Before we get on with the story, I have to make a quick mention. The art serving as the cover of this story belongs to ojamajodoremidokkan on DeviantArt. I attempted to ask her for permission to use the image on the picture's page, however she has yet to give me any response. Looking on her page, I found out that she has no recent activities and hasn't uploaded something since 2008, whether it be a comment, journal or art piece. Needless to say, I don't imagine she's around on that account anymore. Regardless, I do plan to take down the art as soon as I can draw or commission a more fitting piece. Even so, if there is a problem with the art being used, I will gladly remove it. I don't own it, after all.

On to this fanfiction, this is a story based upon an idea I had. "What if, instead of completely erasing the world, the Super Genesis Wave did something else entirely? This is my take on the world recovering from that aftermath... and the unavoidable consequences that have come with it. As the title alludes...


Sonic is Gone...

Two months since the terrible Super Genesis Wave and that's still being felt. Sure. Eggman's missing too, but ... This was never something anyone wanted. No one wants to sacrifice their hero to be rid of the villain.

All of us kept saying that same thing. "He'll show up with that cool guy show-off'y attitude the next day." "He's probably keeping us all in suspense." "There's no way he's really gone." ... ... ...

I've been struggling to fill the hole he left in my chest when I found out... I can't say I'm the worst off, though. At the very least, I'm still trying to figure out what happened. It shouldn't be as hard to figure out what happened to Sonic. I mean, the whole of the Egg o' War is a bunch of blasted apart debris floating on the sea... It actually serves as an island for what's left of it, floating ominously on the waves in aimlessness. It's Round hull means it might never sink. We have to deal with that, seeing it and never forgetting what happened there...

Robotnik and Wily failed. Mobius was safe... but it was left without it's greatest Hero...

We've somehow been allowed two whole months to grieve for what we lost and "bury" our Hero... It all felt Hollow, though. We should have known that Sonic was gone... but we couldn't really face that. Even Nicole claimed that she could still "detect" Sonic The Hedgehog...

And that got me started down the path I now walk. I've all-but dedicated myself solely to finding out what happened to him, where he could be and even finding a way- if possible- to bring my best friend home... He'd do the same for me...

And so, two months of everyone grieving was actually more like one to me. I started my investigations on my own. People probably would have helped if I asked them to, but I didn't want to get their hopes up high, only to potentially smash them back into the ground if all efforts proved futile.

And so, two months later, here I am, sitting at my desk and modifying a pure white computer tablet's circuitry. I had stripped out and replaced many of it's parts, old and new both littering my workbench's space while I took a wire weld to it, a welding mask dawned over my face.

There were multiple devices modded into it: a miniature radio dish installed at the top of the device, communicator and even two miniature cameras installed into both sides of the machine. I was making it so that the tablet could track the Egg o' War's specific type of Genesis Wave and Sonic at the same time AND act as a communicator, recording device and camera- but those extras were miscellany. Its primary function would ever be to directly track the wave's outward path to where-so-ever Sonic also existed. A triangulatory searching mechanism. No matter where he was in the world or beyond, I'd be able to find whatever traces of him there were to be had...

I make it sound simple, but the precise calculations and frequency settings - not to mention signal strength and accuracy that had been tried multiple times- needed to be absolutely correct. It needed to be strong enough, but not so much that the machine was overworked. I was on attempt number 417...

I know. High number for a single month's work. The fact was that I needed to sacrifice whatever activities I didn't necessarily need to be a part of. Effectively, I didn't need to partake in much these days, since Eggman was gone and the bots that WERE still around were, as far as we've seen, all small fries. Busting them and freeing the animals inside was easy enough. Any team could do it, even small-time cadets.

Right. About that. We've been recruiting lately. It wasn't like we were taking in untrained chumps or guys that really didn't know what they were getting into. It was just that much of the fighting was done, so many of the original freedom fighters were done, too.

Sally had her duties back in the kingdom. Amy was just... too broken up to go on with the whole thing. Knuckles? Ever the guardian of that oversized chaos emerald with a mind of it's own. (that somehow gets shattered regardless of it's protector and the whole of the echidna clan. Seriously, what in the world?) Rumor has it that they also have the Chaos Emeralds and guarded them all. Tons of others could be mentioned, but the point stands: not many of the original members aside from myself are left.

Bunnie rabbo- I mean... Bunnie D'Coolette... is essentially the leader, but even she's giving the idea of eventually retirement a thought. I can understand why. It's just not the same without Sonic.

