######################################### # Downloaded from The Sonic Fun Zone # # http://www.p-a-u-l.com/sonic/ # ######################################### (Hello! My name is Tails, but most people online call me TJ. This is the second fan fic I've ever writen. I have 20 in all and some under construction. I'm a dimensional traveller and am from an alternate reality. I have more stories on one of my friend's webber at NexCom. He only has 11 of them, but most of them are good. Please E-mail about what you think of this one. Thanks alot!) Knuckles: Dead or Alive? A TailsJ Story It was a lonely day on Tails Island. An island I had found when I was traveling and looking for Sonic and the other lost Freedom Fighters from my world. I kept thinking about Sonic and Aunt Sally. I thought about Knuckles and if he was truly still alive. It had been 6 years since I left my world. I had decided to take a trip back home. Back to where Robotnik rules all. I walked to my room in my house I had built underneath Tails Island. I picked up my backpack and put on my ‘Mech. Watch. I walked through my workshop, to the docks and picked up my remote robot which I designed to transform into my trusty SEA FOX and put it into my pack. I also took some bombs with me. You never know when you may need them. I flew to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator and grabbed some cans of pop and left over chili dogs. I was about to go into the elevator that would bring me up to the surface, when Tiffany stopped me. She’s a girl I met and we’ve been going out for a while and let me tell ya, she’s one heck of a good looking wolf! ;Þ “Where are you going?” she asked. “I’m going to go find an old friend of mine.” I replied. She shook her head sadly. “All right, but please be careful.” We kissed and I left in the elevator. When I reached the top, I took out my old Void Opener I had gotten from Rotor the last time I saw him when we left our world and opened a portal home. I made sure I had everything and jumped in. The next thing I new, I was back in Knothole, or what was left of it. When Robotnik used his DEATH EGG and Super Laser weapons he designed using the Chaos Emeralds, he destroyed all of Knothole. I looked around and saw what was left of my old hut. It was still standing, but barely. I walked in and took a look. I saw a picture of the Freedom Fighters on the wall with it’s glass over it broken. I took the picture off the wall and looked at it. A small tear fell from my left eye and onto the picture. I wiped away the tear and put the picture into my backpack. I walked out and heard familiar voices coming over from the Lake of Rings. I got as close as I could and hid behind a pile of rubble. It was those two dumb’bots, Grounder and Scratch. “DOH! How long do we have to keep looking?” complained Scratch. “Dr. Robotnik told us to look for that ring-thing-a-ma-jig until we find it.” replied Grounder. “Nobody’s seen a Power Ring since Sonic left Mobius.” Scratch said. “So! We find that thing and we’re out of here.” Grounder got out some kind of tracking device. “This thing says that there’s a power source somewhere around here.” “We’ve looked all over this place millions of times already! I need to have my beak polished!” “Quit your complaining!! If we don’t find that thing, Dr. Robotnik will turn us into scrap metal!” “Forget this! I’m going home!” The two ‘bots walked off and I came out from my hiding place. “Power Rings? Why would those two be after the Rings?” I thought to myself. I looked over to the lake and looked into the water. “I wonder...” I jumped into the lake and swam to the bottom. I saw the machine that Uncle Chuck had made for Sonic that creates the Power Rings by using a Chaos Emerald’s power when King Acorn was still king of Mobius. I swam to the machine and looked at it. It was broken, but the Emerald was still in good condition. This must be what Grounder and Scratch was after, but why would Robotnik want another Emerald when he had all of Mobius? I tried to lift the machine up, but it was cemented to the ground. I took the Emerald out and swam back to the surface. I climbed out and looked at the Emerald. It glowed as I held it. I put the Emerald with the rest of my stuff and walked out of Knothole. I knew that Robotnik would have Swatbots all over the place, so I switched on my ‘Mech. Watch and transformed into Metal Tails. I walked out of the Great Forest and to Robotropolis. I reached Robotropolis and it looked like it did 6 years ago, but with more robots and machines all over the place. I walked pass a sign that read: WELCOME TO ROBOTROPOLIS! POPULATION: 1 Evil Doctor 1 Evil Assistant (I guess Robotnik gave Snively a little credit) 150,286,720,330 Robots (And rising) 0 living beings Wow! Nice greeting... I walked around like I knew what I was doing and no one even looked at me. So far, so good. I walked to one