#but whether it's Sonic or Amy or whoever the idea is always -

[sage-nebula]

To be honest I kind of just want to write a fic set after Frontiers where Tails ends up in Possum Springs and befriends that crew. Not for any plot reasons, there's no plot really, but just so he can hang around with a bunch of people who have problems and negative feelings and think it's A-OK to feel and express those negative feelings. They treat him like the kid he is because they're in their twenties, and he explodes with everything he's been through in a way to prove that he's not just a kid, and Mae responds with the NitW-certified understated, "Jeez." They take him to smash lightbulbs behind the Snack Falcon. They let him sit in at band practice. He helps Bea out at the Ol' Pickaxe so she can finally fire the creep that assaulted her. (She at first tells him that's probably a violation of child labor laws. He goes, "what are those." She says "fuck it" and hires him.) He and Lori get to gleefully shout, "everything sucks forever!!" while laying on the train tracks because sometimes you've just got to embrace the fact that, yeah, things suck! And maybe they always will! And maybe that's okay! Maybe it's okay to not be okay!!

There's no plot. This follows the events of NitW too, so there's no danger from the cult. Tails is aged up a little maybe, perhaps 12 so that he and Lori can be closer in age (since she's 14), because I want them to be besties and later pen pals. (She gets him a friendship necklace that's two halves of a star. Together they spell "BFF." She gives him the B, because he has a big brain, and keeps the second F because she wants people to think it means "fuck."

Tails: "So . . . Brains Forever Fuck?" Lori: "Exactly" :3)

I just think it would be fun and maybe what he needs. Everything's dying in Possum Springs and everything sucks, Mae is severely mentally ill, Bea is cut off from her dreams, Gregg and Angus have no way of knowing if they'll ever manage to get out, Lori was probably going to be the next target of the cult. But hey, they're still alive. They can still smash lightbulbs and build crazy robots and tightrope walk on the power lines and have knife fights (ok that's just Mae and Gregg) and play grunge rock as loud as they can during band practice. Angus can tell Tails about a universe that doesn't care, and people who do. Gregg can commiserate on what it feels like to feel worthless, and Bea likewise on how it feels to be overwhelmed but knowing you have no choice but to keep going anyway. And Mae can save him the trouble of paying for a shit therapist by telling him, look, the only therapist around will tell you to just journal your thoughts and feelings. So do that. Maybe it helps. She doesn't know. But she does it, so hey, might be worth a shot.

I don't know, I just like thinking about it. Don't know if I'll ever write it, but the idea of Tails and Lori M being pen pals regardless is one I like a lot (as well as Tails taking a burned CD of the band's EP with him when he leaves, and actually picking up on that journaling thing big sis Maeday told him about . . .)

[fstbmp-a]

@argentnaivety delivered: "Delivery--! Oh, hey Amy! I thought that address looked familiar." He makes sure to dust himself off before entering her presence, landing with a small leap onto the floor. There are multiple packages and envelops floating in unison behind him, but the one object that stands out is what's summoned by a wave of the psychic's finger. It's a beautiful bundle of spring flowers, perfectly in bloom, and large enough to hide the poor heroine's face! He takes the ruffled paper-enclosed stems into his hand before giving it to her. "As much as I'd wish to know who these were from, they didn't give a name and employed me anonymously. Just a small signature on the pad here and I'll be off!" Silver offered said notebook to her with a floating pen, but his expression was a bit bashful-- curious. "Y'know. if these were from you-know-who-blue, I think he did a pretty good job. "

There's a little 'oh!' when she opens her door, having not even realized there was someone outside. Truthfully, Amy had been ready to go on her bi-daily jog but she'd certainly take the time to get a package. Especially if it's.. Silver delivering it? It took her a second to register who it was, even when she stepped aside so he could come into the small foyer of her home.

It's good he's keeping busy even when he's back here. Amy would've wanted to hang out if she was aware he'd been stopping by in the past again, but her train of thought was sent careening off the tracks at the sight of something. Just as she notices it, he reveals that it was the package being delivered to her. She takes it delicately in gloved hands, examining it with a mixture of confusion and wonderment.

Amy would be lying if she said the blue blur wasn't her first thought, but even as Silver looks at her just as curious as she might be... well, she snickers out a bit of a giggle, of all things. One hand takes the pen, expertly putting her swishy signature down with that trademark little doodle of her and hearts at the end.

"Well," she begins, letting the pen be taken back so she could examine the flowers as if they were made of glass. Careful and hesitant. Like they might disappear if she were too sudden with them. "I don't know..."

There was a time where the idea of this being a gift from Sonic would have sent her into a flood of excitement she'd never get out of for the day. Yet, now, she found her head above water. Showing her just how much she's grown from that young girl that was always chasing the other hedgehog's heels. It came with a bit of a melancholy, too. That bittersweet acceptance from years of seeming rejection.

"It doesn't really fit him, does it? He'd probably have tried to deliver it himself and realized he ran so fast that all the flowers were petals in the wind." It came with a bit of a laugh at the imagery, shaking her giggles away. "Still, whether it was him or not, this is.. very sweet, whoever it was that sent them. Thanks for making sure they got to me, Silver."

A pause, setting them on the nearby table littered with keepsakes to go fetch a large fanciful vase; along with her coin purse and hand over a sizeable tip to Silver with a smile.

"Here - and don't say you can't accept it. Really, I make more money than I ever use, so I want to make sure someone else gets what they need. Have a good rest of your day, okay?"

[crusherthedoctor]

If you had full creative freedom for a brand new Sonic cartoon, what would you do with it?

This is by no means a complete list of what I'd do, but it gives you a general idea all the same.

- Since Sonic X was long ago by this point, I think it'd be nice to have another attempt at an anime, particularly if it looked something like the OVA or the animated intro for Riders. The actual art direction would basically take the Modern designs, but place them in a world that combines the best visual elements of SA1 and the Classics/Advances/Mania.

- I don't care if the writers are Japanese or American. Treating one as better simply because they're Japanese/American is a tad too elitist and extremist IMO, especially since neither of them have perfect marks when it comes to writing for this franchise. Whoever the writers are, all that matters is that the writing is good.

- It would have a lot more in common with the game universe. Since there have been so many adaptations that practically make a point about doing their own wacky thing (even the ones that claim to be linked to the games...), I think a more genuinely faithful adaptation would be welcome. There would be minor differences of course, and I'm open to taking notes from the better aspects of certain adaptations, but the overall spirit and characterizations would be reasonably consistent with the games.

- Stories would be brand new. Callbacks and references to existing plots is fine, and I wouldn't necessarily mind a show to the side that tackles adaptations ala Pokemon Origins, but overall, I'd rather have new refreshing adventures rather than adapt SA1/SA2 for the millionth time.

- The tone would pretty much be like SA1. Funny and tense in equal measures, never goes too far in either direction. Whether it's a funny moment or a serious moment, it would be sincere. Self-aware enough to be able to acknowledge the weirdness and be willing to poke fun at itself, but not to the point of being overly self-deprecating and pandering to the franchise’s detractors.

- The lore would connect certain plotlines to each other on SOME occasions, and only if the logic was reasonable and kept to a minimum. It would not be all tied together in an overly contrived manner that ends up leaving no interesting questions. In other words, the S3&K/SA1 connection through Angel Island's lore would be fine, but there'd be no “Did you know the Black Arms worshipped Solaris, went to war with Chaos, were the offspring of Dark Gaia, and wrote the Arabian Nights???” bollocks.

- Sonic, Tails, Amy and Cream would make up the main quartet, with their personalities and bonds bouncing off each other. Other characters would appear and be of importance, but only when their involvement is justified. Said characters including - but not limited to - Knuckles, Team Dark, the Chaotix, Blaze, Big, G-Merl, and even Tikal and Chaos.

- Likewise, Eggman and his Badnik army would naturally be the main villains. Other villains who aren't affiliated with him are free to exist and get their own time in the spotlight (as long as they're not shit and don't need to upstage the doctor to look credible), but Eggman is a plague to the world in spite of his eccentric qualities, and is treated accordingly. He does what he wants, and unless you’re Sonic and/or his friends, there’s not a thing you can do about it.

- Since they appeared in Sonic Forces Mobile, I would MAYBE be willing to include Tangle and Whisper if they were allowed. Starline too, but only if he keeps his simp privilege this time, if ya know what I’m saying. The Hard-Boiled Heavies would definitely be there, because they're too good to be only used once.

Regarding certain characters in particular:

- Sonic is not dumb. Nor is he an asshole. He can be rough around the edges, he can make hasty decisions depending on whether he feels it’s the right thing to do, but at the end of the day, he’s still as good a guy as any good guy could be, and as long as you’re not a villain or a Penders-tier asshole, he’ll be friendly with you. You’d still have to deal with quips of course, but that’s just how he is, right?

- Tails maintains his independent streak from SA1, but he still thinks the world of Sonic and would drop everything in an instant if the hedgehog ever needed his help. Though his more cautious approach occasionally clashes with Sonic being a little more gung-ho (albeit not to the point of flanderization), he always has full faith in his big bro.

- The handling of Amy's crush would be perfectly balanced. Not too overwhelming to the point of acting irrational and chasing Sonic like a loony, but not too downplayed to the point where it might as well not be there at all. That said, more focus would be placed on her other traits and interests, such as her tarot cards and her bond with Cream.

