Author's Note: Sou desu ka….Watashi no readers wa kaiedimasu!!! I'm practicing my Japanese…I'm in class so it's not weebooish lol. But last night I was ecstatic to see the huge spike in not only first time readers but returning fans on the traffic page! As a treat, here's chapter 7! (If somebody wants to check my Japanese, please go ahead ^_^)

Chapter 7: Protect Her From Danger

Sonic stumbled through the flaming ruins of Station Square. All around him were corpses, people screaming, dying, losing their minds. Robots were hiding and popping out of every corner, slaughtering any human they could find. A while ago, Sonic had even seen some people kill each other over a hiding spot.

Sonic continued on in a daze. This world was unreal. Why was this happening? Why hadn't he been able to defeat Metal Sonic? It was too late now…Metal had taken over, and nobody but nobody knew where the hell he was anymore. Last night, while Sonic had been staying in a refugee shelter that had been blown up today, he even had heard whispers that metal wasn't even on the planet anymore.

Sonic stopped walking. He had come upon the corpse of his best friend Tails. The fox boy's eyes were wide open, as if he had been surprised right before death. The innocence those eyes had once held was long gone. Instead, they were dull and, well, lifeless. Tails' fur was matted with blood, and the left side of his head looked like it had caved in from brutal impact.

Sonic shut his eyes and walked around the corpse. His other friends had all met similar fates at the ruthless hands of Metal. Metal Sonic was far more ruthless than Robotnik, and anyone who got in his way was killed, end of story.

"S-S-Sonic!"

Suddenly, Sonic was focused. That sweet voice that had carried to his ears was unmistakable. It had to be…

"AMY!" Sonic called out. A few dozen yards in front of him, he could just make out the cute pink hedgehog. She was waving to him, her dress torn and covered in blood, but she was definitely alive! "Amy hold on!" Sonic yelled out to her. He started running. He couldn't believe Amy had survived all of this! He was so happy he didn't know what to say at this moment.

Then, when he was about halfway there, Sonic tripped on something and fell on his face. "What the hell…" he started, then looked behind him. Metal Sonic…no, Neo Metal Sonic. This was Metal Sonic's more powerful form. The form he had taken before turning into the monstrous Metal Overlord.

"Hello Sonic!" Metal said. "I'm afraid I can't let you go to her. She needs to be exterminated."

"What?" Sonic asked.

"Sonic!" Sonic turned back to Amy, who was now in the hands of two swatbots, who were holding her up by her arms.

"AMY NO!" Sonic yelled out. He kicked Metal away and got to his feet. But before he could do anything, he heard an earthquake. Behind him, Metal Sonic was growing. He grew until he was bigger than the city, then the country, then the planet! Metal then took out a giant, gleaming sword and pointed it at Amy.

"KILL HER!" he roared out. "Kill her now!"

NO!" Sonic yelled. He began running towards Amy, but Metal swung his huge sword between the two hedgehogs. The sword ripped into the earth, and in a matter of seconds, the planet was sliced in half. Metal lifted his sword, and Sonic fell to his knees. In front of him, lying in a blood of her own blood, was Amy Rose. She had her eyes wide open and her tongue out lying on the ground. Sonic was overcome with grief and began crying harder than he ever had before. "Metal you bastard why?!" he screamed at his nemesis.

"DELETE THE HEDGEHOG ONCE AND FOR ALL!" Metal yelled. Sonic turned around, and a giant army of robots were marching towards him. There were normal looking ones, and some of them looked like flesh was poking out of their joints. It was a nightmare.

"All hail the God of Gods!" they chanted. "Hail to Metal Sonic! HAIL!"

Sonic didn't even resist. He stood perfectly still, tears streaming down his face, clutching his head, until the robot army aimed their weapons on his and fired, killing the blue hero while his metal form laughed.

End Note: ……pssshhhttt sike.

Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic awoke with a start, his heart racing, and panting. He felt horrible. His head was pounding, every part of his body ached, and even blinking felt like a chore to him. He moaned and tried to move one of his armed, but soon gave up when he realized it was nearly impossible to lift it higher than maybe an inch in the air. Looking down at his arm, he realized that it had been bandaged up by someone. Sonic checked his whole body, and noticed that almost in all his pain spots there were bandages, some partially soaked in blood.

"A….Amy," he muttered quietly. There was no response, and Sonic assumed that he was all alone in this….where ever he was. Probably a hospital. If so this was the darkest, most non-disinfectant smelling hosp ital he had ever been in. In fact, it smelled a little more like motor oil than a hospital.

Sonic relaxed in his bed and tried to focus on events that transpired prior to him winding up here. It hurt him to do so, but he wanted to know where he was. He remembered saving Amy from drowning, and then Angel Island hitting the ocean just as he, Tails, and Knuckles managed to get high enough to avoid the massive waves the island unleashed. He had carried Amy in his arms all the way back to Station Square, which had been ruined by the earlier robot invasion. The damage wasn't too bad, but it made the city look like a rundown sort of place. Broken windows, scorch marks on the ground, blood here and there, and not many people outside. Sonic remembered then taking Amy, getting off of the plane, and then…he collapsed. Soon after he had that terrible nightmare about himself and Amy dying, and then he had woken up here.

"Sonic?" a soft voice came through. "I heard you say something, so I guess you're awake now?" Sonic lazily turned his head to the left and saw Tails entering the room.

"Hey there little buddy," Sonic said weakly. "Thanks for the save back there at Angel Island. I would have been fish food if you hadn't flown in to save the day!" Tails blushed a little.

"Aw, it was nothing Sonic," he said. Then he lifted a glass of water he had brought with him. "Drink up, I know you're thirsty, what with being asleep for a whole day and a half." Sonic downed the whole cup, took a few deep breaths, and then began the interrogation.

"Did you say day and a half?" he asked to make sure he had heard correctly.

"That's right," Tails said. "Don't worry though, because it's been relatively calm while you were out. Metal Sonic was rumored to have returned to Robotropolis, and since then I haven't heard from either him nor Robotnik. Hopefully they destroyed each other, right?" Tails flashed Sonic a quick smile, and Sonic half heartedly returned it, but he knew that it wasn't likely. Metal was being ruthless this time around. He wasn't playing any games, and if Robotnik and Metal clashed, Sonic was betting a billion rings that Metal won.

"So what about Knuckles?" Sonic asked, skirting around the question he wanted to blurt out immediately.

"Knuckles rested up and left last night," Tails said. "He said he'll be back for the Master Emerald, but for now he doesn't like the idea of a dormant bomb stuck in the side of Angel Island. Sonic remembered how they had just barely managed to stop the Egg Carrier from self destructing, and he supposed that Metal could have a few more tricks and traps lying around in that thing.

"Where am I now?" Sonic asked.

"You're in a GUN medical room," Tails answered. "Most of the hospitals in the city are teeming with citizens caught up in the fight with Metal Sonic's forces. GUN brought you here because they said you were an invaluable asset to the war on Robotnik and they were sure you'd be just as useful in this new war on Metal Sonic." Sonic wanted to spit on the floor.

"They see me as some damned tool huh?" Tails cringed and shook his head.

"I know they think highly of you Sonic! When we brought you here all the doctors stopped what they were doing to make sure you received the best medical care that they could provide. Thanks to them you didn't sustain any really serious injuries. " Sonic finally couldn't stand it any longer.

"Where's Amy?" Tails stifled a laugh.

"Sonic I knew you were going to ask that. She's fine, in fact, we patched up her leg and she went home yesterday afternoon while you were out. She even came to see Knuckles off when he went back to Angel Island. She stayed with you last night as well until GUN told her she had to leave. She said you were tossing and turning in your sleep and she was really worried." Sonic turned away from Tails for a second. He let out a small sigh. So she was safe. He had accomplished the mission he had set out to finish.

