26. No Echidna is an Island: Chapter 6: Treasure Hunt

by NetRaptor1

Chapter 6: Treasure hunt
______________________________________________________________________

Vector was sitting in the bushes at 10 PM, yawning and thinking about bed when his communicator
buzzed. He flicked it on. "Yo."

"Hey you." It was Espio. "I'm back and ready for trouble. Where are you?"

"At Mori's," said the crocodile. "About ready to knock off for the evening and let Ralph take over.
Want to come out here?"

"No," said Espio. "I've got other stuff to do. How's Talon doing?"

"Knux just called, said bullies have been pushing him around." Vector ground his teeth. "If I knew
who they were ..."

"Ditto, man. I just turned red. I'm going to make a night of it, so see you in the morning."

Espio signed off, and Vector rose and located Ralph. The detective was sitting in the crotch of a fig
tree, surveying the area through an infra red scope. "I'm shoving off," said Vector. "Espio might
come by."

"Check," said Ralph. "Will that velociraptor come back?"

"I don't think so." They had seen Slasher the previous evening, but lost track of her when she took
off and flew around overhead.

Vector found Charmy and Mighty, and they walked down to the portable teleporter.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Marshill, Espio entered a library and asked to see their newspaper
archives. The newspapers were kept on disk, and the librarian showed him to a row of computers.
Espio sat down and began searching.

Talon had been on the Floating Island three years, so his parents must have died around then. Espio
searched for the name "Mori", and found a listing from four years previous. Wow, Talon had lasted
a year with his uncle. No wonder the kid was so messed up. Espio opened the file. It was an article
about an arson fire and the tragic deaths of Philip and Andrea Mori. Police were conducting an
investigation and trying to find the arsonist. Espio found a few more articles, each one shorter and
shorter. The investigation turned up suspects but no evidence, and the case was closed.

There was an obituary describing Philip as warm-hearted and full of energy, with a passion for
archaeology. Andrea was listed as a loving wife and mother who contributed much to the
community and participated actively in her son's acting career. They were survived by their only son
Konya, and Philip's brother Pendel.

Well, now he knew Talon's parents' names. Espio sat back and thought. Had Philip Mori had a will?
That would tell who had received the armor, wouldn't it? He would have to look up whoever Philip's
lawyer had been. His thoughts jumped to Howe with sudden suspicion. What if that was the reason
she hated Pendel?

The chameleon rose, left the library and hotfooted it across town. At night Marshill came to life with
lights and lots of people who had slept half the say, and were out to enjoy the warm night. Espio
enjoyed the night life, but he was too busy to sightsee.

Howe was working late when she heard a knock on the office door. "Come in," she said, and looked
up as a purple chameleon stepped in. The ferret rose. "What can I do for you?"

"Call me Espio," he said, shaking her hand. "I'm a friend of Knuckles Echidna's, and I'm doing some
research for him."

How studied him. "Really. What kind of research?"

"I'm interested in Philip Mori's will. Any idea where I could find a copy?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Possibly. Why?"

"I'm interested in the whereabouts of some of Philip's collections," said Espio, looking Howe in the
eye. "I wanted to know if they wound up in Pendel's clutches."

Howe smiled. "Ah, I understand you now. One moment." She left, and returned several minutes later
with a sheet of paper in her hands. She handed it to Espio and watched him as he read it.

It was straightforward. Everything went to Philip's wife, and if she died, then everything went to
Talon. There was no mention of anything specific. Espio looked at Howe. "If I told you what I'm
after, could you help me?"

"Maybe."

"Okay," said Espio. "Philip collected an entire suit of really rare armor. It was stolen by Kit and
Kardot and is currently in Knuckles's possession, because Talon didn't want it. But the helmet is
missing and I'm trying to find it."

Howe looked thoughtfully at the will. "I happen to know that the helmet was the jewel of Phil's
collection. It might also explain that letter that was with the will." She left and returned with another
sheet of paper.

