Author's Comments:

Been rather rusty and I haven't written for a while so please forgive any mistake you happen to find. This story is primarily about Sonic and the gang with some rather dark undertones once I get into the swing of things. I hope the intro isn't too confusing as I tried to clarify as much as I could without compromising the story. The summary should help make things clear for everyone however. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the story. -Dark

-Summary-

A week prior to these events, Sonic having defeated Dr. Eggman awhile back is enjoying a period of peace in the land of Mobius. Eggman's base of operations Robotropolis had been reduced to ruins and the citizens of the city of Mobotropolis were happily enjoying their care free lives. Few eyebrows were raised when Miles 'Tails' Prower went missing. People, Sonic included, brushed it off as the young fox spreading his wings and going on his own adventures. When Knuckles disappeared a couple of days later however, suspicions were raised and everyone was sure Dr. Eggman was probably behind it. Checking the ruins of Robotropolis Sonic found little indication that Eggman had been up to anything prompting him to scout Mobius' borders in hopes of finding some answers as to what was going on. In his absence the capital of Mobius, Mobotropolis was suddenly attacked by Eggman capturing all but a few Mobians. Sonic returning to the empty city a few days later one late afternoon met one of these survivors and was told a recount of how the invaders had came and departed to the east. Nothing was eastbound... except Robotropolis. Informed of the present situation Sonic sped eastward intent on freeing those captured and taking down the ever 'good' Doctor once again.

-A Grassy Hilltop overlooking New Robotropolis several miles outside its outskirts-

-Time: 10:54:12PM-

"No way…" Sonic voiced quietly to himself in disbelief as he laid flat along the grassy ground of the hill hidden by some bushes. He peeked beyond the bush his concealed him out towards what was once the ruins of Eggman's last lair. This clearly wasn't the case anymore however as the ruins were gone and in its stead was a metal megalopolis that seemed to span for miles.

"It's big isn't it…?"

"Yeah…hard to believe Eggman did this all in a few days…" Sonic replied casually before pausing for a second and actually taking a second to wonder who exactly he was talking to. Quickly turning his head towards his right, Sonic couldn't suppress his palm from going to his face as he was greeted with the sight of an all too familiar pink hedgehog lying right beside him.

"Amy!" Sonic yelled in a hushed whisper as he stared at the woman in disbelief that she was actually here. "What in the world are you doing here!"

"Well…" Amy began shyly as she turned her eyes away from Sonic for a second before glancing back upwards towards him. "I was…waiting for you."

"…" Sonic's expression remained neutral as he said nothing to the girl's innocent reply for a second before sighing softly and performing his second facepalm of the night. "Look Amy. I don't have time to play games with you right now."

"But I'm not here to play games! I'm here to help you!" Amy countered with a determined look on her face.

"Ummm...alright…." Sonic said slowly as he wondered exactly how he make the girl understand that what he was about to do was, to put it bluntly, dangerous. "….Well do you want to know how you can help me the most?" Sonic asked seriously as he stared into the girl's emerald eyes.

"How…?" Amy asked earnestly as she melted under Sonic's gaze.

"Go home." Sonic said flatly before standing up and walking out towards the robotic city. The blue hedgehog took less than two steps thought before Amy's hands firmly grabbed his right hand effectively stopping him in place.

"I'm not going home Sonic!" Amy declared definitively as her grip tightened around Sonic's hand. "I'm going to follow you whether you like it or not Sonic! Because I um…because I…I-"

Before Amy could get the words out, Sonic quickly spun around and with his free hand softly pressed a gloved finger on Amy's lips. "Because you look up to me right?" Sonic said understandingly finishing the girl's sentence for her so that she didn't have to. "But…even if that's the case. I still can't let you follow me in good conscience Amy."

