Whole Again

[Grand Warlock Naarghul]

www.fanfiction.net/s/4651767/1/

For you Taismo and SonAmy fans out there, I'm now writing a Taismo fic. And here's the first Chapter.


Whole Again

Chapter 1: Memories and a Miracle

“CraaaaaAAAAAP!”

Within a workshop near a misty moor, there was a loud bang and a crash of metal. Inside, a yellow fox crawled from behind a door he had sealed for protection, moving aside his large, twin tails. The fox stood upright, and brushed himself off. His fur was stained with oil, fluid, and even some dried blood near some bandages. His eyes were sunken with fatigue and hopelessness. He limped slightly to the middle of the room, where there was a mass of smouldering wires. Frustrated, the fox kicked hard at a nearby metal plate, and promptly fell down with a wince. He held his now singed red shoe and made numerous noises of pain.

“Note to self,” the fox spoke to nobody in particular, “Don’t kick things that are both hotter than a stove and made of metal...ow.”

Having gotten his frustration out of his system, he attempted to stand. His kicking foot was throbbing, and he almost fell down again. After a moment of uncertain swaying, he righted himself and limped gingerly to the door to his drawing room, putting as little weight as possible on his injured foot. Might as well go back to square one, he told himself. He looked up to the window near his desk, and frowned apologetically. In the windowsill was a medium sized plant pot, and in it grew a tall, beautifully green plant with a large green bud at the top. He sat in his comfortable chair, a present from his friend, the pink hedgehog Amy, after they had gotten home from their wild journey through space. Yes, that hellish journey through space...He stared at the plant. Both that plant, and the chair, were painful reminders of what they all suffered on that journey...what he suffered, what his friend Sonic suffered, what Amy suffered, and, especially, what she suffered.

“I’m sorry, Cosmo. It looks like I failed again.”

Yes, Cosmo was her name. She was at first, an extraterrestrial stranger, someone who had come to plead for Sonic’s help. Her family had been taken and killed by an organization known as the Metarex, and she knew what damage and death they were capable of. Sonic the Hedgehog, she had said, was the only one who could stop them. As a friend of Sonic’s, he, Miles “Tails” Prower, had to help out, with his technological wizardry and brilliant mind. Amy Rose, Sonic’s self-proclaimed girlfriend, Cream the Rabbit, a close friend of everybody, Knuckles the Echidna, the Master Emerald’s guardian, and Chris Thorndyke, a human friend from another world, all joined Sonic, Cosmo, and himself in helping to stop the sinister Metarex. As their journey through space continued, Cosmo and himself became close, very close, and eventually, fell in love. He wasn’t sure what Cosmo saw in him, but in her he saw beauty, serenity, and endless kindness: Unlike many others, Cosmo never teased him...ever. In fact, she often praised him for the very things that others teased him about: His intelligence, his engineering skills, even his twin tails. Yes he was young, and probably naive about feelings, but he really didn’t care.

To him, Cosmo had become everything. She had become the one.

And even to think, if only a passing thought, what she suffered, caused his eyes to sting badly.

Her family had been murdered by the cosmically terrifying Dark Oak - one who was a member of Cosmo’s own race of people. Not only did Dark Oak kill all of them, save for Cosmo herself, but he had used Cosmo as an unwitting spy for him as he and the Metarex roamed the stars, stealing the life force of countless worlds, claiming endless numbers of lives. Cosmo had been left alive after Dark Oak finished his messy slaughter, and her entire being had been shaken to the core. She had confidence in him, in Sonic, in Amy, and even in Shadow, but she kept none for herself. She would frequently run herself down when faced with dire situations...and watching her, it ate him up. Then, she found out all along that she had been a spy, against her will, the Metarex using her own eyes and ears against her...and she completely broke down. She refused to climb out of bed, or eat, and despite being in that bed, sleep. Eventually, she tried to leave, to make sure that we were safe, but Cream and himself wouldn’t have it. In fact, they all wouldn’t have it. Even Knuckles, who was being a realist about her, didn’t want her to leave. Then, came that final battle against Dark Oak himself. And in that battle, Cosmo, the one he knew he loved more than anything, lost her life.

