*PenofOneAnswer819 does not claim rights to any Sega Enterprises or Sonic Team patented characters or material presented within this work of fan-based fiction: All copyright reserved for the rightful and respective owners.*

Metal: ...

PoA: Say something to her.

Metal: I can't...

PoA: Come now, speak plainly and...

Metal: I can't see this whole thing working out between us. You see, something bad always happens to me. I've been killed more frequently than Shadow ever has, and you saw how things worked out for his loved ones.

Shadow: In three words: Fan character Maria. Eat your bloody heart out, tin man.

Metal: I just don't see... I don't think you'll be around for Sonic Heroes, and we, I, we can never be. I feel our time is short, and so I wanted to confess that I, th-that I may have once, perhaps, somewhat, maybe, kind of, hypothetically speaking, generally, in a relative way, sort of, kind of c-c-cared for... you.

?: Aw, well that's awfully sweet of you, dearie.

Metal: Wait, who's "you"? You aren't... Silver?

Silver: *Snorts*

Metal: Relief, but no, not you. That wasn't meant for-or-or y-you! PoA, you sc-sc-scum! You... YOu trrrrricked mE!

E-85: Metal dear. No need to be shy. We all know who you meant.

Metal: No. nO... NONONONONONONONONOOOoo1010101010101010101010000000!

E-85: Oh my... Did we overdo it?

PoA: I think, we turned him back on too soon.

Silver: It was the dress, wasn't it?

PoA / 85 / Shadow: ...

Silver: What?

-l-

Hollow

-l-

"Doctor."

"Hmm, so the Prototype escaped. Not quite what I had in mind, but it seems Miles did a better job than expected." He placed his fingers delicately over the screwdriver base, making a slow twisting motion "But let me guess, the hedgehog, I presume? Tell me, how many did we lose?"

"T-Two, only two, sir." Orbot's false teeth chattered, quickly explaining himself "The two Sentinels were destroyed. Coroner records state friendly fire was present, but the majority of damage inflicted was by foreign weaponry. Their last video log captures details of an unidentified assailant; fast as Sonic, but capable of flight. Rationally, this must be the Prototype, sir. Sonic was in no way involved with the attack."

"Ooh, you don't say?" Eggman replied, far too cheerful in taking the awful news "Orbot, play back those tapes for me. My, and to think I was worried I had lost my touch." He twirled his rusty red moustache between his fingers, while his round underling complied with all haste.

Unnervingly, he examined the contents of the confiscated tape logs with a growing, gleeful grin sliding across his face "Hee, yes. That's right, my dear. Burn them all to a crisp."

There were times, maddening and demanding as working for Eggman could be, that Orbot found himself capable of feeling fear. Watching his master, enjoying the sight of his two elite soldiers being tormented by his latest creation struck him on a deep level. He vowed, until the last flicker of base programming within him ceased to function, to never forget the way his master looked that day.

Afraid, surprisingly less than he should have been, Orbot shakily interrupted the gruesome 'show', by saying "Doctor, m-my report." It was a feeble effort, but protocol was protocol. He had yet to finish his assigned duties, and so he must, it if that meant subjecting a willing captive to his mad creator.

"Mm? Oh, yes that's right. The traitor, of course." Eggman muttered, his good mood partially spoiled by the reminder.

"Yes, sir, we have him. It seems he gave himself up willingly." The slave robot confirmed, but then added with a curious stare "But sir, what of the other? We couldn't locate the other traitor, and our captive has been unwilling to provide answers."

Eggman, more relaxed than he had been in weeks, reclined in his seat, saying in a placid tone "I recall only having one mistake unaccounted for. Metal has failed to report back to us, hasn't he?"

"He-yes, he has, sir." Orbot confirmed, with nothing but a quiet sigh. He then looked up again, once more with curiosity slowly burning in his hopeful blue eyes "But the prototype, sir. Isn't she still incomplete? Won't Metal's influence affect her mission?"