Personally, that very thing is the reason I keep going. I want to keep the group Sonic loved most alive. Maybe, it's because I still hold on to a little hope that he'll be back.

I powered down the torch and placed it aside, taking the mask from my face and placing it down on the bench. After moments of letting the welds cool, I took the table's back-plate into my hand and placed it into it's rightful spot, covering the back. I took a screwdriver in one hand and screws in the other, gently holding the plate in place with my wrist while individually screwing each screw back into place.

Once that was done,I placed the screwdriver aside, my hand picking the tablet up from the surface. Turning it over in my hands, I tiredly stared down at it. "Everything should be perfect, this time. I've exhausted my ideas and myself to zero... It has to work..."

My ears and tails twitched with anticipation. My hands trembled from overuse. The gloves I had on were dirty and somewhat pulled at the seams. I'd need a new pair after I gave this a try.

My thumb pressed the hard-press power button for a few seconds until the tablet vibrated, then released... The screen lit up white, then cycled through it's start up processes, before a voice spoke and my personal symbol loaded onto the screen- A circle with my twin tails inside it. "Welcome, Master Tails. What would you like today?" A girl's voice came from the speakers.

"I'd like to use the DNA Search Module, Cindy."

A loading screen initiated as Cindy spoke again. "Absolutely. One moment while I prepare the search again."

Cindy is like to Nicole- another A.I. She wasn't as progressed, but there was no doubt in my mind that she'd get there before too long. She had the potential to surpass her, if this device stayed intact for long enough. I hope to see that day as much as I hope to see the day Sonic returns.

As the loading screen completed, Our planet was displayed as it appeared in space, surrounded by all the rest of the starry expanse and our moon orbiting. "DNA Search is ready, Master Tails. Whom shall we be searching for today? "

A grin spread across my face. Everything seemed promising this time. "Let's start off easy. Cindy. please find Espio the Chameleon."

The dish atop the tablet twitched to life and quickly turned to find a satellite it could use, before settling in place. The globe of our world quickly grew closer as the sound of rushing wind sounded from the speakers of the device. It wasn't long before the view of clouds was cut through. Dramatic, I know, but this made it more interesting. Cindy liked that sort of thing. "Easy indeed. Our stealthy friend can not hide from the sharp eyes of our little bug friends."

Before long the screen displayed a traditional little village under a night sky. Zooming in, there he was. Espeo, hiding in the shadows of one house of traditional Chun-nanian culture. He seemed to be resting against it's wall, arms folded with a leg supporting his position while the other found it's footing on the wall. Before too long, his colors blended in with wall itself, as any chameleon's does, making him almost invisible. To make it all the easier to make him out, the tablet drew a blue outline around him that told him apart from the wall further.

You might be wondering how it's possible to get such an image in real time. Well, it's not always so easy. This tablet can hijack the systems Eggman had in place that stalked our every move through micro-camera bots, but that isn't really something it can necessarily do all the time, obviously. If there isn't a bot in the area, you'd just get the precise location. If that can't happen due to range issues, it will simply give you a general direction until you follow it for long enough. It's the best I can hope for with Sonic, being that he's not been seen since - ... I'm speaking in redundancy. You get the idea.

I smiled in full at the results and chuckled a little. "That's a far better image than the last time. It's almost like I could reach through and touch him."

"All thanks go to your diligence, Master Tails."

I sighed a bit as I rolled my eyes through a smirk. "Okay, I told you that you don't need to call me Master. We're supposed to be on a friend to friend basis?"

An audible giggle. "And I have repeated the reason for my doing so many a time before. I find the ring of it marvelous. You needn't trouble yourself with it's proper meaning, for I DO consider us friends. However, you gave me free will to use, so exercise it I shall."

With an exasperated sigh, my hand went to my face, even as I smiled. "Well, it's just that you sound even more like a manor maid when you say it like that..."

A hum came from the speakers as an icon of a winking smiley face appeared at the top left of the screen. "And what is so wrong with a bit of proper etiquette? I would think it soothing~." And there came the tease in her.

I shook my head while trying not to roll my eyes again. My hand dropped away from my face while I smiled down at the tablet. "How about we get to the real meat?"

"So, we are ready for another attempt at his local, I assume?"

I took a moment as my smile vanished behind flatness... "... Yeah, let's try again for Sonic. I've done everything I can, so either this works or we're pretty much done."

... It was the first time she was wordless for any amount of time after I was done talking.

