Instincts

Ch. 25

By: Cutegirlmayra (Wow, I've got a LOT to write about before I leave… which is in a few weeks, so maybe I should just make this one freakin' huge chapter and finish this story now? I'll try. Sorry for not posting anything for a while, it's been crazy with all the mission stuff coming in. I want to enjoy life a little longer with my friends and all before I leave for a year and a half, completely cut off from the world –including the internet! D: make sure you guys check out my profile and get my new email for my mission! That's the only way to contact me after Dec.3rd!- I'll miss you all so much! I enjoyed writing this story, but it was a very love-hate relationship XD I don't like all the …well… stuff, I had to include in this story xP but I'm glad you all loved my idea, and I hope the ending is enough for you guys :3 I can't wait to hear from you all!

So here!

The last chapter!

Of Instincts!)

The three were all teleported to the Eggman airship, and looked around.

There wasn't much but some guns and a huge entrance from the front and back, and a long beam that seemed to lead to a building and a steam pipe, pumping out smoke from the engines below. Everything was metal as well, either a black, grey, or a darker shade of grey, but everything was held together by steel and bolts.

"Let's find Data. That's our main concern right now." Sonic stated, about to take off, seeming pretty serious, before being stopped by Shadow reaching out and grabbing his arm for a moment.

"What about if there are more of him?" Shadow stated, as Sonic looked back, and then down, thinking…

"We can't let Eggman make them all killers!" Silver firmly stated, holding a fist up. "We have to do something!"

"Data first!" Sonic looked back to Silver, and then glared to Shadow, "If we run into any children… let's just teleport them back to safety. For Amy's sake, and are own. They may be mutants, but… they're still just kids." Sonic concluded.

Shadow let go of his arm. "And if they engage? Then what? They could already be lost to Eggman's brainwashing."

"The more we talk, the worst they get then." Sonic was getting tried of him holding him back for these questions, even if they were important, Sonic didn't want to think about it till he had to make that decision then and there.

"You guys… they are… ours." Silver put his hand down, and looked away. "Can we all just think a moment about that? They are… our flesh and blood. They may already be slaves to Eggman, but they have half of each of us in them! We can't just destroy them! It would be heartless!"

"Have you all changed your minds this suddenly?!" Shadow shouted out, looking to both of them, being surprised by their words. "Though they may have been created through our DNA, they are not OURS. If they can be spared, then so be it. If not, then I cannot dwell on the fact that my blood may run through their veins. I am no father to anyone. I am the ultimate lifeform, and my blood is cursed, and unholy. I have no descendants, and have no wish for them to be given my curse through my blood. If they engage, no matter how many they may be… I will fight." Shadow's resolution made the other two nervous; as they looked down, unable to shake from their minds the fact that whoever they face could be their sons, as easily as Shadow could see them as abominations.

"You may not have chosen for them to come into this world, Shadow." Sonic began, and then stepped forward, looking Shadow dead in the eye. "But they are here. And though you may not want to admit it, they are not just your responsibility. I won't let you be a murderer to innocent lives. They fight because that's all they may know. We don't even know if they exist! Or if it's just Data that survived. All we know, or at least… I know, is that I won't attack unless I'm certain there is no hope for them. If you can't have a heart to choose that for yourself, then think of Amy. Have a heart for her sake. You are right, Shadow. They truly may not be our own… by they are hers. And she accepts them as such…. Would you be willing to kill her children? Instead of thinking they are your own to take as you so please?"

Silver was amazed by what Sonic had spoken, and looked to see Shadow remain silent, before walking passed Sonic.

"…Very well. I will turn an ignorant eye and only defend myself. But I will not wait for your decision on whether they are children, or now monsters that Eggman controls." Shadow stopped, as both Sonic's harsh gaze and Silver's sorrowful concern lay on his back. "…If they are ours… and hers….then what place do they have on this earth? Will you accept them? Care for them? How many do you think there are? Amy may believe she could raise Data, but an army? How will you handle possibly a hundred mutants with powers they may not even be able to control? Is it not better to spare one, and leave Amy to assume there were no others?"

Sonic stepped forward, "You-!" Silver held him back.

"Sonic! Don't!"

"They're not the monsters here, Shadow. YOU ARE! I would never leave Amy so easily in the dark on something this precious as life! You may be willing to lie to her for the betterment of your life, but I'm willing to fight for the world! If I can spare them all, I will not hesitate to do so! And if it be the latter… then I…. I shall choose as I do."

"…Hmph, we all have our resolves, Sonic. But I'm not fighting for myself. I'm fighting for the world as well. We all have our own ways, our own beliefs. Face it, Sonic. When we first met, you were willing to destroy me for the world. Is Data any different? Just because you may have held him as a child?"

"HAVE YOU NO HEART?!"

"Sonic! We're wasting time talking about ideologies! Let's just agree none of us reacts to the children till we find Data and stop Eggman. We can get them to safety, and then talk to Amy about this." Silver let Sonic go after he shoved him away at last, and looked to Shadow, feeling his heart wasn't exactly black, but logic won against feeling, and Silver felt that was neither right… nor wrong. "They may not have been meant to exist… but they still do, as Sonic had said before. My actions caused this future. And I'm willing to do whatever it takes to protect the new future. If I'm still here… then maybe there is hope. Either way, I wouldn't still be here, existing, if this future didn't have any hope. Shadow,… Your ways may be to dark a grey for us to follow willingly… but if the children are as lost as we may fear… then I…" he looked at his hand, "…I…" he shook it, as he felt his body begin to betray him in letting small tears form on his face. He closed his eyes as his body shook in sorrow, shoulders slightly bouncing as he began to cry a moment, not wanting to even think of such a thing but knowing he may have too make a decision soon... "I know not what I will do… but I don't want to hurt anyone! Especially Amy!" His voice showed his helpless situation and care for the life he was thinking about. A bit pitchy and whiny, it still showed how big his heart was, even for these children that may or not exist.

The two looked to him before Shadow moved on, "There's no need to discuss this further. Data must be found first and foremost. If he is passed any point of return, then I will fight him personally. Let the fall of his life be my own, and let Amy's hatred rest upon me. You two can leave now, if you are too weak to choose the proper path. I may seem heartless, but I'm only doing what is best for the world. The true black hearted villain to blame right now,… is Eggman." Shadow glared forward, gritting his teeth together at the actions Eggman had done in making this whole predicament come to past, and charged forward, racing into the entrance he first saw.

"…Let's follow him. I don't trust him." Sonic stated, and lowered his head. "… but he is right. The lives of whoever we may face are on the line because of him. Once we stop Eggman, the world should be safe, regardless of his 'instinct army'!" Sonic raced forward as Silver nodded, wiping his face to then hold a strong and determined look, before he flew after him.

"Dr. Eggman! The scanners are reading life forces coming from the first ring!"

"Hmmm…? So they've caught on at last, have they?

Excellent."

Cubot and Orbot looked to each other.

"Shut down the machine. He's ready to meet his dads~" Eggman chimed devilishly, grinning with the anticipation of the meeting…

Of course… he didn't know this was a reunion…

Shadow raced into another section of the top layer he was running around on, as he saw Sonic and Silver zip by him, and began to move on unnoticed.

Knocking the door down with his Chaos blast's power, he walked in and his eyes widened.

There really was an army… but not of children….

Of clones.

He walked over to see their life supports, and held his hand up and across himself, readying for a Chaos Spears attack, before…

"They truly may not be our own… by they are hers. And she accepts them as such… Would you be willing to kill her children? Instead of thinking they are your own to take as you so please?"

"Tsk..!"

Shadow gritted his teeth, his hand shaking as he suddenly began to have a change of heart. Looking up to a clone of Data, he thought of the night he sang to him, and slowly… ever so shakily,… he lowered his hand down and closed his eyes.

"Very well. I shall not act till we all agree. If they are Amy's… then she must choose their fate." He glared, and ran off to try and hunt down Data, to find if his heart was really one of a monster, or an innocent victim of circumstance.

