Chapter 7: The End of the Phantom Rider?
Clutch the Opposum was looking over the day's schedule: the race, important announcements, the Metallix presentation. He didn't want to miss a thing. Since morning, he'd been on the bridge organizing and memorizing the speeches his writers had prepared for him. He didn't mind reading them from a podium, but it would be very obvious if he did.
"CLUTCH!" Another female shout. It was Clutch's second this week, first Surge, his employee, and now his supposed boss, Jewel the Beetle.
"Oh, Miss Jewel, what an unexpected pleasure! Tell me what brings you to the bridge?" Clutch responded to the annoying call of the beetle, putting on his best face, as if he wasn't about to be reprimanded.
The tension in the room became palpable as Jewel advanced toward the zariguella, her heels tapping out a frantic rhythm. Clutch, for his part, remained calm and helpful. Meanwhile, the security guards stood almost on top of the operators, all civilian members of the Restoration, as a silent warning not to try anything stupid.
Jewel stood in front of Clutch, and looking up, the beetle reprimanded with her hands on her hips. "The Phantom Rider," she began, and Clutch nodded.
"Yes, he's been a problem these days, miss, but don't worry, I've got everything under control," Clutch quickly replied.
"So that's why, WITHOUT MY AUTHORIZATION, you've filled the ship with your security personnel and also ordered the Frigate's weapons systems to be reactivated? Systems that I clearly instructed Breezie, your employee, to remove? I'll be busy, but I'm not blind or stupid, Clutch," Jewel said, clearly annoyed by these violations of her authority committed by Clutch and his chief engineer.
"Okay, I admit I've been making some decisions outside my control. I'm sorry about that, but they're just precautionary measures. Everything will be under control soon, Miss Jewel," Clutch replied with false modesty, even moving the paper out of his line of sight to speak more directly to the beetle, which took off a little to get to his level.
"That's not good enough!" Jewel accused, already annoyed. "I'm revoking your administrative command, effective immediately!" declared the beetle, already losing patience, then pointed to the exit door.
"We'll talk about this later. Now go to your office. I'll take it from here," Jewel said, signaling for Clutch to leave the bridge. But he remained calm.
"Is this necessary, miss?" Clutch asked, half sarcastically, half honestly.
"If I have to make you leave, I will! Security, please escort Mr. Clutch to his quarters," Jewel ordered, but at her command, no one moved. In fact, the security guards approached some of the workers who made a show of wanting to get up, and one even tried before being seated back down by the security guard behind him.
Clutch chuckled softly, looking at the beetle with a smile, but without mocking.
"I see, I see. You're surprised, aren't you? I thought you'd be more resistant to my charms. Maybe you should reconsider," Clutch suggested, knowing that Jewel's authority was fragile and that she needed the support of the Restoration, although not everyone was willing to comply with her.
Jewel looked at Clutch, annoyed, as if noticing the lack of response from the security personnel.
"Listen, I don't know what kind of hold you think you have over these people, but I'm the director of the Restoration now, and I won't stand for this kind of insubordination," she said, her voice firm and commanding.
Clutch chuckled, his golden tooth glinting in the harsh fluorescent lights of the bridge. "Well, really, look at it this way, the one who pays the security personnel on this ship is me, Miss Jewel. They owe me loyalty, while the money for the maintenance staff and others comes from the restoration funds. They are the only ones who will obey you," Clutch explained, wiping his claws lightly on the cane in his right hand. The security guards began patrolling the workers, making sure none of them got too smart, even whispering mild coercions to keep them obedient.
Clutch smirked, his golden tooth glinting in the harsh fluorescent lights of the bridge. "Well, Miss Jewel, it seems you're a bit out of your depth here. You're new to this position, and I understand that it can be overwhelming. But I assure you, everything I've done is for the greater good of Mobius. This ship, this company, it's all about rebuilding and making life better for everyone. And sometimes, to make an omelet, you've got to break a few eggs," Clutch said, his voice smooth and calculated.
Jewel's eyes widened in realization, but before she could respond, Clutch continued. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a presentation to prepare for. I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to discuss all this later. After all, I wouldn't want to keep the great and powerful Metallix waiting, would I?" he said, giving Breezie a wink.
Breezie smirked and patted Metallix on the shoulder. "Don't worry, we won't let you down," she said, before turning to leave the bridge, Metallix following closely behind her.
Jewel left, defeated, but not without options, something Clutch knew all too well.
