As Nine watched Sonic leave another tear formed in his eye but not wanting anyone to see he whipped it away and began to walk away. Everyone watched him but no one stopped him. Each one began to get ready to return to their worlds. There was only one who didn't. Little Mangey.
He watched Nine walk away and he took a very shaky step towards him. He was still scared of the former enemy but even so, he couldn't help but follow.
"Mangey. Time to go." Prim said as she noticed the roses were returning.
Mangey looked at her and then back to Nine who was now cleaning up the destroyed parts of his lab.
"Mangey?" Prim said again.
Mangey didn't look back this time and walked a few more steps towards Nine. Nine finally noticed and took a brief moment to look at his feral counterpart before turning around again.
"What do you want? Go back to your friends." Nine said coldly.
Mangey got closer and finally, he began to stutter, "F-f-f…" he was having a hard time speaking since he was still scared and words were still hard for him.
"What?" Nine said slightly annoyed.
"Mangey what are you…" Prim said before Mangey finally got out his word.
"Feewing." He said to Nine.
"What?" Nine said in confusion.
Mangey looked at the other variants and said the world again, "feewing."
Prim did a facepalm and said, "There is no need to talk about your 'feeling'. Everything is settled. It is time to go home."
Mangey looked over at Nine who scoffed and turned away again. Mangey whimpered and began to go to Prim and the others.
While he did that Sails stopped and looked at Nine. Just like Mangey, Sails also felt leaving was not good.
"Hold yer' horses mate." Sails surprised everyone. Maybe Mangey is right. Maybe we should talk…" he began.
"There is no need. Just leave and leave me alone." Nine said harshly.
Sails looked at Mangey then back to nine. "Do ye' really mean that?"
"Of course. I have been alone all my life. No reason I can't go back."
Sails and Mangey noticed Nine's shoulders were shaking a bit. Mangey wanted to get closer but he was so scared.
"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" Nine yelled, causing Mangey to hide behind Sails.
"Come on. The roses are almost here. Let's just do what we promised to Sonic and leave Nine alone." Prim said harshly.
After a few more seconds the roses were finally back and everyone began to get ready to leave. Everything was about ready and everyone was boarding the ship but before Mangey and Sails boarded they took one final look at their loner counterpart. To their surprise, he was watching them and there were noticeable tears in his eyes. Nine quickly looked away but the two knew what they saw.
Mangey then ran up to Nine. He was scared but his need to help was greater. He got right up to Nine who was still looking away from him. Mangey whimpered and again said, "Feewing?"
"Leave me alone." Nine said with a hint of sadness.
"Can't do that." Sails said after running up behind Mangey. "I have a feeling you don't want to be alone."
"What would you know? You have a home… and friends." Nine said.
"ey' but, it wasn't always that way. I would bet ye that me and Mangey here have more in common with ye than ye think."
Nine looked at him with curiosity. "What do you mean?"
"Ya' think I had it easy. Nay. I was afloat all alone for a long time. Until me crew found me." He said looking over at his mates. "And I would bet Mangey had a similar experience."
Mangey in that instant got up to Nine and nuzzled him a bit. Nine did get a bit annoyed but he let the feral fox continue.
"Have you ever been in the middle of constant fighting? Never knowing who was friend or foe? Running and hiding because you were different? I have and I never wanted to do that again." Nine said.
"Pot calling the kettle black," Rebel said.
"I know but unlike all of you, you had friends. People you can turn to. A place where you can feel safe." Tears began to swell. "I never had that. I was always alone. Always fighting by myself. Never feeling safe." He then got really sad and slowly said, "All I wanted was a place I could belong. Someplace I didn't have to fight or hide with the one and only person I felt was a friend. Was that so wrong?"
The other variants couldn't help but feel sorry for their former enemy. True what he did was unforgivable but when they thought about it he was still a kid. One that was scared and alone. These thoughts especially affected Rebel and the New Yoke variants.
All this time they thought of him as a traitor, a person to never trust and never interact with. Even Knucks was feeling a bit sad for the fox.
"Listen…Nine." Knucks began.
Nine looked over at Knucks who walked a bit closer. "What you did was very bad, and I still am not sure I can forgive you…" he said.
"I know." Nine admitted.
"...but I think even you deserve a second chance." He said.
Nine was surprised. "What?"
"I agree. We have not been fair to you. Doubting you and shunning you from the start. We should have given you a fair chance. Especially since he gave Sonic a few chances." Rebel said with a giggle.
Nine was confused about where this was going. "So what do you mean telling me this?"
"If you want and I am not saying it will be easy but how about you come back to New Yoke with us?" Rebel said.
Nine was stunned and so was everyone else.
Some of the other people from New Yoke were asking if that was a good idea. Rebel and the others ignored them and waited for Nine's answer.
"But…I…" Nine said, still in shock. After everything they were still willing to give him a chance. He wasn't sure if he could believe that and he wasn't sure what to say.
It was at this point Sails reached a hand out to Nine to help him up and Mangey gave Nine a little nudge to get up. They lead Nine to all the variants.
"So what do you say?" Rebel asked, reaching her hand out.
Nine just looked at it for a moment and with a smile he took it. "I promise I will do my best to fix all of my mistakes."
"Good cause I bet there will be a lot to clean up when we get back," Rebel said with a laugh.
With that, everyone got on the ship and made their way to all of their portals.
The first is No Place. Nine couldn't help but apologize to them once again for the trouble but also thanked them for his second chance. Before leaving Sails even hugged Nine and said, "Be well me friend." Nine was surprised but he nodded his head in agreement.
Then they went to Boscage Maze. Nine once again apologized and thanked them. He then looked at Mangey and personally said, "Thank you" to him for taking the first step. Mangey went up and hugged Nine and in his broken speech said, "Friends." Nine again was shocked but nodded in agreement.
After that Nine looked at Rebel and the others and said, "You sure."
"Any reason we shouldn't be?" Rebel asked.
Nine chuckled and said, "No."
"Good. let's go home." She said before they all flew off to New Yoke to start their new lives.