Chapter 4 - Knuckles Enters the Fray

Kitty: As I've said this whole sequence was a pleasure to edit as it really was awful. It still has some damaged areas but nothing too bad.

Note : I took out the information for the move Kikirue uses to knock out Rouge. It's called 'Bone Crush' and a lot of defensive based fancharacters of mine have it (yes, Kikirue is considered a defensive character.) The wielder of the attack simply jumps into the air then falls fist first onto his/her opponent. In order for the move to work the knuckles of the attacker must hit certain points of the top of the skull simultaneously. These points are like pressure points and when all are struck at the same time the victim looses all feeling in their body and thus collapses, unconscious. The move must be executed with great accuracy because if all of the points are not struck at the same time then it will not have the same effect, (just having numbness, a woozy feeling, or a headache.) If you would like more information of this move or others I have feel free to leave me a Note on my bio page.

Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog and all related characters © SEGA and/or Sonic Team. All other characters © Lumorean Arts and/or Jonothan 'Ace.'

Track Down
By: Kitty Hamagochy
Chapter 4: Knuckles Enters the Fray

Upon Angle Island Knuckles had placed his injured, passed out friend upon his bed on the far end of his hut. He covered her frail form with two warm, animal skins he had made into blankets when he first made his hut. He hoped they would provide her with some unseen comfort.
The echidna returned to the kitchen where he searched through his hanging cabinets for a large, chrome bowl, a baby-blue teapot, and a couple small, white towels. He turned on the sink and filled the teapot with a large amount of frigged water. He took off the now burnt pan and placed the pot onto the magma hot burner to boil. Because of its cool temperature the impact making a hiss of evaporating water which warmed his muzzle. Knuckles then placed the large bowl beneath the sink and let it fill to the brim with the clear liquid. He removed it and turned off the running water so as not to cause a flood. It was then that he took the few towels and walked out and returned to the room she was within, located to the left of the kitchen, through the main room.
It wasn't much, probably to Rouge it was nothing. The bed was low to the ground and obviously wasn't manufactured in some factory. To the left a low, wooden dresser rested with a half burnt candle standing upright in a smudged, tin holder. A long, rectangular window opened straight ahead of him, revealing the forest and letting a cooling wind blow through. The wooden walls were a dull, chocolate coloration with the planks hoisted vertically around the area.
Knuckles placed the bowl on the small dresser and sat down on the edge of his bed, looking over the bat. He removed both white gloves, revealing his strong fingers tipped with black, claw-like nails. Upon two of his knuckles bone-spikes protruding from his scarlet fur. He took one of his paws gripping a small towel and dipping it into the silver bowl. With the other paw he gently slip of the two sheets covering her to revel the damaged state she was truly in.
His mind was completely on helping her get better. He removed the towel and wrung it before lifting it to her dirty flesh. Knuckles decided to start at her head and work his way down.
He placed a paw to the back of her head and lifted her up slightly for a better reach. As the damp towel touched her cheek she moaned a bit but did nothing more. Knuckles proceeded to rub off the black dirt and ash, grains of sand, and hardened blood that mangled her beautiful fetchers. This was sort of hard through her fur but he gave it an attempt and she didn't look any worst then before. He made sure to gently rub her large ears as they must be sensitive. Though through the cloth he could feel the heat her body was giving off. She surly had a fever.
He placed Rouge's head back on his downy-stuffed pillow and re-dipped the towel to remove some of the grime he had just taken from her. Knuckles then placed a paw to her back to get at her neck to clean her collarbone and shoulders. Her skin was much easier to clean then her fur but he became fearful of going anywhere near her breast so decided to begin her arms next.
Again Knuckles dipped the cloth into the now gray water and placed her back on the bed. He took her farthest arm from him and lifted it gently in the air. The echidna gently proceeded to rub down her flesh from the scars of maroon blood. This action caused the water and small parts of the cloth to turn pink from the reopened wounds.
Knuckles was able to gather enough courage to remove her tattered glove to revel her perfect paw. He placed it near the foot of his bed as he examined her frail fingers. Her palm was so small inside his overly large one and just the sight of it lying limply in his grasp caused him to go into a trance.
Luckily he was startled by a high-pitched whistling coming from the kitchen, apparently the water he had placed on the stove was boiling. Knuckles shook his head and stood up, recovering her in his sheets before placing the dirty cloth to the side. He took one of the clean ones and dipped it into he bowl and wrung it before folding it into a long rectangle and placing it across her forehead.
The worried echidna then walked into the kitchen and removed the teapot from the burner and onto the salmon-colored counter. He looked for two mugs and poured into each the heated liquid. Because he drank a lot of tea he always had a canister of it near the sink. He removed two bags from the small tin and placed one in each of the mugs. One was for Rouge when she wakes, which he hoped would be soon.
He also took out a smaller bowl and filled it with water and then ice from an ice tray in the freezer section of his fridge. Knuckles then walked back to her, holding the two mugs in one hand and the bowl in the other.
He placed the bowl and mugs down on the dresser and removed the hot cloth from Rouge's forehead. This time he placed it into the bowl of ice before replacing it back on his friend's head.
The echidna took another towel to the dirtied water and cleaned her other arm and legs as best he could without removing her jump-suit. It was only after all this was done that the echidna crossed-legged on the floor and placed on his gloves. He took his mug from the dresser and swallowed a drop. He nearly yelped and bit his tongue because it still had some bite in it from the boiled water.
