{Pre A/N}
Welcome to the stupidest concept I have ever concieved.
Chapter 20: Investigation Inside the Egg-Zao-Zao-Egg Hotel!
City of Shang Mu – Shang Mu Plaza, Night Hours
The Egg-Zao-Zao-Egg Hotel loomed before the group. The towering twenty-story structure was…extravagant to say the least, painted in the garish red and yellow colors of Shang Mu. The unmistakable influence of both Eggman and Mayor Zao was plastered everywhere—literally. Massive statues of Eggman's mustachioed face and Zao's grinning likeness served as decorative columns, holding up the entrance. Traditional Avalician elements clashed with mechanical, robotic motifs, giving the hotel an unsettling blend of old-world charm and Eggman's outlandish style.
"Well, there it is," Torque remarked, his voice tinged with skepticism as he cast a wary glance at the building. "It sure is... impressive." He wasn't entirely sold on the idea of staying here.
Tails scanned the surrounding area and spotted several badniks and workers assembling a large platform in the center of the nearby plaza. "And there's the plaza where the main event will happen…" he said, pointing toward the activity.
Sonic flashed a smirk at Tails. "Don't you mean the main Main event?"
Carol crossed her arms and eyed the hotel with suspicion. "Are we really sure we want to go in there? I mean, this could totally be a trap," she said, frowning.
Sonic shrugged. "Could be. But seeing how Eggman was playing nice with Zao earlier, I doubt he'd try something right away. He probably wants us here for whatever he's got planned for tomorrow." His face darkened slightly as he added, "Still sucks we can't do anything about it right now."
"Yeah," Lilac agreed, her eyes narrowing as she glanced at the badniks patrolling the streets. "It's frustrating. Eggman's built quite the reputation in Shang Mu. And with Zao backing him, it's going to be hard to convince the mayor, or anyone for that matter, that Robotnik's a huge problem." She watched as Egg Pawns helped locals cross the street and handed out flyers, their menacing presence completely unnoticed by the citizens.
The streets bustled with life, but none of the locals seemed to care that robots filled their city. A group of children even played a game of jump rope with a cheerful Egg Pawn.
Tails furrowed his brow. "You know, now that I think about it, the only time we saw badniks was back when Lilac found me, just that one Motobug in Iron Valley, and then again during the train incident." He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Other than that, most of the robots we've faced were from Shuigang. You can tell the difference between them."
"I also had to fight a bunch of them too when I first crash-landed," Torque added, recalling his rough landing.
"No wonder no one's bothered by them," Sonic mused, watching as a passerby casually accepted a flyer from a smiling Egg-Pawn. "It's like they've always been here. They're part of the scenery now."
"So, do we actually go inside now?" Carol asked as she tapped her foot impatiently.
"Yes," Lilac decided, her voice firm as she led the group toward the hotel's entrance. She glanced back briefly at the plaza, her mind racing with possibilities.
As the group made their way toward the towering building, Milla, trailing behind, noticed Tails shooting a cautious glance at Torque. The fox seemed unusually wary, and Milla wondered what Tails might be thinking. But before she could ask, the large automatic doors of the Egg-Zao-Zao-Egg Hotel slid open with a whoosh, revealing the hotel's grand lobby.
Egg-Zao-Zao-Egg Hotel, Night Hours
The grand lobby of the Egg-Zao-Zao-Egg Hotel was a spectacle of luxury and eccentricity. A crystal chandelier hung from the high ceiling, casting a warm, golden glow over the polished marble floors. Customers bustled around, checking in and heading toward the elevators to rest for the night. The staff was a mix of Avalicians and Eggman's new prototype badniks—Egg-Pawns, dressed in miniature bellboy uniforms complete with little caps and name tags. The robots assisted guests by carrying luggage and performing other hotel duties with mechanical efficiency.
As the group entered, they noticed the imposing figure of the Heavy Gunner, standing guard in the center of the lobby. Arms crossed, the robotic enforcer watched over the scene like a sentry, his glowing eyes flickering as he spotted the group approaching.
"Well, would ya look at that," Sonic said sarcastically. "Never pegged you as the silent, guarding type, Gunner. What, no rocket-blasting anyone for minor inconveniences?" He smirked, glancing at the rocket launcher strapped to the Heavy's back.
