Even though they tried to keep hot on his heels, Miles and Gadget were ultimately unable to keep up with Knuckles as he ducked out of sight and into passages they couldn't find or fit through themselves. Fortunately, they didn't have very far to go. The same sort of turquoise segmented pathways as the previous area lined this one, as did the cooler-colored rocky terrain, though the crystals were different from those in the previous region. And as they got further from the crater, the air continued to cool until it was almost as chilly as the environment around them would suggest.
But the moment they came out the other side of the tunnel from the Lava Reef Caverns, they were treated to the wondrous sight of the Hidden Palace in its entirety. It stood well over a hundred meters tall, though it came nowhere near the ceiling of the volcano itself, held up by thick purple pillars and blue-green columns made up of tapestry-like squares that got lighter closer to their centers. There were other detailed, but unspecific arrangements of yellow, purple and green, along with ancient symbols and characters that the fox recognized from the murals and ruins he'd seen so far. The internal segments, from what they could gleam from their position, had dark blue walls with grid-based patterns that were studded with numerous bumps and grooves. When it came to the outlying area, it was pitch black across the middle except for rows of darkened rocks, with only their top features visible in a blue light. There were taller and clearer crystal rocks further down, and at the top of the colossal crater was light pouring in from outside. It illuminated the whole rocky opening of the volcano, making the Battle Moon stand out even more.
"So that's what it looks like from the outside," Miles mused out loud as he took in the sights, "it's similar to the one Sonic and I found beneath the Mystic Cave Network, albeit more grandiose and practically untouched compared to what we saw."
Gadget held up his comm in front of him to scan the area, then nodded. "The Master Emerald is straight ahead, according to the Radar. Knuckles too, no doubt."
The fox acknowledged the news, glancing between the proper entrance to the Palace and the figure of the Battle Moon far above. While there was no activity coming from the latter, he had a sneaking suspicion that something ominous that had to do with it was about to make itself known.
"Then let's not keep him waiting," he told the wolf, walking down the steps from the catwalk they were on.
They followed them to a small structure that was composed of purple crystals, with a spherical red gem set inside of a small stand on top of the central dais. Miles was sure it had to be for something, but since they didn't really have the time to sit and study it, he gave it a passing look before moving on. A couple of stairs brought them up into a hallway that was several meters high, with more modest-sized pillars spread out here and there as support. Once they got close enough, their sensitive ears detected the sound of a shoe tapping against the flooring, as though someone was impatiently expecting them. Taking a deep breath, Miles and Gadget resumed their pace and soon came to the end of the pathway. And after descending another short set of stairs, the two of them saw that it was indeed the echidna that was anxious to greet them.
Not only that, but Miles finally caught sight of what had to be the mural that the Guardian had been referring to about the so-called prophecy. It was hard to deny that the fox in the image did bear a rather striking resemblance to him, even more than the ones in the Hydro City Ruins. The color of the fur, the eyes, and even the details regarding his bangs and accessories matched up well with the real thing, as much as an ancient bit of art could anyway. That huge bird creature that the depiction of him was fighting didn't look too different from something the Empire might cook up, either. But of course, the most important part of the picture was what the two of them were quarreling over, which was none other than the Master Emerald. It certainly helped to explain why the echidna was so hell-bent on trying to stop them.
'And yet, despite calling me a monster, why don't I look like I did on the Battle Moon in that relief?' the fox wondered, 'and what's that aura? Is that supposed to be me with the power of the Emeralds? Is that what it's supposed to be like when they're used without negative emotions getting in the way?'
"So, it has come to this," Knuckles said, taking a quick gander at the mural himself, "I may have been unable to prevent you from reaching this secluded stronghold, but I will not let you take the Master Emerald!"
Miles ran a hand through his bangs and took in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "No matter how many times you insist on it, I'm not here for that. What do I have to do to convince you that I'm not the bad guy? That I'm not trying to deceive you or pull any tricks?"
Knuckles was tempted to tell the fox that there was nothing he could possibly do to accomplish that. However, the information the doctor had given him before came back to mind, about how a few of the Chaos Emeralds had apparently been restored. And now that he was thinking about it, his affinity for the energy alerted his senses to the presence of all seven gems, which were emanating from the teen. More notably, they felt stronger than they had been while they were under his temporary care, but that couldn't be. How could someone that had once used them to become a destructive beast be capable of rekindling them?
"Show me the Chaos Emeralds," he decided, catching a perplexed expression from the other two guys, "the doctor informed me that you had restored a few of them. I wish to see for myself."
Miles was uncertain about doing so, considering what happened the last time they let their guard down around the stones. But, the fact that Knuckles was even giving him a chance to try and prove himself was a marked improvement over their initial and second meetings. He looked over to Gadget to see what he thought of it, and the wolf wordlessly gazed back at him, shrugging his shoulders. Seeing as the decision was left up to him, and wanting to seize on this possible chance to win the echidna over, the fox removed each of the gems one by one and deposited them in the crook of his arm. The six Emeralds aside from the cyan one were stacked together, with the latter one being held in his other hand, plain to see for the scrutinizing Guardian.
Knuckles could scarcely believe what he was seeing. The doctor had been telling the truth about the gems, but now, it wasn't just a few that were back to normal. All of them were. The fox had somehow managed to do it, and it brought about a startling realization. He had all that power at his fingertips, genuinely so at that, and he could use it at any moment if he was so inclined. Knuckles began to think that it was a mistake to let him bring them out.
"I do not understand," he said, his face scrunching up as one of his gloves cradled his head, "I was told that you became a wild beast when you used them previously. How is it that you were capable of this?"
"Because Miles is a genuinely good person," Gadget answered him, drawing the echidna's leer, "I watched this fox as he grew up, so I know that for a fact. Whatever Fukurokov told you that made him sound malicious is baseless!"
Miles appreciated the words from his adoptive brother, but he knew he had to do this himself. The only one that could truly speak for him was him, after all.
