Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ Rubicon ❯ Rubicon ( One-Shot )

Rubicon

Rating; 17NC

Achieved; 14.8.4

By yami27

The day was far from over as Sonic celebrated long into the night. The animals that lived near were clouded in mystery as they wondered what was going on that could be so eventful. But to their content, the night was warm and the air moist. A cool breeze swept by and blew a candle out on the porch. There was no music invading the peaceful world but loud voices, the echo of laughter and the vigorous odour of food and smoke.

"HEY! I'LL BE OUT IN A MINUTE!" Shouted an angry voice behind the door in the bathroom that Tails had been wanting to use for the past four hours. They had apparently locked themselves in; perhaps drunk or pissed, Tails had yet to know.

The fox huffed impatiently, staring to cross his legs together in a futile attempt to hold it in. Sally drifted past him, giving him just enough time to smell her perfume.

"Not out yet is he?" She muttered dryly.

"I don't even know who is in there!" Tails tried to make his point though Sally looked very bored and rather tired; "can you help me?"

"Maybe later." Ignoring his plea, she continued her path down the old oak stairs.

"Now for some music!"

"No Sonic! I'm deaf enough as it is already!"

From the slight radio, the music came on, fast and loud. Amy detested it and had to cover her ears. Vector just laughed, paying little heed to Charmy Bee who was gobbling up all the food Amy had painstakingly made.

Sonic, ignorant and a little drunk, swayed to the songs. Suddenly Vector felt most peculiar, turned around and vomited on the table where all the food had been neatly laid out and where Charmy Bee was presently eating it all.

"It's the same every year!" Amy sighed though she couldn't even hear herself through the violence of the prolonging music. And Sonic wasn't even into this sort of stuff! Why couldn't Sonic's birthday's be more like hers, with simple balloons, presents, visits from her friends and having a quiet time?

Knuckles sat in the corner of the lounge, watching Sonic and the others shame themselves. He himself was not a party type. He had simply come along because he had been invited but coming here to enjoy himself was another matter. He just sat in the shadows and watched his rival enjoying himself. Sonic always had a positive outlook on life and never gave up on anything. He lived freely and was so immature at times. Knuckles tried not to envy the blue hedgehog too much but his emotions often tried to overcome him. He was jolted out of his thoughts however when Sonic staggered towards him.

"I've got some o' that new drink we bought the other day!" Sonic sniggered, offering a cup containing a green liquid that smelt of binge.

"No thanks." The crimson echidna shook his head. Sonic put the drink down and sat beside his friend.

"I feel great! And no badniks! No crime!"

"Yet." Knuckles reminded him. "So, how old are you now, Sonic?"

"Fifteen!" He cried as if he wanted all to hear it. And then he got up again and wandered to the table.

Tails, who could hold it in no longer, was rewarded when Espio trudged out of the bathroom. Tails dived in straight away. And the constant vibrations of the music rattled the old wooden home.

When Amy thought she would leave, she heard a few knocks on the door. Though they could only just be heard over the prolonging music. She opened the door, revealing two angry villagers from the other side of the lake.

"Hello there, gentlemen!" Amy began but was cut off before she could continue.

"We've had enough of this confounding racket!" Crowed the larger bird like creature dressed in jeans, "you either turn it off or we'll turn it off for you!"

"And we'll call the cops." Added the second who had the figure of a canine.

"Yes, all right. I'll see to it. I'm terribly sorry for the disturbance!" Amy babbled, feeling guilty though she had not a part to play in Sonic's loud way of celebrating on this brisk summer's night.

"Good." Replied the bird.

Amy shut the door and quickly found Sonic who was trying to chat up the plants in the tiny hallway.

"Sonic, turn the music off!" The pink hedgehog whined into his ear.

"Aww what the heck. You turn it off! Just that we're playing a game and who ever finds the radio first wins an emerald."

"What?"

"It was Knuckles' idea." He muttered, shrugging as if he should not be blamed for his own idea.

"Great!" She shouted, sarcasm in her voice. But then she thought. That should be easy. Just trace the sound! Knuckles may also have had too much to drink and so hid it in an easy place to seek out. It was so obvious anyway with it playing. What goof balls.

Swiftly passing Victor on the way she tried to find the source of the abrupt music. But her search seemed too hard. First the music travelled and echoed and bounced off the walls. She was fed up. With popped balloons and sweets crunching under her feet she found Knuckles sitting in his usual corner in the lounge, staring at anybody he chose.

"Knuckles!" She screamed, "where had you put the radio?"

The echidna smiled and winked, thinking that she was now part of the game also.

"Knuckles! This isn't a game!" Her throat was getting sore, "tell me where it is or I'll…." She fumed, "the neighbours are gonna call the cops on us! It's too loud!"

`Fine.' The echidna mouthed and stood up. She noticed he was still wearing his battle shoes that were clumsy during occasions such as this one. Still, he hastily led her upstairs without further delay.

On the top floor, Knuckles opened the window and climbed out onto the roof. Amy rolled her eyes. Why did boys have to be so much like this? Arrogant, self-centred and their games totally meaningless. Still, they were the heroes of Mobius, and perhaps the planet and others before it.

Before long the music was switched off. A great silence washed over the hut. Amy groaned as she was now stuck with the content ringing in her ears.

Knuckles swung himself back inside and shook his dreadlocks from the fresh rainwater that was beginning to fall fairly rapidly. He then tossed the small radio to her and made his descent back downstairs.

Back downstairs however, Sonic was dismayed that his guests were leaving, one by one. The hours were late now and he did feel very tired.

"Must leave you now, Sonic." Vector exclaimed quite happily, "had a great time. But we are on duty tomorrow." And those who left with him were Charmy and Espio.

"But we haven't had a race yet!" Sonic said firmly, "and we haven't tossed the apple!"

"You raced us nine times today!" Knuckles dourly commented as he stood by Sonic's side, "and you won every time."

"Obviously!" Came the remark.

Knuckles sighed. "Well, I'd better be going now too. I have quite a way to go until I return home."

Now Sonic and Knuckles were best friends. They had stood by each other's side and had created an overwhelming force against Doctor Robotnik and his minions. They had come even close during the past few weeks after their encounter with the humans and had stormed Robotnik's factories.

"No, Red, you can stay here tonight." Sonic said almost too kindly.

Knuckles tried to look disappointed. He hated being around others for too long and he didn't want to be a burden on anyone, however he did enjoy the blue hedgehog's company any time.

"All right," Knux said, "but just for tonight. I have a lot to catch up on. There's the old emeralds, they need replacing, and the people…"

"Yeah, yeah, heard it all before." Sonic said, wrapping an arm round Knux's neck. "Now let's race!"

Sonic's home was in a mess, and that was an understatement. Amy was too tired and too upset to help put it right. Sonic had done nothing mature and he had neglected everything in the house. Even Tails had left without helping and he lived here. So, she was not in the best of moods.

Slipping on her coat, as she knew it was raining and chilly outside she opened the front door and stepped outside. Already she felt calmer. When she got some sleep and Sonic had apologised to the neighbours, then she would help.

Sonic and Knuckles were the only ones left in the house. Sonic was fast asleep in his bed upstairs while Knuckles napped downstairs on the old sofa. They slept for a few, peaceful hours. Red was curled up, quite warm and satisfied when the communicator let out a shrill call from the kitchen.

Fidgeting in his sleep, Sonic dreamed of onions, badniks and Trees. He wasn't having very restful dreams. And they were getting worse. He was running through a forest, carrying something he couldn't make out in his arms. The wind was strong and the trees groaned like an ancient monster. Very soon he ran over blood, replacing the once, fresh grass under his feet. He finally stopped and came face to face with the master emerald and the ground was covered in pink flowers, but what did it all mean? Then he heard a stern voice, demanding and loud.

"Sonic! Sonic, wake up you lazy hedgehog!"

He was being shaken awake by the echidna who looked very apprehensive. "Red?" Sonic half yawned, now coming to terms with his present situation.

"We've got to hurry," Knuckles' voice was persistent and almost excited, "get up at once!"

Sonic checked his watch on his wrist. "But it's four in the morning."

"And? This is no time to be sleeping! I've got a distress call from the Marble Zone. They need our help!"

Sonic sat up, stretched and yawned again. He rubbed his eyes and set them on his crimson partner. Now alert he cried, "Knuckles! You're in my room! Get out! Now!"

"Why?" Knux cocked his head in confusion.

"I'm naked! And I'm in bed! OUT!"

Knuckles couldn't help but smirk as he left the room.

Sonic grunted in annoyance before getting out of bed. "Man, what a wake up call!" He grumbled as he slipped on his beloved shoes and combed back a few stray spikes. "And four am and they ask for help? Who do they think I am?" He gave himself a quick look in the mirror and winked at the reflecting image. Now ready he skipped out onto the landing and trotted beside Knuckles as they went downstairs.

"So what is it this time?" Sonic said, "they've lost something? Someone died? A house is on fire?"

Knuckles groaned. "Have some respect! Ever since egg man's defeat we have been destroying his last citadels and factories right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"There's one left, the most dangerous of them all."

"Oh." But his tone of voice was flat. Knuckles guessed he was still cranky from the party last night. It answered why he was being so careless about what was going on around him.

Knuckles went into the kitchen, grabbed Sonic's backpack and loaded it with food. "And they say they're being attacked by robots. Badniks."

"But we destroyed them all."

"No, not all. They must be survivors but the factory must be heavily guarded."

"But the Marble zone is in a forest! Full of trees! It'll slow us down. We need Tails' plane or something…" He thought.

"Just run through the freakin' forest!" Knuckles rolled his eyes.

Sonic smiled. "This will be easy so who cares, huh? We've done this like, four hundred thousand times."

"Yes. Just like old times." Knuckles gave the bag to sonic. "We must use stealth to get into their fortress and disable their main computer in the system. That'll disable all the badniks. Every factory has one."

"Yeah, I know! Now come on. I don't want to miss breakfast!" He grinned.

They stepped out onto the porch. "Forty miles until we get to the forest." Knuckles muttered just in case Sonic wanted to know.

"Yeah, yeah." He grabbed Knuckles' arm and sped off down the road so he wouldn't have to worry about Knuckles slowing him down.

