A/N: If Knuckles' character needs work, please let me know. I'm not the best at keeping characters in character.
Each punch was an extension of himself. Every jab was filled with a necessity that made them more robust. He didn't hold back and let his arms move unhindered while his mind kept track of any sloppiness. Any blunders were noted, and a routine to mitigate them was created.
He approached the heavy bag full throttle, powerful fists unleashing a volley of straights upon the leather hide. The chain keeping the bag elevated rattled violently as the dummy endured the punishment, its body swaying like a pendulum.
His strength was leagues beyond everyone else's. He was so strong that a special set of punching bags were made specifically for him. The more durable material gave him peace of mind. He no longer had to hold back. Able to let loose without restrictions, he let his body do what it did best.
He was rougher than the rest of them, the best of them, tougher than leather. They call him Knuckles. Unlike Sonic, he doesn't chuckle. He'd rather flex his muscles. It wasn't hard to tell; he's hard as nails, breaking people down whether they're solid or frail. Unlike the rest, he was independent since his first breath and his first test, where people felt his right then his worst left.
"Already going strong. Couldn't wait to get started, huh?"
Knuckles gave the bag one last blow before pausing. He wiped his forehead sweat with the back of his gloves and let out a series of deep breaths.
"You were taking too long," he retorted. "I had to occupy myself."
"Blame our cousin," scoffed the newcomer. "It took forever to wake her up."
"Where is she?" Knuckles looked around but the only people around were him and the other echidna with orange fur, a peach muzzle, and lilac eyes rimmed by a patch of much lighter (almost white) fur, each with a single, short eyelash which curves off to the side.
She has seven dreadlocks with a lighter zigzag pattern near the ends hanging from around her head, noticeably shorter than Knuckles', a black headband with a pink sigil, and a small, black nose and zigzag tail, similar to her red cousin.
The lighter furred echidna sported a gray sleeveless top, long black pants with a white stripe on the side, and calf-length, lace-up combat boots. She was fit like Knuckles, with a strong, well-built body, while not obscuring her womanly curves.
"In the locker room. Hopefully, she doesn't fall asleep in there," the female echidna smirked. "After my rude awakening, she had better think twice."
Knuckles knew he was going to regret asking.
"Did you splash water on her?"
"No, I tossed her ass in a tub of ice water. Screamed so loud, the whole house woke up."
"Shade," Knuckles sighed, face colliding with his palm, "Why? Tikal didn't deserve that."
"Thank you. At least someone cares for my health," another echidna rendezvoused with the duo. Like Shade, she had orange (almost peach) fur with cobalt eyes. She wore a white twisted keyhole sports bra and a pair of cropped, beige sweatpants. Her white gloves were adorned with thick, cobalt-blue bracelets around her wrists, and she wore white-strapped training shoes. Her dreadlocks were also wrapped with similar white bandages.
She was smaller than Shade, nowhere as fit, with a more girlish figure. There was hardly any muscle on her body if not any.
Knuckles moved and embraced the smaller girl, who eagerly returned the gesture.
"You alright?" He asked.
Tikal gave him a big smile. "I'm fine," she then glared at Shade, "A little irked at someone."
"Four o'clock means four o'clock," Shade stated, hands falling on her hips. "When you signed up for this, I warned you of the consequences. It takes devotion to keep this fit. Negligence will not be tolerated."
"I'm not nocturnal like you, Shade," Tikal stuck her tongue out. "Don't be like her, Knuckles."
Shade rolled her eyes. "Oh please, compared to most people, I'm tame. Enough about us though, how have you been, Knuck Knuck?"
"Eh, same old," the echidna in question shrugged his shoulders, eyebrows twitching from Shade's stupid nickname.
He liked it better than Knuckie at least.
"Preserving ancient civilizations, hanging out with Sonic and friends, and constantly losing my temper when a certain Bat Girl is in the vicinity."
"Is that why you wanted to murder that punching bag a few minutes ago?" Shade went through her stretches.
"Oh no, did something happen?" Tikal questioned, her sparkling eyes begging her cousin to confess. She had power over Knuckles like a little sister to her big brother.
