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“Stone!”. Robotnik shouted through the filthy and littered crab.
“Stone!”.
“Don’t let me wait any longer for that latte!”
“Stone, this is getting ridiculous”.
“Stone, you up for another punishing?”
“Stone… where the hell are you?”
Robotnik stormed through the crab and ended up in the small kitchen which held everything you conveniently and essentially needed, including a state-of-the-art barista coffee machine, yes, very essential in the Robotnik household.
To Robotnik’s surprise, the kitchen held no Stone.
Robotnik’s hand started clenching and hurting, grinding her teeth.. Stone knew if she didn’t have her third coffee of the day at 2 pm sharp.. then things might start breaking, and yes that didn’t exclude pity humans.
Robotnik glanced at the watch around her wrist.. no messages that she had missed from Stone or anyone for that matter. Stone would alert her if she were to go run for errands or something similar. Robotnik checked the fridge for good measure, nope, still full and stocked, how odd.
Then Robotnik saw it, a coffee cup, filled to the brim with freshly made coffee, waiting for her to be consumed at now exactly.. 13:58.
Robotnik grabbed the coffee cup with a bit of too much force which threatened to spill the delicious seeming milky substance.
“What is the meaning of this?” Robotnik voiced her confusion and frustration as she turned the cup, seeing a note had been stuck to it.
‘Doctor, here is your 2 pm coffee, I hope you enjoy despite it being iced, it was more convenient to make beforehand than keeping it warm which makes it lose its taste which I know you don’t enjoy, I hope you can forgive me.. and even if you don’t, I am afraid you can’t punish me for it, I sincerely apologise for that matter as well, I hope the next time we run into each other, you have managed to cool off thanks to this coffee, with this I terminate my employment to you, I resign - A. Stone’
Robotnik’s eyebrows rose further up her face the more she read. A lot of emotions sifted through her saggy frame in the span of just half a minute.. yes she reread it frantically a few more times before it actually sank in.. Stone resigns.. terminates their contract. Could she actually do that? Robotnik didn’t bother reading the fine print.. she trusted that Stone would never quit. That it might end with her immediate death and then still, Robotnik could get another Stone through cloning techniques.. which Stone was completely unaware of by the way. The point is, no one, quits Robotnik.
She quits with you, never the other way around..
And yet Stone just proved the opposite like she always used to do.
“Daughter”. A voice sounded suddenly and Robotnik snapped out of it. She startled and turned towards the voice. It was her grandfather. That is still an unbelievable thought.. she really still had family left after all those years of believing otherwise.
“Are you ready?” Gerald asked with a smirk covering his mouth.
“I-”. Robotnik stuttered and looked down into the coffee cup, the latte art created there had been ruined by her not-so-affectionate handling.. the heart form that consisted out of the milk was broken through, now the heart looked broken and Robotnik could only look sullen at it, not trying to show that this was exactly how she felt at the moment on the inside.
“What is it?” Gerald asked and frowned at the hesitant posture.
Robotnik gave out a sigh and emptied the coffee into the sink before dropping the cup as well.
“Nothing, let’s get to it”. Robotnik said through gritted teeth.
Gerald glanced at the sink once before following.
“Where has your coffee gal gone by the way?”
<3
Gerald told her the plan, they would infiltrate G.U.N headquarters, sneak their way inside and get the other key.. simple in and out. Robotnik was just worried that he might be underestimating this. Technology has come a long way. Lots of progress and advancements in the last couple of decades, security has tightened by a lot.. but Robotnik guessed thats where she comes in.
“Are the suits ready?” Gerald asked and Robotnik came out of her thoughts again.
“Ofcourse they are”. Robotnik scoffed and avoided his gaze. Gerald can not know that she was kind off distracted by Stone.. of all people and things she could be worked up about and it was Stone her resignment, which Robotnik planned to undo. Stone didn’t get to walk away from all off this, didn’t get to walk away from her. She would drag her back and demand an explanation.
“Got broken up on?” Robotnik heard through the noise. It was such an unexpected question.
“What?” Robotnik sounded insulted.
“That assistant of yours, stop pitying them, you are superior, she has chosen her side, inevatibly so.. they always choose themselves in the end Iva”. Gerald spat.
Robotnik wanted to adject.. Gerald didn’t know Stone like she did, they have worked together for the past decade… and this is how it would end?
