Guardian Angels
S1:E7: Traveling Around the World With You (pt. 8)
Eventually, Kathy and Knuckles stopped running and found a spot to build their snowman. It was somewhat close to the ledge of a cliff where below is a cold lake with glaciers floating above it. Knuckles had carefully instructed Kathy on how to build a snowman by rolling a big ball of snow in front of her.
"You make the head while I make the body. Just do what I'm doing, and you'll make the head in no time. Got it?" Knuckles instructed calmly in amusement with a gentle smile as he looked at Kathy at his left while rolling the large snowball on the ground.
"Got it!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in understanding as she smiled sweetly at Knuckles and nodded to him before bending down and gathering tons of snow together to form a huge snowball. Once she had formed the snowball, she rolled it around with Knuckles to make it grow even bigger. She was calm and happy as she focused onto making the head of the snowman. She then looked at Knuckles and saw that he had stopped rolling his large snowball a few feet in front of her. He was just smoothing out the large snowball while smiling calmly at it. Kathy smiled gently at Knuckles as she rolled her snowball towards him and his own large snowball.
"Ahh...Perfect..." Knuckles muttered calmly to himself with a little smile on his relaxed face as he held onto the large snowball after smoothing it out a little. He turned his head towards his right and smiled even wider in amusement as he saw Kathy rolling her snowball towards him.
"Look what I made! ...It's so big!" Kathy exclaimed brightly yet happily in amusement with a playful grin as she stopped before Knuckles and stared down at her snowball after looking at him for a moment.
"Yep. It is pretty big, but it's not as big as mine is," Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a gentle smile and with a nod as he looked at Kathy for a moment before looking at his own snowball for emphasis.
"Yeah! Yours is like the parent snowball, and mine is like the baby snowball!" Kathy exclaimed brightly yet innocently in playfulness with a sweet smile as she stared at Knuckles. Knuckles looked back at Kathy and chuckled in amusement over that cute, little comparison. That's...That's so pure. Heheheheheheheh...Knuckles thought calmly in amusement as he chuckled some more before he stopped and smiled warmly at Kathy instead. He then walked over to the left side of Kathy's snowball and put his hands onto it while staring calmly at her with a warm smile.
"It sure is, Kathy. Might as well bring the family together then. Here. I'll hold onto this side of the snowball while you hold onto the other side. That way, we can lift this huge snowball together without having it fall apart. Okay?" Knuckles replied calmly yet gently in playfulness with a warm smile and with amused eyes as he stared at Kathy.
"Okay! I can do that! Let's bring this happy family together!" Kathy exclaimed happily in amusement with a huge smile and with a nod as she quickly walked over to the right side of the snowball and had placed her hands on top of it.
"...Yeah...Let's..." Knuckles muttered calmly in fondness with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes as he stared longingly at Kathy. He stared at her for a few moments before bending down and holding onto the underside of the huge snowball. Kathy bent down too and held the underside of the huge snowball as well. Knuckles then looked back up at Kathy and smiled fondly at her as he saw that she had gotten into position to lift the snowball off the ground.
"Ready?" Knuckles asked calmly in amusement with a little smile.
"Ready!" Kathy answered brightly in excitement with a huge smile.
"Okay...One...Two...Three!" Knuckles replied calmly yet brightly in amusement with a gentle smile as he quickly stood back up while lifting the huge snowball from the ground. Kathy stood back up too at the same time as Knuckles while lifting the snowball with him. They both slowly yet carefully walked over to the bigger snowball and placed Kathy's snowball on top of it. Once the snowball was on top, Knuckles and Kathy let go of it and smiled brightly at their snowman.
"Aww! The parent and baby had reunited! Isn't that sweet?!" Kathy exclaimed happily in amusement with a huge grin and with clasped hands as she looked at Knuckles at her left.
"Heh...Yeah...It is very sweet indeed," Knuckles agreed calmly in amusement with a gentle smile and with playful eyes as he looked at Kathy at his right.
"…Hmm...Is this how snowmen are usually made?" Kathy asked calmly in curiosity with a little smile and with intrigued eyes as she looked back at the snowman.
"Well...Yes, but usually they have eyes, arms, mouth, and other accessories to go along with the body," Knuckles answered calmly with a little frown as he looked back at the snowman as well.
"Oh...So it's incomplete then..." Kathy muttered sadly in disappointment with a little frown as she looked at Knuckles.
Knuckles looked back at Kathy and smiled gently at her as he replied calmly in amusement, "Not to worry, Kathy. We can improvise here by being creative".
"Like how? We don't have anything that resembles eyes or mouths," Kathy replied calmly in confusion with a little frown as she stared at Knuckles and shrugged at him.
"...Or do we?" Knuckles asked calmly yet coyly in amusement with a playful grin before he looked back at the snowman and had slowly but carefully punctured its face with his right fist. When he removed his fist from the snow head, it had left two holes in it.
"Wow! You actually made eyes, Knuckles!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in awe as she smiled hugely at this while having her fists up in excitement.
"Yep. I sure did, and now, for the mouth..." Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a little smile as he stared at the snowman before he drew a lop-sided smile onto its face with his left spike on his right hand. Once he was done making the mouth, he stepped back and smiled proudly at his work.
"There. That's better," Knuckles commented calmly in amusement with a proud smile as he casually clapped his hands.
"Yeah! Now, it looks even livelier! Thanks, Knuckles!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in amusement with a huge grin and with a nod as she looked at Knuckles.
"Uhhh...Heheh...It was nothing," Knuckles muttered calmly in shyness with a sheepish smile and a nervous chuckle as he looked back at Kathy while rubbing the back of his head. He was blushing a little in embarrassment as he was happy that he had made Kathy happy. I really would do anything for her, would I? Sigh...Knuckles thought calmly in fondness with a sheepish smile and with flushed cheeks as he stared at Kathy in shyness.
"Hmm..." Kathy mused calmly with a little frown as she stared at Knuckles while scratching her chin with her finger. Knuckles looked curious as he stared back at Kathy with a little frown on his face.
"What are you thinking about, Kathy?" Knuckles asked calmly in curiosity with a little frown on his intrigued face.
"Hmmm...Aha! Knuckles! Lend me your Shovel Claws again! I got an idea!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in amusement with a huge grin and with twinkling eyes as she pointed at Knuckles for emphasis.
"Huh? My Shovel Claws? Why do you need them?" Knuckles asked calmly yet curiously in confusion as he looked slightly surprised at this request.
"To make the hands, of course! Even if we can't make the arms, we can at least give the snowman hands! How's that for improvising?!" Kathy exclaimed happily in amusement with a playful grin and with a fist up as she stared at Knuckles in excitement. Knuckles raised his eyebrows in surprise of Kathy's idea and had soon grinned at her in amusement.
"That's...actually rather clever. Not bad, Kathy. Not bad at all," Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a huge grin while rubbing his head a little in sheepishness.
"Hehehehehe! I'm a clever girl!" Kathy exclaimed happily in amusement with a little giggle and with a sweet smile as she had her hands behind her back while staring at Knuckles.
"Hmph..." Knuckles grunted quietly in amusement as he grinned sheepishly at Kathy with flushed cheeks. You sure are, little Angel. You sure are...Knuckles thought calmly in amusement with a shy grin while getting his Shovel Claws out. He then handed his Shovel Claws to Kathy again, and she took them yet again. She then turned towards the snowman and leant over to it. She carefully pierced the snowman's sides with the Shovel Claws and adjusted them a little to make sure that the snowman is wearing them correctly.
"Aaand...Done! Ta-da! The snowman is now one of us!" Kathy exclaimed brightly yet playfully in amusement with a huge smile as she released the Shovel Claws and stepped to the side in order to gesture to it with her arms. Knuckles grinned even wider in amusement after seeing what Kathy had done to the snowman.
"It looks ridiculous," Knuckles commented calmly in amusement with a huge grin and with playful eyes as he stared at the snowman before at Kathy.
"Aww, come on, Knuckles! It looks perfect! The hands make all the difference!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in amusement with a huge smile and with clasped hands as she stared back at Knuckles with twinkling eyes.
"Boy, they sure do make a difference alright. It had turned the snowman from being normal to being ridiculous," Knuckles replied calmly yet playfully in amusement with a smug smile and with half-lidded eyes as he had a hand on his hip.
"But...Hmm...Maybe the hands would go better if they were at the front," Kathy replied calmly in curiosity with an intrigued look on her face as she looked at the snowman while having a hand under her chin.
"Pfft! Heheheheheheheheheheh!" Knuckles chuckled a lot in amusement after hearing Kathy say that. The snowman may look ridiculous, but it's nothing compared to the ridiculousness of Kathy here. I'll never know what's on her mind, and that just makes it so fun for me to find out what she's thinking at times. Cause it'll always make me laugh. Heheheheheheheh...Knuckles pondered calmly in amusement as he chuckled a lot. He soon stopped chuckling and grinned at Kathy in amusement as he watched her come up with another idea.
"Hmmmm...Ah! Of course! Why didn't I think of it earlier?! That's perfect!" Kathy exclaimed excitedly in amusement with a huge grin after thinking for a minute.
"What's perfect?" Knuckles asked calmly in curiosity with an intrigued look on his face as he watched Kathy take off her Sol Pendant.