"Nothing you guys haven't heard before," Knuckles assured them. "She's always poking fun at me."
Popping the crick in his neck and turning back to his punching bag, Knuckles resumed his punches.
"I think she likes you," Tikal put her hands behind her back and swayed side to side.
"Yeah, she likes pissing me off," the hotheaded echidna scowled. "You two remember Silver, right? Sonic's little brother."
"Yes," the girls replied in unison.
"He's lost his muse. Can't bring himself to paint."
Tikal lowered her head. "Aww, poor guy."
"It happens," replied a nonchalant Shade, performing a perfect rep of pushups.
Knuckles agreed. "He's taking it really hard. We've come up with some ideas that may help, but if you ask me, he just needs some time to himself and see what's happening in the world."
"Do I need to have a one-on-one with him?" the fitter female echidna suggested.
"NO!" Knuckles and Tikal rounded on their cousin.
"They're trying to help Silver, not scare him senseless," stated the kinder echidna. "Stick to our family."
"Okay, geez; don't bite my head off," Shade went back to warming up.
"Amy suggested dancing," Knuckles continued.
"Dancing?" Shade repeated with a raised brow.
"Ooh, dancing sounds nice," Tikal clapped her hands. "I love dancing. My Chao loves to sing along."
"Not my cup of tea," said Shade.
"Not mine either, but everyone else decided they would try too," Knuckles held the bag to keep it steady. "Now, they want me to join. I said I'll think about it, but I know I'm not going to."
Shade nearly lost her balance at this. The thought of her crimson cousin dancing made a light chuckle come forth, but she pushed it back and almost fell on her face in the process. On the other hand, Tikal's smile threatened to split her face.
"I don't see that happening," the elder cousin said.
"I do," Tikal hugged Knuckles' left arm. "It's great you're getting in touch with your sensitive side."
"I am not sensitive!" Knuckles turned his head dismissively. "I'm rugged, completely different."
"Says the guy who hugged me on sight," Tikal countered, giggling at her flustered cousin. "A rugged guy wouldn't do that."
"That doesn't count," he refuted. "It's because you're my family. At least I don't dunk them in ice water."
Shade said nothing but grin while Tikal shuddered at the thought again.
"I'll do it again too," the former stated. "But, back to the topic; Baby Boy is losing his edge, and you guys think dancing is the key to reigniting his passion?"
"Yep, that sums it up nicely. It's been working for him so far. We went to Twinkle Park yesterday and saw some performances. They were surprisingly good. I won't lie; I had fun until Bat Girl put our names down on the application list," his next punch was more powerful than the last.
"You should join them, Knuckles," Tikal advised. "I think you'll like it."
"No way," he denied. "I'm not going to waste my time."
The smallest echidna pouted. "It wouldn't be a waste of time. Even my father likes to dance occasionally, and he's just as 'rugged' as you."
"I don't have rhythm, and it's Silver who really needs motivation. Heck, I suggested he try working out as an outlet."
"Knuckles, not everyone is a fitness freak like you and Shade."
"Hey!"
"Rouge said something similar, but you forget that strengthening the body also has its perks. Silver's losing his confidence. He can find the perfect muse and be inspired all day, but it won't matter if he's too pessimistic about trying," Knuckles unleashed a flurry of attacks upon the leather bag's hide. "A strong body can help build a strong mind, and a strong mind can help build confidence."
Tikal remained silent for a moment, mulling over the conversation. She stood before a series of tunnels. Many interconnected, eventually showing her the path that she believed would make everyone, including Knuckles, happy.
"Let's talk about this another time," Shade interrupted Tikal's train of thought, earning a frown from the tribal princess. She straightened her posture, letting out a slow, calming breath.
"I'm done warming up. You ready, Knuckles?"
One last punch from the red echidna, a fierce left hook, jostled the bag so hard the restraints keeping it suspended snapped, and the bag fell to the floor with a loud thud. The bag was sturdier, not the chains keeping it suspended.
Knuckles exhaled slowly. The tension in his muscles relaxed, his breathing growing smooth.
