Chapter Text
knuckles had been guarding the master emerald when a random robot suddenly appeared on the island
Knuckles suspected it was supposed to be a tails replica
Only it was as big as the tower of Pisa
But its paint wasn't compete in parts
And his ears were missing
"Heh, Eggmans getting cheap, at least I won't feel guilty turning this thing into scrap" knuckles laughed
The battle was intense
It sprayed poisonous gas from it's tails
Not to mention in had literal diamonds on its fists
Which even when knuckles avoided the blows the best he could they were still able to stick into his head and jaw
Causing his stamina and strength to weaken
But after an hour or so knuckles soon landed the final punch causing the robot to shut down in crackling electricity
Grunting and gasping in pain he pushed the robot of his island, sending it crashing into the sea
Turning back to where a group of chaos were gathered in worry
"Don't worry...I just...need to lie down..for a while" he gasped, falling to the floor, his blood leaking out slowly and his eyes shut tight in pain
The chaos gather around their protector, trying to wake knuckles up, but it was no use
In their secret language they nodded to each other in agreement
Using all their might they lifted the injured guardian of the floor and to where his friends would be
Meanwhile else where
"Thanks for invite us for tea miss vanilla" sonic thanked, biting into a newly baked cake
"You're very welcome Mr sonic, it's the least I could do for helping cream with her flower collection" vanilla said happily
While sonic and vanilla talked tails was explaining to cream and cheese about his new invention
"And that's basically how it works" as he finished explaining
Cream and cheese clapped her hands in applause
When cheese stopped instantly and flew straight to the front door
"Cheese?" Cream asked as she followed her chao friend
"Chao, chao, chao" he repeated pointing at the door
Worried cream opened the door to see what cheese was so shaken up about
And when she opened the door she instantly knew why
"Mama!" She exclaimed
Vanilla shot straight up walking fast to where her daughter was shouting in distress
Tails and sonic followed close
"Cream what's wro-" she asked before seeing what was at the door
A chao group holding an injured echidna
His eyes were swollen
He had a lump on his head
And his leg looked out of place
"Knuckles" shouted sonic as ran to the group
"What happened to him!" Cried tails coming to sonics side
"Now not the time to be asking questions, we must get him some help quickly, place him on the couch and I'll get the first aid kit" vanilla instructed
Her new persona caught them of guard but like she said it wasn't the time
Instead they did exactly as they were told
"Cream please go play outside while we patch up me knuckles" vanilla said as she came to knuckles side as sonic placed him on the couch
"Will mr knuckles be ok" cream asked worriedly, tears being to form
Vanilla smiled
"He will be, now please go and play" she said sweetly
And while cream went outside vanilla got to work
"His head will need ice and his legs will need a cast" she said as she analysed knuckles state
She conveniently had an x-ray machine at her home, and using it she could see that knuckles leg was broken
"I'll get the ice" tails said, turning away to the kitchen before vanillas voice called him out to stop
"Not until we get his leg in place, he is already showing fever so we need to do it quickly" she said
"What do you want us to do ?" Sonic asked worriedly
He had a feeling of what vanilla would say, and he did not want to do it to his friend/brother
"You two will need to hold him down while I crack it back into place and set it" she said
Tails and sonic did as instructed
And knew instantly when she cracked knuckles leg
His eyes shot open wide
And screamed bloody murder
They had to use all their will to stop knuckles powerful arms and one leg
It killed tails and sonic to do this to one of their closest friends, but they knew it had to be done, no matter how pain wrenching it was
Knuckles eyes slowly drifted back to sleep
His body seemed much more relaxed which was a good sign
"He will need to rest his leg for about 2 months" she said, getting a wet cloth while tails fetched the ice, sonic staying by knuckles side
"Well that's going to be difficult, especially since of who the patient is" sonic laughed grabbing the cloth and placing it on knuckles head
"Indeed but you must advise him, or else he will get worse" she said
Knuckles groaned
He was waking up
"Hey buddy" sonic said comfortingly
Knuckles held his head in pain
"Where-" he mumbled
"Vanilla's house, we patched you up, you were in really bad shape" tails answered, trying to save knuckles the trouble
"How-" he asked again
"The chao brought you here, but you need to tell us how you ended up that way" sonic answered, his voice was sweet but stern, obviously worried for his friends safety
"Giant...robot..poison...diamonds...the master emerald" he mumbled, but the last sentence he said with extreme urgency
He made a move to get up, but moving his leg made him stop in his tracks and grunt in pain
"Easy knux, you're legs pretty bad, you have to stay of it for 2 months" he said placing a hand on knuckles shoulder in sympathy, moving his body back into the resting position
"But...the master-" he panted in worry
"We'll get there soon, but for now you need to rest, when you feeling better me and tails will join you on angle island" he said reassuringly
"I don't need a baby sitter" he grunted as he unknowingly slowly layers back onto the couch
"I know, what you need is good friends to make sure you don't do anything stupid" he laughed
Knuckles gave out a small smile before his body finally collapsed back into slumber
"You know it's not going to be easy, especially with that temper of his" chuckled tails
"Yeah but that's what makes him, him" he laughed
"I will help anyway I can" vanilla said happily
And with that they prepared some grapes for when the patient would wake
Just like vanilla had said
Knuckles would be ok
They would make sure of that