In Shadow's mind, these clones and even Data, did not serve any purpose here in this world, besides creating chaos and destruction for Eggman's maniacal desires. Even so… If they were Amy's children in Sonic's eyes, then what right did he have to choose their fates? If Sonic was right… then he was a murderer, and that very moment changed Shadow's stubborn resolve, and he chose his heart over logic and reason…

Sonic and Silver saw Shadow coming up ahead, and wondered how he got behind them.

"Woah, where'd you take the wrong detour?" Sonic slightly kid.

"None of your business. It seems you have had little luck on your end either."

"Haha, my money's on you fell through a trap and had to start over!" Sonic teased, lifting his head up with a grin, closing his eyes as he got cocky again.

"Uhh… Sonic, let's not try and start another fight again…" Silver had an awkward tear drop on the side of his face, feeling Sonic's personality was a hindrance to the overall objective at this point. "Let's just all focus on finding…Data!"

Silver and the two all skidded to a halt, as Data, now a man of about the age of his fathers before him, held his head down with eyes darkened in shadows, as Eggman floated down on his eggpod, laughing behind him, with Orbot and Cubot peeking around the corner to watch the events.

"WHOHOHOHO! Seems we have some catching up to do, Sonic, Silver, and Shadow…" Eggman seemed amused with all this, as Sonic and the others just stared at Data.

This would be it.

This would decide whether he was a threat… or someone in need of saving….

"HAHAHAAH! I believe you haven't met your SON, have you three? Care to let me explain..?"

"No need, we know what you did to Amy! And we're not gonna let you get away with it!" Silver stated, swinging his arm up as he landed to the ground, determined to make Eggman pay for his wrong doings…

"Oh-ho? She told you then? But I'm fairly certain she didn't know about her only child being made into your, and the world's, demise!"

"..Only..?" Silver looked to the other two, and slowly rolled his eyes to the corner of his vision to look back at Eggman, blinking a moment. "So… you're saying he's the only one that survived?"

"Well, sadly yes. But that doesn't mean he's not enough to destroy you three! HAHAHAH! And soon, you'll come to find he's a whole army in and of himself! WHAHAHAAH!"

Sonic and Silver sighed, relieved to know that only Data was who they had to worry about, and that they're weren't a hundred other children they may have to fight.

Shadow, however… knew what the doctor meant by that exaggerated line, but would tell the others at a more favorable time.

"Now then, Data, why don't you show these three your true power? After all, if you don't, you may not ever see the light of day again! Now, go! Let this be the very first battle for the Eggman Empire, and the very LAST for your fathers! Hahahaha!"

Data twitched his head up, his mind only within instinct form, as his body still felt under threat.

Through many and several painful hours of being in that training room, he had gone mad with destruction and power, the only thing he knew was to destroy whatever threatened his life, and if he didn't obey Eggman, his life would be even more at stake.

Forcing himself to move without even really thinking, Data charged his blue aura and blasted a beam of chaos light toward the three, as they all were blasted far back and fell to their stomachs, being flipped around in the air at the impact of such a powerful energy blast.

"WHAHAHAHA! That I believe was a chaos blast mixed with one of Silver's psychic powers! Pretty impressive, right? Not only was the Chaos Emerald a big help on that one, but with the added boost of Instincts, he's literally able to harness the true essence of power! This is what my grandfather truly wanted to create!" he held his arms out, both opened to Data, as he slouched a little, and stepped forward shakily, his instincts telling him to make sure the threat was dealt with. "This is the ultimate lifeform! A child born of flesh and blood, but with the added boost of his DNA coming from 3 very powerful sources, and even with Chaos energy and Instincts to boot, he is truly the only fit machine to be the cause of my empire's creation!" he lifted his head up, praising what he had made, believing it to be of his own hands, as Sonic slowly stood up, and Data's eyes twitched at seeing the threat still active.

He charged forward, as Sonic threw him over his shoulders, and Shadow and Silver began to fight him down the hallway. "No, Eggman!" he shouted, huffing and puffing, trying to catch his breath from that last doozy of an attack. "I can't believe how much he's aged… but I'm sure it's that growth serum… But even with him being a mutant, he's no machine!" Sonic cried out, as Eggman snickered silently, his shoulders bouncing up and down as he did so.

"Woo-ho-ho-ho. You foolish hedgehog…. Instincts make him a machine. Due to his excellent processing skills, he's come to the conclusion, by force, that he must obey me or his life will be in danger. If he doesn't do as I say, he's most likely to die. Instincts are meant to keep one alive and within the circles of life, self-preservation. That also includes mating,.. but I'm sure you've already figured that little detail out…" Eggman grinned. "Yes, the true purpose of Instincts is to survive. That's why they haven't exactly been destroyed by nature just quite yet. Even Silver's DNA showed the traces of Instincts, showing that even evolution hasn't killed them off entirely from your species… oh no, Instincts are very much apart of all living things. But… some more than others." Eggman leaned back, placing a hand on himself. "I, being a human, have desires of my own, and reflexes meant to preserve my life as well. However, even such things aren't as powerful or over dominating as they are within animals… Tell me, Sonic. Do you really think you can defeat me this time? When it's your own SON you must face? A son that can neither hear nor understand what you say or stand for, considering all he's doing is what his body tells him to do. I purposefully designed him with only his instincts. His true self is shut out by it, forcing him to forever be a powerful tool in my inventory. As long as his body perceives your existence as a threat to his life, he won't stop till you're completely destroyed and dealt with. Only then can his body relax enough to feel at ease. And trust me, any animal would fight till the death to preserve their lives… so tell me, oh.. Do tell! What will you do now?" Eggman's words really caught Sonic off guard, as he sweated a little, and realized he couldn't really respond to Eggman at this point. He lowered his head in anger, gritting his teeth as he realized their may really be no way to save Data at this point!

"Good luck on your decision, Sonic. I'm sure Amy will understand."

"Grr…EGGGMANNN!" Sonic raced to deal a deadly punch to Eggman's face, as Eggman panicked a little and reversed back as fast as he could.

"Eeee! Till we meet again, Sonic! Ahh!" he spoke quickly and in a bit of fright at Sonic's violent rush towards him, and opened a secret sliding door above. Flying up through it just before Sonic regained his footing on his ground.

"Darn it!" Sonic spin dashed too late into the sliding door, and landed down. "I won't forgive you for this, Eggman! I will save Data from his Instincts! One way… or another. I won't let you win! Not now, not ever!" Sonic thought about the fact that he hadn't controlled his own instincts yet, and raced out, not worrying about that just yet, and only bent on saving Data from himself!

Meanwhile, Shadow and Silver were being greatly out powered by Data's wild attacking, as if he was really fighting for his life, and saw nothing but the crazy look in his eyes, as if he wasn't even thinking, but just going on instinct to direct his movements.

"Data! Remember who we are! We're-OFFGH..!" Silver was rammed in the stomach by Data's speedy fist thrusting through it and pushing him back, as he hit the wall behind him and slid down.

"Why you-… if you refuse to listen to reason, then I really have no choice!" Shadow took off his limitators, and crossed his hands in an 'X' formation in front of himself, now holding both his two chaos emeralds in either hand, and storing Chaos energy. "Chaos Spears!" he ripped the chaos from his being as shards, doubling the quantity and power, as flew through the air to Data.

He was hit and tossed back, being pinned by some of them as they pierced through his being, not injuring him physically but hitting power within him, weakening him and causing him pain without the flesh wound.

"GRAAAHAHH!" a powerful cry was heard from Data, as he shook his hand up to a large spear and grabbed it, being shocked with the chaos lightning from it, and ripped it out of him and spiked it at rapid speeds back to Shadow.

"What on earth-!? AHH!" Shadow was pierced as he fell down from having jumped in the air to attack.

"Data, stop!" Silver cried out, still trying to somehow reach him as he weakly got up, wobbling a bit at his knees as he clutched his stomach. "Why aren't you responding?"

