Six is a Crowd

 

Synopsis:  The Oracle advises the Hedgehogs to undertake a mission which could reveal answers about their future. Sonic, Manic and Sonia are thrown into a universe that almost seems to parallel their own, however in this dimension, they are not the in the resistance, the Hedgehogs are the rulers of Mobius and are greedy, spoiled and cruel (and in Sonic's counterpart's case, fat and foul-tempered but inflamed with passion for Amy). Confused by this world, they begin to explore and suddenly find themselves confronted by corrupted versions of themselves.

 

 

Chapter 1—Lunch with the Oracle

            It was a blustery winter day as the siblings trudged their way through the deep, white, thick, snow.   All of them were well dressed for the winter weather and well-insulated.  Everything was going well until they bumped into a very aggravated snow giant.   They were in the giant’s territory, and he certainly didn’t take kindly to their trespass.  Undeterred, the triplets worked together to defend themselves and made it safely into the Oracle’s grotto, which was blanketed in snow.    The gray, craggy hideaway was untraceable by anyone, except for the siblings, who had followed the Oracle’s directions distinctly.   

            The savory aroma of chili dogs and homemade dirty fries came from the Oracle’s kitchen.   He even had sodas for them to drink, although it was far too chilly outside for refrigerated drinks.   The siblings didn’t mind though.   No matter what time of the year it was, any time was perfect for an ice-cold soda straight from the bottle.  

            ‘I’m glad you made it here in one piece.’, the Oracle said.  Not that she had been worried about them arriving there unscathed, though.  

            ‘Your place isn’t exactly easy to locate.’, Manic chuckled.    Even up to this point Sleet and Dingo had the worst time uncovering the covert cave, and that was exactly the way the Oracle wanted it.   

            ‘Remember the snow globe I acquired for you ?’, the Oracle began.

            Manic fished it out of his vest pocket.   Inside of the intricately made snow globe was Mobotropolis before Robotnick had seized it and taken over with his totalitarian regime and transhumanism.   

            ‘I was about to ask about that.  Where exactly did you get this ?’, Manic inquired.   The Oracle didn’t much answer but instead, posed another inquiry. 

            ‘I want you three to go forth on a mission.   The answers you seek might be found as you head out on your quest.’, she said.

            ‘I would like to find our parents.  They’ve got to be out in Robotropolis somewhere.  They can still reach us, despite the distance.’, Sonia said, optimistically.

            ‘When are you ever gonna give us a straight answer, Orc ?’, Sonic asked after downing his second chili dog.   He devoured some tasty spicy cheese flavored triangular corn chips and swigged down a soda to wash it all down.    

            ‘Have you ever known me for giving you a straight answer ?’, the Oracle retorted with a hint of a smile.

            ‘Touché.’, Sonic responded, grinning.    Having been full of a sating meal, the triplets sped off and began looking for clues wherever they could find them.

 

 

Chapter 2—We’re Not in Robotropolis Anymore

            Somehow, someway, while looking for anything that could help them uncover any tidbits about the future, the trio was launched into a whole new universe.   While here, people were acting frightened of them.   There were statues of them in a royal courtyard and they all looked intimidating.    Manic’s statue was surrounded by massive bags of money.   He resembled a thuggish gangster rapper, replete with ‘bling-bling’ and 80’s blind shades.   His black leather cap was on backward, and he even had some gold teeth and an eye tooth glinting with a diamond.   Sonia’s statue was immaculate, fashioned with a very expensive dress and jewelry.    She looked posh, conceited, affected and snobbish. 

            ‘Ugh, what’s with the dress that I’m wearing ?  What a fashion atrocity.’, Sonia said with distaste.

            ‘Dress nothin’, look at my bod !  Good Mobius, I let myself go !’, Sonic exclaimed in horror.    His statue was quite possibly the worst of the others, gluttonous, an insatiable need for chili dogs and an immense crown on his head that was obviously too big for him.   

