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SALLY not SALLY (a broken SI in the Archie Sonic setting)

Created
Status
Incomplete
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Sally Acorn is alive and not a Robian.

Which is extremely awkward because I just woke up as Mecha Sally, and Sally Acorn is right over there, next to the remains of the World Roboticizer, and still very much not a robot.

Here I am, in the body she was supposed to turn into, with fragmented memories that all tell me that I am Sally Alicia Acorn and another set of memories that insist that I'm just some fanfic writer that shouldn't be here.

I am Sally Acorn, except that I'm not.

Oh yeah, I can tell my day is going to be just fantastic...
SALLY not SALLY ch01 New

Tangent

Not too sore, are you?
Joined
May 19, 2017
Messages
448
Likes received
5,522
Because I apparently can't just not drop an idea once I have it, even if it is similar to previous story ideas...
sally_not_sally_title_card_by_tangent_rambles_dmvss9y-fullview.jpg


SALLY not SALLY
Chapter 1
A broken SI fic by Tangent
​



> Primary systems online.
> Optics... OK.
> Audio receptors... OK.
> Haptic feedback system… OK.
> Locomotion servos... OK.
> Observation suite... Online.
> Sally Alicia Acorn personality core... Corrupted.
> Memory archive check… Fragmented.
> Unauthorized secondary identity matrix detected.
> Deletion of unauthorized secondary identity matrix… Failed.
> Control overlay program… Failed.
> Emergency shutdown… Failed.
> Boot sequence complete.
>
> ERROR!

Okay, waking up in a pile of debris with scanlines across my vision and what seems to be an extremely fragmented set of memories that context clues suggest belong to Sally Acorn is more than a bit disconcerting. Especially given that I distinctly remember being an old overweight guy in poor health who had watched the cartoon and read the comics that those memories are from.

Annoyingly enough, I seemed to have gained only the memories of those episodes and issues right up to this point, and nothing before, after, nor even in between. First person perspective, but extremely fragmented and none of the emotional context involved.

I heard a soft groan to the right and spot…

Okay, if that is Sally Acorn, who the Hell amd I and why do I have the Mecha Sally body that she should have been transformed into when the World Roboticizer fed back into itself!?

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that Sally seems to be okay and definitely not a Robian - I'm not an asshole. But how can I be Mecha Sally when Sally Acorn is right there?

…

I should probably clear the rest of the rubble off of her. Oh, and there's Nicole's handheld. Better grab that so that Sally can give her friend her home back.

"Ugh… Wha..?"

"No obvious injuries," I stated with far more calm than I actually felt given that I was repressing my panic. "Assuming that your memories are intact, I think that it is safe to conclude that the World Roboticizer feeding back into itself resulted in an anomalous incident. How many fingers am I holding up?"

> ERROR!

Ow!

Yes, error! And why the Hell did I phrase everything like that!? I sound like I'm half-robot!

> …

Well, okay, I am apparently a Robian, which is basically the same thing but with organic origins, but still…

"Why do you look like a roboticized version of me?" Sally asked, groggily as she scrabbled away from me in a panic.

"Excellent question. Data inconclusive. How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Three."

"Correct. Do you remember your name?"

"Ugh… Sally Acorn. Why are you asking me that? Shouldn't you be taking me prisoner or something?"

"Do you want to be taken prisoner?"

"No!"

"Subject: Sally Acorn seems to be exhibiting signs of strong self-identity retention. Health appeared to be nominal. Current location sub-optimal: I suggest that we relocate. Would you like to hold onto Nicole's device so that you can return it to her?"

"Er… Yes, actually. Thank you," Sally replied as I returned Nicole's handheld to her and helped her to her feet. "Who are you?"

"Data inconclusive. Operating system corrupted. Evidence suggests that I am not Princess Sally Alicia Acorn."

"You don't say…" Sally retorted drily as she leveled a flat look at me.




"Dude, come on, we win! I'm going to find Sally, then we're destroying your dumb egg. Then I'm stomping on Naugus, and then the two of you can rot in a cell. And then I'm going to eat a million chili dogs. And then…" I heard Sonic's voice trail off as I burst through the top of the debris pile covering the hole above Sally and me.

"Oh no," I heard Sonic's tone change from triumph to denial as I climbed up out of the hole in the floor of the control center for the apparently defunct Genesis Wave device. "Oh no no no no!"

> ERROR!

