Sonic strode through the streets of Capitol Aero, the chains on his ankles dragging across the paneled stone streets.

Capitol Aero didn't look too bad for practically being under robot occupation. Dappled sunlight filtered down through the stained-glass arches and the summer leaves of the ancient trees covering the city. The light cast jewel-toned rainbows across the streets, mirroring the shades of its Mobian inhabitants. Smoke from gem fires filled the air, and the place smelled rich and sweet. A close watcher wouldn't have noticed just how afraid everyone was.

The city still felt regal enough, with its ornate treehouses, ground houses, and burrow houses. The Mobian people still dressed in the flowing gowns, drapes, and tunics of Old Mobia. But they walked in silence. Robots of every shape and size stalked or hovered through the streets, hissing and buzzing as they went. Dwellings were boarded up. Television screens fixed onto trees blared roboticization advertisements from Robotropolis.

Anger burned in Sonic's eyes and he smirked as he walked, shouting out to the Mobians as he passed. The old beggar at the corner, who always cracked some corny joke to him as he went by. The shut up invalid in the second story of the pavilioned townhouse, who dared to come to her window just to see him wink at her. The market peddler who eyed him with suspicion and went pale as Sonic informed him his wares would "never sell at that price in today's economy."

Several kids started following close behind him, staring at the chains around his arms and ankles.

"Are you a criminal?" One bold one asked, a Mobian weasel boy with a long neck and bright eyes.

Sonic smirked.

He knew better than to think that Robotnik would not see him unless he was tied up because the human was somehow afraid of him. Robotnik just liked knowing he could have Sonic tied up if he wanted.

The hedgehog chuckled at them. "Yep."

The kids gasped.

"What'd you do?" the weasel asked.

"I beat up some robots," Sonic sniggered.

The kids' eyes widened in shock. No one could beat up robots.

Scratch tugged hard on the chain. "I told you not to talk, rodent."

"Life's too short to clam up," Sonic replied, jerking forward. He glanced over his shoulder at the kids. "You remember that, kids. Don't let anyone tell you to stop asking good questions! First way anyone learns anything, according to my Uncle Sparks. He fought in space you know. In the stars."

The kids' eyes lit up in shock. One little girl's jaw dropped.

Scratch made a hissing sound and his gears clicked.

Sonic shut his mouth. He'd memorized Scratch's tolerance patterns and Scratch had gotten used to Sonic's shouting. The robot could only take so much though before someone nearby got hurt.

"Howie, get away from the Ringweilder! Children, stay back!" a tall Mobian weasel woman swept in as in from nowhere, thrusting a staff between Sonic and the kids.

She must have understood Scratch's patterns as well. She shot nervous glances at Sonic and Scratch, her eyes wide. She and Sonic exchanged looks and for a moment, something shot across her face. Fear, pity, pleading.

Sonic blinked.

She turned and hurried away, dragging the kids after her.

Sonic dropped his gaze to the ground, his face set.

They shouldn't have to be afraid. He loved these people.

They had to get free. They had to get free just because this whole puppet act was stinking wrong. Because those kids needed to grow up on a free planet. A free Mobian planet.

He didn't care what happened today.

He'd never stop fighting.

He'd shouted it in Robotnik's face back in that factory, back when he was just a wet-behind-ears eight-year-old chained to a power gear—no older than that kid back there—he'd known what he'd meant when he'd said it, and, boy, had he meant it—

"You won't have my Sonnikku!"

Amy Rose's voice pierced through his subconscious.

Sonic whipped about, his eyes wide.

They had made it to a narrow, walled street and Amy Rose charged across it towards him, hammer clasped in both of her hands.

Screaming with all her might. Sashes and skirts billowing behind her. Green eyes flashing destruction.

Scratch turned his head just in time to see Amy Rose reach Sonic and heave the hammer straight into the base of his neck.

The robot's entire chest caved in and he flew back against the wall. His hose-like neck lopped onto its side, reverberating against the stone.

Sonic stood in frozen shock, his eyes wide.

Amy Rose swung the hammer back, gasping for breath. She looked at Scratch once, then with a twist of her hand, the hammer vanished.

