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


	As Tails saw who the figure was, he felt dizzy.
	"Binx..."
	"Tails? Is that you?"
	Tails ran over to her and gave her a hug.
	"Please...you're squishing me!"
	Knuckles walked over to her and grabbed her hand. 
"But how Binx? You were in the church...the remains..."
	"I was standing by the door. Someone pulled me outside 
right as it blew up. I don't know who."
	"But what about your grave? Your bones?"
	"They aren't mine. As soon as the church blew up, I ran. I 
ran as fast as I could. I couldn't handle being a Freedom 
Fighter. I knew he would come back."
	"He's dead. For sure."
	"How do you know?"
	"Tails X is wearing his skull. Or at least some of it."
	"Why?"
	"The castle blew up. His face is messed up."
	Knuckles sat there, telling Binx the story about her sister, 
and how Knuckles and Tails X came back to life. Tails was 
hearing some of this stuff for the first time also.
	"Let's get some sleep and head out in the morning," Binx 
told them, making beds for the group.
	"Goodnight Binx," Knuckles said, smiling.

	The night went by quickly for Knuckles. He was deciding 
where they would be headed next. As everyone headed out 
the door, Knuckles stopped them.
	"I just got a thought."
	Tails turned around and stopped the gang. "What is it?"
	"Don't you think that it is a coincidence that the man at 
the desk gave us the keys to Binx's room?"
	Tails agreed, and headed towards the desk. He rang the 
bell. 
	No one came.
	He rang it again.
	No one came.
	Binx pointed to something on the bulletin board across 
the room. "What's that?"
	Tails ran over and saw a piece of cloth pinned to a note. 
"Hey, I recognize this..." 

DEAR FREEDOM LOSERS:
COMING UP EMPTY? BINX AIN'T GONNA GIVE YOU ANY HELP. 
BUT I CAN. SO FAR ALL YOU HAVE OF SONIC IS THIS CLOTH, A 
PIECE OF HIS TUXEDO. 
YOU GUYS AIN'T EVEN CLOSE. GO BACK TO KNOTHOLE, I HAVE 
A SURPRISE FOR YOU. A BIG SURPRISE.

						WITHOUT LOVE,
							SX2

	"He's in Knothole! He's got to be! This thing has him!" 
Tails screamed.
	Binx tried to calm him down. "Tails, we won't get 
anywhere unless you calm down."
	Tails relaxed himself. "all right, let's go."
	They walked out of the barely lit lodge silent.

	Knuckles lead the way home. Nikki, Rocky, and Miles 
were getting aquatinted with Binx. Tails walked alone at the 
end of the pack.
	Binx looked back and saw Tails. "Come on Tails."
	Tails looked up. It was apparent to Binx that he had 
been crying. Binx separated herself from the newcomers and 
walked next to Tails.
	"What's the matter?" she asked, looking at his tear-
stained face.
	"Nothing, nothing at all."
	"There's something the matter."
	"I just miss Sonic so much. When I see him, I don't know 
how to react. I'm mad and glad at the same time."
	"Mad?"
	"He left me on the road. Remember Knuckles told you?"
	"Oh. Well, try to control your emotions. We don't know 
what state he is going to be in."
	"Yeah, I guess you're right. What are you going to do 
when you see him?"
	"He's my husband."
	"Yeah?"
	Binx laughed. "I really haven't thought about it."
	Tails smiled. "That makes two of us!"
	They hugged and continued to walk. They remembered 
all of the memories until Knuckles interrupted them.
	"We're in Knothole," he said, looking at Binx. "Ready for 
a glimpse of the past?"
	"As ready as I'm going to be."
	Knuckles took them to the grave sight. Miles showed Tails 
his grave.
	"Well, I must admit it looks a little snug."
	Miles laughed. "Can you imagine you in that thing?"
	Tails looked serious.
	"Sorry."
	Tails and Binx knelt down on the other graves. They 
closed their eyes in prayer.
	"Ready to go?" Knuckles said, putting on his back pack.
	Tails helped Binx up. "Yeah, let's go."
	They walked to the cabins. Binx remembered everything 
now, but the land was dry and brown. 
	"What happened? Where's the lake?"
	"They all dried up," Rocky said.
	Binx gasped. "The power rings..."
	Tail's jaw dropped. "We forgot about the rings!"
	Knuckles ran to the lake. "There's nothing there."
	Binx calmed down. "No more rings for us."
	When they reached the cabins, Dolcia and Pierre ran 
out. "You're back!"
	"AND READY FOR ACTION!" Tails said.

