He lost track of where they even went, a dumb move on his part. If he hadn't had a map, he'd have been so fucked... But somehow, that didn't matter, even as he was taken to a rather unassuming lot on the outskirts of the city. For some reason, he knew Eggman wouldn't hurt him. If anything he was just a bit of a tease. And he was fine with that, since he liked to be one too.
With all the distraction next to him, he didn't realize they'd entered until he heard the door shut behind them, poking his head up to see a rather modest space complemented by what looked like a stack of computer towers and some sort of other weird machinery. Nothing like what looked like the lair of a supervillain, but if he was forced to take a closer space to be close to the hero... He could see the girl again too, as she was pretty much hands-on with the machine, synced with it, probably trying to help the process.
She pulled away once Eggman set him down, and he cautiously made his way to sit on the sofa. She seemed to study him for a moment before bowing softly and giving a greeting of her own, and Manic was surprised to see the way she indeed treated Eggman like her father. Just what the hell even was she...?
His attention returned to Eggman when the human coughed and took a seat across from him. Thankfully the doc wasn't propping his feet up, or he'd be completely unable to focus on anything...
``So...'' he bit his lip, wondering just what he could even say. Eggman had already rebuffed his apology, but apparently saw something else he wanted to talk about in private - but for the life of him he couldn't figure out what he was doing or what that was. ``What didja wanna talk `bout?''
``It's nothing about what I want to talk about, Manic. I wanted to take you to a place you could speak your mind and not fret about appearances.'' Not... fret about appearances? He must have given Eggman one hell of a look, because the doc clarified. ``You worry too much about doing `un-princely' things in casual conversations, I've noticed. You chided yourself for messing with your new ascot there.''
``Well, duh?'' Was Eggman stupid? ``I don't wanna fall back int' bad habits. Otherwise it's just more work fer me when I go back t' th' castle...'' Gods, why did that sound so... melodramatic? Maybe he really just hated his instructor more than he thought... ``It ain't nothin' t' worry about, doc.'' He swore he could see the human's brows furrow as if trying to make an argument, but really, what was there to say?
``If you insist... Do you want a drink?'' he stood up, surprising him. Being offered a drink of all things? ``Tea, coffee, water...''
``No alcohol?'' Manic giggled, raising a brow. ``Geez, ya bring a man home n' can't even soften `im up?''
While he couldn't hear what Eggman muttered under his breath, the steal of pink across his cheeks made up for it, which just made him giggle even more. Though he was surprised when the doctor returned with a bottle of bourbon and some small cups.
``I rarely drink, but not to say I don't have some on hand for sleepless nights,'' he admitted, pouring a bit into each. ``But this is quite a unique occasion, no?''
``I hear that,'' Manic gave a more genuine laugh, clinking his glass against the doctor's before taking a sip and sighing. It was about as strong as his preferred rum, but definitely had a different taste... ``Not a bad place fer temp use,'' he commented, looking around. ``That whatcher usin' t' locate those emeralds?''
Eggman peered over at the machine before giving a nod. ``Indeed. The Emeralds have a distinct signature, but it can take some time to find them even still. As is their nature, sometimes they can bounce their energies around. Triangulating a location is the most difficult part when they're not all together. Sage is wonderful at helping along.''
``...Huh... An' th' Hero is okay wit' just th' drone in `is house?'' That still had him confused, and Eggman chuckled.
``I was figuring the same, but they were playing video games together earlier, to my surprise.''
The small talk continued as Eggman went over how the Chaos Emeralds and the odd relationship between the hero and the drone worked, though bit by bit, Manic found himself thinking more outside of things.
``I tell ya, these past few days have really been wild, doc... Hasn't even been a week but feels like a shitton longer.''
``Trust me, these few months haven't been exactly quick for me either... But what's the case for you?''
