Dew
"Quick, bring the net!", Anne could hear a voice demand in the distance.
"Are you sure about this?" another voice questioned.
"We have to take advantage of Master Fang having him distracted."
"It's going to make no difference. Didn't you see how he left those guards? He'll beat us to a pulp!".
"Surely he's capable of wiping out the whole settlement by himself. We might as well help him...".
"Help him do what? Wipe out the only thing we have left and die in the desert?"
"And what do we have left? We are slaves! Are we really going to help our slaver?".
"I'm not going to die of thirst and starvation roasted by the sun! If you want to do it, go and help that echidna if you want to!".
"I'll come back in a moment," The hare warned the buffalo as she got up and walked to the source of those voices.
"Don't get into any more trouble," Genara merely warned without taking her eyes off Sticks.
Behind the nearby barracks, Anne could see a handful of workers arguing, holding in their hands one of the nets they used to secure the large treasures they brought to the settlement. They were visibly frightened, some trembling, others moving erratically due to anxiety. They tugged the net back and forth, some wanting to move forward, others backward. Beyond them the scuffle was taking place, the echidna Knuckles ravaged with his fists of fire all the soldiers facing him while Fang on his Mecha attacked from a distance. The situation was uncertain.
"What are you guys doing?" asked Anne to the workers as she approached them.
"Anne! good thing you're here! Please help us convince these idiots that we have to stop that echidna," asked the worker in command of those who wanted to stop Knuckles.
"What? No! He came to save us!"
"That 'thing' isn't going to save anyone! If it wipes out the settlement, we're all going to die!"
"Are you so afraid of the desert that you'd rather live as a slave?" one of the workers questioned.
"You don't know anything about the desert!! None of you!!" the worker exploded in anger and panic, trembling, as if his emotions were too much for his own body. "Have you ever had to travel for weeks without seeing anything on the horizon but sand? Have you ever had to decide whether to drink water or soak your sleeping bag so as not to wake up with dry cracked skin? Have you felt the deep disappointment of discovering that the water you saw in the distance was nothing but a mirage? Or have you been so hungry that you were forced to eat the leather of your shoes in order to have something in your stomach? Of course not!! Otherwise, you would be helping me instead of being a hindrance! Get out of the way!".
The worker pulled on the net with all his might, taking with him several of the other workers who fell flat on their faces. Before he could go any further, he was stopped again. Anne was on the other end of the net doing what she could to stop him from advancing.
"Let it go already, girl!".
"Never!"
"Are you really going to despise the kindness Master Fang was to you?".
Anne planted herself on the spot, stepping firmly and tangling the net around one of her arms as she tore off one of the sleeves of her dress, revealing in broad daylight her numerous bruises and scars.
"Is this 'Kindness' to you!?"
For a few scant seconds the worker froze, but after shaking his head he gave one more final tug with which he managed to knock Anne down and get her to let go of the net. The hare crawled on the ground trying to grab it again, but it was too late.
The worker came running towards Knuckles and in one movement threw the net over him. Surprise broke the echidna's concentration, and he was quickly surrounded and immobilized, the soldiers and the worker holding each end of the net on the ground.
"You're finished, Beast!" the worker expressed triumphantly.
Knuckles merely glared at him, not with rage... but with disgust.
[Now you don't feel so strong anymore Huh, red trash?], shouted Fang over the settlement's loudspeakers.
Fang's Mecha walked over to where Knuckles lay trapped and with one hand picked him up. The soldiers had already moved out of the way so as not to get crushed, but the worker was not so lucky. As Knuckles, imprisoned by the machine's hand, was lifted up, the unfortunate worker hung precariously from the net with his ankle entangled.
"Master Fang! Help me, please!" the worker pleaded, slipping from the net.
[What the...? Get out of here, you vermin! You're ruining my moment!], Fang shouted before shaking off the Mecha's hand and sending the worker tumbling into the void.
The height was enough to finish anyone off. The worker descended rapidly, waving his hands and feet as if trying to summon from the air something, anything, that could save him. But nothing came out.
However, on the ground, Anne and a handful of other workers positioned themselves at the exact spot where he was going to fall and were able to cushion the impact. Still in disbelief of what had happened, the worker looked at his surroundings and himself, making sure that he was indeed still alive. He wanted to explode with joy, to thank his rescuers, but they had all turned away from him without so much as a glance. They had left him alone.
[Come on everyone! This is a celebration!" Fang urged from the loudspeakers.
