Taking up the Mantle

by Rinpoo

Much has changed in the past decade since the defeat of Sonic the Hedgehog and Princess Sally Acorn. Robotnik's absolute power and cruelty are left unchallenged as the war escalates to greater heights. Can the youth of Knothole change the fate handed to them, or will they fall victim to this vile, decadent world of brutal tyranny?

25. Soaked in Blood

Author's Note. This is behind schedule. I was having trouble getting my treatment, so it is a more critical concern. Fortunately, I have not bled again, so I got this done.

This chapter manages to be simultaneously bleak and hopeful at the same time.

There are graphic implications written throughout, but it is not overwrought. So, you have been warned.

As of this posting, this story is in freefall. We are now approaching the end. So, everyone, begin the countdown and enjoy it while it lasts.

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.

Soaked in Blood

The few weeks that passed drew Knothole ever closer to the end of fall, and despite the cannon's destruction, the snow and dropping temperature failed to cease.

It seemed in all the abuse Mobius had suffered, it triggered what would be the harshest and most brutal winter ever seen by the small village.

Still, even as all felt relief in Sonic's actions and return, the muted recovery of the animals was impeded by an increasingly collective depression.

Tails had sunken in on himself and began isolating in his hut. Nobody but Seth knew why, and he kept quiet on the matter. Even going so far as to restrict himself to Tails' company rather than try to forge any kind of bond with the forest animals.

Antoine, Rotor, and Bunnie kept busy with upkeep and feeding those in the village, but all three of their parentage had become strained with the younger generation.

First, Max and Annie, and now Tails was not speaking with them. It was aggravating, though, by this point, they decided to focus on what they could control and aided Sonic in his oppressive behavior toward Robotnik.

With the snow picking up from outside, Max shuffled from bed and glanced into the mirror. After that, he fully readied himself in his fancy cape and clothes. Things he now wore casually because of the extra warmth they provided.

It had taken three weeks to recover from the damage he had caused his body, and while he never spoke on it with anybody, Nicole had known.

She'd visit him often, and as she did so, he became ever more assertive in his convictions that he "liked" her.

She seemed utterly oblivious to it, but as he settled on the notion's acceptance, he moved forward with how to express this attraction to her.

"…."

Leaving his hut, he was greeted with the grey sky and an endless sea of white. The cold had killed off many of the trees early, and the fallen leaves were so buried under snow it was impossible to know they were there.

Trudging through the ankle-high snowfall, he sauntered towards Rotor's shop. While he daydreamed, his desire to explore his feelings for Nicole took center stage, but as he walked, he remembered it wasn't the only thing he'd pondered on during his recovery.

Max needed to hone his new abilities and reinforce them. He could not allow himself to be injured like he was that day when he fell or weeks prior during the missile strike on the other world….

This was important because he decided he would never allow Robotnik to get the upper hand again.

He knew that while his father was busy fucking about in Robotropolis, keeping the tyrant at bay, it was the perfect opportunity to gain power. It was the ideal opportunity to help him reach his ultimate ascension.

He smiled to himself as he thought of the power he could wield. It brought him pleasure to imagine standing atop Robotnik as he begged for mercy.

"…."

When he finally reached the entrance to Rotor's shop, his pleasureful thoughts switched back from power fantasies to Nicole. Rather than feel shame over it like at first, he now indulged secretly.

When at last he entered. He could do naught but grin when she turned to face him.

"Max…." Nicole said quietly.

"Hey, Nicole…. I told you I would be by to see you today." Max said.

Nicole smiled at him, turned to the computer, and began typing again. "So, you did…. Though admittedly, I wasn't sure what you needed from me."

When Max walked up to the side of the workbench she was working at, he placed his gloved hand on the table and leaned in to get a good look at her robotic facial features.

After he was satisfied with taking in the beauty he perceived, he spoke in a subtly flirtatious way to her. "Well… Who said I needed anything to spend time with you?"

When he said that, Nicole stopped typing and looked at him. At first, she seemed to be trying to understand it, but then she smiled appreciatively.

"Well…. Spending time with you is always fun."

Her tone could only be described as subdued and bashful, but she was very much sincere.

When Max looked at the computer, he could see her typing code alongside some notes, which genuinely made him curious.

"Whatcha' working on?"

Nicole beamed, liking that he was taking an interest, and she reached onto the bench beside her and grabbed a strange device that Max had never seen before.

"I am figuring this out…. It seems extremely complex, though, obviously not made by Robotnik."

When Max took it into his hand, he saw it resembled a cylinder with signs of severe elemental wear and staining.

"Where did you get it?" Max asked as he placed it down gently.

Nicole eyed him, quietly reached to the floor beside her metal paws, and pulled up a bag. It was the one Max had seen Tails hand off to her before that fight against the roving death machine.

"So, it came from that world?"

Nicole nodded and placed the bag before Max. "Whenever I try and approach Tails to give it to him, he becomes angry, so I got curious and peeked inside myself. When I located this, I instantly felt I had to know about it."

Max became curious and took a gander inside the bag. After rummaging through it, he pulled out a book and placed it down.

Searching further into the contents, he pulled out various things, like a container of brownish liquid and what appeared to be a bloodstained ascot.

"Hm…." Max muttered, not really impressed by the grimy things in the bag, but as Nicole watched him, he thought it might be prudent to ask about the text.

"What's in the book?"

Nicole shrugged and shook her head. "I don't know. I was going to look in it, but I forgot when I became excited about the device…."

Max opened the book and began to look at the first page, and he seemed perplexed.

"Looks like a picture of a Mobian little girl…. I can barely make anything about it out; it's so damaged."

When Nicole leaned forward, he turned it around to show her, and she stared at the image quietly. As Max waited for her to say something, her expression could almost be described as "trance-like."

"Nicole….? You, ok?"

Nicole continued to stare until Max turned the book around and looked at the picture himself. "Hm…. Looks like there is something written here…. I can't make it out, though…"

Nicole looked at Max slowly and seemed to be snapping out of her thinking, after which she uttered two words.

"Science Fair."

Max was confused, but as he scrutinized the picture and then the text, the letters he could barely make out seemed to match the words she spoke.

"Hey…. You managed to read it!" Max laughed, impressed her robotic mind could wholly make out such a damaged bit of text.

Nicole blinked, and then she nodded slowly. "Yes…."

Max looked at her and then closed the book. "You sure you're ok?"

Nicole blinked and then responded as if her mind had backtracked to what she was previously thinking about.

"Hey… Uh…. Max?"

Max looked at her and responded. "Yes, Nicole?"

"I just remembered, I wanted to ask you…. I know Sonia was born on day 288, and since it is fast approaching, I was wondering what I should do… You know…?"

When Max heard that, he smiled appreciatively. "Hey, I am happy you know Sonia's birthday; it'll mean a lot to her."

Nicole looked down, and if she could blush, she would. "I… Yes, I know it is important to Mobians and wanted to…. Celebrate?"

Max nodded, and after a brief thought, he spoke. "How about you and I spend the day with her and have fun? No busy work, no distractions, just the three of us."

Nicole smiled. "That sounds…. Acceptable."

Max placed the book under his arm. "Yes… I can show you how to have a good birthday with Sonia. That way, you can know how to be spoiled when yours comes up."

"Mine?" Nicole blinked.

"Yeah, the day you got that new body, we can celebrate your birthday then," Max said.

Nicole was taken aback, but her grin betrayed her as she turned away to stare at the computer screen to avoid Max's gaze. "I… Well… Uhm…. If you think that's prudent…."

Max didn't second guess himself and merely turned to the side. "Of course!"

When Nicole looked back at him gratefully, he smiled and held up the book. "I am gonna' take this to Tails after I eat. Perhaps you and I can meet later…. Um, in my hut? Well, to discuss Sonia's birthday?"

Nicole watched Max's odd behavior and eventually just nodded. "Alright…. Tonight, it is."

With that, Max waved and headed out into the snow with a bit of pep. He was feeling both high in spirits and high in physical wellness today.

"…."

…

…

…

I can't believe I am here. Given how widespread Robotnik's control has become, I suppose it was inevitable. Oddly though, I find myself in a peculiar place, and my objects were not confiscated.

That is perhaps the only good news to be had, as at least I can keep my daughter close to me and write down my thoughts as I wait here. I always found an unbusy mind to be insufferable, so this will do, at least.

I… As I take note of the room while I write…. I am struck by the familiarity of it. It hasn't changed much in the past several years beyond now resembling a prison….

This is where my daughter was born. I am absolutely sure that this is the old Mobotropolis General Hospital.

I… hear….

As the page abruptly stopped, Max looked up from his meal and was struck with an uncomfortable feeling. He remembered the dialog the night they all returned, reminiscent of Snively's peculiar babblings.

"…" Without delay. Max turned the page.

I managed to come back made of flesh and bone. Consider me shocked, but when the robot guards came to drag me away earlier, I feared I would never retrieve my picture.

I expected to be roboticized by Charles' blasted invention but instead was stripped and had my vitals taken. I might be an old man, but surely, I am in peak condition to be transformed into a robot.

Still, my return to this locked hospital room has rendered me fearful. My walk through the desolate halls was haunting, and I could see the looks of other caged animals when I was led through them.

It is pure terror….

Max was surprised to hear his great uncle's name used so casually, and he wondered if they'd known one another. Regardless, he grabbed his fork and quickly turned the page. When he did, though, he dropped it with a clang in surprise.

The page was visibly stained in old blood, so soaked into the page that he could make out the smudges of the digits of the writer.

How am I alive? How long has it been? The pain….

I thought….

My flesh has been scraped from my bones, and I feel it all. My head, it hurts…. I… blood….

These tubes supply me with blood. That is how I have not died from excess exsanguination…. I….

.

.

.

.

.

The writing abruptly stopped, and the long pen scrape going straight down and off the page led Max to believe they had fallen unconscious.

He looked around the room and saw nobody there but himself. He placed his fork on the plate and found himself no longer interested in eating.

Instead, he turned the page….

I have not been able to write for ages. It feels like an eternity, but I will never know how long it's been.

Robotnik personally comes to watch and oversee our progress at the hands of the robot surgeons…. I think he enjoys the screams and cries of suffering, but I have been cut so much and modified to the point that most pain is fleeting any longer.

I have seen many animals come and go, but none have lasted as long as I have. Many succumb to the first surgery; at least, the lucky ones do. Ones that survive are treated more harshly and pushed further until they expire.

Robotnik doesn't know how smart or who I am, likely due to my now mutilated appearance. So, I am able to read and see his monitors when he is overseeing my experimentation.

It is clear to me that he hopes to perfect the infusion of technology and flesh. Not to create a weapon but for himself to cheat death.

To be a robot would be beneath him, so he uses us to see what works and what does not.

Max was beyond grossed out, but the text was far too difficult to stop reading, so he went further despite his ill feelings.

I should be dead…. After my last break from surgery, I was left alone for a long while. So long, in fact, that my flesh began to heal around the technological implants.

When they came and took me to the surgery room. I was strapped to an operating table, and the body on the floor beside me was missing its head.

I had already deduced what was in store for me, so I stared upward at the bright light waiting to die. Robotnik even came to congratulate me for being his most successful experiment.

When they came with the saw, they immediately cut into my neck. I thrashed in pain and terror, and Robotnik merely grinned at me.

I could feel myself dying with every cut, and strange as it may sound. I remember the final cut, when my head detached and toppled onto the floor…. seeing their feet before the blackness took over.

