Chapter 12 Two Birds, One Stone

Knuckles the Echidna had finally collect all that he needed to rebuild the Master Emerald shrine. After what he experienced in the mines he found a different way to collect what he needed from the place. So Knuckles was heading back to Angel Island.

Now, Knuckles was given a transport ship so that he, Tikal, and Chaos could easily get to and from Angel Island. Knuckles didn't really care as much for it since he didn't have many plains to venture off Angel Island but he was glad for it now because it made getting the materials back to Angel Island that much easier. In fact, Knuckles probably would of had to take one if he didn't have one. For you see, the echidna race has the ability to glide. This means that when he had the ability to slow down his decent or even clear longer distances when gliding. However, this ability only can let Knuckles slow his fall while moving forward. Meaning he could not go upwards.

Knuckles made it back to the transport ship and loaded his hand-made trolley onto it. Once it was onboard, Knuckles got into the drivers seat and took off back towards Angel Island. Now Knuckles wasn't as found of driving. He found it to be rather difficult has he preferred to just walk. Thankfully to Knuckles, the Transport ship came with an auto pilot so all he had to do was press a button and it'd take him back to Angel Island. Of course, it wasn't Knuckles who set up that destination. One of the Sega Kingdom's Aerial Guards tried to explain it to him, but Knuckles found it way to confusing. Tikal on the other hand seemed to pick it up no problem as she was the one to set the coordinates.

So Knuckles sat back as the transport ship headed back to Angel Island. Knuckles was glad to be going home, back to the Master Emerald. Though Knuckles believed he could trust Tikal and Chaos, there was still a nagging suspicion that maybe he shouldn't of left those two alone with the Master Emerald. But Knuckles cleared his head of the thought. He was only being paranoid. Then again who could blame him? After having the Master Emerald taken from him three times. The last two times it was with the same man, Robotnik. As Once was when he took it to power his huge aircraft and the other was when he shattered it.

Then a memory began to resurface as he remembered the first person who tried to take it. The person was a female mobian bat. The strange thing was Knuckles had become quiet fond of her after she arrived injured on his island. But that all changed the night she tried to take the Master Emerald. When Knuckles found out he had chased her to a place on Angel Island called Lava Reef Zone.

"Stop messing around," Knuckles had said while he had cornered Rouge to the edge of an open pit that lead to an underground volcano, "And give me back my emerald."

"You're Emerald?" Rouge asked, "I don't see your name on it."

She smiled as she gazed at the Master Emerald pretended to look for a name on it.

"You see, " Rouge said, "There's nothing on it."

Rouge then smiled at the look of annoyance on Knuckles face as she took a step back. As she did she stumbled and tripped as she went head first into the pit.

"AHHH!" Rouge let out as she fell for she was still suffering from a bad wing and couldn't fly.

Just then an hand reached down and grabbed her leg. Rouge looked to see that it was Knuckles. Knuckles then pulled her up as Rouge just looked back at him confused. Once Rouge was back up the two of them had gazed into each others eyes but Rouge broke it as she took a step away from Knuckles.

"You creep," Rouge said but with a flirtatious vibe in it, "You just wanted to grab my leg didn't you? That's why you saved me."

"Wha?" Knuckles said as the moment faded, "Think what you want bat girl, but I was saving the Master Emerald."

Rouge gave him a look as she was trying to figure him out. Then she tossed him the Master Emerald.

"Here take it," Rouge said, "If it's all you care about."

Knuckles caught the Master Emerald. He looked at it glad to have it back in his possession. Then he sighed as he looked back to Rouge.

"What?" Rouge asked.

"I'm..." Knuckles began but Rouge held up a hand to silence him.

"Save it," Rouge said, "I don't care."

And with that she began to flap her wings and in no time was air-borne. Knuckles was shocked at first but watched as Rouge flew off and away from his Island.

"Approaching Destination."

Knuckles was brought back from his memory as he looked at the dash's screen. It was showing that he was almost back home.