All the workers and soldiers of the settlement were gathering around the Mecha. Even a tired Bark, carrying a sleeping Bean in his arms, showed up. Knuckles was struggling against the hold of the huge machine, but it was no use, he didn't have enough room to act.
[Behold the Great and Evil "Red Beast"! Failed former guardian of the extinct Master Emerald and the shattered Angel Island! One of the stupid friends of the late Sonic The Hedgehog and the last one still alive! See him here! Alone, miserable and pathetic, in the palm of my hand!], the machine's grip was tightening. [See how I squeeze the life out of the Last of the Echidnas].
A heavy silence settled over the settlement, only the sound of the machine squeezing the echidna was audible. Knuckles did not scream, he gritted his teeth and fought with all his might against the pressure, he would not allow Fang the delight of hearing him scream for his life. But he was terrified, he was more afraid than he had ever felt in his entire life. His mind was a jumble of sensations and emotions, rage, fear, sadness, disgust.... But what weighed most heavily on his mind was Hope.
An inner conflict prevailed, the reality of his impending end and the hope that somehow, at some point, everything would turn in his favor. It had happened before, he had seen the end of the world cancelled countless times, why should it be any different this time...? But in those times Sonic was there... Would the hedgehog appear from the dead to save him... again? He felt stupid thinking about it, there was nothing that could save him, he could feel the last ounce of oxygen leaving his lungs... but he still gave himself the luxury of smiling, remembering...
[What the hell are you smiling at-?], Fang was interrupted by a loud metallic sound.
A stone had hit the foot of the machine. A few meters away, Anne was exhausted from the effort it took to throw the large stone. All the other workers watched her with astonishment, the soldiers and guards with pity.
[What on earth do you think you're doing, girl?]
"I... I'm...," the poor hare was having a terrible time catching her breath. "I'm sick and tired of this place, sick and tired of you!! I'm sick of pretending I'm not miserable every day! Sick of waking up every morning with my whole body aching! Sick of being thirsty and hungry all the time! Sick of pretending I'm not dying of disgust every time you dare touch me! I...", Anne swallowed and filled her lungs completely. "I'd rather die in the desert and turn to dust a thousand times than spend one more second with you!".
[So be it!!!], the huge Mecha raised his foot with intentions to crush the hare.
It was hard to tell, whether it was fear or maybe something else, but Anne didn't manage to move. She watched in slow motion as the machine's foot approached her, watched it with intrigue, perhaps with some eagerness. Her declaration was legitimate, whether it was salvation or damnation, as long as she didn't have to wake up in that hell again, far from her brother, she was fine with it.
She only managed to react when she saw the big bear Bark interpose himself between her and the foot of the machine.
[What the hell are you doing, big guy!]
Before Fang could react, a group of Anne's co-workers carrying several nets in hand rushed at the soldiers and captured them. The workers then snatched the Wispon from them and began to attack the machine. The traitorous worker and a couple more comrades went and pulled Anne out from under the foot of the machine, allowing Bark at last to abandon his position. The workers split into groups, while some stormed the storage areas to free the captive Wisp, others attacked the watchtowers and, with the help of the Wispon and their superior numbers, drove out the soldiers huddled inside and took control of the cannons. One of the cannons began to point in the direction of the Mecha and opened fire. Fang was quick enough to stop the cannonball in mid-air, but instantly released Knuckles from his grip.
[When I'm done with you, there won't be anything left-!], The loud sound of laughter caught the weasel's attention. He could notice how the echidna was standing on the robot's arm, dead laughing.
"I'll be frank with you, Fang...!", Knuckles was saying with a chuckle. "You came so close to turning me into echidna mush, I'll give you that! You were so close!", suddenly his jovial expression changed to one of rage. "But that chance went up in smoke - on guard!".
