Lesser Minion Tryouts: For Those Much Worse Than Me.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
You were the great Dr. Eggman and today you were in a really foul mood today.
The results of your visit to… "Mr. Tinker's" Lab still left you with so many questions, and the lack of data to answer them wasn't doing you any favors. Belle has been so far… agreeable with the sudden events that happened, but she barely can dare to look at you. Pssst. Fine, like he cared at all!
You left her with Rusty Rose and gave orders to your robotic minion to keep an eye on her and make sure Belle didn't go anywhere or got into trouble. Hopefully the android version of Amy was capable of such a simple task.
You needed something to take your mind from…whatever in Chaos this was! Thankfully, one of your newest recruits was able to focus your mind on something more productive. Starline just informed you that he had managed to complete a dossier of promising candidates.
You really hoped the platypus could deliver on his promise and not just waste your time. Otherwise, he will be the perfect test subject for Metal to make sure his repairs were up to standard.
Currently you were in the base's "Official" meeting room, where the only people present aside from you, were Agent Stone (Who was busy preparing lattes for everyone), Metal Sonic standing at your side, as it should be, and the scientist who had called all of you here and seemed to have spent an obnoxious amount of time preparing some kind of presentation…
"Welcome Doctor. I hope your visit to Windmill Village went without a-" "Shut it."He starts to talk but you interrupt him immediately. From the side of your eye, you see Stone look at you with worry for a second, but quickly continues with his task of preparing the lattes, like a good minion.
"I don't want to talk about it, Starline." You say as you massage your temple. "There were…some variables I didn't take into consideration." You sigh, still not being able to come to terms with…whatever happened there. "That does not matter at the moment." You finish as you give him a glare.
"You said you found some suitable minions to use. You called us here, so get on with it." You say with a tone that leaves no room for complaints.
Starline looked unbalanced for a moment, not sure how to react to your demand. But he tries to recompose himself, coughing for a moment to buy time. "I…understand, Dr. I am sorry for bothering you with such… trivial matters."
"Very well, my good doctor, I shall start immediately." He says as he motions to the monitor behind him, as it turns on.. "As you requested almost a month ago, I have scouted every inch of Green Hills, looking for acceptable targets that you could use to further your plans of taking back your Empire!" He says with a flourish as a title card appears on the screen.
…Not even 1 minute in, and you were already starting to regret assigning him to this.
"There were several criteria I used when looking for promising minions to induct in your glorious organization." He continues as he slowly walks from one side of the room to the other, fully engrossed in these thoughts.
"They must bring some skills useful to you, either by fighting, infiltration, diplomacy, or even proficient in the arcane arts." He explains, as he moves to the next slide, filled with a list of characteristics he was looking for. "Next, they must have an in for you, Dr. Eggman, either they are mercenaries looking for a job, or they are in a situation where they can't easily refuse you."
"Which leads to the last point, loyalty! We must have either a way to keep them in line so they don't dare to betray you or get in your way. Letting any of those simpletons learn about your grand return and blab it to the wrong person could spell doom! Having ways to neutralize them and keep in line is a must!" He says as he makes a fist and punches the palm of his hand. At this point you decide to chime in.
"All I'm hearing is what I already know, not something new." You say as you tap your foot rather impatiently. "You did manage to find someone…right?"
"Oh doctor, of course!!" Starline agrees quickly. "Obviously I need to set things up, even if you obviously know all of this, it's important to explain everything right, from the beginning, as it must!"
"I excitedly inform you that I found no less than 11 candidates to become your newest minion!" He informs you as he strikes a pose.
"Eleven…mmm." The number really surprises you, you won't lie. As you stroke your chin, you consider that such an amount might be too much, but seeing your current situation and lack of resources, any fool you can wrangle into subservience could present a boon, you will take it. "They better be good candidates."
"Oh, I'm sure you will find the choices…quite appealing." He says as he holds the remote to pass to the next slide. "And Starting from the bottom of the barrel we have…" And with a click, an image appears, one of quite a strange creature.
"...It's not often someone manages to catch me off guard Starline but I can say, I didn't expect that." You comment as you see the picture Starline showed. "Tell me…more."
Starline quietly laughs. "With pleasure."
The more things change, the more they stay the same. That thought continuously ran through his mind. He had escaped and left that bar, hoping for a fresh start, and where did that leave you? Working at another bar as the bartender.
There you go superstar! His mother would be proud of him…surely.
It was a slow day, no customers coming to get a drink, but that was expected. With the current war going thanks to that red tamale and those weird black beasts, people were pretty spooked and didn't dare to exit their homes.
Hopefully the regulars were going to come soon, it was a pretty boring day, he could use someone in this dump that was willing to just talk about all their miseries…
And as he cleans another cup, his big ears manage to catch a loud crash coming from the door, looking up he sees…Oh don't tell him that…
"You betta give us the money!..." He can't believe this…
"Or else prepare for this place to crumble!" For fuck's sake!
"Cause now you are dealing with…" When he asked for some entertainment…
"ROUGH AND TUMBLE!" He didn't mean this!
"Okay you weirdo, you better cough up the cash, or else you gonna get it" The big tailless one said as he cracked his knuckles.
He just shook his head and pointed his gloved hand to a sign on the wall that says: "NO FIGHTING."
The pair just stare at the sign before letting out some laughs like they find the situation funny. "And if we want a fight?" The small one shoots as he starts to take a few steps toward him.
The bartender just sighs and puts the glass he was cleaning down, before preparing his powerful hind legs and hopping from the bar right towards the little one.
"Wait wha-" Is all he manages to say before he connects a drop kick so strong he ends up launching the wannabe robber out of the place…making a big hole in the establishment.
"Bro! Oh you gonna regret this you…" The bartender doesn't give him time to finish his threat before he hops again towards him and connects a powerful uppercut with his boxing gloves, launching the other half of the pair right through the roof.
A moment later he comes down again, totally unconscious, as he crashes in some tables, making another hole and more of a mess.
'God dammit, I'm going to clean all of that, don't I'. Is the thought that crosses the bartender's mind as he goes for a broom to start fixing the place
"Roo the Kangaroo, professional boxer and owner of the bar, The Lucky Hopper, inside the Restoration territory!" Starline explains as you stare at the image of a kangaroo with some boxing gloves and a chair fastened around his neck. "He arrived in Green Hills, a few weeks after the Shattering happened."
.
Roo the Kangaroo (Power Hero Unit):
Apt Boxer!
Knows how to run a Bar.
Doesn't talk.
"He has shown surprising combat experience! Not only that, his business and only means of income are going through extremely hard times. If his luck doesn't change, he will have to close down and won't have anywhere else to go!" Starline explains quickly. "He would be an easy minion to manage, one that comes with his own leash, so to speak!"
"Mmm…" You contemplated Starlines proposal…while having another blunt instrument to use, your precious Metal Sonic was more than enough against most enemies. Even so, you had to ask. "Any other reason why I should consider him?"
"Well, he can't speak, so you will not have to deal with any complaints from him!" Starline ends with a smirk, and you can't help but give one in return.
"An excellent point, Starline." You comment as your finger continues to tap the table. "I will keep that in mind, next?"
"Well Dr, tell me, how do you feel about fashion?" Starline comments as the next slide appears.
Fashion Design is an art. One does not simply make clothes. They needed to understand many things. The design of the clothing needed to have a clear intent in mind, know what to highlight, especially considering your target audience. Next, the perfect combination of colors needed to be found, one does not simply mix red with blue on a project, no Sir! Finally, you needed to find the right materials and be skillful enough to create the clothes with them. For that, you needed connections.
Those are the thoughts that run through the young CEO's mind as she finishes her latest project. A wonderful set of clothing for Autumn! Where one can wear it and be comfortable and look stylish all in one!
It was set to be her greatest masterpiece. Unfortunately, it would take time for this project to be complete. You cannot rush fashion after all.
As she contemplated possible color combinations for her upcoming dress, the loud and clear ring of a bell could be heard. That could only mean one thing! She had a new customer!
"A moment please!" She calls out as she quickly tidies herself, she can't afford to not look as presentable to her clients!
Entering the main area, she sees a pair of female mobians browsing her wares. One of them was a cute poodle Mobian who eyes one of her summer time dresses with such interest! She was happy when her clients recognized her talent!
"Welcome to Honey Clothing!" The CEO says as she flashes her warmest smile towards the pair and offers her hand for a handshake. "How may I help you today? Anything you have in mind?"
"Well, we were looking for a few dresses…There is an upcoming party soon and we need to look as fashionable as possible!" The Terrier Mobian says, looking with excitement at all the dresses on display. "Think you have anything for us?"
The owner can't help but smirk playfully. "Ladies, you came to the right place." And with that the young woman spent close to an hour helping the pair try different kinds of dresses, continuously looking for the perfect combination of clothes that sated her desires.
She didn't mind taking so much time on this, in fact, she enjoyed it!
After helping the pair find the perfect dresses for their party and buying them, she happily walked them off to focus on her grand project.
"Another client, another person that looks as sweet as possible!" She pats herself in the back mentally Everything has been going on perfect-"BOOM!!!"
