They were alone, no one by their side, except for each other.

"What do we do now?" Knuckles asked.

"You heard her, lets go find them," Waluigi said, smiling. They walked out of the field, not realizing someone was behind them.

"There's more to this than just finding them, you know," the figure whispered. They went opposite directions, Knuckles going to the mainhall, while Waluigi went to the 2nd floor.

"So, where would I hide someone if I were Dimentio," Knuckles said to himself. He was looking under the bleachers, when he was startled by a sound in a fountain. It wasn't turned on, nor had water inside. Knuckles looked inside it, and there was Rouge, Espio, and Shadow tied in rope and taped shut. Rouge tried to say something, but the tape was in the way. Knuckles ripped the tape off, leaving some makeup on the tape.

"Knuckles, I'm so glad to see you," she breathed out in relief. Knuckles smiled, and they untied and untaped Espio and Shadow.

"Thank s, what's even going on?" Shadow asked. Knuckles stepped up to tell him.

"Dimentio and Chaos are making us play this game, if we lose, they rule the kingdom, if we win, they leaves us alone, TD is 38th them as well." Shadow understood, he smiled.

"Finally, this is going to be fun," Shaodw said. He grabbed for Rouge's hand, but she pulled back.

"Wait Shadow, I need to do something, just in case," she told him. Espio smiled and chuckled. She turned to Knuckles, walking closer to him.

"Knuckles, if we don't make it out of this mess, I want this the last thing you remember of me," she said. Knuckles smiled, sweeped her off her feet, and kissed her. Espio clapped, and Shadow smiled, rolling his eyes. Knuckles lifted her up and let go.

"No problem Rouge, I got it covered," he smiled at her. Rouge was flustered, and she waved at him while walking off with Shadow.

"So, you two are together now?" Espio asked. Knuckles shrugged at him.

"I guess, I mean, what happened back there meant something," Knuckles said.

"So, they seemed to know what they're doing, what is this game you talked about?" Espio asked him.

"We need to find everyone before time runs out, or else, we're slaves, we have five days to find them," Knuckles explained. Espio completely understood, what they have to do and how Shadow and Rouge knew.

"Well then, what are we waiting for, lets go," Espio cheered. They went off the opposite of Rouge and Shadow, and disappeared.

"Huh, the door is creaked a little," Waluigi said. The door to Pauline's office was opened up. Waluigi swung it fully opened, and saw nothing, he looked under a table, in the drawers, and then the desk. "Rosalina, Donkey Kong, there you are," Waluigi shouted in delight," he untied and untapped them.

"Thanks Waluigi, I guess it's time to shine, huh," she smiled. Donkey Kong started to pound his chests, making his signature sound. Waluigi and Rosalina smiled.

"Alright, Dimentio is making me and Knuckles play this game where we have to find everyone before five days run out, or we turn into slaves," Waluigi told them. Rosalina thought for some time.

"Can we help?" she asked. Waluigi had a grin on his face.

"Why not, the more searchers we have the better," he proclaimed. Rosalina teleported while DK jumped over Waluigi, giving him a salute, and left. "Alright Dimentio, when this is over, I'm coming for you," he thought. He ran out, going to the swimming area. He ran to the lockeroom, when he looked at the water. "Maybe some other time," he thought again. He went in the lockeroom, and began searching. "Not here, not there." He couldn't seem to find anyone, until.
*Thumb*
He heard three lockers thump. He looked, and they thumped again. He opened two of them, revealing King Boo, and Daisy. They weren't tied up like the rest.

"Finally, I'm out of that cellar," Daisy cheered in delight. She then saw Waluigi. "Well, if it isn't Mr. Nerd himself," she grumbled, cross her arms.

"Just wait for the bullying later, I got someone else in a locker," Waluigi exclaimed. He looked at the handle, a lock. He saw a piece of paper in locker number two. He took it, and read. "When I'm in my home, I am wet, what am I," he read outloud. Daisy laughed.

"That's very easy, it's a-""fish." Waluigi and Daisy said at the same time.

"Well, you're smarter than you appear to be, what does it even mean?" she asked.

"It's obvious, F is 6, I is 9, S is 19, and H is 8," he told her, unlocking the lock. Out appeared Luigi, tumbelling down. Daisy ,shocked, ran to him, and hugged the dizzy plumber.

"Oh sweaty, are you alright," Daisy sobbed. Luigi shook his head, and saw Daisy.

"I'm doing alright Daisy, you can let go right now," Luigi said. She backed away to give him some air, and he saw Waluigi.

"What are you doing here?" Luigi said. Waluigi was stunned to see that he rescued his rival, but was glad for some reason.

"Me and Knuckles have to find everyone in five days, or Dimentio will take us, and make us do her bidding," Waluigi explained, with his hat off. "Do you think you can help us." Luigi and Daisy huddled up for a few seconds, and looked back at the patient plumber.

"Alright, we're in," Daisy smiled at him. Waluigi was surprised at the smile, he hasn't seen that smile ever since the soccer game.

