It is nighttime, and a low-flying jet plane flies over the city. Knuckles stands at the bow of a small freight boat, arms folded. Y/N is next to him as she at the city.

"Are you sure you have to come with me? Didn't you tell Sonic about this?"

"I'm positive. Beside, going on a solo mission with you will be more fun. Plus, I told Tails to tell Sonic where I'm going and will be gone for a while. Hopefully, he won't freak out about it. I promise him that I'll come home safe and sound."

"Alright. And I hope he doesn't kill me if he sees you hurt..."

Now, Knuckles and Y/N are walking through the streets of the oriental city, ignoring the stares they are receiving. They walk up to a man.

"Hey, how do we get to Jack's place from here?"

"Ah, I know you two! You're that Sonic guy, and you must be Y/N, aren't you?" Man said.

Y/N giggled as Knuckles went mad.

"You must be crazy! I don't look anything like Sonic! I'm Knuckles!"

"I didn't mean to offend you, pal. We don't see many hedgehogs around here."

"Sorry, about my friend here. And yes, I'm Y/N. Nice to meet you. We're on the mission here. Do you know where the Jack's place is from here?"

"Yeah. I'll lead you to where it is. It's an honor to meet you too, Y/N."

Man helped them as they follow him. Y/N gave those people and kids a wave and a wink, making them fanboy and girl scream in happiness. He then led them through a half-dozen dirty alleys right to Jack's place. Y/N thanked him for it.

Knuckles and Y/N enter the shop, receiving stares from one and all - including two spies: a tall one and a short one. They approached Fwan, who is behind the counter.

"We're looking for a guy by the name of Hawk."

But Fwan just stares. Y/N shyly wave at him.

"It's not polite to stare, pal."

"Sorry. I don't see many folks like you two around here." Fwan said. "You must be Y/N, right? It's nice to meet you."

"Pleasure."

"Never mind that. Have you seen Hawk or haven't you?" Knuckles asked.

"Nope. Name doesn't sound familiar."

"Do you know anyone that at least know Hawks? Please, it's important and we need to see him." Y/N said.

"Sorry, I wish I could help ya. But I don't know anyone that might know him."

"You're lying." Knuckles glare at Fwan.

"Knuckles!..." Y/N smacked him and noticed the men stood up from their seat and walk towards them.

They are all tough-looking men, known as the Bruiser Boys.

"Hey. The man told you he hasn't seen your friend. Now you can either thank him and get out, or me and my friends can show you two the way out." Bruiser Boy said.

Fwan ducks behind the counter.

"Well... Maybe you and your friends are the one who need to leave." Knuckles smirked.

"This is not good..." Y/N muttered, touching the handle of her katana.

"Oh, is that so? Well I'll show you, you dirty little--"

He lunges for Knuckles, but Knuckles trips him, and he lands behind the counter. He turns to the others, who cower in fear.

"I would not do that."

Everyone turns the newcomer.

"I have a feeling he's tougher than he looks."

The Bruiser Boys bow to him.

"Mr. Li Yan."

Li Yan approaches Knuckles and Y/N.

"What is your business?"

"A guy named Hawk said we could find him here. He has something we want." Knuckles replied.

Y/N glare at Li Yan suspiciously, having a bad feeling.

"You must be Knuckles. I've been expecting you. And you must be the famous Y/N everyone has been talking about. If you two are looking for Hawk, you're talking to the right guy. Just follow me and I'll take you right to him."

Knuckles and Y/N gave each other a glance and look back.

"Then lead the way."

As they follow Li Yan out of the shop, they didn't notice that those two men in disguise are Decoe and Bocoe.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Li Yan leads them into a house, down a staircase, and to another door, where he holds it open for Knuckles and Y/N. But they're not falling for it.

"After you." Knuckles said.

"Okay." Li Yan chuckled.

Li Yan steps through the door and closes it. Suddenly, a trap door opens beneath Knuckles and Y/N, and began falling. Knuckles extends his arms and legs on the walls to stop his fall. Y/N fell onto his back, causing him to grunt.

