Author's Note. This chapter was always my biggest regret. I wrote it when I really didn't want to write and didn't feel too good.
As a result, I was sluggish and didn't even finish it. I just passed it off as completed because it made sense enough.
I regretted not doing all the logs that were planned at the time and always have. I also regretted not saying and displaying the things about Annie I always intended to.
So, that is right, I redid this entire chapter and added the missing content I always intended to write but just didn't.
Legal Trash. Sonic and everybody else is copyright SEGA/Archie comics. Except for Max, Annie, and Sonia. I created them in my rattled brain; if you like my OC's, use them and let me know. It'll be fun; we will have tea.
Chapter 3. Imminent Uprising
The small group traversed through the desolate, fog-covered Robotropolis and proceeded to make their way through the forest to Knothole. The rain was coming down slightly harder than earlier that morning, and it was becoming apparent that the weather was indeed going to get worse over the next few weeks.
Their walk was a lot less merry than it had been on their way to the city, as the sound of teasing and playfulness was exchanged for silence and bitterness. Annie, since leaving uncle Chuck's hideout, had become far less talkative than usual.
It was clear to Max and Sonia that she was still not over what transpired with Nicole, and despite trying to forgive Max, she retained bad feelings over it. They walked in awkward silence all the way up to the halfway point of Knothole village, and it was there that the three of them opted to take a short rest on some nearby stones.
Max sat on the wet rock, caring little because he was already soaked. Annie placed herself beside him while Sonia leaned against a tree.
Sonia was used to being on her feet, so she felt less tired than the other two. Max looked at his bandaged hand that stung with pain. It had been bothering him quite a bit during the walk, but he kept trying to ignore it. Annie glanced over at it and spoke for the first time since the silence had begun.
"It feelin ok?" She attempted to be kind, but Max could tell by her look and tone that she continued to be disappointed in him.
He shook his head in response, still feeling shame from earlier. As he sat there and looked at the seething expression on Annie's face, he could tell that this was only the beginning of something more substantial. All of this bitterness was starting to get to him at this point, and he looked away from her, letting out an exasperated sigh.
"If you can't forgive me, then why don't you just get away from me and go on ahead?" He spoke in a confrontational manner.
Annie frowned and glared at him. "So, what…? I can't see if my friend is doing ok, now?"
Sonia watched the two, and she could immediately tell where this was heading. She hated seeing this kind of thing, so she moved forward and decided it might be best to go ahead of them to Knothole.
"Look, you two should calm down. It's over with." She tried to defuse the situation before heading out, but her words were ignored just as expected.
"…"
"I am going to run on ahead to Knothole then… and let everybody in on what happened." She stated in a bitter tone.
Sonia felt annoyed and frustrated but just decided to kick up her feet and blast out of there quickly, so she didn't have to listen to their childish argument.
Max didn't even see his sister go, and he stared at Annie with an intense frown.
"You know very well you've been acting like a pain since it happened. I said it was sorry, and even still, you've been acting like a petulant child." He raised his voice a bit.
Annie started feeling her blood boil and stood up with a stomp in the grass. "I tried to let it go, to let it pass, but you had to be so goddamn stupid! Yeah, I admit it! I am still upset with you, but I tried to be kind to you just now, you asshole!"
Max could feel anger welling up, partly due to his shame and because she continued escalating the situation. Either implicitly or explicitly, since they had become older teenagers, she had no qualms about being harshly contentious with him.
Max took to his own feet and shouted back. "That's simply not true! You've been given me nothing but shit, and you've barely spoken a word to me except to ask about my hand! Like that makes up for you being an ass!"
She shouted back at him then let out a huff. "Oh, fuck you, Max! You almost fried yourself in front of your sister and me, and you think I am supposed to be happy about that!? And for what!? Some goddamn piece of trash that has been useless for the past decade!"
Annie was lost in her temper now and no longer held back her venom about the day's events.
Upon hearing her words about Nicole, Max started shaking violently as he stood there clenching his uninjured hand into a fist.
"Stop disparaging my choices, and stop talking about Nicole like that! If it weren't for her, then we wouldn't have even HAD success today!" His voice quivered under stress.
Annie's enraged voice flew over his tone. "She's a tool, you fucking idiot! Not worth your life! You're supposed to be our future 'king!' You should grow a goddamn brain and be more responsible!"
Max now started losing himself to his emotions like Annie and roared back in kind. "Nicole isn't a tool! She's a Freedom Fighter like the rest of us! Definitely more useful than you!"
Annie shook her head and condescendingly laughed. "Hah! What stupid shithead thought that up!? A worthless piece of garbage is a Freedom Fighter now!"
She was attempting to make him feel foolish for his sentiment and was blind to how cruel she was becoming about things she already knew the answer to.
After her comment sunk in, Max's expression looked pained, and he averted his gaze from her to try and hide it.
"My mother was that 'shithead…'" He spoke while gritting his teeth, then continued on before Annie could go on running her mouth.
"My mother always treated Nicole like she was a part of our team, not just some tool... To disrespect that ideal is to disrespect my mother." His voice was cracking slightly, and it was evident that insulting Sally had gotten to him.
Annie realized the err of her words reasonably quickly and was taken back by his sudden change in demeanor. Unfortunately, her anger problems would not allow her to hold her tongue.
"Your mother is dead, Max! Get the fuck over it! Whatever stupid ideas she had, do away with them, and quickly!"
