In the lab home of Dr Ellidy; Nicole was in her bed watching a movie on her TV while Dr Ellidy was hard at work working on something on his computer; "I have to say Nicole; that young Tails lad has an IQ and gift like I haven't seen before. I am not even talking about from other kids his age but adults as well! If only I was able to bring him into my secret projects; he could be valuable help. If I was heartless enough to risk him being exposed to the consequences if caught..." Dr Ellidy sighed shaking his head. "Still we should be able to work together even if he isn't around; I was able to connect my computer network to his Miles Electric..." Dr Ellidy explained as the security alarm went off.
Dr Ellidy was alarmed and went to try and put on the improved security measures when Badniks came charging through the walls; Dr Ellidy went to grab a weapon project but then he was surrounded by Badniks as Robotnik came through the wall in his Eggpod. "Wasn't one unsuccessful invasion enough for you Robotnik?" Dr Ellidy fumed as Nicole's bed was now surrounded by Badniks.
"I actually don't consider the last attempt a failure Dr Ellidy; I was able to hack your way into your servers and found some fun stuff you were working on. Roboticization: turning worthless flesh into great machines. Imagine: me being able to turn the whole of Mobius into my mechanical slaves; a peaceful paradise beyond comprehension!" Robotnik replied with a huge smirk as the Ellidy's reacted in horror that he was able to learn about that project.
"So what if you did? I haven't been able to complete the project so the data won't be any use to you. Plus what could you get to power it?" Dr Ellidy retorted gaining back his courage and Robotnik shook his head. He snapped his fingers and then an animal sized ray machine was rolled in and he used hover technology on the bottom to lift it in the air and aim at Nicole.
Before Dr Ellidy could react the ray was fired and Dr Ellidy screamed out in rage as he heard Nicole's scream; his mouth was wide open as soon enough to see that Nicole's entire body had turned into a robot replica of her flesh form. "What you started; I have perfected. Now don't be like that; didn't you design this technology in the first place for use on her? You're welcome!" Robotnik mocked as Nicole looked to her robotic arms.
Dr Ellidy looked relieved and worried as Nicole seemed okay despite her transformation; he looked to his watch device and checked on something before setting something. "Before you try anything: I am setting my Badniks to aim and fire at your precious daughter if you makes any sudden movements!" Robotnik said giving the command to his Badniks through his gauntlet as Dr Ellidy glared harsh at Robotnik who was smirking hard. "She shall be a valuable asset and unless you surrender and work for me then she will be turned to trash..." Robotnik said not noticing the lights go out from Nicole's eyes and Dr Ellidy took that as the cue to lunge at Robotnik punching him hard in the face and then the Badniks fired at Nicole.
Dr Ellidy was forced off as Robotnik was open mouthed as he saw that Dr Ellidy just shook his head at the destroyed remains of his roboticised daughter. "It would be more cruel to let her live as your slave than let her rest in peace Robotnik..." Dr Ellidy told him as the Badniks took him into custody.
"I... Wasn't expecting that... But I was expecting not to expect something so it didn't count!" Robotnik muttered not sure what to make of this unexpected development so he left to have Dr Ellidy taken to a special transport.
Sonic was rushing towards Dr Ellidy's home quickly followed by an angry and worried Sally along with Tails flying by his tails, Antoine who was panting from the guard allies and their guards allies. They ran into the lab and it was disheartening to find no trace of Badniks or the Ellidys.
Sally found robotic body parts resembling Nicole and didn't know what was going on. After finding no trace of them and noticing destroyed bids of her medical equipment she gasped in shock. Thinking about the implications she couldn't prevent the tears from exiting her eyes as she got to her knees. Sonic looked solemn along with Tails as they went to comfort her. "No... Nicole... You have to be safe... Please give me a sign that you're safe..." Sally pleaded but jumped as they saw Dr Ellidy's computer screen turn on and there was the face of Nicole on the screen waving at them.
"I am right here; from inside dad's computer and I am actually inside here." Nicole said and they all blinked as they got up and looked at the screen and it took some time to fully sink in that Nicole on the screen was looking at them. "Long story but Robotnik invaded our home again and... It turns out that last time he hacked into dad's secret files and came back to use his project against us. Roboticisation: turning flesh into robotics." Nicole explained and they blinked some more.