``I... I guess I'm just gettin' culture shock from all `is.'' That was about the best way he could describe it. Between Eggman, the kind people at the music store, the lady at the boutique, and Lightning, it was like everyone in this city wanted to help him. ``Everyone here... they're... helpful. It ain't like back home where everyone acts like I'm th' savior... I guess it's confusin' me a bit more than I thought it would.''
``Rebuilding after a war will do that, I suppose,'' Eggman remarked, causing Manic to pause. That was right, there was a war... that was one of the questions he wanted to ask the Hero too. But damn, how could he even get an answer if the guy was out of commission with amnesia? If he just had a fucking phone, he could look everything up... But fuck him, he had to do things the `natural' way... Was it so bad to get inside info before the interview...? Even if it came from someone else? He didn't have to use it, but fuck he was curious! ``...Didn't you say you were in Mobodoon when that happened?''
The question snapped him out of his musing, and he gave a nod. ``Yeah. Th' Oracle had some vision. He said th' world was filled wi' smoke n' th' sky was all red like a permanent sunset. He thought it was some sign o' a disaster. So... when th' portal opened, he got us all t' go there. It was... cramped, t' be honest. Pretty much everyone had t' live in th' small houses there. But it was kinda nice too. Since I was born there n' all, kinda felt more... cozy.''
``Wait, you actually stayed there the entire four years?! So... you really just got back last year?'' By the way Eggman was leaning forward, he could practically see the whites of his eyes peeking over his dark glasses. He kinda wondered what his eyes even looked like... No! He wasn't here to think that!
``Yeah. That's why my ma's advisors want this interview so bad... I mean, I'm curious too, sure, but like... I wish I could just ask someone `bout it all...'' He frowned, swirling his glass before taking another sip. He'd love to know what all the Hero did. The way Eggman talked, it sounded like they constantly fought up until this whole Cyber Corruption thing. ``Wait... if th' Hero's th' one who stopped it, then... What did ya do that actually hit th' whole planet?'' It had to be part of his fault! Eggman even admitted he was still a villain!
``...Aren't you forbidden from getting information not from the Hero?'' Eggman rose a finger, which only served to irritate him and make his curiosity burn hotter, but he huffed and crossed his arms.
``Dammit, Eggman! C'mon, yer th' only one who even knows who th' fuck I'm s'posed t' be interviewin', least ya could do is indulge me here! I'm waitin' on yer ass t' fix his amnesia, ain't I? Fuck!''
To his surprise, Eggman smirked rather than bit back. ``Now there's the Manic I remember.'' Manic stared in disbelief, before he dialed back exactly what he'd said, and his face turned a bright red. But Eggman looked... proud of him. Was it really that big of a deal that he was talking more street right now? ``Not afraid to speak his mind, language and all.'' Manic groaned, putting his hands in front of his face. This man was going to be the death of him!
``Fuuuuck... You knew I'd start getting' loose-lipped with the booze... Fine. If it really makes ya happy t' see `Street Manic' that much. I'll keep `is up, an' ya fill me in. Deal?''
The human's laugh was one that he was strangely growing fond of... It was so much nicer this time around. ``Deal. So, why don't I start you off with the War for the Planet. Would you believe me if I said I'd taken over ninety-nine percent of the planet in the span of a few months thanks to a special meteorite?''
``...A fuckin' near totality while we were gone? How th' fuck...''
``The Phantom Ruby, I called it. A special gem that could completely alter a person's neurological perception. Time, matter, sight, touch, smell, taste... It could literally bring illusions to life. Imagine if I created a fireball in my bare hand. You would know it's fake. You would know I'm no pyrokinetic. But if I hit you with it, it would burn you. Your body could not tell the difference, no matter what your mind said. It was that powerful.
``After I discovered it, I made prototypes of smaller versions... one of which belonged to a jackal who sided with me. He used his powers to capture the Hero, and convinced the world he'd perished, when I really just had him in a cell up in my orbiting fleet. I focused on conquering the world while Infinite took care of other things. Six months later, though, somehow or another, the Hero broke free after some sort of `arena fight' he'd conjured up, and once his friends knew he was okay, things fell apart. They rescued him, got one of my prototypes, and it was able to break even my best illusory weapon.''