Her line of thought is greatly interrupted as the wall close to her is destroyed instantly! She falls to the ground as the store shakes, not able to take such punishment.
The young lady questions what's happening when a loud voice rings out for all the town to hear.
"Listen well, you pitiful creatures! This town is under the control of Zavok!!! Submit or face the consequences!" Followed by that another explosion happens in her shop.
NONONONONONO.This can't be happening! Is the last thought she has before everything goes dark.
As she wakes up, her whole body hurting, she sees the big neon letter "HONEY CLOTHING" Right in front of her.
Her store…everything she worked for…all gone. She couldn't believe this.
"Honey The Cat, Owner of the once famous Honey Clothing. Unfortunately one of the first victims to Zavok's cruel takeover of Green Hills." Starline explains to you as you process the information. "She currently resides in Restoration territory, basically homeless, with just the pity of the organization giving her a place to live, and with the fires of vengeance burning bright inside of her."
Honey the Cat (Heart/Logistics Hero):
Expert Fashionista
Social Expertise, perfect for a good spokeswoman of the empire.
Knows how to run a business
Is looking for vengeance against Zavok.
"Is this seriously the best you can get me?" You ask surprised and maybe a bit insulted. "A fashion designer? Are you implying something about my sense of style?" You frown at him for even suggesting that!
"Not at all Sir! I was thinking Honey could be an ideal target to subvert! She has base desires of violence and wanting her business back! By giving her both things, you could easily make her loyal to you!" He raises his hands in a placating manner. "Also, we could get official uniforms for all the goons in the Empire! Would that not be fantastic?"
"Mmm…I suppose there's some merit to that." If all it took to gain the loyalty of that cat was helping her rebuild her shop and getting payback on that Zavok, she could be a low investment minion to employ.
"Will add her to the list. Next!" You order immediately.
"Right away Sir! Now for a change of pace, let's talk about some Undead Lovebirds, shall we?" He says as he presses the button to move to the next slide.
You were a simple prison guard, once upon a time.
Those were the days. Bad days that is.
Wake up, guard prisoners, shuffle off for the next guy, rinse and repeat. Bleh.
It was so… tedious. You weren't really LIVING, and not just because you were a zombie.
And then… and then you met her.
Zobiko. The poor lass had been locked up. He never did learn why. But he also didn't care.
She was beautiful. The most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
When he freed Zobiko, he expected nothing in return. He wanted her free, because he felt she deserved it, seeing her so miserable. He never would have expected her to reciprocate. But she did.
They'd been together ever since.
They wandered the world, seeking new experiences (and keeping a close eye out for danger).
So what if the world was scared of them? They had each other.
Zobiko seemed to agree as she swooned when you brought her a freshly plucked rose. You smiled.
Suddenly, there was some rustling in the bushes. You went to investigate, Zobiko staying close by to help if need be.
Huh… that was a weird ladybug. And… was it a robot?
Cool!
…wait why are there dozens of them.
Why are they attacking!?
Zobiko could handle herself, but thankfully she was very much willing to let you assist her. The two of you made quick work of the strange robot ladybugs, destroying them in just a few minutes.
And then as you looked around the carnage, Zobiko giggled. You joined in and soon you were laughing loudly and kissing.
Best date ever!
Zobio & Zobiko (Power Unit with Slight Heart Focus)
Experienced Fighters of Zombie Hordes
Surprisingly Nice
Madly in Love with each other
"...Are…are those actual zombies?" You ask bluntly. To say that was impossible would be foolish, with all you had seen, but it was still quite the surprise obviously. What was this, a late night creature feature?
"Oh yes, sir. As you can imagine, they are quite durable as a result, and know their way around in a scrap. They fought through entire hordes for the right to love each other, according to my eavesdropping!" Your platypus minion nodded rapidly.
"Blegh."
"Oh yes, agreed. But love can be a powerful motivator for the weaker minds."
"Oh yes, trust me, I know…" you mutter, mind briefly flashing to Amy Rose. Bleh. What an imbecile, but a POWERFUL imbecile!
"If you rather hear about a more…common type of fascination. I think I have just what you want to hear, Doctor." Starline says as he moves to the next slide.
This world was wrong, it should not be like this. She still doesn't know how or why the Shattering happened, but she knew one thing…
"Eggman is the rightful leader of this world!" The small angry individual shouted to the troops that had rudely invaded her home. "You have no right to come here!"
"Ma'am. We have been informed by reliable sources that you have collaborated with Eggman Empire agents." The GUN soldier replied as another pair of soldiers kept the young woman restrained. "As long as you are in GUN controlled territory, we are in our right to respond to such claims."
As the soldier spoke to hear, more agents arrived at her house, searching all over it. Risking finding out what she had hidden. They didn't care for her personal privacy. Not that she realized or cared, too angry to think rationally.
"He ended all of you! He squashed you like a bug! And he will do it again!" She continued to struggle against the soldiers, who managed to keep her in her place thanks to her small stature. "Once he comes back, your lot will be SORRY!!!"
The soldier just ignored her, obviously refusing to accept the TRUTH and sacred word of Eggman. She was ready to shout some obscenities at him when one of the nearby soldiers said something that made her heart stop cold.
"Lieutenant! We have discovered a possible hidden compartment." The soldier said as they removed a poster of Sonic the Hedgehog from the wall of her living room, revealing a hidden trap door. "This may be it."
She renewed her struggles now, but instead of anger, worry fueled her. "No! Anywhere but there. Please!" She begged. She imagined her idol looking at her in disgust for showing such WEAKNESS to the enemy.
The Lieutenant just stares at her for a second before addressing the soldier. "Do it." He gives a nod and proceeds to break down the door.
"Nooooooo!!!" She shouts in despair as the officers enter into her sacred shine.
"We are in, sir. We have found…Oh my god." The soldier begins to say but can't help to mutter as they stare at what was behind the door.
Eggman was there. Eggman was everywhere! The small room was filled with every and any type of Eggman related merchandise, from posters, action figures. Even there were Eggman-disguises for her. And in the center of it, there was a huge Statue made in gold in the image of her Idol.
After spending some time turning the shrine heads down, the soldier just shakes their head, not finding anything worthy.
The Lieutenant just sighs. "Seems we had a false positive. Time to retreat to base."
"How dare you!" She wails as the monsters breach her private Sanctum. "You had no right!!" She wails, defeated as the soldiers leave her house, nothing she can do…
Thunderbolt the Chinchilla (Brains Hero with side focus on Logistics)
Expert in electronics.
Decent Administrator.
Not a Social Person at all.
Bloodthirsty but small
Eggman empire's zealot
whole new brand, same great taste!
"My dear Thunderbolt seems to be a great fan of your work, Sir!" Starline explains as you can't help but be impressed by that level of fervor towards you. "She could be the ideal minion for you to boss around. Most likely she would enjoy being ordered by you 24/7!" He says, like he was very impressed with himself for this find.
"That's an image I really don't want to have in my head Starline." You shook your head. "Still, aside from some fanaticism towards me, what else can this Thunderbolt do? I'm not really looking just for fangirls."
"Well, she takes after you and is a veteran expert with electronics. She has managed to make a few inventions of her own. Nothing compared to your work, obviously. But still, something worth remarking. She is also a somewhat capable administrator from what I have heard."
You hum as you consider her. You suppose at the very least, having someone that is so loyal to you could somehow be a boon… "She might do it for now…Next one!"
"As you command!" Starline does a flourish as he moves to the next slide. "For this one, how about I show you a feeling we can be more familiar with?"
"I'm talking about hate." He says as the next image appears.
Her quarry was near, this she was certain of. Even in this strange land, hunting scum remained the same. With Death Hound and his sense of smell at her side, tracking these fools was just a matter of time.
Her chase led her to a cave hidden by some of these weird hills. Even now, she couldn't get used to how…strange the people of the land below were. It seemed wherever she went there were always wars and tragedy happening everywhere. Not that she really cared about that. All of this was secondary to her true objective.
As Death Hound started growling as they entered the cave, she knew her prey was near, these Witchcrafters have harmed innocent people, and it was her job as the Angel of Death to deliver Justice.
Since her vessel was damaged in that storm and forced to land here, she had spent countless hours trying to find a way to return to the skies, but with the current war going on, resources were scarce, and the money required for the repairs was ridiculous. Luckily, the Restoration and GUN were kind enough to offer rewards for those that delivered troublemakers to them.
Not a moment later, she was in front of her bounty, a trio of these weird looking people, who kept bickering about some nonsense she didn't know nor care to find out.
As the soon to be dead criminal readied themselves to face her, she readied her scythe and knives, while giving a command for Death Hound to pounce at them.
Even when she was dealing with a battle to the death, her mind was still focused on one thing only. THAT MAN.
He needed to pay for his crimes. She won't rest until she makes Vyse pay!
And as she began another deadly dance, she allowed herself to stop focusing on revenge and deal with the present.
Piastol (Power/Mystic focused Hero)
Expert Bounty Hunter.
Seems to need a vessel of hers fixed as soon as possible.
Possesses some strange magic abilities.
