Author's note: This fic is a sequel to Sonic Adventure 2 Battle, which, by the way, is the only Sonic game I've played. So if I spell something wrong, say something historically inaccurate, or write a story to similar or that does not flow with something else that happened in another game, I don't want any flames from Sonic freaks, 'k?



Shadow stood high up on an abandoned skyscraper on a pitch-black night. The city lights were the only things dimly glowing in the sleeping area. One year had passed since Space Colony ARK nearly crashed down on the Earth. " Give them a chance to be happy" Shadow recalled what Maria had said. He had done that. He did what Maria wanted. He was satisfied. He was ready to die, for now his life had no purpose. But what saved him. He thought for surely he would not survive the impact, but some how, he had. He remembered the girl who found him and nourished him back to health…what was her name? Was it Tical? Oh, well, it did not matter. Nothing mattered anymore. Nothing.

"Hey, Tails, how are you doing?" Sonic asked as he entered the brightly sunlit work shed. It had a computer and several papers scattered about in on corner. The others had tons of scrap metal and mechanical parts. Tails was wielding pieces of metal together. He had just recently discovered Chao world was actually a piece of a meteor from a distant planet. In research, Tails found abundant life on several other planets throughout the galaxies. Tails was currently working on a ship that could reach one of them. Tails looked up and smiled when he saw Sonic walk in. "Its going okay," Tails said casually "but I can't seem to be able to get the velocity past .2 light speed…I just can't figure it out."

" You'll get it soon enough," Sonic said encouragingly"

The t.v. on the furthest corner of the room was on and the news came back from a commercial brake. "Shh, listen," Tails told Sonic.

The reporter came on. "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the three o'clock news. Crime has reached a record high recently, and police are finding it harder to find more recruits. On a lighter note, Dr. Robotanic has not attempted any other schemes since Space Colony ARK nearly crashed to the earth nearly one year ago. Is he out of business for good, or is he plotting something sinister? However, a new threat has roused on the streets as a robot designed to look like Shadow has robbed three banks, and taken four chaos emeralds from their heavily guarded, top-secret area. What is this thing, and what does he want? More on this, later."

" The chaos emeralds!?" Sonic shouted. "What's he up to?"

" I don't know," Tails said "But it can't be good."



Eggman sat in his chair, facing a large computer. Typing vigorously away, he glanced over at the Chao egg he was analyzing. Then he looked across at the chao he was also studying. Finally, his computer produced a formula with which Robotanic made a small chemical compound. Taking the newborn chao from its seat on the computer, he enticed the chao to drink it. It did, and Eggman watched in excitement as the chao began to grow stronger. Its muscles grew; it turned a grayish color, and slowly became more sinister by the minute. "So," Dr. Eggman said observantly, "Chao ARE capable of harnessing the power of chaos…how interesting. A normal creature would be eaten away in the acid, but these creatures grow stronger…then this may be the key to ultimate power…"



Gern smirked in his laboratory as he fit four more chaos emeralds into his machine. "Only one more to go," he thought to himself. There were tables with chemical compounds, papers, and computers scattered about the area. "Gerald was a genius, and with this…hahahaha…thank you Gerald Robotanic, your machine will allow me to rule the cosmos. I just need one more emerald." Gern activated his robot to get the final emerald. The robot was designed to look like a metal Shadow, and Gern called it "Payback". Gern himself was a man of average height who was in his early twenties. He was a man full of ambition, young and vigorous, ready to fulfill his goals no matter what the cost.



"Tails, no matter what happens, we can't let anyone take the last chaos emerald," Sonic warned.

" I know"

Just then, Payback burst through the wall and stopped abruptly, its sinister eyes scanning the room until at last it spoke in a slow, cold, deep and lifeless voice. "Chaos emerald radiation detected"

"What are you!?" Sonic demanded "And how dare you imitate Shadow!"

"Shadow is weak, obsolete. He could not even survive when the colony almost crashed" Payback stated matter-of-factly.

" How dare you!" Sonic yelled. "He gave his life to save Earth! I'll make you eat those words!"

Sonic rushed at Payback at a blinding speed, and Payback rocked toward his opponent, also. Payback passed Sonic within a nano second, turned around, and fired a barrage of missiles at Sonic, who fell to the ground, smoking. Calmly, Payback reached out and picked up the emerald, but was hit from behind by a charged particle beam cannon. Payback looked up to see the Tornado and Tails piloting it. He attempted another attack, but Payback rushed at the Tornado and tore it to shreds, and then left before you could blink an eye.



Payback walked, now quite slowly, through a quiet jungle until he was stopped by something.

"State your name, so that you can be stored on memory," Payback ordered.

"State yours, you fake," Came the reply.

" I am Payback, the ultimate robotic life form," Payback said. " Now tell me who you are."

" I am Shadow the Hedgehog, the one who you are imitating," Shadow declared, "Now tell me, what are you doing with that chaos emerald?"

" That is not for you to know," Payback smirked. "And who are you? You are not Shadow, he died a year ago and besides, no one with a power reading as high as yours could be Shadow."

Shadow was angered. "Oh, really? Tell me what you are doing with the Chaos emerald or I will destroy you!"

Payback was silent. In rage, Shadow rushed at Payback and hit him full force with a blow to the head. Payback was shocked. How could someone that weak do that? Payback decided to talk. " I am going to give them to my master," he said " And he will revive Gerald Robotanic; his vengeance will be swift and painful. You will all know his pain and sorrow."

" You are crazy! Do you have any idea what he will do?"

" Yes."

" Then why?!"

" Do you not see? I am Payback. Where you have failed, I will succeed. You could not avenge Maria or Gerald, but I will. When Gerald destroys this world, his revenge will be complete. Maria's death and his will not go unpunished."

" That is not what Maria wished for! She wanted to give the humans a chance to be happy, not to kill them in a stroke of wrath!"

But Payback lept into the air and rocketed toward Gerald's old lab where Gern was before Shadow could finish.



"Excellent," Gern said when Payback handed him the emerald. Gern walked over to the machine and placed the emerald in its spot. The machine began to glow steadily. Gern pushed the small machine with the aid of Payback to Gerald Robotanic's long forgotten grave. It was located in a tiny cemetery outside Gerald's old lab. Gern pushed several buttons on the machine and stepped back. Lightning flew from the antenna on top of it and finally, one struck the grave with massive force. The Chaos Emeralds unhooked from the machine and spun around the grave, giving off a strange glow. The chaos emeralds separated and flew away, and the earth began to move where Gerald's grave lie. A hand poked its way out and slowly, out rose the grim form of Dr. Gerald Robotanic.