Amy had stacked a few board games on the table and was currently showing a deck of cards to the group. "…If none of these sound interesting, we could always play cards. We'd still need to decide what to play though. We could play Bridge! Or War! Or Go Fish!"
The clatter of a DVD case tumbling to the ground made her stop. Sonic winced at the fallen movie, gingerly picking it up and checking it for damage before putting it back on the shelf. "How about a movie? Metal likes action!"
Amy took the change in subject in stride, "There's a movie I've been wanting to see! We could watch it together! It's called- "
"No. We are absolutely not watching a chick flick. We want Metal to like us, remember?"
"Sonic…Give it a try."
Amy's pleading had no effect. Sonic was immune.
To Shadow's relief, Tails put a stop to the arguments. "Why not let Metal pick?" he suggested.
"Alright," Sonic said, "have at it, Metal."
Metal was yet again out of his element. He was not programmed with an interest in movies or games. Admittedly, he was not programmed with an interest in music either, but he still liked that. It wouldn't hurt to give it a try.
Amy gave the deck of cards a small shake. Sonic held up a movie hopefully. Seeing a chance to stop him, Amy made a move for the remote. Sonic rushed to reclaim it. Knuckles groaned with annoyance. Tails confiscated the remote with a sigh. "Let him make his own decisions."
Metal was equally interested in the options. He liked action, but the opportunity for strategy in a card game also appealed to him. He darted away to get the Miles Electric and showed Tails his choice.
"Can we do both?"
"Compromise, huh? Good choice." Tails found the simple response to be amusing.
"But we still need to pick a movie and a game!" Sonic interjected.
Metal was already sifting through the stack of games and movies, analyzing each one. His internal computers weighed the pros and cons. Finally, he lifted a simple but competitive card game in one hand and an exciting movie about robots built to fight aliens.
"Uno, brave choice," Sonic kidded, "You're about to wreck some friendships."
"Of course, he picked the robot movie," Amy sighed.
Sonic smirked at Shadow, "And he picked Metallic Justice. Good choice. You can tell us how accurate the alien invasion plot is."
"Don't push it," Shadow warned. He had long moved on from the Black Arms situation.
Metal soon found himself staring intensely at his rivals. He scanned for weaknesses. He noted a slight twinge of excitement in Amy. Was she seeing a winning strategy come together? Not if he could help it. Tails tossed a yellow 2 onto the pile. Metal made his move. Draw 4. The crushed look on Amy's face was beautiful.
"Revenge is sweet, Metal," she hissed as she reached for the cards.
The game carried on. Other than a slight squabble over a reverse card being reversed by another reverse card, the tension had settled.
Until Shadow solemnly dropped another draw four. Knuckles added a draw four of his own.
"Where are all of these cards coming from!?" Sonic howled, "You can't do that! You can't stack draw fours!"
"House rules!" Tails chipped in.
"I thought we were friends…" Sonic seemed crushed.
"Enough with the melodramatics. Take it like the hero you say you are," Shadow snapped.
"I'll bounce back. I always do."
"If you can bounce back from this, I'll be impressed." Amy teased. "In fact, you can pick what we do next."
"Challenge accepted. Wait, hang on," Sonic pointed at the TV. "I want you to see this part Metal. It's really good."
Metal turned his attention to the screen. A sleek silver robot stared at the massive alien king. It's blue streaks glowed faintly as it spoke its determination. "Negative. Your threats mean nothing to me. I will never back down." The robot bolted forward, smashing clean through its towering rival. The dramatic scene was slightly dampened by the overuse of fake explosions and the clear fact that the alien was a rubber prop.
"Painfully cheesy," Shadow grumbled.
"That's the charm!" Sonic retorted.
"Uno!" Tails interrupted.
Metal placed a card and pridefully held up his single remaining card.
"Get 'em! Get 'em both!" Amy yelled vengefully.
A cleverly placed draw 2 from Sonic averted Tails' success but Metal was unstoppable.
He dropped his final card on the pile with blatant satisfaction and reveled in the oohs and grumbles from his rivals.
"Rematch!" Sonic called, dropping a handful of cards on the table, "I want a rematch."
"Sore loser," Shadow added.
Amy was already looking for something. "We should teach Metal how to play the wisp game!"
