The silence in Dr. Eggman's laboratory only made Orbot more apprehensive. The mad scientist was currently innovating many of his field operatives, enhancing them with the power of the Chao. Meanwhile, Cubot was trying to figure out how mechanical pencils worked as Orbot watched Dr. Eggman modify his creations. "Doctor," Orbot began, "shouldn't Metal Knuckles have returned by now? I am beginning to suspect that those pesky mammals may have subdued him."
"If he can really be defeated so easily," Eggman replied without interrupting his work, "then he isn't worth your or my concern."
"…I suppose so," Orbot agreed, although he remained just as tense. Eggman noticed Orbot didn't sound very convinced.
"I know what you're worrying about," Eggman assured the red robot. "You fear we could be ambushed by Sonic and his gang of weasels." Orbot nodded reluctantly. "Well," the scientist continued, "if that was the case, then we'd still have Metal and all my other subordinates to protect us." Orbot relaxed a bit at those reassuring words.
"That is conceivable," Orbot admitted. "In any case, I still believe Metal Knuckles is taking an unsettlingly long time to return. Perhaps he has failed yet again." Eggman shrugged. By pure coincidence, the sliding doors of Eggman's laboratory opened, and Metal Knuckles entered the lab. "Ah," Orbot noted, "at last you're back. How did it go?" Metal Knuckles looked to the floor in shame. Orbot sighed. "As expected. At the very least, you returned in one piece this time."
"Stop patronizing him," Eggman calmly ordered. "We have more important issues to deal with. Such as…," Eggman said as he turned around, "how you got in here, Shadow the Hedgehog." Metal Knuckles raised his fists in a fighting stance as Shadow approached them. The black hedgehog smiled.
"Impressive indeed," Shadow responded. "How did you know I was here?" Eggman glared at the red-streaked rodent.
"Because I just know you so well," Eggman answered. Shadow stopped smiling.
"It would appear so," he replied. "So what's the master scheme this time?" Eggman scowled.
"Such sarcasm," he pointed out. "You're reminding me of Orbot," he said, earning a glare from Orbot. "If you insist on knowing, I am using Chao to power my machines now rather than flickies. They have proven to make the robotic vessels far more formidable." Shadow snickered.
"You'd best be careful," Shadow mocked, "you could be sued by an animal protection service."
"Says the one who spends his free time pummeling a blue hedgehog."
"Touché."
"You're taking this quite well. I figured your 'honorable morality' would turn you against my plan," Eggman pointed out. Shadow shrugged.
"Normally it would," the hedgehog said, "but if it's keeping your grubby hands away from the Chaos Emeralds, it's fine by me." Orbot glared at Shadow and said,
"Of course that's all you care about, you despicable, deplorable, disreputable, detestable-"
"Okay!" Cubot interrupted, "we get it; you like big words that start with D!" Orbot scowled.
"Those are big words?" he asked.
"That's enough, you two," Eggman told them. He then returned his attention to Shadow. "So," he began, "if you haven't come to impede my work, then why are you here?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Shadow asked. "I'm here to take your Chaos Emeralds." Eggman smirked.
"I expected about as much. So what would you do if I told you I don't intend on handing them over to you?" Eggman inquired. Shadow closed his fists.
"Then I'd merely extract them from you," Shadow answered.
"Oh I'm not the one you'd have to extract them from," Eggman assured him. Shadow made a confused hum.
"Then who?" he asked the corrupted genius.
"Me," said a voice from behind Shadow. The black hedgehog turned around and saw Metal Sonic standing before him. Shadow grinned.
"So instead of fighting a fat nerd," Shadow acknowledged, "I'm battling a can opener. This shouldn't take too long."
"Quite the sharp tongue," Eggman growled. "Now prepare to suffer the retribution. Metal, attack!" Metal Sonic flew at Shadow and attempted a horizontal chop. Shadow caught Metal Sonic's hand and crushed it by merely tightening his grip while coating it in energy. Metal Sonic retaliated with a kick followed by a trail of energy from it that crashed Shadow into a wall. Shadow's impact made a small crater on the wall and stuck him to it. As Shadow was pinned to the wall, Metal Sonic took advantage to fire a concentrated laser from his chest at his stuck opponent. However, Shadow spun in place coated in chaos energy to parry the blast, then shot himself at Metal Sonic with a homing attack. Metal Sonic stretched his hand forward to halt the spinning Shadow, but as Metal only had one hand, Shadow's attack was edging him back. Finally, Metal raised his leg to kick shadow's spinning form up through the roof. Metal Sonic flew up through the hole in pursuit. He got on the roof and saw Shadow there as well. They ran towards each other and traded blows faster than the eye could see. However, Metal Sonic then enveloped himself in a rhombus-shaped shield that knocked Shadow away. Shadow summoned four swords of chaos energy and shot them at Metal Sonic, then ran alongside the swords. Shadow quickly ended up in front of all the swords, but tilted his body as he ran to allow a sword to dart forward. Metal ducked under the first sword, then was struck by a spinning kick from Shadow. However, as Shadow spun for his kick, a sword whizzed past Shadow and struck Metal. Shadow then did a backflip, allowing a sword to dart forward beneath him, and kicking Metal as he landed and as the sword hit Metal Sonic. Shadow then vanished into thin air allowing the last sword to shoot forward. It pierced into Metal Sonic's chest hole just as it was about to fire a laser. The energy sword materialized into a real one and jammed the hole. However, the blast from within the hole fired anyways inside of Metal Sonic, blowing him to bits. Shadow smirked. "Now that wasn't too difficult," he said, though the way he grimaced slightly and held his arm in pain said otherwise. Some small floating object caught Shadow's eye. Shadow turned and saw Eggman, Orbot, and Cubot flying away in the Egg Mobile. Shadow shook his head. "Typical cowardly retreat," he said to himself. As Shadow turned to see the parts of his dismembered foe Metal Sonic, he saw a glowing object in the debris. As Shadow approached it, he realized what it was: a Chaos Emerald. Sheesh, Shadow thought, the old man wasn't kidding when he said I had to extract the Emerald from Metal Sonic. It was literally inside of him. Shadow then looked around, realizing he didn't really know what to do next. I may as well give it to Rouge. She'd certainly take good care of it. And with that, Shadow continued on his journey.