Chapter Text
Mission: Protect the air shipment of Badnik parts
Mission status: FAILED
System check:
Integrity: 54%
Power: 71%
Amplitude: 300 ft. Dropping rapidly
Velocity: TERMINAL 100 MPH
WHAM
Metal made hard contact with rough dirt he left a Sonic-shaped ditch where he landed along with shaking the area around enough to scare off surrounding Flickeys. Metal did not move from his place in the dirt. He analyzed his battle with that..Dammed Fake he didn't understand HOW. HE. KEPT. LOSING! HE WAS SUPERIOR! HE HAD MORE STAMINA! MORE STRENGTH! HELL, HE MIGHT EVEN BE FASTER! Still.. time and time again that copy beat him out, what did Sonic have that Metal did not? It perplexed him endlessly as he pulled himself onto his cold hands and knees, replaying in his head that final kick that sent Metal plummeting in the first place. He struck the ground in FURY as he rewound, watching it once more. He hit the ground as he loops this failure again, and again, AND AGAIN! This one made sense, Metal wasn't on his A game and yet somehow this loss hurt even more than the last, because that's how it always was this accursed build up, a tidal wave of anger, held by the invincible dam that is Sonic.
A shadow overcast Metal in his crater.
“That one had to have hurt.” Says the pink hedgehog standing over him and extending her hand though he denied it, opting to pick himself up.
“I'm guessing you don't wanna talk about it. I get that. How are things?” This question always gave Metal pause, these meetings had become commonplace for each loss Metal had and yet the question caught him off guard each time, he responds.
“They are fine. The nearest active base is much further than our previous meeting. Do not feel required to come.” This was true for each and everyone of their meetings eggman was always being pushed further and further back and yet of course Amy was unshakable.
“That means we have a journey! Plus, I'm not making you take that trek all alone while beat up.” Her smile pierced Metals cameras, it shined and glistened at him brighter than that of even a Chaos Emerald.
“I am functional, Amelia” It was a lie so obvious you could literally tell by looking at him. Not because of an expression, he had exposed wires and tears all over his outer shell.
“Ive told you you can just call me Amy, and before we get going, you need a break, I can tell”
Metal would scoff if he could he had no stamina to recover and as if reading his mind Amy rebuttaled. “You know that’s not how I meant it. You're always angry after you’ve lost fight and I don't want this to be an angry journey”
Metal rolled his eyelights as he sat down, bringing his feet in a bit and finally observing the area around him. It was a shadowy clearing surrounded by trees, the only opening into the sky being where Metal fell through the leaves, a place that was once undisturbed, now deserted by creatures. Due to his presence.
Amy sat next to him placing her hammer down in between herself and the effigy “How's your sister?”
“Sage is efficient, effective, incredibly useful to the emp-”
“Not like that!” She exclaims with a laugh “I meant emotionally, Metal.”
“She is happy to my knowledge. Particularly kind despite her high position and place next to, The Doctor.”
“That's good. I always liked her. She seems so.. sweet despite being Eggman's daughter.”
“Then you'd enjoy knowing that she has shown fondness toward you, Sonic, and most of your allies.”
Metal scanned Amy's reaction to this reading her warm smile and copied a happy expression onto his eyelights. He enjoyed seeing his friend happy.
He enjoyed knowing his friend knew to trust him.
“There we go. Now we can have a FUN adventure. Are you ready? Need any help? I can tell you’re struggling.”
“I can walk. Power is optimal, Integrity is stable. Appreciated.” Metal considered Amy's infinite compassion as they started to walk it’s something he had always appreciated about her along with her tendencies to avoid less than pleasant topics on their many walks including the details of his last battle instead she opted for niceties.
“Y’know I've been thinking about buying a new dress. How do you think I'd look in green?” Amy turned to him walking backwards to maintain eye contact.
“It is not something you would typically describe as ‘your color’ though you are full of surprises, to even yourself at times.” Metal’s answer was very objective. Yet to Amy… It was kinda sweet, it’s what made her keep coming back to their walks. She found Metal a shockingly good conversationalist and his mind to be very deep when he chose to be.
“Perhaps bring it to our next walk.” Metal thought of his walks with Amy then remembered they only ever happened after a loss “...Assuming I do not succeed.”
Amy felt metals pause and thought on their outings, and how friends don't only meet up during the tough moments “Orr we meet up tomorrow? That's usually when your repairs are done. I'll come to you!” Metal stopped moving as he considered the offer. He knew that Dr. Robotnik did not take kindly to visitors so he began to plan. “Uhm… Metal? It's okay if you don’t wanna...” Amy interjected his thoughts.
