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"The Unending Journey of the Heart"
By: Jade Lightning, a.k.a. Inuyashas-hanyougirl
Chapter 10: Peace Inside us All

   Early morning came once more to Angel Island, and as the sun’s rays poured through Knuckles and Amy’s bedroom windows, Amy was stirred from her sleep.  Before Hidama left she was used to waking up with Knuckles beside her, but by now, had become accustomed to looking out a window, only to see Knuckles standing beside the Master Emerald, guarding it as he had for a large part of his life.  It was almost as if he was slowly reverting to the life he would have lived had Hidama not come back into it.  Yet the fact that Hidama had come back, only to leave again, made things that much worse.

   Amy looked at her husband sadly, knowing that Hidama’s absence was tearing him up inside.  Three months had passed, and now Knuckles was beyond just missing his brother; he now feared for Hidama’s life, as well as mourned the sadness this brought to Mikomi as well.  Amy too worried for Hidama, but before him was concerned for Knuckles, and most importantly, their son.

   She got up out of bed, putting on her bathrobe and slippers before walking down the hall to Mikomi’s room.  Normally he was awake, a bundle of laughter and joy when his mother came to get him in the morning.  Yet in the months that had passed since Hidama left, it was obvious this had shaken the normally happy toddler to a considerable degree.  Mikomi now rested quietly in his little bed, his eyes open and staring out the window, where he had an obscure view of the Master Emerald, the altar, and his father.

   Mikomi was suddenly aware that his mother was in the room, and turned over, looking at her, before reaching for her, whimpering softly, begging to be picked up.  Amy smiled weakly, and reached down, gently picking up Mikomi and holding him close.  He rested his head on her shoulder, clutching her bathrobe collar and a lock of her hair, crying softly.

   Walking out into the kitchenette, to warm Mikomi’s bottle and start breakfast.  He was silent through all this, when normally he was giggling and cooing wildly.  Nuzzling his head gently she said, “Hey baby, are you okay sweetie?”

   He turned his head, continuing to whimper, and tried to bury his face in his mother’s hair, not wanting to talk.  Amy sighed softly; out of all three of them, Amy was the only one who remained in good spirits.  It wasn’t that she didn’t miss Hidama, but was concerned for Knuckles and Mikomi, and tried her best to keep her spirits up for them, as well as their own.  As Amy fixed breakfast, testing the warmth of the baby formula before she was ready to feed Mikomi, he looked around him, his eyes being drawn to a window that looked out to the edge of Angel Island.  As he did for many days, he would stare towards the horizon for any sign of Hidama, and this day appeared no different.

   Amy sat down and gave Mikomi his bottle, which he accepted graciously.  She was silent for a few minutes as he drank, but finally smiled at him, saying, “Did you sleep well sweetie?  You almost slept all the way through the night didn’t you?”

   The infant hybrid gazed at his mother, one of his eyes turning into a more vivid amethyst purple, while the other softened to a bright sapphire blue, one the shade of eyes borne by his father, the other by his uncle.  Once he finished his bottle, and Amy burped him, she placed him in his high chair to finish fixing breakfast for herself and Knuckles.  He looked at his mother, and said, “I’m…I’m fine mommy.  I sleep just fine…very quiet…very long night.”

   He paused, appearing not willing to speak anymore.  Amy smiled, for any words spoken were music to her ears, considering how little Mikomi spoke as compared to when Hidama was here.  She walked over to him, kissing him gently on the head and rubbing the back of his ears softly.  She whispered, “Well I’m glad to hear that.  Just let me go get Daddy real quickly and I’ll be right back.”

   Amy retied the belt on her bathrobe and re-pulled the ponytail in her hair, as her hair had gotten longer in the passing years.  But before she could leave, Mikomi cried out to her, “Wait mommy, wait!  I wanna go!”

   She paused; Amy looked back at Mikomi.  Both of them had slowly become accustomed to her leaving him for a few short minutes to get Knuckles to come to breakfast; never before had he asked her to bring him with her, and even now she was reluctant to.  Aside from his different colored eyes, he was a normal, happy and healthy hybrid, and she feared that bringing him close to the power of the Master Emerald might affect him in some way.  Yet with her son on the verge of tears, going through a very difficult and sensitive time, she couldn’t refuse this request.

   Reaching for her as she walked up to him, Mikomi laughed a little as she picked him up, happy to be getting to go along with her.  As he rested his head on her shoulder once more, he clutched on to her ponytail, giggling and cooing softly, unlike he had in a number of days.

   This brought a warm smile to Amy’s face and joy to her heart at this lifting of her son’s spirits.  She wrapped Mikomi in his blue baby blanket before walking outside, the early morning air damp and cool as the morning sun brought light to the island.  Knuckles was now sitting on the altar, his feet planted on the top step of the stone stairs, his arms folded, his head bent down, and his eyes closed in meditative thought.  Amy sighed, happy that Mikomi was in good spirits, but taken aback by Knuckles’ sadness, akin to his years before they were wed and living on Angel Island…back before Shadow brought word of his brother to him that evening so long ago.

   Mikomi continued to laugh and coo, playing with Amy’s ponytail, pulling on it and waving it around.  This was just wonderful; Amy was so relieved to hear her son babbling and giggling with glee, as she had worried for him for so long, his happiness almost crushed at the loss of his uncle.  It seemed now even Mikomi was beginning to heal, and as she walked to the altar, she knew that soon Knuckles would have to do the same, no matter how painful or hard it was to move on.

   By the time Amy got to the bottom of the stairs, the echidna opened his eyes, able to hear the laughter and babbling of his son as she approached.  This brought him similar and overwhelming joy, for Knuckles too had worried long for his son, and to see him in such high spirits already did something for Knuckles’ demeanor.  However, realizing Amy was bringing Mikomi up with her, Knuckles got up and quickly walked down the stairs before she could get any higher than the first three steps.

   He smiled, meeting her half-way and saying, “The echidnas of old would have both our necks if you brought him up there.  There’s a reason Hidama and I weren’t allowed up there…at least until we were five and eight, and it wasn’t just out of regulations I can assure you.”  He kissed her on the cheek, then ran his fingers through Mikomi’s wispy, crimson, white-tipped hair and said, “Hey Miko, did you sleep well?”

   Mikomi turned to look at his father, smiling brightly and continuing to laugh.  He let go of his mother’s hair and now grabbed one of Knuckles’ dreadlocks, tugging on it happily.  The echidna cringed slightly as Mikomi had a tight grip and could pull a little too hard, but still continued to smile, like Amy, just happy he was in good spirits, better than the day before and a great many before that.  He said, “Mhmm, I had a good sleep daddy, yep yep!”

   Knuckles laughed, gently loosening Mikomi’s grip on his hair; undeterred, Mikomi returned his grasp to Amy’s ponytail, unrelenting in his happiness.  Amy and Knuckles glanced at him, before turning their gaze to each other.  Amy laughed softly and whispered, “Gee…it looks like maybe he’s starting to get over Hidama.  He hasn’t been this happy in weeks.”

   The echidna’s smile weakened; he was happy that his son was pulling out of his sadness, but Knuckles just couldn’t let go of his brother, and he wouldn’t begin to any time soon.  He sighed and said, “I know what you’re going to say Amy; that I should try and let go of Hidama, whether he’s alive or not, I need to try and live my life just like I did while he was here.  I just…can’t do that.  He was here, he was alive, and we were together after twelve torturous years apart, and now he’s gone again, and this time he might not ever return.  I’ve lost him all over again, but now I don’t have Shadow to help reunite us.  I only have the Brokenstar Twins to look after him…and they didn’t even try to look for him or me when they came for their father’s body.  Needless to say we aren’t that close…and I’m trusting them with my brother, who was already considerably unstable.  I know they’re best friends and all, but…gosh, they just don’t know how to take care of him…he could be dead now and they wouldn’t know.”

   He looked away, staring at the ground, not wanting to speak anymore of the matter, unaware of how much Mikomi understood of what he said.  Keeping a secure arm on Mikomi, Amy moved closer to Knuckles and wrapped her remaining arm around him.  She hugged him, whispering, “I would never tell you to forget about him Knuckles, not even I can do that.  What I am saying is I don’t like to see you or Mikomi upset and well, Mikomi’s pulling out of his sadness, and for not just his sake, but as well as your own, you should pull out of yours as well.  Hidama wouldn’t want you to mourn him like this, whether he’s alive or not.  The whole reason he left was because he was afraid his unhappiness would disrupt our own, and I’m sure he has every intention to come back here as soon as he can.  He left not only to find happiness for himself, but so you could be happy yourself, and you know it.”

   The echidna looked at her, standing erect, his eyes locked on her own.  He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, knowing everything she said was true, and everything Hidama had intended for Knuckles had so far gone undone.  He had let Hidama’s sadness degrade his happiness, which was the entire reason Hidama left in the first place.  Hidama, for all of his life, wanted nothing but unending happiness and peace for his brother, even from the night he surrendered himself to the mutants.  He did that so Knuckles could live a happy life, and now, he had left again so the love, joy, and peace Knuckles had made for himself could continue unbroken, unburdened by sadness, unrest, and decay.

