CHAPTER 8

Please Forgive Him

Shadow jumped out of the way. The robot stopped and turned around. Shadow saw him getting ready to charge again. He braced himself and waited.

The robot lunged at him, its hands at its sides. Shadow waited until Metal Sonic was close enough then lashed out with his foot.

The force of the impact knocked the robot backward. He smashed into a pile of garbage cans denting them.

"So you're a lot tougher than you look," Metal Sonic said standing up. "Is it because you are desperate to beat me or have you become strong since our last encounter."

"Shut up!" Shadow shouted.

Metal Sonic shot out his electric strings. Shadow grabbed them and swung the robot around. He let go and Metal Sonic landed hard on the pavement.

Now Shadow charged. The robot looked up. The black hedgehog kicked him in the face. The robot fell backwards.

Shadow grabbed his arm and pulled him back. He rested his foot on Metal Sonic's back and held him down. The black hedgehog pulled the robot's arms backward. He then entwined them in his one arm and wrapped the other around Metal Sonic's neck.

"Let me go!" Metal Sonic ordered angrily. "Or you'll be sorry."

"How will I be sorry?" Shadow asked. "You don't have a Chaos Emerald this time. You have no power to cheat."

"True, but I still have the power of the other Chaos Emeralds," the robot said. "And they're power is enough to beat you!"

Shadow pulled him closer. "What do you mean by that?" he demanded.

Metal Sonic chuckled. "Even though it seems I'm at your mercy you're at mine!"

"What!" the black hedgehog said.

Suddenly he was sent flying.

Shadow landed with a bone crunching thud on his back. He looked up. Metal Sonic stood over him, a superior look on the robot's face.

"How did you do that?" the hedgehog demanded.

"Simple," the robot replied. "All I had to do was use a little Chaos Energy."

"Are you mad?" Shadow inquired, moving backwards away from the mad machine. "You shouldn't be using the Chaos Energy like that! You could cause disaster to happen! You could even destroy yourself!"

Metal Sonic scoffed. "Puh, I don't think so," he said. "I was built to withstand anything, ultimate life form. Let's just say I can't be scrapped."

"FOOL!" Shadow yelled. "Everything breaks down eventually! You're not invincible, Metal Sonic. You're just a robot. A mad insane unstable robot!"

Metal Sonic laughed again. "That's what you think!"

"That's what I know."

Metal Sonic reached down and picked the black hedgeohg up by the throat. "You don't know anything, ultimate life form," he seethed.

"I know plenty," Shadow said calmly. "The question is. Do you?"
The robot angrily threw Shadow away. The black hedgehog landed on his back and rolled on his stomach. He pushed himself up. The robot was charging at him again.

This time he was ready. The instant the robot swung at him he grabbed its wrist and held it for a few seconds. Then he flung it upward and Metal Sonic fell back, totally off balance.

"I have no time for games," Shadow said glaring at the robot. "This is over!" He jumped into the air. "DISAPPEAR!" he shouted throwing Chaos Spear at the robot.

Metal Sonic dodged the spears and jumped upright. Shadow shot more at him. The robot moved his hands toward his chest and activated Black Shield which blocked the attack.

Shadow was surprised. He didn't know Metal Sonic could do that!

Metal Sonic let his shield drop. "I don't have anymore time for this," he said, glowing. "I'm going to finish you here and now!"

Shadow backed away. "I must not let him win," he whispered out loud. "But how am I going to stop him?"

Suddenly the robot shot a ray of Chaos Energy at the ultimate life form.

The black hedgehog was knocked off his feet at the force. He flew ten feet backward until he slammed into a building. In great pain he slowly stood up. He saw Metal Sonic walking toward him.

"Your time is up, ultimate life form," The robot said, his looks changing to the way he looked in Sonic Heroes.

"No," Shadow shouted holding his wounded arm. "I won't let you win!"

"It's too late!" the robot said smugly. "I am the ruler now! Your power is mine! You listen to my orders now!"

Metal Sonic put out his hand. "Say good bye!'

Suddenly a huge blue chainsaw ran into Metal Sonic. The robot fell away from Shadow slightly off balance.

"Shadow!" a voice shouted.

The black hedgehog looked over his shoulder. Amy and Knuckles were running toward him. "You!" he shouted, not believing what he saw. "How did you find me?"

"We just followed the sound of Chaos," Knuckles replied simply.

"Besides, we were worried that he might hurt you again," Amy said.

