Knuckles the Echidna III: A Visit From The Grave
							(Part 1)

	"Miles, Tails X is sitting out front. Are you sure this is a 
good idea?" Dolcia questioned Miles as he lead the group to 
the castle.
	"I didn't see him until right now. We have two ways to 
get into the castle. Look for a back way or fight Tails X."
	"There is no way we can beat Tails X like this. We aren't 
prepared," Rocky said, clenching his fists.
	"I can't remember if there is a back way into the castle. 
What should we do guys? What should we do?" Miles said, 
sitting down on a rock.
	
	"WHAT? WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Nikki said to Robotnik.
	"I said finish her," Robotnik replied bluntly.
	"And I agree. 100%," Destiny said smiling. She took out a 
long silver knife that was laying on the desk. She raised the 
knife over Nikki. "Any last words?"
	"Yes. Go to heck."
	Destiny laughed. "Is that all you can say? I'm about to 
kill you for Christ's sake!"
	"Then go ahead and kill me."
	Destiny lowered the knife, and looked at Robotnik. He 
motioned for her to kill her. "Do quickly and silently. We don't 
want anyone to hear the commotion up here."
	Destiny raised the knife again and lowered it onto Nikki's 
chest quickly. Before Nikki could do anything, Knuckles 
jumped on top of Destiny and grabbed the knife. He threw it 
out the window and knocked Destiny out.
	"Knuckles look out!"
	Knuckles turned around and saw Robotnik standing not 
far away from him.
	"Nice foot work ya got there, echidna."
	"No...we helped you! We made you an arm! How could 
you turn on us?"
	"Oh, so it was you would made this ragged piece of dirt, 
is it?"
	"SHUT UP! EVERYONE JUST SHUT UP!" Knuckles screamed 
as he fell to his knees. Nikki looked at him startled.
	"Aw, it appears your friend is going crazy, Nikki!"
	"Knuckles, what is the matter?"
	"THE VOICES! THE VOICES! MAKE THEM STOP! MAKE THEM 
STOP!"
	"Ha ha ha ha ha! Who are you talking to Knuckles?? 
Sonic?"
	"NOOOOOO!!! He's not dead! He's not dead!!!"
	"Of course he is! They have his bones!" Nikki yelled.
	"NO NIKKI! HE'S ALIVE! HE'S ALIVE! HE ESCAPED THE 
CHURCH! THERE WAS NO DATE OF DEATH ON HIS GRAVE! HE'S 
ALIVE!"
	Nikki looked at Robotnik. "HOW DID YOU KNOW? HOW?!"
	Robotnik was astonished. "I didn't! I swear!" He ran 
towards the window. "Tails X, get up here!"
	Tails X looked up from the ground. "What is it Robotnik?"
	"SONIC...HE'S...HE'S..."
	"Dead. Yes I know Robotnik."
	"NO!"
	"Then what is it?"
	"HE'S ALIVE! SONIC THE HEDGEHOG IS ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

	"Did you hear that? I thought I heard someone scream," 
Miles said looking up.
	"So did I. It came from the castle. Let's go!!" Rocky said.
	They ran towards the castle and saw Tails X on the 
ground. Apparently he had collapsed. He saw them standing 
around him.
	"The Freedom Fighters...they are alive..."
	"We are the Freedom Fighters! What are you talking 
about?"
	"They are...alive. All of them..."
	Dolcia turned pale. "My sister..."
	Miles felt sick. "Oh God..." He ran over to the bushes and 
threw up.
	Rocky was in shock. He told the others to stay outside 
while he went up to the main room.