"Sorry!"

"No worries."

Y/N held onto his shoulders before he drops to the ground. They find themselves in a jail cell with the man with dark green jacket and dark brown hair.

"I'll share this cell with you, but don't think I'm gonna share my food. If you want to eat, you're goona have to wait until tomorrow. Got it?" he said, holding a spoon in the air without facing them.

"That's no way to treat a friend, is it?" Knuckles said.

The man turns around.

"Knuckles, it's you!"

He embraces Knuckle's hand.

"Ah, it's so good to see you!"

He turns to Y/N.

"Who's your friend over there?"

"That's Y/N. Y/N meet Hawk."

"Nice to meet you, Hawk."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, too. How did you get down here?"

"Well... Let's just say we decided to drop in." Knuckles said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"...and you're sure it was a Chaos Emerald you saw?"

Hawk holds up his hand to estimate the size of the Chaos Emerald.

"It was a big red stone, about this size."

"That's the one!" Y/N said.

"It is a Chaos Emerald." Knuckles said.

"You mean the reason you want to find those Chaos Emeralds is so you can go back home?"

"Best reason I can think of."

"So that's it. I thought you wanted it for the same reason I did, for money."

"Sorry, Hawk. Not into those things that involves greed." Y/N said.

"It doesn't matter now, though. I assume they took the Emerald when they put you here."

"Don't you worry, Knuckles. I was smart enough to hide it before they came for me. I knew they'd be looking for it, you see." Hawk said.

"Where is it?" Y/N asked.

"I hid it where nobody could find it. It's in a--"

Knuckles covers Hawk's mouth.

"This place really isn't so bad. It's kinda cozy once you get used to it, you know?"

He jerks his thumb toward a listening device.

"Didn't think I'd like it when I got here, but I really think it's growing on me."

He releases his grip on Hawk, who immediately catches on. Y/N giggle quietly, knowing where this is going.

"Yeah, come to think of it, this could be a lot worse, couldn't it? I mean, most places like this are the pits! As far as jail cells go, this one's first-class all the way! Ahh, and I'll tell you something else, the food's not half bad either! The baked beans they serve are pretty good. Even though the other day they were as cold..."

Elsewhere, Li Yan is listening to the conversation over the radio. He turn it down, feeling rather annoyed with his non-stop talk.

"...as ice and a little dry, but you didn't hear it from me. While we're on the subject, they could change the menu once in a while. I mean, baked beans day in and day out, you'd think they'd never heard of steak or fried chicken or even a cheeseburger with fries. Wouldn't that be something?"

Back to jail as Hawk spoke on. Knuckles and Y/N walk over to the listening device. They nodded and took a deep breath and shouted.

"IT SURE WOULD!!"

Their shouting causes Li Yan to yell and fall backward in his chair. Two of the Bruiser Boys enter.

"You alright, sir?"

"What happened?"

They help Li Yan up.

"Play games with me, will they?"

They leave the room and head to Hawk's cell, only to find it empty. The only sign of escape is a hole in the wall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Knuckles, Y/N, and Hawk race out of the building and onto a street corner.

"Taxi!" Hawk called.

An oriental taxi stops for them. It is ridden by a cyclist, with a two-person coach being pulled by the bicycle. Knuckles and Hawk climb aboard. Y/N didn't though as she stare at the person who's hiding their face. She had another bad feeling.

"Y/N! Come on!" Knuckles said.

Y/N hesitated and climbed in eventually.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Start pedaling!" Hawks ordered.

The taxi cyclist takes off. Unknown to them, Rouge is watching them from the air.

"Take a right up at this corner."

The taxi cyclist makes a right, and Rouge follows them. They soon arrive at their destination, then disembark from the taxi as it speeds away.

"Where are we?" Knuckles asked.

"The old factory district."

They look around.

"Come on. Let's go."

Y/N look back to where the taxi cyclist have gone and followed them. They head to the top of a staircase leading down to the subway. As they head down, Rouge arrives at the top of the stairs, but is suddenly karate-chopped from behind by a man - the same man who was the rickshaw driver.