To my surprise, and like something out of a horror novel, I awoke with all of this in my memory, like some fever dream I had during a bout of delirium.

Unfortunately, I know it happened…. I know it did because of my head…. It's gone…. Replaced with some robotic contraption. I do not know what it looks like, but I can feel it with the only biological fingers I have left.

I can tell I really am a success…. but I really wish I weren't….

Max became too disturbed and slammed the book shut as it lay atop the table. He could take no more of whatever horrid shit he was reading.

Nicole's words about Tails being angry every time she tried to give him this stuff led Max to conclude that Tails had also read it.

With rage and disgust, Max grabbed the book and stormed out of the dining hut, leaving his cold food behind.

"…."

…

…

…

Sonic skidded to a halt as his shoes kicked up snow from the abrupt stop. He exhaled deeply, and his breath created a fine mist that wafted before his face.

As he stood there, he surveyed the frozen serenity of Robotropolis. Robotnik had been utterly silent for a few weeks, and while Sonic knew he was up to something, he was not bothered by the sudden relief it brought his family.

After some moments, Sonia came from behind and skidded to a halt beside him. Out of breath and looking sad, she crossed her arms and tried to act as if all was well.

"I… Well, I made it…." She grumbled.

Sonic eyed her and smiled, after which he came close and patted her on the back of the thick winter coat she'd begun wearing.

Sonia allowed it but did not say much else until her father did.

"This is nice, don'tcha' think…? Man…. I longed for the day we could do this again!"

Sonia forced a smile, after which she responded. "Yeah…"

Sonic turned around and then scratched the back of his head. "Well… Sorry for not waitin' up for you; it just feels so good to run around at home again…. Ya' know?"

Deep inside, Sonia was hurt by the statement, but she put as much effort into her act as possible. "Yeah! It's no prob… I am happy to run around with you…."

Sonic crossed his arms and then eyed the barren wasteland, now free of robots. "I bet it feels nice to not have to worry about danger for once…. Heck, even Uncle Chuck's bunker survived. So, the mission was 11 outta' 10!"

Sonia nodded and then turned away to examine the vast destruction her father had caused. The obliteration of a significant chunk of the city was unfathomable to her.

Still, it wasn't that she wasn't happy or grateful for what he'd done; she just wasn't sure how exactly to reconcile her negative emotions.

"…"

As Sonic watched her think, he eventually got the nerve to speak about his current thoughts.

"Yo… Sonia?"

When she heard him speak, she looked over at him and stared. "Hm?"

Sonic rubbed his arm and then spoke carefully. "Well, I know your birthday is comin' up, and I was thinkin'…. I dunno. Maybe you, Max, and I could do something together for it…. Just the three of us?"

When Sonia heard that, she continued to stare. On the one hand, she obviously was flattered he remembered; on the other hand, she thought about how much it would suck.

Irrespective of how she loved her father, she realized that she was shit compared to him. Everything she once boasted about was proven wrong by his very presence, and imagining him one-upping her on her special day just made her feel bummed.

"I… well… uhm…" She stammered uncharacteristically, and as Sonic's expression shifted towards disappointment, she felt compelled to accept or else feel like an asshole.

"Well, I spose' we can. If anybody will get Max to listen, well… it is me…. So…."

When Sonic heard that, he became excited and beamed brightly. "Yes! Great! Just convince Max to hang out for one day, and I promise it'll be fun!"

To Sonia, this was a dubious claim, and while she appreciated his love and care for her birthday, she felt cynical about his request.

It was as if he was using her to get at Max, who, up until this point, had avoided him like the plague.

Even with all that in mind, Sonia still relented and spoke in a faux enthusiastic manner. "Yeah! Well, great…. You plan what you wanna,' and I will talk to Max."

Sonic reached out his hand, and as he did, Sonia slapped it in an attempt to placate him.

"Way past!" He said.

To which Sonia merely looked down. After that, she turned away again and spoke. "Well… I am kinda' cold, so I am gonna head back and eat. After that, I'll hit up Max about my birthday…."

When Sonic heard that, he grinned and stretched his legs. "Wanna' race back?"

When she heard that. she immediately felt sad and unintendedly showed her true feelings in her bid to rush away quickly.

"Nah…"

"…"

"Besides, what's it matter? You always win anyway…."

Before Sonic could respond, she boomed out of there and ran off towards Knothole. Rather than follow her, he watched her go and stood silently.

"…."

As Sonia raced through the forest, she was left feeling drained and confused about her own place in the world.

Her father was in a class all his own, and the more she thought about it, the more she felt resentment, not for his abilities but for herself.

She wondered if she slacked off too much or even didn't possess the right genes…. When she thought about it, she was a bastard…. diluted by her mother's powerless genetics….

Hell, what did she even get from her mother? She wasn't brilliant, or courtly, or….

When Sonia kept thinking hateful thoughts, she skidded to a halt and stared down at the snow, taking a moment. When she started to cry, she wiped the tears away with her hand and exhaled in frustration.

"Why am I such a bitch?"

The words echoed out into the silent forest as she looked into the distance. She could see Knothole not too far off.

Feeling pain, she began to saunter towards it, and rather than go to eat like she originally intended, she moved directly to Max's hut.

As if she were lost, she began to bang on his door roughly, and when he didn't answer, she knocked again. When he still didn't answer, she merely pushed the door open.

When she stumbled inside, she saw him shoving a book into his dresser and then turning to see her.

"Sonia? I…. Are you ok?"

Sonia just stared, and for Max, it was easy to see she was not. He changed priority on whatever he had been doing and then walked over to her. Once there, he shut his door and locked it so the two could be alone.

"What's wrong?" He prodded gently.

Sonia knew what was wrong but stayed quiet and looked at him sadly.

Max looked her over, and when he realized she might cry, he simply decided to guess based on his own feelings.

"Is it Father?"

Sonia perked up when he nailed it on the first try, but as he awaited her response with a gentle stare, she eventually gave in and began to talk.

"It's everything…. At first…. I thought you were bein' weird with Dad, but now I…. I just don't know…."

When Max heard that, he placed his hand on her shoulder, which elicited a smile from her and helped her speak more.

"I dunno' bro…. It's always just been you an' me, and I know I love Dad a lot, but I feel… Angry? Sad? Jealous….? I dunno'…. I feel a bunch of stuff that I know isn't right for me to."

Max took his hand off her and bent down to his knees to be at direct eye level with her. When she was staring him in the face, he spoke.

"It's ok to feel what you feel, Sonia…. Dad has a lot to answer for when it comes to your life…. I know you will try and let him make it right, but it will take time."

Sonia sighed, and she cried a little bit. "I just hate feeling this way…. I hate being selfish…."

Max smiled at her, and he quietly wrapped his arms around her body, and she did so to him as well. The warmth between them comforted her greatly.

"It's ok Sonia…. You were and always have been Dad's favorite person. He loves you like no other, and I know it will work itself out if you let it."

When she heard that, she grinned and sniffled, after which she pulled away but kept her hands firmly grasped around his upper arms. "You mean it? Y-you think things will go back to normal between me and him?"

Max just grinned and raised himself up, breaking her hold on him. "Even if it doesn't…. You always have me."

He messed up her quills with his gloved hand when he finished his sentence.

"HEY!" She shouted and began trying to fix them playfully.

When Max turned away, Sonia thought about asking him about her birthday, but when she thought better of it, she decided she wanted to help Max the way he helped her.

"Bro…. Why are you always avoiding Dad? I know you prolly' feel like I do, but you won't even try to spend time with him."

When Max heard that, he froze, and after turning to look at her, she could see how sorrowful he appeared. After a moment, he merely answered honestly.

"Because Dad loves you, Sonia. When we were really little…. He used to run around with you all the time, but you know I am nothing like either of you, so I never got to join in on the running."

When Sonia heard that, it made her heart bleed. She could recall faint memories with her father, but in her self-loathing and arrogant boasting, she'd never thought about Max's feelings even once.

"Bro… I…." She began but stopped when he interrupted her.

"No… Don't, Sonia. Look, I accept that I am a 'slo-mo.' The kind of thing that dad looks at with contempt, so I would never expect the fastest thing alive to coddle his failure of a son when he has a daughter to follow in his footsteps."

Sonia was feeling ill, and it was perhaps the most empathy she'd ever had. After a lengthy silence, she eventually broke it with a question.

"Do you still love Dad?"

Max looked down, and after a moment, he responded. "He's my dad, so yeah…. I love him and am happy he is here, but the man I've become is not a man he'd ever like."

Sonia could see the same feelings decaying him, but his were more pronounced than hers. As she thought hard, she felt anger at the fact she or Dad never once slowed down for him when having fun together.

"…."

Eventually, Max smiled again and spoke. "It's ok Sonia…. I am ok with being ignored; I prefer it that way. I just ask that you trust me that Dad loves you and will make it right."

Sonia could see his hypocrisy and the fact that he was giving this advice while avoiding his father entirely. Still, could she blame him? She was upset about losing every race…. Max never got to participate.

"Bro…."

Max sighed and shook his head. "Sonia, I told you not to apol…."

"I love you." She interrupted.

Max was caught off guard but couldn't resist opening his arms when she wrapped herself around him again.

"I love you too, Sonia…."

Sonia shut her eyes, and her tears wet his coat, after which she spoke with her voice cracking a bit. "If dad's favorite person is me…. Well, that's ok, but my favorite person is you…."

Max cried a bit himself but tried to hide it stoically. "You're my favorite person too…."

"…."

"…."

Neither said anything more, and they both just hugged one another. For years, they were the only blood family that one another had in Knothole, and over that time, they discovered that it was enough.

By the time they broke apart, Sonia had thought again about asking Max to hang out with them for her birthday, but ultimately, she decided not to.

If her father wanted to reconcile with Max, then he should have to face the potential ire of doing so without aid.

….

….

….

….

When Sonia was off on her way in higher spirits. Max was also left with a feeling of lightened mood. Which he decided to exploit by taking a walk.

The book had really soured everything for him, but Sonia had rescued him from his fixation on it for the time being.

Still, as he moved to thoughts about his father, he was more afraid than resentful. He'd always had pressure on him, being next in line to the throne, and in truth, he felt like nothing without the support of Sally.

If Sonia and Sonic's parent-child bond was the strongest, he would have to say the same for himself and his deceased mother.

"…."

Max wandered aimlessly around frigid Knothole, lost in thought. He had so many things to focus on, but his scattered emotions made it difficult to pick just one.

As he reached the small bridge that traveled over the now-frozen stream, he was kicked back into reality when he saw Lupe standing at the edge of it with what appeared to be a spear in her hand.

Moving forward, he could see that Snively had fully completed her augmentation and that the severed parts were now replaced with advanced robotics.

When she saw him coming closer, she smiled and then spoke. "Ah…. It is good to see you…. I have grown bored practicing with these new prosthetics and wish to have a challenge."

When Max heard her say that, he saw her twirl the spear and nearly drop it. Her hands were difficult to utilize due to their unfamiliarity, but they worked similarly to his augments by injecting code into her brain and then re-learning how to use them correctly with the directive.

At first, Max seemed hesitant, and he spoke timidly. "I… I do not know if that is a good idea with real weapons…."

Lupe scoffed at him and then slammed the butt of the spear against the wooden bridge. "What? Young wolf, are you saying you are scared of a wounded old lady?"