	Knuckles was still kneeling on the ground when Robotnik 
moved away from the window. Nikki was trying to comfort 
Knuckles, but was still trying to figure out the whole situation. 
	"Knuckles, Sonic is at least in his high twenties or early 
thirties," Nikki said.
	"No...he is 26. 26 years old. 26 years, 162 days, 3,888 
hours..."
	"Shut up Knuckles. Just shut up," Robotnik said, pulling 
out a cigarette.
	"I didn't know you smoked," Nikki said, surprised.
	"I didn't until now."
	Rocky stormed into the room and saw the situation.
	"Robotnik smoking, Nikki crying, and Knuckles going 
crazy. I can deal with that."
	"What are you doing here??" Robotnik yelled.
	"I'm here to find my brother."
	"Well you ain't going to find him here."
	"Then I'll search the whole world until I do."
	"And I'll help," Nikki said.
	"Yes. Me, Knuckles, Nikki, and Miles will find him."
	"What exactly are you saying?"
	"I will make this promise to you Robotnik. We will not 
return to Knothole until we find him. It may take days, it may 
take years."
	Knuckles looked at him. "I'm willing to anywhere."
	Nikki agreed with Knuckles.
	"What about the others?" Rocky asked. "Tails X said 
there were others."
	"No. Just Sonic. He's been talking..." Knuckles told him, 
holding his head.
	Rocky looked out the window. "They think they're going 
to meet their brothers, sisters, and mothers. What am I going 
to tell them?"
	"Laugh in their faces."
	"Only someone who was mean, cruel, and insensitive 
like you would do something like that."
	Robotnik pulled out a chair and sat in it, still smoking his 
cigarette. "Thank you so much."
	"I can't believe he's alive. I'm going to see my brother."
	"Where are we going to look?" Nikki questioned.
	"Everywhere and anywhere. Just as long as we find 
him."
	Destiny shook her head and stood up. 
	"Rocky? What are you doing here?"
	"Destiny, Sonic's alive."
	Destiny's face lit up. "Where is he?"
	"We don't know. Me, Knuckles, Nikki, and Miles are 
going to find him. We are not going to return until we do."
	"Can I go?"
	"Why?"
	"Well, my sister went out with him. I want to see what he 
looks like."
	Rocky sighed. "No way. You betrayed us. No way."
	"Whatever you say."
	Tails X climbed into the window and saw everyone 
standing around. Rocky looked out the window.
	"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU GUYS TO WATCH HIM!"
	Miles looked up and waved. "WE SHOULD ALL BE 
CELEBRATING!"
	Rocky looked at their happy faces.
	"Guys, only Sonic is alive."
	Their faces froze, and Miles started to cry.
	"Guys, I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
	Rocky got tears in his eyes just looking at them. 
	"The Freedom Fighters are dead. Dead."

			Chapter 2

	Nikki heard what Rocky had said and ran to the window.
	"Rocky, we'll be separated for a while. It isn't that bad."
	"ISN'T THAT BAD?"
	"Please, just stay calm."
	They turned around and walked towards the door. 
Knuckles followed them.
	"See ya Knuckles," Destiny said.
	"When we come back you'll be wishing you were all 
dead," Nikki yelled as they ran down the stairs.

	"So we have to find him," Rocky said, telling the 
Freedom Fighters the story. They were sitting outside the 
castle.
	"I'm going?" Miles asked.
	"How come we aren't?" Pierre questioned.
	"Yes Miles you are going. We tried to make it so the 
three leaders were going. Knuckles, me because of Sonic, 
Miles because of Tails, and Nikki because she can navigate 
us. If we have too many people, we could get lost. And 
someone has to make sure that Tails X, Robotnik, and Destiny 
don't attacked Knothole. I think that you two can do it."
	"When are you guys leaving?" Dolcia asked.
	"Tomorrow."
	"Why so early?
	"Because the sooner we leave, the sooner we'll be 
back. So if you don't mind, we better get home and start 
packing."
	They walked home in silence. 

	"So, Robotnik, what should we do?" Destiny questioned.
	"Stay here and devise a plan. They'll be gone for a 
while."
	"Yes, a long and well thought out plan of attack," Tails X 
said, smiling.
	"But sir, I seem to recall that only four are going. That 
would have to mean that Dolcia and Pierre are staying in 
Knothole."
	"Yes, Destiny, you are correct. We will also have enough 
time to transform their minds."
	"What do you mean by that?" Tails X said, touching his 
mask.
	"As you have done to Destiny, I will do to them."
	"Huh?"
	"All I can say is when they return, They will be the only 
Freedom Fighters around. Dolcia and Pierre will belong to us."

	Knuckles loaded up everyone's backpacks while the 
others started to say their good-byes. Everyone hugged, and 
the selected fighters began their journey.
	"We must stop at the graves," Knuckles told them.
	Everyone agreed as they put their packs on their backs.
	They walked in silence until they reached the graves. 
When Rocky saw Sonic's grave he gasped. 
	"Knuckles...it's different."
	The inscription on the grave had changed. It now read:

THE GRAVE OF ONE SONIC THE HEDGEHOG
REASON OF DEATH: UNKNOWN
"YOUR WISH IS DESTROYED, THE EVIL IS BACK."