   There was no speaking; Knuckles embraced Amy, hugging her tightly, knowing everything she said was true.  He was trembling slightly, and kept his eyes closed as he hugged her; she returned the hug with her free arm, understanding how hard all of this was on him.  She whispered, “It’s alright Knuxie…I just know Hidama hasn’t deserted you.  He hasn’t deserted any of us, you’ll see, you just have to trust him.”

   Knuckles was silent, just tightening his embrace and resting his head on Amy’s, trying his best to hold back sudden tears that came to his eyes.  He sniffed quickly and harshly, trying to hold back his tears with little success, but did manage to keep silent, aside from the few sniffs, hiding any other signs of crying.

   Amy leaned into the hug more, rubbing Knuckles’ back with her hand, resting her head on his chest and trying to soothe him.  Meanwhile, Mikomi watched his parents, uncertain of what caused his father’s tears or his mother’s concern, but intrigued by this nonetheless.  He was about to reach for his father’s face, whimpering a bit out of uncertainty, but paused; his eyes were drawn in another direction.  He looked away from them, raising his head from his mother’s shoulder, towards the northern edge of the island, where two figures, tall, yellow hybrid echidnas, emerged from the woods.

   Mikomi didn’t recognize them, but his curiosity was piqued by these sudden visitors.  They both carried a suitcase in each hand, setting them down when they got to the edge of the woods, watching Knuckles and Amy hug.  Mikomi started tugging on his mother’s hair, babbling mostly, but saying, “Mama look-it!  Look over there Daddy!”

   Startled by this, Knuckles drew back quickly from his hug, ready to take on an unwelcome intruder, but unprepared by what he saw.  Amy turned to look as well, holding Mikomi so he could see what happened; the Brokenstar Twins stood on the edge of the nearby forest, the suitcases on the ground beside them going unnoticed, for Knuckles immediately feared the worst; he feared what Aranelion and Elianaron could have come to tell him about his brother…how he might be lost forever.

   “No…,” Knuckles murmured silently.  Dispelling his tears, he tore away from Amy and ran up to the Brokenstar Twins, both of which stood silent, smiling, but silent.  Amy followed Knuckles at a slower pace, but even she was worried by their appearance, sure that Hidama would almost certainly arrive with them, and most likely on his own, unless he were hurt.

   By the time he got to them, he looked upset more than angry, but teetering on the border of the two, ready to be consumed by either misery or disgust depending on what they came to tell him.  Aranelion continued to smile, stepping forward and saying, “Hey Knuckles, it’s been awhile.  How have you been?”  This wasn’t a ridiculous question, bearing in mind Knuckles hadn’t spoken to them since the battle with Olermere’s army, but now he was hardly in the mood for small talk.

   “Oh cut it both of you!  Where the heck is Hidama at?” Knuckles asked, in a sharp voice, not out of hatred, but fear and building anger.

   Aranelion glanced at his brother, for this was the reaction they feared for a long while before they knew Hidama was alright.  But now, they had something else to tell Knuckles about Hidama, about how this three month leave had affected him.

   “Well, actually Knuckles, that’s what we’ve come to tell you about,” Elianaron started.  The brothers glanced between each other, then at Amy, Mikomi, and finally Knuckles again.  The silence was driving Knuckles crazy, fueling his fear of what they had come to tell him.  It was the last thing he wanted to hear; something terrible had happened to Hidama, something not even brotherly love could have undone.

   Because Elianaron paused before continuing, Knuckles was seriously shaken, fearing the worst.  He took a large step closer to them and said, “Say something, anything!  Why don’t you go ahead and tell me what’s happened to my brother?!”  His tone was on the verge of a scream, but he did his best to restrain himself, not wanting to frighten Mikomi.

   Yet, on the edge of Angel Island, two footsteps fell on the forest floor, and as they fell, a swift breeze blew up and around them, blowing newly-fallen leaves in the air, those that fell prematurely in the prime of summer.  A power had returned to Angel Island, a power that was missing, not just since Hidama left, but since his father was killed that night, along with the rest of the echidnas.

   These footsteps continued slowly through the woods, heading in the direction of the Master Emerald’s altar, and where Knuckles stood questioning the Brokenstar Twins.  Eyes gazed in the direction the feet walked, until halfway towards the forest’s edge, the Brokenstar Twins, Knuckles, and Amy holding Mikomi came into view, bringing the progressing footsteps to a stop.  A deep breath was taken, exhaling happily…a peaceful heart had arrived home…and it was not alone, for love had come with it.

   Two arms held on securely to someone special, and two sapphire eyes looked back to two brown ones, a smile accompanying the exchange of gaze of both.  One more happy breath was drawn, and words were spoken silently, breaking the peaceful feeling of the woods, the nature around these beings in admiration of the return of power, peace and love to Angel Island on the part of this once broken soul.

  “Well, are you ready?”

   Two brown eyes closed, and a soft giggle was heard, the head of this one nuzzling the back of the other as he carried her.  Her head drew back, and both blue and brown eyes met again, eyelids closing softly over the brown as she nodded her head.

   “Mhmm, I am now…as ready as I’ll ever be.”

   Another breeze blew through the trees, almost as if nature was celebrating the second of two happy unions to come to the floating island; the power of the guardian was returned at last, shared by two souls, and nurtured by the love that each received from their soul mates.  A power had returned to the island, and finally his soul found peace, a peace that was inside him all along, but brought to life and light through the love and peace of another, this brown eyed soul that he carried with him, finally setting her down beside him, her feet at last touching the ground of her new home.

   Two souls stood side by side, a cape fluttering in the breeze, jacket flaps whipping softly around light blue furred legs, one wearing boots, the other, pink and white strapped tennis shoes.  Two hands came together, one large with two spikes, the other wearing black, open fingered gloves, and smaller than the other.  As their hands came together, the wind blew again, stronger, prouder, happier…the guardian had returned, and he wasn’t alone, for the love of his life was with him.

   A deep breath was again drawn; “Heh, looks like Aranelion and Elianaron could use some help.  My brother is worried for me.”

   Steps were taken together, both souls walking side by side, closer and closer to the forest’s edge, where Knuckles now confronted the twins, as well as the grim possibility that his brother might be gone forever.  They had moved inward into the openness as they tried to tell Knuckles what was going on, but were delayed as he was on the verge of a breakdown, convinced his brother was long gone.

   Amy had sat Mikomi on the soft grass, running to console Knuckles who was stricken with grief and already overcome, not even allowing the twins to speak, almost ready to thrash them for letting this get out of hand.  Mikomi watched his father, worried for him and his mother, but paused, his eyes looking back to the forest where four suitcases stood.  Something was coming, a figure, tall, with crimson red fur and hair, white banded dreadlocks, and a cape lined with green satin, but he was not alone, for another walked beside him, wearing a teal, white striped matching shirt and skirt, a black, sleeveless body-length vest, with a black artist’s cap on her head, light blue hair falling from underneath it.

   A voice rose up; “My goodness.  Let’s hurry, it looks like he’s upset with them.”

   The two paused, only steps left to go; “Those nitwits…I told them to stall for a moment, brining your suitcases up while I carried you up.  Ugh, now they have him worried.”  Another smile met his own; “Heh, my brother has no reason to mourn, as I don’t, at least…no longer.”

   Finally, a kiss was shared as his lips met her own, this symbol of love and a peaceful, happy union bringing more joy to the woods and the lands on the island.  The guardian had returned, and even as he approached it, the Master Emerald shone even brighter, for he had not come alone, and brought peace with him.

   Mikomi saw them emerge, and a wide smile came to his cheeks, and a tremendous rush of joy to his tiny heart.  A vivid sparkle sprung up in his eyes, and rising to his feet, he cried out, “Unca Hidama!  You’re back!”  His cries rang high over Knuckles as he wept, Amy as she tried to console him, and Aranelion and Elianaron as they tried to explain things, while the small hybrid echidna ran as best he could, taking his first few steps as he did so, for his uncle.

   Knuckles looked up and in the direction of the woods, along with Amy, Aranelion and Elianaron; the echidna was overwhelmed with shock and awe, blissful joy overflowing his heart as he saw his brother standing at the edge of the trees.  Both he and Amy stood up, even more shocked at Mikomi running for his uncle, as these were the first steps he had ever taken, and were on the verge of a run rather than a shaky walk.

   For a split second before reacting to this, Hidama looked into the brown eyes of Delilah, who continued to hold his hand and return his smile with her own.  He laughed and said, “Hang on to your sunglasses; I’m sure by now he’s at that pulling and grabbing stage.”

   Delilah laughed softly, shaking her head and said, “Go meet your nephew; he’s missed you terribly I’m sure…they all have.”

   The gaze was broken by one more kiss, and Hidama, smiling brightly turned to see his nephew running for him, and whispered, “I love you Delilah, it’s just…so wonderful to be home.”

   He let go of her hand and ran to meet Mikomi, who made as best a jump he could manage for Hidama when they met, hugging him tightly.  Hidama knelt down, hugging Mikomi tightly in return, laughing joyfully as he did so.

   “Unca Hidama!  I just knew you’d come home, I knew it!” Mikomi cried.

   Hidama stood up, holding Mikomi securely and close to him, kissing the top of his head gently as he laughed.  “You bet I did Mikomi, how could I not?  I’m glad to be back sweetie, I missed you.”