Max smiled at her when he saw how high her spirits had become and realized her offer allowed him to focus on something other than emotional turmoil.

Gripping hold of the sword handle behind himself, he drew it from the scabbard, and once it was entirely out. He twirled it to be wielded correctly and then tossed it into his right hand.

"Fancy. Both the weapon and the presentation." Lupe said, eager to see how her experience had advanced his talents.

Max held the sword defensively, and Lupe wasted no time trying to use the broad side of the spear to knock him down.

Max blocked her sloppy attempt quickly and swung the blade carefully at her to ensure she could stop it.

Lupe became fierce and shouted at him. "Don't insult me, child! These eyes cannot be deceived! Fight like you mean it!"

Max slid the sword off the spear, and she rapidly thrust it at him, point first. He was surprised she was using serious combat, but he parried it just before it reached him.

The spear was thrust down, but Lupe pulled it back up and tried to stab Max again, who dodged to the side and deflected the spear tip again.

"Hah!" He cried.

"That's more like it! I can feel my control sharpening!" Lupe yelled happily and gripped the spear with both her newly completed hands.

Max decided that worrying about Lupe was foolish and swung his blade fiercely at her. She used the side of the metal spear to guard the attacks and then limped back slowly on her still-healing leg.

As she readied to attack, she was surprised to see Max rush her to keep her from using distance as an advantage.

Another swing came, and then a repeated series of slashes, each keeping Lupe on her toes as she barely blocked the swift strikes.

When she was overwhelmed, Max pushed forward quickly and tiredly continued smashing his sword against the spear until it was dropped from her shaky hands.

As it clanged to the bridge, she looked at Max and watched him gasp for air. After a moment, she reached down and retrieved the spear.

"Your style is not like my own…. It seems that experience has translated differently for you…."

Max breathed in deeply and then stood upright once his breath was caught.

Lupe shook her head and then continued. "You try to overwhelm your opponent by expending everything you have during their defense. Your swordplay, skills, and confidence are excellent, but I see flaws in your tactics."

Max listened to Lupe and watched as she readied her spear once more. "Again! I need practice! This time, I expect better restraint from you! Understand?!"

Max nodded and began another round of combat with Lupe. As time went on, Lupe picked apart every mistake she saw, and with each new round, he put forth an effort to fix the error.

As the two continued well into their seventh round, Lupe had seemingly gained a new understanding of her artificial fingers and hand. The longer they went on together, the more incredible her combat became.

Exhaustion was setting in for both of them passed the tenth round, and Lupe was not bested. She'd won seven of the eleven duels they'd had, and when it was time to begin the twelfth, Max leaned against the bridge's side and called it in.

"I… I can't go another round…. My muscles are burning…." He said through gasps.

Lupe leaned on her spear and breathed in heavily also. "I am very pleased with our session…. There is great potential in you. I hope that by our next one, you will have fixed the fatal errors in your technique."

Max agreed, and he felt good having advanced one of his goals. Gaining more strength…. He may have gained knowledge and experience from her, but in contouring with his own style and skill, it left much to be corrected.

"…."

Lupe limped over and began curling her metal fingers in front of Max. "I really did never think I would be fully combat ready again…. I am…. impressed the little worm pulled this off."

Max smiled at her and leaned his back against the bridge guard. "I am really excited, Lupe…. Not just because of you being able to make me a better warrior, but also because you will be happy again."

Lupe smiled, and she nodded. "Yes… I am happy, more so when I ram my spear down Robotnik's throat."

Max heard that and could only think of those horrible writings. Murdering that tyrant would bring him as much pleasure as it would Lupe.

"…."

Before the conversation could devolve into Robotnik, Max decided to change the subject or risk falling into rage and depression once again.

"How do they work exactly?" He asked.

When Lupe saw him point at her fingers and hand, she used her entirely replaced hand to twist one of her digits on the other. It snapped and then unscrewed until it was completely removed. Beneath it, Max could see a shimmering metal disk connected to her flesh.

"The worm modified the roboticizer and then used it on these areas. After which, all that needed to be done was screw in the handmade parts and inject the 'knowledge' into my brain."

As she screwed her finger back on, it clicked and made an energetic powering sound. "At first, I couldn't even hold a drink, but at least what was injected into my brain allowed me to move them like my old digits…."

In Max's mind, it was a marvel to behold, and Snively mixed with Nicole was a powerful duo that could seemingly solve a plethora of issues.

As Lupe limped past Max, she spoke one final time. "So, tomorrow then?"

Max just looked at her and eventually responded. "Yes, tomorrow. I want to learn everything I can from you that I wasn't given."

Lupe grinned at him and then responded as she began leaving. "Good, because I will stop going easy on you as we progress."

Max stared at her as she limped away and could only imagine how good she was if she played nice with him this entire session.

"…."

…

…

…

…

As evening came, Max sat by his window with that horrid book on the table. For all his efforts, he could not erase the allure of reading it despite its contents.

He had eventually settled on finishing it and then confronting Tails about it. He was positive Tails newly found withdrawn nature was a result of reading it, and Max indeed had to push on to open a dialog about what exactly had happened in Robotropolis.

"…."

Opening the book, he began flipping through pages quickly until he found where he'd last left off this morning.

It has been such a long time. To be honest, I wasn't sure what to write. The surgeries never ceased, but after so much, the redundancy made it feel as if Robotnik was just trying to see what would kill me.

The data I provided was valuable, no doubt, but it has been nearly three months since my last surgery. I keep being fed occasionally, but the mechanical components comprising a good bit of my new anatomy have rendered daily hunger a thing of the past.

If I didn't look so ghastly and couldn't see my own organs working within me, I might be thankful. However, just seeing myself, I know I will never leave here again. It makes me regret not burying my daughter's picture at her favorite place when I had the chance.

I guess, even after all this time…. I still wasn't ready to let go.

…

As Max turned the page, he began to read the next entry.

After several months, I was finally brought to the surgical room again, and I must say that what happened today was the craziest and most horrible of all things I have seen here.

It was always hard watching adults succumb to their first surgery, but today, Robotnik brought in a child no more than fourteen, and it sickened me.

Strapped to the table, I helplessly watched the girl fight for her life, with Robotnik laughing as she did. When the robots subdued her, I knew it was about to start.

Even as they began to cut into her and she screeched, she still tried to break free. Removing a part for replacement would generally be quick, but she caused an error in the procedure that led to undue suffering and partial blindness.

Then the machines extracted her tongue violently through her mouth and cauterized the bleeding wound to keep her alive for the replacement.

When she ceased to move entirely, I was sure she'd passed out from the pain, but I was hopeful her death would be quick from here.

I was wrong…

When the robots placed their tools down by the operation table to retrieve the augments for installation, and Robotnik moved over to examine his experiment, she leaped from the table and violently began stabbing with the carelessly placed scalpel.

In all the years I have been here, I have never seen anybody stab Robotnik, nor had I ever seen him not order the patient to be strapped and immobile.

I guess her small size had led the fool to underestimate her. Robotnik was visibly scared and bleeding, while the girl lashed out against the robots trying to grab at her.

Unexpectedly, despite her injuries, the girl was quite formidable and could take them out of commission using objects in the room.

In my awe, I vividly remember her looking at the pitiful creature I had become and rushing over to me.

A part of me was hopeful as she began cutting the straps binding me, but I knew as Robotnik started to rise, she would die for her altruism.

I yelled at her to run and thinking back on it, it was the first time I'd ever spoken aloud to anybody since this began.

My voice was shockingly different.

At least that was enough to get her to flee through the automatic doors into the hallway with the scalpel in hand.

I could see the trail of blood she left behind, and as Robotnik was calling for help on the intercom. I could only hope that the little one escaped.

Though, I am doubtful….

Max was quiet and looked out the window at the darkness of Knothole. The passage brought one person to mind, but maybe it was just wishful thinking looking for a happy end to the tragic tale.

With a sigh, he turned the page.

Things have changed for the better…. Ever since that incident, Robotnik has distanced himself from attending experiments. As I write this, it is amusing that a little girl struck that kind of fear into him.

Either way, the procedures became ever more rote and eventually ceased altogether for me. I have been rotting in this room for more than a year and have finally fully healed around my components enough that I can move.

I have begun keeping this book with me in my nightmarish sanctuary for comfort. Maybe it is because it is all I have to speak to, but I feel it keeps me safe and sane.

I don't know what Robotnik is plotting for me next, but I do my best to endure. I have already proven unkillable up to this point, so I might as well keep trying to survive.

If there is any scientific mind that can reverse the damage done to this body, it is mine.

Max was impressed by the person writing. Their intellect appeared vast, and even under such misery and terror, it sounded like they kept themself relatively stable.

As he went to turn the next page, he was jolted from his task by banging on his door.

It frightened him quite a bit, given the content he was engrossing himself in, but as he stared at the door, it struck him that he had forgotten his conversation with Nicole earlier.

"Oh, yeah…." He commented to himself and shut the book.

He rapidly made his way over to let her in as he blocked the terrible readings from his mind and refocused on his guest.

"…"

"Max!" Nicole said with a bit of excitement as he swung open the door.

He looked her over and saw snow on her metal shoulders that had fallen from the sky. When she stepped in and shut the door, he quietly used his gloved hand to brush it off of her onto his floor.

She watched him confused, but her expression turned to appreciation over the gesture. "Thanks…."

Max smiled at her and then grabbed hold of her hand bashfully. It was unusual for him to be so forward, but Nicole couldn't read him too well from his behavior alone.

"Uhm…?" She began but stopped when he gently pulled her to the window where he had been sitting.

She followed suit, and as he let go of her, he pulled the second chair out so she could sit. She placed herself down and then stared at the book on the table.

When Max came around to sit across from her, she spoke. "I…. So, you are still exploring that book?"

Nicole seemed uncharacteristically anxious and uncertain, making Max befuddled, as she said she hadn't read it.

"I… Yeah…. It is, well…. Don't worry about it." He grabbed hold of the book and tossed it atop his dresser. "We aren't here to discuss that damaged old thing anyway."

Nicole nodded when he rid the table of the book and then responded. "I… Well, thank you for helping me figure this out."

Max grinned and then placed his hands on the table. "Anything for you, Nicole."

She stared at him with her artificial eyes, detecting his flirtatious undertones. Even though she didn't quite fully grasp them, the atmosphere it provided felt pleasant. "Uhm… Yes… Thank you…."

Max glanced out the window at the darkness, and he eventually grounded himself to talk to her about her request instead of losing himself in his amorous and romantic fantasies.

"Alright, so. As I said earlier. We should spend the day with Sonia, just the three of us. She has been feeling down lately, so it might be the best thing to raise her spirits."

When Nicole heard that, she looked at the table and spoke. "So, it isn't just me that thought so?"

Max eyed her, and then it dawned on him that Nicole was progressing well with body language, at least with Sonia. This birthday celebration was apparently a desire within Nicole to bring her joy.

"Yeah… We talked earlier. Things are hard for her right now, and I think she is confused."

Nicole responded. "Yes… Having Sonic around has been… awkward."

Max seemed surprised to hear her mirror the same sentiment as his sister, so he pushed her on it. "Sonic is bothering you?"

Nicole shook her head and spoke. "No… It is just… I don't know…. I feel like animals look upon me with disapproval. You, Tails, and Sonia do not, but I feel some others strongly dislike this form of mine, even if they don't say it…."

