Years would pass… Jennifer, and later Ivo, would become not just students to Charles de Hedgehog, but his partners. Though Ivo was eccentric, his heart was in the right place and his intellect was used to great effect on many of the sick and injured. Jennifer would continue researching medical science, expanding her knowledge on the subject while dabbling in robotic science. Overall, the duo Charles recruited would end up invaluable, with Jennifer becoming a babysitter for the four year old Sonic, to which Jennifer greatly enjoyed. Unfortunately, as time went on, Charles and Ivo began to notice the serum Jennifer had been using to ward off the NIDS not seeming as strong. She still injected herself with it monthly, but its effects seem to be fading. And then… The fateful day… Seven years ago…
Seven years ago, in Central City Grand Memorial Hospital, a new patient was being wheeled in, a breathing mask on her face to help steady her breathing. It was a young lynx, no older than seven years old. Jennifer, Charles, and Ivo were all called in at the behest of the lynx's parents.
Jennifer: "What!? NIDS!?"
Ivo: "But how!? I thought only humans could contract such a thing!"
Mother: "I-I know… But it's true! W-We started noticing the symptoms…"
Father: "Collapsing on the floor, motor functions failing, coughing blood…"
Jennifer was having a lot of flashbacks to her youth as she bit her thumb, knowing all too well that these were indeed NIDS side effects. She looked at Charles, who was giving her an equally unsure look. The young girl seemed to be developing NIDS faster than Jennifer herself did. Ivo then spoke up.
Ivo: "Don't worry, you two. Between me, Charles, and Jennifer, I'm sure we can help your daughter."
Father: "Please… Please do all you can to save Nicole… She's our only child and…"
Jennifer hated keeping promises she knows she can't keep; since she has NIDS herself, she knows just what kind of task she and her team were in for.
In their office, Jennifer had a cup of coffee made as she gave a scowl towards her younger brother.
Jennifer: "Ivo, do me a favor next time and keep your damn mouth shut. You know how I feel about promises I can't keep."
Ivo: "But who says this is one of them? We've been studying NIDS for years, and besides… Why don't we just prolong Nicole's life the same way we did for you?"
Jennifer: "Don't be ridiculous, Ivo."
Charles: "She's right. Nicole is the first recorded Mobian to be inflicted with NIDS. Not only does it show that the disease is evolving, but it may soon spread to more than just humans…"
Jennifer: "In the years of medical science, seven total humans were recorded with NIDS and perished before any effective cure could be made. This is spanning hundreds of years, Ivo. And yet you expect us to make a cure within a short amount of time!?"
Ivo: "Uh… W-Well, I…"
Jennifer: "Sigh… No it is fine. I'm against giving false hope to anyone, but if you have an idea, I'd love to hear it."
Ivo began to think a bit as he tugged at his nicely combed mustache before snapping his fingers.
Ivo: "I may have one idea. But it will require… A Treasure."
Charles: "A treasure? What, like gold?"
Ivo: "No, not that treasure. That Treasure."
Jennifer gave Ivo one of the deepest mixes of anger and confusion Ivo has ever seen from her. In fact, she chugs her still hot, still black coffee just to emphasize that mixed emotion.
Jennifer: "Ivo Robotnik… You want to… sneak into G.U.N.'s military base… grab a hidden artifact that's rumored to have enormous power… from a vault… to save one child?"
Ivo: "I know its a lofty request, but with the right equipment, I feel we can create something that effectively could cure 't you want that?"
Jennifer stared Ivo down, intensely, not blinking as she practically had him fall to the floor from how intense her glare was. But then she backed off and sighed, looking to Charles for his take.
Charles: "Well… I know some connections… I could get one of those Treasures… It… might very well be worth a shot…"
Ivo: "Excellent! See, Jen? It'll all work out."
Jennifer: "Ugh… Fine. We'll do it your way, Ivo. Just make sure it helps her. Okay?"
Ivo: "It will, I swear!"
Jennifer gives a look to Charles, who gives a reassuring 'I'll keep an eye out' nod to her. With this, she dismisses herself as Ivo goes to his personal lab to work on his next big invention.
Later, Jennifer walks into Nicole's room. The room was designed with NIDS patients in mind, with the gravity set to very low as it was documented to slow the effects of the disease down. Nicole was hooked up to a machine, and despite the dire circumstances she was in, she still read a book. A comic book at that.
Jennifer: "Big on those comic books, little lady?"
Nicole: "O-Oh! Dr. Jennifer. I'm sorry, I should go to sleep then…"
Jennifer: "Nah nah. Don't worry. You're resting as you should. I'm just here to check up on you."