			Chapter 3

	They went inside and told them the story. 
	"Well, let's go!" Dolcia exclaimed.
	"Whoa, where exactly are we going?" Tails questioned.
	"The castle! He's probably in the castle!"
	Tails walked over and looked her in the eyes. "Do you 
really think that MY hero, MY roll model would be in THAT 
SORRY EXCUSE FOR A CASTLE?"
	Dolcia smiled. "Yes, I do."
	Tails backed off. "I thought so. Let's head on out!"
	Knuckles stopped. "We're all going?"
	"Of course. Every time we went apart we lost," Tails said, 
turning to him.
	"Well, not every time..."
	"Yes."
	Knuckles thought about it. "Okay...maybe we lost as a 
group once or twice."
	"Well, I frankly don't care. I just want to get the heck out 
of here!" Pierre exclaimed. 
	"And I want to see my Sonny!" Binx said, grabbing Tail's 
hand as they walked out the door.
	
	Everyone wondered what to do when they reached the 
castle door.
	"Going in?" Binx said, pushing the door open.
	"Uh, of course. Let's stay together," Knuckles said.
	Tails pulled him back. "Me, you, and Binx should go in. 
Let them stay out here in case they try to run."
	Knuckles agreed. "Hey guys, you stay out here in case 
they try to escape."
	"All right," Miles said. Rocky was not too happy but 
followed the command.
	Binx, Knuckles and Tails walked up the stairs to the main 
room. They all heard voices coming from inside.
	"Yes...notes...planted...plan...on schedule..." the voice 
said.
	"They planted the notes! Sonic's in there!" Knuckles 
whispered.
	The door was open. Knuckles looked in and saw Destiny 
and Tails X talking about some kind of plan. Before Knuckles 
could say anything, Tails burst into the room.
	"WHERE'S SONIC?"
	Tails X gasped. "HOW THE HECK DID YOU COME BACK?"
	"DON'T LIE! I KNOW YOU SENT THOSE NOTES!"
	Destiny smiled. "I SENT THE NOTES, YOU IDIOT! I 
FOLLOWED YOU AROUND! AND THE MAN IN BINX'S HOTEL WAS 
HIM!" Destiny pointed to Robotnik.
	"I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN! THE GUY WAS THIN!" Binx 
exclaimed.
	"Remember this?" Robotnik said, pulling out the 
morphing formula.
	"THAT WAS DESTROYED!" Knuckles said, shocked.
	"OR SO YOU THOUGHT! I GOT IT! AND I CAN TURN INTO 
WHOEVER I WANT!" Robotnik laughed.
	"Oh man, we really fouled up before," Tails said.
	"Don't cry yet, Tails! There's one more surprise for you!" 
Tails X said, pointing to a curtain in the corner.
	Knuckles, Binx and Tails tried to figure out the situation 
they were in. Tails X walked over to the curtain.
	"And now, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I have 
the plan of the century. The plan that I have been working on 
all my life!"
	"Get on with it, Tails X!" Knuckles yelled from across the 
room.
	"MAY I PRESENT TO YOU, THE SUPREME BEING THAT WILL 
KILL THE FREEDOM FIGHTERS FOREVER! HE IS CHAINED UP AND 
DRUGGED, SO DON'T TRY ANYTHING QUICK!"
	Binx waited anxiously for Tails X to remove the curtain.
	"BINX, KNUCKLES, TAILS, MEET YOUR FATE! SONIC X2!"
	The curtain was taken down. Binx screamed. Knuckles 
froze. Tails just couldn't believe what he was seeing. 

