(Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog or any of the characters, all credit goes to Sega. Please support the official release).

Chapter 5: Father/Daughter Bonding

Several days later, Gwen had noticed Eggman doing something interesting after they had breakfast one morning. She watched as he packed some things into a picnic basket and he placed it into the Egg Mobile.

Curious, she walked over to see what he was doing. "Hey Papa, whatcha doing?", she asked.

Eggman turned around to look at her, giving her a warm smile. "Well, I said I wanted to make up for the little incident that occurred a few days ago and now I'm following through on that promise. Today, you and I are gonna have a day out of fun and merriment", he said.

Gwen's eyes lit up with excitement, "Really? We're going out? Where to, Papa!", she shouted.

"Oh you'll see, it's a surprise. But I'm sure you'll love it, now go and get yourself ready. Ask Metal for help if you need it, I've got to get some more things before we leave", said Eggman.

With a bright smile, Gwen raced over to her room to get ready. She got dressed and packed some toys, a coloring book and crayons into her little pink backpack. Meanwhile, Eggman was going over all the stuff he had gathered.

"Let's see...picnic basket, picnic blanket, cooler, first aid kit just in case...yup, I think we're all set and ready to go now", he said to himself.

Soon, Gwen came back all ready to go, Egglet clutched in one of her hands. "I've got my stuff, Papa! Let's go, go, go!", she said as she bounced on her heels with a big grin on her face waiting anxiously for Eggman to hurry up.

Eggman chuckled, "Okay, okay. We're going now, hold your horses", he said. Eggman opened the door and took the driver's seat while Gwen crawled over to the passenger's side; the doctor buckled in his little one before starting the engine. "Stay seated at all times, okay? I don't want you falling out", he said cautiously.

"Yup!", Gwen nodded as they began to float and hover out of the garage. The doctor turned the wheel, put his foot down on the gas pedal, and they were off. The young hedgehog grinned widely, watching the clouds go by at a fast pace; today was a perfect day to be outside. Winter was nearing its end and spring was just around the corner, it seemed as though the world was waking up from a long slumber and welcoming the warm sunlight.

Gwen caught a glimpse of birds returning from their migrations and all sorts of woodland critters coming out of hibernation, standing it the light of a new day and warming their fur.

Her cheeks were hurting from smiling so much, and an excited giggle burst out of her, "Someone's excited, Eggman chuckled, watching the young hedgehog from the corner of his eyes.

"I can't help it! It feels like we haven't gone out in forever, and I just can't wait to have a fun day with you, Papa!", the light blue hedgehog squealed, trying to contain her excitement and joy.

"Glad to see you're so excited, I know you're gonna love this place", said Eggman. They were going someplace he had only been to once before, and it was because he had discovered it by accident. Hidden up beyond the forest of the Mystic Ruins was an alcove that held a secret Chao garden.

Eggman had found the garden long before he had first journeyed to Angel Island to steal the Master Emerald, he didn't think much of the place and simply chose to disregard it. The garden serves him no purpose, so he just left it alone. Now, he was going to bring his baby girl there for a day of fun with some Chao.

He just hoped the Chao themselves wouldn't turn them away upon seeing Eggman.

As Gwen was admiring the scenery, Eggman flipped a switch for the Egg Mobile's glass roof to cover them. They curved around the mountain, down towards the valley, and saw a tall waterfall flowing down the cliffside. They then passed through the waterfall, showering over them as they entered a hidden cavern.

"Papa...it's dark in here...", Gwen said fearfully as she was afraid of the dark.

"Not a problem", said Eggman.

He flipped another switch and the Egg Mobile's headlights lit up the way as the rumbling of the waterfall grew distant. The darkness of the cavern didn't last long before small streams of light flickered through, and they parted a curtain of vines, finally entering into the Chao garden.

Gwen gasped at the sight revealed before them: walls of green surrounded the area, trees of various sizes provided shade and held ripe and juicy fruits ready and waiting to be plucked and eaten.

The grass shined in the morning sun wet with dew, and small fluffy nests were around the base of every tree, some holding Chao eggs of all different colors and patterns with a few mature Chao hanging around watching and waiting for their young to hatch.

Other groups of Chao floated around playing games or eating from the fruit trees with joyous chirps filling the air.

As the Egg Mobile floated to a large crystal clear pond in the center sparkling like a crown jewel, several Chao who spotted the vehicle and watched with apprehension, wondering what would be inside the aircraft. Gwen stared at them with wide eyes behind the window as they descended.

