Inside a room, a white echidna with black markings, yellow eyes and peach coloured skin, wearing a black cape, black gauntlets and boots, purple glasses a black belt with image of a crescent and some bandages was having a burger for his lunch. This was Dr. Finitevus. He is Locke's younger brother. They used to be very close, but little by little he was distancing himself.

"Life's not fair, is it?" Dr. Finitevus said talking to his meal like he was talking to a mobain. "You see, I... well, I… shall never be a guardian."

He exhaled, and said "And you...shall never see the light of another day." He chuckled, and said "Adieu."

Before he could have his meal, Espio walked in, and said "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?"

Finitevus sighed "What do you want?"

"I'm here to announce that the Guardian Locke is on his way." Espio bowed on these words. "So you better have a good excuse for missing the ceremony this morning."

Finitevus suddenly sneezed, and his burger went flying out the window.

"Oh now look, Espio, you made me lose my lunch." Finitevus said.

"Ha! You'll lose more than that when the guardian gets through with you!" Espio said. "He's as mad as a hippo with a hernia."

Finitevus pretended to shake. "Oooh...I quiver with FEAR."

Espio gulped as he backed up when Finitevus glared down, and moved towards him.

"Now Finitevus, don't look at me that way...HELP!" Espio tried to get away, but Finitevus quickly caught him, and used his chaos powers to shape him into a ball.

Before the white echidna had his chance to dribble the chameleon, Locke stepped into the room.

"Finitevus!"

Finitevus looked at his brother. "Yes?"

"Drop him."

"Impeccable timing, guardian."

Finitevus let him go, and walked over to Locke. "Why, if isn't my brother descending from on high to mingle with the commoners." He felt sarcastically overjoyed.

"Lara-Le and I didn't see you at the presentation of Knuckles." Locke growled.

"That was today?" Finitevus faked astonishment. "Oh, I feel simply awful." He turned, and scraped the chalkboard on the wall near the door with a chalk while Espio cringed at the sound. "Must've slipped my mind."

"Yes, well, as slippery as your mind is, as the guardian's brother, YOU should have been first in line!"

Finitevus glared at the chameleon who hid. "Well, I was first in line... until the little furball was born."

"THAT 'furball' is my son... and YOUR future guardian." Locke gave his friend a stern look.

"Oh, I shall practice my curtsy." Finitevus turned to go.

"DON'T you turn your back on ME, Finitevus!"

"Oh no, Locke. Perhaps YOU shouldn't turn YOUR back on me."

Locke growled as he teleported himself in front of Finitevus. "IS THAT A CHALLENGE?!"

"Temper, temper." Finitevus sighed, "I wouldn't DREAM of challenging you."

"Pity. Why not?" Espio asked.

"Well, as far as brains go, I got the echidna's share." He looked at Locke, and said "But when it comes to brute strength... I'm afraid I'm at the shallow end of the gene pool."

With that said, Finitevus was off.

"There's one in every family, guardian." Sighed Espio, "Two in mine, actually. And they always manage to ruin special occasions."

"What am I going to do with him?" sighed Locke.

"He'd make a very handsome throw rug."

"Espio!" Locke said chiding the chameleon.

As they got to the M.E., Espio went on. "And just think! Whenever he gets dirty, you could take him out and beat him!"

Locke just chuckled at that suggestion.

While they were walking, Locke and Espio saw Pachacamac nearby, who heard part of the discussion.

"Everything ok, Guardian?" asked Pachacamac.

"Yes, there was a bit of a rough patch in the discussion, but everything is fine." replied Locke.

"Hope so. I know he is your brother, but sometimes I have a bad feeling when I'm around him."

"Everything will be fine. Don't worry. I know how to put him in his place. At the moment, it is best if we return to our wives. Surely, Lara-Le and Gala-Na are concerned about us."

As the two echidnas and the chameleon walked along, Locke asked Pachacamac. "And tell me. How is your baby? How long until she's born?"

"Only a month away. Gala-Na and I look forward to the birth of our little daughter."

"Maybe she and Knuckles will be as great of friends as we are."

"I am sure of that, my friend. And the island will be in safe hands, as it always has been."

Finally, the three came to where Lara-Le, Mari-An, Wynmacher, Rita-Le, Komi-Ko, Gala-Na were. The six of them looked to the future guardian, who was fast asleep, knowing that he would have a great future ahead of him.

Meanwhile in a small hut, Vector was working on a painting of Knuckles. He finished the last dreadlock, painted the 'crown' on, and smiled.

"Knuckles." He said quietly. "You'll surprise us one day, little one."