General Abraham Tower looked out over the crowd, a sea of media hounds fighting for the top story and concerned citizens as far as the eye could see. In the back, he could see protestors with signs demanding GUN relinquish its power, or be abolished altogether. They were being held back by police, who had set up a barricade outside the park.

Tower frowned as he saw a fight break out, only to be broken up by police before it could escalate further. The journalists' cameras flashed so much he could barely keep his eyes open. He kept his composure, hiding his growing frustration at the situation. His eyes turned to the focus of today's event, Commander Hugo Brass.

"Effective today, I will be stepping down as GUN's Commander-in-Chief." Cameras flashed and journalists reached their microphones out. "The confusion was the result of an elaborate scheme by Doctor Ivo Robotnik, however it was due to my own lack of foresight that the situation escalated as much as it had, as well as GUN's eagerness to prevent another disaster like Station Square."

"Commander Brass, is it true that you had granted authority for troops to fire on a populated area?"

"Given the circumstances, I exercised my authority to declare a state of emergency, under which citizens were required to return to their homes and remain indoors until permitted to leave."

"Eye-witnesses report that your troops were in pursuit of Sonic the Hedgehog hours before the heist committed by Shadow took place! Can you comment on that?"

"At the time we had reason to believe that Sonic was working with Doctor Robotnik. I cannot give any more information than that."

Voices overlapped as people demanded an explanation, but Commander Brass remained stone-faced as he simply pointed to a reporter waiting quietly. "Next question."

"Scarlet Garcia, Central City News. Independent sources report that the explosion on Prison Island was the result of an attack launched by Doctor Eggman, and that the Chaos Emeralds he had were stolen from the vault you had there. Is there any credibility to these claims?"

Brass furrowed his brow as he regarded the reporter. "Those reports are entirely unfounded. The explosion on Prison Island was the result of an accident, and the facility has never held any Chaos Emeralds."

"Can you elaborate on this 'accident', and how it resulted in the entirety of the world's largest military facility being completely destroyed?"

"The details are classified, and have nothing to do with the subject of this interview." More voices raised at the Commander's dodging of the question. He once again ignored them as he simply picked out the next reporter. "Next question please."

This went on for a full hour, and General Tower could only watch as the crowd continued to get more riled up with every question that Commander Brass either dodged or half-answered.

"Regarding your stepping down from your position," one reported began, "Will you still continue to serve GUN?"

"No. I am stepping down entirely, and will be retiring from active duty to spend my remaining years with my family in the countryside."

"So who will be replacing you as Commander-in-Chief?"

General Tower stiffened and took in a breath.

"A unanimous decision was reached. The next Commander-in-Chief will be General Tower, who has served GUN for over thirty years, and has a long-standing history of military achievements and an upstanding education record. I can think of no other man more suited for the task than him." Several reporters asked if they could interview Tower, some even directing their questions at the man directly, but Hugo Brass declined. "General Tower's promotion will be made official one week from today, and at that time there will be a press conference. You may ask your questions there."

Twelve bells sounded in the distance, marking the twelfth hour of the day. "I'm afraid that that is all we have time for today," Hugo Brass said. "Thank you all for attending today, and to Sonic and his friends, who were gravely mistreated under my watch, please accept my sincerest apologies." He stepped out from behind his podium and bowed. Cameras flashed, capturing the image of the ex-Commander bowing his head.

"Well then, that is that," Hugo Brass said as he stepped into his car, General Tower following behind him. As the door closed behind them, he sighed. "Sorry to leave you with my mess to clean up, General."

Ever since the incident with the ARK falling towards Earth was resolved, GUN had been in hot water over the fact that they had implicated Sonic as a criminal. A news outlet had managed to air a close-up of Shadow before GUN could suppress the media, and even worse than that, Sonic had risked his life to save the world, with everybody there to witness his heroic deeds. Any chance they had to write off their actions as simple mistakes were now gone. Even the president had publicly sided with Sonic and denounced GUN's actions.

