Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The girl would really like to know what the fuck is going on.

Firstly, she wakes up in a glass tube with no memory and no idea where she is. Then she gets attacked by a weird duck guy. Then she finds a friend and learns that both he and she were made and that they have crazy superpowers! And-

And…wait what was the last thing? Hold on, she’d remember it in a moment…

Oh, right!

The world had ended…and she’d missed the whole fucking thing.

But let's back up a bit on that list of ridiculous things. First: Waking up in a tube.

…

She couldn’t breathe. That’s what woke her up. Now that didn’t entirely make sense as the girl usually didn’t have any trouble with not breathing. But of course, she hadn’t needed to breathe until now. But nonetheless, now she did and she couldn’t.

Naturally, she panicked.

Immediately the girl’s eyes snapped open, big wide things to take in her surroundings and figure out what to do.

Water. And a lot of it.

Well, that would explain why she couldn’t breathe. The whole room seemed to be full of water in fact, floor to ceiling. That didn’t bode well for the girl’s long-term health. She began to thrash a little and found that the room was a lot smaller than it seemed, solidified air right in front of her little pointed nose. No, not solid air.

Glass.

Okay, so the room was a lot larger than the girl first figured, she just happened to be trapped in the part that one could drown in.

She started with a slam on the glass-open palm. The dull sound of it rang out and the girl got a quick first look at her hand. It was green, with tan palms and short, dull claws. Something about this told the girl this was normal.

What wasn’t normal were the rings. One on her index and pinky. Not that people couldn’t wear rings, but it did seem bizarre that she’d wear them in this drowning tube. Right, back to drowning.

She pulled her hand back and slammed it again, the tube shuddering but not opening, the water preventing the girl from getting enough force to pop it open.

The girl’s lungs began to throb, her eyes beginning to bulge out of her head as her body screamed for air, she didn’t know much…or anything at that moment, but she would’ve liked to live long enough to find out.

She pulled her hand back again, curling it into a fist, her rings tightening perfectly like her hand was shaped for the movement. The girl’s eyes narrowed at the glass, darkness creeping at the edge of her vision as unconsciousness threatened to take her.

With her remaining strength, the girl threw her fist forward hoping to either pop, crack or break the glass entirely. Her hand moved sluggishly through the water, but she had to pray that there was enough force.

Her hand got within an inch of the glass when everything shifted.

The girl’s ears flicked as she heard a double beep, then there was a green light from overhead, illuminating the tube and-

The tube’s glass door opened.

A rush of water escaped the tube, taking the girl with it, she floundered for a moment, paddling as her mouth opened and she gasped her first breath of fresh air. The water rolled her around before it flowed away and she landed on her back, limbs starfished out. And she spoke for the first time:

“Fuck.”

With effort, she moved into a sitting position. It was more difficult than she would’ve figured. Her first thought was that she was weak, but there was also weight in her limbs, like just waking up, which she supposed she had. The neurons in her brain still practicing making connections.

Large eyes blinking away the water, the girl turned her head, examining her surroundings.

The room was dim, but not dark. Weak lights fill the space with gloom. Cold steely-gray tile covered every wall and floor. The center of the room dipped ever so slightly, the last of the water swirling a drain. A few wires crisscrossed the walls, coming from everywhere and heading in a direction behind the girl. Turning her head a little further, she spotted her drowning prison, a coffin-sized tube, completely black leave for the glass window in front, and a bright, green LED light shining above. A monitor was connected to it, via an arm, a string of information streaming across it.

The girl’s eyes narrowed slightly, trying to get a better look at the monitor and-

BANG!

The sound was loud and metallic, a slam of some kind. And it sounded angry. A torrent of emotions filled the girl. Shock, fear, confusion, even curiosity. Were loud, metallic, angry slams good? Her instincts told her no.

And it was all coming from the door.

She didn’t even spot the door at first. Made of the same gray tile, and flush with the wall, it blended in. Only a door handle, a gap in the tile, and a small window showing it to be a door.

Something moved beyond the window.

“Hello?” The girl asked, quiet filling the space after the single slam.

SLAM! SLAM! SLAM!

The change was instant. There was no longer a question, the thing outside was angry…and it wanted her. Instantly, a shiver went up the girl’s spine, and her heart started to pound, blood pumping as her eyes widened. She was afraid, yes. But she was also…excited? Adrenaline overpowered her fear, her nerves lighting up like…like lighting. Her hindbrain told her to be afraid, but somehow…a smile appeared on her face.

“Who’s out there?! You want to challenge me?” She didn’t really know what she was saying, but her mouth spoke for her. The thing outside responded yes by pounding the door more vigorously, the door starting to bend inward. The girl’s smile widened and she got ready to fight the thing when she realized two things.

One: Except for her rings, she was completely and totally naked except for a medical gown…no wonder the room was so cold.

Two: Her legs weren’t working.

“Uhhh, don’t come in!” Odd timing, considering she had moments early wanted it to and now it most certainly did too, but hey, a girl deserves some privacy, especially when she can’t walk and is basically in her birthday suit. The girl quickly decided that making sure her legs worked was more important and started shaking them like they were asleep. “C’mon, girls! Time to get up and go.” She wasn’t sure she wanted them to run or fight, but something in the girl said both. Either way, they needed to work.

Her legs did not respond.

The door crashed open, swinging wide and smacking into the wall as something stumbled forward. It wasn’t particularly graceful, crashing to the floor in a heap. At first, the girl thought it was dead. And then it started to rise.

It was completely purple. From its head to its feet it was a metallic but muted and sickly-looking purple color. Leave for its red eyes which stared down with an empty hunger. It started to pick itself up off the floor, slow and sluggish, but consistent. The girl began to use her arms to back away, putting distance between herself and the…thing.

It looked kinda like a duck, but between the weird metal coloring and rather flamboyant clothes it was wearing, the girl couldn’t be sure.

“S-stay back! Or…or I’ll take you down you eggplant-looking mother fucker.” The girl still had no idea where this energy came from, but she was pretty happy with the insult. The duck however did not seem dismayed and continued to get up, moving towards the girl. It was on its feet now, arms extended, random sounds and grunts coming from it.

She continued to back up hoping to put distance between her and-

She hit the back wall. Keeping her eyes on the duck, she fumbled around behind her, feeling for a way out, but only felt a smooth surface. The duck was closing in, eyes dulled but still locked onto her.

She had no idea how she got here. Who she was, or why this was happening. But it didn’t seem to matter…this was the end.

Then a second loud double beep sounded. Then a green light flicked on…

And once more the room was filled with water.

The girl had actually been leaning against a second large tube, which door opened, shoving the girl forward, a flood of water flowing over her and smacking the duck off its feet again. The girl sputtered as the water quickly receded from her, swirling around the duck as it tried to move past the drain.

She looked at the whole situation, something in her brain telling her this was the time to act. It was now or this was the end of her very short story. The water was flowing into the drain, the duck was quick to move back up. The girl’s hands tingled, something running up and down her body, needing to get out. The girl’s skin tingled, her insides beginning to hum and vibrate with energy.

Almost subconsciously she stuck her hand into the last of the water, the hand shaking at this point. And then there was a zap, a big jolt of her body as electricity ran down her arm, into her hand, momentarily concentrating on her rings and then…into the water.

The power instantly went through the water, in which the duck was still standing in and it lit up like a holiday tree. The girl’s eyes went wide as the duck shuddered and groaned, it's entire being convulsing. The power in the girl’s hand died and the water finished flushing away and the duck collapsed in a heap on the ground, like a puppet with cut strings.

“Oh…Chaos…” The girl flopped to the ground, feeling like she just had her energy drained, suddenly feeling very weak. So weak in fact, that she had no energy for when the second body dropped right next to her.

…

The boy would please like to know what is going on.

He’d been sleeping, rather peacefully in fact when his whole world had shook, literally. He’d been asleep, in a big tube of some kind when all of the water flooded out. He’d managed to stay standing, even with his knees weak.

Not for long, but long enough for there to be a bright flash of light, the whole world seeming to hum with electricity. Then his knees gave out and he flopped to the floor, his nose smacking painfully against cold, wet tile.

“Owuh…” He whined, picking his face up and rubbing his snout. He managed to stand after a moment, his legs feeling like jelly beneath him, shaking as he stood and took in himself and his surroundings.

He appeared to be a blue fennec fox. This was odd for a couple of reasons. Firstly, he didn’t realize fennecs came in blue. And two, he didn’t remember being a fox. Or blue, or a boy, or…well anything really. He didn’t remember at all.

However, he ultimately decided that didn’t matter. The room he was in mattered more. It was cold and lifeless, with dark steel tile making up the entirety of the room's floors and walls. Besides that, all that was in here was two large tubes with monitors beeping and making notes of data, each with the message: SUBJECT PRODUCTION COMPLETED across the screen. And then there were the two bodies.

One was a bizarrely colored platypus, its skin and even clothes covered in a viscous-looking metal coating, the metal seeming to flow and move. The metal, while still attached to the platypus, stretched…in the direction of the boy…wanting to get to him.

The boy decided he didn’t want that. The platypus also seemed…and the best way the boy could put this…was dead. There was no rise and fall of its chest, no subtle twitches or shifting, it was a collapsed being, cold and empty. But a hunger radiated from it. The boy took another step back, his foot colliding with the other body in the room.

She was a green tenrec. A nearly naked green tenrec at that, the boy slapping his hand over his eyes to preserve her dignity, before quickly realizing that he too was naked…and yet that didn’t bother him as much.

Weird double-standard aside, the boy figured the girl deserved as much to decide her dignity on her own terms, not while she too seemed conked out. The boy also felt drawn to her. Like it was part of his existence to be tied to this girl, but for what reason he couldn’t be sure. From what he’d quickly grasped before blinding himself, she seemed scary. Large, strong hands, and a head full of spiky quills. But she certainly was better than the platypus on the other side of the room.

The boy floundered a little more before his hands clasped onto something large and flat-the monitor attached to the tube. Double checking that he couldn’t see the tenrec, he opened his eyes and looked at the monitor.

Tapping away the completion screen he found himself looking at a UI rendering of…himself. Various data and statistics about his strength, skills, intelligence, and…purpose were available for viewing through different menus. The whole thing was weird, and frankly…unnerving.

Clearly, he’d been made, or at least designed. And the monitor showed that most of his personality and identity had already been set. His fate sealed. That was…depressing. But one tab showed red…it’s duty not yet fulfilled.

The boy clicked on it.

At the top it read: Experiences

Most of the work has been done. Their base personalities are ready to go. Once they emerge from their tubes all that will be left is their training…In more ways than one. They will learn to fight, yes. But more than that I will give them drive! I will pave over what remains of their old selves if any and then they will want what I want them to want and will do what I want them to do. Unfortunately, these things are not instinctive and can only be granted by nurture rather than nature. Luckily, I am both. Either way, it should be easy enough, the tough part is over.

The note closed out with a date and time that the boy had no context for. Was it recent? Was it a long time ago? It hardly mattered now.

With a sad sigh, the boy closed the tab, unsure of what to think. He was about to walk away altogether when one final message appeared. It wasn’t a tab, more like a drop-down. A large button glowed that read: Accessories. Well, who could resist that?

Upon pressing it, the tube overhead whirred and from the center a hatch opened inside, lowering a small platform. On it were a few things. The boy recognized them from the UI of himself. It was his clothing. A pair of rain boots, some cuffs, gloves, and a backpack. The last of which was supposed to help him with his ability of hydrokinesis. An idea that made the boy roll his eyes. There was no way he could actually do that.

And yet his brain ran him through the steps. The identifying of water molecules, the link between nerve centers, the brain, and vibration of all of these things. It…might be possible, but no way…well…

The boy shook off the thought and put on the gear. It all fit perfectly. But that made sense…it was designed with him in mind. With it on he moved over to the other tube with the other monitor. Looking at this one felt like just as bad of an invasion of privacy as looking at the girl, but he had to.

Finding the same button as before, the boy pressed it, and the same platform lowered, the girl’s clothes descending. He gathered them up, maneuvered as best he could while looking directly up, and placed them in front of her. Then he moved to the far side of the room and proceeded to face the wall.

…

The girl woke up with a groan. She didn’t know how long she’d been passed out, but it certainly hadn’t been long enough. Her limbs still felt sluggish, her eyelids more cooperating with the force of gravity than with her muscles. Still, she managed to look up through a curtain of her quills and spotted a neatly folded pile of clothes in front of her.

And then there was the boy. He was between her and the duck(thankfully still unconscious), and he was sitting, cross-legged, facing the wall.

“Heeeey…” The girl dragged out, eyes narrowing more with confusion than suspicion at the boy. There was a pause, the boy’s head stiffening at her words, then shaking as if he didn’t know what to do, and then relaxed.

“Hello.” His voice was high-pitched and quiet, but there was a ragged sharpness there. Like an aftertaste, that acted as an echo for his voice. The girl looked at the clothes.

“Are these mine?” There was another pause.

“Yes.” The girl nodded to herself and moved, relieved to find her legs were now working…at least somewhat as they didn’t fully respond, causing her to temporarily struggle to put the pants on. At last, she was left with one thing. It was a band, similar to the ones she now had around her wrists, but it was larger and she wasn’t sure where it went.

“Hey, kid.” The boy stiffened again, his head turned slightly, as if he wanted to look at her, but snapped back, looking straight forward again. “What am I supposed to do with this big band?” Another pause.

“It…it holds your quills up.”

“What?” The girl didn’t fully understand and despite the fact that she asked him, now she was curious how he knew. The boy didn’t elaborate, nor did he stop looking at the wall. “You can look at me now.” The girl groaned. “I’ve got my clothes on.” The boy turned and the girl, with eyebrows creasing realized something. “Wait…did you look at me while I was asleep?!” The girl felt more angry than violated, this kid was a brat!

“N-no!” The boy held his hands up in surrender and looked away once more, his eyes squeezed so tight, the girl thought he might pull a muscle. His tone made her think he was lying, but whatever he’d seen was ultimately accidental. The girl just rolled her eyes.

“Whatever, what am I supposed to do with this band?” The boy was slow to move, but after realizing that the girl wasn’t going to attack him, he moved over and then directed her attention to one of the monitors attached to the tube she’d emerged from. Glancing from the boy to the monitor the girl realized she was staring at an image of herself. Same fur, same eyes, same hands, even down to the exact outfit. Leave for the quills, which were done up high with a band.

She copied the image.

“What…what is this?” She asked the boy.

“It’s…you. The you that someone else made.” He shrugged sadly.

“What…what does that mean?” The girl scoffed. The boy looked at her for a long time. He was younger than her, she could tell. But he already carried a heaviness with him, even beyond the big pack on his back.

“It…it means someone made what we are…what we can do…who we are…” The boy’s voice got quieter as he went on, and he just looked on at the monitor, not meeting the girl’s gaze.

“And…what do they say?” The girl didn’t feel like reading all the words on them, and more than that…she didn’t really want to know. The boy pointed to the one with a picture of him on it.

“It says that I’m Kitsunami the Fennec. And that-” He pointed to the monitor right in front of them. “You’re Surge the Tenrec.”

Chapter Text

Surge the Tenrec wasn’t a bad name. Perhaps a tad on the nose. It definitely could’ve been worse…she could’ve been Sparky the Tenrec which just feels insulting.

“You’re umm, very strong and extremely fast. As well as you have Electrokinesis, which feels ridiculous.” The boy-Kitsunami continued. “No one is that fast and controlling electricity? It’s…not possible.” Kitsunami continued although he didn’t seem too sure, and Surge definitely wasn’t sure. That was electricity that came out of her hands to zap that duck, right?

“Is weird purple metal ducks possible?” Surge jabbed a thumb behind her, the duck still laying in a tiny puddle of water.

“Metal duck…” Kitsunami breathed out as he turned, realizing as he looked at the body on the ground. “He’s…a platypus…” Surge wasn’t sure who Kitsunami was talking to. “Umm, yeah, can…can I ask what happened to him?”

“I zapped him.” Surge raised her hands and did light jazz hands. “With my electrokibble powers.” Kitsunami’s eyebrows shot up.

“R-really?” He seemed excited, a smile appearing on his face for the first time and Surge gave a snort of laughter. It was pretty crazy. Surge didn’t think she used to have electrokibble powers, but she also had no memory, so grain of salt.

The purple duck moved.

Kitsunami and Surge froze, heads rotating slowly as the duck groaned, eyes still dull and lifeless, but observant…and hungry. It started with a crawl but managed to get to a stand, arms extended as it shambled towards them, an empty groan reverberating up its throat and sending a chill down Surge’s spine. “Umm…can you do it again?” Kit whimpered, the two of them backing away again from the duck. Surge looked down at her hands and then the duck.

“Uh, yeah. Yeah!” Surge threw out her fingers, ready to zap the duck. But nothing happened. Surge looked at her hands and threw them out again. Still nothing.

“Surge?”

“I’ve got this!” The duck was getting closer and Surge was just standing there waving her hands around like an idiot. The duck was mere inches away and Surge had enough. “Okay, fuck this!” Surge moved around the duck with surprising speed. Too much, in fact, her body moved much faster than she would’ve predicted and she ended up slamming into a wall.

Momentarily dazed, Surge shook it off and snapped her attention back to the duck, now with Surge across the room, was closing in on Kit. Kit…would he like being called that? Surge didn’t know, and she didn’t have the time. Surge dashed towards the duck, ready to either punch, smack or slam it.

And then right as she got close, something changed.

A scary shiver ran through her spine, settling coldly in her stomach. Her fingers seemed to freeze up and tighten, her heart skipping.

Everything in her body told her not to touch the duck and its weird metal coating.

Surge had no idea where the feeling was coming from and she felt like she should obey it with absolute authority. Touching the metal coating was nothing but bad news. She should run to the other side of the room, out the door, and never look back. Get as far away as possible.

But it was too late, and Kit was in danger of being attacked. Surge shoved her shoulder into the duck, it giving off an inhuman growl as it was thrown back, sailed through the air, and smashed into the inside of the tube.

Kit was quick to act and slammed the door closed, the duck now sealed inside.

“You okay?” Surge raised an eyebrow, trying to ignore the sickening feeling in her shoulder.

“Y-yeah…are you?” Kit asked and pointed to Surge’s shoulder. Surge’s breath quickened as she looked, the purplish metal adhered to her skin. It was deeply unpleasant like it was trying to get in her, consume her and-

It instantly gave up.

Surge blinked, confused, and swatted away the slime on her shoulder.

“Uh…yeah…yeah I’m good actually.” She watched it for a moment, the goop churning and boiling as it hit the floor, something alive and hungering still. It’s possible it hadn’t necessarily given up…so much as beaten. But as Surge watched it melt into nothingness, she got the feeling beating it wasn’t something she should get used to.

SLAM!

Surge and Kitsunami jumped as the duck, now encased in the tube, slammed its hand, open-palmed into the glass of the tube, actually looking angered now.

“Umm, wh-what should we do now?” Kit whimpered, eyes shaking slightly, terror resonating through his body.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m getting the fuck outta here.” Surge started to back up, Kit quickly following. Spinning around, Surge rushed to the door and found herself getting there quicker than expected, the world slowing down around her.

Unprepared, she smacked into the door and crumpled onto her back, holding her head.

“You okay?” Kit asked again, his face appearing over hers.

“I’m fine!” She grumbled, this kid starting to get on her nerves. Getting back up, Surge pulled on the door, opening it.

Where a half dozen more of the weird metal-coated things were waiting. Surge panicked for only a second before her instincts kicked in and she closed the door again.

“Wha-”

“More.” Surge cut Kit off. “There’s more of them.” Kit let out a tiny whimper. “Fuck fuck fuck. Okay okay okay. Fuck okay…fuck. Ummm, I’ll…I’ll just shove them into tubes again.” Surge gave Kit a smile of reassurance, but it was more for herself.

“Ah!” Kit took a scared step back.

“What?” Surge looked around. Was there another one in here?

“You-your teeth are all sharp!” Surge recoiled a little, feeling the extremely sharp teeth in her mouth with her tongue. “I-I-I remember i-it on the UI, but it’s s-scarier up close…” A spark of shame and sadness struck Surge’s heart, only to be replaced by anger. At this situation, at the fact that she’d been made, at Kit for being afraid. It wasn’t her fault she was scary…she didn’t want to be scary…

“Get over it.” Surge tried to growl at him, but her voice broke midway through, sounding more like a tangled squeak. Still Kit shrank under her threat.

“O…Okay.” Kit nodded and Surge could only stare at him.

“You got any idea for how we get outta here?” Surge flicked her chin at Kit.

“M-me?” Kit took a step back, looking at Surge like she’d grown a second head.

“Yeah, you! Ain’t like we got five more tubes to stuff them into.” Kit blinked, digesting the information, and nodded. He slowly moved past Surge to the door, reaching up to try and look through the small window. He jumped a few times before Surge rolled her eyes and picked him up so he could see through to the other room.

“Well?” Surge grumbled after a minute, but Kit didn’t respond, mumbling to himself as he scanned the room. “Hey!” Surge shook him once, the tiny fennec’s head rolling momentarily. “Don’t ignore me when I’m talking to you!” Surge spun the fennec around and plopped him on the ground as he nodded quickly.

“Yes ma’am.” Surge perked an eyebrow. “Umm…well it's an open space, so there’s not much of a place to hide. We have no way to properly fend them off, no equipment and they outnumber us by three. However, I saw an exit door across the room and they don’t seem to be very fast so…”

“That machine said you’re supposed to be super smart and the best you can come up with is-go fast?” Surge put her hands on her hips, glaring at the fennec. Kit had the audacity to shrug. Surge took in a deep breath, contemplating her tombstone:

Surge the Tenrec

5 minutes ago - Now

Couldn’t Gotta Go Fast

“Okay. We’re just…just gonna run it.” Surge tried to visualize her running it and only came up with an image of her getting dogpiled by the metal mucks. “Ready?” Kit gave her a grave nod.

Surge looked back up and through the window, spotting the exit door, maybe 50 feet away. She gripped the handle of the room, preparing to throw it open. And then…she’d run and pray she’d make it.

Surge threw open the door, put one foot in front of the-

SLAM!

Surge smacked into the exit door, nose bouncing off it painfully, and fell on her butt.

“What the…? OW!” Surge rubbed at her nose and looked up. Somehow, she was at the exit door. She stood up and spun around, seeing Kit only exiting the doorway of the other room, his little arms and legs pumping as he huffed. Surge watched as his look of effort was replaced by confusion. The metal mucks now started to realize they were in the room and started to move toward them, groaning and stumbling.

“What are you doing over there?!” Kit yelled as he ran.

“I dunno! I just…ran.”

“How?!” Surge didn’t really know how to answer that.

“By walking but faster! What do you mean how?! What do-” Surge cut herself off as she realized the metal mucks were starting to close in on Kit. She didn’t know this kid, but just ditching him like this helped no one. Maybe she could run him…

Getting ready, Surge ran forward and-

SMACK!

“OWWWWUH!” Surge held her nose as she ran into something cold and hard.

