Chapter 12: Last Ones

After about fifteen minutes, the squadron came to the secret metal door, gave the password, and began to walk down another passageway.

All the while, Knuckles frequently glanced over his shoulder and looked at Shade. As far as he knew, she never lifted her head once ever since they started traveling with the agents. She just stared down at her feet and said nothing.

Knuckles knew that he wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed when it came to common sense, but he could tell when someone was hurt or troubled. And Shade was both.

As the team approached a door at the end of the hallway, Blaze opened up a secret panel beside the doorknob and placed her hand on a scanner.

"DNA SCAN CONFIMRED." the computer said in a monotone voice. "BLAZE THE CAT."

The door unlocked and Blaze opened it, allowing the other agents to enter.

However, instead of going inside with the rest of the group, Knuckles stepped off to the side and grabbed Shade's shoulder as she passed by him, making her jump slightly in surprise.

She then looked over at the red echidna. "Knuckles?"

"Blaze," Knuckles looked at the lilac cat, "can you just give us a few minutes?"

Blaze looked at Knuckles with a curious expression. "What for?"

"We just need a few minutes to talk." Knuckles explained. "We won't be long, I promise."

Blaze stared at the red echidna for a moment before nodding.

"Okay," she said. "When you're done, just knock on the door three times."

Knuckles nodded in agreement. With that, Blaze went through the door and closed it behind her, leaving only the orange light of the lamps to illuminate the hallway.

"What's wrong, Knuckles?" Shade nervously asked.

"You tell me and we'll both know." Knuckles said somewhat tersely as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Huh?" Shade tensed up her shoulders at the response.

"Shade," Knuckles said, bringing his voice down to a calm tone, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing," the peach echidna frowned and glanced away, her voice betraying her words.

"C'mon," Knuckles replied, "I may not be a genius like Tails, but I can tell when something's wrong. If it's what those soldiers said to you, you just have to let it slide."

"I can't!" Shade responded forcefully. "It was because of my clan that this world was threatened in the first place! If we hadn't attacked, you, Sonic, and the others wouldn't have left your world and allow Eggman to take over! I can't say I had nothing to do with this!"

"But you didn't." Knuckles replied calmly. "All of that was Ix's doing, not yours. You just wanted to bring your clan back, Ix wanted power."

Shade just looked up at red echidna and said nothing as he continued.

"If anything," Knuckles frowned, looking down at the floor, "Eggman taking over is our whole team's fault. We shouldn't have trusted him so easily the way we did. I should know by now."

The Guardian of the Master Emerald clenched his fists and grimaced as he remembered all the times that evil scientist managed to trick him because to his gullibility. And to have it happen a third time was rather embarrassing.

"But that's all in the past." Knuckles sighed. "And like you said before, we have to find the others so we can end this. Once we defeat Eggman, we can all go home."

"Everyone but me." Shade softly mumbled, but not softly enough to escape Knuckles's ears.

"What'd you say?" he quickly asked.

"N-Nothing!" she stuttered, obviously startled.

"Shade," Knuckles narrowed his eyes a little, "what's really wrong? C'mon you can talk to me. I only want to help."

Although those words were meant to be comforting, Shade fearfully stepped back. Considering how things have been going so far, she became worried that about Knuckles finding out her real dilemma. If he did, would he not trust her anymore?

On top of that, there was the issue that he was still from her rival clan, and the Master Emerald's Guardian. And now that she had gained his trust, should she risk losing it over a stupid situation?

However, he was her friend, and he did deserve to know the truth. It was a risk she would have to take.

"Alright," Shade looked down and slowly said, "I don't have a home to go back to anymore."

Knuckles didn't respond in words, but he did give a surprised expression that quickly softened to near sympathy.

"I can't go back to my clan anymore." Shade continued. "Not now after the wormhole has been closed. Besides, they see me as a traitor. They would never take me back. And now here…"

The Nocturnus echidna let out a defeated sigh before saying: "I guess I'll just have to get used to being alone now."

Shade bitterly looked away, inwardly kicking herself. To her, she sounded like a coward by admitting her weakness. All her life, she had been taught not to reveal her limitations to anyone. This hard discipline made her what she was today: a warrior, distant, strict, and focused. So doing something that was always considered the opposite of what she was taught left her feeling angry toward herself.

Besides, what good was it now that she did say what was on her mind?

Knuckles stared at his friend, speechless. While her confession was unexpected, it also made sense now. It was more than just being accused for this disaster; she had nowhere to go.

She was alone; just like him. However, unlike him, she had no place to call home anymore.

Knuckles looked down at the floor for a moment as he thought about what Shade had said. Then an idea came into his head. He looked back up at his friend and smiled.

"Shade?"

"Yes?" the Nocturnus echidna glanced back up at the red echidna.

"When this is all over," Knuckles said, "how about you come and help me guard the Master Emerald on Angel Island?"

"W-What?!" Shade gasped.

"Well," Knuckles shrugged, "you're the last of your clan, I'm the last of my clan, so why not? We "last ones" should stick together. Besides, no one deserves to be alone, I should know."

After he made the request, Knuckles started to become a little concerned as to why Shade was just staring at him with wide violet eyes. At the same time, he couldn't believe he just made an offer like that. He wasn't sure what came over him to make him even consider the invitation, but he was hoping that it didn't come across as too awkward.

Meanwhile, Shade swallowed hard as Knuckles' offer caught her off guard. Out of all the ways that Knuckles could react, this was the one she didn't even see coming. No one in her clan would ever make an offer like this to anyone. It was always stay strong, show no weakness, and look out for only yourself.

But this, a request that was obviously selfless and compassionate, was something completely new to her.

For a moment, Shade didn't know how to respond. Her words had run dry, her hands felt numb, and her heart began to pound hard against her ribs.

"I'll…" she slowly stuttered as she struggled to find the right words, "I'll…I'll think about it."

There was a short pause in the conversation. Eventually, Knuckles let out a long sustained breath and nodded.

"Okay," he shrugged, secretly relieved by Shade's reaction. "Now c'mon, we better join the others."

"Oh," Shade replied, "alright."

With that, the two echidnas walked up to the metal door. Knuckles followed Blaze's instructions and knocked on it three times. In less than two seconds, the lilac cat opened the door and allowed them to enter.

All the while, Shade once again just stared at the ground. Only this time, she was thinking about her friend's offer.