Guardian Angels
S1:E7: Traveling Around the World With You (pt. 7)
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"...Looks like I've given you the cold shoulder, huh?! Hahahahaha!" Kathy joked brightly in amusement with a jovial grin and with a laugh as she put her hands onto her hips.
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"...Hmm...I guess in your case there's snow way out, is there? ...Right?" Kathy joked slowly yet playfully in amusement with a little smile as she looked a bit concerned since Knuckles hadn't said anything yet.
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But after a longer period of silence, Kathy then looked very concerned as she frowned deeply. Oh, dear. Don't tell me that Knuckles couldn't get out of the snow. Maybe he really is weak when it comes to snow. If he can't get out, then...Kathy brooded calmly in concern as she looked worried.
"Ah! Don't worry, Knuckles! I'll get you out!" Kathy exclaimed in concern as she quickly bent down again and quickly dug into the snow to save Knuckles. She kept digging and digging to save her friend while looking determined and worried.
"Stay with me, Knuckles! You'll be safe! Once I get you out, I'll...Huh?" Kathy exclaimed solemnly with a solemn frown before she muttered in confusion when she saw that there was a hole in the ground instead. She stopped digging and stared at the mysterious hole in the ground. Eh? Where did Knuckles go? Surely, he was here just seconds ago. I've buried him here myself. How could he just vanish?! Had I dug in the wrong spot or-? Kathy pondered curiously in confusion as she inspected the hole in the ground.
FWOMP!
"Ow! Hey! Who did that?!" Kathy exclaimed in shock and in slight annoyance as she frowned a lot and looked around after feeling a snowball hitting her at the back of her head.
"Me, you silly girl! That's what you get for burying me!" Knuckles exclaimed playfully in the distance.
"H-Huh?! Knuckles?!" Kathy exclaimed in surprise and in confusion as she quickly turned around and gaped at Knuckles in shock. She can see Knuckles standing far away from her in the distance with his arms crossed while having a huge, amused smile on his face as he stared back at her.
"Heh. Missed me?" Knuckles replied calmly in playfulness with a huge smile and with amused eyes as he stared at Kathy. Kathy blinked her eyes a bit in shock before she shook her head and ran over to Knuckles.
"How did you get over here? I thought that I had buried you in the snow right over there!" Kathy replied curiously in confusion with a bewildered look on her face as she stood in front of Knuckles and pointed at the hole behind herself for emphasis.
"You did. I just simply dug myself out of it. Hence why you see that hole in the ground," Knuckles answered calmly in amusement with a huge smile and with a nod as he closed his eyes.
"What?! How?! How could you dig through the dirt?! You're not like Megalon who can dig through the ground with their own Drill Arms! How did you do it anyway?!" Kathy exclaimed in shock and in confusion with a baffled look on her face as she stared at Knuckles in surprise.
"Hmph. Simple. With these," Knuckles answered calmly in amusement with a coy smirk as he opened his eyes and showed Kathy his Shovel Claws that are attached to his gloves. The Shovel Claws shined through its blades once Knuckles revealed them to Kathy.
"...! Whooooa! What are those?!" Kathy exclaimed in shock and in awe with a stunned look on her face as she gasped a little after seeing Knuckles' Shovel Claws.
"These things are my Shovel Claws. I usually wear them whenever I need to burrow into the ground or into dirt. They're helpful into finding Chaos Emeralds or Master Emerald pieces if they are stuck underground. I always carry them around whenever I travel to places just in case I need them for something. Heh. Like a few seconds ago for example..." Knuckles answered calmly in amusement with a proud smile as he lets Kathy hold onto his Shovel Claws and have her feel them out of curiosity.
"Wow..." Kathy muttered in awe with a gaped mouth and with twinkling eyes as she touched Knuckles' Shovel Claws. She was rather impressed by them and felt rather curious about them too as she tried to take them off of Knuckles' hands.
"Hmm? What are you doing, Kathy?" Knuckles asked curiously in confusion with a little frown and with wide eyes as he stared at Kathy while pulling his hands a bit away from her.
"Can I wear them?" Kathy asked innocently in curiosity with a little frown and with pleading, twinkling eyes as she looked up at Knuckles while holding onto his hands.
"H-Huh?! Excuse me?!" Knuckles asked in surprise and in confusion as his eyes went wider and as his mouth gaped a lot in shock.
"Can I wear your Shovel Claws, Knuckles? Please? I want to try to dig into the ground too with them. I'm just curious is all," Kathy replied calmly yet innocently in hope with a little frown and with sparkling eyes as she inched a bit closer to Knuckles while gently holding onto his hands.
"...! Uhhhhhh...I...Ummmmmm...I...W-Well...I...Uhhhhhhhh...That is...Ummmmm..." Knuckles muttered awkwardly in embarrassment after gasping loudly in shock after hearing that request. His face blushed deep red, and his mouth and eyes were very wide as he stared into Kathy's pleading, sparkling eyes in shyness. He can even feel his heart pounding in nervousness after processing Kathy's request in his mind.
No one has ever asked me to let them wear my Shovel Claws before. I don't think that even my acquaintances had asked me to let them wear my Shovel Claws either. Kathy is the first person ever to ask me about it...and I...I...Knuckles pondered calmly in shock as he stared deeply into Kathy's eyes with a gaped mouth and with wide eyes. But he soon looked fond again as he smiled warmly yet shyly at Kathy and as his eyebrows went upward in sheepishness.
...I...I feel very ecstatic about it...Knuckles thought calmly in fondness with a warm look on his face as he stared longingly at Kathy.
"Umm...Uhh...O-Of course, Kathy. Anything you say. You can wear them. Just...Just give them back to me once you're done, okay?" Knuckles replied calmly in shyness with a warm smile on his sheepish face.
"Okay! I will! Thank you, Knuckles! You're the best!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in amusement with a cute, jovial smile as she pulled Knuckles in for a huge hug.
"Ah! Uhhhhh...Uhhhhh...Heheheheheheh...Aww, shucks, Kathy. Don't do that. You...Heheheheh...You made me feel like mush again..." Knuckles muttered quietly in shyness with a sheepish smile and with flushed cheeks while chuckling a little in nervousness as he hugged Kathy back.
"Hehe! You're not used to girls being sweet towards you, are you?" Kathy asked calmly yet coyly in amusement with a light giggle and with a sweet smile as she stared at Knuckles while hugging him tightly.
"No. No, I'm not. Heheheheh...I'm used to them being mean to me most of the time," Knuckles answered calmly in amusement with a little smile and with a chuckle as he stared back at Kathy while hugging her tightly.
"Awwww, poor little doggie. Would you like me to give you tons of hugs to make you feel better?" Kathy replied calmly yet gently in amusement with a sympathetic smile as she rubbed Knuckles' back to comfort him.
"Heheheheheh...No. I'm fine. Thank you," Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a chuckle and with a huge smile as he closed his eyes a bit since he's enjoying the little back rub that Kathy is giving him right now.
"Are you sure? Hugs always makes a person feel better. That's what my mom always says," Kathy replied calmly yet innocently in amusement with a warm smile on her cheerful face as she pulled back from Knuckles and stared gently at him.
"Really. I'm fine, Kathy. Thanks for being considerate towards me. Just knowing that you care for me and my feelings is enough to make me feel better about myself. You're..." Knuckles replied calmly in fondness with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes as he stared gently back at Kathy. He then gently rubbed Kathy's head with his right hand as he added softly in fondness, "...You're very sweet, Kathy...And very pure...Thank you...".
Kathy smiled wider in happiness as she enjoyed Knuckles stroking her head. She really felt cared for and appreciated just for caring about Knuckles' needs. It's all I really wanted from someone other than my mom. If all the other people back in my old home dimension was like this, then I wouldn't have left at all. I really am glad that I had left that place because now...I have someone who cares about me and appreciates me...Kathy pondered calmly in fondness with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes as she stared at Knuckles. Knuckles smiled warmly back at Kathy as he kept rubbing her head out of fondness.
All I really wanted from someone on this planet was care and respect. I often feel left out whenever my acquaintances plan something for themselves and decide not to ask me to join them. I know that I always tell them that I'm not interested or that I'm busy protecting the Master Emerald...But...I know that I am lonely and want someone to pay attention to me or care about what's going on in my life. I don't want...to be completely alone...I just want one person to care for me and encourage me to do fun things with them even when I'm reluctant to do so myself...Sigh...I'm so glad that I had met Kathy because I'm having the time of my life right now. I finally...have someone who cares about me and appreciates me for what I do for them...And I don't want that to ever change...Knuckles brooded calmly in fondness with a sad, warm smile and with half-lidded eyes as he stroked Kathy's head in silence.
