Breaking Point

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

As they were getting ready to go back out to the others, Aleena stopped him. "Wait... before we go back out there, you should know that Sonia knows that I am dating someone in the city." She held a hand up. "She doesn't know who but she could tell that... Well we forgot that she's a married hedgehog now and thus she recognized..."

Robotnik put a hand over his aching temples. "She recognized the euphoria involved. Are you sure you want to put yourself through this? All for me? If they find out, it won't just be me who's run out of town..." Could he really stop it though, could he let her go if he had to. If it ended now, he thought he could. A pair a fingers touched his lips.

"Hush. I know this is dangerous... A bomb just waiting to go off..." She considered her words. "Nothing worth having comes easily." She kissed his chin.

He nodded. "I'll go out the back to avoid any undue tension. I'll meet you back at the hotel. We really should find something more permanent."

Aleena nodded. "We'll discuss that later." She promised him as they stole one last forbidden kiss and he left.

Robotnik returned to the hotel, thinking about how different things were. Had that dreadful night not happened, he would still be ruling Robotropolis with a fist of iron. He would still be lonely and ignorant to his own misery.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he did not realize there was someone else in the hotel room. He poured himself a drink from the minibar and sat down to sip when he suddenly found himself frozen in place.

"Ahhh, Robotnik, how nice to see you this afternoon." The Oracle said, an almost menacing tone in his voice. "Nice to see I have a captive audience. I'm here with a warning. I know. I will say nothing because Aleena is dear to me and I prefer her happy. But if you use this new relationship to cause her harm or distress, or if you use it to harm my students, then I won't hold back anymore. I can and will kill you. Now, I am going to release you and you can try to justify yourself."

Robotnik felt the spell fall. "I don't need to justify anything to you or anyone. Who we choose to be with is our business and that includes with each other. I'm not going to harm her or them. I'm past that. I gave up the kingdom. I'm gone. Mobotropolis is free and I lost everything. Listen to me speak, I want to be a better man. I want to change. Aleena is the only one who believes I can do it."

The Oracle looked into the man's eyes, using his magic to read him. "Wanting to change is one thing. Doing it is another. But I can't deny what I sense. Fine, as I say, I won't say a word. This would destroy her children and would make her a social pariah. I won't do that to them. But my warning stands. I will kill you if you hurt them again."

"Good..." Robotnik said as he drank the amber liquor from the bell-shaped glass. "I need someone who will take me out if I give myself over to darkness again." He said, surprising the sage.

The Oracle sighed. "For what it's worth, I know from centuries of experience that anyone can change if they truly wish to. Let love be your guide this time instead of hate and bitterness. And... if this is what you both want... if you prove yourself... Well, I'll leave that up in the air. I want only for Aleena and her children to be happy." He looked up as the door opened and Aleena walked in.

The purple hedgehog jumped as she saw him. "Oracle! Oracle... this is such a surprise. I see you've been speaking with Julian... is everything alright?" She asked nervously.

The Oracle put a hand on her shoulder. "I hope so, my dear. I hope you know what you are doing."

Aleena bit her lip. "You know then... yes... I know what I'm doing. We know what we are doing. Please understand..." She pleaded with her teacher. "Please..."