Gunner's eyes narrowed at Sonic's comment. "Hmph! Be glad the Chief decided to overlook your presence for this night," he growled. "But mark my words, Sonic the Criminal—justice will find you and your friends, and when it does, it will be delivered by my rockets." He was abruptly interrupted by a customer waving for assistance. Gunner gave Sonic one last glare before turning away. "Do not disturb the peace," he warned as he left to assist the guest.
Sonic grimaced, shaking his head as the group moved past. "Well, at least we don't have to deal with him tonight."
The group made their way toward the hotel's front desk, where they were greeted by a friendly Avalician employee. The receptionist was a goat girl with white fur, purple hair, and small horns on her head. She wore a purple sleeveless shirt, a light blue skirt, and a pair of glasses with light blue frames. Her smile was warm, though there was a nervousness about her, as if she were still getting the hang of the job.
"Hello! Welcome to the Zao-Egg-Egg-Zao Hotel, or wait... Was it Egg-Zao-Egg-Zao or, or Zao-Egg-Zao-Egg?" She frowned, clearly flustered, and shook her head to refocus. "S-sorry, I'm new here. My name's Leslie. How may I help you?"
Lilac stepped forward, offering a friendly smile of her own. "Hi, Leslie. We were given these coupons for a stay, and we'd like to check in for the night." She handed over the tickets they had received from Mayor Zao.
Leslie's expression brightened as she inspected the coupons. "Oh, certainly! I'll just need a moment to retrieve your room keys." She hopped off her chair, heading to the back to gather the keys.
As they waited, the group took in the lobby's gaudy decorations. They spotted Eggman's emblem plastered on nearly everything—from the lobby's sofa pillows to the lamps—and Zao's smug face was featured on mugs and large portraits, depicting him as tall, handsome, and heroic. It was a humorous, if not absurd, display of both their oversized egos.
"Geez, Torque, you said Eggman was here for a couple of weeks?" Carol asked, staring at a map of the hotel's layout. It showed off an impressive range of amenities, including a restaurant, pool, training and exercising area, movie theater, and even a recreation center. "How'd he manage to build all this so fast?"
Torque scratched the back of his head, a bit embarrassed. "I, uh, just made a rough estimation. I'm really not sure how long he's been here, but clearly long enough to establish a big reputation and get this place built."
Tails shook his head knowingly. "Trust me, Torque. Whether Eggman's had a month or just a few weeks, he could probably build a place like this in a single day. That's how dedicated he is."
Carol groaned, exasperated. "Geez, that dude's bonkers."
"That's Eggman for ya," Sonic replied with a grin. He glanced over at Milla, who was curiously poking one of the Egg-Pawn bellboys.
Before long, Leslie returned, holding three keys in her hands. "Unfortunately, we only have three rooms available—one for a single guest, one for two people, and one for three," she explained, her expression apologetic.
"Oh, no worries. Thank you," Lilac reassured her, taking the keys.
Leslie sighed with relief. "All your rooms are located at the twentieth floor. I'll leave it to you to decide how to split up. Have an Egg-Zao-tastic night!" she said with enthusiasm, before faltering again. "Or… was it Zao-Egg-tastic? Hmm…"
As Leslie pondered over the proper phrasing, the group gathered in a small circle to discuss room arrangements.
Sonic grimaced. "Well, they sure plastered their egos on everything. So, how are we dividing up the rooms?"
Lilac thought for a moment before speaking. "Well, it makes sense for us girls to take the room for three."
"Absolutely," Carol agreed with a grin.
Milla's eyes lit up with excitement. "Does that mean we're having a girl's night?!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing in place.
Lilac giggled. "Well, that's one way to look at it." Carol raised an eyebrow but shrugged it off, finding the idea kind of amusing.
Torque took the key for the single room. "I'll take the solo room. I like to tinker with my gadgets in peace." Despite his steady voice, there was a hint of anxiousness beneath the surface.
Tails gave Torque another subtle, suspicious glance but quickly turned to Sonic with a cheerful smile. "Looks like it's just you and me, huh, Sonic?"
"You got it, little bro," Sonic replied, ruffling Tails' hair playfully as he grabbed their key. "Alright, let's head up."
