It was over.

Finally, this long war, this endless conflict perpetrated by a madman, had reached its end.

Doctor Robotnik, scourge of planet Mobius... was dead.

Sonic thought he should feel something at that revelation... but he felt nothing. The blue hedgehog merely stood atop the wings of his brother's biplane, arms folded, staring ahead into the maelstrom of chaos that raged before them.

The doctor was dead. But there was still work to be done.

"Sonic, hold on!" Tails called from the Tornado's pilot seat, the highly-modified aircraft deploying chaff as heat-seeking missiles lanced toward them. Sonic dropped and grabbed hold of the wings, bracing himself as he had done so many times before as they barrel-rolled and weaved through the incoming fire.

"Gotta do better than that, metal-head!" Sonic snarked, glaring right ahead at the massive command ship that occupied the sky. "Right, lil' buddy?"

"Right!" Tails replied, his own teeth baring as he fought with the plane's controls. Around them, chaos reigned. What was left of Robotnik's great fleet of skyships, once unstoppable and indomitable, was fighting its last stand. Resistance ships fired on their Egg-fleet counterparts, advancing, smashing the remainder of the doctor's Empire out of the skies and into the ocean below. Countless explosions it up the skies, trails of lasers and bullets snatching at swarms of fighter-craft.

Sonic had to hand it to his robotic doppelganger - Metal wasn't going down without a fight.

"Okay Sonic," Tails called to his brother, the blue hedgehog regaining his footing on the wings of the plane, "are you sure you want to do this?"

"I have to finish this, Miles!" the hedgehog replied, glaring at Metal's command ship as it grew larger by the second, "I have to make sure this ends! Once and for all!"

The younger fox nodded, licking his lips as he tapped at his computers. "You got it... I'll bring us in as close as I can, but you need to be in there fast!"

Sonic smirked, his usual determination returning. "Everything I do is fast, Tails... just get me onto that ship!"

Miles Prower lived up to his name and punched the engine controls, sending the Tornado moving forward at incredible speeds toward the enemy flagship. The plane banked and veered as point-defence fire began to snatch at them, the nimble aircraft far to fast to be caught out by sluggish Egg-pawn gunners.

"Okay, buddy!" Sonic called over his shoulder, bracing himself ready to jump, "I got this! Get yourself outta here soon as I'm gone!"

"You got it, Sonic!" Tails called back, eyeing his brother behind goggled eyes, "just... make sure you come back, okay?"

Sonic turned and gave his little brother a quick grin. "Puh-lease! Ol' bolt-brain can't HOPE to finish me off!" A white gloved contorted into a thumbs-up. "Be back in time for chilidogs! See ya later, lil' bro!"

Tails watched as his older brother, the hedgehog who had taken him in and practically raised him, turned and launched himself from the biplane without a second thought. Just doing what he had done his whole life - taken the fight back to the evil that threatened their world.

The fox prayed it wouldn't be the last time he saw him.

...

Sonic grit his teeth as he fell. Despite the face he put on for his little brother, the hedgehog felt no levity here. He hadn't been there to deal with Robotnik, when the mad human's battle station detonated beneath him. He would never make sure the lunatic got the sentence he deserved.

He couldn't afford to fail this time. He had to make sure this war ended himself.

The hedgehog scanned the deck of the flagship as it raced toward him, swiftly weaving as stray shots began to lance his way. Sonic went into a nose-dive, falling to the deck like a missile, unfurling and launching into his spinning attacks as soon as he came close enough.

Egg-pawns stood against him. Clunky, armoured machines tasked with defence, heavily armoured and armed with powerful blasters and crushing gauntlets.

They fell, one by one, too slow to intercept the speeding blue ball that smashed them to pieces.

Sonic didn't let up. He smashed bots left and right, his powers running at full, quills burning with blue electricity.

Somewhere on this ship, waiting for him, was Metal Sonic. And he was going to take the super-badnik out if it killed him.

Sonic abandoned the smoking deck, leaving sparking robot carcasses in his wake as he delved deeper into the ship. Resistance appeared to peter out, Sonic noting the sudden lack of robots with resignation. Metal had to know he was here. Had to know he was coming.

Metal would want to take him on himself. Just like Sonic. Strange, how alike the two could be. But where could he be...

"Well... greetings, Sonic."

