Chapter 6: "Discovering the Truth"

When they heard the familiar booming rush of Sonic's return, Bunnie, Tails, and Dulcy were already waiting for him near Knothole's central field. When they saw him skid to a stop with Sally curled up in his arms, upset himself, with Antoine even more disconcertingly grave than before, they all rushed up to the blue hero, Dulcy rumbling the ground a bit with her size.

Bunnie was straight to business. "Is she hurt?"

Sonic shook his head. "No… n-not physically, anyway."

Sally shifted, and Sonic let her down. Everyone, even Tails, stood back a bit as she stood alone, her head bowed, her hair hiding her eyes. "I just… need to calm down, I'm sorry to worry you." Her voice was too soft for them not to. Then she moved for her cottage.

Bunnie immediately turned to Sonic, and quite firmly jerked her head for him to follow. She blinked, relaxing into confusion when he just looked down and aside. Then she heard Sally's door shut, and finally set her hands on her hips. "Well what the blazin' shades a-Mobius happened out there?"

Antoine managed, "Eet was another robotic Soneek."

Bunnie turned grim, Tails and Dulcy sharing a worried glance. The cyborg continued, "Well y'all obviously got away, so what's causin' those long faces? What put Sally in such a state?"

Sonic found his voice again. Maybe it just had to catch up. "There were two, Bunnie. The first one appeared, I got ready to mow 'im down… then it all exploded in front of us. Before we could evac, another one came creeping out of the rubble… He was faster than me…"

His friends stared in alarm.

"F-faster 'an y…." Bunnie shut her voice off before Sonic made his own hands bleed with the force of his trembling fists.

Antoine added, "Eet was obsessed with Prinzess Sally. When eet got 'old of 'er, eet… ma Prinzess was not wishing to be touched by such a cold monstroceety."

Bunnie felt ill. "It got a-hold of her? But then…"

Sonic started to march away. "Obsessed, but not with killing her… He thought he was me. Something was wrong with his programming. It…"

Antoine looked seriously to Bunnie when Sonic's voice cut out. "Eet does not look the same at all, mademoiselle Bunnie, but the machine was the one from the canyon…"

It took a moment for the cyborg to put what he'd said together, still confused. "Wait… what?"

Dulcy's mouth was agape. "You mean that horrible thing that hurt Bunnie before?"

Antoine nodded. "And eet is more powerful than before… much more…"

Bunnie's rage boiled over. "And it wanted to touch Sally-girl? Ugh! That sick, rust-for-brained… ugh! That explains it then. Sally figured it was the canyon robot?"

Both men nodded, though Sonic had his back to most of them, off on the side.

The cyborg, now calm again, nodded firmly to herself, looking off with her hands on her hips. "She felt so bad about all that… Ta have the blasted thing try and make out with 'er would get to poor Sally-girl alright."

Sonic twitched at Bunnie's choice of words.

"Sonic."

She rarely used his name, so he turned to look over his shoulder.

Bunnie was looking at him. "Sally-girl needs ya, Sugar-hog. Go talk to her."

He looked away again. "I couldn't help her, Bunnie… What's worse…" his fists shivered again, his eyes staring violently down into nothing, "he saved her… She was falling and he caught her first…"

"And you woulda caught her just fine yourself, Sugar-hog, so no more of this business when she needs you!"

"She doesn't need me!" Sonic snapped abruptly, everyone blinking at him. "And until I break that thing, I'm not much good to the resistance either!" And he blasted off before anyone could say anything else.

Bunnie's face turned flat. "Dulcy, darlin'?"

"Yeah, Bunnie?"

"Follow 'im would ya? If he wants trouble, come back and tell us."

"You got it!"

As the dragon took off, Bunnie comforted Tails enough to get him to go back to his own cottage, and gave Antoine a soft hug that startled him before he returned it.

"Take it easy, Antoine. Do me a favor, though?"

"Anything, mademoiselle…"

"Go update Rotor and the others about this new robot for me? I want to go check on Sally-girl before she does something stupid."

Antoine nodded rapidly as they pulled apart, and hurried for the workshop. Bunnie trotted over to Sally's cottage, and knocked on the door.

"…Sonic?"

Bunnie frowned sadly as she heard her friend's weakly hopeful voice. "…No, Sally-girl… just Bunnie."

"O-oh… C-come in…"

She pushed through, seeing Sally awkwardly picking herself up from being curled up on her side on the bed, wiping some quiet tears from her eyes and forcing a smile. "You must think I'm pretty silly after all this…"

But Bunnie just came over, sat with her friend, and hugged her. She felt Sally shake again, the woman resisting fresh sobs. And she had a pretty good idea why. "…Sally-girl, they told me the gist of what happened. You better not be blamin' yourself for some whacky robot liking you after hurtin' me."

Sally sobbed in confirmation. "I-I'm so sorry, Bunnie! It was…" she moaned sickly, curling up a bit in Bunnie's arms. "I can still feel that metal on my fur! It was disgusting!"

Bunnie patted her back, and stroked the woman's hair soothingly. "Ease down, sugar. You're worked up somethin' fierce. At least it wasn't trying to kill you, alright? Better disturbing than lethal, any day."

The princess tried to calm. "I… I guess you're right, yeah… I'm just so glad Sonic was there. That thing thought it was him!" She started to speak more rapidly, but low and quiet. "Sonic held me so gently on the way back… I know he must be worried… And he'll feel horrible because of how fast that thing was, don't let him jet off to find it, please?"

Bunnie winced. "We're workin' on it, sugar…"

Sally just nodded.

Abruptly, startling Bunnie, Sally leaned back from their embrace, and held her friend's cheeks with her hands, looking into her eyes. "I haven't forgotten!"

Bunnie blinked. "…Forgotten what, Sally-girl?"

"That it hurt you!"

