StH: Eggmind, Part 1: Sally and Nicole

Another day in Eggman's city, and once again, the Freedom Fighters were running amuck and trying to blow up one of his EggSWAT factories. For too long, they had run roughshod over his plans, and flattened his armies mercilessly. Even on the odd occasion that he managed to capture and hypnotize one of them, they still beat him. It was getting annoying.

However, as he found himself reading through the old logs, he found some that interested him. They had been written by Snively while the mad doctor himself had been locked in a padded cell after being driven completely insane for a while. Apparently, Snively, with the aid of Regina Ferrum, the Iron Queen, had successfuully taken over Mobotropolis, by using Regina's magitek to brainwash Nicole the Lynx. Nicole was a major pain. Not only was she non-organic, and therefore immune to some of his best weapons, but she also protected the nanite city of Mobotropolis, and frequently hacked into his city and deactivated all of his security measures, allowing the the Freedom Fighters easy access. If he could get her on his side, then he could turn the tide on the Freedom Fighters easily.

However, Nicole was normally part of a two-woman team, the other half being Princess Sally. Sally carried Nicole's handheld computer form with her on missions, but was also a capable fighter (Though nothing too special), and the Freedom Fighters' leader and tactician. Claiming her free will would be a major victory against the so-called heroes, robbing them of the one who provided them with their intricate plans, and, better yet, allowing him to make her tactical skill work for him. The problem was getting them on-side, especially Nicole. Fortunately, he had just created something that would help to no end...

***

In the darkness of another hub room, Sally Acorn slipped in through a window, and shot down both of the robotic guards. Smiling to herself, she slipped her guun back into the holster, and headed over to the control panel, then held a communicator up to her mouth.

"Alright guys, I'm in the sector's hub room. All the laser gates should be off shortly." She announced.

"Ah, excellent, Princess." Antoine replied. "We are ready to go."

"See you shortly."

"Oui."

Sally hung up, and plugged Nicole's handheld into the control panel.

"Accessing, Sally." The lynx smiled, as she appeared on the handheld's screen. "I'm going in."

With that, Nicole vanished into cyberspace.


***


The digital realm appeared to be a giant fortress, built in a dark expanse with glowing grid lines on the floor. Eggman's emblem was plastered all over it. Summoning a sword and shield, Nicole started running towards it, just like she always did. However, as she approached the stairs, and egg shaped pod appeared above her. It opened like a pair of jaws, and a large number of cable-like tentacles shot out, racing towards her. She jumped to the side, and slashed them apart with her sword, as even more cables appeared. She blocked with her shield, but the tentacles snagged it, and wrenched it from her grip, pulling it into the jaws. Seizing her chance, she leapt up and sliced the pod in two.

"Phew." She sighed, as she landed, Only for something to snag her left arm. She gasped, and turned to see another pod, this one gripping her wrist. She lashed out again, cutting it in half, only for another tentacle to catch her right arm, as more moved towards her. Desperately, she conjured another sword, and sliced the tentacles, including the one holding her arm. She then cut down the second pod.

Smiling to herself, she continued up the steps, and into the fortress. On the inside, however, rather than finding a large data construct, she only found empty space. Walking out into the middle of the room, she was suddenly beset by more tentacles. Before she could even react, both of her arms were snagged, and so were her legs, which were pulled from under her.

"No!" She cried out, as her body crashed into the ground. She twisted and squirmed, as two more tendrils wrapped around her midriff and her neck. Then they began reeling her in, pulling her upwards as she struggled against them. The last thing she saw of the virtual realm was the jaws of an Egg Pod closing in front of her.

Something in front of her lit up, shining in her eyes. It was some sort of light, attached to one of the tentacles, as more of the tendrils coiled tightly around the helpless lynx, up to her neck, forcing her to look into the light. It pulsed regularly, and Nicole found herself feeling more relaxed and sleepy than she should have. Her struggles slowed, and stopped, and the light began to swing back and forth, and Nicole followed with her eyes, beginning to smile.