Forty miles did not take long as the blue hedgehog zapped past villages, hills and lakes and forgotten sites once belonging to Robotnik.

As Sonic entered Marble forest, Knuckles told him to stop. Sonic had to break hard. When he came to a standstill, the woods were eerily quiet and dark.

Knuckles, after taking a firm foot on the ground, brushed off the dirt that had collected onto his fur.

"Why did you tell me to stop?" Sonic cried.

"Shhh!" Knuckles whispered harshly, "there are things that live in this forest that are deadly. If we are heard our whole mission will be in jeopardy!"

"Well don't get so crabby about it!"

"Look," Knux confronted him, "I told you to stop because this place is very dangerous. There are traps everywhere, all designed to catch you so we'd better be cautious!"

Sonic shrugged, "so now what? I don't see this so called fortress anywhere!"

"That's because it's in the centre of the forest!"

"And when did you get to know so much?" Sonic questioned, visibly annoyed.

"I know these places." Was all Knux said as he went forward.

Sonic had no other choice but to follow, however, he did trust his old friend to the fullest extent. So together they forced their small bodies through the thick, wild grass that reached up to their shoulders.

The walk was long and they saw many strange creatures. Overgrown yellow flowers with curled petals swayed in the slight wind and it harboured large insects that had bold markings and razor sharp pincers.

Knuckles advised Sonic not to touch a thing. Most of anything living was poisonous. Sonic took the advice seriously.

Finally they could see the tip of the fortress. Sonic wondered how they could have missed such a place. And the scenery was all too familiar. It was like his dream. He got a nasty feeling that something was very, very wrong. He wondered if Red could sense the wrong in this place too. He was sadly mistaken. Knuckles proudly went on, confident and loyal to his job, his mission.

But they didn't proceed much further. Knuckles stopped and pointed with his gloved fist at a bed of flowers that lay before them.

Sonic wrinkled his nose. "What?"

"They are poisonous to the touch." The Guardian muttered, "and there is no way around them."

"What, those things?" And Sonic touched one of the pink flowers that dominated the whole area before them.

"Sonic, don't!"

Too late.

The flower shot out an iron arrowhead from its centre and hit Sonic in the shoulder. "Oops."

"You idiot!" Knuckles felt like throttling him, "you could die!"

"Not me, I'm Sonic the hedgehog!" He took the iron point from out of his skin and threw it aside. "I don't feel any different."

Knuckles wasn't so sure. He had heard that these flowers were made by egg man himself but the deadly poison only affected a certain few. If Sonic was somehow immune, maybe that was why the flowers had just been left here, as a failed experiment. So, was it safe to cross after all?

"Let's rest first." Knux decided, "and eat. You need to keep your strength up. We don't know what we're going to face once we get inside the factory."

"It's going to be abandoned I bet! Like the one we intruded on last year!"

"Yes, but one out of thousands we sabotaged."

Sonic sat. "Never mind. Let's eat then we can get on with it!"

Knuckles discerned him carefully for any changes from the flower. But Sonic ate quite happily and showed no signs from any affect of the flower. So Knuckles' theory was right. They had to be immune to the flowers. He was glad. If not they would have had to race back home and get Sonic help.

Sonic noticed Knuckles staring blankly at him. He frowned. "What?"

"Nothing." Knux looked out onto the flowerbed again but an ill feeling did not leave his gut. Something didn't smell right.

After Sonic had eaten his fill he stood back up again and pressed onwards, through the heavy, dense foliage of flowers. Many of the pink dainty plants opened up and shot at him but Sonic effortlessly dodged.

Knuckles was more careful but it didn't pay off. As he tried not to disturb the flowers with their luring color, several fired at him. Stumbling and trotting onwards, he had managed to dodge them. Then he heard Sonic cry out, "a river up ahead and some badniks! Awesome!"

Red looked up and saw three; wasp-like robot creatures emerge from the ground itself. Dust and mud that thickened and had dried on their once, clean metal and their parts had begun to rust. But that did not fool Knuckles for one minute. They were quick and accurate. In seconds they were letting out streams of hot lasers, setting alight some of the toxic flowers.

Sonic launched himself up into the air, curled up into a ball and dived into one of the wasps. Knuckles could not dodge the flowers and the lasers at the same time, however, the flowers weren't that dangerous at all, or were they?

Jumping around, out manoeuvring their blasts, Knuckles was safe. Sonic had destroyed one but the other two wasps flew higher into the dank air.

"Knuckles, climb up that tree and get them!" Sonic shouted.

The Guardian did not need telling twice. He threw himself at the tree behind him and started climbing while Sonic distracted the badniks.

Now high enough, Knuckles launched himself at the closet wasp. He managed to gauge its armoured hide. But the second locked its lasers at the echidna instead of Sonic and fired.

Knuckles got hit in the head and let out a surprised gasp as he plummeted downwards. As he neared the carpeted floor of flowers, one bright pink one opened up and shot out another small arrowhead. It pierced Knuckles in the side. Then he hit the floor on his side and the arrow went in. Knuckles shrieked in pain.

"Red!" Sonic cried, but had to dart out the way as the two wasps fired at him.

"I'm fine." Knux feebly answered as he struggled to his feet. That long, painful fall had increased his anger. He sprinted along the flowerbed, jumped and took out a low flying wasp with his fists. The last one, already damaged from one of Knuckles' earlier attacks, short-circuited and fell lifelessly to the ground.

Now that the danger was over and they were out of the flowerbed, Sonic at once attended to the hurt guardian.

"Areyouokay?" He said in a rush of words, "I saw you fall."

"I'm fine." Knuckles gave him a reassuring smile, though it was a little crooked, "but one of those darn flower things got me." He showed Sonic the new wound with the arrow embedded right in. Sonic winced in sympathy for him.

"That's gonna leave a scar."

"Don't remind me! Now let's get going before anymore of those guys show up."

"I just hope they haven't alerted their friends." Sonic looked to the great building before them.

"I don't think so. They looked pretty old." Knuckles gave the nearby carcass a brief glance.

Sonic was confused. "So they were just left there?"

"Another failed experiment perhaps? Like the flowers?" The echidna laughed, "you look so serious Sonic!"

"Yeah, come on. Let's forget about all of this and see what this factory holds. Then we can head home!"

He nodded firmly, ignoring the burn in his side.

Once inside the factory it was dark and cold. Cracks littered the dome shape it was built as and plants had gradually grown inside through the years. Old machinery occupied certain areas of the room. Clocking devices, communicators and diamonds lay scattered on the floor like discarded waste. Old maps and diagrams ripped and dusty, scattered as breezes entered the dome.

"There's nothing here." Sonic uttered and his voice echoed in the abandoned factory.

"There's got to be something here that must be destroyed." The guardian began to search through the trash, "or why else would Dr. Robotnik protect it with those stupid pink flowers and wasps?"

"Maybe he wanted to grow his own demented garden?" Sonic suggested with a giggle.

"Be realistic."

"But I am!"

Knuckles ignored him and folded his arms together, brow knotted in concentration. Why? Why guard this old place like it was worth something? Why? And those wasps that had lain, undisturbed, waiting for the right moment. It didn't make sense. And they were surely immune to those flowers. Maybe whatever was here before, if anything, was taken long ago, by a villager, a harmless citizen?

"Let's just go home!" Sonic kicked a stone and it hit the steel wall of the building.

"Don't you want to know why those flowers were put there?" Knuckles asked.

"No, `cause they're natural! They grew there or something! You're just too paranoid!" Sonic shouted at him, "we were just unlucky to stumble across them first! Now come on! I'm hungry!"

"But you just ate you pathetic hedgehog!"

"What did you call me?"

"You heard me!"

Sonic clenched his fists. "You're wasting my time. It was you who woke me up and you said that some poor wimp needed help! We are no use here! We are not a clean up crew for this old shack!"

"Fine! Be like that!" Knuckles yelled, "I'm going home. I'm fed up of your whining!"

Sonic stuck his nose in the air, showed his back to him and walked out of the old factory.

Knuckles stood there, frustrated and cross. There had to be a purpose here and something was trying to tell him something, trying to warn him. And Sonic had not helped. He was probably still moody from the party last night.

Knuckles' anger wore off and thought it best to call the forsaken mission off. He wanted to go home and see his old friends again. He hated it here anyway. Moving off, he headed for home. It was going to be a long walk.

Sonic, having no problem confronting the flowers, sped away into the deepest parts of the forest as he made his way home. He was disappointed in Knuckles. He had been trying to show off, tried to pretend he knew something and Sonic didn't. Although he did feel bad from shouting at him. He hadn't meant the words he had thrown at him. One day they'd meet again and then they could talk things out.

Sally returned to Sonic's small hut to find it empty. Earlier in the night she had left to spend time with Amy. Now returning back home she at least expected to encounter a hedgehog still cranky from last night. She felt a little worried. It was unlike Sonic to leave without telling anybody, especially not informing her, leader of the freedom fighters. And he had left his communicator on the table.

"Great." She sighed. And the home was a mess from the party that Sonic had failed to clean up when everyone left.

Though he may have just gone out for a stroll, or to meet the neighbours to apologise for last night. Then again, maybe the others might know his whereabouts, like Tails?

Using her communicator she contacted Tails. He replied straight away.

"What's up, Sally?" It looked like he had just had a bath, that or that he might have fallen into a lake.

"Have you seen Sonic?" Her voice was very urgent. She knew she might be panicking over nothing.

"Not since yesterday." Said the fox; "I'll be coming home shortly. Why? Is he okay?"

"I just wondered. It's not like him to leave without telling me. His home was empty when I arrived."

Tails shrugged. "Nope, haven't seen him. I'll let you know when I do though. See you around, Sally."

"You too, Tails." And she rested the communicator back on the table.

"Damn you, Sonic." She muttered, "you get me so worried."

Meanwhile as the day was now growing much warmer as the sun was now full in the sky, Knuckles had started to struggle as he journeyed back home. In truth, he had not gone that far at all since where he and Sonic departed. The reason for this was, as the day wore on, the echidna began to feel increasingly more dizzy and felt episodes of weakness that lasted seconds before wearing off again. Briefly he wondered if it was because of his new wound, but he pushed the thought aside. Impossible. He thought. He was strong and enduring. He could handle anything. And when he reached the floating island he would remove the foreign object from his side in no time.

