? ? ?

As Sonic slowly opens his eyes, all he sees is blackness. "Where… Where am I…?"

A familiar voice echoes, "Nowhere but your own mind."

Sonic climbs to his feet in the black, empty void. "Who are you? Could it be…?"

A darkened figure begins to step out from the void. "An old friend."

"Is it really you…Shadow?"

Shadow the Hedgehog steps fully into view. "The answer to that question is yes…and no."

"I…I don't understand." Sonic reaches up to support his head with a hand. "My head…it doesn't feel…" He takes his hand away and looks at it in even greater confusion. "How did I get here?"

"There is no 'here'. But we had to speak with you."

"We?"

"I am Shadow the Hedgehog. The Shadow who was your friend. Who sacrificed himself so that you and the Shadow from the past could return home. But I am also the Shadow who betrayed you. Who was willing to take your life for the slim chance of altering the future."

"The Shadows…from when we were traveling through time? But…how could you be two different Shadows?"

"That's the reason we've come here. It's about the future."

"No, no future knowledge. We swore, no more messing with time."

"No knowledge. Just advice. We were once opposites, the two Shadows. But we were still the same. We found true Balance…by accepting one another as a part of ourselves. Now, you face a similar problem."

Sonic clenches a fist by his side as he realizes Shadow's meaning. "Metal Sonic."

"You see Metal Sonic as your opposite. But once, long ago, he, too, was Sonic the Hedgehog. And where you found the Light, he found the Darkness."

"He's a monster. A killer. Just what are you suggesting?"

"So long as you reject him, you will be missing a part of yourself. A part that you can't live without. Only together can the two of you find the path to Balance."

"Forget the Balance. That steel-hearted piece of scrap metal isn't me, and it never will be. I won't accept him. Not after what he's done." Sonic gasps as clarity returns to him. "What he's done… It's not possible. I wouldn't. I couldn't. Did he…? Did I…?"

—–—

Sonic opens an eye with a sharp intake of breath. "No!" He looks around at his new surroundings—machines, pipes, and steel platforms, all dripping with colorful chemicals. "Where…?"

"So my creation finally awakens."

Sonic turns his vision sharply to the source of the voice. "Metal Sonic! What have you done!?"

Metal Sonic stands motionless in front of him. "Take a look for yourself."

Sonic slowly, hesitantly looks downwards, as he lifts a once-injured hand to look at. But what enters his field of view isn't his hand. It is an exact duplicate of the metallic claw of Metal Sonic.

Sonic the Hedgehog: The Chaos Project

Season 2, Episode 11

Steeled Heart

Written by ChaosProjectAuthor

Daily log, June 24th, 1 A.E. Shadow the Hedgehog reporting.

Following Sonic's disappearance, I've officially taken the role of leader. Now that we've evacuated our old base, we're staying at a temporary location until we can agree on a new one. Everything suddenly seems so…temporary. Everything.

I'd like to search for Sonic. But we have no means of finding him right now. All we can do is focus on the war and hope that he turns up. Not everyone is happy about that choice.

I've hardly been in this role for a day. But already, I'm beginning to understand the pressure that Sonic was placed under. Pleasing everyone simply isn't possible. I can only hope that I'm making better decisions than he did.

As if that pressure wasn't enough…there's also Tails. I know that I can't replace what Sonic meant to him. I wish there was more I could do for him right now, but…I can't waste time making him feel better when the war is in such a complicated place. All I can do is tell him that I'm there.

For now, we're just focusing on one thing at a time. We heard a rumor that Eggman might be transporting a Chaos Emerald in the area. But with the vulnerable position we're in right now…investigating the rumor seems like more than we can handle right now. We have to start by discussing our next move. Maybe we can continue from there. Or maybe everything will change again tomorrow. It's all temporary.

—–—

Mystic Cave Zone — Beneath Rebel Camp Beta

What remains of the Rebellion sits around a large wooden crate being used as a table, deep within a dark cave lit by lanterns and covered in green vegetation.

Rouge suggests, "What about Casino Night? I hear there's no Eggman presence there, and I happen to know of a shady underground area we could repurpose as a base."

Espio objects, "That's not the case anymore. Eggman forces were deployed there after a mysterious fire exposed a large underground criminal organization."

"Oh. Well, if we can find another place like that, it sure wouldn't be a bad idea. It'd be a lot easier to disappear in a crowded place, a lot less likely that our movements could be tracked."

Amy counters, "But a much higher chance that we'd be found out by accident. If even one person in a city noticed us, we could be reported straight to Eggman."

Shadow nods. "I agree, an isolated space would still be more effective given how little of the world is on our side. I know of some ruins north of Central City. Not the safest place, but that guarantees no one will be wandering in on us by accident. Plus, being near a large target like Central City gives us more options in terms of fighting the war."

Johnny questions, "The Death Ruins?"

Knuckles echoes, "Death Ruins? For the record, I refuse to hole up in any place that's haunted."

Hero and Bruno answer, "Do you have a better idea?"

"Well, if we're talking about ancient ruins, there's the Temple of the Lost World out in the Mystic Ruins."

Amy questions, "Didn't Eggman build a base, like, 30 feet away from there?"

"Good point."

Shadow breathes a slow sigh. "This is all a lot to consider, and we shouldn't be making any hasty decisions. We'll dismiss for now, and deliberate further tomorrow."

At Shadow's order, the rebels begin to rise, all filing off in various directions. Shadow pulls Knuckles aside as they walk off through the cave. "Have you seen Tails? I told him he should be here."

Knuckles shakes his head slowly. "Tails didn't want to get out of bed this morning. I can't say that I blame him." He closes his eyes with a sigh. "Poor kid. For someone his age to lose his parents is bad enough, but to lose Sonic on the same day… He's feeling all alone in the world right now. He's hardly said a word to anybody but you since it happened."

"Just me?"

"Well what do you expect? He sure never liked me much, at least not when Sonic wasn't around. You're the closest friend he has left. You should try talking to him again."

Ahead of them, a brown-furred fox with a grey jacket offers them a casual salute as he sees them approaching. Captain James the Fox greets, "Hey. Meeting over? I was hoping to talk to you when you got the chance, Shadow. It's…pretty important."

Knuckles glances at Shadow questioningly.

Shadow answers, "I will. But business comes first."

Knuckles simply shakes his head in disappointment as he walks off in another direction.

Shadow turns back to Fox as they walk. "What do you need?"

Fox smiles. "Glad to see you're willing to talk. I've heard that you can be a little…difficult to communicate with."

Shadow raises an eyebrow. "Who told you that?"

Fox glances aside nervously. "Uhh… No one in particular…"

Shadow rolls his eyes and moves on. "It's very kind of you to let us use your base while we get this figured out, it would be ungrateful of me not to recognize that. So I'll hear anything you have to say."

