“I hope I got everything,” said Lara-Su, as she carried her groceries 
home. 
It was just another day in Echidnopolis for the daughter of the 
guardian, 
Knuckles. “Mom will be mad if I forgot something on her list,” 
continued 
Lara-Su, trying to hold up the heavy bags. She was so distracted that 
she 
did not pay attention to where she was walking and bumped into someone. 
“Oh 
sorry! I should have been paying…” began Lara-Su, before her eyes 
widened at 
who she bumped into. It was an auburn-furred cat, who looked like he 
was 
seventeen, and he was wearing a black leather jacket and blue jeans, 
which 
had a sword and scabbard hanging from the hip.

	“Oh, it was completely my fault. Let me help you pick up those 
groceries. 
Oh, where are my manners? My name is Lance,” said the cat, picking up 
some 
of Lara-Su’s groceries and putting them in the bags.

	“I’m Lara-Su. It’s kind of strange to see a cat in Echidnopolis,” said 
Lara-Su, picking up her groceries.

	Lance then replied, “Well, I’m sort of a drifter. I was on my way to 
leave 
this Floating Island…for personal reasons,”

	Lara-Su then nodded, “Ah, I see. Well, it was nice meeting you,” She 
only 
made two steps away, when a dark-armored figure landed from the sky. He 
had 
a jetpack hanging from his back, and he was armed with a laser rifle.

	“Lance…by the orders of the Dark Legion, I am bring you back to our 
care,” 
said the dark-armored figure.

	Lance drew his sword, its blade shined in the sun, as he said, 
“Listen, you 
can tell that mad man of a scientist I am no longer his lab rat! Now 
leave 
me alone!”

	“It doesn’t matter if you live or not…I just need to bring you back,” 
said 
the Dark Legionnaire, before firing at Lance. However, the cat 
swordsman 
jumped aside and slashed a hole in the armor.

	Lara-Su put down her groceries and thought to herself, “If he’s in 
danger 
of the Dark Legion…then he needs my help!” With that, the daughter of 
Knuckles landed a kick on the legionnaire’s hip, causing him to keel 
back. 
She then gave a right cross to him, before continuing with another 
kick.

	“Out of my way, girlie!” shouted the legionnaire, before smacking 
Lara-Su 
away, and pointing his laser rifle at her.  He was about to pull the 
trigger, when suddenly there was a flash of shining metal, before the 
rifle 
fell apart.

	“Leave her out of this!” shouted Lance, jamming his sword into the 
legionnaire’s jet pack and slashing out some parts.

	“Uh-oh…” gulped the legionnaire, before his jet pack launched him high 
into 
the air.

	Lara-Su blinked in question as Lance sheathed his sword and walked 
away.

	“Wait! What does the Dark Legion want with you? My dad can help you! 
He’s 
the guardian of the Floating Island!” shouted Lara-Su.

	Without turning around, Lance said, “No…its something I can’t bring 
other 
people into. No one would understand anyway…”
	Later, at Lara-Su’s home…

	“Why would no one understand? If he’s in danger, then its something 
others 
can help with!” thought Lara-Su, sitting at the table when her dad, 
Knuckles, came in.

	Knuckles saw his daughter’s sad and confused face, and asked, “What’s 
wrong, Lara-Su?”

	“Dad, there’s a guy named Lance I met today, and he’s being chased by 
the 
Dark Legion. I offered him help, but he refused,” said Lara-Su.

	“Well dear, you can’t force it on him. He must have his reasons,” said 
Knuckles, before his wife, Julie-Su, came in.

	“I was overhearing your conversation. You seem very worried about this 
Lance…could our little girl be having her first crush?” smiled 
Julie-Su.

	Lara-Su blushed in embarrassment, before shouting, “Of course not! I’m 
not 
that way!”

	“Whatever you say, dear,” said Julie-Su, leaving the room.

	“Well, I’m going to find out about this Lance, and why the Dark Legion 
is 
after him! When this is over, I’ll know what’s going on,” thought 
Lara-Su.

	(To Be Continued)