Rest is a little harder to come by proceeding his vision of Tikal. Not because he can't, no, he's certainly tired enough to sleep if he truly tries. It's really because he is admittedly, avoiding any chance of visiting her again.

It isn't likely she'll call to him so soon, she never does unless the situation is dire. Of course, those other instances were different. He has always departed on her terms, not his own, awakened once she's finished interpreting whatever life-saving prophecy and what-not, that can't be deciphered by the glyphs on the temple walls, or in the ancient tomes of his library.

He also ignores that he does not actually need to be asleep for Tikal to call on him. She can pull him into a vision easily even if he is fully conscious. That has never bothered him before, but with how powerless he has been feeling lately, it leaves him uneasy, so he chooses not to acknowledge it.

In any case, when he inevitably gives in to exhaustion and dozes off by the Emerald. He doesn't see her, doesn't dream at all actually. Just quiet darkness that replenishes the energy he has let deplete. When he wakes, it's the middle of the night, and there's no drive for him to return to sleep. He can feel the sun, it's several hours until it will make it's ascent near the island.

Knuckles is tempted to just sit here, with the Master, and enjoy the quiet ambiance of nightfall. And he does, he allows that peacefulness to last for a little while, and it feels… Nice. It feels like time is halted, just for him. The wind blows and whistles as it's broken and redirected by the trees surrounding the shrine, mingling together with the pretty hum of energy emitting from the Master behind him.

It makes for a tranquil, calming song, at least to Knuckles' ears. The only other sound to be heard is his own breathing, and the occasional call of an unnamed animal.

The Emerald invades him and warms his chest, in the way it always does. Knuckles notes that it's hold is a touch more tender and gentle then it normally is. Trying to heal him from some unseen wound, he surmises. It feels nice – Even if he knows it can't truly help him, the Master can't heal mental wounds. Not in a way that counts.

Still, he feels calm and peaceful.

It's only a temporary respite, but he takes it, if only to quell the shame and dread he's been shrouded with lately, just for a little. And, against his nature, excitement for the coming day creeps into his mind, as he's reviewing the tasks he has to do once the morning breaks.

It's not like him, but he's actually forgotten what he had planned today, so wrapped up in counting down to… To his birthday, to remember that there are things he has to do before then.

But today, today will be fun. Today he knows he will be far too distracted to even think about his upcoming milestone. He'll have to get up from his comfortable spot by his Emerald soon, to clean up his house, and tend to the shrine. Knuckles wouldn't consider himself to be the neatest of his group of friends, but he likes things to be at least semi-organized, especially when he knows he's going to have guests.

He takes a moment to be grateful that he can even have guests.

Knuckles allows a little smile to spread across his face. He really is excited.

Sonic, Tails and Amy are coming today.

It's actually been quite a while since they have been in the same place. He's been busy – they've been busy, and Knuckles isn't exactly… Accessible. With the island being so far out of the way, (By design.) Regrettably, it's inevitable that there be some lean months between face-to-face contact. That being said… It's been a long time since the gap between visits has been this lengthy.

He's seen other people, obviously. Rouge passes through whenever she pleases, which is fairly often. She never does much apart from make conversation with him, and follow him around while he works. Part of Knuckles wonders if she does it just to keep him company.

The Chaotix surprised him about a month ago, stating they needed some help translating some archaic stone tablets for some history buff client of theirs. Which, Knuckles could easily do over a video call, but he appreciates the extra effort they put in to see him in person.

Plus, he never gets more work done then when they're here. With Vector's added strength, Charmy's flight, and Espio's agility, he's able to finish repairs and upkeep on the island hours before he normally does.

He means no disrespect to Sonic and Tails, they do try very hard to be helpful, and they are… But more often then not, they get distracted, and all of a sudden Knuckles has spent the entire day on his hoverboard or competing to see who can find the fasted route around the island. (Sonic may be fast, but Knuckles has seen every inch of this place.)

Which Knuckles knows that's not a bad thing. He's allowed to take breaks and have fun every now and then. He has to remind himself of that a lot these days, but he'd never hear the end of it from any of them if he ever forgot.

He doesn't see Amy as often as he'd like, not anymore at least. She used to just hitch a ride with Sonic and Tails whenever she wanted to pay him a visit, and she'd bring him different movies or books she'd like to watch or read with him. Despite himself, Knuckles laughs under his breath. Amy is by far the one who tries the hardest to help him understand Mobian culture, he's always very enthusiastic to learn more, and she's even more ecstatic to teach him.

Of course, since the resistance, she has been unfathomably busy. Knuckles is fully aware that a lot of it is his own fault, and he does feel very bad about it. As soon as Eggman was defeated, and they'd at least semi-secured peace, he resigned from his position as commander of the resistance, and has not left the island since.

It was abrupt, and pretty unprofessional, but Knuckles knows he would have lost his mind if he stayed any longer – He was like a piece of paper, slowly crackling and sizzling as he slowly burns from the outside in.

Knuckles doesn't regret it. Being home with the Emerald was so relieving Knuckles was speechless when his feet touched the green grass by the shrine. Knuckles almost cried when he first felt the Master's presence again, really felt it. He'd laid by it for hours, just letting it's power, it's life, soak into his body, down to the marrow of his bones.

Being away from Angel Island for so long… Was probably the worst feeling he's ever experienced in his life. So far anyway. He isn't meant to be apart from the Emerald for as long as he was, and it was like he was weighed down by rocks, and his veins were on fire, every day. Like the Master was screaming, "Danger! You left me alone unattended! You're a disgrace to your people!" every second he was awake. He felt more wound up than a fishing line.

He knows it got to him, affected him in a way that he still feels shameful about. That distance grated on him like nails to a chalkboard. He's never been that angry, all the time. But he was that angry, all the time.

