The Gang's All Here

27: Transformation

Everyone stared at Scourge in shock.

"Scourge, are you KIDDING ME?" Silver shouted, breaking the silence.

Fiona was delighted at Silver's response.

Until he finished. "We're here getting f**king electrocuted, and THAT was IT!?"

Fleetway spoke up. "Snowflake Guy is right, Scourge. I'm surprised you thought I'd be upset about that. Plus, I already knew."

"I don't understand how being transgender works, and I don't know if I agree with it." Sonic admitted. "But we've got way bigger problems right now."

Shadow simply said, "Meh. Not my life, I don't care."

Fiona became angry again. "What's wrong with all of you!? This is gross! It's not normal, not natural! Don't any of you think that this shouldn't be a thing!?"

"If you'd been together long and Scourge hadn't told you, then I see why you're upset. But otherwise, you're overreacting," Mephiles responded.

Actually, Fiona and Scourge were dating for a week until he told her the truth.

Fiona was completely overreacting.

And she was red in the face. In a sickening falsetto, she turned and called out, "Eeeeggman, come on, let's get this show started!"

On one of the walls of the space Manic was held in, a door opened. And through it stepped none other than Professor Robotnik.

Eggman.

Mephiles then realized: this was the man who was at the scene, talking to Shadow as they separated him from Fleetway.

Silver had said that Shadow may have been forced to do it, and possibly had his mind erased. Was Shadow innocent after all?

Eggman walked toward Manic, holding a syringe.

"Wait a minute!"

Eggman looked up to Sonic, who'd called out.

"Eggman, what are you doing? I'm your rival, and Manic's never done anything to you! Why are you doing this to him?!"

"Oh, calm down, Sonic. He's not going to be in much pain. It'll just be a little..." Eggman waved the syringe, "prick, is all."

Silver spoke up, "Please, leave him alone! He's been through too much!"

"That was obvious, Weak Link. I knew that when I saw him attempting to take his own life. This boy is miserable. But soon, I'll make him invincible. And then, he'll be my minion in return! Say goodbye to your friend as you know him!"

And everyone could only watch in horror (besides Fiona, who was very entertained) as Eggman injected something into Manic's shoulder.

Manic winced just a bit from the pain, but quickly returned to his state of appearing tired and sad.

Everyone was confused. 'It's like he didn't even feel it. Why didn't he respond?' they all thought.

"Um..." Eggman said, confused. "Well, your friend is quiet now, but don't worry! He'll be very energetic soon enough. But until then," Eggman turned to Fiona, "Princess, have you chosen a sacrifice?"

"Princess?" Sonic asked, surprised. "Are you dating Eggman!?"

"Eww," everyone besides Eggman and Fiona said at once.

Fiona looked down at Scourge, who she was still holding by the jacket. Smiling maliciously, she held Scourge higher. "This one! Then we can throw in Sonic, next!"

Scourge became frightened. "Wait, Fiona, don't you think that this is a little much? I know I probably should've told you about the transgender thing when we first met, but we were only together for a week when I admitted-"

Scourge was interrupted with a sharp slap in the face.

"Shut up, Freak. You probably just want to be with some guy anyway so you can shove his d**k down your throat. Well, then,"

Fiona swung Scourge over the railing above the the pit that Manic and Eggman were in, then dropped him.

"Have fun, you little b*tch!"

Scourge squealed as he fell, then he hit the ground. Luckily, he'd landed on his legs, so he was alive. Not so luckily, either his ankle was broken or badly sprained, because he couldn't move.

Suddenly, Manic began growling. This was new, nobody had ever seen Manic growl.

At the same time, as Scourge was now close enough to see, tears were streaming down Manic's face. Was he hurting? Was he sad? Scared?

Scourge felt guilty all the same.

Soon, Manic began jerking, and his growling turned into snarling. The bindings keeping Manic on the table began breaking.

Everyone, including Manic himself, became even more afraid.

"I'll, um, observe from another room," Eggman rushed before running out the way he'd came.

Scourge wanted to run too, but he felt incredible pain when he tried to move.

He was trapped.

Finally, Manic began turning pale. His muzzle became unnaturally pale, and dark spots appeared under Manic's eyes. Manic's claws grew out again, and he kept clenching and unclenching his fists, his claws cutting his own palms.

The bindings broke. Manic, upon realizing this, stopped struggling. He lied still, panting fast and heavy. There were still tears falling from his closed eyes.

Fiona was watching contently (though a little scared) until now. When Manic was quiet, instead of viciously ripping Scourge to pieces, Fiona became upset.

"Hey! What are you doing laying around?!" Fiona angrily asked. Getting an idea, Fiona began taking off her shoe.

"WAKE UP!" Fiona yelled, throwing the leather boot at Manic.

She missed.

Manic slowly got up from the table. Then, he grabbed the table, lifted it over his shoulder, and threw it at Fiona.

Thankfully for Fiona, the table missed her. But this was still astonishing for several reasons.

1. The lab table was both bigger and far heavier than Manic.

2. Manic was able to lift said table to begin with.

3. Manic had thrown the table high enough to fly over Fiona's head, while she was standing in the risers way above the deep pit that Manic was standing in.

4. Unknown to Fiona, the table had been thrown with enough force to smash the powerful lightbulb above Mephiles's capsule.

Fiona turned back to Manic in shock. "Are you insane!?"

Manic did not respond to her.

Scourge, surprised at Manic's behavior, quietly called out, "Manic?"

Manic stood straighter, snapping to attention. His ears turned toward Scourge, then his head turned.

Manic's eyes were still closed.

He began walking toward Scourge.

Scourge was so scared now that he stopped breathing.

After a moment, Manic stopped walking. His ears turned, and turned again, but Manic stood still.

He couldn't hear Scourge.

Everyone then realized: whatever new form/personality this was for Manic, it must be blind. Or at the very least, gets around through hearing.

Fiona smiled. She quietly took off her other boot, then threw it as hard as she could at Scourge.

She didn't miss.

Fiona's boot hit Scourge in the face. The sound of the impact, along with Scourge's whimper of pain, got Manic's attention.

He began walking, faster now, directly toward Scourge.