Chapter 7: The First Piece

Author's Note: Wow, that was a pretty quick update. Ok, on with the chapter.

Disclaimer: You should know by now.

Knuckles and Sparx walked back down the dark road while talking about what they were to do next with their journey.

"Where are we supposed to look for medallion pieces?" Knuckles asked, "They can be anywhere!"

"Actually," Sparx responded, "No they can't. The only place they will be able to be found is near one of your father's victims. But then again, that doesn't narrow it down much."

Knuckles looked at Sparx quizzically, "Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

Sparx shrugged, "I didn't want to load you with information. There should be one around here somewhere, considering LeLax is one of you father's victims."

Knuckles remembered LeLax saying how his father was the reason for his lost eye, and wondered what had happened. "What exactly did my father do to LeLax that made him lose his eye?" he asked, figuring that Sparx knew the answer.

"I honestly don't know," Sparx replied, shocking Knuckles, "I know they both got beat up pretty bad. LeLax really chewed up Jamie, he almost lost a few dreadlocks."

Knuckles recalled one time when he was younger, and he had been guarding the Master Emerald. His father had gone to get some food for that night, and he said he'd be back in about two hours. He hadn't come back that night, or the next. When he finally did return, he looked like he'd gone through a paper shredder. His arm was gashed, and his dreads were torn. There was blood all around his mouth, and it looked like he'd lost a few teeth. He'd told Knuckles that he'd fallen out of a large tree, into some rocks, and gotten knocked out. Knuckles had accepted the answer, but now he knew what really had happened.

"Why did my dad mess with LeLax anyway?"

"Same reason he messed with me," Sparx explained, "They were friends, LeLax didn't support his mission, so he tried to kill him.

"LeLax didn't look to good after the fight either." he continued, "I mean, of course there was the fact that there was a big gaping hole where his eye used to be, but his fur was all matted and caked with blood. It had to have been pretty awful, because LeLax didn't want to tell me anything about it. he's usually the kind to graphically describe his battles."

Knuckles looked down at the ground as he walked. He couldn't believe that his own father had caused so many people misery. How many people did Sparx say he had killed? He didn't even want to know.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you," Sparx said suddenly, "that medallion will not only let you come in contact with ghosts, it will let you be able to touch Chaos, despite his body temperature."

"Can you try not to tell me these things bit by bit?" Knuckles asked, "I like to know everything at once."

Sparx completely ignored Knuckles as they kept walking, and he sighed. So many things had changed in these past days....

It soon became difficult for Knuckles to move, and his eyelids got heavy. he stomach rumbled, and his legs felt liked jell-o. He realized that he couldn't remember the last time he'd slept or eaten, and this only made him feel worse.

"Sparx?" he asked, trying not to show his weakness, "Do you think we could stop and get something to eat? Maybe rest for the night?"

Sparx shook his head, "Not until we find that medallion piece."

Knuckles felt like smacking Sparx, but that would just be a waste of energy. "Come on Sparx, just for an hour or two?"

Sparx shook his head again, watching the ground. "If we don't find it, he will." Knuckles didn't even need to ask who 'he' was, he already knew.

"Looking for this?" they heard a sickening voice ask. the wind began to rush, and Jamie materialized about ten yards in front of them, and smirked as he walked towards them. there was something golden shining in his hand, and by the exasperated look on Sparx's face, Knuckles knew it was part of the medallion.

"It looks like I beat you to the first piece, doesn't it?" Knuckles's father declared, waving the medallion in his face, "What a pity."

Fury built up inside Knuckles, and he struck his father across the face, pleased to see that the medallion worked.

Jamie staggered backwards, caught off-guard by the blow to the face. He manage a smile, despite the pain, and looked at his son, who was advancing on him. "I see you've met my friend," he stated flatly, backing up.

Knuckles remained silent as he walked toward his father. "Give me the medallion." he demanded.

Jamie shook his head, "I don't think so," he said. He looked toward the sky and shouted, '

"Chaos!"

Thunder boomed, as the water beast formed in from of them. Chaos 3. How they had found three emeralds, Knuckles didn't even want to know.

Jamie smiled as his son. "You can either leave right now, or suffer Chaos's wrath," he informed him.

Knuckles stole a glance at Sparx, who gave him a look that said, "Don't back down."

"You don't scare me!" Knuckles shouted, trying to convince himself as well as his father.

"We'll see about that," his father said. "Chaos, charge!"

The water beast charged at Knuckles, and before he had time to react, he was knocked to the ground. Knuckles was at a major disadvantage, being as tied and hungry as he was. He could barely concentrate, much less attack.

Knuckles stood up, only to be knocked down by the beast again. He heard his father cackle. "Give it up fool!" he shouted, "You'll never defeat Chaos!"

Knuckles shook his head as he stood up and lunged at the 'God of Destruction' as Eggman had called him, hitting him in the head.. The beast staggered backwards into his father, knocking him down. Apparently, he could make contact with ghosts. Slowly, Chaos 3 dematerialized until he was nothing but a puddle on the ground.

Knuckles seized the moment and ran towards his fallen father, stepping on his chest. "I'll take this," he said, reaching for the medallion piece. Jamie tried to fight back, but it wasn't worth it. Within one minute knuckles had the medallion piece and was walking away.

"This is only the beginning," his father muttered as he dematerialized.

"Thanks for helping out back there," Knuckles said sarcastically to Sparx, who rolled his eyes.

"You have to fight your father yourself, I can only help from the sidelines, and i had already used too much energy making the ball of light to do that."

"Whatever," Knuckles replied, "Can we rest now?"

Sparx smiled and nodded. "There's a place right over here," he said.