The following night was filled with much joy and excitement through Ivo's body alone. He managed to find something fancy to wear after all, though not what he was aiming for. The sound of the drums filled him with a sudden burst of energy every beat and the well lit atmosphere made it all the more amazing. He was thankful there was one close by, watching as people walked by him, not even taking notice of his familiar mustache or weight. "You weren't kidding, Ivo. It is so lively."

They watched as a group of people danced what seemed to be a special dance. Ivo, as he did many years ago, didn't join, his head not so much low in intimidation, but of respect. "I do hope everyone manages to find their families."

"Yeah, it is packed out here." Ivo sighed, knowing all to well they didn't quite get whom he was referring to.

As the group walled around, looking at everything there was to see, Ivo managed to spot a small shrine. He approached it, seeing a young lady standing there. They share a glance before Ivo bows his head. Finding a few coins within his pocket, he places them into the small box in front of it. He bows his head before gently clapping his hands together, closing his eyes. Sonic wondered close to him, watching in wonder.

Please give me some type of sign. Tell me what to do, and I'll do it. Why do I feel like turning once again, and harming this young hedgehog's life even more than I have already? Is there some way for me to clear my thoughts?

He continued to stay in the position for a while longer, looking up at the young woman once again. She hands him a slip of paper neatly placed in an envelope. He bows once amore, once at the young lady, once at the shrine, before leaving. The young land whispers gently in his ear, pointing at the envelope. "This was personally written by your mother." He let off a gasp. "She will answer your troubling questions."

He turned, finding the young lady and the shrine gone, Sonic looking at him, flicking his tail as he holds out his coins. "Why did you throw your money at the ground, and suddenly grow really silent? Did you see a ghost?"

He looked down at the envelope, nodding. "I guess." He opened it, reading it word for word.

"You must trust in yourself before anyone can put trust into you, my son. And look deep down into your heart, and realize what it really is you want. It might not be easy to do, but if you want it, I know you will stop at nothing to get it."

"Mother…" He looked up at Sonic, then again at the paper. "I don't want to understand."

Sonic knew it was something only Ivo should deal with, staying silent, leaving his head rather low.

By the time the holiday was nearing its end, Ivo had made himself a fancy flower like lantern, a white feather resting on one of the peddles. He found the near by river where other flower lanterns floated away. They all seemed to have a beautiful glow coming from within, lighting the way down the stream. Growing closer, he placed his own into the river, watching as it flouted along with the others, holding his chest.

Sonic watched them, flicking his tail. "You think she is following it?"

"No."

Sonic turned his head quickly around to look at him. "What? What do you mean?"

"She'll not leave my side. I know she wouldn't. She'll only leave once she knows I can go on without her help."

Sonic watched the flower once again, seeing as the light in it suddenly going out. "EH? The light went out!"

Ivo lowered his gaze, a sad smile on his face. "I told you. She isn't going to leave." He turned away, his head still lowered, leaving the river, Sonic rushing over to him, taking his wrist. In quite honesty, Sonic had no idea if Ivo was depressed or confused. It worried him how much he seemed like his older self with the dimming of his flower lantern. And when they finally got home, he chose to stay alone in another room to think. He was frightened to go and speak to him, worrying he will finally snap and lung at Sonic. But if he didn't, what would Ivo do to himself? He curled up in his blankets, lonely with no body to warm him, closing his eyes tightly as he hopes for Ivo's well being.

What he didn't know was Ivo was not alone. His friend had slipped in, closing the door behind him. He found Ivo sitting in the corner of the room, looking at the slip of paper. "What is eating you, Eggman?"

"I wish I had a clue." He didn't look at his guest, staring at the paper some more. "I don't know if it is that name or not that is still eating me."

"Do you want me to stop calling you that, then?" Tails sat in front of him, crossing his legs together. "Will that make you feel better?"

"I want you to answer me this." He looked up at Tails, his eyes more dim than before. "If I vanished tomorrow, what would you think happened?"

Tails read his emotions, seeing him being more hurt than he ever saw. "Well…I…" He didn't want to outright say what he would think.

"That I turned on everyone and I was going back to my old ways."

His heart stopped. "Not…really. I mean, yeah, that was a thought, but I…well…"

"Don't lie!" He snapped, turning away from the fox's eyes. "Everyone would think that. And no one would ever trust in me again!"

"…Not necessarily." He turned around again. "Think of it as someone who smokes, or drinks. Sure, they say they'll stop, and they do for a while…but then that temptation comes back and they suddenly are doing it again. It isn't that they are bad for failing to keep clean, but that they tried and tried, but they couldn't leave that temptation."

"But it isn't quite the same, Tails."

"You want the attention. But you don't want people to crowd around you and give you more than you want. So destroying the city will give you that little bit of attention you were looking for, but not the crowd. At least, that is what I think."

He curled up, resting his face under his arms and legs. "But what if that is not what I want?"

"You'll figure it out, I know you will. You figured out that Sonic was hurt even though everyone else didn't get a clue. I know you'll find out what it is you need."

"Tails…do you trust me?"

He shifted uneasily for a moment, rubbing his arm. "Well…yeah." It was a blunt lie, and he knew Ivo could tell. He sighed, turning back to him. "Not really. But it is getting tighter. Just…not tight enough."

"What about the others?"

"They are still a little on the uneasy side of you, too."

"…and what about Sonic? Does he trust me?"

Tails stayed silent, turning away. The fact was, he didn't know if the hedgehog trusted him or not. After all, Ivo did help him get better. But he didn't really save his life…or did he? "I'm not sure."

"He doesn't. He is just saying it to make me feel better." He shifted away, resting his head on the wall. "No one trusts me…not even myself."

"Well how on Earth will anyone trust you if you don't trust yourself, first?" Ivo shrugs slowly. "You should get that settled first."

Ivo turns to the fox, his eyes dimmed ever darker. "If I vanished…forever…how upset would he be?"

"Forever…You mean…if you DIED? We would all be upset if that happened! Don't think that way, it isn't healthy!" He looked down at the paper, sighing. "You better not, Eggman! Sonic will never forgive himself if you did that! He would blame himself."

He nods slowly. "I promise…"

Tails, now frightened for the man's life, shakes his head. "I may not trust you, Eggman, but when you even SPEAK of that subject…it makes me worried." He sits close to him, snuggling into his two tails. "I'm not going to leave you tonight. I will keep you company…And prevent you from doing anything stupid."

Ivo smiles softly, resting his head on the two-tailed fox's head. "Thank-you."