"This is! ...All it was missing was my Sol Pendant! With that, the snowman is now complete!" Kathy answered brightly in amusement with a huge grin as she placed her Sol Pendant around the snowman's neck and adjusted it so that it will stay on the snowman. After she finished putting the Sol Pendant on the snowman, she stepped back and clasped her hands together in joy while feeling proud of her work.
"Ta-da! See?! Isn't it wonderful?!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in amusement with a warm smile and with twinkling eyes as she stared at the finished snowman.
"...Ummm...Uhhh..." Knuckles muttered awkwardly in confusion with a bewildered look on his face as he stared at the finished snowman too. He can see how odd the snowman looks now with its little eyes, its smile, its hands, and its pendant, but when seen altogether, it's a work of art. A strange, silly, ridiculous piece of art that Knuckles can't help but love. How...How did we create one of the silliest things ever?! I mean! Look at it! No one would create this! This is just...just...Knuckles pondered brightly in amusement as he smiled hugely while biting his lip to try to stop himself from bursting into laughter.
"Well? What do you think, Knuckles? Isn't it simply wonderful?" Kathy asked calmly in curiosity with a sweet smile and with clasped hands as she looked at Knuckles. She can see his shoulders shaking a little since he was trying to hold his laughter in but is clearly failing as he looked at Kathy with a huge smile on his face.
"'Wonderful'?! You bet that it's wonderful alright! It's...It's wonderfully ridiculous! Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Knuckles exclaimed in amusement with a huge smile as he looked at Kathy before at the snowman again and burst into laughter while holding his stomach with his arms.
"Knuckles! How could you say it like that?! I've used my creative prowess on this! Don't be so mean!" Kathy exclaimed back in shock and in irritation with a deep frown as she glared at Knuckles while having her fists up.
"Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Hehehehehehehehehehehe! But! But! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahah! But it looks so ridiculous to me! Ten times more so after you put your Sol Pendant on it! Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Are...Are...Are...Areheheheheheheheheh! Are you saying that this little snowman is the next guardian of your Sol Pendant?! Was that you anointing him of the job as a worthy heir of the pendant?! Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Because that's what it looks like to me! Ahahahahahahahahaha!" Knuckles exclaimed back happily in amusement and in a teasing way as he laughed heartily and uncontrollably while looking back at Kathy with a huge smile.
"...Are...Are you making fun of me, Knuckles? I really did think that my Sol Pendant would look good on our snowman. Are you laughing because you hate how it looks now?" Kathy replied calmly yet meekly with a little frown and with upward eyebrows as she looked sad. When Knuckles soon heard that and saw Kathy's sad face, he quickly sobered up and stood back up straighter while having a sad yet concerned look on his face since he's worried that he had hurt her feelings.
He then placed his right hand onto Kathy's left shoulder and stared deeply at her with a caring look on his face as he replied calmly yet gently in consolation, "...No, Kathy. That's not it at all. I'm not making fun of you or was laughing at you because I hate your work. I was laughing because I had loved what you had done to the snowman. It was just so amusing to me that I can't help but laugh at it".
"Are...Are you sure?" Kathy asked quietly yet meekly in sadness with a little frown and with sparkling eyes as she stared back into Knuckles' gentle eyes. Knuckles frowned sadly at Kathy as he's a bit upset that she is doubting him like this. Maybe I had gone a little too far with my teasing. Poor Kathy. I've made her upset. Knuckles brooded calmly in sympathy with a sad frown on his guilty face before he pulled Kathy in for a hug to comfort her.
"I am, Kathy. I mean it. I'm sorry if I was being too mean towards you. I was just enjoying what you had made even though I had teased you a bit. Please forgive me, Kathy. I'm being one-hundred percent honest when I say that I love your work even when it is ridiculous. I'll always cherish anything that you make for me. Anything," Knuckles consoled calmly yet gently in somberness with a sad frown and with upward eyebrows as he looked at Kathy while hugging her tightly in his arms. Kathy hugged Knuckles back while still frowning until she smiled a little in comfort after hearing him say that.
"'Anything'?" Kathy repeated softly yet meekly in curiosity with a little smile and with hopeful eyes as she pulled a bit back from Knuckles to look at him directly.
Knuckles smiled back at Kathy as he replied calmly yet softly in consolation, "Yeah. Anything. I'm curious to see what ideas you'll come up with or what you're going to make next because...".
He then looked fond as his eyelids went down halfway and had placed his left hand behind Kathy's head as he rubbed it slowly yet gently. He soon finished by whispering softly in consolation, "...I want to know how you think, Kathy. I want to know what's going on in that pretty, little head of yours. I want to know what makes you tick, and if I'm ever going to find out, then I should wait and see what you'll create for me. You'll hear no 'noes' from me".
Kathy then looked relieved as she smiled warmly at Knuckles and had hugged him again out of happiness. She replied softly yet brightly in amusement with a sweet smile and with closed eyes, "Thank you...Thank you so much, Knuckles! I will try to make something for you when I get back home! I'll do my best to make you happy! I promise! I will!".
"Heheheh...You already make me happy, silly girl, but thanks anyways. I'll be looking forward to what you'll make for me in the future. Surprise me. Alright?" Knuckles replied calmly yet gently in fondness with a chuckle and with a warm smile as he stared at Kathy while hugging her back.
"Alright! I'll do that! Teehee!" Kathy exclaimed back in amusement with a cheerful smile and with a nod as she giggled a little.
"Hmph...That's good. That's very good indeed," Knuckles replied calmly yet quietly in fondness with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes as he's relieved that Kathy is happy again. He kept hugging Kathy dearly in his arms and had started to rub her back with both of his hands. Kathy smiled even wider in fondness as she enjoyed the loving affection that Knuckles is giving her right now. Knuckles was smiling fondly as he was happy that he's showing Kathy affection. It meant a lot to him that he's showing her how he feels towards her without saying anything. If there is one thing that he believes in whole-heartedly, then it is the belief that "action speaks louder than words". Especially since...he's very shy into telling her how he felt anyway.
Sigh...I really am a coward when it comes to expressing my feelings in the form of words. Hmmm...Maybe I can tell her how I feel without specifically telling her what it is...I mean...You know what they say..."Ignorance is bliss"...Knuckles pondered calmly in fondness with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes as he stared at Kathy before staring at the snowman since an idea had formed into his head.
"...Hey, Kathy...I think that there is one more thing that we can give to the snowman, and that is our initials. We need to let other people know that we had made our snowman together. It's our silly, little creation after all," Knuckles muttered calmly yet gently in fondness with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes as he kept staring at the snowman.
"Oh! Okay! Go on ahead, Knuckles! Make the world know that our snowman is our baby! We're the parents of it obviously!" Kathy exclaimed brightly yet innocently in amusement with a sweet smile and with twinkling eyes as she pulled back from Knuckles again and nodded at him. Knuckles blushed a lot in embarrassment when he heard Kathy address their snowman as their baby. He suddenly felt queasy just imagining what it would be like if they had made...their own babies.
ACK! JUST DON'T THINK THAT FAR, KNUCKLES! WE'RE NOT EVEN DATING! WE'RE JUST...JUST...TEAMMATES! GOSH! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO REMIND OTHERS AND MYSELF THAT?! Knuckles pondered in shock and in embarrassment as he had a surprised, flushed look on his face.
He quickly shook his head and nodded to Kathy before letting go of her and walking over to the snowman while still blushing in embarrassment. He then knelt before the snowman and slowly but carefully wrote into the snowman's belly with his right spike on his right hand. He first wrote down the marks of the letter "K" on the left. Next, he wrote down the "&" symbol in the middle. Then, he wrote down the other "K" at the right, and lastly, he drew a large heart around the initials.
"Hmm...There. Now, it's finally complete," Knuckles commented calmly in amusement with a little smile as he pulled his fist away from the snowman and placed it onto his right leg instead while feeling proud of his work. After staring quietly at the snowman for a few moments with a content smile, Knuckles soon stood back up and stepped a bit backwards to join with Kathy again. Kathy had gasped in shock when she saw the work that Knuckles had done and had placed her hands onto her cheeks. She was both impressed and happy that hers and Knuckles' snowman looked even cuter than before.
"Awwwwww! Knuckles! You made our baby look so adorable! It's precious now thanks to you!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in adoration with a cute, huge smile as she looked at Knuckles with her hands on her cheeks. Knuckles had blushed again as he looked back at Kathy while rubbing the back of his head in sheepishness.
He replied calmly yet awkwardly in shyness with a sheepish, little frown and with a deep blush, "Uhhh...Ummmm...N-N-No problem. I was just...Uhhhh...putting on the finishing touches is all...".
"Oh! But your finishing touches were so great! I like what you had done to our snowman! I particularly liked the huge heart that you had made around its belly! You're showing our little baby how much we love him!" Kathy exclaimed happily yet brightly in amusement with a huge grin and with clasped hands while holding them to the side of her face.
"Uhhhhhh! Ummmmm! S-S-Sure! Y-Yeah! Th-That's exactly what I had in mind!" Knuckles exclaimed back awkwardly yet nervously in amusement with a sheepish smile and with a sweat drop on his head as he blushed even deeper in embarrassment. Oh! I am definitely a coward! There's no way that I'm telling Kathy the truth behind the meaning of my work! Besides...it's...it's rather adorable on how Kathy had interpreted my work in that way...So...that's something, right? Knuckles pondered calmly yet nervously in shyness with a sheepish smile and with a deep blush while still rubbing the back of his head.
