Hello Again Readers!
I was so glad to see some familiar 'faces' in the comment section for this new story :) Your guy's support is so appreciated and brings such a smile to my face! So special thanks to my reviewers: Amefloza13, pinksakura271, Heartless demon wolf, Abril378, CherryTheRose. Thank you again for your support, and I hope to hear from you all again :)
Special Thanks to my beautiful Betas Wolfslegend and Bitterkiss! I have placed links to the stories I Beta for them in my profile, so please check it out!
A couple 'world' facts for this story (quick ones as I will give more details in the next author's note) is I am keeping the males in their classic looks, with the occasional jacket, but nothing else. And the other one would be that I will be pulling from multiple Sonic universes, and it does not have a specific one it lives in.
Anyways, I'll stop blabbing now so you can enjoy the 2nd chapter!
Happy Reading!
EPISODE 2: First Impressions Suck
(2 years later - present time)
G.U.N. Station Square Headquarters
~September 10th, 18:47~
Shadow's fingers frantically tapped away at his keyboard. His eyes were ready to peel back from the strain of staring at the bright screen for hours on end. He'd just made it to page twenty of his report on his team's latest mission, when he glanced up to find that his teammates were useless as always. Omega was shut down in the corner of the room, already told that his way of reporting was too full of coding and data analogs for organics to decipher. And Rouge was even worse. She had what looked like a whole salon laid out before her, and she'd told him quite firmly that her nails were too wet to type. He glared at her as she leaned forward to paint her toes, her feet propped up against her desk. Chaos knows why he didn't ask for a transfer to another team.
He wanted to just say 'fuck it' and get up from his desk, leave the office, and go for a joyride on his motorcycle. However, he knew it would be worse for him and his team if he didn't have this completed by the end of the day. Deputy Chief Whiskers would have his neck, or more like their asses glued to their desks for a month. Growling, he once again began to click away furiously at his keyboard, his quills spiking up with aggression.
"Wow… someone's in a mood." The deep sultry voice of his partner caused him to flinch, almost as if he'd heard nails being dragged down a chalkboard.
"Well, I don't see your fat ass moving to help with these reports. So shut it."
Rouge rolled her eyes, and blew on her nails, her pink glossed lips puckering like two larvae, "Surprised you don't have any girls lining up at your front door to be your girlfriend, considering how poetic you are with your words."
Shadow's hand curled into a fist, and he clenched his jaw into a gruesome smile. "Oh just you wait, I'll show you poetic –"
"Special Agent Rouge, Special Agent Shadow! Wake up your pet and get to the command room, immediately!"
Shadow's head jerked to look behind him, and he barely caught the tip of the Deputy Chief's naked tail disappearing past the side of the door jam. He heard an exasperated sigh from behind him, "Damn… now I'll have to start all over again when we get back," The albino bat pouted. "What does that obese rat want now?"
Shadow shut his eyes to mentally prepare himself for what was to come. He heard a clang of metal as Rouge kicked Omega awake, and he wanted more than anything to be like the red and black robot. To be programmed with minimal feeling, to look at everything as numbers and formulas, would be heaven sent. Shadow hated paperwork, but he hated being demeaned by Whiskers even more.
The Deputy Chief liked to call random meetings where he would cover everything they were doing wrong and how worthless they were. Rouge had made the mistake, once, of arguing that they had more successful missions and closed cases then any other squad or team in G.U.N. Whiskers had grinned at them like he'd just caught them in a trap. He'd told them, with the most pep in his voice than Shadow had ever heard from the rat before, that they had earned themselves 2 months of paperwork and desk duty. The stock rooms had needed re–ordering, and only his 'top' agents would be acceptable for the job.
Rouge snapped him out of his thoughts with a tap to his shoulder, and he knew it was time to go. Reluctantly, Shadow rose, and grabbed his black leather jacket from the back of his chair and followed his partners out into the hall. They walked down the long, brightly lit corridor until they reached a glass room, with the G.U.N. logo etched into it's door, it contained a large boardtable made of a giant slab of wood. Thin, uniformed chairs were lined up around it, and small succulents were placed in the center for a 'fresh' look. Rouge dashed ahead, careful to not let Omega attempt to open the glass door, and she held it open while they filed in. She knew from experience, not to let the robot anywhere near fragile things.
