The Age of Emeralds

Chapter 3
Of Echidnas and Eggmen

"No, Grandfather Spectre, I don't think we should interfere. It seems to be... well taken care of." Locke had his eyes watchfully placed on monitors following both Tails and, for what good it did, Sonic. He stroked his beard mildly, the only thing that separated him and his son, save for an inch or two of height. He was the youngest one in Haven, but perhaps he had the most to think about. After all, his son had been gaining extraordinary powers at an exponential rate that was... something of his plan.

"If you call that 'taken care of'." Thunderhawk smirked humorlessly. "Our homeland is besieged, and yet we do nothing?" Thunderhawk was an older guardian, set apart for his purple coat of fur.

"Knuckles will handle his end, as Sonic and Tails wrap up theirs." Spectre said confidently. "I believe Locke is right this time." Spectre wasn't the oldest, but he was the most mysterious. He was solitary, even for an echidna, dressed in concealing robes and a sort of helmet that hid part of his face. One tended to wonder how time had ravaged his body, but also how he seemed to come and go on a whim of smoke. Perhaps his fire ant companion had taught him more than he needed?

"So where does that leave us?" the purple one leaned back in his chair, half mused by the situation.

"Sitting here on our rear ends, is what." Locke almost scoffed. Not that he cared for fighting, but where his son was concerned, he wanted to help him on his feet in spite of anything else he'd say. He glanced longingly at the monitor showing his son, dealing with his own problems yet again, no father to hold his hand and guide him. But Julie-su was there, if that was anything of a comfort to him. "Don't even say anything Grandfathers, It'll be all right without us here, count on it."

Spectre couldn't help himself from laughing. "You mean don't worry about Sonic and Tails. It's your son that's the problem hmm?" he rocked back and forth on his feet, grinning smugly, concealed by his helm. "Well, you're half right. I don't think we'll play any key role in the island's safety, but your son... he is... growing up, and fast. Maybe too fast. That Chaos induced power can't be worth it, now that he's past your dreams of death, young cub."

About to retort, Locke was cut off by a sound of alarms flashing the place. "So much for sitting on our rears." Thunderhawk quickly went to the monitors, flicking through security channels, finding nothing. "It's an intruder but..."

"You can't find him, I know." Spectre disappeared to who knows where.

Locke gave him only a glance, in time to see the last mists of his presence fade, then back to his monitors. "He should trust the technology a little more..."

"Exactly what our ancestors feared Locke. Need I remind you of our history? I can't blame him in this case. We're going to have to do a manual search."

"Why do you say that? It looks like just a false alarm"

"Just this" the gloved hand pointed to a monitor, displaying a door of Haven that had been forced open. It had been half melted, half pried apart, otherwise there seemed to be no further damage.

"I'll head to the core, you search the main corridors." the two echidnas nodded and parted ways, the younger one heading further into the conch-shell designed hall leading to the place's core.

"You know, you'd have an easier time finding an intruder if you just... looked behind you." A voice came suddenly from behind Locke, nearly slipping him out of his skin. He twisted around as fast as he could without snapping a bone. His eyes fixed quickly on the source of the voice, a young male echidna with black fur. He knew him...

"Onyx? What are you doing here? You know you're not allowed in haven!"

"That's Dirk now. What are you doing here in haven?" he smiled softly, keeping a hand loosely on the stun gun at his side. "Your son's out there alone, and confused, and you're here what? Baby-sitting a set of TVs that don't show you what's going on now? You guys have lost it."

"So you're the intruder? You... You and your sister are not welcome here Dir-"

The boy waved him off dismissively. "Never mind your quibbles Locke. You always did talk my ear off. I'd rather speak with Spectre or Saber, but it's about your son..."

Darting to the edge of the dead fire, the blue blur skidded onto a few smoldering trees, and scanned for his bud. It was a shame really, the Sandopolis Zone already laid claim to a third of Angel Island, no need to add to it. He hoped the damage would be repairable, this floating mass was vital to the ecosystem, even if it was no longer a part of the topsoil. At first he didn't see anything but a half-dried river.

From the water, a bubble started to emerge. Sonic whisked around with a startled cry as the water abruptly parted. "WA-Hooo!" was yelled from the biplane's cockpit as Tails sprang from the scene protected by his bubble shield. The Fox left the mech's cockpit, and after a great leap, struck a pose while laughing and yelling "YATTA!"

"Nice entrance Tails." It was half a compliment, said dryly, as he shook water off himself quickly.

"The forest's all clear now! The animals can come back any time Sonic."

Sonic nodded and glanced back at the sky, the flickie off in the distance, the ruin, and back. "Yeah for now. But that still doesn't answer what's on my mind."

"Huh?"