Jennifer walks up to Nicole before sitting down on a nearby chair. Nicole puts the comic aside to give the doctor her full undivided attention.
Nicole: "Will I… be able to go home?"
Jennifer: "Hmph… Starting off strong aren't we?"
The woman leaned back in the chair, crossing her legs as she sighs.
Jennifer: "I can either be a realist or an optimist. Which would you rather hear?"
Nicole: "...Realist, please…"
Jennifer: "Mature for your age. Respect, kiddo. …Truth be told, Nicole… I really am unsure I can cure you of your illness… Me, Dr. Charles, or Dr. Ivo. We've studied the effects of NIDS for years now and… I'm still inflicted with it myself…"
Nicole: "You… have NIDS?"
Jennifer: "Mhm… Ever since the end of high school. I was told the bad news and… Well… It's like reading that your favorite character in the comics just died… Actually, it is so much worse…"
Nicole: "Oh… I'm so sorry, Doctor…"
Jennifer: "Call me Jen or Jenni."
Nicole: "Jenni? A-Are you sure?"
Jennifer just nods and smiles, trying to at least push away the negatives going through her mind. She then looked at Nicole before leaning in closer.
Jennifer: "You know… I have a daughter who's about your age. Maybe a month older according to your birth date. Under different circumstances, I imagine you two would be the best of friends."
Nicole looks at the doctor before getting a determined expression.
Nicole: "Jenni! I know you can beat this disease! I know it! Not just for me, but for you and your daughter too! And I want to meet your daughter one day too!"
Jennifer just looks at Nicole before starting to tear up, rubbing away the tears as she started crying.
Jennifer: "D-Damn brat… Making me all emotional like this… I hate crying in front of kids…"
Nicole could only smile as she and Jennifer shared a laugh.
A few days later, Charles, Ivo, and Jennifer met in their office, Charles holding an object covered in cloth. He looks at the two with a serious expression.
Charles: "I managed to get one of the Treasures as Ivo requested. But King Nigel of the Kingdom of Acorn and Queen Aleena of the Kingdom of Snow will be attending to see what kind of machine we have to show that could cure NIDS."
Jennifer: "Oh. Sweet… No pressure… …I'm lying, that's a lot of pressure…"
Ivo: "I'm confident this will work. After all, it will benefit everyone affected with NIDS. I'm sure of it."
Jennifer could only sigh as Charles uncovered the object in the cloth… A Chaos Emerald, one which is guarded by the Kingdom of Acorn. As Charles hands the artifact to Ivo, the grateful doctor takes it into his lab to make final adjustments.
Charles and Jennifer leave to the meeting area, which was the United Nations Meeting Hall, a sizable council room with a round set of seats for the world leaders and those that join them instead of the table at the Kingdom of Acorn's meeting hall. On the floor was the symbol for G.U.N.. In the room, Aleena was there talking with Nigel and the previous President of the United Nations, a much older fellow who retired during the seven years. When Aleena sees Jennifer and Charles walk in, she goes to greet the other mother.
Aleena: "Jennifer! Charles as well. I'm hoping you two are doing well. Where's Ivo?"
Jennifer: "Getting things ready… I'm curious as to what he has in store, but I'm none too confident about the end result…"
Aleena: "Oh, it'll be fine, I'm sure."
Nigel: "I hope so. I lent my kingdom's Chaos Emerald to you in hopes that it will somehow provide a cure to this accursed disease."
Jennifer mumbled under her breath at that, but rather than be a broken record about her problem, she simply shook her head.
Jennifer: "Either way, we'll be in for a show."
The trio of world leaders seat themselves with a few human councilmen joining them, some being from the Board of Medical Science. Jennifer and Charles stood to the side as Ivo went about giving a heartfelt speech about how Jennifer has been living with NIDS for the longest time and knows all too well the suffering Nicole was going through. Jennifer just taps her foot impatiently as Ivo gets ready to unveil his latest project.
Ivo: "Now… I give you, ladies and gentlemen of the council, the latest evolution of medical science!"
Stomps could be heard, which confused everyone. Jennifer looked around before her eyes widened.
Jennifer: "No… The son of a bitch didn't…"
The doors fly off their hinges as a robot bursts in, Nicole contained inside, a breathing mask on as the bipedal robot stomps in. Jennifer, Charles, and the council as a whole look on in horror as they see what Ivo had made.
Ivo: "Observe, ladies and gentlemen! A mobile medical tube, to which will keep the patient alive. The patient won't be strapped down to a table like before, immobile. They can live their lives how they want! Though, I admit, maybe I made it a touch too big but…"
Jennifer: "IVO ROBOTNIK! WHAT THE FUCK!?"
