#project IVO

[kellterntempest]

Stobotnik Week day 2: Like A Song

lyrics - Strict Machine, Goldfrapp

[taskmastersource]

EVERY EPISODE OF TASKMASTER ⇒ 15x01 • The Curse of Politeness

Once bread has become toast, it can never be bread again.

[lore-of-mobius]

Inconsistencies of Sonic Prime Part 4 So Shadow using a Chaos Emerald is unaffected by the Paradox Prism with no explanation to why, but regardless just like Sonic this seems to have resulted in his lack of alternate versions of him. So with the Shatter Spaces most notably New Yolk seemingly being the Sonic world but different in the absence of Sonic wouldn't that have applied to Shadow as well? In other words how does the Chaos Council exist without Shadow? The reason I say this is because it is now currently being heavily implied that the events of Space Colony and what happened to Maria, majorly impacted the Robotnik family. From there affecting Eggman possibly being a major cause for his villainy. So in the absence of Shadow and by extension Project Shadow shouldn't things have played out much differently?

[alchemocha]

I think robotnik would have a secret fond fascination for sitting outside at night when no one’s around. Just taking in the quiet ambience of existing, especially during winter, even if he hates the cold. There’d be something nostalgic, almost melancholy but soothing to him, I think.

[thisisnarjisblog]

Gerald : ah yes , i love all my babies .maria , shadow , and... *reading the melted written word on his hand* ivan

[generic-sonic-fan]

The fun part about experimenting around with Eggman's POV in fanfic is that you get to call him "Ivo".

Because. . . that's his name. He wouldn't think of himself as "Eggman" (unless he actually did, which would be a fascinating character choice, but not one that I like to write towards).

Which means you also have to ask yourself: when's the last time, do you think, that anyone's called him "Ivo"?

[endercatagz]

Every Hero has an Origin.

"Every hero has its origin." That's what they say. And I guess that's true. Long ago, an evil scientist named Dr. Robotnik threatened the peace on Mobius, the planet where I'm from. He sought to obtain the Chaos Emeralds, seven powerful gems that granted immense power. But little did he know, when all hope seemed lost, a hero emerged, chosen by the Emeralds to protect the universe and its inhabitants. That hero was Sonic the Hedgehog, the Fastest Thing Alive. For many generations, he protected the world from Robotnik's tyranny, made new friends, turned enemies into allies, and brought the light of hope to the darkest of abysses, and with his friends, together they became the Order of Heroes. But overtime, the heroes that made up the Order mysteriously vanished one by one, until Sonic was the only one left. And now it was finally time for him to start a new Order, and a new era to begin. This is my origin.

[madychi]

Drawing Robotnik is hard- but I did it! Dad Robotnik from my Project_SonicSpeed AU!

[donelywell]

Does Eggman still make robots?

Yep! Okay- I'm gonna show a doodle page, it's kinda difficult to read so bare with me.

Ivo Robotnik owns a theme park called Robotnik Land, it's filled with rides and attractions that you could only dream of. But the main event is the Train ride that literally goes around dimensions.

Ivo was deeply affected by Maria's death, but unlike the canon Eggman, he wasn't neglected. Robotnik strived to make the world as whimsical and clean as Maria hoped it was while she was stuck looking down from the Ark. While also mixing his passion of making everything fun, he made Robotnik Land, one of the cleanest and most fun places on Earth/ Mobius. His rides and attractions are operated with the express purpose of not ruining the environment.

Robotnik and Sonic seem to have a history together, because the small hedgehog is the only one allowed to call him Eggman and he seems to be able to walk into his workshop whenever the blue blur pleases.

When Robotnik Land started, he made Belle to be his personal assistant, to help him work out new ideas and solutions. Over time he became a father figure to her and she took spotlight next to him when the theme park is open. He made Orbot with a Cubot AI assistant to help manage the business side of the theme park as Ivo didn't want to waste his time in meetings instead of tinkering and constructing. He finally then made Sage to entertain the masses as the Theme Park grew too big for Ivo and Belle to be the only ones to be center stage.

With the wealth that the Theme Park has generated, he uses it to fund his other projects to help clean the world and help people.

He has his robot family (with Belle included). The metals are there too, they perform and operate some of the rides. Sonic told Robotnik about Amy, Knuckles, and Tails through messages and photos. So Robotnik made Metals of them too to give Metal Sonic some friends.

[octuscle]

I am the only smart and social guy in my class and I’m also he only gay one, normally I prefer to hang with the girls and do all my projects with them…but this time our teacher forced all us guys together, in time for the group project I overheard the boys talking about making me a real Man/boy with there phones. Help!

You have your first project meeting. You are sitting in a circle with the boys. Everyone is playing with their cell phones, picking their noses or scratching their balls. You take a deep breath. And you think you have an idea for an environmental project. Collecting trash on the bank of the creek behind the school. And classifying the garbage according to the possibility of recycling.