"So were you Philip's lawyer?" Espio asked as she handed him the paper.

"No. Philip's lawyer retired shortly before the fire. I inherited some of his clients, and knew Phil
about six months."

Espio smiled. "You liked him."

She shrugged and gestured to the letter. "Go on, read it."

Espio looked read it.

"To whom it may concern,

"The crown of my collection has today been hidden in a secret place where only a member of my
family can find it. There are three clues they must find. Here is the first one.

The name of an island before the island fell
Remember the chime of the blue and white bell
Find the remains of a modern well
And open the door beneath the dell."

* * *

"A treasure hunt?" Knuckles stared at Espio. "You're kidding me."

It was near noon the following day. Knuckles and Zephyer had emerged from the Orphan Aid office
where a caseworker was helping them through the approval process, and met the Chaotix on the
sidewalk. Espio told them about Philip Mori's letter, and recited the rhyme from memory.

Zephyer looked at Knuckles. "Any of that make sense to you?"

"Nope," he replied. "I assume it has something to do with Blackguard, and I don't know anything
about this island."

"Talon would," said Vector. "This was his dad, you know. Could we call and ask him?"

"I'd rather take him with us," said Knuckles, looking fierce. "Tomorrow's Saturday. Is there any law
that keeps a kid from hanging out with friends on the weekend?"

"No," chorused the Chaotix.

"Good," said Knuckles. "Tomorrow we'll invite him to spend the day with us. Or maybe this
afternoon when he gets off school."

"I want to make sure he's all right," muttered Zephyer. "This talk of bullies has me worried. You
know Talon doesn't stand up for himself."

"That's for sure," said Mighty. "All those times we teased him and he just faded away ..." The group
looked at each other, sharing a protective jealousy for the youngest member of their clan.

"Let's get lunch," said Knuckles. "Then let's go find Talon's school. I want to know more about this
place. You know he hasn't mentioned it at all?"

They trooped off down the sidewalk under the blistering sun, and found a restaurant with
air-conditioning. After eating lunch, they hit the hot streets to find Happy Mobian Academy.

It was nearly three o'clock by the time they located it, but at last they stood on the corner across from
it looked up at the white building with its wide manicured lawn and trees. It was quiet and dignified,
and the group gazed up at it, imagining Talon in a classroom somewhere.

They had stood there three minutes when a school bus pulled to the curb, and the school's doors
burst open and students flooded out. More school buses pulled up and kids ran to them, yelling and
shouting. Knuckles motioned for everyone to stay put, then crossed the street to enter the schoolyard.
He watched the door for Talon, and after a while the anteater emerged, walking slowly and
deliberately. Knuckles had never seen Talon move like that, and watched him descend the steps.
Talon kept his eyes on the ground, and would have walked past him if Knuckles had not said,
"Talon!"

Talon's head snapped up, and the look of joy that flooded his face was so strong he seemed to grow
two inches. He ran up and went to hug Knuckles, but checked himself and looked at the other kids.
He extended a hand instead, and Knuckles shook it, grinning. Knuckles led him away from the
school, across the street.

"What are you doing here, sir?" Talon asked.

"We came to get you," said Knuckles. "Spend the afternoon with us, and we'll take you to your
uncle's, then pick you up tomorrow for the day."

Talon glowed. "Yes sir!"

They reached Zephyer and the Chaotix, and Zephyer grabbed Talon and hugged him. He
whimpered, and she released him. "Sore," he said, touching his sides.

Knuckles and Zephyer exchanged glances of identical fury and indignation. Knuckles said, "From
bullies?"

"Yes sir." Talon looked down. "They knocked me down and kicked me."

"They could have broken your ribs!"

"Yes sir."

"When we get home, I'll teach you some self-defense moves," said Knuckles. "Come on, let's get out
of the sun."

Talon looked up with a smile. Home meant the Floating Island, which meant Knuckles and Zephyer
had not given up.

They entered the shade of a huge eucalyptus, and Knuckles said, "You know how we're looking for
your dad's helmet?"

