Knuckles the Echidna IV: Sister Sister

	A month has passed since Sonic has seen Binx. He been 
pacing the floors, trying to find an answer, trying to find a way 
to get Binx out safely. He wasn't even sure if she was safe. The 
scream still echoes in his ear. The blood-curdling scream that 
told Sonic that they were fighting true evil. How can they stop 
it?
	"There's no way," Sonic told Tails sitting on his bed. 
	"Yeah there is. We just haven't found it yet, that's all. 
We'll find it."
	"When Tails? We have to get back there and get Binx 
out. She's in there with Robotnik, Destiny, and Tails X. I don't 
like that combination." 
	"It's better than you and them!"
	Sonic laughed. "Yeah, SX2 has to show them a lesson 
they will never forget!"
	"It's amazing that we got those metal parts off of you. 
They were on you good!"
	"Well, what can I say? Metal's my thing."	
	"All I can say is that no one compares to Sonic X."
	"Yeah, you can say that again."
	Tails stood up. "I won't because I am mature!"
	Sonic rolled his eyes. "Since when?"
	"Hey, My 20th birthday isn't that far off!"
	"Try nine months."
	"Yeah, I had to spend my birthdays on the road, all 
alone."
	Sonic frowned. "Tails, I said I was sorry. What do I have to 
do?"
	Tails walked out of the room. "Hot shot Sonic, gets 
everyone on his side!"
	"TAILS! YOU KNOW THAT ISN'T TRUE!"
	Tails popped his head back into the room. "I know more 
than you do! Times two!"
	Tails ran out of the house, leaving Sonic still sitting on the 
bed.

	Sally sat at the dried up lake. "What happened to this 
place, Knuckles?"
	"Don't ask me, I'm as clueless as you."
	Sally looked over at the cave. "Poor Rotor..."
	"They never did look in there for him. He's as dead as a 
door nail. Like the rest of them."
	Sally laughed. "Geez, you're so nice."
	"Thank you. Hey, is that Tails running this way?" Knuckles 
said as he turned around.
	"Yeah, I wonder what he wants." 
	Tails was breathless. "I can't stand him anymore!  He 
treats me like such a baby!"
	"Whoa Tails, who are we talking about?" Knuckles 
asked.
	"Sonic! Oh Sonic! Everyone loves Sonic!"	
	Sally stood up and grabbed Tail's shoulders. "Calm 
down and talk to him."
	He pushed her away. "NO! I'm sick of it!" He started to 
walk away from them, towards the castle. "I'm sick of all of 
you! GET OUT OF MY LIFE!"
	"TAILS! COME BACK!" Knuckles screamed as Tails kept 
walking.
	Tails turned around. "BUTT OUT!"

	Knuckles and Sally ran back to the cabin Sonic was 
sitting on the bed, staring at the wall. 
	"Sonic, what happened?" Sally asked.
	"I, I don't know. He's just...fed up with me I guess."
	"I don't understand," Knuckles said, sitting down next to 
Sonic.
	"He's mad because I left him alone. On the road."
	"Like it was your fault."
	"I went into town and got a room. The next morning I 
was going to go get him. But Tails X got me."
	Knuckles gasped. "Whoa whoa. You were here the 
WHOLE DARN TIME? Tails X put on an act! He wanted us to 
leave!"
	Sonic got up. "Where did Tails go?"
	"He went towards...towards..."
	"WHERE SALLY?!"
	"Towards the castle."
	Sonic punched the wall. "NO! TAILS, WHY MUST YOU DO 
THIS NOW?!"

			Chapter 2
	
	Tails walked along the path. As he entered the clearing, 
he looked at Knuckle's old grave.
	"Stupid Knuckles. Why do I have to be a baby? Why do 
they still treat me like a baby?"
	He kept walking until he saw something shiny in the 
middle of the clearing. He walked over and looked down.
	"Sonic X, what a competitor."
	There, laying at his feet was one of Sonic X's claws. The 
same claw that went through Tail's heart almost 15 years ago.
	"God, I still have the scar."
	He looked at his chest. Indeed, right over his heart there 
was a scar.
	"Oh, I hate memor-"
	Tails grabbed the claw. "Yes! I got it!"
	Tails ran towards the church rubble. 