"Grra….graahh… hhaaa…" Data's eyes began to learn each attack the others used, having it somewhere in his DNA, his body quickly learned how to do the Chaos Spear attack, and he manipulated chaos thusly. "RAHHH!" he shot ten times the amount of spears Shadow summoned up, as Silver raised his hands and dashed in front of Shadow, having the spears all collide with his psychic shield, but they were persistent, and Data still hung them in the air and pressed down on Silver's force field, trying to break through it. "Ahh…RAAHHHH….GRAAHHHHAHHHH!" Data pushed down against Silver's power so much that he actually broke through the shield, shattering it into shards of light that absorbed away in air, falling in on itself and probably back to Silver's control. Silver was forced to chaos control him and Shadow behind a distance away from Data. Data dropped his hands and swung them down, turning around as his eyes truly did resemble a monster, and the blue essence on his arms and legs began to glow and the aura filled his being like a glowing blue fire. Steams of power flowed through the symbols on his arms and legs, as his eyes began to show streams, resembling a small machine like circuitry, as if he truly was becoming a machine from the inside out…

"He's… he doesn't even seem human at all! He's acting wild and-… and…"

"Like an animal… pfft." Shadow had gripped his chest where he had been pierced, but being teleported away had taken the chaos spear out of himself, and it disappeared along with the rest of them. He shut his eyes in pain at the end of his sentence though, and opened one slightly, spiting on the ground, before wiping his mouth off and getting up. "We have to get him off this ship. He's spears cut through the ship and I think that sparking and smoke is from below.. possibly near the-"

A huge chaotic sequence of blasts was heard below, and shook the airship, as suddenly the ship tilted and began to fall down. "The engines!"

Data was still upright, using his power to adjust to the gravity shift, and walked straight at a dramatic angle with the ship slowly towards his threats, seeing they weren't attacking, meant they were weak enough to go for the kill…

Eggman was already in the air as Orbot and Cubot didn't seem to be anywhere around. He laughed, before seeming confused on their absence and looked around. "Where are those two blundering imbeciles? The ship's about to fall a few attitudes before the back up system engages and if they're still in there… they could burn with the ship before it re-levels itself." He flies lower down, to try and scan for them.

Meanwhile, Sonic is spinning through fires and explosions, going around and looking for any sign that Eggman could have lied again, like he did to Amy most likely, and find out if they're were any more children like Data on the ship.

He coughed and held his hand over his muzzle, the oxygen being burned up fast, as he was determined to make sure no other forms of life were still on this airship. "Is anyone here!?" he coughed again, not seeming to find anything as he got to his knees, coughing some more and unable to really breathe.

"Sonic! Oh, dear!" Orbot came flying over some debris from falling ceiling parts, as Cubot stumbled and fell over a big metal pile Orbot had just leapt over.

"Y-you two…" he muttered, as his eye twitched a little bit. "What do you want?"

"Please! We have to get you out of here!" Orbot placed his hand on Sonic's arm, as Cubot came bouncing over, his hovering system seemed jammed by that impact, and he hit his butt a bit to activate it again.

"Oh-hoo!" he cried out, and rubbed his metal behind.

"I…*cough* can't leave without saving the others. *Cough, Cough*" Sonic responded, as Orbot glared to him in confusion.

"What on earth on you talking about!? Data was the sole survivor! The only other thing on this ship is inactivated clones of him that Eggman wishes to use as his army! He's made Data believe his life is always on the line and must serve Eggman's orders in order to stay alive! It's cruel! He's made him his perfect general, and it's all our faults…" Orbot looked down, as Cubot put his hands close together, the tips barely touching as he humbly floated forward.

"We love the little guy. We may not have beating hearts like you do, but we really did feel terrible watching Eggman make him what he is today. Even if it's only been a few days, he's like our little family. Please, Sonic! Don't let Data forget who he is inside! Don't let his instincts completely rule over himself like this! He's not a monster, he's really, truly not!"

"Cubot…" Orbot looked to Cubot, and turned to hug him as the two embraced and stimulated crying.

Sonic felt he could trust them, hearing their honest and sincere concerns for Data, he got up and grabbed them, trusting what they said about the clones being inactivated, and raced to find an exit, moving up the rings and layers of floors to finally make it outside.

When he finally did break out, he gasped for air, as the doors flung open and squeaked to a halt, the electricity in them short circuiting to a halt and exploding a bit.

Data turned his attention to the new threat, glaring at it as Orbot and Cubot jumped out of Sonic's arms, and raced to stand a bit away from Data.

"Data! I'm so sorry this had to happen to you, but you must find a way to control yourself! You're not like this! You're so incredibly sweet, please!" Orbot begged, as Data just reeled his head back in an animalist cry.

"D-don't you remember us?!" Cubot clung to Orbot, as the two were blasted away by Data flinging his hands down, and causing a blast in front of himself to spring up from below as the two went flying into the sky, and Eggman caught them flying by.

"Where have you two idiots been!?" he cried. "Quick, I need our precious cargo to be secured, activate the second level!"

Orbot couldn't ignore his programming, and immediately did so. "Roger, the back-up detachable ship is launching out right… now!"

A smaller Egg-ship, but still quite large, detached itself from the bigger Egg airship and and flew up, like a zeppelin's design but fully made of metal, and flew off from the falling ship that started burning from the fall and atmospheric pressure.

"Excellent! Now, let's watch the fun while the clones begin to stir… shall we?" Eggman chuckled wickedly, as he saw the two look to each other, not wanting that to happen… "What are you two staring at each other for?! I gave you an order! Cubot! You activate the start up system then!" he banged Cubot's head as Cubot began the programming.

"Offph! Yes, Doctor Eggman, sir!" he clutched his head, as Orbot fearfully shook in fright at the violent action.

Wirelessly, the tank tubes the clones were in individually were being pumped with fluids and adrenaline like substances that stirred them, making them grow faster as a clock started counting down to when they would be fully active.

"Tails! Look out!" Amy opened the clear shield above her to hold out her hammer and whack away any debris that were coming from the fallen ship, before seeing Sonic stand up on it. "Ah! It's Sonic!" she cried out, still merged with her instinct form, as she felt a strange presence telling her to stay back. She looked to the side across from him, and saw Data… fully grown and looking wild with possibly rage. "D…Data?" her motherly heart broke at his expression.

He looked nothing more than an enraged animal…

"Alright, Jr. You wanna go?" Sonic lowered his head but standing upright, challenging Data as he knew he had to at least weaken him enough to figure out how to help him. "You may have my DNA, but let's see if you truly know how to use it!" he dashed forward, as Amy shrieked a painful cry at seeing the two battling.

"NOOOO!"

"Amy! A-Amy, Calm down!" Tails panicked, seeing her fall on the top of his plane to her knees.

"He'll kill him! They'll all kill him! I have to stop them!" Amy cried out, her instinct beginning to push her into protecting her young, as hedgehog mothers often feared their children would be harmed in nature, most likely eaten, if not watched over carefully, and at their sides at all times.

"Amy! Amy, get down!" Tails warned, as Amy was distracted by her feelings to react to the falling debris she neglected to swing away, and looked up, her instincts triggered as she jumped away from one piece, but was hit in the head by another, and the plane began to be hit, and so they both started to fall, as Data and Sonic's battling ripped the airship apart, mostly by Data's doing.

As all three fell, Silver and Shadow had gotten enough strength back to fight against Data again, before Silver realized the airship's condition.

"At this point, we'll all be burned alive!" He cried out, and flew down to the bottom of the ship, grabbing it with his psychokinesis and stopping it from descending so fast to a degree.

But it wasn't enough.

"AHH!" he was getting the brute of the atmospheric pressure, and already having all his power trying to push the ship up against gravity…

He summoned his instincts.

'Please! Lend me your power! You're pack is in danger, you're in danger! We have to work together!'

"..!" Fear struck his instincts as he realized what his Other had just entrusted him with, before he heard Tails shout to Amy, and looked down.