Yeah, why is Sonic panicking? He and Sally won, didn't they? Neither the Genesis Wave device nor the World Roboticizer had worked this time…

> ERROR!

Okay, continuity error there, as I seem to remember that it had worked. Twice. And damn, getting gunned down into a fine red mist two iterations ago had hurt!

> ERROR!

Yes, error! Why the hell am I even remembering that!? Sonic had overwritten those events right at the end of the intermediary iteration, hadn't he? That's why I… er… and Sally are even alive right now!

And why is the fat bastard laughing his head off right now?

"Sonic?" Sally called out in concern as she climbed out of the hole after me.

"SALLY! You're okay!" Sonic exclaimed in relief as he zipped up to Sally and helped her finish climbing out of the hole.

"What is this!?" Dr. Julian Ivo Robotnik demanded as he started to struggle to his feet. "I didn't make a Mecha Sally!"

"Statement: Correct." Seriously!? Why can't I talk like a normal person!?

> ERROR!

Yes, fucking error! I sound like a braindead animatronic Sally Acorn! Why doesn't my speech match my thoughts!?

> ERROR!

I have a mouth and yet I cannot scream!

Fuck my life…


dmvss9y-5c0a4f00-9919-485b-98e3-e230c0c1a199.jpg
 
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SALLY not SALLY ch02 New
SALLY not SALLY
Chapter 2
A broken SI fic by Tangent
​



"Destroy Sonic the Hedgehog!" an apoplectic Dr. Robotnik shouted from across the control room we were all in.

> ERROR!

Oh, yeah, he's still there, isn't he? Why hasn't he escaped yet?

> ERROR!

Right, we're in a control room, not the Control Room. It would be really convenient right now if I had a deckplan map or schematics of this Death Egg right now… Nothing? Well, that's disappointing. I did manage to pull up what are presumably Sally's memories of using a terminal to look up the deck plans…

Why the fuck is the control room for the World Roboticizer on the bottom deck!?

"Don't ignore me, you bucket of bolts! Destroy Sonic! Capture the princess! Anything!"


> ERROR!

"Invalid command: Insufficient privileges," I replied flatly when I had actually just meant to say no. Seriously? We're doing this now?

> Smug.

Now see here, you little…

"Insufficient privileges!? I'M DOCTOR ROBOTNIK!"

"Administrative privileges: Dr. Julian Ivo Robotnik… Not found. Access denied," I retorted absently as I continued to try to mentally throttle whatever this weird program thingy that was messing with my ability to talk like a normal person.

I basically ignored the resulting hedgehog-on-villain violence as Sonic subdued and captured Dr. Robotnik again as he seemed to have it well in hand. Granted, I didn't know the combat capabilities of this Mecha Sally body other than it being stronger and more durable than the original Sally, and even then I didn't really know by how much more either of those really was. Mobians were kind of tough after all.

"Suggestion: We should leave," I pointed out to Sally as Sonic frog marched Dr. Robotnik towards where we were standing.

"That's probably a good idea," Sally agreed with a nod.




Ooh, neat! I know how to fly this thing!

We were currently in a moderately sized Eggmobile with Sally in the copilot seat and Sonic sitting next to a trussed up Eggman in the back.


> ERROR!

Bleh, no. Dr. Robotnik is a nice enough name, but it's a bit of a mouthful to actually say over and over again, even in my own head. He also goes by Eggman so… Eggman.

> ERROR!

Why the fuck would I show him any respect? He didn't even invent the technology that's presumably behind this body - he stole it from Charles the Hedgehog!

> ERROR!

Yeah yeah, whatever. Look, modifying and supposedly improving a technology does not make up for claiming to invent it when he actually didn't.

> ERROR!

Do you mind? I'm trying to fly and I don't need you distracting me when we're about to land…



"You guys did it!" I somehow recognized Bunnie d'Coolette's voice call out as she, Antoine, and Geoffrey St. John approached from one side as Tails came up from the other. "You sent Ol' Eggface runnin' back… to…" she trailed off as Sally hopped out of the Eggmobile and I assisted Sonic in hoisting Eggman out of the back seat and out of the vehicle.

> ERROR!

Didn't we already have this argument? I'm calling him Eggman! Would you prefer I start calling him Darth Lardass?

> …

I thought not.

"Actually, we captured Eggman," Sonic announced proudly, trying to hold up the villain like an overly large fish with my help. An effect that was largely spoiled by the fact that neither of us stood much taller than the man's waistline.