	"Yo Tails! Where is he?" Sonic asked Knuckles as they 
walked towards the castle. Sally had stayed home. 
	Knuckles walked up to the castle door and pulled it 
open. "Hey Son, it's open."
	Sonic ran in ran up to the main room. "Bi-" Knuckles 
stopped him. "Quiet Sonic. We don't know what's going on."
	They listened carefully.

	"Stop! She's my sister for God's sake! If you're going to 
do that, get a longer whip!" Destiny screamed at Robotnik.
	"Who died and made you evil?"
	"No one! Shut up and listen to me!"
	Robotnik walked over to where Tails X was sleeping. He 
was on the guard chair. Robotnik cracked the whip.
	"WAKE UP!"
	Tails X jumped. "Whoa! What happened?"
	"GET ME A LONGER WHIP!"
	Tails X looked around in the storage room behind him. 
"Here ya go, NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!"
	Robotnik walked over to Binx. She was covered with 
blood and cuts.
	"Stop...now..."
	"SHUT UP! NO ONE'S HERE TO HELP YOU!"
	"Please...."
	Sonic was about to run into the room when something 
grabbed him and Knuckles from behind. "Ouch! My neck!" 
Sonic yelled.
	It was dark in the stairway, so Sonic and Knuckles could 
not tell who it was. All they saw were ten long claws. 
	"Sonic X?" Sonic managed to say.
	"Worse."
	"Clucky?!" Knuckles joked.
	"It's me."
	"Tails?!"
	"Yes Sonic."
	"Why the claws?"
	"Must you ask questions?"
	Knuckles was getting impatient. "What the heck do you 
think you're doing? Binx is getting the dirt beat out of here 
and we, are out here talking to you, Wolverine man."
	Tails let go of their necks. "Listen, all I want you to know is 
that I am as good as you and Sonic. If you don't believe me, 
well, there are ways we can settle that."
	Sonic laughed. "You took the time to go through the 
rubble for Sonic X's old claws just to make a point?"
	"I want to be the leader."
	"What?"
	"You heard me Sonic. I want to be the leader of the 
Freedom Fighters. You said when you got too old and retired 
from the fighters-"
	"WHOA WHOA! When did I retire?"
	"But when you left, me and Knuckles were the leaders. 
When you came back, we got pushed to the back."
	Sonic stood up. "Tails, I'm leader and you and Knuckles 
are vice leaders."
	Knuckles looked at him. "What the heck is a vice 
leader?
	Sonic slapped his head. "God!"
	A scream came from inside the main room. Tails ripped 
off the claws and followed the others into the room.