   After kissing Mikomi once more, Hidama looked up and over at Knuckles and Amy, seeing the shock in their eyes, but the rattled look on his brother’s face let him know that this had shaken up Knuckles more than he had wanted it to.  As the brothers looked at each other, Hidama maintained a smile, and took a few steps toward him, the look in his eyes beckoning Knuckles to do the same.

   Knuckles felt funny; only seconds before he had assumed by Aranelion and Elianaron’s silence that his brother had passed away, and now, he had just witnessed his return, with Mikomi taking his first steps just to meet him, running and embracing him just as Knuckles had when they met on the battle field nearly a year ago.  Yet as he looked at Hidama, he saw this overwhelming change in Hidama’s face; he no longer looked plagued with misery and heartache…he looked…free…free from the torturous thoughts of his past, finally finding the peace he had longer for, for so long.

   He finally ran to meet Hidama, the brothers stopping with only a few paces left between them.  Hidama continued to smile, finally laughing and saying, “Gee, I hope you didn’t rattle the Brokenstar Twins too badly.  You may not know them well, but they are to me what Sonic and Tails are for you.  They were supposed to tell you I was coming, because I had to bring Delilah up here and it took me a moment or two.  I sent them ahead to let you know I was coming.”

   Knuckles was silent, dispelling tears that had returned to his eyes, out of joy rather than sadness, but he wasn’t ready to weep yet.  Amy caught up to him, looking between the two; finally, Hidama shook his head, handing Mikomi to Amy, and reaching for Knuckles, bringing him into a hug.  Knuckles returned the hug slowly but tightly, finally weeping softly.  He whispered, “Oh Hidama…so many times I…I thought you were hurt somewhere…or even dead, and I…I just couldn’t bear the thought of losing you…not again.  Now I’m just…so happy that you’re home.”

   Only Hidama heard these words, and whispered, “Please, Knuckles, don’t weep.  Everything is alright now; not saying you had no reason to worry though.”

   The brothers pulled out of their hug, and Knuckles dried his tears, looking at Hidama, puzzled by his words.  Hidama continued to smile, but faltered just a bit.  “I actually came close…to living that very nightmare.  I…I fought with them,” he nodded at the twins, “…and we deserted each other…and in my misery almost jumped to my death from the top of a skyscraper…stupid really, my cape got snagged on a canopy poll, and I fell on to someone’s balcony…and they saved my life, not just in taking care of me, but well…”  Hidama fell silent, and turned to look to Delilah, smiling at her and waving for her to come over.  As she walked up to Hidama, he continued, saying, “This is Delilah, Knuckles…and she has healed my scarred heart, and awakened the peace inside of me that was always there, a peace inside all of us…that I had not the knowledge to awaken.  Her love for me…well, our love for each other…,” he said turning to take her hands in his own, “…it’s done everything for me that yours and Amy’s has for you.”

   Knuckles looked at Hidama and Delilah with wonder; as they stood hand in hand, exchanging loving smiles, he concentrated on his brother, and no longer could Knuckles see any misery, sadness, or uncertainty in his brother’s eyes, or in his face; for the first time since childhood, Hidama looked genuinely happy, and grateful to be alive, finally loving life again as he found order and tranquility in his own.

   After a few moments, Hidama looked back at him and said, “Heh, well, I don’t know if you saw the suitcases Aranelion and Elianaron brought up…but I asked Delilah to marry me, asked her if she’d return here with me so our bond could last forever, and we’d never have to part…and she accepted…so, she’ll be here with us from now on.  Course, I also promised her I’d take her traveling to the nearby towns sometimes, like Station Square, Twinkle Park, and Casinopolis.  She’s never been anywhere west of Sandysun City.”

   Delilah laughed, looking to Knuckles and Amy and saying, “That was before I saw Angel Island…it was so beautiful, its silhouette painted against the rising sun, the early morning skyline.  I want to paint it now…and just looking around me…it’s simply beautiful here.”

   Amy laughed and said, “Sure is, but when you do get bored we can go to Station Square for the day…we’ll go shopping!  How about that?”

   The girls looked excited about that, while Knuckles and Hidama exchanged humorous glances, seeing how quickly Amy and Delilah were already becoming friends, they jokingly rolled their eyes and laughed a bit.  Delilah turned to Knuckles and said, “Really Knuckles, after…well,” she glanced at Hidama, the two of them resolving not to tell anyone that he denied having a family considering the circumstances involved, and continued,  “…after being with me and my roommate, well, friend Camillia the Cat, I’ve learned so much about you, and Amy, and little Mikomi, and about the echidnas and Angel Island in general.  He spoke of his years here with glowing terms, and of you the best of all…after seeing how wonderful, kind, and loving a soul Hidama is, it’s just a pleasure to finally meet you and see where he grew up…before all that mess happened of course.  He’s obviously very blessed.”

   Delilah had extended her hand to Knuckles, but the echidna pulled her into a hug, embracing her tightly as a welcome, rather than merely shaking her hand.  She returned the hug, and he said, “I’m honored to meet you Delilah, for not only did you save my brother, but you protected him, healed him, and took care of him when he was in danger and hurting…a time and place where I couldn’t.  I don’t recall ever seeing him this happy, carefree and tranquil, and have to dig up the few memories of our childhood that I can remember to even come close, and I know that you’ve done anything and everything it took for him to find this bliss, and I thank you so much for everything you’ve done.”

   As they pulled out of their hug, Hidama walked up to Knuckles and said, “Ah, yeah…if it weren’t for her, I’m sure things wouldn’t be this way, and would be far worse than any of us could anticipate.”  Looking to Delilah, he continued, “She helped me in so many ways, but most importantly she made me realized that chasing my peace wasn’t helping things, for it was inside my heart the entire time…I just…didn’t have the knowledge or means to awaken it here, where so many haunting memories persecuted me.  I felt responsible for so much pain, and at remembering the suffering of others I couldn’t begin to forget my own, or accept the forgiveness and freedom that was handed to me; I was denying myself any peace or happiness, taking the suffering of my past and so many others upon myself…and as my heart healed, I learned to love life again, and as I fell in love with Delilah, I learned to love myself again, and now, things are so much better than ever before, and will stay that way for the rest of my life.”

   After this, he turned to Delilah and said, “Heh, well, welcome home Delilah.  I’ll have to get on building a house for ourselves.  Perhaps I can persuade my little friends to help me out.”  He turned to look at the Brokenstar Twins, grinning jokingly, but deviously.

   Aranelion and Elianaron flushed red with embarrassment, on the way admitting they owed Hidama at least a favor or two after all that had happened in their journey together.  Aranelion stepped forward and said, “Eh heh, right…uh, sure buddy!  Whatever you need, the Guardian Souls shall deliver!  But umm…”

   “You wouldn’t keep us from visiting our mother in Valordian would you?  It’s been three months already…,” Elianaron interrupted.

   Hidama walked up to them, arms folded and stared them down.  “Aww gee, of course not…considering since the last time you visited her comprised quite a few months instead of a few rapid weeks as you first intended.”

   The twins immediately frowned, sensing his sarcasm.  Aranelion rubbed the back of his head and said, “Gee Hidama, we’re sorry, but…after I healed we helped mother with the fall harvest and well…we told you…”

   “That she got sick, I know guys, I’m just kidding,” Hidama said laughing and hugging them both.  Pulling back, he said, “Well, you can visit her if you want, and, to tell you the truth, I can do well enough on my own to get a start, plus Knuckles is here to help me.  You guys have done enough for me at the moment, although, if we hurry we can get it done before the summer is over and the harvest returns.  So, why don’t we try that?”  Holding his fist between them, he said, “To the Guardian Souls.”

   Aranelion and Elianaron smiled, placing their fists in the middle, repeating, “To the Guardian Souls,” after Hidama.  After this, the twins said their final goodbyes, admitting promising to come back to help build Hidama’s house before the fall harvest returned.  With that, they left, running off into the distance once more, with Valordian in their sights.

   After this, Delilah got better acquainted with Knuckles and Amy, as well as Mikomi, who was now her nephew.  The last bit of somberness hanging over Angel Island was finally dissolved.  Now, both brothers, sons of the guardian, were on Angel Island, and both of them were now at peace.  Until he did get a home for Delilah and himself put up, Amy made up the back bedroom, which until now was a small storage room, for them to sleep in.

   Later that night, Hidama found himself putting Mikomi to bed for the night.  He finished singing a song for Mikomi, just as he did before, and was ready to tuck him in, as he gently laid Mikomi down in his first real bed, growing out of the crib while Hidama was gone, he said, “I knew you’d come back Unca Hidama…I just…knew it.”  He yawned deeply, ready for sleep, reaching for one final hug and kiss as Hidama tucked him in.

   Hidama chuckled softly and smiled, hugging Mikomi tightly and kissing him gently before tucking the covers in around him.  He said, “Of course I did…that was the intention from the beginning.  There’s no way I could ever leave you forever…I don’t care how sad I may have been, there was nothing that was going to keep me from coming back to you Mikomi.  You’re my nephew, and your mother, father and you are my family; and Angel Island is my home…I probably won’t be leaving any time soon, even for a vacation.”