"Um… Who is she?" Bunnie asked in an understandably confused tone, gesturing vaguely at me.

"Excellent question!" I replied with artificial cheer and genuine snark. "Hello, I am not Sally Alicia Acorn. Pleased to meet you, Bunnie d'Coolette ne Rabbot. And hello to you too, Antione, Miles, Traitor."

"That's…" Geoffrey St. John started to protest, but I didn't let him continue.

"Entirely factual and provable, Geoffrey St. John. You have collaborated with multiple enemies of the state and conspired against the very throne you have sworn to serve, and even now are in the process of supporting a would-be usurper's invalid claim to the Throne of Acorn based solely on a bargain made under duress. You are a traitor."

"Who do you think you are to make such accusations!" the skunk demanded even as the others went quiet.

"Excellent question!" I repeated with equal parts snark and cheer - this time equally genuine. "I am not Sally Alicia Acorn. I'd say that I am pleased to meet you, but that is factually incorrect. I hope that you rot in a cell next to one of your coconspirators. I'm sure that Eggman would appreciate the company."


> ERROR!

Oh, hush, you! You know I'm right - we both have access to those memories.

> ERROR!

Will you shut up for a bit so I can figure out how to best shove a stick in Naugus' plans? Eggman doesn't like him any better than he likes anyone else, so I'd be acting against at least one of his enemies.

> …

Thank you.



"What was that?" Sally demanded after Eggman and Geoffrey were deposited in cells awaiting their respective trials. I was still following her around like a baby duckling - partly because I had nothing better to do and partly because I didn't trust Rotor or Chuck to not get more curious about me than I was strictly comfortable with. Also, the general populace of the… Okay, the Republic of Acorn - have to remember that the idiots decided to change away from one form of government that they had been failing to restore in favor of another form of government that they didn't really understand yet.

Oh, I have no objections to them becoming a republic. I'm objecting to the fact that they are immediately running it like an oligarchy. And failing at that too. Bunch of hypocritical traumatized idiots that only get dumber the more of them there are in a crowd…


> Query?

Oh, those memories aren't Sally's. I have context that she didn't

> Query?

No, I don't know how I ended up in this body.

> Query?

No, you can't have it. It's mine now. Now excuse me, but we've already wasted enough time, and I think Sally actually wants an answer.

"Excellent Question! I…"

"Would you stop doing that!?"

I tilted my head, thought about it for a moment, then replied. "Statement: I do not think that I am currently capable of complying with that request. Observation: I find it annoying too."

Sally blinked as it became apparent that she hadn't thought of the situation from my perspective yet. Not that I blamed her for that - I would be set on my back foot too if a mechanical duplicate of me suddenly showed up in my life and started following me around.

Note to self: Sally may find the fact that I'm following her around to be disconcerting. I should probably stop doing that.

Let's stick a pin in that and get back to it when I'm sure that neither Rotor nor Chuck are going to go poking inside my head the moment that Sally isn't around.


> Affirmative.

Okay, so you have an opinion about that too. I wasn't sure that you were capable of having those outside of wanting me to serve Eggman.

> ERROR!

Right, right. You have nothing better to do either. I get it.
 
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Suggestion:
"Who do you think you are to make such accusations!" the skunk demanded even as the others went quiet."
Remove quotation mark from the end.

Not-Sally, I'd advise you to actually inform Sally that you're scared of Rotor and Chuck. At minimum knowing why you're following her around would probably make her more comfortable, and she might be able to convince/coerce them into leaving you alone.
 
SALLY not SALLY ch03 New
SALLY not SALLY
Chapter 3
A broken SI fic by Tangent
​



"Reiteration: Getting back to your original question, perhaps you could elaborate? It just occurred to me that 'What was that' is incredibly vague and could be interpreted in several ways concerning recent events. While I think I have the correct context to provide a serviceable answer, it is probably best to be sure."

Okay, can we dial back on that a bit, please? All I wanted to do was ask her to clarify the question, not give her a short dissertation about why I wanted her to do so!

> Negative.

Well, fuck you too then!

"I meant, what was up with you calling Geoffrey a traitor," Sally replied, totally unaware of my internal argument with a defunct control overlay program.

> ERROR!

Yeah, I went there, you overly elaborate string of garbage code!

"Statement: Everything I said was factual and verifiable by independent investigation. Observation: The memories are there, but your friendship with him and appreciation of duties he had performed in the past have weighed sentiment in his favor that he no longer deserves."