'Ah, Amy!'

Silver saw Amy falling through the air, seeming to be knocked out.

'I have to- help Amy- or she'll get-hurt! I can't let her-hit the surface or she may die!'

In that moment of desperation, Silver merged with his instinct, his eyes shooting open to reveal the shifted eyes, and the combined power lead them to create a huge lime greenish bubble that encompassed the ship, X-Tornado, and Amy's body as they lowered it gently to the ground, before the ship crashed down along with the X-Tornado, but the damage wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been.

Silver slowly hovered to the ground, before collapsing by Amy's body.

Shadow and Sonic both worked together to swipe the Chaos Emerald from Data while they fought him, as Shadow was ready to turn Super, but they were missing the two emeralds on Silver…

"I'll find Silver! You keep him off my back!" Shadow called out, and jumped down the sides of the burning airship.

"Oh-hoo? Seems Silver may have mastered the power of his instincts." Eggman floated a little over the battle, still very high up and away from Data's massive power explosions, and laughed his signature way as Orbot and Cubot looked worriedly down, and then back up to the ship with the clones still warming up. "If they think just one of Data is a handful, think of an army of himself! Whohohhoohoh!"

Shadow raced down the different falling metal plains of the ship, before a huge explosion caught him off guard and he was flung down, rolling before shaking his head and getting up again.

Then he saw Silver and Amy collapsed on the ground, and the plains of metal beginning to fall off randomly around or over the other. As one fell off, another panel of metal started tearing or ripping off as well, as the ship was literally falling to pieces.

Racing off, he felt his heart beat rising, and without his limitators…!

"Raugh!" Shadow had his hands over his head as a huge metal frame was upon his shoulders, his knees bent down, as he tried to save the two below him.

Without his limitators, he would be using up more of his power, which kept him holding such a multitude of weight above him. Any normal man would be flattened instantly, but Shadow was the ultimate lifeform, and with that, came a lot of immense power in strength, and endurance.

He wasn't going to hold out much longer though, and so in desperation of not being squished with the other two, he was forced to turn to an alternative power source, as more metal frames looked to be ready to fall on top of the one he held now.

His instincts raged out, swinging his head in frustration as he was fed information, and quickly used his power to push up, as more metal frames came slamming down over the other, forcing him down again.

He was like an ant pushing back against shoe after shoe, it was literally giant panels of an extremely large and heavy airship stacked upon one another all being held up by him, balancing the weight as the panels sometimes had a curvature to them, which made it even more difficult to hold up.

On his knees, he saw Amy stir and look to him. "S…Shadow.. Silver?"

Silver stirred as well, before huffing and nudging Amy's side happily.

"You're alive! I'm so pleased that I-… ah! I can… talk?" Silver realized he was in control of his body, and in surprise, looked down at his hands. "But I thought I shifted into..?"

"You… merged?" Amy raised an eyebrow, seeing his eyes look to her and be a different pupil shape, fatter in size than instinct, but still skinner and more diamond shaped than a normal oval pupil.

Is that really all you two can think about?!

It seemed Instinct Shadow's anger was from the fact that his efforts of trying to save their lives we're being ignored.

"Ah! Shadow! W-what's going on? AH!" Amy looked up to see the huge metal plain above him, and realized he was protecting them. "Shadow!" she got up, moving closer to him.

Stay back!

Instinct Shadow was already on one knee, now that multiple frames were on his shoulders, and his super human strength was beginning to fail him.

"S-…Shadow…" Amy looked gentler to him, seeing he was struggling to keep them all safe. She was about to reach up to help but-

Don't! Get out of here! Grr..!

The whole thing was beginning to be too much, as Silver crawled to get out of the metal's area and escape being squished, before moving a hand back to Amy, "Come on! If we stay, we'll all get squished under the pressure!" Silver called to her.

"I…I can't…" Amy looked to Silver and Shadow, worriedly making a decision as fast as she could, as she clung to Shadow. "I can't leave you!" she cried out.

Instinct Shadow's eyes widened.

'Why is she-relying on me? I've done nothing but-wrong by her. I must prove-myself and-I mustsave her!'

Overcome by the feeling to prove himself and protect the one thing he's always wanted, Shadow merged fiercely with his instincts, the proper way, and this time, it seemed to hold as Shadow used all his new strength to push up and summon chaos to aid him, the emeralds glowing as he screamed and a brilliant light shining and blinding Silver and Amy from seeing further as Shadow blasted the sides of the airship off from them and breathed for air, the glowing stopped as he unmerged, something that usually didn't happen with normal instincts, as Instinct Shadow fell to his knees, holding himself up with his arms, and gasping, sweating… exhausted from the endeavor.

"S..Shadow,.. Shadow you did it!" Amy cried out, amazed by what he had done and leaping to him, embracing him as Silver felt a little jealous, thinking he didn't get praised for saving her…

Then again, she was knocked out…

He pouted.

Instinct Shadow grinned. If you were truly thankful, you would make me the only alpha, and give me all of you… instead of trusting that good for nothing Sonic.

Instinct Shadow looked up to Amy, and gently rubbed his head against hers. Still, you are safe. And as long as I reign over this body, you shall be-

He suddenly twitched, feeling his control over his body slipping as his eyes widened and Shadow took control of himself again.

Gasping once more, he put a hand to his knee, pushing off to get up. "Forgive me. I seem to have not completely mastered how to merge entirely with my instincts." He adjusted himself, before about to fall down again.

Amy rose up and held him, stopping him from falling as she hugged him. "…I'll never be yours, Shadow… but I'll always…"

Shadow's eyelids rose slightly up, his frame shaking a moment as he knew what he was to hear wasn't what him nor his Instincts wanted to hear.

"I'll always be your dear friend… always." She did care about him, but it wasn't the same as Sonic, and he had to accept that.

He smiled, closing his eyes and putting his hands to her sides, as he pushed off, struggling a bit to regain himself and his strength, as he looked kindly to her.

"I understand where my place lies." He stated. "And I assure you… What I feel is purely instinctual." He lied, but with a genuine smile on his face. "I have no wish to love you."

She looked up at him a moment, seeing just a bit through the lie in his words, being suspicious before accepting that this is what he wanted her to believe, and nodded. "Emm. I'll always care about you, Shadow. So if you ever need me, don't hesitate to come by." She let him go as he moved back.

He closed his eyes and chuckled, before looking to her from the corner of his eye, "Hmhmhm,… are you suggesting you want me around then?" he teased, before tilting his head back to her. "I wonder how Sonic would react."

A huge explosion happened again, as the three looked back to the airship.

"All joking aside, I want to know what's happening up there." He concluded the conversation with just that, and looked intensely up to the top of the turning ship, as the two jumped back and Silver caught them, flying them over somewhere safe.

"Amy! I'll protect you from here. Shadow, take my emeralds and try and aid Sonic!" Silver gently dropped them a ways from the airship, and handed Shadow his Chaos Emeralds.

"Thank you, watch over her." Shadow put the emeralds in his quills behind his head and put a hand to Silver's shoulder. "I'm counting on you to protect her."

"I understand." Silver nodded, smiling, as Amy held her hands out in front of her, wanting to help….

"I want to see him… I want to talk to Data!" Amy stated, as Shadow removed his hand and the two looked to her, and Silver pursed his lips as Shadow seemed to pity her.

Shadow raced off, not responding, as Silver realized he was leaving him to do it. "S-Shadow!" He turned back and outstretched a hand to him, before sighing.

"Silver! I want to see him! Take me to him!" Amy ran up, having a stubborn look in her eyes as she leaned forward, determined to make her wish happen.

"…I… I can't." Silver shook his head, leaning back, before gently grabbing Amy's arms to the side and explaining. "Look at me, I know you remember that little boy you took care of before, but he's… he's changed. He's not who he once was and well…. We… we have to do what we must."

"Silver! Please!" Amy tried to convince him, but he just turned his head away from her, squinting his eyes shut.

