Runaways AU
The trail wasn't as hard as Shane and Ilya had made it sound. Either that or Svetlana was more athletic than she gave herself credit for. It was long sure, but the steep parts ebbed and flowed and neither of her hosts seemed in a rush to get to the top.
Svetlana took the time to observe the life her best friend had begged her for. When Ilya had first approached her with the request her only conclusion was that he was being blackmailed. Ilya had always been one for the fast life. He liked anything one could consider untoward, large parties, fast cars, and causal hook-ups. She couldn't imagine anything benign would have him begging to go on the run. Then she'd learned about Shane Hollander.
Svetlana had guessed this at first, but Ilya always deflected, insisted that she was wrong. After he moved to Ottawa and still resolutely denied her inquiries, she'd begun to doubt herself. She never should have. Of course love was the only secret that would make the hopeless romantic Ilya Rozanov willing to lie to her for a decade. Of course, Shane Hollander was the man he loved.
Svetlana had first met Shane in Boston. He'd held a large box of lamps and his whole body tensed like he thought he would need to bolt at the first sign of trouble. He was nothing like what she saw in game footage or interviews. He was blunt, defensive, terrified. She hadn't understood her best friends decisions.
Before the car door shut and they drove off, Svetlana heard Ilya tell Shane that they could trust her—that she was safe. Shane replied to Ilya that he loved him. In Russian, voice soaked in effort and devotion. Svetlana understood more.
The more they met the more Shane's hackles lowered. He allowed himself to smile at jokes and thanked her for helping at least twice a visit. By the time Svetlana bought the jeep they were to drive to Tennessee with Shane could be openly affectionate with Ilya. Svetlana remembered having to cover her eyes to stop her chest from tying itself in a knot when she'd caught them holding each other in her foyer. Not kissing or even really hugging, just there and staring into each other's eyes.
The Shane that Svetlana watched today was a metronome.
Out here Shane was loose in a way she hadn't known his body capable of. His shoulders rolled when he laughed, his head bobbled when he joked, his spine curved when he sat.
And: Every time Svetlana brought up her life back in Boston she watched that tension knot itself back into his shoulders. If she murmured an old name his head would flick involuntarily towards her like she'd dropped a glass on the floor.
Shane was maybe happier here, but he was still haunted by the past. Through TVs and articles Svetlana had watched Shane face public scrutiny for over two decades. He'd faced the beast head on, never showing fear. Out here she saw a man petrified of ever seeing the glint of those teeth again.
-
Ilya was different. Ilya was fulfilled and so in love, that much was clear, but when he thought no one was looking Svetlana caught his smile fall, his gaze rest on Shane like he was grieving, caught him brush his hair out of his face with more force than was needed. Something was off.
The most obvious would be that he was missing friends from his past. And yes, she was sure he missed people, but none of the sadness she wanted to dissect crept in when she brought them up. Ilya seemed genuinely happy to hear updates about the Raiders—nothing but excited to know they were still winning games.
Svetlana scrutinized his actions, searching for any sign that he regretted his choice to run. He didn't—
Ilya laughed boisterously as he swung his camera around to capture Anya tearing down the trail after a stick Shane haphazardly lobbed. He had insisted on bringing it to film the hike for the "Longphishers" Svetlana could have sworn that Longphisher was the name of the school here not a family but she supposed with a small town like this one it was probably both
—he was happy here. There was just something under it all that she couldn't place.
-
Shane bounded up the last few boulders to look out over the rolling mountain view. "This is our favorite spot. We come up here a lot."
"It's beautiful."
Ilya came up behind Svetlana and whooped into the air. The echo carried down the mountain, ricocheting off the limestone cliffs. Shane followed suit, louder than his partner. Svetlana expected Ilya to one up it again, but instead both he and Shane looked to her. A smile fought its way onto Svetlana's face and she shouted over the mountains.
-Ilya-
Shane carried their syrup stained plates inside. Giving Ilya's shoulder a reassuring squeeze as he passed. Ilya knew instinctively that Shane was letting Ilya have some more alone time with Svetlana. If it was for Ilya's benefit, or just because Shane was tired of entertaining, Ilya wasn't going to probe.
"I love it here," Ilya spoke into the air. "I can't wait to capture all the good on film. Thank you again for the camera."
"Yes." Svetlana sounded serious. Ilya looked back to meet her eye. "Everything you have said about this place has been nothing but positives. You say its perfect."
"It is."
"Then why does my best friend look so sad."
