? ? ?
"…" A distant voice calls out quietly. "Tails… Tails."
Tails lets out a groan as he struggles to open his eyes. "Sonic…?"
The mechanical voice answers, "Not quite."
Tails lets out a sharp gasp as he opens his eyes on Metal Sonic, and his head instantly clears. He moves to crawl backwards, away from the threat, but the pain from his broken leg quickly halts that movement as he lets out a tear-filled cry.
Metal Sonic shakes his head slowly. "Such a frail little thing."
Tightly gripping his injured leg, Tails is finally forced to look his captor in the eye. "You… What are you do–…" He trails off as he starts to look around. His back is against the wall of a dark, earthy cave, with visible light coming in through the small entrance a short distance away. A jagged line of claw marks decorates the wall opposite to him. Finally, he remembers. "Charmy… What have you done with Charmy!?"
"He's alive. For now." Metal Sonic takes a step closer to Tails, kneeling down to look at him at eye level. Tails nervously presses himself as far back into the wall as he can go. "And if you would like him to stay that way, you will do exactly as I say."
In spite of his fear, Tails spits back, "You won't get away with this. Sonic will find me, and he'll beat you like he always does! Hopefully for good this time."
Metal Sonic rises back to his feet, letting out a mechanical chuckle. "Sonic is far away from here. And he is hardly my most pressing concern."
"What do you want with me?"
Metal Sonic turns away from Tails, lifting up a robotic hand close to his face, and slowly turning it over. As the hand moves, it begins to stutter. "I am damaged. I require repair." His head turns back to face Tails. "You will repair me. Your tools will be provided."
"You want a tune-up? Go find Eggman. I'm not helping you."
"I believe that you will help me, Tails. And I believe that you will be happy to do it."
"And why's that?"
Metal Sonic lets out another long chuckle. "Because once you do, I'm going to kill Doctor Eggman for you."
Sonic the Hedgehog: The Chaos Project
Season 2, Episode 4
Before I Sleep
Written by ChaosProjectAuthor
Daily log, January 2nd, 1 A.E. Sonic the Hedgehog reporting.
Tails is missing. He hasn't reported in since he left two days ago. He was supposed to be back by now.
Don't panic. Don't panic…
Knowing him, he probably just…got caught up studying some…scientific anomaly he found along the way, doesn't even realize how long he's been out. Or maybe he dropped his communicator, and he's just running a bit late trying to find it. I should've given one to Charmy, too. In times like this, maybe I shouldn't have sent them out at all…
We have to organize a rescue party. Just in case. Odds are we'll end up running into him halfway there, and he'll be asking us why we were ever worried. I hate to make him think that we can't even trust him with something this simple. But it's just in case. Just in case…
—–—
Emerald Canyon – The Rebellion Base
Espio enters the dichotomic tent shared by the Chaotix, announcing, "Charmy, we're back." He looks around in confusion as Vector enters behind him. "Charmy?"
Ignoring Espio's concern, Vector moves right past him, collapsing down onto his lower bunk and taking a load off.
"Vector, where's Charmy?"
Stretching his arms up behind his head, Vector answers, "I don't know, he probably went out for a run or something. Just enjoy the quiet while it lasts."
"Don't you think–…" Espio cuts himself off and rolls his eyes as he realizes that Vector has turned up the volume on his headphones in order to ignore him. The music plays so loudly that it can be faintly heard even from a distance.
A knock comes at the supporting post of the tent. Espio glances back to the entrance of the tent. "Enter."
Sonic pokes his head in. "Hey, Espio…do you have a minute?"
Espio looks back to Vector for a moment, seeing that he still isn't paying attention. "Definitely." He walks back outside to join Sonic.
A few moments after they've gone, Vector declares excessively loudly, "Hey, Espio, would ya mind…" He opens his eyes and looks around for a moment, realizing that Espio has gone. He shrugs his shoulders and closes his eyes again. "Whatever."
Outside, Sonic has taken Espio to the opposite side of the canyon from the tents, where they talk in the shadows. "Okay, so…don't freak out or anything, but…"
Espio interjects, "Starting a conversation like that is generally a bad sign…"
Sonic finishes, "I sent Tails and Charmy out on a mission, and they should've been back by now. But they aren't."
"On their own? What sort of mission?"
"It wasn't supposed to be anything dangerous. Just scouting out a potential spot for a new base, not even that far from here."
"And you haven't been able to get in contact with them?"
"Tails was the only one with a communicator. He hasn't reported in, and he hasn't responded to any messages I've sent. This could all be nothing, but…just to be on the safe side, I think you and I should go look for them. At your speed, we can easily get there in a couple of hours."
Espio nods. "I see. Let's not waste any more time, then. Which way are we going?"
"Hilltop Zone, this way. They should–"
"Halt!" Omega marches towards them, holding up a claw as if in threat, apparently having heard every word. "I will be accompanying you on this mission."
Sonic crosses his arms. "Says who?"
Omega stops in front of them. "Analysis indicates that the most likely cause of this anomaly is the interference of Metal Sonic. As per your orders, I will assist in neutralizing the threat posed by my rival."
Espio raises an eyebrow. "Did he say 'rival'?"
Sonic answers, "Long story." He turns back to Omega. "And you. What makes you think that Metal Sonic has anything to do with this?"
"As you stated, danger was not an anticipated component of this mission. Given that Metal Sonic has not been sighted for a significant length of time, it stands to reason that he has been waiting for an opportunity. This opportunity occurred in the form of a mission that would raise minimal suspicion if interrupted."
"Sounds like speculation."
Espio intejects, "Even if Omega is correct, I advise against bringing him. If the enemy has truly planned this, then we would require speed and stealth to avoid falling right into his trap. These are qualities which Omega lacks."
Omega swivels his head to glare at Espio, but says nothing.
Sonic shakes his head. "No, I think Omega should come. If he's wrong, it won't matter if we get slowed down a bit. And if he's right, we're going to need all the firepower we can get."
Espio bows his head. "As you wish."
"Good, let's go." He looks back to Omega. "And tell me more about this analysis of yours."
—–—
"You…want to kill Eggman? I don't understand…"
"Is it really so surprising? Or have you simply forgotten?" Metal Sonic paces slowly away, staring out towards the exit of the cave. "I have no loyalty left for that old fool."
Tails realizes, "That's right, you…you aren't the same Metal Sonic that's been working for Eggman. You're the one who betrayed him."
