By Life Comes Sacrifice

Episode 9

Knuckles' Search

Knuckles wandered around the Egg Fortress, looking for the seven Chaos Emeralds. "That Eggman couldn't have hidden them any harder… I've been here for…" He looked at his watch. "I've been here for eight hours, and I haven't found anything." Knuckles continued to search the deck of the ship.

Knuckles heard the sound of someone walking on metal. A clanking noise. But it wasn't slowly like Eggman or a robot though; it was fast. Sonic? Knuckles turned around a corned where the sound was coming from. Knuckles went white when he face was right against a black sonic. Shadow? But Knuckles saw the glowing red eyes and the shininess of his coat. No, Robo-Sonic… Knuckles turned and started running, but the robot shot a laser at his leg. Knuckles stumbled and fell to the ground. He pulled his face off the ground to see Robo-Sonic walking casually toward him. Knuckled tried to stand but he couldn't. Knuckles knew he was trapped.

Sonic ran until he came to Tail's workshop. Tails was out on vacation, so Sonic could get the plane, but he didn't have to. Sonic saw the Egg Fortress fly right along the cliff next to Tail's Workshop. Sonic never stopped running. He ran off the cliff edge and jump onto the platform of the Egg Fortress as if slowly began to pull away from land. Sonic looked around. He saw no one. Sonic could hear something though. Sonic heard Knuckles yell over the roaring of the wind. Sonic ran toward the yell and saw Robo-Sonic walking casually toward Knuckles, who was lying on the floor. Sonic ran at Robo-Sonic and dove at him. Robo-Sonic had a gun to Knuckles head and pulled the trigger just as Sonic knocked him down. The laser flew up into the air.

Robo-Sonic punched Sonic and Sonic flew across the ship. Sonic was holding on for dear life. Robo-Sonic made a cold laughing sound in his metal body. "Finally, I can kill Sonic the hedgehog…" Robo-Sonic stepped on Sonic's left hand and Sonic's hand gave way. Holding on with his right hand only, Sonic could feel his grip beginning to slip as the flying fortress accelerated.

Knuckles forced himself to get up. He could feel the pain in his leg, but he had to block it out. He jumped and glided to Sonic. Knuckles lost control from the pain in his leg and ran into Robo-Sonic. Robo-Sonic lost his balance and fell off the Egg Carrier. Knuckles helped Sonic up and fell down right afterwards. "Sonic, you have to find the Chaos Emeralds…I can't go on. You can find them faster then I can. I would just slow you down…"

Sonic helped Knuckles up. "I don't care if it takes us four hours more, you get to come with me…"

Knuckles smiled and walked along with Sonic. Sonic spoke after a few minutes, "So, any luck with the Emeralds?"

Knuckles shook his head, "I guess my tracking senses are clouded or something. I can't find anything with the same signature as the Emeralds."

Sonic didn't like what Knuckles just said. "Did you say… 'The same?'"

Knuckles nodded. He knew what Sonic was thinking.

"What about, similar signatures?" Sonic asked. Knuckles slowly nodded his head. They didn't have to say it, because hey both knew. Chaos has risen.