Retiring was really the only option Hugo Brass had anymore, to prevent GUN from being dragged under and completely dismantled. "Was there really no better way?" General Tower asked. "I understand that Project Shadow was dangerous. Believe me, I know."

"You were one of the survivors of the accident up on the ARK," Hugo Brass said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a packet of cigarettes. He offered one to the General, who declined, and then simply took one for himself. "Project Shadow is, was, the living legacy of a mad scientist. His destructive legacy, that very nearly doomed us all. If I had announced its existence to the public, I would risk widespread panic and public disorder. I couldn't take that risk." He sighed as he exhaled smoke, rolling down the window slightly. "I couldn't have imagined he would help Sonic in the end…"

Tower scowled at that. "Why would he? After everything he'd done, killing all those people aboard the ARK, and stealing the Chaos Emeralds. Why would he suddenly help to save us all?"

Hugo Brass remained silently, staring out of the window as he breathed out another cloud of smoke. "Who knows?" was all that he could say. 'With this, the last person who knows the truth about Project Shadow is now gone. At the very least, I can take GUN's terrible secret with me to my grave.' He glanced over at Commander Tower, whose fists were clenched as he stared down at the floor with a serious scowl. "I guess it doesn't matter now. He's dead, after all." 'Conveniently.'

"That's true, but I… This doesn't feel right. Can the victims of the ARK really rest just with that?"

"You're going to be Commander Tower soon. I suggest you start focussing on that, rather than dwelling in the past. Take it from me, you're going to be faced with a lot of situations that 'aren't fair'. But if what you want is to protect the people, then you'll have to accept those situations and simply move on."

General Tower looked up at Hugo Brass. "Maybe you're right… Maybe it's time I let go of the past."

As Hope walked to school, along the same route that she followed every day, passing the same buildings and people that she passed every day, entering through the same gates she passed through every day, she couldn't help but feel today wasn't going to be like every day. All eyes were on her, voices seemed to be whispering about her, and people seemed to be going out of their ways to avoid her.

As she entered her classroom, all talking stopped. Everybody simply gazed as she walked to her desk. Her desk was covered in graffiti and scratches, and had a sizable dent in the corner. Her chair was wet with what she could only hope was simply water as she sat down, hearing some chuckles from her classmates. She put down her bag and stared out the window as she waited. She could feel people staring right at her until the teacher came in.

Everybody else took their seats or returned to their own classrooms as the teacher began reading out the students' names. Jackie Thomas, Ruby Redwood, Samuel O'Neil, Jasmine Pine… "Hope."

Hope winced. "Here," she said in a low voice. The teacher would normally demand the student speak up, but instead he simply continued reading out names. Everybody else had their name read out in full, but Hope was just 'Hope'. The teacher didn't even dare read out her surname, 'Robotnik'.

Ever since the notorious Doctor Eggman launched his attack on Station Square, which resulted in the entire city being destroyed and the deaths of over fifty thousand people, rumours spread that the mad scientist's true name was 'Robotnik'. For a long time, Hope was able to evade these rumours, thanks to her friends having her back, and teachers laying down the law. Last week though, Doctor Ivo Robotnik made an announcement to the whole world. It was a declaration of war. He blew up half of the moon, and threatened to turn that same firepower on Central City itself.

As if that wasn't enough, Doctor Gerald Robotnik, a man who died long ago, launched his own plan from beyond the grave. The ARK plummeted towards the planet, and the world came close to complete destruction, if not for the heroic efforts of two hedgehogs, Sonic and Shadow.

Now, there was no escaping it. The name 'Robotnik' was know to everyone, and it had become a symbol of shame. What friends Hope had quickly disconnected themselves from her, and now even the teachers couldn't help her. Today was her first day back to school since the incident, and it was clear she was not welcome.

On her way to her first lesson, she had been shoved three times in the corridor, and during the lesson itself, when she had dropped her pencil and leaned down to pick it up, she found her textbook had been taken. When she asked for it back, the teacher told her to stop disrupting the lesson. When she finally did receive it back, her notes had been scribbled out and messages telling her to go away – but in harsher words – had been added.

