Living in the City

[Amy Rose]

Upon Tutley's exclamation, I couldn't help but cringe.

"I don't think I would exactly call them that... ...Hey! Wait a minute! You can't be serious though, can you? Though I guess when you think about it..."

My thoughts fluctuated about as madly as my feelings. I wasn't too sure on believing the turtle only out of the weirdness of the situation. Tutley didn't seem the type to joke around about serious things like this and he was certainly savvy at what he did from the short time I'd known him. I relaxed my grinding teeth though as I heard Jack speak up finally.

"It's... You really joking, right? I mean it happened just two years ago. The ARK incident. I doubt anyone could have missed it. Robotnik made a big spectacle out of it. You know? Vaporizing a third of the moon? Threatening to do the same if the world didn't surrender? Ring any bells?"

[Shadow]

Shadow remained silent and still, his face an emotionless mask, giving away no indication of his reaction other than the occasional red spark crackling around him. At some length, he finally turned towards Decoe and Bocoe, his face still blank. "So, you two were really created by the Professor, were you? How interesting." Slowly he raised his right hand over his head, the golden bracelet on his wrist glistening in the sunlight, and ten golden bolts of energy crackled into existence in a halo around him, their spear-like tips angled towards the robot pair. "Interesting, and all the more reason to destroy you both now!"

Without turning away, he glanced towards Jack. "Since you seem to be completely ignorant of what's going on, I'll fill you in. I remember everything from the ARK fifty years ago because I was there. I was the last creation of the late Professor Gerald Robotnik fifty years ago. I was born in the research facility on the ARK, designed to be the Ultimate Life Form, the ultimate weapon. G.U.N., deeming me and the rest of the Professor's experiments too dangerous to exist, stormed the ARK and killed everyone aboard, save me and the Professor. We were both captured, and I was put into stasis so that I would never see the light of day again. The Professor went insane in his captivity when he heard his granddaughter, my only friend, Maria, had been killed as well. In his insanity he found a way to reprogram not only the ARK itself, forcing it to crash into the earth when it's primary weapon, the Eclipse Cannon, was brought online, but he even reprogrammed my memories, so that when I was released I would carry out his final wish to destroy the world. Two years ago I almost succeeded, with the help of Doctor Robotnik, the Professor's grandson. The cannon was brought online, and the ARK fell into the atmosphere in a collision course with the Earth. Probably the only reason we all still exist is that Amy helped restore my true memories, and convinced me to undo what I'd done and stop the ARK."

Red lightning crackled around Shadow and jumped between the Chaos Spears still suspended in the air around him. His gaze returned to the two robots before him. "And that's exactly why these robots need to be destroyed! If the Professor could re-write the memories of a living organism, re-writing the programming of a robot would be child's play! Who knows what these things are designed to do? They could try to bring the Eclipse Cannon back on line, or worse, who knows? And unlike me they're just machines, they have no memories or emotions to appeal to, nothing we could do to convince them out of it. I don't know about you, but I don't want to take that chance!" His words were angry and full of conviction, but all the same he did not fire the Chaos Spears. He paused, red energy crackling around him, his hand held high and ready to launch the barrage of deadly energy, something held him back, something stayed his hand. He didn't say it aloud, but inwardly he felt a mild kinship to the robots already, even if they were supposed to destroy the world. He was sure they were dangerous, but something stopped him from destroying them immedietly: after all, even if they didn't have memories or emotions, he had been in their place only two years ago. His gaze turned more specifically towards Decoe, the robot that moments ago had been huddled on the ground, terrified. Could they really have emotions after all? Or was it all just clever programming? His face remained oddly blank as thoughts buzzed through his head, and still he held his hand high, ready to let loose the barrage of Chaos Spears, or to dissipate them.

[Jack-the-Hedgie]

[Hooray. Another one of Jacks long winded rants. Good thing Talking is a Free Action]

Jack stood stunned for a moment. He really wasn't sure HOW he could respond to a lot of that. Instead, all that came out of his mouth, following silent mouth movements, was a confused ramble.