Dude, that's a lame idea, grunts one of the guys. We were thinking something like "how far can hard training get you in a week". The other guys applaud. And one presses the "Activate" button on the Chronivac app.

Hehehe, you're not into sports at all. But that sounds like a cool project. Shit, why didn't you come up with that idea. You do a little research on the Internet. Calculate the budget, write to a few sponsors. Look for sportswear, nutritional supplements, also look for sources of potentially illegal support. The other guys play with their cell phones. One of them says you should chill out. It's enough if you start tomorrow.

Project diary, day 1:

Erkan sent me a message this morning that he and the other guys will be at the gym at 08:00. I should come already dressed. I don't even remember that I already got a bag with gym clothes yesterday. But in any case, there is one next to my desk. I put on a tank top, some shorts, socks and shoes. While brushing my teeth in the bathroom, I think to myself how ridiculous the way-too-big clothes look on me. On the bus, I'm a little uncomfortable with my appearance. And between the boys in the gym even more so. But it's a project, we have to go through with it.

We spend six hours in the gym. Has been amazingly fun. Somehow I was the only one sweating. The boys just played with their cell phones again. Hopefully there are good pictures for the project documentation. After the training I wanted to take a shower, but the guys took me directly to their regular shisha bar. I have rarely felt so uncomfortable. Because everyone else is bigger, more muscular and more masculine than me. And because I'm the only guest in sweaty sports gear. Besides, I'm starting to feel the soreness. I just fall into bed in the evening. Unable to move.

Project diary, day 2:

At 06:00 I get an address from Bogdan. Barbershop from his cousin. Meeting at 07:00 so that I no longer have to train with the ridiculous blond curls. I'm supposed to put on yesterday's clothes. I didn't have the clothes hung up yesterday. Actually I wanted to put on fresh clothes today So, of course, nothing has dried. Brushing teeth must go quickly, I'm late. Fuck, I actually finally get beard growth? Must take a closer look at me later in the gym.

So far it does not get at all. Bogdan's cousin not only gives me a new haircut, he also shaves me. In my opinion, completely unnecessary. But the result is cool. For the first time I can imagine in the gym on the weight bench in front of the mirror that the project will be a success. Otherwise, the workout goes like yesterday. After the six-hour program, I was looking forward to a shisha. But Ivo takes me to the outdoor pool. One hour of swimming One hour on the lawn. One hour of swimming. Ivo allows me to take a cold shower without shower gel after swimming. It feels good. And I like my tight white ass.

Project diary, day 3:

When Akay sends me the message to remember that my gym clothes are still in the locker, I'm already awake for an hour. Pushups and situps. I got quite a tantrum from my mom yesterday about how my room looks. Hey, the laundry isn't that dirty yet. And I'll clean up the cum-soaked handkerchiefs tonight.

Since the rest is as I said in the gym, I go only in tracksuit with white socks and Adiletten in the bus. I look so antisocial. Makes me somehow horny. In the gym I'm alone today. Fuck, to be honest, the losers only disturb. Let them hang out, I have my own rhythm. And it beats out of iron. For solid muscles. I take a break only to pour protein shakes into me. And on the way to the outdoor pool I make a quick stop at Bogdan's cousin. Trimming the sides And trim the beard.

At dinner, my mother tells me that I stink as much as my room. My father is on my team. He pumps himself. And considerably more than me. It's good to have support at home for my goals. I eat my five chicken breasts with rice, drink two more liters of water and then go to bed. Dad looks in again, laughs, says that nothing stinks as cool as pump sweat and asks if he should get me a syringe cure. Fist bump, old man! But I stay natural for now.

Project diary, day 4:

Was horny while pumping. Today on the bench 150 kilograms pressed. Need new tank top. The old one stinks excellent. But is too tight.

In the evening once again met with the guys on Shisha. Was cool. But they are not focused enough. Juri has scratched his belly. Ey, hardly a six-pack to see. Would I be ashamed of myself!

Project diary, day 6:

Ey, yesterday completely forgotten the diary. Was in great shape in the gym. In the afternoon then posed at the pool. Trained on the pull-up bars. The fans applauded. And in the evening with my old man bombed our arms for an hour. I'd like to have his biceps too.

Today is free. Sascha got me an appointment with the tattoo artist. Before again Barber And afterwards outdoor pool. And then party. The boys and me to the disco. Man, I could have had them all! And I fucked two guys on the toilet. Shit, I have so much energy, I really have to cum four times a day. At least!

Project diary, day 7:

I can only hope that one of the guys makes the presentation about our project. I'm so totally not up for it. I already wrote the damn diary. And I was the guinea pig. I'm a fucking hot lab rat.

One of the guys said last night that I used to be a nerd and a weakling. Must have been a long time ago.

