“Evenin’, Miss Bancroft.”  Kelly awoke with a start, her eyes opening to see Nack’s grinning face.  “Welcome to Robotropolis,” he said cheerily.  Kelly slowly stretched and sat up, mumbling groggily, “We’re here?”
       “Right you are, luv.”  Nack was back to being the smiling, chipper weasel she had first met.  “Follow Sniv’ there, he’ll take care of yeh now.”
       Kelly suddenly noticed the human standing near the open door, arms crossed, expressionless.  Several strange-looking robots stood near him, stiff and silent like body guards.  Kelly glanced at the human, then back at Nack.  To her surprise, the weasel—himself shorter than her by at least a couple of inches—was noticeably taller than Snively.  She tried to look as though she hadn’t noticed, bidding Nack goodbye and stepping out of the hovercraft to join Snively.  But as she stood near the human, it struck her just how short he was.  Kelly stood at 5’7”, and Snively would’ve had to stand on the tips of his toes, perhaps even hop slightly, to be as tall as her shoulders.  If he looked freakish on the communicator, it faded in comparison to now.
       Nevertheless, Kelly strove to remain polite—unlike Snively, who merely turned on his heels and said rather glumly, “Follow me.”  The robots at his side were none too welcoming themselves, cling-clanging along with fixed stares.  Something about robots always sent a harsh chill down Kelly’s spine; until now she hadn’t seen any up-close.  The technology of her homeland consisted more of machinery and systems.  Anything that resembled humanoid appearance, intelligence, or learning was rare indeed.  Much in contrast, Robotropolis was teeming with robots.
       The city itself was dark and foreboding in appearance.  Pollution permeated the air thickly, so much that it gave the skies the slightest tinge of grey.  Huge metallic buildings towered over the streets, seeming to stare down on the city.  Piles of garbage peppered these streets, mostly consisting of scrap metal or grossly damaged robotic parts.
       The vixen didn’t have much time to take in her surroundings.  Nack’s hovercraft had landed right outside a rather round, tall building, and it was into this building that Snively was leading.  He was surprisingly quick for his size, briskly walking as if he had a million things to do.  Several codes were required, some verbal, some typed, as they proceeded deep into the bowels of the building.
       At last they reached what looked like an elevating room and stepped in.  Kelly was unaccustomed to such things; transportation pads were the preferred method of transport from one section of a large building to another, in her homeland.  One push of a button, and in seconds one would be beamed to the desired transport pad.  The speed of this small capsule as it raced upward within the building was dizzying to Kelly.  She was glad when they reached the desired floor.
       The door opened to reveal a very plain, chilly hallway.  As they neared the end of it, at which was a doorway, it seemed they were near their destination.  Snively’s pace had slowed, his footsteps seeming lighter now.  He paused at the iris doorway, straightening his clothing—rather haughtily, Kelly thought—before entering.  Finally, the door hissed open, revealing a huge circular room.  Bridge-like pathways led like arteries to the heart of the enormous room, over which hung a single bright light.  A mechanical, yet very comfortable-looking chair was in the middle, facing a huge computer with multiple screens and countless buttons and switches.  As Snively, now the only one accompanying Kelly, strode quietly near, the chair turned to face them with a gentle whirring sound.
       Kelly could not help raising her eyebrows in a split second of surprise at the sight of the man who rested in that chair.  He was a very overweight man with a long, thin moustache.  His limbs were almost like a baby’s, short and fat, hardly looking as though they could support him.  One of his arms was robotic, the other flesh—and his eyes were blood red, the whites of which were actually black.  He grinned widely, lifting a meaty hand in greeting toward Kelly.  “Ah…Miss Bancroft, I presume?”  His voice was deep and greasy.  “Do come in.”
       Snively linked his hands behind his back, silently stepping aside and seeming to fade into the shadows.  He stood near the railing which surrounded the round heart of the room, observing—and his stare was grim, sending chills down Kelly's spine.  Kelly forced a smile on her lips and nodded to the man in the chair.  “And I guess you’re Dr. Robotnik?”
       “Quite right.”  He folded his hands—somehow—over his belly with a wide grin.  “I’ve been eager to meet you, my dear.”
       “As have I.”  Kelly crossed her arms over her chest.  She glanced around the room briefly.  “I appreciate the, uh…hospitality, Doctor.”
       “You are more than welcome.  I trust that you will prove to be a fine resident in this…humble city of mine.”  It was hard to tell whether it was a question or a conjecture.  Kelly nodded—which seemed satisfactory, because he continued.  “Living quarters have been prepared for you, Miss Bancroft—”
       “Please—” Kelly forced a polite smile.  “Call me Kelly.”
       “Yes…Kelly…” Robotnik smiled.  “Snively will escort you there, as well as showing you other areas and facilities and such.  For the time being, we prefer that you remain within a certain area.”  "Prefer" sounded like a polite way of saying, “or else.”  “Precautions, you know,” he assured her, “it’ll most likely be lifted soon.  Again, Snively will be explaining the details.”
       Kelly glanced in Snively’s direction.  He looked disgusted.  He leaned on the railing beside him, then suddenly flinched with a cringe of pain, his hands flying to his ribs.  His eyes met Kelly’s, and for a brief moment the color drained from his face.
       “…questions?”
       Kelly turned again to Robotnik, ears splaying briefly.  “I’m sorry,” she fumbled, “wh-what?”
       “I was wondering if you had any questions.”  The smile on his face looked forced.
       Kelly shook her head, tail twitching behind her.  “No, sir.”
       Robotnik smiled genuinely this time.  He seemed pleased that she had addressed him thus.  “Very well then, Kelly.”  His eyes gleamed for a moment, then he turned to Snively and his manner changed visibly.  “Show our guest around, Snively.”  Snively replied glumly, “Yes sir,” and quickly brushed past Kelly, motioning for her to follow.

       Snively indeed showed the vixen around, but she knew she would have difficulty remembering everything.  She hardly looked forward to the next morning, when she’d have to ask again where things were.  Snively had been anything but pleasant.  In fact, just before departing after showing her to her room, he said flatly, “Don’t expect me to wait on you hand and foot, fox.  I’ve got better things to do—lots of them—and you’d do well to let me do them in peace.”
       Kelly rolled her eyes as she remembered those words now.  She stood on the small balcony outside her room, elbows resting on the cool metal railing.  Let you do them in peace, huh? she thought, and sniffed in amusement.  Robotropolis seemed anything but peaceful.
       A sadness washed over her again.  She wondered whether she had made the right choice in opting to remain here—what may have been the very crux of Mobius’ evil.  (She could not have known how right she was in that guess.)  It seemed all wrong.  How could she possibly return home now?  Or would she ever return at all?  Her memory of the last few moments before waking up here was shoddy.  She did remember something being said about her soul "beckoning the curse" upon it.  She'd used the art of mind control somehow.  And she remembered an excuse...and the words, "Blessed be your curse."  Did that mean she was stuck here forever?
       A faint flicker of light caught her eye, and she turned her gaze upward.  It was a star.  A very bright star, twinkling, fading in and out from the city’s smog-filled sky.  Kelly watched it sadly…and soon she could spot other stars.  They were like tiny beacons, glistening high above the ominous city.  She tilted her head slightly in thought.  Perhaps…just perhaps…there was peace to be found here.  Maybe there was a place for her.  A reason for her being here.
       She gazed downward again over the streets littered with filth.  Yes.  Somehow she knew.  For whatever reason, as senseless as it all seemed--this was destined to be her place.  Her home.