A/N: ...Wow. The world turned on its head since the last chapter. Now we're all home, which means more time to write fanfiction, browse Reddit, and play Fortnite! Hey, two out of three ain't bad. :P
It's a shame that the virus has put a halt to the IDW comics, but I'm going to use that time to read through the Archie Sonic comics if I can.
Turns out, there's an upside to quarantine.
I was finally, finally able to see the Sonic movie, and I can tell you, it did NOT disappoint. It had everything - the action, the quirky lines, the friendship, all of it. Sonic was spot on, even if his character was a little different than I'm used to. I didn't think I would see a sonic TV show or movie top SatAM's quality.
I can't wait for the sequel! I predict it will head to theaters in 2023 at the earliest. In fact, I waited to post this chapter just to tell you all about my thoughts on the movie. No wonder it felt overdue...
Also, I have some more good news. Remember when I said Small Insect's "Chaos Mythologies" was deleted last chapter? Well, I found the whole thing completely intact on the Wayback Machine! It contains the complete first story, as well as the first several chapters of its abandoned sequel. I'd link it, but... the site doesn't support or recommend linking to other sites.
I realized a really weird coincidence. Some of you might have seen the poster for the upcoming Cruella movie slated for next year. But take a look at the man on the left. He looks exactly like Hawk, right down to the outfit.
Now, on to chapter notes. As this chapter is written entirely in third-person POV, there will not be any POV indicators. Locations, dates, and times will still be used. Also, there will be a warning for semi-realistic gang descriptions and activity.
Furthermore, I named the chapter Journey to the East after both the Chinese folklore Journey to the West, as well as the Sonic Universe comic arc. Lastly, I am keeping the Japanese name Kunoichi for E-91, as the name Lady Ninja only waters it down.
There will be a slight change to my favorite/follow credits. I will underline those who favorited, and italicize those who followed.
Without further ado, I would like to thank tomer3392, gatorgirl123, Primus1661, NightSunDreamer, LordDeadwing, raphlover2012, GDF795, Space Marine Productions, jr1550434, TheGoodPirate, smp2000, Angeloflight324, Mermaid's Magic, and StarInTheCosmos for showing their support to my story!
Without further ado, let's move on to the reviews and what matters most: the story!
GuardianDragon98
Looking forward to the next chapter. Finally, a Knuckles-centric entry!
Here you go! :D
SuperTailsFan0812
YEEEEEEEEES! YEES! YEES! This was the reaction I had when I saw this chapter being uploaded. I was getting very excited and giddy as I read through the chapter. This chapter made me feel so much better. If you read my latest chapter, I stated that I've been unwell.
Thank you so mentioning me again. It really means so much
I loved at the start where Chuck had given Sonic and his friends the IDs and documents and how everyone reacts to them.
I think that the scene when the X-Tornado is about to take off is very good. It was nice and long.
I loved the part when everyone chats about the trip to Monterey Bay. I didn't know what it was, so I had to look it up and it looks like a beautiful place.
I thought that that the scene after the gang landed and Sonic asked Tails why the plane was shaking was well detailed and I loved it so much.
I love the scene when the gang gets the diving equipment and aslo the part when Chris was staying by Sonic to make sure he is okay.
I loved the scene when they found the sunken ship and it would've been scary to experience the part when the emeralds were adapting.
Finally, I loved the battle and the ending of this chapter. I thought that Tails helping Sonic was so good.
I could talk about this chapter all day, but I don't want to make this review too long and I think this may be my longest review yet.
I enjoyed this chapter so much and I will see you in chapter 16 (AKA, episode 17)
I'm so glad you enjoyed this chapter! And yes, this is indeed your longest review yet! I love long reviews.
I needed to write in Sonic's POV because I think those scenes called for it. As much as I like writing in Chris' POV, I'm trying to avoid making this story entirely Chris-centric.
SwanGirl24
I have two Sonic the hedgehog stories I think you'll really like. Read them and tell me what you think, please.
I sent you a PM with my thoughts as soon as I got this review.
Gurahk
A fun filler-ish episode, but its funny you mention Christmas as if a special was coming. And while I don't ship SonAmy hard... don't fool us, Sonic. We know you like her. I like how some of the ridiculous comic relief stuff is taken out and the characters play more a part than just being there. Overall still good and glad to hear the love of fan input. Can't wait to read Sonic X & Knuckles next time!
Yeah, a lot of the jokes in Sonic X were just silly, especially the English version. But I do keep a decent level of comedy, because we can't always be doom and gloom, now can we?
Anyway, here's your Sonic X & Knuckles! :)
foxchick1
Excited to see what happens next.
Wait no longer!
D.J. Scales
That right there was decent. It works but I didnt exoect an under water robot. Still the chapter was okay.
There was an underwater robot in the original episode. I gave it the ability to fly through the air as a faster means of travel.
Animation Adventures
That was fun. Nothing like a beach vacation for Christmas. To top it off, they found another Chaos Emerald. How's that for a Christmas present?
Looking back, I really should've questioned appearances by Tanaka and Sam. Chris would've definitely been right to question if they were stalking him. I mean, Stewart was stalking him and his friends already, but somehow didn't pick up on that. Two more people stalking him? An intervention is needed by then.
For what it's worth, I enjoyed the lists of what was changed because it helped me see what canon had compared to your project. After all, the changes you make are logical from a writing standpoint.
I remember the Knuckles and Hawk episode. It was our favorite echidna's first solo adventure. I also remember it because Shovel Claws! Looking forward to seeing how you upped the danger.
You can bet I upped the danger! I think you'll really enjoy this chapter.
SkyBlue27 (2 reviews)
This is amazing. Great chapter! [I changed my name from CloudNine27 to SkyBlue27, btw]
Thank you!
gregorian12
Good chap!
I honestly can't wait to see what you have plans for that ep (I have one favor to ask, keep the name of E-91 Lady Ninja) I imagine Eggman stating he needed an assassin and based her fighting ability on Espio (Ninja style fighting) and Rouge (Stealth).
That is quite interesting, now that I think about it. However, I'm going to keep the name Kunoichi, because Lady Ninja just goes to water down Japanese culture.
The Humble
Great story! my main advice is do not use any characters from sonic boom since sonic team did not make it and just supervised the staff of sonic boom which means that characters like sticks are non canon since they were not made by sonic team. just choose canon characters from the classic and modern games like heavy and bomb from knuckles chaotix on 32x or any characters that appeared only in tails skypatrol and tails adventure for game gear or master robots from sonic 2 8 bit and chaos and triple trouble. other than that great story! keep it up!
In my headcanon universe, which isn't far off from the game canon, the only Sonic Boom character who is part of that universe is Sticks. Even then, she will not appear in this story.
I'll probably need to refresh my memory on who Heavy and Bomb are. They haven't been seen since the Classic Sonic era.
Guest
Sonic X is one of my favorite Sonic shows - the only reason it's not number one is because I didn't feel like there was enough of Sonic and Tails' brotherly bond. When I saw you write Sonic calling Tails his little brother, it made my day! I hope to see more of their relationship in this series - maybe Tails telling Chris how Sonic adopted him and all that
It's true, there weren't too many Sonic and Tails moments outside the Chaos Saga. But don't worry; I'll try to fit some more in there wherever possible.
The Green Seer (5 reviews)
The reviews are quite lengthy and will not be copied here.
Welcome back! So far, I haven't lost inspiration; in fact, watching the movie has further bolsters my drive!
Did I really accidentally call Eggman "her" in chapter 12? XD Eggette confirmed!
I knew there should be consequences in the story, which is why I added injuries to chapter 13; it would be somewhat unrealistic without them. But I always make up for them with heartwarming scenes.
Indeed. Chris needs a break from all that danger.
Now that you mention it, that flashback with Eggman was unnecessary. Animation Adventures had said the same thing. It is not relevant to the plot, and probably went on for too long. I'll edit that in the not-too-distant future.
I couldn't rewrite the Helen episode because I couldn't make it work. The only part I could salvage is Sonic taking Helen to the lake, but even if I did write that, it would be entirely filler.