   As Hidama stood up, Mikomi said, “Yeah, and now Aunt Delilah is part of our family too right?  Then you and her can have a baby too!  Just like Mommy and Daddy did.”

   The echidna froze, a tingly sensation sweeping through his body as he took in Mikomi’s words.  His face flushed red slightly, hidden by the low light, as he looked back at Mikomi.  He laughed quietly, the redness quickly dissipating, and he whispered, “Yeah, you’re right Mikomi…you’re absolutely right.”  He paused, walked to the door and flicked on a nightlight, saying, “I love you Mikomi, goodnight, and sweet dreams.”

   The little hybrid echidna flicked the tips of his ears once and turned over on his side, yawning before saying, “I love you too Unca Hidama…,” his voice trailing off into a whisper.

   Hidama smiled, leaving the door cracked as he walked down the hall into the living room, where Delilah was showing Amy some of her art skills.  Amy looked up and said, “Thank you Hidama; Mikomi was just dying for you to tuck him in again.”

   “And sing him a lullaby too apparently,” Hidama said, laughing softly.  Amy and Delilah laughed in response, before Hidama asked, “Is Knuckles up on the altar?  I wanted to talk to him.”

   Amy smiled and said, “Yeah he is…he told me to tell you he’s keeping watch tonight so you and Delilah can have a night to settle in.  Delilah and I are having a wonderful time…,” Amy giggled, “She showed me that picture she did of you and then I just had to see her paint something.”

   Hidama smiled, looking at Delilah and saying, “Yeah…she’s a wonder…a wonder and a treasure.”  He paused, the two of them exchanging loving glances before he said, “I’ll be back in a little bit…then you and I can do all the settling in we need to.”

   Delilah laughed, then smiled and said, “Alrighty then, hurry back sweetie.  Love you.”

   Hidama replied, “I love you too.”  He then put his boots and cape on, and took off to the top of the altar, where Knuckles greeted him warmly, the two of them sitting down on the edge of the altar, gazing down at the grounds of the old echidna village.  Hidama sighed happily and said, “How many countless nights did father stand here gazing down at our hut with love in his eyes?  He was such a great person Knuckles…I only wish you could remember him with the same vividness that I do.”

   Knuckles laughed, saying, “I remember him with just as much love and admiration I can assure you…even in his death, mother’s too, they’ve done so much for us.  They were with us both all these years, and now both of us are finally happy.”

   “Knuckles…their spirits have finally moved on…they existed for so long outside of the afterlives as just spirits, guiding us on our way.  They brought you to Amy, or rather, they brought you to each other, and took care of you in the years before and after you met, and until you learned I was alive.  They were with me too I’m sure, even in my deepest despair…and they were with me as long as I carried my misery, and now, through Delilah, I’m at peace, and now, so are they,” Hidama explained.

   He looked at his brother curiously, and said, “Right Hidama…I just said that…why did you drag it out?”

   Laughing, Hidama said, “Knuckles…peace…it was with me all the time, and not just around me either.  There’s a peace inside us all, but after going through so much torment I had buried it under layers of despair, anguish, misery, and woe, and nothing around me was enough to help me find this peace, awaken it, and live happily.”  He paused, looking towards the gravesites of all who had died that fateful night, sighed and said, “I had come to blame myself for the attack on my kin…they had called me the “doomed guardian” after all, and then I blamed myself for disobeying mother and getting captured, therefore endangering myself, the Master Emerald, and putting you through untold anguish.  After awhile I saw myself as existing only as a figment meant to cause others pain…and with the weight of the misery of others, as well as my own, weighing on my broken heart, I was next to never seeing the light of happiness again.

   “But Delilah changed that; when I jumped into oblivion, falling on their balcony and hurting myself, she and Camillia took care of me, and in the weeks I spent there, happiness poured into my heart, tearing away all those fears and doubts, and making me realize I had blamed myself for entirely too much, and even so any anguish was forgiven and healed, I had just yet to forgive myself.  Like I said I learned to love myself and life again, and through my love for Delilah, I was finally able to find my peace.”

   Knuckles paused, thinking of all Hidama had said, and replied, “Wow…I guess leaving was a necessity…heh, as much love as you had around here, you were too close to those violent memories to break free…my love for you and even Amy’s and Mikomi’s wasn’t enough to heal your broken spirit.”

   Hidama looked to his brother, placed a hand on his shoulder and said, “Shadow told me something on our trip back home…while we were in the Northern Kingdom, he said, ‘…true peace cannot be found in anything unless it is sought for.  Only you can bring peace to your heart; how and where you find it, is truly up to you.  It is when you decide to stop torturing your own soul, and let all that’s good in this world bring you pleasure, so that you may enjoy life once more.’  He was right all along, and, heh, I found peace in love, my love for Delilah, and her love for me…now I feel untold happiness and am ready to live life again.”

   The two brothers looked at each other, embracing each other tightly.  “Mother and Father are at rest now…now that we have peace, so do they…and life can continue again.  You and I are truly blessed Knuckles; our parents wouldn’t rest for thirteen years…they stayed with us through it all.  They love us so much, but greater is their love for us I’m sure, as well as the love they have for each other.”

   Knuckles laughed, pulling out of their hug and said, “Love kinda like I have for Amy and you have for Delilah right?”  Hidama smiled, nodding in agreement.  “Well, it’s good that you aren’t leaving any time soon…you can’t.  You’re a guardian now and you’ve used up all your vacation time.”

   Hidama busted up laughing, saying, “Hmm, yeah…I don’t recall even father taking off this much time…even when we were born…oh bless his soul.  Nah, don’t worry about it Knuckles.  I’m here whenever I’m needed.  You and I are guardians…heh, the first to share the guardianship.  Out of the entire line of the guardians, history never wrote of two brothers sharing the task…or two brothers wanting to share the task.”

  They stood up, looking to the stars, and Knuckles whispered, “I think we might make history in another way Hidama.  When you and Delilah have a child I could be proven wrong…but…do you think perhaps with us the line of Guardians is over?  I mean, the blood of the Guardian will slowly fade away as the echidna blood is spent.  You told me once that Elianaron and Aranelion could never be guardians even if their dad was the guardian…because the guardian blood mixed with the blood of a hedgehog.  You told me that it could only survive in the bloodline of the echidnas…that’s the way it was when the Master Emerald was created…because the creator could only trust the noble echidnas with the task…and thus any mixed blood wouldn’t control it, in order to protect it from those with evil intentions.”

   Hidama smiled, remembering Mikomi mentioning him and Delilah having a baby, but frowned, distraught with what Knuckles said.  He looked to him and said, “That’s right…I believe the creator was named Kashoku…he also created the chaos emeralds, but lost a large part of his power to the Master Emerald’s creation, and thus the seven chaos emeralds could be controlled by anyone…heh, explaining why people hunt them down so much.  With a blockade of echidnas to protect the Master Emerald people ignored it…but now, with just you and me…we may indeed be the final Guardians of the Master Emerald…and knowing this people may hunt it down once more should this knowledge get out.  Indeed…that Master Emerald might have to die with us…abusing its power could destroy the world without a Guardian to protect and control it.”

   The brothers fell silent, glancing at the Master Emerald and then each other, before looking back to the stars.  Hidama continued, “I don’t know…destroying it may bring a prolonged peace to the world…without its massive power to fight over and potentially wreak havoc, the world might be a better place for it…and our children wouldn’t have to suffer this burden either.”

   Knuckles smiled, and said, “Yeah…that’s true.”  He paused, and said, “Well, nothing can destroy our peace Hidama…for it is always with us, and will never leave us, even as the journey of our lives continue on; I’m just glad we’ve both discovered that now, and will never let it go.”

   Hidama smiled, and replied, “Never again, my journey for peace is finally at its end…I mean, there will always be struggles I’m sure…but at last…I’m happy, as I always should have been.”  They both looked to the stars, and Hidama whispered, “Thank you mother and father…our blessed lives can finally continue…because…I’m home at last, and after so long, I’ve discovered the peace inside me that was there all along, and is inside all of us, and will never die as long as we have love, not just for each other, but for ourselves, our lives, and our futures.”

    That night, Hidama and Knuckles searched the sky for constellations, finally able to enjoy just being alive after so many years fraught with conflict and sadness.  Many joyful years would follow them as Mikomi grew up, and Hidama and Delilah would eventually have their own child.  There may be stumbling blocks in their futures, but after so much stumbling already in their lives, both Hidama and Knuckles would be hard pressed to let anything get them down again.

   The peace that enveloped Angel Island may last for a long time, only to be rattled once more, but as Hidama had said, the peace inside his heart, and inside all souls, would never die, giving him a reason to fight for tranquility and happiness in the face of untold adversity.  As Shadow had spoken that night in the Northern Kingdom, Hidama had to search for his peace, and he found it, and even as Shadow implied further, it was something at times he would have to fight to protect, as everyone struggled for it during their lives.  Now, Hidama now realized, as Knuckles had, that this joyous peace, happiness and love, was more than worth fighting for.  It was something he had gone through so much to capture, would bless his life for years to come, and was something he was never going to be quick to give up, or not fight for, ever again as he had before, as a child on Angel Island, on a frightful night, so many years ago, and now nothing but a lasting memory of a fight for peace, on the unending journey of the heart.

