Chapter Text
Thirteen year olds don’t usually show up to military-grade investigations but here Izzy was, her pink plastic heart sunglasses blocking the sun from piercing her eyes as she followed behind her mentor Dr Robotnik and his sad, puppy-like agent/assistant. The trio had exited a giant red truck, currently heading toward the military detachment near a baseball diamond.
Izzy could feel the confused eyes on her and she relished in the attention. What? A kid is here? That's not safe. Where are her parents? With intention, the Doctor approached a very important looking man, who had put his hand on his holster just in case he needed it.
“Who the hell are you? You can’t bring a toddler around here,” the man glared.
"I'm actually a teenager," Izzy arched an eyebrow, letting her sunglasses slide down her nose. She had just turned thirteen recently and she wanted everybody to know it. The angry old man rolled his eyes.
“Are you in charge here?” Robotnik asked, removing his own sunglasses and shoving them in his shirt pocket.
“Yes I am–”
“Nope!”
“My–”
“Wrong!”
“Name–”
“I’m in charge.”
They went back and forth like that for a moment as the Doctor showed his qualifications while simultaneously insulting the man. Meanwhile Izzy just sipped her juice box (yes she is thirteen and drinking apple juice; leave her alone) watching the altercation without a care in the world. And she felt badass.
“Agent Stone?” Robotnik barked, turning on his heeled boot and walking away.
Obediently, Stone took a step forward, standing exactly where Robotnik had stood a few moments ago. “The Doctor thinks you’re basic.”
“Izzy, get over here,” Robotnik curled his finger in a coaxing gesture as he absentmindedly pressed some buttons on his glove control panel. The girl did as she was told and stood right next to him, reluctantly taking his hand as he extended it to her absentmindedly. “Stone, is he still looking at me funny?”
“Yes he is,” Stone responded, staring directly at the Major with a neutral expression- though there was a sense of haughtiness in his eyes.
The Doctor hummed, still gripping Izzy’s hand with his gloved one. It made Izzy smile just a little at the small gesture, even if it was just to keep her close to him. In all of his years of mentoring her, he wasn't much to show affection. Even if legally, he was considered her father he still treated her like a student more than anything. “Tell him to stop or I’ll pull up his search history,” Robotnik said.
“If you don’t stop looking at the doctor,” Stone stated, “he’ll take a closer look–”
“I’m not deaf.” The Major narrowed his eyes in annoyance.
Egg drones flew all around the area, scanning for trace evidence that the human eye usually overlooks.
“And tell him his men report to me now. Blahh blah blah.. blah blah.” Robotnik let go of Izzy’s hand and the girl frowned slightly though she should have known it wouldn't have lasted very long..
As Robotnik decided to taunt the Major more, encircling him with his insults and quick quips, Stone subtly stood next to Izzy as she finished off the last of her juice box, the slurping sound loud and very clearly grating to Stone.
The agent snatched the empty container from her before she had a chance to react.
"Hey!" She huffed as he crushed the box in his hand and shoved it in his pocket.
"You are done with that," was all he said. Izzy glared at him pointedly, looking back over toward her mentor.
"- is that you're now reading at a 3rd grade level. Have you finished Charlotte's Web yet?"' Dr Robotnik laughed, mocking the Major. His head whipped in Izzy's direction and the young girl's eyes widened in slight confusion. "Izzy, my dear apprentice. What book did you just finish?"
The girl blinked. "War and Peace by Andy Tolstoy." He made her read big books as a part of her education.
"Even this child is smarter than you, imbecile."
Izzy beamed at that. She liked when the Doctor showed her off because it meant he cared about her and was proud of her. ...If she ignored the fact he called her a child to put down a military man.
More insulting ensues. Izzy could care less to listen in. She instead watched the military and government agents talking to each other, setting up perimeters and surveying the area. She had tagged along on many of Robotnik's missions so she does not feel the slightest bit out of place. Even if she does stand out for being a teenager in an adult world.
