In the Machine
by Kellie Fay
Disclaimer: Sonic, Shadow, Metal Sonic, and all connected characters belong to Sega, and 4 Kids, and whoever else owns the games and Sonic X.
Reviews make this insecure author very happy
Chapter 3 Challenge
Unit Shadow again insisted on taking the point. They moved quicky through the smaller tunnels. When the tunnel opened out again to Metal Sonic's surprised, they found themselves in an area old crumbling buildings along with the ivy and flowers gave the area a mystical feel. Around the ruin grew bright green grass, palm trees, overladen berry bushes, surrounding a pond of crystal-clear water. Surrounding the pond played twenty-seven chao.
Unit Shadow stared at the chao annoyed. "Sonic never mentioned a chao garden here," he said flatly.
"I've been in here a few times, and I didn't know there were chao in here either," local unit Jayce, answered.
"If they are cared for by the Spirit of Life, she may have never revealed them to you or Sonic," Unit Tails explained.
Unit Shadow meanwhile got down on one knee and stared firmly into the eyes of one of the Chao. All the other Chao began circling the others chirping in their odd language.
Unit Tails indicated to Metal to make no threatening movements. To the chao he said gently, "it's all right. We're friends." When the chao continued to look at Metal Sonic puzzled Unit Tails reminded him, "remember the Spirit of Life is testing you. Don't hurt them."
Logical, Metal Sonic nodded an affirmative then, sent, [Warning not needed. Inferior organic units known as chao have no bearing on this Unit's mission. Cohesion unnecessary.]
Unit Tails simply gave him a look and said nothing. Meanwhile most of the Chao had lost interest, and began to wander off, but two continued to watch Metal Sonic. [What do they want?] he asked Unit Tails.
The kit's brow furrowed, his two tails twitching in thought. "I think they are confused by you," he explained, "Chao are empathic by nature, and they probably can't read you."
At that, the two chao giggled. One of the pair looked up directly at Metal Sonic, and for a nanosecond the image of a silver goblet decorated with vines and gems in the seven Chaos colors flashed in his Central Processor. Why had that happened?
Unit Shadow broke off from his communion with the chao and rejoined them. "They told me more or less what we knew. The Spirit of Life is determining if you are worthy of her help. So, stop thinking like a machine, and go with your gut."
The phrase confused Metal Sonic. [Query; 'go with my gut?']
Unit Tails read the transmission and gave an amused smile, and chuckle. "Shadow means you shouldn't overanalyze stuff, and just do what feels right, like you did with the spiders."
[This unit does not have feelings,] Metal Sonic reminded him.
Unit Tails looked at him quizzically for a second one, but then the expression passed. Tails asked, "can that device the Spirit of Life gave you tell us- "
Suddenly the ground beneath their feet began to shake. Metal Sonic looked about and saw the ruins begin the crack and crumble.
Without taking time to calculate anything Metal Sonic along with Unit Shadow streaked forward and caught up as many Chao as they could and moved them to a safer location. Once the Chao were safe Metal Sonic looked around. Unit Tails and the Local stood at his side, dust in Tails' fur and the locals' quills, both had Chao in their hands.
He did not see Unit Shadow.
Metal Sonic beeped to get Unit Tails' attention. Then he sent his query to his device.
The kit read quickly then looked about alarmed. "Shadow? Shadow?"
Metal Sonic meanwhile scanned for life signs. Like before the only organics he could detect were the ones he could see, Tails, the local hedgehog, and the Chao.
[Unit Shadow was not to be harmed!] Metal Sonic experienced an overwhelming sense of loss he didn't understand. He did a quick internal diagnostic, and found nothing wrong, but still felt damaged in some way. He sat down on a piece of rubble and tried to sort out these new sensations.
Unit Tails looked at the chao in his arms. "I wish you could tell me if Hikaru and Shadow were okay," he said.
The chao in the local's hands looked up and chirped at him. He looked back at Tails and said, "I can't talk to them the way Sonic and Shadow can, but I get the feeling they aren't worried about them. That The Spirit of Life won't harm them, just keep them out of her way."
Metal Sonic glared up at the local hedgehog. [How do you know that? How can, you be sure?]
