Author's Notes:
This is the first story I have ever written for fanfiction. The first chapter is a little slow, but the later ones do have some more plot and laughs in them. Please review if you have any comments to say or find any errors that I should fix.
The bright summer sun shined down on Tails' Workshop. Tails had been working on a new airplane that could fit two members in the cockpit. Sonic had starting complaining about always being on the wing, so Tails thought this new design would please his azure friend. He had been wrenching on the plane for a week now.
Tails wiped the sweat off of his forehead while standing back to admire his work. "Almost finished!" he cheered. "Sonic will be so happy when he sees my improvements."
The fox was picking up some different tools off his table when a star shaped shadow was cast over him. He dropped his tools on the ground and quickly turned to see the cause of the sudden shade. There was nothing behind him. He looked up and saw a pentagonal cloud had briefly covered the sun. "Heh, I don't know why I'm so jumpy," said Tails turning back to his work table.
"Wahh!" the fox screamed. A black starfish was hovering above his table.
"Hello, young fox," the starfish hummed.
"Black Doom? Why are you here?" the confused fox questioned.
"My being here is not of importance. I came here to collect repayment."
"Repayment?" the fox was dumbfounded. "I don't know what you are talking about."
"You insolent fox," Black Doom scoffed. "Some time ago you wanted to get nuclear power for one of your inventions. You failed at obtaining it commercially and made a contract with me so you could purchase your goods off the black market."
"Oh, yeah, that contract," mumbled the fox.
"Yes indeed. Now it is time for you to repay me. I am taking a leave from Hell and am in need of a babysitter for my son."
"You want me to watch over your demon child? You can't expect me to do that alone!" the fox became spastic.
"Calm yourself!" Black Doom slapped the fox's cheek with a tentacle. "I suppose this task would require more than one person. I will find you a partner to watch over my son."
The fox rubbed his cheek and groaned. "Alright, when do I go to Hell?"
The dark starfish chuckled, "Now is about the right time."
After those words were spoken, flames appeared from the ground and formed a square on the now scorched earth. An elevator rose from the burnt grass and opened its doors for passengers. Tails stepped inside and pressed the only selection on the button grid: Hell.
"I will find your partner as you journey to my lair in Hell. The elevator will take you directly to it, so you couldn't possibly get lost," the starfish explained.
"Wait!" Tails shouted to stop the dark lord, "What is your son's name?"
"Eclipse the Darkling is his name."
Black Doom set off to a remote island to find Tails' babysitting partner. He knew a certain red echidna that who was indebted to him there. The dark lord hovered onto the ancient ruins that held the Master Emerald. His presence triggered an alarm in the echidna's senses.
"Who goes there?" the red echidna strongly called out to the intruder.
"Hello, my feeble minded slave." Black Doom hatefully said.
"What is your purpose here, you overgrown bug?" Knuckles replied with anger.
"You have a debt to repay and I came to collect."
"What debt? I have no such thing," the hotheaded echidna claimed.
"Oh, but you do."
"Oh, but I don't," Knuckles mocked.
"You so do."
"I so don't."
"Remember when you were in Central City and saw a fantastic, brand new-"
"Stop talking!" the echidna interrupted him, "I remember now."
"Good," hummed the dark one, "You will return to Hell with me and babysit my son while I am on a leave."
"You want me to be a babysitter? You must be joking!" Knuckles laughed.
"The King of Darkness does not joke," Black Doom stolidly said.
"Fine, send me down then."
"It would be my pleasure to do so," the dark one replied and a vacant elevator opened on the ruins to take the echidna down under. The echidna stepped inside with the dark one and the doors closed shut. The elevator began to fall slowly at first, but then became much faster. Knuckles' body began to give way at the strong amount of G-forces. His body flew onto the top of the machine and was spread out on the ceiling. His face was stretching apart while the elevator rang bells and the numbers dropped drastically on the monitor.
The elevator crashed with a bang into the dark home of Black Doom. Knuckles' flattened body peeled off the ceiling and slowly floated to the ground as the doors opened with a ding. Tails grabbed Knuckles by the dreads and flicked him out like how one would flick a towel to remove water. After a few flicks, Knuckles body came into the third dimension and he stood next to the fox.
"Tails, why are you here?" the echidna tilted his head in confusion.
"I, like you, also have a debt to the dark lord. You and I will both watch over Eclipse until his return from leave."
"Now that you have your partner, I will be off on my way," Black Doom teleported out of sight and left the two alone in his mansion with no more explanations. A piece of paper fell from the spot Black Doom teleported. Tails picked up the piece and examined it.
"This is a schedule for Eclipse's day. It also has a number to call in case of an emergency." Tails spoke towards Knuckles.
"I guess we really are babysitters," Knuckles brushed the back of his head with his hands.
"Let's go find Eclipse and introduce ourselves," Tails suggested. Knuckles nodded and followed behind Tails as they walked up the stair case of the giant mansion.