Now crossing an unsteady bridge, Knuckles wandered along it as if he were drunk. And he felt way too hot. He felt like he was a creature of the sun, he loved heat, he needed it, so now why was he longing for the cool as heat burned throughout his body?

Now beginning to feel deeply troubled he wandered if he should head back to Sonic's home instead. It was by far closer, though it would take a few days before he reached the hedgehog's homeland without his speed. And with each step he took, he felt worse. He now struggled to think, put a sentence together.

He fell on his knees, as if he had forgotten that he was still on the bridge. Where was his communicator? Did he have it with him?

He frantically searched for it. "Damn it." He whispered to himself. He didn't have it.

Now resuming his struggle with his own resisting body, Knuckles continued. But he had stayed on the bridge too long. Ropes snapped and the old wooden bridge gave way. And as it collapsed, debris tumbled into the fast waters below, taking the Guardian with it.

Knuckles tried to scream for help but he knew know one would hear. Then he plunged into icy cold waters that stunned him for a few moments. He swam to the surface and gasped for air. Then, as luck would have it, he saw Tails flying over where the bridge once was.

"Tails!" Knux shouted, "down here! Tails!" He hoped he could hear him. The walls were high that surrounded the water though he could climb them with ease, it used up energy.

The young fox's ears did not betray him and he could recognise Knuckles' voice from anywhere. He dived down to greet him.

"Knuckles!" Tails cried shrilly, "what are you doing here?" The echidna clung to a wall to keep himself from going under the surface.

"Well, I was going home until the bridge collapsed." He didn't seem too amused, "and I haven't really got very far." He raised his eyes, "and you? What are you doing here?"

"Looking for Sonic."

"What? Has he gone missing or something?"

"Well, I don't think so but Sally doesn't know where he is. You know how dramatic she gets." He answered.

"I'm sure he's okay." Knuckles said, "we went to the Marble zone this morning to sort a few things out. He should be heading home right this minute."

"Oh, thanks."

"Urm, can you give me a lift?"

Now on dry land, Knuckles began to feel that strange heat again. Tails flexed his arms after carrying the weight of his friend.

"You're going back to the floating island then, aren't you?" The fox presumed.

"I've changed my plans. Could you take me back to the headquarters of the Freedom Fighters?"

"Why? You've just come from there."

"I know." Knuckles decided not to tell him the real reason. He felt strange and he suddenly had pangs for companionship. He didn't like it. "I have some business to see to." And that wasn't a lie. He needed to speak to Sonic and to settle their differences. And once there maybe he could take that plant thing out of his side.

"Okay, I'll take you but I'll need to take several pit stops!" He smiled.

Somehow, Knuckles could not smile back. "Okay."

With a skid and a stop, Sonic had reached his home. He admitted he was quite worn out from the short time he slept and with those sprints but he was happy to be back. At least now he could get some rest.

"And Sonic does it again!" He chuffed to himself but as he was about to step in, Sally stood in his path.

"Found you." She said, "Sonic, you're in for it this time."

"Now what?" Sonic crossed his arms, prepared for anything Sally might dare throw at him.

"You left this morning I guessed." She said, "without telling anyone and leaving the communicator behind. What if you had an accident and no one knew where you were?"

"Dream on!" Sonic knew she was right but he wasn't going to admit it, at least not in front of her anyway. He was too proud.

"I might as well attach the communicator to your head next time." She retorted and left the house and headed for Amy's home.

"Females and their problems." Sonic sighed before entering his little home in peace at last.

In the midst of the warm and tranquil afternoon, Tails arrived at Sonic's home. Knuckles let go and dropped softly to the floor. They had travelling for longer than he would have liked and the dizziness he was experiencing was only getting stronger.

"Thanks for the lift, Tails." Knux said as he shook hands with the fox once Tails had landed.

"Anytime! Though… err… not on a Wednesday. I get bad wind on that day!" Tails boasted.

Knuckles wrinkled his nose but did not comment further. He went straight into Sonic's domain. Tails couldn't help but follow.

The echidna found Sonic dozing in the back garden in a wooden chair. He sprang alert though when he noticed he had company. Then he realized it was only Knuckles and Tails.

"What are you doing back here? Thought you left for your home." Sonic said, eyeing his friend.

Annoyed that Tails was with them, Knuckles had no choice but to tell him why he was here, privacy or no privacy.

"What I said back there didn't mean a thing." The guardian said, while doubting himself at the same time, "you were right. There was nothing down there and I had wasted your time."

"You came all the way back here, just to say that?" Sonic crossed his arms.

Knuckles staggered on his feet for a moment, as the ground seemed to move beneath him. "Let's forget about it. Friends?"

"If you say so." They shook hands, "so, you staying?"

"Not really." He would love to indulge in their companionship but he would not intrude on his home. "I won't be far but I can't stay here. Besides, I have things to do."

"Like what?"

"Ah! Tis' a secret!" He chuckled.

Sonic sat back on his chair. "You always keep me in the dark. Suit yourself. I'm catching up on my beauty sleep." And he leaned back in his chair and dozed off once again.

"Better start now then." Knuckles mumbled. He knew a place underground that would suit his needs. He needed privacy and an excuse to stay close to his friends because something felt very wrong.

"You okay, Knuckles?" Tails asked in his small, timid voice, feeling almost humble in Knuckles' presence.

"Yes, of course." Knuckles turned to leave and stumbled twice before reaching the kitchen. Tails watched him intently, a little concerned. Why was Knuckles having a hard time walking? And his eyes looked very watery. However he had failed to spot the gruesome wound in the guardian's side.

Telling Tails to go and find his moulting fur on the ground was the only thing Knuckles found that could get rid of him. The fox was too friendly and got just a little too close for comfort. He was curious and too young to understand much of what the echidna was planning on doing.

Now alone and content, Knuckles sat on a flat slab of stone in his small underground base. He only had the dim light of the lamp and the glow worms but he didn't need them. He had perfect night vision. And on his table were piles of blueprints and designs, all about the chaos emeralds, the master emerald and some yet to be made. And he thought the underground would be cooler. He was unfortunately mistaken. The same rancid heat that had been plaguing him through the day was begging not to be ignored. It made him sweat, pause for breath as he concentrated. He must have gotten a fever. That would clear up by tomorrow he hoped. And his side was rather numb. With his wild thoughts and troubled mind he had neglected the wound in his side that was now vigorously bleeding. The arrow was still bedded deep in his muscle and he thought it might not be easy to take it out after all. But asking for help was what he detested.

Night fell. The stars were bright in the blackened sky. Amy and Sally enjoyed the sight together as they sat under the oak tree beside the porch.

"Look at that one!" Amy said, pointing up towards the heavens at a cluster of stars.

"Come on, it's getting chilly out there, get inside." Sonic muttered as he opened the front door.

"Nonsense. It's lovely out here." Amy said, "wanna join us?"

"No thanks." And Sonic retreated back inside.

Sally was about to comment on when Sonic was absent in the morning when they heard a rustle, and then a soft thump on the floor ahead of them. Amy naturally got scared.

"What is that over there?" She cried, "did you hear it?"

The sound came again and a shadow emerged as the moon rose from the clouds. It was Knuckles.

"Tails said he brought you back." Sally said as the echidna almost tripped up, "you can stay as long as you like!"

"Thanks." Knuckles said wearily. His new pounding headache only increased the pain he had been suffering for the past few hours. Hot sweat dripped down his dreadlocks and his knees shook from his own weight.

In the darkness, the two females did not notice any change in Knuckles and did not comment. The guardian almost pushed past them and entered Sonic's home.

The world did a dramatic tilt and he fell onto the wooden floor, groaning as he did so. Why was he acting so funny? And the heat… it… he could not stand it.

Sitting up and rubbing at his watering eyes he let out deep, heavy coughs. He realized then that he might be sick.

Sonic must had heard the most part of the commotion and was standing by Knuckles' side. He helped the echidna to his feet.

"Did you fall?" His voice wasn't firm or angry. It was calm, gentle.

Knuckles tried to see him through the haze of his watery eyes but could not. "I guess I did."

"You hungry? I have snacks, burgers, and chilli dogs…"

"No thanks, Sonic." Knuckles thought he had better go back underground. He needed them but they did not need him. And if they found out that something wasn't right with him…

Knuckles, almost blind, headed for the door. He knew he was going the right way because he could feel the fresh breeze blowing in his fur. But again the rooms seemed to move and he found himself on the floor again, coughing and moaning.

He felt Sonic's hands on him, felt him sit him up.

"Red, you're bleeding!" Knuckles heard him gasp.

"I'm fine. Just the wound I got when we were fighting those badniks."

"But you're hurt! And you look dreadful."

"I do not!" Tears ran down his paling cheeks from his irritated eyes. Heat lapped at him in waves. The lights in the house now seemed too bright.

"Guys, help!" Sonic persisted, knowing that something was wrong with Knuckles and his wound needed medical attention, "Red's hurt."

Sally came first and noticed splatters of dark blood from where Knuckles had fallen.

"What happened?" She inquired. Amy joined her side and gasped at the sight.

Sonic didn't want to waste time and explain what had happened during their mission but he described it to her in the best and fasted way he could.

"I didn't know it was this serious though," Sonic added, "and Red never said anything!"

"It… it barely hurts." Knux defended.

"Knuckles you block head!" Amy cried, "why didn't you at least notify us?"

"I'm… I'm sorry…"

"Never mind all this now, we'll discuss it later!" Sonic lifted Knux into his arms and he and Sally went downstairs and opened up a fake bookcase, leading to their headquarters and a room for Sally to operate on the injured echidna. Amy stayed put and did not follow. To keep herself busy, she cleaned up the blood on the floor.

Down a secret passageway behind the bookcase the place was rather damp but small and important to their organisation. Sonic went into a small room with a small table in the centre. It was somewhat abandoned. Surgical equipment, dusty and filthy lay on a tray against the wall.

Sonic gently laid Knuckles on the operating table, but Knux was not pleased. "Get me out!" He roared, "It'll heal! I… please no!"

"Red, it's for your own good." Sonic tried to reason with him, "then you'll feel much better afterwards, when Sally has removed the arrow. It's from one of those plants we encountered earlier, wasn't it?"