And he had been the one to kill her.

She sacrificed herself nobly, it was true, but even thinking about that, Tails still felt terribly guilty. He blamed himself daily for it. He remembered, he screamed and wailed at Sonic, his best friend, the one he considered a brother, and poured all of his grief and hate of the situation at him for not being able to save her. Sonic had given him a seed, the last remaining part of Cosmo herself, and all he did was cry at him. Sonic just stood there and took it. He didn’t hate Sonic, no. Sonic probably blamed himself, also. Realizing that, he felt more guilty than ever. When they finally returned home and mourned officially, he avoided the blue hedgehog, and went straight to his workshop and buried himself in what he did best. After planting Cosmo’s seed, he worked fervently on project after project, some failing, others succeeding. A couple of days later, Amy stopped by and tried to cheer him up. When she saw his workbench, and the small, wooden chair he used to use, she promptly left and later returned with one of her comfortable chairs from her house. She told him to replace his old, small, wooden chair, and wouldn’t take no for an answer. He didn’t argue - Amy was, in a sense, trigger happy, and he knew that, distraught friend or no, she would use that hammer if he refused her. It didn’t matter. He was grateful, and her visit did cheer him up. He asked her to tell Sonic that he was sorry for blaming him. He remembered what she told him.

“Tails, we both know that Sonic doesn’t hold grudges and that he will forgive you...but you need to tell him yourself.”

She was right. He did need to tell Sonic himself. But, he felt like he probably should give himself, and Sonic, some time. After thanking Amy, he went back to work, sitting in his new comfortable chair as the seed sprouted a small, green bud.

The next visitor, a few more days later, had been Cream and her mother, Vanilla, with Cream’s chao friend Cheese tagging along. Cream for some reason, remained cheerful, and she smiled every time she looked at the growing plant. Cream was an avatar of all that was innocent and pure, or so her mother said. But Tails wondered if she understood the grief or not. Tails asked this of her mother. Vanilla had smiled at him warmly.

“I think Cream understands a lot more than you think, dear.” She said. “She knows you’re hurting at any rate, and she was the one who insisted we come to visit you today.”

“But...does she really know...how I feel?” Tails asked her.

“Do you remember Emerl?” She said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“Yeah....”

“You see, dear Tails, she talked with me afterwards. It hurt her dearly to do what she did. It broke my heart to see her so sad. But it was a lesson she learned well about life, and...death. And even through that tragedy, she managed to stay as she is now.”

“So she does understand. Probably better than anyone.”

“Hmm. But it is a bit strange.”

“What do you mean, miss Vanilla?”

“She’s never felt sad about Cosmo. In fact, she seems almost hopeful.”

Cream afterwards had given him tips about raising a plant. Cream was a prodigy at caring for plants, accounting for how much she loved flowers. Vanilla told him that she grew her own garden of flowers, and would care for each of them until the time she plucked them from the ground to make into her famous flower crowns. She didn’t know much about the proper soil, but Cream did show him how to water a plant, and how to pay special attention to how it grew. All while smiling a broad, hopeful smile. After they had left, Tails definitely felt better. But even so, despite knowing that Cream knew at least a part of how he felt....it didn’t stop him from feeling guilty, and it didn’t stop him from throwing himself so headfirst into his work, to try to take his mind off of his guilt. He took Cream’s advice to heart, and cared for that plant daily. He would even converse with it, and imagine that the plant was Cosmo, sitting there in the windowsill, smiling at him, and blankly staring at him when he began to ramble on about technological stuff. By all the stars...he missed her dearly.

There was a knock at the door. A very heavy knock.