The hedgehog went still. Sonics ears perked straight up as he looked about the interior of the ship, bathed in red emergency lighting. "Hey... that you, metal-head?" the hero smirked and tapped his foot, one eyebrow fully raised. "Finally got that speech upgrade, huh? 'Bout time! Too bad you're not gonna be around long enough to enjoy it!"

"We'll see about that, hedgehog..." the voice, synthetic and deep, rumbled through the ship's interior systems. "I'm glad you're here, Sonic. I was counting on you coming to face me."

"Uh-huh?" Sonic replied idly, stepping quickly through the ship on his mission, "why's that?"

"Because I need you. For one last little favour."

"Favour?" Sonic laughed out loud, reached a closed door near the end of the hall and preparing to smash through it with a spin-dash, "you think I'm here to help you, bolt-brain? That's rich!"

"Yes..." the voice warbled, emotionless yet malicious all at once, "you are..."

Sonic hadn't noticed, as he made his way through the innards of the flagship, that he was being funnelled on a set course. He hadn't noticed how his path had been so very clear of resistance. How the Egg-Pawns had just vanished from his path.

He did notice the door slam shut at the other end of the hall, however. And the several-thousand volts of electricity that shot upward through his feet from the modified floor panelling.

Before he could react, Sonic the Hedgehog found himself shot through with paralysing energy, shaking in place before collapsing like a ragdoll. Darkness took him not long after.

...

The first thing Sonic experienced as he slowly regained consciousness was burning. Singed fur. His tired brain struggled awake, realising that the smell was most likely him. His eyes gummed open, the hedgehog blinking away stars. He was still sore, from an electric discharge that would have killed an ordinary mobian.

Idiot. He'd been led into a trap.

"Oh good, you are awake..."

The familiar voice from earlier reached his ears, not much helping the splitting headache that made him release an anguished groan. He hurt. A lot, all over, sore as hell, his head ringing as heavy footsteps approached.

"Wake up. Look at me."

Sonic didn't have much of a choice as a metal hand clasped over his forehead, raising his face up and holding open an eye as light began to shine in.

"Hey... hey! Watch it!" Sonic babbled in protest, voice hoarse and sore. He recognised the red optics that met him, glowing steadily from a metallic blue face. Metal Sonic. The last of Robotnik's great creations.

"Are you in pain?" The synthetic vocals did not come from the robot itself, rather the ship's communications systems around them. "Are you hurt?"

Sonic scoffed, examining his surroundings as his head pounded. He found himself strapped into some kind of chair, his limbs bound. "What, we playing doctors now?" the hedgehog grinned mockingly, rebelliously eyeing his captor with a smirk, "you wanna be a nurse-bot Mets? I'm not sure uniform would suit you very much..."

Metal's only response was to raise a hand and summon a smaller machine, retrieving a syringe from the hovering robot. "I don't care about you, hedgehog." the super-badnik rumbled from above, "but I DO need that body of yours in good condition."

"Hey, no touchie! I said no-" Sonic hissed in pain as the needle was injected, some kind of fluid entering his body... and suddenly, the hedgehog felt wonderful. The pain melted away, his head no longer throbbing, the awful cramps in his muscles evaporating. "Oh... oh man that feels good..."

"Good," Metal responded, disposing of the syringe and turning to go back to his work, "very good."

"So..." Sonic checked his environment again, finding to his misfortune that his bindings would not budge. "What's the plan, Mets? You know you can't win. This war's over. You lost. Either face me properly or give it up!"

Metal paused as he fiddled with a computer console, one red eye glancing over his metallic shoulder. "I know." the robot replied, "I calculated weeks ago this war was unwinnable. My father would not have it, would not listen... so I prepared a solution in secret."

"Wow, you had your own little robot rebellion?" Sonic snarked, still working on finding a way to dislodge his restraints while his copy's attention was diverted, "I'm so proud of you, it almost brings a tear to my eye!"

"Quite the opposite," Metal replied, red optics locking on Sonic as the robot turned to face him. Armoured feet stomped over the panelled flooring as the machine approached his captive. "This war may be lost, but my father's ambitions WILL be realised. It will simply require a more..." a metallic finger reached out, "organic touch..."

Sonic tried to recoil as the finger gently brushed his cheek. He was beginning to feel disturbed, already unnerved at his capture by the machine and his present disposition, strapped into this weird chair... that Metal was already moving to inspect. "It's over, Metal..." Sonic swallowed and spoke, the ship around them rocking as something exploded against the hull, "you've lost. Kill me, don't kill me, but there's no way out of it. The Resistance does recognise you as a sentient being so you will get a fair trial, I promise."

