~Chapter 4: The Encounter~
Sonic returned with a plate of chilli dogs, already eating away at them.
"Those things sure are important to you, huh?" Shard assumed.
"Shard, if you could taste these, you'd be begging for more every time you hear their name," Sonic responded, swallowing one whole.
Shard sighed.
Tails then returned. "The Tornado is all set, Sonic!" he announced.
"Cool," Sonic replied. "So Shard, have you got a good idea on where 'Buttnik is?"
"He's in his base in Robotropolis," Shard answered.
"And that's his homeland," Sonic added. "We might encounter Metal Robotnik again."
'I think we'll be encountering a different Metal…' Shard thought to himself.
Sonic looked at him.
Shard looked back at him. "I definitely need to get that removed from me," he stated.
"Maybe later. Right now we should be saving Sara," Sonic clarified.
"Then let's go already!" Shard said, flying out.
Tails and Sonic ran after him.
…
Sonic stood on top of the plane as Tails piloted it, flying off into the sky. Shard flew just ahead to lead the way to Robotropolis. He felt a cold feeling inside him as he thought of that place - his birthplace. Sonic could feel his uneasiness, sighing.
After a while of flying, Shard eventually sighted the recognisable city of Robotropolis. "We're here!" he announced, flying down.
Tails landed the Tornado where Shard had landed, jumping out of it. Sonic jumped off the top wing, looking around. "As dull and dark as always," he acknowledged. "Where's the welcoming party?"
"I think there might be a surprise for us inside the base," Shard responded, sounding nervous.
Sonic stood by his counterpart's side. "I know it's hard for you to come back here," he sympathized.
"It just… feels weird," Shard described. "To think that this is where I was born. This is where you and I first encountered. This was… my home."
"If you start to feel uncomfortable, you can leave or stand aside. We won't push you to do anything," Sonic said.
"Let's just see what happens," Shard finalized, beginning to walk in. "Come on."
Sonic and Tails followed him, entering Robotnik's base.
When inside, Shard began looking extremely uncomfortable. Sonic noticed his discomfort, walking beside him. "Remember, just take it easy and if you want to leave, leave," he reminded.
"I'll be fine…" Shard responded, looking away. "I just need a little time, that's all…"
Sonic understood Shard, until when they walked through a certain door, it slam down shut and the lights were out. All that could be seen was Shard's red irises.
"Shard, can you see anything?" Sonic asked.
Before Shard could answer, a laugh could be heard. The lights were switched on, and the three could all see Robotnik standing on a platform above them. The room was very large and the walls were grey, and a tub of lava was just below Robotnik and in front of him. Hanging above it was Sara, tied up. She was screaming and squirming.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Sonic, Tails and Hyper Metal Sonic," Robotnik laughed. "As you can see, Sara here will meet her doom unless we come down to an agreement."
"Sonic, help me I'm gonna die if you don't save me from him and my daddy will be very angry with you if you don't!" Sara screamed, squirming.
"What do you want from us, Robotnik!" Sonic shouted.
Robotnik grinned. "I want to see Hyper Metal Sonic battle against my latest and greatest invention!" he laughed.
Shard looked a little nervous, remembering his vision.
"If he wins the fight, Sara is set free, if he loses, then Sara meets here doom!" Robotnik chortled.
Sonic and Tails were then grabbed by two SWATBots. At first they struggled, but then gave up.
Shard stepped forward, awaiting his opponent. He prepared himself for the battle, but was still nervous.
Robotnik pressed a button on a remote which he pulled from his pocket. A door in the shadows opened, and some blaring red irises could be seen. Out from the shadows stepped a blue robotic hedgehog. Shard felt as if he was looking at his past-self through a mirror.
Sonic and Tails stared in horror. "Sonic, it's…!" Tails exclaimed.
"An exact replica…" Sonic continued.
Even Sara looked horrified. "It's another Metal Sonic!" she shrieked.
