Sonic: Sketchy
Concept by M.C. Griffin
Written by Sean Catlett and M.C. Griffin

Thursday

Robotnik stared down at his once-creation, silent and horrified. Snively, surprised beyond belief, tried to ignore this and continue talking.

“We caught him, sir. You should be happy.”

Silence.

“Come on, sir. I’ve seen you dance around the room at less joyous occasions than this. You’re perfectly capable of celebrating-”

“No. I can’t.”

“Sir, why not?”

“I can’t bear to see him like this…”

**********

ZzzzzZzzzzzzz Zzz zZ zzzzzZWhat the fuck?

Oh, I get it. I remember now. That’s right.

I appear to be caught. And the reason I can’t think very well is becausezzzzz

Because I’m being fixed. I’m in the Maintenance Corridor. Zzzzzz. Here is where all the ‘bots go when they get in an accident.

Even though I’m organic, I need maintenance. My organs need tweaking now and then.

I would look down at myself, but I already know what I’m going to find.

So I look up instead. And in my dreary state, I seemed to have forgotten that the ceiling is reflective; I still see everything.

Nothing is attached to me anymore. Not my arms, not my legs, not my head. The machine works your entire mechanized body, inside and out. Thousands of wires and tubes travel inside and out of my face, supplying blood. I don’t need to see my legs to know that they are on a cold table somewhere in the room. I can still feel them… zzzzzzzZZZzzz

Right now a soldering ‘bot is tending the corner of my ear that I didn’t notice was torn off. I can see my torso lying in the corner, being worked on. I can see my bones through the holes where the limbs would be attached. I’m getting a complete overhaul. Must’ve been the tackling in the Star Light Zone…

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

Ouch!

The way my head looks, it’s like one of those pictures of a member of a tribe, or a lynching, where a head is set on a stake. Save for the wires and the tubes, I look like I should be dead. I would, I could, I want.

Zz.

If I had vocal cords I would laugh. If I had fingers I would flip off the doctor that is staring at me. If I had an arm I’d shove it up his ass with my other arm.

If I could cry, I would.

Could. Should. Want?

Fuck that.

And he’s still watching. Even though the theater’s too dark for me to see clearly, I can feel that fucking raccoon watching the screen and laughing and enjoying his little night of glory.

I can only move my eyes and I could look away from the ceiling at any time, but I’m liking the image I see. Because I can’t recognize myself. For this moment I can pretend that I’m dead and someone else. I can grin wildly at the image of that faker and know that it isn’t me.

I like the smile I’m seeing.

And it’s about here I notice that I’m in pain. I pass out, and it all goes black.

Finally…

**********

Sonic spread out across the entire room like that made the Doctor want to vomit, but it was the only way he could get the broken bones and such fixed. You can’t get through the plastic skin without a serrated saw, or acid. And both wouldn’t help.

The joints are removable and repair can go through the length of the limb.

“I’m sick.”

“Sir?”

“Call me when they’re done.”

**********

I’m walking down the fourth corridor, being escorted by that fake bitch Shadow.

I catch a look from her, and in my mind I scream “FUCK YOU!” at her. She pulls a grin and keeps walking beside me.

Then I lower my head when I hear the Doctor’s voice come from one of the speakers.

“I can’t try anymore, Sonic…”

I know where I’m going. The Doctor is so fucking melodramatic.

“I’m done with you. I’ve had it. This is… unforgivable.”

I shoot a mental fuck you at the Doc’s speakers as well. I start walking faster, ahead of Shadow, since I know I’m going to my old room.

One last visit. What an over-actor.

“Enjoy your final hours. Soon, there will be no more pain.”

Wait.

Huh? What does he mean by…

Oh.

Oh fuck.

Behind me, Shadow starts giggling.

**********

Nack woke up.

Nack got dressed.

Nack punched the mirror on the wall.

“Fuck!” Nack yelled fuck.

He was in the doghouse still, from yesterday. Most of the hookers were gone and he’d lost half of his business, and the only thing he’d got from it was blue balls.

Nack was starting to wonder if this was a mistake.

“No. This’ll be worth it.”

The thought that one sleeps with…

Nack didn’t “fuckin need Rouge anyway.”

He didn’t need anyone except himself.

**********

I wish you were dead.

With you here, I still exist.

With you here, I can’t move on.

You’re here and you’re staring at me, making me uncomfortable, making me squirm and loving every minute of it because you know I can’t do shit. This is entertainment to you and all you do is keep going. And I fucking try to hate you…

But all I do is end up hating myself.

**********

I’m in my room and the voice tells me to kill myself, and I ask it why. It goes silent, so I resume admiring my room. In my head, it echoes.

“This is my room,” I say, my conditioned response echoing inside, moving to my head. I look around at everything that is mine, at everything that defines myself as myself.

My bed.

My gloves, worn with dist.

My mirror, a mirror version of me that affirms that what I want people to see is what I am seeing. Ya’ know, why do I even have a mirror?

Why do I have any of this?

I haven’t worn the gloves in ages, I haven’t slept in weeks, and I don’t even want to look at myself anymore.

Anymore. Wow, I used to be such a little bastard. I used to have this stuff around and I actually liked it. Boy. Possessions defined me, in more ways that I ever knew. Fuck all this.

Why?

‘Kill yourself’ echoes over and over in my head. Repetition. Can’t have that.

The dust is thick on the walls, and I know it’s intentional. The cleaning ‘bots haven’t been by since I left.

Robotnik.

“This is my room,” and ‘Kill yourself’ battle for space in my head. The everlasting defining of me, because why else would I want to keep going? Even if I choose to end it I’m still giving myself a label.

No way out of anything anymore. We’re all slaves to everything and we can’t even fucking do shit about it. So, go ahead and define the hell out of me. Well, do it again, it’s already been done before. Repetition is another prison no one escapes.

Like that would help you.

“This is my room,” I say again. And I walk past the mirror to the bed where I pick up my gloves.

**********

“Snively,” the Doc’s voice came on.

He, who was trying to get some sleep, pounded the button and yelled a sleepy “WHAT?!” into the receiver.

“Get into your suit and bring down Silver and Mecha to the Scrap Brain Zone. We’re beefing up security for the new… specimens.” There was something wrong with the Doctor’s voice.

“Sir? You okay?” Snively said, now very concerned.

“Yeah, fine,” and then he hung up.

**********

The only living thing up in heaven was crying, and small were teardrops hitting a very worn photograph of the first creature ever produced that had exceeded expectations in such a big way.

The picture was titled “perfection” and no matter what else happened it would still keep the title.

The pen scrawled title was just a little blurred, and it was only because of the tears of its creator.

**********

History 101. Sit down and shut up.

I came into this world with a purpose. Just a small being with little questioning of orders. It’s no wonder it’s taken me this long to rebel.

So, I leave. And after liberating some animals of their freedom, mentally and some physically, if you could call it that, I’m back here. Caught again.

What to do next.

Hmmmm.

Well, first, what I know.

The purpose I was built for, was, I think, a stupid one. Robotnik, the ever-greedy fuck that he is, wants more land, I suppose. Or, he wants one piece of land in particular.

Angel Island, and so far, I can discern that these “Chaotix” are a lively bunch, otherwise there wouldn’t be this much of muscle.

Me, I would have put up a good fight. Me, the doctor needed. Now, me is useless.

Fucking bitch. It felt good to be needed. And now I’m not.

So, he wants to conquer the floating island, but before that, it was just a pride thing with his people.

Then, he met him…

The red guy.

Oh fuck.

Who this guy is, or what, I don’t know. But… he gives the doctor inspiration; me, probably others like Manic and Ashura, and the plot to conquer Angel Island…

Now that I think about it, it must be more than just land that he’s after. There’s something… specific that he wants. Something on the island itself.

In my room, I stretch my hands within the warm leather of my gloves. My bare tipped fingers touch the broken mirror in front of me, and when I bring it back away, there is a bloodstain on it.

Beautiful.

It starts to run down into the cracks of the glass and seep inward. Looking back, thousands of broken me stare intently.

I feel good. Despite being spread apart like yesterday’s hooker a half an hour prior, I feel really good. Physically. Despite pressure in my chest, I’m in top notch and top form.

Robotnik is also very obsessed with me, it seems, since he made those metal versions of me. Six hedgehog units, probably more. Eggman told me once that he made me after a pet he had when he was a kid. Charles was his name.

“I accidentally ran him over on his second birthday with my bike. Poor thing didn’t even see it coming…”

My door opens slowly, creaking with age, and Shadow pokes her grinning-like-an-idiot head in. She makes a ‘come hither’ motion with her finger.

Tease.

**********

“Lots of time and nobody to fuck. What, is Rouge on the rag or something?”

“I don’t know. How does this look?”

“A little to the left. It’s still crooked.”

‘Argg…’

“Shut the fuck up, bitch!”

The door opened. Manic and Ashura frozen in place.

“Oh, uh, hey Nack. Hope you don’t mind that we’re borrowing your pliers…”

“What… holy shit… what the FUCK DID YOU GUYS DO?!”

“Neat, huh?”

**********

They call me Sonic, because I make that sound when I run fast. I’m regular height, blue colored because I’m made of plastic. I have an eating disorder, but I’m not that fat. I speculate that I am going to die pretty soon because of the many tubes that will be inserted into me.

“This is your home,” Silver said, indicating around him, neon beams pulsing.

It’s best not to think about it. I’ll try. Not to. I was damn sure uncomfortable, but I tried to hide it as I was escorted to the Scrap Brain Zone to be Robotosized. Two pairs of Buzzbombers weren’t needed, because I couldn’t have outrun Shadow if I tried.

I saw no point in telling either of my two escorts shit, because in a few moments it wasn’t going to matter anyway.

I said nothing, just walked with them, head down. Awkward little steps.

Déjà vu. It’s what I deserve.

Snively in Silver babbles on.

“The red, guy, he touches metal and everything shuts down, which is why we had to string him up with rope. He’s a manifestation of evil, it seems, and it provides the Doctor with inspiration from time to time.”

Shadow, holding my arms behind my back and forcing me forward, with a Silver version of me talking with Snively’s voice. What a fucking way to go.

“You may as well be dead, rodent.”

“Fuck off…” I whisper all too loudly.

Shadow’s hand jams into my side and suddenly I don’t feel too well anymore. I try to twist around to give her a contemptuous look, only to be hit in the head. Stars fly. Fuck this bitch is strong.

Down the corridor the walls move, ever rejecting me like a replacement limb. A badly broken one that was healed and broken again.

“When the process stops, the tubes will be so far in you thatmpsdfffgLSDJAAqlaerya][][][][][….”

I stop listening.

Along the walls we pass several computer screens, and NICOLE is flashing me a message.

I squint and try to see.

“Oh.”

I HATE YOU

I0010101001001010101011101000101010101010101010101001010101010101010101010010101010101

1010101010101001010101010100010101111111111111111111111111111111110110101010101001010

101010101010011001010101HATE01010101010101010101010101001010111010111110101010011010

0010010100010100101010101010101010000101111101001YOU01010110101010010101010101010101

Likewise, bitch.

Holding a grudge for standing her up. Fine. Whatever.

“I admire you…” I hear behind me.

What?

I look, and Shadow, that cunt, is grinning at me, and then she nods. Confirming.

I turn away, suddenly very, very confused.

**********

Robotnik looked around the Scrap Brain Zone, and managed a smile, patting an inactive Mecha Sonic next to him, pretending that Snively was inside listening.

“Look at it all… my life’s work… and soon, it will all be worth it.”

The subjects captured from the day before were all standing in a straight line going far back, in front of a large steel door. The front squirrel in line was shivering, with slightly charred fur from the war hours before.

**********

Patrolling the contours of the line of animals, looking for anything to move out, were Buzzbombers, combat full but not licensed to kill. There was some trouble in getting the subjects, as some survivors wanted out still. They just didn’t want to give up anymore. Fuck that. Fight. Fly.

Now they were unconscious at the back. They had at least bought themselves some futile time. Oh well.

All along the line were different animals, either beat up and sulking or standing up straight and smiling. Some blind faith ones tried to make conversation with those who were uninjured, but receive nothing but cold stares and silent tears in return.

Sally stood near the center of the line, unmoving, trying to see far ahead of her to the front. The tall man in the coat looked almost like a large dot to her, not very intimidating at all. But she was more interested in the being that stood next to him…

“Sonic…”

“That’s not him.”