"Papa! Papa, what are those things?", she asked.

"These small and cute creatures are called Chao, my dear Gwen. They are highly social and sapient creatures, have very flexible facial expressions, and possess self-awareness. They also behave closely like infants, and possess delightful, pleasant, and lively mannerisms...", Eggman trailed off.

Gwen was only half paying attention as she was just so astounded by the place as well as the cute critters inhabiting it. Floating down, Eggman steered his hover vehicle to a patch of grass and parked. The moment he removed the cover, the Chao that had surrounded the Egg Mobile backed away with fearful cries, startled by seeing Eggman.

Other small Chao, hearing the commotion, looked over to see what was going on and screamed, running away from the human. Eggman's previous happy demeanor wilted, he felt slightly hurt by the reaction and for accidentally causing the poor creatures such a fright, but it wasn't like he wasn't expecting it.

After all, several Chao had been infected and turned into Zombots because of the Metal Virus, and they were intelligent creatures. They knew for a fact he was the one responsible for it.

Gwen noticed his saddened facial expression and immediately hopped out of the vehicle, "Hey, Hey, no, wait, come back, it's okay! He's not a scary guy anymore, he's a friend! He won't hurt you, I promise!", she said, waving for the Chao to come back.

None of the tiny creatures dared to make a move, too scared to come out of their hiding places in the bushes and trees. Though, they were now all curious about the young hedgehog who they didn't know, who seemed to be defending the doctor and saying he wasn't a threat.

Gwen did her best to reassure them that Eggman wouldn't hurt them and that it was safe to come out. Her shouts of encouragement, with the promise of a fun day of playtime, went unnoticed except for some small whimpers of fright.

"Papa, why won't they come out?", she asked.

"It's because they're all afraid of me, can't say I blame them. I haven't been the kindest person to them and their species for the longest time now", replied Eggman.

"But you're not like that anymore, I know you're not! It's not fair that they won't at least give you a chance!", Gwen whined whilst stomping her little foot.

She once again tried to coax the Chao out of their hiding spots, but they refused to come out. This went on for several minutes with no indication of progress until one little Chao, a Hero Chao, stepped forward from a bush a few feet behind Eggman, and cautiously approached the human.

Trying to seem as harmless as possible, Eggman had decided to quietly sit in the grass without making any sudden movements. Hearing a shuffle behind him and realizing one of the Chao had come out to investigate, he stayed perfectly still as the small creature made its way to face him.

With a nervous frown, the small Chao scanned over the doctor carefully, taking in his aura and looking for any signs of unfriendliness. Eggman laid out his hands with palms up as a gesture of peace, inviting the curious creature to come closer.

"I think I have an idea!", said Gwen.

She then went to the nearest fruit tree, which was short enough for her to reach, and picked up some ripe fruit from the ground. She dashed over to the doctor to give him a few pieces for him to offer the Chao.

"I remember Mama told me if a small animal comes close to you, you hold out some food to let it know you're not gonna hurt it", she said.

Eggman did as she said, holding the pieces of fruit out while softly speaking to the Chao, "Hello there, little one. Would you like something to eat? I've got some fresh fruit here, don't be afraid. I won't hurt you", he said.

Cautiously, the Chao gently took the food using its stubby paws and bit into it. Gwen and Eggman watched anxiously, waiting for the creature's reaction as it chewed and swallowed.

"Chao!"

A chorus of happy squeaks arose from the garden as the entire swarm of Chao left their hiding places and surrounded the human and hedgehog. Gwen cheered along with them, happy to see the cute little critters had finally welcomed them to their home.

A few minutes later, the sounds of laughter and playful squeaks echoed in the garden. Eggman, Gwen, and the Chao played several rounds of tag, hide and seek, catch, and even had a Chao race. Eggman had to take a few breaks to catch his breath several times, since he was no spring chicken and so very out of shape.

But regardless of his subpar physical fitness, he had fun just sitting on the sidelines watching his baby girl playing with the Chao for the first time in her life, since she originally had no clue of the existence of these creatures.

Soon, it was lunchtime. Eggman brought out the picnic basket and called Gwen over to eat; the young hedgehog ran to the doctor with a small group of Chao following, and they gathered around the picnic blanket laid out. The doctor gave Gwen a few mini peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with the crusts cut off, pretzels, and a bottle of orange juice.

Eggman had a simple ham and cheese sandwich for lunch while the Chao ate the fruit already growing in the garden.

