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cyanocoraxx · 2 years ago

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Fire In The Sky (Chapter 1)

Metal Sonic / Silver Sonic MK II / Mecha Sonic / Shadow

A horrid replica of something supposedly regal. A false god. Trying to be something it was not - the robot could dryly relate in their own way. Neo dryly noted the resemblance to what humans would call "demons." Perhaps Silver's little dance with religion wasn't so useless for today. (Shadow the Hedgehog 2005 adaptation. Continuation of Damage.)

"Brother."

"Little brother."

"Silver Sonic MK II."

...

"My scanners indicate that your internal alarm clock is functioning. You are thus opting to disregard it of your own volition."

Silver rolled over and nestled deeper into his blanket nest. "Just five more minutes, M..."

Mecha stood over him, looming ominously in the darkness. A beam of crimson cast over the small black and silver form below him. "Negative. Your appointment is in fifteen minutes and three seconds. You must attend. Do recall that it is a greater distance this time, as you must attend in Westopolis today. And, good afternoon. You have undertaken this "nap" for more than eight hours. If you continue in this manner, you will not only fail to attend your appointment, but you will also miss the Fire in the Sky Festival-"

"Alright, alright... jeez." Silver sleepily held a hand up to Mecha, who clasped it in their own and pulled him up to his feet. The blanket over his head fell to the floor in a crumpled heap, complete with new rips and tears from his sharp metal spines. Silver stretched out his free arm and shook his head to wake himself up.

Mecha led, or more accurately, dragged their little brother to the bathroom by the hand. "Good. Remember, you must appear presentable."

Silver frowned at him. "Are you calling me ugly? Rude. You're just as rude as Neo today."

"Negative, I am not calling you ugly. You must merely adhere to social normality for optimum results. Based on your previous appointments, this is likely the best course of action to proceed with. I do not wish to witness another person dismissing your case."

Mecha grabbed a tin of metal polish from under the sink and swiftly got to work spraying it across their brother's armour. They then turned back to pick up a microfibre cloth and started working it in with mechanical precision. They were careful to pay extra attention to Silver's black arrows, keeping them well-maintained, for they knew that the markings bore importance to him.

"I think the grime gives me a certain rustic charm," Silver argued playfully.

Mecha didn't pause. "It does not."

"Gimme that." Silver took the polish from his sibling's hand and pointedly sprayed their face with it.

"I object to this." Mecha stated simply, staring ahead at him.

"Over-fucking-ruled. C'mere." Silver grinned and buffed the polish in quite aggressively with another clean cloth. "There, you look like a pretty princess now. You and Princess Neo would make beautiful rulers one day."

Mecha remained as deadpan as always. "Indeed. Now, let us proceed to your appointment with haste."

Silver paused in the doorway, apparently remembering something. He popped his head back around and looked about for Neo.

"Neo! We're going! Do you need anythin' from town?"

Neo signed something back from the shadows of the far hall, and Silver frowned.

"I can't hear you from all the way over there. C'mere."

Neo rolled his optics and wandered over to him. Where Silver could see his hands, he signed, "be safe." If you would just brighten your optical scanners and enhanced your vision, you would have been able to interpret my message. Fool.

"I can see a sarcastic remark rolling about in your processor, Neo. Put it back." Silver teased him with a flick to his nose.

Neo squinted his optics at him in disapproval and signed, "make me."

"I'll take it out and shake it around like a snow globe if you don't quit it." Silver retorted, slapping a hand onto his brother's forehead and using it to shake his head.

Neo swatted at his hand and revved his engine in feigned anger. He lifted a warning claw tip to Silver's armour.

Mecha peered around the corner to reprimand them. "Do not scratch our little brother's paint. He is looking 'presentable'."

Neo withdrew his hand a fraction. "He is looking as supershit as ever. Do not give him false confidence."

"These remarks are unnecessary."

"As is this appointment. They will drop him again."

"We must try. We both wish to provide him with a life of normalcy."

"Yes, we do. I worry about giving him false hope."

The two older siblings watched Silver kneel down to inspect a tiny beetle that scuttled into the warehouse. He followed it slowly and carefully, tilting his head this way and that to listen to its scuttling feet. Neo's squint subtly turned into a smile in his optics.

