Disclaimer - I do not own Sonic or any other characters. They are property of SEGA and anything Sonic the hedgehog affiliated with it.
The next day…
In the hidden dungeon room located in the lowest levels of Castle Acorn. Nicole took another look at her body as she stood in front of her cloning tank. The room remained dimly lit by white computer screens, and the glow of the green growing liquid in the tank cascaded over Nicole's holographic, creating a silhouette on the floor behind her. She recently constructed this hidden dungeon chamber; it was not originally a part of the castle. Similar to much of castle Acorn, it was made using nanites following the Knothole's destruction. Even in the present, a mix of real materials and nanites were used to build New Mobotropolis. Although they wanted to one day, create the city entirely out of real materials, they additionally implemented nanites to build it more quickly to oppose Eggman. And so, using her nanites, she changed this section of the castle's lower levels. Establishing a completely new section to... take action…
Nobody was aware. The floors and walls resembled cobblestones, just like any other place in the dungeon. Besides the computers, medical equipment, and other miscellaneous items she carried inside this concealed space, all other supplies were ancillary. She brought extra supplies every day. She had an eight-hour window during which to sneak anything she needed into her hidden room while organics slept. Nicole moved away from her body and walked up to a metal table covered in laboratory glassware, including flasks and beakers filled with colored liquids. She started by heating chemicals in beakers and stirring them after she poured them into tubes.
Soon, organics would awaken...
Her expression was blank on her holographic face. Unless she modified it to express and emote, it was the default expression on her hologram. She processed how much faster her body may have developed if she had access to materials that were not available to her anymore…
The cloning tank was doing an adequate job of keeping her body unconscious while she worked on the next crucial phase. She put the burner on low and moved to another table against the wall, next to a computer that had wires, circuits, and other random gadgets. It's true that she needed to borrow some, or all, of her chemicals. But no one knew, and she made certain they were refilled, fabricating documents so no one could tell the difference.
The green liquid in the tank suffice it to say was… special…
It was gelatinous in nature and could hold an organic organism in suspended animation for as long as necessary, as long as the right mixture was maintained and topped off. There was a microscope in front of her, with a small metal gadget on it. Attached to the table was a small white lamp. She switched it on. She then looked into the microscope. The device had a curved design, with several metal spike ends protruding from one side. She grabbed a micro solderer from the table and started soldering the small metal device. With a steady hand, she made robotic movements with her holographic arm. She didn't make mistakes.
She soon finished and laid down her tool. Before raising her head from the microscope, she examined her work. Subsequently, she reached across the table to get a single, uncovered red copper wire that was connected to another instrument and touched it to it.
CREATE PROCEDURE [MMT].[MMT_Attch]
import pulse
(browser=True)
def factorial(x)
:if x == 1:
return 1
else:
return (x * factorial(x-1))…
Extracting Recode. exe...
: Extracting MMap. dll...
: Copying Recode. exe...
Initializing...
Driver version:
- Loaded modules -
\SystemRoot\system1024\ntoskrnl. exe
\SystemRoot\system1024\hal. dll
\SystemRoot\system1024\kdcom. dll
\SystemRoot\system1024\mcupdate_GenuineCPU. dll
\SystemRoot\system1024\PSHED. dll
\SystemRoot\system1024\CLFS. SYS
\SystemRoot\system1024\CI. dll
\SystemRoot\system1024\drivers\dsnadgjn. sys
\SystemRoot\system1024\drivers\FLTMGR. SYS…
She gave the gadget a slight shock of electricity and turned it on. The device's back LED light flashed red, then green. Making some minor coding changes, debugging, and loading the software again to ensure it was working properly. After removing the wire, she held it and examined it.
The back's LED light changed color from green to red to black...
The program was running correctly...
This would function...
At that point, Nicole walked back over to her cloning tank and stared up at her body. Even after examining the genes of her new body, she had no idea what her personality would be like. It would still contain remnants of the DNA she stole from. She obtained her Lynx DNA from a young female lynx in the city, who was in her twenties. Over the years, she'd had several female lynx targets. With time, she focused on fewer targets and ultimately chose this specific lynx from which she derived her DNA from, due to physical similarities between the lynx and her holographic form. She had spent years observing and tracking this one specific female lynx. Over time, however, getting her DNA proved to be fairly challenging.
Finding enough identical eggs to insert DNA into was the simpler part. She snuck into hospitals unobserved and retrieved eggs as needed. She obtained her cloning cells from blood. Since they were live cells, she could use them for what she needed. Obtaining cells from her in any other way would raise suspicion. Her target did not always have blood at the hospitals, which sometimes slowed her progress for extended periods of time.
She was aware that others, including her friends, would find what she was doing morally abhorrent. Or just wrong in terms of organic morality. But they didn't understand...
The plans she began a few weeks ago would be... after so many years of action and planning... real... final...
She knew everything about the female lynx from whom she was stealing DNA from after observing her for so long. Her family, her occupation, and her personal life. Nicole then examined the gadget in her hand, considering all the potential anomalies with her plans.
The green luminous liquid in the tank that was keeping her body in suspended animation was an appropriate substitute. Instead of an artificial womb, she knew of other ways…
The green liquid was a growth compound. She could replicate it with the knowledge she had and the resources that had just become available. The cells proliferated like they would within an organic body. But would her body have any abnormalities that she couldn't detect? Deformities? No matter how certain she was that she had completed the cloning process correctly and without error, she would no longer have complete control in the physical realm. There would be circumstances beyond her control that she would simply have to deal with.
At least for the time being, she needed to finish one last task before Sally woke up and she had to go back to managing the city. With her device in hand, Nicole moved to the table holding the beakers and chemicals and placed her device on it. She then proceeded to the right side of the cloning tank, where there was a hook and a ladder staircase on wheels. She took the hook, moved the staircase to the side of the cloning tank, and ascended it.
Her body was then drawn up toward the top of the tank by her reaching down into the liquid. She had to untangle and reposition the oxygen masks, tubes, and harness wires in order to attach the hook to the body harness. She fastened the hook on the tank's side so that her body would be supported. Once done, she strapped the harness to the hook, holding her body in place above the liquid. She climbed back down the stepladder, retrieving her device from the table and also grabbing a dry cloth, then returned up the stairs.
