Chapter 13: Hidden Plot
The dank city air hovered over the dank city lake, the red guardian and his purple companion dashed across the course busted city flooring. Waiting by the busted door of the rusted old tower covered in smog, the two sat listening to the sounds of the city as they waited for the large metallic door to unfold and allow them access.
"…that damn bee is taking far too long!" Knuckles impatiently mumbled.
"Patience is a virtue that comes through discipline." Espio whispered.
"Oh don't give me that ninja, samurai, Chinese mumbo jumbo! It plays no relevance to ANY of this!" Knuckles shot back at Espio.
With that remark the door suddenly opened with a loud click, Knuckles gave off an evil grin as he stood up and dashed into the tower with Espio in tow. Knuckles stopped and looked at the large console, Espio rolled his eyes and flipped the switch on the console, the platform began to slowly rise, both looked around cautiously when the platform sudden shot up at mach speed, Knuckles and Espio fell back and were flattened on the ground as the platform rushed up, with a loud clang the platform stopped launching both of them up towards the ceiling. Knuckles and Espio screamed as they flew up into the ceiling, a loud clang rang as they smashed into the ceiling and then fell off and landed with a loud thud on the metal platform.
"…oh…that wasn't very nice. Damn Robotnik!" Knuckles growled while wiping some spit from his lip.
"…is my horn still in one piece?" Espio nervously said while feeling his head. "Good…"
Knuckles looked at Espio and rolled his eyes as he sped out of the tower and stopped at the edge to look at the massive piping that extended towards the Capital Tower. Knuckles scowled as he clenched his fist, the wind blowing his hair to the right as Espio crept up behind him, their figures pure black as the shadow of the archway hid them from the pale moon.
The giant pipe which pumped Emerald Ore to the sector has dozens of vents each vent spewing out smoke so thick a knife couldn't cut through, large electrical surges jumped from the busted conductors, and small defense turrets still littered the ruined platforms.
"Looks like that blast really damaged this place." Espio whimpered as he stared at the damage.
"Doesn't matter. Let's move!" Knuckles commanded.
Knuckles leapt across the large gap over the broken platform and landed on the thin metal piping, Knuckles held his arms out to balance on the pipe and Espio jumped over him and landed on the platform ahead of him, Knuckles and Espio sprung off the platform and ran across the weak mini platforms which gave out seconds after they crossed and fell to the small population below. They ran across the bare broken metal ducking under the massive volts that zigzagged across the surface. Espio flipped off the pipe and grabbed the ladder going up the side of the tower, Knuckles quickly climbed behind him, as the night sky grew cloudy and thunder echoed across the sky. Rain began to fall as the two made their way to a medium sized Ventilation shaft, Knuckles and Espio carefully climbed in and slowly slide down stopping at the large grate in the middle of the vent, they quietly peered down to find the throne chamber much to their own surprise.
"Robotnik! GRR! Now is my chance to…" Knuckles growled as he prepared to punch out the vent.
"Knuckles…control yourself. They are talking about something…" Espio said while slowly pushing Knuckles' fist down.
In the large room Robotnik sat in his massive chair staring at the mighty Raptor that paced back and forth…
"That Echidna is still at large…" Ramirez said with disgust.
"It is of no importance." Robotnik replied.
"I don't like it…the people of the city are losing faith and Quaro have slowly been migrating closer to the city, some of the bigger ones in tow. I doubt the city walls will hold." Ramirez commented.
"Ho! Ho! Ho! Those primitive beasts will never dare to strike the city. I have thought everything out…
"Enlighten me dear Emperor…" Ramirez said as he knelt on one knee.
"The Quaro have been eating from our hand recently…do you know why? It's because I created them! Therefore every move they make I tell them to make. I control them and this war." Robotnik proudly stated.
"How?" Ramirez asked trembling in shock.
"Simple…I…use…my…favorite…present…" Robotnik said in a low tone.
Robotnik put on a sickening nearly blood curdling grin, he stood up and eerily stepped over to the large console, he pressed his watch and the console rose up to reveal a Massive Purple Emerald, nearly Identical to the Master Emerald in everything but color.
"Another Emerald?" Ramirez gasped.
"Not just any Emerald. This Emerald…its "special" when I look at it…everything is clear. The past, the future…even…the present…he, he, he…" Robotnik cackled.
"It is merely a gem." Ramirez sighed trying to hide his lack of approval.
"Don't you dare say such a thing about my beauty! This Emerald…it is nearly identical to the Master Emerald in every way! It must have some power aside from granting those who focus on it…clairvoyance." Robotnik said snapping at Ramirez's insolence.
