West Island has a sophisticated defense system, one built by the joint efforts of Charles de Hedgehog and Jennifer Robotnik. This defense system ranges from anti-air to barriers created to keep the people living there safe. All under the control of a single AI, Nicole. Though she was robbed of a future as a real person, Nicole still maintains an optimistic outlook on life and prides herself as Jenni's helper, assistant, and everyone's guardian angel.
It was morning on West Island, a morning in which one small human awakens on a not-so-comfortable bed in the high security correctional facility. Snively awakens to the sound of a bell going off and his doors opening as a robotic officer walks in.
Police Bot: "Snively. It is time for breakfast. Make haste to the mess hall."
Snively: "Tch…"
Snively stands up and just walks by the robot with an angry scowl on his face. His mind wandered as he recalled how got put into this prison. After the Death Egg was destroyed, his aunt Jenni sentenced him to ten years in prison for the many crimes he committed. Of course, he didn't go to prison without a fight as Snively tried to shoot Jenni. Only to then fail thanks to walls catching and imprisoning Snively on the spot, all because of Jenni's assistant Nicole.
Snively: "Those stupid freedom fighting brats… They will rue the day they messed with me… But I should bide my time. I am patient. Revenge will come to those who wait…"
Snively sits at a table in the mess hall and begins to eat his meal.
The scene shifts to the Hill Top Mansion where a now fully recovered Rosie is seen coming out of a closet with a fresh set of clothes and a fresh bit of optimism as she was ready to taste the first bit of outside air since the Kingdom of Acorn attack. But as she left the room she was staying in, Nicole appears via a hologram to greet Rosie.
Nicole: "Good morn-"
Rosie: "GAH!"
Rosie jumps, tripping onto the floor and slamming hard on her front.
Nicole: "...ing. While I'm sure you are happy to be standing again, Rosie, kissing the floor would not be ideal."
Rosie: "Miss Nicole, if you were not a hologram, I'd pull you down to join me for startling me like that."
Nicole: "I'm sorry about that, Rosie. I was just ecstatic to see you standing. Despite Lady Jenni's initial observations, I was worried you were going to face any permanent health issues."
Rosie: "Hah! I've trained with Princess Sally since she and I were kids. I'm not some fragile ol' grandma yet!"
Rosie and Nicole share in a laugh before Rosie turns to leave, but Nicole stops her.
Nicole: "Rosie, before you head out. Mind if I come with you? I need to check if everything is in order on the island and I could help act as a tour guide for you."
Rosie: "A tour guide? Hmm… I suppose I could use one. West Island is fairly big and I'm not the best at directions… Okay. But how do I… take you with me?"
Nicole: "Well. My hologram is restricted to this mansion mostly and it would be weird and inconvenient to just hijack control over a robot or appliance…"
Nicole began to think before a lightbulb appeared over her head, indicating an idea.
Nicole: "Hold on. I might have an idea."
Nicole then vanishes, leaving Rosie to stand in the hall for a moment before she then heard Nicole call out from Jenni's office lab. Entering the otherwise private quarters, Rosie found a small miniature computer on the desk, with its screen turned on. Nicole appeared on the screen to greet Rosie as she picked it up.
Nicole: "Hey, Rosie! I wondered if Lady Jenni kept this old thing."
Rosie: "A phone?"
Nicole: "Not quite. It's a portable computer; an outdated version I admit, but Jen built it so I could join her when she would go out on her strolls. She… rarely goes out."
Rosie: "So… You want me to take you as my tour guide… as a small computer? Isn't there some better alternative?"
Nicole: "At present, no. And Jen is very secretive of certain projects to the point of keeping me from accessing them. …Not that I'd look without her permission…"
Rosie: "Hmm… Very well. Then how about we head to Metropolis?"
Nicole: "Good choice! I'll lead you to all the best hotspots! Oh, there's even a new cafe too!"
Nicole seemed excited as Rosie walked out with the small computer in hand and leaving the mansion.
The duo arrive to the wide open city of Metropolis, skyscrapers as large as titans surrounding Rosie as she stared up at the sky.
Rosie: "...I've seen cities like these before, but… This is just dizzying…"
Nicole: "Metropolis is one of Jen's oldest projects when she started living here. According to her, it started with a family of Mobians getting lost at sea one day and having no home to go back to. So she built them a home to stay at. Before long, one home turned into a village, then a city sprang in this part of the island, becoming Metropolis."
Rosie: "I see. So it had humble beginnings. That's so sweet."
Nicole: "Mmhm. A lot of the workers here are Mobians, unlike the Chemical Plant. Robots usually have two functions here - security or chemical work. Mobians that live here though act as the main working force for many of the facilities. Though many of them have never met Jenni personally. As she begrudgingly admits: "Meeting and greeting people gets tiring…"."
Rosie: "It's the same for the royal family. Sally is often the one to greet those who visit for the Great Tree Gala we often hold at Castle Acorn. She's usually so out of breath that she only has strength enough for a single dance."
Nicole: "For Sonic I assume?"
Rosie laughs before nodding.
Rosie: "Those two know how to dance the night away when they are up to it. And I've seen it first hand."