When Max heard that and looked her over, he recognized that only a fool would not realize that her body had been taken from another animal. Despite its open secret nature and the fact he directly confided in Tails, he knew it would draw ire from those that couldn't understand.

"I… I see…. So is Sonic bothering you about it?"

Nicole again shook her head and continued. "No… However, he constantly tries to talk to me. I really want to do it, but I fear telling him everything will bring the same disdain."

It was now that Max understood the implicit treatment Nicole received from some of the others was more easily understood by her. He knew Bunnie would never be ok with body snatching, but the truth of the matter was, he didn't care.

"It's ok, Nicole…. You can talk to anybody about whatever you want, and for what it is worth…. That body is your body. No matter what anybody says."

Nicole genuinely smiled at him and placed her metal hand on the table before his. "Ok… As long as you look upon it and it brings you happiness."

Max felt heat in his cheeks and averted his gaze. He interpreted her words as attempting to be appreciative, though he sincerely wanted to read them another way.

"Yes…. Looking at you makes me very happy." He admitted.

Now it was her turn to look surprised, and she removed her hand shyly from the table for fear he might grab it as he did earlier. "I… well… uhm…"

Her stammering was cute and un-robot-like, but it signified to Max she was as alive as he thought. "So…. What do you say about two days from now?"

Nicole stared at him blankly, forgetting why she was there, but Max clarified. "Us being together?"

Nicole nodded. "Sure, I won't forget or tell Sonia beforehand."

Max stood up happily and spoke as Nicole followed. "Great, just get her in the morning after waking me, and the three of us will have a good time."

Nicole appeared nervous and excited, so Max reached out his hand to allow her to shake or slap it as a Freedom Fighter might.

Instead, as she looked Max over, she decided to express her emotions in a way that felt right. Pushing aside his hand, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him like the day he did to her in the forest.

Max became hot, sweaty, and his heart pounded against his chest, but he knew Nicole couldn't feel it. When he wrapped his arms around her, he heard her speak.

"Thank you… For everything. Because of you, I can think and feel like this now."

She pulled away from him and smiled, to which he smiled back.

"Nah, you were always a person in my book. I just helped out a little."

Nicole spontaneously laughed at that; it was rare to hear her digital voice break into that sound. "Ever certain, huh, Max?"

Max shrugged sheepishly. "It's how I feel."

Nicole grinned and turned away towards the door, but before returning to the workshop, she turned to speak. "Two days from now, we meet, and then I retrieve Sonia?"

Max responded. "Yep, I will lead the way, and you learn."

Nicole nodded. "Great!"

When Max laughed, he also nodded. "Good, can't wait!"

Nicole didn't seem to want to leave, and in truth, Max didn't want her to either. Still, it was difficult to express himself fully. "See ya, Nicole…."

"See ya." She waived as she exited the hut and out into the dark.

"…."

"I love you….?" Max whispered to himself curiously after he shut his door.

The words were to test how he felt about saying them aloud, and despite feeling awkward about it, they were just as pleasing as they would be if they were told to Annie….

He now knew his strong feelings for Annie were just as applicable to a sentient artificial intelligence.

"…"

…

…

…

…

What world is this? I should be fascinated by the endeavor, but I am awestruck by the cruelty. Thrown out like trash with the rest of my mutilated kin.

Robotnik has used me for yet another test, but still, I live despite all odds. I would have thought interstellar travel impossible, but it seems he has unlocked the secret.

At first, I was unsure of why he would even bother, but looking around at the horrid actions committed on living creatures. I now see it gives him the perfect thing to hide this from the resisting animals.

Looking about, I know this system is volatile, but my modified body likely enhances my survivability against the elements tenfold. I suppose the first thing I should do is arm myself. My old body has little left in the way of strength, but my mechanical components will likely pick up the slack.

Max sat in his bed quietly and turned the page, watching the flickering of the candlelight bounce along the passages as he went.

I really do not write as much as I should in here, but things have taken an… upsetting turn. Robotnik has been dumping regular Mobian citizens here. Most of them do not know how to take care of themselves and succumb to the hostile planet, those that do are unreasonable when encountering me.

My mere appearance has had me attacked multiple times, that I was fortunate to escape….

Even worse than that, more and more mutilated animals are being dumped here. Many are deceased, but some live on in a horrific state of undeath…. It is hard to describe, but "zombie" would be the closest colloquial term for it.

I hypothesize that it is likely the mechanical augmentations keep their corpse functional, and their violence is derived from the directive code given by Robotnik in his experiments.

With all this in mind, I have decided to begin booby trapping where I camp. After so much observation and personal research, I have given myself a relatively safe haven in the woods.

The only thing that gives me hope is that Robotnik has also turned loose horrific machines I can collect components from for any number of purposes.

Max paused for a moment, and deep down, he admired this person for going through so much and still trying to live. His disgust for Robotnik could go no higher, pushing him further towards murderous fantasies.

"…"

It has been months since I wrote, but I feel like I must today. I… I killed somebody today. Something I never thought I would ever do, but I was attacked by a Mobian, already afraid from running into my mindless brethren.

Talk would not dissuade him, and he attacked me with the intent to kill me. I should probably want to die, given what I now am, but I still feel the need to preserve my consciousness. At least until I gather enough components for my device….

I would like to say he died painlessly, but being crushed under one of my booby traps set for Robotnik's machines is not a good way to go, primarily if the head isn't destroyed.

I pitied the poor soul and stabbed him with one of my makeshift tools. He died rapidly after that, and I was left shaken and contemplative about the act.

Ultimately, I guess it doesn't matter; here, it is kill or be killed, and there is no other alternative.

Max quietly shut his eyes and then turned the page, wondering if and when this madness would end.

Today is…. Well, it is the best day of my life since the birth of my daughter. It might sound odd, but it is the first time I have ever encountered an experiment like myself that can speak.

A woman who has been heavily modified with tech was wandering around near my camp. I was going to let her die in one of my many traps until she saw me and asked for help.

They were the first friendly words I had ever had spoken to me, so I asked her to not move, and I guided her safely to where I resided.

She seems confused and lost, and it almost exactly mirrors my feelings for years now…. "Lost."

She still has her clothes, and like me, it seems any experiment that lives through the gantlet is allowed to keep their possessions. It makes me wonder if Robotnik superstitiously thinks that is why we survive.

She cannot give one when I ask her name and babbles about her child incoherently. Perhaps she lost her child like I did? I suppose we will find out if I ever get the right chipset for my device.

Max was tired, but his curiosity compelled him to read another entry. The sooner he got through, the sooner he could feel relief knowing its ending.

Having company is excellent. The rabbit seems overjoyed to have some semblance of self back. Though she seems to become ill on and off, which is odd, given her extensive modification.

I, too, have felt under the weather as of late, and it has worried me to the point I have put my device on hold. I need to discover why this is happening and what can be done.

More so than myself, I am terrified of losing my only company. She may not remember much, but she helps me survive and talks to me when I am lonely.

When Max finished, he shut the book and placed it under his pillow. After that, he lay down and stared blankly at his ceiling.

The horrible atrocities being committed and their results had sent Max so far past enraged that he felt the need for vengeance.

The sword he had vowed to be, needed to be his ultimate ascension, if not for the animals living now, then the ones murdered so callously.

"…."

…

…

…

Sonic sat alone in the dining hut picking at his food in a distracted manner. For all the good that had happened recently, he found himself struggling.

Bunnie, Antoine, and Rotor were all about his return with open arms. However, Sonia, Max, Tails, and Nicole seemed to want little to do with him.

It made him feel like he was sinking, and if there was ever somebody he needed now, it was Sally. Her death continued to cause him undue pain, and while he hid it well, he could only be so strong.

He had thought his successful acts against Robotnik would yield him immediate results with his family, but ultimately, it mainly went uncommented on.

"…"

While Sonic lost himself in his thoughts, he didn't even notice the person who came and sat down by him. Eventually, when he glanced over, he was shocked to see Annie.

Probably the most elusive and miserable in all of Knothole. She didn't even acknowledge him and silently ate at the latest possible hour.

As Sonic stared, he could see her ears were uneven, with one wrapped and three-fourths the length of the other. She also donned a matching bandage across her eyebrow, and despite the frigid temperature, she was still wearing a tank top.

It was evident that she was suffering to Sonic, but before he could even try and speak, Annie lifted her head and glared.

"What the fuck are you staring at? Don't you have shit to be saving?"

Sonic was utterly taken aback by her abrasive and disrespectful attitude, but in a way, it made him smile.

"You, obviously. You are the only one here." He said as he stretched out.

Annie was in no mood for games and merely took a bite of her food; after swallowing it, she responded. "If I wanted to talk to an asshole, I'd be talking to your son."

Sonic could see she was trying to hurt him in any way possible, but he smirked, leaned back, and put his hands behind his head.

"So, you gotta' crush on Max? That's really cute! You two were always inseparable."

Annie dropped her fork and stared at him, and her surprised face betrayed her ultimately. "I… I dunno what you are talkin' about, you psycho."

Sonic shrugged. "I think ya do, but I get it; feelings are tough."

Annie was so unsure of how to respond to Sonic that she stared at him, flabbergasted.

"…"

Sonic just grinned at her and then stood up. "You know what? I like you, kid…. I think I am gonna talk to you more often."

Annie looked at him, still completely confused, but then crossed her arms defensively and grumbled. "Whatever…."

Sonic walked past her and then opened the door to the hut, after which he turned and spoke. "Hey, kid?"

When Annie turned to him to glare, he finished what he was going to say.

"Thanks…. I needed this."

With that, he walked out into the snow, leaving Annie to try and figure out what the hell had just happened. Her intent to sow misery completely backfired, and now it was her turn to feel lost.

"…."

…

…

…

…

The storms have grown more potent, and battling has embroiled the land. Not only the discarded experiments but the powerful machines that Robotnik has sent fall victim to this new champion.

Admittedly, I fear them, as they might destroy us in our weakened state. Fortunately, they do not venture into the forest much, and I get the feeling the high Ph water pooling on the ground is a strong deterrent for them.

Still, even with my trepidation, their destruction of powerful machines has allowed me to collect many parts to work on my device when I am able.

Sadly, our condition is only worsening now, and I have decided I need to cut into myself to examine my components more easily.

I might die doing so, but it is the only way to reach some of the complex machinery within my body. Which, I believe at this point, is the culprit.

Rabbit has tried to convince me not to, but my mind is made up. We are lost in our lives, so if I am lost to death, that is how it shall be.

Max sat at the edge of his bed, reading. He was already dressed and waiting for Lupe, but he felt he had time to read more before they would spar. As he turned the page, he felt apprehensive now that the tone of the writing had shifted.

We are dying…. There is no other way to put it. Our sickness is the result of our blood being old and contaminated.

Upon exploring myself through light surgery, I discovered that many vital functions of our bodies have been wholly changed. The mechanical components embedded within are, in part, the central reason we are so durable.

Our immune system has been taken over by a machine that utilizes nanotechnology. It makes infection nearly impossible and renders blood and organ type matches completely irrelevant.

When I think back, I recall being given copious amounts of random blood through tubes to keep me from dying. I now understand that this is why because it allowed the use of any blood type without fear of rejection, and it automated the experiment process.

My further exploration beyond this led me to discover what has malfunctioned. The mechanical component that has replaced our kidneys has become inefficient at filtering our blood, and it is poisoning us. Given the nature of the device within me, it seems it would be impossible to extract or repair it without killing myself or my companion.

