Mecha Action!

Chapter 8: Brother…

Days later after the intense battle that killed Eggman, tension grew between the two worlds. ShadoMech had ordered the best Mechas to upgrade their systems and prepare for an invasion on Defender Territory. The Mechalands' capital was in a state of panic as robots everywhere obeyed ShadoMech's orders sacrificing whatever they had to support the army. Inside Prime Tower, Metal Sonic was recharging his battery pack in his lab. The Mecha had hooked himself up to a charging machine next to the capsule he had awoken in when his new 'life' began. His red eyes were dimmed as the charging machine send waves of energy into his body and Metal's inactive mind began to wander through countless files of lost memory.

They flashed through his mind as brief glimpses, each memory seeming familiar to the Mecha. Suddenly a scene flashed into Metal's memory… a scenery of Defender Territory. The sun was beaming down upon the flourishing forest as usual. Metal could see two kids running around playing tag: a black and red hedgehog and a two-tailed fox. The black hedgehog stopped and turned towards Metal.

"Hey Sonic come on!" he said to the Mecha.

Metal found himself following Shadow and Tails through the forest and to a small pond in an open area. Shadow and Tails found themselves a spot next to the pond and Metal joined them. After few seconds of resting, Metal looked over into the pond and saw… a small blue hedgehog with green eyes. The little boy laughed and splashed at the water before he was pushed in from behind. His head emerged from the water laughing at Shadow.

Then the scene flashed to another memory. This time Sonic and Shadow were a little older and looking up into a tree at Tails who was apparently stuck.

"Don't worry Tails! We'll get you down." Sonic shouted to his little brother.

"No! I think I can dot it!" Tails responded.

It seemed as if he was preparing to jump.

"No don't! Just wait!" Shadow turned to Sonic. "Hey we gotta do something."

"I know but what?"

Just then Shadow looked up the tree and a look of confusion fell upon his face.

"TAILS!" he cried out

Immediately Sonic looked up the tree just to see Tails jumping out and twirling his tails around. It didn't seem to work at first but slowly Tails' descent began to slow. He stopped just a foot above the ground, his Tails still twirling, and slowly began to rise. Sonic and Shadow began to laugh together as they watched their little brother rise into the sky a bit before he dropped to the ground. Immediately Sonic and Shadow hugged Tails as they all laughed happily together at Tails' new ability.

"I can't believe you did it!" Sonic shouted.

"I know! This is so cool!" Tails responded.

Suddenly the scene faded away and another, more darker scene faded into view. A few years had past by again for Metal was now looking at a much older Tails who seemed a bit nervous about something. The two were standing by the Great Tree at night surrounded by the darkness of the forest and the swamp protecting the tree.

"W-what if he doesn't like me?" the teenager asked squeezing his tails.

"Don't worry little brother. You got what it takes to be a Defender. Knuckles told me so." Sonic replied.

Somehow Tails didn't seem to relax at all even after Sonic's encouraging words. Just then a green light flashed and as it faded away Shadow came into view and approached the two.

"He'll see you now Tails." the older hedgehog said to the fox.

Immediately the fox dropped his tails and stood near the tree before disappearing in a green light. Shadow turned to Sonic as soon as their brother was gone.

"Still nervous?" the black hedgehog asked.

"Yeah but he'll get through the trial. He's got what it takes." Sonic replied.

"Let's hope so."

Shadow looked up into the star filled sky and sighed dropping his arms to the side.

"Something bothering you?" Sonic asked.

"I don't know. I'm just remembering what mom told us years ago about the war, that it'll change us. Not just the ones who are fighting but everyone." Shadow said sounding worried.

"Hey don't worry Shadow." Sonic placed a hand on his shoulder. "We're brothers so nothing will ever come between us as long as we stick together."

Shadow could only smile at his little brother's optimism that never seemed to fade away even in the darkest moments. Seconds later Tails appeared again in a green flash surprising Sonic and Shadow.

"Done already? What happened?" Sonic immediately asked the fox.

Silently Tails walked up to the hedgehogs, his head hung hiding his eyes behind his hair. Suddenly he began to shake upsetting both Shadow and Sonic.

"Tails? What happened? What did he say?" Shadow asked bending over a bit towards Tails.

Still he wouldn't say anything still shaking as if he were to break down in tears.

"Tails…" Sonic said in a softer tone.

Suddenly the boy broke out into laughter raising his head towards the heavens and letting his voice carry through the trees. Shadow and Sonic had stepped back surprised by Tails' sudden burst of happiness. The teenager continued on laughing for a while and then began to calm down wiping some sweat off of his brow. Finally Tails was able to breathe normally and wiped a few tears away from his eyes. Sonic and Shadow moved closer to him again.

