Third Person's POV

We start in the village "Building takes teamwork, and a team needs a coach, and that's me! Sonic and Brody, hold that support strut horizontal"  Amy said "Since Sonic and I are the judges of this year's chili dog cookoff, I don't think We should help. We have to stay impartial" Brody said "No stage, no contest. No contest, no chili dogs to judge" Amy said "Tails, Turbo, Ralph, Knuckles, get to it" Sonic said " I don't have time for this. I need Tails and Turbo to prep the collar planks, and Knuckles and Ralph to get the joist hangers, and Sticks to get more sticks" Amy said "Ta-da!" Tails and Turbo said as the stage is now complete "Thanks for keeping Amy busy so we could finish" Knuckles and Ralph said "Anything for a free chili dog" Sonic said and Amy notices that there is a banana sticking out of the stage "What's that?" Amy asks "Don't! That's a load-bearing banana" Turbo said and Amy pulls the banana out, and the stage collapses "Who builds with a banana?" Amy asks "We run out of planks" Knuckles said "That's it. I'll build the stage myself" Amy said. Later, the stage is complete "Ha! And that, my friends, is a stage. Guys?" Amy asks.

*At Meh Burger*

"Eat 'em and weep, losers. I'm winning this year's cookoff with my super-secret chili recipe" Dave said and Sonic and Brody take a bite "Ketchup, wasabi, and chunks of expired pigeon meat" Sonic and Brody said "Lucky guess" Dave said and Amy walks up and sits with them "I finished the stage. Praise me" Amy said "Thanks, Amy" Sonic and Brody said "Nice job" Knuckles and Ralph said "Can it be used as a flotation device in the event of a water landing?" Sticks asks adn the group stare "We'll see who's staring when that thing lands in the ocean!" Sticks said "We don't need a judging stage. I've got the contest in the bag" Knuckles said and places a small wooden box on the table and opens it, revealing an orange and black striped pepper "My secret weapon. A one-of-a-kind pepper" Knuckles said and they sigh.

Meanwhile in the village, Mrs. Vandersnout is selling peppers "One-of-a-kind peppers! Get your one-of-a-kind peppers" Vandersnout said and Sticks clears her throat; Sticks, Amy, Turbo, Tails, Ralph and Knuckles are holding identical peppers. Sonic and Brody are eating chili dogs "You told us these were one-of-a-kind peppers" Sticks said "I never said they were one-of-a-kind peppers" Vandersnout said and a delivery ox walks up, carrying a crate "Here's another crate of those peppers you're selling as "one-of-a-kind"" He said and trips and spills the peppers; they are all the same kind "Ah, don't even worry about it. I got another 20 crates on the truck" He said "Well, that was poorly timed. I suppose you want a refund. I'll just get your money. I keep it in a place called... tough luck, losers!" Vandersnout said and quickly hops into her cart and drives away. However, she crashes into the stage destroying it and overturning her cart "Can one of you dears help a poor little old lady?" She asks and Team Sonic glare angrily at Mrs. Vandersnout "NO!" Team Sonic said "I deserve that" Vandersnout said "If I'm gonna win that trophy, I gotta go find a unique pepper!" Knuckles said and dashes away.

*Later at a forest*

Knuckles is searching the forest, when he sees plant with a small red pepper growing on it. He picks it and takes a bite out of it. The pepper is to hot for him, and his eyes turn red. He starts sweating, then topples over and passes out.

Later in the village, the rest of Team Sonic are stirring chili using pots on the stage (which has apparently been rebuilt). Knuckles walks up and holds up the red pepper he found in the forest "I have found the pepper of peppers! Hot, with an indescribable flavor. You might as well stop stirring now" Knuckles said and Eggman appears, along with Orbot and Cubot and Eggman holds up a glowing red pepper "Not so fast! Behold, the Facepeeler Maximus! Witness now..." Eggman said and stops abruptly and looks at Orbot "Line?" Eggman asks " If you dare..." Orbot said quietly "Witness now, if you dare, the Chili Maker 5000!" Eggman said and puts the Chili Maker 5000 down on the table "Copyright Eggman Industries, patent pending, all rights reserved, some restrictions apply" Cubot said "This little beauty extracts the very essence of the chili pepper, creating a chili dog of unprecedented potency!" Eggman said and Orbot pulls out a kazoo, plays two notes on it, and launches a small burst of confetti. Eggman opens the top of the Chili Maker 5000, breaks the Facepeeler Maximus in half, drops it in, and closes the lid. It starts mixing. Soon a single drop of chili sauce comes out, and as soon as it touches the bowl, it bursts into flames "Ugh..." Knuckles said defeated and throws his pepper to the ground and Vandersnout pokes out from behind a tree "Psst!" She said and Knuckles walks over to her "If you want to win this thing, you need the Lost Pepper of Claggerhorn" Vandersnout said "What now?" Knuckles asks "Luckily, I've got this one-of-a-kind map!" Vandersnout said and pulls out a parchment "Fine, got nothing to lose" Knuckles said and grabs the map. Mrs. Vandersnout holds out her hand, and Knuckles drops three coins into it, before running off "Where do you want this crate of "One-of-a-kind maps"?" The delivery ox asks "Put them with the others" Vandersnout said and points to her left where there are several other crates of maps stacked up next to her cart.