It took effort, but he did get used to it, as painful as it was. He could tone the constant screams and sensations out, because there were things… Things more important than the Island, things more important than the Emerald. Just that very thought makes him a little sick, makes his head spin, because it's against his very nature.

But it was true, is still true, and Knuckles… Doesn't regret that either. At all. There's no point in protecting the Emerald from those who want destruction, if the world is already destroyed. It grates on his soul, but despite everything, Knuckles cares more about the lives of the innocents that Eggman wronged, then the Island. Leaving home was one of the hardest things he's ever done, and he isn't quite clear of that guilt yet, but he left for a good reason, and did good while he was gone.

Amy makes sure to remind him of that whenever they talk on comms, when she can tell it's bothering him. And it does bother him.

So, needless to say, Knuckles is eager to see them again. The sun is barely creeping over the horizon now. He takes one last solid breath, taking in the Master's music one more time before he starts on tidying up.

He still feels… Something, itching and clawing at the back of his mind. He knows what it's saying, even if it's hushed by the thoughts taking up the majority of his attention. Regrettably, he lets them take control for a second, and he pauses his task of setting up firewood for tonight.

It's only for a small, insignificant moment, but his chest seizes, and that something whispers, he's not meant to be this excited, "It isn't earned."

Knuckles shuts his eyes tight, and takes a slow, careful breath. It's such an intrusive, invading thought, and he hates that it so easily stops him in his tracks.

He doesn't need to think these things today. He doesn't have to let his head win, at the very least, not today. Absently, he thinks Rouge would tell him something like, "You're the only one who believes that, baby." And that helps, because he knows it's true, at least, to Rouge it is. It's easier to comfort himself, when he uses someone elses' voice. Usually, he has to fight very hard to win an argument against Rouge, so he uses hers a lot.

And with that, the moment is over, he forces it to be. He can feel as miserable as his mind wants tomorrow, and he won't complain. Just not today, he isn't going to waste this day thinking about what's happened, and what's to come. Not when he hasn't seen his friends in so long, he just wants to enjoy their company. He just wants to enjoy today.

Whatever happens after that… Well, he'll worry about it whenever the time comes. Another strained, uneasy exhale, and he resumes stacking the wood.

Knuckles doesn't even notice the sun has fully risen until he finally stops for a break. Water trickles over and around his feet as he rests them in a stream nearby to the Emerald. He lays his back on the soft and moist bright green grass under him, squinting when sunlight peaks through the leaves of the trees, hitting his eyes.

His body clock estimates it's around lunch time, the obnoxious growl of his stomach all but confirming his hypothesis.

A grin manages to worm it's way into his expression. His eyes are drooping, the warmth of the sun and the sound of the water rushing around him could be enough to put him to sleep, another chance to make up for his… Lack of that, for the past few days.

But he doesn't sleep, he entertains the drowsiness for a fleeting moment before he sits up again, energy renewed.

His friends will be here soon.

Tails radioed in a couple hours ago, relaying that they most likely wouldn't arrive until after noon. This of course, only motivates Knuckles more to make this place presentable. Not that he actually needs to, the Island has an over abundance of natural beauty all on it's own, Knuckles really has no reason to be running around like a chicken without it's head.

Still, there are some things that he knows will make the place more comfortable. Especially for those who aren't used to living such a…. Remote lifestyle, such as he does.

Although, at this point, he might be grasping at straws to give himself. He could certainly find something, there is always a task that needs to be done around here. Unfortunately, all that comes to mind are very laborious and time-consuming jobs, and while Knuckles isn't the type to put things off, he's at least aware enough to acknowledge that he needs to prioritize other things. At the very least, today he does.

Today he can escape.

His friends are such good distractions.

Knuckles raises a brow despite himself. Maybe he should keep that compliment to himself. He can already hear Sonic, in his lighthearted and slightly intimidating way, lecturing him on "Facing your problems head on!"

His violet eyes roll before he can suppress the tick. Getting a "Sonic Speech" is the last thing he wants right now.

"Though, want, and need, are very different." something in his mind voices.

Knuckles feels them before he hears them. He is pulling at a few invasive weeds by the shrine, when he feels their presence closing in. Three distinct auras, circling the island, all different but familiar in nature. They all mix to send an exciting buzz exploding under his skin, like three plucks of a lyre, all coming together to make a song.

Sonic's aura is loud, really loud, as it always is. Knuckles can feel it clearly even as it's mixed with Amy's and Tails', like his string on the lyre has been plucked a little harder, so that its tune reverberates for a few seconds longer than normal.

Knuckles recalls having to work very hard to learn how to deal with the shear magnitude of his speeding blue friend's presence. Like a constant loud hum in his ear with an intense energy. It's impossible to mistake, and it's why Sonic always loses when he tries to hide from him.

It is a little… Different, since the resistance. It's hardly noticeable if you aren't paying attention, but Knuckles always pays attention. It's guarded, a little softer than it used to be.

Knuckles knows why. They haven't talked about it, not in detail. He knows Sonic is strong, impossibly so, but being trapped for that long… It changes you, no matter how blindly hopeful you are. It will change you.

And Knuckles feels like such a coward, because he is scared to bring it up. He can't even confront his own pain, how can he help with someone elses?

Tails, on the other hand, has a soft, soothing wavelength, made of several hushed tones. It's also constant, like no matter where he is, the music molds to fit his particular strum of strings. It's a peaceful one, less so quiet and more controlled.

It used to be a lot smaller, or rather – a lot less noticeable. As if he was still trying to hide behind Sonic's noise, letting the older blue hedgehog lead the whole song, Knuckles could barely feel it when he first met the young fox.

But since then, and obviously some of it has to do with age – Tails has an aura all his own, able to hold a tune without anyone's assistance. Knuckles considers it a privilege that he gets to sense it. Somewhere, he feels a little proud.