Her words pierced his heart, as he was smart enough to recognize the truth in what she was saying. Though, he refused to agree with Annie's assessment of Nicole, or his mother for that matter.
Max looked back, his controlled rage beginning to boil over due to the sadness he was overwhelmed with.
"What do you know, Ann!? Of my mother!? Of Nicole!?"
After a deep breath, he felt the burning inside of him and shouted at her once more. "I do what I have to do, whether you like it or not! I am your leader, so you can keep your worthless displeasure to yourself!"
Annie had a look of disbelief that he would go so far as to bring his royal bloodline into this. It hit a nerve within her so deep that she always tried to hide it from the world.
It appeared to her that it was now her turn to be disgusted by his words. "Oh… So that's how it is, is it? The lowborn should keep their mouth shut to please his majesty?"
Max grinned slightly, sensing that he had struck her insecurity. If it meant shutting her up, so she would no longer disparage his mother, so be it.
Annie tried to hide her pain, opting to bluff her way to a victory of this argument. She gave a bow and started to mock him indignantly. She realized that she was going too far earlier, but now she was in so deep she felt justified in her assault on the Acorn lineage.
"Oh, your majesty! I am so sorry for showing any concern for you, my liege! Shall I fetch thou a cup of tea? Perhaps a golden bib to make up for it?"
Max had never felt so upset with her, and he just wanted her to stop. She continued to double down on her mockery of him and everything he was proud of.
"Stop, Ann!" He demanded her silence as if he had some authority over her.
She laughed again in her mockery "Hah, poor old king Max, so prestigious, yet so powerless. You aren't better than me, so why don't you shut the hell up."
Max had about all he could stand by this point, and in a low disgruntled tone, began to insult her directly. "I am better than you or what you will ever be... lowborn, peasant trash."
Annie stopped her mockery and now was not even sure what to say to that. He was always so lovely and kind to her, but his despicably classist words brought forth seething anger and deep hurt, as well as the hate she had for herself along with it.
"What did you say?" She choked out her words.
Max realized his assault on her was adequate, but now he had gone way too far.
Even if Annie were the aggressor, he should have known better. He felt shame wash over him with a feeling of disgust.
"…."
Annie turned away from him, feeling deeply hurt but not entirely innocent. She had pushed way too hard, but for him to think so lowly of her hurt in a way she had not expected.
"I'll take my leave of you..." Was all she could muster the energy to say.
They were both really angry with one another, but deep inside, Annie felt agony, for he felt about her, the way she felt about herself.
"Ann... Wait..." Max attempted to humble himself and apologize for those words, but she refused to turn, and before he knew it, she had left him there in the forest by himself.
"Why did things have to be this way…." He thought to himself.
He and Ann used to be inseparable and close. They never had bitter fights or differing opinions when they were young children.
What happened to them?
Max sighed and sat on the rock, letting the rain continue to douse him. He wondered what would possess him to say such a terrible and disgusting thing. He felt so angry that he didn't even think.
He certainly didn't think anybody was less than him, but how she mocked him made it the obvious thing to attack her with.
As the time passed, he sat for what felt like an eternity. His coat, body, and bandage soaked entirely through. He felt immense guilt and knew he had to apologize for saying such a thing. Even if she felt no remorse for disparaging his family, he knew she didn't deserve to be told that, least of all from him.
Max got up from the rock and started hesitantly making his way to the village, sauntering along as if subconsciously trying to avoid it. He didn't want Bunnie or Antoine to know what he said because he knew it would hurt their feelings. He hoped that Annie would be willing to listen to his words after a small while but wasn't sure if she would tell her parents about it or not.
After some time, he finally reached the village. He quietly made way to his hut to dry off and switch to some dry clothes so that his current attire could be washed. He knew he should let Annie be alone for a while, so he decided that was the best course of action to kill time.
Once made it to his hut, he went inside and had stripped off his wet clothes. He placed Nicole in her usual spot by his bed. After which, he started walking towards his bathroom.
As he passed his bed, he could see tools strewn about the floor and realized that Rotor had been working to fix his power. Since he was now absent, Max had to guess that Rotor had taken a break to eat something.
Once he reached the small washroom, he pulled out fresh bandages from the mirror cabinet so that he could redress his burn to keep it dry. As he was about to begin working, he was abruptly interrupted by the sound of loud knocking coming from his front door.
Max peered out of the bathroom nervously, afraid of the condemnation he would receive from Annie and her parents if she told them.
"H-hold on, just a minute!" He called, dropping the bandages in the sink.
Max moved out of the cramped room, and on his way, he grabbed a nightshirt and pajama bottoms that he barely used from his closet. He quickly threw on the pants and started to cover his bare chest with the shirt while moving to answer the door.
Finally, when he was dressed and had reached the door. He opened it, and his heart immediately sank when he saw Bunnie was standing directly before him.
"B-Bunnie!" Max stammered and backed up, allowing her room to enter.
She did so and looked at Max with a frown. He braced himself as much as possible for what he thought was coming to him.
"Hun, I came by because I am needin' to have a lil ol' talk with you." She said with a sweet tone that was betrayed by her sad expression.
"Talk to me?" He said, casting his gaze at the floor.
Bunnie nodded, shutting the door behind her and placing herself on his bed. "Your sister told me all about what happened with you today and bout' your hand. I am stoppin by to let y'all know that Antoine and I will be givin' you and Annie relief from your duties for the next few weeks."