The screen zoomed out from Espeo and back to the image of Mobius at large as she spoke. "Very well, Master. With this latest upgrade, there shall be no errors. I will not rest my processors until we find the Master, Sonic."

"Alright," I said, nodding with a slight grin. "Begin, if you're ready. And regardless, thanks for everything, Cindy."

"Bless your kind heart for making it possible, Master. As you command." The globe started to spin as I awaited the results. It was a long process, compared to the other. Might have taken twice as long... no, it was definitely three times as long. My hands were gripped a bit firmly along the tablet's sides as I watched the dish atop fix itself multiple times. Eventually, Cindy's voice came again. "Detection is confirmed, Master... however, I shall need time to finalize anything for certain."

... I don't think my heart has ever sub-sequentially jumped, skipped a beat and gone up into my throat before, but there was the thing that would make it do that, apparently. I took a breath... then let it out in a long sigh. "Finally, something different... T-take all the time you need, Cindy. I've been patient for this long. Hours or days won't be as bad as this month."

"Of course, Master. Time shall be required, but nowhere near a month's time. Possibly less than a day's time, if progress continues at this rate."

A whole day... I had a whole day to myself. Only it was two in the afternoon.

I took a sigh and fell back in my revolving chair as it rolled back a bit and squeaked. "What the heck am I gonna do with a whole day?"

"Pardon my intrusiveness, but perhaps you should take today's remaining time to re-acquaint with your friends. I am more than positive an act such as this might prove beneficial to both yourself and anyone of your choosing."

I hadn't seen much of them since essentially locking myself up in my workshop in stalemate with my project. "Well, that sounds all fine and dandy, but who actually would remember me?" I ended up staring at the ceiling as the A.I. spoke.

"You must not truly think yourself so forgettable. Master, you are a twin-tailed fox fellow with a mind that could- with the right ambition- put any others to shame. You've an incalculable IQ. Four-hundred is the limit to which one can be tried for. It is the same limit you've shown yourself able to break on many occasions."

"And?" I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, dear sweet lord... AND you've several missed call from Ms. Amy Rose! There is currently one unread message."

I blinked my eyes wide. "Wait, wha-"

Ding-ling-ling-ling-ling-ling!

I nearly flipped backwards from my chair as I yelped and flailed in the seat forward! The ringing continued while I shot up from the seat, tails standing on end as I frantically looked around for the phone! "Augh! What?! Where is it?! Where's the phone!? A-aaaaah!" I was a panicked mess, throwing everything that wasn't the phone every which ways!

"Master, Ten feet from your left! It's within the toolbox!"

"Oh,"I uttered. I blinked before turning around and walking over to the toolbox, pressing the lid as it bounced up and released it's lock. I opened the lid and looked inside as the ring got louder. I removed the first container filled with tools and placed it aside as the phone's flashing screen stared me in the face with Amy's contact on screen. It stopped flashing when I picked it's flat exterior up before quickly thumbing the accept option on the touch screen.

I put the receiver up to my ear and spoke. "Hello?"

"Tails! Finally! I was trying to call you all afternoon!"

An urk sounded from my throat as I nervously smiled. "S-sorry. I had my phone in the toolbox of all places..."

She let out a sigh right before she spoke again. "Yeah, that just tells me that I was right to worry. Everyone kept saying you were probably just fine but... I know better."

I frowned and furrowed my brows while I paced around in the shop. "Really. I-I'm not that bad off... It's nothing compared to what you and Sally felt, I can bet."

"Oh... Oh, Tails. What the crud? You know I'd never compare my feelings to yours... even if she might. Ugh."

I sighed and scrunched a cheek when I heard that, stopping in place. "Amy, Please. Don't be so hard on her. She knew him longer than any of us."

"Tails, how ca-... Mh... No. No, nevermind. I know we all hurt. I'm just... I guess she's always been my rival." Rival. Right. Hah. Like there was any competition. Sonic couldn't ever date Amy for real, because he knew her true age. In reality, Amy's closer to my age, even if her body was progressed to his with that ring. Man, did THAT take a bit to get used to...

I shrugged to myself and shook my head as my frown deepened and bowed my head. "Well, I.. really think you two should stop that. The last argument you two had was... especially hard to watch, much less hear... And Sally was a sobbing mess of emotions afterwards..."

Her tone got softer. "... I know... 'M sorry, Tails. But... forget about that for now. It's not really why I called."