I think you meant "Flames of Disaster", but that's a minor point. Also, Sonic does know Elise from my headcanon in-game universe, but not for the adventure they had in '06. Perhaps he visited Soleanna for the festival, but there wasn't any Iblis or Mephiles to deal with.
I was hinting at Sonic Forces, but now that you mentioned the Labyrinth Zone, that sounds equally plausible. I have plans for a Sonic Genesis story, and you've just supplied me with an idea for that.
And no, the Topaz and Rouge scene was not there in the original episode. Instead, it was just the President telling the military to find Eggman, then lamenting his lack of vacation time (in the Japanese version).
Anyway, here is The Adventures of Knuckles and Hawk! Cringey title, by the way; there's a reason I change the episode names for this story.
Disclaimer: The warranty for 2020 has expired. It is non-refundable, and may involve echidnas, ninjas, emeralds, and other elements that may plague your town.
Chapter 16
Episode 17
Clenched Fists of Anger! Attack of the Julebu
Journey to the East
Hong Kong – Tue November 30; 10:44 PM
About three weeks prior to Sonic and his friends discovering the fourth Chaos Emerald, Knuckles was embarking on a search of his own. His journey had taken him to Hong Kong. The echidna glanced around at the historic architecture; this district was not as built-up as the rest of the city, and it seemed the locals there preferred it that way.
Shortly after the destruction of Dr. Eggman's base, Knuckles had picked up rumors from overseas. A Chaos Emerald was reportedly sighted in the vicinity of Hong Kong. While it was inconvenient that it was located all the way across the Pacific Ocean, Knuckles had told himself that it was one step closer to returning to Angel Island. The reports further claimed that the Emerald vanished, but Knuckles believed otherwise.
He reached China by air, since he was able to quickly acquire a passport. From what he heard, this was a temporary passport until the government issued a series of special-edition passports, which Sonic and his friends would receive as well. Sure, he could smuggle himself on a ship like he did the fighter jet to get to Eggman's base, but it would be too slow, not to mention illegal. Besides, he could take advantage of his new-found freedom of exposure to the public by taking a plane.
Upon arrival, he had wandered the city for days with no sign of the Chaos Emerald anywhere. Not even his senses could aid him this time. It was almost as if there wasn't any Emerald in Hong Kong at all. And yet he knew deep down the rumors were not lying…
His travels had taken him to a plain outside the city, where he once again used his hunting senses to no avail. This Emerald was tricky to find, not because of its elusiveness, but because he was in a faraway land he had never traveled through before. He missed the Master Emerald. He missed when things were simple instead of hopelessly complicated.
However, Knuckles' excursion was not in vain.
A distant voice filled his ears. Straining to listen, he could make out a cry for help. Knuckles was not one to refuse such a plea, so he raced toward the source of the voice as fast as he could.
He came to a small, ancient temple, where the voice again called for help from within. Fortunately, there was an entrance within the stone ruins, so Knuckles ran inside, peering through the darkness to see if he could find whoever required assistance.
And then he saw it – a man was trapped between two large stone walls that were slowly closing in on each other, threatening to crush him. Wasting no time, Knuckles bolted forward, effortlessly punched a hole through the back wall, grabbed the man's hand, and wordlessly leaped through the hole before the walls slid together with mere seconds to spare.
Knuckles sized the man up – he was slightly overweight for an Oriental man, and had a bowl haircut. The man turned to Knuckles, still shaken up from his near-death experience.
"Th-thank you…" he spoke in excellent English.
"It's what I do," Knuckles responded, nodding curtly. "What were you doing in there, anyway?"
The man appeared to hesitate for a moment. "I was- I was searching for treasure."
Knuckles cocked a brow. "You a treasure hunter?"
"Y-yes," the man stammered. "They told me there was supposed to be treasure inside this temple, but it was rigged." He gave Knuckles a once-over. "Are you one of the aliens from… what's the name of your planet…?"
"Mobius," answered Knuckles. "And yes, I am. By the way, I'm Knuckles."
"M-my name… is Hawk," the man introduced himself, and Knuckles wondered why he was all jittery. "Are you a treasure hunter too?"
"You could say that," Knuckles replied with a shrug. "I'm looking for something called a Chaos Emerald. Do you know anything about it?"
That was the statement that opened the floodgates. Knuckles began to wonder if he had been too probing, for Hawk started to show signs of fear; not of Knuckles, but of something else. The echidna wanted to know what that "something" was.
"What is it?" Knuckles asked, before his face softened and he moved closer to Hawk. "Look, I'm not gonna hurt you. You can trust me."
Hawk looked Knuckles dead in the eye. "Please… do not tell anyone what I am about to tell you."
Knuckles was confused, until Hawk began to gingerly and hesitantly roll up his left sleeve. Printed on the outside of his upper left arm was a dragon tattoo. This only added to the echidna's confusion.
"A tattoo…?"
"It's…" Hawk hesitated again. "It's the mark of… an underground gang known as the Jùlèbù."
"The… what?"
"The Jùlèbù…" repeated Hawk. "Their name translates to 'club'…" He spoke haltingly, as if he didn't know if he should even be sharing this information with Knuckles. "They… they kidnapped me and forced me to join them… They wanted me to join because my brother was one of them… I was too scared to say no…" He gulped. "They send me on errands to take jewels and sell them on the black market for large amounts of money… They make me do this in exchange for food and my safety…"
Knuckles stood there, silently taking in what this shaken-up man was telling him. He was quite bold to tell him, a complete stranger, that his life was in danger.
"Sounds pretty traumatic," Knuckles whispered. "It's like you're a slave to them."
"I am!" Hawk began to sweat. "And... And they don't want me to talk to anyone either! They'll kill me if they find out!" He started to break into a run, afraid that Knuckles would snitch on him.
"Wait!" Knuckles called before following after him. "I want to help you!"
To the echidna's relief, Hawk stopped and turned to Knuckles, who was determined to help this man.
"I want to help you," repeated Knuckles. "I too am looking for the Chaos Emerald. But first…" He took a deep breath. "I'm gonna do everything in my power to get you out of that gang."
Hawk looked genuinely astonished. "You… you would do that?"
"Yes," Knuckles vowed. He could not sound more serious about this dedication. "You're a good guy; you don't deserve this treatment."
Hawk, was now overcome with emotion and gratitude. "Th-thank you, Knuckles!" Then realization spread across his face. "But… if they find out, they'll kill you too!"
"As if," Knuckles bragged, flexing his muscles. "I promise, we'll meet again someday."
"So… you work alone too?" Hawk asked, to which Knuckles nodded. "I will try to keep in touch. My branch of the Jùlèbù works in Hong Kong. It should not be very hard to find me."
"I'll be in the area looking for clues," replied Knuckles.
That was two months ago. The low rumble of jet engines roused Knuckles from his thoughts, and the echidna looked up to see a low-flying cargo jet above him. It was downright strange, seeing a unique blend of things past and present in the same place. He had to wonder how the residents tolerated having planes flying that low all the time here.
Last week, he finally heard back from Hawk through a letter. His new friend said he had information on the Chaos Emerald, and invited him to come to Fwan's bar on Tuesday. Today was that day.
Now, Knuckles was trying to find his way there. He had to endure stares from various locals, several of which were on their smartphones. Even in a suburb as remote as this one, he was popular. While he was mildly surprised people weren't outright flocking to see him, his secrecy was for the better. Whatever the case, he just told himself to grin and bear it.
No matter who he asked for directions, the people he spoke to either didn't know where it was, or didn't speak English. After fifteen minutes of this, Knuckles was starting to get frustrated.
At last, he found an English-speaking local who agreed to take him to Fwan's bar, but at the cost of unwanted attention. The local kept throwing glances at Knuckles… just because he was different. All the attention the echidna was receiving made him wish even more that he was back home on Mobius, where he at least fit in.
The stranger led him through at least half a dozen run-down streets and alleys before he stopped in front of a dated building, which blended in with all the other buildings. Knuckles would have missed it if it weren't plainly marked with Fwan's name on the front entrance.
Knuckles nodded his thanks to the local and stepped inside the bar, finally free of the attention…
…or so he thought.
He had more attention than he had before. All dozen or so pairs of eyes were fixed on him. Clearly they had never seen an other-worldly anthropomorph before.
Knuckles looked around the bar, and to his disappointment, none of the men remotely looked like Hawk.
A hushed silence filled the room, and everyone couldn't help but stare at the echidna as he walked slowly across the wooden floor toward the man on the other side of the counter.
"Are you Fwan?" he asked gruffly.
The man known as Fwan nodded. So he understood some English at least. However, he too could not bring himself to stop staring.
"Hey, is there something on my face?" Knuckles said. "'Cause I didn't exactly come here just for kicks, you know."
"My apologies," Fwan spoke in a heavily accented voice. "You are a very… unique customer."
"Never mind that," Knuckles dismissed. "I was told there was someone by the name of Hawk here."
"There is no one here by that name," Fwan stated, his gaze not leaving Knuckles. It was a dead end, but Knuckles was not one to give up easily.
"Does he come here often?" he pressed.
"Oy!"
Knuckles turned to see who suddenly shouted from the doorway. He saw three strong men standing there, and from the looks of it, they were not friendly.
"A country has its own rules, a city has its own rules, and a bar has its own rules," one of the men spoke. "And the rules around here don't take too kindly to loiterers. Search for your man elsewhere!"
Knuckles wondered to himself why this man was so angry all of a sudden. Maybe they frequented this bar often? But what was the bit about the place's own set of rules?
Knuckles looked the man dead in the eyes.
"Make me."
That did it. The man lunged toward Knuckles, who leaped to the side. Even though he was aggressive, the echidna tried not to throw the first punch; he was better than that. He took note of Fwan ducking behind the counter, and wondered just what on Mobius was going on here.
The other two men seemed to not jump in right away; they were biding their time to see just how dangerous this alien newcomer to their town was. A wise move, Knuckles thought.
The man Knuckles was currently dealing with rolled up his sleeves in an aggressive manner before he charged again. Then Knuckles saw it – a dragon tattoo on his left arm, just like the one Hawk had.
The mark of the Jùlèbù…
Now that he knew what he was up against, Knuckles decided now was the time to take action. In one deft move, he punched the wind out of the man before he could react, but not enough to do serious damage. Dusting his hands, he turned to the other two men.
"Anyone else wanna try me?" he challenged. "'Cause I'm just getting warmed up!"
"Enough," came an authoritative new voice from the door. The other two men – also with the Jùlèbù, Knuckles assumed – turned to the newcomer and bowed in respect.
"Master Li Yan," they acknowledged.
Knuckles sized Li Yan up. He was a big man, unlike many of the people he had seen around Hong Kong. He took it he was the boss of this sect of the Jùlèbù.
"Knuckles the Echidna, I take it?" he spoke.
"H-How do you–"
"Your reputation precedes you, Knuckles," Li Yan spoke jovially. "Who hasn't heard of you and the band of animals who came here from the other world?" He chuckled. "But now, to business. I hear you are searching for someone named… Hawk?"
Knuckles was slightly taken aback at how Li Yan knew about Hawk, but decided not to show it.
"Yes," he spoke. "If you know where he is, take me to him right away."
Li Yan laughed, patting Knuckles on the back.
"I like you; you're a man who gets straight to the point," he complimented. "Very well, I will take you to your friend."
As they stepped outside, Knuckles was mildly perplexed by Li Yan's friendly demeanor. Wasn't he supposed to be the boss of this jewel-smuggling gang?
"Is there a catch?" Knuckles probed.
"No price," Li Yan assured. "None at all, save for my own hospitality."
They continued walking, and Knuckles looked around at the ancient architecture laced with modern technology. Angel Island did not have much in the way of technology, but if his tribe was still around, they might have shown interest in the technology of the planet below. On second thought, they probably wanted to preserve their history and culture as best as they could.
"So, uh… How far is this place?"
"Not far," said Li Yan. "Your patience will reward you in time." He cleared his throat. "I must commend you for overwhelming my men with brute force. Not many people can do that."
Knuckles shrugged. "I did what had to be done," he responded nonchalantly.
"And modest, too!" Li Yan complimented."Knuckles, I have a feeling you and I are going to be the best of friends!"
Knuckles didn't know if Li Yan was genuine or just figurative. After all, this was the boss of the Jùlèbù. He started to second-guess himself, but at the same time, if he didn't follow him, he might not find out where Hawk was.
It took them another ten minutes before they arrived at a certain building. Like the other structures around it, it was ancient. Li Yan held the door open for Knuckles, beckoning the guardian to step through first, which he did. Once inside, he looked around the place. The inside was even more run-down than the outside, to his slight surprise.
"Place doesn't look all that homey," Knuckles dryly commented.
"Well…" Li Yan put his hands in his pockets. "Money is tight, and the economy is not looking up anytime soon, so… we make do."
"So… is this some kind of apartment building, I take it?"
"Yes, you could say that."
The Jùlèbù boss led Knuckles down a wooden set of stairs, which branched out into a hallway with doors on either side. They stopped at the second door on the right.
"Are you sure he's here?" Knuckles asked. Something about this place seemed… sketchy. Why was Li Yan being so hospitable to someone who had just taken out some of his men?
"Why would I lie? I assure you, you will see your friend very soon."
Fishing around in his right pocket, Li Yan produced a small remote control and pressed a button. Before Knuckles could question his motives, a trap door opened directly beneath him, and the echidna fell through with a yelp.
He tumbled down a chute of some sort, which resembled a pipe, and it was just as dark and slimy. He was just about to brace himself against the walls on either side of him when the chute came to an abrupt end in the form of a prison cell. It was a typical cell, with bars and concrete walls.
But the thing that got Knuckles' attention was the fact that he was not alone. Someone else was down there with him, looking just as surprised as he did.
Li Yan had been telling the truth after all.
Knuckles and Hawk stared at each other for a long while. Both of them were speechless at the other's presence. They had not expected to meet each other again in this way.
"They got you too…" breathed Hawk.
Knuckles clenched his fists. "He tricked me. I should have seen this coming!"
"They tricked me too," Hawk said. "You are not alone."
Knuckles was confused for a moment. "I thought you were a Jùlèbù man; why did they put you here?"
"Knuckles…" started Hawk. "I have not forgotten about you. You, and your kindness… I had decided from that day on that I no longer wanted to be a Jùlèbù man. They found out, and imprisoned me here."
Knuckles was genuinely amazed at the guts this guy had. Chris was the only other human he could compare him to who was this brave.
"How long have you been in here?" he asked, sitting down and leaning himself against the uncomfortable concrete wall next to his friend.
"At least three weeks," Hawk responded, before he looked more somber than he already was. "No one leaves the Jùlèbù alive. The only reason I am still breathing right now is because my brother insisted that I live."
Knuckles was silent, letting this sink in.
"That's some pretty heavy stuff…" he sympathized. "Are you the one who sent the note for me to go to Fwan's bar?"
"Note?" Hawk voiced his confusion, before he realized what had happened. "No, that wasn't me! I do not drink, and I've never been there before!" His voiced dropped once more. "That's how they got you."
Knuckles grit his teeth at the injustice done to him and his new friend, but held back his temper. He might need it later. Instead, he opted to change the subject.
"Find any treasure in your travels?"
"Yes…" Hawk pondered. "There was treasure here and there, but I was forced to give it all to Li Yan. I take it you have already met him."
Knuckles nodded.
"I don't want to pry or anything, but what kind of treasure did you find?" he asked.
"I found a sapphire here and there, and even a gold necklace, but there was one treasure that really stood out."
Knuckles became more attentive.
"It was a large red stone about this size," he continued, holding up his hands to form the approximate size of a Chaos Emerald. "It looked like a perfect cut diamond like the ones you see in jewelry shops."
"That's it," Knuckles started to exclaim, sitting up. "That's the exact gemstone I'm looking for!"
"Really?" Hawk questioned in amazement.
"Really!" confirmed Knuckles. "That's a Chaos Emerald. There are seven of them total. Have you heard of them?"
"Well… I heard the name from you, but I also heard a little here and there through the news. Knuckles… is it true that anyone who has all seven Chaos Emeralds can conquer the world?"
The echidna held back a snicker. "I think you've been listening to the underground rumors," he smiled. "That only happens if they fall into the wrong hands."
