Guess who's back! Back again! Chupa's back! Tell a friend! :)

This is based in the Sonic SatAM universe, with special guest Shadow! So some things are going to be a little different from the games: the language is different, Tails is a little kid, and it's the pointy-headed Robotnik instead of Eggman. I suppose it could also be based on the early Archie comics too. But I used some elements that I think might have been specific to the cartoon.

Also, there are scenes of violence in this chapter, hence the rating. That being said, I hope you enjoy the story!

Chapter 1: A Hero Steps In

"Time to wake up, hedgehog."

Shadow slowly opened his eyes and looked around. He was back in Robotnik's fortress after having escaped months before, and he was also in four-point restraints. He also felt something around his neck.

"How did I get here?"

"You can thank my henchbots for that." Robotnik's voice boomed from behind Shadow. "You made the mistake of falling asleep and letting your guard down. It's not exactly difficult to knock out a sleeping rodent. You've eluded me for too long, you little pest."

"I told you, I am not going to be exploited as a weapon. Just because you have me in your possession doesn't mean you can control me!"

Shadow scanned the area around him for his Chaos emerald, or as much as he could in his restraints. Robotnik held up the green gem.

"Looking for this, rat? Some ultimate life form you are without a battery. But allow me to express my tremendous gratitude to you for providing me with an emerald. It will come in very handy for what I'm going to do next, and for future use."

Robotnik directed Shadow's eyes to an enormous metal contraption suspended from the ceiling that looked like a gun. Robotnik reached up and grabbed the end of it to point it directly at Shadow.

"Allow me to show you one of my newest creations. This device is capable of absorbing Chaos energy, and with the help of this delightful bauble you've provided, it can be operated at maximum power. It works akin to a magnet attracting metal shavings. With it, I intend to drain you of every last speck of Chaos energy so that you will be no more threatening than a mortal hedgehog, ensuring you feel every part of what I'm going to do to you. You may thank my grandfather for this beautiful machine – I used his blueprints to build it. It was designed with you in mind – the blueprints referenced you specifically."

"What? Why would he design a machine to drain me of my power?"

"You're an animal, and animals turn on their masters all the time. This machine was a way to subdue you, should you become too big of a threat. I've also implanted a device that will further dampen your abilities so you cannot conveniently use your teleportation tricks."

"You want to utilize me as a weapon, yet you want to drain me of the very power that makes me dangerous? Your motives are senseless."

"Perhaps, but that's not my concern right now. You see, you ran away from your master, and for that, you must be punished so you don't do it again. Worry not – once you've learned a lesson, you will get your power back. After I wipe your memory and re-program you."

Robotnik opened a panel in the side of the device and placed the emerald inside it. "Snivley, activate the energy absorber."

"Yes, sir."

Snivley pressed a few buttons on a console behind the Chaos device and then pulled a lever. The machine emitted a deep droning sound and glowed green before firing a beam of light directly into Shadow. He flinched, but realized the beam didn't actually harm him, in spite of appearing to penetrate his chest. The instrument continued to run and made increasingly louder noises, Shadow gradually began to feel weaker. An odd, unsettling sensation surged inside his body as his energy was extracted. He felt as if his insides were being pulled out through his skin – while it was not painful, it felt downright terrifying to be robbed of his life force while being powerless to stop it.

"All traces of Chaos energy have been removed from the hedgehog, sir."

"Perfect. So how does it feel to be a normal rodent, Shadow?"

A wave of exhaustion crashed into Shadow after losing what remained of his Chaos energy, as if he hadn't slept in days. Was that how normal creatures felt? Or was he so used to being powered by Chaos energy that anything less felt insufficient? His flesh still crawled with residual sensation, even after the machine had been turned off.

Robotnik cracked his knuckles. "Now that you are in a more vulnerable state, it's time to carry out phase two of my plan."

Without another word, Robotnik struck Shadow hard in the face, eliciting a pained snarl from his target. The doctor continued to batter Shadow in the face, head and stomach, causing multiple lacerations and bleeding from his mouth and nose. The white patch of fur on his chest became stained red with blood from his injuries, and his eyes had begun to bruise. His lack of energy made him much more susceptible to injury and much less likely to heal.

"You're a coward. You weakened me and rendered me immobile so you could attack me without me defending myself. If you had any spine, you'd fight me without reducing me to this state." Shadow growled.

"That's the best part, my dear boy. There are no rules to follow and this is not a fair fight. Call me a coward if you will, but the fact remains that you are the one tied down right now."

This earned Shadow another fist to the face. The force of the beating had begun to catch up with him in his enfeebled state and he was growing weaker by the minute. His head slumped down over his chest as he tried to catch his breath.

Robotnik grabbed a handful of fur and skin and wrenched Shadow's head up to look him in the eyes. "Don't tell me you're getting tired already. We're just getting started."

Shadow glared at him and spit blood in his face.

"I'm not afraid of you."

Robotnik grimaced and wiped the bloody saliva away with his glove.