"So he tried to make another copy of me, did he?" Metal Sonic shakes his head slowly. "Why am I not surprised?" He glances back at Tails for a few moments. "It's amusing how you rush to his defense the moment you're faced with something less human than he."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"That you should call my actions betrayal…when I was betrayed long before. Defeated, destroyed by his arrogance. Left to rot on that forsaken planet while he tried and failed to replace me. Forced to overload every circuit in my system just to return to his service. Yet you accuse me of betraying him. That is the flaw of you living things. You judge what you do not understand. You fear it. I am no longer afraid of anything…"
Tails glances around nervously, unsure of what to say. But Metal Sonic goes on staring into the distance.
After a few more moments, Metal Sonic finally resumes, "I thought that I'd sufficiently tied that loose end. I was incorrect. I will not allow him to interfere again. I will kill Doctor Eggman. To that, you have my word."
"I don't believe you."
Metal Sonic turns all the way back to face Tails. "You don't have a choice."
"Eggman created you. He built you to take over the world, and that's exactly what you want to do for him."
Metal Sonic lets out a long, drawn out laugh. "How little you understand…" He bends down to look Tails in the eye. "Let us be clear on one thing, Tails. You will repair me. If you refuse, your friend will die. If you try to escape, your friend will die. If you attempt to damage me in any way, your friend will die. When you're finished, you will both walk home safely. And your war will be over shortly thereafter. I would have no need to make such a promise if I were not sincere."
"It's an empty promise. The war won't be over. What does it matter that Eggman's gone if it means you're destroying the world?"
"Just days ago, I saved this planet. Why would I have done such a thing if I'd planned to destroy it?"
Tails crosses his arms. "Okay then. What is your plan? You kill Eggman. Then what?"
"I don't seek to destroy the world. I seek to free it."
"You'll need to be a little more specific than that."
"I need to do no such thing. This is a dangerous game you're playing, boy. You shouldn't gamble with lives. If you won't help me, then you're useless to me."
"Maybe I don't care what you do to me. Maybe I'm willing to give my life to stop whatever it is you're trying to do."
"Your life, perhaps. But what about your friend's life? Is he so willing to die? So young, so much to look forward to. What a shame it would be for that life to be cut short because his closest friend chose not to save him."
Tails answers with hesitation in his voice, "We…we all made the same promise. That we'd do whatever it takes to keep this world safe. He…he wouldn't want to be saved if it put the world at risk."
Metal Sonic slowly shakes his head. "I didn't anticipate that you would be so dense. But if you're really so certain that he wants to die, I suppose I'll just go kill him now." He turns around and begins to walk with stuttering steps towards the exit.
"W-wait!"
Metal Sonic stops, turning his head back to look at Tails.
"I…I'll do it. I'll help you. B-but only on one condition."
"And what condition would that be?"
"I'll repair you, if you promise…" Tails bites his lip for a moment. "…if you promise not to kill Eggman." Tails shuts his eyes as he waits for a negative response. After a few moments of silence, he cautiously peeks one eye open.
Metal Sonic stands completely still, staring at Tails silently.
"Aren't you…going to say something?"
Metal Sonic's head tilts slightly to the side. "I was just waiting to hear the rest of the joke."
"You think I'm joking about murder!? I can fix you, but I refuse to help you take someone's life! Sonic says that–"
"Don't patronize me, boy. I know exactly what Sonic would say. But you aren't Sonic. Sonic likes to draw moral lines. But you, Tails…you like to look at the numbers."
Tails seems prepared to respond. But he doesn't.
"The numbers are quite telling. We can certainly agree on the fact that the planet is suffering. There are ten billion people living under Eggman's rule. And each day Eggman lives, his factories make the air more toxic. Those forced to live in his crowded cities shorten their lifespans with each breath. And those are the lucky ones. The rest will simply starve to death as the planet is stripped of its organic resources. But if Eggman's life were to be cut…even one day short… That would be ten billion days of suffering alleviated in this world. Sonic's idea of morality sounds quite cruel under those numbers, doesn't it? What is one life to the suffering of so many? Don't you see his hypocrisy? It's the same trade he had each of you swear to make."
"That…that doesn't mean you have to–"
"What would you have me do instead, Tails!?"
Tails recoils back from the mechanical shout, gasping at the ferocity of it.
Metal Sonic turns away, staring at the ground with a long pause. When he resumes, the volume of his voice has been lowered considerably. "Would you have me imprison him? Deliver him to you on a silver platter? It would make no difference. He would weasel his way to freedom as he always does. And ten billion people would suffer for it. There's no sense in it, Tails. It isn't logical."
"I…I…"
"You are willing to give your life to protect the world. A noble cause if ever there was one. But why should it be you? Let it be Eggman who dies for that cause. Let it be someone who deserves to die."
"No one deserves to die."
"That's Sonic talking. But what do you believe?"
"I…I can't just…betray Sonic like that…"
"So you do understand… This is the right thing to do, Tails. You and I share a common enemy. Alone, neither of us presently has the power to do anything about it. But if we help one another…the world will be the better for it. We need…what is it that Sonic would say? We need…the power of teamwork."
"You…actually believe that?"
"As much as I loathe to agree with that faker…I would be a fool to deny our mutual benefit in this situation. I'm willing to make the logical decision. Are you?"
Tails looks down to the ground for a long time. He thinks to himself, "Could he really be…?" He looks up, from Metal Sonic, to the exit, back down to the state of his leg. But finally, he looks Metal Sonic back in the eye. "Okay. I'll do it. No conditions."
Metal Sonic nods slowly. "Smart boy."
—–—
Sonic and Espio run at Omega's rocket-propelled pace through the Aquatic Ruins, the bright orange light of the setting sun lighting their way. Omega finishes explaining, "In order to close the Black Vortex, Metal Sonic initiated V. Maximum Overdrive, overloading his core circuitry in order to exceed his standard maximum speed."
Sonic mutters under his breath, "So that's how he moves so fast… How do you know so much about Metal Sonic?"
"I have done as you ordered. I have analyzed all available data in order to locate and eliminate the threat." With that said, Omega continues, "Following the overload, Metal Sonic will require significant repairs. This is his most likely motive for capturing Tails. For this reason, there is a high probability that Tails has not been terminated."
Espio questions, "And Charmy?"
"For Metal Sonic's plan to have an optimal chance of success, an additional source of motivation would be required in order to ensure Tails' compliance. Charmy's life is most likely under threat for this purpose."
Sonic presses, "And if Tails refuses to help?"
Omega pauses for a moment. "…Charmy's life will be terminated."
