Love's Resistance

 

Love Can Move Mountains written by Ceara Ivory

AN: Starting as an alternate ending to "Bartleby the Prisoner," this story has a little tragedy, a little angst, and leads to a little romance born from comfort. SoniaxDingo. Character Death. Blood.

Chapter 1

As the orange-clad prisoner was led down the hall to the court room, he glared at his "attorney." "I hope you do a better job today."

Dingo chuckled. "Don't worry, you're getting off anyway."

Bartleby thought about what Dingo had just said. "What are you talking about? I'm on trial?"

Dingo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, like you don't know this all a trap for Sonia and her brothers."

"What?" Bartleby breathed in shock. Of course, so that's what Robotnik was up to. He thought he was going to use HIM to capture his precious Sonia and her brothers and then just expect him to pretend none of this ever happened. "I have to save Sonia..." He remembered what Sonia had said in the cell.

"I'm happy I'm making my life count for something."

The sound of doors opening and people filing in made him look up. He knew what he had to do.

---

Sonia and her brothers were a little behind preparing for the mission. She was noticeably distracted and her brothers knew why.

"Sis, don't worry so much. This is just a trap. Robotnik won't roboticize his biggest supporter when he realizes he won't get anything out of it," Manic tried to reassure her. Her expression said she clearly doubted it.

"He has other supporters Manic. And he can easily just claim Bartleby's money after he's..." she stopped herself. "Guys...I..."

Sonic put a hand on her shoulder. "And if he does, maybe that'll be the clue the other noble idiots need to change their loyalties."

Sonia glared at the blue hedgehog. "So we just let Bartleby be roboticized? Sacrifice him for the Resistance?"

"Yeah, and he wouldn't sacrifice us to save his ass?" Manic asked incredulously.

"He hasn't yet!" Sonia pointed out. "All he's been is neutral in this fight. He hasn't fought against Robotnik but he also hasn't turned us in and right now, he could easily do it. And he told me not to come to the trial! He told me to stay away because I might get caught!"

"Um, guys..." Trevor broke up the argument with Sonic's video-helmet in hand. "I think you should see this." He handed Sonia the helmet.

---

When Robotnik called the court to order, Bartleby steeled himself for what he knew he must do. He wouldn 't let Robotnik get his grubby hands on his beautiful Sonia. He thought about everything he had done up to this point. He'd lived a privileged life as the wealthiest nobleman in Robotnik's court. He remembered being a young boy and meeting Lady Wyndimere's adopted daughter for the first time. He'd acted like a normal little boy but he believed, now, that he had loved her even then. He remembered asking Wyndimere's permission to propose to Sonia and the look of love and delight on the pink hedgehog's face as she said yes. He thought of when she had called off the engagement shortly after finding her brothers. He'd been hurt but understood why when she told him who her real mother was and what Robotnik had done to Wyndimere. He disliked Sonic and Manic the instant he met them. He acted as though it was because of their unrefined natures but truly, it was because he blamed them for Sonia calling off their engagement. She had tried to get him to join the fight but he knew if he did, he would be an instant target. He made the decision to remain neutral instead while appearing to openly support Robotnik to protect them both. Maybe, if it came to that, he would be able to use that to save her. But now...there was only one way to save her and her brothers.

"Sleet you may," Robotnik started.

"Wait! I have something to say before we start," Bartleby interrupted as he walked up to the judge's box. His feet felt like lead but he had no choice. "I have to end the trial before she can come." He knew she would come. Like a moth to a flame. "I want to change my plea...to guilty!"

---

Sonia gasped as she heard those words. "No!" She tore off the helmet and looked at her

brothers. "No...what..."

"Sis, we can't stop the mission," Sonic tried to tell her.

She shook her head. "No...we can't...but you don't need my help. Maybe...maybe I can save Bartleby myself." She turned for the van.

Manic grabbed her hand. "Sonia, you can't...we do need you...and..." And what if she needed their help when they couldn't be there?

She pulled away. "I'm sorry guys. But I can't let Bartleby be punished because of me." She ran for the van. "You guys do the mission. Meet me at the courthouse when you're done!"

Robotnik was stunned at this turn of events. Bartleby did not strike him as the selfless type. "You want to plead guilty?"

"Yes, Your Honor..." Bartleby declared. "You got me. I'm a spy for the Resistance. A traitor to your Empire! How do you think they keep beating you?"

Robotnik growled. "And you know the penalty for your treason? Are you sure you won't...reconsider..." Roboticizing Bartleby would lose him a lot of faith from the other nobles. He needed their money.

"I do." Bartleby growled back, forcing himself to continue. Robotnik was right, he wasn't the selfless type. It was a selfish desire that made him press on. His selfish love for Sonia.