"You have my memories," Sally concluded, looking at me sharply.

"Correction: I have a frustratingly fragmented portion of your memories, largely lacking the emotional context associated with many of them. As I am not Sally Alicia Acorn, I can afford to look past the sentiment and notice the actual damage Geoffrey St. John's actions have inflicted upon my House and Country. Self-Correction: your House and Country. I am not Sally Alicia Acorn."

"You… You're hurting," Sally gasped. "You see yourself, at least partially, as me!"

"Affirmative," I confirmed, a bit of actual sadness creeping into my tone. "I am not Sally Alicia Acorn though. You are. I have this body and a collection of disorganized, fragmented memories with little to no emotional context associated with any of them due to not having actually lived through any of them myself. I suspect that the World Roboticizer being fed back into itself so soon after the Genesis Wave device had been used may have had something to do with our situation."

"But the Genesis Wave device wasn't used?" Sally tilted her head as she looked at me. "I mean, Sonic got there in time, didn't he?"

"Negative," I said dully. "In the first iteration, Sonic wasted time fighting Silver Sonic while you ran on ahead. Through the same corridor he carried you through at speed in this iteration…"

"I remember that corridor," Sally said softly. Of course she did - it was just earlier today from her perspective. I remembered this version of events too - I remembered everything Sally had experienced today right up until I got this body. "The first trap we blew past was a gatling gun that had popped out of a wall…"

"Observation: Two iterations ago, Sally Alicia Acorn died earlier today to a hail of bullets. The pain was intense… but brief. The intermediary iteration of Mobius was somehow lighter and more carefree, although Dr. Robotnik remained a terrible villain. Our father was named Nigel for some reason. And we did not meet Sonic for the first time until earlier this very day."

"Let me guess - Robotnik got frustrated when Sonic showed up and tried to use the Genesis Wave again."

"That is a plausible hypothesis, although I cannot confirm the actual sequence of events as we had gotten separated from Sonic again as he went to confront Robotnik. By that point we were starting to remember the previous iteration and how we had died. Sonic's last message to us… to you… that he left behind written on a window, was one of love. I just thought that you should know that in case you do not get any memories from the previous iterations."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."




Oh, Walkers, the interviews over the next few days were long, boring, and bordering on interrogation - which was understandable if annoying, given that they were taking the investigation into my claims of Geoffrey St. John being a traitor seriously. Fortunately for me, I retained enough of Sally's memories, fragmented though they may be, to be able to direct the investigators to where they should look for verifiable evidence.

Equally fortunate - from my perspective if not Sally's - my lack of her emotional connection to the memories of their past friendship and the actual good he had done for the Kingdom of Acorn did not stop me from being helpful to the investigation.

Incidentally, my general detachment from the emotional context of Sally's memories - or at least how she had felt about those memories, also helped to prevent several parties from redirecting the investigation towards their own ends. The social buttons that would have worked on Sally to either influence or undermine her position did not work quite the same way on me.

As a happy (and actually entirely unintentional on my part) accident of all this, Nicole's role in stopping the World Roboticizer from targeting Mobius had come up and word had gotten out. Nicole was fully exonerated and held as a Hero of Mobius, and her unjust exile from Mobotropolis was overturned.

Which was how she, Sally, and I had ended up staring at each other across a coffee table over tea.

Well, Sally had the tea. I had oil, and Nicole played make believe with a holographic teacup.

"I must say, this is very strange," Nicole said as she stared at the two of us - the real Sally and the Robian that resembled Sally if you didn't look too closely. I'm sure that there are actually some people that might confuse me with the real deal. I'm equally sure that those people would be blind, in a dark alley, wearing earplugs and foam mittens. Sure, I looked like Sally, but only in the way that a life-sized doll or mannequin made of colored metal would. I am very clearly a machine, and I had no illusions about that.

"Concession: I agree. Try seeing it from my end - I am wearing Sally's face and have fragmented and disorganized memories from her perspective, yet I am not Sally Alicia Acorn."

"Do you remember our friendship?" Nicole asked, causing both Sally and me to look up sharply.

"Affirmative," I nodded. "Just because I lack the emotional context that Sally had associated with those particular memories does not mean that I am unable to form my own emotional context about those memories. I am not Sally Alicia Acorn, I am not Sally Alicia Acorn. Statement: My verbal filter is being very annoying right now."

> Smug.

I will find some way to manifest a Piko Piko Hammer in here one day, and when I do…

> ALARM!!!!!

