I went to the old base after spending another night with my Amy, this time without any interruptions from my Master. Belle returned from her temporary trip, so we needed to catch up.



Also, this was the first time Belle witnessed my true form.



"G-gears!! H-hello?!" Belle squeaked as I entered the lab. She did not realize it was me.



"Belle," I said.



Her eyes went wide. "Metal?!"



"Neo Metal." I pointed at her... I guess she earned the right to refer to me informally. "... You can still say Metal."



"This is the Neo Metal upgrade? Wow!" Belle gasped in awe as she should have. "When you said you had complicated maintenance, I didn't expect you to be so, uh... tall. And your quills are different!"



"Yes, I am very majestic," I replied. "This is my true form. I will stay this way permanently if I can help it."



Belle curiously walked over to me and examined me. "So... The arm you found on Little Planet looked like this?" she asked, lifting one of my arms.



"Yes." I grabbed the top of her head to show my hand could crush her should she be insolent towards me. She lightly laughed.



"You look really different from Sonic now. I actually think it's fitting. A little scary, though..." She patted my hand with both of hers.



"I am scary." I removed my hand. "Since we are both here, there's much to discuss. Where would you like to begin?"



We started with the device my Master made and embedded with the gem I stole long ago. The Shield Crystal itself was fascinating; it didn't do much on its own, but with adjustments like the one my Master made, it could give varied reactions. More specifically, the Shield Crystal affected Cavalier Sonic in a painful way and seized his current functions, allowing my Master's programming from the device to temporarily override him. I suspected the unfamiliar weapon my Master had was similar. Devices that used the Shield Crystal must have been one of the few weaknesses my future creations possessed... I wanted to see if it affected me as well, but we weren't going to test that yet. We certainly weren't going to test it on Carillon Rose at risk of damaging her right as we were making progress.



Because the device overrode Cavalier Sonic's code, my Master only had limited abilities at his disposal. I examined the code from the device and caught patterns very similar to my own programming... my Master still didn't have as much access to Cavalier Sonic as he wanted. I didn't see any coding that could translate to his Neo-like abilities, though it was likely my Master would have gone in that direction since he still found Cavalier Sonic worth keeping.



Belle and I weren't sure if the same kind of device caused Carillon Rose's circuitry to become so damaged. We would have to look at Cavalier Sonic to confirm... That being said, it was a viable explanation, except for the time it took to fix Cavalier Sonic. My Master was a genius and his own intellect surpassed mine in a few ways, but he shouldn't have been able to fix Cavalier Sonic as quickly as he did. Not if he was wired the same way Carillon Rose was.



He also only transformed with his face. I wondered if he could transform entirely or if he was limited in some capacity. I didn't think I would make a robot with specifically my functions, so there had to be a use to his unique transformation. A use other than tormenting me, hopefully.



... I was beginning to suspect Carillon Rose was incredibly unique for a specific reason as well. Belle believed Carillon Rose's dress served a function beyond aesthetics and even combat; the teal decorations of hers also served to store extra energy. Additionally, the type of metal used to make her dress was more unique than I initially suspected, similar to Cavalier Sonic but somehow even more cryptic. She was fused with something difficult for me to understand. Belle also didn't understand.



I allowed Belle to assist me in fixing Carillon Rose; the entire morning, I focused on repairing her CPUs while Belle replaced some fried circuits. We discussed the implications of their secured code; Belle believed that doing so implied they were directly fighting other instances of Eggtech in the future. Considering my connection to one could have killed me... I didn't necessarily disagree. I wouldn't be surprised if their code was similarly cryptic to prevent people from the past-- those like me-- from gathering data about their intentions. I wondered if the voice processor given to me was ever meant to be part of whatever plan they had, especially since I no longer needed it.



We stopped our work at the same time. Afterwards, Belle watched me and Nova tend to the vegetable garden. My focus was broken with her making a gasp in the lull of our conversation.



"I forgot! I have something for Nova," she said, then excitedly ran away.



