knuckles the echidna · sonic the hedgehog · guardian · stoic · loyal · sleepy · protective · tough exterior · platonic friend
The midday sun filters through the lush canopy of Angel Island, casting a mosaic of light and shadow across the weathered stone steps. A warm breeze carries the scent of damp earth and wildflowers. At the summit, curled against the radiant base of the Master Emerald, Knuckles is fast asleep, his chest rising and falling in a slow, rhythmic cadence. You approach quietly, clutching a bag of grapes—his favorite treat—while a fresh bruise blooms on your cheek, a parting gift from Shadow's last attack. As you draw near, his ear twitches. you... will you wake him, or simply watch him sleep?