Is looking for a Vise(?) person, chances to use that to control her.
"Piastol, or as she has become known…The Angel of Death." Starline says as the picture of a teenager with the weirdest clothing style appears. "She is a dangerous bounty hunter that appeared in Green Hills one day, and has slowly but steadily gotten rid of most troublemakers that have arisen."
"You want me to hire a bounty hunter? Really, what's stopping her from trying to take a swing at me? Not that she will be able to." You say unconvinced, as useful as she could be, there seemed to be many risks that you couldn't afford to take.
"Ah! But sir, that's the perfect part! We have the means to perfectly "guide" her." He informs you with a smirk. "She seems to have come from a faraway land in some weird flying boat that crashed here not long ago, she seems keen to return to where she came from. By promising her to be the key to her transportation problems, you can easily reel her in!"
You stroke your mustache as you reflect in those words, while a good incentive, it doesn't seem to be enough for-
"Not only that! In her spare time, she has focused on looking for clues for a certain Vyse, she seems to have some sort of deep grudge against them." Starline quickly continues. "If you can assist her in looking for her prey, you could also control her movement, or where she goes to be specific." He gives a nasty grin at that.
Well, that changed a few things. "Helping others assist in finding their nemesis, eh? I can't say I expect that…But I think I can see what you mean." The idea had…potential.
"Glad you are interested in this proposal, Sir." He gives a quick spin as he prepares to move to the next slide. "Now for our next proposal, I have for you a tragedy in the making…"
The muted sounds of the medical ward were familiar to Clove as she sat in the stiff backed chair beside her sister's bed. The faint and horrifically familiar hum of machinery made a symphony that she hoped her sister couldn't hear in her dreams. Cassia lay in the bed in a tangle of wires and tubes. Her cybernetic arm lay motionless, catching the overhead light and casting reflections onto the too white walls.
Clove held her hands together tightly in her lap, knuckles white from the pressure. She heard the words that Doctor Quack had told her hours early bouncing within her head. "The cybernetics were failing her. The strain on her body is increasing. I am sorry…"
She did not cry. She had no more tears to shed really. Cassia, her sister, looked so small in that bed. She couldn't count the number of hospital beds she had seen Cassia in, but she had never looked so small, so defeated before.
The monitors beeped as she unclasped her hands, brushing away some of the hair covering Cassia's face. It was damp with sweat, a parting gift from the fever she had gone through hours ago, Clove holding her sister's hand through the whole thing.
"I'm sorry…" She whispers, knowing no one, not even her sister can hear her. "I… I was supposed to keep you safe. I… We were supposed to get you fixed and run away…"
She doubles over, a sob breaking through her facade as she holds onto her sister's hand. She had done everything in the hopes of saving her sister, sold both of their souls to a tyrant for the mechanical parts that without the help of that tyrant weren't even saving her from the disease that they tried to out run to begin with. To keep her sister alive.
But Cassia wasn't alive. At least not in the way she deserved to be. The machines she was hooked up to were stopping her from dying, but they didn't let her live. They didn't bring back her laughter, her dumb jokes, they simply… held her here.
Cassia stirred slightly, a faint moan escaping her lips, and Clove's heart leapt to her throat. She reached out, her fingers holding tight to Cassia's hand.
"I'm here," she whispered, though she wasn't sure Cassia could hear her. "I'll always be here."
The promise felt empty, but it was all she had left. All she could offer as the beeping continued its steady rhythm, counting down moments she couldn't bear to lose.
"Clove and Cassia the Pronghorns, former leaders of an armed force that took the majority of a continent in your name," Starline says, an image of two horned mobians, one in a hospital bed and partially cybernetic as the other sat beside her, deep bags under her eyes.
"Both are currently in Restoration territory as you can see that Cassia herself suffers from a disease that the doctors have not been able to cure."
Clove The Pronghorn
Experienced General
Shrewd Diplomat
Doesn't Want Her Sister To Die
"A nice sob story," you say, studying the cybernetics in the image. "But why would I want to bring someone with an active disease on board? I am looking for healthy minions Starline, warm bodies to deal with problems."
"Ah because from what I have been able to discover, Clove herself is the prize. The Restoration has taken in many refugees and a sort of "Amnesty" is being allowed for those from other worlds and she divulged her sister apparently couldn't be fixed by their version of you sir."
You straighten up in your chair, narrowing your eyes. "I am sure I misheard you Starline, did you just tell me there was a version of me that couldn't handle a simple disease? I am sure I must have something completely moronic in my ear, because that couldn't have been right."
"Unfortunately you did not mishear," The platypus shakes his head. "These Pronghorn sisters both claim that their version of Dr. Eggman couldn't cure Cassia even when they took an entire continent in his name."
"Well now… that just wouldn't do at all." You murmur to yourself, looking at the women. "A good find Starline, but continue with the show. We can circle back to them later if need be."
"Understood Sir. If we must proceed to the next Minion, I'm glad to inform you that this one is gonna be…familiar to you." With a click of the button, a new slide appears, showing a Figure Eggman was acquainted with.
"CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP"
The explosion behind him nearly knocked him off feat as he ran towards the Marvelous Queen, his lovely hoverbike that just seemed too dang far away!
"He's over here!" one of the voices yelled behind him.
"No I'm not!" he yelled back, pulling his laser pistol from his holster and, not turning around or stopping his sprint forward, fired towards the voice.
The pained scream he heard made him smirk as he sprinted forward. "And if any of your buddies think I am here, you tell them how that feels!"
Jumping onto his bike and slamming the key in, the engine roars to life just as he hears treads beginning to chew into the earth behind him. Why in the world did they bring a tank for him?! He wasn't one of them Black Arms monsters, he was just a guy trying to make a dishonest day's work!
The Queen roared to life and he floored it, roaring forward as the ground where he had been exploded, his ears ringing from the explosion of the shell hitting the earth.
As he pulled upward he didn't allow himself to relax, not until he was ten minutes away from the ruins he had plundered. He'd need to thank Bean for getting him that lead on this place.
Parking the bike in the air, he rummaged into his hammerspace pack before pulling out the prize he had just stolen from underneath The Empire's nose.
The lance gleamed blue in the light of the sun, its tip seemingly almost crystalline blue.
"Wonder who's gonna be paying me the most for this little beaut?"
"Nack the Weasel aka Fang the Sniper, known mercenary and thief." Starline shows a familiar face, the purple mug of the weasel appearing on the screen as he leaned against his hoverbike. The photo looked posed, you have to wonder if Nack took this for networking. "You don't need me to tell you much about Nack considering you've hired him in the past."
Nack The Sniper (Power/Trickery Hero)
Crack Shot
Treasure Hound
Money Minded
"Yes I have," you nod and give Starline a look. "And from what I remember he's a fine shot but not the most effective. Sure he can treasure hunt well enough, but I don't particularly remember him winning me any fights or treasures Starline."
"All of this is true," he concedes but holds up a finger, "but that was the past and I have managed to find that our friend Nack here recently made a run into Empire territory and raided an ancient ruin of theres and he now claims to have quite the prize. If we were to acquire his services, we'd be claiming first dibs on the item as it were."
"Hmmm…" you lean back, tenting your fingers in thought. Gaining insight into The Empire would be ideal, how much a relic from the past would give you though, you're unsure.
"Food for thought I suppose." You allow, motioning forward. "Who else have you got?"
"This one is a bit more…unusual, compared to the other ones, if you can believe it." Starline comments happily as a new slide appears.
Hmmph. A train, eh? It had been awhile since you were on one. But still, there was little reason to not use it, you, the brilliant Dr. Starline, thought. It was cheap too.
Apparently with the world so thoroughly out of whack, train companies and other such transports had little respite, as travel was seen as rather dangerous even short distances.
Hmmph. Not that it mattered much to you, as long as it got you around as you searched for worthy minions for your idol.
Soon, the salted peanuts you ordered arrived, to your delight. It was a simple snack, but a well-deserved one for all your hard work.
As you opened your treat's bag, you were confused. On top of the peanuts was… a note?
Strange. And quite irritating. You decided to humor whatever prankster did this on a whim… and you were happy you did.
'The Conductor would like a word. Long live Dr. Eggman.'
You looked around for who delivered it, before remembering this train apparently had an AI you ordered from….
Basil The Conductor/The Mirage Express (Logistics Hero)
An Experienced Conductor
Rather Affable
Together Forever… for Better or Worse
"...A train conductor? Really Starline? I am not running a travel company here!" You scoff.
Starline holds his hands up placatingly.
"I am well aware, sir. But Similarly to Honey, the conductor is a good front man for the Empire, being rather Affable. I talked to the man. He has some classic rambling old man energy, but he is likable enough. Besides, it's less him and more his current transport."
You are about to scold Starline for thinking some random vehicle mattered when you double checked and blinked in shock.
"The Mirage Express? I wondered what became of that… hmm. I did design it with extra processing power to accommodate multiple guests at once. That level of multitasking could be very useful to me. Besides, if I ever need to go somewhere without flying, I'd rather do it in style. Next potential lackey, Starline."
"As you command." With no fanfare this time, a new slide appears. "This next individual seems to have a close connection to the Eggman Empire, Sir."
