ryslig inbox

[evilgrows]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, DR. ROBOTNIK. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 905.77.247.37 *** DOCTORROBOTNIK has joined 905.77.247.37 <DOCTORROBOTNIK> You've reached Doctor Robotnik. Leave only one message, and I'll get back to you if I find it necessary.

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thank u

[evilgrows]

[Eh, even the best machines have little errors here and there. He's sure it'll all sort itself out later when the transformation is finished.

In the meantime, Robotnik's sorting out his printouts, printing a second stack of papers because he did say he'd give the info to Sonic, and also maybe jamming to some of the tunes. In fact, he's getting his boogie on when Sonic yells, and he has to suppress his own startled reaction. Whoops. Almost forgot he was over there. He stalks back over, frowning at him.]

...What button? Don't press any buttons.

[endlesspastability]

[Sonic seems startled when he sees Robotnik, jumping a bit]

Ahhhh!?! What are you doing!! In... my..... house....?

[he squints and looks around. Oh. Right. This isn't his house. This is the lab. And he overexerted himself trying to activate one of his Power Rings. He grumbles and rubs his temples]

Ugh... remind me not to do that again... Science hurts.

[evilgrows]

It might hurt, but it does provide data. Your insides are fascinating. Did you know you have significantly less organic material in your body than you'd expect?

[He delivers this news cheerfully, like it's something fun and exciting! Because it is. It's very fun and exciting.]

We'll have to go back to the drawing board for the rings, but there's always more to test! I'd love to compare today's readings with next month's.

[endlesspastability]

[He slaps his cheeks trying to wake himself up more -- but ouch, metal hands. Which accomplishes the task of waking him up pretty well, actually]

... You know, I could ask why you know that, but. I'm not gonna! I'm just not. [he grumbles and looks down at his stomach] ... I guess that does explain the night of the Endless Barfing, at least. [he sighs and stands up. He still has the ring he zapped in his hand, and he holds it up for Robotnik to see]

I'm taking this one with me. I feel like I need a good luck charm. And... next month? You want me to do that again? I'm gonna spend the whole month getting "recharged"... ha ha. Oh. Speaking of which. Do you have any food? I'm like, TOTALLY starving. I need carb load like woah.

[evilgrows]

Look. You're turning into a machine. And you happen to be in the presence of the leading expert on machines. Maybe if I study you that can give us more avenues to potentially getting out of here. And, see, I didn't even need to dissect you.

[Funny! Anyway, he heads back over to the printouts and picks up one tall stack of attached paper. When he brings it back over, he shoves it at Sonic.]

Here. Everything my computer was able to analyze about your body. You'll want this.

[Once he's unloaded the paper on his research subject, he turns toward the lab's door.]

Normally I wouldn't share my stash, but you've given me enough information that I guess I'll consider it a trade. You like donuts?

[endlesspastability]

[Sonic frowns, though more thoughtfully than sad. It does seem serendipitous (though that particular word is so beyond Sonic's vocabulary that it isn't even funny) that he's forged an alliance with an expert roboticist while also turning into whatever the Fog God's idea of a "robot" is.]

Wait, what? [Sonic takes the paper in his hands, no longer bothering to hide his creepy metal claws in the sweater. He furrows his brow as he reads] Uh... you know I don't understand like, 90 percent of this, right? But ok. [he tucks it away under his sweater. Maybe someone at Hill House can explain it to him]

[!!!] Donuts! I love donuts!! Not as much as Tom, of course, but I don't think anyone that has ever existed ever likes donuts as much as Tom. Or the general tyranny of donuts. Anyway!! DONUTS!!

[evilgrows]

So do some research. Here's the summary: a large portion of your body is machinery, with predictions that it'll continue in that trend until there's no meat left. Congratulations. I'm jealous.

[At the enthusiastic response to donuts, he leads him out of the room and over to the lab next door, which has something of a makeshift kitchen set up in about a fourth of the floor space. Tables, chairs, shelves, a refrigerator.

There are currently two bakery boxes of donuts sitting on a table, with room for a dozen each, although one of them is half empty already. What's left is kind of ridiculously covered in icing and plenty of sprinkles.]

Just don't expect any actual nutrition. I no longer require sustenance that way.

[...The shelves are indeed full of candy and little else.]

[endlesspastability]

What?! No meat left? But I like my meat!! ... wait, that sounded bad. I don't wanna be metal all over...! I can't... feel things right...

[Are all of his senses going to get duller? Is he even going to be able to smell, or taste...? Is this robotization going to steal his free will and personality from him...?!

Thankfully, the sight of sugary donuts is enough to break Sonic's easily distracted mind away from the catastrophizing and existential crisis, for now.]

Oh no, this is great!! I just need a little fat and sugar to get me back to the house! Or to the diner. You know, whichever! [this place is amazing. CANDY AND DONUTS AND NOTHING ELSE, he wants to live in this kitchenette.

But instead he just looks at the donuts and selects one, which he proceeds to eat in a total of two very big bites, and goes for a second]

[evilgrows]

[...He's just going to grab a couple of donuts himself, because more sugar can never hurt. He is bug. Also Sonic is annoying even when he can actually study him and he deserves several treats for dealing with that.