Description
"The Unending Journey of the Heart"
By: Jade Lightning, a.k.a. Inuyashas-hanyougirl
Chapter 10: Peace Inside us All

   Early morning came once more to Angel Island, and as the sun’s rays poured through Knuckles and Amy’s bedroom windows, Amy was stirred from her sleep.  Before Hidama left she was used to waking up with Knuckles beside her, but by now, had become accustomed to looking out a window, only to see Knuckles standing beside the Master Emerald, guarding it as he had for a large part of his life.  It was almost as if he was slowly reverting to the life he would have lived had Hidama not come back into it.  Yet the fact that Hidama had come back, only to leave again, made things that much worse.

   Amy looked at her husband sadly, knowing that Hidama’s absence was tearing him up inside.  Three months had passed, and now Knuckles was beyond just missing his brother; he now feared for Hidama’s life, as well as mourned the sadness this brought to Mikomi as well.  Amy too worried for Hidama, but before him was concerned for Knuckles, and most importantly, their son.

   She got up out of bed, putting on her bathrobe and slippers before walking down the hall to Mikomi’s room.  Normally he was awake, a bundle of laughter and joy when his mother came to get him in the morning.  Yet in the months that had passed since Hidama left, it was obvious this had shaken the normally happy toddler to a considerable degree.  Mikomi now rested quietly in his little bed, his eyes open and staring out the window, where he had an obscure view of the Master Emerald, the altar, and his father.

   Mikomi was suddenly aware that his mother was in the room, and turned over, looking at her, before reaching for her, whimpering softly, begging to be picked up.  Amy smiled weakly, and reached down, gently picking up Mikomi and holding him close.  He rested his head on her shoulder, clutching her bathrobe collar and a lock of her hair, crying softly.

   Walking out into the kitchenette, to warm Mikomi’s bottle and start breakfast.  He was silent through all this, when normally he was giggling and cooing wildly.  Nuzzling his head gently she said, “Hey baby, are you okay sweetie?”

   He turned his head, continuing to whimper, and tried to bury his face in his mother’s hair, not wanting to talk.  Amy sighed softly; out of all three of them, Amy was the only one who remained in good spirits.  It wasn’t that she didn’t miss Hidama, but was concerned for Knuckles and Mikomi, and tried her best to keep her spirits up for them, as well as their own.  As Amy fixed breakfast, testing the warmth of the baby formula before she was ready to feed Mikomi, he looked around him, his eyes being drawn to a window that looked out to the edge of Angel Island.  As he did for many days, he would stare towards the horizon for any sign of Hidama, and this day appeared no different.

   Amy sat down and gave Mikomi his bottle, which he accepted graciously.  She was silent for a few minutes as he drank, but finally smiled at him, saying, “Did you sleep well sweetie?  You almost slept all the way through the night didn’t you?”

   The infant hybrid gazed at his mother, one of his eyes turning into a more vivid amethyst purple, while the other softened to a bright sapphire blue, one the shade of eyes borne by his father, the other by his uncle.  Once he finished his bottle, and Amy burped him, she placed him in his high chair to finish fixing breakfast for herself and Knuckles.  He looked at his mother, and said, “I’m…I’m fine mommy.  I sleep just fine…very quiet…very long night.”

   He paused, appearing not willing to speak anymore.  Amy smiled, for any words spoken were music to her ears, considering how little Mikomi spoke as compared to when Hidama was here.  She walked over to him, kissing him gently on the head and rubbing the back of his ears softly.  She whispered, “Well I’m glad to hear that.  Just let me go get Daddy real quickly and I’ll be right back.”

   Amy retied the belt on her bathrobe and re-pulled the ponytail in her hair, as her hair had gotten longer in the passing years.  But before she could leave, Mikomi cried out to her, “Wait mommy, wait!  I wanna go!”

   She paused; Amy looked back at Mikomi.  Both of them had slowly become accustomed to her leaving him for a few short minutes to get Knuckles to come to breakfast; never before had he asked her to bring him with her, and even now she was reluctant to.  Aside from his different colored eyes, he was a normal, happy and healthy hybrid, and she feared that bringing him close to the power of the Master Emerald might affect him in some way.  Yet with her son on the verge of tears, going through a very difficult and sensitive time, she couldn’t refuse this request.

   Reaching for her as she walked up to him, Mikomi laughed a little as she picked him up, happy to be getting to go along with her.  As he rested his head on her shoulder once more, he clutched on to her ponytail, giggling and cooing softly, unlike he had in a number of days.

   This brought a warm smile to Amy’s face and joy to her heart at this lifting of her son’s spirits.  She wrapped Mikomi in his blue baby blanket before walking outside, the early morning air damp and cool as the morning sun brought light to the island.  Knuckles was now sitting on the altar, his feet planted on the top step of the stone stairs, his arms folded, his head bent down, and his eyes closed in meditative thought.  Amy sighed, happy that Mikomi was in good spirits, but taken aback by Knuckles’ sadness, akin to his years before they were wed and living on Angel Island…back before Shadow brought word of his brother to him that evening so long ago.

   Mikomi continued to laugh and coo, playing with Amy’s ponytail, pulling on it and waving it around.  This was just wonderful; Amy was so relieved to hear her son babbling and giggling with glee, as she had worried for him for so long, his happiness almost crushed at the loss of his uncle.  It seemed now even Mikomi was beginning to heal, and as she walked to the altar, she knew that soon Knuckles would have to do the same, no matter how painful or hard it was to move on.

   By the time Amy got to the bottom of the stairs, the echidna opened his eyes, able to hear the laughter and babbling of his son as she approached.  This brought him similar and overwhelming joy, for Knuckles too had worried long for his son, and to see him in such high spirits already did something for Knuckles’ demeanor.  However, realizing Amy was bringing Mikomi up with her, Knuckles got up and quickly walked down the stairs before she could get any higher than the first three steps.

   He smiled, meeting her half-way and saying, “The echidnas of old would have both our necks if you brought him up there.  There’s a reason Hidama and I weren’t allowed up there…at least until we were five and eight, and it wasn’t just out of regulations I can assure you.”  He kissed her on the cheek, then ran his fingers through Mikomi’s wispy, crimson, white-tipped hair and said, “Hey Miko, did you sleep well?”

   Mikomi turned to look at his father, smiling brightly and continuing to laugh.  He let go of his mother’s hair and now grabbed one of Knuckles’ dreadlocks, tugging on it happily.  The echidna cringed slightly as Mikomi had a tight grip and could pull a little too hard, but still continued to smile, like Amy, just happy he was in good spirits, better than the day before and a great many before that.  He said, “Mhmm, I had a good sleep daddy, yep yep!”

   Knuckles laughed, gently loosening Mikomi’s grip on his hair; undeterred, Mikomi returned his grasp to Amy’s ponytail, unrelenting in his happiness.  Amy and Knuckles glanced at him, before turning their gaze to each other.  Amy laughed softly and whispered, “Gee…it looks like maybe he’s starting to get over Hidama.  He hasn’t been this happy in weeks.”

   The echidna’s smile weakened; he was happy that his son was pulling out of his sadness, but Knuckles just couldn’t let go of his brother, and he wouldn’t begin to any time soon.  He sighed and said, “I know what you’re going to say Amy; that I should try and let go of Hidama, whether he’s alive or not, I need to try and live my life just like I did while he was here.  I just…can’t do that.  He was here, he was alive, and we were together after twelve torturous years apart, and now he’s gone again, and this time he might not ever return.  I’ve lost him all over again, but now I don’t have Shadow to help reunite us.  I only have the Brokenstar Twins to look after him…and they didn’t even try to look for him or me when they came for their father’s body.  Needless to say we aren’t that close…and I’m trusting them with my brother, who was already considerably unstable.  I know they’re best friends and all, but…gosh, they just don’t know how to take care of him…he could be dead now and they wouldn’t know.”

   He looked away, staring at the ground, not wanting to speak anymore of the matter, unaware of how much Mikomi understood of what he said.  Keeping a secure arm on Mikomi, Amy moved closer to Knuckles and wrapped her remaining arm around him.  She hugged him, whispering, “I would never tell you to forget about him Knuckles, not even I can do that.  What I am saying is I don’t like to see you or Mikomi upset and well, Mikomi’s pulling out of his sadness, and for not just his sake, but as well as your own, you should pull out of yours as well.  Hidama wouldn’t want you to mourn him like this, whether he’s alive or not.  The whole reason he left was because he was afraid his unhappiness would disrupt our own, and I’m sure he has every intention to come back here as soon as he can.  He left not only to find happiness for himself, but so you could be happy yourself, and you know it.”

   The echidna looked at her, standing erect, his eyes locked on her own.  He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, knowing everything she said was true, and everything Hidama had intended for Knuckles had so far gone undone.  He had let Hidama’s sadness degrade his happiness, which was the entire reason Hidama left in the first place.  Hidama, for all of his life, wanted nothing but unending happiness and peace for his brother, even from the night he surrendered himself to the mutants.  He did that so Knuckles could live a happy life, and now, he had left again so the love, joy, and peace Knuckles had made for himself could continue unbroken, unburdened by sadness, unrest, and decay.

