//------------------------------// // Chapter Nine: Inner Secrets // Story: A Displaced Monster And Machine // by Prince_Zodiac //------------------------------// Chapter Nine: Inner Secrets {Gale's POV} As I walked through the hallway of Metal's inner secrets I couldn't help but try to get some dirt on him to use as potential blackmail in the future. “Come on, where's the good stuff?” I know that I'm being a total jackass by doing this but Metal had pranked or showed me up way too many times and I want some payback. Each of the paintings had locks on them that were corrupted by the Apocalypse Magic, blocking them from view. However, I did manage to come across one secret that wasn’t sealed away. It played and showed Metal and I at a party, I turned away from him and went to Lisa. While my back was turned Metal put something into his drink, looking like some sort of pill that fizzed in the liquid. “Wait, is that some kind of antidepressant?” The painting stopped and faded to grey, waiting to be played again. I moved on, finding a few other unlocked secrets that either made me feel bad for the guy or just laugh. Although, I couldn't find any from when he was human, it was all him as Metal Sonic. As I was about to leave the area and move down the next hallway I saw the last one at the end of the hall with a lock on it, but the lock was severely cracked, all it would take was a quick strike to open it. Letting my curiosity get the better of me I knocked the lock down and let the secret play. As it progressed my eyes slowly widened and I suddenly felt a sense of dread. “Oh... my... God…” {Lisa’s Pov} I looked at the teenager in front of me, of whom I assumed to be Metal. He continued playing the piano, apparently not noticing my presence. I stood and waited as he played the melody, patiently waiting for him to finish. When he finished and sighed. He prepared to begin playing another when I started clapping. With a look of surprise, he turned to me, applauding his little performance. I was conflicted about how his left eye seemed to be corrupted by the Apocalypse Magic, but I continued. “Bravo Metal! Bravo! I didn’t know you could play the piano.” Metal shook his head, as if trying to determine if I was real or not. “L-Lisa?” “In the flesh… or rather, in the soul!” “What are you doing here?” I crossed my arms and gave him a look. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” Metal gave me a quizzical look, clearly not understanding what I meant. “Metal, can you take a guess at where we are?” “My mind.” “Yes but where exactly?” Metal paused for a moment, once again confused. “I don’t know what you mean.” I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “Metal, we’re in your subconscious. Deep, in your subconscious. In a place where your consciousness should never travel too, less it might never return. We’re in a place where you have no control over your body, and are a prisoner in your own mind. Do you understand what I mean now?” Metal nodded. “Okay, then I’ll ask you again. Why are you here, or rather why do you think you’re here?” He remained silent for a moment, his face emotionless. “I'm here because I made yet another mistake.” He turned around and began to play again, but in a soft tune low enough that we could still talk. “What do you mean, ‘made yet another mistake?’” I asked. He seemed to tense up, some anger clearly showing. “You know damn well what I mean.” He said with ice in his voice. I was shocked, through all of the time I had known Metal he had never once talked to me like that, to Gale or a few others sure but this was the first time he had spoken like that to me. “Metal, are you ok?” “WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK LISA?!?!” He yelled in fury as he slammed his hands o to the piano. I was completely taken back by this, first the icy tone, now the yelling. “ANSWER ME!!! DO I LOOK OK?!?! DOES ANYTHING IN THIS DAMN PLACE LOOK FINE TO YOU?!?!” He turned to look at me from the corner of his right eye, which was filled with anger. Not anger you would feel if something wasn't going your way, no, what Metal was feeling was pure, unadulterated, rage. I just remained silent, this wasn't the Metal I knew...but was this the real him? Had he been putting on a mask this whole time? “Metal, nothing about you is fine right now, I know that. I was just asking because I care about you.” I said calmly. “I care about my friends and family, and you're part of my family Metal, so I care about how you feel.” “Well you shouldn't care about me.” He said simply, not from arrogance or in a dismissive nature, but like he was giving me advice. “The more you care about someone the harder it is when they're taken away from you.” “That may be true in hindsight, but in reality that’s a stupid idea.” Metal turned to with a tired expression. “I guess to know why I think that you'd have to have lived my life.” He said quietly. “Lisa, I'm not gonna tell you that I've had it worse off than you.” I looked at him surprised, usually that's how these situations go. “Why not?” “Because I already know about your past.” He said tiredly. Okay what? Whoa whoa whoa how in the hell does he know about that? “How?” He put a hand to his forehead as if he had a headache. “You honestly didn't think I wouldn't do any research on you guys? On Gale, Auldin and whoever else?” He turned back to his piano and continued to play in