A Hint Of Torture

by i.am.robotnik.trash

After Snively roboticizes her arm, a woman becomes Dr. Robotnik's newest ally. But what happens when a sadistic man meets a masochistic woman? What changes in the struggle between man and mobian, and the struggles man and mobian have among themselves? What happens to the world? (SatAM universe, 18 and older readers only)

I don't want to put a long author's note here because it throws off my true word count, so I'm going to make this as brief as possible!

1— DO NOT READ THIS FIC IF YOU ARE UNDER 18. This fic is rated M for a reason. It will contain frightening violence beyond the action/adventure presented in SatAM. This fic deals with the horrors of war on a nearly species-ending scale, and this will be taken very seriously. That said, this story isn't all darkness. It contains humor, too, and romance. It will also contain consensual sex (of the rough and kinky variety!) and foul language. But, this fic is too much for a young reader. Again, if you are under 18, please leave now.

2— If you finish this chapter and find yourself curious, I have kind of a note about what's going on with some of the elements of the story on my profile here on this website, as well as on my tumblr, wutevrz-the-sequel, under the tab "The Fic FAQ That Nobody Asked For." It's long. You'll understand why I didn't put it here, if you choose to read it at all.

So, without further ado, here we go.

---

BEGIN SNIVELY ARC

Chapter 1 – Hangar 18, I Know Too Much

He sat under the lamp in his hideout, his metal ears pressed into headphones. He was tuned in to the control room bug again, waiting to hear another update about the approaching Doomsday, a pen poised in his hand to write down any information he heard. The Freedom Fighters needed that information now more than ever—finding a way to stop Doomsday altogether was the ideal scenario, but even just causing another long delay would be useful.

At first, all he could hear was unpleasant humming and the whirring of the turning chair.

Then there were footsteps, no doubt belonging to Robotnik himself. But when the man spoke, it came out as radio static.

A voice scrambler? …That means…

If he weren't metallic, he would have been sure that the combination of anxiety and heat from the lamplight was making him sweat. He adjusted the dials on the radio while Snively gasped, "Oh! Sir, I-I-I was just—"

The voice ended as the sound of the static doubled. He could feel whatever remained of his heart pounding as he turned the radio knobs rapidly. Despite knowing success was unlikely, he kept trying to break through the device's signal.

It only worked for a moment, giving him just one word, the word that confirmed that the sinking feeling in his chest was true.

"Spy."

He's onto me.

---

A beam of late morning light met her face, peeking through the tiny hole in the top of her battered tent. She stayed still, staring at the hole and listening for voices or footsteps. The only noises she heard were distant— non-mobian birds chirping in the trees, and some bustling from the other side of the camp.

She was alone. For how long of a precious moment, she didn't know. But she was going to take advantage of it.

Her right hand roamed within the old sleeping bag, first passing over her thighs, then reaching between her legs. She closed her eyes to paint a mental picture.

Generic straight couple. Both naked. Kisses. Tongue. His hand smacking her ass. She's angered. Hands on his throat. He begs for punishment. She shoves him to the ground. She makes him worship. …No. Nameless people are never enough.

Sig. Her black halo of curls. Her smooth, dark skin. Her laugh. The memory of her whispering, "I'm going to torture you, Andi." Her thin fingers and short nails. Holding her hand. Playfully wrestling and feeling the strength behind those hands when they held me down. The sting of a begged-for slap. Her fingers inside. Her taste. The sound of her delight. I'll never hear it again. I'll never see her again. Never. No. Stop. Don't think about that. Not now. Stop stop stop stop.

…Ryker? Those little muscles in his arms. …That stupid face he made during sex? …No.

Hilda. Her curves, her muscles. Her strawberry blonde hair flying as she trains. Sweat dripping off her skin. The way her chest heaves after exercise. How similar it must look during sex. How her breasts must look without the armor on. That scowl she made when she caught me staring at her. Punish me, Hilda. Punish me. A jail cell. Hilda throwing me in jail for staring. Hilda so angry her eyes are red. What? No. That man with the threatening red glare. NO! Not again! Hilda is a less shameful fantasy. Stay on Hilda. Stay on Hilda. …No.

…It's not like anybody has to know, right?

A man. Tall. Large. Long orange mustache. Black sclera, red irises. His hand around my throat. Evil grin. "I'm going to torture you." Iron cuffs on my wrists. Jail cell. He throws me in. My face on the ground. Robotic hand tearing off my clothing. Hard grip on my thighs, pulling my lower half up against him. Sudden entry. Furious pounding. His grip remains, holding me in place. I feel the full force of each thrust. I can't control the noises coming out of my mouth and I like it, it's so good that I can barely stay together. It's so good, Master. "Such a good prisoner. Maybe I'll let you live." Furious pounding. Furious pounding. Furious pounding. Furious—

"Ahh!" She bit her lip to prevent another noise from escaping while her toes curled.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

The thought slightly soured her orgasm. She remained still as it pulsed through her, opening her eyes as it subsided. The tent and its hole remained above her.

Her gaze shifted left, at the fading propaganda poster she managed to glue to the side of her tent to cover a series of small holes. She had found the poster during one of the commune's migrations, still weakly clinging to a tree after who knows how long. On it was the infamous Doctor himself, pointing an army of robots and a single other human towards war. She knew that the little man was Robotnik's assistant, but she could never quite remember his name.

The poster announced in big, bold letters: ELIMINATE THE MOBIAN THREAT! JOIN ROBOTNIK'S ARMY! In smaller text, it noted: Enter Robotropolis with your hands raised and state, "I SUBMIT MYSELF TO DR. ROBOTNIK." The SWATbots will escort you to your new living quarters, where you will receive hot meals every day and a bed of your own in exchange for a lifetime of loyal service. She scoffed at it as though she hadn't longingly thought about having a bed again. A lifetime of loyal service— and, if the rumors were true, premature death— was a steep price tag. Still, the thought lingered.

Likewise remained the odd, unexplainable thing that had been developing ever since she'd found the propaganda, perhaps because of it's particular choice of words. Slowly, yet quicker than she ever could have expected, the fantasy of the vicious man ravaging her had come to be a major presence in her darkest desires.

I shouldn't have put this thing up. Maybe then, he wouldn't be in my head.

At that moment, a non-mobian rooster crowed right outside her tent. The sound was quickly followed by footsteps thumping against grass.

"No!" A small, feminine voice scolded the bird. It let out a cluck as it was grabbed.

"Amelia?" The woman in the tent asked, recognizing the voice.

"Oh, Andi, you're here?" Amelia asked, rustling the tent.

Andi panicked, holding the unzipped sleeping bag tightly around her. "No, no, don't come in! I'm naked under this thing!"

The girl stopped trying to open the tent and began apologizing profusely. "Sorry, sorry! Umm… I'm sorry, Naranjo got to one of your strawberries."

"You're too polite, Amelia." Andi reassured her. "Everything's okay, he can have a strawberry. They're here to be eaten and shared anyway. Take some for yourself!"

"I'll just take one for me. Thank you!" Amelia said before taking the plucked-at berry for the fowl and another for herself. Her footsteps trailed off somewhere in the camp.

Andi turned to her right and unzipped her backpack, which contained the few pieces of clothing that she owned. She pulled out hole-ridden underclothes, hand-me-down jeans, a just-barely-too-tight t-shirt, and flimsy sandals. She put them on and stepped out of the tent.

The summer sun was bright in the small clearing that the commune had made their camp in, which made Andi thankful that she kept to the edges, near a tree. It wasn't the right hour for it's shade to fall over her tent, but it was helpful nonetheless— one of her strawberry plants hung in a basket tied to a branch. Twenty other rectangular woven containers of plants sat at each side of the entrance to her tent. All of them were sprouting numerous firm, bright red fruits.

She knelt down to the plant that had just been taken from and whispered, "Hey there. Thank you for providing for Amelia and her bird. Her family gives us all so many eggs from their hens, it's only fair that I have something to offer them when they ask."

She paused before whispering even quieter, "You can keep a secret, right? You couldn't tell anybody if I said you were one of the big things keeping me from joining—"

"I see you're still talking to those plants." Another familiar voice spoke.

She stiffened, then sighed, relaxing herself. She plucked off a strawberry before she stood and turned to face Ryker. He still had the same short, thick blonde hair and dark brown eyes, but his usually pale complexion had gotten just slightly tan, and the muscles in his arms had gotten larger. He wasn't wearing anything above his waist, clearly showing off his newly defined chest.

She bit into the strawberry and answered, "Of course I do, how do you think they taste so sweet?"

She took another bite as Ryker shrugged and mumbled, "I dunno, I mean, they're strawberries, they're usually sweet anywa—"

"Did all your shirts spontaneously combust or something?" She asked.

He grinned. "I've been training with the warriors. All my shirts are a little too tight now."

She glared for a moment, finished off her berry, threw the leaves to the ground, and unceremoniously pulled her shirt off over her head.

Surprised, he started, "Woah, what are you—"

"Stop, it's nothing you haven't seen before." She threw the shirt at Ryker. "This should fit."

He protested, "Uhh… You don't have to—"

"It's nothing!" She interrupted, all cynicism, as she crawled back into her tent. "We're supposed to share anyway, aren't we? This is a commune, right?"

He replied, "…Yes, it is. …So, can I have a strawberry?"

She crawled out of her tent wearing her other (now only) shirt, which was slightly too large for her. She grabbed another berry as she stood back up, and then bit into it. She looked Ryker dead in the eye. "Nope."

He nodded, frowning. "Right… Listen, I didn't come here just to annoy you."

"Really?!" She stated with mock surprise, free hand meeting her face.

"Yes, really. I came here because… huh, it kinda fits." He commented as he finished putting on her shirt, which was clearly too loose for him. "I came here because we uh… we have a guest that dad's about to call a meeting with, and you're going to be a little…mad. So, I'm going with you."

"How is that supposed to make me less mad?"

"I… I just don't want you to face this by yourself." He stated.

She stared at him blankly, neither one saying anything. Finally, she quipped, "…Well, by all means, don't tell me. Keep me guessing, let it remain a mystery."

He sighed, exasperated, and surrendered his secret. "Andi, it's Princess Sally."

She stiffened. "The mobian princess is here?"

At that moment, the meeting horn was blown. She began to run towards the sound, but after only a few steps, Ryker caught her by the arm. He tried to reassure her, "I'm not letting you face this alone. I know how you feel about—"

"Okay, okay, just shut up and let me go!" She quipped, yanking her arm against him.

His grip stayed on her arm. He insisted, "You're not going without me."

She groaned, then begrudgingly agreed, "Fine. Let's go."

---

"I can't see anything." Andi frowned.

As they came closer to the big tent, it became clear that the entirety of the commune had already gathered around their leader and his guest. Nearly a hundred people stood there, numerous ones chattering excitedly and murmuring the word "Princess".

