Sonic Couples: Piece of your Heart Chapter 6

The next day dawned bright and beautiful as Valentine's Day broke over the city, but on Angel Island, one red echidna was around the city early because he forgot to get a gift for his loved one.

"Crap, how could I forget?!" Knuckles panicked a little looking around the city hoping that some miracle will give him a gift for Tikal. As he was wondering, he saw a six year old pink rabbit girl wondering about lost and confused, she was wearing a rather worn out looking dress that had once been a creamy yellow, she had no shoes or socks on her little feet and was clutching an old rabbit plush doll that had a few patches here and there and was missing a button eye. Knuckles stopped and talked to her, feeling sorry for the little girl and wondering if she was lost or orphaned.

"Hey there." he said gently to her. "Are you lost?"

She backed away a little terrified and didn't say a word, Knuckles knew she was still scared so he went on his knees to calm her down.

"It's OK, I won't hurt you." Knuckles told her in a calm voice. The little rabbit went forward to him, less afraid and smiled.

"Thank you mister..." she began but stopped since she didn't know his name.

"Knuckles." he finished her sentence for her.

"Thank you mister Knuckles." she said giggling.

"What's a little kid like you doing here by yourself?" the red echidna asked the young rabbit, she sighed sadly and looked down at the ground as she told him the truth. "I'm an orphan..."

Knuckles took her hand and she looked up at him, looking in his purple eyes.

"Well, you can't stay here by yourself." Knuckles announced as he led her away and they both walked hand in hand.

"Where are we going?" she asked the red echidna.

"We're going to take you to the orphanage nearby. I'm sure they have room for you too." Knuckles told her and looked at her. "By the way, you haven't told me your name."

"Annabelle." the pink rabbit told him. "My name's Annabelle."

"Well Annabelle." Knuckles said as they approached a white painted wooden building with bright cheerful colours and a playground. "We're here."

"You really think they have room for me?" Annabelle asked a little nervous.

"Sure they will." Knuckles told her as they went up the door and knocked, then after fifteen minutes, an older female sandy coloured rabbit with brown patches came to them.

"Can I help you?" she asked them.

"Hi, I was wondering if you have room for Annabelle here." Knuckles explained as he pointed at the young rabbit who gave a shy wave.

"Sure we do." the older rabbit smiled and Annabelle cheered with delight. "Come on Annabelle and I'll get you settled in."

"Sure!" Annabelle said but before she left, Annabella reached into her pocket and pulled out a necklace with a half heart. Knuckles was surprised that a little girl has such a prized possession.

"Here mister Knuckles." the rabbit said as she put it in his hands. "You keep it."

"No Annabelle, I can't take this." Knuckles said modestly looking at the necklace in his hand.

"Come on please?" Annabelle said in a cute and pleading voice.

"OK." Knuckles chuckled as he left and Annabelle waved goodbye at him and went inside with the other rabbit.

~With Tikal...~

Tikal was with Amy in the mall looking for outfits to wear to the party tonight, Amy was busy in the changing room trying on many different dresses, while the tribal echidna girl was still looking for her's on many different racks.

"There's so many to choose from..." Tikal said looking at every dress, she sighed hopelessly as she saw that some may not look right on her. Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned as saw a female rabbit there with a curious yet friendly look on her face.

"Can I help you?" she asked Tikal.

"Yeah." Tikal nodded as she told her. "I'm looking for an outfit for a dance my friend is holding...Oh! And a gift for a guy I like."

Tikal blushed at the fact she mentioned it and that she nearly forgot to get a gift for Knuckles. The rabbit thinks very hard for awhile, then she had an idea.

"I got it, follow me." she said as she led Tikal to a nearby clothing rack and shows her a light blue dress with crystal pink pearls, a small pink ribbon tied at a bow at the front and dark blue lace for sleeves.

"It's beautiful..." Tikal said really amazed at the dress and it's unique designs, she felt like it really did suit her.

"You like it?" the rabbit asked her.

"I love it!" Tikal squealed with delight as she went inside and tried it on, later, she came out in the dress looking more beautiful than ever.

"Wow! It really fits!" Tikal exclaimed as she twirled around in it, feeling really happy, but she stopped when she realized she still needed a gift. But the rabbit girl somehow read her mind as she gave her a small dog tag which is in the shape of a heart.

"That looks good." Tikal said looking at the strange pendant.

"It's free. We give it to customers every Valentine's Day." the rabbit explained to her. Tikal took the give she gave her and paid for her dress, just as Amy came out with a red, sequined covered dress with roses.

"Hey Tikal." Amy called her. "I found my dress, you?"

"Hey Amy, I got mine and a gift for knuckles." Tikal said holding her shopping bag containing her dress and Knuckles gift.

"Sweet! We're all set then." Amy said as she and Tikal left, but when they did, the rabbit girl that helped Tikal gave a secret smile to herself and said: "My work here...is done..." Then she went into a nearby changing room and locked the door. A shimmering pink mist surrounded her as she glowed and in about five seconds she just vanished into thin air like she wasn't there at all.