Title: Fraternizing with the Enemy

Author: NexustehULF0o

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ROUGE, KNUCKLES, OR ANY OF THE SONIC CHARACTERS THAT MAY BE MENTIONED IN THIS FANFIC.


Nexus: Well, here I am again, a few days later, updating this fic. :D I'm still on my little Sonic Adventure 2: Battle craze, so bear with me as we continue FwtE Chapter 2…Knuckles style. XD Like last chapter please let me know if I kept Knuckles in character… Thank you!


He'd never been happy with anyone who tried to mess with the Master Emerald.

And now, as they both stood heaving in air on a narrow bar underneath a pit of lava while simultaneously rushing through space on a meteor, he couldn't say he hated anyone more. Out of everyone that had ever tried to keep him from fulfilling his duty, she'd been the closest to succeeding. And anyone who got in his way at all normally saw just how angry he could get.

She saw his wrath, all right, and met it head-on, charging into argument after argument with him and prolonging him from finding the shards of the Master Emerald because SHE wanted all the world's jewels to herself.

He wasn't going to have that.

"Stop foolin' around, and gimme back MY emerald!"

Although mildly put off by the fact that she'd said the exact same thing as he had, he couldn't help think that she sincerely thought it was HER emerald. After all he'd done in his life to keep it safe, she had the nerve to come in and claim it as her own without any regard to his feelings.

"What are you babbling about? You call yourself a hunter, attacking a lady? Shame on you!" She batted her eyes at him, obviously trying to sway him with her feminine charm.

If he hadn't been so angry…it just might have worked.

What was he saying…no, it wouldn't have! He flared.

"What kinda 'lady' goes around stealin' gems anyway?" He asked to set her off, and he'd tried so hard not to smile as he did it. He'd folded his arms and turned up his nose, continuing to watch her steam out of the corner of his eye. She lunged forward, looking to strike him. But if she happened to get that far, he'd be ready.

…Ready to punch her, or ready to embrace her, he didn't know just yet.

"Those belong to me!" She cried out, taking her first step.

He could have seen it coming. Her foot didn't grasp the ledge quite right, and her heeled boot slipped from under her, causing her to topple off of the side.

He could hear her scream as he reacted, stepping back a pace as if to gain momentum. He darted forward, grabbing the ledge and swinging himself forward, reaching for her outstretched hand.

He shut his eyes tightly, holding his breath and hoping to the Master Emerald that he could pull through this once…

He heaved a sigh of relief when he caught the bat's hand, looking downward at her at the same time she looked up at him.

They dangled there for a few moments so that he could regain his composure before he hoisted them back onto the column.

And he stared. Stared deeply.

It wasn't like she wasn't watching him either. He was just…being too stubborn to be the first to look away. After all, let her have that one little victory and she'd be walking all over him in no time.

But there was a certain quality to her stare. Her turquoise pupils gazed delicately into his, curious, but not at all guilty. This genuine quality subtly reminded him of the Master Emerald, a prime jewel that he now remembered having started all of this…

…He duly noted thanking the Master Emerald later.

As soon as his thoughts were through, she yanked her hand from his grasp, turning and folding her arms across her chest. This sudden movement did not go unnoticed by the echidna- he nearly fell off of the beam they were standing on himself.

"Keep you hands to yourself! Don't touch me!" She turned up her nose, adverting her eyes from him. He could feel the anger burning in his throat as he gathered his thoughts together.

He momentarily guessed that what he thought and what actually WAS were two entirely different things. He liked to think that after a while, their meetings weren't just because of their duel for the Master Emerald, but apparently, that was all she thought there was.

"Is that how you say thanks to someone who just saved your life?" He spat, betrayed. He couldn't believe he'd been tricking himself this entire time…

"Saving my life, don't think I owe you one!" That smirk on her face would have made his heart melt if it hadn't already burst into flames. She waggled a finger in his face. "You just wanted to hold my hand, didn't you? That's why you saved me…! You're such a creep!"

A look of realization passed his face as he came to terms with what she said.

But he would NEVER let her know that.

He scoffed. "This isn't a joke, you know. Think what you want, bat-girl. I was saving the Master Emerald." He hid his blush-stained face by turning away and folding his arms.

Things were quiet for a moment.

His mind began to wander.

How did this happen…?

He heard her sigh, snapping him from his trance.

"No matter what you say, it sounds crazy…" He told him, causing him to turn and look at her questioningly.

His expression worsened in confusion as she tossed the various pieces of the Master Emerald carelessly at his feet, and he glanced between the two rapidly. His jaw was slightly agape, and he didn't realize how much of an idiot he must have looked like until she started speaking again.

"Fine, then just take them. They stink, like echidnas do." He watched her wave her hand at him dismissively, as if she didn't care about the pieces any longer. He watched the pieces sparkle in the starlight, and began gathering them up in his arms.

This was the…next best thing that could have happened to him tonight.

"If that's what you thought, you should have given me them in the first place…!" He exclaimed before looking up at her for a split second, his voice rushed and barely audible. She wasn't watching, but he wanted to look up…just in case she was.

He stood, beginning to place the pieces to their original form, and when it was finished, he became a it more protective, unsure if this wasn't just another ruse to steal the Emerald from him once more.

"Finally…" He muttered, feeling the smooth surface for any cracks. He looked up, locking eyes with the bat before she broke contact again.

"What…?" She questioned apathetically, looking away. It was clear that he wasn't going to be offered any pleasantries. But he understood.

Maybe Rouge wasn't such the "bad girl" that she made herself out to be.

He'd almost enjoyed this encounter with the bat. He shouldn't be, but he was. Because you know, this was fraternizing with the enemy, and that was strictly forbidden. Fraternizing with the enemy, on anywhere but on a meteor hurdling through space, would have frightened him as to the secrecy of it all.

But he knew that such a thing wouldn't be the case.

"I'm sorry…" he muttered, looking at the lava beneath them through the green emerald. Suddenly, he was unsure of what to say. But he had to say something. He looked up again, although she still didn't have her eyes on him. "…if I hurt you."

And with that, he picked up the Emerald and ran off before he did something stupid.

…Like saving her life again.

After he'd left, she stood there for a few more moments, looking above her and smiling before parting as well.

But before heading off of the large path, the turned back, smirking ever so slightly to herself.

He watched her leap off. He knew that he wouldn't try to stop himself from smiling.

Possibly…just maybe…fulfilling Knuckles the Echidna's "duty" wouldn't be his only pursuit in life from now on….


Nexus: Well, there you have it, ladies and gents! The other installment to my two-shot! :D I hope you liked it! And if you did, please, feel free to review!