When she had Music class, she was unable to participate because her recorder had been dipped in a tin of paint from the Art classroom. During Physical Education, she was again unable to take part, as her uniform had been thrown into the showers and was too damp to put on. The teacher saw her sitting out of the lesson and when Hope explained why, she was given detention for skipping class.

By the end of the day, Hope had been shoved by passers-by eighteen times, had been kicked under the table twelve times, had been struck on the back of the head three times and had even been threatened by the school's bully, who wasn't even supposed to be there as he was suspended two weeks ago!

She finished her detention, where she was made to write out 'I will not forget my uniform for Phys Ed.' one hundred times, and then left. Most students were already gone, but a group of girls from her class were still at the main gates. Two humans, one cat and one fox. They stopped their conversation as she approached and watched her, grinning as she passed by them. One stuck out their foot, tripping her over.

"Oops!" she said as they all laughed.

"Careful Sarah," another one said. "She might try to destroy the city!"

"Or maybe she'll just go for the whole world!"

The girls laughed as Hope climbed up to her feet, only to have her hair pulled from behind as the girls circled around her. "Why did you even come today? Did you think you'd be welcome here?"

The fox girl punched her in the stomach, and Hope had to hold a hand to her mouth to stop from throwing up. One of the human girls kicked her back, and the girl pulling her hair forced her to her knees.

"Hey! What's going on?!" The girls stopped as the school's security guard ran over, glaring at the group. He was the new one, who had only started a few weeks ago. "What do you all think you're doing?!"

"We're just playing with our friend," the girl holding Hope's hair said. "Right, Robotnik?"

The man's glare faltered. "Ro…" He looked at the girl on her knees, crying and covered in dirt, staring at him with pleading eyes. He gulped and pulled down his cap. "Uh, s-school's out. You shouldn't be loitering here."

Hope gasped. He wasn't going to help her! The girls seemed distracted. Taking her chance, Hope pulled herself free, feeling her hairs ripping out of her head, and ran as fast as she could.

"Hey!"

She heard the girls give chase behind her, but she was able to outrun them and make it to her home. When she entered, she found her foster parents in the middle of a conversation. They stopped as she walked in, staring at her for a few moments.

"Oh, dear!" her foster mother, Bertha, called out. "Look at you! You're all covered in dirt! Really now, you're not a child anymore!"

Hope frowned. Her mother wasn't going to help, either. She was smiling, but it was a fake smile. One to simply keep the house from falling apart. Her foster father, Irving, simply watched TV, ignoring her entirely. "I uh…"

"Go take a bath. Dinner will be ready soon."

Hope simply nodded. Bertha didn't even question the bruises or the dishevelled hair. As she ascended the stairs, she caught the bedroom door of her foster brother closing. She could hear her parents picking up their conversation below her.

"What are we going to do?" Bertha asked. "Should we pull her out of school?"

"We can't. They'd cut our funding," Irving replied. The only reason Hope was even still at school, despite her performing far beyond her grade level, was because her foster parents would receive more funding than if she were to skip grades. "And we're gonna need that money if I lose my job because of her."

Hope sniffed, tears welling in her eyes, as she entered the bathroom and locked the door. She was alone now. She turned on the faucet and sat down on the tiled floor, bringing her knees to her chest as she waited for the bath to fill, her sobs drowned out by the running water.

"Commander, we've received a report!" Private Jenkins saluted as he approached the Commander. "Harold Robotnik has been sighted in Mazuri. He's laying low at the moment and appears to be safe."

"Have a squad sent out right away. Make sure you approach carefully. We don't want to scare him away, or alert the locals to his presence."

"Yes, sir!"

Commander Tower made an update on his list. He had been officially promoted two days ago, and since then he had been working on a case involving the members of the Robotnik family spread across the world. Ever since the Eclipse Cannon incident, people with the surname Robotnik had found themselves the victims of bullying and harassment, losing their jobs and being evicted from their residences. Some had even been assaulted, and at least two had been reported dead under suspicious circumstances.