"Aww...You're so sweet, Knuckles...Come here, you. Mmmm..." Kathy replied calmly in fondness with a warm smile and with gentle eyes as she hugged Knuckles tightly to the side again and leant her head onto his right shoulder. Knuckles blushed even more at this gesture and smiled much wider in amusement as he hugged Kathy back with his right arm.
"Awwww...Heheheh...You're quite sweet yourself, Kathy. I like your warmth..." Knuckles replied calmly yet gently in fondness with a warm smile and with a chuckle as he leant his head onto Kathy's head and gently rubbed her right arm out of affection.
"Hehehe! That's because I like your warmth! You feel so warm whenever I hug you, Knuckles! I can't help but want to hug you!" Kathy exclaimed back brightly in amusement with a little giggle and with a sweet smile as she gently squeezed Knuckles in fondness.
"Heheheheheh...Maybe it's because of my red, fiery fur that's giving you warmth," Knuckles replied calmly yet playfully in amusement with another chuckle and with a huge, warm smile as he closed his eyes in fondness since he enjoyed Kathy hugging him more tightly.
"Hehehehehehe! Maybe! But whatever it is, I can't resist you, Knuckles! I want to hug you as much as I want to!" Kathy exclaimed happily in amusement with another giggle and with a jovial smile as she snuggled a little against Knuckles' right side.
"Hmph..." Knuckles grunted quietly in amusement with a huge smile and with closed eyes as he felt touched after hearing Kathy say that to him. ...I...I want to hug you as much as I want to as well, Kathy...You're so warm and affectionate to me. So much so that it's hard for me to resist hugging you or snuggling you...I feel like...I'm magnetized to you and can't get away from your warm, affectionate attractiveness...You're...You're my weakness...Knuckles pondered calmly in fondness with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes as he stared at the snowman in silence. Kathy was silent too as she stared at the snowman as well while still hugging Knuckles in fondness.
…
…
…
"...Do you think that our snowman is happy, Knuckles?" Kathy asked calmly yet quietly in fondness with a warm smile and with gentle eyes after breaking the long silence. Knuckles glanced down at Kathy and smiled even wider at her before looking back at the decorated snowman in calmness.
"Well...it is smiling after all," Knuckles answered calmly in amusement with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes as he gently rubbed Kathy's right arm out of affection.
"You mean 'he is smiling'. Right?" Kathy corrected calmly yet innocently in amusement with a bright smile and with curious eyes as she glanced at Knuckles. Knuckles suddenly looked amused after hearing that and had moved his head a bit to look down at Kathy's curious face with a huge smile on his face.
"Hmm? You think that our snowman is a boy?" Knuckles asked calmly yet gently in amusement with a huge smile and with raised eyebrows.
"Yes! Hehehehe! It is a boy!" Kathy exclaimed brightly yet innocently in amusement with a cute smile and with a little giggle as she nodded to him.
"Oh? How so?" Knuckles asked calmly in amusement as he grinned at her.
"Hehehehe! Well, look at him!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in amusement with another giggle and with a huge smile as she looked back at the snowman and continued as Knuckles looked at the snowman with her, "...He's got your hands, your eyes, and your huge, cute, boyish smile! That's why I think that he's a boy!".
Knuckles blushed deeply in embarrassment after hearing Kathy say that his smile is cute. Is...Is that what Kathy thinks about my smile? She thinks that it's...cute? Knuckles pondered calmly in shock with a little frown and with wide eyes as he stared back at Kathy in embarrassment.
"O-Oh...I...I see...Huh..." Knuckles muttered calmly yet awkwardly in embarrassment as he stared at Kathy with a little frown and with a deep blush.
"Hmm? Do you think that it's a girl instead?" Kathy asked calmly yet curiously in confusion with a little frown and with intrigued eyes as she looked back at Knuckles after hearing his awkward response.
"H-Huh?! Why are you asking me that?!" Knuckles exclaimed in shock and in embarrassment with a surprised, flushed look on his face.
"It's because you sounded awkward in your response. You seem rather conflicted about our snowman being a boy. Do you have a problem with that?" Kathy replied calmly in curiosity with a little frown and with intrigued eyes as she stared at Knuckles.
"What?! N-No! I-I-I don't have a problem with that!" Knuckles exclaimed back in shock and in embarrassment as he stared back at Kathy with a nervous, flustered look on his face.
"Oh? Really? Then why were you-?" Kathy asked curiously in confusion with a little frown and with raised eyebrows as she tilted her head in a cute way again.
"I was just thinking about something else at the time! That was why I was being awkward!" Knuckles interrupted quickly in embarrassment with a flushed look on his nervous face.
"Ohhh...So that's why..." Kathy muttered calmly yet slowly in understanding with a little frown and with raised eyebrows as she nodded her head a little at Knuckles.
"(Sigh)...Yeah, that's why," Knuckles muttered calmly yet tiredly in exhaustion with a sigh and with a sheepish frown as he closed his eyes while still blushing a little. But before Knuckles could feel any relief, Kathy had asked him a question that made his red blush grow even redder.
"Hmm...So then...what were you thinking about, Knuckles?" Kathy asked calmly yet innocently in curiosity with a little frown and with intrigued eyes as she stared closely at Knuckles' face. Immediately, Knuckles' eyelids flung wide-open, and his mouth gaped at Kathy in shock while his blush grew dark red in embarrassment.
He quickly released Kathy from his hold and stepped back from her in shyness as he shouted in embarrassment, "N-N-NOTHNG! IT WAS NOTHING! I-I-I WASN'T THINKING ABOUT ANYTHING AT ALL! M-MY MIND WAS A COMPLETE BLANK! HONEST! I-!".
"Hey! Hey! Easy, Knuckles! Calm down! It was just a simple question!" Kathy exclaimed in surprise and in concern as she grabbed Knuckles' shoulders while staring at him with worry on her face.
"AND I'D RATHER NOT ANSWER IT!" Knuckles shouted back in embarrassment while staring back at Kathy with a shocked, flustered look on his face.
"But didn't you just-?" Kathy asked curiously in confusion as she was taken aback by Knuckles' response.
"THAT DID NOT COUNT AS AN ANSWER!" Knuckles shouted back in embarrassment as he interrupted Kathy again.
"Knuckles..." Kathy muttered calmly in concern with a little frown and with sympathetic eyes as she gently massaged Knuckles' shoulders a bit to calm him down.
"Y-Yes?" Knuckles asked nervously in shyness with wide eyes and with an awkward frown as he kept staring at Kathy in embarrassment. He was then surprised when Kathy pulled him into another hug. As he hugged Kathy back, he stared at her curiously with a flustered yet intrigued look on his face.
"...Easy, Knuckles. Easy. There's nothing to worry about here. I'll drop the subject if that will make you happy. ...Just relax. Okay?" Kathy consoled softly in sympathy with a little frown on her caring face as she stared at Knuckles while gently rubbing his back. Knuckles looked even more embarrassed after hearing Kathy say that, but he took her advice and started to take deep breaths to calm himself down. He soon closed his eyes and hugged Kathy even more tightly in response.
"...(Sigh)...Thank you, Kathy. I'd appreciate it very much if we dropped the subject. I just...don't want to answer it. It's too embarrassing for me to say it out loud," Knuckles replied calmly yet quietly in relief with a deep sigh and with a little frown as he continued to hug Kathy tightly.
"I understand...Hmm...Hehe...It seems that you get embarrassed easily," Kathy replied calmly yet gently in amusement with a little smile and a light giggle as she held Knuckles tightly too.
"Yeah...Well...Shut up," Knuckles replied calmly in amusement as he opened his eyes and stared at Kathy while smiling hugely at her.
"Hehehehehehe!" Kathy giggled sweetly in response to that.
"Hmph..." Knuckles grunted quietly in amusement of that while smiling smugly at Kathy. If I get embarrassed easily, then surely you get amused easily, silly girl. Sigh...Knuckles thought calmly in playfulness with a huge, smug smile while still hugging Kathy dearly in his arms. Kathy kept hugging Knuckles while placing her head on top of his left shoulder to rest on it. She was smiling warmly while fondly staring at the snowman.
"You know, Knuckles...The more I spend time with you...the more I learn about you and how you act when you're with me," Kathy muttered calmly with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes while staring at the snowman.
"Heh...I could say the same thing about you, Kathy. I feel like with every minute I'm learning something about you and...just how ridiculous you are. I'm not sure if you get like this when you're with me or not, but it feels like you do it just to get me to laugh," Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a huge smile as he stared at Kathy and at the snowman as well.
"And is that a bad thing?" Kathy asked calmly yet coyly in amusement with a playful grin as she gently squeezed Knuckles in affection.
Knuckles smiled even wider at that and had gently squeezed Kathy back in affection while answering calmly in fondness, "...No. Not even the slightest".
Kathy smiled cheerfully at that and closed her eyes while snuggling a little into Knuckles. Knuckles smiled fondly at Kathy and gently stroked her back with his right hand while continuing to hug her tightly. I don't even care if you do it on purpose or not. You just make me so happy just by being your silly self. Just being with you makes me happy and relaxed, and honestly...I couldn't ask for more than that...Knuckles pondered calmly in fondness with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes as he continued to stroke Kathy's back.
"Say, Kathy?" Knuckles asked gently in amusement with a warm smile.
"Yeah? What is it?" Kathy calmly asked back in curiosity with a gentle smile.
Knuckles smiled even wider as he asked gently in amusement, "Ready to go somewhere warm?".