"Maybe that's for the best." Ryker remarked as they reached the back of the crowd.

As soon as he said it, a woman turned and saw him, and her eyes widened. She turned to the man in front of her and murmured, "It's the son of the leader! We should let him see the royal guest!" Both of them stepped aside, and encouraged the people next to them to do the same, who asked the same of the person next to them, until the request went all the way down the line. Before Ryker could refuse, the entire crowd had parted for them.

Andi bit her lip to hide a grin. "Well, I guess being stuck with you still has its occasional advantages."

"Damn it." Ryker cursed under his breath. He knew it would look incredibly impolite if he suddenly shoved Andi away, especially considering their history, and especially considering the status of their guest. So, he kept her arm linked with his and stepped forward as the crowd let them walk all the way to the front. They stopped on the barrier—the line drawn in the dirt— and had a clear look at Ryker's aging father, as well as the young princess. Both leaders stood only a few feet away from the line.

Like most mobians, Princess Sally was short, barely standing over three feet tall, though Andi couldn't tell how many inches of height might be added by her mud-stained blue suede boots. Though Princess Sally was clearly an animal, covered in brownish-orange fur with a lighter, cream-colored patch down her belly and around her mouth, Andi found herself unnerved at the human-like qualities in the overgrown chipmunk— in addition to the human-like hairstyle that somehow sprouted out positively red from her head, the princess had human-like feminine curves underneath her fur, which she only partially bothered to cover with a tattered denim vest. The princess maintained a patient, hopeful smile, though the way her ice blue eyes flicked across the crowd betrayed her true nervousness.

The commune leader's expression, on the other hand, was thoroughly stern, his lips pressed together tightly within his grey beard. "Quiet please! Your attention, everyone!" He called out to silence the crowd. When he felt they were sufficiently quiet, he continued, "Princess Sally has come to ask something of us." He nodded towards the mobian princess.

She cleared her throat, then calmly began, "Great Passing Commune, it's an honor to be among you. You make up one of the largest nomadic human populations I've ever encountered, which is why I personally came to seek your help." She paused, giving a small, nervous sigh that the people in the back surely missed. "You see, my friends and I have been seeking out other Freedom Fighter groups to band together, and I figured that human groups like you might hold similar interests. In a few days' time, Robotnik will be launching his Doomsday plan. If he succeeds, he very well might destroy all life on Mobius."

"Earth." Andi grumbled. "This is Earth." Ryker nudged her, but her complaint seemed to go unnoticed to all the others around them.

The princess continued, "We are planning on attacking the Doomsday device directly."

There came a cynical chuckle from somewhere in the crowd to the left of Andi. "That sounds a hell of a lot like a suicide mission!" Andi knew the voice—it was General Hilda.

"The more help we have, the less of a risk it is. Or, so we hope." The Princess stated. "We have many Fighters already on our side, as well as my friend and celebrated hero, Sonic the Hedgehog."

The name sent another murmur through the crowd. Andi could even hear Ryker gasp, though Andi herself remained indifferent.

The princess continued, "That said, everyone who stands against Robotnik helps. We can all die doing nothing, or we can fight back and maybe save the world. Every single hand pulls us closer to victory."

"An easy war cry when you don't expect to be the one who dies fighting for that victory. If we succeed, that is." Hilda rebuked, moving away from the other warriors to get closer to the line. Her silvery chest plate, no doubt put on to impress the royal guest, almost reflected in the mobian's eyes. "Even for the most highly trained soldier who doesn't have the luxury of Sonic's super speed, your fight is a massive risk. I assume you're sending your strongest Freedom Fighters into battle since you recognize that the average mobian stands no chance against Robotnik. Therefore, speaking as General, you accept the strongest of our warriors, or you take nothing from us." Another murmur spread through the commune, some people nodding in agreement at Hilda's words.

The princess replied, "Actually, I take part in every battle myself, so I've been risking my life on a regular basis. …But it's true, Sonic has been there to save me and my friends time and time again." She looked at the commune leader. "I can agree to your general's terms if you do."

"Actually, I have a question!" Andi interrupted. She locked eyes with the princess, then asked, "Why should we help you at all?"

Princess Sally's eyes narrowed slightly in confusion, her ears twitching. Andi could feel Ryker nudge her. She elbowed him back harder, escaping his grip as he winced.

The princess cleared her throat and said matter-of-factly, "As I've stated, Robotnik is our common enemy. If his plan succeeds, all life on Mobius ends. …That includes you." A small chuckle passed through the crowd.

Andi glared at the Mobian. "My question still stands. Why should we help you at all when Robotnik hasn't harmed humanity near as much as your father has?"

The crowd fell silent. Andi felt Ryker's hand meet her shoulder, and she shrugged it off. She glanced left to see Hilda's eyes shooting daggers at her.

"Ah." Princess Sally realized what Andi meant. The mobian princess calmly addressed her, "The Great War between humans and mobians has been over for a long time now. Robotnik was the one who ended that war. He was the one who gave us advanced weaponry that ended countless human lives."

"And who commissioned those weapons? Who approved of them falling on the final human strongholds? And everything that happened before Robotnik defected to your father's side, what about that? A primitive bomb is still a bomb. They still do damage when they're dropped in city centers. And on homes. And on schools." Andi spat. As the crowd murmured, she glanced left again to see that Hilda's expression had changed— stern, but understanding.

Ryker grabbed Andi's hand. "Stop. Please." He whispered. She swatted his hand away, saying nothing.

The princess's eyes were wide and bewildered, her ears pinned back. She spoke carefully, "My father told me he did the best he could with a war he didn't want. All he really wanted was peace."

"Peace? … Do you remember New York City?" Andi asked.

The princess's ears pricked forward with curiosity. "No, I don't."

"Of course you don't. All of humanity does. New York was a paradise where millions of people lived. They built skyscrapers as tall as the eye could see. They had this part of the city that they always kept lit up, where they projected things on massive screens. They had a stage that the entire world knew about where people would sing and dance every day. Something was always happening, and anyone could do anything they set their mind to. That's why they called it the city of dreams. My parents told me so many stories…" Andi trailed off longingly, like a child lost in a reverie. She blinked back the moisture building in her eyes, and nearly snarled, "Your father gathered up hundreds of his primitive bombs, and he dropped them on New York until he leveled it. It's nothing but ashes now."

Andi's voice cracked, but she gulped it down and shouted, "That's just one of the cities he destroyed! That's only a fraction of the people he killed!"

Princess Sally gasped in horror. Her eyes flicked across the crowd again, catching sight of quiet grief written on the faces of many adults— even the general herself held her jaw tight. The princess searched the eyes of the human children and found confusion and fear. Their expressions were too familiar.

The princess's eyes lowered to the ground, her nose twitching as her ears fell back. "I…I'm so sorry…I didn't know…"

Andi shouted back, "You HONESTLY think we believe you DIDN'T KNOW?!"

"Andi, stop it, she's crying!" Ryker scolded.

"Let me teach you a little more about humanity, then." Andi ignored Ryker's plea, her eyes still locked on the mobian princess. "Our warriors aren't trained to fight robots. They're trained to fight mobians. Your kind still comes to attack us. Sometimes they raid us of our food and supplies, sometimes they just have fun trying to kill us. Do you know how many robot attacks we've had? Not one!"

"I hate to confirm that, but it's true. The bastard hasn't attacked us since the war." Hilda stated, almost embarrassed.

The princess was astonished. "What are you implying?"

The commune leader raised his hand, stopping the princess. He glared briefly at his general and then at his son before his gaze turned to the woman standing in front of him. "Andi, it's true that some mobians have attacked us, but we also have mobian allies. What are you doing this for? …Is this about the fire? Is this for Liam and Valerie, and for Sigmonda?"

He saw the shock on the woman's face, but he continued anyway. "They wouldn't be proud of this."

"Don't you DARE bring Sig into this!" Andi shrieked. "And my parents, too? You'd use their names against me when I can't even say my own name in this place without upsetting someone? The name that my parents gave me? Clearly, you have no idea what they would be proud of! My name is And—"

Ryker's hand clapped against her mouth, covering it. She went silent from the surprise, momentarily confused, until he murmured, "Andi, Andi, calm down. You've made enough of a scene already. You've upset the princess, and you're angry, and you're… you know… fat… and your name sounds… well, it sounds robotic, and all of that together just doesn't bring up a good image, especially after everything you've sai—"

She yanked Ryker's hand off of her mouth, pushed him away, and snapped, "You lost your right to touch me when you divorced me!"

Gasps and murmurs spread through the crowd again, as well as some muffled laughs. Andi could have sworn she caught Hilda trying to hide a smirk. Then, the commune fell into tense silence.

"…A-Andi?" The princess asked cautiously.

The woman's attention turned back to the mobian. She bit, "Yeah?"

Princess Sally pleaded, "Andi, I understand the pain that you're going through. When Robotnik took over Mobotropolis, I lost everything. Most of the people in my kingdom were roboticized. My friends and I went from living in a beautiful city to living in shacks in the woods. My father was… imprisoned, to put it simply, and I only recently confirmed that he's still alive out there. I miss him every day. I miss my home all the time. I know exactly how you feel."

The princess realized that she'd said exactly the wrong thing when she saw most of the members of the crowd gasp and glance at one another with fear. She heard a woman murmur, "Oh god, he's still alive."

The princess turned back to Andi to find her teeth bared as her glare practically burned. Andi snarled, "Until you witness the only home you have left burn to the ground… until you witness every single person you love die right in front of your face… you have no fucking idea how I feel!"

Andi turned to the crowd and raised her voice high enough for the entire commune to hear. "If Doomsday really is coming, we'll probably be spared!" She turned back to face the princess once more, her glare still seething.

"…In fact, we might even thrive."

For a moment, there was shock. Then all traces of expression dropped from Princess Sally's face. A loud, unstoppable murmur had swept through the crowd, but the princess didn't listen. Her gaze shifted once more to the ground as she wiped the traces of fallen tears out of the fur on her cheeks. Her first deep inhale and exhale made her tremble, the second one came out smooth. She raised her head once more, her face serious and unyielding. Her eyes met the enraged woman once more. The princess spoke with solid conviction, spitting out her enemy's name like poison.

"No matter what you think of me, I assure you that Robotnik isn't the answer to all your problems."

Andi flinched while new gasps came out of the great murmur. Panicked, she retorted, "What? N-no, that's not what I said!"

"That's exactly what you just said." The princess gravely affirmed.

Hilda countered, "Hey now, I think she's just really worked up and went a bit too far with—"

"ENOUGH!" the commune leader snapped. Every noise stopped at once.