Ilya recoiled like she'd threatened to hit him. He couldn't help it. He knew Shane had noticed but Shane knew what happened. Ilya had hoped, maybe naively, that he was keeping up a good enough face—that he could evade notice by anyone without context. He should have known better to try and get anything past Svetlana.
"I took the last of my anti-depressants in September."
Svetlana's face dropped. "Oh Ilya… Can't you…" She didn't finish the sentence. There wasn't a way to.
"It is a prescription drug, I cannot legally get more without having a record on file."
"Shit."
"Is okay…" Ilya said that part in English, he didn't know why. "If there is any life I can do without them it is this one." He turned to look out over the yard, tilting his face so the sun could warm his skin. "I have Shane, and we have a community that loves us. I have people who rely on me, tasks to do and projects I want to start, but never too much that it becomes overwhelming. I have a dog and husband that keep me active. And when it gets bad, I have a dog and husband who will make sure I eat and sleep, and know I am loved. I will be okay, Sveta. I just… I got used to not feeling this way. It is hard to go back. I am trying to remember what helped before."
Svetlana rose from her seat and beckoned Ilya up with her.
Svetlana wasn't the feelings type. She liked loud parties and joking insults. She didn't hug or offer emotional reassurances.
She held Ilya close and let his tears roll silently into her shoulder.
Helloooo~~ I missed leaving asks for you! I love you~ (platonically & respectfully)
On that note... Can we get an update for Passion for Fashion? Like, more on Bane, Harold or their mom? Also... Do the bats ever find out about their relation to Bane? Do THEY find out their own backstory in DC? And does Croc know why he's being referred to as an EverBurning by the twins? Will he get curious or just blow up one day and ask? Will they tell him?!(Duh. Course they would if asked)
SO MANNY QUESTIONS BDHSNSH
Danny hits the ground with a pained grunt, the woman who grabbed him floating only a few centimeters above him. He found it a little disrespectful that she let him take damage when she could have ensured he didn't have to.
She ignores his disgruntled glare, fixing her hair and pushing it under her hat. It's a small one, the brim slanting over her face, but distinctive enough that Danny knew it was from before WWII. Dan would probably be able to identify it at a glance, along with her severely out-of-date dress. Part of his fashion obsession is being able to tell what style and what era that style rose in. When he wasn't making clothes, Dan was web-searching the world's fashion history, to a painstaking extent.
Danny saw only a woman of undeniable beauty, perhaps the star of Hollywood's golden age, if she had lived in it. Alas, he could tell by her glow and her slightly off-color pale skin that she was a ghost.
Even her glamorous dress, with a firm fit at the top and draping down her body, definitely reminded him of Hollywood. She even had the long gloves to her elbows on.
"Another flawless rescue," She boasts, adjusting her gloves with a self-satisfied smile.
Danny squints. "I think my leg is broken. From the fall. That you pushed me into."
"Ah, but are you dead?" She asks, one finger on her chin as she looks him over with a giggle. "No, you are still alive....as alive as a fellow like you could be at least. My King, I rescued you flawlessly."
Danny's back said otherwise. He's pretty sure that he can't lift himself up. "And you are?"
"Gotham!" She chirps, lifting the side of her dress and doing a slight curtsy. "Lady Gotham, if you wish to be formal."
"Right," Danny sighs, slowly pushing himself into a sitting position, grimacing as twinges in his back flare up with the movement. Yes, he definitely hurt it. "And what exactly are you?"
"What do you mean?" She counters, one gloved hand pressed against her chest.
"You aren't something that died, I sense no old life energy in you, but you aren't a spirit either. If anything, you're a...concept?" Danny says, staring intently at her.
Her red lipstick stretched into a bright grin."Aren't just the most darling charmer. A concept, no, not just any concept, but rather the concept. The muse. The dream. All can be found in this radiant city, where dreams are reality, and reality is fantasy!"
She twirls around, spreading her arms wide above her, beaming at the hole that they fell through, as if she were calling upon the heavens. Danny started to slowly inch away from her, feeling around the floor for any more holes just in case. He hates to fall even deeper into this cave system.
"Oh, to be chased. To be wanted. But forever outside a human's hold, taunting humanity with what could be." She gushes, hugging herself. "Oh, the drama! The passion!"
Danny is a few painful butt scoots away when she spins around, beaming like a madwoman. "By the way, my King, I have taken you to a cave that not even Batman can reach. You are safe from humans here."
"Wow, never been threatened with such a bright smile before. Two more squares and I get Life Bingo, " He deadpans before her words click in his head, and suddenly the pain vanishes as he leaps up to his feet. "Batman! I need to speak to Batman."