"You know Sonic," Tails said quietly and closed the door behind them. "I know you've told me over and over again that the reason you don't really go out with girls is because you're worried about their safety in your hectic life, but did you ever think that if you don't seize the moment it could pass you by forever? I mean, you and Amy came close to dying on three separate occasions back there. Imagine what it would have been like if you had died without telling her how you feel?" Sonic didn't say a word. Tails had no way of knowing that he had confessed his love for Amy back on the Egg Carrier, but he still understood what the fox boy was getting at. Sonic didn't want to die only having Amy know how he felt the last five minutes of both of their lives. And with Metal Sonic on the scene now, their last moments could be at any time.

"Tails," Sonic began. "Could you do me a favor and tell Amy I'm awake now?" Tails started walking out of the facility.

"Sure thing Sonic," he said. As Tails shut the door behind him, Sonic was left alone in his turmoil of thoughts and emotions. Tails made a lot of sense. He kept trying to procrastinate, assuming that tomorrow would come. His life or death plight a day and a half ago was testament that tomorrow wasn't guaranteed by anyone. Never before in his career had he felt more pressure than on that day. He really felt as if there was nothing that could save them several times. And he obviously hadn't made it out without a scratch.

Sonic sighed and rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. He was glad he had saved Amy. That was the most important thing to him. Metal Sonic was close on the list, but Amy's life overshadowed even his own in his eyes.

Amy Rose

"He's awake?!" Amy almost shouted into her cell phone to Tails, who pulled the phone away from his ear. She had just gotten a call from Tails who was at the GUN HQ in Station Square, going over the situation once again with the leaders of the military forces. Everyone was busy lately; Shadow and Rouge had been assigned to stake out Robotropolis, Tails was helping GUN plan an assault on the city, and telling them what he knew for certain about Metal Sonic's goals. Sonic was recovering, and Knuckles had gone home to deal with the damage Metal Sonic had caused.

"That's right," Tails spoke into the phone. "He wanted me to let you know that. Amy gripped the phone tightly.

"Did he….say anything else?" she asked slowly.

"Nope. But I think he really wants to see you," Tails said reassuringly. "Look, I've gotta go. GUN is planning an attack soon, and they need me to map out the attack zones. I'll see you later ok?" Before Amy could reply, she heard a click and the line went dead.

"Oh God," Amy thought. "What should I do? I mean what should I say to him?" Amy knew she was going to go and see Sonic, but she wondered what would happen. Would he say something about their moment on the Egg Carrier? Would he totally avoid it? She hoped not, because that moment, despite death looming over them, had been one of the happiest moments in her life.

Amy grabbed her purse and ran off towards GUN HQ. The whole way there, her mind was at war with itself, doubting that Sonic would have meant he loved her in the way she wanted to believe. She was even considering that Sonic had meant something else, and her memory was fuzzy. Despite these doubts, she forced herself to keep going. Sonic had wanted her to know that he was awake, and Tails said he wanted to see her…so maybe….just maybe….

Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic was sitting up, looking stone faced. He had come to a decision. He had rerun the entire Metal Sonic disaster through his head a thousand times, trying to figure out how he could have saved Amy and stopped Metal Sonic as well. After thinking hard, he realized he would have had to choose between one or the other. He was glad he made the choice he did, but at the same time, he wished there could have been something he could have done to stop Metal. And that's when realization dawned on him. He hated to admit it, but deep down he knew it was true. He wouldn't be in this horrible condition he was in now, wouldn't have had to let Metal go and stop the Egg Carrier…he could have stopped Metal and perhaps ended this thing once and for all. But there was one thing that had made all that impossible.

"Sonic!" Amy said as she ran into the room. Sonic couldn't even look at the girl he loved so badly he wanted to get up and run to her despite the pain he was in. He had to do something he was going to hate himself for. If he loved her truly, then he would do this, but that fact didn't help relieve the strain on his chest.

