Authors Notes: Thank you for you patience and for the reviews, I hope you like it and as always please R&R.

Chapter 8: Same Pink, Different Shade

X.x.x. Eggman's base, meeting room .x.x.X

"Yes, yes, YES!" Eggman screamed with a gut turning amount of childish glee. The doctor, his amazed nephew who is just happy to be right this time, and a slightly proud Doctore have been watching the entire battle through a POV camera on his mask. In a matter of minutes, the mad scientists went from the biggest nay-sayer to feverishly cheering on the mobian and even swinging a few clumsy punches along with him as he saw his greatest enemy go through the physical manifestation of all his own psychologically exhausting defeats with each punch. As if from Eggman's darkest daydream, the beaten and bruised body of a defeated Sonic is displayed on the screen with a gun aim at his face.

"Finally, in a matter of seconds my biggest pain in my neck will finally be gone forever. SO LONG RODEN..."

In a flash Eggman is left blankly staring at a black screen for a few seconds until the words "TRIAL MISSION OVER" begin to flash on the screen. Fearing the change of channel and missing the good part, Eggman frantically flips between channels to get back before he misses the good part. As more time goes by, he turns to Doctore. "Care to explain what the hell this is!"

"That," he pulls out an exotic looking pipe and lights it "Is the end of your trial. You questioned my man's ability to complete his job, an act neither of us saw the in good taste."

"I don't see how my making sure your "slayers" weren't full of hot air offended you?"

"When you wanted a trial run to prove that he could beat Sonic, you not only challenged my slayer's talents, but also my very title as a Doctore..."

"About that," Eggman interrupts "What the hell is a Doctore?"

"I believe this is an ancient title was use by the men who trained the most powerful gladiators of old." Snivley explains.

"Correct young man, I molded the vicious killing machine you saw before you. Ultimately, while you did get you trial you wanted, in doing so you made this fight completely meaningless to both the fighter and me." Robotnik wanted to berate him, but deep in his twisted mind he knew he was completely right. Frustrated and defeated, the doctor sits down in his chair. As seconds pass a plan formulates in his mind.

"The video feed from the ship will be active," Doctore noted "Once he is on board, you can speak with him. Maybe if you beg him he won't double the price."

"Oh I won't beg," Eggman retorts "But I'll be damned sure to get my money's worth out of him..."

X.x.x. New Mobotropolis .x.x.X

With the feed cut and victory confirmed, the slayer raises his gun and holsters it. "Don't worry; wasting you while you're unprepared ain't my style. I just gotta make it look good for the audience." He looks to the limp hedgehog and signs "When I'm going to kill you, it has to be an undisputed kill. I want everyone to know who did it and that you were at your very best. So rest up and get better, for both our sakes." He raises his other arm and readied the communicator. "Alright, I think I made my point, you can swing by for an evac..." Suddenly, a massive force slams into the mobian's back and sends him flying into the air. As he lands on his feet standing at the ready for his new challenger, he is met with another blow sending him crashing to the ground.

"Okay, once if funny but twice looks bad on me and I'm starting get pissed..."

"Good, I've been there for months now." The lights all burst and reveal a pink hedgehog dressed in dark clothing.

"Amy Rose?" A genuine hint of surprise is hidden in the slayer's voice. "Well damn, color me impressed. You caught me by surprise just to protect your crush, I'm touched."

Cold laughter can be heard coming from the pink hedgehog "The only crush I have involves you, me," a pink energy surges in her arm and summons her piko piko hammer "And this beauty." The slayer looks to his watch and to the unconscious hero of Mobius and shrugs. "What the hell, I got time to kill and I've been on a roll." He gets into a playfully relaxed stance "I like to note I am an equal opportunity sociopath, if I'm holding back it's because you're not worth the extra energy. So don't disappoint ..." The pink hedgehog dashes forward faster than he expects and just misses as he jumps back to dodge the massive hammer. Rolling to his feet he lunges and swings a punch at Amy expecting her to block it with her hammer. But to his surprise, the hammer evaporates back into energy and Amy eerily dashes to the side and burst ahead with a kick the slayer barely can block and swing out of the way.