Amy's is loud too, but in a completely different way than Sonic's. While his is brazen and tireless, Amy's is strong and constant like a heartbeat. At least, that's how Knuckles knows how to describe it. Her string is what brings the song together, that tone that you hear distinctly among the others as you listen.

It's pleasant, Knuckles enjoys the warm sensation that blossoms in his chest when she's here. It reminds him of flowers blooming, or the smell of freshly fallen rain.

Of course, when she's angry, that heartbeat is hammering – and he is fully aware of the implications. That slow beat dialed up to an eleven, and then it's really loud. Loud enough to rival Sonic's, Knuckles might wager. It doesn't have the same wavelength as his, no, not the same kind that has a certain otherworldly quality to it. Not one that can command Chaos, but… It does remind him of it.

Which is… A little concerning, but Knuckles has long since decided to leave it alone.

Every Mobian is capable of wielding Chaos in some capacity, (Including himself, especially himself.) its very essence is drawn to hatred and fear, which everyone has a little of, and Knuckles knows more than anyone that it is not hard to feed those emotions.

If someone calls for discord while holding the one of the Chaos Emeralds, they will respond. It may be minuscule, depending on ones spiritual connection to the artifact. Like, if Charmy were to call on destruction, at most it might make the wind blow a little harder. Contrasted, if Sonic called for the same destruction… Well that would not be good.

Luckily, Sonic doesn't want that, hasn't wanted that, and hopefully never will want that. He is one of the very few people who truly does want to help those around him, for no other reason besides that it is right.

He calls for light, and peace, and adventure, and all of the good things life can give and –

Knuckles knows his own mind.

A thought sneaks up on him, a realization.

Sonic deserves these markings more than he does.

Something drops in his stomach, and he's anxious again. He knows what's coming, but he can't stop himself in time. The first shudders of paranoia and alarm sting in his ribcage and drag him down.

"What if they see them?" A voice whispers. He can't put a name to it, he has never been able to. Sometimes it sounds like him, but not always.

He stops comprehending for a few moments, he doesn't even hear the propellers of the Tornado as they circle, searching for a place to land. He feels like he's been punched in the gut, and it takes him a solid ten seconds before he realizes it's because he's stopped breathing. There are a few feeble attempts at inhaling, but it's nothing substantial.

In his panic, he sprints to the creak, the same one that gave him peace a just a few hours ago, it's just a short distance away. Something clicks.

He has to be sure.

Still not breathing right – It's in and out, in and out – Knuckles sprints to the waterline. Not nearly fast enough for his comfort, he is no Sonic, but he makes it none-the-less. He throws himself to his knees, he leaves an impact on the ground under him, raking the grass away by the roots. (He'll feel bad about that later.)

He doesn't register anything around him, he can't. Numbness stings underneath his skin as dread wins over logic. Somewhere, he recalls the feeling of drowning.

He's being irrational, stupidly so, he knows.

But he can't breath, can't think, can't hear, until he is sure.

Knuckles plants his palms at the edge of the water, he doesn't even register the mud dirtying the wraps around his hands. The rush of the water is the only sound that registers over the ringing he hears. He might be able to hear himself gasping, raking in whatever air he can, but only if he tries very hard – Which he doesn't.

It takes a few tries before he can see clear enough to focus, after he finally gets some oxygen to his brain – his eyes settle on the water. It's flowing, so it's not a clear image, but it's enough to lower his heart rate.

Red. His crest is the only splash of white on his entire body. He looks, no, glares at the water (feels a strong sense of deja vu.) and lets the roaring of the water remind him of reality. And now he feels foolish, and grits his teeth when he realizes how easily he panicked.

His – the markings aren't visible, Knuckles knows that. He doesn't let them show, he never has. He plucks, removes any sight of their growth whenever they start to appear. His face flushes underneath his fur, and he fights the urge to punch at the moist earth under him.

He's so stupid.

He said he wasn't going to do this today.

"Any day but today."

Uhg, he's so stupid. He can't go two hours without thinking about it, on the one day he's supposed to be thinking about everyone else. Instead, he has to prove to himself that he hasn't miraculously grown ethereal white patternings out of thin air.

He recalls his resolve. Today isn't about him, it will not be about him.

Knuckles grumbles, mumbling a few Echidna curses to himself as he washes the mud from his hands. He cups the water rushing by and splashes his face, it's cold and does the trick of snapping him back to reality fully. His body fully remembers where he is.

He allows himself to catch his breath for a few minutes, faintly, he can still hear the Tornado. Surely they've found a place to land by now. He's not wearing his communicator, so wrapped up in making his place presentable that he forgot he would probably need it today – so if they're trying to reach him for assistance, he's being very difficult.

When he finally gets the confidence to stand – He's not sure if his legs will give out on him for a few minutes – annoyance fights for his attention when he notes that his cargo pants are now caked with river mud and grass.

Now he has to figure out an excuse when his friends inevitably ask, and he is terrible at lying. Knuckles rubs careful circles into his temples, it sends an explosion of black and white spots dancing in his vision. He marches back to the clearing by the shrine.

He feels the tremors in his hands coming on, and he wills it to be subtle. If his friends see him shaking, it'll be obvious something is wrong. He curses Eggman (and to a lesser extent, the resistance.) for afflicting him such an obvious tell.

Scanning the skies above, Knuckles doesn't find his friends circling anymore, but he does hear the whir of the plane's engine somewhere nearby. They must already be landing. His eyes shut, and the sound of the world around him falls away for a moment, he only hears the hum of the Master's power as it washes over him.

Three, abundant with energy and life.

