Chapter 2: The Warrior Part 2
Sometime later, at Wade's house…
Wade looks at himself in the mirror, "Alright, you baby-man. It's time to get ripped!"
Wade then puts on a training headband and black fingerless gloves, and soon sits down.
"You are strong enough!" Wade says and lies down underneath a dumbbell.
He grabs the bars and tries to lift it, but it ends up collapsing on him..
Wade tries to get out and calls out, "No, I'm not! I'm weak! Oh, I'm gonna die today! Oh, help me. Help! Help!
Just then, Knuckles shows up and effortlessly lifts the dumbbell off of Wade.
"Wade Whipple, this is no time for lying down," Knuckles says. And then throws the dumbbell away, "I come to you with an urgent need."
Wade sits up and turns to Knuckles, "How did you get in here?"
"A true warrior can conquer any stronghold. Not even the strongest barrier can contain his might," Knuckles answers.
Eve rolls her eyes, "Oh brother."
"Came in through the open window, huh?" Wade guesses.
"Yes. Yes, I did," Knuckles says.
Eve says, "Hey Wade, how are things going?" Eve asks.
"So far, not so great," Wade says, "What are you two doing here?"
Knuckles walks to Wade, "You seek to compete in the upcoming Tournament of Champions in Reno, Nevada. I will take you there. This tournament is my destiny.
"Yeah. It was mine, too. Until I lost my spot on the team," Wade says, dejected.
"How? You were bested by a sworn enemy in trial by combat?" Knuckles questions.
"I was brutally trash-talked by an 8-year-old girl named Susie. So, yes. Yeah. The same-the same thing," Wade says.
"I see," Eve replies.
"And you do not wish to reclaim your honor?" Knuckles questions.
"No, I-I do. I wish to reclaim my honor bad," Wade says, "It's just... Jack Sinclair was right. I'm... not strong, I'm not tough. I'm not a warrior."
"But I am," Knuckles says, "I can train you in ways of the Echidna. Teach you every form of lethal combat. Show you the secrets to all my strength."
"Then I could use that to challenge Susie in a trial by bowling combat and earn my spot back on the team!" Wade says.
"Yes. If you take me on this quest to Reno, I will make you a true warrior! As the great Echidna Chief Pachacamac did for me," Knuckles says.
"Pachacamac. I think my sister went to sleepaway camp there," Wade says.
"Our destiny awaits, Wade Whipple. Do we have an alliance?" Knuckles says.
But Wade says, "Wait a minute," and stands up, "Didn't I hear you were grounded? There's no way you're allowed to leave home, right?"
"One cannot ground an Echidna warrior…" Knuckles says as he bends the dumbbell, "For an Echidna warrior has no home."
Wade whispers to Eve, "Is it okay for you to go along with this?"
"Yes. I'm mainly supervising him and he wants to train both of us. I had to leave a note," Eve whispers.
Then Wade says, "Alright, that checks out! Let's do this! Destiny awaits!" and laughs.
Knuckles tosses the bent dumbbell on Wade, knocking him over.
"Knuckles!" Eve shouts.
"What? It's part of the training, sort of," Knuckles says.
Eve facepalms in response.
Wade then gives them a thumbs up, "Let's go get 'em."
Soon enough, Wade drives in his police cruiser with Knuckles in shotgun and Eve sits at the back.
"Alright! The warrior training road trip is officially official. Knucks," Wade says.
He then asks, "Can I call you, 'Knucks'?"
"No," Knuckles answers.
Then Wade asks, "How about 'Knucky'?"
"No," Knuckles answers.
"Knuckington Bear?" Wade asks
"No," Knuckles answers.
"Sir Knucks-a-lot?" Wade asks.
"No," Knuckles asks.
"Knuck-Knuck," Wade says, but there is a pause, "Knuck-Knuck. You gotta say, 'Who's there?'
"Who's there?" Knuckles questions.
"Knuckolas Cage," Wade asks and laughs.
Eve rolls her eyes, "Oh brother."
And Knuckles says, "Please stop."
"So, tell me a little about yourself," WaYou know, I-I know that you're an alien and that you're super-powerful and that you've recently saved the world, et cetera, et cetera... But let's dig a little deeper, you know? You have any hobbies?"
"Honor," Knuckles says.
"Honor is really more of a principle than a hobby," Wade says.
And Knuckles answers, "Victory.
"Maybe I should restate the question," Wade replies before he asks, "What do you like to do for fun?"
"Vengeance," Knuckles says.
"Gettin' a little dark. I was thinking more like reading, o-or yoga o-or music," Knuckles says.
"Yes. Eve and the blue hedgehog spoke of this Earth music. Tell me, what is it?" Knuckles says.
"Oh, I-" Wade replies, and laughs, "I can't just tell you what it is. I have to... I have to– I'll put on one of my classic Wade mixes," and soon plays 'Can I Kick It?' by A Tribe Called Quest.