"Let's do it."
Knuckles and Shade moved over to the sparring arena.
"It feels so long since we last talked fist-to-fist," the latter said. She performed a secret handshake with her opponent, a tradition they upheld before every spar.
Her adversary punched his namesakes together.
"A week fly by, doesn't it?"
"Do you guys really have to do this?" Tikal moaned.
Despite coming from a race of powerful warriors, Tikal was a heavy pacifist.
"It's just a friendly spar," Shade assured her wimpy cousin with a flippant shoo of her hand. "You've seen us fight before."
"And I still hate it. You guys are too rough," Tikal sighed and sat on the closest bench to spectate.
Every hard collision made the pacifist fidgety. She hated the loud blows and seeing people beat one another. It drove her insane.
"It's no fun if we pull our punches," Knuckles told her. "Shae's an opponent I can't take lightly."
Unlike Knuck Knuck, Shade didn't mind her cousin's moniker. She found it cute in her honest opinion.
"And Knuck Knuck would knock me out cold if I act carelessly," she smirked back.
Knuckles growled. Unfortunately, he did not like Shade's nickname. It made him sound stupid.
Beside Tikal were a bell and a small hammer. Once the fighters were ready, Tikal tapped the object twice with the instrument.
Something flickered in the echidnas' eyes, for once the bell sounded, a sudden transformation fell over them. Their faces became unreadable, the light in their eyes dimming out, evolving to a cold, steely gaze. The hint of a smile vanished and was replaced with a thin line, no smugness, no invitational intent. These were the battle-hardened looks of soldiers.
Even though the bell had rung, they did not attack. Instead, they sized up their opponent. Any openings, any weaknesses in their armor, the two searched for it all.
Shade took one step forward with her left foot, and Knuckles followed up with a step with his right. There was stillness, and then, just as quickly, there was movement. Knuckles attacked with a barrage of blows, spiked fists bashing against Shade's impenetrable defenses. Her arms moved flawlessly, positioning themselves at just the right formation to divert the force of her cousin's superior strength. All the while, both never took their eyes off the other.
"Your form has improved. Nice to see you're still keeping up with your training," the female fighter complimented.
Evading Knuckles' quick jab, Shade went on the attack, twirling once, and throwing her leg out for a powerful kick. Her limb smashed into Knuckles' guard and immediately retracted, giving Knuckles no chance to seize the opportunity. She twirled again, retaliating with a high-speed assault of kicks. She pushed Knuckles back more and more, switching from kicks to punches, dancing around the red echidna like a ballerina. Her superior speed allowed her to attack from seemingly all angles, but Knuckles was adept in such tactics. Although he was stuck in one spot, his trained senses allowed him to feel and put up a defense against his cousin's infinite assault.
His senses piqued, Knuckles threw his counter, his fist slamming in the side of Shade's face while hers sunk into his stomach. Both stumbled apart for a brief second to catch their breaths before pouncing forward, eyes alit with fierce determination.
Knuckles dodged the first kick and threw out his deadly right hook. For a moment, Shade's lilac eyes widened before she managed to tilt her head back, her body following. With expert levels of flexibility, Shade bent far enough back to place her hands on the ground with her feet still planted. Her legs left the ground and wrapped themselves around Knuckles' thrown arm. Knowing her cousin's strength could easily support them, Shade pulled herself up and slithered around Knuckles like a python, using his momentum to offset his balance.
Shade flipped her cousin on his back and pinned him down, knees on his arms, and her arm pressing hard on his chest.
"Gotcha, cousin," she said with a victorious smirk.
Tikal rang the bell and hopped into the ring.
"You alright, Knuckles?"
The crimson fighter filled his air with lungs once Shade released him.
"Yeah," he panted, "Just a little dizzy."
"You feel dizzy? You almost took my head off with that last punch," Shade hissed slightly, rubbing the side where Knuckles punched her. She held her hand out for him to take. "That was fun though. I haven't felt this good in a while."
Knuckles accepted the hand, was pulled to his feet, and then yanked into a bone-crushing hug by his military-minded cousin.
"This is rare," Knuckles rubbed Shade's backside. "You aren't worried about me, are you, Shae?"
Shade ignored the tease. "I figured it out," she whispered back.
"Hm? Figured what out? How to help Silver?"
Shade hated it came down to this. "You're thinking about her, aren't you?"
Instantly, the male echidna tensed up; his first mistake. "I don't know who you're talking about. If you mean Rouge, your material needs work because this isn't funny."
"You know me better than that, Knucklehead," his cousin crushed him tighter. "I have my reasons for a weekly spar."
There was no movement from the male echidna. He remained completely silent, but his mind was a thunderstorm.
"You see, Knuckles, I know you don't tell us everything when we meet up like this, and I know you'd dodge every personal question thrown your way, so I came up with a solution. Us echidnas are great fighters. As such, we've developed a state of mind that enhances our senses to peak levels when in fierce combat. With enough time, we can train that mindset to activate whenever we wish, like now for instance. It's meant to suppress emotions while keeping morality intact, but a person's fist can say a lot, and you showed me plenty, Knuckles."
Shade separated from Knuckles; whose dreadlocks obstructed his eyes. His face did its hardest to avoid any reactions, but it was no use before the hawk-like gaze of Shade the Echidna.
"Knuckles?" Tikal called out. She had her hands together in a pleading motion. As she watched her cousins duel, she, too, bore witness to the bottomless well that Knuckles tried to hide. Her hands trembled the entire time. She wanted to intervene, but the aura put up by Shade and Knuckles were too strong. Even spectators steered clear of the ring.
Tikal stepped closer. "Knuckles, I felt it too," she said softly. "You… how long have you been?"
Knuckles refused to stick around and turned, but before he could take a step, Shade latched onto his shoulder, and Tikal seized one of his hands.
"Let go," he demanded, the edge in his voice increasing. He loved his family, but his threshold was reaching the breaking point.
Shade applied more pressure.
"Knuckles, you know I'm only sweet to a handful of people, and when I'm invasive, it's because I genuinely care."
"We love you, Knuckles," Tikal stated. "You can talk to us. Please?"
Silence greeted them back, but Shade didn't back down.
"It's almost that time. What are you going to tell your friends?"
It was a painful few seconds before the red echidna finally responded.
"That I'm sorry."
Tikal and Shade exchanged looks.
"That's," Knuckles clenched his fists, arms shaking, "That's the only thing I can do."
"You're wrong," Shade retorted. "You can do a lot more that doesn't involve isolating yourself."
Knuckles had nothing more to say. He escaped his cousins' grasps and hurriedly gathered his things. The thought of staying any longer left a bad impression.
Tikal wanted to go after him, but Shade prevented it. She shook her head in silence as Tikal's heart wept for Knuckles, angry that she can't do anything to alleviate his pain. While Shade can wordlessly exchange thoughts with a close friend, Tikal can feel the inner sentience of a person's heart, and Knuckles' was ready to explode.
Knuckles never claimed to be the smartest in the library, but contrary to what others may think, he was quite wise. Years of training, both in mind and in body, have taught him much about the world.
Safe to say, it's a vast place filled with endless mysteries. It satiated his thirst for adventure and aided in his pursuit of knowledge. Together, he discovered his passion as an archeologist.
What kind of people lived here? Were they peaceful? Warmongering? What kind of society did they establish? Why did they go extinct?
Knuckles wanted to unravel it, and his job was the perfect medium. He loved every second of it.
However, with every upside came a downside of equal proportions, and no matter how much time flies by, the pain never seems to go away."
"Enough, Knuckles. Just stop." He reprimanded himself. "You were taught better than this."
The red lug raised his head, overlooking the early morning horizon. Activity around the city began to escalate, and Knuckles, not wanting to be caught in the morning greet, quickened his pace, and slid into the back paths. He just wanted to be alone now.
However, his bad luck wanted to see him suffer.
"What do you need this early in the morning?" Knuckles grumbled as he reluctantly answered his phone on its third ring. "Hello?"
"Hey, Knux, morning," replied an indefatigable Sonic. "I'm not interrupting your workout, am I?"
'Who is this energetic first thing in the morning?' Knuckles pondered.
"No, I just finished a few minutes ago. What's up?"
"Wanted to see how you were holding up after yesterday."
Knuckles knew the blue hedgehog was referring to Rouge. Instinctively, a small snarl bottled up in the echidna's throat.
"I'm fine," he tried to not sound too annoyed. "Bat Girl annoys me, but I know it's just to get under my skin. It's not the first time she used her…"
"Feminine wiles," Sonic finished with a small laugh.
"Yeah," Knuckles cleared his throat, a blush staining his cheeks. As much as she infuriated him, he wasn't oblivious to the effects she had on him.
"I think she likes you." Tikal's words came back to him.
He scoffed at the notion. "Yeah right."
"You're such a trooper though, but I'll poke fun at ya later," Sonic chuckled.
"Oh great," Knuckles replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Because making fun of Knuckles is everyone's favorite game."
"You know you love us. Alright, listen, I'm trying to whip Cinnabro into shape, but I'm gonna need a lot of help. I love the guy, he's my brother, but the dude's a stick."
Knuckles almost chuckled at this.
"How bad are we talking?" It wouldn't hurt to get a rundown.
"We jogged around the block, and he practically collapsed before reaching the first mile."
"Oof, that bad, huh? Is he there with you now?"
"No, after we finished jogging, I let him go back home while I got a few more miles in. He should still be there if you want to check up on him."
He wasn't planning on doing anything, even more so after what happened earlier, but he knows how much Silver needed his support, so Knuckles adjusted his mental schedule. Anything to help forget the conversation.
"I'll go see what I'm working with. You're asking for a miracle, Sonic. I can't make those happen at will."
"Yeah, but if anyone can do it, I know it's you. Cleanse my bro of them evil spirits that got in him!"
Knuckles scoffed. "You're the one who needs to be cleansed. How was your dream of Amy last night?" he grinned wickedly.
"I DID NOT!" Knuckles ended the call before Sonic could finish his declaration and chuckled evilly as he made a detour to the Hedgehog residence.
"Payback."
This was his domain. The surge of creative energy overflowed from his skinny frame in waves. His golden eyes were glowing brighter than ever before, the teal glow that came with his gift shining like the sun on a blazing hot day. The outside world was a mere shadow to him, unseen, nonexistent. His inner world, the movement of his strokes, the flow of his thoughts, and the perfect synchronization between them, was all that mattered at this moment.
However, there was one piece of the puzzle he lacked.
"I don't know enough about her," and like an explosion, the inspiration faded with the moment. Silver was so caught up in the aspect of painting that he failed to contemplate a good story. Vector and Vanilla were easy, Luigi and Daisy were a little tough, but Blaze really challenged him.
"She's too mysterious," he sighed, powers dying down. Once again, twice in a row, Silver was left with an unfinished piece.
He sat the canvas alongside the first portrait of the beautiful purple feline. The first consisted of Blaze's ballerina pose, hand extended upward, left leg raised as the right stood perfectly on its tip. Dancing in the moonlight, the feline appeared happy, entranced by the nightly ambiance.
His second portrait mirrored his momentary exchange with the feline, her golden eyes fixing him with a sneaky glance. Something tugged at her lips, curling it upwards as she greeted him like a couple of hours ago. Was it intrigue? Casualness?
Silver froze for a second, transfixed on the portraits, or more specifically, the model centered on the canvases. Nary a word or phrase had yet to be uttered between them, and the aspiring painter already found himself so titillated.
"She's beautiful, isn't she?"
Silver nodded. "Very beautiful. So mysterious too."
"I wonder what her story is. You think she's friendly?"
Silver shrugged. "That's part of the mystery."
It suddenly clicked. Who was he talking to?
'Wait a minute.'
Silver stiffened and began to turn, cursing himself for being too distracted with his work. His psychokinesis should've warned him of any new activity. If it was still active that is.
"Is it finally time for the operation?" one Amy Rose inquired, a radiant smile contrasting with the otherwise nefarious glint in her green orbs.
Off to the side was Knuckles, leaning against the door frame, strong arms folded over his deltoids. His raised brow told Silver he heard everything.
"How did you guys get in my house?" Silver questioned, trying to look stern but failing.
"I have a spare key," Knuckles answered, swinging the keychain. "Last time I housesat, I made a copy in case of emergencies."
Silver closed his mouth and looked at the beaming Amy. Her grin was too large for the male hedgehog's liking. It was akin to Sonic's sneaky smiles, and that only spelled trouble.
"And you?"
"I saw Knuckles and tagged along."
Silver groaned. "And what was that about an operation?"
"Does our little Silver have a crush?" Amy placed her hands behind her back.
"NO!" Silver roared, his face matching Knuckles' skin color, "I do not have a crush."
"I'm just making sure," the pinkette waved the boy down. "You're usually too busy with your paintings, but to show such much interest in Blaze. Ooh, my little brother-in-law is shooting high."
"I'm not interested! I just wanted to… uh. W-What are you guys even doing here?"
"Sonic told me about your morning exercise," was the echidna's response.
"I was about to drag Knuckles shopping with me, but out of the kindness of my heart, I decided to see if you needed some words of encouragement from your future sister-in-law. However," Amy giggled, "I see I have other words to say."
"It's not what you think!" Silver shook his head adamantly. He rubbed the back nervously "I was just… just."
"Admiring a person's dance technique," Knuckles came to his aid.
"Yeah! That's it, just complimenting a person's hard work."
"Mhm," Amy's all-knowing smile made Silver stutter.
"Uh, um, so Knuckles, what exactly did Sonic say to you?" Silver changed the subject.
"You need a lot of help, and I'm the right echidna for the job," Knuckles walked closer. He cupped his chin, looking the aspiring artist up and down. "You're scrawnier than I remember. When was the last time you lifted anything over thirty pounds?"
"Yesterday to you and Rouge with my psychokinesis," Silver countered, irritated by basically being called a stick.
"That's using your brain, not your muscles. You can't expect to wow the crowd with twigs like these."
"I'm working on it," the aspiring artist stated. "We still have to officially sign up for the classes first, and Rouge even said there's a trial period."
"You're thinking of the future and not the present," Knuckles retorted. "What's your diet?"
Silver's nose twitched. "I'm not a chili hound like Sonic. I make sure to eat my veggies."
The red echidna prodded Silver's arms. Lanky is too good a word to use. Knuckles held back out of fear of breaking the hedgehog's limbs.
"Yeah, we got our work cut out for us," he let out a heavy breath. Then, he clapped his hands. "Nothing someone like me can handle. Amy, jot these down: protein, weights, and schedule adjustments."
"Got it," she said, pen and paper mysteriously in hand.
"Cardio is going to be your bread and butter, but you can never go wrong with a little strength training. I'll plan you and Sonic a routine and get you guys some weights. You need more protein in your diet. No way around it."
Knuckles stopped to admire the fancy paintings. "You have a nice collection here, but it's time to say goodbye to your tools for a while."
"But,"
"No buts," Knuckles wagged his finger. "It's time to buckle down. Hard work stems from your determination. Now, that drive needs to be focused elsewhere. You're a stick now, but when I'm done with you, you'll be a hedgehog among hedgehogs."
"I'm not a stick!" Silver shouted. "I got muscle," he shrunk, "You just can't see them."
"And that's a crime against nature," Knuckles flexed his arms, displaying his perfect set of nurtured triceps. The years of training done him wonders. He was fit and strong but not overly. His size was still close to his friends and family.
"A strong body should have a strong mind to flatter it. You lack discipline, Silver. Stick with me, and you'll learn things about yourself you never knew. Confidence is the key to facing challenges."
"Stop showing off," Amy rolled her eyes.
"Stop checking me out then. You'd drool pools if Sonic had muscles like mine."
The pinkette, embarrassed to agree, averted her head. "Sonic is fine just the way he is," her blush betraying the thoughts swimming around in her head. "Muscles aren't everything."
