Hello, faithful readers, and welcome back to another chapter of "Knuckles' ARK". When we last left our heroes- uh, villains- er… WHOEVER it was, Rouge was bleeding to death, Amy was having a mental breakdown, Sonic was (for once) deep in thought, Shadow was running an errand, Tails and Eggman were, presumably, working, and Knuckles was busy looking guilty at the scene of the attack. Expect more action, suspense, and mystery (well, at least the reasonable facsimile of mystery I have in my story) in this chapter. Pay close attention to the times before each excerpt too, because they're really important in this chapter and don't all go in order. Also, I'd like to announce a CONTEST! If any of my few readers can solve the mystery of what's going on (or get close. I haven't revealed many big clues yet that'll come in later… so you may want to wait as long as fifth chapter…) two of you'll get to make a guest appearance in the last chapter! Make your guess in a review, and if you're right I'll send you an e-mail. But it has to be kept SECRET!! Finally, there is a bit of a language warning for this chapter, but it does serve a purpose, and no seriously naughty words are said. Okay, go read!
Space Colony ARK: Day 11, 2:00 A.M.—Fly on the Wall
"Where is she?" "In the medical area. Her wound is quite serious." "Why didn't you make sure he finished her off?" "I'm the one who said he couldn't be trusted to do this in the first place, remember?" "So you didn't intervene because I didn't let you kill her?" "No. I just didn't like your choice of assassin. Why would I want to kill her?" "Well, you-" "Never mind. What about the Master Emerald?" "Why do you have such an obsession with the Master Emerald, anyhow?" "I don't. I just want everything to go well, and why not have a little insurance?" "Very well. I'll get the emerald, but you'll need to do me a favor." "Sure." "Go to the medical area and take care of Rouge."
"How do you expect me to do that? Surely somebody's there." "Just tell whoever's on duty to get some sleep and that you'll watch her for awhile." "And how do you suppose I finish her, hm?" "Take her to the manufacturing level of the ARK and blow one of the hatches. She'll get sucked out into space and there'll be no evidence left. Simple as that." "So says you. What if whoever's there won't let me take over the watch?" "Tell them I sent you."
Space Colony ARK: Day 11, 2: 30 A.M.—Journal of Miles Prower
Journal,
The Doctor and I had been in the lab when Shadow brought us the news. On the way to the docking bay he told us what happened to her. The wounds sounded serious… nearly untreatable.
Ten minutes later found me assisting Dr. Eggman in the medical area. Had she lost any more blood, we probably wouldn't have been able to help any. But Miss Rouge is stable now, and sleeping. Sonic has first watch.
On another note, our full-body mech seems to have been misplaced. We found it on level C of the ARK shortly after Rouge was attacked. There's no sign of fingerprints.
Forgive me for not quite sounding myself, journal. I'm afraid I'm just a little shocked, is all. I had to clean out the wound, you see. It pierced clear through her shoulder. I'd rather not think about it. And now that Rouge's old suit is ruined (the top is completely shredded. The cause was presumably flying shrapnel from the explosion that led everyone there… or her attacker. But I don't think he'd do that) Eggman is busy designing her a new "space suit". Confidentially, it didn't look like any space suit I've ever seen. It looked more like one of those pictures the Doctor showed me of the girls with the bull whips and spiked heels. I think he called them "bondage" suits, or something.
As I said before, our small prototype of the full body mech was stolen this morning. We found it dumped near the kitchen on level C, a short distance from the docking bay. We already know who took it—we being Dr. Eggman and I—no one else has the same color fur as she does.
Finally, Knuckles is being held in the control room with Omochao until we figure out what he was doing there.
I have to go now, journal. Eggman wants me to go take my watch.
Space Colony ARK: Day 11, 1:45 A.M.—Fly on the Wall
The echidna sat against the smooth, curved edge of the thick glass tube he was currently being held in. Every few minutes he got to his feet and attempted to break through the glass, but to no avail. He looked longingly over to the control panel where his hammer gloves were resting.
"Dammit!" he exclaimed, smashing his fists together. "I have to get out of here! I've got to get to the Master Emerald." He glanced down at the Omochao that was sitting quietly on the floor. He glared at it. "Here's your chance to be useful, you piece of junk! Why don't you help out by telling me how to get outta here?" He kicked the robot and it bounced off of the wall and into the air.