“Just a minute.”He answered as he stood up and limped painfully to the door. Opening it, he immediately fell on his rear, startled. The figure in the door was huge, more than twice as tall as Tails himself was. He was bovine in appearance, long, black horns jutting from his head on either side and curving forward. His fur was a dark shade of grey, and his body wide and strong. His muzzle was furred, and a long, grey beard, neatly braided, hung down to his waist. His eyes were dark, and in them shone the wisdom of long years. He appeared hunched, but there was something about the straightness of the rest of his body that suggested that his “hunchback” was completely natural to his form. He wore what appeared to ne a heavy leather robe, and in his hand was an old staff. He looked tribal, ancient almost. Taking a step back, the creature bowed deeply.

“Greetings, young fox.” He said, his voice ponderously slow, and very deep. It was a voice that seemed tired of its long years of use. “I did not mean to startle you.”

Tails stood up as best he could on his sore foot. The old man had no ill intent, so he dismissed any early suspicion.

“That’s Ok. What can I do for you?”

The old creature thought a moment. “I came to you because there was the sound of an explosion coming from here. I thought that I would come to help. Has something happened here?”

Tails shook his head.

“Nope. Just a project going badly.”

“Are you injured, young fox?”

“Well...” Tails started, rubbing the back of his head. “Nothing that wasn’t stupidly self inflicted.”

The old creature laughed. He bowed again. “I just thought I could be of some help. It is a lonely area that you chose to...work in.”

“Yeah...but it’s better this way.”

The old creature nodded. “Quiet here.” He said.

“Yeah...say, would you like to come inside?” Tails offered. “I was going to take a break anyway.”

“How can I refuse?” the old bull accepted, smiling.

“By the way...what’s you’re name?” Tails asked.

“Ah, yes. I had forgotten. Young fox, you may call me Sage. I am honored to meet you.” The old bull, Sage, bowed deeply again.

Tails smiled. “My name is Miles Prower. But everybody calls me Tails.” He swished his twin tails to demonstrate why. Sage bowed, and stooped to enter the small doorway.

Sage showed an interested curiosity as Tails went through his workshop, showing the old bull all of his various projects. There was a small land vehicle Tails had designed partially on his nemesis Eggman’s Egg-O-Matic machine, a failed project involving a power source, another failed rocket booster for the Tornado, and the project he had been working on: A robotic assistant to help. That project failed, and Tails explained that it was because the power supply it used was apparently unstable. However...he had no idea it was going to burst quite like it did...until the robot grew very hot.

The old bull chuckled at the story. He looked over the young fox kindly, almost as if reading him. After a while, they came back to Tails’ workbench. Tails looked up again at the potted plant sadly, and the old bull stared at the young fox.

“Does that plant have...significance to you?” He asked.

“Yeah...” Tails replied, his voice cracked. “That plant is all I have left...to remember a very close friend, who gave her...” Tails didn’t finish. His eyes burned again, and tears formed. The old bull knelt down and put a hand on Tails’ shoulder.

“If you wish...I will bless this plant, to honor her memory.” He said sincerely.

Tails’ eyes grew wide at this. “You can do that?”

“Young fox, I can and will do it. I cannot read your mind, but even given what you told me...though you didn’t finish it, then her memory is deserving of a blessing. Young fox, I am a druid, a caretaker of nature.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” The old bull bowed.

“Then please...bless her.”

“I would be honored.” The old bull stood up and took the potted plant in his hand. He whispered to it a moment, and there was a sound like a small, beautiful bell. The bull stroked the bud with his other hand...and his eyes suddenly flew wide.

Tails, surprised by his sudden reaction, forgot the pain of his foot and hopped onto his workbench. “What’s the matter!?”

The old bull smiled. “Come with me, young fox.”

“Ok...” Tails, confused, followed him out the door.

After a moment, the old bull suddenly set down the plant and began digging into the ground. Tails, growing worried, began to shout.

“What are you doing!?”