"So, Gwen...how are you enjoying your time at the Chao Garden?", he asked.

The young hedgehog smiled as she took a bite of her sandwich, "It's so much fun! I love the Chao, they're so cute! Can I keep one as a pet, Papa? Pretty please?", she said.

Eggman debated her request, mainly because she was too young for the responsibility of having a pet and also because the Chao might've not been so keen to have one of their own living with him, even if he was no longer a threat.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Gwen. At least, not now. Maybe when you're older, I'll let you keep a pet. Right now, you're too young and it's a hefty responsibility, I just don't want you to be overwhelmed", said Eggman.

Gwen looked down in disappointment, but still managed a smile. "Oh, okay. I understand, Papa", she said as she went right back to eating her lunch.

After Eggman helped her clean up and put away the trash from their lunch, Gwen went back to looking around the garden, taking in the atmosphere. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she spotted a lone Chao egg in a nest just a few feet away from them.

She gasped when she saw the egg beginning to shake and wiggle. Gwen ran over and grabbed Eggman's coat, tugging on it excitedly.

"Papa, Papa! Look, look!", she shouted as she pointed at the egg.

"What is it, sweet pea?", asked Eggman. Gwen pointed to the egg, bouncing on her feet as she couldn't contain her excitement, Eggman looked over at what she was pointing at and gasped quietly.

Then, he smiled as he lifted her up into his arms. "Let's get closer, baby girl. But remember to be very quiet, don't want to frighten the poor thing", he said. Gwen nodded as the doctor walked over to the nest, depositing her right in front of the wiggling egg, which was now cracking.

The doctor sat down next to the awestruck hedgehog, shushing her to be quiet during this momentous occasion. Gwen nodded in agreement before continuing to watch the egg intently.

Then, a piece of the shell popped out and fell to the ground, a tiny round head poked itself out of the egg, and a pair of shiny black eyes opened, staring at the two.

"Chao?", the newly hatched baby softly chirped.

Gwen stared at the baby Chao in wonder, "Hi there. Nice to meet you, little guy...or girl. Which one are you?", she said softly.

The little Chao smiled back and cooed, shuffling out of the egg and hugging the young hoglet. Gwen squealed as she hugged the Chao back, "I'm so happy we can be friends, maybe even best friends! I'm gonna call you...Teensy-weensy!", she said.

Eggman laughed and watched as the other Chao came to greet the newest member of their family.

[Time Skip]

A few minutes later, Gwen laid on her belly on the picnic blanket, scribbling away in the coloring book she brought. The newborn baby Chao watched her curiously while the others went about their own business.

The baby Chao chirped and sat next to her head, smiling at the childish doodles before softly yawning. Gwen did the same as she rubbed her eyes, feeling very relaxed and comfortable sitting ing in the warm afternoon sun with all her new friends.

Eggman looked at the two with affection, "Aww, are the babies sleepy? It's hard work hatching and playing, isn't it?", he said endearingly.

"Can I take a nap, Papa?", Gwen mumbled.

Eggman nodded as he carefully took coloring book and crayons and put them away. Then, he positioned the young hedgehog on the blanket, folding it upwards to wrap around her shoulders to keep her warm. The little Chao next to her yawned again as it decided to lie down next to her.

Some of the other Chao came to cuddle up around Gwen and the baby Chao to join their afternoon nap, while the rest flew off to keep playing or eating fruits. Gwen sucked on her thumb as her eyelids began to droop, the last thing she saw before drifting off was Eggman softly planting a kiss on her forehead.

Several hours later, after a nice long nap, Gwen and Eggman went back to playing with the Chao a bit longer before the doctor announced that it was time to pack up and go home. Gwen refused to leave at first because she was having too much fun, but Eggman reminded her that it wasn't safe to drive around in the Egg Mobile at night, since they could get into an accident.

Finally, Gwen acquiesced albeit reluctantly, she said her goodbyes to her new Chao friends and told them she promised to come back someday soon. Then, the young hedgehog and human climbed into the Egg Mobile to begin the long drive home.

"Papa?", Gwen asked as the doctor buckles her in.

"Yes, baby?", Eggman replied.

"I had a lotta fun at the Chao Garden today. This was the best day ever, so...don't be sad anymore about what happened a while ago, okay? I forgive you, Papa", said Gwen.

Eggman had to hold back the urge to cry, that was the most beautiful and heartwarming thing he had ever heard her say to him, and it filled his heart with so much joy that he felt like it would've exploded.

