Knuckles in Trouble

An hour later, the Mobian girls had just now arrived at Sailor Galaxia's castle in the Forbidden Mountain. They cautiously approached the drawbridge that lead to inside the castle. They checked, and and they saw that no one was on the drawbridge.

They quietly began to float across until they came to a halt when they saw Davy Sprockett on patrol on the bridge. They quickly ducked into a hiding spot as Davy Sprockett patrolled near them. He looked around, giving a thought that someone was there, but there wasn't. So he turned around to leave. Cosmo peeked out to see him leaving.

Cosmo, Cream, and Rouge came out from their hiding spot, minimized themselves, and went through a hole on the wall of the castle. As they got inside, they cautiously began to move, but they suddenly ran into Arms, who didn't notice them. Arms was too busy sharpening his axe. The Three Mobian girls then went in a different direction, but then ran into Dynamight, who was sleeping. They flew then ran into a terrifying gargoyle that scared them, then they ran into the other, and the other, until they completely flew off.

Then they noticed noises coming from a room in the castle. They went to a window of that room to investigate, and what they found surprised them. Its appeared to be several of the badniks dancing around a huge fire, which is mainly a celebration due to the fact that Sailor Galaxia succeeded on her curse.

Then the Mobian girls noticed Sailor Galaxia was sitting on her throne, petting Meowth's back. "What a pity Prince Knuckles can't be here to enjoy the celebration. Come, we must go to the dungeon and cheer him up." Sailor Galaxia said to Meowth.

"All is said and done, my queen!" replied Meowth.

Then Sailor Galaxia got up as she and Meowth walked off to the dungeon as the Mobian girls quietly followed them. Soon, Sailor Galaxia reached the door to Knuckles' cell and unlocked it, and she and Meowth went inside. Knuckles was there sitting while chained to a wall with chains around his wrists and ankles. When he heard Sailor Galaxia coming in, he looks up at her and glared at her as Sailor Galaxia approached the red echidna.

"Oh come now, Prince Knuckles. Why so melancholy? A wondrous future lies before you. You, the destined hero of a charming fairy tale come true!" said Sailor Galaxia. At the same time, the Mobian girls appeared at the door's window watching and listening in.

Then Sailor Galaxia used her magic to rub her hand over the ball on her scepter and showed it to the prince. At first, the ball was just blackness, then all the sudden, it showed the tower where Amy was sleeping in the room. "Behold, King Edward's castle, and in yonder topmost tower, dreaming of her true love, Princess Amy Rose. But see the gracious whim of fate. Why, 'tis the self same pink hedgehog, who won the heart of our noble prince but yesterday. She is indeed most wondrous fair. Magnificent emeralds in her eyes, fur the color of the beautiful roses at the garden. In ageless sleep, she finds repose. The years roll by, but a hundred years to a steadfast heart are 'bout a day. And now, the gates of the dungeon part, and the prince is free to go his way. Off he rides on his noble steed ..." said Sailor Galaxia, telling the prince's fate. In the imagery of the ball, it showed Knuckles as an old echidna leaving Sailor Galaxia's castle. But yet, Sailor Galaxia's voice actually dripped with sarcasm. "... a valiant figure, straight and tall, to wake his love with love's first kiss, and prove that true love conquers all." said Sailor Galaxia.

Then Knuckles angrily tried to get at Sailor Galaxia, but he remembered that he was still chained to the wall and growled at her. Sailor Galaxia just laughed evilly.

Rouge charged toward Sailor Galaxia in anger as she said, "Why, you mean..."

But the bat was held back by Cosmo. Meowth then noticed that Rouge was speaking and turned towards the window. "Who's that?" asked the Scratch Cat Pokémon, looking around. But didn't see the hidden Mobian Girls. "It must be my imagination." Meowth shrugged.

