A/N: Time for chapter 15. Last we left off, the rest of the Freedom Fighters returned to New Mobotropolis except for Sonic. He was taking Scourge to the No Zone Jail. Sally was accused for treason but by applying some logic and reasoning she was dismissed of all charges, and Kor set up a plan to get his eyes replaced. However, what no one figured out was what kind of eyes they could replace his with. Sure they could use regular mobian eyes, but let's just say I'll take it a step further. Also, it seems a certain A.I. has grown fond of the former engineer. Let's watch it play out shall we?

Also, for those wondering what kind of song Kor was strumming last chapter, it was More Gun from TF2. Meant to say that last time but forgot. If you're a TF2 fan, you'd know it. If you don't, you can find it on youtube.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Sega except my OC. Medic belongs to Valve.

Sally was initially shocked at what her computer-based friend told her. She didn't think Nicole of all people would actually seem attracted to the somewhat crazed fox. No offense to Kor, but some of his habits can be rather, off to put it lightly. However, given that the 2 had spent the last few months working together, it wouldn't really surprise anyone else if they formed some sort of bond. Plus, another obvious indication was that they spent a good amount of time together even if it wasn't work related.

"Well, given that you both have been working together, rather close might I add, it seems like it would have happened eventually. However, I'm not sure just how you see him. Kor can sometimes be rather..." Sally trailed off, looking for word that wouldn't seem offensive.

"Crazy?" Nicole finished.

"Yes. His methods often don't clash well with ours. In fact, I've seen how he fights when Gray was still alive. He often acted crazy when shooting robots to bits, but then again so did the rest of his friends. If fighting his counterpart was any indication it seems he has a side to him he doesn't want to show now..." Sally explained.

"I'm aware of that...he was about to kill Theron but I managed to get him to stop. He also apologized to me about seeing that...I know he can be crazy at times but he has a kind and soft side to him that's starting to make my processors heat up the more I think about it. I wish I understand this affection more so I'd know how I felt..." Nicole finished sullenly.

"Well Nicole, love is a complicated emotion. There's not much to understand but most times you just act." Sally said.

"Much like how you and Sonic went about it?" The A.I. said teasingly.

"...Somewhat like that." Sally said, remembered their broken relationship. Even though they weren't officially together anymore, part of her still pined for the blue blur.

"...You think he might feel the same about me? I mean...if we do end up together how will it work? I'm an advanced A.I. and he's a full mobian..." Nicole asked after some thought. By now they were outside. The sun was starting to set, giving the sky a warm orange glow.

"Well Nicole, only thing I can tell you is that love sometimes finds a way. Back with me and Sonic, sometimes I questioned why we were even a couple, and yet, something about him kept me to him, as him to me. Not everything will have an answer. Plus, if it helps, he does call you by your nickname at times." Sally said.

"True." The A.I. said with a smile.

"Speaking of which, what were you two doing before I came in?" Sally asked.

"After I came back from delivering his message, I wanted to ask him something..." Nicole began.

-45 minutes earlier-

Nicole re-materialized back into Kor's hospital room. "Message sent. Want me to send another?"

"Nah, that's fine. Seems like they're just finishing." Kor said.

Nicole thought back to what Kor was telling her before Miles had interrupted them. "Kor? Earlier you said something about a system called 'respawn'. I'm curious as to what that actually is."

"Welp, it's abit of a long story so you might wanna sit down for this." He heard Nicole pulling up a chair a second later.

He sat up in his bed. "To be honest, I really shouldn't be alive right now...first time I died was about 4 years back when I first became an engineer for RED, but main reason I'm alive is because of that system. You see, Respawn is a system in which, if you were to die, the system would make you a new body with all your memories intact, including how you died. In order for it to work, the system needs a DNA sample from you so it can create a new you. Most commonly we used hair and blood samples as that's usually enough. Once the system recognizes you, it uses that DNA to create body tissues and nerve systems to go from there, almost like how babies are formed in expecting mothers. It takes about a couple minutes to create a new body before it places the memory of your previous body into it. Then, it teleports the newly made you into one of the resupply rooms of either team. Of course, you'll still ache on the area that caused your death but otherwise you'll be fine. From what I learned, the more you die, the faster you end up being respawned."

"Um...just how many times did you...die?" Nicole asked, feeling uneasy.

"More than I can count...probably over 1000 times since I was killed multiple times on a daily basis." Kor shrugged.

Needless to say, Nicole was baffled by what he just told her. That might explain why he was rather relaxed about it. Even if he died, he'd just come back and kill whoever killed him and vice versa. It started to make her uncomfortable. "I-I see...d-did you ever fear of not respawning?"