Hawk's intrigue showed in his eyes. "Is there more to the Chaos Emeralds I do not know about?"
"Plenty," said Knuckles. "You've probably heard of Dr. Eggman, right?" Hawk nodded. "Back on my world, he accidentally used them to create a surge of energy called Chaos Control to send us here. Now I need all seven to get back."
"What is your world like…?"
"It's… somewhat similar to this world, I guess, except it's more… peaceful. Cleaner, even." He let out a sigh. "That's where my home is. It's a floating island and resting place of the Master Emerald, which keeps the island afloat and balances the power of the Chaos Emeralds. I'm the sole guardian of the Master Emerald… and that's why I must return as soon as I can."
Hawk remained silent, listening in astonishment to Knuckles relating to him about his home. Except…
"Did you say the island floats?"
"Absolutely. Angel Island literally hovers miles above the surface of Mobius. And yes… it's as incredible as it sounds."
"And once you collect all of them, you can return home."
"That's right."
Hawk stood up, taking on a look of realization. "The Chaos Emerald… Li Yan said he wants to sell it for personal gain!"
"Do you still have it?" Knuckles asked, before his gaze rested on something on the other side of the room. Hawk was just about to answer when Knuckles shook his head. "No, don't answer."
Hawk was confused, until he followed Knuckles' gaze to a concealed listening device on the wall.
"The room is bugged," Knuckled whispered to his friend. "Now cover your ears. I'm gonna bust us out of here right now."
He marched straight up to the listening device and took a deep breath.
"COME GET US, PUNKS!"
With that task done, he made his way back toward Hawk. "Stick close," he cautioned as he reared back his fist. One crushing punch later, a large hole was created in the wall, big enough for both of them to fit through.
Knuckles climbed through first, then Hawk. It took all in three seconds for the echidna to locate a staircase, even if it wasn't the same one he had gone down earlier. Wasting no time, he quickly scaled it, taking frequent pauses to allow Hawk to catch up.
Once they reached the top, Knuckles took Hawk's hand. Another thirty seconds later, they became aware of the sounds of commotion approaching them – footsteps ascending the stairs from behind.
"They have guns," Hawk warned, panting.
"Yeah? Well, I got fists," replied Knuckles, holding one up. "Let 'em bring it."
At last, the front door came into view, and not a moment too soon, for the Jùlèbù men started to enter the room. They started to open fire, and one bullet nearly clipped Hawk's sleeve. Wasting no time, Knuckles punched the door off its hinges and took off into the streets with Hawk in tow.
He quickly located a nearby alley, and pulled Hawk into it. They heard orders being barked in Chinese, and Knuckles had no clue what they were saying, but whatever it was, it wasn't good.
However, Knuckles noticed something in the night air he didn't think he would see in a hundred years. The unmistakable form of a surveillance orb from the Robotropolis days was eyeing him from above. It was unmistakable.
Snap out of it! Knuckles chided himself. He had to get himself and Hawk to safety if they wanted to escape being filled with lead.
He continued to take Hawk through the numerous winding alleys. Sure, he could easily climb the buildings to escape the men, but not with Hawk in his company; it would be too dangerous.
After a few minutes, he stopped, motioning for Hawk to remain silent, while he strained to listen to the men. Hopefully he put enough distance between them and himself. The eerie silence brought him both relief and dread.
The sudden sound of a solitary sound of footsteps snapped Knuckles back to attention, and one of the Jùlèbù men passed dangerously close to their location, miraculously not looking in their direction. The alley Knuckles and Hawk had hidden themselves in was quite tight, and not made for people to be in – not that they were left with any choice.
Soon, the voices of the other men began to fade, but Knuckles decided to stay where he was for a few more moments, just to play it safe.
Once he was satisfied that the men were well and truly gone, the echidna squeezed out of the alley, and beckoned his friend to emerge as well. The adrenalin was evident in Hawk's face.
"I… I thought my mouth w-was going to burst out of my heart–" he quickly realized his mistake. "I-I mean, my h-heart was going to burst out of m-my mouth…"
Knuckles smiled, knowing what Hawk meant to say. He patted the man on the back.
"You're a free man now," he softly spoke. "How does it feel?"
"It… it feels like… like a burden was lifted…" Hawk spoke slowly, comprehending what this all meant for him. Then he realized something. "But… now they are going to hunt me down for revenge."
Great. Knuckles hadn't thought this far yet. There had to be a way to keep Hawk safe from his former gang. But he couldn't think of how to do it.
"I can't guarantee that I'm going to be around here much longer," he said, "but… it's probably best that you move out of the country or something."
"But… this is my home…"
"I know."
"…I'll tell you what. I will consider it, if it means staying away from the Jùlèbù."
Knuckles nodded.
"What were you going to tell me back at the prison?" he asked as they continued walking.
Hawk thought for a moment. "You asked me if I still have the Emerald." Knuckles nodded. "Yes. Yes I do. The very moment I found it hidden in some grass, I knew it was special. It looked too valuable to take back to Li Yan, so… I hid it, and decided not to tell anyone about it."
Knuckles whistled. "That must have taken some serious guts. Do you still know where it's buried?"
Hawk nodded. "It's buried in an abandoned subway a few kilometers from here."
"That's a bit far to run with that gang after you," Knuckles said. "And I don't know how long you can hold up running that far."
"We can use a rickshaw," Hawk suggested.
Knuckles looked confused. "What's wrong with a taxi?"
"This part of Hong Kong does not have taxi service," explained Hawk.
As if on cue, a rickshaw rounded the corner. Knuckles wasn't used to seeing something so simplistic – all it was was a wooden carriage seating two pulled by a bicycle.
Hawk flagged it down and approached it. The rickshaw driver did not speak very much English, but Hawk was able to fluently communicate with him in his native Chinese language.
After a moment, Hawk signaled Knuckles to come over. He climbed into the cart first, followed by Knuckles. The driver then took off.
Knuckles looked around as they rode through the old district in the rickshaw. Even though it was dark out, it was still quite an interesting experience. This was probably how the ancient Chinese traveled. Or perhaps the rickshaw was introduced to them by the Americans or another civilization. Either way, it was a fast low-tech way to get around.
"Were you born here in Hong Kong?" Knuckles asked Hawk.
"Born and raised," the man replied. "It's a pleasure to be a resident of this city. Not just for the culture, but for the food as well. As people say, food is love." He closed his eyes. "We have a rich four-thousand-year history of food, fine crafts, culture, and did I mention food?"
As Hawk went on about all the different kinds of food that China had, Knuckles felt content that his friend's mind was off of the Jùlèbù for the time being. He seemed fond of China, and Knuckles hoped Hawk wouldn't miss it too much once he got him out.
"You speak very good English," Knuckles complimented once there was a lull in the monologue.
"I took classes," said Hawk. "In fact, everyone in my old gang said I spoke better English than Li Yan. That's why they used me as their translator sometimes…" He turned to look at his alien friend. "Thank you again for rescuing me."
Knuckles smiled. "Don't mention it."
It took them over ten minutes before they arrived at their destination. After Knuckles and Hawk disembarked from the rickshaw, Hawk paid the driver with money Knuckles had lent to him, and he drove off. "You don't have to pay me back," Knuckles said.
At Hawk's indication, they started toward the entrance to the abandoned subway. Knuckles wondered if he was going soft by helping Hawk. Then again, Hawk had made a profound impact on him, and not just because he too knew about the Emerald.
"I hope there's enough light for us to see down there," Knuckles said as they descended the stairs.
"There is," assured Hawk. "There are several entrances to the subway, but it may still take some time to be fully used to the dark."
A moment later, they reached the bottom of the stairs. Just as Hawk had said, it was almost pitch black, except for some pockets of light here and there. Fortunately, Knuckles was able to acclimate to the dark quickly.
"So I found this stone, the Chaos Emerald, at the place where the Jùlèbù used to make their… transactions," Hawk spoke, searching for the right word. "They change their headquarters often to escape the law. It's good I found the Emerald when I did." Knuckles nodded in approval.
"Do you still remember exactly where it's buried?" he asked as they made their way down to the tracks.