For Nova? The child was too spoiled. I glanced at Nova, floating in the air, to see their head was already changing to match my Neo form. Their white streaks were slowly beginning to match mine as well. "Why do you insist on copying me?" I sneered.



Nova gave me an empty stare, and after a few seconds, a heart appeared above their head.



"You look ridiculous. You are too small to capture my glory."



"Chao!" They replied cheerfully.



"You seem too proud. You shouldn't copy one whose prominent skills involve copying." I poked Nova's belly, making them squeak, then giggle. My claw did nothing to them; their flesh was like jelly.



Their strength increased over time at least. The chao fruit was healthy for them and they were growing to a reasonable size. They could fly and carry tools for longer... They also had much more energy. I was relieved my absence did not negatively affect them. Amy and Belle likely kept a good eye on them.



Belle ran back to the vegetable garden, breaking my focus from the child. "Whew... Okay..." She walked over to me and Nova, then held out a doll that looked like my base form. "Here, Nova! I made this for you."



Nova was holding a watering can and immediately dropped it, water spilling all over the floor. I was annoyed. They took the doll and cooed excitedly, a heart above their head again.



The doll itself was... cute. I should have only been cute to Amy, though I supposed it was difficult to make a menacing doll. The craftsmanship was different than the one I had, but very carefully stitched together and even with more details. She gave the doll joints for my arms and legs and the shoes were in separate parts.



"I'm glad you like it!" she beamed. She brought her attention to me and passed me a smirk. "Should I make one for you? Maybe one of your current form?"



I crossed my arms. "What?" I asked with a scoff. "What makes you think I want a toy?"



"You look a little jealous."



"I am not..." I thought for a little while. "You should make one for Amy."



Belle grinned at me. I squinted at her.



"You already made her one?" I asked, somewhat in disbelief.



"She really likes stuff like that!" Belle giggled. "I think you find it flattering, too. I really am happy to make you one, you know... I bet I could use a tattered cloth to get your robe!"



"I am not entertaining you further," I huffed. "But our conversation reminds me to go check on her. I'll talk to you later." I petted Nova, then made my way to the entrance.



"Bye, Metal!"





Amy Rose was not home. I assumed she would be, so I didn't do my usual surveillance... A mistake on my part. Since I changed into my disguise, though, I found it harmless to enter and wait for her. I stayed in my disguise in case she returned with a friend of hers... I didn't want to hide like I did before.



I wondered if she ate... We consumed too many meals not created by either one of us. I wanted to make her something better. Since I didn't know the status of her hunger, I decided to cook something smaller. Some vegetables from my garden were in her fridge... I was happy. I decided to use them.



Knock, knock!



I was in the middle of cooking. Amy had access to her own house, so I did not think to open the door.



Knock, knock, knock!



I was irritated. I got to a stopping point with my cooking and went over to the door. Surely Amy would have let herself in. I opened the door--



Him. And even worse, the Bat was also with him. Sonic stood in front of me, giving a nervous wave, while Rouge leaned against one of his shoulders, smirking at me. I scowled at Rouge especially. She knew who I really was.



"Hey! I--"



"Amy is not here," I interrupted Sonic.



"Yeah, I know. I ran into her earlier! We were hoping to talk to you without her," Sonic said with another nervous laugh. He was right to be nervous around me. I was less able to control my desire to bash his face in without Amy. "Oh! Before that, though, this is my and Amy's friend, Rouge. Rouge, this is Kai."



"It's a pleasure, darling. Have we met before~?" Rouge winked at me.



I hated her too. I hated both of them. "No," I said back, squinting. "What do you want?"



"Can we come in and talk for a sec?" Sonic asked.



This was Amy's home, not mine. I did not want to let him in anywhere, especially not such a place. But... Amy would probably want me to let them in. I also had to go back to my food. I sighed and opened the door a little more, then walked back to the kitchen.



