Today was the last day. The dusty yellow fox trembled in a mixture of fear and anticipation as he hugged the bundle close to his chest. Two tails lashed in agitation, as he started up towards the workshop.

He hadn't really explained to anyone why he had taken off; Sonic checked in at least once every two days to make sure he was all right, and he always assured the hedgehog he was fine. Apparently, his bright blue brother hadn't noticed a pattern in each of the locations.

In every place, there was a thunderstorm.

Blue eyes closed half-sleepily before he was awakened with a stumble. The shot of adrenaline effectively woke him up. The fox slapped his cheeks in an effort to keep awake.

C'mon Tails, this has gone on long enough. You're twelve years old, you've faced countless danger along with Sonic, you've fought all sorts of battles- so why am I still afraid of thunder?

Above, clouds swelled angrily, every sign of whipping up to be a real storm. Lightning lanced across the sky, skipping from cloud to cloud, not yet touching the ground. In that brief moment Tails could see it; his final destination before the mighty storm he had been following blew itself out.

Angel Island; the floating isle of Legends.

It was time for his final battle. Up on the island itself he would be much closer to the lightning and thunder. The only real problem was… "I have to convince Knuckles to let me stay the night."

The fox sighed; he could already tell this was going to be the biggest problem of them all.

Landing the plane in cross winds while exhausted probably wasn't the best idea. He'd nearly lost control of the plane twice, he had nearly crashed into the mountain, and he really had managed to flip it.

Tails watched the land rushing up to greet him, every muscle locked in fear.

Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot! Should've just stayed at the workshop! Now the plane is-

A low groan echoed in the air, as metal shrieked in protest. The winds continued to howl for a moment, as all else sound was blocked out by the pounding of blood through his ears. Slowly, sound returned, the roaring of a familiar gruff voice rising above the storm. "TAILS YOU MISERABLE LITTLE BALL OF FUR, SO HELP ME IF YOU DON'T ANSWER I WILL-"

"K-Knuckles?" He's shivering. It only just barely registered now. Wind lashed against his body, the water seeping into his fur, dragging him down. Slowly and carefully he peeked over the edge.

The red echidna was soaked to the bone, dreadlocks swirling in the wind, one large glove keeping the plane pinned to the ground. Wind rattled the frame of the plane at that moment, as thunder boomed. Tails jumped in fright, blue eyes widening in terror.

He couldn't see Knuckles through the storm, but he had no doubt that the echidna was scowling at him. "I-I can explain!" He squeaked.

"Just hurry up and tie down the plane." Knuckles snapped back. "I have to get back to the Emerald."

"B-But-"

"Just do it already!" Knuckles roared, and Tails instantly snapped into gear. I don't know why, but he's letting me stay the night! Right? Or is he making me stay here until he gets Sonic up here? Speaking of which… is there any way for Knuckles to communicate with the world below?

The red furred being had never really called below, but the Chaotix team knew how to get in contact with him- usually. No, wait, usually Knuckles called on them to keep an eye on the Master Emerald while he helped out him and Sonic…

"TAILS! ARE YOU ALRIGHT UP THERE?" The gruff voice rose above the winds, and Tails waved a hand in response. He hadn't realized how cold he actually was. It was a cold that dragged at every movement, and his fingers scrambled for the rope.

After a few yanks and tugs, it pulled free, as Tails clambered out of the cockpit, clinging to the plane for dear life. Knuckles was still keeping the plane in place, which Tails was grateful for as he forced cold, numb hands to work.

Fingers normally nimble were slow as he threaded the rope into a quick latticework around the plane itself, supported by the trees. Unless every tree uprooted, the place wouldn't fly off without a driver.

Tails smiled as he approached Knuckles, "Thank you Knuckles!"

Knuckles grunted as he let go of the plane. "This way."

He moved in the direction of the shrine to the Master Emerald. Tails glanced back at his plane, with the tent in the back- "Leave it. You can get it after the storm blows over."

Tails instantly followed after him, obeying the authoritative tone without a second thought. The echidna didn't even seem to notice the storm, moving through as confidentially through it as if it was bright sunlight.

Tails shivered miserably, his nickname sake wrapping around his torso as he hunched against the bitter wind.

I think I made a mistake coming here. I didn't want to burden anyone with my EEEEEPPPPP!

