Can yall tell I'm not good with making up chapter names?

The journey back to the main base was silent, Eggman doing nothing more than holding Miles. With Miles just hiding himself against Eggman like a scared child. The silence in a way, was deafening, but neither found it in themselves to break it.

Eggman wanted Miles to keep thinking about what had happened, to reinforce how you either got hurt, or you hurt people in this world. He'd need it if he was to truly survive, it was only fair he helped the fox kit along, especially after what had just happened.

Though, the man did frown thinking about the sight he ended up coming across. When he learned Miles had escaped, he assumed the other was running away. It had been infuriating at first, with how much time he had spent trying to keep the child placid and agreeable, yet the more he looked over the camera footage. The more he realized the other wasn't really, sneaking out, he just followed the path he had used before, there was even the voice clip about how he would be back.

Orbot had told him the other probably wanted to go outside and play, as most children did. Eggman thought back and supposed he had just left the child in his room with nothing to do for multiple days, so it made sense.

Still, he couldn't just let the kit wander around the island getting into trouble. So he activated the tracker he had put on the foxes goggles and headed out to find him. Finding him in one of the prisons he made hadn't been surprising, what was surprising was finding him cowering and beaten by the people who were already inside it. Had Miles already told them he was working for Eggman? No, even if he did, those mobians wouldn't be daft enough to harm him if that was the case. So they had just attacked him for showing up? Miles had admitted that the islanders didn't care for him before, but he hadn't realized the disdain ran so deep.

He knew the villagers would regret ever laying a hand on Miles. Especially with how Miles himself had been ready to get back at them for all the times they had hurt him, but Eggman would check- on those villagers again later. Just to make sure the point stuck.

But that would come later, right now he had to get some medical help for Miles.

Glancing down at the fox kit one last time, he noticed the other had fallen asleep in his arms.

'All of this must have exhausted him. I'll let Orbot patch him up as he rests, then we'll talk.' And with that thought, the duo re-entered the base as Eggman walked back to his main lab. Orbot waiting for him at the doorway.

"Doctor, you've returned! Did you manage to locate Miles?" The robot spoke as he looked over to the duo, an expression of surprise appearing on his face. "Oh my! What happened to him?"

Miles himself was a sight, absolutely covered in dirt and his fur was sticking out in random directions as well. It looked as if you had thrown the child down a mountain, which wasn't completely wrong either.

"He encountered some less than friendly villagers. I suppose their anger of being trapped finally had some kind of outlet in him." Eggman spoke walking over as he moved to put Miles into Orbot's arms. Or, that was the plan, except that Miles had been gripping the others sleeve and whined in his sleep trying to be pawned off onto someone else. His own grip tightening as both awake parties watched him. The two were silent for a few moments, before Eggman just sighed and stood up fixing his hold on Miles "Come now Orbot, we need to get him to his room. Though you go get some bandages and pain meds."

The robot was obviously taken aback by this. Expecting Eggman to tell him to take the fox himself, but instead just nodded and hurried off.

"Right away Sir."

Eggman carried Miles back to his room himself, looking around at the mess the boy had left it in distaste. It wasn't that hard to make your bed every morning. Moving over to the bed, he grabbed one of the blankets and threw it over before sitting down on top of it.

"Now Miles, it's time to let go." He muttered trying to pull the kit away again. Once again he was answered with a whine from the sleeping kit, but he didn't stop this time. "You need rest, and I need to work." Why were children so difficult? Eggman kept grumbling to himself, but never ripped the kit out of his arms. Finally getting him to let go after a bit of fumbling and placing him back down on the bed as Miles just curled up into a small ball again.

When Orbot entered, Eggman took the bandages from him, much to the other's surprise.

"Ah- Doctor, I can take care of this if you want. You don't need to."

"I'm aware Orbot."

Yet he didn't stop, and instead just started to check over and gently bandage Miles up. Orbot watched silently, offering things that the doctor would need while he patched up the child.