"I...I had no idea... I was.... Two years ago, I was in a coma... I... My god... What have I been missing this whole time? Why wouldn't I know about something like that?" The gravity of his amnesia was finally starting to make itself known to the mellow hedgehog. As always, though, he brushed it aside. His expression of confusion, and maybe the slightest twinge of fear made it clear, though, that there was more to it than he was willing to let off.

"So is this what you and Slick talking about two weeks ago? You were just some science experiment? Some sort of weapon? This whole time, you've been capable of destroying the planet, and now you're ready to tear through some robot straight out of your history without any idea of what it's intention was? I seriously doubt it."

Jack limped forward, pushing his way between Shadow and these two random robots. He had full knowledge that...whatever Shadow had ready could easily rip him in two. He needed to make his point, though.

"People aren't weapons, Shadow. Even the slightest bit of humanity would make it too inefficient to use. People reason. They feel. They know when something's not right, once they're able to see past the web of lies the true monsters put up. I don't doubt anything about your life on the ARK. It seems too weird to be true, yes, but I realized early on when I found out I was made of elastic that nothing is impossible. What I do doubt, though, is that anyone could be heartless enough to make a person into a weapon. And that's why I think you should spare those robots."

Jack looked behind him, to the two machines behind him.

"Call me naive, but these robots seem too human-like to be a threat. They're practically cowering at your feet. I don't know much about robots, but I do know that fear is something a person has. Not a weapon. Especially one that would need to use a force like this "Eclipse Cannon" thing. If you destroy them, you're killing something with even a trace amount of sentience, just because you think they're too dangerous to exist" Jacks eccentric personality showed its face again, as Jack finished his sentence with his best impression of Shadows voice, all the way down to the tone he used as he was talking. Hopefully, the mysterious hedgehog would understand the problem Jack was trying to tell him.

"Maybe I'm wrong, and maybe the last sixteen years of my life that I don't remember contained some important life lesson like 'robots can't feel'. Still, wouldn't you rather destroy something that you know is a threat, rather than something you think could be? Thing is, I sometimes have trouble trusting G.U.N. myself, so I'd hate to see them proven right almost as much as you do right now.

[Decoe and Bocoe]

There was a mixed expression on his face, which summed up his feelings exactly. On one hand, he was scared. The sudden outburst after they had their proof about Gerald making them was, well, sudden. But at the same time his was angry. Half of it from what Shadow said to what he remembered confused at all the information Shadow spewed out. The other half was the fact what Shadow said. Just machines?! How did he know anything about them?! And –why- did he not notice the cat standing right beside them Was he really going to shoot them when the cat was still standing right next to him without even thinking about it first?!

During the time that Shadow was talking Bocoe got up, listening very carefully at what Shadow was saying. He seemed to not be phased by the halo of death surrounding them both. He was more concerned though at what Shadow was explaining to the clueless, brown hedgehog in front of them. He didn’t exactly believe his words, or at least, it was hard too. The Ark was stormed by G.U.N.? What was he talking about? Gerald told them he wanted to help everyone, not destroy! What was this guy talking about?! He took a step forward, almost as though he was about to approach the black hedgehog and give him ‘a present’ to the face, but was stopped in thought when he heard the Brown hedgehog start to speak up, getting in front of both of them. He listened thoughtfully to him as well, blinking in response. He didn’t know what else to say, though he did seem to do a small “hmp” when he said that both of them were basically cowering. Decoe was cowering, not him. Though he did have the immense urge to punch the black hedgehog in the face, but that was just him.

Decoe was a little shocked when the brown hedgehog began defending for them. But that didn’t seem to really clear everything he was mad about. Which is why he began to speak his own mind about the matter once the hedgehog was done.

