Back at Restoration HQ, everything had begun to run in full swing. Former Resistance members and regular civilians alike were coming out of the woodwork at the very rumor that Infinite had returned. Offering, of course, to fight, but to also care for those injured, comfort those who had lost loved ones in the initial attack, and other such tasks. It was almost inspiring to Lanolin how many had stepped up without a second thought, but getting all of these people processed and assigned to various stations was a nightmare for herself and Jewel, even with Amy and Tangle offering to help.
But the familiar tan fur of a certain wolf bobbing its way through the base was enough for her to briefly stop and tap on Tangle's shoulder. "Hey, Whisper at 8'o clock-"
"It's 5:30, actually."
"TANGLE!"
"I know, I know, just trying to keep the mood light!" The lemur said, leaping through the crowd to meet up with her fellow Diamond Cutter. "Hey, can we talk for a minute?"
"*only for a minute. what's up?*" Whisper replied in her usual hushed tone. "Well, it's just...In the medical bay...Okay, maybe it's better if I SHOW you, but I need to tie you up first, okay?"
"*...okay?*" Whisper said, confused. With her friend's consent, Tangle quickly wrapped the wolf up in her tail, and then the two leaned in to peer into the medical bay, to the shocking sight of a pink Shadow Android sitting in the center of a group of children, reading a book.
"MMMMPHH MMM MMMMMMPPHHHH!?" Whisper exclaimed underneath Tangle's tail, before the lemur pulled her back out. "See, I KNEW you were gonna react like that, so now that it's out of your system, will you let me explain?" Hesitantly, Whisper nodded in response. "Okay, so apparently, *Team Dark uncovered a rogue unit of those guys some time ago and took them down, BUT one managed to slip out...Buuuuttt also, good news! It's completely harmless!"
Whisper seemed unconvinced. "He's a doctor for a small lumber village, come on! Just give him a chance!" Tangle begged. Resigned, Whisper sighed, which Tangle took as a cue to untie her before the two peered into the medical bay again.
"...And then Dr. Eggman said to the Very Angry Caterkiller, 'Hey, you lump of scrap metal, get that hedgehog!'" The Android read from the book in a very strange voice. "Oh dear, I don't think that sounded like Dr. Eggman at all!"
The children seemed amused, nonetheless. "It's okay, Dr. Daniel, we're just happy you agreed to read to us!" One little girl in a sling proclaimed. "Anything to help my patients heal!" The android, this Daniel, replied. "Although...I DO hope they have some better literature in this place..."
The children giggled yet again, and Whisper withdrew, beginning a trek towards an assignment room. "Hey, you gonna be alright?" Tangle called out to her. In truth, Whisper was still greatly perturbed by the presence of a Shadow Android so close to the only people she called friends, but objectively speaking, this one had done nothing wrong...Yet.
So she'd be keeping an eye on it.
"*i'll be fine.*" She lied.
*The events of Reflections, which was followed up on in A Light among the Shadows.