Sally whipped around to the voice behind to her to see… she wasn’t sure.

Some guy… the color black.

“You shouldn’t get your hopes up,” the color said. Sally tried to blink. “You’ll be disappointed.”

“What?”

“Just listen to me!” He was upset. “Don’t… do anything. You’ll be okay then. Everything will be fine in heaven…”

And then he was gone.

Sally looked back in the distance, and tried to make out Sonic’s form.

Did something just happen?

Off in the distance, Sonic wasn’t moving. He looked… something was wrong. Around her, a Buzzbomber passed, going in the opposite direction. Opportunity knocked.

She stepped out of line, and took off running.

**********

“We’re just waiting for you. As soon as we get there, we can start.”

I can just imagine his sickening little grin, pushing its way past the circuits and the steel and into my face.

But all I can do is look at the ground because Shadow is one strong bitch. Holding my head down and forcing me to walk, I can feel her sickening grin too, that apparently admires me or some shit.

Ahead is where I am going to die.

Ahead is where I’ll meet all of the people I tried to save, and failed.

Well, not all.

Tails… wherever you are… please be all right. You are the sign that I’m not a total fuck up.

I’m getting confused again.

In a few seconds, I will be dead.

I wonder what the Doctor is going to decide, that I go first, to let all of the animals that I inspired to escape, and see me fail in front of them…

No. Bad idea. Martyr. Chaos. Rebellion. Fuck all that, of course.

Instead, I have to watch all I helped die before me. Might as well be death, anyway…

‘You haven’t gotten it yet, have you?’

Huh?

That admiring bitch hits me in the back of the head, and I shuffle forward once again. The voice doesn’t come back.

And we all enter the Scrap Brain Zone from the hallway, the buzzing of electricity almost deafening. Ahead of me, I can see the line of animals standing in front of the infernal machine at the center. My three friends are on a slightly elevated platform going down on an escalator from the hallway. Down to the ground below the electricity arcs.

There is some commotion down below, like an animal has tried to escape and is now being subdued. I can see the Doctor’s shaded appearance, arms crossed and laughing. Behind me and Shadow, Snively has started panting.

I squint forward. Within the steel environment of the Scrap Brain Zone, the voice of a single animal is yelling as a Mecha version of me holds her steady, arms wrapped around her from behind.

Familiarity.

“Got her, sir,” Silver’s voice says, not panting anymore.

The escalator ends and we’re at the bottom floor. Shadow pushes me forward. We head towards the machine and the line. I dimly consider trying to make a break for it, to escape…

Then, I look and see her smiling face.

Kicking and screaming, fighting.

Switch.

I roll and kick Shadow in the face with both of my feet. I spin-dash forward and get up running. My hands clench in fists, my legs hitting the floor, I’m off. “Sal!”

Robotnik’s head comes up to look at me. Too late I realize that this is a bad fucking idea.

Shadow wraps her arms around my waist, and down I go. My head hits the cold, metal floor face first.

Fuck! Only two seconds and already I’m brought down?!

I look up, seeing Robotnik turn at me, looking from me to Sally and back to me again. I can feel his grin.

And I know what’s next. And already I’m screaming No and Please and Don’t. Already I’m bargaining. Worse, I already know it isn’t going to get me anywhere.

“Her first,” he says, in slow motion.

Shadow brings me to my feet, bending my arms back, to the brink of dislocation.

Nothing. Nothing compares to the pain of seeing her dragged to the front of the line. By ME! Oh God, I’M the one dragging her, I’M the one holding me back, I’M the one laughing behind me!

Somebody help me! Save me from myself, save her from me!

Anyone!

But it’s useless. Mirrors, everywhere I look.

She’s shoved in. The door closes.

And just when I think it can’t get any worse… I’m pushed forward.

Pushed.

I’m pushed by myself to the observation window.

Déjà vu is what I deserve. After all, I used to enjoy this.

“You used to enjoy this, Sonic,” Silver me says, laughing hysterically. I try to pull away from the window, and in response my face is slammed against the glass, hard. More laughter.

I can’t look away.

I’m sorry.

I have to watch.

Have.

To

wa _____ tch

Tubes inserted, her ears and neck. And even though the glass is soundproof, I hear her scream in pain.

Goddammit! I can’t do anything right, can I? Fuck what I want. I don’t even care about myself anymore. I just want others to be happy. FUCK MY OWN HAPPINESS!

I don’t deserve it. What I deserve is more of that déjà vu I keep experiencing, more of that payback shit, the karma thing.

Sally looks at me. She’s not smiling anymore. Nor will she ever again.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see the monitor window inside set to something…

. . . . . . . . . .

NO!

I struggle more, only to be more forcefully held to the glass pane.

She’s a project subject. A PS. Not a Buzzbomber, not some stupid fuckin assassin drone. A new project of that bastard. A special project.

Sally… she’s going to be made into a killing machine. Like me. LIKE ME! She’s going to be born as me! That sadistic fuck!! How can he be so cruel?!!!

I’m still bargaining with the Doctor on the other side of the glass, who just looks at me with a sullen expression. He holds one of his fingers and moves it back and forth in a ‘tsk tsk’ motion. Me inside has his arms crossed and he’s leaning against the wall.

It’s useless. I stop bargaining. I stop trying. Stop everything.

Instead… time for the loathing.

“Fuck you…” I whisper, face against the pane, eyes fixed on Sally’s crying form. My hand comes up to the glass, and I do all I can to comfort her, as if comfort is never so far away.

“Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, FUCK YOU! FUCK ALL OF YOU!” Useless… useless… useless… unless…

And the Doctor pulls the switch…

Her body twitches…

The light leaves her eyes . . .

It’s what I deserve.

The wires come into her. Invading. Then the metal. Familiar metal. Spiked, blue, cobalt, gloved steel. No more is she recognizable. No more is she anyone I ever knew. A small energy arc comes down over her head…

And then…

.

.

.

.

She’s gone…

Dot, dot do…_____. . ._________.. …____________… … … … .. . .____.______________.

**********

Black. Dark. Nothing.

Everything went away with her. Everything is gone.

Everything except me. I’m still here.

Wherever HERE is.

Then in the pitch black he comes walking up to me. He speaks.

“Figure it out yet?”

“No…”

“Listen, then: YOU___________ NEED_________ IDEAS

For what?

TO KILL HIM. The Wiseman. THAT’S WHat you want, don’t you?

“I think so. I want something, anything GOOD TO HAPPEN.”

‘Then you need TO think.’

“Okay… how do I get ideas?”

“Simple… you find them. That’s the hard part. Then you put them together and you fly. Easy enough after that.”

Who are YOU?”

The black steps forward. It’s a mirror.

‘The better question IS, WHO ______________ ARE __y ______ o ___ u ______________?’’

‘Like I know anymore. This is all so confusing.’

I nod. The mirror stands still.

“How do I find them” The ideas I MEAN

He smiles and I shiver, because it seems so much like the red one’s smile.

Or…

Suddenly, that grin turns into a red, flowing blood waterfall. Laughter fills the empty space of my mind, and then turns to screams. It’s my OWN BLOOD POURING OUT OF MY FACE! OH GOD! Make ___________ it _______________ . _________ Stop…………….. ____________ F _______ __ u ___________________ c ___________________________________ k

****!****

Hello.

My name is Bunnie. I am a prostitute.

Or rather, was. Now, I might as well be dead.

It’s all Manic and Ashura’s fucking fault, getting Nack so riled up about how the Doctor feels about progress over there. Now, most of us are here and waiting to die.

I would make a run for it, but no. Maybe if I beg him I can win my way back…

I’m second in line, though. I’m just behind Sasha, a blonde fox about five-foot-seven and ninety-two pounds. She has a flat chest but an ass that “won’t quit.” Her voice is what gets her the money. It’s soft and sultry and makes men want to fuck the living daylights out of her throat.

I mean, that’s why she’s lasted this long. I already know from experience that she ain’t that good, but she sure sounds like it.

Sasha stands in front of me and cries. She knows what’s coming, just like everyone behind me probably does. Save for the pen animals, which are too stupid to know anything, we all know what awaits us.

“Calm down, shug,” I try to comfort her. She’s embarrassing me in front of the Doctor, who’s not ten feet away from me. He’s talking to a new creation of his, one of the ones who look like Manic or Ashura. Not surprising. He’s a loser.

I turn to pat Sasha on the back, when my hand touches nothing but air.

I shut my eyes.

“Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit…”

I hear her scream behind me, taken down by a Buzzbomber and cast aside. She has no chance now. Now, she is useless as she is carried away by the Patrol ‘bots.

I’m first in line. I’m staring at the Doctor, hoping he’ll recognize me, how many times he’s had me, been inside of me, fucked me, and hoping that he’ll show some compassion. If I can’t reason with him I’ll just blackmail him.

Get me out of here.

But no.

He’s just talking to his friggen creation, his precious being that isn’t even real.

He probably thinks that those toys are more living than his… other toys. Shit. I’ve been so stupid…

It’s all hopeless, isn’t it?

“Sonic!”

I look behind me to see a pen animal, who is running up to Robotnik and his creation, only to be tackled to the floor by two Patrol ‘bots. Her head hits the floor and she’s obviously dazed.

The Doctor lifts his right hand and brings up his communicator.

And what happens next is like watching a bomb exploding in front of a school full of children. Or watching someone finger themselves with scissors.

The metal Manic comes to life and awkwardly rockets towards the fleeing animal. The two Patrol ‘bots step aside and go back to guarding the line. Over my shoulder I watch the small squirrel look at the metal creation with absolute horrible realization.

He grabs her before she can pull away. She thrashes and screams, but she’s held firm. She is brought up to the Doctor, and I somehow know that the son of a bitch is grinning beneath that damn collar of his.

The metal guy assures Dr. Robotnik that he has her held tight, in a voice I’ve heard somewhere before. Someone who may have come into the casino on more than one occasion.

Then I notice, on an escalator coming down to this level, a fight had ensued, between two more different colored Manics, with a third silver Ashura in the back.

This is all so confusing…

Blue is brought up by black and red with silver following slowly. Metal walks inside the room with the Doctor and the pen animal.

“Her first,” the fucker says.

What an asshole.

Holy shit! The blue guy must be the runaway I’ve heard so much about, the one who killed Scratch and Grounder, and blew up the Chemical Plant Zone. He’s caught, and from the looks of it, his little insurrection has failed.

His face is slammed against the observation widow, and I can’t see him anymore, only the grinning teeth of black and her hand being pressed against something. I hear him begging for the Doctor to stop.

Then… I hear him give up. I am uncomfortable as hell. He shouldn’t be doing this. He should fight back. But no, he gives up.

I lower my eyes. I can’t watch this anymore. This is too much.

A string of profanity comes, but I still look away. Then I hear the electricity being turned on. My hair stands on end, both from fear and from static.

I allow myself a quick glance. Black’s face emits reflections from inside, lit up with electricity. She is grinning, white upon black upon white. I get chills. Her hand still pressing his head against something, probably an observation window. If he didn’t close his eyes then he may be blind.

Goddamn.

My thoughts, oddly enough, travel back to Rouge and the casino. I realize now how great it was to live there. I may have complained about the hours and the lack of freedom, but it was fun sneaking away to gamble. It was fun fucking with all the people who fell asleep early.

Now it’ll never be that good again. I was at the peak and I didn’t even realize it, didn’t even enjoy the view.

I guess you can’t always go higher…

The door opens in front of me. I stare at the Doctor, with his goggles on. He stares back.

No words. There isn’t a need for any. I open my mouth to speak, but only a choked sob escapes. I can’t do it.

The two patrol ‘bots, tall and silent, suddenly appear next to me and push me inside the room. The Doctor gingerly eases me in.

I’m crying. I still don’t look to my right, to see blue’s face pressed up against the glass, watching me, because I already know he’s still there. His punishment is to watch all of us become what he hates.

Willingly, I get up on the table, the cold metal slab. My arms and my legs are immediately strapped down. The Doctor turns away from me, up against the far wall. Now, a new ‘bot stands with him. I close my eyes.

This is the end.

“Computer… begin startup.”

This is the end…

**********

The island awoke with the normal theatrics and stage performances. The long awaited reopening had finally arrived, and this time, it looked as though the park would stay that way.