"Yes sir. I looked for it last night, but I didn't see it anywhere."

"We found out your dad hid it and left a trail of clues to follow. It was with his will."

Talon looked surprised, then grinned. "Dad loved treasure hunting."

"We need your help figuring out the clues," said Espio, pushing forward. "Can we start now?"

"Um, okay," said Talon.

"Okay, what does this mean?" said Espio. "The name of an island before it fell, remember the chime
of the blue and white bell, find the remains of a modern well and open the door beneath the dell."

They all watched Talon for a reaction. For a moment he looked blank, then he smiled. "The blue
and white bell hung above the door in Dad's shop, so he knew when people came in. It was from a
ship."

"What about the first part?"

"Oh, that's easy," said Talon. "Blackguard was called Blacksand until the Siguards took it over a
hundred years ago. The beach on the west side is made of black sand."

"We have a location!" whooped Vector, and the Chaotix exchanged high fives.

"It's only a couple miles from here," said Knuckles. "Can you walk that far, Talon?"

"Yes sir." Talon would have walked all the way to West Mobius if it meant being with them.

* * *

The black sand beaches were popular among sunbathers, because the sand absorbed heat and toasted
anything that touched it. The beach backed up against basalt cliffs, which had worn away to create
the black beach.

The islanders walked along the beach, wetting their feet in the Ausif ocean to keep them cool. They
kept their eyes peeled for a blue and white bell, or the remains of a well. "What's a modern well,
anyway?" asked Zephyer.

"Oh," said Knuckles, "it's a big tank with pipes that go down to the water table."

"So we're looking for a broken one," said Zephyer with a nod. "I wish there weren't so many
people!" The beach was crawling with them.

"You're just used to our own private beaches," said Knuckles in her ear.

The Chaotix spread out, exploring and checking out the females. Knuckles watched them. "They're
enjoying this detective thing."

"They have me under surveillance," said Talon. "Espio especially."

"You need it, kiddo," said Zephyer. "You haven't seen anything like what Espio saw, have you?"

"No ma'am," said Talon. "I haven't been near the basement." He looked down as something bumped
his leg, and saw Knuckles and Zephyer were wearing swords. "Why are you carrying those, sir?"

"Protection," said Knuckles. Talon looked questioning, but neither echidna pursued the subject.
Warning him about Slasher was a touchy business, because they had given him her whistle for
protection.

Half a mile further on, the cliffs jutted out in a rocky point, and a lighthouse stood at the end. The
three climbed a winding path over the rocks, and the Chaotix straggled after them. Vector tapped
Knuckles on the shoulder. "Hey boss, I asked about a busted well, and this guy said there's one at the
north point."

"How far is the north point?" said Knuckles.

"Thirty miles," said Talon quietly. When they had stopped, he sat down on a rock and rubbed his
ribs.

Zephyer watched him with fire in her eyes.

"Oh," said Knuckles, looking at Talon with the same heated look. "We'll try there tomorrow. How
much further do you want to go?"

"Until dark!" said Vector.

"Get lost, then," said Knuckles. "We're going to rest here a minute."

Vector opened his mouth to make a snide comment, but caught Knuckles's slight gesture at Talon.
"I'm heading this way, see ya!" The crocodile jogged off, flipping on his headphones.

Knuckles and Zephyer sat on either side of Talon and gazed out at the ocean, which was a brilliant
mass of gold under the sinking sun. The lighthouse was silhouetted against it with a flock of seagulls
perched on its roof. They sat there without speaking, content to be together in the short time they
had.

"Are you in pain?" Zephyer asked.

"It's not bad," said Talon without looking at her.

"Talon..."

"It's not."

Zephyer looked at Knuckles as a flicker of electric indignation raced between them. Talon jumped.
"Ow!"

Knuckles and Zephyer stared at him. "What?"

"Something shocked me," said Talon, inspecting the rock he was sitting on.

"You felt that?" said Knuckles, rising to his feet.