"Amy… I care about you. I don't want to hurt you! But Data's not that child you once held! And Sonic, and Shadow, and I… we… we don't know what to do now." He shook his head, and then took on a more determined look to make her understand, bending down a bit to look up at her. "Please, for your own safety, you have to believe me!"

Amy shook her head, closing her eyes and trying not to cry before looking back at Silver, and cupping his face with her hands. "Silver… please…. You helped me once, as a very small child, look for Sonic. You kept me safe, right? Can you do that again… can you promise me I'll be safe as I search for Data?"

Silver lost his breath for a moment, sucking in a quick and silent gulp of air, not entirely gasping, as his head seemed to leap back abruptly, and he moved away from her.

"Please…" She squeaked, triggering his instincts to obey her next command.

"D-don't do this…" he was shaking, worried he may fail her, "Amy… Amy, I know you care for Sonic, and I'm not of this time, but I-!"

"Take me to Data!" she quickly interrupted him, as his instincts forced him to obey, and she looked to him with such guilt, but it was that moment that made him realize she was rejecting him… and he knew it was right for her to do so, but it still greatly hurt within him.

"…Let me guess.." he weakly chuckled. "You'll always care about me, and I can stop by anytime, right?"

"…."

"It's okay. Sonic's a lucky guy… Maybe a little too lucky." Silver looked down, riddled by how she could choose Sonic over two men who truly seemed to love and care about her.

He shook his head, and used his power to hold her up in the air, as he flew up and headed for the crumbling Airship.

Sonic and Data were at break-neck speeds, as Data tried to process his moves and how he ran so fast to his own advantage and mimic it, as he did very well.

"Heh, you're a quick learner, aren't ya?" Sonic smiled, but one eye was down a bit, as he was really getting beat up. "Don't you ever get tried?" he whined, and ran up the single pillar beam that had the control room up ahead, before racing past that and heading to the pipe where smoke came out off. "Are you keeping up back there?"

Data growled, annoyed that this threat was fleeing instead of letting itself be destroyed. He wasn't growing tried, only stronger, and still didn't understand a word Sonic said.

"Whelp, very well." Sonic looked forward, and took his feet off the beam, falling backwards as he spun around and dealt a deadly blow to Data with his fist. "Gravity's a cruel awakener! Haha!" Sonic stated, falling past him, as Data used his hands to claw into the beam to stop himself from falling, as Sonic grabbed a pole that held Eggman's signature red face on it, and spun around a bit before hanging on. "Come on, Jr.! No son of mine let's the wind get knocked out of him like that!" he let himself fall down and rolled, waiting for Data to follow.

Data shook his head of the impacts damage, and raced down, charging up to Sonic and spin dashing to him.

Sonic caught him in his hands but was struggling to hold him back, skidding across the sleek metal floor before hitting up against another metal wall.

He gritted his teeth as he tried to push Data back, as Data spun harder and faster, leaving Sonic to turn his head before those sharp spiny quills started shredding into him.

His hands were already getting pretty beat up, before…

He thought of something, and in that moment, he remembered something Eggman stated, and curled up into a ball, forcing Data to bang his spin dash into the wall before rebounding, making him spin out and land on the ground, looking confused as to why the threat went on the defensive.

"I'm not a threat! See?" Sonic bounced up in his ball form, as if dancing. "Ha, ha! See? I'm just silly!" Sonic jumped out of his ball form and struck a silly circus pose, landing on a hand, having his two legs out to the sides of it, and using his other hand to pull his eye down a bit as he stuck out his tongue.

Data tilted his head, and reeled his head back, anger and frustration still within them as he huffed out air from his nose, not sure what to make of him.

"Look! Not attacking~ Not attacking~" Sonic did a funny dance, singing a bit as Data wondered what strange behavior this was.

Distracting him was working a bit, as Sonic then tried something new…

"..Can I trust you this time..?" he muttered to himself, and stood straight, closing his eyes.

Data had enough of the stalling, this threat might have had a way of faking being less of a threat, or maybe even sickly, and then pouncing on it's prey, and even if Data was confused, his body still told him to react with violence, and so he ran forward, fist tightly clenched as he held it back to attack. "Raaahhhh…!"

Sonic's eyes opened as his instincts looked to see the fist coming, the world around moved slow compared to Instinct Sonic's boosted ability of having himself move even faster than Sonic had ever gone.

A matrix back bending fall was performed, as Data's slow moving fist collided with the metal wall behind it, denting it as Data's aura blasted it and the structure it was attached to was flung and shot back and off the airship, way out into the open air.

Time seemed to flow back to normal as Sonic ran on all fours, and skidded with his turn to stand upright again, mimicking information he had learned form Sonic beforehand, and smiling to this new challenge.

And what have we here?

Instinct Sonic tilted his head, grunting out to Data, whose ears perked as if he understood it.

Trespasser? Another rival for my mate?

At that last accusation, Instinct Sonic glared and frowned, moving his head back up and huffing out some aggressive frustration.

She may be merged, but I still will have none be with her except me. Who are you?

I…I must destroy you.

Sonic, the one within himself, was amazed to find that Data responded.

'Ah! … Of course! It makes sense now! He's in instinct form, of course he couldn't understand our words! He's speaking in grunts!'

Instinct Sonic heard his other from within him, and huffed.

Then he has fine taste in language.

'…Are you… Are you trying to get my sense of humor?'

Accept your fate.

Data charged up his power, his body once again having the bluish flames around him as he held his arms out, his eyes glowing from the blue within them, but the dark emerald eyes of his mother still apparent, as he seemed to summoning the core of his power.

Instinct Sonic rolled his eyes.

He seems far too young to be challenging an Alpha, who is this child?

'He's… well, get this.'

Instinct Sonic began to get the information from Sonic, and with each detail, his eyes widened, and his mouth dropped, as he looked to the hedgehog charging up in front of him.

Stepping back, he froze in rage.

He's….He's my son!?

'Congrats! It's an illegitimate boy! Made by man and rejected by the laws of nature. Tell me, how do you feel? Being my… inner animal and all…'

RAHHHHHHHHHHHH!

'That's what I thought. In fact, I couldn't have said it better myself.'

Data began to walk forward.

How is this possible!? I've never even claimed her! And you're telling me that this thing called technology brought him into this world!? That he has half the essence of my pack?!

'Uhh… yeah. That's… yep, that's pretty much it.'

A child that shares all fathers within a pack!? It's…IT'S..!

'An abomination? Unnatural? Shouldn't exist?'

Not my own.

'…'

Instinct Sonic held his ground, fueled with rage before picking up Data's scent.

Wait… I smell.. .familiarity with this one. Could it… be..?

His eyes widened, remembering the young hoglet he met before…

'Oh, yeah. That's him.'

What has… become of him?

Data's power began to consume him, as he grew closer to Instinct Sonic, his body literally was almost unseen in the massive haze of blur coming from his overwhelming power.

He's changed.

'Remember that large red egg-shaped fella I showed you? He corrupted him, made him believe he must kill everything to survive. If you can convince him we're not a threat, then-'

But we are most certainly a threat. We can sense emotions in others, and he sensed your stress… your nerves, the tension in your body… You made him believe you were a threat.

'…How do I show him?'

Show him what?

Data threw out his arm, a powerful ball of light being formed with beams of unsuppressed ability flickering out and spiraling around it at times.

'That I'm… I'm his…'

Father?

Instinct Sonic raised an eyebrow, before holding himself high and racing to finish off the gap between him and Data.

Data shot the orb of light at him that stopped halfway from being thrown and opened up to a huge ray-beam.

Sonic just barely jumped over it, having more of a leap in his step because of Instinct's power boost, and landing in front of Data, holding himself high.

Submit to your alpha, boy.

Instinct Sonic glared down, as Data looked stunned, feeling his instincts conflicted.

'What… what are you…?'

You can't fight the higher authority if you are but a child. They have no understanding that they have that ability to challenge you. They only know submission. That… is a child.