   There was no speaking; Knuckles embraced Amy, hugging her tightly, knowing everything she said was true.  He was trembling slightly, and kept his eyes closed as he hugged her; she returned the hug with her free arm, understanding how hard all of this was on him.  She whispered, “It’s alright Knuxie…I just know Hidama hasn’t deserted you.  He hasn’t deserted any of us, you’ll see, you just have to trust him.”

   Knuckles was silent, just tightening his embrace and resting his head on Amy’s, trying his best to hold back sudden tears that came to his eyes.  He sniffed quickly and harshly, trying to hold back his tears with little success, but did manage to keep silent, aside from the few sniffs, hiding any other signs of crying.

   Amy leaned into the hug more, rubbing Knuckles’ back with her hand, resting her head on his chest and trying to soothe him.  Meanwhile, Mikomi watched his parents, uncertain of what caused his father’s tears or his mother’s concern, but intrigued by this nonetheless.  He was about to reach for his father’s face, whimpering a bit out of uncertainty, but paused; his eyes were drawn in another direction.  He looked away from them, raising his head from his mother’s shoulder, towards the northern edge of the island, where two figures, tall, yellow hybrid echidnas, emerged from the woods.

   Mikomi didn’t recognize them, but his curiosity was piqued by these sudden visitors.  They both carried a suitcase in each hand, setting them down when they got to the edge of the woods, watching Knuckles and Amy hug.  Mikomi started tugging on his mother’s hair, babbling mostly, but saying, “Mama look-it!  Look over there Daddy!”

   Startled by this, Knuckles drew back quickly from his hug, ready to take on an unwelcome intruder, but unprepared by what he saw.  Amy turned to look as well, holding Mikomi so he could see what happened; the Brokenstar Twins stood on the edge of the nearby forest, the suitcases on the ground beside them going unnoticed, for Knuckles immediately feared the worst; he feared what Aranelion and Elianaron could have come to tell him about his brother…how he might be lost forever.

   “No…,” Knuckles murmured silently.  Dispelling his tears, he tore away from Amy and ran up to the Brokenstar Twins, both of which stood silent, smiling, but silent.  Amy followed Knuckles at a slower pace, but even she was worried by their appearance, sure that Hidama would almost certainly arrive with them, and most likely on his own, unless he were hurt.

   By the time he got to them, he looked upset more than angry, but teetering on the border of the two, ready to be consumed by either misery or disgust depending on what they came to tell him.  Aranelion continued to smile, stepping forward and saying, “Hey Knuckles, it’s been awhile.  How have you been?”  This wasn’t a ridiculous question, bearing in mind Knuckles hadn’t spoken to them since the battle with Olermere’s army, but now he was hardly in the mood for small talk.

   “Oh cut it both of you!  Where the heck is Hidama at?” Knuckles asked, in a sharp voice, not out of hatred, but fear and building anger.

   Aranelion glanced at his brother, for this was the reaction they feared for a long while before they knew Hidama was alright.  But now, they had something else to tell Knuckles about Hidama, about how this three month leave had affected him.

   “Well, actually Knuckles, that’s what we’ve come to tell you about,” Elianaron started.  The brothers glanced between each other, then at Amy, Mikomi, and finally Knuckles again.  The silence was driving Knuckles crazy, fueling his fear of what they had come to tell him.  It was the last thing he wanted to hear; something terrible had happened to Hidama, something not even brotherly love could have undone.

   Because Elianaron paused before continuing, Knuckles was seriously shaken, fearing the worst.  He took a large step closer to them and said, “Say something, anything!  Why don’t you go ahead and tell me what’s happened to my brother?!”  His tone was on the verge of a scream, but he did his best to restrain himself, not wanting to frighten Mikomi.

   Yet, on the edge of Angel Island, two footsteps fell on the forest floor, and as they fell, a swift breeze blew up and around them, blowing newly-fallen leaves in the air, those that fell prematurely in the prime of summer.  A power had returned to Angel Island, a power that was missing, not just since Hidama left, but since his father was killed that night, along with the rest of the echidnas.

   These footsteps continued slowly through the woods, heading in the direction of the Master Emerald’s altar, and where Knuckles stood questioning the Brokenstar Twins.  Eyes gazed in the direction the feet walked, until halfway towards the forest’s edge, the Brokenstar Twins, Knuckles, and Amy holding Mikomi came into view, bringing the progressing footsteps to a stop.  A deep breath was taken, exhaling happily…a peaceful heart had arrived home…and it was not alone, for love had come with it.

   Two arms held on securely to someone special, and two sapphire eyes looked back to two brown ones, a smile accompanying the exchange of gaze of both.  One more happy breath was drawn, and words were spoken silently, breaking the peaceful feeling of the woods, the nature around these beings in admiration of the return of power, peace and love to Angel Island on the part of this once broken soul.

  “Well, are you ready?”

   Two brown eyes closed, and a soft giggle was heard, the head of this one nuzzling the back of the other as he carried her.  Her head drew back, and both blue and brown eyes met again, eyelids closing softly over the brown as she nodded her head.

   “Mhmm, I am now…as ready as I’ll ever be.”

   Another breeze blew through the trees, almost as if nature was celebrating the second of two happy unions to come to the floating island; the power of the guardian was returned at last, shared by two souls, and nurtured by the love that each received from their soul mates.  A power had returned to the island, and finally his soul found peace, a peace that was inside him all along, but brought to life and light through the love and peace of another, this brown eyed soul that he carried with him, finally setting her down beside him, her feet at last touching the ground of her new home.

   Two souls stood side by side, a cape fluttering in the breeze, jacket flaps whipping softly around light blue furred legs, one wearing boots, the other, pink and white strapped tennis shoes.  Two hands came together, one large with two spikes, the other wearing black, open fingered gloves, and smaller than the other.  As their hands came together, the wind blew again, stronger, prouder, happier…the guardian had returned, and he wasn’t alone, for the love of his life was with him.

   A deep breath was again drawn; “Heh, looks like Aranelion and Elianaron could use some help.  My brother is worried for me.”

   Steps were taken together, both souls walking side by side, closer and closer to the forest’s edge, where Knuckles now confronted the twins, as well as the grim possibility that his brother might be gone forever.  They had moved inward into the openness as they tried to tell Knuckles what was going on, but were delayed as he was on the verge of a breakdown, convinced his brother was long gone.

   Amy had sat Mikomi on the soft grass, running to console Knuckles who was stricken with grief and already overcome, not even allowing the twins to speak, almost ready to thrash them for letting this get out of hand.  Mikomi watched his father, worried for him and his mother, but paused, his eyes looking back to the forest where four suitcases stood.  Something was coming, a figure, tall, with crimson red fur and hair, white banded dreadlocks, and a cape lined with green satin, but he was not alone, for another walked beside him, wearing a teal, white striped matching shirt and skirt, a black, sleeveless body-length vest, with a black artist’s cap on her head, light blue hair falling from underneath it.

   A voice rose up; “My goodness.  Let’s hurry, it looks like he’s upset with them.”

   The two paused, only steps left to go; “Those nitwits…I told them to stall for a moment, brining your suitcases up while I carried you up.  Ugh, now they have him worried.”  Another smile met his own; “Heh, my brother has no reason to mourn, as I don’t, at least…no longer.”

   Finally, a kiss was shared as his lips met her own, this symbol of love and a peaceful, happy union bringing more joy to the woods and the lands on the island.  The guardian had returned, and even as he approached it, the Master Emerald shone even brighter, for he had not come alone, and brought peace with him.

   Mikomi saw them emerge, and a wide smile came to his cheeks, and a tremendous rush of joy to his tiny heart.  A vivid sparkle sprung up in his eyes, and rising to his feet, he cried out, “Unca Hidama!  You’re back!”  His cries rang high over Knuckles as he wept, Amy as she tried to console him, and Aranelion and Elianaron as they tried to explain things, while the small hybrid echidna ran as best he could, taking his first few steps as he did so, for his uncle.

   Knuckles looked up and in the direction of the woods, along with Amy, Aranelion and Elianaron; the echidna was overwhelmed with shock and awe, blissful joy overflowing his heart as he saw his brother standing at the edge of the trees.  Both he and Amy stood up, even more shocked at Mikomi running for his uncle, as these were the first steps he had ever taken, and were on the verge of a run rather than a shaky walk.

   For a split second before reacting to this, Hidama looked into the brown eyes of Delilah, who continued to hold his hand and return his smile with her own.  He laughed and said, “Hang on to your sunglasses; I’m sure by now he’s at that pulling and grabbing stage.”

   Delilah laughed softly, shaking her head and said, “Go meet your nephew; he’s missed you terribly I’m sure…they all have.”

   The gaze was broken by one more kiss, and Hidama, smiling brightly turned to see his nephew running for him, and whispered, “I love you Delilah, it’s just…so wonderful to be home.”

   He let go of her hand and ran to meet Mikomi, who made as best a jump he could manage for Hidama when they met, hugging him tightly.  Hidama knelt down, hugging Mikomi tightly in return, laughing joyfully as he did so.

   “Unca Hidama!  I just knew you’d come home, I knew it!” Mikomi cried.

   Hidama stood up, holding Mikomi securely and close to him, kissing the top of his head gently as he laughed.  “You bet I did Mikomi, how could I not?  I’m glad to be back sweetie, I missed you.”