"Sonic," Amy hugged the blue hedgehog. Sonic fought the urge to hug her back. "I was so worried about you. You slept for a whole day and a half! I was afraid you wouldn't wake up, but I came to watch you sleep, and I even talked to you. Did you hear me? Oh, it doesn't matter. You're awake now!" Sonic bit his tongue. Tears were welling up in his eyes now. How could she be so kind to him when he had to do what he was going to do? It was for the greater good right? The last thing he wanted was for Amy to follow him to Robotropolis when he recovered, and this time not come out of it alive.

"Sonic, say something," Amy loosened her hug and tried to look into Sonic's eyes, but Sonic shifted his head so she couldn't see the torture on his face. Every cell in his body was screaming to give in to his passion for Amy. His mind was only barely keeping his body at bay. He had to say this now, or he'd end up giving in, and then when Amy was put in even more danger, he'd be sorry.

"Sonic?" Amy said slowly and softly. The blue hedgehog blinked away his tears, and composed himself. He pulled away from Amy and tried to look into her eyes, but that still wasn't possible. So he looked down at her shoes.

"Amy, because of you Metal got away with the Master Emeralds and four chaos emeralds," Sonic began. "Because of you I didn't have time to stop him from getting away. I could have let Knuckles deal with disarming the Egg Carrier, but had I done that in the situation I was in a while ago, you would have died. Amy, all of that could have been avoided if you wouldn't have tried to be a hero and attacked Metal Sonic when you did. I may have been able to stop Metal from escaping the island. We'll never know now, and whatever he's up to, I'm sure it's gonna spell bad news for the planet. Bad news that you helped him write and publish. On top of that, we both almost died anyways, and had Tails not been around we surely would have. Amy what I'm trying to say is, until this is all over, stay away from me, from Metal, from Tails, Knuckles, and all the other fighters, because you've proven to me that you're only a nuisance." Sonic finally swallowed, then looked up to Amy, and when he saw the look on her face, his heart shattered into a million pieces.

"S-S-Sonic," she said, barely keeping back the flood of tears. "How could you...how could you say those things? I was only trying to help you!" Sonic looked away. Really, it was to hide the tears that were now coming down, but Amy took it as a sign that he didn't want to see her anymore.

"Sonic please!" Amy said, tears now rolling down her cheeks. She hugged him again, and Sonic had to physically stop one of his arms from reaching around her. "Sonic I didn't mean any trouble! I only wanted to help you fight Metal! Sonic I just wanted to fight with you! I'm sorry I ended up being a pest, but please, don't go away without me!" Sonic wanted to kill himself for making Amy cry like this. He couldn't stand it. He pushed her away again and hung his head low so she couldn't see his face.

"Sonic….on the Egg Carrier! When we saw each other before the ship was about to explode!" Amy remembered. Surely he couldn't deny that moment. She knew that he had some kind of feelings for her!

"I was crying there because I honestly thought I was going to die. I was extremely pissed at you at that moment." Sonic's cruel words pierced Amy's chest like an arrow, and she literally staggered back.

"Sonic, we did the finger heart…" she muttered. Sonic looked up a bit to see Amy drawing half of a heart in the air, and when she finished, she waited for him to complete it. Sonic shook his head and looked at Amy, tears streaking down his face, but he put on the angriest face he could muster, which wasn't too angry. When he raised his hand, Amy almost felt relief. She was sure he remembered their moment, and now would take back everything he said. But no. Instead, he raised a fist, and when it got as high as he could raise it, he turned his middle finger upwards.

"Amy get the hell out of here," he said coldly. "If you follow me, you'll end up hurt or dead. I can't be with you, you idiot. I can't have a normal life with you. I have to save the planet, and you're just going to end up another chore for me to take care of, and Metal will see my weakness and use you against me. I won't have it." Amy finally screamed. The sound made Sonic burst into a loud sob as well. Amy ran out of the infirmary as fast as she could, and Sonic pounded his fists against his bed. He was right wasn't he? He had just saved Amy from the danger he was about to put himself in. As a bonus, she wouldn't worry too much about him now!