He looked at his son's ex-wife, then at his wide-eyed son, then back at the woman, and sighed. Then, the commune leader bellowed, "Andi, you've offended our royal guest, and you've offended me. As much as it pains me to do so, on behalf of the commune, I banish you."

Gasps were again heard throughout the crowd. Ryker's mouth formed the word no, but he found himself unable to speak. Andi was very still.

"What? No! You don't have to—" Princess Sally stopped herself, taking another deep inhale and long exhale. She spoke again calmly, "While I respect your authority, I don't think that's necessary."

"She's right." Andi announced. "You can't banish me. I leave this commune of my own accord."

"Andi, no!" Ryker cried.

"I want no part in any community that puts it's trust in mobians." Andi finished. She spun away from the princess and the commune leader and exited through the parting crowd.

Behind her, she could hear footsteps, then Ryker calling,"Andi! Andi, wait!"

Then she heard the voice of the commune leader. "Son, let her go!"

Still, Ryker's footsteps stayed behind hers.

When she was a few steps away from the big tent, she heard General Hilda speak once more. "I'm sorry, princess, but I withdraw my offer."

There were gasps, then the leader spoke again, "You may be the general, but I am the one with the final say—"

"No, no. It's okay. I understand." It was the princess. Her voice was resigned—agreeing, but still giving away her disappointment.

Andi couldn't help but grin.

---

"I can't believe this. You just had to make a scene. You just had to do this." Ryker fretted, still following Andi.

She joked, "Hey, on the bright side, you won't have to put up with me anymore, right?"

"God damn it, Andi, this isn't a joke! Where are you going to go?" He asked as they reached her tent.

She paused, thinking about it, and then shrugged. "I don't know. Somewhere else. Anywhere that's not here."

She crawled into her tent to grab her bag, only to have Ryker climb in behind her.

She sighed. "Okay, well, welcome to my tent, have a seat with me on the sleeping bag."

"Andi, it's so dangerous out there for one person alone. You're going to get hurt. You're…" Ryker suddenly stopped mid-sentence when he saw the Robotnik propaganda in her tent. "What the fuck?"

She tensed. "I just found that in the woods and thought it was funny."

Ryker took the time to read the full details on the poster. He looked at Andi with shock and concern written all over his face. "…You're not actually considering this, are you?"

"No, of course not." The rebuttal came out of Andi's mouth quieter and weaker than she expected. Silence hung between them.

When Ryker spoke again, it was barely above a whisper. "Jesus fucking Christ. That explains everything. You want to join him. That's why you took his side when you yelled at the princess."

"I didn't 'take his side', I just don't trust her." She argued.

"But you do want to join him, huh?!" He shot back, his voice loud but wavering. "Maybe it's the right place for you, Andi. You hate mobians, you're rude, you're vengeful, you… you get that weird smirk on your face every time someone says 'torture'—"

"If you had been willing to try any BDSM at all while we were married, you would know that it's just a word that helps put me into a sexually submissive state of mind. I'm not fucking sick."

"That's another thing. You don't think liking the thought of torture makes you sick."

She let out a single dry laugh. "Ryker, you're a fucking baby who's scared of trying anything new."

"I'm not a baby!" He shouted back, then sighed. He spoke again with as much calm as he could muster, "Let's not start this up again. I'm just trying to help you, Andi."

She squinted at him. "You think you're fucking helping me right now?"

"…Okay, maybe not, but I want to be. Let me help you, Andi. I'll talk to dad, I'll get him to let you stay, if you just—"

"No. I'm not staying here anymore, Ryker. I'm tired of this. All of this." Andi spoke softly, her voice suddenly sounding weary. She kept her eyes to the ground for a long moment before she looked back at the poster. "You know what? I'm not even going to deny it. I've thought about having my own bed again. I'm sick of sleeping on the ground."

"I understand, but…" He hesitated, then delicately tiptoed over his words like he was speaking to a child, "You know that people stopped going there because they'd never be seen again, right?"

"Yeah." She replied weakly, eyes shifting from the poster to the ground, then back up to Ryker. "…You say you want to help me. Do you really mean it?"

"Of course I do, you're my wi…" Ryker stopped and corrected himself. "…Woman friend."

She chuckled. "Woman friend? Really?" She noticed that he wasn't smiling at his own mistake. In fact, his face seemed rather flushed, and his eyes were focused on his hands. Her voice became soft, but solemn. "Ryker, I can try to be your friend, but I'm not your wife anymore, and I'll never be your wife again."

He swallowed, his eyes not moving as his hands clenched and unclenched. Finally, Ryker looked back up at Andi. He changed the subject back, asking, "How can I help?"

"You know how bad I am with maps and navigating, I just go with the rest of the commune when we migrate, I always have. Can you… can you point me to the nearest human colony?" She asked.

He offered, "I know of a couple other small traveling groups, but I don't know for sure where they—"

"No. No more hauling around. I want a colony, or a village, something permanent. I want a place to call home, a place where I can actually build a real house, and have a bed, and a shower…" She nearly lost her train of thought at the idea of a warm shower. "Somewhere you could visit, if you wanted to. As a friend."

"There aren't many of those…" He started, then hesitated. He pressed his lips together tightly, deep in thought. His hands clenched and unclenched once more as his eyes darted around the tent, at Andi, at the holes in the fabric, at the propaganda, back at Andi, then at the ground. Finally, he continued, "…But I think I know where one is."

Ryker took a small compass out of his back pocket, and ducked out of the tent. Andi grabbed her backpack and followed him, leaving behind the poster and the sleeping bag.

She stood and observed as Ryker took a few steps ahead, and then stood silently for a long moment. His vision darted around once more, looking at the compass, then up, then back at the compass, and then back to the forest that lay ahead.

Finally, he raised his hand and pointed. "It's straight that way."

"Really? You're sure? You seem a little nervous, do you want to double check?" She asked.

"No, I'm sure it's straight that way. I think you'll really like it there."

Andi felt her hair stand on end, recognizing something dark in his voice. "Ryker, you wouldn't by any chance be sending me to—"

"Andi!" Amelia's voice came from a distance, running towards Andi. Amelia's parents were not far behind, her father tall and pale while her mother was short and dark tan. With the three approaching together, it was easy to see that they were a family— while Amelia was a light tan that matched neither parent, she had her mother's long black curls and her father's green eyes.

Amelia skidded to a halt in front of Andi and Ryker, breathing heavily from her little exertion. "Andi, you didn't really mean it, did you?"

Andi put her hand on the girl's shoulder and spoke in the softest voice that Ryker had heard her use all day. "Sorry, Amelia. I really am leaving."

Andi could see the young girl's eyes watering up, but Amelia wiped the forming tears away. Andi's hand left the girl's shoulder as her father's met it. Andi saw that his eyes held a certain sympathy for her, but when she looked to Amelia's mother, she saw that the woman's face was stern, her lips held tightly shut.

"It's a shame that you've got to go." Amelia's father declared. "And I just want you to know that I'm proud of you. What you had to say today was something we needed to be reminded of before we got involved with that animal."

Amelia's mother spoke, her words lashing out. "Eso es fácil de decir cuando ignoras que esos animales han sufrido tanto como nosotros."

Amelia's father was visibly shaken. He stumbled over his wife's mother tongue, shooting back, "¡Esos animales son la razón por la cual TODOS NOSOTROS vivimos como animales!"

"Por favor, no luches frente a mi amiga." Amelia said, her tears beginning to well back up. Her parents fell silent.

"Hey, Amelia, it's okay. It's going to be okay. When I get to my new place, we can get together and visit." Andi reassured her, despite knowing how difficult it would be to navigate to and from the commune's ever-changing location.

Amelia knew it too, but she didn't acknowledge it. Instead, she said, "I'm going to miss you, Andi."

"I'll miss you too, Amelia. I just wish I could do something for you, you've all been so nice to me… That's it." Andi gestured toward the twenty planters sitting in front of her tent. "I'm only taking the one in the tree. You can have all my other strawberry plants."

Ryker argued, "Those aren't your strawberries, they're the commune's—"

"Is it a crime to give people food?" Andi asked, managing to keep her calm despite the firm edge to her voice.

Ryker's expression dropped. He shifted, a flush rising to his cheeks. He mumbled, "…No, it's not."

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Ryker. You just haven't learned how and when to flex those leadership skills yet." Amelia's father reassured Ryker, somewhat patronizingly. Ryker gave no reply but a halfhearted nod.

Amelia's father looked back at Andi. "Thank you."

"Yes, thank you, Andi!" Amelia echoed, already eyeing the plants and their harvest.

"Okay, Amelia. Remember what I've told you, they're really simple plants. All they really need is sunlight, water, and for you to talk to them every day. That's how you get the sweetest berries. I hope you and your family enjoy them. Chickens included." Andi smiled at the thought.

Amelia's mother, her expression having remained serious, began to soften. Andi could see her eyes glistening as she approached, just before the woman hugged her. Her voice wavered. "Thank you, Andi. I… I hope your heart finds peace out there."

The woman's embrace was enough to mask the moisture forming in Andi's eyes. She squeezed back harder before they parted. Andi looked at the family, trying to push back the memory of meeting them back when Amelia was just four, and managed to give them a genuine smile. "I'll see you all again sometime soon, I promise."

Andi turned to Ryker. "You'll help them take the plants to their tents, right?"

"Right." He nodded, reaching for one of the rectangular containers. Amelia and her parents followed suit.

"Hey, you can have my tent if you want, Ryker." Andi teased. He narrowed his eyes at her, but said nothing, beginning to walk with the group to their tents. Meanwhile, Andi slung her backpack on and walked over to the tree. She untied the basket from the branch and gripped its handle, glancing at the plant and it's healthy red fruits. Then, against her suspicion, she began to walk the way Ryker had pointed her.

"Hey, Andi!" She heard him call behind her. She turned and saw that Ryker stood with a planter still in hand as the family kept walking.

Ryker continued, "If you change your mind, you're always welcome to come back."

She chucked, then replied, "I seriously doubt that. But thank you, Ryker. Really."

She saw him nod, then walk away towards camp. Andi began to embark into the forest once more, but didn't get more than a few steps away when she heard another familiar voice.

"Hey, Andi!" It was General Hilda. Andi turned and saw the woman jogging towards her, long hair whipping in the wind. She'd removed her armor breastplate, leaving her sizable chest to bounce under her shirt as she ran. Andi tried not to stare.

Hilda stopped before Andi. The general's hazel eyes, usually confident and sharp, seemed to hold unease behind them. "Hey." She repeated.

Andi felt fluttering in her stomach. She was well aware that though they had exchanged glances, this was the first time the general had actually spoken to her. "H-hi, Hilda."

"Look, I know we're not really friends but… back there, it got really intense, and…" She hesitated, looking somewhere beyond Andi, not sure what to say. "…Things are just tough, you know?"

