“Wake up, sleepyhead.”
Ivo Robotnik chuckled, opening his eyes slowly. The large man rose up in his bed, shirtless. “Deborah, you don’t need to-”
“C’mooooooooooooon! Didn’t you say things were moving ahead?!” Deborah Robotnik said, the tall blonde woman chuckling. She pulled on Robotnik’s pyjamas a bit. “You’ve gotta go get to work!”
“Oh, but I could definitely stay in bed.” Ivo smiled back at his wife. “You might want to, as well~”
“You’re horrible!”
“Alright, I’ll get up!”
The doctor got out of bed, quickly heading to the bathroom to shower and brush his teeth. He was thankful that he had the life he did. The 48-year-old man was happily married, worked for the Guardians of the United Nations, and had Ph.D.s in Robotics, Design and Applied Mechanics, Mechatronics and Manufacturing, and Biomedical Engineering. The only thing he didn’t have was a child. Unfortunately, Deborah was sterile. But that was fine with the two of them - they only needed each other.
As Ivo buttoned up his shirt, he looked over to Deborah. “You headed anywhere today?”
“Nope, working at home.” Deborah said. “Website development.”
“Who’s today’s client?”
“Chao Cola.”
“Ugh. Good luck making that junk look safe for human consumption.”
“IVO!”
The two chuckled as Doctor Robotnik grabbed his briefcase. The couple quickly kissed before Ivo walked out the door. “I’ll see you after work, honey.”
“See you then!” Deborah waved as Ivo closed the door. With a sigh, the Doctor walked off to Westopolis’ G.U.N. research base. The place he always worked at.”
“Dr. Robotnik. Good to see you.”
“And you, Morgan.”
Dr. Robotnik and his assistant, Dr. Morgan, entered the chambers for Ivo’s special project - Project DB. As the lights flicked on, Ivo laid eyes on the two mechanical bodies of D and B themselves.
“You’ve checked everything?” Robotnik asked, moving to a control panel.
“Had to do something while I waited for you, Ivo.” Morgan smiled at him.
Ivo smiled back. “Knew I could count on you, Nate. Let’s get this started.”
After a few minutes, the generator whirred as electricity surged into the two robots, the download complete.
And they opened their eyes.
“I am… Decoe?” the tall, yellow one asked.
“I am Bocoe.” the short, grey one replied. “You must be Decoe.”
“But if I am Decoe, and you are Bocoe, then who are they?” Decoe asked, as the two looked towards Robotnik.
Ivo smiled. “I’m your brilliant creator, Doctor Robotnik! My assistant is Doctor Morgan. Consider us your… fathers.”
“Father?” Bocoe asked.
“Father. Noun. A man in relation to his child or children.”
“Are we children?”
“They’re learning exponentially fast…” Nate said with a smile, looking back at Ivo. He could see the Doctor had a tear in his eye.
“Yes. You’re my children.” he said.
“My sons.”
“Doctor Ivo Robotnik.”
Ivo froze. He slowly turned around to see a bearded soldier with four others behind him. “Yes?” the Doctor asked, trying to remain calm.
This couldn’t be good.
“Please explain to me what Project DB is, exactly?” the soldier asked.
As Nate Morgan slowly led Decoe and Bocoe to the side of the room, Ivo began to explain. “A project to test the learning capability of robots and similarities to humans!” he said. “It was approved by the Commander himself, and-”
“Then Project DB has gone beyond its original scope.” the soldier said.
“Wh-what do you mean?”
The soldier held out a file. “This contains records on the Decoe and Bocoe programs. These are not ordinary robots. They are designed to be freely learning, intelligent and have unique personalities. These are not ordinary robots, Doctor. You are making artificial intelligence.”
“B-BLASPHEMY!” Robotnik said. His mind was racing now. “Y-you’re just confused! They’re-”
“We have our orders.” The soldier said. “Move in.”
“NO!”
As Ivo watched, one of the soldiers dashed ahead, activating a hand-held, low-yield EMP as soon as he got close to the robots. The electronics in the room stuttered and stopped, and Decoe and Bocoe collapsed to the ground, inactive.
“WHO PASSED THIS ORDER?!” Robotnik growled, grabbing the soldier by the collar.
“You… don’t have the clearance to-”
In anger, Robotnik threw the soldier back, slamming him into a nearby table. The three nearby soldiers quickly pulled out their guns, aiming at the Doctor. Ivo steamed with rage, a tear moving down his face.
“They… they did nothing, just… leave them be…”
“Ivo…” Nate said before looking away. “...I don’t want to, but… we have to let them go. We can’t fight G.U.N. We’re just two people.”
