Wednesday 2nd May 9.15 pm.

Dear diary,

We had a visit from Knuckles today been a long time I can tell you. He's pretty much the same as ever rude, abrupt and straight to the point. Nine years and his people still haven't returned to the Floating Island, I guess that's enough to give anyone the grumps. Still, he looks well and I'm glad he's looked after himself.

Sonic was happy to see him too at first but after that it all went down hill for some reason. I didn't realise things had got so desperate. When Sonic asked Knux to take evacuees from Freedom Headquarters I thought he was joking. He was laughing and smiling when he said it. When Knuckles refused he just accepted it and shrugged his shoulders I thought everything was okay between them. Later on though Sonic brought it up again but this time he was pushy. He started reminding Knuckles of all the times he'd saved the Master Emerald. I could see they were both getting pissed off so I distracted them with an early lunch.

Tails arrived in a hurry and thrust something into Sonic's hands, after that he got really agitated. When I asked what was wrong they blanked me! Cheeky gits – I have the right to know what Robotnik has up his sleeves no matter how bad it is.

By the evening I could hear Sonic and Knuckles at each others throats. Sonic was swearing a lot and calling him for all sorts. I've never heard Sonic use language like that before, he's stressed out and it's really beginning to worry me. I know I should spend more time with Zack but they're my friends and I can't just abandon them. I can see both sides and perhaps it is selfish of Knuckles to say no but, Sonic shouldn't have said those things - he deserved that black eye.

When Knuckles left Sonic went straight to bed without saying a word to me. I've no idea what's going on in his head. I wish I could help him but he's like a stranger to me now. If you have any ideas what to do could you let me know? There must be something I can do for an old friend.

Later X


Knuckles left the crib and letter outside Vanilla's door. He looked down at the hoglets sleeping one last time and then made for the exit. His conscience was screaming out for him to stop, but he tried to convince himself that perhaps this wasn't actually goodbye. He opened the security hatch to the outside world and in the dark of the night slipped away. His destination was a secure spot in what was left of the Green Hill Zone to use the teleport. The zone had become a deserted wasteland. Land mines were waiting for the unwary under foot and the waterfalls had long dried out into cracked flaky dust pits.

Knuckles spotted a surveillance droid and immediately took cover. Its ultra red beam was efficiently scouring the area for any life forms to transform into robots. In the distance a tall sky scraper towered over the desert. This was the central landmark of Robotropolis – Robotnik's capital city. Knuckles was disgusted, how could Sonic let that thing be built in his home town? Since the chemical bombs he'd let things slide and Robotnik had control of everything.

The moonlight was hidden by thick grey clouds and a light drizzle began to fall. Knuckles pulled his green cloak over his head and quickly moved on he didn't want to be caught in the acid rain.

He very rarely used the mobile teleport because if it got damaged by accident there would be no echidna technicians to fix it. Since the Tornado had been scrapped for spare parts there wasn't the chance of a lift if things went wrong either. He crouched down low keeping a keen eye on the surveillance droid and took out the teleport.

The purple orb began to glow brightly and Knuckles stepped into the light. He took one last look at the doom and gloom of the Green Hill Zone before disappearing.

He reappeared in Sky Sanctuary high above the Lava Reef in the clouds. It was quiet. The gigantic marble pillars that had once stood over three metres tall lay in ruins on the floor. The fountains were broken shells of their former splendour, the towers were crippled and the green cog-like wheels had rusted to a standstill.

Knuckles walked to the edge of one of the platforms and sat down his legs dangling over the side. He was now far away from noise, commotion and distractions. It was a good place to come and think. You could listen to the wind whistle passed your ears and just close your eyes in peace. Nine years had passed and still he was alone. Still waiting for his people and guarding that glorified hunk of green rock that does nothing but glow and look pretty. The Master Emerald does not feel empty, does not regret or want more. It feels no frustration loneliness or despair. It gives nothing but takes everything.

The echidna looked ahead at the wisps of cloud turning their erratic shapes into more recognisable forms. A tree, doughnut, Amy's pico pico hammer and Sonic running…

"I'd take them back with me right now spikes but they won't come – too late."

He could picture Sonic's bright green eyes flashing with anger and his fists clenched preventing him from wringing the echidna's neck. How flakes of spit had exploded from his mouth and his nose wrinkled in disgust. He'd asked for help. Perhaps for the first time in his whole cocky existence he'd reached out to share the burden. In return the guardian of the Floating Island had shown no empathy. Cold as the stone he guarded he simply said no.