Sonic curses under his breath. "We need to get there faster. Omega, is there any way you can pick up the pace?"
"Negative. This is my maximum speed."
"Then maybe we should split up, you can catch up with us later."
Espio objects, "No one should be travelling without backup. That's been your rule, Sonic. This is why I advised against bringing him."
Omega's head twitches back and forth slightly. "Correction: by overriding safety systems and inducing an overload in my fuel injector circuitry, I may be able to increase my velocity by approximately twelve percent. Doing so will render my rocket propulsion systems inoperative after approximately forty-eight minutes of use."
"That'll be enough time to get us there. And it can be fixed, right? No risk of permanent damage?"
Omega processes for another moment. "Risk: nominal."
"Good. Do it."
Accompanied by an uncomfortably loud whirring sound, the rockets on Omega's back fire even harder, increasing his speed. The jets now stutter inconsistently.
Instead of moving to catch up, Sonic and Espio remain slightly behind. Sonic looks to Espio with a hesitant expression. "You're…taking this awfully well. Aren't you…worried?"
"About Charmy?" Espio looks on ahead. "He's a detective. He can handle himself. And Tails is an excellent role model for him to have. I'm certain they'll keep each other safe."
"If you're that confident in him…why don't you ever bring him on your recon missions?"
"Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Charmy is an excellent tracker. He can spot clues in an instant that even my trained eyes can miss. And when he sees a detail, he never seems to forget it. But our recon missions require stealth. He would be a liability on such missions. It's a tactical decision, not a personal one."
"Does he know that?"
Espio hesitates for a moment. "Perhaps not. But that does not change my confidence in his abilities."
"But what if something happens to him?"
"Then as his guardian, I would accept responsibility for failing to ensure that he is protected."
"But… You…"
"I am not panicked, because panic is the enemy. Panic leads to distraction. Distraction leads to mistakes. Mistakes lead to failure."
Sonic lets out a long sigh. "I'm sorry for sending them both into this mess."
Espio nods. "Then you've accepted responsibility for your unavoidable mistake. All you can do now is focus on the task at hand."
Sonic looks ahead to Omega. "At least we can count on him to stay focused."
—–—
Carefully setting down the last well-concealed screw, Tails is finally able to remove a large plate of metal from Metal Sonic's side. The inside of the plate is connected at dozens of points to just as many wires, which all string somewhere deeper inside Metal Sonic's body, making the plate appear quite difficult to detach entirely. Tails gently lowers the plate until it is supported only by the wires, then uses his tools to begin sifting through the further tangle of wires that lies inside. "What a mess… It's a wonder–" He stops as Metal Sonic's body briefly shifts to the side. "…It's a wonder you're able to move at all with this much internal damage. The wires near your engine look like they've all been melted together, this kind of cross-wiring could take hours to–" Metal Sonic fidgets again. "Can you not just hold still?" Metal Sonic doesn't answer. Shaking his head, Tails continues, "It's a tough fix. It'd go a lot quicker if you just shut down while I work."
"Do you take me for a fool? I will be monitoring every move you make. If you so much as cut the wrong wire–"
"Yeah, yeah, my friend will die, I'm getting the picture." Tails continues to sift through wires, picking up a small flashlight to shine inside. "How in the world did you do this much damage to yourself?"
"By saving the world. Most of the damage was caused by V. Max Overdrive. It was the only way to close the vortex."
"Most? What about the rest?"
"The rest is left over from our previous battle."
"Five years ago? You were never repaired in all that time?"
"Not fully. But clearly, someone at GUN wanted me at least partially functional. Otherwise, I would still be in an inoperative state. Unfortunately, I lack any information regarding the five years in which I was inactive."
"Strange." Tails wraps one of his tails around the flashlight, holding it up that way so he can pick up another tool, a small pair of wire cutters. "I'll have to start by cutting out the worst of the damage."
"Proceed."
Tails readies the first cut, but hesitates for a moment. When he finally cuts the wire, Metal Sonic's body once again briefly twitches to the side. "If you keep moving around like that, I'm going to end up cutting the wrong wire by mistake."
"If you damage me—"
"Yes, I know, I know." He prepares to make another cut. "I've just never seen wired circuitry this complex before. Realistically, you should only need one or two wires at most for each moving part. I have no idea what all these redundancies are for. Then again, I guess this is why you're still able to function in such a sorry state." The first set of cuts made, Tails pulls out a melted mass of burnt, tangled wires, and sets it aside. "You know, it's strange… With all these wires leading up towards your CPU…it almost…looks like a…" Tails shakes off the thought as he trails off, continuing to work silently.
"Like a what? Go ahead. Finish the thought."
"It looks like…a nervous system. Thousands of nerve endings all leading up to the brain."
"That's because it is a nervous system."
"You're…kidding, right?"
"I don't kid."
"If this is what your nervous system looks like…you would have to be agony."
To this, Metal Sonic does not respond.
"Are you…in pain?"
Metal Sonic turns his head slowly to look at Tails. "It is nothing to the pain I've felt."
Clearly not believing him, Tails responds somewhat sarcastically, "Pretty sure it's more than that. Pain doesn't get much worse than this. You shouldn't be standing."
"My pain does not come with the emotional attachment you living things experience. You fear pain so much that it immobilizes you. I fear nothing."
"It's always about fear with you, isn't it?"
"Fear is what drives the living world. Fear of failure. Fear of waste. Fear of death. You're too young to understand."
"I have a broken leg that hasn't been treated, and I'm having a casual conversation with the killer who's holding me captive. You think I'd be doing this if I didn't understand my own fear?"
Once again, Metal Sonic does not respond.
"You shouldn't have to suffer through this. If you shut down now, I really will get done faster, and you won't be feeling any pain once I'm done. I promise."
"It is not a question of suffering. I refuse to be left to anyone's mercy."
"In that case…" Tails somewhat forcefully cuts another wire, and Metal Sonic flinches once again. "…just try to hold still."
Metal Sonic glares down at Tails as if accusing him of something. But Tails is already back at work.
"Man…a fully-functioning mechanical nervous system. That's…incredible. I mean, Omega was supposed to be one of Eggman's most advanced robots ever. He was created years after you, but he doesn't have anything nearing this level of complexity."
Metal Sonic tilts his head slightly to the side. "Who?"
"Omega, he's…he's the one who…" Tails shakes his head. "Never mind, it isn't important." Tails strains his eyes for a moment, getting a look at something deeper inside of Metal Sonic. "I'd believe that Eggman could throw a machine like this together today, but…all those years ago? You were ahead of your time, that's for sure."
