Project ART

Metal Sonic paced back and forward, floating impatiently inches above the ground.

"SONIC'S HESITATION WAS NOT EXPECTED." he thought aloud. He turned to Rainbow Dash, who was still tied to the same chair she had been sitting in for the last 3 hours. "PAST EXPERIENCES SHOW MEATBAGS GENERALLY PROTECT THEIR KIN, AND SEEING AS SONIC IS YOUR 'BROTHER', HE WOULD WORRY FOR YOUR HEALTH. WHY HAS HE NOT COME YET?"

Rainbow smirked. "You learn after living with Sonic for a while that he doesn't do things by the book." she said. "He follows his own drummer, and that drummer drums loud."

Metal gave a digitized huff and turned away. "PLAYING BY THE BOOK OR NOT, I WILL GET THAT EMERALD." he turned his head slightly, so he could see her with one of his robotic eyes. "EVEN IF I HAVE TO RIP IT OUT OF YOUR BROTHER'S COLD, DEAD HANDS."

Sonic and his friends stood in the Canterlot Castle courtyard. Sonic looked to Twilight. "Are you sure this'll work?" he asked. "If I remember anything about Robuttnik, while most of his machines were hunks of scrap, Metal was one of his better builds."

"Sonic's right, sugarcube." Applejack said. "If this robot is half as strong as any of the things Sonic told us about, your spells might not trick it."

Twilight put a confident smile on her face. "Trust me." she said. "During my time in Canterlot I frequently visited a friend of mine; a unicorn named Circuit Breaker. He had a bad accident when he was small, and his horn paralyzed, rendering him unable to perform spells of any kind. After that he devoted himself to researching science, as he could do no good researching magic."

Sonic chuckled a bit, "Wow." he said. "That's the only time I've heard 'Science' in this life."

"When I left for Ponyville," continued Twilight, giving Sonic an annoyed look,"I paid him a visit; and he said that he's been researching ways to fool the sensors built into the machines he built. According to his experiments, Magic spells tuned to a certain frequency can disrupt the sensors, even if only for a short while."

"I'd hate to nitpick, darling." Rarity said. "Didn't you just say he could not preform magic?"

"Yeah." Applejack said. "How did he test that if he couldn't use magic?"

"He usually got my dad to help him." Twilight said. "Breaker's parents disappeared one day, but he refused to go to an orphanage or live with us. I guess my dad saw it as a way of 'redeeming' himself in the eyes of his missing parents."

Everypony, minus Sonic, gave a small aw. "That's sad." Fluttershy said. "But that's really sweet of you dad."

"Well." Twilight said. "On a more positive note, I've told one of the guards to get some of the notes in Breaker's house. There should be something to help us out in them."

"Ah don't see the need fer breakin' an' enterin'." Applejack said. "Why not just get it from Circuit Breaker himself? You know... straight from the horses mouth?"

"Oh, yeah..." Twilight said slowly. "My dad sent me a letter saying that Circuit moved away from Canterlot over-night, leaving behind all of his notes and research. Nopony knows why, but it seems to be working to our advantage."

"So, what?" Sonic said. "We just wait here until somepony comes to us with the notes?"

"That about sums it up, yes." Twilight said.

"Ugh." Sonic groaned, growing impatient to the long pause between action. He walked over to the nearest tree, hopped onto one of the thicker branches, and closed his eyes. "In that case, wake me when we're coming up with a plan."

Mount Canter, Peak - One hour later...

Metal Sonic turned to Rainbow Dash. "YOUR BROTHER'S TIME IS UP." he said. He grabbed her by the neck and started squeezing. "TIME TO DIE."

Metal watched as Rainbow started struggling against his literal iron grip, her fore and hind legs spasming as she gasped for air. "Please..." she said. "Don't..."

Metal punched Rainbow, shutting her up. "YOU PATHETIC WASTE OF MATTER." he said as he watched Rainbow's body hold on for dear life. "I MADE YOUR BROTHER A FAIR DEAL; YOUR LIFE FOR THE POSSESSION OF THE CHAOS EMERALD." He tightened his grip, which made Rainbow's eyes widened further. "SINCE HE OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT CARE FOR YOUR SAFETY, THAN I'LL TAKE IT UPON MYSELF TO-"

"To what?" said a voice behind him. Metal Sonic turned around seeing his organic counterpart standing with his arms crossed. "Let Rainbow go, Metal."

Metal extended his hand. "FIRST, THE CHAOS EMERALD." he said. "THEN I SHALL RELEASE YOUR SISTER."

Sonic narrowed his eyes. "And how do I know you won't just take the emerald and kill us both?"

"SIMPLE." Metal said, his hand still outstretched. "YOU DON'T" Sonic growled before reaching behind him and pulling out a large, shimmering green gemstone. "BRING IT TO ME." Sonic obeyed, walking over and standing in front of the mechanical hedgehog. "NOW. GIVE ME THE EMERALD."