As much as Tower despised Gerald for his creation of Project Shadow, his granddaughter Maria was another story. He had joined GUN and dedicated his life to protecting people because of her, and so he took this case very personally. He made it a priority to track down all members of Robotnik's family and help them, and so far they had successfully helped a little over half, but many had gone into hiding, making it hard to track them down.

"Commander, I have Agent Rouge on line three," his secretary called through his phone's intercom.

"Put her through," he instructed, and picked up his phone. "Agent Rouge?"

"Hey, I have some information you might be interested in, about that Robotnik search you're doing."

"Report," he stated, only to receive a hum in response.

"I never said it would be free. Commander Brass would usually state his offer right now." The Commander sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Well, consider this a present, to congratulate you on your promotion. There's a girl in Empire City who might have flown under your radar."

A little over one week had passed since Hope's first day back to school. She had returned three times since then, and on the second day she was cornered in the bathroom and had her backpack stolen from her. The teachers had it returned, but the contents were completely destroyed, and the pack itself was damp and smelled like sewage.

On the third day the suspended bully jumped her and punched her hard enough to draw blood. This time the police were involved, but only because this particular boy already had a record. He was expelled, and Hope was allowed to take the following day off.

Her parents pretty much ignored her completely, only calling her down for meals and making sure she was doing her chores and homework. She hadn't even seen her brother, who had made it a point to leave and return before her. She hoped he wasn't being bullied, too, but she had no idea because his school was in the opposite direction, so she really had no chance to ever see him.

Over the weekend, she was asked to carry out some tasks. She went to the store to buy groceries. Thankfully the cashier didn't recognise her, although a customer did and made a big deal about it just as she was about to leave. She went to pick up a cake at the bakery that her mother had placed an order for, only to be told the price had suddenly increased. She called her mother, who simply sighed and told her to pay whatever she had to. She could practically hear her foster mother ready to cry.

She went to the library to return some books and rent out some new ones, only to be told that her card had been revoked and that she was banned. The library was her home-away-from-home, a sanctuary where she could study advanced material in peace.

Monday rolled around, and she went back to school with her dirty backpack. Her parents didn't buy her new books, as those would just be destroyed anyway. Instead, she was just given a few sheets of paper to use throughout the day.

She had somehow managed to get through the day without too much taking place. Perhaps the other students were uneasy after seeing that bully being taken away by police? There was still the odd shoving, spitballs being fired into her hair, and nasty notes being thrown across the room. She could still hear people talking about her and feel their gazes. But she was allowed to leave without incident, and made her way home alone once more.

That is, until she felt like she was being followed. She started walking faster, and the person behind her did, too. She started running, and the person behind her also ran. She rounded a corner, and there was a hedgehog boy, probably a couple of years older than her, waiting there. He grabbed her wrists and covered her mouth as he pulled her into an alley, and threw her to the ground.

A girl who looked her age showed up. She was a hedgehog, too. Hope realised that was the one who had been following her. "W-What do you want?" she asked, panicking.

"That's her," the girl said. "That's Hope Robotnik! She goes to my friend's school!"

Hope scrambled to her feet, only for the boy to rush her and knock her back down. Hope tumbled over a trashcan and felt her heart racing as she clutched her side. "Stop, please! I didn't do anything!"

"Your uncle did!" the boy said. "He killed our parents! They were in Station Square when he destroyed it!"

Hope's eyes turned to pinpricks. Until now, she was being bullied simply for her association with her uncle. Now, two people with a vendetta against him had her cornered. The girl was crying, screaming obscenities and calling her a murderer, whilst the boy lifted his foot and kicked her as she attempted to get back up. "I'm not like him! You can't just lump us together like that!"