"Thank you Jeremy," she did her best to get a smile in her tone, knowing the mask she wore gave her an air of menace that she had to work through. Her cybernetics made people even more nervous. "I'll be sure to let the chief mechanic know what's going on."
The bear mobian gave her a grin and went back to his group as she wrote down the recon information his squad had managed to bring back from the borders of Restoration territory.
Which was copied from the tablet she was working on to the hidden server she had set up.
You don't get rid of Robotnik. Sure you can defeat him, set him back, you can even seemingly kill him and scatter his atoms across the universe. Nephthys had seen all of those happen on her own world and she had learned that truly and honestly, the only constant of the universe was that He Always Comes Back.
A shiver runs down her spine as she moves towards the foundry, the heart of The Restoration's effort in fighting back the Zavok's forces, The Black Arms, and the invading empire. She greeted the orangutan and went through the motions, making sure to up the number of weapons asked for by a tiny amount. After her weeks of excellent service, they couldn't afford to keep as close an eye on her anymore.
Which she knew. All the while she was watched she made sure to be the model survivor, painting a picture of the horrors that happened in Midestra but of her calming influence, how she did her best to keep everything civil and contained. After all, the best lies you can feed a foe are the truth.
Because she did, she kept Midestra under control, just enough conflict and push back to keep the doctor's eyes off her people without being so calm that there was no need to send food and resources, some of which could conveniently go missing to feed the people.
There was no way of stopping Eggman, no true way to keep him from coming back. The best you can do is shelter those you can from the worst of what he does.
"Nephthys the Vulture," the picture starline brings up, shows a female vulture mobian in a striking mask and cape combination, something that is quite close to some of your own work. "Another of the former 'Egg Bosses', from reports gathered she has nearly as impressive a record as the Pronghorn siblings, though she was apparently stymied from complete continental conquest by a group of rebels."
Nephthys The Vulture
Always Watching
Tactically Vulturous
Fatalistically Faithful
"Well no one but myself can be perfect," you muse as you look through the photos. "What can you tell me about the equipment she is wearing Starline?"
"Well the mask itself I have not discovered to have any purpose beyond hiding the mechanization she apparently took while in your service." Starline moves to the next slide, showing an almost complete cyberized face with only her eyes being non-mechanical. "The cape however seems to allow her some form of flight or an extreme glide."
"I don't need more combat units Starline," you say absently, running a finger along the circuitry lines on the vulture's face, mapping out their purpose as you do so. "But you said she was another of those 'Egg Bosses', so a tactician may be useful…"
You set the tablet down and look at Starline. "Interesting… very interesting…" You turn to look at Starline again. "I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm somewhat curious to see who you show next." You stare at him impatiently.
As the new slide appeared, Starline snapped his fingers. "While this one might seem similar to a few other minions, there's potential in her, I'm sure."
The empire soldier quickly hid between some houses as he ran away in sheer fright. He couldn't believe this! An entire squad and 2 tanks, completely taken out by 1 person?! How was that possible?
When Prince Maximilian declared that they needed to take this land for the Empire, he and his fellow soldiers were ready to lay down his life for the glory of the Empire…
It seemed so simple, these strange furry creatures didn't seem to pose much of a challenge at first, after less than 2 hours, they had taken the town over and secured all hostages.
That's when she appeared.
A tanned woman with whitish hair, carrying only a gun and nothing else. No one took her as a threat, even when she ran towards the tank.
That was a mistake, they should all have opened fire the moment she revealed herself. Now it was too late.
It all happened so fast! Quickly disarming all of them and then facing alone against a tank? If he hadn't watched with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed how she destroyed it with ease.
To hell with the Invasion, he didn't want to face freaks of nature!
Canaan (Power/Heart Hero)
Experienced combatant.
Mercenary Attitude. Loyalty can be bought at the right price.
Seems to possess a strange ocular ability?
Is in search of someone. Possible way to keep her loyal.
"While there is not as much info as I would like about her. Canaan seems to be a professional Mercenary, taking any jobs that catch her interest. "Starline comments as you watch the picture of the white haired, tanned woman. "Her reputation speaks for herself though. I have proof that she alone has managed to face several squads of the Empire, Black Arms and even your Super Badniks, Sir. And won against them single handedly. Such skill can only be an asset for your cause!"
"Yes, as long as I can keep paying her right?" You made a dismissing motion. "Eh, not sure she is worth the pay. Not sure if you have realized, but we are not exactly flushed with resources Starline. I'm not going to spend what little we have hiring a single person that may betray me for a higher paycheck." You punch the table in annoyance.
"Exactly my thought Sir! So I continued searching and found that she was interested in locating a person. Some blonde-haired girl called Maria."
That name…it sends shivers down your spine; you don't know why? "Come again?"
"She seems so focused on locating her, everywhere she goes she asks for clues about her. If we can make it seem as if we are her only way to locate this Maria, we can easily slot her as a useful minion!" Starline comments excitedly.
A blonde person called Maria… It might be a coincidence but with this strange new world was there a chance she was back? No way, but still, you needed to know…
"I will…take her into consideration…"
"Excellent Sir! And for our final candidate, I have quite a tragic, but potential minion, ripe for use!" Another click as a new slide appears.
You were a great Villain, once upon a time. Jungle Island's greatest threat! You had grand schemes, a perfect shot to gain admiration and power, crushing your enemies!
And then that FOOL defeated you!
It wasn't fair! You had the perfect plan! You would distract AiAi and his foolish friends with a false flag operation, and while they were running around like chickens with their heads chopped off, you would destroy them slowly but surely by using your machines to make every banana on the island taste like curry! The perfect plan!
"So how!? How did I lose!?" You ranted to the bartender, eating another banana.
"I don't know, pal. Sounds rough." The man said, clearly not caring that much. You supposed it didn't help that you brought your own food and had gotten a single free water.
Why pay when you could extend the water out? You were quite the evil genius!
Not genius enough though…
You groaned and rested your head on the bar. Maybe you should have been a carpenter… or fought Plumbers for damsels!
…Naw that idea was stupid.
Dr. Bad-Boon (Brain/Logistics Hero)
Prone to Eccentric but Actually Decent Plans!
Good with Machines!
Currently Depressed!
"Why would I need such an individual when I am superior at such endeavors related to machinery?" You raise an eyebrow.
"Well sir, he is currently completely depressed. From what I can gather in my research and from my own knowledge, those who have suffered great losses, as he currently has, are easily molded if you make them feel like winners. And he is a decent planner, too. Nowhere near your level, of course, but could be useful if you need a second head to bounce ideas off of and no one else is available."
"Hmmm.. has potential I suppose."
"Glad you found my findings interesting Sir!" Starline said excitedly. "With that, my presentation comes to an end." Another click an…
"...Didn't you say that was the last minion?" You stare at the image of a…peculiar man.
GORO MAJIMA! (Power/Trickery Hero)
Veteran of Combat!!!
Majima Everywhere!!!
Expert at Construction Projects!
"I don't know how it appeared there, Sir!" Starline looks freaked out. "Did someone mess with my Presentation?!" He asks enraged. "I'm so sorry for this, Doctor, let's just forget about the last-"
"No…" You cut off Starline, as you apprise the image. "For some reason, I think this person might have…some potential.
"If you are sure…" Starline comments in an uncertain tone.
"You have given me several options to consider…." You stroke your mustache as you mentally review all the options so far, all of them were useful to you in a way or another. And while a part of you wanted to enlist all of them at once, your current state of affairs made it clear it was best to only approach one right now…but who?
"You have done a well done job Starline…Make sure you have enough rest. I will require your services again soon." You don't wait to hear the platypus excited comments, you calmly exit the room as you mind wandered thinking of what possible candidate could work as the ideal minion right now…
QMS NOTE:
Congratulations! As you have passed the 3rd tier in the Minions Action, you have quite a pool of hero Units to Pick from!
Currently, you are only able to recruit one of them now. On following turns, you can take a Heart Action and if you pass the respective DC you will be able to hire the desired minion.
Each hero unit chosen has their own drives, unlike your current hero units that are loyal to eggman at such a high level, you will need to balance using them while trying to increase their opinion of our lovable mad scientist. Their drives will be the key to that, as long as Eggman helps them accomplish them, you can expect the hero unit to become more and more loyal.
WARNING: Some of these heroes are time limited, we won't tell you which or for how long they will be available for recruitment, but be aware that they might leave Green Hills soon, or joining with another faction is a definite possibility, and your chances to recruit them will be lost.
So make sure to use this free pick to get whoever you want!
FOR THIS VOTE, THERE WILL BE A 12 HOUR MORATORIUM.
The Options to consider are:
[ ] Ro the Kangaroo
[ ]Honey the Cat
[ ]Zobio and Zobiko
[ ]Thunderbolt The Chinchilla
[ ]Piastol
[ ] Clove The Pronghorn
[ ] Nack The Sniper
[ ]Basil The Conductor
[ ]Nephthys The Vulture
[ ]Canaan
[ ]Dr. Bad-Boon
[ ] Goro Majima
The results of your visit to… "Mr. Tinker's" Lab still left you with so many questions, and the lack of data to answer them wasn't doing you any favors. Belle has been so far… agreeable with the sudden events that happened, but she barely can dare to look at you. Pssst. Fine, like he cared at all!