With a tear, Robotnik fell to his knees.
It was a miracle he got off with only being fired.
As Ivo walked down the streets in late afternoon, he clenched his fists in his pockets. All that time, all that work…
He pulled out his phone. He had some texts from Nate. His partner was trying to update him on Decoe and Bocoe, having been allowed to remain at G.U.N.
Nate Morgan
Nothing new yet, but they’re doing something with them. I’ll update you when I’ve got news.
Ivo sighed, turning off his phone and putting it back. It’d be hard to explain to Deborah… but then again, what wasn’t? Losing a job you had worked at for years, not to mention relied on to support the family, was a pretty big one.
He should be able to find something fairly easily, though. With his credentials, he’d likely be able to score a job at MeteorTech or something else along those lines.
But his thoughts turned sour quickly. G.U.N… This wasn’t the first time they had taken something valuable from him. Decoe and Bocoe were the only recent ones…but forty years ago, they had taken two others very precious to him.
His cousin, Maria.
And his Grandfather and inspiration, Dr. Gerald Robotnik.
Come to think of it…
G.U.N. had preceded over his grandfather’s trial. As a kid, Ivo had always believed his grandfather was tried unfairly. That he hadn’t done anything wrong. Later on, he had grown to accept it.
This was just anger. Just the rage he felt filling his mind with rampant thoughts.
But were they wrong ones?
His Grandfather had been locked away on an island, far from civilization, before getting a single day of trial and sentenced to death.
And Gerald…
He always said a soldier shot her.
But no. That couldn’t be true. G.U.N. may have wanted Gerald out of the way, but they wouldn’t order the execution of a child, right?
...right?
Doctor Robotnik finally returned home after his thoughts. He was having many doubts about G.U.N. now - ones he hadn’t thought about since receiving his diploma. G.U.N… it seemed to him like they were terrible at maintaining order. In fact, they seemed like a terrible, even dysfunctional, organization.
As Ivo clicked his keys in the door, opening it up, he could tell something was off. The lights, specifically. There was a rustling, presumably Deborah was doing something. But in the dark?
Ivo reached to the lights on the side wall, turning them on. “Deborah, whatever you’re doing, doing it in the dark isn’t-”
He froze.
Deborah…
That noise wasn’t Deborah.
Because Deborah was here, DEAD ON THE FLOOR.
“Deborah. DEBORAH!”
Ivo quickly fell to his knees, looking over his beloved. She was still warm. Was she…?
No. The blood had already stained her shirt, and the light was gone from her eyes.
“...my love.” Ivo Robotnik wailed, holding his dead wife.
That rustling.
The killer was still here.
Rage filled his mind. Whoever they were, they killed Deborah Robotnik. Ivo was not about to let them get away scot-free.
He let go of his wife, allowing her to lay on the ground, Pulling up his gloves, Ivo walked into the next room.
There was a man with a gun, working on cracking the family safe.
Ivo broke into a run, slamming the man across the face with a fist before he could react. The robber stumbled back, cocking his gun. Before he could fire it, Robotnik slammed the pistol into the wall, unleashing his gloved fury on the man.
The robber quickly raised his gun and fired. Ivo rolled to the side, the bullet grazing him. The Doctor let out a howl of pain as he landed, clutching his left shoulder.
He then realized what he was using for cover - what was between the pair. It was a special table - one he had built for Deborah when they had first married.
“What’s this, a model town?”
“No existing town! This is the world where our dreams are reality, my love!”
“Oh? And what do you call this electric model town made for us?”
“Robotnikland.”
With a yell of rage, Ivo grabbed the edge of the table and flipped it over, slamming the heavy wood and iron down on top of the robber. A cry of pain assured the Doctor he had hit his target.
As Doctor Ivo Robotnik walked around the flipped table, he saw the gun the robber had used. He picked it up.
Should he use it? As the Doctor stared down at the man who had killed his wife… He swapped the scenario. This robber, like Deborah, was helpless. He couldn’t even fight back and was already hurt - far worse than Deborah.
But…he had killed her. And what assurances did he have that the law would finish it?
No, no! He couldn’t kill. Justice had to be served.
That’s when he saw the G.U.N. dog tag of the man.
He didn’t hesitate.
*bang*
Sirens roared in the distance as the Doctor ran away. He had nothing but a duffel bag with him containing everything that had been in the vault, his laptop, Deborah’s wedding ring and the statue he had made as the centerpiece of Robotnikland.
He had lost everything.