Knuckles, Y/N, and Hawk reach the bottom of the stairs. They arrive at a place where one of the railroad ties is marked.

"Over here."

Hawk bends down and begins digging.

"Yeah..."

He lifts a bag out of the ground and empties its contents into his hand - the red Chaos Emerald.

"There she is!"

"That's a Chaos Emerald!" Knuckles and Y/N shouted in unison.

"It's all yours. And thanks for getting me out, pal." Hawk said to Knuckles.

They become aware of the sound of Eggman laughing. Turning, they see the doctor in his Eggmobile.

"Well, if it isn't my little friend Knucklehead and my enemy Y/N. Hand over that Chaos Emerald. I promise to keep it safe and sound."

"I don't think so, Egghead!" Y/N brought out her whip.

"I'll give you something, but it won't be this Emerald."

Knuckles and Y/N charge toward Eggman, but he and the Eggmobile fade before their eyes.

"I'm a hologram!" Eggman laughs.

"Knuckles! Y/N! Help me!"

They turn to see Hawk at the mercy of the nunchucks belonging to the rickshaw driver.

"It's you!"

"I knew we shouldn't trust that driver!"

"Never judge by appearances, Knucklebrain. She may have seemed just like a rickshaw driver to you, but she's so much more. Say hello to E-91, also known as the Lady Ninja!"

The man throws off his costume, revealing Eggman's robot, E-91 Lady Ninja.

"Ninja?"

"Yes, and quite a lovely one at that. But don't let her loveliness dazzle you; you might get hurt!"

"The robot!" Y/N exclaimed.

"Eggman!!" Knuckles shouted.

Lady Ninja yanks the nunchucks causing Hawk to throw the bag her way. But Knuckles kicks a bucket onto her head, and the bag misses. Lady Ninja removes the bucket and leaps forward, holding her nunchucks.

"Let's throw a bit more weight behind things."

One end of the chain becomes a giant 16-ton steel ball which she attempts to swing into Knuckles, but was blocked by a giant fist. Lady Ninja looked up to see Y/N holding her giant fist whip.

"Giant metal ball? How about my giant fist?"

"Looks like Y/N has found her perfect match!"

Lady Ninja swings the ball into the ceiling, but Knuckles and Y/N dodges, then leaps out of the way as a piece of the ceiling falls right where they were standing. Lady Ninja attacks again, but Knuckles avoids it, while Y/N swung her giant fist against the ball as they collide. The impact causes even more of the subway to collapse.

"Quick, Hawk! Grab the Emerald and run!" Knuckles shouted.

Hawk makes a run for the emerald, but Lady Ninja move the ball away from the giant fist and hits the wall next to him, causing rubble to fall on the bag. Hawk cries out and attempts to remove the stones. Knuckles appears next to him. Y/N quickly ran after them, putting away her whip as they went back to normal.

"Let's go!"

"Knuckles, the Emerald! It's buried!"

They are forced to dodge another ball-and-chain attack that strikes the fallen wall. Meanwhile, Rouge regains consciousness.

"Sneaking up on a girl... That's no way to treat a lady."

She catches the sight of the rising dust cloud coming from the subway.

"I don't know what that is, but it's not good... What the-?"

Then she notices the Egg Fort above her.

"I think that's my cue to get outta here."

Rouge flies away.

Back to the subway, the reckless Lady Ninja is destroying the entire subway with her ball-and-chain.

"We need to move now!" Y/N shouted.

"Hawk! We have to get away from that thing!" Knuckles shouted.

"I know, but how?" Hawk asked.

As the ceiling cracks and collapses, Knuckles sees his opening. Grabbing Y/N and Hawk, he leaps across the falling chunks of stone to safety above ground. As the entire subway collapses, the Egg Fort leaves.

Later, they are in Hawk's house as Hawk and Y/N watch the news.

"Now our top story this hour. Interesting developments in last night's building collapse - eyewitnesses reported spotting Dr. Eggman in the area around the time of the collapse. Officials have launched a full investigation."