In the quiet darkness, Orbot could not tell if the mumbled reply was one of controlled, wrathful fuming, or born of sadistic, giddy but contained elation.

"Yes, in the worst possible way." Eggman stole a cold stare towards the unused capsule, rigidly tracing the writing on the metal plaque with itching impatience "After all, insanity is in their programming."

Project CC

Model Participants: 1.7-4.2-3.3

Capsule Use Reserved, Models: Mayhem / Madness / Maelstrom

Product of the Eggman Empire

L

*Silvia's POV*

L

So much numbness, not so painful but debilitating, was familiar. This was not the first time she had been stunned, bound and brought back to her meager cell. Uniquely, this was the first time she could recall previous escape attempts; it was also the first time she could think clearly, even within a captive bound state.

"Eggman is still going to punish me." She understood, finding little to no comfort in her relatively comfortable capture "He's going to scrap me, that's why. No point in punishing a worthless mess of wires. But if I get free, I'll, I'll..."

Thrashing in her bonds, Silvia's temper flared at the thought of being treated as worthless, what with even the elite unable to withstand her might. Eggman had indeed designed her well, but yet he treated her little better than a dirty oil rag. He tossed her away whenever she failed to obey, and yet sometimes he encouraged her destructive tendencies.

In her sorrow, she suddenly recalled her dream about the doll, if only for small comfort. Even then, she remembered, it was her doing; she was the one who burned a hole through its chest. She was almost responsible for burning down the entire training center that day. Yet the dream, which highlighted her horrified feelings, inspired her to empathize with someone else for the first time.

"Doll." She murmured gently, looking at the sweet-natured creation, now standing, inexplicably before her. Though the little puppet had been an involuntary good that came of her first, natural dream, she feared what her master's old conditioning would inspire her to do next.

Her hands reflexively reached out for the vivid memory, now fully manifest before her eyes. She just wanted her fingers to feel the top of the doll's plush head; to know he was as real as he appeared to be. This attachment for something that came from self, and bore a part of self, was something she now understood.

"You know where your jewel came from?" Silvia whispered to him, stroking his mirage with firm tenderness "It was mine, my backup control chip. E-85 herself used part of me to make you. Whenever you see it change color, think of your Mama's eyes, and remember that I... I..." She struggled, as if the words just couldn't leave her mouth. It hurt her, now more than ever, to be unable to express how she felt.

The memory withdrew from her, steadily growing too hazy to see anymore. How cruel, but she knew it wasn't real. It looked like Doll, but it was a fake. She would known, she should have known earlier that it was nothing but a dream.

"I think she's coming to. Sonic, give me a hand?"

"Sonic?" Her whole body leapt forward. Startled and achingly hopeful, she almost wished the dream would just leave her alone, let her rest. She knew he wasn't here. He couldn't be.

"Oof! Wow, what was that? I hope she's not having a seizure. Sonic, seriously, a hand please?

"Oh, uh right, sure! Um, but, listen, I know what you're trying to do, bud, but I don't like it. How do you know she's not a spy or something? I mean, she might explode any second!"

Ah, how cold-hearted, like always. Yet, why did he sound so, expressive? Not only that, but she could sense a hormonal imbalance, like an animal in the latter stages of puberty. Metal did not possess these characteristics, at least, in no way she could quantify with data. Besides, she knew him. His whole self was just... strange, different. She didn't have the word for it, but this creature did not have the same spark, being and life that Metal had.

This creature must be an imposter, just like the fake Doll.

"Sonic, she's been here for an hour. Don't you think I would've have noticed something like that by now? Besides, I found her getting experimented on by Eggman. It's not her fault."

The fake one, the fox, his words resonated with that same false sweetness. He was nothing like Doll, but still his sympathy threatened to warm her steel nerves, and she hated it. Perhaps, she had been captured after all, but by these imposters instead. If so, she assumed he must be hacking into her neural network, trying to reprogram her.