Hilda hesitated again, and sighed. Her eyes met Andi's. "What I mean is, I just wish you the best of luck out there, wherever you're going."

"T-thank you, Hilda." Andi managed, her grip tight on the basket.

"No problem." She nodded, beginning to walk back to camp. "Hey, who knows, maybe I'll see you later."

"Yeah, maybe." Andi replied. She took a moment to watch the general leave, and then turned back to the woods to begin her own trek.

---

Of course I have to leave right when Hilda starts wanting to talk to me. Just my luck.

Andi had been walking for hours. She'd thought about turning back several times, but instead, she continued maneuvering through the trees, basket in one hand and a strawberry in the other, occasionally taking bites and grabbing new berries as her thoughts kept swimming.

Then again, it's just my luck that Ryker would send me to… well, some kind of hellhole. I'll just bring back proof I was there, and then the whole commune will know he's an asshole. Amelia's folks would back me up, at least.

No, no, I shouldn't think like that. Ryker's my friend. …Well, kind of. He probably sent me somewhere nice, right?

…Then again, I've been walking forever. Maybe he didn't send me anywhere. Maybe he wanted me to get lost in the woods.

Who knows? I mean, really, who knows about him, anyway? Who does he think he is, anyway? First, he tries to flirt, and then he tries to shut me up. And of all the things he could have stopped me at, he stopped me when I tried to say my name! Weirdo. Like calling me anything other than Andi would kill them?

…Andi sounded so much better when Sig said it, when Andi and Sig was our special thing. But now I've heard Andi so much that I hate it. Even though it started with Sig, it doesn't mean the same thing anymore. They tainted the memory.

She finished another strawberry, threw the leaves behind her, and started a new one.

When I get wherever I'm going, I'll only tell them my real name. Then they'll have to say it. Then I won't have to be called Andi anymore.

There was a crack below her foot. She'd snapped a stick in two.

She tensed. She saw nothing move in for her between the trees to the left. She looked to her right and also saw nothing.

It'll be fine. Everything will be fine. I haven't even run into a mobian so far. I'll be fine.

…But… Why haven't I seen a mobian so far? …What else is in these woods?

She kept on walking cautiously, another berry already in her mouth, when she noticed that the trees in front of her were beginning to thin out. She moved quicker, hoping she was close to her journey's end. To her delight, it seemed that there was a point ahead where the trees parted.

But the closer she got to the clearing, the more she realized that the trees seemed to be ending as far as she could see, both left and right.

Oh my god. He didn't. …No, no, it could be just a big clearing, a big clearing for a big village. It could be…

She reached the edge of the trees, stepped out, and came to a halt. The woodland stopped indefinitely both left and right, and what lay ahead was miles upon miles of absolute deforestation. In the distance sat a huge, dark grey city with a black cloud hanging over it, looming like a scar on the planet's face. Andi could already smell the stench of metal and smog from where she stood.

He did. I knew it. That dick actually sent me to Robotropolis.

Her hand curled tight around the basket, hearing it creak just slightly, and then it relaxed.

Plan B it is, then. Get proof I was there, go back, prove that Ryker's full of shit, and the commune will let me back in. …Well, maybe.

…Or, there's plan C.

No, no. That's a bad idea. Stop that.

…Plan B is pretty bad too, isn't it? … Fuck it, I can't go back empty-handed, can I?

Shuffling the basket from one hand to another, she shrugged the backpack off of her and let it fall to the ground. She unzipped it to rifle through the few pieces of clothing in it, setting her basket down next to her. She pulled a dark purple cardigan out of the bag and tied it around the nearest tree. She then shifted around the contents of the bag, and carefully managed to get her basket inside.

"I promise I'll come back for you." She said to the strawberry plant. Then, she zipped the bag halfway shut and sat it behind the tree, facing the forest.

She turned to the far-off city, exhaling.

Okay, then. Here goes plan B.

She took her first step towards Robotropolis.

---

Her back was pressed against the crumbling wall that separated her from the metallic city. She could hear robots stomping around all over the place, their mechanical parts whirring. In the distance in front of her, the sun hung low in an orange-illuminated sky, but directly above her was the smog cloud that plunged the city into what seemed to be eternal night.

It's dark, and the robots have lights for eyes... Plan B isn't looking so good.

Just then, she spotted something in the distance. It was so fast that she couldn't make out what it was beyond a blue blur.

Within moments, the thing whizzed by her, the wind whipping through her hair. Behind the wall, she heard the metal soldiers turn and start shooting as several robotic voices shouted, "HEDGEHOG, PRIORITY ONE."

She waited, hearing all the footsteps go distant, then quiet. She peeked around the wall and saw several dark buildings standing totally unguarded.

That… That's almost spooky convenient.

She stepped away from the safety of the weak barrier and entered Robotropolis. The gravel crunched under her feet with each step, scraping her soles.

Tall grey buildings stood in every direction. Some were wide, bright, and howling with turning gears— generators and factories that dare not be disturbed. Others were small, dark, and dead— at least, there was no obvious sign of life. The sudden solitude that spelled out her inferred safety gave the city a new eerie, too-quiet edge.

She kept walking forward.

Well, it's not like I can just drag a building back to the commune… God, what I'd give for a camera right now. Then I could just snap a photo of myself standing here and then I could go back. … Wait, what was that sound?

Anxiety bubbled up in her. She looked left. There was a building with two gargoyles sitting out front of it, leading down an alleyway. In the distance, there was stomping and whirring as something large approached.

She gasped and ran, going straight past the building and then turning right. To her luck, she spotted a stack of large abandoned concrete construction pipes in the distance and headed for them.

She heard a snap, then tripped, narrowly avoiding a fall. One of her sandals had broken at the straps. She abandoned it behind her, crawling into a pipe.

Behind her, she heard the thing coming. She managed to get a glimpse of the thing— it was a two-legged machine with a viewing pod at the top. It's huge metal feet trampled her way, the ground shaking slightly as it passed by the pipe she hid in. Then, it stomped off, footsteps falling silent as it continued its distant search.

She looked back at her abandoned shoe. It had been stepped on, hopelessly crushed into the gravel.

She waited until she could no longer hear the metallic biped, then peeked out of the pipe. In front of her sat a huge pile of garbage.

Well, maybe a piece of Robotropolis trash will be enough to—

The sound of more whirring came, this time from garbage heap itself. She ducked back into the pipe, then peeked out much more carefully to see a door lift from the ground in the middle of the heap, light shining from within it. Out stepped a small metallic being, and the door came down behind it. It looked left and right, but stayed in place.

She focused on the being, and realized it was a roboticized mobian. In fact, it was a blue hedgehog with a mustache. It waited intently for something, barely moving, until the blue streak came again, stopping abruptly in front of the metal hedgehog.

It was another hedgehog, this one more famous, as well as still organic and lacking a mustache. He spoke, "Man, you should've seen those SWATbots! I managed to catch their attention and confuse 'em enough that they're just standing in a circle beepin' away about how they don't compute the situation. Anyway, how's it goin', Uncle Chuck?"

"Sonic, it's always good to see you, but you really shouldn't be here right now!" The metal hedgehog scolded.

The organic hedgehog looked at him incredulously. "Are ya kiddin' me, Unc? You send a message sayin' that Ro-butt-nik's on to you, and you expect me not to come runnin'?"

Uncle Chuck reassured him, "Sonic, I just wanted to let you know what's going on. I can handle it myself. Don't worry about me."

Sonic argued, "Of course I'm gonna worry about you, Unc! You're family! If Buttnik laid a finger on you, I'd grab both halves of that rock and kick his–"

"You mean you didn't destroy your half of the Deep Power Stones?" The metal hedgehog nearly gasped.

Sonic boasted, "Nah, of course not! We've still got it, and Buttnik's none the wiser! I can't take all the credit for that, it was actually Tail's idea. You see, we—"

"Sonic, Sonic, that's great, but quiet down! I…I don't… I don't know where he's got ears now that he knows there's a spy in his city." Uncle Chuck fumbled.

"Ah, Unc, don't worry! He couldn't even use the stones if he had 'em! Sal and I have been readin' through the scrolls, and as it turns out, the—"

"STOP! It's better if I don't know, then I…!" The metal hedgehog nearly shouted before he stopped himself. He spoke again, as calmly as he could, "Then I won't be able to repeat it if he…"

A long silence hung between them. The organic hedgehog's eyes were wide, his ears drooping.

Finally, Sonic asked in a near whisper, "…You really think he's going to figure out that you're the spyhog?"

Uncle Chuck shook his head. "I don't know, Sonic. But I'll cross that bridge when it gets here. I have to make sure that Doomsday—"

In the distance, they heard the SWATs regrouping and spreading out. They also heard the sound of a particularly fast-moving hover unit approaching.

"Shoot, gotta juice! Ya gotta come with me, Uncle Chuck!" Sonic declared.

"No, Sonic. I'm staying until this is all over." The metal hedgehog stated firmly, but with a hint of sadness.

"But Unc!"

"Go, Sonic!"

Sonic opened his mouth to argue further, but then shut it. He hugged his Uncle, then grabbed him by the shoulders and looked him in the eyes. "Take care, Unc. Really."

"I'll try." The robotic hedgehog replied.

Sonic gave a final nod, then sped away. A small red airship zoomed quickly behind him, not noticing the metal hedgehog re-enter his hidden base.

Andi ducked fully back into the pipe.

What the fuck did I just witness?

This thought was immediately followed by a very late swarm of running SWATbots, most of them blaring "HEDGEHOG, PRIORITY ONE."

She remained inside the construction pipe, considering the SWATs.

Well, they're still distracted, right? I'm either getting out of here, or I'm not.

She stepped out of the pipe, one foot in her remaining sandal, the other on the gravel. She began to walk, the ground uncomfortable against her bare foot, until she came to the end of the alleyway. She looked left, eyeing the distant SWATbots. Most were still in pursuit, but a few were going back on patrol.

Hmm… It'll take some real effort, but if I just duck into alleys whenever they look my direction, I might have… half of a snowball's chance in hell of getting out of here. And then, I can somehow convince the commune that I really—

Her train of thought abruptly ended with a gasp as she looked right.

A floating camera was directly in her face. Its lens seemed to zoom in on her shocked expression.

She shoved the camera away, then turned and ran. She had advanced six steps before the other sandal's strap snapped and tripped her, sending her to the ground.

She could hear SWATS moving closer, one of them speaking, "FREEZE, HUMAN PRISONER." She managed to get back up to her knees to see two of their dark metallic bodies approaching, red mono-eye lights shining, wrists raised— some kind of weapon was in their arms, and they were aimed at her.

Plan C it is.

She stood up slowly, raising her hands in the air. The SWATbots were two steps away from her when she shouted, "I… I-I submit myself to Dr. Robotnik!"