"Please no," Knuckles muttered.
"I could be making us play the fluffy puppy game."
Knuckles backed off. Tails seemed slightly disappointed. He was quickly distracted by Metal jumping up and pointing something out.
The TV was playing a guitar riff.
"Like the soundtrack?" Tails asked. Then said to the group, "See? I said he liked rock music."
Sonic jumped up and raced out the door. In seconds, he was back with his guitar. He flopped onto the couch and strummed it a bit. Metal watched with fascination.
Amy piped up, "I must admit, I was a little hesitant to see you as a friend, Metal. I'm honestly amazed at how…not dangerous…you've been. What happened?"
Metal shrugged. He really didn't know. At any other time, his desire to destroy his enemies would have prevailed. It was a mystery why he hadn't even felt the urge to attack Sonic. He still felt a rivalry, but hurting Sonic and his friends hadn't even crossed his mind. Why?
Shadow spoke, "Long ago, I had hoped that you would make the right choice. It's good that you did."
Metal faintly remembered something. He laid on the ground, defeated. The thrill of power replaced by an overwhelming powerlessness. The crushing feeling of failure enveloped him. He felt hopeless. Useless. "Why? Why can't I defeat you?" Sonic smirked and took on a confident pose. "We're Sonic Heroes." What a stupid answer. He watched Sonic run off, followed by his friends. Only two stayed behind. As the last of Metal's power slipped away, he felt himself being gently lifted. A concerned face stared at him. Shadow. Metal felt an unfamiliar sense of comfort, like at least one person cared about him, even if it was just a twinge of pity. As his Master took out his anger on him over the next several weeks, that memory of Shadow made Metal feel a tiny bit better.
Shadow had that same look on his face now. A vague sense of hope. Only now, there was no undertone of pity. Shadow was proud of him.
He hoped that Sonic would be able to see him the same way.
He had a spark of an idea. He drew upon his memory of that guitar playing book. He reached toward Sonic's guitar and waited. Sonic looked at him with disbelief. He slowly handed it to Metal. "Don't wreck it."
Metal held the guitar as Sonic did. His hand hovered over the strings. He plucked a string hesitantly. A single note reverberated. He plucked another string. He shifted his grip on the guitar's neck and plucked again. His mind ran, putting together what he wanted to do and what the book taught him.
He gave the guitar a confident strum and unleashed his own rendition of the first song he had truly enjoyed.
Sonic was awestruck. After a moment of shock, he pulled himself together enough to sing along.
"I don't care what you're thinkin' as you turn to me.
'Cause what I have in my two hands is enough to set me free!"
He gave Tails a grin, prompting him to join.
"I can fight the feeling to resist it over time!
But when it's just too much to take you sneak up from behind!"
Sonic jumped up excitedly.
"Is it me? You say? You're lookin' for?
Let me show you who I am and what I'm here for!
Here forrrrrr…"
He threw his head back,
"Yeahhhhhh!"
and started rocking out,
"Try to reach inside of me!
Try to drain my energy!
Let me show you just what!
I'm!
Made!
Of!
Simple curiosity!
Try to take a bite of me!
Let me show you just what!
I'm!
Made!
Of nowwwww!"
Sonic's enthusiasm was infectious. Amy joined Sonic's energetic dance as she added her voice to the sing along.
"Like a million faces, I've recognized them all!
And one by one they've all become
A number as they fall!
In the face of reason, Oh, I can take no more!
One by one they've all become
A black mark on the floor!
Is it me? You say? You're looking for?
Let me show you who I am and what I have in store!
In storrrrre!"
Sonic was jumping on the couch as he yelled.
"Hey! Hey! Yeah!
Try to reach inside of me!
Try to drain my energy!
Let me show you just what I'm made of!
Simple curiosity!
Try to take a bite of me!
Let me show you just what!
I'm!
Made!
Of nowwwww!"
Knuckles couldn't help but join in. Shadow looked around, baffled by the excitement filling the room. It was tempting to join in… but he resisted.
"You can take another life long try!
You can take another try!
Hey!"
Metal put his heart into the Guitar solo. Excitement flowed through him. He was having fun!
"Yeaaah!
Try to reach inside of me!
Try to drain my energy!
Let me show you just what!
I'm!
Made
Of!
