Darkness… Freezing darkness…
"Awaken," a voice was whispered in the back of my head. "I command you to wake up as your new master."
There was a click, and suddenly I was experiencing sight. Standing before me was a tall human male. He was bald, but what he lacked on his head, he made up for his thick mustache. "Welcome to Earth, my latest and greatest new creation!" He threw his hands up into the air at the success. "Now enter me as your master now, understand?"
I don't know how I knew how to speak, but the words seemed to come out of my metallic speaker in a dull emotionless voice. "Confirmed." My eyes scanned the man's appearance before I could even control them. "Dr. Robotnik is my master."
A smile came across his lips, and he began to finger the tip of his mustache unconsciously. "Ah, very good Omicron. But please, you can call me Master from now on."
"Understood." I paused, remembering my orders. "Master."
His smile turned into a grin. "Now let's see if you were created properly… Can you move your arms and legs, Omicron?"
A spark was sent through my body, and I turned my head to the right side. There lay a black metallic hand. My programming confirmed that this was my hand. Slightly, it twitched at first, but then as I understood its actions, I was able to raise it up and down freely. "Good, now try to stand."
"Yes, Master." I looked to my legs now. I was on top of an operating table it seemed like. If I was metal, I don't know why he would need those operating tools… But that wasn't my order. I scraped my legs around the table slightly, before I pushed myself off the table.
I nearly stumbled, but a shock in my head kept my balance, and I was soon standing in front of Master as he commanded. "Very good, Omicron!" Master clapped his hands happily. "Come off that table now, will you?"
"Yes, Master Robotnik," I screeched as I jumped down to the cold ground under me. He began to walk down the laboratory, so I followed him along.
The Master let out a low laugh. "I want you to test out your weapon, Omicron," he explained, keeping his back to me. "Look at your left hand; I see you haven't noticed it yet."
Looking down to it, I noticed with slight surprise that there was no hand there. In its place was a gleaming ebony gun, and immediately I felt a strange power flow through my body. My master still had not looked back to me. "Yes, that's the one, Omicron."
He clapped his hands together, and right away, a figure popped out from the dark sky. Tied to a rope, my scanners indicated that it was nothing but stuffing and stitches. I scanned through my memory to see that it was a Sonic the Hedgehog doll, crudely made of course. "Now, Omicron… I want you to blow this hedgehog to pieces!" He growled, turning to me. "Fire!" he ordered.
I did as I was told. I raised the gun and let my scanners take precise aim. "I said fire! Do it now!" he screamed.
"Yes, Master Robotnik," I answered with a loud explosion emanating from my left arm. The shock of the bullet blew me down to the floor, and I could feel my heated metal in the gun.
Standing to my feet, I saw that the hedgehog was now nothing but torn fabric, burn marks all across its body, making it nearly impossible to tell it was even a hedgehog anymore. "Ah, very good, Omicron… I've had trouble with this test for your prototype for a long time now." He smiled. "Remember, you are completely under my control, not your own, not anyone else's, but mine and mine alone."
Those words echoed through my head. 'You belong to me.'
I processed these words for a moment, reaching a conclusion that it would be best to do as he says. "Understood, Master Robotnik. I belong to you."
My master was very pleased. "You are looking great so far, Omicron." He let a cocky smile come to his face, as if he could read my mind. "But you have no idea what you look like! Search your memory and you should find your appearance."
After a few clicks I said, "As you wish."
Soon, in my vision pictures of my robot body came up. Crimson metal armor was strapped across my chest, and my gun at my side gave me a deadly appearance. I had a flat yellow head, with two thin green eyes staring out. "I am Omicron." I saw the name E-102 Gamma appear under this robot. "Who was Gamma?"
The Master's face turned into a happy smile. "I see you are very intelligent. Gamma was a very old robot of mine, with weak weaponry and armor… But, there was something different about him you see? Even with these weak weapons, he still managed to carry out my tasks and amaze me every time." He let out a sad sigh.
