It is late at night in Station Square. The streets are quiet, the only one around being you, and the glow of the street lamps illuminates your way. You had just been returning home after a long day, not expecting anything out of the ordinary.

Unfortunately, today is not your lucky day. You hear the mechanical whir of flying robots start to approach. Suddenly, for seemingly no reason, you are attacked by a hoard of Badniks, mainly Buzz Bombers. You run away instinctively as the robots chase after you. You eventually reach a dead end, and the Badniks corner you. Just then, an anthropomorphic red echidna appears behind the robots.

"TAKE THIS!"

He yells as he destroys the Badniks, punching them into oblivion, and freeing the animals within them. He then turns to you.

"Are you alright?" The figure asks gruffly.

It's Knuckles the Echidna, guardian of the Master Emerald. However, he is not guarding it right now, as his friend Sonic suggests he gets off his island more and start living a little. The Emerald is still safe though, of course. Luckily, he happened to be in the right place at the right time to save you.