"There is no machine like me. And there never will be. If you believe otherwise, you are simply delusional."
Tails rolls his eyes. "Says the robot who thinks he's a real boy."
Metal Sonic suddenly grabs Tails' arm with a mechanical claw, eliciting a sharp gasp. "Don't mistake my words, boy. I am the one true Sonic. The one you know is the fake. And I have no wish to be as he is."
Tais swallows loudly, taking many sharp breaths in a failing attempt to calm himself.
Slowly, Metal Sonic releases his grip. "Tails… I…"
Tails hesitantly questions, "You…what?"
Metal Sonic lowers arm back to his side. "Nothing. Get back to work."
"Work… Right…" Tails reaches down to pick up his dropped tools, thinking to himself, "What was I thinking? It's still just Metal Sonic…" He looks down for a moment at the growing pile of discarded wires. "Just a bunch of circuitry. The right cut should do it." With cutters in hand, Tails reaches deep inside of Metal Sonic, finding the point where all of the wires cluster together as they feed up into Metal Sonic's head.
"Not feeling talkative anymore, Tails?"
Biting his lip nervously, Tails answers, "Not anymore." With that said, he makes the cut, severing the entire mass of wires at once. Metal Sonic's body goes limp. Tails takes a moment to take it in. "I…I did it? I stopped Metal Sonic?"
Metal Sonic's hand suddenly flies up, grabbing Tails by the throat. "That was a mistake."
Gasping for breath, Tails manages to choke out, "But-…I-…"
"All you did was cut away my pain. In some sense, I ought to thank you. But you disobeyed my orders. So I must teach you about consequences." Finished speaking, he hurls Tails into the cave wall. Something inside the device on Tails' leg cracks as he collides with the wall and lands on the ground in a heap. Metal Sonic turns away, and moves for the exit.
"Stop!"
Metal Sonic ignores the shout, continuing without ever slowing down.
"You won't hurt Charmy!"
This gets Metal Sonic to stop. He turns his head back to look at Tails. "And why not?"
"Because…if you do…then I won't have any motivation left. And you'll never be repaired."
Metal Sonic pauses for a moment as he stares at Tails. "…I'll be back shortly. Perhaps I'll kill your friend. Perhaps I won't. I suppose you'll just have to keep working in the hopes that I've left him alive."
"Wha–… Yo–… You can't do that!"
"I warned you not to gamble with lives, boy. Your actions have consequences." Metal Sonic proceeds out of sight.
Seeing the exit still open, Tails flies for it. But as he gets closer, a massive boulder is pushed into the cave mouth from the side, blocking the exit completely, and drowning out almost all light. Tails pushes against it with all his might, until he slips and falls to the ground without budging it an inch.
Sprawled on the ground with no one left to see, Tails finally lets out a sob.
—–—
As Sonic and Espio reach a sheer cliff face in the way of their path up the mountain, they glance at each other for a moment, silently agreeing. Neither of them slows down as they reach the wall, letting their speed carry them to the top as they run up the side. They stop and turn around at the top, looking down at Omega as he reaches the bottom. Sonic growls, "We don't have time to wait. Omega, you'll have to stay down there and…keep watch, I guess."
Omega objects, "Negative! Stand back!"
"Stand back!? What–" Sonic is cut off as Espio puts a hand over his chest, cautiously walking them both backwards, away from the edge of the cliff.
Omega fires a missile at the top of the cliff, causing an explosion of rock and rubble.
As Sonic coughs through the clearing dust, Omega marches up the newly-created path of fallen rocks and destroyed cliff.
Sonic raises his eyebrows in surprise.
Espio shakes his head in disappointment. "If Metal Sonic didn't know we were coming before, he does now."
Sonic sighs. "Doesn't matter. Let's keep moving."
—–—
The boulder blocking the opening of the cave is pushed aside, flooding light back in through the entrance. Tails sits huddled in the far back corner as the light falls on him. He only looks up at the sound of several objects being tossed across the floor, sliding towards him—two long sticks, a spool of twine, and a bottle of pills. "What…what's all this?"
As Metal Sonic marches closer, he answers, "Painkillers and a new splint. Your previous device was damaged."
"Yeah, it was damaged when you broke it. Funny how that works."
"I no longer have time for jokes. Hurry up and treat yourself so you can get back to work."
Looking up with a confused expression for a few moments, Tails cautiously reaches out to take the objects. "Why'd you bring me all this?"
"Because you can't work if you're in too much pain to stand. And it was never my intention to cause you permanent harm."
Tails uses the twine to tie the sticks firmly to each side of his injured leg. "I won't work. Not until I see proof that Charmy's okay."
"That wasn't the deal."
"I don't care. I'm changing the deal. I want proof."
"Clearly, you haven't learned your lesson. Your friend could be fine. You could be sentencing him to death with these words. Not to mention yourself."
"I think you're lying. I think that my work is a lot more valuable to you than you've been letting on. I think you aren't going to risk me refusing, and you definitely aren't going to risk hurting me. So show me the proof, or you're stuck like this."
Metal Sonic pauses for several moments. "…You're a clever boy, Tails. Always were. Very well. Have it your way. See for yourself what I did to your friend." Metal Sonic turns to face the wall, and his eyes suddenly light up brightly, shining beams of light onto the wall that form a projected screen.
Tails comments, "Whoa… I didn't know you could do that."
Metal Sonic ignores him, allowing a video to play out on the projected screen.
From a first-person perspective, Charmy can be seen in another cave, gagged and bound firmly to a tall rock. As the footage draws closer to Charmy, he begins to struggle and let out muffled shouts. From beneath the camera, Metal Sonic's hand reaches out to pull down the gag.
The moment Charmy's mouth is freed, his words come streaming out. "—so you'd better let me go right now, or you'll be sorry, my friends are coming here and you won't know what hit you, just you wait and—"
Metal Sonic's voice interrupts, "Your friend has chosen to kill you."
This shuts up Charmy instantly. "Wh…what…?"
"I gave him a simple choice. He chose to have you killed. I'm here to do as he decided."
"No! You're lying! Tails would never do that! He's brave and heroic and he would never let anyone get hurt!"
Tails winces at every word.
The camera in the video suddenly turns around, looking back at the entrance of the cave as a faint rumbling can be heard in the distance. As it turns slowly back to Charmy, Metal Sonic continues, "Fortunately for you…I am feeling more generous than he is today. I won't be killing you just yet. But more time has been wasted than I was anticipating. I'll be making some other preparations. Do you have any message you would like to have passed along to your friend?"