As this fact dawned on me, I was initially sad, but then I felt a repulsion that shook me to the core of my being.

I know the machine itself and the blood within us are far too bad to be "fixed," but I realized if we managed to obtain fresh blood from a "source," I could then transfuse it into us and dump the tainted blood out, sort of like a primitive dialysis that replaces blood rather than feeds your own clean blood back to you.

With how many Mobians are dumped here, obtaining the blood required seems like a non-issue. However, the morally reprehensible nature of this idea is what unnerves me.

How, in my desperation, could I even consider this?

Max looked over at the brightening morning through his window and turned the page once more, now feeling on the edge of his seat.

"…"

The signess… It is interfering.

I am not thinkin strait, and my biologicall part air dying slowly. I am want to let this be end, but rabit is unable to move any longer.

I cant wach the death, not like my little girl.

Am scared. Need to act before….

Max quickly thumbed to the next page after the abrupt end and saw that it was spattered in so much gore it was nearly illegible. Still, he decided to try and decipher the passage as well as he could.

-loo-. It is the g-v-r o- life.

I ha-e d-n- th- un-hi-ka-l-, -nd us-d m- t-ols to s-ay l-s- Mo-ia-s.

Th-y would be -othin- but dead r-gard-es- w-t- all t-e ot-er -h-eats, -n- I ne-ded to b-y ti-e….

The s-co-d th-t I beg-n th- -r-ce-s of draining o-t t-e -ain-e- essence w-il- let-in- the fr-s- bl-o- fl-w in. I fe-t revitalized.

My m-nd…. I -m s-r- it w-s -am-g-d -r-m -he leng-h -f ti-e -t wa- sup-li-d w-t- sour blood, bu- in t-is e-en- I s-e a w-y -o cir-umv-n- the -l-ws of -y e-is-e-c-.

N-w t-at I -an thin- be-ter, I w-ll -e- t- he-p-n- rabbit… She needs me, -n- t-er- -s m-re -h-n e-ou-h b-ood t- go a-o-n-.

After some minutes of careful reading, he could discern most of it, and it seemed to him that this would be the turning point to something far more sinister. Not only had the tone suddenly shifted, but the writer's mind appeared to have been altered.

"…"

He stood up, shut the book, and shoved it under his pillow. After that, he turned to head out front. It was perfect timing for him to stop because he already saw Lupe approaching for their morning training.

Max honestly felt relieved for this type of distraction as it allowed him to release some of the built-up aggression and rage that was seeping into him, especially now that he had fallen down the rabbit hole of this journal.

When Lupe was in front of him, she merely glanced and spoke confidently. "Are you ready to go?"

Max nodded, and with that, the two were off to push their skills further than the day before.

…

…

…

Sonia stood in her bathroom using a towel to dry her quills. Despite her usual extra-long showers, she was using it this morning to avoid her father.

Her talk with Max had made her entirely aware of his pain, and as her birthday was the day after today, she could not talk to or confront her father about her desired refusal to do his request.

As she stared in the mirror, she recognized that she was maturing as mentally as she was physically. It made her realize her childishness and pushed to the forefront her insecurities.

About her life, her worth, and her body….

With a reluctant sigh, she listened quietly, and when she could hear not a single sound from outside the bathroom door. She began to dress herself so that she could be off to breakfast.

Once done, she burst from the bathroom and froze when she saw her father patiently waiting for her in a seat.

"Sup!? Boy, you took an extra-long time in there, Sonia!" Sonic laughed, which unnerved her, mostly because he seemed to be in high spirits.

"Oh… Yeah…" She said and rubbed the back of her still-damp quills.

"Sorry, I will get out of your way." She said as she began to make a rather hasty march towards her front door to escape.

When she walked next to Sonic, he put out his hand to stop her, and when she looked at him, he smirked. "So, what's up? Did you talk to Max yet about tomorrow?"

Sonia now knew he had waited to confront her, and she reckoned that his excitement was concerning this matter.

Deep inside, she wanted to speak to him about their treatment of Max, but she felt meek. His stare was powerful no matter how casually he acted. Perhaps though, that was because she knew him as "dad."

"I, well…" Sonia began but stammered slightly when her father continued to look at her with the same expression.

"Well, uhm…" She trailed off again, now recognizing she had not the strength to hurt her father's feelings to his face.

With a brief sigh, she began to shoot her mouth off without thinking it through to escape.

"Yeah…. Max said he can try to make it… Uhm, we can meet by the power ring pool or somthin'…."

When Sonic heard that, he stood up and laughed. "Great, I promise you two you won't regret it!"

Sonia felt like a pile of garbage for lying, but she just nodded her head. "Well, you know how Max is; he said he'd try, so if I am the only one that shows up, don't be upset…."

Sonia recognized what a snake she was, covering her own ass while knowing full-well Max was unaware.

When Sonic heard that, he just grinned and messed up her quills playfully. "Don't worry about it, you asked him for me, and if you got that response, it means there's a chance!"

Sonia rubbed her arm and looked at the floor without trying to fix her messed-up quills. "Heh… Yeah, well, I sure did…."

Sonic eyed her and then moved aside when she gently pushed him.

"I am kinda' hungry, so I'll tell Max the ring pool for tomorrow since now you know."

Sonic didn't respond, and rather than look at him again or wait for confirmation, she pushed herself out the front door and began to run toward the dining hut.

When she was gone, Sonic walked out front and breathed a deep sigh before he readied himself to head to Robotropolis to continue oppressing the streets and asserting his dominance over Robotnik.

"…"

…

…

…

Tails sat at his cluttered work table, staring blankly at the graphing paper before him. In all this time, he had fallen in on himself, and there was nothing he could do to feel relief from guilt.

As Seth sat at the edge of Tails' unmade bed, he began lifting some heavy junk to exercise his upper body while in the messy room.

Eventually, Seth switched arms and decided to break the silence that had become routine between them. "So… I take it you are just going to sit there again today rather than do anything productive?"

When Tails heard that, he became instantly irritated and scowled as he looked out of the corner of his eye, after which he picked up his pencil and began to draw on the lined paper.

"…"

Eventually, Seth sighed loudly and dropped the heavy metal piece as it hit the floorboards with a bang. "Goddamn, you are such a mess… Not just how you act, but you live like a fucking pig."

Tails angrily turned around and irritably raised his voice. "If you don't like it in here, there is the dirt and snow outside for you to sleep on!"

Seth shook his head and ran his hand over the cloth sack that had become his temporary shirt. "Fine, at least the ground is less dirty than this fucking hovel!"

With that, Seth limped towards the door and opened it. Despite needing to heal more, his desire to return to his sister and his constant exercising made him far less lethargic and mopey than Tails.

Tails kept looking at him as he pushed himself out the door and slammed it behind himself. It had to be the first time Seth ventured from this self-imposed tomb, but Tails had neither the energy nor inclination to do the same.

He became ever more dejected as he began to draw again with his only usable hand. Bathing, cleaning, and even planning and building had become difficult for him.

Deep down, he desperately wanted to save Cream, but fear and guilt stayed his hand. A pathetic mess he just drew; as the lines and shapes came together, he felt himself growing ever sadder.

He had failed Cream and struggled against the pain honesty would cause her. As he exhaled, he placed the pencil down and stared blankly at the graph paper he used for designing projects and machines.

"…."

His eyes scanned the image, and he slumped helplessly back in his chair and spoke aloud. "I'm sorry…."

It echoed in the silent room, but the image of Cream's smiling face did not answer back. So etched in his mind was her gentle smile that he instinctively drew it for comfort.

As he sat transfixed on the decent rough sketch of her face, he shifted his arm that was set in the sling. He was cowering away from everything he had intended to do when he got home.

His family, his rescue plans, his obligations.

For the first time in his life, he felt utterly lost, and his genius mind was clouded by complete uncertainty.

With that notion pushing him towards anger, he stood up, and rather than talk himself down or sit and stew in his misery. He began to slowly clean his workspace so that at least "Cream" could be somewhere tidy.

"…."

…

…

…

…

As the deep hue of orange cascaded across the sparkling snow from between dark storm clouds, the late afternoon came rapidly to Knothole.

Max, who had been training throughout the day, stood before Lupe with his barrier erected. Once she learned he could do such a marvelous feat, she began using it to test her more lethal attacks.

He was already tired from the day's combat, but in doing her request, he realized it would allow him to train his endurance while using the newfound skill.

Like an impervious war dummy, her spear clashed and sparked against it while Max hid his growing discomfort from her. The light had turned yellow after all he'd gone through, but he kept pushing himself until he began to shake beneath his clothes.

When Lupe finally smashed into the energy shield one last time, she stumbled forward and stabbed the bridge to keep herself from collapsing.

"Ah…." She cried out as she rested her heaving body on the spear, sweat dripping down her face and creating little holes in the snow left beneath her.

Max seeing her relent, stopped using the barrier and stood up straight in an attempt to hide his ill feelings. His hand shook beneath his glove, and he felt a deathly chill course through his body.

When Lupe eyed him, he smiled as convincingly as he could, and she merely stood up straight to mimic him. "I would say today was more than productive…. That new trick of yours will give you quite the advantage…."

Max breathed in and tried to move, but he staggered heavily and reached out to grab the bridge railing to stabilize himself.

"Ah… Yeah…"

Lupe found it odd, but rather than make him feel like he'd been found out for doing something he ought not to have, she merely smiled and spoke. "We have earned a good rest tomorrow…."

Max felt fear, and he instinctively responded to her. "N-no, I can find time…."

"Shush, young wolf…." She scolded him like a child and shook her head.

"Resting is just as important as training, as it allows one to reflect and regain their lost stamina for even fiercer training."

Max controlled his breathing while still keeping himself up with the side of the bridge and then relented. "Ok…. Tomorrow is Sonia's birthday, so I will be spending my day with that uninterrupted."

Lupe put on a grin and nodded. "Ah, then I shall give her my best wishes on her way to womanhood."

To hear Lupe put it so bluntly surprised him, but ultimately, he appreciated it. "Thanks, Lupe…."

When Max turned away to lean his arms on the bridge railing, he heard Lupe speak, and this time, it was something he was not anticipating.

"I… I do not mean to trouble you, but have you been able to speak to Tails….? I…. I have heard he is here but have not seen him. It is my wish to talk to him."

Max eyed her and eventually stared down at the frozen river. "Yeah, he just is recovering…. I have stuff to discuss with him, so if you want, I can let him know you are looking for him."

Lupe was quiet for a bit and then eventually responded. "Yes…. Please… I…. It is about something that has weighed on my mind for a while now."

Max was quiet, and Lupe patted him on the shoulder to be on her way. He wondered why she was so reticent to go to his hut and speak to him.

The more he thought, the more he realized it wasn't his business, as, like her, he had his own secrets to hide. When he eventually left the safety of the bridge railing, he stumbled and realized just how much of a cold sweat he was in.

He quickly glanced down beneath his glove and saw that the light had turned red.

"Shit…" He grumbled as he stumbled and lumbered towards the dining hut to recover.

"…."

…

…

…

…

…

I feel a violent impulse now that I am sure was never there before. After I drained all the blood, I discarded the flesh and fur, but deep down, it felt like a waste of useful material.

I…. I am having difficulty not letting my thoughts grow darker. I should feel guilty, but I surprisingly don't. When rabbit was informed of how her illness was eased, she seemed indifferent to it.