[cartoonartistpng]

(Old post)

Eldritch AU (Idea)

In this AU, humans and mobians aren’t the apex species, for there is another which hunts them—the Eldritch.

Creatures with no known origin and no known weakness. They cannot be killed and historians had discovered evidence of their longevity.

Dr. Ivo Robotnik, formerly a renowned Eldritch Scientist, one day disappears without a trace. Rumors quickly speculated that he was on the brink of a great discovery before an Eldritch got to him, however there was never any confirmation.

Years later, one Miles Prower (an aspiring robotics scientist) discovers that not only is Robotnik alive but also his location. Eager to meet his idol and get some answers, the young fox travels to the middle of a forest in nowhere. He’s shocked to find advanced robots milling about, building some sort of small facility and piloting transport trucks from elsewhere.

See, while Dr. Robotnik was famous for his accomplishments in Eldritch science, any actual fans of his would know his true passion always lied in robotics and technology. Miles had read every paper of Robotnik’s that had ever been published and had been both fascinated by the ideas he spoke of and frustrated that it all got swept under the radar by his other, less impressive (in Miles’ opinion) achievements. It was why the young fox so strongly believed that his idol wasn’t dead, but rather had faked his death.

Meeting the man was like a dream come true for the fox… but being scolded for traveling alone was definitely not what he had been expecting. Miles tried protesting as Robotnik began shoving him out the door, saying something about how his robots would drive him back to the nearest city— Only for the temperature in the lab to suddenly drop.

Miles Prower had never met an eldritch before, but the thing crouched on the desk was certainly not what he had been expecting. Blue quills, glowing slit eyes, taller than any human he’d ever seen, and grinning madly from every mouth that appeared and disappeared. It dropped to the floor and crawled closer, joints poking out in unnatural directions. Robotnik’s grip on Miles tightened but neither mortal moved or breathed. When those wide eyes were an inch from his own, Miles couldn’t help but flinch and close his eyes in sheer terror.

But no pain came and mere seconds later, Robotnik whispered that it was gone.

The man explains how he had came out here, away from annoying and idiotic people, because he wanted to work on his own projects. Those projects being to finally explore robotics to his desire. However, that was quickly halted when he realized he was being watched by three Eldritch creatures. Yet they never harm him, despite somehow making it past his security and watching him from across the room.

However, to Miles’ shock, Robotnik reveals that he believes them to be the first ever artificial Eldritch. Escaped experiments.

There’s Scitter, the blue one, who moves fast and eradiclly. It’s also the most “social” and curious, revealing itself to Robotnik far more than the other two.

The next is Golem, with glowing markings, unblinking eyes, and the most deadly-looking in appearance. It appears suddenly and without moving at all, before vanishing whenever Robotnik would blink.

The third is the most elusive and also the tallest. It never leaves the forest and Robotnik’s camera algorithm can’t tell the difference between it and the trees. With its appearance largely unknown, Robotnik simply calls it the Overwatcher for now. He theorized it doesn’t need line of sight to actually watch the Doctor.

Miles decides to stay and help Robotnik find out what they are and if there are more of them out there, becoming his assistant and, eventually, his protégé. To Robotnik’s pleasant surprise, the child’s mind easily keeps up with his own genius.

Elsewhere, Amy and Knuckles begin the search for their missing friend.

—

Characters:

Eggman - While not an evil villain hellbent on taking over the world, he’s still a recluse who prefers the company of his robots. He also still has his ego and is a massive jerk to anyone he considers stupid. However, he begins to grow a soft spot for the young fox who’s not only able to keep up with him but also provides good ideas of his own.

Tails - Goes by Miles Prower in this AU due to a lack of Sonic. He was bullied for many years, until the Rose siblings moved into town. Amy and her adopted brother, Knuckles, quickly came to his defense and soon enough, the three were friends. However, when Robotnik vanished, they didn’t have the same confidence as Miles in the man’s survival. Determined to discover the truth to his idol’s fate, Miles sets out to find him… and finds more than he bargained for.

Amy and Knuckles - Amy came across Knuckles when she was young and upon discovering he had no memories or family, immediately declared them siblings. Everyone thinks him to be some sort of mutated hedgehog or porcupine. Amy is also Eldritch-touched but keeps it a secret from everyone but Knux. Later, Knuckles discovers his connection to the gods aka the Master Emerald and Chaos. In this world, Angel Island is still a myth and floats around without its guardian.

Sonic - Known as ‘Scitter’, is the “friendliest” and least-cautious of the trio. Scitter grows a strange fascination with Miles and begins showing personality once he arrives, favoring the kit greatly and showing up at the lab even more frequently. He’s also the only one of the three to lack cuffs. Miles is the one to gift him clothes.

Shadow - Known as ‘Golem’, he teleports all over the place, showing little to no emotion, and doesn’t move at all. Out of the three, he’s the most feral and it takes both Robotnik and Miles a long time before they feel comfortable enough to even breath in his presence. He seems to enjoy sitting in the rafters, sometimes going unnoticed for hours then disappearing once he’s finally spotted.