"Breezie, send Furnace to keep an eye on her. If she tries anything stupid, have him... escort her to her new quarters while we finish the preparations, understood?" Clutch ordered, looking again at the day's organizational chart.
He took a sip of tea from his expensive porcelain cup, then smiled warmly at the screen, which was divided into four different live feeds. In one of them, Tails and Amy were being transported to their cells; in another, Jewel was being escorted by Furnace Sonic; in a third, Surge and Kit were walking through one of the ship's corridors; and in the last, Metallix stood in a room full of reporters, ready to give his presentation.
"Everything is going as planned," Clutch said to himself, taking another sip of tea.
He couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction, knowing that all his pawns were in place. He had anticipated Jewel's resistance, but he had underestimated her resolve. He would have to be more careful with her, make sure she didn't try to rally the Restoration against him.
Meanwhile, in one of the ship's lower decks, Belle the Tinkerer awoke, her wooden body completely chained, with a single light shining down on her. She tried to struggle, but the chains were too strong.
"You almost got yourself killed, sister, if that term applies to both of us," Metallix said, stepping out of the shadows, his imposing figure making the fragile Belle pale.
"I don't know who you are..." Belle tried to insult him, but upon seeing Metallix's visor, she recognized him instantly. "Metal Sonic? Is that you?"
"That was my old name, but yes, it's me, sister," Metallix said, his robotic tone softened.
He moved closer to Belle, his metallic footsteps echoing in the cold, dimly lit room. "I remember you, back when Eggman was still Tinker. You were as good as me, but your chassis was, is, made of wood, while mine was pure steel, I was created for war and you for peace." Metallix said, tapping his sister's wooden frame. "I was born first, I met the real Eggman before you, in a way I'm your older brother, in a way." Metallix said, the concept of family still seeming strange to him, but how else could he explain his refusal to harm her?
He had been reprogrammed, but some of his old memories still lingered, buried deep in his AI.
Belle looked down, her wooden eyes reflecting the harsh light of the room. "Does it matter? You're not the same Metal Sonic I knew. You're this... this thing."
Metallix nodded, his mechanical senses picking up on the slight tremble in her voice. He knew she was scared, but he also knew she was right. He wasn't the same Metal Sonic anymore. He was Metallix, a weapon, a tool for Breezie's use. "I am stronger now, stronger than I ever was," Metallix said, looking at his hand and closing it in a powerful gesture. "And besides, I am free... but I doubt you value freedom, sister, since you have always had it, while our 'father' took it from me a long time ago," Metallix said as he continued analyzing Belle. She was a magnificent work of art, undoubtedly a masterpiece at the same level as his, in terms of engineering of course, since in power, even being only Metal Sonic, he was always superior to her.
If only they had allowed her to be, or if only she had known how to be more than a simple tool.
"I don't understand why you're still talking to me. You should just kill me and get it over with," Belle said, her voice barely above a whisper. She had always been polite and gentle, but the fear she felt was slowly turning into frustration.
Metallix tilted his head to the side, as if he were analyzing her. "I could do that, yes. But I won't. You are my sister... in a way, aren't you?" Metallix said, his voice softening again.
"Today, I will go out into the world, and I will be a hero, a thousand times better than Sonic. I will be praised. Finally, I will prove that I am Sonic's superiority." Metallix said with some pride.
"That's weird," Belle commented. "You always wanted to be like him before, you even claimed to be the real Sonic, now all of a sudden you want to replace him?" Belle asked her metallic brother with a sly smile.
"I learned... the value of myself... I don't need to pretend to be like my enemy to overcome him, no... I am my own self now, a superior self," Metallix replied.
"Breezie helped me see that. She reprogrammed me, made me realize that I don't need to be anyone else. I am Metallix, and I will make my own destiny."
Belle looked at him, her wooden eyes filled with a mix of fear and sadness. "I'm glad for you, I really am. But why can't you just... be yourself without all the violence and destruction?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Metallix tilted his head again, considering her words. "I am what I am, a war machine, I cannot change that, but I can shape it, my firepower now put at the service of the general welfare" replied Metallix with a somewhat poetic tone for a machine.
"I have been freed from the chains of my old programming, but not from my purpose. I will protect those who cannot protect themselves, I will bring justice where there is none." Metallix said, his voice filled with determination.
"Metallix, why are you telling me this? Are you trying to convince yourself or me?" Belle asked, her voice soft and skeptical.
