He was alone. It was quiet, peaceful. No demanding machines and no cowardly, stuttering buffoons. It was him and obedient robots and brilliant plans and-

Drats. A whimper once again.

He stepped away from his work table, where a cubical mustard yellow machine lay in parts. A spherical one followed after the great man. Music played on a graceful gramophone, sadly failing to drown out the little whispers and whines beyond his workshops doors. Thus, he lifted a metal blue head off the floor and exited the room, tucking the shiny part under his arm.

"Boss?" Asked the ruby machine, fingers tapping against another.

"What?"

"Sorry to intrude, but, what are you up to? Shouldn't we- you- shouldn't Cubot have his voice-box fixed?"

Blood coloured eyes rolled behind a pair of cobalt blue glasses. "I have higher priorities. Besides, my genius can't work with that noise."

"Couldn't you turn the music off then?"

The little robot would gulp if he could, but he merely watched the large man stop and turn- glaring over his shoulder. Pearly white teeth slid against each other, he grunted but thankfully decided to keep moving forward. The small machine hurriedly followed.

"I meant the whimpers."

"Of course, boss. Why don't you...silence them?"

"I'm focusing on Flickies at the moment. They don't garner much attention from the media- they're not important enough." The man scoffed. "And I'm the bad guy."

He abruptly turned, his tailcoat's ends flapping afterwards.

"Maybe not from the media, but...he knows. He's stood against you more than the planet's main military force."

"That's excessive. I may have met the boy the most, but this world's little protection service has hindered me through their upgrading security." With his free hand, he pushed a wide steel door open.

"Not to mention their new training programme with the allowance of those horrid mobians."

The little robot watched maps and blueprints and neon red lights running across the walls. All led to a low stage in the centre where a proud desk sat, a gloriously massive screen towering from behind. It's snow colour was the main source of illumination when the true lights were out.

"And what about him, boss?"

"Who?" The man grunted as he sat on his cushiony black and red chair, setting the blue head upon the desk.

The robot looked to the floor. "The boy."

There came a laugh. "He can destroy as many of my camps as he pleases. I've grew. I've...advanced. If he needs my camps to pass the time then so be it." He twisted his computer screen to face him directly, then tapped away on his lit keyboard.

"You see, Orbot, my genius surpasses even I at times. I don't need those camps. I don't even need these Flickies- but I take them to throw that child and his little friends off my scent. They feel useful, like they're making a difference. My...nephew, he hurries around to distract and to scare. At the same time, if he does find anything I'll be the first to know. But with this, oh Orbot, with this I don't need any of it."

Orbot would shiver if in his programme. Alas, he watched as the man guided him towards the brilliantly vast screen, twirling slowly on his chair. Two blue profiles stared back at him, one expressionless and the other grinning. One red eyed and the other green. One terrifying and the other hopeful. A line, almost like a hospital's heart rate monitor, dances between them. Code and data even beyond some of his programming filled the screen.

"Boss, what is this?"

The round man grinned, teeth shining behind his enclosed hands. "A connection. Through memories not only are the pair alike through battle, but are subconsciously intertwined. In each other's presence the boy gets headaches, and Metal freezes. According to my data at least. My brilliance created this, Orbot."

"What...can you do with this?"

"That's the beauty of it. Almost anything."

"Almost?"

The emperor frowned. "I can't actually cause direct damage to the boy. But, what I can reach, are his memories."

"So?"

The man stood, arms slipping behind his back. A wide, joyous grin stretched across his face. A twinkle in his eyes, hidden behind his glasses.

"You fool, Orbot." He turned to the cowering robot, expression insane and haunting.

"I can find him. I can find all of them. I can crush them."

—————

Sonic gasped. He would've fallen back if it weren't for Sally holding him down. Sweat dripped from his forehead and he moved the electrodes' wires from his face. Rotor and N-I-C-O-L-E watched from the sidelines, concern etched on their faces. Amy held a chilli dog for him, but went ignored. Knuckles, Bunnie and Antoine observed with both confusion and worry.

"Wha' happened?" The rabbit asked.

Tails pressed a pencil against his chin, examining the notes scattered across his clipboard. "What did you see?"