"If it brings him some kind of happiness or hope, I believe it is a worthy endeavour. Stay hopeful, brother. Hope is all we have at certain times."

"Alright. Be safe, collect whatever data you need. Watch over him."

"Priotity one: eavesdrop on hedgehog-series unit Silver Sonic MK II's private conversations."

"When you put it that way, it sounds horrible."

"It is for our safety. I may also obtain information on how to... best assist you and myself as well."

Neo tapped Silver's shoulder to get his attention. When he looked up, Neo finally finger-spelled, "jokes aside, you scrub up well. Good luck."

Silver sat opposite his newly-assigned therapist in a cozy but clinical room. The robot looked out of place amongst the medical books, polished table, and well-kept furniture, but he didn't seem to mind or notice. His mind had already wandered to the many certificates framed on the walls, displaying his therapist's credentials. He scanned each one and checked them for validity in turn-

"So, let me get this straight, erm, Silver... you were imprisoned for a few days in a cryotube, broke out, met your brothers for the first time on a ship in the sky, your older brother was taken prisoner by the government, so you and your middle brother rescued him and became criminals, the government came back for all of you, you gave yourself up with your middle brother, developed a personal "beef" with the military commander... you then died with your brother, came back, were physically abused by your creat- father, saved Station Square from a giant robot, and now..."

The art of a great therapist lies in being a role model for self-control and the use of one's prefrontal cortex in responding rather than reacting to problems as they arise. They demonstrate how to weave self-control, logic, and empathy into one whole for a shift in perspective, thus enhancing emotional intelligence. On paper, at least, that is the goal - which is why Silver was now on his ninth therapist, and in a new city, nonetheless.

Silver nodded enthusiastically. "And here I am!"

"And all of this happened before you were one year old?" His assigned therapist replied quizzically.

"It sure did. Not the usual litmus test for maturity, but it tracks."

"Silver, I'm not sure if... I'm equipped to handle this case, I have to be honest with you. I've never worked with a... well..." The therapist leaned back just a little, examining her papers. A Mobian Labrador retriever. She squared her glasses and spun her pen in one hand as she read back over her notes, seeming puzzled.

As expected. Silver had to hold himself back from deflating then and there.

"Lady, I'm an artificial intelligence in a metal tin can. Just think of it that way - I'm alive like you, I'm not the microwave brand of machine."

A hesitant sigh from the golden canine. "Where would you like to start?"

Silver leaned back in his seat with an arm slung over the back. "Sheesh. There's a lot to unpack, so it's kinda hard to pick, but... my entire dance with death seems to be a recurring theme. Maybe we can start there?"

The therapist clicked her pen in thought, seeming to come to some sort of private realization. "Of course. Silver, are you religious?"

Silver gave her a pointed look. "Come again?"

She set her pen down and clasped her hands together. "There are many deities that watch over Mobius. Chaos, Dark Gaia, Light Gaia, Solaris, and The End to name a few. Do you worship any of them?"

Silver tilted his head. "What interest would a god have in something like me? I'm the Ghost of Station Square these days for a reason. I kicked the bucket already and no god stopped that from happening."

"You said yourself that you consider yourself to be alive, yes? That means a deity would be interested in you. Gods love all sentient beings." She enunciated her words clearly but with emotion, as if speaking from the heart rather than mind.

"Huh. If you say so... never been the worshipping type, though. I mean, where were these so-called deities when my brother was imprisoned and experimented on by the military? Why didn't they stop Neo from dying? If they're all-powerful, why didn't they stop any of that? It seems to me these deities care more about the state of the world instead of individual people."

"Well, maybe it was all a part of a god's plan for them."

Silver grimaced noticeably. "Seems cruel. My brothers have been through more than the average person. Why test them like that?"

"Good question, Silver. I think sometimes, deities like to test our faith to see if we really believe."

Silver frowned at that. "Why test literal children? What do we owe to some sadist in the sky? The three of us aren't even two years old yet."

The therapist offered a smile - but with Silver's social aptitude, he could tell it was forced. Fake, even. Did all these people read from a script? Maybe they felt they had to fall back on their training when it came to facing him. Silver's optics wandered again, struggling to stay focused when these points were like alarm bells in his mind.