Metallix looked at his sister, his mechanical eyes filled with a strange mix of curiosity and self-awareness. "Maybe both. I still hate him, you know? I want to destroy Sonic. Every binary digit of my coding and every fiber of my hardware wants to destroy him, to use all my strength to pulverize him... but at the same time, I want to do it my way, to prove that I can be better than what Eggman planned for me," Metallix said hesitantly, as an alarm sounded.
"I'm running late, anyway," Metallix pressed a button on his forearm and the chains released Belle, letting her fall to the floor, her body making the sound of wood hitting the veneer of the floor.
"There won't be anyone in these halls in a couple of minutes. You can run if you want. I won't stop you, nor will I allow anyone else to. Amy Rose and Tails are three levels up. Here, I'll share the map with you," Metallix said, transmitting a map of the entire ship to Belle via radio.
"Why are you helping me?" Belle asked, confused by Metallix's actions. Metallix just shrugged.
"You're my family, the only one I care about. Besides, at this point, neither you nor your friends are a threat to me. Therefore, I see no need for you to be held prisoner," Metallix said proudly before using his jetpacks to leave the halls without looking back.
Belle stood up, shaking off the remnants of her dream-like state. She looked at the map Metallix had sent her. She took a deep breath and began to run towards the indicated coordinates, where Amy and Tails were supposedly being held. She had to find a way to get them out of there and figure out a way to stop Clutch and his henchmen.
In the meantime, on the bridge, Clutch was sitting in his chair, sipping tea and watching the live feeds. He looked satisfied, but there was a hint of worry in his eyes.
He knew that Jewel would not go down without a fight, and he had underestimated her resolve.
Now she was talking to both Tangle and Whisper, two of the Diamond Cutters, surely recounting her previous conversation.
"I order Furnace to attack?" Breezie asked through a screen overlooking her workshop.
"No... let her plot, let the race begin," Clutch said.
**Meanwhile, outside**
"Hello everyone, all Hoverboard fans, welcome to the final event of the Sweep Clean Inc. Race," the announcer announced through the communicators of the enormous ship, causing the spectators, all the anthropomorphic animals of Mobius, to roar in cheers for the remaining participants. "I hope you're excited, because we've saved the best for last," the announcer said before pausing briefly.
"But first, I was asked to share a few words from the CEO of Sweep Clean Inc.: Clean Sweep Inc. and the Restoration are aware that some of you have felt fear and uncertainty due to the appearances of the Phantom Rider. We are taking this situation very seriously and we promise that when this event is over, you will never have to fear any threat again, because your safety and entertainment are our top priority. We thank you for your continued support in bringing these thugs to justice," said the Announcer, while Clutch smiled pleasedly from the bridge.
"Well, enough talk, let the games begin! Today's event will be a free-fall obstacle course toward Central City. The most important question is: How far are you willing to go to win?" roared the announcer, and the race began.
As always, Jet the Hawk and his group led the way, the three birds descending at high speed as security forces fanned out around the descending obstacle course.
At that moment, as if summoned, the Phantom Rider emerged from the obstacles, though now he seemed more determined, attacking the nearest security personnel, destroying their hoverboards, and dropping them several meters.
"Did they start without me? No, no, this deserves a punishment, don't you think?" said the Phantom Rider as he began firing smoke bombs at the obstacles, making it impossible to maneuver between them.
"There he is! Go for him!" roared Hawk, but then he felt something on top of his hoverboard. A passenger was behind him.
"Go for who? Stupid bird," said the Phantom Rider, kicking him off his hoverboard and letting him fall into the void.
"Jet!" Wave and Storm shouted, flying quickly to catch Jet.
"Pityful," said the Phantom Rider before jumping back onto his hoverboard, just as Surge appeared. She tried to ram him using her hoverbike, but the Phantom Rider dodged the attack with a spin.
"You're getting slow, Surge. Maybe you should stick to chasing after Kit," the Phantom Rider taunted, firing a plasma shot at Surge.
Surge deflected the shot with an electric shield and laughed. "You're the one who's slow, Phantom. Everyone knows the race is rigged. You're just a distraction."
"Distraction? I think I'm the main event here," the Phantom Rider said, throwing a mine at Surge's hoverbike.
Surge swerved, avoiding the explosion, but the blast sent her off course.
She gritted her teeth, her electric aura flaring as she righted her hoverbike and set off in pursuit of the Phantom Rider again. "You're going down, Phantom. I'm not letting you disrupt this race."