As the two continued their walk around the city, they suddenly hear yelling in the distance before spotting a crowd. The crowd looked like an angry mob, with some holding signs that said something to the effect of "We need homes too!" "Give us a boat!" "Where's our beds!?". Several police bots before barriers were patiently keeping the crowd from causing any undue obstructions, with the head of police, Coconuts, at the front.
Coconuts: "Listen up, all of you! Lady Jenni isn't here to deal with your problems! So either you go back to your designated homes or I will be forced to detain all of you!"
This got the crowd really riled up as they started shouting at the robot monkey.
Citizen 1: "Our homes are too crowded! There's not enough beds to go around and our backs hurt!"
Citizen 2: "Think of the children, you heartless robot!"
Citizen 3: "If you can't get us some better housing, then get us a ship back to our islands!"
Coconuts: "Grrr… SHUT UP ALL OF YOU! Annoying little… We would provide you a ship, but there's not enough ships to carry all of you! On top of that, there isn't enough information on your islands to deem it safe to go back there!"
Citizen 4: "What a load of crap! You just don't want to work!"
Citizen 5: "Where's the owner of this island!? I want to see the owner right now!"
As the crowd argued with the robot monkey, Rosie looked at Nicole, curious if they should interfere.
Nicole: "I'd be shirking my duties if I didn't at least intervene. Let's speak with Coco…"
Rosie approaches the squad of police robots, who turn and immediately blocked her.
Police Bot: "Apologies, ma'am, but it would be best if you left. Don't get involved with this crowd."
Nicole: "Let us pass, Police Bot 82347. She's with me."
The Police Bot scanned the area, trying to find the voice that he recognized as Nicole's. Rosie held up the miniature computer and showed Nicole on it. Once he registered that she was present, the bots move aside, allowing Rosie to approach.
Rosie: "Excuse-"
Coconuts: "WHAT!? GO BOTHER SOME OTHER MONKEY BOT!"
Nicole: "...Coco, that was very rude."
Coconuts: "Eh?"
Rosie raised the device to show Nicole, who had her hands on her hips, looking very disappointed at Coconuts.
Coconuts: "...Oh. You. What do you want, Lynx?"
Nicole: "For you to stop yelling at citizens like that. You're supposed to deescalate the situation, not rile them up. Or possibly arrest them."
Coconuts: "Oh what? Now arresting them for disturbing the peace is bad!? Why don't you do me a favor, kitty cat, and piss off! And let me do my job!"
Nicole: "So you'd disobey Lady Jenni?"
Coconuts: "Do you see her anywhere?"
Nicole: "No, but I am recording this conversation."
Coconuts: "Lies and bluffs! You are just riling me up now!"
The citizens started to get even more agitated as the duo continued to argue. Rosie tried to get in a word, but the noise drowned her out as things started to escalate to a fever pitch. As it seemed like things were about to go very bad, a loud horn sounded through a megaphone, causing everyone to reel away from the sudden loud volume. Once the noise ceased, everyone turned to face… a black cat in a purple witch outfit. The black cat stood calm, yet firm as she then moved the megaphone to her mouth to speak.
Black Cat: "Is everyone done causing a scene? I apologize to any kids in the crowd, but it was the only way to silence those who disrupt business. Instead of being angry, would everyone like the sweet aroma of my Meyong Sweet Tea?"
A sweet aroma started to feel the air as the crowd began to… calm down. In fact, some of them started to feel happy. This aroma brought the crowd to come and buy some tea. Before long, the crowd disbanded and left feeling better. The black cat, now sitting on a foldable chair behind a foldable table, sat with a satisfied smile and a tip jar full of cash. That is until Coconuts slammed her hand on the table.
Coconuts: "You! You dare get in the way of police business! And make a profit from it!? I bet you set up this riot just to sell your stupid products! I'm arresting you here and now!"
Black Cat: "Miss, I simply did what you couldn't - restore the peace. Nonviolently. And without the threat of falsely arresting people, among them being kids and parents of those kids. Need I say more."
Rosie: "Um… She is right. You… kind of suck at your job…"
Coconuts: "YOU stay out of this before I arrest you too!"
Coconuts pointed her finger at Rosie before retracting it. She then stormed off angrily, heading to check for any damages. Rosie then approaches the black cat and bows to greet her.
Rosie: "Greetings. Um… Thank you for disbanding that crowd. That could have gotten ugly, had you not interfered, miss…"
Black Cat: "Agatha. Just Agatha will do. And really, it was no trouble; it would affect my business having such a large crowd block my cafe."
Nicole: "Oh! Then you're the owner of the cafe that opened up recently?"
Agatha: "Among other things~ Come… How about I introduce you to my home away from home? I'll treat you to a coffee or tea; whichever you prefer."
Rosie: "Oh I would love some tea! But… I lack any funds…"
Agatha: "A smile is all the payment I need. Never a dime more."
The cat laughs as she leads Rosie and Nicole down the street, leaving the folding chair and table where it stood. Once the trio was far enough away, the folding chair and table suddenly vanish into sparkles - like it was magically whisked away. Or if it was ever there to begin with…
To be continued…