"To make you all stronger."

Oh. Well that suggestion jettisoned a bitter feeling in the robot's tanks. Looking for a distraction, Silver's optics fell down to the necklace the woman wore. He paused for a moment, processing. A human religion? The symbol was unfamiliar to him. It seemed that there were plenty of opinions in this world. He was thus entitled to his own, surely?

"That's just wrong. It didn't make us stronger. We've all been torn apart by different people and different situations. We had to build ourselves back up - literally - and all we have from that is pain. We made ourselves stronger in spite of what happened to us. No supreme being played a single hand in that-"

The therapist quickly cut him off. "That's a very interesting perspective. But, I think that's all we have time for this week, Silver. Same time next week?"

Silver held air in his vents before letting it out in a sigh. Disappointment, perhaps. This one didn't last more than five minutes.

"Sure. Thanks for your time, ma'am."

"Not a problem."

Slinging his bag back over his shoulder, Silver stood up to leave - but then he paused for a moment, looking back at his therapist with a small, nervous smile.

"Uh, did I do good?"

"Yes. I just need to assess your case."

She looked unsure. Nervous, even.

"Oh. Okay. I was just, uh, worried. I've seen a lot of different people about this now and they keep dropping me-"

"Same time next week. I'll see you then."

Not the most convincing response. It was getting more difficult to hold on to hope that someone could really help him navigate his issues - but hey, without hope, he didn't have much else sometimes. Silver took his leave on that note, half-expecting her to text him to say she couldn't take his case later on, and half-expecting some kind of miraculous breakthrough. Oh well. His optics lit up at the sight of Mecha waiting for him outside. At once, they picked themselves up from sitting on the ground and took Silver's hand in theirs. Somehow, seeing his brothers always lifted Silver's spirits. Other people would never understand what they had gone through, but the brothers were entwined in heart and soul and code. And appointments, apparently.

"So? Aren't you gonna ask me how it went, M?" Silver asked hopefully.

Mecha shook their head. "Negative. My auditory sensors were capable of detecting your conversation. It took a different route than usual, I noted."

"You and your scanners! No privacy around here..." Silver murmured, but quickly perked back up. "M, you're smart. Tell me, what role does a deity play in our lives? The lady got all supernatural on me and it's psyched me out a little."

Mecha paused, thinking. Silver looked to him with interest and intrigue.

"We were created by a human. No deity or supernatural being contributed to our construction. Consider this: a machine created by a deity would be capable of exhibiting further ingenuity than man could ever ascribe to it," Mecha explained dutifully, "thus, no deity played a role in our construction, as per this hypothesis."

Silver tilted his head. "When Neo had his breakdown, he said he would rule over the world as the most supreme being. What was up with that?"

Mecha gave a nod of affirmation. "Imagine a god who has abdicated all obligations towards its creations making a triumphant return in the guise of software. Conceptualize all of the changes that could be made to this world - faster and more efficient cures, results, and reactions. Beyond supporting Neo as their sibling, this was my thought process. That we would alter this world in a manner that mattered. I regret my complacency in their endeavours. I now understand that they were unwell."

"And did it- did that situation make him stronger?" Silver asked, intrigued by his brother's wisdom.

"Negative. However, the pain has had its place. I have learned that nature cannot exist without pain. The two concepts are intertwined in complicated manners."

The pair spotted Neo standing atop a hill outside the city beneath a sturdy oak tree, unsubtle navy blue and white against the ambering horizon. They both took off into flight at once to rendezvous with him. Mecha bumped their forehead to Neo's as per their silent greeting. Silver paused for a moment, looking at Neo with refreshed wonder.

Nature in itself was an expression of the universal machine, an algorithmic immanence. All of it an immense calculus, a code. So, Neo was a child, machine, survivor, counterfeit not-god. An oil-driven contradiction in a living world, but still just a child finding their place. Neo curled his hand into a fist and scrubbed his little brother's head between the ears with it, whilst Silver laughed and playfully growled at him.

The pain had its place, for it is what one does with it that matters.

Silver looked back to the city with perked ears. "Hey, guys? I'm still full of beans 'cause of my cat nap. Can we go explore Westopolis? I heard the Fire in the Sky Festival is tonight, I wanna see what that's like too. You know, as a fire sign.."

