Val looked at Sonic, "Yeah." she said with a nod.

Sonic grunted and stood up. "Okay, I can take no responsibility if anybody gets a heart attack, okay?" He told them as he summoned his Chaos Emerald. "Do your thing, pal," The red gemstone glowed radiantly. "Without the theatrics, please..."

Val cocked her head to the side curiously.

Holter watched intently as light broke off from the emerald. It swirled for a moment, then flashed with a light too bright to look at. Sonic sheilded his eyes, and Holt yelped and screwed his eyes shut with a wince. "I said no theatrics!!"

Val rubbed at her eyes, she couldn't handle a sudden change of light, it momentarily blinded her.

When the light cleared, an familar red echidna shook his pelt and stretched, the yellow strips of fabric tied around his wrists drifting easliy in some unfelt breeze.

"Guys," Sonic said with a broad grin. "This is the guy you've been calling Ghost. Meet Knuckles the Echidna,"

Knuckles glanced up. "Uh, Hey. Sorry about the whole 'I can tell you my identiy yet' thing I had going. Had to be sure I could trust ya...." He trailed of when he noticed Holt's expression. "...I think I broke him, but to Val's little comment, careful what you wish for, okay?"

Val wasn't sure if she was seeing right, she pinched herself, the echidna was still there, she stood up and glared at the echidna ears flat, she stalked off, she was angry, her mother had thought that he had died.

Knuckles sighed and glanced at Sonic. "You watch the wolf. I'll handle this," He said, running after her and intersecting. "Look, I get you're confused, but you don't need to get all ticked off,"

"My mom thought you were dead!" she snapped, "She never told me about any of you, but finally getting to meet you when my mom thought you were dead, that's some way to greet a friend." she growled.

"Val. I am dead. Check my pulse if you don't believe me." Knuckles/Ghost said slowly, holding out a hand. His gaze was steady, unflinching, gentle but firm. "I thought you just finished talking about how you thought it would be cool to meet me, right?"