"Hijikata-san, are you alive? I think we've separated from the rest." Sougo said, standing up from the ground and cleaning the dust of his uniform.

The aircraft's explosion had been quite ugly, and apparently some strange mysterious force turned him into some strange kind of dog. Not like it mattered to him. All that mattered now was meeting with Kondo and the others. A simple and straightforward mission: find a black emerald. It didn't have to be that complicated, right? No one would stand in their search, RIGHT?

"Oi...what the hell happened?" Hijikata grumbled, laying a hand on his head. He'd fallen on the branch of a tree and at that moment was in an awkward position, with his head facing the floor and his arms and legs open on both sides.

"We fell." Sougo replied simply.

"Of course we fell! For what kind of idiot you take me!? What I mean is where are we exactly." Hijikata snapped to Sougo.

Then, the vice-commander noticed it.

...

"Sougo...what the fuck happened to you...?" he asked with a chocking voice and desperate expression.

Sougo blinked.

"Huh? I became some sort of anthropomorphic dog apparently. You also changed, Hijikata-san. It seems you're some kind of wolf."

Hijikata looked at his claws in disbelief.

"WHAAAAAAT?!"

Sougo covered his ears and gave him an annoyed look.

"Don't be so loud. You'll attract pests."

"I don't want you to be the one who tells me that! Where are we, anyway?"

Sougo crossed his arms.

"No idea. What I do know is that we're far from the rest. We should get going, I don't like the idea of being alone with you."

"Oi! Show some respect to your superiors!" Hijikata snapped with a marked vein in his temple and a raised fist.

Sougo looked at him with cold eyes.

"Respect you? Don't make me laugh, you're the last person I'd respect. Even the china* is more respectable than you'd be in 100 years."

A/N: This refers to Kagura.

Hijikata growled, but didn't answer. He knew that with Sougo, discussions wouldn't reach anywhere. He simply wished to meet with Kondo and the other idiots, soon.

"Anyway, being animals have a good side." Sougo said, once Hijikata jumped to the ground.

Hijikata looked him serious.

"What do you mean with that?"

Sougo smiled sardonically.

"We don't need to bathe."

"What the fuck?! Don't say stupid things like that! What the hell makes you think we won't need to bathe?!" Hijikata snapped, angrily.

"Think, Hijikata-san. Dogs never bathe because they don't like water."

"Those are the cats! AND I AM A DAMN WOLF, NOT A WOLF IF YOU NOTICED!"

"Same thing." Sougo said not impressed with Hijikata's outburst.

Hijikata shook his head in disappointment and growled.

"Moron..."

It was then, when both detected a sound in the distance approaching towards them. The two cops exchanged glances and nodded, willing to keep silent and draw their swords. Both were put in a position of back to back and waited for something or someone to come out of the bushes. After a few minutes, a figure appeared out of the trees and landed in front of them with the feline's agility.

"Hey, you! Who the hell you are, and what issues you have on this island?! Tell me, I demand to know!" some strange red creature whose only clothing were some sneakers shouted. The said creature also had some strange kinds of spikes coming down as straight hair.

Sougo and Hijikata left their position 'back to back' and looked at the stranger, still not letting their guard down. Hijikata gave him a clear distrustful glare while Sougo smiled confidently. The above said, sheathed his sword and raised his arms in a defensive gesture.

"Oi, oi, calm down, we do not intend to do anything unnecessary in this island. We're just a little lost, as you can see. My name's Sougo and this idiot next to me's Mob*-Kata. And you are...?"

N/A: Mob means supporting character.

"OII! Who are you calling a mob, sadistic bastard!?" Hijikata interrupted with a strong vein in his temple.

Sougo ignored him and focused his gaze on the stranger.

The above said, watch the pair with a frown and not letting his guard down, spoke.

"Name's Knuckles, and that's all you need to know. Now get out of my island!"

"From your island? What do yo mean, Knuckles-san?" Sougo asked.

