The Emerald Protector (Knuckles x Gender Neutral reader)

Chapter 11

Ok so from the last chapter I didn't realize until @Tired0785 ,thank you for the idea btw, said something about how I made Y/n sacrifice themselves kinda like Longclaw so I made art of it.

You know the drill. Not stealing or reposting.

Idk how to draw Longclaw that well but I did my best. Anyway onto the story!!

Sonic's POV:

I watch as the ring portal starts to close, with Y/n still on the other side. I watch as they smile at me and mouth something.

I feel panic surge through me.

"No! Y/n!!" I run towards them but I wasn't fast enough and I skid to stop and stare at where the portal once was.

'No. No. No. No....This can't be happening again!!'

"Sonic!! Are you ok?!" I hear Tom shout as he and Maddie rushes over to me.

"You got some explaining to do!! Because you're about to be in trouble young man!" Tom lectured

Maddie grabs Tom to calm him down but she too wants to know why Sonic is here.

"Tom! Robotnik is back!! And he has the echidna named Knuckles helping him!! They've been chasing us around! And Y/n they're stuck with them-" I was cutoff

"Wait Y/n?! They can't possibly be with him they've been gone for years...." Maddie said with wide eyes

"They're alive!! They are the last missing emerald piece and if Robotnik has them then he will become an all powerful being!! Wait. Tails!!" I shout remembering Tails

I run over to him and pick him up gently.

"Oh lord there's two of them now..." Rachel says

"Tails! Buddy!! You need to wake up!!" I say trying to wake him up only to end in failure

I feel a sudden shock through my body and I pass out...

Back to You:

I stare up at Robotnik as he floats down

"Oh so you decided to join us hmmmm?"

I glare at him, "I know you would have stopped at nothing just to get to me Mr.Clean ripoff. I would rather turn myself in then allow people I care for to be hurt."

He just rolls his eyes in disgust, "ugh and that's why friends are for losers. You have to many weaknesses when you have someone. But with no one your practically unstoppable, nothing to hold you back!!" He declared

I just ignore him and glare at the ground but a sudden question popped into my head.

"How did you know I had the missing piece?"

He smirks,"Let's just say a certain red echidna helped me figure it out."

"Why am I not surprised...." I say as I glared over to Knuckles who flinches under my strong gaze

"Now let's go! Oh but before we do...no more power using! We can't be letting you cheat and escape now can we?~" Robotnik laughs

I groan and closed my eyes. The same sensation from earlier happened again and when I opened my eyes the wings I once had were now gone.

"There. I did what you wanted...." I grumbled

"Goodie!! Now let's go find the master emerald!" He said as he took out the compass and started following it.

Knuckles and I were sitting in the back which was very uncomfortable since he had to sit very close together. Knuckles stares at me and I would turn my head to see what he was doing,he would then turn the opposite direction. I sighed.

"What is it." I demanded

Knuckles looks at me a bit guilty. "I only want to apologize for what I've done to cause you distress. I honestly still feel terrible about your house blowing up...."

I looked at him for a second before closing my eyes. "I won't say it's fine. But I guess I can forgive you...but never forget it...Besides I've been wondering...How did you get to my house so fast? It happened close to where you left?"

"As I left the forest Robotnik said he found some powerful energy levels, and me thinking it was the missing emerald piece, we followed it. We came across your house to which raged fueled me to think you have lied...but after seeing you face filled with distraught...I guess I felt guilty." He explained

I hum as I look up and stare at the sky. Knuckles looks at Y/n and watches as the sunlight shines on their s/c features.

He felt his heart thumping and his face get a little bit hotter. Realizing that he shakes his face to try and stop this weird feeling in his chest.

Y/n also felt this weird buzz in their chest but they thought it was just because their nervous about this whole ordeal.

"So...Why did you look upset earlier? Back on the mountain the hedgehog said something about how 'We all lost something' ?" Knuckles asked out the blue

I sighed and hugged myself. "I can empathize with you Knuckles...I too lost everything that I loved...My parents were killed on a plane ride to their research center...and instead of taking comfort from my Uncle and Aunt...I ran away...I ran because I believed that if I had no one to care for then I wouldn't feel that pain again...but I was wrong. And I see that now..."

Knuckles looks at me empathetically and before he could say something Robotnik interrupted. Almost forgot he was there....

"Is talking all you do!! Boohoo!! Your parents are dead!! Get over it!" He shouts

I glare bud wanting to rip his ugly mustache off but restrained myself. Knuckles also glared at his rude words but doesn't say anything.

We continued moving in the eggmobile with complete silence. Eventually and surprisingly we got to where we needed to be. With the help of the compass coordinates, Robotnik threw a ring portal to where we needed to be after finding a good clearing.

A view of a island came into sight. I would have enjoyed the scenery if wasn't for the pounding in my eardrums.

We got off the eggmobile and started walking. Knuckles noticed how nervous Y/n was becoming. And he gentle grabbed their hand, without breaking it to. Y/n stares at him confused and flustered but grips his gloved hand anyway feeling a little bit better.

"Don't worry Y/n. This all for your own good. We're just trying to help you and protect you from the power hungry hedgehog." Knuckles said

Even though I know that isn't true. I still appreciate the gesture of him trying to help comfort me.

Robotnik put the compass on the ground and a sudden huge green light shines up into the sky. I gasp in surprise and then shock as the ground started to open up from the water. And a temple comes into view.

I stare at it in awe before I felt Knuckles gently pull me forward to which I hesitated to move.

'I can do this. I can do this...' I breathe in and walked forward along with Knuckles into the temple.