"Midesta is online, sir." Nephythys spoke with great confidence. Although she is a middle-aged black and white vulture who wears a golden mask covering her face, she carried herself with a timeless air of conviction and pride and seemed much younger. "We are back at full capacity."
Eggman checked the time on his gauntlet. It was four in the morning. Damned time zones!
"Good." He hung up abruptly on her. The next call came from Mordred.
"Eurish is online." The green and gold cobra dragged out his 's' sounds. The robotic bodysuit he was wearing quietly creaked with each movement he made. Eggman dreaded having to upgrade that.
"Also good." Eggman hung up on him, too. His gauntlet beeped again, it was Cassia and Clove. Both were green and white pronghorns in gray uniforms with gold accessories.
"Yes?" He sounded annoyed.
"Northamer is back up and running," Clove looked weary, "Sir- may I ask-"
"Thank you and goodbye." He hung up on her. Why did everyone have to come online at once at four in the morning?
Ivo rolled over and yawned. I might as well get up now, he thought. As he was about to sit up his gauntlet beeped again.
"Oh, for the love of -yes?"
"Artika is functional." Tundra the walrus spoke in a gruff, almost gravely voice. Although it wasn't visible under his thick blue coat and white mustache, Tundra's fur was bright purple. His tusks were no longer ivory but were replaced with steel implants.
"Good; and amuse me, Tundra, did everyone coordinate a four in the morning wakeup call just to annoy me or was it a coincidence?"
"It is a coincidence, sir." Tundra raised an eyebrow. Eggman had specifically asked them to contact him the moment they all were functional, regardless of the hour.
"It was a rhetorical question." Eggman hung up. He dragged his hand down his face and then got ready to take a shower.
"Why don't you sleep at normal hours any more?" Shadow handed the items to Hope to analyze.
The blonde girl looked to the time on her laptop and sighed. "I am stressed." She rolled the earring between her fingers.
"Careful," Shadow gently nudged the girl, "That's a short-range communicator."
"Ah," she put the earrings and crown down on her desk, "So you want me to scan them?"
"Mhm, these were 'gifts' given to the witch by Eggman. She wants to make sure they're safe." He kept his voice low.
She nodded and got to work. The earrings were perfectly safe but the crown was suspicious. Within the jewel was a tiny machine that could emit short-distance paralyzing rays.
"It's not tamper-proof. Look-" She was able to disable the software in the tiara while keeping the radio-frequency identification material safe so it would still function like a keycard.
"Check this out," Hope copied the software to her computer, "I think now I know how we can disable the injectors in Eggman's minions without him knowing. I would just need to be able to get a hold of one. If he's as sloppy with those as he is with this we can free them. The doctors are afraid if they surgically remove them the injections may explode, killing the patient. Have Sheptilah try and get us one."
"Okay," Shadow took the crown and the earrings, "Maybe it was a good thing she joined Eggman's Empire after all."
"What?" Hope nearly bit her tongue with surprise. "She did what?"
"She fancies herself as a double-agent. We're going to meet the other Egg Bosses soon. I don't know how she did it but the woman convinced him to let me come along. Frankly I'm impressed." Shadow scratched his chin absentmindedly, "I suppose I need to get that phone then."
Hope groaned. "She's gonna get herself killed."
"No," Shadow held up a finger, "She's going to get herself and Eggman killed." He sighed, "Thanks, Hope. See you later; and get some sleep."
He teleported away to return the items leaving an exhausted Hope to spend her time alone on the internet in the middle of the night.
Eggman was surprised to see Sheptilah and Thunderbolt working together to make breakfast. Thunderbolt couldn't reach most things so she was directing the witch on what to get and how to make food.
Orbot was teaching Sheptilah the words for objects but Cubot was nowhere to be found.
He leaned in the doorway quietly watching them until he was noticed.
"Good morning, Lord Eggman!" Thunderbolt chirped when she saw him, "I made sure we both got up before you did so we could make you breakfast."
"Wanna know how to say 'eggs' in my language? Nunus," she flipped an omelette with the frying pan, "And learning this was 'namrasu', " she grinned, "'Difficult'." The way she pronounced the words in English sounded funny because of her thick, Midestan-sounding accent.
"Do you even eat eggs?" He stroked his mustache.
"Of course I do," she flicked the spatula, "It's not meat."
"I made sure she added cheese to the middle," Thunderbolt beamed, "And chopped onions."
Eggman sat down with low hopes of the food tasting good but was pleasantly surprised.
"Did you cheat with magic?" He eyed the witch suspiciously.
She put both her hands behind her back and shook her head, "Nope, Thunderbolt wouldn't let me." Sheptilah turned around and shut off the stove top and placed the skillet in the sink. She then sat down to eat after gently patting Orbot on the head so as to thank him.