a darker tone. “I know about your relationship with Marx, I know about your uncle's lab, I know about your life in Equestria.” A part of this was just plain creepy. “Don't worry, I didn't look into your personal shit, I just did research on your past.” He assured, exhaustion clear in his voice. “Well that's ok, but why?” I asked with curiosity. “Lisa, you are literally the alternative version of my now dead girlfriend, why the hell wouldn't I look into you?” I should have guessed, that girl was his girlfriend. “Well that makes sense I suppose.” “Why are you here Lisa?” “What?” “Why are you here? Why venture into my mind just to talk to me like this?” He asked with anger. “I came here to get you back, that...thing...out there isn't you, I can't stand seeing my friends becoming monsters like that. I've seen Gale turn into a beast, Symbol turn into a fucking Nightmare and now I've seen you become a...a…” I tried to pin exactly what Metal had become on the surface, it wasn't a werehog form I knew that much. “A wolf?” Metal suggested. “Yeah, basically.” I sighed and took a step forward. “Metal, you need to get out of this place, you need to take control again! The emeralds are trying to heal that girl out there, but only you know how to use them. You can save her.” Metal just looked at me and shook his head. “I'm not resurfacing Lisa, I have too much to figure out right now. That thing controlling my body is protecting her right now, I don't need to worry.” He continued playing, the tune being a soothing melody. “Metal, you can figure everything out when we get you back in your body, we have to go!” I pleaded with him. “Lisa, do you even know anything about me?” He asked, causing me to stop. “I’m not the cocky Metal Sonic that you've been around, I'm just put on a fake smile to stop you guys from worrying because you have far bigger fish to fry.” “I do know something about you Metal.” I walked up to him, turned him around, placed my hands on his shoulders and looked into his eyes, even the corrupted one. “I know that you care for those around you, I know that deep down you know that you're a good person. You keep fighting for others, you fight for Equestria, you fight to protect those you love and care for.” I smiled at him and raised a brow. “Who is the one searching for the shards to my world? You are. Who just protected an entire universe from nonexistence? You did. Who keeps coming to help me and my clumsy boyfriend? You do.” He just sat there with a blank expression, listening to me list off his accomplishments. “Metal, you are hands down one of the best people I know, you're probably the only one I know that hasn't gone on some rage induced murder spree.” I cupped his cheek in my hand and gave him a caring smile. “Metal, I am so lucky to have met you. I don't care if you've only been taking care of me because I remind you of your girlfriend. You still see me as me, not her. You've been trying so hard to help everyone and have asked nothing in return. I know how exhausting your life in Equestria is, you don't get any rest, yet you still keep fighting and putting up with whatever the multiverse throws at you with your head held high.” I blushed and looked away slightly. “To be honest, have I not met Gale, I probably would have wanted to be with you.” He just looked at me surprised, letting what I had said sink in. “Lisa…” I put a finger to his lips to silence him. “Our little secret, ok?” He nodded. “Now, I may not be able to be your lover-” “Actually you and Gale can join the harem, but that's something I think we should stay clear of.” He stated. “Yeah, no offence but I’m not one to join a harem. If I’m going to be dating someone, then they’re only gonna have me.” I replied. “Anyway, like I was saying. I may not be able to love you like a lover, but I can love you as a sister.” I walked up to him and ruffed up his hair a little. I took a better look at his form and giggled a little. “What?” “Metal, how old are you?” “Um, seventeen. Why?” I just started to laugh harder. “What?” “I guess that makes me your big sister!” “Wait what? How old are you?” “Metal, asking a woman her age is rude. But, if you must know, I’m twenty one.” “I don't care, I'm already a jackass, saying I'm rude is a compliment to me. But twenty one? Damn, you have aged well.” I smacked Metal upside the head for that. “Ow what the-” “Twenty one isn’t that old dumbass.” “I meant you looked like you were in your teens, Jesus!” I rolled my eyes. Excuses excuses. “Well anyways how old is Gale?” “Twenty two.” “That goofball? He’s twenty two?” “Yes. Why, does that surprise you? “Nah, I kinda expected he'd be somewhere around that age anyway.” He laughed for a second before his smile turned to a frown and he looked down. “What's wrong?” He looked to the left and covered his corrupted eye with his hand. “Lisa...I don't think this is fair.” “What?” “I know all about your past, yet you don't know anything about mine.” “Oh I know more than you'd guess.” Metal looked at me questioningly. “How?” “I met your mom and dad.” He looked at me with wide eyes, he slowly stood up and grasped me by the shoulders. “What did you just say?” “I met your mom and dad. Your mother has been Cosmo all this time, and your father is a void dweller. Not a displacer mind you, but a void dweller. They both did whatever they could to help Gale and I get in here and save you.” “Cosmo...she's...my