This chapter is the start of something new, a bit removed from the other things currently going on. Sonic has begun his latest mission, but things seem to be going wrong very quickly…from what he can tell.

Remember that nothing is ever as it seems.


Dropkick Symphony 053.

Miracle Theory, Act 1: Exception


hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgeh


Sonic stared into the eyes of his robot copy, trying to figure out the situation laid in front of him. He could feel himself getting nervous for some reason…was it fear? Confusion? He didn't know, and that was bothering him even more, now.

Amy Rose lay in her hero's arms, feeling shivers go down her spine. She remembered her last moments, staring blankly into Lucy's eyes as they filled with tears. There was darkness, and then a sudden burst of light. She remembered being with Sonic for a while, wiping his tears and watching him as he slept under the stars.

This feeling was unnerving, this…existence. She was supposed to be dead and gone. Everything was so surreal, so impossible in a way. The warmth of his hand against her back, the feel of his chest as it rose and fell. She was somehow alive, and more than anything, it scared her.

He gently massaged her back with his fingers, feeling her relax slightly as he looked over at his doppelganger.

"Your road ends here," Metal said in his deceptively flat and robotic tone. There were subtle bits of inflection that Sonic noticed each time, and he wondered if he was the only one who was aware of it. Maybe it had to do with their history together. He didn't know for sure, and now wasn't the best time to find out. There was that cryptic message to deal with.

Amy wondered about it herself, concluding that she was the problem and would be the one hurting Sonic in the end. A touch of sadness crept into her, and she felt herself shudder at the thought of seeing Sonic hurt in any way. She bit her lip softly, looking up at him and his serious expression.

"I've heard that before," Sonic replied.

"I'm sure that you have."

"What was with that earlier?"

"As I said, the girl will be your demise. You will have to make your choice."

"Yeah, whatever. You're not making me give her up. I came here to finish something that I started."

"Is that so…"

"Yeah, that's so," Sonic snarled back, his grip tightening around the girl in his arms. Amy felt her heart start to race but said nothing, still straining to hear what was going on.

"Then you will die here." Metal Sonic charged his enemy, jet engine firing as he pulled back a metal fist. He threw a punch that hit Sonic in the face, sending the blue hedgehog stumbling backwards. Sonic kept his balance and held on to Amy, his face stinging.

"Sonic…!"

"You seem determined to rescue her from her fate…even though you don't know if it's at all possible. Why can't you just leave this planet now? She's alive, isn't she?"

Sonic stared back at his copy silently.

"Sonic, please…I…"

"It's alright, Amy. I'm fine."

"No, it isn't…it isn't. I know that I'll be the reason for you getting hurt. I'm just dead weight, and you know it…"

"Amy, I came here to save you. I don't care about getting hurt or anything like that. I'm doing this because I…I care about you."

"…"

"Make your choice," Metal Sonic said again.

"I already have. I'm saving Amy and I'm stopping you. I don't have to choose between the two."

"So be it. You will suffer the consequences."

Metal shot past the two hedgehogs and along the winding roads of Stardust Speedway.

"Amy…can you walk?"

"I…I'm not sure. I feel…strange. But if you need me-"

"No, it's okay. I'll carry you as far as I need to. Don't worry about it."

"Y-yeah." She felt guilty for some reason. Why was that?

And there was another strange feeling inside of her. Something almost sinister. She remembered it from that moment years ago, when she had watched Sonic and Metal racing towards her, Eggman tearing up the road behind them as they came closer and closer. Sonic had stumbled after the robot had rammed into him, and she felt her heart racing with fear as the Doctor howled with laughter, the piercing laser from his machine ready to slice Sonic to bits. She remembered the cold grip of Metal Sonic's arms as he took her away that day, she remembered staring into his red eyes and feeling nothing but darkness creep into her soul.

This feeling…

"Amy?"

She looked up into her hero's eyes.

"I know you're scared. I'll make sure we both come out of this safe, okay?"

She nodded slowly, and he started to run down the glittering path ahead, cradling her in his arms. His grip tightened around her with each turn they took, a gentle rocking going with each of his long strides.

Amy closed her eyes, opening them to a wave of psychedelic colours as she stared into an unfamiliar sky. She was set down while Sonic placed a hand into the dark water that seemed to surround them. The energy started to bleed away through his fingers, and he concluded that things were the same as they always were.

Long asphalt straightaways were visible, with the body of water weaving in and out through the separations of land. Giant fans and concealed springs rested near the edges of concrete, and Sonic took note of them before looking back at Amy. He could see her confusion and the way she trembled slightly, looking into the ever-changing skies of the planet's Special Zone. It was nothing at all like what she had experienced during the events with the fake Eggmen…it somehow felt more potent, more forceful and somehow violent in nature, though not at all in a physical sense.

