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As Sonic arrived at Tails' place later that evening, the sun had long since gone down. Nighttime had come to Mobius. Everyone else had gone home at that point. Tails was still sleeping in Sonic's arms, still and limp in his grasp. Vowing to help him, Sonic entered the house and carried Tails up to his room. Upon entering, he placed Tails in bed and tucked him in. After kissing him goodnight, he left, planning to come back tomorrow.
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The next day, Tails woke up to a burning headache and an aching stomach; what he didn't tell Sonic was that he'd stay up late at nights trying to think up of ways to bring back Cosmo. During that time, he'd have cups of coffee (and may or may not have been driven to alcoholism due to stupid bullies telling him a bunch of false stuff, leading to him having depression and a hangover). Hearing footsteps approach his room, Tails groaned, placing a hand on his head. Feeling the heat radiating from himself, he was just about to get out of bed when his bedroom door opened. Sonic poked his head in with a grin. "Hey, Tails," he said, waving as he came in and shut the door. "How're you feeling?"
"Awful," Tails groaned. "My head hurts, my stomach hurts, and I'm just so tired. I haven't gotten any rest in days now."
That got Sonic concerned. "How many days, exactly?" he asked.
"I don't know," Tails shrugged. "I lost count."
A sudden loud rumble from his stomach startled the both of them. "And I haven't really eaten much," Tails added, blushing with shame.
Sonic just patted his head. "It's okay, Tails," he said. "I'm not mad at you. Honest. Let's go get that stomach of yours filled up."
He started to head to the door when a sudden *THUMP!* made him jump. Quickly turning around, he saw that Tails had fallen to the floor due to his weakened state. Right now, he was struggling to get up. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on there, Tails!" Sonic exclaimed, racing towards him.
Tails shrunk down, his ears pinned down to his head. "I… I'm sorry, Sonic," he sniffled out. "I…"
Sonic just shushed him as he knelt down and scooped him up into his arms. Near his fur, his nose picked up the scent of caffeine and alcohol, almost making him tear up. "Tails…" he said.
Tails teared up himself. "I… I'm sorry…" he said, beginning to cry. "I… I know I shouldn't do it, but–"
Sonic gently interrupted him by cradling him close and shushing him, kissing his forehead. "Like I said before: I'm not mad at you," he said. "Those bullies must've snuck that alcohol into your coffee; I'm more mad at them."
Tails just whimpered as he pressed his face into Sonic's neck, shaking slightly. Feeling the tremors from his little brother, Sonic stroked the fox's head as he stood up and carried him to the living room. Poor little bro, he thought to himself. No one deserves to go through what he's been through at that age.
Arriving there, he laid Tails down on the couch and called Amy through his communicator, letting her in on the situation. "I'll get there as soon as I can," she said. "In the meantime, take care of him and keep him company."
"Will do, Ames," said Sonic as he finished the call.
After hanging up, he checked up on Tails, who was curled up on the couch. Seeing that he was doing okay, Sonic headed off into the kitchen. Tails didn't know how long he stayed curled up on the couch like that, but however long it was, his nose picked up the scent of something coming from the kitchen. Sniffing, he opened his eyes to see Sonic kneeling down next to him with a soup bowl. "Figured this would help you get better," he said gently.
Tails couldn't say anything, but a small smile seemed to say everything for him. Sonic smiled back as he began feeding him, Tails weakly submitting himself to it. It felt nice to have something put in his stomach again. Plus, his stomach bug wasn't too bad, so he wouldn't have a problem throwing up. When the bowl was empty, Sonic then picked him up and carried him to the restroom. Tails was confused at his new surroundings. "What's going on?" he asked.
"We're getting you cleaned up," Sonic replied, turning on the water. "We gotta get that alcohol smell off you, and I'd rather not have Amy smell that stuff. She'd freak out."
Tails chucked a bit, allowing Sonic to take his gear off and place him in the tub. After some time of scrubbing and rinsing, Tails smelled a lot better. As Sonic dried him off, the tub draining, he couldn't help but press his nose softly into Tails' neck, catching a more pleasant scent from his fur. "There's that mint smell," he said.
Tails giggled softly at the touch, mewling happily as Sonic dressed him in clean gear and picked him back up to carry him back to the living room. The younger fox curled into Sonic's embrace, his arms and legs wrapping around him like he was a koala cub. Sonic found this to be adorable as he laid down on the couch, Tails only adjusting himself so that he'd be more comfortable laying on him. His ear was pressed over his chest, right over where his heart was, and his fluffy appendages were draped over them both like a blanket as he purred like a cat in his older brother's hold. Cooing at his little brother's adorable, clingy nature, Sonic kissed his forehead and hugged him even closer, the two soon having a snuggling and cuddling session. Tails ended up falling asleep during it, but his purrs could still be heard. Sonic didn't mind as he stroked his head and gently scratched behind his ears.
It was sometime later before there was a knock at the door. "You can come in," said Sonic softly, not wanting to wake up Tails.
The door opening, Amy poked her head in, looking around before her eyes landed on the couch. Smiling, she headed inside and walked over to the duo, medical kit in hand, and knelt down next to them. Reaching out, she gently shook Tails by the shoulder, causing him to stir and yawn, opening his eyes. "Hey, Amy," he said tiredly.
Amy giggled. "Hello, Tails," she said. "How are you?"
"Been better," Tails replied.
"I know," said Amy. "Sonic told me everything. Let's get you checked up, okay?"
Tails nodded, yawning again. After taking his temperature and all that other doctor stuff (including checking his arms for any more cuts), Amy stood back up. "He's still feeling under the weather," she said to Sonic. "You might want to get him to the hospital just in case. And make sure he takes medicine twice a day."
"Shouldn't be a problem, Ames," said Sonic as Amy handed him a medicine bottle. "He'll be feeling up and about again in no time."
Nodding, Amy left, but not without saying goodbye to a sleepy Tails. Knowing what to do now, Sonic picked up Tails and was soon out the door and on his way to the hospital. At that point, Tails fell asleep again, his head nestled into Sonic's neck. Smiling at his adorableness, Sonic continued on his way.
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Upon arrival, Tails was placed in a room so he could rest up and get better. Sonic and the others visited him every day to see how he was doing. Tails was grateful for the company, and everyday, he got a little more better. But it wasn't easy to ignore the urge to cut himself; same with not drinking alcohol. Nor was it easy to ignore bullying taunts from the jerks that also visited him. They were ticked that Tails was still alive because they thought they were doing everyone a favor by trying to get him off the face of the earth by any means necessary, so they came up with a plan to get rid of him for good…
One day, Shadow went to the hospital to check up on Tails; ever since his failed assassination attempt, he'd grown to respect Tails for his perseverance and determination, especially with how injured he was at the time. In a way, the fox reminded him of Maria. Junior had once said that it was either his fur color (except golden-orange instead of blonde), personality, or the blue eyes; Shadow was willing to agree with all three of them, though not out loud. He knocked on the door and waited for a reply. But, when nothing happened, concern washed through Shadow as he tried opening the door… only to find it locked.
Now knowing that something bad had happened, Shadow took a couple of steps back and, using a wave of Chaos energy, broke down the door and headed inside the room… only to find it a complete mess. Different stuff was scattered all over the place, and in a corner of the room, Fluttershy could be seen sitting against the wall and curled up in a ball, crying and holding her arm close. "Fluttershy!" exclaimed Rainbow, who had just arrived, the two instantly racing to her.
