Trembling
(…)
The soft waves glowed amber as they crashed against the cliff face below.
One could taste the salty spray that hung in the frolicking wind.
A roar of intense yet dull crashing echoed upward every now and them.
The rhythmic pounding of the ocean filled the air.
Soft whispers of warmth came from the bright sun, just past it's highest point.
Summer was at it's longest, the days were filled with almost nothing but time.
From the cliff a small pebble fell.
It's time had seen it whittled away in size until eventually, it fell from it's long time home.
The water welcomed it with a horrid splash and ripple.
A droplet of water was pushed from the surface and enjoyed a brief moment of flight.
As it did the water found itself farther from the land then before.
A shadow set over it for a minute before it welcomed it's kin with a smaller splash.
This shadow however, remained as it had for quiet some time.
The sky bound island, Angel Island, was there as if it was perched on nothing at all.
Ancient legends of history nearly forgotten spoke of the island on the ground with the rest of the world.
But, those oldest of ancient stories was all that stood to attest to it.
Upon this island of impossibilities sat a diverse landscape.
A mountain and a few of it's smaller siblings sat on one part of the island.
Green leaves of growth balanced out the huge megaliths of stone with their vast woods and giant mushrooms.
A river ran from the mountains and was welcomed to the forest before it dropped from the island completely, rushing to the vast ocean below.
Ancient stone wonders, still standing but barely whole, dotted the landscape.
The largest of the structures, a tall altar, held on it a solitary figure and the source of the island's mystery.
The source was known as The Master Emerald, controller of the Chaos Emeralds and the power that had been so sought after for greed that it broke from gravity.
A gloved hand ran along it's smooth surface, soft pinpricks of energy piercing the fabric down to the oddly shaped hand inside it.
Knuckles walked away from his duty for just a second, letting the wind pull his dread-quills.
The warm sun played on this red spines.
A figure approached the steps of the altar.
"Sleep late?" Knuckles asked as the figure ascended the steps.
The sun continued on it's downward curve as it shone on the second Echidna's face.
"I was exploring the lower altar... the one you mentioned"
Knuckles looked up for a minute.
Shade stepped closer, her heavy boots crunching with every descent.
"The Master Emerald used to reside there right?" Shade asked noticing Knuckles turned head.
He looked back down, "Yeah... for a while... then the altar got wrecked so the emerald came back up here..."
"What wrecked it?" Shade asked, remembering the battle scars that lined the walls.
"Eggman, there used to be a set of ruins that floated above this island, they crumbled as well."
"He did all that?" she asked, looking over her shoulder at the rock face that hid the entrance
"Yeah... this was the first altar for the Emerald, After Chaos destroyed it and Angel island came to the sky my ancestors moved the Emerald to the lower altar, to hide it away... but now... it's too destroyed to be used for more then storage."
Shade stepped closer, so she was next to Knuckles as he stared off in thought.
Knuckles suddenly turned to face her and Shade spun around before she could think.
Half a step carried her away from him, blood beginning to reroute itself.
Shade moved closer, glad her terracotta spines didn't show the same blush that was on her muzzle.
"You were exploring the altar, you were able to sleep right, it wasn't that you couldn't sleep right?" Knuckles suddenly asked.
"Why am I so concerned... she said it was fine last night..." Knuckles thought after he had spoken.
"Uhmm... yes... I was just curious..." Shade said turning away a bit.
"Did I startle him... no not good, when an adversary is startled they get defensive..." Shade thought.
Shade bit her lip for a moment of indecision.
Knuckles stood there silently, not sure what to do but knowing better then to move.
"I well... I wanted to thank you... for letting me stay here..." Shade said softly to break the silence.
Knuckles wanted to say something but found his words lacking.
"I know you didn't have too... but I wanted to thank you anyway... for this past week." Shade was hiding her blush by looking out into the forest.
Knuckles stood there for another moment, before his lips finally started to work.
"It's fine, you had nowhere to go after Ix... and well... it's nice to not be the last again..." he shocked both her and himself.
