Knuckles and Rouge

6 - Sweating It Out

It took some clever dodging (and nearly losing a wing in the process) for Rouge to evade her massive pursuer long enough to make it to the ruins, her only available potential hiding place.

She ducked behind a piece of crumbling wall, out of sight, before she answered what turned out to be Tails' frantic cries.

"...Rouge! Answer me!"

"Busy fighting for my life here, Two-Tail," She eventually answered upon catching her breath.

"Yeah, I -heard- as much! Did you catch sight of any weaknesses on that thing?"

"No!" It wasn't for lack of trying, either. The golem's diamond-hard body rendered melee attacks out of the question. Her bombs only managed to annoy it, and they didn't exactly grow on trees, either...

Then Knuckles was heard on the other end. "Any quicksand in your immediate area? You could knock him into that."

"No... What are you talking about, Knucklehead?"

An exasperated sigh. "This isn't Sandopolis, Knuckles..."

"What...?"

"Nevermind! Just...keep moving." The red rodent had started running again again, wherever he was.

She rolled her eyes, but had to do so anyway when the monster spotted her again.

---

It turned out for Knuckles that making it to the large tree was far more easier said than done.

Running, gliding, climbing, all of it was taking its toll along with the humidity. He could only be grateful for the oases he'd found dotted along the way. He'd have dropped otherwise. Unlike Rouge, however, his trek through the forest would bring him into conflict with more than one enemy.

In essence, they were similar to the Doctor's "badniks", except they all had nothing inside them and seemed to be made of a precious stone he couldn't quite identify.

Regardless, they seemed breakable enough, but required more force on his end than usual, even with strength equivalent to Sonic's speed. Instead, he used them as platforms and springboards when possible so that he could reach higher areas.

Eventually, he made his way to the higher branches of the mighty tree. Not a sign or sense of the Emerald or anything else.

What to do now...?

He considered calling Tails for a moment (he didn't even want to -entertain- the idea of calling the bat-girl), but he noticed that the tree began to shake subtly in a way that didn't feel...natural.

That rumbling...he'd know those vibrations anywhere.

Technology. This was no ordinary piece of foliage.

Just as he thought this, it began to creak and shift, fouling his balance and forcing him to make his way down, using his wall clinging skills to slow his descent.

Upon hitting the ground, he turned around to see the false wood now with a crude metal face etched on its artificial bark. Flamethrowers and various missile launchers emerged from their hiding places within the branches and canopy.

A microphone-esque screech sounded from somewhere inside.

"Ha! You actually fell for it!"

This kid again?

"What do you want now? I'm guessing to destroy me?"

"Sorry," the boy's voice implied a shrug and held no real malice in it. It was off-putting. "I gotta do my job."

"...and I have to do mine. Nothing personal." With that, Knuckles struck a fighting pose.