Knuckles' fists burst into flames, bigger than ever. The chains were released and they encircled the robot's arm. Fang tried to swat Knuckles as if he were a fly, but the echidna swung with his chains and leapt onto the Mecha's shoulder. Pulling with all his strength, he pulled the robot's arm farther than his joints would allow and completely dislocated it. Then he jumped and with another swing he circled the dangling arm and, imbuing the chains with even more fire and pulling hard, cut it clean off. Then with a swinging motion he raised the severed fist of the machine and with it struck the cockpit on the head. The next thing the echidna did was to leap onto the torso of the machine, drive its fists into the chassis and climb up until it reached the cockpit. He raised his fists with the intention of smashing it, but the robot's other hand was coming to crush him. Knuckles deflected it with a whipping motion of his chains, drove his fists into the robot's chest and slid to the center of it and waited. The hand restarted its plan to crush him but with a fist. Knuckles did nothing but step aside and let it impact with full force against the center of the torso. Then he caught the hand with his fists of fire and pulled hard so that it hit the same spot a couple more times. Large chunks of metal fell to pieces as the machine's innards were revealed, and with them, a peculiar green glow. Knuckles swung again to wrap his chains around the robot's hand and cut it off. He then jumped back into the machine's chest and began throwing punches at the source of the green glow. It tore off giant chunks of metal and wires, coolant and oil squirted everywhere, showering the crazed echidna as he kept digging. Finally he was able to reach the core of the machine and could see it, a fragment of the Master Emerald.
For a few seconds Knuckles stood spellbound watching the subtle but noticeable glow of the stone. When he rested his hand on it he knew it was very low on energy. Filled with rage, Knuckles tore the shard away, stashing it in his robes. He wasn't finished yet.
He climbed to the top of the machine and wrapped his chains around the cockpit. He pulled with all his might until he could tear out not only the cockpit, but all the wiring that extended into the robot like a backbone, then leapt away from what was left of the robot and, with a twisting motion, slammed the cockpit to the ground, cracking it like an egg.
The remains of the Mecha fell on the large water tank. The liquid was thrown into the air and ended up spilling all over the settlement, flooding it. Some workers went to collect what they could, others danced with their tongues out as they were bathed.
Fang crawled out of the cockpit. He was all bruised and scratched, getting muddy from the water and dirt on the ground. He crawled in the direction of the main building, but then felt something tugging at his tail. Turning around, he found the silhouette of Knuckles, ominous as the sun at his back hid his face in darkness.
"See what you just did! Now we're all going to die of thirst! Was that what you wanted, Knucklehea-!", Fang was interrupted by Knuckles' foot stomping on his mouth.
"I changed my mind. Rats like you don't deserve a quick death...", the echidna noticed the presence of those around him, he looked at the slaves who watched him silently. He could tell how hungry, thirsty, tired and angry they were. "But It's not for me to decide what will happen to you."
Knuckles kicked Fang in the direction of a group of the nearby workers who carried the weasel away, the others began to cheer in celebration.
"That's more like you," knuckles heard Sticks say behind him.
The echidna turned and found his companion awake again, helped to her feet by Genara and Anne. She looked tired still, but smiling, as did the hare and slightly the buffalo as well.
"Softie," the badger joked.
"Maybe a little," conceded the echidna with a smile.
The water that flooded the settlement, that which could not be collected, diluted within the earth. Knuckles had apologized to the free workers for the disaster, the buffalo reassuring him by telling him not to worry.
"The water has returned to its source in the spring beneath our feet. Nature is sure to do It’s duty if left alone. You did well, dwarf."
Fang was left locked in the emptied security vault with the other soldiers. Bark and Bean were allowed to leave as a thank you for the bear's intervention, they were able to leave in the truck they were occupying to fetch the tributes. The rest of the settlement's vehicles, several cargo and work trucks, were taken by the workers to carry the stolen treasures and coordinate the return home for all of them. They plotted distribution routes to various cardinal points. The Wisp who were being held were released and given the option of accompanying the travelers or going on their own, with the vast majority agreeing to accompany the people. Genara and Anne organized a specific truck to take the girls, protected by Knuckles and Sticks. As the sun was setting in the west, the last truck left the site.
The sun of the following morning caught Knuckles in full vigil, sitting on the roof of the truck that was going at full speed, leaving behind it a trail of sand. Climbing one side of the truck was Anne, dressed in clothes more appropriate to withstand the harshness of the desert sun, a tunic with a wide hood. Carefully and on all fours, she crawled up to Knuckles until she sat at his right hand.
"It's not yet time for the changing of the guard, and you're not Sticks," the echidna greeted her.
"Good morning to you too, Mr. Knuckles," the hare replied facetiously.
"Go back to sleep, Anne. You deserve a good night's rest after so much."
"I know, but this is my usual wake-up time... Habits, you know...".
"Hm, sure."
"Also, I just remembered... I haven't thanked you for everything yet."
"There's no need."