Before Tails could translate the chao in the local's hands looked directly at him. Suddenly the image of both Shadow and the three tailed kitsune asleep on two stone beds within a grove of trees flashed in his Central Processor.
Unaware of the sudden input, Unit Jayce said, "chao are connected to the Spirits of Chaos. They have some sort of- hey are you okay?"
The strange sensations running through Metal Sonic's circuitry threatened to overwhelm him. He didn't even know how to respond to the question.
Unit Tails handed Unit Jayce the Chao he rescued and came forward with his device. Metal Sonic's internal defense system then detected the scan. He backed away and beeped a warning.
"Calm down," the fox kit said evenly. I promise, I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to see if your systems are damaged."
[I do not know!] Metal sent back, [I have been experiencing short outs and indecipherable data sensations since I encountered you all, and I do not know why.]
"Maybe that green thing is messing with your systems," Jayce suggested after Tails translated.
Metal shook his head an emphatic no. [The shortouts began before I incorporated the disk into my systems.]
"Can I scan you now?" Tails asked. Not sure what else to do Metal nodded allowing the scan.
"Tell me what systems are being effected," Tails said looking at his device.
Giving in Metal Sonic answered. [ Primarily my Weapon Systems, and my Battle Computer, and I made sure I operated at optimal efficiency before I left the Egg Fortress.]
"I don't doubt that," Tails said softly.
Jayce looked to his right then frowned. Tails noticed the expression but seemed to know the problem. "What is Eli saying?" He asked.
Jayce breathed in and out sharply then said, "he's saying that we may have to tell him why Shadow came. Eli thinks he might be doing it, but I don't see how that is possible."
The inflection Jayce put on the 'he' puzzled Metal Sonic. [You are not talking about Unit Shadow] he asked.
Tails read his tablet. "No, he's not," he said sadly. Then the Kitsune kit turned to Jayce. "It does make sense to me." He hesitated for a second, then took a deep breath and continued. "Before Doctor Eggman programmed Metal Sonic, he lured Sonic into a trap and took a full neurological scan. He used that as the base programming for Metal Sonic. That's why they are so evenly matched."
[I know that. I know I was made to be the true Sonic to replace the organic one.] Metal Sonic added.
Tails' ears flattened to his head. "Believe me I haven't forgotten that, but that is just the thing. The kitsune have stories of something called gūzen no mahõ, translated roughly, it means accidental magic. Whenever the children of the spirits of Chaos are involved, or just Chaos energies in general sometimes weird things can happen. I know that Sonic can understand you depute you only using electric signals to communicate, and Shadow…" Here Tails paused, but with another deep breath continued.
"Shadow told Hikaru that Sonic saw you in a dream looking into the window of the house we were staying in. Despite having a fever, Sonic tried to come himself, but Shadow knocked Sonic out and came himself."
"Um yeah about that," Jayce said now looking uneasily at the Chao in his arms. "Eli told me that Sonic really hasn't woken up since Shadow made him pass out, but he is muttering in his sleep. Eli thinks that Sonic can still sense what Metal is doing, and somehow when you try to hurt us, he's stopping you."
[Not possible!] Metal Sonic sent back, yet as he reviewed each short out, he found that Jayce was correct. The short outs only occurred when he thought about or tried to harm the others.
With a mischievous grin Tails said, "not likely and not exactly normal, but definitely possible. I would advise that if you don't want any more short outs, stop thinking about hurting us."
Metal Sonic simply beeped an affirmative. He just wanted the Chalice and to get this alliance over with. He got to his feet and took the point himself. If anything tried to mess with them now, they were going to deal with Doctor Eggman's finest creation!
The next tunnel went through a series of brambles and branches. Mindful on what the wizard kitsune said about being watched by the Spirit of Life he chose to be cautious about damaging the branches.
While they all clamored over and around the brambles Metal kept a careful sensor scan on Tails, Jayce, and the herd of chao that chose to follow them. Metal didn't give two bolts about the chao, but he didn't want his two temporary allies to disappear as well. Soon Metal saw a faint light up ahead, marking a clearing. At that same moment Metal heard a rustling of vegetation and suddenly Jayce, and all the chao slipped off his scanner.