"Everyone at the station loves these. I send out a link every Monday," Wade says.
Then the music begins playing as he sings along.
Wade and the Radio:
Yes, you can!
Can I kick it?
Yes, you can!
Can I kick it?
Yes, you can!
Can I kick it?
Yes, you can!
Can I kick it?
Yes, you can!
Can I kick it?
Knuckles takes the lyrics literally and kicks the radio so hard it gets damaged.
"Ha! Kicked!" Knuckles says.
"Knuckles, you broke the radio!" Eve sternly says.
"Not a music guy. Noted," Wade replies.
Meanwhile, in G.U.N. HQ in London where two agents are looking at the map of Green Hills.
One of them is Agent Willoughby. A woman with peach skin, brown bobbed like hair, and brown eyes. Another is Agent Mason. A man with tan skin, dark brown hair, and brown eyes. Both of them are wearing dark suits.
Seeing the map Agent Willoughby says, "Well, well, well. Looks like we've got a couple of runners."
Soon, another agent, Fairley enters the room, "Agent Willoughby, we got a problem. It's a code red, Knuckles and Eve left the Green Hills Zone. And there appears to be a third one among them, but small to detect. We have to inform Commander Walters.
"Don't worry, Agent Fairley. I've been aware since the second they left town, and I'm in complete control of the situation," Willoughby says and turns off the wifi.
Confused, Fairley says, "Uh... ma'am, you just took out our SAT surveillance offline. There's no one anyone in HQ can track Knuckles now e... except you... with that device."
But just then, Agent Mason throws a ring to the Mushroom Planet.
"Uh, what's going on?"Agent Fairley asks.
"Thank you for your work, Agent Fairley. You are dismissed," Willoughby says.
Then Agent Mason kicks Fairley through the portal, "I hear the Mushroom Planet is beautiful this time of year, my friend. Enjoy!"
The portal closes.
You're really proud of yourself for someone who just kicked an unsuspected man in the chest?" Willoughby questions.
"Yeah, I am," Mason answers.
Willoughby scoffs and says, "Alright, come on. We've got work to do."
Meanwhile, in a hidden underground lair, there is a Scottish man who is building something until he gets a call. He removes his mask to reveal himself to be a tall, bulky, and muscular man with peach skin, gray hair connected to his beard and mustache, and orange/amber colored eyes. He is wearing a grayish black sleeveless t-shirt and brown work overalls holding multiple amounts of tools in his pockets.
The man answers the phone, "What is it? You're disturbing my work."
"We have a unique opportunity. Wanted you to be the first to know. Two and possibly of the aliens have left Green Hills, they're in the wild," Willoughby says.
"Which one?" The man asks.
"Knuckles and Eve," Willoughby says.
"Ah... the muscle, and the hedgehog that was once called the Red Witch," The Scottish man says, "Their powers are exceptional, but without their little friends... they're vulnerable," and soon picks up a tube with one of Knuckles and Eve's quills. I've been scouring the world for these quills. They're the key to everything I'm building.
"You can build an evil petting zoo for all I care, as long as you meet our price. We'll bring you the echidna in 24 hours," Willoughby says.
But the Scottish man says, "Careful, Agent Willoughby," and places the tube down, "You'll need more than arrogance," and opens a case full of hunting gears, "I'm sending you something to even the odds, something very special. Because anyone who goes against Knuckles or Eve... better be ready... for the fight of their lives."
The two agents look at each other.
Back on the highway, Knuckles is having some grapes to eat.
"Grapes was an interesting choice for, uh, someone who doesn't use their individual fingers," Wade says as Knuckles munches on the grape.
He then asks, "Hey, when does the training sesh start? You know, is there some kind of official warrior training manual or a pamphlet of some kind? Maybe some literature I could get a look at?"
"That was great Pachacamac once said, 'You cannot train for battle without first knowing your battleground.'" Knuckles says.
"Battleground, huh," Eve says, "You mean like working on what we're doing."
"Hm…" Wade says, and soon he sees a billboard that has a bowling ball on it, "You wanna see my battleground. Eve, Knuckolas Cage. Get ready to have your minds blown."
Soon enough, the group walks into a bowling alley called Neon Night. The building is full of people who are bowling, chatting, and having fun.
"This is my battleground," Wade says.
"This is not a place of battle. It is a playground for adult idiots," Knuckles says.
Soon, a passerby walks past them, "What's up?"
Eve rolls her eyes, "Knuckles, it's a bowling alley. It's not a battlefield."
And Wade says, "Okay, granted, the quests you're usually on might be a little more... high stakes. But trust me. Many a battle has been won and lost between these very lanes. Plus, bowling is a beautiful game. Come on, I'll show you."
And with that, Wade begins bowling, as he plays the game, a song is played.