"I'll concede that the doctor didn't lie about me becoming...savage when I transformed," he admitted to the Guardian, who lowered his hand and looked to be paying more attention now, "but, he and the Emperor were the ones that led me to believe they'd taken my friends and siblings from me. I used the Emeralds out of grief and desperation, and I know now that that's what led to this whole mess." When the other Animal's curiosity showed a bit more, he went on. "Look, what you call the 'Dragon's Egg' is, in fact, an artificial colony and super-weapon that's truly known as the Battle Moon. It was constructed by the Battle Kukku Empire under Dr. Fukurokov's direction, and it requires a lot of power to function at its fullest. Power like that of the Chaos Emeralds...or the Master Emerald.
"I knocked it back down to the planet while I was transformed," he concluded, "and it just so happened to crash into Angel Island. I didn't know until several days after the fact."
Knuckles grit his teeth and let them audibly grind. That the fox admitted to his abuse of the Emeralds was one thing, but this potential deception by a man he thought he could trust was another. That revelation about the Dragon's Egg disturbed him most of all. If it was true, then it would mean that the doctor and the Emperor had been using and deceiving him all along. He didn't believe Miles outright, but the sincerity in his voice had the Guardian considering that there was weight to his words.
He used his senses to read the actions of the Chaos Energy in the fox, trying to spot any sort of anomaly. Nothing. Miles had delivered all of his points with a calm and measured flow, even as he passively received greater concentrations from the Emeralds. If he really was telling the truth, then...
"You mean to say that the event my ancestors predicted millennia ago came about as the result of a coincidence!?" the echidna roared, "that's ridiculous!"
"Ridiculous as it is," Miles agreed, though kept his conviction firm, "it's true. Dr. Fukurokov and the Great Battle Kukku have been using you to get close to the Master Emerald while making me out to be the villain. I never meant for this to happen, but–"
"The fact remains that it is your fault!" Knuckles interrupted him, raising his fists, "and if the Battle Kukku Empire has been deceiving me, then they will answer for it after I make you pay for your recklessness!"
The hero couldn't say that he hadn't been expecting this, but he really thought he could get through this without a fight. The echidna was right, though, that he was at least partly responsible for this whole situation. And if cleaning it up included having to knock some sense into Knuckles, then so be it.
He removed his utility belt with one hand and placed the six Emeralds aside from the cyan into their pouches. The fox tossed it over to the wolf, then turned around to face the echidna, grasping his personal gem tightly.
"It's not going to go the same way it did the first time, Knuckles," he declared, pointing at the Guardian with his free glove, "you only had the upper hand because I didn't know what to expect."
Knuckles scoffed at the claim. "You think you can defeat me after only a day? I will believe it when it happens."
"Don't underestimate the strength of the mind," the fox retorted, tapping at the side of his noggin, "after our first encounter, and from what my sister told me about her run-in with you, I have a pretty good idea of how you fight and what you're capable of. I've had a lot on my plate, but coming up with an effective method of beating you hasn't been an afterthought."
His fingers pressed into the Emerald, and his coat spiked up a bit, as though static was running through it, while his cyan-blue eyes took on an electric appearance. In response, Knuckles slammed his two fists together, his own purple eyes taking on a neon red shade as similarly-colored bolts arced through his spines. He then stood back and put up his dukes, punching lightly at the air as if to goad Miles into coming at him. The fox shook his head, putting the Emerald against his hip as his other hand wagged a finger at the echidna.
"One more thing," he remarked, "it occurred to me that I've been too narrow-minded when it comes to using this energy. Sure, I've experimented a little here and there, but I've mostly been applying it as a performance enhancer and a means to treat injuries."
Knuckles growled impatiently. "What is your point?"
"My point is that it would do me some good to try new things, like my folks often tell me to," Miles replied as a smirk spread across his muzzle, "if the Emeralds give power to our thoughts, then I've just got to use my imagination more creatively."
He directed his index and middle fingers at the Guardian with his thumb cocked up and his other two fingers curled in, then brought his thumb down against his outstretched digits. The instant he did, a condensed orb of cyan energy shot from his fingertips at blistering speed. A brief look of shock flashed across Knuckles' face before he dodged to the side, grunting as the projectile grazed his cheek. It flew into one of the smaller purple pillars in the area and burst apart, taking enough of a chunk out of it to make it collapse.
That was enough to get the Guardian going. Knuckles curled up and launched himself at Miles with a Spin Dash, but the teen saw it coming and leapt right over him. Before the echidna could correct his course and come back for another go, the fox fired off a second "bullet" just ahead of the red sphere. The divot it made in the ground caused Knuckles to unfurl and tumble across the ground, though he managed to stop himself just short of slamming into a wall.
He bolted at Miles with his head down and mitts primed, closing the distance in a blink. He threw punch after punch at the fox, but merely succeeded in striking at the air as his opponent weaved through his attacks, those electric blue eyes watching him closely. The Guardian mixed it up by throwing an explosive straight at Miles' chest, only for the vulpine to smack his arm away and follow up with a Tail Attack to the legs. Knuckles was knocked off his feet from the strike, though he easily caught himself and vaulted a short distance away. The moment he landed, he Jumped up and went into an offensive glide, keen on ramming his fists right into the other fellow.
Not willing to just stand there, Miles zoomed under and past the echidna with his own Spin Dash, then spun on his heel and cupped his free hand as though he were holding a ball. A larger sphere of energy formed in his palm, which he then tossed at Knuckles like a grenade. The Guardian shielded himself with his arms as it struck the ground near him and exploded in a brilliant flash, the concussive force behind it pushing him back a few meters. He was about to go in for a counterattack, when Miles suddenly zipped into melee range and slugged him in the Adam's apple with a Chaos-charged punch. Knuckles flew back from the hit and let out a gasp as his back smacked into a pillar, but he wasn't down for long. He got down and dusted himself off before readjusting his stance and staring down Miles.