"Tails."

"I know what I'm doing, Sonic! I knew the risks when I chose to take her with me."

"Hey, that's not what I meant. I'm just saying that-"

"Say whatever you like, I don't need an excuse. She's here now, and I've got to help her, okay? So, please."

"It's okay, I get it. Let's get her fixed up."

"Right! And Sonic? Thanks."

"Save the thanks for when we're done, but, yeah, you're welcome."

"Hee, how modest!"

"Shut up, Tails."

"Speak for yourself, I'm starting the scan."

"These two, are they related?" There was something between them even she could sense; a kind of likeness, oneness, almost as though they had the same programming, or operated on the same wavelength. Genetically, they are dissimilar, but somehow, she felt they must be related.

Besides, one of them answered to Sonic, but he isn't Metal. Could he be the same target that they were conducting reconnaissance on? Was this the same person that somehow drove Metal into a frenzy?

"Well, shoot, it's not working. One second... Okay, I need you to hold her down, just so she stays fairly still."

"No problem. Geez though, you sure she's a robot? I don't think I've seen a badnik made so, say, delicate, refined?"

"Stop acting creepy. Just make sure she doesn't thrash about. Once successful, the scanner should give us a readout of how "modified" she actually is. I didn't see any open wounds, but I need to know how much of her anatomy has been altered on visceral level, assuming she is indeed more cybernetic as opposed to a fully mechanized android only posing as a living creature, or a reasonable facsimile thereof. Unless-"

"Alright, alright already! Just make it snappy. I don't feel comfortable about this."

"Sonic, girl arms and shoulders don't have cooties. I did an extensive study and found that it's their lips that carry said disease. Make sure she doesn't bite you, especially your frontal lobe. I hear it's contagious, being practically like second cousins with rabies, unless you succumb to exsanguination first."

"And to think I was about to order us pizza after-wait, cooties? For real? Tails, you know that those aren't, like, um, you know?"

"Aren't like what? Oh, hi Amy!"

"Ha ha, very funny. Like I was saying-"

"Hi, Tails... Sonic."

"Ohhholy f-fancy fall festival foxes, we were just talking about you!"

"Mm, yes, I can see that."

Silvia could sense veiled, make that heavily veiled, signs of body temperature rising within the new target. A hedgehog, female and psychologically and physiologically attracted to the adolescent male. She was unable to decipher if the male reciprocated her attempts at courting. On the topic of needless details, it disgusted her that the male even dared to lay a finger on her; this doubly due to the creature bearing the likeness of Metal.

"How are you doing, sweetie? Are you hurt?"

"Hah, well, Amy that's real sweet of you, but I'm too smooth to get creamed by Eggman's goo-"

"Not you."

"Oh, oh! Yeah, our lady friend here is cool too. 'Course she might be a cute robot assassin in disguise trying to kill us all, but we haven't figured that out yet-"

"Sonic..."

"Yes, ma'am, Tails is fine too."

"Thank you. Oh, my goodness. Tails, is this who you were talking about?"

"Yes. Please, Amy, just trust me. I know she might be dangerous, but I can't just..."

"No need to explain. Just do what feels right to you; we trust you. I'm just glad you're safe. I guess, you do take a lot after your big brother after all."

"Heh, that... Yeah, I guess he does."

"Oh, Sonic, for goodness sakes, she's not a rag doll! Give her back some support too! Here, let me. Now shoo and get me a pillow or two."

"Ah, come on, I... Sheesh, yes, dear."

"Thanks, both of you. This won't take long, I promise."

Little, by precious little, she was beginning to understand their conversation dynamics. Their words didn't seem to line up in a fully meaningful way, but she was starting to see the ebb and flow of their speech patterns. Indeed, it was as though her systems were starting to map out their interactions with precision clarity. If only she could see their faces, she would find it easier to copy the rest of their data.