"So nice of you to finally show up." Whiskers sneered from the chair at the head of the table.
"It took approximately 3 minutes for us to appear after your summoning, Deputy Chief Whiskers. By my calculations it was a quick response time." Omega droned monotonously.
Shadow smirked, and the rat got red in the face. He didn't know if his robotic partner did it on purpose or not, but he had a knack for rubbing Whiskers the wrong way at the most opportune moments. Whiskers usually had nothing to counter with, as he couldn't claim a machine was talking back. The Chief glared at their smirking faces and lifeless metal frame as he cleared his throat.
"Yes, well, moving forward, I have a little surprise for you that I think you'll all enjoy," his earlier embarrassment forgotten, Whiskers now sported an almost joyful expression.
Rouge flinched and leaned in close to Shadow, "This can't be good… do you remember doing anything that could get us punished or fired?"
Shadow glanced in her direction from the corner of his eyes, and very subtly shook his head. He didn't have a clue what this could be about… in fact his brain was working overtime in attempt to remember anything he may have forgotten.
"Surprise. Enjoyment. Reaction data downloaded and ready to process."
Whiskers glanced at the robot with disgust and leaned back in his chair, "Great. Thanks for the update. Now that you're all ready, she should be finishing up her tour in a few moments."
Again, the smirk which followed his sentence only proved to send shivers down the Mobians' spines, and the gears turning in Omega's processing core.
"Who –"
Rouge's question was cut off as they all saw her at the same time through the glass wall. She was a pink, female hedgehog with quills pulled back into a ponytail which bounced with youth and excitement as she walked beside a stuttering mouse. She was wearing a grey pencil skirt that hugged her matured body like a second skin, her short tail poking happily through the slit in fabric designed for comfort, and a crisp white button up shirt. The ensemble made it look like she had Noogled what to wear on your first day at the job.
The mouse was fumbling with his hands and mouth as he was obviously driven to the edge of his nerves by the gorgeous, taller female that strode beside him gracefully. Her heels clicked, vibrating through the glass, as she laughed at something the male had said. Which sent his whiskers twitching and his muzzle turning into a bright shade of red.
"Who is that?" Rouge growled, her instincts going on edge at the prospect of another attractive girl in the same area as her. Not that she felt threatened by any female, she just wasn't used to having to share attention. Shadow squinted his crimson eyes, but her face was still angled away from them as she chatted incessantly to her companion as they made their way to the door.
"That would be the Cadet Program's latest poster girl, top of her class, and ready to make waves, she's –"
The door opened, and the girl finally turned her head in their direction. She was beautiful and sweet looking, in a way that was almost too innocent. Her jade eyes were wide with eagerness and thrill, and when she laid them on the stunned Team Dark, her muzzle split into a wild, brilliant grin.
"Rouge! Shadow! It's really you!"
The girl ran forward and hugged the both of them, her grip was so strong, it caused both of them to gasp for air.
"Wow! I can't believe it! And look! It's Omega, long time no see big guy!"
Omega said nothing as his scanner analyzed the peppy hedgehog who seemed to know him. In fact, the whole room was silent, as the pink Field Agent bounced on the balls of her feet, obviously waiting for some sort of response. When none came, her grin morphed into a concerned frown, and she leaned forward, her badge hanging from a lanyard that swung like a pendulum, making it impossible for the curious eyes to read.
"Are you guys not happy to see me?"
"I'm sure they are dear, they're just the gloomy sort." The honey laced voice that spilled forth from behind them was so foreign that both Rouge and Shadow had to tear their eyes from the girl and look to make sure they had heard right. Sure enough, Jeffery Whiskers was staring at the bubbly girl with a disgustingly lustful grin. The two Special Agents blinked several times to make sure they weren't hallucinating. The Deputy Chief was not someone to throw any type of warmth towards anyone, let alone a new recruit in the office.
