The Next Morning...

Nathan and Joseph's eyes peeled open at the same time. Through this shared look was also a shared agreement from across their beds. They threw off their white quilts and lightly tiptoed to the ladder. Joseph climbed down first and Nathan followed, then they quietly strided to their seats. Without powering on the whole ship, a holo-window of the outside appeared. In their slumber, multiple voices were heard from outside. With the feed confirming this, there were G.U.N. troops everywhere: around their park, walking the sidewalks, patrolling the roads.

"You know, I'm starting to think splitting up was a bad idea." sighed Nathan.

"It was my idea." answered Joseph.

"Yeah, which is worse, because I ruined it."

"Dude, how much noise did you make? Did you break into someone's base or HQ?"

"...Yeah, something like that..."

"You what?! Whatever happened to a low profile?!"

"What are they going to do, arrest us?"

"Jesus Christ!"

"Jesus isn't in this world."

"OH MY GOD, NATHAN- wait, I just realized something, there aren't any gods here?"

"Huh, didn't occur to me either."

"And since when did you grow a goatee?"

"And you a chinstrap?"

They started touching their faces.

"I blame space." Joe concluded.

"Better than blaming me."

"BUT IT'S STILL YOUR FAU-"

"Hey!"

There was someone banging on the outside of the ship. The feed showed the agent signalling a squad to cover her, guns towards the invisible ship.

"See what you did, Joseph? You made too much noise."

"I MADE TOO MUCH NOISE?! No! You know what, FUCK this shit! Buckle up!"

They both fastened their restraints, Joseph frustratingly pressing buttons and flipping switches. The squad panicked and opened fire as the ship hovered off the grass and turned visible again.

"Weapons are not strong enough to puncture armor, proceed freely." the ship reported.

"Normally, I'd think about how whoever that woman is, she has a really pretty voice. But I hate you so fucking much right now, her voice sounds like someone I'd purposely stand-up on the first date." hissed Joseph.

"Wow, no wonder you've been single for so long."

Joseph puffed out a hard breath and rode the ship with Nathan to escape the gunfire and oncoming G.U.N. aircrafts.

On Angel Island...

"So, you do this. Every day. And have been doing it for as long as you've been able to give reason?"

"Yep, this a 24/7, no turning back, volunteer career!"

Shadow thought about this with his hands under his head, sitting on the top step of the Altar, and Knuckles was behind him leaning against the Master Emerald.

"Knuckles, do you ever think about a life aside from this? No offense, but I think you could use it." the hedgehog advised.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"I said 'no offense.' I'm just saying, with your feats, you can probably do more out in the real world."

"This is my part of the real world. My mind is set, I need to protect this stone for as long as I live. If I won't, who will?"

"I guess that's a point...Hey, did you do that?"

Knuckles stood up to see where Shadow was pointing, "What, that hole? Yeah, one of those hunters stopped by a couple of days ago."

"So, you dug a hole?" Shadow rose an eyebrow.

"Hey, I wasn't retreating! It was a battle strategy!"

"Oh sure."

"Don't look at me that way, you weren't even here!"

"OK, seriously though, I sense something down there. Come on."

Just as Knuckles caught up to Shadow going down the stairs, Shadow's watch started ringing, and he clicked on it.

"Hey Shadow, Rouge here. Are you busy?"

"Yes actually. Why?"

"No problem. G.U.N. found the invaders' ship and they're chasing it down. I was just calling so you can join Omega and I."

"As much as I'd love to put that Nathan in his place, I'm on Angel Island with Knuckles to guard the Master Emerald."

"Ohh, I see! A little trick you've got up your sleeve, huh?"

"Trick? What do you mean?"

"You know, a little 'snag-and-dash'?

"Rouge, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh come on now. You're taking the Master Emerald for G.U.N. again, except this time you're building a trust with that Knucklehead. I see your little plan!"

Knuckles then moved to Shadow's side with a frustrated mug.

"Rouge, that is not the mission. I repeat, that is not-"

"I gotcha, no need to speak in code, Shadow. I'm a spy you know? I know what you mean!"

"Are you even listening? That's not why I'm here for- besides, I gotta go, I think we found a Chaos Emerald too-"

"Oh wow, look at you bringing home TWO Emeralds! Hope you're planning to share!"

"Rouge, just STOP TALKING!"

"OK! No need to be ru-...Oh wait, Knuckles is there, isn't he?...Ohh...Knuckles, darling! How-"

Shadow hung up the call and as soon as he tilted his head, Knuckles racked his club-like fist on Shadow's muzzle, sending him off the Altar and skidding through the grass.

"What was that for?!" barked Shadow.

"I just heard your whole plan, don't play stupid with me!"

Knuckles pounced off the Altar and struck another fist that hit and shook the ground, Shadow dodging the punch and the aftershock with a backflip.

"Are you mad?! Did I already not clarify that we're on the same side here?!" yelled Shadow as he landed in front of him.

"Lies!" snarled Knuckles.

Knuckles leaned in for a left hook, but Shadow dipped under it and sprung up with a straight kick to Knuckles' hip. Knuckles buckled to the ground, but his temper fueled his adrenaline.

"Listen, I think there's a Chaos Emerald in that hole you made, and we need to get it!"

