Epilogue

Blackness...death...
why...
why did it have to happen...
for an end... this is fitting...
wait...
light... voices...
air to breathe...
life...
I'm not dead yet!

Sonic opened his eyes.

He was in the hospital ward. Through a window, he could see stars. That meant he was still on ARK.

"Great! You're up!" said Tails cheerfully.

"Tails... what happened?"

Tails looked concerned. "Don't you remember?"

Then it all came crashing back to him. The Chaos World... Kerrigan... Shadow...

Sonic bowed his head.

Tails sat next to him.

"I think he wanted to die. He missed Maria too much... if he had lived he would be miserable right now."

Sonic nodded. "I understand."

Then he thought of something. "What about Kerrigan?"

"Kerrigan? He's dead. You activated the explosive power of the fake Emerald, and blew him up. Fortunately, it transported you out in time."

Just then Saermore and Retio came into the room.

"Hi Sonic! We heard you're up!" said Saermore. He grinned, and he and Retio shared a look.

"Saermore... but I thought you were dead!" exclaimed Sonic.

"Remember the healing powers of the transport? It worked on me," said Saermore. "And Harry and Starlight too. They're both fine."

"Then why didn't it work on Shadow?" asked Sonic sadly.

"He said that he had been transported in and out of the world so many times that it not longer worked..." said Retio.

Sonic kicked the bed. "Darn it! It should have worked!"

Tails grabbed Sonic's shoulders. "Calm down! We found out that if you die in the Chaos World, you'll be okay in this one! Assuming that's where you originated!"

"Then we should have left Shadow to die in the Chaos World! How can I calm down?" asked Sonic angrily. "You expect me to calm down over the death of a friend?"

"Then we won't let you see a man who's been asking for you," stated Saermore.

Sonic stopped. "What?"

"He really wants to see you," said Retio, a slight grin on his face. He struggled to hide it. "And I think you want to see him too..."

"All right, I'm calm now. Look!" said Sonic, sitting down on the bed.

"Okay, he's on the second door to the left on the end of the hallway." pointed Saermore.

Sonic ran out of the hospital ward.

"We found out that if you die in the Chaos World, you'll be okay in this one! Assuming that's where you originated!"

Sonic had a sudden idea. But no, it couldn't be... could it?

He entered the room.

"Sonic!"

The smile on Sonic's face lit up the room.

THE END