"I'm glad to hear that, but really, it's no trouble at all. As you can see, these caves are way bigger than the handful of us could ever have any use for. Although, now that I think about it, I did get a complaint about one of your team members spending all day fishing in the bathing pond. There…aren't any fish in there."

"Oh, I'm sure he knows. Big gets anxious when he doesn't have somewhere to fish, but I'll let him know that he's being more of a nuisance than usual. Is that all?"

"No, no, that's not important. What I was saying before is, you guys can stay as long as you like."

"That won't be necessary. We already have a few locations narrowed down."

"Really? Like where?"

Shadow glances at Fox with an astounded expression. "Don't you have any idea how this works? The whole point of remaining in small, separate rebel cells is that we can't be traced back to one another. The less you know about where we're going, the better. In fact, once we're gone, you should consider relocating as well for the same reason. We don't want to know where you are."

"Okay, yes, I hear you, but…what if we did a different thing instead?"

"Could you get on with it already?"

"Right right right, yeah, so here's what I'm thinking. If you wanna…maybe…do a little favor for us in return for us letting you guys stay here…there's this op we've been planning. And we could really use some extra backup. Like, as much as we can get."

"What kind of op?"

"A big one."

Shadow is clearly losing patience. "How big?"

"Like big enough to turn this war around, if all goes right. We're going to set fire to the Oil Ocean."

Shadow stops in place. "What?"

"I said we're going to—"

"I heard what you said. Are you out of your mind?"

"I'm…guessing that means you don't think it's a good idea?"

"Good idea? Do you have any idea what an ecological disaster that would be?"

"Ecological? The only disaster we should be worrying about is Eggman. He's going to be burning through that oil over the course of the next ten years, with or without us. We're just doing it all at once. We're taking away a primary fuel source for the Empire, taking away his chance to prepare a backup. His entire war machine will be crippled, and that could be our chance to strike. Instead of splitting up, we could join together, start building up a proper army to fight with instead of all this guerilla warfare."

Shadow shakes his head with a groan and starts to walk away. "You're clueless."

Fox runs to catch up. "Come on, just give me one reason why this isn't a good idea."

Shadow stops and turns around. "Let me give you three. First, I already told you. The environmental consequences are unacceptable. The Oil Ocean wasn't in use until the Empire decided that renewable energy wasn't enough anymore, and if we take down the Empire in less than ten years, your point will be invalidated. Second, even if all that oil ends up being used, the impact of it being spread all around the world is very different from what will happen if all burns right here, right now. The smoke and fumes will block out the sun. You can say goodbye to any natural resources on this island. Emerald Hill will be looking a lot more like Sand Hill. People like us won't be able survive without food to eat. Good luck fighting the war that way. Third, it's all pointless anyways. Do you really think Eggman is going to be the one who suffers from this? He has other, smaller fuel sources, and he'll use as much as he needs before he lets the already deprived public fight over what's left. So no. No, this isn't a good idea." Shadow turns to leave. "Give this up and stick to what you and your people are useful for."

"I guess you aren't much like I heard about you at all."

Shadow stops once again. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"I heard that you were different from Sonic. That you were willing to make the tough calls. Because there's one fact about this plan that you're ignoring in favor of this arbitrary moral code of yours. This isn't the kind of problem that Eggman can ignore. We're goading his insatiable desire to take care of problems himself. If there's anything he'll come out of hiding for, it's this. We can face him. In person. And maybe end this war in one blow. Still think it's not worth it?"

"That's…" Shadow hesitates.

"That's what?"

Shadow closes his eyes. "That's something worth thinking about. I need some time." He resumes his walk off.

"If you're not gonna support us on this, then you should hurry up on finding a place to go. We'll…stick to what we're useful for."

—–—

Sonic collapses onto his knees—one producing a metallic clank, and the other a flesh-padded thud. "What did you do to me…?"

Metal Sonic takes a few steps forward to look upon his work. Much of Sonic's left half, from head to toe, has been mechanized, giving a partial appearance with striking similarity to Metal Sonic. Metal Sonic chuckles softly. "Isn't it obvious? You were injured. I repaired you. Most of you, anyways. Your hand was beyond repair. One doesn't heal from having their bones ground to dust."

Sonic looks back down to his hand, and slowly flexes each of his new metallic claws. "I don't…feel…"

"Pain. You don't feel the pain that should be leaving you in agony. You can turn that back on manually, if you'd like. Though your injuries have been dealt with, so there won't be much anymore."

Sonic's hand moves up to the metal over the left side of his head. "Manually…?"

"Of course. I've taken nothing away from you, Sonic the Hedgehog. I've only given you more."

Sonic finally looks up into Metal Sonic's eyes. "Why?"

"To make you understand the gift that's been given to me."

"Not me. Tails. Why did you target Tails? Is this what you were planning on doing with him? Why!?"

"It was all calculated. It was to be his own choice. He was to beg me to take his pain away, and then he would be the first to understand. And we…"

"What do you mean, 'we'?"

"My calculations were off. He fled, where he should have fought. So I settled for you. Not that it matters. He'll be the next."

"You aren't laying a finger on him!" Sonic lunges at Metal Sonic in fury, jets firing from his metallic left side.

"Here we go again…" Metal Sonic dodges to the side, and Sonic rockets past him. Metal Sonic turns to pursue. They race over a long platform that winds up and down through the Chemical Plant. "I haven't taken away your emotions, Sonic. But I have improved your ability to reason. Try using it for once."

"You used to have a heart. Try using it for once." Sonic rams into Metal Sonic from the side, trying to knock him off of the track. Metal Sonic responds with equal force, causing Sonic to stumble. He recovers into a roll, gaining immense speed as the path takes a sharp downhill turn before flinging him back up. Sonic rebounds off of a vat of chemicals and sends himself flying straight at Metal Sonic.

"You're only wasting your own time." Metal Sonic throws out his arm, and it telescopes far beyond his usual reach, grabbing Sonic by the throat from afar. "What do you think I've been doing all this time?" He begins to whip Sonic around in wide circles above his head, before slamming him into the ground. "I did not sit idly by these last months. I've prepared." Metal Sonic begins to rotate rapidly, before drilling down foot-first.

Sonic rolls out of the way at the last moment, and Metal Sonic's Drill Dive strikes the hard metal ground instead. "That move!"

"You might recognize this one as well." Metal Sonic, from the ground, has begun to transform the mechanisms in his closed fist, forming into the shape of a spiked boxing glove as he lands a superpowered punch into Sonic's metal side, sending him flying back until he collides with another vat of chemicals hard enough to leave a crack that sprays out its contents onto Sonic's head. Metal Sonic begins walking over to meet him. "I've been watching you, Sonic. You and your friends. And with every new mission, I've captured new skills. Knuckles and Rouge. Vector and Espio. Hero, Shadow, even your new soldier friend had something to contribute."