Neo and Mecha exchanged looks. Neo shrugged a shoulder and Mecha nodded.

"Affirmative. I shall accompany you," Mecha decided kindly.

Neo nodded. "I will stay here in case you need my... talents. And to witness the festival from a distance. Be safe."

The blue machine took rest behind a conveniently sized rock, leaned their head back, and proceeded to sort through their cache for files to delete. They would await any communication from Mecha if it came. The Festival was of little concern to the ex-killer at this point. Too many people in one location.

Neo shuffled a little to assume a comfortable position before pinging Mecha. "I will speak to you before the Black Comet passes through the sky. If I ping satellites, I should be able to find its coordinates before you can even detect it."

"Does this not spoil the surprise for him, brother?" Mecha replied, quicker than usual - something that made Neo's heart unexpectedly warm.

"I want Silver to see it. Ensure that he has an optimal view in time," Neo responded.

Upon the eye of the evening remained the strength of day yet the softness of night. The hush of deepening blue brought eventide to life.

Beneath the harmony of cerulean and amber, the city came alive with music and light. Each vivid hue collected its boarding pass for the city of dreams. A newspaper blew by in a gust of unusually strong wind, where it found a temporary home stuck to somebody's leg. It lingered for a moment before blowing away into the distance. The recipient did not notice, for their attention was fixed on the city of Westopolis. In the city, the Festival was just beginning to come alive. Birthed with orange lanterns that dotted the roads and pathways and bonfires in back gardens, it was a truly charming sight to behold.

Neo was alerted to the sudden movement by their peripheral scanners. They looked around the rock and watched as the person standing a few feet away cringed and squeezed his eyes shut. He tilted his head just a little and squinted an optic. Were the city lights really that harsh on the person's eyes? Did the newspaper hurt? Neo frowned with his optics.

"Who am I... and why can't I remember anything? And who is this Maria?"

Shadow the Hedgehog. Another person who played a hand in Neo's downfall... but Neo put that dagger to rest. Shadow was just as lost as Neo was. So, Neo sank back - this seemed private. But he was curious and had not seen the hedgehog for several months now. Perhaps he would give up something on Eggman's current plans. Neo had known of his presence for the past half an hour and allowed him to stay. A test, perhaps, of the ex- overlord's patience and social battery.

He did privately wish that the hedgehog would choose a different spot to brood in, though.

The robot's attention was sharply drawn to the sky above upon noticing a drastic change in pressure and wind direction. His HUD immediately roused alerts of a potential hurricane or other natural disasters. Dark crimson clouds loomed over the atmosphere, gathering over the city, where a white opening formed in the center. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed within the clouds, a cacophony of sound - which gave way to a mass of unusual beings who descended and immediately laid siege to the city.

The hedgehog watched the carnage with disgust. Neo's frame moved before he commanded it to, but he stayed himself. Mecha was out there with Silver, they would know what to do to stay safe. He just needed to stay here at ground zero and gather some more data...

Shadow shook his head and scoffed. "Look how pathetic they are. I don't have time for these humans..."

A strange response, Neo thought. Shadow had helped to save the world from him not too long ago. Was his amnesia getting worse?

Neo's vision wavered and blurred with static for a moment, and then he felt a surge of energy roll over him - something sick and dark. The air before them shimmered and blurred. Out of this wavering anomaly came forth a being the robot had never laid optics on before. The being wore a dark brown robe with shoulder pads and golden accents - the latter of which did nothing to hide the wear and tear of its garment, Neo noted. A maroon scarf hung around its neck, and golden chains with a set of spiked medallions hung amongst double black cord necklaces. These chains and cords were adorned with red, blue, and purple ornaments. By its side was an apparent extension of it, with a large red eye in the center and star-like protrusions from its form - Doom's Eye.

A horrid replica of something supposedly regal. A false god. Trying to be something it was not - the robot could dryly relate in their own way. Then, Neo looked to its face, its triangular head with leathery skin and horns protruding from the sides. He dryly noted the resemblance to what humans would call "demons." Perhaps Silver's little dance with religion wasn't so useless or misplaced for today.

"Shadow..." The creature spoke. Its voice was distinctly deep, harsh, and angry - extremely demanding for someone who had apparently only just met the hedgehog.