The SWATs froze, their eye lights dimming to a softer glow as their arms went back to their sides. One of them spoke, "SUBMISSION PROTOCOL ACCEPTED. THIS WAY."

Oh my god, it actually worked!

The bots froze, standing on each side of her. She waited, wondering which way they were going to take her, when each of them grabbed her by the arm. Their eyes suddenly lit back up to a threatening radiance.

"SUBMISSION PROTOCOL OVERRIDDEN. TAKING PRISONER TO THE CONTROL ROOM."

"What?!" She shouted. "No! No, you can't do that!" She tugged against the metal hands, shifting with her entire body weight against them, struggling with all of her might.

But it was no use. Their grip remained firm as they walked her forwards. One of them warned, "COOPERATE, PRISONER."

She looked up ahead to the building they were leading her to. It was the tallest, widest, darkest one in the whole of Robotropolis.

I've really done it this time.

---

She's not exactly it, but how often do human beings just walk in to Robotropolis anymore? And at a moment like this!

On the monitors, he watched via a surveillance orb as the SWATbots dragged the woman closer to headquarters.

For one thing, she's woman. She's also a foot too short, maybe a few inches more. Then there's that long brown hair, and it's disgustingly greasy! …She's probably a vagrant, one in desperate need of a bath. …Apparently as well as shoes... But, perhaps it's possible to overlook all that. She's fat, so she's still a decent candidate for the part.

She's not perfect, but she'll do.

He waited as she disappeared from view into the building, keeping his patience as the SWATs probably dragged her through the ground floor and into the elevator.

But eventually, the door behind him opened and shut. He heard the sound of bare feet against the floor and robotic whirring, and then it came to a halt.

He smiled, still facing the monitors, and finally spoke, "I've been waiting for an opportunity like this for a long time."

He pressed the button on the arm that made the chair swivel, turning from the screens and the dimly lit greenish walls, until he faced the SWATbot-restrained woman.

Surprise flicked across her face, her eyes widening. Then, she squinted. "Umm… S…Snidely?"

"It's Snively!" He shouted, his voice echoing off the walls. His fist met the arm of the chair, but it did no damage and barely made a sound. Seeing his hand against the armrest reminded him of just how much too big the throne was for him. But, he pressed the thought away, and looked back at the woman. "And you can bet you won't be making that mistake again. Not after this."

"After what?" She asked in a tone fearful enough for him to appreciate. He could feel a wicked grin spreading across his face.

"You see, I spend all day under my uncle's thumb, with all his threats, all his beatings… it's left me with all this pent up aggression, and I'd like to get it out. " His voice came out in a nasal sneer. "I can't strike my uncle back, at least not yet, it goes without saying. So I'll just have to make do with a substitute, and you'll do nicely. I'll keep you in the hidden chambers I designed so he never knows, and every time I get a beating from him, you'll get a beating from me. Every punch, every black eye, every fracture, all of it… it's yours."

Snively could practically see the wheels turning in her mind as she glanced around the room and then focused back on him. She piped up, "I don't think… I'm not, umm… A-as a woman, I'm a bit different."

"I realize that, but it doesn't matter much for my purposes." He shrugged.

"Well… if you're looking for stress relief, I could… umm…" She sighed and looked to the ground as she shifted uncomfortably in the grip of the SWATbots. She gave another heavy exhale that was riddled with dread, then tossed her hair back. Despite her grimace, she suggested, "There are other things I could do for you."

He was taken aback with disgust, scoffing, "Please, you're a toad!"

She sighed with relief, a single nervous laugh following. Then, her eyes widened and she cringed. She looked back at him and begged, "I could work for you instead, I could—"

"No, stop! After your last offer, I don't want to hear any others." Snively hopped out of the chair and walked over to the monitors. As he typed into the control panel that sat in front of the screen, he said, "Now, I only have a few more minutes at best before he gets back, and that hair will take a while to shave—"

"No!" She yelped.

He tittered. "Already? I didn't even mention removing your eyes and ears yet! But I can do all that later, when you're in my chambers and I have all the time in the world to work behind his back. For now, I have to take advantage of his absence and start with what I wouldn't be able to do if he were here. Luckily, it's quick. Quick but painful…"

The screen that had been showing the roads in Robotropolis switched over, showing a dark room with a huge device. In the center of the device's platform was a glass tube.

I'll have to restrain her afterwards immediately so she doesn't realize what she'll be capable of, but I'm sure I can manage…

Snively looked back at the wide-eyed woman restrained by SWATbots. A disgusting smirk unfolded across his face.

"Take her to the roboticizer!"

The SWATbots turned and began to lead the woman out as she struggled against them. She panicked, "What?! No, stop! You don't need to roboticize me!"

"No, not all of you…" Snively remarked before falling into a fit of shrill cackling. He turned back to the monitors, his laughs still echoing throughout the room, as the door shut behind him.

---

"Let me fucking go! Let me go!" She shouted. Her arms were heavy and weak from yanking against the SWATbots by the time they had gotten her into the room with the roboticizer. The door slammed shut behind her as the bots marched her ever closer towards the horrible device.

The monitors on both sides of the room broadcasted Snively's grin. "Finally, you've arrived." He clicked several buttons on the arm of the chair. On the platform before her, the glass tube lifted into the ceiling as a metal rod rose up from the ground. At the top of the rod was an open clamp.

"Restrain her left arm." Snively ordered.

She thrashed weakly against the SWATS as they brought her onto the platform. The one to her left brought her arm to the open clamp. She heard a beep from the monitor as the clamp shut around her wrist. She tugged against it. It didn't budge.

The SWAT that had been on her left arm backed off of the platform as the one to her right remained, keeping her in place. Above her, the device began to light up, reflecting in her wide, watering eyes.

Hopelessly, she pleaded, "Don't do this!"

The short man sneered, the few hairs on his head sticking up like lightning. His finger came down on a button, and instantly, the light became a beam that enveloped her left arm.

At first, it was like lightning, hitting her as a harsh zap, but it quickly built into a burn. She didn't know if Snively was laughing again, nor did she know how loud the humming of the beam was— she could hear nothing over the sound of her own screaming.

The fire the fire it's all on fire the house is burning it's collapsing all around me NO IT'S WORSE IT'S NOT AROUND ME IT'S ON ME I'M ON FIRE I'M GOING TO DIE I'M ON FIRE I'M ON FIRE I'M

Moments after the roboticizer had been activated, it was shut off. Though her arm was still searing, she vaguely felt the clamp open and jerked away as much as she could from the platform. The SWAT restraining her right arm held steady.

"IT BURNS! IT BURNS! IT…it's…"

She saw it— metallic from her shoulder to the tips of her fingers, robotic joints replacing muscles, silvery titanium replacing skin and bone.

"The resemblance is better already." Snively remarked. "Now, for her leg."

"No!" She shrieked.

The restraint shortened itself and the clamp adjusted it's size, readying itself for her ankle. The SWATbot holding her right arm remained still as the other SWAT reached for the newly robotic arm.

Her hand gripped the bot by the forearm. The metal bent beneath her fingers.

"NO…"

Her grip on the bot's arm was tight as she yanked it free. The SWAT sparked from the empty socket.

For a split second, she stiffened.

Then she turned to the other SWAT and hit it downwards in the head once, twice, three times, only leaving dents. The SWAT let go for a moment to charge and aim the weapon in it's wrist, but it never got the chance to fire— her newly metal arm curled around the SWAT's head and pulled it off. She turned back to the one-armed SWAT and threw the detached head at the approaching bot's still attached one. It hit with enough force to send both heads flying across the room.

Both decapitated, sparking SWATS stood for a few second longer before falling to the ground, one loud thud after another.

Backing off of the platform, she looked at her newly robotic arm, feeling it begin to cool.

This…This is power.

She looked up at the monitors through the hair that had fallen over her face. The small man stared in wide-eyed horror as she held up her robotic arm, her fingers slowly contorting into a fist. A smirk bloomed across her lips.

"Hey, Snivels… I think you've made a big mistake!"

"Shit!" His voice came out as a squeak just before his fist punched a button on the chair. The monitors flickered off, quickly followed by the lights. Outside the room, she could hear an alarm beeping.

Her roboticized arm had rapidly completed cooling and was beginning to go an odd sort of numb— it felt as though it were an organic arm wearing several layers of very thick gloves, yet it remained perfectly dexterous. Despite the lack of pain, her adrenaline still ran high, her heart pounding and her thoughts coming quick. She glanced around the room with the light of the still-sparking bots and managed to locate the door. It was made of thin metal, but her organic fingers could feel how strong it was.

She raised her robotic fist and punched it. The sound of metal meeting metal was loud and unpleasant, but it yielded results— the door bent. She punched again and broke through to the other side, the hallway's light pouring in through the puncture. Loud metallic screeching filled the air as she ripped a person-sized hole in the metal with a single swipe sideways.

She stepped out, looking left. The sound of the alarm was blaring. She looked right. Two more SWATS were coming, blocking her from the elevator.

Quickly, she ripped the bent metal the rest of the way off of the hopelessly broken door and held it in front of her. She ducked behind it as the bots began to fire.

To her surprise, their laser beams reflected off of the shield, some ricocheting onto the walls, others blasting straight back at the SWATbots.

After a minute of heavy fire, all of the SWATS lay motionless and sparking from several holes.

Wow… I should hang on to this.

She stepped over them carefully, awkwardly hauling the partial door, until she came to the elevator door. On the wall next to the door was a hand print scanner. She froze.

Setting the shield down, she went back to the bots and spotted one with an undamaged hand. She tore it's arm off, went back to the scanner, and placed the hand onto it.

It gave a ding, and the elevator doors opened.

Grabbing her shield and keeping the SWAT's arm, she scrambled into the elevator. She was looking over the elevator buttons as the doors shut.

Using the detached limb, she began to reach for the button to take her to the ground floor, but stopped herself.

Even with my arm and this shield, with SWATs shooting at me from all sides out there, I don't stand a chance…

She repositioned the SWAT's finger and hit the button to go up, back to the control room.

When the door opened, eight SWATs were waiting for her, arms raised, weapons aimed. The alarm was still screaming.

Shield raised, she waited. There was a flurry of shots and flashing lights from the laser fire. Then, metal bodies falling to the floor, followed by nothing but the still howling alarm.

She exited the elevator and dropped her shield and the detached SWAT arm with the fallen bots. Then, she ran for the control room.

It's door was shut. She lifted her robotic fist and slammed it into the barrier. She could hear the small man scream as the metal bent. Then, somewhere down the twisting corridors, distant metallic footsteps moving in haste.

"Shit." She glanced back at her abandoned shield, but didn't go back for it, instead thrashing her metallic fist against the door again. Again. Once more, and it went through. She tore through the metal and stepped into the dim, greenish room just as she heard a laser whizz by in the hall behind her.

