A/N: I didn't realize that it's already been half a year since I uploaded this story, so I'm sorry about the very long wait. Though, I can't guarantee frequent updates for some of my other stories (as I'm just getting some of my ideas out there), especially considering what's coming in future chapters.
This will be a short chapter as it's kind of setting up for the next two chapters.
I would like to thank Shadow-Ragna for favoriting and following since my last chapter!
Without further ado, let's move on to the reviews and what matters most: the story!
gregorian12
Thank you! I knew I had to do something about that when I got to that part in the comic XD
Thank you for encouraging me! Some comics look a little easier to rewrite than others, and I'm fully aware that Knuckles' dad Locke is one of Penders' most hated characters. I could actually either improve on his moral grayness or straight-out make him a bad guy. But that says nothing about his forefathers in Haven, or as the Thanks Ken Penders page called them, the "Grandpa Gang" XD
iron maker2
It would probably be my biggest accomplishment to rewrite the Knuckles series, and while I don't expect to rewrite the whole thing, I hope I'm not biting off more than I can chew XD
South Down
The Chaotix didn't really add much to this story, but they did have a role later on that I want to see if I can improve on.
Knuckles felt himself tumbling through the endless ocean of time and space. The world around him had faded from an industrial underground room into a blur of colors he couldn't begin to describe. He had no idea the power of Chaos was capable of doing anything like this. There was still a lot for him to learn.
He told himself not to panic, even though that was exactly what his mind was doing. He didn't know what was happening to him, or how to get out of this endless field of colors. He was floating through the air at what must have been an incredible speed, but at the same time, he didn't feel like he was moving at all.
He looked around him to see if he could spot Archimedes. It took several seconds until he finally spotted the fire ant flying next to him.
Before Knuckles could try to speak, the colors suddenly faded, and Knuckles was met with a faceful of sand. The impact hurt more than he could have expected. Furthermore, as he slowly picked himself up, he coughed as the cloud of sand he kicked up wafted around him.
He held his breath and closed his eyes for a moment until it passed. Then he slowly stood up and looked around. There was sand in all directions, with no end in sight no matter what direction he looked in. It was impressive for an island that was only thirty miles across.
He was in the Sandopolis Desert, the worst possible place on Angel Island that Enerjak could have sent him.
He had heard so much about it, but he hadn't set foot there in a long time for obvious reasons. It was scorching hot and dusty everywhere, and the entire desert was barren and hostile except for a few rocks, cacti and even skeletons here and there.
"Archimedes!" Knuckles called, looking around as he started forward. "Where are you?"
But as he took a few steps, a blast of flames shot up toward him, forcing him to leap back.
"We have got to stop meeting like this," Archimedes said. "It does a number on my cardio!"
"Sorry," Knuckles shrugged.
He was silent for another moment, soaking in what had just happened to him.
"Sandopolis," Archimedes thought aloud. "Infamous, this place is. Us fire ants, we stay clear away from this place. Too big and easy to get lost in. Not exactly on my list of places to go."
"Tell me about it…" Knuckles said as Archimedes appeared on his shoulder. "There's a reason my dad told me to stay away from this place too. It looks small, but it'll still feel like days to get to the other side."
"It's even worse for fire ants…" Archimedes said. He started to remove his hat because he was sweating, but immediately put it back on because the sun was too bright for him. "Hoo boy, it's a real scorcher today."
"Well, we gotta get moving," Knuckles said as he started forward. "And find some answers. There's something bothering me about this whole thing."
"Yeah?" Archimedes said. "Like what?"
"Like why didn't Enerjak just straight-up kill us? Why did he decide to send us way out here in the middle of the desert?" He looked over at the fire ant on his shoulder. "What's his real plan?"
"Afraid your guess is as good as mine, Knuckles," Archimedes said. "Your grandpa Dimitri is a crafty one."
Knuckles was about to speak when the sand in the distance suddenly ruptured and exploded into the air as a gigantic sandworm made its way to the surface.
"Come on…" Archimedes mumbled. "That is so 1965…"
"What?" Knuckles asked as he eyed the worm's movements. "Oh… These guys… They're heat seekers, so there's no point in running."
"Is that really your first thought, Knuckles?" Archimedes said. "I thought you were the Guardian of this island, I never took you to be the cowardly type–"
"I'm not a coward!" Knuckles shouted. "I just– Look, there are some fights you just don't pick. This is one of them."
"You're not using your brain, Knuckles. Think with your brain, not with your fists."
Knuckles sighed. "Archimedes, stop talking in riddles and tell me what you're really trying to say."
But the worm took notice of them and was diving through the sand straight toward them. Knuckles took off running to the side to let the worm pass. As he ran, Archimedes clung to his shoulder.
