Sonic couldn't bring himself to look at his father any longer, instead choosing to look downward as he took his oath of truth. Because of this he didn't see his father step back and hit the table awkwardly. He almost jumped from the impact, quickly fixing the table and anything that had been disturbed while hoping nobody saw. Eggman clearly had though. "Sit down you fool, we have this in the bag now. Remember, Sonic is deranged, whatever he says he's making up" the man whispered slyly with a grin. Jules took a seat as he was told, but his face slowly twisted to sadness. "Sonic?... You know his name?" he asked, voice almost breaking as he whispered back. "Of course I do, the stupid court changed it for whatever pathetic reason they came up with. That boy has caused me nothing but trouble, so if you want to get paid you'll take him down" Eggman said, and Jules swore he saw the mad man grin in delight at the very idea. So everything you had done... you did to my son... Jules's fists closed tightly, his claws dangerously close to ripping through his gloves. He had to turn away so Eggman couldn't see the hatred in his eyes.

So now he sat looking forward, watching the boy he lost two years ago as Breezie approached the bench. His mind kept telling him to forget about this stupid trail and just run and grab his son, embrace him in his arms, yet, his body was frozen, and resisting was feeling... shamefully easy. All he did was watch as the story unfolded.

Sonic swallowed hard as he felt like he had dust in his throat. Breezie had asked him to share his story, and now was the time to confess all. "I-I... I-I..." he couldn't, not with his father there! How could he sit and talk about why he felt unloved by his family and thought Eggman to be the better option? He couldn't... he felt so ashamed, so defeated. But a cough from the back of the room grabbed his attention. He looked up, eyes focusing on the only person he felt mattered in this room. Shadow stood by the doors, ready to take him the moment he was finished. The agent held such a firm look on his face, practically shouting without a voice words of encouragement to his soon to be adopted son. Sonic couldn't read lips, but he knew clearly that Shadow was mouthing the words "I believe in you", and that was enough for him.

Sonic smiled softly, quickly wiping at his eyes. Now... now he felt he could do this.

"Two years ago I ran away from my home. I lived on the streets during that time. I met a young boy who I decided to look after as he was homeless too. But he got really sick. I was scared because I thought he was going to die. I tried to get help from strangers but they all turned us away, thinking we were faking to scam them. I took him to the hospital but they turned us away too. We didn't go to the police because my friend was scared of being returned to his family... and so was I."

Jules felt his heart sink.

He wouldn't look at his father, too scared of what he'd see, so instead Sonic carried on as if it was just him and Shadow in this room, just as they had practised.

"I... I got really scared, and Tails, my friend, he was getting worse each day. I was followed around one day by a stranger and he later approached me and told me there was someone who could help. He took me to Eggman's robot factory for a private meeting, and that's where I met Eggman."

"Miles can you please clarify if Snively was at this meeting with you and Eggman?" Breezie interrupted. Sonic shook his head, "It was Eggman and a few of his robots... umm, a couple of agents he had who I didn't know at the time but they had been partially roboticised. Snively wasn't there" he answered.

"Thank you, carry on."

"S-so... I was in Eggman's office and he said he had been watching me for a while and that he was willing to help me in exchange for working for him." Sonic found himself going silent, not wanting to say more. Breezie picked up on this and understood the problem. "I would like to remind everyone in the court that due to his cooperation and for helping G.U.N in their investigation that Miles has received a full pardon for all illegal activities that were performed under the forceful hand of Eggman."

The accused man scoffed in annoyance at her words, but quickly found his emotion turning on his lawyer next to him, "Why aren't you objecting? She's undermining my defence as if it was already proven and manipulating the jury! Come on man get it together!" he snarled, but Jules said nothing, he didn't even look as he shrugged the large man off after he grabbed his arm. His focus was only on his son and hearing his story.

"Okay." Sonic inhaled to steady his nerves, though it didn't feel like it helped. "Eggman said if I used my speed to help him that he would provide me and Tails with a home, make sure we had money for food and give Tails the medication he needed. I tried to ask what the job was but he said he would explain it to be later. He said if I was too agree to this then I would have to go to his work facility the next day. He gave me keys to an apartment and me and Tails got to have a roof over our heads for the first time in months. Food was delivered to our door the same time we walked in to our new home and I just... I genuinely thought Eggman was a good guy that was trying to help us." The memory started to grow more painful as he relived these moments, and Sonic felt his eyes water once again. He quickly wiped his face. Boys don't cry, his father never let him cry... crying would lead to a smack for being silly. But... it always made him want to cry more. Sonic felt like his brain was burning, too many thoughts distracting him from what he had to say next. He thought he had gotten rid of his tears, or at least hid them, but he hadn't. Yet... Shadow let him cry when he needed to. He looked back up at the ebony man and saw that the man wasn't angry with him for being upset, but then Shadow never was.

That was all that mattered.

Get through this. Then he and Shadow can go home.

