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Aleena jolted awake, breathing heavily.

Shadow yawned. "Again?"

Aleena wrestled with the blankets she was tangled in as she tried to get up. "I have to check on the kids."

Shadow sat up. "I'd tell you they're fine, but we have to go to the target range with them anyway."

Shadow caught Aleena's arm as she reached his side of the bed. "Hey, even if another revolt happens, we've been prepping for this since the first coup."

Aleena hugged Shadow. "I know."

Shadow and Aleena left their bedroom to wake the kids up, but found the triplets standing in the hallway.

"What's wrong, Mom?" Sonic asked. "Sonia thought she heard you crying."

Shadow looked at Aleena, who still looked tense. "Nightmares."

Sonia hugged Aleena. "Don't worry, Mother; it's over now." She said softly.

"That doesn't mean you let your guard down." Shadow replied.

"Why are you two up at seven in the morning anyway?" Sonic asked. "It's Saturday."

"Target practice." Shadow replied. "Get ready; we leave after breakfast."

The triplets groaned.

Shadow shook his head. "Did you have something better to do than sleep in and watch Animaniacs when you finally drag yourselves out of bed, boys?"

Sonic nodded. "Yes, my mid morning run and chili dogs for lunch."

Manic rubbed the back of his head. "No."

"Then stop whining about it." Shadow said over his shoulder as he headed for the dining room.
**
Shadow and Aleena, along with Sonia and Manic, stood near the gate as Sonic pulled his old van around.

The van jerked to a stop, the engine rattling.

"We need a new van." Aleena said.

Shadow gave her a look. "I'm not getting a Minivan."

"Then what would you get?" Aleena asked.

Shadow pointed at a motorcycle racing by. "That. The kids are old enough to drive themselves."

"I want a motorcycle too." Manic said, grinning.

Aleena sighed. "SUV or nice car?"

"SUV." Shadow said. "I'm still getting a motorcycle. No, you're not getting one, Manic. You don't pay attention to anything on your hoverboard, you definitely don't need a motorcycle."

Manic scoffed. "Oh, like you know how to ride one?"

"I had one from when I was old enough to get my license up until it got blown up during a mission when you were about eleven." Shadow replied.

"Oh, thanks for reminding me, I need to bring my motorcycle home." Sonia said, snapping her fingers.

"She has one?" Manic asked.

"We didn't buy it for her and at least she knows how to ride." Shadow replied.

Sonia gave Manic a smug grin.

Manic rolled his eyes upward. "You're just as cocky as Sonic, sis."
**
Sonia leaned against the van, looking over the shooting range. "Why are we here again?"

"I already explained that." Shadow replied. He pulled his and Aleena's gun cases out of the van. "You need to learn to defend yourself, aside from martial arts, Sonia."

"You three can watch us first." Aleena said.

Sonic shook his head. "I am not doing this." He said. "I don't like using guns."

"You may never have to, but you need to learn." Shadow replied.

"I don't like it either, Sonic." Aleena said, loading her weapon.

"Fine, fine." Sonic muttered.

The siblings sat on a nearby bench and watched their parents practice first.

"We have the coolest parents ever." Manic said, tapping his fingers on part of the seat. "I'm glad they're not the 'stuffy rich people' types."

Sonic nodded. "Couldn't agree more, bro."

"Dad could be a touch more refined." Sonia said.

Shadow shook his head.

Manic noticed Shadow looking at them. "What?"

"You could stand losing a bit of that snobby mindset of yours, Sonia." Shadow said. "Starting now. Let's see how you do with this."

Sonic nudged Sonia off of the bench. "C'mon, sis, Mom's refined and she's not too proud to do target practice."

"You don't like this either." Sonia said, turning to face Sonic.

"No, but humor them so we can go already." Sonic whispered.

Sonia nodded. She walked over to Shadow and Aleena.

Manic looked at Sonic. "Five bucks says she won't be able to even hit the target at all."

"You're on." Sonic said.

Sonia missed the bullseye, but hit the target sign.

Manic sighed and handed Sonic the money.

"Thanks for the chili dog money, bro." Sonic said, smirking.

Shadow patted Sonia on her shoulder. "Good job." He said, walking away

Sonia looked at Aleena. "That's all he had to say?"

"He has more to say to you than his dad ever did to him." Aleena replied.

Sonia and Aleena started walking over to Shadow, Sonic, and Manic.

Manic got up. "My turn."

Sonic got up as well. "I'll be right-"

Shadow grabbed Sonic's shoulder. "No, it's your turn." He said. "I know what you're trying to do."

Sonic huffed. "Fine."

"Come on, Manic." Shadow said, motioning for him to follow them.

Sonia and Aleena headed back to the van.

"I already know Manic's a good shot." Shadow said. "So he can practice while-"

Sonic looked at Manic. "You have a lot of secrets, huh?" He asked. "Did you ever kill anyone?"

Manic clenched his fists. "It was either that creep or a poor little girl!" He snapped. "Besides, that psycho might not be dead. I got him in the shoulder."

