The time would come when Knothole was to make its stand once more against the Empire of Robotnik. But that time was not now. The battle was over, and it was time to rebuild, to recoup for the damage they had sustained.
Yet all that had happened, in all its immensity, was but the dawn of the war.
The delusory search squad concluded its charade as it exaggeratedly gave up its search. Robotnik moved in, believing the Freedom Fighters had given up the search for the emerald, and that the search was his alone now.
Another mission was undertaken as well: that of reseeding the crater which Chaos had created in the Forest. Of course it would take time for the Forest to look as it had before, but by planting the seeds of the future now, in time, where trees had once been, trees would be once more.
And Knuckles the Echidna, Guardian of the Floating Island and of the Chaos Emerald, reunited with the Chaotix, once again had set out. He would return to the Floating Island before his mission was once again reawakened.
"Koukennin..."
He knew what had to be done. He could not rest until the Emerald was once again upon the Floating Island. For he was Koukennin, and his time spent with the Freedom Fighters was over; reacquiring the emerald was his duty once more. He relieved the small search party which Princess Sally had dispatched and took up the task for himself and his friends. And with that, the last of the Freedom Fighters went home, relinquishing their task to the Guardian of the Chaos emerald.
As Princess Sally led the rebuilding of Knothole, her assertion returned; once more she was unafraid of Robotnik, and dedicated to the reclaiming of the throne and the overthrow of the dictator. The realization of Knothole II was cathartic for the princess; it returned a sense of normality to everything. With the conviction of Knothole being returned to existence, the impending threat of Robotnik's retaliation and reconstruction became once more that which she had always intended to subdue.
And as I scribe these words, I know this story has come to a close. The story of the dawn of the war has been told, and Knothole would be restored. Robotnik would seek again to stifle the rebellions that stood against his reign, but for a time there would be Calm. Survivors of Ilus would build a new home, and Raiyon would forge a concord with Knothole on behalf of New Ilus. Tarahassas, too, would make a pact with Knothole. There were now more willing to stand against Robotnik. Unity was coming together.
But for the time, arms would be lain down and the Calm would be embraced. Some day those pacts would doubtlessly be called upon, but for now the battle was over; the war had begun.
And I lay down my quill in preparation for what is to come.