Orbot kept quiet, but his mind was racing as he pieced together what he had been seeing. The doctor was never a kind person, he knew that since the moment he was built, understanding why he existed and what his purpose was. It was supposed to be simple and straightforward. Yet, after Miles got involved in everything, things changed, a lot. When Orbot had gone offline, he had assumed that was that, but when Miles found him and they came back to the base. Orbot got new programming, nanny programming as Doctor Eggman had called it.

His new directive wasn't to overwatch construction, or to even truly help Doctor Eggman. It was to take care of this child, it was strange, from an outsider's perspective of course. Orbot could never feel how strange it truly was, just be aware about how different this was than his last job. Not that he complained, watching a child was far better than being used for scrap. Miles was an enjoyable little child to be around regardless, so happy to work on robots, even offering to repair on the occasion the other seemed damaged to the boy. In a way, Orbot could easily say he had grown to care for the boy, somewhere that wasn't too obvious in his coding.

But that was where things became all the more confusing to the bot. While he understood why he might begin to care for the kit- why would the doctor? Sure he wasn't with them all the time, still having errands and chores to do, but even then- Doctor Eggman wasn't the fondest of children, and this was just a means to an end wasn't it? Wouldn't the doctor just get all the help he could before throwing the poor kit back out into the unknown?

He didn't have to care for his wounds, comfort him while he slept. So why? Why was he doing this? It just didn't make sense to Orbot's code.

Orbot continued to watch Eggman patch up the kit's wounds. Helping when asked, but mostly staying on the sidelines. After a few minutes, everything had been bandaged up and all that was left to rest. As Eggman walked away, Orbot couldn't help but follow, wanting- needing to know why.

"Doctor.."

"Yes Orbot?"

"May I permit myself to ask you a question?" He followed after the other as he moved into the main lab. The doctor sat down in his chair as he simply looked out the window to oversee the island.

"Speak Orbot."

"What happens next with the kit?" Orbot had his hands together, side glancing Eggman to try to gauge his reaction to the question. When he got no reaction, or no answer, he pushed on, testing his luck. "He ran off and got- rather injured, and you have the battery for the death egg sir. If I may be so bold, what else do we need him for?"

And there it was, the golden question that had plagued all of their minds. Now that they had what they wanted… Why did they continue to keep Miles around? By all means Doctor Eggman should have just left him in that prison. Right?

The doctor was not a man of emotions, which is why it confused him when he hesitated on this answer. He knew just as well as Orbot that- by all means he had no reason to step in on what happened. He had no reason, no justification to save him when everything had already been done. He wanted to just tell Orbot he felt like it, but that wasn't a satisfying answer even to him.

"...I don't think we've worn out the use of that fox just yet." The doctor decided on that answer after a few minutes of tense silence. "He's smart, and useful, to just throw him out and lose such an ace would be. Foolish." The doctor looked down for a moment, pressing his fingertips together as he debated in his own mind. Orbot laced his own fingers together, hesitating to continue.

"Is.. that all there is to it Doctor?"

"Are you trying to imply something Orbot?"

"No not imply, it's just. Forgive my bluntness, but you seem to care for him. Miles." Might as well just rip the bandaid off, Orbot looked down, letting himself speak when the other didn't snap at him. "You could have left him alone, could have pushed the bandaging off on to me. Doctor you don't need to do anything for Miles. That's why you gave me this programming." He noticed the doctor frown, but pushed on. "If I may be so bold, Doctor, I'd say you care for Miles, more than expected."

"Enough Orbot." The other's voice was sharp, silencing the bot within a moment as he looked forward at the island, glaring at it. "I may let you speak freely, but you best start remembering when to hold your tongue."

"Yes Doctor.."

Eggman waved the other away, not looking at him.

"Go and make yourself useful. I wish to be alone."