“RAAARGH!” Surge jumped back as the duck roared and slammed on the tube. She was back in the original room. How fast was she going?!

“Surge?!” Kit called from the big room.

“Yeah I’m-” Surge started running again, flew through the doorway, and tripped over some small boxes in the large room, knocking them over and tumbling end over end before coming to a stop on her back. “-here…” Surge groaned pitifully.

“Surge?! Help!” Kit cry got Surge up, head spinning from the vertigo of being launched around a space. She looked up and saw the six other metal mucks mere feet away from Kit, he was far too short to outrun them. Surge took a breath and watched his movement. She decided she could run really fast, but she needed to control it, just a little burst of speed-

Surge shot forward again, but more controlled. She somewhere between caught and crashed into Kit, the two sliding forward and lightly bonking into the far wall. Kit groaned dazily, but Surge remained firm, checking the distance of the metal mucks, satisfied with their distance before she grabbed Kit, looked to the exit door, and ran again.

Once more she shot past a bit too much but managed to grab the handle, but her feet kept going for a moment, flying out from under her. Surge and Kit were airborne for a moment before they landed in a heap, Surge’s hand still gripping the handle and the fennec. Kit groaned again, but Surge slowly rolled over, finally letting go of Kit and saw that the metal mucks were closing in on them.

“Okay. Time to go.” Surge spun around and grasped the door handle, turning it.

It was locked.

Fuck.

“C’mon c’mon c’mon.” Surge jiggled and twisted the handle like a crazy person, hoping that the lock would have mercy on her and randomly disengage. It did not. “Kit! KIT!” Surge yelped, the fennec hearing her but was slow to get up. The metal mucks were only a few yards away now, and getting feistier as they got closer, sensing their-prey, was in sight. “Open!’ Surge yanked on the door. “OPEN!” Surge yanked again, fear starting to fill her voice, the world so new to her and yet already so unfair. “OPEN!” Surge roared and the door opened.

No. It didn’t open.

It was ripped off.

It was instantaneous. The door was immovable then suddenly it was as fragile as a leaf. The inertia of the movement surprised Surge and she was slightly spun around, pulled by the door. She let go only by instinct and watched as the door smashed into three metal mucks and they too went flying back before the door squished them against the opposite wall.

“Uhh…what just happened?” Kit looked up at Surge, the intensity of the moment sobering him up. Surge had no answer but noticed that there were still a bunch of metal mucks coming from them so she scooped up the fennec in one hand and faced the now doorless doorway.

“Let’s figure that out later. Now? Now let’s run.” And indeed Surge did run. Activating that superspeed she blasted down a hallway, then as it came to an end she managed to turn then again and again, the maze of the facility, brushing past her eyes in an instant. Finally, one large set of double doors appeared in front of her, and at this point Surge realized she was going really fast. “Woah woah woah!” Surge tried to put on the brakes her feet going in front of her trying to slow her down. But it was too late and Surge and Kit in a tangle of limbs smacked into the double doors, which went wide and the two spilled out into the day.

And what a day it was.

The sky was a bright blue. And that’s about all that felt normal about the situation. A perfect dome of the heavens with a burning yellow circle shining down on the planet.

The rest was a world that made Surge want to crawl back into that pod she’d come from.

Everything was gray. Bright metallic gray that glittered, bouncing sunbeams across a cold expanse. Structures rose and fell, but looked like spires of simple fragility against perfect completeness of metal. What appeared to be plant life had been plated in the same silvery metal muck that the people had been back in the building they were just in. The few good things about it were that there didn’t seem to be too many metal mucks themselves. Surge caught a glimpse of a few in the distance, but otherwise Surge and Kit were incredibly alone.

A hot and dry wind blew, the air fried from reflecting sunbeams of the metallic plant life.

Surge returned her attention to the buildings. Noticing that there only seemed to be buildings as part of a single compound, the world beyond that bright shining mess. Was…was everywhere like this? A voice of nothing by buildings and metal ground and burning air?

“W-what now?” Surge was snapped out of her own thoughts as Kit tugged on her pant leg. She jerked back a little a glare unintentionally making its way onto her face.

“I dunno? Why are you asking me?!” Kit recoiled a little, his ears going forward slightly as a form of protective curtain.

“I-I-I I don’t know. I think you’re supposed to be in charge…” Kit whimpered out, toeing the dirt, one of few things free of the metal muck.

“In charge of what?! What’s there to be in charge of?”

“...me?” Kit asked after a while.

“Kit, I don’t even know you. Fuck, I don’t even know myself. So I certainly don’t know how to be in charge of you, or WHAT’S EVEN GOING ON!” Surge flung her hands in the air, yelling out and stomping in a circle. Frustration boiling over as she felt the desire to tear things apart, but there was nothing. After a solid tantrum, Surge squatted and put her head in her hands.

Something poked her in the shoulder.

“What is it Kit?” Surge grumbled through her hands.

“I…have an idea.” He mumbled.

“Is it…go fast? Cause if so, I think I’m gonna deck you.”

Kit didn’t answer.

“I swear Kit-”

“N-no! It’s not: go fast! Well, it’s not not go fast.” Surge dragged her hands across her face and twisted her head to look at Kit, now at eye level. “We should at least leave. This place is bad, but it’s all we know. Maybe there’s more civilization elsewhere. Plus those creatures could come get us here.” For a moment Surge didn’t answer and Kit was quick to panic. “I-It’s just and i-idea if you-”

“No. It’s not bad. If you’ve got an idea better to shit it out than hold it in.” Surge stood up and wiped at her nose.

“...thanks?” Kit wasn’t sure he liked that turn of phrase but took the compliment either way.

“Alright, let’s get moving.” Surge started walking down the dusty road, one of few paths clear of the glittering, hungering metal.

“Let’s?” Kit asked hopefully as he stumbled and had to walk quickly to keep up with Surge’s long strides.

“You see another path to walk down?” Surge threw out a hand at the dusty road. “Looks like you’re stuck with me, Kit.” Kit considered that, looking at the long road. Felt the hot day, and the angsty tenrec beside him.

Somehow he was okay with that.

Chapter Text

You’d never hear Surge admit it. But it was totally her fault. She was just too damn loud.

They’d found a city. Or at least they’d found the remains of a city. It was surprisingly intact. Tall buildings rose from the ground, black asphalt rolled down the streets, and bridges spanned waterways. It was a metropolis.

Except for the part where there were no people.

Just the metal mucks.

Not many, especially for a city of this magnitude. The buildings were so tall, the horizon had no hope. But there were a few. Surge and Kit made sure to keep to the sides, and darker alleys, the metal mucks seeming to wander about aimlessly in the streets. Their feet shambled one in front of the other, their faces blank leaving for that all-consuming hunger.

“Looks like your theory about them only being at that base is fucked.” Surge grimaced as she and Kit hid in an alley behind a cluster of garbage cans.

“I never said that they wouldn’t. I just-” Surge shot Kit a look. “Sorry.” Kit turned away.

“Alright smart guy, any other bright ideas?” Surge turned her attention back to a somewhat larger group of metal mucks, four or five of them.

“I-” A gurgling sound boiled up from Kit’s body, and he went to cover it, a shaking sound that Surge sentimented.

“Yeah, me too little guy. Our next plan’s gotta have food involved.” Surge lowered herself, eyes flicking about as they just peeked out over the trashcans.

“Th-there’s a grocery store I noted a couple o-of blocks back. Perhaps they have food.”

Surge’s brain fuzzed slightly at the idea. She knew for certain what a grocery store was, and that it would indeed have food, and that food cost money. But at the same time, she knew that she’d never been to a grocery store, nor held money in her hand.

“R-right.” Surge muttered, her gaze looking beyond Kit. “Lead the way, little man.”

Leaving behind the trashcans, the two padded through alleys and kept to the shadows, watching as metal mucks wandered about, occasionally bonking into buildings or one another, but always there.

A lot of the buildings, while structurally intact, did show signs of wear. Windows smashed, benches toppled, awnings ripped. A disaster had ripped through the city but left it ready to be refurbished.

Surge and Kit approached the front of the supermarket, and the doors shut. They waited for a moment.

“Aren’t the doors supposed to open?” Surge looked up at the sensor, which should signal the automatic doors to slide open.

“There’s no power.” Kit pointed at the sensor again and Surge noted that it displayed no signs of life. “If there are no people, there’s more than likely no one to turn the power on.”

“Right…” Surge spoke…their world was unfamiliar in two different senses. Surge reached out putting her hands on the double doors, getting her fingers between the small space between.

“Are you trying to brute force it open? You can’t possibly-” The doors practically flew open, sliding smoothly on the rails. Surge looked at her hands, pulling away like the doors had been burning hot.

It had taken almost no force at all.

“Don’t tell me what I can’t do.” Surge said aloud and Kit got the message quickly quieting. But as Surge looked at her hands, she found herself not speaking to him.

As they entered, Kit was hoping to find rotting fruit, some semblance of time to ground themselves, but the fruit, vegetables, and other perishable goods left on display had been mucked, shiny bright fruit that Kit was positive wasn’t edible.

“C’mon Kit, let’s go. I don’t like looking at it.” Surge quickly pivoted away from the metal fruit and Kit followed, but his eyes lingered on it for just a moment, the continued metalized organic items starting to paint a clearer and more dangerous picture in his mind.

They were in the meat section.

Four of them, all scrambling away at the thin plastic coating protecting what was now surely spoiled meat, their metallic hands trying to infect the organics. Surge and Kit watched them for a moment, taking solace in the fact that the mucks weren’t particularly intelligent, either not knowing to tear open the packaging or not even identifying it. Still, Surge and Kit made sure to steer clear as they wandered on.

“Canned goods.” Kit muttered to himself as he led the way through the grocery. “They’re unlikely to perish, and have thick containers that those…things won’t recognize the food within.” All Surge could do was nod, checking behind them, watching and waiting for one of the metal mucks to come up behind them.

Kit halted at one aisle and began down it, his eyes looking up through long bangs to see the food products held on the shelves. There were noticeable gaps, and food lifted en masse without being replenished. Some form of hoarding or feared purchasing. Kit attempted to push that out of his mind as he reached up to grab some cans of vegetables.

But his arm stopped. No. It didn’t stop. It didn’t reach. Despite his best efforts, the fennec found that his stature was extremely limited.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting this can.” Kit grunted as he moved onto his tiptoes, but it still wasn’t enough, the tips of his fingers bumping and sliding the cans.

“Uh-huh.” Surge rolled her eyes. “Why don’t I-”

“No!” Kit stopped her, his eyes lighting up angrily beneath his bangs. Surge’s eyebrows shot up. “I can do it.” Surge just watched the upset little fennec, sensing the anger barely hiding below the surface. His fingers teased at the can again and managed to get a partial hand on it. The can tilted before fulling tipping, now over Kit’s fingers. It rolled down his arm and off his shoulder. The fennec could only watch as the cylinder went airborne on a collision course with the ground. The hard tile came up quickly.

Until a gloved hand caught it.

“How ‘bout I help you?” Surge rolled the can in her palm.

“No!” Kit repeated, a frown twisting his lips down. Surge blew out a sigh.

“Why the fuck not?”

“Cause I don’t need your help!” Kit growled and Surge raised her hands in surrender.

“Whatever. Do your own shit. It’s none of my business anyway.”

And Surge tossed the can to Kit.

Who did not catch it.

It bounced once off his head, a tiny yelp coming from him before clattering to the ground in the completely silent store, the metal ringing out like an explosion.

“Why’d you do that?!” Kit sneered at Surge, the anger in his face not matching his stature or her previous understanding of his personality.

“I-I don’t fucking know…I just did. I just…just…” Kit could only growl at that as Surge recoiled a little bit, looking at her hands and not knowing if they were hers.

And that’s when they heard them. The shuffles. The moans. The weird metallic/not metallic footsteps of the metal mucks.

“I’m getting gone. You can join me if you want.” Surge muttered as Kit looked up and swiveled on his heels, spinning around to try to get a fix on where the metal mucks were. Surge pivoted and moved down the aisle, moving faster than she would’ve liked-

-slamming right into one of the mucks.

“Guh-ross!” She spat metallic slime out of her mouth as she crashed to the floor, pulling and brushing off the metal ooze as it briefly attempted to adhere to her before falling off. The muck beside her started to get up, crawling/walking towards her, hunger in its eyes. “Fuck!” Surge swore as it leapt atop her, wrapping Surge in the world’s most unpleasant hug. A second was quick to join the dog pile, pinning Surge down. The mucks scrabbled at her back, her clothes, pulling on her face and smearing her with their revulsive bodies. “GET OFF!” Surge gave a roar and arched her back with quick force, the mucks going flying as electricity rolled off of Surge in waves. It fried the mucks, sending them spinning as they tried to get up and failed, flailing on the ground as the muck seemed to…separate from the main form. But the effect quickly died and as Surge’s head lolled slightly, the burst of power tiring, the mucks quickly regained themselves and stood, advancing once more towards Surge.

“Surge! HELP!” Kit cried and Surge looked down the eye through blurry eyes to see two more mucks grabbing at Kit. They pulled on him and pushed him around, a playtoy in their hands. They too tried to spread their metallic shells but like with Surge, they tried to adhere before twitching, falling, and sizzling on the ground before becoming lifeless.

But even if the goo wasn’t hurting Kit, the mucks would.

But why should Surge care? She didn’t know Kit, and she was already tired and in danger as it was. It would be better to leave. Kit would be fine…right?

Kit yelped as the mucks pulled on his limbs, shoving him to the ground. Surge’s legs moved under her, sluggish but consistent.

“Fuck off!” Was all she could manage as she landed a punch to one of the two. Surge didn’t think the hit was very strong, feeling tired, but the muck was launched back, crashing into a no longer cold frozen section. Clearly, Surge had put power into the hit, as she now felt even weaker, but there was still one muck left as it stood there blank-eyed, but with a dash of confusion as if couldn’t understand its ‘food’ fighting back. Surge stuck out her fist and with a roar, zapped the muck. Momentarily, its metallic skin fried and sizzled, falling away, before it was launched up and back and Surge’s power quickly gave out, the muck sent up and over the aisle, tipping behind it.

Surge slumped in a heap, her bones feeling like lead, her eyelids heavier than bricks. Sleeping would be really good right now, but somehow she propped her head up on her forearm, upper body rising slightly as she looked up at Kit. He was yelling things at her but her brain was fuzzy, the words not making it through. Eventually, he pointed and Surge turned her head with immense effort to see the first two mucks charging towards them.

Surge raised her hand again-wait no, she wanted to raise her hand but the limb wouldn’t respond and all she could do was watch as the mucks advanced quickly.

They were just mere feet away when Surge heard a screech behind her. Something slammed into the mucks and they fell back, rolling over a few times. Surge couldn’t really comprehend what was happening but as water dripped onto her face, she started to recognize water…shaped into two long tentacles. They looked soft but Surge could tell they were strong and versatile…and they were coming from Kit’s backpack.

The fennec blinked up at them, his mouth open in shock as his eyes slowly widened and widened. He muttered one word.

“Hydrokinesis.”

Kit didn’t have much time to admire them however as the mucks started to get up again. Kit turned away from them and before Surge had time to wonder why, she noticed the first two mucks, now coming at them from the other end of the aisle.

Kit stood over Surge, a growl leaving his throat as he put a tentacle to either side. He looked like he wanted to defend her, but something had changed in his expression, doubt and fear filling his face. The tentacles began to wobble and shift before they lost all tension and collapsed, splashing Surge in cold water. Kit tried to back up, but all that was there was Surge and the aisle. He looked over at Surge and muttered something that sounded like:

“I’m sorry.” Before he curled up in a ball and shivered in fear. Surge looked up at the mucks as they closed in, thoughts rampaging through her head.

She should’ve left him.

She should’ve run.

She should’ve saved herself.

And then one above all others.

I’d do it again.

The mucks reached out their hands and Surge watched it with eyes open wide, not daring to blink as she glared up at them, an act of defiance she didn’t know she had. And if she didn’t-

She never would’ve noticed them become surrounded in a teal light.

All four mucks froze, their limbs paused like a television, faces stuck in the same hungered expression. They were lifted away slightly so that the group took up the center of the aisle.

And then all four shot straight up smashing through the grocery ceiling and disappearing into the blue sky. Surge smirked as she watched them go, her eyesight going dim.

The smirk stayed even as she blacked out, the last thing in her vision was a silvery hedgehog quickly floating towards them, a look of worry on his face. But even though he was silvery, Surge could tell.

He was no metal muck.

Chapter Text

His name was Silver.

That was all Kit could get out of the floating hedgehog before he somehow lifted Surge without touching her. The tenrec’s body glowed teal blue and Silver lifted one finger, Surge’s body following it like she was a laser pointer.

“Come on!” Silver stared down at Kit, his golden eyes full of concern. Concerned for the situation or for Surge and Kit, Kit couldn’t be sure. Maybe both.

“Wh-what? What? What is ha-hap-ppening?” Kit whimpered, his eyes locked onto Surge as she floated away without him.

“I’m here to save you. Let’s get going.” Silver’s eyes locked onto Kit and Kit found himself recoiling at the drive there. It wasn’t that he was scared, but the strength and will Kit saw was blinding, like looking at the sun, awesome and terrifying. Silver looked up from Kit, his eyes moving at a million miles a minute, taking in the surroundings and absorbing information Kit couldn’t. Silver’s face was stern, mouth set in a line, but Kit wouldn’t call it grim, just extremely focused.

So focused that Silver seemed to forget Kit as he floated down the aisle, Kit’s gait too slow to catch up quickly. Kit’s legs moved him as quickly as he could but the hedgehog was too fast and Kit was quick to lose him.

“W-wai-it!” Kit squealed as Silver disappeared down the aisle. Kit could only hope he was heading toward the exit and Kit could meet him there.

“Quiet!” Silver suddenly appeared from behind a corner and Kit yelped, falling backward under Silver’s powerful gaze, flecks of glowing blue appearing in his eyes.

“S-s-s-” Kit couldn’t even get out the word. Silver’s eyes immediately softened and he watched the tiny fennec curl up, maroon eyes, wide and terrified as they looked out beneath long bangs.

“It’s-I…I’m…” Silver sighed and raised his hand. A weird warmth coated Kitsunami. It was reminiscent of the brief moments he was awake back in his tube. Water bubbling and floating him aloft. “C’mon, we’re taking a shortcut.” Silver looked skyward and floated himself and the tenrec and fennec up through the hole he’d made with the metal animals.

And then he went higher and higher and higher, and the city started to fall behind them, becoming a relatively blank spot amongst the glittering expanse of metal plant life. As they got higher, Kit noted that it was starting to get cooler, the reflection and trapped heat left behind. Cool breezes blew through his fur and he began to uncurl, eyes growing wider as he watched the world go by.

“Woah…” Kit breathed. His head moved on a swivel taking in the glittering world. He knew it was wrong, but it still was pretty, the world done up in chrome. Kit’s head turned and he managed to spot Silver, who was watching him.

A smile on his face.

“Wh-why are you smiling?” Kit flinched a little. Silver’s eyes widened and he looked away, his smile now replaced with a sheepish grin.

“S-sorry.” Silver scratched at his face. “It’s just…it’s been so long since we’ve seen another survivor. I’m just glad there are still people out there.”

The word ‘survivor’ only confirmed the fears Kit had been having. Some bizarre metal plague had consumed/was consuming all of the organic material on the planet…including the people. And what’s more, the remnants of the people became those-

“I was worried the zombots had gotten everyone.”

-well it was better than ‘metal mucks’ as Surge had been calling them.

“How…how long has this been going on?” Kit asked and Silver’s face darkened, a grimace crossing it as he looked at the glittering mess below.

“A couple of months.” Silver shrugged, an accepting sadness in the movement.

“Did anyone t-try to stop it?” Kit was worried again, unsure how many questions he could ask as Silver’s face only continued to become more grim.

“We did…we failed.” Kit watched as Silver’s fists tightened and the warmth surrounding Kit seemed to tighten too, squishing in on him.

“So…everything is like this?” Kit thought Silver might enter an even darker place but to his surprise, Silver’s face actually lightened, his golden eyes glittering.

“Not all of it. There’s a few beautiful places that are still safe.” And with that, Kit let out a yelp as Silver took a hard turn and soon the land seemed to fall away as Silver took them across the broad expanse of the ocean.

…

For a long time, Kit saw nothing, just endless blue. So much so, Kit was worried if Silver dropped him, that his fur might blend in and the hedgehog would never find him. But eventually, a sliver of green broke up the blue.

At first, Kit thought it was just his eyes playing tricks but as they got closer, Kit noted it was a small but beautiful tropical island, with pristine beaches, tall mountains, and lush forests-

-Free of any metal corruption.

“Welcome to West Island.” Silver spoke as he landed on the tan expanse of sand, dropping Kit and Surge next to him. Kit landed on his feet, Surge however face-planted, the impact waking her up finally as she bolted upright, looking sleepy and ridiculous, a coating of fine sand in her face-fur.

“Never-ptheh-heard of it.” Surge spat sand out of her mouth. Silver gave a bemused shrug.

“That doesn’t surprise me. It’s really far out there and I only recently heard of it myself.” Silver explained. “But fun fact, it’s where Sonic met Tails.” Silver beamed at them, his gloom seeming to dissipate. There was only one problem.

“Who the fuck are Sonic and Tails?” Surge tried to wipe sand off her face.

“Who-” Silver’s face twitched and his head tilted slightly, eyes blinking rapidly. He stared at them while leaning forward slightly as if he hadn’t heard what they’d said. “I’m sorry, what?”

“These Sonic and Tails schmucks. Who are they?” Surge chinned at Kit. “D’you know Drippy?”

“Drippy?” Kit questioned but Surge only shrugged. “Uh, but, no. I don’t know who Sonic and Tails are.” Kit spoke clearly, but something in the back of his mind twitched with discomfort. He was lying…without knowing he was lying. Kit did know those names, if only barely. He’d seen them somewhere before.

“Sonic. Hero of the world? Blue hedgehog?” Surge and Kit gave Silver blank stares. “Fastest thing alive?”

“Sounds like he needs his ego checked on a daily basis.” Surge stretched her arms up, not really paying attention to Silver.

“Well…you’re not…not wrong.” Silver spoke softly, baffled that these two had no idea who Sonic and Tails were. Especially since they kind of looked like the hedgehog and fox if Silver really squinted.

“Hey, look, weird hedgehog guy. I dunno how I got here and I don’t really care. But do you have any food, otherwise I’m out.” Surge dug in her ear, flicking the resulting ‘gold’ in the general direction of Kit, who gave her a wide berth.

“You’re just gonna leave? The world’s organic matter is being consumed by some metal pathogen-”

“Metal Virus.” Silver interjected Kit.

“-wouldn’t it be better to stay put and figure out a way to stop and or reverse its direction?” Kit huffed.

“Eh.” Surge shrugged. “What, we’re on an island now doesn’t seem that the stuff passes through water.” Kit began to seethe. Heat boiled up in his chest and his fur began to prickly, this bored tenrec frustrating that she couldn’t see the bigger picture.

