When you wake up and notice your room is darker than it normally is and it takes you a few minutes to realize the day is getting shorter again lol.
I see this story be getting several comments and with how it's looking I see some are intrigued to what may happen next. Don't worry for those that are interested there will be plenty more in the future and those questions will be answered soon as well. Anyway I hope you enjoy the latest chapter! ^u^
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or locations. They belong to Sega.
Chapter 18: Foe Turned Friend II
"The only difference between the saint and the sinner is that every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future…"
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…
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"By the time you have received this… it may already be too late. The Phantom Ruby has taken over the entire planet."
Knuckles stared in shock at the hologram of Dr. Eggman as he spoke through a pre-recorded message. Metal Sonic stood motionless watching the red echidna make no action, earlier having fought the latter in an intense fight.
The Shinjin Warriors and Sonic's group ran up to him and also watched the hologram of the evil genius.
"WOWIE THAT LOOKS SO COOL!" Cinder cheered getting closer and placing her hand on the hologram, seeing that it went through which astonished her. "Woah my hand went through him!"
"Cinder stay quiet! Knuckles needs to hear this!" Dulcy scolded the teenage pheasant who merely giggled and nodded moving to the side.
"So looks like Egghead left you something to remember him by hehe." Sonic snickered. The former emerald guardian ignored him as Dr. Eggman cleared his throat.
"Whether or not the Phantom Ruby has succeeded or not doesn't matter. What matters is that my creations have brought back the ruby somehow and are planning something big, which I assume might be taking over the world." Eggman explained.
"That shouldn't be a surprise." Shadow muttered.
"Unfortunately I wasn't able to stop them as my creations have developed a sentience and are more powerful than what you, the pesky hedgehog and childish fox fought before."
"I see Egghead still making fun of us but once this is over we'll be cracking his shell." the Blue Blur uttered.
Jian raised an eyebrow. "So wait you, Knuckles and the fox that was in our a temple a while back fought these things before?" she questioned. Sonic nodded. "Yeah, they're called the Hard-Boiled Heavies. Egghead picked a ridiculous name for them but I'm not surprised."
"Least your Eggman has a sense of humor while mine loves the knack of people suffering." Blaze added. "No wonder he hates your Eggman's guts."
"You have an Eggman?" Cinder asked in wonder.
"Yeah and he looks the same way as this one in front of us but different clothes and a more sadistic personality. Fortunately we have him kept at bay in my dimension." the purple cat explained.
"You come from another dimension?" Jian also asked.
"Alright everyone we're getting out of focus, let's hear what this Eggman has to say." Amy intervened.
"The Phantom Ruby has bestowed them greater power that they are just as strong as a super transformation."
"Super transformation?" Cinder questioned to herself. Rouge picked up her low voice and smiled. "Yeah hon, it's basically Big Blue and Shadow turning a golden color whenever they use the Chaos Emeralds. Makes them more powerful and invincible."
"That sounds very interesting." Bunker said.
"It didn't help us when we fought these things though." Shadow announced. Cinder raised an eyebrow. "But she said that it makes you invincible?"
Sonic let out a sigh looking at her solemnly. "It does, but against the Phantom Ruby… we lose that part, and we get hurt by it."
Blaze was also saddened. "I have used the Sol Emeralds which are the equivalent of the Chaos Emeralds in my dimension. Even my transformation stood no chance."
"So in a sense, we're doomed right?" Dulcy asked.
"Pretty much." Amy stated looking dejectedly as well. Tikal walked up to her and patted her back. "It is alright Amy. We will find a solution to all of this." she said with the pink hedgehog smiling in return. Knuckles kept listening to the message coming from the middle-aged man.
"I don't know how to defeat it as it has not only the power to negate the Chaos Emeralds and Master Emerald, but it has the ability to warp time and space around it along with infecting the minds of people. My forces has had huge losses going against it and from what I have heard from rumors and such, Sonic and his friends didn't fare well either." the evil genius said.
The red echidna slowly turned towards Sonic who jumped slightly at this. Violet eyes stared at the latter with no emotion, glancing down to the blue hedgehog's lower body.
"What happened to your legs hedgehog?"
Sonic gasped lightly, his expression downtrodden as he looked at the ground. Amy herself was concerned as she hugged the Blue Blur tightly, tears appearing at the edge of her eyes.
"It's a long story Knux..." Sonic whispered to him.
Rouge raised an eyebrow seeing this interaction. 'Is Knucklehead… starting to care? Is this what you're meaning Big Blue? Does he still have a heart in that tough chest of his?"
