Authors Note: Starts a little slow, but there are many chapters to this story. I might just post the first two or three and then more if anyone shows any interest in it. Constructive criticism/Reviews are very welcomed.
Side Note: All characters in this story are owned by Sega.
Checkered Skies of Red & Grey
Chapter 1: Just Another Day
A piercing cold, yet heavenly calm silence filled the air.
It was the first sign of peace that had gotten the chance to break through the long monotonous chatter of the previous three hours.
A seemingly thankful reprieve for two weary travelers who had no more to speak of than what had already been said.
The ocean was far but could still be heard in the distance as a misty fog softened overhead. Small bits of clouded sunlight, heavenly seeping through the taller trees above.
"...What did I do to deserve all of this?" The gruff, yet mellow, male voice whispered.
He was speaking to himself. Something he used to do very often, sitting on that lonely Angel Island, guarding that precious Emerald.
However, the Master Emerald was not on that island at the moment and nor was he. No, at the moment he seemed to be walking through an unfamiliar vibrant spring-green forest.
Not alone though.
Far behind him trailed an unlikely character.
One by the name of Charmy Bee.
Indeed it was true, Knuckles the Echidna was off on some kind of adventure with Charmy Bee, of the Team Chaotix Detective Agency.
This wasn't the first time they teamed up but it was still quite an odd pair of friends to be going on an adventure together, being such opposites personality wise, though their friendship was not as odd as the silence that now hung over them.
Fluttering in the air whilst holding back tears, Charmy stared at the ground before him, ready to burst out crying once more.
Knuckles tried his best to ignore the sniffling in the distance.
The most he was comfortable hearing was the sound of his metal padded shoes scrunching harshly on the crisp green grass, all while causing his footprints to be marked in the soil beneath.
The two had walked like this for about half an hour now but after another ten minutes passed the red Echidna stopped cold in his trail. He seemed to be contemplating while he waited for the small bee to catch up.
Then with a soft sigh the words finally broke free, though not without a slight air of annoyance in his tone, "...Hey. Don't-...Don't cry. Okay?"
A long quiet minute passed by.
Then a peculiar sour look overcame the echidna as he tried to speak his next words, "I...I'm...," It was almost painful for him to say, let a lone for anyone else to hear him force...an apology. "I'm... S-Sorry... Okay!" He turned to face Charmy, who was far enough behind that Knuckles had to question if his friend had even heard what he had strained to say.
He just barely caught a glimpse of the small honey bee rubbing his still tear filled eyes before he let out another sigh.
Then, with a soft whisper Knuckles posed a question for himself, "How did I ever get myself into this mess?"