“It’s only a matter of time before it makes its way here. Flicky migration, fish picking it up, it could even cross on a wayward leaf blown off-course. If the world is really like this then we’re on a ticking clock.” Kit stamped his feet and had a desire to tantrum.

“If you’re so worried- then you do something about it.” Surge rolled her eyes and poked Kit in the nose.

“Don’t do that!”

“Oh yeah? I’ll-”

“HEY.” SIlver stepped in between the fennec and tenrec his face a mixture of calming mediator and a lack of patience, his own understanding of the ‘ticking clock’ making him want to act. “Y’know what? I think-” Silver turned to face Surge but stopped, realizing he didn’t know her name.

“Surge. Surge the Tenrec.” Silver’s eyebrows furrowed for a moment at that. Surge nodded toward Kit. “And Drippy over there is Kitsunami the Fennec. You can call him Kit. Or Drippy. Or Mr. Panics-a-lot. Or-”

“KIT.” Kit said through clenched teeth. “-is fine."

“I think…Surge-” Silver said the name slowly, testing it out. The way he said it made Surge narrow her eyes at him. Something about her tripped him off. Like he knew something about Surge that even she didn’t know. And when Surge knew basically nothing about herself, that could be a lot of things. “-is right. How about we get something to eat? And then we can all figure out what to do next.”

There were some grumbles, but no declines and Silver walked off the beach, Kit and Surge in tow.

…

The base was an old workshop that had been remodeled. A classic engineering garage was a partial front with work benches and an old refrigerator and a ratty bed. But a staircase led down to an elevator that dropped below into a sub-basement.

The sub-basement was the real deal. Screens and more workbenches with large power tools, large food stocks, a few different partially constructed machines, and even a large space for a plane.

But it was old.

Cobwebs and scratches and dust seemed to line the corners and the occasional workbench. The computers were several years out of date and probably needed a replacement. But that wasn’t the thing that tripped Kit off the most.

It was the people. There were people. Maybe only a dozen, but it was better than not at all. Even if they were the most distraught-looking individuals Kit had ever seen. Rather than trying to solve what was happening or just stay busy, Kit watched them laze around, looking around aimlessly…or just quietly crying alone.

Kit may have lost his memory. But as Kit came to realize, these people have lost everything.

Surge on the other hand wasn’t so much looking at the people, she was drawn to the robot.

It was blue. That was the big thing. The base was mostly a dull gray/beige/spots of orange-yellow combo, so it stuck out. But other than that, Surge felt pulled to it.

A generally person shaped with a large head, small body, and limbs with large extremities. But it was pulled to the extreme. The limbs too thin, the head too big, and the hands and feet too small. It was a garish version of a person, but with smooth features that lead to sharp points, like someone had tried to perfect a person and only ended up removing the soul within.

It held no mouth and appeared utterly lifeless, a pitch-black screen where the eyes were. The darkness of it seemed to pull Surge in.

“Stay away from that.” Silver’s hardened voice pulled Surge out of her head and she found herself mere inches from the lifeless robot, trying to peer beyond its dark visor to see if something burned within.

“R-right.” Surge felt like she was being pulled in two directions. One part of herself wanted to ignore Silver and see what that clunker was all about and the other part…

Told her that she should get very very far away from that robot.

“Anyway…” Silver’s gaze slowly moved away from the blue robot and brought his gaze to the rest of the people in the room. “Let me introduce you to some of my friends.”

“Those of us that are left.” A dreary voice came up behind them and Kit jumped with Surge and Silver turning in surprise.

“Ah! Lanolin it’s good to see you-” Silver began as Surge took in the sheep. She was old. Or perhaps she just looked old. Bags hung from her eyes and dull blue pupils took in Surge and Kit with scrutiny and weary. Her fur which might’ve once been white was gray and stained with various substances. Surge noted that her clothing was wrinkled and sagging on her as a bell clunked around her neck, the dangly thingy gone.

“You found some survivors…cool. Welcome to the island.” Lanolin’s voice wasn’t monotone but it certainly had little to no life in it. “Do you want me to show you to a room or-”

“Actually Lanolin…” Silver took in the sheep with wide eyes. “I-I’ll show them around. Why don’t…why don’t you get some sleep?” Silver laid his hand on Lanolin’s shoulder and the sheep considered it before just moving forward, Silver’s hand sliding off.

“Guess so…” Surge stared at the sheep as she walked off, before turning back to Silver.

“Charming.” Surge grunted and Silver looked at the floor.

“She’s…been through a lot. We all have.” Surge wanted to ask more and she and Kit exchanged a glance, but ultimately thought better of it, the tenrec taking in the space.

“So you gonna show us around or what?” Silver looked up after a moment and nodded.

“Sure.” He swallowed, his golden eyes distant and hollow. “Just…I need to check on one more person first.”

Silver lead them through the underground base, only spotting one or two more people as they walked before the white hedgehog led them to a door at the end of the hall. The hall was cramped and dark making it hard to find and closed off from the rest of the base. Silver rapped his knuckles on the door twice, his face going close to it, ear pressed to the door. When he spoke his voice was soft and enticing. Like trying to coax out a frightened animal.

“Whisper? Are you in there?”

There was no response.

After a moment of silence in the hallway, the occasional sound of pipes or lighting flickering breaking it; Kit’s ears strained and he heard the sound of shuffling footsteps. The footsteps got louder as they approached the other side of the door.

There was another pause and the silence consumed them all.

Then the door opened.

Just barely. Just enough to disengage the latch and for the hinge to creak once. The sound of footsteps moving away was barely audible. Silver placed one hand on the door, and pushed it open to let the light of the hall illuminate a path into the room.

She was a wolf, or the remains of one. If Surge thought Lanolin was a sad sight, then Whisper was nothingness. A break in the darkness of the room, a figure barely visible behind a dark cloak and a ratty white blanket. Bizarre floating creatures swirled around her, weirdly colorful and contrasting the figure leeched of all color.

The creatures seemed momentarily excited by her movement, but as Whisper crawled into a bed in the back of the room, they fell to the floor, their own color seeming to decay as they blinked slowly.

Silver looked into the room. Surge noted that he was shaking slightly, and his eyes were fully widened. But they held a weight to them, the sight of Whisper…crushing. Surge watched as he took a step into the room, only one, the movement seeming to take years out of him.

“Whisper? How are you today? Did…did you eat anything?” Unsurprisingly, there was no response, Whisper was facing the wall so all Surge saw was a lump of a figure, held barely to the world by breath. “Okay…” Silver’s voice shattered as he spoke, the word barely recognizable. “Well…well I wanted you to meet Surge and Kit. They’re some survivors I found.”

Whisper shifted.

“Try to eat something…please.” Silver begged and stepped out of the room. The door seemed to close on its own.

That is until Surge slammed it open.

“Hey!” The creatures jumped at Surge’s voice but Whisper didn’t so much as flinch. “This guy’s fuckin’ worried about you! The least you could do is respond.” Surge gritted her teeth. The creatures looked up at her with some level of confusion, as if they couldn’t understand why she was there. Why she was trying?

Why was she trying?

“Please stop.” Silver put his hand on Surge’s shoulder. “It’s…not helpful.”

“Well, geez! Excuse me for-” Surge saw the weight of the sadness in his eyes and held her tongue. “Sorry…shoulda kept my mouth shut.” Silver’s face shifted and a weak smile brightened it slightly.

“Thank you for trying…sincerely.” Surge looked away from the kindness in Silver’s eyes.

“Whatever.” And she shrugged him off, exiting the room and letting the door close.

“Okay. How about that proper tour?” Silver clapped his hands and they started down the hall, Silver’s smile trying to disguise his sadness. And that’s when they heard the crash.

It was coming from the main room. Surge and Kit followed as Silver panicked, seeming to know something they didn’t. The sight when they arrived told a story of mutual fear.

Everyone was backed up into one corner. They cowered and shook, eyes turned to dinner plates as they tried to crawl further over one another to get away from…

-From a zombot.

It was crouching on a table, its sharp teeth bared and red eyes full of hunger. The metallic shell coating the beast glimmered and twinkled as it twisted and jerked about, acting like a wild animal. The part that surprised Surge the most was how small it was. If she had to guess it was right around the size of Kit maybe slightly bigger. A young bunny of sorts turned into a hollow monster.

“Ho-how’d she escape?!” Silver shouted and Lanolin, who finally seemed to have some energy in her glared at Silver from across the room, the sheep on the other side of the table with the zombot.

“How do you think?! It doesn’t care about us. It only cares about i-” Lanolin stopped herself. “About her.” Lanolin gestured to the zombot on the table, who seemed more agitated that Silver and Lanolin were talking like she wasn’t in the room.

“Eeer…shoot.” Silver winced, some thought putting him in a difficult position. “I…I’ll take care of this.” Silver cautiously approached the zombot, hands extended trying to appear non-threatening. “Okay, Cream…let’s calm down. I’m…I’m just gonna psychokinetically float you out of here. It’s going to be a snap and then everything will be fine. Okay?” ‘Cream’ did not seem okay with that as she snarled and inched backward on the table, eyes narrowing as Silver approached.

“She doesn’t seem too fine with this.” Surge looked beyond Silver at Cream, noting the aggressive stance in the small metal bunny.

“It’s fine, Surge. I can just-”

And then Cream launched herself at Silver.

Silver’s eyes widened. His heart pounded but his blood turned to ice. Cream’s once small hands were now claws that reached for his skin, desperate to spread the virus and consume everything.

And now Silver would be a part of that.

Cream let out a yelp as she was yanked back by her collar, hands inches from Silver’s nose. Silver managed to take a breath as he un-tunnelvisioned and saw the scene before him.

Cream was held aloft, hands and feet scrabbling aimlessly in the air as she thrashed about--by Surge. The tenrec looked curiously at the small rabbit as she held it away from her face, Cream attempting to scratch her.

“Were you just going to let her attack you?” Surge raised an eyebrow at Silver. The hedgehog for his part was speechless. Surge had voluntarily touched a zombot. She had saved him.

“S-Surge…you took a bullet for me.” Silver gasped.

“Huh?” The tenrec tilted her head.

At that moment a robot entered the room. Humanoid and mostly painted black but slightly smaller than the average person and with a much smaller head, a sharp yellow cross in the center of its face. It looked…torn apart was the best way Surge could put it. Caved in metal parts, slightly ripped wires. Sparks and jitters shook its body.

“You found her.” The robot spoke a detectable touch of relief in its electronic voice.

“Crazy pet you keep here man.” Surge tossed the rabbit over to the robot, who nearly didn’t catch her as Cream twisted in the air, trying to escape. The robot managed to get a grip on her and held her tight in a hug. Cream for her part, wasn’t happy scrabbling about and scratching, yanking, and causing more damage to the robot. Surge gave a grunt as she understood the reason for its damage. Silver momentarily turned to the robot, giving it a glare.

“Gemerl. We’ll talk about this later-” Silver turned to Surge. “And…and Surge. Thank you…thank you for your sacrifice. I won’t waste it.” Silver’s voice was drenched in melancholy as a sad smile formed on his face.

“My what now?” Surge spoke deadpan. Silver blinked emptily.

“F-for touching Cream and saving me.”

“Sure. But I didn’t sacrifice shit. ‘Specially not for you. I don’t fucking know you.” Surge gave a big shrug, running a hand through her quills.

“I-I…” Silver seemed just as confused as Surge was, the rest of the group seeming to agree with his sentiment like Surge was the crazy one. “I’m sorry Surge but…you know you have to leave right? Before it spreads.”

“Uh, I ain’t going nowhere. You got food and beds and shit. Sounds like a clubhouse I wanna be a part of. Why would I leave?” Surge gave a laugh and people’s gaze turned to Silver, whose eyes only hardened.

“I don’t know why you’re so over-confident. But I’m sorry. I can’t risk it. If you won’t leave of your own volition…” Silver raised his right hand and teal light filled Surge’s vision. She suddenly felt stiff like waking up in the morning times a billion. Her body froze and her limbs locked up. She began to float again under Silver’s power, but this time it was a lot more aggressive, it wasn’t trying to lift her, it was holding her.

“Let-me-go.” Surge managed through gritted teeth. She tried to twist and move but barely managed a twitch.

“Thanks again Surge.” Silver’s voice was sad. Sad sad sad. For her. He was sad for her? Who the fuck was he?

Surge twisted and turned managing to curl up slightly, fighting Silver’s power.

How dare he think that he was better than her. That he could control what she could do. Surge didn’t even know.

Surge managed to curl up fully and found herself in a ball. Silver began to grunt with exertion as Surge found some kind of power. She had no idea where it was coming from. But with it…she could spin.

It was the least Silver could do to let her figure it out.

Surge launched out of Silver’s powered grip and ping-ponged throughout the room, contained in a tight ball form. Her power was immense as she smashed into walls and broke lights and overall caused mass chaos. There were a few screams or yells as Surge bounced around like a pinball.

Finally, her initial inertia subsided and she rolled to the floor and uncurled. As she sat up, her head spun and unfocused before managing to see Silver in front of her.

With his jaw on the floor.

“You like that?” Surge’s voice was initially as wobbly as her legs as she stood, but she quickly stabilized her whole self, eyes narrowing at the white hog. “How ‘bout I follow it up with a knuckle-sandwich!” Surge gave a roar as she launched herself at Silver who was too shocked to do much of anything. He only watched as Surge closed in on him.

And then Surge hit a brick wall.

Or rather a steel wall with an iron grip. Surge had been completely stopped by a metallic hand. One with needles for fingers and a powerful hold. Surge looked up at saw that she had been stopped by a robot. But not Gemerl.

The first one. With the black screen for eyes.

Except now the screen held two red eyes that glowed like neon. And in them? Surge saw what could only be described as excitement.

It had awoken to face a challenger.

Chapter Text

“Leggo!” Surge snarled, but it came out like more of a whimper. The robot’s grip crushing. Surge tried to pull her hand out but she couldn’t even move it an inch as the robot continued to stare her down. Its eyes flickered for a moment and Surge had enough time to think ‘uh oh’ before it slammed its knee into her stomach.

Pain.

It was Surge’s first time really experiencing it as the breath was forced out of her lungs and intense pressure was forced onto her ribs, threatening to break them. Surge choked and coughed, her lungs not working properly, the wind totally knocked out of her.

The robot’s eyes seemed to narrow, the pixels of the screen thinning. It let her arm go and Surge crumpled to the ground, still not managing to suck air in as she curled into the fetal position. The robot towered over her, casting her in shadow as it loomed.

“Metal Sonic…you’re…awake?” Silver’s voice was far away as Surge shuddered on the ground, air finally starting to fill her lungs again. Metal Sonic’s hand raised and Surge’s vision shook at the hand full of needles ready to slice her to ribbons.

As Metal Sonic struck, Surge managed the slightest of rolls to the side, the wind of Metal Sonic’s hand whooshing past her back. Surge then rolled onto her stomach and onto all fours, putting her feet under her to get away.

Metal snatched one of her legs and Surge gasped, spinning around in its grasp as her arms gripped at the floor, trying to pull away. When that didn’t work, she raised her other foot and slammed it into Metal Sonic’s face. Metal’s head barely tilted back so she hit him again and again. Both times a little further.

“Let. Me. Go!” Surge snarled and smashed her foot into Metal Sonic’s face, electricity sparking off it as Metal was sent tumbling back, releasing Surge. He sparked and zapped, his head twisted awkwardly on this body. Surge stuck around only to watch him grab his head with his hands and with a disturbing snap, pop it back into place. She flipped back onto her stomach and put her feet under her, propelling herself forward, deeper into the base, and away from Metal Sonic.

“Don’t let her get to the surface!” Silver’s voice echoed as Surge ran. The robot was on her in a second. Surge barely made it down the hall before Metal Sonic ran into her, shoulder-checking her into the ground at high speed. Surge tumbled forward. Her face, back, hips, and head smacked into the hard concrete floors at various moments before she slammed into a far wall, stopping her momentum and crumpling her into a heap of pain on the ground.

Surge looked up slowly through a swollen black eye and blood from a head wound dripping into her vision to see Metal Sonic approaching slowly. A hunter toying with its prey.

“S-stay AWAY!” Surge coughed as she slammed her hand into the ground, finding pulses of electricity and shoving them through the concrete. It managed to tear up the floor, cracking and breaking it as the energy galloped and shocked Metal Sonic. The robot vibrate and his eyes flashed with x’s before Surge’s power gave out and the robot slumped forward, steaming.

Surge found breathing tricky again and she spat out a clump of blood, splattering the cracked concrete. Her breaths were fast and shallow, her vision tinted with red. But she knew she didn’t have time to stall, Surge could hear the boots of Silver and others from the other room. They’d take her. Throw her out. Leave her with nothing…

But that wasn’t Surge’s biggest concern, because it looked like Metal Sonic was starting to recover. Surge struggled to her feet, her limbs screaming in pain as they protested the movement. Bone and muscle tissue strained. She should just give up. It would be easier.

And yet Surge managed to put one foot in front of the other. Despite the pain, the running felt better somehow, her body was built for this. Soon she was zooming down the hall. She had no idea where to go. How to survive. Would she just hide on the base? Sneak food and supplies? Still seemed better than going out there all alone.

Then there was the glowing door. Now the glowing door was an exaggeration. Surge didn’t even know if glowing was the right term. There was no visible light, just a feeling. Like giant lit-up neon signs that said, ‘Hey! Go this way.’ Either way, Surge was drawn to it. Running to it, Surge slammed open the door and skidded on the ground as she swiveled around it to shove it closed.

As the door banged shut, Surge let out a sigh of relief. She just stood there for a moment, hands pressed against it, ears flicking as she waited to hear something. Footsteps, shouts, angry robots. Anything that would mean more running, more pain.

There was none.

Now Surge let herself feel the pain. Fire burned in her gut where Metal Sonic had hit her. Needles jabbed at her skin where she’d tumbled end over end. Her brain blurred and fuzzed like static, thoughts too fast and disjointed to work.

But through it all, the room called out to her. Or rather, the thing in the room.

Almost subconsciously, Surge turned around to face the room. It was actually rather small compared to the rest of the base. More like a really large storage closet than anything else. But the thing that was being stored was pretty crazy.

It was as tall as Surge was and twice as wide. A brilliant green glow bathed Surge in light, her pupils shrinking to take it in. Surge didn’t understand her powers or anyone else's for that matter, but even she could tell this thing radiated power like nothing else.

It was a giant green diamond.

No…emerald.

Surge found that her feet were moving forward, the emerald calling to her, whispering so low and in a language if it could even be called that, that she couldn’t understand. She took step after step, starting to feel kinda like the zombots waiting back on the mainland. Surge’s vision tunneled so tightly that she barely registered the door opening behind her.

Or the bat laying on top of the emerald.

“Hey.” The bat raised an eyebrow at Surge.

“Huh?” Surge managed before Metal Sonic slammed her to the ground and Surge’s vision went black.

…

“I don’t understand.” Those were the first words that Surge heard as she awoke. And wow did she agree with them.

What were the zombots? What the fuck did Surge ever do to Metal Sonic? Why was there a giant rock of power hidden in a supply closet? And why was a bat using it as her personal sun lounger? And of course, the ever-present: Who am I and what do I have to do with any of this?

As the fog of unconsciousness began to clear, Surge managed to get to a stand and looked through tired eyes at Silver the hedgehog.

And the thick pane of glass between the two of them.

Surge stumbled forward, nearly bonking into the glass, but just reaching out in time, her hands catching herself as they pressed on the glass. The movement seemed to startle Silver who just looked at Surge blank-faced. Beside him was Lanolin, as well as the bat from the giant emerald room and a few other people, all looking at Surge like she’d grown a second head.

“Anyone planning on letting me out?” Surge slurred, her mouth feeling like sand. Silver shook his head, more in the realization of Surge’s words than in the negative. His words did that.

“Uh, no?” Although the hedgehog didn’t seem too sure.

“What-the- FUCK -did I ever do to you people?!” Surge pounded the glass, her fist rattling it and sending most of the randos scattering. Silver only sighed, opening and closing his mouth as he searched for words. Lanolin spoke for him.

“You’re carrying a dangerous biohazard that is easily spread and consumes anything it comes in contact with. You have to be quarantined.” Lanolin narrowed her eyes at Surge.

“What? Do you think I’m gonna turn into one of those…what?...Zombots?” Surge smirked and only received grim faces. “Shit…really?”

“Yes.” Lanolin spoke but Surge noticed the odd glance the bat and Silver gave each other. They didn’t fully believe the sheep.

“Hey…peanut gallery.” Silver and the bat looked up. “You agree with wool-for-brains?” Silver’s response was slow and carefully worded.

“Everyone who comes in physical contact with a zombot, was quickly taken over and become one themselves.”

“Within hours…” The bat looked Surge up and down. “And even then, there were physical signs.”

“Well I don’t know if you’ve noticed-” Surge pressed her face to the glass. “I ‘aint one of those metal mucks!”

“We’ve noticed.” Silver looked Surge up and down. And that’s when Surge realized something.

“Hey…where’s Drippy?” Surge tried to look around the corners of the glass wall to no avail.

“He’s…in an adjacent cell.”

“What?!”

“He was more cooperative than you-”

“HEY! If you don’t like me that’s one fucking thing, but don’t rope that guy into it!”

“You both tested positive for the virus!” Silver spat, his gold eyes glowing with flashes of teal, a wave of rare anger boiling through. Surge stepped back like she’d been hit by Metal Sonic all over again, her whole body dazed. “How did Sonic do this?...” Silver muttered, putting his head in a hand and letting out a tired sigh.

“S-so I’m really going to become one of…one of those things?” Surge’s voice broke, a knot of fear twisting in her stomach. Her short life feeling shorter. Silver just watched Surge for a moment. Then he turned away and snatched something off a nearby table before turning back and pointing what looked like an overly bulky wispon at Surge’s head. Surge covered her head as she braced for the hit(and she had no idea how she knew what a Wispon was). But the hit never came.

Just an odd beep.

As Surge uncovered from the vicious attack, Silver turned around the weapon so that Surge could read a little screen. And the words on it.

METAL VIRUS CONTAMINATION: POSITIVE

So that was it. Surge was really going to become a zombot. Well didn’t that just fucking suck?

“And then there’s this.” Silver muttered. The machine beeped again. Whirred, made odd sparking sounds and then:

METAL VIRUS CONTAMINATION: NEGATIVE

Wait…Surge wasn’t going to be a zombot? The device beeped and whirred.

METAL VIRUS CONTAMINATION: POSITIVE

More beeping and whirring.

METAL VIRUS CONTAMINATION: NEGATIVE

More-

METAL VIRUS CONTAMINATION: POSITIVE

The device sparked and zapped, flashing rapidly between the two sets of words, not knowing which one was right. It must’ve been difficult if that was the device’s only function. Eventually, it sizzled out and only returned an error code, making unhappy clicking noises.

“Soooo…I am and am not one?” Surge raised an eyebrow and watched as the three shared looks of unease.

“It…appears that way…” Silver ran a hand through his quills. “We also get the same result when we scan Kitsunami.”