At the time Knuckles had felt justified. His protective instincts towards the island had gone on autopilot. Over the years of knowing the blue hedgehog the island had been attacked constantly. No matter how hard he tried to restore the zones they continued to suffer neglect. He had gone past the fear of 'what if' scenarios. For twenty six years of his life he had been afraid of what his people may say or think when they came back. Twenty six years wasted because funnily enough they hadn't come back at all. No miraculous evening when a warp hole appears or the Master Emerald shatters or a secret wall opens and armies of echidnas come marching through happy to be home. No thank you or pat on the back. No explanation and no long lost family to yell at for being left behind – zilch.


Vanilla lifted her skirt a little higher and picked up the pace. The tracking droid was mere inches behind her but the bomb had not detonated! She prayed for a few more seconds Tails was counting on her to blow up fourth power generator. The bomb had been placed in the central strut of the generator, once that came down it would lead the way for the others to complete the mission. They needed to hit this one hard it contained some of Robotnik's deadliest bio chemical weapons: napalm, mustard gas and toxi mac – a deadly form of mega mac that attacks the organs of the respiratory system.

Everyone remembered the Green Hill Zone incident. Nearly the entire population wiped out. The exception had died hours later their lungs shrivelled up like prunes. It was said the effect was that of drowning without water. Cream changed after that she grew up. Her childhood violated by death and nightmares of the friends she had grown up with. For a mother to witness innocence torn from her child was soul destroying. She would do this for Cream and for all those who died they deserved better, they deserved justice.

The explosion sent metal shards tearing through the air. They cut into the large droid causing it to malfunction and collapse to the ground. The tower groaned in protest as it began to lean forward but there it remained. It was barely standing but still supplying power to the factory, still a threat to the plan.

"No!"

Vanilla turned on her heels and ran back towards the tower with a grenade in her shaking palm. She was not going to let the team down. Their efforts would not be wasted nor their morale broken. This mission was going to be a success it had to be, at all costs.


Knuckles, was smiling for once as he retraced his steps back to Freedom Headquarters. What few possessions he had were stuffed inside a small blue satchel alongside his green cloak. The pig at the security door grunted as he opened the hatch.

"Still want 54?"

"You bet."

No one had occupied room 54 since he had been gone it seemed. Cream's painting of a field of flowers was still in pride of place on the central wall. He dumped the satchel and proceeded to room 525 but there was no answer.

"Vanilla? Am back!" No reply.

The mess hall, meeting room, cargo hold and store room yielded nothing. Few people around the complex had even heard of the rabbit family and the young hoglets never mind where they might be. They had their own problems to deal with.

There was only one place left Tails' tower in blue sector. Knuckles bounded up the steps his heart beginning to beat faster. What if something had happened to them?

"Summer, Sonic, Rosie! Tails, are you there? What's going on? Where are the others?"

The door was already ajar when the echidna pushed it open fully. The scene that greeted him made him gasp out loud. Slunk over blue prints and piles of copious notes was Tails. In his hand was a glass bottle almost empty. The remainder of the brown liquid inside the bottle had spilt onto the table. He was breathing slowly – fast asleep.

To his right was Rouge the bat, glaring at Tails, her face swelling in anger so that she resembled a ripe tomato. In her arms the hoglets faces wet with tears sleeping but rather uneasily. They looked thinner than the echidna had previously remembered too.

"What the hell is going on?"

Rouge continued to look with contempt at Tails, his head tilted to one side and saliva dribbling out of his mouth.

"Can't handle his alcopops obviously. He's out for the count and these poor things have been crying. I don't know how long they've been like this but, all you wanted was a cuddle didn't you hmm? Heartless bastard!"

"Where's Vanilla? She's meant to be looking after them!"

"Hello Knuckie!" Rouge's blue eyelids began to flutter when she recognised the hot headed echidna. "I just got here and as for what's going on? I have no idea. Looks like we'll both have to wait until Mr Prower here sobers up, which from the size of that bottle is going to take a while."

Knuckles took the hoglets his heart aching with guilt."I need to get some milk down them they don't look well at all."

Rouge smirked, "Since when did you become the fathering type?"

"That's a long story bat girl…"