Sonic the Hedgehog #03

SONIC: Oh, shoot! For once I'm too late.
Sonic witnesses a Death Egg Robot fall in front of a fortress.

"Looks like Knuckles hogged all the fun!"
Knuckles rips the wires off of the fallen Death Egg Robot as Sonic runs down a hill, approaching them.

SONIC: Yo Knux! Save any for me?
KNUCKLES: Sonic! Long time no see!
Knuckles greets Sonic by raising his fist.

KNUCKLES: What brings you out here?
SONIC: I ran into Amy in the next town over. She said you were looking into trouble here. I thought I'd lend a hand.
Knuckles jumps down in front of Sonic, who taps his foot.

SONIC: Y'know, you're awfully far away from the HQ, Commander Knuckles.
KNUCKLES: Ugh... don't remind me.
Sonic grins as Knuckles brushes the Death Egg Robot parts off himself.

KNUCKLES: It was more interesting when we were fighting to save the world. Now that we're focusing on rebuilding, it's all scheduling and inventory and... peh! I've got no patience for it. I'm ready to get back to Angel Island and go on a good old-fashioned treasure hunt.
SONIC: I hear ya. Amy tried to get me to enlist full time.
KNUCKLES: Ha! You? She should've known better.
Sonic winks at Knuckles as they stand in front of the fallen Death Egg Robot.

SONIC: So, what's going on here?
KNUCKLES: This town is a hub for Wispon distribution. The shipments suddenly dried up, so I came to see why.
Sonic points at the Barricade Town wall. Knuckles folds his arms.

KNUCKLES: Hey! I'm the commander of the resistance! I took out all of Eggman's robots! Let me in!
Sonic and Knuckles look up at the top of the wall. Knuckles shouts with his eyes closed.

UNNAMED_RESIDENT_A: S-sorry, sir, but I'm under orders not to open the gates to anyone!
A dog-like character peeks out at Knuckles.

KNUCKLES: Says who?!
UNNAMED_RESIDENT_A: I-I-I can't say!
Knuckles snarls angrily. Sonic crosses his arms.

Knuckles and Sonic look at each other with determined looks on their faces.

Sonic and Knuckles climb the walls of the fort as the dog-like character leans out a window, shocked.

Sonic and Knuckles land into the fort grounds, and two animals are shocked about their entry.

KNUCKLES: The Badnik attacks have been getting more aggressive lately. Maybe that's what's got them spooked?
SONIC: I don't think so. Something else is going on...
As many animals panic, run away, and hide in their homes, Sonic and Knuckles wander further into the town.

UNNAMED_RESIDENT_A: You shouldn't have done that! You shouldn't be here!
SONIC: Why? Whatever's wrong, we can fix it.
The brown dog descends from above, looking worried. Sonic and Knuckles turn to face him.

UNNAMED_RESIDENT_A: No-- you can't! They took all the Wisps and Wispons! Without those Wispons, or a way to power them, we don't stand a chance! They're unstoppable now!
KNUCKLES: "They" who?
SONIC: Listen, buddy-- you just watched my friend here solo a Super Badnik. We can handle ourselves. Start from the beginning-- what's up?
The dog-like character shakes nervously. Sonic crosses his arms and Knuckles puts his hands on his hips.

Gulp
UNNAMED_RESIDENT_A: True enough... okay...
UNNAMED_RESIDENT_A: ...Just before the war ended, a couple of mercenaries showed up and they were ferocious. They drove back Eggman's forces and saved the town. They said they were going to improve our defenses...
The brown dog recalls Rough and Tumble standing atop a pile of broken Badniks in front of a wall of flame.

UNNAMED_RESIDENT_A: ...But what they really did ws take our arsenal and took us prisoner within our own town! Now we have to do everything they say. We have no way to fight back. And we can't escape with all the robots stalking outside the wall!
The brown dog recalls their town being surrounded by Egg Pawns.

SONIC: Well then. I think we need to take our complaints straight to the management, eh, Knux?
KNUCKLES: Absolutely.
Sonic looks over at Knuckles, smiling. Knuckles slams his fists together angrily.

SONIC: Where can we find these clowns?
UNNAMED_RESIDENT_A: Th-they turned the supply depot into a fortress. Just down this road on the right-- you can't miss it.
SONIC: Cool. Sit tight. We've got this.
The brown dog points to the right. SOnic and Knuckles run that way, Sonic flashing a peace-sign back at the resident.

Knuckles glides into a room where there are crates and Wisp containers everywhere. Sonic watches Knuckles investigate the room from the window.

SONIC: Yo! I found the Wisps!
Sonic notices Deployment Pods, including a Blue Cube, White Boost, Red Burst, and Yellow Drill Wispon.

