In a lush green field high above mobius small purple headed flowers turned west in one final attempt to capture the dying suns rays. The cool, tall grass tickled Tails shins as he trailed a few paces behind Amy. He could see from the way her quills stiffened that she was tense. The reality that their mission had been a failure was slowly dawning on her to.

As they reached the edge of the clearing she slumped down on a rock and sighed heavily.

"We should head back." Tails said as gently as he could.

Amy's disappointed was palatable. They had spent three days on little planet now with no trace of Amy's origins in sight. The whole plant seemed uninhabited by anything other than the bright blue Flickies currently swooping overhead as they searched for a place to roost.

Tails placed a hand on her shoulder. "The planet will be leaving our orbit soon. I'm sorry Amy but we can't stay."

"I still think we could get the time stones and.."

Tails shook his head. He had already vetoed that idea.

"It's too dangerous." He insisted. "Besides, we're still not sure you came from here. We've not found any sign of intelligent life on the planet."

Amy rested her chin in her hands and closed her eyes.

"We can try the central records office in the city." He offered.

Amy wasn't encouraged. "Most of the records were destroyed in the war." She said quietly.

They sat in silence for a few moments before she rallied herself. "But you're right. We can't stay here. Come on, we can set up camp by Never Lake and head back home in the morning."

Tails smiled kindly and held out his hand. Amy took it and pulled herself up. She looked down at the young fox and gently ruffled the fur on the top of his head.

"I'm sorry I've been grumpy." She said apologetically. "I appreciate you coming along. You're a good friend"

Tails cheeks went red as he smoothed his fur back into place.

"We'll get to the bottom of this together." He promised her and led the way back to the tornado.

x

Deep underground in a never ending maze filled with dead ends and danger two figures ran swiftly away from the epicenter. Something was chasing them. Something that wasn't opposed to making its own shortcuts.

"Where the hell did that thing come from?!" Knuckles yelled.

Hot on Sonics heels the pair of them skidded around the corner of a large stone wall. It exploded behind them as a giant robotic arm plowed through. Dust and rocks scattered everywhere.

"Do you think he's back?!" The red echidna grunted.

He and Sonic turned to face the creature. They stood side by side as a red, robotic octopus crawled through the gap it had made in the wall. Sonic squinted at the joints in its arms.

"They're rusty." He pointed out. "I'd guess it's an old bot Eggbreath left behind."

"The rust doesn't seem to have slowed it down any." Knuckles moaned.

They both dived out of the way as a metal tentacle slammed down where they had just been stood. Water began to spurt from the floor.

"Crud!" Sonic swore. "Why water? WHY?!"

"Because everyone knows it's you're weakness." Knuckles said in a matter of fact voice. He swung a punch at the robot hitting it to th left of its eye. "If I were a bad guy trying to fight you I'd definitely do it over water. You really should get lessons."

"I can run on water." The hedgehog insisted.

He back flipped over one tentacle and landed gracefully on the floor. The rising water was now up to his ankles.

Knuckles snorted. "Not so good under it though are you? And if we don't wrap this up we're going to be up to our necks before you can say 'drowned hedgehog.'"

Sonic gritted his teeth. Knuck's had a point. He scanned the robot, searching for a weak spot. The corner of its eye where knuckles had hit it was fizzing and crackling as the exposed wire flailed around. Sonic smiled.

"Speaking of the rising water, I'd get off of the ground if I were you'

Knuckles leapt at the nearest stone wall and dug his spiked knuckles deep into it. He climbed up until he was nearly at the ceiling.

"Okay," sonic smirked when his friend was safely out of harms way. "Looks like calamari is on the menu."

Knuckles groaned. "Less quipping more killing."

"I had an INKling you'd say that."

Knuckles shook his head as Sonic leapt onto the nearest tentacle. He stayed put until the last second when the other tentacles came crashing down. Sonic span towards the wall where Knuckles caught him. Beneath them the robot juddered violently. The force of the other seven tentacles crashing down on the one had smashed it clean in two. It's exposed wiring hit the water overwhelming the octopus with a violent surge of electricity.

"It's going to blow!" Knuckles yelled as smoke formed in the robots cracked shell.

Sonic shut his eyes tight and held on to the Echidna.

The explosion shook the chamber and sent parts flying everywhere. When Sonic opened his eyes again he found a large lump of twisted metal embedded inches from where they were. Knuckles grunted and dropped him. Sonic landed heavily in the water as Knuclkles floated down gently beside him.

"Thanks for letting me down easy." The hedgehog moaned, rubbing his sore backside.

Knuckles ignored him and headed over to the octopus. In one of its broken tentacles it held a large green shard of emerald. The echidna held it aloft.

"At last!" He said triumphantly. "I can complete the master emerald."

Sonic sloshed over, the water was waist height now.

"Good one knucks." He beamed. "Now do you mind if we get out of here? Salt waters bad for my fur."

Knuckles laughed and patted Sonic gratefuly on his arm. "You go ahead. I'm going to head straight for Angel island."

Sonic winked and shot him a thumbs up.

"Always a pleasure." He grinned and turned on his heel.

Within minutes Sonic was screeching to a halt outside Tails house. He burst through the door with dramatic flair.

"Honey, I'm home." He called.

His voice echoed around the empty hut. Sonic furrowed his brow and flicked the lights on. The sun was all but gone now and the place was in darkness. Sonic made his way over to the desk. Everything was neatly in its place. He scratched his chin.

Tails had declined Sonics invite to come along with him and Knuckles on the basis that he was too busy decoding info from the egg carrier. Sonic had fully expected to find the little fox dutifully sat at his computer on his arrival home. He hoped nothing had happened.

Sonic turned on his communicator and waited as Tails number rang and rang.

x

Tails hurried away from the camp as his wrist vibrated. He had promised Amy he wouldn't tell Sonic what they were up to and fully intended to keep that promise but he couldn't quite take her staring at him while he lied to his best friend.

When he saw Sonic flash up on his communicator the fox had made his excuses and left Amy by the lake, fiddling with her Tarot deck.

When he was a suitable distance away Tails cleared his throat and tried to make his voice sound casual.

"Oh hey Sonic." He said in what he hoped was an off hand voice. "Sorry, I didn't hear the fist few rings."

"Your communicators on your wrist." Sonic said suspiciously.

Tails could see his narrowed green eyes scanning the background and regretted accepting a video call.

"Where are you?" Sonic asked.

Tails took a deep breath.

"Amy and o went camping." He said casually.

He had read somewhere that the key to lying was telling a partial truth. He desperately hoped it worked.

As Sonics eye widened with surprise the little fox saw it was clearly the wrong thing to say.

"With Amy?" Sonic said quickly. "Just you and Amy? Alone? Camping under the stars?"

Tails wasn't entirely sure why but Sonic seemed to be pouting.

"Yeah we both felt we needed a break." He lied. He could feel his mouth going dry and his voice was becoming squeakier.

"Okay then." Sonic said slowly. "I'll just head over now and.."

"No!" Tails said quickly.

If Sonic didn't look suspicious before he certainly was now. His lips pursed together and his voice shook as he spoke.

"Why exactly don't you two want me there?" He demanded. "You two aren't..?"

Tails finally caught up with what was going on in Sonics mind.

"Oh no." He laughed. "We aren't... oh no, no, no."

"Not that I mind. None of my business really if you're …" Sonic said quickly. Something told Tails that his dear friend would have minded very much if he and Amy had been '...'

"So what is going on?" Sonic coughed. He seemed much calmer now.

Tails shifted uncomfortably.

"Tails." Sonic pressed.

"I promised I wouldn't say." The fox whispered.

"Okay. Now I'm really worried." Sonic said impatiently. "Where are you?"

"Never lake."

"Never lake?" Sonic repeated. "As in where Little planet shows up every year. As in.."

"As in where you and Amy met." Tails said guiltily. "Oh Sonic, I promised her I wouldn't say."

Sonics eyebrow arched dangerously. Tails could see he'd already lost.

"She's been having these dreams." He explained. Now that the truth was out the words gushed quickly from the little foxes mouth. "Then she started questioning where she came from. She doesn't remember her life before meeting you."

"Probably wasn't much of a life without me in it." Sonic offered with a cheeky grin.

Tails rolled his eyes. "Shes worried Sonic. And I'm worried to. It's like she's deliberately blocked her past from her memory."

"Is she alright?" Sonic asked, his voice full of concern.

Tails nodded. "Yeah she's ok." He said. "She's down by the lake with her.."

He trailed off. Looking down by the side of the lake he could see a flickering light. At first he thought it was their fire but that was further up by their tents. In the middle of the light he could just about make out a figure suspended in mid air with its arms hanging limply by its sides.

"Amy!" He screamed and darted forwards.

"What's happening?" He heard sonics voice call from his wrist as he vaulted over some rocks and sped towards the lake. "Tails? I'm on my way!"

Tails reached Amy. She was surrounded by swirling fire. Tails tried to get close but the heat was intense. Inside the swirling ball of flames Tails could see Amy's tarot cards fluttering past as though caught in an intense wind. All except one hanging in-front of her open, glassy eyes. The thirteenth card. Death.

"Amy?" Tails screamed.

She started to rise in the air with the impenetrable ball of fire. Tails felt a rush of wind to his left. He didn't need to turn his head and see what it was.

"What happened?" Sonic demanded, grabbing the fox on his arm.

Tails couldn't answer even if he knew. He stared open mouthed in horror as the card in front of Amy glowed flame red. Something was emerging from it. Something large on a pale white horse.