Epilogue

Sonic sat staring into a cup of coffee he held between his knees. On his left sat Alicia and on his right Miles. All of them looked a million miles away and had done ever since Sonic had returned to Little Planet. Sonic, Miles, Bunnie, Jet and Links had arrived back at Little Planet that morning and everyone had been told soon afterwards. Bunnie had finally showed her feelings and broke into tears on Knuckles' shoulder, Alindel was comforting both Jet and Links and Manic and Sonia were just in a state of shock along with Amy and her parents. T2 had been told but he hadn't even reacted to the news. He had just turned and left heading back to Petya's room to be alone with her. Sonic gave a long sigh and glanced at Miles and Alicia. They both looked back at him slowly not saying a word.

A little way off sat on a small stone wall were Amy and Lavender. They weren't exactly out of sight but certainly out of ear shot. They sat watching the trio quietly.

"It all seems so close to home." said Amy.

Lavender gave a small nod and sighed.

"Yeah." she replied sadly.

"Loosing Tails, and now Sally. Things seem so empty."

"Alicia and I were playing when she found out. She just stopped and didn't move like she had been turned to stone or something."

"How are you Lavender?"

"Sad."

"Me too sweetie, me too. What makes it worst is that we really could have stopped it this time. Sonia was right, I might not have been able to help Tails but I could have helped Sally. I should have gone to see her after the meeting."

"Mom it's not your fault."

Amy sighed sharply and looked back at trio ahead.

"Well it feels like it." she replied, "I wish I had the knowledge of time travel like my alternate self. She crossed time and space and sacrificed her life to help save Tails and Sonic. I'm stuck in this timeline and I hate it."

Lavender leaned over and nuzzled against Amy's side.

"I miss him too mom." she said.

"Oh Lavender, at least I still have you."

"Yeah forever."

The pair hugged each other and slowly started to feel better. However, before they could do anything else a glint lit up the sky. Red in colour, it streaked across the sky like a comet. Amy and Lavender jumped to their feet quickly and watched it as it flew over Little Planet and struck the bank on the far side of the lake with a bang. They both blinked quickly.

"What was that?!" cried Amy.

It only took a moment before Sonic, Miles and Alicia were at there side staring at the far shore also.

"What the…?" said Sonic slowly.

Lavender took off into the air to get a better view but even with her eyes was unable to see that far. The rest of the group, including even T2, soon arrived and join the gathering already looking.

"What in the hoo ha is going on?" asked Bunnie.

"What was that crash?" continued Jet.

"Look over there." said Amy pointing.

Everyone looked soon seeing the cloud of dust and smoke that was rising from the impact. They all became exceedingly puzzled.

"What is it?" asked Manic.

"I'm going to see." shouted Lavender from above.

"Wait Lavender, I'm coming too." replied Amy running off after Lavender who was already flying towards the transporter.

As Amy fled the rest of the group looked at each other and quickly followed her each wondering about what it was.

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The entire group made their way slowly round the lake towards the crash site. Lavender and T2 flew above the group looking out for trouble. Lavender had been surprised when T2 had joined her in the sky. He had seemed to lost and distant recently and nothing like the person she had known in Knotlake. Maybe it was a good sign. Below the group walked on still puzzling to themselves. There weren't many things that could come from space, bar an asteroid or the Earth Alliance. As they neared the edge of the crater they stopped and looked up. Lavender was looking through the smoke and dust, which had started to clear, trying to work out what it was. She lowered her altitude slightly, clearing most of the smoke, and looked again. Gasping she yelled to the others.

"It's some sort of capsule thing." she said.

"Capsule?" asked Sonic to no-one in particular.

"You guys wait here." said Jet stepping forwards, "If it's from the Alliance I'll know what it is."

Everyone seemed to nod but Sonic stepped forwards with him.

"I'll go down with you." he said.

Jet nodded and the pair descended into the small crater. Passing through the smoke they quickly reached the object.

"It's a fighter's cockpit!" exclaimed Jet.

"What would one of those be doing here?" asked Sonic.

"Dunno, lets crack it open and see what's inside."

"You sure?"

"Sonic there'll only be one person in there. We can handle one guy."