KNUCKLES: Just before he... went solo... Tails gave us the cipher for the Wisps' language. We asked for their help in fighting Eggman. They volunteered happily, even choosing to wait in deployment pods like these for when our troops could enter an area. But these guys are being horded. This is inexcusable.
Knuckles pets a Yellow Drill's container sadly a Green Hover and Blue Cube sit behind them.

HA! HA! HA!
SONIC: Hang tight just a little longer. We'll free all of you!
Knuckles hears a laughing sound as Sonic whispers to a Blue Cube.

ROUGH: HA! HA! HA!
Nice one, idiot!
TUMBLE: Yeah! Now get us another round before we beat some sense into ya!
Rough and Tumble sit a food-laden table, surrounded by residents looking worried or annoyed. It's clear they've been forced into servitude for the skunks' enjoyment, acting as waiters, jesters, and frond-wavers.

SONIC: Wow. They make the hooligans look like class acts.
KNUCKLES: I'm gonna break them in half!
Sonic looks unimpressed. Knuckles appears furious.

SONIC: Steady. Let's take this one slow. Give the villagers a chance to get out of the line of fire.
KNUCKLES: Right. Then I'll break 'em!
Sonic puts a hand on Knuckles' shoulder, who is gritting his teeth.

SONIC: Hey! Tweedle-dumb and tweedle-dumber!
Rough and Tumble look surprised. Rough spits out his chocolate milk.

SONIC: I'm Sonic the Hedgehog. Maybe you've heard of me?
SONIC: This is Knuckles the Echidna, commander of the resistance. You guys are guilty of theft, extortion, kidnapping, and being grade-A jerks. So you can either come along quietly, or we're gonna get loud.
Sonic grins cockily, Knuckles settles into a boxer's pose.

TUMBLE: Who said you could come into our town, huh?! Who said you could ruin our fun?!
ROUGH: Yeah, we've heard of you, hero! But you clearly ain't heard of us!
Tumble breaks a glass in his anger. Rough begins to get up. The residents hurry out of the room.

TUMBLE: You lookin' to scrap?
ROUGH: Then get ready to crumble!
TUMBLE: Brace yourselves for--
Rough and Tumble begin to approach. Tumble slams his fists together.

ROUGH & TUMBLE: --Rough & Tumble!
Rough and Tumble strike epic poses. Confetti materializes around them.

SONIC: ...Oh no. I was not prepared for this.
KNUCKLES: Careful, Sonic. They're highly coordinated.
Sonic holds back his laughter as Knuckles raises his fists.

SONIC: Knuckles... you're the salt of the Earth.
Sonic laughs as he leans on Knuckles for support. Knuckles looks surprised and confused.

KNUCKLES: Whatever-- let's get 'em!
Sonic and Knuckles charge toward Rough and Tumble.

FASSSHH
Rough vaults over Knuckles, dodging his punch.

FASSSH
SMASH
Sonic spin-dashes into Tumble, who is forced backwards.

Knuckles swings a punch at Rough across his face.

SONIC: ?!
THUNNKKKK
Tumble catches Sonic as Sonic tries to spin-dash into Tumble again.

SMASH
Tumble bounces Sonic like a ball.

Tumble throws Sonic like a ball.

WHAM
Sonic hits a wooden pillar feetfirst.

Tumble has a surprised look on his face.

SOK
Sonic spin-dashes into Tumble again, this time hitting his face. Tumble falls backwards across the table.

FASSSHH
Rough does a wall-jump above Knuckles.

ROUGH: Stink bomber!
Rough looks at Knuckles while grinning.

FASSSH
Rough unleashes a big, green cloud of stinky gas on Knuckles, curling into a ball.

Knuckles, with tears in his eyes, launches at Rough, readying a punch.

WHOOOMM
Knuckles punches Rough so hard that he drills into the floorboards.

TUMBLE: C'mon bro, we ain't done yet...
Tumble picks up Rough from the ground.

SONIC: Whugh... you okay, dude?
KNUCKLES: I'mb fuhne.
Sonic and Knuckles try to resist Rough's stench. Sonic holds his nose while Knuckles massages his jaw with bloodshot eyes.

TUMBLE: No more messin' around!
ROUGH: Say your prayers, chumps!
Rough and Tumble pick up nearby Wispons.

SONIC: Okay, that might be a problem.
Sniff
KNUCKLES: I'll distract them. You grab a Wispon of your own and--
Sonic and Knuckles crouch into defensive positions.

SONIC: No... I can do one better...
Sonic smiles, recalling a high-five shared with Yacker, the Wispon ambassador.

SONIC: Wisps! It's me-- your old buddy Sonic! I saved your planet from Dr. Eggman, remember?
Sonic calls out while Knuckles smiles.

SONIC: A bunch of you chose to stick around on this world! You helped me on Lost Hex! You helped the resistance fight the Eggman Empire!
Rough and Tumble look confused as Sonic continues talking.

SONIC: I know fighting isn't your thing, but you've proven you're all powerful and brave! Don't let these jerks boss you around! They need you to bully everyone, but you don't need them!
Sonic ensures that the Wisps are strong, courageous creatures, and he talks to the Wisps about Rough and Tumble.

An Ivory Wisp is loaded inside Tumble's yellow Wispon.

A Red Wisp is loaded inside Rough's red Wispon.

ROUGH & TUMBLE: Gyeh!
As the Yellow and Red Wisps escape from Rough and Tumble's Wispons, Rough and Tumble reel back in shock.

Many Wisps surround Rough and Tumble, including Red, Orange, Yellow, Ivory, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet, Pink, and White wisps.

Sonic and Knuckles fist-bump each other smugly as Orange, Blue, and Ivory Wisps float angrily above them.

TUMBLE: C'mon c'mon c'mon!
ROUGH: One of you get in this thing right now!
Click
Click
Click
Rough smacks his Red Wispon, glaring at the Red Wisps above him. Tumble hits his Yellow Wispon frustratedly.

KNUCKLES: The tables have turned.
SONIC: They've certainly bumbled.
SONIC & KNUCKLES: It's butt-kick time for Rough and Tumble!
Sonic stretches and Knuckles slams his fists together as they approach. Angry Wisps float around them.

TUMBLE: No no no!
ROUGH: That's our thing! You can't do our thing!
As Tumble opens a crate, Rough angrily throws down his Wispon.

SOK
SOK
Sonic and Knuckles knock Rough and Tumble out as the Wisps cheer them on.

YAAAAY!
YAAAAY!
YAAAAY!
As Sonic and Knuckles take Rough and Tumble out of the fort, many animals and Wisps cheer for Sonic and Knuckles.

UNNAMED_RESIDENT_A: You did it! How can we ever repay you?
SONIC: Serve up some chilidogs and we'll call it even.
The dog-like character from earlier approaches Sonic. This time, the dog-like character has a Wispon.

NNC: Er... what's it saying?
YELLOW_WISP: ●♥▲♫!
SONIC: No idea. I don't have Tails' translator handy.
The Yellow Wisp happily speaks in its native language. Sonic and the dog-like character look confused.

The Yellow Wisp enters the dog-like character's Wispon.

SONIC: I get it now. It's saying the Wisps plan to stick around and help you guys defend the town.
UNNAMED_RESIDENT_A: Thank you! Thank you so much!
The dog-like character holds the Wispon with tears in their eyes. Sonic winks and holds up a finger.

UNNAMED_RESIDENT_B: Hope you enjoyed it while it lasted.
UNNAMED_RESIDENT_C: You two are going to be locked up for a long time.
TUMBLE: Peh!
A bat and a fox look at Rough and Tumble angrily.

TUMBLE: Their little cells won't hold us for long! We'll be out-- and then we're coming for you!
ROUGH: You've made lifelong enemies of--
ROUGH & TUMBLE: --Rough & Tumble!
Rough and Tumble sneer backwards as they're taken away.

Knuckles raises his fists at Rough and Tumble, who flinch backwards. Sonic laughs, doubling over.

Everyone else laughs at Rough and Tumble as the two perpetrators get taken out of the fort. Knuckles sighs and crosses his arms.

KNUCKLES: Thanks for the help. Not that I needed it...
SONIC: Nah, but you didn't share the Badniks outside. You owed me this.
Knuckles and Sonic tap their fists together.

KNUCKLES: Hopefully this is the start of things settling down. I really do miss home.
SONIC: I wouldn't mind a vacation myself. First we've got to figure out who's controlling Eggman's leftover Badniks.
Sonic and Knuckles pet some Wisps as they plan what to do in their next adventure.

SONIC: But before that-- we party!
YAAAAY!
YAAAAY!
YAAAAY!
Sonic and Knuckles are surrounded by happy residents and Wisps, cheering.

As Sonic and Knuckles celebrate with the animals and Wisps, a Flapper watches them from above.

???: So... Knuckles is still playing hero on the surface.
A hidden figure sits on a chair with Dr. Eggman's symbol on it and watches Sonic and Knuckles through a large screen.

???: That means Angel Island is unguarded. The Master Emerald is prone. That will accelerate my plans considerably...
Next time: Sonic tangles with a new hero & another returns in a blaze of glory!
Details about Angel Island are shown on Dr. Eggman's screen. A teaser about the next issue of this comic book series is shown on the bottom-right corner of this panel.