Chapter 1: Dispatch

Location: Mobotropolis

Evening…

Darkness had begun to descend upon Westside Island, and the inhabitants of the city were beginning to wind down. Standing on the roof of a building that overlooked Meh Burger, Bokkun's yellow eyes gazed across the settlement. The city was far from rebuilt, with many of the buildings remaining at various stages of reconstruction.

"Oh…, I don't wanna be here," he whined.

Nervousness was gnawing away at the Messenger Robot, born of his antagonistic relationship with the Freedom Fighters. The choice wasn't his own, if it had, he would have chosen to remain as far from the Acorn Archipelago as possible.

"The faster you complete the mission, the sooner you'll get to go home," another voice stated.

Whirling around, the Chao-like robot discovered a pair of emerald eyes staring back at him. They belonged to a robotic hedgehog, whose body was covered in black, gold, and grey paint. Bokkun scowled back at him, his intense dislike of the doppelganger matched only by his fear of him. Beginning his existence as the original Metal Sonic model, he had been just another of the doctor's soulless killing machines. Over time he had developed a personality, becoming a cruel and sadistic individual with a massive superiority complex. Surpassing his programming, he had developed a conscience, which had led him to forfeit his life so that Sonic and Tails could escape the eruption of Mount Mobius. Even being fully submerged in lava hadn't spelled his end, with his programming having become integrated into the Power Gem's crystalline matrix. Having been recovered from the volcano, the gemstone now served as the power source for his new body.

"W-What are you doing here?"

"I was instructed to keep you under observation."

Bokkun glared balefully at the rogue Metal Sonic, resenting the fact that no one felt that he was trustworthy. Of course, he hadn't exactly done anything that ingratiated himself with their new master.

"Got nothing to say? No scathing comments?"

"Then maybe you should do it!" the Messenger Robot snapped.

"It wasn't I who was instructed to do so," the renegade replied, drawing his arms across his chest.

Letting out a sigh, the messenger robot ignited his rocket and took to the air, heading in the direction of the restaurant. Landing on the sign of the establishment, he eavesdropped on the conversations that were taking place. The Knothole Freedom Fighters were occupying one of the tables, making idle chitchat while they dined. Their conversations weren't terribly interesting, coming off as downright boring to the robot. Looking back towards the rogue, he could see that he maintained his observation of him. Throwing caution to the wind, Bokkun took to the air and flew directly over the restaurant. Deciding it was pointless to conceal his presence, he let out a high-pitch laughter that drew everyone's attention. The bystanders immediately sought cover, his penchant for explosives being common knowledge. Landing on the table the Freedom Fighters had been using, he discovered that they had moved a distance away.

"That was a disappointing welcome if you don't mind me saying so," he complained.

"BOKKUN!? What are you doing here?"

The Princess had her Ring-Blades activated in an instant, being naturally cautious around the Messenger Robot. It had been months since any of them had seen him, and they had assumed he had perished when the Metropolis Zone had been destroyed. While negotiating with Station Square in accepting several Overlander families, she had turned over all tactical data on Robotnik. Not long after, the information she had provided was uploaded into Station Square's O.T.I.S. defensive computers, which then initiated a nuclear strike against the Metropolis Zone. The city had been annihilated, with Robotnik and Snively surviving only because they had Roboticized themselves at that point. Downloading their consciousnesses into new bodies, they had returned to terrorize the inhabitants of Mobius.

"I've got a message for you."

"It's not an exploding one, is it?" Tails questioned, remembering what his messages usually contained.

"I'm not allowed to do that anymore."

Shoving his hand into his messenger bag, the Chao-like robot dug around until he withdrew an envelope.

"Eggman's sure going low-tech these days," Sonic commented.

"AS IF! I don't work for him anymore," he spat at the blue hedgehog.

"Is that so?" Rotor asked, questioning weather or not his words were genuine.

"Dr. Eggman abandoned us. Said he wouldn't waste resources trying to retrieve us from the Metropolis Zone."

"Wait! Are you telling me you were trapped in the city this whole time?"

"That would explain why we haven't seen you," Amy commented, feeling pity for the Messenger Robo.

"Yeah…, well I got a new Master now," Bokkun announced, crossing his arms in indignation.

"And who might that be?"

"Can't say. Only that you two have met."

Waving the envelope in her direction, Sally stepped forward and claimed the package from him. It felt heavy in the chipmunk's hands, indicating to her that it wasn't a letter that was contained within.

"Bye."

With that, Bokkun took to the air, rejoining the renegade Metal Sonic who had relocated to the restaurant's signage. Sonic immediately spotted the robot double of himself, noticing that his left arm ended in a plasma cannon. His emerald-green eyes were drawn to his torso, where a green gemstone was embedded into the metal.

"Metal…?" the hedgehog muttered, surprised to see that his doppelganger wasn't as deceased as he had believed.

The two robots immediately condensed into beams of white light, vanishing into the evening sky.

"What was that about, Sally-girl?" Bunnie questioned.

"I'm not sure, but we're about to find out."

Tearing open the envelope, she tilted the package and caused a flash drive to slide out into her open palm.