   After kissing Mikomi once more, Hidama looked up and over at Knuckles and Amy, seeing the shock in their eyes, but the rattled look on his brother’s face let him know that this had shaken up Knuckles more than he had wanted it to.  As the brothers looked at each other, Hidama maintained a smile, and took a few steps toward him, the look in his eyes beckoning Knuckles to do the same.

   Knuckles felt funny; only seconds before he had assumed by Aranelion and Elianaron’s silence that his brother had passed away, and now, he had just witnessed his return, with Mikomi taking his first steps just to meet him, running and embracing him just as Knuckles had when they met on the battle field nearly a year ago.  Yet as he looked at Hidama, he saw this overwhelming change in Hidama’s face; he no longer looked plagued with misery and heartache…he looked…free…free from the torturous thoughts of his past, finally finding the peace he had longer for, for so long.

   He finally ran to meet Hidama, the brothers stopping with only a few paces left between them.  Hidama continued to smile, finally laughing and saying, “Gee, I hope you didn’t rattle the Brokenstar Twins too badly.  You may not know them well, but they are to me what Sonic and Tails are for you.  They were supposed to tell you I was coming, because I had to bring Delilah up here and it took me a moment or two.  I sent them ahead to let you know I was coming.”

   Knuckles was silent, dispelling tears that had returned to his eyes, out of joy rather than sadness, but he wasn’t ready to weep yet.  Amy caught up to him, looking between the two; finally, Hidama shook his head, handing Mikomi to Amy, and reaching for Knuckles, bringing him into a hug.  Knuckles returned the hug slowly but tightly, finally weeping softly.  He whispered, “Oh Hidama…so many times I…I thought you were hurt somewhere…or even dead, and I…I just couldn’t bear the thought of losing you…not again.  Now I’m just…so happy that you’re home.”

   Only Hidama heard these words, and whispered, “Please, Knuckles, don’t weep.  Everything is alright now; not saying you had no reason to worry though.”

   The brothers pulled out of their hug, and Knuckles dried his tears, looking at Hidama, puzzled by his words.  Hidama continued to smile, but faltered just a bit.  “I actually came close…to living that very nightmare.  I…I fought with them,” he nodded at the twins, “…and we deserted each other…and in my misery almost jumped to my death from the top of a skyscraper…stupid really, my cape got snagged on a canopy poll, and I fell on to someone’s balcony…and they saved my life, not just in taking care of me, but well…”  Hidama fell silent, and turned to look to Delilah, smiling at her and waving for her to come over.  As she walked up to Hidama, he continued, saying, “This is Delilah, Knuckles…and she has healed my scarred heart, and awakened the peace inside of me that was always there, a peace inside all of us…that I had not the knowledge to awaken.  Her love for me…well, our love for each other…,” he said turning to take her hands in his own, “…it’s done everything for me that yours and Amy’s has for you.”

   Knuckles looked at Hidama and Delilah with wonder; as they stood hand in hand, exchanging loving smiles, he concentrated on his brother, and no longer could Knuckles see any misery, sadness, or uncertainty in his brother’s eyes, or in his face; for the first time since childhood, Hidama looked genuinely happy, and grateful to be alive, finally loving life again as he found order and tranquility in his own.

   After a few moments, Hidama looked back at him and said, “Heh, well, I don’t know if you saw the suitcases Aranelion and Elianaron brought up…but I asked Delilah to marry me, asked her if she’d return here with me so our bond could last forever, and we’d never have to part…and she accepted…so, she’ll be here with us from now on.  Course, I also promised her I’d take her traveling to the nearby towns sometimes, like Station Square, Twinkle Park, and Casinopolis.  She’s never been anywhere west of Sandysun City.”

   Delilah laughed, looking to Knuckles and Amy and saying, “That was before I saw Angel Island…it was so beautiful, its silhouette painted against the rising sun, the early morning skyline.  I want to paint it now…and just looking around me…it’s simply beautiful here.”

   Amy laughed and said, “Sure is, but when you do get bored we can go to Station Square for the day…we’ll go shopping!  How about that?”

   The girls looked excited about that, while Knuckles and Hidama exchanged humorous glances, seeing how quickly Amy and Delilah were already becoming friends, they jokingly rolled their eyes and laughed a bit.  Delilah turned to Knuckles and said, “Really Knuckles, after…well,” she glanced at Hidama, the two of them resolving not to tell anyone that he denied having a family considering the circumstances involved, and continued,  “…after being with me and my roommate, well, friend Camillia the Cat, I’ve learned so much about you, and Amy, and little Mikomi, and about the echidnas and Angel Island in general.  He spoke of his years here with glowing terms, and of you the best of all…after seeing how wonderful, kind, and loving a soul Hidama is, it’s just a pleasure to finally meet you and see where he grew up…before all that mess happened of course.  He’s obviously very blessed.”

   Delilah had extended her hand to Knuckles, but the echidna pulled her into a hug, embracing her tightly as a welcome, rather than merely shaking her hand.  She returned the hug, and he said, “I’m honored to meet you Delilah, for not only did you save my brother, but you protected him, healed him, and took care of him when he was in danger and hurting…a time and place where I couldn’t.  I don’t recall ever seeing him this happy, carefree and tranquil, and have to dig up the few memories of our childhood that I can remember to even come close, and I know that you’ve done anything and everything it took for him to find this bliss, and I thank you so much for everything you’ve done.”

   As they pulled out of their hug, Hidama walked up to Knuckles and said, “Ah, yeah…if it weren’t for her, I’m sure things wouldn’t be this way, and would be far worse than any of us could anticipate.”  Looking to Delilah, he continued, “She helped me in so many ways, but most importantly she made me realized that chasing my peace wasn’t helping things, for it was inside my heart the entire time…I just…didn’t have the knowledge or means to awaken it here, where so many haunting memories persecuted me.  I felt responsible for so much pain, and at remembering the suffering of others I couldn’t begin to forget my own, or accept the forgiveness and freedom that was handed to me; I was denying myself any peace or happiness, taking the suffering of my past and so many others upon myself…and as my heart healed, I learned to love life again, and as I fell in love with Delilah, I learned to love myself again, and now, things are so much better than ever before, and will stay that way for the rest of my life.”

   After this, he turned to Delilah and said, “Heh, well, welcome home Delilah.  I’ll have to get on building a house for ourselves.  Perhaps I can persuade my little friends to help me out.”  He turned to look at the Brokenstar Twins, grinning jokingly, but deviously.

   Aranelion and Elianaron flushed red with embarrassment, on the way admitting they owed Hidama at least a favor or two after all that had happened in their journey together.  Aranelion stepped forward and said, “Eh heh, right…uh, sure buddy!  Whatever you need, the Guardian Souls shall deliver!  But umm…”

   “You wouldn’t keep us from visiting our mother in Valordian would you?  It’s been three months already…,” Elianaron interrupted.

   Hidama walked up to them, arms folded and stared them down.  “Aww gee, of course not…considering since the last time you visited her comprised quite a few months instead of a few rapid weeks as you first intended.”

   The twins immediately frowned, sensing his sarcasm.  Aranelion rubbed the back of his head and said, “Gee Hidama, we’re sorry, but…after I healed we helped mother with the fall harvest and well…we told you…”

   “That she got sick, I know guys, I’m just kidding,” Hidama said laughing and hugging them both.  Pulling back, he said, “Well, you can visit her if you want, and, to tell you the truth, I can do well enough on my own to get a start, plus Knuckles is here to help me.  You guys have done enough for me at the moment, although, if we hurry we can get it done before the summer is over and the harvest returns.  So, why don’t we try that?”  Holding his fist between them, he said, “To the Guardian Souls.”

   Aranelion and Elianaron smiled, placing their fists in the middle, repeating, “To the Guardian Souls,” after Hidama.  After this, the twins said their final goodbyes, admitting promising to come back to help build Hidama’s house before the fall harvest returned.  With that, they left, running off into the distance once more, with Valordian in their sights.

   After this, Delilah got better acquainted with Knuckles and Amy, as well as Mikomi, who was now her nephew.  The last bit of somberness hanging over Angel Island was finally dissolved.  Now, both brothers, sons of the guardian, were on Angel Island, and both of them were now at peace.  Until he did get a home for Delilah and himself put up, Amy made up the back bedroom, which until now was a small storage room, for them to sleep in.

   Later that night, Hidama found himself putting Mikomi to bed for the night.  He finished singing a song for Mikomi, just as he did before, and was ready to tuck him in, as he gently laid Mikomi down in his first real bed, growing out of the crib while Hidama was gone, he said, “I knew you’d come back Unca Hidama…I just…knew it.”  He yawned deeply, ready for sleep, reaching for one final hug and kiss as Hidama tucked him in.

   Hidama chuckled softly and smiled, hugging Mikomi tightly and kissing him gently before tucking the covers in around him.  He said, “Of course I did…that was the intention from the beginning.  There’s no way I could ever leave you forever…I don’t care how sad I may have been, there was nothing that was going to keep me from coming back to you Mikomi.  You’re my nephew, and your mother, father and you are my family; and Angel Island is my home…I probably won’t be leaving any time soon, even for a vacation.”

