It had all happened so fast, I didn't even have a moment to react. The silent darkness of sleep was replaced in an instant with a deafening crash, my eyes bolting open just in time to see crimson rings of light advancing toward me. I'd been through this once before, I wasn't about to let it happen again.
"Metal!" I shouted, rolling to the floor from my bed as the sharp, menacing figure that so closely resembled my darling blue blur dashed just overhead. I desperately grabbed for my hammer, knowing I'd have to act quickly or the robot would have what it wanted. I could hear it approaching from behind, the quiet hum and warmth of its turbine coming slowly closer. As I gripped my hammer tightly, ready to turn around and strike, I could feel my heartbeat speed up. I wondered briefly if that thing could see that with its scanners.
"Why'd you come here, you metal creep?" I demanded, not expecting much out of the normally-silent machine. "Eggman so scared of me he sent you to do his dirty work?!" I spun around, my hammer coming with me in an arc aimed directly at Metal Sonic. I knew I was outmatched – even Sonic could barely defeat Metal in most of their battles – but I had to try. Like predicted, the robot hovered out of the way so quickly it seemed like an instant movement.
[Doctor Robotnik requires secondary target Amy Rose's presence to serve as emotional bait for primary target Sonic the Hedgehog. This unit is retrieving you as per his orders.] The thing's voice was not unlike Gamma's had been so many years ago, although none of the simple sadness that the E-Series robot had displayed was present. The moment its sentence was finished, it was upon me, its cold metal arms wrapped around my waist as it thrusted through the ceiling, the plaster, wood, and shingles not even causing it to flinch as they broke on its head.
"No! Saaaaaaawnniiiii-" was all I could get out before the machine rocketed through the sky and knocked the air from my lungs. Previously being hauled through the sky at the speed of sound as if tied to a fighter jet was the source of so many of my nightmares, and this time wasn't any better. It was so much different than being carried by or following behind Sonic, so much more sterile and calculated, even painful at times.
It wouldn't be long until we arrived at whatever sort of stupid base Eggman had made this time, and I was sure he'd be reading a big dumb speech to me while all of his weird robots watched…I'm no princess! I'm not a damsel in distress! Why did that stupid so-called doctor think I was the best bait for Sonic?!
I started to tear up a bit as I faced the truth, as I rarely did.
H-He didn't even like me, did he? He always saved me because I was his friend, but that's all…he'd have saved Tails or any of his other friends just the same. I was just another silly, brightly-colored friend to him. Another face in the crowd cheering him on when he'd go Super Sonic and beat up whatever stupid monster or villain was annoying us. Did I mean anything to him at all? If Eggman meant to torture me, I was sure he could never do anything as terrible as I was doing to myself now.
I looked up at the razor-sharp visage of the robot built in his image. Ironically, Metal was giving me more attention than Sonic had in weeks, maybe months. The very idea made my face twist into a grimace. I gave up on squirming for the sake of my own comfort, closing my eyes to get rid of what few tears were left. They sizzled as they passed through Metal's defensive electrical field, serving as a reminder of my painfully annoying situation. I clenched my teeth in frustration.
"At least hurry it up, you bucket of bolts! I want to at least get what's left of a good night's sleep."
I noticed the doppelganger's eyes switch focus from the horizon to me, the burning red rings in its black visor resting on me for what felt like an eternity. It was so intimidating...how much could it see through those menacing eyes? Could it see what I was thinking or feeling?
At the very least, it could follow orders. Without a word, Metal Sonic's engines whirred and we thrust forward even faster than before.