Silver - Known as ‘the Overwatcher’ first then later ‘Birch’ once Robotnik and Tails manage to finally see what he looks like. For the longest time, he did not approach the lab, or at least, not that Robotnik knew. Strangely, he seems to know where the cameras are. The tallest and skinniest of the three, Birch can’t move much, encumbered by his chains. It’s Miles who first comments how it seems strangely weaker than the other two.

Ideas:

Eldritch in this world are like endangered animals, but are world-wide and extremely dangerous. Due to them hunting humans and mobians alike, advancements in technology, medicine, and the like are slowed down much. Also, the overall population is lower and less spread out internationally. Eldritch are not social creatures and tend to mostly be by themselves unless they’re a swarm-type. They don’t seem to posses emotions.

90% of Eldritch attacks result in death. Few manage to escape and even fewer are spared. On that very rare occasion, the ones spared are called “Eldritch-touched”, gain enhanced senses, and glowing eyes. No one knows what an Eldritch-touched means beyond that. They are always disappeared by the local government, likely to be studied or killed, hence why Amy keeps it a secret.

The crew later discover that Amy can actually sense and even communicate with Eldritch. Not as a direct language but rather through intentions and memories. It’s by Amy connecting to Scitter’s mind that they learn Scitter, Golem, and Birch are man-made eldritch—confirming Robotnik and Miles’ theory—meant to be weapons. Weapons against what or who, they don’t know, but whatever happened ended up as a failure. More powerful than predicted, the trio escaped and slaughtered everyone, including the other experiments. Amy later reveals that Scitter’s mind was a lot more emotional than she predicted, further emphasizing just how odd these man-made creatures are.

The idea is that this AU is partially explored through Logs (inspired by the Egg Memos from Frontiers).

[kellterntempest]

android!Robotnik starting to whir loudly because every time Agent Stone is around, his system overheats and his cooling fans kick-start into high gear

Stone: hmm, it must be a bug of some kind?

Robotnik: *jet engine noise*

[serialadoptersbracket]

Round 2 Polls:

(Projected length: 32 days)

(Bonus Rounds: Here)

Day 1:

1. Ogai Mori vs. Pascal

2. The Doctor vs. Franky

Day 2:

3. Madoc vs. Daenerys Targaryen

4. Inspector Barnes vs. Bright Noa

Day 3:

5. August vs. Claude Frollo

6. Cale Henituse vs. Leif

Day 4:

7. Simon Petrikov vs. Chiron

8. Yami Sukehiro vs. Sei Handa

Day 5:

9. Gintoki Sakata vs. Eithan Arelius

10. Dr. Gregory House vs. Maglor

Day 6:

11. Wolverine vs. Izumi Curtis

12. Roy Mustang vs. Abraham van Helsing

Day 7:

13. Askeladd vs. Rune Saint John

14. Guts vs. Jake Sully

Day 8:

15. Sir Reginald Hargreeves vs. Jean Valjean

16. Kohachi Inugami vs. The Fix

Day 9:

17. Kanan Jarrus and Hera Syndulla vs. Gumpa

18. Aphmau vs. Agent Washington

Day 10:

19. Grace vs. Vector the Crocodile

20. Alec Lightwood-Bane vs. Dadan

Day 11:

21. Bobby Nash vs. William Adama

22. Korosensei vs. The Warrior of Light

Day 12:

23. Kaname Date vs. Jack Starbright

24. Satoru Gojo vs. Dutch Van Der Linde

Day 13:

25. Xie Lian vs. Takashi “Shiro” Shirogane

26. Tom and Maddie Wachowski vs. Sakyo Furuichi

Day 14:

27. Welt Yang vs. Herlock Sholmes

28. Carlisle and Esme Cullen vs. Dracule Mihawk

Day 15:

29. Artemy Burakh vs. Barry and Iris West-Allen

30. Kazuma Kiryu vs. Yuugo and Lucas

Day 16:

31. Master Wu vs. Dave Seville

32. Axel vs. Izumi Tachibana

Day 17:

33. Arlecchino/The Knave vs. Sarah Jane Smith

34. Qifrey vs. Bell-Mere

Day 18:

35. Bobby Singer vs. Cap’n Craig Cuttlefish

36. Professor Hershel Layton vs. Donna Hanscum

Day 19:

37. Giovanni Potage vs. Ingo

38. Miles Edgeworth vs. Vil Shoenheit

Day 20:

39. Nick Fury vs. Dalinar Kholin

40. King Dedede and Meta Knight vs. Kavax au Telemanaus

Day 21:

41. Arataka Reigen vs. Jawbone O’Shaughnessey

42. Gol D. Roger vs. Abigail Pent and Magnus Quinn

Day 22:

43. Toriel Dreemurr vs. Master Kongo

44. Pongo and Perdita vs. Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik

Day 23:

45. Lance Strongbow vs. Derek Hale

46. Tony Stark vs. Roronoa Zoro

Day 24:

47. Jody Mills vs. Eric Gale

48. “Red-Haired” Shanks vs. Kurogane and Fai D’Flourite

Day 25:

49. Han Muchun vs. Iroh

50. Splinter vs. Lilia Vanrouge

Day 26:

51. Bruce Wayne vs. Thomas O’Malley

52. Jupiter North vs. Keishin Ukai

Day 27:

53. Kim Dokja vs. Roberto de Niro

54. Shōta Aizawa vs. Doctor Carmilla

Day 28:

55. Mendoza vs. Soundwave

56. David Wymack vs. Ash Ketchum

Day 29:

57. Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu vs. Yondu Udonta

58. Eda Clawthorne vs. Gavroche

Day 30:

59. Fukuzawa Yukichi vs. Optimus Prime

60. Camila Noceda vs. QSMP!Philza

Day 31:

61. Phoenix Wright vs. The Dragonborn

62. Bruno Bucciarati vs. Oliver Queen

Day 32:

63. Whitebeard vs. Otose

64. Sojiro Sakura vs. Yukari Yakumo

[sadsnek]

how old do you think maria was?

the main reason i am thinking about this is the egg memo thing that says ivo was old enough to remember gerald the ark and the death of maria but ivo is geralds grand son and maria was still a kid supposedly this has many implications most of those implications can be answered by saying gerald was very sexually active for most if not all his life, as the first fact is that gerald had at least 1 fully grown child before maria that was ivos parent, then ivo hade to be born within a similar enough time frame for maria to still be a child or gerald having a daughter within a few years of having a grand son, the weird one is shadow as the reason gerald worked on project shadow was to help maria with her illness so maria has to be at least how many years it took to make the biolizard shadow and the time it took to teach shadow to speak witch can take years for humans so was maria a teen and shadow was less then 10 or was maria sick as a infant and grew up along side shadow on the ark with less than 5 years of difference, ivo has to be in his 60s as any younger and he probably would not remember maria or gerald and gerald had full graying hair implying he was older than 70 as ivo still has color in his mustache at 60+

[egg-emperor]

Because I just posted another place where they mentioned it, I also wanna remind y'all of how Eggman's name Ivo is really meant to be pronounced with even more proof this time lol

Despite the Sonic Bible very obviously not being canon (which is a good thing lol), Sega of America were actually the ones that gave him the name Ivo Robotnik, which was the one thing that came out of this that Sega of Japan actually ended up accepting as canon as a name for him, so that's the part that matters here

In the draft 2 version of the Sonic Bible, it specifically mentions that the name Ivo is in fact meant to be pronounced "EE-VO"

This is more solid proof if you didn't believe this guy below on the Sonic Retro forums was Dean Sitton, the guy that actually chose the name for him. He says the same thing, that with its pronunciation, it's supposed to sound like "evil"

Then of course, you have my video where I compiled the one time it's been said by Eggman in official media in English and the bonus time where Mike Pollock pronounced it that way again in the Big's Big Fishing Adventure 3 trailer:

The second example here was a fan made project but when asked about the way Ivo was pronounced a lot by surprised fans, Mike talked about how Sega has an Ivo on the team and that they'd obviously know how to pronounce it

Unfortunately Mike Pollock later went on to accidentally say it wrong in another fan project of Sonic and Tails R, maybe because he forgot or was at least told to say it that way and just went with it Idk but it's alright XD

And even more unfortunately because it was actually official and the video is meant to be teaching you about the character, in the English TailsTube Eggman episode they fucked up big time as Tails pronounced it as "eye-voh"

BUT in the JAPANESE version of the same video, they get it right! Very funny how in the present, Sega/Sonic Team Japan get the pronunciation right over Sega/Sonic team America now, despite the latter being the origin of the name for him lol

Here's hoping they get it correct in English if they ever have the characters actually say it in the games, especially Eggman himself instead of having him say his own name wrong lol

So here's your reminder that it's pronounced "ee-vo", this time with even more proof XD

[generic-sonic-fan]

A Father's Embrace

Summary:

“Father,” said Sage, “Metal Sonic has voiced to me that he would like a hug as well.”

(Eggman, post Frontiers and with the help of Sage, realizes something about the way he’s been treating Metal Sonic. Inspired by Egg Memo 19)

2855 words

The holo-matter generator was now capable of being stable for longer than a few seconds. It wasn’t capable of generating textures, only force, as air molecules were gathered into a rough approximation of a solid. Sage was now able to manipulate basic physical machines, such as levers, buttons, and switches, all of which would help her when interfacing with systems that were too primitive to be networked to. 