"So, when did you want to start learning alchemy?" She still had that bad habit of speaking with her mouth full. Orbot rubbed his head with confusion and got drinks for the table.
"After we meet with the Egg Bosses. They are all already back online." Eggman grinned from ear to ear, "I'm quite pleased with their progress."
Thunderbolt gulped down her food. "I haven't trained her yet."
"That's fine- train her on the fly." Eggman was very impatient. "With any luck I will have Metal Sonic back online, too."
"Where is Metal Sonic?" The chinchilla overloaded her eggs with ketchup and greedily munched down on them.
"Safe. Metal is safe, squirreled away somewhere top-secret." Eggman rested his elbows on the table and tented his fingers.
"Who is Metal Sonic?" Sheptilah eyed how Thunderbolt was eating and moved her plate further away from the Mobian.
Eggman straightened up. "Metal is only my greatest invention! My most beloved creation- a robot made in Sonic's image."
"So... you hate the hedgehog but you built a copy of him?" Tilly raised an eyebrow at Ivo.
"A superior copy! It takes a hedgehog to beat a hedgehog." Eggman pointed his fork at the witch somewhat menacingly. He then looked at his gauntlet and to Thunderbolt.
"I have an idea. Get ready," he stood, "And call Shadow." He half-jogged off to his office.
"I…" Sheptilah sighed and got to her feet. "You better go follow him." She urged Thunderbolt.
She watched the chinchilla run off after Eggman.
How in the hell was she going to call Shadow? They certainly weren't around each other enough to develop a telepathic bond. She snapped her fingers and transformed into her Egg uniform and opened a portal outside of the lair to GUN's gate.
"I know it's highly unorthodox but I need your permission to leave the premises at any given time." Shadow was sitting in Cabbot's office. The man appeared more cheerful than usual; that is until Shadow explained what Sheptilah was up to.
"Keep an eye on her," Boris pinched the bridge of his nose, "And I'll try and butter up President Tower to keep him from flipping his lid. But yes, you can go."
"Sir?" Apollo stuck his head in. "Miss Sheptilah is here looking for Shadow. She says to meet her outside?"
"Ugh," Shadow scoffed, "What does she want now? Excuse me, Mr. Cabbot." Shadow teleported outside and nearly knocked over the woman with the air displacement.
"Hey." She greeted him by bending down and waving.
"What the Hell is that outfit?" He grimaced.
She twirled around and posed. "My uniform."
"You shouldn't come around here wearing that." He was stunned at how ugly it was. "Well, why are you here?" He figured it was best to not to comment on the aesthetics.
Sheptilah sighed and put her hair behind her ear with a finger. "Eggman said to get you. Apparently we're leaving soon."
"I have to get some things first." He pointed his thumb back at the fortress.
Sheptilah nodded and opened a portal back to the island. "Please hurry. I don't know what he's got planned but between you and me I'm terrified to be alone with him after he nearly killed me."
Shadow nodded and warped to his dorm.
"Alright, make sure there's enough supplies to last four adults for the week." Eggman was directing Orbot and Cubot around the docks under the lair, "you never know with the arctic circle."
"It's the middle of December and you want to go to the North Pole? I ask this as someone who is concerned about you but why?" Orbot pressed his fingers together with frustration.
"It's the most remote," Eggman tapped his foot impatiently. Orbot threw up his hands in surrender and went back to loading the submarine. It was a massive steel ship that could dwarf a gray whale.
"Here's the sealskin coats, boots and gloves out of storage in the sizes you requested." Cubot handed Eggman a big box of coats made from seal leather and lined with real mink fur. Ivo set it down with a heavy thud and checked the contents.
"Ah," he admired the workmanship, "Such luxuries." He looked down at Thunderbolt. "While your kind has the thickest fur of all Mobians I still think you will freeze to death without a coat so-" he handed her a tiny cloak, shoes and gloves, "This is for you."
Thunderbolt gasped softly and nearly cried from the overwhelming beauty of it. She knew how expensive such clothing was and vowed to never even look at it too hard for fear of ruining it.
"You are truly the most generous. I'll treasure them forever." She rubbed the soft fur up against her cheek.
He himself put on a coat to test its size. It fit very well except for it being tight in the underarms. After removing it and putting it back in the box he tested the cushy boots and gloves. Everything was nearly perfect.
"Eggman?" Sheptilah was wandering around the lair calling for him.
"Hey, boss," Cubot floated up to him, "The lady is looking for you upstairs."
"Is Shadow with her?" He sounded eager. Cubot shook his head and Eggman's mustache drooped. He instructed Thunderbolt to board the ship and wait for him.
After taking the elevator to the top floor he found the woman going through his pantry and holding an assortment of spices in her arm.
