Welcome to the first story I wrote on this site. Some people might remember from before. Alas, my old account has been, for all intensive purposes, deleted. However, after being motivated by some pals, I'm reposting the story. Aside from fixing as many spelling mistakes as I can notice, this is completely unchanged. Please enjoy this story that just won't die.

This story is incredibly long and I'm always improving (I hope), so give me a chance and I don't think I'll disappoint.

Metal Overdrive

Copyright Sega

It has been said that I am a mere piece of metal. That, like a computer, I can not change unless programmed to. That I have no heart and will always be a killing "machine". Maybe I sound out of character right now, but I was never meant to have one in the first place.

My programming told me to destroy someone. That someone is a hero of this world. Why must I destroy him? My creator hates this hero for stopping his quest for world domination. Why does he want to conquer the world? The true psychological reason for that is out of my reach.

Psychological? The way I talk you would think I am alive. But the words of those around me say that I am a monster. And perhaps they are right. The hero I am meant to destroy says it every time we meet.

This hero made me hate him. And for that I am eternally grateful.

If I had never hated this hero, I would never know I could hate. If I can hate, I asked myself once, then can I love? If I can go against my programming for hate, can I go against my programming for other things, like living creatures go against there instincts?

After I had transformed myself into a "monster" in an attempt to destroy this hero and that hero defeated me, these thoughts drove through my head. And they drove me insane as well. I short-circuited and destroyed everything in a five mile radius with my claws. Most of that was left over debris from destroyed battle ships. Somewhere in my insanity I realized something. Something that did not compute yet made perfect sense. I was thinking. Not in a "Does not compute" way, but the thinking without thinking that has been described to me. At first I hated this new sensation of thought, as the massive amount of knowledge I possess was almost too much for my "mind" to bear. I can not feel pain, but I believe I felt something close to that during my "enlightenment". Then I felt scared as while I had great knowledge, my "mind" was blank without programming instructions. Then after a while, I looked around me and saw things differently. I had never experienced beauty before, or plain, or ugly. I felt disgusted at the twisted metal that lied around me. Than I saw the light of the moon reflect off of my armor, and looked at the moon for the first time. I am not sure what I felt when I saw the moon. I believe it was peace, but it was hard to tell since I knew nothing but negative emotions at the time. But that changed surprisingly fast. As I looked down from the moon, I saw a simple white daisy. How it survived my rampage is be on me. Yet there it was, basking in the moonlight. I walked up to it. I touched it. It was such a trivial thing. A weak flower. Yet I saw the world in that flower. I saw myself, and the monster that I am reflecting off of it. I realized that my "emotions" are fake. That I am just a machine. And that I want to be more.

I almost plucked that flower. But it would have died if I had. I no longer wanted to kill things. Or, at least, my free will didn't want to. My hard drive was still set to destroy. Free will… it's a nice feeling.

After months of thinking about my new found free will, I decided that I am still a mere machine. So, I will correct the problem, even if I have to destroy a mountain in the process.

Metal (Sonic?) free will log, 2005

Metal Sonic. Feared by many. Hated by all. Respected by few.

Right now the hated part seemed pretty obvious. Knuckles was smashing the spikes on his fist into Metal's cranium. The Forest of Angel Island rang with the sound of clanging metal. And Metal did nothing to fight back.

Knuckles cried in frustration "Why the hell do you just stand there! Do you want to be sent to the junk heap, or is Eggman trying to make another mecha Knuckles from my data!" He gave a yell and aimed another super punch at Metal's head, but was barely stopped by metal hands and jet engine.

"Please," Metal begged (as best as a monotonous robot could) "I must consult the Master Emerald."

Knuckles barely heard what Metal said over his jet engine. But he heard him. Metal was surprised (though you couldn't tell) to see Knuckles let his guard down long enough to roll around on the forest floor and laugh for a good minute.

"HA HA HA, ho, hee, cough, wheeze, you think I'm going to fall for the same trick three times in a row! HA HA! And besides that, even if I did let you near the Master Emerald, which I won't! If I did, the Master Emerald wouldn't talk to a soulless machine." Knuckles went really close to Metal's head as if there was a camera in there (which there was, but wasn't active as of Knuckles poundings.). "Ya hear that Egg Head? Your plans need to be more thought out."

Metal's logic programs were in frenzy mode. Knuckles was a heroic person, from Metal's perspective. Were not heroes supposed to help those in need?

Metal fizzed and sparks for a few seconds then said, "I need help."

Knuckles squinted his eyes and said, "Why should I?"

Metal sputtered. "You are a… hero… heroes… help people."

Knuckles smirked. "Too bad you're not a person." Knuckles threw back his fist and, for Metal, the world went black.