So instead he watched Rouge sleep. Her breathing was hoarse and labored and sometimes Knuckles though she stopped breathing all together. As he watch her he thought over what could of happened to her that lead up to this point. He also wondered why she came to him and how she could sleep so calmly in his care. She must of trusted him a lot more then he always thought.
Sure the echidna had feelings for her but he was naive to them. He knew that he cared for her as a friend, a valuable partner, but he didn't know what these other feelings were. The same feeling that were connected to different thoughts that sometimes consumed him invisibly.
He growled at himself and shook off the feeling to continue watching her. He could sense that her body was becoming tense. Her arms and legs slowly shifted beneath the animal skins and her head tossed to one side. Her teeth were clenched and bared as if she were snarling and Knuckles knew she must be having a bad dream.
He placed his scalding mug on the dresser then gripped her shoulder, “Rouge?” He shook her lightly. “Rouge, wake up! You're only dreaming!”
From his voice Rouge's wrathing stopped and her eyes slowly opened. Her blue-green irises held new life as she was obviously rested to an extent. Her jaws relaxed as her head gently turned to view the worried face of her savior. Knuckles stared at her for a moment then breathed a sigh of relief and let his muscles relax with hers.
Knuckles took off the folded towel on her forehead as she sat up with a groan.
He placed the item back into the bowl of ice water, “You should lay back down and get some more rest. I don't think you're completely healed yet.” Knuckles told her serenely.
The bat took one of her paws and placed it on her forehead, closing her eyes as if trying to quell a headache. It was then that she noticed her gloves weren't on and her eyes shot open. She looked and felt herself over and realizing what he had done, and could of done.
She glared at him, “What did you do?”
Knuckles placed his paws up defensively with his face showing that of a disgusted look, knowing well what she was getting at. “Hey, don't even think that! All I did was clean you up. I didn't go any farther then that!” He shot defensively.
She then looked around to find her lost items next to her. Rouge placed them back on and flipped off the sheets still warming her legs. She then lifted her body on wobbly legs and walked straight past him.
Knuckles shot up and gripped her shoulder, forcing her to stop. “Whoa, wait a minute! Where do you think you're going?”
She shrugged him off and turned her head to face him with a serious look. “Knuckles, you're in danger.”
“Okay?” Knuckles was confused at this. “What's going on?” He was hoping he could get out more.
The bat turned away, reluctant to tell him anything. “This has nothing to do with you.” She snapped. Her voice then took a kinder turn, “Thank you though.”
Rouge then started to walk out, finding her way easily through the small home. Again Knuckles went after her, chasing her as he exited and walked across the grass on the bottom of the shrine.
He gripped her shoulder again and stopped the spy in her tracks. “Rouge, tell me! What happened to you? Is someone after you?” He sounded more like he was demanding.
This time when Rouge looked at him she had a more worried or confused expression. “Why do you care?”
This question shocked the guardian but he didn't release her. Her stammered for a bit, “I'm worried for a friend's safety.” He finally admitted.
Rouge smiled “A friend?”
Knuckles gulped, “Well, I...”
Rouge still had that smile as she stopped him, "Fine, I guess I owe you that much after I came to you in the condition I was.” Knuckles released her and stood in silence, waiting for her explanation.
"It all started two days ago.” Rouge began. “I was able to track down an elusive gang called Crab. They had been plaguing the entire city, committing crimes and all sorts of murders for no reason. The government decided to do something about it. They wanted someone to go undercover and expose them. I volunteered."
Knuckles listened closely and noticed that her voice sounded strange on that last sentence.
“Unfortunately not all of the gang members were arrested. Apparently a couple of their members, the Three Komodo Brothers, tracked me down with intent to kill. They destroyed my apartment with everything I own. I was able to escape though and that's when I went to you." She the stopped and didn't seem as though she was going to say more.
"Interesting story," Knuckles finally spoke after a minute of silence.
She gave him a peeved look, "And, that’s all you have to say about this?"
"You forgot something though," The echidna smirked with intent.
"That is?" She looked a bit skeptical.
"How we find out where those sleaze balls are hiding and bring them to justice.” He explained with a strange sense of happiness.
“What?” She gave him a look that showed just how crazy she though he was.
“You didn't think I wasn't going to help after all this, did you?” He questioned, crossing his arms in amusement.
Rouge's eyes lit up for a second, but then she turned away.
Knuckles could tell something was up. "Rouge?"
"Knuckles, if you come with me you'll more then likely get killed. They probably already know I'm here and you're helping me." She paused as if contemplating the next few words. She then turned to him and smiled. "Don't worry about me, I can take them.”
But, Knuckles wasn't going to take that as reassurance. "I'm still going to help you, no matter what you say." He drew closer to her as she stared up at him. “You're my friend Rouge.” He smiled as if this sentence was the answer to everything.
"Well, well, well.” A laugh was heard. “Aren't you two sweet."
They quickly looked who spoke to them. It was a black cat with three tails, Kikirue of the Crab Gang. He stood leaning against the side of the shrine. A paw was gripped on the handle of his hidden weapon. The backdrop of the forest casted a shadow making parts of him morph into the background as if invisible.
Rouge tensioned. "Kikirue," She breathed.
"Yes, I am.” He looked up and shot a death glare to her. “And I'm here to kill you, Rouge the bat."
The cat in his prime stood and withdrew the aged katana from the sheath at his side. Its blade was rusty yet well cared for, the edge was so sharp its grade could be seen from a distance. He took a fighter's stance as he rubbed two fingers against the sword's side and pointed its tip at Rouge.
