The sun was starting to set by the time we got back to the RV, so I ate dinner and washed myself from the day's adventure. For hours, Metal was messing with that robot. He was captivated by her.



She was clearly modeled after me, but she was way taller than me and for some reason she was dressed like a queen. And... she had my exact voice. I hated that. How did she have that? What would possess Metal to make a robot version of me after he talked about how one of his greatest fears was being replaced? She literally said 'I am you'.



I get Metal in the current time didn't make her, but... he did make her. How long ago was she made? Should I be flattered? I wasn't sure about that. She was about the last thing I expected when it came to all the... future stuff. I thought I really got through to Metal before...



And all he did was focus on her. The back of her head was open as he closely studied and fiddled with whatever she had back there. He couldn't even wait until we were back home... not that her being in the RV would lighten the mood either way.



I didn't know why it bothered me so much... I've seen plenty of robots modeled after my friends-- Metal being one of them-- and there was one modeled after me before. But it was just... She shouldn't be here. Metal shouldn't have made anything like her. What if he was still working for the Eggman Empire then, assuming it still existed that far in the future? I shouldn't have mentioned a way to activate her before. The Amy robot could be evil.



"Are you sure you should fix her?" I asked, sitting at the table nearby. Metal was some feet away, fiddling with the back of the robot's head as she was collapsed behind the passenger seat; that was the only place she could go.



"Yes," he replied. "She had the good luck charm you made, the one that I would not give to anyone else. If my future self is just like me, then I know he also wouldn't give it away."



I raised my brow. "Not even me?"



"No," he replied just as quickly. "You gave it to me. It's mine. But I would give it up if it was for something really important."



"What would that be?"



"I don't know. It would have to happen for me to understand." A few sparks flew as he continued to mess with the back of her head. "... If my Master discovered my charm and commanded me to give it to him, I guess I would have to. But... There is no evidence of my Master existing that far in the future."



What a horrible thought, Eggman living for hundreds of years.



"That's my point, though," I said. "What if she's only an ally to who you serve? What if she's aiming to destroy our present?"



Metal shook his head. "I doubt it. I'm not even sure I serve anyone that far in the future."



"What makes you think she could be good?" I quickly asked back.



"You're more good-natured than I ever was. Maybe my Master would make something nefarious with your likeness, but I wouldn't." Metal stopped for just a second, standing up to get a better look at her. "She is like Neo... Neo was free, as free as he could be. And this design is after my whole... episode. I don't have any grand plans anymore, so, barring any events that crack my psyche, I doubt the future version of me wants to repeat past events. In addition, she is made of a different kind of metal than my Neo form. I'm not sure she can shapeshift."



I sighed, crossing my arms. "Why does the shapeshifting matter?"



"It matters because that means her purpose is different. Why would I make a new robot if I could already have all the power by transforming on my own, and with potentially centuries of data? And, if this robot served my Master, why does she have a design I would make?" He shrugged at me, then returned to study the back of her head. "I just have to better understand her circuitry... She is far more complicated than I expected. The schematic of my base form in the future wasn't like this. I have to work off of hundreds of years of knowledge I don't yet have."



I clicked my tongue and walked over, picking up the Amy robot's hammer and examining it. "Let's talk about that design, anyway. Why would you make her look like that?" I rolled my eyes. "I've never worn a dress like that. And my curves aren't that exaggerated."



Metal glanced at the robot's torso, then looked at mine. I glared at him, but I don't think he received the message.



He at least knew better than to reply. He looked back at the robot. "My Neo design was also intended to be regal in appearance," he explained. "He could have made her as someone to battle with, considering her weapons. I wonder what would cause him to do that... I don't willingly have teammates."



"Uh, battle. Right."



He turned his head towards me and squinted a little. "You don't think so?"



... I was being a little much. I averted my eyes, dropping the hammer. "Nevermind," I said, then went off to go get ready for bed.



Ugh... I really didn't want this one thing to ruin what was otherwise a perfect date. It was a big one thing, in fairness, but... I shook my thoughts away for a second. I got in bed and nearly covered my head with the blankets. It was late and we had a lot of driving to do.



"Are you feeling alright?" Metal asked me.



"I'm fine," I said, probably a little more firm than I meant. I turned my back away from the rest of the RV and settled. "Just tired."



He didn't respond to me, probably still working on the robot. After a minute, he joined me in the bed. "We did a lot today," he said. "Rest well, Rosy." He bumped his head to the back of mine.



...



"... No, actually, I'm not fine," I sighed out. I turned around and looked at him, his gaze also on me. "... I know there's a lot we don't understand, but I don't like that there's a future version of me that you made. And I don't like how open you are to her being helpful."



He averted his eyes for a moment, then looked at me again. "I don't believe she is a future version of you."



