Miles was aware he was becoming conscious, his body warming as power began flowing once again. He lacked eyelids, his natural eyeballs recently replaced with optical units situated behind a black visor, and he didn't open his eyes so much as his vision flickered into being with ripples of static. He found himself, prone on his back, limbs spread as he looked directly into bright lights above. The room around was pitch black. He tried to move, found he couldn't. Paralyzed.

He began to panic. This was far too much like his experience on the Lost Hex, when he had been captured by the Zeti and... altered. But this time he didn't have a toothpick handy to influence his own alterations.

"Well..." a sneering voice reached his ears, and Miles' optics swivelled in an attempt to find the source of the far too familiar voice, "Hello there, Miles..."

Two sets of footsteps approached, one the sound of boot soles, and the other metallic and harsh. The leering visage of doctor Robotnik met Miles' vision, along with the scowling mask of Metal Sonic.

Miles was suddenly very concerned. Robotnik was a mad robotics scientist. And Tails had more or less completely roboticized himself. The doctor... could pretty much do whatever he wanted to him.

"My, my!" the doctor said, raising his goggles to expose his malicious, glinting eyes. "You are... a fascinating piece of equipment, Miles! And you did all this work yourself? I see you figured out the organic matter-conversion system? That's the only explanation for how you converted yourself so quickly!"

Miles' glowing blue eyes simply tracking the doctor from his position. "What are you going to do to me?"

"Oh, I'm so happy you asked!" Robotnik cackled, moving around like a predator considering a meal, "After that little... inconvenience you dealt me the other day..." the doctor gestured to his bandaged arm, "I was going to roboticize you and turn you against your friends as revenge! But it seems..." Robotnik ran a hand over the yellow carapace of Miles' torso, "That you've done the work for me! All that is left for me to do is take a look inside that noggin of yours, and... well, let's put it this way. Metal Sonic here is very lonely..." the human sneered and presented the blue robot, who stood silently observing with arms folded and visor lowered. "I thought he could use a 'little buddy' of his own... and seeing as you fit the bill so closely... " The doctor leaned close and smiled wolfishly. "Do my intentions compute?"

Miles, entirely terrified and utterly devastated with what he had done to himself now his organic mind was in full control, simply stared blankly, utterly incapable of expressing outward emotion. "I won't help you..." the roboticized fox said, synthesized voice quietly reverberating, "I won't..."

"Ha!" Robotnik barked with laughter, "Do you really think you'll have a choice?! When I'm done with you, you will be just as much of a compliant, loyal, and destructive minion as Metal Sonic here!" The doctor stood back up and snapped his fingers, sets of claws and tools descending from the dark ceiling above, ready to carry out the work. "Hey, don't worry!" he chuckled, "Maybe you'll enjoy being an Eggman robot..." the doctor stroked at his moustache, then grinned wide. "Mecha-Tails!"

The doctor cackled as he left, Miles watching in fear as the tools began to descend, before he once again fell into unconsciousness. Across the room, Metal Sonic watched in silence as the cyborg was pried open, and the final modifications began.


"Jeez, Tails... where are you?"

Sonic worriedly paced his brother's workshop, accompanied by his friends as they busily scanned for any signs of the rogue cyborg. Free of his lockdown, they had been able to inspect the means of Tails' conversion for themselves - a cylindrical chamber, within which Tails had exposed himself to multiple waves of Roboticizer Rays, Robotnik technology that utterly converted organic material into artificial, conforming to a pre-programmed design.

"We'll find him, Sonic..." Knuckles muttered, the echidna's temper having given way to the realisation that their little friend truly was not himself, "Right, Vector?"

"Right!" The crocodile was situated at one of Tails' consoles, running scans for the cyborg himself, "They don't call me Vector the Detector for nothin'!"

"Nobody calls you that at all..." muttered Espio.

"Why did he do this to himself?" Amy said, inspecting the roboticization machine Tails had used to transform himself, "Change himself in the way he did?"

"It's that damn computer in his brain..." Sonic muttered, "It must have been altering his behaviour... making him believe he needed to 'improve' himself..." He shook his head. "Whatever the Zeti did to him on the Lost Hex, it's screwed with his head."

"I think he's pretty cool as a robot!" Charmy said happily, buzzing around the two hedgehogs. Sonic did his best not to scowl. Charmy was just a kid, after all.

"Charmy? Why don't we go and see if there's anything for you to snack on while the guys work?" Amy said gently, noting a sudden twitch of discomfort from Sonic.

"Okay!"

"Let me know if anything happens!" Amy said, taking the mobian bee-child's hand. Sonic nodded in response, turning back to the roboticizer... and giving it a kick.