"Well, come on then. That's no way to welcome the newest member of Team Dark, now is it?" Whiskers said pointedly while side glaring at the dumbfounded duo in front of him.
"Newest –" Shadow started, "MEMBER?!" Rouge finished eyes wide in shock.
"Why yes, that's what I was just briefing you on, didn't you pay any attention?" The Deputy Chief still had that sickening smile plastered on his muzzle, but his bloodshot eyes told them to cooperate or else. But Rouge was still too shocked and angry to reconsider what she was about to blurt out,
"But who is this... this child? We don't even know her! And she looks like she's more suited to the IT department behind a damn computer, rather then –"
"Scan complete. Data analyzed. Greeting loading… Hello Amy Rose, bird family rescuer. E102 Gamma's friend. It's nice to see you." The monotone voice sliced through the tension like butter, and once again the two Special Agents turned to face the young female before them.
Amy was blushing now, her arms were stiff at her sides, and nose twitching. She was obviously trying to hold back frustration, but she smiled warmly at the robot all the same and said with a soft voice, "It's nice to see you too, Omega."
Team Dark's Living Quarters
~September 10, 20:03~
Much to Amy's relief, the interior was surprisingly neat compared to the nasty hell she'd witnessed two years ago with Team Sonic's headquarters. The cherry wood floors shone with wax and lightly smelled of fresh Pine Sol. Red velvet curtains, which covered the two large windows beside the front door, were drawn back to allow in a stream of sunlight. The foyer was connected by three entryways that led to the kitchen, command center, and living room respectfully. In the middle a set of ornate, spiraling stairs circled up to the dorm rooms above.
Amy stood in the center of the foyer with her hands placed behind her back, her muzzle split into a nervous smile and her body gently swaying back and forth. She just had one pink suitcase, set behind her with a couple of dry cleaning bags hanging from it's handle. The silence in Team Dark's living quarters was deafening. The only sound that could be heard was the soft hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen.
She'd been brought into the headquarters by Omega after Shadow and Rouge had demanded to speak with someone about her placement on the team. It was painfully clear that Rouge and Shadow had been more than just a little displeased by the idea of her… She tried not to get too upset at their reactions, after all the last time either of them had seen her, she'd been the infamous, crazy, Sonic Fangirl. She just hoped they would give her a chance, unlike her blue hero. But the more she stayed in the middle of the foyer, rocking on her heels, the more worried she got. She gulped and glanced over at Omega.
The robot sat quietly by the front door, his red glass eyes stayed locked on her as she fidgeted awkwardly before him. When they'd arrived, Amy had made her way towards the steps only to be held back by a metal clawed hand, and had been commanded to stand dead center in the foyer. She'd tried to remove the robot from her path, but it was useless.
After a moment more, she sighed, "Um, would it be okay if you showed me to my room?"
Omega's head lifted slightly as his voice cut through the silent tension, "Negative. Shadow ordered me to bring Amy Rose to quarters and to not let Amy Rose touch anything, or enter any rooms. Must wait for Shadow and Rouge to return."
Amy rolled her eyes, "Come on, Omega. You, of all peop–err... robots, should know that I'm not going to do anything bad. It's been a long day, and I'd like to settle in and have a nice, relaxing shower." The female pouted and narrowed her brows upwards in an attempt to strike him with puppy eyes.
"Analyzing known data of Amy Rose. Pink hedgehog. Female. Wields large hammer. Usually accompanying Sonic –" That hit a nerve, and the pink hedgehog turned her pout into a scowl.
"Hey! I don't do that anymore!" Amy interrupted objectively, her cheeks turning bright red under peach fur.
"Updating information… formally known to accompany Sonic –"
"Guess that'll have to do…" She mumbled in resignation.
"Cares for animals. Saved bird family. Helped free E102 Gamma from Robotnik. Gamma's friend. Omega's… friend."
At that, Amy's face morphed from the sour expression to a grateful, and soft smile. "Oh… um… I think of you as a friend too." She said shyly, but the robot didn't seem to react.
"Processing statement 'You should know that I'm not going to do anything bad.'"