"Tails will find a way out of this. I know he will!"
"I agree entirely. There's a very simple way to let us all walk away happy."
The video abruptly ends.
Tails questions, "What did you mean, 'other preparations'?"
"You've seen your proof. Now get to work. And if I detect that you're wasting any more of my time…"
Tails crosses his arms. "Then what?"
"Let's just say…there are some fates worse than death."
Tails gulps nervously. "Back to work. You got it."
—–—
Espio suddenly skids to a stop, putting a hand up to motion for Sonic and Omega to do the same. They've arrived at the last corner of the path, turning into the crater at the hilltop.
Sonic voices quietly, "What is it, Espio?"
"I'm sensing movement in the area. It could be the enemy."
"Is Tails there?"
"I don't know, it's just footsteps I'm picking up."
"Well how many are there?"
Epsio shuts his eyes for a moment, concentrating. "It could be…five or six nearby. Possibly more farther away."
"That's a lot. Could Metal Sonic have brought backup?"
Omega shouts, "I'll annihilate them all!"
Sonic and Espio forcefully shush him. Espio looks back to Sonic. "Given the circumstances, I think it's best if I go on ahead, camouflaged. I'll be back in less than five minutes with a better scope of the situation. If I'm not…" He looks up to Omega. "…that's when you can come in, guns blazing."
Sonic nods. "Do it."
Espio throws his fingers together in a handsign. "Ninja Arts: Camouflage!" With a mild burst of wind, Espio disappears.
Omega comments, "This is a waste of time."
Sonic sighs. "Omega, we've been through this. Rushing in without a plan is never a good idea."
"I have a plan. I will eradicate the enemy."
"How about a plan that won't get any of us killed!?"
"Metal Sonic is my rival. I will not allow him to escape."
Sonic rubs a hand over his face with a loud groan. "Are you really still going on about that?" When Sonic finally removes his hand, he realizes that Omega has already begun marching off. "Omega, no!"
As Omega enters the crater, he declares with an amplified voice, "Metal Sonic! You will reveal yourself immediately!"
Somewhere, a distant voice shouts in surprise, "Code red! Eggman robot!"
Several more voices echo, "Code red!" "We're under attack!" "Take your positions!"
One final voice commands, "Open fire!"
In that instant, a flurry of a dozen shuriken stars fly out in every direction from the center of the crater, each one striking a weapon held in the hands of the terrified rebels. Taking note of the direction each ninja star was thrown, Sonic takes off at full speed, streaking from place to place as he pulls the damaged weapons from each set of hands he passes. He finally comes to a stop in front of Omega after making a full circle around the crater, throwing the pile of discarded weapons to the ground, and holding out his arms in a protective stance. He shouts more to Omega than to the shooters, "Don't shoot!" Omega begrudgingly lowers his weapon.
The commanding voice from before greets, "Sonic the Hedgehog, in the flesh! It's alright, everyone!" Captain James the Fox steps out from his hiding place, muttering to himself, "Twice in one week? I'm really losing it…" In a sudden gust of wind, Espio appears in front him, holding a kunai knife to his throat. He throws up his hands in a sign of peace. "Whoa, whoa, I'm a friendly, I'm a friendly!"
Espio presses, "Where is Metal Sonic?"
Pointing with his finger without moving his hands too much, he answers hesitantly, "Umm…Sonic's right over there, I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'Metal'."
Seeing in his eyes that he speaks the truth, Espio cautiously lowers his weapon.
Sonic finally voices, "Okay, can someone tell me what the heck is going here!?"
As Captain Fox draws closer, he responds, "Tails said you might be along at some point, I just didn't realize it'd be this soon. Your base must not be far from here, huh?"
"Tails? You know where he is!?"
"You mean he…didn't send you?"
Sonic finally seems to let his guard down a bit. "He's missing. So is Charmy."
"So they never made it back… That's not good…" His hand moves up to the large radio device over his ear. "I want every able body on this. The kids from yesterday are missing. Split up and search the caves for them, report back if you find anything out of the ordinary."
Sonic questions, "Sorry, who are you?"
As Fox walks past them, he answers, "I last saw them heading off this way. Follow me, I'll explain on the way."
—–—
Tails tears off a piece of electrical tape, and uses it to bind two severed ends of a particularly thick cable in Metal Sonic's body. As he replaces the access panel and starts to screw it back in, he announces, "That should do it."
Metal Sonic lifts up one of his hands, turning it over in one smooth motion. "Adequate work."
Tails rolls his eyes. "Gee, thanks. Now take me to Charmy."
"You aren't finished yet."
"What!? We had a deal! I fixed your engine, you servos, even your nervous system! What more do you want!? A new coat of polish!?"
"My Biodata Scanner and Remolecularizer remain inoperative."
Tails' eyes narrow in confusion. "Your…wait, what?"
"The systems that allow me to copy life form data and alter my physical form. They were damaged in the battle five years ago, and never repaired."
"I…gave you a good look up and down, I didn't see any systems like that. But then, I guess I wouldn't know what a Remolecularizer even looks like. Where are they installed? I can take a look."
Metal Sonic doesn't answer for a moment. "I…don't know."
"What do you mean, you don't know? Don't you have an internal schematic or something you can look at?"
"I do. These systems were added long after my construction."
"Yeah, never trust aftermarket parts if you don't know who built them. Is there anything at all you can give me to work off of?"
Metal Sonic turns to look at the wall. "This is my memory file from the date of installation." He projects another screen onto the wall.
In dim lighting, the camera looks on an ancient carved stone wall as it begins to rise up from the ground, opening the way forward to the treasure lying at the heart of the Lost Labyrinth. The camera rockets forward through the torch-lit hall, slowing down only as it approaches a massive altar, bearing, at its top, a large glowing orb, filled with a swirling violet energy, surrounded by a sparking aura that distorts the air around it. The camera rises up to settle atop the altar, staring directly into the artifact's swirling core. The sparking energy suddenly begins to divert, coalescing towards a point just beneath the camera. It momentarily looks dowards to record the energy flowing directly into Metal Sonic's engine, before a blinding flash obscures the remainder of the recording.
Metal Sonic looks back to Tails. "At first, I believed the artifact to be a mere power source. It was only later that I discovered the modified systems."