Booming laughter echoed around the lab, multiple voices all at once overlapping as Metal tinkered. The robot finished his work and move back before Sonic. "A fair trial. Like you gave my father?"

Sonic glared into those pitiless red orbs. "That wasn't our fault. The Death Egg suffered a critical power failure, and it went up with him in it..."

"After your forces pounded it with plasma cannon, yes..." Metal replied, his own 'eyes' not leaving Sonic's.

Sonic bared his teeth. "It's war, Metal. That thing was a city-killer!"

Metal waved a hand. "I understand. I can't blame you, I suppose..." the robot moved away, hands now clasping behind his back. "But I loved my father. And I swore to bring about his vision of the future, of a world ruled by his order. And I am not about to give that up." A mechanical hand raised, gesturing to Sonic's chair. "I would explain more, but I would hate to spoil the surprise..." Metal turned and made a beeline for the computers, tapping in commands with slender mechanical fingers. Systems began to fire up, the hum of power increasing. Another explosion rocked the ship. Apparently the Resistance had decided Sonic had been missing long enough. Metal didn't seem to care, setting himself before Sonic as his inventions whined and whirred. "It's time, hedgehog."

Sonic watched as Metal's optics became flat lines, the robot allowing its arms to fall slack by its sides. The hedgehog meanwhile strained against his bindings, now desperately attempting to escape. He didn't want to be here anymore, on this dying ship, with this insane machine, especially not trapped like he wa-

Sonic's eyes snapped open and he gasped. Air caught in his throat. He choked, his innards feeling as though they were being sucked out of his very pores, his body being drained of life...

Everything went dark again. But only for a short time. Soon enough, Sonic's vision returned. This time he was standing up. And he couldn't move.

The blue hedgehog before him, though... could.

...

"Restraint release code... five-five-four-seven-Alpha-two-four-Bravo."

Sonic heard his own voice speak, though he was utterly in no frame of mind to register it correctly. Everything was wrong. Like he had been ripped out of his skin and stuffed back in the wrong way. Everything was wrong. Everything was backwards. Everything was not right. He felt... he felt...

He felt nothing. Just hot cold freezing boiling smouldering overwhelming electric nothing filling his body.

His body?

Not his body.

The blue hedgehog stood, rubbing at their wrists where the restraints had previously held them captive. The hedgehog didn't seem overly concerned, more fascinated, inspecting their new limbs and checking themselves over. Soon enough though, green irises flicked up to meet red optics... and Sonic's mouth split into a horribly familiar leering grin. "Well... my loathsome copy," Sonic heard his own voice, watched his own mouth move and utter the words as the blue hedgehog glared evilly at him, "who's the 'bolt-brain' now?"

Sonic could only watch, baffled, as his own body moved before him, that evil grin never leaving his muzzle. The imposter hummed and reached out a hand, Sonic's electric vision angling down to find a gloved finger tapping against a gleaming blue chest plate.

"Hmm..." 'Sonic' stroked at his muzzle, frowning and pondering as his green eyes inspected the robot before him. "You can't move, can you?"

*what did you do to me?* Sonic tried to say, only to hear static. The words existed in his mind. He had no voice. No mouth. No connection to whatever it was Metal had been using to communicate with him only moments ago.

'Sonic' grinned, teeth baring as he set his hands behind his back. "I thought not. You see, I had time... to plan, to research. To run simulations, on what it would be like to inhabit a mobian form. Yours in particular." the blue hedgehog did a spin, demonstrating his control over his own form while Sonic himself remained immobile. The imposter took a moment to admire his own performance, and grinned. "I was able to prepare myself for this little transition. You?" The hedgehog guffawed, clearly enjoying himself despite the rumbling of the ships' deck blow him. "You can't even move!"

Sonic's hand twitched, the clawed metallic digits clenching as he desperately tried to get some kind of control over his body. His mind was awash with information, endless information, that he couldn't siphon out or sort between, and all he could do at present watch the imposter move his own body around before him, that vicious leer upon his face.

