"It is. It.... has a mind of its own. It doesn't always communicate in ways that are easily understood, but when it needs to, it gets its point across." Knuckles confirmed. "It showed me a picture of the Island that floats above this school. When I leaned in for a closer look, it sent me there. No explanation for why, though."

Because that would have been super useful.

He definitely blushed much harder as she grabbed his arm. The contact was still a little unfamiliar, but very pleasant.

"Hey, you have to keep on keeping on, right? Mopin' about it ain't gonna get me anywhere. I spent time trying to figure out why it sent me here and as best as I can figure, it's to get stronger. To protect this place and become a better guardian. This is my home, now. This is my Island for as long as I'm stuck here, so, I better make the most of it."

He paused.

"...which means gettin' better at being around people. Learning how to deal with them and be better at being social."