There was a moment of silence. The few people still on the street froze. Some ran. Most started to walk away as fast as they dared, scanning the streets and skies for any sign of watching robots.

Amy Rose spun to Sonic and squealed, her eyes closed. "Sonic!"

"Amy Rose!" Sonic blurted, lurching forward. "What do you think-"

She opened her eyes. "I came here to rescue you."

She flung her arms around his neck, and kissed him. Hard.

Sonic's eyes went huge and he staggered back against the ally wall.

His senses heightened and blurred all at once. Heat surged through his body.

She let go, and Sonic caught his breath. His green eyes burned, sharp and focused. "Woah, Ames-"

"Sonic," Amy Rose said. "I just heard last night. The Mobian council is going to give you to Robotnik. I've left the school forever. I'm running away with you."

"Okay," Sonic said.

Boy had her kisses gotten better.

He blinked and his eyes narrowed. "Wait—what?"

"I'm running away with you, Sonic." Amy Rose repeated, pleading creeping into her tone. "But hurry, or it will be too late!—I'll cut through your chains, and you pick me up and run with me-!"

"-And the council is gonna what?" Sonic interrupted.

"Sonic!" Amy Rose jumped into his face, screaming.

She settled back, smiling, and whipped a laser knife from her pocket. "Hold still! I'll cut you free!"

For the first time, Sonic finally got what was going on, and for a few seconds, he decided he wanted to be free. He'd get out and run until his legs burned out. He could scram…

And let Robotnik drop bombs on people. People like Gramps and Sally and those kids and Gramps' customers.

He'd already decided his move last night.

Sonic jolted back from Amy Rose, catching his breath.

Amy Rose gasped. Her jaw dropped.

"Sonic?" her eyes widened in shock. "No—no, no—"

"I can't," Sonic blurted. "Sorry, Ames! Get back to school-get out of here-!" he glared hard, meeting her gaze head on. "I have to get these rings to Robotnik before I go anywhere, I've got to stay here or who knows what he'll do-!"

The hammer hit him in the chest, accompanied by Amy Rose's scream of rage.

He fell back down to the ground.

"I can't believe you, you stupid hedgehog, I can't believe you, I did all this to rescue you, and this is how you repay me-!"

As Sonic hit the ground, Scratch's robotic arm snatched out grabbed him. Sonic glanced over his shoulder, his eyes wide.

The robot's neck had popped back into its socket. Scratch's slit-eyes narrowed on Amy Rose and he raised his fisted arm, his "wings" folding in on themselves to create a long-distance dart gun.

Amy pounded the hammer against the ground, her head and shoulders bent, sobbing.

"Run, Amy!" Sonic shouted.

Amy lifted her head. Her eyes went round and she gasped.

Sonic coughed. "-Book it, Ames!"

Scratch shot.

Amy Rose screamed, jumping in midair and swinging the hammer like a bat. The dart struck the hammer head and exploded on impact, throwing the girl back.

"Amy!" Sonic shouted, lurching forward against the running chain.

Scratch's hand caught ahold of the chain, stopping him.

Sonic growled in anger and dropped to a crouch, straining against the chain. He gasped, breathing hard. All he had to do was put on his speed and he could drag that robot behind him through the whole city-

The smoke from the explosion cleared. Amy Rose was nowhere in sight.

Sonic stopped fighting, his eyes wide. He fisted both hands against the ground—and grinned.

From behind him, Scratch held an intercom to his speaker. "I have a target to detain-pink Mobian hedgehog, female, young teenager, wearing a red dress, looks like the uniform from the Aero's Elite Tutelage Home for Girls. Name is Amy Rose. She is to be arrested for attacking the Ringweilder's official escort and conspiring with the blue hedgehog."

Sonic swallowed hard, anger boiling over him, his ears flicking back.

The way things were going, he and the others would be lucky if any of them made it out alive today.

Scratch pushed his intercom back into the slot in his waist. He walked over to Sonic.

Sonic's shoulders cringed in anticipation. Scratch's arm shot against the back of his head.

Sonic fell forward, gritting his teeth.

Scratch stared down at his prisoner, his eyes contracting.

"Sorry for the interruption," Sonic quipped, daring to raise his face. He gave Scratch a bitter smirk. "I'm ready when you are."