"Of course Doctor." Orbot moved away towards the door, pausing for a moment to look back at the doctor, before shaking his head and heading out of the door.

Eggman didn't take a breath until he heard it close behind the robot, and soon after it turned into a deep sigh as he covered his face.

His robot had a point, what was he doing? Why was he so unsure about all of this? He didn't need help! He didn't need some random kit running around and getting hurt on his watch!

…

His watch.

Was this why it felt like something was eating him up inside? How had he let Miles wander away and get hurt? He couldn't be asked to watch the kid constantly! He wasn't his parent!

Eggman sighed, rubbing his face as he leaned back in his chair. Thinking about the day once again. Why did this upset him so much? He shouldn't care, he had no reason to care about that little rat-

"Doctor..?"

"Orbot I told you to-" Eggman looked behind him annoyed before his eyes widened at seeing Miles instead. Leaning against the door looking exhausted as he held himself up. "Miles-! What on earth are you doing out of bed?!" He stood up from his chair and hurried over, kneeling down to hold the kit before he collapsed. "You're far too injured you need to be resting!"

"No it's… it's okay. I've been through worse. I-I needed to say-" Whatever Miles attempted to say was lost on Eggman, the other blinking and watching this kit- this child spoke without really hearing what he had to say.

He had been through worse? He knew West Side wasn't as a nice of a place as it looked but had those people actually?

"Miles." Eggman interrupted the rambling fox, not that he had been paying attention anyways. Causing the other to look up. "What do you mean you've been through worse? Have those- villagers done this before?"

Miles froze when Eggman spoke up, his ears falling down and his tails hiding between his legs. Eggman felt… upset at this, he wasn't a good man but he had morals, no one would just willingly hurt a child like this so much. At least that's what he thought.

"W-well uh- I mean sometimes- it was just kinda..?" Miles swallowed at the other watching him, curling up on himself in worry and fear.

Something twisted in Eggman's chest, and he made up his mind watching Miles look so afraid. He reached out for the kit, pausing for a moment as the other flinched, before continuing and gently picking him back up. Miles made a confused noise but Eggman just walked off with him.

"D-doctor-? Where are we-?"

"My room."

He said nothing else, much to Miles' confusion, but he stayed quiet until they reached a new area of the base he had never been inside. He was looking around curiously, but as they entered a new room the fox's eyes widened in disbelief.

The room was- gigantic, putting it lightly. It was made as if there was a king living inside such a room, a ginormous bed with curtains that could cover it. A rug that Miles was pretty sure he could get lost in with how fluffy it seemed, and just- a lot of other things that looked so fancy.

Everything was a royal red, with outlines of gold, not to mention Eggman's insignia right in the middle of it all on the rug. Eggman himself, though, walked through it all without a second thought. He had lived in this room every day while Miles had only read descriptions of such fancy rooms in books. Honestly Miles was quickly getting lost in his own thoughts as he watched everything until Eggman put him down on the bed, the fox quickly sinking into the softest thing he had ever felt in his life.

"Miles." Eggman was watching him, and it made him remember just what had happened before this, causing the kit to swallow.

"D-doctor…"

"Miles I won't ask you for everything. I won't even ask you for the truth, but I need to ask. Why do those villagers hate you so much?"

It was the golden question, Eggman was looking at Miles, and Miles felt like he was under a spotlight he wanted to run away from. If he told the doctor- would he hate him too? Would Miles have to be completely alone again? He'd rather not say anything at all but…

But didn't he owe the doctor that? To at least tell him why? The other had done so much for him, and here he was trying to keep secrets…

Miles looked down, his ears falling as he felt the mattress sink next to him. Eggman having joined him on the bed.

"Just know Miles, I won't think any less of you for the truth. I know who you are now, a genius who I am happy to have around."

Eggman's voice was quiet, in a way Miles felt like… he was repeating something that had been told to him. But it still meant, far more than one would expect. Miles looked down at his knees, everything slowly turning into colored blobs as he grit his teeth, trying not to cry in the moment.