Because of the added defenses, it had to be shut down for the time being. But once again the source of revenue would be resurrected.

And the dread-locked leader couldn’t have been happier.

The crowd raised their heads expectantly, ready for an introduction to some wacky island carnival fun…

“There. Shut up now.”

**********

The waiting room seemed so empty. Despite strewn about clothes and unfinished preparations from yesterday, it was still as if nobody ever used this place.

It seemed to everyone left behind that the Doctor didn’t even need the Casino Nights Zone anymore. The entire point of it was to be a special vacation spot for himself, specially equipped with all the comforts of what he would call a “perfect world.” And if a major part of it was taken away, then it no longer was what he would call it.

Needless to say, it was a shock to most everyone.

Except for Rouge.

She was sitting down on the couch, fully clothed, watching Sera and Amy playing in the far corner. They weren’t arguing for the moment, thankfully. It was in moments of tranquility like this that gave Rouge time to think.

For one, she knew that this day would sooner or later come, and that she must be prepared for it. Still, though, it was a daunting task that lay before her. Especially since she had a child to look after, two if you counted the illegitimate pink ball of quills known as Amy.

Rouge leaned forward and sighed, gripping her head in frustration. All of this, she knew, had something to do with the Floating Island, and she kicked herself for not spending enough of her investigation looking for what she was supposed to, and instead only concentrating on…

In fact, it wasn’t until the last minute that she actually began looking for the Chaos Emeralds. And even though she had found all of them, she had still failed.

**********

My chest… so tight. So fucking tight.

Before I know what’s happening I’m already reacting. My motions are so fluid it’s like I have planned this without planning it… if that makes any sense. Doesn’t surprise me if it doesn’t.

I returned from the red darkness to find that another subject had been brought in, the newest model of me wheeled out to the Spring Yard Zone or wherever.

She’s gone.

She’s gone.

Sally’s gone. I’ll never see her again. I’ll never get the opportunity to get myself to care about her more. Too bad. I done fucked up again.

I lost her. I let her die.

They had brought in another subject, and I still couldn’t move. The bunny, an obvious prostitute from the Doctor’s meat factory, was next. She was crying too as me got up awkwardly from the table. Me looked and me and me smiled at me while me still kept my head against the glass. Somewhere in the line of subjects my “followers” felt so disillusioned that I bet they were reduced to tears at some point.

I’m not a God. If I were, I’d kill everyone in the room. Well, you know. Out of mercy.

Yeah.

I never told them I was better than they are. Just that I wanted it all to stop. I still do.

Of course, at the time the Robotosizer was turned on, all I could think about was how much of a failure I was and how much I hated myself and myself and myself and myself and myself and myself and my creator.

By the time I figured out what the fuck black was talking about, she was already strapped to the table, the arc being lowered. I still had time.

Ideas.

FUCKING IDEAS!

I must have yelled that aloud or something, because everything became so utterly clear and crystal that it might as well have been a transparent sapphire sitting in my lap. A great load off my shoulders.

If the red one can give Robotnik inspiration, the black one is my inspiration. Opposing forces, one in the same, opposite ends of a ring.

He was going to help me.

He did.

Shadow was thrown back by the force of the observation window exploding. The arcs being lowered over the prostitute’s head went wild, shooting around the room. In complete and utter surprise, Robotnik ducked to the floor and brought Mecha down with him a little too late. One of the wild beams caught him in his face just before he went down.

I heard Snively scream. Don’t have to worry about him anymore.

I jumped in through the window and ignored the glass puncturing my feet through the shoes. If I fail again I would be “fixed” most likely, once again. It’s almost like a math formula, never wrong if applied correctly.

The arc was swinging wildly around the room, hitting various computer equipment. The Doctor and I were somewhere on the floor, ducking in cover. If any stray beams hit them, the results would not be pleasant.

Not hesitating, I ignored the fact that a new version of me with Sally inside was somewhere close.

She’s gone. Accept it.

On the table, the prostitute whimpered, eyes closed. I was too late.

The prostitute was already halfway Robotosized. Her arm and everything below her waist was gone in a sheet of metal. And she was still alive.

Although, she’d have to find a new line of work. Ha. Ha ha.

My feet punctured with glass, my head swimming, I cradled this girl in my arms, and I bolted out of the room. Her back seemed so cold…

Now. Here. Outside. On the ground, arcs all around me again, Shadow on the floor dazed, Snively still screaming, the girl in my arms so very much in a state of confusion and pain.

What now? My halfway, half-assed, partway redemption. Good enough, I guess.

I’m at a loss for what I do next. It seems I’m just making this all up as I go. Confused, I stand still, waiting, wasting time, lessening my chances of survival. The arcs sizzling around me, the prostitute moaning in my arms, my time running out.

So, I do the only thing I can do.

So, I do the thing I’m built for…

I run.

It seemed it was all I did anymore, bla bla bla bla bla.

Thinking for the first time about what to do, I run straight for a goal, past the line of animals cheering me on. This is the last happy moment they will ever get. Too bad.

Diving through arc after arc, dodging patrols and lines of Buzzbombers and patrol ‘bots, I’m running straight for the entrance back to the Labarynth Zone.

Behind me, I don’t know what just happened. It’s in the past.

I’ve left it all behind…

**********

Water rushes in on all sides and the alarms are blaring at full volume. At any point in time those fucking Chompers will be on me, probably doubled or tripled in number. Yes, that’s right, I’m here again.

But the bastard doesn’t care about power anymore. He has a line of subjects waiting for him to put him back over the top, which normally I would think he would use for labor, but…

He’s building an army.

Somewhere, he has all the energy he’ll ever need. Somewhere, he has ideas.

I know what they are now, though I don’t fully understand their existence. They obviously generate a huge amount of energy, all confined within such a small space, dense as hell. In fact, they should weigh more than a small moon if I’m correct. Them grouped together should cause a black hole.

Their existence is a contradiction.

They are called Chaos Emeralds.

“Ideas.”

**********

By the time she wakes up I’ve already decided what to do with her.

Strangely, even though we’re both being pursued by ‘bots, with the water level dangerously rising and us moments away from being caught, I still find myself in awe of her, practically undivided attention.

She’s halfway Robotosized, her entire bottom half, with her left arm, now metal. This means that the many different circulatory tubes are still inserted, and a power supply is trying to be drawn. The pain must be so fucking unbearable for her, every inch of her still alive, yet half of it as cold and dead as metal.

And she has her eyes open and locked on me.

Instead of explaining anything to her, I just ask, “What’s your name?”

After her wide-eyed glare fixes on me for about two minutes, she answers. And I cringe once again.

And so I tell her that I’m leaving her, in a way that feels like I should have said this to the Knothole Freedom Fighters. Even though my voice is barely above a whisper, the water still doesn’t drown me out.

We’re hiding in this compartment thing that I knew about, wedged directly under a flowing water tunnel, near the Emerald Hill Zone. They won’t find us for another… four minutes. Probably. If we’re lucky.

And my time is running out.

“You can get out down there,” I point down, making a gesture towards the exit, a flow for water. The way I came in. “Keep swimming or you’ll sink.” My eyes never leave her metal legs. Careful not to catch my own reflection.

When she doesn’t answer, only then do I look into those giant, hate filled eyes of hers and realize that something is wrong. That maybe the process went on a little too long, and her mind is already broken. Or is just now breaking.

And only now do I remember that when I carried her here, that her back was cold because the arc had been placed along her spine. The brain hijacking was halfway complete.

Man, the look that she gives me.

She looks like she wants to kill me. The way a guard animal looks in a prison movie, the kind that’s been starved to death and poked with a stick for hours upon hours on end, trained to kill and very pissed off. I can see in her eyes that she wants to rip my heart. I wish Ray was right here with me with his magic bomb gun pointed at her. Just in case.

I don’t even know why I’m so afraid. Or maybe… maybe because of that, even though she’s just another ‘bot, another pile of metal cannon fodder, she’s still a living creature. And if she fights back, I have to kill her. And I don’t know how I’ll react to that.

Instead of playing it cool, I say in a rushed tone, “Check if Tails is okay, will ya?” And before she can react, I grab her by the cold metal of her feet and toss her off of the platform. Even after she hits the water that hate filled gaze never leaves me.

But back to the plan…

**********

Back to the stars, back to the scars, back to the giant red fucker staring at me and making me scream. That’s right. You heard it first. I’m taking back control.

And the first phase is to bring it all down…

In my clearer, more confident state of mind, I notice the Star Light Zone in a greater, clearer detail. As everything is really shrouded in black, I still can’t see everything, but I can get the general gist of it. Any more and I probably would go insane… well, you know, more so.

This place is cavernous, and between the sound of the soles of my shoes hitting on the steel ground, the water dripping somewhere in infinity, the small points of light coming from all directions, the strange steel beams everywhere, the gears turning of which I can barely see, is the giant red creature hanging in the center of it all, the only thing I can see so clearly, and it looks like I fell into a hole in reality. Alice, yes. And the tunnel leads here, this strange nightmare world where I don’t even recognize myself anymore.

Fucked up, huh?

So, I walk to the center of the room where this fucking bastard still swung over me, staring my down with those eyes of his.

Don’t freak out.

That smile of his.

Don’t freak out.

And those are the only things I can really understand and comprehend. The rest of him is lost in a sea of uncertainty and blurred confusion.

I lose it. Too bad too, because I was so sure I could keep myself together, but no. If I was made out of a blue and white suite my seams would have come apart and I’d end up in a heap of body tissue and plastic. I scream so loud and for so long that it gives away my position, and they swarm on me.

At this point I’m too scared to even think straight. I just know that there is a bunch of blood everywhere, a bunch of spare animal parts and a bunch of twisted metal. And know that he is watching, his gaze somehow following me even though he appears dead, the rope tight around his neck and his limbs or whatever hanging limply.

This inspiration for me, watching as I kill more of his seeds. Mother. Father. Through it all, he seemed in control, he was behind every move I made, because he is the template for me. I’m his fucking offspring, and I’m Eggman’s son. It’s a shit situation, and all I can do is scream and twist some heads off of some attackers, hardly making a dent at all. But at least it’s making me feel better.

It’s Darwinism now. Survival of the fittest. If that creature had a mouth I’d be sure he’d be smiling, just like the Cheshire cat. One author’s acid trip, gone wrong.

Makes me wish for sobriety and car crashes all of a sudden.

No matter. If I look at it another way, I’m not really killing anyone; I’m setting them free.

Free from the prison that is life. Free from the life that is enslavement. The only true freedom they could ever receive.

When it’s over, I’m so soaked in blood that it covers my entire body, my original color gone. Much around me is bathed as well, infinity with a new paint job. It reflects off of metal and it’s all like a giant mirror. Shit.

I’m bathed in the shit, theirs and my own, because you can never dodge a bullet every time. I look so red that it reminds me of why I was screaming so much.

This is too much, too fucking much for me. I feel like my head is gonna cave in from all the pressure, so I look for my only way out…

Without hesitation, I pick up a broken ‘bot’s handgun and push the button on the side, and press it’s cold, shivering tip to my temple.

A way out.

Free myself.

In the reflection of the red sliding metal I look remarkably like a melded Shadow and fucker guy. Never more do I want to die.

I want freedom as well, just like all of them, everyone. This is my ticket. The exit sign is blaring and pointing in this direction, and my finger is tightening ever more on the trigger.

What do you do when bla bla bla bla bla?

You fuck yourself over.

And that’s when I shoot the red fucker in the head.

**********

Hooboy.

Nack, Ashura, and Manic stared nervously at Rouge, sitting across the room on the opposite couch with Sera, glowering at all three of them. No one had spoken for over ten minutes. The tension was thicker than peanut butter mixed with cement.

Needless to say, she was pissed. The carpet below the fireplace mantle was ruined, and things seemed worse than ever for business. Only three or four whores, for one, and now the place got the reputation as a death trap.

Nack figured than in a week or so it would be as strong a place as ever, since this was the only real “entertainment” in all of the Casino Nights Zone, but then he wondered if he would actually live that long. The feeling of being a useless pawn in Robotnik’s master plan seemed more real than ever now, and Rouge didn’t seem to be helping the situation any, despite her past.

His eyes fell to Sera, who glared back at him contemptuously. He spat at her.

