What Tails hadn't predicted, however, was Knuckles' overwhelming resilience to protect the Master Emerald.
The little puggle's senses were on high alert. He was almost in a trance as he felt that something strange was happening to the emerald.
Tails turned away for a matter of seconds to ask Sonic for help, but as soon as he turned back, Knuckles had already rolled onto his front and started to dig under the soil below him, in an attempt to crawl back towards the altar.
Sonic and Tails barely had time to react before Knuckles’ tiny fists started furiously scooping up dirt, his instincts kicking in full force.
“Whoa, whoa, WHOA—!” Sonic yelped, diving forward to grab him.
Tails lunged too, but Knuckles was surprisingly fast for a baby. His little arms worked at lightning speed, flinging dirt everywhere as he wriggled deeper into the ground.
Sonic managed to grab one of Knuckles’ tiny legs, but the baby echidna was determined. He let out an indignant squeak and kicked wildly, sending Sonic straight into Tails, knocking them both over.
Tails groaned, spitting out a mouthful of dirt. “Sonic, hold onto him!”
“I’m TRYING!” Sonic grunted, gripping Knuckles’ foot like his life depended on it. “He’s got the strength of a full-grown Knuckles packed into a tiny body!”
Knuckles, meanwhile, was absolutely furious. His instincts told him the Master Emerald needed him, and these two buffoons were in his way. He let out a high-pitched battle cry and started clawing at the ground even harder.
Tails scrambled forward and grabbed Knuckles’ other leg, pulling with all his might. “We are NOT losing him to the dirt!”
Sonic and Tails pulled with everything they had, but Knuckles was relentless. The scene quickly devolved into a ridiculous tug-of-war—Knuckles digging with all his might, Sonic and Tails desperately trying to keep him above ground.
At one point, Knuckles managed to get half his body underground, leaving only his tiny legs kicking in the air.
Sonic, refusing to be outdone by a baby, grabbed Knuckles by the waist and yanked him up like a stubborn turnip.
With a final pull, Knuckles popped out of the ground like a cork, sending all three of them tumbling backward in a heap.
Sonic groaned, rubbing his head. “Okay, new rule—never underestimate baby Knuckles.”
Tails sat up, panting. “Agreed. He’s like a tiny, angry drill.”
Knuckles, now safely in Sonic’s arms, let out a frustrated squeak and flailed his fists, clearly unimpressed with their interference.
Sonic smirked. “Nice try, little guy, but you’re stuck with us.”
Knuckles pouted, crossing his tiny arms in defiance.
Tails sighed, brushing dirt off his fur. “We need a better plan before he tries that again.”
Sonic grinned. “Yeah, preferably one that doesn’t involve me eating dirt.”
Knuckles huffed, clearly plotting his next escape.
-------
After finally getting Knuckles cleaned up and into a fresh diaper, Sonic and Tails—exhausted—made their way back toward the altar, ready to sit down and catch their breath.
Just as they were about to settle in, a sudden flash of lightning split the sky, making the fur on the backs of their necks stand on end.
“Oh, crap! I completely forgot about the storm!” Sonic blurted.
Without hesitation, he scooped up both Tails and the little puggle, bolting toward a nearby cave—one that, presumably, belonged to Knuckles.
The moment they stepped inside, the storm unleashed its fury. Another bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a deafening crack of thunder.
Tails yelped, instinctively clutching onto Sonic’s arm. His twin tails bristled as he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the noise.
Knuckles, already startled, let out a tiny wail, his little body trembling as he buried his face in Tails’ chest.
Sonic blinked, momentarily caught off guard. “Whoa, okay—double trouble.”
Tails shuddered as another rumble shook the island. “I-I don’t like storms,” he admitted, voice barely above a whisper.
Sonic softened, wrapping an arm around his little buddy while gently rubbing Knuckles’ back with the other. “Hey, it’s alright, guys. We’re safe. Just a little noise and flashy lights, nothing we can’t handle.”
Knuckles sniffled, gripping onto Tails’ fur with his tiny fists, while Tails hesitated before leaning into Sonic’s reassuring presence.