Needless to say, upon hearing those words come out his mouth, Amy's expression fell and her eyes slowly lowered themselves to the grounds. In the following moments that he spoke, Amy zoned out and couldn't help but wonder if she would ever be able to get her feelings across to the blue hedgehog that ironically stood but inches away yet seemed to be miles from her. Honestly speaking, she didn't just like him. She loved him. She'd always wanted to tell him it but it was always times like these that reminded her that he probably only thought of her as a nuisance. One that he probably just wanted out of his hair…

And so if that was the case…

Maybe it was better if she just went back to the shelter…

…

"So instead, just stay right beside, alright?" Sonic said in his usual confident voice as he shot the girl one of his trademark grins. Although Amy hadn't caught anything he said prior to his last sentence, it was more than enough to make the pink hedgehog stare wide eyed at the blue blur in front of her.

"Wait what?" Amy asked somewhat confused wondering exactly how it had come to this. He was going to let her tag along!

"Didn't you say you say that you would follow me no matter what right? So if that's the case, it'd be better if you stick close to me. It'll be easier to protect you that way." Sonic said simply as he rotated his hand in the girl's grasp, took her left hand into his own, and tightened his own grip around her hand.

"I hope you're ready." Sonic said casually with a huge smirk as he turned back around towards their destination.

"No! Wait Sonic! I'M NOT READY!"

"Cause. Here. We. GO!"

And on that mark Sonic began to speed down the hill with Amy in hand.

Course, the speed at which they ran wasn't anything close to his maximum. Hell, the speed wasn't even close to Amy's. Yet it was a good pace for the both of them and made Amy smile on the inside at that fact that Sonic took her presence into consideration. At this point, it didn't even matter that Sonic didn't care for her in the same sense that she did…She only wished that this moment where they ran in the middle of the grassy plains lit only by the moonlight could last forever.

-The Shelter: The Last refuge for the Mobians-

-Time: 11:24:12PM-

With arms folded across his chest, Espio leaned with his left shoulder against the dirt wall and his head turned towards the left looking out one of the few windows their last sanctuary had. If the mole family hadn't been so kind as to take them in well….that was a prospect he didn't want to think about. The Mole family, being rather big and all, said they had rooms to spare but upon closer inspection of their tunnels, their home was more like a labyrinth. Their tunnels twisted every which way and seemed to stretch for an eternity. This made setting up camp there rather easy. With space in no short supply the only thing he really had to worry about was security.

He let out a small sigh as he watched a light drizzle start up outside.

It was hard to believe that it had come to this. First Tails disappeared. Then Knuckles soon after. No one thought it to be all that peculiar either since Eggman hadn't reared his ugly head since the last time they defeated him. Hell the only thing that remained from their last encounter with him was the ruins of his base. Robotropolis. Sonic had gone and verified this face the moment knuckles had gone missing and once it was verified that they were untouched, he'd heard that Sonic had set out to check around the borders of Mobius for maybe a clue as to what was going on.

Unfortunately, Eggman was probably waiting for this or at least that's what Espio suspected. Course he didn't have any evidence to support his suspicions but he didn't think it was just a mere coincidence for hundreds of giant Eggman robots to suddenly appear in Mobotropolis the day after Sonic set out. No. The attack had definitely been planned. The chaos that ensued in the streets lasted for but only a few hours. Proof enough that it'd been well thought out considering the city's huge population….

Something wasn't right about this whole thing though. Don't get him wrong, an attack by Eggman wasn't uncommon, but waiting for Sonic to be out of the picture before attacking? That just didn't seem right. Eggman had a track record of challenging his quick blue nemesis head on… yet this time he didn't. Of course, Espio did consider the fact that he was over thinking things a bit much but honestly he just couldn't shake this bad feeling he had about all this…

"Hey! Espio!" Espio's eyes glanced towards his right as he saw a chipper little bee fly towards him.

"Done already Charmy?" Espio asked calmly as he diverted his eyes back towards the dreary sight outside.

