The room was dark. The only illumination was from seven crystals spread around the centre an equal distance apart, and a faint glow coming from the centre. This faint glow had a fire-like quality. The yellow crystal began flashing. The fire-like glow in the centre moved about, revealing the figure bearing it.
"Really? Where and when?" the woman asked. The yellow crystal flashed again, revealing a series of short images. The first image featured a metal fox blasting a real one into the sky. The second showed the fox in a small cave, surrounded by perspiration. The third depicted an insect-like droid taking aim at the fox, and killing it for good. The fourth showed a dystopian society, with the metal fox at the head. The figure nodded. The seven crystals left their positions, and went into the figure's body, sending her from the room.
Tails opened his eyes, if only by a bit. The cave was luminous, but plenty damp. He wondered how he had arrived in it. He tried to stand up, but found himself unable to do so. He wondered why, not seeing anything on top of him. Then he realised he was simply too exhausted to do so. He wanted nothing more than to go back to rest, but his body would not allow it. The rocks digging into his back were too sharp. He heard a buzzing sound. Turning his head, he saw a Buzz Bomber flying towards him. The tail arched around, and took aim at Tails' chest.
So this is how I die… I hoped I'd live a little longer…
Tails closed his eyes, resigned to the fact he was going to die.
*SIZZLE*
Tails heard the sound of flames, and the cave he was in felt a lot warmer all of a sudden. He couldn't open his eyes a second time. He heard his saviour walk over to him, and pick him off the ground.
"Relax, boy. You're in good hands," a voice told him. Tails felt the voice was familiar, but could not recognise its owner. He knew it belonged to a girl.
That was all he could tell.
Metal Tails was drumming away in a dark room, typing in a keyboard. The rooms only light, the monitor of his computer, turned green to show a map.
"Dammit! That Buzz Bomber was a complete failure!" he said, cursing. Tails had gotten away, and was still alive. Metal Tails pondered how best to go after him now. His eyes drifted to his own Metallic sheen.
"I know what I have to do." He opened his Metallic arm, and turned on his communicator.
"Dr Eggman, send me Metal Sonic."
"But Metal Tails, he's imperfect! He's never beaten Sonic and he'll never beat Tails! I'm surprised you managed to!" Eggman responded.
"Don't think I don't know about Metal Sonic's imperfections. Send Metal Sonic to the Robotization Chamber. …And bring me Sonic, as well. Make sure he cannot escape."
When Tails next woke, he felt himself in an unfamiliar bed. He found himself able to move this time, and took the opportunity to look around. The room was only dimly lit, with all the light stemming from candles placed around the room. From that, Tails could predict that his saviour preferred darkness, but was willing to make allowances for Tails. He could also see a bit beyond the candles, and find that his room was rather lavish, and decorated with a few gems here and there.
"You're awake," the woman's voice said. Tails turned his head towards her. She stepped into the light, revealing her purple coat, her light purple face, and her long white legs.
Revealing she was Blaze the Cat.
"Hi, Blaze!" Tails said cheerfully. Blaze smiled back and waved, before returning to a solemn façade.
"What happened?" Tails asked.
"I saw your encounter with that metal fox. Tails…" Blaze started, before faltering. She didn't know how to put what happened into words. However, she found she didn't necessarily need to. Her blue gem started flashing, and she picked it up and held it in the air. The blue gem spun around, and managed to show an actual vision.
"Nice to see you, Sonic. Metal Sonic, thank you for coming," Metal Tails said.
"DO NOT WASTE TIME, METAL FOX," Metal Sonic stated in a robotic tone. Metal Tails shook his head, and turned to the heavily chained Sonic.
"Your friend got away. I don't know why you ever trusted that defective model. But you are going to tell me what happened to him. Now," Metal Tails said, raising his left hand.
"You don't scare me. Now do you mind letting off these chains so I can fight you proper, or do you have to keep me in them so you don't get hurt?"