"I also took some measures to make sure that you listened. That you understood," the blue hedgehog explained, speaking as though to a science class filled with bored students. "I needed you aware, so that you comprehend your punishment. Are you comprehending in there?" The hedgehog raised a hand and tapped at Sonic's head, the sound of claw on metal clack-clacking. "I know you can hear me. I know my- your audio receptors were working perfectly before we switched," the hedgehog beamed, grinning with delight, flexing his hands over and over as he enjoyed his new form. "So I know that you are hearing me." The hedgehog set his hands behind his back again and smirked. His head cocked, green eyes looking away thoughtfully... before he lunged toward Sonic at incredible speed.

Sonic's vision crackled, some kind of internal systems made him aware he was flying... before he hit the deck with a clang and slid to a halt. He remained inert, still unable to move, fingertips twitching as his tormentor came to loom above him.

"Pathetic," the hedgehog spat, shaking his head and wearing a condescending grin as he looked over Sonic.

Sonic remained silent. Unable to move, or talk, and regretting he had ever set foot on this battleship. The deck rocked again, harder this time, and the entire vessel began to vibrate with explosions.

"Okay, I think our time is up..." 'Sonic' said, rubbing a finger beneath his nose as he looked about the ship. "I'm sorry," he said, with venom, leering over the inert robot on his deck, "I'm sure I could find a use for you in my new empire, but... I hate you!" The hedgehog raised a hand and snapped his fingers, a squad of Egg-pawns entering the room through hissing steel doors at his command. "I thank you for coming here, your arrival was very useful to me." The green eyes regarded the gleaming blue robot below them cruelly. "But now it is time for us to part ways."

At a command, the Egg-pawns retrieved Sonic from the floor and began to drag him away, Metal tailing behind. He tried to move. Tried to speak. But nothing happened. It was like he was encased in cement, unable to even breath but living just the same. All he could do was stare at Metal, the fake hedgehog idly wandering behind.

"Sounds like your friends are tired of waiting," Metal spoke as though bored, as the ship rocked with explosions. "I don't blame them. It's been a bit. Here will do,"

The last part was spoken to the Egg-pawns, who stopped their march. The lead pawn moved behind Sonic, the former hedgehog hearing metal creak behind him.

"End of the line, Sonic!" the blue hedgehog stood before his captive, grinning with Sonic's mouth, eyes glaring maliciously from his face. "Hmm, no... I think that will be my name from now on. Suits, don't ya think?" The hedgehog gave him one last smirk before raising a boot. "I could just destroy you, but I enjoy this a little more. And don't worry about your friends... I'll look after them, help them rebuild, lead them into a glorious new future!"

Sonic's fingers twitched. The only act of defiance he could muster.

His body set his boot against the robot's gleaming blue chest. "So long, 'hedgehog'."

He pushed.

Sonic fell back.

He watched as the ship rose away from him, the rush of wind in his ears. His limbs trailed after him, slack, as he tumbled slowly backward. His eyes scanned over explosions, wrecked aircraft falling from the sky, until he found himself falling face-first toward the ocean.

There was nothing he could do. He knew the fall wouldn't kill him. All he could do was watched as the water rushed toward him, ready to take him to his watery grave. m Sonic hit the water like a brick, among other pieces of floating scrap. Unable to drown, he sank like a stone, still unable to move.

He reflected on his bad decision, his friends, the terrifying thought of the future Metal would build without him being able to do a thing about it... as he was swallowed by darkness.

...

Sonic hadn't been heard from in almost an hour. Not since he'd dived from the Tornado, right into the burning heart of the enemy flagship to take on Metal Sonic himself. Now, the ship was a smouldering wreck, Resistance ships having made the decision to finish it off themselves before it could do any more damage.

"Stupid hedgehog..." Amy hissed, staring out from the deck of the Resistance skyship. "Where the heck are you Sonic?" Other mobians accompanied her, crew of the ship and survivors from the battle, gaping in awe as the massive flagship plummeted toward the sea. The ocean below was filled with smashed ships, an unthinkable amount of scrap metal littering the water far below.

"He'll be okay..." Beside her, a muscular red figure gripped the railings tight, gritting his teeth as he also watched the scene before them. "Sonic's a survivor, Amy." Knuckles said, setting a giant hand on her shoulder, "No way Metal-head'll have finished him off."

"I hope so, Knux..." Amy winced as the flagship finally smashed into the ocean, massive waves spreading from its dying hulk. Around them, mobian Resistance members cheered at the sight, of the final nail in Robotnik's coffin well and truly hammered in. "I can't... we can't lose him, not after all this... not at the end!"