“Fuck you, Nack,” she said, grinning and batting her eyes.

“Enough.” Rouge stood up. Suddenly the room, and it seemed the entire Casino for that matter, was silent, because she was in “agent” mode now. “We’re going to stop all this shit, now. Soon, we’re going to need to be the best we can be, because Robotnik is doing favors for us.”

Nack did a double take. “And just when did you talk to the Doc?”

“Com call yesterday. He says he’s very unhappy with everything that’s been going on down here, and that if any of us ever manages to fuck up in front of him, he’ll cut us loose.”

It all seemed like a nightmare to Nack, and suddenly his head felt weak and tired. Manic and Ashura just leaned back and listened, as Rouge was eyeing mostly them.

“In a few hours, we are going to be picked up by a new creation of his, and I want all of you to just shut up and nod your heads to whatever I tell you to do.” Sera smiled and stuck her tongue out at them, but then was smacked across the face by her mother. It was so loud that the other three in the room jumped with surprise. “What did I fucking tell you?!” Rouge demanded, baring fangs and growling. Sera rubbed her face and said nothing. Tears were starting to well up in her eyes, and in no time they would probably be falling down her stone cold face.

Daddy’s little girl.

After it calmed down a little, Ashura finally spoke up. “What’s… going on?” Very unsure of himself.

Rouge paused, then, “We’re leaving.”

Shock rippled around the room and only the audible dripping of Antoine’s blood in the corner was heard. He seemed the only one who wasn’t shocked, because he didn’t say a word, didn’t move, and didn’t blink as silence ruled once again. All he did was hang from the mantle, a monument to Manic and Ashura, their names carved into his chest.

But he didn’t complain, and he never would again.

**********

I didn’t stop firing until I ran out of bullets, and even after that I didn’t look to see if I finished the job. I wouldn’t have anyway, since a new group of ‘bots were ready to take me down, though I had already met them.

Shadow still grins at me from a distance. Accompanied by Silver, Mecha, and… her.

Robotnik’s voice suddenly comes on the PA system.

“I hope you enjoy the latest in the series. This one was much easier to make than the last two, since I’m using actual subjects this time.”

“And I care why?”

There was a pause, then a groan. “Fine. Play it tough then. If you won’t cooperate then I’m not going easy on you. You know, I could send them in one at a time…”

“Fuck you.”

“Alright then. Let’s just see how you do at fighting someone you used to love…”

In the distance, I can see on the newest version a small nameplate. In blue letters it reads “Metala.” Fucking brilliant, you son of a bitch.

“This’ll be so much fun.” That little bastard Snively taunts far away from me, Silver and Mecha taking a fighting stance. Shadow smiles, whispering something to Metala, who nods.

Snively’s goons attack first, taking a dead run at me and coming from straight on. I bring one of my feet back and my left fist up, stretching my glove with my fingers.

And everything goes slower again, though they still seem to be moving at normal speeds, despite my ability to notice things at a quicker rate. I wait, ready for most anything, as Silver and Metal come within arms reach…

Mecha, who suddenly pulls ahead, swings his fist outward at me, aiming right between my eyes. I fall backward out of its range, landing on my back and hands, still trying to keep track of the two. Silver eludes my sight until I notice him straight above me, holding a twin pair of guns, firing at me.

To my left I roll out of the path of the bullets, and I keep rolling as the projectiles rain behind me, making resounding chinks or sound effects in succession. I keep rolling until I come across a ‘bot, a Patrol ‘bot, who according to my luck always carries two different weapons. I roll of the top of them, grabbing the dangerous things your mother is supposed to warn you about, and I press the fit mechanism.

On my back and still now, I fire straight at Silver, then move immediately after the volley is sent after him, dodging yet another trail of his bullets.

About here is where I hear a roar. Not my usual, psychotic head roar, but the roar of engines. I no longer have no time to concentrate on it, however, as Mecha ahead of me has his arms outstretched, pointing…

Following instincts, I dive to the left, barely being missed by a giant fucking plasma burst that the little rat had fired. Debris and flame lance out everywhere but cause no damage to either the structure of the Death Egg, nor to me. Sure, it was a little hot, but I’m okay. I’m just fine. I stand to my feet…

And suddenly I’m knocked back about twenty feet by a lancing blow across my chest, and electric pain follows a current through me. Something cut me, and I hear the roar of engines all around me.

I get up again, and right away I see the glint of Silver coming at me, hovering, dents in his armor. My brain screams right away that this was a distraction, so instead of standing there or running away, I run towards him, letting momentum and friction carry me. I go into a spin dash.

And I come up with nothing. The little shit had moved, and when I was back uncurled and on my feet I barely missed being fried by an electrical current that Mecha had fired in my place. Electricity lances out in all directions, but not touching the walls or floor, instead searching for an organic target. And now it seems that Mecha can’t stop its process.

Ignoring the cuts on my chest and my questioning brain, I run forward, my guns blazing, and I score a few hits before his electricity outburst stops and he turns towards me.

Not slowing down but speeding up, the roar of engines suddenly closer to me, I jump up and put my foot to Mecha’s shoulder, and catapult myself straight up, executing a back flip and outstretching my hand.

And holy shit, I’m actually right. My hand catches the shoulder of Metala’s right side. She had been rocketing right for me, and those claws of hers were fucking sharp enough to cut into my plastic armor.

And she’s so fucking fast that she’s moving the same speed as me.

Into the air we’re flying, and she’s trying to claw her other hand at me but can’t reach because of her bulky structure. She then opts to fly as jerky as possibly, trying to buck me off. Holding tight with one arm as this hole in reality spins around me, I manage to bring the gun up to point to the back of her head. I thumb the control setting on the gun to automatic.

But… I don’t pull the trigger.

Instead, I let go and roll into a ball, hoping to crash into a spiked structure or some fucking shit.

**********

Inside Pseudo Sonic, controlling the other two ‘bots, Snively was at the same time enjoying the ride and wishing that his head would stop hurting.

It was really hard to concentrate on controlling two highly responsive ‘bots in coordinating a successful attack on someone who moved faster than him, especially when that he had to be careful of hitting comrades.

Watching his view screen inside, the only way he could keep track of Metala and Sonic was to lock on and trust the computer, as any ocular observation would prove to be futile.

Snively positioned Silver on the ground and locked on with a missile, ready to fire at any moment. Ignoring the sweat he felt running down his back, he also positioned Mecha just outside the exploding radius, ready for a plasma blast if necessary.

One thing he didn’t have to worry about was the entire zone collapsing. The steel was reinforced three times, and would take more than a couple of energy blasts to shake it loose.

Against his better judgment, Snively smiled inside his suit.

And he waited for the little rodent to fall.

**********

The citizens of “Little Planet” in the Hill Top Zone watched from the shore as the fire was finally put out, and they let out a cheer, as this was the most excitement they’d ever had in their pointless little lives.

**********

The room had gone silent again, but this time nobody said anything for about fifteen minutes. It was a quieted disbelief this time, more than just usual discomfort.

Nack didn’t speak just because he was dwelling on the fact that the Doctor had contacted her and not him. Had he not been loyal? Had he not been ready to make sacrifices? Had he not sucked up enough?

Must not have. Rouge was still his number one agent in the Doctor’s eyes, it seemed, and Nack couldn’t have been more pissed off.

“Assholes,” he whispered all too loudly, getting sudden stares from everyone living in the room.

**********

“FUCKING DIE!” I hear Snively yell from across eternity when Silver fires bullets at me from a distance. I dodge them easily.

Recap: the fight has been going on for about three minutes, and I’m not doing too badly, besides a plasma burn on my leg and the scratch marks on my chest, I’m unscathed. And I think I’m wearing down Mecha a little bit, evidenced by some dents in his armor’s vital areas.

You see, it seems that Snively can only control one version of me efficiently at a time, and I can use this to milk it for what it’s worth. I can dodge Metala well enough to keep Silver and Mecha fighting for their lives with me.

Of course, Shadow hadn’t attacked yet.

Back to me, crouched on one knee and suddenly behind Silver after dodging Metala for the last uncountable time, and I point my newly acquired guns straight behind me and hold down the triggers.

I’m rewarded by one or two sounds of metal being hit, but the rest miss. I break into an immediate run towards a metal beam, and I bound off of it, into the air and upside down, guns pointed and searching for Mecha, in his last seen position.

I find him easily, barely starting to move because Snively has Silver in a safe position, and he raises his arms to fire something, right when I have both guns pointed at him. And I’m firing without stopping.

But, as you probably would have guessed, I’m hit from behind by something very familiar and very painful. It’s not metal, oh no, nothing so cold or deep blue as that, but something even colder and blacker, with slight shades of red.

Shadow hits me so hard that I drop my guns and fly straight down to floor, and hit with a sickening impact. I hear and feel my shoulder crack and shatter against the impact.

What the fuck?! She seems so much stronger, so agile and so muscular, like she’s on steroids or some shit.

Wrenching myself off the floor and growling, it’s easy to tell that this is all over, done, because I had lost the upper hand and now at their mercy.

Right when, and I mean immediately when I get everything in focus, I see Shadow’s fist inches from my face, and all I have time to do is recognize it before I’m flying backwards, trailing blood.

I take another hit when Mecha elbows me in the chest, knocking me straight to the ground. A barrage of kicks come in from all directions, and I’m converged upon on all sides.

Hopeless, yet again. Silver joins the fray and lands a kick in the small of my back, and it hurts so much that I scream out loud. Soon Shadow and Silver come closer to me, grabbing my head and slamming their knees into it, then trying desperately to break my ribs as if their lives depending on any bone of mine breaking. They’re determined, it seems to break through my hard plastic exterior and see what makes me tick. Either that or they just want to beat the shit out of me. Whatever. It doesn’t matter. Not really. Now it’s my blood splattered everywhere, a lot more than I thought could exist in someone. Although all of this didn’t really become emotional hurt until Metala came up and started up, aiming for my groin.

And somewhere in that theater I know that the little shit is laughing at me, enjoying this, even though I still can’t see him through all the black. Someone had turned the house lights down when this movie started and I can hear his popcorn-munching ass giggling in the dark.

I don’t know how long they beat me, but I just know that at some point I’m suddenly on the floor again, and it looks like I’m gushing blood everywhere. It falls in a waterfall out in front of me, across the floor, flooding. Although it could be my fucked up head dreaming all of this shit up, I still think it’s real. So much blood, and it’s hard to believe that it only came from beating and no smashed arteries or tubes.

Again, I sort of black out. When I comprehend everything again I’m on my feet, both arms and both legs being held by Silver and Mecha, and Mecha and Shadow, and Metala and Mecha, so on and bla bla bla, each taking swings at me, sometimes getting creative and firing bullets and slashing claws and arcing electricity.

No doubt about it, I’m getting fucked up.

Soon, I think, very soon it stops, and I’m left in a crumple on the floor and they all step away, wary but confident. No matter how much I try to spit the blood out of my mouth, it always seems to be full.

Doing the quickest of surveys, I notice that my shoulder is fucked up from the landing awhile back. The plastic spider webs around and pulses with circulation.

That’s when I hear my creator, the big guy, the Eggman, Robotnik, call from the PA system and say the probable final orders he would never, ever give in front of me, in a choked forced voice full of aguish.

“Kill him.”

Shit.

**********

A piece of structure crumbles around me some more. I sit here and I’m contemplating my life and what I’ve done so far, and I realize that all of this could have been prevented if I had learned the concept of sacrifice. Somehow, I could have done better if I’d have just bent over and took it.

Now, all I am is nothing, a melted piece of plastic covered in blood and guts and tubes. Him staring up at me and him staring at me from across the floor. The roof gone and the stars already winking out, I can feel it all slip away… I can feel the world ending…

No.

I’m not done yet.

**********

All that you and I both need to know is that I escaped. That’s all I can allow myself to remember, because the truth is so frightening to me that I can’t even think about it without wanting to split my own head in two. If I can’t handle it then you sure as fuck can’t either.

The important thing is that I’m swimming through the Labarynth Zone with Shadow close behind me. I remember vaguely of kicking her in the face…

No. Focus, focus on the moment, the future. The past is only useless trivia.

I know what I’m going to next, and then soon afterwards. This bitch is goin’ down, forever, and never again will she be able to admire me.

