Chapter Text
He could hear the rhythmic crash of the waves against the rocks echo in the distance. A sound that would have normally soothed Robotnik if he had the luxury of free time to go to the cliffs and truly appreciate it himself.
But instead, the cold wind tugged at his coat and hair, and the dark night sky above seemed to mirror the grimness of his situation
His hands were bound tightly behind his back, the ropes digging into his skin with each failed attempt to break free. Eyes covered with a blindfold and his usual confidence was replaced by frustration as he assessed the situation, feeling the cold night air sting his skin.
The mercenaries who took him had managed to break into his home’s perimeters and make the jump on Robotnik. They were prepared. They moved with precision, cutting power to critical systems and Robotnik, though brilliant and resourceful, was no match for their sheer numbers and brutal force. The struggle had been brief; his attempts to fight back had been met with calculated blows that left him winded and subdued. During the struggle, they were able to strip him of his tech gloves, and without the gloves, his connection to his badniks was severed. They were nothing more than inert machines now, useless when he needed them most.
“Well, that’s the last time I go home to sleep.” Robotnik grumbled bitterly to himself, his gaze fixed on the dark ocean below, its churning waters a sign of his impending fate.
Robotnik, despite his dire situation, still has his sharp, smartass, tongue. “This is a bit over the top, don’t you think?” he says, “If you’re going to kill me, just shoot me. Why all the theatrics?”
Only one of the mercenaries behind Robotnik start to chuckle darkly before he speaks up, “Oh, we could’ve shot you,” he admits, his voice low and gravelly and muffled by a mask “But where’s the fun in that? This way’s cleaner. No bullets, no blood—just the ocean swallowing you whole.”
Robotnik then heard the footsteps begin approaching from behind him. A heavy hand landing firmly on his shoulder, pressing him forward. The touch was almost mocking, as if they were savouring his helplessness. “Besides, there’s something poetic about a man like you meeting his end in the unforgiving embrace of the ocean. Don’t you think?”
A shiver ran down Robotnik’s spine, not from fear, but from a quiet, simmering rage. He could feel the rope pulling at his wrists. He’s been through countless close calls before, but this was different. There was no escape here—just the brutal certainty of his end.
He knew that if this was the end, he wasn’t going to go down quietly. “Poetic? How delightfully theatrical. I’m sure your client will appreciate the wasted time and effort.”
“Enough talk!” the same low, muffled voice barked.
Robotnik barely had time to react before rough hands gripped his arms, yanking him forward with brutal force and with little regard for his balance.
They dragged him closer to the edge, his heart pounding louder with every step. When they stopped, his heels staggered dangerously on the cliff, while his collar was pulled tight against his throat as one of his mercenaries held him back from falling over, the new strain biting into his skin.
There was a sharp tug from behind, and suddenly, the blindfold was ripped away. Robotnik blinked rapidly as his eyes adjusted to the moonlit scene before him. The night the sky was a blanket of dark clouds with no moonlight to guide him. His eyes darted downward to the frothing sea, its dark waters crashing violently against jagged rocks and its depths was an endless and hungry void.
A pang of fear twisted in his chest, but Robotnik squashed it ruthlessly. He refused to let them see him falter. His captors might have had the upper hand, but he would not grant them the satisfaction of breaking his composure.
To his side, a tall, muscular man dressed in dark attire loomed ominously, the acrid scent of tobacco clung to him, mixing unpleasantly with the salt air. The man’s face was hidden behind a mask, but Robotnik could see the glint of satisfaction in his eyes almost as sharp as the knife strapped to his belt.
Robotnik lifted his chin, summoning every ounce of strength and bravado he had left. “I’ve dealt with far worse,” he declared, his voice cold and defiant. It was a lie. He hadn’t. “And you’ll regret this,” he added, the words rolling off his tongue like venom. “Do you have any idea who I am?”
