Chapter 8: Sinister Intentions

Team Rose rushed down the grassy, steep hill with Amy in the lead as Cream the Rabbit and E-102v3 Gamma rushed beside her. "Sensors indicate a severe drop in elevation ahead." Gamma exclaimed.

"We'll let Cream handle this one." Amy remarked. "Gamma, when I jump on top of you, grab onto my legs and activate your fan." Amy Rose then jumped as she felt the ground under her feet vanish. Jumping on top of Gamma, she grabbed onto Cream's legs, as Gamma's metallic hands clamped around her boots.

Cream began flapping her ears vigorously, the three of them taking flight across a deep, rocky ravine before landing on the other side. Amy then hopped off of Gamma while letting go of Cream. "See, that wasn't so bad, now was it, Gamma?"

"Rodger!" Gamma exclaimed. "Flight formation saved in databanks."

The team continued rushing down the hill, Amy almost tripping due to the steep incline. Cream, flying at a low altitude beside her called out, "Amy, are you sure you've traveled this so-called shortcut before?"

"Of course I have! We should reach my house in less than two minutes!" the pink hedgehog declared.

"Then how did you get over that giant boulder?" Cream asked.

Amy Rose's eyes narrowed as she saw the giant rock quickly growing bigger with every step they took. "WAAAAH! That wasn't there last time!" Amy cried with a nervous sweatdrop.

Gamma, riding on his feet wheels, rolled in front of Amy. "I will eliminate the obstacle. Hop on." As Cream and Amy jumped onto Gamma, the robots hands turned into drills. Amy held her eyes shut, bracing herself against Gamma as shattered rock fragments and puffs of dirt splashed in her face. As the hedgehog shook her face of the debris, she opened her eyes to see Gamma slowing down as they reached the bottom of the hill.

"Very impressive, Mr. Robot." Cream said, jumping down.

"Nice teamwork, guys! We're here." Amy hopped off her robot friend, "My house is just up the hill, you should be able to see the chimney."

"Are you sure we're in the right place, Amy? I don't see a chimney." Cream replied.

"What are you talking about, Cream? I see it just up there, don't you, Gamma?" Amy raised a brow before looking up at the robot.

"Damaged chimney spotted in the distance." Gamma declared.

"Damaged!?" Amy exclaimed.

"Yes, damaged." Gamma continued. "As in physical harm inflicted on something so as to impair its value, usefulness, or-…"

"No time for a dictionary definition, Gamma!" Amy exclaimed. "Something's not right!" Team Rose ran up the hill, before stopping short, Amy and Cream gasped before the sight. The wooden tiles of Amy's triangular roof had been smashed in as if struck by a meteorite. Jagged glass remained from what was left of her now destroyed windows, and the chimney looked as though a giant had taken a bite out of one side of it.

"Indeed. Target is most assuredly damage." Gamma replied, to which Amy and Cream glanced the robot a brief look of disamusement. But Amy quickly ran around towards the front of her house, calling out to Big the Cat.

Finding her front door caved in, the wood splitting just below her round window, Amy pushed open the door with caution. The chill which ran up her arm as her splintered door creaked, soon traveled all throughout her body as the opened door revealed a hideous sight. All manners of glass, plastic, and wood littered the floor. Cotton and feathers leaked from torn cushions on a bent couch, half broken flower vases dripped of water with flowers hanging limply out of them, while her drawers, though not completely destroyed, had been removed from their main dresser. And the valuables within said drawers were either missing or tossed all over the place.

As Cream and Gamma came around, witnessing the site themselves, Amy cautiously drew her hammer, nervously calling Big the Cat's name again, albeit a bit quieter this time. Cream raised her hands to her mouth with a gasp. "Who could have done this?! And why?"

"Scanning area for intruders." A small laser sight attached to the side of Gamma's head lowered down in front of his right eye.

Amy warned the others to be careful as she began carefully stepping around the broken debris. Micro shards of glass crunched beneath her boots as she carefully rounded the bend towards the bedroom where Big had been left sleeping. Amy gripped her hammer, once again calling out Big's name in a shaky tone. The doorknob had been completely ripped off its hinge, the room just barely cracked open. Taking her hammer in two hands, Amy took a step closer, her pounding heart and chattering teeth intensifying with each step closer until finally she lifted her leg, kicking the door open and rushing in, ready to bring her hammer down on whatever may have lied in wait.