- Knuckles would still be prone to gullible and less-than-flattering moments, because it's Knuckles, but more focus would be given to his admirable attributes, like his expertise in translating ancient texts, and occasionally making good points when in an clash of ideas with Sonic.

- Shadow's backstory would remain the same at its core (though maybe without the aliens), but it'd be altered to be less edgy. For example, rather than getting capped, Maria would succumb to her illness, and Gerald's anger would instead be the result of feeling betrayed by G.U.N. for denying him the means/funds to be able to cure her.

- Metal Sonic is fiercely loyal to Eggman, but his identity crisis would also be on full blast, and eventually he'd realise the oxymoron of believing himself to be Sonic while working for Eggman. Rather than turn traitor and wear elf shoes however, Metal would try to rationalize this to himself... with insane results. Eggman knows about this, and would humor it as long as it benefits him. He'd probably also bring out the other Mecha Sonics now and then for no other reason than to confuse Metal even more. Because he's a dick.

- The Sol Dimension now includes Soleanna, which would be the main kingdom. (It's already got Sol in the name anyway.) Since Blaze would be the ruler because of this, his sadly means that Elise would probably have to get cut, but ah well. Due to the change in context, Solaris would be built up as the Sol Dimension's equivalent to Chaos, with more focus on their contrasts (Chaos is water while Solaris is light, Chaos looks aquatic/reptilian while Solaris looks like a bird, Chaos' turn to evil was caused by an ancient event while Solaris' turn to evil was caused by scientists, etc).

- If Silver were in this show, he'd be no more of a casual acquaintance to Blaze than he would be to Sonic. Instead, her tagalong would be Marine. Though Blaze would still get annoyed by Marine's antics at first, she would come around to gaining more respect for her whenever the situation justified it.

- Trudy would-

[bimboamyrose]

Unfamiliar - A Metamy Fanfic (Ch. 8)

First two chapters

Previous (Ch.7)

Somewhere in a childhood bedroom in a little house on a coast, a young girl kneeled on her rug far past her bedtime. Intentions set on finding true love, she knocked and shuffled her tarot cards across the rug like dominos then fanned them out in front of her. The girl had received the deck some days earlier- an early birthday gift from her cousin, who was her only caregiver. Superstitious about having to receive her first deck as a gift, she had studied the cards for months before getting a set of her own. Now, on the eve of her eighth birthday, a young Amy Rose was divining her future. 

A recurring dream about falling in love with a mysterious figure had vexed her thoughts for weeks but was waved off as an overactive imagination by whoever she told. The dream’s setting was curious- a tropical landscape surrounded by construction and cold machinery. In the physical world, a small heavenly body orbited close to her world for a few weeks out of the year. This time, Little Planet appeared like a ghost out of its foggy valley. The usually lush globe was now a bleak gray sphere tethered by a massive chain to the ground below, unable to return to its home in the sky. Amy’s dreams were nothing short of a premonition.  Few were willing to investigate the looming satellite, but word had spread of a hero who’d caught sight of the planetoid in its deplorable state and ventured to liberate it. That was who she’d be destined to meet- she was sure of it.

Amy picked her hand and stacked the deck. A simple 5-card spread in a cross pattern offered to guide her in manifesting her cryptic love. She placed the first card in the center, then one each first on the right of it, then to the left. She repeated this above then below her first card and prepared to ask her questions. 

Fortune-telling guidebooks often recommended the querent first be introspective when it came to relationship matters. She thought for a moment. She was still new to fortune-telling and always found the first query to be the most challenging. Her vulnerability and uncertainty were apparent, and that was perhaps the first thing she would have to overcome. “Am I ready to find love?” she asked aloud. A nervous flip of the card revealed an upright Ace of Wands- her first time drawing it. A card to represent action and new beginnings. An encouraging start! She giggled a bit as her heart raced with excitement. 

“Okay, second card,” she breathed. “What will they be like?” The turn revealed a most unusual reversed Hierophant. Her brow curled as she tried to interpret what it meant. The religious figure depicted on the card stared back at her sternly. The Hierophant represented rigidity, conformity, tradition. She took the reverse of that to represent someone defiant in nature, who seeks freedom and independence. A little sigh came out of her when the thought of falling in love with a cute rebel flashed across her mind. That sounds exciting, she mused.

Clearing her throat, the girl placed a hand upon the third card in her spread. “How will our first meeting go?” The ever ominous Tower caused her to gasp. Change. Danger. Chaos. She paged through her favorite tarot book frantically, trying to find a more positive association for the sign, when her eyes landed on the word “unexpected.” That’s not so bad, she reasoned. She supposed it wasn’t unreasonable to expect some danger- there was obviously something threatening Little Planet. And she was most likely looking for someone heroic, after all. 

Shaking off the negative thoughts, she persisted. Her fingers rested delicately on card number four as she made her query and hoped for the best. “What will our relationship be like?” she asked, nervously flipping it over. The Moon. Everything is not as it seems, she recalled learning about it. More uncertainty. Rather than think of her would-be love as potentially deceptive or dishonest, she believed The Moon foreshadowed surprises in the relationship. Ever the romantic, the mystery lit a fire in her heart. She chose to expect these surprises would be pleasant, but perhaps that simply wishful thinking. 

Amy focused her energy on the last card, closing her eyes and breathing in deeply as she held her palm over the top of it. There was much precariousness to overcome, and she wanted it to be worth her while. What would chasing this premonition ultimately bring her? Would it bring her happiness in the end? She cleared her throat. “Will it be worth it?” she asked timidly. The card revealed an injured man clutching a staff with many more behind him. The Nine of Wands- a bittersweet symbol. It represented struggles and difficult times ahead, but also perseverance and reward. In terms of a yes or no answer, it was unclear; she would have to decide for herself.

Now came the time to put together the symbolic puzzle and tell a story. Her own story. Reading one’s own fortune is tricky in a way- you tend to tell yourself what you want to hear. She closed her eyes and envisioned what the future could hold for her; tried to imagine the challenges she could face and whether she could overcome them. Surely with a heroic figure by her side, they would persevere. She smiled silently at the romantic thought- two lovers against the world. A rebellious spirit. Pleasant surprises. 

A sense of encouragement overcame her when she next looked at her spread. The Wands stood out to her now. The Ace shouting that she was ready, the Nine offering great rewards if she persevered. Her heart lit with nervous excitement as she shot up from the floor and ran to her dresser mirror. “Perseverance leads to success. You’re ready!” she affirmed. The girl’s beaming smile reflected back at her. She couldn’t sleep a wink for the rest of the night.

-----

The journey up to Little Planet was already proving to be arduous. No way Amy was going to be able to climb the massive chain tethering the worlds together. She had hiked up the mountainside hoping to find an alternate route. As she approached the side facing the valley, Amy noticed huge, metallic containers being swarmed by several strange robotic creatures down below. Then, one of the containers floated up, propelled by some kind of floating platform. She gasped as she took cover behind a boulder, watching the container fly straight into Little Planet’s atmosphere. It moved somewhat slowly and didn’t seem to be manned. That was her ticket up there.

Once it had hovered past, she looked back toward the operation in the valley. There were only two more of those containers. Amy swallowed hard as the danger became apparent. I can do this. Perseverance leads to success. The next box was being lifted off the ground by four mechanical bees. It was placed on another platform that then began its ascent. The last one seemed to take its time climbing up, but to Amy, this one totally zoomed past. Her body refused to cooperate. She couldn’t manage to force herself to jump off the cliffside. What if she missed it? What if she overshot it? Her opportunity to jump on flew past.

No! I have to do this. I can do this…

Amy peeked her head over the side of the mountain once again. One container left. If she didn’t hitch a ride now, she would never get up there. She watched as the cargo was loaded, counting the seconds until it floated past her. Perseverance leads to success. Perseverance leads to success. Perseverance-

It was probably less than a second, but the leap Amy took onto the precariously floating platform lasted an eternity. Her heart could have jumped out of her chest- and it probably would have if she hadn’t landed squarely in the middle of the storage container. It wasn't the smoothest landing, but Amy was surprised to find that she felt… perfectly fine. She wasn’t hurt. She wasn’t scared. Seconds earlier, the girl was sure that if a fall didn’t kill her, a heart attack surely would. But now, a sense of relief washed over her. I’m actually doing this!

The platform neared the globe as a densely humid fog filled the air. Clouds obscured her vision for a few seconds before it came into full view. Construction cranes clashed with the otherwise natural landscape. The platform stopped ascending and shifted to one side suddenly, Amy slipping slightly toward the edge, doing her best to cling to the smooth metal surface. She was being carried over a valley now. Catching sight of the drop below her caused her to shutter. Then suddenly, the ground grew nearer and nearer, until the platform was hovering mere inches off a canyon wall. She could see another gaping valley ahead as the platform approached the horizon. If there was ever a time to hop off, this was it.

She quickly covered her head and rolled onto the rocky ground, scraping her legs and arms. Suppressing a wimper, Amy slowly got up. It was just a few scratches. But it stings... Tears welled in her eyes for a moment until she shook her head defiantly. Perseverance leads to success. Get over it! she told herself. So she persisted.