"Guess there's not much we can do now, 'cept maybe hang around here for a while 'til the dust settles." Hawk said.

Y/N turned to Knuckles as he stood there next to the punching bag.

"I had that Emerald in the palm of my hand."

Knuckles punches a punching bag with such force that it flies off of its support, and a few of the house's support beams fall as well. Y/N quickly ran over and tackled Knuckles out of the way

"Knock it off, Knuckles! That won't do any good!" Hawk scolded.

"You okay?" she asked, getting off of him.

"Yeah. Thanks. Sorry that I put you in the danger like this."

"It's fine. It happens."

Another piece of ceiling falls on Y/N's head.

"Ow!"

They look down to what hit her and noticed something on the ground in front of them. Knuckles picked it up.

"Is this... The Shover Claws! How'd they get here?"

"Whoa!"

"Those metal things? I dug 'em out of that old temple. You know, when you saved me." Hawk said.

"The Shovel Claws..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Knuckles, Y/N, and Hawk arrive at a certain part of the destroyed subway. Knuckles begins climbing underground.

"Careful down there!" Hawk said.

"Be safe!" Y/N said.

Knuckles slips on his shovel claws and begins digging through the rocks. Y/N stay by Hawk's side as they waited for Knuckles. She suddenly felt something hit her by the head and knocked out instantly.

Knuckles not long ago return to the surface with a red Chaos Emerald. But he only find Y/N on the ground and Hawk is no longer there with her.

"Y/N!"

He ran over to her and held her as he look around for his friend.

"Hawk! Where are you?!"

Bokkun arrives with his television.

"Pay attention, Knuckles. Special message from Dr. Eggman."

Eggman's face appears on the screen.

"If you want to see your friend again, you'd best mosey over to New Town, and make it snappy. And don't try anythign funny - Bokkun's been studying the marial arts. He's getting... better."

Suddenly, the screen surrounding Bokkun becomes flame, as do his eyes.

"I know karate!"

Bokkun attempts to kick Knuckles, who dodges. The robot continues to chop the air.

"Hi-yaah! Karate chop! These hands are dangerous weapons! Take that! Don't mess with me!"

Knuckles just stare and leaves, carrying Y/N. He went back to Hawk's house, took out a pillow, and place her down gently. Knuckles waited for her to wake up as it's almost night time. Y/N finally woke up and sat up, groaning.

"You're awake."

"Knuckles? What happ-- Wait! Where's Hawk?! I was standing next to him and then the next thing I knew I was knocked out."

"It's Eggman and he wants me to hand over the Chaos Emerald if I want Hawk to live."

"You can't do that. You know that."

"I know, but what choice do I have now?"

Y/N look down at the ground and knew he was right. She doesn't want Hawk to get hurt.

"Okay... Let's go."

Knuckles nodded and both of then left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is now night time at the construction site where Hawk is tied up and dangling from a crane, with Lady Ninja guarding him. Knuckles and Y/N approaches.

"Knuckles! Y/N! It's you!"

A hologram of Eggman in his Eggmobile appears.

"Good evening. I trust you brought the Chaos Emerald with you?"

Knuckles lifts the Chaos Emerald high in the air.

"Now give it to the little lady."

The hologram disappears. Knuckles throws the emerald in the air and Y/N spin her whip and hit the emerald past Lady Ninja. The newly-arrived Rouge dives after it. Lady Ninja leaps off the beam she is standing on.

A kite appears on her back, slowing her descent. Knuckles leaps up and frees Hawk from the crane. Y/N follows after Lady Ninja and Rouge as she activated her kangaroo jump from her skating wheels over the roof to roof.

Rouge grabs the Chaos Emerald, and is pursued by Lady Ninja.

"I want that Chaos Emerald!"

"How about I keep the Emerald and you get lost?"

Rouge fires a laser at Lady Ninja's kite, destroying it. As Lady Ninja falls, she throws a shuriken at the bag, ripping it in half and causing the Chaos Emerald to fall out.