Max blinked and looked up, not expecting the conversation to head in that direction at all.
"Why? I know I am injured slightly… but I can still cook and stuff." He spoke as if he was almost disappointed.
Bunnie shook her head. "Naw sugah, that's why I am comin' to discuss this all with you. You see, Antoine and I are gonna' start trainin' Sonia for dangerous missions, and we need to put a lot o' responsibilities on that girl, especially after hearin' what Robotnik might be schemin'."
Max understood now that it was Sonia's time and that her expectations would be demanding of her. He could see this was Bunnie's way of telling him not to coddle her, and so he gave a nod of approval.
"I understand… It's just… it feels like it is all happening so fast." He said as he placed his uninjured hand on his furred face. He was feeling really overwhelmed by various emotions.
Bunnie nodded sadly. "I wish you kids never had to be dealin' with all this nonsense, but somthin's got me worried, and I want to be prepared for the worst."
Max looked at Bunnie and knew how she felt. After all, it was his little sister they were discussing putting in dangerous situations.
He took a seat on the bed beside her and leaned forward to stare at the floor. Bunnie got the impression he was feeling terrible, and like any concerned mother, she put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him.
"Hun, what's the matter with ya? I know you well enough to see you've been upset since the moment I stepped on into this hut."
Bunnie was keen on her observations, and Max felt like he wanted to speak his mind about earlier. Unfortunately, he felt as though doing so would cause tension between them.
"Nothing." He spoke in as confident a tone as possible to try and avoid this conversation.
Bunnie shook her head and took her hand off his shoulder. "Now Y'all listen to me, ya hear. My nanny didn't raise no fool, and I know this amount o' broodin' ain't over yer sister learnin' responsibilities. Now out with it! As I don, appreciate bein' lied to, especially by somebody as honest as you Max."
Max could hear her sweet yet stern voice and found himself eased by her forward motherly nature. Eventually, he took in a calming breath then spoke. "I... uhm, well… Ann and I kind of got into an argument… I said some pretty terrible things to her."
He kept his gaze averted. Knowing that Annie was important to Bunnie brought him more embarrassment.
"I was just so upset. I don't know… I am stupid." He said, unsure of why he was even admitting this to the very person he tried to avoid talking to this about.
Max couldn't see Bunnie's face as his eyes were still fixated on the floor, but he could feel her gentle hand rub his back to comfort him.
"So that's what Annie was all in a mood about when she came stompin' home." She pulled Max in for a gentle hug, which caught him off guard.
"Hun, we all say things we don' mean, that's part o' growin' up. Hell, when I was your age, I would constantly get annoyed with ol' Antoine bein' afraid of everything," She chuckled, remembering her bullying.
"What matters though, is you're ashamed. You want to make it right. That's the mark of a good person if I ever saw one. To be able to admit you've made a mistake and work to be fixin' it right as rain." She finished.
Max turned his head upwards to look at her and was greeted with her bright smile. The longer he stared, the more he found himself unable to have any other reaction than to smile back.
"I was just sad... I never wanted to hurt Ann... or you." He admitted to her, feeling a weight being lifted off his chest.
"Aww, shucks, it'll take more than that to get me upset. Heck, I know what a handful my daughter can be. Stubborn as her mother and twice as mouthy, I reckon." She said with a chuckle.
Max let out a laugh, knowing how much of an unmovable object Annie could be when it came to certain things. Whether she was right or wrong didn't matter to him now, Max just wanted to do what would make him feel better.
"Just keep tryin' to make things right. I am sure she will get over her ego soon enough," Bunnie reassured him, making him feel like he was correct in trying to apologize to her.
"Thanks, mom…" Max said, feeling his cheeks burn.
Bunnie was surprised to hear him put that so directly. He had always called her Bunnie, but, after a decade of raising him, what else should he call her? Admittedly, it made Bunnie feel guilty that Sally wasn't here, but she appreciated the sentiment more than anything else.
She reached in and gave him another tight hug. "I love you, Max. Don't ya' forget that."
After a moment, she broke away to stand and looked down at her only "son" with a giant grin.
"I love you too." He returned the sentiment.
Max understood Bunnie had watched him grow from a little boy into what he considered to be a young man. It was now clear to him now that she saw him as her own in no uncertain terms.
With that resolved, he decided to speak on one of the matters Bunnie had informed him of. "Since I am off from strenuous duties, I suppose I could spend time analyzing the data we got from great uncle Chuck."
Bunnie glanced at his injury and nodded her head. "Sure hun, why don' I run out to the dining hut and bring ya something scrumptious to eat?"
Max nodded in appreciation of her kindness and lay back on the bed for a moment. Bunnie let him relax and made her way out of the hut door into the rain.
He felt at ease now and much more relaxed. He stared at the ceiling, and over the minutes, found his energy dwindling more and more. How long had it been since he had the luxury of a nap in mid-afternoon? He wasn't sure, but he eventually found himself drifting into a quiet slumber on his comfy unmade bed.
Creak!
Max's eyes shot open because of the sudden noise. The room appeared darker than it had been during midday. He glanced over and saw Rotor moving towards his bed quietly, and he groggily sat up.
"Oh, I am sorry, Max, did I wake you?" Rotor's voice came as a whisper. It was apparent he was trying to finish fixing things up without disturbing him.
"Ah, don't worry about that, Rotor. I was just resting my eyes." Max said.