"We'll get him back, Sonic..." Knuckles rested a hand on his friend's shoulder, "whatever it takes."

Before Sonic could respond, Vector's voice broke their moment. "Hey, sorry to break up the conversation guys, but we're gettin' reports... Eggman robots are attacking the city!"


Team Sonic sprinted for the city as fast as the mobians could manage, Sonic being ushered on ahead by his teammates to assist the militia as Eggman forces moved on the assault. He boosted through the streets, searching for Badniks, ultimately setting eyes on egg-shaped robots storming through the streets.

"Guys, I have eyes on Badniks! I'm moving in to kick some butt!"

"Be careful, Sonic!" came Knuckles' reply, "Metal Sonic has been sighted in the area, as well as Eggman!"

"Since when did I have to worry about that faker? And egg-brains?! He ain't getting the jump on me this time!" Sonic leaned forward into another blast of speed, smashing through Badniks like bowling pins. "I'm coming for you, egg-face..." the hedgehog muttered.

Doctor Robotnik sneered as his forces surged into the city, the local militia putting up little of a fight. Metal Sonic swooped above, raining blasts of energy down on the defenders, while Badniks stormed the streets, gathering fresh slaves for the doctor's construction projects. Robotnik had plans. Big plans, he wished to soon put into action.

As soon as he could locate that Phantom Ruby...

"Boss!" The doctor turned to regard Orbot and Cubot as they came to a hover beside his egg-flyer, waving to get his attention, "Metal Sonic reports that Sonic has entered the city!"

"He's already heading for our position!" Cubot added, "Metal says he's ready to engage!"

Robotnik leered. "No... inform Metal I want him here for... backup. I think it's time we gave our new unit a workout, don't you?"

"Right away, doc!"

"You got it, boss!"

The doctor tapped at his communications console, pinging his brand spanking new field commander. "Mecha-Tails? You're up!"


Sonic pinballed between Badniks, using the momentum to bounce right up to the rooftops, on the hunt for the doctor himself. He had already seen Metal Sonic streaking above, and the mechanical hedgehog had seemingly intended to swoop for him, before breaking away and rocketing in the opposite direction.

Sonic felt a grip of anger in his heart as he considered Tails' fate.

Come on, little buddy... he thought bitterly to himself, Could still use you right now...

The blue hedgehog launched himself into the air and bounced between a squadron of buzz-bombers in his pursuit of Metal, spinning around like a pinball through the air. He landed easily on his feet with practised grace, unfurling into a combat stance as he laid eyes on the doctor and his mechanical double.

"So, egg-for-brains!" the hedgehog snarked, a lopsided grin splitting his face, "Back up to your old tricks again?"

"If by 'old tricks', you mean 'conquering you miserable creatures in the name of my Empire!' " The doctor sneered, "Oh, I see you're alone today, Sonic! No confounded little cyborg following you around this time?"

"Shame he isn't here!" Sonic replied, his cool slipping at the mention of his best friend, "I heard he gave old metal-head there a good butt-whooping!"

Metal Sonic lowered his head and released a growl of static, seemingly intent on charging the hedgehog, but Eggman himself motioned the robot to stand down. "Interesting you say that, Sonic..." the doctor leered maliciously, "You see, Metal here happened upon your little robot friend just yesterday... and after a few minor tweaks back at my secret lab..."

"What did you do?!" Sonic cried, stepping forward with fists clenched, "Where's my little buddy?!"

"Oh, I'm so glad you asked!" Eggman cackled, the sound of jet engines approaching, "Perhaps, Sonic, you would care to say hello to my newest special operations unit..." Sonic turned and watched, mouth sliding open, as a familiar gleaming yellow form boosted overhead, and landed with a clang right before him. The new arrival straightened back up, right arm morphing into a directed energy weapon, glowing eyes glaring at the hedgehog from a black visor.

"Tails!" Sonic cried to his brother, receiving no reply. "Buddy, what did he do to you?!"

The cyborg remained non-responsive as Robotnik whooped with laughter. "Consider it an upgrade! I reprogrammed the brat to be utterly loyal to me! And finished the work he already did on himself! Now he is one-hundred percent machine, and he's all mine!"

Sonic gaped into the blank, staring visor that had replaced Tails' face, searching for any indication the former fox was playing the same trick he'd played back on the Lost Hex. There was nothing to detect, the cyborg's face unreadable.

Sonic turned back to glare at Eggman. "I'll put you away for this, Robotnik! For good!"

"I wouldn't turn my back if I were you!" the doctor giggled, "I wanna see a good fight!"

