Chapter Text
The winds blew gently over Angel Island as Rouge the Bat soared effortlessly above the lush canopy, her eyes locked onto her prize and main reason of her visit, that being the Master Emerald, glimmering in the sun like a beacon calling her home.
Or maybe, just maybe... she was here to visit a certain stubborn echidna too. Not that she’d ever admit it out loud.
Humming a little tune, she drifted down slowly toward the sacred altar, expecting to see Knuckles glaring at her like usual from his guarding post.
But today was different.
Instead of standing protectively before the emerald, Knuckles was sitting on the steps, his head bowed, fiddling with something in his hands.
Curious, Rouge floated closer, and her eyes immediately lit up like spotlights. "A necklace!" she whispered excitedly.
It was unmistakable, a beautiful necklace strung together with radiant emerald stones, each one gleaming with a hypnotic allure. Rouge could almost feel the value radiating off it and hear it whisper for her to take it.~
Her wings flapped silently as she hovered lower, until she was standing right in front of the unsuspecting echidna.
Knuckles finally noticed her and scowled. “What are you doing here, Rouge?” he demanded.
Rouge, in return, gave him her sweetest smile. “Why, to see you, of course, Knucklehead. And..." Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she pointed boldly at the necklace. "To admire that beauty too.~”
Knuckles immediately clutched the necklace to his chest, his whole posture tense. “I’m warning you, Rouge," he said sharply. "You must not, absolutely MUST NOT touch this necklace! Ever!!!”
But his words fell on deaf ears. Before he could react, Rouge’s nimble fingers snatched the necklace from his grip, with a playful giggle escaping her as she floated a few feet back into the air.
"Honestly, Knuckles," she teased, dangling the necklace by a finger. "If you didn’t want me to take it, you should’ve hidden it better.~"
But then… something happened that stopped her cold.
Knuckles didn’t shout at her for being a thief or call her batty or didn’t even try chase her.
Instead... he pleaded!?
“Rouge... please," he said, genuine panic flickering in his eyes. "Whatever you do... you mustn’t wear that necklace. Please."
Rouge blinked, thrown off. Knuckles never begged.
She looked down at the shimmering necklace... and smiled slyly. “If you're getting this worked up, it must be something really special.”
Without another word, she slipped the necklace around her neck.
Knuckles' eyes widened in pure horror. He staggered backward and mouth falling open. Then he screamed loud enough to shake the clouds:
"IT CANNOT BE!!!!!!!"
Dropping then to his knees, staring at the ground like the sky itself was collapsing, the mighty echidna was looking like he was broken.
Rouge descended hurriedly, confused and now a little worried herself. "Okay, seriously, what is the big deal, Knucklehead? It's just a necklace!"
Knuckles grabbed her shoulders tightly, desperation written all over his face. "You don't understand!" he cried. "That's an ancient Echidna charm! It's not just jewelry, it's a proposal necklace!"
Rouge stared blankly at him.
"In our tribe," Knuckles continued frantically, "if a male or a parent gives that necklace, and the woman willingly puts it on... it means she’s accepted a marriage proposal!!!"
Rouge’s mouth dropped open. She looked down at the emerald necklace now hanging elegantly from her neck. Then at Knuckles. Then back at the necklace.
Slowly, her face drained of all color. “…I’m married?” she croaked.
And then, without another word, Rouge the Bat fainted, collapsing into Knuckles’ arms.
The echidna just stared helplessly at the unconscious bat in his grasp, groaning miserably.
“This... is going to be a nightmare…”
Happy New Year! I'm back with a story that I hope will make you all start 2026 with an emotional bang so to say. Hope you are in for the ride!