[Few Minutes Later]
After hearing that question, Kathy had quickly released Knuckles and had worn her Sol Pendant again after taking it off from the snowman. Knuckles had taken his Shovel Claws off the snowman and put them back into his person. After that, he got onto Kathy and had flown into the sky with her again. While flying through the sky, Kathy looked down at the snowy area in awe as she was still impressed with its unique climate.
"It's so pretty," Kathy muttered softly in awe as she smiled warmly at the beautiful glaciers and snowy hills.
"It is, isn't it?" Knuckles agreed calmly yet softly in fondness with a warm smile and with twinkling eyes as he stared at Kathy's face.
"It truly is...Hey...what's with that strange house down there? It looks like it's made out of snow," Kathy replied calmly in curiosity with a gentle, innocent smile as she looked at Knuckles before looking down at an igloo and pointed at it.
"It's made that way because it's an 'igloo'. There are no other building materials out here in this snowy wasteland other than snow. So, these houses had to be constructed in that way in order for people to survive," Knuckles explained calmly in amusement with a little smile as he looked down at the igloo with Kathy.
"Woah! Really?!" Kathy exclaimed in surprise as her eyes widened and as her mouth gaped in shock while looking at Knuckles now.
"Yes. Really. The natives in this land had done this for centuries and had taught travelers their building techniques too. Therefore, if anyone wants to live here, then they could do it by building igloos," Knuckles explained calmly in amusement with a little smile and with a nod as he looked back at Kathy.
"...But...But how could they? This place is freezing, and there's not a lot of sticks around to build a fire. I'm finding it hard to believe that anyone could survive under these harsh conditions," Kathy replied calmly yet in awe as she still looked shocked.
"Oh, you'd be surprised. People can adapt to almost anything, and the people of Holoska are a testament to that. In fact...See? Look here, Kathy. There are the villagers right now," Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a coy smile before he looked down and pointed at the villagers below.
"Oh?" Kathy muttered calmly in curiosity with a surprised expression on her face before she looked down at the villagers too with Knuckles. Just as he had said, the villagers were happily relaxing with their friends and families. Kathy could see children playing in the snow; the parents casually preparing their meals; friends and couples taking walks through the wintery village; and many, many igloos structured around the village. She had even noticed that the villagers were wearing warm clothing to protect themselves from the freezing temperatures. In a way, she was very impressed on how the villagers had taken care of themselves.
"Wow...This is certainly something that I had never seen before. I couldn't even imagine what it's like to live here all your life. I don't even think that I would be able to survive here since I know next to little about surviving in the first place, and honestly...it's rather concerning to me," Kathy muttered calmly with a stunned face before turning into a sad one as she looked back at Knuckles.
"Heh. Well, that's because you had your mom looking after you while you were growing up. You didn't need to survive because someone was with you," Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a gentle smile as he looked back at Kathy. He lowered his eyelids halfway as he softly added in sadness, "You were lucky, Kathy. Really lucky. Not many of us had parents taking care of us. Cream may be an exception here, but we all had grown up without having parents around. It...must be nice to depend on someone at a young age. I...wish that I had something like that when I was growing up...".
Knuckles frowned sadly when he had said that last part, and Kathy frowned a little with him in sympathy. She brooded calmly in somberness while staring sympathetically at Knuckles. I'm sure that you would've enjoyed having a mom, Knuckles. Having a caring mother/father would've left an impact on you. My mom certainly did...after she had passed away...
"I...I know, Knuckles. But since my mom isn't with me anymore, I'm...on my own. It seems that now I need to learn how to survive on my own if I want to live independently. I need to face the real world if I'm ever going to survive," Kathy replied calmly yet quietly in somberness with a sad frown and with downcast eyes.
"That may be true, but you don't have to face it alone. After all, you have me, Kathy. I'll teach you how to survive and to live independently. You can count on me to do that for you," Knuckles replied calmly yet gently in somberness with a solemn frown and with determined eyes.
"Ah...Will you...really do that for me?" Kathy asked softly yet tentatively in shock with a little, gaped mouth and with sparkling eyes.
Knuckles slightly moved his head closer towards Kathy's head before he gently whispered calmly in somberness with a solemn look on his face, "Of course, I will. I've promised you that I will look after you and protect you. Your mom may not be around anymore, but I am and will always be ready to take care of you whenever you need it. I'll always have your back, Kathy. Always...".
Knuckles then smiled warmly at Kathy after he had said that. Meanwhile, Kathy was both touched and shocked that Knuckles was willing to help her live independently and help her survive on her own. She didn't even ask him to do it either! She was stunned on how kind Knuckles was being here. She can truly see that Knuckles was a friend whom she can trust completely.
Kathy soon smiled a little at Knuckles as she whispered softly in hope, "Really? 'Always'?".
Knuckles smiled even more warmly at Kathy before he nuzzled his right cheek against her left cheek. As he did this, he whispered gently in fondness while having his eyes closed, "Really. Always...".
Kathy smiled even wider at that and had closed her eyes too since she's enjoying Knuckles' nuzzles. Knuckles is certainly enjoying nuzzling Kathy due to how soft and fuzzy her face is. Argh...I couldn't resist. Kathy's face is so soft and fuzzy that it feels good to nuzzle it. Heheheh...I think that I'm starting to develop another weakness. Oh no...Heheheheh...Knuckles pondered calmly yet amusingly in fondness with a huge, warm smile and with closed eyes while nuzzling Kathy's left cheek. He kept nuzzling her for a little while before he stopped and pulled away from her while smiling hugely at her.
Kathy smiled sweetly back at him while asking innocently in curiosity, "Aww, why did you do that, Knuckles?".
"Uhh...Umm...N-No reason really," Knuckles answered awkwardly in shyness with a huge, sheepish smile and with upward eyebrows while blushing a lot.
"Teehee...I think that you did that because you really like me," Kathy teased playfully in amusement with a light giggle and with a sweet smile.
"WH-WHAT?! NO! IT-IT WASN'T LIKE THAT! I-I-I JUST DID THAT BECAUSE I WANTED TO! IT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING BETWEEN US!" Knuckles shouted in shock and in embarrassment as he looked both surprised and flustered.
"Oh? So does that mean you do that towards others too?" Kathy asked teasingly in amusement with a playful smile and with twinkling eyes.
"N-NO! NO WAY! I HAVE NEVER NUZZLED ANYBODY BEFORE! YOU WERE THE FIRST PERSON THAT I HAD DONE IT WITH!" Knuckles shouted back in embarrassment while looking flustered and nervous.
"Hehehehe...So I'm the first and only person that you had done it with, huh?" Kathy replied teasingly in amusement with a little giggle and with a mischievous smile while staring calmly at Knuckles' embarrassed face.
"W-Well...Yeah..." Knuckles muttered calmly in shyness with a sheepish frown and with wide eyes while blushing deeply in embarrassment.
"Hehehehehehe! I'm sorry, Knuckles, but that does qualify as someone who really likes me," Kathy replied calmly yet teasingly in amusement with another giggle and with a silly smile.
"ACK! IT...IT...IT'S NOTHING! HONEST! I...I JUST DID IT OUT OF IMPULSE! REALLY! I DID!" Knuckles shouted some more in complete embarrassment as he looked away from Kathy while blushing furiously.
"Hehehehehehehehehe! It's okay, Knuckles. I believe you," Kathy replied calmly in amusement with a gentle smile while giggling a lot.
"R-Really? You do?" Knuckles asked calmly in sheepishness with wide eyes and with a little frown on his flushed face as he glanced at Kathy in curiosity.
"Yeah! Because of how much you're blushing! Hehehehehehehehe! Gotcha, Knuckles! Hehehehehehehehe!" Kathy exclaimed cheerfully yet playfully in amusement with a huge smile while giggling a lot. At first, Knuckles looked confused as he listened to Kathy giggling, but after he had processed what she had meant by that, he then looked embarrassed and slightly annoyed.
"...You were just teasing me, weren't you?" Knuckles asked calmly yet tiredly in slight annoyance as he frowned sheepishly and lowered his eyelids halfway at Kathy while still blushing in embarrassment.
"Yes. Hehehehehehe...I'm sorry, Knuckles. I just wanted to play with you a little," Kathy replied calmly yet gently in amusement with a sympathetic smile and with another giggle.
"Well, you've certainly played with me enough," Knuckles replied calmly yet tiredly in annoyance with a solemn frown while rolling his eyes a little.
"Have I embarrassed you too much?" Kathy asked calmly yet gently in concern while smiling sympathetically at Knuckles. Knuckles opened his mouth to answer but soon stopped in surprise of Kathy's question. He stared at Kathy with wide eyes and with a gaped mouth while she stared back at him with a calm, sympathetic expression on her face. He can see the concern in her eyes and felt comforted that she cares about his feelings. What furthered this comfort was when Kathy placed her hands over his and gently squeezed them. Knuckles soon smiled a little at that and held Kathy slightly tighter in response.
"Well...Maybe a little. But I'll be fine. Thanks for asking," Knuckles answered calmly in gratitude with a little, fond smile as he stared gently at Kathy.
"I see...And you're not mad either?" Kathy replied calmly yet tentatively in hope with a little smile and with twinkling eyes.
Knuckles genuinely chuckled at that as he replied calmly in amusement with a gentle smile, "Heheheheheh...No, I'm not mad either. I'm fine. Really. Why would you ask that?".