"Hi, I'm Omochao!" It greeted. Knuckles sank back to the floor with a groan.
"Yes, I know who you are, you—" his choice words were lost in the clicks and whirs the robotic chao made as he flew.
"To get out of the escape pod, push the small, red button on the inside of the steel cap," the Omochao advised as it shut down and dropped to the floor. Knuckles head snapped up.
"What?" he asked, jumping again to his feet. The robot remained silent.
Looking up, the echidna saw the button. 'But how do I reach it?' he wondered, attempting a few jumps toward it. He stopped to think, and looked at the Omochao again. He grinned. 'Perfect…' Knuckles reached down and grasped the robot around its middle.
"Hey, stop it! Let me go!" It ordered as he took aim. Drawing his arm back, the echidna hurled the Omochao at the button. The glass wall shot up and Knuckles dove through just before it slammed back down again. He retrieved his gear from the control panel and ran toward the door. In the tube, the little blue robot began to bash into the walls, shrieking something about ten animals.
"Sorry, " Knuckles called as he ran out the door, "but I've got somewhere I need to be!"
Space Colony ARK: Day 11, 2:45 AM—Diary of Amy Rose
Dear Diary,
We're not gonna make it… I've checked the cards. One of us is going to die up here… and the rest are g-
NO! NO NO NO! I won't let it end this way! I'll change everything! Rouge'll be all right, Tails said so. Knuckles has been contained. Sonic and Shadow are… I don't know what they're doing. I'm sitting in here with Miss Rouge… watching the monitors. I know that she really wouldn't care if the guys looked after her, regardless of her bare chest that was currently clad only in medical gauze and a sheet. She's weird like that. Hey, a machine just beeped! She's hooked up to a lot of machines right now. If I were to pull out just one wire…
No, I can't give in this way. I need something to do or I'll go nuts. Maybe that's what my fate is. I kill Rouge… pull one wire… just watch her breathing slowly stop… yeah. Maybe my purpose is to get everyone motivated to get out of here. I was always so good at motivating people. I could get them all going right now by pulling out that needle there… and that wire over there…
Space Colony ARK: Day 11, 2:47 AM—Fly on the Wall
"AMY!" two voices yelled, their owners bursting into the room. Amy looked up at them; face tear streaked, and held out the needle and wire to the smaller one.
"I didn't mean to do it, Tails," she whispered, "I don't know what was going through my head… I-I-"
"It's alright, Amy," the little fox soothed the upset girl while reattaching the wire and pushing the needle back into the bat's arm. "See? No harm done."
"B-but if you two had come an instant later-." Shadow, who had come in with Tails, laid a hand on the girl's shoulder.
"Being stuck up here too long has gotten to your head, girl. Miles will take you back to your own room to rest for awhile." Tails snapped his head around.
"No. I was sent by Dr. Eggman to watch Rouge. I know more what I'm doing than you do, Shadow."
"But Sonic sent me to take care of her, boy. He said he didn't want you up all night. Children need their sleep."
"Don't talk to me that way, you-"
"Stop it, both of you!" Amy cut in, "I can walk back to my room perfectly fine on my own." She got shakily to her feet and started walking from the room. Tails turned away from the door and sat in the chair the pink hedgehog had been occupying.
"Shadow, just-" he stopped as he saw something on the floor. He lifted the piece of paper and looked at it. "A tarot card? Is this why she's so upset?" The two exchanged glances before running out of the room after the upset girl, determined to find out what the cards had said. Unbeknownst to them, a figure lurked in the shadows. Once it was sure they were gone, it snuck into the unguarded medical room.
Unknown: ???
"Bitch!" her mother spat as she backhanded her. The girl fell to the floor, blood running down her smooth cheek from the cut made by her mother's ring. "Useless little trollop! Running off in the dead of night, abandoning your family to go out on one of your 'treasure hunts'. Probably already slept with every man in the country! Don't look at me so shocked, I know what you've been doing!" Kohl ranted, throwing one long, black braid back behind her shoulder.
"For God's sake, why are you acting like this? I brought you money this time!" Rouge shot back, getting up and planting her feet firmly. Her mother rolled her eyes.
"A decent treasure hunter should be able to bring back more than three-hundred dollars, little girl. You didn't make this with any old artifacts or gems. This is whore's money! I can smell it."
