Moisture covered the eyeholes of Sonic and Tails' gas masks, nearly blinding their vision. The fog rained around them, soaking their bodies as they hovered in the black sky.
The fox gasped for breath. They'd been trying for over an hour.
"I'm sorry, Sonic," Tails burst out, trying not to cry. "I can't see anything—" He sucked up another breath and coughed. His gas mask was finally getting clogged with the liquid spray. He couldn't fly with so little oxygen.
"Keep trying, Tails!" Sonic shouted, his voice rasping. "We can't lose him! The cruiser must still be right above us!"
Tails coughed again, too exhausted to reply.
Sonic let out a shout. "Tails, we're just over the ground!"
"What?" Tails' voice cracked.
Tails dropped.
Sonic's feet hit the mud and the fox stumbled to his knees on the wet earth beneath him. He dropped onto his face and lay prostrate.
"I'm sorry, Sonic—" Tails rasped out through the mask. His voice shook. He closed his eyes. "I—I'm so sorry, I tried my best—"
Sonic slammed his foot into a root, fisting his hands. "Sorry?" Sonic blurted. He could barely speak himself. "Sorry isn't going to fix those dead people back there, Tails!—Sorry isn't going to get our city and homes and friends back-" he began to cough.
Sonic began pacing as he coughed, glaring up at the gray mists above them, blotting out the night sky.
Tails' chest rose and fell as he tried to push back up to his knees. He ran his hand through his soaked forelocks. "I—I will try again—"
Sonic whirled on his heel to face Tails.
Tails met his gaze, pain searing his eyes. "Or..." He swallowed. "You…you could go…you'll be faster..."
Sonic stood with his feet apart and arms crossed, looking down at the fox crouching before him. He didn't say a word.
Tails tried to hold Sonic's gaze, but he couldn't. He bowed his head. His ears flicked backwards and his shoulders slumped. He wiped at his mask with his muddy glove.
Sonic eyes blazed.
Then he looked away.
"Aw, Tails," the hedgehog whispered.
Sonic dropped down next to him.
Tails didn't move.
Sonic's voice cracked. "It…it's okay, man."
Tails covered his face.
Sonic put a hand on his shoulder. "C'mon." He pulled the exhausted fox onto his back, his ears pricking up.
A blaster shot sounded in the distance. The hedgehog froze, and Tails lifted his head, his eyes wide.
Sonic narrowed his eyes. The fog must have slowed down the combots as well…but they were still out there, looking for them.
Tails let out a sharp breath, pricks of terror in his eyes.
"C'mon," Sonic hissed. He spun around and began to jog into the dawn lit fog.