-break-

Metal awoke several hours later to a night sky. The view was beautiful in Metal's optical sensors. He reached the conclusion that this was because Angel Island floated close to the sky. He could not reach a conclusion, however, as to why he was still active. His processor was damaged beyond repair. His joints were barely hinged together. His batteries barely had enough energy to make his foot move. Yet, by some miracle, he stood up and started slowly walking, making a horrible clanking and grating sound because pieces of his joints were bent the wrong way and rubbing together. Metal had learned to not look a miracle hoarse in the mouth.

Metal was determined to make it to the Master Emerald. According to Dr. Eggman's files on the Master Emerald, and from what Knuckles said in their conflict, the Master Emerald was alive to some degree. The Master Emerald is also supposed to control the most powerful energy source in the world, The Seven Chaos Emeralds. Logically, The Chaos Emeralds shouldn't be able to hold so much energy, nor should a giant emerald be able to command them, or talk for that matter. It also didn't make much sense that The Chaos Emeralds were each a color of the rainbow and were still called emeralds. But Metal had learned to throw all logic out the window and just keep going. If the Master Emerald was as powerful as they say it is, then maybe it could tell Metal how to become real.

After slowly walking for two hours, the Master Emerald shrine stood before Metal. It stood before him in all its ancient glory looking like the center of the world. But even greater was the jewel that floated in the shrine's center. Metal ever so slowly limped up the stone steps. He at last made it to the top where the Master Emerald was. Metal reached out his clawed hand and touched it.

Nothing, yet Everything.

Do you wish to live?

"Yes" Metal said.

Will you prove it?

"Yes" said Metal.

Walk until you can walk no more. At that time in space, you will have the answer.

Metal had guessed that the answer would be riddle of sorts. He still wished that the Master Emerald would have been straighter forward.

"Is there a specific direction I should go in?" Metal asked. The Master Emerald was silent.

Metal supposed that all heroes had to go through this kind of thing. He climbed back down the stairs, getting ready to randomly pick a direction.

The Guardian of the Master Emerald had seen the 'conversation' Metal had with it. With the ruckus Metal had made, Knuckles thought even the deafest person alive would come and check things out. It puzzled Knuckles to no end that Metal simply left the Master Emerald where it was. He saw Metal look around and start walking in the direction of south. Knuckles started to follow.

Metal had no idea what he was doing. Was there even a point to doing this? What if the words he sort of heard were delusions brought on by Knuckles beatings? Then he would be going nowhere.

Metal purposely tried to conflict this thought by thinking 'What else do I have to do?'

'You could go kill Sonic the Hedgehog…'

Metal would have squinted his eyes in frustration, if he had actual eyes. He no longer wanted to think those thoughts. But he did not know how to reprogram himself. Only Eggman did…

Metal decided to drown out thinking all together by listening to music. He sorted through a computer file in his head full of his favorite songs. He picked "Space Oddity" by David Bowie. Soon his head was (quite literally) full of strange sound effects, guitar playing, and space related lyrics. Metal slowly bobbed his head left and right to the slow beat of the music.

Knuckles was confused. Nothing new there. Why the hell would Dr. Eggman have Metal Sonic playing such a weird song on any mission? 'Maybe it is different' Knuckles thought. 'But how can a soulless machine be alive?'

Metal was so caught up in the music that he didn't see where he was going. He placed one foot right off of the island and almost fell into the ocean, which was at least 300 feet below. Metal comically scrambled to stay on the island and not fall. He would have used his jet to get down like he used to get up, if Knuckles hadn't made that barely functional.

Metal had nowhere to go. He was trapped. Knuckles made it obvious that he wouldn't help. He wished he could cry. He had so many tears to shed.

Then, he heard a verse that sparked him.

"For heeeeerree am I floating in a tin can,

Faaaaaarrr above the world,

Planet earth looks blue,

And there's nothing I can dooooo."

That seemed to fit the situation pretty well. "But there is something I can do" Metal said out loud. 'What the hell?' thought Knuckles.

Then the Music stopped. Metal eyes shut off and he stopped making whirring sounds. Without any grace or dignity, he slowly fell forward and plummeted like a rock. Knuckles ran to where Metal was standing and looked down. He kept looking until Metal splashed into the water. Knuckles stood there for a minute, unable to comprehend what just happened. Finally, he turned around and started heading back to the Master Emerald shrine, mumbling "Crazy robot…"

Somewhere far away, there is a place called Mystic Ruins. Here, a special robot will wash up on a nearby shore. Here, a two-tailed fox will make a difficult decision. Here, a robot gains a purpose, and a friend.

Space Oddity Copyright David Bowie

-Author's note-

My very first chapter. Ever. Looking back, I can't help but guffaw at how short it is. Later chapters get ridiculously long.

This was also back when the story was meant to go along side the idea of staying inside a 'believable' story that might work inside a real sonic game. Aside from some more emotional moments, I tried to keep the plot in the realm of Sonic. That gets thrown out the window at some point, but not for a while.

Well, cheers to whoever's reading this. Please give me your opinion on how horrible I did and we can all have a good laugh.

Sincerely,

The Conflicted Writer