Winds of Freedom

Chapter 27: Heavy, Fast, Metal

Chapter 27: Heavy, Fast, Metal

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Flying Mini Battery, Morning Hours

Inside the brand new Flying Mini Battery, Badniks patrolled the area with mechanical precision, their movements synchronized with the rhythm of the ship's humming engines. Their patrol was suddenly broken when they noticed a red biplane soaring through the skies. Their metallic eyes glowed as they armed themselves, ready to engage-but before they could react, a streak of blue tore through the air. In a blur of motion, he smashed into the squad of robots with the force of a wrecking ball, leaving shattered circuits and torn metal in his wake.

Sonic landed with a mischievous grin, dusting off his gloved. Meanwhile, Tails circled the Tornado around, swooping low as he expertly guided the plane into a group of Badniks. The propellers tore through them like paper, sending pieces of metal flying. With a quick maneuver, Tails parked the Tornado on the deck of the ship and leapt out, landing next to Sonic. Both friends high-fived each other.

"Easy," Sonic smirked, flicking a thumb towards the wreckage they left behind.

Tails smiled. "You never miss a beat, do you?"

As the two made their way toward the center of the airship, the metallic clank of their footsteps echoed through the corridors. The duo moved with confidence, dodging traps and smashing through more Badniks as they came.

"This is so nostalgic, don't you think?" Sonic grinned as he spun into another group of Cluckers.

Tails chuckled. "Yeah, but everything feels... compacted." He curled into a ball and spun into an oncoming Clucker, reducing it to scrap metal. "It's like they crammed everything into a smaller space this time."

Sonic laughed. "Just makes it easier to get to the control room and trash the place!"

They continued their onslaught, taking down wave after wave of Badniks with effortless ease. But Unbeknownst to them, they were being watched. Deep within the control room, a shadowy figure sat at the helm, monitoring their every move on a wall of screens. Their posture was tense, his hands clenching the armrests of their chair as they glared at the footage.

On the screen, Sonic was a whirlwind of motion, leaving chaos in his wake as he tore through the ship's defenses. The sight made the figure's hands tighten further, their gloved fingers digging into the fabric of the chair as the image of their enemy moved across the monitors.

To their side Metal Sonic stood, his crimson eyes locked on the same screen, reflecting the image of his organic counterpart with eerie intensity. Every movement Sonic made seemed to spark something deep within his circuits-something more than simple programming.

Sonic, he spat, his eyes narrowing with burning hatred. To see this inferior copy, this impostor, filled him with nothing but seething rage.

"Metal Sonic..." the shadowy figure finally spoke, their voice calm but laced with underlying tension. "I know your hatred for Sonic is even greater than mine, but you must remember-our creator's orders come first. After your mission, that's when you'll have your chance. Until then, you will wait."

Metal Sonic's glowing red eyes flickered in response. His gaze didn't leave the screen, watching Sonic and Tails move ever closer to their location. His entire frame seemed to tremble with barely contained rage, but with a sharp turn, he marched out of the room without a word. The shadowy figure watched him go as they turned back to the monitors. Their expression, however, remained unreadable.

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Zao Luxury Ship

Meanwhile, aboard Zao's Luxury Ship, chaos reigned. The once pristine deck had become a battlefield. Lilac, Carol, and Milla fought their way through wave after wave of Eggman's Badniks, each one more determined than the last.