Then, without warning, the light fired a beam directly into Nicole, and she groaned with pain, then passed out. Then two more tentacles moved up to her head. The ends opened, producing strange discs, which were then pressed against Nicole's temples.


***

Meanwhile, in the command room, Eggman was relaxing in his hoverchair again, when Lien-Da walked in.

"Sir, we have finished the installation of the city-wide AI core system." The echidna said. "May I ask why, when we have no AI?"

"Simple, Lien-Da. We will have an AI very shortly. You recall that I made Egg Pods, correct?"

"The machines that capture Mobians and convert them completely into willing slaves?"

"That's them. Well, I made a new antivirus based on them, and it just successfuly captured Nicole the Lynx, Princess Sally's supercomputer friend. She'll be reprogrammed to serve the Eggman Empire, and take on that role."

"I see." Lien-Da nodded. "How long will it take ?"

"It won't take the hours it takes to work on organics. A few more minutes should do the trick." Eggman replied.


A few minutes later, Nicole appeared on the main screen. Her eyes were now glowing yellow and glassy, and she was standing at attention, saluting her new master, smiling mindlessly as she did so.

"Ah, Nicole." Eggman grinned. "How do you feel?"

"I feel better than I ever have, Master." She replied.

"Good girl. You are to become the AI of this city, and I want you to take on a form more appropriate."

"Yes Master." Nicole replied, her avatar flickering and fading away.

A few moments later, an orb on the celing lit up, and Nicole appeared in the room. She looked different now. Her hair was loose, but cut back slightly, and straightened. She was clad in a tight, latex version of the outfit Eggman wore, except that her midriff was exposed, and there was a tattoo of Eggman's symbol on her belly, and her boots came up past the knee and had high-heels.

"I am ready and willing to serve. I have already linked myself up with the city, and am ready to carry out your orders, Master."

"Good girl." Eggman said. "Now, tell me, what did your royal friend do after you went in?"

"She is waiting for me to give a signal that your security is down, at which point, a team, consisting of Antoine, Rotor, and Amy will head into the factory to set the charges."

"And the rest of your friends?"

"Sonic, Tails, Bunnie, and Fiona are on another mission, Master. They will be returning to Knothole, and will not be arriving in this city today."

"Ah, I see." Eggman nodded. "Give your friend the signal. Those three will be captured and taken to be legionnized."

"Yes Master. And Sally?"

"I want to make use of her tactical mind. You will capture her, and bring her in to be brainwashed, like you."

"Yes Master." Nicole saluted.


***

In the hub room, Sally was waiting, leaning against the control column, for Nicole's return. She looked at the watch on her wrist, and frowned.

'It shouldn't have taken her this long.' She thought. Then the screen on her handheld blinked, and Nicole's face appeared. Her eyes were green again, and she smiled at Sally.

"Sorry, things were a bit... tighter than I expected, but everything's okay."

"'Tighter?' What do you mean?"

"New security programs, but I beat them." Nicole replied. "It's all clear."

"Thanks." Sally said. She picked up her communicator. "Okay, Antoine. It's all clear now."

"Oui, we shall rendezvous at ze village, non?" Antoine replied.

"Yeah. See you later."

"Au revoir." Antoine replied, hanging up.

"Alright." Sally said, turning back to Nicole. "Antoine's going in, and we'll be meeting his team back at base."

However, Nicole started to chuckle malevolently, as her avatar, her new, Eggman Empire Avatar, appeared next to Sally.

"I'm afraid we won't be meeting them again, Sally. Not before they get legionnized." She grinned. Sally screamed, as Nicole's handheld let out a powerful jolt of electricity, sending her into the grip of unconsciousness.


***

Sally woke up with a groan, rubbing her head and sitting up. She looked around her surroundings, and found herself in a sparce white room. One door at the other end, a yellow globe on the ceiling, and nothing else. It was clean, shiny, and rather bland.

'Ugh, now I have to get out of here, save the others, and free Nicole. Splitting up was a bad idea.' She thought, as the globe glowed brighter, and Nicole appeared in front of her.

"Hello, Sally."

"Nicole... if you- the real you- can hear me, don't worry, I'm going to save you!" Sally yelled.

