Epilogue

The next few days passed slowly on Little Planet. Much had happened and a new darkness had gathered over the small world. As Basanda passed away the dampening effect around her had subsided and slowly the powers of Mobius were recovering. Amy had found that the Time Stones were strong enough to form a healing field and had been busy helping everyone recover. Most of them had pulled though easily and were now resting but others had been more of a handful. She had almost lost Chalk twice and Sonic had been pretty badly hurt too but both were recovering nicely now. Amy had also healed Andrew, much to the disproval of some of the others, and he was now awake but pretty weak. However there was sadness in the air. As much as Amy had tried she had been unable to save Knuckles. Not only were his injuries horrific but when Basanda had drawn the Emeralds out of him it had instantly sent him into a coma. Even if Amy had been able to heal his injuries fully the energies of the Chaos Emeralds had been drained and wouldn't have been able to wake him up. Another casualty was Sonia. She had been first to meet Basanda and as such had walked right into the danger without even knowing about it. The gash across her chest was so bad not even Amy could heal it. She had fought for two whole days but had finally passed away during the night with Manic at her side. Life had taken on a new feel for everyone, the loss of friends and the recent events playing in their minds for most of the time. However for some of them other things were more pressing.

"Feeling any better Miles?" asked Lavender as the pair sat on the garden wall.

"Kinda." replied Miles rubbing his chin.

Amy had earlier set it back in place and healed it slightly but his injury hadn't been as serious as some of the others so she hadn't spent much time on him. Lavender leaned over and slowly rubbed her cheek against his shoulder.

"I'm glad." she said.

Miles just made a small 'humph' sound and smiled. Lavender sighed and continued to rub her head on his shoulder. Miles finally decided to ask her a question he'd been thinking of for a few days.

"Say Lavender, what are you going to do with those…"

"…with these?"

Lavender held out her hand and two Emeralds appeared in her palms, one black and one white.

"Yeah those." said Miles.

"I dunno really, they're part of the Vault now so I can't get rid of them."

"Nine Chaos Emeralds! I'd never have imagined that."

"Me neither…but these aren't really Chaos Emeralds, they're more like light and dark Emeralds."

"Yeah true, well I guess all we can do is keep them close. Might come in handy one day."

"I don't see how a power of pure evil would come in handy Miles but you're right I guess."

The pair sat for a moment in silence thinking.

"Things are really going to be different around here." said Miles absently.

"Yes very different." replied Lavender.

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Amy sat slumped in a chair almost unconscious. She had been running all over healing and tending to people for the last few days and was absolutely exhausted. Using her healing technique was tiring enough when only used on one person but she had been using it repeatedly over the last few days and had collapsed a few times. Across from her sat Sonic and Links. Links was probably the only person who wasn't actually injured but was still acting sluggish as the ring substance was still recovering its energy. Sonic on the other hand looked quite the opposite. His leg and shoulder were bandaged up heavily but he was moving around pretty much ok. Sonic nudged Links and nodded towards Amy.

"She's one of a kind that girl." he said.

"Yes I'd agree, and her daughter is too." replied Links.

"You know I didn't realise Miles had a crush on her."

"Oh?" said a voice.

Sonic and Links looked at Amy as she rose her head.

"It's pretty obvious you know." she finished.

"Oh?" said Sonic.

Amy shook her head.

"Amazing to think you're his father and you never noticed."

"Well I've been a bit occupied with other things you know." replied Sonic.

"I know but it is really obvious." retorted Amy.

"Yes it is." agreed Links.

"Don't make me frown…it hurts."

Amy gave a giggle and yawned making Sonic roll his eyes.

"What are we to do with that human?" asked Links.

"Andrew? I'm not sure." said Sonic, "Personally I wouldn't have healed him."

"Sonic!" cried Amy, "We've seen enough death in the last few years! Will one more really make a difference?"

"I'm not talking about that Aimes." replied Sonic, "I'm talking about the fact that he can't be trusted. If he wasn't here we wouldn't have a problem! Who's to say he won't be a spy in our midst?"

"That is a possibility Sonic but I couldn't let anyone else die, I…"

Amy fell silent and looked down. Sonic sighed slowly.

"Sorry Aimes, I didn't mean to…"

"I know, it's just going to take some time to sink in."

"Longer for some people…" finished Links.

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Manic and Chalk stood side by side on the edge of a small lake in Palmtree Panic. They were both starring into the water thinking. At length Chalk looked to her side and then kicked a stone into the lake, turning away as she did. Manic looked up and followed her with his eyes as she walked off a few steps.

"Damn!" cursed Chalk quietly.

"Chalk don't kick yourself, please." said Manic slowly, "I know it's in your nature to blame yourself for everything but this was not your fault! We didn't even know about Basanda."

"Yes yes…I…"

Chalk sighed and stopped.

"You're right Manic, I can't keep living like this."

"Sonia and I were a team Chalk and I know you were close to her too but…"

"…but she wouldn't want us to mourn over her. Yes yes the old line."

Chalk sighed and then smiled slightly.

"Mind you if people don't mourn when I die I'll come back and haunt them all."

Manic smiled and then started chuckling. Soon the chuckle had turned into them both leaning on each other laughing loudly. They finally stood up and stepped back from each other.

"Come on Manic, I need a milkshake." said Chalk.

"Better be chocolate." he replied.

"Sonia's special recipe."

Chalk continued to smile as she blinked and wiped away a tear.

"I miss her Manic."

"So do I…come on, let's go get that milkshake."