He was quiet for a moment, and Amy watched him with bated breath, almost seeing his gears turning, hoping to Chaos that the robot would decide it was safe to let her into her own room. Because honestly, this was ridiculous.
"Formula, solved. Result: Amy Rose poses no danger. Answer to Amy Rose question revised. Follow me."
Amy sighed in relief and quickly gathered her things as Omega rotated his body and began moving up the stairs. She slung the dry cleaning over her right shoulder and with her free hand, she attempted to pull the surprisingly large and heavy suitcase behind her. However, just as she was reaching the foot of the steps, she felt cold metal gently push her hand away. Omega clasped his sharp claws around the plastic handle and lifted the luggage into the air.
"Thank you." Amy said, slightly surprised at the gentlemanly attitude of the machine. She never would've imagined that she'd receive this kind of courtesy from a decommissioned Eggbot.
Compared to the last time they'd met, Omega had definitely changed in both appearance and personality… if a robot could even have a personality. Maybe it was his paint job, it looked more polished and didn't have nearly as many scratches or blemishes that Eggbots usually sported. She also made note of the new indiscript metal components that bulged slight on his arms and shoulders – probably more weapons from what Amy could gather. Amy shivered slightly at the thought. She was still a little uncomfortable around robots (especially ones created by Eggman), considering she had been kidnapped by Metal Sonic as a girl, and been stalked by E–100 Alpha, 'brother' of the very robot that walked before her.
"Rouge provided extensive details on what a 'male' should do for a 'female.' Duties include, but are not limited to; carrying bags for 'female.'"
Amy giggled. Slowly but surely she was getting quite comfortable with him, and she found that, to her surprise, she was enjoying their interactions. His bluntness and strictly logical train of thought were a breath of fresh air compared to filtered and insincere pleasantries that regular Mobians spouted in an attempt to appear polite. The behavior also reminded her a bit of Gamma...
"Well, it sounds to me like Rouge made you her shopping cart. But I'd like to think you did it out of the kindness of your heart. So, thanks."
Omega stopped at the top of the steps and rotated his head like an owl until his red gaze locked onto her. Amy smiled up at him from a few steps below, and she watched as the lenses in his eyes contracted and widened.
"Kindness, definition: the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. Heart: a muscle that pumps blood to keep it circulating throughout organic species bodies and maintain their lives. Omega does not have a heart. Error. Phrase: 'Kindness of your heart' not computing."
Amy tilted her head, and looked up at the robot with wistful eyes. Didn't Rouge and Shadow ever speak with the robot about emotions? For the dark hedgehog, she didn't have wonder too much. He never seemed too willing to show his emotions, nonetheless discuss them. For Rouge on the other hand… She'd taught him courtesy, but maybe she was just not that close with the robot.
Omega already showed signs of being similar to Gamma, who had been advanced enough to learn emotion and the ability to care for something other than his programming. She wondered if she could spark the same personality in her new teammate as well. She decided it was worth a try, so she walked up the last few steps of the stairs, and stood in front of Omega. This caused his head to once again turn 180 degrees. Amy went up on tiptoes, and touched the robot's head.
"The heart I'm referring to isn't a muscle in your body but the feelings that come to you at any given moment. You can't process it in here," She tapped his head, "it comes from experience and emotion. For example, if I were to hit you right now, what would you do?"
Omega's gears went into overdrive, she could hear them as they whirred to life underneath his metal exterior, and his whole frame seemed to grow rigid. He dropped the suitcase, causing Amy to jump back. "Amy Rose, danger registered, will commence defense proto –"
"No! No! I'm not really going to hurt you! It was a hypothetical question!" The girl's eyes widened as she frantically waved her hands back and forth as if to prove her point.
Omega's eyes, which had suddenly lit up with a menacing shade of red, dimmed as his joints relaxed once more. "Omega, does not compute. Searching for definition of hypothetical –"
Amy rolled her eyes, and huffed irately. Just when she thought she was getting somewhere, it just had to be ruined. Typical.