“You’ll see, young fox.” The old bull replied, smiling. To Tails' shock, the bull suddenly smashed the pot. Tails leapt at him, but was stopped when the old bull put up a hand. The old bull quickly set the plant into the ground and quickly buried the root. The plant seemed to shiver, and the old bull stroked the bud again.

“You...transplanted her into the ground?” Tails asked.

“Watch, young fox.”

The old bull’s hands began to glow a bright green. His eyes shone brightly at his work as he set his hands on the bud again. He spoke clearly and loudly this time.

“Spirits of Nature, please, grant the spirit within this plant the breath of the world again. Spirits, help this spirit, to grow again.”

The plant reacted suddenly. In a moment, the stem thickened to five times its width, and the plant grew nearly twice as tall as Sage. The bud grew large and opened up a large, pink flower, much bigger than Tails himself. Inside was a small figure clutching a ruby red jewel The figure tumbled from the flower, and Sage caught it. The figure was humanoid, with bright green hair, laced with the buds of small, pink flowers. The figure, obviously female, wore an outfit that resembled a white flower, the petals trimmed green. Her skin was a cream colored green, and her eyes and mouth were closed. She appeared to have no nose on her face. Tails' jaw fell open as he searched for words. Finally, he broke his silence.

“C-C-COSMO!” He screamed, enormously joyous. He bolted to the bull, who set the female figure down gently. Sage spoke quietly to the small creature.

“Breathe freely again, young one.”

The creature, Cosmo, suddenly and violently sucked a large gasp into her newly restored lungs. Her breath only came in gasps, like the breath of a newborn, as she struggled to gain her breathing rhythm. After a few moments, her breath became regular and she slowly opened her eyes. After her eyes adjusted to the light, she stared at her hands.

“I...I...” She noised, voice cracked and grated. She coughed a moment as her eyes fell on the twin tailed fox. Tails, overcome with emotion, suddenly threw his arms around her as tears poured freely down his face. She immediately returned the embrace, and cried in response.

“T-Tails! I...b-but...ho-how...?”

[Grand Warlock Naarghul]

Chapter 2: Unwarranted Reproach

“C-Cosmo...I-I can’t...” Tails gasped out, still embracing Cosmo tightly. Emotion was pouring out of his eyes. So happy he was to see her, he was finding it difficult to come up with words. Cosmo herself, returned the embrace. Her body was trembling, and her hold was weak. She too, couldn’t seem to find words, and anything she did say was fragmented and shaking. Tails gripped her harder, causing Cosmo to squirm uncomfortably. Startled, he released her and gingerly laid her back down.

“Be careful with her...young Tails.” Sage advised, smiling at their happy reunion. “She is weak...and needs to regain herself again. A rebirth like hers would leave anyone with a sickness, for a time.”

Tails nodded at him. He turned back to Cosmo, who, with some difficulty, had sat back up. She looked around, still confused, and her eyes fell on the large flower that she had been reborn in.

“I-I...I c-came back i-in that?” She asked, still stammering but becoming a bit more coherent. She looked back at Tails, her blue eyes full of questions. She shivered and tried to flex her fingers.

“Cosmo...” Tails replied. He didn’t know quite how to exactly explain it. Sage smiled and lightly placed a hand on her small shoulder.

“Young Cosmo, it is best you not think long on your rebirth.” He spoke softly to her, his old voice becoming rather grandfatherly. “You have been granted life freely again, that is all there is to know. You are weak still. Focus on remembering your old strength again.”

Tails blinked. “Sage?”

“Yes, young Tails?”

“I have a bed in my home...let’s take her there.” He said, looking at Cosmo. Cosmo nodded appreciatively. “Do you think you can stand, Cosmo?”

Cosmo shook her head. “I-I still feel w-weak. I can try.” Immediately, she struggled to stand. Sage stopped her with a motion.

“Do not strain yourself, young Cosmo.” He smiled at her. “Allow me to carry you.”

Cosmo nodded at him. “Yes...Thank y-you.”