"Yeah...both teams did, which is why the system was always kept up to date. Any time the system went down, no one wanted to fight for fear of that person not coming back. One time the system went down whilst a daily fight. A few were dead already and everyone refused to fight one another during that time. We all feared the guys dead wouldn't come back...but thankfully the system was restored and they came back within a few minutes. Everyone on both teams may have killed each other for a living, but we did it because we knew that person wouldn't be truly dead. We couldn't bear taking the life of someone permanently...unless they deserved it..." Kor finished, thinking about his dead foe.

Nicole smiled. Even though Kor was technically less sane than the rest of the Freedom Fighters, he still cared about the others and wanted to protect them. "I understand your point. But...what about your counterpart? You nearly ended him..."

Kor looked down. "I think I was just in the middle of the moment there...sometimes I forget that I'm not on a RED or BLU base...but he threatened to kill everyone else..."

"So I'm guessing Gray deserved that fate?" The A.I. inquired.

"He killed our bosses, fired us and tried to kill us too but failed. I'm pretty sure no other place would hire us psychos and given that he tried to take our lives, he earned his place in hell..." Kor said with spite.

Seeing Kor upset, Nicole didn't want to press that further. "Sorry I asked that..."

"It's fine. You were just curious is all." The engineer replied.

"...You said respawn could help me get a real body. How would that work?" Nicole asked.

Kor scratched his head in thought. "Well, in order for it to work I would need blood and hair samples for it to begin replication. So, I would need samples from several lynxes. Also, I think it's possible to edit the body structure so it can appear as you do now. Thing is...nothing like that has been done before but it's possible it might work. I'd have to think more into how it will work..."

"...You...you would really do something like that for me?" Nicole said, surprised at the opportunity presented to her.

"Heck yes! I may be blind right now but I've seen how you strived to be 'alive.' It was why you made your holographic form right?" Kor said.

"Yes. Yes it has...as I said before, ever since I had experienced having a body using Sally's...I've felt rather incomplete with myself...it's hard enough understanding emotions sometimes as it is, and I've felt that being a real mobian would help me be closer to everyone else. It's why we built many holo-matricies around the city so I could maintain this form, to work along side everyone else...but even then I can only hold it for so long if something happens to the city..." Nicole explained.

Kor nodded his head in agreement. "Well Nikki, I'll promise you this. When we finally have the time to, you won't be able to worry about holding your form anymore. I WILL do what I can to help you reach that dream. I've told you that earlier as well." Kor said with a smirk.

Nicole smiled and laughed a bit. "You know, for someone who calls himself a psycho, you know how to get me to smile..." She said.

"Don't I normally do?" The fox said teasingly. "Speaking of which, I know a couple songs actually. Want to hear 'em?"

"Sure."

"Great. Uh...mind getting my guitar from my house?" The fox asked.

-Present Time-

"So he said he'd make you a new body with the system he described? Would that even work?" Sally asked.

"He isn't sure himself, but he said he would try. I think maybe if he showed Rotor the system he could help too." Nicole told her.

Sally smiled a bit. "Well, he may have not said it yet, but I think he's getting attracted to you already. No one's made a promise like that before, and given his history, it might work." Sally sad with a smirk.

"I-I guess so." Nicole said, a small blush pixelating on her cheeks. "And I think I know how to help him with his current issue." She said, smiling.

Sally raises an eyebrow. "How?"

"Since Kor will be getting his eyes replaced soon, I noticed we haven't talked about what to replace them with. Everyone assumes it's just another pair of regular eyes, but if they get damaged as well they'll need to be replaced again. So instead of organic eyes, I'm going to make a pair of cybernetic eyes so if they get damaged I can easily fix them, with some extras..." Nicole said with a smirk.

Sally clasped her hands together. "That's brillant Nicole! But, do you know how to construct an eye? You'd have to make the optics, retinas, nerves to connect to the brain..."

"I do Sally. I've studied mobian biology enough, and while talking with Kor, I was secretly measuring the dimensions of his eyes. Also, I can have Rotor help me." She said to the chipmunk.

"Well, alright then. Should we tell Kor about it?"

"Hmmm...no. I want it to be a surprise." Nicole smiled.