This isn't just lunch break time, though. There is always work to be done.]

If you notice anything else changing from now on, make sure to let me know so I can document it. If it's really significant, I'm going to want another scan. I really want to see how those insides develop. Especially if you end up with any openable panels. Those are so useful.

[And, y'know, maybe slightly more palatable than the concept of just opening up his chest cavity with a hacksaw or something, right?]

[endlesspastability]

[Sonic polishes off the second donut with a contented "Mmmmmm" and grabs a third for the road. Donuts so good.... He feels a little closer to Tom in this moment. He hopes that his favorite Donut Lord is doing ok without him]

Hmmm... I... guess I can do that. You don't have anything that can make it hurt less, do you? I'll give you front row seats to this weird show if you can make it not as sucky.

[evilgrows]

[Robotnik shrugs a shoulder, biting into a donut.]

You said you're losing sensation, right? That might keep it from hurting more automatically. Beyond that, maybe you'll be able to manipulate the level of sensation you can experience. I know simulacrum code is a mess, but if you ever feel some kind of internal... options menu, or something along those lines, I'd try messing around with it.

[He knows some of the machines around here had some odd things going on, at least.]

It does seem like you have some of the worst of it behind you, though. That's not an insignificant amount.

[endlesspastability]

Internal options menu... [he lets out a whiny sort of "uggggghhhhhhh"] I hateeee it. But... I don't have a choice but to deal with it. So I will.

[he sighs, spinning the donut around one of his metallic fingers] You're right. You can only poop out all of your insides once! .... I hope.

[evilgrows]

Well, that's nasty. Interesting that they've been replaced rather than changed, yet seem to function analogously to the originals.

[He takes a thoughtful bite of a donut.]

Frankly I think you should be looking forward to your mechanical future. You're already more advanced than most of the tech on this peninsula. That's nothing to sneeze at.

[endlesspastability]

Maybe it was gonna be too much work to change it and was easier to just... throw it all out and start over? My arms kind of did the same thing... [he wiggles the fingers on his free hand] They kind of... grew underneath and then the skin fell off. [he sighs] Yeah, but you know that doesn't mean anything. Being the best piece of tech in Ryslig is like being the least rotten apple in the barrel.

[evilgrows]

It's silly to look for anything like logic in the way we change, since it varies so much, and especially since that means you effectively grew a ton of inorganic material.

[Still, he throws a few of his free arms up in frustration.]

This is why I don't give pep talks. Nobody appreciates them.

[endlesspastability]

[ahaha... Sonic gives him a little pat on the shoulder. Very small, very fast, because he knows the doctor isn't big into touchy. But he's trying so hard... to be supportive in his own way]

I do appreciate it!! I do! I'm just going through a lot right now, you know? I'll get out of your hair now. Thanks for the donuts!

[evilgrows]

[Robotnik glares at him, fingers already primed to summon the security system until he relaxes his hand.]

Remember. Let me know if anything changes. New parts, improved parts, fresh abilities, anything. This could very well be our ticket back home.

[endlesspastability]

[Sonic responds with a cheeky grin and a salute] You got it, Doc. I'll see myself out!

[and HOPEFULLY not get lost in the process!! look this place is huge.]

[evilgrows]

Oh no you don't. You are not wandering around this building all willy nilly.

[He's escorting him out, like it or not, as quickly as possible.]

[endlesspastability]

Huh? Oh, ok. [works for him! He doesn't really want to get lost :c or get distracted and THEN get lost, which is the most likely thing that will happen]

[evilgrows]

[The last thing he needs is Sonic wandering the halls forevermore. He grabs yet another donut for the trip before ushering him out of the room and towards the elevator.]

I'll go through all the data and see what I can potentially use.

[endlesspastability]

[like a ghost! A lost soul... But annoying. And loud]

[he's eating his other donut and nods] Mmm-mmmmfff! [swallow] I hate to admit it, but you ARE the best man for the job.

[evilgrows]

[It'd be much worse than when there was actually someone else living in this building, for sure.]

Being the best man for the job is a significant portion of what I do, so I'm only almost shocked that it ended up working out this way.

[Almost.]

Studying the transformation as it happens should help me plan out how to reverse it once we're back.

[And then he can go back to not having this uncomfortable truce where he's letting him in his lab and everything and then letting him leave!!]

[endlesspastability]

Lucky you? [Sonic shrugs and licks the icing off his metal fingers] I'm sure you'd be happier if it were you, though.

[Reversing it...] ... Is that even possible? I mean. You're good at robots, yeah, but are you good at actual living animals? I'm just hoping that leaving the Fog lady's sphere of influence will be enough to do the trick! Her magic can't reach that far.

[evilgrows]

Thing is, I don't intend to change back.

[His changes have been incredibly useful, and he's keeping them, no matter how much he has to fight to stay this way.]

So if not changing back results in you not changing back, then I'd better figure out how to change inorganic matter to organic very, very quickly. But with this place's existence of magic, I could be able to study how it could scientifically function in our home world and harness it in more useful ways than shooting glitter at people. It's worth a shot.

And then I can figure out the whole machine consciousness transfer thing.