The mercenary’s dark chuckle cut through the air, full of disdain. “Oh, we know who you are,” he sneered, stepping closer until Robotnik could feel the oppressive heat of his breath. “You think your name will save you now?”
Robotnik didn’t respond, but his narrow glare spoke volumes.
“No,” the mercenary continued, savouring the moment. “We were paid to do a job. And it’s time to finish it.”
The masked mercenary raises his hand, then he leans down, his face inches from Robotnik’s. “Any last words, genius?”
Robotnik narrows his eyes, his voice steady even as his heart pounds. “Just one,” he says, his voice icy. “You’re all idiots.”
The mercenary laughs, standing upright again. “That’s more than one, but I’ll let it slide. I will miss that sharp tongue of yours, doctor. Enjoy the swim.” he says mockingly, before nodding to his fellow mercenaries.
In that moment, Robotnik felt himself propelled forward as gravity pulls his over the edge.
The world blurred around him, wind rushing past his ears in a deafening roar as he plummeted toward the water. His body twisting through the air, the cold wind biting at his skin. Then, with a deafening crash, he hits the icy water.
The impact was brutal, and the cold water of the sea is quick to engulf him, dragging him down into its depths. Fortunately, he managed to miss the jagged rocks. But the saltwater began to sting his eyes, and his lungs scream for air as he struggles against the ropes binding his hands. But the weight of his soaked clothes pulls him deeper into the abyss. Panic surged through him as he fought against the ropes, and he kicks and twist in desperation.
But with the saltwater in his eyes and in his throat, his lungs screamed louder for oxygen and the surface is now impossibly far away, his vision starting to blur. As the last remnants of air left his lungs, his vision blurred, and his thoughts began to dissolve into nothingness, his final fleeting thought crossed his mind—This is it. This is how I die.
Just as the darkness threatened to claim him, through the gloom came movement that flickered in the corner of his vision.
Something was coming toward him with startling speed. He thought it was a shark or some other sea animal coming in to see his soon-to-be floating, lifeless corpse. But then he manages to something shimmering in the dark water, like scales catching the moon light. His vision wavered, but he could just make out a figure, it was no fish. It was a figure—a human figure with a long, scaled tail that was swimming towards him, strong and fast. Like a…mermaid?
He dismissed it as a simple hallucination, the dying flickers of his imagination conjuring fantastical shapes brought on by oxygen deprivation. But as it drew closer, he continued to see the unmistakable shimmers of the scales reflecting the light, and that it continued to come towards him. And the unmistakable sight of a male torso.
‘Oh, not a mermaid. But a merman. Even better.’ Robotnik sarcastically thought, disbelief mingling with despair. Why is a merman coming towards him? Surely a predator of the deep, drawn to his helplessness to have a quick and easy meal. ‘Great! First kidnapped, then thrown into the ocean to drown, and now I’m fish food for a mythical beast.’
The merman swam closer, its eyes locking onto him with an intensity that sent a shiver down Robotnik’s spine—though whether it was from the cold depths or something else, he couldn’t tell.
The creature moved effortlessly through the water, The merman swam closer, its sleek, agile body moving with a fluid grace that seemed almost hypnotic. Robotnik, still reeling from the panic and adrenaline of his near-death experience, could only stare as the creature approached, its movements unnervingly deliberate.
The merman began to circle him, its presence seemingly both menacing and oddly mesmerizing. The motion of its body sent ripples through the water, the subtle currents pulling Robotnik ever so slightly, pulling him into an unsteady spin
The creature’s silhouette blurred as it moved, a swift streak in the vast darkness of the ocean. The merman completed its circle, then stopped, and just…floated close in front of him. For a moment, it didn’t make a move, its body poised as though considering its next action. It simply floated there, its powerful tail keeping it steady, its silhouette distorted by the water.
Robotnik tried to see its face clearer, but the sting of saltwater burning his eyes and blurry vision was not in his favour, making it difficult to make out the finer details of the creature’s face. Robotnik’s chest ached as he struggled to hold his breath, his lungs screaming for air. Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to look away. The creature’s gaze was unrelenting, piercing through him as though it could see every thought, every fear, every secret.