-3 Days Later-

Klaus smiled as the G.U.N. transport landed at the New Mobotropolis airport in the morning hours. Finally, he could put his skills to use. It's been awhile since he last performed an operation on any of his former friends, but now he was just glad he could be out of the lab. Being stuck in there for hours really drained the man's mental strength sometimes. He had his medigun kit ready incase any problems arose while he was operating on Kor. He also received a note from Rotor on what kind of eyes he would put into Kor. His smile that day grew since he wanted to see what kind of effect it would have on the engineer. Good thing he had some experience with installing cybernetics if the uber hearts was any indication. As he stepped out he was greeted by Sally and Sonic. Sonic arrived back yesterday and assured everyone that Scourge won't be a problem anymore.

"Hey there Doc. Long time no see!" Sonic said.

"Ah, Sonic ze Hedgehog and Ms. Sally Acorn. It haz been months zince we last met. How 'ave thingz been?" Klaus asked.

"Well, it's been touch and go with recovering from our last mission and planning to take down Eggman." Sally said.

"Ooo! And vat vould zat be?"

"Can't tell ya til later Doc. Now come on, the other doctors are waiting for you." Sonic said before he and Sally led the human to the hospital.

Meanwhile, Nicole and Rotor were finishing the final touches to a pair of cybernetic eyes. They were your average mobian eyes, even with the sclera (the white part of the eye) being a metallic white instead of black like you would see on a robot such as Metal Sonic. Nicole made this part so Kor wouldn't feel weird with his eyes being a different color. The eyes had blue wires that would resemble veins running from the back half along a nerve cable that was to be connected to Kor's brain. They wires were also slightly visible within the sclera itself.

On the inside is where it gets more technical. Thin yellow wires made up the retinas to help the pupil take in light and transmit this down the optic nerve to the brain. The lens were what you would expect with someone with 20/20 vision, but Nicole took it a step further. The lens could change color to activate certain views, such as night vision and thermal vision. They could also open up more to let the user see far away objects more clearly. She added these in after remembering how Hornet's eyes were built. Along with the eyes was another small cable with a USB port. Nicole theorized that if Kor's eyes were to be fixed at any point, she would enter them to correct the damage. It's also how she tested them to see if they work. Right now she was inside them, finishing optimizing the nerve system.

The only thing they needed was conjunctiva, or tissue that surrounds the eye so it wouldn't irritate the engineer. However, Klaus said he would take care of that.

"I can't thank you enough for helping me with this Rotor." Nicole said.

"Ah it's nothing. It's what us Freedom Fighters do." Rotor replied with a smile. "I'm still happy we managed to get these finished in time. Are you finished tweaking them?"

"Yep." She said before exiting the eyes and entering the city mainframe. Rotor put the eyes in a special container to preserve them before they headed for the hospital.

When they arrived, the other Freedom Fighters and Chaotix were there. They were all sitting in the waiting room just outside the doors to the operating room. "Attention everyone! These eyes are now ready to be put to use!" Rotor announced.

"I didn't think they'd be ready by now. How long did you guys work?" Tails asked.

"Two days without any sleep to be honest. Since I'm a computer I don't tire out, though Rotor could use a nap." Nicole said.

To prove her point, Rotor yawned in agreement. "Well you can rest while we wait. How long is Kor supposed to be in there?" Knuckles asked.

"For a couple of hours I heard. I hope that overlander knows what he's doing." Julie-Su said.

"Well, Kor had called him in for this reason. Ah think he knows his business." Bunnie pointed out.

"Are they in there now?" Nicole asked. "Yeah. They're waiting for you 2." Mighty said.

"I'll take them in. You get some well-needed rest Rotor." Nicole said before taking the container from him.

She walked in and saw an overlander whom she assumed was the Medic, along with a few other doctors, and Kor, who was lying on the table. He was hoisting his medigun up to the ceiling while explaining to Dr. Quack how the medical tool was used.

"Excuse me Mr. Medic. Here are the eyes!" She said with a smile.

Medic and Dr. Quack looked inside the container and saw them. "Ah, perfect. These vill vork vonderfully. Now please leave frauline. Ve have science to work on!" He said with joy.

"You sure you know what yer doin' Doc?" Kor asked. "Don't vorry schweinehunde, zis von't hurt a bit." The medic said.

Nicole left just as Kor was given anesthetics to be put under.

-2 hours later-

Kor groaned abit as the anesthetics were wearing off. "Ugh. I ever tell you I hate bein' put under sometimes?..." He said to no one in particular as he opened his eyes. To his surprise and delight, he could see everything clear as day again. No longer was he hindered by his damaged eyes. "Well I'll be. I can see again!"

"Relax dummkopf, I'm not finished yet." Medic said.

