AN: Lowkey I only do these ANs just so I can do the double line break for the title even if I have nothing important to say lol. The formatting on this site is a little strict sometimes, but I get why they do it the way they do. Aaaaanywho! Double upload this week cuz I'm inconsistent and want you all to see the end of this project before I die at the age of 78. Ilya and expect another chapter soon.

A Fate Worse than Death

Jet opens his desk and pulls out a folder filled with the information of several key individuals. He sat in his office alone. It was still bare as his men had not finished hauling all of his belongings into their new base. Jet did not mind, though. His focus was elsewhere.

Their operation had just collapsed in their previous location and they were ready for a new start here in the deserts of Angel Island. They had been traveling for days and finally came across an abandoned mine that they could work out of. It wasn't the nicest place, but it was rent-free at least.

On Jet's desk was a list of targets that he was interested in capturing and manipulating. This was not ordered alphabetically, but in order of importance, and on the top of that list was a mercenary named Shadow the Hedgehog. The Rogues as a unit were lacking the strength and expertise that a fighter like him could bring. Typically, they'd like to do things through the back door, that is, they wouldn't use an excessive amount of force to get what they wanted; preferring to have someone else get their hands dirty while they sat back and watched.

That method worked for a while but eventually, other groups began to see their business model as a timid one and they would try to take advantage. Big clients and little clients alike would try their underhanded tactics with the Rogues. Some would fail, some would succeed, but to Jet, even one attempt was one too many. That's where Shadow would come in. He could brutalize people like Storm could, but all in a bite-sized package. He'd be their ace when they needed him to make a statement. Not to mention, he owed them for destroying a few of their operations around the zones.

Jet looked at the single picture hanging on his wall. It was one of his father. Jet wondered if he would approve of their change in methods which would now allow non-avian creatures to join the Rogues. The rule never made sense to him in the first place. Looking back at their history, at least what he could be bothered to remember, the original Babylon Rogues weren't birds either. In that case, Jet felt like he was returning an old tradition. Anyone could become a Rogue whether by choice or by force.

A knock came to Jet's office door. Through the window in the door, Jet could already see it was Storm and Wave. He opened the door for his two friends who filed in excitedly.

"We need your lock picking skills, Jet," Wave said as Storm hauled in a rather large trunk.

It was old, leathery, wooden, and covered in sand, but when Storm shook it, there sounded like there was a hefty bounty inside. Jet's face curled into a smug grin.

"Of course you do! No one else around here is called a legendary thief, are they?"

Wave rolled her eyes, "Just open the damn box, Jet."

"Gladly."

Jet grabbed a bobby pin, the one that he usually kept in his boot, and began doing what he did best.

It took Jet a few minutes to have it unlocked which was unusual for him. Whoever locked up this trunk, really wanted to keep thieves out. Unfortunately for them, they were dealing with a professional.

Jet let out a relieved sigh, "Finally! Jeez, there were a ton of false gates on this one! Where'd you even find this thing anyway?"

"Some of the boys found it on our way over here. They must have stopped when we weren't looking. I'm surprised they didn't try to open it themselves. But forget all that and crack this baby open!" Storm said pushing past Wave to have the first look inside the trunk.

"Alright! Alright!" Jet agreed, prying off the cover.

With a series of creaks, the trunk opened.

"What's in there?" Wave asked. She couldn't see anything with Storm blocking her view.

Before her friends could respond, the room filled with a white light as the trunk hummed with energy. It shut itself and Storm and Jet collapsed. Other Rogues outside of Jet's office heard the commotion. Bean was one of the first to reach.

"Uhh…you guys alright in here?" the duck asked.

Wave quickly grabbed the padlock that Jet had tossed to the side. She relocked the trunk and pushed it away from her unconscious friends.

"Do you recognize this trunk?" Wave questioned hurriedly.

Bean nodded. He was among the Rogues that found it.

"Then take it back to where you got it from! And don't unlock it! Something bad just happened!"

…

Wave took a sip of her water and watched as Jet spoke to Tails on the other side of the deck. Storm stood at her side and placed a hand on her shoulder as if to say that everything would be alright. She looked up to the tall albatross and gave him the best half-smile she could muster. She wished that he could say something dumb to cheer her up like old times, but alas he couldn't. His curse prevented him from speaking. He gained the strength of a giant which was definitely an asset but never did Wave think she'd miss his voice as much as she did now.

