Far out in the desert, Knuckles collapse from the immense amount of heat. Some non-mobain vultures circled round him.

Knuckles didn't even attempt to get up. Over-riddled with the guilt of his now dead father, what his mother, his aunts, his uncle and his cousins Jon and Kneecaps would think, and his friends… Julie-Su… Ralph… Shade… Remington… Gabor… Tik— wait, no. Especially not her! Every time he remembered began to mourn uncontrollably.

No point now.

He went unconscious too.

But while unconscious, two mobians came in wildly and attacked the vultures, sending them flying away.

"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaahh!" Cried the older of the two, a hedgehog. "Get out! Get out! Get outta here! Whoo!"

"I love it!" The fox laughed, "Bowling for buzzards!"

"Gets 'em every time." The hedgehog dusted himself off, the noticed the unconscious Knuckles. "Uh-oh. Hey, Tails. You better come over here. I think he's still alive."

"Oh my…" Tails walked over and he moved Knuckles' hand away from his face.

"Well, we can't leave him out here." The hedgehog said quietly. "What's he doing all the way out here?"

"I… don't know, Sonic." Tails scratched his head, "This desert isn't exactly the best of living conditions."

"No kidding." Sonic fanned himself, "It's like, 60 degrees out here."

"Come on, Sonic." Tails and Sonic lifted Knuckles between them, "Let's get out of here and find some shade."

The duo quickly found an oasis in the desert where Knuckles was placed near the water. Sonic doesn't usually associate himself with water, but this was an exception. The hedgehog gently splashed Knuckles' face with the cold water. On the other hand, Tails fanned him with a big leaf that was pulled off a palm tree. The echidna was brought back to his senses.

"You okay, buddy?" Asked Sonic.

Knuckles looked surprised at the duo, having never seen them before.

"I… guess so."

"You nearly died." Tails cried. "We saw you in the desert and brought you here."

"Well, thanks for the help." Knuckles said quietly before venturing off.

"Hey, where you going?" Asked Sonic.

"Nowhere." Knuckles just walked on ahead of the hedgehog.

"Gee." Said Tails. "He looks blue."

"No, I'm blue, he's red." Sonic pointed out.

"No, no, no, no. I mean he's depressed."

"Oh! Hey, wait!"

Sonic raced up to Knuckles, more worried than before.

"Hey buddy, what's eatin' ya?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all."

Knowing this was going nowhere, Tails changed the subject.

"So, where are you from...?" He asked.

"Who cares?" Sighed Knuckles, "I'm not going back."

"So, you're an outcast?"

"Yeah." Knuckles sighed. "I did something terrible. My father died because of me and now I don't have to go."

"Oh, I'm sure it was just an accident." Sonic assured. "You know, buddy, in times like this we always say, 'Is since you got put your behind in the past."

"No, no, no. Amateur." Tails groaned. "lie down before you hurt yourself." He then looked to Knuckles. "It's you got to put your past behind you. You know, take life one day at the time, no past, no future. It's easy. Why, does he all the time."

"What?" asked Sonic

"You just need a break." Tails explained. "A little… vacation."

"I'm not sure how that's going to…"

"Then maybe you need a new lesson. Repeat after me." Tails cleared his throat, "Hakuna Matata."

Knuckles had never heard that phrase before and scratched his head. "Huh?"