"I should…" mused Hawk. "It's been over a month since I buried it. I should still remember…" He began to walk along the tracks, carefully studying the ground, with Knuckles right behind him.
"It's the ninth railroad tie from the ramp…" Hawk mumbled to himself. Once he reached said spot, he bent down and began to dig in the ground next to the tie. Knuckles stepped forward, ready to help, but Hawk was already unearthing a small burlap sack.
"Here it is, exactly where I left it," he announced. He untied the bag and lifted out a pristine red Chaos Emerald. "I am grateful to repay you after… after what you went through for me tonight. It makes me feel good inside. I know you need it more than I do, so… here you go." He extended the Emerald toward Knuckles, who gently accepted it.
"You've been a great help, Hawk," Knuckles started, before they both became aware of the quiet sound of approaching footsteps. Knuckles thrust the Emerald back into the bag.
"They found us…" moaned Hawk. Knuckles stepped in front of him for protection, just in case the Jùlèbù came prepared. But the next voice that spoke was not one of them. In fact, it was all too familiar for the echidna.
"May I commend you for finding that Emerald for me," spoke the gravelly voice of Dr. Eggman.
Beyond Knuckles' comprehension, he was there, sitting impassively in his Eggmobile about ten yards away.
"Why are you here?" demanded Knuckles. "How are you here?! You're supposed to be marooned under the ocean!"
"That's beside the point," retorted Eggman.
"Stay here," Knuckles cautioned Hawk before taking a few strides toward Eggman. He suddenly leaped in the doctor's direction. To his surprise, he didn't flinch or even react at all. Instead, he simply faded away, as if he was never there at all. Knuckles was completely baffled.
"Help!" came Hawk's frantic cry from behind him.
Knuckles spun around to see that his friend was at the mercy of a pair of nunchucks wielded by none other than the rickshaw driver who brought them to the subway. Now Knuckles was really perplexed. So much was going on all at once.
Knuckles stormed toward the newcomer.
"Let him go!" he roared.
The man's head swiveled in his direction. His response caught the echidna off guard.
"Holography no Jutsu."
In a flash, where a rickshaw driver once stood, there was now an android that resembled a woman and a ninja at the same time. This made Knuckles hesitant to attack; he would never hit a girl. Not even Rouge.
"You were always too soft, Knuckles," she spoke coyly. "Too afraid to hit a girl, I see? Man up. The art of the Kunoichi is to forsake ladyhood. My creator Dr. Eggman has sent me to acquire the Chaos Emerald your friend foolishly thought he could hide from us."
A talkative one, even for a ninja, thought Knuckles. Well, she won't be talking for much longer.
In one swift move, the Kunoichi, designated E-91, yanked on the nunchucks, causing Hawk to yelp and release his grip on the bag. This was when Knuckles bolted forward. He reached her just as she caught the bag.
He made a flying tackle toward her, mildly surprised she did not immediately dodge. After a brief tangle with her, he managed to knock the bag from her grasp. E-91 turned to face Knuckles, now that she was distracted from her objective. She held one end of the nunchucks with one hand, and the chain with the other. Knuckles inwardly marveled; that was an odd way to hold such a weapon.
"Sixteen Tons no Jutsu!" she declared.
At her command, the other end of the nunchucks, the end she wasn't holding, started to inflate into a giant iron ball that looked to weigh appropriately sixteen tons. This defied physics, but Knuckles had no time to care.
The Kunoichi skillfully swung the ball toward Knuckles, who leaped back. The ball slammed into a concrete wall, causing major damage to that part of the subway.
Deep down, Knuckles was amazed at E-91's fighting skill. For a robot as small as she was, she could pack a serious punch. Still, she had nothing on Espio.
On the other hand, Hawk was stymied and more than a little nervous over all that was happening. He had never seen anything quite like this. He did not have a clue what to do.
Using an undamaged wall as leverage, Knuckles propelled himself high into the air and glided toward the Kunoichi. She swung the ball upward, smashing part of the ceiling. It immediately started to cave in, and as dust started to fill the subway, Knuckles realized the gravity of the situation.
"Hawk! Get the Emerald and run!" he yelled.
Snapped from his trance, Hawk forced his legs to move toward the fallen bag, but E-91 was already one step ahead of him. Right as he was reaching for the bag, the Kunoichi was preparing to intercept him with her transformed nunchucks. Knuckles bolted toward her just as she swung, which forced Hawk to scramble out of the way, away from the Emerald. The iron ball barely missed his head.
As the ball started to swing around again, Knuckles punched it upward into the ceiling again. As much as he didn't want to further damage the sewer, there was no other direction he could have redirected the blunt weapon.
The impact caused a huge portion of the subway, along with the street above it, to fall into the subway with a deafening crash. Hawk frantically looked for any sign of the Emerald.
"Forget it!" Knuckles called. "Just run!"
Knuckles abandoned his skirmish with E-91 and ran over to Hawk. Taking his hand, he bolted up the stairs two at a time. Hawk had a hard time keeping up as the Kunoichi continued to go berserk beneath them.
Knuckles practically read the pleading look in Hawk's eyes.
"We'll come back for it," he promised. "You can't replace lives, you know."
Seconds later, they made it to the street above. Hawk slowed down, panting from the exertion. He had never run this fast and this far in one night in his life. However, Knuckles pulled on his arm to get him to continue.
"We can't stop now," he urged. "That robot probably made the ground here unstable. We have to keep moving!"
Hawk nodded and followed after Knuckles as he ran through the night. Already his legs felt like fire, but it was either press on or possibly fall to his death beneath the streets. Since he cared to preserve his life, he opted for the former.
"I'm sorry!" he called out about ten minutes later. "I can't go any farther!"
"It's fine," Knuckles waved, slowing to a stop. "I think this is far enough."
"Good…" Hawk panted. "So… where to from here…?"
Knuckles paused for a moment to think, before turning back to look at Hawk.
"You have a house somewhere?" he asked.
"I do," Hawk responded, "but it has been some time since I was there last. It's not far from here." He started slowly walking down the road they were on. "We can spend the night there, then come back to see if we can dig up the Emerald."
Knuckles nodded in approval. "Sounds like a plan."
Hawk's house – Wed December 1; 10:38 AM
Knuckles wasn't surprised that both he and Hawk slept in that morning. He was normally a late riser, but this was a little late even for him.
While the echidna paced the floor, pondering what happened last night, Hawk was watching the morning news on his cable TV. To Hawk's relief, the house had not been touched by the Jùlèbù, so they were both able to sleep that night. Regardless, Knuckles had offered to keep watch in case anything happened, but eventually he fell asleep too.
While he kept watch, an idea started to formulate in his head. It seemed that Hawk wasn't safe from the Jùlèbù in China. He had told Knuckles that they were the type to hunt him down and kill him. Evidently they did not take too kindly to deserters.
Knuckles knew he had to leave as soon as he got the Emerald back, but that would mean saying goodbye to Hawk and leaving him to fend for himself against the Jùlèbù. Sonic had set an example; friends should not show kindness only to abandon them in their time of need. Knuckles knew he would eventually return to Station Square. Hawk did say he would consider moving out. Maybe something could be done.
Now, Knuckles couldn't understand a word of what the news reporter was saying. He knew English, and some of the ancient echidna language, but Chinese was entirely new to him. He could make out that the reporter was relating the collapse of the subway last night. Knuckles had not stuck around to witness the subway finishing collapsing.
Several thoughts plagued him all through the night as he lay on the hammock Hawk had set up for him. Now they made their way to the surface.
Knuckles let out a frustrated sigh. "We just had that Emerald," he vented. "How did Eggman even know I was here? And why was he using one of his stone-age surveillance orbs?"
"Surveillance orbs?" Hawk queried.
"It's an old spy robot Eggman used a long time ago," Knuckles summed up. "Maybe…" he started to get an answer to his question. "Maybe he chose to use it because all of his newer robots were too recognizable. Still, I never took Eggman to be a dinosaur."
Hawk looked even more confused. "…Dinosaur…? I thought that…"
"He's a human, yes," Knuckles clarified, stifling a laugh. "It just means that he's prone to being outdated sometimes. In this case, he used somewhat obsolete technology… Obsolete for Mobian technology, that is. I'm not really a tech guy, but that's just one thing I happened to pick up about him." He glanced at the TV, which had now moved on to another story. "What did he say? Do you know?"
