Tails didn't want to believe it at first. There was no way he could possibly accept it. Standing in front of him and Sonic was something so beautiful; so precious and full of potential. Someone so kind and willing to put others before himself.

And he would be gone in less than 5 minutes.

All that Metal Sonic was, all that he could ever be, everything so wonderful about him would all cease to exist in roughly 4 minutes. All the opportunities, all the love, absolutely everything.

"I have 4 minutes, Tails."

His words kept sounding in Tails' mind. Still laying in Sonic's arms, he shook his head and said calmly, "C-C'mon Metal, let's go home.".

The robot tilted his head down very slightly. He didn't dare say a word.

"Let's go home. C'mon Sonic." Tails said again, this time more quietly.

Sonic said nothing as well. The silence hung in the air, swayed only by the soft breeze of wind echoing around the buildings.

"I-I can fix you Metal, I KNOW I can!" Tails said suddenly much louder. He pleaded with desperate eyes as he squirmed out of Sonic's hands. The hedgehog held him back for a few moments before deciding to let go, allowing the fox to hobble over to Metal as he pleaded again, "Let's GO! We're wasting time!".

"It wouldn't matter, Tails. . ." Metal Sonic mumbled as his artificial eyelids closed down. He turned his head further down as if looking at the ground beneath.

"Don't you see?! I can save you! I won't let you go!" Tails cried impatiently with anger in his eyes. He grabbed Metal Sonic by his shoulders and shook the robot furiously. "MOVE! YOU DUMMY I CAN STOP THE SELF DESTRUCT!"

He suddenly howled in agony and fell against Metal Sonic, panting for air. Metal caught the fox immediately, holding him up and letting him lean against his chest. He said nothing as the fox clutched his wound with one hand. All this yelling was exhausting him, but he didn't care. He let go of the wound and banged both fists against Metal Sonic in denial, screaming in fury.

Sonic looked on with half lidded eyes. Tails was breaking down. Why could he not face reality? He was too weak to stop something as advanced and 50/50 as a self destruct sequence, let alone race to his workshop without totally tearing up his injury. The more he raged, the worse he could be breaking his rib or ripping the wound up.

Eventually, Tails' shrieks of anger broke into heavy tears of grief. His punches slowly toned down to a weak pace before stopping entirely and sobbing, falling down to Metal's feet and laying his face down at them. "D-Don't go. . ."

Metal Sonic opened his eyes, looking down at the fox. He knew that Tails would react this way, and even with that prior knowledge, it hurt more than anything to see him so unwilling to let go. Sonic said nothing. There was nothing to be said.

"Y-You can't go. . .no. . .it's not fair. . ." Tails muttered and sniffled, feeling his hand curl up into a trembling fist again. He didn't want him to give up like this. But even the fox knew that they had no time. Was he really going to use his last minutes with Metal just to condemn him for being willing to accept his death? He wished he never resurrected the hedgehog. Not if it was going to end so bitter like this.

He felt smooth steel hands slide down to his sides beneath his armpits. Tails didn't look up at Metal as his steel yet warm arms hug him in a loving embrace. His chin rested on Metal Sonic's shoulder, and the robot's arms hugged around his waist.

They stood like this for a few seconds in silence before Metal began speaking.

". . .Thank you, Tails."

Tails didn't know what he meant, but a few moments later, he spoke again.

"Thank you for showing me what it feels like to be alive. To have. . .a heart."

The robot pulled Tails off of his shoulder gently and looked him in the eyes. Tears began streaming down the fox's face when he saw that Metal's optics were curved like a smile. He was genuinely happy and grateful.

"I love the world around us. I never really looked at it until you took me around to see things that I can't believe were right in front of us all the time. I never want to hurt anything or anyone ever again, and. . ." Metal Sonic looked up at the sky. Not at the clouds, but beyond into the vast open space above the world.

". . .I won't hurt anything up there."

His words were like daggers to Tails heart. Even in his final moments, he was like a benevolent god, explaining death to someone who couldn't understand. His final act would be to make certain that all these precious lives all around could live the life that Metal couldn't.

In his heart, Tails knew Metal Sonic was right. He couldn't stay any longer. Only a minute and a half remained. It was time to let go of their friendship. Of their kinship.

Metal Sonic looked at Sonic and gave him a nod, with the hedgehog returning the gesture. The two were never friends; bitter rivals more like it. But in this time, in this final farewell, they came together to stand as one. To be strong for Tails.

"I still believe I am the fastest of us two." Metal Sonic said with a slight head cock. Sonic scoffed briefly and gave him a lopsided smirk. Even he was sad to see him go. Perhaps. . .perhaps things could've been different.

But alas, it was time to depart.

Tails squeezed Metal Sonic tightly in a hug, burying his face in his neck and whispering with a bittersweet smile, "Never gonna forget you. . .metalhead. . .".

Metal Sonic held Tails in his arms warmly. Neither of them wanted to say goodbye. Soon, Tails felt his feet being pulled very softly from the ground, and Metal Sonic let go of him as he began hovering skywards.

The fox looked up with Sonic, both of them smiling at Metal. The tears kept coming from Tails, but he didn't care about being embarrassed.

Metal Sonic gave them one last longful gaze before raising his head. The Sunset was beautiful; full of dark orange power and in full bloom. It was finally here.

Sun.

Light.

Life.

Metal Sonic smiled mentally before blasting off into the clouds above at lightning speed. He pierced through them in a matter of seconds. As he ascended into the heavens, he counted down the last 20 seconds of his life.

15.

14

13

12

11

10

As he broke through the atmosphere, Metal Sonic thought about the lovely animals, the lush forests, the radiant sunny days, and the world that once surrounded him. He was leaving it all behind, but it was for the better. The world would be a better place without him.

9

8

7

Once he was out into the darkness of space, he saw all the distant stars he and Tails once awed upon. So close, yet so far. Maybe somewhere else out among those stars, there was an answer to the meaning of life. Fate hadn't chosen for him to live like he had. The mercy of a sweet kind hearted boy did.

6

5

4

His eyes once again curved into a smile. Metal Sonic was proud of himself. Tails had shown him the best of life, and Eggman had shown him the worst. But Metal had shown both of them that no one can decide who you are or what you may become. That your heart will triumph over everything.

3

He was no hero, but he would die a hero's death.

2

He didn't turn his head back to the planet. He would keep going forward.

1

Metal Sonic closed his eyes. He never opened them again.