You left her with Rusty Rose and gave orders to your robotic minion to keep an eye on her and make sure Belle didn't go anywhere or got into trouble. Hopefully the android version of Amy was capable of such a simple task.
You needed something to take your mind from…whatever in Chaos this was! Thankfully, one of your newest recruits was able to focus your mind on something more productive. Starline just informed you that he had managed to complete a dossier of promising candidates.
You really hoped the platypus could deliver on his promise and not just waste your time. Otherwise, he will be the perfect test subject for Metal to make sure his repairs were up to standard.
Currently you were in the base's "Official" meeting room, where the only people present aside from you, were Agent Stone (Who was busy preparing lattes for everyone), Metal Sonic standing at your side, as it should be, and the scientist who had called all of you here and seemed to have spent an obnoxious amount of time preparing some kind of presentation…
"Welcome Doctor. I hope your visit to Windmill Village went without a-" "Shut it."He starts to talk but you interrupt him immediately. From the side of your eye, you see Stone look at you with worry for a second, but quickly continues with his task of preparing the lattes, like a good minion.
"I don't want to talk about it, Starline." You say as you massage your temple. "There were…some variables I didn't take into consideration." You sigh, still not being able to come to terms with…whatever happened there. "That does not matter at the moment." You finish as you give him a glare.
"You said you found some suitable minions to use. You called us here, so get on with it." You say with a tone that leaves no room for complaints.
Starline looked unbalanced for a moment, not sure how to react to your demand. But he tries to recompose himself, coughing for a moment to buy time. "I…understand, Dr. I am sorry for bothering you with such… trivial matters."
"Very well, my good doctor, I shall start immediately." He says as he motions to the monitor behind him, as it turns on.. "As you requested almost a month ago, I have scouted every inch of Green Hills, looking for acceptable targets that you could use to further your plans of taking back your Empire!" He says with a flourish as a title card appears on the screen.
Lesser Minion Tryouts: For Those Much Worse Than Me.
A PowerPoint by Starline.
A PowerPoint by Starline.
…Not even 1 minute in, and you were already starting to regret assigning him to this.
"There were several criteria I used when looking for promising minions to induct in your glorious organization." He continues as he slowly walks from one side of the room to the other, fully engrossed in these thoughts.
"They must bring some skills useful to you, either by fighting, infiltration, diplomacy, or even proficient in the arcane arts." He explains, as he moves to the next slide, filled with a list of characteristics he was looking for. "Next, they must have an in for you, Dr. Eggman, either they are mercenaries looking for a job, or they are in a situation where they can't easily refuse you."
"Which leads to the last point, loyalty! We must have either a way to keep them in line so they don't dare to betray you or get in your way. Letting any of those simpletons learn about your grand return and blab it to the wrong person could spell doom! Having ways to neutralize them and keep in line is a must!" He says as he makes a fist and punches the palm of his hand. At this point you decide to chime in.
"All I'm hearing is what I already know, not something new." You say as you tap your foot rather impatiently. "You did manage to find someone…right?"
"Oh doctor, of course!!" Starline agrees quickly. "Obviously I need to set things up, even if you obviously know all of this, it's important to explain everything right, from the beginning, as it must!"
"I excitedly inform you that I found no less than 11 candidates to become your newest minion!" He informs you as he strikes a pose.
"Eleven…mmm." The number really surprises you, you won't lie. As you stroke your chin, you consider that such an amount might be too much, but seeing your current situation and lack of resources, any fool you can wrangle into subservience could present a boon, you will take it. "They better be good candidates."
"Oh, I'm sure you will find the choices…quite appealing." He says as he holds the remote to pass to the next slide. "And Starting from the bottom of the barrel we have…" And with a click, an image appears, one of quite a strange creature.
"...It's not often someone manages to catch me off guard Starline but I can say, I didn't expect that." You comment as you see the picture Starline showed. "Tell me…more."
Starline quietly laughs. "With pleasure."
The more things change, the more they stay the same. That thought continuously ran through his mind. He had escaped and left that bar, hoping for a fresh start, and where did that leave you? Working at another bar as the bartender.
There you go superstar! His mother would be proud of him…surely.
It was a slow day, no customers coming to get a drink, but that was expected. With the current war going thanks to that red tamale and those weird black beasts, people were pretty spooked and didn't dare to exit their homes.
Hopefully the regulars were going to come soon, it was a pretty boring day, he could use someone in this dump that was willing to just talk about all their miseries…
And as he cleans another cup, his big ears manage to catch a loud crash coming from the door, looking up he sees…Oh don't tell him that…
"You betta give us the money!..." He can't believe this…
"Or else prepare for this place to crumble!" For fuck's sake!
"Cause now you are dealing with…" When he asked for some entertainment…
"ROUGH AND TUMBLE!" He didn't mean this!
"Okay you weirdo, you better cough up the cash, or else you gonna get it" The big tailless one said as he cracked his knuckles.
He just shook his head and pointed his gloved hand to a sign on the wall that says: "NO FIGHTING."
The pair just stare at the sign before letting out some laughs like they find the situation funny. "And if we want a fight?" The small one shoots as he starts to take a few steps toward him.
The bartender just sighs and puts the glass he was cleaning down, before preparing his powerful hind legs and hopping from the bar right towards the little one.
"Wait wha-" Is all he manages to say before he connects a drop kick so strong he ends up launching the wannabe robber out of the place…making a big hole in the establishment.
"Bro! Oh you gonna regret this you…" The bartender doesn't give him time to finish his threat before he hops again towards him and connects a powerful uppercut with his boxing gloves, launching the other half of the pair right through the roof.
A moment later he comes down again, totally unconscious, as he crashes in some tables, making another hole and more of a mess.
'God dammit, I'm going to clean all of that, don't I'. Is the thought that crosses the bartender's mind as he goes for a broom to start fixing the place
"Roo the Kangaroo, professional boxer and owner of the bar, The Lucky Hopper, inside the Restoration territory!" Starline explains as you stare at the image of a kangaroo with some boxing gloves and a chair fastened around his neck. "He arrived in Green Hills, a few weeks after the Shattering happened."
.Roo the Kangaroo (Power Hero Unit):
Apt Boxer!
Knows how to run a Bar.
Doesn't talk.
"He has shown surprising combat experience! Not only that, his business and only means of income are going through extremely hard times. If his luck doesn't change, he will have to close down and won't have anywhere else to go!" Starline explains quickly. "He would be an easy minion to manage, one that comes with his own leash, so to speak!"
"Mmm…" You contemplated Starlines proposal…while having another blunt instrument to use, your precious Metal Sonic was more than enough against most enemies. Even so, you had to ask. "Any other reason why I should consider him?"
"Well, he can't speak, so you will not have to deal with any complaints from him!" Starline ends with a smirk, and you can't help but give one in return.
"An excellent point, Starline." You comment as your finger continues to tap the table. "I will keep that in mind, next?"
"Well Dr, tell me, how do you feel about fashion?" Starline comments as the next slide appears.
Fashion Design is an art. One does not simply make clothes. They needed to understand many things. The design of the clothing needed to have a clear intent in mind, know what to highlight, especially considering your target audience. Next, the perfect combination of colors needed to be found, one does not simply mix red with blue on a project, no Sir! Finally, you needed to find the right materials and be skillful enough to create the clothes with them. For that, you needed connections.
Those are the thoughts that run through the young CEO's mind as she finishes her latest project. A wonderful set of clothing for Autumn! Where one can wear it and be comfortable and look stylish all in one!
It was set to be her greatest masterpiece. Unfortunately, it would take time for this project to be complete. You cannot rush fashion after all.
As she contemplated possible color combinations for her upcoming dress, the loud and clear ring of a bell could be heard. That could only mean one thing! She had a new customer!
"A moment please!" She calls out as she quickly tidies herself, she can't afford to not look as presentable to her clients!
Entering the main area, she sees a pair of female mobians browsing her wares. One of them was a cute poodle Mobian who eyes one of her summer time dresses with such interest! She was happy when her clients recognized her talent!
"Welcome to Honey Clothing!" The CEO says as she flashes her warmest smile towards the pair and offers her hand for a handshake. "How may I help you today? Anything you have in mind?"
"Well, we were looking for a few dresses…There is an upcoming party soon and we need to look as fashionable as possible!" The Terrier Mobian says, looking with excitement at all the dresses on display. "Think you have anything for us?"
The owner can't help but smirk playfully. "Ladies, you came to the right place." And with that the young woman spent close to an hour helping the pair try different kinds of dresses, continuously looking for the perfect combination of clothes that sated her desires.
She didn't mind taking so much time on this, in fact, she enjoyed it!
After helping the pair find the perfect dresses for their party and buying them, she happily walked them off to focus on her grand project.
"Another client, another person that looks as sweet as possible!" She pats herself in the back mentally Everything has been going on perfect-"BOOM!!!"