The short man stood wide-eyed in front of the computer system, his

"Call off the SWATS!" She demanded, marching towards Snively.

He turned back to the control panel, panicked gasps escaping him as he typed frantically. He flinched when he felt her grip the back of his jacket.

"I said call off the SWATS! And stop that damn alarm!"

He obediently hit a few buttons, and the sound of incoming SWATS suddenly stopped. The sound of the alarm also fell away, leaving a sudden silence that was filled by Snively's small, shivering breaths.

She yanked him around to face her, her mechanical grip leaving his back and grabbing his jacket near the collar. She lifted the frightened man until he was eye level with her.

"What have I done?" He whimpered.

She ignored the question, demanding, "You're going to let me go now. You're not going to follow me, you're not going to shoot at me, and you're not going to touching my fucking hair!"

He begged, "P-p-p-please don't hurt me, I swear I—"

"And if you do anything I just told you not to, I'm going to come right back in here, I'm going to take this arm, and I'm going to break every last bone in your body. Got it, Snivels?" She growled through gritted teeth.

"Oh god, I really did make another one, I—"

"Shut up! I asked if you got it. Did you get it, or not?"

Snively said absolutely nothing, his face going pale as his eyes shifted to something behind her.

Following his line of sight, she turned to see that through the hole she ripped in the metal stood someone taller than the opening. A bright spot curved above the jagged metal, burning like a weld, leaving a trail where it had already burnt through— it was almost done. The light reached the end and the metallic door piece clanked to the ground, revealing that the light originated from the finger of a robotic arm. He put a grey glove back over the robotic hand and stepped into the room.

There stood the man— tall, large, with a long orange mustache. His robotic eyes had black sclera and red irises.

He stood still, just inside the room, far away from the two. His expression was perplexed, but clearly enraged. He spoke, his voice coming out with a metallic edge, his request phrased as a threat.

"One of you will tell me exactly what's going on here, NOW!"

For a moment, she stood still. She and Snively met eyes for half of a second, and then she looked back towards the threatening figure.

Snively was the first to speak. "Sir, thank goodness you're here! I… I-I-I was just—"

He began screaming as she launched him through the air. He landed face first on the ground with a loud smack.

She pointed at the man on the ground, and shouted, "I walked in here ready to work for you, I said I submit when the SWATs found me, but he roboticized my arm and threatened to tor… to beat me whenever you beat him, because he thinks that I resemble you."

Snively, raising his face from the ground, interjected, "Sir, don't believe anything she says! She's a foul, lying—"

She replied to Snively's claim, shouting down at him, "If I'm such a liar, why is my arm fucking roboticized, asshole?!"

"I leave the place for five minutes…" They barely heard Dr. Robotnik mumble before he addressed the woman, "My assistant may be in need of an eye exam if he honestly believes you bare any resemblance to me, but he is not the one who destroyed my property."

She froze, unsure how to defend herself. She switched the subject, pointing at Snively, and then to her arm. "He said he had secret chambers where he'd hurt me further after doing this."

"Secret chambers? …Snively, you'll have to enlighten me later. As for you, my dear…" Dr. Robotnik strode towards the woman.

Fear ignited within her. She felt a rising need to run, to be anywhere other then the dim green room, or the tower, or anywhere in Robotropolis.

Though, there was also the feeling she'd had when she was alone in her tent, betraying her good sense.

Trying to press the feeling away, she remembered how he had gotten through the door with his finger. She held up her robotic arm, index finger pointed at Robotnik, thumb straight up in the air. "Don't come any closer! I-I swear I'll shoot!"

He smirked. "You don't know how to use that."

She glanced at her hand, then stared back at him. She tilted her hand slightly, making her thumb stick out at a slight angle.

Robotnik stopped. A wider smile started to come across his features, but his hand met his mouth, stifling any laugh trying to escape. He shook his head and resumed his stride. "You really don't know how to use that."

She took a few steps back as he drew ever nearer, her finger still raised, though nothing fired from it. She kept going backwards until she felt her lower back bump against the control panel.

He raised his robotic arm. Hers caught his by the wrist.

Momentarily, a look of surprise flashed across his face, robotic eyes going slightly wide before narrowing in anger. He yanked his arm towards himself, but her grip remained steady. He paused, the rage seeming to build within him, his expression growing darker.

His robotic arm shoved against hers, reaching for her throat. She pressed back against him with all of the strength in her machine arm, all the strength she could muster from the rest of her body. Likewise, all of his strength pressed through his metallic limb. Both were locked in an unmoving struggle, each side straining to push the other away, tension coiling in each body, the mechanics in both robotic arms whining. Robotnik's eyes illuminated, becoming two red lights angrily beating down on her.

Suddenly, his organic hand also went for her throat.

She caught his wrist once more with her own organic hand, and immediately felt her disadvantage— in human strength, he easily outdid her. Not to mention, his arms were reaching straight forwards while her organic arm was crisscrossed over her robotic one, pinning her human arm between Robotnik's strength and her immovable robot arm. The pressure quickly became painful, but she kept holding him back. She felt one of her feet almost unconsciously waver, slipping just slightly below the control panel. The constant pressure drained her strength a little more with each passing moment, each drop of sweat, each grunt escaping through her teeth.

What if I just gave in? No, stop, this isn't the time for— What if I just gave in? No, that's stupid, he might not even be into— What if I just gave in? What if he kills me, what if he roboticizes the rest of me, what if I get seriously hurt, but… what if…

"If… if you're going to choke me, use your human hand." She sputtered as she let go of his organic hand, her grip still tight on his robotic one.

Immediately, she could feel the fabric of his glove pressing hard against her throat.

"You think you're in a position to be making requests?!" He thundered.

He was chocking her— surprisingly, not hard enough to crush organs, but strong enough to prevent her from breathing. At the same time, she noticed that not only was the pressure against her organic arm gone, but surprisingly, the pressure against her robotic hand had eased away. It seemed that all of his rage had shifted focus to her windpipe. She was aware of the red lights of his eyes still beaming down on her when her own eyes shut.

He spoke in a near growl, "My dear girl, you really thought you had the strength to restrain me? How naïve. You're in my domain now, and I can do whatever I want with you, whatever punishment I see fit for your insolence. I could kill you here and now, but that would be far too kind. I could keep you as my prisoner and torture you for the rest of your days, or I could…"

He trailed off as he observed the woman in his grip. Her robotic hand had too trustingly let go of his wrist, and both of her hands now rested lightly on his organic arm. Her thighs were pressed together, shifting ever so slightly, and the way she bit her lip seemed to hold a sort of tension other than fear.

He let go of her throat.

Her eyes flew open as she gasped desperately for air. Her hands on his arm suddenly gripped him— not pushing him away, but pulling him back. Her breaths still heavy, she looked at him, her wide-open eyes filled with longing. Then, as blush began to rise to her cheeks, she looked away. Her grip on his arm loosened, though her hands remained in place.

He blinked, stunned. His mustache twitched as a small smirk rose on the corner of his mouth. "You were enjoying that." It was not a question.

Still, she answered, "Yes, master."

Robotnik's smirk grew into a sinister grin. A small shudder of pleasure went through his voice, followed by a steady inhale and exhale to calm himself. He warned her, "You won't get out of this situation by seducing me."

"I'll be useful to you, master, I promise! I can help you, I…" She paused as her thoughts raced, and then remembered, "I found out that you have a spy."

"You've identified the rat?!" He couldn't hide his surprise.

She replied, "It was a roboticized hedgehog with a mustache. Sonic called him Uncle Chuck."

"Sir Charles?" Robotnik asked himself aloud, backing away from the woman.

She continued, "I was hiding in a pipe when I overheard them. They were talking about Sonic having half of a Deep Power Stone, and some kind of scroll that said you wouldn't be able to use it."

Dr. Robotnik's face had gone pale. He spun to face Snively, his yellow cape billowing as he turned. Conveniently, his nephew had already resumed his place in front of the control panel, standing a short distance away from the two cyborgs. With urgency, Robotnik shouted, "Snively, order two bipedal units to capture Sir Charles and bring him to me, NOW!"

"Yes sir, right away, sir!" Snively replied. His fingers tapped away at the keys, searching the security feeds of several buildings before finding the metal hedgehog exiting the SWATbot factory.

Everyone's eyes were glued to the screen. Within moments, the woman saw two of the tall biped robots that had sent her hiding in the pipe walk up to the hedgehog and grab him by each arm. The straight expression the hedgehog had been keeping dropped as he thrashed against the larger robots to no avail.

Dr. Robotnik's eyes were still on the screen, triumphantly grinning as he watched the hedgehog struggle against the two larger robots, when he addressed the woman again. "You may have proven your loyalty to me yet."

As the hedgehog was taken out of sight, Robotnik turned to the woman. He glared down at her as he warned, "I really do hope you weren't lying to me. That would be a waste of my time, as well as a waste of your life."

"I wouldn't lie to you, master."

He paused, a grin coming over him again. He regained his composure and instructed, "Until the truth is verified, you're tentatively working here. While I interrogate Charles, I order that you assist the SWATbots in replacing the doors you lacerated and cleaning up the SWATS you destroyed. I'll have Snively put them in non-hostile mode."

"Right away, sir." Snively acknowledged, followed by more clicks from keys and buttons. Seconds later, one by one, eleven SWATs marched in through the hole in the door and stopped, standing as a small fleet, waiting for their human addition to complete the dozen.

She looked back at Robotnik, who was still staring down at her with glowing eyes. He threatened, "If you destroy any more of my robots, regardless of what Charles has to say, I will have you shot down."

She considered his warning, the heaviness of it's words, but also the opportunity given in his tentative offer. "Of course, master."

This time, the grin only came over him for a moment before his expression became stern. "Sir will do."

"But, doesn't your nephew refer to you as sir?" She questioned.

"He does, and so will you." Robotnik stated. "I'm addressed as sir because I am the highest authority here. Any lascivious meaning you see behind the word, you put there yourself. …Now, go."

She nodded, understanding. "Yes, sir."

The SWATs stood still in formation until the woman joined them. With her in their group, the metal bodies whirred back into motion, marching back out through the hole in the door. The woman followed close behind.

Robotnik exhaled. There was a small excitement brewing in him.

Right when I thought my days of that were over—

No, old boy, don't get too attached to her yet. You might have to kill her.

He turned back to his nephew, his expression cross. "Snively, you know that using the roboticizer without my knowledge is not permissible."

"Y-y-y-yes sir, I'm sorry sir." Snively nearly begged, his expression pale and timid, as it often was.

"I should be beating you into to the ground, especially considering your motivation. …However, this one time, your poor choice of action may have turned out in your favor. The woman could be an asset to us. …Now, she mentioned something about you having secret chambers…?"