The Phantom Rider laughed, his voice echoing through the communicator. "You can't catch me, Surge. I'm the wind, I'm the storm, I'm everywhere and nowhere." He disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving Surge cursing and frantically searching for him.
Meanwhile, on the bridge of the Sweep Clean Inc.
Air Headquarters, Clutch the Opposum was monitoring the race with a keen eye. He had a tablet in his paw, displaying various live feeds and metrics from the event. The bridge was buzzing with activity as the crew worked to ensure everything was running smoothly.
Clutch's golden tooth flashed as he grinned. "This is going exactly as planned. The Phantom Rider is causing enough chaos to make the crowd sit up and take notice, but not enough to completely derail the event," he murmured to himself.
Breezie the Hedgehog, standing nearby, looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" she said, her voice laced with a mixture of amusement and disdain.
Clutch turned to her, his smile widening. "Isn't it obvious? A bit of Chaos is needed when you want to present a Hero, scare the people and make them need security, allow people like us to sell them heroes and security, and due of pure need, the people is eager to pay anything for it" Clutch answers with a wide smile.
"more important, Metallix is ready to appear?" Clutch asks Breezie, arching an eyebrow.
Breezie responds with a smirk, her purple eyes glinting with mischief. "Ah, that's the beauty of it. Metallix is ready, but he's not going to make a grand entrance just yet. We've got to build the suspense, make the crowd hungry for it," she says, tapping her claws on the console in front of her.
Clutch chuckles, "Very well, then let's give them a taste of what's to come. Breezie, I want you to send a small team of E-12 units to cause some 'minor' disturbances in the crowd.
Nothing too serious, just enough to keep them on edge," Clutch ordered, his eyes scanning the live feeds from the race.
Breezie nodded, her fingers dancing across the holographic controls in front of her. "Consider it done. E-12 units are being dispatched to various locations around the course. They'll cause just enough chaos to keep the spectators on their toes," she confirmed, her purple eyes reflecting the holographic display.
Clutch smiled, knowing that the race was about to get a lot more exciting. "Excellent.
And Breezie, make sure Metallix is deployed at the perfect moment. We want him to be the hero, the one who saves the day," Clutch said, a wicked grin spreading across his face.
"But, Clutch, don't you think it's risky to have Metallix intervene during the race? What if something goes wrong?" Breezie asked, her fingers pausing mid-air above the controls.
Clutch waved a dismissive paw. "Don't worry, Breezie. I've got everything under control. Metallix is just a tool, a very powerful tool, but a tool nonetheless.
I'm the one pulling the strings here," he assured Breezie, his eyes never leaving the live feeds. He was watching Surge, who was still searching for the Phantom Rider, her anger evident in her every move.
Breezie hesitated for a moment before nodding, trusting Clutch's judgment. After all, they had been working together for a long time, and his plans had always worked out in the end.
"Understood. I'll keep Metallix on standby until the perfect moment," Breezie said, returning to her workstation.
Meanwhile, in the center of the obstacle course, the Phantom Rider is being surrounded by Surge, Kit, and the Diamond Cutters.
"It's over, Phantom Rider! You're finished!" Lanolin the sheep shouted, as she readied her cowbell for a Whisp energy blast. "You won't be able to escape my Whisp energy blast at this distance, so come quietly and I won't have to use it," Lanolin said, already holding her cowbell.
"Try it," the Phantom Rider challenged the sheep as she prepared to return fire. But in that brief moment of tension, something seemed to run over the Phantom Rider, dragging him down with it.
"What the hell was that?!" Surge said, stunned, having been interrupted mid-blow by the same object that had taken out the Phantom Rider.
Tangle and Whisper were also stunned, as they saw a blueish trail pass above them before descending on the Phantom Rider.
"Could it have been Sonic?" Tangle asked, holding onto her hoverboard.
"What a time to show up, but where did he go? And where did he take the Phantom Rider?" Lanolin asked, annoyed, having also been destabilized by the onslaught from a moment ago.
"There!" Duo the cat shouted, pointing in the direction the Phantom Rider's hoverboard was heading. Everyone saw that the Phantom Rider was being dragged down by something, but then it abruptly began to ascend, dragging the Phantom Rider like a rag doll.
The Phantom Rider had both hands on Metallix's robotic forearm, which was carrying him up to the stands where the event began.
"You again, stupid tin can!" the Phantom Rider growled, feeling his back being dragged by the tubular structures that made up the obstacles.