“You are better off alone and single, just like your old paps”. Gerald chuckled and ruffled her untamed locks.
“We weren’t dating”. Robotnik argued but Gerald just gave her a look and focused back on the task at hand.
We really weren’t.. Robotnik thought. Even if she had considered it a few times, they practically were doing the same as supposed couples, they lived together in one space, ate, breathed in it, if they went anywhere it would never be by themselves.. except if Stone went to run errands or do other household like tasks.. the only thing distinctively different was the psychical contact they briefly would have was strictly professional or at least that’s what Robotnik would tell herself. Did Stone see it that way too? She never expressed those sort of feelings to her.. but would she if it came down to it? Robotnik isn’t sure..
“The time has come”. Gerald called and rubbed his hands together. Robotnik gave him a small grin and followed. It was time to take back what is rightfully theirs.
<3
The stealth mission went practically as planned. The spandex suits they wore allowed them to blend in with the environment, appearing completely invisible. It was part of a cloaking technology that Robotnik had developed for the badniks at the time, it came in handy now.
Normally Robotnik would come guns blazing at any mission she was a part of, she liked to show off, be in the center of attention. Stone usually did the stealth work. Robotnik thought as they creeped around. Robotnik had the urge to bash her head in to make her stop thinking about her assistant, no former assistant.
“Excellent work agent Stone!”. Robotnik would call when Stone would usually open doors where Robotnik couldn’t go through with the help of technological ways. Stone was bothered with the organic stuff. As for example, Stone was then covered in splashes of red, having multiple weapons strapped to her person.. and you just knew that they were used with no hesitation.
Stone would sport a complete stoic expression, one on the edge of unreadable, focused and anger until her gaze would fall onto the doctor only then she would give the most brilliant and seemingly innocent smile, like she really was just nothing more than an ignorant and optimistic house wife.. if it weren’t for the visual brutal display of blood and weapons on her person.
There were many more missions like that one, don’t underestimate the amount of death Stone would be around per week, caused by herself and yours truly.
Robotnik shuddered, thinking of the mental image of Stone going around and murdering a bunch of people in the most efficient ways possible. It excited as both terrified her.. Stone shouldn’t know this but Robotnik feared to be on the receiving end of Stone’s gun. She wouldn’t live to tell the tale, that she was sure of.
“There it is”. Gerald spoke as they uncloaked once more when more personel walked by and had rounded the corner. Robotnik put the planted pot in its place and followed.
Here it is, the room that is supposed to hold what they needed. The other key for Gerald’s greatest invention. Soon it would be all over and they would rule the earth together. A dream that she and Stone have had for many years coming. Except.. now it would be without Stone now would it.. whatever she shouldn’t have to give up her wildest dreams, Stone might have thrown herself overboard but Robotnik would stay on it and let it sail across the raging sea eventually hitting the island which held the treasure. The treasure that will conclude the new era of Robotnik, one which will never be forgotten by every person on this pathetic floating rock for the rest of eternity.
The doors slide open and reveal what was inside, the first room, this will be a piece of cake. Robotnik stepped forward side by side with her grandfather. The lasers simply bounced off the suits they wore, reflecting it back. All they had to do was simply walk forward and take it.
The doors to the other room opened then and revealed the key, sitting on a pedestal in the middle. Surrounding it were all kinds of large hexagons shapes. Gerald was ready to walk upon them when the room suddenly flooded with G.U.N agents, surrounding them. Robotnik looked around the room and spotted what seemed to be the control panel.
“Surrender”. Agent Rockwell called out, seemingly in charge.
Gerald huffed and glanced at Robotnik.
He gave the nod and with that, Robotnik fired and hit the control panel.
Before they knew it, they were send flying into the air, some agents as well, others were more unlucky and got faceplanted onto the floor.
Robotnik tried to swim towards the key when she got pushed back by Rockwell who soared through the air. She was pushed off by Gerald the next moment, sending them both towards another hexagon which pulled both of them down.
“Go!”. Gerald called while he stuck to the floor along with Rockwell.
Robotnik tore her gaze towards the pedestal again and pushed towards it. She was almost there.. Then the controls switched and she was pulled down. Ouch..
Rockwell got free along with Gerald. They were fighting to get towards the key, kicking and trying to throw punches at the other. It was a few minutes until it switched again and Gerald got stuck again which freed up Robotnik.