Snively spoke carefully. "Yes, sir, I… in case Robotropolis ever fell, I wanted an escape."

"Show me."

"Yes, sir…" Snively was filled with dread. He clicked a few keys, switching to a view of the ground floor. He then pulled up his sleeve to reveal his wristwatch. He pressed a button on the watch, and up from the ground floor came a tube. It opened, ready to accept passengers.

Snively explained, "It leads to an underground panic room, s-s-sir."

Robotnik considered this silently for a moment, then spoke. "You know, Snively, that's actually a decent idea."

Snively looked up at him, surprised. "Really, sir?"

"Indeed. Of course, Robotropolis will never fall, but a back-up plan doesn't hurt." He could see Snively soaking in the rare moment of praise, then instructed, "Widen the tube."

"Sir?" Snively asked, confused and a hint fearful.

"It's not your secret escape route anymore. Make room for me."

"Yes, sir." Snively replied dismally. Robotnik could hear the hint of a whimper.

Behind them came a great clang as the large, broken metal door came out of it's housing, tilting back to the waiting hands of the SWATbots and the cyborg woman.

Robotnik observed as they carried it away, the robots remaining expressionless as the woman's face betrayed how awkward hauling the huge metal sheet was.

He ran his fingers across his mustache, his thoughts taking off.

She's… not exactly attractive. Mainly because her hair looks like it was soaked in cooking oil, and she smells like the woods.

…Knowing the poverty level of the remainder of humanity, that's probably where she came from.

After she scrubs up, cleanliness won't be an issue anymore. She has potential. …If I let her live, that is.

He thought back to moments earlier, to her display of pleasure underneath his forceful grip.

I wonder how much she squirms under more thorough restraints… If she calls me master one more time, I have no idea how I'll stop myself from finding out…

His thoughts turned as he heard footsteps from something large and metallic approaching. Moments later, the two SWAT-piloted bipedal units appeared, hauling a metallic hedgehog into the room.

"Sir Charles! It's been a while, hasn't it?" Robotnik asked, a sinister tone in his voice.

The metallic hedgehog stopped thrashing against the two robotic transporters long enough to glare at Robotnik. "You won't get a peep out of me! I'll never talk!"

"Oh, but you will, Sir Charles! All I have to do is plug you in." Robotnik stated, turning to press a button on the control panel. To the left of the monitors, a small chair popped up, as well as a little control panel.

The bipedal units trekked through the room and forced the hedgehog down into the chair, restraints clamping down on his wrists and ankles. Then, the units turned and marched out of the room.

Charles had caught a glimpse of some kind of electrical device with wires hanging from it on the back of the chair. He struggled as Dr. Robotnik plugged what had to be its wires into two spots on his head, just in front of his ears.

"Now, let's see… does this thing still work?" Robotnik spoke as if talking to himself, but the ominous edge in his voice clearly indicated otherwise.

He pressed a button on the panel. The old wires crackled, practically illuminating, as they sent an electrical shock into the hedgehog's metal body.

Charles convulsed, letting out a mechanical shriek as the electricity ran through him, pain shooting through a body he didn't know could still feel so clearly. He vaguely heard Robotnik laugh before the electric flow finally stopped. The hedgehog gasped for air to shove into mechanical lungs as his eyes focused on the floor, feeling like whatever was left of his brain was being fried.

"Anything you'd like to tell me, Charles?" Robotnik asked.

The hedgehog looked up at Dr. Robotnik slowly, his glare meeting the man's grin. Charles spat, "You're scum!"

Robotnik smirked. "You call me scum?"

He hit the button again.

The second shock was worst than the first, reigniting agony in an already aching body. The robot's screams filled the room, louder than the electricity buzzing, louder than the door being installed on the other side of the room, louder than his own thoughts.

Then, abruptly, it stopped, leaving the room silent except for his panting.

Dr. Robotnik's eyes still shined red as he looked down at the hedgehog. "Now, Sir Charles?"

The roboticized hedgehog, his own robotic pupils glowing crimson, had determination carved into his pained face as he looked up once more at the man. "No. Never."

Robotnik frowned. "Well, as fun as this is, if it's going to get us nowhere, I may as well give you an attitude adjustment."

He pressed another button.

A red ring of light went around Charles, and he felt his consciousness slip back into roboticized obedience, into his state of living before Sonic reawakened him. He could perceive everything, but he was powerless, the automated system taking over completely.

The hedgehog could hear his own voice chanting against his will, "ROBOTNIK IS SUPREME RULER… SUPREME RULER… SUPREME RULER…"

Dr. Robotnik grinned. "Now… Where's Knothole?"

Charles could not stop it as he felt his mind upload a location through the wires in his head. On the big monitor in front of the control panel, a map popped up, highlighting Knothole's exact location within the Great Forest.

Robotnik studied it. "…Really? I installed a Doomsday Pod not too far from that location at all! How could I have missed it? …I'll have to make sure the Pod goes straight for them."

"S-sir, what about the Deep Power Stone?" Snively interjected.

Robotnik didn't acknowledge Snively, instead asking Charles, "Do the Freedom Fighters still have a Deep Power Stone in their possession?"

"AFFIRMATIVE." Answered the metal hedgehog.

"Where do they keep the stone?"

"DATA UNKNOWN."

"Hmm." Dr. Robotnik paused, thinking further about what the woman had said. "Is there any reason that I would not be able to use the Deep Power Stones?"

"AFFIRMATIVE."

"Why? For what reason?"

"DATA UNKNOWN."

"Of course it is…" Dr. Robotnik grumbled. He paused to think again, then spoke, "One more thing, Charles. How did your mind escape roboticization?"

"HEDGEHOG PRIORITY ONE USED A POWER RING."

Robotnik nodded, having half expected that it had something to do with the mysterious golden rings. Then, he glared down at the metal hedgehog, his grin sinister. "Well, old friend, you've been a marvelous help to me today, but I think your usefulness has expired along with your loyalty."

His finger hovered over a third button, hesitating.

Instead, he clicked the second to end the brainwashing wave, then quickly went back to the first, sending another shockwave into the hedgehog, bringing Charles screeching back into true consciousness.

When the assault of electricity abruptly came to a halt, Charles wheezed. Filled with fear and dread, the hedgehog looked back up at Dr. Robotnik.

"Goodbye, Sir Charles."

He pressed the third button. The light in the hedgehog's eyes went dim as his metal body fell limp.

Robotnik pressed another button, opening the restraints. He pulled the two wires from the metallic head, then turned away. "Snively, have him dismantled and thrown into the garbage."

"Yes, sir." Snively acknowledged, pressing a few more buttons on the big control panel. As Robotnik walked to his chair, two SWATbots entered the room to dispose of Charles's remains. By the time he sat down, the hedgehog had been hauled out of sight. Snively tapped away at the control panel silently, sending the small chair back into the ground, and then making himself busy with other tasks.

Robotnik grinned, his fingers going across his moustache again, twirling at the ends.

Everything's looking up for me, isn't it? Doomsday is approaching, I'll get to destroy Knothole and those pesky Freedom Fighters, I'll get to kill that hedgehog along with them, and if anything goes wrong, I can get my hands on the other Deep Power Stone after all.

And on top of that… I get to keep her.

He caught himself looking at the arm of his chair, seeing that it was bathed in red light.

…Hmm… I'll have to get a handle on that before…

"Snively, retrieve my Deep Power Stone. I want to keep it with me at all times now, for safety." Robotnik ordered.

"Yes, sir." Snively replied, quickly scurrying out of the room.

Robotnik added, "Don't touch the woman, or you're dead."

"…Yes, sir." Snively replied, betraying just a hint of disappointment before he left, the newly installed door opening and then closing behind him.

Robotnik remained in his chair, now alone. He sighed.

This is utterly ridiculous, but I have to try something.

Still keeping his vision focused on the arm of his chair, he breathed steadily, mentally counting to ten on each inhale, ten more on each exhale.

He kept it up for a couple minutes. He could tell he was succeeding at getting the lights to dim as the arm of the chair went from bright red to dull green.

Good. It works. Now, it just has to work when… That's just it, it can't possibly work when—

It will work. I'll make it work.

Shoving the doubt away, he refocused his attention towards the monitor and grew curious. His fingers tapped the buttons on the arm of his chair, flicking through the security feeds. He stopped on his room, checking that everything was unchanged, and confirming that Cluck was sleeping soundly in his metallic nest. Then, he continued searching, until he pulled up the feed from the room containing the roboticizer.

The SWATs and the woman had just finishing installing the new door, snapping it right into place. Then, they tested it. The door opened, sliding upwards. It was a success. The robots gave no visible reaction.

The woman raised her roboticized hand, reaching towards a SWAT for a high five. She received no response.

Robotnik's hand met his mouth as he chuckled.

"Sir, here's the Deep Power Stone. …What are you…?"

Robotnik quickly clicked the feed away. He glared down at his nephew and warned, "Snively, haven't I taught you the importance of minding your own business?"

"Y-yes, sir." Snively replied as he meekly handed over the stone. Robotnik took it silently, and waved Snively back towards the front of the room. His nephew obeyed, going straight for the control panel.

Robotnik eyed the shining rock, thinking for a moment on where to store it and remembering that he didn't have pockets. He carefully shoved it inside of his boot, leaving the stone pressed against his organic ankle.

It's not ideal, but it's something.

He waited, knowing that the woman would step back in at any moment, given that her tasks were finished, and he was correct— just a couple minutes after receiving the stone, he heard the marching of a SWATbot escort down the hall, following the sound of the door whirring open behind him. Then, there was the sound of bare feet against the floor, and the door closing.

"We're finished. …Sir." She said, adding the honorific at the last moment.

He turned the chair around to face her. "You've proven yourself to be trustworthy. I've questioned and disposed of the spy."

She nodded. "So, the hedgehog is…"

"Deactivated. …Now, come here." Robotnik beckoned.

She approached him, her gaze curious, nervous. He found some satisfaction in her nervousness, imagining what she might be anticipating.

"To restate this for protocol, you submit to me? …That is, you submit to me completely?" He asked to clarify her commitment to his reign, but there was a suggestion left in the final word.

An impish grin flashed across her features. "Yes. …Sir."

Snively piped up, "Sir, I hardly think she—"

"Shut up, Snively." Robotnik retorted. He looked back at the woman. "Now, let me add you to the system. I'll need scans of your hand, face, and body, as well as a sample of your voice." Robotnik hit a couple of buttons on the arm of the chair. Just to his left, up from the ground sprouted a panel.

First, there was the outline for a handprint on the screen. She began to reach towards the panel with her robotic hand, then stopped and corrected herself, putting her organic hand on the outline and hoping that her near error wasn't noticed.

It was absolutely noticed. Robotnik said nothing, hiding his smirk behind his hand.

The machine illuminated under her hand, a ray running from top to bottom and then to the top again before fading out.