He rubbed his eyes and looked over at the end table where Nicole sat. There he could see the food brought in by Bunnie. Fruits, some bread and cheese, and a small container of tea. His favorite munchies that he ate that didn't spoil quickly.
"Well, that's good, I heard about everything from Sonia during lunch, and I just wanted to let you know… how proud I am of you and stuff..." Rotor struggled to find the right words.
It was clear he wasn't very good at being social or praising others, but whatever he could offer was nonetheless appreciated.
"Thanks, Rotor…" He replied.
Max turned and threw his feet over the edge of his bed. Then watched Rotor get onto the floor to tinker with his wall. Rotor started removing the basic wood side paneling of the interior to reveal a complicated jumble of wires and electrical parts.
Much of it had come from old houses in Robotropolis, and over time Rotor created many modern luxuries for their personal use. It was awe-inspiring to see Rotor at work, attempting to figure out precisely what had gone wrong with his power.
"I can't believe you did all this, Rotor… I just... wow!" Max commented, excitement building within him.
Rotor hid his face in the wall while his cheeks became hot and let out a nervous laugh. "Hah, well, it wasn't overnight… Originally when we moved from our previous location to this new, more secure Knothole. I was frustrated with having to start all over, but starting all over allowed me to implement these things from the ground up. It was a blessing in disguise, to say the least."
"Moved?" Max said, trying to remember that. It sounded significant to him, but the details remained fuzzy.
"Oh, yeah, well. We abandoned our former village when Sonic and Sally went missing to keep our location secure." Rotor said while tinkering with a wire to replace it. "You were only bout' five or six at the time, so I am not surprised that you don't have much of a recollection about then. You were also pretty devastated about your parents and sobbing all the time." Rotor said, somewhat unaware of how talking about this might upset Max.
In a way, though, Max appreciated it. It allowed for a purer type of conversation between them that he'd miss out on otherwise.
As Max continued to think, he reached for his now warm berries, and once he had a fist full, he started picking at them slowly.
"I... kind of remember moving, just not every single detail… I was really hurting at the time, but Ann and Bunnie kept me company." He said, feeling the sadness creep in again over the memory.
With a sigh, he decided to go back to admiring Rotor's handiwork so that he didn't have to feel that pain over again.
"…"
After a bit of watching Rotor work, Max spoke once more. "I am happy you were able to make our quality of life better. I really don't know what we'd do without you…."
Once Rotor had replaced several wires, he connected Max's lamp to the socket. Now plugged in, it illuminated the room with the same light it had before it was knocked out. Rotor then stood up and turned to Max to give him a thumbs up with a quick appreciative pat on the shoulder.
"Thanks for saying so, kiddo, but I feel like we all do our part here." He said in his attempt to be endearing.
Now finished, Rotor put back the piece of the wall he shifted out. "I should thank you for bringing back those extra parts. With them, I will be able to work on those physical upgrades for Nicole."
Max nodded back at him and let him take his leave of the room. Rotor was often aloof, but he was indeed a genius when it came to computers and engineering.
Once he was gone, Max sat and ate his food quietly. He was looking out the window at the falling rain, listening to the pitter-patter of the drops on his roof. The clouds grew darker in the time he napped, and it was clear to him that he had slept until late evening.
Max looked at Nicole, who sat on the table with a blank screen, and decided to let her be for now. He knew that he had to apologize to Annie, even if she were still mad at him…
He moved his way to his door and walked out into the rain. He was still barefoot, and the grass against the bottom of his squirrel feet felt squishy, if not cool. Max tried to keep his damp bandage under his shirt to protect it from excess rain, but his nightclothes was so thin that they became soaked through rapidly.
The march to Annie's hut was not far, and though he expected more nastiness from her, he resolved to not give in to anger. After a few moments, he could see the light shining from her shelter and knew that she would most likely be in there with the time off awarded to the both of them.
With each step that he took, he felt more and more scared, not because she was probably still mad, but because he was worried that she could never forgive him for what he said.
Max knew that they both got carried away, and he was willing to forgive her for her insults towards himself and his family. What he wasn't so sure of was that his words would be overlooked so quickly, primarily by somebody as stubborn as her.
Once out front, he hesitated for a minute and then reached out his hand to start quietly rapping against the door of her hut.
"…"
There was no answer or movement that he could hear, and he found himself unable to speak. He felt like if he talked that she would never answer, so he waited in the rain for minutes upon minutes, becoming soaked in the process.
He started rapping again, his face fur dripping water, and his bandage filly destroyed after so long in the rain. However, this time, he could hear faint footsteps coming to the door, and it brought him a sense of relief.
The door opened, inviting the light of her hut to shine on him. Annie was surprised to see him still there and soaked to the bone.
"What are you still doing here?" She said in a slightly indignant tone, opting to ignore the fact she'd let him sit in the rain for 5, maybe 10 minutes.
Max looked at her and could see the anger still written on her face.
"Look, Ann... I didn't mean what I said. No matter what you said to me. You didn't deserve to have such a terrible thing said about you. I feel awful about what I did, and I came here to ask for your forgiveness." He said humbly.
He looked sad and pathetic to her, to the point it was almost amusing in her anger.
"Well, well, the mighty king comes to grovel at the feet of a commoner? I never thought I'd see the day." She crossed her arms, barring him access to her hurt and continuing with her mockery of him.
"Ann, please stop it. I know you are mad, but I just wanted to tell you that I don't think less of you for who you are. I just wanted you to stop treating me like an idiot and mocking the people I love." He said.