"Hmph...Hey, why don't I help you wear my Shovel Claws? They might be a little big, but it's still possible for you to wear them. Here," Knuckles muttered calmly yet gently in fondness with a warm smile as he stopped stroking Kathy's head and took off his Shovel Claws before helping her put them onto her hands.
"Oh, okay..." Kathy muttered calmly yet meekly in understanding with a little frown on her curious face as she lets Knuckles hold her hands and having him put the Shovel Claws onto her hands. She stared at her hands as Knuckles puts the two Shovel Claws onto them. Knuckles was smiling calmly as he adjusted and slipped in the Shovel Claws into Kathy's hands. Once he was sure that they were snug into Kathy's hands, he released her hands and looked at her face to see her reaction of her new hand gear.
"Woooow...They're a lot heavier than I had expected...And bulkier too..." Kathy muttered calmly in awe with a huge smile while staring at the Shovel Claws as she lifted them up a bit to look at them closely.
"Yeah, I guess they can be a bit heavy, but then again, I wear them very often. So, I'm used to its heavy weight," Knuckles replied calmly with a little smile as he scratched his head a bit in sheepishness.
"And you weren't kidding when you said that they're quite big. I mean. Look at this! It's like my hands grew twice its size while wearing these things!" Kathy replied calmly yet brightly in amusement as she beamed at Knuckles while showing him her "bigger" hands. Knuckles smiled smugly at her and placed a hand onto his hip after hearing that amusing quip.
He then teased her a little by replying playfully in amusement, "Well, welcome to my world. Now, you know what it's like to have hands like mine, and that is big and spiky".
"And cool too!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in amusement with a huge grin and with innocent, twinkling eyes as she balled her hands into fists to show off the Shovel Claws to Knuckles.
"...!" Knuckles gasped in shock and looked surprised after hearing that comment. He isn't used to hearing positive comments or compliments about his bizarre hands. So, he felt rather embarrassed by Kathy's kind words. He then looked sheepish as he blushed a little and looked down at his shoes in embarrassment. With a shy, little frown, he muttered quietly in awkwardness, "...Uhh...Umm...Th-They're...They're not as cool as you think. They're a bit of a...a...pain if...Umm...you know...Umm...".
"Are you kidding?! There is no other person that I know that has hands like yours! Those spikes of yours really make you stand out! You're very unique, Knuckles! Honest! With you here, I feel less alone in the world due to how weird I am! After all, there are no moths or monsters like me (aside from Battra) that are in this world! So that makes us both unique creatures, doesn't it?!" Kathy exclaimed brightly yet jovially in amusement with an excited grin on her innocent face as she stared at Knuckles. Knuckles looked back up at Kathy with a little frown and raised eyebrows before he smiled a little at her in shyness.
"...Heh...Umm...Y-Yeah...I guess so..." Knuckles muttered quietly in shyness with a little smile and with upward eyebrows as he stared back at Kathy. She has a point there. I don't even know any girls who can fly as fast as her or fire laser beams out of their bodies like Kathy does. It really does take a unique person to do that, and just as Kathy has her own abilities...I have my own too...Heh...I guess we're both strange creatures after all...Knuckles pondered calmly in fondness and in amusement with a little smile on his sheepish face as he stared at Kathy.
"Yeah! There you go, Knuckles! Just smile and be proud of who you really are! You're irreplaceable because of your uniqueness!" Kathy exclaimed enthusiastically in encouragement with a confident grin and with a fist up as she looked determined. Knuckles blushed deeply and looked shocked after hearing Kathy's encouraging words. If he wasn't embarrassed before, he sure is now due to how sweet Kathy's sentiments were. He soon smiled even more sheepishly at her and rubbed his head again in embarrassment.
"...Ka...Kathy...Do you really like to make me blush? I have feeling that you do because...because...Heheheheh...I feel very warm right now..." Knuckles muttered quietly yet awkwardly with a sheepish smile and with a nervous chuckle as he stared at Kathy before looking down at his shoes again. Kathy smiled and giggled sweetly after witnessing Knuckles' reaction to her encouragement. Knuckles kept blushing in embarrassment while smiling widely in amusement as he listened to Kathy's adorable giggles and as he glanced at her occasionally to see that happy expression on her jovial face.
I...I feel so embarrassed and yet...I feel so happy right now...Maybe it's because of Kathy's words and giggles that's making me feel this way...But whatever it is...I can't get it out of my heart...I...I...I can't believe that I'm saying this, but...I think that I'm starting to like Kathy...I probably had started liking her the first time I've met her, but...I've been too shy to admit it...And could you blame me? ...Just look at her...She's unbelievably adorable to me and...beautiful...So beautiful...Beautiful to the point that it makes my heart swell up in fondness...Just like I'm irreplaceable, Kathy's irreplaceable to me...No one could capture her beauty...No one...Knuckles pondered calmly in adoration with a shy, warm look on his face as he stared at Kathy while she giggled a lot in happiness.
"Hehehehehehehehe! You're a funny boy, Knuckles," Kathy replied calmly yet jovially in amusement with a sweet smile as she finished giggling.
"Heh. I know. I know..." Knuckles muttered calmly in understanding with a little, shy smile and with a blush as he looked down at his shoes again with his hands behind his back.
"And cute..." Kathy added calmly yet sweetly in adoration with a fond smile as she walked towards Knuckles and stood next to his right side.
"I know..." Knuckles muttered shyly in embarrassment as he smiled wider and as his blush grew deeper. He was soon startled when he felt Kathy's hand cupping his chin while her other hand was holding onto his right shoulder. He then felt her lift his head back up and being turned to the right so that he can see her face to face. He looked surprised yet curious as he stared into Kathy's calm, fond demeanor on her face.
With a gentle smile and with twinkling eyes, Kathy finished calmly yet sweetly in fondness, "And so shy...Very, very shy...".
Then, to Knuckles' complete and utter surprise, Kathy kissed his right cheek after she moved his head slightly to the left.
Smooch!
"...!" Knuckles gasped in shock as he looked completely flabbergasted and embarrassed while staring at Kathy. His felt his heart jump out of his chest when Kathy kissed him for the first time. His blush was his reddest one yet. His stomach is doing backflips, and his mind is overflowing with such euphoria that he felt like he was dreaming. But luckily for him, this was no dream. Kathy is definitely kissing him. She's actually and undeniably kissing him, and he couldn't even feel more ecstatic than this.
Oh...my...gosh...This is...This is what...heaven looks like...Knuckles thought calmly in shock as he was still surprised and embarrassed. Kathy kept kissing Knuckles' cheek for a few more seconds before she pulled away and smiled gently at him while blushing a little. Knuckles blinked his eyes for a few moments before slowly turning his head to look at Kathy with wide eyes and with a wide-open mouth. Kathy was silent as she smiled gently at Knuckles. Knuckles kept staring at her with wide eyes and with a gaped mouth before he smiled hugely at her in happiness.
"I...I know!" Knuckles exclaimed brightly in amusement and in shyness as he beamed at her while blushing darkly in embarrassment.
"Hehehehehehehehehe! Awwwww...You're so adorable, Knuckles...I like you..." Kathy replied calmly in fondness with a cute giggle and with a gentle smile as she hugged Knuckles at the side again. Knuckles looked fond again as he hugged Kathy back.
"...(Sigh)...I know...And I...I...Ummm...Uhh...I like you too..." Knuckles muttered softly yet awkwardly in adoration with a deep sigh and with half-lidded eyes as he smiled fondly at Kathy. He even blushed some more when he said that last part.
"Teehee! As 'teammates', right?" Kathy asked calmly yet coyly in amusement with a light giggle and with a little smile as she looked at Knuckles face to face.
Knuckles grinned at her in amusement as he replied calmly in shyness, "Heh...Yeah...That's right...As teammates...".
"Yay..." Kathy cheered quietly with a sweet smile as she nuzzled Knuckles' right cheek with her own left cheek. Knuckles closed his eyes and smiled even wider in amusement as he enjoyed Kathy's affectionate nuzzles again. Heheheheh...I'll never get tired of her doing that...Her soft, fuzzy face feels so nice even when her cheeks are cold...Mmmmm...Knuckles pondered calmly in fondness with a warm smile and with closed eyes as he kept hugging Kathy dearly in his arms. Kathy kept nuzzling for a while in silence before she stopped and rested her head onto his right shoulder instead. She continued to hug Knuckles tightly in silence, and Knuckles didn't mind this as he kept hugging her in silence too.
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"Heh...Feeling warm, Kathy?" Knuckles quipped calmly yet playfully in amusement with a fond smile and with half-lidded eyes as he stared at Kathy.