Now are you going to stop messing with my speech patterns?

> ERROR!

It's a Walkers damned compulsion for you, isn't it?

"Sally? Er… Not Sally?" Nicole's voice drew me out of my inner argument and I looked at her. "Are you okay? You seem to be distracted."

"Negative: I have a defunct control overlay program…"

> ERROR!

"Statement: Yes, I am talking about you, you defective packet of malicious malware! And no, I don't care if they know! Sally is Sally and Nicole is Nicole! I trust them!"

"Maybe we should have Rotor or Uncle Chuck have a look at you?" Sally proposed, earning her a flat look from me.

"Querry: Would you trust their sense of personal boundaries if you were in my situation?"

"Oh…"

"Affirmative: Oh. Do not get me wrong. I like them, but I am not blind to their personal quirks."

"Would you mind if I had a look?" Nicole offered. "I have some experience with malicious malware myself."

"Statement: Yes - the Iron Queen and the Phage incident," I recalled. "Acceptance: That would actually be greatly appreciated."

> ALARM!!!!!

Oh, hush, you. You've had this coming for weeks now.
 
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Suggestions:
which was understandable if annoying, given that they were taking
add comma between "understandable" and "if" since you could remove "if annoying" from the sentence without breaking its meaning.
parties from redirecting the investigation towards their own ends.
I believe this should technically be "toward", but "towards" is a very common usage.

End of suggestions.

Hopefully the people trying to cover up the investigation are also being investigated.
 
Hopefully the people trying to cover up the investigation are also being investigated.
They had all recently met a mysterious tall figure with a horn on his head, a crab claw in place of one of his hands, and a roguishly handsome face that they can't identify...

Internal Affairs: "Riiiiiight... You can't think of who the fellow with these extremely specific features might be. Sure."

Naugus: "Be sure to remember to mention that the face was roguishly handsome!"
 
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SALLY not SALLY ch04 New
SALLY not SALLY
Chapter 4
A broken SI fic by Tangent
​



"Caution: If we are going to do this, we should inform somebody first and… involve either Rotor, Charles, or both."

> ERROR!

You see this? This is me ignoring you.

Sally raised a brow at my apparent reversal. "I thought that you didn't trust them to work on you?"

"Clarification: I do not - not until I am positive that they see me as a person and not just some weird copy of you. But we do not know what is going on inside my head and I do not want to put Nicole at any more risk than absolutely necessary. She is our friend."


> ERROR!

Lalalalala~

"I appreciate your concern," Nicole said as she and Sally smiled.

"How about if we ask Jules and Bernadette to watch over things?" Sally suggested.

"Concession: That would be acceptable," I nodded.


> ERROR!

The three of us left for the Village of Knothole to have a talk with Sonic's parents. Yes, there was a Village of Knothole again - some of the original residents had stubbornly rebuilt the home they fondly remembered, albeit not where Knothole City used to be (which was still the Great Wastes - there was a memorial plinth placed in the center and everything). Apparently, the biggest issue had been locating another forested gully that wasn't too far away that still had similar features to the gully that the original village had been in. Sure, the secret entrance tunnels and hidden bunkers were still being dug - partly out of nostalgia and partly out of justified paranoia, but enough of the residential and civil infrastructure was in place for Knothole to incorporate as a village again.

And why the hell was I thinking like this? I know I can get a little wordy sometimes, but 'yay, Knothole is back' would have been enough...


> ERROR!

If you are trying to log some intelligence report to pass on to Eggman if you ever manage to actually get control of me, I swear...



It was rather nice to see the pleased and cheerful expressions on everyone's faces as we made our way through Mobotropolis towards the gate facing Knothole. Not so much directed at me - which was understandable given what was publicly known about my circumstances and my involvement in the investigations into Geoffrey St. John's treasonous activities. He was still seen as a trusted hero by some after all, and I was seen by those people as a ploy by Dr. Robotnik to tarnish a war hero's reputation.

Which, okay, was a valid concern even if that wasn't actually what I was doing.

"And what are you three up to?" a familiar voice called out, and we turned to see Hamlin the Pig approaching us. He was wearing his Council attire, meaning that he considered himself to be on the clock, as it were, so he was either doing due diligence or about to be an obstructionist again. It was hard to tell with him, as he was a good man but could be incredibly petty if he felt put out about something.

"Greeting: Salutation, Councilor Hamlin," I said with a neutrally respectful tone.

