Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.

Chapter 1

Knuckles loved his job, really, but sometimes… It was just so boring. Nobody had come to try and steal the Master Emerald in what felt like ages, and the others seemed to have better things to do than come and visit him. Knuckles looked around, wondering what he could do to pass the time. It occurred to him moments later. He could dig. With that goal in mind, Knuckles moved away from his precious emerald. Not too far away, of course. He had barely finished with the fifth five-foot-deep hole when something happened. A giant bird was perched on the Master Emerald. Shock flashed in his eyes, quickly replaced with irritation.

"Hey!" he yelled. "Get off the Master Emerald!"

He climbed out of his hole and ran over to where they sat. As he approached, the bird let out a screech and began lifting off, bringing the Master Emerald with it. Knuckles let out a screech of his own. He ran forward and launches himself onto the Master Emerald. As he soon found out, the smooth sides of a giant crystal were hard to grab onto. Miraculously, he stayed on.

"If you take the Master Emerald, you take me as well!"

The declaration seemed to have registered in the bird's head. It looked at him as though it was curious before trying to peck him. Without a moment's thought he pulled back his arm and punched the bird. It screeched, yanking its head back up and diving to the side. Sliding, Knuckles would've fallen off if not for the bird's leg. He wrapped an arm around it and held on. Amethyst eyes widened as he finally noticed how far away the ground was. A growl started low in his throat as he realized there was nothing he could do. Even if he got the bird to let go of the Master Emerald, the both of them would plummet back to the ground. Nothing could survive a fall like that. Grudgingly, Knuckles had to admit the bird had won that round.

Round two started ten minutes later. Seeing the opportune moment, Knuckles seized it. He climbed up the bird's leg- not an easy feat. The wind atop its back was certainly stronger, but nothing he couldn't handle. He slipped, grabbing the bird's back and pulling a handful of feathers free. He could feel the bird tense in annoyance before flipping in another futile attempt to drop him. Knuckles held on as best as he could, though the bird lost more feathers in the process. A powerful kick to its left wing had the bird tumbling over itself through the air. With another loud screech, it dropped its burden into the nearest nest. Knuckles rolled and jumped to his feet, eyes focusing in on the giant crystal behind the bird.

Good. It's safe, he thought.

The monster bird stood at its full height, but failed to intimidate the echidna. Knuckles stood, head held high, waiting for it to make the first move.

-Tails' place-

Tails ran to the phone and called Sonic. After a few tries, the blue hedgehog finally answered.

"What is it Tails? I was sleeping…" Sonic stifled a yawn. Tails blinked before ignoring what he had just heard.

""I-I'm sorry. I can call back later-"

"No, no. It's all right. It was just a nap." Sonic's voice was low, as though he was trying not to wake somebody. "I had to get up anyway. What's the problem?"

"Angel Island just fell from the sky!" Tails shouted. "Something must've happened to Knuckles, and I'm worried."

"Then go save him." The way Sonic said it, you would've thought it was possible.

"Sonic, I don't- I can't-"

"Who're you talking to in such hushed tones?" The new voice came from Sonic's side of the phone.

Tails' eyes widened. He knew that voice. Suddenly, he had the feeling he should try the hero thing for once.

"You're right. Don't know until you try." With a nervous laugh, Tails hung up the phone.

He gathered the shreds of his courage and bravely marched out the door. The Tornado was waiting for him, as though she knew he would need her. First on his list was to look in the most obvious place- Angel Island. Or, what had once been the floating island. After it crash-landed into the Mystic Ruins, he wasn't sure what to call it.

Not much later, he landed the Tornado and ran straight to what used to be Angel Island. Knuckles wasn't there, of course, and neither was the Master Emerald. Tails looked around, tails drooping onto the ground. He should've known Knuckles wouldn't be there. He cared more about the rock than his own life, after all. A thought struck Tails and he ran back to the Tornado. He knew just how he could find them.

-Birds Nest-

Knuckles stared at the man before him. He was tall and thin, with a moustache to rival Eggman's. He had just appeared once the monster bird was shoved off the side of the nest, with both wings broken. Knuckles really wasn't in the mood, but the man clearly didn't understand that. When he spoke, his voice reminded Knuckles of a jester.