"I'm glad you liked it, I had so much fun playing with you and all the Chao. I can't even remember the last time I got to enjoy myself this way, so thank you!", he said as he kissed the light blue hedgehog's nose, making her giggle.

Gwen smiled widely, feeling proud of herself for helping her Papa feel true, genuine happiness for the first time in a long time. Eggman activated the Egg Mobile, carefully turning the wheel and heading for the vine curtain that separated the secret garden from the rest of the world.

Before he flipped the switch to activate the glass roof, Gwen turned to face the Chao.

"Bye bye, everyone! Bye bye, hope to see you all again soon!", she called out. All the Chao smiled and waved goodbye back as the Egg Mobile disappeared behind the curtain.

[Time Skip]

"...And then we played tag and hide and seek and had a race, and a little baby Chao hatched from an egg!"

Back home, Gwen was sitting at the dinner table with Eggman, having a meal of beef and vegetable stew with freshly baked rolls. Orbot, Cubot and Metal Sonic stood off to the side, listening to her regale them with stories about her time at the Chao Garden.

The sweet little hedgehog simply could not stop talking about how much fun she had, she just rambled on and on until she noticed her bowl was nearly empty.

"Oh! Metal, can I have seconds please?", she said sweetly. It seemed that her fun filled day had made her work up quite the appetite by the time she got home.

Metal Sonic let out a few happy beeps before taking the bowl and going back to the kitchen to refill it.

"So tell us what happened next, kiddo. What did ya do next?", said Cubot.

"Oh, I'm glad you asked! So then we..."

As Gwen rambled on about her day, Eggman stared at her with a fond smile on his face. He didn't think his heart could hold any more love for the young child but he was proven to be sorely mistaken.

Look at her! So cheerful, so happy, so full of life! I want other children like her to always feel this joy, I am now further driven to change my ways and truly become a better person.

Later on after dinner and a bath, Gwen sat on the couch in the lounge, watching a cartoon about a cat and a mouse trying to outwit each other. Eggman sat next to her on one side, he enjoyed watching these shows with her. Even if they were meant for children, they were still funny and entertaining.

Metal Sonic was sitting on the couch on the opposite side of Gwen, while Orbot and Cubot sat on the floor. They were watching and enjoying the program as well, Metal was especially fascinated by the idea that a show with no dialogue could contain a plethora of good comedic writing.

Gwen settled herself comfortably in her Papa's lap, softly purring once Eggman began to rub her belly.

Everything was perfectly cozy and peaceful. Gwen had a full tummy and was nice and clean in her princess pajamas, sitting on Eggman's lap, her robot brothers all sitting around them while they all watched TV in the late evening.

Life couldn't have been better, in the young hedgehog's opinion. It was so much better now, though Eggman still worked on his big reformation project. After their fallout, the doctor realized he had his priorities in the wrong order and quickly made some adjustments.

Instead of working nonstop, Eggman decided that the best thing to do was to establish a proper and much healthier work/life balance so as not to put any unnecessary stress on himself or his daughter. With the load lightened from his shoulders, working on a much more reasonable schedule, Eggman had a lot more free time again to spend with his Badniks and his baby girl.

A large yawn escaped from Gwen as she rubbed her eyes, "Papa...I wanna go to bed now", she mumbled.

The doctor glanced up at a nearby wall clock to check the time, "It's a bit early, but you did have a long and exciting day full of adventure, so I guess it's probably best you go to bed anyway", he said.

The young blue hedgehog girl agreed with a nod as she was picked up, "Goodnight, Metal. Goodnight, Orbot. Goodnight, Cubot", she yawned as she was carried away, head hanging over Eggman's shoulder.

"Goodnight, little sis. Sleep well! Goodnight, Boss", said Orbot and Cubot in unison while Metal Sonic simply waved.

Eggman gave his goodnight tidings to his robots before carrying his baby girl to her room. Gwen sighed through her nose in bliss as she was carried to her room, listening to her Papa humming a lullaby as her eyelids grew heavier and heavier.

Eggman smiled warmly at his very sleepy hoglet. She was just so adorable in her little princess pajamas, sucking on her thumb with sleepy eyes while she nuzzled and purred into his chest. It made his heart melt.

"Aww! Come now, baby girl, time for bed", said Eggman as he brought her over to her bedroom. He laid Gwen down on the plush mattress, pulling the blanket up to her chin, and setting her favorite stuffed toy next to her.