"Mmhmm..." Kathy mused quietly with a nod to answer Knuckles' question.
"I figured...I'm feeling pretty warm too..." Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a fond smile and with a nod.
"..." Kathy was silent as she smiled warmly while having her eyes closed.
"...You know...I like that you're keeping my Shovel Claws warm, but are you ever going to give them back yet?" Knuckles continued calmly yet coyly in amusement with a playful smirk as he stared gently at Kathy.
"Ah! That's right! I hadn't tried out your Shovel Claws yet! Thanks for reminding me, Knuckles!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in amusement with a little grin on her surprised face as she quickly released Knuckles and balled her hands into fists in determination.
"You're welcome, Kathy. Although I was wondering for a while when you're about to test them out. Heh. I guess you were too busy being sweet to me to even notice that," Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a gentle smile and with a nod.
"Uhh...Y-Yeah...Sorry about that, Knuckles," Kathy apologized awkwardly in embarrassment with a sheepish smile while rubbing the back of her head with her right hand.
"That's okay, Kathy. It's no big deal. Now then..." Knuckles replied calmly yet gently in understanding with a warm smile as he rubbed Kathy's left shoulder before he held it and smiled wider at her as he coyly asked in amusement, "...Are you ready to show me how it's done?".
Kathy beamed brightly at Knuckles and nodded at him with balled up fists as she exclaimed excitedly in amusement, "Yeah! I'm ready to show you how to dig! Kaiju style!".
"Ahahahahahahahahaha! Thatta girl, Kathy! You show the ground who's boss!" Knuckles exclaimed brightly in amusement with a huge grin as he laughed a little.
"Yeah!" Kathy exclaimed enthusiastically with a huge grin and with another nod as she turned to look at the ground. She raised her hands into the air before she dove into the snow and attempted to dig into the cold ground underneath it. After feeling the rough ground, Kathy scratched hard into it with her Shovel Claws and started to dig up some dirt under the snow.
"Ah! Look! It's working! I'm actually digging through the ground with these things!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in amusement with a happy smile as she kept digging through the snow at the best that she could do. Knuckles grinned hugely yet calmly at Kathy as he stared down at her with crossed arms.
"Yeah, it's actually quite easy to use the Shovel Claws which is a relief to me. I'd rather learn and master easy-to-use upgrades than complex ones like the inventions Tails uses regularly," Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a huge grin as he watched Kathy dig through the ground some more.
"I agree! Sometimes, simple is best!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in amusement with a sweet smile as she looked back up at Knuckles after going down inside a hole that she had dug up herself.
"Hahahahahaha! Very true! Very true indeed, Kathy! Heheheheheheheh!" Knuckles exclaimed back in amusement with a huge smile as he chuckled a lot. Kathy beamed brightly at Knuckles for a moment before she looked back to the ground and continued to dig into it. Knuckles chuckled some more in amusement before he grinned again at Kathy as he watched her dig deeper into the ground. He could see her digging forward as she shovels the snow away from her path. He looked calm as he watched her play with his Shovel Claws and having fun with them.
"Urgh! Yah! Ha! You can't beat me, ground! I'm...Urrgh...I'm stronger than you! I'm the Queen of the Monsters here! Now, fear me! Yaargh! Ha! Nggh! Yah!" Kathy exclaimed boldly in amusement with a determined smile while grunting a little as she dug even deeper into the ground.
"Hahahahahahahahahahahaha! You show them, Kathy! Ahahahahahahahahahahah!" Knuckles exclaimed back in amusement with a huge smile as he laughed a lot after hearing Kathy say that.
"(See?! Look at that! I'm going even deeper into you, ground! You can't stop me from digging you all up!)" Kathy exclaimed brightly in amusement as her voice echoes underground. Knuckles kept laughing in amusement since he's enjoying Kathy's silliness. Heheheheheheheheh...Ridiculous...Knuckles thought calmly in amusement as he laughed while covering his eyes with his right hand.
"Kathy...You're a silly girl, you know that?! Heheheheheheheheh!" Knuckles exclaimed in amusement with a huge smile and with a chuckle as he put his right hand down.
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Knuckles soon raised his eyebrows when he saw that Kathy didn't respond to him. He stared at the huge hole in the ground that Kathy had dug up. He looked curious as he placed his hands on his hips and stared at the hole for a while.
"...Umm...Kathy? Are you still there or what?" Knuckles asked slowly yet curiously in confusion as he frowned a little and as he raised an eyebrow at the hole.
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When Kathy didn't respond that time, Knuckles then looked a bit worried as he wondered if Kathy had gotten herself lost or stuck underground. D-Don't panic, Knuckles. She's probably...going to come back up...right about...now...Knuckles pondered nervously in worry with a concerned look on his face as he stared intensely at the hole. But of course, Kathy didn't come up when Knuckles thought that.
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"...Ummmmm...K-Kathy! Hang on, Kathy! I'm coming! I'm coming to get you out!" Knuckles exclaimed in panic with a surprised yet worried look on his face as he ran over to the hole and dug into the snow to try to get Kathy out of the ground. He was sweating since he was nervous that he had lost Kathy to the ground. How could I be so careless?! There could have been caverns underneath the cold, barren ground, and I let Kathy dig into the ground without a second thought! Oooh, please be alright, Kathy! Please don't get stuck underground! Please! I-! Knuckles pondered franticly in concern as he frowned deeply in worry while digging through the snow as fast as possible.
FWOMP!
"Ugh! Hey! Who did that?!" Knuckles yelled in irritation with a grimace and with furrowed eyebrows as he looked around the area after having his left cheek being hit by a snowball. He saw nothing but a blanket of snow around him. He glared at the barren area for a bit before focusing into digging the snow again. Tch...Must have been the cold wind blowing the snow off of the mountains or whatever...Hmm...Knuckles pondered calmly in annoyance with a solemn frown as he kept digging through the snow. But just like last time...
FWOMP!
"Ow! Seriously! Who did that?!" Knuckles yelled again in irritation with a frustrated look on his face as he looked around quickly after being hit by another snowball. He glared hard at the barren, cold wasteland as he waited for that mysterious assailant to appear and attack him again with more snowballs. But said person didn't show up at all. Knuckles sighed deeply and shrugged a little before digging into the snow again. Sigh...Just calm down, Knuckles. Don't let this thing drive you insane. You've been hit twice. There's no way that you'll get hit aga-Knuckles pondered calmly in exhaustion with a solemn frown as he dug through the snow.
FWOMP!
"Argh! Alright! Who keeps doing that?! Show yourselves now before I punch the daylights out of you!" Knuckles yelled in frustration with barred teeth and with narrowed eyelids as he sharply looked around the area with his fist up for emphasis. Just like before, Knuckles saw nothing but a blanket of snow, however, he did hear a cute, little giggle at his left.
"Hehehehe!" Kathy giggled softly in the distance.
"...!" Knuckles gasped a little and quickly looked back at his left to see the empty, snowy area.
He knew for certain that he heard Kathy giggle, and his gut instinct told him that she's over there at his left. He blinked his eyes a bit at the empty area before smiling smugly as he felt amused. Heheheh...Messing with me, huh? Knuckles thought calmly in amusement with a smug smile as he gathered some snow together and made a snowball.
"Alright, Kathy. The jig is up. Show yourself now, you silly girl," Knuckles muttered calmly in amusement with a devious smirk and with playful eyes as he held a snowball in his right hand. He soon saw some snow being pushed up a little as Kathy pushed her head up from underneath. Knuckles smirked even wider when he saw Kathy reveal herself to him and was ready to throw the snowball at her to get her back; but when he saw her little head popping out of the ground and moving a little underneath the snow, he can't help but smile sheepishly since what he's seeing is so adorable that it's making his heart melt again in fondness.
...Awwwwww...Kathy...Don't do this...Please...My heart can only take so much cuteness before it shuts down completely...Knuckles pondered calmly in amusement as he smiled sheepishly at Kathy. Unfortunately for Knuckles, Kathy just made his heart melt even more when she blinked her innocent, light-blue eyes at him before beaming sweetly at him.
"Ah..." Kathy muttered cutely with a sweet smile on her adorable face.
"...No...Nohohoho..." Knuckles muttered weakly in shyness with a sheepish smile and with upward eyebrows before he chuckled a little in fondness. Kathy...Don't you dare...Knuckles pondered calmly in amusement as he grinned sheepishly at Kathy. But of course, Kathy was able to melt Knuckles' heart even further by screeching in her native tongue while beaming sweetly at him.
SCREEEE! KIIIOOOO! (Hi, Knuckles!)