Sonic's spines raised and he swung back around - just in time to dodge a flurry of laser rounds from Mecha-Tails' arm cannon. He bounced around the street, dodging fire from the utterly roboticized fox's weapon.

"AHA! YES! YES!" Robotnik pounded his console in glee, grinning impossibly wide as the two brothers battled, "How perfectly poetic, eh Metal?!"

Metal Sonic simply glowered, the robot not taking his optics from the roboticized unit that was seemingly to replace him.


Sonic sprinted over the rooftops, not knowing what to do except direct Tails away from his backup, hoping he could find some way of talking sense into the cyborg... or incapacitating him. If all Sonic could do was take Tails out of the fight and get him back to his workshop, there was a chance the team could work together to bring him back. Even if he were to be a machine for the rest of his life, they could at least bring his mind back.

"Sonic, Knuckles here!" Sonic yelped as another blast of energy slammed unnervingly close to his feet, Mecha-Tails' targeting systems seemingly superior to those of a regular Badnik's, "We're in the city, dealing with Eggman forces! Metal Sonic is hot on your tail! Do you need an assist?"

"Kinda busy here, Knux!" Sonic cried through his communicator as he launched himself from the rooftops and hit the freeway, dashing between cars as Mecha-Tails stuck close behind. "Just deal with egg-brain's forces and kick the old coot outta here!"

Sonic caught a look over his shoulder, finding the roboticized form of his brother keeping up effortlessly. He ducked his head as the cyborg flashed above, turning mid-air to face him. A standard Metal Sonic tactic. Always failed.

"Tails!" Sonic called into his communicator, hoping the converted fox could hear him over the open channel, "I know you're in there buddy! Listen to me!"

A blast of energy from a newly installed chest-mounted emitter was his reply. Sonic dodged and stumbled, but kept trying anyway. "TAILS, PLEASE!" he cried, "SNAP OUT OF IT!"

You can't break a robot out of its programming... is probably what Tails would say right about now. The cyborg leaned forward, seemingly intent on charging him. The eyes glowed furiously.

"I'm sorry buddy..." Sonic had played this game too many times with Metal, and if Metal still didn't have it down... "But we'll fix you, I swear..."

Miles didn't hear him, tails spinning furiously and jets firing as he boosted straight toward the hedgehog.

Sonic hopped into a spin dash, jumped at the last minute, and hit Tails like a cannonball. The cyborg was promptly swatted out of the sky, and smashed impossibly hard into the freeway. His golden form tumbled end over end, shedding parts and chipping paint, before finally coming to rest a hundred metres from his impact crater.


"BLAST IT!" Robotnik smacked his console once again as Mecha-Tails' signature registered extreme damage. With the battle now falling apart around him due to the arrival of Team Sonic, his plans had been thwarted yet again.

"Doctor, Metal Sonic reports that Mecha-Tails is down!" Orbot cowered, anticipating his master's tantrum, "He's badly damaged, sir!"

"Yes, I can SEE that!" Robotnik snarled, gesturing to his console. "Order a full retreat! Inform Metal to pick up Mecha! We'll be back to deal with these miserable creatures soon enough..."

"Yes, boss!"


Sonic skidded to a halt as he followed the trail of impact craters, wincing as he spotted bits and pieces that could only have been broken from Tails' converted form. "Tails?!" the hedgehog swallowed a lump as he spotted an arm... pointedly not attached to its owner. "Oh, Chaos..."

Sonic dashed over to the shattered form of his roboticized brother, propped against an abandoned truck. Dented and scraped, missing pieces of armour, and most glaringly, the aforementioned arm and a leg. The cyborg seemed to writhe in a dazed heap, blue eyes flickering behind a cracked visor.

"Oh jeez..." Sonic kneeled down, utterly unsure what to do and horrified at the damage he'd caused, "Tails..."

"Kzz... kzzz...kzsssonic?"

Sonic's heart almost stopped as the busted vocal units inside the cyborg's face crackled his name, Tails blindly reaching out with his remaining hand. "Oh gods, Tails?! Are you with me?!"

Tails shuffled, and Sonic noted that both his namesakes had been severed in the crash. He couldn't help it. Tears rippled in his eyes at the state of his brother. "Ffff... for the moment..." Tails crackled, eyes rapidly flickering like static. "I... don't feel so good, Sonic..."

"Ah, jeez dude I know... but we'll get you fixed up! I swear it!"

"Wouldn't... trust you to... fit a plug, Sonic..." the fox replied, reaching out with his hand. Sonic took it in his and squeezed, raising his wrist communicator in the other.

