Legacy

Disclaimer-I do not own Sonic or any affiliated characters, they are property of Sega, if you thought I did own them, then feel free to explain why.


Chapter 1-Farewell, Doctor

The rain fell thick and heavy, casting a grey pallor over the small church and its adjoining cemetery. A taxi drew up, throwing a large arc of water over the church gates. Sonic stepped out, a grim expression covering his normally cocky face. Amy followed suit, with Tails bringing up the rear. All were dressed in full black attire, Amy complete with a shroud. It was quite different from what would have been expected at an insane megalomaniac's funeral.

There had been little talk on the way to the service, and there was again little as they ran for cover from the pouring rain into the church, where the service was to be held. Rouge, looking very unusual in a long, sleek black dress, so unlike the low-cut, revealing outfits she commonly wore. She opened conversation with a simple,

"So he's really gone." Tails nodded sadly,

"I'd never though I'd come to miss old Eggman." there were no taunts, no name-calling, nothing of the sort that had always happened at the mention of the Doctor's name. Sonic caught sight of Knuckles, standing a few yards away, talking to a swallow whom he didn't know, perhaps another enemy of the Doctor, or an ally. He gave the Echidna a very unenthusiastic and solemn wave, before wandering over to him, disinterested in Rouge's conversation.

Amy lowered her voice as she saw Sonic leave,

"Personally, I'm worried about Sonic. He hasn't been the same since he found out about Eggman's death. He hasn't tried to run away from me, despite me trying everything to annoy him." Rouge nodded,

"He just needs time to get to grips with Eggman's death hon." Amy opened her mouth to reply, but Sonic chose that moment to wander back over, his conversation with Knuckles finished. He did, indeed, seem the most depressed by Eggman's apparent death, which was odd in itself, Sonic having been such a bitter rival of the good Doctor. Before anyone could say anything more, the priest burst in, sodden wet from the rain, excusing himself for his lateness, and bidding everyone to take a seat.

The service lasted the better part of an hour. The world had very little to praise and thank Eggman for, except perhaps for making it that touch more exciting. But at last it was time for the speeches. Sonic rose sadly and made his way to the altar, of all those assembled, he had known, and fought, Eggman the longest. The hedgehog looked eerily grim in his dark suit, with his quills gelled down, except for one that rose in an almost comically fashion, where the torrential rain had worn the gel out.

He surveyed the audience briefly, there were only around twenty or so people, mostly rivals and enemies of the late Doctor. Some, like the swallow he had seen talking to Knuckles, he didn't recognise, though he could only guess they were other old rivals and perhaps allies of Eggman. He began,

"When I first met Dr. Eggman he went under his birth name, Dr. Ivo Robotnik. He was little the man he is...was, now, much crueller, much more grasping. At that time he didn't use his robots, but 'badniks', animals trapped inside a robotic suit, using them as his basic expendable soldier. I defeated him then, and he returned, each time with a more diabolic plan than the last. I kinda made it my job to beat him every time he came up with a new plan to take over the world. I never made my dislike of the good Doctor a secret, but now I look back on the past, I realize I wouldn't be half the hedgehog I am now if it hadn't been for him and his insane plans there to always give me a purpose in life." his voice faltered for a second,

"It was also on one of my many quests to defeat him that I met some of my best friends." He looked down at the large coffin that lay before him, taking in for the last time the features of his dearest enemy.

"So thank you, Doctor Ivo 'Eggman' Robotnik, for giving my life meaning."

And so the speeches progressed, with various enemies and rare allies of the late Doctor trudging up and reminiscing of Eggman's many schemes, plans and inventions, crazy as some were.

After the speeches the motley grievers followed the priest out to the cemetery. The torrential downpour had melted into a saddening mist, that hung over the graveyard, like an engulfing blanket.

Eggman's voluminous coffin was carefully lowered into the grave and one by one the various acquaintances of the Doctor came up and threw a handful of dirt onto the coffin, sometimes silently, and sometimes whispering final goodbyes and even some thank you's.

The ceremony over, the grievers began to disperse back to whence they came. Finally, only Sonic, Amy, Rouge, Knuckles and Tails were left, standing over Eggman's gravestone, a simple marble slab, so unlike the Doctor himself. Sonic stayed for a few silent minutes, before muttering a farewell and trudging off through the marsh of mud and out into the street. Amy stared worriedly at his retreating back,

"Man, I guess Sonic really misses 'Buttnik." Knuckles said grimly, this statement earned him a glare from Amy,

"What?"

"Don't insult Eggman over his own tomb, it's disrespectful in the extreme." Amy muttered, almost hissing the words out. Knuckles raised his hands in an apologetic gesture. Rouge shook her head, partly at Knuckles tactlessness and Sonic's nostalgia of the Doctor,

"I guess the poor doll though it would last forever. That he and the Doctor would play rivals 'till the bitter end. Guess, he didn't expect Eggman to be crushed under a falling robot. He just needs time alone, to accept the fact that Eggman is gone." Tails stared at the gravestone, the rough, almost badly carved letter 'Dr. Ivo 'Eggman' Robotnik' looking depressingly back at him,

"I can understand him though, I never expected Robotnik to die. I might have hated him, but never did I actually think he might be able to die."

"Life'll be pretty boring from now on. Be sure of that." agreed Knuckles.

They continued swapping remarks and memories a few minute more but the rain started up again, driving them out of the graveyard, leaving Eggman's grave standing there, looking lonely in its corner.


Chapter 1 finished! It will get better later on and longer. Please R&R!