"It's because I was...teasing you a little. I thought that you might be upset," Kathy answered calmly yet quietly in concern with a little frown and with upward eyebrows. Knuckles raised his eyebrows in surprise of that answer and frowned a little as well. I wouldn't blame Kathy for thinking that way after what she had seen between me and Sonic. It's very common with me to get mad over someone's teasing especially if it's from someone whom I greatly dislike such as Sonic or...Rouge for example. But with Kathy, however...I...I couldn't do it. I couldn't get myself to be mad at her teasing even if I had tried. I could get a little annoyed, but...never angry. She's just too pure to get mad at. Besides...Knuckles pondered calmly in somberness with a little frown while staring quietly at Kathy. Kathy stared back at Knuckles in silence with twinkling, light-blue eyes, and Knuckles simply stared into her eyes with his own solemn, violet eyes.
...Every time she smiles and giggles at me...I feel...really happy. Whenever she teases me or messes with me...she would always have that slap-happy, mischievous smile on her adorable face, and while she teases me...she would giggle constantly without a care in the world. ...It's...It's so silly and ridiculous that...I can't get mad at her. Those infectious giggles are what's keeping me from getting mad at her in the first place. I'm happy because I make her happy...Knuckles pondered calmly some more in somberness with a little frown before he smiled a little halfway through. He held Kathy even tighter in affection as he finished pondering with this thought.
...And I'm going to keep it that way for as long as I live.
"Kathy..." Knuckles muttered quietly in fondness with a gentle smile as he leant his head a little closer towards Kathy's head before he continued calmly in reassurance, "...I know that I get mad easily whenever someone teases me, but it's not the case with you".
"But why? What's so different about me that I don't make you mad with my teasing?" Kathy asked calmly in confusion with a little frown as she stared curiously at Knuckles.
"It's because you taught me something that I'll never forget for the rest of my life...and that is...in your words...'Where's the fun?'" Knuckles answered calmly in reassurance with a warm smile and with twinkling eyes as he stared back at Kathy.
"Huh? What do you mean by that, Knuckles?" Kathy asked calmly some more in confusion while looking lost.
"I meant that having fun and relaxing with someone is just as important as protecting that someone. That is what you had taught me. If I stayed serious about protecting you all the time, then I would've easily let myself get stressed out and be frustrated with anything you do to me. ...But...if I just relax and allow myself to have fun with you...then anything that you do to me would really be harmless...Heh...Such as teasing me for example," Knuckles explained calmly in wisdom and in amusement with a warm smile before he smirked a little in the end.
"O-Oh...I...I see...I'm still sorry that I had teased you," Kathy replied calmly yet quietly in understanding and in sympathy with a little smile and with a blush as she looked rather sheepish.
"Hey, there's no need to apologize here. You were just having fun..." Knuckles replied calmly in understanding with a gentle smile before it changed to a devious one instead as he continued playfully in amusement with a mischievous chuckle, "...Heheheh...And I want to have fun too...".
After Knuckles had said that, he immediately started licking Kathy's left cheek playfully like a dog would do. Kathy gasped in surprise at first but quickly giggled silly at Knuckles' ridiculous antics.
"Hehehehehehehehehehe! Knuckles! Stop it! Hehehehehehehehe! Ewww! I got dog slobber all over my left cheek!" Kathy exclaimed in protest with a huge smile while giggling a lot in amusement. Knuckles gave Kathy a few more playful licks before he stopped and grinned a lot at her in amusement.
"Heheheheheh...That'll teach you not to mess with me, silly girl. Keep that up, and you'll be covered in even more 'doggy drool'. Got it?" Knuckles replied calmly yet playfully in amusement with a devious chuckle and with a mischievous grin.
"Hehehehehehehe! Got it! Hehehehehehehehe! But still! That was mean! I demand an apology from you!" Kathy exclaimed back in amusement with a huge smile while giggling a lot and pointing at Knuckles for emphasis.
"I'm not apologizing for anything! I was only playing, Kathy! You know...having fun!" Knuckles exclaimed back in amusement while grinning hugely at Kathy.
"But I told you not to lick me! You're being a bad doggie, Knuckles!" Kathy exclaimed back in amusement with a huge smile while wiping her left cheek.
"Heh...So?" Knuckles replied calmly yet playfully in amusement with a smug look on his face.
"So, apologize!" Kathy exclaimed back in playfulness with an amused grin as she stared at Knuckles.
"No," Knuckles replied quickly in playfulness with a devious grin and with amused eyes. He quickly licked Kathy's left cheek again before she moved her head away from him. He grinned even wider in amusement after seeing that cute yet funny reaction from Kathy.
"Ugh! Yuck! Knuckles!" Kathy exclaimed in protest and in disgust with a grimace as she glared at Knuckles while quickly wiping her left cheek again.
"What?" Knuckles asked calmly in amusement while grinning hugely at Kathy.
"Stop it!" Kathy exclaimed back in protest while pouting at Knuckles.
"Stop what?" Knuckles asked playfully in amusement with a huge grin and with mischievous eyes as he adores Kathy's pouty face.
"Stop licking me!" Kathy exclaimed again in protest while pouting and glaring hard at Knuckles.
Knuckles, however, just smiled smugly at Kathy while having his eyelids lowered halfway as he replied calmly yet playfully in amusement, "Make me".
Immediately after he had said that, he quickly licked Kathy's left cheek again. This time, however, Kathy pushed Knuckles' face away from herself to try to stop him from licking her face. When Knuckles saw that Kathy was resisting him, he smirked in amusement while trying to lick her again. He was successful by licking the back of her head and her chin when he couldn't lick her cheek. Kathy cringed in disgust when she felt Knuckles' tongue at the back of her head and under her chin.
"Ewwww! Yuck! No! No more!" Kathy exclaimed in disgust and in protest with a grimace as she quickly placed her right hand over Knuckles' mouth and held it tight while shaking her head a bit. Knuckles' eyebrows were raised in surprise of this, but he smiled hugely yet deviously in amusement even though Kathy couldn't see it. What Kathy also couldn't see was Knuckles' tongue as he licked her hand instead. However, even though Kathy couldn't see it, she can feel it as her glove is being pressed towards her hand.
"H-Huh? What are you...Ewwwwwww! Ugh! No! So much no!" Kathy muttered calmly in confusion as she released her hand from Knuckles' mouth before exclaiming in disgust after she saw him licking her hand. She quickly moved her right hand away from him and shook it a lot to get rid of the drool from her hand. Knuckles saw that priceless reaction with a huge grin on his face before he burst into full-blown laughter.
"Pfffahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahah! That was so good! Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Knuckles exclaimed in amusement with a huge smile while laughing a lot in mirth as he hung his head down. Kathy looked at Knuckles and glared at him while grimacing a bit in annoyance.
"Oh, so you think that you're so funny, aren't you?!" Kathy yelled back in annoyance with a grimace while glaring at Knuckles.
"Ahahahahahahahahahahaha! Aw, come on, Kathy! I'm only having fun!" Knuckles exclaimed back in amusement with a huge smile while laughing a little.
"But you're teasing me!" Kathy yelled back with a pout as she kept glaring at Knuckles.
"Well, now you know how I had felt when you were teasing me earlier," Knuckles replied calmly yet playfully in amusement while grinning mischievously at Kathy.
"But I wasn't licking you at the time!" Kathy yelled back in exasperation with a deep grimace and with furrowed eyebrows.
"True, you weren't, but that just makes this so much better. Heheheheheheheh! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! You are so much fun to mess with! It's great! Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!" Knuckles replied calmly yet brightly in amusement with a huge smile as he burst into laughter again. Kathy pouted at Knuckles as she watched him laugh himself into hysterics.
"Are you ever going to apologize to me?" Kathy asked calmly in slight frustration while looking annoyed.
"Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah! I've got nothing to apologize here! Hahahahahahahahahahahaha! You just need to lighten up, Kathy! Hahahahahahahahahaha!" Knuckles exclaimed back in amusement with a huge smile while laughing a lot.
Kathy frowned a little at that before she smiled smugly as she replied calmly in amusement, "Is that so, huh? Hmm...Maybe you're right, Knuckles. I do need to lighten up. After all, it's all about having fun here, right?".
"Hahahahahahahahahahaha! Yeah! That's right! Hahahahahahahahaha! Just relax! You've said it yourself, you know! Ahahahahahahahahahaha!" Knuckles exclaimed back in amusement with a huge grin while laughing a lot in mirth.
"True, I did, and I'm going to practice what I have preached right now. By having fun," Kathy replied calmly in amusement with a smug smile and with half-lidded eyes.
"Hahahahahahahahaha! Let me guess...Heheheheheheh...You're going to lick me, aren't you? Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a huge grin while laughing a lot.
"Nah, I'm not going do that. I'm just going to...lighten the load a bit," Kathy replied calmly in amusement with a smug smile and with mischievous eyes. As Knuckles was about to ask what she had meant by that, he felt surprised when she suddenly flew sideways.
"H-Hey! Kathy! Watch it!" Knuckles yelled in shock with a surprised look on his face while gripping onto Kathy much tighter than before after that sharp turn.
"Oh, lighten up, will you?" Kathy teased playfully in amusement with a coy smirk as she flew sideways on the left before turning towards the other side and flew that way instead.
"Ack! Woah! Geez! Not so fast, Kathy! You're going to fling me right off!" Knuckles yelled back in surprise and in concern as he looked at Kathy in shock.