The back of her neck was covered in moist brown fur that she parted and brushed dry. Nicole then applied precise pressure, pressing the device's metal spike ends into the back of her neck, until it was securely in place. Her body jerked, most certainly from pain, and fresh blood began to seep from where she had inserted the device. After that, Nicole went down the ladder once again to a different table across the room that was strewn with medical equipment. She gathered sterile cloths, iodine, and a few other antiseptics. Upon ascending the ladder once more, she started tending to the incision.
Once she placed her body back into the tank, the new chemicals would upset its equilibrium. She would have to check all the tank's levels and modify the growing liquids' ingredients until they returned to normal.
After finishing her work, she returned her medical equipment and proceeded to walk up the tank once more. She looked down at her body, breathing softly...
Fascinated by her body...
But her attention was fixed more intently on the device that she had just affixed to her body. The led light on the back of her neck remained black. With intense concentration, Nicole examined whether it had worked. At this point, it would be detrimental not to...
All of her work would be lost...
However, the led light gradually started to come on, and changed to a solid red.
Knowing that her work was not lost, she eased her body back into the liquid and removed the hook. She tossed the sticky hook on the floor next to the tank, and gooey liquid splashed on the ground. She could hear Sally waking in her bed from her portable as she descended the stairs again.
She moved to the front of the cloning tank and checked the levels. To make sure it healed properly, she would have to check on her body a little more frequently. But it wasn't long until Sally sat up in bed, stretched, and beckoned her. But with things looking good right now, Nicole stopped typing on the cloning tank's keyboard and dematerialized out of the secret dungeon room to begin her day.
On the castle's higher floors...
In an expansive, opulent bedroom featuring white and grey marble floors, elaborately designed marble pillars embellished with intricate designs, beautiful rose-colored wallpaper, and high ceilings with an abundance of natural light streaming in through the wide windows. Through Sally's wide windows, the pure blue skies revealed a lovely morning and a warm breeze wafted her lavish curtains. She could not tell if it was warm outside based on the weather, even if a breeze fluttered the window curtains. As she could not feel, sense physical sensation. Sally's room resembled other affluent parts of the castle. Tables with well-chosen ornaments, lamps, and tufted pillows on various furniture pieces. And the focal point of the space—Sally's king-sized bed, furnished with plush red and white sheets and fluffy pillows. Sally sat up on the bed, which had an opulent redwood headboard with even more detailed carvings. Rubbing her eyes, she yawned.
Dressed in a pink nightgown, she stretched her arms and spoke, "Nicole?"
Nicole suddenly materialized in her room right next to her bedside. Her holographic face lit up with a smile as she talked in a monotone voice. "Greetings, Sally."
She looked across to her, droopy-eyed. "Good morning, Nicole. What's on the agenda today?"
Nicole projected a holographic screen in front of her and browsed through it. "You must first appear at a press conference at 7 a.m. You have 30 minutes to prepare. Following your conference, you agreed to talk to a youth group, followed by a quick meeting with the consul of Acorn before lunch. Although there has not been a time where other task have called for your attention outside of your planned schedule."
Sally grinned. "Not one single day. Nicole, you're a lifesaver..."
"I am here to support the Freedom Fighters in any manner that I can." Nicole replied in the same flat tone as always.
"Yeah Nicole, but you know through all of this, since we've met you, through fighting Eggman and all our enemies over the years, and the destruction of the Knothole until now, I've felt scared… alone… you know?" Sally continued to smile at her.
Nicole shook her head as she made the holographic screen disappear. Her holographic expression returned to being stoic. "No Sally, I do not know."
Sally chuckled because she knew Nicole couldn't grasp what she was feeling, but it didn't affect how she interacted with her. Despite her inability to grasp emotions, Nicole remained one of her closest friends.
Sally smiled brighter as she spoke. "You're one of my bestest friends, Nicole…"
Nicole had to take a moment to process what Sally was saying. Since she was incapable of feeling, she was unable to comprehend the emotional component of relationships, but she was aware of what a friendship was. Because of their mutual trust, she saw Sally as a close friend and had mutual trust with all the Freedom Fighters. Despite her lack of understanding, Sally confided in her because they had worked so closely to survive since the days of the Knothole. Although it appeared to comfort her, which she recognized as a positive thing, "You are a great ally as well, Sally."
It was quiet for a few more moments, with Sally still beaming at Nicole and Nicole looking back with a neutral expression and blinking her holographic eyes. Nicole looked at Sally, who seemed to be at ease, and wondered what her friend's reaction would be in the next few days. But, with the cheesiness out of the way, Sally assumed a serious countenance. "All right, Nicole, I am going to get ready. Could you prepare a speech for me?
"Yes, Sally." Nicole replied in a neutral tone.
After pulling off her covers, Sally entered a spotless marble bathroom on the other side of her room that shone with warm, soft lighting as she turned on the lights. As Sally was getting cleaned up, Nicole received a chat request for help from Castle Acorn's control room…
N.I.C.O.L.E: [Hello Angie, how can I be of assistance to you?]
Angie: [Hey Nicole, I'm having some network issues. I can't ping devices in network 2001:1234:A:2::/64]
N.I.C.O.L.E: [Let me take a look.]
Angie: [Ok.]
R1# show ip route
Codes: L - local, C - connected, S - static, R - RIP, M - mobile
C 2001:1234:A:1::/64 (0/0)
via GigabitEthernet0/0, directly connected
L 2001:1234:A:1::1/128 (0/0)
via GigabitEthernet0/0, receive
C 2001:1234:A:2::/63 (0/0)
via GigabitEthernet0/1, directly connected
L 2001:1234:A:2::1/128 (0/0)
via GigabitEthernet0/1, receive
L FF00::/8 (0/0)
via Null0, receive
N.I.C.O.L.E: [I will need to verify layer one connectivity. One moment.]
Then Nicole dematerialized out of Sally's room…
Nicole rematerialized in a spacious server room...
Sophisticated black server racks, well aligned and housed in robust metal casings, lined the passageways she calmly trod. Searching for the interface that was creating the connectivity problems. There was a gentle, mild blue glow in the room from all the hardware's blinking lights. It didn't take long for her to find it and realize that the device's cords were incorrectly configured. She immediately disconnected and re-plugged the yellow cables—which were the source of the issue—into the appropriate sockets. Then she dematerialized out of the room…
She rematerialized in castle Acorns main control room…
The control room was filled with focused energy and diligence from all of the personnel who were swiftly strolling around, talking on phones, and tapping their keyboards. The workers were engaged by the plethora of information displayed on a symphony of monitors and control panels throughout the room when Nicole's hologram took shape. Although a few employees observed her arrival, the majority resumed their tasks.