It only takes a few seconds before he finds them. A few clicks away from Hydrocity, it shouldn't be too long if they walk here, even shorter if they use Sonic as their transportation. Knuckles struggles against the frustration bubbling in his stomach, he's been knocked off balance now.

Just out of courtesy, and not at all because he is still feeling lingering paranoia, Knuckles gives himself a quick once-over. He has been working all morning, but ignoring his poor, dirt-stained cargo pants, he looks acceptable.

He prays he doesn't appear as haunted as he feels.

Because while Knuckles is absolutely terrible at reading people, it's strikingly clear that he is extremely easy to. At least, according to his friends he is, Knuckles doesn't talk to enough people outside of his group to know if the claim is true.

But at the very least, these friends can read him very, very well.

Knuckles takes one last look at the clouded blue sky, recalling his earlier tranquility. Today will be good, it will be fun. Knuckles will like today.

It's starting to sound less like a mantra, and more like a plea. Still, to Knuckles a plea is better than begging.

He inhales, slow, and opens his mind. Reaching for the Emerald, as if it were an old friend, a sweet tingling overcomes his senses, assuring him with sweet whispers that no one but him can understand. His breathes, at last, are steady and stable. The subtle and safe rise and fall of his chest help to remind him what today is about, he feels centered again.

Perfect timing too, because those three, wonderful, and familiar wavelengths are approaching. Not fast enough to be Sonic – Knuckles notes – but faster then if they were walking. "They must be on their hoverboards." Knuckles deduces.

He isn't exactly sure where his is – He mainly uses it when his friends are here, unless he wants to practice. It can be useful on occasion, if he needs to get somewhere in a hurry, but Knuckles has always preferred taking the scenic route. The last time he used the thing was probably three months ago in Marble Garden, give or take.

Knuckles inhales slowly one last time, trying for a practice smile before they arrive. He doesn't go back to the creek to see if it is an acceptable one – He knows his mind is not reliable right now – but it feels genuine enough, and it's not like his grins are particularly captivating, so he determines it will suffice.

Trudging up the familiar steps up the Emerald's shrine fills Knuckles a confusing mix of apprehension and eagerness. They agreed the shrine was the best place for them to meet, it's easily the most accessible, (Which might not be a good thing, Knuckles notes,) and all of them clearly know where it is.

Part of him thinks it's funny, that his friends can still get lost here. They've been here several times and Knuckles hopes they might think of it as a second home, but most of them still need a map, if he's not there to escort them to each zone.

Although, maybe he just thinks it's humorous because he's been here his entire life. He's got eighteen years of exploration and mystic knowledge on them. Vaguely, Knuckles concludes he might be setting the bar too high for them.

The astral tendrils of the Master's power wrap around him as he climbs the last few steps, and he basks in the relic's ethereal glow. It's different from last night – the Emerald isn't trying to shield him from anything, or attempting to heal his invisible injury. It's more of a fond acknowledgment of his arrival.

His presence is always with the Emerald, and vice versa, he can never be truly separated from it, but his connection is at it's crescendo when he is physically closest to the artifact.

Knuckles reaches the top, and finds his favorite pillar to lean on, from here he can see the entirety of the clearing surrounding the Master. He gives it one last look, making sure he has done everything he can. Knuckles releases a sigh as he finds his work to be satisfactory, he feels some tension leave his body.

What catches his eyes next is the flock of birds scattering into the sky, the trees they were previously resting in disturbed. Knuckles does what he can to suppress his growing excitement, but quickly decides it's a fruitless effort. He gives in and grins wide as his ears pick up the animated shouts of his friends as they finally pass through the trees.

Tails reveals himself from the forest first – He's mildly amused that Sonic did not win their race – the young fox soars across the field with practiced grace, Knuckles is glad to see how happy Tails clearly is. He didn't see much of Tails during the resistance, and that was… Well, they both coped with Sonic's "Death" in different ways.

And the months after they won the war, it was a lot of recovery, for everyone involved. It takes quite a while to recuperate from something like that, if you ever truly can. Knuckles knows he's still working on it. At the very least, Tails appears completely unencumbered and carefree, even from his view on the shrine.

He also notes that he looks a little taller. He might even pass up Sonic soon, that thought coaxes a chuckle out of him, oh how he would love to be there to see the moment when that happens.

The Fox has already slowed to a stop at the foot of the shrine's staircase when Amy and Sonic fly in sync out of the shadow cover of the leaves. They look similarly cheerful, and it fills Knuckles with an intoxicating glee. He really wants nothing more for his friends than their happiness.

He is fully aware they can't go back to who they were before this mess – no, that ship sailed when Eggman plunged their world into darkness – but it is a relief that they all seem to be enduring the war's after effects with flying colors.

Well, maybe not. Knuckles can't make that judgment with complete confidence. He recalls black and blue bruises, wet glossy eyes, and whispers of hopelessness. Washing those memories away completely is impossible, even for Amy, Tails, and even Sonic. Maybe they are hiding just as he is, and this day is an escape for all of them too. He hopes that if it is, it will do for them what he wants it to do for him.

Tails disengages his hoverboard and leaves it resting idle on a chipped stone by the stairs. His lively eyes find the top of the shrine and scans, he doesn't look too far before he and Knuckles lock stares. The reaction is instant, recognition gleans in the foxes face and he beams radiantly at him. "Knuckles!" He shouts, ecstatic from his spot below. Knuckles returns the smile with what he hopes is equal enthusiasm.

It doesn't really matter, Tails has already skipped all of the stairs and levitated to the top step. Before Knuckles can blink, or even comprehend, Tails practically tackles him with an enthusiastic embrace. That takes him a second to process, because going from not touching – or being touched – by anyone for a month, to being wrapped in such a personal gesture is a little jarring.