Instantly he alerted Tails who spun around. He began to twirl his tails sending him into a hover beside Metal Sonic. "Jayce? Jayce!?"
Now taking no chances he took the kit's hand and guided him to the clearing. There were some luminescent lichens, moss, and a few boulders, but nothing else. Metal Sonic let go of Tails and began to pace agitated. [Why is this happening?] He demanded into the empty air. He had no idea if the Spirit of Life could understand his electronic signals, but he felt he had to say something.
Tails watched Metal Sonic and read the translation on his tablet. "Why is this bothering you? I thought you didn't like any of us. I thought we were all inferior organics to you," he said sounding simply puzzled.
[I do not know!] Metal Sonic admitted. [ I have always had orders that Shadow was not to be harmed, but each time one of the others vanished there was this sense of emptiness, off loss, of failure. It is not a malfunction of my systems. I do not know what this is.]
"They're called feelings," Tails told him with sympathy, "you've been reacting more like a living being than a robot. I think that data drive the Spirit of Life gave you is infusing you with the qualities of life."
[This device has giving me life?] Metal Sonic asked.
Tails shook his head no. "I don't think the disk can do that, but it can give you the sensations that living things have. I think that the Spirit of Life wanted you to understand what living things were like, and how we feel especially when you hunt us."
Now the feeling Metal Sonic sensed was regret. The sense of loss each time an ally disappeared felt painful and unsettling. [I do not want these feelings] he sent to Tails, [I want to be as I was.]
"That is up to you later," Tails told him, "Right now you need to use it to figure out which way we need to go."
Metal Sonic nodded and rose to his feet. He accessed the disk. The data flowed through him. He then knew where to go. [Coordinates 47 degrees North 75 degrees west] he sent with a more detailed illustration.
"Okay," Tails said. He took two steps then paused and turned to Metal Sonic puzzled because Metal Sonic had gently grabbed onto one of his two tails.
[Not losing you to] he sent when Tails turned around.
The kitsune kit smiled then offered Metal Sonic his hand instead. "Lead the way," he said.
The two came to a large open area. Light poured in from the crater opening several hundred feet above them. "We must be in the center of the volcano," Tails said looking around. "There's the orchard that Sonic told me about. He always comes here if he's nearby for food and fresh water."
Then they saw Shadow, Jayce, and the kitsune just like the chao showed him. They were imprisoned in a glass chamber by the fountain watering the orchard. Metal Sonic found that he could not scan them, but they were each on a table unconscious. He did observe their respirations. They appeared to be unhurt, simply asleep.
Tails placed his hands on the glass and observed the others as well. "She probably has them under a powerful spell. She isn't going to release them until she's ready, and I wouldn't try releasing them on your own.
Metal Sonic looked at Tails puzzled. [Advise me on course of action.]
"We find the chalice," Tails said firmly. "She said she was going to test you. If you find the chalice, you'll have finished. You might not have passed the test, but you'll have finished."
Metal Sonic nodded in acknowledgement then focused on the data drive. He pointed to an adjacent tunnel that opened into a cave that held a chasm 23.4 feet across. Scanning quickly Metal Sonic could not detect the bottom. He did see above the chasm huge, pointed stalactites. On the far side of the crevasse rested a small shrine of malachite adorned with small gemstones in the seven chaos colors.
Something in that data drive must have activated. Metal Sonic sensed an apprehension. Something in these feelings the fox kit explained to him told him to be wary.
Tails only focused on the chalice in front of them. "There it is!" He looked down at the hole below them. "We can both fly over this easily. Come on let's go!"
Tails rotated his tails and began to rise into the air heading straight for the chalice. Before Metal Sonic could sound the warning, the entire chamber began to shake and tremble. One of the stone spikes fell from the top of the chamber and struck Tails in the head knocking him senseless. Instantly he began to drop out of the air into the chasm
At the same time, the ledge holding the shrine with the chalice of life inside began to crumble and the chalice teetered and began to fall as well.
He could save the chalice and fulfil his objective, or he could save the kit, the friend of his enemy.
In an instant Metal Sonic was on the other side of the chasm with Tails in his arms. He turned around and no longer saw the goblet, and his sensors could not detect it.
