Bound by Music

Ya Gotta Keep Ya Head Up

Manic casually made his way over to Sally's cabin, his concern hidden behind his typical, easygoing swag. The intensity of the princess's emotions had calmed down marginally but were still evident to the empath as he strolled up to her door and knocked.

     It took several moments before he heard her reply to come in. Manic opened the door and walked in, expecting a weepy mess of a teenage girl, but was surprised to find her at least somewhat composed.

    "Manic?" she asked, as if she wasn't anticipating him, "What do you need?"

    "I just came to check up on ya," he replied, "So what's on your mind?"

     Sally's expression became unreadable, "Not to be rude, but it's really not any of your business."

    "You're right," he shrugged, sticking his hands in the pockets of his vest, "But ya need somebody. Bottling everything up ain't helping nobody. 'Sides, a girl like you shouldn't be crying over my crazy bro."

   A smile briefly graced her features, "I'm flattered, but I really don't want to talk to anyone right now."

    "You don't have to talk," he said in a softer tone, "Just feel."

    Tears sparkled on the edge of her vision, betraying her emotions even as she fought to conceal them.  The green hedgehog offered a small smile of his own and pulled her into a hug. There was no resisting her tears at that point.

    "Now come on," he teased, "What's this really all about?"

     "You'll think I'm mean and selfish," she hiccuped. Manic pulled away to look into her eyes.

    "There ain't no way I'd think that," he stated seriously. Sally sniffed.

    "Sonic and I went through so much together, and to see him with someone else hurts. He was the first person I genuinely believed I was in love with. The truth is I don't know if I'll ever find love again."

   Manic smirked, "You girls are so dramatic. You'll find somebody. Ya just gotta keep ya head up, Princess. Say, that's an idea!" he snapped.

   Sally's depression was replaced by confusion, "What do you mean?"

   "Heh heh, just listen," he grinned and brushed his fingers across his medallion. A drum set appeared in front of him and he pressed a specific command on the small range of dials on the side of the largest one. A steady beat began to play on its own as he stepped away.

Sally was more than a little surprised when he started to sing, his head and quills bobbing up and down as he followed the rhythm and the beat.

I've been waiting on the sunset
Bills on my mindset
I can't deny they're getting high
Higher than my income
Income's bread crumbs
I've been trying to survive

The glow that the sun gets
Right around sunset
Helps me realize
That this is just a journey
Drop your worries
You are gonna turn out fine.
Oh, you turn out fine.
Fine, oh, you turn out fine.

Those words encouraged her more than she'd ever admit out loud, and she genuinely smiled.

But you gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh.
You gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh.

Manic gazed at her with a knowing, almost sympathetic expression as he sang.

I know it's hard, know it's hard
To remember sometimes,
But you gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh.

The hedgehog stuck his hands in his vest pockets once again and casually half-walked, half-danced as he sang the next verse.

I got my hands in my pockets,
Kicking these rocks.
It's kinda hard to watch this life go by.
I'm buying into skeptics,
Skeptics mess with
The confidence in my eyes

Sally lowered her head slightly at that line, but Manic's easy grin forbade her from staying down long.

I'm seeing all the angles
Thoughts get tangled
I start to compromise
My life and my purpose.
Is it all worth it?
Am I gonna turn out fine?
Oh, you turn out fine.
Fine, oh, you turn out fine.

   He grabbed and spun her around, catching her off guard. To his surprise, and secret relief, she laughed.

But you gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh.
You gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh.

I know it's hard, know it's hard,
To remember sometimes,
But you gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh.

Only rainbows after rain
The sun will always come again.
And it's a circle, circling,
Around again, it comes around again.
I said,

Only rainbows after rain
The sun will always come again.
And it's a circle, circling,
Around again, it comes around,

But you gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh.
You gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh.

I know it's hard, know it's hard
To remember sometimes,
But you gotta keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh.

And keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh.
And keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down, eh.
And keep your head up, oh,
And you can let your hair down.
I said oh, no, no, no, no, no

    His drums vanished in a burst of light and reappeared in their amulet form around his neck.  With most of his usual swag, he twirled his drumsticks up in the air and caught them.

   "Well, does that answer your question?"

  Sally beamed and jerked him into a hug, "Thank you, Manic," she whispered. He easily returned the gesture but didn't linger in it.

   "Ah, it's no prob," he brushed off smoothly and decided it was high time he get going, "I'll see ya later, Sally!"

The chipmunk smiled and returned his wave as he left, feeling better than she had in a long time.

Manic smirked to himself once he shut the door behind him, proud that he had made her day a little better after such a rough start. He was pleasantly surprised that she didn't kick him out, if he was honest with himself. Sonia would've smacked him in a heartbeat for trying to interfere. Maybe it's just a sibling thing? he mused.

He was interrupted from his thoughts at the sight of Shadow and he waved over to him, "Yo! Wazzup, big bro?"

The dark agent, for once, ignored his accent, "Sonic and Amy are still gone, and judging by your face, I'm assuming that everything went good on your end."

"You know it," he replied smugly, "Just a dash of Manic magic and the girls are happy."

"Now you sound like Sonic," Shadow noted disdainfully with a classic eye roll.

"We are brothers," Manic replied in a tone that suggested his statement was supposed to explain everything. It didn't, in Shadow's opinion, but he wisely let it drop.

"Where is everybody?" the thief asked after noticing the obvious silence.

"The Knothole residents are preparing to escort the princess back to her castle. I think Tails and Cyrus are getting our flight ready. As for the others, I have no idea. I was trying to find Rouge when I saw you."

Manic hummed thoughtfully at his response, "Well, Knuckles and sis are probably somewhere together. They were kind of a thing before Sonic disappeared, but I don't know about Rouge."

Shadow frowned and scratched his muzzle absently before a thought struck him, "Wait, you said the guardian and Sonia were a couple?"

"Sorta. They never made it official, but everybody knew about 'em," Manic shrugged.

"I think I know where she could be."