FicWad

Manic locked up his hoverboard and backpack in the locker outside the thrift shop and headed inside.



Wealthy or not, he preferred to shop at thrift or budget stores for the most part, especially if it was for charity. He tried to give back to those less fortunate than himself, even when he was living in a sewer and stealing to survive.



He looked around for about thirty minutes until he found a black belt with neon green studs that he liked. He checked the tags.



"Five dollars? Awesome." Manic thought.



On an impulse, Manic quickly threaded the belt through the belt loops of his black jeans and walked away.



He made it outside without anyone stopping him and stepped off the sidewalk.



"Manic." Bunnie Rabbot called out.



Manic flinched and turned around. "Bunnie? You work here?"



Bunnie, wearing a loss prevention vest, was standing there with her hands on her hips. "Nevermind that. What on Mobius do you think you're doing, Sugar-hog?"



"I'm sorry. I'll give it back." Manic said, taking the belt off.





"We still have to prosecute all shoplifters." Bunnie replied. "You'll have to come back inside."





Manic walked beside Bunnie as she led him back inside and to a small office.



Bunnie took Manic's picture, then called the police.



Manic sat down in a nearby chair. "I really don't want to go to prison."



"Then you should've thought of that before, Manic." Bunnie said sadly. "I hate to do this to you, but your mama said not to go easy on you because you're royalty."



Manic folded his arms and laid them on the table. "It's her fault I was raised by thieves in the first place." He mumbled under his breath.
***
Manic was slightly relieved that he knew the two police officers, Trevor and Reneè, who were sent to arrest him.



Trevor sighed. "Manic, what were you thinking?"



Manic shrugged.



"I guess it's a little ol' habit of his." Bunnie said, getting up. She pulled up the security footage on the monitor and played it for Trevor, Reneè, and Manic. "Not only was he caught on camera, I saw him with my own two eyes."



Manic rubbed the back of his neck. "I didn't think the security would be this good here." He thought.



"Stand up and put your hands behind your back, Manic." Trevor said.



Manic stood up and put his hands behind his back. "So Ma told you not to go easy on me too, huh?"



"She made it a Mobotropolis mandate." Trevor said, putting the handcuffs on Manic. "Is there anything in your pockets? Any weapons or needles?"





"No weapons except my medallion and you know I don't use drugs." Manic replied. "Go ahead and search if you have to."



Trevor patted Manic down while Reneè read the hedgehog his rights.



"What was I thinking?" Manic thought. "'Never steal from the poor or family': that was my code. Sonic was right; I need help. Oh, imagine what they'll say about this. Ma… oh, she better not say anything. This is kinda her fault."



"Did you understand those rights, monsieur?" Reneè asked.



Manic snapped back to reality. "Uh, yes, ma'am." He replied. He really didn't hear her, but he did know his rights. He'd seen enough reruns of Cops when he couldn't sleep to know the drill.



Trevor and Reneè led Manic out of the store.



Manic glanced at his hoverboard as they approached the lockers. "Can I call someone to pick up my hoverboard and backpack?"



"We'll hold your stuff for you." Trevor said. "If you're bailed out, then you can have it back."



"Thanks." Manic replied.



He pointed at the lockers. "My stuff is in the top left one. The code is-"



Trevor unlocked the locker. "For the record, it's an easy guess that you might use Sonia's name as a password in spite of her being your least favorite sibling." He said, pulling out the hoverboard and backpack.



"Go ahead and search my backpack if you have to." Manic replied.



Trevor set the backpack on the hood of the police car. He pulled out a pair of drumsticks, headphones, and a bag of apple chips.



Trevor stuffed everything back into the backpack again. "Alright, let's get this over with."
**
After Manic had been booked, fingerprinted, and had his mugshot taken, he was led to a wall of payphones.



"You probably won't get through to a cell phone, so try a home phone number unless you have to try calling a cell phone." Trevor said.



Manic sighed. "I don't know the palace number. I'll have to try to get through to Sonic's phone."



"I wish I could help you, but I'm not cleared for the palace number." Trevor replied.



Manic picked up the phone and called Sonic. "Please answer, bro."



No answer.



Manic hung up. "He didn't answer."



"Try one more number, but that's all I can allow you." Trevor said.



Manic picked up the phone again and called Sonia.



Sonia didn't answer either.