"Nice shot!"

Knuckles and Hawk arrive.

"Quick, this way!"

Lady Ninja expands new wings, reminiscent to a flying squirrel, and continues the chase. Y/N jumped off the roof and dive down after the emerald. Just as she about to grab it when Lady Ninja pushes her hand away, sending the Emerald in a different direction Lady Ninja also sends Y/N through an awning. The emerald lands in front of Hawk, who picks it up. Knuckles stood in front of Hawk protectively as he told Hawk to run as he did as Lady Ninja turns around and pursues him. She draws her weapons and swings it at Hawk, but Knuckles throws a plate which deflects Lady Ninja's own weapon back at her, sending her through a table. Rouge sees the commotion.

"Uhh... Think maybe I'll pay another visit when things calm down a bit."

Rouge was about to fly away when she saw something thrown towards her. She caught it to see a pouch and opened it to see jewelries Y/N collected from the ocean in the Grand Blue Sapphire Sea.

Rouge was speechless as Y/N gave her a wave and follow after Lady Ninja and Hawk along with Knuckles.

"I may not have the Chaos Emerald, but this should do. Thanks for the gift, sweetie."

Rouge then flies away.

Hawk runs into and alley, and finds that it's a dead end. Suddenly, he sees the shadow of Lady Ninja in front of him. He turns around, but she is not there. Lady Ninja, who is literally hiding in the shadows, snatches the emerald from Hawk. Lady Ninja emerges from hiding.

"Thank you."

She tries to flee the alley, but is cut off by Y/N and Knuckles.

"You're not going anywhere. Now hand over that Emerald before there is more trouble." Knuckles said.

Lady Ninja stores the emerald in her outfit. Knuckles then attempts to attack her with a flurry of punches, which she dodges. She flips backwards, then throws several shurikens. Y/N got in front of Knuckles and reflect the shurikens back with her katana. Knuckles rebounds off the wall and kicks her down. She gets back up and traps Knuckles with a web of electricity. He screamed in pain.

"Knuckles!"

Y/N tried to help him, but was trapped by another web of electricity. She grunted in pain, trying to get out.

"Stop it! You're hurting them!" Hawk cried out.

Lady Ninja didn't listen. Hawk gets an idea, and throws a bucket of water on Lady Ninja, who begins shorting out and drops the Chaos Emerald. Knuckles and Y/N are free of the electric bind and punched and kicked Lady Ninja into the sky, where she disappears with a twinkle. Hawk holds out the Chaos Emerald and smiles. Knuckles and Y/N smiles back, and they shake hands.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Knuckles and Y/N are ready to leave by boat.

"Well... I know you have to be on your way... but maybe you could come back sometime to visit. ...'Cause I'm gonna miss you, Knuckles. You too, Y/N."

There is a pause. Hawk begins to cry as the boat sets off.

"Yes, I'll be back. See ya, Hawk!" Knuckles gives a thumbs up.

"See you later, Hawk!" Y/N waved.

"So long, my friends!"

Hawk runs to the edge of the dock.

"Goodbye! Come back soon!"

On the ship, Knuckles glances at the Chaos Emerald. Suddenly, it begins glowing. Knuckles is transported to a completely white area. He's not the only one as Y/N noticed her crystal did the same thing.

"Where am I?"

"Knuckles? What's going on?"

"You too, Y/N?"

"My crystal have sent me here too."

"How odd..."

The whiteness is replaced by the Master Emerald shrine.

"The servers are the seven Chaos..." the unknown woman voice said.

"Who said that? Who's there?"

"The servers... are the seven Chaos... What does that mean?"

The vision is over and they find themselves on the boat again.

"What was that all about?"

Knuckles and Y/N looks back at the emerald and the crystal.

"Do you think they are connected?"

"I don't know. But the seven Chaos..."

"Let's think about this later."

"Want me to take you home?"

"Yeah. Thanks for inviting me over for adventure."

"You're welcome." Knuckles looks away, blushing.