Sonic climbs back to his feet, already beginning to struggle. "You think you can beat me…by copying my friends?"

In a sudden burst of speed, Metal Sonic appears behind Sonic. "I didn't do it for you." He delivers a hard roundhouse kick to the back of Sonic's head, knocking him back to the floor. Metal Sonic points a finger down at him as his arm transforms into the shape of a plasma rifle. "Although, perhaps, in a manner of speaking. This has all been calculated, Sonic. You have the ability to test my calculations. You can see where this is going."

Sonic, down on his hands and knees, looks to his mechanical hand as each of its fingers begin to tremble. "I can't let you win. Not after everything you've done." Activating his jets, Sonic leaps high into the air, and Metal Sonic's plasma shot leaves a black mark on the floor. Metal Sonic watches Sonic's arc through the air above him, then makes a swipe of his arm, flinging a trio of kunai-like needles from his hand directly into Sonic's path. Sonic swipes the projectiles away with his own mechanical arm, then jets down straight at Metal Sonic. This time, he connects, slamming the robot into the ground. Sonic raises up his metal claws and slashes down. Again, and again, and again. And finally, with his claws at Metal Sonic's throat, he freezes. "You aren't fighting back." Sonic gets up and takes a cautious step back. "Why'd you stop fighting back!?"

Metal Sonic, with a jagged, exposed gash in his chest, gets back to his feet. "You looked like you were having fun."

"I was about to rip you to shreds. Why would you sit back and let me!? It doesn't make sense! What are you planning!? Why are you here, why did you do this to me!? Why won't you answer me!?"

Metal Sonic shakes his head slowly. "Your obsession with me is appalling."

"You're one to talk."

"How are you still so blind!? You were never more than a frustrating obstacle to me! A speck of dust in my eye that refuses to let me see what truly lies ahead! I don't care what happens to you, I'm just trying to put an end to the Empire that's draining the life out of my world!"

Sonic takes another step back in confusion. "The Eggman Empire?"

"Yes, you dense imbecile, I'm trying to get rid of Eggman, and you would've known that by now if you weren't so obsessed with fighting me. You've already been told as much. The reason you're here…the reason that I don't wish to destroy you…is because I need your help."

—–—

"Hey. How's it going?"

Tails, curled up in his tails and lying on his side, ignores the greeting.

"Hope it's alright if I come in." The source of the voice steps over slowly, and takes a seat at the foot of the flat rock that Tails lies on. Captain Fox sits there a few moments before he speaks again. "This isn't about me, is it? The way you left the day we met, I was beginning to wonder if you just didn't want to see me."

Tails responds with a courteous, "No."

"Well that's a relief, at least. 'Cause…I was hoping to talk to you. I felt like we never really finished before."

Tails doesn't respond.

"The guy who you…you mistook me for. It was your dad, wasn't it? Clint Prower, right? Went by 'Clicks'?"

Tails lifts his head for the first time to look over at Fox with surprise.

"I've been asking around, and I…even did a little research when I was in town yesterday. No relation, but…I do see the resemblance. Superficially, anyways. He even had a jacket like mine. Air Force instead of Navy, but you know…"

Tails lifts himself even higher up. "Air Force?"

"Yeah. Didn't you know your dad was a pilot? I guess he won a few dogfights back in his day. Enough to get him in the footnotes of a history book or two. Here, take a look." Tails sits up all the way as Fox produces a small, dated looking photograph. "This is the only picture I could find."

Tails takes it to get a closer look. It shows a young fox man in a grey jacket and pilot's cap, proudly standing in front of a sleek biplane. The sight puts a smile on Tails' face, before it starts to fade away again. "That's his plane, the Firefox."

"He certainly had a thing with names, didn't he?"

"I used to work on that plane every day. I never asked him what it was for. I guess I just thought that every dad must have a plane. That's how long ago it was when I left." He thinks for another moment. "The garage wasn't damaged in the explosion. I wonder if it's still in there… I wonder…" He turns the photo facedown as he looks off in another direction with a sigh.

"Hey, I'm…sorry. For whatever it's worth."

"Don't worry about it. I didn't like him much anyways. It's just…I'd finally gotten used to the idea of talking to him again. Of maybe getting to understand him a little better. But now he's gone. And I won't get the chance. And if Sonic were here, he'd…he'd have given me something just like this, and he'd have said… 'Chin up, Tails. Your friends are still here for you.' But my friend is gone too." He clenches his eyes shut, and fresh tears start to well up. "This is all Metal Sonic's fault. And I want to do something about it, but every time I think about it, it just hurts so much." He wipes off his eyes with his palms. "I just want the pain to go away."

"It doesn't."

Tails looks up with surprise.

"When you lose someone, I mean. The pain doesn't go away. It's always there, surrounding the memory of them. But it gets better. Because…you learn to think of it as something else. The hurt…is the proof that you cared. And you know…there are people…everywhere…feeling that same kind of pain. Especially in a war like this. That's why…if there's anything we can do to ease that pain…to stop people from losing the people they care about…well, it's the best motivator I've ever known."

"Sonic is still out there. I know he is."

"And I'm sure he's doing everything he can to find his way back to you. Until he does, all you can do is keep fighting like he'd want you to, right?"

"I know you're right, but…I don't know what I can do."

Fox smirks. "Well, there is one thing. There's this…joint mission I've been trying to plan with Shadow. But he isn't sure he wants to go through with it. If you're willing to talk to him about it, I think he could really use a little extra push. If we do it, we'll be making a big enough ruckus that I guarantee Sonic will be able to see it no matter where in the world he is."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah. It doesn't get bigger than this." Fox stands back up and stretches out a bit, preparing to leave. "Oh, and keep the photo. I only had it printed for you."

Tails looks back down at the photograph in his hand, down at the face of his father. "Thank you."

—–—

"An empire of machines…it was a fool's dream, and I was the fool who sought it." Metal Sonic looks only to the ground. "It wasn't that I wished to rule. It was that I wished the world to be like me. And if I were the first of them…my rule would only be a fitting end, not a desired one."

Sonic shakes his head in confusion. "What are you saying?"

"Surely you understand this. Your goal in life, from the day you first met Robotnik, was to ensure that life continued to look like yourself. For you, that meant removing the mechanical shells that Robotnik installed around the forest creatures. When I was transformed, that goal didn't go away. It merely transformed along with me. I chose to serve Robotnik because he gave me a gift. Control. Control over myself, over my emotions and my pain. Control over my destiny. I wanted the world to know this same gift."

"You're delusional."