"Come, my pet." said Sailor Galaxia, "Let us leave our noble prince with these happy thoughts." Then she and Meowth began to leave. But before they did, Sailor Galaxia stopped at the door and said, "A most gratifying day." Then they exited Knuckles' cell.

Outside, Sailor Galaxia locked the door and turned to Meowth. "For the first time in twelve years, I shall sleep well." said the evil Sailor Scout.

"Indeed you shall, my queen. You shall indeed." Meowth replied.

As Sailor Galaxia and Meowth walked away, Meowth suspiciously looked back, knowing that someone was there. "Now there *is* something you don't see every day." said the Pokémon.

Cosmo peeked out from their hiding spot and saw Sailor Galaxia going to her chamber to sleep. Then the Mobian Girls moved into the cell and went back to their original sizes. The prince was surprised when he saw them as they approached him. He wanted to say something, but Cosmo said, "Shh, no time to explain". Then she and Cream started zapping Knuckles' chains as Rouge worked on the door, zapping the locks to unlock it.

By the time Knuckles was free, he started to move, but Cosmo stopped him for a moment. "Wait, prince Knuckles," she said. "The road to true love may be barriered by still many more dangers, which you alone will have to face. So arm thyself with this enchanted shield of virtue." With a whirl of Cosmo's wand, a shining green shield appeared in Knuckles' right hand. "And this mighty sword of truth". Then she magically made a long medieval sword appear in Knuckles' left hand. "For these weapons of righteousness will triumph over evil. Now come, we must hurry." said Cosmo. Then she, Cream, Rouge, and Knuckles began to make their way outside the cell, but Meowth was waiting for them.

When they got out, Meowth screamed, "Kill that red echidna and those three Mobian Girls! ATTACK!!!" Then he flew off.

The Mobian Girls and Knuckles started up the stairs. Then they came to a halt when they saw that Meowth had brought the badniks downstairs as they charged at Knuckles. Knuckles and the Mobian Girls ran in the other direction. At a window, Knuckles fought some of them, but he knew that there were too many to deal with.

Knuckles then jumped out the window with the Mobian Girls following him. Pikachu was locked in a cage when he saw them. "Pika, pika, pika!" yelled Pikachu. Knuckles immediately went over, unlocked the cage, and brought him out. "Pikachu! Pika, pika! Pi!" said Pikachu, as Knuckles climbed onto his back. "We can't! They'll shoot us when you try to fly!" said Knuckles.

Then Arms, Frankly, Humpty, and Coconuts from above dropped large rocks down at him. Cosmo cried, "Knuckles, watch out!" And she used her magic to zap the falling rocks, turning them into bubbles.

As they ran, Davy Sprockett, Dynamight, Skweel, and Grounder pulled back their bows and shot arrows at the echidna. Once again, Cosmo intervened and turned the arrows into flying flowers.

Knuckles and the others quickly ran for the exit. But ahead of them, Spike, Sir Ffuzzy Logik, Dragonbreath, and Scratch poured hot oil down at him. Using her wand, Cosmo turned the oil into a rainbow.

Meowth then started to run towards Sailor Galaxia's tower to wake his master. "Galaxia! Galaxia, wake up! They're getting away! They're not dead anymore!" he called.

But Meowth was followed by Rouge when she noticed. Rouge tried to hit him with her magic, but she kept missing him each time. But then she hid to ambush him, and when he got near, she jumped out and zapped Meowth, turning the Scratch Cat Pokémon into stone just outside Sailor Galaxia's door. "That'll teach you!" said Rouge. Then she went back to the others. "Don't leave me here! I'm coming!"

Sailor Galaxia had appeared outside the door, mainly because of the *loud noises*. "Silence!" yelled Sailor Galaxia. Then she turned to Meowth and said, "You, tell those fools to..." But she noticed that Meowth had now turned to stone. Then she noticed Knuckles, Cosmo, Cream, Rouge, and Pikachu escaping. "No! No!" said Sailor Galaxia.