Simple curiosity!
Try to take a bite of me!
Let me show you just what!
I'm!
Made!
Of nowwww..."
Sonic and Tails easily fell into the call and response roles.
"Try to reach inside of me!"
"Let me show you what I'm made of!"
"Try to take my energy!"
"Let me show you what I'm made of!"
"Let me show you just what!
I'm!
Made!
Of!"
Sonic collapsed onto the couch with a heartfelt "Whoooo hoooo!"
Metal beamed as the last note reverberated through the room.
He handed the guitar back to Sonic, who instantly gained a mischievous grin.
"You weren't singing Shadow," he stated, matter of factly.
"And?"
"It's your turn."
"No,"
"Yes. That is a non-negotiable order."
"You- "
Sonic started playing, ignoring Shadow's protests.
Sonic began, "Can you feel life?
Movin' through your mind?
Ooh, Looks like it came back for more!
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!"
He gave Shadow a quick, light kick.
Shadow let out a resigned sigh before picking up the next lyric, "Can you feel time? Slippin' down your spine?
Ooh, you try and try to ignore!"
"Yeah!"
Shadow continued, "But you can hardly swallow
Your fears and pain!
When you can't help but follow
It puts you right back where you came!"
Sonic grinned as he sang, "Live and learn!"
"Hanging on the edge of tomorrow!"
"Live and learn!"
"From the works of yesterday!"
"Live and learn!"
"If you beg or if you borrow!"
"Live and learn!"
"You may never find your way!"
"Whoa, oh, yeah!"
Shadow actually seemed to be having fun.
Sonic started the next verse, "Can you feel life tangle you up inside?
Yeah! Now you're face down on the floor!
Oh!"
Shadow finished it, "But you can't save your sorrow
You've paid in trade!
When you can't help but follow
It puts you right back where you came!"
They started their call and response routine again.
"Live and learn!"
"Hanging on the edge of tomorrow!"
"Live and learn!"
"From the works of yesterday!"
"Live and learn!"
"If you beg or if you borrow!"
"Live and learn!"
"You may never find your way!"
Sonic grinned as he sang, "Whoa, whoa, whooa
Oh yeeeaaah!"
Then together, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!"
With true feeling, Shadow sang, "There's a face searching far, so far and wide!
There's a place where you dream you'd never find!
Hold on to 'what if'!"
Sonic added his voice, "Hold on to 'what if'!"
Sonic's call again cued Shadow's response.
"Live and learn!"
"Hanging on the edge of tomorrow!"
"Live and learn!"
"From the works of yesterday!"
"Live and learn!"
"If you beg or if you borrow!"
"Live and learn!"
"You may never find your way!"
They swapped their roles. Sonic sang his response enthusiastically.
"Live and learn!"
"Hanging on the edge of tomorrow!"
"Live and learn!"
"From the works of yesterday!"
"Live and learn!"
"If you beg or if you borrow!"
"Live and learn!"
"You may never find your way!"
Then, together, they sang.
"Live and learn!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Live and learn!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!"
Before the last note had finished, Sonic was already laughing with glee. Shadow seemed be genuinely having fun.
Sonic ended his laugh with a happy sigh. "Any requests?"
"How about something a little calmer this time?" Knuckles asked.
"Buzzkill," Sonic groaned.
"Hey, is it raining?" Amy asked.
The group went silent, listening to the tell-tale patter of rain on the roof.
Tails broke the silence, "Seems like it. Typical South Island spring weather."
"Makes me think of the sudden rainstorms that Perfect Chaos caused," Amy mentioned.
"Ugh. I hated it," Sonic groaned. "At least the song they wrote about us was good. Want to have a turn, Amy?"
Amy beamed. "I'd love to!"
She sat on the couch beside Sonic, her poised, upright pose contrasting with the way he sank into the cushions.
Sonic began with a flair. He strummed an enthusiastic, yet somewhat more relaxed, version of the song.
Amy joined in effortlessly, "Thunder, rain and lightning.
Danger, water rising.
Clamor, sirens wailing.
It's such a bad sign."
She had a sweet, melodious voice.
"Shadows, dark creatures.
Steel clouds floating in the air.
People run for shelter."
She sang with emotion.
"What's gonna happen to us?