"Yeah, what was it, sir?"

Knuckles gave Zephyer a puzzled look. A new twist to this electric thing. "Nevermind. Let's go on."

They had descended the tail to the shore again when Zephyer paused, looking back. "Hey ... did you
notice the lighthouse is blue and white?"

Knuckles and Talon squinted against the glare off the ocean. The lighthouse had two broad blue
bands painted on it.

"Let's go look at it," said Zephyer, setting off across the sand.

Knuckles looked at Talon as they followed her. "What do you think?"

Talon shrugged. "It said 'remember the chime of the blue and white bell'. It didn't say find the bell
itself."

A wooden boardwalk was built over the rocks to the lighthouse, and Zephyer trotted along it until
she reached the rocky hill the lighthouse was built on. The lighthouse was as big around as a regular
house, and its top looked small and distant as she stood at its foot. Out here at the end of the land,
the ocean surrounded her, and Zephyer was conscious of how vast and deep it was. She gazed out at
the horizon until Knuckles and Talon caught up with her.

Talon paced around the lighthouse, looking down at the rocks and the water lapping them. He was
at the far side of the tower when he came upon a pile of metal scraps and a long tank, overgrown
with weeds. He looked at it for a moment before he wondered if maybe this was the remains of a
modern well. "Knuckles sir!" he called. "Look at this!"

Knuckles and Zephyer hurried up and looked at the junk. "That was a well, all right," said
Knuckles. He drew his sword and poked around in the weeds with it. "Now what?"

Talon was staring at the wall of the lighthouse just above the scraps. Scraped into the plaster was the
outline of a footprint. He pulled off his right shoe and fit it into the footprint--it matched exactly. He
looked toward the lighthouse's roof, the echidnas following his gaze. "Dad wrote these clues for me.
So I could use my shoes." He backed up and spoke two words in Old Mobian. The soles of his shoes
lit up, and he floated to the top of the lighthouse.

"'Chaos activated'," Zephyer translated. "That's all the password is?"

"Old Mobian passwords are very logical," said Knuckles, sheathing his sword. "I'm glad Talon's
with us. I never would have noticed that footprint."

They watched as Talon landed on the roof. He was out of sight for a moment, then he jumped off the
roof and descended to them. He held out a metal canister with a screw protruding from the bottom,
which had held it to the roof. "I found this up there with another footprint by it. It's rusted shut."

Knuckles took the canister, twisted the top and opened it. Inside was a key.

Talon took it and tried the lighthouse door, which opened. Knuckles and Zephyer followed him
inside.

Inside was a round room with a circular staircase winding up into the ceiling. "The door beneath the
dell," muttered Talon, walking to a trapdoor in the floor. Knuckles helped him lift it, and they
looked down into the musty darkness within.

"I'll go down there," said Knuckles. "My sword glows." He climbed down in the hole and vanished.
Zephyer and Talon stood at the top and looked in.

"What's down there?" called Zephyer.

"Looks like a basement," came Knuckles's voice. "It's empty."

"Empty?" said Talon. "You're sure, sir?"

There was a moment of silence, then Knuckles said, "No, I guess not. Ha, typical! I'm coming up."
He climbed up out of the basement. Stuck through his belt was a bottle with a cork in it. Talon
grinned when he saw it. "Believed in doing things properly, didn't he?" said Knuckles, pulling out
the cork. "The message in a bottle." He looked at his thick fingers, then handed the bottle to Talon.

Talon slipped a finger through the bottle's mouth and pulled out a roll of paper. He unrolled it, and
the three read it together.

"Through the hole and past the Three
Climb the hill and view the sea
Then down beyond the twisted tree
View the Quadrangle from the lee
Of the final standing Key."

* * *

Slasher lay on the roof in the shadows of an overhanging tree that evening, watching as the islanders
dropped off Talon. He left them on the porch, and she heard the click of the front door as it opened
and closed. The islanders trooped back down the driveway, unaware of Slasher's presence.