mom…” He collapsed to his knees and looked to his hands. “My dad...a void dweller. I can't believe it...they're still alive. I thought...I thought I was an orphan.” “Yeah, well you aren’t. And they’re both pretty sure your sister is still alive too. Though, they haven’t managed to track her down. That’s why you haven’t met your father yet. He’s been looking for your little sister.” Tears began to form in his eyes. “Marcy...is alive too?” “Yes, they’re pretty sure. So since you’ve got quite a bit of people to get back to, quit wallowing in your self pity and let’s get out of here. Your mother is especially worried about you.” As I got up and began walking towards the hallway I felt Metal grab my arm. “Wait.” I turned to him and saw he had a look of shame in his eyes. “When I said I wanted to tell you of my past...I didn't mean what you had told me. I mean what happened after. How I became like this, how I met Myles and Connel… what I did to my world’s Gale…” “Your world’s Gale?” I questioned. “Yeah...his name was Martin on my world...and I...I…” He sighed and looked away. “It's better if I show you.” He began walking down the hall of memories that I had came in through, I hadn't looked at any of the paintings as I respected Metals privacy, but he was showing me his past now, I had to see what he wanted to show me, so I followed him. “That girl out there, her name is Samantha, Samantha Jackson, you already know that she's my worlds version of you. Martin, my worlds version of Gale...let's just say...he wasn't the most mentally stable person in the world.” I started to feel nervous about what he was about to show me, the way he was talking wasn't helping me either. We reached the hall of memories and I had noticed that many of the paintings had changed from us to a group of humans. “I've moved some of the memories to speed things up.” He said. “You can do that?” “It's my mind Lisa, I can do whatever I want in here.” He sighed and stopped by a painting. He touched it and it began to play. It showed a young boy, probably about fifteen, smoking a cigarette in an alleyway. He had a pure white jacket on, he had spiky black hair and a blue right eye, the other covered by a black eyepatch. “Is that-” “Yes...that's me.” Metal said with a sigh. The painting continued and a girl came rushing up to him with a panicked expression. Metal looked at the girl with a raised brow before taking the cigarette out of his mouth. “What's wrong Sam?” He asked. “He’s back Metal, he's coming after me again.” This confused me, the girl was calling him Metal, why? Metal just sighed and put the cigarette back in his mouth. “Samantha, get behind me. I'm taking care of this.” The girl did as she was told and got behind Metal who had taken his back off the wall and now stood with his hands in his jean pockets in the middle of the alley. Just then another boy, around seventeen years old, came running into the alley but stopped as he saw Metal. He looked like Gale did in his human form, but his hair was grey and he looked like he had just escaped from a loony bin. “Alright Martin, what do you want?” Metal asked in annoyance. “What do I want?! You know what I want! I want my girlfriend back!” Martin yelled in a psychotic voice. “Now why is it that you think she is YOUR girlfriend?” Metal asked as he blew a cloud of smoke. “WHY?!” Martin then gave a psychotic laugh. “ISN’T IT OBVIOUS?!” Martin then held up a heart shaped locket. “WHY WOULD SHE GIVE ME THIS IF SHE DOESN'T LOVE ME?!” Martin calmed down slightly and smirked. “C’mon Met, we're best friends, surely you understand.” Metal glared at Martin and crushed his cigarette in his hand. “Best friends? Was setting fire to the orphanage we all lived in a sign of friendship?!” Martin then laughed. “Oh come on! Life in there was hell! Remember?! I got rid of the bad memories, I freed us all from the years of torment! I did it for you...BEST FRIEND!” “Martin, just give yourself up, you need help.” Samantha pleaded, but Metal just pushed her back gently before turning to Martin with a burning rage in his right eye. “You have never once, ever could be, or ever will be my friend! Ever!” He yelled. “You sick, twisted, FUCK!!!” Metal grabbed the side of his head. “I put up with you for seven Goddamn years! Because for some reason, I actually thought you WERE my friend!” “We can be best friends if you just give SAMANTHA BACK TO ME!!!” Martin began walking towards them. Metal growled and jumped him. “Fuck, you!” The two began to wrestle each other. Metal had began pushing him back towards a bridge on the next street. Samantha only watched with her hands over her mouth as she watched them. Martin pushed Metal against the railing of the bridge that sat above a deep river that was thrashing violently. Metal then grabbed Martins arms and threw him over the rail, sending him falling to his doom. He got to his feet and looked down, finding no trace of Martin. It would take a miracle for him to survive in those conditions. Samantha walked up and propped Metal up with her shoulder, helping him walk. “Are you ok?” Metal caught his breath and looked to Samantha with a weak smile. “Yeah...I'm alright...let’s just go home ok?” With that the two of them began slowly walking away and the memory ended. Metal turned to me with a shameful look. “That’s… what I meant. I killed him without remorse, I didn’t even care that he was dead. I… I