In the middle of the table arrangement, Knuckles sat, sipping tea nervously.  His violet eyes ping-ponged back and forth while he wondered why and how he ended up here.  All he knew is he was looking for the bathroom at another event, and now he was enjoying some Earl Grey and scones with baddies.

((Anybody is allowed to join this RP, it's just an introductory for my Knuckles))

With all the crazy mayhem had been going on, Knuckles had missed it all.  See, even though he was a grand protector of the chaos emeralds, he also had his mortal weaknesses.  Flu.  Why did it have to be the flu?  Well, that was part of his excuse.  The other was a long-needed vacation and a trip to a science convention and brain talks, but that ended in the flu.  Knux had been down for a month after his travels, and he knew.  He knew that something was up.  The emeralds had been messed with, and he needed to get his mitts on them, back to the right place, but ...?

"Uuuuuuugh..."  He rolled in bed, standing up, swaying some.  "Why did it have to be the Squirrel Flu?"   He looked at himself in the mirror, and flexed.  "This isn't going to do.  I can't go out like this!"  Muscle atrophy, not something to show off to your friends who saw you as the big, buff red echidna puff.  "I gotta get out there, though."  He put his forehead to the reflective glass in front of him and sighed.  "Well, another day of chicken soup, get over the last bit of loopiness, and tomorrow I go out.  I start my journey, and avoid Sonic.  I just hope he got my letters."

<<Elsewhere, weeks if not months ago:  A mailbox stuffed and ignored by Sonic sits serenely in a post office... and then BOMB out of nowhere.>>

"I'm sure he did."