"Humph!" Knuckles replied, irritated, "so? Nothing ever happened to you when you got bitten by one of those things."

"What is going on? Is that true?" Sally was lost as the hedgehog and the echidna argued.

"I'll explain afterwards." Sonic said, "but now we have no time." He motioned to Knuckles, blood oozing out onto the table from his injury.

"Okay. But you've got to help me, Sonic."

"What?"

"You heard me. No covering your eyes or being sick." Sally knew Sonic far too well. The hedgehog did not like the sight of blood especially if it was all coming from a close friend.

Sonic knew there was no time to argue. Knuckles was beginning to gasp for air. Perhaps he was frightened too. Not just because of what they were about to do to him, but the sight of his blood on the table.

"All right." Sonic agreed, "just don't be too harsh with me."

Sally raised an eyebrow but did not pass another comment to him. She turned to Knuckles. "I'm going to give you some anaesthetic." She told him softly, "you'll sleep all through this and wake up like nothing ever happened."

Knux nodded uneasily, barely making her out with his poor eyesight. "Go ahead. I'll be okay."

She smiled, reassuring him. "Sonic," she said, "wash the surgical equipment in that basin."

Sonic obliged without saying a word. Sally gave Knuckles an injection into his arm. The echidna winced, biting his lip. He had never felt a needle before.

Sally tenderly massaged the area where the syringe had entered the skin as Knuckles quivered on the table, waiting for the anaesthetic to start its affect.

"I'm sorry to… to trouble you…" Knuckles sighed, "I'll be off again as soon as your done."

"You are not troubling us." Sally said, wrapping the shivering echidna in her arms, "we want to help you. And you'll need to rest here for a few days before you can go anywhere."

"Please, I'll be…" His sentence was cut short. He closed his eyes and sagged in Sally's arms.

"How's he doing?" Sonic asked morbidly as he put the clean equipment on the table beside her.

"The anaesthetic is taking its affect. He's asleep now." She said.

"So, your gonna begin work?" Ideas of what she might do to his friend flared up in his mind.

"Yes. I'm no doctor but I've had practise."

"Oh, and that's supposed to make me feel better?"

Sally smiled and gently lay the echidna on his undamaged side so that she could operate on the wound. Though his body felt very hot to the touch.

She lay an old blanket over his legs and began quickly. The longer the foreign object was embedded in Knuckles' body, the worst. Using a great effort, she pulled the arrowhead out of the echidna's flesh that had wedged itself in very deeply.

"What on Mobius it this?" Sally gasped, looking at the steel arrow. From its point oozed out a chemical.

"We were attacked by flowers, like I already told you," Sonic said, "I know it sounds stupid but it was true! They fired those things at us!"

"But the stuff pouring out of it… it's poison."

"What?"

Sally was an expert on wildlife and plants alike. She knew many poisons and their symptoms. "It's squirting out poison," Sally was out of breath from fear and dread, "giving Knuckles the substance."

"Well? Is he going to be okay? Tell me!" Sonic felt left in the dark. He needed to know.

"I'm going to have to get a sample and study it first." Sally returned, "I just hope Knuckles may have an immunity to this. He does with most things."

Then Sonic remembered that one had hit him. "He should be okay." He said, "I got hit too and it didn't affect me one bit! We must be immune!"

"I wouldn't be making assumptions too fast."

"I'm not guessing! It is what I know!"

Sally continued her work. She dropped the arrowhead into a metal basin and stitched up Knuckles' gaping wound. It bled fast. Red fluid dripped onto the floor. Sonic began to feel faint just seeing the blood.

"Red's gonna feel so sore." Sonic let out deep, unsettled sigh. His voice quivered.

"For a while." She stitched up the wound and cleaned the blood away from his red, matted fur. She protected the injury further by padding it with white dressing. Then with a fresh blue blanket, she wrapped him up in it and gathered him into her arms. Carefully she carried him back up into Sonic's warm home and tucked him up in the hedgehog's bed. Sonic joined her and was glad she had put him in his bed. He would feel comfortable and warm.

"The wound should heal well." Sally told him, "but it might leave a scar."

"Thought as much."

"We should leave him in peace." And she turned and went downstairs. She still needed to clean the mess down in headquarters.

Sonic wasn't so easily persuaded. He was very concerned for the guardian. He rested his gloved hand on the echidna's brow and felt how hot he was. Pulling his hand away he sat on the edge of the bed. Maybe he was worrying too much. Knuckles was strong. He could endure anything. He still continued to surprise Sonic, despite all these years of being together. And to make Red more comfortable, Sonic gently peeled back the covers and took off his battle shoes and his spiked gloves and rested them at the foot of the bed. Tucking Knuckles back with the blankets he finally felt that he should leave and give his old buddy a few hours of peace and quiet.

Knuckles slept deeply for many hours. Sweat from his hot body slowly dripped off him. His breathing was steady and relaxed. Another hour and he was up, holding his head to try and ease his throbbing headache. He glanced stiffly at the clock beside him on the nightstand. It read five in the morning. Then he began to wonder where he was and what had happened to him while he had been out cold. He guessed he was still in Sonic's home, but then he slowly recognised that he was in Sonic's own bed! Now he felt guilty. He had to leave, thanking them first. So where was everybody?

Feeling very nauseous he left the bed and found his shoes and gloves left neatly on the floor. Now adorning them he left the warm room.

When he entered the much cooler hallway, he tensed up from the coldness. At least he could see better, as his eyes weren't so watery. And he wondered how the operation went. He checked his numb side. He could see a big white bandage, accompanied by dressing on his injury to conceal and protect it. He was grateful. He made a mental note to never let something like this happen to him again, that was for sure.

Staggering along he clumsily went down the stairs. Then he heard voices coming from the lounge. He hoped it would be Sonic.

He looked inside the room and was relieved to see Sonic and Sally sitting together talking about the mission yesterday. Knuckles inwardly winced at the memory he wanted to forget.

"Guys?" Knux croaked, surprised at the weakness of his own voice.

Sonic got up and greeted him straight away. "You're awake!" He said, "so, how do you feel? Sal did a real nice job!"

Knuckles faintly smiled. "I don't know how to thank both of you. You may have saved my life. I feel much better."

Sally came up to him and checked the temperature on his forehead. "You still are very hot," she remarked, "and the anaesthetic wore off pretty fast."

"Ah, who cares! Red is a whiz at recovering quickly from anything!" Sonic boomed brightly.

"And now I must go." The guardian said reluctantly, "I will cause you no more trouble." Knuckles turned and tried to hasten his steps to the front door. His vision became hazy and he fell, coughing.

"Red, you okay?" Sonic gasped, at his side in no time.

"Fine!" Knuckles weakly cried, his small body trembling. He climbed back to his feet.

"Knuckles, you mustn't leave in the condition you're in." Sally pleaded, "you might split the stitches and you need rest. You lost a lot of blood last night."

"I'll be okay." Knuckles proceeded. His side began to hurt and his lungs ached whenever he tried to draw in a breath. Darkness began to cover his vision, coldness coursed along his body. After not more than a few steps, he fell. And this time he did not get back up. His eyes were screwed shut and his body began to shake.

Sonic was on his knees at his side. "Red! Red!" He shouted.

Sally bent over the echidna and called softly out to him. "Knuckles, open your eyes, get up!"

Knuckles did not respond. He seemed unconscious but the convulsing was the most frightening of all. Sonic had never seen a seizure before, hadn't even heard of the term. He was terrified as his partner shook violently on the cold floor before his very eyes.

"What's wrong with him?" He shouted at Sally, confusion in his emerald eyes.

"He's having a seizure, though I don't know what from."

"Stop it!"

"I can't!"

Sonic put the matter into his own hands. He bravely lifted Knuckles off the floor and hugged him into his arms. The tremors startled and scared him further. What was wrong with him? Why was he doing this?

"It can't be from the anaesthetic," Sally said, "or he would have suffered like this earlier."

"This early enough for you?" Sonic cried. He felt tears sting his eyes. Knuckles' shivering was not easing. Sonic hugged him tighter, rubbed his limbs to try and stop the fits. "What the hell is causing him to do this?" Sonic was so worried as his mind raced to find out what was the matter.

Sally wanted to answer him but instead only offered him silence. She did not know yet, but she was determined to find out. Sonic sat in silence also, trying to endure the convulsions with Knuckles. Then, the contortions ended and the echidna lay limp in the hedgehog's arms. Sonic drew a shaky breath.

"I'm taking him back up to my bed." He said.

"No, it's best not to move him. He can rest on the sofa." She advised.

Sonic had to agree. He lay Knuckles on the couch. Sally got up and left to research the poison in that metal arrow. Maybe that had caused the tremors.

Sonic was very tired. Through his worry he had stayed up all night with Sally. Amy had left long ago. So neither of them could sleep. Knuckles always seemed invincible, unchallenged, and untouchable. Now, only moments ago he had been convulsing in Sonic's arms.

Using his speed he brought down blankets and a pillow for his injured friend. He wrapped him up and watched sadly as Knuckles unconsciously curled up amongst the blankets.

"You're gonna be okay, Red." Sonic whispered, tears in his eyes. He knew Red could not hear him but it was more for himself. Knuckles had to be okay. He just had to.

A few hours later and Sally returned to the lounge, a slip of paper in her hand. She saw Sonic napping on a chair beside the sofa, right next to Knuckles. She looked grim as she went up to the hedgehog and gently shook him awake.

Sonic was alert instantly. He looked over at Knuckles first thing. "Is he okay?"

"I… I bring bad news. He is not okay."

"What do you mean?" Sonic began to feel that fear again.

"I went down to the lab and analysed the poison. It is a very dangerous chemical combined with toxins and an ingredient called bio plasma."

"So what of it?" Sonic was impatient.

"Knuckles is highly allergic to this sort of chemical. Sonic, he could die."

The words struck him hard. Knuckles could die? Sally must have made a mistake. "But when we went there…" He gasped, "we both got hit, and there was nothing in the factory, it was a waste of time!"

"It didn't affect you because you were immune." Sally's voice grew harder, "you both blindly went into a trap! Robotnik set it up intending to kill Knuckles with those flowers, not you!"

"And how could he know that?"