   As Hidama stood up, Mikomi said, “Yeah, and now Aunt Delilah is part of our family too right?  Then you and her can have a baby too!  Just like Mommy and Daddy did.”

   The echidna froze, a tingly sensation sweeping through his body as he took in Mikomi’s words.  His face flushed red slightly, hidden by the low light, as he looked back at Mikomi.  He laughed quietly, the redness quickly dissipating, and he whispered, “Yeah, you’re right Mikomi…you’re absolutely right.”  He paused, walked to the door and flicked on a nightlight, saying, “I love you Mikomi, goodnight, and sweet dreams.”

   The little hybrid echidna flicked the tips of his ears once and turned over on his side, yawning before saying, “I love you too Unca Hidama…,” his voice trailing off into a whisper.

   Hidama smiled, leaving the door cracked as he walked down the hall into the living room, where Delilah was showing Amy some of her art skills.  Amy looked up and said, “Thank you Hidama; Mikomi was just dying for you to tuck him in again.”

   “And sing him a lullaby too apparently,” Hidama said, laughing softly.  Amy and Delilah laughed in response, before Hidama asked, “Is Knuckles up on the altar?  I wanted to talk to him.”

   Amy smiled and said, “Yeah he is…he told me to tell you he’s keeping watch tonight so you and Delilah can have a night to settle in.  Delilah and I are having a wonderful time…,” Amy giggled, “She showed me that picture she did of you and then I just had to see her paint something.”

   Hidama smiled, looking at Delilah and saying, “Yeah…she’s a wonder…a wonder and a treasure.”  He paused, the two of them exchanging loving glances before he said, “I’ll be back in a little bit…then you and I can do all the settling in we need to.”

   Delilah laughed, then smiled and said, “Alrighty then, hurry back sweetie.  Love you.”

   Hidama replied, “I love you too.”  He then put his boots and cape on, and took off to the top of the altar, where Knuckles greeted him warmly, the two of them sitting down on the edge of the altar, gazing down at the grounds of the old echidna village.  Hidama sighed happily and said, “How many countless nights did father stand here gazing down at our hut with love in his eyes?  He was such a great person Knuckles…I only wish you could remember him with the same vividness that I do.”

   Knuckles laughed, saying, “I remember him with just as much love and admiration I can assure you…even in his death, mother’s too, they’ve done so much for us.  They were with us both all these years, and now both of us are finally happy.”

   “Knuckles…their spirits have finally moved on…they existed for so long outside of the afterlives as just spirits, guiding us on our way.  They brought you to Amy, or rather, they brought you to each other, and took care of you in the years before and after you met, and until you learned I was alive.  They were with me too I’m sure, even in my deepest despair…and they were with me as long as I carried my misery, and now, through Delilah, I’m at peace, and now, so are they,” Hidama explained.

   He looked at his brother curiously, and said, “Right Hidama…I just said that…why did you drag it out?”

   Laughing, Hidama said, “Knuckles…peace…it was with me all the time, and not just around me either.  There’s a peace inside us all, but after going through so much torment I had buried it under layers of despair, anguish, misery, and woe, and nothing around me was enough to help me find this peace, awaken it, and live happily.”  He paused, looking towards the gravesites of all who had died that fateful night, sighed and said, “I had come to blame myself for the attack on my kin…they had called me the “doomed guardian” after all, and then I blamed myself for disobeying mother and getting captured, therefore endangering myself, the Master Emerald, and putting you through untold anguish.  After awhile I saw myself as existing only as a figment meant to cause others pain…and with the weight of the misery of others, as well as my own, weighing on my broken heart, I was next to never seeing the light of happiness again.

   “But Delilah changed that; when I jumped into oblivion, falling on their balcony and hurting myself, she and Camillia took care of me, and in the weeks I spent there, happiness poured into my heart, tearing away all those fears and doubts, and making me realize I had blamed myself for entirely too much, and even so any anguish was forgiven and healed, I had just yet to forgive myself.  Like I said I learned to love myself and life again, and through my love for Delilah, I was finally able to find my peace.”

   Knuckles paused, thinking of all Hidama had said, and replied, “Wow…I guess leaving was a necessity…heh, as much love as you had around here, you were too close to those violent memories to break free…my love for you and even Amy’s and Mikomi’s wasn’t enough to heal your broken spirit.”

   Hidama looked to his brother, placed a hand on his shoulder and said, “Shadow told me something on our trip back home…while we were in the Northern Kingdom, he said, ‘…true peace cannot be found in anything unless it is sought for.  Only you can bring peace to your heart; how and where you find it, is truly up to you.  It is when you decide to stop torturing your own soul, and let all that’s good in this world bring you pleasure, so that you may enjoy life once more.’  He was right all along, and, heh, I found peace in love, my love for Delilah, and her love for me…now I feel untold happiness and am ready to live life again.”

   The two brothers looked at each other, embracing each other tightly.  “Mother and Father are at rest now…now that we have peace, so do they…and life can continue again.  You and I are truly blessed Knuckles; our parents wouldn’t rest for thirteen years…they stayed with us through it all.  They love us so much, but greater is their love for us I’m sure, as well as the love they have for each other.”

   Knuckles laughed, pulling out of their hug and said, “Love kinda like I have for Amy and you have for Delilah right?”  Hidama smiled, nodding in agreement.  “Well, it’s good that you aren’t leaving any time soon…you can’t.  You’re a guardian now and you’ve used up all your vacation time.”

   Hidama busted up laughing, saying, “Hmm, yeah…I don’t recall even father taking off this much time…even when we were born…oh bless his soul.  Nah, don’t worry about it Knuckles.  I’m here whenever I’m needed.  You and I are guardians…heh, the first to share the guardianship.  Out of the entire line of the guardians, history never wrote of two brothers sharing the task…or two brothers wanting to share the task.”

  They stood up, looking to the stars, and Knuckles whispered, “I think we might make history in another way Hidama.  When you and Delilah have a child I could be proven wrong…but…do you think perhaps with us the line of Guardians is over?  I mean, the blood of the Guardian will slowly fade away as the echidna blood is spent.  You told me once that Elianaron and Aranelion could never be guardians even if their dad was the guardian…because the guardian blood mixed with the blood of a hedgehog.  You told me that it could only survive in the bloodline of the echidnas…that’s the way it was when the Master Emerald was created…because the creator could only trust the noble echidnas with the task…and thus any mixed blood wouldn’t control it, in order to protect it from those with evil intentions.”

   Hidama smiled, remembering Mikomi mentioning him and Delilah having a baby, but frowned, distraught with what Knuckles said.  He looked to him and said, “That’s right…I believe the creator was named Kashoku…he also created the chaos emeralds, but lost a large part of his power to the Master Emerald’s creation, and thus the seven chaos emeralds could be controlled by anyone…heh, explaining why people hunt them down so much.  With a blockade of echidnas to protect the Master Emerald people ignored it…but now, with just you and me…we may indeed be the final Guardians of the Master Emerald…and knowing this people may hunt it down once more should this knowledge get out.  Indeed…that Master Emerald might have to die with us…abusing its power could destroy the world without a Guardian to protect and control it.”

   The brothers fell silent, glancing at the Master Emerald and then each other, before looking back to the stars.  Hidama continued, “I don’t know…destroying it may bring a prolonged peace to the world…without its massive power to fight over and potentially wreak havoc, the world might be a better place for it…and our children wouldn’t have to suffer this burden either.”

   Knuckles smiled, and said, “Yeah…that’s true.”  He paused, and said, “Well, nothing can destroy our peace Hidama…for it is always with us, and will never leave us, even as the journey of our lives continue on; I’m just glad we’ve both discovered that now, and will never let it go.”

   Hidama smiled, and replied, “Never again, my journey for peace is finally at its end…I mean, there will always be struggles I’m sure…but at last…I’m happy, as I always should have been.”  They both looked to the stars, and Hidama whispered, “Thank you mother and father…our blessed lives can finally continue…because…I’m home at last, and after so long, I’ve discovered the peace inside me that was there all along, and is inside all of us, and will never die as long as we have love, not just for each other, but for ourselves, our lives, and our futures.”

    That night, Hidama and Knuckles searched the sky for constellations, finally able to enjoy just being alive after so many years fraught with conflict and sadness.  Many joyful years would follow them as Mikomi grew up, and Hidama and Delilah would eventually have their own child.  There may be stumbling blocks in their futures, but after so much stumbling already in their lives, both Hidama and Knuckles would be hard pressed to let anything get them down again.

   The peace that enveloped Angel Island may last for a long time, only to be rattled once more, but as Hidama had said, the peace inside his heart, and inside all souls, would never die, giving him a reason to fight for tranquility and happiness in the face of untold adversity.  As Shadow had spoken that night in the Northern Kingdom, Hidama had to search for his peace, and he found it, and even as Shadow implied further, it was something at times he would have to fight to protect, as everyone struggled for it during their lives.  Now, Hidama now realized, as Knuckles had, that this joyous peace, happiness and love, was more than worth fighting for.  It was something he had gone through so much to capture, would bless his life for years to come, and was something he was never going to be quick to give up, or not fight for, ever again as he had before, as a child on Angel Island, on a frightful night, so many years ago, and now nothing but a lasting memory of a fight for peace, on the unending journey of the heart.