Sonic smirked. “You know, Tails, I always thought you were the fearless genius type. Guess even the smartest guys have their weak spots, huh?”
Tails huffed, still tense. “I-it’s not my fault storms are loud…”
Sonic chuckled, pulling them both closer. “Nah, it’s cool. Even tough guys need a little backup sometimes.”
Another boom of thunder rattled the sky, making Tails flinch. Sonic instinctively tightened his hold, keeping both of them steady.
“Just focus on my voice, alright?” Sonic said, his tone unusually gentle. “We’re here, we’re safe, and this storm’s got nothing on us.”
Tails took a shaky breath, nodding slightly, while Knuckles let out a tiny sigh, finally starting to relax.
Sonic grinned. “See? Nothing to worry about. Just a little weather trying to show off.”
Tails managed a small smile, still clinging to Sonic but feeling a little braver. “Thanks, Sonic.”
Sonic smirked. “Anytime, buddy.”
As the storm continued outside, the three of them huddled together, finding warmth and comfort in each other’s presence.
----------
By morning, the storm had finally calmed, leaving behind a fresh, rain-scented breeze that drifted through the island. The sky was painted in soft hues of pink and gold, the remnants of the storm clouds fading into the horizon.
Sonic stretched with a yawn, his quills slightly damp from the humidity. “Well, that was a wild night.”
Tails rubbed his eyes, still groggy. “At least it’s over. I don’t think I could’ve handled another round of thunder.”
Knuckles, still curled up in Tails’ arms, let out a tiny squeak as he stirred. But before either of them could react, the Master Emerald began to glow—brighter than before, pulsing with an intense energy.
The trio turned toward the altar just as the emerald released a dazzling flash of light, engulfing Knuckles in its glow.
Sonic and Tails instinctively shielded their eyes, the force of the energy sending a warm gust through the cave.
And then—just as suddenly as it started—the light faded.
Knuckles was no longer a tiny, diaper-clad puggle. Instead, standing before them was the full-grown echidna, back in his original form, flexing his fingers as he looked down at himself.
He let out a deep sigh of relief. “Finally.”
Tails ran over, eyes wide with concern. “Knuckles! Are you okay?”
Knuckles rolled his shoulders, stretching his arms as if shaking off the lingering effects of his transformation. “Yeah, I’m fine. I just need to take care of something.”
Sonic raised a brow. “Uh… what do you mean by that?”
Knuckles cracked his knuckles, his signature smirk slowly creeping onto his face as he turned toward Sonic.
“Oh, you know exactly what I mean.”
Before Sonic could react, Knuckles lunged forward, grabbing him with both arms and effortlessly lifting him off the ground.
“Whoa—HEY! What are you doing?!” Sonic yelped, kicking his legs in protest.
Knuckles held him securely, cradling him like a baby. “Wook at da wittle baby hedgehog~”
Sonic’s face burned with embarrassment. “PUT ME DOWN!”
Knuckles grinned, bouncing Sonic slightly in his arms. “Aww, I think he’s grouchy today~ Maybe he needs a cloth diaper too~”
Sonic flailed, trying to escape. “Hey! Cut it out, man!”
Tails, watching the scene unfold, smirked and crossed his arms. “Sorry, Sonic, but that’s what you get for teasing him~”
Knuckles chuckled, holding Sonic just a little longer before finally setting him down—though not without ruffling his quills for good measure.
Sonic huffed, smoothing his fur back into place. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, tough guy.”
Knuckles smirked. “Oh, don’t worry. I will.”
Tails giggled, shaking his head. “Well, at least things are back to normal.”
Sonic sighed, but a small grin tugged at his lips. “Yeah… normal. If you count getting turned into a baby and then getting revenge-cradled as normal.”
Knuckles stretched, glancing toward the Master Emerald. “Hey, it’s Angel Island. Weird stuff happens.”
Sonic rolled his eyes. “Yeah, no kidding.”
As the morning sun bathed the island in golden light, the trio finally settled down, the chaos of the past day behind them—though Sonic had a sneaking suspicion Knuckles wouldn’t let him live this down anytime soon.