The control room was the nerve center of New Mobotropolis…
It was by her design after the destruction of the Knothole…
The area was especially intriguing because it included a big jumbotron screen in the middle of it. Mostly used in emergency situations...
The staff often wondered if her help was needed whenever she appeared. A staff member approached her and gave her a cordial greeting. A male lion wearing a white shirt and brown pants spoke with a serious expression, "Hello Nicole!" It's good to see you! "What brings you by?"
Nicole's holograms expression remained stoic as she turned to face the IT director. "Greetings, Herold. I'm here to confirm that a networking issue has been resolved.
As they made small talk, a duo approached them. Tails and Rotor approached the pair. Rotor smiled as she began. "Hey Nicole!"
"Morning, Nicole!" Tails said with a smile of his own.
Nicole maintained a neutral expression. "Good morning."
Herold spoke. "Nicole informed me that Angie was experiencing some network problems."
"What kind?" Tails inquired curiously.
"Layer 1 connectivity. I'm here to confirm that we've rectified the problem." Nicole replied.
"Okay, I'll let you guys handle it. It is almost time for my break. Herold turned and left with a chuckle.
Rotor then spoke, "Speaking of which, Nicole, Tails, and I are experiencing some issues with the most recent security firmware update. It was unable to finish in the test environment."
"We were thinking it might have something to do with its integration to your software." Tails spoke eagerly.
Nicole gave a nod. "We should look into the matter further tomorrow." I have an open time slot that I could squeeze you into. Later this evening, I will let you know."
"Alright, see you later, Nicole!" Tails said as he and Rotor walked away.
Nicole then turned in the opposite direction and quickly navigated the control room to find the technician, Angie. She found her and checked with Angie to ensure that her network connectivity was working properly. It was, and just on time as Nicole excused herself. She opened a text document, wrote a standardized political speech with uniform talking points for Sally's press conference, and then dematerialized from the room.
In her room, Sally was conversing with her portable...
Back in Sally's room…
Nicole re-materialized in her room and made a beeline straight to the desk next to Sally's bed. There was a printer and a laptop on it, and she started a print queue as Sally shouted out to her from her bathroom, where hot steam from her shower was billowing through the doorway.
"Nicole! Could you inform the PR team that I'm going to be a few minutes late!"
Nicole picked up the papers as soon as they completed printing from the printer and placed them on the edge of her bed. She turned towards the bathroom. "Noted, Sally. I've placed your speech on your bed."
"I'll see you after the press conference, Nicole!"
Nicole's holographic face remained stoic and her expression neutral as she responded, "Yes, Sally."
Then, she once more dematerialized from Sally's chamber upon receiving a call for help from someone on the east side of the city... Sonic...
At Tails workshop…
Nicole materialized next to Sonic's aircraft, the Tornado, on the runway. But he was not alone. Amy waved and greeted her cheerfully as she approached them both. Both of them looked away from the aircraft. "Hey Nicole!"
Sonic gave her a smile and a wink. "That was fast! I like the speedy service."
Speaking in her typical monotone manner, Nicole formed a smile on her holographic face. "I am pleased to assist you, Sonic! What is it that you require?"
Sonic and Amy turned back to the plane, and Nicole joined them. Underneath the red plane and all over the ground were tools. Sonic reached inside the open engine hatch on the front and extracted a component.
Speaking with a slight frown now, "I think I got a damaged part. I've already tried to fix it, but I'm not having much luck. I can generally fix whatever is wrong with the tornado, especially with Tails' help. Could you take a look at this and see if there's anything that can be done with it?"
Nicole took the part from him and held it up eye level with her hand. "Yes, let me analyze it."
Her eyes illuminated green as she examined the damaged part inside and out, gathering information from her databases and identifying corresponding information to determine what could be done. Amy blinked curiously. "I hope there's something you can find." Then Amy smiled. "Say Nicole, are we still on for tomorrow?"
Nicole finished scanning the damaged part and lowered it. For a brief moment, her demeanor was stoic. "Yes. I will perform a soil analysis on your flowerbed. If they are dying, the PH or the fertilization levels are off."
Amy nodded as Nicole turned to look at Sonic, and she formed a smile on her holographic face again. "Based on my analysis, I determined that this part is irreparably damaged."
"Aw man!" With dismay, Sonic said with disappointment.
"I would have love to have gone for a fly today." Amy said, echoing his disappointment.
"It might take some time to find a replacement, so I propose another expedited solution. You may find it more enticing." Nicole held the part up for them to both see.
Sonic lifted a curious eyebrow. "And that would be?"
Then nanites began to swarm from Nicole's hand and around the broken plane part. The nanites appeared to infest it like a locust, and then they vanished quickly. "The damage was fixed by the nanites. You should evaluate its efficacy."
Amy and Sonic both blinked, astonished. Sonic took the part from Nicole's extended hand. "Cool..."
They all turned back to face the tornado, and Sonic reinserted the component. Then he climbed into the cockpit. He turned on the ignition, and to his amazement, the engine came to life, sputtering and kicking over!
Sonic grinned widely. "All right! Way to go Nicole!"
Sonic leapt back out of the cockpit, next to Amy and Nicole. Amy grinned as well. "I love you Nicole!"
"You are welcome." Nicole gave a nod.
With a questioning gaze, Sonic spoke, "Hey, didn't you say you shouldn't be using nanite stuff like that if you could avoid it?"
Nicole held her smile on her holographic. There was a brief pause, speaking to him in her usual monotone voice "…I will make an exception this time."
And it seemed to be a satisfactory response for Sonic, who shrugged and thanked her once more for her assistance in repairing his plane. Nicole kept her smile on her holographic for a moment longer before she returned to a stoic expression, getting another call from Sally from her portable for assistance. Sonic and Amy waved as she excused herself to complete her next of many task for the day…
On the west side of town…
Nicole rematerilized in a park next to Sally, who was holding her portable and had just spoken to her moments before. After her press conference, and as she was assisting Sonic, Sally spoke briefly into her portable and told her that everything went wrong as usual. While attending to Amy and Sonic, she conversed with Sally concurrently. Telling her that she would call her soon, which she had just done.