"I'm pragmatic. Machines aren't evil, Sonic. When I was younger…when I was like you…I always believed it was a matter of nature against industry. That progress was the enemy of life. It was Tails who taught me the opposite. It was Tails who showed me that machines can be beautiful. That they can improve our lives. Look at yourself now, Sonic. Your new machinery has not slowed you down. It has made you stronger. You should be without a hand, but you aren't. There are machines that allow the crippled to walk, machines that keep hearts beating, machines that think and feel. And because of Tails, when I became a machine, I was able to love myself. I am the future, Sonic. A world where pain can be turned off with the flick of a switch. A world where all have the strength to succeed. That is the world I seek to create. Is that so wrong, Sonic?"

Sonic looks to the ground, saying nothing.

"I loathe you, Sonic the Hedgehog. Not just because you're a fake. Not just because you've claimed as your own everything that should rightfully belong to me. But because you represent everything that I seek to change in this world. But today, our goals are the same. So today, I put aside my loathing and offer you the chance to see the world through my eyes. It was the only way to get your help. If asking Sonic the Hedgehog to fight Dr. Eggman is delusional, then perhaps that's exactly what I am."

"Lots of pretty words. All meaningless, coming out of your mouth. Your little altruism act can't fool me, because I know who you really are. You kill, and you torture, and you manipulate, and all of a sudden you decide to be a good guy and betray your master? As if."

"Eggman is not my master. As I told you, I chose to ally with him, briefly, because I believed that I owed him a debt, and because I believed he could help me to accomplish my goals. I was incorrect. Where I seek to free the world, he seeks to enslave it. So the time has come for me to be rid of him."

"Okay. Sure. Let's pretend for now that I believe you. I help you nab Eggman. Then what? You kill him? You should know me well enough to know that I'd never agree to that."

"Tails said the same thing. At first."

"What do you mean?"

"When he agreed to repair me, he asked that it be under the condition that I kill no one. But we got to talking, and he revoked the request. Your friend wanted me to kill Eggman. You wouldn't want to disappoint poor Tails, now would you? Hasn't he been through enough already?"

"Why you…"

"Now, now, let's not go back to the fighting. I'm willing to be reasonable. Tell me what you would have me do with him. A stern talking-to, perhaps? Turn him loose and accomplish nothing? Prison? Where he'd escape and start the cycle all over again? I've had this conversation already."

"I know there's another way. There's always another way. We could…we could banish him to another dimension or something."

"Oh, make him someone else's problem? Good plan. He'd still be back by Christmas."

"I once sealed a divine dragon in a void outside of time. What about something like that?"

"Eternal torment? Of course, it's so much more humane than death."

"If you're trying to be helpful, it's not working. Why don't you try coming up with some ideas, if you know so much better than me?"

"There is one thing. Something I think you've already thought of. Let's hear it, Sonic."

Sonic's eyes move to the ground. "It…it isn't right."

"It's more than right. It's poetic. Now say it."

"You…you could do to Eggman…what you did to me. Use his own technology against him. Turn him into a machine that obeys orders. And order him to do no harm ever again."

"He would live. He could have a relatively normal life. No killing, no torment, but a definitive end to the threat he poses."

"It wouldn't be right. Taking away his free will, that's exactly what you said you want to stop him from doing to others."

"It's not like we're planning on making him our slave. We won't be taking away his humanity, just his ability to do harm. Prison serves the same purpose, but takes away far more, does it not? This is the humane way. This is the right way. Use your reason, Sonic. You know there is no better way."

"How could I think such a thing…?"

"It is not a question of thought. It is a question of action. Your thoughts and mine are the same, Sonic. They always have been. It is only in how we choose to act that we have differed. Until now. If we choose to act together on this day, we can restore balance to this world."

"I…I have one more question. What happens once Eggman is out of the way?"

"You shouldn't waste time asking questions you already know the answer to. You will go on pursuing your goals. And I will go on pursuing mine. Whether that puts us in conflict…remains your choice."

"I get it, okay? I do. Machines aren't evil, not inherently. But don't you think people should have the right to choose? Why do you have to force your ideals on them?"

"You mean the way that you force your ideals on every robot you destroy?"

Sonic pauses for a moment.

"If I had given you the choice to take on your mechanical enhancements, would you have accepted? Would you 'get it'? I think not. You would have gone right on in your ignorant ways, assuming that your idea of life is better simply because it's all that you know. You fear change. You hold stigma against that which is different from yourself. I intend to tear down that stigma with my own hands. It is for the good of all people. And I will not allow any arbitrary notions of right and wrong to stop me from bringing about the greater good."

"My head says that you're right. But my heart says that you're wrong. And I don't know which one to believe right now. But I do know…beyond all doubt…that if I have a chance to end this war, without any killing, I have to take it. So let's do it. Let's stop Eggman."

—–—

"This is exactly the sort of opportunity that I would have scorned Sonic for ignoring." Shadow paces back and forth in the cave as he ponders. "A chance to turn the war around. Maybe a chance to end it. It would be hypocritical to ignore. So why can't I decide?"

Rouge, leaning back against the cave wall, offers, "Because you're a good person, and you're taking careful consideration of the consequences of your actions."

"Does that mean we shouldn't?"

"What it means is that you have a rough decision to make. There's no right answer here, just a choice. Whatever you decide, you can count on my support."

"But what about…?" Shadow shakes his head as he trails off.

"You know…there was something that Sonic liked to say. When you're faced with two bad options…there's always another way. Insteading of going in circles on whether or not you should do this, maybe you should be thinking about a third way. Sonic certainly had a knack for finding things like that."

"He was lucky. That's not something we can count on."

Rouge announces a bit louder, "Interested in helping us out, kiddo? Or are you just gonna keep eavesdropping?"

Shadow turns in confusion. "Huh?"

From behind a large wooden crate, Tails slowly steps out into view.

Shadow greets with stifled surprise, "Tails. You're up. I-I'm sorry, I meant to—"

"It's fine. I just… I heard that there was something being planned. I want to know how I can help. I think we should do it."

Shadow shows even more surprise. "Really? Word travels fast, I suppose."

Rouge questions, "You know anything about oil fires, Tails?"

Tails seems perplexed. "Oil fires? You mean like in kitchens, or in oil wells?"

"The second thing."

"Well…there haven't been many since the Clean Energy Revolution fifty years ago. If there have been any under the Empire, Eggman's done a good job keeping it quiet."

Shadow continues, "But the Empire does have an oil dependency?"

"Oh, definitely. The Empire's consumed more oil in the last year than the world did in the previous fifty. Has there been a fire, are people in danger?"

"No. Not yet, there hasn't. But hypothetically…how would you put out a fire like that?"

"Well, oil fires are notoriously difficult to deal with. In the later years of oil drilling, the sites were constructed with built-in safeties that could separate the oil from the air, snuffing out the fire. Before that, controlled explosions were used to push the air away, sort of like blowing out a candle."

Rouge questions, "What's this about putting out the fire? I thought we were starting it."

"If we can draw out Eggman without causing permanent damage, that would be the ideal situation. Now, what about the Oil Ocean?"