"That's the plan. Fun, right?" Kathy replied calmly yet teasingly in amusement with a coy smirk as she looked back at Knuckles before she turned to the left side again.
"'Fun'?! That's not-Aaaah! Hey! Cut that out! I-Aaaaaah!" Knuckles yelled back in surprise while screaming a little whenever Kathy sharply turns to the left or to the right.
"Just apologize, and I'll stop," Kathy replied calmly in amusement with a playful smirk on her devious face.
"Kathy! Come on! This is ridiculoaaaaaaaaaas! Aaaaaaaah! Stop! Stop!" Knuckles yelled in annoyance before in panic as he screamed when Kathy quickly flew upside-down and then in circles.
"Aww, but I'm having fun...and I think that you're having fun too," Kathy replied calmly in amusement with a mischievous smile and with playful eyes as she looked at Knuckles before looking ahead. She continued to intentionally fly haphazardly by going either sideways or upside down not only to just mess with Knuckles but also to get him to laugh. Luckily for her, Knuckles eventually did just that.
"Aaaaah! Woah! Hey! Hehehehehehehe! Ack! Ah! Ahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Kathy! Cut it out! Hahahahahahahahahahahaha! Quit it! Woooaaah! Ahahahahahahahahahahaha! Okay! Okay! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Hehehehehehehehehe! Ahahahahahahahahahaha!" Knuckles yelled and protested in amusement with a surprised yet happy expression on his face while laughing uncontrollably to this fun moment. He clutched onto Kathy dearly the whole time as she flew haphazardly in the air while enjoying the fun ride of it. When Kathy soon readjusts herself back to her normal flying position, Knuckles soon leant his head against her head and rested his chin on top of her left shoulder while still laughing to himself in hysterics.
"Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah! Heheheheheheheheheheh! ...Kathy?" Knuckles muttered calmly in amusement with a huge smile and with closed eyes after he finished laughing.
"Yes?" Kathy asked calmly in curiosity with a gentle smile as she stared at Knuckles while holding his hands tightly to reassure him that he's safe. Knuckles soon moved his head slightly to look at Kathy while still being close to her head.
While beaming at her, he exclaimed back in amusement while chuckling a little, "Heheheheh! Don't do that! You've really surprised me! Hahahahaha! I really thought that you were going to throw me off!".
"Oh, I wouldn't really throw you off. I would never dare to hurt you intentionally. That's not what a gentlewoman does. However, it doesn't say that I can't prank you into thinking that though," Kathy replied calmly in amusement with a gentle smile and with a headshake before she smirked in the end.
"Oh, I see. So that's your justification for scaring me half to death. I see how it is now. Thanks for letting me know, silly girl. Now, I know where your lines are drawn so that I won't cross them next time," Knuckles replied calmly yet a bit sarcastically in playfulness with a smug smile and with half-lidded eyes as he stared at Kathy in amusement. As he had expected, Kathy giggled a lot from that comment.
"Hehehehehehehehehe! Yes! Now, you know why you shouldn't lick me! Hehehehehehehehe! Because you'll only get yourself in trouble, Troublemaker! Hehehehehehehehehe!" Kathy exclaimed in amusement with a silly smile while giggling a lot.
"I think that I've started getting myself into trouble when I've started to protect you, Angel. So, my fate has already been sealed a long time ago," Knuckles replied casually in amusement with a smug smile and with a nonchalant shrug while still staring at Kathy through half-lidded eyes.
"Hahahahahahahahahahaha! Hehehehehehehehe! Knuckles! Hehehehehehehehehe!" Kathy exclaimed back in amusement with a huge smile while laughing a lot after hearing that.
"What?" Knuckles asked calmly yet playfully in amusement while grinning at Kathy. Kathy giggled a little before stopping and instead smiled shyly at Knuckles, and Knuckles kept grinning at Kathy in amusement. They both looked relaxed and happy as they stared calmly at each other.
"...It's...It's nothing. Umm...Sorry for making you think that I was going to throw you off," Kathy apologized calmly yet quietly in sheepishness with a shy smile and with a little blush as she stared at Knuckles.
"Hey, it's okay, Kathy. No hard feelings. Besides...this just makes us even. Know what I mean?" Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a gentle smile and with a nod before he smirked and winked at her playfully.
Kathy smiled wider as she replied calmly in amusement with a nod and with a deeper blush, "Uh huh. Now, we've both messed with each other".
"Yeah...We have..." Knuckles muttered softly in fondness with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes as he stared at Kathy before he leant his right cheek against her left cheek and closed his eyes while he slowly nuzzled it again. As he kept nuzzling her cheek, he continued calmly yet softly in fondness with a warm smile and with closed eyes, "...But something tells me that neither of us is going to stop. It's just a feeling that I have...".
"Hehe...Yeah...I know what you mean...It somehow feels fun to tease you, Knuckles. It really is," Kathy replied calmly yet softly in fondness with a light giggle and with a warm smile as she closed her eyes and allowed Knuckles to nuzzle her.
"Hmm...I wonder why," Knuckles replied calmly yet sarcastically in amusement with a playful grin while he kept nuzzling Kathy.
"Hehehehehehe! Maybe it's because your reactions are funny," Kathy replied calmly in amusement with another giggle and with a bright smile despite knowing that Knuckles was being sarcastic there.
"And my comments are hysterical. I get it. I get it," Knuckles added calmly in amusement with a warm smile and with closed eyes as he stopped nuzzling and just rested his cheek against Kathy's as if it's a small pillow.
"Hehehehehehehehehe!" Kathy giggled innocently at that while allowing Knuckles to rest against her left cheek.
"Hmph..." Knuckles grunted quietly in amusement with a huge smile on his face as he slowly opened his eyes and stared down at the snowy area below. While he kept staring downwards, he continued calmly in fondness, "...You know...it's fun to tease you too, Kathy. Somehow...it's enjoyable, and I don't know why that is...".
"..." Kathy was silent as she opened her eyes and looked at Knuckles while smiling warmly at him.
"...Maybe it's because...you always make me laugh...And that...gives me a reason to tease you more. The more I tease you, the happier I get due to how much I'm laughing at you out of jest. I...I rarely get to do that with the others. I rarely laugh whenever I have fun with the others. I guess...that's why...I like teasing you, Kathy. It's much easier for me to laugh freely in front of you than with the others. So much easier..." Knuckles continued calmly yet softly in adoration with a fond smile and with half-lidded eyes while squeezing Kathy gently in affection.
"..." Kathy was still silent as she listened to Knuckles with a warm smile on her face. She gently squeezed Knuckles' hands in response to him squeezing her.
"...Kathy...I think that you're going to be the only person that I enjoy getting teased by...Mostly because...I have fun while being with you..." Knuckles finished calmly yet softly in fondness with a warm smile and with closed eyes while snuggling Kathy a little.
"..." Kathy continued to be silent yet relaxed as she smiled contently at Knuckles while holding onto his hands dearly. Then with twinkling eyes and with a warm smile, she whispered softly in fondness, "...I have fun while being with you too, Knuckles...I really do...".
Knuckles smiled even wider in happiness and held Kathy even tighter in response while his heart fluttered with joy. Just hearing that Kathy enjoys being with him just as much as he is with her makes him feel ecstatic. The amount of joy that he feels in his heart right now is enormous, and he just knows that it'll only get bigger as time goes on.
Knuckles soon opened his eyes again and stared straight ahead of himself while smiling determinedly as he replied calmly in amusement, "Well, I'm glad that you feel that way, Kathy. Because we're going to have a lot more fun the further we explore the entire world together...".
He then looked at Kathy and smirked playfully at her as he asked calmly in amusement, "...Are you ready to explore the world with me, Kathy?".
Kathy looked at Knuckles and beamed at him while nodding her head as she answered brightly in excitement, "Uh huh! I can't wait to see another place in this wonderful world! Let's go to a new place right now!".
"Hmph. I can see that your enthusiasm is as strong as ever, Kathy. Anyways, let's finally make headway to our new destination. If you turn right, you'll fly in the southern direction. Keep flying south until I say, 'turn left'. By that time, we'll reach our new destination. Got it?" Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a playful smirk and with a nod as he stared at Kathy.
"Got it! New destination here we come!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in amusement with a cheerful smile and with a nod as she quickly turned right and flew in the southern direction. She flew much faster than before as she was excited to go to a new place. Knuckles was just calm as he held very tightly onto Kathy as she flew faster. After a few minutes of flying, Kathy and Knuckles soon left Holoska and were now flying above the ocean. Kathy was looking rather curious as to where the new destination is located. Just like before, she looked left and right to see any sights of nearby landmasses.
She was soon startled when Knuckles spoke aloud, "Okay, Kathy. Turn left".
"Oh! Yeah, that's right! I forgot! Turning left right now!" Kathy exclaimed in surprise then in determination as she quickly turned left and flew in the southeastern direction.
"Heh...It seemed as if I had caught you by surprise. Were you thinking of something?" Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a huge smile as he looked at Kathy again.
"Oh...Umm...Well...I was just wondering where this new location is at. You said that we're going someplace warm while we're leaving Holoska. So, I was looking for a tropical island for a while since it is a warm location. Are we going to an island, Knuckles?" Kathy replied calmly in slight confusion with a little frown on her curious face as she looked left and right again before looking at Knuckles.
"Technically speaking, it's a group of islands, but yes, we're heading to the tropics for our next destination," Knuckles answered calmly in amusement with a huge smile and with a nod while staring at Kathy.
