Morning.
For most, a calming start to a new day. For me, it's just more anxiety. A new day could mean a new threat, a new issue, or a new problem. My day doesn't start with a good meal, no, it starts with a meditation in the royal gardens. The smell of the roses and daffodils sends a calming sense to me. The breeze blowing between my whiskers reminds me to take things slow. Focusing my ears on the sounds of the small critters, such as the birds and squirrels, makes me numb to the world. Does Sonic ever get this anxious? How does Knuckles deal with being a guardian every day? In any case, it's my job to keep my world safe... alone. Well, technically not alone. I have Marine and my advisors, but they're not fighters. They aren't trained to deal with the issues I have to deal with constantly.
Speaking of issues, the ground is shaking and groaning. I quickly head inside, back into the palace. If my worry was correct, Eggman Negative was making an escape. I had to make it to the dungeons before it was too late. I pumped my adrenaline directly to my legs to run faster than I probably needed to, my eyes narrowed in determination. Once I made it to the dungeons, my feelings were sadly correct. I saw Eggman Negative escaping. I quickly sprang into action and pounced on him, pinning him to the ground, holding his arms behind his back.
" You are never escaping under my watch, Doctor. " I growled at him.
" Oh, contrary, Madame Blaze. You are helping me escape! " He told me, with irony in his voice. What did he mean by that?
Before I could think, a flash of red and orange flames blasted me in the face. I was dazed, and it took me some time to regain my senses. What I saw was an athletic machine with lavender-painted metal and glowing orange eyes. It had a calculated walk and flame-throwers built into the palms of its hands. It had metal wires on the sides of its head to mimic my whiskers and a flame burning on top of its head to look like my ponytail. I looked into its terrifying frame, and it felt like looking at a warped mirror. It stood proudly, yet showed no emotion behind the screens that mimicked eyes.
" Meet Captain Metal Two, a project I worked on in secret. I had been watching you, Blaze, and learning everything about you, and I have created your doom. " His monologue made me uncomfortable, but this copycat wasn't going to get to my head. I needed to be focused and keep sharp.
Before I could act, the metal imposter grabbed my tail and yanked it hard, sending me onto my back. It then pinned me to the floor with its metallic boot, pressing on my chest. I quickly used both of my legs to kick it off me, then somersaulted into a defensive stance. Our attacks were mirrored, each punch or kick being blocked or parried. It was a perfect copy; it knew all my moves, and I knew its moves.
I saw Doctor Eggman Negative racing out of his cell.
"NO, YOU WON'T GET AWAY FROM ME!" I yell out.
But the copy kept me perfectly distracted, pushing me and pulling me away from the doctor so I couldn't intervene against him. It grabbed me by the face and dragged me across the ground, my dress ripping as I ground against the floor. I grabbed its arm then pushed with my legs, ripping its arm off, sparks flying. I gripped the remains of the arm and bashed it again and again with its own arm, determined to stop it no matter the cost. I was NOT going to let a robot get in my way of protecting everyone.
And then, I slipped up. It used my emotions against me and grabbed one of the guards and held them above a balcony. I quickly rush to their aid, not wanting anyone to get hurt, but my copy was maliciously smart. Its fist swung at my head and I tried to duck, but it hit me in the forehead, right where my gem was embedded in my head.
I had never felt so much pain in my life. Red crystal shards burst from the impact, and some shards jammed into my face. In almost an instant, I blacked out and fell right off the balcony. I had no idea where I was going to land.
I just had to hope I would survive.