"Silly little princess. I am the real me. I've been completely reprogrammed by Eggman." Nicole smirked, floating towards her friend, who backed away.

"No, Nicole, you have to fight this, please!" She pleaded.

"I don't want to, Sally. Master gave me new powers, and I don't need to follow your rules anymore." Nicole replied, as Sally bumped into the back wall. The lynx contined her approach, and curled her arms around Sally's body, trapping the helpless squirrel. "What I do want is you..."


With that, Nicole leaned in and passionately kissed Sally. The organic squirmed against her, but Nicole easily overpowered her captive, and started massaging her back and her head, as her tongue played with her victim's. As this happened, Nicole began to psionically invade Sally's thoughts. The first thing she did was make it so that she would enjoy the kiss, and sure enough, Sally relaxed, and began to kiss back. All of Sally's love for Sonic was replaced with newfound affection for her feline friend. After that, her mind was filled with thoughts of submitting to Eggman and joining his side of the war, and spending her life as Nicole's lover and Eggman's servant and master tactician.


Once this was done, Nicole broke off the kiss so that Sally could breathe, and the princess slumped against the wall, dazed and aroused. Nicole smiled, and cupped Sally's chin, lifting her head up to meet he gaze.

"Tell me Sally, do you still want me to fight Master's programming?"

"No..." She droned weakly. "I'd... rather surrender... join Eggman myself..."

"Then come with me." Nicole smirked, leading the entranced Freedom Fighter out of the room. They made their way through the corridors of the fortress, and Nicole smirked to see Sally salute every high-ranking legionnaire that they passed. Evertually, they made it to another chamber, where rows upon rows of Egg Pods were lined up.


Lien-Da was there, standing next to one of the Pods with a group of legionnaires.

"Hello, Ma'am." Nicole greeted, as she and Sally saluted the echidna.

"Welcome, Nicole. And Princess Sally too, isn't this a pleasant surprise."

"Thank you, Ma'am." Sally droned.

"Now, Nicole, I made the adjustments to the Egg Pod that you suggested. Why did you want the tentacles removed and a new hypnosis program installed? Wouldn't it just be easier to use a normal one?"

"I speak from experience when I say that Egg Pods are designed to capture and restrain a victim, and are not the most comfortable way to by recruited. I wanted to make Sally's conversion more enjoyable. Added, we do not want to damage personalities, lest Sally lose her mental attributes." Nicole explained.

"Ah, I see." Lien-Da smirked. "Now Sally, into the Egg Pod, and you'll be one of us."

"Yes Ma'am." She droned, walking into the open pod and letting it close around her.


***

Several hours later, Eggman, Nicole, and Lien-Da were in the main command room again, and were watching footage of Antoine, Amy, and Rotor being legionnized, and sent off to separate chapters.

"This is an excellent day!" Eggman announced. "Five Freedom Fighters now made irreversibly loyal to me! You have done well, Nicole."

"Thank you Master." Nicole replied, saluting again. "It is a joy to obey your orders."

"And let us not forget your crowning achievement: Princess Sally is now mine to control, just like you!"

"And speaking of..." Lien-Da cut in. "I just received word that her transformation from Freedom Fighter Princess into Dark Egg Legion slave is complete, and she will be arriving shortly."

"That's excellent, but she is not part of your legion, Lien-Da. Remember that."

"Yes sir." The echidna grumbled.

After a few moments, the circular hatch in the middle of the floor opened, and a platform lifted up from it, revealing Sally. She was now clad in a uniform just like Nicole's, right down to the Eggman emblem tattoo on her exposed midriff. Smiling darkly, she clicked her heels together, standing at attention, and saluted.

"Eggman Empire General Sally Acorn, reporting for duty, Master. I am ready and willing to follow your every order."

"At ease, my slave." Eggman smirked. Sally nodded, and sauntered over to Nicole's side, embracing her.

"I shall begin making plans to crush the Freedom Fighters tomorrow. For now, I need to rest after having my mind altered." She said. "All hail Eggman."

Eggman watched this, grinning, and broke out into mad laughter.


To be continued...