"Sorry, Manic." Trevor said, leading Manic to a cell. "Maybe they'll call me or come by to look for you."



"I hope so." Manic replied.
**
Manic sat in the corner of a holding cell in the jail. He said nothing to the few guys in his cell and they said nothing to him.



Manic had heard stories about what happens in prison, so he kept to himself and stayed aware of his surroundings without making eye contact with anyone.





He noticed that he was wearing the "I'm the black sheep" T-shirt that Sonic got him for his nineteenth birthday as a joke.





"Great. He accidentally created a self-fulfilling prophecy." Manic thought.


**
Manic glanced at the clock on the wall. "Two o'clock?" He thought. "I was supposed to be home two hours ago. He has to be looking for me now."



"Manic, come on." Trevor said, unlocking the cell door. "Someone paid your bail."



Manic got up and walked out of the cell as soon as Trevor opened the door for him.



Trevor closed the door and led Manic down the hall.



"Can you tell me who bailed me out?" Manic asked.



"Sonic." Trevor replied. "I should warn you that he's furious."



Manic gulped. "I've only ever seen him angry at Ro-butt-nik and it wasn't pretty."



Manic shuffled over to the counter to get his stuff and go through the release process. He couldn't bring himself to look at Sonic, who was in the room.



Sonic was glaring at Manic with his arms folded. He tapped his foot impatiently.



As soon as Manic reached him, Sonic grabbed his arm.



"This is the last time I'll bail you out." Sonic said, dragging him out the door.



"I'm sorry." Manic said. "I don't know what I was thinking."



Sonic pushed Manic's hoverboard along as he ran back to the palace.
***
Manic climbed off of his hoverboard just inside the doorway of the palace. "I am really sorry."



"You stole from a thrift shop!" Sonic yelled. He paced back and forth in front of Manic. "You didn't need that stupid belt and you certainly could afford to buy it. That's a charity store, Manic. You essentially robbed poor Mobians. I can't believe you'd stoop to Robotnik's level. Do you realize how bad this makes the family look? You could cause a revolt if they think you'll steal from everyone."



"I don't think anyone but Reneè and Trevor recognized me there." Manic replied.



"I don't care who did or didn't recognize you." Sonic said. He stopped pacing and looked Manic in the eyes. "You need help. If anything happens to me, you're next in line. If you keep pulling this stuff, you won't be allowed to rule the kingdom. It'll go to someone else if Sonia and I are not around."



Manic slumped his shoulders. "I'm sorry."



Sonic turned around. "Come on."



Sonia came into the room. "You're back." She said, hugging Manic. She let him go. "We were so worried. Where were you?"



Manic rubbed his arm.



Sonic looked at Manic. "Do you wanna tell her or should I?"



Queen Aleena walked in. "He doesn't have to tell anyone," She said. She showed the siblings an article on her phone. "Your mugshot is all over the Mobius news and tabloids, Manic."



Sonic looked at the picture. "You look wasted in your picture, bro."



Manic grimaced. "I think they caught me mid blink."



"Mom, why'd you send him to live with thieves?" Sonic asked.



"I set him on the doorstep of one of our former servants." Queen Aleena replied. "I found out later that he was stolen off the doorstep as soon as I left. I would've stayed to watch him, but there were swatbots in the area and I was keeping them distracted."



Manic sighed. "I could've had a real home and family?"



"They could've dumped you out on the streets again, Manic." Sonia said, putting her arm around Manic's shoulders. "At least they fed you and gave you a home. In an odd way, Farrell was trying to make sure you had some way to take care of yourself."



"That's true." Manic replied. "Farrell said a lot worse could've happened to me if he hadn't found me."



"Now, let me guess what you stole." Sonia said, stepping away from him. "It was a bunch of button pins or keychains from your favorite store, didn't you?"



"He stole a five dollar belt from the thrift shop downtown." Sonic replied.



Queen Aleena shook her head. "You should've left him in jail."



Manic huffed. "I should've known that would be your answer."



"You were poor once, Manic Hedgehog." Queen Aleena said. "You should know not to steal from anyone, let alone someone in the same or worse situation than you were in. I had hoped that trip to another dimension would teach you something. I think it goes without saying that you need to face the consequences for your actions."



"I'm pleading guilty." Manic replied.