Shade fought the urge to turn around with a beaming smile.
"You held off hormones in combat training, just, keep holding them off..." She thought even with her face gaining blood.
Knuckles felt his heart begin to flutter and his mind raced with indecision.
"Shade... can you watch the emerald for a bit, I should be back soon." Knuckles said beginning to walk off.
"Bu" Shade had started but cut herself off by faking a cough.
"Very well" She said, all business.
Knuckles got about fifteen minutes of a walk away before he doubled back.
He waited till just before the altar would come back into view to hide in the forest.
Branches creaked and mushrooms were softly brushed aside as he treaded lightly through his own home.
"I shouldn't be doing this... I feel like Rouge... but... I have to make sure she's ok before I go..." Knuckles thought to himself as the altar came into view past the leaves and mushrooms.
Shade stood there proudly, staring out with half closed eyes but her hand poised on her headband to activate her armor if necessary.
Knuckles grunted softly, content she would be fine.
With that he rummaged back through the forest.
His mind was heavy with thought, and Knuckles was pretty sure he would need to consult the history of his race.
After an hour or so he found what he was looking for.
However, as he read further his features began to be drained of their color.
He would blush every now and then only to have the blood drain the next line.
(…)
Shade stood on the altar, slowly watching the day grow old.
"One week, and I still can't get used to time moving again... not this fast..."
"Or rather... this slow... if the time we spent in the twilight cage when we were first banished was millennium here... I might have just left the cage..."
Shade was alone with her thoughts now, all alone.
The Master Emerald sone behind her.
Just a week ago it's power had been sought by her clan for a false promise, now she had to protect it.
The hours passed, the sun still descending from it's height.
"He said he would be back soon..." Shade commented dryly to herself as the wind picked up for just a moment.
Shade touched her headband, the sigil glowed before the onyx armor spread from it with a pink hue shining.
She removed several components from her belt.
"Four re-useable concussive grenades... three chemical smoke bombs, and... nothing..." Shade counted everything out.
"This armor, and these seven tools of war..." are all that remain with me of my home..." She thought sadly.
Shade turned her eye at the Master Emerald and frowned.
"Was it really worth it?"
These words hung on the wind, as the salty drops fell to the ground.
(…)
Knuckles moved forward, his fists grasping tightly to the crinkled paper.
A weathered tome, carved and ancient was tucked under his arm as he approached the altar.
Shade stood there, her back turned to him, staring out at the setting sun.
The wind played in her spines for a moment and Knuckles could have sworn he saw something gleam for a second.
He stepped closer and heard soft, yet labored, breathing.
Knuckled reached out his hand to touch her and she spun on the spot.
"Soldiers don't cry!" she said in alarm.
"What?" Knuckles asked surprised.
Shade turned from him hiding her face.
"Soldiers don't cry..." She whispered to herself as she fought back her tears.
Knuckles grabbed her shoulder firmly.
She didn't want to but finally she turned.
"What's wrong?" Knuckles asked, straight to the point.
"I... nothing..." Shade seemed a bit hurt.
A moment of silence hung around them.
It lengthened to a minute, then fifteen.
Finally Shade took a step away.
"Wait..." Knuckles said feebly, his strength fading.
He turned his head down as Shade looked back.
In his hands were the paper and tome.
With a heavy breath Knuckles used all his ability to be as the mountain he often had to be.
"Shade... I found this old tome... i'm sorry it took so long but I had to make sure I did this right."
She looked at him with red eyes, still sore from the hour of crying.
"I know we've known each other for only a bit... if you don't count the imprisonment..." Shade blushed a bit.
"But well... I... I had to do this..." Knuckles looked at the tome again.
"What, is it?" Shade asked slowly, feeling odd.
To her, it seemed as if there was some underlying danger... but she couldn't think of or see any.
"This tome... it's an old tradition text... things about dress, dance... culture... and well... there is one part in here... about..." Knuckles found his words becoming weaker and weaker.
