Sonic Runaways

"Can I get something to drink?" Sonic asked, walking into Casino Park's Bingo Bar alone. It felt pathetic, but this was what he needed. This was necessary for him to make it through the night.

"ID?" The peacock bartender asked, hardly looking up. When he did, he almost fell out of his chair. Sonic was still in Midnight form as he held up his ID from Oswuera. "Aah! A Dark Gaia Monster!" Sonic staggered back, unsure of what to do as the other people in the bar looked his way and started screaming. The screaming mixed in with the voices in his head threatened to push him over the edge into total fear. Thus, complete submission to Dark Gaia's influence.

Before he could lose himself, Sonic turned into a bat, flew over the counter to steal a drink, and got out of the bar altogether all in the blink of an eye. The peacock was left dazzled, not even reaching out to snatch the dollar bills Sonic had left behind as they fluttered to the floor.

Amy's Pink Cabriolet pulled into the bar's parking lot, too late to see Sonic exit the premises. "Cream, Cheese, stay here. Scream if you need me," Amy said, hopping out of the car. "Mr. Big, come with me."

"Okay," Big replied, following Amy into the bar.

Once inside, they looked all around. "I wonder who our 'secret admirer' is," Amy mumbled, gazing all around at the bar. Everybody seemed a bit on edge, except for one especially calm lynx in a loose dress looking their way. Amy's Tails Electric buzzed as soon as their eyes met. The lynx didn't even seem to have a phone in her hand.

"How did you—?" Amy asked, staring at the lynx. She then decided to sit down across from her with Big.

"Hello, Amy. Big. My name is Lexa the Lynx," the lynx introduced in a soft, almost monotone voice. Amy and Big waved. "You're probably wondering why I've called you here all the way from Parduil. I would like to tell you something very important about a common enemy. In return, I'd like you to tell me everything you know about him."

"Who might 'he' be?" Amy asked.

"Lord Eggman," Lexa answered, taking a sip of an empty chalice. Amy glanced to Big, but Big had his eyes locked onto a painting on the wall. "Ahhh… Yes, we have received reports that Eggman hasn't been himself for the past few weeks. No TV appearances in his empire, no noisy plans to force the world into his hands, he usually isn't this quiet. Some people have even been seeing him in two places at once."

"Why are you telling us this?" Amy asked uncomfortably. "That Cheeseball might have been aggressive before, but he hasn't been on the attack since the ARK almost hit the world. He usually takes breaks for a while between big projects anyways, and I'd imagine he must be especially down after learning the truth about his grandpa. I wouldn't be surprised if he just wants to take time off and let his decoy drones scout around while he eats ice cream naked in his room." Lexa looked confused. "That usually makes me feel better when I'm sad."

"Haha, of course," Lexa laughed.

"Sorry we WERE so late, we've been dealing with a shapeshifter pretending to be Sonic, my boyfriend forever! Ugh. What I wouldn't give for some ice cream right now," Amy sighed, letting her head hit the booth. "Waiterrrr!!!" Amy cried. "Can I have soft serve?" Suddenly, Lexa got up.

"BINGO!" Lexa shouted. Everybody in the Bingo Bar looked her way and some clapped. "Umm… I mean, a shapeshifter. Very interesting. Reminds me of one of Eggman's old backup plans in case of a scenario where he would be unable to call the shots," Lexa mumbled, standing idly for a second. "Amy, thank you. You have been very helpful." Lexa disappeared into little holographic shapes made of pixels and polygons. Amy and Big glanced to each other as the little bits of physical data dissipated.

...

The next thing Sonic knew, he was sitting between two buildings and chugging a bottle of ill-gotten Aurora Oil. It had the taste and texture of liquid sunflower seed shells. It burned his mouth and scratched his throat going down. He felt a boiling sensation in his stomach. He fell to his knees, and choked out some excess Aurora Oil. "Bleh!" He spat. "What do they put in this shit?!" Sonic quickly realized he was acting like a child complaining about the taste of their medicine. He KNEW he needed this gunk to help him not go crazy, but it was so painful to drink it every single night. Dark Gaia's whispers and taunts became quieter, and his vision cleared on a figure standing high and mighty above him on the rooftops. It was a figure meticulously modeled to be just like him in appearance. But Sonic knew there was very little substance beneath this copy's blue-painted shell other than a knack for manipulation and a drive for vengeance.

"You…" Sonic grunted, glaring at his evil twin as both of their cloaks flowed in the wind. "You've caused enough of a mess already. Mind giving up before Tails catches on and dismantles you for parts again, Sonic?" The impersonator stared down, lifelessly. "Or should I say… 'METAL' Sonic?" Something flashing in Sonic's left eye and Metal's left optic, as they blasted off into the casino too fast to be seen.