...Ah...Ahh...Awwwwwwwwwwwww! That is so cute! Knuckles thought brightly in amusement with a huge, goofy smile on his sheepish face as he can't help but gush about how adorable Kathy is being right now. He was so distracted by Kathy's cuteness that he had unintentionally dropped the snowball in his hand. He realized that he hadn't got the heart to hit Kathy with a snowball now after seeing her cute face and hearing her screech. Kathy smiled widely since she adored the cute face that Knuckles was making right now.
Awwwwwww! Look at him! He looks so adorable by how he's smiling like that! Kathy pondered fondly in amusement with a sweet smile as she stared at Knuckles.
"Hey, Knuckles! I'm back! Hehehehe! Missed me?!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in amusement with a huge grin and with a little giggle as she lifted her arms up and placed them onto the snow.
"...Y-Yeah..." Knuckles muttered weakly in shyness as he beamed at Kathy with sparkling, adoring, violet eyes. He felt rather weak while staring at Kathy, and he felt his heart pounding a lot out of adoration. Why...Why do you do this to me, Kathy? Why? Why do I feel...so weak towards you whenever you look at me like that? Why do I feel so shy whenever you just talk to me? And why do I feel...so...so...warm whenever you...stare deeply into my eyes? Why do I feel those things every time I'm with you? I just...I just don't get it...Knuckles pondered calmly in fondness with adoring eyes and with a huge smile as he stared deeply at Kathy's face as she stared deeply back at him.
"Hehe! I bet you're wondering who was the one who had hit you with snow! It was me! Obviously! Hehehehehehe!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in amusement with a playful smile as she giggled a little. Knuckles raised his eyebrows at that before he smiled smugly at her out of playfulness.
"Heh. Figures. What would a silly girl do after getting hit with a snowball? The answer: Get back at the person by throwing more snowballs at them," Knuckles replied calmly yet playfully in amusement with a smug smile and with half-lidded eyes.
"Hehehehehehehehehe! So that's what you call them? 'Snowballs'?" Kathy asked sweetly in amusement with an innocent smile as she giggled a little.
"Yep. That's what they're called when you roll snow into a ball. Honestly...it's pretty fun to throw snowballs at someone. Especially when you want to mess with someone..." Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a little smile and with a nod before he smirked playfully at Kathy when he said that last part.
"Hehehehehehe! It is pretty fun! Your reactions when I had hit you with snowballs were great!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in amusement with a playful grin as she giggled again. Knuckles raised his eyebrows again after hearing that before he smirked wider at Kathy out of mischievousness.
"Oh, really then? I also think that your reaction was great when I had hit you with a snowball. Heh...I want to see that reaction again when I hit you with more snowballs," Knuckles replied calmly yet playfully in amusement with a mischievous smirk as he made more snowballs while staring at Kathy.
"Hehehehehehehehe! No! Don't hit me with more snowballs!" Kathy exclaimed back in amusement with another giggle and with a huge smile as she stared back at Knuckles.
"Oh, I'm going to hit you, but it's only because you had hit me first," Knuckles replied calmly yet playfully in amusement with a mischievous smirk as he stood back up and walked towards Kathy with snowballs in his arms.
"No, I didn't! You hit me first!" Kathy exclaimed back in amusement with a huge grin and with a headshake as she pointed at Knuckles.
"Touche. But I just want to mess with you for a little while," Knuckles replied calmly yet mischievously in amusement with a smug smile and with half-lidded eyes as he stared down at Kathy after standing a few feet away from her.
"But why? Why do you want to mess with me?" Kathy asked calmly yet curiously in amusement with a huge smile and with wide, twinkling eyes as she stared up at Knuckles.
"Because...Because...I...I..." Knuckles muttered calmly in awkwardness with a shy smile and with upward eyebrows as he blushed deeply in embarrassment while staring back at Kathy. He can see how curious Kathy is by how she's staring closely at him with innocent eyes. He felt nervous again as his stomach is twisting into knots. He never thought that saying what he truly felt would feel so nerve-whacking especially when he had said those words to her earlier. We're...We're just teammates! Why is this so hard for me to say out loud?! Maybe...Maybe it's because...I'm not used to saying...positive...affectionate words to someone that I care about. So...that easily makes me nervous...Still...I can't help but want to say it again to Kathy. There are just so many emotions that I keep inside my heart that at some point it has to come out...And I'm very happy that I'm saying it to her again...I want her to know that I care about her...Knuckles pondered calmly yet shyly in fondness with a warm smile and with twinkling eyes as he stared lovingly at Kathy.
Knuckles then muttered softly in adoration with a warm smile and with twinkling, half-lidded eyes, "...I like you, Kathy...You're very fun to mess with...".
"...!" Kathy gasped in surprise when she heard Knuckles say that again.
She was shocked that Knuckles had said that again but was also touched that he genuinely likes her. He...He really does like me...Kathy pondered calmly in fondness with a warm smile and with twinkling eyes.
"Aww, Knuckles...You're so sweet..." Kathy muttered calmly yet gently in fondness with a warm smile as she stared up at Knuckles.
Knuckles blushed even more in embarrassment and closed his eyes as he replied calmly in amusement with a shy smile, "I know. I know. Just cut it out. You're embarrassing me".
"Hehehehe...You know...As much as you want to hit me with snowballs..." Kathy replied calmly yet coyly in amusement with a little giggle and with a sly smile.
"And I sure do. Heheheheheh..." Knuckles agreed calmly yet playfully in amusement with a little grin and with a chuckle as he still has his eyes closed.
"...You're going to have a hard time hitting me since I'm...going back down! Hehehehehehehehe!" Kathy replied calmly yet playfully with a silly smile and with another giggle as she went back down into the hole.
"Ah! Hey! Get back up here, you! I want revenge for being hit by snowballs!" Knuckles exclaimed back in amusement with a huge grin as he opened his eyes and dropped his snowballs before running towards the hole and knelt beside it to stare down in it.
"(Hehehehehehehehehehehehe! You can't get me, Knuckles! Nor can you find me as I dig through underground!)" Kathy exclaimed back boldly in amusement while giggling a lot as her voice echoed again. Knuckles smirked in amusement of this challenge as he knew that there is only one way to get Kathy, and that is joining her underground.
"Heheheheh...Think that you're so smart, huh? Well, how would you like it if I...(go underground too?! Ha! I found ya, you silly girl! Now, get back here!)" Knuckles replied calmly in playfulness with a mischievous chuckle and with a devious smirk as he slowly yet carefully crawled inside the hole before exclaiming in amusement after seeing Kathy crawling a bit away from him.
"(Eeeeeeek! Hehehehehehehehehehehehe! No! Get away from me, Knuckles! Hahahahahahahahaha!)" Kathy shrieked in surprise before yelling in protest as she crawled faster and away from Knuckles while laughing a lot in amusement. Knuckles quickly crawled through the dirt tunnels that Kathy had made and followed her while grinning a lot out of playfulness. He can hear her giggle and laugh uncontrollably through the tunnels, and this had easily made him giggle and laugh too.
This...This is so much fun! Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Knuckles thought brightly in amusement with a huge grin while laughing a lot as he chased after Kathy. Soon, Kathy had finally crawled back towards the starting point of the tunnel.
"Hehehehehehehehehe! Yes! Freedom!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in amusement with a giggle and with a huge smile as she looked up at the hole. Knuckles saw that Kathy was about to get back up onto her feet and had crawled much faster to catch up to her.
"Oh no, you don't! You're not going anywhere! Not when I have a say in it!" Knuckles exclaimed playfully in amusement with a huge grin as he crawled up behind Kathy and grabbed her sides before pulling her back down underground.
"Eeeek! Hehehehehehehehehehehehehe! Oh no! You caught me! Hehehehehehehehehehehe!" Kathy shrieked and exclaimed playfully in amusement with a huge smile while giggling silly as she sat back down next to Knuckles as he held her in his arms. Knuckles grinned victoriously at Kathy as he held her tightly in his arms while sitting behind her.
"Heheheheh...Oh, yes. I certainly had caught you, silly girl, and you're not getting away from me for one second," Knuckles replied calmly yet playfully in amusement with a devious chuckle and with a mischievous grin as he stared at Kathy at his right.
"Hehehehehehehehe! But...Hehehehehe...But I thought that you want to get me back by throwing snowballs at me! Not capture me like this! Hehehehehehehehe!" Kathy exclaimed happily in amusement with a silly smile as she looked at Knuckles while giggling a lot.
"You're right. I did want to do that...But..." Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a playful smirk before he lowered his eyelids halfway and smiled warmly at Kathy in fondness as he continued softly in adoration, "...But I...I wanted to do this instead...".
"...R-Really?" Kathy asked softly in adoration with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes as she held onto Knuckles' hands while staring deeply into his eyes. Knuckles smiled even wider in fondness as he inched slightly closer towards Kathy's face as he whispered to her.
