Chapter Text
Robotnik valued his brain above all else, and one thing that was a part of his brain was his memory.
With Doctor Robotnik being the genius he is, he can’t afford to have useless information just floating around in his head taking up space!
So yes, obviously Robotnik doesn’t read his emails. He essentially just waits until someone comes barging into his lab to tell him what was oh-so-important from the emails he ignored.
So again, naturally, Robotnik has no idea why his lab is now crawling with at least 20 G.U.N. agents.
Now, technically, Robotnik was informed of these G.U.N. agents being here, but again. Robotnik very much values his brain and meticulously organizes his memory, so naturally he didn’t see the need to read an email that explained what exactly was happening right now.
Plus, Robotnik was too proud to say he made a mistake or to backtrack on a decision he already made (that decision being not to read his emails).
So, Robotnik just stands by his desk, eyeing all the agents roaming around with a disgusted look.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity to Robotnik, but in reality was about five minutes, an agent steps up to Robotnik.
The agent walking towards Robotnik was of a shorter stature than himself. He had dark hair that was cut short and sported a neatly trimmed beard to go along with it. The man had brown skin and wore an all black suit (which was mostly the G.U.N. issued uniform. Although normally the undershirts were supposed to be white, not black). Upon closer inspection, the tie the man wore was not the standard issue black tie that was required, but an extremely dark purple tie. From far away, a normal person wouldn’t be able to discern that the tie was indeed purple and not black.
But Robotnik was not a normal person.
Doctor Robotnik himself stood much taller than most people, and wore an all black outfit. His tailcoat was the centerpiece of his outfit, having red lining along the inside of his coat, with black pants, shoes and a black turtle neck to complete the outfit. His skin was a pale white that contrasted nicely with his (dyed) black hair and impressive mustache. Outside of the lab, he normally donned a pair of dark shaded sunglasses, however there was no need to wear them indoors. Instead, leaving a pair of stern brown eyes staring through everyone - which were now currently staring through the startlingly large, brown eyes of the agent approaching him.
Eventually their staring match of roughly ten seconds ended when the agent now stood directly in front of the doctor. They stared for a few seconds more, before the agent cleared his throat and spoke,
“Excuse me, sir. I am Agent Stone, part of the field agents department. I-”
“Field agent department? What on earth are you doing in my lab then? You better not be tracking mud in here!”, Robotnik says, cutting the agent off.
He then quickly looks around the floor and at the agents feet to confirm there were no muddy foot prints on his pristine lab floor.
“No, sir. My shoes are clean. And yes, I am a field agent, though not every agent here is in the same department as me. All of us were assigned starting today to assist you in the lab. I was wondering what our first tasks will be?”
Robotnik stares down the agent, eyeing him. Outwardly, he displayed an image as if he was contemplating yelling at the agent again or actually giving him orders.
In reality, the doctor was desperately racking his brain of what on Gaia’s green Earth the agents were supposed to be assisting him with?
Robotnik thinks for a while, staring straight through the agent in front of him. Too lost in thought to even realize he was staring at the agent at all.
Surprisingly, the agent did not flinch under the doctor's gaze. He stood his ground, standing stoic and calm. Patiently waiting for the doctor to answer his question or dismiss him.
If Robotnik wasn’t busy sorting through the files of memory in his brain, he might have been impressed at the agents' resolve to stand there and hold Robotnik's piercing and unnerving gaze.
Eventually, after a few seconds, Robotnik believes he has found the correct memory file explaining the agent's reasoning for being here.
Over the past month, Robotnik had been assigned one of the biggest projects of his career yet.
This was one of those rare occasions when Robotnik does read his emails, or someone steals him from his lab to drag him to a meeting. Roughly a month prior, Robotnik had been brought to a meeting to discuss his next commission - it was to be the biggest and most difficult commission G.U.N. had requested yet.
In all fairness, Robotnik didn’t entirely listen to the whole meeting (again, his memory is not infinite and the space is valuable!), but he did pick up the gist of what they wanted him to build.
Over the past few decades or so, GUN has grown more and more as a powerhouse, climbing to the same level as the CIA and FBI. Which meant that GUN not only had more secrets, but more people that wanted to steal those secrets.