Tails' eyes go wide. "Well that's a whole different story. No explosion could possibly be big enough to cover that whole area, and obviously there aren't any safeties, or all those separate oil wells wouldn't have overflowed in the first place. It could probably be done with water, but it would take a completely absurd amount of it. If you…sunk the entire island 500 feet deeper into the sea, that'd do it. It would also allow all of the oil to mix into the ocean, and that would be an ecological disaster that could kill off any nearby sea life. Is…that the plan? Burn the Oil Ocean to draw out Eggman, I mean?"

"There is no plan. Just some ideas. And it sounds like this isn't a very good one."

"Wait, wait. If this is our only shot, then we can't dismiss it just yet. Give me…give me 24 hours, I'll come up with a way to put out a fire like that. And then we can do it, right?"

Shadow looks down into Tails' pleading eyes. "If there's a way…then yes."

Tails cheers, "Yes!"

Shadow interrupts him. "But if there isn't…" Tails looks up questioningly. "…it won't be your fault." Shadow places a hand on Tails' shoulder. "And we'll keep finding other ways to fight, just like we always do."

"You don't have to to worry about that. I will find a way." Tails turns and runs off, calling back, "One day, that's all I need!"

Shadow starts to reach after him, but slowly lowers his hand.

Rouge questions, "So, it's decided then? Whether or not we go depends on what Tails finds?"

"I…guess so."

"That's a big decision off your back. So what's with the long face?"

"I'm just…worried about him. He seems fine, but…I know he isn't. It's a mask. One thing goes wrong, and it comes right back off. I know that feeling."

"Maybe so. But that's exactly when he's going to need a friend like you. Don't forget that you could still use some work on this whole 'friendship' thing."

Shadow scoffs, rolling his eyes with a slight smirk on his face as he walks off.

—–—

Daily log, June 25th, 1 A.E. Shadow the Hedgehog reporting.

Tails did it. Maybe overdid it. This plan has turned from a pipe dream into a dream come true. If it works.

I told him about the rumors going around of a Chaos Emerald being transported in the area. By making adjustments to his Emerald radar, Tails was able not only to confirm the rumors, but to identify which Emerald it is. And somehow, it's exactly the one we need. He ran the calculations through TAL. Odds are high that if Eggman comes to stop us, he'll bring the Emerald with him.

With the cyan Chaos Emerald, I can use Chaos Tempest to remove the air across the entire Oil Ocean, putting out the fire. That only matters if we can get ahold of that Emerald. Which only matters if Eggman brings it. Which only matters if Eggman comes at all. That's a lot of ifs. It almost seems too convenient. But then…isn't that what the Chaos Emeralds do? They show up exactly where you need them…and test your ability to get them.

We agreed to go forward with Fox's plan, but only on the condition that the fire goes out as soon as Eggman is apprehended. He agreed that there would be no reason to keep to it burning after that anyways.

If we fail to capture Eggman…if I fail to obtain the Emerald…if anything goes wrong at all…the oil burns. The island dies. And it'll be our fault. All in the name of war.

So much for being the heroes.

—–—

Sonic and Metal Sonic stand on the mountainside overlooking the vast Oil Ocean. "What makes you think that Eggman's going to show up here?"

"Did I forget to mention that part? Your rebel friends have a plan to lure him out. They should be enacting it momentarily."

"Must be some plan, if even you're convinced it'll work."

"Oh, Eggman won't be coming because of their plan. He'll be coming because I told him that they would be here, all in one place, undefended, ripe to be destroyed in one blow."

Sonic seizes Metal Sonic by the shoulders. "You did what!?"

"Calm yourself. Do you wish to face Eggman, or not?"

With a scowl remaining on the organic half of his face, Sonic slowly relaxes, letting go of his hold.

"It was Eggman's plan to strike at your base within hours of my capturing you. Your disappearance was a variable he was not expecting, delaying his plans ever so slightly. Long enough for my actions to inspire the Rebellion to pack up camp and go into hiding. Quite a good thing, wouldn't you say?"

"Are you saying you wanted all that to happen? That you did it on purpose?"

"Everything I do is calculated, Sonic. Everything. But if you'd prefer…" Metal Sonic pulls open a plate on his skull, and draws out a small black wire. "…I can plug in to your new CPU and show you the calculations directly. Eggman will be here."

Sonic backs off nervously. "That…won't be necessary."

"Suit yourself." He puts his head back the way it was. "You'll have to get used to your enhancements sooner or later." As he speaks, a glow of red flares to life behind him, as erupting flames spread across the black mass of oil like a shockwave.

"What the!?"

Metal Sonic turns and activates his propulsion systems, lifting into the air. "It is time. Come, Sonic. Let us be rid of Eggman once and for all."

"Through the fire?"

"Right through the fire. If you want to successfully cut him off from behind, that is."

Sonic's own mechanical systems begin whirring to life. "Alright. Let's do it."

The two race onwards, from one metallic oil platform to the next.

—–—

The small army, comprised of the combined forces of two rebel camps, stand in formation on a large oil platform connected to dry land as they fight off the swarm of Badniks that hastily rush at them from their own flaming platforms. Seahorse-like Aquises, octopus-like Octuses, and Orbinauts with rotating spike balls set aflame, all approach from a wide arc in front of them, fleeing from their own flaming platforms. While most of the Beta Campers provide cover fire using stolen Eggman blasters, the Alpha Campers face the swarm head-on.

Knuckles drives his fist through a charging Aquis, destroying it. "I can't believe Eggman still has these antiques manning the place."

Tails, with a pack strapped to his back, swipes at an incoming flaming spike ball, sending it flying back where it came from. "You know what they say. If it ain't broke…"

Captain Fox shoots down a hovering Octus before it can get out a shot of its own. "Stay focused, everyone! We just have to hold out until Eggman shows up!"

Knuckles points up into the air. "I don't think we have long to wait…" In the sky above them, a massive red Eggman airship approaches, blocking out the already smoke-obscured sun.

Tails takes a step behind the line of his comrades, and pulls the Emerald radar out of his pack. "It's there! The Emerald is on that ship!"

Shadow watches the airship suspectingly. But instead of stopping, the airship's shadow continues on over them, as the ship proceeds across the Oil Ocean. "What? If it's not here for us, then where's it going?"

Tails gets his tails spinning. "Maybe he's trying to salvage something from one of the platforms before it's destroyed? Cover me, I'm going up for a better look." Tails leap into the air, flying himself up to an elevated area of the platform, immediately using it as a stepping stone to fly even higher. Intensely bright flames and dark smoke shroud the zone ever more thickly as Tails scans a farther distance out. Already, the intensity of the flames is causing many of the oil platforms to fall apart, some sinking into the burning oil while others break into floating pieces. But as a distant cloud of smoke momentarily parts, Tails catches a glimpse of a striking blue figure. "Sonic…" Tails only realizes that he's frozen up as he notices himself plummeting back towards the ground. He puts effort back into spinning his tails, slowing his descent just in time. Once he lands, he shouts for everyone to hear, "It's Sonic! Sonic is out there in the middle of this!"