"What happened?" asked Shadow.
"I- I was visiting Tails," Fluttershy managed to explain. "S- Suddenly, those bullies busted in and- and took Tails hostage. I- I was told to put down my lightsabers, but when I did, they- they beat me up and broke my arm. And- And Tails told them to- to take him so that- that I wouldn't get more h- hurt." She cried as she finished.
Rainbow immediately took action. "Shadow, go after them," she said. "I'll take care of Fluttershy."
Shadow nodded and raced out of the hospital. Instantly met by Sunset, the two ran to rescue Tails, Sunset leading the way because she could feel Tails' emotions. Having gotten Fluttershy's message, the rest of the gang joined them as they ran out of town and towards the woods. But they didn't know where in the woods Tails was taken to. Luckily, Sunset knew; having been told about where Sonic and Tails had first met a long, long while back (we're talking a few years or so ago at best), she led the group there. Eventually arriving there, they spied through the forest's cover to see not only the bullies, but also a lot of people from Tails' old village surrounding the poor fox. The gang didn't know what they were doing to him because the crowd was too thick, but they could make out the sounds of their friend and brother crying, screaming, and painfully trying to resist the beatings and get through them, but it was no use. Feeling the fury of an older brother swell up in him, Sonic got an idea and motioned the others to follow him, which they did.
After a while, the crowd stood still. Tails was panting from loss of breath and from the beatings and injuries that he sustained. Tears were trailing down his face, but the look on his face clearly showed a look: not one of fear, like it always had been, but it was a look of courage and determination. He glared up at every single one of his tormentors, who glared back at him. "Even after this war that had occurred, you still remain a freak," said one, most likely the town's mayor. "Accept that you're a freak, and you'll be spared."
Tails didn't reply at first. Struggling to stand up, he succeeded in that while taking deep breaths. "No," he said.
The mayor punched him in the stomach, making him kneel down. "What did you say?!" he yelled.
Tails hissed viciously at him, standing up once more. "I said… No!" he said. "I will not admit that I'm a freak, because I'm not one! Regardless of what I said, you would've killed me anyway! I'm glad that I ran away from the likes of you!"
He then glared at everyone else, sky-blue eyes filled with a flaming anger. "That goes for every single one of you!" he said. "Ever since I was born, you've treated me like I was some sort of cursed monster… WHEN I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO ANY OF YOU! You've done stuff like break my inventions, bully me into submission, and beat me up while name-calling me and treating me like an outcast! What made you think that you could do stuff like that to a child and get away with it?!"
"It was all to teach you that you had to die!" yelled one of his bullies.
"It was all cruel," Tails replied, "and it was all wrong!"
"Then it's clear that you've learned nothing!" said the mayor. "Anything to say before we ultimately kill you?"
Tails had plenty to say to them. "No!" he said. "I learned plenty over the years! And I had to do it on my own and had some help along the way. In our village, we were taught that anyone with a defect like two tails was considered an outcast and was destined to die. And that also went for anyone who was a fan of book reading. What a lie that was. When I came along, you thought I was a monster. But it was the opposite: all of you are monsters."
Everyone gasped at the fox's words. "Sometime after I ran away," Tails continued, "I met a special group of friends, starting with Sonic, who taught me the complete opposite of what you literally stuffed into my head over the years. My deformity isn't a curse, it's a blessing. Same with my smarts. And if you think that you can frighten me into believing me otherwise, then you're wrong."
The village wasn't happy with what they heard. They had expected him to be scared, not the other way around. "Kill him!" said the mayor. "Kill him now!"
Tails snarled and glared at them all, ready for a fight. But before the villagers could get at him, Sonic landed in front of him. "But first, you'll have to go through me!" he said.
"Oh yeah?" said one of Tails' bullies. "You and what army?"
"This army!" cried a voice.
Before they realized it, Creecha landed in front of the duo and water-whipped several villagers away. At that, everyone else landed and a fight broke out. Try as they might, the mayor and the villagers were no match for the combined efforts of Tails' friends. In no time at all, everyone was battered up and injured (non-fataly) with the gang glaring at them. It wasn't until Spike growled, fire coming out his nose, that they all screamed. "Retreat!" yelled one of the villagers. "Get away from those fr–!"
He was interrupted by an earth chunk to the face. "We better not hear that word ever again!" AJ growled, green eyes flashing.
Now frightened, the villagers all ran away. The mayor, who was the only one who stayed, was so angry that he took a knife and ran at the group with a war cry as they began leaving. But as soon as he got close, he got punched backwards to the ground, causing him to drop the knife. "Hold up!" said a voice.
Shaking his head, the mayor paled in fear as he saw Shadow glaring at him, red eyes flaring. "Just what do you think you're doing?" he growled.
"Well–" the mayor began.
"Don't you dare talk about Tails that way!" Shadow snapped, causing the mayor to scramble back a couple feet. "I promise you: if I ever catch you and your citizens hurting Tails again, you are going to learn the hard way why I'm called the Ultimate Lifeform! Now get out of here before I get really mad!"
Panicked, the mayor ran away, leaving the group in the forest. "So we're just gonna let them get away?" asked Junior.
"They hurt Tails," added Cream. "He deserves better."
"Chao, chao," Cheese agreed.
"Trust me guys," Creecha sighed, "as much as I know we all want to, the last thing we need is to stoop down to their level. I'd rather not have that; that would just make us bullies too."
"And besides," added Matt, "those jerks aren't really getting away; Rainbow called the Chaotix detectives and the police about what happened, and I know for a fact that they're gonna get arrested. Plus, I don't think they'll be getting out of jail anytime soon."
"That depends on how long they'll be in jail," replied Shari as the group continued on through the forest.
Tails dropped behind as they left the forest, catching Shadow and Sonic's attention. "What's wrong?" asked Shadow.
"Yeah, Tails," said Sonic. "The way you stood up to those jerks was amazing. It was like you weren't scared at all."
"I was scared," replied Tails. "I was just keeping it hidden, just like whenever we fought Eggman's robots in the past. Seeing them again just gave me unwanted memories before and after they captured me."
"Unwanted memories?" asked Shadow, confused.
Tails nodded, looking up at him. "You might not have known," he said, "but they really didn't like me the day I was born. All because of my tails. To put it simply, they've always treated me like a monstrous outcast. Hence the beatings and name-calling. It was always worse than fighting Eggman's robots any day of the week."
"True," said Sonic, nodding at Shadow before turning back to Tails. "We're just glad that you're still in one piece."
Tails smiled before he suddenly fell over onto Sonic, hugging him tight. Sonic almost fell over at the impact, but managed to steady himself and return the embrace just as tight, being careful of his injuries. He felt his little brother's body shake and his shoulders heave as something wet soaked through his bandana and onto his chest. Feeling the wetness, Sonic looked down and saw his little brother crying, his ears flattened against his head and muffled cries coming out from his face, which was buried in his chest. Shushing him gently, Sonic brought him closer, rocking him back and forth and whispering comforting words into a flattened ear. After a while, Tails calmed down, but was tired and sleepy from being in his big brother's warm, safe embrace. Smiling at him, Sonic picked him up and began to leave when Shadow grabbed his shoulder. "How about I Chaos Control you to the hospital?" he suggested. "It'll be quicker that way. Plus, Tails' injuries look pretty bad."