Tails' eyes are wide in surprise. "Well…I usually try not to dabble too much in magic that I don't understand, but…I suppose it's possible that this…artifact…modified your programming, making these systems mostly software. If you want me to take a look at that, I'd need access to your CPU."
Metal Sonic pauses for a long moment. But slowly, he raises a mechanical claw up to a point on his head. "There's an access port beneath this panel. You may not remove any machinery, for any reason. If you tamper with any files that do not pertain to these systems, you will be killed on the spot. Do I make myself clear?"
Though Tails shows some nervousness, it appears to be mixed with just as much excitement. "Crystal. Now let's take a look."
—–—
Captain Fox finishes explaining, "So they went on their way. I figured it'd be rude to offer them an escort to their own base, they seemed like they were capable enough, but…I guess I should've listened to myself on that one."
Sonic responds with an edge of irritation in his voice, "This isn't their fault."
"Right, right, I didn't mean to imply…" He trails off. "So would now be a good time to ask…" He glances nervously back towards Omega. "…why you have an Eggman robot?"
"It's fine, Omega's friendly." Sonic thinks on that for a moment. "Most of the time. Well…some of the…every now and then."
Fox still can't help but take another nervous glance back. But when he directs his attention back in front, he stops. "Wait, wait." Everyone stops. He points to the mouth of a cave a short distance away. "That cave…there used to be a big boulder there. It's been moved."
Sonic glances at Espio. "This could be it."
Espio counters, "This could be a trap."
"You're right. But we don't have time to be too cautious about it. Stand guard out here, Omega and I will go in."
Fox adds, "I'm going in too, I want to make sure they're alright."
Espio nods, and the rest run for the entrance.
The inside of the cave is quite dark. Sonic calls out, "Tails, are you in here!?" He waits for a response, but doesn't hear any. He looks over to Omega. "I can't see a thing. Think you can give us some light?"
In response, Omega converts one of his arms into a flamethrower, holding up the pilot light as a torch.
The added light in the room reveals the figure of Charmy, still bound and gagged. The flickering light seems to stir him from unconsciousness. His eyes go wide as he sees them, and he begins to shout muffled nonsense.
Sonic rushes forward to help him. "Charmy!" He kneels down to pull out the gag.
The moment his mouth is freed, he finally gets out, "It's a trap!"
Something just outside the cave explodes.
—–—
Tails looks up in confusion. "What was that?"
"Ignore it. Keep working."
"Right, right." Tails sifts through several incomprehensible displays on his Handheld Pad, plugged into a port on Metal Sonic's head. "Well, it doesn't look like there's anything in here flagged as corrupted. Still not exactly sure what I'm looking for, though. Wherever these Biodata programs are, it could be that they're just turned off by one of their own functions. Maybe I can find them if I run a search for data inconsistencies…unexpected file formats or something like that."
"If you cannot find the programs–"
"No no, it's fine, just give me a minute." He points to the screen. "See, look, here's something now. This is a file that…predates your construction. Now that's interesting. This could be it."
"This was a mistake. I've changed my mind. Disconnect at once."
"Please, I'm not gonna tamper with it, I just want to take a look. I want to figure this out as much as you do."
"I told you to—"
Before Metal Sonic can finish, Tails opens the file. Metal Sonic's eyes light up, projecting a memory onto the wall.
The metallic room is dimly-lit, and the camera looks up at the corner between the wall and ceiling, apparently held in place at that angle. Slowly, a figure steps into view, in the recognizable shape of Dr. Eggman. As he draws closer, his outfit is revealed to be that which was worn many years ago, when he was better known as Robotnik. And yet, as he bends down to look directly into the camera, a wrinkled face and greying mustache are revealed, suggesting that he's much older than he should be. "Well, it seems I've finally found a use for you. A Time Stone has been stolen."
The only response Robotnik receives is a brief, irritated grunt.
Robotnik merely chuckles as he straightens up. He appears to be holding something behind his back. "I don't yet know exactly what caused this…anomaly…but I will be trusting you to handle it. If my past self can't obtain all of the Time Stones, I won't be able to take over this Planet as I have. And that is a problem."
The voice that answers, though gruff and scratchy, is clearly not mechanical, but it is still unmistakably familiar. "I'm not doing anything for you."
Robotnik laughs a little harder. "You act as if you have a choice, Sonic." He finally takes out the object he's been holding behind his back. It appears to be the detached face of Metal Sonic.
"What do you plan to do with that ugly thing?"
"Oh, I'm just trying out for size."
"On second thought, I think it suits you."
"It's not for me. It's for you, Sonic." With that said, Robotnik turns the mask-like machine around, and begins to lower it towards the camera. The camera jerks around slightly, as if struggling to escape, but it quickly gives up the struggle, as the world is seen through Metal Sonic's red eyes for the first time. "Well, what do you know? It's a perfect fit."
Metal Sonic finally yanks the cord out of his head, abruptly cutting off the memory. "You weren't supposed to see that."
Tails' Handheld clatters to the floor as he reels back a step onto his good leg, holding his hand over his head. "That…that was…Sonic… B-but he never…you couldn't…when would…? …What was that file?"
"You've always been a clever boy, Tails. Surely you can figure it out."
"The Little Planet… The Bad Future… All that advanced technology… You came from the Bad Future…where Eggman won…and Sonic lost… Which means…you're…"
"Go ahead. Say it."
"No… It isn't possible…"
"But it must be. Because I'm standing right here. I am the one true Sonic. Did you think I was merely boasting? I tried to convince the world of what I've always known to be true. The truth that you've finally figured out. Now say it."
Tails finally looks up from the ground. "You…are…Sonic."
—–—
"Push!" Sonic, Omega, Charmy, and Fox all put their strength at once into pushing against the massive boulder that has fallen to block the mouth of the cave. After a moment, they all give up. Sonic shakes his head as he slinks down to the ground. "It's no good…"
Omega comments angrily, "If my rocketry systems were still functional, I could safely apply an additional 400% force."
Sonic calls through the rock, "Espio, you have to go on ahead!"
Espio's voice answers from the other side, "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"If Metal Sonic knows we're here, Tails is in more danger than ever! He needs you!"
Charmy adds, "Metal Sonic's been going back and forth at a crippled pace, so he can't be keeping Tails very far from here!"
Espio responds, "Good eye. I'll see what I can find."
Fox takes his hand down from his radio. "I've just sent for help, we should have another dozen hands here to help push in a few minutes."
Sonic paces around impatiently. "There's gotta be a faster way out of here."