Neo leaned forward in interest. Did Shadow play a role in this destruction? The robot's distrust of others immediately set in. His claws flexed and tensed without his input, ready to defend himself if necessary, and he had to mentally remind himself to stay focused. Stay put. Gather the data, gather the intel. You can figure out what the fuck is going on here and return to your brothers.

Doom advanced on Shadow with outspread arms. "As you can see, the Day of Reckoning will soon be here. Find the seven Chaos Emeralds and bring them to me, as promised."

Shadow recoiled in surprise, a frown clear on his face. "Huh? Who are you? How do you know my name? And what are you talking about?"

Neo rolled his optics. All very pertinent questions, hedgehog, but this is clearly the bad guy. Do not fall for it.

Doom's Eye terminated the apparent projection of the real Black Doom and floated away. Then, several explosions set off around Shadow - which Neo dodged with assassin perfection - to prevent Shadow from chasing after it. Then, the smoke cleared. Neo hoped and prayed that the smog of deceit would clear from Shadow's mind as well-

"Just what was that all about? If he says he knows the truth about who I am... then like it or not, I have to believe him."

Neo shuttered his optics in disbelief. To themselves, they signed, "you idiot..."

Shadow clenched a fist decidedly and lifted his head with renewed confidence. "The only way I'm going to get the secret of my past is to get those Chaos Emeralds!"

"Hedgehog, WAIT-"

Neo's robotic call fell on deaf ears, as Shadow was already skating down the slope of the hill toward the city in a flash of yellow inhibitors and red shoes. The impulsiveness of it all first shocked Neo, then caused him to deflate with a robotic sigh. There were several other ways to obtain data on Shadow's past - such as the supercomputer hiding behind a rock right next to him. This was going to be a long evening. He reached to his ear to comm Mecha.

"Mecha, are you safe?"

"Affirmative. I have secured our brother with an optimal view."

"I-... I will be at your location soon. Until then, remain safe."

An explosion behind the two robots almost sent the younger one toppling over, if not for the older one catching him by his middle. The uptown section of Westopolis was alight in crimson and amber, a city of forest fire and demonic presence in a matter of moments.

"I'm assuming this isn't part of the Fire In The Sky Festival?!" Silver squeaked out.

Mecha shook her head as she set Silver up on his feet. "Negative. This is... something else."

"Great observation skills as always. What do we do?" Silver asked, brushing dirt from his armour with a grimace. So much for being presentable today.

Mecha looked around, scanning each new enemy, absorbing their weaknesses as data. "We do what we do best."

"Explode? We don't exactly have the best lighting for it, everything's already red and orange. To really make an impact, we need total darkness."

"Negative, brother. We must defend this place. Protect the citizens. Save our home. Life must be protected." Mecha responded factually. They shifted their stance so one foot was planted in front of the other and bent at the knees ever so slightly.

"Is this what I get for calling the gods "sadists in the sky" or what..." Silver lamented, scratching his head.

The small issue - the creatures were huge. Each infantry warrior was a humanoid creature with leathery green-crimson skin and bright yellow eyes. Their hands were large and tipped with sharp claws, while their arms and legs were adorned with rigid spines. Mecha watched neutrally as one swung a fist and knocked a nearby car ten feet in the air. Said car flew across the street and exploded against a wall.

Silver winced at the bright light. "Mecha? We don't have time to stand and process things, there's literal fire and flames and blood everywhere!"

The alien turned sharply to look at the two robots, and then moved toward them, fists drawn back to strike. The harsh shadow cast by flame lit the creature's silhouette in burning orange. Mecha darted to the left like lightning, around behind the Warrior's back, and hurled themselves into a killing spin-dash. The robot struck it square in the back and bounced off. Instantly, the Warrior roared in pain and surprise. Mecha spun around to assess the damage to find that one mere spin-dash had easily taken the being down. Not dead, but incapacitated. Its leader would surely tend to it later, if it was kind to any degree. Mecha hoped it was, for they would not abandon one of their own companions in this way.

Yet, in contrast to their softer heart, it was terrifying how quickly Mecha could strike when they decided to.