Her line of thought is greatly interrupted as the wall close to her is destroyed instantly! She falls to the ground as the store shakes, not able to take such punishment.
The young lady questions what's happening when a loud voice rings out for all the town to hear.
"Listen well, you pitiful creatures! This town is under the control of Zavok!!! Submit or face the consequences!" Followed by that another explosion happens in her shop.
NONONONONONO.This can't be happening! Is the last thought she has before everything goes dark.
As she wakes up, her whole body hurting, she sees the big neon letter "HONEY CLOTHING" Right in front of her.
Her store…everything she worked for…all gone. She couldn't believe this.
"Honey The Cat, Owner of the once famous Honey Clothing. Unfortunately one of the first victims to Zavok's cruel takeover of Green Hills." Starline explains to you as you process the information. "She currently resides in Restoration territory, basically homeless, with just the pity of the organization giving her a place to live, and with the fires of vengeance burning bright inside of her."
Honey the Cat (Heart/Logistics Hero):
Expert Fashionista
Social Expertise, perfect for a good spokeswoman of the empire.
Knows how to run a business
Is looking for vengeance against Zavok.
"Is this seriously the best you can get me?" You ask surprised and maybe a bit insulted. "A fashion designer? Are you implying something about my sense of style?" You frown at him for even suggesting that!
"Not at all Sir! I was thinking Honey could be an ideal target to subvert! She has base desires of violence and wanting her business back! By giving her both things, you could easily make her loyal to you!" He raises his hands in a placating manner. "Also, we could get official uniforms for all the goons in the Empire! Would that not be fantastic?"
"Mmm…I suppose there's some merit to that." If all it took to gain the loyalty of that cat was helping her rebuild her shop and getting payback on that Zavok, she could be a low investment minion to employ.
"Will add her to the list. Next!" You order immediately.
"Right away Sir! Now for a change of pace, let's talk about some Undead Lovebirds, shall we?" He says as he presses the button to move to the next slide.
You were a simple prison guard, once upon a time.
Those were the days. Bad days that is.
Wake up, guard prisoners, shuffle off for the next guy, rinse and repeat. Bleh.
It was so… tedious. You weren't really LIVING, and not just because you were a zombie.
And then… and then you met her.
Zobiko. The poor lass had been locked up. He never did learn why. But he also didn't care.
She was beautiful. The most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
When he freed Zobiko, he expected nothing in return. He wanted her free, because he felt she deserved it, seeing her so miserable. He never would have expected her to reciprocate. But she did.
They'd been together ever since.
They wandered the world, seeking new experiences (and keeping a close eye out for danger).
So what if the world was scared of them? They had each other.
Zobiko seemed to agree as she swooned when you brought her a freshly plucked rose. You smiled.
Suddenly, there was some rustling in the bushes. You went to investigate, Zobiko staying close by to help if need be.
Huh… that was a weird ladybug. And… was it a robot?
Cool!
…wait why are there dozens of them.
Why are they attacking!?
Zobiko could handle herself, but thankfully she was very much willing to let you assist her. The two of you made quick work of the strange robot ladybugs, destroying them in just a few minutes.
And then as you looked around the carnage, Zobiko giggled. You joined in and soon you were laughing loudly and kissing.
Best date ever!
Zobio & Zobiko (Power Unit with Slight Heart Focus)
Experienced Fighters of Zombie Hordes
Surprisingly Nice
Madly in Love with each other
"...Are…are those actual zombies?" You ask bluntly. To say that was impossible would be foolish, with all you had seen, but it was still quite the surprise obviously. What was this, a late night creature feature?
"Oh yes, sir. As you can imagine, they are quite durable as a result, and know their way around in a scrap. They fought through entire hordes for the right to love each other, according to my eavesdropping!" Your platypus minion nodded rapidly.
"Blegh."
"Oh yes, agreed. But love can be a powerful motivator for the weaker minds."
"Oh yes, trust me, I know…" you mutter, mind briefly flashing to Amy Rose. Bleh. What an imbecile, but a POWERFUL imbecile!
"If you rather hear about a more…common type of fascination. I think I have just what you want to hear, Doctor." Starline says as he moves to the next slide.
This world was wrong, it should not be like this. She still doesn't know how or why the Shattering happened, but she knew one thing…
"Eggman is the rightful leader of this world!" The small angry individual shouted to the troops that had rudely invaded her home. "You have no right to come here!"
"Ma'am. We have been informed by reliable sources that you have collaborated with Eggman Empire agents." The GUN soldier replied as another pair of soldiers kept the young woman restrained. "As long as you are in GUN controlled territory, we are in our right to respond to such claims."
As the soldier spoke to hear, more agents arrived at her house, searching all over it. Risking finding out what she had hidden. They didn't care for her personal privacy. Not that she realized or cared, too angry to think rationally.
"He ended all of you! He squashed you like a bug! And he will do it again!" She continued to struggle against the soldiers, who managed to keep her in her place thanks to her small stature. "Once he comes back, your lot will be SORRY!!!"
The soldier just ignored her, obviously refusing to accept the TRUTH and sacred word of Eggman. She was ready to shout some obscenities at him when one of the nearby soldiers said something that made her heart stop cold.
"Lieutenant! We have discovered a possible hidden compartment." The soldier said as they removed a poster of Sonic the Hedgehog from the wall of her living room, revealing a hidden trap door. "This may be it."
She renewed her struggles now, but instead of anger, worry fueled her. "No! Anywhere but there. Please!" She begged. She imagined her idol looking at her in disgust for showing such WEAKNESS to the enemy.
The Lieutenant just stares at her for a second before addressing the soldier. "Do it." He gives a nod and proceeds to break down the door.
"Nooooooo!!!" She shouts in despair as the officers enter into her sacred shine.
"We are in, sir. We have found…Oh my god." The soldier begins to say but can't help to mutter as they stare at what was behind the door.
Eggman was there. Eggman was everywhere! The small room was filled with every and any type of Eggman related merchandise, from posters, action figures. Even there were Eggman-disguises for her. And in the center of it, there was a huge Statue made in gold in the image of her Idol.
After spending some time turning the shrine heads down, the soldier just shakes their head, not finding anything worthy.
The Lieutenant just sighs. "Seems we had a false positive. Time to retreat to base."
"How dare you!" She wails as the monsters breach her private Sanctum. "You had no right!!" She wails, defeated as the soldiers leave her house, nothing she can do…
Thunderbolt the Chinchilla (Brains Hero with side focus on Logistics)
Expert in electronics.
Decent Administrator.
Not a Social Person at all.
Bloodthirsty but small
Eggman empire's zealot
whole new brand, same great taste!
"My dear Thunderbolt seems to be a great fan of your work, Sir!" Starline explains as you can't help but be impressed by that level of fervor towards you. "She could be the ideal minion for you to boss around. Most likely she would enjoy being ordered by you 24/7!" He says, like he was very impressed with himself for this find.
"That's an image I really don't want to have in my head Starline." You shook your head. "Still, aside from some fanaticism towards me, what else can this Thunderbolt do? I'm not really looking just for fangirls."
"Well, she takes after you and is a veteran expert with electronics. She has managed to make a few inventions of her own. Nothing compared to your work, obviously. But still, something worth remarking. She is also a somewhat capable administrator from what I have heard."
You hum as you consider her. You suppose at the very least, having someone that is so loyal to you could somehow be a boon… "She might do it for now…Next one!"
"As you command!" Starline does a flourish as he moves to the next slide. "For this one, how about I show you a feeling we can be more familiar with?"
"I'm talking about hate." He says as the next image appears.
Her quarry was near, this she was certain of. Even in this strange land, hunting scum remained the same. With Death Hound and his sense of smell at her side, tracking these fools was just a matter of time.
Her chase led her to a cave hidden by some of these weird hills. Even now, she couldn't get used to how…strange the people of the land below were. It seemed wherever she went there were always wars and tragedy happening everywhere. Not that she really cared about that. All of this was secondary to her true objective.
As Death Hound started growling as they entered the cave, she knew her prey was near, these Witchcrafters have harmed innocent people, and it was her job as the Angel of Death to deliver Justice.
Since her vessel was damaged in that storm and forced to land here, she had spent countless hours trying to find a way to return to the skies, but with the current war going on, resources were scarce, and the money required for the repairs was ridiculous. Luckily, the Restoration and GUN were kind enough to offer rewards for those that delivered troublemakers to them.
Not a moment later, she was in front of her bounty, a trio of these weird looking people, who kept bickering about some nonsense she didn't know nor care to find out.
As the soon to be dead criminal readied themselves to face her, she readied her scythe and knives, while giving a command for Death Hound to pounce at them.
Even when she was dealing with a battle to the death, her mind was still focused on one thing only. THAT MAN.
He needed to pay for his crimes. She won't rest until she makes Vyse pay!
And as she began another deadly dance, she allowed herself to stop focusing on revenge and deal with the present.
Piastol (Power/Mystic focused Hero)
Expert Bounty Hunter.
Seems to need a vessel of hers fixed as soon as possible.
Possesses some strange magic abilities.