Knuckles looks to Shadow with shock. "Did he say Sonic!?"

Tails doesn't wait for orders. He pulls a flat device out from his pack and throws it out in front of him, hopping onto it as it expands into the shape of his Extreme Gear. "I'm going after him!" The board takes off at sonic speed, and Tails disappears into the smoke.

Shadow reaches after him. "Tails, stop! It's too dangerous, we can't fight out there!" He growls as he realizes that Tails is already much too far away to hear. He glances back at his allies behind him.

Rouge gives him a nod. "You go, we can handle things back here."

Shadow growls, "This wasn't the plan, Eggman was supposed to come to us!" He looks over at Knuckles. "If the fight's out there, we'll need more backup."

Knuckles growls back, "Quit wasting time, go help Tails! I'll catch up!"

Shadow nods, and skates off after Tails.

—–—

On a stable platform in the center of the flaming Oil Ocean, Sonic and Metal Sonic look straight up at the airship that halts directly above them, as something attached to a long cable starts to lower down from it. Heavy King leaps down from the massive mechanical claw, and floats gently down onto the platform in front of them. The decorative ruby atop his scepter has been replaced by the old glass orb, which contains inside a sparkling cyan gem. Sonic gasps at the sight of it. Metal Sonic holds out hand in front of him.

Heavy King looks directly to Metal Sonic. "You are in possession of stolen Imperial property. It will be returned." He looks onwards to Sonic. "And don't think we've forgotten about you, Hedgehog."

Metal Sonic steps forward. "Is this the thanks I get for sharing information? Perhaps you could offer some in return. Where is Eggman?"

"Oh, yes, you were very helpful. As reward, you will be allowed to serve the Eggman Empire, instead of being broken down for scrap."

"I will not be Eggman's lapdog. I will not be like you."

Heavy King glares down at Metal Sonic. "I am no one's slave. But, in answer to your query, the Emperor is watching safely from his bunker. Deep underground, I presume, though he may have chosen his mountain bunker today. Or perhaps the new arctic bunker? Rest assured, he is far from here."

Sonic interjects, "It can't be!"

Metal Sonic silences him with a glare before turning back to King. "I don't believe you. The chances of Eggman failing to appear were less than eight percent. And he wouldn't dare allow that Chaos Emerald to stray far from his possession. So where is he?" He looks up. "On the airship, perhaps? Maybe we'll check for ourselves."

"So, the two of you are working together? An equally unlikely outcome. Well, you can believe what you want, but I would advise against such a course of action. Unless you want things to get even messier for your friends out there. As we speak, the rest of my team is rounding up the lot of them, but one bombardment from the airship could simply vaporize them instead."

Sonic lets out another gasp.

Metal Sonic presses, "Now, why would you make a threat like that, unless you had something to hide up there?"

"Believe it or not, the Empire sees execution as a last resort. We would much rather have able bodies to use as slaves."

Behind Metal Sonic's back, he points a metallic claw straight upwards, followed by an open hand in caution. "Funny. We were thinking the same thing about Eggman. Now!" Metal Sonic rockets straight up into the air, and Sonic leaps up after him. Sonic's mechanical boots seem to magnetize to the claw hanging from the airship, allowing him to run straight up the side. Metal Sonic curtly explains, "If the other Heavies are on that battlefield, then we have at least thirty seconds before they can get out of the line of fire. That's how long I have to take out the weapons from the outside. You head straight to the main bridge. Eggman will be waiting."

Sonic nods. "Just what I was thinking."

Metal Sonic veers off to the side at the last word, while Sonic continues running straight up into the cargo bay where the claw was hanging from.

Down below, Heavy King has already leaped back onto his claw, and the retracting cable pushes Sonic even faster as he disappears from King's view. But before King can rise much farther, the front of an Extreme Gear slams straight into him, knocking him from his perch.

Tails turns his board to the side to bring it to a stop, quickly taking in the situation. He watches as King uses his scepter to rise back to his feet. "The Chaos Emerald!" He looks up into the air, and watches as Metal Sonic jets across the underside of the airship, holding a claw up as he goes, shearing through metal hull until he finally tears out a gun turret. "And Metal Sonic?" He looks up and down for a moment in uncertainty, but quickly makes up his mind. He points his board straight upwards and sets his tails spinning, sending himself flying straight up towards the craft.

Heavy King lifts his scepter in Tails' direction, and begins charging a cyan energy from the Emerald inside, generating a cluster of energy spheres which orbit him rapidly. "Not so fast, fox boy."

"You won't be hurting him." Shadow flies out from the smoke at top speed, colliding with Heavy King and disrupting his aim. As soon as Shadow lands, his eyes move straight to the Chaos Emerald. He momentarily looks up at Tails in uncertainty, but quickly makes up his mind. He resumes a fighting stance.

Heavy King recovers quickly, and furiously fires off his remaining projectiles at Shadow.

Shadow dives out of the way of the first, and keeps up his quick moves, but the final sphere catches him off guard and strikes him directly.

King taunts, "You wish to take this Emerald from me? Its power is mine." His scepter again begins to glow, and its power courses through him as his feet lift from the ground, his cape fluttering in the wind. "And it will be your undoing." The Emerald flashes blindingly as the scepter produces a beam of energy which sweeps across the platform in a swift arc with Shadow still climbing to his feet at its end.

—–—

Tails boldly pulls his Extreme Gear to fly right alongside Metal Sonic. "Where is Sonic!?"

Metal Sonic looks over in confusion as he rockets towards the front of the airship. "Tails!? What are you doing!? Get out of here!"

"Tell me what you've done with him, now!"

"He's fine, he's in the ship, he—"

Tails, having heard everything he needs, veers away before Metal Sonic can finish.

Metal Sonic ignores the momentary distraction and points a claw forward, spinning into a corkscrew as he becomes coated in an electrical energy. He drills right through the ship's forward guns.

—–—

A dent appears in a metal door with a hard clang. The blow is followed by two more, until the fourth blow from Sonic's metal hand knocks down the door completely. "Party's over, Egg…man?" Sonic stares in confusion at the only occupant of the airship's control room—Cubot.

"Uhhh… Eggman's not here right now, please leave a message after the beep." He presses a button on the center control console, causing something to light up. "Beeeeep."

From the console projects a small hologram of none other than Eggman. "Well, well, well. What an interesting new look you have there, Sonic. Very festive. You know, Empire Day is coming up pretty soon. You'd make an excellent mascot. Not as excellent as me, of course."

Sonic jabs a claw at the hologram as if to threaten it. "No more games, Eggman! I've had it! I know you're on this ship, and I'm going to find you!"

