Sonic Boom!

Counter Productive

"We're approaching hour 23 of Sonic and Knuckles' stay awake challenge and it's still anybody's game. Sticks, Penny, what do you make of their strategy so far?" Tails asked, turning to Sticks and Penny.

"Well..." Penny began, but Sticks beat her to it. " It appears Sonic is jogging in circles to stay awake while Knuckles keeps his focus by watching late night TV. Both strong approaches, but personally, I find the grim knowledge that our freedom is slowly eroding enough to keep me awake at night."

Sonic panted as he ran around the table. "Give it up, Knuckles. I can keep moving all night. The second you find something boring on TV, you're going to be out like a light."

Knuckles smirked, holding the TV remote. "Don't be silly, Sonic, TV is never boring." He pressed a button on the remote and it turned to the Comedy Chip show.

"So Soar, tell us more about your dried, dense and complicated new book about introspection and self betterment."

Knuckles grumbled.

Soar grinned at the audience. "My new book, counter productive, is about fixing your old mistakes, times when you made a mess of things. When you were a bad apple, active like a basket case."

Knuckles' eyes widened. He recalled what happened with him and Charlie a few years ago....

FLASHBACK

Knuckles grinned hopefully at the basket of apples in Charie's hand. "Hey Charlie, can I borrow your basket? It's really important!"

Before Charlie could protest, Knuckles grabbed the buckest and dumped the apples to the ground. He strapped them to his feet and used them as mini stilts. Knuckles walked away on them, laughing excitedly. "Haha, neat! I'm all tall and stuff!"

Charlie hissed angrily.

END OF FLASHBACK

Sticks waved her hand in front of Knuckles' face, and he didn't flinch. He just gaped at the screen. Penny watched him curiously. What in the world was he thinking about?

Not getting a response from Knuckles, Sticks grinned. "His eyes are open, but his brain is definitely asleep. Sonic wins!"

Knuckles gasped, his eyes wide. "Am I... counter productive?" He asked slowly.

Sonic smirked at him, crossing his arms. "Nope, just someone who can't stay awake for twenty-three hour straight."

"Knuckles, are you okay?" Penny asked him worriedly. Knuckles ignored her and turned his attention back to the TV.

Soar continued. "If you don't go back to the people you've wronged and make up for your misdeeds then you're basically a monster and that's science."

Knuckles' eyes widened with horror and he abruptly ran out of the room, screaming, "Don't look at me! I'm a monster! A monster!"

Sonic sighed. "Hope this turns out better than when he thought he was a ballerina."

Penny nodded. She clearly remember Knuckles yelling, "Don't look at me! I'm a ballerina! A ballerina!"

He got on his tippy toes and started dancing to one of the Nut Cracker themes, the Sugar Plum Fairy.

She and Sonic both shuddered at the memory.

"I wonder what he did that made him think he was a monster." Penny mused.

........................................................................................................

Knuckles walked up to Charlie's old boss. "I'm looking for Charlie."

The shopkeeper shook his head. "You mean that guy who kept dropping my apples? Fired him years ago. Last I heard he was working at a dig-sight just outside the village. Probably mocking that up too."