"Not bad, fox," he complimented his adversary, "but a decent start does not decide the battle." He raised one hand as red light flared out from him, then brought it down in Miles' direction. "Lightning Arrow!"
Just as those words came out, the teen lifted both of his hands and narrowed his eyes, his Emerald shining brightly. When it seemed that the echidna's attack was about to strike him, it was stopped by a translucent cyan barrier. The bolt crackled and struggled against the fox's protection, but ultimately fizzled out. Miles dropped the shield and sprinted headlong at Knuckles, going into a Rolling Jump at the last second to avoid an oncoming punch. He crashed down onto the back of the Guardian's head, making him stumble forward and fall to the floor as he was momentarily stunned.
The fox took the opportunity to Spin Dash once again, though Knuckles didn't stay down as long as he'd expected. The echidna crouched down and held his palms out, stopping the amber sphere in place before chucking it across the chamber. Miles struck a three-point landing, then charged forward as he let loose a few more energy rounds from his finger "gun" in a short burst. While Knuckles was able to dodge the majority of them, he let out a snarl as one of the shots beaned him in the shin, causing his leg to buckle. He aimed an explosive punch at an upward angle when the fox got close, grinning when he felt his fist connect with fur. Miles flew backwards from the blow, but quickly righted himself in mid-air and hovered back down, letting out a breath he'd been holding in and relaxing his muscles. It seemed that the fox had used the Emerald to reinforce his body's durability at the last second, as he looked hardly any worse for wear after taking the attack.
Miles pressed the offense and sprayed a few more blasts at the echidna. Knuckles pivoted in spite of his injury, gliding over to try and tackle the fox to the ground. He was stopped by the fox's tails coming up in front of him, the monotreme wincing at the slight shock up his arms from what felt like hitting solid iron. The teen tried to follow up with a jab, but Knuckles redirected his strike and put distance between them again. A second Lightning Arrow came crashing down, only to be deflected by Miles' Chaos-powered shield. The instant it deactivated, the echidna slammed one foot down to break a piece of tile from the floor, knocking it up and giving it a good deck after winding back a fist.
Miles cried out and fell back a few steps as the shattered marble peppered him, but maintained his balance. Knuckles took the chance to Spin Dash, managing to land a solid hit to the fox's gut and send him sprawling. The hero flipped himself around so that he skidded to a halt using his free hand and feet, then took to the air to evade another volley of rubble sent his way. He jetted across the room and went into a Drop Attack, clocking the echidna across the face and making him fall back onto the ground.
Growling, Knuckles wreathed himself in more red light and hopped to his feet, proceeding to let loose an even more ballistic barrage of blows. Miles gradually backed away as the echidna came at him, his available arm and his two posterior limbs doing what they could to nullify the incoming strikes. However, not only was Knuckles throwing faster punches, but stronger ones as well, and the fox was starting to feel it. He weathered a few more hits, then skipped backwards onto the balls of his feet, drawing his arm back like he was holding a weapon. A likeness of the Pikkon Hammer flickered into view, and with a short, but loud yell, Miles swung it down just as Knuckles got within reach.
"Guh!" Knuckles let out as it forced him into a crouch, cradling his head with one hand.
He saw stars for a second, but shook it off fast enough to sidestep a second swing. Knuckles went in for an uppercut, surprising Miles by causing his projected weapon to dissipate, then socked the fox across the jaw. Spun around by the hit, Miles found his own vision spinning even more as the echidna grabbed his two tails and began spinning him around like an Olympic hammer. He hurtled out of control when he was finally released, smacking belly-first into the wall above the mural and feeling a sharp pain in his abs, along with a subtle crack. The fox pried himself out of the hole he'd made and swore under his breath as a shock went through his ribs upon landing. He pressed his Emerald hand against his torso and gave it a brief jolt as though using a defibrillator, and after a moment of pain, he felt right as rain.
"Your affinity with Chaos Energy is more impressive than I expected," Knuckles said to him, backing off for a moment, "such level of control could only come from years of training and practice."
Miles flashed him a wry grin. "Nothing formal, but like I said, I've messed around here and there when I'm not using it to fight for my life. I've had a lot of time to test some things."
"I see," the echidna acknowledged, "then we shall see which triumphs in this fight: your ingenuity or my experience!"
Both of them went into a Spin Dash and peeled out towards one another. There was a brief struggle that ultimately caused Miles to be knocked away, though he braced himself against a pillar before he could break another bone. He sprang off of the column and dropped behind the Guardian, then put the cyan gem between his teeth as he lunged at the echidna. Knuckles let out a grunt of surprise as his arms were forced behind his back, the fox lifting him into the air using his tails. He flung the Guardian in front of him, who tried to right himself by using his gliding ability. However, he was cut off from doing so by a mid-air axe kick to the small of his back, forcing him to return to the ground.
Miles joined him shortly, grabbing onto his right wrist with his left hand as he thrusted his palm forward. A much larger, more electrical-looking energy ball than the one he used for his "gun" was sent Knuckles' way, moving at something of a slow pace. Thinking he could tank the attack, the echidna rushed forward, cloaking himself in his Chaos Energy once again and letting out a loud bellow. He ended up immediately regretting it, as his whole body felt as though it had been struck by lightning, causing him to lose momentum and spasm from the shock. It only lasted a moment, but that was all Miles needed to close in and deliver a rising knee to Knuckles' chin.
The echidna was not liking the way the battle was going. The fox wasn't necessarily physically stronger than him, but that he was going for sensitive spots on the body when he could. And as much as he prided himself in his own abilities, Knuckles was finding it difficult to keep up with Miles' speed. And while he knew it was unavoidable, the damage to the Hidden Palace was making his heart ache a little each time more was done. He was thankful that Miles had decided to keep things to a duel, because now, he wasn't certain that he'd be able to contend with the both of them if Gadget joined in.