"Good luck," The bat struck a fighting pose as well.
"I'm afraid you're the one who's going to need it." Kikirue smirked and with a jolt of his legs charged forward towards his target.
Rouge thought fast and rolled to the side. The cat was just as quick and changed his direction right after slashing the air. Rouge was lucky to have been so close to the woods. She flipped into the air as Kikirue swung a horizontal slash. At the height of her jump she flipped and struck an overhanging limb with the tip of her foot. The branch snapped and she grabbed it on her decent back to earth.
"Rouge, I'm coming!" Knuckles called out and rushed towards his endangered friend.
Unfortunately before he could take three steps two gray-scaled being became a blockade in his way. Both held a curved dagger in each of their claws.
“Sorry echidna,” Spoke the one with green eyes.
“But, we can't let you interfere.” Finished the one with red eyes.
"What the?” Knuckles growled. “I suggest you get out of my way."
He tried to run past them but they moved in sync and caught him off guard. Two parallel gashes dripped to the green grass of the island from the edges of four steel blades. He stumbled and gripped himself to try and stop the crimson life from draining out of his stomach. All the while the though of helping Rouge was his first priority. Unfortunately, for now he had to eliminate the idiots that were standing in his way.
The branch that Rouge had grabbed did little as a shield against her foe's weapon. Kikirue's katana was sharp and Rouge was no fool. If she used the branch to block his sword it would be the equivalent of a hot knife through butter, inevitably striking her. But, the lengthy piece of wood was something she could use to score long range hits without getting too close.
When Kikirue decided to take another swipe for her neck Rouge ducked lowly to the ground. Without a second though she shot the tip of the branch into her assassin's abdomen. He shot back a ways, gripping his stomach from the unexpected hit.
“Ha, your not half bad.” He complemented. “Seeing as though you're badly injured I have to give you credit.” The cat grinned.
“Thank you,” Rouge stood up and remade her stance, holding her makeshift weapon at the ready .
She was breathing heavily as she stood back up. She wouldn't admit it or show it but ee was right, and so was Knuckles. She could still feel the sting on her arms and legs like little needles simultaneously pricking up and down her muscles. She at least hoped that Knuckles was able to remove some shards of glass that might of clung to her from before. But, that wasn't such a hindrance on her. She had been through tighter situations before with the consequences much worst.
“Unfortunately, the boss wants you alive.” As he said this he sheathed his sword by running the edge against the hilt of its sheath, then pushing it through.
Rouge narrowed her eyes in contemplation. She wondered about the statement and the attack he was going to employ. The cat charged forward, and as a reflex Rouge lifted the branch she was wielding in defense. But, that wasn't his plan.
Kikirue stopped about an inch away from her face and flung himself into the air high above her. Rouge's first reaction was surprise but her second was to take flight as well. Unfortunately, that thought came a second too late as Rouge felt a startling impact on her skull. Apparently, Kikirue had dropped a fist squarely on top of her to hit certain points of her head all at once.
The result caused the bat's very flesh to tingle and go numb. Her legs felt as though they were so weak they could no longer hold her upper-body and thus gave out from under her. Soon enough a tiring sensation came over her, then all went black before she could felt her form topple to the ground.
Likewise, Knuckles was having some trouble of his own. The two lizards were perfectly synchronized with there attacks, sending him back with each new blow struck. He didn't want to pay a mind to the creatures, only wanting to get to Rouge. When he saw her hit the ground he began to rush but the Komodo dragons further stopped him by both grabbing his neck and thrusting him downwards, into the dirt.
“That’s It!” He roared, knowing that he would have no luck getting to Rouge without getting rid of those two first.
The echidna leaped up with all of his strength and plunged a spiked fist into the gut of the one called Moe. Red blood spewed from two puncture wounds as his frail body flung back into the grass.
“Why you little!” Matt hissed and tried to stab the echidna from close range.
Instead Knuckles took hold of his attacker's wrists in his vice-like grip and lifted the Komodo dragon off of the ground. He gave a battle cry as he spun his victim around like a messed-up carnival game. The force of the spin was so great that when the echidna released him the wanna-be assassin flew straight off Angel Island and into the ocean. The Komodo dragon gave a cry as his small body disappeared from sight, his knife sparkled in the air before coming down directly between the echidna's feet.
Knuckles paid no mind and wasted no time in doing the same to Moe who was just picking himself off the grass. He took hold of the lizard's neck as Moe gave a yelp. Again picked up his other foe and spinning him with one arm. Then shooting the poor creature off into the distant horizon.
Knuckles took in deep breaths. The wounds across his stomach were stinging profusely, but that didn't matter at the moment. He spun around and scanned the clearing with bright, violet eyes. There was no one.
"shoot!" He spat.
It was then that the shimmering knife caught his attention. He went to it and picked it up, examining its features. It was tiny and curved, a sharpness to it that was very find. Across its back a row of spines were cut, perhaps for a design. He decided that it might be useful. It was so small that he could place it neatly inside of his glove. He gave caution to ensure he didn't inflict injure on himself.
Knuckles then rushed to the edge of his island home. He wasn't sure where the cat was taking her or how he got on or off the island. But, that was a minuscule concern. Knuckles leaped off of Angel Island and shot out his arms to let his dreadlocks catch the air. He glimpsed a black dot off in the glare of the sun heading towards Station Square, that had to be him.