The cyborg looked at her seriously. "I know you haven't, darlin'… so what's really hurtin' you? Your hearts breakin' in front of me…"

Sally curled her knees up to her chin, pulling a bit away from Bunnie. She seemed ashamed.

Bunnie rested her soft hand on her friend's shoulder. "Come on, you can tell ole Bunnie."

Sally exhaled heavily, ducking her head down. "I-it… it… felt like… Sonic…"

Her cyborg friend finally tilted her head, gravely disturbed by the idea. "What do you mean?"

"It was horribly cold, and the metal was painful, but…" Sally shivered, but a blush was on her cheeks. "For a split-second I…" She planted her face in her hands and sobbed again.

Bunnie embraced her from the side. "For a split-second it felt nice…?"

Sally jerked more tightly over herself. "…yes…"

"Sally-girl, it's okay…"

Sally violently shook her head.

"But it is. He wasn't hurtin' you, apparently he was tryin' to be… affectionate in some weird way. That'll cause certain reactions, even when it's not supposed to happen in the first place. That's why people aren't supposed to push it on each other, it's supposed to be invited." Bunnie smiled warmly when Sally looked up at her meekly. "He still attacked you, darlin', don't feel bad for havin' a natural response to bein' touched. You're pretty upset anyway, I wouldn't worry about fallin' for the hunk of junk any time soon," Bunnie finished with dry humor in her voice.

It let Sally laugh, the idea totally absurd even to her. It had only really affected her because… Calming she looked Bunnie in the eyes. "He moved like Sonic… It…"

"Made you think of being in the Sugar-hog's arms instead?"

Sally blushed quite seriously, looking down… but nodded gently.

Bunnie patted her friend's hair, but then a knock came to the door. The cyborg left her friend on the bed, and hurried to the door, checking around the edge. It was Dulcy. Bunnie winked back at her friend, and then stepped outside.

"Where'd he head off to, Dulcy?"

The dragon smiled, and nodded behind her. Bunnie blinked, and looked around, only to spot Sonic sitting on a tree-root across the clearing from Sally's house.

"He just did a lap around Knothole, and then planted himself right there," Dulcy explained.

Bunnie smiled, nodded her thanks to the dragon, and trotted over to the hedgehog. "Thanks for not chargin' off after that thing, Sugar-hog."

He just shook his head, still looking down.

"…Sally wants to see ya."

"She asked for me?" he replied, confused, looking up at last.

Bunnie smirked. "You might say that. Just get over there, Sonic. I promise that my new legs still pack quite a punch when I get enough of a kick going at a certain hero's behind when he doesn't wanna do what I tell 'im."

Sonic gulped, nodded, and zipped across the clearing. Bunnie giggled, and made her way to speak with Rotor. They needed to develop some anti-robot weapons.

(Later…)

When the door knocked at her cottage again, Sally assumed it was Bunnie coming back. "You don't have to knock…"

Sonic peeked through the doorway. "I don't?" He blinked.

Sally blushed, startled, but was starting to smile a bit. "S-sorry, Sonic… I thought… Bunnie was coming back."

He nodded out. "Want me to go get her. Be back in a flash?"

Sally shook her head. "No, no… please…" She found herself unsure what to say, but wanting to speak about so much.

A bit worried for her, Sonic stepped through, gently pushing the door shut, and stepped up beside her bed. "…I'm sorry, Sal. I really let you down this time…" He looked down, disturbingly serious for his usual nature.

The squirrel woman almost laughed, shaking her head. "No, you didn't, Sonic. I'm sorry I scared you. I was just… sensitive."

He tried to smirk. "Hey, at least I got to carry the prettiest girl in Knothole in my arms, right?"

She laughed happily, and it relieved him enough to laugh more himself. They relaxed in a moment, and Sonic found himself anxiously curious. "Sal…"

The princess focused on him instantly, seeing the worry in his eyes. "…What is it?"

"D-did he… do something I missed? You were… really upset, and I didn't see him… do anything serious…"

Sally turned uncomfortable, looking down, but shook her head. "No… you didn't miss anything."

"But I… don't get it…"

The young woman winced painfully. "Sonic… Please don't take this the wrong way when I tell you."

He stood calmly. "Alright."

"I was so disturbed because… even though he was made of metal… He… It reminded me of you."

Sonic eased back a step, and she jerked up, reaching out. "W-wait! I didn't… It's not… I like it when you hold me, Sonic."

He blinked, and she realized what she'd said. The poor woman blushed violently, and ducked her head down, looking away again.

Trying to recover himself, Sonic just blinked, ignoring the soft blush on his own cheeks. "So why did it make you freak out?"

"Because it wasn't you, but felt like you. It was just… so disturbing…"

Sonic sat down at her side, and then embraced her. He didn't expect her response, which was to just coil her arms around him and squeeze tightly.

"…You're so warm…"

His blush returned with a vengeance. "S-Sal…"

Tears were in her eyes as she rested her cheek on his shoulder. "Please just stay a while…"

Sonic swallowed softly. "Sure… Here, why don't you… lie down. Relax?"

She pulled him with her, just holding onto him as he helped her lie back onto her pillow. He could tell that because of the shame, fear, and sorrow she'd flown through since the mission, she was just worn out. When they were lying down, she kept her arms around him, and he kept his around her. She softly tilted her nose into his front, and started to breathe smoothly.

Quite embarrassed, Sonic realized how warm she was, and how strange it was to be both exhilarated and totally relaxed by having her so close. Her fur was so lovely and soft, and her voice, just hinted by her breathing, was one of the most wonderful sounds on Mobius. It had never felt so good to be so still.

Sally's arms started to relax, sink gently around him, and he glanced down at her angelic face, relaxing into sleep. Before she totally drifted into the land of dreams, however, her hand sank softly onto his front from his shoulder, the fingers gently shifting through his fur. "…Stay…" she whispered… and fell completely unconscious.