"Really. As much as I enjoy messing with you...I enjoy being affectionate towards you even more...After all, I...I never had done this with anyone before...I...I just can't resist you, Kathy...Your sweet, childlike demeanor is contagious to me...I can't help but feel attracted to that...I just...just..." Knuckles whispered softly in fondness with a warm smile and with gentle eyes as he stared deeply into Kathy's eyes.
"..." Kathy was silent as she stared closely at Knuckles' eyes with her own sparkly ones. Knuckles smiled fondly at Kathy as he held her even tighter in his arms.
He then continued by whispering softly in adoration with a fond smile and with twinkling eyes, "...I...I just think that our bond is very special...We get along so well that it's hard to believe that we had only met like two days ago...I feel like...we've been together for years...As if...As if you had been there with me ever since childhood...I don't know why I feel that way, but...that's just how it is with me...Whenever something is important to me, I...I feel very attached to that important item or belief...But you are no ordinary item, Kathy...You are a person...You are a living, breathing person...No matter how much of a monster you really are on the inside...I'll always see you as a person...Just like...Just like...".
"..." Kathy was still silent as she listened to Knuckles' speech. But she had instinctively inched closer towards Knuckles' face just as when he had inched closer towards her face first.
With a loving smile and with gentle eyes, Knuckles finished his speech while whispering softly in fondness, "...Just like how you saw me as a person despite how monstrous I am on the inside...You have treated me in a way that no one else had treated me...And that is...being a regular...normal...person...Not as a monster...or a freak...But as a person who has emotions and needs...I'll...I'll always respect people who treat me and see me in that way...Thank you, Kathy, for treating me as someone who is...'normal'...".
Then, to Kathy's complete and utter surprise, Knuckles gently kissed her left cheek just as she had kissed his right cheek earlier.
Smooch!
"...!" Kathy gasped in shock after feeling Knuckles' lips being pressed against her left cheek. She blushed very brightly in embarrassment as she stared at Knuckles in shock. She can feel her heart racing as lets Knuckles kiss her cheek. She just didn't know what to say. However, there is one thing that is clear to her, and that is she is feeling very ecstatic right now.
Knuckles...I...I...I can't believe that I'm being kissed by him...I never thought that...he would do that to me...Kathy pondered calmly in shock as she stared at Knuckles with wide eyes and with a gaped mouth.
Knuckles kept kissing Kathy on the cheek while having his eyes closed. He was also blushing brightly in embarrassment since he was shocked that he had managed to kiss Kathy for the first time even when it's just on the cheek.
I'm...I'm kissing her...I'm really, really kissing her...I didn't even think that it was possible for me to do that considering how incredibly shy I am, but...I guess that I can't really hold myself back any longer...I really...really wanted to kiss her...So badly that I...went for it...Knuckles pondered calmly in fondness as he kept kissing Kathy's cold, fuzzy cheek. He kissed her cheek for a few more seconds until he stopped and pulled back from her. He was blushing very deeply in red as he stared at Kathy's face with wide eyes and with a gaped mouth. Kathy stared back at Knuckles' face with wide eyes and with a gaped mouth too while also blushing very deeply. They were both surprised that the other had done what they had done and had felt very embarrassed by it.
"...I...I...Uhh..." Knuckles muttered calmly yet awkwardly in embarrassment with a shocked, reddened face since he didn't know what to say.
"Kn-Knuckles...I...I can't believe that you did that..." Kathy whispered softly yet awkwardly in shock and in embarrassment with a shocked, flushed face.
"S-Sorry! I...I...I don't know why I had done that! I just...just...I just did that out of the heat of the moment! Uhhh...Ummm...I'm...I'm sorry if I had made you uncomfortable there. I'm sure that you weren't expecting me to kiss you, but I did it anyway...Ummm...Sorry..." Knuckles exclaimed and muttered in shock and in embarrassment as he looked guilty. But he was then surprised when he felt Kathy's right hand being placed onto his left cheek. He stared closely at Kathy in curiosity since he's wondering what's on her mind right now.
Kathy stared back into Knuckles' curious face with a little frown on her face. She kept frowning for a few seconds before she smiled gently at him. She then gently caressed Knuckles' left cheek with her right hand while looking calm and peaceful. Knuckles was just stunned by how calm Kathy looks right now as he stared curiously at her with wide eyes and with a little, gaped mouth.
Kathy then replied softly in fondness with a gentle smile, "Knuckles...It's alright. There's no need to apologize here. Didn't you tell me yesterday that it's okay to be affectionate towards someone that you care about?".
"...! ...Y-Yeah...I did tell you that..." Knuckles muttered softly in shock with a gasp as he looked surprised.
"Of course, you did, and you also told me that you shouldn't apologize for being affectionate towards someone that you care about either. Just as I shouldn't apologize for that, you shouldn't apologize for doing that too. I...I may have been surprised when you had kissed me, but I wasn't uncomfortable with it. I...I actually liked it...It was rather sweet of you to do that, Knuckles...Thank you," Kathy replied calmly yet gently in fondness with a warm smile and with a nod as she kept caressing Knuckles' left cheek. Knuckles blushed even more in embarrassment after hearing that from Kathy. His heart was pounding fast, and his stomach was churning because he felt nervous again.
How could I forget about that? I told her that because she was apologizing to me all the time...Hmm...It seems that Kathy had finally rubbed off on me. Now, I'm the one who's apologizing constantly...Geez, I really am a sucker for her, am I? Sigh...Knuckles pondered in shock and in embarrassment with a little frown and with sad eyes before smiling a little in sheepishness.
"Uhhh...Ummm...Y-You're welcome, Kathy, and you're right. I've...forgotten what I had taught you yesterday. Uhh...Sorry about that. I guess that...you're fine with me...kissing you...Just like...(how I am with you kissing me)…" Knuckles replied calmly yet awkwardly in fondness with a sheepish smile and with upward eyebrows before he shyly looked away and mumbled at the end.
"Huh? 'Just like' what, Knuckles?" Kathy asked curiously in confusion with a little frown and with raised eyebrows.
"Uh! Nothing! Nothing! Heheheheheheheheh! Just forget about that! Hahahahahahahahahah! It's nothing important! Hahahahahahahahahah!" Knuckles exclaimed back in amusement and in embarrassment with a huge, sheepish smile as he laughed nervously while looking back at Kathy with a huge blush on his face.
"...Are you okay, Knuckles?" Kathy asked curiously in slight concern as she shifted her body a little just to hold onto both of Knuckles' cheeks with her hands.
"What? I'm...Heheheheheh...I'm fine. Why do you ask?" Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a huge smile and with a nervous chuckle.
"You just seem to act funny sometimes whenever I talk to you. Is there something wrong with me?" Kathy replied calmly in concern as she frowned sadly at Knuckles while rubbing his cheeks a little in comfort.
"Ah! No! No! There's nothing wrong with you! I'm...I'm just acting this way because I'm feeling very nervous right now!" Knuckles exclaimed in shock as he looked surprised and embarrassed.
"But why? Why would you be nervous? There's no one here but just us," Kathy replied calmly yet innocently in confusion as she stared at Knuckles with curious eyes and with a head tilt.
Now THAT is a question that I refuse to answer, and another secret that I don't want Kathy to know about. Knuckles thought calmly in shyness as he looked shocked and even more embarrassed since his blush deepened even darker than before.
He then awkwardly released Kathy and moved away from her as he exclaimed quickly in a panic, "Uh! Uh! Never mind that! Let's just...Uhh...get out of the hole already!".
"H-Huh?! Knuckles?! Hey! Wait! Hold up!" Kathy exclaimed back in surprise with a shocked face and with a hand raised as she watched Knuckles stand back up to his feet and grabbed the rim of the hole with his hands. Knuckles didn't listen to her as he jumped up and pulled himself out of the hole with his arms. He was still blushing deeply in embarrassment as he crawled through the snow.
Meanwhile, Kathy frowned both in concern and in confusion since she has no idea why Knuckles is acting weird towards her suddenly. I just don't get it. Knuckles can be calm and collected one moment with me but then get nervous and strange in the next moment. Is there something that he's hiding from me? Hmm...Maybe I should let this one slide and not press him any further. He certainly does not want to talk about it apparently. I guess I'll find out what it is later. Right now, I should leave and meet up with him. Kathy pondered calmly yet curiously in confusion as she frowned and scratched her head a little. She soon sighed and shrugged before standing back up too and climbing out of the hole to join with Knuckles outside. She crawled through the snow a bit before stopping beside Knuckles and staring at him as he took deep breaths.
