Flesh, Blood, and Bone
I awoke with a smile on my face, standing up tall and stretching my body. I looked up to see the bright yellow sun and felt it look down upon me as I stood on a beautiful cliff, with soft green grass under my feet and tall, imposing trees behind him. I looked at the beautiful green meadow below me, the grass gently dancing to the music of the wind.
I turned around and began to walk, which soon became a run as I traveled to the house of my adopted brother, Miles Prowler, or Tails as I nicknamed him. I was amazed by how the fox had grown over the years, watching with both joy and sadness.
I loved how he was able to stay strong, even when in fights against the worst of the worst. Mature, brave, and smart, he was a great friend, and I was proud to have him as family. And yet…I felt bad. I brought him into the battle of Eggman and me, and because of that, he was forced to grow up faster than most kids.
I wonder if he ever hates me for that. Maybe sometimes, but he knew what he was doing when he joined me in fighting Eggman.
I shake my head and my grin returns to my face as I ran through Mystic Ruins. I move too fast to get caught up in what might be a mistake!
When I reached Tails' workshop I gently knocked on the door, before hearing loud clattering coming from the open garage. Tails must have been working on the Tornado.
"Tails?" I called out.
"Hey Sonic!" he greeted as I saw him looking through his toolbox for a certain tool with his back to me. He turned around to look at me, but his eyes suddenly widened and were filled with what looked like fear.
"You okay little bro? You look like you've seen a ghost," I joked.
He suddenly reached a hand into the toolbox and aimed a nailgun at me! My eyes widened as he yelled at me. "Stay back! I'm warning you!"
"Tails, what's gotten into you?" I asked, before he suddenly tried to shoot me. I dodged the nails with ease of course, but I was still confused. I dashed forward and grabbed Tails' hand and glared at him, forcing him to aim at the ceiling. "What is wrong with you!" I screamed.
I was so confused and upset right now, I didn't notice Tails reach behind his back to grab a wrench from his tool box. He suddenly slammed it into cheek, sending me to the ground. I held my face in pain, happy to find I wasn't bleeding. I looked at Tails to see him jumping into the Tornado and pressing a series of buttons. Suddenly the monoplane began to transform, turning into a walker called the Cyclone.
"Tails?" I whispered, before he suddenly started to shoot at me with the guns on the Cyclone. I sped out of the way of the bullets and ran out avoiding the missiles. What was wrong with him! Before I could ask that though, I was suddenly kicked to the ground.
I looked at my attacker and to my shock and horror, it was me, or rather my robotic faker. Metal Sonic.
"I heard the gunfire and explosions," he stated, looking at Tails. That voice box of his was pretty good at copying my voice. But just sounding like me won't be enough! We charged at each other, trading punches and kicks at the speed of sound. We were evenly matched, but Tails suddenly fired at me, making me jump back. I could take Metal on my own with ease, but fighting both him and Tails was a little much. I dashed forward and slammed my foot into Metal Sonic's head, before running off, leaving him and Tails eating my dust.
What did he do to Tails! I wondered, running off to find the rest of my friends.
I soon found myself in Station Square, standing on one of the many tall buildings. My mind raced as I tried to figure out what had happen. Maybe Metal Sonic had created a robotic copy? A very good, convincing one. Maybe he had used somekind of mind control or something to control Tails?
As I stood on the rooftop, I spied a familiar couple standing on another building. Rouge the Bat and Knuckles the Echidna, looking off into the distance.
I had no idea why Knuckles was here instead of on Angel Island, protecting the Master Emerald. Maybe Rouge had stolen it and he was trying to actually talk to her to give it back! Or, god forbid, they were acting nice to one another and were just on a friendly outing. I told my mind to stop the jokes as I leapt from rooftop from rooftop and soon landed behind them.
"Guys, we have a problem. Metal Sonic is back and he did something to Tails!" I yelled.
"Huh? Metal's back?" Knuckles repeated, turning around with Rouge. They're eyes suddenly widened as they looked at me, like Tails had.