Amy walked along the wide canyon wall until she reached a hilly region lavish with palm trees and small waterfalls. Two hikes and hardly a wink of sleep later, she was exhausted. She didn’t really have the slightest idea of where she should be looking for this mystery person. Becoming frustrated, Amy planted herself under a small grove of tropical fauna. The sun blazed overhead, just halfway across the sky. Just as she was beginning to ask herself what she was doing there, Amy heard a distinct whoosh at the base of the hill. 

Whatever made the noise was gone by the time she looked down over the hillside. Then, another loud whoosh in the opposite direction. If she’d blinked she would have surely missed it. Nothing but the afterimage of a blue blur remained- and Amy recognized it immediately. She gasped excitedly at the realization. That was Sonic the Hedgehog!

She’d heard the name trending around town for months. The hero that saved South Island from the evil Dr. Robotnik. The fastest thing alive. And my total dream man!, she added giddily. She couldn’t believe it. He was the hero she was destined to meet! Her fortune was beginning to improve, no doubt about it. Now, she only had to find a way to talk to him. 

He zoomed past again, making another whoosh behind her. Amy quickly turned to see the blur speeding left and right up the hill, then disappear- presumably into a cave or tunnel. There was a long, flat expanse of land ahead. The erratic movements gave her a chance to catch up with him ahead. A sudden bolt of energy rushed through her as she raced to the end of the hill bank. 

The land formed into a bridge ahead of her and Amy was sure that Sonic would pass through soon enough. What she didn’t expect was for a massive, bipedal mech to come down just in front of her, blocking her path. The immense machine towered over her as she stopped dead in her tracks, tripping her to the ground.

“Oh, what do we have here?” A sinister male voice came from the top of the machine. Amy looked up to find it was piloted by a bald, rotund man with a wooly mustache. She recognized him from the stories she’d heard- Dr. Robotnik. “Another one of Sonic’s little friends? Oh, but you don’t look so tough,” he cackled. A mammoth mechanical leg hovered over her. She covered her eyes and screeched in horror.

Her shocked screams must have traveled far, as Amy didn’t have to wait another second before Sonic came dashing to her rescue. In an instant, she’d been scooped off the ground and carried to safety just as the machine’s foot connected with the ground. She hesitantly peeked between her fingers. Sonic had lowered her to the ground gently before zooming back down the land bridge toward the terrible contraption. She watched in awe as her hero leaped and dashed, taking down the machine in a matter of seconds. Somehow, the man escaped as part of the mech broke off into a floating orb and flew away. Amy heard him cursing back at Sonic but couldn’t catch what he’d said. 

She sighed and swooned as she realized how her fortunes were coming true. This must have been that turbulent meeting she was expecting. It wouldn’t be long before the rest of the cards fell into place. “Hello!” she waved him over cheerfully. “I’m Amy Rose! Thank you for saving me!”

Sonic dusted himself off as he approached her. “Hey, no problem. I’m-”

“Sonic the Hedgehog!” she interrupted. “I’ve heard all about you!”

“Have you?” he grinned. “Guess I’m getting pretty famous.”

“Yeah,” she giggled nervously.

“So, why exactly were you challenging that thing?”

“Oh! I wasn’t- I mean- I’m a fortune-teller- well, kind of, I’m just starting out- but I’ve been having all these dreams about meeting a hero on another world, and then, you know, all of this happened to Little Planet, and I heard someone was rescuing it and- well, to be honest, I was kind of hoping it would be you since I’ve heard all these stories- so, I did a tarot reading last night and as it turns out, we were destined to meet today! Well, I think it was supposed to be today- it’s my birthday. Isn’t that wonderful?” Her frantic explanation left her breathless.

“That’s, um… a lot. Happy birthday?”

Amy’s eyes lit up. “Yes it is, thank you!”

“Well, we’ve met. Glad I could help ya fulfill that fortune, but I gotta get going-”

“I’ll come with you! We’re destined to go on an adventure together!” 

No way that’s happening. Sonic backed up from her casually. “Amy, was it? You said you were new at fortune-telling, right?”

“Oh! Um, yes, sort of.”

He turned and started toward the bridge of land connecting to the other side of the valley. “So how can you be sure?”

“Huh?” she sprinted ahead to follow close behind him.

“Those cards - you’re sure you read them right?”

Amy picked up her pace to keep up. “Oh! Well, there are lots of ways to interpret the cards. It’s more about feeling. I can show them to you if you’d like,” she smiled.

The landscape changed as they crossed to the other side. In contrast with the tropical forest, this place was more developed, sporting tall metallic structures. Neon lights flashed ahead and the climate grew comfortably cooler. It was just the planet’s curious atmosphere, but the clouds above blushed a romantic pink hue as if it were suddenly dusk- or if Amy were wearing rose-colored glasses.

Sonic stopped, holding up a hand “No thanks. Anyway, tagging along is too dangerous. Eggman isn’t messing around. I think you should go home.” 

“Oh! My cards predicted there would be disaster!” she giggled gleefully, not fully aware of the possibility that she could be seriously hurt or worse.

Sonic‘s expression was somewhere between worried and annoyed. “You chose to come even though you knew it would lead to disaster?” This girl’s wacky, he thought.

She nodded bashfully. “Mhm. But I know that if we persevere through the danger, we’ll have a happy ending.”

“Look, I can’t exactly babysit right now.” Sonic didn’t have time to fully process the girl’s sudden appearance and unlikely explanation. He leaped upward toward a colorful platform with the intent to continue forward without her. “Maybe we can figure this out later. You need to go-”

Without warning, something struck Sonic’s platform, tearing it apart. He managed to hop off just in time but was too late to save Amy from the attack. In a flash, she was hoisted off the ground, screaming for her life. She was held under arm by a robotic blue hedgehog carbon-copied from Sonic’s image. Its glowing red eyes stared through Sonic’s as it floated nearby for a few seconds, taunting him as she shrieked. Amy could hear Sonic calling out her name as she was hurdled into the sky by the terrifying machine. She didn’t dare try to escape with the threat of an endless fall beneath them. So she held on as best she could, eyes and skin stinging from the high altitude’s bitter atmosphere.

-----

Cold floor. Cold walls. Cold eyes. Amy sat in a tiny steel cell somewhere in what could only be described as an evil lair. Machines buzzed and electricity crackled all around. The adrenaline from the flight was beginning to wear off and dreadful exhaustion was setting in. Her captor stood as a sentinel nearby, glaring at her menacingly. Amy forced herself to turn away from his eerie gaze, but she could feel his steely eyes on her like snow piling on her back. She did her best to keep from shivering.

“Oh, good! You’ve brought her back alive.” A harsh cackling could be heard as Eggman passed through the area. “Thank you for letting us use you as bait. Don't worry- you’ll be free to join my empire as soon as Metal here crushes Sonic,” he grinned.

Amy whipped her head around. “As if Sonic would lose to some copycat,” she scoffed. Being taken hostage was one thing, but she wasn't about to let anyone disparage her destined hero.

He laughed heartily in return. “Plucky, aren’t we? Perhaps I’ll keep you around. Metal Sonic could use a plaything.” Amy gasped at this, recoiling what that could mean. Robotnik smiled and sauntered casually over to the robot, who was still staring daggers at the girl. “Oh, forgive his rudeness. He was just activated today. Doesn’t know much in the way of manners yet,” he chuckled ironically. “Metal, there’s no need to stare. You’re making our guest uncomfortable.”

Metal Sonic shifted his focus to his master. Earlier, The Doctor had said, “don’t take your eyes off of her!” He was following orders. Perhaps this was too literal.

“Well, I have to complete some preparations before our little blue friend arrives. No roughhousing before we kill him, now! Wouldn’t want her dead before she’s fulfilled her purpose.” He continued laughing harshly as he disappeared down a hall. 

Amy felt somewhat relieved to have Metal Sonic’s robotic gaze off her, but there wasn’t much else she could be thankful for at that moment. She tried not to think about the situation she had gotten herself into. Perseverance leads to success. Just a little longer. But as she shivered pathetically in her frigid prison, she felt not only disparaged but humiliated. How could she have let herself be kidnapped? She didn’t even try to fight it- she knew she couldn’t win. What if I’m too weak? Tears forced their way out of her eyes. Maybe the cards were warning me not to come…

Metal Sonic continued watching over the girl, albeit less intensely. He had logged her image, noting the words weak and loud alongside. Now, he was more focused on calculating a route to victory against his opponent. But the change in her sparked his interest. He had never seen someone cry- he hadn’t seen much of anything yet, in fact. He only knew what he was programmed with- serve The Doctor, defeat Sonic, observe and learn. He decided to watch her a bit more closely and approached the small cell. 

Tears had escalated to a gentle sobbing by the time Metal Sonic was near. For however cold it was in that space, Amy still felt a chill before she realized how close the machine had come. She hugged herself tightly, once again forcing herself to look away. This thing didn’t need to see her looking so pitiful; she didn’t want to give it the satisfaction. Then she heard an inquisitive chime come from Metal Sonic. At least, she thought it was inquisitive. It sounded almost childlike in its curiosity- was it curiosity? Amy turned slowly, locking her wet eyes with his fiery ones. “Wh-what do you want?” she stammered.