Jennifer was red faced and bursting in anger as she sees Nicole in pain in the robot. She grabs a nearby flagpole and stabs the pointed end into the robot's cockpit, forcing it open in order to pulls Nicole out.
Jennifer: "Someone take her to her room! Quickly!"
There was a bit of panic as Ivo started shouting in protest that Jennifer was ruining his big showcase.
Jennifer: "SHUT THE FUCK UP, IVO! SERIOUSLY, SHUT UP!"
Ivo was stunned by the outburst; never in all of his years of living has he ever seen Jennifer this upset.
Later, Ivo was brought into the trio's shared office as Jennifer was pacing around, still angry about what just occurred. Charles soon walked in, looking very somber.
Jennifer: "How is she?"
Charles: "Jenni, I think you should-"
Jennifer: "HOW IS NICOLE, CHARLES!?"
Charles goes quiet, looking away with a saddened look, closing his eyes.
Charles: "The stress added to her condition… She… She may not make it to tomorrow morning…"
This sets Jennifer off. All of her anger, frustrations, and sadness coming out as she grabbed Ivo and slammed him against the wall.
Jennifer: "YOU BASTARD! What the hell were you thinking!? Did you not think about that poor child's life!?"
Ivo: "I-I only did what I thought was necessary!"
Jennifer: "You robbed a child of their life by pulling that stunt! You basically murdered them!"
Jennifer tosses Ivo to the floor, but the stress catches up to her as she throws up blood on the floor, causing her to collapse to a knee. Charles runs up to her, helping her stay on her feet.
Charles: "Jennifer… Please, stop… You can't handle this much stress…"
Ivo: "Um… Ch-Charles… You… You saw potential in my work… Right?"
Charles glares at Ivo, his usual calm and jovial mood completely gone at that moment.
Charles: "Ivo… It might be in your best interest… To leave and never come back… Pack your things…"
Ivo, backed into a corner, just stands up and walks out of the room, going to gather his things.
After calming down, Jennifer only had her hands in her face as she sobs from the amount of regret she felt. Her eyes were bloodshot from her crying. As she cried, Charles injects her with a dose of her serum, sighing as he does.
Charles: "Jennifer… This… may be a hard thing for me to say… But I may… have one final option…"
Jennifer: "What… What do you mean?"
Charles: "I… I thought about the possibility of people being put into a condition that normal medical science could not fix… So I built a machine that could… perhaps fix that… A roboticizer…"
Jennifer: "Robot- You don't mean to turn her into a robot do you!?"
Charles: "It… is all I can think to do at this point…"
Jennifer: "...Has it been tested…?"
Charles: "Yes. On myself. I even added a deroboticizer just in case."
Jennifer looked at Charles before looking at her hands. At this point, what did they have left to lose? If it could save Nicole, Jennifer is willing to try it. She nods, she and the hedgehog slowly standing up to grab Nicole from her room.
As they go down the halls with Nicole on her table, asleep, Charles turns to Jennifer, who looked very frightened.
Charles: "Jennifer… Are you okay? I never expected you to blow up on Ivo like that before…"
Jennifer: "Well… Wouldn't you be that extreme if you imagined your daughter or son in Nicole's position?"
Charles went quiet. He hadn't thought about that, but saw it now. He decided to not press more on the subject. As the two approached his lab, they see the door slightly ajar. Worried, the two enter to find Ivo tinkering at the machine.
Charles: "Ivo! What are you doing!?"
Ivo: "You know, Charles. You should have told me you were working on such an amazing and impressive machine. Turning flesh and bone into metal and circuitry? Splendid idea! Who needs medical science? Who needs to heal others? WHEN WE CAN ALL EVOLVE BEYOND OUR USELESS BODIES!?"
Jennifer: "...Ivo…"
Jennifer pushes Nicole to the side gently as she walks forward a bit, glaring at her younger brother.
Jennifer: "You are talking a lot of shit right now. You are already on thin ice as is. So I suggest you stop now."
Ivo: "Hah! You think I'd listen? After all, this is the next step of humanity! Robots! Metal! Factories! We are on a dying planet as is… Why not just prepare for the inevitable!?"
Ivo switches on the roboticizer before stepping into the chamber.
Ivo: "Using the Chaos Emerald, I've supercharged this machine! Behold! The next stage of human evolution!"
The machine starts going haywired as gauges start going to overload. Sparks appear on the machine, the computer shouting 'ERROR' a bunch before the chamber starts to glow. Jennifer and Charles get behind cover with a still sleeping Nicole. The chamber explodes, filling the room with smoke. As the two peek out from their hiding spot, they hear laughter, manic laughter at that. From the smoke, they see a rounder man, a messier mustache on his face, and a torn lab coat. The once skinnier Ivo had transformed into the 'Eggman' that many would come to know.