The group moved toward the elevator and took it up to the twentieth floor, where the rooms were located. As the elevator doors slid open, they stepped into a lavish hallway adorned with golden accents, plush red carpets, and—unsurprisingly—portraits of Mayor Zao and Dr. Eggman decorating the walls.
"Guess we're waiting until tomorrow, whatever happens," Sonic said with a sigh, clearly frustrated by the lack of action.
"Yeah, looks like we are," Lilac agreed, holding her key. "Let's head to our rooms. If you guys need anything, just knock, okay?"
"You got it, Lil," Sonic winked at her before heading off with Tails.
"Of course," Torque nodded, heading toward his room.
"See ya, dudes," Carol said, giving a casual wave as she followed Lilac toward their room.
"Bye! Bye!" Milla called, waving energetically as she skipped after them.
"Have a good night, everyone!" Tails chimed in, waving as well. He shot one last look at Torque, his voice lighthearted but his gaze watchful. "Be sure not to lose your beak!"
Torque raised an eyebrow at the strange comment. "Uh… sure?" he replied before disappearing into his room.
As they all headed to their respective rooms, Lilac unlocked the door to her room, with Carol at her side. Milla, lingering for a moment, gave Tails a curious look before following the girls inside, closing the door behind her.
The night being far from over, and with Eggman's looming plans for tomorrow, there was no telling what was in store for them next.
Sonic's Room
Inside the room, Sonic stretched out on one of the twin beds, letting out a relaxed sigh. "Huff, I hate to admit it, but these beds are comfy!" He wiggled into the soft mattress, feeling the plushness beneath him. The room itself was simple yet elegant, with floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a stunning view of Shang Mu Plaza, still alive with activity even at night. A sleek flat-screen TV was mounted on the wall, and a modern lamp hung from the ceiling, casting a warm glow over the decor. The room had a calming atmosphere—well, almost.
"But he really wants you to know he made this hotel," Sonic added with a grumble, glancing around. Eggman's logo was everywhere, from the towels to the carpet, even embroidered onto the pillows. Sonic spotted a wobble-head figurine of the doctor sitting smugly on the nightstand. Without a second thought, he grabbed it and tossed it aside, watching with mild satisfaction as it bounced to the floor.
As he adjusted himself in the bed, Sonic glanced over at Tails, who sat on the other bed, staring off into space, clearly deep in thought. "So, any guesses on what Eggman's planning?"
Tails, still lost in his thoughts, barely registered the question at first. "Huh? Oh, sorry, I was just thinking," he mumbled, snapping back to reality.
Sonic chuckled. "Yeah, I noticed. I asked if you had any guesses about what Eggman's up to."
Tails let out a long sigh, clearly frustrated. "I don't know, Sonic. It doesn't make sense!" He stood up and started pacing the room, his mind racing. "Why would Eggman bother getting on Shang Mu's good side? Why create connections and waste all this time building alliances when he could've just taken the Kingdom Stone by force, like he always does?"
Tails flopped back down onto his bed with an exasperated groan. "And whatever Serpentine's up to just complicates things more…"
Sonic raised an eyebrow, tilting his head slightly. "Oh yeah, that guy," he muttered, remembering the snake they'd encountered earlier. "I almost forgot about him."
Tails sat up again. "Maybe… Torque knows something," he suggested, though there was a hint of doubt in his voice.
Sonic's ears perked up at the mention of Torque. "Torque? Like what?"
Tails bit his lip. "I-I don't know. He seems to know Serpentine somehow. The way he reacted when we talked about him, it felt like there was more to the story. And there's something else about Robotnik and his connections here… Torque might know more than he's letting on."
Sonic pondered that for a moment. "We'll ask him about it tomorrow," he decided, letting out a yawn as fatigue began to catch up with him. "But for now, you should turn that big brain of yours off and get some sleep. I'm crashing. Night, Tails."
Tails watched as Sonic turned over in bed, his eyes already half-closed. "Night, Sonic," he replied, though his voice lacked its usual cheerfulness. He flicked off the lights, the room plunging into darkness.