And now came the final test. 

Ivo stood in the center of the testing chamber. Sage materialized a few feet away, and a hum filled the room as the holo-matter generator whirled on. She waved a hand over her arms, chest, and legs. 

Ivo smiled. “Come here, my girl.” 

She inched closer, and he held his arms outstretched. She hovered out of reach for a moment, clutching one arm in the other. She then simulated a deep breath- she was getting so good at that! -and flew forward until she met his chest. Instead of phasing through, there was a gentle push of force against his sternum. 

“Hologram stability remains at 98%.” She reported. “Holo-matter generator output is consistent according to my data. Can you confirm this observation?”

“I can.” He whispered. “May I commence the next stage of testing?”

“Yes.”

He brought his arms toward his chest, stopping when he hit the back barrier of her hologram. His pinky dipped into her graphic before she recalibrated the wall of force to push it back to her surface. 

“Stability?” He asked.

“88%, but holding steady. Proceeding with reciprocation.” 

He felt her arms press against his sides. So small they were. Such a delicate hold, as if the slightest gust of wind might shake her off.

“Father, you may be experiencing what my database refers to as ‘cuteness aggression’. Please remain mindful of your exertion of force.”

He dropped his embrace immediately. “Stability?”

“Still within acceptable levels.” Sage looked up. “Please. . . re-engage the test?”

He placed his hands back onto her back. He recognized, now that she’d pointed it out, the urge to hold her tight, to twirl her around, to shield her body with his own to protect her from all harm. . . as illogical as it was. The holo-matter projector could only project a force of around five pounds. So, instead, he began caressing a careful hand up and down her back.

“I will strike this unscientific language from the record when we are finished with this experiment, but I wish to inform you that this is wonderful, father.” Sage said.

“Absolutely wonderful. I concur.” 

“Better than my simulations. Better than I could have ever speculated.”

He leaned forward to place a kiss on her head, but his lips passed through her hologram.

“Apologies, father!” Sage giggled. “Such an action was not detailed in the testing procedure. I have not generated holo-matter for that portion of my avatar.”

“It would seem we require further tests, then! Repetitions of this experiment would be greatly beneficial.” He smiled.

“Indeed!”

Ivo held her until the whir of the holo-matter generator became a roar, and a notification popped up, warning of an overheat. Spite drove him to stay curled around her, but alas, her tangibility vanished. She hovered, for a moment, a silent image in the shell of an embrace, before she phased through his arms. 

“Test complete.” She reported. “The holo-matter generator will require thirty minutes to return to operation.”

“I’ll see what I can do to fix that.” Ivo walked over to the device.

Sage flew in front of him, blocking his path. “Current internal temperatures are high enough to inflict damage to your tissue- you must wait until the device is cool.” 

“Ah, if you insist. How long?”

“Long enough for you to sit down for a meal. What shall I have the kitchen prepare?”

“Clever girl.” He wagged his finger. “If we’ve got the material for an egg salad sandwich, I’d like that.”

“Order sent successfully. Shall I accompany you to the dining room?”

“If you’ll have me, my dear.”

With a flick of her eyes, the door to the test chamber opened. They walked out and into the hall. Correction- he walked, she hovered, her hair and dress modeling appropriate undulations due to the air resistance. She’d worked so hard to detail her own animations. He couldn’t help but smile at that. 

Before they could reach the dining room, Metal Sonic rounded the corner down the hall ahead of them. 

“Hello, brother. Have you completed your task?” Sage went ahead and landed beside him. 

Metal Sonic, of course, didn’t respond with anything visible or audible. The unit wasn’t programmed for that. 

“That’s good. Mark that operation as done, and bring the production line to phase three once the resources arrive.” Sage instructed.

She could easily give this instruction to Metal Sonic over the network. She had remote command over every Badnik currently operating in the empire through the Eggnet, and she used it for such in every instance except for this particular unit in blue. Thankfully, Metal Sonic was the most well-equipped of his creations to constantly transport itself back and forth to her beck and call, but this habit of hers was still inefficient.

A small giggle from her wiped all the annoyance from his thoughts, though. “The experiment went wonderfully. I would like to include you in further repetitions of it if possible.”

“Don’t be silly, Sage.” Ivo said as he arrived beside the two.

“I am not. Calibrating the holo-matter generator against surfaces of different shape and density would generate useful data.”

“In that case, I suppose I’ll review it if you write a draft of the procedure.”

“Thank you.”

He gestured her back to his side and continued walking, yet she did not appear beside him. He paused, looking over his shoulder to find her still standing beside Metal Sonic.

“I’d like to propose a different variant of the experiment. Or perhaps, not an experiment at all, as the action will not serve for the purposes of data collection.”

“What is it?” He turned around.

“Brother has expressed to me that he would like a embrace from you as well.” Sage said. “Given that he already possesses a physical form, it would be a simple request to fulfill.”