Had Storm not accidentally blocked the light of the trunk with his large frame, who knows where they'd all be. Just like Jet, Storm suffered from amnesia for a few days, but it didn't take him long to regain his memory. If Wave had also lost her memory that day, she guessed that they'd have been overrun by their subordinates and eventually left in the desert to die. Maybe that would have been better than running from some black, creeping death-sand.

Jet leaned on the railing backward while talking to Tails. He was just as cool as he used to be, whether he realized it or not, Wave thought.

Jet's eyes shifted around, just scanning the deck, and for a moment his eyes met Wave's. She scoffed and left her seat before heading below deck to avoid his gaze. She missed her friend more than she cared to admit. She wondered if the Rogues would ever go back to the way they were before.

"What was that about?" Tails asked noticing the brief interaction between Jet and Wave.

"No clue… I mean, she's been through a lot. Most of it was self-inflicted, no doubt, but I can't help but feel responsible somehow…" Jet said getting a bizarre feeling.

He brushed it off and continued what they were speaking about before.

"Anyway, like I was saying, this belongs to you. I took it so none of those other scumbags would," Jet said holding out Tails' pocket watch.

Tails was speechless when he saw it. In a way, he was glad it was gone because it was tied to tragedy, but he also missed the usefulness of seeing how close death was from gobbling him up.

He took it gratefully and stared into the shiny metal. He eagerly popped it open. Time was running forward, a good sign. It meant that the Creeping-Chaos was not moving as quickly as they were.

"I hope I didn't break it," Jet began, "When I looked at it last, it was running backward for some reason."

Tails smirked and closed the trinket.

"Nope, it's working just fine."

Tails gave his thanks then Jet departed below deck to escape the sun. Tails was left mulling over his thoughts. He clicked open his pocket watch again, its familiar tick reminding him of how all of this started.

…

Drought.

Common in the desert but crippling none the less. Drought is the fuel for abandoned villages. It is the nightmare that haunts the desert dwellers, but they are stronger for it. They must be crafty and resourceful, these desert dwellers, to even make it through the night.

Tails and Cosmo were among these desert dwellers. Nomads. The desert was their home, but they claimed no single place within it. They'd slalom in between the waving dunes in search of the elusive oases that hid; dotted across the landscape. When they'd settle, they'd make use of all the resources there before moving on.

The day before the nomads would pack up and leave the eastern oasis in search of fresher waters, Tails would go searching himself.

For what exactly? Even he was unsure, but he was sure of one thing. He'd bring back something of worth. He dreamed of refuge, of stability, of wealth. Tails said he would search until he found something of worth so his people could live in homes, not tents. Could bathe in gems, not buckets. Could wear gold, not rags. So they would thrive, not just survive.

Tails made his way to the top of a sand dune scanning the horizon of the desert. Earlier he finished his work of tending to the airboats and making what repairs he could. Something he did with the locals of nearby villages, also, given the chance. On the hill of sand, he was not alone, though. His companion Cosmo was at his side feeling his ambition to better everyone's lives.

She shared Tails' selfless greed. She wanted better for her people more than herself, so every night she searched with Tails and looked for wealth. Most nights they returned with just as much sand in their pockets as when they left, but something kept them going. They toiled through months of unsuccessful desert hunts but always felt like the riches they searched for were just around the corner.

Tails slid down the side of the dune and Cosmo followed closely as not to lose him beneath the cover of night. Tails spotted a black box some short distance from the oasis earlier in the day during one of his breaks. So, he knew the route directly to it. It was buried in the sand beside what looked like a chunk of a stone pillar. Tails was already intrigued. With Cosmo's help, he hefted it out of the sand. When they did, the sound of rings dancing inside of the box piqued their interest.

"Did you hear that?!" Tails asked his bright smile shining through the dark.

"Yes! Rings! It's filled with them!"

During the trek back, Tails told Cosmo about the wonderful things he would buy with it. His hard work had paid off and Cosmo couldn't have been happier for him.

They returned to his tent and set the box down Tails flicked on his headlight and now he could more clearly tell that it was a trunk.

Old. Wooden. Leathery.

Tails use a trick he knew using two wrenches. They made quick work of the padlock. It crumbled to the ground. Both Tails and Cream crouched down and together, they lifted the trunk's cover.

For a moment they saw nothing, just an empty trunk. But then there was an explosion of light and Tails fell unconscious.

…

'It was greed that brought you to me. Now you must suffer a fate worse than death: Guilt. My price for reversal is usually a taste of a Chaos Emerald's power, but for you, only pain!'