“I’d… like that.” He finally responded as the walk continued once more. They walked all the way out of the forest and popped out in the outdoor area of Press Garden Zone. White snow shone like a second sun, and the colorful trees met their sights.
“Ah. So this is where I fell. One moment.” Metal started a scan of Press Garden “Path located. May I take the lead?”
“Yeah! Duh. Where are we going though?” Amy said as she let herself fall behind metal. Their foot prints in the snow leaving a straight trail from the woods.
“We will be taking a special stage ring to get closer to our destination. My power reserves do not have enough to travel though normal space.”
Special stages..that's where Chaos Emeralds are. She raised an eyebrow at Metal but…There's no way he'd bring her along for finding something that'd be used for evil. “Oh uhm… Okay!”
“You are hesitant. Why?” Metal asks as his head shot around. He seems to be observing his surroundings much more closely than usual, at least it seemed that way to Amy.
“U-uhm” Amy crossed her arms and glanced around nervously, mimicking metal. “Special stages make me nauseous.. They're pretty! I just get...Sick easily.”
“I have the power to fly the both of us through.” Metal states before realizing she may be uncomfortable being held by him. “Apologies. That's assuming you'd feel… ‘Normal’ being carried.” Metal silently cursed himself for his failure to consider such an important factor.
“Oh…Well thank you! Yeah I'll be…Okay.” Amy observed Metal’s sporadic observation… She knew there used to be Eggman operations here. Was he… Looking for something of his?
“Hey Metal… What are you looking for?”
Suddenly Metal stopped. His eyes locked onto Amy as he responded quickly, and a little sharply.
“Nothing. Wait here.” Was he… Shaking?
“What? O..kayy?” Metal walked off checking over his shoulder repeatedly. Amy was left alone. Thinking.
What was that? Why is Metal hiding something? Why was HERE where they stopped? She thought they agreed on no Hero OR Villain business on their walks unless someone's life was in danger! She started to pace “No…. No. He wouldn't.. He wouldn't do that. He trusts me, I trust him.”
Shortly after Metal returned to Amy's side. “I have returned. We may proceed” Metal continued to walk as if nothing happened, maybe a bit differently? Amy couldn't tell.
They came to a large steel wall. “I do not have the necessary power to destroy this wall. We will have to find another way to get through I-”
Amy slammed her hammer straight into the wall knocking a hole into it, as if a can was stabbed into. Behind the wall a gorgeous large yellow ring sat in front of the two, spiraling.
“Appreciated. It will be easier if I grab you here. How do you wish to be held?”
“Well… I don't know what's safest..” Amy said, trying to think. “We're NOT doing the neck hold from Little Planet… My breathing still gets a little weird sometimes.” She explains, somewhat grabbing at her neck as she thinks back to the moment.
“Apologies… Allow me to run calculations. Including the variable of your comfort.” Metal froze for a moment then looked at Amy
“You have been held like this before. And it should keep you stable. May I pick you up?”
“Why yes you may! Pfft..” Amy chuckled. Metal tilted his head as she waved her hand to tell him it was nothing then he scooped her up below her knees, with a hand on the small of her back. She nervously scratches at the back of her neck. “O-oh! Yeah, I am used to this actually. Lets..get through, maybe I'll actually get to look around for once!”
“You will. I am gyroscopically stable so you will not be spinning.” Metal says as he dives into the Special Ring with Amy in his arms he starts his thrusters and they sit in the odd circusy world in-between.
“Wow, it's… pretty.” She says as she soaks in the sites of the odd voids and drops and ‘goals’ of the Special stage and how it all spun around her and her robotic companion centering them in this strange landscape “Where to?”
“We are not in traditionally euclidean space, from our current perspective we will go up and right until we reach the proper exit.” As Metal looked around he did not see the beauty Amy saw though he did see the complexity. He wondered what it took to make this place and how it contained the emeralds as it did.
“Okay then! Let's go!” As Amy gave the order Metal blasted them through the void holding her close and Amy held him back, trying to avoid the thought of falling. The two flew in shared silence for what felt like hours.
“Hey, how close are we?” Amy said still seeing no end near them
“We are close. Another minute. My apologies for the lack of speed. I do not wish to cause motion sickness nor to lose power.”
“It's fine! I've had fun. Plus I've… always wanted a good look at this place”
“It is well crafted.” Metal paused as he turned them both to an… exit ring. Amy had never seen an exit ring in a special stage “Would you like to take in the sites? In case you never have to return here.”