She set her heart shaped glasses onto her head, studying the people as she wondered what they were talking about. She was extremely tempted to wander off and listen in out of sheer boredom and slight curiosity but she did not want to be yelled at.
Izzy's eyes tracked the drones as they flew around the grassy clearing. Some of them even flew into the woods.
"Can you feel it, Stone?" Robotnik laughed, startling Izzy as she hadn't realized he right behind them. The Doctor put a hand on the agent's shoulder.
With a slight waver in his voice, Stone replied, "I can feel it, Doctor." She could tell Stone had feelings for Robotnik in the way the man stared at the doctor in complete and total admiration and adoration. She was sure it was obvious to everyone except the one he was pining for.
For some reason it ticked Izzy off.
"It's evolution, my friends." Robotnik pressed a few buttons on his gloves and then proceeded to clench his fists. "It's evolution!"
The drones buzzed silently as they flew off into the distance, their hum fading out as they disappeared.
"Stone, take my protégé back into the truck. I will join you two in a moment," the man waved the pair off.
Izzy stared up at the agent, still upset over the juice box. Stone held out his hand toward her but the girl did not take it. "I'm not holding your hand," she stuck her tongue out. As smart as she was, she was still a kid. A spoiled one at that.
Stone sighed and just motioned her to follow him. "Come on Isadora."
Back in the truck, Stone pulled out a chair for her to sit in and then he disposed of the juice box from his pocket. "I'm still mad about the juice box," Izzy told him.
"I know you don't like me Isadora, but your father-"
"Shut the fuck up? He isn't my father." She felt like she had to shut that train of thought down before Robotnik returned. He was her mentor. Nothing more. He's told her that numerous times during her childhood when she came to him for comfort. She wasn't going let this random agent put ideas in her head that Robotnik was her father. Even if he had adopted her, legally changed her last name to his, and gave her everything she had ever desired.
Stone seemed slightly offended by her brash outburst, his face contorting into one of slight, maintained anger. He took a deep breath. "You really should not be cursing. Where did you even learn that type of language anyway?"
At that very moment, the Doctor burst into the lab in a dramatic fashion. "Alright fuckers. Let's get this party started!"
"Ah." Stone sighed, following behind the doctor. As he always does.
Ugh. Why does Stone like him so much?
★・・・・・・★
On one side of the Doctor was Izzy. On the other side, Stone. The truck was making its way down the road, barreling through the streets as it broke the speed limit. He was never a good driver but always insisted on being the one in charge of the wheel.
Before she could even brace herself, Robotnik hit the breaks, swerving slightly to parallel park in front of someone's house. Izzy's head nearly slammed into the console in front of her if it wasn't for the seatbelt holding her in place. The doctor motioned for her to follow, carefully placing his sunglasses on the bridge of his nose.
Wrestling with the seatbelt, she got out of her seat, trailing him as if she were his shadow. Loyal. Stone got out of his seat, too. "No, not you," Robotnik waved his hand haphazardly in the agent's general direction, "I want you to... hold down the fort and keep an eye out."
Izzy held back a laugh at Stone's sad disappointment.
"But doctor, it could be dangerous and Isadora-" Robotnik cut him off.
There was a hint of annoyance in his eyes, standing tall over the agent despite only having a few more inches in heigh over him. "I think I can handle myself just fine. And Izzy here is a smart girl. I raised her well. Are you doubting my parenting skills Agent Stone?" The agent visibly cringed inward, almost inviting Robotnik to be even taller.
"I'm not doubting that sir, I just thought.." Stone's eyes flitted over to the girl who almost looked offended that he would think she couldn't handle herself. "Never mind..." he sighed.
A smug smile crossed the doctor's face. "That's what I thought. Izzy!" He quickly turned on his heel and left the truck.
The girl straightened up, her eyes widening. "I'm coming," she grinned, sticking her tongue out at the man being left behind.
"You're an actual child," he sighed, watching the girl leave with the doctor.