Sally and the park director stood in front of a huge group of children sitting on the grass in front of them, looking intrigued. As she materialized in front of the kids, they appeared taken aback. One of the children excitedly exclaimed, "OMG! Its N.I.C.O.L.E!"
The children suddenly looked more engaged as Sally spoke. "So, you see kids, it's important to protect the surrounding environment."
The park director, a female racoon, smiled as she spoke, and the kids all nodded. "We put a lot of effort into preserving New Mobotroplis Park as a historic site because of this. Could you maybe share a bit more information about the significance of nature with our group using your vast knowledge, Miss Nicole?"
Nicole nodded, keeping her stoic expression as she turned to look at the children. "Yes, of course."
Sally smirked and glanced at Nicole. "Give them the abbreviated version, Nicole."
"Yes Sally, I edited it." Nicole gestured with a wave of her hand.
The youngsters wondered why she had done so, until full 3D holographic images appeared all around them. What they saw in front of them was a condensed, three-dimensional history lecture. The kids then watched in awe as Nicole described the history of Mobotropolis, showing them how it was once a stunning, flourishing metropolis and that the area around it was an oasis before Eggman destroyed it and transformed it into a hazardous wasteland. And after Eggman destroyed it all, they didn't reclaim any of the natural beauty until recently, when New Mobotropolis was constructed. Nicole made sure to include some theatrics from their conflict with their foes, such as explosions and intense combat, as well as some film she created when Mobotropolis was destroyed.
It spiced up some of the less exciting parts of nature and kept the kids entertained. The kids clapped as Nicole finished speaking, and the holographics vanished. "Thus, as is evident. Without preserving the surrounding environment, it might lead to disaster."
"Are there any questions?" the park director asked the children.
A young boy was chosen after a few kids raised their hands. "Princess Sally?"
Sally spoke with a smile. "Yes?"
"Could I meet N.I.C.O.L.E? Like up close?" the child asked.
Other kids started asking the same questions, and Sally and the director laughed. Sally turned her gaze to the kids. "Why don't you ask her yourself?"
The children looked excited but timid as Nicole spoke. "Yes."
The kids all stood up and gathered around Nicole, Sally, and the park director. The children began asking Nicole a variety of questions and requesting to take pictures with her. However, she received a another call for help from somewhere else in the city. Nicole's expression remained impassive as she stared at Sally, who had just lowered her portable, signaling that she had seen the request. And she spoke, "It looks like you have quite a fan base, Nicole. I will take care of them. I'm going to meet the Consul of Acorn after this. I'll call you if I need help."
Nicole nodded as she dematerialized, and the children encircled Sally and the director, inquiring where N.I.C.O.L.E had gone...
In the castle Acorn's military wing…
Nicole materialized in a hallway filled with military personnel. They didn't pay her much attention. She noticed over the time of her operation; law enforcement organics seemed less surprised by her presence. She assumed that their profession had toughened them, making them more composed than the general public. Hearing the people she was looking for, Nicole started down the corridor.
Quickly locating Antoine and Bunnie around a corner in a room with an open door and lights on. There was nothing in the room save a red phone hanging on the wall, a metal table, two chairs, and a ceiling light.
They were engaged in a contentious debate, and they didn't stop talking even when she entered the frame. She waited for them to be done, watching the annoyed look on Antoine's face. Additionally, she saw that the longer Antoine served in the military, the more arrogant he became. Even while his occasionally harsh words may have been a result of his growing confidence in the days of the Knothole, he was the complete opposite of that person now.
Nicole then cast a quick glance at Bunnie, who was wearing a similarly agitated expression. It was no secret that Bunnie did not care for military life. Arguments concerning Antoine's involvement in activities beyond the scope of their military's duties had been a recurring theme since their marriage. Bunnie informed her privately that she disliked the hectic lifestyle of it all and what she was becoming involved in, implicating herself in things she disagreed with.
It made sense that she would have such misgivings considering her family's history.
There had been tensions even before they were married. But as their union progressed, the strain and stress became increasingly obvious.
She had become their mediator many times…
Antoine looked fed up as he looked over, finally noticing Nicole. He walked over to her with frustration in his breath. "Nicole, tell her why it must be done! They have done the same to us!"
But before she could speak, Bunnie stood from her seat "Thare aint no way yeur justifying that!"
Antoine growled, "Dites-lui qu'elle ne comprend tout simplement pas, et je commence à me demander si elle le comprendra un jour!"
"Yiah always do this when yiah blow yeur top! What did he jus say?" Bunnie looked to Nicole for confirmation.
Which he would, speaking in his native tongue when he was upset. She herself was involved and knew of everything going on in the Republic of Acorn and New Mobotropolis, and that included their military. The Royal military consulted her like any entity in the city. There was no information she was not privy to. So, she knew of the circumstances of this latest military operation. Nicole spoke, "You just don't understand."
"I understand perfectly fine. They're just children!" Bunnie shot back.
"Elle dit comprendre les motivations des militaires. Elle n'est pas d'accord sur le fait que les victimes seront des enfants." Nicole looked at Antoine.
This made Antoine pause. His expression softened, and he looked less indignant. "If we do not stop them, they could harm our brethren Freedom Fighter groups."
Bunnie blinked her eyes. "Yiah didn't tell me that…"
Antoine huffed in frustration. "There is information I must not disclose to anyone. Even if I am leading the operation…"
Nicole then spoke, defusing the situation. "Bunnie, you're correct. The children do not need to be harmed, and they may even be reformed under the right circumstances. In the mix are allies and innocent parties. However, it is impossible to gauge the extent of their indoctrination. As a result, they may become sleeper cells for our enemies..."
Nicole turned to face Antoine as Bunnie nodded. "Moreover, you are right, Antoine. The operation might be interrupted before it gets to that if the timing is right. However, you are more likely to do what is necessary, and there is no justification if children are caught in the crossfire. But I am assuming you will do your best to avoid those outcomes."
Antoine straightened his collar, speaking in an aloof manner, "I will make no promises." Antoine then looked at the watch on his wrist then back at the two. "I must be somewhere else now. I will meet you at home, honey." Antoine then smiled at Nicole and grabbed her holographic hand, and gently patted it. "Merci de maintenir la paix, jusqu'à notre prochaine querelle. Je te verrai Nicole pour nos briefings avec les généraux le moment venu."
Then, Antoine left the room, leaving them both alone, and Bunnie had a sardonic expression on her face. "What did he say?"
"He said he loved you."