I am unsure if our feelings are dulled or if Robotnik has done something more…. I just don't know…. However, I am confident that more blood will be required in due time if we wish to continue existing.

Max sat alone in his room reading after his meal; he had time before he started his task for Sonia's birthday, so now was the perfect time to explore more of this horrible text.

As he turned the page, he gritted his teeth to brace himself for the worst.

The voices visit me often. I am sure they are the ghosts of the dead. They offered their flesh to me as well as their essence, and yet, they continue to stay with me long after their screams are silenced.

Confusion. I…. am confused? What was my task? Did I even have one? I have thought about this, and the only thing that comes to mind is "to become whole again."

Maybe…. Maybe it is a sign that the dead whisper in my ear. They feel offended that I discard pieces of them rather than use them fully.

Max looked up and stared blankly across his room. This logical mind had begun to devolve into superstitious gibberish, and it was frightening, to say the least.

She has begun her task. She has a knack for stitching, and so we work to restore our previous selves. Our sickness has been held back by more and more essence, and our bellies are filled by a feast of flesh.

So now, the skin and fur will replace what we have lost. I know that she has almost completed her head, and when she wears it, I can see the deer she used to be, and I feel as much joy as when I receive fresh blood.

Soon, I will be my handsome self again, and then the task I had envisioned will be complete.

Max was confused reading, but the clearly erratic writing showed psychological decline so pronounced that it felt as if he was reading an entirely different person's writing.

"…"

Our numbers grow by one, as ordained by God. Given both the gift of restoration and life, the lost lamb has revived and spoken.

Despite my preconceived notions, the lost one calls himself a cat, and so, Deer and I intend to make him whole so that he may find the inner peace as we have.

The longer Max read, the more he got the sense this writing was compulsory as if it was only done out of habit. The passages were clearly spread over significant lengths of time, and most of it was entirely disconnected from what came before it.

The previous writings had no meaning to the author now, as they genuinely had died and become something else….

"…"

The voices grow louder; the dead speak and tell me that since they have sacrificed much for me, I am to do them a favor in return.

When I speak of this divination with my family, they feel as I do and that the divine voices be heeded. They whisper and beg to have some presence in this sacred forest rather than become mere materials.

With consideration, we have begun appeasing the spirits, allowing portions of them to hang above the forest, to watch over it.

Maybe the voices will finally cease now that they have had their wish granted.

Max slammed the book shut and tossed it to the floor. This collective insanity was too much for him, and now he had serious questions about where Tails got this and what he knew of this horrific shit.

After some thought, he decided despite not finishing, he would confront Tails late this night after he had prepared things for Sonia.

With a deep breath, he exhaled, and as he exited the hut, he could only think about the abominations in the forest and the monster that created them.

…

…

…

…

…

Max stood in the kitchen, surrounded by ingredients and food. He realized it had been long since he'd done this.

In a way, it made him temporarily forget about the writings. It was like he could pretend that everything that had happened didn't for a brief while.

In this moment of tranquility, he grabbed things off of shelves and mixed them quickly into a bowl. Like second nature, he instinctively knew the measurements and promptly began what would be a quaint birthday cake.

"…"

As he set the oven to rise to temperature, he had to appreciate the heat it let off in the fridged kitchen. It wasn't long before it was cozy within, and Max carefully began making the topping and fixings for the cake.

He knew he wouldn't be out of here until late, but that didn't bother him much. With what little sleep he would get, it would be eased by Sonia's joy.

Once the cake was in the oven, he sat on the stool in front of the wooden counter with all the decorative components.

"…."

In the stillness, he drifted off into his new daydreams, thinking about Nicole. Even if he was haunted earlier by the plethora of terrible things he had become engrossed in, she was like a light in the darkness.

As he thought, he was brought back to the days he yearned for her to be like a Mobian. Part of him had to wonder if it was some sort of fate that she changed so drastically.

Breaking the thought, he stood up and checked the cake, then once he was satisfied it was doing well, he sat back down.

"…"

Nicole's body….

Though he found it attractive, he wondered who it had once been and what kind of life they used to lead.

Unlike some others, he really only saw it as Nicole, but there was a questionable morality to his desecration of the lost young girl.

As he began to feel anxious, he wondered, "What if they found the mind that belonged to that body?"

Would he give Nicole, as she was now, up?

He wanted to say yes, but deep down, he knew his reluctance might win in the end. As good as he always tried to be, "finders-keepers" was what his selfishness called for.

Once he became upset over the thought, he stood up and rechecked the cake. With it looking done, he removed his glove and took it out carefully with his metal hand. After that, he placed it on a rack to cool.

Now was the time to wait, as he knew it would take a few hours before it could be dressed. At this time, he had to figure out how to confront Tails when the hour grew late.

….

….

….

….

As Max placed the finishing touches on the dessert, he stood back and marveled at the small-sized cake. It was decorated in a Fall-Esq hue. Reds, browns, and golds intermixed with a simple vanilla frosting.

It made him feel like he was giving her her birthday season back after it had been covered in snow.

"Happy 14th birthday, Sonia!"

He then picked up the cake and safely placed it in a wooden container for bread. It would be an excellent hiding place until tomorrow, and then Sonia could make her birthday wish once it was revealed.

….

With a yawn, an exhausted Max stretched out as he glanced over at the time. It now struck him that it was steadily approaching midnight.

He had worked his body all day with Lupe, and rest called to him. Despite that, however, he went to do what he had always planned.

Speak to Tails….

Coming out of the kitchen, he was surprised to see Seth sleeping atop a table. He mainly had stayed clear of everyone like Tails, but his presence here gave him hope that perhaps his "big brother" was returning to normal.

Leaving Seth undisturbed, he moved out the door into the freezing, snowy night. He would grab the book and get to the bottom of this once and for all.

…

…

…

…

…

When Max rapped at Tails' door, there was nothing but silence and the piercing icy wind as it blew his cape about.

He slammed with even more loud bangs, and still, there was nothing.

Eventually, Max grew tired and began to speak through the door.

"Tails…. It's me, Max…. I know you are in there…."

As he banged again, there was still no sound. Eventually, Max sighed and spoke once again.

"I… I need to talk to you. I…."

There was a long pause, and as the wind blew snow into his face, he had to raise his hand to block it. Once the wind died down, he finished what he needed to say.

"I know about the book…. F-from the other world… I…. I've read it…. Like you have."

The second he uttered that, there was a loud click and the sound of a latch opening. As Max waited with the book in his hand, the door opened.

The light was blinding at first, and before Max could size Tails up and see how he was doing, he was roughly grabbed by the coat and pulled inside.

Once, the door was kicked shut behind him. Tails used his good arm to violently push Max against the door with a slam, which surprised him.

"Ah!"

"Who told you, you could fucking read that!?" Tails growled.

He was disheveled and clearly not well. As Max stared at him in a frightened manner, Tails pulled his arm away and, with his usable hand, snatched the book away from Max before he could muster a response.

The second Tails looked down at it, it brought him immense grief, and he turned away to try and hide his tears.

"Max…. Why…. What the hell?"

Tails acted as if he had been utterly betrayed, but there was no clear indication of how or why.

Eventually, Max looked down and spoke. "I'm sorry, Tails…. I…. I thought you had read it, which is why you were so upset."

Tails eventually wiped his eyes and turned back once he had better control over his emotions. "I… I have never read it…. I intended to, but…."

When he trailed off, Max was surprised to learn he was so upset and hadn't even read the text. Eventually, Max just told him the truth.

"There's sick, twisted shit in that book…. I don't know where you got it from, but Robotnik…. He's gone too far…."

Tails eventually nodded silently and finally spoke. "I know…. I ran into those… things…."

He couldn't even finish his sentence. It was such a traumatic memory. Though, Max already knew what he was referring to.

"The Lost…." Max said.

Tails took a deep breath, then sat down on the edge of his messy bed while gripping the text.

"I… I have been avoiding everything… I never wanted to… to relive that shit. To even think about it."

Max shook his head and spoke softly. "You don't have to… I have read it, so there is no reason to hurt yourself by doing it."

As Tails stared at the book blankly, he eventually shook his head and raised it. "No… It is not your burden to bear alone…"

Max walked over, and when their eyes met. He spoke softly. "I am never alone because I always have you to back me up."

With the gentle words, Tails stood up, and before he knew it, the two hugged like when they reunited in the other world.

Only this time…. The embrace lasted for quite some time.

"…."

….

….

….

….

In the next hour that passed, Tails had quietly skimmed the book. Eventually, when he reached the point Max had claimed to go up to, he stopped and took in a deep breath.

It was as painful as ever, mainly because he knew who "rabbit" was, or should he say "deer?" It was challenging to make out the ramblings as it went on.

Still, it refocused his mind, and when he placed the book down next to himself. Max quietly picked it up and spoke.

"Are you ok?"

Tails eventually agreed and then, after a brief pause, responded. "Robotnik…. He's more of a monster than I'd ever dreamed…. I…."

When Tails trailed off, Max finished the sentiment. "He needs to be cut to pieces…."

Tails settled his gaze on Max, as it was odd to hear such violent notions come from him, but his expression showed his sincerity.

"Yeah…. I… I agree…. after reading that."

When Max examined the next page, he spoke. "Do you want to finish it together?"

As Tails thought, he recognized that perhaps that would ease them both. When he got up, he placed himself in his organized work area and just stared at the rough sketch of Cream's face.

"Yeah…. Read it out loud…. Once it's over with, I can finally finish my promise."

When Max heard that, he responded in a confused manner. "Promise?"

Tails leaned forward towards the drawing. "Yeah…. I told that pitiful creature I would bury the picture in the front of the book…. His daughter."

Max was uncertain how or why Tails would do that, but ultimately, a long-dead child nobody knew; was innocent of her father's crimes.

Perhaps….

Perhaps that action would add an element of peace to this otherwise morose tale.

"Yeah… We can bury it tomorrow after I spend the day with Sonia for her birthday." Max eventually said.

Tails perked up and looked back. "Shit…. It is her birthday…. I never thought…."

"Don't worry about it…." Max interrupted gently.

"I'll handle it; just say happy birthday yourself when you are ready to…."

"…."

As Max said that, he was reminded of his promise earlier, so he continued. "Also… You should speak to Lupe when you are able…. She's been looking to talk with you."

Tails seemed surprised and spoke softly. "Lupe is here? How?"

Even though he said it, it was obvious how it happened and why he didn't know. Rather than get into it, he just thought quietly.

After a bit, Tails eventually nodded, finally feeling a bit of his usual self return in Max's company. It just might give him the power to push through his depression.

After everything was settled, Max lifted the book and read the passage aloud to Tails.

"What's happened? I… I can't say I know. My mind is not functioning properly. I now remember….

My device…

In all this time, the compulsion for violence has overtaken me, and I feel myself slipping ever more as I decay.

People, places, things…. They hold little meaning to me because of the sheer dissociative fugue I have been under.

I… I must complete my device before my mind has completely rotted. It is the only way to escape with my companions from this nightmare…."

As Max finished the passage, it was clear to them the author was still in there somewhere but was at the mercy of their unruly behavior and decadent psyche.

It seemed as if the device Nicole played with was a way to "escape," but whatever that entailed was beyond Max's understanding.

Looking at Tails, he braced himself and gave the ok for Max to continue.

"In haste… I find it all, but it is not so. Devices is function, need to act fast.

Memories are leave….