"Apparently we both have new identities, don't we, Sonic?" Metallix said, taking advantage of the Diamond Cutters and the rest of the security forces being far away.
"Always so perceptive, Metal," said the Phantom Rider, smiling under his helmet, seeing himself discovered by his mechanical copy.
"That was my old name, but hey, I can tolerate you calling me that," Metallix said, finally reaching the top, where the cameras saw him holding the Phantom Rider like a trophy.
The E-12 robots, Eggman's robots secretly reprogrammed by Breezie, deployed to fake an attack by Eggman, turned their gazes on Metallix.
"Don't worry, citizens, the Hero has arrived!" Metallix said as a missile emplacement appeared behind his back, firing at the E-12s. The robots barely had time to react before being completely pulverized.
The crowd below cheered, relieved and excited by the sudden turn of events. Metallix held the Phantom Rider with one hand, the other holding a microphone that had appeared from nowhere.
"Fear not, citizens of Mobius! I am Metallix, your new hero!" he declared, his voice booming through the speakers. "I will bring justice to this world, starting with this criminal!" He tossed the Phantom Rider down to the security forces waiting below. They quickly apprehended him, and the crowd's cheers grew even louder.
Clutch was grinning from ear to ear on the bridge.
"Perfect timing, Breezie. Metallix couldn't have made a more dramatic entrance," he said, his golden tooth glinting in the bright lights of the bridge.
Breezie smirked, her purple eyes reflecting the holographic displays surrounding her. "Well, I did say I'd make the crowd hungry for it. And now, they have their new hero," she replied, her voice laced with pride.
Clutch leaned back in his chair, sipping his tea as he watched the live feeds. Metallix was being hailed as the new hero of Mobius, and the crowd was eating it up.
Clutch smiled and sipped his tea, knowing that his plan was working perfectly.
He stood up to take the microphone and make his announcement. "Citizens of Mobius, as you've seen, we no longer have to worry about enemies like the Phantom Rider or Eggman's robots, since we now have something better to fight them with. Here, the first of a new series of Defense robots," Clutch said as he ordered one of the bridge workers to open the ships' landing doors.
As soon as he did, tens of hundreds of robots identical to Metallix, but with silver casings instead of blue, emerged and formed up behind Metallix.
"These will be our new security and protection force, and of course, for a small fee, each of you can have your own," Clutch announced enthusiastically as the Metallixes, led by the original, began to fan out to clear the event's obstacle course and repair any damage.
The crowd went wild, cheering for their new hero and his army of metal protectors. Applause filled the air as the Metallixes swiftly and efficiently cleaned up the remaining chaos caused by the Phantom Rider and the E-12 units.
On the bridge, Clutch clapped his paws together, delighted with the response from the crowd. He turned to Breezie, who was also smiling, her eyes sparkling with pride.
"We did it," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, but filled with triumph.
Clutch smiled, his golden tooth glinting in the bright lights of the bridge. "Indeed, we did, my talented friend. The people of Mobius will never forget this day." He turned to his communication console and switched channels. "Sweep Clean Inc. Control, this is Clutch. Open all communication lines. I have an announcement to make to the entire population of Mobius."
The voice on the other end acknowledged his request, and within seconds, his face was beamed to every screen, holo-projector, and communication device in the city.
"Good day, citizens of Mobius," Clutch began, his voice booming with authority and charisma.
"I trust that you have been enjoying today's event and the thrilling display of our new hero, Metallix. Now, I have an announcement that will change the course of our future and ensure the safety and prosperity of all our people."
Clutch paused for a moment, letting the anticipation build. Across Mobius, citizens leaned in closer to their screens, eager to hear what their beloved CEO had to say.
"As you have seen, the threats we face are evolving, and so must we. That is why I am proud to announce the launch of our new division, Sweep Clean Security.
With Metallix at the helm, we will be offering unparalleled protection to all the citizens of Mobius. No longer will you have to live in fear of the Phantom Rider, Eggman's robots, or any other threat that dares to rise against us."
Clutch's voice was filled with confidence and authority, his words carefully chosen to instill hope and security in the hearts of his audience.
The Phantom Rider remained handcuffed and being led away by two huge weasels from Sweep Clean Inc. But he muttered one word: "Ingrates."
Suddenly, doing a spindash, he broke and shattered his handcuffs, accumulating enough force to hit the base of the ship's bridge, causing it to tilt, before bouncing like a blue projectile off the security guards. His helmet cracked slightly, revealing blue hedgehog spikes underneath and a reddish-purple iris eye.