			Chapter 4

	Rocky was the first one to react. 
	"HOW COULD YOU? HOW? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US 
BEFORE WE LEFT?" he turned to Knuckles. "I KNEW IT WOULD BE 
A WASTE OF TIME TO LOOK FOR HIM!"
	"SONIC! NO, THAT'S NOT SONIC!" Binx yelled.
	Destiny walked over and put her hand on Sonic X2's 
face. "He is cute, don't ya think?"
	Sonic X2 woke up and saw he was chained up. "Where, 
where am I?"
	"IT IS HIM! HE'S JUST, PART, PART ROBOT!" Tails said, 
looking into Sonic X2's eyes.
	"Tails, Tails old buddy...you've got to help me!" Sonic 
said to him, realizing what Tails X and Robotnik had done to 
him.
	"DON'T TRY IT HEDGEHOG!" Robotnik pulled out a 
remote control. "I CONTROL YOU!"
	Robotnik pushed the button and Sonic's eyes flashed 
red. Destiny smiled, "Wow Binx, you got the good one!"
	"SHUT UP YOU IGNORANT, NO-GOOD, ROTTEN, WANT-TO-
BE SISTER!"	 Binx threatened.
	Sonic broke the chains and stood up. Rocky, who had 
secretly came into the room, walked over to him and held 
out his hand. 
	"Come home, Sonic. Fight the curse that Robotnik 
placed on you!"
	Sonic looked at Rocky and then at his hand. Sonic 
grabbed it and twisted it. 
	"OOOWWWW!" Rocky screamed in pain. He ran down 
the stairs and out to the others.
	Knuckles couldn't take it anymore. He ran over to 
Robotnik and grabbed the remote control. 
	"HEY! GIVE THAT BACK!" Robotnik screamed, chasing 
him around the room. Knuckles threw it onto the ground and 
tried to smash it. It didn't smash.
	"Tails, help!" Knuckles called out, Robotnik was gaining 
on him.
	Tails ran over and together he and Knuckles tried to 
smash the remote. Finally it was crushed. 
	"NO! MY INVENTION..." Robotnik shouted, looking at the 
broken pieces of the controller. 
	As Knuckles and Tails turned around, they heard a 
scream. They looked over at the window and saw Destiny 
holding her sister out of the window.
	"MOVE AND SHE DIES! I MEAN IT!" Destiny warned them.
	Tails tried to calm her down. "We can talk this over."
	"NO! ALL MY LIFE I'VE HAD TO PUT UP WITH HER, BEING 
THE COOL, OLD SISTER. WELL, I'M SICK OF IT!"
	"Everyone gets a little jealous every once in a while," 
Knuckles said.
	"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! SHE HAS TO LEARN A 
LESSON!"
	Destiny began to cry. Binx looked into her sister eyes, as 
Destiny began to loose her grip on Binx's arm. Binx by this time 
was completely out the window.
	Tails pleaded with her. "Please, please let her up. We'll 
leave."
	"No...don't leave me here!" Sonic said in the corner. He 
had broken one of the chains connected to his wrist.
	Knuckles ran over to Sonic and tried to free him from the 
other chain. Tails X grabbed him from behind and slammed 
him against the wall. 
	"Don't try it Knuckles!" he said, slapping him in the face.
	Tails was trying to stop Destiny when he was also 
grabbed from behind by Robotnik.
	"No! Binx!" Tails shouted as Robotnik pulled him towards 
Knuckles.
	They faced them back to back and tied them up.
	"That's should hold them!" Robotnik said, laughing. 
	Destiny stopped crying and looked at Binx. "Binx..."
	"Destiny, help me up. We have catching up to do."
	"Binx..."
	"Destiny, is something the matter?"
	"Poor Binx..."
	"SAY SOMETHING TO ME!"
	"I'm so sorry Binx, but I have no choice..."
	"Wha? What are you saying?"
	"Good-bye Binx, good-bye..."
	"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" Binx screamed as Destiny let go 
of Binx's arm.
	"Binx!" Tails said, seeing Destiny let go. He then turned 
to Robotnik. "Untie us you idiot!"
	"Is that anyway to talk to your guests?" Robotnik said, 
holding Tail's face.
	Destiny turned around and saw them tied up. "Tails X, let 
them go! It's no fun if they're tied up!"
	Tails X obediently untied them. "Alright, you're right."
	Tails jumped on Tails X and tried to rip off them mask. He 
couldn't get it off. Knuckles broke the chain on Sonic.
	"Knuckles, thank God you're back," Sonic said, hugging 
him.
	Knuckles got tears in his eyes. "I wish we were all here to 
share this moment."
	Sonic looked at Robotnik. He was staring at them. "We 
better take care of blubber butt first." He pointed to Robotnik. 
"YOU BETTER START RUNNING CAUSE WHEN I GET A HOLD OF 
YOU I'M GOING CRAZY!"
	Robotnik laughed. "Silly hedgehog! You did that before! 
And remember what happened, I came back!"
	Sonic didn't know what to say. Neither did Knuckles. 
Destiny laughed, but then stopped suddenly and pointed to 
the door. She screamed. Everyone stopped fighting, and 
arguing. They looked at the door.
	Standing there was Binx, covered with leaves, sticks, and 
thorns.

