Author's note: Ok, sometimes Knuckles will refer to himself in the third person! I don't notice stuff like that when I proof read. I'm writing two stories right now and one is in third and one's in first (Three guesses on which is which!) and I was warned this would happen. Some of the writing style from my other story is bleeding over to this one. /Shrug/ I was warned. Sorry 'bout that! I'll try not to make it happen again! (Referring to the last chapter for all who didn't catch it!)

Chapter Four: Stories and Enemies

I was lead through Station Square. The city had finally gotten to me. I had thrown my hood back over my head and kept my eyes glued to the ground. I couldn't bring myself to face what I had left behind. Some people looked down at me. I felt so uncomfortable being in the city again. The city where all these people knew I had died three years ago. The very city I had abandoned. I wondered if the guilt would ever go away. "You okay?" I jumped and looked up. The crimson hedgehog was looking at me. I nodded and went back to staring at the ground. She sighed. "You don't look okay."

"Looks can be deceiving," I snapped. I heard Espio sigh. "Sorry…" I muttered. "It's just that I've gotten used to having to hide instead of being able to walk freely."

"Well, Knux, you don't have to hide anymore," Espio said. I looked up and sighed, but habits are learned quickly and hardly ever forgotten. I didn't take my hood off.

"Is what Tails said true?" I asked.

The detective shrugged. "Don't know. Sonic was acting kind of funny, so I honestly wouldn't doubt it. He's plain crazy. I'm not entirely sure where we can find him. Last time any of us heard, he had run to Westopolis. Whether or not it's true is an entirely different story. Sadly, most everyone thinks he's dead. Most people don't disappear for six months and just resurface like nothing happened." I stared at him. "I said most," Espio said. I laughed slightly. "See? You're feeling better already!"

"Do you think he's dead?" I asked.

Espio shrugged. "I don't really think that he just curled away in a corner and died. I do, however, believe that Ceaira might have killed him. Or that shady character running around SS lately."

"Shady character?" I asked.

Espio nodded. "Some freak in black is running around Station Square. The police can't catch her and Sonic's vanished, so this girl has free run of the city."

"What about Tails, Shadow, or Amy? None of them can catch this guy?" I asked.

"Tails has tried. The kid has a nasty scar on his back from a run in with her. Shadow hasn't been seen since you left and Amy is… Well, Amy. She hasn't really tried to go after 'shade' yet."

"Her name is Shade?"

"No. That's what the police are calling her. I doubt, though, that her name is Shade. It's too cliché."

"Could it be Ceaira?" I asked.

Espio shook his head. "When Tails went up against her, he said that he didn't recognize the voice and we're all sure Ceaira's voice stays the same through morphs."

"Tails never met Ceaira."

"They met at your funeral."

I looked at Kim. "You sure it's not her?" I whispered.

Espio didn't look offended. "No, she's gone with us dozens of time to try to catch the Shade. There's no way, but I understand where you are coming from with that question." I sighed and rubbed my head. My world had changed a lot. "We're here," Espio said. I looked up to see an apartment complex. "Yeah, she sort of moved." I shrugged and followed them into the complex. We went to the third floor.

Vector knocked on the door to one apartment. "Who is it?" Someone called.

"Team Chaotix and Kim," Vector called back. He looked at me. "And a friend."

"Coming! Why are you even here, Vector?" Amy called through the door."

"Can't you just open up, Amy?"

"Who's the friend?" Amy asked.

Vector sighed. "You wouldn't believe me. Just open up." The door swung open.

"Honestly, Detective, randomly coming here…" She stopped and stared at me. I guess I was staring too. Her red dress wasn't red anymore, and it wasn't a dress. Both pants and shirt were pure white. I waved slightly. "Knuckles?" I nodded. She sighed and ran to me. I was happy for at least one positive greeting as I received a hug. "You're filthy. Go inside and get a shower while I talk to Chaotix." She looked at my clothing. "And give me those. I'm going to wash those nasty things." I sighed and took off the coat and handed it to Amy. She grimaced. "Give me the pants and gloves later. Vector, you know where the kitchen. Make yourself at home. Knuckles, the bathroom is in the first door on the right." I nodded and walked toward the bathroom. I opened the door. It was small, but nice, I guess. I hadn't really been in a private bathroom in three years, so I couldn't be too picky.

I took off the pants and gloves and threw them in the hall way. "I can't thank you enough!" I called to Amy.

"No problem! Soap's in the shower!"

I walked over to the shower and turned it on as hot as it could go. When it was, I stepped in and winced at the heat, but I stayed. I looked down at the ground and watched the dirt that had covered me so long wash away. I let my mind wander. It ran over what I was learning. The world had fallen apart around me. It seemed like everything that could go wrong did go wrong. I felt like such an idiot! And now we have the Shade running around and no one seems to be able to stop her.

My mind halted. The black echidna… They had to be the same! I growled angrily. Every time there was another echidna, they're evil! Can't a guy get a break? I shook my head. Suddenly my mind flew. I shook my head again, trying desperately to clear it. My mind ran over everything that had happened to me since meeting Ceaira. I grabbed my head. It was pounding with a head-ache. I tried to scream, but nothing but air came out. Memories flashed quicker than my brain could register them. A black figure appeared in a dozen or so flashes. Finally my mind cleared. I was curled in a ball on the bottom of the tub, but I had come to conclusion. I stood up weakly. I knew who the Shade was. Or, at least I had an idea.

I jumped out and found my coat and pants and gloves draped on the towel rack. I put it all on and walked out.

"Well, he's not ready for the truth," Vector was saying. I stopped.

"You want to keep lying to him?" Amy asked. She sighed. "Don't shrug your shoulders at me! Espio, what do you think?"

"I think we've been telling him the truth. No one has seen Sonic in six months. Tails didn't really handle it the way we hoped he would," Espio said.

"What have you told him?" Amy asked.

"We told him that no one sees Sonic between random acts of heroism."

"That's a lie! You are lying to him! Kim, knock some sense into these guys!"

"I agree with Amy," Kim said. "Knuckles deserves to know exactly what's going on."

"Knuckles just came back! He doesn't need stress. Vector and I can find Sonic before… Well, you know."

"You guys have been trying to catch since it happened. Knuckles can help you!"

"The last time we broke that hedgehog out of jail, we almost got thrown in! Sonic's a murderer!" I jumped. Murderer? I decided it was time to get the truth from them. I walked into the living room.

"Some one wanna explain what's going on?"

Author's note: These are getting shorter and shorter… Sorry! Hopefully this will be the shortest chapter in the story. You know, sometimes you just run out of things to say.