It took one look at Tails to confirm Shadow's words. Nodding, Sonic tightened his grip on Tails as Shadow took out a Chaos Emerald from his quills. "Chaos Control!" he said, the three disappearing in a flash.
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In no time at all, they were soon back at the hospital. Tails was taken back to his original room so he could get better. This time, in case someone was plotting a kidnapping of him, his room was guarded. As Sonic carried his little brother to bed, Tails looked up at him. "Sonic?" he asked. "This might sound childish, but… can you stay with me while I recover? Please?"
Sonic looked down at sky-blue puppy eyes that looked back at him. "Sure thing, my cute, little fox-pup bro," he said.
Tails blushed at the new nickname, making Sonic chuckle as he placed Tails in bed. "Now let's get those injuries of yours patched up," he said as he headed to one of the drawers.
Getting out some supplies, he began patching Tails up, sticking a clean IV needle into his arm while doing so and wrapping him in bandages after cleaning the bleeding spots, shushing him gently and apologizing when some of them stung. Soon, Tails was bandaged up, and the nurse taking care of him had gotten the spots that Sonic had missed. Glad that it was all over, Tails yawned and laid down in bed, gesturing to Sonic with his fingers, his arms outstretched towards him. Hiding an amused chuckle, Sonic nevertheless climbed up on the bed and laid down next to him. Being careful of his injuries, the older drew the younger close to him, wrapping his arms around him in a hug. Tails didn't hesitate to return the embrace as he laid his head on Sonic's chest, his ear over where his heart was so he could listen to his strong, steady, rhythmic heartbeat. "Feel better?" asked Sonic.
Tails nodded, purring happily. Sonic smiled and kissed his forehead, feeling Tails' bangs brush against his face. It wasn't long before Tails yawned once more and fell fast asleep. Feeling happy now that his brother was safe, Sonic settled down for a nap himself, vowing that he'll help Tails get through this.
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Weeks passed, and Tails was healing up nicely. His friends came by everyday to see him, and Sonic stayed with him the whole time he was in the hospital. His wounds healed up nicely, and before he knew it, it was time for him to go home. Happily, Sonic picked him up and, after running a few more tests, walked out of the hospital. Tails was still in Sonic's arms because his energy hadn't fully returned yet. Regardless, he was happy to be back home. And Sonic had even offered to stay with him, which he happily accepted.
Days went by, and Sonic and Tails spent a lot of time together. Their friends always came by to see Tails and hang out with him, which he was happy to do. At one point, Shadow, while he was visiting, mentioned the time when Tails had even risked death to protect Cosmo when he tried to assassinate her on the Typhoon, making Sonic so proud of his little bro. Shadow and Tails even had a few chats themselves regarding losing loved ones; Shadow knew what it was like in a way. Maria had been like a sister to him, so losing her had taken a bad toll on him. Times like this together made Tails say to Shadow one day that he even considered him to be like an older brother to him. This surprised Shadow, but nonetheless, he accepted and welcomed it (though he'd never say it out loud).
And that seed Sonic gave Tails? At one point, Tails had ended up planting it. It hadn't started to grow yet, but with how Tails was taking care of it, it wouldn't be long. But just because he was happy, doesn't mean he was like that fully. Sure, he had friends to comfort him and be there for him, but he always remained unhappy 24/7. It overshadowed how happy he was to still have Sonic around as his closest friend and big brother, but he remained unhappy because Cosmo's death had left him begging for her to come back, which he knew she would never do. He just tried his best to keep it hidden from everyone, not wanting to bother them further, but it couldn't stay hidden forever. Eventually, someone was going to find out…
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One starry night, Tails was sitting by himself in the forest on a log, looking up at the sky and down at the lake, his reflection showing him all sad and gloomy. Depression still had a strong hold on him, and it wasn't going to be easy getting rid of it. Trying not to cry, he brought out a knife he previously got from the kitchen before he left; the urge to cut himself has grown stronger than ever. He placed the blade onto his arm and was about to slice it through his skin when a hand gently grabbed his own (the one holding the knife). "It's not going to help, Tails," said a voice. "Give me the knife, okay?"
Tails was unsure, but did as he was told. Upon getting the knife, whoever found him got rid of it and faced the fox. A hand softly laid itself across his back (trying not to scare him) while a finger and thumb gently cupped his chin and tipped it upward until Tails was looking face-to-face at Shadow, who was kneeling down so he could be at the younger one's eye level. Concern shone through his red-ruby eyes, staring right at diamond sky-blue ones. "You okay?" asked Shadow.
At that, Shadow ended up surprised as Tails sobbed and tipped over off the log, landing right onto the Ultimate Lifeform. Immediately, he wrapped his arms around Shadow and buried his face into his chest, no longer able to take it. "I'm sorry, Shadow!" he cried sorrowfully. "I know that I should accept what happened and move on, but it's just so hard! I just want her back!" He weakly punched Shadow's back as he finished, a muffled scream coming out as he sobbed once more.
Instinctively knowing that Tails needed comfort, Shadow returned the hug, rubbing his back and petting his head. He closed his eyes in silent mourning and respectfully stayed silent. After a while, Tails calmed down, but was still sniffling as he looked back up at the hedgehog. Shadow looked back down at him. "I know you do; I know what you're going through and I know you feel awful," he said as he picked him up off the log and into his arms, "but Cosmo wouldn't want you to keep on moping about it."
Tails just hiccuped, but didn't say anything as he looked up at Shadow. Not like he could anyway; not with a lump in his throat. "Let's get you back home," he said as he began walking out of the forest.
Tails whimpered before burying his face into Shadow's neck, crying softly, his arms still around him. Shadow petted Tails' head, at the spot behind his ears. "I know; reality isn't always fair, isn't it?" he quipped gently, adjusting his hold on Tails so that he'd be more comfortable.
They stayed silent the rest of the way home, Shadow taking his time because of how beautiful the night sky was and so that Tails wouldn't freak out at how fast he'd go. Eventually arriving at Tails' house, Shadow didn't want to disturb Sonic by knocking on the door (he was probably sleeping), so he got inside a different way– by climbing up a nearby tree and sneaking in through Tails' bedroom window. "I'll get Faker," he said, smiling a bit when he heard Tails giggle a little at the nickname as he was set down on the bed. "It won't be long."
With that, he left the room, leaving Tails alone. After some time, Shadow came back and told Tails that he was needed in the living room. Now knowing that this was inevitable, Tails followed him downstairs. After Shadow then respectfully left (a flash of light showing his disappearance) so the two could have some time alone, silence filled the room. Tails just stood there, looking down at the floor (finding it more interesting) while one of his tails curled around him, his hands twiddling with the top part. A hand making contact with his shoulder made him finally look up at Sonic, who sat on the couch with a mix of happiness and concern on his face. Tails knew what the concern was for, and he was also sure the happiness was from getting to see him and wanting to finally talk about it. Tails gave him a weak grin as he looked into his green eyes, and he grinned back as he looked into his blue ones. "Hi, little buddy," he spoke in a gentle voice that sounded so comforting, there was no way Tails could refuse to reply with something friendly.
"Hi, big bro," he replied as gently as he ever could have done.
Tails could swear that Sonic may have thought his voice was cute as he said those three words, because his grin rose into a gentle smile. "How are you feeling?" he asked with concern.