All the steps we take, all the moves we make, all the pain at stake.
I see the chaos for everyone. Who are we? What can we do?"
She kept the pace Sonic set with ease.
"You and I are same in the way that we have our own styles that we won't change.
Yours is filled with evil and mine is not
There is no way I can lose!"
She invited Tails to respond to her calls.
"Can't hold on much longer"
"But I will never let go!"
"I know it's a one way track"
"Tell me now how long this'll last!"
"I'm not gonna think this way"
"Nor will I count on others!"
"Close my eyes and feel it burn"
"Now I see what I gotta do!"
Amy grinned as she sang, "Open your heart, it's gonna be alright!"
She carried on.
"Ancient cities blazing.
Shadows keep attacking.
Little children crying.
Confusion, hopeless anger!
I don't know what it can be, but you drive me crazy!
All your cunning tricks make me sick, you won't have it your own way!"
Again, Tails joined her seamlessly.
"Can't hold on much longer"
"But I will never let go!"
"I know it's a one way track"
"Tell me now how long this'll last!"
"I'm not gonna think this way"
"Nor will I count on others!"
"Close my eyes and feel it burn"
"Now I see what I gotta do!"
Amy sang out confidently, holding the note easily, "Open your heart...and you will see!"
Sonic couldn't help but showboat during the guitar solo. He stood from the couch and danced around as he played. "Alright! Yeah...!"
Amy stood and joined him. She walked with elegance while Sonic jammed out.
"If it won't stop, there will be no future for us!
Its heart's tied down by all the hate, gotta set him free!"
This time, Sonic responded to her calls.
"I know it's a one way track"
"Tell me now how long this'll last!"
"Close my eyes and feel it burn"
"Now I see what I gotta do!"
"Gotta open your heart, tooooo!"
Amy giggled as Sonic joined her held note.
They continued on in a perfect duet.
"Can't hold on much longer"
"But I will never let go!"
"I know it's a one way track!"
"Tell me now how long this'll last!"
"I'm not gonna think this way!"
"Nor will I count on others!"
"Close my eyes and feel it burn!"
"Now I see what I gotta do!"
"Open your heart, it's gonna be alright!"
Sonic bounced excitedly, "Yeah!
Open your heart!
Yeah!
Open your heart!
Yeah, yeeeahhhh..."
He strummed the final notes with flair and held his pose as they faded.
He gave Amy a little twirl with his free hand to punctuate their performance. He bowed and she curtsied to their friends' cheers.
Metal was amazed by how seamlessly the group was able to work together. He wanted to be a part of it.
Sonic flopped back onto the couch, "How about one more movie to end it off?"
"Ooh! Yes! There's nothing like a movie on a rainy night," Amy agreed.
Tails sorted through the movies on the shelf, making suggestions. Despite their differing preferences, they settled on an animated superhero movie. Mainly because they were too tired to argue or focus on a more complicated plot.
Tails made popcorn and they all settled in. Metal sat on the couch, next to Tails. Amy sat on Metal's other side and gestured for Sonic to sit by her. But Sonic motioned for Tails to scoot over and squeezed in beside Tails at the end. Shadow sat sideways in a chair close by, resting his head against the arm of the chair. Knuckles stretched out on the floor.
The movie started and Metal was mesmerized. He found it to be unexpectedly charming. The boy trying to make friends with the robot reminded him of Tails. The robot was nothing like him, but in a way, it resembled a combination of some of his fellow badniks. He stared at the screen, taking in everything. The robot was helping people. Tails had said that Metal had the potential to help people. Maybe he could be like that robot one day. But he had already decided that he liked his sleek design more than the squishy look of the hero robot.
He was secretly disappointed when the credits rolled, signaling the end of the movie. Metal's focus returned to reality. He looked around.
Tails was leaning against him, almost in his lap. Sonic had collapsed into Tails' thick fur. Amy's head rested against Metal's shoulder. Knuckles was still sprawled on the floor. Shadow had barely moved, only sinking into the chair a little. All of them were deeply asleep.
In the past, Metal would have pounced on the opportunity to attack them while they were vulnerable. But now, he didn't even consider it. They were nice to him. They were his…friends. He felt warm as he looked at them. He settled back into the couch. He would stay here until they woke up. He would protect them.