just…” I quickly gave him a hug, making him shut up. “Hey, it’s okay Metal. You did what you had to, to protect that girl. You don’t have a reason to be remorseful about that.” “You have no idea how hard it is to know that another version of him is now my best friend. I constantly worry that one day Gale will end up like Martin…I've even made plans to kill him if he does.” I simply shook my head. “Nah, I don’t think that’s possible.” Metal gave me a questioning look. “How do you know for certain?” “Because, he beat Xram out of his mind, and Xram is the most corrupting force in the multiverse. If Gale can resist him, then he can resist his own insanity. Besides, he’ll have me, his brother, his niece and nephew, and quite a few others. And to top it off, he’s a robot. He can simply have his systems reset his sanity levels at any time. I’ve seen him do it too.” Metal gave me another questioning look. “When was that?” “Our world’s Pinkie got a hold of some highly, and I do mean HIGHLY, concentrated sugar cookies. Everyone lost their minds. Kinda funny now that I think about it.” Metal just shook his head. “I don't even know how to respond to that one.” I chuckled as we started to walk. “Don’t try to.” {Gale’s POV} I couldn’t believe my eyes. What the hell was this?  This was something that should have been buried in the deep archives of Metal’s mind. This was an idea that should have been under better lock down. This was a plan to kill me. I stared in horror as the window displayed details and facts about me, ones that very few know of, and some that I’ve never told anyone about! There were lists on my strengths, weaknesses, abilities and powers. All sorts of things that made this look like a hit list. There were battle strategies, scenarios, and other such things that labeled this as a full fledged plan just waiting to be used. I took a step back. This can’t be real, it doesn’t make sense! Why would my best friend have plans to kill me? What was the point in that? What could he possibly gained if I died?! I took a deep breath and attempted to calm myself. This was probably just contingency plan that he made after I got possessed by Xram. I mean, if anyone got possessed by that guy, I would too. Yeah, that was the reason. He was just planning ahead in case Xram took control of me again. I sighed in relief, knowing my friend still cared about me. However, there was still a little part of me that was wary of that plan, and what it could still possibly mean. I tried to brush it off but the feeling wouldn’t leave, so I continued onward hoping that it would clear up later. “Alright, how do I get out of here?” I looked around in an attempt to find an exit. After a bit of searching, I decided to head down another hall of secrets, figuring I would eventually find my way out. As I walked I came across another window with a weak lock on it. I considered opening it, but decided against it as it may just make me panic even more. I turned and walked away. And yet with every step I took, I could not help but feel drawn to the sealed away secret. Every footstep was met with a yearning desire to turn around and unlock the secret. I did my best to resist it, but then a little voice in my head decided to convince me. What if it’s important? Well yeah it probably was. I mean, you don’t just lock something away without reason. What if it concerns that plan of Metal’s? I highly doubt it. If I was right then there shouldn’t be anything linked to that plan. What if it’s the reason he made that plan in the first place? I stopped dead in my tracks, then slowly turned to look at the locked up window. Could it be related to the reason? That was highly unlikely. But… maybe just one look wouldn’t hurt. I turned back and walked up to the secret. With a bit of force I blasted the lock away, allowing me to see what was behind this lock...I really wish I had just left it alone. I couldn’t believe it. No, no this wasn’t possible. In this secret, this window, this painting, there were plans. Plans, and facts. Facts, about Lisa. What she liked, what she hated, and what she thought of Metal. This plan, this secret… it was a plan to- no! I can’t think like that! This was probably just some little squabble Metal had when he first met Lisa. That’s understandable. This was just some stupid thing he made a long time ago. He wasn’t going to go through with this. I nodded to myself thinking I had come to the correct conclusion. I then walked off, planning to give Metal a hard time when I found him. When I turned a corner, I saw them. Metal and Lisa… Hugging… And Lisa kissing his forehead... {Lisa’s Pov} As we walked, Metal showed me more of his past life on Earth. “Life was unforgiving for us. Connel, Myles, Samantha, my little sister Marceline and I. After my mother had disappeared Marcy and I were found by a friend and we were taken to an orphanage after my mother had been confirmed dead...I guess that was a lie. Anyways, once at the orphanage at the age of six we met Myles and Connel. Myles was a really thin seven year old and Connel was this huge eight year old. We became best friends, almost like siblings. Our caretaker was the meanest, most abusive bitch you could ever meet. She didn't let any of us get adopted, always shooed away potential couples. Over the years I was bullied by the other kids because of my eyes, one blue and the other red. The guys and my sis