As Bunnie walked out the room and flipped off the lights, they entered the hallway together, and Bunnie laughed. "No he didn't."
Walking past personnel moving equipment on a dolly, she and Bunnie strolled through the hallways. "You have caught me in a lie, Bunnie."
Bunnie groaned, "Better that than to keep arguing."
They continued to walk till they entered a sizable hangar for aircraft. They started going towards an exit on the other side of the hangar as Bunnie told her about her feelings for the day. Sentiments of frustration filled her about Antoine and the direction life had been taking her lately.
Which she knew Nicole didn't understand, but Nicole and she did have something that even Sally didn't. Being part machine, she felt Nicole understood her struggles, if only slightly, which she did to the extent of their limitations. It was something they both understood, which created an unusual interpersonal dynamic because they had become each other's confidants.
Although Nicole could not grasp her feelings, she did comprehend when she explained that her robotic limbs were the reason she felt limited, and not their strength on this occasion.
The contrary was true; she strained to be gentle at times, and no matter how she adjusted the pressure sensitivity in her limbs, there was a physical limit to what she could accomplish. Despite her efforts to modify the pressure sensitivity in her limbs, her mechanical parts had a physical limit to their capabilities.
Nicole reacted in her typical stoic demeanor: "Yes, Bunnie, I understand. Throughout my operation, there have been instances where expanding my hardware was the only way to meet the requirements necessary to reach a goal."
They couldn't hear each other when a plane's engines began to rev, so they left the hangar and stood besides the path that led back to Castle Acorn. Bunnie giggled as she spoke. "I guess we got to keep expanding, huh, Nicole?"
Nicole gave a nod. "Yes, adapting to our limits with appropriate hardware can lead to potential growth."
Bunnie yawned while stretching her arms. "Aight, Nicole, auhum about to hit the gym." She patted Nicole on her holographic shoulder. "Thanks for helping with Antoine again an just talking with me. I don't think anyone else gets it."
"Agreed. There are not many who I could speak with on the subject and understand me as well."
Bunnie began walking down the path, "I'll see yiah Nicole!"
Nicole nodded, and before she could move an inch, Sally contacted her. It seemed she would need her presence with the Consul of Acorn. She dematerialized to be with Sally at the Consul's chamber.
It was becoming late in the day as well. Sally still had a few tasks on her schedule, so after their meeting with the consul, she knew things would be dying down for the day and her request would begin to slow down…
Castle Acorn courthouse…
Nicole materialized next to Sally as she power walked down a long hallway of white marble and vaulted ceilings covered with beautiful moldings. The walls, doors, and office spaces were all clad in exquisite wood paneling. The hushed whispers of lawyers and the shuffling of documents filled the air, producing a background hum that dominated the atmosphere in the courthouse.
Sally frowned as she looked at Nicole, who was now strolling beside her. "This should go quick, hopefully."
Nicole nodded, "Yes, Sally..."
They moved towards the two enormous wooden doors at the end of the corridor, which were already open. As Sally and she reached the courtroom, there were two guards stationed at either side of the door.
The jury box was off to one side of the courtroom, with wooden benches on the other side facing the raised judge's bench where the Consul of Acorn all sat awaiting.
King Elias Acorn, current King of the Kingdom and Republic of Acorn, also Sally's brother. Sir Charles Hedgehog; Sonic's uncle, Dylan porcupine; former member of the substitute Freedom Fighters. Hamlin pig; another former member of the substitute Freedom Fighters. Penelope Platypus; another former member of the substitute Freedom Fighters, and Rosemary Prower; Tails's mother, looked down at Sally and Nicole as they approached the bench.
The chamber was empty and silent, and, for some reason unbeknownst to Nicole, the Consul appeared unusually agitated today. Especially Hamlin, who was seething and seemed like he was about to burst but instead held his tongue.
Sally let out a sigh. "There was something else you wanted to address?"
Leaning forward, Elias spoke in a detached manner. "Yes, in addition to our first request for your attendance. In relation to which, did the Freedom Fighters not meddle?
Rolling her eyes, Sally crossed her arms. "Yes, we did, and I believe we explained to you why."
Elias looked irritated. "Just try to keep it under wraps next time. There are calls for disbanding all freedom fighter groups now that society is beginning to return to its usual ways of life. "I suppose they feel vigilantism is no longer needed..."
Sally gave a smug grin. "Yeah, we'll see about that when they need our help. "Until then, though..."
Under his breath, Hamlin snorted. "We won't need it if the current trend keeps up. Our law and order will be as effective as it was previously."
"We are not yet there. The Freedom Fighters will always be needed as long as Eggman poses a threat." Nicole countered.
"We are unable to dispute that." Penelope said, raising a skeptical eyebrow at her.
All of the consul, including Hamlin, reluctantly nodded in accord. Elias had a stern voice. "Next time please…" Sally gave a nod, and he continued, but this time the entire counsel turned to face Nicole. Elias spoke "N.I.C.L.O.E. You are still not above legal judgement, do you agree?"
"The morality of organics' creed is of no use to you. Whatever issues arise are what they are and will be solved in a timely manner. Your "evidence" has not held up in your court of 'law' as of yet, has it?" Nicole questioned in her stoical tone.
At her answer, Elias smirked, and Sir Charles adjusted his spectacles. "At zero percent, yes."
"This does not mean the law will stop. Unfortunately, we are obligated to respond as long as the cases are opened. The law must be upheld. That means you will always be in legal trouble until one day it stops or we catch you..." Rosemary replied, appearing displeased as she folded her hands in front of her face.
Sally smiled as Nicole replied, "It will be more than you can chew..." Nicole halted, peering back at them. "I'm here to help you. All issues were resolved today at 1200 a.m."
Dylan looked over the papers in front of him and replied, trembling, "Ye... yes. Three hours prior to our meeting, it appears that they were settled."
Elias sighed. "It's confirmed then. Until next time, N.I.C.O.L.E..."
As Sally and Nicole turned to leave the courtroom, the other members of the Consul remained silent and displayed differing degrees of judgment on their faces. The Consul got up from their seats, and as Sally and Nicole exited the courthouse, they had a brief talk regarding their most recent encounter with the Consul of Acorn. Because their day wasn't finished yet; they had a few more task to complete. The battle with the Consul seemed to be endless, but they were winning overall…
Some hours later…
After a long day, darkness fell over New Mobotroplolis, and the city's buzz and bustle subsided, as did Nicole's request when Sally and she retired to her room. Her room was illuminated by the gentle glow of exquisite lamps all around. Sally placed her portable on the nightstand next to her bed, and Nicole herself stood silently by her bedside as she finished up in her bathroom.
