The days started to fly by, slowly at first. Eggman had troubles moving about, but he soon made it a sort of game to make Sonic feel better. By a month's time, he seem to have relearned the art of walking, and was finally discharged, making him the young hedgehog grow relief. Eggman met his new companion while leaving the hospital; a German shepherd named Molly. Sonic held the stuffed dog tightly, as Molly look almost identical to it.
Eggman found himself spending time playing with her and resting at home than have her leading him around. He felt really relaxed and safe, too. Sonic chose to stay by his side through and through, making a bit of a nest next to Eggman's bed, keeping a close eye on the man at every moment he could.
With Sonic around him, Eggman found his more gentle side blooming. His voice grew much softer over the months of his release, growing more attached to Sonic and his friends. Sonic also explained he was losing weight, which could have been because he was less stressed out. "That's because I haven't been tempted to eat so many wonderful looking foods!" Eggman spoke in a chuckle.
Tails entered the house one evening, smiling. "I have two things to show…you…Eggman." He caught his words to late, his voice growing lower.
Eggman looked away from his book, specially made for the blind. "Oh, how thought full…" He staggered, forgetting a moment his lack of being able to see.
"I made some things I think would help you navigate a little better. You know how bats find their prey and walls, right?"
"By sonar, I know. But what does that have to…" He sighed. "Tails, you didn't have to, really."
The fox shock his head. "I insist. Now…one has two antennae on a pair of glasses, one sends off sonar waves, and the other picks them back up. Then, what ever the second antenna picks up, it'll make a bright, white glow on the glasses, like the sun, the closer the brighter."
Eggman looked back down, sighing again. "I'm not sure that is going to work, kid. I thank you for your efforts, but I'm fine, really."
Tails shook his head, turning to the other. "Well…I also made one with headphones." He looked at Eggman's face. "Just try them out, alright."
He sighed again, not wanting to disappoint. Amazingly enough, the strange sunglasses seem to work, just slightly. There was a much more visible lighter blotch around the normal mush. "Say…how often does this sonar go off? I think it might be a little sickening after a while having this light flashing off and on."
Tails shrugged. "I haven't really tested it, I'm not blind."
"Oh, so I'm a guinea pig, then? Do you want me to squeak for you?" He pulled the glasses down, sighing. "Thank-you kindly, but I am fine, really."
Tails left after spending some time with Sonic, Eggman finding out that the glasses did seem to w help out more than he originally thought. It was pretty smooth refreshing the blotch of light, but there was only one problem. The light still did mingle with the rest of the grayscale, making it hard for him to tell it apart. And outside was worse, blending almost entirely. The headphones, which beeped whenever something was close, the faster it returned the closer it was, seem to work a little more, but gave Eggman a massive headache.
In the end, he left the things off, relying on Molly and Sonic to travel, which wasn't hard or annoying as much as he originally thought it would be. He did grow use to seeing a mess of grayscale, giving a fatherly love to Sonic on the side. It seemed to be a nice, simple life ahead of him, and he wasn't really complaining. He would kiss the young hedgehog on the forehead at night, wishing him a good night sleep, and fall asleep, his hand resting on Sonic's belly, which eased his mind. Feeling the gentle up and down of the breathing, he knew the child was alright. If he woke, or having nightmares.
He faintly remembers his mother once doing it with him as well.
After a year, he would have Sonic snuggle beside him, his back parallel to Eggman's back. It made the two feel safe and relaxed. Molly was curled up at their toes, her tail covering his nose. He smiled softly, whispering gently words that seem so slurred now, muffled by his drifting. But he heard the hedgehog reply back, his heart fluttering. He never did think he would ever here them spoken directly towards him again. It made his eyes water, bringing the hedgehog into a hug.
"I love you too, Egg."