The Gang's All Here

32: Wrap It Up, People!

Manic was feeling better, but he knew that he wanted to explain what Sonic had blurted out in front of everyone at the house.

So he'd gotten everyone's attention and started, "I know it wasn't a great moment, but I want to explain myself."

Manic went on to explain how, some time after his school program, he'd gotten framed for a robbery. He was thrown in jail, and was there for a month until the real thief was caught.

But during that time, he'd ran into the bully from Scourge's old neighborhood.

"Wait, WHAT? Chris was actually in jail?" Scourge asked, shocked.

"I thought he was WAY too much of a wimp to get that far." Fleetway added.

Mephiles had trouble believing this."He didn't seem the type to get into serious legal trouble. Manic, are you sure it was the same person?"

Manic insisted that it indeed was Scourge's childhood bully that he'd encountered in the jail. They'd recognized each other and Chris explained who he was.

But it turned out that Chris was so upset with Manic when they were kids because he thought that Manic was cool. As in, Chris wanted Manic to be his friend instead of Scourge's. And over time, that admiration transformed into Chris having a crush on Manic.

Manic, of course, did NOT have those feelings for Chris and was sure to tell him that.

Chris didn't like that.

So, for the next few weeks, Chris and his jail friends tormented Manic, scaring him whenever they could, threatening him, you name it. Until they ended up going too far and cornering Manic.

Remember the form that Manic was put into when Eggman injected him? Well, that form of Manic actually first appeared when Manic was in the jail. When Chris and his friends cornered Manic, Manic was beyond scared, because he knew he was outnumbered and that nobody was going to help him.

Suddenly, Manic's vision went white.

He thought he'd passed out, or even had died, but no. His newest form (which he later named 'Panic') had taken over.

When Manic regained control of himself and came to, he realized that his hands were covered in blood. But he himself wasn't hurt.

He looked around, and was horrified to see that it was Chris's blood. Chris's face and abdomen were sliced up with huge, DEEP cuts, which were pouring out blood.

Chris's friends were frozen in fear. And the second they regained feeling in their legs, they ran off.

Thankfully, the entire ordeal had been caught on camera. Technically, it was self defense, so Manic didn't get into legal trouble. But because the incident was so... graphic, he was admitted into a mental facility.

As anyone could imagine, Manic's mental health wasn't great after all this. Thankfully, the actual thief was caught, and Manic was released and given compensation payment for being wrongfully convicted. But Manic still wasn't doing great, and thought that living near someone familiar (his brother) would help.

"And that's what happened," Manic finished. "I just didn't want anyone to think I was an actual criminal."

Aleena walked over and hugged Manic. "I'm so sorry."

Manic was confused. "What for?"

Aleena took a breath, then took a few steps back. To Manic, and Mephiles, she asked, "Do you remember Adrianna, the babysitter you had when Scourge and Fleetway had to visit their cousins?"