Tails wouldn't be surprised about his concern. He would often be overprotective with him at times when Eggman was wreaking havoc on Mobius. Tails meant the world to him, just as much as Sonic meant the world to him, even as much as Cosmo did to him. Tails let out a deep sigh in an effort to contain himself. He could already feel more tears threatening to spill from his eyes as he thought about Cosmo again. "I'm trying to hang in there, Sonic," he answered.
"Want to talk about it, little bro?" asked Sonic in such a nice tone.
Tails nodded hesitantly as he snuk his way back upstairs, but Sonic spotted him as he heard his footsteps on the creaking wood of the old steps that desperately needed repair. "Are you okay, little buddy?" he heard him say as he followed him upstairs.
Tails only did nothing more than kick his bedroom door open to let some more frustration out of his hidden, long-going depression, letting out a groan while at it. Then, he walked to his desk and sat down in front of Cosmo's plant, which was in a white flower pot in front of the window. Just then, Tails heard Sonic's footsteps slowly entering my bedroom, and he turned towards his worried brother just as tears started pouring from his eyes again. Tails knew he had blown it now. No matter how hard he tried, he still couldn't hide his depression from him. Then again, if it was Sonic, it didn't matter anyway, because he knew perfectly well how to medicate his depression. Tails couldn't trust anyone else to do it but him. He turned back to Cosmo and banged his head against the desk in the same fashion he had done on his Blue Typhoon's control panel that night before he pulled the trigger to kill his love. "Aww, Tails, my little bro," he heard Sonic say in such a sad, sweet tone as he walked right up to his chair and placed a hand on his shoulder again.
Tails slowly turned his soaked face towards his brother as his tears just about blurred his eyesight. "I'm so sorry, Sonic!" he cried as Tails, for the first time since that whole "monster thing" (courtesy of Butch calling it that), started weeping like a toddler in all his sorrow. "Ever since we reconciled weeks ago, I've been trying everything I can to control my depression, but my heartache's as painful as ever! I still suffer from the sorrow of Cosmo's passing, I still suffer from the guilt of treating you so horribly, and I still suffer from the nightmares that flow in my head! I just can't take all this pain, Sonic! I'm not the Tails I used to be! I feel so different than the way I was before she made her sacrifice! She's changed me forever! Everyone would just want me to be happy like it never happened, but I loved her, Sonic! I loved her with all my heart! I would want nothing more than to just see her again at least one more time, if ever! I… I… I'll never be the same again!"
Sonic stood there and sighed sadly as Tails pleaded in his mind for him to just sit down, place him on his lap, and cuddle him into his warm brotherly hugs. Tails knew this was something he hadn't shared with him until now. He had realized that something was horribly wrong with him. This depression was slowly turning him into an emotional wreck. Even Sonic's comfort wasn't enough to get him out of this. Nothing would be enough.
After what felt like ages, Sonic finally approached his chair and gently scooped him up into his arms. Cradling him close like he was a baby while cooing into a flattened ear and nuzzling him (purring on him in the process), Sonic carried Tails to his makeshift bed and, upon climbing into bed and sitting down, placed him right into his lap. He quickly went as far as to squeeze him into a very tight brotherly hug as he nuzzled his face against his little brother's. Tails could feel that one of his arms was wrapped tightly around his back, and his other arm was hugging the two twin tails that earned him his nickname (and the name that everyone calls him by). Sonic was going into extra-comfort mode with this hug. "I'm so sorry, too, Tails," he replied softly into Tails' ears as said fox threw his own arms around Sonic's neck and sobbed into his face close enough for him to leak some tears right onto his cheeks, "I understand how you're feeling,… and I wouldn't want you to be sad, either,… but I won't hold it against you. You have the right to feel the way you're feeling,… but we all know that, eventually, we will have to start fresh again and be strong for those we have lost in the past. Now, please don't get mad at me for asking this, but… what do you think Cosmo would want if she saw you feeling so sad for her?"
That last question quickly burned into Tails' head. For a split second, he wished he hadn't asked that question. Tails was about to get ready to take his anger out and scream at him again, but he instantly settled down and soon came to understand what he was asking him. What would Cosmo want from him? He knew she would want him to be happy that their universe is safe again and that she's in a better place. Like Creecha once said during one of the gang's hospital visits, he and everyone else may even get to meet again after all… in the next life, far in the future.
At that moment, Tails' eyes met so close to Sonic's eyes that it felt like they were sharing a brotherly kiss, even though all they were really doing was gently nuzzling their noses together so they could share their tears with one another. This was the closest their eyes could get to each other. Sonic let some tears fall from his eyes as he looked into Tails'. His emerald green eyes could clearly see the waterfalls forming from his baby brother's baby-blue eyes, and it made him feel so sad for him. Tails tightened his hug around Sonic, and in return, Sonic tightened his hug around Tails as they embraced each other and brought their lips together as if they were about to do a brotherly kiss they would do every so often whenever they were alone together and feeling down. Speaking of which, they hadn't had a single "brother" kiss since before the Metarex War began. If there was any time they could do it, now just had to be the time. It could be an ingredient to curing Tails from this emotional sickness he suffered from for three months. This could be the message that has been trying to tell him that he wasn't alone in suffering, nor was he alone in general. He still had friends and a caring big brother who takes extra special care of him as if he was one of his parents.
Eventually, with their eyes still sharing tears, their lips finally touched and they blew a small two-way kiss. The moment Tails had wanted for weeks had come true. The distance that had torn them apart had finally shrunk. Tails no longer felt so lonely inside. This was the perfect medication for his emotional sickness. He realized how wonderful a brother Sonic could be for him. Even through his sadness over Cosmo, Tails would always remember that he had a great brother who would always stick to him for the rest of their lives until the day that death took them.
They kissed for several minutes, although for Tails it felt like an hour had gone by when they finally stopped and kept sharing tears. His tears were now a mixture of happiness and sadness. He still felt devastated about Cosmo, but he felt happy to have Sonic here just for him. It was time to put the last three rotten months behind them and start fresh again. "Sonic?" he whispered faintly, not sure if he could hear him.
"Yes, Tails?" he replied to confirm that he heard him.
"I never thought I'd say this,… b-but… I love you as a brother, Sonic!" Tails cried as he sobbed right onto his face.
He looked into Sonic's eyes, which was all he could see at all from being so close to his face, and they looked wide as if he had just been surprised that he confessed his "brotherly" love to him. Tails couldn't go without saying those words to him. Sonic was his best friend after all. He was his big brother, the one he idolized, the one he looked up to, the one who taught him so much in his still-so-young life. He made up the brotherly half of his heart, while Cosmo made up his romantic half. "Aww, Tails. I love you as a brother, too," Sonic spoke gently as he rubbed his tails so soothingly. "Please don't cry anymore, my little brother. I'll always be here to care for you until the end."
Tails knew he had said it all with those words. Nothing more had to be spoken. Their brotherly bond was as strong as it ever had been before. He hadn't felt this happy since the last time he had a happy moment with Cosmo. For three months, he'd suffered with a broken heart, yet now his shattered heart could heal with his big brother's comforting presence. The pieces could at long last come back together and create happiness once again … for him.
Hardly a moment later, more thoughts flowed into Tails' head, including something which he thought would be the best thing to do at a moment like this. "Sonic?" he spoke again in his soft voice with sadness still laced in it.
"Yes, Tails?" Sonic replied gently.
Tails nearly hesitated to say what he was about to say, but he took a few deep breaths and a big gulp, then he blurted it out… "I have something I'd like to show you."