"...! Really?! We're going to a tropical island?!" Kathy exclaimed excitedly in amusement with a gasp and with a huge smile as she stared at Knuckles with twinkling eyes.
"Heheheh...Got you excited now, did I?" Knuckles asked calmly in playfulness with a chuckle and with a coy grin as he stared at Kathy in amusement.
"Of course, you got me excited! Why didn't you tell me earlier that we're going to a tropical island?! I would've left sooner and flown much faster if that was the case!" Kathy exclaimed brightly yet excitedly in amusement with a huge grin and with twinkling eyes as she nodded quickly to Knuckles.
"Hahahahahahahaha! Well, I wanted to keep it a surprise! That's why I was being a bit vague about it! Hahahahahaha!" Knuckles exclaimed brightly in amusement with a huge grin while laughing a little.
"Well, you've certainly surprised me! But anyways, I'm not going to wait around any longer! It's time to have some fun in the sun! And what better way to do that than the tropics! So, let's goooo!" Kathy exclaimed brightly yet excitedly in amusement with a huge grin as she stared at Knuckles before she looked ahead and flew much faster than ever with the wind being blown behind her.
"Woah! Ahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Easy, Kathy! Easy! Hahahahahahahahahahahaha! We're actually really close to our destination! Really! Hahahahahahahahaha! You'll fly past it if you're not too careful! Hahahahahahahahahahaha!" Knuckles exclaimed in amusement with a huge smile on his surprised face as he laughed a lot while feeling the wind blowing fast through his dreadlocks.
"But I don't want to miss having some fun at the beach! And you shouldn't either, Knuckles! So, I'm going to go fast whether you like it or not!" Kathy exclaimed back excitedly in amusement with a huge smile as she looked back at Knuckles and pointed at him.
"Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah! Okay! Okay! Fine! Geez! Hehehehehehehehehe! You can fly as fast as you want! Hahahahahahahahahahahah! Settle down, Kathy! Seriously! Hehehehehehehehe! Our destination is just ahead of us! Right over there!" Knuckles exclaimed some more in amusement with a huge smile as he laughed a lot while looking at Kathy before at the distant islands and pointed at them.
"Ooooh! I'm so excited!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in excitement as she looked ahead with Knuckles and beamed when she saw several adjacent islands. Knuckles smiled even wider in fondness as he and Kathy had gotten closer to the warm, tropical paradise that was...
"...Adabat...(Sigh)…" Knuckles whispered softly to himself with a fond smile and with a longing sigh as he held Kathy dearly in his arms.
"Ah...This place is beautiful as well..." Kathy muttered softly in awe as she looked stunned on how gorgeous the Adabat islands looked. Some of the islands are reminiscent of the islands in the Sol Dimension while others are more modern-looking with its piers and cities as tourist attractions. Kathy was no doubt impressed with both types of islands due to how beautiful and advanced they look. She felt drawn to the islands since they look so interesting to her. As she was focusing on the islands, she hadn't noticed that Knuckles was talking to her.
"Well, Kathy? Which island do you want to visit first? Over to that one island where it is completely remote? Or at the main island where the city is at? ...Hmm? Kathy?" Knuckles asked calmly yet curiously in amusement and in bewilderment with a gentle smile as he looked at the two islands and pointed at each of them before looking at Kathy in confusion when he noticed that she hadn't said anything yet.
"Hmmmm...They're incredible..." Kathy muttered quietly in awe with a stunned face as she was still admiring the beautiful islands. Knuckles frowned a little in confusion as he stared at Kathy but soon smiled a little in amusement when he can see that she is distracted and curious. Heheheh...She's very cute when she's distracted. That look of curiosity in her eyes is just adorable. Part of me doesn't want to interrupt her so that I can observe her cute, curious face much longer, but I do want to know where she wants to go to first. I guess I'll have to grab her attention again. Knuckles pondered calmly in fondness with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes as he stared at Kathy.
"Kathy..." Knuckles muttered calmly in amusement with a warm smile as he leant a little closer towards Kathy.
"Hmm..." Kathy mused quietly as she kept staring downwards towards the islands. She was then surprised when she felt her chin being lifted and turned towards her left. Knuckles was smiling hugely at Kathy in amusement while gently holding onto her chin with his left hand.
"Kathy...We're you listening, silly girl? I just want to know which island you want to go to first," Knuckles continued calmly in amusement with a huge, warm smile and with playful eyes as he stared directly into Kathy's face.
"Oh! Uhhh...Ummm...I...I don't know which islands you were talking about. I'm sorry, Knuckles. I've gotten distracted again," Kathy replied calmly in awkwardness with a sheepish smile and with upward eyebrows. Knuckles smiled even wider at that and shook his head in amusement.
"It's okay, Kathy. I understand how all of this is new and interesting to you. So, some distractions are bound to happen at some point. But don't worry. I'll show you the islands again," Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a gentle smile and with a nod before he looked at the islands while turning Kathy's chin a little to make her look at the islands with him. He continued calmly in curiosity while moving Kathy's chin to get her to look at the islands, "Do you want to visit the remote island over there? Or do you want to visit the main island that has a city in it? Which island do you prefer?".
Kathy was quiet for a bit as she pondered on which island that she wants to go to first. She was certainly curious about what's in the city of the main island, however, she really wants to visit the remote island due to how much she misses her home island. After a few more seconds of pondering, she soon looked to Knuckles as she had made her decision.
"I...I want to go to the remote island first. Can we visit the main island later? Please?" Kathy answered calmly yet meekly in hope with a little frown on her pleading face as she stared at Knuckles.
Knuckles looked at Kathy and smiled warmly at her as he replied calmly yet gently in reassurance, "Of course, we'll go to the main island, Kathy. Anything that you want, I'll give it to you. You don't need to worry about a thing, okay?".
Kathy beamed at that response and nodded to Knuckles as she replied brightly in excitement, "Okay! Now, let's have some more fun!".
"Hmph...Yes. Let's..." Knuckles replied calmly in fondness with a warm smile and with a nod as he released Kathy's chin and looked ahead of himself instead. Kathy also looked ahead and quickly flew left towards the beautiful, remote island. Fifteen seconds later, they had arrived at the island with Kathy carefully yet gracefully descending towards the beach. She soon touched the white sand with her feet and stretched her arms a bit due to how long she had flown. Knuckles soon got off of Kathy and walked a bit away from her before stretching his arms as well.
"Mmmm...Man, it's so warm here! This place is already ten times better than that snowy place! I like this place already!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in amusement with a huge smile while stretching her arms into the air and while looking around the tropical island.
"Heh. Not surprised to hear you say that. You've used to live on a tropical island after all," Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a coy smirk while having his hands behind head as he stared at Kathy.
Kathy looked back at Knuckles while also having her hands behind her head as she replied cheerfully in amusement with a jovial smile, "You bet I did! And I certainly hadn't had any snowy or chilly days on that island! It's warm all year round! Besides, moths like me don't deal with the cold anyway! Especially not the Queen Herself!".
"Heheheh...So you say," Knuckles replied calmly in amusement with a chuckle and with a huge smile as he dropped his arms after he had finished stretching. Kathy had also finished stretching and had walked a little bit ahead before she stopped and looked at the ground instead.
"...I miss the beach...and I miss being on a tropical island..." Kathy muttered calmly yet quietly in adoration with a little smile on her fond face as she stared down at the sand. She then got on her knees and wiped the sand with both hands as she wanted to feel the soft sand again. Knuckles stared at Kathy with a little smile too before he walked over towards her and knelt beside her with his left hand on his left leg.
He then replied calmly in fondness with a little smile, "I figured that you have missed your home island, Kathy. Homesickness can come up unexpectedly and maybe even quickly the moment you move to a new location. I just thought that bringing you here to this tropical place would remedy that sickness".
"Knuckles...You didn't really have to do it for me...I would've been fine if I hadn't come here..." Kathy replied calmly yet softly in fondness with a warm smile and with twinkling eyes as she stared at Knuckles' warm expression on his face.
"True, you would've, knowing you. But...I think that you would've been much happier if you had come here rather than not at all. I just want you to be the happiest moth that you can be, and I'm willing to give you anything that will make you happy. Understand?" Knuckles replied calmly yet gently in fondness with a warm smile and with twinkling eyes as he stared back at Kathy's warm expression on her face. Kathy beamed with joy after hearing Knuckles say that. Her heart fluttered blissfully as she felt happy that Knuckles cares for her happiness. With such exuberance, Kathy flung her arms around Knuckles' waist and hugged him tightly yet warmly in joy.
"Aww, of course, I understand! Thank you so much, Knuckles! Thank you for bringing me here! I'm certainly going to enjoy being in this place now since you were thinking about me! You're so considerate and kind, Knuckles! I'm so glad to have met a great friend such as you!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in joy with a warm smile and with closed eyes as she hugged Knuckles. Knuckles blushed in response to Kathy's gratitude and praise. He slowly yet shyly hugged her back while looking at her with a stunned yet bashful expression on his face.
"Ahh...Uhh...Ummm...Mmm...(M-Me too)…" Knuckles muttered awkwardly before he mumbled in embarrassment with a little frown while his blush deepened and while he looked away from Kathy in shyness.
"Huh? Did you say something?" Kathy asked calmly in curiosity with a little smile as she looked at Knuckles.