"You're right Jet. You know what to do?"

"Are chilli dogs as cool as Links? Hold on."

Jet stepped forwards and started to look over the cockpit. It lay on its side, half buried in the ground from the impact. The hull still hissed from the heat but it was cooling quickly. The cockpit glass had been turned white and opaque by the re-entry heat but had not fractured or cracked. The cockpit had obviously been designed to stand a rough re-entry. Jet soon found what he was looking for, a small red striped hatch just below the cockpit lid. He picked up a rock and smashed it off the hatch, making it swing open.

"Ready Sonic? Here goes." he said reaching into the hatch and tugging a long yellow and black lever.

The cockpit gave a hiss and the lid cracked open slightly. Sonic reached forwards and pulled it back quickly before letting go and blowing his hands to cool them off. He stepped forwards as Jet did and looked into the cockpit. Jet froze solid and Sonic suddenly turned a pale white colour. Sitting strapped into the cockpit seat was a brown coloured ground squirrel. She had a few cuts and bruises here and there from the impact but looked otherwise completely fine, if a bit unconscious.

"Holy god!" cried Jet loudly.

"SALLY!" cried Sonic throwing himself into the cockpit.

He quickly undid the straps holding Sally into the seat and pulled her out. He shook her a few times trying to bring her round.

"Sally? Sally?! Wake up! Sally!" he cried over and over.

Sally twitched slightly and slowly her eyes opened a crack. She slowly blinked them a bit and then looked at Sonic.

"Huh….Sonic?" she asked quietly.

"Sally!" cried Sonic as he threw his arms round her.

"Mom?!" came a joint cry.

Jet turned to see both Miles and Alicia standing only a few feet away. The rest of the group stood behind them staring in amazement. Miles and Alicia wasted no time as they sprinted towards Sonic and Sally and started to hug Sally. Alicia had to be careful not to split her shoulder wound but she was so happy she wouldn't have noticed even if she had. Sally was starting to come round now and was hugging them all tightly.

"Gads Sally! I thought you were in New Washington, I thought…" started Sonic.

"Shh." replied Sally putting her head on his shoulder, "We'll talk later."

Miles and Alicia each made a small contented sound in response and then all four fell silent.

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Evening was falling that night as Sally sat in a large padded chair eating a fresh cream donut. The chair was in Amy's parent's house and the entire group of Little Planet sat around the room watching her. Miles and Alicia sat at her feet resting their backs on the chair and Sonic sat on the arm of her seat. Lavender, Amy and her parents had taken over the largest couch in the room with Lavender sitting on the back of the sofa, her tails drooping down behind it. Sonia and Chalk were sharing the other smaller sofa with Manic sitting next to the sofa on a dinning room chair. The chair was facing backwards and he was resting his arms on the backrest. Alindel was laid across the other big chair in the room with her feet dangling over the arm. Links sat at the side of the chair, cross-legged, with Jet sitting next to him with his legs stretched out and resting back on his arms. Bunnie and Knuckles sat on the floor leaning against each others backs.

Sally had just finished her tail of what had happened to her. Her sudden trip to New Washington, her experience in the Phase Gems, her capture and escape and the destruction of Sunscorch. She had also told everyone about the dreams she had been having and apologised for acting gruffly like she had earlier.

"That's quite a story Sally girl." said Bunnie once she had finished.

"Quite?" asked Jet looking at her, "More like a massive adventure. I can't believe you did all that! I mean you took on the entire Earth Alliance by yourself!"

"I didn't have much choice Jet." she replied licking some cream off her fingers.

"Well at least you're ok." said Sonic.

"Ok? Sonic I was five seconds away from being dissected!" she replied, "This fur is going to take ages to grow back."

The entire group chuckled at the comment.

"It's been a while since I heard true laugher around here." commented Marian.

"Its true." said Chalk, "Maybe it's a good sign."

"Please don't talk about sign, I've had enough to last me a life time." groaned Sally, "But yes it's good to be home."

"We're glad you're back too." commented Alicia.

"Real glad." put in Miles.

Sally smiled down at her children and rubbed a hand on both of their heads.

"You've grown up so well, you make me so proud." she said.