of Robotnik’s robot factories and saw that Sonic’s old dog, Mutski was guarding the doorway. I never thought I’d ever see him again. I walked right on by and into the factory. Mutski eyed me a little, but did nothing. I walked up to a moving belt with robotic parts going by. I guess this is where Robotnik builds most of his robots for his little army. I noticed a couple of robots next to me. One was a little taller than me and the other was almost as tall as a house. I looked at them closer and saw that they were former Freedom Fighters, Bunnie and Dulcy. They were totally robotcized. That would mean that Knuckles didn’t rescue them on time when he was on his mission that 6 years ago. They paid no attention to me and went on with their work. I was about to walk out when I saw 2 Swatbots and a small human with a big nose. It was Snively and he was checking on things. I acted like I was working and they stopped next to me. “You there! I’ve never seen you in here before. Who are you?” Snively asked. “I’m-new-at-this-factory,-sir.” I replied in my best robotic voice. “Hmm....” Snively eyed me closely. “Very well. Go back to work!” He yelled and walked away. “That was too close! I better get out of here before I’m caught!” I said to myself. I walked out of the building and out onto the street. I heard foot steps behind me and turned around. I saw someone dressed in a black cloak duck behind a building. “W..who’s there?” I called after him. I got no reply and I stood there for a moment and then walked on. I heard robotic footsteps coming towards me and looked ahead. I saw a bunch of Swatbots all in rows and 4 of them were carrying a throne on a platform and on that platform I saw the big man himself. Robotnik! He had an evil grin on his face as he was being carried. Behind him were 2 other robots carrying a treasure chest. I figured that was what Robotnik had his Emeralds in. I ducked into an ally behind a building just like that guy in the cloak did when I saw him. They all went by me and didn’t even see me. I looked down the ally and saw 2 more people dressed in black cloaks run by. Who were they and what are they doing? I had to find out. I ran after the two and followed them to a building. I stopped as one of them stepped up to a door and punch in a number combination on the door lock. The door opened and the two ran in as the door closed behind them. I walked up to the door and looked at the lock. I opened my backpack and took out a lock disabler. I put it on the lock and it scrolled through all possible combinations. In less than 30 seconds, I had the code and I took off the disabler. The lock unlocked and the door opened. I snuck in and saw a whole group of people dressed in black cloaks. 5 of them were standing on a platform away from the others. One of them tried to get the groups attention. “My fellow Mobions! The time is almost here! We have enough information to ruin Robotnik’s latest scheme! We all know that he is after our only and last home! For 5 years we have tried to defend ourselves and what is left of Mobius that Robotnik does not have control over. Tomorrow night we will....” I leaned against a pile of steal rods and they fell over. “We have an intruder!! Get him!!” The guy yelled. I was surrounded and was knocked to the ground and pinned. I saw some of their faces and knew some of them. “WAIT!!” I shouted. The one that was speaking and was apparently their leader walked over to me. “What are you doing here and how did you find us?” he asked. A couple of the ones around me took out laser weapons and pointed them at me. “It’s me!” I yelled. “Me, who?” the leader asked. “Tails” I replied. A couple of them looked at me with their mouths hanging open and whispering softly. The leader raised his hands to quiet them. “Tails is gone and isn’t robotocized. How can you be him?” he said. “Let me up for a sec.” They let go of me, but still had their lasers aimed at me. I pressed on my watch and de-meched. “See? I am Tails.” They all looked at me and lowered their weapons. Some of them laughed in joy. “Is it really you? Have you really returned?” the leader asked and lowered his hood. My mouth fell open as I looked at his face. It was Knuckles. He was alive! “Knuckles!” I shouted. “Nice ta see ya too, Kid.” he said. Then I saw his left eye. It was replaced with a mechanical eye. “Wha...what happened to your eye?” I asked. “Oh..That? I lost it while I was on that mission 6 years ago. Remember?” I didn’t say anything. “Let’s get back home.” He said to the others. A giant Ring appeared and they all started walking through it. “Come on, Tails. I’ll explain everything once we get back to Echidnopolis.” said Knuckles. “Echidnopolis?” I asked. I stepped through the ring with Knuckles and the 4 other people that were standing on the platform with Knuckles earlier still in their cloaks. When I stepped through, we were on