"A DNA sample perhaps. God we've been so deluded, blind. But I don't know how to cure it."

"You have to!" Sonic leapt to his feet, "find a cure!"

"There isn't one! Unless you want me to search the whole planet!" She whispered harshly.

"So what is this going to do to Knuckles? He can survive it, can't he?"

Sally looked at the slip of paper in her hand. "He will suffer fevers, seizures, the list goes on."

"Read it out to me dammit!"

"Confusion, paralysis of the legs. In the end he'll just stop breathing."

"Do something! Is there anything that can ease his suffering?"

"I know just a little. He needs to be kept warm and well fed."

Sonic sat back in his chair, weak in the legs. "It is all my fault." He murmured, "I took him there after he got the distress call. I… I should have known…"

"It's not your fault. You did what you thought was right."

Sonic shook his head doubtfully. "What can I do to help him?"

Knuckles awoke, feeling very stiff and weak. At least he was warm. He opened his violet eyes and painfully sat up.

"Yo, Red!"

Knuckles spun round to seek the source of the voice. It was only Sonic. He should have known. "Hey!" He said with a smile, "you look like you haven't slept a wink!" And he noticed that the hedgehog looked very tired and anxious.

Sonic was glad that Knuckles was still trying to humour him at such a grave time. "Well, I haven't been able to sleep lately, no thanks to you!"

"Ah, so blame it on me." He smiled. And as he looked more carefully he saw that the hedgehog had a plate of food in his hand. "Bought some grub up with you?"

"Yep. Bugs fresh from the garden!"

"For who?"

"You of course." Sonic set the porcelain plate down on Knuckles' lap, "it's your favourite!"

Knux was not in the least bit hungry though it looked like Sonic had done a good job trying to catch these creatures. He felt like such a burden.

"What happened to me earlier?" He rubbed his head; "I seem to have a gap in my memory. Did I fall?"

"Yeah, pretty badly. Just take it easy next time and you will be staying here with us in Knothole village for the next few weeks."

"What? Why would you do this?" Knuckles shifted under his blankets; "I am useless here. I can't help and I will just get in the way."

"Where do you get all these ideas from?" Sonic frowned, "you're staying and that's final. I want you to be here and you need help."

"You want me to be here?"

"Yes."

Knuckles suddenly felt much better. "So do I stay until my wound heals?"

"I guess. Now eat, Red. I gotta go and sort out an argument in Hillrise, the new town."

"An argument?"

"Well, it is getting rather messy from what I've heard." He shrugged, "better go and find out."

Knuckles watched him leave; feeling continuously pulled down by his injury. If only he could go with him and prove that he could still do something to help. Right now he felt so useless.

Feeling sick to the stomach he didn't eat. He would release the bugs back into the garden and the fresh air would do him good.

Leaving the sofa he wobbled on his legs. Picking up the plate he carefully went into the kitchen and opened the back door. Stepping outside he set the plate down and brushed the insects off the plate. When he was done he went back inside and put the dish away. His legs were quivering and he couldn't make out why. He could barely stand. His eyes watered yet again and in fear he tried to run back outside again, to retreat, to escape from whatever was harming him.

He made it to the lake in the garden before collapsing.

"Sonic!" He cried, holding his head and sweating. Where was he when he needed the hedgehog most?

He felt so weak, helpless and vulnerable. His terror escalated, making his shakes worse. His strength was failing him. He could not stand. Instead he crawled, using his spiked fists to drag him forwards. He didn't know where to go, but as long as he could escape the pain, he didn't really care. Pulling himself further, he did not see the edge of the lake.

Sally went downstairs and went to check on Knuckles to see how he was getting along but was terrified when she did not see him in the lounge. His condition was serious and needed to rest as much as he could. Dashing around the home she could not find him, until she looked outside from her bedroom window. She gasped. Knuckles was outside, right by the lake. She ran downstairs.

Knuckles coughed and his body jolted from pain. The sudden movement made him keel on his side, towards the water. He fell in. Water splashed onto the grass. The echidna opened his mouth to call for aid but only breathed in water. In his weakened state, he could not swim. His legs had gone numb and the lake was so cold. He tensed and his body hardened all over. He had to swim to the surface but he knew he wasn't able to.

Sally ran outside and halted at the edge of the lake. He must have fallen in. She saw the splashes on the ground. She plunged her hand down in the water and searched for him. The lake was not that deep at the banks.

She felt something soft and grabbed onto it. She pulled it up and Knuckles was pulled out of the water. It was his gloved fist that she had held onto.

Sally took Knuckles into her arms. He was soaked and he was shivering fiercely again like last night. His eyes were shut and he was gasping for air, choking and coughing. Sally swiftly took him back into her home and got some towels. She sat him in her lap and began to quickly dry him.

"Sally?" Red groaned, trying to lift his heavy eyelids, "Where…"

"Knuckles, what did you think you were doing?" She wasn't angry but she could have lost him. She was worried and still in shock after rescuing him. She kept herself busy by rubbing his soft red fur dry.

"So… sorry…" Wheezed the ailing echidna, shaking in her arms, "I didn't know…"

The note of fright and sadness made Sally weep for him. "It's okay now," she told him, "you're safe." Knuckles fell unconscious, still contorting but this time a little milder. Sally took out her communicator from her pocket and called for Sonic.

His image flickered on the screen. "Oh, hi Sal!" He said.

"Sonic," cried Sally, "please come back home. Knuckles has had an accident. He fell in the lake and he's ailing too fast. I don't know how to comfort him. He's… he's shaking again!"

"All right, all right, slow down. I'm on my way." And the screen went blank.

Sonic raced as fast as he could through the trees and hills back to Knothole but this wasn't easy. Every tree stood in his path. He sped through bushes, jumped over logs and ripped past huts and small buildings that the citizens had built. Sally's voice rang in his head, heard the panic in her voice. Something bad must have happened while he had been away and he felt bad for not being there. His friends meant so much to him. He could not bear to let them down. They counted on him.

Running for almost thirty minutes, he made it home.

He found Sally sitting in the lounge near the fireplace with the echidna in her arms, blankets covering his body. He was glad to find him not shaking. The fire was crackling away, lending the warmth that Knuckles desperately needed.

"Sorry I couldn't get here sooner, so what happened?"

Sally offered him a seat beside her. "It must have happened soon, after you left." She began calmly, "I was in headquarters, researching further into the poison when I thought I had better check up on Knux. I thought he would be on the sofa but he wasn't there. I got worried."

Sonic nodded, "he must have wondered off."

"I know but his legs…" Sniffing, she continued, "I saw him outside, right out by the lake in the garden." She briefly paused. "I ran out to get him but it was too late, he fell in." With tears building up in her eyes she painfully told the hedgehog the rest of the tale. "And now he's finally stopped shaking but he is unconscious." She ended.

"But he's gonna get better, right? He was so bright when I gave him something to eat, and he was smiling and everything!"

"I don't know. Nothing much else has come up from my research. But I do know that his shaking is damaging his spine. If his seizures continue, he'll lose the use of his legs."

"God no…" Sonic clenched his fists tightly, "then we've got to put an end to those shakes."

"How?"

"You should know!"

The look on her face told him she didn't.

Night soon fell and Sonic looked after Knux. The sick echidna lay limp on the sofa, blankets covering him. Sonic slept by his side. It was not easy to go to sleep. With a dim light on in the hall, Sonic watched Knuckles' chest gently rise and fall. He could not lose the echidna. He was the last guardian of the Master emerald, the floating island and its people. And he was the last of his kind.

Sonic hugged him gently, knowing that he was trying to fight the poison. Red's face was becoming paler, his breathing unsteady. Sally gave him some medicine earlier. Sonic was nagging at her so much to do something. They gave it to the echidna by a small syringe, boasting his immunity and soothing the pain. They hoped it would do something to help.

"Sonic… Sonic… I… I can't feel my legs." Sonic woke to the distressing moans of the echidna.

He saw him in the dim light, his chest panting. It was still pitch black outside. "Shhh, you're just feeling a little numb, that's all." Sonic told him gently, "it'll wear off."

"Why… why am I like this?" His voice sounded so faint.

Sonic gave him a gently squeeze as he hugged him, "you've got some poison in ya, from the flower."

"I… guessed as much…"

"But me and Sal are helping you out. You just gotta rest. You feeling okay?"

"I… think… I feel… no pain."

"Sal gave you some medicine earlier. Glad it helped!"

Knuckles let out a soft breath. "Thank you." And he drifted off to sleep once again.

In the morning things were no better. In fact things were worse. Rouge came round, the bat that had helped Sonic save Mobius before, though she could not be trusted by the freedom fighters. She worked with Shadow and chose to go her own way. She was a spy.

Sally opened the door, surprised to see her anywhere near Knothole. "Hi, Rouge. Long time no see?" She was unfamiliar with the bat and wasn't very fond of her either.

"Yeah, I guess so. Where is everybody? Tails is fighting with Amy, the Chaotix team are back in the Special zone and I can't find Sonic or Knuckles. The cute echidna is not on the Floating island. Weird huh?"

"Why? Do you need help?"

"Well, no! I just wanted to see them! Haven't in months! Can I have a cup of coffee?"

Sally was hesitant. "We're kinda busy at the moment."

"With what? Laundry again? I can't get enough of it!" She laughed, clear sarcasm in her voice.

Sally let her in. "You can't stay long," she insisted, "there's been an accident and…"

"Give it a rest! Where's my coffee?"

Luckily for Sonic he was awake before the bat arrived so early in the morning and he didn't like it one bit. Knuckles was scared of her. He had his reasons. The hedgehog had been sitting in the lounge going through his old photo album when she came in. He shivered at the prospect of seeing her but he had to protect Knuckles. He looked down at the echidna lying beside him one last time. Then he was up on his feet and met her in the hall.

"Not you again, Rouge." Said the disappointed hedgehog, looking her up and down disapprovingly.

"I had to stop by. Thought you might be here. Where's Knuckles?"

"You can't see him right now…" Sonic began but he was sharply interrupted.

"Oh, so he is here is he?"

Sonic folded his arms. "Look, just get out of here. Come back when the world is in danger again."

"I don't think so. Egg man has gone. The world is a much safer place."

"Not with Shadow and Super Sonic." Sonic told her matter-of-factly.