With a huff, Izzy picked up her pace, finding Robotnik's side as they walked down a gravel path. "I don't like Agent Stone. Why do you keep him around?" she asked him, looking up at the man. He contemplated the question as he kneeled down to look at a disturbed plant in the garden.
"He's a funny man," he responded, swiping his finger in the dirt and licking it to presumably taste the pH level. He was good at that. "He is good at some things and I supposed that's useful. Why do you think I keep you around?”
“Cuz you care-“ she was interrupted by a man who had left his house and called out to them from his doorway.
“Hello? Can I help you?” the man asked.
Robotnik straightened, one arm behind his back and one in front of him, an inquisitive look on his face. He stepped up to the man’s porch. “Good morning, my rural chum. I'm… from the power company, investigating the blackout. If you don't mind, I'd like to take a few readings inside your house?”
The brunette man was stood protectively in his doorway, slight suspicion on his face as he looked down at Izzy but didn’t acknowledge her. Instead, he made direct eye contact with the doctor and smiled, “No kidding! You're from the power company? You must know my buddy Spencer. We play softball together.”
Her mentor took a very audible, deep breath, giving Izzy a certain, slightly annoyed look that luckily she could read very well and figure out what he wanted her to do. She pursed her lips as the pair kept talking and she looked dead on past the man and into his house, analysing the space between him and the doorframe.
Izzy was small- 5’1 to be exact- but was she small enough to fit through? But she knew it wasn’t time yet.
“—the reality is, I surpassed EVERYTHING YOU'RE EVER GOING TO DO… before I was a toddler. I was spitting out formulas while you were still spitting up formula,” Robotnik spat, standing over the man who she swear she heard him say his name was Tom when she was calculating.
Tom’s brows furrowed. “I was breastfed, actually.”
Dr. Robotnik scoffed, “Nice. Rub that in my orphan face.” Sometimes Izzy forgets that her mentor was also an orphan. He doesn’t talk about it often. “Mr. Wachowski, are you familiar with US Code 904, Title 10, Article 104?”
They were deep in their argue-conversation. Robotnik was too busy trying to one up Tom. Izzy is a bored teenager who’d rather be doing anything else rigjt now.
“Here’s the thing. I’m never wrong,” Robotnik smiled wildly.
“Well there’s a first time for everything.”
Izzy took it as her cue seeing as Tom was distracted. She quickly dashed past the man, barely managing to squeeze through. Luckily she was able to rely on his surprise in order to slip past.
“Hey! Wait!” Tom yelled in surprise as Izzy darted through the house. He hesitantly chased behind her, Robotnik also following behind him.
And then Tom grabbed her by her collar, yanking Izzy back aggressively, probably more so than he intended but she wanted him to feel bad enough to let her go. “Ow! That really hurt!”
A raccoon scurried across the counter and with her fake watering of the eyes, perfected after years of practice, Izzy burst into crocodile tears. “No no no please don’t cry.” Tom frowned, immediately releasing his grip on her collar and taking a step back to give the girl space.
Izzy continued to fake sob, the tears coming heavy. “You could have choked me!” She cried. It was a good distraction because she could hear Robotnik behind her, walking around.
“Oh would you look at that,” the doctor picked up a glowing blue stick-like thing. Izzy ceased her crying instantly, wiping her faux tears off her cheeks. Robotnik waved his hand in front of his face. “Note the lack of surprise.” Izzy elbowed Tom in the gut, watching as the man clutched his stomach. She darted behind her mentor.
Robotnik whistled a familiar classical tune as a badnik drone pointed itself at Tom. Izzy heard a faint shuffling nearby and whipping her head toward the direction of the sound.
”Five…” The doctor started to count down and the drone hummed to life, heating up it’s core for the laser. The rustling got louder.
”Two…”
Something blue burst into the room, exclaiming, “Wait! Don’t hurt him!” His blue quills flared in panic.
Robotnik screamed.
Tom took that as an opportunity to punch the doctor square in the face with the strength of a man who had wasted potential. The once proud and authoritative man Izzy had grown to see as a powerful figurehead in her life, crumpled to the ground like a pathetic little rag doll that could be tossed and discarded like any other human being. He’d been knocked out.