Is looking for a Vise(?) person, chances to use that to control her.
"Piastol, or as she has become known…The Angel of Death." Starline says as the picture of a teenager with the weirdest clothing style appears. "She is a dangerous bounty hunter that appeared in Green Hills one day, and has slowly but steadily gotten rid of most troublemakers that have arisen."
"You want me to hire a bounty hunter? Really, what's stopping her from trying to take a swing at me? Not that she will be able to." You say unconvinced, as useful as she could be, there seemed to be many risks that you couldn't afford to take.
"Ah! But sir, that's the perfect part! We have the means to perfectly "guide" her." He informs you with a smirk. "She seems to have come from a faraway land in some weird flying boat that crashed here not long ago, she seems keen to return to where she came from. By promising her to be the key to her transportation problems, you can easily reel her in!"
You stroke your mustache as you reflect in those words, while a good incentive, it doesn't seem to be enough for-
"Not only that! In her spare time, she has focused on looking for clues for a certain Vyse, she seems to have some sort of deep grudge against them." Starline quickly continues. "If you can assist her in looking for her prey, you could also control her movement, or where she goes to be specific." He gives a nasty grin at that.
Well, that changed a few things. "Helping others assist in finding their nemesis, eh? I can't say I expect that…But I think I can see what you mean." The idea had…potential.
"Glad you are interested in this proposal, Sir." He gives a quick spin as he prepares to move to the next slide. "Now for our next proposal, I have for you a tragedy in the making…"
The muted sounds of the medical ward were familiar to Clove as she sat in the stiff backed chair beside her sister's bed. The faint and horrifically familiar hum of machinery made a symphony that she hoped her sister couldn't hear in her dreams. Cassia lay in the bed in a tangle of wires and tubes. Her cybernetic arm lay motionless, catching the overhead light and casting reflections onto the too white walls.
Clove held her hands together tightly in her lap, knuckles white from the pressure. She heard the words that Doctor Quack had told her hours early bouncing within her head. "The cybernetics were failing her. The strain on her body is increasing. I am sorry…"
She did not cry. She had no more tears to shed really. Cassia, her sister, looked so small in that bed. She couldn't count the number of hospital beds she had seen Cassia in, but she had never looked so small, so defeated before.
The monitors beeped as she unclasped her hands, brushing away some of the hair covering Cassia's face. It was damp with sweat, a parting gift from the fever she had gone through hours ago, Clove holding her sister's hand through the whole thing.
"I'm sorry…" She whispers, knowing no one, not even her sister can hear her. "I… I was supposed to keep you safe. I… We were supposed to get you fixed and run away…"
She doubles over, a sob breaking through her facade as she holds onto her sister's hand. She had done everything in the hopes of saving her sister, sold both of their souls to a tyrant for the mechanical parts that without the help of that tyrant weren't even saving her from the disease that they tried to out run to begin with. To keep her sister alive.
But Cassia wasn't alive. At least not in the way she deserved to be. The machines she was hooked up to were stopping her from dying, but they didn't let her live. They didn't bring back her laughter, her dumb jokes, they simply… held her here.
Cassia stirred slightly, a faint moan escaping her lips, and Clove's heart leapt to her throat. She reached out, her fingers holding tight to Cassia's hand.
"I'm here," she whispered, though she wasn't sure Cassia could hear her. "I'll always be here."
The promise felt empty, but it was all she had left. All she could offer as the beeping continued its steady rhythm, counting down moments she couldn't bear to lose.
"Clove and Cassia the Pronghorns, former leaders of an armed force that took the majority of a continent in your name," Starline says, an image of two horned mobians, one in a hospital bed and partially cybernetic as the other sat beside her, deep bags under her eyes.
"Both are currently in Restoration territory as you can see that Cassia herself suffers from a disease that the doctors have not been able to cure."
Clove The Pronghorn
Experienced General
Shrewd Diplomat
Doesn't Want Her Sister To Die
"A nice sob story," you say, studying the cybernetics in the image. "But why would I want to bring someone with an active disease on board? I am looking for healthy minions Starline, warm bodies to deal with problems."
"Ah because from what I have been able to discover, Clove herself is the prize. The Restoration has taken in many refugees and a sort of "Amnesty" is being allowed for those from other worlds and she divulged her sister apparently couldn't be fixed by their version of you sir."
You straighten up in your chair, narrowing your eyes. "I am sure I misheard you Starline, did you just tell me there was a version of me that couldn't handle a simple disease? I am sure I must have something completely moronic in my ear, because that couldn't have been right."
"Unfortunately you did not mishear," The platypus shakes his head. "These Pronghorn sisters both claim that their version of Dr. Eggman couldn't cure Cassia even when they took an entire continent in his name."
"Well now… that just wouldn't do at all." You murmur to yourself, looking at the women. "A good find Starline, but continue with the show. We can circle back to them later if need be."
"Understood Sir. If we must proceed to the next Minion, I'm glad to inform you that this one is gonna be…familiar to you." With a click of the button, a new slide appears, showing a Figure Eggman was acquainted with.
"CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP"
The explosion behind him nearly knocked him off feat as he ran towards the Marvelous Queen, his lovely hoverbike that just seemed too dang far away!
"He's over here!" one of the voices yelled behind him.
"No I'm not!" he yelled back, pulling his laser pistol from his holster and, not turning around or stopping his sprint forward, fired towards the voice.
The pained scream he heard made him smirk as he sprinted forward. "And if any of your buddies think I am here, you tell them how that feels!"
Jumping onto his bike and slamming the key in, the engine roars to life just as he hears treads beginning to chew into the earth behind him. Why in the world did they bring a tank for him?! He wasn't one of them Black Arms monsters, he was just a guy trying to make a dishonest day's work!
The Queen roared to life and he floored it, roaring forward as the ground where he had been exploded, his ears ringing from the explosion of the shell hitting the earth.
As he pulled upward he didn't allow himself to relax, not until he was ten minutes away from the ruins he had plundered. He'd need to thank Bean for getting him that lead on this place.
Parking the bike in the air, he rummaged into his hammerspace pack before pulling out the prize he had just stolen from underneath The Empire's nose.
The lance gleamed blue in the light of the sun, its tip seemingly almost crystalline blue.
"Wonder who's gonna be paying me the most for this little beaut?"
"Nack the Weasel aka Fang the Sniper, known mercenary and thief." Starline shows a familiar face, the purple mug of the weasel appearing on the screen as he leaned against his hoverbike. The photo looked posed, you have to wonder if Nack took this for networking. "You don't need me to tell you much about Nack considering you've hired him in the past."
Nack The Sniper (Power/Trickery Hero)
Crack Shot
Treasure Hound
Money Minded
"Yes I have," you nod and give Starline a look. "And from what I remember he's a fine shot but not the most effective. Sure he can treasure hunt well enough, but I don't particularly remember him winning me any fights or treasures Starline."
"All of this is true," he concedes but holds up a finger, "but that was the past and I have managed to find that our friend Nack here recently made a run into Empire territory and raided an ancient ruin of theres and he now claims to have quite the prize. If we were to acquire his services, we'd be claiming first dibs on the item as it were."
"Hmmm…" you lean back, tenting your fingers in thought. Gaining insight into The Empire would be ideal, how much a relic from the past would give you though, you're unsure.
"Food for thought I suppose." You allow, motioning forward. "Who else have you got?"
"This one is a bit more…unusual, compared to the other ones, if you can believe it." Starline comments happily as a new slide appears.
Hmmph. A train, eh? It had been awhile since you were on one. But still, there was little reason to not use it, you, the brilliant Dr. Starline, thought. It was cheap too.
Apparently with the world so thoroughly out of whack, train companies and other such transports had little respite, as travel was seen as rather dangerous even short distances.
Hmmph. Not that it mattered much to you, as long as it got you around as you searched for worthy minions for your idol.
Soon, the salted peanuts you ordered arrived, to your delight. It was a simple snack, but a well-deserved one for all your hard work.
As you opened your treat's bag, you were confused. On top of the peanuts was… a note?
Strange. And quite irritating. You decided to humor whatever prankster did this on a whim… and you were happy you did.
'The Conductor would like a word. Long live Dr. Eggman.'
You looked around for who delivered it, before remembering this train apparently had an AI you ordered from….
Basil The Conductor/The Mirage Express (Logistics Hero)
An Experienced Conductor
Rather Affable
Together Forever… for Better or Worse
"...A train conductor? Really Starline? I am not running a travel company here!" You scoff.
Starline holds his hands up placatingly.
"I am well aware, sir. But Similarly to Honey, the conductor is a good front man for the Empire, being rather Affable. I talked to the man. He has some classic rambling old man energy, but he is likable enough. Besides, it's less him and more his current transport."
You are about to scold Starline for thinking some random vehicle mattered when you double checked and blinked in shock.
"The Mirage Express? I wondered what became of that… hmm. I did design it with extra processing power to accommodate multiple guests at once. That level of multitasking could be very useful to me. Besides, if I ever need to go somewhere without flying, I'd rather do it in style. Next potential lackey, Starline."
"As you command." With no fanfare this time, a new slide appears. "This next individual seems to have a close connection to the Eggman Empire, Sir."
