Important note: This is the updated version of chapter one. To see the original, e-mail me. These updates were fixed by suggestion of Shadow Stalkr and by my justification.
Note: As always, I don't own Sonic, Knuckles, Rouge, or any other Sega based characters. I, like the other fanfic writers, wrote this for fun (and not profit). Lawsuits? No, thank you.
Quiet breezes, rustling trees, swaying grass, and natural blue skies make home to Knuckles the Echidna. If you want to find Knuckles,wander through the icy cold cavern,stroll through the grassy field, and cross the narrow, rickety bridge. He is usually there. He is always there. That's his job.
Knuckles' job is to protect and serve the Master Emerald. The Master Emerald is a massive, green jewel about the size of Knuckles, if not bigger than, and glows a radiant, green luminescence.
The purpose of the Master Emerald is to keep Angel Island floating. If broken or stolen, the island will plunge down from the sky and sink beneath the waves of the ocean. For as long as his memory can serve, he has been protecting the emerald from any danger. He can't explain why he still does, but he feels urged to stay.
Knuckles, the bold, red echidna likes life the way it is. He very seldom leaves the emerald shrine, the resting place for the Master Emerald, and lives mainly off the land. Doing so has made him tough and sturdy. He has a bit of a short fuse, gone off easily by people either teasing or mocking him. It doesn't happen too often, but nothing will stop his anger once he gets all riled up. Mixed with his remarkable strength, no one would want to get near him.
Sitting next to a giant piece of glowing rock all day can feel like a boring duty, considering him having done it for his entire life, but he has actually done much more. He had even helped save the world several times.
But there had been one day, almost two years ago, which he'd never tell anyone, where he and a close friend of his had infiltrated a nefarious villain's base, which may have saved Station Square, the bustling city nearby.
That is what this story is. It's more than a story. It's more than a romance. It's...
More than an Adventure
"Ugh... what a long night." Knuckles reluctantly opened his eyes and struggled to get to his feet. He felt a throbbing pain in the back of his head; he must've hit his head on the Master Emerald.
He irritably crossed the narrow wooden bridge and toward two red, rock walls in the East. "Red Canyon," he thought, "the boiling hot canyon of lava, steam, and fire." He trained here every morning. Eggman's robots swarmed Red Canyon, which were ideal punching bags for Knuckles. He took a few steps toward the gate, when a brilliant green flash blinded him.
Knuckles shielded his eyes. "What? This hasn't happened before..." He squinted to just see that the light emanated from the Master Emerald.
He walked back across the bridge and toward the altar. As suddenly as it came, the light disappeared, and then began to slowly rotate. After a brief moment of tranquility, Knuckles could hear a faint, soothing voice.
"Knuckles? Are you there?"
Knuckles looked around in panic. "Who's there?" he said, with a little intimidation in his voice. "Show yourself!"
"Knuckles, it's me! Over here!"
Knuckles turned toward the voice. It came from the Master Emerald. "Umm, who... who are you?"
"I am Tikal," the emerald said. "I am thespirit of the 7 emeralds. There's an emergency."
"Tikal..." Knuckles repeated. "That sounds... familiar..."
"True," Tikal replied, "but there isn't much time. I have a mission for you. It may just save your city, the Mystic Ruins, and your island altogether."
"Then you'll want to talk to Sonic about that," he said. "If the world's in peril, then he'll be the one to save it."
"Umm, well, about that..." Tikal said, with a little sadness in her voice. "That's part of the mission."
Knuckles sighed. "Well, then tell me about this mission, then."
"Dr. Robotnik... has your friend, Sonic. Captured. He, too, was to go after Eggman and stop his plans... but it failed."
Dr. Robotnik, or more often known as Eggman, is an evil genius, with killer robots, doomsday weapons, and a giant space colony at his disposal. Sonic and his friends always tried to beat him, and succeeded, but he always managed to get away.
"So what should I do?" Knuckles asked.
"Eggman's base is in a city far away from here," she explained. "You should leave as soon as you can."
"I'll leave now," he replied, turning to walk away.
"Wait!" Tikal shouted, getting Knuckles to come back. "I have two suggestions. My first is to bring the Master Emerald with you. It can give you power, and I'll always be there to help and give you advice."
Hesitantly, Knuckles heaved the emerald from the altar and placed it somewhere behind his back.
"Good," Tikal continued. "My other suggestion is to bring along a friend of yours. Sonic might not be an option, but you have other friends."
Knuckles paused to think. "Well... how 'bout Tails?" he asked. "Oh, wait, he's been on vacation for a while, now..."
Tails is a yellow fox that has the ability to fly in the air using his only two tails as a propeller. He is also Sonic's best friend. He has an IQ of 300, and he's just as smart as Eggman. However, Tails is but 10 years old, and he uses his intelligence for good. He has his own plane, which he built himself, and looks up to Sonic like an older brother.
"What about Amy?" Knuckles asked. "Maybe if we tell her about Sonic's situation..."
"She's already gone searching for him, but she's going the wrong way. I don't think anyone told her where he is, exactly."
Amy is a pink hedgehog that always wears a red dress. She has a large piko-piko hammer that emits pink hearts with every swing. She is obsessed with Sonic, anddevises new ways to get him to marry her, even if it means a brutal confrontation.
"I can't really think of anyone else..." Knuckles finally said.
"Well..." Tikal started. "What about your friend, Rouge?"
Knuckles crossed his arms and turned away. "She doesn't even qualify as a friend," said he. "That thief stole my emerald, insulted me, and even tried to hurt me!"
"Yeah, I know, but..."
Knuckles turned around again. "What?"
"I do recall you saving her life once, am I right?"
He looked down, remembering the moment clearly. Rouge slipped off a metal beam stories above a fiery inferno. Within a split second, Knuckles reached down and grabbed her. "How'd you know?"
Tikal giggled. "The emerald was there. I saw it."
Knuckles wasn't amused. "Whatever. I did that because she had the other pieces of the master emerald. I couldn't let-"
"Right..." Tikal interrupted.
"Well, if the 'spirit of the 7 chaos emeralds' insists..." he sighed again. "Then I guess I should. But before I go, I must ask: Why do you want me to go with her so bad? I mean, I didn't mention Cream, Omega, Big-"
"You two were meant for each other," she interrupted again. "Haven't you realized that?"
Knuckles glared. "I swear, when this is over..."
"Just trust me on this one," she said. Before Knuckles could say more, the emerald dimmed to its normal glow.
"Another day..." he crossed the bridge. "Another humiliating event to endure in order to save the world..." he sighed. "Again."
What will happen to Knuckles on his new adventure? Will he be able to get along with Rouge? Was what Tikal said true? And will Sonic be saved? Tune in for the next installment of...
More than an Adventure