DEAR COSMO

Chapter 9

"Tails, can you hear me?"

Tails' plane crashed down on Angel Island. Tails' body lies motionless on the sand. A shadow moves over him, "Hey Einstein, did your brain decide to go on vacation today?" Knuckles laughed. "Ha ha ha ha…ha…huh? Tails, come on man, I was only joking…Tails? TAILS!" Noticing the fox wasn't moving; he bent down next to him and shook him. "Tails! Tails! Can you hear me?" Tails laid there with his eyes closed, not moving. Knuckles placed his ear next to his face. He was still breathing. He felt for a pulse and found one, just barely. Knuckles carefully lifted the limp fox and carried him inside a small cabin. He removed Tails' backpack setting it aside and then he gently laid Tails on the bed.

The fox looked so small and frail as if he hadn't been eating right for months. For someone so young, Tails eyes had dark shadows under them and his skin seemed so sallow. The echidna thought back to all the fun and adventures they had shared over the years. He remembered how much fun they had at Twinkle Park just a couple years ago.

Knuckles laid blankets on top of the small and now helpless fox. He knew he had to get some help. But he couldn't leave him. He said a silent prayer before leaving the room. He knew he had to get in touch with the others; Tails needed a doctor and fast. He left Tails to try to make contact with the others. He went to see the master emerald.

The master emerald was almost completely healed. "Oh Master Emerald, please help me make contact with Sonic, my friend Tails is hurt and he needs help. I…I can't leave him." The Master Emerald began to glow. Soon, Knuckles could see Sonic running through the woods. Sonic looked very upset. "Sonic…Sonic can you hear me?"

Sonic stopped running and looked around. "That's funny; I thought I heard someone call my name."

"Sonic, it's me Knuckles, I'm on Angel Island and Tails is here."

Tails, I should have known he'd go there, Sonic thought. "That's great Knuckles, you found Tails."

"Sonic, you need to gather the others and come here to Angel Island. And Sonic, you'll need to find a doctor."

"A doctor? What are you talking about Knuckles, what's going on?"

"Tails crashed his plane on the island and needs a doctor. He doesn't look very good Sonic. Look, go get the others and return to this same spot in an hour and I'll open up a portal. Now hurry!" Knuckles left the Chaos Emerald and went back to check on Tails.

"Tails crashed and needs a doctor?" Sonic said to himself. "Oh no….I've got to get everybody here on the double. Oh please let my little buddy by ok." He took off at lightning speed sending off sonic booms.

Meanwhile, Knuckles knelt down next to Tails. Tails never looked so small, so fragile. "Why did you do it Tails, why'd you fly out in the storm like that, don't you know you could have gotten yourself…" But Knuckles was too choked up to finish the sentence.

"Oh Tails, I'm so sorry, I should never have made that suggestion for Cosmo getting an operation…" He laid his head on Tails chest, "Please forgive me…" this sentence was but a whisper.

He stood up, walked over to where he had placed Tail's backpack, and picked it up. The backpack was damaged in the crash and as he picked it up, the contents began falling out. Knuckles bent down to pick everything up. Something caught his eye; it was the blue prints of Cosmo's greenhouse. "Oh Tails, you never stop thinking of her do you."

He continued picking stuff up when he came across the letter Tails had written to Cosmo before the crash. "What's this?" he began to read it. Tears filled the echidnas' eyes and he quickly pushed them away. "Eggman…up to something huh?" He looked down at the small fox and shook his head, "Oh Tails, you needn't worry yourself about Eggman, Sonic and I can always handle him." Knuckles checked Tail's pulse again, still very weak. "I hope sonic returns soon with a doctor."

Knuckles looked at the letter again. "Cosmo…if anyone can help Tails right now it's her." He found some blank paper and a pen in the backpack and laid them on a desk beside the bed. He pulled up a chair, sat down and began to write.

(He read the letter out loud as he wrote,) Dear Cosmo,

Although I only knew you for a little while, you were the only one that ever seemed to understand me. I know I act so tough sometimes but that's only because it is my sole responsibility to protect the Master Emerald. It is not an easy job but it is one that I am proud to do. And yes, you were right Cosmo; I guess I do try to see the good in everyone, even Eggman. I know I've fallen for his tricks a few too many times, but he always sounds so sincere each time.

Cosmo, the reason why I'm writing this letter is in hopes that you can somehow see it or hear me. Tails is in trouble Cosmo, his plane crashed down and I have him here on Angel Island. But even with a doctor I don't know if he'll make it or not. The Master Emerald is not completely healed yet. Its powers are too weak to heal him. Please Cosmo, I don't want to lose him too. Please help us if you can and keep our boy safe.

(Knuckles had to brush the tears from his eyes before he could continue.) If Tails does come to you, please tell him that I'm sorry and I was only trying to help.

Your friend,

Knuckles

Protector of the Master Emerald

Knuckles folded the letter and held it in his hands. He knelt down next to Tails. "Please Sonic…please hurry!"

Mother…I can feel Tails presence so strong…why is that?

*to be continued------------------------