"...Knuckles?" Kathy muttered softly in curiosity with a concerned frown as she placed her left hand onto Knuckles' back and rubbed it gently. Knuckles took a few more deep breaths before he sighed deeply and looked at Kathy after feeling her rub his back affectionately.
"Are you going to be fine?" Kathy asked calmly yet quietly in concern as she frowned a little at him. Knuckles stared silently at Kathy with a little, gaped mouth and with curious, blinking eyes before he smiled warmly at her.
"Yeah...I'm going to be fine, Kathy. Thanks for your concern," Knuckles reassured calmly yet gently in fondness with a warm smile and with relaxed eyes. Kathy smiled a little when she saw that Knuckles is okay. She then looked surprised as she released Knuckles' back before taking the Shovel Claws off of her hands.
Knuckles looked confused by this action as he calmly asked Kathy, "Huh? Hey, what are you doing, Kathy? Don't you want to dig through the ground some more?".
"No. I think that I'm done digging for today. Thank you for letting me borrow your Shovel Claws for a while, Knuckles! It was very fun digging through the dirt and snow! I had a blast playing with them!" Kathy replied calmly yet brightly in amusement with a sweet smile as she removed the Shovel Claws from her hands before handing them back to Knuckles.
Knuckles smiled hugely in amusement at this and took his Shovel Claws back from Kathy while replying calmly in playfulness, "Well, I'm glad that you had fun with them. It's not every day that you get to burrow underground like a mole or an echidna such as myself do for example. So, I'm sure that it was a treat for you to try them out".
"Hehehehe! It sure was! You're very fun, Knuckles! Is there something that we can do now that we hadn't done before?! Huh?! Is there?!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in amusement with a little giggle and with a huge smile as she grabbed onto Knuckles' right arm and shook it a bit out of excitement.
Knuckles genuinely laughed in amusement as he replied brightly in playfulness with a huge smile, "Ahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Easy, Kathy! Easy! Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Of course, there is something that we can do now! Like getting the heck out of here! Hahahahahahahahaha! Do you want to fly out of here and go to someplace where it's warm?! Hahahahahahahahahahahaha! Because I sure know that you want to so badly due to how you reacted when we first got here! Ahahahahahahahahaha! So, what do you say, Kathy?! Do you want to go or what?! Heheheheheheheheh!".
"Umm...Not yet! I think that I'm getting used to the cold weather now!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in amusement with a sweet smile and with a headshake after thinking about it for a second.
"Ahahahahahahahahahahahah! You silly girl! That was not on your mind minutes ago! Hahahahahahahahahahahahah! You clearly wanted to get out of this place fast! Especially when you compared this place to a gigantic freezer! Hahahahahahahahah!" Knuckles exclaimed back in amusement with a huge grin as he laughed even more while shaking his head and putting his Shovel Claws back into his person.
"Hey, you told me to toughen up! So, I did!" Kathy exclaimed brightly yet innocently in amusement with a playful grin and with a casual shrug as she stared at Knuckles.
"Boy, you sure did! Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha! You're...Heheheheheheh...You're so funny, Kathy. Just what am I going to do with you?" Knuckles replied calmly yet brightly in amusement with a huge grin as he stared back at Kathy and gently rubbed her back while laughing a little less.
"I don't know, but I sure do want to have more fun now!" Kathy replied brightly yet innocently in amusement with a sweet smile while enjoying the little, affectionate back rub that Knuckles is giving her right now.
"Heheheheheh...Yeah...Same here, Kathy. Same here," Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a chuckle and with a warm smile. Kathy beamed sweetly at Knuckles, and Knuckles smiled fondly back at Kathy while rubbing her back some more. He can feel the warmth in his heart again as he stared fondly at Kathy. He had definitely enjoyed that little, amusing moment with Kathy just then and already had cherished it in his heart.
It's the littlest things about Kathy that always get me. Her purity and simplicity just tickle my funny bone and had always managed to make me laugh. Sigh...She sure knows how to crack me up sometimes. It's crazy...Knuckles pondered calmly in fondness with a warm look on his face as he gently rubbed Kathy's back until he stopped and held it instead.
...
"...Say, Kathy? Do you want to build a snowman?" Knuckles asked calmly in fondness with a little, warm smile after the brief silence.
"Huh? A 'snow...man'? Can you really make a man out of snow?" Kathy asked calmly yet curiously in confusion with a little frown and with intrigued eyes as she titled her head in a cute way again.
"Pfffft! Heheheheheheheheheh! Aheheheheheheheheheheheh!" Knuckles snickered in amusement as he covered his mouth with his left hand and had his head down since Kathy's innocent queries got to him again. See?! Every time! Hahahahahahahahahahahaha! I'll never know how she does that! Hahahahahahahahahaha! Knuckles pondered brightly in amusement as he started to laugh again.
"Ummm...Knuckles...You hadn't answered my-" Kathy muttered calmly yet quietly in amusement with a sheepish smile and with upward eyebrows as she stared curiously at Knuckles.
"The answer is yes and no! Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! It's...It's...Heheheheheheheheheh! It's just not what you think! Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Knuckles exclaimed back in amusement with a huge grin while laughing a lot as he looked at Kathy after putting his left hand down.
"Ohhh...So I guess that the 'snowman' won't talk like a person after we build it. Is that what you're trying to say?" Kathy replied calmly in realization with a little frown and with curious eyes as she nodded her head a little in understanding.
"Yes! Yes! That's exactly what I'm trying to say! Heheheheheheheheheheh! We're just going to build a body of a person! Not bring a person to life by making it! Hahahahahahahahaha!" Knuckles exclaimed back in amusement with a playful grin as he kept laughing a lot.
"Awwww...It would have been so cool if we could bring a person to life by creating a body out of snow," Kathy replied calmly yet sadly in disappointment with a little frown and with downcast eyes as her antennas went down.
"You and every other kid after watching that T.V. special! Hahahahahahahaha! Trust me! You not alone in thinking that! Ahahahahahahahahahahah!" Knuckles exclaimed back in amusement with a huge smile as he laughed a little less.
"Oh, well, that's a relief. I guess. But what about you? Do you wish that a snowman can come to life after building it?" Kathy replied calmly in curiosity with a little smile and with a little head tilt as she placed a hand over her chest.
"Heheheheheh! What?! Me?! Come on! Hahahahahahahah! I'm too old for wanting something like that! Hahahahahahaha! I know that Cream would want that! But not me! Heheheheheheheheh! That's just silly!" Knuckles exclaimed back in amusement with a huge smile and with upward eyebrows as he can't help but chuckle a lot.
"Awwww! But it's not silly, Knuckles! Just like having Kaiju monsters like myself to talk isn't silly, having talking snowmen isn't silly either! We would learn what it's like to be a snowman if we heard them talk!" Kathy exclaimed back in amusement with a gentle smile and with gentle eyes as she placed her hand on top of Knuckles' back again and held it. Knuckles kept chuckling in amusement but soon slowed down a lot after hearing Kathy say that.
"Heheheheh...Well...You may have a point there...But still! Heheheheheheh...I was 16 by the time my acquaintances had forced me to watch that T. V. special! So, excuse me if I'm not so filled with child-like wonder and curiosity as I used to be! I got you and the others to be like that!" Knuckles replied calmly yet brightly in amusement with a smug smile and with half-lidded eyes as he chuckled a little.
"Huh? 'Used to be'? How did you lose your child-like wonder and curiosity?" Kathy asked calmly yet curiously in confusion with a little frown and with intrigued eyes.
"I lost it by growing up too fast! I had to because...because..." Knuckles exclaimed back in amusement with a huge smile before he slowed down and frowned deeply instead as he looked sad. He then looked down to the ground instead of Kathy and took his hand away from her back out of sadness. He grimaced as he calmly finished in a sad tone of voice, "...Because...not only do I need to survive on my own, but also, I need to protect the Master Emerald at all costs. I couldn't...afford to relax and be imaginative because it would distract me from doing my job...And I...I couldn't risk that...Not when the whole world is at stake...".
"...! ...Ohh...Oh, Knuckles. I had no idea that your duty and your survival had put such a strain onto you. I'm...I'm so sorry that you had to abandon your childhood just to fulfill your guardian duties. I didn't realize how much pain you've been carrying in your heart all this time, and here I am being childish and free in front you. I...I feel like I'm just rubbing salt into your wounds by being my child-like self," Kathy replied softly yet sadly in sympathy with a gasp and with a deep frown as she scooted closer to Knuckles and held him in her arms. She then grimaced in guilt as she closed her eyes and placed her head onto Knuckles' right shoulder while she apologized before crying softly, "I'm...I'm so sorry! (Sob Sob Sob Sob)".