“So what now?” Surge scratched at her head, the number of questions there only building so great that the tenrec was worried it would explode.

“We won’t be letting you out if that’s your question.” Lanolin crossed her arms and eyed Surge like this was all the tenrec’s plan. Surge stuck out her tongue at the sheep. Silver let out a sigh again.

“We’re going to have to treat you as a carrier. You don’t show symptoms but…you still might be contagious and we can’t let you out. And even if we wanted to…you apparently have a guard.”

Surge was just about to ask ‘what guard?’ when the screeching sound started. Metal on glass as Metal Sonic’s finger talons stripped the first layer of the glass off, little curls peeling up from the solid surface as the robot walked in front of Surge, its glowing red eyes never leaving her once.

“Fucking…FUCK!” Surge snarled as she grabbed at her ears and flinched repeatedly. Metal Sonic stopped as he reached the opposite side of the glass and from there just stood there, watching Surge. So still, statues would look to him for tips. “Real nice guard you got here.” Surge spat as her ears rang, a smile twitching on her lips as she noted Silver and co were in similar pain.

“He’s not…ours. We didn’t even think he was still active.” Silver muttered.

“I think he saw a new Sonic and wanted to do what Metal Sonic does best. Try to become and surpass him.” The bat spoke again, removing cotton from her ears, how she’d known to do that, Surge had no idea. For a second, Surge watched the robot’s red eyes flash to her and then back to Surge. “Hey, Metal…it’s time to paint yourself green and try out some Tesla coils.” The bat snarked but Surge could tell the robot was not to be trifled with by the way even this high-confidence woman was staying a good distance away.

“Okay, who’s this fucking Sonic guy? And why does everyone seem to know who he is but me?” Surge received only blank stares. “This is what I’m talking about!”

“You really don’t know who Sonic was?” Silver’s eyes widened in true innocence.

“Was?” Surge swallowed and Silver’s gaze dropped.

“He…was a hero. The greatest of all. Fought a powerful villain, and beat him time and time again to the point that the villain thought to try and fight fire with fire.” Silver gestured to Metal Sonic. “Eventually, the villain, Eggman, thought up a truly vile plot. An expanding metal contagion that began to consume our world. And he made Sonic patient zero.” Surge calmed as Silver talked, opening her ears as she wanted to know what happened. “He fought it for as long as he could, helped survivors, and concocted a plan to get rid of the virus once and for all. And we were SO CLOSE!” A rare note of rage from Silver as he stomped the ground and tears pricked at the corners of his eyes, the bat and Lanolin looking away. “But…something…changed? It was like we were meant to succeed and just…didn’t…and it’s all my fault.” Silver wiped at his cheeks. “He reached out his hand and I…couldn’t reach it…

And then he was a zombot like all the rest.” Silver’s voice hardened into steel. “Right after Metal Sonic instantly deactivated, his purpose of besting and becoming Sonic was completed, as Sonic was no more. As for the rest of us? Escaped as best we could, found this place…hoping we can still somehow stop this virus.”

“Well…that’s shitty.” Surge summed up and the bat gave Surge an understanding nod. Surge couldn’t even put any snark into her words, the dark truth too much for it. But Surge quickly shook it off. “Okay, so the world’s fucked. Why is this tin can suddenly so pissy?”

“Honey, that’s just his default state.” The bat snarked again but clearly was still too concerned to get close to the robot.

“Hey, are you gonna add anything useful to the conversation or just keep butting in with one-liners?” Surge growled and the bat blinked and straightened, clearly not used to having someone who can dish it just as well.

“Now who’s pissy?” The bat grumbled under her breath, turning her nose from Surge.

“E-excuse Rouge.” Silver tried to defuse the situation a little bit as he looked between the two women, his eyes following the tennis match as best he could. “Metal was made to best Sonic. And now there’s no more Sonic. But…I suppose you’re…you’re…”

“I’m what?!”

“A…suitable replacement?” Silver smiled sheepishly.

“HEY!” Surge pounded the glass and glared at Metal Sonic. “Next time you want a rebound nemesis, how ‘bout you take on a toaster! It’s a more apt fight!” Metal Sonic only stared back at Surge, fury, and energy building critically. But beyond that, there was something else, something deeper.

Relief. Excitement. Enjoyment at having a true foe again. It unnerved Surge to no end.

“Pfff. Whatever…” Surge breathed, trying to pass off her discomfort like it didn’t grow under Metal Sonic’s gaze as she turned back to Silver and co. “So what now? I’m just stuck here till you dummies either find a cure or all succumb yourselves?” The three exchanged uncomfortable looks, shifting this way and that. Surge groaned. “Any way we can speed that process up?!” Surge dangled her ‘infected’ hands near the glass, a malevolent grin dancing on her features.

“Despite your…cruel intent-” Lanolin’s mouth twisted into an accusatory frown “-it would help to know a bit about you. You, nor Kit possess any symptoms. Maybe you interacted with something, or your bio-data can be fashioned into some form of a vaccine.”

The two glared at each other from across the essentially infinite space of the glass.

“Eh. Beats me.” Surge shrugged and Lanolin rolled her tired eyes accusatorily. “We woke up in a lab with no memories, fought our way outta some base with zombots in it, then get ‘saved’ by glowy-hands over here.”

“A…lab?” Lanolin whispered.

“No memories?” Silver breathed.

“Wait, wait, wait.” Rouge stopped everything. “Are you saying you’ve only been awake for…a couple of days?!”

“24 hours at most.” Surge picked at her ear. Having completed the task, Surge turned her gaze back to Silver, Lanolin, and Rouge, all of which had their jaws on the floor, even Metal seemed to have a flash of surprise in his eyes.

“Who…who are you?” Silver’s voice was as light as the breeze, weak and wayward. As for Surge. She found herself chuckling, then full-on laughing. Silver’s words combined with his expression actually sent her into a fit of giggles.

“I’d like to know too.” She said when she’d finally recovered. Her humor quickly died and she fixed the group with a hard stare. “So…you gonna let me out or what?”

Chapter Text

They’d been split into two groups. Surge had been taken with Silver to: quote-unquote ‘test something out.’ With Metal Sonic acting as an unwanting security guard. The robot was willing to let Surge out, but close enough that the robot could prove its superiority.

As for Kit, he’d gone with Lanolin and Rouge the bat. Hoping that Kit could fill in some blanks about Surge and Kit, and especially why were they were immune to the effects of the virus? With them, Gemerl acts as the bodyguard to restrain Kit if need be.

“Alright Silv, what’s this big test of yours? I don’t think I’m a huge fan of them.” Surge snorted but no one else laughed. Metal Sonic only continued to glare at her and Silver didn’t even turn around. Surge whined quietly but didn’t speak again as Silver led her through the base before arriving at a door. One that Surge actually recognized.

It was the room with the giant emerald in it.

“Nice rock you got in there.” Surge grinned and once more Silver didn’t return it. Instead fixing Surge with a hard stare, turning the room cold.

“Why are you named Surge?” Surge’s eyebrows twisted in confusion.

“What kinda fucking question is that? It’s my fucking name!” Surge sputtered. “Why are you named Silver?” Surge spat the question back at him, feeling self-conscious about a name she’d never picked. Silver, for his part, had the audacity to simply smile back at Surge, his face a mask of serene all-knowingness mixed with a shy nervousness.

“Because it’s my name.” Silver said back to her.

“Why all the annoying cloak and dagger shit? Why are we here?” Silver’s smile fell away and he considered the doorway before them, staring straight through it as if trying to see the emerald without having to be near it.

“Your name starts with an ‘S.’” Silver said without turning away from the door. “Those with that more often than not hold great power.”

“O…kay.” Surge eyed Silver warily, worried he was about to break into prophecy. “Yeah, I can create and control electricity and shit. It’s pretty cool…what does that have to do with that giant night light?”

“Everything.” Silver turned back to Surge and she was met with a serious glare. It held steel and Surge both wanted to straighten and recoil under it, the awkward hedgehog gone. Silver held her gaze for a moment and Surge felt judgment, his golden stare waring not with her, but with himself and what he wanted to share with the tenrec.

Silver pulled his gaze away finally and Surge resisted the urge to breathe a sigh of relief as he opened the door and the three stepped into the room.

“Behold…” Silver said with no dramaticism. “The Master Emerald.” Surge found she had to stare up slightly at the rock, its massiveness making her feel small. And if she thought Silver’s gaze was scrutinous, the Master Emerald seemed to look at Surge like a full jury about to try her for merely existing.

“Wha-what is it?” Surge’s pupils dilated, desperate for the light of the emerald.

“An artifact of ultimate power. Greater than any force on the planet and as old as it.” Silver spoke as he approached it, his voice wavering somewhere between the boredom of having to reexplain this and still being wowed by the truth of it. “It can grant those with…strong wills, infinite power.” Silver reached out his hand and touched the emerald and Surge watched as he jolted upright momentarily his back going straight before he completely disappeared behind a brilliant glow.

Surge’s eyes shrank to pinpricks as she made out Silver…no…this was Super Silver. His body glowed a gilded white, his fur rippling like fire as his quills stuck out even stronger. His golden eyes were now red as they considered Surge, his judgment returning.

In turn, Surge watched as Metal Sonic walked past her and he too touched the emerald, his metal fingers shaking as he absorbed the power as well, his body now glowing gold as well, his reflective body making him look 24 karat gold. His eyes locked onto Surge, amusement making them dance as Surge stared at them both in awe.

After a moment longer, Silver removed his hand from the emerald and Metal Sonic followed, the two returning to their normal states.

“I-infinite power, huh?” Surge failed to sound unimpressed as the two approached her once more. “Why don’t you just use that to, I dunno? Get rid of the virus.” Silver let out a depressing sigh like he’d been asking himself that question a lot recently.

“A couple of reasons really. While it does grant infinite power, that doesn’t mean infinite possibilities. It’s…if I had to pick a word…finicky. I’m sure it could rid the world of the virus-but it won't. That super form you saw us in? That’s scratching the surface of its capabilities, what you get just by touching it. If I was able to actually tap into it? Different story.”

“Can anyone tap into it?” Silver flinched and Surge had a feeling she knew the answer.

“Y-yes. But…he was lost along with Sonic, protecting the emerald at that. That’s in fact why it’s here.” Silver looked at the emerald harshly, like it was to blame. “I didn’t want the zombots to get their hands on it, so I lifted it along with everyone else.” Silver turned back to Surge. “Which brings me to the second, more practical problem. It’s just not portable. And if you can only get power by touching it…infinite power is more restricted when you need to have an emerald three times your size under your arm.”

“So why show me it?” Surge shrugged. Silver gave her a knowing smile, his features twisting up in a smile as he walked to the side of the room where a small keypad waited. He imputed a code and a partial wall slid away to reveal a long, but narrow compartment in the wall. “One of these things is not like the other…” Surge’s words were lilted with a tune as she looked at seven gems sitting on small pedestals along the compartment, each glowing with a powerful light.

Six of which looked very similar to the Master Emerald, leave for they were a 20th the size and in a rainbow of colors.

The final gem was drastically different. Its shape was more rotund, like a helium balloon and a swirl of reds and oranges decorated its surface. Even the glow was different, more muted.

Using his powers, Silver lifted the six mini Master emeralds from their spots in the wall and they began to float around him, encircling him slowly. Silver seemed to grow somewhat brighter under their presence, his body humming on the verge of something greater, but just shy.

“These are the Chaos Emeralds. And they too can grant infinite power.”

“But they’re more portable?” Surge smirked and Silver gave her a smile and nod.

“They are temporarily absorbed by the users, becoming a part of them until their purpose is finished.” Silver spoke confidently, assured of their ability to save the world. Luckily Surge was there to bring him down.

“But you’re missing one.” Silver flinched and his powers vanished for a moment, the emeralds dropping a foot before he caught them.

“Caught that, did you?” Silver asked as he floated the emeralds back to their spots.

“I’m guessing the odd man out there isn’t a Chaos Emerald.” Surge grunted and Silver nodded, lifting the differing stone from the spot clearly made for a seventh Chaos Emerald.

“This…is the Warp Topaz.” Silver spoke the name with a touch of venom as he glared at the stone as he floated in front of his face. “It is the reason we’re all in this mess in the first place…and it’s perhaps our only way out of it.” Surge considered the rock. Sure it held power, but was it really responsible for…everything? “The plan…the plan was to get power from the Chaos Emeralds and then funnel it through the Warp Topaz to pull all of the Metal Virus away. But, but then-”

“-Sonic got turned into a zombot himself.” Surge finished.

“At the last minute.” Silver took the Warp Topaz in his hands and clenched it tight, wishing his own strength was enough to crush it.

“Okay, again, shitty. But what do I have to do with this?” Silver opened his mouth to respond but stopped himself and turned away slightly, looking toward the Master Emerald.

“Come here.” He spoke softly. It was a statement, but it was nicer, more like a request. Surge felt welcomed enough to respect it.

She approached the Master Emerald, the gem only seeming to get larger and more powerful as she closed in on it. It radiated multiple emotions, most of which were anger and resentment. It didn’t like being here, it didn’t like being touched and it certainly didn’t like being used as whatever kind of test subject Silver wanted it to be.

But beyond all that was a curiosity. Who was Surge? Who was this newcomer? Surge felt her own strength reflected back at her, that was what the emerald was seeing. It gave Surge the willingness to proceed as her hand made the final motions toward the Master Emerald.

Which is precisely when Metal Sonic struck.

Its claws shot out and snatched Surge by the arm, yanking Surge to the side and pulling her off her feet. Right. It wanted a rival to best. It sure as fuck didn’t want her any stronger.

“Really man?!” Surge spat.

“Metal!” Silver growled and activated his powers, centering them around Metal Sonic as he became paralyzed and lifted into the air. Unfortunately, his grip did not let up and Surge found herself lifted into the air as well, her legs kicking freely as she was held aloft by the robot.

“Chaos! You’re so annoying!” Surge scowled and something flickered in Metal Sonic’s eyes. He had received a long list of insults over his existence, but ‘annoying’ was not on that list. Surge swung her legs up and put them onto Metal Sonic’s body. And then she shoved. “Why don’t you go find someone else to bug with your weird rival complex?!” It took a couple of attempts, but she freed herself from Metal Sonic’s grip, tumbling to the ground and rolling once before stopping.

As she got up, SIlver took the opportunity to slam Metal Sonic into the wall, pinning the robot there.

“Not that I wanna give him anything…” Surge sneered at Metal Sonic who only glared at her, now seeming more frustrated than ever, ‘annoying’ more insulting than what he usually received. “But why don’t you and Metal Sonic just team up with the Chaos Emeralds?”

“Are you serious?!” Silver looked completely baffled. A smile on his face at the ridiculousness as he maintained his power over Metal Sonic. “He’s like, actually evil! There’s no way I’d ever trust him to help me”

“You…trust me?” Surge asked, her voice suddenly small. Silver’s face slacked slightly and the world was too big for Surge in a moment. The realization of what Silver was asking hit Surge. He wanted her to go up an endless horde to try and rid the world of a true crisis. She didn’t even know who she was, much less how to save the world!”

“I…I…I…” Silver’s mouth jumbled. “I don’t really have a choice. Besides…I…don’t know if he can even use the Chaos Emeralds. They’re…a little more picky than the Master Emerald.” Something crushed inside of Surge at that moment but she nodded. Silver’s face fell in that moment, realizing his fuck up with Surge. She would have to do a monumental task and all Silver had done was tell her how important it was and that she was his second pick.

Not the most inspiring.

Still, Surge approached the emerald. She reached out. And pressed her palm to the surface.

Surge’s brain was flooded with power. In every sense of the word. The universe was suddenly dialed up to eleven. Sounds, smells, sights, even her thoughts and most certainly her powers became magnified as the emerald's energy ran through her faster than she ever could. It seeped into her blood, her bones, all the way down to the marrow. It worked to burn her from the inside out, dissolve everything with the husk of her skin in order to make room for something greater. To destroy her body and see if her mind was strong enough to withstand the emerald’s greatness.

The emerald seared her brain, forcibly peeling away layer after layer. Her thoughts, passions, experiences, and desires to try and behold her core.

But all it found was emptiness.

“AGH!” Surge reeled back from the emerald falling on her rear and scooting away from it. She was positive it would attack her but instead it simply sat there, the monument that it was. Surge looked at her hand, believing it to be terribly burned. She was relieved to find it was perfectly fine, but a more chilling fear froze her as she realized it was shaking terribly.

Her whole body was shaking terribly.

Fear. She was afraid. So very afraid.

“Well, that was…not what I was hoping for.” Silver looked at Surge as she resisted every impulse in her body to get as far away from that emerald as possible. “You didn’t transform but…you were close I think. You started to glow. Maybe try-”

“NO!” Surge’s head snapped around to him and she held her hand close to her chest, so afraid it might disintegrate and take her with it. “There’s no way I’m ever doing that again.” Surge quaked on the floor, finding that she either didn’t care or didn’t have the strength to try and look resilient in front of Silver and Metal Sonic.

Smug delight danced in Metal Sonic’s eyes.

“Hey…are you okay?” Silver seemed to realize the terror in Surge’s eyes and got quiet, crouching down to appear smaller and less threatening to her. Surge watched him the whole time and tried for a while to find the right words, but they ultimately seemed too weak to cover it.

“What was that?” Surge held herself and watched Silver with wide, vulnerable eyes. Silver watched Surge, her fear, and desperation palpable, a wave that threatened to wash over him. If this is what everyone was feeling about the Metal Virus, Surge had no idea how they’d remained sane this whole time. Silver decided to sit down beside Surge, looking forward at the Master Emerald.

“I’m from the future.” Silver started. “And it seems like every ten seconds that future is thrown into cataclysm.” Silver put one hand in the other, rubbing his thumb over the top of the other. “So I come back here. I like to think I’m a hero, but really I’m just a fire alarm. Loud and impossible to ignore until you find the microwave that burned the popcorn so it can be pulled out before an actual fire starts.” Silver joked but Surge noticed the self-depreciation there. “But it’s my duty. I take pride that I’ve been able to save the future, and seeing it saved as well as the friends I’ve made along the way helps me feel validated.” Silver looked up to Surge now. “But do you know what’s not my duty? Leading people. Actually knowing how to save the future. What to do to inspire people. And yet somehow, I’ve been put in charge of all of that.

I’m no Sonic.

But for now, I have to act like him. I have to truly believe I can save the day.” Silver turned back to the Master Emerald. His eyes narrowed as he returned the scrutinizing gaze the emerald put out at all times. “The emerald is pure power. It only works in absolutes. It does not know, nor care if you are good-” Silver’s eyes momentarily flashed to Metal Sonic. “-or bad. It takes what is there and amplifies it to its strongest version. So when accessing its power I must remain strong. Not as strong as I know I am, but as I believe I can be.

I must be incorruptible.” Silver’s eyes slid slowly back to Surge. “You must be incorruptible.”

“I’m not touching that thing again.” Surge spoke with absolution, her fear visible behind the eyes. Silver gave a slow nod of his head and stood.

“Okay, fine. But I still need to save the world. Will you help?” Silver stuck out his hand. The possible danger of that act not lost on either of them. Surge mulled over the question, setting her jaw.

“Fine. But if I die, I’ll kill you.” And Surge took Silver’s hand.

Chapter Text

Kit wished he’d gone with Silver. He seemed a lot nicer than the three he was stuck with. Rouge was probably the most tolerable, but the looks she kept sending him made him think that she was just trying to figure out how to break him down and steal everything off of his body, including his fur.

Gemerl was…fine. But twitchy. And not just because he was literally twitching and sparking, his joints and limbs occasionally spasming. But because it felt like every movement Kit made had to be approved by Gemerl. Take a step, Gemerl cleared the path. Stick out his hand, Gemerl was there to guide where it was going. And on and on it went.

Lanolin was the one that gave Kit the most heebie-jeebies. She radiated the least physical power but from the burning sight of her eyes combined with the tiredness there, Kit was certain she wanted to chop him up and feed him to the zombots on the opposite shores. And that she had the willingness to do so.

“So why are you immune to the effects of the virus?!” Lanolin peered over Kit. Sure they’d sat him down in a chair, but even then she seemed to tower over Kit, the whole world being much too big for him.

“I don’t know!” Kit wailed, not wanting to be interrogated by the terrifying sheep. He recoiled at her words, which only made Gemerl step in, ready to yank him from the chair and restrain Kit as if Kit wanted to spread the hazard.

“Why are you being uncooperative?” Lanoline scowled.

“I-I-I-”

“Let’s all take a breather.” Rouge interjected, her face somewhat hardened. She liked messing with people as much as the next person, but Kit wouldn’t be able to give anything if he was terrified. Lanolin huffed and all but turned away, pulling out a clipboard and scribbling furiously on it. What she was doing, Rouge didn’t know. What was left in the world to catalog? “So what can you tell us?” Rouge crossed her arms but gestured with a finger to Kit.

Kit looked to Rouge, then to Lanolin, then to Gemerl.

“No.”

“No?” Rouge repeated as if she wasn’t used to the word, tasting foul in her mouth. Lanolin looked up from her clipboard with surprise more than anything and Gemerl seemed to jerk and jitter more.

“No.” Kit repeated, frustration and anger coming over him. “You bring me here against my will, you lock me in a cell, then you demand I give you answers. Why would I do anything for you?” Despite his small form, Kit was sturdy, mouth set in a line as he glared back up at his captors with surprising resilience.

“Pfff.” Lanolin blew out a breath. “Let’s just put him back in quarantine.” Gemerl began to reach out a hand.

“Hold on.” Rouge held out a hand to Gemerl, putting her in touching range of Kit, the small act of trust not unnoticed by Kit as his maroon eyes tracked up to her. “He’s right. We haven’t been particularly…hospitable.” Rouge leaned down, flapping her long lashes at the young fox and watched his brain short out as an older woman was nice to him. “Perhaps we can make a deal little man.”

“Wh-what kind of deal?” Rouge straightened, watching Kit’s resolve disintegrate.

“Depends…what do you want?” Rouge checked her nails, an eyebrow shooting up. Kit thought for a moment, but his eyes remained glued to Rouge.

“Answers. Of my own questions.” Kit said, his face hardening again, sending his own challenge back up at Rouge.

“Okay!” Rouge said with a smile, spreading her hands. “We can do that. But we get to ask first, capice?” Kit gave a slow nod and Rouge ignore the stink eye that Lanolin gave her. “So where did you and Surge come from?”

“A lab of some kind. I can give you directions and it was a fairly large facility.” Lanolin still looked frustrated Rouge was able to gain traction when she couldn’t but began to write down some notes nonetheless. “What is the origin of the Metal Virus?”

“Ah-ah-ah. Wasted a question.” Rouge waggled her finger. “You should’ve been listening when Silver was talking with Surge-”

“I know it was made by some villain named Eggman, but why and for what purpose?” Rouge pursed her lips.

“Now that’s a different question.”