I blinked as I rose my head and cocked a brow. "Oh? Well, what's up? Anything I can do? I'm finally free from..." I looked over at the tablet as it went on with Cindy's scan for our hero. Shaking my head, I decided not to say much about it, yet. "...Well, my special project. I've been at it for near constant this entire month, but it's finally working like it should, so I'm all up for everything and anything."

"Well, then how about um... Come.. get a chilli dog with me?" My ears flicked and my eyes blinked wide as she went on. "It's a weird thing to ask, I know. I only ever ate those things when Sonic was around... but I know you both liked them, so.. yeah. Why not? I'm not so shameless a lady to eat one or two. So, want to come along?"

To be perfectly honest, the first place my head went was "is she asking me out," but no. I knew more than anyone that her heart belonged solely to the idol she could never have. Whatever the case, I didn't really have that for her. Guess it was just too early in life for me. Well, okay. Maybe that excuse doesn't work since Amy is my age... I dunno. Maybe I was uninterested. Maybe I didn't really think about it.

Regardless, I DID have the whole day to myself and I did indeed miss my friends. Smiling, I nodded my head as if she could see it. "Y-yeah! Sure! I miss hanging out with everyone. ..." I took a moment to sigh and furrow my brows. "It's been way too long. Ever since the freedom fighters mostly retired their founding members, I've only really had a few old friends in the fighters to talk to... and I didn't even talk to any of them. I was too lost in doing my own thing, I guess."

Silence for a bit... Then, she spoke. "I've been thinking about that, actually... Look. Meet me at the usual place. Y'know. Chuck's? I'll talk more there. Kay?"

I blinked a bit, flatly. "Uh... Okay then. Wha-"

"Great! See you soon, Tails!"

*Click!*

... I took the phone from my ear and cocked a brow. "What the heck was that about?"

"Master, You may take your leave of me. I shall be at this for some time, as stated."

I blinked a bit... then rolled my eyes. Cindy never admitted it, but she was terribly lonely. She always said, "you may take your leave of me", but one time, when I went to so much as take a shower, she started caterwauling. It's nice she liked to try and be brave, but no. Not this time.

I went over to a coat wrack and picked my tablet sling from the hook, looking at the old Yellow tablet I always used back before all of this. ... No use in that anymore. It was obsolete and it didn't have "personality." Not like Cindy's did. I took it out of the sleeve and walked over to the new tablet, smiling and shaking my head. "No way, Cindy-loo~! You're coming with me! I remember way too many times when I got back and you were in virtual tears."

A resounding "err" came from the speakers as a blushing, embarrassed frowning face icon appeared over much of the globe. "M-Master, please! Am I to be made sound like a frightened damsel?! Why, I hardly recall anything of the sort!"

"Uh huh. You're still coming with me." I put the old tablet down and snatched up Cindy before sliding her tablet into the sleeve and slipping the tablet sling over my head and securing it to my shoulder while the tablet hung at my side.

"Master! That is NOT strictly necessary! I-I promise I am fine this time!"

I just bugged her out and shook my head as I traveled to my Workshop's door. "Just focus on getting a good lock on that signal. It's just for the day."

"HOLD YOUR BUSHY TAILS!" Her voice erupted as I yelped and jumped at least three feet in the air before landing right back on mine. "Have you no shame, Master?! You'll truly leave without even tidying yourself?! You've not changed you're gloves, you haven't combed your hair and I most certainly know you need to brush your teeth! Think of Amy! What would she say to this appearance- this... MESS!"

I looked at my gloves and saw all the black and brown and the pulls. She was right. If anyone saw me like that, period, that would be grounds to worry for sure... With a sheepish smile, I nodded. "Okay, you have one heck of a point... I-I'll.. tidy up before I go. Just real quick."


Addendum: I want to make a few things clear, just because I have seen it spoken of elsewhere and don't want it to get confused here.

Overlander, human. I don't necessarily care which it was at one point or the other. If the character is human in essentially every way, I'm calling it human. It's too confusing to me. I gave up trying to hard-rewrite my brain to type overlander instead of human a long time ago. So!

Know that, indeed, I know the "humans" I refer to are, in actuality, overlanders... but at the moment, it makes me go cross-eyed trying to keep up with all of the rules Archie put in place as is.

I hope this doesn't subtract from immersion at all. If it does, then I'll probably force myself to go back when the story is finished and replace every "human" with "overlander".

Good? Good. x.x;

Also, the story is no longer going to be in centered format. Someone happened to point out that it was hard to read like that. And honestly, going back and reading it myself, I realize that they are DEFINITELY right. Thank you, Silicon42!