Sonic, still holding Tails tightly in a bear hug, grinned at him and gently loosened his grip on him so that he could get off his lap. Once he finally gave him an opening, Tails slowly slid off his lap and opened one of his drawers. He rummaged through several gardening books (he looked them up at Wallflower's suggestion once) before he found a piece of paper filled with words from the topmost line all the way down to the bottom line. He pulled both the paper and a recording tape out from underneath the books and closed the drawer.
Just looking at what was written on this sheet of paper brought even more tears to his eyes. This was more than just any old paper…
This… was a sad love song Wallflower had once written and recorded for Cosmo just a few weeks after they had returned home. Needless to say, she wasn't as sad as everyone else was at the time when she wrote it, but she was still sad; she loved Cosmo like she was a little sister. Tails thought she had written it well (she'd given both it and the recorder to him during one of her visits at the hospital). "What do you have there, little buddy?" asked Sonic in his curiosity.
Tails looked into Sonic's eyes again as he let more tears fall down his cheeks. Sonic put another worried look on his face. Tails knew he still felt worried for him, but he knew that he was okay with it since this had been a difficult time for Tails personally. The little fox sat down in Sonic's lap again and showed him the paper Wallflower had written. Sonic stopped just a few words into it, and Tails could tell why he had done so. He could already understand what this piece was. "My, Tails, seems like Wallflower's quite a good songwriter," commented Sonic.
"It's a sad love song about a love that wasn't meant to be in the end from Cosmo's point of view," Tails said as he brushed a few tears from his eyes. "Wallflower said that she wrote and recorded this about two weeks after Cosmo's death."
"Well, Tails, I've never been good at writing, but I can tell just by looking at this that Wallflower seemed to be very good at expressing Cosmo's feelings," said Sonic.
"Want me to play the recording?" Tails asked nervously as he felt his legs shaking in Sonic's lap.
Sonic gently wrapped one arm around Tails' back and the other on his legs to stop them from shaking. He could tell how nervous his little brother was about reading this song. "I'd love to hear it, little bro," answered Sonic in his gentle voice as he tightened Tails into another hug.
Tails took deep breaths for about a minute and pressed the play button…
"Hey, Cosmo. Wallflower Blush here. I know it's been a while since that day, and I still haven't gotten over it. It's just that hard. You've made a positive impact on all of us, and losing you really hit us hard. So maybe this song here might help me a little. I can probably tell that this is something that you'd be singing up in whatever better place you are now; I wrote it myself…"
🎶 🎵 🎶 🎵 🎶 🎵 🎶 🎵 🎶 🎵 🎶 🎵 🎶 🎵 🎶 🎵 🎶 🎵
🎶From the first time you held me in your arms
The whole world fell under a spell
The great adventures would connect our hearts
But secret love was sealed in the rain
🎶Oh boy, come walk with me
And together we'll uncover every key
That locked away the realm of dreams unbound
Where our fantasy would be set free
🎶I wanna know, to be alone
With you on the rising hill secretly
Like the birds all around are free to fly
Watching over you and I 'til the dawn
Someday I know this love will glow
Leading hand in hand the way through the mist
To the road that'll shine, open to find
Souls intertwined, 'til the end of time
🎶I never wanted this, a shattered mind
Locked in my heart, pain you'll never see
It doesn't matter 'cause I'll always find
Your shining smile, and my heart's at peace
🎶Oh boy, you never show
Any fear or inhibition, only hope
I wanna hold on to, be like you
Brave enough to leave and let it go
🎶I wanna love you quietly
Living in the fairytale of our dreams
Though the pages are faded, pictures lost to the ages
We are crossed with the stars
One day I know the wind will blow
Clear away the dew from cold morning mist
And the seal of the road that shines to behold
Will be broken now, and forevermore
🎶Calling you
Ringing through the endless night
Sorrow in my breaking voice, I'll reach out with your name
Calling you
Answer me, reveal the light
Everything will be released, and never be the same
🎶I wanna know, to be alone
With you on the rising hill secretly
Like the birds all around can truly see
All the magic in our dreams and journeys
Someday I know this love will glow
Leading hand in hand the way through the mist
And the seal of the road that shines to behold
Will be broken now…
🎶And the seal of the road that shines to behold
Will be broken now…
🎶And forevermore!🎶
🎶 🎵 🎶 🎵 🎶 🎵 🎶 🎵 🎶 🎵 🎶 🎵 🎶 🎵 🎶 🎵 🎶 🎵
"… Honestly, wherever you are now, I hope you'll be at peace. Goodbye, Cosmo."
Just as the recording ended, Tails' emotions broke down again, and he began sobbing into Sonic's chest again. He set the song and recorder on his desk so that he wouldn't get them wet with his tears. Tails then felt Sonic wrapping both of his arms around him again in a tight hug. "Tails?" he heard Sonic whisper into his ears.
Tails tried his best to stop sobbing as he looked up into Sonic's green eyes once more. Tears still poured from his eyes and formed waterfalls on his cheeks. His brother gave him another grin with a hint of sadness in his eyes. "That was so beautiful, little bro," he said in such a nice tone. "It just about made me tear up. Wallflower's such a great writer, little buddy. First her fighting skills, then her gardening skills, and now this. Cosmo would have loved that song, Tails."
Hearing that last sentence only made Tails sob some more. Sonic was right; Cosmo would have loved that song, but she would never get a chance to see it or hear Wallflower sing it to her. Knowing that tore him up inside into yet another emotional breakdown. Tails once again sobbed hysterically in Sonic's hug and wrapped his arms around his neck, refusing to let go of the warm comfort he was giving him. The least Tails could do was not weep like a little baby. He couldn't possibly do that after listening to such a sad poem, especially after his own big brother had just praised it as "beautiful". "Aww, Tails, my little bro," he heard Sonic whisper as he let out a few sobs of his own that fell onto his face.
Tails looked into Sonic's eyes again, and this time they were filling with tears, too, although nowhere near as much as my eyes were. It wasn't often that Sonic could get emotional, but Tails could sense he felt so sad for him and that he wanted to do anything in the world to put a smile on his face. Sadly, Tails still felt that today was no day for him to put a smile on his face in such a tragic time like this, but he wanted to be happy. He wanted to be happy for his friends, especially Sonic. "Please don't cry, my little bro. I'm right here … just for you," whispered Sonic as he tightened his hug on Tails until they were sure that we were as close together as they ever could be.
"Thank you so much, Sonic!" Tails cried as he tried his best to at least turn the edges of his mouth upwards into a small grin, "I'm so happy that you love Wallflower's writing. It means everything to me,… my big bro!"
"Aww. You're very welcome, Tails, little buddy," replied Sonic as he tearfully grinned at him.
Tails was finally able to grin at my brother, and they exchanged some more tears to shed some more of their sorrow away. The only happiness Tails could feel, though, was only coming from the fact that Sonic was right here with him, giving him the comfort he'd sought for so long, and the fact that he had heard Wallflower's song. If Sonic could make him happy, then they were off to a good start towards brightening Tails' heart again. "Are you feeling okay, my little brother?" Sonic asked him once again.