"I got tired of looking for you and decided to further stock my pitiful apothecary," she spoke without turning to him, "Ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, sea salt," she was counting off the list of items she was holding, "And last, but certainly not least: chili pepper."
"I thought you couldn't read the labels." He scoffed.
"I can't; I'm using my nose," she tapped it with her free hand, "I'm not nearly as stupid as you would hope I am, Ivo." She pushed past him and laid her treasures on the counter and loaded them into her frond purse and was disappointed to note that the hammerspace she created was nearly full.
"Why do you need all that?" He peered over her shoulder curiously. She stuck out her elbow as an aggressive gesture telling him to back off. He stepped to the side courteously.
She inhaled sharply. "Because it's what witches do; they carry around random assortments of herbs and other things for witchcraft on the fly. I don't know what you have planned but I hope I can find use for the things I've collected so far."
"We're going to the arctic," he noted, "So I don't think you're going to need anything like that."
"The arctic?" She waited for her stone to translate. "Why are we going to the North Pole?"
"It's remote and we won't be bothered," he shrugged. He had ulterior motives for going that far north in the winter, "And unlike G.U.N. I will actually have supplies and winter clothes for everyone. Have you ever seen snow before?"
"Snow? No, I have not."
"You're gonna see a whole lot of it," he beamed, "Where's Shadow?"
"He will be here shortly-" And like that the doorbell rang.
Shadow had a gray messenger bag with him that contained his notebook, the shrunken royal grimoire and some weapons as well as miscellaneous items like gum and hard candy.
"Cabbot is displeased, Sheptilah," he squinted at her when he opened the door, "But I have permission to come at least."
"Shadow!" Eggman seemed much happier than usual, "What a pleasure! Come on in, we are about to embark to the great white north."
"We're going to the arctic? In the middle of December?" He looked at the man blankly, "Have you gone mad? We'll all die in a whiteout."
"We're going in a submarine."
"That only makes me feel slightly better," Shadow turned to the witch. All she could do was grin nervously.
Eggman showed them to the underground docks where the massive submarine was located.
"My beautiful Ohio Class Submarine known as the N.S. Chondrichthyes." He gestured broadly to all of it with his arm. "The Egg Purse! Isn't she adorable?"
"Ohio class? It's named after a mostly land-locked Northamerian state?" Shadow scratched his chin.
"It just means it's nuclear powered," Eggman shrugged, "That's the classification. You take the fun out of everything."
The hedgehog shot the witch a look as if to say come on, really? Sheptilah put her hands together pleadingly and promised to make it up to Shadow.
Eggman led the group into the submarine and closed the hatch. He then sat in the cockpit which was covered in dials, buttons, levers and small screens displaying all kinds of information but no windows. Thunderbolt was already buckled into the copilot's seat with her microphone and headphones on, holding Eggman's out for him to take.
Ivo put on his headset and started flipping switches to start the submarine. Orbot and Cubot had directed Shadow and Sheptilah where to sit and buckled them in. The seats were surprisingly cushy and comfortable.
"Ladies and Shadow," Eggman's voice came on over the PA system in his best flight attendant accent, "Please remain seated until you are given the all-clear. We're getting ready to take off for the Egg Army Base in Artika. Estimated time of arrival is in ten hours. In the unlikely event of an emergency there are Air Charms located under your seats. Please note the emergency exits plainly marked to your left and your right."
Ten hours to the arctic from the equator? That's insanely fast, Shadow thought. If it was roughly four thousand miles from the equator to the arctic circle then that means they'd have to travel at three hundred and forty seven knots. Absolute madness!
Orbot and Cubot gestured to the exits and then hooked themselves up to their docks to charge.
The ship rumbled slightly. "Here we go!" The hull slightly creaked and they felt the sensation of descent pull in their guts.
"I understood exactly none of that," Tilly anxiously chuckled, "What'd he say?"
"We'll be there in ten hours and there's Air Charms under the seats if we sink." Shadow was going through his messenger bag and pulled out some sour hard candy. "Do you get motion sick?"
"I don't get sick, period." Tilly breathed a sigh of relief.
He popped one in his mouth, "Want one?"
"Sure." She held out her hand. He shook one out of the container into her palm.
"Don't bite it," he warned, "Just suck on it."
She put it in her mouth between her teeth and her cheek. For a moment she didn't taste anything and then her face was turned up in a twist.
"Oh, gods what is that?" The candy clicked against her teeth.
"Sour apple." He couldn't help but snicker.
Tilly coughed. "I kind of like it but," she swallowed it, "A little warning next time!"
"Did- did you swallow it?"
"Yes?"
"You're supposed to suck on it until it's gone." He blinked.
"Give me another one," she held out her hand, "I can do this."