The hug is not a bad thing. No, certainly not, Knuckles discovered very quickly thanks to Sonic and Tails, that he actually quite enjoys them. It's personal and requires so much trust between two people, and Knuckles had never experienced something like that before. Maybe Tails knows that, and that's why he is so generous with his affection. Admittedly, Knuckles is not very good at reciprocating.

While he is thrown a little off kilter by the exchange, he adjusts and firmly returns it. Tails is squeezing as tight as he conceivably can, which, at least to Knuckles, is not tight at all. It is not without tenderness and care, it's passionate. In contrast, Knuckles' hold is gentle, and he has to bend over a little to fit in comfortably.

A part of him thinks he should just go all in and lift his younger friend off his feet and hug as tight as he can. But, Knuckles knows his strength, and frankly he doesn't have enough energy to spin in circles while he steals Tails' breath away.

Knuckles feels surprisingly raw here, like he really needed this, and he probably really does – He just forgets, sometimes, how nice it is to have other people touch you. He thinks maybe it's a good thing he does, since if he spent every day missing the presence of others, he would be miserable.

But, he really did miss this, he's missed his friends. A lot. Especially with what he has been brooding over recently.

Sonic and Amy are already making the trek up the shrine, and absently Knuckles registers that Sonic isn't running, instead keeping pace with Amy and walking with her. He files this away for review later.

He releases a breathy laugh. "Hey there buddy," He starts, and he realizes it's been several days since he's heard his own voice out loud. Not since his visit with Tikal. It shouldn't be weird, he's gone a lot longer without uttering a single word, other than the occasional expletive or voiced thought. Still, with his friends here, he feels out of practice.

Knuckles allows himself to squeeze Tails a little tighter. "I missed you too."

Those seem to be the magic words, because Tails finally seems satisfied and releases his death grip on him. The young fox shifts his weight from his right foot to his left, giving Knuckles a more detailed look. He feels a little exposed under Tails' scrutiny, and the irrational part of his brain stresses that his young friend might read his thoughts.

But, the moment passes and seemingly Tails finds nothing of note, tilting his head with a questioning smirk on his face. "Really? Because we tried calling you several times, and you didn't answer." Tails teases playfully, his arms cross as he tries and fails to sound upset over Knuckles' mistake.

"Probably because he isn't wearing his comm, as usual." Amy butts in as she and Sonic finally reach the peak of the shrine. She says it with fondness, and a pleasant smile is spread on her lips. Knuckles scans her for a moment, and notes that she's been growing her quills out. It looks nice – he thinks, it makes her look a little older. Not much is different from her last visit, she appears the same.

His gaze falls on Sonic next to him, who does look different. Like Tails, Knuckles thinks he's gotten a little taller too, but he is not sure if he's just inventing change, it's not enough to be substantial. His quills are a bit more unruly than the last time, a few particularly ornery poke through his Letterman jacket. There are a few pink and blue patches around the shoulders, Knuckles wonders if perhaps Amy has been fixing it for him.

Sonic gives Amy a playful wink, waving his hand in a dismissive manner towards her. "Well Ames, considering how much we all chatter, I wouldn't wear it either." He says it without any real conviction and only gives Knuckles a knowing smirk. Amy seems to consider his words, a retort hot on her lips, but she chooses to let it go.

Sonic takes a few measured steps towards him, his entire demeanor is a kind of relaxed Knuckles has never been able to replicate nor understand. He holds out a fist and his grin grows more open and caring as he actually acknowledges him.

"What's up, Rad Red?" The old moniker rolls off his tongue affectionately, and Knuckles recalls how much he's missed Sonic. His world has all been a horrifying conglomerate of paranoia, tremors, and dread. He'd almost forgotten that the world outside of here… Isn't that, and Sonic might as well be the opposite.

Knuckles thinks that maybe, if a mystical being burst into tears in Sonic's arms, he would be able to handle it properly.

He allows that thought to dance in his mind only for a moment, then he remembers his manners. Knuckles makes the move to return Sonic's fist bump, but decides he's feeling generous, mostly thanks to Tails, so he reaches just past his hand hand grips Sonic's wrist – which is really small compared to his own – and pulls the hedgehog in for a rough hug. Sonic lets out a rare yelp as Knuckles catches him off guard.

His chuckle infects his voice as he replies. "Nothing much, Blue. It's good to see you." Knuckles replies, and for the most part, he's being honest. It is good to see him, isn't that the part that counts?

He isn't as gentle this time, this is Sonic, not Tails. So his grip is tight and Sonic has to fight to free his arms before he can reciprocate this rare display of warmness Knuckles is sharing. It's a brief embrace, Knuckles isn't feeling that generous, but even still, he feels warm and contented when he pulls away.

At least, until he notices Sonic making a face. It doesn't last more than a second, but it's enough. Knuckles curses himself because he cannot for the life of him figure out what it means. Sonic's brows are raised and his eyes shimmer with what Knuckles thinks is a mix of suspicion and realization, or maybe it's surprise? He has no clue.

Sonic gives him another look, emerald eyes surveying him again, as if he's noticed something he previously missed.

And Knuckles' stomach feels heavy again, like there's lead lining his torso. It hasn't even been five minutes – He's not that obvious is he? No, he can't be, all he's done is say hi, does it show on his face? Did he say something out loud while he wasn't paying attention –

Knuckles breathes, after he realizes he's stopped again, because he's not going to panic again, he is not. He swallows down any anxiety or heaviness that starts to overtake him.

The moment is over before it starts, Sonic realizes he's revealed something, and his air of casual calm returns, and Knuckles can't tell if his friend actually made any conclusions. Just as Knuckles is easy to read, Sonic can be extremely difficult to. If Sonic wants to hide something, you will not find it, unless he chooses reveals it to you.

Sonic considers something for a second, eyes still searching, as he hangs his arms in his jacket's pockets. Finally, Sonic chuckles, and Knuckles can't see any traces of that look anymore.