The doctor patted her head and kissed her goodnight, receiving a sleepy murmur in response; he then turned around and walked away, flicking the lights off, and leaving his baby girl to sleep and dream.

[Time Skip]

Meanwhile, another group of individuals were having a much different type of evening.

At the Restoration HQ, Sonic and Co. were standing around whilst looking up at a large computer. On screen was footage of Metal Sonic going into a department store and leaving with all manner of items: paint cans, wallpaper, different types of furniture, children's toys and children's clothing.

Tails paused the footage and turned to face everyone else, "This is the most recent footage that was captured over the last two months. As you can see, Metal Sonic was seen going in and out of these stores with these items", he said.

"Did he hurt anyone or caused any damage?", asked Shadow.

"No, witnesses say he simply browsed through the store, picked out the items, paid for them and just left without causing any havoc", replied Tails.

Now everything was deeply confused.

"It doesn't make any sense. What would Eggman want with things like children's toys and silly wallpaper? He must be planning something...", said Knuckles.

"What if he's building an evil daycare so he can brainwash kids into being his minions?!", said Charmy. Everyone gave him an incredulous look, he laughed sheepishly.

"Hey, it is a possibility...", he mumbled.

"I don't think Charmy's idea is too far fetched, guys. According to our other sources' Intel, Metal Sonic was also seen getting groceries and he spent a lot of time searching through the aisles. Witnesses say it was like he was searching for food items that were healthy for...children", said Amy.

"What the heck is going on here? What exactly is Eggman up to? And where even is he? We haven't seen a single sign of him since after the Metal Virus incident", said Knuckles.

Sonic looked at the footage himself, pondering what Eggman could be up to, when he suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked down to see Cream and Cheese standing near him.

"Hey Cream, what's up? Something wrong?", he asked.

Cream nervously shuffled her feet, "Um...I think I might know what's going on, Mr. Sonic", she said.

Everyone turned to face her, "Really, Cream? Well, go ahead and tell us. What do you know?", said Sonic.

Cream took a deep breath before speaking, "There's a Chao Garden over near Mystic Ruins, Cheese and I sometimes visit it to see how all the Chao are doing. Before we came here today, we went to the garden to check on the Chao.

"They were all really happy for some reason, so I asked them what had happened. And...they told me that Dr. Eggman came to the garden earlier in the day with a little blue hedgehog girl. They told me they were having a picnic and playing and having fun.

"The Chao said that Dr. Eggman was really nice to the girl, that he was being really sweet and kind to her, and she was calling him "Papa"!", she said.

Everyone gasped as their faces held expressions of shock and disbelief.

"There's no way Eggman of all people would be nice to a little kid, especially not after what he had done recently! Do you know how many frightened kids we had to shelter because of the Metal Virus overrunning their hometowns with Zombots?!", said Knuckles.

"That could explain why Metal Sonic was seen purchasing amenities for children, Eggman probably ordered him to do so", said Espio.

"It doesn't even make sense...where did Eggman find a little kid anyway? And why would he even take them in?", asked Amy.

"I'm beginning to think Charmy's earlier assessment wasn't too far off, what if he kidnapped some young child and is raising them to be his evil protege?", said Shadow.

"Well then, it's clear what we gotta do! We gotta track Eggman down, rescue this kid and finally put ol' Baldy McNosehair behind bars! The sooner we finally lock him up, the better! He went way too far when he created and unleashed the Metal Virus!

"And that poor kid, I can't even imagine what she must be going through. Having to put up with Egghead twenty four seven, filling her head with lies about us and toxic ideals...and her poor parents must be worried sick!", said Sonic.

"But how are we gonna find Eggman? Again, we don't know where he went after the Metal Virus was stopped and it's not like he's just gonna walk out in the open where we can easily spot him!", said Tangle.

"I think I might have an idea", said Whisper.

"Huh? What is it, Whisper?", asked Tails.

"If Metal Sonic shows up in a town again to get more things, I could have one of my Wisps spy on him. Then when he leaves, the Wisp will follow him to wherever Eggman is hiding. Then they'll report back to us and lead us to his base so we can capture him", explained Whisper.

Everyone was in agreement that this was the best way to find out where Eggman was and track him down.

"Alright, we'll go with your plan. Have your Wisps keep a lookout for Metal Sonic, and alert us as soon as they've located where Eggman is hiding out at", said Shadow.

[To be continued...]