“Hardly. I offered you guidance to the facility, you can’t throw me a bone?” Kit’s angered ego proved to be larger than he was. “Should I start using one-word answers?” Rouge set her jaw as Kit narrowed his eyes. This kid was surprisingly dangerous.

“Fine. While I don’t know the inner crazies of Eggman’s mind, I know he wanted to take over the world and for a time had control of those affected by the virus. He lost control as it continued to mutate. Satisfied?” Rouge crossed her arms, now frustrated. But Kit nodded and gestured for her to ask a question. “Why were you in the lab?”

“I believe we were test subjects. I am unsure if we were ‘successful’ or not. But I do believe we were…” Kit chewed on the next word for a moment, trying to decide if it was the right one. “-unfinished. I don’t know if we were the sole purpose of the facility either as it was rather large and Surge and I spend most of the time there trying to escape.” Lanolin was scribbling furiously now. “Have you made any attempts to cure the virus?”

“There was. And while we were close, the research was lost and it was determined that due to the virus’ mutating nature, a cure would be pointless. We have since lost Tails, our main researcher on that subject.” Rouge elaborated lest Kit try and get picky again. “Do you know of your purpose as test subjects?”

Kit didn’t answer.

“I didn’t say we were done asking questions.” Rouge frowned, no longer having fun talking with Kit. Kit pursed his lips.

“Sonic and Tails.” He said, the words feeling hollow in his mouth, not knowing if he was even speaking the truth.

“Excuse me?” Rouge leaned forward, intrigued once more.

“I…I-when Silver mentioned them earlier I didn’t know them, but I felt like I should. And then I remembered what I saw at the facility. Someone, I don’t know who; wanted to…to make a new Sonic and Tails.”

Jaws dropped. Kit continued.

“Similar attitudes, similar stature, similar powers, similar roles, hell even similar species. Knockoffs of what at first I didn’t know. But now? A powerful hero and a brilliant scientist? At least there’s a twisted kind of sense to make copies out of strong blueprints.” Kit gave a shrug.

“So…you’re Tails, and Surge’s Sonic?” Rouge walked herself through the question.

“Correct.” And then Kit smirked. “And that’s your question.” Rouge internally swore at herself. “Can I examine some of the virus? And compare it to my own biology?” Rouge and Lanolin shared a look, out of all the things Kit could’ve asked, this was one of the stranger ones.

“Why would you want that?” Lanolin asked, fully aware that she was using up their turn.

“You said Tails was your main researcher. Maybe I could…fill in. See something he couldn’t. And as…antagonistic…” Kit admitted. “-as I’m being, I do want to know about this danger and if it can be stopped.”

“How would you go about getting a sample?” Lanolin tapped at her clipboard with the back of her pen.

“I…could return to the mainland…” Kit mused, hand on his chin. “Or…perhaps I could retrieve one from Cream?” Kit’s eyes slid over to Gemerl, who despite not having any real facial way to emote, immediately looked very unhappy.

“Absolutely not. Cream is to be kept safe until she is well again. She is not to be a test subject.”

“I’m not asking her to be a test subject!” Kit gave a nervous smile, the robot looming. And despite it clearly starting to short out, Kit still had no desire to anger it. “I’m just looking to test some of her DNA. That’s not making her a test subject!” Kit reasoned.

“Hardly.” Gemerl spat right back at Kit who swallowed hard, his bile tasting ironic.

“Gemerl.” Lanolin called for the robot’s attention. “I know you want to keep Cream safe. But having her here puts the rest of us in danger. Perhaps Kit can find…a solution?” Gemerl looked at Lanolin. Then at Kit. And back to Lanolin. Kit could literally see the gears turning in its mind.

“Proposition…accepted.” Kit breathed a sigh of relief but it was too soon as Gemerl was suddenly in Kit’s face, the fennec scrunching down into his chair. “But should further harm come to her, I shall return with retribution.” Kit nodded hastily as Gemerl slowly turned around, stomping off to tangle with the mecha bunny and retrieve the sample. Kit didn’t look away until he was certain Gemerl was out of sight.

“Why…why do you have such a dangerous biohazard on the premises?” Kit looked back to Lanolin who let out a large sigh.

“It’s not…ideal.” She put down her clipboard rubbing her temples. “Gemerl has made it his purpose to protect Cream. It’s what he exists for…he failed to protect her.” Lanolin’s shoulders slumped but her voice remained sturdy, no room for melancholy. She wasn’t insulting Gemerl, just stating the fact. “And now she’s one of the millions of zombots. But, he still has to protect her. We found him as we were leaving the last ‘safe place’ with the zombotified Cream in his arms. We had hoped he would be willing to let go of her, but as I said…she’s his purpose. Most of us would agree that…that we wish she wasn’t here. But it’s hard to turn down a tireless, immune soldier.”

“How old is she?” Kit looked between the two of them.

“That’s another question.” Rouge’s voice threatened to break and Kit decided it wasn’t worth pushing…or too horrifying to pursue.

…

Pulling his gaze away from the microscope, Kit rubbed at his eyes, writing down on a scrap of paper some notes.

“Well, what’ya got Kitty?” Rouge approached him with Lanolin in tow.

It had been a couple of hours and Kit had been busy testing, examining, and studying the metal virus sample along with a sample of his own blood and Surge’s. Gemerl had been all too eager to prick the fennec to get the blood sample. And if that wasn’t concerning enough, they had all watched as after he had been pricked, the tiny hole in Kit’s fur sealed up near-instantaneously. Which only created more questions.

Despite having little else to do as they all waited for the world to end, it didn’t appear as if Rouge or Lanolin had slept since Kit had started his research.

“...Not much. For the most part, I can confirm from the notes that you gave me that Tails had created. It's a constantly mutating virus that consumes and takes over any organic matter covering it and taking over the form. The host is then preserved and very slowly eaten away at as fuel. The virus then acts as a semi-hive mind. Working together to spread, but not able to fully gain any sort of real or active consciousness.”

“So nothing new?” Rouge crossed her arms, Kit continuing to frustrate her.

“I didn’t say that. I may not have learned a lot about the virus, but it seems I can answer some of your and my own questions about myself and Surge. Firstly, I can confirm that, yes, technically, we are infected by the Metal Virus.” Rouge and Lanolin took a step back. “However, we are not contagious.” Once more there were confused expressions. “Within us, the Metal Virus appears to be…different. More stable and unmutated. I think…I think it was from an earlier batch.”

“How earlier?” Lanolin was back to furiously scribbling on her clipboard.

“From the half-life Tails’ notes have…a couple months maybe, a little longer?” Kit shrugged. Lanolin moved to speak, but Kit beat her to it. “And from what you’ve all said, the virus has only been around that long, even shorter. This makes me believe…I think that we were from the first batch. Undiluted from the mutation of infecting other people. As a result, I think…I think our version was stable enough to be programmed. Giving Surge and myself abilities beyond the normal version.”

“So why aren’t you guys contagious?” Rouge waggled a finger in Kit’s face but still stayed out of range. Kit spun in his chair, pulling up his notes and gesturing to them.

“With most people, the virus acts more like a parasite. Taking over the host by covering them and moving its limbs like a puppet, while slowly consuming them. With us, the virus is acting more like a mutually symbiotic relationship. We give it a home and food and safety. In return, we get the aforementioned abilities and the durability and advanced healing other zombots have. It’s not covering us; it’s attached to our cells. But as I said, the virus was programmed. Only we can host them. Surge and I technically have different strains and if I were to touch you, you would technically be infected. But for only a few seconds before the virus would decay because your body isn’t mine, it’s a different and uninhabitable environment from the one it was made for. It’s also why we’re immune to the other version. The current Metal Virus sees our version as itself. It doesn’t need to take us over because it believes it already has. Our virus is acting like antibodies to the consuming one.” Kit turned away and put his notes down.

Rouge looked him over. She could see the similarities to Tails. Not just the look, but the sound. Excited about learning, knowledgable, detailed.

It also let her know that that wasn’t everything.

“But?” Kit tensed at her words. He looked around, thinking about whether or not it would be easy to escape or not.

He spun around.

“But…the virus is so so chaotic. Its mutation rate is ridiculous. I saw it change while I was studying it.”

“What does this mean?” Lanolin put down her clipboard, staring Kit in the eyes.

“It means that one day…the virus might no longer see us as itself…and then we’re just as susceptible as everyone else.”

…

“We’re one emerald short.” That was how Silver started the pep talk.

A small strike force had been assembled. Silver, Lanolin, Rouge, Metal Sonic, Gemerl, and the intensely imposter-syndromed Surge and Kit.

“Uh, what’s he doing here?” Surge jabbed a thumb in the direction of Metal Sonic, who considered the finger and all the ways it could be broken off. Lanolin let out a sigh, clearly having hoped to avoid the forming rivalry.

“Metal Sonic hopes to best you.” Lanolin bluntly explained. “He believes that he is better at saving the world than you are. Not to mention he has his own stake in this. People-person he doesn’t want zombotified.” Metal Sonic glared at Surge who snorted and turned away.

“As…I…was explaining-” Silver continued, looking to see if he would be further interrupted. “We’re missing one Chaos Emerald. Finding these things is always tricky, but at least this time we know where it was.” Silver and Lanolin had set up a projector around the main area and at this point, Silver flicked it on showing a beautiful island. Palm trees, sandy beaches, lush forests, and majestic mountains. Oh, and it was flying. This compared to everything Surge had seen recently was actually rather low on the weirdness scale. “Angel Island. During our final confrontation, the leader of the Zeti, Zavok.” Silver flipped the slide again showing a red creature with a strong jaw and black horns adorning his head. Surge leaned over to Rouge to ask but the bat just sent her a look like, ‘don’t ask; too much to explain.’

“Zavok-” Silver explained flipping the slide now centering on the Zeti’s chest. “Had accessed the emerald’s power and grown strong off it. Metal Sonic and Sonic worked together to rip it from his chest and I-” Silver’s voice broke and Surge watched him grip the remote tighter. Watching as he wished it had been Sonic’s hand. “-I failed to catch it. He, Sonic, and the Emerald then tumbled into the ocean and we all escaped…I pulled the Master Emerald and saved who I could…” Silver flipped the slide again. “And Angel Island fell once more into the ocean.” Silver stared at the slide, the beautiful island of tropical nature crashing into the ocean like a meteorite, further destabilizing the island. “Our mission will be to journey to Angel Island to retrieve the last Chaos Emerald, then use it, the others, and the Warp Topaz to turn me and Surge into Super Silver and Super Surge.” Surge set her jaw as the hedgehog glossed over the part where she didn’t even know if she could turn into Super Surge. If she believed she could. “For the actual plan, I will turn things over to Lanolin.” Lanolin then gave a nod and took center stage and the slide changer from Silver.

“Gemerl will remain here. I know it would be useful to have him, but he is clearly banged up and we need defense here as well as he does not want to abandon Cream.” Surge watched as Lanolin spoke the whole time through gritted teeth. This had not been her plan. “The rest of us will journey to Angel Island. From there the plan is simple. I will set up a small base of operations to monitor the island either to scan for the emerald or zombots. Zavok did unleash a massive army of them, making Angel Island one of the most densely packed area of zombots on the planet. Kit will then scan the seas with his water powers, Rouge and Silver will take to the air, and Surge and Metal Sonic will walk the island. Dividing and conquering will have to do in order to search for the emerald.” Lanolin looked over the group. “Are there any questions?”

No hands were raised. It could’ve been that there were no questions. But it was far more likely that everyone was simply too scared to ask them.

“Okay.” Lanolin nodded. “Then make preparations. We leave tomorrow morning.” The group broke apart, everyone going this way and that. But Silver approached Lanolin, putting a hand on her shoulder, and turning her around. “What is it Silver?” Lanolin asked but the twitching in the back of her brain already knew what he was going to ask.

“I want to bring Whisper along.” Silver’s voice was like steel.

“Are you sure she even wants to go?” Lanolin had a point and Silver knew it. The wolf wasn’t up to much these days.

“N-no. But…Tangle will be there…technically.” Silver averted his eyes, hoping Lanolin wouldn’t see through his weak argument.

“And that will be good for her? She’ll be able to focus on the mission?” Silver squeezed his eyes shut. Hoping that his eyes would block out the sound.

“Whisper knows how to stay on mission. We need all the help we can get and Whisper knows how to protect herself. Besides, I want her to go on recon in my place. She was trained for it after all. And I need to put myself between Surge and Metal Sonic. They won’t be able to stay away from each other’s throats for long.” Lanolin let out a big sigh, eyes drifting upward with so much weight they pulled her head back too. She warred with herself for a long time, until…

“Okay, Silver. But you know if this all goes belly up…will you be able to handle that yourself?”

Silver gave one concrete nod.

“Yes. Because it won’t go bad again.”

Chapter Text

Kit wasn’t sure how to bring up the subject of fixing someone. Obvious that the thought is a can of worms, threatening to some, helpful to others, or just plain saddening to even more. But Kit was thinking of it in a literal sense. But still, it was hard to ask. Especially when that person or robot didn’t like you.

Heart in hand, Kit slowly approached Gemerl. The robot was in a similar space to where Kit and Surge had been locked up, the cell block. His hands were outstretched on the glass like it was supporting him. That without it, he would crumble. For the moment, Kit only got close enough to peer inside. Cream was darting about, scratching at the walls, the floor, and the glass. She charged in circles and slammed into everything all while letting out a noise that sent a shiver down Kit’s spine. A mix of nails on a chalkboard and the air being let out of a balloon, high-pitched and seemingly eternal.

“What it is it you desire Tails Clone?” Gemerl’s head didn’t turn, but it did spasm on his neck, shifting before settling to look back at Cream.

“I’m not…I’m not a clone.” Kit defended himself but it felt pointless. “I’m not here to request another sample if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“It is not. Because I was under the impression we came to an agreement.” Now Gemerl’s head turned and the robot’s eyes flashed, challenging Kit to disagree with him.

“I…I just want to repair you. I…have some knowledge of robotics…comes with this head I guess.” Kit pointed to his brain and held up a small electronic repair kit. One of several throughout the small base. Gemerl considered it, eyes drifting between Kit and the kit. Trying to decide what other implications there could be, judging the danger.

“Do not impact my ability to defend Cream or the base.” Was all Gemerl said before looking back at Cream. Kit approached the robot, seeing messes of wires, burnt circuits, and banged-up chassis. He got to work on what he could see.

“You’re angry.” Kit started, feeling the desire to talk as he worked, not wanting to be in his own brain. He hadn’t explored it yet after all.

“I was not programmed to be angry.”

“Huh.” Was all Kit had to say.

“You clearly are not as intelligent as Tails.” Gemerl’s eyes stayed focused on Cream, but Kit’s drifted up to the bot’s head, frowning.

“You don’t have to be rude. I was just thinking…I don’t think I was programmed to be angry either. And yet…I am.” This actually stopped Gemerl, the robot looking down at Kit, curiosity right behind the robot’s eyes.

“You…are angry?”

“Well, right now, mildly frustrated at you. But…yeah. Sometimes I get angry and…and I don’t know where it comes from.” Gemerl tilted his head. “I don’t think…I don’t think I’m meant to be angry. And yet I’m supposed to be?” Gemerl’s head tilted further and Kit actually chuckled a little bit, realizing how ridiculous his statement seemed. “I feel like I have this blueprint in my head. It’s faint, but it’s there. Who I’m meant to be…who I was programmed to be. What the person who…turned me into who I am now wanted me to be.”

“You do not want to be that person?” Kit clenched his tools tighter. His eyes unfocused momentarily as his lips were sent in a firm line, throat drying.

“Is…is it wrong if I do?” Kit looked back up at Gemerl, eyes watering slightly. “I know that’s not who I was. And I know that I want to be that person because I was programmed to be them but…it just feels…right.”

“And the anger?” Kit looked down again, pursing his lips and avoiding the Gizoid’s curious gaze.

“I think it’s vestigial. Something left over from who I was before that didn’t have time to be ironed out cause of all...this.” Kit gestured to the air and the world’s general circumstances. Gemerl’s eyes finally moved away, watching Cream once more as the robo-rabbit bounced about, trying to escape.

“I was once another of Eggman’s creations. The ultimate fighting robot to destroy. I…thought I liked that. It was what was programmed into me.” Kit went back to work, wiping at his eyes as they blurred. He had work to do. “And then I was beaten, all but destroyed. And then Cream found me. Took me to Tails. He…fixed me as well…” The Gizoid’s voice wavered. Must’ve been another thing for Kit to repair. “He reprogrammed me to be a caretaker. A protector. And I found that to be even better.” Kit’s hand wavered. “Neither time was my choice. I cannot say that I would’ve chosen either one. But I like who I have become.” Kit stopped working and looked back up at Gemerl, the robot’s face closer to the glass than ever, hands tightening into fists. “Do…do you think that she like-”

“She hasn’t changed.” Kit’s voice was hard and it grabbed the robot’s attention, pulling him away from Cream. “She was taken from you. I know why you’re angry.” Kit now looked at Cream, seeing the bunny underneath the shell of hunger and pain. “You think you failed her. That your new purpose was ultimately pointless. Well it’s not. You can still protect her. That’s what you’ve been doing this whole time. You may not have succeeded. But you definitely haven’t failed.” Gemerl stood still. Servos spun and gears clicked. But his gaze shifted back to Cream.

“Thank you, Kitsunami.”

…

Silver approached the door, hand just above to knock. This was already a dangerous place to be. Not just for him, but for her. The scabs he could uncover, the things that might bleed. And yet if Silver did nothing…

Infection would run rampant.

He rapped his knuckles on the door twice. He didn’t bother waiting for an answer, getting one earlier was a miracle. A second wouldn’t happen today. Pressing open the door, Silver peered around it carefully, not ready to put his body fully into this situation. Peering inside, Silver witnessed that nothing had changed from hours prior. The room was still shrouded in darkness. A faint layer of dust clung to everything, light reflecting even off the loose blanket on the wolf’s shoulders as she continued to dissolve into the ether. Around her, her Wisps lazed, blinking emptily. Cyan managed to look up to notice him enter, but that in itself seemed to be too much effort, the Wisp’s eyes closing heavily.

“Whisper?” Silver asked of the room, hoping that she could be found. There was no response but Silver was far from ready to give up. Fully stepping in, Silver let the door close behind him. It gave a small creak before closing, drenching the room in total darkness. Still, Whisper did not respond. Letting out a small sigh, Silver activated his powers, their faint glow bringing light back into the dark room.

He floated forward, slowly getting closer to the figure of the wolf until he was right in front of her. Silver could just make out the subtle rise and fall of her side, the slightest shifting of the dust.

“I know you’re not asleep…” Silver muttered aloud. “You don’t sleep anymore.” This managed to get the smallest twitch out of Whisper, the stiffening of her body as Silver understood a fraction of her. “There’s a mission. Purpose if you’re looking for it.” Whisper did not respond to this but Silver detected the slightest change in the air, the faint change of the wind as one detected rain would come. “We’re going after the last Chaos Emerald. I think…hope that Surge can go super. And then together with the Warp Topaz…we’ll fix everything.” Silver managed a smile as his hand reached out, hovering just inches from the form of the wolf. Silver kept his smile because she needed it; because he needed it. A promise that there would be good days again.

Even if Whisper couldn’t see them right now.

“I need your help. We don’t know where it is and you’re the best scout there’s ever been.” Silver’s smile slowly fell away but he managed to keep his hand out, unsure if he could make those last few inches. “Will you help?” Silver inhaled but found his breath rattling, the danger of a sob threatening the back of his throat. “P-please?”

Silence filled the room, leave for Silver’s ragged breathing, hoping that Whisper would hear him. That she was still there and would help. Because the world still needed her. And Silver needed his friend back. But Whisper stayed silent…and Silver’s heart hardened.

“We’re going to Angel Island…Tangle will be there.”

Whisper moved. A shifting of her body as she turned around. Her fur was pale and her face gaunt. Her eyes were red with tiredness and tears and bags hung there with weight. Her mouth was tight and her throat spoke with rust like she hadn’t used in years.

“C…r…uel…” She managed as she stared up at Silver, her eyes holding more sadness and grief than should exist. Instantly Silver felt like a monster invoking that name. Forcing Whisper to feel more pain. But he couldn’t regret it. He’d rather see her angry and hurt than hollow and lifeless.

“I-I’m sorry.” Silver choked, yanking his hand away and not knowing what to do with them. “I…I shouldn’t have said that.” The anger began to fade from Whisper’s eyes and she managed to sit up, the blanket falling away as she slumped forward, her body hunched like a formless shadow.

“I…I just want it all to be over…” Whisper rasped, her gaze far off and dead, limbs slack in her lap.

“I know…” Silver sat down on the bed beside her, holding his own hands. Feeling how powerful they could be and yet how useless they were. Whisper copied his motion.

“I…will help…” Whisper spoke but Silver didn’t react, too scared to spook her, to push away the kindness she showed when all Silver had done was poke and prod. “For her…” Whisper put a foot on the ground and stood up. Immediately it appeared she was shaky and her Wisps came to her aid, shocked and wowed that she was up and active.

“Thank you…thank you…” A few tears fell from Silver’s face but he was quick to wipe them away. Now was no longer a time to be sad and Silver put on a brave smile to show his support.

“But…” Whisper turned around and picked up her rifle which she had stashed underneath the bed. She held it close to her chest and glared down at Silver. “You have to promise me something.”

“Anything…” Silver spoke without thinking, his eyes wide as his friend spoke openly for the first time in months.

“When this mission ends…no matter the outcome-” Whisper gripped her rifle tight and Silver watched as something broke in her eyes.

The will to live.

“I end it in Tangle’s arms.” Silver’s lip quivered. “Promise me.” Silver still didn’t speak, his eyes dinner plates. “Promise me!” Whisper growled and bared her teeth, but all Silver could see was the endless void in her dulled eyes, the person inside shredded apart one too many times to be put back together.

“I promise.”

…

Surge was starting to think the punching bag was winning. She’d tried to go to sleep. Not like there was much else to do while waiting for the possible end of the world. But instead, she’d just ended up spending several hours tossing and turning on an uncomfortable cot. Apparently, she was still too used to tube sleep. So instead, she’d gotten up. Walked through the quiet facility, everyone else not stressing as much as she was. So eyes bleary, she’d walked through the base till she’d found a training room of sorts. Punching bags and weapons and dummies set up.

She’d toyed around a little bit. Lifting up some weights, hitting the dummy around, playing with a rifle that totally went off on accident, it wasn’t like she was messing around or nothing. The whole time it was kind of weird. The way her body responded to her desires. She wondered if this was how babies felt, trying to pilot a body that was too awkward and unresponsive to be useful.

Well…until they grew into it, Surge supposed.

It was just the little things, like how she’d lifted the 50 lbs barbel with one hand like it was a plushie. Or how with one strike she’d taken a dummy’s head off and her hand had moved so fast it felt like the world had to catch up to her motion. That she’d been able to track it despite her fist moving so fast. The things she was doing felt impossible for any normal person, strength, speed, and power beyond what should be.

Was it that she was having trouble sleeping? Or that she didn’t have to?