"Thank you Jeremy," she did her best to get a smile in her tone, knowing the mask she wore gave her an air of menace that she had to work through. Her cybernetics made people even more nervous. "I'll be sure to let the chief mechanic know what's going on."
The bear mobian gave her a grin and went back to his group as she wrote down the recon information his squad had managed to bring back from the borders of Restoration territory.
Which was copied from the tablet she was working on to the hidden server she had set up.
You don't get rid of Robotnik. Sure you can defeat him, set him back, you can even seemingly kill him and scatter his atoms across the universe. Nephthys had seen all of those happen on her own world and she had learned that truly and honestly, the only constant of the universe was that He Always Comes Back.
A shiver runs down her spine as she moves towards the foundry, the heart of The Restoration's effort in fighting back the Zavok's forces, The Black Arms, and the invading empire. She greeted the orangutan and went through the motions, making sure to up the number of weapons asked for by a tiny amount. After her weeks of excellent service, they couldn't afford to keep as close an eye on her anymore.
Which she knew. All the while she was watched she made sure to be the model survivor, painting a picture of the horrors that happened in Midestra but of her calming influence, how she did her best to keep everything civil and contained. After all, the best lies you can feed a foe are the truth.
Because she did, she kept Midestra under control, just enough conflict and push back to keep the doctor's eyes off her people without being so calm that there was no need to send food and resources, some of which could conveniently go missing to feed the people.
There was no way of stopping Eggman, no true way to keep him from coming back. The best you can do is shelter those you can from the worst of what he does.
"Nephthys the Vulture," the picture starline brings up, shows a female vulture mobian in a striking mask and cape combination, something that is quite close to some of your own work. "Another of the former 'Egg Bosses', from reports gathered she has nearly as impressive a record as the Pronghorn siblings, though she was apparently stymied from complete continental conquest by a group of rebels."
Nephthys The Vulture
Always Watching
Tactically Vulturous
Fatalistically Faithful
"Well no one but myself can be perfect," you muse as you look through the photos. "What can you tell me about the equipment she is wearing Starline?"
"Well the mask itself I have not discovered to have any purpose beyond hiding the mechanization she apparently took while in your service." Starline moves to the next slide, showing an almost complete cyberized face with only her eyes being non-mechanical. "The cape however seems to allow her some form of flight or an extreme glide."
"I don't need more combat units Starline," you say absently, running a finger along the circuitry lines on the vulture's face, mapping out their purpose as you do so. "But you said she was another of those 'Egg Bosses', so a tactician may be useful…"
You set the tablet down and look at Starline. "Interesting… very interesting…" You turn to look at Starline again. "I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm somewhat curious to see who you show next." You stare at him impatiently.
As the new slide appeared, Starline snapped his fingers. "While this one might seem similar to a few other minions, there's potential in her, I'm sure."
The empire soldier quickly hid between some houses as he ran away in sheer fright. He couldn't believe this! An entire squad and 2 tanks, completely taken out by 1 person?! How was that possible?
When Prince Maximilian declared that they needed to take this land for the Empire, he and his fellow soldiers were ready to lay down his life for the glory of the Empire…
It seemed so simple, these strange furry creatures didn't seem to pose much of a challenge at first, after less than 2 hours, they had taken the town over and secured all hostages.
That's when she appeared.
A tanned woman with whitish hair, carrying only a gun and nothing else. No one took her as a threat, even when she ran towards the tank.
That was a mistake, they should all have opened fire the moment she revealed herself. Now it was too late.
It all happened so fast! Quickly disarming all of them and then facing alone against a tank? If he hadn't watched with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed how she destroyed it with ease.
To hell with the Invasion, he didn't want to face freaks of nature!
Canaan (Power/Heart Hero)
Experienced combatant.
Mercenary Attitude. Loyalty can be bought at the right price.
Seems to possess a strange ocular ability?
Is in search of someone. Possible way to keep her loyal.
"While there is not as much info as I would like about her. Canaan seems to be a professional Mercenary, taking any jobs that catch her interest. "Starline comments as you watch the picture of the white haired, tanned woman. "Her reputation speaks for herself though. I have proof that she alone has managed to face several squads of the Empire, Black Arms and even your Super Badniks, Sir. And won against them single handedly. Such skill can only be an asset for your cause!"
"Yes, as long as I can keep paying her right?" You made a dismissing motion. "Eh, not sure she is worth the pay. Not sure if you have realized, but we are not exactly flushed with resources Starline. I'm not going to spend what little we have hiring a single person that may betray me for a higher paycheck." You punch the table in annoyance.
"Exactly my thought Sir! So I continued searching and found that she was interested in locating a person. Some blonde-haired girl called Maria."
That name…it sends shivers down your spine; you don't know why? "Come again?"
"She seems so focused on locating her, everywhere she goes she asks for clues about her. If we can make it seem as if we are her only way to locate this Maria, we can easily slot her as a useful minion!" Starline comments excitedly.
A blonde person called Maria… It might be a coincidence but with this strange new world was there a chance she was back? No way, but still, you needed to know…
"I will…take her into consideration…"
"Excellent Sir! And for our final candidate, I have quite a tragic, but potential minion, ripe for use!" Another click as a new slide appears.
You were a great Villain, once upon a time. Jungle Island's greatest threat! You had grand schemes, a perfect shot to gain admiration and power, crushing your enemies!
And then that FOOL defeated you!
It wasn't fair! You had the perfect plan! You would distract AiAi and his foolish friends with a false flag operation, and while they were running around like chickens with their heads chopped off, you would destroy them slowly but surely by using your machines to make every banana on the island taste like curry! The perfect plan!
"So how!? How did I lose!?" You ranted to the bartender, eating another banana.
"I don't know, pal. Sounds rough." The man said, clearly not caring that much. You supposed it didn't help that you brought your own food and had gotten a single free water.
Why pay when you could extend the water out? You were quite the evil genius!
Not genius enough though…
You groaned and rested your head on the bar. Maybe you should have been a carpenter… or fought Plumbers for damsels!
…Naw that idea was stupid.
Dr. Bad-Boon (Brain/Logistics Hero)
Prone to Eccentric but Actually Decent Plans!
Good with Machines!
Currently Depressed!
"Why would I need such an individual when I am superior at such endeavors related to machinery?" You raise an eyebrow.
"Well sir, he is currently completely depressed. From what I can gather in my research and from my own knowledge, those who have suffered great losses, as he currently has, are easily molded if you make them feel like winners. And he is a decent planner, too. Nowhere near your level, of course, but could be useful if you need a second head to bounce ideas off of and no one else is available."
"Hmmm.. has potential I suppose."
"Glad you found my findings interesting Sir!" Starline said excitedly. "With that, my presentation comes to an end." Another click an…
"...Didn't you say that was the last minion?" You stare at the image of a…peculiar man.
GORO MAJIMA! (Power/Trickery Hero)
Veteran of Combat!!!
Majima Everywhere!!!
Expert at Construction Projects!
"I don't know how it appeared there, Sir!" Starline looks freaked out. "Did someone mess with my Presentation?!" He asks enraged. "I'm so sorry for this, Doctor, let's just forget about the last-"
"No…" You cut off Starline, as you apprise the image. "For some reason, I think this person might have…some potential.
"If you are sure…" Starline comments in an uncertain tone.
"You have given me several options to consider…." You stroke your mustache as you mentally review all the options so far, all of them were useful to you in a way or another. And while a part of you wanted to enlist all of them at once, your current state of affairs made it clear it was best to only approach one right now…but who?
"You have done a well done job Starline…Make sure you have enough rest. I will require your services again soon." You don't wait to hear the platypus excited comments, you calmly exit the room as you mind wandered thinking of what possible candidate could work as the ideal minion right now…
QMS NOTE:
Congratulations! As you have passed the 3rd tier in the Minions Action, you have quite a pool of hero Units to Pick from!
Currently, you are only able to recruit one of them now. On following turns, you can take a Heart Action and if you pass the respective DC you will be able to hire the desired minion.
Each hero unit chosen has their own drives, unlike your current hero units that are loyal to eggman at such a high level, you will need to balance using them while trying to increase their opinion of our lovable mad scientist. Their drives will be the key to that, as long as Eggman helps them accomplish them, you can expect the hero unit to become more and more loyal.
WARNING: Some of these heroes are time limited, we won't tell you which or for how long they will be available for recruitment, but be aware that they might leave Green Hills soon, or joining with another faction is a definite possibility, and your chances to recruit them will be lost.
So make sure to use this free pick to get whoever you want!
FOR THIS VOTE, THERE WILL BE A 12 HOUR MORATORIUM.
The Options to consider are:
[ ] Ro the Kangaroo
[ ]Honey the Cat
[ ]Zobio and Zobiko
[ ]Thunderbolt The Chinchilla
[ ]Piastol
[ ] Clove The Pronghorn
[ ] Nack The Sniper
[ ]Basil The Conductor
[ ]Nephthys The Vulture
[ ]Canaan
[ ]Dr. Bad-Boon
[ ] Goro Majima
Last edited:
