"Watcha drawing, Blaze?" a little silver hedgehog toddled over to a little purple cat drawing in the dirt-covered concrete.

"I'm drawing us," she said, pointing her stick at the two dirt figures. "See? That's you,"-she pointed to the spiky-haired dirt hedgehog, "and there's me," she said, pointing to the other one with big ears and a dot on her forehead.

Silver sat down and stared at the two dirt figures. They were holding out an arm to each other. "What are we doing?"

Blaze put down the stick. "I think... we're saying goodbye."

Silver bristled, standing up. "Why would you draw something like that?" he demanded, beginning to shiver. "Why would we ever say goodbye, ever?!"

"Silver, I drew it so we never have to," she said, standing up. "Now that I drawed it, it will never happen."

Silver's eyebrows pinched together. "Are you sure?" She nodded. "Do you promise we'll never say goodbye?"

"I promise," she mewed.

The boy held out his pinky. "Pinky swear?"

The girl held out her pinky and locked it with her friend. "Pinky swear. We'll never say goodbye, ever."

"'Cuz we're friends."

"Friends for life."

"Friends for ever..." Silver mumbled, looking at Blaze, taking in Iblis. Blaze looked down and shivered.

"Blaze!" Silver cried, hugging her from behind. "You promised- You're not going anywhere-! I can't do anything without you!"

"Silver... you'll be fine..." Blaze tried to lie but Silver bawled too loud and she clamped her eyes shut. "Silver...listen, it's gonna be okay-"

"No! It'll never be okay! You promised- don't you remember?! You're my friend, aren't you? Aren't we...aren't we friends?"

Blaze turned back and looked at Silver. "Of course we're friends, Silver. We're friends for ever..."

Blaze started to fade away, but before her hands were intangible she held Silver's hand, then held out her pinky. Silver whimpered, but he held out his pinky anyway.

"T-take care of yourself, Bl-blaze," Silver choked, and his friend began to fly away.

"Good luck, Silver," she said, and Silver saw something fall from her eyes before the clouds swallowed her pale form up.

Everything began to light up- the clouds rolled away and the sun was shining brightly-

We did it... Silver tried to cheer himself up, but...he was all alone.

You promised...

Blaze never said goodbye, but he still felt a pain in his chest.

I promised I'd never say goodbye...

Now he's all alone...

Blaze felt like she'd broken something that couldn't be fixed by screaming sorry. Something that couldn't be patched up without her.

I was ready to make sacrifices... But I only thought about my own...

Maybe if she willed herself back- but she couldn't- she kept moving- no- I'm not ready! I'm not ready to go!-I-

All that was left of Blaze was a tear.