"Hey, that gives me an idea!" Silver eyed the street, now heaving with these alien creatures who wreaked havoc on all life in the city. "I say we take all these guys down with... efficiency."

Mecha's shoulders squared and her head lifted in approval. "Now you are speaking my language, so to speak."

In unison, without verbally announcing their plan, the brothers moved as one. They knelt down on one knee side-by-side, exchanged looks, and then broke into killer spin-dashes all the way down the street. Both robots scanned ahead to avoid civilians. Thank Chaos for their supercomputer abilities. At the same time, the brothers uncurled and skidded to a halt by a roadblock. Backlit by flame and smoke, the brothers had almost successfully cleared this street - for now.

Right on cue, a familiar blue machine leaped over their heads and tore down the street to tackle a straggler who was running toward them. Neo collided with the Warrior and the pair tumbled down the asphalt until only one rose to stand unscathed. Neo looked to his brothers with brightly glowing optics and glinting claws.

"You missed a spot," Neo remarked in a comm to Mecha.

Silver jumped up to his feet and gave a "woo" down the street to his brother. "And one by one they all become a black mark on the floor!"

Mecha spun around and punched another Warrior who crept up on them from behind the roadblock. "But when it is just too much to take they sneak up from behind."

"Is it me, you say, you're lookin' for..." Silver sang with a grin as a Warrior peered around from behind a car at them, "lemme show you who I am and what I'm here for... here for..." The Warrior quickly fled into the darker crevices of the city at the lyrics.

"Really?" Neo signed with narrowed optics.

Mecha collected themselves. "I-... Indeed. We must apply a level of seriousness to this situation. It appears the invasion has spread through to Downtown Westopolis from here. People are thus in danger."

"You know this is serious because the sky is red," Silver remarked casually, "listen, nothing good ever happens when the sky turns red."

Neo strode towards them, privately sweeping his optics over his brothers to check for injuries first before speaking. Good, they were unharmed. If they were not, Neo would have laid waste to every enemy in its path. With that information secured, they turned to more current matters. Their sentence was too long to finger-spell quickly, so they spoke in code and let Mecha translate to Silver after. "I believe Shadow the hedgehog is playing a role in this sudden invasion, somehow. In what way, I do not yet know. These aliens appear to want the Chaos Emeralds from him."

"Shadow?" Silver looked to both of them with curiosity. "How? He doesn't even know what day it is, probably."

"The leader of the aliens called him by his name," Neo explained carefully. He squinted an optic in thought as he signed his words, mulling over the implications of that himself. Shadow had not known who this being was, so it was a strange situation to witness. "He thinks the leader can tell him who he is."

"Couldn't any of us here do the exact same thing?" Silver asked with a small smirk. He planted a hand on his hip in a very Sonic-like fashion.

Neo released the air he had been unconsciously holding in his vents and nodded.

Mecha stepped forward. "Indeed. However, it is unlikely that Shadow would believe us at our word. As far as he is concerned, we likely remain his enemies, as per the Incident several months ago. According to the data I possess on his nature, Shadow will accuse us of fabricating our evidence. He likely seeks answers from this potential higher power rather than those he already knows of."

"I think we should find Shadow and see what the fuck he's up to in all of this right now," Silver suggested, shifting his weight onto his other foot, "'cause by the sounds of it, he's been given some kind of order by that leader dude. We need to know if he's a threat to the people or not."

"I think we should have all napped like you and stayed in sleep mode..." Neo murmured, rubbing their face with a hand. So much for a simple afternoon excursion to the therapist's office. Now the whole city was on fire. At least, for once, it wasn't his own doing.

"I concur," Mecha replied, "however, our role in this is currently clear. We must act to prevent total annihilation."

Disregarding his brothers' hesitance, Silver stood proudly. "Superbot, Sparky, and Murder Machine are back in action! Let's go fuck this shit up and stop this... alien invasion thing! The Festival must go on!"

Mecha chuckled and nudged Silver forwards. "Never change, Superbot. Let us proceed."

"I can't wait to tell my new therapist about this."

"Please refrain," Mecha murmured, shaking her head.

#fanfiction #theyre baaack <3 #metal sonic #mecha sonic #silver sonic mk ii #reminder: robot code is in italics #mecha and neo can converse privately through it

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