Shade stepped closer and noticed the red in his face.
"Shade... I... after Nocturne... I wanted to... ask you something..." Knuckles tried another approach.
He stumbled again and this time his hand slipped leaving the paper to fall.
Shade glanced at it for a minute before moving to pick it up.
An onyx glove reached for it and she drew her hand back, deactivating her armor before trying again.
This time, she picked up the paper, her fingers gingerly pulled at it causing it to straighten out.
Knuckles winced as she began to read it.
After just a second Shade looked up at Knuckles with a look of surprise then something else.
He couldn't tell what the second look was, but he wasn't sure what to say either.
"Binding of duties?" Shade asked finally.
"I'm not sure if it means the same thing in your tribe but here..." Knuckles saw her smile.
"It does..." Shade breathed, moving a bit closer.
"Is it... done the same way...?" Knuckles asked.
"Umm... do... you do dances...?" Shade asked lightly, blushing at her unrefined dance skills.
"Not really... the tradition says song... but... I can try..." Knuckles blushed enough to blend his muzzle with his spines.
Only his white birthmark contrasted on his body now.
Shade stepped even closer, "Don't bother... i'm a horrible dancer..."
Knuckles and her exchanged a slight chuckled before Shade raised the paper back to Knuckles.
"Well then... let's try this your way" Shade said softly.
The red echidna's legs wobbled as all blood pooled in his face.
Knuckles cleared his throat while raising his hands to read the paper he had labored over earlier that day.
"The sun is setting, please Knuckles..." Shade urged him on, feeling less like a soldier and more like a teen.
A soft rumbling in his chest was the first sign of his labor, then his lips parted and Knuckles' eyes opened wide.
(...)
"I know i'm not good, not at this kind of thing.
But i'd do it all for you, so now here I sing.
I know this is simple, and nothing special to call.
But please just listen, because to me it means all.
()
I've been shaking, and quaking, and trying to be right.
I've stood tall, to face all, but this is my hardest fight.
I want to hold you, and love you, till time ends.
I want to hold you, and love you, on you my heart depends.
()
Can you feel my heart shaking, it's beating like a drum.
I've never felt this before, doing my duty for what could come.
Please say yes to this, my feeble attempt to start.
But although it isn't good, know it comes from my heart.
()
I'm supposed to be a mountain, of unmoving stone.
But I feel like i'm just a pebble, sitting here alone.
So please accept this gift, and together we can be.
This island as our home, just you and me.
(…)
Knuckles relaxed for a minute before he turned.
"If you want to leave... I won't think badly of you." He breathed.
His head hung heavily.
Shade moved forward and put her arms around his shoulders.
"Knuckles... I want to show you a combat move... it's the best way to effect someone close to you..." Shade said cryptically.
She pushed forward and met his muzzle with her own.
Their lips pushed against each others until shade forced her tongue into his mouth.
Knuckles was stunned, he gasped and Shade deepened the kiss.
They pulled from each other after the initial shock on Knuckles part subsided.
"Before you ask, that's a yes..." Shade said softly.
The two slowly moved from the altar, the night setting upon them.
"So that was a combat technique?" Knuckles asked with a bit of a smile.
Shade grinned back at him with a dark tone setting to her face.
"I can show you a few more..."
Knuckles turned a deep red as for once he was pretty sure he got what someone was saying.
Shade continued on before grabbing Knuckles hand.
"Oh Knuckles... you're trembling."
(…)
Ok it's late, the song was short but... I couldn't do something elaborate.
The reason I never did a Knuckles X Shade song before was that... while shade could write it... she probably wouldn't be motivated too... and Knuckles is a bit too simple ( No offense) to write a huge song.
Now... with that in mind... i've made a song for most of my main couples now... in under a year...
Hm... 23 in under a year... only 7 days till a year has gone by...
Am I crazy enough to try for two stories for each month?...
If you have to ask you don't know me yet...
Anyway...
(…)
Good Night, Live Life, And Don't Tremble.
- One Psychopathic Maniacal Fox