Minutes passed, and the room fell into a peaceful silence, broken only by the sound of Sonic's soft snoring. However, Tails couldn't sleep. His mind was still racing with questions—about Eggman, Serpentine, Torque, and whatever plan was unfolding right under their noses. Something didn't sit right with him, and he couldn't shake the feeling.
Quietly, Tails opened his eyes, the faint glow from the city outside casting shadows across the room. He glanced over at Sonic, who was still asleep. Tails slipped out of bed as quietly as he could, careful not to make a sound.
Moving silently, Tails examined the room more closely, spotting an air vent in the wall, large enough for him to fit inside.
Tails began to carefully unscrew the bolts of the vent. His hands moved swiftly but quietly as he loosened each screw. The cover finally came free, and Tails set it aside, peering into the dark tunnel that stretched beyond.
"Sorry, Sonic, but I need to know tonight," Tails whispered to himself. Taking a deep breath, Tails crawled into the vent, determined to uncover the questions that lingered in his head.
Lilac's Room
Laughter filled the air in Lilac's room, which was a slightly larger version of Sonic's to accommodate the third bed. The girls couldn't help but giggle at the ridiculous décor—Zao's face was plastered everywhere, from the bedspreads to the wallpaper, making the room feel more like a shrine to his ego than a hotel suite.
"Seriously, this guy's ego is so big, if we combined it with Eggman's, we'd have enough hot air to power the entire island!" Carol joked, sending the room into another round of laughter.
The girls decided to stay up a little longer, using the time to get better acquainted with their new friend, Milla. The young pup, who had initially been nervous about the strange hotel, was now laughing along with them, her spirits lifted by the lighthearted banter.
Carol, who had been unsure about Milla tagging along at first, was slowly warming up to her. She wouldn't admit it out loud, but she was starting to enjoy Milla's company. As she lay on her comfy bed, a broad smile spread across her face. "These beds are seriously fluffier than anything I've ever slept on," she mumbled, sinking into the pillows.
Lilac, on the other hand, was glad to have someone as innocent and cheerful as Milla with them. It was refreshing, and though she still had questions about what Milla was doing alone on Relic Island, she decided to save them for another time. For now, she was content to laugh along with her new friend.
As the laughter eventually subsided, Lilac noticed that Milla had grown quiet, her expression thoughtful. "Hey, Milla, are you okay?" Lilac asked, her tone soft.
Milla blinked as she snapped out of her thoughts. "Oh! Nothing, just thinking," she replied, rubbing her long ears.
"About what?" Carol inquired, flipping onto her stomach.
Milla hesitated for a moment, a little embarrassed, but then spoke up. "Well… about what Sonic told Tails earlier," she began, drawing both Lilac and Carol's attention. "Sonic called Tails his 'little brother.'"
"Oh yeah, he does that sometimes," Carol said casually. "What's the big deal?"
"It's just…" Milla fidgeted with her hands, looking down for a moment. "Sonic says it so casually, like they're really close."
Lilac smiled warmly, understanding where Milla was coming from. "Sonic and Tails are really close. They've been through a lot together," she explained. "Sonic told us a story about how they met. When he was younger, Sonic was running around trying to stop Robotnik on an island called West Side Island. While exploring, he noticed a little fox was following him everywhere." Lilac's eyes softened as she saw Milla listening with wide-eyed wonder. "That little fox was Tails. He was only four years old back then, and he thought Sonic was so cool that he decided to follow him. Sonic didn't mind and let Tails tag along. And together, they stopped Robotnik from taking over the island, and ever since then, they've been inseparable—like brothers."
Milla's eyes sparkled with awe, her earlier envy replaced with admiration. "Wow…" she breathed, now understanding why Sonic called Tails his brother. The bond they shared was something special.
"You two also met when you were younger, right?" Milla asked, tilting her head with curiosity. "Do you girls have something like that?"
"Nah, we're more besties," Carol replied, her voice lighthearted as she shifted onto her back. "…Though I do have an older sister… but it's complicated." Her tone grew quieter a hint of sadness flickered in her eyes.
Sensing the shift in Carol's mood, Lilac decided to brighten the conversation again. With a spontaneous smile, she said, "Hey, Milla, how about this, we can be your sisters if you want."
Milla's eyes widened in surprise at the offer. "Really?!" she exclaimed, her face lighting up with joy.
