12A/N: Can't believe I actually went back and revised this story... Well, here's hoping everyone likes the new parts!
Manage Thy Anger
By St. Noof
Chapter 1: An Unfair Fate
"And therefore, I sentence you to an anger management class, so you can control those emotions!" The judge's gavel banged, signaling the finalization Knuckles' temporary fate.
Anger management? Bah! he thought. I have no anger problems! That stupid pedestrian almost got hit because of himself! Said less-than-agreeable echidna had been driving through Indianapolis a few days ago, trying to figure out just how the bloody hell he was to get back to Angel Island, when some enormous man had jaywalked and cut him off. After narrowly missing the pedestrian, Knuckles had abruptly gotten out of his truck and begun to beat the living tar out of him. The police arrived in the middle of the one-sided brawl, and thus, court ensued.
"Knuckles? Knuckles?" said a very annoying voice. "KNUCKLES!" Knuckles snapped out of his thoughts to see the blue hedgehog shaking him.
"What do you want?" snapped the Guardian.
"Well, I'm your ride home, aren't I?" Sonic asked. "You can't drive with a suspended license, you know."
"I'll walk," Knuckles growled.
"Now that won't do, Knux," Sonic said with a mild hint of humor in his voice. "C'mon, let's get you home." The azure hero stepped forward, putting a friendly arm around the echidna. However, he wasn't counting on something in those violet eyes to snap.
XXX
"I still don't see why I'm tied up!" The echidna was sitting in the backseat of Sonic's blue sports car, a machine deemed the Blue Streak. Knuckles' hands were tied together, as were his legs. He was also wearing a blindfold, and the seat belt was secured tightly around his body.
"It's because you almost killed Sonic," said Tails from the front seat. "I hope that class goes well, because you need it."
"Maybe I'll duck out some day and pay you a little visit!" Knuckles screamed at the top of his lungs.
"Okay, spray him again," Sonic said calmly. Tails reached under the seat and produced a small orange bottle. One puff of smoke later, Knuckles sat very quietly in his seat, unwilling to make any further argument…
"Isn't it nice when we can all get along?" quipped the amber kit with a grin.
XXX
"Good morning, class!" said the anger management instructor. He was a man of about sixty or so with short gray hair. "My name is Mr. Schnieders."
"Good morning, Mr. Schnieders," said several gruff voices in the room. The red echidna sat in the middle desk of the front row, and was silently planning that night's visit to Sonic's condo. The classroom was located in the middle of the resident school's huge bell tower, and its high ceiling and large windows allowed for an excellent view of the forest that lay beyond the parking lot.
"I guess we have a new student here today," said the enthusiastic instructor. "Everone, say hello to Knuckles."
"Hey, Knux."
"How's it going, Knuckles?"
The two greetings that stood out to the Guardian were those of a familiar crocodile and hedgehog sitting to either side of him.
"Vector? Shadow? What're you guys doing here?"
"The bellboy scratched my suitcase, so I snapped his neck and hid the body under my bed," said Shadow.
"Now, now, Shadow," Mr. Schnieders scolded. "Those kinds of jokes aren't very well tolerated in the city."
"Well, I bet the bellboy doesn't get a lot of tips now," came a low voice from a black fox in the corner, followed by several loud guffaws.
"I'd like you guys to settle down now," sighed the instructor. After several more minutes of laughter, his face began to change to a beet red. "SHUT UP!" he screamed. The class laughed a little more, and then fell silent.
"So, what exactly do you do in anger management?" Knuckles asked.
"Well, in this class, we like to practice techniques for managing rage using skits and games," Mr. Schnieders said.
"In plain English, we play games that are supposed to help us be less mad," Vector added sardonically.
"Being less angry has nothing to do with these techniques," said a red-haired human boy sitting behind Knuckles. The boy was rather short in stature, and his voice had a nasal tone that annoyed the scarlet echidna. "The amount of anger is totally irrelevant. These techniques merely help us control that amount of anger."
"Now, Jimmy, don't be a know-it-all," Mr. Schnieders chided.
"Does it matter?" said a short girl near the back. "Listen, as long as we're here, it doesn't matter what we have to do. What matters is getting through the class and getting out."
"Thank you, Amanda," Mr. Schnieders said with relief. "Now, let's get started. I'd like Knuckles to stand up in front of the class and introduce himself. What do you say, Knuckles?"
"Personally, I'm not much one for telling people about myself," Knuckles said in an irritated tone.
"Don't be shy, now," said the instructor in his insanely mellow voice.
"It would probably help you relieve your anger," said a green frog sitting on the left side of the room.
"Very good, Kermit," Mr. Schnieders said. "Talking about yourself can really help with anger problems." Just then, a loud, shrill bell rang. "Well, I guess we're out of time for today. See you all on Friday." There were many sighs of relief as the classroom emptied, most of the students heading out in groups.
Much to what I'm sure will be surprise, I actually revised this chapter some… Put in some more info and descriptions, that kind of thing. Hope it's more to your enjoyment!
Next Chapter: Return to ISBVI