Lady Gotham pulls up short, her figure flickering into fog at the edges before she snaps back into a solid form of a twenty-something woman. "I'm sorry, my King, but I just finished pulling a daring rescue from that man, and now you wish to... go back?"
"I have to. Otherwise, I can never go home again." Danny looks around, searching for an exit, and realizes with a start that they are standing in an unnaturally lit-up cave opening. It seems like a movie set, somehow real at first glance, but upon closer inspection, the walls and the rock formation lack detail. Either Batman had a fake cave set up deeper than his base of operations, or... this was Lady's Gotham's domain.
She had teleported them to her Haunt. Great.
"Where is home?' Lady Gotham asks, flouting up to him. Her accent has somehow sharpened. Before, she had a sort of dizziness to her personality, a little too airheaded, and now....now she looked like a mobster, the kind that sipped wine as people begged for their lives in front of her.
"Amity Park," Danny responded, tracing the wall's edges with his fingers. He can feel an old power in the cave, smooth to the touch, as if it had been ground down by ocean water. Lady Gotham was old, but not nearly as old as a few ghosts he faced before.
"Amity Park." She repeats tasting the word in her mouth with a twist of her lips. "Sounds ghastly. I've never heard of such a place."
"You wouldn't," Danny kicks on a dull part. Her power hums strongest there, which means this is the entrance to the physical world. Her form flickers more into fog, losing the edge of human, but she isn't attacking or stopping Danny. Just in case he keeps her in his peripheral vision. "It's in a different dimension. Clockwork sent me here for a mission."
The air grows heavy. "Oh dear......I'm terribly sorry, My King, but the Lord of Time does not simply send someone to another dimension for a hoot. He never intended for you to come home."
Danny laughs, pulling back a fist and punching as hard as he can on the wall. Spiderweb-like cracks grow under his knuckles, but they all hold. He reels back for another hit. Lady Gotham's form is not entirely gone, leaving behind a feminine face in a clod of fog. Yet somehow, she manages to look like she pities him. "Clockwork wouldn't do that."
"Yes, he would." Lady Gotham mutters, her entire form vanishing by the first burst of wind that comes flying through after another punch by Danny. "He has already done so before."
Danny turns to her in surprise, intending to ask what she meant, but Lady Gotham is long gone. Vanshing like a candle blown out.
"Clockwork wouldn't do that," Danny repeats, shaking his head. "He wouldn't."
He steps through the doorway, trying to convince himself that the bomb strapped to his chest was just a false motivator. After all, if it was meant to kill him, then Batman and his crew shouldn't have been able to get it out of him so easily, right? Right.
Danny pushes her words out of his head and leaps through the opening. Only to scream in horror when he realizes that the cave was not underground but somehow floating above the city, and he had just jumped into a free fall. The second one was within the last ten minutes.
"Oh~ one little human, two little humans, three little humans flying through the air~ One with a gun and one that screams with flair~" Dan sang to the melody of monkeys jumping on the bed while flinging fully grown men around. He twirls with two unfortunate men in each head, laughing happily as he uses their bodies to clear a path through the crowded hallway.
He rounded the corner into a large group of guards, most of them standing around chatting, and had been fighting his way ever since. Scattered English, Spanish, Italian, and shockingly enough, some Japanese was rapidly flung around as the men shouted out warnings or maybe threats?
Dan didn't really bother to learn what any of them were saying. He had a point to prove and humans to humble. To think any of them could hold him, The Walking Apocalypse (Name trademarked by the few human survivors of Amity Park), and get away with it?
"Mijo!" A man shouts, "Stop!"
Dan throws the humans at him, but they bounce- heh- right off his frame as the man wearing the luchador mask comes barreling down the hallway. It takes him a moment to recognize the new threat, but when he does, Dan's eyes start glowing green.
Bane pauses at the sight as Dane's grin turns feral. "Hello, Bane.Decided to take your beating like a man, eh?"
"You have your mother's eyes," Bane gasps, ignoring Dan's question. He folds his hands in front of his chest, like he was watching his son's first school recital. " They glowed just like that when she used her magic."
Dan shoots an ectoplasm beam at him, and Bane hastily dodges it in a back bend that would have made anyone his original age hiss. Even Dan, so many years of not being human, would admit that made his own spine hurt. "You shoot like her too!"
"Shut up!" Dan hissed back, rushing at the man, switching to Spanish as his facial features lost their edge of humanity. Other men in the hallway scattered to the walls as Bane and Dan met in the middle, attempting overpower the other. He was annoyingly strong. "I told you already. You have the wrong pair of twins. And what did you do with my suit!?"