Miles and Alicia blushed slightly and a collective "Aaaaaaaaaaaaw" went round the room.

"I hate to spoil the moment but where do you think we should go now?" asked Links looking up from his lap.

Sally shrugged slightly.

"I'm not too sure, we don't seem to be getting too far at anything." she replied, "There's that data to decode I suppose."

"You mean the stuff we got Links and them rescued myself from the Phantom?" asked Alindel.

"Yes that stuff. They said we had a year to decode it and follow the instructions. Jet you had any luck yet?" asked Sally.

Jet shook his head.

"I might be good at something's but I wasn't taught military codes, mind you these don't even look like standard EA codes to begin with." he replied.

"Maybe myself and Miles could help?" asked Lavender, "Together we cracked the Phantoms codes."

"Yes maybe." replied Jet.

"Times running low on that, we only have ten months left now." said Sally.

The group nodded before Chalk spoke.

"Hey Sally, what about Nicole? You said you hooked her into that ships computer or something." she said.

"I only hacked into a fighter Chalk. I don't think there'll be much useful information but it might help. Jet, remind me to lend you Nicole later."

Jet nodded at her and stretched.

"But enough of business." said Sally, "I'm in the mood for some partying."

"Too right Sally." replied Sonic jumping up, "I'll be right back."

Sonic walked over to the door and was about to open it when it opened itself. It didn't open much, just enough to allow an orange face to poke through.

"Uh….hi guys." said T2 slowly.

"T2! Where have you been? You missed the tale." said Sonic.

"Yeah I know…I…she…." started T2.

Just then there was a small noise. It sounded like a far off voice.

"T2?" asked Sonic.

"Just a second." he replied.

He ducked his head back round the door and closed it again. A few moments later it opened and T2 stepped partly into the room. Behind him you could see something hiding in his shadow.

"T2? What's that?" asked Sonia.

"Guys please be quiet and don't do anything quickly…she's still a bit nervous." replied T2.

"She?" asked a few people.

Before they got their reply though T2 pushed the door fully open and everyone gasped. Behind T2 stood Petya. She was curled up slightly and was trying to hide behind T2. T2 gave each and every person in the room a look and they all understood. Everyone went silent as he took a few more steps into the room followed by Petya. She was still trying to hide which was a slightly amusing sight as she was much taller than T2. He stopped and turned to look at Petya. He spoke quietly to her, almost too quiet for anyone else to hear.

"Petya, how are you feeling?" he asked.

"Scared…..want to go back." replied the wolf.

"Petya you don't have to be afraid. These are your friends, they won't hurt you. You're safe."

"I want to go back."

Petya took a small step backwards and started looking round the room nervously. T2 stepped after her and gently caught hold of her hand.

"Petya please trust me. Please!" he said almost starting to cry.

"I'm scared." replied Petya.

"Petya, we're all scared. We're scared for you. Please trust me Petya."

"Please Petya." asked a voice.

T2 and Petya both looked up to see that Miles, Alicia and Lavender had got up and crossed the room towards them. The three of them now stood only a few feet away looking up at them. Petya almost screamed but instead curled up around T2 almost making it look like one person. The children took a small step back as Petya reacted.

"Please Petya." asked Alicia again holding out her hand gingerly.

Petya just starred at Alicia's hand in fear. After a few moments her expression started to fade and she slowly began to reach out towards Alicia. The rest of the group watched and waited hardly daring to breathe. It seemed to take an eternity for Petya to reach out but finally her fingers brushed across Alicia's open palm. Petya stopped and held her hand steady for a moment before slowly withdrawing it. She returned to hiding behind T2 but wasn't looking quite so scared now.

"I want to go." she said slowly.

"Ok then Petya if that's what you really want." replied T2.

Petya nodded slowly and the pair walked back to the door slowly. Petya exited first and T2 followed her closely. As he did he turned to look at Alicia. He mouthed the words "thank you" and then smiled at her before leaving. For a moment nobody moved or spoke.

"My stars." said Bunnie in amazement.

"That certainly caps off the day." said Manic.

"Maybe things really are looking up." commented Alindel.

"Who know Alindel, who knows." replied Sally still staring at the door.