One day, and all he had was a duffel bag full of remnants of everything he had before.
And who could he attribute it all to? G.U.N.
The death of Maria? G.U.N.
The death of Grandfather Gerald? G.U.N.
The loss of his magnum opus? G.U.N.
The death of Deborah? G.U.N.
All he had left was his brother, Teddy. But he couldn’t go to him. Not now.
For now, all he wanted to do was run.
A few hours later, Ivo slowed down at last. How far had he run? Station Square was nothing but a shroud in the distance.
As Ivo slowly walked across the wide, open field, he noticed something.
Moving over to the strange protrusion, he figured out just what it was. Some sort of trap door? The Doctor opened it slowly. It appeared to be some sort of hidden bunker.
Robotnik slowly climbed down. When he reached the bottom of the bunker, the lights turned on.
It was… a laboratory.
Ivo smiled. Parts, blueprints, designs, even food. It was all there.
And on top of that, a journal and computer.
As Ivo looked over the computer, he realized just how far everything went. Parts after parts after parts… There was enough down here to build a small army.
A small army…
G.U.N. was incompetent. They barely had any control over their soldiers, canceled projects at random and cut off their key scientists.
The Doctor could do far better.
And with this? He would.
Nate Morgan
They’re destroying D and B.
I’m sorry, I did everything I could.
Ivo?
Ivo, I just heard about Deborah. I’m so sorry.
Abraham was there at the funeral. He was asking about you. Where are you?
Theodore Robotnik
Hey, Ivo, are you doing alright? Madonna and I are coming over. You shouldn’t be alone right now.
Ivo, where are you? You’re not home?
Brother, please. Where are you? Tower and Morgan are both asking about you. I don’t know where you disappeared to. Please, Ivo.
SEVEN YEARS LATER
Westside Island. The perfect place to begin his conquest.
As the Egg Mobile floated into the sky, Robotnik quickly hacked the devices of all in the developing city.
“Good day! My name is Doctor Ivo Robotnik, the greatest scientific genius in the world! Today is the beginning of the world-wide conquest of the Eggman Empire!”
Suddenly, Motobugs and Buzzbombers began to flood the streets.
“It’s time for you to get a leader who knows how to rule.”
Doctor Eggman released a bone-chilling laugh. “OHOHOHOHO!”
Ivo Robotnik chuckled, opening his eyes slowly. The large man rose up in his bed, shirtless. “Deborah, you don’t need to-”
“C’mooooooooooooon! Didn’t you say things were moving ahead?!” Deborah Robotnik said, the tall blonde woman chuckling. She pulled on Robotnik’s pyjamas a bit. “You’ve gotta go get to work!”
“Oh, but I could definitely stay in bed.” Ivo smiled back at his wife. “You might want to, as well~”
“You’re horrible!”
“Alright, I’ll get up!”
The doctor got out of bed, quickly heading to the bathroom to shower and brush his teeth. He was thankful that he had the life he did. The 48-year-old man was happily married, worked for the Guardians of the United Nations, and had Ph.D.s in Robotics, Design and Applied Mechanics, Mechatronics and Manufacturing, and Biomedical Engineering. The only thing he didn’t have was a child. Unfortunately, Deborah was sterile. But that was fine with the two of them - they only needed each other.
As Ivo buttoned up his shirt, he looked over to Deborah. “You headed anywhere today?”
“Nope, working at home.” Deborah said. “Website development.”
“Who’s today’s client?”
“Chao Cola.”
“Ugh. Good luck making that junk look safe for human consumption.”
“IVO!”
The two chuckled as Doctor Robotnik grabbed his briefcase. The couple quickly kissed before Ivo walked out the door. “I’ll see you after work, honey.”
“See you then!” Deborah waved as Ivo closed the door. With a sigh, the Doctor walked off to Westopolis’ G.U.N. research base. The place he always worked at.”
“Dr. Robotnik. Good to see you.”
“And you, Morgan.”
Dr. Robotnik and his assistant, Dr. Morgan, entered the chambers for Ivo’s special project - Project DB. As the lights flicked on, Ivo laid eyes on the two mechanical bodies of D and B themselves.
“You’ve checked everything?” Robotnik asked, moving to a control panel.
“Had to do something while I waited for you, Ivo.” Morgan smiled at him.
Ivo smiled back. “Knew I could count on you, Nate. Let’s get this started.”
After a few minutes, the generator whirred as electricity surged into the two robots, the download complete.
And they opened their eyes.
“I am… Decoe?” the tall, yellow one asked.