"Lets all split up, see if you can find anyone, then we meet back at the mainhall at 5:00," Waluigi planned. They all agreed, and went off. They ran separate ways, but Waluigi tripped on something. They all turned to see a black rectangular box. Waluigi opened it, and there were watches with some of their faces on the screen. Waluigi saw All the competitors, the audiences, and the announcers, and Pauline. He pressed everyone that he found, and the faces dissappeared, as well as the other watches faces.

"So, is this to tell everyone who has been found?" Daisy asked.

"I mean, it makes since," Waluigi said. He gave a watch to each of them, and left the box on a bench. "When you find someone, tell them to come back here and get one of these watches, as well as telling them what it's used for," Waluigi told them. They split up again, and went to search for others.

"Hey Vector, how's it going over there?" Knuckles asked.

"Not that well, nothing seems to be here," he said.

"Just keep looking, someone has to be around here somewhere," Knuckles exclaimed. The three kept searching, looking for anyone they could find.

"Wait, did that box just move," Espio said. In the basement, the box was moving, a box that could contain thousands of people. Knuckles started to climb it with his knuckles. He got to the opening, and hit it so hard, that it opened it up, inside were half of the crowd.

"C'mon everyone, get out of here," Knuckles shouted. One by one they came out of the box. Everyone left, and they all went to the soccer field. Knuckles and the other two came out. "That's half of the crowd done, the animals are safe," Knuckles said, pressing the face of the animals off on the watch. Knuckles saw that Tails was found as well.

"Looks like Tails is with Charmy," Vector said. He showed Knuckles the camera, and they could see Tails.

"Well, looks like Charmy is useful after all," Knuckles said, all three started laughing.  "Lets go check the hill with snow." They ran to it, leaving big footsteps behind them. Knuckles then looked at the day. "Three days has passed by, we haven't catched up on our days." Knuckles looked at the faves, more than half of them were gone.

"I'm surprised no one has found Mario and Peach," Espio said. Knuckles was confused about that as well. All of a sudden, Knuckles hit into something, backflipping away from what he hit. Omega was I'm the way of them.

"Omega, you're here, do you think you can help us?" asked Vector. Omega starred at him, with a glare of red feary. He put his hands up, and smashed the floor, knocking Vector down.

"Destroy the Chaotix and Knuckles," Omega answered.

"Dimentio must have tampered with Omega, but how," Espio thought. The three fought Omega, tough, but simple, get to the switch and turn him off. Vector and Espio distracted him, while Knuckles came from behind and turned the switch. Omega starred shaking, and broke down.

"We should leave him here until he calms down," Espio explained. The other two agreed, and went to the hill. They went up to the start of the race, and found Blaze, Amy, and Sonic.

"Good, we could really use you Sonic, you think you could speed through the place and find everyone else?" Knuckles asked.

"Sorry, my speed was taking from that Jester girl," Sonic explained to him. Knuckles sighed, and told them everything, and told them to go to the mainhall to get watches. Knuckles then went to the gym, with Espio and Vector.

"Alright, split up, Espio bleachers, Vector, the floor, and me, the lockeroom. They went to the locations, Knuckles searched for places that he thought anyone could be, he went to the showers, and found Zazz, Havok, and Eggman all tied up.

"You guys seen anyone?" Knuckles asked, ripping off the tape on them.

"No, we don't know anything that's going on," said Havok. They all stood up, using their strength to break the rope. Knuckles told them everything and they ran back to the mainhall to get watches.

"Any luck," Espio said.

"I found the Egghead, Havok, and Zazz," Knuckles said, pressing the faces off. They smiled, looking at the watch, only 7 places with people to go. They turned to the doors, but then, they were pushed back.

"Well, this is gonna be easy," said the mysterious voice. Knuckles looked up to see the terrifying sight.

"Infinite, did she really go this far," Knuckles raged. Infinite laughed at the anger.

"She told me that if I helped her, I could destroy your world, and I can make my own," he cackled. He started attacking them, dodging each one, but then Vector was hit, his arm, broken. Espio made a puff of smoke, and appeared behind Infinite, hitting him from behind.

"Oh really, gonna play like that, huh," he said. He started to throw them faster, each block, so close to the two companions. Infinite was so angry, he didn't realize the croc behind him. Vector hit him with his working arm, and he fell into the floor.

"You think he's good," Knuckles said, walking over to the black figure. He poked him, when he stood up, about to attack again. Knuckles summersalted, and hit him in the face. He jumped over him, and slidkicked him. He picked him up, and threw him on the ground. He was laying there, onconsious like a chair that was never used. Knuckles was taking a breather.

"That was cool," Vector said, his arm dangling.

"You should go to the main hall, and get someone to help you with your arm," Espio told him. He left, listening to Espio for once. Knuckles looked at the watch.

"12 hours left, we need to hurry," Knuckles said. They ran out of the room, but they didn't see the figure behind them, the same figure as the first one. A net appeared below the duo, and captured them.

"What the..." Espio was interrupted by the figure slow clapping.

"Very well done, it's not easy to find people who are as strong as you, a perfect distraction for me," it said.

"Who are you." The figure kept in silence with a grin so menacing. "WHO ARE YOU!" Knuckles screamed. The figure laughed.

"Just someone who wants revenge on an old friend," he quietly said. "Now, just relax," he pressed a button, and the two were knocked out.