"Fine answer. Just what I was hoping for," Metal Tails said. He reached forward, and deftly had Sonic's chains changed so he lay in front of a large ray.
"Metal Sonic, stand on the yellow circle," Metal Tails commanded, his eyes drilling into Sonic.
"COMMAND NOT ACCEPTED."
"I can dismantle you without taking my eye off Sonic here," Metal Tails threatened. Metal Sonic complied with Metal Tails' request.
"And now…" Metal Tails said, throwing a switch. Sonic convulsed in pain, and a blue energy flowed from Sonic into the machine. Metal Sonic seemed to glow with energy.
"Oh no, Sonic!" Tails gasped. The blue crystal stopped its vision, and landed in Blaze's palm.
"I have to stop him!" Tails said.
"Yes you do. And I'm going to help you," Blaze told him.
"…You are?" Tails asked. Blaze nodded. Her red crystal started to shine, but she decided not to activate its warning. She took Tails hand, and disappeared with a satisfying poof.
*THWACK* *BOOM*
Knuckle's fists flew in and out, knocking Badniks left and right. Amy was standing back, trying to keep the animals back. Blaze and Tails appeared close by, behind a tree. Tails moved to help Knuckles, before Blaze gasped. She held her arm out, and Tails was stopped.
"What are you doing?" Tails asked. Blaze turned her head around, and looked up into the sky. Metal Tails had descended. Amy gasped, and followed the animals into the woods. Metal Tails rolled his eyes, and permitted her to escape. He looked directly at Knuckles.
"So… Eggman has made himself a new general. Hasn't he learned what happens when he tries?" Knuckles asked, cracking his knuckles.
"That is irrelevant. What I'm really here for… is you," Metal Tails said, shooting a blast at Knuckles lightning fast. Metal Tails stepped over the paralysed Knuckles.
"You know, you always were shafted… what is strength, when it's all about speed? Well… how about… a whole lot of strength?" Metal Tails asked. A Buzz Bomber flew down beside Metal Tails, and he plucked it from the sky. Blaze and Tails gasped in horror, as Metal Tails deft hands moved around the Bomber too fast to truly witness what was happening. Metal Tails stepped back, and looked at his new creation.
A Metallic sheen the colour of rubies. Two appendages ending in white fists. To all intents and purposes, this was Knuckles. But something was off.
This was Metal Tails' new bruiser. Metal Knuckles.
Metal Knuckles pressed a button on one of his wrists, and the sound of knuckles cracking echoed about. He looked down, and smiled at Knuckles.
"TARGET ACQUIRED!" Metal Knuckles said, launching a haymaker directly at the real Knuckles. The blow sent him flying high into the sky. Metal Knuckles gave a monotone chuckle. Metal Tails joined in with a bit of personality.
"That…" Tails started, before pausing. He was lost for words. Metal Tails had created a copy of Knuckles as easily as he had ordered breakfast. This surpassed mere technological wizardry… and ethics.
"Dr Eggman would never sanction this. He is not that cruel," Tails said. Metal Tails stopped his chuckle. He looked around, whirring. His eyes locked onto the very tree Blaze and Tails were hiding behind.
"Knuckles… you know what to do," Metal Tails said. Metal Knuckles nodded, and slammed the ground. Blaze's eyes widened, and she activated the power of the Sol Emeralds. Tails and Blaze barely made it out of there, but Metal Tails learned a valuable piece of information. He activated his helicopter tails, and headed back to his base.
"Yo, Metal Tails… what's that look on your face for?" Metal Sonic asked.
"Please control the statements of your Organic portion, Sonic. As for your question, you have been replaced," Metal Tails replied. Metal Sonic stepped back, hurt.
"Tails! After my loyal servitude to the big Egg since before you were even blueprinted, you'll just abandon me for… wait, what? And you kinda gave me the Organic upgrade: even you don't have that," Metal Sonic let out. Metal Tails glared at him.