It barely mattered now as Surge wailed on the punching bag, watching it spin violently away from her, the chain creaking and groaning as it threatened to break. She’d only hit it once and now she watched, waited-painfully slow as the bag moved away from her, its plastic flesh slowly undenting from the force of her blow.

It arced just shy of gracefully away from her, a flicky just about to take flight before the chain yanked on the bag, its end going high, reaching its climax, and finally beginning its slow descent. The bag moved toward her, picking up speed as its potential energy converted to kinetic energy, 2000 newtons of force coming straight for Surge’s face. It careened down for her, in line to smash her nose, it might break the cartilage. It would hit her back and onto the ground. The resulting fall could bruise or if she landed wrong damage muscle, bone, or organs.

To sum up, it would hurt.

Well…it would hurt anyone else.

Surge closed her eyes as the bag hit her, the soft-sided cylinder impacting her dead-on. For a fraction of a second, she felt it deform around her face, the fabric stretching and stitching creaking. And then it bounced away-fast. Like it was scared of her and her strength.

The whole interaction had lasted less than a second…and to Surge it had felt like an eternity. She’d had to stop, pause, and let things happen as she waited for the world to catch up to her and her speed.

The bag wasn’t winning because it was stronger, it was winning because it was slowly killing Surge with boredom. With its slowness. Stretching out time and making her wait. Twitching in her fingers, tapping of her foot, the constant electricity that seemed to run through her veins, shooting up from her feet, into her legs, body, head, ears, and the tips of her quills. It arced like the bag, reaching its top, but held onto her, the chain pulling it back in, as the electricity shot back down, past the backs of her eyeballs, rattling her teeth, swirling in her stomach, and sparking at her toes before the whole thing began again.

What was this? Why was she like this? And most importantly-

“RAAAAAH!” Surge roared and struck out at the bag, her right fist brought up to her head before launching forward, lighting arcing across the fingers in a deadly dance as it jumped from one ring to the other. Surge’s fist impacted with the bag, hoping to wrench it off its chain and send it flying. To get away from her with its agonizing slowness.

But Surge’s fist moved too fast for that.

“Son of a…FUCK!” Surge struggled as she found her fist embedded in the punching bag, the sand within beginning to leak out and create a seal around her arm. “Fuckin’...” Surge cursed as she yanked on it twice before pulling her hand out. But it had required more effort than she’d anticipated and Surge found herself off balance as her legs twisted around one another before she teetered back and fell. Ending up with her hitting the floor, just as predicted. Surge let out a groan as she tilted her head back and spotted a pair of red and white shoes.

Correction: A pair of metal red and white feet designed to look like shoes.

“Fuck off.” Surge waved a hand at Metal Sonic as she rolled over to get up. A hand that Metal Sonic took…and promptly used to yank Surge from the ground, high up over his head as Surge blinked emptily, not yet having realized she was airborne, and then used to smash her back into the ground, Surge nose smashing painfully into the ground. “DOW!” Surge exclaimed as she scrambled to her feet, backing away from Metal Sonic. “Whad duh fug!” Surge played with her nose, making sure it wasn’t broken.

Metal Sonic punched.

And missed.

“You missed.” Surge pointed out obviously. It wasn’t even close. Surge was a good five feet from the robot and he just punched at the air. Metal Sonic’s head twitched and while Surge had gotten the understanding he wasn’t the most intact robot, it really seemed like he was annoyed.

Metal Sonic punched the air again, and once more missed.

“I’m not gonna stand there and get hit by it robodummy.” Surge set her hands on her hips. Metal Sonic’s hands clenched tightly before unclenching. His hand went up and pointed with two fingers to the glowing lights of his eyes. The hand whipped around to point then at Surge. And then he kept doing it. “Yeah, I get it! You’re watching…” Surge trailed off as she breathed out. She moved slower, watching the robot’s movements. It could’ve been that Metal Sonic was trying to illustrate that he was watching her…

Or, that he wanted her to watch him. Surge gave the shallowest of head nods and Metal Sonic stopped the gesture moving to punch the air again. Surge watched his stance, the spread legs, the lowered pose, the twisting of the fist as he moved from the center of his body.

She copied him. And lightning crackled at the edge of her fist.

“Woah…” Surge chuckled as she felt the difference in power, the channeling as the strength was magnified. Metal Sonic pointed again at her fist. “Uhh, yeah…that feels better. Stronger I guess…” Surge couldn’t bring herself to thank the robot. But Metal Sonic kept pointing and the little thanks she felt died as she couldn’t understand what the robot wanted. “The fuck you talking about?” Surge watched as the robot made its best approximation of a sigh.

Metal Sonic gestured again, throwing out the punch. But right after he waggled his fingers around, the digits moving sporadically, like-

“Oh…the lightning stuff? I…dunno. It just happens sometimes. Feels like it’s in me. Like it wants to build, to charge…to get out.” Surge gave a shrug. Metal Sonic pointed to her again, moving its fingers to signify lightning. And then it tapped its chest twice, the metal giving a dense ringing sound. “What, you want me to hit you with it?” Metal Sonic gave a crisp nod. “Pfff. I dunno man, I don’t even know if I can summon it, let alone control it. I’ll probably just end up zapping myself.”

And then Metal Sonic gave an overexaggerated shrug. Now Surge couldn’t tell what the robot was trying to say half the time, but at that moment she knew exactly what it was saying to her.

Chicken.

“O-K.” Surge spat each letter, grinding her sharp teeth. Bringing her hands together, Surge felt the energy building, no longer sporadic and aimless as it bounced around. It moved with purpose moving along the highways of her nervous system. It condensed and increased power in her hands, palms feeling like pins and needles. Her rings glowed bright white and Surge released a bolt of lightning shooting forth as Surge stumbled awkwardly under the kickback of the blast.

She missed Metal Sonic by a mile.

The robot turned its head to look at the scorch mark on the wall, then back to Surge. Its head dropped a half inch.

Really?

Surge breathed heavily, the blast draining her. “I was aiming for that.” Metal Sonic ignored her, and stuck its hand out, palm up. His fingers curled and uncurled repeatedly.

Come get some.

Surge let out a laugh.

-And most importantly…why did she like being this? Surge didn’t even notice as hours later the sun shone brightly through a high window.

Chapter Text

They ended up taking a flying shuttle. While Silver said it was to preserve his powers, Surge was pretty sure she and everyone else was under the similar emotion that being floated by Silver was not the most favored way to travel.

So, head count: Surge, her sidekick Drippy, the Metal Jerk, Ms. Stick-in-the-mud, the Overdone Bat, Floaty McFloatface, and…the wolf.

Like seriously, what the fuck?

And Surge didn’t mean that in a harsh or argumentative or judging way. She just meant: what the fuck.

Who was she? Now Surge was self-conscious enough to recognize she didn’t make the nicest first impression, and she understood that everyone had lost a hell of a lot more than Surge did…or at least they were aware of it. But how did Whisper go from being that…dead…to Up, active, and criticizing Surge?

“You’re buckled wrong.” Whisper spoke, one clawed finger directed at the harness flapping about on Surge’s chest. Huh. She had been wondering why she didn’t feel secured.

“I know that!” Surge hissed, then as silently as possible worked to adjust her harness. She fiddled with it for a moment or two, the straps and buckles and clasps seeming to blur together, a twisted mess that Surge couldn’t find her way out of. The word ‘help’ sprung to mind, but Surge’s ego wouldn’t let her say that.

And then Whisper was there again, this time barely a foot away, so silent Surge hadn’t heard the wolf approach, stalking her like prey stuck in a trap. Instinctively, Surge threw up her hands to protect herself but Whisper just snatched them, throwing them to the sides. Surge had the strength to overpower her, but it didn’t mean Whisper was weak and all the tenrec could do was watch helplessly as Whisper pulled on two things and then Surge’s harness was fixed.

The wolf stalked off back to her own seat and Surge scowled. “Why’d you do that?! I can do it myself!” Surge tried to stand up, but found herself strongly rooted to her seat, the harness expertly secured. Whisper stopped.

“And if you failed? Got hurt?” Whisper’s voice was naturally low and quiet, to be unseen and unheard. But in that tone it scraped the edge, rumbling like a thousand-pound weight being dragged across steel floors.

“The fuck?” Surge looked around at the other people on the shuttle, hoping to get some understanding of what just happened, but Kit had no idea and others were in similar boats or didn’t care to share. Silver gave Surge the closest answer, his golden eyes holding a wavering sheen:

Don’t ask.

Surge continued to gain more and more understanding as she recognized that these survivors had lost everything. Homes, lives, and loved ones. But more than that, moments and safety and their future in all its forms. So why was Whisper hit so much harder? Had she had more to lose? Or lost it in a worse way?

And then the thought came to Surge.

Maybe this wasn’t the first time.

Surge kept her mouth shut for the rest of the flight.

…

When the shuttle landed, the team followed Lanolin’s plan with a small adjustment from Silver. Lanolin stayed with the shuttle on the beach, setting up a quick base camp and using any and all systems developed by Tails and Eggman over the years to track the emeralds. Kit would be nearby using his hydrokinesis to check the oceans for the final emerald. Meanwhile, Rouge and Whisper would scout the island and keep watch for any zombots that the ground team might encounter. This left Surge, Metal Sonic, and Silver as the ground team, actively hunting the island for the final emerald while Silver held the other six in a floating ring around him.

All of which Kit found stupid.

Of course, the equipment could track the emeralds but all they’d find was the six Silver carried. Rouge and Whisper? Sure they’d find zombots, from what Kit understood Angel Island might have the highest saturation of metal virus in the world! And as for the ground team, what did they hope to accomplish? That a tiny emerald would be found on this massive island? It was a fucking needle in a haystack!

Hah…irony. If one wanted to talk about needles in haystacks, they’d just have to look at what Kit was doing. He could barely control his hydrokinesis, and he lost control of it in about a five-foot diameter around himself. It was like trying to lift up an entire beach’s worth of sand and search each grain for the one made of mystical energy. There was no way Kit was finding that emerald. It probably sunk to the very bottom of the ocean and that’s if ocean currents didn’t take it thousands of miles away to who knows where.

Kit gave a growl and gave a bark at the ocean, the water rippling away from him. Yeah, that’s right. It should fear him, him and his tiny frame and adorably big eyes. Did he want to be scary?

Not particularly. Being scary required a lot of energy. To be angry and big and loud, two of which he was not and the third he found he liked less and less. No, the truth was far more worrisome…and obvious.

“What are you doing here?” Lanolin asked somewhat accusatorily as he stomped over to the small tent setup with enough screens, monitors, and electronics that Kit wasn’t sure if Lanolin had put them there or if the Metal Virus was evolving.

“I’m sick of looking in the oceans for a stupid rock.” Kit harumphed, his arms crossing over his small body to the extent he looked like a very cross-floating head.

“A stupid magic rock.” Lanolin corrected so eloquently as she looked back down at the screens, typing away at a monitor and making slight adjustments and corrections.

“Yeah, that could be anywhere! Do you know how big the oceans are? We’re talking over three hundred quintillion gallons of water that stretch from one planet to another! And I’m supposed to find one tiny rock?!” Kit huffed throwing his hands to the side and moving to his tiptoes to try and be larger.

“So what?! You’ve got the water powers! Water power! Find that Chaos Emerald!” Lanolin hissed, hands pressed against her desk, leaning over the screens, a dark protector blocking her shaking body from Kit’s view.

“Powers that I’ve had for a little over a day! Powers that I don’t even know how to use! That I can’t fully understand how they work!” Kit cried out, feeling the sting in the corners of his eyes, a liquid haze beginning to coat his eyes that his powers had nothing to do with. “I can barely control them! I’m getting as much information as picking at the sand with tweezers!”

“Then fucking do it!” Lanolin choked, her fists slamming the desk, the monitors and computers shaking. Kit let out a tiny whimper as he recoiled away from the sheep, noticing the glittering sheen over her own eyes. “If you have to inspect every grain then do it! I would if I could!” Lanolin clutched at her chest with one hand, gripping the table for support with the other. “If I had your powers…” She looked up at Kit and he watched as she aged thirty years. “I would search and search for as long as it took. I…have never felt as helpless as I have been recently. I thought I was helpless when badniks attacked my town…when the Metal Virus first started. But now?” Lanolin let out a lone sad chuckle. “I’m just screaming into the void with my eyes closed. Like I can’t see the end’s coming…or that it’s already here.” Lanolin looked away from Kit, past the beach with its grains of sand to the metal forest, the bright sheen covering the entire tropical landscape. Trees were steel beams with razors at the top; forest floors were made of needles. “And-and-and these fucking demi-gods complain and argue about what they should or shouldn’t do rather than just fucking doing it!” Lanolin squeezed her eyes shut and Kit watched as two tears left her eyes, the sheep reaching up to wipe each away. When Lanolin opened her eyes again Kit saw raw determination…

No. Obsession. Like any personality had been ripped out but one thing, a shred of the person that once was, distilled into a single, eternal, undying goal. Like a zombie.

“So get back to that beach.” Lanolin’s voice was steelier than the trees. “And find that Chaos emerald.”

“No-o.” Kit said. The word had started out strong. Laced with the anger he’d been feeling for the last couple of days. But then it quieted, settling into something…more tender. Vulnerable.

“No?” Lanolin blinked, her anger and obsession vanishing as it was replaced by pure confusion.

“I’m…not helpless.” Kit tugged on his backpack straps feeling the words come from his mouth, throat, guts and heart. “Unless…I keep doing this.” Kit looked at the vast beach, a complete unknown that he had no control over. A thousand lifetimes wouldn’t help him find the emerald here. “I have…I have to help her. That’s my purpose…”

“Isn’t that…confining? Chaining you down?” Lanolin asked, eyes wide as Kit only got quieter, but somehow…more assured.

“...I suppose. But I have control over it. I can help her. And I’ll take that over this.” Kit didn’t scowl, didn’t bark, or sneer. But there was an edge in his voice, a scared strength.

Kit was angry because it was easier to be angry, to lash out and attack the world before it attacked him. Then to be scared. That’s what he was now.

Scared.

Of what? He couldn’t be sure…maybe the virus, maybe Lanolin, maybe Surge. Hell, maybe everything. But the world better be careful. Was it more dangerous that Kit was angry? No…

The world better watch out because it was about to find out what happened when it put Kitsunami in a corner.

It only took a moment of scared concentration. Of a pounding, thumping heart before the water practically exploded out of Kitsunami’s backpack and he tromped into the metal forest, trees, and grass screaming in shredding steel as water wore away at it.

…

Surge was tired of walking. She wanted to run, to sprint, to blow past everything and leave it all behind her. But right now running was hard. Everywhere she stepped was a possible contact with the Metal Virus. The ground was literal blades of former grass, moss, and trees that had turned to steel plates, all of which weren’t quite solid, the subtlest shifting of material. Quicksand, ready to pull a victim in. And none of that accounted for the zombots. Surge couldn’t spit without it plinking off their metal shells like the ringing of a spittoon. Silver for his part chose to float or create distractions to dissuade and confuse the zombots. Surge may have wanted to run, but walking was preferred to being floated by Silver.

But the biggest reason Surge was tired of walking? Was because that’s all she was doing…walking. Not scanning for them like Metal or feeling them out like Silver…whatever that meant. They wanted Surge to connect to them so she could be all super and shit, but Surge still couldn’t connect with them…not that she particularly wanted to.

A shiver ran down Surge’s spine as she remembered her encounter with the Master emerald…and that was the unpicky one?

“So uh…Silv.” Surge blew out a breath and tried to look normal…whatever that meant. “How do I go about…feeling for this emerald?”

“Uhhh…” Silver drawled as he avoided an especially metal-looking bush. “You’re feeling for a Chaos Emerald. Seek out their power.”

“Sure…but y’know…how?” Surge did a game of hopscotch as she jumped from dirt patch to dirt patch, avoiding the metal grass. Silver let out a sigh and floated one of the emeralds to her.

“No no! I’m good! Really Silv.” Surge’s body arced around the gemstone as it tried to get close, sucking in her gut as she watched it glimmer right in front of her. “Just…just give me some pointers!” Surge gave a nervous chuckle, gritting her teeth so hard she worried she’d crack them. Silver gave her a confused stare but reeled back in the emerald as the six continued to float in a ring around him.

“It would be easier if you could feel their power.” Silver narrowed his eyes at Surge, his apparent frustration filling Surge with a sense of shame and cowardice.

And then anger at that shame and cowardice. But she managed to tamp that bit down.

“How about I just steer clear of your weird rocks until I actually need to use them.” Surge tried for a laugh but her company of Silver and Metal Sonic wasn’t great for that.

“They’re not my weird rocks-I mean Chaos Emeralds!” Silver shook off his apparent slip of the tongue with a headshake. “They’re…no one’s…everyone’s…huh…I guess I never thought who they belong to.” Another head shake. “What they are is access to Chaos Power. Chaos Power exists in everything, rocks, trees, people-”

“Metal?” Surge gave a knock on Metal Sonic’s head and the robot was quick to twist her arm until she cried uncle.

“Yes…” Silver did chuckle that time. “Even metal. But for the most part, it does little besides sit there. Sometimes people can use it for…abilities.”

“Like me with the lightning or you and your floaty shit.” Surge rubbed her arm.

“Me and my psychokinesis.” Silver clarified. “But yeah. In the grand scheme of things though, our abilities are like tapping into a vast ocean of power with a thimble. Chaos Emeralds are progressively bigger cups. One: Chaos Emerald, you get a teaspoon. Two: you get a ladle. All seven? A bathtub’s worth.”

“And what? With the Master Emerald, you get one of those giant helicopters worth things for putting out forest fires?” Surge rolled her eyes.

“Nah. You just get the ocean.” That humbled Surge further.

“O…okay…so how do I search for these…teaspoons?” Silver paused, his forward momentum stopping and he looked down at Surge. She resisted the mild feeling to cower under his careful gaze, feeling Metal Sonic at her back, trying to stiffen her spine.

“Feel your power. The emeralds are only enhancers. They can only magnify what is already there. Feel your strength, feel where it becomes more.” Surge gave a lone nod. Silver progressed forward now, but Surge stood still.

“Pff.” Surge scoffed, “Thanks for the horoscope. I don’t think our star signs match.” Surge mocked as Silver continued to float forward. “What ‘dya do?” Surge leaned back a little, elbowing Metal Sonic.

He shoved her into the dirt.

“Really feeling my power here.” Surge spat as she stood up again, traipsing after the two hedgehogs.

…

Rouge was starting to lose track. The landscape below filled with zombot after zombot. And it wasn’t just them, it was the whole of the island. One giant mass of blending and moving metal sliding ever so slightly this way and that.

It made it harder and harder to locate Knuckles.

Rouge knew the rules. Stay back, don’t touch, and report on zombot movements. And she was! But…she also wanted to check in on the Master Emerald’s Pro- Former Master Emerald’s Protector. She was in charge of protecting it now.

She knew! She knew!

If Knuckles found out Rouge was in charge of keeping it safe, he’d rip out his dreads. But who else was going to protect it with their life? Not to say Rouge would but…well she’d finally gotten her hands on it, it was going to take a hell of a lot to rip it out of her hands.

Now none of that required her to check in on the former protector but…

What could she say? She had a little bit of a crush. Mostly teasing, and none of it had ever amounted to anything with her inability to stay accountable and his frustratingly noble disposition, but he was one of two things that always brought her back to the Master Emerald’s altar.

And now he was a zombot. All that noble and stoicism ripped out in favor of endless hunger, even to Rouge’s more… distaste-worthy antics it felt the epitome of wrong.

He stomped forward, the lumbering gait just about the only thing that still reminded Rouge of the actual Knuckles. The rest of him was someone else entirely.

And that’s when Rouge spotted a second person monitoring their crush. The bat gave a flap of her wings and glided over to Whisper, the wolf held aloft by one of her wisps. Rouge just remained there, the occasional flap of her wings keeping her in the air.

“I-” Whisper choked, her gaze rooted on a figure on the ground, their gray body full of spikes, but the extremely long tail incredibly distinguishable. “I keep thinking ‘Oh, I’ll just go up to her and say hi.’ That she’d greet me with a smile.”

“I keep running through all the different ways he’ll greet me when this finally all clears up.” Rouge rubbed her arm.

“Mmm, nice.” Whisper turned her head to look at Rouge.

“Eh…not really, most of them just have him yelling at me to get off his island.” Rouge gave a laugh and Whisper managed a smile.

“I don’t even think she’ll realize what happened. Just- go about, bouncing around ready for her next adventure. I think that’s what I’d be most excited to see.” Rouge watched Whisper swallow hard. “That to her, it’s like it never even happened.”

“You finally gonna ask her out afterward?” Rouge set a hand on her hip and felt a little shoot of happiness as the subtlest of blushes appeared on Whisper’s face.

“No…” The wolf looked away. “Can’t…can’t get any more attached than I already am.” Rouge had no response to that. “You?”

“I-uh, well I-” Rouge stopped her floundering at the knowing look in Whisper’s eyes and instead blew out a long slow breath. “Probably not. I don’t even think he knows what a date even is.” Whisper gripped her wispon tighter.

“Why…why do we attach ourselves to these people. These…idiots-” The way Whisper said the word held infinite meanings that Rouge didn’t dare try to sift through “-that just get themselves hurt?” Rouge actually smiled at that.

“It took me a while…but I think I actually figured it out.” Whisper looked back to Rouge and the bat saw her eyes open, wide and vulnerable, an incredibly rare sight for the wolf. “They’re us. A version of us that we’ve long since lost. They can get hurt…but we can’t, our scars and hides are too tough to pierce. So we see them, their pure and beautiful souls unscarred. And we want to protect that, to be a part of that. Proxy pure sunshine and hope through them because we can’t anymore.”

Whisper said nothing and Rouge looked down at the two.

“Or maybe they’re both just really cute.” Rouge smirked and Whisper held a hand over her mouth, a single snort leaving her body.

“Yeah…maybe.” Rouge heard the tone of a laugh in Whisper’s voice but the edges of a sob were audible too. Bat and Wolf looked down at the echidna and lemur, walking through the metal forests.

In the same direction.

Closing in on one spot.

“Do you-”

“Yes.” Whisper scowled. “We need to warn them.” Rouge and Whisper watched as the island’s zombots marched toward Silver, Surge, and Metal Sonic.

Chapter Text

Surge was surprised that she heard them first. But she supposed that Silver and Metal Sonic were too busy trying to locate the last Chaos Emerald to hear them approaching. It started as a low rumble, something that just tickled the bottom of her ear, vibrating along the same wavelength as tectonic plates moving.

But then it got louder.

The moaning and growling and calling of the island’s zombots…and they were slowly getting closer. The trees didn’t shift in quite the right way and the bushes didn’t rustle, but the whole island seemed to tilt.

And then there they were, the hordes had come.

They practically moved as a single unit, some leftover part of intelligent technology in an endless cascade error.

“Uhh, not good.” Silver stammered slightly and Surge resisted the urge to say ‘no duh.’

“Metal and I can kick their robotic rumps.” Surge grinned slamming her fists together.