After Cosmo had been placed in bed, Tails and Sage quietly left her to rest for a while. Tails reflected on the events of the past few moments. Cosmo was alive! Not just alive...she was just as she was aboard the Typhoon. Granted, she was weak, and ill with a sort of resurrection sickness, but he knew that would pass soon. She fell asleep almost as soon as they laid her down in his bedroom. He watched her as she slept serenely, taking note of her beautiful features again. She looked just as she did before she evolved. Short green hair, and the flowers on her head still small, red buds. Her face was the same, well shaped with no sharp angles. She had no visible nose, but to Tails, that didn’t take away from her appearance in the least. She still wore the same red crystal she had said was a gift from her mother. It was strange...Cosmo was there, in his bed. Alive. She was alive. But the more Tails considered that she was alive, the more a question burned in the back of his mind. A knot of emotion in his stomach began to grow and pulse.

Did she remember?

If anything, Tails began to feel even more guilty, now that she was alive again. Sage had left Cosmo and himself alone for a while, and after watching Cosmo sleep for a few minutes, he decided to go outside and think. He sat, leaning against a tree, looking at the flower that had rebirthed Cosmo. The flower was withering already. I guess...it completed its mission. He thought to himself. Just like Cosmo...Yes. Just like Cosmo. Cosmo’s mission was over when the Metarex were defeated. After her mission was over, she said, after the Metarex were finally beaten, she was going to live on their home planet...on Mobius. Dark Oak however, revealed his final plan: a massive gravity field that would potentially have destroyed the whole galaxy. Cosmo sacrificed herself, planting on the gravity field...and begged for Tails to destroy it. And Tails, forced with the decision, either Cosmo or the galaxy, he chose the galaxy. He clenched a fist to his chest as the knot became a burning cinder. Yes, just like the plant, Cosmo fulfilled her mother’s mission, and just like the plant would soon, she died. All that she was had seemingly passed on, save for that little seed. But now, she was alive again, because of that seed.

But he still didn’t know if she remembered any of what had happened or not. He shivered at the thought that she did remember. If she did remember, she surely would blame him for her death. It was his failure, his inability to plan for what had happened that caused everything to go wrong. His heart sunk into an icy depth. He needed to talk to her. But he was afraid...terrified of what she would say. While he considered, Sonic, blue as the sky, eyes the very picture of courage, and someone he hoped still considered him a friend, entered his mind in a characteristic zooming flash, his famous crescent grin sliding across his features as he threw an enthusiastic thumbs up. Sonic...What would you do? As if in answer, the image of Sonic made an assuring fist of challenge, deepened his grin, and dashed off into the unknown. Tails smiled, the burning knot vanishing almost as fast as Sonic himself. Yes...he would do what Sonic would do, and at least step up to brave through an uncertain future.

He was going to talk to Cosmo.

After cleaning himself up in the shower, and finally getting around to treating his burned foot, he went to check up on Cosmo. It had been an hour since she fell asleep, and he had no idea how long it would take her to fully recover. He cracked the door open and peered into her room. She was awake, and sitting up. She was staring at her hands, flexing them every so often, still trying, he thought, to remember the strength they had. Relieved, Tails closed the door behind him, and walked to the side of the bed. Cosmo acknowledged him with a smile, her aquamarine eyes shimmering in the dim light of the room. Taking a deep breath, he sat on the bed next to her, and she scooted away slightly to give him some room.

“How are you feeling, Cosmo?” He asked her, his eyes captured by hers.

“I’m feeling much better, thank you.” She answered, voice no longer shaky or scratchy. She smiled at him again and cocked her head slightly. “How...have you been, Tails?”

Tails looked down to his bandaged foot. “Well...I’ve been busy.”

“Oh?” She blinked. “Busy with what?”

“Mostly failed projects.” He said, lifting the foot he had been staring at as an example of one failure.

“How...did that happen?” She asked, concern in her eyes.

