*PenofOneAnswer819 does not claim rights to any Sega Enterprises or Sonic Team patented characters or material presented within this work of fan-based fiction: All copyright reserved by the rightful and respective owners.*

Metal: Ugh, what have you done to me?

PoA: Relax, it's not as though I can help the fact that I'm dead.

Metal: So, how are we conversing? And why is my body on a date with Silver?

PoA: Metal, I have become the ghost of your curmudgeon core's past, and also your consulting conscience and guide.

Metal: A consulting conscience, eh? Is the flat fee's my soul or something?

PoA: Perhaps...I will now show you the error of your ways.

*In the waking world*

Metal?: Siieeeelvy, tellhha mee houu yuu soa buuuoootifuullll!

Silver: I'm NOT an animal-robot-hybrid-girl-man-eater, so stop hugging me ya weirdo!

E-85: You do look good in pink, Silver dear.

*Dream world*

Metal: So, I should tell Silvia to wear more pink?

PoA: ...

-l-

Betrayal

-l-

She was grateful and confused, that was all. Just very confused and extremely grateful…

No, that hadn't made things less awkward at all.

However he chose to slice it, getting hugged to death by a deadly robot was plain creepy, not to mention the way she called him "Doll". Assuming the phrase had been coming from a friend, it would still have bothered Tails for obvious reasons: Amy was always fairly respectful in his presence, and Cream would never dream of using such diminutive phrases (unless they were playing dress up, but that's a another story). Rouge might, perhaps, but only as a way of lighthearted teasing. This girl on the other hand was being sincere, overtly sincere. The sheer honesty and innocence in her tone along with her demonstrated lethality made her a truly uncanny individual.

It then occurred to him that the process of robotic integration had likely been interrupted mid-process. In other words, she had been left half finished, and was likely a physical and psychological wreck as a result. This could possibly explain any abnormalities in her personality and appearance. Based on this assumption, she would be prone to experience more difficulties unless she received proper medical attention, and fast.

Using the good head he had on his rather small shoulders, Tails summed up enough courage to push the lady back gently. He then calmly, albeit nasally, drew in a breath and said "Listen, we really need to get you to a doctor, but first, can you remember your name?"

Cocking her head a bit with a questioning smile, she replied "Don't be silly, Doll! It's me, Mama Silvia."

"Okay then." Tails thought with a look of restrained bewilderment "Alright then, Miss Silvia. You may be in shock from the experi-err… things Eggman has tried to do to you." Having attempted to reassure her, Tails started to take notice of the alarm presently blaring overhead "This place isn't safe. Come on, I need to get you back to my friends before we get caught."

This Silvia, as she called herself, nodded rather compliantly, but did ask "Doll, has E-85 upgraded you? You seem a little, I don't know, different somehow. Like, where's your radio antenna?"

Tails tried to stay focused on the task by planning their exit, but he couldn't help but notice how lucid her questions sounded. While the term "Doll" could mean anything, those "E-85" and "radio antenna" remarks were oddly specific. Regardless, hashing out the details then and there would have been a serious detriment to their safety. It was bad enough that he originally had had to escape this place by himself, but now he had her in tow too. Not that she was useless, but even with her potentially impressive combat capabilities, Tails was not sure if he could depend on her to…

"You there, halt!"

"Stop the escapees!"

"Aw no, and there it is." The squinting fox watched as two super sized guards hustled into the room with electric rods drawn. As huge and troublesome as they looked, surely he could use quick thinking to beat them somehow? Brains over brawn, right? Maybe?

"By mandate of Master Eggman himself, you two are under arrest."

"Resistance is… fine, as long you don't mind getting hurt."

Maybe not.

Well, if there was ever a time to be a hero, here it was. Trying to get his shaky limbs into a fighting stance, Tails was ready to bluff his way past their defenses; until he could find more viable alternatives to the headlong approach. Sure it was going to be hard to protect the girl, but maybe if he moved fast enough, or carried her with him, then he could… No, time was running out, and just being indecisive was going to cost him dearly. It was now or never.

- Chaos Drive Activated

"What'd you say?" Tails asked worriedly.

Engaging Combat Mode -

When he finally did turn around, all he saw was a bright flash before a new figure sped towards the two Sentinels. It was fast, very fast and obviously horrifically strong. The two guards did not yield quickly either, but their clear disadvantage in agility left their attacks several seconds too slow to hit their target. When at last one blow of theirs did connect, Tails saw the figure stagger a bit, before discharging a thin, arrow-shaped beam of energy through the Sentinel's right eye. The second fared no better, as the unidentified attacker revealed the ability to fly; a variant of the two tailed technique Tails thought only he himself could manage.

