Running with the Rebels

Old Rules

A/N: While uploading this chapter to ff.net, I noticed a few minor errors. Hopefully, I caught them all in this, but let me know if you see any more.
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The intoxicating rush of emotions had Manic almost giddy until it vanished into fear, taking all of his energy and then some. He tried to ignore the way his siblings stared at him in varying states of worry and waved them off.

"I'm good. Just had to catch my breath."

Sonic rose an eyebrow. "You sure?"

"Yeah, man. I'm chillin'."

   He hated the way Shadow's eyes narrowed and the way Sonia hummed like she didn't believe him. He hated how admitting to his "gift" had left him vulnerable in a way he didn't expect. He was the Manic, for crying out loud! Too cool for the law and for his older siblings' worry, but for the sake of family harmony, he'd opened up.

   Now, with the worry not-so-subtly hidden on his family's faces, a tiny seed of regret for testing Shadow's emotional defenses started to take root. But he didn't have time to dwell on it.

The small crowd that had gathered for their song scurried at the sight of Eggman's mechanical Flying Fortress looming over Robotropolis. And any hope their song had conjured was dashed into pieces as mobians gasped in fear and raced back to their homes.

The screech of a megaphone rose above the cacophony. "Ho, ho, ho! Did you think I would forget your pathetic kingdom, Sonic?" Eggman's voice echoed through the streets.

"Come down here, and I'll show you pathetic!" he shouted back. His muscles tightened, ready to act at the slightest hint of attack. Emerald eyes sharpened, even as a carefully crafted smirk hid his true anger.

   He didn't know his eyes flickered from normal to bright green, fluctuating with power ready to be used.

The blue blur's hands clenched as he shifted into a familiar battle position, Knuckles, Tails, and Shadow mimicking him. At the striped hedgehog's urging, Gadget took cover behind the rest of the team, knowing he wasn't ready for a fight of this magnitude.

Amy summoned her hammer, and Rouge reached for her signature heart-bombs. Uncle Chuck cocked his shotgun, as Muttski growled.

Sonic's eyes narrowed. He'd blow that machine sky high.

He flinched when a gloved hand gently grabbed his shoulder.

"Sonic, we can't fight here," Sonia said, her dark eyes scanning the rows of metallic homes. "This is a residential district, and the people here can't afford the kind of property damage a battle would cause."

A growl caught in Sonic's throat, his smirk straining. Robotnik was right there. He could end this whole struggle here and now! But instead, the pompous dictator gloated in the flying base he must have used to return from Green Hill. Yet he was stuck on the ground, bound by the invisible chains of his own people's safety and forced to play by a set of rules he'd nearly forgotten.

Eggman cackled, clearly aware of why Sonic didn't launch himself straight into battle like usual.

"It feels good to be back! And I plan on staying around for a long, long time."

Sonic's grin dropped completely. One day, Egghead, he thought, One day very soon he would...

Sonic? Shadow's voice carefully brushed against his mind. The blue blur didn't answer.

His mask of ease returned, and he forced his body to relax with his arms crossed. "We'll see about that, Buttnik! I've beaten you a hundred times over, and I'll do it again!"