a street with a bunch of other people and many Echidnas waiting for us. “Welcome back, Knuckles.” said a girl about Knuckles age with a robotic arm, leg and part of her dreadlocks also robotic. “Thanks, Julie-Sue.” Knuckles replied. “Come on. Let’s go get some dinner!” someone shouted. We walked to a diner and a waitress came up to us. “What’ll be, Knux?” she asked. “Just a coke and some chili dogs for my friend here.” he said. Even though I still had the left over chili dogs with me, I couldn’t pass up fresh ones. The waitress came back with our order and walked off. I chowed down as Knuckles looked at me while he drank his coke. “I still can’t believe you’re back.” he said “Where’s Princess Sally and Sonic?” “I haven’t seen them since we left. I’ve been looking for them, but I’ve had no luck so far.” Knuckles looked down for a sec. then back up as the 4 people still dressed in cloaks joined us. One of them was flying and landed on the table in front of me. “Hello, Tails! Long time no see, huh?” he said. “Yeah! Who are you?” I asked. He pulled back his hood and took off his cloak. “Don’t yas remember me? It’s me! Charmy Bee!!” The others did the same and I remembered them all. Vector, Espio, Mighty, and Charmy. “You guys are all still alive!?” I asked in surprise. They gave me a puzzled look. “Well, yeah.” Espio said. “We have been.” “But everyone said you were killed when you when on that mission way back when!” I said. Knuckles smirked. “That’s ‘cause we never went back to you guys when we failed our mission.” He said sadly. “What do you mean?” I asked. “I’d better explain. When we faced Robotnik to free Bunnie and Dulcy, Robotnik used his Chaos Emeralds against us. We had a big battle and I tried to use my emerald too. I had lost my left eye when I was hit by a ray from the Emerald Robotnik was using. We had to get away. Even though we didn’t save Bunnie and Dulcy, we still had our lives. There was nothing we could do and I couldn’t face Sally. When I did get the courage to face her and the others, we whent looked for you all and found no trace. I check out Rotors old workshop and found plans for a Void Opener. I knew you guys must have used them and had left Mobius. The Chaotix Team and I looked for any surviving Freedom Fighters that were left and formed a new group. We all now live here, in Echidnopolis with the rest of my kind. We have been trying to stop Robotnik everyway we can. We now have plans for his newest scheme he’s up to.” “What about this place we’re in now, Echidnopolis?” I asked. “That’s another story for another time.” Knuckles said. “What happened to the emerald you had? Did Robotnik get it?” “No. I still have it and it’s in a safe place for now.” Knuckles looked at a clock on a wall. “We better rest. We have a big day ahead of us. You can sleep at my place tonight, Tails.” We left the diner and went to Knuckles’ place. “Welcome home, son!” an echidna met us at the door. “Thanks, mom.” Knuckles replied. “Who this?” she asked as I walked in. “Mom, this is Tails. One of the lost Freedom Fighters I told you about.” “Oh. Well welcome to Echidnopolis.” she said. “Thanks, Miss.” I said. Knuckles showed me to a room and told me to feel at home. I laid out my stuff and told Knux good night. The next morning, Knuckles woke me up and told me to meet him outside. I walked out and Knuckles was there with the Chaotix Team. “Glad to see yas up and ready, Tails.” Mighty said. I tightened up my bandanna and joined them. Knuckles told us his plan. “Ok. Here’s what we do. Espio, I want you to get the others ready and have them meet us in our little hideout in Robotropolis. Vector, I want you and Mighty to get all the supplies and weapons we need. Charmy, I want you to take Tails and get him some gear. I’ll meet you all in Robotroplis in 1 hour.” We split up and I followed Charmy to a building. He got me some laser guns and a walkie talkie. “Use the walkie talkie to contact us if you run into any trouble” he said. I had my backpack that still had my bombs and remote robot. We then left for Robotropolis. Knuckles gathered us all up and told us the next step of his plan. “You all know what’s about to happen and what might happen to some of you. If we do this right, this will stop Robotnik from finding the Floating Island and Echidnopolis. Half of you take the North side of Robotropolis, shut down the security systems and start destroying the machine factories and mines while you’re at it. The other half will come with me to the South side and wait for the signal to attack Robotnik’s headquarters and try to stop Robotnik’s battle ship from lifting off. I’ll meet you all there.” We all split up in two separate directions. I was going South, because I wanted a piece of Robotnik for old times sake before Knuckles stopped me. “I want you to stick with me.” he said. We took off to Robotnik’s headquarters. End of part 1