In turn, GUN was developing contingency plans.
One of such plans was the development of a new technology no one has seen before - an energy shield.
GUN had commissioned their head roboticists - Doctor Robotnik - to design a shield that could protect the entirety of a GUN facility.
Essentially, they wanted a dome that could enclose an entire building and simultaneously prevent anyone from the outside getting in.
However, it wouldn't just stop people from walking in - no - this protective dome was intended to block everything. From bullets to full scale missiles - GUN wanted to be prepared for any form of ambush or invasion on their facility.
For whatever reason (that Robotnik couldn’t give a single fuck about), GUN was under the belief that they had secrets that were so valuable, that they needed an entire dome to protect them from getting bombed.
Regardless of whether or not Robotnik cared about protecting GUN, he was intrigued by the idea of such a tool. If Robotnik was able to crack how to summon a transparent forcefield out of nowhere that could enclose an entire building and prevent it from getting impacted by bombs? Now that would be quite a feat. The things Robotnik would be able to learn and take away from this project to use on his personal inventions would be groundbreaking.
That's the only reason Robotnik even worked for GUN in the first place. He was given unlimited money to build whatever the hell they wanted, then in turn he could use that money and technology to build his own machines that he actually cared about. It was in a sense, a form of mutualism between Robotnik and GUN (but Robotnik liked to think of it as more so a predator-prey relationship. He was merely just buying his time until he would strike.)
(But those plans were much further down the line).
For now, Robotnik's task was to start building a prototype of the energy shield.
Since the meeting from a month ago, Robotnik had been spending many sleepless nights working on the blueprints and schematics for creating this energy shield. His planning was nearly complete, and his next steps were to start building the nodes he would need.
Robotnik's schematics he had come up with were rather complicated.
He needed to find a way to basically summon a plasma type dome that would arch around an entire building and enclose it.
The best way Robotnik found to do this was to create hundreds of small robotic nodes. These nodes he would place in a precise perimeter around a building, making sure they were completely hidden (he also made sure that the nodes would be indestructible).
All these nodes would sync together and in turn be able to activate and deactivate at the same time.
When activated, these nodes would release a narrowed arc of plasma - moving upward following a magnetic field Robotnik created the node to emit.
This magnetic field being emitted from the node would cause the plasma energy being released to arch in such a way that it clears the GUN facility (in this case - an empty warehouse. As it was the first test and prototype, Robotnik would be trial running this shield on an abandoned building).
On the direct opposite side of the node is another node, whose arc would intersect with each other at the zenith of the GUN facility. Every single node would do this.
With hundreds of nodes also systematically and carefully planned and placed around a building - activating them all at once would create a perfect plasmatic energy shield of Robotnik's own design. The energy shield made of plasma would be able to repel anything that came in contact with it from the outside. Anyone inside the shield would be unaffected and able to leave (however they would not be able to re-enter), as the magnetic field being emitted from the nodes took advantage of using their magnetic poles.
Each node's companion was of opposing poles, which is what caused them to attract each other. In turn, using the same logic, Robotnik made it so that the nodes used their magnetic field combined with the plasma energy to repel anything that came in contact with it externally.
As all of the magnetic energy was being directed outward, that left everyone and everything inside the field to be completely unaffected by the magnetic poles.
Finally, after about a minute, Robotnik resurfaces from his thoughts back into the present. Surprisingly, Robotnik finds that the agent who originally came up to him was still standing there, waiting expectantly.
At this point, Robotnik does not remember what the question even was, but at least now his memory was refreshed on the project he was working on.
“Why are you still standing here?” Robotnik asks accusingly to the agent still standing in front of him for some god damn reason.
“I was waiting for your answer or for you to dismiss me. I assume that you are dismissing me?”
“I- uh. Yes. Sure. Yeah, I am dismissing you. Get out of my sight, go make yourself useful by cleaning up the lab or something.” Robotnik says, pointing sharply towards a side door that leads to the workshop area of his lab where the construction of his nodes were.
The agent standing in front of him gave a curt nod, “Yes, sir.” and quickly hurried away towards the door, ushering other agents to follow him.