"Yes, really," Lilac confirmed, her voice full of warmth. She glanced at Carol. "Right, Carol?"
Carol, now half-asleep, muttered lazily, "Uh-huh, yeah, sure… whatevs…" A big yawn escaped from her mouth, her usual energy drained from the long day.
Lilac rolled her eyes with a fond smile, shaking her head. "Looks like someone's already out." She glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand and sighed. "It's getting late. We should all get some rest—big day tomorrow."
Milla eagerly nodded, already hopping into her bed. "Okay, Lilac! Goodnight!" she chirped, excitement still evident in her voice, even as she snuggled into the covers.
"Goodnight, Milla," Lilac responded warmly. She glanced at Carol. "And goodnight to you, too, Carol."
"Zzzzzzz" Carol was already snoring softly, peacefully sleeping.
Lilac rolled her eyes once again as she switched off the lights and climbed into bed herself. The day had been long and strange, but at least they had this moment of peace. She closed her eyes, letting sleep take her.
However, Milla remained awake, her thoughts swirling as she lay in the dark room. Her mind raced with the excitement of everything that had happened, how her life had changed so suddenly. A small smile crept onto her face as she whispered to herself, "I just wish Mommy and Daddy were here too…"
But just as Milla was about to drift off, a faint noise caught her attention. Her ears perked up, and she realized the sound was coming from the air vent in the wall. Curiosity flickered in her eyes, and she quietly slipped out of bed, careful not to wake Lilac or Carol.
Creeping closer to the vent, Milla crouched down and pressed her ear against it, listening closely. Something or someone was moving inside the vents. "Whats going on in there?" she whispered to herself, with a mixture of curiosity and nervousness.
Inside the Vents
Inside the cramped, metal confines of the hotel's ventilation system, the faint clunk of movement echoed through the narrow passageways. Tails was crawling through the air vents, his expression focused and determined as he navigated the metal tunnels.
"Ugh, I thought it would be here…" Tails muttered under his breath in frustration. He stopped briefly, sitting on his knees inside the vent, his mind racing as he tried to pinpoint Torque's room. "Did I miscalculate?"
The air vent rattled slightly under his weight, the quiet creaking of metal the only sound—until...
"Hi!" a cheerful voice called out, breaking the silence.
"?!" Tails jolted in surprise, banging his head against the vent's ceiling with a loud thunk. He grabbed his head in pain, wincing as he turned to see none other than Milla behind him, smiling innocently. "M-Milla?!" he whispered in disbelief, still rubbing the spot where he'd hit his head.
"Hi, Tails!" Milla repeated, her voice echoing loudly in the metal vent, seemingly oblivious to how sound carried in the confined space.
Tails, still alarmed, quickly placed a hand over her mouth. "Shhh! Not so loud!" he hissed, hoping her voice hadn't alerted anyone outside the vent. Once she nodded, he removed his hand and whispered back, "What are you doing here?!"
Milla looked at him, unfazed by the situation. "I was about to sleep when I heard a weird noise in these little metal rooms." She explained, whispering. "So I opened the little metal door, explored the little metal halls, and then I found you!" she finished proudly.
Tails stared at her, at a loss for words. After gathering his thoughts, he sighed and tried to explain himself. "O-okay, listen, Milla. Please don't tell anyone, but the reason I'm here is because…"
"Because you think Torque is hiding something?" Milla interrupted, her voice still soft but matter-of-fact.
Tails blinked, caught off guard. "Wait… how did you know?"
Milla smiled brightly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Well, you were looking at him kinda funny, and now you're sneaking around the little metal rooms. So… it's pretty clear!" she whispered, her tail wagging slightly behind her.
Tails couldn't help but be a little impressed—and embarrassed—that he was so transparent. "Yeah… exactly," he admitted. "Did you notice his beak spun like a helicopter when we fought the Hooligans?"
Milla nodded enthusiastically as she remembered. "Uh-huh! I thought it was kinda cool!"
"Well, was is cool," Tails agreed, "but it's also… strange. And Torque's been acting weird for a while now. I just want to figure out what's going on."