Knuckles grunted, raising his wrist-mounted communicator. "Tails... this is Knuckles. Tails, come in." the communications unit simply crackled in response, the echidna scowling as he scanned the skies above the destruction. "Tails, respond..." The two mobians waited, with bated breath, as the comms remained stubbornly quiet. "Dammit!" Knuckles turned and began to leave, heading off to organise search-and-rescue teams. "Why do those two always leave us-"

"By Chaos!" A Resistance soldier called out, "Look!"

Knuckles turned back to join Amy, the pink hedgehog's jaw dropping as a speck emerged from the smoke. "It's the Tornado!" she squeaked.

"Knuckles, this is Tails! Come in!"

Knuckles' arm almost hit him in the snout as it shot back up. "Tails! Damn you boy, tell me you have him!"

"Oh, hey Knucklehead!" another voice answered, filling the echidna with relief, "you miss me?"

...

The war was over. It was really over. And the hero of the hour was presently riding atop outstretched arms of cheering soldiers, the crowd of mobians celebrating their ultimate victory. Sonic beamed as he was set back on his feet, stumbling somewhat, as Knuckles stormed toward him.

"You... crazy FOOL!" the echidna snarled, hands smacking onto his hips as he glared his friend down, "I should finish you off myself for scaring us all half to death, you reckless-"

"Hey knucklehead, relax!" Sonic grinned brightly, seemingly full of energy and snark as he mocked Knuckle' stance and puffed his chest out, "I got the job done didn't I? And I have my little right-hand man here to thank for catching me!" Sonic reached out and ruffled Tails' head, the small dirty fox accompanying him with the biggest smile his muzzle ever wore.

"SONIC!"

The blue hedgehog yelped as Amy all but flung herself at him, arms wrapping him in a crushing hug that Knuckles doubted even he could match. The pink hedgehog glared at him with big, wet, green eyes. "Don't you EVER scare me like that again, Sonic the Hedgehog!" Amy scolded, voice warbling as she shook him in her arms, "ever!"

Sonic wore an expression Knuckles had never seen, seemingly taken aback, and the echidna guffawed as he ran a hand over Amy's quills. "Never again...?" A blue eyebrow shot up and before anyone knew it, the hedgehog had spun Amy around and suddenly held her in a dancer's pose, Amy yelping as she was arranged over his arm. "I dunno miss Rose, I don't think I'm wired to be predictable!"

Tails giggled and smacked his hands over his face while wolf-whistle and jeers emerged from the Resistance members around them, and Knuckles shook his head. "Damn you hedgehog, you..." the older echidna trailed off and chuckled as Sonic set a blushing Amy back on her feet. "It's good to have you back."

Sonic offered his friend a smirk. "It's good to be back, echidna."

Knuckles frowned. Like before, Sonic didn't seem quite... himself. He was smiling, he was filled with energy despite his burns and wounds from the battle... but that smile, that energy, didn't reach his eyes. Like he was putting on a performance for the benefit of those around him.

Then Knuckles remembered the events of the last twenty-four hours.

"So..." the echidna grumbled, suddenly very serious. "It's... done. It's over."

Sonic nodded. "It's over," the hedgehog said tersely. "The doctor's gone, Metal... is gone, their fleets are gone... it's over." Sonic looked into the distance a moment, before his massive grin returned. He turned and filled his lungs, surveying the soldiers around them. "THE WAR IS OVER!"

Massive cheers erupted all about the deck, followed by applause, and Sonic took Amy in his hands and hopped onto the wings of the Tornado. Tails joined him, the hero holding his girl in his hands and soaking up the adulation to cheers of "SO-NIC! SO-NIC! SO-NIC!"

Not even Knuckles could feel cynical now. The echidna grinned, folding his arms over his broad chest as Sonic clutched Amy's hand and addressed his public again. "But we still have work to do!" the hedgehog announced, "we have to rebuild! We have a people to unite! We have friends... to remember..." A moment's silence followed, many of the surrounding mobians freely shedding tears for lost family, lost friends, lost comrades. "But we will persevere!" Sonic went on, ever bringing hope to the people of this world. "The time of Robotnik is finished! The Resistance is no more. Now, here, over this battlefield... the New Federation of Mobius is born!"

The crowds erupted again, hailing their hero. Sonic spun Amy around again and, for the first time, planted a kiss squarely on her muzzle. Tails cheered, the young boy caught in the euphoria and joy of the moment.