Okay, where in those damn notes did it say she can actually fight and can move at the same speed as Sonic? Looks like I have to step it up if I wanna...

Just out the corner of his eye, he notices Amy's hand is reforming the hammer as she uses the momentum to power her hit. Ducking under another hammer swing he raises up to be met with an elbow and punch from the unnaturally competent combatant. Despite his best efforts, he could not land a hit as the pink hedgehog shifts between nimble dodges, powerful strikes from her hammer, and fast combos when he dodges the hammer. As the fight continues, damage begins build up on the barely sustained armor.

"It's both sweet and sad, all the hard work you put into becoming this good for you sweetheart. I bet you hope he'll actually see you as more than just a silly little fan girl." Amy stops and her hammer disappears as she seems almost hurt. "For a bit of consolation, you finally got my respect, so not a total loss." Amy's sullen expression reignites into a great fury as a split second hammer launches him into the air. She jumps into that air and keeps striking him as she yells at the armored mobian

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR RESPECT!" She raises both hands in the air and summons a massive spiked great maul "AND I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT SONIC!" The impact from the hammer can be heard all the way from the city as the mobian craters into the ground. As smoke bellows from the hole, Amy stands at the ready and scans the hole.

"I guess it is true, breaking stuff makes you feel so damn good." Suddenly a burst from the hole lands across from Amy. For the first time since the fight began he is truly exhausted and worn. His armor is in complete disrepair but still hides his figure. Amy looked him in his now visible eyes and they continue to stare each other down.

"Freeze!" A mass of red dots swarm the slayer as several GUN troops semi-encircle the cliff side. A few seconds later, Sally and Bunnie also join group all at the ready for him to make a move.

"You're completely surrounded," Sally yells at the assailant "For your safety I suggest you surrender."

"Or not," Bunnie readies her arm cannon "Ah'm hoping your stupid enough to try."

"Well damn, I really expected that shield to hold you for a few more minutes." As he takes a step back, the troops already their guns "Y'all are really sure you got me dead to rights and I would love to entertain you a little more, but I got better places to be, Ciao." As he turns his head a bullet whizzes past his head. A lowly chuckle can be heard from the mobian as he takes a coin and flips it over his head. As it lands on the ground, a loud pop forces the troops, Sally, And Bunnie to cover their ears. Suddenly the slayer breaks into a sprint for the cliff. Only a second passes before a hail of bullets and find their mark on the fleeing slayer. Amazingly, the bullets seem to have no effect on him as he only weaves to dodge Bunnie's laser blast as he leaps off the cliff. A few seconds pass until a metallic thump draws confusion from the group. Sally rushes to the cliff side to see a small aircraft melt out of active camouflage and fly off into the indigo twilight sky well out of range off any anti-aircraft weapons or pursuits. Furious, Sally can only curse under her breath as she walks back to the group who is now securing the area and checking on Sonic

With the night's ordeal over, Sally walks over to Bunnie who is checking Sonic's pulse.

"He's pretty banged up but alive. We should take him to the infirmary now, Sal."

"Okay, let's him to Freedom H.Q. and call Dr. Quack ASAP." Sally reaches out to a very distant Amy and smiles "Amy, I can't thank you enough for saving Sonic. Everyone will be happy to see you're doing well and have you back." Amy looks at her, then Sonic and shakes her head.

"To be honest Sally, I'm not here to rejoin the team. I was only here on business." Amy walks past a truly hurt Sally as if she was a ghost. She stopped, said a few things under her breath, and turned back to Sally "I have a few things to take care of, so I'll be in town for a while, Maybe I'll see you around." Suddenly her demeanor turns dark "But I don't want Sonic in my sight for as long as I am here." With Amy quickly out of view. Sally is left alone with only her thoughts.

Was that really Amy, I could hardly recognize her with the cold demeanor. Were things that bad for her to feel that way towards Sonic? I hope we can deal with this mess and bring the team back together before thing get worse.

Eventually she to leaves the cliffs edge to rejoin her worn, beaten, and in some cases bloodied team.