Chaos Bond

A New Story Begins

Finishing his juice, Knuckles took up the Mobius Monthly and disinterestedly cast his gaze over various articles about current events and only briefly took interest in anything that looked as though it might involve him. There was always a small section on page 7 called 'Angel Island Tracker' where readers could keep up to date with where some people believed the floating isle was located at various times of the year. This month, according to eye witnesses and atmospheric scientists, Angel Island was passing by the West Coast of Metropolis before it was most likely to return to the coast off the Mystic Ruins. 

They were correct.

The magazine then buckled as a weight descended upon him from above and suddenly there in Knuckles' lap was a small, pudgy little puggle which looked up at him in delight. Ruby-Lei was 3 years old now and had all the charm and personality to go with it. With her rich red fur and her dainty white cresent on her chest, she was the spitting image of her father in every way except for her white-tipped locks and her mother's teal coloured eyes.

To find her appearing in his lap and crushing the magazine took Knuckles by surprise and he looked up at his wife who had deposited her on him.

"Here you go," Rouge smiled. She had her coat on and a bag was slung over her elbow as she stepped over to the nearest mirror to check her hair and makeup.

"Pardon?"

"I'm working today, remember?" Rouge said, brushing her shoulders.

Knuckles felt alarm bells ringing in his head. "You finished your Work Leave?"

"Time flies when you're having fun, hey sweetie?" Rouge smiled. "Anyway, there's your kid. Don't let her walk off the edge of Angel Island will you? I'll see you when I get back." She briefly dug through her bag to make sure she'd remembered to pick up her essentials.

"But," Knuckles protested as Ruby, dressed in nothing but pull-ups, began to slide down her father's legs, "I thought we were going to think about Day Care? Or a sitter? What if the Master Emerald needs me? I've not actually looked after her by myself since she learnt to climb."

Boy, had that been a nightmare: walking in to find Ruby halfway up her nursery wall.

"Neither have I. You be sure to tell me what it's like, won't you? You can pretend I'm still in the house. You're good at that aren't you?" Rouge stood by Knuckles' armchair and grinned at his large purple eyes. "Heh heh. You're such a cutie."

"And if there's an emergency?"

"Then you're lucky you have so many friends that can come and help you out." Rouge checked her watch and then the clock on the wall for good measure. "Look, I'm going to be late if I don't leave now. If you're really in a stew, drop her off with Shade or something. She's an echidna."

Knuckles glanced sadly at his daughter as she climbed back up his legs to slide down again. "Shade's on vacation and she wouldn't want Ruby anyway."

"Fine!" Rouge sighed, beginning to get annoyed. "Pawn her off on Tails or Amy and stop keeping me from going to work. I'll bring food home. See ya!" She blew a kiss to the puggle. "Be good for daddy."

"Bye Ma!" Ruby called, waving a fist. "Bye Ma! Buh bye!"

Knuckles stood at the window of their house under the shrine with Ruby in his arms, watching as Rouge took to the skies outside and flew out of sight beyond the trees. 

Ruby waved until she couldn't see her mother and then, after a twinge of sadness, turned to her father expectantly, as though he had some magical cure for this mild seperation anxiety.

"So it's just you and me, pug," Knuckles grunted, sitting back down in his chair and plopping the little echidna on his legs. "Think we'll survive?"

Ruby considerd the question for a second and nodded dramatically. "Ya."