"And besides…" She continued, ignoring him, "we should be seeing each other more often. I mean, we are friends you know."

"Well, I'm going to go back down to the lab." Sally said, "I have work to do." And she walked away.

"So, you have a problem with me seeing, Knuckles?" Rouge smirked, gazing at the furnishing of the hallway.

"Let me explain. We've had an accident…"

"I thought he was in the Floating island, so what is he doing here?" Asked the bat, flexing her black wings.

"Shut up and let me talk!" There was a slight pause. Then he said, "we went on a mission. We got a call from the Marble zone."

"Oh not there! That place gives me the creeps!" Rouge didn't even give Sonic and his tale another thought, "last time I went there we…"

"Will you let me finish?"

"Yes, sorry…" Her voice was empty of emotion.

"We came across these flowers…" And Sonic explained about the bitter mission, which turned out to be a trap. A trap to destroy his friend. Rouge was taken back.

"So, is he okay?"

Sonic shook his head. "I'm sorry, but you can't see him right now. He's sick."

"What? Let me see him!" She pushed past Sonic and opened the lounge door, suspecting that the hedgehog had been guarding it. And there, lying on the sofa was Knuckles.

Rouge gasped, surprised, shocked. She ran over to him, began shaking him to wake.

Sonic thrust his arm out in front of her to stop her thoughtless actions. "Leave Rouge." His words were firm, short but effective. She slowly shook her head.

"You just don't know how much I care about him." She said. Then she saw Knuckles stir.

The red echidna opened his eyes. He slowly sat up, rubbing his head. Then he looked up and noticed Rouge and Sonic beside his sofa.

"What's… going on?" He coughed.

"Oh honey! Are you alright?" Rouge took his hand and squeezed it warmly.

"What are y-you doing here?" Knuckles inquired. He hadn't seen her in a long time.

"I came to stop by. Didn't know where you were. I got worried." She replied.

"Well, you've seen him and you know where he is, now go!" Sonic commanded her, but yet again she paid no attention to him. Instead she turned to Knuckles.

"Can I help you with anything?" She asked, "and what are you ailing from?"

Knuckles was confused. "Me? Ailing?"

Sonic sighed, defeated. Maybe Rouge could help a little but if anything; she would only cause more confusion for Knuckles.

"You've been poisoned Knuckles, so you're resting. Me and Sally are finding a way to make you better." He said, trying to lift his spirits.

"I can't be sick. No way. I'm just a little run down." Knuckles looked up at Rouge for support but she made matters worse for him.

"Don't worry handsome!" She grinned, "you just relax! We could get a wheelchair for you if you're a little wobbly on your feet!"

Knuckles growled.

"Enough. Rouge, out." Sonic pulled her by the arm.

The bat let go of Knuckles and stumbled backwards, "I want to help!" She cried.

"We'll call you when the world's in danger." And Sonic showed her out the door.

The bat folded her arms. "I'll be back." And with a single flap of her wings, she was gone.

"Why… why, Rouge? And to have seen me like this?" Knuckles asked himself, shaking in the lounge, finding the blankets itchy and uncomfortable. "Am I sick? And I… I can't feel my legs!" He heard voices, shouting at him, yelling. He clutched his head in despair. His vision got darker, water returning to his eyes. Then, everything went totally black.

He was slow waking up. It took many stages. But he felt warm and secure while he was on the verge of unconsciousness. No pain he felt and the headache he had been suffering had receded. Even his aggravating fever had gone. He did hear voices but this time they were gentle and quiet, soothing in their own manner. He wanted to know why he felt so much better. Waking however, did not come easy. Lifting his eyelids was arduous. He saw enough to guess that he was still in Sonic's home and this time he was in a bedroom. He could hear a clock ticking, the birds outside, and the soft mellow of the voices. Alas he could not make out what was being said but it sounded like Amy, Sally and Sonic. If only he could reach them.

Coughing, he tried moving his arms. They felt like dead weights. And he just couldn't keep his eyes open long enough. He was so tired. Seconds later and he could make out the voices.

"He's waking." It sounded like Sally.

"I've been so worried," Amy said, "can he hear us?"

"Hey, Knux? Wake up. You've slept a very long time." That was Sonic. Knuckles frowned. He wished he would stop calling him that.

He gasped when he was lifted from his very warm blankets. Then he relaxed when he felt someone's arms around him; his body still wrapped in a thick blanket.

It was Sally who had lifted him and laid him in her supportive arms. They were worried. Knuckles was taking almost two hours to wake. The princess was trying to encourage him to speed things up a little. She rubbed gently on his back and spoke softly to him. After Rouge had left, Knuckles had collapsed. Sonic guessed from pain and exhaustion. Sally had injected the echidna's system with strong medicine, not knowing whether he could be allergic to it or not. This time they were lucky. Knuckles was not allergic to the new and powerful substance. The medicine however, made the victim weak and dopey.

Knux at last opened his eyes though they were mere slits. "Guys?" He said faintly.

Sonic sat on the bed with Sally. He gripped his old friend's hand. "Missed ya pal!" He said.

"Have I… have I slept in?" Knux shook in Sally's arms, "why do I feel… so weak?"

"Sal gave you some medicine. It makes you sleepy." Sonic answered him, "but it eases the pain and it cured you of your fever. But it could not help you from the poison."

"I'll be okay…" Knuckles said softly, "nothing has beaten me… y-yet!" He tried to smile. It hurt Sonic to see him like this.

For a few hours, Knux struggled to keep awake. He got fed soup and was given more medicine. He was bathed as well, thanks to Amy. Sally checked the healing where the arrow had gone in. It was healing, gradually. As night settled in, Knuckles was cuddled up in blankets and rested back on the sofa with Sonic sleeping next to him.

Knuckles walked in an abyss he did not recognise. Everywhere was black, like he was wondering around in a dark room with endless space. Where the heck was he? Then he heard a voice.

"Ha! Thought you defeated me!" Roared a voice. It seemed to come from the darkness itself. Knuckles rose his fists, ready to defend himself. He knew the voice. It was Doctor Robotnik. "Well, I ended up defeating you!" The voice let out shrill, mocking laughing.

"I know who you are, Robotnik! Come out!" The echidna challenged him.

"Why should I? I am merely a memory, a spirit, witnessing my genius! For years I have waited for this day! The fall of the last echidna."

"But I am not the last." Knuckles said, his voice strong, "I met others like me, like Juila-su and I have a younger brother."

"Ha! For how long? The same fate will come upon them as it did you! You were more easier to defeat than I comprehended!"

"But you're dead, defeated! What point would it make? You would succeed in nothing by destroying me!" Still he could not locate the evil human.

"On the contrary! By defeating the last guardian, the floating island will be unprotected. Then my successors and my loyal minions will attack and take the chaos emeralds! Nobody will suspect a thing! And by doing that, I will still rule! And your homeland will perish!"

"Then I've got to tell them!"

"Dream on echidna! You are finished! Sonic will fall to his own demise, taking his puny friends with him! So in the end, I win!" The laughter got even louder. It filled the room with its dark malice and hate. Knuckles screamed.

"You haven't won! I will still beat you using the might of my ancestors!"

The laughter just became louder, denying his brave words. "You dense echidna!" It bellowed, "flowers that killed you! It was so easy!"

"NEVER!" Knuckles sprang to the attack, trying to locate the exact location of the voice. With his futile attempts, the laughter distressed him more. He screamed, trying to drown out the noise with something of his own.

"KNUX! Wake up! Knux! You're having a bad dream!"

The echidna had screamed in his sleep, summoning both Sonic and Sally to the scene. Knuckles was struggling against an invisible force under his blankets, sweating. Sonic grabbed his shoulders, sat him up and shook him gently. "Wake up, buddy! Please!"

The echidna's body jolted. Then Knuckles slowly opened his eyes. "Sonic?"

"You got me worried there, pal!" Sonic patted him on the back; "you were having a bad dream!"

Knuckles shivered slightly as the memory of that dream came back to haunt him. He held his head. "What a horrible… dream…"

"Want me to make some cocoa? A hot chocolate drink?" Sally asked.

"I'll pass thanks."

"No, get him a warm drink," Sonic told her, "and put some medicine in it."

Sally trotted off into the kitchen.

"I don't want no medicine…" Knuckles groaned, "I'm… f-fine…"

"No you're not. Look at you. You're shivering and gaining another temperature. We're all very concerned about you."

"Well, you shouldn't be…b-but thanks for the help."

Sonic nodded. "Wanna tell me about that dream you had?"

"I'll give it a try." The echidna tried to tell Sonic of the nightmare he had though he found it hard to explain. "It was Robotnik, talking to me…" Red exclaimed, "…he said he had defeated me."

"In your dream?" Sonic was sceptical; "it doesn't mean anything. I have a lot of goofy dreams myself!"

"But not like this one!" Knuckles shouted.

"Hey, take it easy! I believe you!"

"But… b-but the things… h-he said…" Knuckles' shivers got more violent. His vision was going dark again.

"Look, you're stressing yourself out way too much. Lay down."

"No! Please… I must… the dream… have to warn you…" Knuckles resisted Sonic's help. The hedgehog's worry went up several notches.

"Shhh, lay down." Sonic wrapped the blankets tightly around Knuckles, gently restricting the movements of his arms and body. At last, the echidna calmed down. He rested his head on the pillow, coughing and wheezing.

"I don't want… to have it again…" He whispered, "it was like h-he was really… talking to me…"

"Shhh, I know." Sonic sat by him for a few minutes as his friend relaxed. The shivers were eased away. "How about I get a doctor to take a look at you?" The hedgehog murmured squeezing Knuckles' hand.

"No!"

Sonic lowered his gaze. "He will find a way to get you better! They do no harm!"

"I don't know… what your culture does… but mine…" Knuckles coughed, "do horrible things. I'll get b-better… without anybody's h-help…"

"You know that isn't true. Please Knuckles. You will co-operate. I want you to get better and you're not going to improve all by yourself. Got that?"

Knuckles narrowed his eyes. Sally came in.

"Time for bed guys," she said, "I am so tired and it's getting late."

"Sal, we need a doctor." Sonic said, turning round to face her.

"What? You know everyone around this area is unskilled. I'm your best bet. I can help Knuckles."