It's not like she'd enjoy having such a strong, attractive physique embrace her and hold her close, protecting her from the dangers of the world. Muscles, while nice, could be over the top and ruin a person's image. Amy didn't want to see her favorite blue hedgehog or sweet future brother-in-law become all veiny. Somehow, though, Knuckles found the perfect balance. Amy knew he was blind to it, but often, Amy noticed her fellow gender take a few peeks at the hotblooded archeologist. Objectively speaking, the boys in her circle were quite handsome, but there was only one who earned her heart.
"I don't agree wholeheartedly with that statement, but I respect your opinion," Knuckles put his hands behind his head. Muscles act as a magnet. They are a gift, but they can be a curse too.
"Don't listen to him, Silver. You don't need to be buff," Amy patted the artist on his shoulder.
"I'm not going to get buff," Silver shook his head. "I have no intentions of getting buff."
"Good because there can only be one buff guy in this circle, and that's me," Knuckles retorted. "However, I will make you stronger, Silver. Consider it my personal way of helping you out."
"Aww, you're still not going to dance with us?" Amy pouted.
"Don't give me that puppy-dog stare. I told you guys I wasn't participating. I'll go to the stupid open house and that's it. You guys can parade around on stage if you want."
Amy puffed her cheeks out, and the image reminded Knuckles of Tikal and, subsequently, Shade. He flashed back to the girls' conversation once again and held back a primal growl. He didn't want to remember it, not in his friends' presence.
"We are a team, Knuckles," Amy reminded him.
"And you guys are like siblings to me," the red echidna nodded in agreement. "But I don't dance. Now that we got that squared away, big brother here has some workout routines to draw up and some weights to prepare."
"Or we can skip the weights," Silver suggested with a nervous laugh.
"Excuse you?" The look of disgust on Knuckles' face made Amy laugh. "Skip weight training? Did I hear you right? I can't believe it. Sonic was right; you are a blasphemer."
"You're not saying I'm wrong," Silver had counters for everyone.
"You are wrong. Sonic said an evil spirit invaded your body, and now I believe him. That's the only explanation I can come up with that would have you say such a thing in my presence. By the echidna gods," Knuckles held his head, pupils quivering. "I'm going to cleanse yourself of that evil curse!"
Knuckles turned, more determined than ever, and left the blighted artist to his projects.
"I will free you, Silver; don't worry!"
"Don't forget about our shopping trip, Knuckles!" Amy yelled out. She quickly gave Silver a hug and chased after the red echidna, whose screams of protest could be heard outside as he ran from the persistent pinkette.
"I'm not going shopping with you, Amy!"
"You don't have a choice! As my 'big brother,' you have to suffer the spree. It's the natural order! You can't go messing with the order!"
Silver smiled. He couldn't find it in himself to be mad at them, not when they're trying so hard to help him out. Any other person would've said, "Forget it" and go about their day, but his brother and friends didn't leave him hanging.
He appreciated it.
"Thanks, guys," he said under his breath. "I'll get through this."
"We'll see about that."
Not a moment too soon, there it was again. That voice. Silver thought it went away. Apparently, he was wrong.
He didn't respond to it, and when he used his powers to locate the source, he found himself isolated. Silver was the only person inside the house.
"What do you want?" He gave in.
There was taciturnity unlike any other. Silver was used to the calm atmosphere; he preferred it when making art, but this wasn't an average moment of silence.
"Satisfaction," came the voice's response.
Silver attempted to name the voice, but he had no clue who it belonged to. There was a certain pitch to it, an echo of sorts that kept it indistinct. Silver didn't notice it before, but it was a lot closer than he realized as if someone were right next to him, and yet, there was no one.
Silver checked his temperature. He wasn't warm, nowhere close to being sick. His body felt normal, healthy even. His legs had recovered since his morning excursion. There was nothing wrong with him he could tell.
"What is happening right now?"
An echoing whisper touched his ear. It spooked the psychokinetic practically out of his fur.
"Our evolution."