The velociraptor had spent the day thinking over the situation. She was a danger to herself and those
around her, and Knuckles didn't want her on the Floating Island. But he expected her to provide
silent protection for Talon, because Talon still had the whistle. So Slasher would protect Talon.

There was no sound from inside the house. The remains of the sunset faded from the sky, and
crickets and frogs sang in the jungle growth all around. After an hour, Slasher guessed Talon had
gone to bed, and rose from her hiding place. She padded down the roof and jumped into the yard.
She sniffed, but there was no wind and she couldn't tell if any watchers remained in the yard.
Deciding it didn't matter, she paced to the mass of ivy growing over Talon's window and peered in.

Her darkness-attuned eyes made out the anteater's shape curled up under the blankets. Slasher was
tempted to roam around and figure out what had frightened her before, but instead she lay down in
the flowerbed under Talon's window. Hunting the creature was shooting herself in the foot and she
knew it.

The neighborhood was quiet. Slasher could hear the murmur of the sea at the foot of the bluffs, and
looked out at the ocean, darker blue than the sky and mirroring the stars. The Blackguard
Quadrangle .. what might she discover by flying out there? Probably nothing--she had watched
seagulls flying all afternoon, and none of them had any problems.

A sound. Slasher's head jerked up and she looked in the window. The bedroom door was open, and
Talon's uncle was standing there. Slasher watched as he crossed the room and shook Talon. "Why
did you get back from school so late?"

"Huh?" Talon sat up. "I was with some friends."

"Those echidnas?" Slasher couldn't see Pendel's face, but he sounded angry.

"Lie, Talon!" she thought.

"Yes," said Talon.

She shook her head as Mori said, "You are not to interact with that species, do you understand?
Echidnas are vile and dangerous!"

"Why?" Talon was half-asleep and not functioning.

"Because I said so!" Mori moved toward the door. "Don't fall asleep, I'll be back." He left, closing
the door.

Slasher tapped a claw on the window, and Talon turned and looked at her, then jumped up and
unlocked the window. "Get in bed," said Slasher. "I'll get under your bed and give him a scare if he
tries anything."

Talon nodded and pulled the blanket over himself as Slasher lay flat and squeezed under his bed.

Pendel Mori returned, carrying something that gleamed in the light from the hall. Talon shrank
back. "You're giving me a shot?"

"This is the blood I took from you earlier," said Mori. "I'm putting it back in you, that's all. Give me
your arm." He stepped up to the bed, and Slasher reached out and grabbed his ankle.

Mori screamed and leaped backward, nearly falling over. "What was that??"

"What?" asked Talon innocently.

Mori edged sideways toward the door, and for effect, Slasher reached out her arm again and swiped
at his legs. Mori bolted, slamming the door behind him.

"I'd better get out of here before he comes back with a gun," said Slasher, crawling out.

Talon was grinning. "That was great. Look, he dropped the hypodermic needle." He picked it up off
his sheets and handed it to Slasher.

"I think I'll get this analyzed," she said. "Don't let him stick any needles in you, okay?"

"Okay, Slasher."

She whisked out the window and he closed it behind her.

Mori didn't return for the rest of the night.

* * *

Espio's communicator clicked and he lifted it. "Yeah?"

"Espio? This is Slasher."

"Yo Slash."

"Would you happen to know where to find a lab in this city?"

"A lab? What for?" Espio motioned that he would be back, and left the Orphan Aid office for a
moment. It was warm outside after the air conditioned interior, and Espio felt feeling return to his
extremities.

"Mori tried to inject Talon with something and I got the hypodermic. I want to get it tested."

"No kidding." Espio blended with the wall as some people walked by. "I saw a lab downtown on
Oleander road. Want me to have Howe meet you down there? She might be able to use it as
evidence."

"Good idea! It'll probably take me an hour to get there. Does Howe mind running around at one
AM?"

"Everybody on this island is nocturnal, Slash. I haven't seen one business closed at night since we
got here."