Max was really feeling sorrowful now and knew that in some cruel way, she was enjoying this. He felt upset that she would be so heartless as to continue her aggression in the face of reconciliation.
"You insulted my stature… and by proxy, you are insulting my mother, the very woman who took care of you, who loved you." Annie began as she glared at him with scorn.
"I don't forgive you, Max… Not for insulting me, not for insulting her. Just go fuck off and don't bother me again!" She yelled while her body shook, and her hand grasped the door handle as she got ready to slam it.
Max foresaw her intent and, without thinking, put his injured hand up to the door, letting it slam into it with a cry of pain. "Ah!"
He had a brief expression of agony, followed by one of determination, and she was surprised by his rash action.
"H-How can you say that!?" His voice grew loud like earlier in the forest. "You mocked my entire lineage, and you called my deceased mother and myself stupid!" He cried out as his voice trembled.
Annie frowned, and she let go of the door so that his hand would not suffer any more damage, though she didn't speak at all.
Max again cried out to her. "You are no better than I am, and you know it!"
He was pouring his heart out, and the fear was overtaking him. He slid his injured hand down the door, and he could feel the tears welling in his eyes, though she could not see them because of the rain.
"Please, Ann… I am sorry. I don't care what you said about my family, just please try to forgive me."
Annie stared at him, and she was overcome with the urge to hug him. However, the anger-fueled teenage pride that she had was making it difficult for her to do so. To forgive him would be to accept his slight, and to accept that slight would mean she would have to face her feelings about herself.
"I am… Sorry, Max… you might think it can be ok, but I do not." She said in a reserved manner.
She was not ready to give up her pride despite her inner feelings nagging her to. With that said, she closed her door, leaving him standing in the evening rain.
Max heaved in his sadness. He could feel the pain in his heart but knew staying here would do him no good. He wiped the rain and tears from his face and made his way back to his hut. He felt he did everything in his power to make it right between them but was now genuinely afraid he'd lost his closest friend over such a petty argument.
He quickly returned to his hut and, once inside, quietly threw off his soggy nightclothes. He tried to forget his emotional distress while he entered the bathroom. Once he was there, he used a towel to dry his fur with. Then, he tore off the old bandages and looked at his burn.
It was red and moderately bad, but it wasn't too serious… Trying to keep his mind occupied, he walked over to the sink where he'd left his bandages earlier and began to apply a little medication to it, after which he re wrapped it tightly.
Raising his hand, he stared at it, he could feel the stinging pain, but it paled in comparison to the pain his heart was in.
"…"
Walking back to his closet, he took out and put on some underclothes. By now, his sorrow made him apathetic, and he found it difficult to even want to do anything. He glanced around the room and then eventually walked over to sit in a chair by the window.
Now that he was lounging there, he stared outside at the dark grey of the evening in deep contemplation. The wind howled as the rain beat down heavily against the glass.
Max couldn't stop thinking about Annie's rejection of his apology, and while he hadn't expected it to go smoothly. It did put him in a really low mood.
He reached over to the night table and grabbed onto Nicole with his uninjured hand. Her screen lit up the second he jostled her, and he could see that while she appeared to have been off, she had been processing data this entire time.
There were a few logs marked for him to read. As he came to realize this was what was stolen from Robotropolis. His sadness momentarily became sidetracked by intrigue. With his mind wandering slightly over the possibilities, his eyes focused on one of the files flagged for him.
"What is this…?" He murmured to Nicole in a rhetorical manner.
Day 162, 3234. Infiltration progress.
"Infiltration?" Max commented as he felt wary.
"…"
"This was few days after my second birthday..." Max stated to himself. Then accessed the data the log contained.
Day 162, 3234.
"Day 162, 3234
Snively, it has come to my attention that the machine tracking functionality is not working correctly. Send report of data, and any visual/audio feed that is downloaded on their next raid."
"Day 171, 3234
Data collected report is detailed below.
Knothole produces its own food for consumption.
Assessed occupants. Approximately 9 – 3 Children.
Primitive structured dwellings with zero mechanical defenses.
The power supply is that of kinetic energy.
Exact location unknown, but visual is functional."
Max could see that a video recording had been sent at the end of the small report, and his heart raced. He could tell by the descriptions that this was discussing the makeup of old Knothole. He wasn't exactly sure how this information was collected, but it was four years prior to his parent's disappearance.
With apprehension, he decided to view the video recording, and upon opening it. He had wished he had not done so.
He could see the image of his two-year-old self, prancing about in front of the very camera recording him. He seemed happy and unaware of the prying eyes staring directly at him. This recording sent a tingle through his spine like nothing else, and he quickly closed the video.
"Nicole…"
"What the hell is this!?" He demanded, dizziness and heavy breathing following.
How was this possible?
Max became increasingly paranoid and looked about his room. He could then hear Nicole speak out loud to him, bringing his attention back towards her.
"Surveillance footage, taken on the date in question. It appears to be test footage capturing your likeness."
"I can see that, Nicole! How in the hell was it taken!?" He became angry at her, and Nicole, for the first time ever, stammered.
"I… I-It is from me." She admitted, causing Max to stare in disbelief.
"What…?" He said, unsure if he heard her correctly.
"I am… so sorry, Max." Nicole's droning voice sounded unconcerned, but her words were that of sorrow.
"Nicole, I….it is ok… just please, tell me..." He said as he rubbed his face with his left hand.