"Uh oh," I mumbled, as the two charged at me, attacking a flurry of punches and kicks. "What the heck is wrong with you guys!" I quickly grabbed Rouge's foot and slammed her into Knuckles and then threw her aside, right off the building.
Her wings saved her though, as she quickly flew at me, attacking with her feet as Knuckles charged at me from behind. I quickly jumped into the air and spin dashed at the two, knocking the echidna into the batgirl. I quickly ran off, leaving the two behind as I tried to figure out what was going on. Everyone I knew had gone crazy!
There had to be someone left I could trust…Oh. Right. Amy Rose...
I soon reached Amy's house within minutes. Fastest thing alive, remember? I had stopped behind a nearby tree and scanned the area. The suburban area was eerily empty, but then again it was rather early in the day so I shouldn't have expected many people to be awake. Part of me wondered why Knuckles and Rouge were out this early, but I had to focus. I ran to the door and began knocking on it.
"Amy! I need help, get out here quick!"
Here I was, asking my number one fangirl/great friend/creepy stalker for help. The irony doesn't escape me, I can promise you that. I suppose it isn't that odd. Amy has always been a good friend, if annoying at times. I have to admit, if someone were to twist my arm, I'd admit I have a sort of respect for her. I always shoot her down, and yet she always comes back, strong as ever.
Maybe I'll reward her one day and actually go out with her. The look on her face would be priceless.
Listen to me ramble. What was taking Amy so long? In truth, only a few seconds had probably passed, but I couldn't take waiting like this. My foot tapped against the ground at super speed as I banged my hand against the door again.
"Amy?" The door finally opened and I began to explain the situation to Amy, but as I spoke I noticed a familiar face on her. "No, not you too," I whispered as she pulled out her hammer and nearly knocked my block off with it. "Amy, stop!" I ordered, dodging her hammer again.
"Why should I listen to you?" she argued, running at me and swinging her hammer.
"Because we're friends!" I declared, grabbing the hammer and holding it back. I was eventually able to pull it away from her and throw it aside. "What is wrong with you? With everyone!"
"Us? What's wrong with you?" she yelled, trying to get to her hammer but I kicked it away and grabbed her by her shoulder, shaking her.
"Metal Sonic has done something to you, Amy! Snap out of it!" I begged. A familiar sound filled the air and I looked behind me and into the sky, seeing the Tornado flying above us. Rouge and Knuckles jumped down from it and gently glided down, landing on their feet as I saw Metal Sonic leap from the plane and deliver a powerful kick to me, sending me flying away from Amy.
"Amy, you okay?" he asked.
"Sonic! You saved me!" she cheered, hugging him.
"Get away from her!" I yelled, charging and tackling the faker to the ground. I pulled back my fists and began to apply a rapid blast of punches at my doppelganger, his oil staining my hands as I mercilessly attacked. He did his best to block them, but I still got in a few good punches before being thrown off by Rouge and Knuckles.
"Sonic!" Amy cried; running to that faker as Tails landed the Cyclone.
I blocked the flurry of attacks from the two for a few minutes, but Rouge suddenly got in a good kick, knocking me aside and letting Knuckles slam his fist into the side of my head. I was then hit with another kick, this time at my gut, before getting my head slammed into the ground by my red rival.
He attempted to slam his foot down on me, but I dodged it this time and grabbed his leg, slamming him into Rouge, knocking her aside. I saw Tails aim his gun at me, leaving me with no choice but to hold Knuckles up as a shield.
"Shoot him, Tails! I'll be fine!" he yelled, but just as I thought, Tails refused to fire.
"Stop this, you guys! I'm the real Sonic! That's Metal Sonic! He's the fake!" I yelled, one hand holding Knuckles' arm and the other around his throat.
"The only fake I see is you…" Amy growled, holding that's faker's hand. Her hammer returned to her as she stood up, a fire burning around her.
I've faced gods, demons, ghosts, and machines. I've defeated knights, genies, robots, monsters made out of pure darkness, aliens, and the God of Chaos himself.