Robotnik rolls his eyes at the agents fumbling around like toddlers learning how to walk. He turns back to his desk, the monitors still displaying his blueprints and schematics for building the energy shield. He sits down at his desk and goes back to his work, breathing a quiet sigh of relief that his lab was finally empty again.
. . .
It wasn't long until Robotnik's blissful alone time was interrupted once more.
Once again, it was the same agent that approached him last time. So far, this was the only agent that had even interacted with Robotnik at all. In fact, none of the other agents had stood nearly as close to him as this agent currently did. All the other agents clearly seemed to give him a wider than normal berth for Robotnik if he were to pass by them.
Not that Robotnik cared, he rather preferred it that way.
Hence why he was partially annoyed that this same agent dared to stand a few feet away from him. Was he not scared of the doctor like all the other agents were?
Over the years of Robotnik working at GUN, he had developed quite the reputation for himself. In the past, GUN had tried on numerous occasions to assign Robotnik a personal body guard - which he quickly struck down as his badniks were far superior and could easily protect him. In truth, he’d rather work alone, but when GUN offered to assign him assistants - he wasn’t immediately opposed to it.
Initially, the idea of having a lackey to push around and do all the grunt work for Robotnik didn’t sound like a bad idea.
Then, he got his first assistant assigned to him, and Robotnik remembered why he preferred to work alone.
All the endless questions and inability to do literally anything correctly. How GUN managed to hire so many brainless agents - Robotnik had no idea.
Needless to say, he became notorious in manhandling and forcibly pushing his assistants around. Constantly yelling at them and berating them. Spilling coffee on their shirts, getting a cab and stranding them at a conference they had to travel to, using them as target practice for his babies (badniks), the list goes on.
Over the many years of working at GUN, the turn over rate of Robotnik's assistants would give a fly's life span a run for its money.
Eventually, GUN (thankfully) gave up on trying to assign Robotnik another agent.
It had been roughly a year or so since Robotnik had fired his last agent. Or did they quit? The doctor couldn't bother to remember, he doesn’t even remember the agent's name - just a waste of memory.
Obviously, with how high Robotnik's turn over rate was, and how many agents he went through, essentially everyone at GUN was aware of his… less than ideal management techniques.
All of that to say, this agent now standing only a few feet away from the doctor, with a perfectly neutral face, was either extremely brave or extremely stupid.
Robotnik eyes him from the corner of his eye, raising an eyebrow at the agent.
For some reason, the agent doesn't say anything to him, (however, the more likely case would be that he did say something and Robotnik simply didn’t bother to even register it).
After a few minutes of the strangest standoff ever, Robotnik finally relents.
“What is it, GUN dog? Do you need your water bowl filled?”
Robotnik still hasn't turned to fully look at the agent, but he swears out of his peripheral vision the agent smirked. Smirked!
Refusing to let the agent win, Robotnik doesn't comment on it yet, but turns his chair to face the agent, giving him 40% of his attention (which was extremely generous of Robotnik, by the way).
Whatever smirk Robotnik thought he saw on the agent's face had vanished entirely, replaced with the consistent stoic, neutral expression the agent seemed to have mastered.
“No, sir. We have finished cleaning the warehouse as you have requested. I was wondering when you would like us to begin working on the prototypes?”
Robotnik raises an eyebrow at that,
“Well, ideally, never. The last thing I need is twenty agents breathing down my neck as I explain the very simple process of how to assemble a mother board that is able to harness magnetic waves! In fact, it would save everyone's time if you all just got up and left before I started testing my new drones on the lot of you. I’ve geared them with close combat capabilities, and I am very curious to see how they fare.” Robotnik says, giving a maniacal smirk to the agent.
The agent doesn’t flinch at the doctor's threat. However, the agent does hesitate, seemingly choosing their next words carefully.
After a few seconds pass, the agent seems to have decided on their next words;
“With… all due respect, sir. Commander Walters has informed us that the prototypes need to be finished by the end of this week, if not, no later than the end of next week.”
Robotnik's eye twitches from the unbridled rage building in his gut.