Exhaust disguised as breathing. "Clever. Very funny, you haughty blue hobo," Metal Sonic said, raising his claws to the sky, pretending to grasp the now permanently crescent moon in his now metallic hand as it followed their race with great interest. "You know, I would expect a more polite welcome from my double after returning to this forsaken planet. It is clear that despite all this time, across all the galaxies I hiked to get here, you haven't learned basic respect for your superiors. Have you forgotten it was I that won the race to win Amy of the Roses' heart?"

"How could I forget a dumpster fire like that?" Sonic chuckled, falling behind Metal with his tongue sticking out. "The only reason you won that last race is because I know when to slow down." He then bashed into the robot's back, knocking Metal over and running him into the ground as he did another five laps around Casino Park to find Amy.

"What a pitiful creature… I can be rebuilt, I can keep coming back, just as I already have. What is death to a renewable mind but an opportunity to be plugged back into a better body?" Metal asked. He appeared beside Sonic, grabbed him, and shoved him against the buildings as his skin was sloughed into dust by the walls.

"Failure," Sonic muttered, grinning despite the blood running down his chin. "Pure unmistakable failure." Metal's eyes widened. Sonic vibrated his molecules until they separated. He turned to pure Chaos Energy as he broke free of Metal's grasp. His skin and quills grew back due to his velocity as his body reformed from the blinding light. He faced Metal from far ahead. "Because no matter how many times you come back, I'll find a way to beat you. Until the doc gets a clue and discontinues you like the Boing-O-Bots." Despite the distance, these words were all Metal could hear as they were shoved down his throat forcefully.

"False. It was not Doctor Eggman who rebuilt me," Metal muttered, reshaping into Midnight Sonic and pinning the hedgehog down on a giant roulette table.

"Grk… then who did?!" Sonic choked through his grin. "Cuz I do have some complaints about the overall hardware quality." Metal gripped tighter. "Was wondering if the warranty covered complete delusion." Sonic surged with electricity, creating a Chaos Blast that knocked out Metal's systems for a second. Sonic kicked him off and got up. Metal stood as well, just in time to see headlights. Both he and Sonic looked over to a Pink Cabriolet. Amy of the Roses sat inside, aghast as she took in the sight of two Midnight Sonics.

"Okay, we should be at the north exit," Cream mumbled, her face covered by a map of Casino Park. She looked up, and tumbled into the backseat. "Uhh… Ms. Roses, we must have taken a wrong turn." She squeaked. Without a word, Amy stepped out of the car and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Amy!" Both Sonics exclaimed. "I was looking all over for you!" Both eyed each other. The real Sonic stepped forward.

"Was this guy following you?" Sonic asked. "Oh no… we need to get out of here. Please, let's just—!" Sonic gently took hold of her hand. She pulled away and slapped him hard enough to knock him over.

"Get away from me!" Amy screamed with tears spilling from her terrified face, looking between both identical Sonics erratically. It sounded like she had wanted to stop talking at least twice throughout her sentence. Passersby on the walkway above the table looked their way. They then opted to ignore the scene and carry on. "There's two of you, oh my God there's t-TWO of you now!" She stepped back as Sonic writhed. Metal looked on without a word, feeling safe in his disguise.

"Amy, that's Metal Sonic!" Sonic shouted, holding his face.

"I can't tell the difference at all," Amy mumbled, hopping back into her car. "So SAVE IT."

"Amy, please! I promise it's me!" Sonic shouted, getting onto his feet once more and walking up to the car.

"Don't talk to me," Amy murmured, putting her seatbelt on.

"Ah, c'mon…" Sonic muttered, snapping his fingers to speed up his thinking process as sweat rolled down his face. "Your birthday! I got you—!" Sonic started, frantically.

"Socks. I got you socks for your birthday," Metal Sonic said, huddled in his cloak. "They were purple. I didn't really care, but you were ecstatic." Metal smiled. Amy's eyes widened. She stared into Sonic's. And then… the feeling returned, that fluttering feeling in her chest. It was kind this time.

"You're not gonna trust some bucket of bolts over me, right?" Metal Sonic asked, giving Amy a death glare.

Without breaking eye contact, Amy slammed her foot on the gas, and rammed the Pink Cabriolet into Metal Sonic unexpectedly. She knocked him out and sent him flying off the edge of the roulette wheel tower, plummeting into the mountains below the park until she could no longer feel his terrifying aura. She stopped the car. She unbuckled her seatbelt and got out, running up to Sonic and embracing him tightly. Cream and Cheese watched from inside the car.

"Sonic!" Amy cried. The tears kept coming. "I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was really you! That creep was following us everywhere, I was scared!" Amy held Sonic's bruised face in her hands. She kissed the spot where she had slapped him. "I LOVE YOU! Are you okay?"

"I love you too, and… yeah, I guess so," Sonic replied. They hugged tightly for a few seconds. "Are YOU okay?"

"I haven't been okay in weeks," Amy replied, smiling exhaustedly. "But now you're here! So I'm happy again." Sonic grinned joyfully until he saw the smile fall from Amy's face. "Wait, Tails and Knuckles… they were WITH Metal Sonic back in Parduil…!" Sonic's heart skipped a beat.