What did he want? There was something peculiar about the way his hostage acted. Or, to put it more precisely, the way he reacted to her. It was strange; he succeeded in following his objective. What was this other feeling? Was it pity? No- It was interesting to him, that was all. He repeated his mechanical chirp, hoping to learn more.

There was something in the way he looked at her and how he sounded. It wasn’t malicious.  “Wait,” Amy sniffled, “Do you… feel bad?”

Metal Sonic was taken aback by her question. He was certainly not supposed to feel bad. He sort of shrugged and shook his head, sneering at the idea. 

“Of course not.” Amy looked defeated, kneeling on the hard floor with slumped shoulders and ruddy cheeks. The hushed weeping didn’t stop.

No, he didn’t feel bad. He couldn’t. As far as Metal Sonic was concerned, he accomplished a mission- that was indisputably correct. Positive even! Yet the consequence of his success was this miserable sight. He didn’t understand what he was supposed to feel; or why he cared. But he wanted to. So, he knelt just on the other side of the cell bars, mimicking the girl, and tapped on the flooring to get her attention.

The metallic clacking startled Amy out of her pity party. Her expression quickly turned from sorrowful to indignant. “What now?” SHe noticed his posture. “Are you making fun of me?” 

Mocking her wasn’t his intent, but the girl’s response was amusing to Metal Sonic. So temperamental. He shook his head again.

Amy’s eyes softened. Her captor couldn’t seem to do the same, a permanent scowl affixed to its face. Still, mean mug and all, she couldn’t shake the feeling that it was… genuine? Robotnik mentioned that Metal Sonic was recently activated. He just seemed like other kids her age- curious, maybe a bit naive. It gave her an idea. 

She wiped her wet face on her hand and forearm, resolved to compose herself. Metal Sonic was staring again, but it wasn’t the uncomfortable leer from earlier. It wasn’t exactly pleasant, though. “Why do you stare so much?” she asked uncomfortably.

He turned his eyes away abruptly, still facing her. He wasn’t supposed to stare- but he was supposed to watch her. Contradictory, but those were his orders. It didn’t make that much sense to him so he shrugged in response. 

“Humph. I don’t see why an evil robot should care about manners…”

Metal Sonic’s eyes shot back at her, his shoulders clenching. He resented being called evil. He wasn’t anything- or wasn’t supposed to be, anyway. His only affiliation was with his creator. The humming of his motor intensified irately.

Amy could tell immediately that he was annoyed. “What, don’t like being called evil? Maybe don’t do evil stuff like kidnapping people, then! How would you have liked it?” 

Offended, Metal Sonic crossed his arms. The very idea that he would ever be kidnapped! That only happened to lesser beings. The girl had let herself be kidnapped, no attempt even made to fight back. Not that she had much of a choice in the matter, being so much weaker. His look shifted down as he thought, realizing that she had a point. She didn’t have a choice in the kidnapping. Was it evil to take advantage of that? His shoulders slumped. Not that he cared, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it if it was...

The change in Metal Sonic’s body language was clear to Amy. “Starting to understand?” She scooted closer to him sheepishly. “You don’t have to be evil, you know. You can choose.” She watched as Metal Sonic’s glowy eyes slowly shifted back to her, somehow looking less frightening now. He saw her smile for the first time as her face softened. Fishing her tarot deck out of her pocket, she continued. “Would you like to try making a choice?”

Though he found it to be unusual given her situation, the smile was not at all unwelcomed. The small insinuation that he would ever disobey an order, however, was. He callowly believed he would never do such a thing, however evil those orders may be. Still, the implication- and her strange little deck- intrigued him and he nodded with interest.

Amy’s face brightened even more. “You were just activated today, right? So, that basically makes today your birthday! It’s mine, too,” she giggled earnestly. “My name’s Amy Rose. I bet it’s destiny that we met on our birthdays. It must mean today is a really important day for both of us. I should know, ‘cause I’m a fortune-teller.” 

She seemed exceedingly confident considering that nothing she said made a lick of sense. It was his first day being fully operational, yes, but Metal Sonic hardly considered that to be a birthday. And now she was touting her fortune-telling and talking about destiny of all things? It was all too illogical- and his desire to understand made it all the more interesting to him. He logged her name in her file and nodded along.

“So, let’s do a birthday reading! Let’s try an easy spread with three cards. Here,” she tossed the cards all on the floor, mixing them up before spreading them out neatly before him. “Ask yourself what this year will be like for you. Then choose your cards and slide them back face down. One at a time, whichever ones stand out to you.”

Whichever ones stood out? They all looked the same. He couldn’t focus on any one card, shifting his sight all across the fanned out deck.

“Don’t overthink it!” Amy interjected. “Just choose whichever ones feel right, ‘kay?” She looked at him encouragingly. 

Whichever ones feel right. Metal Sonic pondered on it for a moment. Thinking about his feelings was new- but then again, a lot of things would be new for now. Not that he was taking it seriously. After all, what could a bunch of paper tell him about his future? But looking again, there were a few cards that stood out somehow. He pushed the thought from his head and slid each of his three selections back to her.

“Great!” Amy pulled back the rest of the cards, arranging them in a neat stack. “Okay, let’s ask this first card what gift you’ll get this year. Think about that question and let me know when you’re ready to turn it.”

The girl sat eagerly in front of him, hand poised to flip the card around. He probably wouldn’t have ever thought about receiving a gift- let alone what it would be- if he hadn’t been asked to think about it now. Metal Sonic nodded once, keeping the curious question in mind.

Amy turned it excitedly- she wouldn’t volunteer the information, but this was her first time doing a reading for someone else. She was determined to make it impactful. “And it looks like you got the Ace of Cups! Wow, this is a really emotional card.” She thought for a moment, recalling what she’d read about the suit and each of its pieces. “Okay, well, Aces are all about newness, you know? This one especially represents new feelings and relationships. Oh! Maybe you’ll make a new friend. I wonder who that could be,” she giggled. “The thing about cups, though- well, I guess you have to be willing to drink from it. You have to accept the good things, and you can’t let negativity stand in your way. Does that make sense?”

He was surprised to find that it did make some sense. But surely it was a coincidence- it was too on the nose. The world was new to him, sure, but it could logically apply to anyone. He shrugged, rolling his eyes sideways. It didn’t mean anything.

A coy grin spread across Amy’s face. She could tell that he believed it, however uncomfortable it made him. “I’ll let you think about that one. Let’s ask the next card for guidance. Ask what you can do to accomplish your goals.”

Guidance hardly seemed necessary when Metal Sonic had his programming. Attaining his goals was instinct. He indulged, nodding again plainly. The card showed a somewhat macabre scene.

“Judgement. Oh, but it’s reversed for you. Hmm, I think it means you have no self-awareness,” she nodded bluntly. “But I guess that makes sense. You’re going to have to learn a lot about yourself soon and reflect on it. You might also get an opportunity that you shouldn’t pass up.”

She seemed to be looking at him expectantly. She was trying to manipulate him. It wouldn’t work, but it was pretty entertaining; respectable even. He wanted to see how the girl could spin the last card in her favor. Wondering how she manipulated him into choosing the right cards for her narrative, he nodded to continue.

Amy placed a hand on the last card. “This one’s important. The card will give you an idea of how your actions will affect your life. It pretty much represents you, so make sure to concentrate when you ask ‘who will I be this year?’” 

Not what but who. Who would he be? Metal Sonic hadn’t thought of himself as much more than a machine up until then. But there were feelings beyond thought in him- could he call them emotions? No, this wasn’t the time for an existential crisis. He would have just gotten up and returned to his post if the curiosity about the last card wasn’t so vexing. He nodded, wanting to finish the ordeal. The card’s face revealed an armored man rushing forward on a white steed. Its head pointed toward Metal Sonic. 

“The Knight of Swords. He’s ambitious, and he takes action.” Amy picked it up and held the face out at eye level. “But it’s reversed. Something’s holding him back from giving it his all. Usually, it means you’re distracted or you don’t have any real direction. Maybe your goals aren’t aligning with what you want.” She picked up the reversed Judgement, holding the two cards together. A melancholy sigh made its way out of her lips. “It might be because you haven’t had a chance to reflect on much yet. I bet it’s hard to just, I don’t know, wake up like you did? It’s like you know things, but you never had a chance to learn the lessons.” 

He stared at the cards silently, astonished by her interpretation. He wanted it to be complete nonsense, but everything she said managed to resonate. There was no doubt she manipulated the reading, but he had chosen the cards himself. They stood out as if glowing from the fanned deck just minutes earlier. It was all true- he had barely been activated and one mission later was already doubting himself, even asking himself if he was evil. He couldn’t deny the jarring nature of his existence. But what was next? Heed the advice of some colorfully decorated cardstock?

A gentle voice broke his train of thought. “You’re thinking about the reading. It’s okay, I know it can be a lot to process.” Amy moved closer, sticking her arm out from behind the bars. She was offering him the cards. “Holding them helps to understand, I think.” He took the three of them in both hands, examining the artwork. “Your next choice is whether or not you’ll listen to their guidance.”

He looked from her to the cards as he held them. Again, guidance should be the last thing a programmed machine should need- he should have been built with all the direction he needed. Yet, she took the opportunity to speak to him even after he’d wronged her. Kind. He noted it in his file of Amy Rose. 