``So... ya had pretty much a Mega Robotropolis fer six months...'' The mere fact that even was possible stunned him. He thought Eggman had a huge reach back then when he was a kid! But the whole world?! But... ``Big scale, small time frame, huh?'' He wasn't sure if that was better or worse, if he'd managed to push back that much. The Hero must've had some damn strong friends... And that Phantom Ruby sounded absolutely nuts! But damn, if it was only six months, it seemed pretty fucking ridiculous that the Oracle evacuated them all for the entire four year spread. They could have probably helped!
But then again... If they knew what was happening they'd probably freak out even more.
``I suppose... Then for a while, I apparently had a case of amnesia myself.'' Gods, that `Mr. Tinker' persona was something else. ``But a little... admirer of mine by the name of Starline... restored my memories, and while I did go back to being the tyrant you know, it also saved this planet in particular.''
If Manic wasn't staring in disbelief, he certainly was now. That made absolutely zero sense! ``What sorta cockamamie bullshit is tha'?! Ya turned good, got back t' bein' evil, and tha' was a net positive?!''
``I wasn't exactly technologically literate when I was turned into a handyman,'' Eggman retorted. ``If I hadn't gone back to my wicked ways, I wouldn't have learned about the Starfall Islands and Cyber Space. And thank the gods I did, or this planet might have been completely obliterated by this point by the entity that was breaking out of it! I can't rule the world and make Eggmanland if there's no world to rule! So, yes, I'd consider the fact I turned evil was a good thing, even if I did morph a lot of the population into metallic zombies temporarily.''
``Metallic... zombies... I thought ya said ya regretted turnin' peeps t' fuckin' robots!'' Manic's jaw dropped at the new revelation. ``What's th' damn diff between roboticization an' whatevah th' fuck ya just said?!'' Before he even knew it, he was right in the doctor's face, wishing he could see the expression behind those dark glasses. Was the doctor just lying earlier?! He felt a deep growl resonate in his throat, and for a brief moment he thought he could feel his chest spark. Though that could also have been Sage, who had been pulled away from her work to stare at them in cautious tension.
``As much as I'd like to place the blame for that on Starline, I admit my curiosity got the better of me...'' he sighed. ``That and... that was also around the time I learned Mobotropolis was empty.''
``...Wait. Ya mean that... If we hadn't evacuated...''
``I would have told that platypus to not even think about it.''
It seemed all at once, the fire left Manic's spirit, and he slowly sunk into the large human's body. To his surprise, those long arms wrapped around him again, and he caved. Fuck it. Who was gonna see? Who was gonna know? Who was gonna care? His brain was spinning and he wanted something to cuddle. Resting his head on Eggman's chest, he could vaguely hear the strong heartbeat beneath. To think that their mere presence could have prevented a literal zombie apocalypse was... insane. He didn't know if he should be relieved they missed it or guilty they hadn't returned to put a preemptive stop to it.
``...So wha'... wha' happened then?''
``The Hero managed to get the seven emeralds together. He's one of a very select few who can unlock a sort of temporary transformation called a `Super Form.' Once he did that, he was able to eradicate the Metal Virus. He also used it to defeat that entity from Cyber Space earlier this year.''
``...Ya know this all sounds like some sorta fuckin' novel yer writin.''' Like, it really just sounded straight up unbelievable. ``...But then again, my childhood was fuckin' crazy too. Parallel worlds, meetin' our ancestor's ghost, prophecies, magic... I don't really have any way t' say yer bullshittin' me...''