*Later at a Cliff*

Knuckles is climbing up the cliff, and is almost at the top "Almost...there...." Knuckles said and tries climbing onto a rocky ledge, but it breaks, sending him sliding down the cliff on top of part of it. He screams "Aauggh!" Knuckles said and tilts sideways, dodging a rock and a bush. Knuckles looks in front of him and sees a huge chasm which he is is heading right towards. Fortunately, the slab stops sliding right before the edge of the chasm "Whew!" Knuckles said relieved and looks downwards into the chasm, then looks back up "This better be worth it" Knuckles said.

Later at the Staircase of Terrifying Slipperiness, "The Staircase of Terrifying Slipperiness" Knuckles said and tries to run up the stairs, but slips on the fourth step and falls back down. He tries three more times, but keeps falling back down "Grrr!" Knuckles said angry and scales the stairs by using his fists to climb upwards, grunting all the while. He shortly makes it to the top "The Field of Baby Ducks" Knuckles reads on the map and walks forward.

At the Field of Baby Ducks, Knuckles sees a mechanical duck "A robot duck?" Knuckles asks and the mechanical duck looks at him and Knuckles reaches for the duck, but as soon as he touches it, it explodes. Knuckles now has scorch marks on him, but he gets up and walks onward.

Later at the forest, Knuckles grunts, jumps out of a group of bushes, sees a speaker on a post with a button below it, and howls loudly. He then presses the button "Congratulations, you have successfully traversed the Lands of the Doomed! And so, sit back in your very own recliner..." the speaker said and a recliner glides up behind Knuckles, and he sits down in it "....of the Doomed!" the speaker said and the recliner glides away at high speed, and locks him in with arm clamps. A flying cream pie hits Knuckles in the face and Knuckels sees a mechanical duck flying towards him "Oh you gotta be kidding-" Knuckles said and the duck collides with him, and explodes. Knuckles looks forward, and the recliner drives off a cliff.

At the cliff, "Ahhhhhggg!" Knuckles screams and the recliner breaks apart in midair, and Knuckles careens downwards into the cliff. He hits the ground hard, and everything goes dark. Knuckles slowly opening his eyes. He blinks once, before realizing he has been tied down with ropes. Knuckles grunts and tries to break free of the ropes, to no avail "What is this? Let me go!" Knuckles said "What is it that 'ya seek?" A voice asks "I seek the lost Pepper of Claggerhorn!" Knuckles said "Why do 'ya seek it?" The voice asks "To roast over an open flame, to tear the seeds from it insides, chop it into tiny pieces, scald it in boiling oil, and use it to flavor my Chili Francisco, and win a very small trophy..." Knuckles said and the voice is revealed to be the Lost Pepper of Claggerhorn, who has several other pepper warriors with him "I am the Lost Pepper of Claggerhorn!" The lost pepper said and stands on Knuckles chest " Let me finish.... Is the opposite of what I would do!" Knuckles said "Nice recovery, laddie" Lost pepper said "Dude, what's with your head bite?" Knuckles asks as all the peppers except the Lost Pepper of Claggerhorn gasp. The Lost Pepper gestures for them to stop "'Tis a scar I wear proudly, to remind me of the home we lost" Lost Pepper said "What's happening?" Knuckles asks and several sections of Seaside Island are shown, corresponding to the areas to the Lost Pepper mentions "It's just a vision. Claggerhorn was a paradise, lush green meadows, majestic mountains, and the hot springs, laddie... It was prophesied that a big dumb oaf would come one day to lead us back to our beloved hot springs..." Lost Pepper said "What were they like?" Knuckles asks "They were hot" Lost Pepper said "Oh" Knuckles said "We have found our oaf!" Lost Pepper cheered and the other peppers start chanting the word "Oaf" repeatedly "The time has come, 'me pepper people. We must reclaim our land for our children, and our children's children! Are 'ya with me?!" Lost Pepper asks "YES!" Knuckles and the Pepper warriors said and Knuckles raises his hand, accidentally breaking one of the ropes tying him down "Oh. Haha, sorry" Knuckles said and puts his hand back under the snapped rope. All the other peppers continue chanting "Oaf".