Changing its strategy, the hovering figure coerced the first, and partially blinded, of the two heavily armored soldiers into stabbing its partner with its electrified weapon. Being less of stun baton and more of a compact spear, the rod impaled the second Sentinel as the first was then gripped by the creature from behind. The figure, now glowing, grew steadily brighter as it seemed to drain the grappled guard of its energy. The process was fairly slow and looked, even for a machine, rather painful. Once fully siphoned of its power, the first guard slumped to the metal floor, as the figure then turned to finish off the second. In a cruel, if not wicked, maneuver, the creature then embraced and flooded the second robot with energy it had pilfered from the first. With a screech of wires and conduits being overloaded, the large robot's eyes burst into flame as several pieces of its chest detonated from within.

After this short minute and some odd seconds, it was decided. The figure, whom Tails had assumed to be the girl, had won with little contest. Against logic, it was not her strength, but her appearance in that short moment that had struck Tails so strongly. For in that moment, unless his eyes had just been playing tricks on him after her dazzling display of power…

He could have sworn she looked exactly like him.

Two tails, pointed ears, crystal blue eyes, unkempt tuft of hair and all. It was like looking into a mirror.

Strangely, as she approached him again, a soothing smile on her face, her appearance had already reverted back; long silver hair and fur, one tail, unusual markings of other species and even a pair of charming violet eyes. Tails tried to return a smile of his own, but his gaping mouth never moved. Instead of relief, his eyes were filled with horror at the mayhem he had watched unfold.

"I didn't imagine it." Tails reassured himself, trusting his nigh-eidetic memory as proof "Eggman, what have you done this time?"

L

*Metal's POV*

L

Feeling no different than he had before, Metal laxly shrugged off the minor intrusion into the back of his brain. Relaxed even, to have a part of their plan already finished and set into motion, he now figured the time for real action would soon be at hand. Words could not express how actively itching he was to get his claws on the phony that had dared to impersonate him. On the other hand, the imposter had admittedly given him a new sense of freedom and purpose beyond being Eggman's errand boy.

"Might as well see the bright side of this mess." He assured himself, forgetting how odd it was for anyone, even a sentient robot, to talk aloud to themselves. Though it seemed strange that the voices he heard kept talking long after he had stopped. This was when it struck him that E-99 was speaking rather loudly to the chief supervisor inside a nearby office.

The debate between the two, sounding as heated as the factory itself, drew Metal in for a closer listen. Eavesdropping was just a harsh word for some harmless reconnaissance, as far as he was concerned. After all, hearing 99 blow up at the hapless manager seemed a mildly entertaining way to pass the time. Additionally, should the conversation start to turn unnecessarily violent, Metal figured he could always barge in and break it up. Truthfully, they were pressed for time, and the thought of waiting around in this hot as Hell hole was not an appealing proposition.

Fortunately, with the outside being dark enough to shield him from prying eyes, Metal managed to situate himself in a spot just outside the office exterior. Eventually, his pseudo-hedgehog earpiece gradually started to pick up on the pair's conversation.

"Yes it is."

"If that's so then, well it isn't my place to say, but rules are rules, 99. You of all should know..."

"And I do. Is this all you called me in here for? The rookie and I have places to be and deadlines to meet."

"Don't play dumb, as if I wouldn't recognize a Metal Sonic when I see one, or a traitor for that matter."

"Is it treachery to quash a mutiny?"

"It is when the general pursuing the rebels is a rebelling himself."

"I have not ignored my orders, only placed them aside for more pressing affairs."

"How will Eggman see that, general? Will he see your failure as a sacrifice for the good of all, or as a simple case of blatant disloyalty?"

"The Master is understanding. I'm sure he will see reason once we bring the perpetrators to justice. And to answer your first question, no; the Prototype is not in my care."

Metal's ears, if more organic, would have shot up at the mention of his one, and perhaps only, friend and her distasteful designation. At least fairly sure 99 had been referring to Silvia, he kept listening:

"Oh, so you haven't heard then? I wonder, why does the Master want to see you, general? Why are there Sentinels prowling the base requesting your location?"

"..."

"You know how fast word gets out around here. Public announcements may not have been made, but all supervisors are required to know these things ASAP. So, are you going to tell me this has nothing to with your orders?"

A sudden rush of new, almost bubbling sensations started well-up inside the clone's chest. This sickening feeling, was both painful and wrathfully invigorating. Caught someplace between a surge of emotion and a moment of mental pause, Metal was once again at a loss; having never been close enough to trust anyone before, he had no idea how betrayal really felt until now.

L

*Station General Hospital*

L

"Come on, I was just out and about and I feel fine! I swear!"

"Stop squirming, you're just makin' this awkward for both of us."