"The-" He choked for a moment and took a deep breath, rubbing the tears away from his eyes. No. Tears came later. "The villagers. They think I'm a curse of bad luck." He said softly "I wasn't born on this island, I came here just a year or so ago. Maybe two at this point, sometimes it's hard to keep track of the seasons… My two tails already made me… undesirable to have around, but I kept to the forest and tried to stay out of trouble so they usually just ignored me. Sometimes the other kids would bully me but it was just- what happened." Miles looked down for a few moments, looking at his hands.

"But… then somehow, someone found out I was from Cocoa Island."

Now that got Eggman's attention. He had known about that island, a good chunk of people actually did. It was infamous, but not in the best way.

Everyone knew the island after it had been attacked by an armada, a horrible moment in history putting it bluntly. The birds had burned down the forests and all but laid waste to the poor place. No one knew why they had done such a thing, it had been documented that hardly any mobians lived there, and if they had they were practically closed off from the mainland. Some assume it was simply a display of power, others think there was more to it, but after the attack no one was around to say for sure.

Well, that was what had been assumed. If Miles was telling the truth, then those answers were going to be from him. As much as Eggman wanted to ask, he supposed there would have to be one question at a time. Now wasn't a time to go off topic.

"They knew about what happened, and thought if I stayed around the same thing would happen to West Side. They wanted me gone and were very… upfront about it. Anything and everything that went wrong was blamed on me. No matter what I tried to do to make things better. They just hated me for something I couldn't control, and at one point they started to turn physical…" Miles closed his eyes, trying to keep the memories away so he could continue talking. "It was mostly the teenagers… sometimes the children. The adults never touched me, but they'd never help either. Just pretend not to see and continue with whatever they were doing. It just encouraged the teens even more. Eventually everyone just… said I was a curse that needed to leave, but I had nowhere to go so I just- hid away in the forest. Me and T-pup.."

Miles' voice died out after that, not being able to continue with the trip down memory road anymore. Eggman for once, felt speechless, he wasn't sure what to say or what to do. He wasn't one to comfort children and help them through hard times. He could only simply watch Miles struggle with this, and he felt… bad.

Eggman prided himself on being a villain, being evil, but that didn't mean he was a man with no morals. He wanted to make a world of his own vision, one that would be perfect, he just had… less than ethical ways to go about this world.

And yet, even to him, the idea of what Miles had got through was sickening, to isolate a single child and cause them so much pain. For running away from his home that was destroyed, how could he- how could anyone, find a way to blame him for such? Watching this kit cry, it simply just reinforced how Eggman felt about the world needing to change. And he had plans to take total control to force that change.

Another sniffle from Miles pulled Eggman away from his thoughts of world conquest. The man hesitated again before reaching out and putting an arm around the kit. He wasn't good at comforting, but he knew the basics at least.

"No one will ever treat you like that as long as you're here Miles. You will be equal to anyone else, and you won't be blamed for things obviously out of your control. I promise you that." Eggman wasn't sure if his words would mean anything to him, but it was the only thing that truly came to mind in the moment.

Miles just looked over to him, silent for a few moments before he pulled his legs closer and leaned against the doctor. Hiding against his side with a weak and shaky breath, Eggman looked down at him, feeling awkward, but didn't push him away. Not yet anyways…

Eggman said nothing for a while, simply letting Miles hide against him as he kept an arm around the kit. The base fell into an almost comfortable lull of silence…

At least until the alarms suddenly started blaring. Snapping the duo after their peaceful moment. Eggman stood up from the bed as Miles sat straight up looking panicked.

"What's happening?!"

"I don't know, but I plan to find out!" Eggman was glaring before he hurried out of the room. Miles watching in fear before jumping off the bed and running after the man, being alone right now seemed like the worst action to take right now. Miles fell behind the doctor, still sore from the injuries he had, but he had a good feeling on where to go anyways.