“N-no!” Silver called out right as Surge was about to move forward. “They could still infect you!”

“If I just stand here they definitely will infect you!” Surge shouted back, the three forming a tighter circle as the zombots closed in, on the edges of a treeline 30 feet away.

“It’s better if we run! Regroup somewhere safer.” Silver spoke and began to float forward quickly, Metal Sonic rocketing behind him. Surge cursed and looked at the surrounding zombots before spitting and sprinting after them.

They made it about 50 feet before another swarm of zombots appeared in front of them, and then to the left and then the right.

“Got any other bright ideas?” Surge gritted her teeth as the zombots had them trapped. Silver growled, eyes flicking from zombot to zombot.

“Fine. Hold them off while I build up enough power to levitate us all out of here.” Silver conceded.

“Fuck yes!” Surge laughed and she and Metal Sonic went at it. Now she wasn’t stupid and stopped herself from just charging in guns blazing. Instead, as Metal Sonic went with the zombots hand to hand, she held back, protecting Silver while sending out bolts of electricity at any of the stragglers that broke free of Metal Sonic’s defense.

Zap. Zap. Two were blown back. Zap Zap Zap. Another three. It tired out Surge, but she’d definitely gotten way stronger than her first attempts at her powers. Zap. ZAP. Zap.

Wait. What was that middle one?

For a moment, Surge took her eyes off of Silver feeling the tingle of electricity in her fingers. She moved slightly in a circle around Silver, her fingers twitching ever so slightly as she did so. Normal, normal, normal, normal, strong, normal, normal. Surge started spinning the other way. Normal, normal, strong, normal. Surge turned back again. Normal, STRONG. Surge’s hand shook as she faced one particular direction, her powers reacting to something, fueling them.

The emerald.

“Okay, time to go!” Silver spoke and Surge felt the teal glow of his power as it enveloped her, and felt her feet rise from the ground.

“No! Wait!” Surge struggled in the psychic grasp. “The emerald! I know where it is!” Surge managed to twist in the glowing grip and looked up at Silver, a plead on her face. Silver paused and Surge pointed, feeling all the more confident as the electricity in her body zapped and sparked, wanting to go towards the power.

“I-...” Silver choked and dodged a zombot that tried to reach for him, hitting it with a psychic wave. “-Are you sure?” Surge nodded. “That path, if we go that way…I don’t know if I can get us out.” Surge looked at the path, noticed the tightness of it, the way the metal trees hunched over, forming a cage, the over grown grass of it all. It would be near impossible for anyone to remain uninfected.

“I’m certain.” Surge spoke with a level of confidence that she hadn’t yet experienced. Because it felt like it was backed up by truth. Silver swore.

“Fine. Let’s go. Fast.” Surge gave a nod and Silver dropped his power, the three ready to run for the path. What they hadn’t prepared for was that in taking their time to decide, the zombots had closed in tight. They stood back to back as they became entirely surrounded by zombots. There was no escape.

“Alright, I-” Silver started to speak but he found it hard to after his jaw dropped. And Surge wouldn’t blame him, it was pretty jaw-dropping to watch as an entire platoon of zombots was blasted away by enough high-pressure water to make a crowd control cannon blush.

“Ha-HA!” Surge laughed as she watched Kitsunami drop onto the battlefield, his body held aloft by four massive water tentacles that just either stomped over or on zombots. “Good to see you Drippy!”

“Thank you ma’am.” Kit beamed up at her as he lowered himself back onto his own legs. “I apologize for being late.” Surge smirked.

“Yeah, well, just don’t do it again.” Surge gave the fennec a noogie, while Silver watched the relatively bizarre interaction as they were all about to be infected by zombots.

“Guys! Zombots!” Silver gestured to the still massive horde. The massive horde that was suddenly rocked by explosions and precise wispon blasts. The horde cried out as one and stumbled back, trying to find their footing as Rouge and Whisper flew/floated down, knocking down the zombots once more.

“What zombots?” Rouge smirked.

“Answer your communicators.” Whisper hissed as she landed, blasting at some of the zombots.”

“I-I-” Silver stumbled, feeling around for his communicator.

“Not his fault.” Kit whipped a watery tentacle, knocking over a few zombots. “All the metal on the island is making a weak faraday cage, blocking the signals.”

“So what’s the plan?” Whisper hissed as she fired on the zombots, the horde beginning to recover from Rouge’s bombs and Whisper’s fire.

“There!” Surge barked, pointing out the tight path.

“Not…not much room.” Rouge smiled nervously, flapping her wings speedily to twist and dodge zombot swipes.

“That’s why we won’t be going.” Silver snarled as he just straight up, lifted a group of zombots, throwing them all into an enormous pile, the group then trying to worm its way out of the clump like ants. Everyone shot Silver a look. “Myself, Rouge, and Whisper will attract the hordes here, while Surge, Kit, and Metal Sonic find the last emerald.”

“What?!” Surge stiffened under the shock of it and barely even realized as Silver psychically shoved the six Chaos Emeralds into her hands, the tenrec nearly bowled over. “But-but-but don’t we need you to fix this?!”

“No, I-” And then Silver was slammed to the ground by a zombot. It had moved incredibly fast and with extreme power. It seemed slightly different than the others, glowing streaks in its dark quills. Another hedgehog. “Hello Shadow.” Silver grimaced as the zombot tried to claw at him, Silver blocking the blows with his arms. “I always did want to know who’d win in a fight between us.” And then Silver’s eyes burned with such bright intensity before a massive psychic blast smashed into Shadow’s chest, the zombot blasted back in a straight shot, smashing zombots over like bowling pins and shearing metal trees in the distance.

“Silver!” Surge approached, fumbling with the Chaos Emeralds to hold them. Silver didn’t look great, a massive spread of the stuff on his chest, and it was clearly working fast to spread to the rest of his body. The whole group looked on in shock, the zombots now continuing to close in, their tiny island of safety getting smaller and smaller.

“It’s…fine.” Silver let out a sad sigh and something in Surge’s chest twisted.

“It’s my fault…isn’t it?” Silver waved her off.

“You were distracted by looking for the emerald, no time to worry about it now.” Silver gave her a weak smile, but she couldn’t ignore the flinch as the Metal Virus continued with the conquest of his body.

“And…you’re all okay with staying here?” Kit looked to Rouge and Whisper. Rouge shrugged.

“Eh, what’s the point of stealing if there’s no one to steal from?” She too gave a weak smile as she tossed a bomb, scattering more zombots, giving a little breathing room.

“Tangle…” Whisper spoke clearly as she looked out at the horde, a large smile on her face as a lemur lurched through the crowd, closing in on Whisper. Surge couldn’t fully understand it but…she looked at peace.

“This is the part we’re meant to play. Now go play yours!” Silver’s face turned hard and stoic, confidence in his voice that Surge couldn’t begin to comprehend, but soon she, Kit, and Metal Sonic were quickly lifted by his power and tossed over the ring of zombots onto the metal path. Surge and Kit instantly made contact with the metal grass. As of now, they were on an unknown amount of immunity time.

The three scrambled to their feet and Metal Sonic and Kit started down the path with Surge behind them, having paused momentarily to watch as the zombots closed in on the last survivors of the Metal Virus.

…

The path quickly sloped down and proceeded to get darker as the metal forest thickened. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, there were still a boatload of zombots to deal with. Surge gave some zaps and Kit whacked them with his hydrokinesis, but for the most part, Metal Sonic acted as an unstoppable wrecking ball, plowing down every single zombot that dared to cross them. With the exception of a massive purple cat that took all three of them, they made good time getting away from the large horde surely coming after them.

All the while Surge felt like they were closing in on the last emerald, her powers increasing and the six jostling in her hands were starting to react more and more. The emeralds all wanted to be reunited.

And that’s when they found the cave. It wasn’t a particularly flashy entrance and was mostly hidden by the metal trees, the area now quite dark as they formed a steel canopy. The entrance was just a shifting of rock, a broken arch in a stone wall. From inside sulfuric smells and hot air floated out, already a warning that was a dangerous area.

But first, they had to get past the weird zombot.

Weird was one way to describe it. “Completely-wacko-cucko-bizarro” was the term Surge preferred to describe it as however. It was extremely tall for starters, towering at twice Surge’s height, minus her quills and being outfitted with a full set of long, lanky limbs that extended in two massive yet dextrous hands and a pair of thin long feet that rose up to support an oddly shaped body. Oblong and round, the center of gravity on the zombot was so off the charts that Surge had a hard time understanding how it remained upright. All of this was brought together by a small, ball-shaped head with a beak-no, that was a nose that seemed long enough to poke Surge in the eye from yards away. But the most curious feature of the whole zombot was its whiskers.

No…Surge was wrong again, that wasn’t whiskers…it was a ridiculously long and if she had to admit, fantastic mustache. Caked in zombot metal, it nonetheless stood out as the strangest creature Surge had ever seen. Not that she’d had a lot of experience with other beings.

“What the…” Surge breathed as it approached them. Surge didn’t see it as particularly threatening, no more so than the other zombots, and yet she was far more unnerved by this one than most. She just felt that there was more strength in its arms, speed in its legs, and intelligence in its eyes than there should be. She took a step back. “H-hey, Metal? You…you want to take this one down too?”

Surge looked at the robot by her side and was shocked to find him immobile. The robot was completely still, eyes locked onto the weird zombot. Surge had been freaked out by this zombot, but Metal Sonic appeared completely paralyzed. The zombot took another step towards them.

“Metal?” Surge asked again, eyes flicking over to Kit who was similarly looking between the robot and the zombot who was now within striking range, its long right arm going up. “METAL!” Surge gave a shout as the zombot smashed its hand down, Surge jumped back to avoid its fist which smashed the metal grass, crumpling it under the force of the blow. Kit was able to sidestep, water tentacles raising to shield himself.

Metal Sonic did nothing.

The edge of the zombot’s hand caught him and dented the robot’s face, cracking the CRT screen eyes.

“Okay. That’s it.” Surge growled, handing the Chaos Emeralds to Kit and launching herself at this stupid and weird zombot, fist extended. She got within a foot before Metal Sonic’s robotic boot slammed her face and she was sent spinning to the ground. “Metal?! What the fuck?! We got shit to-” Surge cut herself off as the zombot slammed its hand into the back of Metal Sonic, pinning the robot to the ground. Once more it did nothing to protect itself.

“He…he’s protecting it.” Kit analyzed.

“Yeah…but why?” Surge grumbled as she rubbed her head, taking the emeralds from Kit once more. Kit’s eyes widened and just as quickly softened, dropping his water tentacles.

“It’s…Cream. We don’t know him, but Metal does. Metal Sonic won’t fight him.” Surge wanted to protest, wanted to argue, wanted to do something other than watch as the zombot beat Metal Sonic, the robot a ragdoll on the ground as blow after blow rained down.

“Let’s just get outta here.” Surge mumbled as she and Kit moved past the two, down into the caves.

…

“So what do you think’s going to happen after this is all over?” Kit asked Surge as the two maneuvered down a steep cliff, the emeralds spread in a weird toss between the two as the six were held between chins, armpits, water tentacles, in waistbands, and one even in Surge’s mouth.

“‘Dunno.” Surge grumbled through the emerald in her mouth, almost stumbling as a rock came loose. “Just wanna get through this.”

“You don’t think about what we’re going to do after this?”

“No.” Surge almost lost the emerald in her teeth. Her eyebrows were pointed down, an odd frustration building in her gut.

“I think I’d like to back to that lab where we woke up.” Surge didn’t respond. “Maybe figure out who we were, but more than that I’d like to get a handle on who we are now.”

“I mean, you do you little man.” Kit stopped climbing.

“You’re…not going to come?”

“I dunno. Probably not.” Surge managed a shrug and almost lost the emerald in her right armpit. Luckily, the bottom of this particular cliff wasn’t too much further down.

“Wh-what. Why not?”

“I dunno.” Surge repeated and looked up at Kit briefly who shot her a confused look before continuing himself. Surge jumped the last few feet, landing cleanly and holding out her arms for Kit to jump into them. “I just…I dunno, okay?” Kit jumped and Surge caught him, setting him down on the ground and taking the emeralds back from him. They pressed onward, now faced with a sloping cliff ledge, endless darkness far beyond. “I’ll think about it, okay?”

“Okay.” Kit mumbled. There was a beat of silence. “Maybe…maybe I’ll just follow you.”

“Why?” Surge paused to make a short jump down to another ledge, a flat path finally in sight.

“Because I like you.” Kit stated happily as his water tentacles stretched over the gap and he climbed over.

“Why?!” Surge said so fast and with such ferocity that Kit’s tentacles momentarily failed, only his toes reaching the ledge and he pinwheeled his arms to try and go forward. Arms taken by the emeralds, Surge swiveled on her left foot, sticking out her right to give Kit a little push on the back and he stumbled forward onto solid ground. Kit took a scared and relieved breath before looking at Surge with a cheeky grin.

“Is it so hard to believe someone likes and cares about you?” Surge rolled her eyes and walked forward, moving past the smug fennec.

“I…”

“Dunno?” Kit beat her to it.

“Yeah, okay! I dunno. I just…” Surge sighed deeply, an empty feeling settling in her gut, like the virus in her was consuming her from the inside out. Kit approached, dropping his smug look for one of actual concern, his face turning open and comforting. “All this time we’ve just been going from place to place. Shown all this crazy and dangerous stuff! Things that have world-impacting events. Real consequences and…I’m…I-” Surge swallowed as she couldn’t quite get out the last words.

“It’s okay…” Kit held up a hand. “If…if you don’t want me to follow you then I won’t, it’s not like we really know each other. Just…shoved together I guess. We can go our separate ways after this.”

“No! I don’t not want to hang with you it’s just….urgggh!” Surge growled as she grasped for words with a mouth that was only days out of its tube.

And then a Chaos Emerald was snatched out of her hands.

Fast. Really really fast. Surge looked up in time to see a flash of something disappear over the edge of a cliff, the glinting of the emerald showing that she was now down to five.

“F-fuck!” Was all Surge could manage, the swear strangled purely by surprise. A sound like drums beating at her ears filled the air and Surge managed to look up in time to watch as a fox, covered in gray zombot metal screeched, diving down for her remaining emeralds. Surge’s eyes widened like dinner plates and she stumbled back, the zombots arms reaching out for her.

SPLU-SMASH! Kit’s water tentacles slammed the fox into the wall of the cavern, the zombot hissing and struggling under the constant pressure of Kit’s attack.

“I-I got it!” Kit beamed breathing heavily. But soon the weird whirring drumbeat started up again and something spun fast from behind the fox, shredding and displacing Kit’s tentacles. Kit reeled back and the fox slumped forward managing to stand and Surge and Kit spotted two metal tails spinning slowly behind it. Its hunger mounted as it bared its teeth at them. “Tails…” Kit mumbled to himself. The original fox Kit had been modeled after.

“We got-”

“No.” Kit looked up at her, his eyes wide with fear, tears shining his eyes and trembling his cheeks.

“Kit…”

“I’ll block Tails. If he came to stop me then that flash that took the emerald…” Kit looked away so Surge couldn’t see his tears.

“You don’t think…”

“Go.” Kit spoke with ferocity, but the crack in his voice betrayed his fear. Tails dove for the fennec and Kit smacked him aside, but the fox hardly stayed down for long. Surge wasn’t even really paying attention, brain on the fennec but she moved forward, legs quickly moving one after another. Part of her wanted to go back. Part of her wanted to get off this island. Part of her wanted to just be a stupid zombot and not have to think about this anymore.

And all the while she went deeper and deeper below the island. Crumbling vestiges of cliffs and civilization. Lava boiling up and baking her skin. Falling rocks and platforms as the whole island continued to come apart.

And then she was at the lowest part of the island. A mismatched puzzle piece of thin bridges, partially floating boulders, and tumbling rocks. And there was the sound of water. So loud and powerful it was more likely to drown the world with sound before suffocation.

And then before her, holding one of her emeralds, was Sonic the Hedgehog.

“Ch…a…os E…me..ra..ld…s.”

Chapter Text

At first, Surge thought Sonic had spoken. He was right in front of her after all. But quickly her brain kicked in and she realized that there was another person in the room. Leaned up against the crumbling rocks that tumbled far below. If Surge had thought that zombot outside the cave was cucco bananas wacko, this one was just straight-up alien.

It wasn’t an animal. That much Surge was certain. And what’s more, it wasn’t even fully a zombot. It was mostly red with a secondary helping of black in its legs and top of its head which pointed up into sharp horns. Teal blue capped its fingertips in talons and a pair of thick eyebrows which scrunched down in a cruel and judging gaze. It was coated in so many spikes that Surge was honestly just glad that someone was more into that style than she was.

But she had to get back to something.

It wasn’t fully a zombot. It was partially a zombot.

The metal coating hungered at its legs, reaching past the waist and crawling up the beast’s thick torso. Its gaze wavered on Surge before breaking to look down at its condition. It gave a tired grunt and held its hand out to the metal flesh and before long waves of bright blue, nearly white light beamed out from the beast's palms moving through the air like ripples on the water. And with each ripple, the metal flesh receded, moving down the beast’s waist, past its hips, and down its thighs.

And then the beast’s power fluctuated. Sputtered. Gave out.

It inhaled sharply and coughed, its eyes rolled up into its head briefly and Surge thought it was going to pass out, but suddenly it gritted its teeth and came back around, black and yellow eyes boring into Surge’s soul.

“Ch…aos. Em…er..alds. You…y…ou have brought th…em to me.” The creature’s voice was gruff and deep. Surge suspected some of that was natural, but even more so she believed it was rust. Not having much to talk about…or too weak to use it.

“Nuh-uh.” Surge gritted her teeth. “These…the one you took from me as well as that one you’ve got in your back pocket are mine. I’m gonna use them to save the world.”

There was a pause.

And then the beast let loose a roar. A staccato coughing thing, like heavy artillery fire. No…

It was laughing. It was clearly weakened. And yet it was laughing.

A shiver ran through Surge’s spine.

“Humor.” The beast spoke more clearly after its throat-clearing laugh. “I’ve not had much of it as of late. But that…that was funny. I am Zavok. The last and leader of the greatest of the Zeti, the deadly six. Tell me mewling child…I must know your name before I add you to my legion of zombots.” Everything in Surge’s body told her to get away from this guy, her blood turning to ice then put through a chipper as the zeti’s voice grated over her.

“Surge.” She let out without her own volition. “Surge the Tenrec.” Zavok did not smile, a permanent frown settling over his face.

“Ah…good. Well, I’m glad you’ve had your last bit of ‘fun.’ Something to cope with your impending subjugation.”

“Yeah. I ain’t getting ‘subjugated’ wacko.” Surge spread her stance, ready for this guy to fight. She was sure she could take him, but he couldn’t seem to get up. And yet that chilling feeling didn’t subside in the slightest, like something threatening in the corner of her eye. That she just couldn’t quite see.

“I’ve had enough jokes child.” Zavok slammed his fist into the ground and the cracks in the floor intensified, the whole place ready to come apart. Surge glanced down between the cracks and saw the source of the endless rushing of water.

A whirlpool, miles wide. It was like the island was still trying to levitate, pushing down against the force of gravity while the planet tried to inhale the land, and return it to the ground once more. A hungering mouth greater than any zombot army. Just looking at it weakened Surge’s knees and filled her with hopelessness. All would be consumed, all would be no more eventually. It was slowly tearing the island apart. This island wouldn’t just be on the planet, it would be put through a shredder and stripped down to the smallest rock.

“Powerful, is it not?” Surge managed to rip her gaze from the whirlpool to look at Zavok who returned her look for a moment before gazing back down between the cracks, the infinite whirlpool feeling closer every second. “Latent power no doubt, but you can feel the effect, don’t you child? The desire to just let yourself be consumed is to be…respected.” Zavok tore his eyes away and Surge watched as there was a break in his rigid and steely demeanor as his eyes flickered nervously. “You think it is hard to resist letting yourself fall now? I have been here for months. My will is the greatest there has ever been. I have beaten Sonic.” Zavok tilted his head toward the metal virus’d hedgehog who was just standing there blankly. “I will beat the power beneath this island. And you think you can take the emeralds from me?”

“I-I’ll beat you.” Surge gritted her teeth.

And Zavok smiled.

The zeti extended his hand and his mysterious power yanked at her body. It felt like she was being ripped from the inside out, her bones trying to be torn from her flesh. The emeralds were practically flung from her hands, scattering about in front of her. In a second she was on her knees, hands splayed in front of her.

She was bowing to Zavok.

“You have machines in you. I control machines. You are just another puppet. With all seven Chaos Emeralds, I will rid myself of the virus and then the world’s zombots will all be my puppets. You didn’t have to be one to be stripped of your own will…not that you had much of one to begin with.”

“Stop...you…!” Surge managed as panic started to set in. Her muscles would barely respond, and her brain fuzzed. She had become a spectator in her own body.

“Why?” Zavok’s voice rolled over her like a lawn mower. “Do you even know?” Surge let out a little whimper as Zavok started to strip her brain apart. “I can see the construction of your mind. Whoever designed you was clearly very smart. You come with ingenuity, flexibility and I can see much, much passion. But you were designed to be controlled, to carry out specific tasks under another’s guidance. You would be the perfect puppet for-”

Zavok cut himself off and his power stopped only long enough for Surge to look up and see a terrifying grin spread across his face.

“I know exactly who built you.”

“Wh…a…t?”

“It matters not. The point is you have no will of your own child. A flaw in your design…or perhaps unfinished. All of which means one thing.” Surge’s head was forced down again and Surge could only look at the floor as she heard the sound of shifting. A body moving and Zavok’s pained and heaving grunts. Footsteps filled the slowly collapsing cavern. The top of Surge’s vision filled with Zavok’s feet and a scaly, clawed hand reached under her chin, tilting her head to look directly into his black and yellow eyes, the sclera glowing slightly.

“It is all you.” Zavok annunciated each word. “It is who you truly are. You don’t want to save the world. You don’t want it destroyed. You just don’t care.” Zavok let her chin go and Surge’s head was yanked back to look at the floor. The zeti’s feet receded and tears dripped from Surge’s eyes. She didn’t remember crying them. Zavok grunted more as he sat back down, breathing heavily. When he spoke again, his voice was flat. No longer menacing or threatening, just calm and truthful. Painfully truthful.

“You are apathetic. That is your truest self. Who you originally were. The best foundation for a servant. If you care about nothing, it makes it easy to bend you to others' choices. What they care about, becomes what you care about. I did not care for him…but he chose well.”

“I-I-I’m g-gonna kil-ll you-u!” Surge sobbed her voice in tatters. Zavok’s voice steeled, but there was a lilting tone to it, almost pitying.

“Do not deny your nature child. It only makes things harder.”

“That’s…not…my…nature!” Each word was a struggle and Surge willed her head to look up at him and her body actually responded. Her vision blurred and tears still dripped down her face but she managed to look on at Zavok in satisfaction as he raised an eyebrow in questioning.

“Hmmm. I…Well…” Zavok’s face turned more questioning as his gaze seemed to flicker on Surge, he had seemed so confident in his decree moments early…now he appeared not so sure. But his face settled into something challenging and his chin pointed up at her.