Then the realization that he’d been neglecting his duty took over him. This nonsense about destiny and kindness was getting in the way. Besides, it was all too confusing to think about this improbable future. Yes, he was focusing on the wrong thing- there was a mission to complete. Playtime was over. Metal Sonic dropped the cards absently, resolved to stand where he was stationed and await further orders. He didn’t get that far.

“Wait!” Amy reached out to him desperately, latching onto his wrist before he could leave. “I know it’s overwhelming, but just think about it. Please.” Her eyes pleaded with him for a moment before they were interrupted.

A shrill voice announced Robotnik’s return. “Metal! It’s showtime!” He paused to take in the scene that was unfolding before him. “What’s this? Our hostage giving you trouble?” Amy unhanded Metal Sonic in a hurry and scrambled to pick up her cards. He was still half-kneeling before her but quickly stood upright at his master’s appearance. Luckily, Robotnik was in too much of a hurry to fixate on the scene. “Forget it. Metal, grab her, and let’s get going.” The cell door swung open.

Amy shot up as Metal Sonic entered. Eyes locked, she begged him once more. “You don’t have to do this,” she whispered. “You can be more than this.” It was enough to give him pause. Could she be right? Could he choose not to obey orders? He must have hesitated for a moment too long because Robotnik quickly lost his patience.

“What are you waiting for? Bring her here this instant!”

Amy’s expression of terror was not one Metal Sonic would soon forget. Nothing about it made him want to deliver her to The Doctor; He didn’t want to obey. “You don’t have any real direction,” her words echoed in his mind. Metal Sonic’s fists clenched at his side as he stood conflicted before her, his back to his master. 

“Rebelling already?” Robotnik grumbled. “Perhaps a little motivation.” He brandished a small remote and turned a dial. 

Metal Sonic seized suddenly. As if struck by lightning, sparks visibly bounced off his body before it went limp. Shocked and confused, Amy backed herself away. “What- what did you do?” she gasped. Before Robotkin could answer, Metal Sonic was upright again.

“Good to see the inhibitors working. Now grab her and get a move on!”

“No, stop!” No amount of protesting would save Amy now. Whatever he’d done to Metal Sonic appeared to erase any progress she’d made. She kicked and squirmed but was soon restrained by Metal Sonic, dragged off to whatever assembly point Robotnik had in mind for his scheme. At least this time she put up a fight.

-----

Amy could hardly tell if she was indoors or out. The drop below the scaffolding she’d been placed on was immense, though the metallic clanking below could still be heard faintly. It was dark as if night time- but there was no way the sun had time to set between her kidnapping and now. A claw-like contraption held her just a few feet off the scaffolding uncomfortably. She groaned, turning to face the heavy metal door to one side of her. She was apparently waiting for Sonic or his imposter to race through it any minute (Robotnik had assured her it would be the latter). So now she was alone, helplessly waiting to be rescued. Or not, she worried. 

She thought about the disappointment of her meeting with Metal Sonic and how quickly she’d been sabotaged. She really believed everything she’d told him- the significance of meeting on their birthdays, her predictions for his future- all of it. I guess there was never a point if Robotnik could just zap him back into a zombie. I wonder if he’ll remember anything…

There wasn’t any more time to think about it. Before Amy knew it, Sonic came racing down the pathway and through the door, skidding to a stop in front of her. The heavy door slammed shut and something crashed loudly on the other side of it. 

“Looks like I won,” Sonic grinned.

Amy’s face lit up immediately. “Sonic! You came for me!”

“Yep! All I had to do was beat that that Metal Sonic in a race. Piece of cake.” The metal claw swung open after he gave it a quick hit. 

Amy dusted herself off, turning her attention to the doorway that was now dented inward. “So, did he…”

“Crash? I guess so. Consider yourself lucky.”

I guess it was just a machine, after all, Amy reasoned. Sonic’s nonchalant response made it clear he wouldn’t be losing sleep over his victory. Besides, her fortunes were shifting. Manifestations nearing meant it wasn’t the time for distractions. She erased the thought from her mind and focused on what she’d come for. “Thank you for saving me! So, what now?”

Sonic’s self-assured grin grew wider. “We still have a planet to save. You coming?”

His words were a dream come true to the starry-eyed girl. She threw herself around him brazenly, tail wagging with glee. The affection made Sonic squirm but he remained polite, feeling guilty for allowing to be kidnapped earlier. “Of course!” she giggled. “I’ll follow you anywhere!”

-----

“Sonic freed Little Planet after that and we didn’t see you for a while. We encountered each other a few times after that, but I think this story was long enough.” Amy lounged comfortably, chin resting in her hand. She breathed in the crisp night air and sighed nostalgically. “It was over nine years ago. Man, we were all so short back then. You and Sonic are so much taller than me now...” She looked down at her dazed guest. “You okay down there?”

Metal sat slouching on the ground in front of her. He was carefully recording every last detail she’d recounted when he matched the photograph he’d logged of Amy back then to her retelling. The tense circumstances of their meeting were uncomfortable to recall. She’d even insinuated he was evil- he remembered. The day came back to him. Metal sat up suddenly at the realization.

“What is it?” He stared at her directly, unsure of how to communicate his epiphany. She snickered awkwardly, bemused by the outburst. It wasn’t long ago she’d have found that glowy leer petrifying, but now it was just amusing.

Metal placed a finger over the scratch on his forehead, concentrating on her as if he could transmit his thoughts. Her eyes widened. “Oh! Did you remember something?” He answered by tapping on the ground just as he had back then. A kind smile appeared on Amy’s face as she leaned closer to him. “Yeah, that’s how we met! Do you remember anything else?” He didn’t, so leaned back until he was parallel with the ground at her feet. Amy giggled at his response. “Not yet, huh? But hey, if my stories ring a bell then I can tell you a few more!” She paused. It occurred to her that reliving the better part of a decade in a matter of days or hours could prove to be overwhelming. “I mean if you want. We should probably take it slow.”

It was strange enough that Amy had managed to jog his memory, but her apparent ability to understand what he wanted to communicate was becoming uncanny. Even during their first encounter, she told him exactly what he needed to hear- though he regrettably hadn’t done much to listen. Metal did want to hear more, but her thoughtfulness in pacing was a relief. It was all a lot to process. There was one more thing he needed to know, however. Metal folded his hands over his chest and rolled his head over to face her. 

“I guess you’re wondering why I saved you. Sorry- did that sound kinda narcissistic?” she chuckled. Amy stretched, sitting upright. “Oh, I might as well be honest.” She combed her hand through her quills sheepishly. “So, I thought, since you’re mechanical, we could just reprogram you or something- I don’t know. But the more we hang out…” she tried finding a tactful way to approach the next part. “Well, I guess I realized I should treat you with the same respect as anyone else. I think, without all the overbearing influence, you can decide for yourself what’s right. I mean, I hope I’m not too overbearing either! But, you know. Maybe I can be there for you, if that’s okay.” 

So, she was giving him a choice. He’d seen what Tails could do; they could have easily tried to brainwash him, erasing his past forever. But he placed his trust blindly in Amy and her friends and had been rewarded with nothing but care and kindness. Now, Metal had a chance at freedom. Appearing as if he hadn't had many opportunities to make decisions for himself, he silently worried his daunting past would get in the way.  The independence felt unnatural, unfamiliar. A bit uncomfortable. But he was made for difficult tasks; Why should he shy away from this? He reached up to her, placing a hand gingerly over hers in thanks. She returned with a gentle squeeze. The embrace was chilly from the night air, but the gesture undoubtedly came from a place of warmth.

“So, do you want to stay for a while?” Amy’s welcoming smile radiated with immense charm. How could he say no?

...................................................................................

helloooooooo babes. this one took a bit; i did a lot of research on canon content and tarot. i even consulted my good friend who’s a fortune-teller. fun fact i’m too afraid to get a reading from her bc she’s always too accurate and frankly i don’t want to know what else will happen this hell year 🙃

a big thank you as always to everyone reading and sending me kind messages. it really keeps me motivated ❤️❤️❤️

[another-sonic-blog]

The Dark Prince: Chapter Four: Believe In Him

"So you what you are saying is that you came from the future because something happened in our time that causes your future's destruction?"

"Yes! That's exactly what I am saying!"

Amy and Shadow looked at each other and then at the white boy in front of them. Excitement on his to eyes to finally have found someone who took interest in his mission.

"Sorry to inform you boy, but you are a few days too late," Shadow confirmed.

"What do mean?"

"G.U.N's Commander was found dead a few days ago. I was the one who found him."

"No, that's not possible. The Phamton Ruby sent me here on a specific time in which I can stop the tragedy. If he was dead, I would have been sent back to another time to try again...are you sure he is dead?"

"Are you calling me a liar?"

Amy felt Shadow's anger raise up as she found his voice more annoyed than usual. "Well, have you thought that maybe the dead of G.U.N's Commander is not really the cause of your future' destruction?", Amy jumped into the middle of the two boys to prevent anything else from happening.

"Well...it could be a possibility." Silver looked into the flames in front of him. Fire, the thing that reminded him the most about his future. Destruction, annihilation, fear. But this place wasn't like anything that reminded him of that.

"Silver...are you alright?"