"HANDPRINT SCAN ACCEPTED." The machine said.

As she removed her hand from the device, the screen went black. A pale blue beam of light came out from the bottom of the panel, forming a straight line just above her head. It quickly swiped down, sweeping across her face and stopping at the base of her neck. Then, the light vanished.

"FACE SCAN ACCEPTED." It stated.

The pale blue beam of light came out from the bottom of the panel again, as well as others from above the door behind her and from a point in the walls to her left and right. Each beam started above the woman and swept downwards, light moving just past her feet in each direction, forming a square around her on the ground as it finished. Then, all of the beams disappeared.

"BODY SCAN ACCEPTED. BEGIN STANDARD UNIFORM PRODUCTION?"

"No. I'll be designing something custom." Robotnik told the system.

"MEASUREMENTS SAVED." The computer acknowledged.

"Custom?" The woman asked.

Robotnik replied, "You'll see later. For now, continue the process you're in."

The woman looked back at the screen to see that a thin green line appeared through the middle of it.

"Umm…" She was confused until she noticed that the sound of her voice made the line peak.

"For the voice recording, it needs basic information in order to file you." Dr. Robotnik explained. "What is your name?"

For a moment, the woman's eyes widened. Then, she gave a single small laugh, as if she were relieved.

Finally, she spoke. "My name is Andronika Ernestine Carnelian."

"Andronika?" Robotnik mentally attached the name to the woman, and asked, "…As in android?"

"No. Andronika means man's victory. My parents named me that as their wish for the world, as in man's victory over mobians."

"Ah. …Are you looking to fulfill their wish?"

Her expression was solemn, but proud. "Of course I am, sir."

"Of course." He echoed, seeming to agree with her.

Living the way she has, she should know by now that humanity is a lost cause. The only victory over mobians that she'll ever see is my own.

"Your birthdate?" He asked.

"October 13, 3211." She replied.

She's 23, turning 24 later this year… She's barely above half my age…

"Blood type?" He asked.

She hesitated. "I don't know. …Is that bad?"

"It doesn't really matter, the only blood we have here is O negative anyway. …But it's not a limitless supply, so please avoid serious injury as much as possible."

"Yes, sir."

The line on the screen suddenly disappeared. "VOICE RECOGNITION ACCEPTED. SUBJECT ANDRONIKA NOW REGISTERED."

"Good." Robotnik said, pressing buttons on the chair's arm again. The panel retreated back into the ground.

"Now that you're in the system, you can open any door in Robotropolis, and my robots will recognize you as an ally in hostile mode." Dr. Robotnik said, standing up from his throne. He could still feel the stone pressed against his ankle, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

He stood before Andronika, hands behind his back nonthreateningly as he peered down at her. "I will train you in the matter of how to use your arm, and you will work as my personal assistant, body guard, and other duties as needed."

Snively was appalled. "B-but sir!"

"Yes, sir." Andronika replied to Robotnik. Then, she gestured towards Snively. "But if I'm ever left alone in a room with him, he dies."

"Duly noted, my dear." Robotnik confirmed, much to the chagrin of his nephew. "Come with me. I'll show you your living quarters." Robotnik walked towards the exit as the new door opened, sliding upwards.

"Yes. …Sir." Andronika acknowledged, following close behind him.

After the door shut back behind them, the walk through the hallway was long and silent. They reached the elevator and entered swiftly.

Once the elevator door closed in front of them, Robotnik hit the button for the fourth floor. As the elevator began its descent, he stated, "Snively sleeps on the third floor. If I find him dead there, I will know that you sought him out. I order you to keep him alive for as long as possible. If he makes another attempt on your life, you are free to do what you want to him."

"Yes. …Sir." She replied.

There was a short, expectant silence, but it was quickly broken when Robotnik spoke her name, still getting used to it's sound on his tongue.

"Andronika."

"Yes? …Sir?" She asked.

"Tell me, do you hesitate to call me sir because you've already lulled yourself into a false sense of security?"

"What do you mean? …Sir?"

"Perhaps that hesitation is your own little way of begging for punishment." He suggested.

"It might be. …Sir."

"Then you have already underestimated me. You assume that punishment leads to my bed. What if it just leads to me killing you?"

He turned to her, stepping closer. "…In fact, earlier when my hand was on your throat, I could have killed you then. What made you so sure it was a moment worth enjoying?"

She shrugged. "I just had a feeling, sir."

He snickered. "You had a feeling."

Dr. Robotnik stepped closer still as Andronika backed herself into a corner. Robotnik's hands found the wall on either side of her, and his tall, pointed shoulder pads blocked away most of the rest of her view of the elevator. There was no gap left between them, their stomachs touching. He glared down at her, a wicked smile rising.

"What do you feel is going to happen now?"

She stared up at him wide-eyed, both in fear and anticipation. He could see the way her vision flicked across his face, focusing on his robotic eyes, his mustache, his lips, then—for only an instant—the long scar on his head, then back to his eyes, lips, eyes. She seemed to be searching him for any signal, any giveaway of his intentions.

…Her irises are… grey. …Not light grey, either. A little darker, like… blackened steel, or… raw platinum…

No. Stop that. What am I doing?

She smiled mischievously, as if spotting something in his expression. "Show me. …Sir."

His stare shifted now, from her eyes to her lips. Her grin fell away, leaving them parted ever so slightly.

Reaching with his human hand, his thumb met her lower lip, the fabric of his glove running softly against the smooth, rosy skin. Despite that cloth between them, her eyes gently shut, finding pleasure in the small touch.

It's just like when her throat was in my grip… How can such a subtle expression be so blatant?

Here, now… it's tempting, but…

Robotnik's hand dropped away from Andronika's face. Her eyes flew open. From her throat came a tiny, breathless whine that betrayed her confusion, her yearning.

Finally, he answered her plea. "Keep up your begging, and maybe I will."

At that moment, the elevator stopped.

Stepping aside, Robotnik gestured towards what lay outside the elevator as the doors opened. "This is your floor. After you."

"Yes, sir." She managed.

The room was a long, bleached white hallway with many doors. He watched her step forward cautiously as he followed her out.

"All of the beds on this floor are available." Robotnik stated, watching her scan the doors. Each one had a small number labeled on it.

She hesitated, then opened a door at random. She picked 408.

The room was taken up almost entirely by a twin bed, with a small metal nightstand in the room's only accessible corner.

"In the nightstand, you'll find some basic things— hairbrush, toothbrush, bathrobe…"

He pointed towards the distant end of the hallway, where an unnumbered door stood.

"The showers were meant to be communal, but no one else has come to Robotropolis for quite some time, so I suppose it's all yours."

She looked at him, wide eyed, then looked at the unlabeled door, making a point to walk ahead of him so he couldn't see her face.

"I get my own bed… and my own shower…" Her voice cracked.

Does she really think that this is the first time I've seen someone cry at the thought of a shower?

She must realize that I designed the offer of shelter to take advantage of the impoverished remainder of humanity. The rest of them didn't take long to figure it out. …It begs the question, is she excessively naïve, or is she so desperate for shelter that she'll die for it, like the previous recruits? …With that arm, perhaps she'll survive…

He could hear her breathe in, regaining her composure. She turned back around to face him. "Thank you, sir."

He nodded, then stated, "I have some matters to attend to before the night is over, but you are welcome to get some rest."

He turned and began walking back to the elevator when, behind him, Andronika spoke.

"Goodnight, sir."

He stopped in his tracks, hesitating for a long moment.

Finally, he replied. "…Goodnight, Andronika."

He continued his stride to the elevator. It was not long before he was in it and the door shut in front of him.

That's the first time I've heard that in a while.

He pressed the button to take him back to the control room.

…Right, her uniform. Certainly not the standard one, something different, something a little more… form-fitting…

He considered it for a moment before something came to mind.

Oh, yes… That's good.

---

Andronika watched as the elevator door shut, leaving her alone on the floor.

She turned towards the showers, eyeing the unnumbered door almost lustfully. She began walking towards it, each step a little quicker than the last as she began peeling off her clothing— first the shirt, then the bra. She pulled off her pants and underwear in one single swipe, nearly tripping as she stepped out of them.

She reached the door, her hand meeting the handle and swinging it open. Several showerheads lined the wall, along with various labeled soap dispensers.

She went straight ahead, turning the knob. A second later, a stream of water shot out of the showerhead.

At first, it was chilly, like all the times she had to dip into a lake. It quickly built up heat, getting too hot— she turned the knob slightly, until the water wasn't scalding, but pleasantly warm.

She almost cried out in pleasure, her hands held outward as she turned around, letting the water cascade down all over her.

She faced it again, looking over at the nearest set of soap dispensers. There was body wash, shampoo, and conditioner.

Thank god he thought about hair care despite being bald. …Huh… Did he, or did someone have to complain first? …Maybe he uses this stuff on his moustache?

She put her right hand under the soap dispenser and reached with her left hand to pump the soap, and abruptly realized that she hadn't considered her robotic arm. It was already soaking wet.

…Well, it doesn't feel bad, so… I guess it's safe?

She continued her shower, filling her organic hand with an irrational amount of shampoo and slathering it all into her hair. She scrubbed at her scalp until it lathered.

Her thoughts began to wander.

This has been some fucking day, hasn't it? I'm exhausted… I can't believe I woke up in a tent in the woods and I'm going to sleep in a bed! ...In Robotropolis, yeah, but…

She suddenly remembered the commune leader and his words about her parents and Sigmonda.

…They might not be proud of this, that's true, actually. …But they're not here to see it. …Honestly, it's probably a good thing that they'll never know that I… that Robotnik…

…Well, there's no more use in asking what the fuck is wrong with me. It's just not my fault that he's hot. AND, he's just the right kind of scary; the fear play really gets me! …If he's even playing, that is. I should really keep that in mind… It's funny that he thinks I couldn't put up a fight if he tried to kill me, though. With this robot arm, I could fight anyone now, even him, if need be. I survived him once, next time I can do better. …I don't think he'll do it, though. Not with the way he looked at me. …Unless that's the false sense of security he was talking about…

…Damn it, why do I get that nagging feeling that I'm forgetting something? God, it's really bugging me… Was it proving that Ryker sent me here? …That doesn't feel right, I think it's something else… Besides, I'm not going back, there's no need to do that anymore. This is my home now, and I might even end up… Wow, that's actually so weird to think about as an actual possibility… I should stop, it's probably just a game to keep me on edge… but.. what if he DID decide to shove me against a wall and…

…Hmm, Ryker would throw a real big fit if he knew about that fantasy, wouldn't he? He'd throw an even bigger fit if he knew what happened today… He never would have sent me here if he thought it were possible, huh?

She smiled.

I know he was just being a creep earlier, but Ryker was right. I think I'm going to like it here.