"I have to protect you!" Bane yells. "I won't fail Marina again!"
"Protect your balls!" Dan hisses back, throwing a kick, superpowered by ectoplasm, straight into Bane's groin. The scream is music to his ears, along with the sharp, sympathetic "oh!" from the other men. Bane's knees buckle, but he doesn't fall, which is annoying as Dan prepares for another kick.
The luchedor obviously can tell that's his plan for he tightens his hold on Dan's hands.
"Don't make me use Venom!" Bane yells back in English. "I know all of your spells are based on nearby death. We're far away from a cemetery and a hospital. Just calm down so we can talk."
But Dan no longer cares for what he's saying, for his Obession had just reminded him that he never finished his suit and suddenly nothing more mattered than that.
"Where is my suit!" He screams, his entire eyes now nothing but a green glow, his pupils lost in the shine, and his human side falling away to reveal his white hair. Bane's mouth drops open as Dan's feet leave the floor, rising into the air, and now pushing down on the hands that Bane previously had clapped. "My circus suit! I need to finish it!"
"I-"
"I have a fashion show!" Dan twirls around using Bane's hold to slam him against the walls. A few men scattered as he reeled back and attacked him again and again. "I have deadlines!"
"Jefe!" One man screams, rushing to tackle Dab- though he goes harmlessly through as Dan activates his intanabilitiy. "What do we do?"
"You got your mother's creative mind," Bane shudders, head nodding side to side as he hands limply into Dan's hold. "She made her own dresses....."
Dan's mind snapped into place as his powers vanished. He lifts Bane, and the human dangles before his face. Below him, the other humans watch on nervously, "What style did she use?"
"I...don't know?"
Dan's eyes narrow. "You're worthless, and I see no reason you should live."
"Wait!" Someone from below cuts in desperately, "Your mom is my sister! And I have your watch!"
Dan's annoyance rises; he glares downwards, intending to blow the new human to kingdom come. That is, until he sees what watch he means. In the stranger's hand, held upwards like an offering, is Clockwork's bomb.
The bomb that should be strapped to his core.
In that moment, Dan realizes one thing. These people took the bomb out, thus saving his life. He now, by ghost law, owed them a Core Debt, and that meant he couldn't kill them. It also means he has to obey any of their commands until he repays them, but hopefully, they weren't aware of that.
Taking a deep breath through his nose, he drops Bane, and then, with a tremendous, enormous amount of patience, really, someone should offer him a Nobel prize for this, floats back down until his feet hit the ground and crosses his arms. "You have three minutes of my attention."
"My name is Harold Fenton. I'm Marina's older brother and...um I work for Killer Croc?" His supposed uncle shudders nervously. "I could...get you an autograph?"
Dan's eyes widen. "You work for the sexist EverBurning alive!? No way!"
"I could...better than that, "Bane coughs from the ground, being helped to his feet by two men and raising one finger shakily in the air. "I can help....you make a clothes...brand!"
Dan's core sings. "Really, Papa Bane!? You can!?"
Somewhere, a being of Time is rolling his eyes fondly as he moves a chess piece across the board. He smirks at the board, happy that for the first time in a really long time, a time paradox fixed itself by carving a new place in a different dimension.
The Walking Apocalypse had just completed his mission.
He had found his humanity again.
Dan Fenton would never see Amity Park again, but this moment, this very second in time, ensured he would at least get to see the breaking of dawn again for the rest of his life. It was the small kindness he could offer those who no longer belonged to their home timelines.
Lady Gotham may mourn her time as Elizabeth, who wished desperately beyond comprehension to be human again. Still, she now exists as a Spirit of a city that both adores and hates her, filling her Obession to be the Strongest Mobester her father always wanted without causing the collapse of all humanity through chemical warfare.
Now all that was left was dear old Danny, the only one who still hoped to get home soon. Clockwork knew that it was only a matter of time before he found is reason to stay in Gotham, after all, he had flung the boy to his future in-laws right off the bat of the mission.
Danny had yet to realize his own Obession, which Clockwork had worked into his modeling.
Turning to the time windows displaying the boy's life upuntil that point, he smirked at the signs of his Obession bleeding through into his human side, overwriting every logical thought.
"What a useful Obession to manipulate," He purrs, shifting into a child
Daniel Fenton had attempted to impress his friends after all. He died seeking her Approval, and now he seeks it in anyone he encounters, be that the A-listers, the civilians he used to protect in Amity, the Ghost that bowed to his old throne, or the hordes of Gothamites charmed by his beauty.