"I'll get you back for this." Sonic said as he placed the gemstone in Metal's outstretched hand. "One day."

Metal chuckled his usual ear-splitting laughter. "PERHAPS, BUT NOT ANYTIME SOON."

"Or," Sonic said, a his lips curling into a grin. "I'll get you back... NOW!"

Metal watched in complete surprise as the blue hedgehog standing in front of him faded away. Before the computers in his brain could compute anything, a blue ball slammed straight into Metal's chest, sending the robot and the gemstone in his hand flying off the side of the mountain. "Take that, you stupid faker!" the real Sonic yelled. "That'll teach you to mess with my family!"

Suddenly, a golden blur shot up into the air. "ON THE CONTRARY." Metal said, a glowing field of golden electricity surrounding him. "YOU HAVE GIVEN ME THE TOOL OF YOU OWN DESTRUCTION," he raised the hand holding the emerald up, "THE CHAOS EMERALD!"

Sonic held a hand to his mouth and started snickering. "Uh, Metal." he said, pointing at Metal's occupied hand. "You might want to look at what you're holding."

Confused, Metal looked to his hand. He was still holding a crystalline item, but there was no energy coming off it. He was holding a normal emerald. "Hey, don't be all sad." said Sonic. "You can buy your girl-bot a nice necklace with that. If somebody actually puts you back together, that is."

"WHAT IS THIS?" Metal asked, completely shocked. "THIS DOES NOT COMPUTE! MY SCANNERS AND RADAR ARE ABLE TO DETECT MICROSCOPIC LIFEFORMS TWENTY MILES AWAY, HOW COULD I BE TRICKED THIS EASILY?"

"Because you're not on Mobius, anymore." Sonic said. "Equestria plays by a different set of rules, most revolving around the use of actual Magic."

Metal turned to look at Sonic, who instantly felt a shiver go down his spine. Even though he was physically unable to show it, there was something about that look that made Metal seem... angry. "FINE THEN." Metal said. "I WILL HAVE THE CHAOS EMERALDS. AND I'LL BURN EVERYTHING ON THIS PLANET TO GET THEM."

"No." Sonic said. "You won't."

"WHO IS GOING TO STOP ME?" Metal asked. "YOU KNOW THAT YOU CANNOT FACE ME IN 1-ON-1 COMBAT, WHAT CHANCE DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE?"

"First," Sonic said, raising his index finger. "It's anypony. Second," he raised his middle finger, but then pointed behind Metal. "That."

"SURPRISE!" said a voice behind Metal.

Sonic watched as Metal was blown forward in a blast of cake batter and confetti, revealing Pinkie Pie and a blue-and-pink cannon with a smoking barrel. As Metal came flying towards him, Sonic did a back-flip with his foot sticking out; knocking Metal into the air. "HI SONIC!" Pinkie said. "Did you see what I just did? Huh,did ya did ya did ya? I was like 'BANG!' and he was like 'OW!' and I was all like-"

"I get the idea, Pinkie." Sonic said. "Nice timing though."

"Eh, I always let villains have their evil monologue." Pinkie said. "It makes them think they have a real chance."

"Well," Sonic said, "Now that Metal is dealt with we can-"

Sonic was cut off as a blur of shining blue smashed into him from above. "YOU DID NOT TRULY BELIEVE IT WOULD BE THAT EASY, DID YOU?" Metal said. "YOU SEEM TO HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT I CAN FLY."

Even with Metal's foot planted on his face, Sonic managed a chuckle. "I'll keep that in mind." he said.

"NO NEED." Metal said. He raised his fist. "PREPARE TO DIE, MEATBAG."

He swung his fist downward, but something stopped him. He looked to his hand, only to find it surrounded in a peculiar purple aura. Before he could even think about scanning this strange phenomenon, he felt something wrap around his ankle. "Peekaboo, sugarcube." said a southern-accented voice behind him.

Once again, before absolutely anything could be processed in his brain, Metal found himself face-first in the dirt. "SO, YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN HARM ME? THEN YOU MEATBAGS ARE MORE IGNORANT THAN I THOUGHT."

"No way! I bucked ya all the way over there and ya ain't even got a dent on ya?" Applejack yelled, having just unleashed a good kick on the bot.

"I got him!" Jawsome said, Spin Slashing him to keep him down. Then suddenly, he saw his vision tinged with white, everything was greyscale. He saw Metal fly towards Applejack, claws extended, yelling,

"YOU MEATBAGS WILL NOT INTERFERE WITH ME GETTING THE CHAOS EMERALDS!" The robot slashed her, and electricity arced from the claws to Applejack, shocking his sister. Two words then came to him. Monado Shield. As it disappeared, he thought, "A vision? But was that a vision?" As he finished the thought, he saw Metal prepare to do it. "No!" He yelled, then swinging the Monado around, the energy blade turned yellow as he yelled, "MONADO SHIELD!" A bright light emanated, and spheres of energy appeared around Sonic, Twilight, Applejack and Pinkie.