And below, silent, the last of the echidnas merely watched. Something niggled inside him at Sonic's demeanour. Something... didn't feel right. The hedgehog was definitely different now. After such a long war, perhaps they all were. Perhaps it would be for the best.

Knuckles swore he would continue to watch regardless.

...

The Scraplands, what remains now of Green Hills, perimeter of Metropolis Zone.

Twenty years later.

...

Another day in the Scraplands. Another day slogging through mountains of junk, beneath the smog-ridden air, outside the bounds of the major cities. Where the Federation didn't venture.

Sticks grit her teeth and growled as she attempted to gain access to a smashed dropship, the ancient aircraft having gone undiscovered apparently since it had found itself abandoned in this Zone, long after the wars with Robotnik's empire.

The badger snarled as she hefted at the door, hungry to discover whatever treasure remained inside, but eventually gave it up as a bad job. She huffed, raising her goggles and cursing as she smacked her hands into her hips.

"Whas'a matter?"

Sticks' ears twitched as her companion skipped over, a smaller racoon-girl joining the taller woman before the dropship. "Ain't'cha strong enough, Sticksy? Eh?"

"'Course I'm strong enough!" The badger snapped, giving the dropship a final venomous look before turning away. She retrieved a tin flask from her belt pouch and unscrewed the cap, taking a swig of the rotgut - the harsh alcohol that was a delicacy in these parts - inside. "It's just... stuck, innit?"

Marine shrugged and skipped on, Sticks trailing behind and scanning the rest of the environment for scrap. There was no shortage of it - the Scraplands were massive, just miles and miles upon miles and miles of old technology left over from the wars. Battlefields and junkyards had become one, taking over the countryside, becoming a twisted hellscape of junk, above which sickly yellow smog blocked out the sky.

The life of a scavver in these lands was not glamorous. Sticks and her younger sister, the racoon she's discovered some years ago, spent their days combing this endless wasteland, searching for any kind of valuable garbage they could trade with for food, water, and precious precious rotgut. If they could avoid the bandits that would just take their treasures from them before they could barter with it.

But Sticks would take this life over that in the Federation. So long as she could keep her little sister fed, watered, and safe from the fascists, she would risk anything.

Sticks paused to briefly inspect some kind of shattered generator, seeing if anything useful was left, before dropping some of the parts into her pack. An ear twitched and she looked around to find Marine had vanished. "Oi! Reeny! The hell are ya?"

The racoon appeared at the head of a mound, grinning at her older sister. "I'm up 'ere!"

The badger scowled. "Well get back 'ere then! Don't go runnin' off nowhere where I can't see ya!"

"I'm not gunner, am I?"

"Yer' gonna gerra clip round the ear if ya carry on!" Sticks grumbled, as Marine plopped back into the ground beside her.

"I'm sorry!" Marine whined, her ears flattening to her head as she trailed beside her sister. "Why're you always 'avin' a go at me?"

Sticks sighed. She'd effectively adopted the young girl five years ago, but she wasn't a natural when it came to kids. Or being patient. "Oi, listen!" the badger glanced to the racoon, who kicked dejectedly at some piece of scrap. "I ain't 'aving a go at you... I just wan' yer ta listen ta me, dunni?" Sticks paused as she walked, glaring down at her younger sister. "Wha' 'appens if ya wander off too far from me, eh? An' get picked up by bandits? Or some other mucky coggers?" Sticks allowed a moment of weakness to show, lowering herself slightly to grasp her sister's shoulder. "I can' let that 'appen to ya, Reeny! You 'afta listen ta me when I tell ya ter stay close!"

Marine didn't meet her sister's eyes as she was scolded, toeing the wasted ground with her boot as Sticks spoke.

Sticks raised an eyebrow. "Ya promise yer'll stay close ter me from now on?"

The racoon huffed. "'kay..."

"Scrappin'. Now do summink useful an' go find anyfin' we can flog so we can eat next week!"

Marine pouted and folded her arms. "Yer jus' said ter stay where yer could see me!"

"Well go lookin' for summink we can flog in me eyesight then, 'ow about that? Ya windin' me up or summink?"

"Okay, fine! Stop yellin' at me!"

The two sisters parted and continued wandering through the scraplands, mountains of junk and decaying weapons of war surrounding them.