Sonic held his hands up almost defensively. "Sorry. Sorry I asked."

Manic exhaled slowly.

Shadow motioned back to the van. "You can do this later, Manic."

"Thanks." Manic said, walking away.

"Don't mention that to your mom." Shadow said. "She feels bad enough that she didn't take her chances by keeping Manic with her."

Sonic nodded. "Don't worry; I won't."
**
An hour later, the hedgehog family had made it back home.

Shadow looked up from his phone. "Where's Sonia?"

"Shopping with Mindy at the new mall." Aleena said, starting to work on a new painting. "She can go over the finances with you next week."

Shadow got up and walked to the door. Before he could step into the hallway, Sonic's dog, Muttski galloped down the hallway while barking.

Shadow groaned. "Where's Sonic?"

"The last time I saw him, he was in the living room with Manic." Aleena replied. "Don't worry, he's sending Muttski to obedience school tomorrow."

"Finally." Shadow said. He headed to the living room.

Sonic was slumped on the couch, propping his elbow on the arm of the couch and holding his head up with his hand. "Do we have to watch cartoons?" He asked. "I can't stand Aaahh! Real monsters. If we're gonna watch cartoons, at least put it on Animaniacs or Rocko's modern life."

"If you don't like it, leave the room." Manic replied.

Sonic happened to notice Shadow. "Oh, Dad, make-"

"Don't finish that sentence." Shadow replied. "Turn the TV off. You two need to learn how to keep up with the royal finances."

Manic turned the TV off. "Don't we have an accountant?"

"We still have to keep tabs on everything." Shadow said.

The two boys followed Shadow out of the room.

Sonic texted as he followed them.

Manic looked over Sonic's shoulder. "Aww, you're sending a cutesy message to Sally?" He asked in a baby-talk tone.

Sonic closed the message app. "If you do that one more time, I'm spin dashing you."

"What's with you?" Manic asked. He reached to snatch Sonic's phone out of his hand. "Texting something you don't want Ma or Dad to overhear?"

Sonic raised his spines as he pulled his phone away. "That's it. I-"

"Boys." Shadow snapped.

"He started it." Sonic said, motioning to Manic.

Manic rolled his eyes. "I wasn't really going to read it."

"Real mature." Shadow said. "You two are adults. Now, for the last time, try to get along and pay attention."

Sonic and Manic followed Shadow into their library room.

"Why do I have to be here if Sonic will be the next King of Mobius?" Manic asked.

"Because it goes to you if anything happens to Sonic." Shadow replied. "I'd pick Sonia over you, but it's a headache to change the laws."

Sonic looked at Manic. "Don't get any ideas."

"What're you talking about?" Manic asked.

"He sold us out, but I highly doubt he'd kill you for that, Sonic." Shadow said, sitting down at the computer desk. "He's not royalty material even if he wasn't interested in it."

"Exactly." Manic agreed.
**
Sonic got up. "I need a break." He said. "I'm sure Muttski has to walk anyway."

Sonic left the room.

"Why do you aggravate him?" Shadow asked.

Manic shrugged. "It's kinda fun."

"At least you two have made peace." Shadow said. "I'm not sure what was more annoying: before or after you two worked past you selling us out."

Uncle Chuck walked in.

"I got something for you, Shadow." Uncle Chuck said. "Do you think you can take a break?"

Shadow and Manic got up.

"We have to wait for Sonic anyway." Shadow said.

Manic and Shadow followed Uncle Chuck into the lab.

Uncle Chuck handed Shadow four large silver rings. "They're like the rings I made for Sonic, but a little more powerful."

"How much more powerful?" Shadow asked.

"Do you want the long, scientific explanation or the shortened one?" Uncle Chuck asked. "Sonic prefers the latter."

"What's the short answer?" Shadow asked.

"They just work." Uncle Chuck said flatly.

Shadow shook his head. "You can make it a little longer than that."

"You put those on your wrists and ankles." Uncle Chuck said. "It'll respond to your brain waves."

Shadow put the bands on.

"Stare off at the target on the wall and think of firing a shot." Uncle Chuck said.

Shadow did so, firing a blast of electricity at the wall.

"Crashin'!" Manic exclaimed.

"After you've adjusted to it, it'll work more like bionic limbs." Uncle Chuck said.

Manic stared at the wrist bands. "Can-"

"No, you and Sonic aren't getting those." Uncle Chuck said. "I did finish your cryo guns, Manic. They're in your room."

"Thanks, uncle Chuck." Manic said, running out of the room. He nearly ran into Sonic as he came into the room.

Shadow shook his head. "I don't know why he wants those."

Uncle Chuck shrugged. "Some band." He said. "I don't know why he likes it. I can't understand a word of any of the songs he played and at least a couple of songs seemed to be near constant screaming."

Sonic sighed. "Be glad you can't understand it." He said. "He plays it while he's drawing and to wake himself up in the morning. I've memorized an entire album."