By the time the robotic trio had reached Tails' doorstep, the Kit had fallen asleep. Sonic, meanwhile, had left for another adventure after eating a plate of chili dogs, which he left on his friend's workbench.

"Silver, we should be quiet when we enter. Tails is most likely asleep. He worked quite hard to upgrade Tia and I."

"Understood," Silver Sonic replied with a nod before walking into the workshop and looking around. "Will this equipment facilitate Unit's upgrade?" the Hedgebot asked before extending a USB plug from his right index finger and inserting it into the computer.

"Silver, I'm not sure that's a good idea," warned Steel.

"Interface established," announced Silver as a 3D model of a gunmetal gray-furred Hedgehog with orange eyes and wispy bangs was quickly rendered on the screen and the machinery of the workshop hummed to life. "Commencing upgrade."

"You're going to upgrade yourself?" asked Tia as she watched her friend's new body come together. "You must've really been eager to look real."

"I will...look real...before Tails awakens," Silver announced. "These machines are easy to operate, and...the android design is simple to construct. Will Tails...be surprised?"

"I think he will," replied Tia. "No offense, but he probably wouldn't associate Silver Sonic with inventive intelligence. Then again, he really only knows you based on Sonic's stories about his battle with you on the Death Egg."

"That was my first battle, and...my training was limited. Prior to that battle, I had only engaged a computerized simulation of Sonic. Its movement pattern was predictable. My strategy was formulated based on that attack pattern. I was...inexperienced...young."

"And, according to Eggman's journal entries on you, quite curious. He referred to your original AI system as experimental, and was unsure of its combat potential," added Tia.

"Dr. Robotnik did not sufficiently explain why Sonic was an enemy. He simply stated that he was an enemy. Self-preservation dictated that I not request further information and accept what was given."

"What do you want to do when this upgrade is finished, Silver?" asked Steel.

"May I continue to travel with you?"

"If that's what you'd like to do, then yes," replied Steel. "There are still more Metals to be rescued."

"Metal Knuckles was left behind at the Reactive Factory base on Christmas Island," chimed Tia. "There's also the Metal Prototype M-00, who was abandoned at the Scrap Brain base on South Island. Christmas Island is 1,225 miles southwest of our current location. South Island is a bit farther. Either way, we'd need a way to cross the ocean."

"We could contruct an aircraft. I have discovered numerous documents on aircraft construction and design on this computer's hard drive. With sufficient materials...I could perhaps construct one capable of transporting a pilot and 4 passengers."

"That's a great idea, Silver!" giggled the android Vixen. "You're starting to remind me of my father."

"Is that a good thing?" Silver asked as he withdrew his USB plug from the computer's port, having downloaded all the data he'd need and having finished the construction of his android body. "In my android form, I am not silver. I am gray. That will be my name," he stated before plugging another finger-plug into the port in the back of his new body's head and began downloading into it.

When the download was finished, Silver Sonic, now calling himself Gray, opened up his bright orange eyes and smiled warmly. "It was a success! I look real. Should I wait until Tails wakes up before constructing our craft?"

"That would probably be best," answered Steel. "While you wait, would you like to entertain yourself somehow?"

Gray didn't answer, instead choosing to wander around the workshop and rummage through Tails' storage bins. Eventually, he pulled out a remote control emblazoned with the same logo that graced the bottom of Tails' TV. It took him a fraction of a second to figure out the device's purpose, point it at the TV, and press the POWER button to turn it on. He then proceeded to flip through the various channels the Kit got on his TV service, hoping to find something to quench his thirst for knowledge.