Chapter 1
"No! This can't be!" Sevag screamed," If I am to be cast into oblivion, I shall take you with me Midiana!" "Never!" Tails screamed as he clung to his mother's hand. "Miles, you've grown up to be such a brave, courageous boy…"said Midiana calmly, "I regret not having been there to watch you grow up…" "It's okay mother, just don't give up!" "I apologize for leaving you as an orphan…I apologize for being roboticised. I just hope you understand why I must do this…" "Must do what?" asked Tails, with tears in his eyes. "Goodbye…Miles…" Midiana said, as tears rolled down her cheeks. She let go of Tails' hand. "No! Mother!"
Tails rushed to his mother, grabbing her hand. Cosmo then ran behind Tails, putting her arms around him to help pull his mother out of the void.
Tails awoke suddenly, in a cold sweat. He was panting, laying on his back with Cosmo's arm
draped over his chest. He was momentarily startled to find himself outside, but then he
remembered that he and Cosmo had come out to watch the sunset together, underneath a lone
palm tree at the edge of a sea cliff near his house. He supposed they had somehow fallen asleep.
Mother…
Tails shut his eyes tight, trying to block the images from his mind. It had been nearly six months
since that fateful day, when his mother sacrificed herself so that he and Cosmo could live, and
Sevag would be sealed away for good. But Tails still mourned for his mother, who he had hardly
known. He gazed up at the night sky, dominated by a full moon, still feeling Cosmo's warm body
against his own. He carefully lifted her arm off his chest and sat up.
Tails hadn't been the same since the events that had lead to Cosmo's resurrection. Since those
events…since Sevag…he seemed older, perhaps more mature. He seemed darker now. He
wondered how he could still be dark, and still be in pain, when lying beside him at that very
moment was everything he had ever wanted. Of course he was always happy to have Cosmo
around. The two had been inseparable since her return. They did everything together. Cosmo
would sit and watch as tails built airplanes and other machinery, and Tails would help her cook
and tend to the garden they had planted.
But deep within Tails, he was still full of sorrow, and darkness. Maybe it was a side effect of
having used the dark side of the Chaos Emeralds. He hoped Cosmo hadn't noticed it, that she
believed everything was fine. However, there were a few times where he had almost lost control
in front of her. One time about a month after her return, she had been watching Tails repair the X
Tornado. But, in order to give it power he had to install a Chaos emerald. Tails wouldn't come in
contact with them, he didn't want to. He never told anyone why. But it was because he was afraid
of reawakening his dark powers. He asked Cosmo to install it, even though she was on the other
side of the room, and when she asked why he didn't just do it himself, he gave her a dark, cold
gaze and growled. After she very cautiously obeyed him, he deeply apologized, saying he didn't
know what had come over him. But Tails feared that it had put a permanent amount of distrust
between himself and Cosmo. Tails couldn't help but beat himself up over the incident.
This is all because of mother…mother and Sevag…
Tails had been having the same nightmare night after night for the past week, reliving the events
leading to his mother's demise. Cosmo had been very sympathetic since the event; she knew what
it was like to lose ones mother. She tried everything to comfort him. If not for Cosmo, he surely
would have lost his sanity by now.
Tails stared up, his eyes locked on the full moon, its beautiful face beckoning the canine instincts
within himself. Losing himself in his pain, he closed his eyes and let out a long, sorrowful howl,
something he had not done in six months.
"Tails? Tails what are you doing? What's wrong?"
Tails stopped, the beautiful voice snapping him back into reality. He looked back at Cosmo, who was looking up at him with fear and concern in her eyes.
"S-sorry Cosmo! I…I was-"
"Tails…you're glowing…"
Tails looked down at himself. No…no it can't be…
Tails was surrounded by a purple aura. The same aura he had gotten when he tapped onto the dark powers of the Chaos Emeralds. But…there were no emeralds to be seen. The aura vanished, moments after Tails became aware of its presence.
"Cosmo…I…I can't explain it…" Tails wished he knew what was going on, and wished he could tell Cosmo everything was okay.
"That sound you were making…what were you doing?" Cosmo asked frightfully.
"Wha…oh that? I…I was howling." Tails said.
"Howling? Is that what that sound is called? Why did you make that sound? It sounded…so sad."
Tails realized Cosmo wasn't familiar with the concept of howling at the moon." It's something that canines do sometimes, and foxes are canines."
"Is it something that they do when they are unhappy?" Cosmo asked.
"Well it can be…"said Tails as his ears drooped. Cosmo gave a concerned look, and hugged Tails.
"You were having another nightmare." Said Cosmo, "I only wish there were something I could do, Tails, to make you happy…"
Tails hugged back, sensing the sadness in her voice. "Cosmo, you've done everything you can do. You've given me everything I could ever ask for."
"I feel like there's nothing I can do to make the pain go away." Said Cosmo sadly, "that I am being nothing but a burden to you…"
"Don't you ever say that Cosmo." Said Tails firmly, looking her in the eyes.
"But I can sense it…you're returning to the darkness." Said Cosmo.
"I'll never do that Cosmo. I won't let it…"
"But what if you can't control it tails?" said Cosmo, beginning to cry, "You saw what just happened…it happened by itself Tails. There weren't any emeralds around."
Tails held Cosmo tightly as she cried into his chest. She was right. Tails was now beginning to worry about it himself. But he tried to remain calm, and comfort Cosmo.
"Cosmo, we're going to see everyone tomorrow. I'll ask Sonic about it then. He always knows what to do."
Cosmo dried her tears, and looked up at Tails. "I suppose…that is all we can really do…"
"Please don't worry about it Cosmo…" Tails said, feeling guilty for having ever brought tears to Cosmo's eyes.
"I know it is not your fault Tails, you cannot help it." Said Cosmo, as they both stood up, "It is seeing you in pain that hurts me…I feel like I have brought you nothing but pain since we met."
Tails embraced her tightly." Don't ever think that Cosmo. Meeting you was the best thing ever to happen to me."
"That is sweet of you to say Tails." Cosmo replied.
"Come on Cosmo, let's go inside and get some rest. Don't worry yourself until we know for sure what's wrong.
"Okay Tails…" Cosmo said as Tails took her by the hand and walked toward his house. He was trying desperately to cheer her up and pretend nothing was wrong. But deep inside, he was just as scared as she was. Tails hoped Sonic really would know what to do.
As they walked in, they were too caught up in their thoughts and fears to notice a lone cloaked figure perched upon a cliff over looking Tails' house.
"So…his power is still intact. And the girl still lives." The figure said to himself, and turned around as his long cloak flowed behind him. "I shall report this good news to the others."
The figure took a Chaos Emerald from under his cloak and held it out. "Chaos…control!"
And he vanished from sight.