"No, yes there is!", Anne proceeded to wrap her arms around the echidna and hug him with all her might. " ThankYouThankYouThankYou THANK YOU, Mr. Knuckles!".
Suddenly a pang of nostalgia shook the echidna, who couldn't help but laugh.
"Oh, first time I've heard you laugh without it being scary."
"Okay, it's just... You just reminded me of someone."
"Your sister, maybe?"
"Didn't I tell you I'm the last echidna?"
"So what?"
"«So what»?"
"Don't you have people you consider family? Like me and Robert?"
"I...," the question caught Knuckles off guard. He had long tried not to think about his friends lest the melancholy consume him and prevent him from continuing his journey. Now the hare had cornered him and he had no choice but to do it. But after a moment's reflection, he found that it was not sadness that was gripping him, but a comforting feeling of warmth in his chest. He smiled, "Yes, of course i have”.
That afternoon at the bar was quiet. Robert the Coyote was behind the bar cleaning the dust from the glasses, with his bandaged arm he held the glass while rubbing it with his healthy hand.
His body still ached from the way the polar bear had slammed him against the bar, breaking it. The place had been a mess after his visit, but the coyote had unexpected help from a couple of travelers who had come looking for someone. In exchange for service and information about the person they were looking for, they promised to help him. In no time at all, they had the place looking as good as new, while also helping him treat the wounds from the night before. Rob did his part and told them that the person they were looking for might be coming to the Bar.... if all went well. He said it with a gloom he couldn't hide, he was too down to afford to be optimistic.
Rob heard the door to the Bar open. He didn't look up from his glass.
"Sorry, no service at the moment."
"Not even for me...?" the visitor replied. At the sound of her voice Robert opened his eyes wide and quickly looked up. When he recognized the visitor the glass he was holding slipped from between his hands and fell shattered on the floor.
"Anne..." the coyote muttered.
The Hare was visibly nervous, hands behind her back and rocking on the tips and heels of her feet. A slight smile struggled to form on her face as the young woman tried to remain calm.
"Hi..."
Before the hare could speak any further, the coyote had already jumped over the bar and ran to hug her. Anne reciprocated the hug with the same effusiveness, a few tears escaping her eyes and sliding down her cheeks until they fell into her smile.
After a few minutes, Robert broke the embrace and took some time to contemplate his sister.
"Are... Are we in winter already?" the coyote managed to say.
"Yes..."
"With this heat..."
"Yes, it's hardly noticeable," said the hare with a chuckle.
"That means... Christmas is coming."
"Eh... I guess...?"
"Heck, and I haven't even gotten you a present yet!"
"Huh?"
"Maybe a new dress would be nice, one to go with...," Robert went on to detail Anne's arms. "Where do these bruises come from...?".
Anne averted her brother's gaze to hers, and with a smile said:
"It doesn't matter anymore," she rested her hand on Coyote's bandaged arm. "The worst is over."
"Indeed, it is over," a deep voice was heard behind the brothers. Through the door of the Bar entered the Echidna Warrior and his companion Badger.
"And we made sure it won't happen again, so you can be calm," the Badger added as she winked.
"I... I really don't know what to say," the coyote stammered. "Really, We’re eternally grateful to You! If you need anything, really anything at all, we-"
"Don't bother, kid," interrupted the echidna. "We've already complied and we can't stay in one place for so long, we must move now," he concluded as he made a pretense of retreating.
"But...", suddenly Robert remembered something. "Wait! Some people are looking for you!"
"Well, tell them we've already left..."
"No, it's just that...!", Robert looked around, as if looking for something, desperate to try to keep Knux and Sticks in the Bar. "... M-Miss Rose!", he shouted in the direction of the kitchen.
Kunckles and Sticks stopped in their tracks.
"Coming~!" a familiar voice was heard in the distance.
Knuckles turned slowly, stunned and incredulous. He could hear his own heart pounding as the footsteps of someone approaching could be heard. The kitchen door opened, a woman emerged from it.
"Your flower is ready! I took care to pamper it as much as possible! I changed the pot, put in more fresh soil and watered it, with my own water, of course, you don't have to worry about running out of goods, hee hee~. Tell me what are you calling me for...?", when the pink hedgehog looked up and met the echidna's gaze, she froze.
The wind whistled as it flowed between the planks of the Bar, only noticeable thanks to the silence that settled over the place. The echidna's mouth was quivering, unable to mediate a word, a welter of emotions engulfed him as he tried to process what was happening and discern if it was a reality or perhaps just an illusion.