            ‘Look at that ponch !  Disgusting.’, Sonic grimaced.      They were met by the servants of the court, who had been looking for them.   It wasn’t until some friendly Swatbots met them, running off the butlers, maids and servants and they encountered the benevolent version of Robotnick.   

            ‘What on Mobius is going on ?’, Manic wondered aloud.   

            ‘It’s obvious we’re not in Footpoles anymore.   Sleet and Dingo are helping us, Robotnick is benevolent and there are statues of us that are clearly our evil dopples.’. Sonia stated.    The more they learned, the triplets came to realize that this version of Mobotropolis was in fact, a ‘mirror verse’.   It made things complex, but they had been in worse situations before.  

            ‘I’m still a bit befuddled.  How can the royal siblings be here, electrically manacled and over there on the live feed ?’, Dingo asked, clearly perplexed.  

            ‘My spybot is broadcasting live.   How are you doing this ?’, Robotnick added.

            ‘That’s not us.   They hate music, right ?’, Sonia said, remembering what Robotnick had told them about their evil doubles before. 

            ‘Let’s rip it, sibs !’, Manic shouted as a rallying cry.

            If there’s something that you hunger for and you need to satisfy your appetite, I can do that for you

            If you need a little sunshine in your life, I can be your ray of light

            I can do that for you

            When you need that special somethin’ only I can provide

            Just call my name and I’ll be right by your side   

            Cuz, I can do that for you, I can do that…

 

Chapter 3—A Bit of a Bind

            The music had been so disruptive that the malicious dopples had them brought to the palace.   Luckily their talks with the help earlier that day had dumbfounded them more and despite all the backtalking and snide remarks the maids and butlers had decided to be on the side of the original versions of the triplets.  

            ‘No, no, no !   This will certainly NOT do.’, Sonia nearly screamed.

            ‘I said throw those dunderheads in the dungeon !’, Sonic agreed as he lounged back in his throne,

            ‘Harsh !  You know we are you, right ?’, the original Sonic shot back.    Dopple Manic stuck out his tongue.  ‘Barf.  I don’t want to believe my mirror self has zero killer ‘tude, isn’t rude and looks like his mommy puts out his clothes for him to wear to school.   What a doofus !’, Manic stated sarcastically.    The original jailors who were supposed to toss them into solitary after their capture had been put to work in the kitchen by a quick thinking Manic earlier.    When the chef had come out with plenty of food to eat, evil Sonic looked positively beside himself.

            ‘Maurice !  What did I ask you earlier ?!’, he nearly bellowed.

            ‘You told me ‘Go to the kitchen, make me a quick snack.’,  So, I did.  Don’t tell me I’m for the irons next.   Your lucky Jolene and I don’t unionize, or you’d be short staffed in your kitchen, Sire.’, Maurice the black bear said, with a sneer.   Jolene the porcupine nodded, shooting them all a cold, calculating glance.    Before the other three had known what happened, they had escaped.

            ‘Guards !  Get them !  Send all the bots we have and capture them !’, Sonic commanded.   Making a break for it as rapidly as they could, the trio ran to a cave where they had started their journey.    It was here that a portal had been opened by the Oracle.   They hadn’t noticed it before because along their way, they had suddenly fallen into syncope.  When they woke up from being passed out, they thought they were still in Robotropolis.    Now that everything made sense, they could travel back through the rift as it was open and escape before it shut forever.   

 

Chapter 4—Fighting Themselves

            Sable Amy had been so confused by the alternate Sonic that she was going to crown him over her own fiancé.   Everything had gotten so out of hand that the triplets had begun fighting back.   They had to since the droids Sonia sent out were gunning for them and the lasers they fired were fatal.

            ‘I can’t believe I got out of bed just to deal with a bloodbath !  Of all the days I decide to wear a terry white robe !’, she bemoaned.   Amy had been quietly reading a book in her bedchamber when the alternate Sonic had begun to make his escape.  She was so happy to see him that she threw himself at him to envelop him in a full contact glomp and Sonic had to shake her off.   If that hadn’t been bewildering enough, they had met Shadow’s dopple and Apheelia, too.  