“Well...” he began, hand holding his chin thinking as his brain began to work. “It was an attempt at a robotic assistant. You know, one that could help me build all of the stuff I make.”

Cosmo nodded.

“Anyways...” Tails continued. “I worked on it for a few days. I thought for sure I was going to make it work. But...” he glanced at her. “The power supply I had used wasn’t stable at all. I thought it was...The robot was kinda a culmination of two projects, one for an assistant, one for a power supply that doesn’t use the Chaos Emeralds. Anyways, when I connected the power supply I was going to use to the central processing system and what was to be the power core, the robot started up at first and initialized its communication cicuitry, but then the power supply pushed an energy surge...” He trailed off. Cosmo’s stare was starting to become dazed and blank. Tails nervously scratched the back of his head. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to go nerd again.”

Cosmo giggled at him. Tails looked back at his injured foot and sighed. This is what he missed, and he smiled at the thought that, at least one more time, he could have that back.

“Long story short, it overloaded, and then exploded.” He said finishing his story about the robot. He reached down to rub his leg. “I don’t know how Eggman does it. I got frustrated...and kicked the hot metal.”

“And you hurt your foot.” She tittered, watching as Tails scratched the back of his head again. “You ought to be more careful.”

“Yeah...” he said, his voice beginning to grow solemn as he stared at the wall. As much as he missed interacting with her like this...this isn’t what he wanted to talk about. He looked back at her and searched her eyes, as if trying to peer into her memory. Then, his expression abruptly changed as a deep frown came over the features of his face. He looked away from her, unsure of how to approach what he wanted to ask. Concerned, Cosmo leaned towards him, trying to look him in the eye again.

“Tails...what’s wrong?” she asked.

Tails looked to the ceiling a moment, closed his eyes, and turned to her. His eyes opened and captured hers again. He seemed to pause a moment, unsure of how to answer. He swished a tail in front of him and hugged it tightly. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and somber.

“Cosmo...do you remember...everything?”

Cosmo’s lips tightened. Her eyes went to one of her hands and narrowed sadly. She knew EXACTLY what he was talking about, without the need of further explanation. Clenching a fist and bringing it to her heart, she found Tails’ eyes again and peered into them.

“Tails...I remember every single moment.” she stated truthfully. Tails’ features drooped as his heart crashed into that icy depth again. At the thought of that final battle...of that final trigger pull, his vision blurred with tears. Cosmo’s own heart sank at the sight of him.

“C-Cosmo...I-I’m sorry...” Tails pushed out. His body seemed to clench.

“Tails...” She answered, her voice quivering.

“How can you possibly forgive me?” Tails cried at her. “It was all my fault...”

“Tails, I...”

“It was my screwups...I should have planned better, I really should have...And...Sonic...and..” Tails’ voice, just like his mind, seemed to be going everywhere at once except somewhere happy. His eyes burned, and tears were flooding as if to stop that fire.

“Tails.” Cosmo’s voice hardened slightly. Tears were forming in her eyes. This sight of Tails, so compressed emotionally, shocked her. He thought she would blame him? In just a short moment, they had gone from a conversation just like they would have so many times before on the Typhoon...to this, with Tails clenched so tight she worried he would burst. She had to try and snap him out of this. Seeing Tails so sad...it was hurting her.

“I-I killed you!” he blurted out, his tense body releasing all of his emotion at once as he threw his arms around her waist, causing her to gasp. “I pulled the trigger...I couldn’t save you! I couldn’t! H-how...I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

“Tails.” She said, her voice becoming granite. Blinking, Tails fell silent in an instant. His body quaking, he looked up at her. He had never heard her use that kind of hard tone before. Her eyes were watered and heavy. She took a deep breath.

“Tails...why do you think I would blame you?” Her voice went from granite to downy. “Tails, I don’t understand...”

“Because...” Tails looked down again. “It was my screwup that...”

“Tails...Remember...” She said somberly. “Remember, I chose to give my life...It is what my mother would have done. I wanted it.”