"Future robot! You know what I meant," I said, grimacing.



"... Rosy, nothing could replace you. I was upset by the very fact you can't be fixed like a machine before you consoled me."



"Then why does she exist?" I asked.



"I don't know," he said back. "You know I don't know. I'm trying to find out."



I sat up and hugged my legs. "Well, I know I wouldn't consent to my mind being transferred or anything."



"I said I don't think she's you. Why are you convinced she is?" Metal asked, sitting up with me.



"I'm not," I said, getting snappy.



"... You said you weren't mad at me, but I can't help but feel you are. I didn't specifically make her, a future version of me did," he replied. "Don't blame me for things I have no knowledge of." He worded it like a command. That kinda annoyed me.



"Well, I am irritated that you've just been messing with the bot ever since we got back to the RV."



He angled his head up a little, staring down at me. "Is figuring out how to fix her not important? Aren't you curious why my future self made contact, a file was sent to Belle, and why there's a robot version of you that came here?" He threw his hands up a little.



"We're already taking her back to your base! Why do you have to keep picking at her here?"



"Why does it bother you?"



I growled a little. "Because it just does!"



"You are annoying me," he replied, his tone low. "I expect you to be honest, but you are refusing to be."



"Then that makes two of us."



He scoffed. "Two of us?"



"Yeah. You're annoying me and I don't think you're being honest about the robot," I said with a scowl.



He stared at me for a while, not answering. I lay back down and turned away from him. He shuffled out of bed. I heard the RV door open, then close.



...



After a moment, I heard a distant yelling outside. The RV door busted open. "I'm angry with you!" he shouted, stepping into the doorway. "You're actually infuriating me! This is not banter!"



"You have no right to be angry at me!" I yelled back, sitting back up.



"Yes I do! I'm insulted! You think I would make something to replace you? After everything I told you?! You are the only one who should know better!" he screamed, punching the nearby wall.



"Words don't mean anything when the evidence is right there, jackass!" I screamed back. "You clearly change your mind at some point!"



"You're acting like a jealous child!" he snapped. "We don't even know her programming, but you're so ready to assume she is there to be everything you are! If you used your brain instead of your eyes, you'd understand I wouldn't will any creation to live through my own curse!"



"ME, jealous?! Listen to yourself! Are you sure you can be the one to tell me about jealousy?!"



"Yes! You!!" He pointed at me. "You're a hypocrite! You confront me about the person I was created to surpass, but you can't handle that there's a robot that looks and sounds like you! You can't handle that I'm trying to fix her!" He growled in frustration and clawed at his head before pointing at me again. "And-- And your proportions are the same! You're convinced I designed something superficially superior! You're delusional!"



"You did not just call me delusional!" I screamed back. I got out of bed, standing and throwing my hands up. "You--" I was suddenly overcome with guilt and all the fight left me... But I didn't know what to say.



Both of us were quiet for an agonizing minute.



"Stay cold tonight," he sneered.



He slammed the RV door shut from the outside. I heard his turbine; he took off somewhere.



... I really was being childish. I sighed, looking over at the robot. I hoped we would have a fun drive home, but it wouldn't be with her lingering on board. I was good at deconstructing others to help them understand their troubles, but not very good at deconstructing myself. Not as good as I thought.



I guess I was a bit jealous... And I panicked. I didn't want to think that Metal made a robot of me that could last forever. Was it bad I thought that way? I didn't know what it was like to live so long, and we had overwhelming evidence that he would last that long, but... I felt like the Amy robot worked against the point of what I told him before. That our time was precious.



But... Maybe she wasn't created for that. Metal was right in that we knew nothing, and if either of us did know anything, Metal would have a better idea. I was assuming a lot without much proof.



This was my fault. I walked outside to find Metal. I called for him and looked around to see if he was anywhere, but I didn't see anything and he didn't reveal himself.



You did it now, Amy... I essentially told Metal I didn't trust him, and that was really unfair of me. I felt awful.



I hopped to the top of the RV and watched the night sky for a while. I turned my head and watched Little Planet very slowly floating over the lake. Moonlight reflected off of one side of the planet, while the other side was totally cast in a shadow.



I stared at Little Planet for a while longer, then closed my eyes.



...



...



I woke up... And I was back in the RV. Morning light poured in from the windows. Did Metal carry me back inside...? He wasn't in here.



I went outside again...



There he was! He was standing by the lake, turned away. I ran towards him, then slowed down as I got closer.



"Metal?" I asked.



He didn't turn towards me, but I knew he heard me. I stood beside him. He stared at the lake with his arms crossed.



"I was the one being a jackass. I'm sorry," I said with a sigh. "I'll be honest, okay?"



He didn't move and didn't reply. I guess I wouldn't, either.



