FicWad

“Your father is out there somewhere.” Aleena said. “I’m not sure where. I haven’t heard anything from or about him for a few years.”
Manic drummed his fingers on the table. “Well, that’s one question I hadn’t thought of.”
Sonia looked at Manic. “I expected Sonic not to think too much about it, but I expected you to overthink it.”
“You didn’t think of it either, so why are you picking on me?” Manic asked.
“Because you have an entire notebook full of Terminator theories, I assumed you would be wondering where our father was.” Sonia replied. “I’ve thought about it too, but I… I guess it was stupid of me not to ever bring it up. I was waiting on one of you to say anything.”
Sonic shrugged. “Eh, I kinda figured he was a stereotypical male hedgehog.” He said. “He got what he wanted and left Mom to deal with us on her own.”
Sonia glanced at Manic. “If that’s so, that gene skipped Manic.”
Manic sighed. “Can we please not bring up Hip?” He asked. “I’m not at a point where I can talk about it yet.”
Sonia hugged Manic.
“No, he only left because he was going to fight Robotnik.” Aleena said. “So… Sonia, could you pour me another cup of tea, please?”
Sonia got up. “Of course.” She replied. She stepped over to the counter and poured Aleena another cup of tea. She handed the cup to her.
“Thanks, sweetheart.” Aleena said. She sipped the tea.
Sonia sat down.
“It’s best that I start from the beginning.” Aleena said. “Your father, Brenden, was actually my childhood friend from the poorer side of town.”
Manic stopped drumming his fingers on the table and leaned forward along with his siblings.
“At the time, Robotnik was an ambassador and scientist working alongside Uncle Chuck.” Aleena said.
“He’s really my uncle and not some family friend?” Sonic asked.
“Bernie and Estella were family friends of ours.” Aleena replied. “I sent you to them first because of Uncle Chuck’s involvement in the resistance. He was the backup foster parent for all of you in case of an emergency.”
Sonic nodded. “Makes sense.”
“So anyway, Robotnik was slowly getting more popular with the upper class while my father was sick and my mother spent most of her time taking care of them.” Aleena said. “I was running things for them when Mother was too busy caring for him to do anything. Uncle Chuck originally invented the roboticizer to save my father’s life. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing his little brother.”
Manic bit his lip. “Can’t blame him, but that’s wrong in every way you could think of.”
Aleena nodded. “Mother and I warned him not to play God.” She replied. “He finally listened when he actually got my father to go along with it and realized it had robbed him of his free will. Before Uncle Chuck could reverse it, my father died from the combined effects of the machine and his illness. Uncle Chuck tried to destroy the files, but Robotnik had obviously made copies.”
“So what about Dad?” Sonic asked. “Or grandma?”
“So… well… not long before your grandfather was killed, Mother found out that mine and your dad’s relationship was more than just childhood friends.” Aleena replied. She looked away from the siblings and rubbed her arms. “She tried to marry me off to a nobleman that she and my father had arranged for me to marry when I was a toddler, but it didn’t work out.”
“You ended it because you still loved our father?” Sonia asked. She smiled. “How romantic.”
Manic and Sonic exchanged side eye glances.
“That and… I was already expecting you three.” Aleena replied. “We slipped off and got married the day I told him the news.”
Manic and Sonic shrugged it off.
Sonia hung her head. “Mother, how could you?” She asked. “You know how shameful and immoral that is in our culture.”
Sonic nudged Sonia’s arm. “Don’t rub salt in the wound, sis.” He said in a low tone.
“I’m sorry you three.” Aleena replied. “Anyway, it was kept quiet, but some rumors spread. Mother died under mysterious circumstances about a few days later and I was made queen. So with Robotnik already getting some support while my parents were alive, he used the scandal to fuel dissent amongst the upper class. He made it look like he was the better, moral choice between the two of us.”
Manic scoffed. “Yeah, as long as his omnicidal ways don’t affect them.”
Sonia gave Manic a surprised look. “Wow, you’re smarter than you let on, little bro.”
“Where’d you pick up that word, Manic?” Sonic asked.
Manic shrugged. “I dunno, Animaniacs or Duck Dodgers, maybe.”
Sonia sighed. “Please continue, Mother.”
“I tried to deny the scandal as much as I could.” Aleena said. “That was a mistake, but I wasn’t thinking clearly at the time. Argus suggested I go to Mobodoon to clear my head and he’d look after the kingdom as best as he could.”
“That’s why we were born in Mobodoon instead of Mobotropolis.” Sonic replied.
“That’s right.” Aleena said. “So a day or two after you were born, Argus brought your father to see you three and tell me Robotnik had taken over. Since that tyrant arrived in Mobodoon, we had to flee.”
“I guess that explains why you didn’t just stay there and wait for the portal to close.” Sonic replied.
Aleena nodded. “So we were on the run,” She said. “Your dad had to leave us because he was serving in the resistance and was assigned the more dangerous missions. Before he left, he told me to visit the Oracle because he heard of a prophecy that Robotnik would be defeated by hedgehogs. So I did and you know the rest.”
“So why didn’t you stay to make sure I was taken inside?” Manic asked.
“I was trying to lure the Swatbots away from you.” Aleena replied. “It worked, it just didn’t work on one of Farrell’s minions. It took me a year to find you, then the Oracle told me to leave you there because you’d learn the skills you’d need to fight from Farrell.”
Manic leaned back in his seat. “So it was meant to be, huh?”
“I really wish it wasn’t.” Aleena replied.
“Well, he could’ve wound up being a shifty salesman had he actually made it to the home you tried to send him to.” Sonic said, shrugging. “I can deal with a kleptomaniac who’s constantly drumming on everything better than I can deal with a pushy salesman.”
Sonia yawned.
“It’s been a long day.” Aleena said, standing up. “We can talk tomorrow.”