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The triplets settled into their dressing room at the Cavern club.
“It’s nicer here than the rest of the place.” Sonia muttered.
Manic sighed.“Would it kill you to stop bashing the sewers?”
Sonia grimaced. She stalked over to the couch and sat down to read her book.
Sonic sat down on a stool and activated his medallion to play his guitar.
“Yo, Sonia.” Manic said, looking up from his phone. “I’m thinking of ordering sushi. Do you want anything?”
“I already ordered a salad.” Sonia replied. She roughly set her book down.
Manic got up and walked over to Sonia. “Why are you acting like such a- uh… witch?”
Sonia narrowed her eyes. “You better be glad you caught yourself and reworded that.”
“Well, what the heck is wrong with you?” Manic asked. He nodded, then rubbed the back of his neck. “Oh… is… is it that time of the month…?”
Sonia seethed. “You are such a-”
Sonic ran over to them and stood between his siblings. “Both of you need to stop this.” He said, holding his hands up as he stood between them. “We have a huge show to do and we don’t need to get distracted by arguing.”
“Alright, fine.” Sonia replied. She headed to the bathroom.
Manic looked at Sonic and shrugged. “What is going on with her?”
Sonic huffed. “How should I know?” He asked. “I’m gonna go for a run.”
Sonic ran out the door.
Manic activated his drum kit and got ready to practice.
Someone knocked on the door.
Manic got up and opened the door. “Yeah?”
The club manager, a bug like Mobian, was standing there. “You’re Manic, right?”
“Yeah, why?” Manic asked.
“Someone in the hallway wants to talk to you.” The owner motioned to his left.
*
Manic shuffled down the dark hallway, using his phone as a flashlight. “I hope this is a prank because I really don’t want to be stuffed in an oil barrel and dumped in the sewer.”
A figure in a dark purple hood was standing in the hallway, under the lone flickering light bulb.
Manic stopped. “Hello?”
The figure turned around, revealing that it was… Aleena.
Manic ran over and hugged Aleena.
Aleena hugged Manic.
Manic thought of something and let her go. “Why’d you abandon us?”
“I can’t explain right now.” Aleena said. “I have something more urgent to tell you.”
“Does it have to do with Sonia?” Manic asked.
Aleena nodded. “And Sonic.”
Manic flinched. “Sonic?”
“They’re cyborgs, Manic.” Aleena said. She showed Manic a hologram of his siblings being shoved into a roboticizer. “They were captured when you three were separated after the trap failed.”
Manic shook his head in disbelief. “But Sonic is still acting normal.”
“It’s part of a new program Robotnik had installed.” Aleena said. “I’m so sorry, Manic.”
Manic roughly brushed at the tears forming in his eyes. “I… I got them captured.” He said, voice breaking. “It’s my fault.”
Aleena hugged Manic. “It’s not your fault.” She replied. “Now, they’re going to raid the club tonight, during your show. Swatbots are hidden in the auditorium.”
“Manic?” Sonic called.
Aleena slipped out the back door.
Manic glanced behind him, then tried to open the door. “Locked.” He muttered. He started to panic, then took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Okay, okay. I’ll just grab my drums and split.”
Manic ran back to the dressing room. He turned the drums back into the medallion. He gasped and raised his spines as someone grabbed his arm.
“Dude, what’s with you?” Sonic asked. “We’re on.”
Manic jerked his arm away. “Get your-”
“I don’t know what your problem is, but we have a show to do.” Sonic said, dragging Manic to the stage.
The siblings activated their medallions and started playing.
Manic and Sonia were clearly not doing their best.
Sonic glanced at them, then stopped playing.
Sonia and Manic stopped as well.
“Sorry, it’s been an odd day, everyone.” Sonic said. “Let’s try that again.”
Sonic strummed his guitar.
Then, Swatbots suddenly appeared and started firing.
The audience screamed and immediately heard for the exits.
Sonic rushed into the crowd to fight the Swatbots.
Sonia ran for the stage exit on the left while Manic ran for the stage exit on the right.
“I can’t believe they sold us out.” Sonia and Manic said.