"Now that you're here, the blue one shouldn't be too long," he said. Knuckles glared at the man across the nest from him. The man stroked the left side of his moustache and pressed a button on the remote he had recently pulled from his pocket. A giant symbol lit the floor of the nest before quickly fading away. Sure it was some trick, Knuckles ran at the man. Furiously, he vanished seconds before the echidna's fist connected with him. Knuckles fell face-first into the wall of the best. Rubbing his nose and muttering about men with moustaches, he turned his gaze to the Master Emerald. It sat right as he had left it. A heavy sigh left him.

"Great. Now we're stuck in some nest that shouldn't be here, with no plausible way off." The sun glinted off the Master Emerald. "Not to mention the damn sun… It's too bright up here."

He took another look around the nest. There still wasn't any shade to rest under. All of it was on the other side of the Master Emerald. A noise drew his attention. He really wasn't in the mood for visitors, especially ones who could fly. As he watched, the Tornado made a surprise crash landing and its young pilot came flying straight for him. Tails slammed into him with an audible 'oof' and knocked the other to the ground. Shock on his face, Knuckles lay there with Tails on top of him.

"You're okay!" Tails said. He had sat up, disoriented, but immediately cheered when he saw Knuckles. Smiling down at him, he leaned over and hugged the other. Knuckles snapped back to reality.

"What are you doing? Get off me!" Knuckles moved Tails off him. The floor lit up again and there was a blinding flash of light.

When their sight returned, the two found themselves in a place they didn't recognize. Mountains lined the horizon, framed by clear blue skies… A sea of grass lay all around them… A town could be seen in the distance… And there was no Master Emerald. Knuckles' reaction was automatic.

"Where's the Master Emerald?" he shouted. Tails watched as he jumped to his feet and ran off in a random direction.

"Ah! Knuckles!" Tails got to his feet. "Don't just run off." Knuckles stopped a few yards away, turned, and ran in a different direction. "Knuckles!" Tails yelled. "Get back here!"

He ran after the other as fast as he could. When Knuckles stopped to look around once more, he felt Tails slam into his butt. Knuckles flinched and fell over, Tails coming down on top of him.

"Wh-What are you doing?" Knuckles shouted, shocked and embarrassed.

"W-well, you ran off… I was just… You stopped so suddenly… I didn't mean to… I'm sorry, Knuckles…" Tails explained, starting to get off the other. "Oh…"

Knuckles' face flushed the same shade as his fur. He started to stutter, not sure what to say. Tails didn't make matters any better. Deciding it was a good idea; he lay on the echidna's back and asked if he was okay.

"What do you think, Tails? You're on my-" He was cut off when the fox pressed against him. Both were flushed from the contact, and neither seemed willing to move. "Tails! What are you doing?" he asked, voice raised.

"I… don't know?" Tails tried.

He wasn't sure what had come over him, but he was willing to follow it all the way if Knuckles was willing to let him. Face flushed, Knuckles pressed back against Tails. The same feelings had overcome him. Tails sighed, running his hands down Knuckles' sides. He could feel himself growing aroused, much to his embarrassment. He had never had these feelings before, though he had read about them plenty of times in books. Of course, they usually weren't with a friend that they had grown to like a bit more than a friend, nor were they with another man. Knuckles had, obviously, noticed, and wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. Mouth open, he moaned a bit as Tails nuzzled his face against his back. Tails licked the other, ignoring the fact that he was covered with fur. A hand trailed back up Knuckles' side, stopping on his face. Knuckles could feel his face grow hotter as he remained in place, unwilling to push Tails away. Tails ran a finger along his lower lip, before pushing it into his mouth. Shock overcame Knuckles for a moment before he tentatively licked the other's finger. Smiling, Tails leaned so he was pressing down on the other's back.

"That's it, Knuckles," he whispered. "Submit to me." The resulting twitch and growl was all the incentive Tails needed to pull his hand from the other. He pouted at Knuckles' reaction. "You weren't complaining before."

"That was before you made me realize what was happening," Knuckles growled. "Now get off me. We have something we need to do."

"Don't you ever let yourself have any fun?" Tails asked. Another growl was the response he got. "The Master Emerald's most likely still in that nest. Sonic and the others will find it. They won't let anything happen to it."

"Tails…" Knuckles warned. Tails sighed and stood. Knuckles got up and looked around the area. "Why don't we try that town over there? They could tell us where we are, and if there're any giant crystals anywhere."

Tails groaned in protest, but gave in. When Knuckles was that determined, not much could keep him from his goal. The two of them set off toward the town.