"Kathy..." Knuckles muttered softly in concern with a grimace as he held Kathy back with his right arm and gently rubbed her right arm. As Kathy continued to cry softly, Knuckles consoled her gently by saying, "...It's not your fault. You shouldn't blame yourself for being who you are on the inside. I know that your childishness and innocence is a cruel reminder of what I don't have, but you shouldn't apologize for being yourself. You said that you should be proud of who are. Not being ashamed because of it".
"But! But! (Sob Sob Sob)...But being myself only hurts you! (Sob Sob Sob)...I don't want to hurt you, Knuckles! I just don't! (Sob Sob Sob)…" Kathy exclaimed back in sadness as she grimaced and cried some more.
"...I know that you don't...But there's nothing that you can do to stop the pain...I'll always have this pain in my heart whether you are here or not..." Knuckles replied softly in sadness with a grimace and with closed eyes as he gently squeezed Kathy in comfort.
"..." Kathy was speechless as she opened her tear-filled eyes and gaped very much in shock. N-Nothing...that I can do? Kathy thought weakly in shock and in sadness while still looking surprised and upset.
Knuckles soon opened his eyes halfway in a sad way and continued quietly with a grimace, "As much as it pains me to admit it...I have no choice but to carry this burden alone...You may have given me relief by making me laugh and smile with your silly antics...But it will not make the deep-seated pain go away...It's not a simple fix, Kathy...It's much...much...much complicated than that...Even though you do help me get my mind off of it for a while...I'll still be reminded of it every now and then...So don't...don't try to fix my problem, Kathy, because it's impossible to fix it...".
"..." Kathy was still silent as she was looking down on the ground with Knuckles. She still had tears in her eyes but soon sniffled and blinked her eyes to make the tears go away. I...I...I have never thought that the day would finally come...The boy that I wanted to have a second childhood with is sitting here right beside me...I've always wondered who would be the one to have it with, but I never thought that it would be Knuckles of all people...The first person that I had met in this dimension...I...I have felt very lonely for most of my life, but Knuckles clearly had suffered more than me...But now...I think that it's going to change...Kathy brooded calmly with a sad frown before she closed her eyes and looked determined instead.
"...In other words, Kathy, I'll be fine. I'll deal with my own problems myself. I don't need your pity since I'm used to dealing with my problems on my own. I'm strong, Kathy, and I'll stay strong for the rest of my life. So, calm down, Kathy. I'll be alright. I promise. I'll be alright," Knuckles finished calmly yet solemnly in reassurance with a grave frown and with closed eyes as he kept rubbing Kathy's right arm out of comfort. But then, to Knuckles' surprise, Kathy lifted her head back up and lifted his head back up too. Knuckles blinked his eyes in shock after feeling his head being turned towards Kathy. He was even more surprised when he saw how serious and determined Kathy looks right about now.
"...K-Kathy...I-" Knuckles muttered calmly yet quietly in shock as he stared at Kathy with wide eyes and with a gaped mouth.
"Knuckles...You are right. I can't fix you or your problems," Kathy interrupted calmly yet gently in agreement with a solemn frown and with determined eyes while nodding a bit.
"...!" Knuckles gasped in shock after hearing what Kathy had said.
"You alone have to carry your burdens to the very end, and I can't do anything that will make the pain go away. You have to deal with it for the rest of your life," Kathy continued calmly yet solemnly in understanding with a grave frown and with another nod.
"..." Knuckles was silent as he looked curious to where Kathy is going with this. Kathy stared calmly at Knuckles with a solemn frown before she smiled gently at him as she looked relaxed.
"...But there is one thing that we can do, and that is heal your wounds. We may not be able to fix your wounded heart, but we can heal it. We can heal it by giving it something that it had lacked from in the beginning...And that is...giving it child-like wonder and curiosity...What you need here is a childhood," Kathy continued calmly yet gently in consolation with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes as she grabbed Knuckles' shoulders and turned him around so that he is facing her fully.
"A...A...'A childhood'?" Knuckles repeated softly yet slowly in confusion with a shocked look on his face.
"Yeah! A childhood! Who says that you only have one chance to be a child and have a childhood in your life?! We can have multiple childhoods in our lives, and what a better way to start having another one by spending it with someone that you care about!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in hope with a huge grin and with twinkling eyes as she stared into Knuckles' shocked face.
"Ah! You mean that...that..." Knuckles muttered calmly in surprise as he looked even more shocked. Kathy then grabbed his hands and held them tightly yet dearly in her hands as she stared longingly at Knuckles.
With a fond smile and with sparkling eyes, Kathy replied calmly yet gently in endearment, "Yes, Knuckles. We can have another childhood together. You know very well that I had lacked one when I was growing up since I have to help my mom fight Battra and his monsters, and you know that you had lacked one thanks to your duty as the Guardian of the Master Emerald. Because of that...why don't we try having a second childhood together? We can have lots of fun doing things that kids would normally do, and we certainly had done a lot of things that kids would do normally already such as teasing, chasing, poking, and tickling each other...Just think about what we can even do besides that?".
"..." Knuckles was speechless as he stared deeply into Kathy's eyes with his own shaky ones. He knows that there are hundreds of things that he and Kathy can do together as "children" like playing hide-and-seek, tag, hopscotch, jump rope, basketball, baseball, volleyball, dodgeball, soccer, tennis, mini-golf, board games, and even video games, and that's not even scratching the surface. They could draw, paint, make arts and crafts, write letters and poems, read books, wrestle, play with toys, play with hula-hoops, ski, bobsled, snowboard, surf, go kiting, go karting, make and bake food, make sandcastles, make snowmen, and much, much, much more as the list goes on for about indefinitely. There are so many fun, childish things that he could do with Kathy, and all he has to do was accept her proposal of having a second childhood with her.
But could I...really go through with this? Would I be willing to take this chance to have a childhood even though I still have my duty to attend to? Is it really worth it? Knuckles brooded calmly in somberness with a shocked look on his face.
"Knuckles...I really do think that this would be good for you. You really do need a childhood in order to be happy, and I do wish for you to become happy. So...would you...have a second childhood with me? Pretty please?" Kathy finished calmly yet gently in concern and in fondness with a warm smile and with innocent, sparkling eyes as she gently squeezed Knuckles' hands a bit.
"..." Knuckles was still speechless as he stared deeply into Kathy's sweet face with his own shocked face. He wasn't sure what to do or say in this situation. He had always assumed that hard work and doing your duty was more important than playing, but now...here he is having the chance to play...with Kathy...for as long as he wants to. He can finally have what he had lacked for years and be happy. ...However...if he did that...then it would undermine his duty...his sole purpose in life. He couldn't just abandon his duties and just play with Kathy instead. But then again...would he be really happy with himself if he stuck to his duty to the very end? Would he really feel satisfied with himself if he had done that?
As Knuckles stared solemnly into Kathy's innocent, light-blue eyes, his mind flashes back to the past few days when she came into his life. He remembered all the smiles and laughs that he had with Kathy whether it be from her silly, playful actions or sayings or whether she tickles him silly as if he was a little child. He remembered how comforting and relaxing it was when Kathy played with him and made him laugh. But most importantly, he remembered how warm he felt inside whenever he and Kathy played together and messed with each other. Just as when Knuckles had remembered that, his mind flashes back to his childhood and remembered how cold and lonely it was taking care of the Master Emerald by himself. He can see himself frowning in sadness as he polishes the Master Emerald with his cloth and even stopping just to see his depressed face reflected inside the emerald. All the bitterness and coldness that he sees into the emerald are reflected to himself and his heart. The only word that describes his childhood the most was "nothing".
…"Nothing"...That was what my childhood is like. Nothing ever happens in my island. Nothing ever changes. Nothing ever makes me smile or laugh. Nothing ever...makes me happy. ...It was only now that I had felt genuine happiness, and it was when I was taking care of Kathy. When I took care of her and made her happy, I...I felt happy. I felt like I had done something right. I felt like I had done a good thing. I felt like...I was worth something to someone. I have never felt that while I was doing my duty. I was reminded constantly of my failures into guarding the Master Emerald. I felt like wasn't doing much as I protected it. I felt like I was just wasting away guarding it and never learning anything from it. I felt like...I was worthless for just doing my job. I hadn't felt...any happiness during all of that. None at all...Knuckles brooded calmly in somberness with a solemn look on his face as he stared deeply into Kathy's eyes with his own determined eyes. Kathy was just quiet as she stared back into Knuckles' eyes while smiling warmly at him, and Knuckles simply squeezed Kathy's hands in response to seeing the warm look on her face.
