Sonic the Hedgehog

Explanations

"HA!" Eggman yells with a triumphed grin as he stares at the floating green, transparent radar in front of him. "Seems like the mosquitos have been successfully swatted. Good luck reaching me now you blue pest!"

As Eggman celebrates, the door to the Control Room automatically slides open. From it walks Shadow, E-123 Omega, and Rouge who has the red emerald in hand. As she flew to the Egg Carrier, a part of her almost changed direction and made off with the red beauty. However, she, unfortunately, had left her other jewels on board. Also, knowing Eggman, he would stop at nothing to reclaim such a vital piece of his plan, even if it meant pinning her against the other two members of Team Dark.

I'll just wait for a better opportunity. Rouge thinks. Once I find where he's stashing the rest of the other jewels, I'll take them and wait for when he leaves the Control Room. Then those emeralds will be mine and I'll disappear somewhere discreet- where the others will never find me nor my treasures.

"Ah, Team Dark, you've arrived!" Eggman says, looking down at the trio. "Give me my prize and make it snappy!"

"Same goes for you, Eggy," Rouge says with a smirk before she tosses the stone at Eggman who catches it with immense delight.

The proud genius marvels at his third gem. He snaps his fingers, and immediately, a SWATBot emerges from the opposite doorway of the room, carrying a bag of riches. As it nears Rouge, the bat takes notice of a bruise Shadow has on his lower chin.

"Where were you, Shadow?" Rouge asks curiously.

"Fighting an echidna," he answers. "He showed strength and willpower but lacked patience. Not that it would've done him much good regardless. Once he challenged the ultimate lifeform, the outcome of the duel had already been decided."

Rouge places a hand on her mouth to hide her laughter, unsuccessfully so as Shadow catches her and smiles.

"What?" he asks.

"Nothing- just... your ego is incredible, Shadow," the spy says as she grabs her bag of jewels from the SWATBot.

"An ego isn't a detriment, so long as it's earned," Shadow responds.

Before Rouge can retort with something clever, the door behind her and her teammates opens, and something flies over Team Dark, sending a huge gush of wind through them. The sound of a jet breaks the silence of the otherwise quiet room and the noise even startles Eggman who fumbles the red emerald in his hands and nearly drops it.

Hovering in front of his floating chair is Metal Sonic. In its left hand, being hung onto by the collar is Zero who struggles to break from the metal grip holding him in place.

"METAL?!" Eggman bellows. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?"

"I'll let your mercenary explain," it says, dropping Zero to the floor. "Well?!"

Zero coughs at first. Then he looks up at the metal hedgehog above him with hatred almost radiating off his body.

"WHO DO YOU THINK I AM?!" Zero screams. "DO YOU THINK YOU CAN TREAT ME LIKE-?!"

"I had Sonic in my palm," Metal Sonic interrupts, turning to Eggman. "His life was mine for the taking. I nearly crushed his windpipe- and trust me, it would have been easy too. But suddenly, I was struck with a plasma beam, courtesy of this Jackal before you. He is the sole reason the greatest threat to your plans still draws breath."

Eggman looks down at Zero.

"Is this true...?" Eggman says.

"Yes, but sir-!"

"YOU IMBECILE!" Eggman yells. "ARE YOU TELLING ME YOU STOPPED MY PERFECT CREATION FROM KILLING THE INFERIOR SONIC!"

Shadow and Rouge notice E-123 Omega hold a clenched fist in the air having heard that last sentence.

"Your liege-!"

"You have proven to me time and time again that you are useless, Zero!" Eggman yells. "You really do live up to your name! How can the leader of the notorious Jackal squad be this pathetic? GET OUT OF MY SIGHT! If I'm in a good mood, I'll spare your life and maybe consider giving you another task. One that even you can't mess up. Be gone!"

Zero, heated but also too scared to test Eggman's patience, stands up and walks to the door, exiting the room.

"No matter," Eggman says, taking a breath. "If that troublesome hedgehog persists, you'll surely succeed in ridding the world of that clone next time, Metal. But make no mistake, that menace is not a threat to my plans. He's just a footnote. Someone who Mobius will forget once it falls under my rule."

"Without a doubt, Doctor," Metal Sonic agrees as it descends to the floor and its jets shut off. "With that said, there's also something else that concerns me... Shadow."

Everyone's eyes widen at the same time in confusion, except for Shadow who stares at Metal Sonic with little interest.

"We all had a clear plan. Your job was to breach the apartment of that pink hedgehog and launch your chaos blast to decimate its residents. Then I was to come in and dispose of my copy if he dodged the attack. However, there was no blast. You hesitated. Explain."

"Hmph," Shadow slightly chuckles in amusement. "Tell me... do you think you have any business ordering me around, machine? I am under no obligation nor reason to explain anything to you."

Shadow turns around and walks to the door he and the others came in from.

"Eggman's world has no place for weakness, Shadow the Hedgehog," Metal Sonic says after him. "Only perfection."

"Sounds like it'll be pretty lonely," Shadow says as the automated door opens and closes behind him.

...