			Chapter 5

	"HOW? HOW DID YOU SURVIVE THAT?" Destiny said, 
shocked.
	"YOU NEVER CUT DOWN THOSE DUMB BUSHES!" she said, 
angry and out of breath.	
	Sonic looked at her weird. "The ones from the cliff?"
	"Yes! You guys have to start removing all these survival 
things."
	Knuckles gasped. "God, you scared me half to death!"
	"I always survive everything. I guess I'm just an God's 
side."
	Robotnik laughed nervously. "Heh, heh! You're just really 
really really really really really really really lucky!"
	Destiny walked over and punched her. "You, you 
goody-goody! You're always in the spotlight!"
	Binx knocked her down and they start fighting. Knuckles 
and Sonic continued to argue with Robotnik. Tails tried to rip 
off Tails X's mask.
	The fighting went on until another scream was heard. 
This time it came from Tails. Knuckles and Sonic turned around 
and looked at Tails who was kneeing beside Tails X.
	In his hands was the mask. Sonic X's mask that Tails X 
had used to cover up the past. Now it was removed, and the 
bloody gash in Tails X's face was revealed. 
	"PUT IT BACK ON! PUT IT BACK ON!" Tails screamed as he 
shoved the mask back on Tails X's face. Tails X took it from him 
and stood up.
	"Look. Look at me."
	They stared, shocked, at the disfigured face.
	"Look what happened to me. All because I tried to act 
cool. All because I wanted Sonic X's legacy to continue on 
forever." He walked over to the window and looked at the 
mask one last time. Then he looked at the black pigeon sitting on 
the window.
	"Tails X, what are you going to do?" Sonic asked.
	"Good-bye Sonic X, Good-bye..." he tied the mask to 
the black pigeon's leg and let the bird fly away.
	"WHY THE HECK DID YOU DO THAT?" Robotnik asked, 
furious.
	"I had to...look at me."
	"I'M LOOKING! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO SEE? A 
SENSITIVE, CARING FOX WHO WANTS TO TUNR GOOD?"
	Tails X turned around and started him in the face.
	"I didn't say I wanted to do that."
	"WELL IT SURE SEEMED LIKE IT."
	"I don't. I just wanted to make a point-"
	"WHAT KIND OF POINT? DON'T WEAR SOMEONE ELSE'S 
SKULL UNLESS YOU ASK FIRST?"
	"No, not quite. I don't need a mask to rule the world. I 
can do it with my looks!"
	Knuckles laughed. "You expect people to bow before 
you when they see your ugly face?"
	Tails X smiled. "Yeah, you could say that."
	Binx, Knuckles, Tails, and Sonic locked arms. Knuckles 
smiled at Tails X. "We are four people who would rather die 
than ever bow down to you or Robotnik!"
	Destiny smiled at them and pulled something out of 
behind her back. "Look what I found!" 
	It was the same knife that had almost killed Nikki before. 
Knuckles had remembered telling the guys about it.
	Knuckles froze. "I thought I threw that out the window!"
	Destiny waved it in front of his face. "Nah, it was easy to 
find. Heck, you gave me three days to find it!"
	"So what are you going to do? Kill us?" Tails questioned 
her.
	"Well, I was thinking about it..."
	"You already chickened out on killing me!" Binx said.
	Destiny walked over to her and grabbed her neck. "You 
survived the first time, but this time there's no bushes to help 
you!"
	Sonic pushed in front of her the guard her. "You ain't 
touching no one without getting through me."
	Destiny acted surprised. She walked over to him and 
rested her head on his shoulder. "Aw, the strong hedgehog to 
the rescue!"
	Sonic pushed her away. "Please, I don't want your 
fleas."
	"Well then, I suggest you move."
	"No."
	"Then prepare to die Sonic."
	She charged him, the knife in her hand. Sonic didn't 
move. As she came closer Sonic ducked and grabbed her 
legs. He flipped her over his back. She landed hard on her 
back.
	Robotnik laughed and ran towards the window. "You 
may have won this time, but I grant you, hedgehog, that I will 
be back!" With that he jumped out of the window.
	"DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY!" Knuckles yelled, running 
down the stairs. Sonic and Tails followed. Binx ran down but 
didn't see Destiny following closely behind her. Binx turned 
around and saw Destiny. But it was not in time. Binx was 
shoved down the five flights of stairs. Her scream was 
deafening.
	"Binx!" Sonic called to her, seeing her laying motionless 
at the bottom of the stairs. He rushed over to her and noticed 
that she was breathing. Her eyes opened and she stared at 
Sonic.
	"I'm fine. Get Robotnik..."
	"No! You're hurt..."
	She tried to get up. "I'll get up on my own. Go now!"
	Binx ran back up the stairs and into the control room. 
Sonic watched her and then went outside to find Robotnik.

