Ch.2: Evil Under A New Name

The Chaotix had finally settled down to enjoy the steaming cups of hot chocolate Espio had made in order to quell the quarelling, when the front door suddenly burst open with a loud bang.

Shocked the Chaotix turned around to see Knuckles standing in the doorway, carrying an unconious black and blue hedgehog in his hands. Vector immediately got up to help Knuckles move the strange arrival to the couch.

Once their guest was laid down, Charmy covered the mysterious hedgehog with a blanket, and Espio started to check over his wounds.

"Who is this guy?" asked Vector, turning to Knuckles.

"I don't know" said Knuckles, looking at Vector " all I can tell you is that he fell from the sky,"

"He looks almost like Shadow," said Espio, putting medcine on the stranger's wounds.

"Yeah" agreed Charmy " and he doesn't have a mouth! Can he speak?"

"We'll just have to wait until he wakes up to find out for sure," said Knuckles.

"Boy strange things always happen to you don't they Knuckles?" said Vector.

"It's a gift," said Knuckles, smiling at the crocodile.

With that said, Knuckles joined the Chaotix at the dinner table. Espio quickly got up to make another cup of hot chocolate for Knuckles, which the echidna drank greatfully. After checking over the hedgehog's injuries one more time, the Chaotix dimissed themselves to go to bed, while Knuckles volunteered to keep an eye on their guest, making sure he didn't suffer through anything worse than a bump on the head.

Nothing happened throughout the night, and soon Knuckles found himself drifting off to sleep. By around 5 o'clock the next morning, their guest woke up.

"Ooo" muttered the black and blue hedgehog, opening his eyes " where am I?"

Curiously, his yellow eyes scanned the room he was in. He was in a living room of some sort of wood cabin. A sleeping red echidna with a white crescent moon on his chest sat just across from where he lay.

Pain was no stranger to him when he sat up on the couch and started calling out to the echidna. The echidna's eyes snapped open in an instant, and soon his voilet gaze was peering at the hedgehog's yellow eyes.

"You're awake," said Knuckles.

"Yeah" said the hedgehog " where am I?"

"You're in my home" said Knuckles " I'm Knuckles, Guardian of Angel Island. And you are?"

" I...I don't...remember," said hedgehog, after thinking over Knuckles question.

Knuckles stood silent for a moment to take this informantion in. The head wound the hedgehog had suffered from his crash landing must have been deeper than orginally thought. The hedgehog had amnesia.

"Can you remember anything at all?" asked Knuckles.

"Fire...and Shadow," said the hedgehog after a long moment of silence.

"Odd things to remember" thought Knuckles, then spoke to the hedgehog " well, if you can't remember your name, is it fine if I give you one?"

"I guess," said the hedgehog.

"How 'bout Dusk?" said Knuckles.

"Dusk" said the hedgehog, rolling the name around his tounge " I like it,"

"Good," said Knuckles.

"Knuckles" said Dusk " how did I get here?"

"Would you believe you fell from the sky?" asked Knuckles.

Dusk stared at Knuckles in disbelief, and before he could ask the echidna to explian, the Chaotix trudged out of their rooms ready for breakfast. Vector smiled when he saw their guest was finally awake.

"Glad to see your up" grinned the crocodile " I see you already met Knuckles. I'm Vector, leader of Team Chaotix! These are my partners, Espio the Chameleon and Charmy Bee. So what's your name sport?"

"Dusk," said Dusk.

"Dusk" said Charmy " who came up with a silly name like that?"

"I did," growled Knuckles.

"Oh" said Charmy, suddenly backing away in fear " I meant silly in a brillant way,"

"You mean Dusk isn't his real name?" asked Vector, looking at Knuckles.

"He couldn't remember so I gave him one," said Knuckles.

"Amnesia?" said Espio.

Knuckles nod confirmed it.

"Well seeing that there's nothing else to do until he regains his memory" said Espio " he may as well stay around here,"

"Are you nuts?" shouted Vector " what if he's a spy for Dr. Eggman?"

"And what if he's not?" said Charmy.

"Ultimately, it's your decision Knuckles," said Espio, before Vector and Charmy could argue.

"He stays," said Knuckles, after a moment of thought.

"Welcome to the team!" yelled Charmy flying over to Dusk.

As the rest of the Chaotix tried their best to follow Charmy's lead, Knuckles couldn't help but wonder if he made the right choice.