Amy nods, looking out at the vast void once more “I know it was only to complete a task but..Thank you. For taking me here. It feels so… Important to see somewhere like this past just ‘its where the emeralds go’ ”
“I knew you'd appreciate the sight, Ameila. This isn't the first route I've planned with Special Zones in mind.” Amy looked to Metal shocked right as they went through the exit being spat out in Starlight Zone, only minutes from when they entered the one in Press Garden
“What?? How is it still-” Metal cut her off ducking them behind a wall avoiding a camera.
“Time does not work the same in those Stages apologies if the dilation causes you trouble. Welcome to Starlight Zone, The Doctor's current base is located under it as no one thinks to check here after The Doctor's original outing and take over this location.”
“Huh..That..makes sense. Maybe I'll tell Tails to look over everything again! Ehehe!”
Metals head shot to look at her. his eyes turning to dots not violently it seemed more like shock
“Kidding! Cmon. You know I wouldn't do that to you.”
“Apologies. I tend to take things too literally. I appreciate your humor” Metal peaked around the corner watching the cameras around starlight.
“We must move quickly and efficiently. I am sure you can keep up. Unless you'd like the lead?”
“No no, this one's your turf! I’ll get the next stealth deal?”
“Affirmative.” Metal gave a thumbs up then looked ahead moving behind a steel beam ahead of the two in the large empty construction site so abandoned since its occupation
“I always wonder what this city could've looked like..” Amy pondered
“Better.” Metal answered. He started to the next blockade as they reached there..a large Badnik deployment met them detecting Amy and aiming rockets.
“Metal?! What’s the plan?!” Amy said as she started swinging her Hammer fighting off the robots who began to rush her.
“I do not have enough power to obliterate them in one shot. Improvise.”
Metal and Amy both started to fight off the badniks taking them out in the tens yet still more swarmed.
“Hey, Metal! I got an idea! Jump up and turn into a ball! I can boost you right through these guys! No power needed!”
Metal turned to her nodding quickly expelling yellow energy to destroy close Badniks to gain space then jumping into the air beginning a dropdash
Amy jumps up into the air, flipping forwards with hammer in hand “SPIKE!” She launches Metal diagonally to ground, sending him flying forward and tearing through the remaining Robots, Metal then jumping out of the ball and landing using his hands.
“WOOO! GREAT JOB METAL! I've always wanted to do that! I never could because Sonic isn't as durable.”
Metal stood up straight, proud of the efficiency “Dual grading. Amelia Rose: S. MS: A. I am glad to have afforded you a dream”
“Hehe, I'm flattered. Really.” The rest of the walk was quiet as they reached a small tunnel entrance
“So..is this the place, Metal?”
“..Yes. This is the base. Your company was appreciated” Metal said with a small nod
“Then..have a goodnight! Tomorrow, right?”
“Yes..yes. tomorrow.”
Amy turned to leave and Metal stared. She took a step… he did not move. She felt his eyes dig into her head. Another step Metal felt desperation. Once more. Then Amy felt cold steel against her shoulder turning her toward him.
“Uhm..Metal? What’s going on?”
Metal’s hands were shaking.
“I..have a gift.”
Metal produced a shining red rose from an unseen storage compartment; it still had snow glistening on its petals from Press Garden Zone.
"Ameila rose. Many years ago you presented me with a flower. One that meant more to me than you could have known at our young age. It was after a particularly rough loss. One that made my creator almost leave me in the dirt. At that time. I was asleep. I'm sure that at that time every thought was mechanical. Fabricated. That… compassion you showed, when you found me, bringing me to my 'home' the… flower you presented me with.. It was the first time I felt awake. I have always wanted to repay since that day and this is not that but I want it to be a symbol of the debt I owe you for waking me up… if you'd accept.”
Amy's mouth hung agape as she stared at the rose “Metal..I..You don't need to feel in debt to me! Im happy to have..helped you this muc-”
“Please. Take it.”
Metal interrupted “I am aware you tend to understate your accomplishments and nothing will prevent me from believing you need to be repaid.” Metal pleaded, holding the rose out further.
“I..okay. Metal..Thank you.” Her eyes softened at him as she reached out to grab the rose, tucking it into her hair gently.
“Goodnight, Amy.” Metal turned to the steel door.
“Goodnight… Metal.” Amy walked away feeling her face.
Why was she so… warm? It… must have just been cause of the fight. But no badnik ever made her heart beat so fast.