"W-what happened?" Sonic asked.

"Well it was kinda freaky at first cause as soon as I got in there Knuckles started attacking me like some sort of maniac. So I just started running and dodging his attacks. Then he started yelling at me telling me to attack so I did. But he kept disappearing and reappearing somewhere else and hitting me so after I got a hang of his plan, I faked a punch and as soon as he disappeared and reappeared behind me I gave him a kick in his face and he hit the ground like super hard! But then I thought he was gonna beat the hell out of me with the look he was giving me. But then he smiled and said 'Good job. You're on the team.' and I totally freaked out and started laughing!"

By the time Tails had finished he was nearly out of breath but still held his beaming smile. Shadow patted him on his shoulder but Sonic had a particularly angry look on his face.

"That's it? A two minute brawl and you're in?!" Sonic's voice had raised a bit. "Bullshit! Shadow and I nearly got our asses fried in a three hour trial with that forest freak! Why I oughta—"

"Cool it Sonic!!" Shadow had held back his brother who was ready to blow a fuse. "The important thing is that Tails is on the team so we'll be together all the time. Besides this time we should be celebrating Tails' initiation. Not the fact that he got in… on a cheap shot."

Shadow had added a hint of anger on the last few words but held in his aggression unlike Sonic who was still fuming. Shadow added another friendly pat to Tails' back receiving a friendly smile from the fox. Sonic finally calmed down and was able to give Tails a smile and a path appeared from the swamp allowing the brothers cross safely.

The scene faded away and another scene faded into Metal Sonic's mind… but this one was in the Mechalands and he and his brothers were in a dire situation. Sonic saw Shadow being attacked and taken away by a gigantic robot.

"Shadow!" Sonic cried out.

He tried to move but couldn't. A robot just as big as the one with Shadow was holding Sonic down. Immediately Sonic used all of his strength to get the robot off of him and dashed off towards the robot carrying Shadow away. In a flash Sonic smashed straight through the robot causing it to drop Shadow to the ground. Sonic approached his brother and shook him panicking.

"Shadow! Are you ok?" the blue hedgehog asked.

"…Get…Tails…" the black hedgehog lifted a weak finger towards Tails who was cowering on the ground covered in wounds.

Angrily, Sonic dashed off towards the robots surround the fox and destroyed them in a blink of an eye. He then approached his brother and slowly pulled his hands away from his face.

"Tails, it's ok. It's me." Sonic said in his soft voice.

Tails looked up at his brother and hugged him.

"I wanna leave Sonic. I don't want to do this anymore…" Tails' voice was trembling as he held onto his brother tightly.

Slowly he caressed his brother calming him down. Strangely Metal felt a great sorrow within him but was unsure as to what was going on. The memory still continued on.

"I'm… I'm sorry Tails." Sonic's voice was croaked a bit. "This is all my fault. I shouldn't have pushed you to become a Defender."

Sonic pulled Tails a little closer to him.

"We just… wanted to have you around all the time… Shadow and I. Should've known better…"

"S-Sonic…" Tails spoke weakly.

The hedgehog looked down at the fox. His eyes were looking back behind Sonic so the hedgehog turned around. To his horror Eggman had approached Shadow and was now holding the black hedgehog in the claw of his gigantic machine. Carefully Sonic let Tails down and stood up to face Eggman. Although his body was riddled with injuries all over, he still found the strength to fight. The evil scientist hissed a low laughter seconds before Sonic disappeared in a flash zooming towards the machine. Eggman tried to defend with his second claw but Sonic had broke through and smashed into the body of the machine. This disruption allowed Shadow to escape the claw and he joined Sonic on the ground in front of Eggman's machine.

"Ready?" Sonic asked Shadow.

Shadow replied with a steady nod and the two brothers stared down Eggman. The two steel claws came smashing down into the pavement but the hedgehogs leapt into the air aiming for the cockpit. Suddenly Eggman activated his shield that violently shocked Sonic and Shadow as soon as they made contact with it. The two fell to the ground smoke rising from their bodies. A claw from Eggman's machine reached out for the two but Sonic saw it coming and quickly stood up and jumped away.

"Shadow get up!" Sonic shouted to his brother.

Slowly the black hedgehog rolled to his back and looked up just into time to see the gigantic closing in on him. Immediately the hedgehog rolled away but Eggman nabbed onto his leg and lifted him up. Sonic was about to attack but Eggman slammed his older brother into a nearby building knocking him unconscious. The scientist then took on the blue hedgehog who moved around quickly. But soon he was stopped as a giant claw fell down upon him nearly crushing his body. Far from the battle, the injured Tails watched as his older brothers were taken out easily and cried out to them.

