Sonic tried ringing Knuckles, but the Echidna failed to answer his phone. After ringing for the seventh time, Sonic came to the conclusion something had happened to him. Not knowing any other way to find out, Sonic switched on the television and turned to the news channel. A female reporter who looked in her late twenties or early thirties appeared on the screen, she wore a black suit.
"Our top story tonight, the floating Island has fallen. Exactly two hours ago, it was reported that the floating Island had fallen into the sea below, but managed to stay afloat due to the Chaos Energy that surrounds it. A few minutes after it landed, the island was hit by a tidal wave which had been the result of tectonic plates hitting each other from the south. The wave was a huge fifty meters above sea level and it is unknown whether anyone survived its ferocious attack." The reporter said.
"Oh shit." Sonic gasped, not knowing what else to say.
"A team of search and rescue officers are arranging to travel to the island some time this week, but the danger must be assessed before they can take any action. The temperature of the water that has all but consumed the island has dropped dramatically since the island first fell. Its current temperature is at zero degrees, but it shows signs that it is still dropping. It won't take long for the water to freeze and become ice, making it easier for rescue teams to search for survivors. However, if they went when the water froze, the temperatures would be too cold for anyone to survive in. Debate over when rescue teams should travel to the island continue." The reporter continued.
"Just keep yourself safe, Knux." Sonic whispered.
On the floating island, Knuckles was bandaging up a cut a small child had received while running through the mess and scrap metal on the island to get to safety. The first aid kid had been relatively easy to find, and luckily, some antiseptic spray and cream had been within it. This meant, there was no chance of the child's wound becoming infected, however he knew there was others with wounds and not enough cream or spray to ensure they all wouldn't be at the risk of infection.
"Someone's going to have to go out onto the ice and find some more." A voice behind him said. He looked to see the girl he'd saved from getting killed by the wave was looking down at him.
"There's one problem, the water's now turned into ice meaning, the temperature is too cold for anyone to survive in. The only reason we're still alive is because there's plenty of books to burn for a fire." Knuckles explained and stood up after he'd finished bandaging the child's wound up.
"Yeah, and those will run out sooner or later. I know for a fact the rescue teams wont come until it's too late. They'll assess the danger and then they'll disagree on the safest time to come. If we want to survive, we have to save ourselves. I don't know about you, but, I'm not giving up just yet. You stay here and wait to die, I'm going out to get supplies." She stated and walked off. Knuckles groaned in frustration and quickly followed her. If going out in the cold wasn't bad enough, seeing as Echidnas were more accustomed to tropical climates, he had to be out there with a stubborn female.
*she reminds you of yourself, doesn't she?* an annoying voice in his head chuckled.
Meanwhile, Shadow's eyes widened as he watched the same news report as Sonic had been watching. If the Island had fallen, that meant there was a possibility Knuckles had fallen with it. Just then, his phone rang. He picked it up in incredible speed, preying it was Knuckles.
"Hello?" Shadow called down the phone, the hope could be heard in his voice.
"Shadow, it's Sonic. Have you seen the new report?" Sonic asked down the line.
"Yes." Shadow sighed, the disappointment in his voice was obvious.
"You know Knuckles is fine, there's no way he'd let a wave take him out." Sonic reassured.
"I'm more concerned for him if he survived Sonic, the current temperature of that place from my readings is minus ten degrees. Echidnas can only survive in tropical climates. Either he's going to die from the cold, or starvation. We both know the rescue teams won't go until it's too late." Shadow sighed, the concern in his voice echoed down the line and into Sonic's ears.
"There's got to be a working phone there somewhere. You scan the area and try to find a working line. Hopefully someone will be there and answer it." Sonic ordered and then hung up. Shadow sighed and quickly got to work on finding a working phone line.
"Please be alive Knuckles." Shadow whispered as he typed in the commands into the computer.