"Yeah! And it's like everyone said!" Charmy's excited voice began before tapering off at the end. "It's back…."

"….Mmm." Espio hummed somewhat thoughtfully. "Thanks."

"No problem! That's what I'm here for!" Charmy cheerfully replied obviously proud of his work before turning around and zipping away to places unknown.

"Charmy." Espio called out before the bee before he got out of ear range.

"Yeah?" Charmy replied as he turned back to look at the magenta chameleon.

"Don't wander around too long. Your recon shift begins in a few hours, alright?" Reminded Espio before looking back out towards the glass.

"Alright…." Charmy whined knowing there was no use arguing before slowly flying away without the pep that used to be in his step. Espio wanted to let the little bee rest, but with few allies around that he could rely on, he had little choice. Staring back out towards the dark landscape, Espio wondered how Sonic was fairing. After Sonic had informed him that he hadn't found a trace of Eggman at the ruins of Robotropolis he hadn't seen the blue hedgehog since. He couldn't help but wonder whether the guy had somehow been captured or taken out. Course, idle speculation wasn't going to get him anywhere. If anything he was better off wondering about the reemergence of Robotropolis. Espio was positive it hadn't been there a few days ago yet poof; just like magic apparently it was rebuilt.

Letting out another sigh, Espio slowly closed his eyes as he wondered what in the world he was going to do. Without almost everyone out of commission and Sonic MIA (Missing in Action) the situation was looking rather dire.

"Dammit….." Espio voiced quietly as the rain began to come down even harder outside. "What the hell should I to do Vector…?"

-Somewhere in New Robotropolis-

-Holding Cell Number: X213-

-Time: 11:25:01PM-

"Ugh…"

'How many times had I been drugged…?'

As the room slowly spun into perspective, Knuckles slowly raised both his heavy eyes and head upwards. He slowly glanced around the empty cell he'd been held in for the last few days as he jiggled his arms in front of him reaffirming the huge metal brace binding his wrists all the way to his hands to one another. Normally he'd be able to smash such a feeble binding against the floor or something but considering he was barely coherent enough to hold his head up….well it wasn't really possible.

"Oh! So you're finally awake sleepy head." Called a sweet voice from outside the bars of his small cell.

Knuckles slowly turned his head towards the direction of the voice as his eyes attempted to focus on the dark shadowy blur that the hallway lights behind her caused. Honestly though, it would be hard for anyone to mistake the woman's shadowy figure or her sultry voice. Hell, even without both his sight and hearing in tip-top shape knuckles could smell the sweet bat's perfume emanating off her body and that alone was enough inform him of the woman's identity.

"Rouge….." Knuckles voiced quietly as he struggled to remain above the waves of unconsciousness.

"Bingo!" Rouge happily replied giving the bound Echidna a sweet little smile.

"Wh-…what are you doing here….?" Knuckles asked unable to tell whose team she was playing for this time. Considering the number of times she'd flipped-flopped before, he could never really tell when she was friend or foe.

"Just checking up on my favorite red Echidna, that's all." Rouge said teasingly before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a little golden key. Knuckles noticed the object's shape and couldn't help but instantly perk up once he saw its gleam.

"Aww…..?" Rouge voiced as she tilted her head to the side all too sweetly before continuing? "You look like you want this little ol' key here…."

"Do you want it Knuckles….?" Rouge asked innocently as she slipped her ring finger through the hole it had in its handle and begun to playfully twirl it around her finger. Knuckles' eyes remained locked on key that spun around her finger and shot the woman an angry glare wondering how long she was going to keep up this game with him.

"Aw comon…" Rouge whined playful as she suddenly stopped spinning the key and used it to unlock the door to his cell.

"If you look at me so angrily…." Rouge began as she slowly approached the defenseless Echidna who sat on the side of a small bed with his back resting against the cell's wall. "You'll start to make me feel bad…." And on that note the mischievous bat softly cupped Knuckles' right cheek with her free left hand.