"Really. May I ask how you know this?"

"No you may not." Espio grinned to himself. "We found the second clue, did you hear?"

"You did? That was quick."

"Because we're brilliant, that's why. We're going to hunt down the next one tomorrow, if Talon
survives."

"He will. He barricaded the door. Make sure you warn the lawyer that she's meeting with a
velociraptor."

"Will do. Espio out."

* * *

Howe and Slasher met as Slasher was depositing the hypodermic into an envelope at the lab counter.
"Hello," said the ferret. "You must be Slasher."

"And you must be Ms. Howe," said Slasher, handing the envelope to the chemist. The raptor and
ferret shook hands. "Is there somewhere we can talk?"

Howe eyed Slasher's claws and long tail. "We'll have as much privacy here as anywhere."

The two withdrew into a corner, and Slasher recounted in a low voice what had happened earlier
than evening. Howe stared. "Why would he draw blood, then re-inject it?"

"I don't know," said Slasher. "I'm thinking he added something to it, and if he did, it won't look good
in court. I'm a witness."

Howe scribbled this down on a notepad. "Finally, the armor has a chink! I've been looking for
something like this for years. I can get social services on him if those lab results show anything."

"He also has some kind of creature in the basement," said Slasher in a near-whisper.

Howe gave her a sharp look. "How do you know?"

"Espio and I have seen it. Or Espio saw one of its legs. And I ... I think I attacked it. I don't really
remember."

"You don't remember?"

"I snapped. I woke up twenty miles away with its blood all over my face."

Howe stared at her for a long time. "This happens often?"

"No." Slasher looked down. "I'm afraid to look for it for fear of what might happen. But the
basement is always locked."

"Forget social services, we'll get a search warrant," said the ferret with a sudden grin. "When do
those results come back?"

"Next Friday," said Slasher. "Next Friday, let the games begin."

* * *

Saturday dawned hot and clear over Blackguard and the Floating Island alike. Zephyer awoke to a
metallic jingling, and lifted her head. Knuckles was seated on the floor, inspecting the contents of an
old, dented coffee can. "Knux?" she said, sitting up. "What are you doing?"

He looked so guilty that Zephyer was sure she had caught him laundering stolen money. "Oh, I, uh."
He cleared his throat and tilted the can so she could see the chunks of yellow metal inside. "I was
looking at my gold ore."

Zephyer climbed out of bed. "Gold ore? Where'd it come from?"

"The island, of course," said Knuckles. "There's not much gold here, but it turns up once in a while."

She took the can and examined a few pieces. "Why'd you look so guilty?"

He looked down at the floor for a moment. "If I tell you, promise not to get mad?"

Zephyer's eyes widened. "Oh no. What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything." Knuckles glanced at her sideways, then held up one hand to show her his
wedding ring. "This is brass."

Zephyer stared at the ring for a few seconds, then dissolved into laughter. She sank to the floor
beside him and doubled over, and Knuckles watched her with a half smile. When her laughter had
subsided, he said, "At least you think it's funny. I was afraid you'd bite my head off."

"Why is it brass?" she asked, wiping her streaming eyes.

Knuckles explained about forgetting to have a ring made before the wedding, then added that he
hadn't had a chance to have a gold one made. "That's why I was looking at my ore. If I provide my
own gold and pattern, it won't be so expensive." He took off his ring and held it up. It fit easily over
Zephyer's whole hand. "That's a lot of gold."

"But this is unrefined gold," said Zephyer, lifting the can. "Will there be enough?"

"That's what I was wondering," said Knuckles with a wry smile. "I'll have it made when we go to
town today. Hopefully it won't take more than a couple of days."

"You married me with a brass ring," said Zephyer, and broke into laughter again. "Sounds like some
kind of joke!"

* * *

At dawn, Talon awoke and was afraid his uncle would keep him home if he ventured out of his
room. As the sun rose, he escaped through his window, activated his shoes and flew from tree to tree,
watching the road for the Chaotix or echidnas.