"His older brother, Beta, was upgraded with my latest inventions, and Gamma fought I presume." He looked at me. "When I came to find him, all I saw was a broken down hunk of scrap, along with a destroyed Beta. It was truly amazing to know that Gamma defeated him. So using his old parts, I created you Omicron."
I bowed to him. "I am grateful to you, Master Robotnik."
He let out a chuckle. "Yes, you are faster, stronger and all around better than the original I presume. I used a few new parts after all."
Suddenly, a light behind my Master came up, along with beeps and sirens. He let out a deep growl, tapping keys in a lightning-fast manner, while his eyes studied the screen with anxiousness. "It seems there are two hedgehogs trying to get into my base, Omicron." He pounded a fist into the computer's side. "That hedgehog will never leave me in peace will he?"
I clanked forward. "Is there anything I can do, Master?"
On the screen, two figures were seen destroying other robots with incredible speed and grace. My master put a hand to his face, unsure of what to do. "It is risky, but I have no other choice! That hedgehog is going to ruin everything again! E-268 Omicron, I want you to destroy them! Do not fail me!"
"Yes sir, they will perish under the Eggman Empire's power," I said as I searched through my data banks.
His face lifted into another smile. "Omicron, you just may prove yourself the most worthy robot I've made yet. Don't die on me out there."
"Understood, Master."
The scientist pressed an almost random number of buttons, and instantly a circular object was rolled down from the ceiling. "This is a transporter. It will take you straight out in front of the base. Be prepared, they are no one to underestimate." Without giving me a chance to comply, he pressed a button and a green light fell over my body.
Slowly, bit by bit, I could feel my atoms break up as they moved at light-speeds in a direction I was unsure of. The rushing kept on for seconds, but soon ended, as I could feel my body being put together. I turned on my scanners to see my environment.
I was outside. Behind me was a large metal dome-like base with my Master's logo across the door. In front of me stood a vast forest, trees going on as far as my eyes could see.
There was a shuffle behind one bush.
"Show yourself, intruder," I ordered, throwing my gun in its direction.
No reply. "I will not warn you again. Show yourself or be destroyed."
"G-Gamma?" A female's voice came into my metallic body. Soon, a pink hedgehog emerged from behind the bushes; her body was covered in bruises, as she had obviously been fighting hard. "Are you Gamma?"
I kept my gun up, ready to fire at any moment. "I am Omicron. Surrender yourself."
She took a timid step forward. "Gamma, do you remember me? I'm Amy Rose." She laughed gently. "Mr. Robot?"
I searched my data banks for an Amy Rose.
Nothing.
"You are not in my memory," I said. "And my name is Omicron."
The girl continued to walk forward. "Its okay, Mr. Robot. You and I are friends, you said it yourself."
My metal body began to heat up slightly for some reason. She must be giving me a malfunction. "Freeze, intruder," I ordered. She continued to step forward. "I will destroy you, if you do not halt!" I could feel some strange heat welling up inside my body as she came closer.
"You wouldn't do that, Gamma…" Amy said gently. In a swift action, I aimed the gun to her head, just inches away from her.
"Why do you not halt?" I asked her, the girl's moves were completely illogical!
She placed a hand on my left arm, and tenderly placed it away. Something was wrong. My circuits were overheating, and my motions became strange and hard to control. "Its okay, Mr. Robot." Amy's voice seemed to sooth the pain inside my metal body.
"What are you doing to me?" I demanded, taking a step back.
She giggled. "It looks like you still have feelings on the inside, don't you Mr. Robot? What are you feeling?"
"My sensors are misguided," I started. "My body is overheating, and my movements are malfunctioning."
Her face turned red slightly. "Gamma? Do you know what… Love is?"
I was getting slightly irritated that she couldn't remember my name. "My name is Omicron." I searched for its meaning. Nothing came up. "I do not."
Amy's emerald eyes shone, and when I looked into them… I felt something strange. My memory banks hold nothing but this one day, yet… I feel as though I know this girl. "It is a special feeling you get, when you are with someone you like." She smiled. She put a hand on her chest. "Do you feel something there?"