There is NO FUCKING WAY she could have figured out everything in this place in such a short time that she’s been activated. She won’t know about what’s up ahead.

I smile and keep kicking, ignoring the pain and the lack of oxygen. Soon, it’ll all be clear. Soon, I’ll be free of this fucking cunt and I’ll be able to take on Silver and Mecha and even Metala with no trouble at all.

It’ll be better.

Hell, it’ll be glorious.

I force myself to kick faster and in no time I reach my destination, the pump that re-circulates the entire compound’s water and filters it for redistribution. It’s so powerful it can suck a medicine ball through a straw. Perfect, in other words, because if I can fake her out and push her in, there’s no way she’ll ever come back out. Alive.

Course, this was all backwards theory. It could all be blown to hell if I get sucked in with her.

I hope you’re enjoying all of this drama, you scroungy little fuck.

Twisting my body and ignoring my internal clock of air tick down, I tuck myself into an enclave filter just below the event horizon of the giant suction tube. And I waited for about two seconds, allowing this little tramp to catch up, before I open the filter jacket and slip inside the ducts.

The computer information didn’t lie. There isn’t much room to maneuver in here, which is perfect enough for me. I’m relying on my element of luck and surprise to win, as always. I start swimming back upwards, and squinting my eyes against the small bits of debris, I let loose. The vents house numerous bends and twists and eventually fuel back out to the top or back down to the circulation fans.

My clock ticks down.

20.

These vents are perfect for my plan, if only she would hurry up and fall into it. She sure is taking her and my sweet-ass time. The music in my head is steadily rising, becoming more urgent. I need an air bubble, and fast.

19.

Something, anything, gimme a fuckin sign that she ain’t coming. I’ve been under for two minutes; she’d either die or kill me.

18.

Maybe she went back, maybe she needed air too, or maybe she ran out of air and her corpse floated and expelled, leaving me, finally.

17.

I’m cold. And tired, so tired.

Come on, bitch, hurry up.

16.

If she doesn’t show up in ten more seconds I’m sticking my head out to look for her.

15.

My head goes immediately around the corner of the vent, and her foot kicks me in my face.

14.

That tricky little dike! She knew all along! I’m kicking and blowing out air because she has my head in her hands and she’s kissing me.

13.

12.

11.

When we part, she gives me a head butt to the nose. Then a kick to my groin. More of my air bubbles out.

10.

9.

The music starts getting faster and more urgent. Because we had both stopped kicking up, we’re floating with the current in the tiny ducts, and strangely, we don’t get caught. Soon, if I keep her occupied long enough, I will kill her dead.

God I’m a retard.

8.

Dredging up strength, I force myself to stop flailing, and I grab her face with both of my hands, thumbs in her eyes, and I slam her head against the wall behind her as hard as I can.

7.

And lucky me, the wall turned out to be a sharp corner of a duct, and now she’s dazed.

My turn, you fucking whore.

6.

This time, I kick her in the crotch, and make her lose air. Our numbers about the same now, the odds even. As she moans in pain and bubbles escape her mouth, I give her a knock to her teeth, just now realizing how dangerously close we are to the suction tube.

Oh fuck.

5.

Faster now. Groaning, because I was having so much fun kicking the shit out of her, I grab her head again, kiss her, and kick off of her chest with my feet. I rocket away, and as I turn I see her flailing back at me but being overwhelmed by the enormous suction.

4.

Not looking back but somehow knowing she (3) is dead because there’s no way she could have survived that, I swim (2) upward, out of the vent, and by the time (1) comes around I find an air bubble. Just before I open my mouth in a silent scream and die, just when the music in my head is most dramatic and at its high point, I gasp in air. The rush gives me a headache but that‘s all to familiar now. Life is one big headache for me, but it’s worth it.

That was fun.

**********

Amy pressed her ear to the door, straining, trying to hear the conversation within. She was so bored that she resorted to actually playing some of the slot games, but normally stayed away from them because they smelled funny. Like the beds.

Amy was, of course, listening to Rouge and Nack and Sera and Manic and Ashura talking. She knew that it had something to do with everyone disappearing, but also it had to do with the fire yesterday. But what Amy didn’t plan on was the issue of possible departure. Of the conversation, she could pick up “leaving” and “out” and “here” and none of them sounded very good to her.

She didn’t want to leave. It was fun here, and one day she would find her true love, just like the fortuneteller said.

Amy smiled, losing her concentration in her daydream, and fell into the dressing room when the door opened.

**********

It was so green there. I can never forget it.

It’s been two years since I’ve met him, and every day I wish I hadn’t did what I had done. I wished I hadn’t tried to kill him.

When at first he freed me from that horrible fate that I was almost destined to experience, I still hated him. In fact, I wanted to blow him up with about a pound of explosives and then piss on the ashes, but for now, let’s just say I wasn’t too fond of him.

Oh, but it was so green there, in the Emerald Hill Zone, more so than I imagined or drew up from conversations of others. Even though I came out of the water sputtering and cursing and hate filled, I still managed to fully glimpse the beauty of all that lay before me enough for me to remember it now, years later.

There was a surprising amount of palm trees around, as it seemed a more tropical than forested area. Groaning and clutching myself, drinking in everything I could, I stood on the shore of a river, next to a village of sorts, and constant milling about of pen animals destined to die like me.

Long story short.

Coconuts understood my situation better ten minutes later, after I “convinced him” and said he would talk to the Doctor about getting me back to normal, but only if I helped him capture the runaway.

“Sonic.”

I shivered. The metal was so cold against me. I could actually feel my veins connected to the tubes below me, and beneath all the metal I could feel my skin itching, and I knew than any scratching wouldn’t help. It was eerie and I was becoming not only more and more irritated and edgy as the seconds passed, but more and more angry as well.

Soon, so soon, the images came, quick and unrelenting. The most efficient ways for me to kill that little rodent, calculation with mathematics I never knew of, and physics I never cared about. I never knew much about Robotosization, but if I hadn’t been pulled out of the process soon enough…

Just another reason to hate the fucker. Sonic, I mean.

Oh, yeah, and something else. The villagers. They… oh man.

I was almost God with them. Because of the way I looked, they revered me in the best way possible. Before Sonic came back, I more than king, possibly a deity. The way my new wooden throne shone in the sunlight, it was almost blinding for me to experience it all, and yet I could not look away or shy. Sitting next to Coconuts, overlooking the entire village of sorts, sipping milk and staring blankly ahead even though my name was called out in worship, never once did the thoughts enter my head that I would soon die.

This was divine presence, I thought, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. I had no fucking clue what divine presence was. All I did was sip coconut milk and make fun of the fox freak that stood up front, clad in fur-parters and looking so uncomfortable.

I couldn’t have been blinder if my eyes were ripped out of my sockets.

So, now, reflecting years later on what happened in the next few hours, I say now I’m sorry to him, to Sonic, because I never saw him again after that day, Thursday I think it was. But somehow, he will always be with me. I consider him more than a part of myself.

So much more.

Sonic, I’m sorry.

**********

I’m still bleeding when I get out of the water, and the sun shines high enough in the sky that it doesn’t blind me right away, but it feels so great to see that sun again, even if it does look fake.

Eh, fuck off.

I keep low to the shoreline. The village is only yards away, and I can hear the hustle and bustle over the rushing water. Again, always ignoring pain, I push myself into the mud as far as I can go, enveloped in false earth. Two citizens come down for water. Amazing that they’d still drink from here.

Something was happening above, and the attitude I witnessed yesterday has changed, though judging by various conversations I can pick up, they…

“They have sent us compensation for the heathens! They still love us.”

“Yes. But what about the non believers themselves?”

“The ones the Demigods didn’t carry off we have stored away in the pit. They won’t survive much longer.”

“Good. This means they will be desperate. They will want to survive.”

“They will pay for destroying our beloved grounds.”

“Indeed.”

Then they leave. And goddamn, don’t I feel worse.

Enough is enough, for fuck’s sake. I get up out of the mud, the red trickling down my right side and over the mud, and I walk forward.

At first, nobody takes any notice of the walking mud-thing with a bleeding shoulder, but soon come gasps and accusations, that evil has arrived and that the time for battle has come. This hurts my feelings at first, but it gets better when I remember that these ones are idiots. Or assholes. So that makes it all better.

I remember my dead comrades, and my fists tighten around my gloves and my toes scrunch up in my shoes. Mud squishes around me, and I keep my eyes glaring at the throne, the highest point in the middle of the village, at the heart of it all.

I can feel the wooden monkey’s gaze the moment I step from the river. Coconuts hates me probably more than any of the Doctor’s other sentient creations, and wouldn’t hesitate to make me suffer as much as possible. In fact, right about now he should be alerting his partner by radio.

Coconuts already knows I’m here, because he sent out some mindless drones to head me off. They all carried… coconuts. Real ones, I mean. From the trees.

When I get closer, I see that he can’t radio to Scorpious because he has no clothing on. A radio would look suspicious and out of place. If he wanted to keep his image, that is.

Also, I feel my fists tighten to white knuckles and red scars when I see Tails up front… clad…

No. No, I didn’t see that happening.

“Well, well, well,” he says, his voice booming sarcasm. And the rest is drowned out because the splitting of my face is so loud.

**********

My chest is still tight when I switch to automatic again. When the blindsiding animal with the wooden board hit me in the face, it became so easy to do this all over again.

Coconuts had trained them well. They attack in pairs, throwing the coconuts at me at intervals and running away again. The small fire explosions are hot beyond what I thought that they would be, and they cake the mud that covers me, soon coming to cauterize the wound in my shoulder. My new skin is brown with a small patch of red that looks like a medal.

I break my fingers again trying to thin the herd, but that’s okay. Just as long as they’re on the ground and not my problem anymore. But damn, these fuckers are fearless. The military version of Scratch’s totalitarianism. War to religion. Ancient Sparta to Ancient Greece. Oh how I miss the old bunch.

The women stay on the throne area, mostly, and I’m grateful that they aren’t down here helping, not because I would probably hesitate, but because I know I won’t. Tails, of course, is shielding her face from me, not able to look at me losing. Bunnie still looks like she’s hungry for my heart in her mouth.

At first all I can see are the different angry faces being splattered and hit by my broken blue fists, their tongues swirling around and their eyes rolling in the back of their heads. Bombs are still being thrown even though there are some engaging in close combat. It’s becoming a lot more disorganized.

Coconuts had taken off. That little shit.

I let out a roar, and I pick up my pace. When I see a little bastard coming up to me with a bomb clutched in his hands, I grab him, turn him away from me, and don’t let go. And I run. Grabbing footholds wherever I can. I’m rewarded with a clear path to the throne, and I ran for it.

Around me the world is such a blur. It’s comforting to run this fast again. Nothing seems complete. The colors blur together, like an artist threw paint thinner on the canvas, or the beta build of a level. Even I’m not all there anymore, physically as well as mentally. I can still drink it all in so much better. Tails, only shapes and colors now, is crying. Ravaged innocence. Behind me, everything ravaged and raped as well, and it’s not their fault. Or maybe it is. I don’t know.

Man.

Tails in my arms, the throne on fire behind me, Bunnie takes off running after me. They’re all screaming war cries and murder of the bloodiest kind. It’s so loud the headache returns.

And so I decide to change the rules a little bit.

**********

“I suppose I should come clean with you all. The runaway is no longer a problem. One of the lower-downs is dealing with him. He’ll be taken care of long enough to where we can leave with no trouble, although the entry area is secure, just in case. So, he is sending an operative of his to escort us to The Death Egg. I’m sorry for keeping this secret from you all for so long, but it was for your own good. Honest.”

Nobody said anything.

“Anyway, when our escort arrives, we should leave immediately. I heard he was not the type to fuck around with, so pack and play and do whatever now so later you won’t have any regrets.”

“This escort got a name, Rouge baby?”

She smiled. “Course, dumb shit. He goes by ‘Shadow.’”

**********

“Get back here and fight us, you fucking coward!” Bunnie shouted, standing next to Coconuts’ panting side. Further ahead was Sonic, running away in a cloud of dirt and debris. The conscious and able men were still running afterwards, and the monkey still didn’t call them off.

Coconuts was fully clothed now, dressed in his old uniform that he hadn’t worn in at least ten years. He had his radio now, and he had alerted his partner to come to his position.