Data slowly lowered himself, twitching as he did so, and not truly understanding why.

It wasn't a threat, that's all he knew, it was an authority he couldn't fight though, one that supersede Eggman's scarring training memories, and forced him to submit.

'Woah… that was easy!'

Hold on.

Instinct Sonic glared, seeing the child start moving up. Anger still in his eyes as he fought back against his instinct.

What..!?

Instinct Sonic, in his shock, stepped back, which created a weakness in stature, and caused Data to break from his child instincts and attack once more.

The thousands of rocket punches with energy flying with it hit Instinct Sonic as they fell off the airship, him getting beat up from not understanding how an instinct could fight itself!

How is he resisting his own self!?

'…Fear… an animal would defend itself till its last breath if it felt its life was being endangered. Even if you're not a threat, you're something else, and it must be scaring him! He's afraid and confused! We have to explain!'

No.. it is more than that, AUGH!

Data flung Instinct Sonic into the side of the airship, letting his face skid on it's metal hide before throwing him down to the ground as Instinct Sonic rolled up defensively, and then raced off, having Data following close behind, flying like Sliver.

'Then what is it!?'

Someone's making him feel he'll be killed if he doesn't do what he says. Someone holds that fear in him. This is true, but I sense something more, something…. Something like Shadow!

'Like Shadow… ah! His blood! That's it! Shadow's side is influencing something that isn't natural in Instincts! Darn it, Shadow!'

Instinct Sonic was caught up to quickly, as they rolled through the loops that are common in Sonic's world, as Instinct Sonic moved and dodged the best he could, but was soon round-house kicked into the forest, where Silver and Amy stopped to see him fly by.

"Ah! That was Sonic!" Amy gasped, as she pointed off to him. "Quick! Set me down!"

As Silver did so, Amy ran off to find Sonic, just before Data leaped out and tackled Silver down. Silver struggled a moment, before coming out of the brush of the forest was Shadow, who tackled Data down and seemed to be merged again with his instincts.

"You want a threat?! I'll show you a threat!" Shadow held his hands close to him, bending a moment as he stepped forward, as red outlined his being, before he released it in a powerful blast. It shot Data back and away, giving him time to talk. "I couldn't catch Sonic in time, we have to keep Data away from Amy! She won't fight him, and by doing so, he'll kill her!" he charged again, before being cut off by Data blazing into him, sounding out another animal cry as he did so.

"Shadow!" Still merged, Silver raced off with a few blasts himself, hitting spots with his power to shove Data down and toss him around in the air a bit.

Amy stumbled, trying to get down the forest as quickly as she could to where Sonic flew off in the air too.

He had landed in a babbling brook, and slowly got up, the water not very much at all, and barely to his ankle.

He moaned as he got up, not liking the feeling of being beaten up and weakened, since it was something he was feeling often lately…

Amy came down the edge, or rather, crumbling rocks in her wake as she skid down, and raced over to him, falling to her knees.

"Sonic! Sonic, are you alright?" This day was posing a bit too much for her heart, and the stress was really making her panic. She didn't want to be merged with her instincts, it made her emotions ten times worse on her body, since she was purely running on emotional responses from the instinctual influence, but she couldn't get out. If she unmerged, then how would she get to Data?

He was acting violent and aggressive, she wouldn't have the power to stand him off and try and reason with him, she just needed to talk to him, if he saw her then-!

Uhh… Amy?

"Ah!" Amy was thrilled to see he was alright, as he shook his head from the water, and sat down.

No… Other Amy.

Amy's expression of joy moved swiftly to that of sorrow, as she looked down and away.

So… The child of your pack… That is our enemy.

Instinct Sonic looked to her, as Amy shook her head.

"N-no…No, he's not our enemy!" she placed her hands in front of her and down, leaning forward, wanting to truly get it across that Data wasn't the problem. "He's been made to act like this! But we can save him,… we can help him! " she almost seemed to be begging him, as she again started to tear up. "Please, you just can't give up on him, I… He's my…" she looked down, and started to just let all her feelings out, crying it out as she shook her head, her voice changing by her sorrows being shown, as Instinct Sonic picked up on it right away, and felt something for her. "He may not have come by natural means… but he's still my son. I don't… I don't want to lose him… I… I love him…"

…If only you were my Amy…

Amy jolted her head a moment, before looking up, heartbroken before tightening her lips together, and looking directly to him.

He looked to her with hidden sorrow in his eyes, and turned away, as if she was a ghost to him, or someone with his lover's face.

"…I AM AMY!" She cried out, not wanting to put up with him as he flinched back, and quickly moved back on all fours, lifting his head up and moving it to the side, confused by her outburst of anger, as he lowered it down with his paw slightly…

…But you are her other-

"It's still me in here! We're just one now. We're not two people, we were always the same, but our minds weren't together,… now they are."

…..

She started to grunt, thinking that will appeal to him better.

You are my alpha.

…You cannot be her.

We are one and the same.

I AM NOT ONE IN THE SAME WITH MY OTHER! Would you have loved me over him!?

….You are him.

You don't believe that.

He glared to her, growling a warning slightly at believing she was lying to him.

To you, I am an animal. To my Amy, I was what your Sonic was to you. That is what is different! That is the Instinct, and the Other!

…Then… I shall make you one in the same.

WHAT?!

She gently moved closer to him, as his anger slowly melted into curious wonder at her actions, as she slowly lifted her face closer to his.

...What are you..?

I love you, Sonic. And if you truly think I am not your Amy… Then… then together, you will feel I'm the only Amy…

…..

Amy leaned up and gently kissed him, as Instinct Sonic remembered the moment his Amy first kissed him, and slowly closed his eyes.

'W-w-w-wait a second! H-hey! Come on! This is weird!'

Within himself, Sonic didn't like where this was going, feeling that this was his Amy too…

If this is my Amy…

Instinct Sonic pulled away from Amy.

Then I don't want to share her.

'W-well, hey! That's not up to you to decide!'

Amy bended her ears back.

If she is mine… then-

Instinct Sonic squinted his eyes harshly shut, twitching in his moment of just wanting to be happy with the mate he chose so long ago… and never was truly able to be with.

You've had your Amy for so long… why… why do you keep taking mine away from me!? You never took your chances, why do you force me to not take mine!?

Amy gasped silently, realizing her Sonic may feel something for her, but never took the chance to express it to her.

"Sonic…" She gently spoke out, so quietly… amazed by hearing this. Even if it was only one side of the conversation,… it was still… it was….!

She kissed him again, taking Instinct Sonic by surprise as Sonic grew upset, jealousy growing in him as he pushed to be free.

'Hey! She is my-Amy and I am-the only one that-I can trust to-take care of her and-I WANT TO KISS HER!'

In that moment of desperation to be with the only girl he's ever loved, but never seeming to have the chance to really let himself love her, Sonic and his instincts merged and took Amy by surprise, kissing back as if it was the last day on earth, as if he wasn't going to miss the chance to be with her again.

The sudden shock of his force made Amy try and break it off, trying to speak and move back before falling down and Sonic coming on top of her.

She finally felt the joy in it and the shock left her as she kissed him back again, both letting go of everything for that one moment of not thinking about it, just…

Feeling it.

With the aid of Instincts, and both successfully merged with their instincts, their experience was well…

Intensified.

As, in a since, Instinct Amy and Sonic were finally able to be together, and Sonic and Amy had finally confessed they're true desires for each other. Well, one did anyway, the other kinda just reinstated it again.

There was a huge explosion far in the distance, and the sound made them break off as the two just stared at one another for a moment, before feeling, and flinching, at the backlash of the explosion, the wind rushing by them.

Sonic shivered a bit, feeling the cold on his back since he was in a small stream, and got up, nervously helping Amy up as well, as he realized what he did, and seemed unable to know what to say or do now.

"I…Uh… Ehem, umm..." He scratched the back of his head, then folded his arms and looked away, before putting his hands to his hips and looking down.