stood up for me sure, but it just kept coming. Until one day when I found an eyepatch that belonged to a kid that had gone missing the previous year and started wearing it. The teasing stopped. Over the years we had been sneaking out at night, stealing money from anywhere we could to eventually buy at least some crumby apartment. After nine hard years we had gathered enough money, Connel having put it in a savings account. He was old enough to buy off a small appartment for us. So one night, we all snuck out of the top floor window of the orphanage, not before I put a knife in our abusers leg though, I wanted revenge for the amount of times she hit Marcy.” He took in a breath and moved onto the next painting, it was him when he was a teen. “I was fifteen at the time. Samantha had just gone missing, I had met her during my last year at the orphanage and we had been getting really close in that time, eventually dating. I was so heartbroken, and my sister had gone missing the month after. They were both confirmed dead, their bodies found in the woods. When I had attended their funeral I met my uncle, and he was the biggest piece of shit that ever existed. He was driving me back to the apartment when he made some smart remark about what had happened.” He choked slightly but continued. “He then started to insult my mom and dad, I told him to stop but he kept the insults coming...the last straw was when he said that they all deserved to die.” The image showed Metal punching the guy driving and throwing him out of the car. The two began to fight and Metal backed him up towards a nearby cliff before kicking him over the edge and sending him falling to the sharp rocks below. “Yet another life I had took...and I didn't even feel bad about anything...but that made me feel bad, not feeling bad made me feel bad...how does that even work? It was because of those feelings that I had grown tired of losing people, watching them vanish out of thin air. That feeling of betrayal...is worse than anything.” He began to tear up again and I hugged him tightly. “Hey, hey. It’s going to be okay Metal, you’ll see.” He seemed to snuggle deeper into my embrace. I kissed him on the head as a show of sisterly affection. “Everything’s going to be alright.” Then suddenly, a ball of energy came out of nowhere, and everything went white. I watched in slow motion as the ball hit Metal right in the side of his torso, the look of shock on his face was haunting. He fell on his side, grasping his torso in pain. Everything started to break down and we were thrown out of the mindscape. As I opened my eyes I couldn't see Gale anywhere, but I saw Metal, returned to normal but still with the red glow on his knees, his eyes glitching out and his body shaking, he was damaged. I quickly ran up to him to see what was wrong, whatever hit him in the mindscape had damaged his outer body’s systems somehow. “Metal! Metal what's wrong?!” I asked in panic as I frantically looked him over. “L-Lisa...I-It hu-hurts.” His voice glitching as he spoke in a shaky voice. “It's alright Metal, you're gonna be ok! We'll get you to Marx and he can get you fixed up.” I assured him. I was about to help him up when he was knocked away again. He slammed against the stone wall and collapsed onto the ground with a loud clang. “Metal!” I tried to run up to him but came to a halt as a figure appeared behind him, picked him up and punched him right through the chest. “GAHAA-AAAAA-AA!” He yelled in a glitched cry of pain. I shot a tendril at the figure and stabbed it in the chest while catching Metal in my arms. As I glared at the figure, my mad mode beginning to show, I only stared in shock as I saw who it was. “Gale?!” Gale was in his dark form. He pulled the tendril out of his chest and glared at Metal. “Lisa...stay away from him…” He said darkly. His voice was weird, as if there were two versions of him speaking simultaneously. His normal voice, and then another voice that sounded similar to Xram’s. “Se-Self repair...failure…” Metal said in an automated voice. “Unable...to...re-repair...injuries.” “Gale, what's wrong with you?! Why would you do this?!” I demanded in anger, I know he's prone to fits of rage every so often but this is way too fucking far. “I'll explain later...just give me Metal…” He said darkly as he unleashed a crimson laser blade and began walking towards me. I backed away and held the injured Metal close like a protective mother. “I am not giving him to you! What are you gonna do to him huh?! You gonna kill him, is that it?! Kill your best friend who is practically your brother?!” “The...emerald…” Metal said weakly. “Master...emerald…” That's right! The master emerald can heal Metal. As I turned to rush up the shrines steps a blast of energy destroyed the emerald, it's shards scattering all over the room and Samantha's body begin thrown to the side. I turned around and saw Gale with his hand held out with a small line of smoke coming from his palm. ‘He's really trying to kill him.’ I thought in disbelief. Gale looked at me, a darkness in his eyes. “Lisa… hand him over to me… Now.” I took another step back. “Gale… why are you doing this? What has Metal done to you?” Gale just started at me, then began to laugh, his double voice sending shivers down my spine. “What has he done to me? WHAT HAS HE DONE TO ME?! This metalic MONSTER has made plans to kill me, and steal you away in the process! I’m going to end him here and now, so he has no chance to do either!” I gasped. So wherever Gale had gone, he had found Metal’s plans and had misunderstood. I don’t know anything about plans to steal me away from Gale, probably some jealousy induced thing, but that’s not the point. The point is, Gale had taken this the wrong way, and I needed to explain that to him. “Gale you don’t understand! Metal had made those plans because he was afraid that you’d-” “Shut up!” Gale threw a ball of energy at me. “I don’t want to hear it. After I’m done destroying this ingrate, I expect an explanation from you as to what you were doing with him earlier.” I could only watch as Gale walked up to Metal. Something was wrong. Gale could get mad, and there were times when he misunderstood things, but he would never go overboard like this unless he knew the full story. What is going on with him? As I watched him, I noticed a dark aura over him, and felt a very familiar presence. Xram. But how was that possible? Xram wasn’t here, was he? No, if he was we would have known by now. So what was going on? I mean, it’s not like Gale is… wait a minute. That small piece of Xram inside Gale, that must be what’s causing this! It fed off of Gale’s confusion and anger and took control! I had to get through to him, but how? “Well well well, what do we have here?” I looked at Gale to see what he was doing, only to find him standing over Samantha. “My, my… isn’t this the one that’s special to you Metal?” “G-Get aw-way fro-om h-h-her.” Metal struggled to get back up, but he was too badly damaged. “Hmm, I wonder. Should I subject you to the same fate you saw fit for me? Should I steal her away from you too?” No, he wouldn’t dare. Gale was too sensible, not even Xram’s influence would- “You know what? I think I will.” He held up his hand and began charging up an attack. He aimed it right at Samantha’s head. I managed to get to my feet and ran to her, throwing myself over her body. “Gale stop this please!” “Get out of the way Lisa.” “No! I won’t! If you want to kill her, then you’ll have to kill me too!” I gave him a hard look. There was a reaction in his eyes. For a second, they became normal before quickly becoming crimson again. “Hm hm hm, very well then.” He continued to charge up the attack and was about to fire when Gregar came out of nowhere and attacked. He tackled Gale to the ground and the two began to fight for dominance. As they did so, Falzar flew to my shoulder with a worried look. “Master! Are you alright?” “Yeah Falzar, thanks to you two.” “What happened to Gale?” “He’s being controlled by the piece of Xram that’s inside of him! We have to help him!” Falzar nodded. “Alright master, then there is only one thing we can do.” “And what’s that?” “FUSE!” Falzar became all digital before he flew behind me. A grid appeared all around me and armor started forming. Boots with talons appeared on my feet, a red and black armor appeared on my legs, my chest plate had the same color, and the gauntlets that I gained had claws. Two spine like things grew out of the helmet I received, and wings appeared on my back. In all honesty, I looked like a faceless female Bass with the Falzar beast out mode armor on. My wings spread out along with a flash of light, signifying that my armor was done building itself. I felt pretty awesome. As Gale knocked Gregar off of him, I sped towards him and kneed him in the stomach. I then grabbed him by the neck and threw him upward before I unleashed giant fire birds from my hands. All of them hit Gale, causing an explosion in their wake. Gale then charged me but was knocked away by a blast of red energy. I looked down to see Metal on one knee, one hand over the hole in his chest and the other held out. “G-Get him a-away fr-from the shrine.” He said before falling on his face, his eyes fading out. “Don't you die on me little bro, you're getting out of this with me.” I lifted him up with a tendril and put his back against the wall to support him. His eyes brightened again but were flickering off and on. “Lisa...he hit my chaos drives.” His voice now appeared to be better, but I knew that there was no way he was going to fix anything else on his own. From what I knew Metal was powered by those drives, without them he would die. He shakily opened the hatch on his chest and showed the cracked drives, two of them in reduced to half their original size as they had been hit when Metal was damaged. “I won't last much longer…” “Stay with me. Please Metal, I don't want to lose anymore friends.” Gale came up behind me and knocked me away while I was distracted. I stopped myself in midair with my wings and watched as Gale lifted Metal by the throat with the intent to kill. “I won't let you take her from me!” He yelled as he began to crush Metals neck. Metal seemed to bring up some more strength and began to glow red. “Chaos...blast…” He said weakly. A small, contained blast of chaos energy blasted Gale to the other side of the room. I ran up to Metal and wrapped him in a tendril, lifting him up behind me. “I’m getting you out of here Metal, you're in no condition to fight.” I said sternly. “Lisa, I'm staying right here.” I looked to him and saw that he had a serious expression on his face. “Long ago I promised to protect you and Gale, to make sure that you two lived happily together, so that you wouldn't lose each other like I did