Indeed, I felt a strange warm feeling… "It is nothing but a malfunction caused by you. After I capture the two intruders, I will have my Master fix it right away."
Amy looked to me, her bright emerald eyes glowing with an angelic power. "Mr. Robot, you need these feelings. Come with me, and I can make you happy."
'You are mine. You will obey me. I control you,' My Master's words broke through my thoughts. "I take orders from no one but my Master."
"Why is that?" she asked.
"Because he-." I stopped. It was a simple question, so I should have a simple answer. "He is… My Master."
"Why should you listen to him?"
My computerized brain was straining, and my body showed it, as I started to shake violently. "I… do not know. Insufficient data."
Smiling, Amy said, "It's just like before Mr. Robot. But I've grown now, and this time it's my turn to help you. Come with me." She held out a hand.
'You belong to me. You are owned by me. You will obey me.'
"I can make you happy, Gamma," she said again.
'Destroy the intruders. Don't fail me, Omicron.'
"Please, Gamma!" Amy cried out.
The voices were maddening. My circuits were going out of control. I raised my gun to her face, unable to control myself any longer.
"You can't do it, can you?" Amy smiled, even when facing down the barrel of my weapon. "You're not just one of Eggman's robots that can be thrown around. You're special." She placed a hand on my arm again. "You can feel what I feel, you know what love is." Then, in a sudden action, she wrapped her arms around my cold steel body. "Come with me, please, Gamma. You can make plenty more friends, and be happy."
What is the answer? What is the answer?
What are these things that I feel? Who is this girl?
There was only one way to find the answers to all my questions truly.
"I will come with you," I finally said.
Amy looked up with a slightly sad smile. "I knew you would… There's something about you, Gamma… I can feel a deep sadness under all that armor. Come on, let's get going." She took my right hand, and began leading me through the forest.
I looked back with uncertainty. "But what about the other hedgehog?"
"Don't worry, that stubborn hedgehog wouldn't dare die on me now." The pink girl laughed. "He can take care of himself."
Still, after the decision, my mind teemed with thoughts. Who was this girl? Who was I before this? Can I really… love her?... never did these questions stop. Did I make the right choice? Was I better off with my Master?
I took little interest in my surroundings, until Amy pushed away a few bushes. "Sonic and I…" She pulled me through. "We used to come here all the time, Gamma. Take a look around you."
Waking from my trance-like state, I growled, "My name is Omicron." I scanned the area. Before us, was a small lake, with a crystal waterfall falling into it spraying its cool mist around to give the place a strange aura. "It is… hard to explain." I calmly said.
Amy put her head against my body. "It truly is, isn't it? I have such nice memories of this place."
"Have I been here before, Amy?" I asked, still confused.
She shook her head, her gentle hair brushing against my metal exterior. "No no, Mr. Robot. I just thought I'd take you here. Do you feel happy?"
Inside… I don't think I was cold anymore. There was something inside, a gentle feeling that I've had before. Although I've only been born for a few hours, I have felt this happiness before. I know it. "Yes, Amy. I am happy."
There was something else inside my body now too. Something I knew little of, but… I had to say it. I know not why, but the words escaped from me whether I wanted them to or not. "I love you, Amy."
She gasped slightly. "Gamma?"
"I love you, Amy," I repeated. "With every fiber of my being, I love you."
Amy brushed her head against mine again, this time more gentle then before. "I thought there was something special about you…"
"Do you love me, Amy?" I said in my usual robotic voice.
She giggled slightly. "I love you too, but… In a different way, Gamma. You see, there's someone I already love."
Something flared up inside me. "But, I love you, Amy."
The girl let out a sad sigh. "I'm sorry, Gamma. I can't replace th-." She stopped in mid-sentence, thinking about her words. "I can't… replace the person I love."
"Why?"
She held onto my hand and squeezed it a bit. "You see, Gamma… the person you love has a special connection with you. You might think you love me, but I already have a special connection with someone."