Speaking of the wolf, he had crept around the edge of the chamber during the scuffle, then slipped into the Master Emerald's shrine without Knuckles noticing. Unfortunately, it seemed that the others hadn't arrived there yet, but he did notice something else that should have alerted everyone. Rocks were beginning to fall from the ceiling far above the altar, suggesting that it was about to collapse, or that someone was trying to tunnel through.
"Um, guys," he tried calling out to the other two, "we've got a problem!"
Miles leapt out of the way as Knuckles punched a deep hole into the floor, cocking his head his brother's way as he dropped his gem back into one hand. "What's going on, Gad?"
"You! Get away from the Master Emerald!" Knuckles shouted.
He attempted to move past the fox, only to get blasted in the back of the legs by more Chaos "Bullets". "This is our fight, Knuckles!"
The echidna let out an irritated noise and wheeled about to pounce at his opponent, who ducked and caught him between his tails, then drove him head-first into the ground. Knuckles broke free and roared, tearing off a huge chunk of tile and tossing it at the fox, who brought up his Shield. Although it was enough to repel the debris, the barrier broke apart violently, making him slide back a few meters. Knuckles called down a third Lightning Arrow, smiling when he finally managed to connect. But, to his continued astonishment, Miles stood his ground and powered through the agonizing bolt.
Knuckles grinded his teeth in annoyance, using a one-two punch that wasn't aimed at anything in particular. The third jab, though, sent him streaking at the fox as a whirlwind of red energy temporarily enveloped the space around him. Miles hardened his body and braced for the impact, but even with such preparation, he felt that hit. He clicked his tongue and sucked in some breath as he skidded back, rubbing over and healing the arm he used to block the attack. Knuckles saw this as his chance to step on the gas and fly at the fox with a superman punch, and he almost landed it when Miles punched upward when they were a couple of meters apart. A larger, ethereal cyan copy of the teen's arm and fist popped up from the ground like a jack-in-the-box, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to flip over in the air several times. Miles soared up after him and swiveled his body around so that his tails were poised above him.
"This is for what you did to Gizmo!" he shouted as the two limbs seemed to merge together before slamming down onto the echidna.
Knuckles cried out as he was struck with what felt like one of the pillars holding up the Palace. He barely had time to get up off the ground when the amber form of a Drop Attack knocked him prone once again. The echidna rolled out of the way of a stomp, getting to his feet and throwing another explosive punch the fox's way. Miles bent backwards and moved his arms in a cartwheel-type motion, his shoes clipping the Guardian's chest and belly as he smoothly put some room between them. Both continued to stare each other down, breathing a bit heavily from the exertion of the fight, though it was Knuckles who seemed worse for wear.
"I do not understand," Knuckles said as he panted, "you were not this formidable during our first fight. Were you holding back then?"
Miles chuckled a little weakly. "Only some. But you were too, weren't you?"
"My attention was divided then, and so I could not give it my all," the Guardian replied, though it sounded like a convenient excuse to the fox. He stuck a fist out in a challenging manner and narrowed his eyes at the teen. "But I will with this next attack! Prepare yourself!"
The echidna bumped his fists together, two magenta spheres forming around his torso. They slowly grew in size as they orbited about him, until they finally overlapped with his form and created an aura different from his earlier one. Miles hadn't just been sitting there, though. The fox figured that if Knuckles was going to give it a hundred percent, he would as well, and had been drawing a rather exorbitant amount of energy from the cyan Emerald. Much of his body was wrapped up in matching light, though it was his two tails especially that took on a powerful sheen. Both Animals dug their feet into the ground, their bodies as tense as coiled springs as they locked eyes.
"Maximum Heat..." Knuckles rumbled, his muscles trembling.
"Typhoon Tails..." Miles growled in kind as his tails twitched.
"Attack!"
The echidna glided toward the fox at breakneck speed, a streak of red light trailing behind him along with magenta energy balls. Miles became a whirling dervish, spinning and "break dancing" with his hands and feet as his two tails sliced through the air, going so fast that he was like a cartoonish tornado. A massive boom broke out as the sound barrier was shattered at two different ends of the chamber, and the two Animals met with a thunderous bang. There was a sound like steel grinding against stone as tails and knuckles clashed, small shock waves coming off of the pair each time one of them budged a bit. The chamber rumbled and quaked under the energy being exuded from their deadlock, with small fragments of the stalactites far above sprinkling down onto them.
When it appeared there would be no clear victor, one of Miles' myriad slashes managed to break through Knuckles' advancing guard, slicing him across the muzzle. He grunted and lost his focus, the aura around him dropping while his momentum came to a screeching halt. His vision was filled with cyan, amber, and a little white and tawny brown as he was pummeled with those two tails several times per second, each hit that connected feeling like a well-aimed punch or kick. It was then that he realized, squinting through the assault, that the fox was indeed using his fists and feet every so often, though it was more often the latter given the greater ease of chaining them into combos with his rear limbs. He was soon in the eye of the furry storm, unable to defend from every bit of damage as he took a beating from all sides and was soon lifted into the air. A cyan vortex howled about his body, making the view of the Hidden Palace above him swirl at a dizzying pace, until...
KRA-KOOM!
A massive lightning bolt that matched the mini-tornado in color streaked down seemingly out of nowhere and struck the spinning fox and echidna. The brilliant flare of light blinded Knuckles for a couple of seconds, and the crash that followed was deafening. But what he felt most of all was the searing, sharp, and tingling pain that coursed through his body, finally producing a genuine scream from the Guardian. A few seconds later, Knuckles fell onto the heavily damaged floor of the chamber with a thud, flat on his back with his eyes shut and his arms and legs spread. Miles took several more for himself to slow his rotation and eventually come to a stop, swaying back and forth drunkenly on his feet.
"Oof," he groaned, one hand on his stomach while the other rubbed his eyes, "almost lost my breakfast."