Samantha. If I have to die to make sure that you two can be happy then so be it. I'm staying, there's nothing you can say to stop me. If you send me away I'll just teleport back or use a portal.” He turned his head. “Watch out!” I used a wing to shield myself from the blast of energy but it caused me to let go of Metal. “I'll assist you if I can. You focus on Gale. If you can bring him to a cave under Canterlot, I have something there that can stop him.” Metal said as he shakily got to his feet, hand still over the huge hole in his chest. I nodded and turned to Gale. “Hey, Gale!” He turned to me. This was gonna hurt to say this, but I had to keep his attention. “Personally I think that Metal would make a way better boyfriend. He’s newer, sleeker, and just all around better. Seems as though he’s already stolen my heart!” Gale gained a hurt look on his face which cut me to the core. His sadness turned into rage as his eye glowed red and he charged with a cry of fury. I turned around and took off, heading towards Canterlot as fast as possible. ”LISA!!!” I rolled out of the way of another blast of energy that was aimed at me. Looking back I could see that Gale was gaining on me, looking as though nothing more would please him than my destruction. But that didn’t too much matter, I was almost at the caves. I looked down and saw Metal standing at the mouth of the cave and motioned me inside before teleporting away. I blasted Gale point blank to earn some time and flew into the caverns underneath the wrecked city. As I flew deeper and deeper into the cave I wondered just how long Metal had spent planning out these tunnel systems. I eventually reached a small chamber with Metal standing on one side by a lever, holding the hole in his chest as he leaned in the switch, a red circle surrounded most of the room. “Get over here, and don't go inside the circle.” I nodded and flew to his side. “What's this gonna do Metal?” “You're about to find out.” Suddenly Gale burst through the stone wall and landed in the middle of the circle. “Gotcha now ya bastard.” Metal pulled the lever and Gale was suddenly surrounded by a dome of electricity. He tried to get out but was pushed backwards when he tried. The floor underneath him opened up and a golden sphere began rising out of the ground and surrounded Gale while placing restraints on him, rendering him unable to move. “There, that should hold him for now...you do what you gotta do.” I nodded and focused my energy on Gale, and entered his mind. Metal’s POV I watched Lisa fall limp as she entered Gales mind. I caught her and lay her against the wall to avoid her getting hurt. I walked back over to the lever and watched as Gale was electrocuted by my device. I had contraptions like this built all over the place, not just for Gale, but for everyone, even myself. I knew there was always the possibility of us turning to the darkness, so I needed a backup plan in case we couldn't revert the possessed displaced back to good. If Lisa was doing anything in Gales mind I couldn't see any change in him, other than his power was rising. “Great…” I looked to the hole in my chest and sighed. “How the hell am I gonna repair this without the master emerald?” Just then I remembered something about Sonic characters and their super forms. If you went super, even if you were fatally injured, your body would repair itself and you'd exit the form at peak physical condition regardless of your state beforehand. I saw Gale starting to break free of his restraints and stepped back, holding up my hands and summoning the emeralds to my location. The super emeralds appeared and began circling me, transforming me into Hyper Metal Sonic. My body changed to that of Neo Metal Sonic and began flashing different colours. I had learned in my first fight with Gale that energy poured from the Hyper form like a fountain, so I had to learn to contain that power to avoid others using it for themselves, and thank God I did. As Gale broke out of his prison and charged me I effortlessly knocked him out of the mountain and flew after him. He snarled at me before going super, his power still far beneath mine, in his fit of rage he couldn't hope to concentrate enough to ascend to a higher form, even with his rage mode activated. He began to rapidly throw balls of energy at me, hitting me as much as possible, but no damage was dealt to my invincible body. I rolled my eyes and instantly appeared beside Gale before swatting him away with a backhand. Man if felt good to feel like a God. As Gale was about to stop himself in midair I appeared behind him and kicked him upwards, sending him flying up at a speed exceeding mach ten before appearing above him again and sending him flying back down to the ground. What proceeded was something that you would see in Dragon Ball Z as I knocked him around like he was a ball in a pinball machine, there were even sound effects being made. As I was about to hit him again he turned around and punched me in the face. He smirked at me before a look of anger took its place as I hadn't even flinched. “Gale, when has that ever worked?” He cried in rage and kicked me away with as much strength as he could muster. To keep him distracted I just let him get a few hits in before driving a lunar blade into his leg to stop him on his tracks. As he went to take out the blade I roundhouse kicked him, sending him flying over to a