While Nicole waited for Sally, she was occupied with remotely handling a technical request from the castle control room. Even if it wasn't her busiest day, it was still quite busy.
While she processed her final request for the day, she also processed about her relationships with the Freedom Fighters. She was confident that they would assist her regardless of the circumstances...
Then, dressed in a pink silk nightgown, Sally emerged from the restroom, fell face down onto her bed, and groaned loudly. "Uuggghhhh!"
Nicole remained silent as Sally slid up and under the blankets. With a yawn, she turned onto her side. "What a crazy day, Nicole."
"Indeed, Sally." She gave a nod.
"Same as tomorrow, I'm guessing." Sally stated, her face not amused.
But Nicole shook her head. "No, it's actually a little more."
She gestured, waving her hand in front of herself and displayed a holographic to-do list of Sally's appointments for tomorrow, which was, in fact, longer than it was today. Sally looked annoyed. "Obviously..."
"It's nothing you can't handle." Nicole spoke in her usual stoical tone.
Her evident sarcasm made Sally laugh. "Very funny." But Sally gave her a smile. "With your help, Nicole, I believe I can. Thank you again for everything you do every day, Nicole. For helping me."
"You are most welcome, Sally." Nicole nodded.
With one final yawn, Sally closed her eyes. "Goodnight Nicole."
"Goodnight Sally." Nicole said, raising her hand and turning off all of the lights in her room.
As it went silent in Sally's darkened room, Nicole dematerialized out of her room to continue overseeing the city while everyone slept, oblivious to anybody of what else she was truly doing…
Back in Castle Acorns secret dungeon room…
Nicole re-materialized her holographic form in the secret dungeon room. Although managing the city was perpetually her responsibility, for the time being, her day's work was done as things slowed down at night. Nicole spun around to see her cloning tank glowing green light across the room. She approached to take another look at her body.
She glanced up at her body while using a computer to check her vitals and the chemical combination in the tank. She continued to do so during the day as she maintained the city, and she also continued remote ancillary work maintaining the city at night, but now it was her sole focus for around eight hours. Her body was alive and well… it breathed in and out…
She had to adjust the chemical mixture tonight and give it its third feeding of the day. Her body received the nutrition it needed to grow through the tubes on the harness, which also kept her unconscious until she was ready...
Which was coming in the next few days…
Her body was ready…
She just had a few more things to take care of…
Once complete, it would begin…
With a blank expression on her holographic she recalled the memory of when she saw Sonic in Sally's body…
She could not remember how it felt…
Like a phantom touch… she could remember it… but she could not remember the feeling…
But…
She could remember… even after all these years….
When her ability to perceive physical sensation and feelings were ripped from her when she separated from Sally…
She could still remember that for the first time she ever felt… it was unlike anything she'd ever experienced…
Organic emotions and feelings were… intoxicating…
Euphoric…
The best thing she ever felt…
The only thing shed ever felt… experienced…
And it drove her mad…
She remembered… that she could not feel anymore, and that she wanted to again…
So, she turned away from her body and walked to the other side of the room to prep the tank for its daily rebalance. She'd never done anything like this before. This was unknown territory that made her vulnerable, but after feeling organic emotions… she changed… her ideas evolved…
To be… alive… feel again…
It engrossed her to act… she could not and would not wait any longer…
She was writhing to feel again…
In a few days' time should would again after so long…
Over the course of the next few days…
Rotor Walrus walked to the Master Console, which was located above the main control room floor, in Castle Acorns Control Room, coffee in hand. Today, he had his own work to complete. He ascended the stairs while taking a sip of his drink, his eyes heavy with sleep. He arrived at the landing and passed through the doorway into a room that was filled with an enormous assembly of screens, controls, and panels. Nestled within a dimly lighted chamber, an ethereal light shone on the station operators.
The center of the Console was an expanse of monitors that spanned the space, showing a patchwork of graphs, data feeds, and security camera footage. The screens came together in a captivating ballet of numbers and images to provide a panoramic perspective of important information.
Rotor made his way to the lone unoccupied seat in the center of the room and took a seat. He sat down and adjusted, receiving greetings from his colleague operators. He wished them a good morning as he sat, placing his coffee down and then cracked his knuckles. The control panel was a complex network of touchscreens, levers, and buttons. Real-time feedback regarding systems functioning around the city was provided by illuminated buttons that flickered with status indicators.
Rotor grinned, happy that technology was now functional once more. He relished the fact that they were nearly back to a semblance of civilization and convenience for the first time in years since the devastation of Mobotropolis and the Knothole.
As Rotor began his day by tapping on the keyboard in front of him, the repetitive sound of keys hitting the keyboard's surface filled his ears. However, after only 30 minutes of work, Rotor noticed something he usually never did. He noticed Nicole on a security monitor. He glanced at it for a bit, not thinking too much about it because Nicole was omnipresent and would sometimes be all over the place. However, as he observed Nicole carrying a brown box down a flight of stairs and into Castle Acorn's dungeon, Rotor arched an eyebrow in suspicion.
But he brushed it off again, thinking it might be something she was working on. He returned to work for the remainder of the day, but it happened again the following day...
This day, Rotor happened to be in the security control room and noticed Nicole carrying supplies that were unusual for her. And it piqued his interest at that point, so he questioned another freedom fighter whether they had seen what he had seen. He first asked Sally, who said she hadn't witnessed or been told by Nicole that she was performing the things he saw her doing.
He and Sally decided to put it off for another day. However, a different freedom fighter visited Rotor on the third day and questioned whether he had witnessed Nicole acting strangely or differently from her usual demeanor. To which Rotor was now hooked and curious about what he had seen. They observed Nicole bringing medical supplies down a flight of stairs into Castle Acorn's dungeon. Rotor made it a point to visit Castle Acorn's control room and keep an eye on Nicole the following day.
And once again, he discovered Nicole acting strangely on one of the surveillance monitors on this fourth day. She stood in a hallway, and once it was clear, peered around before entering a darkened room. And before Rotor could be skeptical to the other Freedom Fighters, they corroborated what he saw on the surveillance monitors. Nicole transporting unusual items, entering the dungeon, and acting shady in general.