He turned around, taking a deep breath before starting to run. Feet pounded against the ground and took him over the watery gaps as tears in space started to open up. Purple flying objects hovered in various parts of the zone, daring the hedgehog to attack them. It had been a challenge all that time ago, that time when he was still a nervous kid and anxious about time-travel, as well as the pink hedgehog that was trapped in Robotnik's clutches. Today, he was confident and stronger than ever, no longer needing to slow to a halt as a corner approached.

The UFO casually drifted down the stretch of road, oblivious to the rolling blue ball as it kicked up dust and made a joke of the tight elbow in front of it. Sonic uncurled and angled himself before going into a basic spin attack, his instincts guiding him.

Amy watched in fascination, the vivid skies fading into the background as she watched him slice through the machine effortlessly. The metal of the UFO seemed to crinkle in the distance before it exploded, fragments turning into dust and carried away by the slight artificial breeze. He uncurled and hit solid ground, taking off again towards another target and hurdling gaps quickly. She watched as his eyes flickered from side to side, limbs tensing in anticipation.

The thing she remembered about the Special Zones was the strain from being in them. Every moment took your energy as its toll, and she guessed that the water existed to sap even more of the occupant's energies if they fell into it. A loud splash sounded, and she turned her head, feeling her heart skip a beat as Sonic heaved himself onto dry land, his fur soaking wet. He quickly whirled around before finding his next target, rushing towards it with reckless abandon. Amy looked to see a blue UFO, and almost missed it as Sonic tore the ship apart, looking much better off for it in the end. He spun around and jumped into the current of a fan, rotating in the air and right into another UFO. His feet were moving again as he hit the ground started to hunt down the rest of them.

Amy closed her eyes, opening them again to find herself back in the Stardust Speedway. Sonic rested on one knee, taking in fresh air before picking his friend up again a moment later.

"Everything okay?"

"I…I don't know."

"Are you still scared?"

She shook her head. "It's…something other than fear. Something so much darker, Sonic."

"Yeah? What do you think it is?"

"I feel despair…"

"Despair…?"

"Like I'm being swallowed up by the darkness, on the inside. I…when I look at you, I'm usually so hopeful, but now…now all I can feel is this pain in my heart, this ripping and tearing at me."

"I don't understand, Amy. Am I causing-"

"No, Sonic! It's not you…! I…" Amy bit her lip, trying to sort her thoughts. She wasn't quite sure what to feel, what to think or say at the moment. "I just...this doesn't make sense, and..."

"S'not really supposed to, I guess. Don't worry about it too much."

"You say that like it's so easy."

"You're right...I'm sorry, Amy." She froze as he said that, her thoughts starting to race off again. "I wouldn't be able to understand your feelings right now. Sorry if I...you know, seemed to be making light of it all."

"Sonic...listen, I know you didn't...mean that."

"Yeah, but I said it anyways. Sorry."

"...I...Sonic, do you know what it feels like waiting for something? Something painful that you know is coming no matter what, and you can't live without looking over your shoulder, waiting for it to strike you down?"

He shook his head. "Can't say that I do."

"This feeling…that's all I feel right now. Even just being near you is…"

"A struggle."

She was silent for a while before nodding her head slowly.

"Can you endure for…just a bit longer?"

"I don't know," she said, her voice starting to break. "I can't hold on, I can't keep going like this. I just want it all to stop."

Sonic started to run again, finding more of the Special Zones and completing them as quickly as he could. Amy was silent the entire time, watching him as he surged and fought through each new stage. They rushed through the abandoned factories of the Wacky Workbench and hopped across the platforms of Tidal Tempest.

All the while, Amy felt herself sinking deeper and deeper into her own personal hell. She couldn't explain the feeling, couldn't figure out why these thoughts of darkness and misery were taking over her. But they were, and they were doing so quickly. She was shivering, even as she burrowed herself into Sonic's chest, feeling the thumps of his heart as he continued to run and collect the Time Stones scattered across the tiny planet.

It had been several hours, and Sonic had been finding the gems at a good pace. He currently had six of them.

This deeply disturbed him.

Sonic placed his three Chaos Emeralds that he had collected while journeying weeks earlier onto the ground. Beside them, he placed the six Time Stones, glimmering with light.

"This isn't good."

"You have six of them. Aren't there seven? You're winning."

He shook his head. "No. I'm not."

His response unwittingly sent her mind into overdrive, and she started to glance around anxiously as the sky seemed to darken at a frightening pace.