"I took Eggman's offer. The next morning I went to the place I was instructed to go to. It was the side of the road on the outskirts of the city. I didn't know what was happening because there was nobody there, but a car soon pulled up and they told me to get in. When I did I was sat between two robots and they blindfolded me. They told me this was protocol because Eggman's base had to be kept a secret. I knew in my gut that I should have ran away or something but if I didn't go then I wouldn't be able to get the medicine for Tails. I don't really know what happened much after that until I was brought into a room and they finally took my blindfold off. Eggman was there, I think he was waiting for me. He asked me how the apartment was and offered me the medication for Tails. I... I stupidly said that whatever the job was I'd happily do it." Sonic paused, briefly he looked at Eggman, who was smirking as he too relived this moment. It was a good memory for him.

"He... he told me I would be a carrier... I'd take things and deliver" it was getting hard for him to speak again. "Eggman said that this was... a special opportunity... and that he needed to be able to trust me." Tears began to spill. Sonic squeezed his eyes tightly. "He said the only way he could gain my trust was... was... I had to go through the roboticiser" his voice broke with a sob. "I didn't know what it was so I agreed to it... and it was hell!" he didn't bother to wipe his eyes anymore. "It was so painful I... He roboticised my arm... a-and... that machine works by ripping away the skin. I-It keeps the nerves intact a-and some of the bone... but it takes apart your muscles and turns them into metal. I-I don't know how b-but I f-felt a hot liquid pour onto them and t-that's what happened. It was burning so much I begged him to kill me. I-I thought I was going to die" he sobbed, "It took twenty minutes he said, b-but it felt like hours. My whole arm was just metal inside with a few bones and the nerve system so that I could still use it as normal, a-and I could feel the pain inside for months b-but the outer layer stopped anything else from hurting me. And then... afterwards... after it was done Eggman told me my job was to steal things for him. And if I didn't... he'd prostitute me instead."

Shadow raised his brows in horror. Sonic had never told him that before.

But Shadow's response wasn't the one Sonic was seeking. He couldn't fight it any longer. Sonic raised his head and finally looked at his father in the eye, desperately looking for any kind of validation that the man still cared. But the man was a husk, staring blankly with no emotion on his face. Despite everything Sonic felt towards his father, seeing him show no empathy, no sadness... no love... it hurt him almost as much as the roboticiser did. He reached his limit, feeling like he couldn't do anymore. Sonic sat still, weeping as quietly as he could but unable to silence the sniffs and hiccups that echoed the room. He didn't care what his father thought of him anymore. His father sided with Eggman. Sonic just wanted to go home now. He couldn't do anymore.

Breezie however, decided otherwise. She stood before the court once more, gesturing to the projector. "Your Honour I would like to present you with an image of the roboticised arm that was amputated after the G.U.N raid mission." As she said that a photograph of the severed robotic limb appeared on the projector, showing in great detail what Sonic had just described. There were sounds of everyone in the court room murmuring in disgust at what they saw on the screen, a few feeling the need to look away from the gruesome image. The picture was then removed, and Breezie walked back to Sonic. "Miles" she addressed him, "will you please remove your jacket and shirt so that the judge and jury can see the result of your injuries?" she said putting it mildly.

Sonic really didn't want to, but hesitantly nodded his head in agreement. "I-I need help" he sadly replied, his face burning redder then before. His whimpers never stopped, and as Breezie stood next to him and help remove the clothing, he felt a sense of hatred towards himself. The shame of what his stupidity lead him to do, and now having to show off the results made him wish he would just die and be done with it all. He should have killed himself the moment he was caught like all the other of Eggman's toys did. They were the smart ones. Because none of them had to go through all this and live with the nightmares he had.

Sonic was left unclothed with his prosthetic arm on show for everyone to see. Yet this wasn't enough as Breezie undid the straps and took the fake limb away from him, showing the world the hideous scaring where his arm should have been, and the sizeable divert in his breast plate where it all had to be removed. All he could hear was the appalled gasps of the crowds, shocking everyone into facing the reality of how horrible his torture had been. He prayed so badly that it would all pay off, because if it didn't... then he had planned not to be a victim of Eggman any longer. If Eggman walks free, then his life would end before the man could beat him to it. This was his only choice now. He didn't want to live to see what Eggman would do as revenge.

Breezie placed the jacket loosely over Sonic's shoulders and walked back down to her desk. "Thank you your Honour, that is all" she said as she took her seat. Truthfully there were many other points she should have asked and other evidence to present, but she felt confident she didn't need to. She looked over at the dark blue hedgehog that sat next to Eggman. The man's face was pointed down, his face paled at the reveal. It's hard to read a lawyer, but their occupation was like that of a poker game. You quickly learn all the tells and Breezie could spot from a mile when another lawyer felt their case or defence was hopeless. She knew exactly who this man was and how he was feeling. Rouge's gamble had thankfully paid off.

"Jules you have the floor" the judge called out, but the man failed to respond. He sat still at his desk, doing everything to keep his hands from trembling. His fangs slowly started to bare, though he tried to keep them hidden. Eggman grabbed his arm, and his eyes shrank from the touch.