*Back at the Village*

The rest of Team Sonic, (aside from Sonic and Brody, who are the judges) along with Eggman, Orbot, and Cubot are shown making chili on the stage. several other villagers are seen stirring chili nearby. Sonic and Brody inspect each pot. Eggman starts of his Chili Maker 5000, but it starts to sputter and smoke "Yaaaahh!" Knuckles screams and charges forward, dressed in Scottish attire, with two peppers on each shoulder, and the Lost Pepper of Claggerhorn on his head and Team Sonic looks confused "Well. There's something you don't see every day" Sonic said and Knuckles tosses a pepper warrior at the stage "Weeeee! Uh, I mean, Never surrender!" A pepper warrior said and draws his sword and Knuckles tosses another pepper warrior. It hits Tails, knocking him down and Turbo catches him. Knuckles then launches another one at Sticks, but she blocks it with her spoon. It ricochets off and hits Eggman's Chili Maker 5000, which rockets into the air. It lands on the stage and explodes, sending the stage and everyone on it flying. It lands in a body of water "It can be used as a flotation device!" Sticks said and two pepper warriors are seen flying towards Eggman, Orbot, and Cubot "Yaaaah!" The pepper warriors said and they both latch onto Eggman's chest and start attacking him "Ow! Orbot! Cubot! Deal with these pests!" Eggman said angrily "You got it, boss!" Cubot said and Orbot and him try to punch the peppers, but only hit Eggman instead "Ow! Ow!" Eggman said and Knuckles launches three peppers at Sonic and Brody. They are shown dodging them all in slow-motion "Knuckles, what are you doing?" Brody asks as he and Sonic dash off "Helping these pepper people reclaim what is rightfully theirs!" Knuckles said and launches another pepper "By attacking your friends?!" Sonic asks as he and Brody run toward Knuckles "You're gonna have to choose, laddie, between old friends and new. FOR CLAGGERHORN!" Lost Pepper said and jumps off Knuckles head at Sonic and Brody, with his sword drawn. Sonic, Brody and the Lost Pepper are shown charging at each other in slow motion. Knuckles finally makes his choice, and grabs a pot lid, and uses it as a shield to block the Lost Pepper from attacking Sonic and Brody. He bounces off the lid, and lands in a soup pot which Tails, Turbo and Amy are both standing next to and Tails, Turbo and Amy gasp and Knuckles throws he pot lid away. He, Brody and Sonic run towards the pot "Lost Pepper, you okay?" Knuckles asks and Lost Pepper is floating in the pot "'Tis like a thousand tiny bubbles, urging me to let go. Like the hot springs of old. But with expired pigeon meat" Lost Pepper said "Does everyone know my secret recipe?" Dave asks angry.

Later, Team Sonic are at the village, with all members except Sonic and Brody stirring chili. All of their pots have pepper warriors bathing in them, except for Knuckles', which has the Lost Pepper of Claggerhorn in it "This is perfect! The Pepper People get to take a good hot soak, and in turn they flavor our chili! It's a win-win!" Amy said taking her spoon out of her pot and Lost Pepper is bathing in Knuckles' pot, holding a small cup "Soo... What is it you do with this chili? Pour it on your enemies from the turrets of your castles? Scald them into submission?" Lost Pepper asks and fills his cup with chili, and takes a drink "Are you kidding? We put it on hot dogs, and we eat you-uh-it. I mean it" Sonic and Brody said "By all that is chunky in my grandfathers beard, YOU WANT TO EAT OUR ESSENCE?!" Lost Pepper said angry and draws his sword "TRUCE OVER, ATTAAAAA-" He said but Sonic stuffs a bite of chili dog in his mouth. He eats it, then sheaths his sword "'Tis like the world's finest carcass. But without the wretched taste of mixed lungs" Lost Pepper said and Brody puts some of Knuckles' chili on his and Sonic's hot dogs, then they take a bite "We don't need to taste the others, WE HAVE A WINNER!" Sonic and Brody said and  everybody cheers "Sometimes it just takes a little teamwork to really mi-" Lost Pepper said when everything goes blurry.

*The Forest*

Knuckles is seen lying on the ground with his eyes closed "Hey, there he is! Knuckles!" Sonic said and the rest of Team Sonic walk up to Knuckles, who suddenly wakes up and Ralph helps him stand up "What happened? Are you okay?" Turbo asks "I won the cook off!" Knuckles said drowsy "Actually, the cook off was yesterday, we've been looking for you ever since then" Ralph said "I ate this...pepper. It was a tiny bite, but it gave me this crazy dream" Knuckles said and gasps "Wait it was a dream?!" Knuckles said "A pepper that strong? Come on, Knuckles" Sonic said and the rest of Team Sonic laugh "...I guess you're right, that's impossibl-" Knuckles said and belches fire, which scorches the rest of Team Sonic. Everybody laughs as this chapter comes to an end.