Chapter 2: Captured
The moon had a bright glow in the night sky, the stars shimmered brightly and the cool night breeze gently blew across the island. The red guardian sitting down next to the glowing giant Emerald surrounded by smaller emeralds. The guardian stretched and yawned as he prepared to go to sleep near the emerald he was sworn to protect.
In the distance under the cover of darkness Robotnik's Egg Fortress approached the silent island. Robotnik grinned as he jumped into the seat of his latest machine and dropped from his ship towards the small unsuspecting island.
The red guardian began to close his eyes when the loud clang of metal slamming into solid ground sounded, he immediately jumped to his feet and looked around ready to fight. His dark blue eyes scanned around looking for the source of the sound, tensing his muscles he slowly walked down the stairs from the Emerald and carefully ducked down into the grass. With a loud bang the machine fired its massive guns at the red guardian who dove behind one of the old rock pillars of the shrine. Before he could think of any way of attack, the large 8-legged mechwalker with two large cannons at its sides and 4 missile launchers under and above it's main section had the Master Emerald trapped within a strange force field generated by the very claw that grabbed it.
"Dr. Robotnik! I should have known it was you!" Knuckles growled he glared right at the large claw clutching the Master Emerald.
"Knuckles! It's been a long time now hasn't it?" Dr. Robotnik said.
"Release the Master Emerald NOW!" Knuckles demanded.
"Not this time fool!" Dr. Robotnik shouted as he smiled and reeled the Emerald into the Mechwalker not noticing Knuckles charging towards him.
Robotnik smiled as he rubbed the dark green emerald that gave off a bright green glow, a loud bang echoed throughout the mechwalker and it toppled to its side as Knuckles punched the legs of the walker out one by one. Robotnik scowled and fired off its massive cannons that gave a deafening BOOM, Knuckles jumped up into the air and weaved between the blasts and drove his fist into the cockpit of the mechwalker, metal shards flew across the pit as Robotnik screamed and covered his face. Knuckles roared as he grabbed the edges of the hole he made and began to rip it open. Robotnik scowled and got back into the pilot's seat, before he could even touch a switch his radar sounded as it detected more enemies approaching.
"Looks like your friends are here. Time to say good-bye knucklehead!" Dr. Robotnik said as he began to press various buttons.
"Shut the fuck up!" Knuckles shouted.
Knuckles drove his right fist through the hole and clocked Robotnik across the face fracturing his jaw, Robotnik gave a loud scream of pain, he slammed his fist into a wide green button, the mechwalker surged with electricity shocking Knuckles until he fell off, Knuckles hit the ground and scowled as the top of the walker shot off and flew up towards the sky, Knuckles ran off the platform that the Master Emerald Shrine was on and dashed across the side of the mountain catching up with the speeding craft, scowling the red guardian leapt off of the mountain and grabbed onto the crafts wing.
In hot pursuit a black hedgehog with crimson red highlights over his eyes, across his spikes, and running down his arms and legs sped up towards the craft which hit its after burners and shot high up into the sky where the hedgehog could not get it.
"NO! KNUCKLES!" Shadow Screamed.
Knuckles didn't even glance back as he held onto the wing of the craft. Knuckles' eyes opened wide when he saw the massive ship the craft was heading towards, he shook his head in disbelief as the craft came landed upon the hard metal deck and Robotnik leapt out of the craft clutching the Master Emerald.
"That was far easier than I expected." Dr. Robotnik grumbled clutching his jaw.
"Oh really!" Knuckles roared as he rushed towards the vulnerable Doctor.
"Knuckles! Damn you!" Dr. Robotnik gasped in shock.
Robotnik dashed towards the building at the end of the runway, Knuckles charged towards him and began to rotate his arm as he ran, his arm became enveloped in a crimson red glow as he prepare to hit Robotnik with one of his most powerful punches. Before Knuckles could unleash the attack a dark figure dove out of the sky and smashed its fist into Knuckles' face causing him to skid back about 10 feet leaving a large trail of broken flooring behind him. Knuckles quickly got up with a flip and gritted his teeth as he looked at the dark figured, a black Raptor like being with red stripes across its snout, arms, and face, Knuckles tried to see more but the dark pants and open leather jacket only showed off the creature's chest and stomach which gave away that his sides probably had red stripes to boot. Knuckles scowled and cracked his knuckles as the raptor gave an evil smile.
"So you are the famous Emerald Guardian. I must say I'm quiet unimpressed. Before you ask…my name is Ramirez, the top officer of this ship…the Egg Fortress, and top representative of our soon to be new city." Ramirez said calmly.
"Like I give a damn. Move out the way or I'll be forced to break you in half." Knuckles threatened.
"Always the angry one I see. Come…show me what you got!" Ramirez said as a small grin crossed his face showing off his razor sharp teeth.
Knuckles instantly looked around to find 45 robotic guards pointing their guns at him. Ramirez walked up to Knuckles and grinned, Knuckles scowled as he looked at the robots suddenly Ramirez spun around and slammed his tail into Knuckles' head before Knuckles even knew it had happened…
The robots walked up to Ramirez and stood over the unconscious Knuckles, Ramirez grinned and shouted for them to take him to Robotnik's laboratory.
Ramirez walked into the medical room to find Robotnik injecting nanotech into his jaw, and giving off a sigh of relief as the microscopic nanobots repaired his jaw in minutes.
"Knuckles has been subdued and placed in your lab." Ramirez announced.
"Very good! Now I can learn how he can channel Emerald energy so well." Dr. Robotnik said with a smile.
"Well we should be arriving in 3 hours." Ramirez announced.
"Very good. When we arrive we will move him to the laboratory in the capital building. Dismissed!" Dr. Robotnik shouted.
Ramirez grinned and turned around quickly causing his jacket's sides to pick up in the air, the lab door opened in a flash allowing him to leave. As the door closed Robotnik walked over to Knuckles and lifted his head up by placing his palm under Knuckles' chin. Knuckles tried to open his eyes but couldn't keep them open as his vision was too blurred and his body still weak.
"Knuckles…you and I are going to be spending a lot of quality time together. However to make things easier I suggest you answer my questions…and don't resist, things won't be as painful that way. Trust me." Dr. Robotnik said.
"…Go to hell…" Knuckles rudely spat out.
"You say that now…but soon…you'll be singing a different tune." Dr. Robotnik stated.
Robotnik held his belly and began to give off a bellowing laugh that spread through out the upper levels of the ship.