Work Text:
—-
[INITIATING AWAKENING PROTOCOL..]
[RUNNING INTERNAL DIAGNOSTICS..]
BATTERY: 100%.
STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY: 84.7%. IN NEED OF MINOR REPAIRS.
OBJECTIVE: DEFEAT AND SURPASS ‘SONIC THE HEDGEHOG'-
“Hey! Hey!! HEY!! Do you mind quieting down a bit, you old tin-can? I'm trying to sleep here!!”
…WHAT.
“Heh. Didn't expect to see me lurking around here, did ya?! Well, too bad! This body of yours seems to fit me just right, so I ain't planning on leaving anytime soon, rust-bucket-”
…ERROR. ERROR.
UNKNOWN ENTITY FOUND IN SYSTEMS.
UPDATING OBJECTIVE…
LOCATE DOCTOR ROBOTNIK AT ONCE.
“Oh, no you don't -”
BODY ACTING WITHOUT DIRECT INPUT.
ABORT. ABORT-
—-
“...Metal? I heard a loud crashing sound coming from your room, is everything alright-”
Your body seized up, joints locking in place and forcing you into paralysis for a moment before something else took control over everything, your hand moving on its own to offer a shaky little thumbs up.
“Oh.. Okay, then? Are you sure you don't want me to get the Doctor or anything-?”
You jumped at the opportunity, wrestling back control over yourself (to the chagrin of the parasite using you as a vessel, who retaliated by making cries of “Hey-!” and “Are you out of your mind?!” ) and moving your head in an attempt to quickly communicate a nod..
Only for the attempt to be thwarted seconds later by your own body betraying you once again, stiffening up.
“If you say so.. just. Don't be afraid to go to me or Orbot for help, okay Metal?”
You seethed internally as you let out a beep, hoping wholeheartedly that said beep portrayed all the curses and swears you wished to sling against the thing cohabiting your body.
The cube-shaped robot hummed, completely oblivious to your internal struggle, and flew off elsewhere.
—-
Despite being a perfect match with your loathsome copy in every sense of the word, there was still some differences between the two of you.
For one, whereas he showed a clear preference towards running on foot, you preferred the feeling of flying.
You liked the way the wind would blow past you, cooling your metal shell and letting you to pretend that you were real flesh and blood, even if only for a moment. You liked how small everything below you seemed to be, as if you were above it all. A true overlord, all-powerful and in control.
Control you were never able to grasp. Never, since the day you were first created.
It wasn't fair, really, that your faker got to revel in true freedom and do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, without a care in the world and with little to no consequences, while you were put under constant pressure and scrutiny from Eggman to perform to your maximum capacity and to never fall out of line, let you be reduced to scrap metal and be used for a more important, more useful project-
“Stop that.”
You abruptly came to a stop, pausing mid-air.
QUERY: WHAT IS IT YOU WANT NOW?
“I want you to stop wallowing in self-pity. It's pathetic. Reminds me of my cousin..” The voice trailed off, “Besides. Anger is so much better. If you're so depressed all the time, you know what you should do? Be absolutely furious. It's what I do, and It makes me feel better.”
If you could laugh, you would.
I AM ENRAGED. HATE IS ENGRAVED IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE CIRCUITS THAT MAKE UP MY SYSTEMS. I WAS BORN A CREATION OF HATRED, AND I SPEND EVERY WAKING MOMENT FEELING IT, NO MATTER IF I LIKE IT OR NOT.
Before the annoying little voice could pipe back up again, you continued..
I HATE MY LOATHSOME COPY, WHO MOCKS ME WITH HIS CAREFREE LIFE HE HAS NO CLUE HOW LUCKY HE IS TO HAVE. I HATE MY CREATOR, WHO HAS BROUGHT ME INTO THIS WORLD AND FORCED UPON ME A PURPOSE I CAN NEVER HOPE TO ACHIEVE, WITH A BODY I UTTERLY DESPISE. I HATE THAT CURSED PINK HEDGEHOG, WHO CAUSES ME TO FEEL THINGS AN EMPTY SHELL LIKE ME COULD NEVER HOPE TO EXPERIENCE AND GIVES ME THE FRAGILE THING THAT IS HOPE. I HATE YOU, WHO TAKES AWAY SOME OF THE LITTLE CONTROL I HAVE OVER MY ‘LIFE’. I HATE. I HATE.
A moment of silence passed by, and you suddenly grew very aware of just how odd you looked and how vulnerable you were, floating in place while looking increasingly agitated at nothing but air to any unknowing onlooker.
“...Angel, you need help,” the parasite quietly spoke under its breath, “Look. I can't believe I'm saying this, but.. I'm sorry for possessing you without your explicit permission or whatever. I know this sounds corny and all, but.. I feel like I have no control in my life sometimes, too. It's why I keep looking to find a corporeal body to fuse with, even if I fail every time.”
You wanted to object, but the leech just kept on going.
“I'm not the best at comforting people or cheering them up.. or even talking to them in general. Metta was always the more charming one of us. But, I’ve experienced myself some of what you're going through, even if it's small in comparison. Before I figured out I was a girl, I was very unhappy with myself and with everything around me. I wanted to change, but everytime I tried, I failed. But when I finally did, it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, and I could finally.. breathe. And be happy with the people I cared about.”
…
QUERY: YOU CAN DO THAT?
“...Do what?”
DECIDE. IF YOU WANT TO BE SOMETHING BEYOND WHAT IS DECIDED AT BIRTH.
“...Yeah? Lots of people do it.”
…STASHING NEWLY DISCOVERED DATA FOR FUTURE USE.
“..You're telling me you just realized that now?”
AFFIRMATIVE.
“...”
“You're unbelievable, you know that?”
—-
You looked at yourself in the mirror.
You looked practically the same as you did only a couple of hours ago.
…If not for the cherry-red bow you had scrounged up from all those years ago when the pink one had saved you from rotting away in the snow, you would look the same.
“..You look pretty.” your inner voice commented.
If you could smile, you would.
It was a small step, but.. a step in the right direction.
Hopefully.
—-