Sonic let his eyes relax closed, and just rested his cheek on her hair. "Not goin' anywhere…"

(Later…)

Rotor and Bunnie were a bit frantic as they scurried after Uncle Chuck, who was walking through the workshop, picking up some supplies in a small bag. Rotor exclaimed, "You can't leave now, Uncle Chuck! We can't start on the de-roboticizer without you."

"Not to mention that you're one of the best tinkerers on Mobius!" Bunnie added emphatically. "We need your hands more than your eyes."

But the roboticized hedgehog shook his head. "This new robot and Robotnik's odd behavior demand a reliable source of information from the city. I need to get back out there before something worse happens. We can't build a de-roboticizer without key components either, and those could only be found or built properly in the city anyway." He turned to them at the door. "I'm sorry, I understand your frustration, but the situation is too perilous, and I only returned to Knothole to help you get back on your feet, Bunnie. I'll continue to work on my modifications to the de-roboticizer between observations. I promise you both, we'll build one, and I'll do everything in my power to get you your original limbs back, but until then, Robotnik is a much more immediate danger."

The two younger rebels finally slumped with defeat, quite following his point. The hedgehog offered a kind smile, nodded to them, and then hurried off. Finally, Bunnie sighed, and patted Rotor's shoulder with her metal and plastic hand. "I'm gonna go check on Sally-girl, make sure she gets some breakfast."

The walrus just nodded, and quietly returned to modifying some new explosives. Bunnie left the workshop, returned to the main Knothole compound, and came up to Sally's door. It was still early in the morning, just late enough for the sun to glow across the forest in full glory. Her hand reached up to knock, when Bunnie hesitated. She didn't want to wake the poor girl up with a pounding. Instead, she gently twisted the handle, and eased her head through. She blinked at the sight waiting for her, and then smiled fondly. Well it's about tootin' time. I told ya she was looking for ya, Sugar-hog.

Fast asleep in each other's arms, the rebel leader and the resistance hero were almost like newborns in a crib. Bunnie eased through the cottage, shutting the door gently behind her, and came up to the foot of the bed. "Rise and shine, sleepy-heads. It's too gorgeous a day to be sleepin' too late. I don't care how comfortable y'all are."

Sally started to shift, murmuring, but Sonic seemed dead-to-the-world with the princess nestled in his arms. The squirrel woman finally blinked her eyes open, totally calm and relaxed at first… then she focused on Sonic's chest right in front of her, and down to the side, where Bunnie was standing with a huge grin of mirth.

Blushing violently, Sally yelped, and jerked upright, her cheeks bristling. "It's not what it looks like!"

Sonic snapped awake from the sharp release of his arms and Sally's panicked, indeed down-right squeaky voice. "Whoa, what?" The poor hedgehog almost fell out of the bed as Bunnie folded over with laughter.

"We just fell asleep! What time is it? Oh, no, no!" Sally hid her head in her arms, completely mortified.

Sonic sat up, a bit embarrassed himself, but not really sure why Sally was so obviously horrified that they'd been woken up together. "Sal, relax… We just took a snooze…"

Bunnie was trying to stop laughing, but in vain. "It's… the next mornin'… Sugar-hog…"

Sonic blinked, startled, but laughed lightly. "No kiddin'? Dang, I haven't slept that good in… well, ever."

Sally shook her head rapidly. "We didn't do anything!"

The hedgehog blinked at her again. "Yeah, Sal… nobody thinks we did…"

Bunnie finally managed to breathe, her hands on the foot of the bed. "Whew… aw, darlin'. You are the cutest thing when you're blushin'!"

Sally squeaked at her in protest.

"Oh come on. It's not like I think y'all were kissin' all night long."

Sonic fell out of the bed, red-faced, with a yelp of fright. It took his thump on the floor to shock Sally enough to look over the side of the bed. "Sonic, are you alright?"

He was coughing and sputtering, and Bunnie went from sympathetic surprise at his fall, to bursting out laughing and actually rolling on the floor herself. "B-wha, who--! Kissing? Where did all that come from?"

Sally had finally woken up enough to put her friend's laughing and Sonic's sincere embarrassment together and relax her own mortification. "Oh nowhere," she said with a dry glare at her hysterical friend. "Bunnie just wanted to poke some fun. Isn't that right?"

Bunnie sat up, panting and fanning her face with her mechanical hand, which blurred with speed at doing so. "Oh… yeah… I'm sorry, y'all. But you shoulda seen your faces!" She grinned. "And you two were as adorable as little cubs in a cave asleep like that!"

Sally blushed again, but was giggling at this point. Sonic dusted himself off as he stood up, glowering at Bunnie for a moment, who started to snicker again, and then smiled for Sally. "Good to see you smiling, Sal."

The squirrel softened the expression appreciatively as she looked at him. "…Thanks for… staying."

He chuckled. "Any time."

Bunnie fell over again. "I bet!"

"Bunnie!" both the hedgehog and the squirrel snapped in unison.

(At the forest edge…)

It started as nothing more than a sparkle, a glimmer of light on the horizon near dusk. It grew with startling speed, growing closer as the howl of ripping air started to caress the tree-trunks at the edge of the great forest. The ball of blazing white light, semi-transparent on the sides, rushed to a halt at the forest-edge. Uncoiling like liquid flowing around a rock, the sphere vanished into the glowing panels, lines, and tubes on the body of the resurrected Metal Sonic robot.

His optics glimmered as the three razor-fins on his head revved, roaring viciously at the trees. The faceplate vented fine mist just before the robot reeled back with his right fist, and slammed it into the first tree, splintering the trunk so violently that the tree fell in half to his left. Then, he started to march forward, bashing and clawing at trees as he walked into the forest.