Before Knuckles could react, Sticks came rushing out like the wind, leaping over the bar and pouncing on the hedgehog. She held her head firmly as he inspected her closely. Amy was too stunned to understand what was happening.
"The eyes... The quills...," the badger murmured as she went about her examination, pawing and sniffing at everything. "Even the smell is... it's you...", her face went from doubt to amazement and then to the most overwhelming happiness. "It's you! It's you! It's really you!" she exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around the hedgehog.
"Yes, yes it’s me! And you're you too!" replied Amy, her voice on the verge of cracking.
"Knuckles, it really is her! You were right, she's still alive!"
Knuckles approached the girls without a word. Sticks stepped aside so they could both speak. The echidna was hesitant, his hands trembling, he didn't know if the person in front of him was real. Would she vanish into thin air if he touched her? He swallowed saliva and tried to gather all the courage to face what was happening, whether it was real or not.
"I kept my promise..." knuckles said almost in a whisper.
Then he felt the delicate touch of the hedgehog's hand holding his. It was real. The echidna tried to suppress the tears that threatened to come.
"So did I," Amy replied with tears running down her cheeks and a smile from ear to ear.
Knuckles wrapped his arms around the hedgehog and lifted her off the ground as he hugged her tightly, and they both began to laugh.
"By Gaia, how heavy you are! I hope it's muscle and not something else!".
"Oh, shut your mouth you...!", Amy sniffed something on Knuckles that disgusted her. "Ugh! Why do you smell like an auto shop and a wet dog?"
"Oh, it's a long story."
"Then get off me or I'll get the stink!"
"Oh no, of course not, never!", Knuckles hugged the girl even tighter as she playfully tried to wriggle out of his grip. Suddenly Knuckles realized something, "If you're here, then...", knuckles put Amy back on the ground, his face went from bliss to confusion, "Where is he...?".
Amy also looked confused. She looked up inspecting the back of the Bar, as if searching for something... or someone.
"What are you doing there acting all mysterious? Do you think you're Shadow or what?" the bristling girl reproached.
"Oh come on, I was just giving you space and enjoying the lovely scene," replied another familiar voice in the shadows.
Hearing that voice shocked the echidna. He turned away from the girls and quickly approached the tables at the back of the bar. When his eyesight was better able to adjust to the lack of light, he noticed the familiar silhouette.
Leaning back in a chair, feet on the table, hands behind his head, with his typical sardonic half-smile. Older, tired, but just as smug and carefree. The blue hedgehog rose from his seat and dusted himself off.
"Long time no see, Knux," he said in the same way he had always said it. "It's good to see you're still in shape, I was afraid the years had mellowed you-".
Before Sonic could finish his sentence he found himself being hugged by the echidna. He was holding him as if he feared he would disappear if he let go even a little. The situation took the hedgehog by surprise, it was the first time he had seen Knuckles act like this, for a moment he didn't know how to react and froze.
"You don't know...," Knuckles struggled to keep his voice from cracking. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you're okay again, brother..."
Sonic remained silent, still trying to comprehend what was going on. Until he finally reciprocated his friend's embrace and hugged him back even tighter.
"I'm really glad to see you too, big bro...".
Sticks made a surprise appearance next to the two boys and pulled them apart to inspect and sniff the hedgehog meticulously.
"Uh...", that day was a very rare day for the hedgehog. "I-I'm happy to see you too, Sticks. Glad you haven't changed a bit."
"And neither have you, Blue! It's really you too!" the badger exclaimed before hugging the hedgehog.
Behind them Amy came over and joined the group hug with a jump, causing them all to fall to the ground, letting out a big laugh.
"Mr. Knuckles," Anne said behind them, fascinated by the scene. "Are they...?".
"Of course they are!", the echidna replied as he hugged the two hedgehogs. "They are my family!"
**"**Oh, this needs to be commemorated!" said Sticks as she pulled out her camera. "Everyone, you kids too! In compensation for...," the badger ruefully pulled out the photo Robert had handed her, crumpled, torn and water-damaged.
Everyone took position in front of the bar, the two orphaned siblings and the 4 friends finally reunited. The young coyote held the Desert Rose next to his sister, more radiant and full of life than before, and behind them were Knuckles, Amy and Sonic, while Sticks prepared the camera before joining them.
"Alright, now Say Cheese!" the badger exclaimed before activating the shutter and immortalizing the moment.