“We can’t catch up to him at this speed,” he told Bunnie, staring in the distance, “but I know where he’s going.”

“So call the Doctor! Capture his ass!”

He just shook his head. “We really shouldn’t.” And he just stood there and waited for the other to arrive. Sonic disappeared over the next few hills and was soon out of sight.

But not for long.

**********

I kneel away from the crouched form in front of me and I retch. I throw up. It’s something spontaneous and very sudden, though I know it’s a product of the non-stop fighting.

And then I notice the blood.

I had just vomited up blood.

What the fuck? I thought that ninny shit-head fixed me. I didn’t get that damaged in the fights, and I wasn’t kicked in the stomach.

So… I was never fixed.

He didn’t really fix me.

What the fuck did he do to me… ?

I wipe my face and examine Tails. She looks okay, all things considering. Well, what could you expect?

She’s on her back, looking up me, clutching her head, moaning in relief. The uncomfortable fur-parters off of her finally. I probably shouldn’t have sent her there in the first place. Oh well, at least she‘s alive, but I would have preferred it if she hadn’t become some sort of cock-sucking concubine. But somehow, she made it. Tails is okay.

The glowing Chaos Emeralds hang above my head, set in stone in the Mystic Cave Zone. There are seven small indentations, all about the same size, fitting each of the Emeralds, though there are only six that are occupied. Seems that one is missing.

The red, yellow, green, purple, blue and gray light shining each by themselves, each with its own brilliance. This is how I can fly, better than Tails can hover. Better than birds. Better than clouds.

Unless he was speaking metaphorically. Again. Fucker.

Tails, on her back on the dirt floor, looks at the cave around her, noticing the colors and the vines on the walls, overflowing and artificial. Then she looks at me, wipes tears from her eyes, and says, “Hi.”

I nod, and then eye the Emeralds. And I ask her, “Should I do it?”

Below me, she shrugs, her furry shoulders reaching her ears. “A watched pot never boils.”

I fucking hate it when she does that.

My hand clasps around the first emerald. The red one.

**********

Looking back I wished I had never taken those ideas in the first place. All it did was cause more confusion, make things a lot more complicated for me. Because of them I exist in not one but two worlds now.

Shit, man, I can barely see my own chest anymore, though that shouldn’t be much of a surprise. My legs… gone. My left arm… gone. Tails, gone. Shadow, gone. Sally, gone.

My mind…

Gone.

**********

When I step out into the sunlight again, I shield my eyes because of the harsh glare. Suddenly the sun seems so much more hostile than ever before, and it hurts to leave my eyes open.

I feel… different. And not in some weird, zen-supernatural sense either, but unpleasantly so. I’m not powering up but instead I’m just falling down mentally. Like someone took a giant shit on my face and it somehow infected my brain.

Coconuts is already waiting with his hoard, Bunnie at his side, holding his hand, the crowd gathered with symbolistic pitchforks and burning torches. Some tar and some feathers.

“You ready to die like a good boy?”

I smile at him, despite how I really feel. Inside, my stomach is turning inside out. “I’m just getting started.” I’m gonna throw up soon. “I’m gonna rip your fucking head off, asshole.” My spit is hot in my mouth. “Just you wait. You’ll wish you never met me, you monkey cock-sucker.” The sun’s burning my skin. “Son of a bitch.” Chest… so tight… never should have picked those emeralds up…

“Kill.” Coconuts whispers loud enough for the crowd to hear. They charge at me.

Those Emeralds, those FUCKING emeralds. I picked them up and… they sunk into me. Into my goddamn armor. Can you believe that shit?! All six of them, and then nothing happened. NOTHING. Just the feeling of my liver exploding and rotting. Just my organic colon turning blue. That black guy was full of shit. What the hell was wrong with me, thinking I could actually fly…

Fucking bullshit.

They’re all coming closer, fangs bared, spots of spit and foam dribbling out of their mouth like the leaves and vines of the Mystic Cave Zone. Craven, they are. I’m going to be torn in two.

Fuck, I’m so stupid. There’s no hope for me at all. I believed what was a product of my own imagination. I tried and tried only to be worse off than before.

Closer now. I can see the hate behind their eyes, and behind that a shield of fear. Behind me, Tails puts up a brave front. She’s coming with me, wherever I go. How noble.

Maybe I need that seventh Chaos Emerald. Maybe not. Maybe shit. Who cares?

The one who reaches me first raises his hand to attack.

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKK YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUU

I

run
straight for that
piece of shit Coconuts.
This stupid mother fucker is
only now barely reacting to my mad rush
towards him. He has his arms up to his chest and
his eyes are half closed. The group behind me is left in
a cloud of dust. And then I’m holding him by the wrist all of a sudden.
The ground has left my feet. How great this feels, to be this high.
Gasps I hear down below. Screaming I hear next to me.
I look down to see that Coconuts is not whole
anymore, his legs and right arm gone. His face
is so full of emotion. It makes me smile.
And so I drop him. Back down below.
Because I’m flying.

I don’t hear him hit.

**********

Bunnie stared in horror at the arm she still held. He had been taken from her so suddenly that she had accidentally ripped his limb off with her metal appendage. Blood still dripped from the point of separation. The crowd around her was too surprised to notice that she was horrified.

And when she heard his body hit the ground… that tore it. Her expression hardened and she brought Coconut’s severed arm in front of her, ripping it in half. Without hesitating she pressed the fit mechanism, and a gun was formed.

10100100001010010DestroyTargetIHATEYOUYOUPIECEOFSHITFUCKINGDIE!!!!11110101010101010F000000000101001U0101001000C10101010K101010Y1010O1111U10101010Left compensate for windERRORERROR!!!!!!01010

The gun fell apart in her hands. All of her metal casing peeled apart and hit the ground. It was painful to feel all of the inserted tubes disintegrating and pulling out of her skin, but no wounds were left.

And when it was all over, she felt… normal. Really, really normal.

**********

That was so great.

Such power.

I’m laughing like an idiot, and not caring, it feels so fucking good. Better than any orgasm I’ve ever had. I don’t want it to end. I’ll do anything to keep this…

I’m still laughing. I’ve been laughing the entire time. The sound is probably booming straight back down to the ears of all listening. Never does it feel better to be king.

I don’t stop myself. I don’t want to. This is all so great…

Then… I see him.

I float down in front of Robotnik, scuttling in front of me on his eight legs, tail raised in the air. He cocks his large fake head at me and says something that I don’t hear.

When I don’t answer, my creator’s expression doesn’t change. It’s still in a mock-surprise. A snapshot taken while he was eating or something. The eyes absolutely dead. He’s made of rubber.

I only laugh.

He says something else. Eggman’s pincers click. His claw comes down to strike at me.

I hesitate. I wait. The pincer comes inches from face before I’m suddenly under his arachnid form. The pincer hits the ground where I was and dust billows everywhere. Glee.

I roll into a ball.

I move myself into the air just to Robotnik’s right hand side, and then I’m behind his tail, then in front of his pincers, then under his third left leg. I keep this up, moving at incredible speeds around him, still rolled in a ball. Over and over and over.

Ten more placements and I’m in front of him, staring his fucking ass down.

“I HATE YOU!” Those large dead eyes don’t move an inch. I can’t feel him breathing. That expression of surprise remains. These jagged lines start to appear on his face.

The roar had returned. The grass below my feet is cold and drenched in blood. Feels so real… What a genius to make it seem normal when on the surface everything is different.

Robotnik’s face starts to fall apart. It pulls away from itself right in front of me as if strings were out of my vision, tugged by slow moving horses. The pieces of the Doctor fall to the not-real grass. They twitch, still alive with electricity. The metal parts of the Doctor quiver in the sun and catch fire.

There is one last groan before he dies. And it doesn’t come from him. It comes from the small rabbit that was incased inside of him.

He is alive again.

**********

Coconuts’ upper half had landed on a slight incline on a hill, so his eyes were pointed above him and upward, diagonally. It would have been uncomfortable if he had any feeling below his neck left.

There was no way out of this, he realized. In more ways than one, he had failed. The hedgehog had found out the secret. He now had the upper hand. What was going to happen next and forever on would be decided by Sonic and Sonic alone. Nothing would change the next few moves.

Oh well, Coconuts thought to himself, grinning slightly. Maybe I can still help out a little bit…

The blinding vision of Sonic came into his view, the only bright and shining object he could still register.

**********

“When’s he coming?” I ask, my euphoria fading away. I want answers on when Robotnik is coming to fight. I can take him if I fight soon enough.

I kick Coconuts at the point where he’s ripped in half, and he doesn’t react. Only keeps grinning.

“He ain’t.”

He’s lying.

“I’m not. He’s not coming. When I spoke with him on the radio he said he didn’t want us to capture you. He doesn’t want you anymore.”

I don’t speak.

“He doesn’t care.”

This shouldn’t matter anything to me, but it does. It’s a father-son dispute. I want him to care but I don’t. Leave me alone but pay attention.

I’m breathing hard. Steadily, the power is fading. I’m not angry anymore, but I’m tired, the steady pull of sleep beckoning. But then I suddenly remember the crowd of Spartans and I whip my head up to see if they’re going to attack…

… What?

They’re… fucking?

All of them. A sudden orgy.

The moaning became so apparent all of a sudden. I look at all of this, their faces contorted and eyes on me the entire time. I don’t get it…

It’s me.

I have something to do with this. All of… this. Looking around I notice that everyone is pretty much in the same order as I had left them, and they had started fucking whoever was next to them. Any two men or two women were now homosexual. People standing alone with no partner starting jerking off. Soon, everything was drenched in body fluids.

Coconuts can’t see them, but he can see me looking at them. He laughs. “They were so happy until you came along. Their existence was simply defined. I gave them not only a reason, but also a purpose to go on living. All you did was make things more complicated.”

“They’re prisoners.”

“We all are. Striving for freedom just means that you’re a prisoner to yourself. A reason to live is not the reason itself. All you’ve done is caused more hurt and suffering by fighting the current. Little is accomplished, because when you finally give up and tire of fighting, you’ll pass your point of resistance again and move on. The stream is unending. You can never stop it.”

Since when did this asshole get so philosophical?

But he’s right. Why the fuck continue this?

I made a big mistake. Now, there’s no turning back. Nothing can mend what I have done. What about Tails? How will she feel?

Coconuts is laughing beneath me. Smug. “As soon as you leave, they’ll feel a whole lot worse.”

My foot comes down fast on his head, and the metal around him dissolves. The cut-in-half body of a raccoon stares up at me, screaming in pain. Then it dies.

I walk over to the crowd and pick Tails up out of the mess. My aura is still fading, and when they all eventually stop they definitely won’t forget what I have done to all of them.

“Let’s get the fuck out of here.” I carry her in my arms, her face close to mine, her smiling deeply. “Stop looking at me like that.”

**********

“All preparations for launch are completed, sir. The new subjects contributed nicely, and power is well above anticipated. The systems check will be over some time tomorrow, and we can leave.”

“Excellent.”

“The only thing that remains is what we’re going to do with this place. If you are correct in your assumptions, we’ll never come back here.”

“Visions, not assumptions.”

“Whatever. What do you want to do about the facility?”

Pause. “I don’t know. I kind of want to keep it running.”

“Sir?”

“It’ll degrade over time, I know. But this was my home, our home. I’ve spent too much time on it to self-destruct it. I cannot bear to hear its dying explosion.”

“Whatever.”

“I didn’t expect you to understand, but at least do what I ask.”

“Fine.”

“Thank you, Snively.”

Pause. “Sir, do you really think he’ll die?”

A very long pause. “No.”

**********

So this is how it’s going to be?

Tails seems normal now, or maybe not as normal as she should be, at least. But, of course, this means that I am back down to normal as well.

Fucking emeralds. What good are they if they only work once? A waste. I could have taken them all on myself anyway.

I turn back to her, but keep on walking through the grassy field at the edge of the Emerald Hill Zone. “What happened back there?”

She stops walking and I do too. For awhile, she doesn’t speak, and then, “It was like… you looked so bright standing up there. It was… absolutely golden. Blinding almost, without the discomfort. Looking at you was not like looking at the sun. I actually didn’t want to stop. It was soothing…”

I look normal as ever right now. Now more divine presence. No more power. No more ability to fly. Maybe there is some small trace left, something I can tap into… “How about now? How do you feel?”