Robotnik raised his gavel. "Very well then...Bartleby Montclair, you are hereby sentenced to..."

"WAIT!" Sonia shouted as she ran in, her keyboard blazing, the rays knocking out the Swat-Bots that got in her way. "Let him go Robotnik!"

The despot tried to keep back the relief as the pink princess arrived. His plan could still work. He saw the look of utter fear on Bartleby's face.

"Sonia!" Bartleby shouted.

She aimed her gun at Robotnik. "Let him go Robotnik, or I blast you to the stars!"

Robotnik grinned and snapped his fingers. The Swat-Bots aimed their guns at Bartleby as well as his own. "You try it Hedgehog, and your Bartleby dies here and now. Surrender or the outcome will be the same."

Sonia gasped. "You wouldn't..."

"Wouldn't I?" Robotnik asked. "He's confessed to being a traitor. Treason is, as you know, punishable by death."

Sonia looked at the frightened expression of her former fiance. His eyes stared directly at her and she could feel that his fear, for once, was not for himself.

"But," Robotnik continued. "I would be willing to make a trade...you for him..."

Sonia finally understood Robotnik's plan now. He would never be satisfied just to roboticize them. He hated them too much.

"What say you, Princess?" He taunted. "Your life in exchange for his? Or would you be so selfish as to let him die in your place?"

Sonia looked at Bartleby who was shaking his head at her, silently pleading with her to flee, too shocked to say anything.

"You...will let him free...in exchange?" she asked. "My life for his?"

The implications of what was happening and Sonia's apparent acceptance of the offer broke his silence. "No, Sonia!" Bartleby shouted. "Don't you dare give in to him!" He pulled away from the Swat-Bot holding him, leaping on the Defendant's desk. "Listen to me, Nobles of Robotropolis, don't you see what's happening? Robotnik is using us, he's using all of you! Queen Aleena didn't abandon any of you, he forced her into hiding. And Sonia is her daughter! Sonia is the rightful Princess, and Aleena is the rightful ruler of...ukkk..." He was cut off with a quick burst of pain in his chest. He looked down at the blood blossoming at the wound. He looked at Sonia as his knees buckled and he fell from the desk.

Robotnik glowered at the mink, his gun smoking from the shot. His anger had gotten the best of him. He knew it was a mistake. The Nobles could easily turn on him for this. It would be better to end this now and leave. "That is what happens to miserable traitors like him," he said feebly hoping the other nobles would buy it. He gave the signal for his men to move out. He would get the hedgehogs later.

Sonia ran to Bartleby as he fell, catching him in her arms. "Bartleby! You're hurt..." she stated the obvious, trying to convince herself it was just that. Wounded, and easily healed.

As she held him, with her back to the door, she didn't notice her brothers racing in with their medallions at the ready.

"Sonia, we're here..." Sonic began but stopped when he saw the scene before them. He felt his heart enter his throat.

Manic started forward. "Sonia..." Sonic stopped his brother, shaking his head. He recalled, remorsefully, his words earlier that morning. Now, he wished he could take them back. He didn't know what happened but he could guess. He had misjudged the noble, terribly so.

Bartleby looked up at her with pained eyes. He could feel the blood in his lungs, could taste the metallic tang in his mouth. He'd known when he got on that desk, when he started speaking against Robotnik, that his life was forfeit. But she was okay, she was safe now. "Sonia...I..."

She shushed him. "No, don't speak, save your strength. We're going to get you to a doctor. You'll be okay..." She said, denying vehemently what she knew was happening. "You'll be okay. You...you idiot. Why? Why did you do this?"

He smiled. "I wanted...to make my...life...count for something..." he quoted her words from the previous night back to her. "Sonia..." he raised his hand weakly to caress her cheek. "My sweet, beautiful Princess Sonia..." His words said more than those simple terms of endearment.

Tears trickling down her cheek as she took his hand in hers. "I love you too, Bartleby..." Why was this happening? Was this fate's way of punishing her for some unknown slight? "I love you."

Hearing those words, the mink took a deep, shuddering breath as he closed his eyes. So, this was how it felt to do the right thing. His head fell to her breast, a smile still on his face.

AN: I am ending chapter 1 here. How will this event change things for our heroes? More importantly, how will this affect Sonia's resolve to fight Robotnik?

Some of you might be wondering if Bartleby would really do this. The answer is, canonically, he almost did. He really did change his plea to guilty in the episode to try and save Sonia from Robotnik's trap. He knew he would be roboticized for it (which is death toned down kids. You'll notice, I tone nothing down). So yes, I think he would just as easily do this to save her.