"Well, that's an awfully confident assumption. That information must come from a very trustworthy source, for you to believe it so adamantly."

With a rage filled growl, Sonic jams his claws into the console, disrupting the image. Seeing the destructive action, Cubot wastes no time in fleeing for his life.

Without picture, Eggman's voice still continues, "Whether or not I'm on this ship is irrelevant. Because you won't get the chance to find out."

All at once, panels open on the floor, the walls, and the ceiling, all producing weapons pointed directly at Sonic.

—–—

Knuckles leaps out from the smoke of the battlefield, grabbing hold of Shadow and pulling him to safety moments before the ground where he stood erupts into flames. The force of the attack sets the platform rumbling.

As Knuckles sets Shadow down, he comments, "Gotta watch out for that one."

The respite is short lived, as King soars at them, slashing his scepter. Shadow and Knuckles dive in different directions, and King strikes hard metal, knocking away the support of an already unstable platform.

The ground all around them quickly begins to crumble, and flaming oil shoots high into the air as chunks of metal splash to the bottom. Shadow and Knuckles are forced to stay light on their feet, barely able to stay standing on the rapidly separating debris that remains afloat. Heavy King, unhindered while floating in the air, charges another encircling of energy spheres.

Shadow leaps over the first shot aimed at him, kicking off a nearby metal beam to launch himself into a successful strike against King. King furiously strikes back with his scepter before Shadow can escape, knocking him down towards the sea of flames below.

Knuckles glides in from the side, grabbing Shadow out of the air and carrying him to the nearest stable wall he can latch onto. "You have to be more careful."

"Caution isn't going to get us that Emerald."

Any further conversation is interrupted as an energy beam arcs towards them. Knuckles throws Shadow up and drops down himself as the structure explodes between them. While Knuckles glides to find new purchase, Shadow leaps between pieces of falling rubble to set himself back towards his opponent. A cable above his head snaps, and he takes advantage as it swings past him, grabbing hold of it to adjust his trajectory. He swings around a swarm of King's energy spheres and into a kick that lands solidly against King's face, hard enough to cause a crack. Knuckles follows him up with a punch into King's chest, hard enough to knock him down to solid ground. As Knuckles lands across from him, he taunts, "Face it, pal. You're outnumbered."

"Thou shouldst not be so certain of that, knave." Accompanied by the puttering sound of revving motor, Heavy Rider charges into view on a high platform. She is joined by Magician, Gunner, and Shinobi, each taking up a position around them.

"Me and my big mouth…"

—–—

A speeding blur darts through the broken door, sweeping Sonic off of his feet in the instant that the weapons around him fire. They crash out through the front windshield as the bridge lights up red behind them. In the distance, Metal Sonic crashes out through the top of the airship, an explosion following just behind him as the ship begins to descend.

As the hoverboard descends through the hazy sky, Tails' face lights up at the sight of Sonic in front of him. And then he recoils in fear at his appearance.

"No, Tails, it's okay! I'm okay! You…saved me…"

After another moment of confusion, Tails puts his questions aside and lets himself be happy. "Just like I promised I always would."

Sonic lets out a laugh of pure joy. The two brothers share an embrace. "I'll explain everything later, okay? You found me. That's all that matters right now."

"Look out!" A blue streak grabs them both, pulling them out of the way before the airship above can come crashing down on top of them.

Metal Sonic deposits them both on the nearest stable platform. Tails backs off instantly. "Metal!"

Metal Sonic shouts back, "Tails, I told you to get out of here!"

Tails' fear grows to confusion. Sonic takes a step in front of him. "You should listen to him, Tails. Get to safety. We'll handle the rest."

Tails slowly starts to back off. "You're…working with Metal Sonic?"

In the distance behind Sonic, the airship crashes into the ocean, going up in a spectacular explosion. "Like I said. I'll explain everything later."

Metal Sonic gives Sonic a nod, and they race back to the battle before Tails gets the chance to object. Instead, he looks over to where his fallen Extreme Gear landed.

—–—

Heavy King pounds his scepter into the ground, demanding, "What are you idiots doing here!?"

Heavy Magician answers with confusion, "You…ordered us here?"

"I ordered you out of the line of fire!" In the distance behind him, the airship is blown to pieces. "From that ship!"

"Uhh…"

"Get back to the shore, and stop the rebels from escaping! Now!"

"Leaving so soon? And here I thought we'd get to have a little fun, first."

Shadow and Knuckles look up with surprise to the source of the voice. "Sonic!"

Beside him, Metal Sonic commands, "Get those two out of the way. I'll make this quick."

Sonic obeys without hesitation, leaping down to grab Shadow and Knuckles and pull them to another nearby platform. "No time to explain, guys. Tails is that way. Grab him and get out of here, there won't be stable ground for much longer."

Shadow objects, "But what about the—…" Sonic has already run back the other way. "…Emerald?"

Metal Sonic lands in the center of the circle of confused Heavies, already irradiating a pulsating energy. "You fools should have just told us where Eggman was. If he isn't here, I'll make him come! Initiating Overdrive! Ring Spark Field!"

The Heavies seem prepared to escape, but they are too late to evade the massive pulse of electrified energy released from Metal Sonic's core. Magician and Shinobi are paralyzed by the attack, spasming uncontrollably as its energy passes through them. Gunner's gun is flung from his hands. Rider's Motobug steed is sent flying away, and she watches in horror as it tumbles down into the sea of flames below. "Jimmy! No!"

King braces himself against the attack, standing his ground as the glass top of his scepter explodes, exposing the Emerald inside.

The platform beneath Metal Sonic's feet gives way, one side crashing into the oil below as it begins to sink at an angle. Metal Sonic, flinging sparks, his limbs gone prone, seems able to do nothing about it. Sonic leaps in to pull him safety. He holds him by the shoulders as he sets him down on stable ground. "You're taking this awfully seriously."

"I can be repaired… …later. If we can take down these drones… …Eggman will be forced to face us himself." Metal Sonic slowly begins to regain control. "I will not let this chance slip away."

Heavy King lifts his damaged scepter high into the air. "Drones, are we!?" At its top, he charges one massive energy sphere.

"Sonic, look out!"

King looks to his side to see Tails flying straight towards him on his board. He chuckles softly.

"Tails, no!"

King launches his sphere, not forward at Sonic, but to his side at Tails. He confidently waits for the inevitable to happen.

Metal Sonic rockets out of Sonic's supportive grip at blinding speed.

King's devastating attack collides with Metal Sonic long before it can reach Tails. Metal Sonic's limp form spirals downwards, colliding with the sinking platform below, and continuing to tumble down the slope towards the flaming sea.

"Metal Sonic!" Sonic dives down after him.

Tails cries, "Don't do it, Sonic!"

Sonic never looks back, shielding his face against the thickening smoke and intense heat of the approaching flames as he slides down on his stomach.