Suddenly he shouted. "Sally! I want Sally!" And the fins on his back revved again.

High above him, just performing some normal air-patrols, Dulcy caught the sound of crashing trees, and then saw the path the robot was bashing into the forest, shouting for the princess. The dragon turned gravely worried. "This is not good." She twisted around, and rushed back to Knothole.

At the rebel hideout, it had been widely agreed, after hearing of Uncle Chuck's choice to return to Robotropolis, that the doomsday device was their real focus, and always should have been. They needed to destroy it while Robotnik was focusing elsewhere.

Sally was leaning over a map out on the grassy field with Bunnie, Sonic, Antoine, and several other rebels, including Rotor. "With that robot out there, we can't just attack, even with Sonic for a distraction," Sally listed off seriously, pointing to the base of the doomsday facility tower. "I think we need to find one of the access tunnels to its lower levels, and come in from below."

Antoine was gnawing on his lower-lip. "And once we are being inside, ma Prinzess?"

The squirrel woman lifted Nicole from her boot. "Nicole, display schematics for the Doomsday facility."

"Processing, Sally…" And a ray of light created a blue and black out-line of the facility's interior.

Looking to Antoine with her bright blue eyes, the leader of the resistance smiled. "Thanks to Uncle Chuck, we know exactly what to hit once we're inside. We just have to get in."

Rotor nodded. "And I've been rigging up more heavy-duty weaponry designed to target robots especially. I've found a gas compound that corrodes metal an accelerated rate. Once I have a good delivery system for it, I'll let you guys know."

Sonic grinned, giving a thumbs up. "Way past cool, Rotor."

"Sally!"

Everyone looked up, startled, and then dove for the ground as Dulcy careened just over them, slamming into the grass and skidding to a halt just shy of really damaging one of the cottages. The dragon, however, stumbled back up, not giving herself a chance to be confused as she found Sally with her still shaking eyes. "Sally, the robot's in the forest!"

A shocked gasp rushed through the group, even Sonic gawking at the dragon. Sally's heart sank through her feet. "…How far, Dulcy?"

"Not very deep yet. He's just bashing trees down and shouting for you. I think he wants to you go meet him or something crazy like that."

Bunnie firmed. "Well that darn rust-bucket sure has lost it, hasn't 'e? What's the plan, Sally-girl?"

Hopping away already, Rotor waved to them. "I'll see if I can't get some of that compound rigged up to toss at it!"

Sally firmed down at the map, only vaguely registering Rotor's offered idea. Bunnie waited, assuming the squirrel just needed time to think of a good strategy, but Sonic stepped closer to their leader, and put his hand on her shoulder.

"…We'll stop it this time, Sal."

She came out of her daze, and gave him a half-smile, confident and calm. Looking back at the map as Sonic stepped back from her, however, she turned distant and grave herself. The memory of that cold arm and hand grasping her, moving through her fur… Her skin was crawling already, but… The machine had not harmed her, not physically. And it was obviously deliberate on the part of the robot.

"Rotor!" she suddenly called loudly.

The walrus stopped in the distance. "Yeah, Princess?"

"Put some of that gas in a canister for personal use. I'll bring it with me just in case."

Rotor paused awkwardly as everyone stared at the young squirrel woman. Sonic's eyes were widening. "Wait… Sal, you're not sayin'--" she cut him off with a calm look.

"He wants me, Sonic, and he's incredibly dangerous. I think I can manipulate his focus on me to some kind of benefit, or at least stop him from attacking us."

Bunnie stomped up. "Now wait a darn second, here, Sally-girl! There is no way any of us are jus' gonna let ya hand yourself over to that … thing!"

"Bunnie's right, Sal. I'm not letting you go out there alone!" Sonic proclaimed quite firmly himself.

Sally shook her head firmly. "No, not this time. You saw it, Sonic. He won't hurt me. He did, however, attack you and Antoine when you tried to get between us. I have to do this alone. I have the best shot of getting anything done… even if it's just getting close enough to douse it in that stuff Rotor's discovered."

It seemed they were all silenced, but Bunnie had her arms crossed, and Sonic looked as though he'd swallowed a rotting chili-dog. Sally nodded to them, her manner entirely stoic and firm, and walked to the edge of the grassy clearing. In a few minutes, Rotor came up to her, holding out a jar filled with green fluid. She smiled calmly, nodded her thanks, and told him to return to the others.

She was just moving out of sight with a familiar rush caught up to her, and Sonic appeared in her way, his face set firmly. Sally did pause, looking at him in a similar manner to his own. "I have to do this, Sonic. It's me he wants, I can't waste lives."

"I'm not gonna let you do this, Sal."

Sally looked down to the side coldly. "It has to be done. Stand aside."

She was startled despite her attempted stoicism when Sonic grabbed her shoulders, shaking her firmly. "No! I saw you, Sal! I saw you after that monster touched you! You do not have to sacrifice your heart to that thing! Your dignity, your feelings, all of it! I saw how much that hurt before, I will not let you do it again!"

It cracked her shell. The princess blinked at him, her eyes widened. "…I'm the leader, Sonic," her face became serious, but was sincere this time. It was the real Sally talking. "I have to be willing to give myself up for my people, our world… I…" She closed her eyes, bowing her head.

Sonic's hands slowly came away from her shoulders, the hedgehog looking at her with a deep sorrow in his own eyes.

The squirrel steadied herself with a breath. "I can't tell you… how much it means to me that you'd see it. Understand how I felt. You're my best friend, Sonic. …You have to let me go, or I'm not fighting for anything, I'm just giving Robotnik trouble. This is when it matters."

"But none of us want you to do this, Sal. No one is asking you to … to let that thing crush your heart into the ground."