"Oh, nevermind. Let's just get this over with." She growled, turning and grabbing her luggage before the robot could pick it up again. She stomped down the hall, unsure if she was even going in the right direction, but she didn't care at the moment. She just wanted to get in her room. She was even willing to skip on a shower just so she could collapse onto her bed.
There were two doors on either side of the hall she had chosen, and eager to get this over with, she picked a door at random. If it wasn't hers, then she would just continue to open doors till she found the right one. There were only 3 rooms besides the gym area on the opposite side of the hall. She'd done her homework before arriving. Only thing the blueprints hadn't told her was whose room was whose. So how hard could it be?
She chose the one on her left, pushed it open, and burst in. She was greeted by a scent that was a mixture of what she could distinguish as sandalwood laced with cinnamon. It was a husky scent with a tint of spice to it, and it unconsciously sent a small, pleasant shiver down her spine. The room was very dim, and she squinted her jade eyes as her gloved hand reached to the wall, searching for the light source. When she finally found it, she flipped the switch.
The light exposed a modernly styled room, the color scheme of it ranging between grey, black, red and a myriad of white accents. The first thing that caught her eye was the large glass display case in the center of the wall lining the left side of the room. It had lit up with the rest of the room. The frame of the case was lined with red LED lights that shone a sinister glow onto an array of weapons. There were long rifles, assorted handguns, swords that glinted with drops of crimson, and a variety of smaller sharp objects. Amy stared at the arsenal with her mouth agape. She'd trained only with a fraction of them in the academy, and seeing them so up close and personal gave her the tingling desire to touch and use each one.
Abandoning her suitcase by the door, she completely failed to see the display of multiple Air–skating Shoes on the opposite wall, and beelined for the red–comforted bed that was right up against the display case. That's where the scent was the strongest, but it didn't seem to deter her, in fact it just added to her elation.
Hopping onto the bed, she felt the tight pencil skirt ride up her thighs and push up uncomfortably into the base of her tail. Rising to her knees, she pulled the back of the garment, but didn't attempt to fix the tidiness of her appearance. She was only concerned with one thing and one thing only.
Her fingers pressed against the glass, breath fogging the cool surface, as she hungrily studied each item. She stared on with wide eyes, barely blinking, and he could almost feel saliva threatening to drip down the corner of her mouth. She had always loved her hammer, but after being placed in the cadet program, she'd discovered, and found herself enjoying, other forms of protection and destruction. Of course, her preferred method of attack was still her hammer, but she had also grown addicted to learning various fighting styles with combat weapons. In fact, her eyes completely glazed over the firearms to give their full attention to the shiny metal of katanas, dirks and daggers.
She knew how to fire a gun, and she was up to the G.U.N. standard for marksmanship – she'd had to be in order to graduate – but if it was up to her, she'd avoid them. She wasn't pleased with how impersonal firearms were, how the bullets left little to no contact unlike blades and hammers. She had just reached the farthest side of the bed to admire a two–bladed katana when suddenly there was a loud, deep growl coming from the hall. She froze, her ears dropped and her body stiffened in anticipation of an attack. She didn't turn around, or move, but instead focused on the reflected dark silhouette that had appeared on the surface of the glass. She would recognize those upturned quills anywhere.
Another quick glance to her right caused a curse to slip from her lips. She'd let her 'obsessive' nature get the best of her, and if she had just taken a moment to observe all of her surroundings, she would've seen right away that she was in Shadow's room. There were weights in the furthest right corner, and an old ripped up poster of Eggman (some advertisement for his casino) with daggers and shuriken stuck in his face, not to mention the freaking green Chaos Emerald sitting on the night stand in its very own glass display.
She slowly, oh so slowly, scooted to the left side of the bed, careful to keep her knees together least she cause the already hiked up skirt to fully disengage from her arse. She practiced smiling, her lips moving frantically as the sweat on her forehead dripped into her eyes. Chaos, I'm so screwed. They're definitely going to kick me out now.
"What the hell do you think you are doing, Rose?" The harsh tone caused her to quickly jump from the bed. She dashed towards him for the door, her mind racing at what she should do, but all that came to mind was one word; run.