Around eight o'clock he saw Knuckles walking up the roadside by himself, looking up at the house
with a worried expression. Talon dove out of the tree. "Knuckles sir!"

Knuckles turned with a grin. "I should have figured you'd be out already. I was wondering how to
break a door down quietly."

"A window would be easier," said Talon, still grinning. He and Knuckles set off back down the road.

"How're your ribs?" Knuckles asked.

"Better today, sir," Talon replied, rubbing them. "My breathing's easier."

"Good," said Knuckles. "Zephyer wants you to see a doctor."

"I'm fine, really, sir."

"I know you are. How about breakfast?"

They met up with the Chaotix and Zephyer at an outdoor diner. They had a cheerful breakfast,
tossing around ideas about the meaning of the second clue. Talon understood the first line. "Through
the hole and past the three--that's in the island preserve outside of Marshill. There's a hole in the
fence that Dad found, then there's three rocks that look like tombstones up the hill."

"Looks like some hiking is in order," said Mighty. "Think you're up to it, Zephyer?"

"I am if you are," she said. "This is fun."

They took a bus to the island preserve, which was in the island's interior--a fifty mile patch of jungle
crisscrossed by dirt trails. The trails were fenced to keep people from wandering off, but Talon's
father had discovered a look see post that could be lifted aside like a gate. He and Talon had used it
several times, and as Talon watched Knuckles move the post, he wondered if his Dad had been the
last one to touch it. He felt the backs of his eyes grow hot.

The group climbed up to the three tombstone-rocks. "The next line's easy," said Espio. "Climb the
hill and view the sea."

This took a bit more effort, for the hill was steep and rocky, and the trees and undergrowth blocked
their view of the landscape. But after half an hour the ground leveled out, and the trees opened up in
a clearing. The ocean was visible behind them to the south, east and west. To the north it was
blocked by more hills.

"Down beyond the twisted tree," read Knuckles from the piece of paper. "Spread out, everybody.
Look for a twisted tree."

After a quick search, Zephyer found it--an ancient pine, bent and twisted by the wind and weather. It
was the only pine on the hilltop.

"Now we go down beyond the twisted tree," said Knuckles, "and view the quadrangle from the lee of
the final standing key. What's a standing key?"

"The quadrangle is to the east," said Zephyer, pointing, "so that's the direction we go. Any ideas,
Talon?"

The anteater shook his head.

"A key could be anything," said Vector. "For some reason I have an idea it's a rock."

"Then let's look for rocks," said Knuckles, leading the way back down the hill.

As they walked, Zephyer slipped her hand into his. "This is the life."

"You like adventuring, eh?" said Knuckles with a smile. "Even when Talon's future is in doubt?"

"In spite of it," said Zephyer, swatting a mosquito. "For now we're all together, and I like it."

"My life usually isn't this interesting," said Knuckles. "Usually I just work around the Floating
Island instead of treasure-hunting."

"I'm not complaining," said Zephyer, returning his smile.

"You're not sorry you married me?"

"Nope."

"Even though you'll be chained to a Floating Island the rest of your life?"

"I don't mind that, I love the Floating Island almost as much as I love you."

Knuckles chuckled. "At least you didn't marry me for my real estate."

"Oh no," said Zephyer, dodging around a sticky yucca. "I got a guy who is strong, fun, mysterious,
and handsome to boot."

"Handsome?" said Knuckles, throwing out his chest. "You think I'm handsome?"

"Yeah," said Zephyer. "Before I came here, my mom was trying to set me up with every cute guy
she saw. You're the best-looking of the lot." When Knuckles looked smug, Zephyer added, "Don't
get your ego in a knot. I could start naming your bad qualities, too."

"How about you don't," said Knuckles, and kissed her.

They were distracted by a shout from down the hill. "Hey, look at this!"

Knuckles and Zephyer broke into a run.

This story archived at: The Domain of NetRaptor

http://www.netraptor.org/fanfiction/viewstory.php?sid=1024