Her eyes meet mine. She smiles. Her tails straighten and twitch. “You still ain’t that bad.” And she slugs me in the shoulder.

**********

We avoid the village this time.

The Hill Top Zone is a joke, really. All it is, is a stretch of land between the Oil Ocean Zone and the Casino Nights Zone. There is need only for one village, because the animals die so quickly. The IQ’s become so low that the brain doesn’t know how to run the body anymore. The amount of toxic chemicals in the air they breathe and the land they walk is astronomical, but no one tells them to leave and they can’t think of it for themselves. Sad and pathetic, isn’t it?

A significant fact about the zone is that there is an exit nearby. Like the Marble Zone, it is also blocked by flowing lava, and a valve is needed to shut it off, although it is under minimum security because of how stupid the residents are.

As for Tails and I, we keep ourselves hidden along the outskirts of the village. The hill to the Casino Nights Zone is visible up ahead, and even though it would have been just as easy for us to walk through the village, we would have risked getting spotted by patrols. The fire was still smoldering and Extinguisher ‘bots flew around searching for pockets of heat to snuff.

We’re low to the ground, moving quickly around the base of the hill leading to the Casino Nights Zone. I don’t think we were spotted.

Sure, I believe Coconuts. He was probably right. Maybe the Doctor doesn’t care about me anymore, and he’s willing to let me rot or escape in peace. Maybe he really has forgotten.

Even so, that doesn’t mean everybody else has.

As long as this place still stands, so does the evil that built it.

It doesn’t take us long to reach the top of the hill, behind the main casino, where all of the horny gamblers go, I hear. I sure hope I look enough like one to blend in.

“Smooth your hair out,” I tell Tails. She cleans the mud off of herself, styles the rest of it into weird patterns.

I have no idea what we were about to meet, but I know that Manic and Ashura are most likely there. And even though we haven’t talked in about three years, I still have a feeling that they would recognize me.

I run my hands over my quills. I tighten my gloves over my knuckles.

Maybe they won’t notice me.

“Follow my lead.”

Yeah fucking right.

We walk around to the front. Everything seems strangely sparse and deserted. All of the homes on the faraway block have windows shut and doors boarded up, a sudden ghost town. The street is empty, not the usual hustle and bustle I remember.

Both of us stand at the entrance to the large complex, the lights bouncing off of our eyes. The noises from inside subdued, but present nonetheless. I look over at Tails and find that she is absolutely mesmerized by it all.

“I’m surprised that anything is a shock to you anymore.”

“Shut up.”

“Now there’s the country gal I know.”

She grins. Before we can walk in, someone dressed in ridiculous clothing comes out.

Nack. Oh shit.

I stiffen. I didn’t know that he was still here. I would have thought that he’d have been Robotosized by now.

Well, if that were true, then I’d have been the one to escort him.

He eyes both of us carefully, me a little longer than her. Then he steps fully out of his establishment. Carefully, he asks, “You the guy?”

I allow only a second’s hesitation before I nod.

His eyes fall back on Tails, accusingly cold. “Who’s this?”

Out of the corner of my eye I see her glance at me, looking for a signal from me. If I move an inch in her direction, any indication that we’re bluffing our way through this, then we’re caught. Nack is clocking me still from the corner of his eye, waiting for his chance to pounce. He can sense that something’s wrong like sharks can sense blood in the water. With him, it’s only a matter of time before our luck runs out. Fuck, fuck, fuck. So instead of trying some bullshit signal, I just yell at Tails in my head, hoping that the emeralds gave me telepathic powers as well.

Catch on, come on, catch on, catch on, CATCH ON!

“I… I’m his trainer.” She says with confidence and conviction.

Whew.

He still eyes her suspiciously. “The Doc’s doin that now?”

Suddenly, the doors fly open, and I would have jumped had I not been so damn tense. Manic and Ashura walk out of the swinging double doors, and I mentally gulp.

“Look at this suave mother fucker!” Manic says, his piercings clinking into each other with every gesture. Yet another fucked up mirror for me to look at.

“Manic…” Nack looks like he’s going to explode at the two any second, taking out the entire zone along with him. Instead, he just quivers and shakes.

“Oh lighten up, waffle fuck. There can’t be more than one person in this place like you. I’ll bet this guy fucks like the best of us. Ain’t that right, homie?” He slugs my arm. I don’t wince or answer.

Manic doesn’t slow down, not even enough for Ashura to say anything, who still remains silent at his side, studying Tails. Shit.

“Come inside, man, relax, have a drink with us, man! Any creation of Robotnik’s is a creation of ours!”

What? “I’m sorry, but I cannot,” I answer, playing up my role a little. Sure, why not.

“Aw come on, Shadow, live a little, man! We’re leaving in a few anyway, you might as well get in a few games of poker with us.”

I let a deep, wide grin creep into my face. “Poker, you say?”

Ashura finally reacts, grinning along with Manic. Nack remains pissed. “You up to a round before we leave?”

Nack walks forward. “Hey! We don’t-”

“Oh calm down, nibbles. You know that fucking hoe takes forever to get ready. We got plenty o’ time.”

I nod. “Let’s get this over with.”

We all walk into the casino, and I glance once behind me to Tails, who follows a few steps behind. Manic walks beside me and Ashura waits until he’s right next to my trainer, and he’s still eyeing her. “What’s your name, baby?” Nack is left outside.

**********

“What I’m sayin is that people give Hunt too much credit in part one. I mean, all he did was hang from some wires and dodge a helicopter. He couldn’t even beat up an old man! Now, in part two, though, mother fucker was carrying two guns, diving, rolling and spinning and shit, he kicked major fuckin ass! How can you deny the awesomeness of that?”

This could go on for hours. I remember why I hate these two so much. They seem to be the only ones who actually enjoy discussing the movies Robotnik had shown them, rather than trying to forget them. Ashura has remained quiet most of the game, but is still staring at Tails as we play at the green table in the center of the playing room. The few patrons present are watching the game intently.

I’m still trying to gather as much information as I can.

1) They think I’m Shadow.
2) I’m supposed to take them somewhere.
3) Some shit.

That’s all I got.

Oh well, at least I’m kicking ass at poker.

“Fuck, man, how do you do it?!” he exclaims with disdain, staring at his newest shitty hand of cards. “I haven’t seen someone play this good in fuckin years.”

“Shit, man, he just keeps making them better and better,” Ashura comments, his eyes all over Tails, who keeps a leveled downward stare expressionless at him. She appears unshakable for the moment.

“No kidding, man. Machines making machines, man, that’s all it is.”

I don’t ask him to explain. I just push the cards forward. “Your deal.”

**********

Nack had gone around through the back way, straight for the computer terminal in his room. The one the Doc had used to contact him, although apparently he wasn’t the only one who had one.

The terminal also had a direct link to the computer archives. Special bulletins and such, posted for the ‘bot commanders for assimilation. It would only take him a few seconds to translate the mess from binary.

“Hi!”

Nack almost fell out of his chair in surprise. “Don’t fuckin do that!”

“Sorry,” Amy said, cuddling his arm. “Whatcha doin?”

“Shouldn’t you be with Rouge or somethin?” He said, pushing her away. She came back and clung harder.

“She told me to come tell you something.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. She said that she’d be over here in two hours. Until then, get packing.”

“Wait… she don’t know that he’s here yet?”

“He?”

“Yeah. He.”

Amy was silent, as if trying to remember something. Then she shrugged. “Okay.”

He stared at her, exasperated. Then he went back to typing.

Inside the archives now, a picture of Tails popped up from his surveillance file.

“Who’s that?”

“I don’t know, but I want to find out.”

He fed her picture into the computer, and waited.

“Nack-”

“No.”

“Will you marry me?”

“No.”

“Come on!” She pouted. “No one else will!”

The search was complete. “Unregistered. Shit.”

“I love you Nack.”

“Shut the fuck up, will ya?! I’m tryin to work here!”

She pouted so hard her bottom lip almost hit the floor.

Next, he fed Sonic’s picture into the mainframe.

“Oh my God, who’s that?!”

“Huh?”

“That guy!”

“Oh. He says he’s Shadow, but I’m not sure. I’m gonna find out right now…”

“Whoever he is, he’s HOT!”

“Calm the fuck down! Shit.”

“Sorry.”

“Sometimes, you scare me, kid…”

“I have something to tell you, Nack…”

“You fuckin scare me-”

“I’m breaking up with you.”

“… Fine by me.”

“I love Shadow, and there’s nothing you can do to keep us apart.”

“Glad for ya. Hope you two are happy…”

“We’re gonna have ten kids, and a house on the beach, and-”

The image popped up.

RUNAWAY was in big bold letters.

“FUCK!”

“What?” But he was already running out of the room.

**********

Third game in a row. I’m so proud of myself.

Manic is no longer in a joking mood. In fact, he’s downright angry with me, making not-so-subtle insults at me while trying his best to concentrate on the hand.

It’s my deal.

Flip, flip, flip, flip.

“You deal those cards like a bitch.”

Flip, flip, flip, flip.

“Suicide kings are wild.”

Flip, flip.

I throw a ring from my growing pile to the center of the table. He does the same, although his pile is diminishing.

Brilliant. I’ve already paid him back for the money he loaned me, and I’m still up on top.

I wait for the exchange.

Instead, he’s smiling, his eyes going from Ashura to Tails and back to me, like he just thought of something.

“So,” he motions to Tails, now keeping his eyes on me, “You two ever fuck?”

This snaps the other green hedgehog out of his daze. Ashura’s breath catches in his throat. He looks at me for an answer.

Me, I keep my poker face, neutral and noncommittal, and my eyes stay off of Tails. “Why?”

“Making conversation. Come on, tell me. We all brothas here.”

Ashura looks pissed. Hmmm, an awkward situation indeed. Oh, whatever will I say? “Yeah. We fucked a couple of times. How many cards?”

I hear teeth grinding somewhere in Tails and Ashura’s direction, thought it could have been either of them. Manic throws down two cards. I exchange them. “Really?! Ha! How was it?”

“Not bad. I like it when they lie still like that.” I exchanged four. We throw down more rings. He doesn’t catch the reference and just giggles. The grinding grows louder.

“How many times?”

I pretend to think, when really I’m just hiding my disgusted insides. I hope he doesn’t get too detailed in his questions. I’m not exactly Mr. Gets Around, here. “‘Bout seven.”

“That’s it?”

“Well, shit, I’ve only known her three days.” Damn. When is he gonna be done?

I pretty much ignore the rest of Manic’s rambling, as I see Nack come hurriedly out of the door at the far end of the room. I’m actually kind of relieved to see him.

Well, you know, that is, until his eyes meet mine. For an instant, I see deep inside, and even though he was across the room, through a crowd of people and flashing lights, I can tell he’s frantic. His regained composure is no cover.

Fuck.

And we were so close.

Ashura had unnoticeably risen from his chair and is staring me down, saying something about showing respect to the lady. I stand in my seat and throw my cards down. “I fold.”

I get up. I push my chair back. I eye Ashura right in his face. Nack clears his throat, increasing the tension. “Manic, Ashura, I need to speak with you two.”

Manic pockets my money. “’Bout what?”

“Come on.” And they all leave, eyeing me suspiciously.

I wait until they’re away before I lean over to Tails, who slaps me.

**********

“You let the runaway into the casino WILLINGLY?! You dipshit!”

“Shut the fuck up!”

Ashura moved the computer screen towards the other people in the room. “Take a look at this…”

Subject: Sonic, Model 01
Make: Hedgehog, Blue
Training: The works
Duties: [terminated]
Access: [terminated]
Current Status: RUNAWAY

Capture at all costs

UPDATE: Terminate by any means necessary

Genetics: Normal Template - Amy model, Manic model, Ashura model

Warning - Experimental Template In effect (see also Shadow model)

“I’m in love with my fucking son?!” Amy’s jaw dropped to the floor.

“Hope you like retarded children, Amy…”

Nack walked over to a small case in the corner. He pulled out a gun, worn from age. He walked over and handed it to Manic.

“You two. Handle it.”

“And just where the fuck are you going?”

“I’m getting Rouge. Hold ‘em off until then.”

“Be sure to mention your fuck up, too.”

“Eat my cock.”

Nack used the back door to leave, and Amy ran up to him and clung to his leg. “Take me back, sweetie?”