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Bunnie slowly packed away a few bits of clothing into a bag and sighed. She walked over to a set of draws and started to shift through various things in them before a knock on the door made her look up.

"Come on in." she said slowly.

The door opened to reveal Sally and Alicia who were both carrying a few items. Bunnie nodded at them.

"Thanks." she said.

"You sure about this Bunnie?" asked Alicia.

"Yes darling ah'm sure." replied Bunnie.

"I remember another rabbit doing just this not so long back you know." said Sally.

"I know Sally girl but like Chalk I have to do this." answered Bunnie.

"Why?" asked Alicia.

Bunnie knelt down and gave Alicia a small hug.

"Just have to, you know."

"Truthfully Bunnie that doesn't make sense. Not to sound cruel but you've survived without him before." said Sally.

"That was different Sally! When Knuckles was lost in the Chaos Zone he was never found, ah had hope that ah'd see him again! Now…I know he's gone."

Bunnie stopped and turned away slightly sniffing as she did. Sally stepped forwards and placed an arm round her shoulder causing the rabbit to turn and hug her.

"Ah miss him Sally girl!" she wailed now actually starting to cry.

"I know Bunnie I know, we all do, but do you really think leaving will solve anything?"

"I don't know Sally, but I'd be no help here. I know that much for certain."

"You can't say that."

"Yes ah can Sally and you know it's true. Now are you going to help me pack or what?"

"Ok Bunnie, ok."

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Alindel sat with her arms crossed watching Andrew closely. Andrew was pacing back and forth in the living room examining various objects. He occasionally glanced over at Alindel to see that she was still starring at him. Finally he had had enough and turned towards her. Alindel just continued to look at him.

"What?!" he asked.

Alindel didn't reply.

"You don't trust me do you?" he said.

"Correction, I don't trust human." she replied, "Not after all that's happened to me."

"What like attacking Commander Jake?!"

"Attack?! Only after he decided to attack my world!" screamed Alindel leaping to her feet.

Alindel was tall for a furry, only just less than Petya, and in her current mood didn't look all that friendly.

"That man decided to use me! He used me to find my world and then decided it would be a good idea to invade."

"What? That's not how I heard it. I heard that the commander decided to invade because of your attack."

"False information! Lies! If you believe that you're a fool!"

"Well if I am it won't solve a thing! I can't go back to the Alliance now can I, I'm stuck here! So you'll just have to get used to me being here."

"If you didn't want to be here you shouldn't have come. I'm sure everyone would be much happier."

"Well excuse me for butting in!"

"Um…"

Both Alindel and Andrew turned at the new voice. In the doorway stood Jet. In one hand was Nicole and in the other a jelly sandwich. He was starring at the pair and looked a tad nervous. Alindel quickly turned away from Alindel and calmed down. She made a point of not being angry around Jet but occasionally he caught her in this state. Andrew just glared at Alindel's back and turned away also, walking back to the shelf he had been looking at earlier. Alindel cleared her throat and turned to Jet.

"Yes dear?" she asked.

"Oh um…I was wondering if you had seen Sally today. I'm having trouble understand what Nicole is telling me." he replied.

"Complicated?"

"No just puzzling, these codes are a nightmare."

"Codes?" asked Andrew turning around.

Jet and Alindel looked at him a bit uneasy. The codes in question were those given to them by the forces that had helped Alindel, Links, Bunnie and the kids escape from the Phantom. What would an Earth Alliance officer do if he found out they were from them.

"What codes are you talking about?" asked Andrew.

"Um...nothing." said Jet quickly.

"No what codes?"

"Just some old codes from the Robotropolis database." said Alindel quickly as she grabbed Jet and pulled him to one side.

"But mom...they are from Robo.."

Alindel quickly put a finger to his lips.

"Quiet Jet and listen." she said quietly, "He's an Earth Alliance officer, if he knows where these codes came from he'd flip."

"Oh…you're right." replied Jet slowly.

"But…he does seem interested in them. Jet listen, do these codes look like normal Earth codes?"

"No…if they were I'd crack them easily."

"Good…then play along ok."

Alindel turned back to face Andrew who was eyeing them suspiciously. Alindel smiled.

"Do you want to see them?" she asked.

Andrew rose an eyebrow slowly.

"Yes." he said slowly.

"Jet." said Alindel motioning to Andrew.

Jet gave a nervous look at Alindel and then held out Nicole towards Andrew. Andrew, equally nervous, reached forwards and took hold of the small computer. He pulled back and started to look over the codes on the screen, his expression soon going to shock. He looked up sharply.

"What are these?!" he said.

"Codes from Robotropolis as I said." replied Alindel.

"They are astounding. Simply mind boggling."

"Well if you like you can give my son a hand in cracking them. As you're staying here you might as well make yourself useful."

"Well I ah…"

Alindel put her hands on her hips and frowned at him.

"…well I guess so." finished Andrew.

"Good, it might earn you a bit more respect too."

Andrew just grumbled to himself and turned away, still looking at Nicole. Jet nudged his mother.

"Slick mom…very slick." he said with a smile.

Author notes

For the first time ever I'm having to write an author note. Incredible eh? Well it's needed this time. Firstly I'd like to thank Gen (email: genkajun@hotmail.com) for the original story concept even if it turned out a lot different. Without his idea this story might not have got off the ground or would have been very different.

Second I'd like to apologise if anyone was shocked by this fic. I'm well aware it's probably the darkest I've written yet and I'm quite ready for flames if people see it fit.

Duncan "MTP" Sheard