			Chapter 3

	Robotnik stood in front of Binx, blocking Sonic's view. He 
could hear Robotnik laughing.
	"Ha ha ha ha ha ha aha!" 
	Knuckles ran up to Robotnik and pushed him out of the 
way. Destiny screamed. "GET HIM OUT OF HERE! HE'S RUINING 
EVERYTHING!"
	Robotnik fell to the ground and was knocked 
unconscious, and Binx was revealed. Her face, was torn and 
bloody. Knuckles had to make sure it was her. Tails and Sonic 
ran over. 
	Sonic tried to rip off the chains. "Binx, are you okay?"
	Binx tried to speak but she couldn't. She had lost her 
voice from screaming. She stared at Sonic as he tried to pull 
off the chains.
	Tails X saw what they were trying to do and ran over to 
Tails. He jumped on his back. 
	"What the-hey! Get off of me!"
	Knuckles tried to knock Tails X off of Tail's back. Destiny 
ran over to Sonic and pulled him away from Binx. "GET AWAY 
FROM HER!"
	Sonic pushed her away. "CAN'T YOU SEE WHAT YOU'VE 
DONE?!"
	"I DON'T CARE, FRANKLY! SHE'S CAUSED ME SO MUCH 
PAIN, IT'S TIME FOR HER TO GET SOME OF HER OWN 
MEDICINE!"
	Binx tried to speak, but only sounds of air escaped her 
mouth. 
	Sonic managed to free one of Binx's arm. He ran over to 
the other, but Destiny pulled him away again.
	"STOP HELPING HER! STOP STOP!" Destiny screamed. 
Sonic punched her and she fell to the floor. She yelped and 
grabbed her chin. "OH! YOU'RE GONNA GET IT NOW!" 
	Destiny got up and ran towards Sonic. She grabbed him 
by the neck and carried him over to Robotnik. She bent over 
and picked up the whip next to him. She cracked it, which 
got everyone's attention. Tails X stared at her. While he was 
distracted, Knuckles quick shotted him in the jaw and he fell 
off Tail's back. 
	"Hey, if I would have known that was going to happen, I 
would have gotten Destiny to strip for him!"	
	Destiny looked at him and smiled. "Of course Tailsie 
would enjoy that!"
	"UGH!" Knuckles said, slapping his hand.
	Destiny cracked the whip again to stop the foolessness. 
"As you can see, I have the most handsome and muscular 
guy in Knothole--besides Tailsie--in my hands." She gave Sonic 
a kiss. Binx looked away. "Luckily Binx, you are here to witness 
the final fight of your husband, Sonic the Hedgehog, and I will 
be doing the honors." She turned to Knuckles and Tails who 
were walking slowly towards her. "And just to be sure that you 
two don't get in the way, TAKE THAT!" She turned around and 
pulled the lever in back of her. A trap door underneath them 
gave way. They plummeted into complete darkness. 