“Your….Your so Tactless!” Decoe shouted, in defense. “You….You sound just like that guy up on the Ark! That line sounds EXCATLY like what he said to us, whenever we were online for that day! I don’t know what you’re talking about, and I don’t know what the Eclipse Cannon is; but what I DO know is that I have memories, as small as they may be!”


Bocoe blinked at the beginning statement before realizing what he was talking about. ‘Oh, right. –That- guy.’ Bocoe crossed his arms and rolled his eyes at the comment. Figures Decoe would still be a little sore about the entire event. The man he was referring too was an Ark scientist that gave them both a bit of a rude wake-up call. Well, at least Decoe got a rude wake up call. Bocoe didn’t seem to care too much that he was, in fact, a robot. Decoe, though…well, he didn’t take too kindly to it. The Professor managed to step in before it got too out of hand, though, telling him off a bit. He did say the man was a little ignorant, but that was beside the point. He continued to listen to Decoe as he went on.

“I remember Gerald telling me that he wanted to help the world, not destroy it!” Decoe stated with much sincerest in his tone as his face softened to express it. “That’s what he told us when were last on. And I remember everything that happened up there in that one day as clear as rain! Sure, it might have been only one day, but I still have fond feelings towards it. And ever since then, everything we thought we knew has been turned upside down! Gerald last told us that we’d know what we were made for when we would be on earth and completely finished. And here we both are on earth and yet we don’t have any knowledge of what we were both made for, and unfinished! And since we’ve left that really –strange- place, I’ve been confused and scared just because I still don’t know what’s going on! Think all you want, but I know I have emotions! And I think it clearly shows when here you are pointing a finger at me for my existence being too dangerous, and yet you haven’t even noticed the cat that’s right beside me. Don’t you –realize- that you could kill it if you were to let go of those…strange..energy….thing-ys! “


Bocoe furrowed his right eyebrow and had his left raise up in a question. Cat? What cat? What, the cute little fluffy thing next to him that was looking all innocent? Bocoe thought to himself silently, before breaking the small pause.

“Decoe….could you have said that more like a pansy?” He said, almost sarcastically.


Decoe seemed to break out of his original confused yet angry expression to look at Bocoe in puzzlement.

“What?”


“I said ‘Could you have said that more like a pansy?’”

“….what’s a pansy?”

Bocoe face palmed as Decoe blinked at him in bewilderment.

( black= Both of them )

[Amy Rose]

[Actually, excessive talking costs you an action in battle. XP]

"Stop it!"

The words left my mouth before I had even realized it. Inside, my stomach was churning from the intensity of the situation. So much seemed to have been unveiled in so little time. Hearing one long winded speech after another wasn't exactly helping me either. It was just too much to take in. Robots feeling. Robots not feeling. Robots built to protect. Built to destroy. I'd been around many of robots of the latter. Metallix, Zero, and an assortment of all things badnik. But even so...
I stepped in next to Jack with my arms almost glued to my sides. Truthfully, I was shaking in my boots. Or sneakers now. But I couldn't let this go any further.

"Shadow, I can understand your feelings. Maybe you're right. Maybe they were designed for destructive reasons. But we can't assume that! And even if that's the case, they can be changed! I've seen it happen before! It was before you were awakened, back during the Chaos incident. Gamma... He was made by Robotnik himself. But he helped me escape the Egg Carrier! And then he... Then Gamma saved me from Zero! He sacrificed himself! So, I can't let you just destroy them!"

What Gamma had done. It had meant a lot to me. More than Sonic and the others could possibly...