"Put me back." Sonic merely replied.

"What?"

"That's what's happenin'. This little...experiment thing is showing me his memories. I gotta go back if you want me to get something useful. We have to be more level with Robotnik."

"Tell me what you saw first." Tails neared, eyes flicking between an almost desperate looking green.

"I- Metal, was being fixed up. It was after one of our fights. But he saw something. Something Robotnik didn't plan for. Like me, he was freaked and began flailing about the place. Whatever he saw, Robotnik figured out my memories are what connects us." Sonic's voice was clearly out of breath through his explanation.

"What did he see?" The twin-tailed fox's voice was gentle, but his blue brother still glanced away.

'Be quiet. Don't tell them.'

"I'm not sure. I didn't see."

"Well, it's gotta be one of your memories. That's how this whole thing works." Rotor suggested.

"Yeah, maybe. If I go back I can probably get a better answer."

"You're sweating, Sonic." Tails stood.

"You look like a ghost. A sick ghost." Knuckles added.

"Thanks, Knucks. It's just a little dizzyin' bein' somewhere else when I know I'm here. That's all. I can handle it."

"Ya sure, Blue?" Bunnie asked.

"Absolutely."

———

Metal was in a rage. At least, as close to the emotion as he could possibly mimic. He tore papers apart, threw stalls across the room, blasted across the walls and pulled on all wires he lay optics on. But then Cubot came in to see where the noise was erupting from and Metal immediately began pulling the robot to pieces.

Alas, Robotnik entered. In a black and ocean blue tailcoat. He looked calm, but Metal dropped the small machine quickly. He stared up at the man who picked up Cubot and set him on the central work table.

"His voice box needed fixing anyway." The emperor turned to face his blue creation. "I have plenty of scrap for you to break. Instead of what I'm actually using."

Metal glanced away, until a hand rested on his shoulder. Robotnik removed his glasses to reveal black and red eyes, just like his own.

"When we lose Metal, we don't spend our energy causing further destruction. We put it to good use. That rodent won this little battle- but after his many losses it's kind of us to let him celebrate. Let him have a new friend." Robotnik stood and guided the blue machine out the room. "Chaos knows he'll be needing them."

Silence pursued. Down corridors, metal bars and flashing red lights. Passed steel doors and concrete walls and occasional whines. Metal looked up at his creator, something akin to curiosity gnawing at him.

"I wish to show you something. An...example, if you will." Robotnik noticed the other's continuing stare and sighed.

"Sonic won today. But let me give you a taste as to what he has lost."

The man's face then twisted and spiralled and leaked like oil until they were both stood in a thin room. There were puddles and present water dripping from the ceiling and neon green lines spreading across the walls. Three damaged stone pillars stood in the centre and with a shove from Robotnik, Metal slowly moved forward.

As he did, he heard a shuffle and soon learned it came from behind one of the three or so cells. He slipped by a couple, optics burning into each one. All were empty, until he reached the last one.

"He's lost far more than he's won. That, is one of the things he failed to save."

Claws slowly closed around two metal bars and Metal brought his head closer to the cell. The red lights began to brighten. He observed the metal flooring that started to run like water but managed to place optics on another ruby pair. A groan of metal followed and a silver, sharp moustache with matching brows showed before neon light bled into his vision.

———

"NO-!"

Sally didn't expect Sonic to lunge forward, snapping the electrodes off with his abrupt movement. N-I-C-O-L-E was immediately at her side, holding her waist in support. Bunnie and Antoine bounced back as Sonic dropped to the floor, almost sounding like he'd hiccuped. His breathing was loud and choppy, quills were dagger sharp and he shoved Knuckles away when the echidna tried to help him up.

"Sonic?" Tails asked.

Said hedgehog's vision and mind swam. So many questions. So many thoughts and feelings and wonders and-

He gagged and Sonic quickly hurried out of Rotor's workshop. Stumbling as the sun met his eyes, he clumsily waddled to the bridge and gripped one of it's posts as he bent over. His other shaky hand resided on his knee and he tried to calm his breathing, but with every blink the same image bled into his mind.

'Breathe. Relax. You know what you saw.'

