Gadget laughed jovially as he walked with enthusiasm, almost skipped, through the streets. The sun shone gloriously down on the city, on such a great and historic day. The battle, the one fought for so many long, hard moons had finally been won! The sun had finally peaked from behind the dark clouds, bringing with it such a joyous occasion to celebrate. The crowds gathered around Gadget, happily exchanging pleasantries and thanking the oddly immersed soldier for freeing them while hours ago they had been in deep dread.

Gadget pushed his way through the crowd watching his friend walk onto a stage to the loud, ear-shattering applause of the gathering crowd, ringing loudly in his ears and satiating him with a wonderful sense of accomplishment and peace. His friend waved, and the applause died down, although smiles remained on everyone's face. Sonic the Hedgehog, leader of the resistance and Gadget's inspiration, and the inspiration to many more. "Everyone, we can finally be at peace. The war is over, and the spirit of the people has overcome the tyranny of Dr Robotnik once again!"

This drew another loud cheer.

"We know you have lost many of your loved ones at the hands of such an evil villain," A lone tear trickled down his blue face as he nostalgically remembered the fallen, solitude embracing it as it dropped to the floor. "But we will rebuild these relationships with each other. As we rebuild out beloved city, better than ever before!"

Even after so long, Sonic knew how to excite a crowds. But one thing still bothered Gadget. Everyone witnessed Eggman's humble retreat after the final barrage of attacks, but where did Infinite go? When the flags were lowered and only corpses still remained, he definitely didn't leave with Eggman. Without the Phantom Stone, he couldn't have gotten far with his sustained wounds. Did he just forfeit his own life and let himself die, crawl into some shameful hovel; allowing the sweet eternal sleep to engulf him? Or did he escape somehow, using powers unknown to the resistance? Gadget decided it was only moral to investigate. No matter how heinous his acts, Gadget had a heart of gold which compelled him not to let someone suffer and die alone.

He grappled to the tallest building on the area, allowing him to look over the desolate and smouldering city. Smog billowed from the windows of deserted buildings surrounded by mountains of crushed debris.

Gadget let his doubt spread; Infinite probably wasn't even here. He wouldn't have gotten far, but if he could escape, he would have fled as far as possible, it would be silly to stay in the newly liberated city after his defeat. Especially since everyone wants him executed for his heinous crimes. If he was still in the city, he was surely dead; lying somewhere alone, needlessly suffering. Unless, of course, he was clinging to life, A minimal chance of life but a chance never the less. He's probably Suffering, cold and alone. A way nobody should have to die, or worse have their suffering prolonged if he's here I must help him!

Infinite gasped for breath, stumbling along the broken street. Everything was weak, tumbling down in front of his eyes. It was all so tired, and the structures just gave up after being battered with such force. If Infinite had as much dignity as them, he'd allow himself to do the same. Instead, he fought on, refusing to let himself drop. He leaned against the street post, fighting for each inhale of dusty air, before the sign collapsed and a cloud of dust pooled into the air. He couldn't cry, so instead he raged in anger as he collapsed to the floor once again, blood seeping from his wounds. "How could I lose?! How, to such pathetic excuses for soldiers?! I can't have made a mistake! This entire thing is a damn mistake!" he wants something to throw, to hit and crush and destroy at his hand to prove he's still strong. With a summoned burst of adrenaline, Infinite, with strong vitriol, he slammed his fist against the collapsed sign. "Why am I such a fucking failure..."

Gadget noticed the disturbance, dropping down from his vantage point landing on the rooftops nearby were he heard incoherent screaming, until he saw, just barely through the clouds of dust, the silhouette of someone sprawled across the floor, a trail of blood leaking to show from where they'd struggled on. He realised who it was; the dark grey male with white locks and white stripes running down his back and sides. Infinite. Gadget slides down the debris towards the fallen jackal, cautiously approaching with one hand sliding to his concealed blade. For all he knew, this was a rouse.

But that blood, those gashes. There was no way that could be faked, or inflicted simply for the purpose of luring help. His body so weak and badly damaged. As a soldier, Gadget knew what was bad, and what was really bad. His condition was abysmal.

The male looked up, staring at who he only knew as the strange form of a wolf. He growled, narrowing his eyes as a hiss escaped his teeth. "Who are you?! Get the fuck out of my sight!"

Gadget taken aback, huffily placed his hands on his hips. "Is that any way to talk to someone offering you help?"

Infinite began to laugh, blood spurting from his mouth with each exhale. He chuckled darkly. "HELP? Why would anyone help me after all the life's I've destroyed, all the families I've torn apart? Leave me alone to die," he fiercely choked and clutched his abdomen, the blood flow increasing as his chest heaved with hacking coughs. He growled angrily.

Gadget walked over, grabbing his arm and trying to help him up. The male simply pulled away, roughly jerking his arm from the soldier's grasp. "No, let me die! I deserve to die! I'm weak, I failed! I failed!" through the laughing, his eyes drooped heavily, body dropping lifelessly to the floor. "I don't have anything to live for..."

With that, he fell faint.

Shocked, Gadget hauled him up, placing the body over his shoulders. "I can't let you die like this, I don't care what you did!" Gadget will help him; he knows he will. But what can he do? I can't take Infinite back to the Resistance; they'd kill him on sight. No, he sighed, and he guessed, bleakly, he had to carry the male all the way back to his house.

His house was simply an old apartment building that survived through the war. A large resistance flag draped loosely from the ceiling, flapping lightly as wind entered through the broken window. It was dirty and without electricity or hot water. 'God, how I miss a hot bath'. it was the only place Gadget could think of that he cold harbour a genocidal criminal from the resistance. Staring at the wounded body, he cringed. "I hope this blood doesn't stain my couch. It'll never come out!"

'I know I shouldn't help him it goes against everything I was told during the war but honestly, I'm glad he survived. Even just a little relieved, but I mustn't let anyone find out about this. Especially the resistance,' If they did discover his secret, it wouldn't only be Infinite's head on a spike.