Tails frowned and tilted an ear. "Is something the matter?"

"Ah, nothing. Just very surprised. It's beautiful." Rin said

Hecate's eyelids fell, but she tried to keep them open to no avail

"I figured you'd like it," he emailed.

Knuckles was beginning to feel tired as well, but a sense of duty prevented sleep from coming to him.

"That's true,"

Hecate eventually fell asleep, as without the sun she had no energy.

(*smiled. My spell check really sucks)
"Oh, and I prefer Tails to sir," he added.

Knuckles, after waiting another hour or so, dozed off.

"Gotcha, Tails." She smiled

At sunrise, Hecate's tail flicked happily

Tails returned the smile.

Between the late night hours spent awake last night and the injuries from the previous day, Knuckles was out.

"It's very.. well kept.." Rin said

"Nn." she groaned, still tired

.:Ahead was a deserted village, seemingly broken everywhere, Maverick slowly walked through:.

Tails trotted over to a bridge and looked down into the stream below.

The Master Emerald continued its slow pulsing... It's Guardian asleep.