The boy didn't listen. He kicked her again, and leaned down to pick her up by her collar. "Your grandfather nearly killed us all! You're dangerous!" He raised his arm, ready to throw a punch, and Hope braced herself. A hand grabbed the boy's wrist from behind, stopping him in his tracks. "Wha-"

"That's far enough, young man." A man with blonde hair, wearing a blue jacket and glasses, stared coldly at the boy.

"Let go of my brother!" the girl screamed, running at the man, but a female bat swooped down before her, blocking her path. "Sorry kids, but it's far past your bedtimes."

"I suggest you return home, now," the man said as he released the boy's hand. "Or we could get the police involved, if you'd prefer."

"Brother…"

The boy glared at Hope, and was about to protest, but the man's icy stare intimidated him enough to flee with his sister.

"You sure we should let him go?" the bat asked.

"Well, it would only make things more complicated if we turned him in now," the man replied, and then turned to Hope.

When Hope finally got a good look at the man, she found that she recognised him. "Mr. Stewart!"

Mr. Stewart smiled, offering a hand to help her to her feet. "Well now, I'm surprised you remember me, Miss Robotnik."

She accepted his hand and lifted herself to her feet. Mr. Stewart was a teacher at the elementary school she attended in Central City, before she was moved to her current foster family. "Um, thank you for helping me, but uh… You probably shouldn't…"

"Well there's no way I could turn a blind eye to somebody in danger, especially not one of my former students."

"But why are you here?" she asked.

"We're here for you, actually," the bat said, extending a hand to her. "My name's Rouge the Bat. You're Hope Robotnik, yes?" Hope accepted the handshake and nodded. "Eggman's niece?" At that, she shuddered. "Looks like you've been having some trouble. Well, we've got somebody who wants to meet you."

"Who?"

Mr. Stewart and Rouge the Bat offered Hope a lift to her home, telling her that the person who wanted to meet her would be waiting there. When they arrived, she found GUN soldiers standing outside her house at attention. Inside the house, GUN's Commander-in-Chief was sitting in her foster parents' living room, across from her parents, along with a female GUN soldier.

"We brought her," Rouge said. "Just in time, too. She was being attacked by some kids."

"Thank you, Agent Rouge," the Commander said, placing down his tea and motioning for Hope to join them. Hope sat at a chair between the two parties. Rouge and Mr. Stewart stood in the hallway, simply watching from the side. "Now then, allow me to introduce myself. I am GUN's Commander-in-Chief, Abraham Tower. This is Agent Topaz." The female officer bowed her head. "We are here to discuss the current situation surrounding your foster daughter. As I'm sure you're aware, recent developments have made living a normal life difficult for her."

The parents simply grunted in acknowledgement, looking away awkwardly. "You're… gonna cut our funding, aren't you?" Irving asked. "Or are you going to kick us out of the program altogether?"

"Please calm down. We are not here for that. In fact, if you are suffering any financial strain as a result of this, I will be happy to make arrangements for your future."

The parents seemed to relax slightly at that. "Am I… being arrested?" Hope asked, her voice trembling.

"Of course not!" Topaz blurted out, catching herself and regaining her composure. "You haven't done anything wrong, Miss. We're here to help you."

"Miss Robotnik, do you know about the Witness Protection Program?" Tower asked.

Hope nodded. "It's a program devised by GUN to protect the identities of witnesses when their testimonies would put them in danger."

"That's how it normally works, yes. At the moment though, the program is also being extended to all members of the Robotnik family. Ever since Ivo's announcement, and his subsequent attack on the world, people with the name 'Robotnik', as well as those directly related to the family, have been facing hardships and ridicule from their peers. It's gotten to the point where some have even fled to foreign nations to remain in hiding."

Hope frowned. "So it's not just me…"

"I'm sorry it took us this long to find you. Your admission into the Foster Care Program caused you slip under the radar, and we've had our hands full trying to locate other members of your family. So far, most of you family have accepted the program, accepting new identities and starting new lives, where nobody knows of their past selves. We would like to offer the same deal to you."