"And I can smell the liquor from over here. You're drunk. Go to bed and we'll talk again in the morning."
"Little slut thinks she can tell her own mother what to do. How on earth did I raise such a horrible child?" Kohl muttered to herself before speaking to her daughter again. "It must have been your father's influence. You're a filthy bloodsucker just like he was. That's probably what happened to all of your on the road lovers, eh girl? You drank 'em dry and stole their cash. I should turn you in for murder." The girl had had enough. She stomped over to her mother and lifted her off the ground.
"I'm not speaking with you again until you're sober, old woman. Go to bed!"
"MURDER!" Kohl shrieked as the white bat tossed her onto the pallet that served as her bed. "MY WHORING DAUGHTER IS TRYING TO KILL ME! HELP! HELP! POLICE!" Rouge shut the door against her mother's screaming and leaned her head against it. If she'd known Kohl was going to be drunk, she'd have stayed in a hotel and come home in the morning. When her mother was sober she wasn't so hard to deal with; all one had to do was give her a little money (no matter how it was acquired) and play nicely with Mascara. But when she was sauced-
"Rouge!" a voice called, accompanied by strong hands shaking her shoulders. "Rouge, wake up!" It was then that the bat realized that that voice wasn't from her memory.
Space Colony ARK: Day 11, 2:48 AM—Oration to the Master Emerald
She woke up quickly enough, Master Emerald. Which was all the better. I didn't know how much time I'd have. It wouldn't take long for Shadow and Tails to realize that they'd left Rouge alone, and only slightly longer for Eggman to realize that I was no longer in the capsule. In other words, my time was short, and I had to work fast if I was to fulfill my orders.
The bat blinked a few times before her eyes focused on me. She tried to sit up, but fell back onto the hospital bed with a gasp. She glanced down at the bandages covering her left shoulder and winding down around her middle.
"So…" she muttered, "it wasn't a dream." I snorted.
"Most certainly not." She glanced back up at me, apparently having forgotten I was there.
"What are you doing here, treasure hunter? Keeping watch?" With her uninjured arm she ran her surprisingly small fingers through her fur, and I noticed that it was damp with sweat, as was the rest of her revealed torso. Had she been dreaming?
"No," I replied, "I'm the main suspect." I gave her my most malicious grin before grabbing at her bandages.
"What do you think you're doing? You had better pray that you're just changing the bandages if you don't want your testicles kicked into the roof of your mouth!" she shouted angrily, but suddenly blinked at me, puzzled. "Wait a second, did you just say that everyone thinks you did it?"
"Hn," I nodded, finishing taking off the gauze and grimacing slightly at the wound.
"Well, it couldn't be you," she proclaimed.
"Why?"
"I drilled directly onto the bastard's head from over 30 meters above. You would have to at least have a fractured skull or something." She winced as I lifted her arm to unwind the rest of the dressings. "So, what are you doing here anyway?"
"Helping," I replied, pulling off the last bandage and immediately focusing on her face. "I'm going to take you somewhere safe until I can figure out who did this." She looked at me thoughtfully.
"Well then, you should've left the bandages alone. If I move my arm any more I'm pretty sure the wound'll reopen." Heh, as if I didn't know what I was doing.
"Don't worry, I've got everything under control." It was then that I brought you out, if you don't remember. "I can use the Master Emerald to heal you."
Well, I'd been pretty sure I could heal her. I'd never actually used you for that purpose, but the shrine of the Master Emerald had writings that led me to believe that I could.
"I'm open to just about any suggestions right now," Rouge said, voice momentarily shaking as your cool surface lighted on her near feverish flesh. "Just tell me one thing; where are you going to hide me?"
"The place no one will think to look for you," I said, feeling the power well up in my fingers through my thick gloves and pass into her, closing the wound with remarkable speed. "The manufacturing level."
Behind me the door shot open, revealing Tails and Shadow.
"Oh shit."
Okay, there's chapter four. It would've been out earlier, but school just started and I'm working my first job and cleaning a lot…. Ick. I may have to start updating once a week, but I will keep working. Remember, you can start submitting entrances to my contest, but you only get to enter once, and I won't accept an answer without an e-mail address. I don't care if you don't sign in, but you must include your e-mail. I can't wait to hear who my few readers think is the true villain! Anyway, I'll talk to you guys next update, until then, any reviews I get will only make me work faster! Love ya!