Knuckles shifted his eyes to Blaze. "So I take it the other hedgehog met his fate from this then?" he asked. The purple feline began shaking while tearing up, giving a nod with hard effort. Knuckles simply sighed and turned back around. "My condolences…" he whispered.
The ivory batgirl's ears twitched, a smile etching on her face. 'So you still care about us… to be honest, I never really meant any of the bad stuff I did to you before. I was just… not used to how to approach you.'
Unfortunately she said all that in her head while Knuckles continued to listen to Dr. Eggman.
"Apparently there is just no way we can win against the Phantom Ruby… I'm all out of options on my part and I bet Sonic and his friends are still trying to fight this, but even I have seen them being defeated countless times even though they have Shadow and that other hedgehog… I have heard the news of what happened to him. I'm sorry."
Blaze began sobbing upon what Dr. Eggman said. Amy and Tikal rushed to her and hugged the purple cat tightly as she tried to calm herself. Bunker watched sadly on her part. "It is a very forlorn thing to experience a loved one leave this world."
"Yeah, it sucks when the people that's been with you for almost your entire life suddenly pass away just like that." Jian lowered her jade eyes to the floor. "My parents were the best thing I've ever had…"
Shadow looked up at the sky on his part, his crimson orbs being half-lidded with his mouth a thin line. "Maria…"
Tikal continued to hug Blaze along Amy, but her mind was also focused on a certain water creature from back then. 'I wonder how you are doing my dear friend. I may have returned to the living world in a new time… but even then I still miss you…'
Cinder hugged Dulcy who was surprised, the teal-green dragon looking down to see her visibly shaking. Dulcy could only smile and hug her in return while rubbing her back gently. "Shh it's okay Cinder… your big sis will always be here for you…"
Knuckles can sense the emotion from the group behind him.
And it made some within him begin to emerge that he thought he locked away long ago.
'These feelings… is this what I've been running away from this whole time? Was it not because of how they treated me?' the red echidna shook his head and focused on Dr. Eggman. The next part of his recording surprised him and the others even more.
"It is true Knuckles, I am completely out of options. But there is actually one thing that I have recently discovered while I was searching through some ruins… I have found some inscriptions upon them that actually pertain to the Phantom Ruby. I still haven't fully deciphered it, but here's the surprising part." Dr. Eggman then pulled a small metal disc out of his coat and pressed the button on top of it, another hologram popping out of it. Except this one has an etched drawing on a wall that looks like a figure surrounded by seven diamonds.
With a crescent mark on their chest.
"Woah that looks like you Knuckles!" Sonic stated. "Did your ancestors foretell of something that has to do with you?"
Knuckles simply looked at the mark on his chest. "I do not know."
Amy and Tikal have released Blaze once the latter calmed down a few moments ago, but now the pink hedgehog looked at the orange echidna curiously. "Do you happen to know of this?" Amy asked. Tikal shook her head in response. "No. To be honest I have never seen an inscription like that, nor do I know anyone from back then that has created it."
Shadow was curious on his part as well. 'Those might be interpreted as the emeralds, so does that mean that the echidna can also turn super?'
Everyone had questions regarding this but Dr. Eggman went on with his message.
"This inscription is in fact you Knuckles, the crescent being a dead giveaway hehe. The markings in the ruins tell of a prophecy involving the Phantom Ruby and somehow you're in it. I have a feeling the diamonds surrounding the image are the Chaos Emeralds but the fact that they're diamonds may mean that there's another source of power that we aren't aware of, and the fact that this inscription tells of you harnessing this power may mean something." Dr. Eggman then pressed the button again on the disc and the mini hologram disappeared. "I have more information that I wish to tell you but unfortunately this recording isn't long enough and I have to remain in hiding so they do not find me. All I can say is this: this prophecy focuses on you Knuckles and that is why I had Metal Sonic go and find you. You are the key to all of this and if anything, you're the only one that can stop the Phantom Ruby from corrupting the world. I am aware that you have denounced your role as guardian of the Master Emerald, but if I may… please help us, even if you have left your past behind…" Dr. Eggman lowered his head in a small bow. "Until we meet again Knuckles."
The hologram faded away after that and Metal Sonic's power core turned back to its original black color, its red irises shifting to the red echidna. "As Dr. Eggman has also requested, I will aide you in your journey." the mech said.
Knuckles had various conflicting thoughts going in his head.
'Damnit, now I don't really know what my future is!' Knuckles really didn't know where to go from there. 'Should I learn more about this prophecy or do I follow my own destiny? Shuifon did say that I can do whatever I want, but now that the world is in danger because of that Phantom Ruby makes it even harder to find peace. What should I do Master Shuifon, I need your guidance.'