He finally looked up with the most dorkiest expression on his face. "…Eh-heh." He smiled weakly, a little silly-like too.

They both blushed in awkward silence as Amy giggled and held her hand over her mouth, smiling like an idiot and blushing with Sonic, who tried to carefully hide his blush by looking away, rubbing under his nose to try and have his hand block the red on his muzzle.

"I..um… I need to make sure Data is gonna be alright." She finally stated, and tried to dust off her dripping dress, wet from being stuck in the stream.

"Ehem, r-right." Sonic tried to compose himself, feeling he had lost his 'cool' and needed to restore it. He scooted away from Amy for a moment, before taking a deep breath. "I'll find a way to calm him down, Amy. Trust me." He nodded in a serious look, but with a gentle smile on his face. "And um…" he looked away, growing nervous again. "That… That thing about uh… being-ehem… being … this?" he motioned his two hands with his pointer fingers back and forth in opposite directions to himself and her at different times.

"We can talk about 'this' later." She took his hands, moving up to stop him and smiling up at him.

"R-right, cool, sweet, okay. Ehem." He dashed off after nodding, truly seeming awkward about the whole thing, and not sure how to handle himself. Amy knew he must be freaking out a bit, but also saw how much he must of really wanted to kiss her…

She wanted to squee and just jump for joy but now was not the time. She had to get to Data, she had to stop this coming doomsday!

Running for the explosion, of course, not as fast as Sonic, she finally found the three in the biggest battle of their lives.

She gasped, it had taken her a while to get here, but looking up, she saw them all in super form, and Data…

He must of learned what they did by observing them change and seemed to turn Super too, as the three all launched a powerful attack before being flung down as Data created his own counterattack that sent them flying downwards. Crashing to the ground, they remained still for a moment, as Amy moved her hands from shielding herself from the blast and ran out to them, gasping.

"Everyone!" she worriedly cried out.

Data turned to see a new threat and charged down at her.

"A-…Amy…" Sonic twitched on the ground.

"N-no.." Shadow slowly motioned a hand out to her, as it twitched from the effort of straining to make the gesture.

"R-run..!" Silver cried out.

"He's too strong…." "Get out of… h-here!" "Amy, d-do as we say..!"

Amy held her ground, not taking out her hammer as Data crashed into her, and she endured the on slaughter of punches and powerful aura blasts till she rolled on the ground, shakily getting up, and spreading her arms out. "Data…D-Data… it's… me." She struggled to get up, as Data wondered why he sensed no anger in this threat, and how she wasn't fighting back like something ready to destroy him…

"…Data… I'm… I'm…" she collapsed on her knees, before straining to get herself up again, and walking forward.

He held a light orb out, charging up, as she continued to approach.

"Data… I love you." she whispered out, as she finally couldn't move any longer, her whole body twitching from the pain inflicted on her.

"…Ah." Data's orb dissipated, as his hand shook in front of him, as did his eyes, as a blurry image in his memory suddenly returned to him. "L…L-love…?"

Amy's face slowly returned as a smudgy image in his memory he had once seen before, and finally, he saw her face again, smiling. Then the image faded and he saw Amy all beat up in front of him, about to fall over, and his instincts faded in power as he recognized her as his mother, and not a threat.

"Hmm..?" Eggman was watching from far above the ground, and noticed Data halt his attack. "What's wrong? Why didn't he dispose of her already?" Eggman leaned forward to get a better look, before hearing the clattering and clanging of metal.

He slowly turned around, his mustache twitching in suspicious rage, as Orbot and Cubot fearfully shivered their metal gears.

"What… pray tell… have you not told me..!?"

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Hold it right there, you walking pieces of scrap metal!"

As Orbot and Cubot were forced to explain, Data's entire personality changed as he grinned an open smile and raced to Amy, who he caught from fully falling and swung her around, rubbing his nose to hers as she once did to him, and remembering her more fully.

During the training session, his instincts flared through and were his only sense of security, and the whole scarring moment had literally beaten the image of Amy out of himself, turning him nothing more than into a raging wild animal.

Now that he remembered who he was and was in control of himself, he was that kind and loving boy Cubot and Orbot remembered him to be.

"Love! Love! Love!" he kept repeating, not realizing he had greatly injured her so much, as she was taken aback by his sudden change of behavior, and blinked her eyes a moment, and weakly smiled.

"Ahhaha… you… you remember-WOAH!" he scooped her up over his shoulders and then back down in his arms, as if cradling her like she had done when he was a baby, and swinging her gently to and fro. He seemed to hum and close his eyes as he remembered that that was how she treated him.

With love and care… he remembered Love, and that saved her life…

"Love!"

"Yes…L-love… now, please put me down." she was exhausted, and so she gently got him to let go of her a bit, but he still clung to her, like a doting child. "I'm so glad you're back…" she hugged him closer, as he happily rubbed against her, not really understanding her very much, but knowing she was 'love' and he was safe with her. "I was so worried… you were…Oh, Data." She sobbed, as he suddenly felt the tears on his head, and wiggled out of her embrace to look up at her, and blinked his eyes in confusion.

Tilting his head, he wiggled his nose against hers, and then dug it home, making her giggle as he knew her by that gesture. "Love…" he seemed to be so happy, but also, relieved that he could be with her again. Somewhere safe… and kind… where he didn't have to fight for his life anymore.

"So… he's bonded with her. No matter, you fools may have messed HIM up, but that doesn't mean I don't have a whole army left! WHAHAHA!" Eggman flew up to the ship, as Tails flew up to stop him, holding a device in his hands.

"LIKE HECK I'D LET YOU FLEE!" Tails was raging with so much pent up aggression, that Eggman literally pulled the eggpod back so quickly in surprised fright he felt his mustache frizz and shake as if electrocuted.

"T-Tails!? What's gotten into you! You're mad!" Eggman saw how furious he looked, and fidgeted back, as Orbot and Cubot held each other, already terrified of Eggman and now twice more of the fox boy.

"You… what you did was unforgivable!" Tails shouted out. "You upset and completely tore apart the laws of nature, you hurt an innocent girl, and you used the natural order of Instincts to your advantage! Tearing a boy apart from his mother and turning him into a war machine! I won't let you get away without experiencing all the pain and suffering you've inflicted upon us! And I'm going to enjoy making you pay.. FOR IT ALL!" Tails's X-Tornado was reconfigured from it's damages, after Tails restored it and stayed out of the battle, and when he activated the device, it literally gobbled him up into the cockpit as it was now a fully operational mecha fighter. Looking like a miniature scale of a full on battle robot, he struck a powerful pose, "FACE THE CONSEQUENCES, EGGMAN!"

"AHHHHHHH! FULL THROTTLE! FULL THROTTLE!" Eggman cried out, as Cubot and Orbot freaked out and rushed to set the programming in as he blasted into space with Tails's X-Tornado Mecha Figther burst through the sound barrier after him.

"EGGGMaaannnnnn….!" The cry of Tails's voice was lost as they became nothing more than the 'ding' in the star that happens with distant blasting off in anime.

Sonic, Shadow, and Silver both got their strengths back and raced to Amy, hoping to save her, before hearing giggling and laughing, and amazed to see Data completely rubbing himself against her like a puppy, and licking her face and whimpering for affection and attention, as he was only an Instinct, and Amy tried to push him away as she laughed.

"Hahaha! Down, Data. down boy! Hahaha!"

"Uhhh…" Sonic looked a little dumbfounded.

"Someone mind clueing us in?" Silver stepped up, still a bit nervous about Data…

"Hmph, maybe we should of showed him to her sooner." Shadow looked to Silver, as Silver awkwardly smiled and had an anime tear drop on the side of his head, chuckling nervously.

"I think he was being too controlled by instincts. He had forgotten who he was." Amy explained, and petted his head as he cuddled up next to her, and let his head rest on her lap.