He felt a cold sweat running down his body at this moment, and he didn't even think about Nicole's strange mannerisms. He just wanted the truth.
"My system had become compromised. I was being used as a means to spy on Knothole for Robotnik." She stated.
"I… you're the reason that my parents are gone? Are you still feeding him information!?" Max's voice became higher.
"It was a collective error on the part of everybody that Sonic and Sally are gone… To your second inquiry, my system is no longer compromised." She said.
Max was unsure if he could even believe her, but at this moment, he just wanted to make sense of everything. This was the beginning of the answers to his long-awaited questions.
"Nicole, please explain everything to me. I just want to know why you did what you did… Alright?" He said as calmly as possible.
Despite feeling betrayed, he sensed that Nicole was somehow remorseful for all of this and wondered if this was an intentional admission to him.
Her own apology. So, to speak.
Nicole's screen lit up, and she started to answer him.
"Robotnik planted a virus on his own network, anticipating that Sally would continue to use me to cause him problems. When she connected to that network, I was contaminated with the bug. It was a means for which to help him track and locate Knothole…." She paused as if thinking about how to continue.
"But?" Max piped up.
"But… Robotnik underestimated my physical capabilities. I could not send wireless communications, so I could not relay data to him about coordinates." She finished.
"So, how did he end up getting this information then?" Max asked.
"Once Robotnik realized he couldn't get the data so easily. He instead decided to install commands on the network so that when Sally went on a mission and used me. I would transfer data to Robotnik and receive new commands…." Nicole paused when Max tried to speak.
"I…" He stammered out but was unable to find his words and fell silent.
Once Nicole recognized he was not going to speak further. She continued. "I believe that when I captured the video of you, I was given a command to test my recording capabilities. That is why you, the subject of the video, appears to be random rather than something of importance."
Max stared blankly, letting it all sink in, as it was so much to hear in such a small amount of time. He could not remember much about being two years old, but he was almost sure Nicole was telling the truth.
"Why didn't you save the coordinates for Robotnik?" He asked curiously, wondering if maybe she had some control over the matter.
"Sally routinely deleted all scanning and coordinate data manually. While Robotnik had control of certain functions, he could do nothing about what Sally decided to delete. It is for this reason that he could only get away with snippets of data over time. If he drew suspicion, then it would all be for nothing. Unfortunately for him, Sally was extremely diligent on data deletion as a precaution." Nicole finished up her explanation.
It all made sense to Max the more he thought about it. He never took Nicole on missions until just a few days ago, so essentially Robotnik's data collection stopped the minute Nicole stopped seeing use. He stared at Nicole's screen, feeling a sense of relief come over him. It was knowing that Nicole was not a threat that brought him the greatest comfort.
"Are you ok, Nicole?" Max asked abruptly, after a short silence.
"I am completely uncompromised. When you upgraded me, the advanced A.I. construct that I became could easily spot such a primitive virus…." She started yammering on.
"That's not what I mean, Nicole. I mean, are you feeling alright?" He restated his question while interrupting her.
Nicole wasn't sure how to answer that. What could she say on the subject of feelings?
"I... I am strange lately." She blurted out. "Certain data has become more than data to me, and I find myself actively holding on to past data for little reason other than I want to."
"Memories?" Max attempted to fill in the gap for her.
"If that is what you desire to call it, then I suppose that would be the most appropriate analogy." She said in her computer-like voice, but her words displayed something much more significant than even Max expected.
"You're alive, Nicole… aren't you? You are more than just a computer in there. You have feelings." Max said confidently.
The culmination of the last few days led to this conclusion, and as weird as he felt saying it, he did believe it.
With reluctance for his statement, Nicole spoke. "No, I am not a biological organism, but I can't help but describe the events unfolding as 'feeling.'"
Max now saw the realization of his mother's beliefs sitting before him. Nicole was a Freedom Fighter, and he knew that he could trust her because of her willingness to disclose what she had done.
He leaned back onto the chair and stared at the ceiling. It was now getting late, and he felt as though he had much to think about.
"I trust you, Nicole, and I am sorry for sounding upset with you." He said to her in a hushed tone.
Today was a day of apologies, and even though one of them didn't work out. He was hoping at least Nicole could forgive him.
"I… forgive you." Her computer voice came without much thought. She had never really received apologies often, and indeed, before this point, she had never weighed their importance.
Max sat forward after taking a stretch in the chair and looked back at her screen. There were still other files he wanted to take a look at, and to him, the beginning hours of night were the perfect time to think.
He leaned forward, touching Nicole's keys, and started to maneuver his way through her interface, back to the files she had marked. He had not really taken a keen look at all of them but merely gravitated to the first list he saw.
"Hm... what do we have here?" He pondered, taking a long look through the list of available marked files.
Day 162, 3234. Infiltration progress.
Day 233, 3238. Sonic the Hedgehog.
Day 17, 3241. ORACLE: A success.
Day 342, 3245. Workerbot usefulness.
Day 178, 3247. FIRESTORM.
Max's eyes were immediately drawn to the name of his father on the screen. Now that he had seen the complete list, it was apparent to him that they were in chronological order. The day listed was the day his parents had gone missing.
Without much of a pause, he touched Nicole's keys to gain access to the data.
Day 233, 3238.