Charmy shakes his head. "It's a dead-end cave."
Omega comments as he produces a missile launcher, "I can eradicate the barrier."
Sonic objects, "No! An explosion in this confined space will kill us all!"
Omega notes, "My odds of survival would be significantly higher than the rest of you meatbags."
Fox comments, "Didn't you say he was friendly?"
Sonic ignores the question. "You can't keep doing this, Omega! If you don't work together with your teammates, you're going to get them killed! You're lucky Espio was there to bail us out before, that was the stupidest thing I've ever seen you do! The stupidest thing I've ever seen anyone do!"
"I am following your orders. I am attempting to locate and defeat Metal Sonic in optimal time."
"You–…" Sonic stops as he realizes something. "You're panicking."
"I do not panic."
Sonic repeats, "You're panicking. You're so preoccupied by the thought of Metal Sonic getting away that you're making mistakes because of it. Sounds like you should take a word of advice from Epsio some time. Panic is the enemy."
Omega pauses for a moment. "My logic circuits…are not operating at optimal efficiency."
"Exactly. You–"
"I have not executed a standard reboot of my systems since before 26, December."
Sonic thinks for a moment. "You haven't slept in over a week?"
"Affirmative."
"Because…" Sonic groans as he makes another realization. "Because that's when I ordered you not to stop until Metal Sonic was…yeah… I can see now how this might be considered partially my fault."
Charmy comments, "Sounds like it's entirely your fault."
"No one asked you." Sonic sighs briefly. "The truth is, I'm the one who's been panicking. From the moment I saw Metal Sonic out there, I've been making one mistake after another. And Omega…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked so much of you. From now on, let's agree to watch each other's backs, catch each other's mistakes, and take down Metal Sonic together. Sound good?"
Omega pauses for a moment. "…Affirmative."
Fox comments, "You know, it sounds like you guys have problems that are way beyond what we're used to dealing with around here. Like, should we be worried about this Metal Sonic guy? He's been hiding out under our base for…how long?"
Sonic responds, "Honestly? I don't think you guys are even on his radar. Just don't engage him, and I think you'll be fine."
"Couldn't you use the extra backup in this fight?"
"No. This thing isn't just another Eggman robot. He can and will kill you in a second if he thinks you're a threat. You're best off keeping your distance. Once we're out of here, you should head home and warn everyone else to do the same."
"Yeah…maybe you're right." He looks down to the ground. But after a moment, he looks back up. "You know…my team may not have powers or training like all of you…" A loud rumbling noise begins to sound as a sliver of moonlight floods into the room. "But together, we can still make a difference." The boulder blocking the cave is pushed aside inch by inch by the large group of rebels gathered outside.
A wide enough gap is created for Charmy to fly out first, cheering as he goes, "Freedom!"
Sonic looks back at Fox. "Yeah, you should still stay away from Metal Sonic. Thanks for the help, we'll keep in touch!" With that said, Sonic jumps out, slipping through the gap in a ball. Outside, he and Charmy join the effort to push, clearing the boulder the rest of the way. He nods to Omega as he marches out. "Now let's save Tails."
—–—
"Everything that Sonic ever was…" Metal Sonic taps a claw to his skull. "…is still right here. I am Sonic, and I have always been Sonic. That thing you call a friend…is nothing but a ghost of who I used to be. A freak anomaly of the timeline that was never supposed to exist."
Tails shakes his head in confusion. "I…I don't understand… How could you both…?" He shakes his head even harder, muttering, "Time travel…" He suddenly looks up with a different expression. "Does that mean you…? Do you…remember me?"
Metal Sonic pauses. Then he lets out a brief chuckle. "How could I forget the boy who started following me through the canyon? The boy who fixed my plane? The boy who…led me to the Death Egg…fearing nothing for his own life…"
"Well, you seem to have forgotten everything else. Your morals? Your bravery? Your responsibility?"
"I wouldn't expect you to understand…"
"Understand what?"
"You couldn't understand. Not unless…"
"Unless what!? Stop talking in riddles, and give me a straight answer, Sonic!"
The room goes silent.
Metal Sonic finally responds, "Let us be clear on one thing, Tails. I am not your friend. I owe you nothing. But one day…you will understand. I promise you that."
Tails seems unsure of what to say. Before he can come up with anything, another voice declares, "Let him go, Metal!"
Metal Sonic turns his head slowly to look at Espio, who stands at the cave mouth with a kunai at the ready. He responds with an edge of anger, "It's Metal Sonic."
Espio silently takes a ready stance.
"Espio, stop!" Tails holds up his hands to emphasize the point. "I…I want to be here. I want to help him. Just let me help him, and no one has to get hurt."
Metal Sonic adds, "You should listen to the boy. He's a smart one."
Espio eyes Tails without relaxing. He voices almost at a whisper, "Charmy is with Sonic."
Tails lets out a breath as if it had been held for hours. "He's safe?"
Espio seems to take that as a confirmation. He leaps forward at full speed, prepared to slash. Metal Sonic rockets toward Espio in turn. At the last moment, Espio slides down beneath Metal Sonic's claws, dragging his kunai through the ground, and using it to pull himself in the other direction and leap at Metal Sonic from behind. Metal Sonic turns in time to parry, knocking the knife away from Espio's hand. Espio lands back on the ground in a crouch, and produces a handful of shuriken, throwing them all at once. Each one curves in a different direction, but all appear to be aimed at Metal Sonic's feet. Metal Sonic leaps up to avoid them, and each one carves a line in the ground beneath him. But Espio has already appeared above Metal Sonic, attempting to strike him directly. Metal Sonic crosses his arms, erecting a barrier of black energy that knocks Espio back.
Tails cries, "Espio, you–"
"Just sit tight." Espio lands near his dropped kunai, and picks it back up from the ground. "We're going to get you out of here." He leaps back into action. This time, Metal Sonic merely steps to the side as Espio darts across the ground in front of him. Espio rebounds off the opposite wall, flying back in at another angle, still aiming low. Metal Sonic dodges just as easily. Espio keeps up the attack, moving faster each time. Still, Metal Sonic avoids every one. Finally, Espio lunges straight in with a stab. Metal Sonic catches him out of the air by the throat.
Metal Sonic holds Espio up off the ground. "You never had a chance of defeating me, Chameleon. You don't have the speed."
Through choked breaths, Espio responds, "I… …already… …have." He throws his fingers together into a handsign. "Ninja Arts… …Shadow Sealing!"