Tails tried to take some deep breaths, but the hiccups leftover from all his sobbing nearly choked him to death, which, in turn, made it just about impossible for him to form any words, so all he did was nod his head in response to his question. Sonic patted the back of Tails' head numerous times to help him calm down, then he finally took some deep breaths so that he could speak again. "I'm just not sure what to do with myself anymore, Sonic," he said softly, "Ever since Cosmo died, I've been so beside myself with frustration, sadness and anger building within myself. Even after we finally mended our bond, I'm still as sad as I've ever been in my life. I don't know if I'll ever be happy again."
"Aw, Tails," said Sonic with a sad face, "I don't think you'll be sad forever. I think that all you need is to spend some time with me for a few days, then maybe we can go see our friends and see how they can cheer you up. They've all been worried sick about you for the past three months."
"I know," Tails replied with tears still flowing from the sadness that remained due to all the suffering from the last three sad months.
Sonic looked at his arms, searching for any new cuts. Finding none, fortunately, he looked back at Tails. "Shadow told me what happened earlier," he said. "Good thing he was around."
Tails' ears flattened as he recalled the events. "Sorry," he said. "It was too much to ignore. I even contemplated suicide at one point. I know it wrong, but–"
Sonic gently kissed his forehead, interrupting him. "I'm glad you didn't go down that route," he said as he stood up, picking up Tails and headed to the restroom. "It would've made things a lot harder otherwise."
Tails nodded in agreement, his face as red as Knuckles with shame and embarrassment. "But I'm glad that didn't happen," Sonic added as they entered the room, turning on the lights with his head (he had his arms full). "Now let's get your face washed up. Your fur's messed up."
It was true. Tails' face was covered in tear streaks and his fur was a mess. Sitting Tails down on the counter, Sonic got a wet washcloth and some soap. Telling Tails to close his eyes, he scrubbed his face well. After a thorough rinse, dry, and gentle brushing, Tails' face was a lot better than it was previously. Plus, his face fur was a lot more clean, and the white fur tufts on his face were more white than they ever were. As Sonic put away the soap and the washcloth, Tails' yawn reached his ears. Turning around, Sonic smiled at the sight of Tails trying to stay awake, but failing miserably; all the crying he did had done a number on him. Cooing softly, Sonic went over and scooped him up in his arms, cradling him like a baby as he carried him out the restroom and towards his bedroom. "You want me to stay with you tonight?" Sonic asked gently so as not to startle him.
Tails sleepily nodded, snuggling close to his hero. Sonic smiled at this and entered Tails' room, shutting the door with his foot. "I'll stay with you every night if you want," he said as he set Tails down in bed and took off his gear, doing the same to himself.
As soon as he felt his older brother's presence next to him, Tails plopped on top of him, mewling cutely and nuzzling into him, his ear over his heart so he could listen to its strong rhythm. Sonic chuckled gently as he tucked them both in with the sheets and blanket and wrapped his arms around him. He felt as Tails' arms came around him as well, cuddling closer to him as his namesakes curled around them both like an extra blanket. After exchanging a few more brotherly kisses, they finally got comfortable. "Get some sleep, little bro," Sonic whispered softly, stroking his head. "I promise, everything will eventually be alright, starting with tomorrow."
Tails yawned again, showing his cute little fox fangs. "Thank you, Sonic, for everything," he replied quietly, kissing his cheek. "I love you."
Hearing it nonetheless, a blushing Sonic smiled as he felt the kiss sink into his skin, a sign that he succeeded in helping his little brother. "I love you too, Tails. And you're welcome," he replied, planting a return kiss onto his cheek, his nose picking up the smell of mint on his face.
Sonic hummed a lullaby to Tails, helping him get to sleep easier. Upon hearing the soft breathes of his little brother sound asleep, Sonic closed his eyes and let slumber take him as well.
………………………………………………………………………
The following days, Tails was slowly but surely feeling more and more better. That night, he was ready to move on and be strong for Cosmo with help from his brother and friends. Aside from always working on his inventions again, Tails also found time to hang out with his friends more often than he did previously. And luckily, there was no Eggman and his robots to deal with. And for good reason, too: knowing that Tails was going through a hard time, he decided to take a break until Tails was 100% again. Which made things like recovery a lot easier in general.
With a lot of care from his brother and friends (though it wasn't easy), Tails was soon feeling better for the first time in several weeks. After some time, Pinkie decided to throw Tails a recovery party at his house. The whole team was there, laughing and generally having a good time. Eggman and his robots dropped in at one point. "Well, cearly I picked the wrong time for an invasion," he said sheepishly.
Twilight chuckled. "Just in time, in fact," she said. "You guys come on in."
"Did you really have to invite those guys, Twi?" asked Rainbow.
"Well, of course I did," Twilight answered. "Sure, they may be bad guys, but what happened shows that even they have standards."
Eggman nodded. "Of course, it's not going to last long," he said. "Once this all settles down and everything's back to normal, I'll be back to building the Eggman Empire."
"And when that happens, we'll be ready for it," Sonic assured him, laughing.
Eggman rolled his eyes, but one could tell that he was secretly amused. And that he was glad it was all over; everyone else certainly were. Meanwhile, Lightning was over at a table doing something with a pencil. "Yo, Knuckles," he called, "stop moving! I'm trying to capture the moment!"
"What's up?" asked Shanti.
"Well, I wanted to do a painting," explained Lightning, "so we'll always remember the good times together."
"That's very thoughtful of you, Lightning," said Twilight.
But upon getting a first look at it, she was dumbfounded… and also tempted to pinch herself to see if she was dreaming. "Wait, why did you give me Spike's ears?" she asked.
"Those are your curly hair things!" said Lightning defensively.
Everyone else got a look at it too. And they weren't impressed, either. "At least you don't look like a porcupine, Twi," Rainbow quipped. "My hair's not that spiky!"
"I look like a man," said Sticks.
"And why did you paint me with two Sith lightsabers?" asked Sunset. "The lightsaber color doesn't define me."
Butch soon got a look himself. "And you didn't even add Cosmo in there!" he said. "Dude, that's an insult!"
"I'm working on it!" said Lightning fustradedly. "And for your information, Sunset, I just thought it'd look more exciting that way."
Wallflower chuckled light-heartedly, catching Lightning's attention. "Oh, you think you can do better than that, Wallflower?" he challenged.
"Oh, I already did something like that weeks ago," Wallflower replied.
For added proof, she pulled out a picture from her backpack. What everyone saw amazed them– and shocked Lightning. In Wallflower's picture, the gang was detailed much better. It was a lot better than Lightning's picture: some were in fighting poses, others were looking like they were hanging around and having fun. Eggman was in his Eggmobile while Orbot and Cubot were chasing Bokkun around. And watching over them all were two spirits. One was Cosmo, and the other one was a young woman– who Sunset immediately recognized. "You also added Molly?" she asked.
Wallflower nodded. "The rest of us might not have known her," she said, "but after you told us about what happened on Planet Cascade, I figured I'd get her on here. Plus, I'm certain that she'd be happy with us winning the fight in the end." Sunset had told everyone what happened at Cascade while she was gone at one point.
Sunset's eyes misted. "Thank you," she said, giving Wallflower a hug.
Wallflower smiled as she returned the hug. "Anytime, sis," she said.
Though he was also happy, Lightning was still a little sulky for no one not liking his drawing when Eggman asked to see it. Smiling at the scene, Tails left the room to get some fresh air, but not before he heard another complaint: "Hey, my stomach's not that big anymore," said Eggman. "I've really trimmed down."
"True," said Orbot. "The doctor's been working to stay fit for sometime."