Just as he was trapped in thought, a hand tugged at his arm and broke his internal conflict. The red echidna turned around to see Sonic smiling along with almost all the others minus Shadow doing the same thing.
"Hey Knux, I know you've been through a tough time in your life that we weren't fully aware of and on my part… I just wanna say I'm very sorry." the Blue Blur continued further. "You don't have to see us as your friends with how we treated you before but know this… we will fully support you in whatever you choose. I have chosen basically what is right for the people around me… now it's your turn to choose what is right, and this time for the world."
Knuckles was speechless, violet eyes wide in surprise. Dulcy took this time to step forward with the other Shinjin Warriors following suit. They all pressed their fists together and gave a bow. "As your fellow teammates and sisters, we will help out our big brother as well. The years we've been together have really taught us a lot and you are big inspiration to that."
Rouge smirked. "I'm on board with this Knux so whatever you have in mind I'll also lend a hand."
Shadow rolled his eyes and sighed. "Fine echidna, I'll also see what I can do to help… but not because of what the Doctor said." the black hedgehog then closed his eyes crossing his arms. 'I'll do this for you Maria… since you want me to help others as you have wished.'
"Don't forget about us Knuckles hehe!" Amy jumped in with Blaze in tow. "We'll back you up just like old times!"
Blaze smiled confidently, her sad demeanor having left a while ago. "I'll help out in this like the rest. For a better future… for him as well."
Knuckles was still in shock that everyone wanted to help. He really wasn't expecting this at all even though he treated them like dirt.
Footsteps were heard approaching him and Knuckles shifted his eyes to see Tikal coming forward with hands together in front.
"I do not know of what he has shown, but if he states that you are the hope for the world to go on then I will aid you with what I can. I cannot fight for I am against all violence, but I will help you on your journey with what I can offer. Please… Knuckles… please help us." the orange echidna said with tears in her eyes.
The former emerald guardian still didn't know what to say, his eyes focusing now on the ground. Should he go along with this or should he find his own path forward? Even the Shinjin Warriors were giving him a tough time and by the looks of it they even want him to save the world. Normally that Sonic's thing but even the blue hedgehog is asking him to take the mantle of main hero.
His hatred for his former friends still remains… but now he thinks of them differently. It's not a good thing, but at the same time it's not a bad thing. He honestly doesn't know, but if anything just the raw emotion and truth that he sensed and heard was incredibly strong that something within him has unlocked itself.
The red echidna held this very thing inside him for almost his entire life and he never knew it was going to happen. Why would it since he was stuck on an island guarding a giant glowing rock with no apparent knowledge on why the task was given to him in the first place.
This thing that he hid inside… was the aspect of being a hero to everyone.
To be acknowledged.
To be treated with respect.
To feel important.
And most of all… to have the choice of forging his own path.
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…
And already he knew what his choice was, a smile coming to his face as he looked at Sonic whose own eyes widened with happiness. "Where are the Chaos Emeralds?" Knuckles asked.
The latter smiled as well. "They're back at our base guarded by Tails and the others. I forgot to mention that we didn't bring them as we needed people to treat and care for the refugees." Sonic informed. "It was a bit of a risk to bring Shadow and Rouge since they're some of the strongest fighters but weirdly enough… they actually wanted to come along hehe."
"Don't say anything more faker…" Shadow muttered glaring at the blue hedgehog. Rouge laughed at this. "Oh you don't have to hide it Shady. I wanted to see Big Red again even if he whooped our butts and said mean things."
Knuckles let off a short grunt looking back at Sonic. "Do you have all seven?"
"Yeah but because the Master Emerald has been taken by the Phantom Ruby the connection between them has been cut off. They're almost drained of their energy as we had to use them to go super several times. Tails guessed that if we went super again the emeralds won't have their energies anymore." the latter stated.
"So will you help us guardian?" Tikal asked with hope. Knuckles looked at her and for some reason felt an unknown thing, but he brushed it aside. "Yes, I will help everyone."
A cheer came out of everyone as the Shinjin Warriors were happy to see Knuckles become a big hero while Sonic and his friends were relieved that their former emerald guardian has chosen to help.
"Neat so what'll we be doing next?!" Cinder said happily.
"What's the plan Knuckles?" Jian added to that.
Knuckles turned back to Metal Sonic who remained stationary. "Do you know where Dr. Eggman is?" he asked. The robotic being's eyes pulsed for a few seconds, eventually returning to its constant red. "Dr. Eggman is currently located in Holoska."