Sonic forced himself out of his bed and began punching the wall. Doing the right thing was fucked up.

Robotropolis, Shadow and Rouge

"There's still massive energy being drawn into and cycled out of the city," Shadow said as he and Rouge continued their reconnaissance from the outskirts of Robotropolis. "It's been happening since we got here, and the energy has to be coming from emeralds." Shadow knew because his own green emerald was reacting. Rouge was above him, trying to see what was in the center of all this energy. But there was a fog like substance shielding most of the city from sight.

"It seems like the energy is being beamed off into the sky," Rouge said. And I think someone is manipulating it, because it keeps moving erratically. I'm not sure what's going on, but it's bad."

"I wouldn't say so," a new voice said from behind the pair. Shadow and Rouge quickly jumped forward and turned around. On the ground there was a hole emitting intense light. Shadow knew from how his emerald was reacting that this was the same energy being used to power whatever it was in Robotropolis. So that meant…

"Metal," Shadow said. Neo Metal Sonic rose from the portal, crackling with the emerald's energy. Shadow knew that without being in contact with the emeralds, he couldn't stay powered up for too long, so all he had to do was hold out for a while.

"Have you come to witness the birth of a planet?" Metal asked, seeming genuinely interested in their answer.

"What are you talking about?" Rouge asked. Metal shook his head.

"What a shame. You might die before my legacy is complete and I get to eradicate all life on this planet as a prelude to the chaos I will bring to the universe." Shadow made a fist.

"You really think I'm going to let you get away with that?" he asked defiantly. Metal waved his hands, and a bright light engulfed Shadow and Rouge.

"What is this?" Rouge asked as she shielded her eyes. When the light died down, she gasped. They were now surrounded by dozens of robots, none of which they had ever seen before in Robotnik's army. These robots resembled mutant dogs. They stood on all fours, were at least as tall as Cream the Rabbit, and had a shiny chrome finish. These robots growled as if they were animals, and slowly began closing in on the two spies.

"Meet the first wave of my new hedgehog hunter class robots. Equipped with sharp metal talons and teeth, they are able to shred through even the Egg Carrier's hull given enough time, and can reach speeds of up to 200 miles per hour. Now that's nowhere near Sonic's or my speed, but it'll be great for future planetary raids I do. And of course, they can adapt to any situation." Shadow gritted his teeth and backed up. Rouge momentarily thought about taking to the skies, but Metal Sonic, almost as if he had read her mind, hovered upwards to block her exit.

"Say, do you guys know if Sonic lived through Angel Island?" Metal asked. Shadow looked up at Metal, and the evil robot nodded.

"From the way you looked at me and didn't immediately get offended, I'd say he did. Truly he is an enemy among my enemies. No matter, with the power of the emeralds, and my new robot legion, soon the entire planet will be reduced to dust, and even Sonic the hedgehog won't escape the end." Shadow gripped his green emerald and called out.

"Rouge! Grab onto me! Chaos Control!"

"AN EMERALD!" Metal yelled out. "Capture him!" The hunter bots began closing the distance extremely fast. Shadow reached out for Rouge, but as he almost grabbed her hand, she was knocked out of the way by a hunter.

"ROUGE!!!" Shadow yelled as he disappeared from the area, just when the hunters got to his spot.

"Shadow!" Rouge called out, but Metal Sonic kicked her hard in the chin, then threw her onto the ground.

"You're not going anywhere bitch," he said coldly. "I'm going to kill you right here to avoid your nuisances in the future." Metal began pounding on Rouge with his fists, while his emotionless hounds watched.

REAL End Note: OMG I'm mega sorry about my lateness this time guys, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Before more action kicks in you can expect more building on the Son/Amy, and maybe a new relationship I just thought of that might work. So review this chapter, and as I upload this I'll begin chapter 8!