Scared…

…

Need Blood…

…"

Max quickly turned the page and was greeted with another blood-spattered page, though this one was legible.

"Long has it been since we have had flesh to feast upon and blood to rejuvenate ourselves. Our minds and our bodies have deteriorated.

That was, at least, until the merciful spirits of the forest brought forth a sacrifice. Their head came off quickly, and the precious essence flowed forth.

The mere filling of the bucket was enough to excite me….

Now we need two others….

Fortune smiles on us, though, because I saw three close to where we reside. Two shall make us all whole, and the third will be held until we deteriorate again."

When Tails heard that, he got a chill and knew precisely what was being discussed. It was the last entry in the journal because the author never lived to write another page.

When Max shut the book, Tails let out a sigh and then spoke. "Fucking hell…. I am glad I burned that miserable place to the ground…."

Max gently placed the book on the work table beside Tails and responded. "I am glad you got rid of them, if not to end their reign of terror, then to put them out of their misery."

The more Tails thought, the more he felt a sense of ease. "Tomorrow afternoon… We bury that fucking thing…. After that, you and I will put a stop to whatever shit Robotnik is up to for good…."

"Then, after he's ours, we cut him to pieces…" Max chimed in.

There was a collective bloodlust between the two of them, and Tails simply nodded. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there. Just come to get me tomorrow evening…. I do not think I have the strength to bury it alone."

As Max walked by, he patted Tails on the shoulder, then unbolted the door. "Don't worry, just heal…. Once you do, not only will Robotnik suffer for his crimes, but so will Radcliff…."

"…." Tails looked up and watched Max open the door and leave.

Once he was alone, and in silence with the book, he just stared at the sketch of Cream.

"Heal….?" He mumbled and then shook his head.

"Not quick enough…"

After he uttered that to himself, he grabbed a piece of lined paper and sketched out new schematics. Time was of the essence, and he couldn't pity himself forever.

He had somebody he deeply cared about to save….

"…"

…

…

…

…

Nicole trudged through the snow quietly as dawn approached. She'd already awoken Max as they had agreed, and now she had to retrieve Sonia.

Even though Nicole knew what was transpiring, part of her was in disbelief that she had decided to facilitate this.

As her metal lynx paws sunk into the snow with each step, she reminisced about recent times with Max and how it felt "different" than before.

Perhaps it was just her emotions getting confused again? She supposed it didn't matter so long as their friendship remained strong.

"…"

"Hey, Nicole? Sup!" Sonic shouted abruptly.

….

When Nicole heard his voice, she snapped from her thoughts and turned to look at him walking towards her.

"Oh… Hello, Sonic…." She said timidly.

Sonic grinned and stretched. "I was just about to head off to Robotropolis early, so I could be back to spend time with Sonia for the big one-four."

Nicole nodded and assumed he knew her plans with Max and Sonia. "Yes… I was sent to wake her early so Max could make breakfast."

Sonic smiled brightly and laughed a bit. "That's awesome! I feel it in my bones; today will be a great day!"

Sonic was so chipper and enthusiastic that Nicole had to smile. When he saw that, he held out his hand.

"I know it'll take some gettin' used to, but I hope you and I can catch up soon…."

Nicole stared at it, and after a moment in thought, she reached out her hand and grasped it for a shake.

"Way past!" He said as he tried to prompt her to be her old self.

Nicole had an even bigger grin and spoke in a way she hadn't in such a long time. "You're my main hedgehog, Sonic."

Sonic let go of her and beamed. "Glad to hear it!"

With that, he turned away and spoke one last time.

"Tell Sonia, 9 o'clock."

Nicole wasn't sure what that meant, but in usual Sonic fashion, he was gone before she could even question the statement.

"…"

…

…

…

It took nearly forever for Nicole to rouse Sonia from her deep slumber. The young girl could only rub her eyes and stare at Nicole with groggy confusion and annoyance.

"Man, Nicole…. You know what time it is, and shit? Geez…."

Nicole stared blankly, and she felt nervous. Had she already failed to make her birthday good?

"I… Well, uhm…" Nicole stammered over her words.

When she did that, Sonia raised an eyebrow. Nicole was very quick and always knew what to say.

"Alright, Alright…. I'll get up, but this better be important."

Nicole only nodded as Sonia hopped from the bed and slowly assembled her winter coat and shoes. It was clear she hated the early morning, but already had a feeling her dad put Nicole up to this based on what they had discussed.

When Sonia was ready, she stood by the door, allowing Nicole to lead her out into the dark morning.

The two were quiet as Sonia began to wake up and then as they approached the dining hut. Nicole spoke to her.

"Oh… That reminds me, your dad said 9 o'clock… I assume you know what that means."

Sonia stopped and stared, forcing Nicole to halt and look back at her.

"Whatcha' mean, nine? Ain't you here corralling us together?"

Nicole looked completely confused, and it was now that Sonia realized this wasn't about her dad at all.

"…"

Without another word, Sonia tried to avoid furthering this topic and took the lead into the dining hut instead.

Upon entering, she was surprised to see food already set out on a table and what appeared to be a small decorative cake.

To the side was Seth sitting away from it, watching as Max walked in with glasses and placed them atop the table.

"Happy Birthday, Sonia!" He became loud with enthusiasm.

Sonia looked over at Nicole, who smiled and emulated the sentiment. "Happy Birthday."

"Bro… Nicole…." She became utterly shy and started rubbing her shoe against the wooden floor.

Max smiled. "You think we'd let everything going on prevent a special birthday?"

Sonia tried to hide a smile but failed to do so. "I… Well, thanks, bro…. You got Nicole in on it and everything!"

Max quickly shook his head and then laughed. "Nope! It was all Nicole's idea!"

Nicole's expression changed to shock, and now that Sonia was looking at her with surprise. She felt highly anxious.

"I… well… I wouldn't say…" Nicole tried to give Max his credit but was interrupted.

"Oh, Nicole is just being modest. Don't worry about me."

When Max said that, Sonia turned to Nicole and embraced her lovingly. "Thanks' Nicole…. You mean a lot to me too…"

Nicole could only hug her back quietly. This reaction was strong and made her feel peculiar. It was intoxicating and powerful, a feeling that if she had it all the time, she would be endlessly content.

"…."

As Seth watched the two sit, he was shocked watching the prince lower himself to work in such a manner. Indeed, it only reinforced his belief that Max was the true heir to the throne.

He wasn't pampered, spoiled, and lazy. He did it for himself and others.

While lost in thought, he didn't notice Max come over, and when he saw the glass placed in front of him, he looked up in awe.

Max poured hand-squeezed fruit juice into the cup for him and then set a plate down for food.

As Seth became anxious over royalty serving him, he instinctively tried to stop it. "No… I want nothing…."

Max glared and shook his head. "If you are in Knothole, you will act like it… Do not insult me by wasting the food I offer you."

Seth looked at the table. This was the utter parallel of Radcliff in every way.

Max left with nothing else to say, and Seth grabbed the glass to taste it. It was fresh, and he had to wonder if it was so flavorful because it was made by the hands of the royal family.

"…."

As everyone got to eating, it was a collectively good feeling. Hotcakes, potatoes, eggs, and some sides of meats. It might have been excess to use due to the limited supplies for winter, but Max deemed his sister worth it.

At first, it was quiet, but as Sonia thought about her father, she wondered if it was time to confront Max.

She watched him eat for a while, and then when he noticed her, he spoke.

"What's up, Sonia?"

Sonia looked down and stabbed her berry-filled hotcake. "Uhm… Nothin' bro…"

Max looked unconvinced and then smiled. "I know what the problem is; you are worried about the rest of your birthday."

When Sonia heard that, she let her fork go, and it clanged against the plate. He had, again, hit the nail on the head, making her freeze.

Before she could think about or acknowledge what was said, Max continued.

"Don't worry, Nicole and I have decided to spend the day with you and do whatever you want. Just the three of us!"

Sonia was paradoxically happy and sad. It was a wonderful sentiment, but Sonic just wanted it to be her, Max, and him.

As she picked at her food, she felt like a pile of trash for avoiding this and not having the guts to speak to her dad.

"…"

Max noticed her apprehension and frowned. "You don't want that?"

Sonia looked at Nicole, who seemed perplexed, and Max, who seemed upset. It was clear she had to make a choice, and since she was here, it was an easy one to make.

"Nah, bro, it's the best. I uh… I know what I'd like to do, but I will save it until after breakfast."

Upon choosing this, she pushed her negative feelings into the pit of her being. She felt them, but it would not ruin her special day.

"…."

As everyone ate and had their fill, Max grabbed a tinderbox and quietly began to use it to light the cake. After it was lit, the cake was pushed before Sonia, and the harmonious singing began.

"Happy Birthday to you!"

Max and Nicole sang it together, and after a few verses, Seth joined in. The three sang, and Sonia felt appreciated more than ever.

When the song was nearing its final round, Sonia breathed in, and as they finished, she made a wish deep within her heart.

"For my birthday, I wish my family would no longer be broken…."

With an exhale, the candles all blew out, and Max began to clap, which made the others join. When the excitement calmed down, Max took the knife and hovered it over the cake.

"Ok, so what piece do you want, birthday girl?"

Sonia smirked and laughed. "The biggest one!"

Max laughed, and cut her an extra-large piece, then divided the rest into three smaller pieces.

He placed one down for Seth, one for himself, and one for Nicole. Who, by now, looked confused.

"I… uhm…." She hesitated, slightly embarrassed.

"Don't worry about eating it, Nicole; the sentiment matters. You deserve a slice."

Nicole stared at it, then at Max, who began to eat with the rest of the animals. It was a sweet sentiment; regardless of Max's intent, she felt like she belonged there.

"…."

….

….

….

….

When the small group was now stuffed to the brim. Max went into the kitchen to clean up. When he came back, Seth was leaning back, patting his stomach.

"I must say, that was quite a good meal…."

Max smirked and laughed. "Is that a compliment?"

Seth nodded. "Of course, My Lord, and an earnest one at that."

Sonia stood up, stretched, and then yawned while looking at the clock. It was already 8 30 after all was said and done.

It was her last chance to change course, but ultimately, she decided not to. Even if she couldn't will the repair of her family, perhaps her magical birthday wish could.

"So whatcha' wanna' do, Sonia?" Max asked.

As Sonia looked at Max and Nicole, she eventually spoke about what she wanted. "I…. uhm, ever since you started doin' all that prince stuff, we haven't played in a long-long time…."

Max frowned but ultimately relented. "I know, and I am sorry for that."

"Nah," Sonia said.

"I want you guys to make it up to me today. I wanna' play in the snow like we used to."

It was a simple request, and Max felt they could easily accomplish it. "You got it, sis…."

As he walked by to head to the door, he messed up her quills, and she became furious.

"Bro! It's my birthday; knock it off!"

Max raised an eyebrow and taunted her. "Oh? It is? Well, what are you going to do to stop me?"

Sonia glared daggers at him as he laughed and slipped out the door.

"Sonofabitch…. Nicole, you're with me!" Sonia growled.

Nicole stared blankly, and then Sonia came over and grabbed her hand to pull her away from her cake slice and out the door. "We're gonna' teach Max a lesson!"

After saying that, she whispered in Nicole's ear as Seth watched them leave him behind in the dining hut.

As childish and puerile as these animals might be, Seth recognized a happiness that had eluded him his entire life.

"…."

….

….

….

….

It wasn't long until Sonia was outside with snow in her hand. The light grey sky blanketed the day as snow flurries fell around her in abundance.