"Day 233, 3238
I cannot contain my excitement to finally have that godforsaken blue rodent in the palm of my metallic hand, and at first, I couldn't wait to roboticize him. The irony of him working for me was almost too good to pass up, but then I got to thinking, perhaps that is too lenient a punishment for him. All of the misery he has brought me over the years has made me realize that he deserves it in kind. I want him to suffer, to have everything stripped away from him, and so I have decided that the hedgehog will be kept flesh. He will be powerless for all of his speed and entertain me whenever I grow bored.
After all, every ruler needs a court jester."
Max felt emotions overcoming him, was his father alive? Not a robot?
He was scared… what had that monster done to him?
He scrolled further down in the log.
"Day 234, 3238
Yes, sir, Dr. Robotnik, it will be as you say. The princess has already been dealt with following your orders, but what exactly is it you have planned for the hedgehog? He has already seen his beloved taken. How can we keep the hedgehog under control if he is not to be robotized?"
"Mom..."
Max felt his heart aching. He was completely unsure of her fate, but it didn't sound too good. The only solace was the next bit of text that brought hope in the confirmation that his father did indeed live.
"Day 235, 3238
Snively, I think it is about time we tested the Rift Gate on a biological organism, bring the hedgehog, and make sure to bring some SWATBOTS. I am looking forward to an entertaining show."
Max reached the end of the logs and was shocked by what he read.
"Rift Gate?" He said out loud, unsure of what to make of this.
Upon hearing his remark, Nicole began to speak. "I have not come across any data pertaining to the Rift Gate mentioned in this data log. However, I still have much data to go through and process before I can determine if there is anything relevant to it."
It was all too much to deal with. Max felt an amalgamation of grief and joy. He wanted to run out and wake everybody up to say that his father possibly lives, but he also wanted to cry over the unknown status of his mother.
If Sonic or even Sally were still alive, and they could get them back. It would be an incredible boon to the Freedom Fighters. His sister would be overjoyed to hear this news.
He took a deep breath in his attempt to calm down. Perhaps these logs were the key to everything, and maybe if he kept reading, he would find more about his parents.
He took a peek once more at the list.
Day 162, 3234. Infiltration progress.
Day 233, 3238. Sonic the Hedgehog.
Day 17, 3241. ORACLE: A success.
Day 342, 3245. Workerbot usefulness.
Day 178, 3247. FIRESTORM.
Once his eyes settled on the one about workerbots, he quickly touched Nicole's keys to access it. He was hoping that possibly, his mother was roboticized rather than killed, and it would lead to her whereabouts.
Day 342, 3245.
"Day 342, 3245.
Sir, I do not understand why you keep requesting workerbots, primarily when they are split between building and whatever it is you are doing with them.
I realize you have forbidden me from talking about this, but it is reaching the point where projects are hard to complete quickly because of the diminishing number of worker bots in circulation.
What are you using them for that could be so important?"
Max blinked and then murmured to himself. "What indeed…"
"Day 344, 3245.
Snively, I will not tell you again to never question me. I want you to scan them via ORACLE and send over their citizen data and physical form. If you fail to do so, I will have you torn apart one limb at a time.
Is this understood?"
"Hm…?" Max could tell this is what Chuck had been talking about earlier today, and it was strange… Why did he want to know who the workerbots were as animals?
"Day 355, 3245. [DRAFT CORRESPONDENCE]
Listen here, you fat son of a bitch! I have been waiting a long time to say this to you, so listen up.
I am not doing any more of your stupid tasks, and as for sending you workerbots, how about I just send you a picture of my skinny ass instead?
You think you are so bright just because you figured out a way to read workerbot's mind chips, and now you won't even tell anyone how you did it, what you do with it, or why you are doing it.
Well, I am done being left out of your loop, and I am taking a stand. No computer on Mobius can read those chips, so whatever you are using to do it, I am sure, is appalling.
Like your goddamn rancid breath…
With eternal fucking hatred.
Colin Kintobor Jr.
[UNSENT]"
"Geez…" Max said aloud, sensing the immense anger issues of the writer. Still, when he thought about what was written, it only left more questions.
Looking down at the floor briefly, he thought and then decided he would check out the ORACLE document because it had been mentioned in this one.
He reached up then pressed Nicole's keys.
Day 17, 3241. ORACLE: A success.
"Day 17, 3241.
ORACLE has been my most tremendous success over the past several years despite my initial hesitation to integrate her. Her ability to predict future outcomes due to past behavior is incredible… And to think, I was at one point going to rid of her…
How wrong I was, but I guess even gods can be wrong on occasion.
Once the firestorm begins, I can travel elsewhere… Taking with me assimilated perfection and ascending to my rightful place above all others."
When Max finished the self-indulgent report, he could tell that Robotnik was up to something incredibly nasty, but as the word "firestorm" drew most of his attention, he quickly moved onto the file bearing its name.
He touched Nicole's keys and opened the file. He is inquisitive about the fact that the date was as recent as last summer.
Day 178, 3247.
"Day 178, 3247.
Dr. Robotnik, I have received the design changes for project FIRESTORM, and I must say that I am hoping you will reconsider this. I can make possible changes to send back to you, but the whole idea… well, it's. It is brilliant and magnificent, but perhaps a touch overboard?"
Max could tell already that this one was the one he needed to read carefully, having been referenced directly before. He could tell by the reluctance of the writer that this was perhaps the most significant and crucial log on the list.