“I am Bocoe.” the short, grey one replied. “You must be Decoe.”
“But if I am Decoe, and you are Bocoe, then who are they?” Decoe asked, as the two looked towards Robotnik.
Ivo smiled. “I’m your brilliant creator, Doctor Robotnik! My assistant is Doctor Morgan. Consider us your… fathers.”
“Father?” Bocoe asked.
“Father. Noun. A man in relation to his child or children.”
“Are we children?”
“They’re learning exponentially fast…” Nate said with a smile, looking back at Ivo. He could see the Doctor had a tear in his eye.
“Yes. You’re my children.” he said.
“My sons.”
“Doctor Ivo Robotnik.”
Ivo froze. He slowly turned around to see a bearded soldier with four others behind him. “Yes?” the Doctor asked, trying to remain calm.
This couldn’t be good.
“Please explain to me what Project DB is, exactly?” the soldier asked.
As Nate Morgan slowly led Decoe and Bocoe to the side of the room, Ivo began to explain. “A project to test the learning capability of robots and similarities to humans!” he said. “It was approved by the Commander himself, and-”
“Then Project DB has gone beyond its original scope.” the soldier said.
“Wh-what do you mean?”
The soldier held out a file. “This contains records on the Decoe and Bocoe programs. These are not ordinary robots. They are designed to be freely learning, intelligent and have unique personalities. These are not ordinary robots, Doctor. You are making artificial intelligence.”
“B-BLASPHEMY!” Robotnik said. His mind was racing now. “Y-you’re just confused! They’re-”
“We have our orders.” The soldier said. “Move in.”
“NO!”
As Ivo watched, one of the soldiers dashed ahead, activating a hand-held, low-yield EMP as soon as he got close to the robots. The electronics in the room stuttered and stopped, and Decoe and Bocoe collapsed to the ground, inactive.
“WHO PASSED THIS ORDER?!” Robotnik growled, grabbing the soldier by the collar.
“You… don’t have the clearance to-”
In anger, Robotnik threw the soldier back, slamming him into a nearby table. The three nearby soldiers quickly pulled out their guns, aiming at the Doctor. Ivo steamed with rage, a tear moving down his face.
“They… they did nothing, just… leave them be…”
“Ivo…” Nate said before looking away. “...I don’t want to, but… we have to let them go. We can’t fight G.U.N. We’re just two people.”
With a tear, Robotnik fell to his knees.
It was a miracle he got off with only being fired.
As Ivo walked down the streets in late afternoon, he clenched his fists in his pockets. All that time, all that work…
He pulled out his phone. He had some texts from Nate. His partner was trying to update him on Decoe and Bocoe, having been allowed to remain at G.U.N.
Nate Morgan
Nothing new yet, but they’re doing something with them. I’ll update you when I’ve got news.
Ivo sighed, turning off his phone and putting it back. It’d be hard to explain to Deborah… but then again, what wasn’t? Losing a job you had worked at for years, not to mention relied on to support the family, was a pretty big one.
He should be able to find something fairly easily, though. With his credentials, he’d likely be able to score a job at MeteorTech or something else along those lines.
But his thoughts turned sour quickly. G.U.N… This wasn’t the first time they had taken something valuable from him. Decoe and Bocoe were the only recent ones…but forty years ago, they had taken two others very precious to him.
His cousin, Maria.
And his Grandfather and inspiration, Dr. Gerald Robotnik.
Come to think of it…
G.U.N. had preceded over his grandfather’s trial. As a kid, Ivo had always believed his grandfather was tried unfairly. That he hadn’t done anything wrong. Later on, he had grown to accept it.
This was just anger. Just the rage he felt filling his mind with rampant thoughts.
But were they wrong ones?
His Grandfather had been locked away on an island, far from civilization, before getting a single day of trial and sentenced to death.
And Gerald…
He always said a soldier shot her.
But no. That couldn’t be true. G.U.N. may have wanted Gerald out of the way, but they wouldn’t order the execution of a child, right?
...right?
Doctor Robotnik finally returned home after his thoughts. He was having many doubts about G.U.N. now - ones he hadn’t thought about since receiving his diploma. G.U.N… it seemed to him like they were terrible at maintaining order. In fact, they seemed like a terrible, even dysfunctional, organization.
As Ivo clicked his keys in the door, opening it up, he could tell something was off. The lights, specifically. There was a rustling, presumably Deborah was doing something. But in the dark?
Ivo reached to the lights on the side wall, turning them on. “Deborah, whatever you’re doing, doing it in the dark isn’t-”
He froze.
