On the south balcony landing of the Aero Palace, Robotnik stood, waiting. He watched the approaching passenger jetship and heaved a sigh. The tubes in his bag-like lungs expanded, then decompressed with a hiss.
The jetship hovered over the balcony, then began to descend.
Robotnik strode forward.
The jetship hummed as it let off steam and the lighted N-ethyl packs along its underbelly began to dim. As soon as the legs of the jetship secured itself on the balcony, the back peeled open.
Eggman came out first, followed by at least fifteen combots. Two of them held the hedgehog between them and another held the fox.
"All here and ready for the show, Ivo," Eggman said, crossing his arms. "You take him, and I'll stand by for phase two-"
"Get your robots and leave. I'll take over from here," Robotnik walked past him. He was going straight to the hedgehog.
The prisoner narrowed his large green eyes, meeting the robot-human's gaze head-on. He heaved for breath.
"You." The mecha human said.
The metal hand shot out and he snatched a handful of the hedgehog's unsheathed head spikes, yanking and twisting hard.
Sonic hissed, rage shining in his eyes. The movement wrenched him free of the combot's hands and he stumbled to the ground. Only Robotnik's hold on his head forced him upright. Robotnik's metal arm wrapped around his neck, and the hand grasped his jaw.
Robotnik pulled Sonic next to him, up close to his face and his laser-filled eyes. "You never, ever dodge me, you hear me? You are mine. You have always been mine, you were born a New Mobian, your parents were New Mobians, the Queen gave you to me—you are my pet, you little, destructive—rodent—I can touch you whenever and however I want-"
For a second, a flicker of confusion crossed the hedgehog's face, but his gaze remained locked on the laser-filled eyes.
Robotnik pulled Sonic closer. "That little stunt you pulled this morning, cutting one of my handwires when I tried to touch you… you thought you had gotten away with that, didn't you?"
Sonic's gaze bored into Robotnik, destruction blaring in his eyes. He barely managed to grit out the words through his locked jaw. "So you took Gramps."
With a twist of his arm, Robotnik flipped Sonic over by the headspikes, sending him spinning to the ground. Sonic hit the marble balcony floor with a shout.
"Stop!" Tails screamed out, from behind them. Bandages wound around his torso and shoulders. He swayed on his feet, but his eyes were bright and his voice raw with anger. "Stop, stop you-"
"Shut up, Tails!" Sonic screamed back.
Robotnik planted his hinged metal foot on Sonic's shoulder, pinning him to the ground. The massive human loomed over him. "There was once a time you couldn't even look me in the face—you knew how to obey-"
"Well, shame you couldn't keep me that way!" Sonic blurted with a snarl, a dare in his eyes.
Tails caught his breath.
Robotnik fisted his hand.
Sonic braced himself, stiffening.
A thud rang across the balcony as the palace doors opened. Queen Alicia stood in the threshold, dressed in full and rich scarlet, her body draped with strings of jewels and a blue ore sword at her hip. Her eyes wavered, but her hands were clenched.
Her entourage stood arrayed behind her, every one armed and bearing Mobium rings.
"Is there a problem here?" Her voice rang out over the balcony.
Sonic arched back, twisting out from beneath Robotnik's foot, and lifting his head so he could see the Queen. "Oh, yes, there is!" he shouted out, his voice still thick with rage.
"Be quiet," Robotnik snapped. His hand and fingers grew several feet longer, extenders clicking into place.
"No," Robotnik said to the queen. He wrapped his hand around Sonic and picked him up as if he weighed nothing. He held Sonic upright, but didn't let his feet touch the ground. "I was merely settling a little score with my Ringweilder before taking him to the Council. In addition to the vote, I have some serious charges to set against him."
The Queen stared. "Charges?"
"I charge him and his…his sidekick," Robotnik motioned to Tails. "Of breaking and entering into Robotropolis, and of rebellion against the pact between our entities. I want an audience with the counsel at once, so they can administer justice."
The Queen's gaze flicked to Sonic, hopelessness in her eyes.
The hedgehog stared back at her, still held in Robotnik's hand.
She had been going to stand up for him…but she couldn't now.
She closed her eyes. "Follow me. The council has assembled."