"Come on; that sounds like something from a goofy science fiction story..." Sonic scoffed but Sally looked to the robotic body parts and found bits of Nicole's robotic ears and Nicole gave a sad nod. "What... Your father was working on that? But... All the laws he would be breaking..." Sally exclaimed and Nicole sighed.
"Dad knew very well so he kept it secret; he was doing it all for me. He had all sorts of projects illegal or otherwise to try me: curing my disease, creating a cloned healthy body to put my mind into and to turn me into a robot so my disease wouldn't claim me. He always said that as long as I was saved in the end; he didn't care about what legal consequences he would face..." Nicole explained and decided to show them the security feed from what happened earlier.
They were terrified upon seeing Nicole scream as she was roboticised and then turned into a robot and were bewildered to see Dr Ellidy be nonchalant about his daughter's robotic body be destroyed. "What Robotnik has no clue about is that on the back of my head right into my brain; dad created a neural device to transfer my mind and soul into a new cloned body if he was successful on that front. He used the uplink to transfer my mind and soul into the computer without Robotnik noticing." Nicole explained as they digested this information.
"Pardon me but while I could be able to believe that this interface allowed your mind to be sent into the computer after your body was transformed into a robot... Genius or not; I don't think that someone's soul can be transferred by a machine as well." brought up one of the guards as Nicole sighed some more.
"Dad invented and built the containment unit for the Chaos Emeralds and... He was able to put in a device that allowed him to siphon off Chaos Energy to power the interface under the pretence of upgrading the containment unit. He was able to link the Chaos energy to my soul he said." Nicole further explained and they mouths were wide open.
"The number of laws that Dr Ellidy must have broken..." Antoine muttered as Sally looked serious.
"Is there a way to find where Dr Robotnik taken your father Nicole?" Sally asked as Nicole nodded.
"Dad's computer watch as a tracking device in it and I can use my place in here to connect it and send it and my self to the Miles Electric." Nicole said giving them pause as shen disappeared. They jumped as it seemed that Nicole appeared right before them; looking like a hologram. "Saw your hologram technology Tails so I hope you don't mind me doing this so it can be like I am tagging along? I hope that's alright as this is weird I know; in a sense I am actually dead and not really alive..." Nicole said with asad sigh as Sally smiled as she did her best to put the hologram Nicole into a hug.
"You're still you Nicole and real enough for me; I don't care about how it came to be as long as I now don't have to lose my best friend!" Sally told Sally with tears of joy and Nicole returned the hug with a huge smile of her own as the others smiled.
The group were now in the Tornado piloted by Tails following the aircraft that Robotnik was piloting; Sonic was able to run and jump to make a hole through the wall allowing Tails to go through and land the craft and they got to work fighting the Badniks only to find them stronger than usual.
"What do you think? Energy used courtesy of the War Lands' Chaos Emerald!" smirked Robotnik as he was piloting the Eggpod and had the craft on autopilot. He had Dr Ellidy in a cell with an energy forcefield. They then gasped at the knowledge that Robotnik had claimed the Chaos Energy but Robotnik blinked as he noticed Nicole. "What? How... I saw you...?" Robotnik spluttered looking like he was about to pull on his moustache from the confusion and they were able to appreciate the amusement in this.
Sonic took advantage of the confusion as he jumped and Spindashed several times at the Eggpod cracking it; "Tails; can you see about connecting me to Robotnik's controls? I was able to bring with me a special malware that dad designed; able to delete all records of his Roboticization technology if he found out someone was after it?" Nicole asked as Tails flew to Robotnik and connected the Miles Electric to Robotnik's gauntlet.
They then gasped as they saw Sally struck by a stray blast and Robotnik yelled voice commands at his Badniks to bring forth the Roboticization ray to fire at Sally. "A Metal Sally to serve as my newest minion; using her to attack her own friends, brother and kingdom..." Robotnik gloated with a smirk but then found the Badniks aiming and firing at his direction.