(Preview of Chapter 5: The Ending)

Kikirue took hold of the thick, metal handle in his paw and opened the entrance with a short jolt of strength. When it opened Kikirue had to squint his eyes for a moment at the brightness of the room. Ahead of him prodigious vats of chocolates, caramel, and other liquid sweets that filled his nose and made his mouth water slightly.
He turned to the left to face a swinging, metal staircase that lead up to a small maze of hanging walkways. It was at the end where he would meet Seraue, like he had done some times before. The staircase was rickety and rusted but he had little fear of this. His bear feet patted against the walkway as he navigated towards a lopsided, circular figure in front of a large canister that looked to be of white chocolate.
Kikirue stooped a couple feet in front of his boss. “Here she is sir, like you asked.” He then tossed Rouge onto the wobbling platform, in front of Seraue.
“She had better be alive.” The bulldog growled.
“Of course, just knocked out sir.” Kikirue assured.
“What’s the matter Kikirue? You don't seem like yourself.” The dog gave his minion a questioning look.
Kikirue clenched his fist and looked calming into the eyes of the towering dog. "I'm fine sir,” He nodded. “I can also tell you that both Moe and Matt have been killed by the Guardian of the Master Emerald. We are now the only two left of the Crab Gang.”
Seraue raised an eyebrow, “You don't seem to be too mournful at this, Kikirue.”
“Don't you dare lay a claw on her!” A voice roared from behind them.

Kitty : So, yea. I still don't like this in its entirety. There are cretin parts that still need to be tweaked, but other then that it's 100 percent better then before.

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