Y/N had recently taken up quite the interesting job: becoming a lab assistant for Doctor Eggman himself, but it was not what it seemed. Cleaning up after mechanical mishaps, practically babysitting two of the robots that ran about, and constantly he...
Y/N trudged around the lab, finding any loose screws in mechanisms or other mishaps that the doctor may have missed. Of course, there were far more than they could count, not to mention all of the nuts, bolts, and scraps of metal that littered the ground around them. It had been only a few months since they took such a demanding job, but staying busy with whatever they could find was the only thing keeping them from leaving entirely. What was the point of the supposed "internship" when their only work was walking around and running a few errands a day? Sometimes, they found themselves loosening a screw or a bolt around the lab, just to see how long it would take for anyone to notice. That, and it was a great source of entertainment. This was one of those times.
"Just a few more screws," they whispered, stifling a giggle as they loosened another bolt. "Any more would raise suspicion, I bet." Their next assignment hadn't been announced yet, but it was crucial that they at least looked like they were busy. After all, the doctor worked sooooo hard, it was only natural that Y/N put in just as much work, that, and it helped to keep up with the only routine in their convoluted work schedule. It was like clockwork at this point: the doctor would storm through the lair, looking for someone to complain to about his constant failures without ever learning a lesson, and Y/N would always find themselves on the receiving end of the usually pathetic ranting. They put their wrench in their pocket, dusting their lab coat off. What was it about, anyways? Some rodent and his animal friends screwing over his machinery? Pathetic, they thought to themselves. All of this fascinating machinery...all of these brilliant schemes...
"All for nothing, I guess." Y/N rolled their eyes, pulled their gloves on extra tight, and started to mentally prepare for Eggman to come back and scream about that hedgehog. What was his name again? Maurice. No, that wasn't it at all. Samuel? No, it was-
"SONIC, THAT BLASTED HEDGEHOG!"
"Called it," Y/N muttered under their breath. They strolled towards the doctor, a small, asymmetrical grin painted across their face. "So," they mused, "how did it go?" The dust and soot the doctor was covered in hung thick in the air, making his assistant clear their throat repeatedly. It should have been obvious to them what the outcome of Eggman's latest scheme had been, but they figured it wouldn't hurt to ask for that sweet, sweet confirmation of his failure.
"Silence," Eggman growled, brushing off his shoulders and letting the soot collect in a pile below him. "You should be grateful I'm not sending you out there to deal with him yourself. You would not last a second in my shoes." Y/N scoffed, barely paying attention to yet another rant. This is getting boring. It feels like my foot's asleep. Did he want me to reply?
"Of course, Doctor Eggman. I wouldn't stand a chance," they replied, a hint of sarcasm creeping through the comment. The doctor seemed to take notice of this, gripping Y/N lab coat and holding them close. Obviously this failure was hitting him harder than they had anticipated... Was this a mistake?
"Listen," Eggman began, his voice calm, unwavering...terrifying. He was waiting for an answer, but none came. Y/N was too stunned to do much of anything. It was strange... The doctor's outbursts were common, with few resulting in any more than a scolding, but they could never shake the feeling that he would do something dangerous. "I told you to listen." Eggman gave his assistant a quick shake.
"I'm listening."
"I'm not in the mood for your games, Y/N. Not in the mood at all. If you'd like to keep your rather flexible schedule, my friend, I'd suggest you keep quiet and do as I say. And I say that you never use that tone with me again. Do you understand?" Eggman dropped Y/N from where they had been lifted. One point for me, zero for the Eggman, they thought. It was somewhat amusing to watch the doctor lose his temper. It made him look childish, which was all the more satisfying for them to watch.
"Use what tone? Your confidence is what's screwing you over, not me," they mocked. Meltdown... Three, Two, O-
"How dare you mock my work?" Eggman seethed, gripping Y/N's gloved hand. Their heart stopped. There was one random outcome of these virtually clockwork events that they never foresaw: the doctor desperately needed help with his twisted experiments. Experiments conducted on the only other living being within the lab: Y/N. Eggman yanked their glove off, revealing a perfectly normal hand, disregarding the mechanical pinky, middle, and ring fingers. Y/N hated the disgusting blue tinge of the silvery metal, and how it clinked with every thing they touched. They looked away, not wanting to see it again. The doctor, upon seeing this, squeezed their palm, the metallic fingers wrapping around his hand as he did so. At least they still worked. "Y/N," Eggman began, holding in a chuckle, "do you see what I've done for you? With this...with these alterations... You could live forever, Y/N. We could live forever." He tilted their head by their chin, hoping for them to meet his gaze. "Perhaps, if we try hard enough, people like us can be as strong as my most powerful creations... With all the memories, to boot!"
"I hate this," Y/N grunted, closing their eyes to look away from what was in front of them.
"There are many ways you can help me, Y/N," the doctor explained, "and the easiest way to do so is to allow me to continue my experiments. So you can help me the easy way, or the hard way. Which would you like?"
"I'd like the way that makes sure you can never take another part of me ever again."
"I can't promise you that. This is immortality and superhuman strength we are playing with, you little lab rat." Eggman let go of Y/N, leaving them to scramble around for their missing glove. They forced it on, making an effort to pretend they didn't mind. The mind games were continuing, and while Y/N usually had the upper hand by controlling their temper, Eggman was starting to win. "I'll leave you to your 'work', then. Take care... I wouldn't want you to lose an arm, now." He sighed with an overly dramatic demeanor, as if he were hoping an arm would be lost. Chances are, he was.
"You're kidding me," Y/N choked out after the doctor was out of range. "Immortality? Super strength? I could care less. If he weren't a coward, he'd know exactly how much this hurts." They kicked up the dirt the doctor left behind, almost hitting the wall with their foot. Not like I'd be able to feel it. They thought about their first few days at the lab, and how they seemed so promising; a bit of work in exchange for learning from the greatest scientist they could find. Of course, it was clear now...
This was not the Eggman they were promised.
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A/N: as of 7/17/2022 I will actually make an effort to bs my way into making this fic an actual thing again lmao ily guys
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