…

Tails awoke. Beside him was Cosmo, but she did not look normal. She was posed as if she were falling backward, but she was unmoving. Frozen.

Tails stood and walked outside of his tent. Not even the breeze was blowing as it usually was. Another light called to him, but this one was not as harsh or as sudden. It spoke to him from one of the stars in the sky. The voice sounded distant and it was difficult to hear the entirety of the message.

'Traveler. Y-Y-You have made a grave mis-is—take-ake! You must…ind—find me…! Sanc…of Chaos…'

"What?! Where can I find you?! I don't understand!"

'Ch—a-a-a-os f—alls to the center!...llow your h-heart, traveler!'

Tails blinked and an item appeared before him. A pocket watch, a gift from the stars.

He took it before a cold wind shook him out of his trance. He turned around and ran back in his tent where he saw Cosmo on the ground unconscious. He crouched and held her in his arms. He hoped she didn't hit her head. Tails looked at the trunk and inside he saw a writhing mass growing and growing until it spilled over the sides of the trunk. The mass reached forward hungering for Tails' flesh, but he dodged before grabbing Cosmo and running from the tent.

He tried his best to warn everyone, but it was late at night. Most people were asleep and were slow to react. It didn't take long before the oasis was turned to a pool of black. Tails retrieved one of the airboats that he used to work on and just as he was about to leave. He heard the cry of a mother on top of a tree in the center of the oasis. Tails placed Cosmo down and flew to her.

Tails recognized her: it was Vanilla. In her arms, she held her daughter Cream. Tails knew he was more than strong enough to fly them both to safety. So, he grabbed Vanilla who held onto Cream. Like before, the darkness below shot upwards and grabbed a hold of Tails' right leg. He powered forward as hard as he could, but he made no ground. Slowly he was being dragged down into the pool of black, but not before Vanilla would kick at the tendril until it switched its focus to her.

It grabbed her leg and yanked her from Tails' hands, but not before Vanilla threw Cream back up to Tails.

"Vanilla!" Tails yelled.

She made a slow, peaceful descent. She did not scream or cry. She remained strong for her daughter.

Tails wouldn't waste the opportunity he was given. From there he rode away from the corrupted oasis having saved only two lives and ending many others.

…

Cosmo walked up and touched Tails' arm making him flinch. He did not see or hear her approach.

"Are you alright?" she asked, "You were staring off into space."

"Oh, uh, yeah. I'm alright," Tails said with one of his signature smiles.

"You're not a very good liar, you know… I wonder how other people don't notice how terrible at it you are," she said looking sad.

"W-what?" Tails asked feigning confusion.

She very clearly understood now that Tails was lying about some of what he told to others. She just didn't know why.

"Whatever it is you're hiding, Tails, can't you tell me at least? I can tell it hurts you so much!"

"I have no clue what you mean, Cosmo," Tails lied, intentionally watching how he spoke.

Cosmo shrank down, "Fine. Don't tell me, then."

She began to walk away. Tails put a hand out to stop her, but quickly retracted it. Right now he'd rather she just go, for her sake. They were nearing the center of the desert, so Tails promised that once this was all over there would be no more lies.

He was glad she lost her memory of what happened with the Creeping-Chaos and how he and her were the causes of it. He would shoulder that blame alone. His greed corrupted her, and she should not share his eventual punishment.

Below deck, Jet found himself outside of Wave's room. He was nervous. If what he was thinking was not true he would have accidentally provoked his enemy despite this not being his intention. Jet pressed a hand to his chest. His heart beat slow but hard. The adrenaline was already flowing. Whenever Jet became stressed, he noticed that he began to feel like a different person. He felt it when he had captured Antoine and he felt it when he feigned his betrayal. He wondered if it was the 'Jet' before he had lost his memory clawing his way back to the surface.

He felt dizzy, but he decided to knock anyway. There was no answer. He was too afraid to call out to Wave.

Another knock.

And another.

Jet sighed. She had no friends on the airboat other than Storm, so it made sense to Jet why she'd ignore a knock at her door. He began to walk away, but then heard the mechanism of a knob opening. She stood in the hallway staring at Jet, surprised. She had not expected him.

He turned. Now that he could speak, he found himself speechless.

Wave then took the opportunity to speak first, "Do you…remember, Jet?"

Until the Next Page…

AN: Lil history lesson for ya'll w/ this chapter. Somehow this is actually one of my favorite chapters despite not much happening progression wise. Couldn't tell you why exactly but it was fun to write.

Thanks for reading!