Manic and the others loathed defending themselves, but they had been able to escape just barely getting beaten to a pulp by devoted droids and killbots that Sonic’s finest robotics engineers had made. 

            ‘I still don’t understand how they can be so evil.   We were starting a freedom movement.  That’s all !’, Sonia said.   She was certain that those who had been for the triplets were joining their cause.   She might’ve seen a familiar face joining the Celeritas’ Empire, but she was certain it was all just fear and an immense sense of doom overtaking her.  

            ‘I saw the Windemeres, Sonia.  I know how you feel about this.  It’s clear that they’re Empire devotees.’, Manic stated.   Hearing it explained to her didn’t help matters.  It only made them worse, and Sonia felt a sense of despair and complete lack of hope in the future.   The factions had begun to fight each other, and it was horribly bloody.   The three had to speed to cover as soon as they could before the regimes slaughtered each other.    It was a despicable and atrociously selfish act, but it was either the three of them against themselves or a whole army fighting alongside them that would take the brunt of the Freedom Fighter movement.   Not only that but Robotnick, Sleet, Dingo and numerous lackeys that fought with ‘Good Botnick’ joined the effort. Only those who survived would live to tell the tale.   

            It was thought that Master Condor, Uncle Chuck and other dopples were also lying-in wait underground, unbeknownst to anyone until the time was right, they would emerge, behind the wheel of their power drillers and plow through the opposition.   Chuck was going to make certain that the Empire was victorious or at least die trying knowing he was fighting for the right reasons.   Condor made sure of that too, having stockpiled grenades in the Mammoth that Chuck was going to use to burrow into the battlefield above.  ‘Patience’, as the looming carrion bird always said, ‘was a virtue’.   

 

 

Chapter 5—A Vision from Aleena and Jules  

'Children...' called a female voice.
'Wait... I hear a woman's voice.', said Sonic.

'Listen.', said a male voice.   

Suddenly, Jules and Aleena appeared to them.  

            ‘Your mission is not yet complete.’, Aleena stated.

            ‘I thought saving our hides was part of the mission.’, Manic stated in a tone that was clearly a mixture of anger and disillusionment. 

            ‘You must go back.   The Oracle has given the portal enough time to remain open for this vital task.’, Jules added.   The triplets weren’t about to argue with their own parents, so they returned to the battlefield, retrieved their counterparts and returned to Mobotropolis. 

 

 

Chapter 6—The Grand Tour

            None of the dopples went willingly on the trip back to Mobotropolis but luckily, it was after hours for Robotnick and his badnicks to do any hedgehog hunting.   All of them were sleeping soundly and the Swatbots were recharging for the night.

            ‘Why did you bring us here ?   We appreciate being saved from slaughter, but we aren’t gonna learn anything here.  You’re wastin’ your time.’, Evil Manic stated.    All the while, he was lying through his teeth.    They could see the terror being wrought by Robotnick and considered the road they were taking.   Of course, they had to play dumb and enact a ruse when they returned home through the portal, but for now, seeing Robotropolis in its dystopian glory was enough to convince them to turn over a new leaf.  

            The triplets returned, wondering if they had indeed had any positive effect on their counterparts.   They would never know since they wouldn’t be returning that way, but once more, Aleena and Jules reappeared and congratulated them.

            ‘You’ve done so well.   You’ve quite possibly saved their world from doom and destruction.   I couldn’t be prouder.’, Aleena stated, her eyes brimming with joyous tears.  

            ‘You’ve come so far.  I couldn’t be more blessed to call you my children.’, Jules agreed.    With the mission complete and their lesson learned, the visions faded.   Sonia became all choked up but Manic initiated a group hug.    Someday they would be closer to the goal of liberating Robotropolis but for now, they had to return home in the blustery weather, with their magic talismans as light for the piercing darkness.  

 

To Be Continued…