"Just what I said. I'm the only habitant of this island, and for a good reason! Now go away, you thieves!" he cried, furious.

"Oi, oi, oi. I think there was a misunderstanding, we fell here accidentally. We don't intend to steal anything. Sougo and I are part of the Shinsengumi, the police force of our country. We're looking for Kondo Isao, our commander." Hijikata said, trying to low down Knuckles's fume.

At that, Knuckles opened his eyes in surprise.

"Shinsengumi? Never heard of a police unit called that...I surely need to go out more often." Knuckles muttered more to himself than to the two cops.

"It's understandable you don't know us, after all we come from another galaxy." Sougo said casually.

Hijikata looked at him with wide eyes and jaw open while Knuckles looked at them both with a surprised and confused expression.

"...You come from another galaxy? WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN!? WHAT'S YOUR OBJETIVE HERE?! ANSWER ME! WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" Knuckles demanded to know.

The above said put his hands on his hips and began moving the foot frantically in an insistent attitude, similar to the pose Sonic takes when he's anxious or irritated.

Hijikata looked at Sougo, who still maintained his usual confident staring at Knuckles.

"We came with the aim of recovering some black emerald someone lost in this galaxy. I don't know if this really is the planet indicated, but we had an accident with our ship and we have fallen anyway here." Sougo said..

Knuckles got out of his pose and looked strangely at Sougo.

"So you have no issue with the Chaos Emeralds...?"

"If none of them is black, then not." Sougo responded with a bored expression.

Knuckles took a fist up to his chin, and thought.

"I see...then I guess you shouldn't present a threat if what you say is true. So how is this black emerald you're looking for?"

"It's black and it's called Chaotic Emerald. Not much to say, really." Hijikata said.

"Chaotic Emerald? That sounds awfully similar to the Chaos Emeralds." Knuckles said with wide eyes.

"If it doesn't have nothing to do with this Chaos Emeralds you mentioned then it's fine, right? We simply have to meet with our comrades and find that emerald that doesn't belong here. There should be no problem for you, isn't it?" Sougo said.

"When you put it that way... I really se no problem. And do you know where are your peers?" Knuckles asked.

The two cops shook their heads.

"We'd appreciate if tou knew any place where we cand contact with them." Hijikata said.

Knuckles's inscrutable expression didn't change.

"I think I know some friends of mine who can help you. However, I can't leave the emeralds alone. If I'd accompany you, they'd be in position to be stolen by anyone, if you know whta I mean." Knuckles said dead serious.

Hijikata nodded, understanding clearly what he meant.

"I understand what you say, Knuckles. I propose the following: Sougo can stay here to protect your emeralds, while I go with you to find your friends, what do you think, Sougo?" Hijikata said.

Sougo shrugged.

"Sounds like a good idea, but I won't stay here and wait for a lifetime."

"Don't worry, though I'd like to leave you here by yourself, Kondo wouldn't leave you here at all cost." Hijikata said with a half smile.

"Hey, no one asked my opinion!" Knuckles snapped.

Sougo and Hijikata looked at him weird.

"Huh? What do you mean?" the two asked.

Knuckles grunted and rubbed his temples.

"Okay! I'll do it! Happy?! But I warn you, don't play with my confidence. If you try anything funny, even minimal, you'll pass a really hard time, understood?"

The two officers nodded seriously.

"All right. Now, Sougo, right? See that big temple there? The seven emeralds are hiding there along with the Master Emerald wich you'll deduced easily wich is. Get in there and stay to look after them. I know It'll be no fun, but It's the job of a guardian." Knuckles explain, as a flash, Sougo disappeared.

Knuckles looked at Hijikata impressed.

"Is he always that fast?" he asked shocked.

Hijikata sighed, then smiled.

"He's also our greatest swordsman. Don't worry, those emeralds of yours are in good hands."

Knuckles for the first time that day, smiled.

"Sonic's right, I'm too easy to convince."

That said, both left the island.