			Chapter 3	

	Death-Unknown.
	Wish-Destroyed.
	Evil-Back.
	"THE WORDS ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT!" 
	Miles felt the handwriting on the tombstone.
	"Someone changed the words. Someone who doesn't 
like Sonic."
	"Like who?" Nikki asked.
	"I don't know."
	They all visited their sibling's graves. Rocky was very 
disturbed. "Why would someone want to change his death 
from accidental to unknown? Why would someone want to 
change his only wish from granted to destroyed? Why would 
someone want to change the evil from dead to back? Could 
it be that someone in Knothole did not like my brother that 
much?" As Rocky said that, a thought popped into his mind.
	"Hey guys! Come over here!"
	Everyone stood around him, curious to see what he was 
going to say.
	"Why would the person do this if Sonic was dead? He 
could care less what they wrote on his grave! THE PERSON 
WHO WROTE THIS KNOWS THAT SONIC IS ALIVE!"
	"Yes! That's right!"
	"Of course!"
	"Wished I thought of that..." Miles said.
	"Well, we'd better get going, we have a long hike 
ahead of us," Knuckles said, picking up his bag.
	They all started to walk away but Miles. The baby of the 
group did not want to leave his brother's grave. He started to 
cry.
	"PLEASE BE ALIVE TOO! PLEASE!" Miles said as he walked 
away. Nikki put her arm around his shoulder to comfort him.

	After a long 3 hour hike, they finally reached the border 
of Knothole. A sign split the road in half. The left road lead to 
a town called, "Harpsville". The other, to a town called 
"Amino".
	Miles looked at the sign. "Eeny, meeny, miney, moe. 
Which one guys?"
	"Left."
	"Left."
	"Right."
	Rocky was the only one who didn't agree. They looked 
at him, wanting to know why they should go right.
	"I just wanted to be different." 	
	They sighed and took the path to Harpsville.
	As they hiked, Knuckles remembered all the good times 
he and Sonic had shared. Especially Binx. He smiled as he 
thought about her. Her attitude, her looks. Who could not like 
her?
	He was interrupted by Miles screaming. Nikki and Rocky 
gasped as they looked down the road.
	There, laying on the side of the road, was the body of a 
young fox.

			Chapter 4

	Knuckles looked at the body and then at the shoes.
	"Oh dear Lord!!!!! TAILS!!!!"
	Miles jumped for joy. He ran towards his brother. 
	"TAILS? TAILS?"
	Tails stirred. "What...where am I?"
	Miles started to cry. "It's me, Tails. Miles."
	Rocky helped Tails up. "Oh Miles! I've missed you so 
much!" he said as he hugged his younger brother.
	Tails turned around and saw Knuckles. 
	"How? How Knuckles? We saw you die!"
	"What can I say? I'm a freak of nature."
	"I'm Rocky. Sonic's brother."
	"I'm Nikki. Bunny's sister."
	"Nice to meet you two."
	Knuckles got a puzzled looked on his face.
	"Tails, how? Why?"
	"Well, on Binx's wedding day, Sonic X sneaked into the 
back of the church and planted a bomb in the church. He 
planned to kill all of us. When the bomb went off, me and 
Sonic were thrown all the way to here. Sonic got up and 
decided he had to retire to Harpsville. I was too hurt to go 
with him, so he told me that he would be back to get me. 
Something must have happened, because he never came 
back."
	"We are looking for him." Rocky said.
	"Robotnik is alive. And so is Tails X," Knuckles said.
	"Binx's sister Destiny because evil too," Miles said, still 
shocked at seeing his brother.
	"We found the last chaos emerald in the castle's 
rubble." Tails said, giving Knuckles the teal chaos emerald. It 
shined as Knuckles held it in his hands.
	"It's beautiful!" Nikki cried.
	"If we're going to find Sonic we better get going," Tails 
told them, walking ahead.
	"He's got that Sonic attitude," Knuckles laughed as he 
put on his backpack.
	