"And," Sonic said landing beside the black hedgehog. "Metel Sonic and I have a strong rivalry. I couldn't let you have all the fun."

Now the robot saw them. "You again!" he shouted regaining his balance. "I don't know who you are but this doesn't concern you."

"Hey pal, don't you remember me?" Sonic asked walking toward the rbobt. "I'm Sonic the hedgehog and the one you were designed after."

"I don't care who or what you are!" Metal Sonic shouted his hand beginning to glow. "You're all dead when I'm through with you!"

"He's going to attack again," Shadow cautioned.

The blue hedgehog grinned at his look alike. "Nothing Metal Sonic can do will destroy me."

"That's what you think, fool!" The robot shouted. "With my new power I can destroy this entire city!"

The robot got ready to attack. Knuckles, Amy and Shadow braced themselves for an explosion or something.

It didn't happen.

Suddenly the robot began to malfunction. "What's happening?" he asked, painfully, as high voltage energy ran through his metal body.

"What's going on?" Amy asked.

"His body can no longer hold all that power," Sonic said calmly, as he watched the robot shot circite.

"Why isn't the power of the Master Emerald protecting him?" Knuckles wanted to know.

"The power the leaving him."

The robot fell forward. It broke its fall by putting out its hands. "No! This cannot be happening! I can't be losing it!" he cried.

Shadow took stock of the situation and came to a conclusion. "Sonic, let's finish it!" he shouted to the blue hedgehog.

Sonic looked at him and nodded. "It's time to put this robot out of commision!"

The girl who has been helped by Metal Sonic had heard the commotion and followed the sound. She knew only Metal Sonic could be responcible. She had to get to him before he did something foolish. When she arrived at the sceen she saw Sonic and Shadow getting ready to attack. She looked in the direction they were both facing and gasped.

Metal Sonic lay on the ground. He wasn't moving.

What is going on?

She saw the two hedgehog spring at the robot.

"NOOOOOOO!" she shouted rushing forward.

She dived in the way of the two, shielding the robot with her body.

Sonic and Shadow had swung at the robot the exact same time she'd gotten in their way. She took the blows to her back.

The girl cried out in pain and almost fell over. She held back tears of agony as she fought to stay standing, so as to protect her friend from anymore attackes.

Metal Sonic stared up at her in surprise. Sonic, Shadow, Knuckles, and Amy all gaped at her.

"Who's she and why did she protect him?" Knuckles finally asked, when he found his voice.

The girl looked back at the four. Her sky blue eyes were watery and tears were streaming down her face. "Please... Forgive him," she pleaded.

They all stared at her.

"He saved my life," she said quietly.

Now the four were even more surprised. "He saved her life!" they said in one voice.

The girl nodded. "Yes," she replied. "I owe it to him."

"Why did you protect me?" the robot asked her.

She sat down and put her arms around him. "Because we are friends," she replied.

"FRIENDS!" Sonic exclaimed, totally not believing what he just heard.

The girl looked up at the blue hedgehog. "Yes, we are friends," she said simply. "And friends help and protect each other."

"But Metal Sonic was created to be heartless," Sonic said, totally flabbergasted. "How did he...?"

"He saved my life," the girl said again.

Amy finally found her voice. She gasped. "Metal Sonic really does have feelings!"

"It looks like it," The blue hedgehog told her.

"P..please don't hurt him," the girl went on. "It's not his fault he's bad."

"She's right," Shadow agreed.

"It's Eggman's fault," Knuckles growled.

"That's right. Always blame me," a voice said above them.

They all looked up.

They saw Eggman in his Flying Machine hovering over Metal Sonic and the girl.

"Eggman!" Sonic said.

"Thank you, Sonic," Eggman spoke. "Thank you for helping me find my robot. Now that I found him I will take him back."

A metal hand came out of the machines bottom and latched onto Metal Sonic's body. He began to pull the robot into the thing.

"No!" the girl exclaimed, trying to keep a grip on the robot. "Please don't take him."

"I'm sorry, my dear, but this robot belongs to me and I have a right to take him back."

"No! Don't take him away! He's my friend! "

That's when her grip loosened and broke away. Metal Sonic was pulled inside the machine. Eggman began to fly away. "Thanks again, Sonic the hedgehog!"

"Oh no!" the girl exclaimed, watching the scientist fly away. "He's got Metal Sonic!"

"And all the power of about five Chaos Emeralds!" Sonic shouted.