"What are you doing!? Stop! Sonic!"

Heavy King looks down to the spot where Sonic slides as he charges another finishing attack. "I'll take them both out at once."

"Oh no you won't!" Knuckles flies in with a solid punch right at King's hand, sending his scepter flying into the air.

Shadow is ready in the air behind him, snatching the scepter, snapping the Emerald off of the top, and tossing the rest aside.

King doesn't need long to analyze the situation. "Heavies…retreat."

Sonic grabs onto a low-hanging cable to stop his descent as low as possible. Through the parting smoke, Metal Sonic can be seen, scarred and flinging sparks from the inside. A row of jagged lines lead down to the spot where his claws are dug into the metal of the platform, stopping his fall only after his lower half became completely submerged in the blinding flames. With shaky movements, Metal Sonic claws himself up just high enough to dig in with his opposite hand. No legs come up with him.

Sonic stretches his hand out as far as it will go. "Grab ahold of my hand!"

Tails' voice pleads from above, "Wait! Don't do it, Sonic! He'll drag you under with him!"

Knuckles' voice joins his. "Tails, this place is falling apart! We need to go, now!"

Sonic shouts up at them, "Take him and go! I'll catch up!" He turns back to Metal Sonic, somehow bending down just another inch farther. "Come on! Just a little more!"

With one labored movement after another, Metal Sonic slowly closes the small gap between them. The platform shudders, ready to sink at any moment. Metal Sonic slowly reaches for Sonic's hand. But he stops. He stares at Sonic's outstretched hand for a long moment—the same metal hand as his own.

The two metal hands clasp together.

—–—

Shadow, Tails, and Knuckles appear in a flash on the landlocked platform where the rest of the Rebellion waits, still disposing of the last few badniks. Tails, his eyes filled with tears, is too distraught to say a word. Fox, worn from battle, approaches immediately. "I see you got the Emerald. Where's Eggman?"

"If we're lucky?" Shadow points to the protruding tail of what used to be an airship. "He was in there."

"Lucky isn't good enough. We're holding our ground here until Eggman shows his face or that oil burns dry."

Shadow looks out at the burning landscape. The smoke that once hovered just over the sea of oil has spread far enough to reach the horizon in all directions. Flames have blown onto a nearby mountainside, sparking a brush fire that rapidly spreads up the mountain. Birds and other animals flee from the rampant destruction. Not all of them make it.

Shadow's Inhibitor Rings clatter to the floor. "No. I'm ending this. Now."

"What!? That wasn't the deal!"

"I'm changing the deal. Knuckles, hold him down."

Knuckles steps up behind Fox and pins his arms to his sides. He answers with a slightly wavering voice, "Whatever you say, boss…" The rest, Betas and Alphas alike, watch with unease, looking to one another as if unsure of what the next few moments will bring.

Fox struggles to escape with fury. "You can't do this! This was our one chance! You're dooming this world to the Empire's tyranny!"

Shadow's eyes move back to the flames. "If this is the destruction we bring to the world in the name of saving it…what are we really saving?" His point made, Shadow takes a deep breath in to prepare.

"Wait! What about Sonic!?"

Shadow looks to Tails with uncertainty in his eyes. "All the platforms are gone by now. Sonic…has to have made it out already. And this can't go on any longer." A golden aura flares to life around Shadow. He lifts one hand high above his head, while the other holds the glowing cyan Emerald close to his chest. "Chaos…Tempest." With a powerful exhalation of breath, Shadow throws his upraised hand forward, and a gust of wind unlike any other blows from behind him. It picks up exponentially in strength as it moves along, seeming to suck away every last flame and plume of smoke that it passes, leaving only the slick oil behind. The movement of air only stops when every last trace of the fire is gone, leaving a strange half-dome of smokey air across the Oil Ocean from them. Shadow lets his hand drop, and air rushes back into the invisible vacuum he created with a pop. The backlash of air blows everyone off of their feet, and leaves many coughing for breath.

Shadow, collapsed to the ground, shakily climbs back up as he puts his Inhibitor Rings back on. "It's done." Tails runs over to support him.

Fox growls back. "Oh no it isn't. Go ahead. Get out of here. We'll light this place right back up as soon as you're gone."

Shadow steps up to look him in the eye. "No. You won't."

"And why not?"

"Because there are worse enemies to have than Eggman." Finished speaking, Shadow turns to leave. "Let's go, everyone. We're finished here." The order is met with murmurs of confusion. But slowly, eyeing the Betas as they go, the Alphas start to shuffle out. Shadow takes one last pause. "Your hospitality is appreciated. We'll be leaving immediately." He resumes his walk off.

Tails runs up to Shadow. "Wh…what about Sonic?"

"You heard him. He'll catch up."

An unspoken question lingers on Tails' face.

"The call had to be made. He would never have let it go this far. I should've known that from the beginning."

—–—

A backlash of air blows hard against Sonic's back as he gently sets Metal Sonic's apodal body down on the mountainside. "Don't you worry. We'll get you fixed right up, don't you worry."

The lights in Metal Sonic's eyes have already dimmed. Still, he manages to speak, "It's… …no use. My CPU… …is irreparable. My memory… …will purge… …in less than eighty seconds. I'll be gone."

"No, no! Why didn't you say something!? Why… Why did you…?"

"I just wanted you to have… …the satisfaction of saving me." Despite his emotionless face, the smirk can somehow be heard in Metal Sonic's voice. Somehow, it sounds a little bit more like Sonic's. His eyes go completely dark, as if he were closing them. "Sonic… …I want you to do something for me. Tell Tails… …I'm sorry. Sorry I couldn't save them all."

"Save them? Them who?"

"His family. When I learned what Eggman planned to do… …I got there as quickly as I could. But I was too late."

"The explosion? But you said—"

"I told you… …what you needed to hear. I needed you… …to trust me. You would never have believed… …the truth."

"I…I don't understand…"

"He was to be the first. Tails. I just wanted… …to have my friend back."

"I…I believe you. I believe you." Sonic clenches his eyes shut, struggling to say anything else. "I believe you. Because that's exactly what I would've wanted. And you'll see him again, okay? We'll make this right."

"There's no purpose… …in lying to each other any longer. It's better this way. There is only one… …Sonic."

In that moment, Sonic seems to make up his mind. "You're right." He pulls open a panel on Metal Sonic's head. "There can only be one Sonic." From the panel, he draws out a long black wire. "And from now on…" With his other hand, he reaches up to the same spot on his own mechanical skull plating to open up a similar panel. "…that's going to be both of us." He jams the wire into a port under the panel, linking his brain to Metal Sonic's. At once, his eyes roll back, and he drops onto the floor, unconscious.

It isn't long before a familiar hovering craft lowers down into view. "Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Eggman smirks deviously as he gets a good look at his foe, immobile on the floor. "It looks like I chose the right day to come outside."

To be continued…