The merman moved in front of him now, still and watchful. Robotnik seeing its eyes were glowing purple as they looked right at him, getting closer. It tilted its head slightly, eyes narrowed
The merman wasn’t attacking. It wasn’t leaving. It was just…looking.
A flicker of movement. The faintest shift in the water. Then—warmth on his cheeks.
The creature’s hand, impossibly warm compared to the cold sea, suddenly cupped Robotnik’s face. The touch was firm, steady, and startlingly gentle. A contrast to the brutal, unrelenting force of the ocean surrounding them. Robotnik’s eyes widened in shock, a bubble of air slipping from his lips as the merman’s fingers traced along his jaw, tilting his face slightly.
Then it leaned in.
Robotnik’s mind raced. Was it going to kill him? Was this some strange, predatory act?
But then, the impossible for Robotnik happened.
Lips pressing against his own.
The kiss was so sudden that Robotnik didn’t even have time to recoil. His eyes suddenly widened in shock, forgetting about the salty stinging. Any part of his body he could still feel went tense, his thoughts going into a chaotic whirl. Soft. Unexpectedly tender.
The kiss was firm, purposeful, warm, comforting and not at all what he expected from a mythical sea creature. The weightless sensation of being suspended in the sea became clearer. And then, ever so faintly, he felt something glide around his legs—smooth, strong, and unmistakably there.
The merman’s tail.
It coiled lightly, not restraining him, but holding him steady, anchoring him in place as the kiss deepened. Robotnik shuddered, overwhelmed by the surreal intimacy of the moment. He should be fighting, should be questioning, should be doing anything other than surrendering to this bizarre, impossible reality.
But against all logic, he didn’t pull away. Not that he could anyway.
But he had no time to wonder as he had no breath left to hold. The kiss deepened more and that’s when Robotnik felt something remarkable: the tightness and burning in his chest eased and the sensation was warm, surreal even.
He can breathe.
Each second of the kiss seemed to push life back into his lungs, filling him with air. Robotnik’s mind swirled, still half-convinced he was hallucinating.
The creature’s fingers then slid from his face, gliding down to his chest, splayed lightly as if feeling his heartbeat. His pulse was erratic, pounding against his ribs, but the merman didn’t seem alarmed. If anything, it almost seemed… curious.
The merman broke away, the burning in his lungs had completely faded and Robotnik was still alive, somehow. Robotnik inhaled deeply, his first conscious breath in what felt like an eternity. The air—or whatever it was—filled his lungs effortlessly, as though the merman had gifted him a piece of its world. His vision was clearer now, and as he gazed at the creature hovering before him, he couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of awe.
The merman’s tail unwound from his legs, though it stayed close, its body remaining a protective barrier between Robotnik and the dark abyss below. It tilted its head slightly, observing him with an intensity that made Robotnik’s pulse quicken once more.
Robotnik stared at the creature in stunned silence, unsure whether to feel grateful or alarmed. The creature’s expression, however, remained unreadable as it pulled out a knife-like rock from the seaweed sash that slung across its human torso.
It began to work quickly, cutting the bonds around Robotnik’s wrists and ankles, occasionally casting glances to check on Robotnik's reaction. But all Robotnik could do was stare, his mind struggling to catch up with the impossibility of what was unfolding before him. There is a merman in front. A merman that is freeing me. A merman who just kissed me and now I can somehow breathe.
Through the haze of disbelief and the ache of his limbs, Robotnik’s mind reeled. What was this creature? Why had it saved him? And, above all, what was it planning to do next?
A few tugs and Robotnik’s arms and legs were finally freed, the restraints being pulled away, and he could feel his body regaining some mobility, though his limbs were sluggish and cold.