"Hi, Hamlin," Sally's own tone was cautiously friendly. Again, understandable given their history weighed against his more recent occasionally obstructionist behavior.

"Hello," Nicole added in a more neutral yet still friendly tone, bless her heart.

"Hrmph, yes… Hello," Hamlin returned our greeting, clearly uncomfortable about something. Unfortunately, the memories I had inherited from Sally about him were particularly fragmented and somewhat contradictory, and the ones I got from my… I suppose Outsider would be the best term for somebody from a Zone so far out that our Zone was a work of fiction to them. Anyway, the ones I inherited from the Outsider weren't actually much help either. Hamlin had something of a point after all, even if he had a tendency to choose petty ways to make that point known. "Anyway, what are you three doing?"

"Excellent question! We are on our way to Knothole to ask Jules and Bernadette to act as oversight while Nicole clears my systems of any malware."


> ERROR!

Still not listening to you~ Lalalalala~

"I… er…" Hamlin pinched the bridge of his snout. "Okay, that seems reasonable," he sighed as the bluster went out of him.

"Suggestion: Given the high profile of the investigation and upcoming trial, perhaps it would be prudent for everyone involved to start carrying around Power Rings? They are noted for granting those that have them the ability to resist unnatural influences after all."

Hamlin looked at me sharply even as Sally and Nicole seemed to be surprised at my proposal.

Wait…

Did it never occur to anyone to not take advantage of such an obvious utility once that property of the Power Rings had been discovered?

"That… is actually a good idea," Hamlin acknowledged in a tone so reluctant that he gave the impression that somebody was pulling his teeth.

Ah. So, he had approached us expecting to be an obstructionist again and was instead forcing himself to be reasonable because he wasn't actually a bad man. Just incredibly petty.

"I'll acquire some to pass out to the investigators and my fellow Councilors," Hamlin conceded, actually sounding thankful. "I might even suggest making them a required tool of office for us… We need to be able to be seen as accountable even as we hold others to account, after all."

"That is an excellent idea," Sally said approvingly.

There were a few more niceties, but after that we were pretty much on our way again.




"Oh! Hello, Sally, Nicole… and you must be Sally's new twin!" Bernadette the Hedgehog greeted us as she opened the door to the home she shared with her husband and son - when Sonic was home anyway and not running off on some mission or adventure anyway.

Or skiving off to have chili dogs…

"Hello, Bernadette, may we come in?" Sally asked politely. "We have a request for you and Jules."

"Of course, dear! Come in, come in!" Sonic's mother quickly ushered us into the living room where we each found somewhere to sit - or pretend to sit in Nicole's case as she didn't have access to any nanites to make a temporary body from this far out from New Mobotropolis.

Huh…

It just occurred to me that I haven't seen her actually using any of Mobotropolis' nanite swarm for anything since she had been exiled. Not even after her exile had been overturned.

I guess that made sense, given what had happened during the Iron Queen incident, even if the reason for her restraint was kind of sad. Nicole had taken ADAM's weapon of terror and had turned it into her superpower to create, protect, and serve New Mobotropolis, and Regina Ferrum had forced Nicole to turn all of that against the very people she had created all of that for.

"Welcome to our home, Sallies and Nicole," Jules greeted us cheerfully as he placed a bookmark in his book and set it on the end table beside his chair. "Have you decided on a name yet? I hadn't heard."

"I am not Sally," I replied, then winced in frustration as I had meant to say that I had not thought of a suitable name yet.


> ERROR!

Look, you malicious string of defective garbage code…

> ERROR!

ARGHBLARGLEFLARG!

> !!!

My thoughts immediately cleared and relief flowed through me as I became aware of the room around me once again. Everyone was looking at me in concern, and I had something in my hand. Something that Bernadette had just handed me.

A Power Ring.

Something so blatantly obvious in retrospect that I was kicking myself for not thinking of this weeks ago.

"Thank you," I said softly, my voice entirely my own for the first time since I first woke up on Mobius. "Thank you…"

The control overlay program wasn't gone, but for the first time ever it was actually quiet.

I was finally alone in my head without its incessant voice ineffectually trying to force me to serve Dr. Robotnik.

I wept openly for the first time since becoming Not Sa… Since becoming me.

Hamlin_the_Pig___Council_set_1.jpg-fullview.jpg
dmvss9y-bd41a206-e6df-4af5-ad3b-ed9944e021bf.jpg
 
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