Robotnik flew up, she stretched out his hand and reached for the key…. her fingers grazed the object before it got snatched away right before her eyes.
“What”. Robotnik audibly muttered and looked towards the thief.
Agent Stone.
The thief is Agent Stone.
Robotnik might have exploded right there and then.
Stone glanced at the doctor and then held her gaze. Her expression couldn’t be read.
“Stone-”. Robotnik choked out when she was hit by one of the agents, sending her flying back.
When Robotnik looked towards the pedestal again, the key was still gone, along with Stone.
Stone was expertly using the many bodies around the room to hold onto and get towards the exit… Stone was about to steal away the key, Robotnik couldn’t let that happen.
Stone was about to reach the exit when Rockwell floated into view, she blocked the road between Stone and Robotnik.
“Get out of my way!”. Robotnik shouted and tried to shake Rockwell off who now held onto her.
Rockwell held on but Robotnik managed to wiggle her way out and continue her path.
“Stone!”. Rockwell shouted in warning and Stone turned towards the noise being too late to dodge. Robotnik collided with Stone and it sent them both soaring. They hit the wall and got dragged down when the hexagon beneath them changed color.
Now they both were sprawled across the floor, Robotnik her legs were stuck and the rest of her body was resting on top of Stone her chest, bringing their faces close together, perhaps too close.
“Stone! you imbecile, what are you doing here?” Robotnik shouted at her. Stone opened her eyes and looked towards Robotnik. She was silent but her face radiated annoyance and pain.
“What were you thinking, resigning from me? You can not do that!”. Robotnik continued to shout, trying to move her legs and get up but to no avail, the only thing she could properly move was her arm which was sprawled across Stone’s chest.
Robotnik got almost hit by a projectile and only then it seemed to sink in.
“Just give me the key”.
Stone didn’t make any move, she only tried to lift her limbs which were all stuck on the floor.
“Give me the key and you can come back, we can go back to ruling the world together”.
Stone then focused on Robotnik again and her facade broke for a moment, a twitch was enough. Her gaze softened for a minute before growing solid again.
“There is no we anymore”.
Robotnik couldn’t believe what she heard, she wanted to ask so much more but before she could, the floor changed color again and they were flying through the air once more.
Robotnik grabbed a hold of Stone, only noticing now that she was wearing a standard G.U.N uniform.
A million things went through Robotnik’s mind. She had left, she had moved on, was she unhappy? She had really done it, she had betrayed Robotnik.
“Why are you doing this?” ‘Why have you betrayed me?”
“I can’t let you destroy the earth, I am sorry doctor but this has gone too far”.
“Destroy it?”
“You are too blind to see what is right in front of you”.
“A decade Stone, a decade it has been and this is how it ends?”
Stone stayed silent for a second before swallowing, tears began to form in the corner of her eyes.
“A decade and you still don’t truly appreciate all I have done for you! You have dismissed my input and feelings from the very start, you don’t think it wears on me? I am just a human being just like the rest of them but you seem to forget that and make everything just about you! I am done, I am sick and tired of always saving your life and you think that is something expected from me to do? I am expected to go to the ultimate lengths and devote everything to you and despite it all… I have done just that and now you trust some stranger who conveniently dropped into your life over me!”.
Robotnik watched Stone with wide eyes.. never in all those years has Stone ever made a verbal acquisition against her and now it was all on display, all the cards have been put down on the table.
“He might be your family by blood but that’s all it will ever be, he isn’t the one who has cared and has been by your side the entire time.. he is just using you! I am your family Iva! He doesn’t love you but I do!” Stone rambled along and then took a sharp gasp when she realized what she had just said.
Robotnik couldn’t believe what she heard.. she didn’t want to hear that she was ignorant and incapable of seeing the truth.. but Stone was right. She didn’t know her grandfather, not truly anyway.. who she did know was this devoted beautiful person who had stayed throughout every up and down, cared for her and- loved her.
Robotnik had a family all along. Stone was her family, not by blood but by hardship and choice, and now she would choose Stone.. from now on and until forever.
Robotnik wasn’t aware of what was happening until her lips collided with Stone’s.
And with that, Stone did the unthinkable. She took her arm back and hit Robotnik right into the side of her face.. knocking her unconscious.