(Okay, so here's what I'm doing with my OC. He'll be mentioned time and time, but he won't always take up center stage. An example is he might call in to check on our heroes or some of his ideas will be mentioned. This first one in particular.)

At the medical bay, Shadow and Maria were being treated very heavily. Shadow's energy almost plummeted to none and could've died and Maria was still trying to get oxygen. The freedom fighters were worried about the two of them and Metal's changed intentions.

"Metal Shadow almost killed Maria..." Silver said as he stared through the windows to the two.

"It's probably dumb if I say this, but something has changed Metal Sonic's intentions that instead of fighting us alone to weaken us, he's made robotic copies of our strongest members and to kill us." Khan then looked down as he thought he would get a 'We now'. Instead, Sally responded with

"The main question is, what has changed him to try and eliminate us now?"

"I don't think he was controlling M.S." Everyone looked up to Source as his watch displayed a diagram of the Metals. "While fighting, there was a small purplish thing that seemed to be in some sort of power holder. But what makes me really think that he's not controlling them is the way they acted and the ways they communicated." Everyone was confused when he said the last part.

"Different Communication?" Tails asked, Source nodded and explained.

"When Metal 'spoke' to Sonic, he made different beep sounds and some held longer that just 3 seconds. The Metal Shadow used his pupils to speak using Morse code, Metal Amy and Tails recorded voice talks, and Silver like Shadow's and Sally like Sonic's." Tails had never realized and was amazed Source paid attention to small little details like that.

"So that should be the last of them right?" Knuckles asked,

"No, I believe there's more. If Eggman's able to repair Metal Sonic, what if he has a stash of robot parts that Metal so happened to come across on?" Everyone was even more worried. Then Tails remembered about something he wanted to ask Knuckles.

"Say, Knuckles? Mind if I ask you something?"

"Sure, what's up?"

"How did Shadow gain access to Chaos energy?" Knuckles then realized why the question popped up.

"What's with the question suddenly bud?" Sonic asked as he put a hand on Tails' shoulder

"Well we haven't found the Chaos emeralds instead of that one time with your generations self and some sort of aura of chaos energy formed around Shadow when he became darker." Source and Knuckles' eyes then widen as Tails said it.

"Darker?" Tails nodded as Knuckles asked and stood up.

"Is something wrong?"

"*sigh* There's something I haven't completely told you guys about the Chaos Emeralds." Everyone stayed silent as Knuckles then turned around and spoke in a softer tone. "Remember when the echidna tribe found the emeralds and about the positive and negative charges? Well, I only mainly focused on the positive energy since I thought no one would, no offense, be able to have enough anger to trigger the emeralds' other function... Dark forms."

Metal Sonic was back in the egg base, typing and calculating another plan of ideas to fight Sonic. But he still thought about the chaos emeralds and of they'd still be any use to him.

"Still got something on your mind?" (Metal Sonic was able to import voice boxes into him and his metal armada) Metal Sonic turned to Metal Sally as she walked closer to him by his side.

"It's about that black hedgehog."

"What about him?"

"It's his change of form. Chaos energy formed around him." Metal footsteps were heard as a black metallic hedgehog entered the main control room.

"Hmph, no matter, I will defeat him and destroy-"

"Silence!" Metal Shadow stopped and stared at him. "We don't go out willy-nilly without a plan other than 'head in, kill, leave.' We need a real plan. Tails is currently making weapons, Silver is meditating, and Knuckles is punching stuff. So go mess with Amy and make yourself useful." Metal Shadow sneered and left. Metal Sonic turned back around and put his hand on his forehead as he groaned.

"I can't believe I based him and her off their organic counterparts. I swear, once they start ignoring me, I will reprogram them." Metal Sally giggled as she saw Metal have an oil sweat drop with his irritated face. She then put her hand on his back and said

"If you can deal with them and focus on your task, I'm sure you'd make a great leader." She then walked away. Metal thought it out and slowly turned to the exit and although he didn't have a mouth, he smiled.

Shadow slowly awoke to the controversy from the Freedom Fighters.

'Can't those idiots be quiet for at least a few hours?' He thought as he remembered what happened.

'Negative Chaos energy... I feel like I've felt it before, but I can't put-'

"Ugh... Shadow..." Shadow stopped thinking as he heard Maria's weak voice. He painfully turned to his left side to see Maria's eyes looking at him with happiness and sadness in them. He held her hand to comfort her and to make sure she wasn't going to disappear from him in the past.

"Maria... I'm sorry." The Doctors turned around in surprise as they spoke.

"Inform them." the Doctor asked his assistant, they nodded and went through the doors.

"How are they?" Knuckles immediately asked right in the assistant's face, they explained that Shadow and Maria should be doing fine, but that they might need some more time to recover.

"Shadow, why are you apologizing?" Maria asked as the doctor checked their status.

"I lost control of myself... I let my anger take advantage, I heard what he said to you, and I almost lost you..."

"Please don't blame yourself, it's okay to lose control sometimes. But don't carry it into your duty to protect me." Shadow chuckled as he heard her response.

"I love you Maria Robotnik." She blushed. Then the assistant returned, telling the doctor that Sonic, Silver, Knuckles, Amy, Tails, and Sally were going to leave tomorrow morning to go back searching for the Chaos Emeralds.

As everyone went back to their homes, Sonic, Tails, and Sally had told their parents that they were going to look for the Emeralds. Tails and Sally's parents were skeptical at first, but soon allowed them to go. Shadow and Maria were sitting up as they discussed about going.

"Maria, you don't have to come along just because I am." Maria sighed, stood up and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Shadow, I want to come along not because I'm worried about you, but because of how YOU will think about me." Shadow stayed silent as a small hint of blush appeared on his muzzle, but soon nodded and kissed her head and hugged her.

"Then let us adventure..." Shadow held Maria's hand.

"Together my love." They both kissed as the moon shone over them.

As the six heroes were about to go, they heard metal scratching on the ground. Shadow then stopped and put down Maria as they asked to come along.

"But Shad, you're still hurt. And that Maria almost-"

"I know Faker, me and Maria discussed this last night and we decided that we're still going either you like it or not." Sonic looked down, hesitant. Then he chuckled,

"No matter what, you're still arrogant as always," He turned up to Sally "Well Sal, you're the one who thought about this adventure, what do you say?" She looked at them and to Sonic, then them, then Sonic.

"Well, we'll need the help we can get." Maria smiled and hugged Sally.

"Thank you!" Sally laughed and patted her back.

"Alright then, let's get moving!" Knuckles said as he got in the Tornado. Everyone else except Sonic and Shadow hopped in and flew off.

"Race Shad?"

"Hmph, you know how it'll end out Faker." Sonic then Peeled out

"Yeah, me kicking your butt!"

"Hmm." was all that escaped from Shadow's mouth as he skated up to Sonic.

Looks like the Emeralds are coming back, you'll have to see what's happen along the journey...