"It isn't so bad. It's not like they're going to wire you up for science."

Flailing about madly, the prisoner in blue violently thrashed in his holder's iron grasp. Escape was impossible, pleas were futile and now it seemed torment was imminent. If only he had been wise enough to willingly incarcerate himself on Prison Island, perhaps this tragedy would never have come to pass. Though for one so bold, it seemed strange that any procedure involving the use of needles soon had him quivering like a cat caught in a tree.

"Sonic, it's a shot, nothing else." a calm, but slightly more than mildly irritated young hedgehog explained "Just being a walking, talking, one man wonder pet doesn't get you out of vaccinations."

Trying to reclaim his balance in his large "friend's" muscular binds, the skittish albeit cunning blue hero readily resorted to bargaining "Amy, come on! You know how I feel about sharp things just waiting to poke my tender belly skin! Listen, I'll call it, and make good on it later: It's a date! What'd ya say? You, me, just the two of us alone. Sound good? I promise, no more snoozing and dreaming about those, what did Tails call 'em, Arabian NiGHTS or Arthurian Legends! I'll even let you use a, uh...a-a shock collar if you don't trust me!"

Saying that out loud, Sonic really wished he hadn't. Amy too, looked around the room in horror as she nervously smiled at the disapproving onlookers "Uh-heh, Sonic dear, now is NOT the time." Gritting her teeth and looking away to hide a mild blush, Amy then scathingly added in low voice "Besides, I don't date diseased deadbeats."

Shaking his head and whistling at the harsh comeback, Knuckles looked down at the crestfallen hero, commenting "Needles got popped."

The three then sat in a moment of rare silence as Amy tried to avoid apologizing profusely, while Sonic, still stunned from her retort, remained quiet. Knuckles of course savored the moment, having not known what he was in for when Amy first approached him about getting Sonic "fixed up". It had been an embarrassing and tiresome half an hour for the three otherwise unfazed heroes. Creating the ruckus that they had earlier left them more than alienated from the majority of the sick humans and mobians waiting to be called. Sadly, this was the only medical institution that specialized in mobian healthcare. Much to Sonic's disappointment, it was either this or a trip to the local vet.

Soon enough, the silence around the room was broken by the fidgeting hedgehog, who started up again with his burning desire to flee. Tired as he was, Knuckles had more than enough stamina to hold the wobbly teen down; taking care to remind him how stupid he looked having to be held by one of his best friends. Still, this didn't stop the rambunctious Sonic from kicking wildly about, hoping to get some much needed traction.

"Stupid, ultra clean hospital floors." He hissed, not liking the saline and alcohol wipe smells invading his stubby black nostrils "Knuckles man, you know we've been friends for a long time now."

"Don't even start with me, Blue. Amy's threatened way more than you can top in a month of emerald pranks and broken birdhouses." The echidna warned with a snide grin sliding across his smug face "Besides, she asked nicely, and I listen when ladies say "choke your bud if he tries to run". I'm just some kind of gentleman, I guess."

Knuckles would be thankful he never heard Sonic's snarky reply at the time, as through the automatic doors flew two desperate faces the three knew fairly well: Vanilla and her eloquent daughter rushed inside in a frenzy unbecoming of the rabbit pair. Before a proper greeting could take place, Vanilla looked at the three utterly terrified out of her senses.

"Sonic, if you please, you should read this." Her voice and hands quaked as she handed a sheet of paper to the restrained hedgehog.

Released without question, Sonic grabbed the notice and read, what seemed to be, a digital message. Not many people were so extravagant as to waste fine technology on a disposable note or letter, thus Sonic already had an idea who the sender was. Opening it quickly, he confirmed the truth with little shock, finding that only Eggman would be so arrogant, not to mention melodramatic; however, it was not until he bothered to read the letter that he began to understand the rabbit family's cause for concern:

"To the mother it may concern,

A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Rabbit, but I'm sorry to say that I've taken the liberty of kidnapping a special someone. Now, now, before you get too panicked or try something silly like calling the police, just cut to the chase and bring this message to Sonic. He shouldn't have much trouble finding out where I've taken your lovely child, or any difficulty in stopping me before bad things happen to her!

Well, Sonic, if you are reading this, I invite you to hurry! You never know who else might get hurt if you don't get a move on. Don't worry, I've sent this letter by my own brand of express mail, meaning it should arrive within a day of her capture. I'm sure you know what to do now. Feel free to bring a friend of yours and fire up a plane for me to shoot down.

P.S. Speaking of which, I have a new friend for you to play with. I'm sure the two of you will get along nicely!