Deborah…
That noise wasn’t Deborah.
Because Deborah was here, DEAD ON THE FLOOR.
“Deborah. DEBORAH!”
Ivo quickly fell to his knees, looking over his beloved. She was still warm. Was she…?
No. The blood had already stained her shirt, and the light was gone from her eyes.
“...my love.” Ivo Robotnik wailed, holding his dead wife.
That rustling.
The killer was still here.
Rage filled his mind. Whoever they were, they killed Deborah Robotnik. Ivo was not about to let them get away scot-free.
He let go of his wife, allowing her to lay on the ground, Pulling up his gloves, Ivo walked into the next room.
There was a man with a gun, working on cracking the family safe.
Ivo broke into a run, slamming the man across the face with a fist before he could react. The robber stumbled back, cocking his gun. Before he could fire it, Robotnik slammed the pistol into the wall, unleashing his gloved fury on the man.
The robber quickly raised his gun and fired. Ivo rolled to the side, the bullet grazing him. The Doctor let out a howl of pain as he landed, clutching his left shoulder.
He then realized what he was using for cover - what was between the pair. It was a special table - one he had built for Deborah when they had first married.
“What’s this, a model town?”
“No existing town! This is the world where our dreams are reality, my love!”
“Oh? And what do you call this electric model town made for us?”
“Robotnikland.”
With a yell of rage, Ivo grabbed the edge of the table and flipped it over, slamming the heavy wood and iron down on top of the robber. A cry of pain assured the Doctor he had hit his target.
As Doctor Ivo Robotnik walked around the flipped table, he saw the gun the robber had used. He picked it up.
Should he use it? As the Doctor stared down at the man who had killed his wife… He swapped the scenario. This robber, like Deborah, was helpless. He couldn’t even fight back and was already hurt - far worse than Deborah.
But…he had killed her. And what assurances did he have that the law would finish it?
No, no! He couldn’t kill. Justice had to be served.
That’s when he saw the G.U.N. dog tag of the man.
He didn’t hesitate.
*bang*
Sirens roared in the distance as the Doctor ran away. He had nothing but a duffel bag with him containing everything that had been in the vault, his laptop, Deborah’s wedding ring and the statue he had made as the centerpiece of Robotnikland.
He had lost everything.
One day, and all he had was a duffel bag full of remnants of everything he had before.
And who could he attribute it all to? G.U.N.
The death of Maria? G.U.N.
The death of Grandfather Gerald? G.U.N.
The loss of his magnum opus? G.U.N.
The death of Deborah? G.U.N.
All he had left was his brother, Teddy. But he couldn’t go to him. Not now.
For now, all he wanted to do was run.
A few hours later, Ivo slowed down at last. How far had he run? Station Square was nothing but a shroud in the distance.
As Ivo slowly walked across the wide, open field, he noticed something.
Moving over to the strange protrusion, he figured out just what it was. Some sort of trap door? The Doctor opened it slowly. It appeared to be some sort of hidden bunker.
Robotnik slowly climbed down. When he reached the bottom of the bunker, the lights turned on.
It was… a laboratory.
Ivo smiled. Parts, blueprints, designs, even food. It was all there.
And on top of that, a journal and computer.
As Ivo looked over the computer, he realized just how far everything went. Parts after parts after parts… There was enough down here to build a small army.
A small army…
G.U.N. was incompetent. They barely had any control over their soldiers, canceled projects at random and cut off their key scientists.
The Doctor could do far better.
And with this? He would.
Nate Morgan
They’re destroying D and B.
I’m sorry, I did everything I could.
Ivo?
Ivo, I just heard about Deborah. I’m so sorry.
Abraham was there at the funeral. He was asking about you. Where are you?
Theodore Robotnik
Hey, Ivo, are you doing alright? Madonna and I are coming over. You shouldn’t be alone right now.
Ivo, where are you? You’re not home?
Brother, please. Where are you? Tower and Morgan are both asking about you. I don’t know where you disappeared to. Please, Ivo.
SEVEN YEARS LATER
Westside Island. The perfect place to begin his conquest.
As the Egg Mobile floated into the sky, Robotnik quickly hacked the devices of all in the developing city.
“Good day! My name is Doctor Ivo Robotnik, the greatest scientific genius in the world! Today is the beginning of the world-wide conquest of the Eggman Empire!”
Suddenly, Motobugs and Buzzbombers began to flood the streets.
“It’s time for you to get a leader who knows how to rule.”
Doctor Eggman released a bone-chilling laugh. “OHOHOHOHO!”