[Shadow]

Shadow stood still a moment longer, his hand still held high and the halo of spears still shimmering around him. For a moment he seemed to waver, to lean forward; it seemed for a moment that he was about to unleash the barrage of energy, whether or not his friends stood in the way. But, in the next moment, he closed his eyes and lowered his hand. The spears dissolved into a fine mist of golden energy before fading away altogether. The words of all three of them had moved him, but it had been Jack's words that had moved him the most. The robots at least seemed to have real feelings, memories, personalities, emotions... but whether or not the robots really had those or not was irrelevant: what mattered to Shadow was whether or not destroying the robots because he thought they could be a threat was worth becoming exactly the thing he despised the most. The answer, to him,was immediately clear: he never wanted to sacrifice his ideals, his morals, or the lessons of his past, even to keep the world safe. Maria had believed in him. Amy had believed in him. Maybe it was his turn to believe in someone else.

"Fine then," he said coolly, his composure regained. "I'll give them a chance. But not for any of you." He turned his back to the group, instead turning his attention to Tutley. His entire demeanor indicated that he fully intended to brush off the situation as though it had never happened. Of course he didn't expect it to be that simple, but he had to try didn't he? "How long before we can get a car and get out of here? The sooner we're out of the city the better."

[Tutley Sakamoto]

Tutley would give a sigh of relief as the hedgehog turned around, pulling off his backpack to convert it into his gear. It seemed more than aparent that standing on this roof for the better part of a hour was inducing cabin fever on the group, so he was more than ready for a change of scenery. "I thought no one would ever ask.", he said with a light grin.

He would step atop the board, checking his balance as the chao fluttered beside him. "Let's see... I'll be back in oh.... ten... twenty minutes tops. All I need do is choose a car, assorted paperwork... blah blah blah...and perhaps a run to a mini mart for some more medical supplies.", he said looking upwards at his cap as he thought about what to do next. "Anyway...", he would say looking at the pair of androids. "You two sit here...that one is still in need of a maintence.", he would say before stepping on the accelator panel of his gear, the turtle zooming off of the roof, down the side of the building and in turn out of sight as he left to hunt for the nearest car rental shop.

[All in favor of me fast fowarding his absence, say I.]

[Tutley Sakamoto]

Rougly half a hour later, a dark turquise SUV would pull up beside the building. One of the tinted windows would roll down, the turtle poking his head out of the driver's seat window. He would look up towards the building, giving the horn a honk to signal the others to come down. He would let out a slightly exausted sigh, bringing his left palm up to his forehead as he shook his head. Compared to a normal day back home, this day was beginning to stay even further from extraordinary by even his standards. He could only wonder what else was to come today....he had already been in a fight with a woodland archer, gone shopping for a new type of sweet, encoutered two robots belonging to GUN that used to be on space colony ark... calmed down a enraged hedgehog and all while applying for his first vehical rental. "It's just one of those days....", he said to himself with a light shrug.

[Shadow]

Shadow, who had been standing in the shadow of the building next to theirs, leaning against the wall and occasionally casting none-too-friendly glances towards the pair of robots, now stood at the sound of the horn and moved to the edge of the building, looking down. A flash of light and an instant later he sat in the back of the car, arms crossed, one leg resting atop the other and an impatient look on his face. He didn't even bother to buckle his seatbelt: he intended to be out of the car and on his own two legs as soon as they were out of the city. "Took you long enough," he said. "Let's hurry up and get out of here, shall we?"

[Jack-the-Hedgie]

Jack had been pacing around uncomfortably for the last thirty minutes. As if the attempt on his friends life wasn't enough, he now had to process everything Shadow was talking about. A survivor from the events on the ARK was strange enough, but if what Shadow said about himself was true...

And why DID he know about the ARK? He knew of its near collision with the planet two years earlier, as he awoke just long enough with the near disaster still fresh in everyone's minds. But why did he know of the ARK at all? In fact, why did he know everything he did, but he didn't know anything but his own name? The look on his face made his anxiety clear to anyone who cared to look.

It wasn't until he heard the beep of Tutley, finally arriving with a car did he perk up in the slightest.

"Great. I can finally get off this roof... I was about to go stir crazy up here."

Jack tried once more to expand himself enough to float, only to wince from the still present pain, and resigning to just taking the fire escape down, with a disappointed sigh. This was going to be one of those days...