Sally bowed her head again, her brow shaking faintly. Those cold metal fingers running over her cheek… "No… You're all good people, you wouldn't ask it. I have to give it, or I'm not who I say I am." And she started past him, her face focused and distant again.

"No!"

She actually yelped as the hedgehog grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him. She was about to resist him, shout at him for grabbing her so violently, when she gawked at his face.

Tears were in his eyes, but his face was rigid with focus. He was completely in his right mind, but his emotions were pouring out. "I can't stand it!" he managed through a tight throat. "I won't let that thing touch you! I know you, how kind you are. Maybe you can hand your own heart over to that monster, but I can't. Your heart is what I'm fighting for, Sal! So you can find your father, free Mobius, and smile that amazing smile you always do without worrying about Robotnik anymore." His jaw clenched, and then he finished, "There is no way I'm leaving you alone with that copy."

"S-Sonic…" she breathed, looking at his eyes.

He looked down, at his hand clenched around her arm, and quickly let go, bowing his head. "…I'm sorry… Did… Did I hurt your arm?"

The squirrel slowly shook her head. "No… you just startled me…"

A little nod showed that he'd heard her.

Sally slowly put her hand on his shoulder. "…Sonic… I had no idea you felt like this…"

He was blushing this time, but remained as grave and sad as before. "I didn't really… realize it myself until this whole… Metal Sonic… thing…" He looked up into her eyes again, his head slowly shaking. "I can't let you get hurt like that again, Sal. Not after Bunnie, not after that look on your face." He winced a bit. "…Not after I know what it's like to hold you in my arms and have you relax because I'm there."

Sally blushed herself, looking down, but was serious also. "… I didn't mean to do this to you, Sonic… I'm so sorry…"

His hand came up, and cupped her cheek. It brought her face up gently, her eyebrows rising at his gentle touch. "But I'm glad you did, Sal… I can't do this… this whole… thing… Not without you."

Tears were welling up in her eyes as she shivered, looking at him sorrowfully. "…Please don't tell me this now…"

"I have to… I can't let you face that thing alone."

She finally sank her face down into his shoulder. "…I don't want to face this without you, Sonic. Any of it… He tried to kill you just for coming near me, but he didn't attack me. I have to take this chance. I can't put your life in danger if I can avoid it."

"…Look at me."

She eased back, looking into his eyes. Sonic softly cradled her jaw in his hands, focusing into her saddened gaze. "We're in this together, Sal."

"Together…" she echoed breathlessly.

Her hero nodded gently. Sonic started to talk quietly again, but he was silenced.

Sally just pushed closer, and closed his mouth with her own, her eyes falling shut as she reached up between his arms to hold his cheeks. Sonic blushed powerfully, startled, but then his eyes fell closed as well, and he relaxed closer to her, his thumbs caressing the fur under her eyes.

She held the kiss, stroking her hands down onto his neck softly, not wanting to let go, nor pull away. It was so wonderful near him, it felt so safe, there was so much hope. She didn't even know how electrified he felt, to have her warm lips caressing his own, willingly, happily, opening her heart in front of him. He wanted time to freeze right there, so he could hold her forever, keep her safe, keep her happy.

But, at length, they broke their kiss… smiling gently at each other. Sally almost laughed, blushing. "I… hadn't realized how long I've wanted to do that…"

Her hero smirked. "I didn't know I'd been waiting for it even longer."

She squeaked, embarrassed and amused, burying her face in his shoulder. They both became serious again, their happy reverie melting under the ominous knowledge of Metal Sonic closing in on their home.

Sally slowly pushed back from Sonic, and looked into his eyes evenly, equally. "How can I not face him, Sonic? I can't be such a coward."

He placed his hand on her shoulder. "Remember the fight at the tower? How he only got angry when I got in the way?"

She nodded. "So you're willing to just stand there unless it gets out of hand?" her incredulous voice was both grave and softly amused. She was always fond of his brash courage, it just wasn't tactically wise.

This time, however, her beloved hedgehog looked her in the eyes with no pretense, no put-on attitude. He just said, "I'll never run again, if it'll keep me at your side."

Her eyes widened at the deep sentiment coming from his lips.

"Just please let me be there in case he goes psycho. I know you're strong, Sal, you can handle that pervert touching you, but he's a killing machine, you know that better than most. You need back up."

It was calm, logical, and real. Sally finally exhaled, and nodded to him. "You're right. I shouldn't take foolish risks beyond necessity." She smiled softly after finishing. "Mind carrying me?"

"Your loyal stead, as ever, my lady!" he declared with much show and bravado, doing a big bow and waving his arms down.

Sally's giggle was cut off with a playful yelp as the speedy hedgehog zipped her off her feet, and charged through the forest.

(Later…)

Metal Sonic was spinning around, his fist aiming for yet another tree-trunk, when he froze, his optics locking deeper into the forest, flashing with red light. Sonic blazed up, stopping about ten meters away from the robot, and let Sally down from his arms. Metal narrowed his optics at Sonic, but the blue hedgehog stepped a few paces away from Sally, firmly angered at having to do so for the sake of the plan. Sally herself was stoic again, firm and focused, with the jar of chemicals strapped under her vest on her back. "You wanted me," she called firmly.

The robot focused back on her, and slowly nodded. He eased upright from his lunging stance, and walked toward her. Sally straightened her posture, just looking at him, waiting for him. Metal closed to within just a few paces, Sonic glowering, but unmoved.

"What do you want?" Sally challenged firmly.

Metal's left claw came up, contorting faintly as if already stroking her cheek, but still nearly a meter away. "I want to touch your face…"

Sonic's jaw clenched, but Sally just tilted her face up slightly. "Fine. Touch my face."

