A/N: Thought I would add someone else to the mix.

Disclaimer: I don't own any Sonic related things in this story!

Chapter 9: Red

A soft groan broke through the hot air.

It wafted through the heat waves and died against the red stones.

Yet, it still didn't go unheard.

The thuds of footsteps reverberated within the blue hedgehog's ears. It felt as if his head had been split open and stuffed with cotton which should of done something to numb the pain but didn't. There was that sound approaching but he couldn't make any sense of it.

Where was this?

Quite warily he cracked open his eyes, just a slit. It could have been the intense heat that seemed make everything sway or maybe it was just him. There was something laying a foot or so away, a shadow against all the red light; no it was that bag. He tried shifting to reach out for the thing but when a pair of shoes appeared in his vision he decided to stop.

Who had shoes that appeared to have Legos clasped to the top?

"What the hell Sonic?" Knuckles.

Gritting his teeth he shoved himself abruptly up to his knees. This was the last thing he needed right now. Well maybe not the last… but he didn't need this!

Sonic glanced at the red echidna's back as he was picking up the bag. He wanted to yell at him not to mess with something so important but didn't have the energy to bother so just waited for Knuckles to come back and drop the sack before him. "What's all that crap? Don't tell me you're taking up a profession in treasure hunting."

"Ha! I would never…" He pulled his arms around himself with a soft wince. "Copy you!"

There was a moment in silence in which Sonic settled for being glared at with out complaint until he was sure its intensity had lightened. "Something wrong with you?" To think he would of assumed the echidna wouldn't of caught on, he must look pretty beat. Crap.

"No." He snapped sharply stumbling to his feet and snatching up the bag. "I'm just looking for something" He turned away pretending to look about for this 'something'. In reality he just didn't want to show the pain he was sure he couldn't hide from his eyes.

"Fine." The echidna replied flatly but Sonic was sure he was yet to depart.

Sonic pulled out the dirty and wrinkled map flattening it somewhat as he examined the marks. Weird unless he was mistaken --he glanced upwards toward the distant slither of light-- this was where he needed to be. He took the list out next searching for the word remaining unmarked.

"Hey… Knuckles… could you come over here?"

"Why should I?!" Maybe because he was to tired to go over there. Regardless of his temper Knuckles must of picked up on something because he came over. "What?" Did he have to use that bitter tone though? Sonic was not in the mood.

"I'm looking for something by this name…" He said pointing at the list. "Somewhere around here."

"Yeah I know that. It's over there…" That easy?! Sonic turned around to look to where Knuckles was pointing. If it was just over there this would be no problem at- His train of thought must of just smashed into a wall because all before him was lava and only a few small stone platforms to get any closer to where Knuckles was pointing.

Why did things always have to be so complicated?

Noticing Knuckles was giving him an expectant look he dropped the bag forcing a smile "No problem." He sounded a lot more sure of himself then he felt. Knuckles was pretty gullible he probably bought it.

This was no problem.

He moved hesitatingly toward the edge of the stone and he was very aware of the heated air crackling over his quills. This whole atmosphere was nauseating but he couldn't continue to linger here. There wasn't enough time. Carefully he backed up testing his footing and trying to bite back his exhaustion for another round, there was no room for error.

He broke into a run in two seconds flat, struggling to keep his cotton stuffed mind at the same pace. The moment to jump came extremely quick and he knew the instant his feet left the ground he would land this first one.

This platform rocked beneath the sudden weight and threatened to collapse into the bubbling lava below. He leapt again, the second he felt it sway. Two: he landed successfully and leapt for the third, fourth, fifth… He just had to keep moving and for once the poison didn't manage to prevent him from reaching his goal.

The color was only a slight shade different then all the other rocks around but as his fingers brushed the stone he had recovered he felt a thin coat of powder cling to his recently exposed fingers, a faint tingling running through the burns and scrapes. This might be a bad thing but Sonic couldn't complain about a little more damage after all this.

It was very doubtful that he wanted to leave this solid ground to test his luck over the platforms again.

