Another wave droned overhead, competing with the humming of the base's walls and machines and compounding into a buzzing cacophony in Infinite's ears.
Metal Sonic's fingers on the hard keyboard added to the painful din as he clacked commands into the computer— GUN databases, GUN live outposts, GUN communications— "They're patrolling the area for more energy spikes. Nothing out of the ordinary in Kũrage, so they've widened the search area." A curious beep, "GUN already had a task force in Marnebu."
"Did that madman actually fill the walls with computers?" Infinite grumbled from his balled-up position away from the whirring.
"Security measures— the walls are lined with sensors and defensive measures in case of a breach— they're hidden behind the outer layer to avoid detection."
"Well, they're still noisy," he growled as he pressed his palms into his ears, "so they're not as undetectable as he thinks."
A red eye slid across the black visor and fixed on the jackal for a moment before it returned to the monitor. The helicopter blades faded away, but the buzzing still hurt. It was almost worse than the fortress... the jackal recalled the incessant beeps and hums of the dark space and decided that nothing could top that clamor. His sternum throbbed and burned for each moment—
Hold still— Thrashing around like that only makes the assimilation more painful, you know!
Infinite's teeth grinded as his own body trembled— the burning grew more intense—
Speed it up— set to max output!
gaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—
The buzzing stopped. Infinite opened his eyes— Metal stood in the now dark room, the only source of faint humming being the Badnik's own CPU. The jackal stood up and strained to hear any footsteps or bursts of radio static- nothing.
"We should get going before it gets too hot," Metal buzzed as he turned away from the black monitor. Infinite hesitated and followed him down the hallways into a room with a blinking tower along the wall, wired to a circular pad on the floor. Once the android entered a command into the computer, the pad began to emit a dim, green light.
Abandoning ship at the first sign of trouble... how far we've fallen.
"Step on, I'll be behind you," Metal directed. The jackal paused as he considered the strange glowing panel, but stepped on.
Not the instantaneous reaction he'd expected— but the atmosphere shifted; not dry air turning hot and stagnant like a rotting carcass bouncing about the metallic walls and ceiling, but cool, dewy air... Infinite stepped into the darkness as his eyes adjusted... Boxes... a computer connected to the platform... a door open to darkness... stairs? His nose twitched and he took another step. Stairs not of steel but of lumber. He reached out to the wall, even, but with some texture.
What is this place... He glanced up the stairs before ascending— a doorknob? He pushed the door outward.
The dim light from outside painted the white tiles and white light fixtures blue gray. A stainless steel rectangle hummed while the other metallic objects stayed silent, displaying 2:07 in blue. Beyond a table, a large glass door revealed moonlit grass and brick walls. Infinite stepped into the kitchen just as a set of heavy footsteps climbed the basement stairs.
"Probably much more comfortable than the base," Metal beeped as he entered. "Less buzzing, maybe the occasional burst of air conditioning, but otherwise, it should be quieter."
The jackal's ears twitched to challenge them, but compared to the discord of the base, the house was near silent. He glanced out to the grass, "Where are we, Metal?"
The android clicked for a moment, "A suburb in Monada Rosa."
Monada Rosa. South of Red Gate City.
"Why are we in Monada Rosa?" Infinite hissed at the cobalt Badnik as his fur rose. Metal raised his hands— "Why are we in the United Federation in the first place, Metal?"
"Calm down," the robot urged. The jackal growled. "The Phantom Ruby's energy signature is unique, which means those who know what they're looking for will be able to track spikes and falls. In Ikezuré, far removed from the war, the smallest spike is enough to raise eyebrows. But in the UF, there's residual levels from the war across the continent— they'll mask your own energy levels."
Infinite held his blue eye in his palm as he sucked in a breath— And how are you going to hide a black jackal on the continent that's actively looking for one? he wanted to huff— but his shuddering muscles stopped the rant in his tracks.
"This house isn't tied to Eggman, so GUN won't be busting in anytime soon," Metal continued. "And they might give up on you sooner than later, if another threat arises."
The jackal rubbed his brow and sighed. Despite keeping the particles from triggering another reaction, his limbs turned to strings with rocks tied to their ends... He fought to keep his balance, even standing still.
Metal joined his side to steady him, but the dizziness passed before his steely fingers touched Infinite waved the Badnik away— "I'm fine— it's gone..."
Metal hesitated, but backed away before he clicked and spun towards the kitchen. A door pulled open— soon enough, Metal returned with a cold electrolyte-packed drink. Infinite yanked the cap off as soon as the bottle was in his hands. He downed the entire bottle in seconds.
"So even without a reaction like before, the particles are still sapping your strength," the Badnik noted as his processor chck-chck-chck-chcked. "You made a fast recovery, but maybe too fast for your body to adjust to it."
The jackal stumbled into the back of a sofa— a living room?— once he steadied himself, he shuffled towards the front of it and sank into it— soft, was this a sofa or a giant pillow? Another bottle slipped into his hand. "How were... the prototypes made?"