Already, her systems had, unbeknownst to her, begun to replicate a portion of the blue hedgehog's data. She only needed to study him as soon as her visual faculties rebooted. It was only a matter of time. Physical contact would be needed too, perhaps via combat.

"Data acquisition in progress." Silvia muttered under her breath, trying to disguise her robotic tendency to shout out her currently running subroutines. Thanks to audio encryption, so far the living creatures remained none the wiser, only ignorantly assuming that she was starting to "come to" as they called it. It made no difference to her. She could bide her time. The fox's scan was doomed to fail, as her outer hull was reinforced against scanning, even fitted with a scrambler to render all external invasion null and void, expect frequencies with proper clearance.

"Three targets identified." She hissed, working off their basic information rapidly, ready to isolate their every weakness "Manual override initiated. Mission parameters: Rendezvous with Metal Sonic ASAP. Eliminate all targets that intervene. Optional objectives: Collect information and retrieve full data on key targets: Sonic the Hedgehog. Subject two, data search initiated... Subject match found: Miles Prower, alias Tails. Third assailant unknown, answers to the designation 'Amy'. Data search initiated. Entering Incognito Sleep Mode."

"What's she saying, Amy?"

"I don't understand it. It's all, gibberish, like listening to radio static."

"Weird. Maybe the rings are interfering with the scan. Wait, huh? No, no, why? Why is this happening?"

"What? What is it?"

"Don't do this to me... Crap, just what I was afraid of: Her vitals are dropping. It must have something do with dummy rings I used. We need to remove them."

"What? Oh, no, no, no can do, bud. Don't you dare. Amy, get out of there, get away from her! I can feel it, something bad's about to go down."

"Sonic, please. I can't do anything for her like this! Those rings are hurting her, and if she shorts out completely, she could... S-She could die. Do you hear me? She could die, Sonic!"

"Bud, I hear you, but she's just a robot; she's not worth our lives. Besides, we smash these things all the time, so why now?"

"You touched her arms, Sonic. Tell me, did she feel like a robot to you? Skin, fur, blood, everything! Her implants may be making her hostile, but they are also the only things keeping her alive."

"And what if you're wrong? What if it's like you said, and she's really just another convincing fake made to look like one of us?"

"Amy, do you remember Gamma?"

"Who?"

"Yes, of course I do. Sonic, remember? The red and black Eggman robot you fought with on the Egg Carrier? The one I protected?"

"What about it?"

"He was my friend. He saved my life. Tails is right, we need to give her a chance."

"Amy, that was then, this is now. You only have to be wrong once, and..."

"Sonic, please. You trust me, right?"

"Of, of course I do, but..."

"Then keep us safe. If she goes nuts, then please be there to protect us."

"I... I don't like it. Tails, Amy, you guys I'm telling you. This is big, bigger than Gamma, bigger than Metal Sonic. I can't shake this bad feeling."

"That's why we need you. Sonic, I know it's hard, but for our sake, please."

"..."

"Sonic..."

"... Fine, but do me a favor."

"Sure, but hurry. I don't know how much time we have."

"Okay, seal me in the test chamber."

"Now look who's talking crazy! No way! Tails, don't let him!"

"S-Sonic, are you sure?"

"You want me to go through with this, right? Then we're doing things my way. Just make sure you don't open the hatch until I say so."

"Sonic..."

"... Al-alright, I trust you, Sonic."

One at a time, this would be easy, much easier than she had anticipated. Like a dream come true, she could hear the chamber to her confined room shut, just as the power of her paralyzing bonds began to wear down.

"I'm ready for you, blue imposter. For what you did to Metal..."

-Chaos Drive Activated. Engaging Combat Mode-

Shattering her golden chains, Silvia's eyes shone in the light; a deep shade of oily crimson.

"I'll make sure you suffer."

-l-

End of Chapter Thirty-seven

-l-

Progress at last. School and work really eat up free time something fierce. This chapter is a little bit longer than most, but eh, I had to fit in what I could before midterms approach.

Until next time!