After a couple of moments, his vision and his head stopped spinning, and the churning in his gut ceased. Miles glanced over the unconscious form of Knuckles and then to the Emerald in his hand. It reminded him a little of that time not so long ago, where he'd given Speedy quite a beating during their fight. And that in spite of all the things the former Kukku prince had done, the fox had healed him. While the threat to his life and the lives of his friends and family had been very real, Knuckles had not affronted him nearly as much as Speedy had. Not only that, but the fox knew that the echidna hadn't done anything out of actual malice, and that he had understandable reasons for his actions.
Thus, he was much less hesitant to use the power of the Emerald to mend the Guardian's injuries. It seemed that Knuckles was a fast healer as well, for his eyes opened and he felt stable enough to sit up after only about ten seconds. After another half of a minute, he held up a hand to signal that he was good, and then got to his feet. He briefly looked over at Gadget, then stared at Miles and maintained an awkward silence before eventually bowing his head and heaving a sigh.
"You have defeated me," he admitted to the fox with his fists clenched tightly, though in a way that was more conflicted than aggressive, "yet rather than finish me and take the Master Emerald for yourself, you healed my wounds and have made no move to seize it."
The fox shrugged and smiled. "I keep telling you that we aren't here for the Master Emerald. And as for healing you, it's not like you're a bad guy yourself. You were just doing your duty and protecting your home, which I can empathize with and relate to pretty well. Now, can we please just stop and talk?"
Knuckles hesitated at the other's words. But, after a few moments, he lifted his face so that his purple eyes could meet those cyan-blue ones.
"It appears I have misjudged you," the echidna said. He glanced away for a moment and folded his arms, letting out a long breath from his nose. "I feel like such a fool. I had been often told during my youth that the fall of the Dragon's Egg signified the beginning of the end for Angel Island, and that the arrival of the two-tailed fox was what would seal its fate. Even after I lost my parents, and only had Big left as far as company, their words remained with me. It was...easy for me to believe the doctor, even more so when he started saying similar things."
Miles nodded in understanding. He could see that Knuckles wasn't unintelligent, but he was naive. Having had no one else on the island for company aside from the large cat for what sounded like a fairly long time, he must have been quite curious when the Kukkus showed up. And given how manipulative the doctor could be when he put his mind to it, an echidna with barely any social experience or knowledge of the outside world would have been easy prey. It made the fox feel bad for the Guardian, and even more ire towards the owl. But, he would have a chance to deal with the latter soon enough. Right now, things between him and Knuckles looked to be finally getting off on the right foot.
"How about we start over, without any third-party rumors and gossip?" he offered, holding out his free hand to the other Animal, "I'm Miles Prower, a two-tailed fox that enjoys both adventure and inventing, and some people see as a hero."
Knuckles looked between the glove and Miles' face a few times, then tentatively extended his own and grasped the fox's hand firmly. "Then, I am Knuckles the Echidna, Guardian of the Master Emerald and protector of Angel Island."
Their amicable interaction was cut short as a shudder and a boom echoed above the shrine, with everyone spinning around to see what the commotion was. Gadget grappled up onto the platform next to the Master Emerald, sliding a finger over the side of his specs to zoom them in on the disturbance. When he caught sight of the source, a deep and furious snarl rose from his throat. There was Dr. Fukurokov, sitting inside a hoverpod similar to the one that Dr. Robotnik had been using, but sporting the colors of the Empire, and with decidedly more raptor-like wing fins. It was diving straight for the shrine, although the old owl either didn't notice any of them yet, or he did and wasn't showing it.
"You!" Gadget yelled up at the engineer, firing his grappling wire into the headlamp of the vehicle.
The doctor squawked in confusion as he felt his ride tilt from the added weight, then let out a more frightful screech as he suddenly found Gadget straddling his windshield. The owl moved to shake him off, but the wolf was faster, seizing his hands and shoving him hard against the back of his seat. Gadget fetched his Lightning Baton from its place and snapped the device around to its sword form, then stabbed the console with it. The hoverpod shorted out and spiraled down towards the altar, where the wolf jumped ship with the doctor the moment prior to hitting the ground. It bounced several times, like a stone skipping over water, before coming to a stop at the opposite end of the shrine chamber from where the two fighters were.
"Get off of me, you flea-bitten–!" Dr. Fukurokov protested, only to get lifted up and thrown into the side of one of the flower platforms.
The impact was so severe, he felt pain spread all over his back and the air was forced from his lungs. He tried to get to his feet as he gasped for breath, then the wolf's glove grabbed his collar and lifted him above the taller Animal's head.
"What did you do to Fuchsia!?" Gadget demanded of him, moving his thumbs so that they pressed into the bird's neck, "where is she!?"
Miles and Knuckles both rushed into the area, though they kept a couple of body lengths away from the action. Neither of them wanted to accidentally goad Gadget into being even rougher with the owl, so they kept still and thought about what to do. Being close with the wolf, the fox spoke up after a few moments.
"Gad, I know you're extremely upset right now, and I don't blame you!" he said as he held up his hands defensively in response to a glare from his brother, "but, old Foolkurokov has to be able to breathe to give us answers."
"It's Fukurokov, you disrespectful freak of–gah!" the doctor choked out as those digits put more pressure on his windpipe.
Gadget let up after a few seconds of feeling the owl flail around pathetically in his grip, then brought him down to level with his orange eyes. His fingers loosened their hold just enough so that the doctor was no longer choking, but still kept him feeling uncomfortable.
"Now, once again," he growled at the bird, "where is Fuchsia, and what have you done with her?"
Dr. Fukurokov didn't answer him, but instead looked to the echidna with a pleading expression. "Knuckles, why are you just standing there? Help me and deal with these wretches!"
The Guardian briefly regarded the fox and the wolf, but he didn't budge. It was then that the engineer concluded that his ally had become a former ally since the time of their last meeting. That certainly did not bode well.
"I think not, doctor," Knuckles told him, noisily working out the kinks in his fingers, "I have concerns of my own that need clarification."
"Sorry, but we don't have time for an interview, Guardian!"