"You have no choice but to plead guilty." Sonic said incredulously. "You were caught red handed. For one, Bunnie saw you hanging around that section and picking up the belt. You didn't pull the tags off, so the tags were still hanging on the belt when you had it around your waist. They even had you on camera. I saw the footage myself."



"You may as well have marched yourself to jail and locked yourself up." Sonia said.





Manic hung his head. "I know it was stupid. I can't help myself anymore. I just do it on impulse."



"You'll either get help in prison or it'll be mandatory to avoid jail time." Sonia said.



"I know you're an adult, but you're not leaving the palace until your court date, Manic." Queen Aleena said. "We already have enough trouble trying to rebuild everything without you getting into more trouble."



"Yes, Ma." Manic replied. He turned to walk away, but remembered something. "Oh, how'd you see the video, Sonic?"



"Bunnie called after they hauled you to jail." Sonic said, walking past Manic.
***
Manic figured he could spend the week decorating his room while he waited for his court date. It would certainly be better than sitting around, doing absolutely nothing.



He set his backpack on the bed when his phone rang.



Manic picked it up and saw that Farrell was calling him. "I bet I know why he's calling." He muttered. He answered the phone. "Hey, I-"



"What were you thinking?" Farrell scolded.



Manic laid down on his bed, letting his legs hang off of the edge of the bed. "I wasn't." He said. "How'd you know? Did Sonic call you?"



"No, an acquaintance told me he saw one of my boys in the jail this afternoon." Farrell replied. "Also, you're trending online. I guess you lost your touch."



Manic chuckled nervously. "Yeah… I'll tell you before Sonic does, but I stole from a thrift shop."



Farrell groaned. "What did I always tell you?"



"Don't steal from someone poorer than yourself, go after someone who won't miss a few dollars." Manic said.



"That and only go for the finest things." Farrell replied. "Some of the stuff from those shops are just junk that they should've thrown in the trash."



Manic laughed.



"Anyway, other than that, I'm proud of you." Farrell said. "I heard you did a fine job in the resistance."



Manic grinned. "Thanks, Farrell."



Manic talked with Farrell for a few more minutes before Farrell had to go and do important business (probably some kind of crime, Manic didn't ask).



Manic tried to turn the TV on, but it didn't work. He tossed the remote aside. "I guess Ma hasn't realized I'm nearly twenty yet."



Someone knocked on Manic's door.



"Come in." Manic said.



The door opened and Queen Aleena walked in.



Manic rolled his eyes. "In case you don't remember, my twentieth birthday is about three months away." He said. "You don't have to ground me like I'm a kid."



"I know, but we can't make it look like you'll get a slap on the wrist." Queen Aleena replied. "I do think you need to think about your actions though."



Manic raised an eyebrow. "Did you ever think about how it would affect us if you abandoned us?"



Queen Aleena nodded. "Yes, but-



"You were listening to the Oracle." Manic said. "Ma, I get why I was raised by thieves now. I don't get all the stupid near-miss meetings we've had. Like when you set that trap for Robotnik. That would've worked if you told us what you were doing."



"I should've told you." Queen Aleena replied. "I'm sorry I didn't. I was told it wasn't time yet."



Manic scoffed. "Figures."



"The reason I split you three up and sent you away was to make it harder to find you." Queen Aleena said. "That and you needed to learn skills that I couldn't teach you. I wish things had been different, but I really didn't know what to do and only wanted what was best for you all. I'm sorry. I was hoping we could start over, but I guess it's asking for too much as well."



Manic shook his head. "We were walking bulls-eyes with our medallions that had our family's crest engraved on the backs of them."



Queen Aleena grimaced. "It never occurred to me."



Manic stared off for a while. "I still want to get to know you, Ma." He said finally. "Make up for lost time. You'll have to do a lot to earn my trust."



Queen Aleena nodded. "I'll do my best this time." She replied. "I promise."



Manic smiled. "I do love you, Ma." He said, hugging her. "Thanks for saving me from the roboticizer that time."



Queen Aleena hugged Manic back. "I love you too, Manic. You're welcome."



Manic let Queen Aleena go.



Queen Aleena ruffled Manic's spines. "Is there anything you want to talk about?"



"Maybe later; I'm kinda tired." Manic said.



"Alright, we'll talk at breakfast." Queen Aleena replied. She got up and left the room.



Manic scrolled through his phone until he fell asleep.