"You never threaten Sally while I am connected to your network!" Nicole glared hard at Robotnik as Robotnik pushed past Tails and disconnected their devices as Sonic ran to get the Miles Electric. The forcefield shielding Dr Ellidy was deactivated allowing them to bring him to the Tornado.
Robotnik was busy trying to use his gauntlet to regain control but then found the self destruct countdown set to 20 seconds as they left. He looked furious as he went back into the Eggpod and was able to escape despite the damage that it took.
The Tornado landed at Dr Ellidy's lab where they found the guard waiting along with Elias who looked reluctant to be there. "I am glad that you are all safe but... This isn't easy..." Elias sighed as they got off the Tornado and then the guards went towards Dr Ellidy. "I really don't want to do this but the many ways your research was illegal and immoral some would say such as me... Plus using your position to steal energy from the Chao Emeralds... I hoep you can understand the position that you put me in Dr?" Elias said solemnly as the group started protesting but Dr Ellidy put his hand up.
"Elias... He was doing this for Nicole, his own daughter who was dying... It's not like he was using test subjects..." Sally spoke in disbelief but Dr Ellidy said that she can stop.
"Dad, no..." Nicole whispered as Dr Ellidy smiled at him and put a hand to her holographic cheek.
"Nicole; I saved you in the end. You are not doomed to die young and that's all I have wanted for years. I knew that I this would be my fate after I accomplished what I needed; I will come quietly your highness..." Dr Ellidy said allowing himself to be arrested as guards tried to take the Miles Electric from Tails.
"Sorry but all technology of the Doctor is to be confiscated." said one of the guards as Sonic and Sally looked like they were ready to fight.
"Nicole is not some technology; she is my friend who is surviving in an unorthodox way." Sally retorted as Captain Armand scoffed.
"Princess with all due respect; your friend is dead and that thing is nothing more than the Doctor's AI with the memories copied from her robotic corpse. She is no more alive than a virtual service!" Armand said with Sonic looking furious.
"Father; perhaps you could please be more considerate and we could talk about this..." Antoine muttered looking like he didn't agree with this either.
"Guards stand down; Nicole is to be treated as a living being with all rights as I decree! She can stay with Tails at his lab in Green Hill Zone; if that's alright Tails?" Elias spoke up causing the guards to stand down and the group cheered as Armand was open mouthed.
"Your highness; you can't be serious as this is madness..." Armand complained but a glare from his king told him that he would get into trouble if he protested further. Armand ran away in a huff and Antoine looked uneasy seeing his father leave.
"Well we have Nicole in our group but the Chaos Emerald from the War Lands? Yeah; Robotnik now has it and he used it to make his robots tougher." Sonic said as Elias sighed.
"Well that's concerning news but I am sure that whatever challenges this will bring you can take them head on together." Elias responded and they smiled at this.
At the lair Robotnik was throwing a tantrum as he saw that all records of the Roboticization project were wiped from his servers; "You know that we could be seeing more success if you just allow me to cut loose and go in for the kill?" suggested Brass as Robotnik glared at him.
Robotnik sent him away as he looked to the computer files that successfully translated the tomes; he would be able to decipher the clues leading to the location of the last of the Ixis wizards. With the Chaos Emerald he will be able to get him to open up where the island of Albion and the missing 7th Chaos Emerald was sent all of this time...
Sally was helping take Nicole's stuff from the lab home to Tails' lab at Green Hill Zone; "Nicole; I know things will be different between us now but my feelings have changed. You're kind of a ghost now but I hope we can still have our future together?" Sally asked as Nicole smiled in response.
"If you're sure then I want to make it work as you do; as long as you keep in mind that while you don't have to move on that doesn't mean that you will have to take your eye off Sonic. This might not be viewed as normal but I will be here to help make us all happy?" Nicole told her as Sonic and Tails were seen bringing in stuff.
"Does my holographic best friend want to become my girlfriend and winggirl at the same time?" Sally whispered with a teasing tone as Nicole kissed her on the cheek and even though Sally couldn't feel she smiled.
Sonic noticed this and sighed with a low smile; whatever happens he will be happy for them.