"It's dark…"

He looked up at the afternoon sun, shining brightly onto the waters of the ancient zone.

"What?"

"It's…the sky's clouding over…"

He gave her a strange look, wondering what exactly was going on. She could see the black liquid starting to pour from the sky and down onto the ground. It crept towards her, and she felt its cold embrace as it started to cover her in darkness, her breaths hitching in her throat as she felt herself unable to move. She started to scream, but no sounds came from her mouth.

"Amy?"

Her head snapped towards Sonic, bathed in the Sun's warm light.

"Tell me what's wrong."

As if nothing had happened, she was back with him, back in the daylight.

"I…"

There was a burning, the same burning she felt on that day her life slipped away. It was eating away at her veins and arteries, incinerating her lungs, destroying her intestines piece by piece. She could feel herself being ripped apart-

"Ames. Hey, talk to me."

The feeling disappeared again. She stood up shakily, wanting to get away. Wanting to escape from whatever it was she was trapped in.

"Amy…?"

She saw the sleek robot enter her path, and she froze in place. The world fell away from beneath her feet. Her lips moved up and down as she struggled to speak.

The robot's red eyes stared into her soul, and she finally screamed. She screamed as she felt herself hacked to pieces, her throat crushed and bones splintered. She could feel the burning spread all over her body, could feel the blood pouring from every part of her. She could only scream as over and over again he destroyed her, only cry knowing that she-

"Amy! Amy, snap out of it!"

Only death-

"Amy!"

Only-

"Ames, please! You're scarin' me! You're really-"

-the end.

She screamed out for real, the illusion bleeding into her reality as her blood burned, the tears spilling down her face as she fell to her knees, finally broken.

"It begins."

The cold, metallic voice caught Sonic's attention.

"You…all along…this was your goal?"

The girl wailed louder and louder, the waters of Tidal Tempest churning and surging upwards violently. Sonic felt the world start to shake beneath his feet.

Metal Sonic stretched forth his hands, a Chaos Emerald in one, and a single Time Stone in the other.

Amy screamed as black smoke started to rise from her body, and Sonic could only look on in horror as the world around him turned and shifted into nothingness. He felt himself starting to fade, actually disappear.

He reached out for Amy.

And then there was darkness.

Sonic opened his eyes to a strange white void. He rose slowly, feeling pain rush through his body.

"Amy…?"

He called out for her, wandering slowly through his new surroundings.

"Amy! Ames! You around? Can you answer me?" He walked around for several minutes before coming to a stop. "Dammit…this is ridiculous."

"…!"

Sonic's ears twitched at the sound.

"…on…!"

"Amy?"

"Sonic…! Help me, please! Get me out!"

He looked upwards, finally seeing Amy trapped in a strange dark sphere.

"Amy?"

"Get me out, please! Hurry!" she cried frantically. "I don't want it to…to…"

"You're too late."

Metal Sonic appeared behind him, throwing a punch that sent the blue hedgehog rolling along the ground. He righted himself quickly, going into a battle stance.

"I'm gonna end this, Metal!"

"No…this is merely the beginning of your demise."

Metal Sonic's shell turned jet black as he transformed, his frame expanding into a steel skeleton that filled itself in. Massive wings expanded outwards, his form growing larger and larger. Giant hands constructed themselves out of thin air, hovering out in front of the beast as he continued to assemble himself.

Sonic stepped backwards, eyes widening as he realized what Metal Sonic was turning into.

"This again…? No, that's impossible…"

Two crimson eyes appeared on either side of the dragon-like head, sharp teeth bared and dripping with black liquid. Streaks of red cut into the monster's frame, a thick black fog streaming backwards off of it and into the distance.

"There's nowhere for you to run, my loathsome copy."

"The hell are you?"

"Within each of us lies the power to harness our own darkness and despair into true power. You should know it well enough."

"That doesn't explain anything."

"I suppose that you're right. However, I did say that the girl would be your demise. Do you know what flows inside of her at this very moment?"

"Stop playing games!" Sonic shot forward, launching himself into a spin at the metallic monster. A giant hand materialized and swatted the hedgehog away.

"It is a point to make that there was an overload of Chaos energy inside of her body at the moment she died, mixed in with the toxins that originally destroyed her vital organs and caused her death. You could feel it, couldn't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You fool. We both knew that she was alive, if only incredibly faintly."

"…"

Metal Sonic let out a twisted laugh. "It seems that I am correct. Let me simplify this for your puny mind, hedgehog. I knew that you would try to use the Time Stones in some way to try and revive her, either by manipulating her 'time' or manipulating the circumstances around her death. My plan was originally to use the gems to destroy you, but after realizing that you brought her along…my plans changed."