Song:
Non, rien de rien
Non, je ne regrette rien
Ni le bien
Qu'on m'a fait
Ni le mal
Tout ça m'est bien égal
Sometime later, after some playing, the group takes break for lunch.
Knuckles slams his fist on the table, "Ha! You smashed those pins with no mercy. I'm beginning to understand your interest in this game."
"Yeah. You know, there's another reason I love bowling so much. It's kind of a big reason. My dad" Wade says.
"Your dad?" Eve questions.
Wade explains, "See, my dad taught me everything I know about bowling. Taught me how to get the perfect spin on my shot. Taught me how to nail a 7-10 split. Taught me which Buffalo wings would give me indigestion and fill me with regret in the morning. He was the best bowler ever."
"What happened to him?" Knuckles asks.
"TJ Maxx,"
"Is that the warrior who slayed him?" Knuckles asks.
"A fearsome name indeed. It's a discount department store," Wade says.
"A discount store?" Eve questions.
Wade nods, "One moment, we were in the men's department looking for warm-ups. Next moment, he was gone. He abandoned me. He abandoned my family. But, sometimes, when I'm between those lanes, it's like we're together again. Just playing my favorite game with my dad.
"So bowling is the thing that makes you feel at home in this world?" Knuckles asks.
"Yeah. I guess it is," Wade says.
"I'm sorry to hear that happened," Eve says, sadly, "I can't even imagine that happened to me. Then again, I don't remember…"
"Don't remember…? I remember Sonic mentioning it, saying that you don't remember your past," Knuckles says.
"Tom and Maddie mentioned it too. You can't remember," Wade says.
"Yeah. The day Sonic first came to the forest in Green Hills is the day I met him. He found me in a capsule that crashed into Earth years ago. In other words, the day Sonic arrived, became my beginning," Eve explains.
"And you didn't find anything?" Wade asks.
"No. We checked the capsule and there doesn't seem to be anything," Eve says, and then takes out her necklace, "All I have was the necklace and the headband I'm wearing now."
"And even now you can't remember?" Wade asks.
"No. Sonic and I tried to find any leads. Tails, Tom, Maddie, and even Knuckles, we all tried," Eve says. Then sighs, "I feel as though I'll never be able to learn about my past, or where I belonged."
"Maybe, but hey, you basically got us now," Wade says, and notices, "And seems you got something in your backpack?"
"Huh?" Eve questions and turns to notice her backpack moving.
Eve picks up her backpack and opens it. To her shock, a familiar black and red chao comes out.
"Jazz?" Eve says, shocked.
Knuckles is also surprised, "It appears we have a stowaway."
"Chao Chao," Jazz replies.
"Jazz, what are you doing here?" Eve asks.
"Chao Chao Chao," Jazz answers.
"Maybe she wanted to come on the adventure," Wade says.
"Do you?" Eve asks.
"Chao," Jazz answers with a nod.
Eve sighs, "Alright, you can stay, but stay close to us, okay."
Jazz nods in response.
Suddenly, an air horn blaring and techno music sting.
"Oh, awesome! We got here just in time!" Wade says, and gets up from his seat, "Come on!"
Eve, Knuckles, and Jazz follow as everyone chatter in excitement. Soon, disco music plays light changes and the disco ball comes on.
"Wow. This is so cool!" Eve says.
Even Knuckles is amazed, "Amazing. It glows with the power of a falling galacti-star."
"Actually, I think it's glowing with the power from the laundromat next door," Wade says.
He then brings out his bowling ball and presents it to knuckles, "Grasp it."
Knuckles then takes the bowling ball.
Then Wade says, "Feel its power course through your ginormous hands. Take aim at your pins and…" and soon, Knuckles throws the ball so hard that the pins shatter.
"What?!" Wade exclaims in shock.
"Wow You really made a strike!" Eve says.
"We gotta get you to Reno, man! Wow! Jack Sinclair's gonna flip when he sees this."
"Yes. It is nothing an apprentice like you cannot achieve in due time," Knuckles says.
"You think I could do that?" Wade asks.
"Mayne not shatter the pins, but I think you can knock them down," Eve says.
Wade smiles and says, "Thanks for believing in me, Knuckles. You know, most people think I'm just kind of a joke."
"I do not make jokes, Wade Whipple. I make warriors," Knuckles says.
Suddenly, they hear a zap sound and turn to see a Warp Ring portal. Everyone gasps in shock to see the portal opening.
"Chao?" Jazz replies.
"It's… It's a Warp Ring Portal…" Eve says, shocked.
Soon, Agent Mason and Agent Willoughby step through the portal, wearing some strange hightech gloves with glowing hands.
"What devilry is this?" Knuckles questions.
"I don't know, but I don't like the looks of it," Eve says.
Then Wade calls out, "Sorry, this lane is reserved."
