A giant beam of green light shot out of the sky, causing Y/N, Locke, and Archimedes to go above ground to see what was going on and immediately covered their eyes. Once the light died down, they look up to see Super Sonic battling against Knuckles/Enerjak in the sky. Sonic took the staff from Knuckles/Enerjak that he was holding and broke it in half. Then, Knuckles/Enerjak blasted him with Chaos Energy, but Sonic was unharmed without a single scratch.

"Whoa! I can't believe he survived that!" Y/N exclaimed in surprise, holding Archimedes in her hand. "Even I would survive that in my Super Form!"

Locke was sitting against the cement with a down look on his face with a hint of no hope.

"He won't forever. None of us will. You fool shouldn't have stopped me..."

Y/N and Archimedes looked back at him angrily.

"Oh, would you stop it and shut up already?! You've had plenty of chances to destroy the son you hate!"

"I—I don't hate Knuckles B-But he's become—!"

Archimedes teleported right in front of Locke's face and pointed at him harshly.

"Everything we worked to create. It was our training and your experiments on his DNA and Chaos Energy that lead to this. But he is not a mistake to bury, Locke. We are much to blame, if not more."

Archimedes teleported back to Y/N's hand.

"Come on, Archimedes. Let's see if we can find a way to help my bro and the Guardian we love enough to rescue! And maybe he would've been a good dad if he hadn't been such a jerk and learn at least about the value of family! Family comes first, stupid!!"

Y/N ran off with Archimedes, leaving Locke alone to think as he feels downhill already.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Y/N and Archimedes ran across the Angel Island as they could see the battle shook on. Sonic was holding his own, but Knuckles/Enerjak barely look tired nor give an inch.

"This is getting out of hand! We've got to find a way to stop them!"

"Then we go to the source of the problem."

They jumped over the cliff and landed on the small island where the Master Emerald is with Dr. Finitevus standing in front of it.

"Finitevus! You're the cause of all this! You warped Knuckles' mind! You made him lose control! Set him right, or I'll—!"

"You are in no position to do anything, girl. Besides, I couldn't stop this now if I wanted to. The Hex I placed upon the Master Emerald binds it to my will. The minute Knuckles tapped into its power, his intentions became bent to my ideals. I admit I'm surprised that Sonic could use its power without any effect. I would love to dissect him to find out why, but his battle with Enerjak will suit my grand design well enough."

"I don't care about your stupid plan! You made the Hex, now break it." Y/N demanded.

"I already said I couldn't if I wanted to. I expected a plucky resistance to 'save' your beloved Knuckles. So I 'locked' the Hex. To break the Hex and my control, someone must sacrifice their own life!" Finitevus said with a malicious grin.

Y/N and Archimedes were shocked as she could've guessed that.

"Fine. Thanks for that. I won't let him live like this."

This surprised Archimedes and Finitevus. The fire ant stopped her.

"No you don't, Y/N. The failures of the student are those of the teacher. You have your lives ahead of you. Plus, you've already made a sacrifice yourself against the Metarex. Don't let it happen again. I will go."

"No, old friend. He will need your council. Let me save my boy."

Locke comes in with a warp ring and handed it to Archimedes. Y/N was surprised to hear him say that. Sure he may be a jerk, but he's willing to sacrifice himself. What would Knuckles say about this?

"Please understand... Help him understand... I did it to protect him from a future terror. I never wanted to turn him into that terror. I only wanted to keep him safe."

Finitevus swoops down kicked Locke and Y/N both in the face along with Archimedes.

"I won't have you grave-eager fools stopping me now!"

He pulls Locke's quill while punching Y/N from behind.

"A world this corrupt must be cleansed by fire! Your son has the honor of being the starting ember!"

He kicked him down to the ground and held him there and used his warp ring to let his hand through and pulled Y/N's quill.

"If you are so eager to die first, I'd be happy to oblige!"

Archimedes jumps onto Finitevus with a smirk.

"G'day, Doctor! Fancy a trip?"

"What—?"

Both of them disappeared, leaving Locke and Y/N.

"Thank you, mentor."

"With all those warp rings, he won't be gone for long." Y/N said.

"I know."

Locke marches up the stairs to the Master Emerald.

"Locke?"

He turned to her with sadness and regret.

"The Brotherhood of Guardians had its reasons for how we raised the next generation. We only wanted to protect those we loved, even if we had to do from afar. And Y/N... You are right. I should've been the good and best dad. I wish with all my heart I had done things differently! I should have given him a choice! Tell him this and that I mean it. He's my son and will always be and that I love him!"

Y/N ducked behind the rock with tears in her eyes.

"I... understand. He will, too. I'll tell him."

"Then there is only one thing left to do."

Before he goes, he look back at her again.

"Take care of my boy."

He then climbed up to the top of the Master Emerald and sat on it in a meditating position.

"The servers are the seven Chaos... Chaos is power, enriched by the heart... Release my boy! Give him his own life to lead!"