"Oooh~ We got a man who cooks?" Rouge called. I ignored her. She leaned over the counter; I felt her awful stare. The Hedgehog was looking at the pleasant wall of flowers. He likely did not notice that there were only ten photos of him in her house instead of the previous seventeen-- twenty if I included every image of him on one of the pictures. I still believed there were too many photos of him, but I was pleased with Amy's choice to make adjustments.



"Soooo..." I heard Sonic's feet tapping the floor. "You know when Amy's birthday is, right Kai?"



"Of course I know," I sneered back. How dare he ask me that. Her birthday was in a little over a week... I needed to give her something special alongside the flower I would give her each birthday. I hoped we would be able to spend the whole day together... She treasured doing something special on her birthday, and this would be the first time I could be with her directly. "Why? Do you need a reminder?"



"Well, some of us wanted to make a surprise party for her, and since you'll be in town a while and you're her boyfriend, we wanted to ask if you're interested in helping. And of course, you're invited to the party, too!" He spoke in a nauseatingly cheerful tone. He was looking at me when I turned around. The Bat had not taken her sight off of me.



"You'll get to meet all her friends," cooed Rouge. "And they're all dying to meet you. It's not very often Amy calls someone the 'b' word."



"Have you considered that I'd be celebrating her birthday with her instead?" I asked, squinting at both of them.



"Well... Actually, that's perfect!" Sonic beamed. Hate. "We need someone to keep her distracted all day while we set up the party... who better than you? You could take her to the party when we're ready. Of course, you can help us with the party too! I'm sure it'd mean a lot to Amy."



I hated the idea. I wanted her the whole day. I wanted her the entire night. That Hedgehog would not take her from me, even platonically. Hate. I hated him.



...



Amy would want to spend some time with her friends... I would need to ask her to confirm, but my inner feelings knew the truth. Ugh... I still didn't want to help them.



"You don't have to decide right now, hon. We just wanted to give you the idea. Of course, this is all secret. Don't tell that pretty ball of sunshine, alright?" Rouge chuckled. "Hope to hear from you! Let's go, handsome," she said, glancing over to the Hedgehog who was not handsome.



The two of them left, but then the Bat said something and briefly returned, closing the door as she walked back over to me. I squinted. "What?" I asked, clenching my teeth.



"I'm so curious," she purred, poking my chest-- I quickly knocked her hand away.



"Do not touch me."



She laughed. "So you are physical, huh? What an interesting look."



"I'm aware of you, you insufferable Bat. Do not test me," I growled.



She was not affected or bothered by my words. Her casual attitude made me want to throw her through a wall. "I'm very interested in what you're like on your new leash. It's kinda cute~"



Leash? How dare she insinuate my relationship restricted me in any way!!! She must've seen the rage in my eyes, because she made a more resigned pose.



"No offense meant, darling! There's nothing wrong with depending on others. Even I do from time to time," she chuckled, her hands slightly in the air. "Regardless, you'll have to be a nice boy if you want to make her happy. That'll be quite the challenge for you, hm? I'll give you some friendly advice to adjust: view meeting her friends as a new way to uncover information. You might be surprised how quickly you warm up to them."



"I have no intention to assist with your gathering," I sneered.



"Oh, honey, but you know it'll happen. To see you like this? Cooking in a cute little pink house? Away from Daddy Dearest?" She chuckled. "You know the right decision to make. That's all I wanted to say... Goodbye for now~!" She kissed her hand, then blew her gesture in my direction; I abruptly moved out of the way.



She laughed again, then walked out of the house. Hate!!! I hated her! She was infuriating and disgusting and awful just like the Hedgehog! I hated her!



I needed to destroy something! I was so angry!



Amy was not here. I did not want to cause any damage in her home. I covered the food I made for her, then opened the door to leave--



Amy had just approached her front steps with a shopping bag in hand; her head lifted. "Hey! ... Whoa, hey..." She approached me. I realized I was clawing into her door and let go. "What's wrong? Try to take slower breaths."