"I know but we need someone else's opinion. And that someone may have enough skill to help him. We gotta try. Please!"

"I'm not sure." Sally considered the circumstances. No doctor would be able to explain the poison, especially if it was new and unheard of but they may find ways of helping the guardian fight it. "I agree." She stated. "Tomorrow I will find someone who is able to help, promise."

Sonic cheered.

"Oh great." Knuckles moaned, unimpressed, "and what w-would they do… to me?"

"Nothing too distressing," Sally said, "just be still when they come to examine you. And you'll stay on this couch. I won't let them move you anywhere else."

Knuckles felt much better.

Sally and Sonic had a few more hours' sleep then they normally did since the echidna's accident. When the sun was full in the sky, Sally knocked from door to door in their neighbourhood for a suitable doctor. She could not find any. No one had the know-how, the skills. She contacted Tails and told him to search a list of names she had found in an old address book, containing a list of old surgeons. And to put the pressure on, they were now racing against time. Knuckles was rapidly losing his sight. The poison was damaging his nervous system, gave him terrible tremors and pain. He resisted anyone who touched him; eyes screwed shut, coughing deeply as he fidgeted on the sofa. Now going blind, the echidna became more frightened and distressed. It took lengthily minutes for Sally to calm him down after working himself up.

After a few days, the weather getting chilly, a doctor knocked on their door. Sonic greeted him. His name was Dr. Nettle. He used to work for the old Mobius hospitals until they got shut down and destroyed by Doctor Robotnik. He took several years in-training before joining organisations in huts that were now clinics. Hospitals were starting to be built again now that the dark ruler had gone. Only yesterday had he heard of Sonic's plea for a doctor. News had got around that a friend of the freedom fighter had been seriously hurt. He was eager to help.

The hedgehog welcomed Dr. Nettle inside. The doctor explained how he had heard about his request for a skilled doctor and how he had got here. Sally joined them and discussed it over the kitchen table.

"We were starting to lose hope." Sally sighed, looking into her mug of hot chocolate; "Robotnik had made sure he destroyed all those qualified to help others."

"Yes, but some hid and others learned about first aid and health after Robotnik's defeat." The doctor explained, happy to share time with the heroes of Mobius. "I learned when it was finally safe. Now I have years of experience."

"But this is different." Sonic's voice was harsh. "My friend, Knuckles has had an accident. A few weeks ago we went to destroy the last factory of Doctor Robotnik. But there were these flowers… and they shot out these needles. Knuckles got one in the side and it injected some kind of poison into him. Me and Sal have been trying to work out what the poison is and how it works. We're not sure if there is a cure or not."

"Hmm." Dr. Nettle scratched at his moustache.

"Please, help him." Said Sally, "he's so sick. Every few minutes he has these strong seizures and we don't know why."

"I'll see what I can do but I can make no promises. Show me to him."

Sonic got up and led the doctor into the lounge, Sally close behind them. Knuckles was curled up on the sofa, blankets tightly wrapped round his scarlet body. He was coughing, tremors running up and down his spine. When he heard Sonic come in, he opened his eyes and looked up though he could barely see.

"Sonic?" He croaked, "are you with somebody else?"

"Hey, Knux!" Sonic bent down to his level, "the doctor's here. Wanna help him find out what's wrong with you and get you better?"

"I said I didn't w-want any doctors!" Knuckles coughed, "I can handle this… please tell him to leave…"

"I can't do that, buddy. Trust him." Sonic then turned to the waiting doctor. "This is Knuckles, as you may have guessed. I think he's losing his sight. He's always had eyes sensitive to the light but he can still see in the dark. And I think he can't use his legs."

"Right. Step out of the way, Sonic. I will examine him and let you know what I have come up with after. Later I will ask a few questions."

"Of course." Nodded the hedgehog.

"Be gentle," Sally advised him, "Knuckles has a wound in the side."

Dr. Nettle opened up his black bag while Sally and Sonic held hands, worried and deeply frustrated about not being able to help their friend themselves.

Dr. Nettle did some very straightforward things first. Even so, Knuckles detested it. The echidna was patient as the stranger peeled back his blankets, exposing his thin body. The doctor got out a thermometer and poked it in the guardian's mouth. Knuckles growled, vastly upset.

While taking his temperature, the doctor felt the poorly echidna for broken bones. Finding no abnormalities he took the thermometer out from his mouth and read the results. Knuckles had a slightly higher temperature than normal but he had no fever.

"I feel so stupid." Knuckles muttered aloud.

"It'll be all over soon." Sally reassured him. She came over and sat Knuckles up using the support of cushions.

Dr. Nettle got out a long tube with a cold, metal device at the end. And at other end of the tube, two ends divided to become listening devices. The doctor plugged these into his ears, then set the cold round metal on Knux's small chest, on his white crescent.

"What in my mother's name is he doing?" He snarled.

Sally held him before he could do anything to retaliate. "It's okay, he does this as standard. He's listening to your lungs and heart."

"If you have any." Sonic remarked.

Sally gave him a mean glare.

"My organs have nothing to do with this! That bas-" Knuckles roared.

Sally covered his mouth.

The doctor pulled away and put the tube back in his bag. Sonic watched his face carefully to see if he could be hiding anything or whether the news of Red's condition would be good or bad. However the doctor hid his emotions very well. He carried each task out blandly as if he were examining a piece of rock.

Then he took a blood sample, something which Sonic knew, Red would never forget. Knuckles had howled from pain and anger as Nettle took a sample of his rare blood from an artery in his wrist. Before it could cause a mess when the needle was drawn out, Nettle bandaged up the wound with tight dressing.

"I'll take this to my lab back at home." He said.

Sally was not going to rely on that. She had already tested Knux's blood herself and even the blood was poisoned but revealed nothing else, like how to cure it.

Dr. Nettle then examined Knux's back, gently feeling his spine but finding nothing physically wrong with it. Then he felt his legs.

"I can't feel a thing." Red commented, "can't feel my feet, nothing."

"You could have paralysis to your legs from your shivering which damages the spine's nervous structure." He said, "you might be able to reverse it if it's not too lake, otherwise you'll be stuck to a wheelchair for the rest of your life."

"Well, how do we reverse it?" Sally crossed her arms.

"It would be best if you massage his back a few times a day and stop his shivering the moment it begins. His tremors start if he starts to feel cold or frightened. He will tense up and thus the shivering will begin and it will gradually worsens matters. You would immediately need to warm him up again so that he would stop tensing and relax to the warmth."

The doctor took out a miniature torch from his suitcase and shown it directly into Knux's left eye. The echidna gave a shrill, distressed cry before recoiling away from the offensive light and he screwed his eyes shut.

"What's wrong?" Dr. Nettle inquired, confused.

"Knuckles positively hates bright lights." Sonic explained to him, "ever since he was young he detested anything bright. He's always had dim eyesight during the day, but at night he has the best vision around. Lately however he has been losing his sight rapidly. I guess it's because of the poison."

"It would seem so." The doctor scratched his head. "I'm sorry but I must do this. I need to check to see the state of health his eyes are in."

"We know." Sally regretfully sat Knuckles back up. "Knux, you have to go through with this," she said, "he needs to have a look inside your eye."

"Never." Knuckles crossed his arms, eyes still shut.

"He's trying to help you, Red!" Sonic reminded him, now standing by his side, "he needs to find out what's wrong, that's all. Then you won't have to go through with it again. Promise."

"Humph!" Knuckles tried to turn away from the doctor; "I'll be okay. Tell him to leave."

"Knux, this is for your own good." With the help of Sonic, Sally held him tight and forced his left eye open. As if on que, the doctor shone the light straight in his pupil.

"STOP! STOP IT!" Sonic felt bad for doing this to the echidna as he heard his tormented wails, but this was to help him. And despite his sick and tired body, Red's strength was second to none. He tried to wrestle Sally and Sonic off him. He never succeeded.

This battle of wills continued until Dr. Nettle had examined both eyes. Then, Sally and Sonic released the struggling echidna. They didn't want to make him anymore stressed than he already was.

Nettle pulled away, thinking. Then with an effort, he said, "his eyesight will improve if you give him a daily intake of noxious syrah. (A type of plant that can be lethal when consumed raw). He is not going blind but his sight is worsening from the poison. I also suggest that he stays away from bright lights."

Long after the kind doctor had left, Sally treated the sick echidna to a hot bath. Leaving the tap water running, she took off Knuckles' socks and gloves. Then she tended to the running bath water. Knuckles tried to rise to his feet. He fell flat on his face. His legs were numb all over.

"Knuckles, keep still." Said Sally, as she kept an eye on him.

"Will I gain full use of my legs again when I get better?" He asked wearily, sitting up.

"I sure hope so." Sally picked him up and gently submerged his body in soft, warm water. It came up to his chest. The heat made him feel happier and calmer. His shivering eased completely.

Sally rubbed his back gently. He felt very bony. She wondered if he normally felt like this.

"Thank you for your help." Knuckles said quietly, "you have all been so kind to me. How can I repay you?"

"You don't have to, Knux." She smiled.

"But I'm so worried about the Floating Island. No one is there to protect the emeralds."

"Don't worry, it's being guarded."

"By whom?"

"Well, you have your robot guardians and then there's Judaa, lioness of the Eastern lions."

"Oh no. Not her. She may be smart but she's short tempered and easily upset. She could think anybody's a threat."

"Well, we need somebody who's as paranoid as you to do the job, don't we?"

Knuckles smiled at her comment. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Sally knew with Knuckles was getting so ill, leaving him alone would be risky. The echidna was losing consciousness nearly all the time and his breathing was raspy and weak. While Sonic was out seeking Robotnik's last followers, Sally got herself ready for bed. Putting on her gown she neatly laid out the bed and put a heater mattress over on one side of the bed. The place where Knuckles was going to sleep. She just hoped he wouldn't mind sleeping so close to her.

She returned back to the lounge where Knuckles was resting. He was sitting up, looking confused as always.

"I'm going to take you up to my room now." Sally said quietly, "you ready?"

"What? Your room? Why?"

She lifted him up from the sofa. He was much lighter than she was expecting. "It's much warmer up in my room, and it will be far comfy for you than that old couch."

"But I liked the couch."