"The authorities are launching a full investigation into this," translated Hawk. "For now, it does not look like we can do much."
"But there's gotta be something we can do!" ranted Knuckles.
He took out his frustration on Hawk's punching bag, hitting it so hard that it not only flew off its hinges, but it burst open, sending sawdust everywhere. A few beams that once supported the bag also fell on him, sending him sprawling. A box containing a few metallic things banged together as they fell off a shelf.
Hawk ran over and immediately pulled Knuckles to his feet.
"You need to be more careful," he chided. "Are you okay?"
"Sure," Knuckles dismissed. "Just… don't know my own strength sometimes is… all…"
His voice trailed off as he saw what was in the box that had fallen. He crawled over to get a closer look.
"My old Shovel Claws…" he breathed. He slowly lifted one up and turned it over in his hands, unaware of Hawk's being surprised at Knuckles knowing what they were. "But… how'd they get here…? How did I not have them this whole time…?"
"These are relics from the day you saved my life," explained Hawk. "After we parted ways, I found them lying on the ground near where the two walls came together. I claimed them as my own and brought them back here. I promised myself to never tell Li Yan about them."
"I gotta say, Hawk, you're tougher than you look," said Knuckles. "But if I were you, I wouldn't throw myself into danger like that."
Hawk nodded in understanding, glancing down at the metal gloves Knuckles had uncovered. "But, uh, what exactly are these 'Shovel Claws'? And how do you know about them?"
Knuckles closed his eyes. "They're relics from my tribe that were passed down from generation to generation, but in a war, they got lost. I later found them in my travels, and used them for digging ever since."
"Digging…" Hawk mused.
Just then Knuckles looked up, a gleam of fresh hope in his eyes.
"Hawk, you're a genius!" he exclaimed. "We're gonna use these to dig for the Emerald! Come on!"
With that, Knuckles tore out of the house, followed by a very confused Hawk, who was wondering what just happened.
The subway – Wed December 1; 10:56 AM
It took the two treasure hunters roughly fifteen minutes to reach the scene of the wreckage. The news feed did not exaggerate; it was a total disaster zone. The entire street was cracked for several hundred yards, and the buildings in the immediate area had been evacuated. Police lines were set up everywhere, but the police were not present at this particular part of the scene.
Hawk cautiously looked down into the gaping hole where a street once lay.
"It could be anywhere in there…" he quietly said.
But Knuckles did not answer. He had his eyes closed, as if intently focusing on something.
"Knuckles…?"
Knuckles opened his eyes. "I think I know its general location. Just stay here and I'll get it."
"But… How do you… You don't…"
"I have the ability to sense Chaos Emeralds within a limited area," explained Knuckles as he slipped on his Shovel Claws. "Call it a sixth sense, if you will."
"Oh, you mean like a… a superpower?"
Knuckles smirked. "Never thought of it that way, but okay. Now stay back; I don't want you falling in if it collapses further."
"Okay," Hawk nodded as Knuckles ducked under the police line and carefully climbed down into the wreck.
His acute vision began to kick in, helping him adjust to the dark as he began to dig. He felt great. He hadn't gotten the chance to wear his Shovel Claws since the Phantom War, and it was like they hadn't changed a bit since then.
Every now and then, he stopped to sense for the Emerald, and occasionally made his way in a different direction. He was grateful that Hawk had managed to find not only the Shovel Claws, but also the Chaos Emerald. Knuckles was a loner by nature, but he could call Hawk a friend. Now he wanted to pay it forward and help him escape his former enemies.
It did not take long at all for his gaze to rest upon a familiar beige bag. Swiping it up, he made his way back to the surface. He had to be quick to avoid another cave-in or even police detection. He was lucky to have not been buried or caught yet.
"Hawk! I got it!" he shouted.
However, his friend was nowhere to be seen.
"Hawk? Where are you?"
No response.
He began to search the area for his friend. He didn't expect Hawk to simply walk away without telling him, unless the Jùlèbù somehow caught up to him.
He instinctively ducked as a shuriken narrowly missed his head, embedding itself in the brick wall next to him. He glanced back to see if he could find the culprit… but no there was no one to be seen, no trace that anyone was around.
Knuckles turned back to the shuriken to see that it was pinning a note to the wall. He removed the weapon and read the note. It was immediately made clear that it was an ultimatum.
"If you wish to see your friend again, come to the prominent construction site in the north section of Hong Kong, and bring the Chaos Emerald with you. If you do not show up by nightfall, Hawk will be roboticized."
Knuckles gritted his teeth. Eggman…
While he didn't doubt his own ability to scale buildings with ease, Hong Kong was nothing short of huge. In fact, it was much bigger than Station Square. Sure, there was probably a distinct construction site in the city, but he didn't know if he could navigate the city and get to Hawk in time. Furthermore, it would help if he knew which way north was.
It was debatable to Knuckles whether Eggman was bluffing about the roboticizing part. But he was one to follow through with his threats, and Knuckles knew that moping wouldn't do him any good. Guardians didn't mope.
Glancing up at the brick structure next to him, he took a deep breath and scaled the vertical surface, eventually reaching the roof. As the Shovel Claws were heavy, he removed them, and glided from rooftop to rooftop, searching for any sign of a large construction site.
Hong Kong – Wed December 1; 12:17 PM
Just over an hour later at his estimate, Knuckles finally located a construction site large enough to stick out from some of the others he had passed by. Although he didn't have a compass or any device that could tell him which way north was, he had arrived, and that was all that mattered.
Knuckles was sure this was the right construction site because it had a large crane made for skyscrapers. From the rooftop he was standing on, he peered closer at the crane when he saw something tied to the end of the winch, which was overlooking the city.
He was shocked to see that it was indeed Hawk. It was a frightening position for anyone to be in, and, for all Knuckles knew, it could be even worse if Hawk happened to have vertigo.
Knuckles leaped off the edge of the skyscraper, and glided toward the construction site. Evidently it was a skyscraper which had just begun to be built, for it was bare bones, with its exposed steel girders.
He skillfully landed on one of the girders closest to Hawk, and spread his arms to steady himself. He began his treacherous approach, but he did not expect a hologram of Eggman in his Eggmobile to appear in front of him and cut him off.
"Good afternoon, Knuckles," he greeted in an almost formal manner. "I trust you brought the Chaos Emerald with you?"
Knuckles wordlessly held up the red gem for the mad doctor to see. Eggman nodded in satisfaction before gesturing to E-91, who was standing on an adjacent girder.
"Now, just hand it to E-91, and you will get your friend back," he said before the hologram vanished. The Kunoichi turned to face Knuckles.
Knuckles breathed in and out, weighing his options. He could give the Emerald to the Kunoichi as Eggman requested, but that would mean he would have an edge over him. Sonic had at least three Chaos Emeralds of his own, but they would still eventually need to get this one from Eggman should he claim it.
On the other hand, if he were to do anything else, and deviate from the ultimatum, he knew Hawk would be punished. As far as Knuckles knew, Eggman did not have an operational roboticizer in this world, but he didn't want to test that theory with someone he had just met.
However, a third option presented itself to Knuckles. In his peripheral vision, he could see Rouge waving to him to throw it to her. Now he was baffled. Wasn't she supposed to be overseas, searching for Eggman – the real Eggman – underwater? Well, it didn't matter now; she was here, and that's all he needed to know. Perhaps she had caught word of his quest. Yet he didn't tell anyone that he was over in China. So how did she know?
As much as Knuckles didn't want to work with Rouge because of her flirty behavior and kleptomaniacal antics, he had to admit the Chaos Emerald was much better off in her hands than Eggman's.
So he tossed the Chaos Emerald, still inside the bag, to Rouge with all his might. Unfortunately, the sun was a bit glary that day, and he misjudged the distance, so the bag fell just short of her.
With a call of "Kite no Jutsu", the Kunoichi immediately sprouted a glider on her back and dove down after the falling Emerald just as Rouge was doing the same. With this unexpected distraction, Knuckles carefully advanced toward Hawk once more. All he needed to do was keep one foot perfectly straight in front of the other, and keep his hands out for balance.