"You want me to… erase my identity, and start a new life as someone else?" Tower nodded. "But that's…"

"I understand that it sounds scary. You will be leaving your old life behind entirely, including your former friends. However, given the current situation, I urge you to consider the option."

"You should do it, Hope," Bertha said, tears welling in her eyes. "Your father and I can't protect you. Everybody here knows who you are. I've… seen the bruises. You shouldn't have to live in fear all the time."

Hope's own eyes were beginning to tear. She clenched her hands into fists and stared down at the floor. "But… I shouldn't have to change my name, either. It's not fair… Just because my uncle and grandpa did some bad things. What about my dad?! Colin Robotnik was a hero! He saved people and was a respected mayor!"

"I know it isn't fair, Hope," Abraham said softly. "I know that not all Robotniks are bad. That is why I am trying to help you."

"I… I'm proud to be my father's daughter. I loved him, and he always taught me to never give up on myself. That if I put my mind to it, I can do great things, too. He gave his life to save people from a burning building… If I threw away the name he gave me, it would disrespectful to him."

The room was silent as Hope choked back her sobs. Mr. Stewart approached from behind and put a hand on her shoulder. She immediately grabbed it and began crying, letting out all of the tears she had been holding back. "It's not fair… Why do I have to give up everything… just because of my uncle?"

The Commander waited patiently, respectfully, until her tears began to die down. When she lifted her face back up and reached for the tissues Bertha had brought, he said, "I won't force anything on you. However, it will impossible for you to live a normal life with the name that you have now."

"Then how about an abnormal life?" Rouge said, walking into the room. In her hand was some sheets of paper, which she threw down onto the table, revealing schematics and designs for various types of robots. "I found this in our girl's room. Looks like she's pretty talented."

Topaz and the Commander reached for separate sheets and examined them. "Ah, those are… doodles that she makes in her spare time," Irving said, beginning to sweat. "J-Just childish drawings, you know?"

"They're designs," Hope muttered. "Designs for robots that would work if I just had the parts…"

"S-She's a smart girl," Bertha said, laughing nervously. "But she does have a bit of an imagination, I'm afraid."

"These are… really good," Topaz said, turning her attention to what appeared to be blueprints for a GUN Beetle. "This is almost a perfect replica of our current models! Where did you get these?"

"I found some videos of Beetle drones used in the field, and just sorta… guessed how it was put together."

The Commander looked at her incredulously. "You guessed? It looks more like you reverse-engineered one."

"Well, I already had my own plans for a drone I was working on, uhhh… Here." She reached for a piece of paper at the bottom of the pile and handed it to the Commander. "The GUN Beetle operated very similarly though, so I figured it was probably designed in a similar way?"

"She has some textbooks upstairs, too," Rouge said. "Advanced engineering and robotics, far above her reading level."

"Oh, those are old books," Hope said with a smile. "I just keep them there for reference but I mostly know the contents back-to-front."

"Well, this is certainly impressive," Tower admitted, putting the papers down on the table, "But what is it you are implying, Agent?"

"Well, how about you let Girl Wonder here join your team? You know, the Anti-Robotnik team you're putting together to stop Eggman. Guess you'd need a new name, though."

"But, she's only fourteen…" Bertha said nervously.

"And she's designing robots almost identical to GUN's current models," Rouge said. "Imagine what she could do with the right resources. Plus that way, she wouldn't have to give up her name, because she'd be under your direct protection. Right, Commander Tower?"

"But there's still the age issue," Topaz chimed in. "We can't employ a minor, no matter how talented they are."

"No, there is an exception," Mr. Stewart said. "If she can pass a government-sanctioned exam to prove her talent as a young prodigy, she can be granted permission to work, despite her age."

"I would be putting her in too much danger," Tower said, turning his eyes to Rouge and Stewart. "My purpose here today is to protect Miss Robotnik, not expose her to more danger than she's already in."

"Wait," Hope said, and all eyes turned to her. "… If I can pass that test, will you let me join?"

The Commander narrowed his eyes. "As I said, I cannot put you in that kind of danger."

