Later that night, Locke, Espio and the 9 littles echidnas was walking through the meadow near the M.E. shrine on Angel Island. Gabor was on Tikal's back, Jon on Knuckles' back, and Kneecaps on Shade's.
"Espio." Locke called, still feeling very stern.
Espio approached in front of the guardian. "Yes, guardian?" He said hesitantly.
"Take the kids home. I've got to teach my son a lesson."
Knuckles crouched in the grass as if to hide, and Tikal squeezed his hand gently.
"Don't worry," She said quietly. Then, without warning, Tikal gave Knuckles a quick kiss on the cheek. "Your dad will still love you, no matter what."
"Thanks…"
Espio approached to the kids. "Come, kids."
He looked at the red echidna. "Knuckles," he sighed, "good luck."
"Uh, Julie-Su, could you carry Jon home for me, please?"
"Sure."
Knuckles handed Julie-Su his cousin and petted Jon on the head.
Espio then walked off with Tikal, Ralph, Julie-Su, Remington, Shade, Gabor, Jon and Kneecaps following him.
"Knuckles!" Locke shouted out.
Knuckles slowly walked over, and he suddenly stepped into a footprint that belonged to Locke. Knuckles looked at the footprint, and then looked at his father.
He then walked over to him, and sat down next to him. Locke sighed and looked at his son.
"Knuckles, I'm very disappointed in you."
"I know."
"You could have been killed. You deliberately disobeyed me. And what's worse," Locke added, "you put your friends in danger!"
"I was just trying to be brave like you." Knuckles' voice cracking from sadness.
"I'm only brave when I have to be. Knuckles, being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble."
"But, you're not scared of anything."
"I was today."
"You were?" Knuckles asked in disbelief.
Locke nodded as he lowered himself down close to his son. "Yes. I thought I might lose you."
"Oh." Knuckles felt a little better. "I guess even guardians get scared, huh?"
Locke nodded.
"But you know what?" His son whispered.
"What?"
"I think those rogues were even scareder."
Locke chuckled. "Cause no one messes with your dad. Come here, you!"
He grabbed his son, and gave him noogie. "Oh no, no!" Knuckles he got loose and tackled his father.
They chased and tussled with each other playfully. As they took a breather, Knuckles hugged his father.
"Dad?"
"Hmmm?"
"We're pals, right?"
"Right." Locke chuckled.
"And we'll always be together, right?"
Locke couldn't give a straight answer, but he lay on his back, and Knuckles did the same.
"Knuckles, let me tell you something that my father told me." He pointed at the stars. "Look at the stars. The great guardians of the past look down on us from those stars."
"Really?" Knuckles asked looking at the night sky.
"So, whenever you feel alone, just remember that those guardians will always be there to guide you. And so will I."
"And Tikal and my others friends?"
Locke chuckled, "Yes, Knuckles, and your friends. BTW, did I see Tikal kiss you before she left?"
Knuckles blushed even brighter red than his coat. "She… uh… wanted to remind me we were on the same boat?"
"One day, you'll understand, my son."
Just then, Tikal and Gabor got back home. The two wondered how Knuckles fared with his father's conversation.
"His father looked very angry. I hope everything went ok with him." Whispered Gabor.
"I'm sure things will be ok." Reassured Tikal, while she blushed as she remembered the kiss she gave her friend.
Gabor noticed this. "Do you have a fever sis? You face is turning red."
"No, it's nothing. I'm fine. Don't worry."
Although that afternoon Tikal had said in front of everyone that she was not in love with Knuckles, she was a bit young to fully grasp this feeling, so she tried to ignore the kiss for now.
At that time, Pachacamac and Gala-Na entered the room of their two children to put them to bed.
"Goodnight, my dear children." Gala-Na gave them a 'goodnight kiss' on the foreheads.
"Espio told us that you had so much fun in lake at the M.E. shrine." said Pachacamac.
Tikal and Gabor were relieved to hear that Espio did not tell them anything about where they actually went to play.
"It was fun. But from now on we prefer to stay close by. Isn't that right, little brother?" Tikal said as calmly as possible.
Gabor nodded.
After a while, Tikal and Kneecaps were fast asleep.
"Dear, do you think we should have said we know where they really went?" Asked Gala-Na.
"No. They have been through a lot today." Sighed Pachacamac. "It is best to let them recover from this experience."
The parents also went to bed, as it was getting rather late.