Milla thought for a moment before gasping quietly. "Like a detective?" she asked, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "I love detectives! Can I join? Please?" She suddenly leaned in, her face inches from Tails'.
Tails jolted as their noses practically touched, his heart suddenly pounding in his chest. He felt his face heat up as unfamiliar feelings washed over him. Milla's eager gaze was locked on his, and he found himself struggling to respond.
"A-ah…" he stammered, quickly pulling back, his face still flushed. "O-okay," he finally managed, nodding slightly. "But please, don't tell anyone."
Milla straightened up, saluting with a serious expression. "Not a word! Promise!" she declared, zipping her mouth shut. Tails couldn't help but snicker.
"So," Milla continued, her voice filled with excitement, "where do we start?"
Tails smiled, his heart still pounding but now more focused on the task at hand. "First, we need to find Torque's room. I've been trying to figure out which vent leads to it, but…" He trailed off, scratching his head.
Milla's nose twitched, and she grinned suddenly. "I can smell him!" she declared confidently.
Tails blinked in surprise. "You can… smell him?"
Milla nodded eagerly. "Uh-huh!" She started crawling forward, sniffing the air and following the faint scent. "This way!" she called back, already moving ahead with surprising agility.
Tails grinned, impressed by her dexterity. "Well, lead the way, Detective Milla!" he said with a playful tone, following closely behind her as they ventured deeper into the hotel's ventilation system.
The quiet clinks of metal and the muffled hum of the hotel's activity below accompanied them as they crawled through the winding vent, inching closer to their goal.
Torque's Room
After several minutes of crawling through the air vents, Tails and Milla finally found themselves positioned above Torque's room. Unlike the other rooms, the vent door was in the ceiling rather than the walls, giving them a perfect vantage point to peer down unnoticed.
They could see Torque sitting at a small desk, tinkering with various gadgets. His back was to them, and the room, much like the rest of the hotel, had its fair share of gaudy mix of Eggman and Zao merchandise. However, unlike the others, Torque's room was cluttered with tools and parts scattered across the floor.
Through the small grate, they watched in silence as Torque let out a deep sigh, his shoulders slumping. He gazed out the window for a long moment before muttering to himself. "What am I going to do? Why haven't I told them anything yet?!"
Tails and Milla exchanged glances, questions buzzing in their heads. What had Torque been hiding? They leaned in closer, trying to catch every word. Suddenly, the vent creaked under their combined weight, causing them to freeze in panic.
Torque's head snapped toward the ceiling. "Huh?! Is someone there?" His eyes narrowed, scanning the room.
Tails and Milla held their breath, sweat forming as they pressed themselves against the metal. After a tense moment, Torque seemed to dismiss the noise, shaking his head with another frustrated sigh. "Great, now I'm hearing things…" He stood up from his desk. "I should probably get to bed… Maybe tomorrow, after the event, I'll finally tell them…"
As he turned to walk away, Tails and Milla's eyes widened in shock. Sitting on the bed was Torque's grey shel revealing Torques shell-less form. But that wasn't the only thing—Torque's beak was missing as well. His face, now visible without the beak, looked surprisingly normal.
Milla gasped quietly. "I didn't know you could remove those," she whispered in awe.
"That's because they can't," Tails whispered back, equally stunned, his mind racing.
As they stared down in silence, Torque—now fully shell-less and beak-less—let out another sigh, clearly exhausted. "Gyro, it's time for bed," he called out. But his words were met with silence. Torque blinked in confusion. "Gyro? Where are you?"
Tails and Milla exchanged another wide-eyed look. Gyro? they thought in unison. Who's Gyro? They hadn't seen anyone else in the room. So where was this mysterious companion?
Just then, a faint cyan glow caught their attention from the corner of the room. Tails squinted, straining to see what it was. Milla, too, leaned forward for a better look, and then they both froze.
Two deep, frowny blue eyes stared back at them from the shadows.
Hovering in mid-air was a small, floating creature, glowing with a bright cyan hue. Its body was shaped like a jagged lightning bolt, with tiny arms and a thin, snake-like tail. The creature's head was spiked, and its eyes were wide with surprise.
"…" The creature blinked, staring directly at Tails and Milla, its glowing body illuminating the vent where they hid.