"Yes... it's just that, this place is so quiet. It's been a long time."

"What happens in the future? , if I may ask."

"Everything was going well until a weird diseased began to spread. It was spread by touch, and whoever had it would become kinda like a zombie. They would only follow orders from the Superior."

"The Superior?" Shadow asked this time as he calmed down.

"Yes, he controls everyone but nobody knows how he or she looks like. He wears a mask whenever he shows up to do his "Public Speeches." Silver looked up to the stars above him and he wonders when was the last time he had seen a clear sky.

"How come you are the only one here then?"

"The Rebellion* of the future decided I was the best candidate to travel back in time... I am their last hope."

Shadow stood up from his place and walked around Silver's space. Silver knew what he was doing and so Amy. He was inspecting him as if to try and see if he was worthy.

"Really? You were their last hope?"

"You don't know what I am cable of", Silver reply as he stood up, he had gone through a lot of things and he wasn't gonna let anybody doubt him of his capabilities.

"One on one... just you and me on a fair fight."

Amy knew that Shadow wasn't the type to pick up fights just because. That was more like a thing Sonic would do but she knew that you can learn a lot from a person just by fighting with them. Shadow didn't want to know how strong he was, but if he was worthy of his trust.

Silver took a moment to look at Shadow, up and down and he just sighed as he went back to his seat next to Amy. "Sorry I don't fight with old people."

Shadow was ready to smack that kid on the head right then and there. But Amy's sudden comment interrupted his action.

"Oh, well technically Shadow is more 50 years old!"

"Amy!"

"That explains why he is so grumpy."

"I was time frozen! I didn't develop-mentally nor physically! I am still young!"

Amy has never seen Shadow fume so bad as to this moment. And to be honest it was actually kinda funny.

"That explains why you are so short then."

Ouch, that hurt.

Silver had won Amy's respect. She had to admit that he was pretty optimistic for someone whose future was destroyed. It must be horrible to live in a future where you see your friends being zombified and can't do anything about it.

Wait a second.

"Hey Silver...did the ones who have a diseased in your future... did they looked, I don't know... kinda metallic for you?" Amy interrupted the boys. Silver took a moment to look at her. "Yes... how did you know that?"

Click.

"Years ago, during the time of the Resistance, Dr. Eggman created a biological weapon. It was a disease that just by contact with it, the subject would be "zombified" on the moment. Their most stand out characteristic was their metallic fur."

"That's probably it then! I just have to find it the substance and destroy it!" Silver said with relieve in his voice as his course of the route was finally taken the right place.

"It's not as easy as that." Amy began. "We tried everything to destroy it, but nothing worked. We couldn't even find an antidote. So we decided to hide all the substance we found in a remote place. Somewhere no one knows about but...Tails."

"Tails? That fox boy?." Shadow said but he turned around to face a bush. He could swear he had heard something coming.

"Wait a moment. Tails? Fox? You are not talking about Tails Miles Prower right?" Silver looked at Amy then at Shadow who was still looking toward the woods.

"Yes, that one."

"I can't believe it, he is a legend! I would like to meet him very much!" Silver grabbed Amy's hand as to beg her, he looked like a small child which Amy found extremely cute.

"So as to right now, we should look for Tails and ask him where the substance is. I am almost sure that whoever wants to find it, is also somehow invoked with the death of the Commander, Amy."

"Wait, Amy?-" Silver wanted to continue but was terribly interrupted by an explosion on their bonfire.

Just like that, the three hedgehogs were surrounded by more than 15 G.U.N agents, all ready to take them out. Shadow was sure that he could recognize most of them if it wasn't that everyone was wearing something to cover their faces. Shadow was never really found to do that. All though if his supervisors would ask him to, due to safety reasons, he always denies it. But right now it wasn't the time to think about the past. If they decided to become his enemy, then he will fight like he always has.

Silver noticed how Amy made a hammer appeared out of thin air and he almost lost it. The inner fanboy in him took over.

"YOU ARE THAT AMY ROSE? YOU ARE THE LEADER OF LEADERS? GREAT HAMMER HOLDER AND EVIL SLAYER?! YOU ARE THE ONLY WHO WE ACTUALLY HAVE HISTORY RECORDS OF!"

And that when everyone attack.

"Wow the future really does like to blow out everything out of portions" that's what Amy wanted to say but was more worried about the G.U.N who was in front of him.

And then he wasn't.

He had flown out of the scene, landing on a three. Amy turned around to find Silver hold three soldiers on the air.

"WHAT KIND OF POWER IS THAT, ARE YOU CRAZY? PUT THEM DOWN!" Amy screamed at him as she rubbed towards him.

"Yes man!" Silver saluted Amy in a militia manner and as he did, he left all three soldiers land on each other, hurting themselves more than their target.

"We got no time for this!" Shadow grabbed Amy and picked her up. "Follow me!" He said to Silver and in a flash, Shadow was out of sight to him.

"WAIT I AM NOT AS FAST!!!" Silver used his psychokinesis on him to try and fly faster and although he could spot a black figure in the distance, it was still really hard to keep up, especially during night time.

If there was one thing Silver hated the most, was to be left behind.

"AAAHHHHH, FUC-"

.

.

.

Now what? They had ended up in somewhere that Shadow knew about. They had been running all night, for Shadow it wasn't a problem but he was starting to get worried as he hasn't seen any white figure following from behind. He stopped for a little to let Amy stretch her legs as well.

"Where are we heading to now?". Amy asked as she stretched.

"Pavlopetri. G.U.N's elite Mechanics team resides there. No doubt that fox boy is there."

Shadow then felt a presence coming. "Talking about boys." He turned around and there he was, Silver giving his last push to keep up with the black hedgehog.

"Don't ever. Do that. AGAIN." Silver threaten as he landed on his knees, he would kill for a cup of water and some food right now.

"If you can't keep up, then don't tag along. Don't worry we will save your future." Shadow walked away as he kept an eye on Amy who was helping Shadow to get up.

"No! I must do it myself!"

Silver stood by himself, refusing Amy's aid. Shadow had to admit that his boy reminded him of someone. He sighed, "We are 30 minutes away from Pavlopetri. If you still want the hero's job well...it waits for you over there."

Pavlopetri was one of the biggest city in Mobius. With more than 7 million in population, it was no wonder why G.U.N had decided to put one of their biggest team in the city. It was going to hard to get into the tower and the three hedgehogs knew that. Before going into the city they needed to make a plan. However, the best they could at the moment was to sit down on the outskirts of the city.

"I am going in," Shadow said as he stood up from the grass. The strong wind coming their way.

"But Shadow-"

"I am the only who knows how their system works. I am the best spy G.U.N has ever had. I am sure I can a couple of minutes to talk to Tails."

"But I want to meet him!", Silver whined. "Besides we are a team! We have to stick together."

"I run better solo." Shadow turned around and looked at Silver. At this point, Shadow wasn't playing any games.

"Well, I won't stay here and do nothing! I am coming with you whether you like it or not!" Silver stood up and smiled at Shadow, but what he got instead was a dark look.

"If complications happen, I might not be able to take care of you."

"I can take care of myself."

"I had many trained agents tell me those same words...must of them are dead now." Shadow looked at Silver's disappointed face and continued. "Your time to shine would come, don't pressure it."

"Its alright Silver, you can stay with me! Actually, I think I have an idea on how to keep us busy while Shadow is gone!", Amy said as she comforted him.

"So," Silver looked at Shadow one more time, "I have to stay and take care of Amy, uh?"

"No," Shadow gave him an empathetic look. "Amy is gonna stay here and take care of you."

"Wait, what?"

"Don't misunderstand the situation kid. I am not taking Amy with me because she is staying to take care of you."

Silver thought that that was more like it. Even if there was no clear record of what happened 200 years ago, the orphanage and the friends he made there would always talk about the Resistance Heros. Amy Rose, Resistance Captain, one the strongest. Rumors have it that her hammer is so powerful that her enemies would fear for their eyes whenever they encountered her. Of course, there were others like Sonic the Hedgehog, Tails Miles Prower, Knuckles the Edquina and Shadow the Hedgehog who later on would become the-

"Anyways, I should get going. I'll ask for information and leave as soon as I can. If I don't come back in two hours, then leave this place as soon as you can. Look for Rouge or Omega."

This time, Shadow looked at Amy. Wind blowing on through her quills, the lights of the city shining on her head. "Will you wait for me?"

"Always."

Shadow smiled and was about to take in for a run but stopped as soon as he felt Amy grabbed onto his arm. "Thank you, Mr. Angry."

"Don't thank me yet, Mrs. Angry.", Shadow smirked, and gently removed his arm out of her grasp.

"Um... am I interrupting something.?"

.

.

.

It had been ten minutes and Silver and Amy were only appreciating the fact that Shadow had left. "Well, I think we should start looking for some provisions, or something." Silver turned around and began to look at his surroundings.

"No, we are gonna do something better," Amy said.

"What do mean?"

"We are stealing a Chaos Emerald."

.

.

.

"Didn't your friend said to stay on the outskirts of the city?"