"Uh..." Kor looked down and saw his chest cavity opened. He noticed his heart was missing but a constant healing beam was keeping him alive. "Doc what are you doin?"

"Remember how I said ze uber device might need replacing? I vas right. It has shorted out over its life span." The man held the device to Kor, which was still attached to his heart. Aside from being covered in blood it definitely looked like it ceased to work.

"Guess I've been carryin' dead metal this whole time." Kor said.

"Shouldn't he still be asleep for this Klaus?" Dr. Quack asked.

"Oh relax. I've done zis before. I even did it on myself as well." Medic chuckled.

The other doctors were shocked to say the least. Medic removed the device and threw it away before taking out a new one. "Now, most heart's couldn't vithstand this voltage, but I'm very certain yours vill." The man said as he attached it and held it near the healing beam.

Unfortunately, the electric current was too great, causing the heart to explode. It made a loud popping sound that woke the group in the waiting room, as well as spraying blood on Klaus.

"What was that?" Antoine asked. "Sounds like it came from the operating room." Vector said.

Curiously, the group poked their heads in. "I hope you got a spare Doc..." Kor said in a deadpanned voice.

"Hey! He's awake!" Charmy said before rushing in. "Charmy! Get back here you idiot!" Vector yelled.

The doctors were surprised at the hyperactive bee's appearance before he started asking Kor a ton of questions. "Can you see anything now? How come you're chest is cut open? Is that what we all look like inside-" Espio put a hand over his mouth before he could go any further.

"Sorry to interrupt. Shouldn't Kor still be asleep right now?" The chameleon asked.

"Vell, yes, but it's fine. I only needed him out so I could install his new eyes." Klaus said. "You can vatch if you vant." He said before finding a replacement heart, abeit one a bit bigger than Kor's original one.

The Chaotix and Freedom Fighters were a bit disgusted by this but, curiosity got the better of them and wanted to see how it would turn out. However, Charmy, Saffron, and Ray had to have their eyes covered lest they get nightmares about it.

"Now vhere vas I? Ah yes." Medic said as he attached the uber amplifier to the heart. He placed it near the healing beam once more. This time, the heart didn't explode and it was begining to beat on its own. "Come on..." He with a wicked smile as the heart beat faster and started to glow metallic red. He also started to laugh crazily, creeping out everyone besides Kor.

Soon it became to bright to look at before it died down, revealing an ubercharged heart. "Vell, that looks good." Kalus said before dropping on Kor's chest cavity.

"I really wish I was still asleep right now." Kor stated.

" Yes vell, since you're awake can you hold your ribcage open a bit? I can't...seem..."Medic said as he tried to push the heart back into place.

Kor held his ribcage open a little wider, but then screamed in pain as it went in. He then realized he accidentally broke one of his rib bones off, again. This happened the first time these things were installed. "Well that's just great..." He said before tossing it away.

"Don't very, ribs grow back." Klaus said, pinching the fox's cheek. "No they don't..." Dr. Quack whispered. "I know but he doesn't need to know zat..." Medic whispered back.

Then, he grabbed the medigun and held it close to Kor's chest cavity. He powered it up and everyone watched in amazement as the skin, muscle, and bones molded back into place before closing fully. Kor breathed a deep sigh in relief, though his chest hurt a little.

"Amazing! Normally it would take an additional hour to close an opening like that, but this device makes it only seconds?" One of the other doctors asked.

"Yes. I 'ave finished making preparations for some to be distributed in hospitals in Station Square as vell." Klaus proclaimed.

"Is it possible to lend us a few Klaus? It would severely cut down on time needed to close wounds." Dr. Quack asked.

"Is suppose I could. Just remember zat they can only fix damaged tissue and bones. Organs still need to be replaced." Medic said.

Kor stretched a bit before getting off the table.

"So how do you feel Mr. Fix it?" Sonic asked.

"A whole lot better. I can actually see more clearly than with my previous eyes. What did you replace them with?"

"Cybernetics." Both Rotor and Nicole said.

Kor looked at them both. "Wait...so that means you two..."

"Yep. We built cybernetic eyes for you so in case your eyes are damaged again, they'd be easy to fix. And you can thank our A.I. here! She's the one who though of it." Rotor said. Nicole blushed a bit but smiled.

Kor smiled back as Medic handed him a mirror. He could his eyes had some notable features on them that would let one know they're robotics, but from a far away glance they'd appear as normal eyes. "They're perfect...thanks a bunch Nikki."

A/N: And that's enough for now. With Kor's ailment cured, the two groups can now shift focus back to Eggman. But, needless to say, the good doctor will be ready for them.