Here, I attempt to explain the extreme difference between the original Eggman (or Robotnik) from the old games and the other cartoon shows, and the one we saw in Sonic X. The change is just too big for it to be the same guy.

SONIC X FINAL CAST PARTY

Chapter Four

""

"Wait," Tails said as Cosmo continued to stare at the old house. "This is where your dad made his old horror movies?" Come to think of it, Sonic had bragged that he'd rented out a house that used to be in the movies. What a small world!

"Most of them," Cosmo said. "The Call of Cthulhu used this as a mental institution. Daddy was a sea captain, so he wasn't in those scenes. Actually, in the story, he was second mate, but they thought it would be scarier to make him an evil captain." She sighed. "He was always evil in every part they gave him. That's probably why he can't get steady work now."

Of course, Tails knew that Doctor Eggman was getting steady work, but then, he wasn't the original Eggman. They'd started with a rounder man who wore red eye lenses and was made up to look like he was a cyborg or something. When he passed away, they hired a new actor. The games had ignored the difference, although the comic book had come up with a story that the first Eggman had died, and the new one was from another dimension.

"I used to have nightmares about this place!" Cosmo admitted. "I can't believe your friend Sonic would rent this place out!" She shivered. "My sister, Galaxina, played a little ballerina in The Masque of the Red Death here. I wasn't born yet, but she said she always felt that someone was watching her!"

"She was about your age, and had a very vivid imagination," her mother said. "Just like you do. Now stop dawdling, Cosmo. You do want your father out of jail, don't you?"

Cosmo gasped. "Of course I do!" she cried.

"Then go to your party while I see what I can," Hertia told her.

Tails got out of the car, went around, and opened Cosmo's door for her. He helped her out.

"I'm sorry, Mommy!" she said. "I love you!"

As Hertia drove away, Tails couldn't help but think that, if Lucas got out of jail, he'd take Cosmo away from him. He didn't want her dad sitting in prison, of course. He'd heard that terrible things happened to people in there. And Lucas had a big mouth. Tails hadn't realized how complicated life could be until now.

The party was going in full swing. Apparently, Cosmo was the only person in the cast having troubles. Chris was talking animatedly to Big about something. Cream had managed to drag both Bokkun and Charmy over. They were looking daggers at each other while Cream chattered away.

"You two here?" Knuckles asked. He was drunk. "Thought you wondered off to…heh heh! Whoa! I got the head spins!" He staggered off to a chair. He missed the chair, and sat down hard on the floor. "Who pulled the dang chair out from under me?!?" he yelled.

"He can't hold hish liquor!" Rouge said. "Hee hee! He ish sho drunk!" She staggered off to where Knuckles was, tried to sit down in the same chair, and ended up on the floor next to him. "Hee hee! They moved my chair too! The joint'sh haunted!"

"I know what you're thinking," Cosmo said. "Yes, Daddy drinks when he's depressed, but I swear he's never hit any of us!"

"That's not what I was thinking!" Tails said, even though it was.

"Disgusting!" Amy Rose said. Her father was a minister. "Devil rum will be their ruin some day, mark my words!" She turned towards Sonic. "Nicky! You'd better check to make sure these two stewed prunes didn't spike the punch!"

"I just had three glasses, and the punch is fine," Big said, having a fourth glass. He was wearing a suit and a tie. Far from the big dummy he played in the show, Big was taking college courses when his schedule permitted. He wanted to be a lawyer. Tails wished he knew what he wanted to be if the acting parts dried up. He was pretty good at fixing things, although, of course, nowhere near the genius he played. Still, his I.Q. was 140, so he felt he could do better than repairing cars for a living.

"Would you like some punch?" Tails asked Cosmo.

"What?" she said. She hadn't had to fake daydreaming in the show. "I'm sorry, Tails. Did you say something?"

"Would you like some punch?" Tails asked again.

"I don't know," she said. "No, I do know what I want! I want my daddy out of jail! I want him to get steady work so we can stop moving around and I can stay here with you!" She blushed. "I mean--all of you! Um…just in case they…decide to bring me back in a game or a new show or something!"

"I want you to stay, too," Tails told her. "I…" He forced himself to just come right out and say it. "Cosmo, I…I wasn't acting when I said I…"

"Who ordered pizza?!?" Silver shouted, bringing in five boxes.

"Argh!" Tails growled. This was getting to be ridiculous!

Bokkun stopped eating his heart out over the fact that Cream was again dancing with Charmy long enough to grab a pizza. He carried it to where they were dancing.

"Hey, Cream! How 'bout some pizza?"

"Um, maybe later, Bokkun," Cream said as Charmy spun her around. The bee was definitely a much better dancer than Bokkun was.

"Better luck next time!" Charmy said, sticking his tongue out as Bokkun.

"I insist!" Bokkun said, opening the box. He took out a slice of pizza and stuck it on Charmy's face. It had extra cheese, so Charmy had to pull it off. He now had cheese all over his face.

"That's it!" Charmy yelled, jumping Bokkun. Cream watched them fight for a minute, then went over to the refreshment table. She grabbed a large can of soda, shook it up, then went back to where they were still slugging it out. She held the can out towards them, and pulled the tab.

PSHHHTTT!!! The can exploded all over them.

"I said I don't want a rowdy boyfriend!" she yelled. "Now you two grow up and behave yourselves, or I'll beat both of you up! Remember, I'm a second level black belt in Aikido!"

"That is one scary little bunny rabbit!" Amy said. "So how you two kids doing?" she asked Tails and Cosmo. "Aw, your first fight already?" she asked, seeing their faces.

"What?" Cosmo cried. "Oh no! No! Tails and I are just friends!"

The words were like a knife in Tails' heart. "Just friends."

"Sure," Amy said, grinning. "You just keep telling yourself that." She walked away. "Come on, Nicky! Let's dance!"

"Five bucks says Cream beats up Bokkun and takes Charmy," Silver told Shadow.

"You're on!" Shadow said. "I think she'll pick Bokkun!"

"Hey!" Blaze complained. She'd just opened the other boxes of pizza. "No anchovies? I distinctly said anchovies on mine!" She took out her cell phone and called the pizza parlor.

"What is it with cats and fish?" Shadow asked.

"Hello? Yes, I'd like to lodge a complaint!" Blaze said. "I ordered anchovies, and I didn't get them! What do you mean what's that to you? Let me talk to your manager!"

"Tails?" Cosmo said while he was trying to think of something to say to her. "Could you excuse me for a minute? I want to call my sisters. I'll be right back."

Tails sighed. This night was not going well. Bokkun plopped down next to him. "Girls!" he said. He had a black eye and a fat lip. "I think I'll make Charmy the villain in all of my rpgs!" Bokkun played in about a dozen online games. He was a real nerd.

"So you're giving up?" Tails asked him.

"No way!" Bokkun said. "I'll see ya around!" He wondered off.

Cosmo came back a minute later. She looked more shook up than ever. Tails jumped to his feet. He took her hands in his without even thinking about it. She didn't seem to notice.

"Cosmo? What is it?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

"Daddy's friends!" Cosmo sobbed. "You know, they played the other Metarex generals! They--they broke him out of jail! He's on the lam!"

To be continued…