Diamonds Survive AU

Playback: Mimic's Choice

"After all we've done to him, you think he wouldn't adapt? Who else can take this place down? The Resistance? Pfft!"

That came off a bit too sarcastic, didn't it? There's no more reason to try and set a positive example, for crying out loud, he's sending the kids to be executed! He's -

"You're both right," Smithy observes. What is it with Mimic's train of thought and that lion? "Mimic, scout around for an ambush. We'll push ahead."

"Good call," Mimic agrees, shapeshifting into the tried and true form of an Egg Pawn. Finally, something he doesn't have to second-guess himself on. "I'll yell if I find something."

Mimic walks down the hallway for a while, then makes a turn at the corridor where he knows the Doctor is waiting. Welp, here goes. Time to report to his new boss, and watch the carnage. Or cover his eyes and look away. One or the other.

The "Egg Pawn" knocks at the door, which immediately opens.

"Mimic..." The Doctor's voice is impossible to not recognize. Mimic's heard it countless times, mostly yelling in anger at the Cutters' latest destruction of one of his bases. This time, the voice is calm and cool, making it sink deeper into the octopus' skin. Making him realize that he's committing a murder.

"I guess all we have to do now is watch," the octopus murmurs, returning to his natural form as the door slides closed behind him. He raises his fingers to his mask, switching the video from Mimic's own view to Smithy's.

The other Cutters are already walking into the Shadow Android holding room. They have no idea that this is where they'll be put to rest.

Mimic's mind races once more. This is it. This is his last chance to chicken out and save them. He doesn't even know if there's time. In a few seconds, they'll be locked in, and then they're screwed even if Mimic warns them. Their only hope is Whisper getting their call, firing at the right place, and blowing open an escape. It's a small chance, but if Mimic wants to save his friends, his - don't use that word - he'll have to take it.

The three reach the center of the chamber and look around.

Mimic needs to stop second-guessing himself. These people are not his friends. They barely know him, or what he's been through.

Smithy goes to investigate one of the pods.

It's because he never told them. If they survive this, he could open up to everyone and finally be accepted for real. They trust him.

"What in the world?," Smithy gawks as he looks at the Shadow Android in its pod.

They trust him.

"I've heard of Metal Sonic," the lion continues. "Is this..."

They trust him!

"Whoa!" Smithy jumps as the Android's eyes flicker to life, signifying the beginning of the Cutters' end.

But not if Mimic has anything to say about it!

"IT'S A TRAP!," the octopus suddenly screams. "GET OUT OF THERE NOW!"

All three Cutters jump as the door to the holding room slams shut. He's too late!

"We're sealed in!," Claire cries, drawing her Hover Wispon and releasing a cyclone at the iron wall, which does nothing to impact it. The Androids' pods begin to open and the robotic duplicates of the ultimate lifeform pull themselves from the preserving goo.

"FIRE AT WILL!," Smithy yells as he takes out a Wispon of his own and unleashes a rain of spike projectiles, as the Androids encroach on the three with great speed.

In just seconds, they'll be overwhelmed. Mimic has to do something!

"WHISPER, BLOW IT OPEN!," the octopus screams.

The wolf, already making her way down from the hill, primes her Rocket Wispon and opens fire. As Mimic switches back to the other three's POV, an explosion rocks the room, blasting a hole high up on the wall. She actually hit it! The gang's saved!

Mimic flashes between his teammates' points of view.

SLINGER PLAYBACK

The ocelot's monocle only shows a pool of the liquid from which the Androids came. Mimic can hear them struggling and trying to breathe where there is no air.

No!

CLAIRE PLAYBACK

Several Androids have the howler monkey pinned to the ground, and Mimic can hear bones crunching from the blows they are raining upon her.

No no no!

SMITHY PLAYBACK

The lion bravely wrestles with the androids, but is clearly losing the battle. Suddenly, he screams in agony as Mimic can hear something tearing.

No no no no no!

Suddenly, another explosion rocks the battlefield. Whisper leaps into view, firing rockets that wipe out the wall of pods. Now no more Shadow Androids can come out. But the Cutters can't win against the ones that already have.

Not unless Mimic is there.

The octopus turns to face the Doctor, who has just been sitting there, jaw agape. He didn't think Mimic would actually do this, from any of his knowledge of or interactions with the octopus. That he would actually pick his friends, his... his family.

"Listen here, Doctor," Mimic states sternly, a dark expression on his face. "Our deal is up. Our deal never happened. I am going to delete this footage, and nobody will ever know I even considered this."

Before Eggman can respond, Mimic draws his Wispon, Blue taking possession of it, and with a slam of the energy hammer, the door behind him comes crashing down.

For Mimic, the next few minutes are a blur.

He beats wildly at the door behind which his teammates are fighting, but it's ultimately one of Whisper's rockets that allows him to get in.

After that, it's all hard to recall.

More explosions.

Cries for help.

Blood.

Somehow, in the end, all the Shadow Androids are destroyed.

"Guys. Guys!"

Mimic finds himself looking at the rest of his team.

Smithy, still moaning in agony as he sits up, is covered in cuts, and is holding something in his hands. Mimic quickly realizes that it's the lion's own severed tail.

Claire, lying on the ground, is bleeding out of her mouth, and one of her arms is facing the opposite direction that it should be.

Whisper, her fur singed from all the explosions she caused, has her eyes wide open as she tries to comfort her girlfriend, who's just barely alive.

Slinger is on one knee, coughing and gasping for breath after the Androids' attempt to drown them. Bruises cover their body.

The Diamond Cutters have fought their hardest battle, and barely made it out.

Eggman will now be even more determined to destroy them, and may strike at any moment, even before they recover.

Mimic in particular will be the highest on the Doctor's hit list.

But his friends are alive.

His family is alive.

Today is the happiest day of Mimic's life.

-

NOTES:

There you have it, the beginning of someone else's AU, through my eyes.

I was originally going to list things you needed to know about this AU, but I'll save that for the next one-shot, which develops the Cutters more.

And yes, Slinger is nonbinary in these stories. The reason why is because when we first saw their design, I thought they were a girl. Now I've just decided to run with it.