"Good to see you too buddy, I was starting to get worried you'd forgotten us."

Knuckles is put at east and lets that familiar fond annoyance wash over his senses, he rolls his eyes. He shakes his head, bumping his shoulder jovially against Sonic's as he passes him. "As if I could be rid you any of you long enough to forget." He snarks, not without humor and a smile. Sonic and Tails laugh together, even though what he's said isn't that funny.

Amy just sighs, shaking her head, but she can't quite keep the giggles out of her voice, or the grin off her face. When Knuckles makes it to her, he doesn't even bother saying hello, he just wraps her up in another hug. She lets out an alarmed squeal, not expecting him to be so forward, but she adapts quickly and hugs back. Knuckles is already loving this day, he's had three hugs today, that's more than he's had in – The Chaotix were here a month ago, right?

He's got to crouch his knees to get a good angle – She is even shorter than Tails, and he's careful with her in the same way. Her petite arms don't even reach around his mid-section, but he's appreciative of her efforts anyway.

Knuckles lets her go fairly quick, he never lets it last too long, he might not let go if he gets too comfortable. She releases a dramatic gasp, and Knuckles is proud of himself for understanding that she's teasing him, and he hasn't accidentally hurt her.

He gives her a good-natured push to the chest with his finger. "I did not squeeze you that hard."

Amy actually lets the giggles escape this time, and she takes his hand with both arms and shove it away. "Maybe you did, I could have internal bleeding!" She retorts, without the slightest hint of sincerity. Knuckles realizes for the third time how much he has missed his friends.

Upon closer inspection, Knuckles catches a glimpse of the purple bags under Amy's eyes. They're covered convincingly by makeup, yet he can still see her fatigue.

She's exhausted, and the full impact of leaving the resistance in her hands alone leaves him winded. He really did leave her to take the brunt of the war's aftermath. Nausea churns in his stomach as the beginnings of guilt creep into view. It must show on his face because Amy squints quizzically at him, uncertain as to why he is looking at her like that. Knuckles schools his expression at record speed, and he puts on the smile he practiced.

Her curiosity seems to be appeased for now, and she grins back, roping an arm around his and dragging him to the center of the shrine. Sonic and Tails are taking turns laying their palms against the luminous surface of the Emerald, and Knuckles fights the very primal instinct to scream at them to keep their distance.

Tails is taking his turn touching the relic when he and Amy join them, Knuckles struggles to catch onto the context and causation of this weird game they're playing. Next to him, Amy seems equally perplexed.

"– A tingle under my skin!" The fox replies to something Sonic says, his fingers dance across the ridges of the gem while he talks. He has a pencil in his other hand, seemingly to jot down a series of – In Tail's case – illegible notes on the subject they are discussing.

Sonic considers Tails' words, then shrugs and places a palm on the Emerald. "It's like a warm sizzle in my chest, like when you're sitting by a fire a little too close, you know?" He states it offhandedly, but it's clear he's invested in the conversation. Tails nods, contemplative.

It clicks in Knuckles' mind what his friends are talking about. He pulls himself from Amy's hold to cross his arms and raise a brow at them.

Upon their arrival, Tails is pulled out of whatever deep thought he's been sucked into. His ears flick a few times as he points at Amy. "What does it feel like to you, Amy?" Tails inquires, already pulling out his weathered notepad from his leather backpack.

Knuckles and Amy share a look, but she shrugs her shoulders and walks closer, laying a single digit on the relic. She idles there for a beat, no one breathes, then she removes her finger and wipes it on her dress.

"I don't really feel anything." She makes a noise, unsure of her own statement. "I guess it's kind of… Humming? But it's really subtle, I could be imagining it."

"You're not imagining anything." Knuckles doesn't realize he has said anything out loud until he registers that all eyes are all on him. He's not used to that, so even though it's his friends, he still feels as if they are studying his every move.

Something in him considers the idea that they could be looking for his invisible markings. He denies that train of thought as soon as it surfaces.

Tails turns a page of his notebook, his eyes glimmer brightly under the Master's light. "What do you mean by that, Knuckles?" Sonic and Amy both nod in agreement, sharing in Tails' infectious curiosity.

Knuckles sucks in a breath, and his hand raises to rub the back of his neck in a self-soothing manner. He struggles to find a proper way to elaborate. He chooses his words carefully. "I just mean that – Ah… I don't know how to put this… I suppose what I mean is, while the Master doesn't acknowledge everyone, it does respond to everyone… Get it?" Knuckles blunders through his explanation, his face heats up under his fur as irrational embarrassment fills his chest.

He releases a sigh that grates like gravel. "… That doesn't make any sense, does it?"

Knuckles sees Amy and Sonic exchange glances, before Tails shakes his head enthusiastically.

"No no! I think I get what you mean. Chaos energy is extremely volatile, but it's almost a living thing, capable of understanding people and their intentions… So each person it comes in contact with will cause a distinct reaction!" Tails spits it out as if he is teaching a class on the subject. He gives Sonic a proud grin, but after a moment it wilts, and he looks inquisitively to Knuckles.

"… Right?"

Knuckles considers Tail's interpretation. The fox has always been curious about the nature of Chaos and Order, and Knuckles always tries to explain as clear and concisely as possible. (Within reason, there are some secrets best left forgotten history.) But, regrettably, Knuckles is terrible with words, especially these words.

These are facts he does not truly know how to voice, they aren't concepts to be explained, they just are.

But, to his credit, Tails has always been a very good listener. More often then not, Knuckles will say something ridiculous and nonsensical that might be defined as a sentence, and Tails is able to decode and restate whatever Knuckles is trying to explain, into something actually coherent.