Tails jumped nearly a foot in terror as thunder boomed perilously close. He shot a quick glance at Knuckles, but to his relief, the echidna hadn't noticed. Teeth chattered as he forced out, "K-K-Kn-Knuckles w-w-where-"

"My cave where I sleep sometimes." Knuckles replied in response, pointing to some indistinct shape. "It's close enough, and there should be enough dry wood to stoke up the fire to dry you off."

"M-Me?"

"I have to get back to the emerald to make sure it doesn't get blown away and the island doesn't crash into the ocean."

Tails gulped. Right. There was that.

The cave quickly appeared through the driving rain, a dark, welcome hole. The two creatures picked up their pace as they spotted it, and together they stepped out of the rain.

Tails sighed in relief as he began to wring out his tails, the cold water seeping and bubbling through numb fingers, his completely soaked glove offering little protection. "T-T-Thanks f-f-for tha-that Kn-Knuckles." Tails stammered out, as the echidna slowly coaxed the fire to life.

Violet eyes slid to him, a quiet grunt his only response. It didn't bug Tails as much as he knew it bugged Sonic. Sonic never understood the value of silence, and Tails could understand a little about where Knuckles came from; the echidna had been completely alone for most of his life. Even now he rarely talked when he could get away with it.

How does Knuckles know how to talk anyways? The perplexing question was set aside for another time as fire flared brilliantly for a moment.

"Whatever wrong going down at the surface is going to have to wait. Get some sleep-"

"Oh, there's nothing wrong Knuckles!" Tails hastily moved to reassure his companion. The echidna blinked at him, his confusion clearly written in his eyes.

"Then why are you here? Is something else wrong?"

Tails stared blankly back at Knuckles, trying to think of something that he could appease the echidna with. "Erm… nothing? There's nothing wrong down on Mobius. I came up here on my own. I don't think even Sonic knows that I'm up here."

It was a little sad if he actually thought about it; that they only visited Knuckles when the world was in peril. Still, it was hard to get up to Angel Island, and Knuckles didn't make it any easier.

"So you came up here why?" Arms crossed, as Knuckles shifted his position: at the very least he wasn't accusing Tails outright of coming up here to steal the Master Emerald.

"Well… you see I-" Tails jumped in fright as thunder boomed, tails twirling in panic. The breeze nearly put the fire out. Knuckles stepped in at the last moment, keeping the breeze off the fire.

For a long moment the two stared at each other. "I'm uhh, trying to get over that." Tails admitted abashedly, ears drooping as he looked down at the ground.

"So you came here?"

"No, I've been chasing storms all across Mobius. This is the last stop before the thunderstorms are too stop for the season."

Soon it was to be bitterly cold, and it would be snowstorms instead. "I see." Knuckles' voice was flat, and devoid of emotion.

"I was going to ask if I could just set up camp in the forest or something, but the tent is back with the plane, but I can go get it if you want-"

"Don't bother. Might as well stay here." Thunder boomed again, and this time Tails controlled himself to a flinch. Knuckles continued as if nothing had happened, "Most of the ground will be mud for miles, nowhere good to pitch a tent."

"But I-I want to do this." Tails whispered.

Knuckles snorted, "There is no sense of victory when you're exhausted as you accomplish your goal. Besides, being in this cave amplifies the boom. If you can override it anywhere, it will be here."

Tails glanced around the cave. In the back he could see food piled up in what was probably hand-woven baskets. There wasn't a bed, or anything resembling one; there wasn't even a blanket.

Years of isolation had taught Knuckles how to either make something himself or do without.

I will buy the best, strongest, most weather resistant blanket for Knuckles when this is over. Tails promised himself. Just because it was hard to get anything up to Angel Island didn't mean he couldn't upgrade his friends life in tiny increments slowly. Knuckles would take it better slowly anyways.

The echidna turned around, about ready to forge out into the wild weather beyond, "Feel free to help yourself to anything inside. I can replace it easily."

Tails nodded, "Erm, Knuckles?"

"What?" His voice was sharp and slightly impatient.

"Thank you. Really. For not…"

"Your battles are your own. I'm not going to interfere." Knuckles stepped out into the rain, dreadlocks swirling in the wind. The echidna slowly trudged his way towards the shrine, and Tails realized with a start that he could see the Master Emerald from here.

It's not really that much of a surprise, is it? Knuckles world ends and begins with the Master Emerald.

Thunder boomed again, making the small fox shiver in fright.

Quietly he crept towards the fire, curling up on the hard floor, listening to the rainfall outside.

The rain had a soothing quality to it, each little drop a unique sound swelling into a gentle symphony. The fox sighed, muscles slowly unwinding. Ears drooped and blue eyes slipped close. The fire crackled and water slowly evaporated, leaving him feeling dry.