"N-No! Nothing! It was nothing!" Knuckles exclaimed in defense with a nervous, shocked look on his face as he pulled away from Kathy and stared directly at her. Kathy stared back at Knuckles with a curious look on her face. She can see how deep Knuckles' blush was and how nervous he looked as he stared back at her. After blinking a few times, Kathy giggled sweetly at Knuckles' face.
"Hehehehehehehehe! Awwww, look at how much you're blushing! It's covering both sides of your muzzle...like this!" Kathy exclaimed cheerfully in amusement with a giggle and with a jovial smile while drawing across Knuckles' muzzle with one finger for emphasis.
"H-Hey!" Knuckles exclaimed in surprise and in even more embarrassment as he blushed even deeper after feeling Kathy's finger stroke across his face. Kathy soon gently caressed Knuckles' left cheek with one finger after she gave his muzzle one stroke. As she stared gently at Knuckles' face with a little smile on her face, she can see that he kept blushing even further as he felt both nervous and embarrassed at the same time. He wasn't sure on whether he wanted Kathy to stop or not, however, he can certainly say that he likes the gentle feeling very much.
"...K-Kathy...S-Stop..." Knuckles protested weakly in shyness with a sheepish smile and with a deep blush as his arms dropped to his sides. Kathy then held his cheeks with both of her hands and massaged them gently while smiling warmly at him.
"Awww...Does the little doggie want some attention? Yes, he does. Oh, yes, he does," Kathy cooed playfully in amusement with a sweet smile and with twinkling eyes as she continued to massage Knuckles' face. Knuckles can't help but grin a lot in amusement after hearing that. He closed his eyes and blushed some more while enjoying the warm affection that Kathy is giving him right now.
"Awwww...Kathy...Quit it...Heheheheh...That feels good..." Knuckles protested weakly again in amusement with a sheepish grin and with a chuckle while nodding his head a little as he's enjoying the nice massage.
"Teehee...You're so cute when you're like this, Knuckles. You're simply adorable," Kathy replied calmly yet cheerfully in amusement with a light giggle and with a jovial smile as she gently held his cheeks again.
"I am not! Heheheheheheh! Quit saying that! Heheheheheheheh!" Knuckles protested loudly in embarrassment with a huge smile and with a deep-red blush as he chuckled a lot in amusement.
"No way! I will not stop saying it because it's true! You are adorable, Knuckles. You just don't want to admit it because it embarrasses you so much," Kathy replied brightly yet gently in amusement with a warm smile and with sympathetic eyes as she stared at Knuckles.
"Th-That-! That's not it at all! I'm denying it because it's not true!" Knuckles exclaimed in embarrassment as he looked surprised at first then sheepish while smiling shyly at Kathy.
"But I'm positive that it's true! You're just not used to people saying that about you!" Kathy countered brightly in confidence with a sympathetic smile and with caring eyes while nodding a little.
"D-Don't be ridiculous! It's...It's nothing like that...H-Honest...I..." Knuckles exclaimed and muttered awkwardly in shyness with a shocked yet flustered look on his face as his eyes glanced away from Kathy.
"Hehehehehe! Awwww, someone's being shy! Your eyes just glanced away! That's too cute!" Kathy exclaimed brightly in amusement with a cute giggle and with a sweet smile as she slightly tilted her head to the left to look into Knuckles' eyes.
"Wh-What?! N-N-No, th-they d-didn't! Th-Th-They...Uhhh..." Knuckles stuttered nervously in shock as he stared back at Kathy with wide eyes and with a gaped mouth as his blush turned dark red.
"Oooohh...Come here, you! Hehehehehehe!" Kathy cooed cheerfully in fondness with a warm smile and with another giggle as she pulled Knuckles' face towards herself and wrapped her arms around his neck to give him another hug. Knuckles was surprised when he felt Kathy's arms behind his back and head as he was being hugged. As he leant against Kathy's body, he soon wrapped his arms around her to hug her back. Kathy hugged Knuckles gently while also rubbing his back and combing through his dreadlocks in an affectionate way. Knuckles liked the feeling of his back being rubbed as well as his hair being combed. He had a huge smile on his flustered face as he enjoyed these warm, kind actions that Kathy is displaying right now.
…...Geez...No matter how tough I can be or look...I'll always crack whenever Kathy is being affectionate towards me...I...I can't resist...I really can't...Knuckles pondered calmly in fondness with a huge, warm smile and with closed eyes as he hugged Kathy much tighter in response.
"Mmmmm..." Knuckles mused quietly yet contently with a huge smile and with closed eyes as he's enjoying the affection.
"You really like this, don't you, Knuckles?" Kathy asked calmly yet quietly in adoration with a little smile on her fond face as she stared at Knuckles.
"Mmhm..." Knuckles mused in agreement with a nod as he snuggled Kathy a little.
"You're probably not used to this either, huh?" Kathy calmly asked again in fondness while smiling gently at Knuckles.
"Mmm...Mmm..." Knuckles mused again in agreement as he shook his head before leaning it against Kathy's head. He soon opened his eyes and replied calmly in fondness with a huge, warm smile, "I don't usually let people get so close to me and touch me in this way. I usually...keep my distance from them...".
"O-Oh...I see..." Kathy muttered calmly yet softly in understanding with a little frown on her surprised face as she stared curiously at Knuckles.
"...But...you're not like most people, Kathy...I just don't know what it is about you that makes me feel safe and secure whenever I'm around you, but I do know one thing though...And that is...that I trust you completely..." Knuckles continued calmly yet quietly in fondness with a little smile and with half-lidded eyes as he stared down at the ground.
"..." Kathy was speechless as she heard this. She smiled a little at Knuckles as he continued.
"You're probably the first person that I was able to let my guard down and be vulnerable with. Not too many people have managed to do that..." Knuckles continued calmly yet gently in fondness with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes as he hugged Kathy tightly and snuggled her even more.
"..." Kathy was silent but was smiling warmly at Knuckles as she was happy that he was opening up a little again.
"...I've...I've always wondered what it would be like to have someone be close to me and...be affectionate towards me...Even if I had received some sort of affection in the past...it just...it just wasn't right...It didn't feel right...But with you...it feels so natural that I feel like you were meant to be the one who gets to hold me...to cuddle me...to snuggle me...to nuzzle me...to pet me...to stroke me...and...Heheheh...and yes, to even tickle me...Heheheheheh...(Sigh)..." Knuckles continued calmly yet gently in fondness with a warm smile and with playful eyes as he chuckled a little in amusement. After sighing, he pulled away from Kathy and held her arms while staring directly at her with a huge smile on his face. Kathy was smiling just as hugely as she held his arms too. Knuckles' eyelids fluttered a bit before they lowered halfway in a fond way.
He then finished calmly in adoration with a fond look on his face, "...I'm...very happy to have met someone whom I can be close with without having any sort of worry. Having us being close and affectionate towards one another...is the best thing that could ever happen to me".
Kathy smiled even wider in fondness after hearing that and replied calmly yet softly in adoration with twinkling eyes, "...I agree completely, Knuckles. I agree completely".
Knuckles smiled even wider in fondness too after he heard that and just stared calmly at Kathy for a while in silence. Kathy also stared back at Knuckles in silence too. Like many times before, they both got lost in each other's eyes and fond smiles.
…
…
...
"...Knuckles?" Kathy asked calmly yet softly in curiosity with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes.
"Yes?" Knuckles calmly asked back in curiosity with a warm smile and with half-lidded eyes.
"Would you do the honor into leading me throughout this island?" Kathy asked calmly yet curiously in hope with a fond look on her face.
"...Why of course, Kathy. I'd be honored to," Knuckles answered calmly in adoration with a fond look too as he quickly yet gently stroked Kathy's head a little. Kathy beamed at him before she started getting back up to her feet. Knuckles joined her by getting back up too. Once they have both stood up, they both looked ahead of themselves to see the long, vast beach stretched alongside both the jungle and the ocean. They stared at the beach with huge smiles on their faces before they looked at each other.
"Now then...Shall we?" Knuckles asked calmly in fondness with a gentle smile and with twinkling eyes as he stared at Kathy. Kathy simply nodded to him with a bright smile before she clasped his left hand. Knuckles nodded back to her and clasped her hand back gently yet firmly. After doing that, they started their trek along the beach in serene silence.
No matter the climate, there will always be a constant warmth, and that warmth is in the hearts of the two guardians as they stroll across the beach together in peace.
Oh, boy, I've finally finished another chapter, and it's been quite a long time since the last one. I was putting this one off due to school and when I had finished school, I took some time to relax to recharge my motivation and creativity. Although I will say that I was struggling trying to write this chapter, and honestly, the final result wasn't good as I was hoping it would be. I thought that I would be starting and ending the Adabat part in this chapter, but I've only gotten to the bare minimum of starting it. So, this chapter ended up being a fluff chapter more than anything. My bad. It's just one of those chapters. But luckily for you guys the other chapters won't be as bad since we'll get more progress, and eventually, this episode will finally end. It will end! I swear it! It's going to take a couple more chapters to do it, but it will end! I'll make it so! But anyways, I'm glad to be back into writing these chapters again, and I'm glad that you're still sticking around despite the hiatus that I took. Your support is amazing, and I'm thankful that I have chill audience who enjoys this crazy story! Please R&R if you enjoy this and continue reading when the next chapter comes out! Next time will be the proper Adabat chapter, and that means beach time fun! See you all next time!