A/N: Yeah, here's the newest chapter. Be happy, the few of you that read it.
Chapter 3: Trapped
"So, I've been wondering..." Tails murmured to the jewel, "What exactly is the extent of your power?"
"The extent of my power? I'm not sure, as I've never experimented."
Everyone else was asleep, including Rouge, who he was still keeping an eye on after eight days of being stuck on Angel Island. She, despite the fact that he stopped her every time, was still trying to get to the Master Emerald.
Sitting atop the pillar he'd taken to perching on to keep watch, Tails was once again—though by then he'd memorized the view—surveying the scenery.
"Never experimented? Well, no offence, but that's not much help..."
Confusion. "Not much help? Why did you want to know?"
"I was wondering if maybe you'd be able to take down that barrier." Tails said.
"Oh, I can do that. But you didn't ask before, so I didn't bother."
Tails resisted the urge to let his eye twitch. The jewel had a point, he hadn't asked before.
"Want me to go ahead and do it?"
"Yeah."
The jewel gave a bright pulse and the barrier flickered momentarily, but immediately solidified again. Both Tails and the jewel groaned.
"Okay, looks like we're not getting out just yet..." Tails sighed quietly.
He heard someone stir down below, so he looked to see who it was, ready to stop them if it was Rogue. To his surprise, however, it was Knuckles who was approaching the Master Emerald. Knuckles looked up, knowing Tails would still be awake just in case Rogue tried something. He motioned the fox down.
Tails canted his head to the side but flew down anyway, having already stored the Master Jet away at the first sign of someone waking up.
"What is it?" He asked quietly.
"I've been sensing distress from the Master Emerald, ever since that creep put this shield up around us." He sighed before continuing, "And I know you're probably not the best person to ask, but do you think you could check it out?"
Tails nodded, "I could try, but I can't guarantee you anything."
Knuckles looked satisfied with the answer, so he went ahead and put his hand on the Emerald. Immediately, it flared brightly, causing both of them to look away quickly to avoid being blinded. Tails hesitantly glanced back at it, wincing at the brightness before his eyes adjusted.
There were physical tendrils of power running up his arm, down his torso, and to his workbag. Both he and Knuckles stared at it.
"It seems to be trying to reach something in your workbag... But what?"
"Tails, he wishes to speak to me. Please, get me out."
Tails looked Knuckles in the eye, "You can't tell anyone about this, alright? I already have one person after it, so more would just make our situation worse..."
"Okay...?"
He reached into his workbag and pulled out the Master Jet, letting it go as soon as it was out, which caused it to resume its true size. Knuckles stared at it.
"Is that... The Master Jet?" He finally asked.
"Yeah. And before you ask why I didn't let Mrothtar take it, I'll ask you... Would you let him take the Master Emerald if he wanted it?"
"Mrothtar?"
"The Master Jet is sentient. She told me his name when I asked her."
He slowly nodded. "Yeah... Yeah, I can hear her. I can't really understand... It's in some weird language."
"Really? I never noticed."
"You can only understand me because you are my Guardian. But if your friend wishes to understand me, I can touch his mind to awaken the ancient language."
"I highly suggest that you ask my Guardian to have the language awakened. He will also be enabled to hear me. The language has long since been lost from the Knuckles tribe, but the Tails tribe has kept it."
"Knuckles, the Master Jet says she can awaken the language in your memory, if you want her to. The Master Emerald agrees with her."
"Sure, if it means I can understand this."
Both the jewels pulsed brightly and Knuckles flinched slightly.
"Can you hear me now, Knuckles?"
He jumped, "Yeah, I can hear you."
"Good. It worked."
"Hey, I've got an idea..." Tails trailed off.
"What is it?" Knuckles and both of the jewels asked at the same time.
"The Master Jet by herself couldn't take down the shield, but maybe, just maybe, if both of you tried at the same time..."
"That might work, Tails, but the sun will soon come up. We need to do this quickly, or your attempts to keep me hidden will go to waste."
Tails nodded quickly. "Then do it. I can't let Scourge, Fiona or Rouge find out about you, or they'd rob me blind."
Both gems started glowing brightly, briefly blinding both of the people watching them. A moment later, the glow settled down to a consistent brightness and the shield started flickering, quicker and quicker until it finally disappeared completely. When given the OK, Tails picked up the Master Jet again and it shrunk. He placed it back in his bag and bid Knuckles a quick goodbye as he flew back up to his pillar.
"I'm gonna try to get some sleep before the sun comes up."
"Okay."
*Line Break*
Tails awoke to the insistent yelling of his name.
"Tails, dude! The shield's gone! That creep must've found what he was looking for!" Sonic yelled.
"Okay, okay! Stop yelling!" Tails looked around. He had almost thought the barrier going down had been a dream, but it was true. "How long have I been asleep?" He asked as he flew down.
"Only a few hours, so the shield had to have gone down while all of us were asleep." Scourge said.
When everyone started leaving and none of them were looking, Tails and Knuckles shared a knowing look. But, by some odd happenstance, Sonic, Scourge, and Fiona all turned around right at that moment. All of them looked to each other and raised their eyebrows.
'Do you know what that was about?' Sonic mouthed.
Both Fiona and Scourge shrugged and shook their heads. 'No idea.'
They all continued to ponder the look as they walked off and Tails and Knuckles took up the rear. They almost actually got away. Almost. Mrothtar had other ideas about their little stunt with the jewels. He was not happy.
A/N: Why won't anyone read this? *sniff* :'(