Ever since he could remember, he'd be alone up on the floating island. The last of his kind, keeper of the Master Emerald and of the island he called home. People would come and go, people would try to steal the Master Emerald or take the island over... Some came to help him save it, but they always left afterwards. The wildlife weren't much to talk to. The chao couldn't talk. He ended up talking to the Master Emerald or himself every single time. He was alone. Always had been and he feared he'd always be.

One cool summer night, Knuckles watches the sky as he laid on top of the Master Emerald. The sky was clear, the sky shimmered with stars as far as the eye could see! The sight was one to be seen! But he was seeing it alone... As always. Just as he was about to try to get some sleep, something streaked across the night sky... then another... and another! It was a meteor shower! Shooting stars were everywhere!

That reminded him of something he was told once... a custom that was done on the mainland. Wishing upon a shooting star. He's never tried it before, might as well. So Knuckles looks out into space, watching the streaks come and go, and makes a wish.

"I wish I wasn't alone up here anymore."

The more he watched after wishing, the more he thought it was a waste of time, so he rolls over and goes to sleep. It wasn't long before he starts snoring, sprawled out onto of the Master Emerald without a care in the world.

Little did he know his wish would soon come true.

As the night carried onward, the shooting stars faded out of sight... until one looked as if it was coming towards the planet... and it was! The chao that were awake at the hour noticed this and started to scramble about, some going to get Knuckles, others going to hide below in the underground ruins. The light got closer and closer until it finally hit the island, landing in part of the forest, coming to a halt at the end of a trail of destruction. The whole island shook at the crash it made, waking the sleeping guardian as the Master Emerald shines brightly, the chao rushing over and crying at him.

"What the-!?" Knuckles quickly got up, calming the chao down then going to see what happened, leaving those chao to watch the Master Emerald in the short time he was away.

When he found the trail of destruction, he follows it, expecting to find one of the doctor's robots... or the doctor himself! What he found instead was a charred, bent up, and smoking capsule at the end. It looked like nothing he had ever seen before... where had it come from? He cautiously approaches, going over to the side of it and giving it a punch to see if it dangerous. Nothing happened, besides it gaining another dent.

Minutes pass and Knuckles sighs, probably an old part of the doctor's last try at ruling the world that had been floating around in orbit. With no forest fire, he just starts back towards the way he came... Only to pause when he heads the sound of it opening, air being let out the damaged capsule. So he turns around and gets ready to fight! But... nothing came out of it. It if opened... something had to be in it right?

Again he approaches, ready to fight what ever was in there! Upon going over and looking inside though... someone was inside! But they were unresponsive and badly injured! Knuckles had no idea who they were, but they looked like a hedgehog... like Sonic was. He could just leave them there... but they could be after the Master Emerald! He couldn't just leave them to do whatever! Though he couldn't take them back to the Master Emerald either...

He could however take them a place between where they were and the powerful gem. A small shack that he had made awhile back to keep supplies in. It was just big enough to watch over them there and close enough to the Master Emerald to pulverize anyone who dares to steal it!

So he picks the stranger up, out of the capsule and starts off towards the shed. For just once... can't something or someone not crash into his island?