Knuckles' eyes shook unsteadily but this was the most coherent he had been in days. He dismissed the woman's soft touch yet couldn't hide the growing redness in his cheeks as he stared into the bat's hypnotic eyes. He couldn't give in now though. If he did he'd just be doing exactly what she wanted him to. Not that there was anything wrong with that but he needed to stay focused on the task at hand. Who knew when he'd fall back under and if he did who knew when he'd wake up? He needed to escape now and that meant he couldn't give in to her advances. And so with that renewed mentality, Knuckles summoned up the firmest voice he could muster before finally telling her. "Rouge. Release me."

Rouge paused in her advance as she seemed generally hurt this time that Knuckles hadn't given in and pouted slightly before standing back upright and folding her arms under her impressive chest. "And why should I if you're simply going to take that sort of attitude with me." Rouge commented pointedly as she turned her head away slightly.

"….." Knuckles didn't like where this was heading since his pride warned him that it was in danger of being hurt, but considering she was his best chances of getting out of here….he really had no other choice. "…..Please Rouge. Can you please release me?"

A small smile found itself on the lips of the bat as her sour expression lighted slightly. "How about saying 'Pretty please Rouge with sugar on top'? Rouge teased.

"….No."

"Comon Knuckles." Rouge said in an attempt to egg him on.

"No." Knuckles replied stubbornly feeling a slight rush of adrenaline at the prospect of freedom. "Even if I do say it there's no guarantee that you'll let me out is there?"

"No." Rouge replied almost immediately with her impish little smile still in place. "But isn't that what makes it fun?"

'Yeah…for you maybe.' Knuckles thought angrily to himself.

"Well how about this then." Rouge propositioned. "You promise to give me the Master Emerald and…I'll help you get out of here."

"You know I can't do that." Knuckles said plainly without even giving the idea a second of thought.

"Awww comon! A rock that big is wasted on you! It'd be better if it was with someone who appreciated its true value. Someone…you know… like me." Rouge reasoned to the man as she placed a hand on her chest to emphasis her point. Knuckles however remained silent to the woman's goading definitively letting her know that his decision was final. Unfortunately, even if he'd wanted to give it to her, his duty as the Emerald's Guardian made him unable to do so. He didn't need to explain it to her. She already knew.

Rouge noticing the Echidna's stonewall-esque attitude caused the woman to sigh softly and to once again start twirling the key around her finger. She didn't want it to end this way but seeing as how there was no reasoning with him…well. It was inevitable. "You know Knuckles…"

"I really wanted to let you go. Really I did. But a girl can't work for nothing sweetie. That's just not how the world works."

Knuckles sort of had a feeling things would come to this and slowly felt the vigor from his chance at freedom subsiding back from whence it came. He slowly closed his eyes and felt the waves of unconsciousness slowly begin to rise and almost let himself slip back under it until suddenly a soft and slightly moist pressure was pressed onto his forehead. His eyes snapped open as quickly as they could as he saw a cute smiling bat moving to stand back upright in front of him

"I'm sorry we couldn't reach an agreement Knuckles." Rouge said somewhat regretfully as she slowly began to make her way back towards the door to her right. Once outside the cell, Rouge locked his cell and took a short step back. Instead of pocketing the key though, Rouge tossed the key into the cell and turned to walk away.

"Think of it as a freebie." Rouge called out to him as she walked away. "Don't ever expect another one though."

Knuckles' eyes drifted towards the key that had clattered loudly on his floor and now lay but a couple of feet away from his bed. He chuckled to himself slightly before shaking his head slowly at the sheer joke of situation this was.

"Freebie or not..." Knuckles began quietly to himself before suddenly yelling out the next part towards the bat who was probably still without ear range. "How the hell am I supposed to unlock myself without the use of my hands!"

'Your problem. Not mine.' Rouge thought to herself as she chuckled slightly and continued walking down the corridor.