Knuckles saw that Knuckles was tied with sturdy rope to the crane's winch, and he didn't know how to operate the crane, which left him with only one option: untie him from the top.
"Hawk! Can you hear me?" Knuckles shouted. "I'm gonna get you down from there! Just stay calm!"
A frightened mumbled reply was all he got as he scaled the crane and gingerly crawled along the top toward the rope. Fortunately, wind was not a hazard that day; the only thing that could hinder Knuckles' forward progress was the glare of the sun on the metal surface of the crane which, now that Knuckles thought of it, was hot to the touch.
Having finally reached the ropes, Knuckles began to undo the tight knots, which was not an easy task, since he wore mittens rather than gloves. It didn't stop him before, and he wouldn't let it stop him now.
Once the last knot came undone, Knuckles grabbed the loose rope with both hands. The sudden weight in his hands nearly made him fall off the crave, but he held tight. If Hawk wasn't panicking before, he certainly was now.
"Don't look down!" Knuckles shouted as he leaped off the crane. He extended his arms forward, and began to glide through the air.
He clung to the rope as firmly as he could. He was not used to gliding while carrying anyone, let alone tied to a rope. It was much more reckless than he would have wanted, but it wasn't like he had a choice. Sure, he could have attempted to pull Hawk up, but then they would have had to find a way down anyway.
It took about a minute of gliding before they landed in one of the crowded streets below. With his hands still tied behind his back, Hawk was forced to run to a stop as Knuckles landed. The echidna panted; Hawk seemed to be getting heavier with each passing second. His love for food must have gone straight to his hips.
"Thank you, Knuckles," Hawk profusely thanked as Knuckles untied his hands. "Thank you!"
"Don't thank me yet," Knuckles said. "There's still an Emerald on the line."
He took off down the crowded sidewalk, with Hawk not far behind. Knuckles may have been smaller than Hawk, but he was surprisingly fast. Rouge and the Kunoichi were nowhere in sight.
Meanwhile, E-91 was still in hot pursuit of Rouge, who had retrieved the bag and was holding it tightly. No way would she let something as gorgeous and powerful as a Chaos Emerald fall into Eggman's hands.
But E-91 was gaining on her, and she knew it was only a matter of time before she pounced. So Rouge had to think fast and act faster to escape. Already a plan was formulating in her mind.
In a sudden move, she slowed down and kicked a hole straight through the Kunoichi's glider, smirking at the satisfying shredding sound of the fabric, and took off in the opposite direction. However, E-91 was prepared for this. She sprouted a second pair of wings, reminiscent of a flying squirrel's. She recovered from the change of events quickly enough to whip a shuriken through the air toward Rouge. It sliced the bottom of the bag off, causing the Emerald to fall out.
By this time, both bat and ninja robot were in the sights of Knuckles and Hawk.
"Stay here," Knuckles told Hawk as he charged toward the falling Emerald. It had been taken high enough in the air for it to still be falling at this point.
Knuckles reached the Emerald, and just as he leaped into the air to make a flying catch, E-91 appeared out of nowhere and kicked him into a nearby awning. Doing so, however, caused her to lose sight of the Emerald, which fell among the people who were staring in disbelief at everything that was going on.
The red gem landed not far from Hawk, who instinctively raced toward it. Knowing he was momentarily their last hope, he picked it up, and was forced to run away as he caught sight of the Kunoichi flying after him. Right behind her was Rouge, who was slowly but surely bridging the gap between them. It was a good thing for both Hawk and Rouge that E-91's flying squirrel wings made her fly rather awkwardly.
Just as the robot was about to reach Hawk, Rouge blasted forward with a sudden burst of adrenalin and kicked her into the air, throwing her off course. Knuckles, having climbed down from the awning, resumed the chase, weaving through the confused and nervous pedestrians.
"Hawk! Keep running!" he shouted, even though he didn't think Hawk could hear him.
First you copy Espio, and now Ray? thought Knuckles. You're really scraping the bottom of the barrel with robot ideas, Eggman...
Meanwhile, Hawk found a dead end in an alley and panted, presuming the immediate danger to be over for now. Knuckles and whoever that other figure was could take care of the robot.
The hair on the back of his neck started to rise, and a chill ran down his spine. He had a sinking feeling he wasn't in the clear.
Suddenly the Emerald was swiped from his hands from somewhere behind him. Turning around, Hawk saw E-91 hiding a few feet up in a corner, bracing the walls with her legs.
"Yoink no jutsu," she taunted.
She pushed herself off the wall and bolted from the alley, only for Rouge and Knuckles to cut her off.
"You're not going anywhere," Knuckles told E-91. However, the Kunoichi placed the Chaos Emerald onto her chest, and absorbed it whole. He expected some form of resistance, but he didn't expect her to do that.
He rushed toward E-91 with a flurry of punches, which she dodged. She was programmed to be more than capable of hand-to-hand combat.
"Her power may be amplified!" Rouge warned.
"I know!" Knuckles called back as he dodged another blow.
The Kunoichi rebounded off of one of the walls, and threw several shurikens in a wave fashion at Knuckles, who narrowly avoided them. In fact, one of them passed by his right hip by only two inches.
While E-91 was distracted with Knuckles, Rouge flapped her wings a few times to gain some altitude, then drop-kicked the Kunoichi to the ground. Taken by surprise, she did not get back up immediately. Knuckles stared down at the fallen robot, and Rouge landed next to him, arms crossed.
"Are you going to give me the Chaos Emerald?" Rouge asked. "'Cause I didn't exactly go out of my way to jump through a few hoops for it, you know?"
Hawk gingerly made his way back to the entrance of the alley. Out of the corner of his eye, Knuckles noticed his approach.
"No, stay back," he cautioned.
The distraction was all the Kunoichi needed. She extended her left hand toward Knuckles.
"Electric bind no jutsu."
Before either hero could react, an electric net shot out of E-91's hand and ensnared Knuckles, similar to Spider-Man, and shocked him with red electric bolts as it held him down. To make matters worse, the technique was strengthened by the Chaos Emerald E-91 had absorbed, hence the red color. A second electric net launched from the Kunoichi's hand at Rouge, but she flew backwards and out of the way just in time to avoid it.
"Knuckles!" Hawk cried out in desperation. Now Rouge was filled with determination to take this robot down.
Knuckles grit his teeth as the pure Chaos energy crackled all around him and even through him. In fact, he could see a vision of the Master Emerald upon the altar. Year after year, century after century, the Master Emerald had stood strong, keeping the island aloft through every violent storm, torrential rain, and buffeting wind.
Such was the determination of Knuckles the Echidna.
"Is there anything we can do?!" Hawk exclaimed, fear building in his eyes. "Will water work?"
"The doctor always makes his robots waterproof," Rouge exclaimed. "So… yeah, no. Now stand back, kid. It's gonna get messy."
She reared back, preparing to execute a Screw Kick, when the Kunoichi attempted to fire off another net in her direction. With a quick flap of her wings, she barely dodged the electricity, which slightly singed part of her fur.
"That's not how you treat a lady, you know," Rouge muttered.
She spun her entire body and dove feet first toward the Kunoichi so suddenly that it barely had any time to react. She had just leaped to her feet and was about to make a run for it when Rouge made impact with her torso, sending her sprawling. Smoke started to emit from the robot, and without her control over Knuckles, the electric net disappeared around him, leaving him panting.
Hawk fearfully stood back, anticipating a revenge strike from the ninja robot. Rouge and Knuckles once again approached the heavily damaged E-91, whose torso was heavily damaged.
"Just give us the Emerald already," Knuckles demanded. "It's no use holding off any longer."
E-91 looked up, a dangerous glint in its electronic eyes.
"Self-destruct no jutsu."
"Self-destru–" Knuckles' eyes widened. "Guys, run. Run now."
As E-91 crackled more and more, Rouge and Hawk bolted from their spots. As Hawk was slightly more plump than the average local, he wasn't able to run as fast as Knuckles. The echidna reached out and took his hand, and they ran as fast as they could to escape the robot.