Robotnik was able to feel a surge of freedom—yet he’s suddenly captivated, caught between fear and something else that pulses in his chest, a sensation he can’t name in that moment. He’s finds himself drawn closer to the merman’s gaze, watching as it remains locked on his, a silent promise of safety, of something more.
The merman then grabs hold of Robotnik and starts to pull him up towards the surface. The grip on his arm was firm, steadying him against the relentless pull of the water’s current.
Without another thought, Robotnik wrapped his arms around the merman, getting a glimpse feel of the smooth and slippery scales beneath his fingers. As the merman began to swim them upward, the grip around Robotnik was steady and protective, as if Robotnik’s life mattered to him.
And for the first time, a flicker of hope stirred within him—a fragile ember ignited by the most unexpected of saviours.
Finally, they broke through the surface, and Robotnik gasped, filling his lungs with the cool, clean air. His chest burned from the near-drowning, and his breath came in ragged gulps, but he was alive.
Gasping, he realized something else—he didn’t want to let go of his strange saviour. His fingers instinctively tightened around the merman’s shoulders, as if afraid that the moment he let go, the ocean would reclaim him. He was alive because of this creature, this being that by all accounts shouldn’t exist, and yet here he was, held in strong arms, cradled against a body half-human, half-something else entirely.
As they bobbed in the waves, their gazes locked once more. Robotnik found himself staring into the deep, dark purple eyes that reflected the moonlight like the ocean itself. They were rich and otherworldly, nearly glowing as the light caught them just right.
That purple-coloured gaze held him captive, an unspoken pull that made his heart hammer in his chest. There was an intensity in those eyes, a depth that hinted at things Robotnik wasn’t entirely ready to acknowledge. They were ancient and knowing yet laced with a quiet curiosity that mirrored his own. It was as though the merman were studying him, peeling back layers and searching for answers to questions Robotnik couldn’t hear.
The merman held him a moment longer, his grip firm yet careful, as if assessing whether Robotnik could stay afloat on his own. Then, without a word and with his strong arms still wrapped around him, the merman began guiding him toward the shore, his powerful tail propelling them through the water with ease.
The ocean gradually gave way to the shallows, waves lapping gently at Robotnik’s back as the merman finally pulled him onto the wet sand. The contrast between the cool night air and the lingering warmth of the merman’s touch sent a shiver through Robotnik’s exhausted body. Carefully, the merman laid him down on the sand.
For a moment, he hovered over Robotnik, hands lingering as if reluctant to break the contact. Robotnik, still dazed, crawled up the sand as far as his body would take him. His chest heaved as he continued to breath in the way he’s familiar with and not under water. Each breath scraping his lungs like sandpaper as he lay sprawled on the wet sand. Coughing up seawater, he felt the solidity of the sandy ground under him, the terror of the ocean finally at a distance.
Robotnik tries regaining himself before he sits up, constantly blinking to clear his vision. He turns around, looking for his mysterious merman saviour, but when he looks back towards the water, he catches a glimpse of movement from afar.
“Wait!” Robotnik called, his voice raspy, but it was too late; the merman’s silhouette tail flicking once before vanishing beneath the surface, leaving only the quiet lapping of waves against the sand.
The sun was just beginning to rise toward the horizon, casting warm, orange light over the ocean. Robotnik sees a shimmering blue tail diving back into the ocean, the tip barely visible for a heartbeat before vanishing beneath the waves.
Robotnik’s heart raced anew. That was no hallucination. The creature had saved him, even when it could have easily left him to die. He scrambled to his feet, stumbling toward the edge of the water as if he could somehow summon the merman back.
Questions buzzed in his mind, and frustration simmered beneath his skin. He’d seen countless strange things in his life, but this? This was something altogether different, something… strangely miraculous. A merman saved me. Then kissed me.
He wanted answers. And more than that, he wanted to see those piercing eyes again, wanted to understand why a mysterious creature from the sea would choose to save him.
Robotnik just stood at the edge of the water, staring out at the ocean, almost hoping the merman would reappear, if only for a moment.
TBC IN MAY 2025