			Chapter 6

	"Get back here Robotnik!" Tails yelled, running out of the 
door. He noticed that Dolcia and Rocky were holding him 
down. Tails walked over and told them to let him stand up.
	"So Robotnik, met defeat yet?"
	"Nah, is he nice?"
	"You only wish."
	"He couldn't be like me, I'm too handsome and witty."
	"Hey, I'm the jokester around here."
	"Oh, I remember now! I'm talking to the real Tails! The 
old Tails! Not the one who had to fight me alone when Sonic 
was stuck in that hole!"
	"And I won too!"
	Robotnik laughed. "So you think!"
	Tails was about to say something when a strange voice 
interrupted them.
	"Sonic....Tails....Knuckles....Binx...."
	Robotnik looked around. "What the heck was that?"
	Knuckles and Sonic had heard it too. "It sounded like a 
voice of some kind," Sonic said.
	"Guess....what..."
	"Did you hear that?" Tails X asked them.
	Knuckles was spooked. "This is totally weird!"
	"Answer it!" Robotnik called to Sonic. 
	"What?" Sonic asked the voice, rolling his eyes.
	"Guess....what..."
	"WHAT?" Sonic asked again.
	"I'm..."
	"WHAT?"
	"I'm....back...."
	"WHO?"
	They all stared as a figure walked out from in the woods. 
It was almost transparent. The figure was dressed in a long, 
flowing, white dress.
	"Who are you?" Sonic asked.
	"Robotnik captured me....I was held in the castle....you 
saved me....I am Princess Sally...."
	"IT CAN'T BE! SALLY GIRL? IS IT REALLY YOU?" Tails said, 
walking over to the figure.
	"I was a ghost before then human....I am a ghost 
now....please turn me back...."
	Sonic slapped his head. "I REMEMBER! SHE WAS A 
GHOST! I SAVED HER AND WE MADE HER HUMAN! BUT WHEN 
THE BOMB WENT OFF, SHE TURNED BACK INTO A GHOST!"
	Knuckles looked at him like he was crazy. "When did you 
have to save her?"
	"When I was in the castle I found her. She was a ghost!"
	"Oh, I understand now!" Knuckles said, staring at Sally.
	Robotnik and Tails X looked at Sally. "This is totally weird. 
I have to get out of here!" Robotnik said, pointing at the 
castle door. They ran into the castle and shut the door. Sonic, 
Knuckles, Tails, and the others didn't care about Robotnik and 
Tails X. They concentrated on Sally.
	"Sally, we can find the spell that turned you into a 
human. Don't worry," Tails said, leading her to a stump to sit 
down.
	"I won't...."
	They were about to leave when they remembered Binx. 
	"BINX!" Sonic ran to the door.
	Locked. The door was locked. 
	Sonic tried to pound on it, trying to knock it down. 
	He couldn't. All he could hear were screams coming 
from inside the castle. Screams from Binx. Sonic collapsed at 
the door.
	"Binx...no! I knew I should have stayed with you!"
	Knuckles walked over and tried to break down the door. 
"It's no use, they don't hear us."
	Tails heard what happened. "What are we going to 
do?"
	"We'll have to come back," Sonic said, holding his head 
in his hands.
	Tails put his hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry bud, we'll 
get her back."
	Miles smiled. "Yeah! Binxie is hot!"
	Sonic laughed. "Keep your hands off!"
	They walked home, looking back at the castle as they 
went.

	When they returned home, Sonic found the spell 
they had used 15 years ago.  It wasn't long before Sally was 
back to her normal self.
	"I feel so good!" Sally said, stretching out. 
	Rocky walked over to his brother. "Well, we better be 
heading out."
	"What? What do you mean?"
	Rocky and the New Freedom Fighters gathered at the 
door. "Most of you are here. We are of no need anymore. THE 
OLD FREEDOM FIGHTERS ARE BACK!" Rocky said, packing up.
	Sonic began to cry. So did Tails. "Without you guys we 
wouldn't be here," Tails said, hugging his brother. 
	Miles, who was very emotional, cling to his brother as 
they piled into the car. "No! Tailsie!" he cried as Rocky pulled 
him away.
	Tails couldn't help to show emotion. All he saw as they 
pulled away was Miles pressed against the back window. 
Tails looked down and saw Miles tiny footprints in the mud. 
"See-ya bro," Tails said, trying to stop crying. Sonic and 
Knuckles helped him into the house. "See-ya Miles."
	
	"What could you call this experience?" Knuckles said, 
unpacking with Sally.
	"That's a tough one."
	"Dead to Back Two!"
	"Nah, sounds....horror type."
	"SSKTB TF!"
	"What?"
	"Sonic, Sally, Knuckles, Tails, Binx, Together Forever!"
	"No way! Too many letters!"
	"Why don't you think of one?"
	"How about, "A Visit from the Grave"?"
	Knuckles looked at her. "I could live with that."

			The End


Stay tuned For: Knuckles IV: Sister Sister