That all paled in comparison as I saw Amy walk closer to me, tears in her eyes. Knuckles slammed his elbow into my gut, making me free him as my number one fan walked closer and closer. He ran aside, seemingly afraid of her just as much as I was right now.
"Amy-"
"SHUT UP! Don't you dare say anything you, you piece of scrap!" she screamed, before attacking me with her hammer. Her speed was a massive shock! I was still faster than her of course, but I was amazed how closely she was able to follow. I could feel the wind being pushed out of the way as the hammer attacked me, and I could see tears in her green eyes as she fought. Tears for that faker.
Rouge and Knuckles were already running towards me, intending to attack me as well. So once again, I had to run off like a coward…
As I ran, I heard Amy screaming at me to come back and fight. Rouge asking how that piece of tin was. Tails answering that if they got him to a hospital he'd be okay.
More like a mechanic…
I ran for hours, practically to the other side of the planet I eventually stopped somewhere in a thick rainforest, resting against a tree and trying to figure this out. Clouds filled the air above me and rain began to fall as my mind wandered into thinking about that fake.
Metal Sonic had taken my powers and skills, then my friends, and now he was going to take my life.
What was going to happen now? Would Metal trick Knuckles into giving him access to the Master Emerald? He would become even stronger! He'd kill Knuckles and use the Master Emerald to destroy everything!
What about Rouge? What if he somehow tricked her into helping him get the Chaos Emeralds? If he got both the Chaos Emeralds and the Master Emerald, then no one could stop him!
Tails…My little brother. What if he led him down a darker path? Use our bond to turn him into something he's not? The last thing I need is Tails using that big brain of his for evil.
And Amy…What would he do to her? Would he take her heart and smash it into pieces? Or worse, what if he returned her feelings? She would end up loving him! A machine! Then he would rub it into my face, declaring how much Amy loved him. A fake! A copy! A twisted reflection!
I couldn't let that happen to her! To me! To them! To everyone!
I stood up and felt the rain beating down on me. I was about to start running when I saw a bright light being shined down on me. I looked up and to my shock I saw the creator of Metal Sonic, Doctor Ivo 'Eggman' Robotnik. He flew down next to me in his Egg Mobile. I was ready to fight him, but he held up his hands.
"I'm not here to fight you, Sonic."
"What about your creation? Did you help him mind control my friends?"
"No."
"Then why did Metal Sonic do to them! Why did they attack me? Tails, Knuckles, Rouge, and Amy…They wouldn't attack me without a reason!"
"…"
"Answer me!"
"…"
"ANSWER ME!" I demanded. Ivo looked at me and then down, avoiding my gaze.
"I'm sorry," I heard him whispered, before a beam shot out of the trees behind me and hit my back. I screamed in pain before the world went black and I slipped into nothingness.
Ivo's POV
"He is waking up, Doctor Robotnik," my computer stated. I nodded my head and turned away from the computer console, but I still sat in my bolted chair. I looked to my left and saw my creation strapped to a medical table.
"E-Eggman?"
"Hello, Sonic."
"What…what's going on?" he groaned, trying to break his bonds but too low on power.
"…Do you recall fighting my creation, Metal Sonic one month ago?"
"Yeah…Metal Sonic…My friends! I have to save them!" he yelled, fighting the metal bonds with new life.
"Your friends are safe, Sonic."
"No! Metal Sonic is going to hurt them!"
Poor creature. He seemed so loss. So mad. "You are Metal Sonic."
"I…What-what did you say to me?"
"About one month ago, you fought the real Sonic. You lost. You crashed somewhere in Mystic Ruins. I thought you were damaged beyond repair. I was wrong," I explained to the bound robot. He did not move; he just stared at me, trying to comprehend my words. "You self-repaired yourself for a whole month, bit by bit. Something went wrong though. Your programming that helps you decipher Sonic's memories so you can use them against them became corrupt. Your mind then began to think you were the real Sonic. It was so extreme, that you changed your own sensor programming so you would see yourself as the real Sonic and him as Metal Sonic."
