Airboarding

[babylonmechanic]

A new city, with new opportunities. If only Jet and Storm thought to show up too... Well, she'd make do without them for a while. But first things first, time to scout out the new city. Her Extreme Gear was charged and ready to go, and she flew from rooftop to rooftop, sailing across wide gaps, along the sides of buildings, maneuvering around to get her bearings. She could already see the opportunities. This was going to be a lucrative visit...

Comments

[machomonotreme]

Lucrative? Never! Not while Knuckles is on the job.

Suddenly, from somewhere up above, a red shape soared downward. Knuckles couldn't glide as fast as her Gear could fly. But. He was pretty good at aiming, and he had something of a head start.

"Oi!" he yelled. "I hope you're not up to anythin' shady!"

Super nice greeting Knuckles. A+ social skills.

[babylonmechanic]

The thing about being smart? It meant you could think fast and react to oncoming threats. The moment Knuckles announced his presence, and as soon as she realized he was on a direct course to hit her, she braked in mid air to evade him. "Is that any way to greet an old friend? And it's been so long since we last saw each other!"

[monotreme_101]

Hey, you didn't have to be smart to think fast. Knuckles reacted just as quickly, course correcting and landing on a nearby building.

"Yeah, it's been a while, but that doesn't mean I've forgotten the kinda trouble you can cause!"

So, they weren't exactly enemies or anything. But still. Better to be on guard than sorry later!

"What are you doing in the city? How'd you get here?"

[babylonmechanic]

She wasn't about to admit to him that she wasn't sure how she got there or why. He didn't need to know she was in the dark. She had an image to maintain, after all, and although last time they met they didn't part as enemies, she wasn't ready to blindly trust him.

"It's nice to know you still care," she teased him, arms crossed. "Seemed like an interesting place to be, that's all. What are YOU doing here?"

[monotreme_101]

"I'm going to a fighting school." he replied, crossing his arms and shrugging. "In the city, here. Learning how to kick even more butt than I normally do."

[babylonmechanic]

"You? In school?" Wave taunted. "I never thought I'd see the day. Finally learn how to read?"

[monotreme_101]

"Oh Ha-ha." Knuckles replied with a snort. "I can read. I've been able to read for a long time. And in more'n one language."

Translating the glyphs at Gigan Rocks, for example.

[babylonmechanic]

"Congratulations. I'm proud of you. Looks like your tuition is paying off then. What exactly do you learn at a fighting school anyway?" she asked smugly.

[monotreme_101]

"Gee, I dunno, smarty-pants." Knuckles replied. "Maybe how to fight even better'n I could last time we met? Did you bring Storm with you, by any chance? I wouldn't mind showin' him a thing or two I've picked up."

He could always handle giving that overinflated seagull a good whupping.

[babylonmechanic]

"Sorry to disappoint you, Red. Storm had other plans." What she meant to say was she had no idea where Jet and Storm were. But again, he didn't need to know that just yet...

[monotreme_101]

"Dang. That's a pity. Sonic's in the city too, if Jet's around. This place would make a pretty great track for them."

He knew that if the green Hawk was here, there would have to be some sort of gear race around the city between him and the blue Hedgehog. That was just how the universe worked.

"....or are you here entirely by yourself?"

[babylonmechanic]

"That's none of your business. Don't you have anything better to do right now?" she asked, trying to quickly change the subject.

[monotreme_101]

"Nope." Knuckles replied, walking to the edge of the roof and giving her a terrible grin.

"You showed up by yourself. I might not be the smartest guy around, but I'm not blind."

She had looked WAY too perturbed by that question. Oh man, this was way too good to pass up! It wasn't often he got one over on anyone. Time to relish the moment.

"You forget how to fly south for the winter or somethin'?"

[babylonmechanic]

"I told you, it's none of your business!" she snapped, angry at being called on her bluff. "Now shove off, I'm through messing around with a peabrain like you."

[monotreme_101]

"Oh, yeah, you got way more important places to be, right?" Knuckles continued teasing. He was going to let the peabrain comment slide. For now. (For the record, he was at LEAST a bean brain. At least.)

"Look, I'm sorry. Shouldn't give ya a hard time. I got brought here without meanin' to as well. Sonic and Tails just came 'cause they wanted to." he shrugged. "Jet and Storm might wind up here too. You never know."

[babylonmechanic]

Wave crossed her arms in frustration. The idea that someone as stupid as Knuckles could have called her bluff, even one as weak as the one she gave him... It galled her. But he was being reconciliatory. It felt at least a little comforting to know someone sympathized with her on this...

...But she had an image to maintain. So in response, she scoffed. "Hmph. I don't need your pity."

[monotreme_101]

"Good. Because ya don't get any." Knuckles replied with a shrug. "You and me aren't the only folks who wound up here without meaning to. Lots of students and teachers did and they just picked up and got on with it. You can do the same."