Knuckles: Rise of Black Chaos

By: Phoenix Ride

Ch.1: A Birthday Wish

It was a stormy night on Angel Island, the black clouds shook with angry thunder as the lightning illuminated the sky. From inside the cabin on Angel Island the Chaotix and Knuckles were kept safe from the pelting rain.

Before going to sleep in bed Knuckles made sure the Master Emerald was secure before the storm hit. The Chaotix were ordered to keep an eye out just in case the chaos supports Knuckles placed ever broke. Knuckles doubted that they would, but it couldn't to hurt to keep an eye on things, especailly during this storm.

Somehow, despite the tremendous noise, Knuckles found the strentgh to sleep. He was used to twenty-four hour shifts around the emerald, but when the Chaotix lost their house to an Eggman attack last summer the echidna was reluctantly forced to take the unwanted house guests due to Sonic's constant pleading for him to get the Chaotix out of his house. So like it or not Knuckles took them in.

Surprisingly the four became sort of a team and earned each other's trust. Which was a good thing in Knuckles case, because now he could take a little brake once in awhile from watching the Master Emerald.

But something about the air this stormy night had triggered something dark to enter Knuckles mind as he slept, making the echidna twist and turn uncomfortably in his bed.

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Knuckles Nightmare

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" Knuckles found himself awake in what seemed to be like an ancient city that stood aboard a floating island, his Floating Island. Knuckles would recgonize it anywhere, after all he lived on it long enough to recgonize the landscape, but there wasn't a city here before."

" Suddenly all the doors that were connected to the buildings of the city opened and to Knuckles surprise he witnessed members of his own kind emerge and walk down the streets, carrying on with their business as if everything was normal."

" Young echidnas played tag in the streets as the elder echidnas ran their daily errands. One of elder echindas Knuckles quickly recgonized as his father, Locke."

" Knuckles!" the dream Locke said " where are you?"

" Here father!" shouted a young voice from above.

" Knuckles turned around in surprise to see a younger version of himself standing on top of a stone statue. The dream Locke imediatelly said for the young Knuckles to come down, which he did, after a few minutes of rebellion."

" Knuckles laughed at the sight of his younger version teasing his long lost father, but then suddenly everyone in the whole city got quite as a dark cloud suddenly drifted over Angel Island."

" The dream skipped and the vision switched to the burning ruins of the ancient city. No other echidnas could be seen for miles, until Locke suddenly appeared out of nowhere weilding a blank chaos emerald."

" Only then did Knuckles see that eerie, shadowy firgure floated in the sky. But before Knuckles could see what happened next, a loud bolt of lightning shook him awake from his nightmare,"

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Downstairs, the Chaotix cringed as they heard that same loud crack.

"This has got to be one of the worst storms in history," said Vector, covering up the windows with boards.

" No kidding" said Charmy, cleaning up the hot chocolate he had just split " not even I would try flying out in this weather,"

" As bad as the storm may be" said Espio " we do have other concerns,"

"Yeah" said Vector " like what?"

" Knuckles birthday," said Espio.

" Oh, right" said Vector dejectedly as he and Charmy joined Espio at the table " but what can we get him? Knuckles isn't really to thrilled about birthdays,"

"Maybe it's because he's never had a party," said Charmy.

" Or was just to stubborn to ask for one," grumbled Vector.

" How could he ask for one all these years if he's never had anyone to celebrate with" said Espio, glaring at Vector and Charmy " he's the last of his race. There are no more echidnas for him to hang with. Can't you imagine how that devestated him?"

" Yeah, I can " said Vector " he's almost similar to Shadow, and that hedgehog seems to understand Knuckles situation better than any of us ever could,"

"That's it!" said Charmy snapping his fingers " I know the perfect gift to get for Knuckles,"

Buzzing with excitement Charmy quickly whispered his idea to the others, and to their own surprise Espio and Vector grinned.

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Tomorrow morning, the fury of last night's storm had passed, which gave the Chaotix the oppurnity to seek off the island while Knuckles wasn't looking because the echidna would be busy checking for any damage done last night. So the Chaotix took a plane and soared down to Sonics house where everyone was gathered to make preperations for Knuckles surprise birthday party.

"Vector, Charmy, Espio" called Sonic as the Chaotix came in " did you find out what Rad Red wants for his birthday?"