"…" Tails and Milla stared back, their mouths hanging open in shock. They hadn't expected to find something—or someone—like this.
For a long moment, the three of them remained frozen, locked in a silent standoff.
"Bwuh!" the creature suddenly blurted out, flailing its tiny arms in panic.
"AHHHHHH!" Tails and Milla screamed in unison, the surprise sending their bodies jolting backward. The sudden movement was too much for the vent, and with a loud creak and a metallic snap, the vent gave way. Tails and Milla tumbled through the opening, crashing into the room below.
Dust filled the air as the two scrambled to their feet, coughing as the debris settled. Their eyes quickly adjusted to the dim light, and as they looked up, they were met with the wide-eyed, shocked expression of Torque, utterly confused.
"…" Another long moment of silence passed as Torque stared at them in disbelief, the floating cyan creature hovering nearby, equally dumbfounded.
"IT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!" they all yelled at once, their voices overlapping as they raised their hands in frantic gestures.
Meanwhile, the cyan creature—Gyro, apparently—facepalmed, shaking its head in exasperation.
It seemed this was going to require a lot of explaining…
In one of the Hotel Rooms
Inside a dimly lit room tucked away in the Egg-Zao-Zao-Egg Hotel, the eerie, hissing laughter of a snake echoed ominously. Shadows danced across the walls, barely illuminated by the faint glow of multiple computer screens that displayed various feeds of the city, the plaza, and key locations within the hotel.
"Tshyhahahaha!" Serpentine stood before the monitors, his narrow eyes gleaming with sadistic delight. Behind him, standing silently with arms crossed, was Heavy Gunner, his eyes fixed on the screens as he listened to the snake's sinister tirade.
"Yes! Finally!" Serpentine's voice oozed with triumph. "After the fat mans main Main event, the Kingdom Stone will be ours! And then... the Chaos Emeralds! Lord Brevon will rule them all!" His forked tongue flickered, emphasizing his words as he reveled in the grand plan he believed was now within reach.
Heavy Gunner narrowed his eyes. "Sir Serpentine," he rumbled, his tone firm. "You do realize that Earth is Chief Robotnik's territory. Correct?"
Serpentine shot him a glare. "Tch! Whatever," he spat, waving a hand dismissively. "A figurative speech or whatever you Earthlings call it." His voice dripping with condescension. "You, Heavy Gunner, are assigned to supervise those blasted pests who dare to humiliate me." He sneered, his mind flashing back to the encounter with Sonic's team back at Shang Tu. "When the morning breaks, don't forget your place," he hissed in warning.
Heavy Gunner simply saluted with a begrudging nod. Without another word, he turned toward the door, ready to carry out his orders.
"Don't fail me, walking trash can!" Serpentine's voice followed him, mockingly. "The fat man didn't bring you morons back from the scrap heap just to see you self-destruct like the purple one," he added with a cruel smirk, referencing Heavy Rider's failure from earlier in the day.
Heavy Gunner froze for a moment, not bothering to look back. The mention of Heavy Rider clearly struck a nerve, but he gave no outward reaction beyond the brief flicker of his red eyes. "I will keep that in mind… sir," he said curtly before walking out of the room, the door closing behind him.
Left alone, Serpentine turned back to the screens, the cruel grin spreading once more across his face as he thought of the chaos to come. "Soon! Soon! Tshyhahahahahaha—"
"HEY! SOME PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SLEEP!" a random voice from the adjacent room yelled, cutting through his maniacal laughter. The sound of banging fists on the wall accompanied the complaint.
Serpentine flinched, his head snapping toward the source of the interruption. His gleaming eyes narrowed in pure irritation. "Grrrrr," he growled, his tail flicking in frustration. "Soon…" he hissed quietly.
The room fell into uneasy silence as Serpentine turned back to his screens, his plans still unfolding in his mind. Outside, the moon hung high in the sky, casting its light over the city below—a calm before the storm as it awaited for the day of tomorrow.
{Post A/N}
So there was stuff.
Some friendly banter, some wholesome moments, whatever the heck happened inside the vents and now we have Torque´s identity finally revealed! Uh, just a heads up for the next chapter, I will be changing a little bit of his backstory, and by a little I mean a lot. I hope to make it at least interesting.
Until next time.