Metal came closer, his hand reaching out. Though the princess was visibly fine, she was disciplining a shiver in her spine. But the robot stopped, his hand hovering centimeters from the fur on her cheek. Her eyes allowed some faint curiosity to appear as he actually shivered, his claw shaking near her face. It was as if some invisible force were freezing him before he could contact her fur. Sonic was watching with grim intrigue at this point.

Finally, Metal's voice chilled the air in front of Sally's nose. "You do not want me to."

Her brow creased faintly. "No, I do not."

His optics seemed to sharpen, but she couldn't tell why this time. It was a rage… but he was staring through her, not at her as he was consumed by it. When he glanced at Sonic with the same cold ferocity, Sally's heart almost went hollow… but then it spoke again.

"Because I am not Sonic."

Both of the organic creatures blinked at him.

Metal actually stepped back, his entire body shaking. "Won't… smile for… me… Only… Sonic… I am not… Sonic…"

Abruptly his right claw shot out, toward Sally. Sonic jerked to attack him, but Sally snapped her left hand toward her hero. "No, look," she whispered sharply.

Metal had clamped his left hand around his right forearm, literally restraining himself from reaching for her. "She won't… smile… for me… Can't… touch… Won't… smile…"

Sally focused on him, mixed between curiosity and disgust still. There was, however, a bit of pity starting to mix into her feelings. "You're obeying my will?"

He twitched, his optics flickering at her. "…Yessss." He twitched again, then added, "You don't… smile at me… Only friends… and him…"

But in that exact moment, far away from the three in the forest, deep in the heart of the industrial facility of Robotropolis, Robotnik sneered. He rubbed his hands together, and then reached down, commanding his prepared signal to broadcast…

And Metal Sonic suddenly lurched, his false voice distorting into a screech. Sally jerked back, Sonic leaping in front of her. The robot's back arched, his razor-fins revving violently as his optics flickered and flashed.

"P-priority 1! Freedom fighters! Priority 1… Smile." He started to twist and jerk as his programming warred with itself, his new adaptations and old, systemic rules clashing inside his neurological matrix. "Destroy targets! Want smile! W-want… destroy… w-want…"

Sonic pushed Sally further back. "It's all the old programming. Looks like you broke 'im, Sal… again." He actually smirked with some of his old confidence.

Sally dryly glared at his spines. "Not now, Sonic… He's completely divided, though. What would cause this?"

Suddenly the robot grabbed his own head, and roared with animalistic fury, his faceplate venting mist through the air. "ENOUGH!" It startled both of the organics in front of him, his optics flaring as his razor-fins revved with constant ferocity. "I… will not… Attack targets! NO!" He lurched back, arching, his claws wrenching through the air. "I will not kill her!" The programming war started to shatter, break down inside him. "I want her to smile at me!" He finally folded over himself, and went very still, the fins halting as his body faintly shifted with air-recycling.

Sally eased around Sonic, eyeing the robot warily. It was obviously still active. Sonic glanced at her side-long, and she slowly nodded, then spoke. "What is your priority 1?"

Metal Sonic raised his head, looking at her with his red optics, and then slowly uprighted. "…I make my own priorities." He seemed calm, indeed mechanical. "You will not smile at me for many reasons. Currently, I function so that you will smile at me."

Sonic blinked at him, but Sally stepped out from behind her hero completely, and approached the robot, a grave curiosity in her eyes as she started to realize something. "…You want me to smile at you?"

The robot nodded.

"So you're willing to do things that will make me smile?"

Now Sonic could see where she was going with this. He smirked, and crossed his arms, waiting to see how it panned out.

Metal nodded again. "Ideally, I could join the resistance fighters, so as best to optimize common time of activity, and best produce results that will ensure your smile."

Sally firmed, looking at him. "Destroying trees in our forest does not make me want to smile, robot."

His optics flickered, and he turned to the nearest shattered stump. He walked over, gripped the several-ton tree he'd knocked down, and hefted it up with rather frightful ease, planting it down on the shattered stump. When he waited there, however, he realized it would not hold together, and his systems informed him that any energy bindings would simply set the plant on fire. He let it fall down to the side again, with a loud crash.

Looking back to Sally, he said, "I can not repair the trees."

Sally nodded, but was resisting a smile. "Trees take centuries to grow, but they can be destroyed very easily. Will you obey my commands as a resistance fighter, or will you simply wait for me to smile at you, and then revert to some other priority?"

Metal Sonic was still for a moment, processing the information she gave him, and monitoring her muscle-structure, vital signatures, and voice patterns. "It is a repeating priority. You smile frequently at him," he looked to Sonic for a moment, "but never at me."

"So you want to keep making me smile?" she asked, crossing her arms and looking at him dryly.

"Yes."

"Work for the resistance, and I'll start smiling at you… We need a better name for you now, don't we?"

"You may designate me as you wish, but I will do as you say."

Sally raised an eyebrow again, and then let herself smile a bit at him. She was a bit surprised, though she remained calm, at how much it affected the robot. His optics widened, flashed, and his razor-fins rushed through one brief-cycle.

"See?" she decided to say casually, tossing one hand into an airy wave.

Smiled… at me… He slowly nodded.

Sonic stepped up, and put his arm across Sally's shoulders, testing the robot as Sally smiled gently at him. He smiled at her as well, glad of the real excuse. The machine did seem bothered, but did not move. "You were called Metal Sonic, right?" the hedgehog asked first.

The robot nodded.

Sonic shrugged, and looked to the princess. "Shorten it? Call 'im… Metic or something?"

Sally glanced off. "Metic… hmm… That works. Do you mind being called Metic?" she asked the robot directly.

"Designation logged. I am Metic."

Sally nodded. Sonic eased away from her. He'd not been trying to be too familiar with her, though happy of the embrace. The squirrel, however, gave Metic a firm look. "I have a question for you, Metic."

"Ask."

"You tried to kill me, Bunnie, and Antoine before. Why?"