"YOU MEATBAGS WILL NOT INTERFERE WITH ME GETTING THE CHAOS EMERALDS!" The robot yelled, flying towards Applejack. His claws glanced off of the shield, and Metal stumbled, disoriented. Jawsome then heard two more words in his thoughts. The Monado's blade turned purple as he yelled,

"MONADO ENCHANT!" A purple aura then covered his friends, and Applejack bucked the robot with a good apple-bucking kick."

"NO! HOW CAN THIS BE! I WILL NOT BE FINISHED BY MY FAKER AND HIS WORTHLESS FRIENDS!"

"Because, we have two things. Magic, and the Monado."

"THAT SWORD HAS NOTING TO DO WITH MY DEFEAT! AND MAGIC HAS NO EFFECT ON ME!"

"You're wrong. Because Equestrian Magic is unique." said Twilight, who walked up to Metal calmly. "You should really learn to adapt quicker."

"No." Sonic said, stepping over Metal and raising his foot. "I'm ending this, now."

"Let's do this, bro." Jawsome said, walking up to the other side of the robot.

Sonic brought his foot down, and Jawsome brought his blade down, but it was stopped by a black, glowing energy field. "IMPRESSIVE." Metal said, lifting himself off the ground, causing Sonic too scramble backwards and get into a fighting position, joined by Pinkie, Applejack and Twilight. "YOU CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD. I SEEM TO HAVE UNDERESTIMATED YOUR ABILITIES. NOW, HOWEVER; YOU HAVE MY FULL ATTENTION." He got into a fighting stance, similar to that of Sonic's. "LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT I'M MADE OFF."

Metal launched himself at Sonic, who; unable to block the fast-moving object, was sent tumbling to the ground. His eyes looked the side, and sw Pinkie aiming her cannon at him. Acting fast, he put up his black-shield again, blocking all the confetti and batter. Taking hold of the barrel of the cannon, Metal threw it off the side of the mountain and watched Pinkie run after it.

Deciding that Pinkie was no longer a threat, he was caught off-guard as Applejack delivered a powerful buck to his side, sending him flying. Recovering in mid-air, Metal launched himself at the cowpony, who started panicking at the sight of the fast-moving object. Before Metal could make contact, a red blur ran in front of his target, and Jawsome delivered a downward slash, sending him crashing to the ground, missing a few spines.

"Give up?" Sonic asked.

"NEvEr!" Metal said, his voice changing pitches due to the damage dealt.

Metal bolted upwards to grab Sonic's neck, but a purple aura stopped him. Holding Metal in her magic grasp, Twilight lifted the robot up and held him dangling by his wrist.

"Give up now, Metal." Twilight said. "And we'll let you leave in peace."

"PeACe?" asked Metal. He started kicking and spasming against Twilights magical grip. "I'lL KiLL yOU, i'LL KIlL yOu ALl! I'lL BuRN EqUeSTRiA, AnD EvERytHING oN iT!

Twilight sighed. "So be it then." she said. She looked to her right. "Sonic? Please take out the trash."

"Gladly." Sonic said.

"Wait." Pinkie said. "He threw my Party Cannon. He is mine." Cannon in tow, Pinkie walked over and aimed it at Metal's head. "Sayonara, sucker." she said before pressing the trigger. Metal was launched upwards, the combined elements of being drained of power and held in Twilight's magic stopping him from defending himself.

"I got this." Jawsome said, his Monado starting to glow blue. "MONADO BUSTER!" A large blade emanated from the sword, and Jawsome slammed it down on Metal. It sheared off half of the robot doppelgänger's body. He then kicked him upwards again.

"My turn" Sonic said. He jumped high and met Metal as he started to descend. Not saying a word, Sonic kicked Metal in the face, smiling as the sound of a loud explosion filled his ears. He landed, and was immediately tackled by everypony there. Jawsome held back, looking at the Monado.

"HEY!" Rainbow exclaimed. "YOU FORGOT TO UNTIE ME!"

"Hang on."

Unknown location...

[System Booting]

[Critical Damage to Left and Lower-Body]

[Right and Upper-Body in working condition]

[Turning on visual sensors]

Metal awoke, hearing footsteps. A strange creature approached him, saying

"Did you really think that you could stop them with what you did?"

"WHO DARES QUESTION METAL SONIC, ULTIMATE CREATION OF DOCTOR ROBOTNIK?"

"My name is of no importance. But don't worry, I am not hostile." The cloaked figure stepped out of the shadows. "I will repair you. All will be revealed later. All I need is for you to shut down first."

Metal sighed, a gesture he didn't know he could do, and said, "MY SHUT DOWN SWITCH IS NEAR MY JET MATRIX. PLEASE TURN ME ON WHEN REPAIRS ARE COMPLETE."

"I will." The figure said, as it switched off the robot, then picked it up and walked off into the dark jungle.