"I was led to believe you were intelligent, but apparently I was mistaken. Because you absolutely should be afraid of me right now, rodent. You have no idea how easily I could kill you right now."

Robotnik then slugged Shadow in the gut with his metal arm to ensure a harder hit. Shadow was brought to tears and wailed in pain.

"You are so lucky you are more useful alive than as a machine. Otherwise you would have been in a roboticizer or dead the second I had you."

Little did Robotnik know that Shadow wasn't the only hedgehog in the fortress. Sonic had infiltrated Robotropolis to do a little spying and to plant some bugs in the bowels of Robotnik's stronghold. As he busied himself with the spy gadgets, he heard cries of pain echoing through the corridors. Sonic placed the last bug under a pipe and followed the sound of the screaming. He found himself in a passageway overlooking Robotnik's lab and spotted the doctor throwing fists at something – or someone – strapped to a table. As he got a closer look at the situation, Sonic saw some very familiar black and red spines.

"Oh no. He has Shadow. Why is he beating him up? I gotta do something!" Sonic thought.

As Sonic tried to figure out how to help Shadow, he was attacked from behind by a Swatbot. Luckily for him, the Swatbot managed to shoot the wall beside Sonic with its laser and not him. Sonic could have effortlessly escaped the two henchbots, but he had an idea that would involve him speaking to Robotnik.

"Okay, I give up! Take me to the bald guy!"

He put his hands up and allowed himself to be apprehended in order to have an audience with the evil doctor.

"Intruder found in the fortress, Doctor. Subject identified as Sonic the Hedgehog."

Robotnik turned to greet his adversary. "Well, look who stopped by for a visit. To what do I owe the pleasure, hedgehog?"

"I was just in the neighborhood."

"I'm busy at the moment. You'll have to wait your turn."

Robotnik continued to assault Shadow. Sonic could clearly see blood dripping from Shadow's mouth.

"Why are you doing this to him? You're gonna kill him!" Sonic shouted.

Robotnik flexes his fingers into a fist. "No need for concern. He's worth much more to me alive than dead. I won't allow him to die, but he's an animal that has a lesson to learn about running away from his owner."

Shadow heard a familiar voice and frailly lifted his head to locate the source.

"Sonic?"

"Oh man, he must be in bad shape. He called me by my name," Sonic thought.

Robotnik wound up to hit Shadow again, but Sonic intervened. "Wait, stop!"

Much to Sonic's surprise, Robotnik stopped mid-swing. Sonic wrenched his hands out of the grip of the Swatbot and approached the doctor. "Take me in Shadow's place."

Robotnik raised an eyebrow. "What are you scheming, hedgehog?"

Sonic shook his head. "No scheme. I just can't let you do this to him. He couldn't have possibly done anything to deserve this. Please, let me take his place. I'm sure I deserve this beating from you more than he does."

"I hate to admit it, but you make an arguably good point. Hmmmm..." Robotnik rubbed his chin, contemplating which of the two hedgehogs would make a better prize.

Shadow rasped breathlessly, "Stay out of this, blue hedgehog."

Sonic folded his arms and looked at Shadow. "Oh yeah, 'cause you really got him on the ropes, don't ya?"

Robotnik turned and struck Shadow in the face one final time, knocking him out. "Quiet, rodent."

After considering the advantages and disadvantages of the deal proposed to him, Robotnik decided to accept Sonic's offer. But not before demanding Sonic be restrained first.

"I'm not stupid, hedgehog. Do you think I'll let Shadow go and then you'll escape immediately after his restraints are released? You get in here and then I will release him."

"How do I know you won't just keep both of us if I do that?"

Robotnik grinned. "You don't know. But if you really want Shadow to have a chance of being let go, you have no choice but to do as I say."

"Fine, we'll do this your way," Sonic relented.

Robotnik smiled and said, "Excellent. Snivley, release the black hedgehog. He can easily be recaptured later, especially with his power drained."
"Do you think that's a good idea, sir?"

"Do not question me, Snivley!"

"Yes sir!" Snivley pressed a few buttons on the table's control panel, causing the restraints release and sending Shadow crashing to the floor.

The Swatbots picked Shadow up and held onto him while awaiting Robotnik's signal. Meanwhile, two other Swatbots pushed Sonic into the now vacant table and locked cuffs around his wrists and ankles.

"Swatbots, leave the other hedgehog outside like the trash he is."

Turning to his assistant, Robotnik said, "There is value in the thrill of the chase, Snivley. Besides, the blue rodent is a more desirable target than Shadow."

Author's Notes: Okay I know the actual show wasn't this violent, but I always thought this version of Dr. Robotnik could totally be sadistic. I think it's due in part to his voice being provided by master of 90s bad guys Jim Cummings.

Also, I really did try to stick to canon as far as Shadow's powers, but the thing is there seems to be a lot of different interpretations of what he can and cannot do, especially with his Chaos energy. The route I took is that he possesses Chaos energy naturally and the Chaos Emeralds increase his power. But if it isn't quite canon, I'll use the excuse that since Shadow was never in Sonic SatAM, he has no canon in that series and I can do whatever I want. :)