"I was programmed to."

"And what's changed?"

His optics flickered. "I make my own programming." Memory was accessed, and he focused on Sally again. "You flinch at my proximity because of that battle, because of the damage to the one named Bunnie."

Sally firmed darkly. "You tore her apart."

"Sal," Sonic muttered in warning.

Metic, however, shrank one optic, as if considering the information. His systems were analyzing Sally's mood-shift, expression, and tone. It became a sub-priority, recognized as a major obstacle to her smiling at him, this 'tearing apart' of Bunnie. "She is dead?"

"Fortunately for you, no," Sally continued. "We managed to replace her limbs, but now she will never be de-roboticized."

"There is no such device."

"Not yet!" Sally snapped darkly.

Sonic raised an eyebrow at the princess. He realized her calm humor with the robot had been more forced than he'd first thought. She still remembered how disgusting it felt to be held, how much pain Metic had caused Bunnie… was still causing her.

Other sub-priorities were added to Metic's self-programming. "Understood… Princess."

Sally blinked. "You used my name before."

"You don't want me to."

Her eyebrows rose, and Sonic frowned with some manner of being impressed.

"You're actually thinking for yourself… You're predicting my ideas based on the signals I'm giving, aren't you?" Sally checked, a bit intrigued by this point.

"Correct."

Sonic smirked. "Not like it takes a genius to figure out you don't like him…"

"Correct."

That the robot responded so before Sally could even warn Sonic to be careful of his temper startled the princess, and she blinked at him. "You know I don't like you, but you're still willing to serve me?"

"My priority is your smile."

She smirked. "So you don't care if I hate you?"

"You don't smile at me if you hate me."

Sonic blinked. "…So you're hoping she'll start liking you?"

"All other functional paths are counter to priority."

The squirrel nodded slowly. "You understand that trying to make me smile will just make it less and less likely."

"Correct, Princess." Since he'd calmed after the programming war, Metic hadn't moved more than his optics while speaking with them.

Seeing the robot so passive, Sonic stepped over to Metic, standing beside him, and tapped the robot's chest with his knuckle. "Not bad…" He leaned back, as if comparing profiles. "Not as cool as the original of course."

Sally, however, was worried by the dark shrink the robot's optics went through as they focused side-long on the hedgehog. "Sonic… come back here…"

He blinked at her, saw her seriousness, and trotted back to her side quickly. She looked back to Metic. "Would you attack those who touched you? Or aggravated you in some way?"

Metic looked at her more calmly. "Harming your friends will not make you smile."

"Even if they attacked you?" Sally gravely checked, worried about the reaction from the other rebels if they brought him back.

"If damage was unavoidable, I would retreat. My priority is your smile."

Sonic blinked. "Whoa, so… you'd like… die to get her to smile?" He was snickering.

"Correct."

They both stared at the robot.

"Seriously?" Sonic asked, gawking.

Metic started to respond in one manner, and then his optics slanted at the hedgehog, and he said, "Seriously." It almost sounded like dry humor in his synthetic voice. Indeed, he sounded more dead-pan than like a monotone computer.

Sally blinked, realization washing over her face. "I get it! Robotnik programmed you with all of the data he has on Sonic! You have his personality in you, that's why you thought you were him!"

Focusing back on her, Metic nodded faintly. "Correct, Princess."

Sonic cringed. "Ew, you mean this thing has… my… emotions and stuff or something?"

Sally waved him down. "Don't be ridiculous, just recordable patterns of behavior."

Metic suddenly spoke in a fully toned, lively manner. "Gotta juice, kids!"

The real hedgehog went a bit pale, staring at the robot, while Sally was just startled by the life in the robot's voice. Then, seeing Sonic's reaction, she started to giggle. "Relax, Sonic! He's just mimicking you!"

Seeing her humor and lightness, Metic's optics relaxed open, analyzing her behavior down to the finest detail, even how the fur shook on her shoulders from the waves of her muscles as she giggled. Amused by his disturbance… Smiling for him.

Sonic glowered at Sally, but then they both noticed the way the machine was looking at her, his head even tilted slightly. Sally turned a bit grave, disturbed that he was analyzing her so closely. He noticed that, too, of course, and immediately broke his stare, looking down at the grass. It let Sally relax a bit, and she considered him. He gets it, though… He just hasn't experienced it enough. This is… so strange. I almost feel bad for him now… But he's the one who… She shut her eyes against the memories.

Turning around, the princess waved. "Come on, Metic. Follow Sonic and me. If you have any way Robotnik can track you, please find a way to stop it."

Metic paused, tilting his head, and then his right claw came up, and actually rammed into the side of his own head. Sonic and Sally stared in mild horror as the robot, his optics dimming, wrenched a small device out of his own head. It was blinking periodically before it was crushed to dust in his palm.

And then they saw something even more horrifying for its implications. The hole in his head warped backed together, and evened out as his body glowed through the trace-lines and diamond-glass parts, his optics returning to their usual brightness. "All tracking devices removed, Princess."

Sonic gulped. "You really weren't kidding. You'd tear yourself apart if she asked you to."

"You wouldn't?" Metic asked Sonic flatly, staring at him.

Sally blinked at the response, and looked to Sonic softly. The hedgehog glared at the robot. "…I'd do anything for her."

"So would I."

It disturbed Sally this time. "Enough, Metic. Thank you for removing the device. Let's go."

Sonic picked her up, and she smiled gently at him to show she was alright. Metic waited, bracing, and when Sonic shot off, he rushed after them, keeping a few meters behind. As he ran, Sonic whispered to Sally. "This is going to be hard to get past the others. Especially Bunnie…"

His love nodded, quite grave. "I know… We're still on thin ice with him in that respect. So let's be careful, and remember he's a real asset to us. Try to defend that when the others get mad… Please."