Sonic thought about resting maybe just a moment longer but remembered he was short on time. He searched the opposite direction from where he came searching for a shortcut but found no relief so turned back to gaze toward the distant form of Knuckles.

He had to go back that way and he didn't plan on messing up.

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Robotnik was annoyed.

That annoying pink hedgehog was yelling as if he couldn't hear her through the speaker system in her cell. Now he was wishing he never installed that thing.

"GIVE ME BACK THOSE DIAMONDS! THEY DON"T BELONG TO YOU!" He looked toward the sack lying nearby on the floor. For Sonic to cheat him like that, that hedgehog had some nerve, testing his luck. Well no harm done, he'd just start over now that he had the real thing.

It seemed Amy's voice was tiring it had gotten softer. "They belong to that couple. They needed those to keep a roof over their head and food on their table…" Robotnik wasn't quite sure what she was talking about and he didn't care. It wasn't his problem.

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Knuckles wasn't as good as noticing details as Tails (for example). In fact a lot of things slipped his attention like how Robotnik couldn't possibly be a good guy at any given time and this was a big detail. Not saying Knuckles was a complete imbecile or anything of the sorts it was just that he usually only saw what he felt like seeing in a situation.

Now though that he was actually here with nothing better to do then to watch Sonic try to show off, he noticed that the hedgehog didn't. It was hard to find a probable reason for why he would act in such a focused and slow way. Yes, Sonic was moving rather slowly for someone of such speed.

Still Knuckles waited, rather patiently for once. He could tell something was going on and wanted to know what.

Sonic landed nearby retrieving the bag and stuffing the stone inside.

"Hey, Sonic." Knuckles saw his quills bristle. "That was a lame excuse for speed." He couldn't see the hedgehog's expression as he was facing other way, the dirty sack held limply at his side. By his stance he didn't seem to upset to be insulted. Yet the echidna waited for a smart remark or something of the sort.

Easy to say he was disappointed as said hedgehog fell forward unconscious.

And what the Hell?! People didn't just randomly pass out, specially when someone was talking to them!

Knuckles stomped over glaring down at the spiky blue back. "Hey!" He called rather abruptly "HEY! Get your lazy ass up!"

He prodded him in the side with his shoe trying to get some sort of reaction and got only a muffled 'go away' for his effort.

"This is no place to be sleeping." Damn hedgehog was being a pain he supposed he could just leave him here. Maybe just give him a kick, he pulled back his foot to do so when said annoyance sat up. He set his sole back down, glaring. "What's the deal?!"

Sonic didn't answer that question just tilted his head hazily upward toward the distant crack of light. "How do you get out of here?…" He asked airily making it rather hard to tell just who he was talking to but since Knuckles was the only one here he assumed it was him.

"You have to go up. Why?…"

Sonic let out a short laugh rising rather unsteadily to his feet, shoulders shaking slightly with restrained coughs. "I'm in a hurry… to do something…" He took a few steps forward before Knuckles stepped out in front of him standing quite easily in his way. The hedgehog forced a scowl. "Move it… Knuckles."

"What's the hurry?" Knuckles was sure Sonic would usually be able to dash around him or jump over him before he could even attempt to stop him but all he was doing was standing there. This would be an easy time to fight the blue hedgehog but he really had no reason right now except for the fact he was being ignored.

Sonic began taking steps backwards though Knuckles saw no need to follow.

The hedgehog would probably try to get past him. Knuckles was wrong though Sonic turned around and started running toward the other wall. "HEY!" Damn hedgehog!

Sonic slid to a stop right before he met the wall and started backing up again. Not enough speed.

He turned around and walked back in Knuckles direction so he could try again. Before the echidna coming towards him could yell some more and waste more time. It didn't go as planned though. He shouldn't be upset that his body kept going numb accept for the fact that every time it did he blacked out.

There wasn't time to black out!

Knuckles watched the blue hedgehog fall abruptly to the ground once more and pulled a slight frown. "You know at this rate you're never going to get where you're headed in a hurry."

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A/N: I felt like I might of rushed this chapter a bit. I don't know…

Read and review. That way I can get this story done faster.