A deep green energy blast streaked down from above and struck the space between the four Animals. They all cried out and went flying from the resulting explosion, Gadget losing hold of Dr. Fukurokov as he and everyone else was sent sprawling. The grating sound of gemstone against marble and other minerals filled the air for a couple of seconds, then was followed by a heavy clanging thud. After regaining his bearings, Miles gasped as he laid his eyes on the Master Emerald's shrine, for the gem wasn't there! Instead, it was on one of its sides, laying at the feet of a figure that, although markedly different from their last encounter, he recognized all the same.
"Fifteenth," the fox spoke tersely. He eyed up his enemy's mechanical components, and couldn't help but flash a smirk at him. "Looks like the doctor wasn't kidding when he said I left you in bad shape."
The Emperor smiled back, though there was nothing but malice behind it. "Much as I'd love to wipe that grin off your face, Prower, there are other matters to attend to."
"What is going on!?" Knuckles demanded of the Kukkus.
Seeing the doctor flinching at his tone, he started over towards the owl, only to stop when the GBK fired a smaller beam at his feet.
"So, Miles was telling the truth," he growled at the birds, appearing angrier than the fox or anyone else had seen him so far, "earning my trust was a plot to steal the Master Emerald all along!"
Now free from Gadget, and fearing the wrath of another new foe, the owl rushed over to his master's side and pressed a button on the watch beneath one of his gloves. "I need you two down here now, Mecha, Private Pink!"
Miles' ears perked at the mention of those names. So Mecha had been rebuilt, huh? And had the Empire trained a new up and coming ace to replace Speedy? Or was it the code name to another one of his silly inventions? They were soon given their answer as the same blue falcon jet that had stolen Fuchsia away flew down through the hole in the cavern ceiling that the doctor had made. It dove in a spiral around the shrine's walls before coming to a stop just above the Master Emerald, its talons locking on to the giant gem.
The three guys, Knuckles especially, were all ready to jump forward and tear that thing off, but they were interrupted by a metallic amber buzz saw crashing down in front of them. It unfurled and stood upright to reveal itself as Mecha Miles, which had been repaired relatively decently. There were still quite a few signs of its last scuffle with Miles, such as peeled paint, some missing plates, and a number of exposed wires, but it appeared to be functioning well enough, and also had a few amendments to its design. Most notably, its core was structured differently, being more of a solid coating with a pattern similar to the fluff on the real deal, and having nothing sensitive or critical exposed. Miles figured that the Kukkus must have traded power for practicality, as he couldn't sense the traces of Chaos Energy that Drives would give off like he did when he last fought the robot duplicate.
The canopy of the falcon popped open and a figure leaped out, landing next to Dr. Fukurokov and the GBK. It then turned around to reveal itself to Miles and the others, getting varying reactions from each of them. Knuckles was confused, but he only let that distract him for a moment before refocusing on the falcon that had its talons on the Master Emerald. The fox felt his heart sink, but he knew that it was probably more buoyant than Gadget's was right now. He was proven right when he looked over at the red wolf, who had fallen to his knees with all the fire in his eyes fizzling into disbelief and despair.
"No..." he moaned sorrowfully.
Standing in front of them, wearing a red jacket like the Kukku combatants with the Empire's insignia on the left breast, black goggles, black gloves, and rust brown combat fatigue pants with matching boots, was Fuchsia.
"Private Pink reporting," she stated with her usual bubbly attitude.
The GBK snapped one finger, then pointed at Dr. Fukurokov.
"Be a dear, Private Pink," he ordered her, "and use your ride to escort the doctor and haul the Master Emerald back to the Battle Moon." He then swiveled his head over to the robot next. "Mecha, join me in providing the two some cover."
"Acknowledged, Lord Kukku," the replica answered, retraining its sights on its organic counterpart.
"I'm thankful for your generosity and bravery, My Liege," Fuchsia replied in a slightly delirious tone, giving the big bird a salute, "I'll get right on that!"
Seeing his girlfriend in this state, chirpily obeying the people that had nearly destroyed their home twice, Gadget couldn't take it anymore. He threw Miles' utility belt back to him as he rose up, clenched his fists so tightly that they trembled, then yelled as he ran at the doctor with everything he had. Seeing the wolf going in, Knuckles decided to charge as well, heading straight for the Master Emerald. Both the robot and the cyborg took up stances and examined their opponents, waiting for the right time to counterattack.
When Gadget got within a few meters of the falcon craft, Mecha moved in to block him, but was tackled out of the way by a Spin Dash from Miles. While the fox kept up the pressure and drew his lookalike away from the others, Knuckles leapt over and ducked under several shots from the GBK, who had deemed the echidna as the bigger threat among the two red Animals. The Emperor summoned a couple of bombs in his other hand and lobbed them between blasts, one of them landing behind the echidna and knocking him off his feet. He chuckled darkly, using the boosters in his legs to rush in and grab Knuckles by the scruff, then hurled him at Gadget. Too blinded by fury to see the oncoming Guardian, the wolf was bowled over as the other Animal crashed into him, leaving them both in a heap.
Miles flipped back onto the now empty throne that had contained the Master Emerald, summoning a Chaos Shield to deflect a handful of energy balls from his double. Mecha flew up after him with its tails primed, slicing through the metal of the shrine and forcing the other fox to retreat further into the air. Pings and thumps filled the air, along with the roar of engines and the swishing of fur, from the two vulpines trading blows with each other. Miles found his earlier analysis of Mecha to be accurate, though the robot was still quite powerful even without Chaos Drives to amplify its abilities. And even in its somewhat damaged state, it was taking his attacks about as well as it had the first time they fought. Still, he knew he had the advantage thanks to the Emeralds, though he wasn't sure how much more he could rely on them. He wasn't showing it, but after having used as much as he did against Knuckles, his body was feeling fairly heavy.