While Hawk was scared, he was also confused, and was about to ask Knuckles what was going on when a tremendous explosion of energy erupted from behind them. It was so powerful that Knuckles and Hawk were thrown to the ground by the shock wave it caused. Rouge was able to land on her hands and pick herself up quickly.
Knuckles and Hawk picked themselves up and turned around to see the aftermath of the explosion. Even though the buildings that were caught in the blast sustained moderate damage, everyone had naturally cleared away from the fight, and no one was hurt. A hush was brought to the street as Knuckles, Hawk, and Rouge were reeling from the adrenalin rush.
"You guys okay...?" Knuckles panted.
Rouge glanced at the smoldering remains of the Kunoichi. "Could have been worse... But that was one juicy explosion."
"By the way…" Knuckles glanced at the bat, who was examining her singed fur. "What are you even doing here? I thought you were supposed to be looking for Eggman in the ocean."
The three started to walk back toward the dropped Chaos Emerald, which lay a few feet away from E-91.
"Oh, they decided I could have the week off, and I heard there was a rumor about an Emerald sighting out here, so… You can add two and two together and figure out the rest. And on top of that, I figured I'd check up on you, Knuckie."
"…How did you get here?" Knuckles asked, resisting the urge to snap or blush at Rouge's flirtatious banter.
"By plane; same as you," the bat shrugged.
"No, do you have a licence or anything?"
"I'm here on a visa." She rolled her eyes. "You know, this world is really quite bizarre. You never needed a visa back on Mobius. Humans always tend to make things far more complicated than they need to be." She glanced back at Knuckles. "By the way, I see you've picked up a new friend while you were here."
"Yeah, this is Hawk," Knuckles introduced. "I just busted him out of an underground gang last night. Which reminds me… Hawk… You're concerned the Jùlèbù are going to come after you."
Hawk nodded, unsure of where Knuckles was going with this.
"I've been thinking… you might be safer if you come back to America with us."
"You… you really mean it?"
Knuckles smiled. "Yes."
Hawk was overjoyed. In fact, Knuckles did not expect him to envelop him in a tight hug, profusely thanking him.
"He-hey," Knuckles gently said. "Easy there, Hawk."
"I see that a little down time from the big rock on your island has really made you go soft."
"Watch it, Rouge," Knuckles bared his teeth. "I'll have you know I'm rougher than the rest of them!"
"Good to know you still have that sassy echidna attitude I adore," Rouge smirked. "About that little deal thing you just mentioned…" She strained to hear the sound of approaching police sirens. "I think I can work something out, just as soon as we get out of this predicament."
Hong Kong – Thu December 12; 11:12 AM
The next day saw Knuckles, Hawk, and Rouge walking down a city street to catch a taxi to the airport. Hawk was pulling a suitcase containing all the belongings he chose to take with him.
Yesterday, the three were confronted by the police following the incident, and Rouge had to do some fast talking to get them out of potential jail time or recompensation. On account of the fact that they were known crime fighters who operated in the US, with Hawk being an accomplice, they were let off the hook.
Afterward, they went to get Hawk a passport, and Knuckles had suggested that Hawk wear a long-sleeved shirt to hide his former affiliation with his old gang.
"You're gonna be leaving everything behind, all you've ever known," Knuckles commented to Hawk. "Are you gonna be okay with that?"
Hawk slowly nodded. "It's a big change," he said, "but I think I will be okay."
"Are you nervous?"
"A little…"
"I gotta say… you're really brave, Hawk," continued Knuckles. "It takes guts to have the kind of determination you have."
"I only want to do what I think is best," Hawk meekly replied.
"And Hawk…" Knuckles took a deep breath. "Thanks… for holding on to the Chaos Emerald for me."
"Do I hear you being sentimental back there, Knuckie?" Rouge called from ahead of them. "'Cause I'm not gonna lie; it's kinda…" She paused, searching for the right word. "…different."
"Just let me be me, okay?!" Knuckles shot back.
"Are you two always like this, or…?"
"Hey, she's a jewel thief who keeps hitting on me just because I tend to let my guard down sometimes," Knuckles answered Hawk's question.
"You're cute when you're embarrassed," teased Rouge. "Anyway, trip's on me, just reminding you."
"Only because you're practically rolling in gems purchased by all those GUN paychecks."
"It's a shame they don't pay me in pretties," Rouge sighed. "But at least I can trade those paychecks for some glamorous diamonds. That is, the ones I can't get at a five-finger discount."
Knuckles felt a familiar warmth coming from within Hammerspace. Curiosity made him stop and pull the glowing Emerald out. The moment he looked into it, he felt himself being taken into a vision.
The environment around him became white, and when he blinked, he was able to see the seven Chaos Emeralds revolving around in a circle.
Where am I...? Knuckles thought.
Then the environment became black as an eighth object became visible among the Chaos Emeralds. Its white glow was too bright for Knuckles to clearly tell what it was, but it was definitely not the Master Emerald.
...Overwhelmed...
...Too much power...
As the voices spoke, which Knuckles assumed to be symbolic of the Chaos Emeralds themselves, the eighth object glowed even brighter, and as it glowed, so did the seven Emeralds along with it.
Then he heard the voice of Tikal echoing everywhere.
"There is one that seeks to be the controller, but this is not the controller that unifies the seven Chaos..."
Suddenly, there was a tremendous explosion, and everything became white once again.
"Taxi!" came Hawk's voice, snapping the echidna back to reality. He wasn't ready for that. In fact, he didn't know his visions could be interrupted like that.
"You might want to shake a leg back there; just a thought," Rouge called. Knuckles shook his head and ran to catch up with the others.
A taxi – this time a real one – pulled up at the curb, and the three climbed in. Soon they were on their way to the airport.
As Rouge muttered something about Topaz and a decent cup of coffee, Knuckles was beyond perplexed by his vision. What on Mobius was that object? What was Tikal talking about? It had to mean something. Maybe it was symbolic.
He couldn't blame Hawk for interrupting it – after all, they were going somewhere today, and Knuckles wasn't exactly expecting to get a vision right there and then. Short as it was, perhaps that was all he was meant to see. Still, he was baffled to no end.
On the bright side, he knew his new friend was bound for the land of the free and the home of the brave. Knuckles vowed to himself that he and his friends who were sent to this planet would do everything in their power to keep it that way.
A/N: And that wraps up The Adventures of Knuckles and Hawk! This episode wasn't as bad to write as I thought. My only struggles were making Knuckles not too soft, and Rouge not too casual. Other than that, I think I did a good job. Let me know what you think.
I fleshed out the gang from this episode, giving them a purpose, and an identifying mark. I also thought it would be interesting to have Hawk as part of that gang, not just for kicks, but to explain how Knuckles was to find Hawk at Fwan's bar. I'm so glad I used the original name Fwan instead of 4Kids' name Jack.
On that note, why on Earth did 4Kids want to Americanize all the food? Instead of oolong tea and leek buns, they used hamburgers and baked beans? Is it not obvious it's China and not the United States?
Ranting aside, I made the breakout scene more intense, and added more conversation throughout. Also, the last conflict against E-91 took place in the day instead of at night, and I added spectators of the battle, because why wouldn't they be there?
Instead of a lackluster move like Hawk throwing a random bucket of water on E-91, I had her self-destruct by using Chaos Blast, which is far more epic. Last but not least, I completely changed the final scene, and Knuckles' vision. I'd love to hear your speculation on that one.
Before I go, I just put a poll up on my profile page. Which oneshot do you want me to write next: "Wrath of a Hero" or "Frieza Reborn"? See the section "Future Story Ideas" on my profile page for details on these ideas. I will write the one you choose after I finish the next chapter, and the other one after episode 20's rewrite.
The next chapter will be a lot shorter than normal chapter. Instead of a full-length episode rewrite like all the chapters up to this point have been, I am going to rewrite one scene only, since I can't seem to make the rest of the story work. That scene will be the one where Tails chats with Chris and repairs the X-Tornado. I will add some fresh new context around it. In case you're wondering, no, it's not exactly filler; rather, it's semi-filler.
Next time: "The Dam Scam" minus the dam for reasons you'll eventually find out! Don't miss it!