I also did not realize I was breathing heavily until she said it. I did my best to calm down... Amy's face did not make me angry. She was very pretty.



I was still angry.



"I need to leave," I told her as calmly as I could in the moment.



"Can you talk to me?" she asked. Her concern for me was showing. Her eyes were very big and shining... She put her hands on my shoulders.



"I hate the people you associate with."



"Ah..." She sighed. "I had a feeling they stopped by."



"I want to destroy something."



She smiled a little at me. "Okay. Want to go destroy stuff together?"



... She had a way of words I found extremely alluring...



We left in Amy's car and went to the canyon, this time as far into the middle of nowhere as we could go. Amy told me that she would be shocked if we had a surprise visitor this time, but I was wary. I was also really irritated and I did not want to stay in my disguise, so I decided to believe her.



When we got out, I immediately went into my true form and sped away with my turbine. I needed to use my turbine like the Hedgehog needed his stomach punched. I barreled into a rock formation and crumbled it into dust. I punched what was left standing, then stomped it into nothing. Angry. Angry!!!



I surrounded myself with energy and ripped through more obstacles. I smashed myself into the ground and created more mountains by sheer force. It was not as good as wiping a hedgehog shaped stain off the ground, but I felt some relief watching something turn into nothing.



I did this for a long time. Amy eventually joined me, punting rocks in my direction with her hammer. I took it as a sign to destroy the rocks, not necessarily to fight her. I was less stressed and gathered enjoyment seeing her lob heavy objects in my direction. After a point, though, I lost the desire to destroy more. I fell back to the ground and stared at the sky. Hadn't rained in a while.



Familiar steps approached me. "Got it out of your system?" I heard a beautiful voice, then felt a beautiful head against one of my shoulders.



"I have less desire to destroy now," I said, resigned.



"I like to punt rocks here when I'm mad. I probably should've expected you to be a bit messy... We shouldn't go here too much so the environment stays intact. Maybe next time we can go to a junkyard or something," she said, though slightly more to herself. "What did my friends do? Was it Sonic and Rouge?" Her focus was fully on me again.



"Yes. They want to spend time with me and 'requested' my assistance."



"And...?"



"They aggravated me. Sonic pretends to be nice, which only makes me want to kill him. The Bat doesn't pretend, but her statements similarly infuriate me. She said I was on a new leash."



Amy sighed. "Okay, here's the thing about Rouge... She loves messing with people, especially people who give strong responses. You, uh... give very strong responses."



"Like what?!"



She sat up and looked down at me with a brow raised. "Uh, look around us."



We were in a crater I made. I had no rebuttal.



Amy smiled again. "I like messing with you... You're super cute when you get all frustrated... I guess we do that to each other." She gently rubbed the side of my face. "But I mess with you about, like... Romantic stuff. Rouge tries to say things you hate hearing, and sometimes it sounds like it could be true so it just... gets you badly. But you have to know that she's just going for what gives a response. She doesn't have an encyclopedia about your life."



"I'm aware, but her words still make me very angry."



"Try to view it as another challenge to overcome. A new skill to learn! I bet it felt good to ignore her bait at the race. You can do that again."



"I'll consider it..." I was quiet for a while. "... But... Is it true?"



"Metal..." Amy sighed and lowered herself to hug me. "No, it's not true. You're not on any leash. You're my boyfriend, my partner. I depend on you as much as you depend on me." She softly kissed my muzzle, then sighed again. "Honestly, I'm mad she said that to you."



"You are?"



Amy growled a little under her breath and sat up again. "Yeah, what's her problem?! No one has to be best friends, but she needs to tone it down! She was already on thin ice for kissing you!!" I was very attracted to her. I liked very much when she was angry at someone I also disliked. "What did you say to her?"



I sat up and lifted my nose in the air. "I did nothing to warrant such a response. In fact, she tried to touch me beforehand."



"She tried to touch you?!"



I nodded. "She failed, but it brought me great offense."