“Oh, I am very aware of the deadline, agent. I am astute in the fact that oh daddy dearest, Commander Walters, wishes the world to revolve around him. As if I don’t have anything better to do!” Robotnik huffs, having started pacing around the room during his rant.
The agent stays silent, waiting for the doctor to finish this rant he's now embarked on.
“And yet, Walters decides to give me a batch of dim witted, monkey brain agents that will only slow down my progress instead of ‘speeding it up’ as Walters seemed so inclined to believe. As if Walters knows anything about the quantum mechanics and fine details that must be implemented into my carefully crafted prototypes for his egotistical, mind numbing, waste of resources of a project!”
Suddenly, the doctor stops his pacing. He turns sharply on his heel and stomps back towards the agent until their chests are almost touching. The doctor crowds the agent's space and jabs a finger into the agent's chest, glowering down at him as he continues.
“With all due respect, agent. It would be a much better use of my time if you and the other waste of space idiots get out of my lab and let me work in peace!”
Robotnik is huffing now from his sudden anger induced rant. He stares daggers down at the agent, though not necessarily directed towards him, more so at the situation as a whole. The stoic agent just happened to be the nearest target in the line of fire.
The two stare at each other for a few moments, the agent seemingly waiting for the doctor to calm down a bit, before speaking up once more.
“I… understand your predicament, sir. Unfortunately, all of us agents have been assigned to work with you in the lab for the next week, orders signed from the top. However…” the agent trails off. He peers up at the doctor, as if waiting for permission.
“However, what, agent? Spit it out! Or does the doctor got your tongue?” The doctor sneers down at the agent, a slight smirk gracing his face at his own jab towards the agent.
“Well… if you would allow it, sir. Perhaps you could teach me how to construct the prototypes. I have a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering, chemistry, forensic science, and nuclear physics… to name a few. I should be able to comprehend at least the broad scale of your instructions. I could then teach the other agents in your stead, watering down the instructions as much as I can so their pea brains will hopefully understand.”
The agent's bold suggestion shocks the doctor slightly, the only thing betraying his face is his slightly raised eyebrow.
Curious, that the man subtly inserted a blow against his fellow agents.
Robotnik hates to admit it, and aptly won't admit it aloud, but this agent is proving to be more and more of an enigma.
Robotnik just isn't sure he cares enough to solve it.
Robotnik mulls over the agent's suggestion. With all things that aren't the doctor's ideas, there are pros and cons.
Pros, he won't have to interact with the other 19 agents.
Cons, he will have to interact with one of the 20 agents.
Unfortunately, with how high and mighty the doctor talks of himself, the reality is he's a GUN dog just like the rest of these puppies.
If Commander Walters superiors signed on a very burnable piece of paper, that the agents were to ungracefully darken the doctors lab floor, then there was nothing he could do.
After all, the doctor has had enough run-ins with HR about his previous treatment towards past agents. The last thing the doctor wants is to be trapped in some cramped, dusty room and have an old woman stare at him for an hour.
With a defeated sigh, the doctor finally concedes in his mind that the agent in front of him was right. This truly was the better option of the 45 other alternative options the doctor had come up with to deal with the situation.
However, he wasn't about to give the agent an ego boost.
“Aha! You know what agent no-name? I think I have an idea.” The doctor says, his smirk turning into a maniacal grin.
“Why don’t you be my little puppy dog and play fetch for me, hm? I’ll show you the steps on how to make my masterful, genius prototype, and I'll have you train the other little doggies for me. The last thing I want is 19 other dogs drooling all over me. That being said,” the doctor leans in impossibly closer, his voice dropping an octave and taking on a deadly tone.
“Will you be a good enough dog to please me?”
The agent's face graces a near imperceptible blush to anyone except the doctor, whose perception was outmatched.
The agent gulps and simply nods, keeping eye contact with the doctor.
The doctor's eyes gleam with a manic like malice at the agent's reaction and immediate obedience.
“Good,” the doctor purrs, before abruptly standing up straight, turning his back towards the agent, and briskly walking away back towards his desk.
Once the doctor reaches his desk, he turns back to the agent, clasping his hands behind his back and smirking once more.
“Then let's get to work, shall we?”