			Chapter 4

	"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Tails cried as they kept on falling. 
He looked up and saw Destiny looked in. 
	"Sweet dreams, boys!" she yelled down and she closed 
the door.
	They stood in complete darkness. Neither of them said 
anything. 
	Tails broke the silence. "Um....Knuckles?"
	"Yeah?"
	"Where the heck are we?"
	"Don't ask."
	"How do we get out?"
	Knuckles didn't answer. 
	"Knuck?"
	He still didn't answer.
	"HELLO?"
	Tails felt around and picked up a candle. He knelt down 
on the ground and quickly struck the candle against the cold 
earth. He stood back up as the candle started to burn.
	All at once, a bright light filled the room. Knuckles was 
sitting on a chair, staring at the thing laying in his lap. 
	"What...what is it Knuckles?"
	Knuckles looked up. "It's Rotor."
	Tails laughed. "That's impossible! Rotor was in the cave 
that was sealed up! How can you tell it was him by a pile of 
bones?"
	Knuckles picked up something that was shiny. "This tag 
says `Rotor'."
	Tails grabbed the tag. "I can't believe it. It's really him! 
But why is he here?"
	Knuckles put the bones back in the corner. "Well, we 
can worry about that later. We have to find a way to get up 
there. Sonic's in major-o-so trouble and Binx ain't gonna help. 
We gotta get both of them out of there, before Binx bleeds to 
death."
	Tails thought about what he had said. "Hmmm, that's a 
long way up."
	"It sure is." 
	"Got any suggestions?"
	Knuckles bent over. "Get on my back. We might be able 
to reach the door."
	Tails stood on Knuckles back. Tails stretched for the door, 
but could get it. "Hey Knuck, I need a few more inches!"
	Knuckles tried to straighten his back. "How's that?"
	CRACK! 
	Tails heard the whip crack. "Did you hear that?"
	"No, what?"
	"The whip cracked! I can hear it! I can open the door!" 
Tails pushed on the door and it opened. Tails slid out. "Come 
on Knuckles!" Tails said as he held out his hand for Knuckles. 
	Knuckles held out his hand. "I can't reach!"
	Destiny saw Tails and she ran over and pushed him in. 
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"
	Tails grabbed the edge of the hole. He flipped himself 
up. As he surveyed the room, he saw Robotnik and Tails X 
holding down Sonic. Sonic was all covered with blood. Binx 
was still chained to the wall with one arm, looking away and 
crying. She had her voice back.
	"Tails, you must save Sonic!" Binx said, looking into Tail's 
eyes.
	Destiny turned around and saw that Tails was in the 
room again. 
	"DIDN'T I GET RID OF YOU?"
	Tails smiled. "No. You only wish."
	"Look at full grown Tailsie Wailsie. Aww! Ain't he just the 
cutest thing you ever saw?"
	Tails remembered the conversation he had had with 
Sonic. The anger started to build up again, but stronger. He 
forgot all about Knuckles, all about what Binx had said. He 
walked over to Sonic and looked into his eyes.
	"Did you hear what he said?" 
	Sonic looked at him. He turned away and coughed up 
blood. 
	"DID YOU? DID YOU HOT SHOT?"
	"Tails...please..."
	"Sonic, I asked you a question NOW ANSWER ME!"
	"Yes I did."
	"And what do you have to say about it?"
	"Tails, this subject is over and done with. Help me."
	"I'M SICK OF YOUR STUPID COCKY WAYS!" Tails said, 
punching Sonic. Robotnik and Tails X let go. Tails pushed Sonic 
to the ground and grabbed his neck. "YOU KNOW HOW IT 
FEELS! YOU DO! THE STAB, THE CLAW, THAT STUPID NAIL HAS 
RUINED OUR LIVES! I CAN'T TAKE IT!"
	Knuckes ran into the room and pulled Tails off of Sonic.
	"Stop man! We're the Freedom Fighters! Fighters as in 
FIGHT THE EVIL! Not each other!"
	Robotnik laughed. "It's come down like that lately."
	Sonic was going to say something but he stopped 
himself. `It's true,' he thought. `Robotnik actually has a good 
point.'
	"WHAT DO YOU KNOW ROBOTNIK?" Tails shouted, 
stepping over Sonic.
	"I do know that Binx is over there watching all this. she 
can agree."
	Everyone looked at Binx. She was crying, no one had 
noticed. "D-Don't look at me."
	Robotnik smiled. "She can't face it."
	"Ha ha ha! And what is that?" Destiny said, standing 
next to Binx.
	"The Freedom Fighters rather fight each other than worry 
about us!"

			Chapter 5

	Silence filled the room. Knuckles clenched his fists and 
aimed them at Sonic and Tails. He started to laugh.
	"After all these year you guys haven't gotten the drift. I 
can't believe it."
	Sonic looked confused. "What are you talking about, 
Knuckles?"
	Tails gasped. "Oh no."
	"Tails?" Binx asked as Tails turned pale.
	Knuckles and Robotnik laughed. 
	"TRADER! YOU WERE LYING TO US THE WHOLE TIME! YOU 
BEEN ON THEIR SIDE EVER SINCE WE CALLED YOU BACK! YOU 
NEVER DID QUIT BEING ROBOTNIK'S BODYGUARD! YOU TOLD 
THEM ALL OF OUR PLANS! HOW COULD YOU?" Tails screamed.
	"Ha ha ha ha ha! Of course bright boy would get it! And 
on my way up here, you know Tails, since you ditched me, I 
FOUND THESE!"
	Knuckles pulled out the claws that Tails had made. He 
put them on and walked towards Binx. He pointed to her 
face. "You wanted to stay like this? Well, or do you want it 
WORSE?"
	"Don't hurt her, whatever you do," Sonic pleaded with 
him.
	Destiny walked over to Sonic. "And you, my beautiful 
hedgehog, will be mine."
	Tails and Sonic started to back up. Tails X was waiting 
behind them to put the handcuffs around their wrists. 
	Tails tried to get them off. "NO! YOU CAN'T!"
	"The Freedom Fighters are finally ours!" Robotnik said, 
putting on the ankle chains.

			The End

Stay tuned for: Sonic the Hedgehog XII: Where the Trouble Started!!!!