As your past catches up with you...

Chapter 6

Hello everyone!

Sorry for the BIG wait all of you had to endure! I would say I have an excuse, but I sort of don't to be honest.

I was doing an internship until yesterday. However, I did also make a whole new movie Sonic fic- wrote 3 chapters- and wrote a one-shot of Sonic Prime after that heart-aching cliffhanger at the end of season 2 since last time I updated this fic. So... I sort of neglected this fic and I apologize for that. I remember telling someone in the comments to expect a new chapter by this time period, but I was imagining that being the worst case scenario- not it actually hapenning lol.

But now that my internship is over, expect quicker updates! So that's good, I suppose.

With all of that said, hope y'all enjoy this new chapter!

Knuckles was the first one to wake up in the Wachowski household. The first rays of the sun began to radiate into their attic. His brothers were still soundly asleep.

These last few days had been completely different from what he could ever have expected. Longclaw's apprentice, or rather Sonic's foster mother, hadn't died after all and had "time traveled,", a term he had learned from those movin- the television.

And Knuckles felt conflicted.

In a way, Longclaw is Sonic's mother (Sonic had two mothers now, which was definitely a foreign concept to Knuckles). So, therefore, being Sonic's brother, he should act honorably towards Longclaw and treat her respectfully and kindly. However, at the same time, Knuckles couldn't help but feel he was somewhat betraying his own tribe by treating Longclaw that way. He knows that the way he's treating Longclaw is the right thing to do. (Especially after his parents' explanation), but he still feels conflicted...

And that's not even mentioning the Master Emerald.

Ten months ago, Knuckles, Sonic, and Tails made a pact to protect the Master Emerald in an earthly manner (with a 'fist bump', as Sonic had called it), and eventually Tom and Maddie- his adoptive parents- became part of that pact. And now, Knuckles felt the obligation to extend that pact to Longclaw. Sonic hadn't even asked him about it, and Knuckles knew he probably wouldn't, but he still felt obligated because Longclaw is Sonic's foster mother. She is also considered part of their tribe (Knuckles didn't consider her part of it, but his family certainly did). And she was the one who had secured Master Emerald, after all.

'But the owls stole it from your ancestors', a part of Knuckles thought.

Knuckles got up from bed and stretched himself silently.

Maybe it didn't matter that Longclaw's ancestors stole the Emerald. After all, his ancestors did contribute to the owl's eventual extinction, and while he is very proud of his heritage, that's something that he's starting to not endorse (with the influence of his new adoptive family). And, besides, at least that he was aware of, Longclaw never killed or tried to kill anyone. His ancestors did.

As an attempt to think about something else, he got out of the attic and walked down the stairs to get to the kitchen (so he could have some grapes to eat). As he was heading to the kitchen, he noticed Longclaw sitting on the couch. It seemed like she had just woken up as well.