"…"
"I'm sorr-"
"You're lying. You're lying!" he yelled, fighting once more. I didn't try to stop him. "I am Sonic the Hedgehog! I AM! He's the fake! He's the copy! I have to stop him from hurting my friends!"
Poor creature…I turned back to the computer and continued to typing away, inputting a special code.
"Eggman….W-what are you doing?" my creation shuddered.
"I am giving the final touches to your final attachment. It will wipe you clean of all data. You will remember nothing."
"No. NO! Eggman, please, don't. I-I have to save my friends! My friends!"
"They're not your friends, Metal."
"DON'T CALL ME THAT! I'm Sonic the Hedgehog! I'm Sonic!"
"…" I pulled the wire connecting the computer with the attachment, a small, black bracelet, with blinking green lines. "I'm sorry."
But he ignored me and just kept talking. "Sonic's the name, speed's my game! I-I have to stop Eggman from destroying the planet! Can't let him get the Chaos Emeralds! M-maybe on the way I can race Shadow! Prove that I'm the fastest thing alive!" He let out a loud laugh, and I began to apply the black bracelet onto his left arm. "Uh oh! There's Amy! Gotta juice!" His voice began to crack and buzz, going up and down in tone. "I'm Sonic the Hedgehog! I'm Sonic Hedgehog!" The voice began to slow, going deeper now. "I'm Sonic…I'm So…n...i…c"
"Yes. Yes, you are, Sonic," I whispered, hoping he would hear my voice. To what little joy I could experience, he did hear me.
"I…knew…i-i-it…I knew…"
"Databases have been wiped, Doctor Robotnik. Metal Sonic has been left a blank slate," the computer declared.
"…"
"Are you okay, Doctor?"
"I'll be fine. Open up my logs, I want to put in an entry," I ordered. The computer obeyed and I began to speak. "Log #252. As a scientist, I do not expect the breath of life to touch my creations. Nor do I hope for it. There have only been three times life has been truly brought to my creations. The first was E-102 Gamma. With him, he befriended the female Mobian known as Amy Rose. That friendship led to him betraying me and gaining life. From what information I have gathered, he died destroying the other E-10 units. I believe he wanted to 'free' them from m slavery. While I hate the idea of what I planned going awry, I cannot help but respect the idea of a son disobeying a father's ideas to construct his own future. In a way, one could say I was proud of him."
"That pride did not carry over to my second traitor. E-123 Omega. He was stronger than anything I had created beforehand, and I had hoped he would serve me obediently forever. It was my mistake to tell him that. Any attempt to copy his design or to create another robot led to him sabotaging or outright destroying them. He refused to be replaced as the strongest, and so I had no choice, but to destroy him, or he would have destroyed all of my creations. This attempt led him to despise me and to think of me as his greatest enemy. As of now, he is still hunting me, destroying anything I created to prove his supremacy."
"Today is the third time life has been given to one of my machines. Instead of pride or hate though, I feel pity, sadness, and regret for the poor creature. A creature that begged to be something more in life, but in the end, was not meant for it. I am sorry, Metal Sonic. Sorry for erasing your memories and sorry for bringing you into this nightmare of life….End log."
END
That was….sad.
Confession time now. This story was actually inspired as a part of my universe of the story. So if you notice Eggman acting differently than you expected, there's a good reason for that. My other story, Waking Up, could help you understand it.
This is meant to be a part of a much larger story called Sonic Legacy. In Sonic Legacy, I would detail my own take of the Sonic Universe, with certain characters in different roles. It would have been a polymerization of Sonic Underground, the Archie comics, and the videogames. If enough people like this and Waking Up, maybe I'll gain enough will power to actually start on Sonic Legacy. IF you enjoyed this, hopefully you'll enjoy it.
One last thing, this is my first time doing First Person Narrative, so I hope it wasn't too bad. Thank you, and good night.