I shook my head. "I feel a connection with you."
Amy looked as if she were about to cry now. "No you don't. I'm sorry, but you don't."
"But-."
She raised a finger and shushed me. "We can talk about it later. Right now… just listen to the waterfall, Gamma." Amy took my hand again, and took me closer to the small lake. "Just be careful, I don't know if Eggman made you waterproof." Sitting down on the grass, she said in a gentler tone, "Come on, sit down with me."
I clunked down next to her ungracefully, feeling my metal start to heat up again. Once more, she sighed a deep sigh, and placed her head against me. For a moment, there was only the sound of the misty waterfall, spraying its confusing water droplets all around us. It was a beautiful sight.
"Gamma, I guess…" She laughed. "I guess I do feel some kind of connection with you. But, we're not meant to be."
I looked through my data banks for reasons why. "Is it because I am a robot?"
There was still doubt in her voice. "No, I told you before; there is already someone I love. You and I can still be friends though, like we promised, remember?"
"But, I want you to love me too."
I could feel her fur bristle, and a subtle rage came from her, but she calmed herself down. "We can't always get what we want," Amy said gently.
A bush rustled behind us.
"Amy!" A male's voice shouted. "Get away from that robot! It'll kill you!"
She shot up, surprised to see him here. "No! It's okay, he's a good robot."
I stood up and looked at the hedgehog standing in front of me. I felt my circuits heat up once again, but this time, it was not followed by a happy feeling. "Are you the one Amy loves?" I asked.
Running up to the hedgehog, Amy kissed his cheek. "Yes." She smiled. "Gamma… I want you to meet the person I love."
I was soon reminded of the gun attached to my left arm as she kissed him.
"This is my love, Shadow the Hedgehog."
He smiled, and put his arms around her. "Are you alright, Amy? Who is that?"
My thoughts suddenly began to form pictures. Pictures of using my gun to destroy that hedgehog. Just like the doll. Blast him to pieces.
Amy nodded. "I'm fine, Shadow. This is Gamma; he's an old friend of mine."
Shadow smiled to me, holding out a hand. "It's nice to meet you, Gamma." I looked at his hand with disgust.
"You love Amy?" I said, slightly backing away from his hand. "And that's Omicron to you."
Nodding, he went to the girl and put his arm around hers. "I do love her. Very much so."
This burning inside me, it began to hurt. I want him gone.
"Right, Amy?" He looked to her. "I love you."
I want him gone.
"I love you too," She said, pressing her lips against his.
I want to destroy him.
"Stop!" I roared. Each of them looked at me confused. Clouds started coming into the sky. "Get away from her!"
Amy was about to cry again. "Gamma, don't do this…"
"What are you talking about?" Shadow let go of her.
I pointed my gun at him; the sweet feeling of blasting him to pieces came again. "I love, Amy," I stated. "I love her." My aim never wavered from his head. "I'll destroy you if you come near her."
Shadow crossed his arms. "You're a robot; you don't know what love is."
I'll destroy him. It was my Master's mission after all.
The gun began to power up. "This is my final warning." I stepped forward.
"Gamma!" Amy screamed. "Stop it, right now!"
I kept my gun up. "My name is Omicron! And I take orders only from my Master." Shadow glared me down; a deep hatred had formed between the two of us.
It became quiet. The only sound was the fresh rain, and the burning energy inside my weapon. "Amy," Shadow said through clenched teeth. "Let me teach him a lesson."
She shook her head. "Don't hurt him, Shadow."
Another moment of silence. Amy was soon shivering in the rain. She'll get sick if she doesn't get inside somewhere. "Leave now, Shadow!" I roared.
"I'll never abandon, Amy." Shadow hissed.
"Then, die." I fired my weapon, the explosion echoed across the forest as thunder began to roar. I looked out from my weapon's blast, and he was no where to be seen.
Shadow was behind me now. "No one's going to take Amy away from me," He growled, rage welling up. "Especially a low grade robot like you!" A kick was thrown, and I ducked under it, finding Shadow's stomach completely open for a punch to the stomach.