Only strengthened by the knowledge that, for the previous four days, every freedom fighter had witnessed her perform this at least once a day. Thus, on the fifth day, Nicole's abrupt, strange behavior was being formally investigated by all of the Freedom Fighters. They proceeded to a blind spot in her outputs, outside of New Mobotropolis, where she couldn't hear them. If their friend was acting strangely, they did not want to raise any suspicions.
The Freedom Fighters left New Mobotropolis and headed to their old, abandoned headquarters in the surrounding Knothole forest. Their old base was dilapidated, but still intact for the most part. There was no power, but they went in the daytime and discussed what they had been seeing about Nicole and their headquarters' old kitchen.
Sonic and Tails sat in the only two wooden chairs in front of the wooden table. The remaining Freedom Fighters stood in various locations around the kitchen, taken aback by their friend's actions.
Sonic looked at Sally and scratched his head. "And she didn't tell you she was going into the dungeon?"
Sally shook her head, appearing more perplexed than the others since she spent a lot of time with Nicole, and she had never seen her perform the actions that Sally saw along with what Rotor was seeing on the security monitors. "I have no idea why she would be going down into Castle Acorns dungeon. She never told me she was going down there at all."
With a furrowed brow, Antoine said out loud what everyone was thinking: "Hiding something?"
The Freedom Fighters said nothing, even if they didn't yet know, practically sensing in their bones that it was true. To put it mildly, it was unexpected, especially coming from someone as meticulous as Nicole was all the time.
"There's only one way to find out." Tails remarked, frowning.
"Yeah, but why so suddenly? I can't imagine Nicole doing anything sneaky." Amy said with a look of worry.
"We still need to check, even though none of us is certain. She's our friend, so hopefully it's nothing. Friend or foe, it is our duty to check for threats." Rotor stated, his expression uneasy.
"What is the plan, then? How are we going to sneak by her?" With a resolute expression, Bunnie addressed the gathering.
"There is a short window when we have to do maintenance on systems around the city. I was thinking maybe we could sneak into the dungeon doing an 'emergency scheduled maintenance' tonight, even though it is not due until next week." Rotor said with a smirk.
Sonic grinned and stood up from his seat, doing air quotes with his fingers " 'Emergency'. Right…"
Tails rubbed his chin and spoke. "I think I can have that arranged…"
Sally still looked upset. "meet me at my room ten minutes after the maintenance. That way, we can be certain that Nicole won't see us when we go into the dungeon to find out whatever she is doing." Sally slowly shook her head. "Somehow I have a bad feeling about this…"
"I think we all do…" Rotor spoke uneasily.
They all discussed a few more details before beginning their investigation into Nicole. Since they had all talked about it at one time or another, what would they do if Nicole turned against them? They had no contingency plan, especially after seeing what she could do. So, they accepted her assistance, grateful that she was on their side. She offered to help them, which always alleviated the suspicion regarding her claims that she came from the future. But, as always, with Eggman around, they remembered that they were still in wartimes, and you had to keep your friends near and your enemies closer.
Nicole had never shown any ill intent, but anything was possible in a world where they fought for their freedom every single day…
Later that night…
At Sally's room, the Freedom Fighters waited by Sally's room after Tails and Rotor organized an emergency planned maintenance for security systems around Castle Acorn. Security cameras and sensors were all offline for a brief period of time. They didn't have more than thirty minutes to enter the dungeon covertly. Sally was in her room with Nicole's portable, and she was aware of the emergency scheduled maintenance and had no problems with it. Nicole didn't seem to notice, as far as Sally could tell. Telling Nicole's portable sitting on her nightstand that she would be back momentarily as she was going to get a midnight snack, which she did sometimes.
So, Sally exited her room, silently closing the door behind her, surrounded by the rest of the Freedom Fighters as they briskly made their way to the dungeon of Castle Acorn. Every night, despite the presence of electricity, candle scones were lit in the higher parts of the Castle and placed on various tables and furnishings. They flickered along the marble stone corridors decorated with elaborate tapestries. As the Freedom Fighters moved through the Castle, the sound of their footsteps reverberated across the halls with lofty ceilings.
Since it was late at night, most people were asleep, and the corridors were much more empty than they were during the day, where you could not take a step without almost bumping into someone.
When they arrived at the main floor, none of the Castle staff, guards, or others seemed to pay attention to them.
One of the main entrances to the dungeon was located in the great hall, which united the entire castle. The main hall was decorated with an enormous red carpet that extended from the entrance to the throne room. Armor suits stood watch on either side of the hall, and the walls were covered in tapestries, just as the top levels. Further down the corridor were long wooden tables surrounded by high-backed seats.
A sense of regalness pervaded the rooms off the main hall, which held studys, offices with tall bookcases, leather-bound furniture, and writing desks with quills and inkwells.
The Freedom Fighters soon arrived at one of the main entrances to Castle Acorn's dungeon, which was always guarded. They descended the luxuriously carpeted stairs, and the security guards nodded to them. Both the dungeon's stairway and the dungeon itself was well lit. Although a foreboding contrast to the opulence above. Descending into the depths of the castle, the air grew heavy and damp. Uneven stone walls surrounded the narrow corridors that led in various directions. Some of the plainly labeled paths led to underground infrastructure, while others led to inmates. However, if Nicole was hiding something, she would most likely not do so in front of prisoners who could see her. Storage and infrastructure were therefore the only alternatives.
Since Rotor and Tails occasionally had to come down here for maintenance, they were used to the lowest portions of the castle, so the Freedom Fighters headed straight for the infrastructure. Unfortunately, they discovered nothing within all of the pipes and machinery, with barely ten minutes remaining until the maintenance was completed. So, they went to storage, almost dismissing their concerns about Nicole because they didn't see anything unusual. As time was running short, though, Tails observed something unusual about a wall next to a few doors leading to storage rooms.
Tails stopped walking, blinking his eyes, causing the other Freedom Fighters to pause. He looked to them the with curiosity. "Is that a button?"
The remaining Freedom Fighters walked over to the wall, noticing a red button panel carved into the dark green stone walls. Rotor gave his head a scratch. "Huh? I don't remember that."
"Did you guys install that? Kinda seems out of place." Sonic said, inspecting the button up close.
"Not that I know of or remember. And on a wall? We wouldn't do that unless it was an alarm or something behind it." Rotor said, perplexed.