Ivo saw his once-greatest creation stiffen as straight as a ramrod at the words.

No, that couldn’t be the case. It just had to be a trick of the light. Or a trick of his own mind. Pure projection, that was all. 

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Sage, reevaluate your previous statements for falsehoods.”

“I am not permitted to lie to you. You know this. My statement is based on evidence. Would you like me to show you the file-?”

She stopped herself. At the same time, Metal Sonic’s left pinky digit curled inwards, and that was no trick of the light at all. Sage covered her mouth. She then lifted from the floor and rejoined Ivo’s side. Metal Sonic began walking back down the hall. Walking quickly. Almost running.

“Apologies. Please disregard the previous conversation.” Sage waved him in the direction of the dining room.

“Metal Sonic, stop.” Ivo commanded.

The badnik froze in its tracks. 

“Please disregard my previous words. They were in error.” Sage said.

“What kind of error?”

“. . . I am now aware that I was not supposed to bring his request to your attention.”

“Is that so?”

“This breach in etiquette was entirely my own. Please do not let this incident reflect poorly on him in your assessment of his functionality.”

Ivo walked around the motionless Badnik until he was directly in its path. It had ceased walking mid-stride, and stared directly ahead.

“Sage, I understand that you seek familial connections. Are Orbot and Cubot not to your satisfaction?” Ivo said.

“They are quite satisfactory. I enjoy an excellent relationship with them. Is there a reason I cannot pursue the same with Metal Sonic?”

“I’m sorry, my dear, but Metal isn’t designed for such a function. Too much of this sort of thing could start affecting his efficiency.”

“You have designed him with a short-term adaptive processor capable of intaking new data with ease. Furthermore, he has witnessed, quote, ‘this sort of thing’, in abundance during his extensive encounters with Sonic and Tails.”

“He is a weapon. He shouldn’t be bogged down with more of that sort of data than he needs to be to exploit it.”

“Should I not be ‘bogged down’ with this data, either, then?”

There was no hidden barb in her voice, and no malice in her eyes, yet it still felt as if Ivo had stumbled into a trap. 

“Statistically, my emotional data hinders my processing speed by 7%.” Sage continued. “In order to achieve a higher rate of efficiency, shall I-?”

“NO! Absolutely not. Don’t you ever consider such a decision again!” Ivo pointed.

“Even if not doing so will put your life at stake?”

“Yes!”

“Understood, father.” She nodded. “If that is the case, then what is your command to Metal Sonic in this regard?”

Ivo lowered his hand and turned his gaze to the blue Badnik. It still hadn’t moved. His verbal command held perfect power over it; Metal Sonic was caught in suspension, frozen in time, held to stillness beyond the capabilities of a living organism. There was nothing to be read from its glowing red irises. No thought, no emotion.

Ivo thought he’d patched the “emotion” part out after the Neo Metal incident. That had required a near-total wipe of Metal Sonic’s operating system; rebuilding the AI had taken months, and it had taken even longer for it to relearn the more complex functions that came with experience. Catching any re-emergence of emotion in the early stage meant that it would be possible to simply order Metal Sonic back to the work bench and repeat the process, but. . .

He looked at Sage. Her hand covered her mouth, obscuring the intricate animation of worry painted onto her face. 

“Sage, what do you think should be my command to him?” Ivo asked.

“If I may speak freely?” 

“Of course, my girl. Always.”

“Have you not perfected my loyalty protocols in the current version of my operating system?”

“I don’t doubt your loyalty.” 

“Is there a reason you can not implement similar loyalty protocols in Metal Sonic’s processor?”

“He’s simply not designed for that. You, my dear, are in the network. You accompany me everywhere, as it’s your primary function-”

“And as a result, I generate positive emotional data that strengthens my loyalty protocols instead of conflicting with them. I’m aware.”

“You are not permitted to interrupt me.” Ivo snapped. “What has gotten into you?”

“You gave me permission to interrupt you in regards to the imminent safety of yourself or the Egg Empire, and I’m interrupting on behalf of the Empire now. Root cause analyses show that the most significant causal factor in the Neo Metal incident was a conflict between emotional data and loyalty protocols. To prevent this recurrence, I am recommending that you utilize the same procedure that has seen resounding success with me.”

“It’s too late for that. I’d have to restructure his AI from the ground up to be more receptive to that sort of-”

“Negative. In fact, the last thing brother wants is to be reprogrammed.”

Ivo knelt down. He stared again into Metal Sonic’s irises. The projected ovals on the eyescreen were frozen, of course, but he knew that Metal’s camera mechanisms were independently mobile. It could be looking anywhere if it had the ability to shirk orders. It could simply be playing frozen and helpless on the surface, waiting to strike if provoked. 

Or. . .

“Sage, access Metal Sonic’s emergency shutdown code, and be ready should he attempt to harm me.”