"What- what if i-it's not real?" Sonic shivered, feeling a cold blanket almost hovering over him. Speaking to whatever talked was incredibly unsettling, and made his stomach burn more.

"What if Robotnik wanted me to see it? To mess with me?"

'Tails said he can't cause anything direct, fool.'

"Right." Sonic pulled his fingers across his closed eyes and stood, glancing around.

"By the way, I'm not a- who are you?"

"Sonic?"

The blue blur jumped and whirled around to see Sally, hand outstretched with eyes swimming in fear. Fear? No- worry. Obviously. He shook his head.

"Who were...are you okay?"

"I um...." Sonic frowned, clearing his suddenly strained voice.

"M'fine."

But then Sally was there, hand taking one of his and her other resting across his cheek. Her ever so patient and warm eyes bore into his and her head tilted, bringing her hair down too. Tails and the other's stood a short distance away, beside the power generator, but Sally moved so he could focus only on her.

"You seem distracted. More so than usual. What did you see?"

"I-I don't...." Sonic looked downwards.

"Can I...?" It was a whisper so quiet she believed it wasn't even for her, but she replied anyway.

"Of course you can." By his chin, she lifted his head up and pressed the top of hers against his.

"I'm listening. What did you see?"

Sonic stepped away and brought his hands together like a prayer. "Cells. In this...abandoned almost lookin' place. Robotnik was there too, the round oaf." He grumbled.

"And...?"

"And?" Sonic squeezed his arm.

"I know you. You saw something else." Sally stepped closer, brushing the small cluster of head quills away from the other's now watery eyes.

His lip quivered for the quickest of blinks, but he bit down and brought his other arm up to almost hug himself. He examined her, she could tell. Watched how her eyes danced between his own and her upright ears and calm shoulders.

"He's...he's alive."

"Who?"

"He's alive Sal'." Sonic stepped back, beginning a repetition of the word as if to convince himself. He began pacing.

"I saw him. He was there. He was-!" He whirled, tears never falling. "He's alive."

Sally blinked, holding out a hand again. "Who?"

He quickly took it, hiccuping and airily laughing. "My uncle."

He awaited for her reaction. A word. A gasp or inhale. Chaos, soon he found he'd accept a blink. But her eyes only widened and her mouth was never moving.

"Sal'? I know it's crazy but- well I mean it might be fake too but- he's also not exactly...mobian b-but...."

Hands rested against his cheeks and his face was lifted to meet twinkling blue eyes. Water he despised. Ponds, lakes, rivers and oceans. But those eyes and that blue? He could accept drowning in that.

"He's alive." She breathed. "It's real, Sonic. Your uncle...Uncle Chuck- he's alive."

Another airy laugh. "I can't...I mean he...Sal'...he's been...." All joy washed away from his green eyed face and Sally found herself somehow hating Robotnik more because of it.

"He's been Robotisized."

Oh.

Her hands dropped to take his in her own and she built up a crooked smile. "We'll save him."

Sonic blinked. "H- Sal', I don't think we can handle that. I mean, he's locked away somewhere in Robotnik's base. We can't stand against that."

Sally tutted. "That's quitter talk, and you, Sonic the Hedgehog, are no quitter. Besides, it won't just be us this time." She stepped aside for emerald eyes to land upon their friends, who smiled uncertainly and waved.

"I think it's time we bring back the Freedom Fighters. Don't you?" She whispered into his ear and he whirled to see her smirking.

"The- really? I haven't...I mean I haven't told them all about...him."

"We can do it together."

"But I don't think I...."

"You only need to say as much as you can, Sonic. But if they're gonna help us they deserve to at least know who we're saving."

"Right. Yeah. 'Course."

"Besides, whilst we're there we can save whoever else we come across. I think it's been long enough of all this. Didn't you once say that if we're in a position to help someone, then it's our right to do so?"

Sonic rolled his eyes and chuckled as she passed. He watched her for a moment before hopping to her side and taking her hand. As they neared their friends, his heart began beating faster in a mixture of anticipation, anxiety and excitement. But then Sally squeezed his hand and-

"Guys! Slight change of plans!"

And he saw the growing smiles on his friends' faces, he was more than ready for the rescue mission ahead.
But he wasn't the only one.