``Well, I appreciate the vote of confidence,'' Eggman snorted, letting a comfortable silence slowly wash over them again. Neither were really sure what to talk about at such a point. There was nothing really between them aside from their soft breaths and the hum of the computer at the back, and Manic was just happy to switch his brain off for a bit. ``You planning to nap on me, hedgehog?'' that voice was slightly teasing in an oddly cute way, and Manic resisted the urge to laugh.
``Mmmh... maybe, unless ya got somewhere else t' be... wait, shit, yer bodysuit - ''
``It's fine,'' Eggman chuckled. ``While you were settling in, I sent a message that I would be delayed. It'll wait for me.'' Manic blinked in surprise before he felt one of those huge hands start to pet his quills, and he resisted the urge to sigh. Damn, Eggman really knew how to rub a hedgehog just right...
``Didn't think ya'd be... so touchy-feely...'' he managed a weak laugh. ``T' think twenty-five years ago ya had a bounty on our heads... How much even was it?''
``Enough to have taken the Montclaire Estate's taxes away for five years, at least...''
``...Can we not talk `bout `at fucker?'' Manic's brow furrowed as he looked up. Gods, he hated that man so much... ``Part o' why I took `is trip was t' get away from `im.'' There was a beat of silence, and he could just tell it was tinged with confusion, so he gave a disgruntled sigh. ``Him n' sis got back togetha but he's still an asshole... homophobic too.'' He winced at a memory of a particularly nasty insult the mink had hit him with the other day, and it must have shown, as Eggman shifted to rub a small circle on his back under his spines.
``...I see... Did you have plans for anything while you're here?''
At that, Manic had to shake his head. ``Didn't plan anythin'. Just kinda checkin' out my map n' lookin fer places tha' catch my eye... Unless ya got ideas fer me?''
``Me give you suggestions for places to go? That's not something I'd have expected you to ask.''
``Yeah, well, I was gonna look fer Lightnin' Lynx but he wasn't at his corner yet. Then I bumped int' ya. But... ya know, if ya ain't too swamped wi' takin' care o' th' Hero... I think I'd rather ya take me around.'' Manic felt his cheeks get a bit warm, as he looked up at the clearly surprised expression on Eggman's face. ``I know ya said it don't matter an' tha' it's natural, but... I wanna be able t' say hi wi'out flinchin'. So... maybe we could...''
``Exposure therapy, hm?'' Eggman rubbed his chin. ``I suppose we can work something out, yes. I'll see if my drone can stand in for me a little more. He seems to be settling down enough... Though are you sure it's not just because you think I'm attractive, and the fact I'm able to be barefoot in such environments?''
Manic blushed hotter but gave him a glower, ignoring the smirk on Eggman's face. ``Ass. Tha's only part o' it,'' he huffed. ``I guess... it's cuz we got history, too. I don't think I could ask some random shmuck like `is.'' He really didn't know anyone in this city. Lightning was the only guy he could address by name. No one else was even a point of contact, just a friendly face for now.
``That... actually sounds nice,'' Eggman finally admitted after a moment, and Manic blinked in shock. ``To be honest, there are some places I've gone to, but it would be nicer with a companion.'' That was almost... too easy.
``What, no sorta condition?'' Manic couldn't help but feel a bit... guarded. ``Like, no favors in return from moi? You lonely or som'm, big guy?''
``Hrm... that is a good point,'' the scientist hummed. ``Tell you what. I'll show you around, but in exchange... you agree to do a little question-and-answer session. I'm curious on the state of things in your kingdom as of late, and I'm sure you want to learn more about my recent activities... So we'll meet each other and ask each other a few questions and... get to know a bit more about each other's situations.''
Eggman... wanted info on Mobotropolis? Just to see how it was faring? As much as he wanted to argue the doc just wanted sensitive info, the fact he was being offered information in exchange... it almost felt... thrilling. Like a sort of pretend-spy game. And maybe... maybe he could at least do a little venting too. Cuz gods, he really didn't get enough time to be pissed off.
``Dunno what all ya'd get outta learnin' from me, but... Deal.''