"ALL THE WAY OVER THERE?!" Amy bellowed out. "NOT ONLY THAT BUT IT'S FREEZING COLD UP THERE! WHY WOULD-."
Sonic placed a finger on her lips which effectively shut her up. "Now Ames calm down. That's actually an awesome place to hide since I doubt the Phantom Ruby has reached that high up north."
"I've never been to Holoska, but from what I seen in the brochure it is an incredibly cold and snowy area so it makes sense for the doc to hide there." Rouge added.
Knuckles nodded turning back to Metal Sonic. "Alright we will go to Holoska and meet with Eggman. Since we do not have any means of transportation and don't have any Power Gems to Chaos Control all the way over there, we'll have to get there on foot."
"Power Gems?" Sonic asked. The red echidna almost facepalmed. "They're like the Chaos Emeralds but with more limited power."
"Ah gotcha." Sonic replied. "Well since these legs can't run fast looks like we'll be getting a workout."
"Can't you call Tails though. What happened to the communicator?" Blaze questioned. The blue hedgehog looked back sheepishly rubbing his head. "Um… it may have not been left behind with the plane just as it burst into flames…"
"Greeeat faker nice going." Shadow said. Sonic blew a raspberry in response. "Shut it Shads!"
"Then it's settled, but let's see if we can find a town or a city so we can find something more convenient. In the meantime, those that cannot run fast or don't have high endurance will have to be carried." Knuckles stated.
"Well luckily for us we got all that!" Cinder cheered with the other three grinning.
"I can go for several miles hehe." Jian said.
"A tortoise can be just as quick if not quicker than the hare." Bunker added.
"I can fly, but to be honest I think I'll take a breather and have fun running with everyone else." Dulcy said lastly.
"Alright Shadow." Rouge then jumped up next to the black hedgehog who was surprised and automatically his arms held her in a bridal style. "Since you're strong and manly and fast, you have the luxury of carrying me~."
"Tsk." Shadow merely said.
Amy walked in front of Sonic and kneeled down with her back facing him. "Since you don't have your real legs to run fast I'll do it for you."
Sonic was surprised. Normally he was the one carrying Amy during his rescuing of her and other things. To have it reversed was strange, but he didn't argue. "Well alright Ames." Sonic said as he got close. The pink hedgehog wrapped her arms under Sonic's prosthetic legs and effortlessly hoisted him up.
"Woah!" Sonic was surprised and wrapped his arms around her neck. Amy giggled looking back at him. "See, nothing to worry about heehee~!"
Blaze stretched herself. "Been a while since I'll be running for something important rather than running away from a battle we can't win."
Tikal looked around for a bit then down in sadness. "U-Um, I am fast but unfortunately I do not have much to keep up. I apologize for-UWAH?!" the echidna princess felt two strong arms go under her and picking her up. She flailed a bit until she found her arms wrapping around her carrier's neck.
Along with seeing the confident violet eyes of Knuckles looking on ahead.
'W-What?! Th-The g-guardian i-is…! O-Oh my!' Tikal flustered upon noticing the red echidna carrying her in his arms. She was not expecting this, having been quiet for most of her part but to have Knuckles do something like this… was very surprising for her.
Knuckles looked back at Metal Sonic and nodded. "Lead the way."
"Acknowledged." it replied as the mech turned around and the sound of his jet thrusters turning on about to begin. The glow of it emerged from his back as everyone prepared to take off.
"Alright everyone follow Metal Sonic." Knuckles then turned to the real Sonic as the two looked at one another.
This time instead of disdain, Knuckles looked at him with a teasing look with Sonic doing the same.
"Try to keep up." Sonic said smirking while Amy giggled keeping her hold on him.
"We'll see about that hedgehog." Knuckles grinned. Tikal looked back and forth between the two, gulping lightly as she hugged Knuckles tighter to hang on. The others readied themselves for the road ahead.
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BOOM!
Taking off close to the speed of sound.
End of Chapter 18
And they're off!
Woah that's a sudden shift for Knuckles to become friendlier with Sonic and his friends. Is it because he finally gets to be the main hero for once? Or is it because he now has a purpose to feel important? Even though it states what it may be in the story lol, but let's see how it goes later on in the road.
Will Knuckles continue to hate on Sonic and co. or will their old bonds heal once more. Why isn't Metal Sonic attacking the actual Sonic? How is almost everyone so fast?!
Stay tuned for more and keep a lookout for updates on my bio! ouo/