Meanwhile, Gadget and Knuckles had gotten back up, each of them resuming their respective assault. The former drew out the Lightning Baton in its standard form, his other hand raising his grappler and aiming at the escape craft. He came to a stop when the GBK moved in to intercept him, only for the echidna to slip in and go for an uppercut. The bird thwarted the attempt using one of his huge forearms, then answered in kind with a hammer blow from his other fist. Knuckles grunted as he used both of his hands to grab onto the bigger one and hold it up, glazing back at Gadget and jerking his head towards the doctor.
The wolf took the hint and went around the two of them, once more getting a bead on the falcon mech. Gadget successfully hooked it with his cable and zipped over with a yank of the wrist, ending up next to the owl and the cat before either of them knew it. With a snarl, he swung his weapon down at the doctor's head, but found it blocked by an identical column of energy that was neon pink instead of electric yellow. He peeked over to see Fuchsia wielding a copy of his personal invention, and a smug grin on the owl's beak.
"It's only fair I 'borrow' some of your technology after your stunt, boy," the doctor sneered.
The wolf was distracted, though, by those cyan-blue eyes of hers that were fixed on him pleadingly. The look diffused some of his anger, having caught him off guard due to assuming she wouldn't be capable of such after being Converted.
"Gad, please," she mewled with guilt, "you're not yourself. Let me help you."
Gadget felt his arm being pushed back by the cat's efforts as her tone further disarmed him. "I-I don't want to hurt you, kitten. Stand down so I can deal with the doctor."
"No!" she cried out, drawing her Baton back and clashing it against his own, "Dr. Fukurokov only wants to help us, Gad!"
Of course she would be spouting something like that after what she had been through. It served to renew his rage against the Kukkus, and reluctant as he was, Gadget started to push back more firmly against the cat. However, he was once again so narrowly focused, he didn't notice that Dr. Fukurokov slinked away and clambered up the side of the falcon mech. The owl didn't wait for Fuchsia before he closed the canopy and fired up the engines, catching everybody's attention. Fuchsia let her arm fall slack so that Gadget would fall forward with the force he was putting in, then Jumped up onto the top of the aircraft.
"No!" Knuckles bellowed desperately, "I will not let you get away!"
The echidna broke off his fight with the GBK and glided over to the fleeing pair, latching onto the Master Emerald with both arms and legs. The Emperor was ready to try and pry him off, but a blue blur blitzed him in the back of the head, causing him to nearly lose his balance. The Kukku leader whirled around to see the fox's young tag-along sticking his tongue out at him.
"Sonic!" Miles exclaimed, dodging Mecha's tails and retorting in kind with a slam from his own pair, "glad you could make it! How did you get here if you didn't come through the front?"
The hedgehog giggled cheekily. "Giz, Big, and I saw the bird jet once we got close to the volcano, so we decided to follow it. I sped on ahead and dropped down after it, so the others should be here soon." He turned and thumbed his nose at the Emperor. "So this is Big Bird himself, huh? Though I guess it's Birdbot now, what with the tune-up."
"Crow while you can, brat," the GBK remarked, grinning maliciously as several bombs popped into existence in both of his hands, "let's see you survive this!"
He chucked every last explosive he was holding at the hoglet, cackling as the chamber lit up with fiery orange. The bird ceased when he felt a tap at the back of one of his legs, shifting around to check what it was. There was Sonic, tapping a foot impatiently while pretending to check the time on one of his wrists. Grinding his teeth beneath his bulging beak, the Emperor swiped and shot at the kid, only to see him cartwheel and skip out of the way of each and every blow and blast.
"I thought becoming a cyborg was supposed to make someone faster and stronger," the kid quipped as he continued to dodge physical, energy, and explosive attacks, "gonna have to try harder, old man, because you're too slow as it is!"
While the GBK kept trying to shut that mouth of the boy's, the mech began to lift off, quickly gaining altitude. Gadget barely had enough time to attach his wire to the bottom of the Master Emerald, hitching a ride along with Knuckles. They didn't get far, however, when Fuchsia hung down over the side of the vehicle with her own elastic cord, changing her Baton to that of a whip. With a flick of her wrist, she lassoed it around the echidna's neck and pressed a button on the hilt, which caused the electrical arc to swell and intensify. Knuckles let out a scream of agony as he was thoroughly shocked to the bone, and even as he used all of his strength to hold on, his grip involuntarily gave way.
Gadget pocketed his weapon to swing over and catch the Guardian when he fell, glancing up at the end of his cable. Fuchsia had shifted her Baton to its sword state and dropped a bit lower so that she could level it with his anchor. His eyes widened and he began to frantically shake his head at her.
"Fu, love, don't do it!" he begged, trying to hold tight and keep a grip on Knuckles.
The cat gave him a sad smile. "I know Miles won't let you die, Gad. You're too useful to him." She slowly veered her weapon back. "But I hope you can forgive me, baby, and that you'll see that the Empire is only trying to help."
With a quick and efficient slash, the lightning blade went right through the reinforced wire, rendering his grappling line mostly useless. The wolf howled out of both frustration and the fact that gravity had taken hold, watching the falcon get further out of reach even faster. Miles would have gone to his aid, but he couldn't with Mecha keeping him occupied, and Sonic didn't exactly have the means to break their fall. Luckily for the both of them, a second cable shot down from above and wrapped around the red wolf's waist, causing him to jerk to a stop.
"I've got you, Bro!" came a voice he and Miles were glad to also hear.
Gizmo had come to rescue, holding onto the line with one hand while she herself clinged to one of Big's boots with the other. The cat's umbrella at the top of the chain allowed them to float down gently, leaving the fox and hedgehog free to contend with the big threats. The GBK, seeing that the doctor had gotten away with their prize, backpedaled from Sonic, which confused the boy.
"Mecha, cease combat!" he barked at the robot, "we've gotten what we came for, so we're withdrawing!" He smirked at the blue hedgehog. "Seems you were too slow to stop us from getting away like bandits!"
The artificial fox immediately disengaged with its organic original and used the thrusters in its heels to fly up towards the hole in the cavern the doctor had made. The GBK soon joined it, letting out a full-bellied, maniacal laugh as a way of letting the heroes know they had failed this time. Miles was tempted to go after them, but he knew it wasn't wise to face them alone, and he was concerned for Knuckles.
