Envy

A dazzlingly bright starscape reflected against Metal Sonic's void black sclera as he stared out the window of the Robodoom. However, he did not care to indulge in this view, a view that anybody else would likely be amazed to even catch a glimpse of. He was merely staring off into space, while he truly focused on a space beyond the stars and the physical universe. Cyberspace.

He finally regained connection. It would likely only be for a small moment. Odd. Ever since that blue hedgehog had entered the Mystic Ruins, Metal's spectator tech had performed… sub-optimally. Metal had to make this count.

He began to sift through the memories, thoughts, and senses of the blue hedgehog as if they were his own. But they were not his own. Metal could not recall or feel any of it. He could only experience limited comprehension of such faulty organic behaviors. However, for all their misguided attempts at intelligence, there were similarities to Metal's very own orderly files. They too could be read and opened and picked apart with Metal's cold unfeeling claws.

Metal did not like the hedgehog. He didn't find him to be smart, or efficient. He knew that Lord Robotnik had gotten limited use out of Sonic in the past, but he also knew Sonic had rebelled. Something Metal could never even think to do. However, it was this very thing that compelled Metal to research Sonic. It was just that which made Metal intrigued and fascinated by Sonic. Perhaps he even found a resemblance of "fun" in it. Because Sonic had a spirit, and Sonic had a heart. It was because Sonic HAD these thoughts and feelings, while Metal did not.

Metal had been painstakingly designed and specifically ordered to research the hedgehog through his own organic eyes, to repurpose his strengths and exploit his weaknesses so he could become a perfect replacement. But the way he was using this gift from his creator for his own entertainment… Metal registered it as "dirty". The worst part was, he could not compute if this was a sliver of the miraculous concept of free will that Sonic had wholes of in droves, or merely another of the many behaviors Metal was coded to perform.

Metal then experienced a technological epiphany. Time seemed to stop, as did the warnings of his engine overheating. This was something he could hardly make logic of. He envied Sonic. He wanted to become the very thing he was built to destroy. Not out of direction to eradicate his creator's enemy, but out of a twisted desire to feel and breathe like he did. To become Sonic. And the best way to do that was to study him some more. Researching what Sonic already knew could only do so much. That wouldn't do. That was too slow. What would Sonic do in this situation?

Metal snapped out of his deep processing, and instantly blasted off towards the exit pods to the planet that the Robodoom orbited, Erius. There, he would find Sonic. There, he would face off with the hedgehog like he had only a few days prior. He would not kill him. But he would hurt him. As if he was a child dissecting a frog. Metal knew, however, that Lord Robotnik could not know of this.