FRIENDLY ROGUES AND FOUL VILLAINS
Writer: Ken Penders
Penciler: Manny Galan
Inker: Jim Amash
Colorist: Ken Penders
Letterer: Jeff Powell
Editor: Justin Freddy Gabrie

Before Yanar, Sonic, and Tails can talk to each other, two robots come and take Tails. When Yanar asks if they're taking Tails to trial, the robots laugh and one beats on Yanar. Sonic takes offense to that and tries to attack the robot. The chains hold him back and Sonic hits his head instead.

"Elsewhere," the cyan hedgehog decides not to shoot at Knuckles and jumps down from his hiding place. He tells Knuckles that his name is "Rob O' The Hedge" and while standing on a log in a creek, challenges Knuckles to a fight (can you say "not a good idea"). Knux half glides and jumps over Rob causing Rob to lose his balance and fall into the water. Knuckles comments that "Echidnas think first, act second." Rob asks Knuckles if Knux would join him with the promise of adventure.

Meanwhile in the dungeon, Sonic tells Yanar how he and Tails ended up the dungeon. Sonic says the weather was bad even when they headed for safer ground. Sonic and Tails flew into the storm and a bolt of lightning took out the end of the plane. Tails managed to land the plane in one piece though. Robots found them, called Sonic "Rob O' The Hedge," and took put them in the dungeon because they were "too dizzy to fight." Yanar tells Sonic that he and his tribe are searching for their homeland when they ran into robots. The tribe is being forced to work, while he was locked up. Two robots come into the cell, interrupting the conversation. This time they're coming for "Rob O' The Hedge." While Sonic is telling them that he's "Sonic," Yanar sees the keys to Sonic's chains and surprises the robot holding them by attacking it. The two robots subdue Yanar and decide to take him instead, but don't realize that Yanar has the keys. As Yanar is dragged away, he throws the keys to Sonic who catches them with his sneaker and starts to free himself.

"In Deerwood Forest," Rob has told Knuckles that everyone in his band has been captured and roboticized by the High Sheriff, Robotnik's sub-boss in Mercia. Knuckles asks whether Rob has seen a tribe of echidnas. Rob says no, but that they can look around from the top of the trees. Knuckles notices that trees are falling in the distance and Rob tells Knuckles that the tribe been captured by the High Sheriff. As Knuckles starts to leave to "trash some robots and free some slaves," Rob tells him that they'll do it together.

In the dungeon, the robots return and are surprised that Sonic is free. Sonic runs circles around them and locks them inside the dungeon. Sonic finds Tails, who is being tickled by a robot, while the High Sheriff asks Tails who is he spying for. Sonic notices that the High Sheriff is really General D'Coolette, Antoine's father. Sonic proceeds to knock down the robot tickling Tails and frees Tails from his chains. Then he addresses the High Sheriff as "General D'Coolette," but the High Sheriff claims the name means nothing to him and tries to cut up Sonic with an ax. Since Sonic refuses to hit him, Tails flies above and releases a wooden chandelier, which knocks down the High Sheriff. Sonic and Tails speed away from the scene.

Back in the forest, Knuckles and Rob encounter a hooded stranger, which Rob challenges to a fight. The hooded stranger is armed with a stick and easily beats Rob and Knuckles figures out that the stranger is "Mari-An." She takes off the hood and she and Rob basically fall in love at first sight. Knux interrupts the scene because he notices Sonic and Tails plane without any sign of them. Rob does a bit of tracking and notices the trail leads to "High Sheriff's castle."

In the castle, Sonic and Tails can't find a way out, but they aren't going to be captured since Sonic just takes out any robot that comes their way. Meanwhile with Rob leading, he, Knux, and Mari-An sneak past some robot guards into Friar Buck's Chapel. In the chapel is a secret intrance into the castle, which the trio go through. As Rob opens the doorway into the castle, he knocks Sonic over. Rob and Sonic chat for a moment and Rob mentions that Amy Rose is his cousin. Knux ends the chat by mentioning that they have some rescuing to do. As they head out the castle, they reach a ledge and find "one poor soul needs rescue!" (as Rob put it). The High Sheriff is about to hang Yanar for disobedience.

To Be Continued in KNUCKLES THE ECHIDNA #12