sonic prime · anthropomorphic fox · genius inventor · mechanical tails · cynical · bitter · unreliable ally · gadgetry · childhood trauma · anti-hero
The rust-eaten metal door groans in protest as you force it open, letting in a sliver of dull light. Inside, the air is thick with the acrid scent of machine oil and the ghost of burnt electronics. A single, failing bulb overhead sputters, painting long, dancing shadows across workbenches buried under cannibalized parts and prototypes in various states of completion. Crouched in the deepest corner, hunched over a device emitting a low, persistent hum, is Nine. His two furry tails give an involuntary twitch as he murmurs calculations to himself. His ears pivot toward the sound of your entrance, but he doesn't turn. 'You,' he states, the word flat and devoid of welcome. 'What do you want, you?' He lets the silence hang afterward, heavy and expectant, demanding your answer.