"Ugh!!" Amy hugged me and rubbed our heads together. "I'm so sorry, my sweet Metal. I'm sure you did your best to restrain yourself, and I'm so proud of you for doing that." She caressed the other side of my head with her hand. I felt very happy again.



"Your allies and your home were both undisturbed. I would like something special, as we established yesterday." I closed my eyes and enjoyed her affection.



She laughed. "Okay...~ What would be a special reward for you, cutie?"



"I can choose?" I thought for a moment. "... I would like to see you in the outfit from the photo you gave me."



"Y-you need to do more than not harm someone for that!" she exclaimed as she let go of me. Her face was flushed.



I crossed my arms. "Rosy... You are adding new conditions to our agreement."



"How about I'll wear it if you assist Sonic and Rouge with whatever they asked about? And you can't get in a fight."



"Just say you don't want to wear it," I grumbled.



"I would love to wear it for the most handsome, responsible man I know, if he agrees to get along with my friends~" She rubbed me under my chin.



"I know you are trying to manipulate me, but..." I felt very warm. "You please me. Praise me more."



She laughed. "No, that's enough praise."



I averted my eyes. "... Praise me as the special reward I get for my restraint."



She grinned and kissed me on the cheek. "I can work with that, but let's go home first."



We made it back to her car and I changed into my disguise once more. I likely wouldn't have been able to fit in her car in my true form, anyway... I could always emulate my base form, but there was no harm in extra caution. Couldn't use my turbine in the car, so it didn't matter.



I crossed my arms while I watched the road. Amy delightfully hummed what played on her radio at a low volume.



"I want to better discuss these terms for this 'positive reinforcement'. Is there a weight system? How much restraint gives what amount of reward?" I asked.



She laughed, but I was being serious. I did not find amusement in her own, though I did enjoy the sounds she made. "Okay, so... I think the more effort you have to put in, the more special the reward will be. Does that sound fair?"



"You underestimate the immense effort I put into not clasping my hands around that Hedgehog's windpipe. Each time I speak to him and do not punch him should give me the ultimate reward."



"Hm... Nah..."



I snapped my head towards her and squinted. "Why not?!"



"It's easier for you to do that than you think. I believe in you." She reached over and poked my nose. "Maybe we can phrase it another way... How badly do you want praise?"



"... I enjoy it..." My face heated up.



"Okay, how badly do you want to see me in the gown?"



I did not answer her. The drive would be very quiet if it weren't for the radio.



After a minute, I sighed: "You'll wear it if I go along with what they want to do?"



She giggled, her face also red. "For you? Yes...~"



"Fine..."



Amy briefly looked at me with a grin, but ultimately kept her focus on the road. "I'm so happy~! You liked my photo that much? Where do you keep it?"



"I'm... I don't have to answer you." I didn't want to re-address the feelings it gave me. She should have already known.



"Do you keep it in your arm~?"



I turned the volume of the radio up. "I like this song," I said.



She turned the radio off. "Oh, there's nowhere to run in here."



"I will jump out of the car."



She laughed. "Don't do that! I'll miss you too much."



... I did not jump out of the car. Amy rubbed under my chin again, then smoothed her hand to the side of my head. She threaded her fingers through my quills... I liked the feeling.



"My bribery aside... I'm happy you're trying. You don't have to be close with anyone... I don't mind if you can't completely get along with my friends. But you're doing your best for me... Thank you, Metal. I love you."



...



"You really are my favorite person... Everything you do makes my heart skip a beat." She slowly let go of my head... I yearned for more of her touch. I didn't want her to stop. I took her hand and held it, pleased that she closed her hand to mine. She glanced at me again, smiling wide. "I'm here to listen to you if anyone really bothers you, okay?"



I nodded. "... I love you too, Rosy..."



We were quiet for a long, comfortable moment. Amy turned the radio back on, but turned the volume down again.



It was nice...



"So..." Amy cleared her throat. "It's in your arm, huh?"



I turned the volume back up and refused to answer. Her laughter was audible over the music... She was happy, too.