“But...but...” Tails stuttered. Cosmo took his hand.

“Tails...have you felt this way ever since I died?”

“Every day...” Tails avoided her eyes now. “Every day I blame myself...if only I could’ve done more...”

Cosmo shook her head. “Tails, do you remember what I said the day we were caught in the Metarex wormhole?”

Tails stared at the fabric of his bed. He could remember...he just didn’t believe it anymore.

“I told you that I was honored to serve under you as captain. Because you’re a great captain, Tails.” She smiled at him with a warm, watery smile.

“But...”

“Tails...Please, don’t blame yourself. The Metarex were defeated. That’s all that matters.” Cosmo removed her mother’s gem and began to examine it.

“Cosmo...”

“I’m not important, Tails. If anyone should apologize, it’s me...for causing you so much trouble and hurt.”

Tails was briefly stricken dumb. How was he supposed to reply to that? He tried hard to search for words.

“Cosmo...Cosmo...you are important.” Tails answered slowly as the words in his mind formed into an answer. “You’re important to me...”

Cosmo smiled weakly. “And you are important to me, Tails. That’s why...that’s why I can’t stand to see you like this.”

“Cosmo...I’m sorry. I-I had no idea.” Tails looked down. Cosmo set aside her mother’s gem and gripped Tails’ hand.

“Tails...I never blamed you.” She said, smiling lovingly at him. “You shouldn’t blame yourself, either. Tails...I want to see you like you were when you were the captain. I want the brave, happy Tails back.”

“Cosmo...what should I do, then?” He said. “I really don’t know...”

“I have an idea.” She replied.

“What is it?” He asked. “I’ll do anything...”

“Tails...I think...being around me...is hurting you right now.” She said. “So I think...we need to be separate...at least for right now.”

Tails’ eyes flew open in shock. “What!?” he shouted. Cosmo bowed her hand in an attempt to calm him.

“Just for a little while! Please don’t think I’m sending you away...or anything. I’m not!” She grabbed the jewel and brought it to her chest again.

“But...” Tails was tearing up again.

“I just think...that to get the old Tails back, you need to go out and find him. That’s all.”

“Oh...”

“And I think...I may know a way for you to find him.” She said, a smile cracking over the smooth features of her face.

“How?” Tails looked slightly puzzled.

“Sonic.” She answered simply. “Spend time with Sonic the Hedgehog.”

Tails frowned at her. Even after Amy’s visit, he hadn’t seen or heard from Sonic since they landed back on Mobius. He hadn’t yet apologized to him. But Amy told him that she keeps in touch with him somehow. He was still kind of afraid to talk to him...but that wasn’t what concerned him right at that second.

“But...I don’t want to leave you here alone, Cosmo.” He said, concerned. “You’ve still got that ‘resurrection sickness’.”

“No need to worry about that, young Tails.” Sage’s old, deep voice boomed behind him. Tails turned to him with a gasp, slightly startled. Sage bowed low as if to a king. “I shall look after and guard young Cosmo.”

“You will?” Tails beamed.

“Have I not told you that I am a druid?” Sage answered with a smile as he righted himself. “I look after and protect the natural things in the world. The trees, the wildlife, the elements...Young Cosmo is an avatar of nature. That which I am called to protect, and nurture. I will guard young Cosmo with my life, and I shall see her well again.”

“Tails...so now what will you do?” Cosmo asked. Tails looked to his injured foot.

“I guess...I go spend time with Sonic.” He answered. Cosmo smiled at him.

“I’ll wait for you, Tails. And please...if it helps you, remember. I'm not dead anymore. I'm alive...I'm really alive.”

An hour later, Tails had packed numerous belongings and some food, helped in part by Sage, who had been gathering fruit in his absence. He bid farewell to Cosmo, standing aided by Sage, and spun his two tails around like a motor. He took flight, and set off with the destination of finding Sonic. Maybe Cosmo is right. He thought to himself. I only hope Sonic will help.