So, after shifting his weight a few times and humming, Knuckles replies. "That's… Yes, that is accurate, at least as much as it can be." Tails tilts his head at him, puzzled. "… As much as it can be put into words, I mean." He replies, a little quieter this time, not entirely sure he is getting his point across.

Tails, of course, is completely oblivious to his mental predicament. He gives a quiet "Interesting." and nods his head, perhaps a little too enthusiastic, and scribbles down a few new notes. Knuckles observes the subtle frantic fidgets in the foxes' form, his brain speeding a million miles a minute, processing and filing away this new information.

"So then, what do you feel when you touch it, Knux?" Sonic inquires, both Amy and Tails perk up in interest, and Tails practically glows with renewed curiosity. Knuckles hums.

Without another thought, purely on instinct, he lays his palm on the surface of the Emerald – his Emerald – and it's familiar embrace overcomes him. It's warm and pleasant again, like it was last night, perhaps it shares his glee over seeing his friends again, but the sensation makes him close his eyes and smile despite himself. He almost forgets the others are here, and he's participating in a conversation.

Finally, after a beat of silence, Knuckles removes his hand – the energy lingers and sizzles in his fingers – and he returns to reality. "… I don't…" He's getting frustrated, and moves to pluck at a stray quill. Amy notices, but says nothing.

He allows a slow inhale and exhale, and shrugs. "I'm sorry, I don't really know how to explain it. It's a complex thing – the Master and I are intertwined, in a way – and I'm not sure how to word how I feel." Knuckles gestures to the area around them. "I feel a lot of things, even when I'm not touching it."

Tails is writing furiously on his notepad, and Knuckles is a little amazed he hasn't ripped the pagers with his pencil yet.

Amy sees him struggling, and grazes her pinkie against the rock again. "Then… Just give us the closest example, you're good at those." She says it reassuringly, Sonic nods in agreement next to her, giving him an encouraging – and so very Sonic – thumbs up.

It only takes a second before he finds something close, and he's a little proud of himself for thinking of something so quickly.

"Most of the time, it's like a hug, or a bed time story."

And they're staring at him. Well, they already were but now they are staring at him, like he's suddenly turned purple and his head is on backwards. He feels the need to claw at his spikes again, but fights against it.

Something in his mind repeats, in hushed tones, that they're looking for the marks.

He tries to be subtle as he crosses his arms, trying to shield himself and create some distance. He musters a winning scowl, hoping it might gain him some ground here.

"What? You said to give an example!" The Emerald flickers in time with his outburst, so minuscule and subtle that no one pays it any mind.

That seems to do the trick, and Amy and Sonic start giggling. Knuckles' glower worsens, and his face and neck are heating up. Has he said something wrong? He answered a question! This is ridiculous, he takes it back, he didn't miss his friends, he was lying. He should just make friends with the plants around the island.

He remembers hearing Amy say something about plants thriving when you talk to them. Plants make more sense then people, they don't ask questions he doesn't know how to answer, or laugh suspiciously when he says something completely normal.

Amy must recognize his discomfort and makes the effort to stifle her snickering. She places a fond hand on his shoulder, giving it an encouraging rub. She is still choking on her laughs when she says, "No, no don't worry, it's okay Knuckles – It's just –"

"It's just not we were expecting, buddy." Sonic finishes for her, the first to fully regain control of his breathing. "The ancient, mystic Master Emerald's power feels like a hug to you?" Sonic's head tilts as he asks the question, as if it's the most entertaining thing in the world to him.

Knuckles feels his quills raise and puff out defensively, and he rolls his eyes again. "I said most of the time, and that's the best way I can think to describe it." He shrugs his shoulders. "It's not exactly the easiest sensation to put into words." He finishes, noticing that Tails is still writing. Knuckles doesn't even want to know how the fox can write an entire manuscript from a simple "It's like a hug."

When the younger teen does finally pull himself away from the book, he is searching for something in Knuckles' expression. He's caught a little off-guard, and he's not sure what he can do to help Tails find what he is looking for.

He starts slow, careful even. "So… If that's what you feel most of the time… What does it feel like the rest of the time?" Tails questions, innocent and completely unaware of what the question entails. Sonic and Amy stop laughing, Tails' interest spreading tos them and silencing their giggles.

Knuckles thinks of the resistance. He thinks of the stabbing pain in his head, the constant paranoia and consuming anxiety, and the feeling of something clawing at his stomach. The feeling of fear that he's not sure is his, or the Emerald's. All mixing together

Reluctantly, he meets the foxes' eyes. He is happy, they're all happy, he's not going to ruin that by telling the truth. He prays to his ancestors, hopes his lie is even slightly believable.

"Ah… It's nothing worth noting… Just chatter, I guess." He makes it as vague and undefined as possible, and he hopes that will be the end of it.

An uncomfortably long beat of silence passes before Tails reacts. At first, he just… Looks at his notebook, processing for what Knuckles decides is too long, and he gets a little nervous. In the end, Tails only writes a few measly lines before he closes the book.

"Uh – Well, okay, I guess I could… Ask you about it… Later?" Tails asks, his tone brimming with a certain hope that Knuckles has only seen from him.

Knuckles shifts on his feet, and he actually releases a chuckle before he can stop himself, and this seems to put his friends on edge, because they all share a glance. Knuckles acknowledges that he is getting a little too close to giving himself away.

"Yes ah – If you want… Uhm – So – did you all want to see the progress on the mural restorations I've been working on?" He doesn't wait for them to answer before he starts to walk off, waving behind him as an indication that he wants them to follow. He is acutely aware of the fact that he has just avoided a proper answer in the most obvious way possible, but he chooses to pretend he is doing a great job at being subtle.

No one says anything about it, so maybe they want to pretend too.

The rest day does go relatively smoothly after that.