It's an interesting obsession, one so fickle but powerful when gained. Clockwork had always found it amusing that his powers were out of control when he first turned into Phantom, which madeDanny be considered one of the weaker ghosts, because the citizens of Amity feared and hated him (Inviso-Bill still makes him snort). Still, the second the Casper High students started calling Phantom cool, Danny became a better fighter.
He always wondered why the boy never questioned that, even when he never trained. Danny got better with experience, true, but he was nearly unstoppable only a few months later. His tactics were sharper, his moves more precise, and his powers wider and adaptable to almost any situation.
Clockwork knew the past, present, and future long before the part of the world Danny would be born into even had a name, but he had still waited with anticipation for the day Danny would encounter Ember McClain.
After all, she was the ghost closest to his core, but with one significant difference. The more people said her name, the stronger she became. The more approval Danny received, the stronger he became, true, but the more he changed.
If Danny could earn the authentic approval of any ghost, he could develop one of their key powers- like the ice core he developed after meeting Klemper, who genuinely wanted to be his friend. The ghostly wail he stole from Kitty and Ember in the future, after their encounter with his younger self- they may not have liked him, but they approved of his ghost ambitions that Dan had created.
Vlad may have been the first Halfa, but he was nowhere near as powerful as Danny's Obsession. Vlad was greedy, Danny was glutinous.
Always seeking more, always seeking approval, from anything and everything.
How entertaining it was to watch.
Danny wasn't even aware that his Obession was causing him to strut around Gotham City, soaking in all the doe-eyed stares and lustful glances when he had no reason to do so between runways. It was like watching a lab rat unknowingly feast upon addictive drugs. Danny's time in Gotham was changing him, and soon, he would have a new ghost power, one that made sirins a cautionary tale in sailors' stories.
"The final piece is now in place." Clockwork smirks, floating a time window towards him. In it, he watches Danny fall through Gotham's skies, right through the window of Tim Drake's sky window, landing quite literally in the boy's lap and witnessing the very moment Danny Fenton's last attachment to Amity Park snaps.
The little model had wandered into his own rat trap.
Someone was in the Manor. Someone that wasn't supposed to be there was in the manor.
Danny didn't particularly care about what happened to The Manor or it's inhabitants, but he did care that he was the only one in the building. Everyone else was either in the cave (he refused to call it by that stupid name) or out on patrol.
Invisibly, intangibly, he left Jason's closet and stood by the door to listen.
Enhanced hearing had the perk of letting him hear long distances. However, it didn't let him hear the entire manor.
He left Jason's room and wandered the halls, not letting his invisibility drop. It would be the Pinnacle of a stupid decision to give the intruder any chance of seeing him.
Especially seeing as the intruder is the Riddler. Not a goon, the actual Riddler.
Danny knew for a fact that none of Batman's rogues took the stealthy approach to anything, so he had to wonder why the hell the Riddler was sneaking into Wayne Manor.
Unless he was there for Danny and Jason.
It was an open secret, as he understood, that Jason had some kind of relationship with the Wayne Family. He was sometimes seen with at least one member of the Wayne Family out in public, so it was a logical conclusion to come too that there was a chance you would be here. Danny, on the other hand, was new, but he was new and seen with Jason who had been seen with the Waynes...
Damn it.
Danny cursed Bruce Wayne's manor. He takes back everything even remotely complementary he said about the security system. If the Riddler could get in without anyone being the wiser, and some serious upgrades needed to be done.
But, still, none of the rogues were really for stealth. Though, if they had to choose someone to be stealthy, he had to admit that the Riddler was the best choice.
But why was the Riddler after him and Jason? Aside, obviously, from the fact that they both escaped Arkham without disturbing an ant.
The Riddler was staring at something in his hands, glancing up occasionally to watch where he was going. Danny stayed a good ten feet away without dropping his invisibility.
"The compass leads here..." he whispered.
There was a crackle from something in his ear. A comm. "Hurry up, Riddle, we've got shit to do."
The Riddler rolled his eyes so hard, Danny could practically hear it. "I'm not about to wake up the whole manor. The Bat's in the city, but we all know he'd drop everything to rescue his dear Brucie."
It had to be Mr. Freeze on the other side. "This distractions won't hold long."
"Why did you even make me come here in the first place? If you're so desperate, you should've come yourself."
"Why'd you agree?" Mr. Freeze shot back, "Besides, you're better at sneaking around."
The Riddler smirked. "Aw, is that a complement?"
"It's an insult, you fucking rat, now hurry up."
The commline went silent and Danny tried his best not to giggle. The two had obviously worked together in the past. They argued like old friends.