" Like it or not" said Espio " Charmy came up with an amazing idea,"

"Him?" said Sonic, pointing to Charmy unbelievingly.

" Gather everyone in the living room and we'll explian," said Vector.

Minutes Sonic had everyone in the living to hear Charmy's plan and like it or not they all agreed that it was a good one.

" A wishing crystal huh?" said Sonic " well I always wondered what a guy like Knuckles would wish for,"

" But doesn't a birthday cake usually give you a wish?" said Amy.

" Yeah" said Tails " but that wish only has a fifty percent chance of coming true, on a wishing crystal your wishes come true all the time,"

" But where can we possibly find one in time for Knuckles birthday tomorrow?" said Rouge.

" No problem" said Sonic " I know just where to find one. Be back in a flash,"

With that Sonic dashed out of the room only to return minutes later with a glowing white crystal in his hand. Rouge's eyes instantly lit up with greed at the sparkingly beauty of the gem, Sonic quickly hid it away from her sight.

" Oh no you don't" said Sonic " each crystal only grants a person one wish, and this is Knuckles present remember, not yours,"

" Oh well" said Rouge, turning her eyes away from Sonic " it wasn't that beautiful anyway,"

"Tomorrow's going be Knuckles best birthday ever," said Tails.

" For sure," said Shadow.

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The next day Knuckles slept in a bit late do to the exhausting day he had yesterday, repairing all the damage the storm had done without the Chaotix's help. When the Chaotix arrived back on Angel Island last night Knuckles interriogated them long and good, but the excuses they gave were more than suspicous.

Surprise awaited him when he walked down to the dining room to see breakfast all fixed and prepared. Espio was the only one left eating anything, Vector and Charmy were busy fighting over the remote control to the T.V.

"Who cooked it this time?" said Knuckles, as he sat down reaching for a biscuit.

" I did!" yelled Vector, falling flat on the floor after a failed attempt to get the remote away from Charmy.

" You might want to stick with milk," said Espio to Knuckles.

" I heard that!" yelled Vector " you think I can't cook Espio? Last time you made breakfast the scrambled eggs still had eggshells in it!"

"Well it's nothing worst compared to your toast" said Espio, picking up a piece as an example " it's so hard even a knife can't cut through it,"

"Heh ha!" said Charmy changing the station on the T.V. " oh yeah!"

" Hey!" said Vector, turning his attention back at Charmy " give me that remote!"

Knuckles shook his head and tried to conceal his laughter. This mid morning maddness happened nearly everyday, and there was never a dull moment.

" Alright you guys" said Knuckles loud enough to be heard " stop fighting, how bout you say we all go swimming today?"

"Swimming?" said Charmy " yahoo!"

"I'm in," said Espio.

" Me too!" said Vector.

Minutes later the Chaotix and Knuckles were heading to most marvelous place on Angel Island, the Crystal Falls. It was beautiful sight where a natural blue waterfall fell from a wall of white stone, creating a puddle big enough to swim in. The field around that lake was colored with many kinds of flowers, making the Crystal Falls have sort of a mystic appeal.

" Surprise!" shouted voices as Knuckles and the Chaotix reached Crystal Falls.

Knuckles was surprised, 'cause all his friends were already at the Crystal Falls with birthday cake, presents and more.

" Happy Birthday Knuckles!" yelled the Chaotix along with Sonic and the others.

Before Knuckles knew it he was being dragged into the fun like everyone else. Although not used to parties Shadow began enjoying Knuckles birthday celebration as well, including trouching the echidna in an arm wrestiling contest, although Knuckles swore that he'd win next time.

Rouge found pleasure in it as well, when time came for Spin the Bottle her spin landed on Knuckles and the echidna blushed when she kissed him. When it was Amy's turn however Sonic had to be most unhappy hedgehog in the world as her spin landed on him and he had to run away from being kissed.

Finally the cake was brought out with the wishing crystal placed in the center. Knuckles was imediately surprised.

" This is ultimate birthday present Knuckles" said Sonic " from all of us. Go on and make a wish,"

" I wish I knew the truth on what happened to my kind," thought Knuckles and blew out the wishing crystal.

For a second nothing seemed to have happened, then suddenly the sky turned red, and the entire Angel Island shook.