	As they walked into town, everyone stared at Tails.
	An old woman turned to Tails. "Are you looking for 
Sonic?" she said.
	"Hey-"
	"Yes, I am."
	"Ummagumma?"
	"Yes Tails. Your friend may be in this town, I haven't seen 
him in a while."
	Ummagumma saw Knuckles and smiled. "Such old boys 
now!"
	Tails blushed. "Awww..."
	"Yeah but he still acts like a child. A big, deep voiced 
child!" Knuckles joked.
	Ummagumma pointed to a hot dog stand near them.
	"He eats there. The biggest chili dogs in the west!"
	"Thanks Ummagumma," Tails said, walking towards the 
stand.
	He sat on a stool as the others watched. He turned to 
them and said, "Watch a pro at work."
	"Excuse me sir! Have you seen a hedgehog around 
these parts?"
	The man turned around and looked at Tails. "Yes, as a 
matter of fact I have."
	"What does he order?"
	"Classic style chili dogs."
	"That's what I thought."
	"Why do ya ask?"
	"I'm searching for him. Seen em'?
	"Nah, he hasn't come by in hours."
	"Oh, that's bad. He usually eats one every couple of 
hours."
	Knuckles rolled his eyes. "Can we hurry this up Tails? The 
sooner we find him, the sooner we're back to Knothole."
	"All right, all right. Don't hurry me."
	Tails continued to ask the man questions.	Everyone 
became impatient. It was obvious to Knuckles that the man 
was becoming annoyed at Tails too.
	"Son..."
	"I'm a man, dude. Hitting my prime. 19."
	"Oh, well. Um... it's kind of getting busy. I can't keep 
talking to you."
	Tails got up and shook the man's hand. 
	"Hey, no prob Bob. We have all the info we need."
	They walked away and headed towards one of the 
lodges. Nikki moved towards the front with Tails.
	"What was the point of that?"
	"Hey Nik, I have no clue." Tails looked down at his shoes. 
He raised his head, smiling. "Did ya think it was sexy?"
	Nikki hit him on the back. "Don't start Tails!"
	They reached the lodge and the Freedom Finders 
walked in. They walked in pairs, Tails and Nikki in the front and 
Rocky and Knuckles in the back. Miles lagged behind. Tails walked up 
to the clerk at the desk. The clerk looked at Tails and Nikki and 
then at Rocky and Knuckles.
	"Hmmm....I'm sorry but we don't rent to newly weds."
	"Oh you have the wrong-" Knuckles said, waving his hands at
 the clerk.
	Tails raised his finger to the clerk. "Yes, but do you rent to 
HEDGEHOGS?!"
	The clerk looked at him like he was crazy. 
	"Y-Yes we do."
	"And who may I ask rents here?"
	"That's a hedgehog?"
	"OF COURSE SIR!" Tails was trying to act macho like he 
had done at the hot dog stand.
	"Well, we only have a couple."
	"And they are..."
	"Chuck B. Hedgehog and Don Hedgewood."
	Tail's ears perked up when he heard Chuck's name. 
"Could it be Uncle Chuck?" he asked himself.
	"What room is that Chuck fellow in?"
	Rocky finally got who Chuck was. "Oh I-"
	Tails shushed him. Knuckles and Nikki were confused.
	"He is in room 138B. This floor."
	Tails rushed into the hallway. The others tried to catch up 
with him. "Thanks a bunch dude!"
	"What the heck is going on Tails?" Knuckles called out, 
grabbing Nikki's hand.
	"Uncle Chuck is here! He used to be robotized, 
remember?"
	Knuckles remembered, but Nikki just had to play along. 
Tails reached room 138B and knocked on the door. "Uncle 
Chuck? It's me Tails!"
	No answer.
	Tails knocked louder. "Yo Uncle Chuckie! Open up!"
	Still no answer. 
	Everyone became worried. 
	"Should I break down the door?" Tails said, a worried 
expression shown on his face.
	Knuckles pushed him away and turned the knob. "I think 
you left your brain at the church."
	Tails blush. "Hey, my mind's a little foggy. Cut me a 
break."
	They walked in silently. Tails looked around, and saw a 
note laying on the couch. "Uncle Chuck?"
	Nikki stuck her head out from inside the bedroom. "He 
isn't in the room, Tails."
	Tails picked up the note while everyone searched. It was 
wet and sticky. "Ketchup?" Tails said, looking at the red 
substance. He opened the envelope it was packed in. As he 
read the note, his eyes became blurry.

DEAR FREEDOM LOSERS:
PLAN NUMBER ONE DEAD. DEAD. GET THE DRIFT TAILS? I KNOW 
YOU'RE BACK ON THE FORCE. AND NOW I'VE MADE IT MY 
PERSONAL DUTY TO FIND AND DESTROY YOUR PAST, 
INCLUDING YOU.

YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE BACK, DUDE.

						SINCERELY,
							SX2.

