First chapter all fan characters. Next chapter Sonic and co. enter. Deal with it.

KOTWR Prologue:

A loud siren wailed as it cast its red light across the metal plated hallway tinting it a dark blood red. The screeching continued for two minutes when suddenly the glass of the siren shattered and the sound faded but the red light remained.

A red fox with bright blue eyes garbed in a black trench coat stood with a gun in his hand smiling up at the broken siren.

"Uh… what was that for?" The communicator clipped to his ear buzzed.

"Nothing really, the siren was just starting to annoy me." he replied into the small microphone by his mouth.

"Ugh… Cree you're so…well, whatever just keep moving." the voice replied irritably.

Cree stowed the gun away in his coat and turned to keep going down the corridor when he paused, "Well, that's easier said than done." he said.

Ahead of him, a thick metal grate was slowly descending, sealing off the path he needed to take.

"Oh shit, the hall's sealing up isn't it?" the voice asked, "Turn back, you can still go the other way!"

Cree turned to head back but then paused. Without warning he turned and sprinted towards the gate, "No way, I'm going for it!" he shouted.

"Cree! Wait!"

Hiding in a janitorial closet about a thousand miles away, a black fox with a pinstriped beret perched on her head clad in a gray tank top and jeans sat glaring at a computer screen resting on her lap. Her name was Apache. A small green dot labeled 'Cree' had just stopped in front of a small black line that had appeared between the parallel lines it was traveling along.

The headset she was wearing let off some static and then Cree's voice came through, "Owwwww! Damn, that was stupid!"

"Congratulations, you've officially made a complete ass out of yourself." Apache said into her microphone, "Could you please turn around now? If you take a left back there you can still go around and come out the back. It'll take more time but it's easier than going back the way you came."

Just then a small red dot appeared in the corner of the screen. There was no label. "Cree, someone's coming." she said.

"Who is it?"

"I don't know. There's no label. I thought you programmed this system to recognize all enemy ranks." she replied.

"I did! You must not understand what it means! What color is it?" Cree demanded.

"It's flashing red." Apache replied, "What does that mean?"

There was silence on the other end of the line. "Cree? Are you there?"

"Shhh!" came the response; he continued in a whisper, "Where is it? Is it coming this way?"

"Um… yes but it's not moving very fast." she said in a hush, "Cree, what's-" Then a thought hit her and she gasped out loud, "Cree… is it her?" she demanded.

There was a pause but then his voice said, "Which way is she headed?

As she said this, the dot began to move faster, "Cree she's headed right for you! Get out of there!"

Cree ran for the corner and glanced around the side, all he saw was darkness; the electricity for the lights had gone out as part of the defense system. He quickly turned left and sprinted down the empty hall in a panic. Then the voice on his headset made him stop, "CREE NO! You're headed right for her!"

"Oh shit…" he mumbled. He turned to go back but he froze as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He paused for a second but then, instinctively reached for the gun in his coat pocket and whipped around to face his assailant. He tried to pull the trigger but the gun was swatted out of his hands before he could even blink. The same hand suddenly came out of nowhere and wrapped itself around his throat. Cree tried frantically to see the one holding him through the darkness but couldn't see through the overwhelming black.

The hand began to tighten, restricting his air supply and making every breath he took a struggle. He began to gasp desperately for air but still the hand became ever tighter. Though he couldn't see he knew the person holding him was smiling at his pain.

Finally he managed to control his panic and lashed out at his captor with his left hand. A cry of pain rang through the hall as he felt blood splatter across his chest. He wasted no time; he turned and sprinted back the way he came. He had no idea where he was going but only knew he had to get as far away from there as possible.

"You're about to hit a wall! Turn right!"

Cree paused and turned to his right and began to run again. He couldn't see where he was headed but he trusted Apache not to steer him the wrong way. A moment later he slammed into a metal wall. He swore and grasped at his nose, which was now oozing blood.

"Ooh, sorry… I meant left. Hard to tell which way you're facing with this thing." Apache's voice said. She sounded sincerely sorry so Cree didn't question her, he simply turned about and ran the other way hoping there weren't any more walls in his way.

As he continued he saw a faint red light. Finally! He thought, Light!

"Apache, is she nearby?" he asked.

"No. I don't see her anywhere." came the response.

Cree let out a sigh of relief. He stopped as he reached the light and leaned up against the wall panting. The siren it was coming from had been shut off so there was no annoying wail this time. He looked down at his left hand. The glove was torn and bloody. However it couldn't possibly be his own blood because visible beneath the torn cloth was an iron plated mechanical hand.

He tore of what remained of the glove and let it fall to the floor. He stared down at it for a moment but then looked up again, "Which way, Apache?" he asked.

"Keep heading forward. Best to keep it at a faster pace now that you've been spotted."

Cree reluctantly stood up straight and continued forward into the darkness, "Apache," he said, "If I do get captured-"

"Don't talk like that! You're going to get out of there! " Apache interrupted him.

"I'm just saying; if I am caught in here just make sure you turn off that computer. They might be able to trace the signal from my communicator back to your exact location." Cree continued, "And after that make sure Lark knows what happened too."

"Lark? Are you sure you want him to know? That kind of defeats the purpose of you going in alone, doesn't it?"

"Yes." Cree said firmly. Then he paused to think over what he'd said, "Wait... that came out wrong... I meant yes to the first question..." As he said this he reached a corner. He glanced around it but the dim lighting didn't reach that far around the turn and all he saw was darkness.

"Is anyone nearby?" he asked.

"No. You're alone, keep going." Apache assured him.

Then Cree froze as he was suddenly cast into shadow. He wasn't alone. "A-are you sure about that?" he stuttered fearfully.

"There's nobody displayed on the screen except you."

Cree turned around and saw a dark figure with red glowering eyes glaring at him only a few yards away.

Apache stared down at the screen in front of her. Cree had backed into the corner and was just standing there. "Cree what are you doing? What's wrong?"

"Apache, turn off the system!" he shouted.

"What? Why?" she demanded.

"She must be using her magic so you can't see her signal but she's right here in front of me!"

"But… What about you?"

"Don't worry about me, just do it!" Cree replied.

Apache bit her lip anxiously, "I… I can't just leave you there!"

"There's nothing you can do! GO NOW!"

After he said this Apache heard a scream and a chilling scrape of metal on metal. She sat there for a moment in shocked silence but then she reluctantly placed her finger on the power button of her laptop.

"Cree, I… I-" but she didn't finish her sentence. She pressed the off button and threw the computer to the floor where it shattered. She stood and turned towards the door but didn't move towards it. Her lip quivered dangerously and she fell to her knees. She grasped at a heart shaped locket hanging around her neck as her eyes filled with tears.

She sat there for a few minutes with tears silently streaming down her cheeks but then she finally collected herself and ran out of the closet to find General Lark and tell him about the events that had just taken place.