"Where's Knucklehead and what's Robotnik up to this time?"

"Me surrender? No way! You're the intruder! I'm not buying your lies this time!" Knuckles glared at the rotund one who'd invaded his homeland, with a few of his follower bots behind him. In a similar way, the red echidna was backed by his friends - Charmy, Vector, Mighty, Espio, and Julie-su.

"You're only going to make things more difficult on yourself, guardian. As we speak, there are intruders on this island up to no good." Robotnik stroked his mustache, his eyes concealed behind his highly reflective glasses. If you looked through his rotten little mind, you'd see labels on Knuckles and his friends, Suckers, saps, fools... the list goes on.

"You're the only intruder I see big-shot!" Vector barked at Robotnik. The crocodile was quite the hothead. In an amazing twist of fate, he seemed to have very sharp hearing for one who always had music blaring through a walkman directly into his ears 24/7.

"I'd hold him back if I were you knuckles."

"And why should I egg-head?" Knuckles was ready to tear the fat man apart too - after all, he'd been tricked one too many times by the wicked man.

"Well... if you don't want your precious little Island destroyed, you'd do best to heed me boy."

"Don't trust him Knuckles!" Julie-su had her gun close by and she could always smell a rat. The pink echidna with purple tipped bangs, was smart as she was pretty. She was like a piece of Knuckles that wasn't there unless she was around, they needed each other, they just had no clue how much... yet.

"What about the island?" Knuckles may have hated Eggman's guts, but whenever indications were made of the Island in trouble, his curiosity set in.

"Oh? So now you're interested are you? Fine then!" Before them all, appeared a hologram of the Chaos chamber, only with a difference, the seven emeralds were pulsating with a great light, the Master Emerald cracked in the center.

"What!" Knuckles gazed in disbelief, "This is just ...a trick!"

"Trick eh? Watch closely Knuckles... You might learn something."

Before them, a brilliant light beamed from the crack, rising to a blinding peak before dying away. In its place, a pile of green shards rested where the Master Emerald once had. Knuckles cringed at the prospect of recollecting the emerald shards again - once was enough, when Station Square was threatened and twice was too many. As for the other 7 Emeralds...

"They're gone!" Knuckles stared in awe. "What kind of trick is this Eggman!" he growled.

"There's no way the Master Emerald can just... crack like that!" Julie su and Vector said at the same time. When it came to protecting Knuckles and the Floating Island, Vector and Julie were far more alike than they'd care to admit.

"It's no trick Knuckles..." a sly grin was hidden behind the man's unnatural mustache. "By my calculations, when the emerald cracks, the resulting explosion will not simply drop the island like a stone... The force of the blast will propel this floating piece of real-estate crashing into Mobius below. The Result...? Well, I wouldn't want to be around when it happens." The evil Doctor said in even tones, almost smiling with glee as he delivered the final sentence on the island. He could lie with the best of them, but to a certain extent he was right. To that extent, Knuckles wouldn't want to chance the island's safety.

"I'll handle this Dr. Eggman. Your services aren't needed here." He said in a low sort of growl.

"What!" Eggman's pleasure that Knux had bought it was overcast with his disapproval of the lardo... Usually he got to stick around for the fireworks. "But I can help you Knuckles... You need me to-"

"Can it Fatso." Knux waved him off, staring him down. For such a short race, they were exceedingly intimidating. "I have all the help I need. If there's a threat to the island, I'll take care of it. It's not Your responsibility or concern. Vec, Mind showing tin grin off the Island?"

"Gladly!" the croc' cracked a feral grin.

"Knuckles! Think about what you're saying... my technology could--"

"What's the matter Metal head? Got cotton stuffed in your knobby little ears?" Vec was more than happy to act as bouncer, and being very tall as Mobian animals went, came across even more frightening than his little red buddy. "All we've seen you demonstrate is what a lying cheatin' scumbucket you are. We got no reason to trust you so better come quietly or else."

"Fine..." Eggman could sense that his welcome had worn thin. He would leave all right... but as soon as that croc's back was turned, watch out.

"Thanks Vec." Knuckles smiled and eased up a bit.

"You can't honestly trust him!" Julie su stared at the red Echidna soon as Eggman was out of earshot. "You're our Guardian, you would have known if something was wrong right?"

"I know Julie... But now that I think of it, something is strange. I don't know what, but the Emeralds... It's probably just Eggman's presence..."

"You're probably right. Well, if Eggman's here, then Sonic can't be far behind. Gonna' go roll out the welcome mat?"

Knuckles smirked slightly and glanced the area over a moment. "No. I think I'm going to see what kinda damage Eggman's caused getting here first... Then we'll deal with sonic." That seemed a good idea to everyone, Julie and the Chaotix alike.