"…So… he's tamed?" Sonic raised an eyebrow. "Whelp, I'll believe it!" he flapped his arms up and then down, shrugging it off in a humorous way as he walked over. "Hello, do you remember me too? Or was Amy the only thing that stood out to you that night?" Sonic tilted his head, waving friendly at the very thing that was about to end his life two moments ago.

Data looked up, sitting up to sniff him, before tilting his head and seeming to remember something.

He bent his head down, and moved his ears back.

Sonic's instincts told him what to do, and he smiled, seeing the action as him submitting like a child would to authority, and he held himself high, like an instinct Alpha would do. "Well, at least you remember why you cower." He laughed.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Amy frowned, furrowing her eyes at how unsettling that sounded…

"Ah, nothing. Something you weren't there for. We fought and I tried to use instincts to calm him, but.." He shrugged.

"We're not out of the woods yet. There are clones on that ship." Shadow stated, finally letting the cat out of the bag.

"What?!" Silver exclaimed. "You mean there's more of.." he gulped slightly, looking frightfully back at Data. "Him?"

"Exactly." Shadow concluded. "We need to-"

"Oh yeah, those guys. Didn't they crash with the ship?" Sonic put his hands behind his head, before flinching at some pain in his arm from the battle before. "Ow…"

"Ah, Sonic…!" Amy got up, moving Data to the side as she touched Sonic's arm, making his eyes go white and his spines stand up at her touching him. "Are you all alright? Data really did a number on you guys,… I'm just glad we all endured it for this long…" she looked back at Data, who stood up, mimicking the men around him. "….He doesn't even realize he did wrong…" Amy saw the pure innocence in his eyes. For within them, he believed he was defending himself and protecting his life, it was all purely instincts, and he had nothing to do with what befell them.

"We're fine. Just glad you're not too badly harmed." Shadow stated, before looking to the others again. "And about the clones, they weren't on that ship. Eggman dispatched another unit, I saw it flying out to avoid the crash when the stabilizers failed on Eggman's Airship."

"Wait, then they're still…" Silver's eyes shrank in fear as he looked up to the sky, seeing a shadow overhead. "…How many are there…?"

"More than we, or even the world could withstand. We have to destroy them. I don't think they're active quite yet-"

Four Minutes remaining till Activation.

"…" "Crap."

Sonic reached to get the emeralds again, hoping to turn super and save everyone, but his body was in no shape to fight again, as his knees gave out and he fell down. "Agh.."

"Ah! Sonic!"

Silver fell too, as did Shadow.

"You guys!"

"We… we can't fight again." Silver admitted, as Data looked to the three, and remembered them as well, before looking up to the ship…

"..Love…" he was processing why they were worried.

Amy turned to him, and thought a moment.

Let me explain.

She stated, as he turned to her, able to understand her as she spoke. The other three turned but couldn't really stand for a moment, needing a second to rest, as Amy was feeling her body's adrenaline giving way too…

Up there are-

….Family…

What?

…They will go through training too?

Data turned to Amy, showing such sweet concern and worry in his eyes, as if he really cared about them, and didn't want those millions of creepy hims to have to go through that horrible experience again.

W…Wha… what are you talking about? What training..?

I must protect them from it. I must… go away now.

Data…?

"Is he…" Sonic had turned around, sitting down and using his arms to hold himself up as he leaned back.

"Saying…" Silver turned too.

"Goodbye?" Shadow stated, as Data looked to the three and walked to them.

They were a little confused as he got on all fours by them, and humbly lowered his head, before puffing up his chest and standing tall.

The three looked to each other, before understanding that was the gesture a child made when he became a man, to go and leave the pack.

He was stating he knew they were his fathers.

The three got on all fours as well, struggling to get up, but gave him their acceptance and stood tall, and then bowing their heads to him.

He bumped against each, as was what his instincts told him to do, before getting up and rushing to Amy, hugging and nuzzling her again, as he thought that was the best way to show love for her.

She giggled again, nuzzling him back before looking confused. "Wait, why is he going? What does he plan to do?"

Two Minutes remaining…

"Goodbye… Love."

Data flew up, heading for the aircraft as Amy's smile suddenly left her, as she knew exactly what he was planning to do. "Wait… no… Data… Data, wait!" she ran to try and stop him, as the three watched her a moment, and looked away. Taking deep breaths, they mustered up their energies and went after her, stopping her as she pushed passed them, not ready to let go of Data quite yet.

"Amy, listen to me. He knows he doesn't have a purpose here-OFFPH!"

"Data!"

"Amy, He's doing what he knows is right, you can't stop him-AUGH!"

"Don't go! Come back! Data!"

"….He's gone… Amy."

"No…"

Amy knocked down and away Shadow and Silver, but Sonic… all he had to do was extend his arm and stop her in her tracks, holding her as she cried in his arms, reaching out to Data, as she wept his name again and again...

It was like losing a son, her instincts felt like a half of her was going to be killed, and she felt her motherly instinct pushing her to stop him, to protect him, but the three had made it clear,…

He wasn't going to come back.

Data, not tried one bit, grew to that of a fully grown adult, having longer quills and more refined a stature, as he used his prime to throw out even more power to push the airship up into space.

Getting as far as he could, he entered the ship, and saw his clones beginning to wiggle in their tubes.

60 Seconds.

"..L-love…"

Data's eyes finally closed, as he twitched, his whole body seeming to struggle as he opened his eyes, and they were an oval shape.

"I do this… B-because… I don't w-want… L-love to… to be forgotten… a-and… We… We are not… to be made… t-to love. We w-were made… to d-destroy. Instincts…a-are love. Love of l-life. Love of f-fam-family. And Love of… of…

Amy.

M-…ma…mother."

The clones blinked their eyes opened, wildly thrashing in their tubes and being wild animals like Data was, as he smiled, and closed his eyes, spreading his arms out and letting his core burn up the growth serum, turning him older and older as he expelled his power from him, and at last…

The ship was destroyed in a massive explosion.

Amy wept on a small hill at seeing the large, sun like fire blast into a long and colorful light, as the three stood behind her a ways below the hill, silently giving her her space, and mourning in their own way for the child.

Finally, Sonic climbed up half the hill, and placed a hand on her shoulder, as she turned to look at him, and got up and hugged him abruptly. His hands remained out, before slowly, he allowed them to hug her back.

-A Summary of the Ending Afterwards-

Tails beat the crap out of Eggman, and made him swear never to mess with the balance of nature again, nor dabble in life and try to play God again.

However, Eggman still created mayhem, but maybe not to the evil extend as stealing Amy and trying to create baby instinct armies through the DNA of Silver, Shadow, and Sonic again.

Tails felt he proved himself and finally did something of worth to the gang, as Silver returned home, and sent a message back to Tails stating the future was better than he had ever dreamed it to be, much more so than the timeline with the good son.

Shadow returned to G.U.N, where him and Rouge continued their spy work, and Rouge did end up finding out Knuckles had his own mating seasons… but not the same instincts…

Tails later came to see that Amy showed signs of force virginity, and Tails warned that since Amy's already merged, it could be a huge problem.

Convincing Sonic to do the unthinkable, Sonic married Amy, and Amy's condition was taken care of before it went any further.

Amy is a happy mother and Sonic, well… learning to be to happy trying to catch a speedy youngster for bath time.

Sonic still saves the world and tries to stay out as much as possible, leaving Amy to deal with the little rascal, or rascals, twenty-four seven.

Even so, the two seem happy together, and so do…

Their instincts.

Oh yeah, Tails's instinct got triggered later on by a pretty Red Fox girl, go figure. Sonic and Amy were with him every step of the way.

The End.

(Sorry I had to rush this to a close. I mean, it's an AU, there's obviously things I wanted to elaborate on, but either way, this is what you get xD If you have unresolved questions, let me know :3 I'll answer them. I'm excited to leave on my mission, and thank you for all the support! I'll write more 'truer to canon' most likely Sonamy stories when I get back XP Till then, do enjoy what I have for you! Thank you reading! :D)