Knuckles glanced over at the crater and realized that there was a separate energy underground. Yet, he persisted, "'We need to get it?' No, you need to get it apparently, and I won't let you!"

"Knuckles, you fool!"

Knuckles charged forward like a bull and Shadow caught the horns; both of their hands locked together.

Suddenly, a pack of Heartless Soldiers spawned around them. Knuckles and Shadow let go of each other to face the horde. From the cloudy sky, an Air Soldier swooped down into the hole. In moments, it came back out with a white Chaos Emerald.

"See, you idiot?!" Shadow hollered.

"Hey, you've done it once before and I'm pretty sure you'd do it again!"

"Yeah, well right now isn't 'again!'"

Before the hotheads proceeded against the Heartless, the Master Emerald unexpectedly started blinking softly. It then emitted a blinding light across the island, everyone shielding their eyes. A small silhouette could be made out in front of the Master Emerald, and with that, the light diminished.

"Chaos!" Knuckles awed at the aquatic being on the Altar, rubbing out his eye.

Shadow observed its form; it had the stereotypical appearance of alien, but with a liquid body, and its head was triangular with a brain that can be seen through its transparent body. The creature had skinny arms, but wide tri-clawed hands and dual-clawed feet.

"Remind me who this is again." whispered Shadow.

"Revered as the God of Destruction, but only if tempted. He was the original guardian of the Chaos and Master Emeralds, before the Knuckles Clan decided to take over."

"I can feel...his body. It's-"

"It's like water, but it's pure, liquid chaos energy."

"Amazing."

"Well, no, he now only returns when the Emeralds have been mistreated and disturbed, and I think these Heartless were the needle on the camel's back!"

Chaos then turned his attention to the Air Soldier about to retreat, but the latter was stopped as Chaos stretched his arm into the air and cut right through its body like a blade and the Air Soldier turned to smoke and dropped the Emerald. When the rest of the Heartless looked to Chaos, Chaos had sunken into the ground.

"We can't be here Shadow, run aw- OOF!"

Knuckles was uppercutted into the air as Chaos reshaped from the grass below. Shadow went to make a move but was smacked by a large hand that sent him flying into the forest. The Soldiers then started fearlessly prancing over to Chaos. Chaos felt the moisture within the grass and soil. His arms phased into the ground and out from under each Heartless simultaneously, a translucent spike shot up through them, instantly killing them. As Chaos pulled his arms back up, the skewers retracted with it.

Shadow and Knuckles regrouped.

"He's the reason the Knuckles Clan no longer exists. They too tried to abuse the power of the Emeralds, and they paid the consequences." explained Knuckles, "Chaos, please hear me- UMPH!"

Chaos threw his hand across the field and entrapped Knuckles in his grip, pressing him against the floor next to Shadow.

"He doesn't seem to like you." said Shadow.

"I'm an echidna, what do you expect?!" croaked Knuckles.

"Chaos!" Shadow tried now.

Chaos lifted Knuckles and used him to bat Shadow away, then threw Knuckles into a nearby rock.

"We do not want to oppose you! There are hunters from another world who are trying to steal your Chaos Emeralds!"

Chaos then stopped walking, turning his attention to Knuckles.

"They want to steal the Chaos Emeralds, they believe it is causing an interdimensional crisis. I know the Chaos Emeralds have been misused in the past, but they have no right to take them! It's not possible that such gems are the cause- and you of all beings know this! All I ask is for your assistance in this. We too are trying to find them without using them. Please forgive-"

"With all due respect, Chaos," Shadow interrupted, dusting his arm off, "We don't need forgiveness, because we didn't do anything wrong. Recently, we've fought for those Emeralds against those not worthy of their power. We wish to do that again, and with your help, we can restore peace once again. There is an interdimensional crisis happening, and we're unsure of the cause, but we know the Chaos Emeralds are involved in some way. To prevent that, we need to protect them from these invaders who pose a risk at making things worse."

The voiceless god unrolled his fists, appearing hesitant. His hand stretched all the way to glistening white Emerald. Knuckles and Shadow stood nervous, their faces pleading with Chaos. Then, the Chaos Emerald was absorbed within his body, disappearing. Knuckles tensed, awaiting transformation. Chaos' base form is known as "Chaos Zero." For every Chaos Emerald absorbed, the form number increases, as does his body. His mass and power will increase, and new bone structures would appear within him.

To their luck however, Chaos did not reshape; he only was holding the Chaos Emerald within him, agreeing to not use it for the time being. Knuckles relaxed with a heavy exhale, looking over at Shadow.

"Look out!" Shadow called out.

It was at the last moment Chaos noticed a small black figure phase inside of him- a Shadow Heartless. Chaos dropped to all fours, his body rippling little waves all over.

"Oh no, no, NO! Fight it, Chaos!" Knuckles yelled.

Chaos' body darkened to a deep purple and his eyes an icy blue. Something red outlined inside his chest: the emblem of the Heartless, an emblem signifying Chaos has fallen into darkness. Chaos puddled into the ground, disappearing from the area.

"That parasite possessed him! We're doomed!" spat Knuckles.

"We have to find him then! There's no telling what he's capable of now!" replied Shadow.

*Won't stress it anymore, but The Heartless are not affiliated with Sonic the Hedgehog, so again (as you can probably already tell), the interpretation of Chaos at the end of this chapter is my own, thus I had to photo-edit him:

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