"Knuckles..." He said, swallowing his nerves, "We're... gonna need some help..."

"Just mopping up stragglers now!" came the echidna's reply, "And what do you mean 'we'?"

"I... have Tails here..." Sonic said lightly, "And he's in real bad shape... I'll explain later..."

There was a moment of hesitation before Knuckles responded. "Roger that Sonic, Knuckles out."

Sonic lowered his communicator and returned his attention to his brother. "See, buddy? Already on it!"

"I... really screwed up... huh, Sonic? Doing... all this... to myself?"

"Hey dude, we all know that wasn't you!" Sonic said, feeling utterly useless in his lack of mechanical knowledge. "It was that damn computer those Zeti put in your brain!"

"That's the thing..." Tails said weakly, and Sonic noted how hot he was to the touch, whatever was in there powering him must have been working overtime. "It was all my idea... it made so much... sense... I just didn't want to be a failure..."

"You were never a failure, bud..." Sonic said, looking for handholds on Tails tattered form. "Now, are you okay for me to move you? I don't wanna make this... worse..."

"G... go for it..."

"Okay..." Sonic braced himself, unsure of how heavy Tails might be. He lowered into a squat and made to gently take the cyborg in his arms. "Now, I'm gonna lift you... you tell me if anything-"

CLANG

Preoccupied with tending to his brother, Sonic hadn't noticed the approach of Metal Sonic, who slammed into the tarmac beside him. The robot raised a boot and promptly kicked Sonic across the street, the hedgehog slamming into a car door and creating a dent. Sonic wheezed, having been utterly unbraced for the attack, and watched in horror as Metal did exactly what he had been about to, rapidly and roughly taking Tails in both arms.

"Don't..." Sonic spat, roughly climbing to his feet, "Don't you dare take him, you metal freak!"

Metal simply lowered his visor in response, jets firing. Before he could reach him, the mechanical doppelganger blasted into the air, Tails firmly in his grasp.

"TAILS!"

Sonic looked helplessly into the sky, mouth agape, as once again his brother was taken from him. He barely noticed the mixed squad of mobian militia and Team Sonic members who jogged to meet him, too busy watching the stream of smoke that signified Metal's departure.

"Sonic!" Knuckles and the gang trotted up, too late to help with Tails' rescue, "What happened?!"

Sonic didn't reply, remaining utterly still.

"Sonic?" Amy, hammer in hand, tentatively approached, "What happened to Tails?"

"Eggman has him..." Sonic muttered, his fists clenching as he tracked the smoke up to the clouds. Tails and Metal would be long gone now, but he had to try... "And I'm going after him!"

"Sonic, w-" Too late Amy pleaded, as with a flash of blue the hedgehog zoomed off in pursuit of his brother and his captor. Machine or not, Tails was still his brother. And Sonic was going to get him back.


The doctor winced at the still sore wound of his arm, marching with intent down the hall of his secret lair. The battle had been a failure, his latest attempt to gain a foothold on the Mobian Territories once again being driven back by the miserable creatures. Still, a few hundred Badniks were easily replaced. The same couldn't be said for the hyper-advanced machines that accompanied him at this very moment.

"Is my laboratory set up?" the doctor grumbled, while Orbot and Cubot hovered beside him. Metal loitered behind, marching beside pair of Badniks who wheeled a table upon which the other unit lay, still writhing weakly.

"Yes, doctor!" Orbot said lightly, a data pad in hand, "With the extent of the damage and the rate of repair, the unit should be operational again in twenty-four hours!"

"That's almost a full day!" added Cubot, who received an Eggman boot for his contribution.

"I don't care how long it takes..." Robotnik muttered, turning around to inspect the sad state of the unit, "I want this one back up and running, in perfect condition, in time for my next campaign!" The Badniks rolling the table paused at his command, and he leaned over his new machine with bared teeth. "I have... plans for you, Tails... great plans!"

The battered and broken form of the cyborg, presently blind, struggled against the restraints placed around it. The doctor had refrained from shutting it down this time, unwilling to cause any more permanent damage. "What... are you going to do... to me?" Mecha-Tails said weakly, vocal units crackling.

"Oh, I'm going to fix you up real good!" The doctor leered like a snake, tapping at the scarred torso, "And next time, you aren't going to fail me when you encounter that hedgehog again! I promise you!"

The roboticized unit designated Mecha-Tails, once mobian fox Miles Prower, could only whine as he resigned himself to his fate, wheeled through the halls of Eggman's ship to be put back together by the mad doctor.

He only had himself to blame, he thought. After all, he had wanted to be better.