AJ chuckled. "Well, I think y'all look perfect," she said.
Everyone laughed. Well, everyone except for Lightning, who just seethed with frustration and jealousy.
………………………………………………………………………
Meanwhile, Tails was sitting on the rooftop outside, looking out at the sunset. It was beautiful, just like Cosmo. Speaking of which, he was holding the white flower pot in his hands. The plant that he had taken care of for days had grown so well. It was currently a small green plant, but in no time at all, with how Tails was taking such good care of, it wouldn't be long before it would fully bloom into a beautiful flower. Tails had dedicated himself to giving this plant all the care it needed. As it was all he had left of this friend of his, he was keeping it alive so that her memory would live on. Its small, green leaves were open to the sunlight that was helping it grow.
Though much time had now passed since Cosmo had died (at this point, 5 months), Tails still missed her dearly. She had been so precious to him and he had always been willing to put himself in harm's way to protect her. Unfortunately, he could not prevent her sacrifice which she had bravely performed to defeat Dark Oak– and he had been the one who'd had to destroy her. "I miss you, Cosmo…" Tails murmured in a low voice as he gazed up at the sky.
If she were somewhere up there, he wished he could join her. All he wanted to do was see her sweet face. The only thing he could do was observe the sunset which was almost as beautiful as she had been. The young fox struggled to keep his eyes open; he was more tired nowadays from hanging out with friends and working on stuff. He wanted to gaze at the sunset all through his life until death came and it faded away– just as Cosmo had done. His eyelids proved to be too heavy, however, as they fell down to close. Tails slumped against himself in a bent down position, the plant's pot now next to him on the rooftop as he started to fall asleep… "Tails…"
Tails' eyes shot open at once. He thought he had heard Cosmo's angelic voice saying his name. It was a sound he had thought he would never hear again. He lifted his head up from the bent position, looking around. "Cosmo?"
"Tails?"
At once, Tails ears began to twitch. That was definitely Cosmo's voice he had heard. Never would he be capable of mistaking it for anything else. His mouth hung open as he peered all around him. Though his perked-up ears could hear her lovely voice, his widened eyes couldn't see the plant girl anywhere. "Cosmo?" he cried. "Where are you?"
"Out here, Tails…"
Tails froze. The voice wasn't coming from where he was on the rooftop. It was coming from somewhere in the forest. He turned around towards the direction of the forest and flew off, his tails spinning as he followed a trail of rose petals and paradise flower petals to a forest clearing as the sky began to darken– and gasped at what he saw.
A figure was looming outside in the moonlight. She was floating in the open air as she came down from the sky to be level with the fox. She held her hands together in front of herself as she peered towards him. "Hello, Tails," she said in a soft warm voice.
Tails' heart began to race. His lips quivered as he observed the floating figure outside in the clearing. She was exactly as she had been in the final few minutes when he had last seen her. Her green leafy hair had grown longer while the two buds on the sides of her head had blossomed into large flowers. She even had a pair of angel wings on her back and a halo above her head. If there was one thing about her which had not changed, however, it was the kind, loving smile on her face. "Cosmo!" Tails exclaimed in disbelief and joy as he ran towards her.
Happily, the two shared a hug. "It's been a while," Cosmo said quietly after they separated. "I've missed you so much."
Tails felt tears building up in his eyes. He was overwhelmed with mixed emotions. On the one hand, he was overjoyed to see the beautiful face of the girl he had fallen in love with for the first time in months. On the other hand, seeing her floating in the air before him was a reminder of what had been hurting him for all that time. The love of his life had well and truly passed on. "I miss you too," Tails whimpered, letting the tears escape his eyes. "I wish you didn't have to sacrifice yourself, Cosmo. I wish you didn't have to die."
"You know it had to be done, Tails," Cosmo reminded him gently. "It was the only way to save the galaxy."
"I know, but…" Tails sniffled. "I wish there could have been a way to save you too…"
Cosmo was still smiling as her own eyes began to tear up. She remembered how kind Tails had always been to her and how he always comforted him whenever she felt upset. Seeing how broken he was that moment, she felt it was her turn to do the same for him. With her tears silently running down her cheeks, Cosmo floated towards Tails. She noticed his one hand was holding the little plant she had left for him as a seed while the other was on the windowsill. She gently rested her hand against his own. At once, Tails directed his desolate gaze where Cosmo's hand was on his. He couldn't feel her at all, yet somehow, he could sense some warmth beginning to fill him inside at her presence. "I didn't need to be saved, Tails," Cosmo assured him. "I was fulfilling my destiny. I always thought while I was around you and the others that I was useless and couldn't do anything to help. But I managed to discover my purpose was to save the galaxy from the Metarex. I managed to carry out my reason for being there in the first place– and it was all thanks to you."
Tails gazed at the plant girl. She was speaking to him in the same kind tone she had always talked to him with. She truly did have a pure soul– even if that was all which was left of her. "I still can't stop missing you," he murmured. "I wish you could stay."
"I won't ever truly be gone, Tails." Keeping one of her hands over his own, Cosmo tenderly placed her other one onto the fox's muzzle which was soaked with his tears. "Not as long as you're around."
"Huh?" Tails uttered. "I don't understand. What do you mean you won't truly be gone because of me?"
Cosmo's smile softened on her ghostly face. "I can see you've kept that seed I left behind well and truly alive back at your home."
Tails glanced at the direction of where his plant was. It was probably still on the rooftop, absorbing the light. "Of course," he answered. "There was no way I was not going to do anything with it after you left it to me. That's all I have left of you, Cosmo."
"And a wonderful job you've done taking care of it." Cosmo observed the flower from afar before turning her gaze back to the one who was responsible for how well it had grown so far. "You see, Tails, as long as you keep the memory of me alive, I won't ever be gone. I will live on– through you…"
The words Cosmo was assuring him made Tails' heart race. It was filled with determination not to let the sweet, kind plant girl who had been so important to him to be forgotten. If anyone was going to keep the memory of her alive, he was going to be the one to do it. "I won't let anyone forget you, Cosmo," Tails said truthfully. "I promise you'll always be remembered for the wonderful person you are who managed to save the galaxy. I'll make sure everyone today knows they are here because of you. I'll keep your memory alive– forever."
Cosmo's face appeared to glow. Her tears streamed faster down her face as she smiled towards the fox. Even after she had passed away and gone on to the afterlife, he was still the one she could always rely on. "Thank you, Tails," she said gratefully. "Thank you for everything you've done for me. I'm truly thankful you came into my life. It was truly worth living to meet you."
A smile managed to find its way to Tails' face. He directed it to the plant girl, relishing getting to see her for what would probably be the last time. Just as nothing would get in his way of protecting her while she had been alive, he would not let anything stop him from keeping her memory from living on.
Right at that moment, the moon began to glow brighter than ever. It shimmered directly towards the pair– as the plant girl began to fade away. It was time for her to go home for good. "Goodbye, Tails," she whispered to the fox. "I'll always carry you with me– in my heart."
"And I'll always carry with you in mine!" Tails placed a hand onto his chest, locking his gaze onto Cosmo for as long as he could before she disappeared. "I won't let you fade into nothing, Cosmo! I'll make sure you'll always be remembered!"
Right before the fox's eyes, Cosmo began to vanish. The silver moonlight engulfed her entirely as she prepared to leave her most precious friend. She smiled at him for what was to be the final time– as she whispered what she wanted him to hear before she left: "I love you, Tails!"