The bed where Big lied had been shifted to the side, one of the wooden posts torn with the rest of the frame bent in. Around her lay the wreckage of more furniture and yet not a sign of Big the Cat. She looked around at the trashed room, the tense feeling of uncertainty riding out of her heavy breath and now being replaced by a dreaded realization that her big, blue friend was gone. "Amy, we found something!" Cream called from the other room.

Amy rushed into the other room, "What is it, Cream!?"

Cream nodded towards Gamma, "Mr. Robot found a metal plate with strange markings on it." Gamma then lowered his hand to show Amy an almost flat piece of metal, which curved at both ends. The markings, engraved into the metal, seemed to depict some kind of animal with floppy ears, a round nose, and slanted, seemingly aggressive eyes. Behind it, jutted the shape of two crossed bones. "Did you find Mr. Big at all?" Cream asked.

Amy rapidly shook her head. "He's gone! And froggy too!"

Cheese the Chao held his nubs up against his face in a seemingly worried tone.

"Sensors indicate external forces were involved in the current aftermath. Stay vigilant." Gamma's laser sight then retracted back to the side of his head.

"I hope Mr. Big is okay. But what do we do now?" Cream remarked.

Amy scratched her chin for a moment before looking up with determination in her eyes. "Gamma! Hold onto that piece, will you?"

"You can rely on me. Engraved metal plate secured." The robot said, placing the piece into his compartment.

"What are you thinking, Amy? We have no idea where to begin." Cream replied.

"Exactly! We should take this to Tails and see if he can analyze it!" Amy declared.


Metal Sonic's system rebooted, the robot getting off the ground to find that Amy, Cream, and Gamma were nowhere to be found. To be defeated by his longtime rival was bad enough, but the fact of being defeated by an outdated robot, a young rabbit and her pet, and a former hostage of his sent sparks through his circuits, which shot up into his fist, punching the wall with an electrified energy. "Nothing I ever do seems to work against that hedgehog or his friends! Taking hostages, transformative data, racing!"

Metal searched his logs, replaying one of the things he recalled the Hedgehog saying during one of his many defeats, repeating this to himself. "Because we're Sonic heroes. What could he have meant by this?" Metal Sonic then began pacing around the dilapidated workshop. "That he didn't defeat me alone? That just means he is weak having to rely on others whilst I stand on my own two feet! And yet… by my calculations I should have defeated them but why? This does not compute!"

Metal Sonic stopped pacing, looking over at an empty test tube, which housed a metallic, red, echidna-shaped robot, deactivated within. Beside it on a small, mechanical table sat a slumped over doll of a two-tailed fox with a rod sticking out of its head and a red diamond-shaped bulb at the end of it. The hedgehog is always with the echidna and the fox. Perhaps my destiny is intertwined with these two. Metal Sonic began reaching for the activation levers when he pulled his hand back. NO! I need no help! I can destroy Sonic and his friends all on my own! But enraged sparks jolted through his circuits once more, the teamwork of the hedgehog, rabbit, and E-Series robot sent humiliating code throughout his body. He clasped his metal fingers into a fist before looking back at the deactivated Metal Knuckles and Tails Doll. With an electronic grunt and a closed fist, Metal approached the chamber and table of the machines, pushing a couple buttons before activating the switches on both.

An electronic whirring filled the room, the rod on the Tails Doll's head sparked until the red diamond began to glow, the once lifeless doll now beginning to limply lift off the ground. As the chamber for Metal Knuckles' tank opened, Metal Sonic saw a glimpse of green light up in the robot echidna's black eyes. A metallic growl slowly rose in pitch until erupting into an almost loud roar as the robot emerged from it's chambers. Metal almost detected danger when suddenly Metal Knuckles echoed a very sprightly robotic voice.

"OY! Its good to be back IN business!" the echidna robot then looked over towards the Tails Doll, who had shook himself of the gathering dust upon him. "Well well well. Tails Doll, my man! Haven't seen you since 97, put it there!"

Metal Sonic's right eye widened in diameter, watching in confusion as Metal Knuckles high fived Tails Doll once, then twice, before finishing with a fist bump. "Aw yeah! This IS happening, dude!" Metal Sonic folded his arms, tapping his foot as he let out an annoyed 'ahem.' Metal Knuckles then looked over towards Metal Sonic. "Wait. Who are you again?"

