I apologize for not updating recently. I believe this entry will be a good explanation.
"Eggman really should take a little better care of his own creations... Metal, how long have you been here?"
I looked to Shadow. I had him marked as both enemy and ally, an honor only shared with the doctor himself. Although for Shadow, it came with the opposite emphasis. We were enemies on Eggman's terms, not my own, and even the doctor sways with dire circumstances. I still remembered us against Nega. Shadow treated me with respect. I knew he had done some terrible things, Infinite has shared those secrets with me, but I am not one to trust about morality. I was built to feel apathetic at those things at best, and have only grown slightly in that regard, and often in different directions to what I have noticed from most organic beings.
So needless to say, I don't particularly care about his wrongdoings. We have a strange mutual trust, and trust is a scarce resource in my world. I can not complain.
I was lying against a tree, broken after a battle with Sonic. It was really just so Eggman could buy time, seem less than radio silent as to take them by surprise when he does put his big plot into motion. I can not spoil too much, but it has eaten up a lot of the doctor's time so I just know it is as needlessly overcomplicated and dramatic as you would expect from him.
Eggman should have retrieved me days ago. But our battle had as much movement as you would expect from two of the fastest beings on this planet, and one of his hits had absolutely demolished my location tracking. So even though Eggman was acting almost like his old self, he had no clue where to look to retrieve me. I was a glorified security camera in this state, barely able to move anything but my head. I was surprised Sonic had not destroyed any vitals considering how much non-vital stuff he had absolutely demolished.
"Are you alright if I pick you up?" Shadow asked. I nodded to the best of my ability. What choice did I really have here?
Shadow was as gentle as he could be. We walked like this for a while. Shadow ended up picking up a phone call that I managed to infer was from Rouge. After some friendly back and forth, he finally got to a part that interested me.
"Can you do me a favor? I'm currently carrying Metal Sonic, and if I'm honest, I don't know where I'm going. I know it's not in this forest, but beyond that, I'm clueless. I'm sure if we fixed him, it'd be a bit easier."
A response surely came from the other end, but I couldn't detect the noise coming from the other end. Shadow's tone turned slightly agressive.
"Because, Rouge, I'm not just going to leave him there. Sonic told me about defeating Metal days ago. If Eggman was planning on retrieving him, he would have."
Another response came, this one calming the hedgehog.
"Thanks, Rouge."
Shadow began to walk more purposefully, although still leisurely. He clearly wasn't planning on totally ruining his walk for this. It continued for a while, before he finally stopped. I recognized the place as Tails' workshop, and bleeped in panic. I trusted Shadow, but trust only goes so far. Tails was a nice kid, but he was best friends with Sonic. He would try to protect him, and I did not know just what that would mean for me.
"Relax. He isn't even here. His workshop just has more tools than my place."
Rouge was casually waiting on the roof for us to arrive, and dropped down. Shadow swore surprisedly, and they both laughed for a moment.
"Woah, he's really wrecked." she commented. "You sure we can handle all this?"
"Not entirely, but we have repaired Omega before. Surely this won't be too much harder." He paused for a second. "Speaking of, that might be a bit of an awkward discussion... eh, what he doesn't know won't hurt him."
None of this conversation filled me with confidence, but it was this or the forest, and I had already made that decision. They turned me off for the duration of the repair. They turned me on to test a couple times, but I stayed off for most of it. Likely for the best. Finally, they turned me on for the last time.
"Not the prettiest repair I've done, but you should be good." I swung my legs back and forth. I knew where I was once more. It wasn't perfect, I felt off balance. But Eggman could repair what Shadow couldn't.
Eggman. I looked to Shadow, to my hands, I knew Eggman's reaction was an important calculation to make but I held off for a second. A second isn't that long, though, and inevitably I had to ask the question. He didn't know it was Shadow and Rouge who had done it, he may be confused and a touch suspicious, but it should be safe...
I nodded to myself, and bleeped an approximation of a thank you before jetting off.
I was correct in my assessment. Eggman was shocked to see me, but took me in. He has a lot to do before fixing the problems the two had left behind, but he promised to get to it. The truths of those claims will be seen with time, but we both know I am too valuable of an asset to stay in this condition forever. In the meantime, I have things to process.