"Sonic! Shadow!" his voice echoed off the buildings and an invisible wave of magnetic energy was released from his body.

As it traveled along the street, all of the immobile robots were bent and crushed under its power. When it finally reached Eggman's machine, the metal exterior was crushed and crumpled in by the magnetic power causing the claw on top of Sonic to push down against him harder than before. Broken up by the sheer panic of the situation, Tails could only break down into tears. There was no one around to help the three as chaos reigned over the area and the memory faded away as Sonic lost consciousness.

Metal Sonic's memories faded away and he returned to the present still recharging. But his body gave a violent jolt with his red eyes illuminating. Quietly the Mecha scanned his surroundings and then yanked the recharging cables out of his body. As he stepped out of his open capsule, Metal's computerized brain received a strange signal that could've only came from Tails.

"Sonic… it's me… Tails" the voice spoke to him in a distant manner. "Please get me out of here… I want to go home."

Metal Sonic nodded his head and looked up towards the ceiling as if he could see into Tails' lab that was floors above him.

"I'm coming Tails. I'll get us out of here… me, you, and Shadow."

A few floors below in the central control room, ShadoMech was busy sending out orders across the Mechalands. The robots were working endlessly to grant his every demand. ShadoMech wanted to make sure that only his best robots were on the frontline to destroy the Mechalands and settled for no less. Even though the invisible barrier protected Defender Territory, ShadoMech was sure that he would be able to break the barrier now that he had possession the Emerald of Chaos. Metal Sonic had entered into the room and the second he saw his brother he stopped frozen in place. He wasn't sure if he could go through with it… but he promised Tails that he would get all three of them out of the Mechalands. Although the Mechas would have no leader, at least the brothers would be safe.

Putting all fears aside, Metal slowly approached ShadoMech from behind. Immediately his older brother spun around staring Metal Sonic down with his red eyes. Carefully ShadoMech scanned Metal before he spoke.

"My sensors detect that you have recharged only sixty percent of your energy. Go back and finish up recharging so I may give you your duties." ShadoMech said to his brother but Metal did not move.

"I have something important to talk about…" Metal Sonic spoke.

ShadoMech faced his brother again.

"What is it Metal Sonic?"

"It's about Tails. He's been talking to me and he says that he wants to go home. I've been wanting to do the same so I hope--"

"You have been having unauthorized contact with Miles?" ShadoMech loomed over Metal. "Your behavior is unacceptable Metal Sonic. I order you to get a system scan to clean out any viruses--"

"Shadow, just listen to me! Our brother Tails is scared and he wants to go home! How can you ignore him?"

"Silence Metal Sonic!! Your tactics to distract me from my duty will not phase me!"

"What are you talking about?"

Suddenly ShadoMech punched Metal to the ground and stepped on his stomach.

"I don't know how you were able to override your subservient system but I will not allow you to rise over me as ruler of the Mechalands!"

"Shadow I don't want your place! I just want you to stop! This isn't who you and I are. We're Defenders and those are you friends you are going to destroy!"

"How dare you associate me with those lower life forms!!"

Metal Sonic tried to defend himself but ShadoMech lifted up the blue Mecha and carried him to the window.

"Shadow, try to remember! I'm Sonic, your brother! Tails is your brother too! You have to remember him!" Metal pleaded trying to break ShadoMech's grip.

"The only family I have now is my late Father. As for you…" ShadoMech pulled back Metal preparing to throw him out of the window. "you are a traitor to us all."

The glass window shattered as Metal Sonic was thrown through it and fell a few floors. Yet he was able to stop himself and hover into the air staring up at the broken window he was thrown out of. ShadoMech appeared and stared down at his younger brother for a few seconds before disappearing.

"Leave Sonic!" Tails' voice shattered into Metal's mind. "He's going to destroy you!"

The distant sound of patrol jets could be heard and quickly Metal Sonic flew away from the capital area. The jets were closing in on him as he sped away towards Defender Territory but he knew that he would not be able to make it before the jets reached him. Quickly he turned on the jets and fired off two energy shots destroying both jets. As the flaming heaps fell towards the ground Metal Sonic looked off towards the green territory hoping to find someone he could trust.

"I know I can trust Amy… I'm not sure about Knuckles though. I'm sure that once he remembers me he'll help me save Shadow and Tails."

With that little hope left within him, Metal Sonic took off for the Mechalands to find his help.