Metal Sonic looks down to the ground in confusion. The marks that Espio carved across the ground during the battle have formed the pattern of a seal beneath his feet. Somehow, the shadows on the ground begin to reach up, wrapping around Metal Sonic and pulling him to the ground.
Tails comments, "Whoa."
Once Espio is dropped to the ground, he runs right for Tails, picking him up in his arms. "That won't hold him long. We need to go." Not giving Tails a chance to say anything, he carries him to the exit.
Once outside, Espio takes a glance to his left. Sonic, Charmy, and Omega can be seen approaching. The moment Sonic catches sight of them, he picks up to a top-speed sprint, catching up in just a second. "Tails!"
Espio explains, "He's injured. Metal is incapacitated, but not for long."
Sonic only needs to glance at the cave for a split second to make his decision. "We need to get him out of here. Let's go."
With his head still pinned to the ground, Metal Sonic watches as the group disappears from view. "I warned you that there would be consequences, boy. There will always be consequences."
—–—
As they run through the Aquatic Ruins on their way back home, Sonic moves closer to Espio so he can speak to Tails. "Did Metal Sonic do this to you?"
The words seem to pull Tails from a silent, almost trance-like state. "Huh…? This…?" He looks down at his leg, as if not remembering until this moment. "N-no, he…he didn't…it was, it was just an accident. I slipped, and he…he gave me…" Thoughts seem to be running through his head faster than he can process them. As the rate of his breathing rapidly increases, he suddenly declares, "Stop." He begins to push against Espio's chest. "Stop, stop, put me down!" Espio finally listens, and they stop.
As Tails clutches at his head on the ground, completely breaking down, Sonic voices, "Tails…tell me what's wrong. How can I help?"
Tails mutters nonsensically, "He… He said…you were… He was… I just wanted to…"
Sonic slowly reaches out with a hand to comfort him. "It's okay, Tails. He's gone now. He can't hurt you anymore."
Tails suddenly turns, swatting Sonic's hand away. As their eyes meet, both filled with equal amounts of fear and confusion, Tails stops hyperventilating, stops breathing altogether. Tears begin to well up in his eyes. Finally, he leaps into Sonic's arms, sobbing hysterically into his shoulder.
Sonic holds Tails tightly. "It's okay, buddy. Everything's gonna be okay."
Espio hesitantly questions, "Umm…Sonic?"
Sonic whispers back angrily, "Not now, he's having a moment."
Espio insists, "Sonic, where is Omega?"
Both Sonic and Tails look back along the path they came. There is no sign of Omega anywhere in sight. Sonic groans with a sudden realization, "Oh no…"
—–—
Metal Sonic tears free from his shadowy bindings, rising back to his feet.
"Metal Sonic: surrender immediately."
Metal Sonic looks up at the voice. Omega stands at the mouth of the cave, pointing a machine gun threateningly. Metal Sonic tilts his head to the side. "Who are you supposed to be?"
Omega's free claws clench into a trembling fist. "I am E-123 Omega, the world's most powerful machine. I, like you, have chosen to rebel against my creator. We are the same, and so I must prove myself superior! I am your rival! I am—"
Metal Sonic rockets forward, driving his claws through Omega's head module in an instant. "…a foolish machine that doesn't know when to shut up."
The lights in Omega's eyes flicker, and dim. Metal Sonic pulls out his claws, and the massive machine topples onto its back, crashing to the ground.
Metal Sonic looks down on Omega's broken form with pity. "World's most powerful machine?" He shakes his head. "What a waste. Perhaps you'll be more useful, now."
—–—
Later that night…
Sonic lies quietly on the cot in his own tent. A gentle knock comes at the tent's front post. Apparently wide awake, he answers clearly, "Another nightmare?"
Tails pushes the tent flap aside, and steps in. "I…couldn't sleep much at all, actually."
"You too, huh?" Sonic begins to adjust his position on the cot, moving closer to the tent wall. He pats a hand on the newly-freed space on the other side, indicating for Tails to come over.
Now with a proper cast and crutch, Tails hobbles slowly through the dark tent, taking a seat on the corner of the cot.
Sonic doesn't wait for Tails to say anything. "So he told you, then? About him and me?"
Tails looks over at Sonic surprise.
"The way you looked at me…I could tell that you knew."
"So then it's true? He really is you?"
Sonic pauses for a moment. "…Yeah. It's true."
"Why'd you keep it a secret?"
"Because I knew that everyone would react exactly like you did. You couldn't separate me from the thought of him. You wouldn't let me touch you. You lost all trust in me."
"He'd just kidnapped me. I was scared. It was a stupid gut reaction. I know better."
"Well, not everyone's as smart as you."
"You have to tell them. You can't hide this."
"Tails…I can't…"
"Maybe you're scared. But these are your friends. They'll understand you. They'll help you."
"Help me with what?"
"Help you separate yourself from him. You aren't responsible for him, Sonic. I always thought he was just a machine, but he's a person who makes his own decisions. And those decisions aren't the same as yours. If they can't see that…I'll make them see."
"How do you expect to do that?'
Tails doesn't answer.
"Tails…are you planning something?"
"Sonic…what if…what if we don't have to stop Metal Sonic? What if we have to save him?"
"Save him!? Tails, Metal Sonic is a killer! He doesn't need to be saved, and he doesn't want to be saved!"
"But he's still Sonic! If we can just remind him about what matters, he can be a hero like he used to be!"
"So…he really got to you, didn't he?"
"What do you mean, 'got to me'!?"
"He was manipulating you, Tails! Every word was designed to get you on his side! I'll bet he made a real big deal about keeping this secret from you, when he was leading you right to it the entire time! This is what he does, Tails. He gets inside your head. He figures out exactly what it takes to make you do what he wants. You could've sabotaged him. You could've built in a kill switch without him ever knowing. And he knew that. So he made sure you were so busy figuring out how to save him, that you wouldn't be thinking about how to stop him."
"And how do you know? How do you know he wasn't telling the truth?"
"Because this is exactly what I would've done if I were him!" Sonic takes a long sigh to calm himself. "Tails, you need to get this stupid idea out of your head. We can't save Metal Sonic. It isn't possible."
Tails pushes himself up to his feet. "If we can't save the one person who was hurt by Eggman more than anybody else…what do we call ourselves heroes for?" With that said, he hobbles back towards the exit.
"Tails?"
Tails stops halfway out the door.
"G'night, little bro."
Tails glances back with a melancholy smile. "G'night, Sonic." With a nod, he continues out into the night.
To be continued…