					Chapter 5

	"Tails, what's the matter?" Rocky asked, walking over to 
him.
	"A note Rocky... look at this note." Tails said, giving 
Rocky the note. 
	"Hey, it isn't true, right?" Rocky said, his hands shaking. 
"Right?"
	Nikki and Knuckles heard them and ran over to see what 
was happening.
	Tails walked into the kitchen. "I'm afraid that someone is 
ahead of us. Someone is thinking one step ahead of what we 
do," he said, pouring himself a glass of orange juice.
	Rocky sat down on the couch. "But why Uncle Chuck?"
	Tails gargled the orange juice down and looked at him. 
"Hey, Chuck's alive. This guy or thing is just trying to scare us. 
I've seen this kind of stuff before."
	Rocky looked at Tails and then at the note. "Yeah, 
you're right. Who would want to kill Uncle Chuck?"
	Tails gave him a crazy look. "Excuse me, Robotnik is one 
sick minded character. It wouldn't surprise me if he's the one 
who did this."
	Knuckles looked at the note and ripped it up. "It's 
signed SX2. Who's that you think?"
	"Ahhh, piece of cake. Sonic X."
	"Sonic X doesn't have a head."
	"Silly, I meant Sonic X II. SX2. But I called him Sonic X."
	Nikki gave him a confused look.
	"Nevermind, Nik." Tails said, picking up her backpack for 
her. "Let's head on out. We have to get to the next lodge 
before it gets dark."
	Everyone walked out the door and past the clerk. Tails 
walked into the street and pointed to the lodge across the 
street. "Next stop, `Buck's Stop-o-Rama'!"
	Tails lead the way into the barely lit tavern. There was a 
middle-aged lady at the desk, and Knuckles decided he 
would ask the questions.
	"Hello miss."
	"Well hello there sir. How may I help you?"
	"I was looking to see if you have any hedgehogs renting 
here."
	"Well, I am not sure. Would you mind sitting down while I 
check?"
	"Yes sure." Knuckles motioned for the guys to sit down.
	"What are we waiting for?"
	"Well Miles, she has to see if there are any hedgehogs 
under their listing."
	Miles looked at his brother. "What did he mean?"
	Tails laughed. "He has to see if Sonic is here."
	"Oh."
	The woman returned and called Knuckles to the desk.
	"I'm sorry but we have no hedgehogs under listing. Is 
there any reason why you need them?"
	Knuckles started to walk away. "No reason."
	They walked outside and noticed it was dark.
	"Where are we going to sleep?" Miles asked.
	"We'll sleep at this lodge over here. It looks harmless," 
Tails said, pointing to the worn-down lodge.
	They walked into the main lobby and rang the bell at 
the desk. A man came to the desk and looked at the group.
	"How much are rooms?" Tails asked.
	"45 emers per night."
	Knuckles took out his wallet. "How many in a room?"
	"3 to a room."
	Tails counted heads. "We have 5. Can't we have one 
room?"
	The clerk looked at the group again. "Well, you look like 
a good group..."
	"WE'RE THE FREEDOM FINDERS!" Nikki shouted.
	The man looked at her and smiled. 
	Rocky patted her head. "She's been having problems."
	"Oh..."
	Nikki elbowed Rocky in the side. He yelped and stopped 
patting her head. 
	Tails rolled his eyes and turned back towards the man.
	"Well? Can we?"
	"Have what?"	
	"One room."
	"Yeah, yeah. How many nights?"
	"One. Just tonight."
	"45 emers."
	Knuckles paid for the room. The man handed them the 
keys to room 269. They walked in silence. When they got to 
the room, Tails noticed that the door was locked.

	"Soup Pierre?" Dolcia asked, handing Pierre a bowl of 
tomato soup.
	"Sure. I sure miss the guys around."
	Dolcia comforted him. "They'll be back. We have to 
watch Knothole and stop wondering about them every 
second."
	"Yeah, I guess you're-"
	Pierre was interrupted by a knock at the door. 
	"THERE BACK!"
	Dolcia ran to the door and opened it. A note was 
pinned to the front of the door. Dolcia read it, shaking:

"SEE YOU AT THE WEDDING!!"

	"Noooooooooooooooooooooo!"

	"Tails, they probably just locked it so no one would take 
anything inside."
	"I don't know Miles."
	"I ain't opening it," Rocky said, backing up.
	Tails took out the key and put it into the lock. He turned 
the knob. "Ready?"
	"Yeah," Knuckles said.
	The door swung open. The television was on, and there 
was a figure sitting in the chair facing away from them.
	"Who are you?"
	The figure turned around and...

TO BE CONTINUED!!!!!!!!!

Stay tuned for: Knuckles III: A Visit From The Grave (Part 2)