Epilogue: The Earth We Tread
They flocked to the site, the little shrine beneath the windmill. Most of the flowers, the candies, the sundaes were left at the statue of the fluffy fairy. Quite a few offerings of chili dogs, soda, and power rings appeared beneath the hedgehog statute in the center, often turning up half-eaten in the fall. But every November a power ring and a sundae were left at the base of the imp statue , left by a Shamari-robed furry woman whose bracelets stood out. A round green gem on one side, and violet on the other.
She always got an ice cream afterward, and the ice cream man recognized her. He always called her ma'am a little louder than normal, with a little wink, and she always left him a pretty big tip.
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He kicked back in the hammock, sighing, book cracked in his lap. First, for a moment, he watched the clouds roll over the sky above the green hill, the checkered hillside, watching a memory of his child self race over the grass. Then he turned his attention to the book, watching sunlight cast green and purple dances on the page through his wrist guards. After a moment, he picked up the book and started to read. "Geez, Dr. Rose," he murmured to himself, chuckling. "Did you sign off on this monsterously small font?"
"Maybe you just need reading glasses," came a voice from above.
There was a rustling in the tree, and he looked up to see a red form above him. He glanced to his sides, locating two black suited men and a single GUN soldier. He looked back up at the echidna, who was climbing toward him.
"Bit early for a vacation, isn't it, Mr. President?"
Knuckles dropped to the ground next to him. "Not a vacation. Diplomatic thing, since you aren't answering your mail. Come to a banquet at the new White House. In your honor. I'll badger the chef until he makes chili dogs—I mean, if he won't be my Secretary of State he, can at least do that…"
"Knuckles, I don't do banquets." Sonic closed his book. "You know that."
"Will you do a picnic? Amy's got the grill and Shadow made cookies."
"Queen Cream on her way too?"
"She hates being called that, and I'm not sure it's going to last. My countrymen really don't like this idea of a constitutional monarchy. Oh, and before I forget, don't be surprised if Tails and Wave have something to announce. Those schemers are starting to remind me of him."
Sonic chuckled, looking back up at the sky. "I almost wish Eggman were here to share this."
"You might get that wish. It's not like there was enough left for us to find a body."
Sonic sat up. "Did you bring ice cream?"
"You're still making offerings to them, after all they did to you?"
Sonic smiled. "Hey, you can't talk about going back to someone who hurt you. And we'll eat most of it—they're the earth we tread, it's not like they need dessert."
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In the midst of the forest, as the shattered earth finally began to calm, they emerged from the crack, screaming. They flew into the mossy statue base, silenced.
After a moment they stood, flew into the air, arm in arm, the maroon creature pulling up on the violet one. They regarded the statue for a moment, chipped away, only the shoes carved into the base remaining.
"They gave him a statue?" asked the maroon one, flapping his green wings.
"There are two other ones here. What do you think, Tails and Knuckles, or us?" answered his blue-winged brother.
"Definitely us."
"So, off to Mazuri, find the emerald, pop it in?"
"Oh yeah, but on the way we have to see if there's still ice cream!"
The spiny one crossed his arms. "Light, it's been five million years. Do you really think anything will be the same?"
"It's ice cream! It's… why would people stop making it?"
"Because we can't be that lucky."
"Come on, it was this way!" Light Gaia flew off, through the forest. "I wonder if there's still a village here?"
"Someone will still be watching the shrine! I hope it's a pretty girl!" Dark Gaia grinned.
He scoffed, buzzing under a tree. "You and pretty girls!"
"You and food! Maybe this was a bad idea. We don't get along very well."
Dark Gaia laughed. "Oh, but did you see Sonic and Tails in Adabat? And they were best friends."
As they made their way into the tiny wooded village, they laughed their way into a little building with a picture of a meal painted on its hanging side.
"How are we going to pay for this anyway, Dark?"
"We're the reason all these people exist. We don't need to pay for it."
As they argued about payment, there was a little tug at both of their tails. The two ancients looked down.
A little brown-haired human girl was looking up at them, green eyes shining, holding up a bowl. Inside was a slick yellow mound, feathered on the edges, drowned in pink syrup.
"Honey, leave those things alone," shouted a blue-eyed woman, pulling her away. "You don't know where they've been."
"But mommy, they look just like the Chips in my story tablet…"
The two boys looked at each other smiling. After a moment they asked, "Was there anyone else in your story?"
As the mother dragged the little girl away, she called. "A big blue monster guy!"
"All those books he read, and he gets to be in one," commented Dark.
"Good thing neither of us won, isn't it?"
"Let's get some ice cream and get this done."