Y/N looked up and saw Sonic punched Knuckles/Enerjak in the face and grabbed him by the collar as the bright light blinded her for a bit. After it died down, she saw Knuckles is back to normal and his no longer in his blue tunic, golden armor, or the mask. Sonic held Knuckles before he could fall as Knuckles look a little tired.

"Easy, Knux. I've got you. Easy does it, bud."

Sonic help him land down to the ground safely before he is no longer in his Super Form. Y/N came out from the rock and towards them with tears in her eyes still. Knuckles look back and smile to see her.

"Y/N! Where's dad? I thought I heard him..."

"Knuckles..."

Y/N hugged Knuckles tightly and sobbed.

"I'm so sorry. There was no other way! Things moved too fast, and-and-and he just went—!"

"Slow down! 'He went?' You mean dad—?"

"RAAAARGH!"

They look up and saw Finitevus standing on top of the alter with an open warp ring behind them. He puts his hands on the Master Emerald, looking angry and frustrated.

"The old fool did it! All that research and casting for nothing! At this rate, his brat will remember some of this farce..."

"I remember..."

Knuckles became angry and charged Finitevus and punched him in the face.

"—EVERYTHING!"

"HRK!"

Finitevus was bounced off the ground and held onto the edge of the small island before he could fall. Knuckles stand over to him.

"Get back up here."

"Another time, perhaps."

Finitevus opened the warp ring behind him and let himself fall through it before it disappeared. Knuckles stood there in silence.

"...Knuckles? Um..." Sonic started, feeling concern for his friend.

"Let's go back down to the city. Let everyone know you're okay." Y/N suggested.

"No. You go back if you want. I'm never making that mistake again. I am the last Guardian of Angel Island. I will protect the Master Emerald. And I will do it alone if I have to."

Y/N was surprised to hear this and was not expecting it. This isn't what Locke wanted him to do, but now Knuckles made up his mind.

"Knuckles..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Y/N was lying down on her bed in her treehouse as Kirby was snoring softly in his own small bed. After her and Sonic head back to New Mobotropolis, they told the Freedom Fighters and the Chaotix that Knuckles wouldn't come because of the death of Locke. They were shocked and devastated for their friend to feel that way and wished there was something they could do to cheer him up. They told them that Knuckles needed some time alone. But to Y/N, she believes he needs some comfort, even if he tried to push her away. She couldn't sleep at all and decided to come and visit Knuckles to see if he's doing okay. She quietly got out of her bed and puts on a coat to keep her warm from the cold night and brought a rolled blanket with her. Y/N slowly opened the window and landed on the grass softly and runs off.

Once she made it to the Angel Island where the Master Emerald is, she took a look around to see if Knuckles is here. She thought she would see him by the pedestal. Y/N then found him sitting by the edge of the small island, staring down at the sky below him. She walks over to him.

"Knuckles?"

He flinched and turned to see her. He turned away.

"What are you doing here?..."

"I thought I'd come to see you if you're doing alright."

"You don't have to worry about me. If you're going to tell me, then just say it..."

Y/N frowned to hear that and sighed.

"Your dad loved you."

"I doubt it."

"No, really. He really do. He wanted me to tell you how sorry he was towards you. He wish with all of his heart that he could've done things differently and shouldn't have left his family. He should've given you a choice. Every word that I said is true. Would this face tells you that I'm telling the truth?"

Knuckles look back and his eyes widen to see her face full of tears, looking sad.

"He really mean that? He never said that to me."

"Yes, he did."

"How?"

"He did it when he gave his life to save you."

Knuckles look down and begin to cry, wishing he would see his dad again. She puts a hand on his shoulder and he turned and started sobbing into her shoulder. She hugged back, feeling more tears fill her eyes. Y/N takes his hand and guided him back to the pedestal and made him sit. She brought out the blanket and wrapped it around Knuckles.

"Thanks."

Y/N smiled as they sat there throughout the night, looking up at the stars. There was a moment of silence between them until she decides to speak.

"Want me to sing you a song?"

Knuckles thinks for a moment and nodded, holding the blanket close to him.

"Yeah... What do you have in mind?"

"I have a song that my mom would always sing before I go to sleep."

He smiles and leans against her shoulder, causing her to blush. She then closes her eyes and began to sing in a soft and quiet melody tone.

https://youtu.be/jQnIS_nmGgA

Knuckles feels in daze like he was being controlled by the amazing voice of Y/N and always feel impressed. Each songs went by as he feels his eyes droopy and the darkness taking over him. She was right and that Locke would want him to be happy and have a life he deserve better than he has. Knuckles then fully went to sleep as he lean himself into her chest as she kept singing.

As soon as Y/N was done singing, she hears soft snores and look down to see him sleeping. She smiles softly and strokes his head. She looks back up the night sky as she wishes that Knuckles will have a choice that doesn't involved being the Guardian of Angel Island, but something much more than that. She later fell asleep with him as she feels at peace and all better.