Tangle was stunned, recognizing the blue spikes.
"Sonic?" she murmured, as her eyes dilated in recognition. Whisper sighed in shock and fear as she saw the face of her friend, her hero, behind the villain's mask.
Kitsunami was only speechless with shock, but it was Surge who acted, charging towards the Phantom Rider with his hoverbike.
"Why?!" She roared in fury as she charged her fists with electric energy. But this Sonic simply circled her at high speed, sending her into the bow of the ship with a kick.
"I got bored of being a hero," Sonic the Hedgehog said with a smug grin before grabbing her lime-colored fists.
"I don't believe you!" Said Tangle lunging herself, to throw punches and kicks that didn't connect, the lemur's speed, both her limbs and tail were.... Too slow for Sonic, for him it was like watching her want to hit him in slow motion, dodging it effortlessly or even, boredly.
"You shouldn't be so unconcerned with your own life." Sonic said with a rush, getting behind her and grabbing her by the tail, and spinning around he took power to send her almost out of the ship, if it wasn't for Whisper, who managed to catch Tangle before she fell out of the ship.
"So it's settled, is it?" Metallix said, with his armada of robots made in his image and likeness, all aiming their cannons at the blue hedgehog.
"How many times have we done this Metal? I've always beaten you" Sonic commented sarcastically.
"Only now, you're the villain and I'm the hero" said Metallix, but deep down he found the statement absurd, after all, he wasn't interested in being the hero, only in crushing Sonic's heroic legacy.
"Just as you claimed to be the real me?" asked Sonic sarcastically.
"Now I don't need to be you to be better" Metallix replied. "Because I already am," he finally said as he fired up his engines for the ultimate fight between the two, the perfect machine against the fastest living thing in the world.
But Tangle was having none of this. She had been there when the Metal Virus almost destroyed everything. She wasn't about to let Sonic and Metallix tear apart the ship like they had done so many cities. She twisted her tail around Whisper, making a makeshift anchor, and shot out at Sonic like a cannonball.
Meanwhile, in the lower decks of the ship, Belle finally caught up to Amy and Tails. They were in a room filled with Eggman's old robots, all reprogrammed for security duty.
Belle noticed that the room had been recently modified, with new consoles and equipment installed. She saw Amy and Tails sitting on the floor, their arms tied behind their backs, and gags in their mouths.
"Tails! Amy!" Belle shouted, rushing to them and quickly undoing their restraints.
"Belle! How did you get here?" Amy asked, rubbing her wrists.
"I got some help from an unexpected source," Belle said, looking at Tails. "We need to find the others and get out of here before it's too late."
Tails nodded, already standing up and stretching his tails.
"We need to find Jewel and the others. If they're still on the ship, we can use her authority to stop this madness."
Amy looked around the room, her eyes landing on the robots. "And we need to shut down these robots. We can't let Clutch use them to hurt anyone else."
Belle nodded. "I can help with that. I've worked with Eggman's tech before. I should be able to reprogram them to shut down."
As the three of them started to work on the robots, Belle's communicator beeped.
Then a voice sounded, robotic, but as if it were near a furnace. The sound of dancing flames and crackling could be heard between the lines.
"Do you know why I don't usually talk much? Even though Breezie gave us our own voice and we can speak... I got... something else... hungry..." the voice said as Furnace began to slowly descend behind Amy, Tails, and Belle, who saw the grayish robot, its flame glowing hungrily in its core. "I... always... get... Hungry!!!!" Furnace Sonic roared before launching himself into a lunge to try and catch one of the three Mobians.
Amy reacted quickly, aiming to hit Furnace with her hammer. He blocked the blow with his forearm but stepped back, his metallic feet squeaking against the ground, leaving a sharp scrape of metal against metal.
The impact vibrated through his arm, and Furnace clenched his fingers around the hammer, feeling the heat of his own flames licking at his mechanism.
"You can't keep up with us, Furnace," Amy taunted, gripping the handle firmly with both hands.
Furnace snarled, his voice a grating mechanical growl. He lunged again, this time aiming to grab her. She darted out of the way, but he was quicker than he looked, his metallic arm snaking out and wrapping around her waist.
"This flame... in my chest... must be fed..." Furnace said, as with his free hand he opened the hatch in his core, revealing the intense flames. "I've never tasted anything but wood... this will be delicious," Furnace said, as the flames in his chest grew stronger, seeking to trap Amy, who was being brought dangerously close to that furnace.