"Well, I'm already in danger now, aren't I? Two kids jumped me today, because their parents were killed by my uncle's actions! Who's to say more like that won't show up?"

"Which is why I'm offering you the Witness-"

"And I hate that idea!" Hope shouted, startling everybody as she shot up to her feet. "I love the name Robotnik, because my father made the name something to be proud of! I don't want to give it up because his brother isn't the same kind of man he was!"

"Please…"

"If I have to choose between putting myself in harm's way, or throwing away the name my father gave me, then I'll choose the former! Which means I either live my life dodging hate and ridicule everywhere I go, or…" Hope eased up, her eyes turning downwards as she got knelt down. "Please. Let me join your team. I want to… I want to help you defeat my uncle."

The Commander simply watched, as Hope lowered her head to her hands. Her foster parents were sweating bullets, Topaz and Stewart were watching the Commander intensely, and Rouge… seemed to be enjoying herself. "Do you understand that our mission may involve killing him?" he asked, and received no response. "It is possible that a machine you create might end up taking your uncle's life."

"… If that's what it takes then…" Hope raised her head, staring the Commander dead in the eyes. Her eyes trembled, but her face was certain. "I want to remove the stain on my family's name, and make the name 'Robotnik' something to be proud of!"

The Commander sighed, reaching up and scratching the back of his head. "… If you fail the test, you will enter into the Witness Protection Program. But, if you pass it, then I will extend an invitation for you to join the Guardian Units of Nations. Are we in agreement?"

Hope smiled, jumping to her feet as she gave a salute. "I won't let you down!" It was then that she remembered the presence of her foster parents in the room. She turned to them. They were looking at her with uneasy stares. "… I'm sorry for everything I put you through," she said with a bow.

The Commander cleared his throat, climbing out of his chair. "Then, Agent Stewart, I will leave the arrangements up to you. Come, Agent Topaz."

"Sir!" Topaz followed the Commander out of the room. "We will leave a few soldiers outside for your protection. Please don't leave the house unless it is absolutely necessary."

"C'mon, let's give them peace," Rouge said, ushering Topaz and Mr. Stewart out of the room.

As the door closed, Hope's foster father got up and approached her. She flinched as he reached a hand out, but then relaxed when he pulled her in for a hug. "No, we're sorry, Hope. We should have been able to do something to help you but… we were more concerned with ourselves."

The mother joined in the hug, sniffing as tears fell down her face. "We failed you as parents, when you needed us most. Please don't feel as though you've done anything wrong…"

Hope smiled as she hugged both her parents, the three of them silent as they just embraced the moment. "I'll write to you," she said.

Bertha stroked Hope's hair. "Are you sure you want to do this? You could live a peaceful life if you…"

"I know, but I can't forgive him for everything he's done. Not just to me, but to you guys, too."

Footsteps came running down the stairs, and the three parted as they turned to the source of the noise. A young boy came charging at Hope, tackling her into a hug as he cried into her chest. "Sis, don't go!" he cried.

"Julian…"

"Don't leave! I'm sorry I was mean to you! I just d-didn't wanna get bullied, too! Don't go, please!"

Hope smiled, embracing her younger foster brother and running her hand over his head. "I'm sorry, but I can't stay here."

"That's not fair!"

"I know… but I'll write to you, I promise. And when this is all over, I'll come and visit. I'll make it so your older sister's a hero, and we can all go out an celebrate around town."

The boy sniffed as he began to calm down. "W-Will that be soon?"

"Hopefully," she said.

He pulled back, wiping his face with his arm. "Then… Then beat that bad guy! I'll cheer you on!"

"Thanks."

"Well, since this is our last night as a family together…" Bertha began, "What say we have a big old feast and play some games together?"

"Can we play Plumber Party?!" Julian asked excitedly.

"Want me to kick your butt one final time before I leave?" Hope asked with a grin.

"Nuh-uh! I'm gonna settle the score!"