When Miles arrived and opened the door to the main lab, he was terrified to see that it was full of destroyed badniks and the doctor's computer had been smashed as well. Miles felt his ears fall flat as he looked around, the fear of finding the doctor somewhere in the room as well. Though the man was nowhere to be seen, it didn't help quell Miles' growing anxiety.

It was only when he thought he heard something through the alarms did Miles snap back to attention. Raising his ears up, he picked up the sound of… something coming from the hallway to his right.

'But is that where-?!'

Miles raced off towards the hallway without a second thought.

As the door opened, Miles had to cover his face from how violently the wind inside had gotten. He felt his bandages getting pulled loose and hanging off his body as he attempted to crack an eye open.

All the windows had appeared to be shattered, which was probably causing the wind. Miles just hissed and looked forward the best he could, moving out of the doorway to escape the harsh airflow best he could. In front of him he saw the doctor in- what looked to be the carrier he had brought him back in just hours earlier. He seemed furious, staring at-

The blue hedgehog from earlier?!

The other- ugh what had that hedgehog said his name was? Sanic? Miles didn't remember and at the moment he didn't really care! Had the other been fighting the doctor?! He had to-

Stepping forward sent a jolt through his leg as Miles flinched. He was in no condition to get involved in anything like this…!

"Well Egghead! It's been fun but you're as bad as usual! I'll be taking those emeralds back now." Sanic- whatever his name was, sounded cocky, it made Miles feel annoyed as he could do nothing but watch.

"Sonic you useless rodent! You don't think you've won have you?! This isn't even the start!"

Sonic- that was his name, close enough. Miles watched them argue, his eyes widening when Sonic curled up into a ball and suddenly launched forward and slammed into the Egg carrier, sending the doctor into the wall.

"Doctor!"

Both heads snapped over at his voice, varying expressions on each of them. Miles wasn't exactly a pretty sight at the moment. His bandages had been all but ripped off by the wind and he hadn't exactly had a moment to clean off the dirt either. Eggman looked surprised for a moment, frustrated for another. While Sonic on the other hand, looked surprised, before shocked and then angry.

"So that's where you went! We kidnapping children now Egghead?! That's a low even for you!" The hedgehog pointed at the man, who looked over in surprise along with Miles.

"What-!?"

"I'm putting an end to this now!" Sonic dropped back into a ball and revved up once again, but instead of aiming at the doctor. The blue blurs focus was on the large machine in front of them. The one holding the chaos emeralds.

Eggman and Miles realized what he was doing at the last second as Eggman stood up in his carrier.

"Don't you fool!" Eggman reached out, as if to stop the other, but it was too late.

Sonic threw himself at the machine housing the chaos emeralds, metal and glass shattering under the force of his attack. He was pushed back at this, the emeralds all beginning to grow brighter and brighter until they started to turn white. Miles and Eggman watched in horror at what the other had just done. Sonic himself blinking as more alarms started to ring out from the machine he had just attacked.

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'VE JUST DONE?!" Eggman sounded very upset, to put it lightly. Sonic paused for a moment before just grinning and giving the doctor a two fingered salute.

"Ruined your plans that's for sure! Now me and the kit are outta here! Later Egghead!"

Sonic himself quickly rushed forward- right towards Miles. The kit blinked in surprise before he was suddenly picked up and thrown over the others shoulder- and subsequently thrown out a window as Sonic himself jumped through one of the shattered ones. Miles heard the doctor call out his name, but was too shocked to respond.

Instead all the fox could do was screech as they both fell towards the floor.

Behind them, the building finally exploded from the strain the chaos emeralds had put on the death egg.

Miles couldn't see anything, and everything went black moments later as he passed out in the arms of this crazy mobian.

I just wanna thank you all so much for the comments you've all been leaving! It mean's so much to be reading through them and seeing people enjoy my story. I hope you all will continue to enjoy what I write!