Ivo: "Yes… I can feel it… I can see it… I am a robot… And I feel FANTASTIC!"
Ivo extends an arm out, stretching out his circuitry in order to grab Nicole from her bed, holding her by the neck.
Jennifer: "NICOLE!"
Ivo: "You… You made me out to be a laughing stock… You'll be dead anyway… So consider this just a quicker entry point."
As Ivo smiles and places his other hand on Nicole's head, he suddenly feels a sharp pain in the arm holding Nicole by the neck. Jennifer had stabbed electrical circuits into the robotic Ivo's arm, causing it to overload and explode, sending her back a bit as Nicole is dropped to the floor.
Ivo: "Ack! How dare you! You'll… You'll pay for this!"
Ivo holds the stump where his arm was before running out of the room, deciding it better to escape before the military find out about this. Jennifer, once again feeling stressed out, walks over to Nicole. She felt Nicole's life fading from her heart's slowed beating. Charles watched as Jennifer made one final attempt to save Nicole's life, by rigging some kind of device. Jennifer saw soldiers run in, but they were background noise to her. At least until one stomped her to the ground.
Jennifer: "NO! I have to… save her!"
Jennifer reached for the keyboard and slammed a fist on the keys, hoping she hit the right button. But as soon as she did, the computer screen was shot and destroyed. Her eyes widened as she looked at Nicole, eyes tearing up as she saw the life fade from Nicole - the lynx's body becoming limp. What Charles heard that day would haunt him for the rest of his days on Mobius - the shrieking of a mother who couldn't save a child.
Three days come and go, Jennifer, now in handcuffs, was brought to the United Nations Meeting Hall, for her crimes of illegal conduct. But due to her good services and generally good behavior, she was given a chance of being a free woman still.
Former President: "Because this is your first major crime, Miss Robotnik, and due to your loyal services in the benefit of man and Mobian kind, we have decided to vote on your punishment. You will be stripped of your rank and not be allowed to work in the medical field again. That much is guaranteed regardless of the result. But where you will go is what we are voting for. All in favor of Miss Jenni staying in Central City."
Jennifer sees hands raise, among them being Aleena, who likely feels that whatever happened, it wasn't Jennifer's fault. Nigel raises his hand as well. But the votes favored against her, a decisive thirty percent in her favor, seventy against. She was sentenced… to exile…
Three years later, now in her mansion on West Island, Jenni sits on her bed, survivor's guilt overwhelming her as she stared at the ground. The ground started to vanish, as did her surroundings. Blackness… Darkness… The endless void… And the voices that haunt her…
Aleena's Voice: "You couldn't save her…"
Nigel's Voice: "What sort of sham are you? Couldn't save even one girl…"
Nicole's Mother's Voice: "You let my daughter die! How could you!?"
Jenni tried to plug her ears to drown out the voices. But they continued to grow louder, haunting her like a plague. For the time since that day, her memories go back to what she saw in the aftermath. And how she couldn't save her.
Ivo's Voice: "Oh and don't forget me. The monster you unleashed unto the world. The demon who will change the world in my vision… You created me. So the world is doomed… Because of you…"
Jenni looked up, seeing a mirror with Robotnik's smug face, taunting her. She growls before letting out a punch at the mirror, smashing it with her fist, causing the shard to fly at her and scratch her in a few places. The pain brought her back to reality for a brief moment as she laid on the floor, in a light puddle of her blood and glass shard surrounding her. The guilt was too much for her. But… As she laid on the floor, crying to herself… A voice comes from her personal computer. From the speaker.
Voice: "H-Hello? I-Is this Jenni's home…?"
Jenni's ears flinch as she slowly picks herself up. She looks up to her computer screen, crawling up to it before looking around. As she looked around, Nicole suddenly appeared, though only a vague data-ghost version of herself.
Nicole: "O-Oh! There you are! Hey, Jenni! It's me!"
Jenni: "...N-Nicole…?"
Nicole: "Mhm… My, Jenni… You look awful… I can't smell anything, but… When was the last time you showered…?"
Jenni's mind flooded with questions, like how Nicole was alive, or how she was on her computer screen… But all of those were shoved aside as Jenni bursted out crying, placing her head on her desk as she let out all of her emotions.
Nicole: "Jenni? A-Are you okay…?"
Jenni: "I… I… Welcome… Welcome home… Nicole…"
Jenni looked at the confused, but grateful virtual lynx as she attempted to pull herself together. By some miracle, Jenni's efforts weren't in vain. Nicole was alive, even if not physically anymore. And that made Jenni the happiest she's ever been in a long time…
To be continued…