"If we get this Chaos Emerald, then it will be easier to travel around and for us to defend ourselves." Amy and Silver were currently on the air conducts of a top security area. Last time Amy checked, all seven Chaos Emeralds were placed in different locations around the world. One of them and the only one she knew its whereabouts was the green emerald that lied securely on the northern outskirts of the city of Pavlopetri. How did she know? During the time period of the war with Eggman when Sonic was presumed dead, Amy decided to embark on a solo adventure to find the Chaos Emeralds to help revive Sonic somehow. She found three and after the war, she gave them to G.U.N. to take care of them. As a thank you, G.U.N. gave her the location of them.

"I can't believe that the Chaos Emeralds are real. I would only hear stories about them when I was a kid." Silver added.

"How come you came back to the future if not by the Chaos Emeralds?" Amy asked as she tried to talk as low as she could.

"We used something my people called the Phantom Ruby... We inserted that into an old time machine, we didn't it was going to work. But it did and here I am."

Amy noticed a bright light coming from the end of the air conduct and headed towards it.

"Anyways, I don't see the point in getting the Chaos Emerald. Legend says that only descendants of the Dark King are able to control the power of Chaos. And of course Sonic the Hedgehog but he is just a children story."

Alright, Amy had to stop Silver on his tracks. " Does the future ever say anything accurate about the past?"

"Don't blame me! Before I was born, there was a period of time in which the Superior declared all history records as illegal and they were all burned into ashes. Teachers aren't even allowed to teach history." Silver whispered in hopes that Amy would be able to hear his voice.

"That sounds horrible...who ruled before the Superior took over?" Amy asked as she looked back to him. She was right in front of the ventilation door but waited for the last guard to leave the room.

"We don't know for sure. But people say that out the first ruler was The Dark King and after that, his descendants took over. Some say that the Superior killed all of his descendants during the Great War. But honestly, the only thing my people have ever know is as 'Leader' is The Superior."

Amy could see how Silver's voice had changed on perspective. She felt sorry for the boy, she held his hand to try and give him some type of comfort. "We will fix this Silver. I promise."

"You know," Silver began. "My people have the hope that one day, one of the descendants of the Dark King will come back and claim his rightful place as the King and with that, bring a new era of peace. I used to believe that when I was a kid, but eventually I lost hope on that ever happening. Instead, I wanted to become a hero and take the matter into my own hands."

"We won't fail."

Amy then opened the ventilation door with a kick. and landed softly thanks to Silver's psychokinesis.

"Oh, but by the way, "Amy added quickly as she walked towards the Chaos Emerald. You were right, Sonic the Hedgehog can use the power of the Chaos Emeralds. But so, can Shadow."

"WAIT A SECOND, ARE YOU SAYING THAT SONIC AND SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG ARE ACTUALLY REAL?!"

With that, the alarms went on. Amy didn't think much, as she was fast to break the glass in which the Green Chaos Emerald was inside of with her hammer.

"You really need to learn how to control yourself, you know that!"

Silver had to admit that she was right. But he couldn't control it, hearing that his childhood heroes were alive and actually real was too much for him to handle. He smiled as they both began to climb up the air conduct again.

What a great time to be alive.

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It was pretty easy to enter the base. He had to admit that the lasers in the air conduit system was a nice touch but he honestly expected more of the 'elite' Mechanic Team. Maybe he was just getting too good on this.

But one thing Shadow couldn't do was to know where everything was. He knocked down one the G.U.N agents and took his uniform to go by unseen. After all, there was a lot of security cameras and if one of the officers were to see a black hedgehog with red stripes on the building, well... it will be pretty much end game for him.

"This new project we are working on is killing me." Shadow heard an employee say as he walked onto the employees' dining room. Firstly, to get information about the whereabouts of the yellow fox and secondly, to get a small cup of coffee.

"Tell me about it. I don't know what Mr.Prower is thinking to do what that travel machine." Said the employee to his coworker who was eating as well.

Shadow grabbed a plastic cup from the dispenser and waited for his black coffee to come out of the machine.

"You gotta admire him tho, spending all day on the F-5 must be a pain in the butt. I mean come on, he is the Mechanic's Team main director! You have a nice office on F-7, use it!"

Sometimes Shadow thought that his job was way too easy.

The black coffee came out of the machine successfully and he didn't hesitate even a second to take a big gulp out of the still boiling liquid. Just how he liked it.

He was about to walk out of the room but the two friends caught his attention. "Hey, you!"

Shadow turned around, hoping that he was covered enough to not show any indication that he was Shadow the Hedgehog.

"This is the dining room for the Mechanic's Team members ONLY... Agents are on F-2"

Shadow took a moment to look at the black wolf in front of him. His attire similar to the one Tails was so known for. Googles, boots, a belt around his waist that contained every key possible and of course that dirty look.

"I am sorry I just got transferred, I'll leave now." Shadow turned around to face the door just to once again to be interrupted on the act. "Transfer from where?"

"Capital Mobius."

"You are from the Capital? Oh, have you met Shadow the Hedgehog? I heard he is located there, he was the top spy until he switched sides and helped that pink hedgehog kill G.U.N

He wanted to just nod and keep going on his day. However, it had been a while since he had heard any news about G.U.N's current stance. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to make a little bit of conversation about the topic.

"I saw him a couple of times, he was always busy so I never talked to him."

"Maybe it was better that way, I always thought he was too edgy. Now it turns out he is crazy too...Don't surprise me too much actually."

This was going to be a long talk.

And it was.

Strangely enough, Shadow had made two friends that day. And he learned two important things. G.U.N had ordered all intelligence theme to work on a new project, a Time Machine and experiment a new-found rock, which they did not know anything about.

Also that Amy and he were now topping the list of the most wanted criminals by G.U.N.

But he already knew that.

Shadow jumped into the elevator and pressed F-5. While the elevator was going up, he thought of the first thing he would say to Tails. He knew that they didn't have the best relationship.

Right now, the best bet he could get is that the Rabbit girl had told him about their situation already. With that, earn his trust enough so he tells Shadow the information he needed.

He stepped out of the elevator and walked himself around the hallway. He looked left to right, trying to spot behind the glass doors the famous two tail boy. Weirdly enough, there were no other workers passing by the hallway. Shadow didn't give too much thought about and kept looking. A few minutes passed and finally, he found what was looking for.

Tails was looking diligently on something that Shadow couldn't tell what it was. Moving back and forth, reading papers, screwing nails again and again just to unscrew them and start again. He didn't notice Shadow's presence until he made himself known.

"We need to talk."

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.

.

"I already have enough trouble as it is... now you are asking me to give the location of a biological weapon that doesn't exist?"

Tails closed with the key the door to the lab and went back to his seat, where he began writing again on a piece of paper.

"I know it's too much to ask, but you have to believe me when I say this is all for Amy." Shadow placed both of his hands down on the table, mask down to his chin to show that he was being serious about all of it.

"Your worst mistake has always been underestimating your enemy."

Tails then pointed at his ears and that when Shadow knew it. It was already odd enough that they didn't have security cameras around the room nor the halls, but one thing they had for sure was mini microphones, hidden in all over the building probably.

"I think I know how far I can go." Shadow tried playing it cool, as he saw Tails passing down the paper he was previously writing on before. A clear note was written on it:

"I pressed the button that's under the table to call G.U.N agents to come to this floor already. You have less than 2 minutes to get out. Sorry that I am not able to help you directly, but they have Cream, and I must finish this time machine as soon as possible so they can release her. If you really with Amy then tell her this:

"There's nothing we can do but watch"

Shadow looked up to Tails to let him known that he had understood. He folded the paper and made his personal mission to deliver it to Amy as soon as possible.

The only thing now was to get out of that place as soon as possible.

Piece of cake.

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Shadow looked around and panicked as he didn't see a clue of Amy and Silver. Just where were they? He was close to starting screaming their names but soon approaching footsteps followed.

"Shadow! You are back!"

Amy run towards him and wanted to hug him but decided that right now it wasn't the time. They were being followed by G.U.N for stealing the Chaos Emerald and she still didn't know how to tell Shadow without him getting angry.

"Tails gave me this, he said you would know by reading this."

He handed over the letter to Amy and he gave a look to Silver. Who shakes nervously at the sight of him staring.

"I can't believe it! They have Cream!."

"We have to hurry up and decider who's behind all of this if you want her free. So remember, what did the fox boy meant by "There's nothing we can do but watch."

Amy handed over the paper to Silver who began reading while Amy was in deep thought. It was one of these days that he wished he had paid attention to ancient literature. Although he could understand Amy and her black friend, the writing system and grammar were a bit different from the one in the future. He thankfully could understand the message within.

"I got it!"

Silver and Shadow turned to face Amy as they waited for an answer.

"Tails told me that the first time I saw him after Sonic 'died'. It must be there somewhere."

"Where?"

"Well I don't remember exactly, it's been a long time but we have the Chaos Emerald! That should work right?"

"You have what?" Shadow said surprised.

"I'll explain later, we have to leave. I'll think of the place on my mind, Shadow you conduct the Chaos Control."

Amy could have sworn that she heard Silver's neck break in two at how hard he looked at Shadow.

"WAIT! HE'S THE SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG?"

"All right, everyone grab into me," Shadow said as Amy handed him the green Chaos Emerald. Amy held his hand and Silver's as well.

"ARE YOU JUST TWO GOING TO IGNORE ME?"

"Chaos Control!"

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.

