Chaos: I'm ba-ack!!! And to make up for the long break…mmm, holiday…here's a four-page chapter. Bwahahahahah! Glad to see everybody still likes this…it gets real complicated soon…

Flower: (dances) Waii! Review responses!

Nunyabisnis: Waii! New reviewer! Well, if you feel sorry for Sonic now, then better prepare yourself…upcoming chapters are, well, not good for him. Eheheheh.

Sky Aura: Ah, don't worry, I've read loads of stories without reviewing…I like that you can have loads of reviews, and even more people reading and not reviewing. Hehe. As for 'Mecha', if it was just a robot it would be a Mech...and you're, Mecha is in repairs...you'll see who it is soon enough.

Fuwa2 Kyara: Oh, Mecha isn't going to do anything. Heh heh heh. Read on!

Mythica Ruathahold: Hey! Nice to see you here. Pickles, eh? See, I've never really liked pickles that much…(dodges cheese cannon)

Chaolovin': Now why wouldn't I make a happy ending? (whistles) Anywho, you like neopets, right? Rock on!

Tarem: Aha! Somebody spotted the loop! You'll remember that Robotnik said Mecha was in repairs…you can see what's coming, right? (wink)

Flower: How many reviews are there?! These responses will take up all the chapter! But, err, carry on! I like de reviewingness…mmm…so, onwards…mind you, these responses are gonna get shorter; they take up too much space. (sniffle)

Az: Waii! You're still here! I'll be a-writing the thirtieth chapter now…or I'll try. Something often comes to me while I write. You?

Spawn of 84: Hi again! I'm now updating alotalot, don't worry!

KellyR: Waii! Thankyou! And I mean it…this story isn't my best. The best one is sitting in my computer…but enough of that! Ahem.

Kirbs: Aaw, don't be mean to Amy…much. She's ok, I suppose…I like all the characters really. I try to have unbiased writing, but sometimes it's a bit Sonic-and-Knuckles…

NM: Oh, it was only fluke that Sonic won. And he didn't win really. Don't hurt me, Shadow! (hides)

star's dreams: Oh, Mecha has a bigger part soon…and you're pretty close with what you said…(wink)

Ladymecha: Eheheheheh, what can I say? I love screwing with Sonic's head.

Flower: And, FINALLY, on with the story! Phew, that took a while…read on!

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Cinos hurtled away, heart pounding. The house was on the outskirts of the town, just on the border of his patrol, and he had seen the lights...at twelve-o-clock midnight. Now they were all chasing him, and his breath was quick with fear.

Suddenly something dived out of the darkness and knocked him over. He rolled away, briefly recognising the black hedgehog, an Intruder, before he scrambled up and bashed into something else.

Something invisible.

He cried out in surprise, and searched around. There was nothing there. But, even as he thought it, something hit him in the backspines. He spun round, and there was nothing there either.

Suddenly animals were appearing out of the darkness everywhere. He recognized several Intruders, but even more that he didn't know. Behind him, Espio uncamouflaged and tackled him to the floor.

Then they were everywhere, standing around him, and he heard one say, "It's not Mecha...it's Sonic! Look, green eyes." Terror crawled up and down his spine and he whimpered,

"Master, help me." Then everything went dark.

Knuckles pushed Rouge and Vector out of the way and kneeled down to Cinos' blank eyes. "He's passed out." he clarified, lifting the robotized hedgehog easily. "Come on, let's get back. Forget planning, we need a new strategy now."

When Cinos awoke again, he immediately looked around the room. It looked like a bedroom, easily escapable. Then he looked again and realised the window frames has been replaced by steel.

He walked silently to the door, but it was locked. He walked back to the bed restlessly, searching for any way out. Then he heard a click as the door was unlocked, and voices beyond.

"I tell you, I heard something!"

"Well, I didn't."

"You question my hearing, echidna?"

"Well, I-"

"You can't even SEE your ears!"

"Rouge! Open the door already!"

"Yeesh Knuckles. Temper, temper."

Then the door was pushed open. Cinos curled his claws, ready to fight, but when he saw the echidna, he paused. It was strong...and the bat was there too. He couldn't fight them both.

"What do you want with me."

The echidna...Knuckles?...strode forward, the bat, Rouge, guarding the door. "We want to save you, Sonic."

"I am Cinos."

"Who were you before you were robotized?"

"I...I do not remember. Master says I am Cinos."

"Yes, you do remember, deep down. You've just forgotten most of it. And we want to help you, ok? It's not like you to just give in to this..."

"You are Intruders. You will not help me, you will confuse me like the fox did."

Knuckles exchanged helpless looks with Rouge. He tried a new tactic. "When is Tails getting robotized?"

"When the robotizer is ready."

Rouge smirked, and sniggered, "Heh. I took care of that machine for a while. It won't be doing anything for a month at least."

Suddenly Cinos felt unbearably helpless. He didn't know these people, and they expected him to remember something that he had long forgotten? How could he even know to trust them? It was so confusing...

"Let me go."

"Sorry, Sonic, but we can't do that. Not until you're better."

"I am not Sonic. My name is Cinos. I am perfectly healthy."

"Underneath all that metal?"

"Yes."

Knuckles groaned and rubbed his forehead distractedly. From the door, Rouge asked, "Do you know who Sonic is?"

"...No."

"Sonic is...was...you, before you were robotized. That's why we call you Sonic...we want you as you were before being robotized. Does that help?"

"I like the way I am now."

"Do you know what it's like to be free?"

"I am free."

"Following orders from Egghead?"

"Who is Egghead." At this remark, a peal of helpless laughter came from the stairs. Rouge's face lost the calm mask, and she disappeared down the stairs with angry shouts of,

"You idiots! How dare you listen in?! I'll get you, just you wa- come back here!" The shouts faded away to the rest of the house, and Knuckles sighed in annoyance. Cinos rubbed his normal ear confusedly.

"What was that sound."

"Hmm?"

"Outside. Before the bat ran off."

"Laughter?!"

"What is that."

Knuckles paused for a second, and then said exasperatedly, "I can't do this. I can't MAKE you remember, Sonic...please, just try." With that he left the room and locked the door securely.

Cinos didn't know what to think. Master had been good, hadn't he? But these people were good too, they wanted to help him...

But he didn't need help. He was happy with Master and Mecha, though hurting the fox...Tails...didn't always feel right. It was like someone had taken his home and rubbed it away.

Free? With these people, the Intruders, he was locked up. With Master he was free. Yet there was always a little part of him, inside his head, which seemed to be blocked, like a little wall. Whatever was behind it was important, he knew.

He shook his head helplessly, and looked around the room again. On a small desk was a pen pot, with a few pencils inside. Maybe he could write something? He reached over, but his claws chopped the first pencil in half.

Worried, he tried to pick up another, but it, too, cracked when he touched it. How could he know how to write if he couldn't even hold a pencil?

Sonic...Cinos...he didn't know what to think.

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Flower: Heheheheheheh, I'm evil, ne? I'll update again soon…see you all next chapter! Waii!