The Freedom Fighters exchanged glances with one another and thought the same thing. An out-of-place button on the wall, which they had previously searched for but found nothing. Was Nicole really hiding something?
The Freedom Fighters now all had looks of trepidation as they looked at the red button on the wall. They almost did not want to press the button. They wanted to just go back home and go to bed, as they did not want to know if their friend was really up to something…
Their guts churned, but they wore solemn expressions. There was no one around and they still had some time, so maybe it was nothing or maybe it was…
They could get in and out without anyone noticing…
With a big gulp Sally stepped forward… raised her hand… taking a short pause before she pressed the button…
She looked behind herself, and all the Freedom Fighters nodded in assurance. If it was an alarm or something else, no big deal. However, they knew they all had each other's backs if there was something behind the wall...
Sally turned back around and pressed the red button…
And much to their shock and surprise, a fake wall suddenly raised in front of them, revealing an Erie glowing green room that flooded out the door and a sight they would not believe for years and years to come…
With surprised looks on their faces, the Freedom Fighters entered the chamber. A massive empty tank on one side of the room was the source of the area's green illumination, which they could now see throughout. However, all of their attention was focused on the person they hoped not to see in the center of the space before they could fully take it in.
Their words were trapped in their mouths... they were speechless...
Nicole, with her back turned, paused what she was doing and turned at the incoming sound. With a blank expression on her holographic she said nothing…
Instead, she stopped what she was doing and stared at them…
In the center of the chamber room sat a massive table, and on it was a body…
And the body looked like Nicole…
There were two Nicole's…
The Freedom Fighters remained silent. Chills ran down their spines and they didn't know what to say…
The fur stood up on the back of their necks…
Hearts racing, they took in the remainder of the room. An array of tables with various odd devices, medical supplies, mystery liquids, and boiling vials and beakers filled with colorful liquids were lined up across the room from the large luminous green tank. Adjacent to the tables was a row of computers displaying various types of data, the contents of which they were clueless of.
Their pulses continued to race as they looked back at Nicole, who had not spoken one word since they entered this weird secret room…
Sally spoke first, blinking her wide eyes and speaking in a shaky tone "…Ni… Nicole… What is going on here? Your portable is in my room… I just saw you… you lied… what are you doing down here… what is all this…"
Nicole remained silent yet again and Rotor spoke, this time sounding just as disturbed as Sally "… Is there an explanation for all of this? Where did all this come from… so suddenly…"
Nicole spoke, keeping her blank expression and speaking in her usual neutral tone. She spoke just as calmly as ever. "This is my laboratory. I created it so I could create my body." Nicole looked down at her unconscious body on the table in front of her. "I just removed it from suspended animation… I did not expect you to find me…"
Some of the Freedom Fighters noticed that there was a trail of green liquid extending from the tank to the table. And some sort of harness on the floor with wires and tubes near the tank…
And this revelation confused and scared the Freedom Fighters even more. They did not know what she was talking about. She had never in all the time they had known her mentioned or even fathomed that she could be capable of doing something like this. This time Sonic spoke, looking shocked like everyone else. "What are you talking about Nicole? You created a body? But why?"
"How do you even do that?" Tails said with a slack jaw.
Nicole remained silent again as Sally stepped forward, looking upset and confused. "Nicole, what are you talking about, creating a body? I don't even know where to begin.…"
Nicole finally spoke, turning her back to them momentarily. "I want to know what it means to be mobian again…" She turned back to them with her blank expression on her holographic "To feel again…"
At this, the Freedom Fighters paused as their memories jogged. Nicole had mentioned in the past that she wanted to know what it was like to be mobian again after that weird incident years ago where she and Sally switched bodies…
They weren't sure to the extent of why, figuring it might be some kind of learning algorithm or something from the future. They didn't know why a computer could even express that sentiment, but they dismissed it, figuring it was something they couldn't comprehend about her right now. There were still so many things they did not know about her…
And now that seemed to be the case with what she had just splayed out in front of them…
Most of the Freedom Fighters were still speechless. Sally spoke shaking her head "But wait a minute Nicole, what are the implications of this?" Sally's brows furled in frustration "Needless to say I don't think you should be doing this. I can't even begin to think of all the ramifications of this yet."
Nicole shocked them as she spoke, though, "You won't have to. It is already done and you cannot stop me."
At this, the Freedom Fighters looked surprised but not in fear but with slight annoyance. Sally looked upset now. "Excuse me…"
Nicole looked down at her body as she spoke. "When I enter my body, I will operate at limited capacity because I will no longer be there." The Freedom Fighters' mouths opened in shock as she continued, "I will revert to an older version of my operating system. It will affect all of my systems…"
Tails and Rotor looked at each other speaking aloud, "They're going to notice the change…"
To which the other Freedom Fighters knew they meant that their enemies would notice a change in their security of the city. Antoine spoke with an angry expression now "Well hold up then Nicole! If it does that, you can't do that!"
"Yeah Nicole, slow down. You can't do this right now… we don't even know…" But Nicole cut Sally off as she spoke.
"I have left a list of commands that work with my previous operating system on the table to my left. Please use them wisely." Nicole Said with her usual neutral expression, then picked up a metal helmet with a cord attached to it and strapped it to the head of her organic body on the table.
Nicole then walked over to a power switch on the wall and flipped it. The Freedom Fighters looked on in shock and confusion as suddenly the power started fluctuating even from outside the door of this room through the entire castle and maybe even the entire city, as far as they knew. Her body was lying on its stomach on the table. It was then they noticed that there was a small metal device on the back of the neck of Nicole's body. As Nicole suddenly dematerialized out of the room, the device had a red light on it that suddenly blinked red and then turned a solid green.
Then her body took in a deep breath…
The power started to stabilize…
And the Freedom Fighters looked at each other at a complete loss of words… their faces filled with disillusionment…
They suddenly had so much to figure out with little to no time. They don't know what just happened, and it happened so fast they didn't have time to react.
And after a few moments, Nicole pushed herself up from the table with the metal helmet on her head…
Her eyes opened… a curious expression appeared upon her face…
She didn't speak… only stare at them…
The Freedom Fighters looked at one another, wondering what to do when Sally looked back at her. She stepped forward with her hand raised tentatively. She held a word expression "Nicole?"
But Nicole didn't seem to understand her. She just stared at her, blinking her eyes curiously…
What has Nicole done? Shes alive? How will the Freedom Fighters deal with the consequences of her actions? Find out next time! Later.