Tails - Mad Scientist

Rewiring

Shadow sat in the chair, device back on his head. His restraints were even tighter.

His brain was blank. This was just as he wanted it. Nothing would cross his mind.

Tails pushed a few buttons at his panel. Shadow blinked his right eye. Tails looked down and pressed another button. Shadow blinked his left eye.

Tails scribbled something down. "Ocular movement, as expected."

Another few buttons pressed. Shadow's jaw opened.

Another button. It closed.

"Mandibles moving as expected."

He pressed some more buttons.

Shadow's cheek muscles contorted his face into a completely joyless half-grin.

Tails made more notes.

No thoughts. No emotions. Blank slate. Shadow stared into space.

"Paths to facial muscles identified. Now, for a more complex test."

Tails pressed a few more buttons. Shadow's jaw opened again. A few more button pushes. Shadow's tongue moved forward. That was uncomfortable, but other than the tiniest opening of his eyes, he gave no visible reaction.

"Heh," Tails chuckled. "Multiple muscles engaged successfully."

With a few more button pushes, Shadow's tongue returned to rest, and his jaw closed. Tails made a long note.

Looking up, he said to Shadow, "All the years I avoided tests on organic lifeforms...I've never made such progress in such a short amount of time. You're an invaluable commodity."

Tails flipped a page and read through it. "I could rewrite the textbook on mammalian anatomy. So many new connections, responses to stimuli that I've already found. And it hasn't even been a day!"

He was giddy with excitement.

"You've become much more cooperative and docile," he said contentedly, looking back to Shadow. "Didn't think you'd take to it so quickly, but it's a pleasing development."

He turned away, but under his breath, he added, "Never thought it was so easy to break you..."

Shadow betrayed no emotion. But a thought had entered his mind. It wasn't just a thought. It was a belief. A creed.

"You've broken nothing," he uttered.

Tails stopped. He looked at Shadow.

"As long as I am alive, I am in control of myself. I will always remember who I am."

It had never been more true, here in his chair. Shadow didn't care whether or not Tails understood him or not. He knew his truth.

Shadow had kept his part of the bargain. He had taken everything, and he hadn't said anything. He had endured far more than he imagined, but he had survived, and would continue to survive. So long as Rouge had held up her end, the mission would succeed. He trusted her, just like she trusted him. For however long he was here, he could get by knowing that.

The universe could throw all the pain and suffering it wanted at him. He would keep living all the same.

Tails glared at him, taking a few steps towards him. They both stared each other down, refusing to give any ground.

"I didn't say you could talk."

Tails gave a short press of the remote that had seemingly materialized in his hand. Shadow felt another jolt of electricity shooting up from his ankle. He convulsed as his body stung. But he made absolutely sure to hold his stare on the twisted scientist.