Your lounging local nemesis, Dr. Eggman"

This automated message has been brought to you by Eggman Enterprises. Please hold for a customer satisfaction survey following the bee-

Crinkling up the note without hesitation, Sonic had already started to get a handle on the situation; Cream was here, so who was Eggman referring to? Vanilla had no other children, and with the way her daughter was sobbing out Tails' name while holding her pet Chao, the truth was becoming frighteningly clear; even so, it implied that Eggman had changed targets at the last minute.

That wasn't like him.

"Cream had just been coming back from school when she stopped by Mr. Prowers' house." Vanilla explained, her story corroborated by her child's rapid nodding "I found this letter not long after Cream told me Tails hadn't answered his door. I tried calling him once to find out where you were, but again he didn't answer." Wiping a tear from her light tinted cheek, Vanilla went on "I'm so sorry, Sonic. We came as soon as we heard you were in town."

Processing her words without so much as a nod, the hedgehog was starting to see the full picture: Having not seen or heard a word from his reclusive best friend in days, Sonic remembered that Amy had said something about trying to get a hold of him before their appointment. Normally ever worried for his nearest and dearest partner, Sonic had ignored his gut impulse to pay a visit to Tails in person. Now, based on what he was hearing, it was a decision he would soon be regretting.

Not halting a minute for theatrics, Sonic turned towards the door and said "I'm going." Dashing out without another word. It may have been a hasty, rash and overly protective instinct just playing up, but no one tried to stop him as he left. In fact, Knuckles, at the urging of Amy, rose and simply chased after him, without any intention of bringing him back.

Amy herself, meanwhile, stayed behind for a moment to comfort the two rabbits. She too had realized what Sonic had not seconds ago. If Cream was the original target and Tails had suddenly gone silent, then all they could do was hope Eggman had somehow failed in his mission...

Or that Sonic would be successful in his.

L

*Eggman's POV*

L

No time left. Not even a single second to spare, and it was all their fault.

He knew he should have majored in bio engineering instead of robotics. He always thought that having a mechanical slave would mean more obedience; it seemed far less of a hassle than the DNA splicing his grandfather so adored. Yet either by some gross miscalculation or because he was just too smart for his own good, he had made the most rebellious, stubborn, tight bolt brains ever to grace this small planet. It made him mad how none of them listened to him, even though he gave them life! LIFE! They wouldn't even have existed if it hadn't been for his genius!

In spite of this, all they do is plot behind his back and lie to his face. He swore it sometimes felt like watching after a bunch of spoiled children. Not that he would know, as all Robotniks − what few of them remained − are supremely well behaved; outside of the usual explosive ventures into deadly chemistry sets for giggles, and typical teenage threats to drill holes to the center of earth to escape parental chiding. Nothing like these modern metal heads he was stuck with.

All whining aside, perhaps these flaws were part of a greater test. Certainly, the Prototype is not ready, and the harm Metal Sonic has done by their mental fusing will likely cost him a full scale reboot. Better to think of this as a trial run, a low expectation simulation of what his master plan will be. At the end of the day, it's not as though his empire is in any danger. As the classic saying goes: Just a minor setback, that's all. Besides, with the new E-2000 series brigade production nearing completion, he should soon have his full army ready for active duty.

Nothing was going to stand in his way, not a single loose end will be left hanging, not even by one so loyal as E-99.

Ah yes, E-99. He had been a well trained asset while he lasted, being more of an unsung success than most of the E-100 series - except for ZERO, whose tenacity was laudable − and somewhat laughable. Still, a failure is a failure, and perhaps it was simply time to retire the old base commander for good.

Contrarily, while looking almost sentimentally over his specifications, it seemed like such a waste; such a terrible waste of grade-A programming and years of combat data. With all the duds and disappointments in recent years, it was hard to logically justify scrapping an annually tried and true puppet, despite his being an antique.

Regardless of his feelings, it had to be done. E-99 had crossed one too many lines in recent years, and the last thing Eggman desired right now was the headache of dealing with more treachery. Of course, this would mean green-lighting several boring projects; machines so sparse in the way of mental processing that they will be little more than walking turrets. Perhaps the time had come to keep only the relatively harmless robots, like Orbot, capable of higher decision making. Big ideas with big guns have only proven to be two-step recipes for disaster.

Closing out his files after running one final check-up on the Prototype's unused capsule, Eggman sighed. Disappointed, he stomped back to his desk, smacking aside a previous report with a hostile snarl:

Schematic Data: Subject E-0100 Series Vanguard

Test Phase: Beta prototype

Series Designation: Ω

-l-

End of Chapter Thirty-four

-l-

Not a whole lot has been going on, but this idea just did not want to be put to paper. At least, that's my standing explanation for any recent delays DX

Until next time.