Max reached down, picked up snow with his gloves, and began using his metal hand to make a ball.

"Hah, come on, Sonia! You think you can beat me!"

Sonia watched as he hurled the hard ball of snow at her with his right hand, and she used her speed to dodge it.

"Too slow, bro!"

When Max went down to get more snow, Sonia threw her ball at him. Much to her surprise, he dodged into a roll and quickly stood back to his feet, with snow sticking to the outside of his coat.

"Is that all, Sonia? You aren't the only one with new tricks!"

He began using his hands to compact snow again, but all of a sudden, he began to get pelted by Nicole, who was behind him.

"Ah! Hell!" He cried, feeling the impact and cold on his body.

Quickly he turned and tossed a snowball at Nicole, hitting her directly in the face, blinding her.

It had just started, and Sonia was laughing hard as she now assaulted her brother from behind when he focused on Nicole.

Nicole wiped the snow off her face and found the playful competition exhilarating. She quickly joined Sonia while Max took cover behind the thick trees.

With battle lines drawn, the three attempted to pelt each other until one side gave in.

….

The loud commotion outside alerted Annie, who was still secluded from everybody. Even in her despair, the noise piqued her interest, and she went to her window, then pulled aside the curtain to watch.

She saw Max, Nicole, and Sonia playing and shouting like children. She shut the curtain and tried to dismiss it by looking down on their kindergarten-level behavior.

Even still, it hurt her feelings to be left out, and as she paced back and forth in her room, she began to realize that she missed this.

Being just a young, innocent, ignorant child….

As she peeked back out, she found herself drawn to the spectacle. Max or no, it made her feel normal to see this again.

"…."

In her hesitation and fear, she opened her front door and stood there watching. The fridged air and snow brushed against her fur.

She was still dressed for summer, yet she cared not to wear winter clothes. Perhaps it was self-loathing, or maybe a part of her looking to elicit sympathy from her friends?

She did not know fully….

Still, she waited and examined as they pelted each other, screamed, and hurled childish insults. She wanted to belong, wanted to join Max's side, and even the score.

But….

Could she? Her deep affection had gone nowhere, and the longer she secluded herself, the more she wondered if Max's actions were the best he could do.

She kept thinking about how they flirted and treated something dangerous as willy-nilly, which led her to conclude that she was partially responsible for her injury.

As she rubbed her bandaged ear with shame, she elected to sit in her door frame and let her boots sink into the snow. No matter how she wanted things to be, she felt her bitterness destroyed everything as it was built.

"…"

As time passed, Annie watched the group switch from having a snowball war to building a snow animal. Despite Max glancing over at her and looking sad, he kept to himself and paid attention to Nicole

instead.

Max's flirtatious undertones were not lost on Annie as they built the snow animal. At first, it made her feel excessive pain, but she relented after roughly thirty minutes.

Nicole was perfect, and what was she? The more she watched, the worse she felt about herself. Inferior to a robot in every conceivable way.

Still, her depression inevitably turned to seething anger. Max would prefer a glorified sex doll to a real girl, which disgusted her.

"…."

As she stewed, feeling bad about herself, she was broken from her descent by someone speaking.

"How's it goin?"

When Annie looked over, she could see Sonic had joined her in sitting and watching.

She was defensive immediately and scoffed. "What the fuck do you want?"

Sonic smiled and leaned against her door frame. "Was supposed to spend the day with Max and Sonia; they never showed, so I am here with you."

Annie blinked and then shook her head. "Well, go away. Your kids don't want you, so why would I?"

Sonic merely smirked and patted her on the back. "The real question is, why won't you join your friends?"

Annie looked at him, and the question hurt more than her vicious statement did him anyway.

"I…. I don't have any friends…." She lied simply to make Sonic "wrong."

Sonic frowned and crossed his arms. "Bullshit, you wouldn't love Max like you do if you weren't close."

Annie hated how Sonic could rip right through her; it was like there was nothing she could hide from him.

As she became upset, her voice cracked slightly when she responded. "Why are you saying that!?"

Sonic looked unimpressed and pointed at her. "Why aren't you?"

She became defensive again, and as her mind raced, she began to spit half-truths. "I have, several times, to his face!"

Sonic gave her a "yeah, right" expression, and she looked down at the snow in shame.

It was true, she always spoke to Max in another language…. She was an utter coward who hid behind bluster and bravado.

As Sonic watched everybody having a good time, he seemed genuinely at peace, and as Annie looked up to watch with him, she felt not so alone.

"…."

"You need to have confidence…." Sonic said as he broke the silence.

Annie felt small, and she just breathed in. "I… Max is into…. robots…."

Sonic looked at her curiously and watched Max and Nicole sculpting a snow animal together.

"Maybe? So what? I ain't royalty, and I snagged a princess."

"…."

As Annie thought, she found his words comforting. He seemed to believe in her in a way she never could. It made her feel like, despite how things appeared, she could have things she wanted if she weren't so hard on herself.

The two silently watched on as the day moved by. In another few hours, as the snow animal was completed. It resembled a rudimentary version of Sally.

Now that everybody was cold, they all began to wind down.

"That was a blast!" Sonia exclaimed, unaware of her surroundings.

"It was delightful…." Nicole said calmly.

Max came over by the two, and Sonia hugged him. "Thanks, bro…. This meant a lot."

When Sonic walked over to greet the three. Sonia became really timid and spoke nervously. "I uh… dad uhm… I didn't see you. I guess I…."

Sonic raised his hand and shook his head. "It's all good. I am just here to wish you a happy birthday, and I wanted to see if you and Max wanted to spend some time together?"

Sonia looked eager but also hesitant. Max scratched the back of his head and then shook it. "You go on ahead, Sonia…. I promised Tails we would do something this afternoon."

Sonia looked at her dad, expecting to see disappointment, but he merely nodded and grabbed hold of Sonia's hand. "Well, alright, Max, you have fun!"

It was so simple and yet so complicated for Sonia to accept. Still, she went along with her father, hoping to apologize for ditching him in the woods.

By the time the two left, Nicole was standing by Max, who was examining Annie. She was so miserable and sad, it hurt him to see it, but given how much hate she'd shown towards him, he dared not speak.

Even Nicole was left with a sense of pain watching her. Eventually, Max began to walk away towards Tails' hut without acknowledging Nicole in his bid to escape Annie's judgmental gaze.

As Nicole thought, she felt like she understood Annie somehow. Like an outsider among familiar people…. She didn't want her to feel that way; she wanted her to feel like she did today.

"…."

Finally, Nicole walked away once she got an idea, leaving Annie on her doorstep alone and cold. As Annie stood up to go back inside due to how fridged it was, she was taken aback by Nicole reappearing and approaching her.

It scared her a lot, and even though she considered running and slamming the door, she stood paralyzed as the robot made it to her, holding something in her hand.

Annie stared, and Nicole raised the plate up to her. When Annie examined it, she could see it was an old, semi-stale piece of cake with a fork.

She was completely befuddled and surprised Nicole would do that. If there was one person she didn't know well, it was her.

"…."

Nicole just held the piece out until Annie took it from her. After which, Nicole spoke gently.

"Max made it for all the important people to him."

When Nicole said that, Annie felt like she might cry and merely stabbed the cake with her fork, examining it. As she ripped a piece off, she put it in her mouth and let the vanilla flavor take over.

"…."

Without another word, Nicole sprinted off and appeared to be heading after Max. The longer Annie stared at the cake, the better she felt.

"Thanks, Nicole… Max…." She whispered to herself.

Then she shut her door and began to devour the rest of the cake like the sugar-addicted rabbit she was.

…

…

…

…

Max stood before Tails' hut and was about to knock when he heard Nicole call to him.

"Max!"

He turned around and was surprised to see her coming to him. "Nicole? What are you doing here?"

Nicole stopped before him and glanced at the ground to avoid eye contact. "I… Well, Sonia had a wonderful birthday and will now be spoiled by everybody else…. So, I figured we could spend time together…"

Max smiled and put his hand on her shoulder. "Your company is always welcome, but…. we are not doing something fun…."

Nicole blinked, and then Max frowned. "The book… I read it, and it is terrible…. The device you have been learning about was apparently some sort of 'way to escape,' for the book's author."

Nicole thought, and she shook her head. "That can't be true; the preliminary studying I have done on the device indicates that it is some sort of digital interface…. Not a transportation device."

Max was quiet momentarily, and then as he was about to speak. Tails' door unlatched and swung open.

"Alright, enough, you two…. Let's just finish this; we can explain on the way." Tails said as he slammed his hut door behind him.

The three walked a little, and then Tails stopped at storage and grabbed a shovel. While he was doing so, Max gave Nicole a cursory understanding of their task.

When they began to move as a group again, Nicole spoke. "So, we are burying the picture and the book, even though the author was apparently horrible?"

She could not grasp that, but Max and Tails merely confirmed.

"Yeah…"

They walked until they reached the most enormous tree by the edge of Knothole. It was a beautiful ancient oak that was a favorite for Max and Annie to climb when they were younger.

Tails slammed the shovel into the dirt with his good hand and backed away, allowing Max to take it. Despite his exhaustion, Max quietly began digging the hole at the base of the tree facing the village.

Nicole watched pensively and seemed transfixed on the book as Tails held it under his arm. After a moment, Tails opened it and then tore the page containing the picture from the book.

When the hole was deep enough, the book was tossed in without much care, then Tails ordered Max to throw dirt on it.

When the horrid text was deep in the ground, Tails gently bent down and placed the ruined picture of the little girl face up towards the cloudy sky.

Nicole stared blankly at the image and could not speak or express her thoughts.

Eventually, Tails stood up and spoke. "Anyone got anything to say before we put her to rest?"

Max seemed hesitant, and in the moment of silence, Nicole spoke up. "May she rest in peace for eternity."

Tails smiled and patted her on the shoulder. "That's pretty good; how'd you summon that one?"

Nicole continued to stare at the image and spoke flatly. "I… don't know…."

Nicole was acting extremely weird, and Max knew it. Still, he bowed his head and buried the lost Mobian in her final resting place.

Once it was near the top, Tails spoke up. "Alright, now that that is over, I will go find Lupe… I owe her a conversation."

When Max finished filling the hole, and Tails had left. He patted it, throwing snow on top to make it appear inconspicuous.

When he looked at Nicole, he could see she was still transfixed on the grave, and he spoke gently to her.

"Nicole? You, ok?"

Nicole was silent for a bit and then spoke while keeping her gaze in the same place. "I think I understand why you buried her…. Despite being intangible, she still matters…."

Max found that an odd thing to say and pressed her on her oddness. "What's gotten into you, Nicole? You know you can talk to me, right?"

That statement made her look at him, and she was visibly upset. "I… What happens to me if I am damaged beyond repair or cease to be…. What will become of me?"

"…"

Max now understood.

Without words, he walked over and wrapped his arms around her. "Nobody knows what happens when we die, Nicole…. Though, I am certain that you won't be gone forever if it should happen to you."

Nicole held him and then parted a little bit to look at him. "And you?"

Max slid his arms off of her and gave her the most convincing smile he could. "I would never leave you alone."

His answers were illogical at best, but a fear of death and nonexistence finally began to take hold of Nicole.

Max and Nicole stared at the grave together as the day grew dim. Lost in their thoughts of the inexorable nature of death, and the need to enjoy the time they had, while it still lasted.

"…."