Sonic looked at her seriously, but then nodded. "I'm with you on this one."

She smiled, and put her forehead against his jaw. "And I can't thank you enough."

It let him smile as well.

Behind them, Metic saw it, though they didn't realize he heard every word they said as well. Asset. Understood. Must not give resistance fighters additional reasons to feel threatened. Princess wants an asset. His memory files activated again, re-playing Bunnie's pained scream and the destruction of her three limbs. If Bunnie smiles, it will help Sally smile. It would greatly affect his sub-priority of one of the major obstacles to the princess' smile. He had a chance, he would not waste it. …But she did smile so easily for the original.

(The dark city…)

Snively was twitching faintly as he stared across the dark, black-metal chamber at Robotnik. The tyrant was leaning over in his chair, his modified eyes glaring down into the little screen in front of him. It showed static. Then, however, he sat back, and rotated the throne around to look at his small nephew. "Snively, it is time to focus back on Doomsday. The modifications should be under way already, yes?" His voice was dangerously calm.

Quickly snapping a data-board up from the console, Snively read it over, and nodded, sweating. "Y-yes, sah. The tunneling process completed on schedule, and the changes are already being implemented. It is roughly twelve-percent complete."

Robotnik nodded slowly, turned the throne back to the larger screens. "Good. That's very good, Snively." He laced his fingers together, and looked at the replay of the data-war, which had been waged inside Metic's head. But how…? I can't waste time on the contraption now, of course, but how did this happen? He's still a machine, behavior based on programming, but the programming itself is… adapting around priorities he set for himself. No matter. I'll just have to take him apart to see what happened after reducing this entire planet to a polluted, metallic cityscape… Oh how beautiful it will be.

Snively cringed as the cold, satisfied laugh echoed through the chamber.

(Elsewhere…)

Under Robotropolis, a particular service-bot, resembling a canister with a wide, visor-equipped head, tubular arms, and little treads instead of legs, rolled down onto a catwalk… and froze in its tracks. Inside the robot, Uncle Chuck himself stared in growing dread at the start of the massive tunnel the swat-bot army had dug toward the Doomsday device.

Great shades of Mobius… He never gave up on it. I have to find out more!

The little robot rapidly rolled down onto the main floor, and spotted a convoy of like-designed robots that were rushing into the wide tunnel. They made swift progress, but the tunnel was incredibly long. More than that, Sir Charles could see huge patrols of swat-bots everywhere. Though he hadn't seen the original force start marching into the beginnings of the tunnel, he was quickly getting an idea of its true number.

After a surprisingly long ride, Uncle Chuck guided his camouflage robot up onto a ramp in a large chamber filled with massive tubes, a labyrinth of catwalks rising and crossing high above, and bright lights glaring all around the black metal walls. He knew where he was… inside Doomsday, below ground level.

What startled him was the obvious changes the army of swat-bots and service-bots were conducting on just the chamber he could see. The huge tubes were being re-connected to different junctions, and shipments of parts were crossing the ceiling to get to the rest of the huge facility. Robotnik was practically rebuilding the facility from the inside out, Sir Charles could tell.

No wonder he was pulling everything into the main facility. He was just shipping it out underground… But he could have had it up and running… weeks ago by now. He's changing it completely. All the core systems are being ripped out and re-built.

Rolling over to a console with other service-bots, Uncle Chuck quickly accessed the basic data-structure. He was surprised again. Every level, even the most basic information, was quadruple encrypted with randomized access keys. Without a built-in transponder to attune to it, he would need hours. But so much security would slow the workers down even more. What on Mobius was Robotnik doing?

Though frustrated by the lack of access, Uncle Chuck knew enough to warn Knothole, and that's exactly what he had to do next. Backing up, the little service-bot that contained him revved back down into the huge tunnel. He'd modeled the speed after the same rate used by service-bots responding to command-priority requests. Effectively, he was running as if another job had just drafted him. Staying out of the way of the patrolling swat-bots to avoid unnecessary complications, he reached the basement of the central tower in Robotropolis, and quickly made his way back into the city itself.

Once back in his little hideout, Sir Charles got out of the suit, ran to his console, and brought a messenger bird-bot up from a storage chamber inside the console itself. He wrote down the basic facts as clearly as he could, rolled it up, and stuffed it down in the little robot's message chamber. "Go!"

The robotic bird shot off like a bolt, registering the urgency in his voice as an unspoken command to use maximum speed. Uncle Chuck slumped back into his chair, holding a hand to his forehead. "The only reason we're not dead already is because he changed plans…"

(Author's Note)

Thanks for the glowing reviews all. I really appreciate them. With this chapter, we see the real arc I've intended for 'Metic' from the very beginning. Now, the question is, can his warped programming actually turn him into an ally, or is too chaotic to work with? The Metic arc of the plot, obviously the intended focus by the title of the story, will make or break the story for the reader. You either like what I'm doing, or you don't. If you do like it, however, the next chapter should get your attention.

Regarding the previous chapter, I especially enjoyed Sally's reaction to the robot trying to show her 'affection' (and, of course, I really enjoy the Sally moments in this chapter in particular). I felt the emotional chaos of her situation was authentic, I felt it worked. I hope that came across for you guys. And I got a particular enjoyment out of 'Metic' (Metal at the time) in that brief moment where he says, "Full stop," after catching Sonic. Just cold, intimidating, and scary. I liked it.

The obvious romantic content of this chapter, and the pan-story focus on the emotional state of characters is what makes this fan-fic unique for me as a writer. The focus on emotions, their causes, and reactions is much bigger in this fan-fic than most of my work. Indeed, I'd say the emotions are almost a sub-plot unto themselves, responding to the context of the 'main' plot. I didn't really intend this when I first envisioned the story, but I like it. I hope you guys do, too.