"Sonic, I do not see the point in this."

"Come on, Mets! Where's your sense of adventure?"

Metal squinted. He supposed he should've been used to Sonic's ridiculousness by now.

Though Metal couldn't smell or taste it, the wind of the forest was crisp and clean. He could tell by the way Sonic inhaled it as he stood on the wing of Tails' plane.

Tails himself was sitting in the front seat, preparing the aircraft for take-off. Metal had thought the fox to be at least semi-intelligent, but considering Tails was still going along with this, Metal was having his doubts.

Metal looked back up to Sonic. "My 'sense of adventure' has not gone anywhere. I am merely stating that it is pointless for me to fly in this plane when I can already fly myself."

Sonic rolled his eyes. "It's not about flying! It's about having a good time and relaxing. Would you really be able to relax if you had to focus on flying yourself?"

Metal chose not to respond. "Further, there are only two seats in this plane. It is illogical to expect three to fit into something made for two."

Sonic squatted, looking down at Metal with a smirk. "What? You don't want to sit on my lap?"

Metal's gears churned. Tails sat up straight, looking to the two with an amused smile. "Sonic."

"I'm just asking, Tails!" Sonic replied. "Do you think I'd run in legs that weren't comfortable?"

Tails snickered, then looked over at Metal. "Sonic doesn't need a seat. He rides on the wing."

If Metal hadn't been a robot, he would've raised a brow. "He rides... on the wing..."

Sonic sat down on the wing, looking smug as he crossed on leg over the other.

"That seems incredibly unsafe," Metal commented. "Especially seeing as this second seat is usually available and yet you choose not to take it."

Sonic scoffed. "Sitting in the back seat of the plane is boring. I always say you haven't lived until you've ridden on the wing on a plane!"

"I am not familiar with this phrase," Metal retorted with a beep.

Sonic shrugged, leaning back. "Too scared to try, Metal?"

Tails jerked his head up. "Wait, Sonic—"

Metal was already on the other wing, casting a glare at Sonic. "I am not scared. It is you who will be scared when you behold how much better I am at flying on this wing than you."

"We'll see about that," Sonic said, grinning.

"Yes. We will see that I am superior."

Tails interjected, "Metal, hang on. This is a bad idea. You don't—"

Metal seemed to be locked in a staring contest with Sonic. They were both completely and utterly hopeless, so Tails didn't bother arguing. Instead, he started the plane.

The effect as the plane lifted itself into the air was immediate. Metal's feet slipped out from underneath him. He grasped the front edge of the plane's wing with both hands, clinging so he wouldn't go falling off. Of course, he could fly, but he'd lose the challenge that way.

The plane steadied, and Metal looked over to Sonic, who was still standing on the plane's wing, grinning smugly at Metal.

"Stop that."

Sonic snickered, facing forwards.

"The conditions stated that I must ride the wing. They said nothing about a need to stand."

"I didn't say anything," Sonic pointed out, amused.

There Sonic went again, grinning like a complete fool. He had just the right smile, full of confidence and energy. Metal had been programmed to hate it, but he was surprised by how nice he found it to be when the smile wasn't directed towards Metal's defeat.

Tails had flown well over the forest, the plane now steadily flying over the sea. Metal supposed that Sonic must have really trusted Tails' flying capabilities if Sonic wasn't freaking out over the vast amounts of water.

Metal looked around. While he couldn't recall having an appreciation of nature when he'd first been activated, it'd grown on him after a while. He vaguely recalled a meeting with Sonic, where the hedgehog was insistent on fighting elsewhere so they not destroy the surrounding nature. Metal had thought it'd just been optimal to move, as Sonic refused to fight otherwise, but he now realized that he admired Sonic's drive to preserve nature's beauty.

He glanced over at Sonic, who seemed oblivious to their competition. Sonic's eyes were closed, and he was cherishing the feeling of the wind through his quills. Metal knew because he'd observed Sonic many times before, and he recognized the pose.

"Have you not enjoyed the wind while running?" Metal asked. Sonic turned to him, looking confused, so Metal continued, "What makes riding on the wing of this plane any different?"

Sonic snorted in amusement. "Doesn't this feel different than when you fly yourself?"

Metal beeped. There Sonic went again, trying to make him understand in such a simplistic way. Sonic always had a way with words, even if he denied it.

Sonic stared out at the sky. "It's different when I run. I can only appreciate the sights when I stop to relax."

He shifted, sitting down on the wing. Metal tried to ignore the way Sonic's quills flowed back and forth in the wind.

"On the plane, I can take a look at everything while sitting still and relaxing. I love running for the rush of it all, but this isn't too bad either. I get both the wind and the sights this way."

Sonic smiled, admiring the way the sun reflected off the water, and the way the clouds drifted across the sky, in no hurry to do anything. Unbeknownst to him, his smile was practically glowing against the light. "Plus, just look at the view. Ain't it perfect?"

There was a long pause from Metal's end, probably from taking in the sight as well.

Finally, Metal answered, "...Yes."

Sonic looked over, noticing that Metal was staring at him. His red eyes were distant, but focused. Sonic swallowed, unaware of his own blush.

Metal silently noted that the pink against Sonic's cheeks looked perfect too.