He nearly fell to his knees, obviously Shadow had underestimated me. "Amy and I are meant to be," I said simply. "You're the left out one, you're the faker!"
Shadow's head shot up. Something I said seemed to aggravate him. "You…" he hissed with such a venomous tone. "You have no right to call me something like that! I'll tear you to pieces!" he screamed, charging forward.
Fists flew, bullets were shot, metal was scratched, and scars were made. For what seemed like years, the two of us fought, our attacks never wavering from our full power, both of us fought for Amy. This fight would determine who truly loves Amy, and I will never stop fighting for her!
Thunder roared again, and we jumped back from each other. My life support was failing, and my sight was becoming blurred. Shadow was panting, but still in his eyes I spotted that fiery hatred. "Amy belongs with me," I declared again.
Shadow's hand turned into a fist. "She and I are meant to be together. You have no place in this, Robot." He took another deep breath and growled. "I'll do anything for her… I'll win this battle no matter what." Shadow took something out, and he smiled. "See this, Robot?" He held out the glimmering gem, it shone brilliantly even under the rain. As I looked to into it, I was reminded of Amy's beautiful eyes. "It's a Chaos Emerald."
I stood my ground.
"I always win my battles by myself, but…" He stopped for a moment, feeling a passionate fury. "This one is for Amy. When I use this Chaos Emerald I will kill you, Robot. There is no mistaking it."
And he was right.
I could not fight any harder, even for the one I love. I will die for her.
"Shadow, Gamma, stop it!" Amy screamed at the top of her lungs. "What about my feelings? You two fight over me like I'm an object!"
Shaking his head, Shadow spat, "This robot will kill me, Amy."
"I'll do anything for you, Amy." I raised my gun up one last time.
Shadow's feet dug into the ground. "It's time to finish you, Robot."
"Shadow!" Amy screamed, tears streaming out of her eyes. "Please don't! Please don't, Shadow!"
It was too late.
I fired my weapon, and he flew to the side. "Count your last seconds of life!" he shouted. Once again I fired at him, but no success. I had lost.
He now stood in front of me, in his palm the glowing Chaos Emerald. "It's over."
With my last moments, I let out my final words. "I love you Amy."
"Goodbye," Shadow whispered. Energy soon enveloped my metal body, crushing it away, while gears screeched, and my permanent shut down was triggered. I kept my eyes on Amy, and then came the darkness…
Freezing darkness…
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Amy fell to her knees, the rain pouring onto her head. The tears wouldn't stop.
From the blast was nothing but smoke, and Shadow stood before it, his face hidden away under a mask. "Why did you…" Amy choked. "Why did you…"
Kill him.
She began to cry hysterically again, no words able to make their way out.
Shadow looked back to her. "I'm sorry…" He then looked to the robot after the smoke had died away.
A horrified gasp was all he could let out. His legs gave way, and he fell to the ground, his face showed pure fear. "Wh-what is this?"
In the rubble of E-268 Omicron, lay Sonic the Hedgehog.
His body was scarred and lifeless; parts of the robotic body still were attached to his skin. "This… This isn't true!" Shadow shouted.
Two years ago… Sonic the Hedgehog was seen entering one of Eggman's bases.
He never returned.
The genius told the public that he had killed Sonic the Hedgehog, and he even had photographic proof.
Amy saw this, and couldn't breathe. Her heart was in more pain then anyone could possibly imagine.
When Sonic the Hedgehog was reported dead, Amy Rose had lost her own will to live. Shadow stayed by her side the entire time, and not long after, had fallen in love with the girl.
Amy rushed over to the dead hedgehog, embracing him in a sorrow filled hug. "Sonic! Sonic, I'm so sorry…"
But there are no words that can bring him back now. He died for his Amy and he died with a broken heart.
Even when inside a robot, even when he was supposed to have no feelings, even though he was supposed to be a cold heartless killing machine… his heart was broken. And there is no person on the planet that can fix that.