With the comfortable lull in silence returning, Manic once more felt that other hand return to his quills, and he practically sank into Eggman's body. Gods, how was this man so damn good at this? He could just melt away and sleep like a baby... The warmth of another person against him felt leagues better than his plush...
---
Eggman resisted the urge to make a comment about the fact Manic was actually purring, the silence strangely comforting. Considering the last time he was in his arms like this, he was unconscious, he much preferred... well, this. But it was also odd, just how natural this felt. Perhaps all those random flings with Sonic in their off times was loosening him up more than he realized? But also, Manic was just so... vulnerable. It wasn't the same as it was with his brother. Sonic was strong, defiant, confident, even if he hid his insecurities. Manic, though... Manic wore them on his sleeve. It was very easy to read him, and it strangely bothered him how much he talked himself down.
Though he'd have to save any questions for another time, as it wasn't long before Manic fell asleep against him. His expression was so peaceful... Now that he could actually look at Manic without feeling pressed for time, he took the time to notice the more subtle things, namely in how Manic had a much... softer body. While Sonic had a lithe frame and lacked any true `muscle,' and had a slightly feminine curve to his hips, Manic definitely had a more graceful curve, showing he retained more fat. His legs were just as thick, but definitely more from a balanced diet than Sonic's `runner's build.' He had to resist the urge to really look at his ass, which was hidden behind those custom pants, but he was sure it had a couple inches more to handle... Gods, why was he thinking this way?!
It also didn't help that Manic was still barehanded, which was usually seen as a sign of vulnerability to a partner... and partners they were not! Even though the idea sounded... strangely enticing...
``I'm surprised how quickly he's taken to you,'' Sage floated over, her voice low. From her databanks, considering it hadn't been more than a day since their first encounter, Manic should have been eager to keep his distance. But instead he wanted to meet more so he didn't flinch upon seeing his face or hearing his voice... and there was the matter of the fact Manic sought out his warmth. ``It's as if his attraction to you is overpowering self-preservation instincts now.''
Of all the theories he'd come up with, that seemed to hold the most water. Now that Manic knew he wasn't a threat, his other thought processes were taking charge, even if there was that initial panic.
---
Manic honestly couldn't believe just how... good today was. Returning to the hotel for dinner, it actually felt like he'd gotten more accomplished today than he had the other day... But he didn't. Was it just because it was accomplishments for himself...? He looked down at his awesome pink ascot, resisting the urge to fiddle with it more, and his nails were still nice and shiny black.
When he saw his assistant in the dining hall once more for dinner, he was surprised to see that the old dog wasn't freaking out. At least, he thought he wasn't. He could clearly see the way his eyes were eyeballing the cosmetic changes, and the way they widened slightly. But even as he walked within distance to actually talk to him without disturbing others, there was a strange silence. It wasn't an angry silence, or even a tense one. It was almost like, for once, his assistant was lost for words. And that was a rarity and a half.
So he wouldn't bother to break the peace. He simply ordered his food as he'd been used to, before heading upstairs to his room. Not because he was tired, but because he needed to write. Not for the interview, but for his own curiosity... What did he even start with talking about? There was so much he didn't know. So much mystery behind Eggman and the Hero... Even if it talking about things his ma probably wouldn't advise, he didn't care. Not this time.
He wanted to know so much. The Chaos Emeralds, the Starfall Islands, the strange earthquake rumors... If there was even a chance Eggman knew some of it, he was eager to learn. If he couldn't be told about the Hero, he'd make up a list to share every day until then! For some reason, it really made the thought of meeting up with the human feel exciting... He didn't have to worry about being too rude or impolite. Actually... his eyes widened as he paused writing. He didn't have to worry about... anything. He couldn't remember a day where he wasn't at least somewhat worried about something.
Of course, he'd still make time to check in on Lightning. Any lead he could get for the Hero's identity was definitely worth it.
