A sleepy night brushes over the world. The people a whisper by global understanding. Even the largest of metropolises take a moment to enjoy the lazy time. The lights - lampposts and neon - all are no more than Christmas ornaments to the population.
A giant screen hovers over Empire City, commonly displaying the news. Nothing chaotic happening at the moment, it seemed. No news is good news.
Static. Black racing through the white, and white fighting the black. Everyone gazed at it. What happened to the screen?
Static. Static. Static - static - static. More televisions have been abducted by the interruption. Commercial and home video boxes all in harmony.
Radios, too, began to shift. They lost their song and voice. They gurgled in absolute helplessness. They cried for maintenance. The communicative boxes find none.
In the homes and social shops, screens of connectivity freeze. Their web browsers redirect to a single address of numbers. All the same, "09.0113.050707130114." The browser displays nothing more than a black screen and red face with a large, sharp, mustache. The face smiled in deviousness. Below it, in white lettering, "Stand by."
A minute passed, hearts racing, everyone in panic. A short time felt to the masses as an eternity. Finally, a figure appeared on the screen, an ambiance played through the speakers. The doctor, Ivo 'Eggman' Robotnik stood in its place.
"Hello," he finally spoke, his voice booming across the world, "It is I, the glorious robotic expert, Ivo 'Eggman' Robotnik!"
The people, in an hush, coward. They all wondered if this was their new god.
"You all know me, the introduction was a bit redundant. Know that I am not broadcasting to admit your inevitable doom. You're safe from an apocalypse."
What then? Why was The Eggman captivating all forms of media? He has to have a reason! Has he already taken over in a silence?
"History." The Doctor began, he lowered his glasses and glanced his blue eyes to the world, "History is an important science. Oh yes."
History? What did that have to do with anything? What did he want? To educate the people on Sumer? United Federation's founding fathers?
"I want you to know my history and my purpose." He lowered his head, capturing his own fingers into a single ball. "I was born into a rich family - a business one, Robotnik Petroleum. A nice dream for many. For me? Well, I spent many Christmases without parents. As a business family, my parents had little time for me. They were never there. I was left to a caretaker, but no love came from them. I found refuge and guidance in one person, my grandfather, Gerald Robotnik!"
A photo of an old man with a large mustache, similar to the Eggman's appeared. Across the United Federations, several old veterans clenched their fists. They knew.
"I was a prodigy child," he stated, taking back the screen time, "At a young age, I rapidly found an interest in the sciences. I became a very skilled young boy. I shared that interest with my grandfather."
The doctor sat back and pointed upwards, he showed no expression on his face.
"Do you people know the story of the ARK? It was built as a research lab for many reasons - namely, as a project of medicine for my late, terminal cousin, Maria!"
In an instance, a photo of a fair-haired, young girl revealed itself. The veterans again displayed unease.
"During my youth, I spent time tinkering with machines. Simple robots, but projects I was proud to create. My grandfather and I could only speak via video broadcasting. We spoke of science, mechanics, and politics. He had a real distrust of the government. Yet, our conversations grew far and wide between one another. Until it seemed to come to a halt. One night I logged in and found nobody at the desk, but finally, he appeared. He appeared and told me the truth. GUN, your military, was on its way to put an end to the project. He sent my cousin to an escape pod and told me not to trust the government. I agreed and he cut off his computer as I watched two soldiers come into the room."
The doctor leaned forward, his teeth clenched, his eyes focused on the camera.
"I spent months wondering what happened. I felt helpless. I could do nothing for my family, nor the people aboard the ARK. I spent the days worrying and foolishly hoping for a form of salivation. Then I received the worst news to come - one night, as I laid in bed, I kept my computer on. The speakers buzzed with a new message. The letter came from GUN. You could imagine my fear as I opened it and found nothing more than a single video file. It was from my grandfather."
The screen shifted until an old man was on the screen - Gerald. His face sunken, his eyes empty, his head tilted downward, he began to speak.
"Hello, Ivo... In case you have been wondering, the worst has indeed happened. The project was shut down. Maria... has passed. My project has failed. They took me captive, after a few days of hiding on the ARK. In a very short matter of days, I will be executed. They allowed me to say a farewell to a few persons of my choosing. You, my grandson, are the only one that I chose. I know you are probably upset, as you should be. But don't reject yourself, put your frustration to science. You have the ability to bring a new age to this world! I know you do! Don't stop, Ivo. I will no longer be around to guide you. Yet, if my words mean anything to you, let them help you understand that I want you to carry on as a man of science and a man of leadership. I've told you that the government is corrupt and I have yet to change my opinion. You, Ivo... you can change the world!"
A voice played in the back.
"Old man, you're almost out of time!"
"I hear you! Ivo, I have to go now. But remember this, and carefully, this message is more than a mere message. Do you understand?"
Gerald faded and Ivo sat in his place.
"I understood quite well. That night, I put my life to dedicating his wishes. I sculpted not only myself, but my machines to his honor. My goal has become to dominate the planet. To rid the corrupt government that festers your Earth! Salvation is what I desire. Salvation in a united government and one world race!
"I was eight when the ARK was ruthlessly shot up. When my parents passed, I was 26, and took over the business. I spread and outreached the business into nearly every nation on the planet. Our wealth skyrocketed. At the age of 33, I decided to start my plan. I invited many other business owners to a meeting - Robot's Dream, Gun 'n Fun, Plasma Future, and, of course, Computercom. These are all old businesses with a single focus. Most accepted my very generous offer of wealth and left. Those who rejected were forced, by a few of my own machines, to hand their business over. These business all merged into one corporation - Robotnik Co."
The doctor revealed a series of his robots on the screen. Each one with a close up photo, changing to the next.
"I spent many years researching various robotic schematics - particularly the E-Series, Egg Pawn, and Egg Robo. As well as putting research to various fuel sources, codes for sentient machines, and weaponry. I neared a break through, but focused my attention to one weapon and fortress that would really play a key role in my empire - the Death Egg!"
A large orbiting ship with the doctor's face played on the screen.
"But alas, I could not build this giant craft here. I needed a more suitable zone. That was South Island. I could construct that shuttle there. Yet, I needed a different fuel source. Large boats of oils would be a bit too obvious, so I set my eyes on animals for battery power as a temporary, alternative fuel source. My childhood machines, from Motobugs to Buzzbombers were perfect terraforming units that could be operated by an animal. The plan went fine until a certain blue hedgehog appeared. I've thought little of the wretch and proceeded to use quickly crafted, or constructional items, as weapons. My doubt proved to be a lie. The freak of nature was more skilled than I've ever imagined!
"I was 52 when I met Sonic. Over the years, he thwarted my plans, but I've come to an addiction of our fights. I find myself handicapping my own weapons. I find myself saving him and refusing to execute him while he's defenseless. Yes, my need of him has grown. In this sense - my mentality has both saved and harmed you. If he had never shown, my robotic army and Death Egg would have been completed. I would have fought and destroyed GUN. I'd follow to topple the government of the United Federations and regroup it. I'd take their technology and adapt what I could use - mass produce machines and move onto the next nation. The world would have fell to my knees in a year! But due to Sonic's presence and our fights, I've brought death to millions. Without him, that body count would have been significantly less.
"Is this it? Have I failed my grandfather? Have I failed myself? Is my addiction to the chaos Sonic brings so strong that I will continue to foil myself and continue to kill those in the crossfire? I've had many chances of eliminating Sonic that I simply won't take."
The doctor sighed, "But if that time comes, and Sonic is finally destroyed - a new regime will be in place. The world will finally know peace and unification under the Eggman Empire!"
End transmission.