This is getting nowhere. But for those reading this you HAVE to read this before Her Way, All The Way, No Exceptions to understand anything. Really, to understand this, you sorta have to read Desolation. Or wait, no, I suggest you read it before anything else I write or you will be confused as hell. My stories go in a consecutive order, starting with Desolation and ending with Can't Take Back. For more info, check my profile.

Rougerluz: yea thx for the yoai. OO though.

Farubafan: Hahaha okies? Hahahahahahaha LMFAOLMFAOLMFAO


Draith was just about to Jaster St. He had been looking for Knuckles' friends, or Knuckles himself, but no one was anywhere in sight. They weren't in their respective homes, and Draith barely knew anything about the crew's hangouts, but he didn't know why, because Mastermind never wanted him to have anything to do with that. 'God damn, he's so picky… he never trusts me, I might as well just tell Knuckles about his plans, and have that echidna kick his ass!' As he pulled around the corner, he saw the red echidna talking to some strange hooded figure. He pulled aside and secretly listened to the echidna and stranger talk.

"No Knuckles. That was a misunderstanding." Knuckles clenched his fists.

"You said you worked for Mastermind, now TELL ME WHERE HE IS!" The strager stomped his foot.

"My dear old Knuckles… there is no Mastermind." Draith spit out the Pepsi he was preparing to swallow. Knuckles fell on his face Pokemon-style.

"WHAT IN THE FUCKING HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" The stranger laughed and waved his hand. He disappeared. Draith stood with his mouth hung open. Knuckles punched a hole in the ground over and over, until it was deep enough to make a small pond. Passers by watched, confused, for the calm and fearless Knux they once knew was now destroying city property, including a few hot dog stands, light poles, and just a few more holes in the sidewalk. Draith watched as Knuckles disappeared behind a corner, enraged.

"No Mastermind? That guy was a freak! Who in the hell's damnation was that?" He thought for a while, then decided to continue looking. He hopped on his board and took off down the street. "Now. I think I've got my sights on Sonic and Tikal. And Kari…" Whilst thinking about Kari, he ran into a lightpole. He fell to the ground as his hoverboard flew a few feet in front of him. He rubbed his forehead and threw his Pepsi bottle across the road. It landed in a little baby's carriage, making the baby start crying. He stood up and ran to his hoverboard, jumping on it, taking off. "Dammit! That fucking hurt!" Whilst paying attention only to his forehead and not what was in front of him, he ran into someone, who fell down along beside him.

"OOMPH!" the character 'said' as it fell. Obviously someone had seen Draith run into the lightpole.

"How many things can one guy run into?" the human said as he walked away. Draith rubbed his forehead again and looked to the person he ran into.

"Sorry about that." He noticed the figure's white fur. He immediately know who it was. She shook her head and frowned.

"Ow." Draith stood up and held his hand out to Rouge. She looked at him and grabbed his hand. He pulled her up.

"I'm so sorry about that, Rouge. I guess I need to watch where I'm going." Rouge jerked her head in his direction.

"How do you know I'm Rouge?" Draith sweatdropped and smiled in an embarrassed way.

"I uh… heh heh… just do." Rouge shifted her weight and put her hands on her hips.

"Don't gimme any bullshit. How in the hell do you know my name? What are you, a stalker?" Draith shrugged.

"More like a spy, but whatever you want to call it." She rolled her eyes and shrugged.

"I've had lots of those, anyway." Draith couldn't help but speak his mind.

"I can see why." he said, staring at her breasts. She looked at him evilly and folded her arms.

"Ex-use me?" Draith shook his head and sweatdropped again.

"Nothing- just… complimenting." Rouge waved him off.

"How do you know me anyway?" Draith looked blankly at her. "Oh. Yeah." She put her hand on her chin. "I wonder, you say you're a spy?" Draith nodded. "You did a pretty good job of it, as far as not letting me know anything until now." Draith blushed. "You think you could keep an eye out for my Knuckles for me?" Draith nodded.

"Yeah. Actually he's been the main focus of this whole spy gig." Rouge gave a face that showed an impressed expression and a look of approval. Draith smiled. "Oh yeah, Mastermind is gonna LOVE it when I tell him I made friends with Knux's girlfriend!" Rouge flinched.

"Mastermind?" Draith fell on his back Pokemon-style, realizing he just blew the barrier away. How many times could he mess up in ten minutes? "Isn't that the name on that note?" Draith stood back up and nodded.

"Yeah. But I'm damn near quitting this job. It's all about him, and the shit he puts me through deserves triple what he pays me. Like getting the Emerald wasn't enough already. And I only got $80 for that!" Rouge grabbed his shirt rim.

"YOU KNOW WHERE THE MASTER EMERALD IS?" Draith sweatdropped as Rouge held him by his shirt.

"Yeah, yeah! Damn! Calm down! I do! But getting it back will NOT be easy…" Rouge smiled.

"You don't know what I'm capable of. NOW TAKE ME TO IT!" Draith stumbled backwards at Rouge's shouting. He regained balance and nodded.

"What's the pay?"

"This is." Draith turned to see Sonic holding $300 in fifties in his face.

"SONIC!" Sonic nodded.

"Damn straight. Red has been a long time friend of mine, and I'd do anything right now to help his. Judging from his current mental status, he needs the help." Sonic pointed down the road to a very enraged Knuckles, still knocking over the defenseless light poles. Rouge chuckled a little.

"We best not tell him yet; he'd get overexcited and hyperventilate. Let's just leave him be." Draith laughed at Rouge's humorous comment. He motioned to the two to follow him, hopped on his board, and took off. Sonic and Rouge looked at each other, nodded, and followed along.