"Remember, this kid is crazy. He hallucinates things and his word is not to be trusted" the man whispered into his ear, his breath feeling like poison against his fur as Jules recoiled in disgust.

This man did this to his son. And he will pay.

"Your Honour I have nothing to question. On behalf of my client I retract all evidence provided by Eggman and and agree to the highest punishment served."

"YOU WHAT?!" Eggman cried out, his fist slamming against the desk with enough force to break it. Everyone was shocked.

"Jules you are aware the penalties of your actions don't you?" the judge asked confused.

The hedgehog stood up, mostly to be away from the raging man next to him. "I do your Honour. I am prepared to face all occupational repercussions for my actions."

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! Why are you doing this, have you gone mad!? I'm paying you to get me off from these crimes!" Eggman again screamed out.

"Doctor Eggman lower your voice or you will be forcibly removed and no further discussion will be needed for your punishment!" the judge ordered while slamming his gavel to regain control of the room.

Sonic stayed still, completely confused and terrified in this moment.

"This is unfair! Why would you throw your career away for that brat when I..." Eggman stopped, looking back and forth between the two blue hedgehogs. It then suddenly clicked. Then he stood and threw over the table with great force. Several people screamed from shock while he lunged to the blue teenager with his hands ready to grab the boys neck. Before he made it though, police had grabbed and restrained him with in seconds. They dragged him out in handcuffs, his feet dragging on the floor. "YOU SET ME UP! THIS IS UNJUST! YOU THOUGHT THE ROBOTICISER WAS BAD THEN I'M GOING TO REALLY MAKE YOU FEEL PAIN YOU PATHETIC RAT! I'LL KILL YOU..."

His rants faded as he was forcefully removed from the room. Everyone was left in a state of shock of the display they had just witnessed.

Sonic was frozen in fear, not knowing how to respond to any of what just happened. Thankfully the judge took control back of the situation. "In light of all these events I motion for the court to take a recess and for the lawyers to come meet me in private. Court dismissed." With a final slam of the gavel, the judge concluded this was over.

Jules immediately turned to his son, but Sonic wouldn't look at him. The boy quickly grabbed his prosthetic arm and ran from the podium, wanting to be the first one to leave. "Wait!" Jules called out after him, but he was left to watch as his son ran up to the ebony hedgehog he had questioned before and embrace him tightly. The agent held him tightly, almost like that was his son he had witness go through all that. They quickly left through the doors, and Jules chased after them.

Shadow held his arm around Sonic as he hurriedly guided him away from this awful building and straight to the car. After everything that had happened Sonic was having another panic attack and he just wanted to get him to somewhere safe, safe from this madness.

They were almost at the doors before a loud voice cried out after them.

"Sonic! Stop please! I just want to talk. Don't ignore your father."

Shadow found himself stood still. He had told himself that if this were to happen he would ignore the man, get Sonic to the car, and speak to him privately. But that wasn't going to happen. Not now. Shadow felt the anger build inside him as he slowly turned around to face the man who dare claim to have earned the title father. He kept his arm firm around Sonic protectively while the boy wept into his shoulder, finding it too difficult to breath and wishing Shadow would just take him home already.

"You do you think-" Shadow stopped mid-sentence. His anger subsided as he was met with what he hadn't expected.

He had assumed the man would be arrogant and demanding his son back while forcing himself in their space, but he wasn't. Jules kept a safe distance from them, and his face wasn't that of a man who was demanding his child back despite the cruelty he inflicted, but was instead showing so much concern and worry that tears started to fall from his eyes.

"Please listen I don't have much time. I know Sonic has been through a lot, he needs to get somewhere safe, just please, please, let me talk to him when this is over. I know you've been looking after him, I read the files, I just didn't know it was my son. All I want is to talk, please just... wait in the cafe or something, I-I don't want to leave him like this."

Shadow was astounded by what he heard. This man acted desperate, as if he had no rights to his child. He wasn't using that as a reason to talk either, but respected Shadow's role as guardian. This didn't make sense.

He quickly looked down at Sonic, the boy was so far gone in his panic that he doubt he had heard anything his father had said just then. His priority was getting him somewhere safe so he can calm down, not worrying about the father. So Shadow made a quick choice. "Once you're finished go to Rouge and ask her for my address. I'll let her know you intend to come round and we will talk about everything then."

Jules sighed in relief, clasping his hands together and lowering his head. He quickly wiped away his own tears, "Thank you, thank you so much. I-I have to go but... Sonic?" he tried to address the boy, but Shadow stood in his way, "Don't, he's not going to be able to understand you right now" he explained.

The pain was visible on Jules face, but the hedgehog nodded in understanding, stepping backwards as he knew he was running out of time. "Okay, okay. I have to go but please, just tell him I love him..."

"You can tell him yourself later" Shadow interrupted, still uneasy by this man's demeanour.

Jules hurried backwards, taking once last look just in case. "Okay... I'll see you soon." With that he left them.

Shadow sighed, not knowing what to make of any of that. But that didn't matter now. He needed to get the boy home.