mountain that then collapsed as he made impact. “Damn, the Hyper form is way too powerful...I love it.” Meanwhile {Lisa’s POV} As I entered Gale’s mind, I noticed how dark everything was. I expected everything to be vibrant and happy, but with everything that was happening now I guess it made sense. Once I was fully integrated into Gale’s head, I noticed that once again I was my human self overshadowed by my displaced form. Seems as though Gale’s mind doesn’t regard me as a danger to him. Good, that means I still have a chance. I immediately began running, trying to find Gale. Assuming Gale would be where I felt the most sadness, confusion, and anger would be, I headed in the direction where I felt a large amount of distress. After a minute or so, I came upon his body. What I saw was shocking to say the least. There was this huge statue in the figure of Xram’s body from the waist up. It was holding an orb, with hundreds of chains coming into from every direction. In the center of that orb, was Gale. His human form had changed a bit. Now instead of blue and light blue, he was black and grey. There were tears streaking down his face as the chains held him. He was in great emotional pain. “Gale!” His heartbroken face hit me where it hurt. He looked like he was in so much pain. His eyes told me he didn’t want to believe what he saw in front of him. “L-Lisa?” His voice sounded hurt, causing tears to form in my eyes. “Gale!” I rushed up to him only for the orb surrounding him to stop me. I pounded on it once, then started looking at the chains trying to find a way to break them. “Gale I’m gonna get you out of here just hold on.” Using my tendrils I started snapping chains. One by one they began to break as I attacked them. Gale just watched as I proceeded to demolish chain after chain, trying to set him free. He hung his head low before he spoke. “What’s the point of freeing me? Two of the most important people in the world have just betrayed me.” I stopped and stared at him. “I don’t want to live with this pain, I just want to-” “Gale, stop.” He looked up to see the tears in my eyes. “Gale, please… don’t say that. You’re.. you’re scaring me.” “What do you care? You seem to like Metal a whole lot more than you do me.” “Gale no I… I never meant what I said. I just did so you’d follow me to the caves.” “And after that? What, you think freeing me is going to make me feel better for what you two have done?” “Gale you misunderstood. Metal never meant to-” “Then why was that plan in his head? Huh? Huh? Explain why he had a plan to kill me… and why he had a plan to steal you!” I stepped back. Gale was clearly just as angry as he was sad. He hung his head low again as he continued. “Please… just explain that to me. I want to understand why… why you-” “Gale… Metal never meant to hurt you like this. He never wanted to steal me away.” Gale gave me a look. “Okay, well he doesn’t anymore. And for that plan of his? Look, he lived in a separate world than ours. In his world, Samantha was his version of me, and another person named Martin was his version of you.” “So what?” “Gale… Martin wasn’t exactly, right in the head. He was mad, crazy mad, and he did some pretty bad things. When he found out that you were another version of him, out of fear he created that plan just in case you became like Martin.” I began breaking chains again, trying to reach Gale. “He made that plan because he was afraid his past would come back to haunt him and those he cared about.” Gale just looked at me. I think he was starting to get it. His anger was starting to dissipate, and was being replaced by realization and more sorrow. “Gale… You have to know that I would never hurt you… not like this. I love you too much for that.” As I started to break the last couple chains, the orb around Gale began to disappear. “When I saw your face after we had exited Metal’s mind, I was worried about you. I knew that I had to do everything to get you through this. And now I’m here, freeing you from the bindings of something that has possessed you. If I really wanted to hurt you, don’t you think I would have left you like this?” Once again, Gale’s anger began to clear up and make way for realization. He now knew what had happened, and what was going on, and he was horrified by his actions. Thankfully, I was here to comfort him. As the last chain broke, the orb disappeared and Gale fell to the ground. He lended on his knees and I rushed up to him, hugging his head into my chest. As he began to cry into my breast, I rubbed the back of his head and held him in my embrace. “I-I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” “Shh shh, it’s alright Gale. It’s alright.” Gale looked at me, sorrow in his eyes. “How can you forgive me so easily?” I smiled at him. “Because I know you Gale, and I know that even though your jealousy took over, you were still desperately trying to come up with an answer to what had happened. And it’s because of that, that I love you.” I held his head in my hands, and kissed him. It was deep and meaningful, showing him how much he really meant to me. His eyes went wide for a second before they slowly closed and he returned the kiss. We stayed like that for a little while before we broke apart and put our heads together. “I love you Lisa.” “I love you too Gale.” Everything slowly started going white as the darkness in Gale’s mind was cleared away by my love.