An Emerald Christmas

"It was always so quiet up here." He said to himself. "So very different from the noise and confusion that filled the lives of everyone on the ground below."

If the world were a more serene place, maybe he would not be confined to this floating paradise as a guardian. But being as the world below was filled with Robotniks and Naguses. There was always a need for a protector like himself.

"Well, it seems we're going to have another quiet Christmas up here." The red echidna said to the glowing green stone behind him. "I guess I should go and put up the tree before the island crosses the international dateline and we enter Christmas."

Walking down the steps of the ancient alter, Knuckles glided across the rope bridge to the mushroom cap zone. Leaping from mushroom to mushroom, the guardian waved to all the small animals on Angel Island.

"Hey there, guys. Hope you're having a Merry Christmas." The red echidna smiled. "Any of you want to help me come decorate the tree?" The animals, of course, didn't respond. With a sigh, Knuckles glided over to Angel Island's great forest where he began to look over the shortest of the floating island's pine trees. "Hmm, let's see. This one is too short… This one is too tall… Ouch, this one is too prickly… Ah, here we go."

Looking around a tree that was about twice his height, the guardian punched the tree down. Picking up the now dead conifer, the echidna began to drag it out of the forest back towards his home. "Hmm, I could sure use some help decorating this thing." Knuckles thought for a moment.

"Wait, I know who I could spend Christmas with." Setting the tree down at the outskirts of the forest, Knuckles began to climb and glide his way up Angel Island's mighty peak that rose high above the rest of the island. Reaching the top, the guardian entered a cave that was dimly lit by a small fire with many different colors of smoke coming out of the cave.

"Hey, are you in here?" Knuckles called out in the darkness. "Hey, I was wondering if we could spend Christmas together." As he entered the main chamber, Knuckles saw several beakers and test tubes lining a long wooden table. Strange liquids of many colors bubbled and boiled in the containers. Seeing a figure about his height standing over an alchemist's cauldron, the guardian approached an older red echidna wearing speckles, a white tunic, and carrying a long shaman's staff.

"AH! Great-grandson. What brings you to my mountain home?" the elder greeted Knuckles in a voice, thick with a Scottish accent.

"Grandpa Athair. It's Christmas and I wanted to ask you if you'd like to join me in the Hidden Palace and help me set up the tree."

"I'd love to, Knux, but I've almost perfected my formula for turning beavers into gold." The obviously half-crazy echidna replied, turning back to pour a green liquid into the cauldron. "So, if you'll excuse me. I need to ride my unicycle to the moon to get some more witch weed for my potion."

"Uh, okay, grandpa." Knuckles replied, nervously. "If you need anything, I'll be down in the Hidden Palace. Please don't blow yourself up again for the holiday." Exiting the cave and gliding back down the mountain, Knuckles saw a familiar motor scooter parked at the entrance to the ruins of the old echidna emerald mines. Getting another idea, the guardian glided down to the mine entrance and began to yell inside.

"Relic. Relic, you in there?" Knuckles called out. "Hey, did you want to come and help me put up a Christmas tree?"

"Oddsbotkins! Gadzooks!" A voice called out from inside the mine as a blue mouse came walking up the mine tracks wearing a pink safety helmet with a spotlight on the front. "I say, Knuckles, you wouldn't believe some of the ancient mining equipment your ancestors left in those caves. I must begin an excavation at once. I need to go back to the Hidden Palace and get my tools right away." She ran past him, hoppin onto her scooter. "This is the find of a century. Oh yes, and Merry Christmas, Knuckles. Cheerio."

"Merry Christmas, Relic." Knuckles sighed, unhappily, waving as she zoomed off. With a sigh, he grabbed the tree and began to drag it back towards the emerald alter instead. "Well, I might as well just set this thing up back there and keep an eye on the M.E." He shook his head. "I don't mind being by myself most of the time. But no one should be alone at this time of year." As he approached the stairs of the emerald alter, the guardian's ears perked up as he heard a familiar sound near the emerald. The clicking of a set of high heels and the flap of leathery wings told him Angel Island's most frequent unwanted guest was paying a visit.

"All right, bat girl. Hands off the rock." He stated, bolting up the stairs and lunging straight at Rouge. "Though you could get away with my emerald when I wasn't looking, huh?" The echidna punched straight at her, causing the jewel thief to jump straight over his head.

"Oh my, how rude." Rouge replied in an annoyed tone. "That's no way to treat a lady. You're even more uncivilized than my black-furred partner."

"You're no lady, Rouge. A lady wouldn't steal the master emerald." Knuckles shot back, dodging a high-heeled kick from the jewel thief. "Why did you have to pick the holiday of all times to come and try to steal my emerald?"

"You know, Knucklebrain. You can be really thick-headed sometimes." Rouge replied, hitting him with an uppercut and sending him flying away from the altar. "Who said anything about me coming here for the emerald?"

"Then, what are you doing on Angel Island?" Knuckles demanded. He tackled her again and the two continuing their fight across the island towards the Hidden Palace. With a final kick, Rouge sent the echidna flying through an open doorway where he found a brightly lit room filled with many colors.

"Surprise." Several voices called out at once. "Merry Christmas, Knuckles." Looking up, the echidna found his tree already set-up and decorated. Surrounding the tree were his grandfather, Relic, and the familiar forms of Vector and Charmy.

"Hey Knuckles. How's it going?" Charmy called out. "Bet you're really surprised, huh huh huh?"

"But… how did…?" Knuckles asked, dumbfounded. "How did you get my tree set-up and decorated so fast?"

"Epic Ninja Powers." Espio replied, materializing from nowhere. "Move fast and unseen. Silent but deadly."

"That's me when I eat too many tacos." Vector added, earning him a punch in the gut from Espio.

"We couldn't just leave you alone on Christmas, Knuckles dear." Relic added with a smile. "We all played dumb, so Rouge could lure you back to the Master Emerald."

"You were in on this too?" The guardian asked in shock, looking around at the garland and holly decorating all the rooms in the Hidden Palace. "That explains how you decorated the walls and ceilings up there."

"Yes, grandson. And it was my perfect planning that made this all happen." Athair slipped a piece of mistletoe onto the top of his staff and held it out over Knuckles' head. "Ladies, please give him his Christmas present." Relic and Rouge each gave him a kiss on one of his cheeks causing the red echidna to turn even redder.

"Merry Christmas, Knucklebrain." Rouge smiled. "You maybe the last echidna but you're not going to be alone tonight." Knuckles' grandfather coughed and rolled his eyes as everyone began singing Christmas Carols together.

Outside the snow began to fall on Angel Island as the familiar form of an orange echidna spirit appeared sitting on the Master Emerald.

"Merry Christmas to you, Knuckles the Echidna. And Merry Christmas to all your friends." Tikal said to the open wind. "May you find peace and happiness if only just for this one night."