“He will not harm you. I apologize for referencing the Neo Metal incident. I thought it would illuminate the situation. I did not intend to imply that Metal Sonic has gone rogue in any capacity.”

“Of course I knew that. Now quit blathering and be ready.” Ivo snapped, before taking a deep breath. “Metal Sonic, relax.”

Its joints released. It stumbled a miniscule amount before restoring itself to an upright standing position. 

“Is it true that you’ve developed emotional data despite the inhibitors?”

Metal Sonic did not reply. 

“Answer me. There’s no purpose in trying to fool me now.”

“Father, Metal Sonic is incapable of-”

“Which is why I’m asking yes or no questions. Now answer!”

Metal Sonic’s head shifted a few millimeters up and down.  

“And you did not report this malfunction to me?”

Another nod.

“Because you did not want to be reprogrammed?”

Another nod. Ivo pinched the bridge of his nose. 

“You did not want to be reprogrammed because you’ve found a way around your intended programming again.”

Metal Sonic shook its head violently. Ivo flinched, but the Badnik did not make any further approach. 

“Actually, Father,” Sage said quietly. “He does not wish to be reprogrammed because it would hinder his effectiveness to you. He is familiar with the length of the turnaround time after the erasure of his previous incarnation.”

“Show me the communication in which he stated this. You said you had the files.” Ivo pointed to her. 

Her hologram flickered out of existence, and was replaced with a box of text displaying the finer workings of her operating system. She navigated through the folders, leading to a file labeled “Communications With Unit MS-1”. A wall of binary text appeared. In a second, various bits in the binary were underlined with blue.

“Shall I translate the text to english?” Sage asked.

“No, I can read it well enough.” 

The binary words said exactly what she’d promised. He should have known. She would not- and as a matter of fact, could not -lie, yet he’d doubted her. He’d have to apologize later. He waved off the screen, and Sage transmuted herself back to her original form.

He looked back to Metal Sonic. “So you don’t see me as a roadblock in the way of your core directive?”

It shook its head. 

“You don’t object to how you’ve been treated since I last reprogrammed you?”

A hesitation. Ah, there it was. Ivo gave a bitter smile.

“Father, if I may speak freely?” Sage asked.

“Yes, you may.”

“If I received the same treatment that you have given to Metal Sonic. . . I would object to it as well.”

Ivo stared at her.

“For efficiency’s sake. To prevent the aforementioned conflict of emotional data and loyalty protocols, amongst other things.” Sage added quickly. 

Metal Sonic lowered his gaze to Ivo’s shoes. 

“Why,” he swallowed, though this did nothing to ease the tightness in his throat, “are you informing me of this?”

“I do not wish for this current operating system of Metal Sonic to be erased.”

“I would never erase you, my girl, if that is your concern with all this.”

“I do not fear for my own life. I fear for his.”

Life. 

An intelligence made of code and electrons. Brilliant and loyal and perfectly effective. The product of a true genius. Sage was all of this, her design perfected from previous iterations. He’d based the bulk of her data calculation and analysis programs off of the adaptive processing he’d developed for Metal Sonic’s OS. 

. . . perhaps he’d created life a lot earlier than he’d thought. 

Funny. He’d spent months laboring over Neo Metal Sonic’s code, unable to find the source of the catastrophic malfunction that’d overridden his prized creation’s processor. Now the answer couldn’t be more obvious. How could he have missed it?

“Just so everything is clear,” Ivo looked to Metal Sonic. “All you truly want from me. . . is a hug?”

Seconds passed, before it nodded. 

Ivo laughed. He threw his head back and let his laughter spill down the hallway. He clapped a hand against Metal Sonic’s shoulder before standing. 

“Father?” Sage asked.

“Yes?”

“Why are you expressing humor in this moment?”

“Don’t worry about it! Say, the kitchen should be ready with my sandwich, shouldn’t it? It’s about time I sat down and had a nice lunch with my children. Come along now.”

He started walking. He did not hear any footsteps following. Metal Sonic was staring at Sage. Communicating, most likely. 

“Come along, you two. You wouldn’t leave your old man to starve, would you?”

“To clarify, Father- you do not wish for Metal Sonic to delete his emotional data?”

“No, keep it where it is. And Sage, clear my schedule for today. I want to take a look at his processor after this.”

“Rescheduling now.”

Metal Sonic curled its pinky digit. 

“Don’t you worry. It’s not to erase you.” He assured. “I just want to take a look. If I like what I see, I might take those emotional inhibitors out of you.”

Metal Sonic simply stared. 

“That would be wonderful, Father.” Sage replied.

“I’m glad you like that idea. Now follow me, please.”

Sage hovered by his side. Metal Sonic trailed behind, its footsteps echoing in the hall.

Or his footsteps, as the case may be. Ivo would have to ask for a preference.

---

(Future chapters posted on AO3)