Sally started walking up the stairs with him cradled in her arms. "Give it a chance, Knuckles. Your lucky I even suggested you sleeping next to me!"

"Then why did you?"

"Because you need the support." She put simply.

"As if."

Now in her room, she gently laid him down on the right side of the bed, beside the wall. With her sleeping next to him he could not fall out of bed.

"What is this?" Knuckles asked, finding that he was on a weird mattress.

"Oh, that's called a heater mattress. You plug a cable into the wall in a circuit. It's powered by electricity. It'll keep you warm at night. It heats up."

"But I don't need this, honest. Thanks for putting it there anyway." He seemed sure he didn't want it.

He's so considerate, so polite. Sally thought miserably. I hate him being so ill.

"No arguments, Knux." Sally turned on the mattress. "It'll stop those shivers so you won't have them in the night." She tucked him in with her stiff but warm sheets and slipped in beside him. Then she turned the light off.

"Thank you…" Whispered Knuckles, "I feel safer…" He sounded unsure, as if waiting to be scolded. She didn't know why.

"That's okay. You just get some sleep." She heard him sigh softly. "What's the matter?" She asked.

"Nothing. I'm just so thankful that I have friends like you guys."

She found his paw under the blankets and held it tightly. "And I'm so thankful to be with you."

Knuckles slowly closed his eyes, smiling in the darkness.

In the middle of the night, Sally woke up, disturbed by the sound of ruthless coughs and splutters. Turning on the light she saw Knuckles lying on his side, hacking sickly under the blankets. It looked like he was about to be sick. Fear and sadness for him running through her, she lifted him into her arms and put a sick bowl out in front of him. She had prepared for emergencies such as this one.

Soon, Knuckles was heaving into the bowl. She choked back on a few sobs. She thought of getting Sonic, but what could he do? It was just so scary hearing Knux coughing and choking, knowing that something was seriously wrong. And at that time she was glad that he had slept beside her.

When he seemed to have stopped heaving, he went into heavy seizures. She tried not to panic. Easier said than done. In her arms was her best friend, the guardian of the Floating Island. The doctor's words floated in her head. She had to keep him warm. And she could only think of one thing to get him warmed up quickly. A hot bath.

Rushing downstairs with him shivering in her arms she went into the bathroom and turned on the hot tap full blast to the bath.

She wrapped Knuckles up in her arms as the hot water began to fill up the bath. There were no hospitals that could help and the doctors knew not much more than she did.

Flustered and deeply worried, she gently submerged the shaking echidna into the hot water as soon as it came to a certain level. The water came up to his chest.

Sally supported him in her arms. Her heart twisted as she watched him contort fiercely. Water splashed at the sides. Then eventually the vicious seizures eased and Knuckles slowly opened his eyes.

"Where?…" He started, looking very disorientated. His voice sounded weak and confused.

"Shhh." Sally said softly, stroking his muzzle, "you were shaking so I made you a bath to warm you up."

Knuckles whimpered, then he suddenly slumped and began convulsing again. Sally cried out, stunned. She didn't know what else she could do to still the seizures. However, after a few agonising seconds, Knuckles was still and quiet again, eyes firmly shut. Sally began to weep. She was fearful of moving him, in case he started trembling heavily again.

As the minutes painfully dragged by, Sally washed the ailing echidna, took him out the bath and began to dry him with a blue towel, all the while keeping him warm. After drying him she wrapped him up in blankets and gathered his limp, floppy body into her arms.

She carefully went over to Sonic's bedroom door and knocked on it twice. "Sonic?" She whispered loudly, "when you're up, meet me downstairs." She let out an exparagated sigh, then made her way back down to the lounge. There, she turned on the fire and sat near it so Knux could get the full benefit of the warmth. At least now, he was not shaking and was finally sleeping soundly. He had got her so worried. Sally was still very upset from the whole experience. Knuckles' shivering was getting worse and finding ways to stop it was quickly becoming impossible.

She parted away a little of the blanket and checked the wound in his side. It was healing slowly. Pleased with the gradual progress of healing, she covered the wound up again with fresh, sterile dressing. While she was doing that she noticed how thin his body had become. His tiny ribs were clearly showing, making them susceptible to damage.

She was broken from her reverie when she heard Sonic enter the lounge. He rubbed his eyes, yawning tiredly. "What's up?" He asked.

Sally motioned for him to sit down beside her on the carpet near the fire. Sonic did and listened to Sally of what happened to Knuckles.

After she had told him he was at a loss for words. He looked down at Knux who was fast asleep in her arms, wrapped tightly in blankets. His red fur didn't seem to be as bright and colorful as it used to be.

"Sal?" He started sadly, "what are we going to do?" If his shaking was rapidly getting worse then that meant the poison was gradually killing the echidna. Since Sally didn't answer, Sonic said; "we need to get help. Does Red know any other echidnas? They might know what to do!"

Sally was doubtful. "Or maybe there's some sort of medicine back in his home on the floating island?"

"I could check." Sonic checked the time on his watch. It was nearing to dawn. "I know where his house is but I'll need the help of Tails and his plane to get me up there."

"Perhaps you should wait until, Knuckles wakes up?" Sally timidly suggested, her face fixed in worry and anxiety.

"But I don't like waiting." Sonic flung in arms up in defence; "I don't know how much longer Red will last for."

Sally cuddled the sleeping echidna tightly in her arms. "While you wait for him to wake you can get Tails and the plane ready." Sonic nodded and gave one last glance at his ill friend before leaving the room.

When dawn arrived and the sun was full in the sky, Knuckles awoke, barely conscious. By then, Sonic had returned, with the plane parked outside and his little buddy, Tails by his side. Sonic knelt in front of Knux and gently took his paw in his.

"Red?" He began, "how are you feeling?"

"I w-want… t-to go… home…"Knux managed to choke out, his head lolling to the side. Sonic could tell just by looking at him that he was definitely getting worse.

"Red, I need to ask you something very important." Sonic tenderly supported the echidna's head as it swayed. "Back at your place on the floating island, is there a herb or some kind of medicine that can help you? Please answer me, Red?"

Knuckles' eyes were starting to close. "There is… o-only one… h-herb… c-can't help… only helps the h-heart… and it…'s red…"

"That's good enough for me." Sonic said softly, tears welling up in his eyes. Knuckles looked so sick and helpless.

"Sonic?" Tails looked upset, "are you okay?"

"Fine, pal." Sonic didn't give the confused fox a glance; his attention solely fixed on the shivery echidna.

He carefully pulled back a little of his blanket and rested a warm hand on Knux's chest to feel the unsteady rhythm of his heart. By doing that he knew Knuckles desperately needed the red herb. Knuckles didn't like what the hedgehog was doing.

"No…" He weakly protested, trying to get away from the offending hand.

"Knux, it's okay." Sonic faintly smiled, "we're trying to help you."

Knuckles made a slight whimper. Sonic stroked his chest before covering him up with the blanket once again. Then he said his farewells and went outside with Tails chasing after him.

Little did they know that a spy robot of Eggman's had been watching the two young fighters leave. Now with Sonic and Tails gone from Knothole, on their way to the floating island, Knuckles and Sally were vulnerable. Knuckles could not defend himself in the state he was in and Sally was a slight, harmless force with no one else by her side. And as the organisation of Eggman watched in their base far from Knothole, they decided to attack the inhabitants and go straight for the echidna. The poison was working too slowly. They needed to get rid of the echidna. With him and Sally out of the way, next would be Tails. Then Sonic would be weaker, a freedom fighter on his own. Of course there were others, like the Chaotix team but they were little to no threat.

The leader of the evil organisation was clan leader Wraith. He was a wise, old monitor lizard, sworn enemy of Sonic and the freedom fighters. The thought of ruling Mobius excited him but he had to get rid of the heroes of the planet first in order to conquer it. Then he would break the sword of Judaa and the emeralds would be his. So, to begin with, he would send out a troop of death badniks to kill everyone in Knothole.

When afternoon approached, Sonic and Tails had landed on the floating island, Knux's home. The grass was long and course. Hot sand littered the earth in small patches. It emitted a calm, pleasant environment. Sonic however, wasn't here for sight seeing. He had to hurry and get Knux his medicine.

With Tails close behind, he trotted through a wood and followed a long, narrow path. It led them to the echidna's dwellings.

The house wasn't much. It was made of wood and stone. Inside it was very bare, compared to Sonic's lavish home. The hut consisted of two ground rooms. One was a kitchen and sitting room joined to be one with a simple stone sink, table and a chair with a straw couch and wooden coffee table. There were cupboards and small cabinets. In the other room was Knux's bedroom. Inside was a simple bed and cupboard with spare blankets and weapons. In fact the place wasn't that homely at all. And there was just one picture, framed in wood. It was a picture of Knuckles standing beside another echidna who looked female and was pink in color.

Returning back to the kitchen, Sonic began his search through each and every cupboard. Throwing tinned food and cans aside, looking for that particular herb. Tails tentatively explored the place, finding it all very interesting and peaceful in a way.

Sonic got out a handful of herbs; none of them were red. He was starting to get worried and impatient. Disappointed, he dove into the cupboards again. At last he found it, shoved right at the back with empty snail shells. The prized red herb. Though when he took it out the dark depths of the cupboard and showed it to Tails, he realized how small the plant was which was an even bigger disappointment. It was barely the size and length of his nose.

"This isn't going to be enough!" Sonic studied the tiny plant, "we've got to find more of it."

"But where would we find it? Those things are really elusive."

"And how would you know, smart guy?"

"Everyone knows," Tails sighed, "the red herb is rare and that it can cure blood disorders and so on and so forth… Eggman wiped them out, took them for himself. Who knows?"

This was going to be harder than the hedgehog thought. He safely put the herb away in his glove. "Well, we'd better start now then. If Knuckles found some, then so can we."

Back in Knothole, Knuckles was trying vainly to walk. After Sally had left him for a while on the carpet in front of the fire, he gradually regained consciousness and was now crawling around, trying to get his legs to work. He felt numb waist down.

Sally returned and was shocked to see him out from the protection of his blankets and using up what little energy he had. Luckily he was now suffering anymore-traumatic convulsions. The room was too warm for that. But that brought about another problem. Knuckles was now sweating buckets full.