"It bothered me a lot that you spent the rest of the day on figuring out the robot-me... I was already bothered by her and I felt ignored. But I lashed out instead of just telling you fully. I implied I didn't trust you, which was unfair... I do trust you. I'm sorry for what I said. You're right; I was being a hypocrite. Will you forgive me?"



"You still haven't told me why she bothers you," he said back. Honestly, I was glad he said anything.



"I mean... the stuff you said was kinda right. Plus, it made me think of my own life and I panicked in the moment. I thought of how you would better be with someone who could live as long as you and I doubted myself." I frowned. "I was thinking selfishly and I didn't consider your own feelings about the future."



"Why do you think I'd be better with someone else?"



I sighed and hugged myself. "I'm just a normal pink hedgehog. And the robot is, like, tall and elegant. She's pretty, and has these fancy tools, and clearly she's capable of living a while. I'm going to be a crinkly old lady one day, and you're going to stay as hot as you are now. I got in my own head."



He growled a little, turning his head towards me. "How dare you. You are the most beautiful and you will always be. I won't tolerate your words."



I stared with wide eyes. I didn't know how to reply.



"If you trust me, then you have to listen." He flicked my head, making me whine and put my hand over my head. "You are also irreplaceable. We know nothing of the robot. I have no attraction to the robot."



"I believe you," I muttered.



His posture slightly relaxed, and then he averted his eyes for a short moment. When he looked back at me, he said: "I forgive you, then."



I let out a relieved sigh this time. "I love you, Metal."



"I love you too, Rosy... I didn't realize I was preoccupied with studying the robot for so long. You could have told me you wanted attention earlier. You are normally good at asking for attention."



"I know. I'll be clearer if I'm feeling left out," I said.



"I will wait until she's back at the old base. I should've been more aware since you were disturbed by her earlier. I apologize."



I hugged him, causing him to hug back. "No... it's okay, really. We're here with each other now," I said, rubbing my head a little to his. "This whole situation is weird, but I don't want it to affect us. I care about you way too much!"



He held me tighter. I gave him a little kiss... I didn't want to go all in in case he was still--!! Ahh! He kissed back, pressing my head closer to his with one of his hands.



My face was on fire. I didn't feel deserving of his love in the moment, but I was getting it anyway. Was this how he felt before?



"... You said I'm hot?" he asked.



"It's...!" That kinda slipped out. "Yeah!"



"Do you like me as a robot?"



"W-well... yes..." I blushed more. "I love you as a robot. No matter what you are or end up being, I love you."



"I love you as a squishy pink hedgehog," he said, his tone lighter.



"I'm not squishy!"



He swooped me off the ground and held me tightly to him. "You are. You're very soft and squishy. I'm happy you're not a robot."



I giggled as he nuzzled me. It was hard for me to stay in a bad mood because he was just being so cute. "I woke up in the RV... Did you carry me inside?"



"I wanted you to be cold, not freeze to death," he said, turning his nose up at me.



"You're so sweet. Even when you were mad at me, you couldn't be mean." I smooched him a few times. "I really need to make it up to you."



"There is nothing to make up. I am no longer angry with you." He hovered back towards the RV, taking me with him.



"I still feel bad," I sighed. "I'm happy you forgive me, but... I don't know. I take everything you've shared with me seriously... You had total right to be mad at me. Let me treat you."



Metal supported me as he opened the RV door, then gently put me down when we were both inside. He replied: "We have a long drive back. You have plenty of time to think of what to do, if you want to do anything. Your affection is the greatest way to treat me--"



I took his hands and dragged him back to the bed. I wanted to spend some time with Metal before we started up the car again... I also just wanted to show him how much I cared about him and that I really was sorry for how I acted. I was thankful he didn't hold a grudge between us.



I snuggled against him, kissed him, gave him no shortage of sweet words... I loved my Metal. He deserved unconditional love and I wanted to make sure he knew it. Hehe... I think I went a bit overboard because he was pretty much stuck to me after that. He followed me back to the driver's seat and even sat with me when we took a break so I could eat. Every time our eyes met again, I could tell he was admiring me. Metal was definitely more forward about his desire for love and affection... I'd have to follow his example a little more often.



The drive back was uneventful after that. We took turns driving, went back to our usual banter, talked to each other about anything and enjoyed the silence together when we weren't. We made plenty of progress, stopping at night in a safe, secluded area.



I really was so exhausted. I collapsed in bed and let Metal hold me close. I slept like a rock... I really didn't know how I'd sleep without him! I took solace in getting to be in his arms while I could.



As for everything else... I guess we'd tackle one problem at a time. Robot-me didn't move an inch the entire time, totally offline and just... there. I thought of the last words she spoke to us. My heart dropped.



I... I hoped she would be able to breathe again, whatever that meant for her.