…I know that I should keep doing my duty and focus into doing a good job in protecting the emerald...But if I have to sacrifice my own happiness in order to do that, then I...I...Knuckles brooded calmly in somberness with a determined look on his face. He then took a deep sigh and closed his eyes as he brooded one last time.
...I...I'd rather be a child than an adult...
"...Kathy?" Knuckles asked calmly yet quietly in somberness with a solemn frown and with closed eyes.
"Yes?" Kathy asked calmly yet softly in curiosity with a little smile and with twinkling eyes as she inched closer to Knuckles. Knuckles soon opened his eyes and stared silently at Kathy for a moment with a solemn frown on his face before he smiled gently at her in fondness.
"...I think that...it's about time for me to have a childhood, and I...I want to have one with you, Kathy. We really are going to have a lot of fun together. I mean...We certainly are having a lot of fun right now, and I want to keep it that way for as long as I live," Knuckles replied calmly yet quietly in fondness with a gentle smile and with half-lidded eyes.
"...! Do you really mean it?" Kathy asked calmly yet softly in hope with a gasp and with a huge smile.
"Of course, I had meant it. Why would I not have it with someone who makes me laugh and smile all the time?" Knuckles replied calmly in fondness with a huge, warm smile and with amused eyes as he gently squeezed Kathy's hands again.
"...Knuckles..." Kathy muttered softly in shyness with a little smile and with flushed cheeks.
"Besides...I think that I'm starting to see where you're coming from, Kathy. Life would be really boring if we don't stop and play every once in a while. I have lived my whole life nothing but working all day and have never given a time to have fun and play as a kid. You...really have showed me that it's okay to take a break and relax. Honestly...these past few days have been the best days of my life, and I...I want that to continue. I want to play and enjoy myself with you, Kathy. I just...just..." Knuckles continued calmly yet fondly with a warm smile as he inched closer towards Kathy before he released her hands and hugged her tightly after saying that last sentence. Kathy was a bit surprised when Knuckles did that, but she quickly smiled warmly at him and hugged him back just as tightly.
With a huge, warm smile and with closed eyes, Knuckles finished calmly yet gently in fondness, "...I just want to be a child just like you, Kathy. Please show me your child-like ways, Kathy. Show me what it's like to be a complete goofball. You are certainly happy being yourself, Kathy. I just...want to be myself too. I just want...to be happy...".
"...Awwwww, Knuckles..." Kathy cooed calmly in fondness with a warm smile and with twinkling eyes as she gently rubbed Knuckles' back with both hands while hugging him tightly. I'm very happy that Knuckles is taking this chance to have a second childhood with me. He'll surely be happy experiencing a fun childhood for the first time especially with me being around. I'll be happy too since...I finally have someone who's going to play with me. I'll finally not be lonely anymore, and I'll finally...have a childhood too...Kathy pondered calmly in fondness with a warm smile and with closed eyes as she snuggled her fuzzy, soft head into Knuckles' left shoulder and neck.
"Pffft! Heheheheheheheheh...Kathy...Heheheheheheheheh...Quit it...Heheheheheheheh...It tickles...Heheheheheheh..."Knuckles protested weakly in amusement with a huge smile on his sheepish face as he chuckled a lot while cringing a little to the light tickling. Kathy soon stopped snuggling and pulled back from Knuckles to look at him face to face. Knuckles soon stopped chuckling and beamed at Kathy after seeing her staring at him with a huge grin on her face.
"...Soooo...Do you want to build a snowman with me?" Kathy asked calmly yet coyly in amusement with a huge grin on her face.
"Well...that depends...Do you want me to teach you how to build one?" Knuckles replied calmly yet coyly in amusement with a huge grin on his face.
"Uh huh! Uh huh! Teach me, Knuckles! Teach me!" Kathy exclaimed brightly yet innocently in amusement with a huge, sweet smile and with twinkling eyes as she nodded her head a little out of excitement.
"Hahahahahaha! Well, alright then! Let's go build a snowman together! Come on, Kathy! Let's get up! Heheheheheheheh!" Knuckles exclaimed brightly in amusement with a huge grin and with excited eyes as he chuckled a little while getting back up to his feet. Kathy quickly got up to her feet too after hearing Knuckles say that and soon released him.
"So where should we go to make our snowman?" Kathy asked calmly in amusement with a sweet smile and with eager eyes as she had her hands behind her back.
"Beats me. There's snow everywhere. Any area of this snowy wasteland is perfect for building snowmen. So, you decide where you want to go. My treat," Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a huge smile as he casually shrugged at her.
"Well, when you put it that way, then come on! Follow me! I think that if we go this way, we'll find a good spot for our snowman!" Kathy exclaimed brightly yet excitedly in amusement with a huge grin as she quickly grabbed Knuckles' right hand and ran ahead of him. Knuckles was once again surprised when Kathy did this and had quickly turned around to follow her as she ran ahead. He can't resist but laugh again at Kathy's excitement while running behind her through the snowy tundra.
"Ahahahahahahahahahahaha! Easy, Kathy! Hahahahahahahahaha! Slow down!" Knuckles exclaimed back in amusement with a huge smile as he laughed a lot.
"Hey, a silly, little doggie once told me, 'either suck it up or catch up because I'm taking the lead now'!" Kathy exclaimed back in amusement with a huge smile as she looked back at Knuckles while running forward.
"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Oh! So that's how it's gonna be, huh?! Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Well, fair enough then! I guess I'll..." Knuckles exclaimed back in amusement with a huge smile as he laughed very hard at Kathy's response. He then quickly catches up and ran beside her while grinning playfully at her as he added brightly in determination, "...run beside you! That way, we're both in the lead!".
"Hehehehehehe! Aww, Knuckles! I didn't think that you would be a good sport about it!" Kathy exclaimed happily in amusement with a little giggle and with a sweet smile as she looked at Knuckles at her left while running beside him.
"Hey, a silly, little Angel once told me, 'this isn't a competition'," Knuckles replied calmly yet coyly in amusement with a playful grin while looking at Kathy at his right.
"..." Kathy was quiet as she grinned playfully at Knuckles in amusement while running beside him.
"..." Knuckles was also quiet as he grinned playfully at Kathy in amusement while running beside her.
They both kept that look for a few more seconds until they burst into laughter at the same time. They both held each other's hands much tighter as they continued to run through the snowy tundra together while they laughed and laughed in amusement. They felt so warm on the inside since they're enjoying the other's presence very much, and they both know that it won't stop not even when the day is over.
Especially since...they're starting their second childhood together right here and now.
Another part done and a few more to go! You got new two chapters back to back! That'll be enough until my next upload! Also, for those who are curious, we'll be going to a new place next chapter while also finishing up Kathy's and Knuckles' time in Twinkle Snow/Holaska. Where will they go to next? Well, it'll certainly be warmer than where they're at now! That's for sure! But anyways, I hope that you had enjoyed these two new chapters and are willing to continue reading the story once the new chapter is uploaded! Thanks for your patience and support, and we'll see you next time! Time for part 8!
Fun Trivia Time: Just weeks ago, I was being curious as to what Zodiac signs are since I've heard about them a lot but have never bothered to learn them. But then I eventually looked it up and learned a lot about the signs. (I mostly did it out of boredom! Lol!) Anyways, I looked up what Mothra's and Knuckles' birthdays are( which are July 30 and February 3 respectively in case you had forgotten), and I was pleasantly surprised on what Zodiac signs they are categorized in. I'm not kidding here when I say this: Mothra's Zodiac sign is Leo while Knuckles' Zodiac sign is Aquarius. Why is it surprising you may ask? When to put it simply, the compatibility between a Leo and an Aquarius is basically the strongest for the two signs. Their attraction is also the strongest since it is at 99%. Also, Leo's birthdays start from July 23 to August 22, and Aquarius' birthdays start from January 20 to February 18. So this makes it very clear that Kathy "Mothra" the Moth and Knuckles the Echidna are definitely within their Zodiac signs. What's even more amusing is that Leo is the king of the Zodiac hence why Mothra is considered as the "Queen" of the Monsters, and that one of Aquarius' favorite colors is light-blue which is also the color on Mothra's eyes/Kathy's irises. You know when a dumb, silly idea works is when you accidently made something that is somewhat true and probable in real life. But if you want to see for yourself that it's real, then look it up on the web. Just type Zodiac signs in the search-bar and you'll find the link titled "12 Astrology Zodiac Signs Dates, Meanings and Compatibility". I hope that this is fun for you to learn and discover since I was having fun learning more about Zodiac signs and what they mean finally. Also, man, know wonder Kathy and Knuckles get along so well(*nudge* *nudge* *wink* wink*)! All joking aside, I hope that you had fun reading this chapter and are ready to read the next chapter! Again, see you all next time!