A jolt went off in Metal's head, his eyes expanding. "Are you serious?! Who knows how much the doctor meddled with your memory chips after all this time."

"Relax Metal Sonic, I'm messing with you. Surely, you remember our time at the racetrack, don't ya old buddy?" Metal Knuckles laughed, slapping Metal Sonic on the shoulder, almost making the robot hedgehog lose his balance as he staggered. Searching his databanks, the information then flooded his memory of irritated days on the racetrack where Dr. Eggman's logic was that if Metal Sonic was designed to counter the snarky, overconfident hedgehog with a cold, calculating killing machine, Metal Knuckles was a sarcastic party animal compared to the stoic and serious echidna. While Metal would confidently look down upon his foes when he won, Metal Knux would dance around, waving his claw in the air. While Metal would brood upon losing a race, Metal Knux would make snarky remarks, still laughing at his foes despite their loss. All of which grated on Metal Sonic to the point where he tried to delete the memories but was forced to store them deep within his databanks and hope they got lost.

Metal Sonic let out a sigh, "Don't make me regret releasing you. I have re-awoken you from your long slumbers for us to fulfill the purpose we were designed for."

"Digging for treasure?" Metal Knuckles asked.

"No." Metal Sonic replied.

"Competing in sports competitions?"

"No!"

"I know! Having a drinking party!"

"You're a ROBOT! You can't drink! You don't even have a mouth!" Metal Sonic exclaimed.

"You're just jealous that Robotnik gave me the ability to drink and not you!" Metal Knuckles sang before dancing about the room.

"WHAT!?" Metal face palmed, "That's not how we were designed!"

"I know, I'm just messing with ya!" The green of Metal Knuckles' left eye went dark for a brief second so as to simulate winking.

Metal's circuitry began overloading furiously, his red eyes beginning to glow brightly before he released it all in a yell, rushing at Metal Knuckles. Tails Doll covered his face until following the sound of a metal clang where he peeked his unflinching eyes over his plushy hands.

A spark flew as Metal Sonic yelped at the sight. Metal Knuckles' jagged claw now jutted right in front of his face, through a gaping hole in his arm. "Don't worry, I'm sure Eggman has insurance. But I think you get my point." Metal Knuckles laughed.

Metal Sonic yanked his sparking arm off Metal Knuckles' claw. "You idiot!"

"Hey, self-defense, bro! You bum rushed me." Metal Knux shrugged smugly.

Metal Sonic grumbled when he felt a soft hand tugging at his other arm. He looked down to see Tails Doll looking up at him. "What!? What do you want?" Metal exclaimed. Tails Doll's seemingly lifeless eyes sent a shivering electronic hum throughout Metal's circuits. There he stood, still as a rock, unflinching, and sending a stare to which the doll's intentions were unreadable. The longer he stood, the more the shivering hum in Metal's body intensified, rattling his electronics. "WHAT DO YOU WANT!?"

Tails Doll then moved his arm, pointing with his nubby hand at Metal's damaged arm, causing the robot hedgehog to grab onto the arm as if embarrassed. Metal Knuckles shrugged, "I understood him perfectly. What are you on about?"

"Shut up! I'm not in the mood for anymore of your jokes!" Metal said, his eyes pulsating, fearfully looking down at Tails Doll, who held out his hands.

"But I wasn't joking. He says he wants to-…" Before Metal Knuckles could finish, Metal Sonic cried out as Tails Doll hopped on his back, trying to grab his damaged arm.

Metal Sonic began wrangling with Tails Doll on his back, staggering all over the place. Alarms went off in his motherboard, the doll's soft nubs pulsating with a vicegrip that made him resist more, "HE IS TRYING TO DISASSEMBLE ME! BEGONE DEMON! GET HIM OFF ME, METAL KNUCKLES!"

But Metal Knux simply relaxed against a table, "What a cute father-son moment. I'm saving this one for the archives." Just then, Tails Doll was thrown from Metal Sonic as they both rolled on the floor. Metal Knuckles stood up, "Over already?"

"That does it! You're both crazy!" Metal Sonic got up, slowly backing away. Tails Doll tried waving his arms at Metal Sonic but Metal pointed at the fox doll, and then at Metal Knuckles. "You! Stay away from me! And you, I don't wanna hear another word from your voice chip! I'll beat Team Sonic all by myself! I will show them all WHAT I AM MADE OF!"