Tails slowly came to. He winced, his hand coming up to feel the bump on his head. Then he looked back at the chasm. "What happened to the chalice?"
Metal Sonic didn't see the kit's communication device, so he simply shrugged and put him down.
Tails stared at Metal Sonic for 32.5 seconds a puzzled expression on his face. Finally, he asked. "Why? Why did you save me? Before this you would always try to kill us?"
Why did he save him? Metal Sonic ran over several scenarios trying to figure out why he chose to save Tails, and not the chalice, but the answer eluded him.
He saved you because he has learned the value of a life, even the life of an enemy. A gentle yet firm voice said.
Metal Sonic turned in the direction of the sound to see a glowing green light hovering above them.
Tails moved forward and knelt before the glowing light speaking in his own tongue. The glowing light before them chuckled.
Frustrated that this creature continued to interfere with his objective he squealed out. [Why do you thwart me? Why do you torment me for your pleasure? I only seek to heal my creator!]
To his surprise the glowing light understood his data stream and answered, I chose to test you to see if you could learn to value life. You have taken the lives of so many others.
Metal did not know how he felt about that. He only followed his programing. He then asked. [What did that data drive do to me? Why am I experiencing these feelings?]
The glowing being laughed again.
The drive has giving you the qualities of a living being. You can feel, you can choose, you are no longer subject to your programing.
Metal Sonic still did not understand. [Am I alive now?]
If you wish to absorb my power within the drive, you could live. You would shed your programing and be your own being free to follow your own will.
An intriguing idea, but terrifying at the same time.
[No] he insisted. [my only objective was to heal my creator. That has not changed.]
Metal Sonic swore he heard the spirit sigh. If that is what you wish, her light flashed temporarily blinding him. When his optics reset, he saw the garden the chao showed him earlier. Shadow and the others were sitting up looking bewildered. Shadow recovered quicker than the others. Metal saw Shadow look up surprised at seeing the spirit, but for some reason he chose to remain silent, simply observing.
In the center of the garden sat the chalice.
You have earned your reward. Take my chalice and heal your creator. What you do after that is by your own will. With that the spirit vanished leaving the chalice behind.
Shadow still sitting on the table where he rested looked at the chalice, then at Metal Sonic. "I gather you were successful in your mission."
Metal Sonic merely shrugged. He had the chalice, but for some reason it did not feel like a victory.
Tails found his tablet in the garden. Picking it up he now looked Metal Sonic up and down. "Are you all, right?" He asked.
Metal Sonic looked about at all the organics. They all appeared to be functioning. Instead of answering he simply picked up the Chalice, activated his thrusters and few out of the volcano's crater.
Tails sighed unhappily. While sure The Spirit of Life had only the best intentions, he felt that the adventure had resulted in a very unhappy AI robot.
Shadow noting the kits apprehension said, "I will give him a few days then will drop by to make sure he is all right."
Jayce shook out his quills and asked, "Why? Ever since Eggman built that thing it's been no end of trouble to us and Sonic."
Tails couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Because even though he hates Metal Sonic, the moment that Sonic finds out that one of the Spirits of Chaos tested him and gave him a device that made him act like a living thing, Sonic will worry about him. You know he worries about you."
Jayce's shoulders sagged in defeat, "I know I know, and I know he worries about Shadow, Knuckles, and Silver too and we all were against him at one point."
Shadow turned to Jayce sharply, "When was Silver against Sonic?" he asked.
Jayce instantly looked scared. "Um... he said it didn't exactly happen, and Sonic, and you wouldn't remember, and he asked me not to tell anybody."
Shadow's scowl transformed into a mischievous smirk. "I will have to find some way to trick him into revealing it to me." He regarded Hikaru, who ran his hands over the well examining the hieroglyphics. "Hikaru, Tails mentioned once that you could see through time. Can you see lost timelines?"
Hikaru smiled. "That is an intriguing thought. It may take several days to research it."
Shadow nodded. "We shall discuss it later. For now, we should return to the village before dawn. We need to brief Amy's father, and I want to check on her brother."
Tails smiled. "I take it we're going the fast way then?"
Shadow nodded. "Gather close everyone."
"Chaos, Control!"