"Sonic, help me make sure they land safely," he called over to his partner, who didn't hesitate to lend a hand.
Thankfully, Big's umbrella was somehow strong enough to hold all their weight long enough for them to reach a point where the two on the ground could cushion their landing. After that, the teen knelt by the echidna and was ready to use the cyan Emerald to heal him once again.
"Is he gonna be okay?" Big asked the fox anxiously.
Miles regarded the huge cat for more than a brief moment, having never seen such a tall and bulky Animal before. But after he got over his fascination, he gave Big a warm smile.
"Don't worry, I can patch him up," he assured the feline.
Repeating what he'd done only a few minutes prior, Miles called upon his charm for assistance. Soon enough, Knuckles was good enough to be back on his feet, though when the fox rose to join him, he felt a wave of dizziness overtake him. Gizmo moved in to catch him under his arms just as his knees buckled and his legs gave out under him.
"Miles is exhausted," she said in a worried voice, "and even if he wasn't, we wouldn't be able to catch up to the Kukkus in time to stop the Battle Moon."
Still torn up about Fuchsia, and now with even more to fret about, Gadget could only wonder. "Well, what now?"
With their de facto leader down for the count, the other three members of the quartet, even Sonic, were starting to see how grim the situation was. There were the Chaos Emeralds, but those were supposed to be a very last resort, as they didn't want to risk Miles going berserk again. As hopeless as things were starting to seem, Knuckles stepped in to break up the melancholic mood.
"If stamina is what Miles needs," he uttered, walking over to lay one of his palms against the fox's chest, "then allow me to lend him my own for the battle ahead."
Knuckles closed his eyes and began to mumble under his breath in a tongue unfamiliar to Miles. He figured that it must have been the language of their people, but his curiosity didn't distract him for long. An aura much like that of the Master Emerald coated the echidna's form, and it soon moved over to the fox, where he felt a surge of power. In an instant, most of the fatigue that had weighed him down from the day and his use of the stones had vanished. He stood upright and stable, then gently shrugged himself out of his sister's arms, giving his limbs and joints a few tests. He wasn't toting a full tank, but he was certain that if he conserved most of what he had now, it would be enough to beat the GBK, Mecha, and whatever else they had in store.
"Wow, that's really something, Knuckles!" Miles marveled, "I didn't know you could do that with Chaos Energy, or that you had that much left to–"
Knuckles nearly fell to his hands and knees, but Big managed to catch him with one hand. "Easy there, buddy."
"Thank you, Big," the Guardian said appreciatively, "but I will be fine. And that aside, we need to hurry if we are to reach the Dragon's–excuse me, the Battle Moon."
The echidna steadied himself and made his way over to a part of the floor just past the collection of platforms that made up the shrine. He tapped at the ground here and there with one foot, his ears paying attention to each clap of his shoe until one of them came back as more of a thunk. With a grunt, Knuckles shoved his shoe down against that spot, the bit of marble sinking into the floor as he did. The ground rumbled, and after a couple of moments, everyone else scooted back as a large section of the shrine slid back to reveal a pit and a passage that went under it. He raised one of his hands in a "follow me" gesture and hopped down into the space, disappearing into wherever it went.
Taking heed of Knuckles' words and actions, Miles and the rest of the gang went after him. They all ended up in a smaller chamber that contained a similar altar and another one of those tripods with a red spherical gem in it. The echidna was leaning against one of the columns holding up the small structure as they entered. He pushed away from it and went up to the marble-like orb, then looked back at the group.
"This Warp Point will take us to the Sky Sanctuary," Knuckles explained, "it is a collection of ruins that are suspended far above Angel Island, and they have moved in sync with it for all these years. We should be able to converge on the Kukkus from there."
Gadget just looked like he'd received a much-needed pick-me-up after hearing that. "Really? You mean...it's not too late to get on board and save Fuchsia?"
"Yes, provided we make haste," the echidna answered as he nodded over to the feline among them, "Big, please watch the shrine while I guide them."
The cat bowed his head to him and the others firmly. "You've got it, Knuckles. I hope you get the Master Emerald back from those mean birds!"
"I do too, my friend. Now," the Guardian said as he turned back to Miles, "let us go!"
Without waiting for any confirmation that the fox was ready, Knuckles lifted himself onto the ball, which brightened once he put his full weight down. The echidna then curled into a Rolling Attack and gradually floated upward as a pillar of flashing white light lanced from the tip of the gem, spreading outward until it took up the width of the stand. With a noise none of them had ever heard before, save Big and Knuckles, the Guardian dissipated into the light, which then turned solid for a few seconds before returning to how it was.
"Come on, you heard the guy!" Sonic urged them, following after Knuckles without hesitation.
Once the hedgehog had disappeared from sight, Gadget was the next to step up, his determination back in business. "Don't worry, love, we'll save you and get you back to normal!"
He Jumped into the column and was gone, leaving his twin sister and younger adoptive brother left. The former of them stepped up to the figurative plate, then cast a glance back at the cat and his frog.
"We'll be back before you know it, Big," she promised him, offering a smile, "and maybe we can all go fishing after this is over."
He chuckled and nodded. "Froggy and I'd like that. You be careful, Giselle."
"I will, thank you, and take care," the she-wolf said gratefully before she, too, leapt into the ray of the Warp Point.
Miles stood there for a moment, rubbing the back of his head as he let out a sheepish chuckle. "I wish we'd met under better circumstances, Big." He then pounded his chest with the hand that held his gem. "But don't worry, I won't let anything happen to your home! You can count on us!"
Big nodded firmly and fiddled with his free hand for a second, then awkwardly gave the fox a thumbs-up. Miles let out a more genuine laugh and returned the gesture with a winning smile. He then faced the Warp Point, steeled his resolve, and hurtled himself into the light, letting himself be taken wherever it would lead him.