Robotnik stared into the Dark Purple Emerald, an almost silent whisper emanated from it, a light whisper that no one could hear aside from its target…
"Myself…"
"Sir…permission to speak freely?" Ramirez asked.
"…Death…and life…purpose…of the soul…"
"…" Robotnik merely stood still with an empty stare in his eyes.
"Tainted…the true chaos shall form…chaos in its purest"
"Sir?" Ramirez said lightly.
"…Chaos…to Turmoil…Turmoil to Strife…"
"Ah! Ho-hum! Go ahead…" Robotnik stuttered.
"…Repent…"
"I mean no disrespect, but it is nothing more than an Emerald, it could probably help fuel the Ore Refineries. Sir I worry about your mental state, over the past few days you seem to be out of it." Ramirez stated out of concern, "Perhaps you should take a few days off and rest."
"…Revenge…the blood of the living…to quench the dead…"
"Silence! Never are you to even say such a thing again! Now you see why I call the shots, and not you!" Robotnik sternly scolded Ramirez.
"…Exterminate…the unwanted…then true Corruption shall reign…"
"Sir just give me a battalion of troops, I can then find Knuckles, destroy him, and drive the Quaro off! I can destroy them all!" Ramirez arrogantly announced.
"…Oblivion…"
"Ramirez, I would love to send you, but it is much more rewarding to see them die just as they think they have won. The Death Egg will be ready for launch soon." Robotnik said belittling Ramirez's offer.
"…Chaos is its purest form…the metal of hate…"
"…can I destroy Knuckles and his resistance friends? At least let me do that." Ramirez begged.
"…Hate is bound by the soul…"
"…I…I just got a good idea on how to deal with them! Sadly Ramirez, I want you to stay here and continue to "talk" to that hedgehog…if that's what you like to call it." Robotnik cackled.
"…The soul…forever lost…"
"I don't understand…you want us to wait for them to attack? What have you created to stop the Resistance?" Ramirez desperately asked trying to find an answer.
"…Death bringer…"
"Come…I'll show you in my lab." Robotnik said, giving in to Ramirez's pleas.
"…Yourself…forever in my mind…"
Robotnik closed the console completely covering the Emerald, he grinned inhumanly as he waltzed out of the room, Knuckles gritted his teeth while he fought back the urge to attack Robotnik. Espio put his hand on Knuckles' shoulder and gave off a concerned look.
"You and I both know what that Emerald was…" Espio whispered with a tone of concern Knuckles had never heard before.
"How did Robotnik managed to get a hold of the Master Emerald of Corruption?" Knuckles wondered his very nerve shaken horribly.
"We'd better tell Shadow and the others. The fact that Robotnik is wielding such power is unsettling. I don't understand his plan though…" Espio whispered.
"…he knew what he was talking about but he seemed to be in a place of his own." Knuckles pondered.
"That might be so." Espio replied.
Knuckles and Espio quickly moved out of the vent and back onto the roof, the rain was pouring harder than before and the roof had puddles everywhere, the two looked around in confusion, the ladder they used had fallen off by the looks of things. Espio pointed towards the other end of the platform and the two dashed for it.
Just as they got to the center of the platform a blue orb hit the ground and began to pulsate…
"GET DOWN!" Espio screamed as he tackled Knuckles to the floor.
The two rolled in a big ball behind a small Statue of Robotnik as the orb went out in a mighty blue flash.
"An incineration Orb…" Espio murmured.
"…Espio…" Knuckles whispered as he pushed Espio off of him.
Knuckles stood up and walked out to the middle of the platform, Espio quickly stood next to him, with a loud mind splitting roar of sorts a massive machine rose up and pointed all 8 of its arms at them, each arm with a large barrel that looked as if it fired some sort of weapon. In the Cockpit was none other than Robotnik! It had a massive torso that was littered with various hatches, and had the Robotnik Symbol placed on various places.
"Robotnik!" Knuckles hissed in fury, his eyes turning black upon saying the name.
"Well, well, well, looks like my favorite toy returned home. Fool! Did you really thing you could spy on me?" Robotnik laughed.
"I came here to bash your skull in! I didn't come here to spy!" Knuckles replied.
"My Knuckles…I heard you've developed quiet a temper, looks like those Emerald Ore Treatments did have a side effect. I'd love to chat more but I've grown tired of you… this is the Egg Launcher and it will be your executor tonight…now…allow me…to send you to…HELL!" Robotnik roared furiously.
Knuckles and Espio got into a ready stance as the Egg Launcher took aim…