Then Mason says, "What's up, Knucks?" and laughs as he pounds his fists together.
"And hello to you two, Eve. And I see the third one is the little creature, a Chao," Willoughby adds.
"Okay, so this is because Knuckles is grounded, right?" Wade questions.
"Who's the idiot?" Mason questions.
And Willoughby says, "Does it matter?" and brings out a blaster to fire.
"Get down!" Knuckles cries out and pushes Eve and Wade down.
Jazz flies after her.
Wade hides the bowling racks and calls out, "I get it! Rules are rules! If he's grounded, don't let me get in the way of disciplining him!"
Eve turns to Wade, "Wade, I think those guys are G.U.N Agents. Those guys have been after us."
"Don't try anything, echidna. You're coming with us, same with your hedgehog friend and the small chao," Willoughby says.
"You think you can take our power?" Knuckles says.
Knuckles then changes up his powers and performs the spin dash. Agent Mason then charges towards him. And with that, both of them slam their energized fist at each other, meeting an impasse, and causing a powerful explosion..
"Do I look like I need your power?" Mason says.
Willoughby groans and says, "What are you talking about? Of course, we need his power. It's the whole reason we're here, to get his power and sell it for lots and lots of money. Same with the hedgehog."
"I know that! I was just trying to have a cool catchphrase moment until you-" Mason says.
And Knuckles slams his other fists at Mason, sending him down the alley and causes him to crash into the pins. But then, a blast is fired, but Eve uses her sword to block the attack and protect Knuckles. Knuckles turns to see Agent Willoughby with an energized blaster.
"Look alive!" Willoughby says, and fires her blaster.
Knuckles and Eve dodge the attack. Even then brings out her sword, and slices the blaster in half. Willoughby then begins attacking with it, but Eve uses her sword to repel the attacks as he dodges. Eve mananges to dodge as Knuckles also fights, but Agent Willoughby shocks him.
Soon, Wade calls out, "Knuckles!" and throws him two bowling balls down the alley.
Knuckles then grabs the bowling balls and uses them to attack Willoughby, and knocks the weapon and her down.
Wade cheers, "Ha! It worked!"
Just then, Willoughby brings out two smaller, and blasts them on the ground to launch her into the air and fires them at Knuckles. Knuckles uses his fists to block the attack. He then leaps up and dodges the attack, but then Mason comes and punches Knuckles.
Mason shouts and slams his fist together. "Yeah! I thought you'd be tougher, Knucks!"
Soon, Willoughby and Mason begin battling against Knuckles and Eve. Eve battles against Willoughby and Knuckles fights against Mason. The blasts begin to hit other areas.
One almost hits Wade, making him cry out, "Whoa!"
Mason punches Knuckles, and Willougby grabs him by the leg, but then Eve kicks her in the stomach, as Knuckles jumps over Mason. Mason throws punches as Knuckles dodge and blocks the attacks.
Knuckles calls out, "Wade! Do something!"
"I told you this was a battlefield!" Wade calls out, and yelps, "Ah!"
Jazz decides to do something and pulls on Willoughby's hair, making her scream. Eve takes the moment of the fire attack to bounce it back with her sword, and it hits the agent.
Then Agent Mason tries to attack Knuckles, but the echidna uses his fists to block the attack. Now it's an attack against strength. Knuck;es mananges to overpower Mason and throws him, making him crash into a video game system.
"Fools! You thought you could kidnap me?" Knuckles says, and begins approaching Mason.
Willoughby and Mason get up as Knuckles is ready to slam Mason to the ground. Willoughby then brings out a blaster, and fires the blaster to reveal a ring. Eve gasps and rushes to Knuckles.
" I am an Echidna-" Knuckles says.
As Eve calls out, "Knuckles look out.
Soon, a warp ring opens under Knuckles and Eve, causing them both to fall through and land into some forcefield box. Knuckles and Eve try to get out, but none of their powers are working on the forcefield cage.
Back at the bowling alley, "Willoughby turns to Mason, "Right, let's go. We got them."
"Cool. But, to be clear, you didn't save me. I sacrificed myself, which created a distraction which resulted in a diversion, which…" Mason explains, but decides to brush it off. Alright, let's call it a team effort."
Willoughby looks dumbfounded and follows Mason.
Jazz flies to Wade and cries out, "Chao Chao Chao."
Wade gets out to see the shocking sight, "Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no," and panics. They have Knuckles and Eve and it's all my fault."
" Chao Chao Chao! Chao Chao! Chao! Chao!" Jazz panics.
"I don't know what you're saying, but I bet you'll agree that we have to do something. We have to help them. I…" Wade speaks out and after a moment pause, and soon notices the gun fizzling on the ground.
Soon, Wade says, "...have an incredibly dumb idea."
"Chao?" Jazz questions, confused.
Either way, Wade has a plan to rescue both Knuckles and Eve.