The place was dusty and rusty, just liked Amy remember but older. The three hedgehogs successfully tele-transported to the place Amy was thinking of.

"This was Tails' first laboratory after we thought Sonic was dead, I came here to see how he was doing. Eggman had begun his attack on us and Tails just told me "There's nothing we can do but watch."

Shadow walked towards the big containers. And saw them carefully being stored and labeled as "extremely dangerous."

"So you began the resistance?" Silver asked still admiring the pink hedgehog. "Well, me and a red echidna I know."

"I found it, track Communication system, I'll be waiting."

Amy and Silver looked at each other then at Shadow, confused.

"Shadow, to who are you talking to?"

Amy's voice began to break, she didn't want to believe what her eyes were seeing.

"I think it is obvious enough...Chaos Control!"

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Amy and Silver had lost track of time. The last thing they can remember was being knocked out by Shadow's Chaos Control.

Amy saw blurry at first, and let a few seconds pass to let her eyes adjust to the present darkness. Everything was just like before, but Shadow who was looking at the now tied up couple in front of them.

"So everything was a lie?"

Amy turned her head to look at Shadow, still not believing that the black hedgehog had indeed betrayed her.

"G.U.N needed the location of this forgotten biological weapon. We were aware that Tails was the only one who had that information, but we couldn't falsely accuse a G.U.N member of good reputation of murder. People would lose faith in us. So we trusted that in the right circumstances, Tails would eventually speak up about the location to someone he trusted...that's when you come into place."

Shadow then laid his back on the coldness of the metal wall, very close to the containers that had that very dangerous liquid inside of them.

"So, everything...from the very beginning...you wanting to help me, your kindness, everything was a lie?"

"I had a mission to complete, I am just doing my job."

"So, even the murder of the G.U.N's Commander...you planned everything,"

"Absolutely, all of that was fake...he is actually on his way over here to claim the containers."

Amy felt her throat going dry as all the tears were begging to let out. But right now it wasn't the time, she looked at Silver and checked if he had any serious injuries. He was breathing, his head down, at least the fact that he was alright made her feel calm.

"If you start crying, I'll end you."

Amy looked one more time at Shadow, she breathed and maybe right now it wasn't the perfect time to say it, but she did.

"I like you Shadow."

Shadow's eyes widen in surprise at the sudden confession. He waited for Amy to continue and she did.

"You kind acts, the way you worry about others, the way you make me feel when I am around you...All of that made me fall in love with you...but everything was a lie. And so, my love for you as well."

Shadow relaxed his hands and very confidently began to walk towards the pink hedgehog. For the first time in her life, Amy was afraid of Shadow.

He bent down in one knee and forcefully grabbed Amy's cheeks, making her look directly at his eyes. Her skin shivered by the contact, and Amy really thought that Shadow was about to steal a kiss from him. She closed her eyes waiting for it to happen...but it never did.

Instead, a dash of blue flew across the room. Amy could recognize those green eyes anywhere, and if looks could kill, Shadow would be dead by now.

There he was, the known world hero, the old blue friend...

Sonic the Hedgehog.

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Next Chapter: https://another-sonic-blog.tumblr.com/post/185967108465/the-dark-prince-chapter-five-fake-it-until-you

The Dark Prince: Chapter Five: Fake It Until You Make It

Previous Chapter: https://another-sonic-blog.tumblr.com/post/185966895240/let-amy-go-shadow-it-was-raining-heavily-in

The Dark Prince: Chapter Three: My Old Blue Friend

*The Rebellion is a group of people who haven't been "zombi-fed" in the future. They try their best to keep themselves isolated while they try to raise up an army to overthrow the Superior.  

A/N: wow almost 5K words!

[ganymedesclock]

*Reads your thoughts on Biolizard and Black Arms* And THIS is why I follow you my friend. I don't think I've met anyone else on this site who is as good as you are at taking a subject and taking a step back in order to look at the wider picture. To look at all the angles and realize where the story is coming up short. I admit I had never considered either of them from such a point of view, that they can also be redeemed as Shadow was, but the fact you made my consider it... bravo, bravo.

Oh my goodness, thank you so much.

I guess the thing of it is, and I’ve touched on this in subjects before, but I’m very interested in the concept of “monstrosity” and it’s something I tend to kind of empathize with and find interesting and appealing. Part of that is, what categorizes something as monstrous is often “wrongness” or something “unnatural” and, well, personally I feel like a lot of my life has been failing to fit into categories.

And that whole outcast sense is a very universal experience. Everybody sees themselves as the underdog whether or not they actually are an underdog.

Because the thing is, part of Biolizard and most of the Black Arms is, you can tell we weren’t supposed to empathize with them. It’s why they’re made bulky and monstrous, it’s why so much of their perspective is obfuscated. Just like many antagonists appear to have almost heartbreakingly bleak and empty lives- it’s an attempt at the writer to dodge the insinuation that they’re really a person with hobbies and interests and thus something that can be empathized with.

But through Shadow, that falls apart. Because as I talked about in the post- the only real difference between Shadow and the rest of the Arms hive is that he grew up away from Doom and his manipulations- that he basically, before everything went to hell with the ARK massacre, had a good childhood. He had people like Maria and pre-revenge Gerald supporting him and connecting to him. And that even wasn’t enough- he very nearly fell under Doom’s control anyway, and it was only the presence of Sonic, Rouge, Amy, Knuckles, the Chaotix- people determinedly reaching out to him.

There’s room for an incredible potential plot if we don’t take the dodge that killing Doom destroys the entire Arms hive- because, why do that? Why suggest an entire species under a tyrannical dictator has to die with him? If it’s just a matter of there’s no one at the top of the hive mind, the Arms’ group consciousness is never explained in much detail, and Shadow’s also part of that group- Doom was able to get into his head, which would annex him into the hive if it wasn’t already. If Shadow didn’t die, then the hive clearly didn’t shut down.

The concept of an orphaned, suddenly directionless and scared group, many of whom may have been heavily controlled and had little idea what they were doing- is something that would be complicated and deeply intriguing, especially because again, the Arms are hypersocial, their primary means of communication is telepathically, and they have so much they can viscerally empathize with in Shadow.

Shadow’s a highly competent, trained fighter, but considering someone who has lost so much to violence, and who has struggled so much with being thought of and used as a weapon- I can’t see his happy ending as trading being Gerald’s weapon or Doom’s weapon for being GUN’s weapon. 

But honestly putting Shadow in a place where he potentially is able to, and, actively called upon, to help others that he can understand exactly where they’re coming from, would be really interesting, not only because it’s not something that caters to Shadow’s skill set- 

I feel like it’s not discussed often enough that Shadow is breathtakingly awkward socially, to the point that we often see him deliberately avoiding social situations and focusing only on work because that’s what he can manage. Rouge even accuses him of being a workaholic in 06 when he blows off a conversation, in what to me feels like a rather familiar insinuation. He also comes from what must have been an incredibly closed and unusual context, fifty years out of date with the modern world, and may or may not have a clear understanding of how to operate an ATM. I think there is definitely a reason Shadow would prefer secret agent work that lets him rely on impressive combat skills and very little else.

-but also because- after as much personal strife as he’s had trying to define himself as something other than a weapon, after suffering in that way, tell me it wouldn’t pull his heartstrings to have someone reaching out to him for help.

Sure, it would be rocky going, because the Arms don’t usually have mouths so this reaching out would happen mentally, and Shadow generally does not like people in his brain, considering Doom’s response to being invited in was to basically start setting the furniture on fire. But the Arms wouldn’t be reaching out angrily, as much as, they’re scared. Quite possibly they don’t understand spoken words- that’s clearly not how their species operates and Doom isn’t exactly an anthropologist who’d bone up on esoteric forms of communication.

Imagine bewildered Arms trying to figure out what’s happening and not even considering that the mouth-noises other things are making at them are supposed to be words? Hell, imagine the culture shock with the Arms having initially assumed that creatures that don’t communicate telepathically aren’t sentient, because- how can they be thinking? I can’t hear them thinking. Are you sure they’re thinking?

And in general, considering we have no idea how hive succession works, Shadow’s small act of regicide may mean he accidentally supplanted Doom as the leader of the Arms- so imagine him thinking they’re following him or hunting him down for some reason while most of the Arms are having intent bewildered debates trying to figure out what he wants them to do because Doom was never this indirect.

Quite frankly, it’d be incredible, because, what I just got done saying Shadow’s awkward? Jesus the Arms in general would be a thousand times worse- again, realizing that spoken words are actual communication could be a major point of culture shock. Doom has basically weaponized every conceivable aspect of Arms culture that we see, so, do they really know how to operate besides being soldiers?

Imagine names are just plain not an Arm thing except for the leader, because via the mental hive you can always just sort of feel who specifically you’re addressing, so some hapless GUN soldier voices a “hey you” and is flash mobbed by bewildered aliens trying to figure out which one he was talking to. Like- they have specific designations for type, but there might be three hundred “Black Volt” units so that’s not going to help you in a conversation.

Imagine the Arms redeeming in a way where they still look, frankly, just as terrifying as the way they started but as a species they all get goofy nicknames because they’re informally named by whoever’s been dealing with them.

I’m getting off topic but frankly the writing possibilities are limitless and I’m not even getting the Biolizard in on this.