"Day 179, 3247
Snively, I don't care what you think, and I would hate to be you if I think you are turning on me. Just put 70% of remaining workerbots on constructing the central component. I already have two giant power plants sufficient enough to power it. I care little for the consequences that this causes. I hate those miserable rodents, and their very existence is an insult to my greatness.
No more will lowly beings defy me, and utter domination will finally be mine. Get it done, Snively, because if I have to do it myself, you just might find yourself as part of my beautiful machinery."
The room was silent, and Max read on full of apprehension.
"Day 185, 3247
Sir, I have done as you said and made appropriate changes. It should be feasible to begin construction immediately. With the worker bots assigned, I estimate it will be fully complete by next summer.
Forgive my impudent tone, sire, I would never dream of betraying you, and I want you to know how impeccably fabulous I think you are, sir."
Max could see the FIRESTORM plans sent to Robotnik, and he immediately took the opportunity to open them.
Once inside, he could see a jumble of schematics for a massive beam-type weapon. So enormous in scope that it dwarfed many of the buildings in Robotropolis.
The plans showed that it would be powered by two advanced power plants used to power entire cities. The angle of the weapon, the power, the size. It was all sinking into Max's head quickly, but it was shocking enough to make it hard to wrap his head around.
Nothing else he had just learned mattered at this moment.
"It's pointing in the direction of the forest…." Max said to himself, knowing that the days of its predicted completion were drawing near.
"N-Nicole, what is this?" He stammered, hoping that she could precisely confirm his thoughts in words.
She was silent for a second as if thinking about how to respond to that appropriately.
"It appears to be a gigantic cannon, that of which will utilize the stored energy from the power plants. A weapon of that size, and of that much raw energy, will most likely eradicate a good chunk of the planet when it is fired." She eventually explained.
Max couldn't believe what he was hearing. Robotnik had gone completely mad in his hated conquest of his people. The extreme amounts of energy, the terrible weather, the intense security. It all made sense now. Robotnik was planning to fire that cannon any day now.
Max began panicking as he leaped to his feet and grabbed Nicole. This couldn't wait, everything else in his life could, but this certainly couldn't.
He dashed out of his hut into the dark storm, running as fast as his legs could carry him. It was hard to see, but he knew that he had to reach Bunnie and Antoine without a second to spare.
He ran past Annie's hut and then Sonia's and finally found himself in front of where Bunnie and Antoine stayed together.
His hands frantically banged on their hut door, slamming and bashing with all the strength he could put into them. The pain of his injury was of little consequence to getting the attention their attention.
He could hear scrambling inside of the hut, and the lights shot on. Bunnie was first to the door in a night robe and could see Max standing there in his boxers like he'd seen a ghost.
"Max, what in all hell's goin' on?" She said with a mix of worry and confusion. This never really happened before.
Max was out of breath and pushed into their hut while attempting to speak, but was finding his voice lacking in the panic and heaving for air.
"I-Robotnik… He- he's… weapon." Max needed to calm down, but it was not easy given what he knew.
"Oui, Max, try to be being calming down, yes? I am having trouble to be understanding you." Antoine spoke, taking off his pajama hat that had one of those puffballs at the end of it.
"N-Nicole... explain." Max issued a request, using the time to catch his breath.
Nicole's computer screen lit up displaying the schematics, and she began to speak to them on Max's behalf.
"Robotnik has constructed a large-scale energy cannon, which by my estimate will eradicate a large portion of the planet's surface in the direction it is fired. It appears as if the cannon is preparing to be fired at the Great Forest at a moment's notice."
Bunnie put her furred hand to her mouth in shock. This was insane. The consequences of doing such a thing were disastrous, not just for Freedom Fighters but the planet itself.
"Mah stars… I don... even know what to be sayin'." Bunnie said in a panicked laden voice.
They could be eradicated at any second, as far as they knew.
Should they run this very instant? Should they go on a suicide mission to preserve the forest? It was jumbled and confusing at this hour of the night.
Antoine looked shaken but tried to maintain composure, if only for Max and Bunnie's sake. "O-oui, this is quite a problem," Antoine cleared his throat to stop his nervous speech. "However, if he was to be being ready, then he would have already fired the cannon? I am thinking that perhaps we need uncle Chuck's input on what to be doing."
"Good idea, sugah!" Bunnie said excitedly.
"Antoine, you go and write a message to uncle Chuck, and also write one to Tails. We desperately need everyone to be dealin' with this."
Antoine nodded and turned to his desk, where he could write notes for the carrier pigeons to deliver quickly.
Max stood there in silence until Bunnie put her hand on his shoulder. "Hun, go wake up everyone else. We need everyone here for this."
Now that Bunnie had taken charge, Max understood that this was no longer the days of Freedom Fighter ineffectuality but a battle of which he was at the heart of.
"Ok, Bunnie, I'll be back quickly!" He said.
The fear was intense as he exited the door to wake the others. It made him Scared to fight, scared to lead, scared to speak to Annie… but he knew that overcoming this was the only option that would bring success to them in this dark hour.
Max felt a little comfort knowing that Tails would be contacted to return, and while he had hoped it would be a more joyous occasion. He knew that Tails would be just the thing they needed to stop Robotnik's madness.
Wrap up. If you don't know (I didn't until writing this chapter), Mobius is essentially future earth, and all days are written from 1 – 365. E.g., Jan 1. Is day 1. Hopefully, this saves on confusion for those who don't know.
Love you guys, let me know if you enjoyed it or not. I will be writing more as soon as I am able. - Rin