Sonic ran through the halls of the Space Colony Ark. Sonic wasn't exactly sure where the main controls were but he did believe he was heading in the right direction. Sonic made good progress as he passed doors and different halls. Finally, he reached a door with the label, Control Room. Sonic reached to open the door when suddenly the halls intercom came to life.

"Sonic the Hedgehog," Came Robotnik's voice, "I believe I've got something you want. or should I say someone."

There was a pause then another voice came over the PA system.

"Sonic," it was Tails, "Don't worry about us..."

Tails' voice was muffled as Robotnik came back on the speakers.

"Now, Sonic, " Robotnik said, "What I want is simple. Bring me the Chaos Emerald you have. If you don't I'll kill both the fox and the GUN Soldier."

Sonic hesitated on the door handle. He wasn't that far from putting the Fake Emerald into the controls. But then again, Sonic thought, If Robotnik thought the emerald he had was real. Then perhaps he could kill two birds with one stone.

Or, another voice crept into his mind, you could just forget about those two and the Eclipse Cannon. Six of the Chaos Emeralds are right in this room. Just waiting for you to collect.

Sonic shook his head. He couldn't give into those thoughts. The thing was, Sonic had come a long way from those months ago. But for some reason those old thoughts still crept up on him from time to time. So he pushed back those thoughts. It was time to play the hero once again.

Tails and Chris were standing to the side of an empty room. Well almost empty as also in the room was Dr. Robotnik as he was inside his Robo-walker with a large looking gun pointed in the direction of Tails and Chris.

"I wonder how long it'll take him to get here," Robotnik said, "Of course, I have much better things to due than to sit around waiting on Sonic."

Neither Tails nor Chris decided to respond. But Tails did look over to where her and Chris guns where as they lied on the other corner of the room. Tails thought that there surely was some way for her to get to them.

"Thinking of making a break for it?" Robotnik asked amused, "Well go right ahead."

Robotnik made a gesture with his free arm. Tails didn't budge. She wasn't stupid.

"Robotnik!"

The three of them turned towards the open door to se something rushing towards them. He stopped right at the door entrance.

"You came," Robotnik said as he eyed the Emerald in Sonic's hand, "Good boy."

Sonic stood there eyeing Robotnik with much hatred.

"Now, put the emerald there," Robotnik said as he indicated a circle pattern in the middle of the room, "Then back away slowly. Any tricks and you can say good-bye to your friends there."

Sonic gave a nod as he started walking to the center of the room. Tails and Chris watched on in suspense though they had also come to the same conclusion that Robotnik believed the emerald Sonic had was the real Yellow Emerald.

Sonic reached the center of the room. He began to lower himself to set the fake Chaos Emerald on the floor. But what they didn't realize was Robotnik's hand was on the dash of his robo-walker. he pressed a button on there and suddenly what seemed to be the top of a capsule came down from the ceiling and onto Sonic.

"What the?!" Sonic let out as he found himself trapped inside the clear case.

"You thought you could trick me with that fake emerald?" Robotnik said.

This got a gasp from Tails.

"How'd you know it was fake?" Tails called out in shock.

Sonic turned to Tails sharply as Robotnik just grinned.

"Because you just told me, "Robotnik said.

That's when Tails realized her mistake. She had openly confessed that Sonic didn't have the real Yellow Chaos Emerald.

"Now, Sonic your up for a little ride," Robotnik said with a grin, "Though it will be short for once the capsule clears the colony, kaboom!"

Tails looked at Robotnik horrified.

"You can't!" She screamed at him.

"Watch me," Robotnik said with that evil in his voice.

"Tails," Sonic said to her as Robotnik reached for the eject button, "Finish what we started."

And with that Robotnik pressed the button and the capsule dropped into a shoot below. Then three of them turned to the window in the room as they saw the capsule being shot into space.

Inside the capsule Sonic stood still holding the fake Chaos Emerald.

It has the same wave length and properties.

Sonic held up the fake emerald. Was it possible? Could he even do it?

Humph, I can do anything that hedgehog can do.

"CHAOS CONTROL!"