Sonic flew through the air and twisted in an attempt to land on his feet, but slipped and smashed to the floor, panting.
"Get up." Giovanni's voice. He always oversaw Sonic's training. He wished with all of his heart that he'd let him stop, let him rest, let him have a potion at least. "Sonic..." He growled warningly.
"Please, I'm trying, sir!" The hedgehog grimaced as he found another way of getting up. He rolled to his knees and unsteadily pulled himself to his feet.
"Again." The man called mercilessly and Sonic scowled. His collar had been 'geographically deactivated' as Giovanni put it, which basically meant that inside this room he could move as fast as he wanted to, but if he tried to run out... Well, he didn't want to think about it.
Since he was able to use speed, Giovanni was constantly trying to teach him new attacks, surprised that Sonic could learn more than four at a time, although he had no idea why he was surprised by this. So far, he'd learnt six different attacks, mostly physical. It was a strain, he had to admit, which he found odd. Why did it tire him out so much?
He ran at his opponent, a piece of high speed machinary, and lashed out repeatedly, kicking just lightly enough so he wouldn't destroy it, but still got top power on the machines ratings. Sonic had to keep this up as it intensified and eventually started to lash out back at him. Eventually he'd grow too tired and too slow and be batted off again.
He collapsed. He got back up again.
He slammed down. He dragged himself up.
He toppled and rolled across the floor to Giovanni's feet. He stayed there.
"I think that's enough for today. Go and help in the kitchens tonight." Giovanni wrote something down on a clipboard and walked off, leaving Sonic to get his energy back on his own terms. He had until sunset to recover, then he'd work in the kitchens. A soft moan ghosted from his lips as he suddenly found himself being rolled over and someone pushed something against his lips.
"Come on, Sonic. It's a potion..." Meowth. Traitor. The blue hedgehog opened his eyes to glare as the potion streamed down his throat, soothing his aches almost instantly. "Don't look at me like that when I'm trying to help you!" Meowth scolded as he helped Sonic sit up.
"You betrayed me." He muttered and the cat Pokemon sighed.
"You're still on about that? Listen, if you're going to be staying around here, having an alli like me is good for you. I can look out for you. You gotta let it go!" He held out his paw "Come on, buddy! We can be partners!" Sonic eyed him calmly before closing his eyes and turning away.
"You have a minute to leave before I kill you." He stated darkly. When he turned back around, Meowth was gone.
As he helped the other Pokemon cook and serve, he thought about the offer he'd turned down. He thought about how alone he was and how alone Tails must have been. Then he thought about how much he hated Giovanni and Team Rocket. What they'd done. What they do. Why they existed. He fumed and pushed himself into a very bad mood, so bad that even Giovanni couldn't ignore it as Sonic placed his plate down in front of him. The hedgehog wished he could find poison to put in that food. The boss glanced at Sonic and opened his mouth to speak when a terrible crash made them both turn.
A hole had been made in the wall across the dining room, and as the dust settled and the chandeliers stopped rattling, Sonic made out three shapes. One of them darted forward suddenly and jumped onto him, wrapping their arms around him and sending him flying to the floor.
"Amy!" Sonic could have cried as her scent and the feel of her revived his happiness, the simple memory of his happiness had been distant to him recently. He gripped her and held her close, burying his face into her neck, just under her quills "Oh, Amy!"
"Sonic!" She sobbed "Oh Mobius, Sonic! I missed you so much! I-I-"
"Amy!" Eggman snapped sharply and she jumped off of Sonic quickly, moving back to stand by the genius. "Giovanni, let's talk business." He snarled and ripped open his jacket, revealing a ton of bombs. Amy did the same and Knuckles stepped forward to show his. Sonic stared in open-mouthed horror. What had they been thinking?
"Be a good Sonic and stand up while our guests talk." Giovanni instructed casually and let his gaze wander lazily up to Eggman as Sonic obeyed "What is it? Give up Sonic or I get blown up?"
"And Tails." Knuckles growled. Giovanni chuckled.
"What if Sonic doesn't want to leave?" He purred as he leaned over the table. "No good Sonic would want to miss the opportunity of being at my side, afterall." The hedgehog gritted his teeth and glared at the floor.
"Sir," He murmured softly "Please. Please let us go."
"Be quiet." Giovanni hissed as Eggman folded his arms.
"Fine, if he doesn't want to come we can all die." He held up a button and Giovanni stood up in protest hurriedly. They eyed each other steadily. Then the boss reached into his pocket and threw Eggman a key.
"Down the corridor, two lefts, straight and a right. Cell 3." He spoke calmly and they stared for another agonising moment until Eggman passed the key to Knuckles, who ran off while they stood there. After a minute, Giovanni murmured softly "Bad Sonic."
