ECHIDNA TEARS
Tikal the echidna sat on the edge of that floating landmass known as Angel Island and looked down at the deep sea below, often accompanied by a long, remorseful sigh.
She looked and felt really sad, which is the reason why she is here, to be alone and talk to the one who would understand her inner suffering.
Her closest friends back in her timeline didn't even know why she was upset, all she did was say goodbye and use her ability to harness the unlimited power the Master Emerald of that timeline and its link to the Master Emerald of present to travel through time like a complicated dimensional gate. But when arriving, she was greeted by no soul, he wasn't there.
Tikal would have to wait for his return, although it would help if he comes any minute now before the pain inside her would consume the qualities that made her lovable amongst her former people: Love & Hope.
"Hey you!" roared a familiar voice, although she remembers it being a neutral, concerned tone from a flashback of the past she gave to a certain guardian. So, it partially surprised her a bit that the voice barked angrily, but that didn't matter, he was here now, just what she wanted.
Slowly, the female echidna head turned to the other person, showing a weak smile with still sorrowful eyes.
All she can see was Knuckles the Echidna with shocked eyes and a drop of the jaw.
"Ti-T-Ti-Tikal!" stuttered the current guardian, almost speechless from the surprise appearance of the aforementioned tribe girl.
"Hello Knuckles. Have you returned from your friends." she replied.
"Yeah, Sonic persuaded me to join him, taking care of Dr. Eggman. I often hate it when he does that."
"But you know it's for a good cause." Tikal said in a vain attempt to cheer herself up.
"Yeah sure maybe, but guarding the Master Emerald is top priority."
Tikal understandably nodded, but then grew disturbingly silent. Knuckles sensed it and walked over to sit next to her. He had some questions.
But instead of "How did you get here?" he mentioned "Why are you here?"
Tikal down at the far blue below and spoke "I'm here because there is still pain in my heart. Something I can't tell the chao or Chaos about. I came here for you. Can you help me, please?"
Knuckles was caught off guard when he heard that she needed his help, but decided to go with it. "Sure, but why are you so sad? I thought you would've lived in harmony by now?"
Tikal turned her head to his direction. "I have, but some pains still roam free inside of me" After a brief minute of silence, she gave Knuckles his answer. "It's about my father."
The guardian's concerned expression transformed into a bitter-fuelled frown at the very mention of Pachamac, the chief of the ancient echidna tribe of long ago. Knuckles remembers one time when Sonic mentioned to him a flashback from Tikal and the sight the blue hedgehog hero saw. Tikal and some chao try to reason with Pachamac, but he ordered his men to attack the Master Emerald shrine, pushing Tikal aside and killing the chao. This act alone costed the tribe gravely. Til now, Knuckles felt the pushing sting of anger in his heart.
How can someone be so greedy for power and dominance treat his own daughter like crud, kill innocent creatures like chao and wipe out his people, leaving few left?
To the current and last guardian, Pachamac was no better than Dr. Eggman.
"I know you would think he was a monster." Said Tikal, sensing Knuckles's resentment "But before the greed, before he wanted power, he was a kind father and…I miss him."
"But why tell me this and not Chaos, your closest friend?" questioned Knuckles.
"Because I do not want Chaos to remember what happened that night. Knowing that he killed my father and his men in rage would be too much for him. I don't my friend to blame himself for that. I also don't want to tell the surviving chao that other chao were killed by my tribe's attack on the shrine." answered Tikal in a breaking voice followed by emerging tears.
Knuckles picked that straight away and was about to say when all of a sudden, the female echidna lunged at him and sunk her head into his chest, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Tikal!" he shouted in a panicked voice, concerned for her well being.
She looked up at him with eyes flooding and spoke in a broken voice.
"I'm so sorry. I just miss him so much. Ever since my grandmother passed away, Father promised to look after me with every bit of life in him. But when he felt our neighbours were a threat, he broke that promise and my heart too and after all of what he has done to me, my friends & family….I forgive him, even if I'll never see him or our people again."
Just as Tikal sank into Knuckles's chest again, she felt something smooth, comfy and cosy wrapped around her body and something else nuzzling at her head.
Although she was still sad, she managed a little smile knowing she was being hugged by the red echidna, who was brushing his face and dreadlocks comfortably next to hers.
Just then, he whispered in a rough, but reassuring manner.
"I don't think I could forgive your father. Or those who are supposed to be my family, for that matter."
After the end of that sentence, Tikal looked up at him again. Only this time with drying eyes.
"You never knew who your real family were. That is really sad. Living through life without knowing who your mother and father were."
"Yep." Knuckles agreed "I had felt a need to become the guardian of a giant green gem for no personal reason when I was very young. And I had no idea it would affect me in an enormous way."
"What do you mean, Knuckles?" questioned Tikal.
"I mean that being a guardian with a purpose unknown entirely has taken some vital qualities away from me. Like freedom, in which I envy Sonic, who can live through life without being tied down by responsibility. While I'm stuck night and day, keeping that emerald safe. My heart has also been badly affected too."
"Your heart?" Knuckles turned his head and continued, while in deep thought.
"Being alone all the time has hardened my heart to diamond. With no friends on a daily basis and knowing I cannot love, it occurs to me that guardianship is no gift nor job, but a curse. I don't even cry and never did as far as I remember.
But now, all I want to do is cry."
The soft, smooth stroke of Tikal's gloved hand caressed his face. He turned to face her.
"Knuckles. You can cry now, if you want. I won't mock. Make yourself feel better."
And so, a cascade of tears flowed Knuckles's eyes, yet he did not sob.
"I hate being alone." He muttered through grinding teeth. This "curse" was too unbearable.
The soft, soothing touch returned to his face. This time wiping away his bitter tears.
"It's okay Knuckles, you will always have friends in Sonic and his friends, and in me and my friends. I will not leave you all alone forever. I may go back to my own time, but I'll always return to you. I'll promise you that."
The two echidnas who were upset before are now smiling directly at each other. Knuckles gave Tikal an almost crushing hug and kissed her gently on the head, causing her to blush.
"Thank you very much Tikal. Thanks for coming too."
"No problem Knuckles. After all, you've comforted me when I needed someone. Thank you very much for that."
The red guardian gave her a wink. Then helped Tikal to her feet and they both walk together towards the Master Emerald shrine, hand in hand.
When they the top floor of the shrine where the Master Emerald sat firmly in place, Knuckles decided on asking Tikal a personal question in a sheepish manner. So he turned to her.
"So, Tikal….Does a beautiful pure-hearted girl like you really like me?"
Tikal's gaze of the giant emerald was interrupted by Knuckles's question, and began blushing a bit before answering in pure truth.
"Oh yes, I like you. You're cute and you are dedicated to the Master Emerald as much as I am. You also have a heart of gold for others, yet you try to hide it."
Now Knuckles was heavily blushing, twice as much as Tikal was. They both notice this and burst out giggling.
After they recovered Knuckles said "So you're leaving now?"
"Afraid so, but do not worry about me. I'll keep my promise to you. You can be sure of that."
And with that, she kissed him on the cheek, causing him to blush heavily again.
After saying their farewells, Tikal activated the gateway and was gone.
Knuckles stood where he was with a smile. After what they confessed together. Spilled out the tainted emotional pains of their lives. Whether it was the sins of the father? Or the curse of eternal responsibility? They both found comfort, strength and love in each other. Echidna tears would be shed no more.
The End.