sonic and the siblings returned to their castle upon the hill. The architecture resembled Greco-Roman columns and spires that nearly pierced the sky.

‘About how many did the doctor say we were expecting, darling ?’, Sonic asked. He was savoring a cup of orange pekoe that Amy had made earlier. It was flavored with real lemons and it cooled him off from the heat of the day.

    'I believe 12. I have a feeling the first one's gonna be a boy. Thinking of naming him Flashiel.', Amy replied.

    Some of the King and Queen's servants giggled. Sonic nearly spat out his tea in disbelief, but he knew all hedgehogs had a capability of bearing large broods. They would receive the best of care and have quality education the moment they could speak. Of course, they wouldn’t be spoiled and time would tell what role they would take but currently, both parents knew they would have their hands full with the little ones. They would have the help of their governess from the time they were small. She lived not far from the palace and an airship could easily retrieve her when they needed her. In fact, Owlette had become the childrens’ godmother, which tickled her to no end.

Chapter 9—Growing Up

Manic and Sonia had a double wedding, Sonic and Knuckles being best men in the occasion. Knuckles had wed Julie Su only a year earlier and all had attended on the Floating Island. Knuckles had long since been an ally after discovering Ivo had betrayed him. Rumor had it that Snively had turned over a new leaf since his ‘master’ and boss had been dead for such a long time. The weaselly man was working in a law firm and had become Maria Robotnik’s guardian. Her frail condition had been much improved upon and she found living on Mobius ‘agreeable’. After all, she was friend to Shadow and Rouge, who were her friends and partners. She thought Manic and Sonia’s wedding was absolutely exquisite. Manic would be married to his long time sweetheart, Apheelia, who was a salt-and-pepper hedgehog whose family had a semi-noble pedigree. Sonia would be wed to Shadow, who was known as Lord Shadow. Rouge had been in a romantic relationship with Shadow in the past, but she felt that Sonia was a better match for him. After all, she had her sights set on Duncan, a fellow bat that she had worked a few missions on.

The regal wedding was splendiforous and the food was ambrosial. The Mobians were pleased even though they had to be patient for the entire royal family to write their ‘happy beginnings’. Their stories, like their elder brother’s, were just beginning to be told.

Chapter 10—A Thief Redeemed

While the nurseries were getting prepared for the birth of 15 hedgehoglettes, there was a servant in the midst of the company Sonic and Amy kept who felt like he was being put upon. He was worked no harder than his fellow servants and had no real reason to complain. He got what he felt was a superior idea that stealing one of the crown jewels would amass massive wealth for himself. He would be able to pawn it and start his own business, living the rest of his life freely outside of the crown.

He was a young chameleon by the name of Calhoun. He was a bit rebellious and going through a lot of uneasy changes as a teenager. He was an orphan who lost his parents during the rebellion and he was upset at Sonic and his siblings for ‘not doing more’. He blamed them for his parents’ untimely demise, which wasn’t his fault, but rather, Robotnick’s.

Calhoun knew all the twists and turns in the massive castle, as well as the combination for the lock that opened the safe. The titanic vault housed the jewels that Calhoun sought so desperately.

‘One jewel and I’m gonna be home free.’, the chameleon thought to himself. Using his ability to camouflage, he got past the yeoman and beef eaters without breaking a sweat. However, he had forgotten that Sonic had new-age tech watching the vault at all times. Even invisible, Calhoun could be seen and he was stopped by some of Amy’s robot butlers. The robots were a leftover from the aftermath of the rebellion. The were robots that Robotnick had at one point, simply reprogrammed to follow the path of good rather than evil. They were sentient and could evolve on their own, and now they knew protecting the wealth of their family was priority number one.

Calhoun swore under his breath. He hadn’t thought his plan through thoroughly enough.

‘How could I get caught ?’, he mused to himself. Looking up, he saw the red laser beams of security cameras and immediately covered his face with his hand. He had been foolish and impulsive. He knew he would be punished but he never ever wanted to do this again. He was well aware that even if he had gotten away with it he wouldn’t have known what to do with one of the gems after all.

His punishment was community service and eventual assisting the royal couple with the hedgehoglettes. He wouldn’t be the only one. Luckily, Calhoun adored babies and children and it seemed youngsters took a natural shine to him. It would only be a few months worth of service but he would eventually win back the trust of his king and queen and never again be driven by the temptation to steal.

Epilogue

Busily the Hedgehog kingdom continued to build for the future. Amy was only in the second trimester of her pregnancy but it was abundantly clear she had many buns in the oven. She could still walk fairly well even though doing most mundane tasks became arduous. All those little ones kicking around made it difficult for her to sleep, but she was tough. She had the support and help of a literal troop waiting for their next orders.

By his side, Amy was a firm, gentle, magnanimous and equitable leader. Mobius began to see their golden years and it seemed, that at least for the moment evil was subdued. The Kingdom would be inherited by the hedgehoglettes, who would be coming into an auspicious Mobian era the likes of which many Mobians hadn’t seen in decades. Calhoun’s term of community service had come to an end and he was anticipating the birth of the hedgehoglettes. He had become prominent in his fencing and martial arts techniques. He would be teaching them when they were old enough to defend themselves. He believed in the saying ‘diligence and vigilance’ and always wanted to be prepared just in case a tyrant would rise. No real proof had been seen of this but at least he would be giving the prickles a means of defense.

To Be Continued…