"Knuckles, we're in the middle of a giant desert with no food around for miles. This worm is made of meat. If you kill this thing, we can have dinner tonight."
Knuckles was incredulous as he dodged another lunge from the sandworm.
"Wha– How was I supposed to guess that?!"
"It's all part of being a good Guardian, Knux. Brains and brawn. They go together like… like…"
"You're starting to sound like my dad…" Knuckles realized, taking a few steps back as the sandworm approached again. "Except some of this is stuff he didn't teach me…"
"Which is why I'm here, to complete your training. Now study this guy's movements and give him what for!"
Knuckles was not normally one to back down from a fight, but he was already starting to feel fatigued from the desert heat, plus the sandworm was several dozen times bigger than he was. Yet Archimedes wanted him to fight it anyway. Which, okay, made some sense to him, especially since he was starting to get hungry.
The worm was making its way toward him fast, and a roar filled his ears as it burrowed through the sand. It opened its mouth to devour him, but Knuckles leaped high into the air, before diving straight toward its head fist-first. He made a direct impact, but it thrust its head upward, throwing him off. Knuckles was able to regain his footing when he landed.
"Nice one, Knux! Now it's my go!"
Knuckles merely blinked, and Archimedes vanished off his shoulder. He looked all over, until he heard a voice call:
"Hey, big guy! Over this way! You don't want echidna meat! No, you want something spicier!"
"What are you–"
He was distracted by the sandworm suddenly changing course and heading in a completely different direction away from him. There was absolutely nothing that way but sand and a large rock. That was when he noticed Archimedes running through the sand, making a beeline for the rock. He had no idea anyone that small could move so fast.
"Archimedes, what are you–"
"Just watch! You'll get it!"
Knuckles started to catch on as he saw Archimedes and the sandworm getting closer to the rock. Right as the fire ant reached the rock, he stopped and disappeared, and the worm crashed headfirst into the rock, seemingly knocking itself out.
Archimedes appeared in front of Knuckles in a small puff of smoke.
"Dinner is served!" Archimedes said proudly.
"…I could have done that…" Knuckles realized. "I mean… I didn't think about killing it for food, but…"
"It's always good to keep your mind open to all possibilities, Knuckles," Archimedes told him. "Being strong is one thing, but balancing strength with knowledge is key to being a good Guardian. Now let's cook up this beast, 'cuz there's a lot you need to know about our new enemy."
Knuckles had a feeling he was about to enter a school of hard knocks.
Later that evening, Knuckles and Archimedes were sitting together on two flat stones in the middle of the desert with roast sandworm, courtesy of the fire ant's flame breath, so they didn't need a campfire. Not only was the worm's meat edible, but it tasted like a mixture of ham and beef and was actually quite tasty.
"Could use some barbecue sauce," Knuckles said, "but it's still plenty good on its own."
"Plenty of these things around here, but this is one of the bigger ones," Archimedes said. "At least we won't starve out here. Now all we need is an oasis for some water."
"I don't know how to say it, but I'm… I'm confused… about everything that just happened to me, to us," Knuckles said after swallowing.
"Which is why I'm here," Archimedes said. "Nothing like a good story around the campfire, I always say."
"Better not be a horror story," Knuckles joked.
"Oh, it was… to your ancestors, at least," Archimedes said.
"What are you talking about?" Knuckles asked. "And– And did that have anything to do with why I found all this technology in the basement before Enerjak attacked?"
"Everything to do with it," Archimedes said, leaning back a bit. "Listen close, 'cuz there may be a pop quiz later."
"I hate school…" Knuckles grumbled.
"But you're a Guardian, your whole life revolves around learning!" Archimedes pointed out.
"Doesn't feel like it sometimes, but yeah, I guess you're right," Knuckles said.
Archimedes cleared his throat.
"Once upon a time– wait, that's too cliche. Anyway, the origin of Enerjak dates way back to the Day of Ascension…"
A/N: And that concludes chapter 2!
Just a heads up that this story will end up being longer than three chapters, and the reason for that is because Penders tended to cram way too many ideas into just three issues, leaving a lot to be desired. There were plotholes, and things tended to be either unexplained or overly complicated. So this story will go for as long as it needs to in order to tell the whole story.
Also, the next two chapters will be flashbacks! Penders tended to be overly heavy on his exposition, so I want to try and keep that to a minimum. Instead of retelling the same story over and over in a bunch of flashbacks, I'm gonna have one big flashback across two chapters that will retell the events of the "A Sense of History" story in the back pages of Archie Sonic issues 34-36.
See you all in the next chapter!