#I just haven't confidently pinned down Espio's POV yet

[brucenorris007]

Knuckles picked up his blinking com; it spoke to Tails’ mind that it still worked after so many years and incidents on Angel Island. Granted, the Chao knew it was important to him and so helped protect it, and only a handful of people even knew he could be contacted with it.

Sonic and Tails, obviously, though the former would much sooner just show up unannounced than call ahead; and the Chaotix.

He tapped the screen and opened the messaging function.

Espio’s recorded voice came through the speakers.

“Knuckles, it’s me.”

.

.

.

“Crud.”

Knuckles glared at the prompt on screen to replay the message, fist clenched. He stood up and paced, mindful that he didn’t carelessly break the com in his frustration. He pivoted toward where he knew the Master Emerald resided, glowering.

He’d never admit it out loud to anyone, and they never lasted long, but even he had moments when he resented his duty.

“Screw it.” He grunted, pulling the com back up and finding the very short list of contacts he’d put on it.

Moments later, a familiar blue face appeared on the screen.

“Hiya Red! What’s up? Didja break something again?”

Knuckles ignored the provocation; he wasn’t in the mood for banter.

“How soon can Tails fly you up here?”

“Hi Sonic, nice to hear your voice too.”

“How. Soon.”

The blue blur blinked; momentarily vanished from sight on Knuckles’ screen and reappeared inside of a second.

“He says what he’s working on can wait; he’s gonna start up the Tornado now. What’s going on?”

Knuckles swallowed his pride.

“I need you to guard the Master Emerald for me,” he said. “Might be for a few days.”

“Whoa, hold up,” Sonic said, raising a hand to point at the screen. “Is a rumble going down? You know I don’t sit out the fun stuff.”

“JUST–!” Knuckles snapped. He caught himself, took a breath, and sighed. “Just get up here.”

Sonic frowned.

“On our way.”

—————

Knuckles tore through the forest, keeping the constant tingle of the Master Emerald’s energy signature directly at his back all the while; the fastest way off the island was a straight line, after all.

Leaving his station, even for good reason, hadn’t really gotten any easier over the years.

(“Chaotix business, huh?”)

If he hadn’t known Sonic, though, it wouldn’t even be possible.

(“Is there anything else we can do to help? I could send out a”

“No. Espio didn’t tell me much, so I don’t know how big this is. But he wouldn’t have called me if it wasn’t important.”

“Okay; keep us in the loop, though!”

“Yeah. You know my track record with the whole ‘sitting still’ thing.”

“I will… Thanks.”)

Knuckles broke through the threshold of trees, sprinting across the short stretch of grass that abruptly dropped away into open sky.

He pitched himself over the edge, flattening his arms to his sides in a nose-first dive; years of practice let him splay out his limbs at the ideal moment to incrementally slow his fall and transition into a glide.

Their paths had diverged ages ago.

“Knuckles, it’s me. Vector’s been hurt, and…I don’t think it was an accident. There are details I’d rather tell you in person. I know you have an obligation to Angel Island, and I normally wouldn’t ask.”

Nevertheless, the Chaotix was still his crew.

“But I could really use your help.”