Forgotten Soul: Espio the Chameleon

Part 2: Protection

I was protecting the Master Emerald as always, it was a nice and peaceful job, but it was also... lonely, though I'd never admit that to So- any of my friends.

Some friends would visit sometimes, but they always were going on about the problems down below Angel Island, they never really asked me about myself, only ever asked for my help to defeat a problem, always made me feel like they were taking advantage of me, of my strength.

But yesterday, a random robot came to the island and attacked me, I was really banged up after wards too, so that doesn't help me protect the Master Emerald if I'm hurt, I had no idea where it even came from, I was just doing some treasure hunting, when it just jumped me, it deflected most of my attacks, and it was fast, but I'd managed to drive it off my island, it couldn't fly surprisingly enough.

Of course I didn't tell any of my friends, after all, they wouldn't much care if I lived or died at this point, er at least that's what I kept telling myself due to how they treat me. I'm only useful when it comes to taking down Dr. Eggman, but that's what my brain keeps telling me.

But least Sonic might come by soon, he usually comes at least once a week to talk to me, I didn't want him worried, I already took care of the wounds, dressed them and all, it just hurts to function in general because of how sore I am.

Sonic Point of View

I was visting Knuckles today, the chaos emeralds acted up yesterday for some odd reason, so I was going to see if the Master Emerald was doing ok, plus I hadn't seen him all week, wanted to see the Knucklehead anyway.

When I got there, I was devastated, Knuckles looked completely messed up, he was covered in bandages and looked like he'd pass out at any moment.

"Knuckles! What happened to you!" I asked, running up to him, taking his shoulders, ignoring the ques that he wanted me to back off.

"S-Sonic, I'm fine, got attacked by a robot, i-it's not a big deal," Knuckles explained. I took a few steps back from him, he needed to prove it, he needed to prove that it wasn't a big deal, he was already shaking just by standing, and I could see that was a struggle in of itself.

"Walk to me then, I mean, if it really isn't a big deal," I said to him, Knuckles hesitated, but he complied, taking one shaking step forward, then another, it was getting harder, his steps were shorter, he still needed about five more steps, but then his leg stuttered and he tripped.

"Knux!" I caught him, bringing to a sitting position, the Echidna coughed as he shivered.

"I'm- I'm fine I-I need to protect the M-Master Emerald," he said, pulling away weakly.

"Knuckles, you can't protect it right now, you're hurt... badly," I said, pulling him back a bit, he was not getting out of this, no matter his efforts, "And you know, I can't lose my favorite Knucklehead."

Knuckles glared at me menacingly, a growl escaping his throat.

"Why!? Why care now, you didn't ever before, I'm only a tool for you to use when you need it, you just want to help so you can use me when you actually need me, you just think of me as an after thought, you waste your time here, you never actually want to be here, because you don't care about me!" Knuckles snapped, I could tell he was trying to hold back the tears trying to fall, and I couldn't believe Knuckles' words, I was speechless, how long had been thinking such awful thoughts?

"Knuckles, I come here every week don't I, because I know it must be lonely up here by yourself. I don't always come with an Eggman problem." I thought nothing of my words, I didn't search for real truth in them, it must be why my heart aches so much.

"You always come to me with a problem though, last week, you needed to hide from Amy, then two weeks ago it was Eggman, then before, you needed to hide because the week before that you pranked Shadow and Silver and when they discovered you tricked them that night at the party so they could admit their feelings, you needed to hide from them so they wouldn't trap you in a room with Amy," Knuckles stated with a growl, turing away from me.

Alright he got me there, I had been coming to him with only problems, I just made him a part of something he never asked to be in.

"You always use me to avoid your problems! You never ask about me! Never 'Oh hey Knux, how are you, have anything personal to talk about, like I don't know, maybe the fact that I'm the only one that visits even though every time I do, it's because I need you to protect me from a crazy girl that clearly is in love with me, or those two hedgehogs that deserve to beat me for making them fall in love' I don't know Sonic, you want to ask, no, because you're a cocky, selfish, never thinking about others, lunatic!" Knuckles said, the tears finally falling, his face was turned away, but it felt like he just impaled me with his glare and words.

I was still silent as I thought about my actions these past few weeks, I had been using him to get away from my problems, I really have, but Knuckles wasn't done yet as he threw his hands up in frustration.

"Great, now you think I'm weak because I actually cri-"

"No..." Sonic interrupted Knuckles, Knuckles should've never felt this way, "No! You shouldn't feel that way, not you, after everything that you've been through, I shouldn't have fed into that loneliness that you'd been feeling... I ignored any problems you might be having, I ignored you're feelings, and sorry doesn't even begin to express how bad I feel," I said, Knuckles scoffed as he folded his arms and looked away.

"I can't forgive you... but I can give you another chance to fix it," Knuckles mumbled, I smiled as I got to my feet, stretching, grabbing Knuckles' hand and pulling him up as well.

"I'll take that chance, now, let's change those bandages."