//------------------------------// // 10: More Exploring // Story: Spike's Frontier // by dragonfan101 //------------------------------// Spike and Sonic proceeded to make they're way to the entrance to the canyon Spike spoke about earlier, they were about to but they saw Knuckles nearby one of the symbols where they learn more of the islands surroundings, Spike and Sonic rush over to check on him. "You alright Knuckles?" Spike asked and he nodded. "I'm fine thanks" Knuckles told him, he then looked at the symbol and back at them. "Have you two been here before? your navigating the island like its nothing" Knuckles asked curious, and Spike shook his head. "Oh no see, when we interact with these things marked with this symbol we automatically learn the lay of the land" Spike explained looking at the symbol" It feels weird but natural." "It's like the island is beaming a GPS into our brains, pretty cool right?" Sonic asked. "I'm sure that's the ancients doing as well, i wonder what this symbol meant in their language" Knuckles said looking at it as well. "Maybe it was a word for map or something in their language? I may not know much about these guys but i'm sure there's always a meaning for the symbols we see" Spike suggested and Knuckles nodded in agreement. "Smart kid, it really does seem like it" Knuckles said agreeing. "Come to think of it, you never see it printed anywhere in the villages, guess the true meaning is lost to time" Sonic said curious. "Hope we find out more about these guys, they seem really interesting" Spike said curiously. "Agreed, we should get going to the canyon entrance, its pretty close" Sonic said and they all nodded and started to head to the canyon, Spike and Knuckles were a little behind but kept after him. As Sonic was making his way to it, but Sage appeared in front of him again. "Father was right about you, your reckless and destructive!" she said with anger. " I have no idea what your deal is! Look if we can just talk" Sonic tried to reason with her. "No! No discourse, no bartering, only elimination!" She said while preparing to shoot a beam at Sonic. "Sonic!" Spike yelled as they caught up with him, Knuckles went in front of him and deflected the beam while Spike stood besides him. "Back off!" Spike said ready to fight her, he and Knuckles then charged at her but Sonic went in front of them. "Whoa whoa Whoa! time out guys!" Sonic said trying to stop them. "Time out? She attacked you!" Knuckles said trying to argue. "She sent two Titans after you! she'll probably do it again at one point!" Spike said trying to argue as well. "Yeah that's kind of her thing, but she's trying to protect something, or someone." Sonic told them, before he tried to reason with them more. "Look guys this won't do anything, we just need to try to reason with her." Sonic said to them, Spike took some breaths and looked at her with a little anger before calming down and looking at Sonic. "Your right, I'm sorry." Spike said walking ahead calmly "Look we're willing to help but we need to know what's going on." Sonic said walking up as well. "Your afraid of something i can tell, i remember your reaction back on Kronos, what are you trying to keep at bay?" spike asked remembering when he asked the same thing back then. She had a mild look of shock before she regained focus" No, you both don't know what your talking about." She said with anger and Spike sighed. "That's probably because we haven't even been told about why things have happened this way, if we knew what was happening we would know how to help, please just tell us what's happening" Spike said trying to reason as well. "It is against my orders, i'm sorry" She said surprising them as she teleported away. "Who's orders?" Spike asked confused, Knuckles then looked at them " Your to trusting Sonic, and if Spike happens to do what you are, he could go down a path leading to his demise" Knuckles said with worry, and Spike sighed and walked up to him. "Look things may look rough now, but we can't fix things if we don't know exactly what's happening, i have no choice here as i can't get back home." Spike said and Knuckles looked a little sad as he said that. "I won't either, i guess your right, i'm sorry, i'm just a little worried for you." Knuckles told him and Spike nodded. "It's alright, i understand, I appreciate the concern though, just trust us, we'll make it through." Spike said wit ha smile and Knuckles nodded in understanding. "He's right Knuckles, come on, let's get going" Sonic said while walking into the canyon with Spike and Knuckles nodding and following behind. They all continued to make they're way around the place, it was narrow and didn't have much room, they all stuck close to each other but eventually they came upon an oasis of some kind, and they all looked down at it and Knuckles noticed something. "Can you two see that seal in the pond? I bet if you pull it out, we could drain the water." Knuckles suggested. "How can we do that though?" Spike asked looking down. "He's right, the problem is i'm still ghost like, Spike might not be strong enough ,and your useless underwater" Knuckles said to Sonic. "Ouch." Spike said chuckling a little. "Wow thanks for the concern" Sonic said sarcastically" If we can jostle the device holding the chain, maybe we can reel in the chain?" Sonic suggested looking at the device floating above them. "That could work." Spike agreed. "Worth a shot, just don't slip and fall, i can't haul you out" Knuckles told them. "Don't worry, it doesn't look that hard" Sonic said walking to a gun of somekind. Spike and Sonic had to cyloop around the device and a piece of ammo landed on them, it wasn't that heavy for them and they carried it to the gun, they loaded it in and aimed at the center of it, they then shot at it and like Sonic suggested the device activated and the chain pulled out and the water drained until it was empty. They all made they're way up the climbable wall and looked back at the place. "Wait was draining the oasis the best idea?" Sonic asked. "Someone might have needed the water" Spike said agreeing. "Well hey, you both revealed the way forward, that's what's important" Knuckles told them and Spike nodded. "Says you, you can't feel this heat like me and Spike can." Sonic said a little upset. "Actually, my kind can handle these kinds of temperatures without any problems so.." Spike then blew a raspberry and Knuckles laughed at that. "I'm liking him more and more, sucks to be you right now" Knuckle said laughing a little as well as Spike. "Yeah real mature you guys, oh well race you to the next emerald!" Sonic said starting to run ahead. And Spike ran after hoping to get this all done.