Sticks got busy inspecting the detached engine nacelle from some kind of aircraft or another, and decided to take her time about it. Which meant Marine was bored. She tried to busy herself doing as her sister told her and looking for anything valuable they could barter with, in the end giving up and deciding she'd rather play.

"Where ya goin'?" Sticks called after her as she clambered up a mound of junk.

"I wanna look at the sea, dunni?"

"Well stay in sight! Don' go wand'rin' off else I'll give ya a clip round the ear!"

Marine stuck her tongue out at her sister and continued her mission to the top of the mound, finding handholds in the scrap as she climbed. Soon enough she found herself at the crest, standing to look out over the Mobific Ocean.

The coast was indistinguishable from the Scraplands, nothing but miles of discarded and busted technology as far as the eye could sea. The water was a sickly green, polluted from the carcasses of dead skyships that had sank years and years ago, in some war Marine had only ever heard stories about. Detritus from that battle still washed up here, pieces of ships, destroyed aircraft, sometimes even working robots that were still kind of intact. Marine also found weird white things sometimes, often wrapped in old bits of clothes that were rotted from being in the water so long, but Sticks never told her what those were.

Still, the sisters didn't come out this far so often. So Marine decided to enjoy it while she was here. Maybe she'd find some cool new stuff to play with. The racoon hopped down this side of the scrap-dune, descending until she was closer to the water. She wouldn't go in, the water looked too gross and contaminated for that, but it was nice to be here and pretend it was still shiny and blue. She'd heard the ocean was supposed to be blue.

Marine kept herself occupied, playing in the scrap and pretending she was fighting pirates. Robot pirates that wanted to enslave them all! And Marine was the hero!

But she had no sidekick. Sticks might've counted but Sticks was being mean so she could go shine a light up it as far as the racoon was concerned. Marine sighed and set down the rusted pipe she'd been wielding as a sword. She needed an actual sidekick, who would be her friend and go fight baddies with.

The racoon's ears perked as she heard her sister calling for her, and she sighed. Her adventures fighting evil evaporated. She would never have adventure. She was gonna be stuck here, in this Scrapland, forever! It wasn't fair!

Marine stood and prepared to trudge back to her sister, continue this boring life scrounging among junk... when something caught her eye.

She didn't know what it was at first. Just a bit of blue. The the racoon's eyes went huge and wide with interest.

...

Sticks had become interested. Mildly interested, in the shattered remains of some kind of large egg-shaped robot that lay wasted in the junkheaps. She packed bits of its innards into her pack, swearing to herself as she realised she didn't have enough room to pack it all in. It would have to be a return-job, which meant Sticks would have to leave her valuable assets unsupervised, risking somebody else coming and taking them before she could come back.

Not that it was too valuable. The parts were old, busted, rusted and probably wouldn't be worth a lot. Not unless Sticks could fix them up somewhat. But they would have to do. She and her sister still needed to eat, after all.

Her sister.

"Oi, Reeny!" Sticks raised her goggles again and look about. "Reeny? Marine?" Sticks remained still for a moment before released a string of curses. "MARINE GET BACK 'ERE OR SO 'ELP ME I WILL TAN YER HIDE!"

"Oi! Sticksy! I found summink!"

Sticks stumbled out of the innards of the egg-bot and snarled as she set eyes on her sister, Marine's face beaming excitedly from the top of a nearby scrap-mound. "Wha' did I say about wand'rin' off, ye little cretin?"

"I SAID I FOUND SUMMINK!" Marine wailed, grinning with barely-contained glee as she waved her sister up. "Come on!"

Before Sticks could protest, her sister had vanished back beneath the garbage and out of her sight. "I swear..." the badger snarled, hefting her junk-laden pack and stomping over the uneven ground in pursuit, "I'm gonna wring yer neck if yer messin' me around, Reeny! Jus' see if I dun't!"

Sticks hauled herself up the scrap-dune, taking care not to injure herself on rusted metal, and soon found herself at the top looking over the sickly green ocean. Below, Marine was fussing with something in the scrap, something that glinted with faint patches of blue.

"I'm tellin' ya, Reeny!" Sticks grumbled as she descended the dune, "if ya go off like that again I swear I'll... I'll..." Sticks trailed off as she approached her little sister, frowning beneath her goggles as she tried to figure out what she was looking at. "Oi, Marine..." Sticks said carefully, "what'cha got there?"

Marine looked up and grinned, kneeling beside her discovery. "Summink really cool!"