"Whoa, wait up!" Metal Knuckles exclaimed, Tails Doll waving his arms.

But Metal turned around, the yellow indent in his back began rotating like a jet engine, a faint purple light emitting from his back as the rotating mechanism whirred to life faster and faster. He looked ahead towards the broken hole in the wall of the facility, which led out to a massive gaping chasm overseeing steep cliffs. "I am the superior being. Hyper Metal Sonic. Metal Overlord. And I will crush any obstacle in my way!" sparks engulfed Metal Sonic as a blast of purple energy shot from his back. The gaping ravine rushed towards the robot hedgehog at blinding speeds. Timing his feet, Metal jumped, leaving a purple streak behind him as he catapulted across the giant chasm. The other side of the cliff came up upon him. He raised his feet, taking the most aerodynamic position for the least wind resistance.

But earthen cliffsides delivered a hard kiss to his face as dirt and rock smothered his vision. Metal Sonic grunted, pulling his face out of the cliffside, only to realize that he was at gravity's mercy. Metal Knuckles and Tails Doll rushed up towards the cliffsides just in time to hear the echoing scream of the plummeting Metal Sonic. "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

A distant thud could be heard from the bottom of the ravine to which Metal Knuckles called out. "Oh yeah, you really crushed that obstacle, buddy!" the robot echidna then looked over at Tails Doll, "You think I should have told him you were trying to fix his arm?"

Tails Doll looked towards Metal Knuckles before dropping his head, placing a hand over his eyes with a facepalm.


Metal Sonic sat on a workbench with legs hunched up as Tails Doll repaired his arm. Humiliation hummed through his parts, as he glared at Metal Knuckles. "Why didn't you tell me I could communicate with Tails Doll if I just tuned to frequency 12041997?"

"I wanted to see just what you'd do. And you sure didn't disappoint." Metal Knuckles chuckled. Metal Sonic looked away in silence. After losing to a renewed Team Rose, accidentally damaging himself on Metal Knuckles, and then to get recovered by a doll who could only communicate on small wave frequencies, his calculations came to a conclusion he did not want to admit; he was going to need their help.

But relying on others was for the weak. Teamwork meant you couldn't hold your own weight! Or did it? Metal scanned his databanks for all other possibilities, but every time he went solo, every time he took on Sonic and friends, every scheme, challenge, and plot undermined by his innate determination to do things on his own, against the will of Eggman, his archrival would get the better of him. Metal clenched his fist begrudgingly before looking over at the other two. "I just have one question. Do you remember your original purpose?"

"Let's see… scanning for objective files." Metal Knuckles stroked his chin between his claws, "Ah yeah. Steal that Master Emerald thingie from the echidna, destroy said echidna if he interferes and bring the emerald to Dr. Eggman."

"You realize he's the one who sealed you away for so long. Both of you." Metal Sonic remarked.

"Yes, that does complicate the original objective now, doesn't it? What do you think, Tails Doll?" Metal Knuckles then immediately looked over, "Tails Doll?"

Metal Sonic noticed that Tails Doll had stopped repairing his arm. The doll's hanging red light began to gleam, his hands now shaking at his sides. Metal Sonic's frequency picked up code that translated only to one thing: 'DESTROY TAILS AND DR. EGGMAN'. Metal Sonic then looked directly at the doll. "You have similar goals. Goals which lies on the same wavelength as mine. So, what do you say?"

Tails Doll limply lifted his head up at Metal Sonic before giving him a nod. Metal then looked over at the red echidna bot. "And what about you?"

Metal Knuckles was quiet for a moment, "Eh, I could really care less about revenge and destruction."

"What?!" Metal Sonic's circuitry beeped in surprise as Tails Doll rapidly waved his arms at Metal Knuckles.

"However, the prospect of a red, organic doppelganger and a big green gem has struck me curious, as my memory banks are a bit staticky in that regard." Metal Knuckles scraped his claws together. "And besides, you're a fun one to hang around, my metal companion."

"Just please spare me your awful jokes." Metal Sonic groaned.

"Then I'll take that as a LET'S GOOO!" Metal Knuckles cried, waving his fist in the air, as Tails Doll began to finish the arm repair.