Shard and Metal just stared at each other until Robotnik gave a command to Metal. "Metal Sonic, attack!"
Metal, without hesitation, kicked Shard hard to the ground.
Shard grunted, but jumped back to his feet. He aimed his arm cannon at him and fired.
Metal dodged, flying towards Shard.
Shard caught Metal by the hands, both the two pushing each other. Metal used his booster, boosting himself as he pushed Shard at full-speed against the wall. Shard crashed through it.
Robotnik laughed, seeing his creation beating Shard. "That's it, Metal! Smash him!"
Shard dragged himself out of the wall, groaning.
Metal walked over to him, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him up.
Shard tried to pull Metal's hand away, but it was no use. Instead he aimed his arm cannon at Metal, but Metal grabbed his arm and ripped it off. Shard screamed.
"Shard!" Sonic yelled, pulling against the SWATBot's grip. It was no use.
Metal then flew upwards, throwing Shard down to the ground as hard as he could. He then fired a laser from his chest to finish him off. However, Shard was still active – just.
Shard couldn't even get up on his feet. His legs were no longer working with him. Instead he just lay there on his front. "I've failed…" he told himself.
Metal stood before his older model, putting a foot on top of him to claim his victory.
Robotnik laughed loudly. "Ho-ho! Metal Sonic is a success!" he exclaimed.
Metal was about to finish Shard, but Robotnik prevented him. "Not yet, my Metal Sonic. Leave him active for now. Let him witness the grand finale!"
"You wouldn't do such a thing, Robotnik, that's way too low for you!" Tails exclaimed.
"Oh, just watch me!" Robotnik replied.
Sara was slowly being lowered down to the lava.
"HELP!" Sara screamed.
Robotnik seemed to be watching Shard intensely, for some reason.
Shard glared back at him, then at Sara. He was the only one who could do something. He had to try and save her. If not, that would leave a bad message for everybody – there was no way he was going to be seen as weak. Shard then grabbed Metal's foot and pulled him so that he lost balance. He staggered to his feet and stumbled over to the lava tank, managing to use his boosters to fly up to it. However, on the count of seeing the lava, he seemed to freeze.
Robotnik watched this, grinning.
Metal was about to attack, but Eggman commanded him to not do anything.
"Shard! Save her!" Tails yelled.
Shard looked at him, then at Sara, who was crying her eyes out. He was unsure of what to do, and suddenly, his eyes switched off as he fell.
Sonic and Tails felt helpless, until a red echidna flew in quickly and caught him, landing. It was Knuckles.
"Knuckles!" Tails exclaimed happily.
Knuckles winked at Tails, smiling, but then climbed up the tank of lava. He jumped up and grabbed Sara, flying down with her.
"Yay! My hero!" Sara chirped happily, kissing Knuckles on the cheek.
Knuckles blushed.
Robotnik didn't seem bothered. "Hmph. My initial plan was to see if Hyper Metal Sonic would save Sara, but that plan failed. Oh well," he shrugged. "Until we meet again, Sonic. And this time, Metal will be targeting both Shard AND you!" Robotnik then fled with Metal, commanding the SWATBots to let Sonic and Tails go and also fall back.
Sonic carefully lifted Shard up while Tails picked up his arm.
"C'mon, lil' buddy. Let's get take Sara back to the president and let's get Shard repaired," Sonic planned.
"But Sonic, there isn't enough room on the plane," Tails stated.
"Then we're gonna need some help," Sonic confirmed.
"I'll call the president," Tails assured. "He can take Sara and Shard and we'll meet him back at the Presidential House."
"Sounds like a plan, Tails," Sonic agreed, turning to Knuckles. "You staying, Knucklehead?"
"I've got my own things to take care of, Sonic," Knuckles replied, running out.
"Bye!" Sara waved.
Tails then ran off to call the president via the Tornado.
Sonic looked at Shard. "Don't worry, buddy. We'll get you fixed."
~End of Chapter~