"Never mention my lack of Organics. I will not rest until I am a true cyborg, and that meddlesome twin-tail is nothing more than a memory. Metal Sonic, there is no question of your loyalty. I trust you more than 'the big Egg' as you put it. But I sensed that twin-tail when I constructed my Metal Knuckles, and he was whisked away by something that was, and yet wasn't, the Chaos Emeralds," Metal Tails explained. Metal Sonic put some thought into it.
"You mean… You lost me…" Metal Sonic said.
"It was the power of the Sol Emeralds. That twin-tail has recruited the power of Blaze the Cat. My new right hand servant will be Metal Blaze," Metal Tails told Metal Sonic, walking up to a wall fixture, and pulling off a piece. Metal Tails' hands worked on the piece, and a purple figure started to materialise.
"Whoa… I can see how I got replaced by you…" Metal Sonic said in awe. Metal Tails was making a robot out of one piece of scrap metal.
"Metal Blaze… awaken!" Metal Tails said. The purple Metallic cat's red eyes shone, and she was activated.
"I am Metal Blaze, construct of Metal Tails. I live to serve Metal Tails. He is my Master. What is his bidding?" she rattled off, holding up one hand. The temperature in the room rose several degrees, stopping just short of melting the softest metal there. Metal Tails smiled: she could get hotter.
"Sonic and Knuckles are out of the picture. I want you to find Sonic's friends, and make sure they don't manage to bring help to my counterpart," Metal Tails asked. Metal Blaze turned the light behind one eye off and on quickly, in a shallow parody of an Organic wink.
"Consider it done yesterday," Metal Blaze said, turning on her heel and leaving the room. Metal Tails turned to his computer, and typed away. Several renders of Sonic's friends began to show up, and Metal Tails scrolled through them. He didn't need a massive army. But he could use a few more Metallics.
"So, whatcha up to, boss?" Metal Sonic asked.
"Metal Blaze will be the only Metallic to undermine you. But there will be more Metallics to join our army. I just need to decide which of the Organics to replicate. I don't want a massive army… for now…" Metal Tails explained.
"I'll go out and try to find Organics trying to fight. Apart from Tails and Blaze: we'll save them for later," Metal Sonic said, flying from the room at light speed. Metal Tails very briefly questioned whether the Organic upgrade was really necessary, before turning back to deciding who his Metallic army would consist of.
Blaze and Tails appeared within the centre of the room. Blaze looked at the Sol Emeralds with concern.
"What is it?" Tails nervously asked.
"I should've been more careful with these. Metal Tails undoubtedly knows of my involvement…" Blaze said. She seemed worried.
"No matter, Blaze. He would've figured it out anyway. But for now, we have to figure out how to go after the Metals. If Metal Sonic and Metal Tails weren't enough, now there's a Metal Knuckles as well. And he built that astonishingly fast: he could have an entire army of Metals created in no time!" Tails said.
Blaze stepped back in shock. She had previously assumed that Metal Knuckles was simply reorganised from the Buzz Bomber, not a completely distinct robot.
"How much material does he need to generate a metal?" Blaze asked.
"I don't know, but I assume he needs an A.I. core and all the parts that come with a whole 'creating a self-sufficient robot' deal… but Buzz Bombers, and Badniks in general, are ridiculously common. If he can make a Metal Knuckles out of one, it stands to reason he can make a Metal… anything," Tails pointed out. Blaze nodded slowly. It took a few seconds for the full impact of his words to sink in.
"We have to stop whatever it is he is doing!" Blaze cried out.
"Agreed. First step, find out what will give him power, and remove his access to it!" Tails said, holding out one hand, Blaze accepted it, and shook it.
"But before that…" Blaze said apprehensively. Tails nodded, knowing what she was about to ask.
"We need to make sure Amy is safe. Metal Tails is sure to go after her. Hopefully, I'll be able to find a robotic to hack to our cause, at any rate," he said. That was not Blaze's plan, but it was close enough to, and had similar enough goals.
Proof that I have not entirely given this story up. Expect updates to be this barren for a while. When was the last time my mind even drifted this way?