Though, he was curious as to what the compass was leading the Riddler to.
Danny risked a closer look, letting intangibility wash over with the invisibility. When he got close enough, he saw the thing looked less like an actual compass and more like a high-tech version of a Mariner's Astrolabe. And it was pointing right at him.
Both Danny and the Riddler stopped dead in their tracks.
"What..?"
Now, Danny knew there was two ways to go about this. One was very much boring and the other promised nothing but fun.
He's nothing if not a fun guy.
So, he let himself become solid and visible, startling the Riddler. "Boo."
He didn't bother to use his powers as he turned and ran back through the halls to Jason's room, very aware that the Riddler was following him like a cat playing with a mouse.
Honestly, you'd think the guy would be a bit more urgent?
Whatever. Danny's not complaining. He can appreciate a good dramatic chase when it allowed his own dramatic flare to shine. (No, his not a hypocrite, thank you very much)
As soon as he shut the door behind him, Danny picked up the comm from the shelf next to the closet door and turned it on. "You idiots hear me?"
"Respawn!" Damian sounded like he was as excited as an assassin barely in their double-digits could. The others sounded mildly confused.
"Nice of you to join us, kid," Jason greeted.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm not staying for long. I just wanted to tell you that your security sucks ass." He ignored the protests and questions and too the comm out.
Just as he set it back down, still on because he's dramatic like that, the door behind him was pushed open and the Riddler walked in like he hadn't just spent twenty minutes looking for his target. "What's black and white and colder than ice?"
"I don't suppose the answer's an emperor penguin, right?"
The Riddler tapped the head of his cane which made a buzzing noise like a wrong answer buzzer on a gameshow. "Wrong answer, ghost boy."
This time, fully prepared, Danny let the Riddler knock him out.
So he's curious to know what they want with him. So sue him.
Summary: Stone is experiencing the consequences of Robotnik's actions.
Warnings: Mentions of forced breeding, mentions of forced pregnancy, sexual assault, forced sedation
Part 1 Part 11 Part 13
--
Stone's recovery had gone much smoother once he had something to do with his hands. His first few attempts at knitting ended up with a too small scarf and a hat that could fit an elephant. However, each time he presented his creations to Robotnik, the doctor would pet him on the head and tell him good job.
As long as it kept Stone from sneaking off and prolonging his injuries, Robotnik was content.
Once Stone's ankle was healed, he was allowed to be up and about, going back to most of his duties. However, Robotnik was cautious about letting him lift anything until he was sure Stone's shoulder was fine.
So, while the Hybrid would pout and whine about not being allowed to carry a badnik, he would relent at the threat of being put back on bedrest.
"Your latte, sir."
Stone was beaming at him, his tail wagging lazily as he handed over the steaming cup. Taking it, Robotnik hummed at the taste. He didn't know how the Hybrid cultivated the skill of making excellent coffee, but he wasn't complaining any time soon.
"Good. Now go do something useful."
"Yes, sir."
Stone turned away, his smile not diminishing in the least.
Sipping at the latte, Robotnik frowned when the front door's camera pinged. Opening up the camera feed, he saw four soldiers.
However, he didn't recognize their uniforms or the symbol on their chests. What did concern him was what they were holding; were those cattle prods?
"Who is it, doctor?" Stone asked, coming back over.
"Some idiots. Probably want to sell us girl scout cookies," Robotnik snorted. He could hear Stone chuckling as he approached until it was cut short with a small gasp.
Turning from the screen, Robotnik looked up at his agent.
Stone was shaking.
His throat was working around his collar as he swallowed shakily, his face turning paler and paler as he stared at the screen. Ears plastered to his skull, Stone's eyes were huge as he tucked his tail between his legs.
"Stone?" Robotnik called gently, but it was as if the Hybrid couldn't hear him. "Who are they?"
All Stone could do was shake his head, his breathing speeding up. Concerned, Robotnik stood and raised a hand to touch Stone's shoulder, only for the agent to flinch back. A small whine burst from Stone's lips as he stared at Robotnik with obvious fear.
"Stay here," Robotnik told him firmly. He'd get rid of those soldiers.
One way or another.
Marching towards the elevator, he called six badniks to his side. All of them were his latest model--not only were they armed with bullets, but he had finally figured out the laser issue. Now, they could kill with even more precision.
As the elevator climbed, Robotnik had to wonder what had spooked Stone so horribly. Were these soldiers the ones who had tormented Stone during his training?
Using his glove, he pulled up a holographic screen and began searching up the logo on their uniforms.