The state of utter relaxation edged him slowly, ever so slowly towards sleep.

He was abruptly awoken when thunder boomed loudly, the cave bouncing the sound for a moment. Both tails stood straight up in the air, bristling and fluffy from fright. He shot to his feet, pacing around the fire once.

He wasn't completely dry, but there wasn't any measure for how long he had been asleep. The storm still raged, and lightning streaked across the sky. Tails watched it, counting down the seconds. One-one thousand, two-one thou-

BOOM!

Tails flinched, and grabbed his own tail, curling up into a dejected little ball.

Unlike every other time, Sonic wasn't just a phone call away. He couldn't just pick up a phone and know that his blue, speedy brother would be there in a moment. That invisible reassurance had been a crutch he hadn't even known he had been leaning on until now. It was only him and Knuckles- and Knuckles…

Tails eyes traveled down towards the shrine.

The echidna was standing in the pouring rain and bitter elements like they weren't there. Red dreadlocks spun and snapped in the air, billowing out behind him like a cape, every line in his body watchful.

Guardian.

It wasn't a word that Tails normally associated with Knuckles.

Fighter. Brawn. Gullible. Tough.

Those words seemed much more like Knuckles.

"Guardian."

Tails squinted down to where Knuckles stood.

The echidna could have been carved from rock, if it weren't for his dreadlocks and spines rattling in the wind. His back was to the cave, as he stood on the lee-ward side of the emerald, one hand steadying it so it didn't fly off.

Knuckles wasn't Sonic. The two couldn't be compared except for their love of fighting, and even then their ideas of fights were wildly different from the other. Still- Knuckles was dependable. He would keep Tails safe.

The knowledge eased him, just a little.

It couldn't totally erase the fear as thunder boomed and rolled across the land, but it kept it at bay, as he watched Knuckles watching Angel Island. He blinked once, and could've sworn he saw two figures standing in the whirling elements, one bright red and one bright blue, creating the illusion of a solid wall, protecting him from anything that might strike.

Tails smiled slightly, feeling his eyes slip close. It was a beautiful dream, one that he fully intended to savor.

The soft pattering of rain falling to the ground, quiet and stately filled the echidna's ears he kept his eyes scanning the horizon. Beside him, a bright blue hedgehog pouted at the sky. "I hate water."

"Then you should've left." It was the first words Knuckles had spoken since Sonic had appeared from out of the middle of the rainstorm.

"So you can talk!" Sonic needled in delight; the storm had erased just about anything either of the two could say, so they had instead stood in silence as the storm raged around them.

Knuckles snorted, shaking himself. Water flew in every direction. Sonic zipped to the other side of the Master Emerald in a half-hearted attempt to keep himself from getting any wetter.

"Leave."

"Wow, that's rather cold of you Knuckles, and here I stood with you through the entire storm!"

"Before Tails wakes up, leave. He's come this far without you, and he doesn't need to know that you're here." Knuckles reiterated, staring off towards the horizon.

It was true enough, the fox had gone to great lengths to keep his excursions a secret from Sonic, and Sonic respected his little brother's determination. A frown crept on Sonic's face. "You gonna be alright if I do?"

"What kind of stupid question is that?"

"I mean it Knuckles! That was a pretty bad storm."

"The Master Emerald will be fine. Now go."

Sonic huffed softly in anger. This whole being serious thing didn't really cut it for him, but still… They only got to see Knuckles intermediately, and even then it was because of some world-threatening danger.

"Okay, okay, I'll leave. To go pack. I'll be back later tomorrow- me 'n' Tails are going to go on a vacation!"

"Oh, where too this time?" The question was brisk and hard, "Whenever you two go on vacation is when disaster strikes."

"That's exactly my point; this time we're going somewhere where no one could possibly follow us because of it's big scary guardian with a temper worse then a thousand fiery suns, a floating island of legends."

Knuckles face-palmed as Sonic ran away. "See ya tomorrow Knuckles!"

Knuckles glanced up wryly to a small cave halfway up a hill side, where he could make out the image of a young two tailed fox curled up at the entrance, peacefully sleeping. He faced forward with what might just be a smile creeping along his face.

Above the clouds broke, sunlight lancing through, and a magnificent rainbow spanned the sky, unnoticed by the sleeping fox, racing hedgehog, and watchful echidna.

a/n: And it is done! Rambly and without direction. Thanks for reading folks, please don't forget to drop a review before you go!