More clicking, then, "Well, essentially, once he'd completed his initial readings of the Phantom Ruby, Eggman started synthesizing duplicates to further understand its powers... the first couple of attempts ended with paperweights, then the prototypes came along, which was a start, but simple Badniks couldn't activate them... Then, at last, he'd gotten one of them to work, in a way."
A burning yellow eye glared at the bot from the sofa. His sternum throbbed, but he swallowed the bile and let the android continue.
"As much as he acted like he knew everything, he was clueless about the Phantom Ruby. Even after the assimilation, it was a total enigma to him.
"But, it didn't seem all that mysterious to you," Metal beeped. "Even less so when you were fully assimilated. You wielded it with precision immediately."
It's mine. I was born for it.
The jackal said nothing as he untwisted the bottle cap.
"Eggman was always wary of you because of that— that a hired gun understood it better than he did. You became a very dangerous unknown."
He snuffed as he moved the bottle away from his lips. A dangerous unknown, hm?Not a bad label.
"I'm surprised you never turned on Eggman after the assimilation," the bot buzzed. "I would've in a heartbeat."
Infinite's ear flicked as he stared up to the ceiling— a gruff, larger jackal cleaned his weapon as he warned, "Never bite the hand that's paying you."
"I know that," a young, short-haired adolescent puffed back. His scarred friend considered the elder's words.
"Listen," the rugged weaponsmith warned. "Not pays or paid. Paying. Don't cross your employer while a job's still active. I don't care how terrible it is working for them— until they give you what you were promised, bite your tongue and endure it."
Heterochromic eyes narrowed at him, "And what if they don't pay us?"
The older jackal smirked at him. "You'll know what to do."
Will you, though? Seems like you let any and everyone walk right over you— madmen, robots, hedgehogs, old men, juvenile inmates, punks with knives... What are you, a jackal... or a doormat?
Metal clicked a little, "Are you going to fall asleep there?" Infinite turned his head towards the bright red eyes. "There's a room upstairs for you, if you prefer."
The jackal rolled off the sofa and followed the Badnik toward another set of stairs— up and around, then down the hallway— "Bathroom to your left, towels to your right," Metal noted, before he stopped at the end and turned to the left. "Here you are."
Moonlight peeked through the thick curtains, just enough for Infinite's eyes to see the room. A bed with neutral sheets next to a simple nightstand— a closet with two boxes to its name. Ceiling fan with two strings dangling from its center.
"I know it's bare, but what do you think?" Metal beeped as the jackal stepped inside. As Infinite approached the bed, a clean, starchy scent greeted his nose. This might be the only time he had a room to call his own...
"It's... it's nice," he admitted as he tested the mattress with his hand. Soft, but with the right amount of resistance. "Thank you."
The robot beeped a bit— surprised? "Well— I'll be downstairs if you need anything. Make yourself at home." The jackal hummed as Metal moved away from the doorway. He sat on the mattress and kicked off his shoes— he sank onto the bed like a balloon losing its helium.
Smoke flooded his nostrils— the jackal coughed as he fought through the burning haze. His fur prickled as embers drifted onto him— where was the fire? His eyes stung each time he opened them—
His ears filled with screams as if the world was burning— then they became garbled as if a flood swallowed them up. He heaved and covered his ears—
All sensation halted. The emptiness pressed at him from all sides- he couldn't even move his head. Were his eyes open? He couldn't blink— or breathe, the air stayed trapped in his throat. Hhh— hhhh—
The air grew heavier and coiled around him, squeezing the last of the air out of his ribcage. His skin crawled and his heart slammed against his chest to escape. He tried to squirm— why can't I move, move!
A guttural vibration pervaded his frame— his skeleton turned to dust and every muscle ripped to pieces—
"Sir— Sir! The vitals are stabilizing— he's regaining consciousness!"
"What? How—"
The surge of energy snapped the creature's eyes open. His ears filled with beeps and alarms— he turned towards the offending light and silenced it with a jerk of his hand.
His nostrils flared— past the scent of metal, a thick, odd odor. He glared at the shapes in front of him and the glass between them fractured.
"Shutdown sequence rejected! He's... he's breaking out!"
The crack gave— the fluid rushed out and the weightlessness began to fade. Outside air finally reached his nose— metal, silicon, sweat... his pupils contracted.
Fear.
He jumped down from the broken container— his head filled with static as he tried to make sense of his surroundings— dark, metallic room- the symbols aren't familiar—no, they are, he just needed to clear his head of the static.
"So... you survived after all," a large shape, red and black as his vision tried to focus, spoke haughtily— but his large ears caught the uncertainty in his voice.
You're afraid of me.
His lips pulled back in a grin as his body trembled with energy. He stood up as the weightless sensation returned.
You should be...
"Now— we had a deal, you and I!" the voice barked. "You're to lead my forces— to help me conquer this world!"
Another one? part of his hazy mind wondered. Why must men always seek to claim everything for themselves?
He considered the weight of the sharpening shape's words— as the details focused, so did a piece of the past. There's nothing left... this world has stolen everyone from me...
They'll pay for what they've done...
"Yes... we'll take this planet for ourselves, you and I..." the masked being growled. "And we'll eliminate everyone that dares to stand in our way."
The man cackled in agreement.