Sonic stood up, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Instead of trying to race you for the Time Stones, I baited you into racing yourself for them. Once you brought Amy Rose to the planet's surface, I had already won."

"That's a load of crap. You haven't won anything."

"Perhaps you haven't realized it now, but that girl has latent psychic ability within her. I used that to manipulate her thoughts and feelings. It's rather…illogical, but I could not dismiss these phenomenon and their potential uses."

"You're full of it. I'll tear you apart-"

The robot's giant hand caught Sonic, squeezing him between two of its fingers.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

"Sonic!" Amy screamed. "Stop it, stop it! Let him go!"

"On the contrary,"Metal Sonic continued, "it is to my best benefit to hear your screams."

"No…w-why…why a-are you d-doing this…? Why do you e-enjoy t-t-thisss?"

"Your pain, your fear and despair…they fuel this body of mine. Every moment that you cry, I grow stronger. I played with your mind like a toy, exploiting the connection you have with this 'miracle planet'. And unlike your beloved Sonic, this power cannot corrupt or destroy me. I am a superior being in every way, above the limitations of you feeble mortals! I am the Metal Overlord, the true and future ruler of all worlds."

"B-bastard…! You…making her cry like that…manipulating her! I'll…never…"

Sonic struggled, his eyes starting to shift in colour.

"I won't…ever…forgive you…"

"No…Sonic, no, please…don't…"

His quills started to turn black, and he muscled his way out of the robot's grip, grabbing the giant hand and ripping it into pieces effortlessly.

"That's it…that's it! Look at your hero now, Amy Rose! See the monster he's become! We are one in the same! And now I'll prove to you which of us is the real Sonic!"

Sonic only roared in response, charging Metal Sonic straight-on and leaving a trail of dark smoke in his wake. He tore effortlessly through the metal spikes thrown in his path, dodging a trail of flame from the robot's jaws.

Amy stared on helplessly, trapped and isolated. She felt herself sinking downwards with each moment the two fought.

Two…monsters…

"I…couldn't…stop him. I'm so useless…I caused this…"

Sonic dodged a floating hand, a sphere of black energy gathered around his fist.

"I didn't even listen to Sonic…he…kept telling me it would be alright, and I should have listened. I should have trusted him, but all I…did was act like a coward…"

Metal Sonic charged a sphere of black energy between his teeth.

"I hurt him again…I keep hurting him, no matter how hard I try to help out."

The two attacks shot outward, clashing and causing a spectacular explosion that tore away the sphere Amy rested in. She fell downwards, her eyes barely open.

If I say it now…maybe if I really and truly believe that there isn't anything after this…maybe I won't be so useless…

"I…see. This despair…I'll give into it."

She breathed in, the world around her moving in slow motion.

"I want…I want to…"

Everything started to speed up again.

She was falling, falling fast and she couldn't breathe against the air rushing by her. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess – she couldn't think, couldn't react to anything.

She had wavered; her heart had wavered because she wasn't sure of what she wanted. And her eyes closed, visions of every moment from her life flashing through her head, dancing in vivid colour as she felt her doom approaching. She could see herself dying in a million different ways, body twisting and breaking at every possible angle, and her heart sped up. She was crying, wishing, praying, trying to hold on to everything dear, wanting to scream out because…because…

And she could see the thing she wanted, finally.

She called out, her voice tearing through the white void with her desire.

"I don't wanna die! Kowaiwa watashiwo…! Tasukete!…tasukete, Sonikku!"

And as she came to a stop, she knew her cry had been answered. She opened her eyes, still wet with tears, but filled with happiness all the same.

"Makasete, Amy. No matter what happens…I'll be here for you."

"Sonic…"

The darkness bled away from his body, green eyes staring into hers. Metal Sonic laughed coldly in the distance as he watched them.

"If you wish to die together, then so be it!"

"That's right…together," Sonic said softly.

Amy looked up at him, confused.

"It all comes down to this…yeah."

He set her down gently, taking a runner's stance immediately.

"Sonic, wait! You…you can't fight him like this! You can't win!"

"Hmph."

He looked back at her. "Only if you say so."

And as he took off, Amy was more confused than ever. She watched as he charged the metallic monster once more, his eyes blazing with energy.

"If she doesn't believe…I'll just have to give her reason to."


hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgeh


The no-holds barred fight for the future begins. Sonic seems to be getting as cryptic as Metal…unless he's got something up his sleeve to push the match in his favour. Could it be that his trump card is…?

054 – Miracle Theory, Act 2: For True Story

- It's another time, and another place, but Amy Rose picks up her pen once more…