Chapter Text
Dr. Ivo Robotnik was bored. Very bored.
But esteemed doctor, you ask, how does one such as you get bored? There’s still a world to conquer!
You see, conquest is only so entertaining. It’s no fun if there isn’t someone trying to stop you, is it? The terror of villagers tends to get tiring after a while, especially when they simply run and hide at his approach.
He mulled over his problem as he flew around aimlessly, having been testing his new aircraft. It’d definitely make things more interesting if there was someone to help out the other side. His evilness was exceeding his own expectations. There was too much of an imbalance.
He needed an enemy. An archenemy! Someone who was heroic and kind and brave and whatever they say heroes are like. Someone who’d be fun to mess with, someone who’d pose a challenge. Yes, yes. He just had to find someone.
Where was the only question…
A sharp scream, abruptly cut short, startled Robotnik out of his musing, causing him to pout. He looked around to find an unusual sight— a gaggle of kids, not older than twelve, had… what’s the word… ganged up on a little blue hedgehog and were carrying him, each one gripping a squirming limb, to somewhere undetermined.
Peculiar. It didn’t look very friendly to him, but maybe this was something children did now?
The doctor watched the strange procession, because why not. The kids hadn’t noticed him at all— at least, that’s what he thought… until the victim of this happening suddenly stared up at him with wide emerald eyes; terrified, pleading.
Robotnik was taken back by the direct eye contact, but he didn’t have the time to think about it. Nor did the boy, who peeled his gaze away with a strangled whimper. Right then, the older children stopped at their destination. Before he realized what was happening, the band tossed the hedgehog over the side of the cliff, leaving him only enough time to cry out before a loud splash announced his plunge into water, probably a lake, eliciting a cheer from the bullies above.
Something surged within the doctor right then— anger, perhaps. Heart over mind, he fired a few shots from his aircraft, scattering the mean bunch, before diving downward to check on the hedgehog.
He was not faring well. It was clear at once that little blue couldn’t swim, yet was making a pathetic attempt at it, splashing frantically and taking in enough water to rival a sinking ship.
That angry feeling grew stronger.
What kind of children would do something like this? Condemn another to what could very well be death?
A metal claw extended and caught the boy by the scruff, quelling his struggle, and pulled him back up to where the bullies stood just moments prior. As soon as he was let go, the hedgehog squirmed and coughed up water violently, gasping.
Robotnik hopped to the ground and knelt beside him, awkwardly patting between his back quills as the events that had transpired sank in (pun not intended). Oh Chaos, this is weird, he thought. What am I doing?
He wasn’t supposed to save people. That’s what heroes do. And he was a villain.
To make himself feel less uncomfortable, the doctor began to talk. He’d always been good at that. “You know, kid, you need to stand up for yourself. Get a weapon or something. Fight back” he rambled, and an image of the little hedgehog carting around a blaster made itself known in his mind’s eye, causing him to snort. “Okay, maybe a blaster’s a little extra. That’d definitely scare them off, though. It’d be funny to watch. Or— Ooo, maybe you could set up a trap. That’d be fun. Pit traps, net traps, cage traps, bear traps… the possibilities are endless! They step in the wrong place and BAM! Problem solved.”
The hedgehog peered at him curiously, emerald eyes tinged with what was probably horror, and Robotnik realized that he’d gone off on a tangent again. Oops. “ Ahem. Uh, just something to think about.” He hoisted himself back up into his aircraft, settling comfortably.
Meeting the gaze of the wide-eyed boy as he lifted off the ground, Robotnik spoke in a hushed tone. “If anyone asks you, this whole saving-your-butt thing”— he waves his hand for extra effect— “never happened. Got it?”
The hedgehog blinked, then offered him a small grin in response, giving a playful salute as the doctor flew off, engine sputtering faintly.
And if anyone saw him smile at that gesture— no, you didn’t.