~Hidden~

Metal became confused when he saw that Callie wasn't in the hallway where he last left her. He tried not to take much mind to it, searching around again.

"She should be around here somewhere…" Metal told himself, thinking out loud.

Metal looked ahead and could see Ivo. He looked at Sniper. "Quick! Hide!" he whispered.

"Where?" Sniper asked, looking around.

Since there wasn't enough time for this, Metal grabbed Sniper and flew him into the room beside them, which was the Upgrade Room. He shut the door with the code quickly, then acting normal as he was approached by his creator.

"Did you dispose of the failed robot?" Ivo asked.

"Yes, Master," Metal answered.

"Good," Ivo responded. "I'll try building him again some other time – I'm building something else right now."

"What are you building?" Metal asked, interested.

"It's a robot echidna called Metal Knuckles," Ivo replied. "I've decided to make named copies now. I'm also going to start working on a machine called Tails Doll."

"Interesting," Metal stated.

"By the way, Metal, have you seen Callie anywhere?" Ivo queried.

"No," Metal answered. "I was looking for her just now."

"Hm. Odd," Ivo muttered. "Well then, I'll leave you to it. I'll be seeing you later." With that, Ivo walked off.

After Ivo was fully out of sight, Metal pressed the buttons on the small panel on the wall, activating the door, making it open. Sniper looked at him.

"Has he gone?" Sniper asked quietly.

"Yes, he's gone," Metal replied.

Sniper sighed in relief. "Whew. That was definitely a close call," he said.

"I agree," Metal agreed. "But not even Ivo knows where Callie is. Come on, we have to find her. I'm getting worried."

Once again Metal began his search with Sniper. It was about five minutes into the search when they heard a faint buzzing sound, the faint sound of a flamethrower and walls crashing together.

"Oh no…" Metal gasped.

"What?" Sniper asked.

"Come on!" Metal shouted, grabbing Sniper by the arm and flying along at full speed.

Callie was looking at the clashing walls. She took in a few deep breaths, ready to get past them. They were moving pretty quickly. Callie looked back, seeing the death-traps she had gone through. There was no way she was going back that way. Besides, she was so close to the end. All she had to do was get by these walls.

"I can do this… I can do this like Metal can…" she told herself. But just as she was about to run, a cold metallic hand grabbed her by the arm tightly. The course then powered off.

The one who grabbed her was Metal, who flew her to the end and back into the small control room. Sniper was the one who turned the course off.

"What did you think you were doing?" Metal asked.

"I thought I could be like you if I finished the course…" Callie admitted.

"You could've gotten yourself killed," Metal reminded.

"Sorry…" Callie apologised, sniffling a little.

Metal knelt down to her level. "Look at me," he said softly.

Callie looked at him.

"If I hadn't come here you would've been crushed by those walls. Think how sad me and your dad would have been," Metal explained.

Callie thought about it. She realised how silly it was to try finishing the course. It was built for Metal, and nobody else.

"We would be very sad," Metal said, ending the silence. He then stood up, deciding to change the topic. "Callie, I'd like you meet my little brother, Sniper."

"Hello," Sniper said shyly.

"Nice to meet you, Sniper!" Callie responded.

"I think you two will get along really well," Metal pinioned.

It was night time, although it was hard to tell due to being in space. Again Metal tucked Callie into bed. He also put Sniper into Mecha's old recharge chamber, then going into his own and recharging for the night.

That night, Callie got out of her bed and slipped on her black, fluffy slippers. She whipped on her black dressing gown and tied it on after wrapping it round herself. She had forgotten to turn off her PlayStation. She went down to her Games Room and turned off the console, then turning off the light before leaving.

On the way back to her own room, she tripped up on her scooter and fell down some metal stairs, crashing through a door into a room. Already she had bruises showing up on her skin, and she rubbed her had. "Ow…" she groaned painfully, tears in her eyes waiting to escape. However, she held them back. After a few minutes she stood up shakily, about to head back up the stairs. But she had never seen this room before, so turned around to see what was in it.

It was quite a small room. But it was filled with lots of old-looking stuff. There was blue dress hanging up. The dress had a stitch on it where there must have been a hole, and there was also a stitch in line with the one on the front, only on the back, being the exact same size. The dress looked very similar to the one Callie was wearing, just bigger and a different colour. It also looked very old.

Callie was curious about this dress, but looked around some more. There was a photograph in sepia tone framed, an old diary, a pair of blue shoes and a blue head band. There were countless other things, too.

"What is all this?" Callie asked herself. "And why have I never been allowed in here?" She looked around, before picking up one of the photographs. A portrait photo of a girl and a hedgehog, both the two smiling. The photo made Callie smile a little. "These two look like me and Metal," she compared. She put the framed picture in her gown pocket and headed out, closing the door, walking up the stairs and returning to her room, sleeping for the rest of the night.

Callie's safe! She almost got herself killed! But Ivo still hasn't discovered Sniper… What will he do once he does? And who are the two in the sepia-toned photograph, hedgehog and human? All will be revealed next chapter!

Also, I've just done a new front cover to this story, different from the other. I want to hear your thoughts about it! If you can't see it very well, then you can find it on deviantART! See you next chapter!