**********

I know what’s coming.

So, I enjoy my last moments alive. I explore the Casino, walking from game to game, keeping Tails behind me in close sight. The attack can come at any time, any direction, and if nothing else I want her dead after me, not before.

The slot machines and blackjack games don’t particularly interest me, and in fact, I pay no attention to the flashing lights until I enter the children’s area.

The only place that’s even remotely comforting, the few children that are there all stare at me with sullen faces, as if I were the bearer of bad news or the bringer of death or something. None of them are playing the games that line the walls, but are just sitting on the floor, empty and hollow, waiting for something that will most likely never come to them.

To my left in a midst of all the games, is a pinball machine.

Excellent.

I walk over to it and insert a ring.

**********

Manic picked up the other half of the rings on the discarded table.

“Don’t worry. They can’t be far.”

“Leave the girl alive.”

“Fetching for a lost cause, my friend.”

“I like variety, what can I say?”

Manic nodded, and examined the gun some more, frowning. “Hold on. This gun’s a piece of shit. There’s no base inside. Man, how the hell did Nack make it this far without a gun that works? Shit.”

“Looks like it’s fists all the way, then.”

“… No, wait.” Manic picked up a handful of rings and shoved them down the barrel, two by two.

“Wow, I can, like, totally taste the irony, dude.”

“Yeah. Stupid fucker.”

And they were off.

**********

The small blue ball whizzed around a corner, hitting a bumper, being catapulted back upwards. The flipper at the top made it go even higher, only to have itself knocked back down.

The cycle repeated. Every hard knock into a soft pad awarded meaningless points. This wasn’t the type of game where your name goes into the hall of fame, for all new players to see. All that remains is the highest score, no label, and as soon as the machine is unplugged or turned off, the numbers disappear.

Gone, all because you had to try. Maybe this little blue ball was better staying inside the shaft, motionless, inert, and un-hurting. Then someone had to come along and slip a fucking ring in, and the plunger was pulled back and the pain began.

Stubborn little bastard it is, too. It won’t die. This ball seem terrified of the abyss below the God-like flippers that save its life very time, but in reality I know this ball curses them every time they hit him back up. More pain, more unlabeled points. There is no reward. There is no accomplishment, because when the Gods do finally fuck up, the ball dies until next round or next player.

When the ball dies, all the player feels is unsatisfied. They could have done better, their little student, their little blue puppet.

Another ring is inserted, and the game goes on.

The points almost reach the point of breach when again it falls into the abyss.

This is so much fun. It’s addictive. Pain is addictive. The thrill of thinking you can win is overpowering to the point of rapture. Nothing else matters when the ball is at its highest, and the player couldn’t be prouder.

Fuck this.

I move on to the next game.

Oooo.

This one is a top-scrolling 2-D fantasy/adventure game. The goal is to collect as much money as possible while dodging obscure enemies and their projectile weapons.

This hero is also blue.

At the menu screen, I choose to have a companion, a tough looking woman in a yellow vest. I don’t like her name, so I name her Tails.

I press start.

The game opens up in the video game area of a large casino. The blue hero starts out in the corner, and you get to choose where to strategically place your partner. I put Tails behind the door, move myself into the center of the room, and I wait.

Nothing happens for a while. I contemplate life or some shit.

Finally, on the screen, the door starts to open. Slowly. Ever so slowly. A head peaks out, and then an entire body bursts into the room and points a gun at me.

My partner had run across the room and knocked the gun out of the green one’s hand. They start hand-to-hand combat sequences, of which she was not very well trained in, so I push my character across the room to help her.

I never get the chance to attack, however, as another green generic sprite comes into the room and charges. He isn’t quick enough to land a blow, and I block a kick and a left cross.

Shit.

I press a combo of buttons to counteract his sudden grapple, and I succeed in kneeing him in the stomach. When he bends over in pain, I pound the buttons in faster successions and my character forces him down further with his arms and knees him again in the face. He goes down momentarily, the sound effect being repeated over and over.

I like my character. I’ll call him Sonic.

Sonic seems like an extension of myself. In fact, I am him. I have become totally immersed in this game. Every button I push is on pure reflex.

Tails is pushed back against a far table, bent over, hands behind her back. She’s totally helpless until a well-animated attack happens, and the green sprite’s face is slapped with her tails. He backs off, hurt, comically confused.

Sonic picks up the green sprite on the floor and throws him against the wall. It cracks open, and the wallpaper tears in a jagged dotted line. The power bar on the enemy drops down a bit. Sonic slams him once again, debris flying everywhere, causing slowdown. Small, computer generated pieces of paper fly to the green, pixilated carpet.

Combat mode.

The camera rolls downwards. Battle music kicks up.

Left jab. Right punch. Dropkick. Roundhouse.

Damage = 3

RPG mode.

I’m having so much fucking fun.

The way Tails slams the other green sprite’s head on the counter over and over again is absolutely brilliant. It’s so good to have a partner I can rely on. One I don’t have to step in and save every ten seconds. The AI is amazing.

She flashes Sonic a thumbs up sign after floating in the air and dropping the sprite, who rolls into the corner.

My green enemy sprite is getting up, spitting out green flakes of blood. Sonic says some random catch phrase, imbedded into the game, and I‘ll probably hear it twenty times over the course of the game. They grapple again.

And then… I remember the gun.

The green sprite throws Sonic up against the wall, while the other sprite dodges Tails and picks up the gun. In one fluid motion he fires at me. At Sonic.

Fuck.

In the place of blood, rings go everywhere. Sonic is thrown back and busts through the wall into the street. It’s funny to me that despite the fact that the villains can bleed profusely, the heroes cannot show a drop of blood, or an ounce of weakness. It would, of course, ruin their image.

So many rings fly everywhere when he hits the pavement of the street. Sonic is stunned, and there’s some slowdown, due to the number of moving objects onscreen.

He’s still on his back, eyes open, and growling. Slowly, he gets up and grabs a handful of rings, slipping them on his fingers, over his gloves.

I didn’t teach him that.

Tails is thrown out next of the gaping hole next, by both of the enemy sprites. They had traded blows while Sonic was out on the street, and now she looked a little beat up.

The two green sprites come out howling and charging at both of us.

And so it goes, how most things do: overly long and anti-climactic. My thumbs get tired of pressing all of the buttons, over and over and still over again, making my puppet move the way I want to. Sure, I’m still an extension, but I no longer care about much of anything. It’s just routine as ten more seconds pass. Punch, kick, roll, dodge. Do a combo.

But when the sprite hits Sonic in the teeth… I lose it.

Completely.

I pound my ringed hand into that smarmy fuckin face like a driving piston, pound, explode, pound, explode. I’m on top of him, straddling him, snapping and grinding away, and suddenly the street and the few people that had gathered to watch disappear. It’s just him, and me, in badly generated 2-D graphics. The sounds of his face splitting and tearing resound as though we were in a large cavern, like the Mystic Cave, the echoes matching the glow of the sacred power gems. The light of the Red Emerald’s glow is blinding, but I keep pulling back and slamming forward, automatic. Again. Even when he stops moving, I still keep pounding, because this stupid little shit might have been faking it. His plastic armor is tough, but so is mine, so I keep pounding. The attack button.

His head caves in. His face folds inwards with the shape of his engineered bone structure. He has no more eyes. Or retinas. Or teeth.

So I’m quite satisfied, convinced that Ashura is dead for damn sure, and I pick up his old gun lying on the street, and I walk over to Manic, who’s slamming Tails’ head against a wall, the smacks also resounding in the cave, much, much louder. I place the rings from my fingers inside the gun, refilling the molecular base particles, and I whip him around to face me. A look of surprise ripples across his face too late, the speed too much for him to handle, and I shoot him point blank.

The rings tear through his eyes first, the vulnerable part, and the rest bounce off of his facial armor, little bloody craters left. Remnants of him splattered all over me, the back of his head opened like swiss cheese, and it still isn’t enough. I want more. Looking down at Tails and her battered form, I want… more.

Need. More.

I slap the quite-dead Manic, loosening the lodged rings, and I put them back in the gun, the blood sticky and warm.

And what do I do next?

Simple.

I march right over to Nack’s place, the place where I know he’ll still be, even after all these years. Always the same place. A large establishment on the bluffs overlooking the Hill Top Zone merging with the Oil Ocean. The view is excellent, no expenses spared.

His fault… his fault that Tails was hurt…

I stomp right through the doors, which are still open. I stand silent, waiting for a noise or a sign telling me which room they’re in.

“… marry you,” coming from the door on my left.

Holding the gun in front of me, I kick open the swinging doors, and there’s Nack, surprised like a deer in headlights, because he knows what’s coming next. He knows the giant big-rig, and the driver behind the wheel, that doesn’t have enough time or cares in the world to slow down enough to save his life.

And I pull the trigger.

And I kill him.

And that little girl that was clinging to him at the time.

And alas, I have no more money to continue this game. My rings have run out.

Strangely, when I step away, everything goes black.

**********

“Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

“What?! What about Shadow?”

“Shit, we don’t need that fucka! I say we take our chances looking for the entrance, rather than waiting around here any longer.”

Rouge paused. “This guy and the chick, are they really that dangerous?”

“Shit, I ain’t gonna fuck with them! Manic and Ashura got ‘em distracted till we get the fuck outa here.”

Throughout all of this, Sera and Amy remained silent. Listening.

“I hate to say it, but you’re probably right. We have to make contact as soon as possible.”

Nack smiled. “Does this mean we can fuck again?”

“Don’t push your luck.”

Amy cuddled up to Nack, whimpering slightly. “Don’t worry Nack, I’ll still marry you.”

Nobody saw it coming. Especially Rouge. When she saw Nack and Amy blown backwards by the blast of Sonic’s gun, she didn’t know what to do. Everything sort of flashed through her eyes. Numb as the double doors swung closed again.

An image of him popped in her head, and he was saying, “I’m glad you find my pain so goddamn funny.”

Right through her fingers. Again.

Anger swelled up like a tidal wave. Rouge was already reacting before their bodies hit the floor. She screamed like an animal. He would not get another shot off.

“I’m glad…”

She knew the pressure points, and she hit every one of them on his body. He looked too stunned to fight back. Five hits and his blood was flowing slightly slower through his body.

“… you find…”

When she kneed him in the teeth he spit out blood. So rewarding that she did it a second time, and then she flung him against the wall. His useless gun flew out of his hands.

“… my pain…”

Again and again she slammed him against the wall, and eventually a large hole appeared. She widened it with his face before dropping him to the floor.

“… so…”

Rouge was kicking Sonic in the ribs, and was rewarded with cracking noises upon cracking noises. He didn’t scream in pain, though. He was silent despite grunts of air escaping.

She picked him up and she flung him out the hole in the wall. He sailed down the bluffs, and Rouge didn’t bother to see where he landed.

The bat-girl turned around to see Sera crying over Amy, her dead friend.

**********

Shadow crawled out of the access tube from the Labyrinth Zone, entering the Casino Nights Zone, spitting up blood and water, coughing. In her hands she was holding a gun.

There wasn’t much left of that fucking squirrel, but he had gotten off a few scored shots before she ripped him in half. The blood she was spitting up was mostly his.

And the first thing Shadow noticed about the zone was the large number of people grouped around the dead bodies of two green hedgehogs.

**********

What is the conflict this time? What new source of entertainment commands the audience’s attention?

In this case… me. My little struggle with myself and my creator. My fight. I’m spelling it out in words that can be written in history books, which will be written long after I’m dead, whether I failed or succeeded. My memory will be honored or pissed on, but since I’ll be dead, it won’t matter to me.

Fuck, with my luck, they’ll screw up all the details and no one will pay attention.

Sitting on the devastated oil rig, broken and bruised, I can realize now that I have nothing left in me for the day. I’m done. Hell, this is all almost over anyway. Not much else I can do. Not much of anything.

Anything…

Nothing…

For now… there’s nothing I can do. I’ve fucked up for the last time.

This is over.

I don’t want this anymore.

Robotnik, you’ve won.

I give up.

And I fall asleep with those words on my lips. Before everything goes dark once more I sees Tails fly down from the cliff to my side.

**********

Knuckles looked down at all the people taking in the entertainment, the games, the excitement, the glory, and he smiled.

“Come and get me, you fucking bitch.”

The End of Thursday