“I am part of the deadly six. The greatest of-”

“You said that already.” Surge interrupted him, a grin trying to pull at her cheeks. Anger flashed in Zavok’s eyes, his teeth gritting.

“We were chosen because we are the strongest of the zeti, chosen through combat. I believe in this. I believe in the chance to show will. So I am curious…” Zavok’s slow smile returned, subtle but smug. “Do you have more will than your world’s greatest hero. Who even himself fell to the Metal Virus?” Surge’s eyes widened and a cold hand gripped her shoulder. Instantly a sickening feeling swallowed her guts and sent a sharp prickling sensation through her whole body. “I control machines. I control Sonic the Hedgehog.”

Sonic’s body yanked Surge from the ground and she was tossed through the air like a ragdoll. She was thrown into a pillar, and the stone structure broke apart as she hit it, raining rubble on her. Pain flared in her back and right side and she didn’t want to get up from her rubble grave. Sonic’s body was on Surge in a second and he wound up before letting his foot loose, a supersonic kick burying itself in her gut. Surge didn’t even have time to feel pain as she was sent crashing through the cavern into more pillars and rolling over many times as stones and rocks jabbed into her at every turn.

A tiny whimper mewled from Surge’s throat as she lay there her entire body wracked with pain. One eye managed to open and she saw that Sonic's Body was instantly there again, lording over her. They’d moved deeper into the cavern now, where the light dimmed and Surge was having a harder time seeing Sonic’s face as he picked her up by the throat. She was lifted higher and higher till only the tiptoes of her boots reached the ground.

And then Sonic’s Body’s free hand pulled back into a tight fist.

Surge didn’t fully understand how he had been a hero. But she sure as hell understood why it had taken so long to beat him. His fist moved insanely fast and without remorse. At high speed, the fist smashed into her face, pulled back, and crushed against her skull over and over and over again. It was like being punched by a jackhammer. Blood spilled from Surge’s nose and her muzzle cracked, teeth loosening. She felt her optical bone over her right eye crack, and then break.

And it kept going. This wasn’t a fight. It wasn’t a chance as Zavok had so eloquently put it. It was an execution. Sonic’s Body would punch her in the head until she died…and then probably keep going.

It was starting to piss her off.

This was the great hero? This was this world’s fucking savior?! Some douche that had become a puppet for the bad guy and was going to kill her with one cheap tactic. It wasn’t fair, it was hardly even poetic. It was just fucking lame.

Surge started to notice at that point Sonic’s body was slowing down. He must’ve been tiring, right? One of Surge’s eyes had swollen shut but with her other, she started to be able to track his punch as it pulled back, shot forward, hit, and pulled back again. It seemed to be getting slower and slower. But he never stopped.

Wait…he was a zombot…did they ever tire?

Sonic’s Body wasn’t slowing down…Surge was speeding up. Her powers finally kicking in after Zavok released her. Maybe. She…could she? Just-

“Huh.” Surge mumbled as she caught Sonic’s fist. The zombot actually managed a look of surprise, its arm shaking as it tried and failed to overpower Surge. “How ‘bout that?” Surge let out a shout of a roar as threw all her weight backward, twisting back in Sonic’s Body’s grip, she and the zombot going down. But Surge twisted back faster so that she twisted out of his grip, forced her legs up, and obliterated Sonic’s Body’s chin under the force of her steel-toed boots.

Surge tumbled away getting onto all fours, ready to fight back as her body flared with pain, protesting the fast movement. The zombot for his part slowly recovered, his metal flesh chin repairing as his hungering eyes locked back onto Surge.

A low roar reverberated out from his mouth, a beast giving off an intimidating shout. It failed. Rocketing forward, Surge tensed herself as the zombot’s blow came for her head. Rotating slightly, she brought up her left forearm, the bone straining as Sonic’s body’s fist made an impact. Noticing the resistance, the body then struck out with its left in a wide haymaker. But Surge had gotten to her feet by now and grabbed the fist with her right, twisting the arm slightly. The zombot hardly noticed and instead made use of its limbs that weren’t trapped. Kicking his right leg out, Surge’s left collapsed but now she understood why her quills were supposed to be up as they raked over the zombot’s face as she went down. It didn’t particularly hurt him but his defenses were down and Surge took the advantage.

Bringing the two halves of her body together in a pincer motion, she yanked on the zombot’s arm with her right as she pushed up with the same-sided leg. This caused her once kicked out left knee to become a high-velocity smashing object that crushed against the zombot’s lowering head.

Like a pinball, Sonic’s Body was launched away bouncing off cracked pillars and boulders, the metal flesh stretching and shredding.

“Ha HA! Let’s dance bozo!” Surge laughed, feeling a spark of excitement and hope inside. Her heart started to pound faster, electricity running along the adrenaline that dumped into her veins. Even breathing was easier now, her elevated state, her proper state. Even the pain from the wounds was fading, her super healing kicking in.

And yet she almost didn’t catch it as Sonic’s body was on her in a second.

Jab, jab, knee, backhand, roundhouse, haymaker, sidekick, uppercut, elbow, spindash.

And for Surge’s part: step back, step back, block with forearm, lean, block with knee, duck, backflip, lean, lean more…and hesitate which resulted in the whirring zombot hedgehog bowling over her, shredding her skin as Surge shouted in pain.

“GRAAAAARGHGHGGOOOOOW!” The pain was unbearable. She felt like layers of her very essence were being stripped away by the millisecond. Surge couldn’t form a complete thought, mindlessly trying to knee, punch, kick, or even just twist the zombot off her, but the attack was pure muscle memory that the virus could access. It was hard to imagine Sonic ever losing if this was the power that he wielded. Surge was ready to give up, to die. To let go and-

No. Now is not the time to give up. Surge was in pain. She was facing an enemy that had beaten things far stronger than her. And she was all alone. But fuck everything-

-If she was going to let Zavok be right.

Surge screeched like a banshee and lighting exploded from her. Sonic’s body was shot upward and smashed into the cavern ceiling, metal flesh boiling and frying off of him. Surge stood as he fell to the ground, twitching in a heap. She roared her frustrations at everything, her sudden life, the world she had been born into, her lack of willingness to fight for it and she shocked him over and over and over again. Until her throat was raw and her fingers twitched with aftershocks. Her sight dimmed and her head swam, her legs feeling like spaghetti as her knees tried one last time to hold her before giving out entirely.

But she somehow remained upright. Her eyes were half-lidded, sleep and exhaustion calling out to her like a siren. Her muscles and bones screamed at her to listen, her very brain felt fried.

But she remained upright.

“Ouch…” A hand extended to her. “You really pack a punch. Need some help?” Surge tilted her head back but she couldn’t even be sure if she’d done it or just the release of a muscle.

Sonic the Hedgehog stood before her, a smile adorning his cheeks as green eyes sparkled.

“Fuck you.” Surge mumbled. Sonic raised an eyebrow. “If you’d just been better…none of this woulda ever happened.” Sonic frowned.

“Sorry, but I don’t compromise my morals, that’s not who I am.” Sonic’s cheery voice turned stone-like.

“Yeah, I respect that. I’m just upset that now I have to do your job.” Surge smirked. As Sonic realized what Surge had said, that same smile returned, a mischievous look in his eyes added as he beamed.

“Sorry ‘bout that.”

“Surge. Surge the Tenrec.” Surge took Sonic’s hand and he hefted her up, Surge standing on wobbly feet, having to resort to putting her hands on her knees as she breathed heavily. She was looking down now and noticed that Sonic’s Metal Virus wasn’t gone, just mostly splattered, the virus creeping back up his legs and hips.

“Huh.” Sonic huffed. “Are you like another reflection of me? To beat me or something?”

“‘Or something.’” Surge stretched now, hands on her back as it cracked violently, a releasing sigh leaving her throat. “But it didn’t exactly go that way. Now I gotta do this. Love the idea that I’m a knock-off by the way.” Sonic flinched.

“Sorry…didn’t think about it that way.” Surge rolled her eyes.

“Whatever. Fuck you, but whatever. Now I’ll get the emeralds and then you go super-” Surge stanced up again, but the tiredness from that much lightning began settling in. She stumbled and Sonic caught her, hauling her back to her feet.

“Woah woah woah woah.” Sonic made sure Surge was standing before letting her go. “I’ll go get the emeralds and then you’ll go super.”

“Wh-what?!” Surge must’ve been hearing things from how exhausted she was. “But you’re the hero-”

“Yeah. And you’re right. I messed up. I can’t fix this, and Silver’s not here so I don’t even know how. But maybe you can.” Surge stumbled again and Sonic caught her, slowly lowering her to the floor as she fought to keep her eyes open. “You zapped the virus right off me.”

“Didn’t fully work…” Surge mumbled. “And I’m guessing it wasn’t exactly comfortable.” Sonic flinched again as he rested Surge against a pillar.

“No, but when you’re super, you’ll figure it out. I know you will. You’re gonna have to.” Sonic pointed down and Surge saw that her immunity had worn off. Sonic’s super resilient version of the virus now infecting her as the metal traced up her legs and arms, draining what little strength she had left.

“But how?” Sonic shrugged.

“You will.”

And then he dashed off. As Surge focused on not becoming a zombot, Zavok’s roars shook the cavern combined with laughs and whoops from Sonic. On Surge’s lap, held weakly in her arms a pile of Chaos Emeralds slowly grew. Surge just looked at them, salvation so close.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.

“This is the last one.” Sonic stared down at Surge, determination, and hardness on his face, like he knew this was the end. It pretty much was. “Go super. Save the world.” That did about sum it up. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I owe Zavok one last butt-kicking before I become a zombot again.

Sonic tossed the last Chaos Emerald. He sped off, and it landed neatly on top of Surge’s pile.

Seven.

Surge closed her eyes. Waited for the power to rush over her. Become more.

It didn’t happen.

“Okay. C’mon.” Surge grunted, resisting falling asleep. “Let’s go. Time to be super.” It still didn’t happen. Surge huffed and sat more upright, cradling the emeralds carefully. “Alright! Super time! Super Surge! Super…” The emeralds didn’t even twinkle. “How do I? C’mon! I’ve got all seven!” Surge choked out and felt stinging in the corners of her eyes, her gaze turning misty so much as blurry. “I need to do this!” Surge begged of the emeralds but they just sat there emptily, their infinite power away from her reach. “What…” Surge swallowed hard and tried to look beyond the emeralds. “What do you want from me?!” Surge cried out, her voice and spirit in tatters. This was all just too much. The time limit, the consequences, her part in it. She didn’t even know who she was and she had to save the world.

She didn’t know who she was.

She didn’t know who she was. In a literal sense yes, but also in a more metaphysical sense, in a self-reflective sense. In the kind of way magical rocks would see her. To them, right now Surge the Tenrec didn’t exist. She’d just have to tell them.

“Alright. Fine.” Surge growled, sitting up straight. “Let’s talk! I’m a green tenrec for one. I’ve also got these crazy electricity powers that are really cool!” Surge felt crazy for talking to a bunch of rocks but in all fairness, everything was crazy right now. “And I’ve got this cool water-powered sidekick that’s actually super awesome even though I give him a hard time! He’s had my back a whole buncha times considering we don’t even know each other that well! Oh yeah, by the way, I’ve only been alive for like two days, how’s that for batshit crazy?!” Surge roared, standing now, ignoring the metal virus working its way up her torso now, making her arms shake as it tried to pull them away for the emeralds. “And now I’m caught up in this stupid apocalypse world where everyone’s a stupid fucking zombot and I’m just trying not to get caught up in the crossfire! EVEN THOUGH IT’S LIKE TOTALLY AWESOME TO BE FIGHTING AND SHIT! AND I’VE GOT THIS ANGRY ATTITUDE AND GET ANNOYED EVEN THOUGH I REALLY SHOULDN’T. AND ALL THIS TIME I’M JUST DOING WHAT SILVER WANTED AND THEN SONIC WANTS NOW AND HE’S TOTALLY A DOUCHE! HE TOTALLY COULD’VE BECOME SUPER SONIC AND SAVED THE WORLD BUT NOW HE PAWNED IT OFF ON ME AND–JUST–STRAIGHT–UP–FUCK EVERYTHING!” Surge breathed out heavily as she finished yelling all the angry, spiteful, raged words that had been bottled up ever since she’d walked out of that tube.

“So here’s the deal magic rocks.” She growled low and the emeralds shook, their power just below the surface. It could’ve been they were reacting to her identity. But Surge was pretty sure they were scared of her. She grinned. “I’m Surge the Tenrec and I’ve got no idea who I am.”

“But–I–WILL.”

And then there was nothing but pure light.

Chapter Text

Over the past few months, the Metal Virus had been pretty good about building up resistances. It had been forced to change and adapt as forces tried to stop and control it. Resistance to Eggman’s control. Resistance to Sonic’s speed. Resistance as people tried to stop it from spreading. So it was pretty good at building up resistances.

Storm Surge as she’d newly dubbed herself(no need to copy Sonic and Silver schtick) blasted through the caverns of Angel Island straight up. She couldn’t even feel it as the rock broke apart on her face, her now bright blue quills and fur twinkled and glowed and hummed with energy. She could feel the pressure drop as storm clouds formed high overhead. She blasted through the top layer of the island, even its metal grass coating wrenching apart under her infinite power.

She took a moment to look at the carnage and consumption of the planet below. And she decided she didn’t like it. Storm Surge brought her hands together and felt a ball of superheated electrical energy form there. So hot and so bright that hydrogen started to explode within becoming plasma and yet it was still contained. The power grew and grew and grew, the emeralds' energy combined with Surge’s abilities causing a level of energy that could literally only be considered in astronomical terminology. Storm Surge’s hands shook with the effort, the emeralds reaching even their believed infinite limits.

The Metal Virus however had no resistance however against EMPs.

It was still a machine at its core. It could adapt all it liked to organic beings, infect, consume, and control. But it had no way to stop it when someone simply treated it as the machine it was…and cut the power.

As Storm Surge released the power with a sky-shattering roar a burst of electromagnetic energy greater than several solar flares rolled over the entirety of the planet. The virus decayed nigh-instantaneous as its systems of replication and consumption were zapped and warped, all subroutines immediately shutting down.

As such, the plague fell off its prisoners, light returning to the eyes of people once more and greenery emerging from beneath the metallic shell. And thus the Metal Virus was no more.

Storm Surge gave a nod, pleased with the results as she swiftly went and rounded up everyone on Angel Island, giving them a super airlift back to the mainland. Many cheered either as they were cured, or reunited. But some stared up at Storm Surge in confusion.

After all, they’d never seen her before. Sonic and his friends called out to her from the sky, hoping to introduce their savior to the people. Storm Surge lowered herself, her glowing blue form almost blinding and somewhat inconvenient, a constant storm overhead letting down light drops of rain and rumbling with distance thunder.

“Why thunder?!” A yellow fox that Storm Surge had found Kit with whimpered as he cowered slightly under Sonic’s arm, the blue hedgehog torn between laughing and comforting his little brother.

“See! I knew you could do it!” Sonic gave Storm Surge an overly cocky smile and the tenrec could only roll her eyes.

“Thank you though Surge, that’s what he means.” Silver shook his head as he and the rest of his crew approached, but it was mostly Lanolin however as Whisper and Rouge were caught up reuniting with other friends.

Suddenly a loud sparking and whirring and clanking came from the crowd which quickly dispersed as Metal Sonic shook and twitched, coming back online and rebooting after Storm Surge’s EMP. But it seemed to have a little more trouble than usual as its head flickered between hedgehog and tenrec, ping-ponging rapidly before making its final choice.

Storm Surge held her hand out stopping the robot by placing her hand on its head, the sharp talons thrashing out, unable to reach her.

“Uhh, I think I stole your rival.” Storm Surge grinned sheepishly.

“Eh.” Sonic shrugged. “You can have him.” Storm Surge shrugged back and took hold of Metal Surge’s arm before swinging around and around, practically forming a tornado that whipped at the winds before letting go, the robot sailing off into the horizon miles away. Surge grinned and dusted her hands while Sonic held a hand to his forehead, watching the robot disappear into the distance. “Nice throw.”

“So uh, what now?” Storm Surge looked at her super form, the power still rolling off of her in intense waves.

“Well, gotta get people back up on their feet. But first–” Sonic pointed at her. “Just release.”

Storm Surge was going to mock him again for not being clear but decided that would be pointless. He had nothing to offer her. This was all her. And Storm Surge let go.

…

The next week or so was more panic-inducing than the past month. As society rebuilt the first thing that had to come back online was the power considering in order to cleanse the virus Storm Surge had knocked out every electronic on the planet. And while Tails had been upset to see his stuff scrapped, a lot of people were glad that Eggman was down for at least a little while, each badnik now an oversized paperweight. Even machines with intense EM shielding got knocked out, forcing both Metal Surge and Gemerl to reboot, both of which caused more headaches. But things still got back on track and all of the extra help was no longer needed.

“So that’s it?” Kit asked Tails, the yellow fox giving the fennec a kind nod.

“This is the last of the stuff from West Side Island. The restoration is officially back on the
mainland.” Tails put his hands on his hips and looked out at the group of many heroes and helpers as boxes left trucks ready to reenter the restoration base.”

“So nothing more to worry about?” Tails sent Kit a funny grin.

“Yes and no. Sonic never worries about anything, which has its pros and cons but for the most part it’s generally a good headspace to be in.” The fox nodded and Kit looked him over carefully. He’d grown close to the fox over the past week, seeing him as a sort of mentor/blueprint to build himself off of.

“But?” Kit deduced. Tails looked at him with a knowing smile out of the corner of his eye, giving the slightest tilt of the head.

“There’s always something. The Metal Virus is toast and we got Zavok and Storm Surge chucked Metal Surge to the next continent, but…Eggman vanished the second we got back to the mainland and people are going to be fussy until normality returns and most concerningly-”

“The Warp Topaz.” Kit remembered from the day before they left West Side Island the last magic stone they’d had access to poofed and was gone.

“Yup.” Tails scratched at an ear. “And we’ve got no idea who took it. Silver left it behind to make sure it was guarded but then the systems never came back online after the EMP.” Tails set his hands on his hips staring off into the distance as he tried to solve the problem like a math equation. “And I swore I rebooted the backup systems too.” Tails eventually waved the problem off. “Well as Sonic says, it’s nothing to worry about until it becomes a problem.”

“You hate that don’t you?” Kit pulled back on another Tails layer, the fox surprised at how much Kit could understand about him.

“It’s…not my favorite thing. I wish he’d be more into preparing for possible dangers…but then he wouldn’t be Sonic, y’know?” Kit turned away and looked beyond the group. A green tenrec standing off to the side with her back to them all, the far green hills and cities of the world getting ready once more to receive people.

“Yeah…I know.”

“So what about you?” Tails’ words pulled Kit out of his head and he twisted back around to look at the fox.

“Oh, well…I dunno.” Kit smirked at the irony. “Don’t…don’t really know who I am yet and all that.” Tails looked over Kit for a while as the fennec just looked at the ground, bright green grass happily soaking in the sun’s rays.

“You…could stay with the restoration? Find purpose here? Help people. I think you’d be pretty good at it.” Tails offered to Kit. Kit looked up once more at the kind fox. But then he turned around looking at the tenrec in the distance. He just caught the edge of her gaze as she turned around once more. She’d been looking at him…but now she started walking away.

“I…I gotta see this through first. She and I-”

“You’re connected.” Tails gave a knowing nod, his own experience with Sonic an unironically similar scenario.

“She was the first person I met, and I her. I don’t know if we’re ready yet to say goodbye. We gotta say hello first.”

“Of course.” Tails held out his hand and Kit took it, the two of them shaking before Kit released. “I wish you the best Kitsunami the Fennec.” Kit grinned at him before turning away, putting one foot in front of the other.

“So it’s just us now?” Kit asked open-ended as he jogged to catch up to Surge, the tenrec hunched forward, hands buried in her pockets.

“Mmm…seems that way. You good with that?” Surge’s eyes flickered to Kit. The fennec didn’t meet her gaze, head jolting back to the shuttle where the restoration stood and talked. “Kit?!” Surge spoke a little louder and the fennec’s head snapped around, eyes forward but down.

“Y-y-yeah. Yeah.” Surge narrowed her eyes.

“You sure?” Kit let out a sigh.

“Yeah, it’s just…I dunno, they seemed really concerned about the Warp Topaz going missing. You don’t think that’s gonna be a problem, do you?” Surge gave a tilt of her head.

“Especially with the backup systems malfunctioning.”

“Yeah.” Kit’s brain twitched and for a moment he stopped short. “Wait, how-”

“Ehh, I wouldn’t worry about it too much.” Surge smirked, pulling the Warp Topaz out of her pocket and tossing it around in her hand. Kit’s eyes bugged out of his head and he nearly tripped over his ears to catch back up to her.

“You stole it?!” Kit yell-whispered. Surge shushed him while also chuckling, his reaction getting a laugh out of her. But quickly her expression turned serious and she stood over him, eyes suspicious.

“Yeah…and I’ll ask again. You good with that? Cause if you wanna back out now. Run back to team hugs-a-lot. It’s all good. Promise.” Surge spoke with mostly clarity. Kit knew she was certain in her actions. But there was a wavering in the ends of her voice. A nervousness that she’d go through life alone.

Kit didn’t want that. And if she did, surely she’d get herself killed. From the moment they’d been awake she’d needed Kit to get herself out of jams. But did he want that for the rest of his life? An unknowable series of near disasters and fear?

On the other hand…what they’d done so far had been…incredible.

“Nah. I’m in.” Kit smirked back up at Surge and he watched as a real smile bloomed across her serrated teeth, joy sinking into her gruff and angry personality.

“Yeah-heh-ha!” Surge leaned down and reached an arm across Kit’s shoulder, pulling him into a sort of side hug as they walked forward. “Just you and me, Drippy. Us against the world!”

“So we’re villains now, huh?” Kit perked an eyebrow as he watched a mischievous light dance in Surge’s eyes.

“Eh.” Surge released Kit, giving a shrug. “We can beat up the heroes and take what we want, but gotta be honest with you, saving the world was pretty cool too. Not to mention beating up that Eggman guy sounds fun! Plus I heard from Sonic there’s this Starline guy? Apparently, the Warp Topaz was originally his. Dude definitely sounds like he could do with an ass whooping.” Kit gave a laugh.

“So…?”

“So, hero, villain?” Surge laughed to herself, squeezing the Warp Topaz, a few jolts of electricity running through it. It began to hum, vibrating with energy as the space in front of Surge and Kit began to warp and twist. “Why can’t we be both?” Surge grinned sharkily from ear to ear.

“I don’t think they’re gonna like that.” Kit copied her grin, the ‘they’ in question encompassing just about–everyone. Surge gave another shrug as the space finished warping, a mysterious portal swirling and pulsing with energy in front of them.

“Eh, sucks to be them, ‘cuz I aim to misbehave.” Surge’s grin twinkled.

And Surge and Kit walked through the portal.