"Hybrid Division," he mumbled to himself. The logo was in the shape of a shield with the side profile of a dog, most likely a German Shepard if he had to guess. Did they only employ dog Hybrids?
Stepping out of the elevator, he had the badniks surround him on all sides. He would let their guns do most of the talking.
He glared fiercely at the soldiers as the door slide open.
"What do you want?" He snapped.
"We're here to collect a Hybrid agent, sir." The lead soldier stood straighter. Robotnik could barely see the man's eyes through the thick helmet he was wearing.
In fact, the whole group seemed far too suited up for an escort mission.
They were covered head to toe in heavily padded armor, helmets, and bullet proof vests. Each of them carried a long cattle prod while one had much longer stick with a wire loop at the end. Another held chains and handcuffs.
Over my dead body!
"Where are you taking him?" Robotnik's glare hardened further.
"The Hybrid was notified to report to the breeding program two weeks ago. Since it has not come willingly, we are here to collect. As its superior, you should have been notified as well."
Robotnik narrowed his eyes. He most certainly hadn't been notified. The only emails he ever received were either from Walters, idiots he never wanted to deal with, or offers for Olive Garden that he had yet to figure out how to unsubscribe from.
And it wasn't as if he ever checked his email nowadays, not since he had given the tedious job to Stone--
Mentally facepalming, Robotnik wanted to yell.
He honestly shouldn't be surprised Stone would delete the email and never tell him about it. The Hybrid was no doubt hoping the issue would disappear if he didn't acknowledge it.
"I was under the impression the breeding program was purely voluntary," Robotnik ventured.
"Not anymore," the soldier informed him. "General White has made it mandatory for all Hyrbids to join the program if they are found healthy enough. During the last training, all Hybrids were evaluated."
Robotnik wanted to laugh. Healthy my ass, he thought. The general was creating a fucked up eugenics program was what he was doing.
Wait. The soldier had mentioned the last training. If they were examining Stone for the breeding program, was that how Stone was injured?
The bruised ankles and wrists, the sprained ankle, and dislocated shoulder.
It all made sense now.
Stone had fought back harshly against his restraints as they tried to determine if he was fit for the breeding program. And now, when he had spotted the soldiers, he had been frightened.
Tightly holding onto his temper, Robotnik stared at the four soldiers. They looked as if they were going to capture a rabid animal.
"Agent Stone isn't going anywhere."
"Sir, it's mandatory--"
"I DON'T CARE!"
Seething, Robotnik lifted his hand and the badniks opened their guns. They might have their armor, but nothing could withstand his lasers.
"White can send as many of you as he wants, but Stone's not going anywhere."
A laser shot out, right above the shoulder of the main soldier he had been speaking to. Instantly, all of them ducked, a few shouting in surprise.
Robotnik could make out the fear in their eyes as they stared at him.
More lasers rained down at them.
Smirking at the sound of running feet and terrified shouting, Robotnik let the badniks chase the group. They would return as soon as the soldiers left the base. For now, he let the door slide shut again.
Immediately, he began to pull up everything he could on General White.
What he found had him wanting to curse until he was purple in the face.
White had been petitioning for a stronger breeding program for years in the Hybrid Division. It had been General Cunningham who had stopped every motion and kept the program firmly voluntary. Even if voluntary actually meant "heavily encouraged" to certain Hyrbids like Stone and Rockwell.
Now that White was in control, the first thing he had done was to have every Hybrid medically examined. Stone must have checked all the boxes because he had quickly been sent a notice to report to the breeding program.
Delving further into White's personal history, he found that the man had several Hybrids assigned to him.
All of them female.
Arriving in the main lab, Robotnik fell into his chair as he transferred his search onto the large screen. The room was eerily quiet as he hacked into White's computer, both work and home.
With each passing minute, the more nauseated Robotnik felt.
Not only had White been campaigning for a large breeding program, he had been doing so for years.
As it stood, the breeding program would allow for Hybrids to find healthy partners and have their children's needs taken care of if they joined the program. If they didn't want the child, they could give them up for adoption and gain a large sum of money. The whole idea was that a new generation of Hybrids would be ready to join the military.
However, White had taken it further.
With the huge influx of children, they would secretly be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Either other officials who wanted their own attack dog, or private families who wanted a Hybrid for their own sick fantasies.
Clicking open a hidden folder on White's personal computer, he found yet another reason why White wanted more Hybrids in the program.
The man didn't have to worry about impregnating his own Hybrids if they were already pregnant.
The folder consisted of hundreds of lewd pictures of White with various Hybrids, most of them dog Hybrids. Some showed the Hybrids in their uniforms, other in compromising positions, and others doing sexual acts to each other or White himself.