”Doctor!” Izzy gasped, her mind racing. He couldn’t be dead, right? She was definitely not panicking right now. For a moment, she swore she got deja vú.
The drone in the air started going off, shooting it’s dangerous red lasers wherever it could. Izzy quickly knelt before the doctor, trying to shake the man awake but before she could even try, Tom pulled her away in an attempt to protect her from the dangerous lasers.
The blue creature had zoomed around the room with a colorful trail to follow behind him from the top of a shelf to the top of the drone, his weight causing it to spin out of control. It yelled, “This was a horrible plan! What was I thinking?!” Like a mechanical bull, it tried to throw the creature off.
Eventually, the drone did manage to throw it off of him and he landed against a wall, leaving an alien shaped indent in the wallpaper. Tom grabbed a hard, round object from the counter and smashed it against the drone, breaking it. Sparks flew for a second from it’s glass “eye” before it faltered in the air and fell to the ground.
”Come on, we got to get out of here!” Tom grabbed the blue creature, throwing him over his shoulder carefully. And before Izzy could react or even fight him off, Tom picked her up by her waist with ease.
”Put me down!” Her limbs flailed as he ran out of the house. She let out a blood curdling scream to try and alert anyone (she wouldn’t even mind Stone coming to save her), her teeth sinking into his forearm in an attempt to get him to let her go. And though she tasted blood, his grip on her did not let up.
”Just sit tight and we’ll get you away from him.” Tom promised her, setting her in the backseat and buckling her up. He then set the blue creature in the passenger seat and buckled him up as well.
But Tom didn’t know anything. He was assuming. And he would not listen to her about it.
Izzy thrashed against the belt but he had tightened it so much she couldn’t get it off of her. “Let me go! My fath- The doctor will kill you for this!” she hissed as the ignition started. Tom hit the gas, taking off down the road way past the speed limit allowed.
”Trust me kid. It’s for your own good..” Tom sighed, glancing at her through the rear view mirror with kind eyes. But he didn’t understand!
”Donut Lord?” Sonic slurred, still recovering from being thrown against a wall, looking back at Izzy with slight confusion. “Did we just kidnap a kid?”
”Yes we did Sonic. Yes we did.”
★・・・・・・★
The genius groaned, carefully picking himself up. “Doctor, are you okay?” his annoying assistant called out to him, running into the house. The empty house. A house with a severe lack of a human and a blue alien. “I saw a guy race out of here with Izzy and I thought—“
With Izzy.
Anger bubbles up inside the moustached man and he looked down at his inferior with contempt. He hissed, venom in his voice, “That you should stop them? That you should save my kid? Open your mouth and say you thought that you should stop them.”
Like the obedient little dog he was, Stone opened his mouth without hesitation, an attempt to explain himself leaving his lips, “No, I thought that maybe I should check to see if you were okay…”
Gloved hand shoved inside Stone’s mouth as Robotnik grabbed him by the jaw and yanked him forward in an attempt to shut him up. Soon, their chests were touching, their body heats radiating against each other.
”You know what's hard about being the smartest person in the world?”
”Everyone else seems stupid,” Stone mumbled through the doctor’s leather gloves.
Robotnik laughed harshly, “Stupid, yes! Way to go! You got that one.” He released Agent Stone and wiped his gloves on the man’s coat without care. “Whatever this creature is, it's our job to secure it, neutralize it, uncover the source of its power. And if it resists, we take it apart. Piece by piece.”
Carefully he puts his broken glasses back on, one lens popped out of the frame. “See what makes it tick. It also bothered him that they had Izzy. She could reveal all of his secrets. She was a liability and it was best if he got her back immediately.
As he left the destroyed house, tossing his broken sunglasses to the ground, his mind kept drifting back to Izzy, the girl he took everywhere. The girl he had grown a small percent fond of. He would never admit it out loud but he was a bit worried for her.
He sighed. “I’m growing soft…”