Knuckles shows them anything of note around the island – He has been doing a lot of reconstruction and refurbishments to some old structures – and they catch up on things they haven't discussed over video communication.

With Tails help, Amy is taking on the intimidating endeavor of trying to rebuild what they can around the area's where Eggman wreaked the most havoc. With the focus mainly on residential areas, and the market districts, it's only a matter of time before things can return to some semblance of normalcy.

Knuckles is understandably elated to hear this. Even if he has no part in it, he's happy that it seems healing really is possible for the world that Eggman came so close to destroying.

Sonic is… Well he is Sonic, that is still the same. He has been running around, helping with restorations where he can. Apparently, there have been a few scattered rogue egg drones still in commission, causing a bit of a ruckus here and there.

He helps in his own way, and Knuckle doesn't expect anything less.

They take a few hours to play around, which he enjoys thoroughly. He realizes that he hasn't… Smiled, or laughed, just because he's having fun – fallen to the ground because he's trapped in a full belly laugh – In a long while.

It feels nice, and he really does forget all of the horribleness on his mind, for a little while. There are several aggressive races around the island on their hoverboards. Tails wins three times, Amy, two, Sonic, four, and unsurprisingly, with it being his home turf, Knuckles wins five times.

After a while he gets a little winded, and he decides he would rather watch for a while. Tails and Sonic are practicing what is probably an extremely reckless and dangerous maneuver on a nearby cliff. Knuckles can't help but smile affectionately at their antics. Just seeing other people, who he cares deeply for, trampling all over his island without a care in the world… It makes him feel a lot better.

His eyes trail over to Amy, who agreed to sit with him, allegedly her thirst for competition exhaustively quenched. Her expression mirrors his, she must be thinking the same thing.

She really does look exhausted. He attempts subtlety as he glances her way every few minutes. She has checked her comm on and off all day, she tries to hide it, but Knuckles notices. He knows she has a lot to do, and she's put a lot on hold just to see him.

Something seizes in his chest with that thought, he tries to breathe the tension out, but it sticks with him. It doesn't seem worth it to him. The entire world needs Amy, and he's made her put everything on hold, and for what? Just because he missed her?

It's… Selfish.

Knuckles talks without thinking. "I hope I didn't pull you away from anything important." He says, fully turning his head to look at her, he knows he looks worried.

Amy blinks, and returns his gaze. It seems like there is a laugh pressing on her lips, but she swallows it down with a confused smile. "What? Why would you think that?"

He locks his fingers together in his lap, and focuses on the wind tussling his and Amy's quills. He tries for a smile, so his question doesn't come off as serious. "Oh… I don't know" Knuckles sets his sights on the horizon, it's hue a mix of oranges and yellows as the sun begins it's descent.

"… I know you're busy, I don't want to get in the way of what you have going on." He finishes, returning his eyes back to her.

Amy raises an incredulous brow, as if he's said something ridiculous. "Get in the way? Knuckles, I've been looking forward to this for weeks!" She folds her hand into a fist, and gives his shoulder a jab. "Do you know how boring the work I do is? Seeing you is like, possibly the best thing I've gotten to do since Sonic's birthday, and that was forever ago."

A hand finds it's way onto his shoulder, and Amy caulks her head at him. "What brought this on? You know we love to be with you." She asks, something caring laces her tone.

Knuckles considers her words, turning away again. He grumbles, giving her a non-committal shrug. "I don't…" He pauses, rephrasing. "I guess… It just takes a lot of effort to get here, I don't want to waste your time. I know you have responsibilities."

In the corner of his eye, there is a shift in Amy's expression, but Knuckles can't see enough of it to formerly investigate it.

She says nothing for a few seconds, then releases a held breath. "You're dumb." Knuckles eyes go wide and he moves to fully face her, mouth hanging open just a bit.

"Excuse me?" He sounds more confused, rather than offended.

Amy actually snickers, and shakes her head at him. He must be completely clueless, for her to think this is funny.

"I'm sorry, you're not actually, but like…" This time, she's the one who looks away. "How many years have we known you?"

"Four years."

"– Okay, so we've known you for that long, and you said yourself that it's a lot of work to get here… And you still think that there's ever any chance we don't wanna see you?" Amy asks this all while sporting a smile that is almost impressed.

Knuckles fumbles on his words, and shoves down the tick to find a quill to pull at. "No – I mean – I just don't want to be in the way of your goals." She gives him a look, and his expression goes sheepish. "… But, it does sound a little foolish when you put it like that…" He says it with an awkward chuckle, a hand moving to rub the back of his neck.

Amy chuckles. "A little? Try a lot, Knuckles." He lets out a breath, and he feels as if he doesn't know how to do much other than say stupid things. He replies with an uncomfortable laugh, and a quiet "Sorry," before they both go quiet for a while. He is none-too keen to discuss this further. Until she elbows him lightly in the ribs.

"Hey," She calls softly, giving him a patient look (it reminds him of Tikal) when he concedes and makes full eye contact with her. Amy lays her forehead on his shoulder, her breath warms his forearm.

"Coming here, seeing you… It will never, ever, in a million years, be a waste of time," Amy lifts her head, looking him dead on. Her pale green eyes glimmer with something indistinct.

"Okay?"

He stares, trying to rapidly digest her words. He is locked into her gaze and can't look away, he has no idea what he is supposed to say in reply. Knuckles wants to believe her, he even hears Rouge faintly in the back of his mind, calling him a knucklehead for doubting Amy.

He can't, not fully, at least. That something – the something that always stops him – won't let it fully click in his head. But… part of it does click, a small, forgiving part.

So, he just nods, slow and contemplative.

Amy smiles, putting the matter to rest as they go back to watching Sonic kick off his board into a free-fall, only for Tails to swoop in and catch him by the heels.