"I love you too, Cosmo!"
As Tails shouted back the words which had come straight from his heart, Cosmo was completely absorbed from the moonlight. She disappeared entirely from view as it suddenly swept through the forest clearing. With the beautiful sight of the girl now gone, Tails held up a hand, but couldn't stop himself from being blinded. He cried out loudly as he shut his eyes, stumbling around before falling to the forest floor with a thud. Everything went black, but before fading into unconsciousness, Cosmo's words from before rang through him: "I will always be with you."
………………………………………………………………………
As Tails fell over from the bright light, a bed of paradise petals and rose petals caught him so he didn't hit his head and, blown by a soft wind, carried him back home to his rooftop and gently laid him there. Then, they swirled around the flowerpot, sprinkling something onto the plant before disappearing into the distance. Having woken up at that moment, Tails glanced down at the plant before looking back up at the sky, the sunset having faded away and replaced now with a silver moon and twinkling stars. Remembering that he'd been trying not to fall asleep before he saw Cosmo's spirit, his mind was filled with questions:
Had it all been a dream?
Had the moonlight been playing tricks on me?
Or had Cosmo's spirit really come from the afterlife to see me?
For how intelligent he was at such a young age, what had just happened was something Tails couldn't possibly explain. What he was certain of, however, was that he was going to be the one to keep Cosmo's memory alive. That was, as she had said, she would live on– through him. Smiling at the thought, Tails placed the pot back in his workshop on the windowsill before going back out on the rooftop in time to see Creecha's magical fireworks erupt in the sky, exploding into beautiful colors.
While he was looking up at the sky, Sonic arrived on the rooftop and headed over to him; he figured he needed some company. Upon seeing him there beside him, Tails smiled happily, as did Sonic, who placed a hand on his shoulder before pulling him into a hug, which Tails happily returned. After a little bit, the two separated and sat down together, looking up at the beautiful, colorful display. A while passed before Sonic looked again at Tails, the fox looking back at him as he felt Sonic's hands cup his face. "We did it, Tails," was all Sonic could say at this moment. "The Metarex will never bother us again."
With that, he leaned forward and gave Tails a brotherly kiss on the lips, which Tails happily returned. As the two stood up, never separating from their kiss, Tails' arms wrapped around Sonic's neck and, as he felt his feet leave the ground, he wrapped his fluffy namesakes around Sonic's waist for better security. Sonic's arms, meanwhile, found themselves around Tails' waist. The two stayed in their platonic "brotherly" kiss for a long time as the fireworks continued to blast colorfully around them.
………………………………………………………………………
Meanwhile, in the afterlife, Cosmo finally arrived in the heavens, having finally finished her work. A smile crossed her face as she saw everyone that had been the victims of the Metarex: from her friends and family to other aliens of different species. "Hey look!" said Landar. "It's my sister! She's finally joined us!"
Cheers erupted as Cosmo stepped through the gates. "You're my brother?" she asked.
Landar nodded. "Wasn't really here when you came around," he said. "I died before you were born. But I've been watching you. You're just as brave as Mother."
🎶Suso ga nureta nara
Kawaku no mateba ii
Mizuoto wo tatete haneta
The two hugged. "I'm glad I finally get to see my little sister," he said.
Cosmo smiled. "Same here," she said.
As they separated, Galaxina, followed by Daisy, Starla, and Crythansimum all ran over to her. "Cosmo!" exclaimed Galaxina joyfully as she lovingly squeezed her little sister into a hug. "Oh, it's so good to see you again! We all feared something dreadful happened to you!"
🎶Kimi ga oshiete kureta n da mou kowaku nai
Nigitte ite kureta kono te wo hanasanakya dame da
"Same here," said Cosmo as they separated. "A lot has happened to me when I survived." And she explained all that had happened to her. She didn't leave out a single detail.
🎶Hitori demo yuku yo Tatoe tsurakute mo
Minna de mita yume wa Kanarazu motteku yo
Minna to ga ii na Minna to ga yokatta
Demo mezameta asa Dare mo inai n da ne
When she was finished, everyone was shocked. "How dare they make our little girl a spy!" said Galaxina. "Well, I'm glad that regardless, you had friends to look out for you."
"Even if they were animals," added Starla.
Cosmo smiled. "The animals I met weren't really viscous," she said. "As I spent time with them and got to know them more, I realized that they weren't enemies. They were my friends. And I even fell in love with one of them…"
She sighed dreamily at this, causing Galaxina to giggle. "Yeah. Honestly, whoever you were with at the time, they were pretty amazing," she admitted.
🎶Mou furikaette mo dare no kage mo nai.
Mizutamari dake ga hikatta
Ikiteku koto sore wa tachimukatte iku koto
Sore ga wakatta nara ato wa fumidasu yuuki dake
Suddenly, a bright light appeared. Catching their attention, everyone turned in time to see Earthia appear. She glanced at Cosmo and smiled at her. "Congratulations, Cosmo," she said. "You've fulfilled your destiny. I always knew you could do it."
Cosmo's eyes widened before happy tears appeared in them and a smile graced her face. "Mother!" she exclaimed, racing over to her.
🎶Doko made mo yuku yo Koko de shitta koto
Shiawase to iu yume wo kanaete miseru yo
Minna to hanarete mo Donna ni tooku natte mo
Atarashii asa ni Kono Boku wa ikiru yo
Happy to finally see her daughter again after so long, Earthia accepted the hug Cosmo gave her. "Oh, Mother!" Cosmo cried. "I thought I'd never see you or everyone else again! I missed you so much!"
Earthia held her closer. "It's okay, Cosmo," she said. "It's over now."
The two separated, but were still at arm's length from each other. "All this time," said Earthia lovingly, "I've always known that you were destined to do great things. I believed in that to the very end. Every single one of us on that ship did, which was why we all fought them: it was to protect you. And now, thanks to you, the galaxy has been saved and our people will live on."
🎶Hitori demo yuku yo Shinitaku natte mo
Koe ga kikoeru yo Shinde wa ikenai to
Cosmo smiled tearfully as she hugged her mother again. "Thanks, Mother," she said softly. "Thank you for never giving up on me."
Earthia smiled as she returned the embrace. "I never will, Cosmo," she said. "I never will. And you'll see your living loved ones again someday."
Cosmo continued smiling, enjoying her mother's embrace. "However long it takes, I'm looking forward to it," she said.
Landar smiled at the scene. "Three cheers for Cosmo, the best little sister I've ever had!" he yelled.
🎶Tatoe tsurakute mo Yami ni tozasarete mo
Kokoro no oku ni wa Akari ga tomotteru yo
The heavens were filled with cheers as they cheered for their hero Cosmo: the bravest Seedrian anyone had ever met. She had done it. She had fulfilled her purpose in life against all odds, and now, as a reward, she would spend eternity with her loved ones.
🎶Megutte nagarete Toki wa utsuroida
Mou nani ga atta ka Omoidasenai kedo
Me wo tojite mireba Minna no waraigoe
Naze ka sore ga ima ichiban no takaramono🎶
I'll forever miss you, Cosmo, and I'll love you with all my heart until the day death consumes me, but I will not shed another tear for you. Your plant, along with my friends, is enough to give me the happiness I need to live a happy life.
-Miles "Tails" Prower
ns 15.158.61.8da2