When Robotnik had Cunningham killed, he never imagined the man had been protecting the Hybrids from a man much worse.
If Cunningham hadn't unexpectedly died, he would have picked his own successor, one that wouldn't allow White to go ahead with his plans.
Head dropping into his hands, Robotnik let out a groan of frustration.
"Better the devil you know," he groused.
The new program was in full swing now, with dozen upon dozens of Hybrids already forced into it. Who knew how the breeding process was conducted; either 'naturally' or otherwise, he didn't know.
All he knew was he couldn't let Stone go through that.
Raising his head, Robotnik frowned. Where was Stone?
The Hybrid hadn't been in the lab when he came back, nor did he hear the Hybrid. Using his glove, he let out the high pitched frequency to call Stone.
A minute passed.
Stone was still nowhere to be seen.
Hitting the button again, Robotnik began to worry. Had the soldiers successfully captured Stone?
Checking the tracking device in Stone's collar, it showed he was still in the building. Unfortunately, it wasn't precise enough to say where in the building. Getting to his feet, Robotnik sent out a dozen, small badniks to sweep the building.
Meanwhile, he continued to let out the signal.
Why was Stone not responding?
After waiting a few more excruciating minutes, he was alerted to a heat signature deep in the lab.
Stomping through the lab's corridors, Robotnik could feel his panic overriding his rage. Had Stone's injuries relapsed? Was he incapacitated somewhere?
Arriving in a storage room, Robotnik frowned and checked his watch again. The badnik had declared this was where it had found Stone. But, the room didn't reveal anything.
The storage room had piles of boxes, shelves filled to the brim, and walls covered with storage cabinets. The little badnik beeped at him before leading him towards a cabinet in the corner. Nothing was out of the ordinary as he cautiously grabbed the handle.
All he was greeted with was various boxes of bolts and screws. It wasn't until he glanced down that he met large, frightened eyes.
Stone was curled into a tight ball, shoved into the shelf underneath the bolts.
A low growl had Robotnik jolting back, his blood turning cold at the sound. The last time he heard Stone make that sound, the Hybrid had ripped out a man's throat with his teeth.
"Stone!" Robotnik barked down at his agent. "Get out of there!"
Stone's lips curled back further, his teeth flashing in the low light. His growl began to grow louder. Robotnik could see one of Stone's hands moving upwards, his claws on clear display.
"I won't say it again," Robotnik hissed. "Get. Out. Here."
Stone swiped at him. His black, painted claws nearly sliced Robotnik's calf as he let out a snarl, his teeth snapping at the air.
Eyes wide, Robotnik didn't know what to do. It was as if Stone was a full animal that couldn't be reasoned with. Straightening his shoulders, Robotnik subtly pressed a few buttons before kneeling a good distance from Stone, getting on his level.
"I know why those soldiers were here," he kept his voice gentle this time. Stone's growling didn’t stop. "You didn't tell me about the breeding program."
His growl turned into a pathetic whine, but his claws remained poised. Robotnik could see a flash of guilt in Stone's eyes. No doubt he knew he'd get in trouble for deleting Robotnik's emails and hiding information from him.
"What did they do at your last training, Stone?"
The Hybrid shook his head viciously. His whining increased as his eyes grew wet.
"Did they touch you?" Robotnik asked carefully.
Stone nodded, his other arms wrapping around his knees tightly.
"Do you want to join the breeding program?"
Stone shook his head and let out a small sniffle.
Slowly, Robotnik tried to shuffle closer, but Stone's growling returned. Rolling his eyes, Robotnik huffed.
"I know you can talk, Stone. Stop acting like an untrained puppy."
That got him an angry pout, but it did the trick.
Stone was so focused on him, he didn't notice the other badnik coming up to him until it was too late.
"Ah!" Stone yelped as a needle was stuck into the side of his neck. With lightning quick reflexes, Stone swatted the little badnik into the floor and destroyed it, but it was too late. The sedative was fast acting as Stone blinked rapidly against the drug.
Robotnik watched as Stone's hand fell to his side, his claws useless now. His body slowly unfurled and he slumped out of the cubby. Eyes half mast, Stone groaned as he groggily stared at Robotnik.
"It'll wear off in an hour," he told the Hybrid as he could finally approach.
Stone's body was limp as he scooped the Hybrid up into his arms. While not fully unconscious, Stone could barely keep his eyes open. His head fell onto Robotnik's shoulder.
"I told you," he whispered into Stone's ear. "I'm not letting anyone take you from me."