Irving and Bertha laughed as they watched the siblings squabble and set up the game. It was the first real laugh they had been able to have for over a week. They made for the kitchen to prepare the meal, surprised when Hope and Julian joined them to help out.

"You were prepared for that, weren't you?" Mr. Stewart asked as he drove through the streets of Empire City, Rouge sitting beside him.

"Aren't I always prepared?" Rouge said with a grin.

"Why were you so adamant about her joining the Commander's new team? I get that she's smart, but…"

Rouge chuckled. "Y'know, last week, there was a breach in the CIA's security. Somebody had snuck in through a backdoor and accessed sensitive data involving Eggman."

Mr. Stewart adjusted her glasses. "You're not saying…"

"Girl Wonder isn't just good with robots, it looks like. She takes after her uncle in many ways. Thankfully not in personality. In fact, she was so subtle that the only reason I noticed was because I was accessing that same information at the same time, trying to find members of Eggman's family for the Commander."

"So Hope hacked into the CIA's datascape, looking for information on Eggman? Why?"

Rouge gave him a deadpanned stare. "Seriously? If your life had been turned upside-down because of one man's selfish actions, what would you do with information on the guy?" She flashed some more sheets of paper, similar to the ones from earlier. "I didn't show these to the Commander, but there were some more recent designs in her room. These robots are armed with all sorts of weapons."

Mr. Stewart gripped the wheel. "Then, you think she was scheming to take revenge?"

"For now, it's likely just a way to vent out frustration. But a child as capable as her? Eventually, she would take action, whether she had support or not."

"So that's why you proposed that. If she has GUN's support, she at least won't be running headlong into danger…"

"Well, that too." Rouge rested her head on her hand as she stared out of the passenger-side window. "I also figured that this way, she wouldn't have to face it alone."

"Ah, so you're a softie, then." Rogue jabbed Mr. Stewart with her elbow. "Ah! Hey, I'm driving here!"

"Well, I'll leave it all to you, then. Now that you know why I went so far."

"What? You're not going to help?"

"Nope. I have a date." She chuckled under her breath. "With one of Eggman's secret vaults. We uncovered its location recently, and I'm betting there's something valuable inside."

The following day, Mr. Stewart returned with the news that the test had been arranged in one week's time. Hope had been escorted to a more secure location, where she would be able to prepare for the test in peace. Bertha, Irving and Julian were relocated to an apartment in Westopolis, where they could start fresh, without the stigma of the Robotnik name weighing them down. GUN had arranged for them to receive extra financial support, given the circumstances.

In the week that passed, Hope requested so many books that the room she was given started to look like her own private library. She studied hard into the night, often falling asleep at her desk. The test would largely focus around her abilities as a mechanical engineer, but the government also wanted proof that her other studies were at a high level, too.

She was given a small workspace, with resources to practice with. During that week, she was able to put together many of her designs that were previously impossible with just the junkyard scrap she had been working with before.

On the day of the exam, she had presented the designs that she came up with and explained them in great detail. She had also demonstrated her abilities with computers, able to break past dummy firewalls with ease, and proved her knowledge in written tests. Finally, she was presented with a Chaos Drive, and asked to build a robot that could harness its energy without overheating.

A difficult task, to be sure, especially considering that it was her first time ever working with a Chaos Drive. However, Commander Tower had permitted her to study the schematics of various robots used by GUN – in secret, of course – and armed with that knowledge, she knew exactly what she had to be careful of to ensure that the robot would be able to draw out the most energy from the drive without drawing too much at once.

When she was finished, she had put together a simple combat drone. One that was capable of identifying threats and engaging them in combats. It was armed only with a paintball gun, however, it was still able to successfully identify the three Eggman robot cut-outs and 'neutralise' them, leaving the GUN trooper cut-outs unharmed.

Passing the exam with flying colours, Hope was approached that same day by Commander Tower, who offered her a place at GUN's headquarters, under the new team that he was putting together to combat not only Eggman, but any threat to national security. Accepting his offer, Hope Robotnik was welcomed in as the newest member of Team Dark.