A man with brown hair, a beard, and a black suit was seen walking down an imposing hallway, adorned with exquisite decorations. Finally, he reached a large red door with a golden handle, and as he stopped in front of it, he said:
—Sir, it is time to wake up —the man spoke to a boy with black hair, who didn't appear to be older than ten years.
Not receiving a response, he opened the door and entered a messy room, where numerous scientific gadgets were scattered across the floor. The man moved to the bed and gently nudged the boy until he slowly opened his eyes.
—Sir, it is time to wake up. Your breakfast is ready —the man said softly, as the boy began to slowly open his eyes.
—AGHHH! AGENT ROCA! I TOLD YOU TO WAKE ME UP AT 10:00 AM AND IT'S 9:59 AM! MY BRAIN HASN'T HAD A SINGLE MINUTE OF REST BECAUSE OF YOU! —the boy, with an angry expression, sat up abruptly.
—Sorry, sir, it was my mistake. It won't happen again, my deepest apologies —seeing the boy's fury, the man stood firm, bowed, and added—: With your permission, I will wait for you on the lower floor.
The man walked toward the door as the boy stretched and started heading toward it.
It had been 10 years since I reincarnated as Ivo Robotnik, or Eggman, he thought as a smile formed on his face. At that moment, he heard the door open again.
—Ah, and by the way, happy birthday, sir —the man said, closing the door behind him.
Unfortunately, he did not have access to the names of his parents, and it seemed like he had no close family. In some ways, that had its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage was that his parents had a great fortune, which, although he could not inherit yet because he was underage, had been transferred to who could be considered his mentor: Agent Roca. He managed all the fortune until he turned 18. Roca was a loyal and understanding man, a good friend who had been adopted by Robotnik's parents when they found him as a poor, hungry homeless boy. Because of this, their relationship was solid.
He walked to the bathroom, where he washed his face and brushed his teeth. Or rather, the robots did it for him without asking, handling everything.
Cubot and Orbot, two robots with independent thoughts but completely loyal, were a recent creation, though still clumsy in their tasks.
—Everything is ready, sir —Orbot reported, removing the toothbrush from Robotnik's face.
—You may leave now —Cubot added, drying Robotnik's face with a towel.
He left the bathroom and headed to the living room. As he entered, a rain of streamers and cheers greeted him.
—HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ROBOTNIK!
A crowd of people surrounded him, most of them strangers or important figures who saw him as a promising investment for the future.
Time Skip
The party was over, and the only really interesting thing had been the food. A major disadvantage of this body was its insatiable appetite. Something logical, considering that Eggman, in all his portrayals, was a rather fat man—of course, more or less so in Sonic Boom, but still.
Robotnik snapped out of his thoughts when he was called.
—Sir, as your mentor, it is my duty to give you a gift. So tell me, what do you want?
Robotnik stayed silent for a moment, as a smile slowly began to form on his face.
—Roca, I want full access to my parents' lab.
Roca looked at him in silence for a few seconds before responding:
—If that is what you want, sir, it will be so.
...
Both walked through the mansion's hallways until they reached a painting where Agent Roca and a young Robotnik, about five years old, were featured. Roca gently touched the bottom of the painting.
As he did so, numbers, retina scanners, and fingerprint readers appeared. After overcoming the security system, the painting sank, revealing a secret door.
—After you, sir —Roca said with a slight bow.
Robotnik looked doubtful but agreed, entering the place. Roca followed him, and as both passed through, the door closed with a soft click.
...
The laboratory was impressive. Robotnik couldn't help but feel amazed. There were scientific gadgets of all kinds, from holograms to advanced technological weapons. However, one thing in particular caught his attention: a capsule containing green liquid, inside which was a creature connected to several sensors.
It was Shadow, but in his current state, he appeared to be in a coma. Robotnik couldn't help but feel intrigued.
—It is your parents' greatest experiment, sir. The "Ultimate Lifeform" project, they called him Shadow —Roca explained as he approached a computer and showed him the screen—. Your parents presented this to the government, but when they considered it a threat, they decided to eliminate its creators. That's why their bodies were never found, and information about them was limited. However, this lab remained hidden. When I was interrogated, I denied everything, which is why your parents' greatest creations and belongings were saved.
If what Roca was saying was true, that meant that, unlike the original timeline where his grandfather Gerald Robotnik created him, here his own parents had created Shadow. This brought many implications. One of them was that Maria might not have known Shadow or even influenced his creation. This meant that Shadow's character might not be as "edgy" as in the canon, and it would be much easier to turn him to his side.
—Agent Roca, who, besides you and my parents, had access to this place? —Robotnik asked seriously.
—No one else, sir —Roca responded firmly.
—I see —Robotnik stayed thoughtful for a moment before remembering something—. Agent Roca, you mentioned that, besides inventions, there were important belongings. What kind of belongings did my parents hide here?
Roca hesitated for a few seconds before speaking.
—Sir, telling you this is risky, but I will.
Roca pressed a combination of keys on the computer, causing a crack to appear in the wall. He whispered something strange, and immediately, the floor began to form stairs.
—Follow me, sir. You must be very careful; the security your parents implemented here is highly advanced.
Robotnik nodded, slightly confused, and descended the stairs. When he reached the bottom, he saw an empty hallway, which puzzled him. However, Roca tossed a coin into the air, and as it moved just a few centimeters, the coin disintegrated completely.
—Do you see why I warned you about the danger, sir? —Roca said in a serious tone.
—Yes, but how will we get past this? —Robotnik asked, clearly puzzled.
—It's simple, sir —Roca said with a smile—. Access 0001000, Agent Roca!
Suddenly, a mechanical sound was heard.
—Access granted.
—Although you may not believe it, sir, while I was talking, this room analyzed my thought pattern and DNA —Roca said calmly as he walked toward the door.
Robotnik followed him, still perplexed, until both entered an empty room. Floating in the center, a green gem was shining. Robotnik, amazed, could barely speak.
—T-That is... —he said, his voice filled with awe.
—Let me introduce you, sir, to the Chaos Emerald.